Karagin
09/25/04 10:57 PM
195.238.38.19
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Okay after reading League of Extaroniary Gentelmen Vol 2, (yes it was a wonderful day when mail arrived and the book was there...now if only they would let us leave...), I got to wondering about three legged mechs...I recall an article in one issue of either Battletechnology or Stardate/Stardrive on this and so I thought I would ask...
Would this be something fesable or not? Let's look at the pros and cons for this and see if we can't come up with a way for this to work or not...
Looking forward to the comments...hey I need something more interesting to do then dodge IEDs and mortar rounds during my last couple of weeks or so, I hope, here.
Karagin
Given time and plenty of paper, a philosopher can prove anything.
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Brandx0
09/26/04 06:59 AM
24.207.43.89
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Pros:
Better Balance, more redundancy, more stability, more traction.
Cons:
Umm... nothing
Remember that most automated robots today have 3-4 legs because its simply far more feasable than two legs. You can completely negate the balance requirement.
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Nightward
09/26/04 08:19 AM
203.214.144.224
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It's all a bit "War of the Worlds" or "Tripods" for me, but YMMV.
It's no more an unfeasible idea than 'Mechs in general. However, I think that the Bipedal/Quadrupedal designs would offer enough advantages over a Tripedal design to make it not really worth the effort.
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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Spartan
09/26/04 01:24 PM
67.64.104.227
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Just some ideas of how to implement it.
Pro:
Perhaps a smaller gyro?
Con:
Fewer Critical spaces?
Spartan
We demand rigidly defined areas of doubt and uncertainty.
(I refer you to what Nightward said)
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wartang
09/26/04 01:32 PM
198.81.26.77
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well in my mind this is how i see the working you may or may not agree
(1) no running as the three legs are more stable than two and you wouldnt be able to push off with the third leg
(2)may torso tiwst a full 360
(3) at the start of the movement phase you spend no movement points for turning in your starting hex
(4) when any one leg is blown off falling is emidit(sp?)
(5)-3 to hit when standing +2 when moving
ps can you make a drop ship walk?
i love this game
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Nightward
09/26/04 06:20 PM
203.214.146.7
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Sounds fairly reasonable...
The only thing is that anything with 3 legs would be a Level Three unit. And at Level Three, you can mount turrets- which on Quads, are fairly frightening.
Also, being unable to run is a crippling disadvantage.
However, my biggest objection is that that there aren't any tripedal forms found naturally. Two legs, four legs, six, eight, and so on, yes, but not three. It has to do with evolution and bialateral symmetry; shapes with an odd number of legs apparently just don't cut it. Note that when I'm talking about legs here I mean things you actually do the walking with...
Given the surprsing lack of three-legged beasties in nature, I'd say the odds of three-legged 'Mechs are pretty low 
"My parents just came back from a planet without bialateral symmetry, and all they bought me was this stupid F-Shirt!"
As for walking dropships...no. But that's largely because they can, you know, fly...
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
09/26/04 11:25 PM
195.238.38.27
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Wow! Your comments reflect what Hyde says to the Martians in the graphic novel...:D
Also to the tee...I wonder have you read the graphic novel?
Karagin
Given time and plenty of paper, a philosopher can prove anything.
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wartang
09/27/04 02:07 AM
198.81.26.77
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Quote:
Also, being unable to run is a crippling disadvantage.
However, my biggest objection is that that there aren't any tripedal forms found naturally. Two legs, four legs, six, eight, and so on, yes, but not three. It has to do with evolution and bialateral symmetry; shapes with an odd number of legs apparently just don't cut it. Note that when I'm talking about legs here I mean things you actually do the walking with...
my point exactly ever seen a three legged race, unless you actully practice that with some, ok that being said runing would be difficult at betst yes it could be done but with a real handiecap something like a +2-3 but it would be messy, now if you do trip -1 to stay up? damnn your makeing me think here
i love this game
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Nightward
09/27/04 11:20 PM
203.214.145.125
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Nope. Saw it once on RPG.Net. I thought it sounded too witty to be from the poster who said it at the time
Know who the author is so I can attribute it to them in my Quotable Quotes .txt file?
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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Gangrene
09/29/04 01:46 AM
24.6.228.14
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Most robots today don't have legs.
Gangrene
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Cray
09/29/04 08:01 AM
147.160.136.10
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Feasible, yes. Useful...dunno. Interesting, certainly.
There are 3-legged 'mech rules out there. Ask Mac for a copy of his rules on HMPro forums.
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
09/29/04 11:30 PM
195.238.38.143
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The quote is from Alan Moore and it belongs to the character of Dr. Jekecly and Mr. Hyde.
I will get the page number and all and post it later.
Karagin
Given time and plenty of paper, a philosopher can prove anything.
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Karagin
09/29/04 11:31 PM
195.238.38.143
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Thanks I will ask him.
Karagin
Given time and plenty of paper, a philosopher can prove anything.
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wartang
09/30/04 02:23 AM
198.81.26.77
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can i get a copy?
i love this game
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Cray
09/30/04 06:33 AM
68.200.108.29
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Quote:
can i get a copy?
Hunt down MacAttack on www.heavymetalpro.com. I think he has his own website with his custom rules, like 3-legged mechs, but I don't know it offhand.
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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