Battletech Welcome to the Jungle

[Knowledgeispower]

I take it the CAC will getting nice checks from CMW over the licensing the commando and wasp/stinger variants to them? Also sort of want to see what Bowie and Defiance are up to as well. And for that matter life in Tharhes ville and the whole Lockheed CBM scandal from hell fallout. To be fair that might be a tad much for ya speaker. Also presumably Coventry is cursing the whole no MASC info on the datacore they got or they'd just use that vs a 315 xl. still looks like the ymir which lostech is going to be back in black baby!

 

[Speaker4thesilent]

I take it the CAC will getting nice checks from CMW over the licensing the commando and wasp variants to them? Also sort of want to see what Bowie and Defiance are up to

Commando, yes, but they aren’t actually making Wasps, they make Stingers. The design work is going to be on their own dime, they’re just taking inspiration from the wasp design, so they aren’t actually going to be licensing anything.

 

[Knowledgeispower]

fair enough. on another note is the CAC going to keep those streak SRM-2 lines or sell them off or something like that so someone can maybe figure out how to make the ammo for them while getting some cash? oh same thing for the gauss line but instead of being sold just being relocated to another well defended world where the line will actually work and then can ship stuff to catachan to be put into products?

 

[Brian-88]

fair enough. on another note is the CAC going to keep those streak SRM-2 lines or sell them off or something like that so someone can maybe figure out how to make the ammo for them while getting some cash? oh same thing for the gauss line but instead of being sold just being relocated to another well defended world where the line will actually work and then can ship stuff to catachan to be put into products?

That would be perfect for sale to Defiance for their Atlas line, and out of everyone they have the best defenses and funding to clone tooling and expand production.

 

[Knowledgeispower]

That would be perfect for sale to Defiance for their Atlas line, and out of everyone they have the best defenses and funding to clone tooling and expand production.

oh I wouldn't sale the gauss line. I'd merely put it on a world that's well guarded where the gravity isn't making production of it being hellishly hard. if defiance wants to pay for the privilege of housing it on Hesperus and shipping the GRs CAC needs back for its future strike ASF program to catachan that's fine by me.

on another note I wonder if the lyrans will get the data on artemis IV that comstar is giving everyone else. mind you methinks comstar didn't give everyone else the how to do this as a engineer notes the catachan core had

 

[Atarlost]

Not what I'd do with the Pixie. I'd market it as the affordable and robust counterpart. Keep it on the 270 standard engine to keep prices down and make it available earlier in the up-teching process. XLFE are stage three.

You can fit endo and ferro just fine. The Pixie is only using 17 optional crits. Endo and Ferro each need 14. The cockpit stuff, engine, gyro, and mandatory actuators add 27. That's 72 crits out of 78. If you go to one point shy of max armor you have 1.5 tons left.

If Endo and Ferro are available before DHS you can limit yourself to 8 tons of FFA, which is still equivalent to adding a ton of standard armor to the PXH-1, trade the machineguns for flamers, and add two heatsinks, though I think they're being very silly worrying about infantry ambushes on something that can jump 6. The only infantry it can't easily get away from are motorized and take more damage from non-burst weapons anyways. I'd add four heatsinks in place of the machineguns so you have the option of ER-ing the large laser if ERLL production comes online before DHS production.

If DHS are available you can ER any of the lasers on the base heastinks and replace the MGs with SRM-2s and CASE the ammo. If flamers are acceptable, infernos do the same thing at longer range.

It fills the same role as the Phoenix at a lower cost. It has a bit less armor, but isn't prone to side torso kills. Even the Lyran budget isn't going provide as many 300+ rated XLFEs as the LCAF needs fast mediums.

 

[Knowledgeispower]

yeah speed is costly and honestly I think its moreso prestgie causing the massive changed than anything else. after all who wants to be the big mech firm who hasn't made a major upgrade to their designs that aren't using other peoples specs. that being said I can see a viable path of focusing on making more 270 production vs XL engine production and maybe oh I don't know branching out into the classic 55 ton design realm with stuff like their old alfar but made easier to maintain or wolverines or dervishes(another old lyran mech no longer make in lyran space due to succession wars) or hell get into the ASF or even dropship business. CMW has a few options here. Still the proposed phoenix hawk design isn't set in stone pending feedback from the LCAF procurement branch among others

 

[PeaceMaker 03]

Not what I'd do with the Pixie. I'd market it as the affordable and robust counterpart. Keep it on the 270 standard engine to keep prices down and make it available earlier in the up-teching process. XLFE are stage three.

You can fit endo and ferro just fine. The Pixie is only using 17 optional crits. Endo and Ferro each need 14. The cockpit stuff, engine, gyro, and mandatory actuators add 27. That's 72 crits out of 78. If you go to one point shy of max armor you have 1.5 tons left.

If Endo and Ferro are available before DHS you can limit yourself to 8 tons of FFA, which is still equivalent to adding a ton of standard armor to the PXH-1, trade the machineguns for flamers, and add two heatsinks, though I think they're being very silly worrying about infantry ambushes on something that can jump 6. The only infantry it can't easily get away from are motorized and take more damage from non-burst weapons anyways. I'd add four heatsinks in place of the machineguns so you have the option of ER-ing the large laser if ERLL production comes online before DHS production.

If DHS are available you can ER any of the lasers on the base heastinks and replace the MGs with SRM-2s and CASE the ammo. If flamers are acceptable, infernos do the same thing at longer range.

It fills the same role as the Phoenix at a lower cost. It has a bit less armor, but isn't prone to side torso kills. Even the Lyran budget isn't going provide as many 300+ rated XLFEs as the LCAF needs fast mediums.

Good point about Pixie upgrades, CMW might be smart to do upgrade kits too.
PXH Product Improvement Kit:
mk1: FF armor
mk2: FF armor & DHS
mk3: FF armor , DHS. & ER LL/ flamer

Pixie is a common mech across BT, CMW could do the same thing for all the common Steiner mechs and have Lyran logistics by up everything that CMW can get out the door.
Same goes for CAC and CAC can add the T&T / helmet combo to the mix. Plus CAC can do the same for ASF or at least the ASF they know.

Edit: This idea of upgrade kits may even help the companies that are late to market. Need all the feeder lines for components before you can make a losttech mech.
Kits bring in income and add to the Lyran's defense while the company's R&D, prototype, test, redesign, field test, and build lines for production of end unit, ( to include training of workforce to produce an efficient/ experienced team of workers).
All the above can be done in series or accept risk to have multiple parts of development moving forward at the simultaneously. The Save time or Save money balancing act. All the notes added to the CAC datacore should help greatly with both time and money.
Doing upgrade kits also allows for ensuring parts production lines are able to produce quality parts at needed levels before mech production starts, ( CAC gauss rifle line).

 

[Blasterbot]

yeah making an upgrade kit for refits in addition to the new model seems like a good path. PeaceMaker's mark 3 seems good adds more armor DHS allows you to throw alphas and jump like crazy ditch the ammo bomb MGs for flamers. what sort of 55 tonner would they aim for? they could also get a 90 tonner too if they want to be true lyrans and make an assault mech.

 

[concorian]

the amusing thing is while all those companies are trying to build up their industry catachan already has theirs which will keep growing faster than they do. And odds are all the spies and sabatours will aim for the industry in plain sight.

 

[Blasterbot]

the amusing thing is while all those companies are trying to build up their industry catachan already has theirs which will keep growing faster than they do. And odds are all the spies and sabatours will aim for the industry in plain sight.

eh Catachan has some major issues too. the Hi-G environment means they have to over build everything. they have little infrastructure and a small population to work from that is entirely dependent on immigration to keep afloat right now. they are and will be important but they aren't gonna be in the big leagues for production for a bit.

 

[concorian]

eh Catachan has some major issues too. the Hi-G environment means they have to over build everything. they have little infrastructure and a small population to work from that is entirely dependent on immigration to keep afloat right now. they are and will be important but they aren't gonna be in the big leagues for production for a bit.

Yep thats true but keep in mind the HI-G enviroment has benefits to. Everything they build has to be ragnarok proof even their everyday things, to be honest it might not be 40k level where even your teaspoon needs to be able to kill a rhino level enemy but still, i mean look at their lumberjacks, where evenone else in the innersphere is quite able to use open cage industri mech or even a simple old chainsaw in their hands on catchan they have to be as armored as a standard battlemech with a chainsaw capable of cutting reinforced steel. and even then they liekly carry backup weapons. and thats just their civilian mech,

as for weapons again a standard rifle isnt likely to cut it on catachan and the thing about that is if the civilian model looks like someone watched gears of war and thought their chainsaw ancer was ideal for the civilian market on planet, their military is likely to build a more complex version to use.

Simple human adaption will start playing its part eventually, you live on a deathworld you are going to get deathworlds, if peopl ecan adapt to live in areas of tornados and earthquake they can adapt on catachan.

Using 40k for an example one of the dapations they gained was hi0g muscled mass along with fast twitch nerves, you would like see the same adaption here. plsu they started to adapt to rapid breeding in 40k. The other thin is most 40k catchan clocked in at around 7ft tall and out muscled arnie on his best days, that easily puts them in range of clan elementals in pyhsical attributes.

Couple that with the fact they actually have original factory lines built during the amaris war along with their automation systems, then add in the orbital facities they have mothballed, as long as the attention is kept off them then they have the ability to build up a truly ridicoulous space infrasturcture along with a pretty effective military.

As for immigration all it take is one massacre or war which seeming the events last chapters is coming pretty soon and they will be flocked with refuggees. as only dealing with wildlife is better than nukes and battlemechs.

 

[Knowledgeispower]

eh Catachan has some major issues too. the Hi-G environment means they have to over build everything. they have little infrastructure and a small population to work from that is entirely dependent on immigration to keep afloat right now. they are and will be important but they aren't gonna be in the big leagues for production for a bit.

Not mention the whole vastly less starting capital than anyone in the mech business who still actually does more than refit mechs and probably some of those as well

 

[Dreth]

Good point about Pixie upgrades, CMW might be smart to do upgrade kits too.

I second this idea (even if there isn't a vote as this isn't a quest). Really what they want is something affordable and mass producible. XLFEs at this point are stupidly expensive (and in very short supply), and people need to be able to afford them to actually buy in. If you keep to FF, DHS, and ER lasers not only is it way more affordable, but backwards compatible.

EndoSteel is not backwards compatible and repairs will run into supply issues, same thing with the XLFEs.

 

[PeaceMaker 03]

I second this idea (even if there isn't a vote as this isn't a quest). Really what they want is something affordable and mass producible. XLFEs at this point are stupidly expensive (and in very short supply), and people need to be able to afford them to actually buy in. If you keep to FF, DHS, and ER lasers not only is it way more affordable, but backwards compatible.

EndoSteel is not backwards compatible and repairs will run into supply issues, same thing with the XLFEs.

Just my opinion is if CAC is going to put some focus on upgrade kits, it is best to team with Olivetti again to increase engineering capacity and split production ofparts production. CAC lacks capital for more expansion.
This can add tech to mech regiments that will not be inline to receive XLFE build mechs or mech with endo frames.

From a business viewpoint, build a FF armor production line or 6 and have armor kits for the top 10 mechs in Steiner space. Then do a dance singing Money, Money, Money. Same for DHS.

 

[Knowledgeispower]

Upgrade kits beyond the stuff they have specs for/are planning to do anyways don't make sense for the CAC. They lack the resources and the geographic position in the LC to make the shipping work. Let people who make the designs/spare parts for them figure out upgrade kits beyond the basic here's DHS for the mech

 

[Atarlost]

If mech/vehicle/ASF design is going to be a foreground feature of the AU It might be a good idea to actually solicit redesign slates for companies other than CAC and pick one reader's slate per company to give different manufacturers different idiosyncrasies. Some people picked up their design preferences from the same places but there's at least some variety available here.

 

[PsihoKekec]

No point in pissing into another corporation's oatmeal, they can sell them components needed for the upgrade kits, but no starting corporate lawfare by intruding into their turf.

 

[Shadow_Wraith013]

Very nice story interlude. I wonder what Lyran politics will rear it ugly head when certain parties/corporations don't get the needed data to upgrade their facilities down the road.

 

[Knowledgeispower]

Very nice story interlude. I wonder what Lyran politics will rear it ugly head when certain parties/corporations don't get the needed data to upgrade their facilities down the road.

Well most likely Red Devil is about to probably ending up bought out. Trellshire Heavy Industry is basically getting its ass saved by CAC willing to sell them stuff for them to use