Zaku
05/01/22 03:37 PM
82.40.9.192
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Crab IIC
Mass: 30 tons
Chassis: Reinforced Biped
Power Plant: 180 XL
Cruising Speed: 64.8 kph
Maximum Speed: 86.4 kph
Jump Jets: None
Jump Capacity: 0 meters
Armor: Hardened
Armament:
1 Micro Pulse Laser
3 ER Medium Laser
Manufacturer: Unknown
Primary Factory: Unknown
Communication System: Unknown
Targeting & Tracking System: Unknown
Introduction Year: 3078
Tech Rating/Availability: F/X-X-F-E
Cost: 4,083,690 C-bills
Capabilities
Design Quirks: Low Profile (2), Easy to Maintain (1), Small Cockpit (-2)
Type: Crab IIC (Custom)
Technology Base: Clan (Experimental)
Tonnage: 30
Battle Value: 1,198
Equipment Mass
Internal Structure Reinforced 6
Engine 180 XL 3.5
Walking MP: 6
Running MP: 8
Jumping MP: 0
Double Heat Sink 10 [20] 0
Gyro 2
Cockpit 3
Armor Factor (Hardened) 80 10
Internal Armor
Structure Value
Head 3 4
Center Torso 10 10
Center Torso (rear) 4
R/L Torso 7 8
R/L Torso (rear) 3
R/L Arm 5 8
R/L Leg 7 12
Right Arm Actuators: Shoulder, Upper Arm, Lower Arm, Hand
Left Arm Actuators: Shoulder, Upper Arm, Lower Arm, Hand
Weapons
and Ammo Location Critical Heat Tonnage
Actuator Enhancement System LL 1 - 1.0
ER Medium Laser CT 1 5 1.0
2 Double Heat Sinks RT 4 - 2.0
ER Medium Laser LA 1 5 1.0
Double Heat Sink LT 2 - 1.0
Actuator Enhancement System RL 1 - 1.0
Micro Pulse Laser HD 1 1 0.5
ER Medium Laser RA 1 5 1.0
Design Quirks
- Easy to Maintain
- Low Profile
- Small Cockpit
Lore
During the chaos of the Wars of Reaving the last of the Brian Cache's of the former SLDF were opened and used in the conflict to decide the fate of the clans. One of these stockpiles which was discovered maintained the bulk of the surviving Crabs from the exodus. Numbering over one hundred mechs, the stockpile was a significant find, and the Clan Hell's Horses commander who discovered them managed to steal away the stockpile during the his clans exodus from the Homeworlds. This large stockpile would come to form the basis of one of many refit programs to help rebuild the now depleted Horse tormun in the following years.
The task was given to members of the Clan Technician caste, who has been freshly promoted to Scientists: following the purges of Society loyalists. Their role was to rebuild the Crabs as a cheap easy to deploy second line unit on worlds in need of garrisons - while at the same time not overcomplicating design, allowing it to keep its easy to maintain frame and ease of logistics that the Horses had recognised. Especially in the wake of both the clan invasion and Wars of Reaving.
The resulting machine was in turn heavily striped of obsolete parts and reinforced with new and improved clan technology. This lightened the overall design, with the reactors being overhauled as a result, switching to the cheaper 180 XL engine from the Kitfox, as part of a design deal with Snow Raven technicians the now scientists knew. In a attempt to keep the design in line with their khans wishes the 'scientists' then reinforced the chassis and switched the armour up to 10 tons of hardened armour, being only shy of the protection the Crab could offer. Now with littlie space and time, they supplemented the 2 large lasers and 1 medium laser for 3 clan ER mediums, the weaponry allowing it to maintain a similar damage profile with a improved range. The Micro pulse laser was also seen as a natural upgrade to the small laser, as it was inexpensive and allowed the mech to pull light anti infantry duties.
Suffice to say the Crabs went through more than a significant redesign, losing 40% of their overall mass, and switching up almost all their internal components in a project which rapidly spun out of control due to the technicians lack of planning and foresight, due to no onw having actually rebuilt a mech.
The resulting mech however was everything the khan requested. It was as hardy as the original crab, with a more durable skeleton, and armour which matched its original almost strength for strength, while taking less time to equip. The reduction in weight helped reduce the crabs already impressive maintenance time, and the new weapons while not the strongest in the clans arsenal more than replaced that of the original Crabs weaponry. Also as a happy accident of sourcing former kit fox 180 engines also allowed the design to keep its 86.4kph speed. So impressed was the khan he never looked into what the 'scientists' actually did to the mech.
Partitioned out to rear line garrison forces, the Crab IIC serves as a easy to deploy and rather cheap clan mech, with decent punch and a simplicity of design that is perfect for minimal maintenance.
Variation
Crab IIC 2
- Cost: 4,202,640
- BV: 1442
Following the initial redesign of the former SLDF Crabs, Clan Hell's Horses began repurposing captured crabs in a similar fashion. Following the same rebuild of the skeleton, and placing in a new engine. These Newer Crab IIC's were intended to be made on a lower tech base. Using 6.5 tons of easier to source reflective armour, the lack of hardened armour allowed designers to drop the AES in the legs, and the micro pulse laser in the head, granting enough space to upgrade the central ER medium laser to that of a Large pulse laser for long range sniping.
Design
The Crab IIC is a fun build I put together on a lark. I wanted to make a mech which was as easy to deploy as a IS mech, given that clan mechs tend to run up in BV costs into the 1400 to 2000 range. The IS if often able to badly outnumber their enemies so I wanted to make a design that the clan could bring to match a IS version. The Crab was a happy accident of this design because not only does it have only 1 point less armour, but it has 19 points more internal structure and has the EXACT same BV cost, and only costs 32,815 C-Bills more then its original version. It is as protected in the same locations as its IS counterpart too with its Hardened armour. And with its 3 ER medium lasers it has a slightly greater punch at 15 hexes.
Design quirk wise I kept the Crab's easy to maintain quirk, but supplemented it with both low profile to show how much smaller it is, and also small cockpit to show how this reduced size has also affected the internal systems. Still the AES in the legs compensates for both the hardened armour and small cockpit with piloting rolls, with their net +2 to the rolls being reduced by the AES in the legs net -2.
Also with both hardened armour and reinforced structure the mech gets a nice -3 to any through armour critical, making it a tougher mech to disable.
Edited by Zaku (05/01/22 03:37 PM)
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Karagin
05/01/22 11:29 PM
70.118.172.64
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I did something similar, went in a different direction in the weight though Let me see if I can find it around or I will post it again if not.
Karagin
Given time and plenty of paper, a philosopher can prove anything.
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ghostrider
05/02/22 02:53 AM
45.51.181.83
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This does seem to make the unit better, though might be a bit too light.
Think the name should have been changed to something else, but then the clans are known for changing the weights of the IIC units.
Even though the ERMLs are good against standard weapons, it does appear to be short ranged against other clan units. Granted, there isn't much you can do about it.
The addition of the AES does make it more dangerous when it is in range.
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Zaku
05/02/22 05:27 AM
185.69.145.26
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I can agree with the idea of more range needed, but this is more meant as a workhorse not a jack of all trades. It’s why the alternate build I had went with a large pulse in the CT. Sadly the AES is only in the legs, as to compensate for the hardened armour and cramped cockpit quirk.
The design is more meant to be easy to deploy for the clans. A mech with the effectiveness of a clan workhorse, the logistics of a easy to maintain light and the durability of a medium mech. Adding in its anti critical nature of the reinforced structure and hardened armour makes it a very tanky lit tile fella with a decent ground speed to provide decent evasion: allowing it to take advantage of its now low profile quirk.
It’s not a awe inspiring war machine, it was conceived for its ease of deployment and logistical simplicity. Much like the original crab.
I adore this feedback BTW 
Edited by Zaku (05/02/22 05:29 AM)
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ghostrider
05/03/22 01:32 AM
45.51.181.83
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Against the IS, it isn't really under ranged. Only against the clans, it is.
Just noticed you have hand actuators, not the claw in the original crab. This makes it a bit more valuable for when you need hands. But doesn't this change the feel of the crab?
Not that it is a bad thing. just curious.
I can see this as a hunter-killer of IS light mechs. The range should give it an advantage over those that can catch it, while the speed being good against those that can outrange it, such as the Panther.
The lack of ammo definitely makes it good for keeping it in the field a while longer.
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