Vehicle Compilation Thread

[Kereminde]

Bulldog Medium Tank

Tonnage: 60
Movement: 4\6
Movement Type: Tracked
Armament: LL, 2 SRM-4, MG
Armor: 6.5 tons
Heat Sinks: 8

Advantages: Good close range firepower. Tracked design lets it operate in areas wheeled and hover tanks can't. Widely used, making repair and spare parts easy to come by.
Disadvantages: Weak armor for it's size. Light firepower at med to long range.
Tactics: Slower than the Vedette discussed earlier, but with greater short and med range firepower and punch. Can deliver enough firepower to deal with lighter mechs and vehicles itself, but doesn't have as much speed as the Vedette to withdraw from trouble. Still best used in numbers as its a relatively cheap medium weight tank.

- Packrat's Notes -
Standard: It's listed as an MBT, but the Bulldog does much better as a purely defensive unit. In this role, its merely standard speed and lack of long range firepower are effectively masked. All you have to do is place them in a strategic location, make sure the enemy can't get LOS on you from long range, and wait. The Bulldog thus excels in urban and broken terrain, where it can spring its quite good short range arsenal on its opponents, with a dangerous mix of hole puncher and critseekers. One flaw in the Bulldog that can't be covered up is its lack of armor. For a slow knife fighter, its protection is nowhere up to snuff. A single Bulldog can be taken out rather quickly, which is why it's best to employ them in large numbers. It's cheap enough to do so, and a team of Bulldogs can present overwhelming firepower. For extra effectiveness against combined arms units, load one of the SRM bins with infernos. It ain't the best tank, but it's an effective cheap garrison unit.
AC/2: Replacing the large laser with a pair of AC/2s, this Bulldog variant is a surprisingly effective AA platform. AC/2s are simply the best AA weapons available in 3025, and the Bulldog has 2 of them. It still has the SRM-4s and machine gun, so it's quite capable of defending itself against infantry and light opponents, especially if you split the SRM ammo between standard and inferno rounds. Still needs protection from anything larger than lights, though, because it's incapable of delivering more than 2 points of damage to a location at a time. Like the base model, this is a defensive vehicle through and through.
LRM: This variant trades the large laser for an LRM-20 with 3 tons of ammunition. Tanks with an LRM launcher as their main gun are normally pure fire support units, but this Bulldog variant is more of a fire support-generalist hybrid. An LRM-20 is, of course, quite good long range firepower for a 60-ton vehicle, especially when you keep in mind you should be fielding Bulldogs in numbers. And yet, it still carries the SRM-4s and machine gun of the base model. This means it can defend itself up close against light targets and infantry, as well as finish off enemies weakened by the LRM fire. This variant pairs well with the base model, with this one offering long range firepower and the other bringing a hole puncher in the form of its large laser.

 

[Kereminde]

LRM \ SRM Carrier

Tonnage: 60 tons
Movement: 3\5
Movement Type: Tracked
Armament: 3 LRM -20 ( LRM Carrier) 10 SRM-6 ( SRM Carrier)
Armor: 3 tons
Heat Sinks: 0

Advantages: Able to deliver a lot of missiles onto a battlefield at one time, either at long range or at short. Tracked motion lets it operate in varied terrain.
Disadvantages: Trades speed and armor for that firepower as is very slow ( comparable to the heaviest assault mechs in speed) and has miniscule armor. No turret means can only fire in the forward arc. Each one costs almost as much as a light mech. Is vulnerable at short range or long range (depending on model).
Tactics: Depending on the type of Carrier, either set up at long range with a clear field of fire or a spotter for indirect fire for the LRMs, or set up somewhere with short line of sight or ambush for the SRM Carrier. You may even want to mix lances of them together to provide some mutual support to cover the range weaknesses. Can be effective against mechs due to the sheer firepower, but their thin armor, slow speed and the fact they are moving time bombs means their survival time under fire is extremely low. Are more effective against massed infantry groupings and vehicle formations where their large scatter of missiles can act like mini-artillery.

- Packrat's Notes -
LRM Carrier: At first glance, you might think this would make a potent siege vehicle, but the LRM Carrier's poor ammunition endurance quickly puts any such notions to rest. In fact, the LRM Carrier barely meets the requirements to be considered a "vehicle", being little more than a repositionable turret in actuality. It's slow, lightly armored, and has limited ammunition and no backup weapons whatsoever. You might then think that you can use swarms of the thing to overwhelm opponents, but its high price tag puts the kibosh on that, too. You need to use the LRM Carrier smartly, positioning the few you can afford strategically around the battlefield. Because you can only afford so many, they're very strong at what they do, and need to be protected, it's best to disperse them widely rather than bunching them up. (Ask the Lyrans what they think about concentrated weaknesses.) You want to make sure the enemy either can't fire on your LRM Carriers, or there are more important targets, because its protection is so weak it's almost not even worth mentioning. The LRM Carrier cannot be a force in its own right, but it's a highly effective supplement to other defensive units if used correctly.
SRM Carrier: The polar opposite of the LRM Carrier, the SRM Carrier is a unit that ambushes enemies with an overwhelming barrage of missiles, and does absolutely nothing else. Like all weapon carriers, it's a niche vehicle, but is unparalleled within that niche. An unholy terror in urban operations and other restrictive terrain, the SRM Carrier can easily force a PSR and is able to sandblast its way through all but the heaviest armor. That many individual hits are all but mathematically guaranteed to result in a kill against other vehicles, and can annihilate an entire infantry platoon in a single turn. Though it can serve in bunches more effectively than the LRM Carrier, it's still best to team an SRM Carrier with a different kind of unit, ideally one with heavy armor that the enemy simply can't ignore, because at the short ranges at which the SRM Carrier is forced to operate, it's highly unlikely to survive the turn if its target actually fires back.
AC/2 Carrier: Packing 5 AC/2s and a truckload of ammunition, the only reason to even consider using anything else for air defense is the vehicle's tragic lack of a turret. In addition to anti-fighter duties, the AC/2 Carrier excels in the anti-vehicle role, able to cripple or destroy other combat vehicles through crits before they even get in firing range. When used in the air defense role, you actually want to group these things together so they can cover the entire sky. When used in a fire support capacity, it's best to spread them out like other weapon carriers. The fact that it's packing AC/2s actually works in its favor: People aren't afraid of the AC/2, so they'll tend to ignore this vehicle if any other target presents itself, not realizing that they're essentially letting the equivalent of an SRM-5 get free shots on their units from 24 hexes out every turn, and that damage adds up much faster than most will realize, especially since that many individual hits greatly increases the chances for headshots (and accompanying pilot damage) and TACs.
Laser Carrier: Do you like medium lasers? Of course you do -- everyone likes medium lasers. Well, I've got good news, because the Laser Carrier has 8 of the things. A vehicular Swayback, the Laser Carrier is used in much the same manner as the SRM Carrier, with the difference being the Laser Carrier isn't as good at forcing crits on vehicles or taking out infantry, but is much better at stripping armor, meaning it's more effective against mechs. You're probably thinking they'd pair well together, with the Laser Carrier removing armor and the SRM Carrier chewing up the gooey insides, and you'd be right, but you don't want them to be in a formation together because that means one of them is going down that turn. Instead, what you want to do is position your Laser Carriers on the defensive lines in front of your SRM Carriers, but still teaming them up with units that serve to guard them and distract the enemy. This way, the Laser Carriers have ample time to do their thing, and by the time the enemy pushes through to the SRM Carriers, they're in Crit City.

 

[Kereminde]

Manticore Heavy Tank

Tonnage: 60
Movement: 4\6
Movement Type: Tracked
Armament: PPC, SRM-6, LRM-10, ML
Armor: 11
Heat Sinks: 13

Advantages: Good firepower in both short and long range. Well armored, especially the turret and front which have almost 3 tons of armor each. Tracked design allows it to go where hovertanks and wheeled vehicles can't. Widespread usage and manufacture means spare parts and replacements are usually readily available. Fusion engine gives it greater range and less need to refuel than ICE tanks.
Disadvantages: Despite having the firepower to challenge mechs, it's still among the lightest of the Main Battle Tanks and doesn't have the firepower to compete with Super Heavy tanks. Rear armor, while still decent, is a full ton less than the front. Med Laser can only fire to the front. Lacks MG to deal with infantry. Is fairly costly because of the fusion engine and greater armament, coming in at twice the cost of the same weight Bulldog tank.
Tactics: Designed to be able to combat Battlemechs in support of Infantry, it has the armor and weaponry to trade firepower with anything up to a heavy mech and vehicle, but it does lack the firepower to go head to head with the super heavy battle tanks and the very heavy or assault mechs. Still its a relatively affordable ( equivalent to light\med mech cost) option for combined arms formations to have vehicles that can stand up to enemy mechs.

- Packrat's Notes -
Standard: The Manticore is Exhibit A in the strength of vehicles: You get the armor and firepower of a small heavy mech for the cost of a light mech. It's so good, they didn't even bother making variants of the thing until after the rediscovery of lostech. Lacking any anti-infantry weapons, the Manticore is made solely for the armor-on-armor battles that are the hallmark of BattleTech. It's most powerful fighting from a distance, making it a natural fire support vehicle on battlefields with long sightlines. Its primary tactic is simple but effective, punching holes in targets from long range with the PPC and LRM-10, then finishing them off up close with the SRM-6 and medium laser. It doesn't have a lot of ammo, but it has enough for a single battle. The Manticore is basically a mech on treads, and its use is very similar.

 

[Kereminde]

Pike Support Vehicle

Tonnage: 60 ton
Movement: 3\5
Movement Type: Tracked
Armament: 3 AC-2, 2 SRM-2
Armor: 9 tons
Heat Sinks: 0

Advantages: Range, the AC\2s give the Pike the capacity to deal damage at a range most vehicles or mechs cannot match. Short range protection with the SRM-2s . Tracked design lets it operate in variety of terrain. Relatively cheap at around 1 mil c-bill per. Good availability in Periphery, especially around the MoC area.
Disadvantages: Despite 3 cannons, it has barely more total firepower than the smaller Vedette or Scorpion tanks. SRMs are only front facing, leaving the machine vulnerable to infantry and close assault from sides or rear. Cannons don't have enough elevation for truly effective anti-aircraft role. Slow speed.
Tactics: If you need cheap ability to plink at range, but with enough armor to take a couple shots ( since it can't outrun most things) then the Pike is suitable. The damage from 3 AC\2 per vehicle can add up and with 5 tons of ammo on board, it won't lack for ammunition. Should stay at med to long range to take advantage of the extra range the AC\2 provides as the SRMs only provide protection or firepower to the front of the vehicle. Can be used for anti Aircraft, but not the best design since it lacks quality anti aircraft firecontrol or ability to fire at high degree of elevation.

- Packrat's Notes -
Standard: Basically a harder to kill version of the AC/2 Carrier, the Pike shares that vehicle's speed but has 3 times the armor. It only has 3 AC/2s instead of 5, but they're turret-mounted and backed up by a pair of SRM-2s. Up to you if that's a worthwhile trade. With the extra armor and some backup weapons, the Pike is far more self-sufficient than the AC/2 Carrier, but still needs to be protected because its max damage per hit is only 2 points. To make the most of its ability to protect itself, load it with infernos for the SRMs, and the only opponents it can't kill are vehicles that outrange its SRMs and mechs. Because it has a turret, you won't need as many Pikes as you would AC/2 Carriers to defend yourself from fighters, making it more effective in that role, but it's arguably less effective as fire support for land battles because it has fewer opportunities to score crits from standoff range, which is its primary use in such fights. It has ammo for days, so feel free to shoot at anything you have even the slightest chance of hitting.
AC/5: This variant trades the AC/2s for a pair of AC/5s. This increases its firepower but shortens its range and gives it fewer hits per turn, changing the Pike's mission from air defense and extreme distance crit machine to more of a standard fire support vehicle. The AC/5 variant is better than the base model against mechs, but not as good against vehicles. It's still adequate at AA duties, but not as good as the base model. This is the "middle of the road" Pike variant, able to do anything you want a Pike to do, but not as well as the more specialized models.
Missile: On the sliding scale of specializing against ground targets or airborne targets, this is the Pike model shifted farthest to the ground game, dropping the autocannons and fielding a pair of LRM-20s. Notably, unlike the other Pike variants, this one has a limited supply of ammunition, enough for only 9 salvos, so you're going to have to pick your shots carefully, greatly decreasing its utility as an AA platform, a job where you have to take any shot you can. It has by far the most firepower of any Pike variant, allowing it to provide deadly fire support against mechs and ground vehicles while its ammo holds out. Deciding whether to bring this Pike variant or an LRM Carrier is roughly the same as deciding whether to bring the base Pike or an AC/2 Carrier: are the extra armor, turret, and SRM-2s worth the decrease in firepower?

 

[Kereminde]

Patton Tank

Tonnage: 65
Movement: 4\6
Movement Type: Tracked
Armament: AC\10, LRM-5, Sm L, Flamer
Armor: 14.5 tons
Heat Sinks: 10

Advantages: Armor equivalent to very heavy and some assault mechs. Has over 3 tons on the turret and front alone, almost 3 tons on each side and over 2 tons in the rear. Decent med and long range firepower with the AC\10 and LRMs. Flamer covers the rear to deal with infantry or create a smoke screen. Fusion engine gives it greater range than comparable ICE vehicles.
Disadvantages: Only has a Sm L to deal with stuff at close range besides the AC. Not in full production yet, and the models available are mainly in the Lyran Commonwealth. Fairly expensive at almost 3mil C-bills per unit.
Tactics: Much like the Manticore, the Patton was designed to be able to fight against Battlemechs and as a replacement for the dwindling supply of mechs available to the Lyran Commonwealth armies. It has the armor to go toe to toe with up to heavy mechs and enough firepower to do damage in return. Its two tons of ammo for the main cannon lets it last most normal battles. Costs about as much as a medium mech, but provides the same or better firepower and the armoring of a heavy mech. It's only real flaw right now is the fact there are very few of them in existence.

- Packrat's Notes -
Standard: A mobile pillbox, the Patton is a tank that excels in holding a line against a ruthless onslaught. What you do with a Patton is roll it out to wherever you want to make sure you have firepower in the area for a long time, then just park it there and let it do its thing. In that sense, it actually invests too much tonnage into its engine: 3/5 would have been just fine, and the extra tonnage could have been used to increase its firepower. It has so much armor that it's almost guaranteed to suffer some motive crits before it goes down, so try to keep it in the fight as much as possible so it doesn't get crippled where its weapons can't contribute to the battle. 20 shots for the AC/10 and all that armor mean that, barring crits, it can be a factor for a long time. Even partially disabled, a force of Pattons in a key spot can be incredibly difficult to overcome without artillery. Put it on the front lines or someplace you need defended, give it some long distance and anti-infantry support, and dare the enemy to dislodge you.

 

[Kereminde]

Rommel Tank

Tonnage: 65 tons
Movement: 4\6
Movement Type: Tracked
Armament: AC\20, LRM-5, Sm L
Armor: 11 tons
Heat Sinks: 0

Advantages: Close range punch and plenty of ammo for the AC\20. While not as well armored as the Patton, 11 tons is still substantial for this size, providing almost 2.5 tons for the front , sides and turret and 1.5 tons for the back. Both it and the Patton share numerous components including electronics, engine and secondary weapons systems, allowing salvage and swapping parts from one model to keep the other in repair.
Disadvantages: Damage beyond 270 meters is very small. Lacks the rear flamer and only has a Sm L for dealing with infantry. Not in Full production yet.
Tactics: Not as heavily armored as the Patton, but packing a more lethal close range punch. It has plenty of ammo to take even risky shots and the armor to stand up on the battlefield for a reasonable time. The Patton is better for open battlefields with its greater range on its cannon, but the Rommel is more deadly in close fighting such as wooded or hilly terrain and urban combat where the engagement ranges get short.

- Packrat's Notes -
Standard: The Rommel is designed to be a constantly lurking menace in urban battles. 4 tons of ammo for its big autocannon and 11 tons of armor give it almost unrivaled endurance for a unit with an AC/20. Unlike the Patton, the Rommel's speed is put to good use, using hit-and-fade tactics in cities and other tight battlefields to keep up the pressure without putting itself at too much risk. An AC/20 is always a threat to anything in its range, but a single one doesn't generally have the knockout power for a vehicle to stand still and slug it out, so it's best to keep moving. You want the Rommel to be a constant threat, something the enemy has to worry about all the time. This means that a motive crit can really hinder its effectiveness far more than you'd think a well-armored tank with an AC/20 would be hobbled by being stationary in a city. For the Rommel, the psychological impact of being a (relatively) fast zombie with a giant gun is just as great as the firepower the gun provides, so despite its expense, it's best to bring a few to keep the pressure on at all times.

 

[Kereminde]

Monitor Naval Vessel

Tonnage: 75 tons
Movement: 3\5
Movement Type: Naval Surface
Armament: 2 AC-20, 3 SRM-2
Armor: 8 tons
Heat Sinks: 0

Advantages: Overwhelming short range firepower, on par with a Demolisher tank or a King Crab Assault mech. Has an infantry \cargo bay for gathering putting ashore a squad of troops to assault or defend shore installations and raiding shoreline factories and storage warehouses.
Disadvantages: Restricted to small lakes and river terrain since it lacks the speed or combat range to be effective in seas or open ocean. No long range weaponry at all. Only the AC-20s are in a turret, the SRMs are each in a fixed direction, preventing them from being combined on one target. Only 3 tons of AC-20 ammo total split between both launchers, allowing only 7 total double shots.
Tactics: Designed for worlds with rivers, island chains and small lakes ( especially fresh water), it provides a cheap way to protect these resources but still have significant firepower, in much the same way of the Monitors of old Earth. They have limited value outside of their particular niche role, but present a cost effective way to provide assault mech level firepower at much less than assault mech level price ( and of course without the versatility or ability to be used outside its particular terrain of the assault mechs). Ships like these were used to defend harbors, lakes and rivers back on old Earth and their function hasn't changed in a 1000 years.

- Packrat's Notes -
Standard: It's not often you see an aquatic urban combatant, but that's exactly what the Monitor is. Designed to operate in cities on the coast or with rivers running through them, and in rivers surrounded by canyons or thick forests, the Monitor follows the same design precepts as the Demolisher (and even uses the same turret). It's actually slightly more versatile than its more famous sibling, though: The Monitor carries a trio of SRM-2s spread over its hull, allowing it to attempt to crit opponents once the big guns have ripped open their armor, and more significantly, it has an infantry bay. The infantry bay allows the Monitor to deploy assets on land, something very few wet naval vessels of its size are capable of. The infantry can tie down targets close to the shore to make them vulnerable to the Monitor's cannons, or move inland to contribute to the fight where their parent craft can't reach. The Monitor otherwise has limited ammo, weak armor for its speed, and is of course very restricted in where it can move. It's a terror in places that favor it, but little more than a point sink in areas that don't.

 

[Kereminde]

Von Luckner Heavy Tank

Tonnage: 75 tons
Movement: 3\5
Movement Type: Tracked
Armament: AC\20, 2 SRM-6, SRM-4, MG, Flamer, LRM-10
Armor: 11 tons
Heat Sinks: 10

Advantages: Massive short range firepower and the SRMs and AC\20 are both on the turret, allowing wide range of fire arc. Turret and Front are well armored, able to take 2 AC\20 blasts and still have armor (barely). Fusion engine and tracked design give it greater range than ICE engines and ability to operate in wider variety of terrain than wheeled or hover vehicles. Being around since the Star league means the design has spread throughout the Inner Sphere and the Periphery. Flamer and MG provide good defense against infantry
Disadvantages: Only long range firepower is the LRM and it are mounted to the rear (a designed feature as their purpose was for covering retreats). Slow speed, meaning it can't really follow retreating enemies or be used for fast response.
Tactics: An old, but fairly reliable design that provides impressive firepower especially at short range. it's speed and weaponry loadout make it more suitable for defensive or short ranged engagements (like wooded or urban terrain) but it has the armor and firepower to stand toe to toe in combat with heavy mechs.

- Packrat's Notes -
VNL-K65N: The Von Luckner is a vehicle that looks awesome on paper, but doesn't live up to its promise. Yes, it does have massive short range damage potential, but so do many other vehicles, and the Von Luckner has a number of curious design decisions that hold it back. First is the odd placement of the LRM-10 to the rear. Ostensibly meant for covering retreats, the LRMs have a massive minimum range, a strange choice to cover the rear of a very slow vehicle intended to be used in urban and other confined terrain. Second, it has the same amount of armor as the Rommel, a faster tank that is 10 tons lighter. The Von Luckner is thus an ambush vehicle, reliant solely on taking out its enemies as quickly as possible, but it's a very expensive one, and you usually want multiple vehicles conducting an ambush. It is therefore not a vehicle that's recommended if you have other options to fulfill its role, but should you find yourself using one, it's still certainly capable of operating as a close range high burst damage monster.
VNL-K70: By dropping the SRM-6s and downsizing the AC/20 to an AC/10, the Von Luckner-K70 frees up enough tonnage to add a PPC to the turret. The increase in range, decent ammo count (20 shots for the AC/10), and spread of weapons make this variant a surprisingly versatile if slow main battle tank. Further, by no longer being confined to restrictive terrain, you might actually get a chance to hit something with that LRM-10. This tank can not only do a bit of everything, it can actually do a bit of everything pretty well. It's a great pick if you don't know what you'll be facing or need to cover as many bases as possible with a limited force.
VNL-K100: Removing some armor and all of the base model's weapons except for the AC/20 and an SRM-6, this variant mounts a 2nd AC/20 and a 4 tons of ammo for the big guns. This is a far superior vehicle than the base model, focusing well on the Von Luckner's niche of quick kills at short range. It has more firepower than a Demolisher -- just let that sink in. Don't let it get into a protracted battle, though, because it doesn't have the endurance for it.

 

[Kereminde]

Demolisher Heavy Tank

Tonnage: 80 tons
Movement: 3\5
Movement Type: Tracked
Armament: 2 AC-20
Armor: 10 tons
Heat Sinks: 0

Advantages: Overwhelming short firepower. It has assault class weight and assault class firepower with 2 AC-20 that can ruin the day of even the heaviest mechs. Tracked design lets it operate in a wider variety of terrains than wheeled or hover tanks.
Disadvantages: No secondary weapons or long range weapons, makes it vulnerable to long range fire and infantry. Armor is decent, especially on the front and turret, but protection drops off significantly on the sides and back. Is going to be a prime target on the battlefield. ICE engine and need for resupply for its weapons means its range and endurance are short.
Tactics: It's Assault Mech firepower at a quarter of Assault mech price. It's lack of range and slow speed make it better suited to defensive work, especially in urban or other environments that favor short range engagements, and it usually needs to work with other vehicles or infantry to cover its lack of secondary defenses. But with 10 shots for each cannon and enough armor to at least last a little while on the battlefield, it can deliver some massive damage and lives up to its name of 'Mech Slayer'.

- Packrat's Notes -
Standard: The Demolisher is the final word in budget urban defense. Don't think of it as a tank; think of it as pair of armored AC/20s on treads. The psychological value of this vehicle cannot be overstated. Wherever it is, there is a 9-hex bubble of NOPE that surrounds it. Because of this and its slow speed, it's best to position them in key locations and then just leave them there and dare the enemy to take them on. Note the word "them" in the previous sentence, because the only thing that makes people piss themselves more than a Demolisher is a group of Demolishers. Yes, it needs to be supported, but it's well worth it. If your job is to protect a city or other objective in tight terrain, this level of firepower for this price can't be beat.
The MUL lists a "defensive" variant. I don't know what its specs are, but considering that we're talking about a Demolisher variant that apparently warrants the term "defensive" -- like the original wasn't already -- it's probably goddamn terrifying.

 

[Kereminde]

Partisan Air Defense Tank

Tonnage: 80 tons
Movement: 3\5
Movement Type: Tracked
Armament: 4 AC\5, 2 MG
Armor: 6 tons
Heat Sinks: 0

Advantages: Good firing range with the AC\5s. Anti-Air Flaks One Targeting system is one of the best available for air defense targeting. Most common in the Federated Suns and Free Worlds League, but is spread throughout the Inner Sphere, making replacements and spare parts readily available. Relatively cheap at less than 2 mil C-bills per unit.
Disadvantages: Only has 2 tons of ammo total for the AC\5, giving a max of 10 bursts if all four cannons are fired. Armor is very thin for a vehicle this heavy, equivalent to light and low end med mechs. ICE engine gives and need for ammo keep it having to stay near steady supply sources.
Tactics: It can be used in an Anti-Mech role if desperate as damage from 4 AC\5 can add up, but its best use is against enemy aerofighters and denying control of the skies to the enemy. Much like flak batteries in the old global wars on earth, a group of these can make the enemy pay for trying to control your airspace.

- Packrat's Notes -
Standard: The Partisan is a good idea held back by the fact that it's boating the single worst weapon in 3025. For the air defense role, the AC/2 is superior in every meaningful way. For fire support, the massive tonnage it devotes to its weaponry means it doesn't have the ammo, armor, or raw firepower to excel. And it sure as hell lacks the ammo count to try to do both at once. It's something of an everyman long range unit whose only real benefit is its rock bottom price tag, essentially making it a much larger version of the Scorpion. Use it the same way, but pick your shots carefully.
AC/2: Exchanging the AC/5s for a quintet of AC/2s and extra ammo, this is what the Partisan should have been in the first place: the last word in air defense. You have longer range and more ammunition, plus you get an extra shot each turn to try to hit those zippy fighters, and its price is actually lower. If all you want a Partisan for is air defense, there is not a single reason to take the base model. It's even a good platform for critting out units (especially vehicles) from extreme range: it's cheap enough that you can field it in sufficient numbers to "MG spam" from 24 hexes out. You have enough ammunition to shoot at anything that strays in range, so go wild.
LRM: This variant trades the AC/5s for an equal number of LRM-15s, plus ammo. The LRMs have longer range than the AC/5s, do more total damage, hit more locations per shot (on average) with the same damage per cluster, and have 12 turns of fire to the base model's 10. It's more expensive than the base model, but seeing as this variant is equal or superior to it in literally every other way, this is definitely a case of getting what you pay for. Given a choice between the base model or this one, I'd take this every time if I could afford it.

 

[Kereminde]

Schrek PPC Carrier.

Tonnage: 80 tons
Movement: 3\5
Movement Type: Tracked
Armament: 3 PPC
Armor: 7 tons
Heat Sinks: 30

Advantages: Medium and Long range firepower comparable to an Awesome. Fusion engine and no ammo means it has excellent operational endurance. Tracked design.
Disadvantages: With the PPCs and Heatsinks taking up 60% of the weight of the vehicle, there is no secondary armament. No point blank range defenses. Armor is very light for this weight. Unable to absorb its own firepower to any portion of the vehicle, even the turret. Expensive, at almost 4 mil c-bills per unit it rivals the cost of medium and some heavy mechs.
Tactics: You say you want the firepower of an Awesome at half the price? Then let me introduce you to the Schrek PPC carrier. Good for defense and for assaulting fixed positions, especially in areas with clear long range sites where it can use its range to advantage. Unlike the Awesome, you don't want to engage at short range as the armor wont stand up to heavy firepower and there are no point blank defenses. Needs to be supported with other vehicles, and pairs well with Demolishers as each covers the other's problem range.

- Packrat's Notes -
Schrek PPC Carrier (Standard): This vehicle is often compared to the Awesome, but I find the similarities mostly superficial. The Awesome is more than just its PPCs: it's a zombie. The Schrek... not so much. (Ironically, the mech is a tank, but the tank is not.) It may not seem like much of a difference compared to all their similar specs, but the Schrek's inability to take a punch is huge when it comes to their tactical uses. Whereas the Awesome is made to be on the front lines (well, slightly behind them, but you know what I mean), dishing out punishment and soaking up damage, the Schrek hangs back behind its allies, counting on them to be a distraction. Coincidentally, the Awesome is great at being that distraction. In greater numbers, Schreks can provide a wall of PPC fire, relying on their massive damage output to protect them instead of armor. Schreks also excel at guarding open areas that are on the approach to vital objectives, leaving it to friendly units like Demolishers and SRM Carriers to patrol the streets and finish off anything that slips past them.
Schrek PPC Carrier (Anti-Infantry): In an attempt to make the Schrek more self-sufficient, this variant removes some armor in order to mount a pair of machine guns. The Schrek is already vulnerable and needs support, so making it more vulnerable without completely removing the need for support doesn't strike me as a good trade-off. Seems like it would be better to just make sure its close range support has some anti-infantry weapons, too.
Schrek AC Carrier (Standard): Instead of PPCs, this variant features a trio of AC/5s and a grand total of 8 machine guns (plus some additional armor). It also traded the fusion engine for an ICE. You know how, when talking vehicles, it's very common to mention that it needs support? Say hello to the support! For a very reasonable price, you get a vehicle that can provide decent long range and anti-air, and outstanding anti-infantry support. Because of this imbalance in the kinds of weapons it carries, it is most well suited to games involving large numbers of light vehicles and infantry. Despite all those AC/5s, it's actually decent in city battles, where it can use its autocannons to guard against fighters and its MGs to shred infantry, but it'll need its own support against enemy armor. This means that, like all Schreks, it pairs well with the Demolisher, the pair of vehicles able to take on any type of enemy they might encounter.

 

[Kereminde]

SturmFeur Heavy Tank

Tonnage: 85 tons
Movement: 3\5
Movement Type: Tracked
Armament: 2 LRM-20, 2 MG
Armor: 19.5 tons
Heat Sinks: 0

Advantages: Good long range firepower in all directions (as one LRM is turret mounted) and excellent long range firepower to the front. Incredible amount of armor, rivals an Atlas for total armor tonnage and has 4 tons on each side and turret except the rear, which still has 3 tons. It can take a massive pounding. MGs are also turret mounted, giving ability to engage infantry in any quarter.
Disadvantages: Only 9 shots total if using both launchers. ICE engine and ammo based weaponry means it needs to be near supply lines. Only available in the Lyran Commonwealth as its only been in production for 7 years by 3025. Lacks secondary close range weaponry outside the MGs.
Tactics: The Lyrans wanted a combat vehicle that could absorb several counterattacks and in the SturmFeur, thats exactly what they got. It can take a pounding that would leave most heavy and even assault mechs a smoking wreck but its purpose and armament is strictly fire support, so the very heavy armor is somewhat wasted for a vehicle that's going to be set up away from the main action to begin with. Unlike a lot of tanks, the vehicle is more likely to outlast its ammo, at which point it become a heavy armored decoration on the field.

- Packrat's Notes -
Standard: Too much armor, not enough weapons, and not enough ammo. That about sums up the SturmFeur. It'll probably be the last unit standing, yes, but it will have long since exhausted its LRM ammunition and contributed surprisingly little to the fight for a machine that costs as much as it does. This is, of course, assuming it doesn't just get critted out, which is always a concern with vehicles. Despite all that armor, it's still highly vulnerable and needs protection from enemy armor. Tactics are about as straightforward as they can get, simply lobbing LRMs from medium range. The SturmFeur is most well suited to campaign games where its ability to provide brief fire support and live to withdraw safely is actually something of value.
SRM: This variant replaces the turrent-mounted LRM-20 with a quartet of SRM-4s fed by 2 tons of ammo. Notably, it carries the same amount of LRM ammo as the base model, giving it 18 rounds of fire for the LRM-20 and 12.5 for the SRM-4s. This is a much better use of the SturmFeur's heavy armor. It's now designed to mount a slow, inexorable assault on the enemy, making liberal use of the LRM-20 to soften up the enemy and then finishing them off with the SRM-4s. It's still way too expensive for what it provides, and it needs to be screened at both long and short range, but it's now a decent all-range support platform.

 

[Kereminde]

Ontos Heavy Tank

Tonnage: 95 tons
Movement: 3\5
Movement Type: Tracked
Armament: 8 ML, 2 LRM-5
Armor: 8 tons
Heat Sinks: 24

Advantages: Main armament not ammo dependent. Lots of short range damage potential. Although prominent mostly in the Free Worlds League, is in wide use throughout the Inner Sphere, making repair and replacement relatively simple. Very cost effective for such a heavy design at only a little over 2.2 mil C-bills per unit.
Disadvantages: Armor is very light for this size vehicle at less than 2 tons in any location, including the Turret. Only has a couple LRM-5s for firepower beyond 270 meters, making it vulnerable to long range firepower. Having to use over 60% of its weight for the ICE engine and the heatsinks means other areas had to be skimped on.
Tactics: This is the tank that kills by the Thousand cuts. It doesn't get the big holes of a Demolisher, instead it delivers a bunch of little bites that add up. Best used in ambush situations due to its slow speed , short range weaponry and fairly light armor. If you could match the armor of the Sturmfeur to the firepower of the Ontos, then you would truly have a terrifying front line MBT. The LRMs are there to provide some firepower at range and while closing, but they are secondary to the battery of MLs which allow the mech to retain significant firepower even when the secondary ammo runs dry. Based on an old military tank destroyer design that mounted multiple cannons the Ontos follows the philosophy that if the first shot misses, there are plenty more that will probably hit.

- Packrat's Notes -
Standard: It's not often something can fail to live up to its full potential yet still be good, but the Ontos does exactly that. It devotes an absurd amount of tonnage to its 8 medium lasers, meaning everything else about it is lacking save for its speed, which is typical for its size. And yet the fact remains: It has 8 medium lasers and enough armor to not die instantly. That's really all the reason you need to use something. Paired up with short ranged vehicles armed with hole punchers, like the Demolisher, teams of Ontoses can devastate anything they come across. Yes, teams of them, because the Ontos is actually a very affordable tank for its size. The LRMs are a curious addition, not enough to prevent it from being a sitting duck in the open, but unable to contribute in short range battles. Stick to cities and such, because the Ontos is a large, slow, poorly armored target. This combination of traits naturally suits it to the ambush role, where the enemy ideally doesn't get more than 1 or maybe 2 turns to shoot back at it, and even more ideally has more pressing targets to be focusing on.
Fusion: Oh baby. Oh baby! This is what the Ontos was always meant to be! The switch to a fusion engine allows for the addition of 2 more medium lasers, the LRM launchers to be upsized to LRM-10s, and even extra armor. It's even more deadly up close, can take a hit, and has the firepower to be somewhat useful in more open battles. The increase in price is tiny compared to the increase in effectiveness, so there's basically no reason not to take one of these over the base model if you can spare the points.
LRM: Removing the existing weapons allows this variant to feature a pair each of LRM-20s and LRM-10s. It's basically a more heavily armored, turreted version of the LRM Carrier, and its use is almost identical.

 

[Kereminde]

Behemoth Heavy Tank

Tonnage: 100
Movement: 2\3
Movement Type: Tracked
Armament: 2 AC-10, 4 LRM-5, 2 SRM-6, 4 SRM-2, 4 MG
Armor: 13 tons
Heat Sinks: 0

Advantages: A ton of weapons and firepower at all ranges, especially short. Good armor with nearly 3 tons on the front and turret, and over 2 tons on the sides and back. Able to fire to three different sides simultaneously ( four if the turret is rotated to the rear) as has weapons on all sides. Relatively cheap at around 3 mil cbills for such a heavy tank and available throughout the Inner Sphere, though is mostly concentrated in the Federated Suns.
Disadvantages: SLOOOOOW . its speed is only matched by the UrbanMech and the Annihlator for slowest fighting units on the modern 3025 battlefield. Ammo dependent, only has 10-12 shots for all its weapons each except MGs and SRM-6s which has 15. Only the AC-10s and SRM-6s are in the turrets, the rest of the weaponry has fixed facings. ICE engine limits endurance.
Tactics: Back on old earth there was a game called Ogre which featured a slow moving, but heavily armed super tank called the Ogre that was bristling with multiple weapons systems and forces had to try and whittle it down. Thats the impression that the Behemoth brings to the Battlefield. Its slow speed means its best as a defender or assaulting a fixed position as it can bring heavy firepower to bear at long , medium and especially short ranges but it can be caught or outran by pretty much anything else on the battlefield, including Assault mechs. But you have to basically blow it up (which given how much ammo it has may not be that hard) to take it out of the fight.

- Packrat's Notes -
Standard: Something of a vehicular Atlas, the Behemoth has a weapon for all ranges, but specializes in close range combat. It's too slow for most offensives, but makes an excellent urban defense unit, sitting just outside the objective and hitting the enemy with its LRMs, then fading into the city streets and bringing its shorter range weapons to bear. It's outstanding at supporting large infantry formations, because most units that would hunt infantry can't outrange it or outfight it up close, it's easily capable of handling enemy infantry, and it can fire in multiple directions at once. Against armored targets, it needs long range support, but can handle all but the most heavily armored units up close. Ammo endurance is an issue, so pick your shots carefully. The Behemoth works best in teams, its weapon loadout lending it well to mutual support. It isn't the unstoppable monster you might think a 100 ton tank called the Behemoth would be, but it's dependable within its niche.
Armor: This variant trades the MGs and SRM-2s for armor. With this much armor, it can afford to take some hits while it's selecting the best shots for its limited ammunition, but it now needs anti-infantry support. The cost for this variant is significantly higher than the base model, and it's questionable whether it's worth the additional points. Good for campaign play, though.
Flamer: Seeking to enhance its infantry support role, this variant trades its SRM-2s for flamers. Just imagine you're an infantryman, and you run into this 100 ton monster, spraying bullets and fire in all directions, its cannons and missiles having made easy work of your armor support, and your objective lies beyond it. This is the kind of thing nightmares are made of. It's an exceptionally cheap tank for what it does, so you can bring a bunch of the things and just destroy any conventional forces that dare attack you. It's not as good against heavy armor, though, so make sure it has friends with some big guns.

 

[Kereminde]

Neptune Submarine

Tonnage: 100
Movement: 3\5
Movement Type: Naval
Armament: LL, LR-20 Torpedo launcher, 2 SR-6 torpedo launcher
Armor: 14.5 tons
Heat Sinks: 8

Advantages: Torpedoes are re-designed LRM and SRM systems for aquatic use and thus don't suffer the penalties standard missile launchers would in underwater use. Well armored, with almost five tons of frontal armor, 3.5 tons on the sides and even 2.5 tons rear armor.
Disadvantages: Limited to its own element and not very effective engaging opponents outside the water. LL is only effective when surfaced and also its only weapon for engaging shore targets. Only used in the Federated Suns during this time as is only manufactured in 2 locations.
Tactics: Federated Suns began adopting the strategy of putting their command centers under water to better protect them as fixed surface command HQ's were too easily targeted and mobile HQ's were too inefficient to provide excellent command and control on large scale.
Thus the niche of the submarine was brought back to the battlefield as in its element, the submarine is a superior combat vehicle and defense platform. However, outside of that small niche, its practically useless.

- Packrat's Notes -
Standard: The Neptune was included in TRO3026 almost entirely as a fluff piece, and it shows. Because missiles are the only really effective weapons underwater, and missiles spread out their damage and even when they hit may only inflict a tiny fraction of their damage potential, you need a lot of shots to wear down the generally thick armor of the foes you'll be facing in such an environment. The Neptune, however, carries only a single ton of ammo for each weapon type. A single Neptune is almost useless, so you'll need to field them in numbers if you want a decent chance of taking out the opposition. General tactics follow a predictable long-then-short pattern, and if you're the one playing these, don't forget that you can use terrain for cover underwater, too. Given its limited ammo, it goes without saying you need to watch your shots, and don't be afraid to get in close to use its large laser. If you're facing mechs, you'll be able to do what precious few 3/5 units ever get the chance to: flank the enemy. Circle around the mechs like a bunch of sharks, then hammer in on the weak rear armor, making the most of your short ammo supply. If the enemy is making that difficult, you can split your force and approach from opposite sides, meaning they have to show their backs to some of your units. They're in your house, so play to the strength of being the only one actually able to maneuver. You'll probably never see these outside of purpose-built scenarios and campaign play.
Hunter-Killer: An overhaul of the Neptune, this variant removes all the weapons and 2 tons armor. In their place, it mounts a quartet of SRT-6s and an LRT-15 up front with an SRT-4 and LRT-5 to the rear, carrying 3 tons of SRT-6 ammo, 2 tons of LRT-15 ammo, and 1 ton each of SRT-4 and LRT-5 ammo. With as much armor as the Neptune carries, only losing 2 tons to get all those weapons and ammunition may not seem like a big loss, but you only need to chew through the armor to destroy that section in an underwater battle, so it's a pretty big deal. This is still a highly effective vehicle, but you want to pair it with some of the tankier variants to protect it.
LRT: Replacing the large laser with a 2nd LRT-20 and 3 more tons of ammo, this variant is pretty much an underwater Archer, so use it like one. You still need to watch your shots, because it has no backup weapon, but if you do what I said above and shoot at the rear of enemy mechs, you can frequently still get the kill.
SRT: This variant also loses the large laser, carrying in its stead 3 more SRT-6s, 2 additional tons of SRT ammo, and an extra ton of LRT ammo. The strength of this variant is that all those SRT shots pose a serious threat of breaching the head, an instant kill. Interestingly, all of the Neptune variants complement each other well, so it's encouraged to mix and match for the best possible lineup.

 

[Packrat]

And as before, Packrat did an analysis of most of the variants listed as existing (some of which never even were put into production, and missing a couple due to simply forgetting or not being familiar enough).

...Oops.

I was going to make a post about how my study of vehicles has been much less extensive than my study of mechs, but I guess that shows it right off the bat. Still loved those threads, though.

 

[Kereminde]

...Oops.

I was going to make a post about how my study of vehicles has been much less extensive than my study of mechs, but I guess that proves it right off the bat. Still loved those threads, though.

Well, you missed some I knew about, but at the same time it's valuable all the same as you hit the same kind of depth and analysis. But Vehicles are a much smaller part of this game . . . but still present. I was going to skip it entirely until I was thinking "it would be a total shame for it to entirely get lost, the aerospace is one thing but the vehicles are a different matter".

 

[Packrat]

Well, you missed some I knew about, but at the same time it's valuable all the same as you hit the same kind of depth and analysis. But Vehicles are a much smaller part of this game . . . but still present. I was going to skip it entirely until I was thinking "it would be a total shame for it to entirely get lost, the aerospace is one thing but the vehicles are a different matter".

And your efforts are appreciated!

Some of the variants I didn't cover could have been a Firestarter-K situation where people know of it but it's listed as extinct in this game's timeframe. Or I could have just flat-out missed some; I don't maintain a list of extant vehicles.

 

[Kereminde]

And your efforts are appreciated!

Some of the variants I didn't cover could have been a Firestarter-K situation where people know of it but it's listed as extinct in this game's timeframe. Or I could have just flat-out missed some; I don't maintain a list of extant vehicles.

You missed the Devastator Heavy Tank, which is a Demolisher which swapped up to a Fusion Engine, and used the weight to add more weapons. To wit: A Flamer in the turret, a Small Laser in front and on each side, and a front-mounted SRM 6.

So, more like a miniature, closer-range, very angry Behemoth.

 

[Packrat]

You missed the Devastator Heavy Tank, which is a Demolisher which swapped up to a Fusion Engine, and used the weight to add more weapons. To wit: A Flamer in the turret, a Small Laser in front and on each side, and a front-mounted SRM 6.

So, more like a miniature, closer-range, very angry Behemoth.

OK, so I just went on a quick trek. It does appear in TRO3039 as a Demolisher variant, but the MUL lists it as its own vehicle: a search for "Demolisher" doesn't turn it up, instead requiring you to specifically search for "Devastator".

It's been a while, but I know I would have wanted to verify which variants were around at the time, and if I just did a quick search on the MUL, that would explain its omission.