Cray
12/07/01 02:24 PM
204.245.128.108
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The M-5 Main Battle Mech is the Periphery planet Savannah's first native designed mech. It was dubbed the "Beauregard" after a Savannan general famous for his exploits during the Cult of the King (Elvis) uprising of the mid-2900s.
Savannah is somewhat technologically limited in that its industrial base is not up to sustaining advanced (Star League-era) technology, so the M-5 was built with less advanced technology than Savannah's Star League-era libraries could've allowed.
It is a stalwart mech in the vein of the Thunderbolt and has more than a passing resemblence - the Armor Incidence Angle Subcommittee from the Armor Committee in the Passive Protection Department determined the angled glacis plates of the Thunderbolt's torso and squat, bunker-like cockpit were worth imitating.
The weapons arrays are a potent combination of short and long range firepower. Twin PPCs provide substantial firepower and were selected after considerable debate and lobbying by various weapon manufacturers. The final arguments that resulted in the selection of the PPCs over a variaty of autocannons was the similarity of the PPCs to the heavy ion guns of the M-5's fusion engine's ignition system, and the not inconsiderable point that the PPCs did not need expensive ammunition. A ton of autocannon ammunition cost as much as a decade's income for a typical serf on Savannah. (True, Savannah had a LOT of serfs, but still.) Not quite adequate cooling systems lead M-5 pilots to cycle the PPCs in a 2:1:2:1 or 2:2:1:2:2:1 fire pattern. The arm-mounted PPCs are kept safely behind the wrists in compact forearm mounts, freeing the hand actuators for combat engineering and punching.
Secondary armament consists of a battery of 6 medium lasers. These were deemed adequate for most of the roles the M-5 would face, including crowd control (under L1 and L2 rules), anti-infantry, and to act as short-range back up to the PPCs. They do not tax the cooling system as badly as the PPCs.
After a 16-year design cycle involving several complete reconceptualizations, system-wide studies, government audits, not a few bribery scandals, and years of field testing, the M-5C entered production in 3022. Two subsequent production runs gave Savannah a regiment's worth of the mechs, plus training units. Though clunky and definitely designed by committee, the M-5 is a solid mech with no outstanding maintenance problems, good armor, and a solid weapons array.
COMBAT HISTORY
The M-5 primarily only saw use in breaking particularly well-equipped rebels out of their bunkers and arcologies for the first 3 decades of its life. In 3046, it was deployed off-planet in Savannah's first interstellar military campaign, i.e. some pirate bashing. It is hard to say if something about the M-5's design allowed it to perform well. Unlike the pirates, the Savannah task force was well equipped and had technicians who actually understood the machines they worked on, so the task force (unlike the pirates) did not lose 20% (or even 1%) of its units to mechanical failures. The Savannah task force also deployed in multi-regimental strength (primarily infantry) against a pirate band that totalled one battalion of combined arms. Did the M-5 excel? Well, it's sort of hard to say when the major battle involving M-5s consisted of 36 M-5s (with armor, artillery, and infantry support) ambushing a fleeing, mixed bag light company of 9 pirate mechs.
The real test of the M-5 came in 3049 when Jade Falcon forces landed on Savannah, as Clan forces did with other Periphery planets during their sweep toward the Inner Sphere. Twice, company-strength units of M-5s engaged Jade Falcon forces in the endless metropoli of Savannah. Both times, it was conclusively proved that the M-5s were inferior to Clan technology; losses were 4:1 in favor of the Falcons.
M-5 Beauregard
65 tons
6.5 tons internal structure
13.5 tons 260 SMFE fusion engine
Walking: 4
Running: 6
Jumping: 0
7 tons 17 SHS
3 tons gyroscope
3 tons cockpit
12 tons armor
Head 3 9
CT 21 30/7
RT/LT 15 23/7
RA/LA 10 20
RL/LL 15 23
14 tons 2x PPC (RA/LA)
6 tons 6x Medium Lasers (RA/LA, 2 RT/LT)
Both hand actuators present
SPECIAL RULES
Despite their clunky, blocky appearance, M-5s are intended to handle Savannah's environment (urban hell). Their sensors and pilot-mech interface are well suited for maneuvering in tight quarters and in buildings, as well as tapping into police street surveillance equipment. M-5 mechwarriors receive a -1 bonus to piloting rolls in buildings and when making special (i.e. GM's judgement call) maneuvers, such as stepping into tight alleys without hitting surrounding buildings.
VARIANTS
The M-5C1 is field refit of the M-5C. It replaces one torso medium laser with a TAG. All existing M-5Cs are being retrofitted to this state. In light of the Clan incursion, the next generation of M-5s (the M-5D) is likely to have DHS (fewer than the M-5C), ferro-fibrous armor, and additional medium lasers.
Mike Miller, Materials Engineer
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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Cray
12/07/01 02:38 PM
204.245.128.108
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A damage analysis:
Assumptions:
1) The M-5 will not fire its PPCs at 1-3 hexes range
2) The M-5 will not fire its Medium lasers at 4 or more hexes
3) Total target modifiers are +3
4) Probability of hitting target number 7 is 58.33%, TN 8 is 41.67%, TN 9 is 27.78%, TN 10 is 16.67%, TN 11 is 8.333%, and TN 12 is 2.78%.
7) Average damage is equal to probability of hitting a target multiplied by the damage the weapon does. This is the average damage the weapon will inflict over hundreds of firings at the given target number.
*At range 1, 2, and 3, overall average damage: 17.5pts of damage
TN for medium lasers: 7, average damage = 5 x .5833 x 6 = 17.5pts of damage
*At range 4, 5, and 6, overall average damage: 11.666pts of damage
TN for PPCs: 7, average damage = 10 x .58333 x 2 = 11.6666pts of damage
*At range 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12, overall average damage: 5.55pts of damage
TN for PPCs: 9, average damage = 10 x .27777 x 2 = 5.555
*At range 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, and 18, overall average damage: 1.666pts of damage
TN for PPCs: 11, average damage = 10 x .08333 x 2 = 1.6666
Summarized, the average damage an M-5 will deal out facing target modifiers of +3:
1: 17.5
2: 17.5
3: 17.5
4: 11.67
5: 11.67
6: 11.67
7: 5.55
8: 5.55
9: 5.55
10: 5.55
11: 5.55
12: 5.55
13: 1.66
14: 1.66
15: 1.66
16: 1.66
17: 1.66
18: 1.66
It's worth noting that for every hex of distance starting at 4 hexes and further, damage is delivered in 10-point packets even though damage averaged over the battle may be as low as 1.666 points of damage at some ranges.
Mike Miller, Materials Engineer
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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NathanKell
12/07/01 07:26 PM
24.44.238.206
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Neat.
Hope the SLS Manassas jumps in? ;)
Oh--and it's also worth noting that your analysis ignores (mathematically, at any rate) heat. An idea: at hexes 1-3, multiply by 17/18. Above that, by 17/20. This will correct, at least percentage-wise, for heat (and is the method I followed before).
-NathanKell, BT Space Wars
Question with boldness even the existence of a God; because, if there be one, he must more approve of the homage of reason, than that of blind-folded fear.
Thomas Jefferson |
Cray
12/07/01 10:31 PM
12.78.180.54
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Yeah, I just gave the one turn, ignore-the-heat calculation. I like your heat estimate trick.
Mike Miller, Materials Engineer
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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Karagin
04/15/08 08:05 PM
24.26.220.4
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Now here is a candidate for an upgrade and some of the new tech...:D
Karagin
Given time and plenty of paper, a philosopher can prove anything.
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