Nightward
12/06/01 05:37 PM
203.134.12.8
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Wow. We are all in 3025 Buildng Mode, eh?
Type: DEC-MH Decurion
Technology Base: Inner Sphere, Marian Hegemony, 3205
Mass: 40 Tons
Chassis: Decurion-V
Power Plant: VLAR 200
Cruising Speed: 54.0 kph
Maximum Speed: 86.4 kph
Armour: Decurion Cuirasse
Armament:
1 Large Laser
3 Medium Lasers
1 Hatchet
Communications System: Ramshorn-X
Targeting and Tracking System: Hunter KLV
Primary Manufacturer: Marian Hegemony
Primary Factory: Unknown
OVERVIEW
The Marian Hegemony, a small, backwater Periphery nation, has recently begun to field a home-grown BattleMech. Named Decurion after the Roman officers who commanded small units during conflicts on ancient Terra, the 'Mech is rapidly gaining popularity amongst the Hellenistic Marians.
CAPABILITIES
The Decurion uses parts and weaponry considered terribly outmoded by today’s military. The enterprising Marians have purchased massive lots of standard Lasers and Particle Cannon from major Inner Sphere houses, as the Five Great Houses have begun to switch over to Extended Range or Pulse variant energy weapons. This has given the Marians a large surplus of spare parts for their current units, plus enough surplus weaponry to create the Decurion.
Very few Decurions are exactly alike. Since the manufacture and shape of the Large Lasers bought by the Hegemony are a mismatched hodgepodge, mass strikes by engineers tired of having to fir the weapons to the base chassis of the Decurion have been a common event of late, hampering the construction of the Decurion. Thankfully, the Medium Lasers the 'Mech employs are all so similar in shape that they can easily be fitted into the chassis. Engineers who work well are assigned to fit the Lasers; ‘Large Laser Duty’ has become a form of punishment on the production lines.
Despite the stopping power of the Large Laser, the main weapon of the 'Mech is the Romanesque Gladius (Out of Character: a Hatchet, since in level 1 you don’t get Swords) it clutches in its right hand. Since the Gladius has no moving parts, ammunition lines, or energy inputs, the weapon is a definite favourite amongst the technicians. In addition, since the Hatchet is simply a steel I-beam with a tack-welded steel blade, they can easily be manufactured and replaced in the field.
The 'Mech is not terribly fast, but it is definitely on par with 'Mechs in the Medium weight class. Although a lack of Jump Jets somewhat hampers its maneuverability, the Marian Hegemony would not be able to maintain the (relatively) sophistic equipment.
However, the 'Mech does boast an incredible amount of armour plating-almost a quarter of its total mass-allowing it to engage even the heaviest of opponents and stand a chance of victory.
VARIANTS
The Hegemony is trialing a more expensive version of the Decurion. It uses Endo Steel internal structure and Double Heat Sinks to provide the tonnage needed to mount a Large Laser and Medium laser in each torso, plus a pair of Medium Lasers in the Centre Torso. Although it is a bare 300,000 C-Bills more expensive, the Hegemony technicians have difficulty maintaining the more advanced Endo Steel and Double Heat Sinks. As such, it will remain a rare 'Mech, probably assigned only to commanders of the Hegemony’s more elite units.
DEPLOYMENT
In production for less than a year, the Decurion has been deployed amongst the better Marian units. So far, it has been well-received.
MY BLURB
I do not have FM: Periphery, so if the above details are a bit off, you will have to forgive me.
The Decurion project started as an attempt to fix the abysmal Hatchetman from 3025, but like so many of my projects took on a life of its own. Original attempts revolved around a PPC and Jump Jets, but time showed it would be better served with a Large Laser. I will post the Hatchetman in a second.
The DEC-MH is a Level 1 'Mech, but the DEC-MH2 is a Level 2 design. As I stated above, in Level 1 you don’t get Swords, so it has a Hatchet; in Level 2 it gets a Sword.
As a Level 1 'Mech, the Decurion is not too bad. With a Large Laser for ‘Long-Range’ combat and a trio of Mediums for up close, it will leave most opponents wondering what they just got hit by. Add to that the Hatchet up close, and things get even more nasty.
The Level 2 Variant packs a pretty hefty punch. Although not too good at range, up close it will make mincemeat of most 'Mechs.
Either of them should be able to take a Marshall.
As an aside, curiosity beckons. Does the Hegemony award the Grass Crown?
MASS BREAKDOWNS
DEC-MH
Engine: 8.5
Gyro: 2
Cockpit: 3
Internal Structure: 4
Armour: 8.5
3 Additional Heat Sinks: 3
Large Laser: 5
3 Medium Lasers: 3
Hatchet: 3
DEC-MH2
Engine: 8.5
Gyro; 2
Cockpit: 3
Endo Steel: 2
Armour: 9
2 Large Lasers: 10
4 Medium lasers: 4
Sword: 2
ARMOUR DISTRIBUTION
Head: 9
Centre Torso: 18/5
Side Torsos: 15/5
Arms: 12
Legs: 20
LOCATIONS
DEC-MH
Hatchet- Right Arm
Large Laser, Medium Laser - Left Torso
Heat Sink- Head
2 Medium Lasers- Right Torso
2 Heat Sinks- Centre Torso
1 Heat Sink- Each Leg
DEC-MH2
Hatchet- Right Arm
Double Heat Sink, Large Laser, Medium Laser- Each Side Torso
2 Medium Lasers- Centre Torso
(Place Endo Steel in empty slots)
COST ANALYSIS
DEC-MH Decurion
At 813 BV and a piddling 2,704,426 C-Bills, the Decurion is more lethal than the Hatchetman but comes in at almost half a million C-Bills cheaper. And without Ammo to worry about, nor any of those pesky Jump Jets to maintain, the Decurion is a much more attractive proposition.
DEC-MH2 Decurion
At 971 BV and a slightly more expensive 3,026,226C-Bills, this 'Mech is again cheaper and more lethal than the upgraded Hatchetman. Ranges are only slightly shorter, but it is unfortunately less accurate. However, with double heat sinks it can use more of its guns. This 'Mech is, in fact, half the price of the Hatchetman of 3050.
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
12/06/01 05:58 PM
63.173.170.121
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Interesting, I like it...now I have a question and one that shows the fluff is great, but leads to a problem in the game.
The questions is how are you going about showing that each large laser is different in design and usage when the game gives generic stats for the weapon?
I like the idea, and it has shown up from time to time in both fluff for mechs and in some of the scenario packs, for example, in the Tales of the Blackwidow, one of the lasers on a mech would fire with plus 2 extra heat do to some problems with it. Is this what you have in mind or not?
Karagin
Given time and plenty of paper, a philosopher can prove anything.
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Nightward
12/06/01 06:10 PM
203.134.12.8
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What I meant was that Medium lasers are pretty much the most generic weapon in the game. Even ER and Pulse lasers are described as being virtually identical in design (but not effect).
Large Lasers are described, in various source books and novels as being very different in design, range, and damage.
I felt that meant that they would differ in size as well-optic tube length, width, power requirements, capacitor banks, and inbuilt heat vanes.
If even one thing changes, it means the shape and size of the laser changes. Since the Hegemony bought from all 5 Successor States, they have got Diverse Optics, Blakenburg Technologies, Magna Mark II and a host of other types, all of which would be a b!tch to fit onto a standardised chassis.
What I meant was that engineers would have to take the time to modify the 'Mech's internal structure to accomodate the weapons it carries. So it doesn't do anything to their heat, range, or damage, but just causes major headaches in the tech bays and Quartermaster offices, because if a Decurion suffers damage to its Large Laser, you will have to get the exact same type to replace it with...
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
12/06/01 06:25 PM
63.173.170.121
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I like it...and thank you for explaining it out.
Karagin
Given time and plenty of paper, a philosopher can prove anything.
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Nightward
12/06/01 06:28 PM
203.134.12.8
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No worries.
As I asked earlier, do you know if the Marian Hegemony awards the Grass Crown?
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
12/06/01 06:32 PM
63.173.170.121
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Not sure, I know they follow a lot of the Roman ways, Camille would be the one to ask that to, since she did the write in the FM:P on them.
I would on a guess assume they do...
Karagin
Given time and plenty of paper, a philosopher can prove anything.
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Nightward
12/06/01 07:28 PM
203.134.12.8
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Ja. I thought since they are the 'Marian Hegemony' which sounds a fair bit like 'Marius', aruably the best Imperator the Romans ever had, they might.
For those not 'in the know', Marius Magnus was a Roman Imperator who completely made over the Roman Legions. Included in his reformations were minimum dress and equipment standards, orders for each Legionnaire to carry his own shovel, armour, and rations, and a complete reworking of comand structure. Marius also instituted the use of the Maniple (which was about 20 men, I think) as the basic tactical unit of the Roman legions, here before it had been the Century.
The 'Grass Crown' was the highest honour a Roman general could recieve. It was a greater reward than even a Triumph (the only time Roman soldiers were allowed into the capital, and involving all sorts of parades and religious festivals for the Imperator). After winning a great victory against what most considered impossible odds, if the Roman soldiers felt their leader deserved it, they would gro out into the field of batle, find a bloodstained spot and weave their Imperator a crown from the grass. Marius recieved it 2 or 3 times, I forget the amount. EvenJulius Caeser did not recieve a Grass Crown from his men, despite what he did. That's how tough it was to earn a Crown.
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
12/06/01 11:48 PM
63.173.170.45
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And hence the title of Marius Mules as some of the legionnaires called them selves since they did all the carrying that the baggage train did before...
Karagin
Given time and plenty of paper, a philosopher can prove anything.
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Nightmare
12/07/01 01:06 AM
194.251.240.107
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Wasn`t the Grass Crown awarded for "saving an entire Legion from destruction at the hands of the enemy"?
That`s why Ceasar never got one, he didn`t get into
such dire straits to begin with :)
Advice for Evil Overlords:
My legions of terror will be trained in basic marksmanship. Any who cannot learn to hit a man-sized target at 10 meters will be used for target practice.
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Nightward
12/07/01 06:05 PM
203.134.12.8
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OK. As I said, I did Roman Military History almost 3 years ago now.
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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Nightward
12/07/01 06:08 PM
203.134.12.8
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It was for winning a battle against 'Impossible Odds'. Gauis Julius Caesar was too damn smart to get himself into that sort of trouble, yes. But he was (after Alexander and Temujin) one of the ancient world's best leaders.
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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Nightward
12/15/01 08:40 PM
203.134.12.8
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The Romans thought 10-15:1 odds were good. The mind boggles at what 'Impossible Odds' would have been.
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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NathanKell
12/15/01 09:42 PM
24.44.238.62
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15:1 local or global?
Long as the barbs come piecemeil, 15:1 global *is* good odds :D
-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 |
Nightward
12/16/01 05:38 PM
203.134.12.8
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Total. That was, of course when the Romans deployed in large numbers. They could take out 75%+ of their enemies with their Pila, then they mopped up.
Course, they let the Auxilairies do all the hard work...
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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Nightward
12/28/01 05:19 PM
203.134.12.8
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Thank you.
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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