Calliope Missile Mech

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Retry
03/25/16 02:57 AM
68.103.19.152

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Calliope Mk.I
Mixed (Base Clan)
75 tons
BV: 1,864
Cost: 21,342,999 C-bills
Source: Crossroads

Movement: 5/8
Engine: 375 XL
Double Heat Sinks: 15 [30]
Cockpit: Small Cockpit
Gyro: XL Gyro

Internal: 114 (Endo-Steel)
Armor: 231/231 (Ferro-Lamellor)
Internal Armor
Head 3 9
Center Torso 23 35
Center Torso (rear) 11
Right Torso 16 24
Right Torso (rear) 8
Left Torso 16 24
Left Torso (rear) 8
Right Arm 12 24
Left Arm 12 24
Right Leg 16 32
Left Leg 16 32

Weapons Loc Heat
SRM 4 LA 3
SRM 4 LA 3
SRM 4 RA 3
SRM 4 RA 3
SRM 4 RA 3
SRM 4 RA 3
SRM 4 RA 3
SRM 4 LA 3
SRM 4 LA 3
SRM 4 LA 3

Ammo Loc Shots
SRM 4 Ammo RT 25
SRM 4 Ammo RT 25
SRM 4 Ammo RT 25
SRM 4 Ammo RT 25
SRM 4 Ammo RT 25
SRM 4 Ammo RT 25
SRM 4 Ammo RT 25
SRM 4 Ammo RT 25

Equipment Loc
CASE II RT
AES RA
AES LA
C3i Computer HD

-------------------------------------

The Calliope is a direct-fire SRM platform developed by the alternate history faction Crossroads.

The Government issued a design challenge around 3100 after it was noted that a major weakness of the Crossroadian Armed Forces was an over-reliance of energy weaponry on their Armored Vehicles, particularly pulse weapons. Simulation testing revealed that opponents utilizing certain technologies, such as Reflective armor, drastically reduced the effectiveness and lethality of the majority of the vehicles. It was recommended to diversify the ranks with new designs utilizing ballistics and explosives as primary weapon systems.

The Calliope is one such result. The basic mech is a design that has two Catapult-like rocket racks, augmented with AES for more effective targeting and to help conserve ammunition. Each is armed with 4x5 SRM racks, mimicking the devastating missile rain of the LRM-20. The immense firepower is fed by eight tons of ammunition, which allows for a varied ammunition loadout.

One favorite loadout is two tons of smoke ammunition, two tons of inferno ammunition, and four tons of standard ammunition, which allows for a variety of situations. Against Clan forces, loadouts including AX warheads that is particularly devastating to the famed Ferro-Fibrous armor is common. One particular pilot operating a Calliope nicknamed "Katyusha" successfully ambushed one of two free-hunting Mad Cats, rendering it virtually armor-less using AX warheads within 20 seconds. Calliope crews now have the reputation of being "Cat Skinners".

Maneuverability is nothing to write home about, with a 5/8 movement profile. Armor protection is above average with around 16 tons of the next generation Ferro-Lamellor covering the mech. The large ammunition bay, although protected by CASE II, is often voiced as a concern from Calliope pilots. The electronic package is meek for Crossroad standards, consisting of a C3i computer and no ECM suite complement.

The Calliope's immense success resulted in the development of the Mk.II: Switching the SRM-4 racks for LRM-5 racks with the same eight-ton ammo load resulted in an oversinked but useful conversion. Due to its somewhat low firepower for its weight class, the Mk.II is used frequently in minelaying operations or in the indirect-fire role and is rarely utilized in direct combat.

Research is going into Calliope variants. One proposal, the Mk.IIa, suggests replacing the 5x5 LRM tubes with a single LRM-20 and an Artemis V FCS, which would require the removal of three tons of ammunition. Others include simplified versions of the Mk.I and Mk.II with a weaker but less expensive SFE and a more basic armor type for garrison troops or export services.
Karagin
03/25/16 06:48 AM
61.40.222.5

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Should this not have some AP weapons?
Karagin

Given time and plenty of paper, a philosopher can prove anything.
ATN082268
03/25/16 10:02 AM
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Overall, I like the design. Personally I wouldn't put all of the ammunition in one place or use CASE II with so much ammo. With CASE II, unless they have changed how it works, you roll for each slot left from an ammo explosion to see if it takes a crit or not. In this case (no pun intended) that is a lot of potential pilot hits
ghostrider
03/25/16 12:49 PM
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interesting design.
I am going to assume it doesn't use hand actuators, but does it use the lower arm ones?

It looks like an srm carrier that walks. Which isn't a bad thing.
Hopefully the aes in both arms helps with getting hits.
I am surprised there is no energy weapons on it, even with the fluff suggesting to move away from it.
With this in mind, I would suggest removing a ton of ammo for something else. Be it electronics or flamers if you don't want to add in mgs or something to help with infantry operations.

Even with extended operations 2 tons of smoke rounds should be too much, as you would probably only use 1 maybe 2 launchers with them.

As a side note, this is a good in your face mech for the critics like me that suggested you don't do anything other then lpls.
His_Most_Royal_Highass_Donkey
03/25/16 04:29 PM
172.56.6.6

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Why SRMs and not MMLs?
Why argue if the glass is half full or half empty, when you know someone is going to knock it over and spill it anyways.

I was a Major *pain* before
But I got a promotion.
I am now a General *pain*
Yay for promotions!!!
Retry
03/25/16 06:08 PM
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Quote:
Should this not have some AP weapons?


Forty SRMs is a lot, and not a whole lot of infantry would survive it. To take out infantry formations, a ton or two of ammunition could be switched out for Fragmentation ammunition.

Quote:
I am going to assume it doesn't use hand actuators, but does it use the lower arm ones?


Nope. They just take up too many crit slots on this mech.

Quote:
Why SRMs and not MMLs?


MMLs are too bulky and weighty for the number of missile tubes they provide. The design would end up being below average at both long and short ranges. In this case, the design requirements meant that specialization was more important.
ghostrider
03/25/16 06:32 PM
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Wouldn't the normal inferno ammo do the job of wiping out infantry better then the fragmentation?

Definite anti vehicle unit once in range. Definitely a unit no one would get close to once they find out what's in store. Ammo booms aren't fun when you are in the process of physical attacks.

Had a few suggestions/questions but they require more work then needed.
Main one might be swapping a ton of ammo for another lrm 5 in the mk II. But that wouldn't fit in the arm..
The other route was drop the ferrous fiber but even that doesn't really gain you much.

Would this be a possible omni?
In the fluff you said the mk II was over sinked. Dropping a sink or 2 would allow some leeway in other weapons or even electronics. If not omni, then the mounting of things would not be worth modifying.

And even though cost is something a few point out, making it an omni does give a unit a major advantage. This short ranged mech might be what hit the lz today, but it may well be the lrm mech that peppers the enemy tomarrow.
Even to the point of allowing some oddities in the mix.
Drasnighta
03/25/16 07:44 PM
198.53.98.65

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Quote:
ghostrider writes:

Wouldn't the normal inferno ammo do the job of wiping out infantry better then the fragmentation?





Yes, but Fires can spread, and you may want to be limiting Collateral Damage. Who knows? Its an option.
CEO Heretic BattleMechs.
Karagin
03/25/16 08:02 PM
61.40.222.5

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So you are going to carry around specialize ammo to deal with infantry okay......
Karagin

Given time and plenty of paper, a philosopher can prove anything.
Retry
03/25/16 08:15 PM
68.103.19.152

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Quote:
Karagin writes:

So you are going to carry around specialize ammo to deal with infantry okay......



Why not? The point of the massive eight-ton ammunition bay is to allow for a variety of ammunition loads, and the range of the SRM dwarfs most dedicated anti-infantry weapons.
Karagin
03/25/16 09:26 PM
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So why not have a MG or SPL thus saving your SRMs for their actual true targets?
Karagin

Given time and plenty of paper, a philosopher can prove anything.
Retry
03/25/16 09:44 PM
68.103.19.152

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Their "true target" is whatever is in front of it with an unfriendly IFF signature. There's no point having the MG or SPL when your SRMs are not only capable of doing the job themselves but more effective at doing so.

Even without specialized ammunition, missiles are plenty effective at killing infantry.
ghostrider
03/25/16 10:06 PM
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How many mechs were changed to include anti infanty weapons?

infantry got nasty when they changed the way they took damage. The srms still work, and have the greater range then infantry rifles, so they can work.
With the amount of ammo, it is more likely the unit will die from damage then run out of ammo, so having ammo for their true targets shouldn't be an issue.

And technically with all the critizism about ammo and expenses, It would have been easier to just make an energy based platform.
Something it seems Retry was trying to avoid.

If this would fit on a smaller platform, that might improve using it as either fire support, though main line works with the srms. This is more of a lance type unit, then a stand alone unit. The lack of long range weapons should say that.

I would think dropping some heat sinks and mixing the srms with lrms might be an option, though it makes it more jack of all trades, not something more specialized.
But then that might be another call for an omni, then an actual production line.

Yes, I seem to be stuck with omnis on my mind.
KamikazeJohnson
03/25/16 11:14 PM
72.143.235.26

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If this was a laser boat or even the LRM variant, I'd be in favour of some Anti-Infantry guns, but as it is I have to agree with Retry. SRMs aren't as effective per ton as MGs or SPLs, but they are reasonably effective, 3x the range (or just less than double for a Light MG or Small X-Pulse), ammo is abundant, and, most importantly, they're already mounted on the 'Mech, so the only cost is a changeover of 1/8 of its ammo. Really no need to ditch all-purpose weapons for specialist ones.

One more thing...the SRMs also get the AES targeting boost, which is another advantage over additional weapons for Anti-Infantry. No room to mount a MG or SPL in the arms.
Peace is that glorious moment in history when everyone stands around reloading.
--Thomas Jefferson
KamikazeJohnson
03/25/16 11:19 PM
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Quick question...any reason you went 75 tons rather than 70? AES costs 1 ton/35 tons of 'Mech, so dropping 5 tons saves you 2 immediately, 0.5 on Structure, plus engine savings. Unless the 3 crits for the extra DHS in the Engine are essential?
Peace is that glorious moment in history when everyone stands around reloading.
--Thomas Jefferson
Retry
03/26/16 02:04 AM
68.103.19.152

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I... Well... Eh...

...I never actually thought about turning it into a 70 ton design. I end with two too many DHS and two extra tons, but i can change the gyro to standard and balance the Calliope back to legality.

I like it better the way you describe. I'll make that modification. Thanks for the comment!
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