Nightward
12/08/02 08:16 PM
202.138.40.5
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Type: WHR XM War Hammer
Technology Base: Inner Sphere, House Marik 3025
Mass: 70 Tons
Chassis: StarCorp 100
Power Plant: VOX 280
Cruising Speed: 43.2 kph
Maximum Speed: 64.8 kph
Armour: Leviathan Plus
Armament:
2 Diverse Optics Heavy Lasers
4 Diverse Optics Medium Lasers
2 I.W.W. Class 4 S.R. Missile Systems
Communications System: O/P 3000 COMSET
Targeting and Tracking System: O/P 1500 ARG
Primary Manufacturer: Free Worlds League Military
Primary Factory: Atreus
OVERVIEW
The War Hammer has long been one of the most fearsome sights on the modern battlefield; armed with a variety of ballistic, missile, and energy weapons, it is capable of ripping its foes to shreds at any range. Unfortunately, however, relatively weak armour on the 'Mech’s legs and arms and limited ability to dissipate the tremendous heat its weapons generate have been the 'Mech’s bane for almost as long. With the FWLM’s chronic shortage of PPC replacements, the Captain-General’s office decided to trial a new War Hammer variant that would eliminate its reliance on the hard-to-come-by PPCs.
CAPABILITIES
As with the MAD-3M Marauder, the twin PPCs were stripped out, and replaced with Diverse Optics Heavy Lasers. This gave designers another four tons to make their modifications, and introduced a level of modularity into the design, which now shares its major weapons with the Phoenix Hawks and Marauders deployed by the FWLM.
Designers next overhauled the 'Mech’s short-range weapons package, removing the Small Laser/Machine Gun pairing used for anti-infantry work and replacing them with another Medium Laser, an arrangement similar to the AFFS’s WHR-6D variant. The large, bulky over-the-shoulder SRM-6 was removed; the torso armour and superstructure was reworked to provide recessed SRM-4 Launchers in each side of the War Hammer’s bulky torso.
Finally, the remaining tonnage was devoted to the installation of three additional tons of armour, bringing the 'Mech up to almost-total armour for its size. Unfortunately, these modifications left the team without enough tonnage to mount additional heat sinks.
Still, the new War Hammer variant has an excellent capacity to vent heat; moving at a run, the 'Mech can fire both of its Large Lasers, or its entire short-range armament, without building up excess heat. However, if it does use its entire weapons system at once, the 'Mech will overheat more heavily than the standard WHR-6R.
The new weapons system paints n interesting picture of the new War Hammer; with the dual Large Lasers, it has a slightly lessened range and damage profile when compared to the PPC models, but can more easily control its heat output. The enhanced short-range weapons pack allows the War Hammer XM to do yet more damage up close than the standard War Hammer.
Nevertheless, the main feature that test pilots of the three prototypical WHR-XMs have commented on is the enhanced leg and arm armour, which allows the 'Mech to sustain two hits from a PPC to each location without an armour breach; on a standard WHR-6R, such hits would smash into the internal structure of the 'Mech.
DEPLOYMENT
As of this writing, only three WHR-XM War Hammers exist, all prototypical test models on Atreus. They will complete another three months of testing, at the end of which recommendations will be made to the FWLM. The test progress well, however, and the project has caught the eye of Captain-General Janos Marik, so the project personnel are hopeful their 'Mech will be deployed in the FWLM.
COST ANALYSIS
If production lines were overhauled to produce the XM variant, the 'Mech would cost about 5.75 million C-Bills, which is even cheaper than the standard War Hammer.
MY BLURB
Well, I kinda wondered what the War Hammer would be able to do with Large Lasers instead of the PPCs. Although you loose range and damage, the tradeoff is greater punch in close and better heat dissipation ability. Although I personally would be more inclined to go with a WHM-6D than this variant, it worked well in a playtesting game. I guess it depends on whether you feel the additional armour is worth the extra sacrifices.
I feel it would be at its best in a confined environment, such as a city or forest, where having the shorter-ranged weapons is actually an advantage, as you won’t suffer those accursed Minimum Range modifiers.
Freakishly, I was working on this write-up at the same time as I read the comments on the other War Hammer thread about Large Lasers. Maybe this is what you were thinking about.
MASS BREAKDOWNS
Engine: 16
Gyro: 3
Cockpit: 3
Internal Structure: 7
Armour: 13
2 Large Lasers: 10
4 Medium Lasers: 4
2 SRM-4s with 2 Tons of Ammunition: 6
8 Additional Heat Sinks: 8
GAME STATISTICS
Walking MP: 4
Running MP: 6
Total Heat Sinks: 18
ARMOUR DISTRIBUTION
Head: 9
Centre Torso: 33/10
Side Torsos: 23/7
Arms: 20
Legs: 28
BVs
1,057
LOCATIONS
Large Laser (No Hand Actuator)- Each Arm
2 Medium Lasers, 1 SRM-4, 1 Ton SRM Ammunition- Each Side Torso
1 Heat Sink- Head
2 Heat Sinks- Centre Torso
2 Heat Sinks- Each Leg
Yea, verily. Let it be known far and wide that Nightward loathes MW: DA. Indeed, it is with the BURNING ANIMUS OF A THOUSAND SUNS that he doth rage against it with.
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KamikazeJohnson
12/09/02 12:49 AM
142.161.119.210
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Very impressive...I always found the old Whammer to be a slightly irritating 'Mech to pilot...heavy long-range punch, but not enough heat sinks to back it up; considerable excess heat dissipation for its close-range weaponry (somewhat inefficient), but not enough to throw in a PPC except on rare occasions. This one balances out the heat curve, resulting a much more effective fighting machine. It could suffer a bit at long range, due to the decreased range, but I certainly would think twice before rushing one of these...
hmmm...kinda looks like a mini-stalker...
Peace is that glorious moment in history when everyone stands around reloading.
--Thomas Jefferson
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LordChaos
12/09/02 03:03 AM
216.161.100.77
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I like it. I wonder how it would do against my Mace (another warhammer variant) posted somewere in the past....
Real mechwariors pilot IS mechs.
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Nightward
12/09/02 05:24 AM
202.138.17.184
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Thanks for the kind comments from both of you.
I dunno. After I posted this, I sat back and thought about it. It just dosn't *FEEL* like a War Hammer any more. I mean, yah, it's a mean machine, but wiithout the PPCs, it just doesn't seem to click as a War Hammer. I think that maybe too, the SRMs and their placements change things. I dunno.
Yea, verily. Let it be known far and wide that Nightward loathes MW: DA. Indeed, it is with the BURNING ANIMUS OF A THOUSAND SUNS that he doth rage against it with.
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Karagin
02/22/07 11:21 PM
70.123.166.36
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Liked the fluff and your take is one that while done before you did different in that you went in the direction of more direct firepower versus heat then trying to up evertyhing.
Karagin
Given time and plenty of paper, a philosopher can prove anything.
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