Zaku
08/22/21 05:39 PM
82.40.9.192
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Okay before someone jumps on this post for putting Gundam in Battletech (though I feel most people in BT are good people, so I am likely being paranoid), this was a idea born from a BT Inner Sphere at War game where we have to design our own factions and Mechs. Naturally we take a lot of influence from art we find, and I as shown by my name have a huge fondness for the classic mook mech the Zaku, so I tried to build it.
I want to place some clear context that the game is currently in the very early stages of Battle mechs being fielded, and we are not even close to DHS, hell AC/20 have not been invented yet (though that's not far off). In short this concept is set in a Introductory and or Tournament level tech of a pre-star league universe, so it is unlikely to meet things that use advance tech.
In addition its mission role is 3 fold. It is primarily a cheap easily fieldable mech, with a long range punch. It is in addition a mech that can scout to a limited degree. And thirdly its okay at plinking enemies as it supports other mechs or is supported by more of its own. In short if you see one of these things you will see a lot of them.
Yes the leg missile launchers are dumb, but I put them in as part of the dumbness of the pre-star League that many mechs could be.
And here it is, in all its averageness.
Zaku II (CoE)
Mass: 40 tons
Tech Base: Inner Sphere
Chassis Config: Biped
Rules Level: Introductory
Era: Age of War/Star League
Tech Rating/Era Availability: D/C-E-D-D
Production Year: 2608
Dry Cost: 2,913,027 C-Bills
Total Cost: 2,947,527 C-Bills
Battle Value: 837
Chassis: Unknown Standard
Power Plant: Unknown 200 Fusion Engine
Walking Speed: 54.0 km/h
Maximum Speed: 86.4 km/h
Jump Jets: Unknown
Jump Capacity: 150 meters
Armor: Unknown Standard Armor
Armament:
1 Autocannon/5
1 Medium Laser
2 LRM-5s
Manufacturer: Unknown
Primary Factory: Unknown
Communications System: Unknown
Targeting and Tracking System: Unknown
Overview:
Design Quirks
Rugged (2)
Fast Reload (1)
Exposed Actuators (-1)
Alternate Design Quirks
Rugged (1)
Improved Sensors
Exposed Actuators
Alternate Model
Swap the LRMs 5 to SRM 4's with 1 ton of ammo, but with added heat issues.
================================================================================
Equipment Type Rating Mass
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Internal Structure: Standard 67 points 4.00
Engine: Fusion Engine 200 8.50
Walking MP: 5
Running MP: 8
Jumping MP: 5 Standard
Jump Jet Locations: 1 CT, 1 LT, 1 RT, 1 LL, 1 RL 2.50
Heat Sinks: Single Heat Sink 10 0.00
Heat Sink Locations: 1 LT, 1 RT
Gyro: Standard 2.00
Cockpit: Standard 3.00
Actuators: L: SH+UA+LA+H R: SH+UA+LA+H
Armor: Standard Armor AV - 80 5.00
Internal Armor
Structure Factor
Head 3 8
Center Torso 12 12
Center Torso (rear) 4
L/R Torso 10 8
L/R Torso (rear) 4
L/R Arm 6 8
L/R Leg 10 8
================================================================================
Equipment Location Heat Critical Mass
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Medium Laser HD 3 1 1.00
Autocannon/5 RA 1 4 8.00
LRM-5 RL 2 1 2.00
LRM-5 LL 2 1 2.00
@LRM-5 (24) CT - 1 1.00
@AC/5 (20) RA - 1 1.00
Free Critical Slots: 31
BattleForce Statistics
MV S (+0) M (+2) L (+4) E (+6) Wt. Ov Armor: 3 Points: 8
5j 2 2 2 0 2 0 Structure: 3
Special Abilities: SRCH, ES, SEAL, SOA, IF 1
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happyguy49
08/27/21 01:47 PM
191.96.185.178
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The stats show it to be a bog-standard 3025 medium, there's nothing obviously wrong with it EXCEPT..
you are storing ammunition in the center torso!! That is exceedingly unwise. Ammo should be in an extremity, especially in pre-CASE days. An arm or leg blowing off is far preferable to losing the entire mech. (an armless mech can still do some fighting, legless, not so much.)
As far as weapons in legs being silly, it may LOOK silly, but there are good reasons to do this sometimes. For instance, Brawler mechs should avoid arm mounted weapons so they can still shoot and punch in the same turn. Mechs designed around the use of handheld weapons can only fire weapons in the head or legs while carrying and using handhelds, i've made a couple (TSM) designs specifically to do this.
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AmaroqStarwind
10/05/21 06:53 PM
8.20.123.171
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Only 40 tons? I thought the Zaku would be heavier.
The MS-05 series Zaku and the MS-06 series Zaku II are quite formidable opponents, but you forgot one crucial and iconic weapon from their arsenal: the Heat Hawk, which would basically just be vibro-axe or something.
I'd also probably fit earlier versions of the Zaku with Medium or Heavy rifles instead of an AC/5, which would be canonically accurate to how effective their machineguns were against actual military-grade armor (that being; not at all.)
Fun fact: The MS-04 Zaku prototype was officially classified as a Mobile Worker (equivalent to an IndustrialMech), enabling it to be developed and produced out in the open by the Republic of Zeon with nobody that Zeonic was using it as a test bed for one of the most devastating war machines to ever appear in the Universal Century.
Another fun fact: Nuclear fusion reactors based on Minovsky physics completely screw with radio communications, especially RADAR.
Discord: Amaroq the Kitsune#1092
Telegram: @Lycanphoenix
MechEngine (Alpha) -- On Hiatus
The Scientist Caste has determined that time travel is dishonorable.
Edited by AmaroqStarwind (10/05/21 09:48 PM)
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Fleem
10/07/21 03:02 PM
75.52.164.225
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This is neat. I'd like to add a few things to what's already been said.
The leg-mounted missiles were optional, not standard. Most Zaku variants had no integral weapons at all; everything was either self-contained hand-held stuff like their standard rifle, or external add-ons like the missiles. Other options include the "Zaku Bazooka" and the "Magella Top Cannon". I'm not sure what would best represent the bazooka, but if the Zaku MG is a medium or heavy rifle, then the Magella cannon is a good candidate for an actual AC 5 or 10, IMO.
There were also external storage racks where you could keep a Heat Hawk, grenades and/or spare ammo drums.
I'd suggest extra armor on the right arm because of the shoulder shield.
The MS-06F (standard Zaku II) has a dry weight of 56.2 tons and a maximum load of 74.5, according to MAHQ.net.
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AmaroqStarwind
10/09/21 03:03 AM
172.58.99.131
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Shields are actually a piece of equipment available to BattleMechs, though you may want to fudge the introduction date.
Also now that I actually know about Universal Century stuff, I'm going to be keeping a much closer eye on OP's posts. (Who knows, maybe we'll even see Universal Century technology adapted into custom BattleTech equipment one day.)
Discord: Amaroq the Kitsune#1092
Telegram: @Lycanphoenix
MechEngine (Alpha) -- On Hiatus
The Scientist Caste has determined that time travel is dishonorable. |
Zaku
10/12/21 09:15 AM
82.40.9.192
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https://www.deviantart.com/the-pbg/art/Zaku-II-Battlemech-894639979
I drew some art for it ^^
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AmaroqStarwind
10/16/21 11:08 PM
172.56.14.70
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Pretty. You should make some variants~
Discord: Amaroq the Kitsune#1092
Telegram: @Lycanphoenix
MechEngine (Alpha) -- On Hiatus
The Scientist Caste has determined that time travel is dishonorable. |
Zaku
10/17/21 03:41 AM
82.40.9.192
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I have a few
The MSN-06K swaps all but the head mounted Medium laser for a Large laser in the RT and one SRM-2's in each arm, and 1 ton of ammo in the LT, with 15 standard heat sinks allowing the design to function at a relative cool temperatures so long as it does not jump. This design is more for close quarters to mid range, and has plenty of heat sinks for redundancy. For perspective its meant to look like the Zaku Cannon.
MSN-06C is the command variant, and ditches the LRM 5's and AC/5 for a medium laser in the RA, a LRM 10 in the RT with 1 ton of ammo, 2 tons of communications equipment in the LT (to combine with the 1 ton in the head to give a +1 to unit initiative), 7 tons of armour and a hatchet in the LA.
The MSN-06F ditches the LRM5's for a hatchet in the LA, and a additional Medium laser in the RA, the armour is increased to 6 tons, making it a better mid to short range medium brawler.
The MSN-06FZ is based on the Zaku Kai and is the higher tech variant. Using both Endo Steel and 5.5 tons of Ferro fibrous, this variant replaces the AC/5 with a Ultra AC/5, with 2 tons of ammo and a underslung thunderbolt 5 with 1 ton of ammo. The head mounted medium laser remains unchanged. Despite the tech upgrade it still uses standard heat sinks.
The MSN-06-2, is more a exercise in memery, with it dropping all weapons save the Medium laser, reducing the engine from a 200 rated to a 160 rated engine, with 4 jump jets, and now includes a AC/20 with a 2 tons of ammo and a medium laser. Only 10 heat sinks causes this one to run a littlie hot.
Honestly I tried to keep the design as uninventive as possible as the mentality of the Zaku is it is just a simple mobile suit, so I made it a simple mech.
Edited by Zaku (10/17/21 03:47 AM)
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Fleem
10/17/21 04:00 AM
75.52.164.225
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I wasn't aware of the battlemech shields. I might make use of that in one of my own designs at some point.
Anyway, if you want to do this as an alternate setting type thing, you wouldn't need to worry about introduction dates.
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AmaroqStarwind
10/18/21 12:31 PM
172.58.103.215
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What about the Red Comet custom variant? You can't have Zaku everywhere unless Char exists somewhere~
Discord: Amaroq the Kitsune#1092
Telegram: @Lycanphoenix
MechEngine (Alpha) -- On Hiatus
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