Gyrfalcon
12/28/11 11:48 AM
97.84.0.204
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I haven't followed BattleTech closely for almost 10 years. Recently I found this site and wanted to post some of my old 'Mech designs. I was trying to remember if there was a specific name for non-humanoid biped BattleMechs. I looked on the WIKI page "BattleMech" under "Chassis types" and they do differentiate between the two types of bipedal 'Mech. The most common is called "humanoid" which includes the Wasp, Phoenix Hawk, Warhammer, Atlas and Summoner (Thor). The other they refer to as "Reverse joint (chicken-walker) bipedal 'Mechs" and include the Locust, Catapult, Marauder, and Timber Wolf (Mad Cat).
Is that the best name they could come up with? Seriously, "chicken-walker"?
I would like to propose a new name for non-humanoid biped 'Mechs: "avian biped". It's short and descriptive, alluding to it's appearance, which is similar to the flightless birds of the order Struthioniform
(which includes: African ostrich, Australian emu and cassowary, South American rhea, and New Zealand kiwi).
If you like it, or have a better suggestion, let's hear it.
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Karagin
12/28/11 01:33 PM
178.76.141.124
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I go with a name if it fits a design or I like the name. Many times I pick from a list I have and go from there.
Karagin
Given time and plenty of paper, a philosopher can prove anything.
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Cray
12/28/11 02:13 PM
97.101.96.171
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I prefer "chicken walker." It's informal, non-canon, and amuses me.
Since the terms for variations of bipedal 'Mechs are informal, non-canon, and have no associated canonical rules, high-minded names are unnecessary. Might as well select a humorous term like "chicken walker."
Mike Miller, Materials Engineer
Disclaimer: Anything stated in this post is unofficial and non-canon unless directly quoted from a published book. Random internet musings of a BattleTech writer are not canon.
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Raplet
12/29/11 03:23 AM
68.150.148.233
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A group I played with almost 20 years ago referred to reverse articulated designs as chicken walkers.
I guess most people think chickens when they see the reverse articulated joints. Probably because the chicken is the most prevalent domesticated bird in the world.
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Prince_of_Darkness
12/29/11 07:28 PM
75.170.96.46
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Quote:
I prefer "chicken walker." It's informal, non-canon, and amuses me.
Since the terms for variations of bipedal 'Mechs are informal, non-canon, and have no associated canonical rules, high-minded names are unnecessary. Might as well select a humorous term like "chicken walker."
Besides, Battletech is supposed to be somewhat dystopian. Might as well for the people to gouge out some humor from an otherwise deadly opponent by giving it a bad name- like how my knickname for the new Atlas in Mechwarrior Online is "Stumpy", despite how much I like the art.
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