Retry
04/15/18 06:02 PM
64.189.130.11
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The Mirage is part of an alternate history faction in the periphery, the Crossroadian Republic: A relatively high-tech but small-ish branch in the Periphery who originated from Kerensky's Exodus Fleet.
In the 3070s, the Crossroadian helicopter fleet consisted of slightly-modified versions of older, lightly-armored and lightly-armed helicopter designs such as the Warrior and Ripper, which couldn't operate in environments with even low AA coverage and saw very high casualties in the republic's army aviation.
As all Aerospace and most Conventional fixed-wing aerial assets fell in the domains of the Crossroadian Navy & Air Force, which sometimes had different priorities than the Crossroadian Army, Aerospace assets were often unavailable during ground operations. This left only a few versions of conventional fixed-wing aircraft (usually recon platforms) and the inadequate VTOL fleet as consistently available air support platforms for the Army, which were frequently shot down in droves in moderate-intensity conflicts, leaving the Army without air support early in the scenario. The extremely high attrition rates for VTOL pilots led to an extreme shortage of both qualified, skilled VTOL pilots and willing participants to train in them. The Army's desperate need for air support was echoed in an early 3070's technical study, where the tactical requirement of an attack helicopter capable of operating in high-intensity environments was at the top of the list.
The Mirage is the answer to these tactical requirements. The Mirage is a fairly conventional, if not inexpensive, VTOL, with a typical VTOL rotor arrangement, decent speed and carrying capacity. The Mirage was given a 100 XLE powerplant, a light but fairly reliable and cheap (for an XLE, at least) powerplant that was already in mass production and used in modified Crossroadian Scorpion tanks. The engine provides a decent but not overwhelming flanking speed of 36 m/s. The Mirage, being intended to replace several VTOL models on the front lines, is built as an Omni and has a half-ton chin turret that can accomodate 5 of its 9 tons of pod space in weaponry.
The trickiest part was enhancing the Mirage's survivability on the front lines, which couldn't entirely be fixed by simply slapping more armor on the design. The most vulnerable component, the VTOL rotor, was very limited in the armor it could carry.
A solution to this problem was developed in the early 3070s, with the successful development of Ferro-Lamellor Armor that the Republic developed independently from Clan Snow Raven. The armor had the extremely desirable property of drastically reducing the ablation caused by low-power weaponry like SRMs, small-arms fire and (importantly) individual explosive LB-X pellets that are commonly used by AA platforms.
Firing trials with the drone prototype revealed that the Ferro-Lamellor armor treatment was immensely successful in improving vehicle survivability and, especially, rotor durability. The vehicle itself could take the most common AA weapon shells (LB-X Cluster rounds) without any appreciable negative effects at all locations except the rotor, and took minimal damage from testing with small arms fire. The rotor damage taken by LB-X autocannon cluster fire was minor compared to VTOL prototypes tested with standard armor, which tended to take more catastrophic from only a few cluster hits to the rotor, while the same damage on the Mirage Prototype could still stay airborne and limp home. The stellar performance made an impression on observers, and the Mirage was cleared for mass production.
The Mirage was assigned to combat squadrons by 3075, and quickly got the reputation of being a flying tank due to its ability to soak up damage while still getting the two-man crew back home. The VTOL proved to be very forgiving to new pilots, being rugged enough to survive very rough landings and could even be shot out from the sky at low heights without killing the crew.
Attrition rates of front-line helicopter crews plummeted, and some of these crews lived long enough to become very good at their jobs. At the end of their tours of duty, they would go on to train the next generation of helicopter pilots with what they learned from their experiences, who would go on and make less stupid mistakes. This effect snowballed and the Republic's helicopter pilots are now generally considered to be the best trained in and outside of the Inner Sphere.
Among the Republic's VTOL pilots, the Mirage has become an icon and has been said to provide more than a match to light 'Mechs. The Mirage became more famous in general during the 1st and 2nd Crossroadian-Jade falcon wars saw some Mirage crews becoming aerial Aces during frequent helicopter skirmishes between the outnumbered Mirage veterans and the Falcon's second-line helicopter units.
The most famous of these helicopter ace crews was pilot M. Hedger and gunner C. Jones in their own customized Mirage, affectionately nicknamed "Shark-Face". Shark-Face's crew throughout 2nd war claimed 12 confirmed aerial kills, including 2 Balacs, 4 Donars, 5 Anhurs, and 1 Avon Aerospace Fighter with a very lucky shot from an ER Large Laser. Shark-Face also claimed dozens upon dozens of ground kills, mostly consisting of logistical vehicles and a few combat vehicles, including 1 confirmed Adder kill. Shark-Face's reign of terror ended when a Daishi D got a direct hit against it with a HAG/40. Miraculously, Shark-Face and her crew survived the blast and limped away from the assault mech. The crew had to make an emergency landing halfway from the FOB due to engine troubles from the attack, but the crew otherwise got away unscaved and continued the fight in another Mirage until the end of the war 2 weeks later. (After the war, Shark-Face was found at its original landing site mostly intact, and was refurbished and repaired and served as the VTOL unit's mascot.)
Due to the success of the Mirage and immensely positive feedback from VTOL crews, the Crossroadian Army's VTOL fleet is expected to convert entirely to ferro-lamellor and (in the case of special operation units) stealth armored platforms by 3140.
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Mirage OmniChopper Base
Base Tech Level: Experimental Mixed (Base Clan)
Level Era
Experimental -
Advanced 3145+
Standard -
Tech Rating: F/X-X-F*-F
Weight: 30 tons
BV: 513
Cost: 3,456,250 C-bills
Source: Crossroads
Movement: 8/12 (VTOL)
Engine: 100 XL
Internal: 18
Armor: 145 (Ferro-Lamellor)
Internal Armor
Front 3 33
Right 3 30
Left 3 30
Rear 3 20
Rotor 3 2
Turret 3 30
Equipment Loc Omni
CASE (Clan) BD Fixed
Quirk:
Rugged (2 point)
Pod Space:
8 Slots
9 tons (5 in chin turret)
Typical Variants:
Prime:
2x ER ML
1x LRM15 w/ Artemis V (Chin turret) (2t Ammo)
Standard Attack Helicopter Variant
B:
2x ER ML
1x iATM9 (Chin turret) (2t Ammo)
Advanced Attack Helicopter Variant
C:
1x ER LL
1x Micro PL (Chin turret)
1x Light TAG (Chin turret)
Targeting Computer
Direct Fire Support/"Sniper" Variant
D:
2x MPL (Chin turret)
1x SPL (Chin turret)
Targeting Computer
3t Infantry Compartment
Aerial IFV Variant
E:
2x Laser AMS (Chin turret)
6t Infantry Compartment
ECM Suite
Aerial APC Variant
J:
2x ER ML
5x SRM4 (Chin turret) (2t Ammo)
Aerial SRM Carrier Variant
L:
1x C3 Master (Chin turret)
2x ER ML
ECM Suite
Active Probe
Aerial Company Command Unit
N:
2x ER ML
1x iNARC (Chin Turret) (2t Ammo)
Narc Spotter Variant
Q:
2x MPL (Chin turret)
1x SPL (Chin turret)
Targeting Computer
Bloodhound Active Probe
ECM Suite
Scout Variant
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Karagin
04/15/18 07:13 PM
72.176.187.91
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Where is the A variant? Or F-I?
Karagin
Given time and plenty of paper, a philosopher can prove anything.
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Retry
04/15/18 08:20 PM
64.189.130.11
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It's not very common, so I didn't post that particular one partially because I wanted to showcase certain variants and partially because I was getting tired of writing this up.
The A, for instance, had a LB-2X autocannon in the turret and a few electronic doohickeys. Not super notable and since it's an omni it can mount all sorts of things anyways.
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AmaroqStarwind
04/17/18 03:57 PM
174.235.17.105
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A Rocket Launcher variant/configuation would be pretty awesome, especially since it would be extremely easy to replace spent rocket launchers as it is an Omni Vehicle, and RL-10s are very low-cost (and don't need heat sinks!)
I would also suggest a Floatation Hull. It would double the cost of the chopper and can't be pod-mounted, but it would enable it to land on Depth 1 water as if it were clear terrain.
As for the use of Ferro Lamellar armor... That gives me one more reason to abandon Autocannons in favor of Pulse Lasers for my anti-air platforms.
Discord: Amaroq the Kitsune#1092
Telegram: @Lycanphoenix
MechEngine (Alpha) -- On Hiatus
The Scientist Caste has determined that time travel is dishonorable. |
ghostrider
04/17/18 05:41 PM
66.74.61.223
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Unless they changed it in the newer books, I thought clan ammo reloads took as long to do and IS does. Now if you are suggesting they change out the weapons with the ammo, then you might be right on that.
Been a while, so gotta ask. Can choppers drop bombs?
Other then that, it does look like it would be very useful in almost any need.
Though I am curios on why put a c3 in the chin turret in the L configuration.
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Retry
04/17/18 06:42 PM
64.189.130.11
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Quote:
A Rocket Launcher variant/configuation would be pretty awesome, especially since it would be extremely easy to replace spent rocket launchers as it is an Omni Vehicle, and RL-10s are very low-cost (and don't need heat sinks!)
I would also suggest a Floatation Hull. It would double the cost of the chopper and can't be pod-mounted, but it would enable it to land on Depth 1 water as if it were clear terrain.
As for the use of Ferro Lamellar armor... That gives me one more reason to abandon Autocannons in favor of Pulse Lasers for my anti-air platforms.
On rockets: I think there's a Tac Ops rule that allows VTOLs to carry rocket pods on external bomb racks like a fighter. The Mirage is fairly space limited for RL Spam with only 8 slots, so 6 RL-10s and you only have 2 slots and 6 tons for weapons like, perhaps, a LPL.
The Mirage is a Crossroadian Army helicopter and doesn't/isn't supposed to operate over oceans or with wet navy carriers, but a maritime variant of the Mirage would be possible.
LB-X autocannon pellets still slow the Mirage down by 1 MP per rotor hit, so it's not quite invulnerable against such weapons, just remarkably hardy. Pulse lasers won't help much if you want to penetrate the rotor under TW rules, as Rotor damage is divided by 10 and rounded up (LPL's 10/10=1, rounded down due to FL=0). Although it'd dent the rest of the Mirage pretty good. The best non-artillery AA weapon is probably the HAG series, followed by the Silver Bullet Gauss Rifle.
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Retry
04/17/18 06:46 PM
64.189.130.11
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Quote:
Unless they changed it in the newer books, I thought clan ammo reloads took as long to do and IS does. Now if you are suggesting they change out the weapons with the ammo, then you might be right on that.
Been a while, so gotta ask. Can choppers drop bombs?
Other then that, it does look like it would be very useful in almost any need.
Though I am curios on why put a c3 in the chin turret in the L configuration.
Ammo reloads should be the same IIRC, although Omni-mechs and Omni-Vehicles are fluffed to be faster with rearming/reloading than a standard mech/vee.
Helicopters can drop bombs, but it'd be under an optional Tactical Operations rule.
The L has a C3 Master, which has TAG capabilities. The C3M is mounted in the turret so the L can have a 360* firing arc in selecting targets to designate for LRM hailstorms or an Arrow IV.
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ghostrider
04/17/18 10:36 PM
66.74.61.223
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The reason why I asked about the c3, is I have yet to see anything suggesting it needed a turret. I don't remember any other vehicle having it set in one. Even mechs don't suggest it needs to be in the arms so it could have a wider range of 'firing' arcs.
But it is nice that you
pointed that out.
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AmaroqStarwind
04/18/18 03:23 AM
174.235.17.105
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Quote:
The best non-artillery AA weapon is probably the HAG series, followed by the Silver Bullet Gauss Rifle.
You misspelled Primitive Prototype HAG-15. *shots fired*
Quote:
Pulse lasers won't help much if you want to penetrate the rotor under TW rules, as Rotor damage is divided by 10 and rounded up (LPL's 10/10=1, rounded down due to FL=0).
Heh. Maybe I should use a Large Re-Engineered Laser instead~
Discord: Amaroq the Kitsune#1092
Telegram: @Lycanphoenix
MechEngine (Alpha) -- On Hiatus
The Scientist Caste has determined that time travel is dishonorable. |
Retry
04/18/18 11:41 AM
64.189.130.11
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Quote:
The reason why I asked about the c3, is I have yet to see anything suggesting it needed a turret. I don't remember any other vehicle having it set in one. Even mechs don't suggest it needs to be in the arms so it could have a wider range of 'firing' arcs.
But it is nice that you pointed that out.
C3M doesn't need a turret, and no canon BT vehicle has their C3M in the turret (or C3BM for that matter). I don't think C3M is restricted to only the body location, so I put it in the turret explicitly for the firing arc, since body-mounted C3Ms can only spot with their TAG function in the foward arc.
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