April Fools has come and gone, and with it came the usual assortment of online jigs and japes. Catalyst, as usual, got in on the action with perhaps the best idea BattleTech has ever had: the UrbanMech LAM.
LAMs, as many of you likely recall, were early attempts by FASA to reconcile the Macross/Robotech models used in BattleTech with the transforming robot/planes of the anime. It never really worked out, so the Stinger, Phoenix Hawk, and Wasp LAMs were all relegated to the dustbin of BattleTech history, their presence hand-waved away as merely more Star League-era Lostech.
Save for a few Word of Blake LAMs that showed up during the Jihad, LAMs have remained dead and buried for most of BattleTech’s history. At least, until now.
We present… the UrbanMech LAM!
Truly a work of finesse and artistry, this literal flying rust bucket is the creative genius of Bishop Steiner, who regularly posts fancy drawings on his Twitter feed (so you should follow him). Mr. Steiner teamed up with Catalyst to provide a bit of an April Fool’s day joke, but one that I certainly hope gets turned into canon by the various powers that be.
You can read about the UrbanMech LAM on the Clan Invasion Kickstarter here.
Oh, and because UrbanMechs are the best thing ever, someone on Reddit has even created a 3D model of the Urbie LAM so you can make your own miniatures. Catalyst certainly won’t do it, but maybe an enterprising materials engineer will.
(PS: I’m aware that the odds of this thing ever getting rubber-stamped as canon are about as good as me flying to the moon by flapping my arms really fast, but in these troubled times, one can freakin’ dream, capiche?!)
And as always, MechWarriors: Stay Syrupy.
Please no. Leave Urbie Alone.
Sorry @TEX HIMSELF, CGL made the mistake of giving me the keys to the Urbie factory and I intend to go to town!
Everything Urbie, to me it belongs! Space Urbies, DIve Urbies, Urbie LAMS! I will use any method in my power to spread Urbielightenment, and to remove the blight on the universe known as Urbie IICs!! Heretical Sith Imposters!
But what about the urban cowboy for those of us of a certain vintage?
UrbanMechQuadVee?
Will there be an OmniMech Urbies?
I’d like this as a dfferent opption
Thanks for the shout out, Sean!
Just trying to spread Urbielightenment, however I can. Urbie is Life. Urbie is Love!
Bishop, I’m confused. Why didn’t you make it look like a Zeppelin?
because I wanted it t look like a Winnebago? Preferably piloted by the Dude….
Ah, so this is the secretive evolutionary step between Urbie and Imp, in which it is the most mobile, before its armored shell fully hardens and gains its adult weight as an Imp. Of course, the oldest & largest of Urbies, now Imps, are able to gain back some of their former mobility as they become masters of an Urbie hive, and are known as Overlords.
https://www.sarna.net/wiki/Orca_(BattleMech)
Artwork is great, but the concept should remain an april fools joke…
This is FAN-TABULOUS!
The popularity of the Urbanmech is REVENGE OF THE NERDS in REAL TIME.
GO-URBIE-GO!!!!
If the Orca superheavy was an April Fool’s joke that became canonized, I don’t see why the UrbieLAM isn’t possible.
So, when you say it’s awaiting canon approval, that’s not really true is it? I mean, no more than any other fan-art/fiction out there.
Dunno if this is allowed here, but I kitbashed one for tabletop. Still have to put a record sheet together though:
https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:4256278
…You know, I know this is mostly a joke and that that sub-variant is non-canon itself, but the SubUrban Mech variant of this seems like it could be a genuinely nasty harasser & sniper unit.
Would probably be a rathert sad fate, being forced to eject after being strafed by an Urbie. Don’t think any mech pilot would ever live that one down.
It’s Quad or nothing! Also, this was about 20 years ago…
http://www.tro42.com/PUB/mechs.html
I had one appear in Battletech 3065 mod. It flew right over the ridge my Firestarter had taking cover behind and crit-hit my pilot…
This is ridiculous. The Urbanmech lacks the land speed needed to achieve takeoff with fixed wings.
Everyone knows the true Urbie LAM is based on lighter than air technology. Dangling from a balloon as it soars majestically through the sky is so much more Urbie than zipping about on wings like some hyperactive Wasp. And once it leaves atmosphere the balloon can be unfolded into a solar sail, letting UrbanLAM sedately destroy its opponents in the serenity of the silent void of space.
so looks like it i will be Canon as of Adepticon 2024.