Courtesy of Eldoniousrex
It was, by all accounts, a beautiful afternoon. Twinkling light shone through breaks in the clouds and the tropical foliage that lined the planet’s equatorial regions, giving the forest path an almost otherworldly quality. You’d have hardly believed they were a mere 15-minute drive from the hustle and bustle of Regulus City.
The nature walk was part of Sgt. Major Grislock’s rehabilitation. A broken arm from the Lyran invasion meant that he was holding his tri-vid recorder in one hand, but it was small enough that he could still operate the touchpad controls. It wasn’t easy, but he considered himself lucky to be walking swiftly while the rest of their little tour limped along with worse injuries.
“Regulus City is fortunate enough to have one of the largest native bird species anywhere in the Inner Sphere,” their tour guide stated, although the word ‘native’ seemed a stretch. The highest life form Regulus had achieved was a lizard-like creature, but every bird species had been introduced by Terran settlers many centuries ago.
Still, the birdcalls did make for a pleasant stroll, he admitted silently—until his contemplation was broken by a strange clattering sound, followed by an almost guttural screech.
“And that is the call of the great albatross, which nests along the shores every spring,” the tour guide added. “Fun fact! The albatross is one of the largest species of birds, and is only capable of flight thanks to its hollow bones.”
Hollow bones. Just like the ALB-6U. They’d warned him about that—how the composite structure couldn’t stand up to concentrated fire. How everyone assigned an Albatross had to retreat as soon as their armor was penetrated. How they’d ordered him and everyone in his unit to keep fighting anyway. How Barnes, Jessup, and Vinh had gone down, one by one. He was the only one to make it out alive, but not without scars.
The tour continued, but Sgt. Major Grislock stood there, staring out into the sky. He could see an albatross flying high overhead, its vast outstretched wings catching the hot, tropical air to carry it away to parts unknown. He wished that his ’Mech could have done that once its armor had been blasted away by Lyran fire.
Nobody noticed as the group left the Sgt. Major behind. A single tear fell down his cheek just as the ramblings of the tour guide and staccato clicks of tri-vid recorders faded into the distance. After a time, all Grislock could hear was the ocean breeze and the piercing call of the albatross.
Audio courtesy of Nathan of BungleTech
The Albatross is largely a victim of unfortunate comparisons. In a vacuum, the 95-ton machine is a perfectly adequate, if somewhat fragile, assault-class BattleMech. However, over the years, it has developed negative associations that have seemingly proven the concept of nominative determinism.
In the beginning, the Albatross could be seen as an almost unbelievable success story. Using limited reports of Clan capabilities and logistics data of anti-Clan refit kits being sold to the Federated Commonwealth and Draconis Combine, Irian BattleMechs designed and manufactured a prototype assault ‘Mech in just five months, with full production of the Albatross beginning a mere ten months after being ordered by Captain General Thomas Marik. It’s a testament to Irian BattleMechs Unlimited that the Albatross could enter full-service production without so much as a single reported incident in such a short timeframe.
With the first Albatrosses being assigned exclusively to the Knights of the Inner Sphere in 3053, the assault ‘Mech developed as chivalrous a reputation as the warriors who piloted it. Unfortunately, that reputation would be forever tarnished by the Word of Blake Jihad as the Albatross became a common sight among Word of Blake Protectorate forces during Operation SCOUR. By the time Terra was liberated, Irian’s premiere assault ’Mech had been reduced to one customer: the Marik-Stewart Commonwealth.
The Albatross would see some redemption thwarting Lyran forces during Operation HAMMERFALL, but for many MechWarriors, it would be a pyrrhic victory. During the Battle of Uhuru, Albatrosses of the 13th Atrean Dragoons proved capable defenders against Lyran raids, but insufficiently resilient when pressed into cavalry formations due to their Composite Internal Structure, leading some officers to accuse the Albatross of having “hollow bones.”
More recently, Irian’s Albatross lines on Washburn were taken over by the Wolf Empire, where the Albatross once again disappointed its pilots. Desperate to re-arm a depleted touman after being forced to abandon its Night Wolf factories on Weingarten, the Wolves retooled Irian’s production lines to produce the Albatross C. However, Wolf MechWarriors saw the Inner Sphere refit as a pale imitation of the Night Wolf, earning it the dubious nickname, “Sooty Albatross.” Assignment to an Albatross C was considered ill-favored, but production remains at full capacity following the Wolves’ conquest of Terra.
The original ALB-3U achieved a top speed of 65 kph thanks to its GM 380 XL engine, and is still considered quite fast for a 95-ton ’Mech. A hodgepodge of weapons sourced from various manufacturers allowed the Albatross to enter production quickly, as well as provide effective fire support at almost any range. Its primary weapon systems included an Oriente Model O LB 10-X autocannon, a Diverse Optics Sunbeam ER large laser, an Irian Weapons Works V7 LRM-15 launcher, and a Tronnel PPL-20 large pulse laser. These weapons were backed up by an Irian-produced 60mm SRM-6 launcher and two Super 6 medium lasers. CASE protected the Albatross‘s ammo bays, while 14 double heat sinks kept the ALB-3U relatively cool, provided it kept opponents at range. A fragile reputation began early in the Albatross‘s history thanks to its extralight engine and just 13 tons of standard armor, considered barely adequate for the era.
Addressing endurance concerns, the ALB-4U was a basic upgrade package that improved the protection to 16 tons of ferro-fibrous armor and swapped several weapon systems. The autocannon and large ER laser were replaced with a somewhat underwhelming Light Gauss Rifle and an ER small laser, the medium lasers were upgraded with extended range, and the SRM-6 launcher received a Streak guidance package. While this version addressed its armor issues, many preferred the ALB-4Ur for retaining most of the ALB-3U‘s potent armament while achieving even better armor values than the ALB-4U.
After the Free Worlds League world of Washburn allied itself to the Word of Blake during the Jihad, Irian produced the ALB-5W variant for Protectorate forces. This version achieved an all-energy loadout with a Large Variable Speed Laser, an ER PPC combined with a capacitor, two ER medium lasers, two ER small lasers, and two medium pulse lasers. A Guardian ECM system protected the ALB-5W from electronic threats, while Triple-Strength Myomer gave the ALB-5W an extra burst of speed once it achieved a sufficient heat load.
The toughest version of the Albatross arrived after the Jihad with the ALB-5U. This reworked the ALB-5W production lines to include 15 tons of heavy ferro-fibrous armor, a heavy-duty gyro, and a light 380 engine for additional resilience. The two ER medium lasers and one ER small laser are retained, while a Large X-Pulse Laser, an MML-7 launcher, and a Rotary AC/2 replace the remaining weapons.
The ALB-6U saw production during the Dark Age. Its armament mirrored the original ALB-3U with slight modifications, such as a Gauss rifle instead of the LB 10-X autocannon, a Light PPC instead of the ER large laser, and a Large Variable Speed Laser instead of the former large pulse laser. Composite structure, an extralight gyro, and an extralight engine allowed for the heavier armament, and 16.5 tons of ferro-fibrous armor gave the ALB-6U respectable protection, but became extremely vulnerable once that armor was breached.
That lack of battlefield endurance was the primary complaint against the Albatross C, which Irian began producing for the Wolf Empire following Washburn’s annexation. An all-Clan weapons loadout made the Albatross C a deadly combatant, and the addition of jump jets and Clan-spec double heat sinks gave the Albatross incredible flexibility. Unfortunately, Clan Wolf combat strategy rarely calls for tactical retreats, leading to losses among Albatross C MechWarriors who kept fighting after their armor protection had failed.
The future of the Albatross appears uncertain. Irian continues to produce the ’Mech in its FWL factories, but its proximity to the Wolf Empire and the reborn Star League places it in a vulnerable position. Conversely, the Wolves remain desperate for machines following the conquest of Terra, but Wolf warriors despise the Sooty Albatross. The next decade could very well spell the end of the Albatross, or it could prove just as enduring as the Terran avian.
And as always, MechWarriors: Stay Syrupy.
feels a bit odd to start with the later, composite structure version, when the original was about as good as any mech in TRO 3050/55.
Good overall article, and it does have some stinker variants (composite should be restricted solely to LAMs and such), but for people to call the overall design as a whole a bad mech? Seems a stretch to me.
I feel like this is off the mark. The Albatross is not a bad mech in my opinion. Less than optimal, sure, but bad? No way. Is the 3U under armored? Yes, but it is over armed compared to most of its competitors in the Inner Sphere. It can throw out a lot of pain before it potentially goes down. I also think it odd that the 4Ur gets a single sentence, when it is, in my opinion, the best variant. It offers even better weaponry than the 3U, and maximum armor. There’s a reason the League never stops using it.
And while the 6U and C variants get a bad rap in universe (and I know that’s largely how you frame these write ups), they are both still quite good in game. The C has heavy firepower, especially when you consider it’s fast, can jump, and that the plasma cannon can cripple foes. The 6U is the best armed of all the Albatross variants, and that’s saying something. Sure, the composite is fragile, but you have a lot of armor to get through first and get a BV discount for the fragility. I have plenty of games where my assault mechs survive the game without armor breaches. Its speed will also tend to make it have a +1 TMM advantage over comparable 3/5 assaults. But again, that’s real world, not in universe.
Yep. It’s pricey on BV and certainly on C-bills with that huge engine. Nothing wrong with the weapons loadout, reminds me a bit of a Zeus but with more on the close-up brawling range. Light on armor but that’s certainly nothing rare (Warhammer, Banshee, Cyclops come to mind). They can’t all be an Orion. But “Bad”? A stretch certainly.
Here’s a bad mech: Raptor IS omnimech. Pathetic armor, why bother? Personally I’d replace with a 30 ton omni, and a regular engine. Light mech plus XL plus no armor equals one LPL hit and out. 30 on a 7-11 (or 7-11-7) can allow one shot per leg or torso, 40 tons 8 tons armor means 20 armor on some locations. The Raptor is a deathtrap that is a waste of pilot training resources in an already expensive conflict. All that pod space don’t matter when you’re a smoking ruin two turns in. PASS
I know it’s not a great mech but I really enjoy it. Like more than I should. Please don’t take this as I’m against the article. It’s just one of those meh mechs I really like!
95 tonners seem to struggle it plays like a light assault or heavyweight so it’s kinda weird.
As always looking forward to others views and thanks for the write up!
the Banshee and nightstar are proof that 95 tons doesn’t have to suck
*eyes the BNC-3E warily*
The primary issue: a 4/6 movement profile on a 95-ton machine. That leaves little tonnage for armor or weapons/equipment.
The 3U is underarmored, but has an okay loadout for a 95-ton IS-mech.
Funny thing: if you switch to an Endosteel chassis, you can go to 17,5 ton Armor, which would up armor it to what it should be.
The original Albatross had a weapon fit that is best described as a ‘dog’s breakfast’. A bit of everything, thrown together and presented as if a banquet to house militaries desperate enough to take anything in their bid to build effective forces to resist the Clans.
It’s not a ‘bad Mech’ in the same sense as say its dismal stablemate, the Grand Titan, but it also wasn’t very good when compared to the likes of the Gunslinger, Salamader or Penetrator. All of which debuted in Technical Readout: 3055, the most eclectic collection of unit capabilities in the history of BattleTech writing.
Looking forward to your write up on the Cerberus ;)
There’s very rarely an outright BAD mech. It maybe unbalanced, misconfigured, or laden down with something unnecessary, but honestly it’s not bad and did a way better job than the charger did at keeping the speed up. Would definitely make a great tuner mech like the mauler does.
I can see why the Clanners are down on the C version. It’s definitely a step down from the Night Wolf that it’s replacing. And yeah, the Composite Structure and XL Engine/Gyro on it and the 6U are an issue, especially if something gets behind it. The worst I can say about the other variants, tho, is that they’re not Banshees. Which is kinda the opposite of “damning with faint praise,” I guess?
I’m dumb, so can someone explain the artwork for the article?
“An “albatross around your neck” is an idiom for a persistent, inescapable burden, problem, or source of guilt that hinders success, originating from Samuel Taylor Coleridge’s poem “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner,” where a sailor is cursed to wear a dead albatross around his neck after killing it. The phrase signifies something that weighs you down, like a bad mistake, an obligation, or a past deed, preventing you from moving forward. “
Funnily enough my familiarity with the idiom is the reason why I’ve never really used this mech. It’s like a bad omen to me, a real-life “bad reputation.”
Thank you so much for taking the time to explain it! Got it now, thanks :-)
I think it’s called the Albatross because of it’s head, which is enclosed in armor shaped like a bird’s beak! DEFINITELY something needed for a Mech’s cockpit and especially for the pilot! Haven’t heard the “Albatross around your neck” thing though!
The Albatross DOES have it’s uses, but it seems REALLY strange that Irian BattleMechs could design and build a Mech in just FIVE months! Look at the real world: how long does it takes to design an advanced weapons system, like the F-35 LIghtning II Joint Strike Fighter , which comes in three different versions? YEARS! To crank out a working prototype of a 95-TON Assault Mech that fast is unreal; no wonder people are irked by the Albatross, but as a Assault Mech, it still holds, it’s own in combat, but just barely(?)
I tend to suspect Irian had a lot of the design aspects hammered out already and simply refined ideas they already had on paper.
I know this article series has already touched on the most infamous mechs in the setting and pickings are getting slim, but when your opening paragraph says the mech is adequate, maybe it’s worth taking another look at prospective subjects.
The Albatross to me is an odd duck but it’s fine. It’s an unusually squishy assault but my fave mech is the Zeus so that’s no deal breaker for me. Offensively it’s a basically a juiced up Orion which is good. Treat it like a heavy and it can do good work. Honestly the only thing about it that’s all that bad to me is the in-universe price of the thing is WAY too high. It’s like the Grand Titan in a lot of ways honestly. It’s totally usable but way too expensive.
I can see Composite structure having it’s uses. As noted, it’s the only tech you can use on a LAM to save weight, and the fragility is somewhat mitigated by the movement tmm. If you are limited to IS tech, it’s really the only way you can build for max free tonnage on a heavy or assault mech with heavy Ferro-fibrous, and still have critical space for weaponry. In the case of the 6U, it does have CASE II for it’s ammo, so we can at least say the designer made an attempt to ensure the mech wasn’t an absolute deathtrap and has a chance to survive an ammo explosion. (*cough* Rakshasa *cough*)
If we discuss the 3U, the fact that a 95-Ton assault mech has only 13 tons of standard armor makes it a bad mech. Moreso if you take into consideration that their are enough free slots to put Endosteel into it, allowing you to up the protection to 17,5 tons.
And just to clarify, yes i consider the ANH-2A a bad mech.
Honestly my biggest problem with the Albatross was range. I can make 13 tons of armor work, even on a ‘Mech this size, but just a bit too much of its armament was asking for an optimal engagement bracket around three to five hexes.
Also, an armor spread of 37 center but 24 sides, 21 arms and 23 legs is just a tad off the mark in my opinion. If you have to go in under-armored, at least shave intelligently. 24 is just under the important 25 armor breakpoint due to 10 + 15, which represents a PPC and GR hit (very common in this timeframe), same with 23 legs.
This mech was supposed to face off against Clan-Omnimechs, and it is equipped with mostly short- to mid-range weapons. Clan mechs usually have longer-range weapons and are faster. For instance, a Timberwolf would most likely eat an Albatross for breakfast.
If you want to go for an IS-Assaultmech slugging match, consider matching an Awesome AWS-8Q against an Albatross. I am not exactly confident that the Albatross could pull off a win, and you could buy three Awesome 8Qs for the price of one Albatross.
The Albatross DOES have it’s faults and weakness, but remember: it may be a bad Mech, but it’s different when it’s 95 TONS of bad Mech closing on you and pounding you to pieces with what it’s got, and it’s got a LOT to pound you to pieces WITH!
The Banshee BNC-3E is a 95 tons of bad mech, but it costs only 9.5 million C-Bills. (and has 15 tons of standard armor.) I think two Banshee BNC-3E would probably be able to overcome an Albatross ALB-3U.
The Albatross ALB-3u has the armor and speed of a 65-ton Crusader, a potential alpha strike of 64 damage (the Crusader CRD-3R has a potential alpha strike of 68, 64 if you discount the MGs). The Albatross ALB-3U costs 25,608,700 C-bills; the Crusader CRD-3R costs 5,686,010 C-bills. Not sure if a single CRD-3R could hold its own against an Albatross, but at 4 to 1, they would most likely have no problems.
If you switch to Endosteel, the ALB-3U would cost 25,831,000 C-bills and have 4.5 tons of additional armor.
Does the art tease a new CGL redesign for the Albatross, or is this just another article exclusive like it was with the Rakshasa?
I just saw a guy on facebook named victor yanez, I think it was, who does mecha artwork like you wouldn’t believe! He did a version of the Rakshasa which made it look a LOT cooler than all the other ones out there!
ALB-3U Albatross vs. BNC-5S Banshee
Using: MegaMek v0.49.7
–both pilots G3/P4
–Both bots set to Brawler, with no forced withdrawal and no auto flee
–map: Rolling Hills 1
–Albatross always starts in NW, Banshee always starts in SE
Albatross BV: 2202
Banshee BV: 2726
Match 1
Turns: 5
Winner: Banshee (2404/2726 BV remaining)
Destroyed locations: none
–Albatross destroyed by head destruction from Banshee physical attack
Match 2
Turns: 7
Winner: Albatross (1815/2202 BV remaining)
Destroyed locations: none
–Banshee destroyed by XL engine destruction from Gauss Rifle explosion caused by LB-10X slug hit but ‘Mech was already prone with destroyed LL
Match 3
Turns: 2
Winner: Banshee (2496/2726 BV remaining)
Destroyed locations: none
–Albatross destroyed by head destruction from SRM hit after ER PPC hit on previous turn
Match 4
Turns: 4
Winner: Banshee (2619/2726 BV remaining)
Destroyed locations: none
–Albatross destroyed by engine destruction from SRM hit to CT but ‘Mech was already prone with pilot unconscious
The main damage here was done on turn 2, where the Banshee TAC’ed the Alb’s CT with a Gauss hit, scoring 2 engine hits and a gyro hit.
Match 5
Turns: 5
Winner: Banshee (1728/2726 BV remaining)
Destroyed locations: none
–Albatross destroyed by XL engine destruction from ER PPC hit to LT (2 previous engine hits on CT)
Match 6
Turns: 8
Winner: Banshee (2117/2726 BV remaining)
Destroyed locations: none
–Albatross destroyed by engine destruction from SRM hit to CT (2 previous engine hits on LT and RT)
Match 7
Turns: 5
Winner: Banshee (2042/2726 BV remaining)
Destroyed locations: none
–Albatross destroyed by XL engine destruction from LB-10X ammo explosion caused by Gauss Rifle hit
Match 8
Turns: 4
Winner: Albatross (861/2202 BV remaining)
Destroyed locations: RA
–Banshee destroyed by critical hit to cockpit from LB-10X slug hit
Match 9
Turns: 3
Winner: Banshee (2400/2726 BV remaining)
Destroyed locations: none
–Albatross destroyed by XL engine destruction from LRM15 ammo explosion caused by ML hit
Match 10
Turns: 3
Winner: Banshee (2464/2726 BV remaining)
Destroyed locations: none
–Albatross destroyed by XL engine destruction from LB-10X ammo explosion caused by ML hit
BNC-5S Banshee wins 8/10.
I always had a sense that the Albatross was supposed to be the FWLM’s answer to the upgraded Banshee, which is why I picked it as the first opponent for MegaMek testing. I thought a matchup like this would bring the Alb’s shortcomings into relief, and it certainly did.
The BNC-5S has its own set of issues–it didn’t get an armour upgrade over the original (it’s really an up-tech’d BNC-3S), not quite enough heat dissipation for its high-heat guns, and it commits the cardinal sins of not only including only one ton of ammo for its Gauss Rifle, but putting that weapon in a side torso with an IS XL engine. But at least it still has more total armour points than what even a 75-ton ‘Mech can mount (without resorting to hardened armour, at least), and armour placement is already about as smart as it can be for the tonnage. The Alb’s armour is pretty good…for a 65-tonner.
From these matches, it seems the Alb’s key failings are both its armour and its weapons. Unlike the BNC-5S, none of the Alb’s weapons are ones that can supply a knockout blow–it has one solid 10-point hit from LB-10X slug ammo, but that’s it. The LPL comes close but the IS LPL is basically a short-range weapon. Everything else is just middling in damage or spreads damage out across a target’s locations–some very Shadow Hawk-like about that–and that was illustrated well by the damage spread on the Banshee in all cases where the Alb lost. The only matches the Alb won were where it managed to cripple the Banshee with concentrated damage to a leg, and one lucky head crit. The Banshee, by contrast, has the knock-down power of the Gauss, coupled with two long-ranged (but HOT) 10-pointers, and it was definitely able to leverage those to get through the Alb’s thinner shell more quickly. Note how many of the Banshee’s wins came from side torso destruction through ammo explosions; the Banshee’s Gauss Rifle proved to be not as much of a liability as I thought, and none of the matches lasted long enough for the ammo limitation to become an issue.
So, never mind about fighting Clan ‘Mechs (mediums maybe…) when the Albatross does poorly against its same-tech peers from a neighbouring traditional enemy.
I did try to match up an Albatross 3U with a Banshee 3S. Out of 5 tries, the Banshee won 3 times. Not sure if I did it correctly, because, damn, does it eat time.
And one of the losses was a double knockout, with the pilot of the Albatross successfully ejecting.
Sheesh, it can’t even dominate against a lower-tech level mech?
The Banshee 3S can outdamage an Albatross at long range, has more armor, and the speed difference isn’t great enough for the Albatross to close the distance fast enough to matter.
The Albatross dies if the head or any torso location is destroyed, while you need to destroy either the head or the center torso to kill the Banshee.
>The Albatross dies if the head or any torso location is destroyed, while you need to >destroy either the head or the center torso to kill the Banshee.
This is the BNC-3S, right? The one with 2 tons of AC/10 ammo in one side torso, 1 ton of SRM-6 ammo in the other, and no CASE? An explosion of any of those would be enough to do the Banshee in.
Unless, of course, you’re not counting ammo explosions.
(says somebody who once took out a Phoenix Hawk, a Wolverine, and a Shadow Hawk in 1 match with a JVN-10F Javelin by hitting ammo in all of them, so yes, I’m a believer)
If the armor gets to tin for your taste, you can dump the ammo.
Also the Albatross 3U carries 5 tons of ammo (2x LBX, 2x LRM, 1x SRM), two in the left torso (LBX) and three in the right (LRM and SRM).
As far as I know you can destroy a torso side without setting of the ammo in it. The Banshee-3S can live without a sidetorso, the
Yes through the armor crits are thing, but thats like the story of the crippled Locus firing his last MG at an Factory fresh Atlas and destroying him in an ammo explosion. Can happen but unlikely, in case of the banshee it is a 1 in 12 chance, if you get to roll a crit on the left or right torso.
ALB-3U Albatross vs. NSR-9FC Nightstar
Using: MegaMek v0.49.7
–both pilots G3/P4
–Both bots set to Brawler, with no forced withdrawal and no auto flee
–map: Rolling Hills 1
–Albatross always starts in NW, Nightstar always starts in SE
Albatross BV: 2202
Nightstar BV: 2546
Match 1
Turns: 5
Winner: Nightstar (1835/2546 BV remaining)
Destroyed locations: none
–Albatross destroyed by critical hit to cockpit from LB-10X slug hit
This was nearly a draw from mutual head destruction. Each ‘Mech hit the other’s head with an LB-10X slug shot, but it was the Nightstar that got the cockpit critical.
Match 2
Turns: 4
Winner: Nightstar (2134/2546 BV remaining)
Destroyed locations: none, but Nightstar was prone with destroyed gyro from TAC
–Albatross destroyed by XL engine destruction from LB-10X ammo explosion caused by LB-X cluster attack
Match 3
Turns: 3
Winner: Albatross (1964/2202 BV remaining)
Destroyed locations: none
–Nightstar destroyed by engine destruction from TAC caused by LPL hit to CT
Match 4
Turns: 5
Winner: Nightstar (2065/2546 BV remaining)
Destroyed locations: none, but head and LT stripped
–Albatross destroyed by XL engine destruction from LB-10X ammo explosion caused by LB-X cluster attack, pilot killed by feedback (several previous head hits)
Match 5
Turns: 7
Winner: Nightstar (2054/2546 BV remaining)
Destroyed locations: none, but RA stripped
–Albatross destroyed by engine destruction from ML hit to RTR (2 previous engine crits in CT)
Match 6
Turns: 6
Winner: Nightstar (2082/2546 BV remaining)
Destroyed locations: none, but 1 CT engine crit from TAC
–Albatross destroyed by XL engine destruction from SRM6 ammo explosion caused by ML hit
Match 7
Turns: 9
Winner: Albatross (1224/2202 BV remaining)
Destroyed locations: LA; 1 CT engine crit and 1 gyro hit, RT stripped
–Nightstar destroyed by XL engine destruction from falling damage to RT after failed PSR
The Nightstar basically did itself in this match, repeatedly failing PSRs (including 3 straight) on 4s and 5s and damaging its RT each time. Yet, its gyro was undamaged.
Match 8
Turns: 9
Winner: Nightstar (1896/2546 BV remaining)
Destroyed locations: none, but both legs stripped
–Albatross destroyed by XL engine destruction from LRM15 ammo explosion caused by ML hit but ‘Mech was already prone with destroyed RL
Match 9
Turns: 9
Winner: Albatross (1002/2202 BV remaining)
Destroyed locations: RA; 2 CT engine crit, RL, LA, CTR, LTR and H stripped
–Nightstar destroyed by XL engine destruction from falling damage to RT after failed PSR
This time, the Nightstar had the excuse of having its PSRs from turn 7 onward complicated by RL hip and foot crits.
Match 10
Turns: 8
Winner: Nightstar (2178/2546 BV remaining)
Destroyed locations: none
–Albatross destroyed by XL engine destruction from LB-X cluster attack (3 crits in LT)
NSR-9FC Nightstar wins 7/10.
There aren’t that many 4/6 95-tonners on the Inner Sphere side that the Albatross can face off against, and somebody mentioned opposing it with an Awesome, so I tried to kill two birds with one stone here with the -9FC Nightstar, which has firepower pretty much equivalent to an -8Q Awesome, has the same movement curve as the Alb, and max armour for its tonnage (without going to specialty armours). An ER PPC and two LB-10Xs is pretty decent firepower, but like the Alb itself, is missing a knockout blow (one reason I deliberately avoided the -9J, one of the dual-Gauss monsters of the 3050s). Despite those shortcomings, the -9FC still did very well against the Alb, with one of its losses coming through sheer bad luck (repeated failed PSRs even with no gyro damage). And yet, I had the distinct impression that the Alb was able to do more damage on average than it did against the Banshee. While it didn’t lose locations when it won, it seemed to have locations stripped and damaged more often, despite its thicker hide. And against the Alb in particular, with its armour thresholds as they are, not having the extra damage that a Gauss slug brings meant the Nightstar typically needed longer to go internal, giving the Alb a bit more time to do its thing.
The Alb, for its part, once against died most often from ammo explosions, and it’s easy to see why. With only 208 points of armour–again, great for something like a T-Bolt or Crusader–something has to be shorted somewhere, and here it’s the side torsos. The CT coverage is not that much less than a Banshee’s, but the sides have a full 6 armour points less than those of a Banshee–a full IS MPL’s damage worth. And with the kind of firepower that assaults of the 3050s and later can pack, that’s just a recipe for trouble.
Even just changing the armour to FF gives you an extra 24 points to play with, and if it’s all allocated to the forward side torsos, arms, and legs (with a few extra points on the CT), suddenly the coverage is comparable to a Banshee’s. Why IBMU failed to take even this step–never mind using ES structure–when the FWL’s military-industrial complex was definitely capable of supporting that definitely suggests some…poor considerations during the design process. (And it feels like the Albatross’ design team was then allowed to work on the FWL’s Warship program–for those who played Aero, remember how the Agamemnon and Eagle turned out? Same type of thinking. ) While this, um, oversight was corrected in later versions of the Alb, the fact that a design with such a critical flaw was made a signature ‘Mech of one of the FWL’s prestige units makes one question the decision making in the FWLM as a whole.
There are a bunch of Marik designs from the 3050s that look good on paper, but are critically flawed in combat. The Hunchback that brought only five rounds for its main gun so that it can squeeze in CASE that it no longer needs and pulse the head laser, while carrying enough excess DHS that it can alpha and run *with two engine hits* and only gain 1 heat is the worst offender, but there’s also the Shadow Hawk that quadrupled the number of LRM tubes and doubled the fire rate of the autocannon, but didn’t make the ammo bins any bigger, the Goliath that brought only eight rounds for the Gauss Rifle, but 400 for the machine guns, the Phoenix Hawk that still runs hot even if you blow one of its arms off, the Albatross that brought a whole array of random guns that don’t work together, so it just ends up being kind of inadequate at everything, and doesn’t have nearly enough armor for the amount of boom cuddled up to that XL engine…
I may be giving FASA too much credit, but I have a theory that this was actually a deliberate design decision on their part, reflecting the fact that the FWLM hadn’t fought a real war in two or three generations. They mostly sat out the Fourth Succession War (after falling for a Steiner feint and getting their butts kicked by frickin’ *Tikonov*) and War of 3039, the Clan Invasion was all the way on the other side of the Inner Sphere… So they built a bunch of machines that look good in a rigged demo, but run into serious design problems in an actual sustained battle.
The funny thing is, the people that build the Albatross also built the Awesome, which is … an awesome assault mech.
Yeah, but the 9M… not so much.
Again, the Albatross can be improved and be a good Assault Mech! I would think that all the armor “beak” projections around the cockpit would improve pilot survivability, so does it? And can the Albatross torso-twist? I haven’t played it so I don’t know: any info would be great! Thanx!
The Albatross can definitely be improved. One option is adding Endosteel and boosting the armor by 4.5 tons for a noticeable durability upgrade.
Another is replacing all weapons with 3 ER-PPCs, 24 IS-DHS, and 4 Jump Jets, while increasing armor to 15 tons. This would create a 4/6/4 cavalry mech suited for long-range combat, where lighter armor for a 95-ton mech is less of a drawback. The jump jets could help with disengaging or maintaining distance from other assault mechs.
If the Clans tackled it as “Project Sooty Albatross,” they could use Clan-Endosteel, 3 Clantech ER-PPCs, 25 Clantech-DHS, and raise armor to 18.5 tons, making it a fearsome presence in any battle.
As it stands, though, the Albatross shows what not to do with a 95-ton assault mech, as none of its variants are worth the resources.
ALB-3U Albatross vs. MR-V2 Cerberus
Using: MegaMek v0.49.7
–both pilots G3/P4
–Albatross bot set to Brawler, Cerberus bot set to Sniper, with no forced withdrawal and no auto flee
–map: Rolling Hills 1 Rolling Hills 3
Rolling Hills 4 Rolling Hills 2
–Albatross always starts in NW, Cerberus always starts in SE
Albatross BV: 2202
Cerberus BV: 2641
Match 1
Turns: 8
Draw; mutual destruction on turn 8
–Albatross destroyed by XL engine destruction from LB-X ammo explosion caused by MPL hit
–Cerberus destroyed by engine destruction from SRM TAC hit to CT (2 previous engine hits in LT)
Match 2
Turns: 8
Winner: Cerberus (1787/2641 BV)
Destroyed locations: none; LL stripped w/ internal damage
–Albatross destroyed by SRM and LRM ammo explosions caused by MPL hit; pilot killed by feedback
Match 3
Turns: 6
Winner: Albatross (1241/2202 BV)
Destroyed locations: none; LL, LA, RA all stripped w/ internal damage
–Cerberus destroyed by MG ammo explosion from SRM TAC hit
Match 4
Turns: 6
Winner: Cerberus (2566/2641 BV)
Destroyed locations: none
–Albatross destroyed by LB-X ammo explosion caused by falling damage after failed PSR
Match 5
Turns: 8
Winner: Cerberus (2471/2641 BV)
Destroyed locations: none
–Albatross destroyed by XL engine/LT torso destruction from Gauss Rifle hit but ‘Mech was already prone with destroyed gyro
Match 6
Turns: 9
Winner: Cerberus (2236/2641 BV)
Destroyed locations: none; H, RA stripped
–Albatross destroyed by XL engine destruction from LB-X ammo explosion caused by Gauss Rifle hit
Match 7
Turns: 8
Winner: Cerberus (1316/2641 BV)
Destroyed locations: none; RT, LT, RL stripped, RL leg and foot actuators destroyed, 2 engine hits
–Albatross destroyed by XL engine destruction from side torso destruction caused by Gauss Rifle hit
Match 8
Turns: 4
Winner: Cerberus (2414/2641 BV)
Destroyed locations: none; LT stripped,1 engine hit
–Albatross destroyed by XL engine destruction from LB-X ammo explosion caused by Gauss Rifle hit
The Albatross did not react well to taking 2 Gauss Rifle hits and a MPL hit to the LT all in 1 phase.
Match 9
Turns: 9
Winner: Cerberus (2108/2641 BV)
Destroyed locations: none; LA, LT, LL stripped
–Albatross destroyed by CT destruction from Gauss Rifle hit
Match 10
Turns: 11
Winner: Cerberus (2153/2641 BV)
Destroyed locations: none; LL, LA, RT stripped
–Albatross destroyed by XL engine destruction from LB-X ammo explosion caused by falling damage after failed PSR
MR-V2 Cerberus wins 8/10 (8/9 not counting draw).
There are few ‘Mechs that exemplify “the best defense is a good offense” like the MR-V2 Cerberus, a ‘Mech that probably deserves its own Bad ‘Mech of the Month article. Another one of the TRO:3055 fast assaults, it is remarkably similar to the Albatross in a number of ways. Both have the same mass and speed profile, but the Cerberus goes even thinner on the armour than does the Albatross, with overall coverage that would be good for a *60* tonner, only partially mitigated by the presence of AMS (useless against direct-fire weapons); the arms and legs in particular are notably short-changed here. Compounding that thin shell are not one, but two good ol’-fashioned CT ammo bombs, one of which is a full ton of MG ammo for a pair of MGs that inexplicably face rearwards, the other the AMS ammo. However, it’s hard to argue with the the rest of the weapons package–nothin’ says lovin’ like a pair of Gauss Rifles (each with 2 tons of ammo), with a quartet of MPLs for a solid and accurate short-range barrage. With the double-decapitation risk, these weapons should strike fear into the hearts of even the most jaded Clan warriors, yet if you’re a Cerb pilot, you absolutely want to avoid getting to close to a heated engagement, as your ride is a walking definition of “glass hammer”. All told, this makes for a clearer and more focused mission profile than that of the Alb.
With this package of contradictions, does the -3U Alb fare any better than it did against the other opponents tried so far? My answer: a resounding NO.
I had half-expected that more matches would turn out like the first one, with the two combatants killing each other because of their shared weaknesses, but that was far from the case. The Alb’s weaknesses were the same as the previous trials, with its combination of inadequate side torso armour and juicy ammo bins its most frequent downfalls, while its own weapons were not quite up to the task of being able to quickly get through the Cerb’s own dubious coverage; not once was it able to maim the Cerb by blowing even one Gauss Rifle or crippling it through legging, even when it managed to strip one or more locations and do some internal damage. As for the Cerb, the CT ammo bombs were much less of a liability than I expected, only factoring in once, and the AMS was actually fairly effective at degrading the Alb’s missile attacks. OTOH, the matches still lasted longer on average than I thought, as the Cerb didn’t get any OSK’s from head shots or manage to quickly cripple the Alb by legging.
So , while the MR-V2 Cerberus has its own set of issues, what it does bring to the table is still quite enough to highlight what the Albatross fails to bring.
Well, there was the MR-V3 field refit that removed the machine guns and ammo to beef up the armor, which incidentally boosted its protection beyond that of the Albatross-3U.
It’s already been mentioned several times how one of the most basic improvements to the Albatross would be to replace the internal structure with endo steel and put all the freed tonnage into increased armour. Well, I did just that. Meet the ALB-3Ub. Everything is the same as the base -3U, except there are now 280 points of armour, allocated as follows:
H: 9
CT: 42/13
R/LT: 31/9
R/LA: 32
R/LL: 36
Base BV: 1884
This is your “Royal” variant, the version that the FWLM *should* have been making for exclusive use by its most prestigious federal line units, hoarding it within the League’s borders, while the -3U is the “Regular” monkey version, saved for export to those poor sods in the FedCom and Combine who have to face the Clans >;)
I redid the fights versus the Banshee -5S, and the results were not as dramatically different as I expected.
ALB-3Ub Albatross vs. BNC-5S Banshee
Using: MegaMek v0.49.7
–both pilots G3/P4
–both bots set to Brawler, with no forced withdrawal and no auto flee
–map: Rolling Hills 1 Rolling Hills 3
Rolling Hills 4 Rolling Hills 2
–Albatross always starts in NW, Banshee always starts in SE
Albatross BV: 2487
Banshee BV: 2726
Match 1
Turns: 6
Winner: Albatross (2198/2487 BV)
Destroyed locations: none
–Banshee destroyed by head destruction from LPL and ML hits in same phase
Match 2
Turns: 11
Winner: Albatross (1907/2487 BV)
Destroyed locations: none; head stripped with internal damage
–Banshee destroyed by Gauss Rifle explosion caused by SRM hit but ‘Mech was already prone with destroyed RL, pilot unconscious, 2 engine hits, and shut down from overheat.
Match 3
Turns: 8
Winner: Banshee (1577/2726 BV)
Destroyed locations: none; RA, CT, LL stripped with internal damage
–Albatross destroyed by critical hit to cockpit from ER PPC hit.
Match 4
Turns: 9
Winner: Albatross (2138/2487 BV)
Destroyed locations: none
–Banshee destroyed by XL engine destruction from RT destruction caused by LB-X cluster attack
Match 5
Turns: 7
Winner: Albatross (2095/2487 BV)
Destroyed locations: none
–Banshee destroyed by XL engine destruction from SRM ammo explosion caused by SRM hit
Match 6
Turns: 4
Winner: Banshee (2512/2726 BV)
Destroyed locations: none
–Albatross destroyed by head destruction from ER PPC and ML hits to head in same phase
Match 7
Turns: 14
Winner: Banshee (2231/2726 BV)
Destroyed locations: none; head stripped
–Albatross destroyed by XL engine destruction through RT destruction from Gauss Rifle hit but ‘Mech was already prone with leg and foot actuators destroyed in both legs and 2 engine hits
Match 8
Turns: 13
Winner: Albatross (1757/2487 BV)
Destroyed locations: none; RA, RL, CT stripped, 1 gyro hit
–Banshee destroyed by SRM ammo explosion from LB-X cluster attack
Match 9
Turns: 10
Draw; mutual destruction on turn 10
–Banshee destroyed by CT destruction from LPL hit
–Albatross destroyed by engine destruction from SL hit to CT (2 previous side torso crits)
Match 10
Turns: 10
Winner: Banshee (2128/2726 BV)
Destroyed locations: none; LA, LT both stripped with internal damage
–Albatross destroyed by XL engine destruction through LT destruction from Gauss Rifle hit but ‘Mech was already prone with pilot unconscious
ALB-3Ub Albatross wins 5/10 (5/9 not counting the draw).
Definitely an improvement over the normal -3U, but still not enough to give it a clear majority of wins. The most noticeable difference, on the surface, was that none of the Alb’s losses came from ammo explosions this time; now it was the Banshee dying more often from that. The Banshee had to work harder for its victories, actually needing to take out the whole side or centre torso structure to put the Alb down when it didn’t get head hits. And with the beefed-up protection on the side torsos and arms, the Alb was obviously able to last longer and wear down the Banshee more often, even with its less potent armament.
Still, I had expected more. It takes (what I think should be) a factory-level rebuild to give the Albatross superior protection to the Banshee -5S, which is still a non-negligible cost increase, to produce a ‘Mech that’s roughly as good as a BNC-5S.
It’s about the same price as the Banshee-5S in C-Bills or equivalent, so from a procurement officer’s perspective, you could call it a decent mech.
Maybe the Albatross is a bad Mech, but the opposition can be killed, Dead Right There, of DRT, by a bad Mech just as easily as a good Mech in combat! That’s STILL 95 TONS of Assault Mech coming at you, good or bad, to make your day REALLY miserable!
Well, no. That’s the thing. It can’t. That’s what makes it a bad ‘mech. It doesn’t kill the opposition in combat as easily a good ‘mech, and is a lot more likely to get killed itself instead.
Now for something a bit different. I was curious how the Albatross would do as part of a team.
So I created the following assault lances that one might expect to see between 3055 and 3060:
Team FWL
T-IT-10M Grand Titan
ALB-3U Albatross
MR-V2 Cerberus
AWS-9M Awesome
All pilots G3/P4
Force BV: 9633
Team Fedcom
BRZ-A3 Berserker
BNC-5S Banshee
GUN-1ERD Gunslinger
PPR-5S Salamander
All pilots G3/P4
Force BV: 10873
–map: Rolling Hills 1 Rolling Hills 3
Rolling Hills 4 Rolling Hills 2
–FWL always starts in NW, Fedcom always starts in SE
Match 1
–both bots set to Brawler, with no forced withdrawal and no auto flee
Turns: 18
Winner: FWL (1960/9633 BV)
Surviving ‘Mechs: Awesome
Destroyed locations: none
Turn 8:
–Banshee destroyed by XL engine destruction through LT destruction from Gauss Rifle hit by Cerberus but ‘Mech was already prone with unconscious pilot
Turn 9:
–Cerberus destroyed by XL engine destruction through LT destruction from LRM hit by Salamander
Turn 10:
–Gunslinger destroyed by Gauss Rifle explosion from SRM hit by Grand Titan but ‘Mech was already prone with destroyed RL
Turn 12:
–Grand Titan destroyed by SRM ammo explosion from ML hit by Salamander but ‘Mech was already prone with destroyed RL
Turn 15:
–Albatross destroyed by LB-X and LRM ammo explosions from LRM hits by Salamander; pilot killed by feedback
Turn 18:
–Salamander destroyed by XL engine destruction through LT destruction from ER PPC hit by Awesome
Match 2
–both bots set to Brawler, with no forced withdrawal and no auto flee
–Salamander’s LRMs hot-loaded
Turns: 14
Winner: Fedcom (1514/10873 BV)
Surviving ‘Mechs: Berserker
Destroyed locations: none; CT, RL, LL stripped; LL with 1 structure point remaining
Turn 6
–Albatross destroyed by XL engine destruction from LB-X ammo explosion caused by LRM hit from Salamander
Turn 7
–Banshee destroyed by Gauss Rifle explosion from falling damage after failed PSR
Turn 8
–Salamander destroyed by XL engine destruction through RT destruction from ER PPC hit by Awesome
–Grand Titan destroyed by head destruction from ER PPC hit by Berserker
Turn 10
–Cerberus destroyed by engine destruction from multiple CT hits by Gunslinger
–Gunslinger destroyed by Gauss Rifle explosion from MPL hit by Cerberus
Turn 14
–Awesome destroyed by XL engine destruction through LT destruction from LPL hit by Berserker but was already prone with both legs destroyed
Match 3
–both bots set to Cowardly, with no forced withdrawal and no auto flee
Turns: 56(!!)
Winner: Fedcom (2583/10873 BV)
Surviving ‘Mechs: Banshee
Destroyed locations: none
Turn 28
–Cerberus destroyed by AMS ammo explosion from LRM hit by Salamander
Turn 33
–Salamander destroyed by head destruction from ER PPC hit by Awesome
Turn 51
–Gunslinger destroyed by XL engine destruction through LT destruction from LPL hit by Grand Titan
Turn 52
–Grand Titan destroyed by engine destruction from ML hit by Banshee (2 previous engine hits in RT)
Turn 53
–Albatross destroyed by head destruction from ML hit by Banshee
Turn 55
–Berserker destroyed by head destruction from Awesome physical attack
The Berserker actually chopped off the Awesome’s leg here, but lost its own head doing so; it was 1 level below the Awesome when the latter decided to kick.
Turn 56
–Awesome destroyed by XL engine destruction through LT destruction by Gauss Rifle hit from Banshee but was already prone with destroyed LL
Match 4
–both bots set to Berserk, with no forced withdrawal and no auto flee
–Salamander’s LRMs hot-loaded
Turns: 13
Winner: FWL (5565/9633 BV)
Surviving ‘Mechs: Awesome
Destroyed locations: none
Albatross
Destroyed locations: none; LA, LL both stripped with internal damage
Grand Titan
Destroyed locations: none; LT stripped with internal damage
Turn 7
–Salamander destroyed by head destruction from MPL hit by Cerberus
–Cerberus destroyed by Gauss Rifle explosion from Gauss Rifle hit by Gunslinger
Turn 9
–Gunslinger destroyed by Gauss Rifle explosion from ER PPC hit by Awesome
Turn 11
–Berserker destroyed by AMS ammo explosion from SPL hit by Awesome
Turn 13
–Banshee destroyed by critical hit to cockpit from LB-X cluster attack by Albatross
Match 5
–both bots set to Default, with no forced withdrawal and no auto flee
Turns: 14
Winner: FWL (5960/9633 BV)
Surviving ‘Mechs: Grand Titan
Destroyed locations: none; H, RT stripped; RT with internal damage (2 engine hits)
and damaged gyro
Albatross
Destroyed locations: none; LA, LL both stripped
Cerberus
Destroyed locations: none
Turn 5
–Salamander destroyed by head destruction from Gauss Rifle hit by Cerberus
Turn 8
–Gunslinger destroyed by Gauss Rifle explosion from ER PPC hit by Awesome
–Awesome destroyed by SSRM ammo explosion caused by overheating; pilot killed in failed ejection
Turn 10
–Berserker destroyed by head destruction from LPL hit by Grand Titan
Turn 13
–Banshee destroyed by head destruction from MPL hit by Grand Titan
As part of a team, the Albatross definitely could work; each Mech covering the others’ weaknesses and their advantages would be at their best!
‘
Based on what I’ve seen in the MegaMek tests, I think there may well be something to that. However, with this choice of ‘Mechs, the Albatross is still not the linchpin member of that lance–that honour seems to go to the Awesome. The -9M may not be the zombie that the -8Q and -9Q are, but it’s often either the last ‘Mech standing (in FWL wins) or the last to go down (if the other side wins)–and it contributes more to its side’s victories than the Albatross does. That’s the ‘Mech you want to build the lance around. The Alb…well, like I said before, it’s basically an assault-level SHD-2H. It will have its role to play and land its hits, but it works best as a buddy and helper for ‘Mechs with a more clearly defined role.
I did a couple more of these, but switching the starting positions. On the whole, it can go either way, but taking all the results together, one thing I noticed about these particular lance compositions is that, in FWL victories, they’re often decisive, with 2 or 3 ‘Mechs surviving and the other side wiped out, whereas with Fedcom victories, there’s usually only a single survivor (often the Banshee). In the FWL case, it does seem that the whole is more than the sum of the parts. (too bad that’s rarely worked out for them in an astropolitical sense).
One last comment: this is an observation made on the official forum in a discussion concerning the SHD-2H, but like that ‘Mech, the Albatross MIGHT just be suitable as a commander’s ride, for that type of commander who likes to hang back from the fight and focus on coordinating and directing the battle, coming in to contribute where and when really needed. However, there is very little else in the Alb’s fluff attributes that makes it suitable as a command ‘Mech (like, say, the Cyclops).
The problem with hanging back and contributing only when needed is that most of the Albatross 3U weapons have short range, and its speed isn’t enough to sprint across the map to provide support.
A command mech, such as the Naginata, typically comes armed with long-range weapons—perfect for politely suggesting to opponents, from a safe distance, that they should reconsider their life choices and head elsewhere.