BattleMech Compilation Thread

[Kereminde]

RVN- 1X Raven

• Armaments: SRM-6, 2 ML, EW Equipment
• Movement: 5/8
• Armor: 4 tons
• Heatsinks: 12

Advantages: If ECM gives any benefits, it makes the Raven a decent scout mech if it can remain undetected, and makes it an excellent spotter mech for indirect fire.

Disadvantages: Armor is light for a 35 ton mech. Weapons on standard variant are short range only. Movement is on the slow end for light mechs, meaning it cannot outrun most medium mechs. Depending on if the EW Equipment is in game and follows the basic lore then the below could apply negative to hit modifiers

Tactics: Greatly depends on the use or effectiveness of ECM in the game. If the Raven can be undetected or receive high beneficial modifiers then it becomes an ideal spotter mech, and a decent scout mech if the EW equipment can detect and ID mechs in non Line of Sight. The RVN-2X version ( Davion) replaces the EW equipment with a LL and 2.5 tons of armor, trading away all the ECM benefits for a better armored ( for a light mech) and good firepower ( with the LL in addition to SRM-6 and 2 ML) which gives a potential alpha strike of 30, which is higher than the Jenner or Commando as well as one of the few light mechs that has a punch beyond short range. But the 5\8 speed makes it the 3rd slowest light mech ( of what is known to be in the game).

The EW Equipment at the time that this 'Mech was built consisted of a massive 7.5 ton experimental electronic warfare suite that unfortunately did not live up to expectations. The equipment also had the unfortunate side-effect, when damaged, of disrupting other systems, though normally communications and targeting only.

- Packrat's Notes -
RVN-1X: I've never been a huge fan of the Raven. The BAP's features are rarely needed, and there aren't many electronic systems in its era for the ECM to jam (and by the time there are, there are many more mechs with ECM systems that can do the job). The Narc and TAG were the only advanced systems I really used, but they aren't on the Raven-1X! 5/8 with as much armor as a Locust limit its survivability, and while its armament isn't terrible, it's light for its weight, and its relatively low speed can make it difficult for the Raven to maintain a good firing range. The Raven's usefulness in this game will depend entirely on how the EW Equipment is implemented, because that's all it really brings to the table.

 

[Kereminde]

ASN-21 Assassin

• Armament: LRM-5, ML, SRM-2
• Movement: 7\11\7
• Armor: 4.5 tons
• Heatsinks: 10

Advantages: Speed and mobility. Only the Cicada among med mechs of this era runs faster, and none jump as far. Can engage at long range,

Disadvantages: Mostly ammo dependent weaponry.Very light hitting mech, especially for a medium. A Jenner has close to the same movement profile and more firepower at 5 tons less. Light armor for a medium mech. Very tight cockpit that really limits time pilot can stay in it.

Tactics: Designed by a company that cut corners to get an SLDF contract, it was marketed as a heavy scout against Wasps and Stingers. Against mechs half its weight it compared favorably, but against mechs its own weight not so much. Ammo dependency makes it less effective as a raider and lack of punch and low armor limit its use against other med mechs (even ones filling the heavy scout role as a Phoenix Hawk would probably trash the Assassin one on one) but its speed and mobility do make it an effective part of a scout lance or scouting on its own. It can harrass with the LRM and has the speed to outrun most anything that is going to threaten it.

- Packrat's Notes -
ASN-21: Has anyone told the Assassin it's a medium mech? I don't think it knows. 7/11/7 with 4.5 tons of armor? Those are light mech specs. Its armament ain't exactly impressive either, being kind of all other the place but lacking the tonnage to do it effectively. So, not only is it a light mech in a medium mech's body, it's an ineffectual light mech in a medium mech's body. You need to treat it like a mech half its size. Fluff says it's made for scouting, and it can certainly do that very well. It's combat where the mech falters. It's highly mobile, but lacks the firepower to really take advantage of it, and it has weak armor. If you must use it in a fight, it's best against other scout mechs, over which it has advantages in range, armor, and frequently mobility. Against any other mechs, though, it is woefully inadequate.
ASN-101: Lowering its mobility to 7/11/5 and dropping half a ton of armor, this variant mounts a trio of small lasers in addition to the weapons carried by the base model. I had a hard time evaluating this variant at first. On the one hand, those small lasers give it some much needed punch, allowing you to drop in behind an enemy mech and inflict decent damage. On the other, it gave up jump jets in the trade, inhibiting its ability to use the very weapons it was modified to include. Add in the loss of armor -- even if it's only half a ton -- and I have to say this variant is likely inferior to the base model, if only because the base model at least has one thing it's really good at, whereas this one is kind of crap at everything.

 

[Kereminde]

CDA-2A Cicada

• Armament: 2 ML 1 Sm L
• Speed 8\12
• Armor 4 tons
• Heatsinks 10

Advantages: Speed, Speed and Speed. The fastest of medium mechs currently in the game. Weapons are mounted in the torsos, so slightly better protected than if they were in the arms

Disadvantages: Lack of Armor, has the same amount of armor as the Locust which is half it's weight. Even concentrated in the torso areas, a LL or a PPC shot will penetrate the left or right torsos and get internals. Lightly armed for a medium mech, with all it's weapons short ranged. No jump jets meaning its great speed is limited in rough terrain

Tactics: Basically anything you would send a Locust to do, you can send it's roided up cousin the Cicada to do. Scouting, rear flanking hit and run, raiding behind enemy lines and avoiding combat with other mech forces. Some versions swap out the Sm L for a Flamer, giving it better anti-infantry support. One drastic version removes the Lasers, swaps the engine for a smaller 280 design, lowering speed to 7\11 to give it a PPC and 2 MG ( Capellan modification) giving it the same overall firepower but a more effective reach. However this model should still use the same tactics for sniping and hit and run as its armor is not improved.

- Packrat's Notes -
CDA-2A: Despite being a medium mech, the Super-Locust Cicada is a dedicated scout. It lacks the armor and firepower to fight anything besides other scout mechs, and it doesn't have the anti-infantry capabilities of its smaller cousin. It has the speed to get in and out of an area quickly, and just enough firepower to be a threat to the few mechs that can catch it. It can be pressed into a flanker role in a stand-up fight, but it lacks the jump jets and firepower to truly excel at it.
CDA-2B: Truly the Super-Locust, this variant trades the small laser for a flamer, allowing it to fill any role the Locust could fill, but with weapons that are less prone to getting shot off, more internal structure, and no volatile ammunition. This is my preferred variant.
CDA-3C: Probably the most popular variant of the Cicada, which reduces its speed to 7/11 to allow it to mount a PPC and some machine guns. I see the appeal of a PPC that can move at 7/11, but I have bad luck with machine gun ammunition. If you have better luck than I do, though, it can serve you well as an intermediate range harasser unit.

 

[Kereminde]

HER-2S Hermes II

• Armament: AC\5, ML, Flamer
• Movement: 6\9
• Armor: 7.5 tons
• Heatsinks: 10

Advantages: Good speed for a medium mech. Good armor for it's size, able to absorb a PPC shot anywhere without internal damage (except head, as for all mechs). Can engage at range with the AC\5. Anti-infantry capabilities with the Flamer.

Disadvantages: No jumpjets hampers mobility, especially in rough terrain. While has a weapons for long and short range, lacks punch to duel with other medium mechs.

Tactics: Another 40 ton model that fits the heavy scout role, this one is primarily Marik exclusive, since the factory that makes them is in their space. Shares some similarities to the Clint BattleMech, but trades the jumpjets for armor and a ML for a Flamer. Is somewhat versatile in that it can engage enemy scout mechs, harass light armored medium mechs and engage infantry but is not a mech that should be seeing front line combat , even with its decent armor.

- Packrat's Notes -
HER-2S: This is a dedicated support mech. What kind of support? Basically any kind you might need. Infantry giving you trouble? It's got a flamer. Getting harassed by aircraft? Need some fire support? It's got an AC/5. Need to recon a forward area? 6/9 is pretty fast by 3025 standards. This mech is essentially built to do everything except fight on the front lines. Think of it as a Swiss Army knife without the actual knife blade. In a mech-only battle, it can contribute to the fight by plinking with its AC/5. It can even flank enemies, though it has limited firepower making it not the most threatening of mechs to do the job, but hey, you work with what you got. Given its speed, range, and armor, it's an excellent scout hunter.
HER-2M: The Mercury variant of the mech increases its speed to 7/11, drops the AC/5, and adds a pair each of medium lasers and machine guns, as well as an extra heat sink. This is very much a heavy scout mech. In addition to scouting, it can also fight off scouts effectively, having superior armor and firepower, and comparable speed. Its increased speed and firepower also make it a very dangerous flanking mech, and that flamer and pair of MGs can rip apart infantry. This is a highly effective design, its only real faults being short range and that ton of MG ammo sitting in its torso. I hate MG ammo, but you can dump it when the armor gets thin, so this is easily my favorite of the Hermes II variants. It excels in mobile battles against fast mediums and light mechs, since most of them will not be able to exploit its lack of range, and it's faster than most of the mediums and more heavily armored than the lights. Notably, it's heat neutral when firing its medium lasers at a run.
HER-4K: The Hermes III variant removes all of the weapons from the base model and mounts a pair of large lasers and an extra heat sink. This mech is... not very good. Even at a standstill, it'll still spike 5 heat. It simply lacks the heat capacity to use its weapons effectively. It's probably best to fire a single laser for most of the fight, only bringing the second one into play when tactically appropriate or necessary. Alternatively, I suppose the second laser means you still have something to fire if one of them gets critted. Still, overall a poor design.

 

[Kereminde]

STN-3K Sentinel

• Armament: AC\5 , SRM-2 Sm L
• Movement: 6\9
• Armor: 6 tons
• Heatsinks: 10

Advantages: Decent speed, equal to most of its class and several light mechs. Can engage at range with the AC\5. Runs very cool with low heat weapons.

Disadvantages: Lacks punch with its suite of low damage weapons. Lack of jump jets hampers mobility.No longer being produced since 3014 meaning spare parts become harder to get hold of. Main systems dependent on ammo and the associated vulnerability.

Tactics: Took a downgrade in effectiveness from the loss of star league tech, especially in firepower now that it can't use an Ultra AC. Was originally commissioned as a low cost battlemech for the house armies to use as a guard mech for installations and depots. Like the Hermes II it can work as a cheap multi-purpose mech in that it can deal with light mechs, vehicles, do scouting duties if necessary, has enough armor to survive engagements and can provide limited fire support with the AC\5 at distance. It's a barely adequate performer that improves if it could be restored to its star league original technology.

- Packrat's Notes -
STN-3K: 3025 is not kind to 40 ton mechs. Pretty much the only way I can think of to make this mech effective is to load it with infernos for the SRM-2, and use it and the AC/5 to go vehicle hunting. Other than that? I suppose it can hunt scout mechs, but there are mechs that can do the job so much better. It was pretty crap even with Star League tech, and it's even worse now. Its speed and armor are slightly above average for its size, but all that ammo is just waiting to go boom, and its overall firepower is just terrible. It's ironic that the version with the standard autocannon is the one with the extra ton of AC ammo. In combat against mechs, pretty much your only weapon of worth is the AC/5, and you have a buttload of ammo, so stay mobile at long range and plink away.
STN-3KA: This variant removes the AC/5 and its ammo, and replaces them with a large laser, 3 more heat sinks, and 2 more tons of armor. This is a vast improvement. It's completely heat neutral, and has far better survivability than the base model. It loses out on a bit of range, but gains increased firepower, which this mech desperately needed. The general tactic is to get close, stay mobile, and alpha strike away, so it's fairly simple to use. Whether this or the Sentinel-3KB is better comes down to a choice between firepower or armor. They both have their merits, and I'd say they're tied in my mind.
STN-3KB: This variant also drops the AC/5 and its ammo, replacing them with a PPC and 3 heat sinks. It's very similar to the Sentinel-3KA, but has better range and firepower, but worse armor. As mentioned, they both have roughly equal effectiveness. The Sentinel-3KB differs, though, in that its primary weapon has a minimum range. This means you'll generally want to keep your distance, hitting hard with the PPC, and using the threat of critseeking with the SRM-2 and small laser if the enemy attempts to close in. Ideally, though, you'll want to stay in that golden range where you can effectively fire both the PPC and SRM launcher. You can do so at a run and only generate a single point of heat, so it's quite a heat-efficient mech.

 

[Kereminde]

VL-2T Vulcan

• Armament: AC\2, ML, Flamer, MG
• Movement: 6\9\6
• Armor: 5 tons
• Heatsinks: 10

Advantages: Great mobility and good speed with the jumpjets and almost 100K top speed. Excellent against light vehicles and infantry with its array of weapons (which makes sense since that is what it was designed for). Can do some damage at ranges longer than most mechs with the AC\2.

Disadvantages: Light armor for a medium mech. Lacks firepower against other mechs in standard version. Vulnerable to ammo explosions with the AC and the MG ammo. No hand actuators (despite the art showing differently) makes it a liability in melee combat and raiding.

Tactics: Designed to combat infantry, it does that job excellently. The AC\2 gives it range against lightly armored vehicles and soft installations, the flamer and MG deal with infantry handily, and the ML is there for some short range protection or light vehicles. But it should not be taking on other mechs in regular combat, especially at its own weight as it lacks the punch or the armor to stand up against anything other than light mechs. Has the speed and maneuverability to perform as a scout if needed and can fit in a scout lance to provide combat against infantry forces. Of note is the VL-5T which trades the AC\2 for 3 ML, 2 tons of armor and 2 more heat sinks. This significantly increases its short range potential and ability to take on other mechs, but does add a heat burden and take away its only ranged weapon.

- Packrat's Notes -
VL-2T: Much like the Hermes II, this mech is designed to do everything you might want a mech to do except fight armored targets, only the Vulcan does these things better than the Hermes II. The machine gun and flamer make it a terror to infantry, its AC/2 makes it an effective anti-aircraft platform as well as dangerous to lightly armored vehicles, and its 6/9/6 movement profile makes it able to scout just as well as the Wasp and Stinger. The medium laser is its only anti-armor weapon, and a single one by itself is hardly threatening. 5 tons of armor are enough only for its job of providing various kinds of support, not for direct combat against anything other than light vehicles and scout mechs. I'm not kidding here: it is almost completely ineffective against other mechs. You can plink with the AC/2, and... uh... that's pretty much it.
VL-5T: Dropping the AC/2 and its ammo, this variant instead mounts 3 more medium lasers, 2 more tons of armor, and 2 more heat sinks. Instead of a support platform, the Vulcan-5T is a deadly heavy scout, scout hunter, and skirmisher. And of course, it still has its excellent anti-infantry capabilities. This mech is superior to the base model in almost every way, losing out only in range, but considering that range only allowed it to inflict 2 points of damage, it's not much of a loss as long as you weren't planning on using it to take on fighters. It has some heat issues, but then again so does the Jenner, and the Jenner kicks ass. Its heat capacity of 12 is the same as that generated by its quartet of medium lasers, so you can fire and move for at least 2 turns before needing to make the choice to either cool down or face a movement penalty. Its jumping capacity makes it so you can take the chance and let your heat grow for a while, then jump to cover and cool off for a turn. The combination of this same jump range and armament makes it an excellent mech to use to get behind enemies and attack their rear armor. This is an oustanding mech any way you look at it.

 

[Kereminde]

WTH-1 Whitworth

• Armament: 2 LRM 10, 3 ML
• Movement: 4\6\4
• Armor: 8 tons
• Heatsinks: 10

Advantages: Good long range and short range firepower for its size. Jump jets give it mobility in rough and urban terrain. Excellent armor for a 40 ton mech.

Disadvantages: No hand actuators means it cannot carry things in raids or melee well. Slow speed for a light\med mech. Has speed of Heavy mechs that have greater firepower and most medium mechs can pace it or catch it. Only has one ton of ammo per launcher, which is adequate for most engagements, but can leave it without half its firepower on extended or low supply engagements. No current factory producing it, meaning spare parts are usually cannibalized from the handful of existing units scattered among the successor states.

Tactics: Originally designed as a scout, its slow speed made the SLDF have the manufacturers swap out the SRM's it originally came with for LRM's instead so it could work as a fire support mech. It fills that role adequately and has enough armor and close range firepower to engage with other medium mechs once the missiles are exhausted. Can be a cheaper option to a Trebuchet for a med speed fire lance as it can keep pace with standard med mechs such as the Vindicator, Centurion, Hunchback and Enforcer, or as a complement to a heavier Catapult or Archer in a heavy fire lance.

- Packrat's Notes -
WTH-1: You know how a lot of other 40 tons mechs are light mechs in a medium mech's body? The Whitworth is a heavy mech in a medium mech's body. 8 tons of armor is fantastic for a 40 ton mech, and its firepower is superior to some of the smaller heavies. 4/6/4 is typical of heavy mechs. There are a few ways you can use the Whitworth. The first, and the one that will pop immediately to mind to anyone who sees a mech with multiple LRM launchers, is as fire support. In that role, it can perform pretty well, but it does present some difficulties. Its speed makes it difficult to keep up with most medium lances, and its firepower is inferior to what you can have in a heavy lance. It's serviceable straight-up in both situations, but it's best in a niche in both cases, providing screening for medium brawlers, or simply serving as cheap fire support for a heavy lance so you can pour tonnage/BV into your other units. Another use for it is as a bodyguard for dedicated fire support units. There are certainly better mechs for the job, but the Whitworth, with its trio of medium lasers and 8 tons of armor, can certainly do the job, and still contribute to the unit's mission with its own LRMs. Finally, my preferred use for my preferred Whitworth model, you can use it as a surprisingly effective trooper medium. It has good firepower at both long and short range, great armor for its size, and its 4/6/4 movement profile is similar to most other trooper mechs. In my mind, it seems like a little Catapult, and I would use it as such, softening up the enemy with the LRMs from long range, then closing in and finishing them off with the medium lasers once the ammo runs dry. The Whitworth may have a poor reputation in-universe, but its outstanding reputation among BattleTech players is well deserved.
WTH-1S: Instead of the LRM-10s found on the base model, this variant mounts a pair of SRM-6s and 4 more heat sinks. Instead of a fire support or trooper design, this mech is an amazingly powerful brawler for its size. This mech thrives in heavily broken terrain like thick forests, canyons, and cities. It makes an excellent companion to Hunchbacks and UrbanMechs, exploiting the holes in enemy armor those mechs open up with their autocannons. Its relatively slow speed and lack of range make it difficult to use in more open terrain, but like the Hunchback, if you can stick to cover for your approach, it has the armor and firepower to devastate the enemy once you're in range. It can't stand toe-to-toe with large heavies, but can inflict immense damage on anything, then use its jump jets to scoot to safety. Against most other medium mechs, it can outfight almost anything except a Hunchback in close quarters. And of course, those SRMs and multiple medium lasers make it an immense threat to anything with an exposed internal structure. While not as generally useful as the base model, the Whitworth-1S is still highly effective within its niche.

 

[Kereminde]

CLNT-2 -3T Clint

• Armament: AC\5, 2 ML
• Movement: 6\9\6
• Armor: 4.5 tons
• Heatsinks: 10

Advantages: Good speed and mobility for a medium mech. Long range reach with the AC\5

Disadvantages: Lack of punch with only the AC\5 and 2 ML. Armor is thin, especially on the torso where the ammo is stored as a LL can penetrate it. Factory that built it is destroyed, and used poor quality parts, making repairs more problematic.

Tactics: Another mech that fits in the mold of heavy scout, only the Assassin can do it faster, and the Phoenix Hawk can do it better. Still if this is what you have, it can fill the role of scout and light mech hunter adequately. Another medium mech that should be used as a Light. Has slightly better punch than the Assassin as the AC\5 doesn't spread its damage like the LRMs do but it really shouldn't be engaging in combat with anything its weight or above.

- Packrat's Notes -
CLNT-2-3T: Like many other 40 ton mechs, the Clint plays more like a light mech than a medium. Its 6/9/6 movement profile is typical of lights, as are its 4.5 tons of armor. Where the Clint has an advantage over its lighter brethren, however, is range. The AC/5 allows it to hit for decent damage at a range from which most scout mechs will be unable to respond. This makes it a capable bug hunter, in addition to being able to do some scouting itself. The two medium lasers provide adequate backup should its targets attempt to exploit the autocannon's minimum range. The scout and anti-scout roles are where the Clint does its best work, but in a pinch it can also fill in as fire support for a mobile medium lance. It's not the best mech, but if you need protection from scouts, you could certainly do worse. I'd say the base model is the most capable Clint variant.
CLNT-1-2R: This rare variant has no jump jets and only a single medium laser, but sports an AC/10 instead of the AC/5. It still only has a single ton of ammo, though. All these factors combine to make it a very tricky mech to use, and one with rather poor longevity at that. Not quite as good a bug hunter, the Clint-1-2R is still dangerous to light mechs, because there are few that can stand up to a 10 point hit. You're going to be spending a lot of time jockeying for position, needing to protect your own mech with its rather thin armor as well as maximize your chance to hit with your very limited ammunition. You can also attempt to use this mech as a flanker, making the most of its limited shots by going for the rear of enemy mechs. In general, though, I would not recommend this mech due to the limited impact it can have on a battle.
CLNT-2-4T: Like the Clint-1-2R, this variant has dropped its jumping capability and one of its medium lasers. Instead of an AC/10, though, this one packs a pair of AC/2s. This makes it a very cheap anti-air platform and vehicle hunter. It's also still a capable bug hunting mech, because while 2 points of damage isn't much to most mechs, a pair of such hits inflicts decent damage against most scouts. The problem lies in the mech's lack of jump jets and secondary arsenal. It doesn't have the ability to maintain range from its prey, and that single medium laser will not dissuade them from closing the distance. Stick to using this mech against vehicles and fighters, where it really shines.

 

[Kereminde]

BJ-1 Blackjack

• Armament : 2 AC\2 4 ML
• Movement: 4\6\4
• Armor: 8.5 tons
• Heatsinks: 11

Advantages: Well armored , especially for a medium mech. Can take a PPC shot to any part of its front armor and still have armor left. Long range firepower. The AC\2 has the longest range of any 3025 era weapon, allowing the BlackJack to often deliver the first blow. Jump Jets, allowing it to maneuver even in the roughest terrain.

Disadvantages: While having a very long range, AC\2 have low damage output. Decent punch short range, but 11 heat sinks isn't enough to allow continuous fire of the 4 ML as well as moving and jumping without building heat deficit. Slow, one of the slowest of the medium mechs.

Tactics: The base configuration is best used as a fire support and aerial defense mech. It has the armor and short range punch to hold it's own against other medium mechs and fight lighter mechs, but not the speed to run them down. Davion variation adds 2 LL in place of the 2 AC\2 and 2 of the ML along with 6 more heat sinks, but also losing a ton of armor. It sacrifices some protection as well as range in order to increase its short and med range punch, but still has to watch it's heat if it tries to fire its full arsenal. This makes it more of a front line fighter in medium lances.

- Packrat's Notes -
BJ-1: The Blackjack is a support mech. You don't field it to do a job itself: you field it to help other mechs do their jobs. It excels at screening other units, using its impressive armor and short range arsenal for its size to protect your fire support mechs, and using its AC/2s to get some accurate fire in on light mechs attempting to flank you. The range of its AC/2s means it can still contribute something to the battle even when there are no enemies it needs to block that turn.
BJ-1DB: My preferred variant, this version increases its firepower to make it even better at screening friendlies and harassing foes. It does lose some armor, but since it generally shouldn't be the primary combatant, that shouldn't be too much of an issue. This mech works exceptionally well in a "linebacker" role, stationed between your brawlers up front and fire support in the rear, where it can use its large lasers to safely hit enemies at range while still being able to react to an enemy trying to close in on your fire support.
BC-1DC: This cuts the mech's jumping ability to add some small lasers and a heat sink. Enemies generally shouldn't be getting close enough to the Blackjack for those small lasers to matter, and it needs those jump jets to supplement its low speed. It's just plain inferior to the other variants.

 

[Kereminde]

PXH-1 Phoenix Hawk

• Armament: LL, 2 ML, 2 MG
• Movement: 6\9\6
• Armor: 8 tons
• Heatsinks: 10

Advantages: Excellent speed and mobility for a medium mech. Good short range punch. Mostly energy weapon load and hands make it a great raiding mech or in guerrilla fighting situations. Excellent armor with 8 tons of protection, more than most mechs its size. Very common mech, meaning spare and replacement parts are relatively easy to obtain.

Disadvantages: Runs hot, especially when jumping and firing weapons it can build substantial heat. Armor over the arms is much lighter than the rest of the body, only able to take a PPC hit before getting to internals. As all its weapons are in the arms, the Phoenix Hawk can lose its offensive ability quickly. Because its so common and widely used, opponents will usually be quite familiar with it.

Tactics: This is a medium mech that can do pretty much anything but long range bombardment or go toe to toe with a heavy mech. It has the speed to outrun anything that can really hurt it, and the firepower to take down pretty much anything that is the same size or smaller. It's only real weakness is at long range, but very few mechs exist that have the firepower and speed to be able to exploit it. The Phoenix Hawk is an ideal scout lance command mech, or as part of a fast strike medium lance or even a scouting and flanking component of a command or heavy lance. It has enough armor to stand in combat for a few rounds. It's biggest concerns is managing heat and not overestimating its combat prowess, ie it shouldn't look to go toe to toe with the slower but heavier armed mediums or heavy mechs.

- Packrat's Notes -
PXH-1: One of the best of the original mechs released with the game, the Phoenix Hawk's stellar reputation is well deserved. It has the same movement profile as dedicated scout mechs, decent armor, and a pretty good armament for its size. Its biggest flaw is its heat capacity, only having the 10 base heat sinks to cool all those lasers and jump jets. If you single out any one aspect of the Phoenix Hawk, you usually won't be able to say anything better about it than "pretty good". This might sound like a classic "jack of all trades, master of none" situation, and in a way it kind of is, but there's more to it than that. When people use that phrase about a mech, it usually means "this mech isn't good for anything", but in the Phoenix Hawk's case, it's merely not amazing at any one thing, but is good at damn near everything. It can scout, it fight on the front lines, it can flank, and it can take on infantry. Further, it can do all these things pretty damn well -- not as well as a dedicated platform, granted, but it's tough to find a mech that can do this many things this effectively. It's most famous for its anti-mech combat, being able to deftly destroy scouts, hop behind mechs to attack their vulnerable rear armor, and harass fire support units. That being said, it's important to keep in mind that this is still a 45 ton mech. It is not meant to go toe-to-toe with heavy hitters. Stay mobile, watch your heat, and know when to disengage, and the Phoenix Hawk will serve you well.
PXH-1D: Removing the machine guns and ammunition, this variant mounts an extra pair of heat sinks. It's a small change, but it has a huge impact on how the mech plays. You can now alpha strike at a run without hitting a heat penalty, or jump while firing your medium lasers and remain heat neutral. This plays perfectly into the Phoenix Hawk's greatest asset, its speed, allowing you to keep more of your weapons in play while staying mobile. Additionally, you no longer have ammunition that can explode, increasing your survivability. This costs the Phoenix Hawk its anti-infantry weapons, but enhances its ability in all its other roles, making it my preferred variant.
PXH-1K: Not as frequently discussed as the PXH-1D, this variant is still highly effective. It drops the machine guns and ammo, as well as its jump jets, replacing them with 3 heat sinks, 1.5 tons of armor, and a small laser. This variant further specializes the Phoenix Hawk, costing it its anti-infantry capacity and most of its scouting ability in favor of turning it into a front line combatant. 9.5 tons of armor is essentially the maximum amount a 45 ton frame can carry (technically it could mount an additional half ton, but it would only get a single point of armor out of it), and it can now fire its large and medium lasers at a run for only 3 points of heat, making it easy to simply cycle out a medium laser every other turn to avoid suffering a heat penalty. Despite the loss of jump jets, 6/9 is still pretty mobile by 3025 standards, and it's still a 45 ton mech, so you should be running most of the time to maximize your survivability and combat effectiveness. Its armament is kind of light for a front line mech, but that fantastic armor and lack of ammunition mean it can simply outlast its opponents. One danger you might run into with this mech is attempting to slug it out with brawlers, encouraged by its relatively heavy armor, but it still doesn't have the armor or armament to do this. Like all Phoenix Hawks, you have to know when to fight and when to disengage. This is a skirmisher, not a brawler, and it needs to be played as such.

 

[Kereminde]

VND-1R Vindicator

• Armament: LRM-5 , PPC, ML, Sm L
• Movement: 4\6\4
• Armor: 9 tons
• Heatsinks: 16

Advantages: Can engage at any range, especially long range with the PPC and the LRM-5. Well armored. Has almost maximum protection for it's size mech making it well able to stand in the front lines and brawl with other medium mechs. Maneuverability in tough terrain with jump jets. Adequate heat sinks to be able to sustain fire most of its weapons and move.

Disadvantages: On the slow end for medium mechs. Very weak short ranged punch from its weapons. Cockpit design hampers ejection propulsion system, which leads to more MechWarrior fatalities ( if design quirks are included in game).

Tactics: Jack of all trades ability, able to handle fire support and front line brawling as necessary against mechs around it's size. Mostly energy based weapons means it can be an effective raider as well. It's very much a workhorse medium mech that you can plug into most jobs and it will do it adequately, if not exceptionally.

- Packrat's Notes -
VND-1R: A fire support mech, a lot of people criticize the Vindicator's near-total inability to defend itself should an enemy close in. I contend that it doesn't have to. Though it's lacking in close range firepower, it has enough heat sinks to jump and fire both its PPC and LRM-5 without building any heat. So, if a mech tries to close with it to exploit its minimum range, it can simply jump back to optimum range and fire away. Further, its excellent armor for its size and the fact that the PPC's minimum range isn't that bad lets it be a surprisingly good trooper mech if you want to use it in that role. This versatility makes the VND-1R my favorite variant.
VND-1AA: This variant cuts the armor in half to increase the mech's movement profile to 5/8/5. That isn't nearly fast enough to make up for a piddly 4.5 tons of armor, making this variant almost completely inferior to the base version.
VND-1X: Carries a machine gun, but no small laser. The Vindicator should be nowhere near infantry, meaning the only real change is extra ammo that can go boom. Again, just plain inferior to the base version.

 

[Kereminde]

WVE-6N Wyvern

• Armament: LRM-10, LL, 2 Sm L, SRM-6
• Movement: 4\6\4
• Armor: 8.5 tons
• Heatsinks: 12

Advantages: Able to engage in any range with something. Good armor for a medium mech. Can deliver a good very close range damage with the lasers and SRM. Good mobility with the jumpjets, especially in its intended urban environment.

Disadvantages: Lacks speed of most medium and even some light end heavy mechs. While its armor is good for its size, has ammo in both torsos, making it more vulnerable. Factory that makes them has been destroyed for almost 200 years, so no new models or spare parts being made. Mech only exists in very small numbers throughout the Inner Sphere. Can run hot using its jumpjets and all its lasers and SRMs at same time.

Tactics: Designed for urban assault and defense where its mobility with the jump jets gives it an advantage and its slow speed is not a liability. Has the armor and firepower to give and take respectable punishment against other medium mechs. Has effective armament for long and med range, but its best damage is up close. Its speed becomes a liability in open terrain where it is unable to close with foes to get to its best ranges but anywhere it can get in close it can do good damage and can at least provide credible firepower while closing.

- Packrat's Notes -
WVE-6N: The fluff says it's an urban combatant, but it's actually a pretty solid trooper design. It has weapons to engage at any range, decent armor, and jump jets for mobility. Its heat capacity isn't bad, but since its most versatile weapon is the large laser, that's already 8 points of heat, leaving you not a lot of heat capacity left over for mobility and other weapons. That being said, it can jump and fire the large laser and one of its missile launchers for only 4 heat. It requires careful heat management, but by 3025 standards it's certainly workable. The general tactic is to try to soften up the enemy with the large laser and LRMs, then close in and finish them off with SRMs and more use of the large laser. The large laser is your most important weapon, so try to protect your right side. It's a simple design, but far more effective than most people give it credit for.

 

[Kereminde]

HCT-3F Hatchetman

• Armament: AC\10, 2 ML, Hatchet
• Movement: 4\6\4
• Armor: 6.5 tons
• Heatsinks: 11

Advantages: Good mobility in rough and urban terrain. Deadly up close as its entire arsenal can be used at point blank range along with the hatchet. Hand actuators allow it to be useful for raiding missions as well as give it a follow up punch to the hatchet. Entire head comes away when ejecting, giving greater safety to pilots.

Disadvantages: Total movement is only average and below most medium mechs. Only has the AC\10 for mid range damage and nothing at long range. Armor is fairly light for a mech designed to engage other mechs up close.

Tactics: Designed as a city defender and an up close battler, it is best when able to ambush or quickly get to close range where its hatchet can add to its already decent short range damage. Open or long range combat should be avoided as it doesn't have the armor to withstand closing while under fire or the speed to cover open ground quickly. A deadly city fighter and that is where its at its best when it can get in close quickly, deliver a strong weapon and melee strike and then jump back into cover.

- Packrat's Notes -
HCT-3F: Much like the UrbanMech, the Hatchetman is designed to fill the niche of a defender in heavily broken terrain like cities, heavy forests, and canyons. It cannot do anything else. It is slow, poorly armored for a brawler, and has only a single weapon that reaches past 9 hexes. This is very much an ambush predator, designed to take out the enemy as quickly as possible, because it doesn't have the speed or armament to fight while closing in, and doesn't have the armor to slug it out. The problem with this is its armament can only do this against lightly armored units, and the units most likely to be sent into a city on an offensive operation will probably be heavily armored. One thing to make note of is the 11th heat sink, meaning this mech is heat neutral when not jumping. The ironic thing about it is that this mech will probably be doing a lot of jumping thanks to its poor armor and the kinds of terrain where it operates. All in all, the Hatchetman is a mech that doesn't seem to know what it wants to do, and so doesn't really do anything well.

 

[Kereminde]

TBT-5N Trebuchet

• Armament: 2 LRM-15, 3 ML
• Movement: 5\8
• Armor: 7.5 tons
• Heatsinks: 10

Advantages: Excellent long range firepower. Good short range protection with 3 ML. Movement is high enough to get away from larger mechs if necessary and maintain long range.

Disadvantages: Can brawl, but lacks enough armor to truly stand up to other mechs for long. Armor is light on the arms, barely enough to absorb a PPC shot before penetrating, and most of the weapons are located in the arms.

Tactics: The trenchbucket is a fire support mech that can defend itself in a pinch. Can provide a sustained barrage with both LRM racks until the ammo runs out, though that can happen fairly quickly with only 8 shots per rack. Good speed allows it to keep up with mobile lances but is probably best when paired with other similar mechs. A sample lance would be an Archer, a couple of Trebuchets and a Centurion ( which is a standard fire support lance for the Regulan Hussars). Can defend itself if the range gets close, or to deliver the finish, but should be kept out of main line combat until the enemy has been weakened with the LRM barrages.

- Packrat's Notes -
TBT-5N: I use this mech exactly like a Catapult -- sit back and weaken enemies with the LRMs, then close in and finish them off with the medium lasers. I prefer the Catapult for that job, but the Trebuchet is still a solid mech, and in fact the TBT-5N is my favorite model of it. It has thin armor, so it's best not to close in until the enemies are weakened, using its decent movement to pick the best shots for its limited LRM ammunition.
TBT-5J: Dropping one of the LRMs and its ammo bin for 5/8/5 movement, 5 heat sinks, and half a ton of armor, I feel like this variant is inferior to the base model. It definitely had potential, but using 5 tons for heat sinks is a bit much. It's clearly intended to hop around firing its medium lasers, but even that only generates 14 heat, making its 15 heat capacity curious. Sure, those jump jets give you extra mobility, but you can't do much with it.
TBT-5S: This variant reminds me of a bigger Commando -- it's armed entirely with SRMs and medium lasers, is decently fast for its size but lacks jump jets, is very heat efficient, and is lightly armored. As such, it is best to use it like a Commando, running at full tilt all the time, making use of cover, popping out and unleashing an alpha strike, then falling back into protection looking for an opportunity to hit the enemy again.
TBT-7K: Armed with a PPC, AC/5, and SRM-2, this mech is clearly intended to keep its distance from opponents. It makes a decent complement for a Griffin, sharing its ground speed and primary weapon, though it'll have trouble keeping up in rough terrain. It's not a bad sniper mech, but it's not all that great, either, only able to put 15 damage downrange and lacking in armor, jump jets, and close range protection. It's certainly serviceable, but I'd take most other sniper designs over it.

 

[Kereminde]

HBK-4G Hunchback

• Armament: AC\20, 2 ML, Sm L
• Movement: 4\6
• Armor: 10 tons
• Heatsinks: 13

Advantages: Heavy close range firepower. can do up to 33 pts of damage at short range with weapons alone. Well armored. Like the enforcer, the armor is concentrated more to the front, giving it excellent protection, comparable to a lot of heavy mechs and allowing it to function effectively in close range brawling. AC\20 - weapon and its ability to penetrate all but the heaviest protected mechs in one shot commands respect from opponents.

Disadvantages: No long range weaponry in the base model ( several Swayback variants do add longer ranged weapons in place of the AC\20). Can build up heat with constant movement and firing. One trick pony in that if the AC\20 is damaged or destroyed, so is 2\3rds of its firepower. Weak back armor- with most of the protection centered on the front, can be easily penetrated by anything ML or larger from behind.

Tactics: A city fighter and anywhere it can get into a short range brawl against similar sized opponents. The AC\20 can disable or destroy light mechs in one blast, and can cause severe damage on medium and even heavy mechs. Several common variants also can give the enemy a surprise with the different weapons loadouts.

- Packrat's Notes -
HBK-4G: Basically the evolved version of the UrbanMech, the Hunchback-4G packs a heavy punch for its weight class at close range... and that's about it. It's a niche mech, but it's highly effective within it. It has limited ammo, which always gives me pause, but the AC/20 does so much damage it can kind of get away with it because you don't actually need to hit very many times to take out the enemy. More concerning is its near-total lack of backup weapons if the AC/20 gets taken out of commission. Still, if you screen its approach properly, or use it in areas with short sight lines, it can tear things up.
HBK-4H: This variant decreases the size of the autocannon to an AC/10 and adds a pair of medium lasers. This addresses nearly all of the Hunchback's vulnerabilities: lack of range, lack of ammo, and lack of backup weapons. The cost is that it's a much less effective hole puncher. Still, this is a very dangerous mech that shreds armor without being nearly as niche as the base design, making it possibly my favorite variant.
HBK-4J: Instead of the AC/20, this variant packs a pair of LRM-10s and 3 more medium lasers. This change drastically changes how the Hunchback plays, turning it into a strange hybrid capable of both effective fire support and decent brawling. You can use it as a bodyguard for your fire support mechs while still allowing it to contribute to the battle, or place it in a brawling lance to give the lance some long range capabilities. This is the Hunchback variant with the widest array of effective battlefield roles, capable of filling in almost anywhere that doesn't require maneuverability. This variant competes with the HBK-4H for my favorite.
HBK-4N: The armament for this variant is an AC/5, a pair of LRM-5s, a quartet of medium lasers, and the ubiquitous small laser. This is not a very effective mech, having both worse long and short range firepower than the Hunchback-4J. Just take that mech instead. The only advantage I can think of is that the AC/5 can kind of act as a supplement at both ranges, but its range brackets don't match up with the LRMs' and its minimum range inhibits its ability to supplement the medium lasers. It's a lot of weight to dedicate to a weapon that's only so-so at its job.
HBK-4P: 8 medium lasers. 23 heat sinks. This technically occupies a very similar niche as the base variant, but the battery of medium lasers changes its feel a great deal. It lacks ammo concerns, but also lacks a hole puncher. Still, this can very effectively sandblast armor away, and without needing to worry about ammo, it can take those longshot, uh, shots that the Hunchback-4G can't afford to. They both have their strengths, with it coming down to personal preference on whether you want a high total damage capability or high damage concentration.
HBK-4SP: A pair of SRM-6s and 4 medium lasers make this mech a highly effective critseeker, though it can't remove armor as well as Hunchbacks are generally known for. Like the base variant, this mech is designed to fill a niche and doesn't spare much thought to capabilities outside of it. It's very effective at finishing off your opponents, and has enough firepower to defend itself and contribute something to the fight until it has the opportunity to do that job.

 

[Kereminde]

ENF-4D Enforcer

• Armament : AC\10, LL, Sm L
• Movement: 4\6\4
• Armor: 9 tons
• Heatsinks: 12

Advantages: Good mid range punch for a medium Mech with the AC\10 and LL. All weapons can be used in short range or melee range as well. Well armored, especially on the front where most is concentrated. Jump Jets give it maneuverability in rough terrain.

Disadvantages: Only one ton of ammo for the AC\10 limiting its effectiveness in long engagements. Extremely weak back armor, even a ML will cut through it. No Hand actuators.

Tactics: One of the main workhorse mechs for the Federated Suns, it is effective as a front line brawler, a mid range fire support and a city fighter where it can snipe with the AC\10 and LL. It's high concentration of armor in the front allows it to be a good brawler, even without hand actuators, as the cooling jacket over the AC\10 is also a protective sleeve letting it engage in melee combat. Should be used with other mechs to screen its extremely vulnerable back armor as even a light mech can penetrate there with ease.

- Packrat's Notes -
ENF-4R: Arguably the definitive trooper medium, the Enforcer can do pretty much anything reasonably well. Personally, that limited ammo count always makes me hesitant about them, though I know they can be effective. I think the best use of them is as a bodyguard for fire support units. It that role, it will primarily face lighter mechs, where its firepower is sufficient to devastate them in short order, and because it doesn't need to fire every turn, its limited ammo is less of an issue.

 

[Kereminde]

CRB-20 Crab

• Armament: 2 LL, ML, Sm L
• Movement: 5\8
• Armor: 9 tons
• Heatsinks: 16

Advantages: All energy based weaponry, meaning does not need resupply for ammo. Good mid range punch with the 2 LL, complemented at short range by the ML and Sm L. Good armor protection for a medium mech. Designed with common and easily available parts so repair or replacement of components is easy.

Disadvantages: No hand actuators (unless installed from now rare refit kits). No jump jets, hindering mobility in rough terrain. Only a small number were built before the exodus and subsequent destruction of the factory line, meaning replacing a destroyed one is extremely difficult. Even with 16 heat sinks, can build heat while running and firing main weapons, or firing full arsenal in a turn.

Tactics: Designed as a raiding and guerrilla fighting mech, hence the all energy weapons platform. Can also function as a front line fighter in a medium lance due to its good armor and good firepower with the twin large lasers. Has enough speed to keep up with a fast medium and heavy lance over open terrain and can operate behind enemy lines since it doesn't need resupply for its weapons.

- Packrat's Notes -
CRB-20: I am an unabashed flashbulb fan, and the Crab is one of my favorite medium mechs. Everything about it is at least average for its size, if not better. It does build heat with its armament, but that's where the subtle brilliance of the medium laser comes in: you can cycle your weapons by firing both large lasers for 2 turns then a single large laser with the medium to keep heat under control and maintain a decent amount of firepower (if you're close enough, you can add the small laser to that third turn and still return to 0 heat). It's important to keep as mobile as possible, because one of the flaws in the design is the relatively light armor on the arms, which house your primary weapons, and because your optimal weapons cycle involves the medium laser, you're incentivized to stay close, so you'd need to replace the range modifiers you might usually use with a mech wielding large lasers with movement and cover mods. If you do want to maintain distance, though, the Crab also works great as a bodyguard for fire support units, contributing to the unit's mission with its large lasers and fighting off anyone who tries to close with its charges.

 

[Kereminde]

CN9-A Centurion

• Armament: AC\10 LRM-10, 2 ML ( one facing rear)
• Speed: 4\6
• Armor: 8.5 tons
• Heatsinks: 10

Advantages: Good mid range punch, able to engage at all ranges. Well armored for a medium mech, can absorb anything below an AC\20 to its front armor and not penetrate in one shot.

Disadvantages: No jump jets hampers its maneuverability in tough terrain. 4\6 speed puts it on the slow end of medium mechs. Ammo dependent armament.

Tactics: Much like the Vindicator is the workhorse mech of the Capellans, the Centurion fills that role for the Federated Suns, although its primary purpose is to protect the firelance (as it is usually paired with Trebuchets) and also contribute to long range bombardment with it's LRM's. It can also perform in front line combat against other medium mechs, and is fairly effective with its mix of weapons providing decent punch at low heat, meaning it can maintain a full barrage as long as its ammo lasts. There are a couple of variants. One removes the AC\10 and ML's to upgrade to an AC\20 which gives it greater short range one shot punch at the cost of secondary firepower when the ammo runs dry and the other removes the AC\10 for a large laser, a Sm L and 6 heat sinks to deal with the extra heat and 2.5 more tons of armor. This reduces its overall mid range punch but makes it less ammo dependent and a better mid level front line brawler.

- Packrat's Notes -
CN9-A: I know this mech has a lot of fans, but I just don't get it. 4/6 with only 8.5 tons of armor and an almost entirely ammo-based arsenal, this thing just screams "ammo explosion waiting to happen". Oh, and one of its medium lasers is facing the wrong way. If you have to take it, it's best to try to keep your enemies at intermediate ranges, where you can hit with all 3 of your forward-facing weapons. Try to stay as mobile as possible, because once its armor is breached, those ammo bins are going boom.
CN9-AH: See, now this is more like it. If you have to have a mech going this slow at this size, you may as well bring the pain of an AC/20 along for the ride! This is a great alternative to the Hunchback, because the LRM-10 allows you to be reasonably effective while you close in to fire the AC/20. It does have a problem of ammunition dependency, though, so pick your shots carefully.
CN9-AL: This variant is what this mech is meant to be. Exchanging the AC/10 for a large and small laser, as well as a fantastic 2.5 tons of additional armor and 6 heat sinks, this is a fantastic trooper mech. Still slow for its size, but it has the armor to handle it now. It still excels at intermediate range where it can pick and choose which of its weapons to fire, but its heavy armor also lets it get in close when it needs to. It still has a medium laser facing the wrong damn direction, but it's one of only two flaws (the other being a lack of jump jets) on an otherwise great mech. Definitely my favorite variant.

 

[Kereminde]

DV-6M Dervish

• Armament: 2 LRM-10, 2 ML, 2 SRM-2
• Movement: 5\8\5
• Armor: 7.5 tons
• Heatsinks: 10

Advantages: Respectable firepower both long range and short range. Good movement and mobility with base speed and jump jets, able to keep pace with fast medium lances. Heavily produced design in its time and still in production today in Federated Suns space, making spare parts and replacement chassis relatively easy to obtain.

Disadvantages: No Hand actuators. Mainly ammo based armament, with all the vulnerabilities that come with it. Armor, while decent, is light for this size mech. Ammo is spread out between both torsos and both arms, making getting damage to the ammo fairly easy.

Tactics: Take the armament and jumpjets of a Whitworth and the speed and armor of a Trebuchet, and you have a Dervish ( although the Dervish was first built 60 years before one and 200 years before the other). It fits the same profile as both of those mechs in providing fire support while having the ability to also adequately defend itself at close range. But given the amount of ammo it holds, and the relative weakness of its armor for its size, unlike the other two, it shouldn't be looking to close in towards the front to use its short range weaponry after the LRMs are gone. Instead the Dervish should be looking to use its greater mobility and jump range to get flanking and back shots with its MLs and SRMs while trying to avoid taking a lot of return fire. It should start as long range fire support, then turn into a harasser and skirmisher after the opposing mechs are engaged with its lance mates, and their armor has been sandpapered down and breached. Then it can put the MLs and SRMs to good effect.

- Packrat's Notes -
DV-6M: I've never been fond of the Dervish. It suffers from a bit of Shadow Hawk Syndrome in that it tries to do too many things and ends up being poor at everything. It has the fire support capability of a mech 15 tons lighter, weak backup weaponry, thin armor, and too much ammo. The only thing about it that's good for its size is its movement profile. You'll need it, too, because this mech only really performs decently in combat at long range, so you'll need to maintain the distance from your opponents. All in all, it's a mech that can fill in in a pinch in a variety of roles, but it's probably not the mech you want.

 

[Kereminde]

GRF-1N Griffin

• Armament: LRM-10, PPC
• Movement: 5\8\5
• Armor: 9.5 tons
• Heatsinks: 12

Advantages: Good long range punch with the PPC and LRM complementing each other both in range and damage. Good mobility with the jumpjets and the 5\8 movement at its size. 2 tons of LRM ammo, giving it the ability to maintain its barrage for even long engagements.

Disadvantages: Complete lack of short range weapons other than battlefists on standard model. All the weapons are on the right side, leaving the mech vulnerable to flanking on the left, or if severe damage to RT area. Only 12 heat sinks means it can't fire all weapons and move or jump without building heat.

Tactics: Provides excellent long range support to a fast moving medium lance, Can also provide a powerful guard for a firelance in being able to contribute to indirect fire and also provide punch power with the PPC. Does well when paired with its counterparts like the Shadowhawk and Wolverine who can cover the short range firepower while the Griffin provides long range barrage.

- Packrat's Notes -
GRF-1N: Proof that you don't need a plethora of weapons to be effective, the Griffin-1N is arguably the best medium fire support mech available in this timeframe. It has the speed and jump jets to get to the best firing positions, the firepower to put the hurt on the enemy, and the armor to take retaliation fire and keep going. Its only weaknesses are its lack of short range weapons and all the weapons being placed on one side, but proper screening completely negates both of these and allows it to rain fire on your enemies with only your heat being an issue (but what mech doesn't have heat issues in 3025?). It's nothing fancy, but it gets the job done.
GRF-1S: Carrying a large and two medium lasers alongside an LRM-5, the Griffin-1S proves this frame is also capable of supporting a damn fine trooper mech. The weapon placement is more of an issue with this variant, but it has such a superb blend of speed, armor, and firepower that it's tough to complain. It's best to hang back just a bit to try to control your positioning relative to the enemy to mitigate this weakness. I must say I like this variant slightly more than the base model thanks to its increased number of heat sinks permitting a higher volume of fire. Both are great mechs, though.