Battletech: Favorite Battlemech

[@rburt3]

It will always be the Warhammer for me. From the first time I saw it in an ad for BattleDroids in the back of a comic book in the 80's I was in love. It was the first mech I ever ran in an actual game and there's always at least one in any TOE.

[@CrankyOldGamer]

Thats how I feel too, exactly. Warhammer's an awesome machine. Do you have a favorite variant?

[@rburt3]

@@CrankyOldGamer My custom one that strips the MG's and Smalls in favor of better heat management and armor.

[@bladerunner3314]

Once designed a Warhammer - unsure if it was pre Clan Invasion or at the time but I kicked it down to 3/5 movement, got rid of the Small Lasers and Machineguns, added 4 Medium Lasers and sinks and ... Jump Jets. The looks on the faces of my mates when a Warhammer code named Rubber Duck jumped ...

[@roguerifter9724]

@@bladerunner3314 I've run something similar a lot. I took a Warrhammer-6D and replaced the extra leg armor with Jump Jets. Its my favorite of the custom Succession War era designs I made. I was legitimately pissed when I got a Warhammer-6D in Mechwarrior 5 and then discovered the game wouldn't let me refit the Mech with Jump Jets. I actually have a self made fan design that carries 4 Jump Jets, 4 Medium Lasers and dual PPCs as well. My good old Storm Dragon, part of my quest to make either at least one custom design or at least one custom variant for each of the great houses that was a heavy, all energy weapon, jump jet equipped Succession Wars design. The Storm Dragon was Kurita's design.

[@bombomos]

Hands down the MadCat. I know mechassault is kinda the red headed stepchild to some of the Battletech fanbase. But damnit if that wasn't the only mech I used for that entire game when I could. I fucking loved that thing. It was big, it was tough, and it was fast. Then come to find out years later, in the actual lore the MadCat is one of the fastest heavies with best options for weaponry. Like a dream come true. I even gave a speech in school about diagrams and reading schematics using schematics of the MadCat. Hell the whole reason I got into Aircraft Maintenance is because of Mechs! I'm going to build a mech one day. And my first design will take inspiration from the MadCat. At the very least from it's legs. It's one of the only reverse bipedals that I've seen that has side connected knee joints rather than the top connected. It's a better design for weight distribution and movement in my opinion. Granted mine won't be 75tons and 3 stories tall. But I can't deny that the MadCat has shaped who I am and my future.

[@CrankyOldGamer]

I love this! That is awesome!

[@charlesa.7550]

Have never played a game of Battletech but I fell in love with the Marauder the first time I saw it in Robotech.

[@CrankyOldGamer]

I know right? So good!

[@bladerunner3314]

But in Battletech what they made of the Tomahawk - the Warhammer - is overall the more capable war machine. 5 tons lighter, yes, but better close range punch, heat management and armor. The only thing the Marauder had that was better at was long range hitting power but lacking the heat sinks to effectively use it.

[@charlesa.7550]

@@bladerunner3314 OK, so, I just got a marauder in Mechwarrior 5 and proceeded to overheat myself 5 times in the first battle after I got it. Did not feel good :D But it's still a very pretty mech to look at!

[@bladerunner3314]

@@charlesa.7550 Maybe ... I haven't tried his and probably playing Mechwarrior games since the second I'm a bit more used to fire heat efficiently (I overheat as well, but maybe I just look at the scale a bit more ...) Try this rebuild Swap the PPCs for Medium Lasers, pulse if you want to but that's an additional 4 tons, replace the AC/5 with a 10 or an LB 10 X and two tons of ammo, if you have weight left, armor first, heat second. You lose long range punch, add in close range and heat is much more manageable.

[@charlesa.7550]

​@@bladerunner3314 Thanks, I will try these things!

[@sgtrock2175]

Thunderbolt for me. I was really into the Robotech Defenders model kits in the early 80s, which were kits from japan re-boxed by Revell for western consumers. My favorite was Gartan, which was an Ironfoot from the Fang of the Sun Dougram animated series. When I saw him in the original 3025 tech readout I knew I had to get into BattleTech.

[@CrankyOldGamer]

Yes! I love the designs. And I truly dig the updated design Catalyst made for the T-Bolt

[@apothneisko]

Shadow Hawk! Just love the design with the shoulder mounted autocannon

[@CrankyOldGamer]

Has all the nostalgia feels too!

[@Engelbote117]

My problem was that I liked all mechs and I could always redesign the ones that fell short. So one day I got my tools and went to work pouring everything form childhood inspiration (my father played when I was young and still does now) to little quirks I thought were fun. The result was a completely new mech of my own design, and with the help of Solaris Skunk Works, the 'Mastiff' became my very own mech. To this day it remains my absolute favorite mech. My favorite standard mech design is my first, the spider 2C

[@CrankyOldGamer]

That is totally awesome! I had a similar thing - designed my own mech (35-tonner) and I loved it. It was so good/fun!

[@Engelbote117]

@@CrankyOldGamer custom mech designs are fun! I recently played a campaign set in the periphery in which I had a standard model sentinel that became a franken mech as parts had to be replaced.

[@thysvandenbos5111]

My first Lance was the Assault Lance ca. '90. It contained four of what I thought were the most beautiful beautiful 'mechs; a Battlemaster, a Marauder, and two Warhammers. I was enthralled! I got very heavily involved in the game only to find the Clan designs a few years later. I spent months bugging my hobby store about getting those minis (the original Heavy Clan quad), but I digress (sorry). My favorite has always been the Battlemaster, which for some reason I still find the most appealing to this day! Something about the whole design's look with the twin-barrelled PPC, all the odd lasers sticking out of the chest, the SRM launcher on the shoulder like a boom box, and the over-large "glass" cockpit just turns on my desire to blow other 'mechs apart with it! I think it's the look of a "mechanized" hunter on the prowl for some wild game to shoot with a twin shotgun.

[@Skringly]

So this is undoubtedly something of an uninspired answer but I'll raise my hand and say the Timber Wolf. When I was a little kid in the late 90's UK, I remember my Dad taking me into our town's local second hand geeky collector shop. You know, the sort of place that was dimly lit and was lined floor to ceiling with posters and shelves of movies, games, comics and toys. My Dad had said that I could pick out a game for our still then fairly new home PC and he might buy it for me. Excitedly I ran over to the computer game section and it wasn't long before I saw it; Mech Warrior 2. A Timber Wolf standing front and centre set against a firey explosion background. It was the first battle mech I ever saw and it was burnt into my mind as the moment I first came into contact with this wonderful IP. Admittedly it would be many more years before I learnt the reality of Battle Tech and it's tabletop game origin, but it was seeing that Timber Wolf that jumped out to my excited kid eyes that set me on the path to now beinga diehard Battle Tech fan.

[@CrankyOldGamer]

I love that story! I remember getting MW2 for playstation and loved it. Nothing wrong with that pick, the Timberwolf is crazy iconic and an amazing machine.

[@zhaimorenn8273]

This is the exact same experience I had. My dad took me to a computer store that had a section set aside for games back in the mid 90s. I asked if I could look at the games and he said sure. He spotted me within 2 minutes staring at Mech Warrior 2 with that glorious Timber Wolf standing boldly against an explosion back drop. 10 minutes later I was still staring at it. He took a look at the game and offered to buy it for me if I wanted it. 3 years later I'm at the mall checking out a nerdy shop with my dad and I see on display a Timber Wolf. It belonged to the store owner and he didn't have any in stock but showed me the Marauder and I recognized it too from my gaming experiences. I bought the Marauder and ordered the Timber Wolf that day lol.

[@brandobian4576]

Way back when I really had a thing for the Rifleman from the old 3025 TRO, and I still do, but I have since fallen in love with the Hammerhands. It was the precursor to the iconic Warhammer, and honestly has a charm all its own. By charm I mean dual AC/10's with 4 tons of ammo.

[@CrankyOldGamer]

And brother is that a lot of charm!!!

[@weirdslime262]

I dearly love the Highlander, that beautiful boxy head just appeals to me for reasons unknown and the simple fact that it's a jack of all trades and, I'd argue, master of all of them, regardless of what era you're using it in, seals the deal. I also appreciate the fact that none of the variant models change its role substantially; they just tweak which range bracket is the preferred one. It's always a capable mech at every range with DFA in its back pocket for when things get hectic.

[@CrankyOldGamer]

Thats a really great analysis. I have 1 painted Highlander for my Kurita force but it hasnt seen the table yet due to Covid. I need to fix that. I do plsy it often on MegaMek. It is a total bruiser. Love the jump jets. Its terrifying!

[@dhoffnun]

When I was a kid, I used to imagine that the neighbor's rectangular corrugated shed was actually the head of a giant robot, hidden mostly underground. In retrospect, that guy's shed looks a lot like the head of a Highlander...

[@DarthBludgeon]

My favorite was in the Ghost Bear expansion for Mech II; I had a Stone Rhino with 3 PPC's, sacrificing jump jets for extra heatsinks. In current game I really like the Marauder IIC with a similar configuration.

[@CrankyOldGamer]

As Im learning clans, Stone Rhino is brutal!

[@williamscarvie4498]

So glad you picked the Marauder. It’s my favorite too, for basically all the same reasons. Nostalgia is powerful :)

[@CrankyOldGamer]

I know right? Absolutely hands down most favorite mech ever. Not sure it could get dethroned for me.

[@kathilmechworks4895]

Well since I use it for an avatar. The Marauder. Does just about everything you want a heavy mech to do. Comfortable sitting in the back line sniping or it if needs to lead a break through assault, or dueling the other guys big scary mech. Versatile, timeless lot of great adjectives for the Marauder. I know there will be the screams of Orion, but another thing Marauder has that makes it the Iconic heavy mech It looks great too.

[@CrankyOldGamer]

I just can't stop loving that big chicken murder machine

[@obfuscatedhippo]

For 3025 .. I'd have to say the Jenner-F variant was huge in our group back in the 80's. 4 Medium Lasers - no SRM just lots, and lots of armor. Super-fast and deadly. I was always the GM so I got to play everything. If I had to pick a mech to pilot ~ I'd go Thunderbolt. Love the bulky design and the weapon load-out makes it versatile and lethal.

[@CrankyOldGamer]

Oh those are great picks. I have to say the new Catalyst update to the Thunderbolt looks so good its a contender for my favorite for sure. Such a tough mech and can really bring the pain.

[@Morfrim86753]

Gotta say I have been a fanboy of the Battlemaster BLR-1G stock, nice all around 'mech with good fire power great armour and even some rear mounted medium deterrents . This was my go to back in the 80's when I started and still love it today. Though a close second would be the Phoenix Hawk.

[@CrankyOldGamer]

Both great machines. PHX makes it into a LOT of my lists, I love it!

[@swankypants9366]

Something about the Hollander just does it for me. I'm a newbie to the series, and in my searches through Sarna, something about that HUGE torso gun on the tiny mech just made me love it. When I finally get a group to play with, that's gonna be my first choice. Runner up would probably be the Archangel. It's just so chunky.

[@CrankyOldGamer]

Those are some very cool and offbeat mechs! Let me know how they perform, I haven't played them yet!

[@poxous3854]

As a kid in the 80s the Marauder was sick looking to... then I saw a Catapult and was like...wow!!! then I saw a Mad Dog and a Timber Wolf and I was done. Now I love the Locust as a iconic mech. Love the art and playing the game in M.W.O.! Get on and blast some people!

[@CrankyOldGamer]

Totally! I find myself drawn to the chicken mechs too!

[@michaellehner3339]

CLNT-2-3T. It was what i got when i joined the Mechforce at that time. And i never lost the machine during a chapterfight. Despite my chapter leader ordering me to loose it, so i might be lucky for the next mech, i rather always brought it home. It once came home with all 20 rounds of AC ammo spent and the left torso being destroyed, but it still made it home...

[@mlundequist]

My favorite has always been the Thunderbolt. Back in 86 when we played the Mechwarrior RPG before we played City tech to learn tabletop playing, I loved the gatling gun looking cannon on the shoulder. Reminded me of the rocket launcher Arnold Schwarzenegger used in Commando. I do like the resculpt from last years new Battletech boxed set.

[@trilit2]

Centurion! Both the old and new version looks amazing, and it plays well too.

[@CrankyOldGamer]

You know I dig the Centurion but I don't play it nearly enough. I need to fix that. I really dig the MWO sculpt.

[@maxbrandt6]

It looks so generic!

[@devinmiller9765]

Personally I'm still very new to battletech, it's been in the background of my life since I was a kid since it is my dad's favorite setting. But personally I love the O.G. hunchback, the 4P variant is also a godsend I just love the feeling of being the Mike Tyson of medium mechs.

[@CrankyOldGamer]

Such a good machine!

[@dracul1986]

Having started my love for the games with the TDG, followed by Mechwarrior 2 Merc's and later Mechwarrior 2. I instantly loved the design of the Clan mechs. My first love was the Timber Wolf, but as I grew older I started loving the sleek design of the Vulture more. Since I was not all that good with heavy mechs in MWO I got tons of hours with just my Stormcrow and my Arctic Cheetah (dishing out my first 1000+ damage in a match was a blast, and getting tons of respect from the rest of the lane because I kept giving them support with my TAG laser). Since the latest games (Battletech and MW5) don't have any Clan mechs I started experimenting with some new tools, and I am loving my Wolverine at the moment. It is such a vast number of mechs to pick from, my preference just keeps changing and evolving.

[@CrankyOldGamer]

Thats one thing that I absolutely live about the game - so many options to choose from! Most of them are good, some great, and a few so bad you take em for the luls

[@Funkin_Disher]

I always find myself coming back to the Catapult. For clanners? Nova A, something about a dual PPC medium just feels right.

[@CrankyOldGamer]

Interesting. Im still learning Clans, Ill check the Nova out. Ill have to get that on the table.

[@Funkin_Disher]

@@CrankyOldGamer It's basically the same reason I love the Uziel: twin PPCs and Jump Jets.

[@CrankyOldGamer]

@@Funkin_Disher whats not to love?!?!

[@raymondwright5996]

I loved the look of the Barghest BGS-4T so I just ordered it from Iron Wind Metals. Can’t wait to paint this devil dog up in my custom Merc color scheme.

[@chrisgibson8863]

I came into battletech after MW2 so I have always leaned more towards clan mechs and of those I love the Mad Dog. I loved the look of it from the start. Kind of a leering, menacing predator stalking in the backfield. I love how even when an IS mech closes the distance with it they better hope whatever is left of their mech can piece together a good enough alpha strike to take it out because it's pulse lasers are going to gut them. I like it all the more because everyone is focusing on the Timberwolfs and the bigger mechs but it was the Mad Dog that did them in.

[@KamiKyojin]

Same! Also had MW2 (mercenaries however) as an entry-drug and remember the campaign storyline as one of the most "hold on a minute, this is is way bigger than I thought"-moments of my gaming life. I also remember when I had salvaged my first Mad Dog and took it for a spin. My first reaction was that it was ugly and silly, but then I got in the cockpit and I fell for it like a toddler down a flight of stairs. I could see -everything- from that top-mount, even behind me. Just that feeling of a fighter plane-like cockpit did it for me, the loadout and flexibility was just a bonus. I've been disappointed that it hasn't really showed up except in mods for the later games in the IP. A close runner up would be the Adder/Puma, and coincidentally for the exact opposite reason. In MW2 the carapace/shield was more pronounced and the cockpit really felt tucked in there snugly. Your field of view was highly limited and back then you couldn't really strafe, so it wasn't really a pleasant mech to run, but it felt safe. You were snuggled in between both hips and shoulders with a huge-ass shield giving you a portable cave, more or less. Being a pretty fast light with -dual- ER PPC didn't hurt much either tbh. It was a one-trick pony as a relocating sniper, but that was a damn fine trick.

[@pacecory1]

I'm still new to the game, but I think one of my favorites, right out of the gate, is the Black Knight. I saw that thing with a giant sword and shield and fell in love.

[@CrankyOldGamer]

Its super iconic and a GREAT mech, esp. Star League era. Its top flight.

[@James80312]

Its a toss up between the wolverine and the griffin. They both look really great and I like mediums the most. Specifically the 6K wolverine (because I really like the lasers over the autocannon) and the 1S griffin because lasers and it can get into close range better compared to the basic griffin, which is more of a sniper to me. Also I play a slightly modified 6k in MWO, so that has something to do with it too probably.

[@CrankyOldGamer]

Those are both really solid machines

[@baalguardian]

Favorite IS mech is the Hunchback Favorite Clan Mech is the Novacat My deepest darkest secret favorite is the Urbanmech

[@CrankyOldGamer]

Be out and proud with your secret love - Urbie is LIFE!!!!

[@RecklessFables]

Hunchies gotta Hunch

[@apothneisko]

I love the urbie!

[@bombomos]

The hunchie is a beautiful bastard. I love it alot, I usually have it in my Lance over some heavies.

[@Schplemphfo]

Hatchetman, it might not be great but I love it and it's weird head.

[@CrankyOldGamer]

What a great mech. The best time I've had with a Hatchetman was back in the day taking the head off a hunchback with the hatchet. Soooo good and a really memorable game!

[@dhoffnun]

For me, it's the Timberwolf - and I think it all started with seeing the Battletech 3050 book on a comic shop shelf (and subsequently buying it, along with a couple others - yes, just for the pictures became I was way too young and ADD at the time to grasp the actual game). From there, I honestly can't remember if I played the Battletech game on Sega Genesis (Mechwarrior 3050 on SNES) or Mechwarrior 2 on PC first, but I played them both a lot as a kid. I think I already liked the "Mad Cat" by the time I first sat down to play MW2, but that intro sequence sealed it for me. Even though it gets owned by a Summoner, it just looks so cool - and at least to my adolescent brain, it also looked the most feasible and straightforward of the mechs. Also a big fan of the Marauder, first seeing it as a Battle Pod in Robotech - which I rented on VHS from Blockbuster. Nostalgia layer-cake, right there. Obligatory Harmony Gold salt aside, that show alongside Captain Power really ignited my interest in mechs and robots. I remember my dad had a CG demo tape from when the Siggraph festival was public, and it had two pieces in it that captivated me as a young kid. A reel of the robots from Captain Power set to an INXS song, and a short clip from Patlabor showing the police robot articulating its hand. I think those two clips from that one tape sparked the whole obsession for me, and it's still going today.

[@CrankyOldGamer]

I know right? The nostalgia really brings me back. I literally spent most free hours of my youth in late 80s early 90s playing god knows how many hours of battletech

[@wileabcjo1882]

Mad Dog my favorite with Direwolf second.

[@CrankyOldGamer]

Some awesome machines there mate!

[@andrewszigeti2174]

While the Unseen hold a special place in my heart - being the first 'mechs in the game, and derived from mecha anime of the '80s - my favorite was a design from Battletechnology. The TIA-1N Titan. Two PPCs, 6 ML, 4 SRM-4 and an SRM-6, a great 100-tonner.

[@PhilosophicallyAmerican]

Practically all my background with this setting is from MechWarrior 5: Mercenaries with my friends. I fell in love with the Hunchback. It is allegedly only a medium, but it brawls like a heavy mech without the large profile. When my friend logged into my game and started looking at my hanger, I heard him exclaim "You have 6 Hunchbacks!" What? They work great? Honorable mention goes to the Battlemaster. I do enjoy running up to the enemy and blitzing them with 7 different lasers while yelling "Welcome to the rave!"

[@DocFlamingo]

I am also cranky, old, a gamer, and the Marauder is my favorite mech. Subbed!

[@CrankyOldGamer]

Hahaha thank you! Birds of a feather!

[@gruberjens4354]

If I had to choose one mech... The Summoner would be my first pick. First one I had as a real model and first one I played in the 3050 era games my old group played.

[@deece1482]

My favourite battletech is the blackjack. It's basically the T-34 of the inner sphere.

[@CrankyOldGamer]

Haha too right!

[@k3ndawg7]

Marauders FTW!!! Though I have a soft spot for the Mongoose too. In a duel, I took down a Banshee and a Hussar with a Mongoose. Once. 😎 My single greatest Battletech achievement. Though I doubt I could do it again. I love your content. And videos like this really help start conversations. Keep it up.

[@CrankyOldGamer]

Hey thank you for watching and participating, you all make this great!

[@CrankyOldGamer]

Mongoose may be my favorite light

[@ImperviousSC]

I've just ordered my starter set to the tabletop game, so I haven't played it yet. I have played a few of the videogames, and the one mech that always just felt right to me was the Hellbringer. It's not great at any one particular thing, but it's relatively fast, it can have decent armour, and still have a decent weapon loadout. It was a jack-ofall-trades. It was never my go-to mech in a mission where I needed extremely large mechs for a slugfest, or extremely fast ones for hit-and-run scenarios, but it worked great for pretty much every other type of mission out there. I always customized it though, because the default loadouts were awful. The hardpoint layouts are extremely flexible.

[@CrankyOldGamer]

I love the Hellbringer, just a bit too light on the armor for me

[@steveharrison76]

So, currently, my favourite is based on the Battletech computer game, because my experience does not *yet* include minis and the TTG, but that is the objective. I have a deep fondness for the Centurion (which I know is a little bit like saying 'I love Vanilla!') and the Locust (ditto), but my all time favourite is actually the Annihilator. It looks weird, with a strange sort of cockpit-shaped belly, but... sweet lord. I put UAC/2s on each hardpoint and two jump jets on it and enjoy the fact that it's slow as hell... because it does not need to move at all. I realise that this is not the same as the TTG, because the free hand you have in picking your armament is not so much the case for the TTG, but I do love my Annihilator. Far away? You've been cored. Closing in and moving up? OH LOOK YOU'VE BEEN CORED. Think you're hidden or out of range? CORED, SON! It's a stupid build, I get that, but it's heavily armoured, slow, looks goofy... and it's utterly lethal. It's like a belt sander for armour and myomer. I doubt I'll get one for my TTG Merc Group though, I want them to be a bit more scrappy. But my only compulsory purchase will be the Centurion - man, I love that mech. Locust is my number two priority; I love those zippy little guys.

[@CrankyOldGamer]

You know back in the day the Centurion never did it for me, but man Ive found religion on that machine

[@steveharrison76]

@@CrankyOldGamer Hahha! Yeah, it’s kind of iconic now… it’s a good mid ranger, plus it’s fun to imagine it being bullet-hosed and not caring, just shrugging off all the non-essential bits of metal that are getting blown off of it: for some reason it just looks like an old dog of war in all the minis I’ve seen of it. The sort of ‘mech where, if it went down, all the other pilots would scream “NOOOOOOOO!!!” or something XD I think I just like how it’s not some sort of complicated niche-filler: its not a warcrime-machine like the blackjack, or an artillery piece like the trebuchet, or a close range beserker like the kintaro / it’s just a big stompy robot that trashes things. A classic, I think. The sort of ‘mech grandpa used to drive back in the two-eighties… they don’t make ‘em like that anymore! XD

[@joaoespecial4168]

I like Catapults... any Caty. And LAMs they can be so versatille. I ended a long campaing (almost 2 years of real time) comanding a merc batallion from the back cockpit of a Batlemaster, full of maps and radios,for Steiner in the 4 War. Glory days.

[@joaoespecial4168]

Back in the early 90s...

[@dracofrisco9244]

Favorite IS mechs are the Orion and the Centurion. Classic 3025 models. For the clans mechs, the MadCat, no doubt.

[@CrankyOldGamer]

How can one not love the Mad Cat, so iconic. And so many variants. Orion really is a great mech. I dont know why I dont keep it as top of mind as I should.

[@kevincollier4147]

In 3025, I ran a Wolverine 6M for a while, then a Marauder that had both PPCs and the AC5 pulled out and replace with large lasers and heat sinks. It worked really well as you could run all 3 lasers if you walked all day long.

[@CrankyOldGamer]

I love it when you can fire everything and move and not gain appreciable heat

[@haroldbenton979]

The annilhitor gausslizza variation. But I only run 4 clan tech heavy gauss rifles and with a pair of er PPCS just in case I run out of ammo.

[@CrankyOldGamer]

Oooh that is a BRUTAL machine!

[@adamplaysbattletech3925]

The campaign mission was in a deep craggy valley and I finally reminded you about the JJ in round 8 😂. By then the fight was mostly over. Now it’s a running joke.

[@CrankyOldGamer]

Lol that it is!!!

[@nason.mcglinn]

I LOVE the Marauder 3r. Favorite mech by far. I would love the Mad Cat too if it wasn't dirty clanner tech. Close second has always been the Centurion, at least the mechwarrior version with the shield.

[@CrankyOldGamer]

I was never a huge fan of the Centurion till I saw the Mechwarrior version. Agree that version rocks. Now I have several! The Catalyst sculpt imho is one of the very few misses in the new Kickstarter releases.

[@mikhielthorsson6033]

Yes the Marauder is one, the Warhammer is another, and the Timber Wolf/Mad Cat. There's one more but I can't remember the name assault Mech with twin guass rifles.

[@CrankyOldGamer]

Might be a Nightstar youre thinking of? I love that machine

[@mikhielthorsson6033]

@@CrankyOldGamer Yes that's the one, I'm playing MW5 on Xbox and I had 2 until the new DLC drop erased the and a majority of the hero Mechs I had as well.

[@hexesandheroes]

Has to be the Vulture...then the Zeus, Warhammer, Rifleman, Marauder, Phoenixhawk LAM, Hunchback, Awesome & Thug. Too many to love.

[@CrankyOldGamer]

I hear ya - so many good machines!

[@WARdROBEPlaysWWII]

There’s something cool about those 80’s era books. Probably because that was my youth.

[@CrankyOldGamer]

Same. The nostalgia is strong.

[@phelyxz]

Marauder... first book i read had the marauder on the cover... though the mechwarrior games didnt have it playable it stayed my favorite

[@josepablolunasanchez1283]

My favorite light, Jenner. Quite a beast. Mad Dog is my favorite clanner. Heats a bit, but it is fast enough and has some punch. And Joanna loves it. Stalker is my favorite heavy. Unleash hell if you are willing to fry a mechwarrior. King Crab is my favorite assault. Looks cool but after it depletes ammo, it needs cover to retreat. Warhawk is the best clanner for beginners using heavies. Almost overpowered, may be slow, by hits very hard. And it has redundancy.

[@CrankyOldGamer]

Great machines all. Jenner almost feels like an auto-include its so good.

[@03dashk64]

Oh that’s a tough question. Probably a Shadowhawk. But I love the Urbanmech, Stinger, and Cyclops too.

[@03dashk64]

Battlemaster is great too!

[@CrankyOldGamer]

All great choices! I do love the Battlemaster too - such a great close-in brawler

[@thoruszwolf4153]

Always been a fan of the BattleMaster... made more tweaks to them than any other mech, my favorite drops the SRM-6 for jump-jets and an extra heatsink, gets the rear mounted lasers facing the right direction, and drops some machinegun ammo for another machine gun. One mech I love purely for the looks is the Uller (forgot what the clans call it, something lame i'm sure)

[@CrankyOldGamer]

Battlemaster is real good. Love stomping in and finishing people off with fisticuffs, so 😌

[@TheBrokensaintvxvx]

So I have 4 favorite mechs, and while I know this will brand me as a filthy clanner, 2 of them are the Shadow Cat, and the Cauldron Born. The last 2 are the Bushwacker, and the Phoenix Hawk

[@michaelhammond1243]

Gotta say my undying love belongs to the Catapult-K2. Twin PPCs, and 20 heat sinks to keep it niiiice and cool so I can fire both every turn without stopping. I’ll take it versus a Marauder or Warhammer any day of the week ^.~

[@CrankyOldGamer]

That is a sweet machine for sure! Great pick!

[@michaelhammond1243]

@@CrankyOldGamer Also! I would love to see those Battletech games turned in to content! Definitely has my attention.

[@CrankyOldGamer]

@@michaelhammond1243 Awesome! With the pandemic closing out and getting shots, may even be able to record a live game!

[@andyp2004]

marauder is definitely one of my favorites, but my favorite is the king crab because its just a fucking crab like the hilarity of it is perfect. also praise blake

[@CrankyOldGamer]

King crab is a very impressive mech!

[@andyp2004]

@@CrankyOldGamer I *LOVE* the Clanbuster variant

[@PlasticraicGaming]

Not been playing battletech very long. But so far my favourite mechs are. Wolverine for IS and Grendal for clan. I like faster more maneuverable mechs with some armour and a bit of a punch.

[@CrankyOldGamer]

The Wolverine is such a great pick. I dont know why but that mech is always so tough. It feels like I have to pumo a RIDICULOUS amount of firepower into it to take it down.

[@PlasticraicGaming]

@@CrankyOldGamer yeah it's a nice alrounder of a mech. Can do some brawling and take a few links along the way. The jump jets help you get yourself out of a sticky situation, something I find heavier mechs end up committed to due to lack of Mobility.

[@zraal3759]

Archer auto include for me regardless of era. Love the look of the original and the new models even better. Plus, only a little more battle value than a catapult, but does the same job, but with full arms, more armor, more ammo, more missle tubs, but no jump jets. Morgan kell and Jamie wolf both cannot be wrong about the archer :)

[@CrankyOldGamer]

I absolutely live the Archer. One of my top 5 favorite mechs, maybe even equal to Marauder to me. Its got everything I want and I love the new Catalyst sculpt. Whats not to love???

[@adamplaysbattletech3925]

BNC-5S Banshee. It sings to my Steiner side, and is an ugly duckling. For the Clan side, I have a soft spot for the Loki (Hellbringer). 3025 Era: Javelin. 12 SRMs to the face at 6/9/6 is tons of fun.

[@CrankyOldGamer]

Ya know Ive not played the Javelin much. I really should get some table time in with that dude.

[@CJamesGoode]

I'm right there with you. Marauder for Life. But if we are talking 75 tons I'm a MAD-5S kind of Guy. But prefer the Marauder II MAD-4S

[@CrankyOldGamer]

Marauder for life!!!!

[@ColourOfTheGods]

Damn, this is such a hard question. I love most mechs for different reasons, but I'm going to perhaps be a pariah and say my absolute favourite for tabletop is the Banshee. MWO is Jenner, hands down

[@CrankyOldGamer]

I know right? So many good machines. The updated Catalyst plastics made it even more difficult. Like, Im now in love with the Nightstar.

[@roguerifter9724]

Mine is the Penetrator. I love all energy weapon jump jet equipped heavies and this was the first Mech matching those criteria I played. Plus my favorite Battletech novel character uses one as his personal Mech. The main reason I dislike playing in the Succession Wars era so much is for some reason there has never been a canon jump jet equipped all energy heavy Mech design in the gap between the Star League and the 3040s. The Grasshopper-5N which I love, and is probably my second favorite canon design is a simple refit but for some reason the writers declared it wasn't around until the 3040s and that's my favorite canon Tech level 1 design. Edit: My issue with the Mad-5D is it has a Streak SRM 2. Why they updated a version designed to not need ammo and added a Streak SRM to it I will never understand. When I get one in a campaign or the RPG I strip the missile launcher, ammo, and CASE asap then replace them with a third Medium Pulse Laser and an extra Heat Sink. My favorite official Marauders as the two Word of Blake 9W variants Sure its weird for a Marauder to only have one PPC, a Snub Nose replacing the usual Autocannon but the jump range on those babies makes up for it IMO and I'm ok with the two ER Large Lasers as the main long range weapons.

[@roguerifter9724]

Turns out there actually is one officials jump jet equipped all energy Inner Sphere heavy from the lostech era the Viper VP-5. It was apparently introduced in a PDF I missed early 2023 as part of an Iclan era tech readout because the original lostech equipped version, and later lostech equipped versions didn't come back into production or enter production until the Dark Ages. I still don't see what took them so long. Making an all energy Guillotine variant based off the 4L is easy. Swap the SRM-6 and ammo for a pair of Medium Lasers, and two heat sinks. You lose two points of max damage output but you know longer have to worry about ammo explosions. I came up with that idea when I was nine or ten. Whenever I first played the tabletop game with dad and his friends, and they introduced me to the 3025 era rules and designs. (I started playing with them soon after turning nine but that was around the time Tech Readout 3055 came out, and they were focused on the 3050s and the new toys for a while so we didn't run anything set in the 3025 era until several months later) Or just make the Grasshopper 5N appear a couple of centuries sooner since all it requires is swapping the Large Laser for a PPC, plus adding a Medium Laser and some heat sinks.

[@aidangeis4686]

Completely new so it could be terrible but I love the look and idea of the Phoenix Hawk

[@CrankyOldGamer]

Phoenix Hawk is one of my favorite mechs, def top tier medium mech for me

[@bladerunner3314]

What I'd like to know is, where does the mini in the thumbnail originate. It isn't an old schoolm Marauder and sure as hell not one of the reseen ...

[@CrankyOldGamer]

Its the brand new Catalyst Marauder from the recent kickstarter

[@bladerunner3314]

@@CrankyOldGamer Oh, those are all box sets, right?

[@CrankyOldGamer]

@@bladerunner3314 yeah that one is in the Command Lance I believe

[@bladerunner3314]

@@CrankyOldGamer If you want to try a more classic look, and stand ins for the likes from the Phoenix Hawk to the Marauder, take a look at the 1/285 kits by kids logic. Basically it's the whole Robotech batch of unseens minus Stinger, Wasp and Valkyrie

[@semperatis]

It has to be the Shadow Hawk for me, granted the SHD-2H isn't known for it's damage output,but it's one the most iconic mechs of all time,next to the MAD-3R. If using Clans,which I'm not really keen on,it has to be a Piranha,just for the Death By a Thousand Cuts madness.( 2x ERML, 12x MG's). Yup,I'm another grumpy old git.

[@CrankyOldGamer]

Thats a great clan mech. Shadowhawk is a bit pillow-fisted in its standard variant, but there are some really great variants that are stone cold killers!

[@fredkuxhouse8939]

As a new player to battletech I would like to see a video of a game. Thx

[@odinulveson9101]

Where do I begin, top of my head😂 ❗️ IS Battlemechs + Omnimechs:: Flea, Owens, Raven, Raptor, Firestarter/ omni, Shadowhawk, Blackjack, Enforcer, Dervish, Jagermech, Thunderbolt, Marauder, Tenchi, Deimos, Champion, Roughneck, Thanatos, Sagittaire, Banshee, Stalker, Hatamoto Chi, Corsair, Marauder mk II, Highlander, Nightstar, Fafnir, Mauler. ❗️Clan Omnimechs + Battlemechs: Jenner IIc, Kit Fox/ Ullr, Cougar, Mist Lynx, Arctic Cheetah, Shadow Cat, Incubus, Nova/ Blackhawk, Arctic Wolf, Ice Ferret/ Fenris, MadDog/Vulture/ Mk II+III+IV, Timber Wolf/ MadCat, Ebon Jaguar, Sun Spider, Black Lanner Savage Wolf, Marauder IIc, Kodiak, Supernova, Warhawk/ Masakari,

[@CrankyOldGamer]

Great machines!

[@Paltse]

UrbanMech, the most plausible mech of all. Stumpy, or more military parlance, lower profile. Less of leg space to blow up as opposed to real life tracked vehicles. About the same amount of weapons as a contemporary MBT with more crew than one mech.

[@CrankyOldGamer]

You know... you're not wrong!

[@DrVanBoom]

Marauder... After reading the first novels of the GDLegion 😅

[@CrankyOldGamer]

Its the bestest mech!

[@christopherjoachimwallat1429]

I prefer heat-balanced energy-weapon-heavy medium 'Mechs, especially the Wolverine WVR-6M and Phoenix Hawk PXH-1D.

[@CrankyOldGamer]

Phoenix Hawk is definitely one of my medium favorites. The Wolverine always blows me away how survivable it is

[@armondphilmon]

Watching this video after watching your most recent video. My favorite is the Thunderbolt, especially the 5SE. It's a great battle-line brawler and can augment roles pretty well. I love the old aesthetic as well, I enjoy ugly mechs. An ugly mech for an ugly time! My follow-up with favorite is the Battlemaster.

[@skavenmatt3904]

Gol-1H is my favorite mech of all time

[@CrankyOldGamer]

Interesting! Ill confess, Ive never played one. Now Im intrigued. What about it do do love especially about it. give me more!

[@skavenmatt3904]

@@CrankyOldGamer basically just the look and the old quad mech rules. It's very expensive for a single ppc platform.

[@maxbrandt6]

The Blackjack! 😅

[@CrankyOldGamer]

I try to love the Blackjack but it just dies so damn fast!

[@death2all79zx]

IS Marauder. Clan Summoner.

[@CrankyOldGamer]

We think alike my friend!

[@MasterGenshu]

Favorite IS mech is the Mauler Favorite Clan Mech is the Timberwolf People always give me shit for liking these. If I had to choose a backup it would be the Marauder or Axeman.

[@CrankyOldGamer]

Those are some great machines. Maulers don't make it into neay enough of my lists. I need to fix that.

[@DanSchuhrke]

I always take ap ammo for the ac2's in my mauler and critseek. Its a great mech. Just gotta stay off the trigger on the er large lasers or the heat will bring it down.

[@MasterGenshu]

@@CrankyOldGamer I have love for the mauler because of the cartoon. I had the toys as a kid. I still have 1 fully functional Mauler and 2 for parts. Plus many others.

[@MasterGenshu]

@@DanSchuhrke True!

[@D00MerJohn]

WITHOUT a doubt the classic Marauder and Warhammer, tied.

[@CrankyOldGamer]

Two of my faves!

[@captainsquarters1030]

I'd have to say the Catapult.

[@CrankyOldGamer]

Great machine. So good at all ranges. It is probably one of the best all-rounder IS mechs in the game

[@dwanejohnson7359]

1 wolf's dragoons, marauder 2. 2 victor. 3 assassin

[@chiggy123jsm]

Battlemaster!!

[@CrankyOldGamer]

The true master of the battlefield!

[@kraeutemall]

Ma Rauder!

[@CrankyOldGamer]

YEEESSSSS!

[@ashhawk7489]

Nightstar because it’s a gause monster

[@CrankyOldGamer]

Its a beast of a machine

[@Gahmaz0z]

Timber Wolf

[@CrankyOldGamer]

Great machine! One ofvmy favorite clanner machines

[@trashtronics1700]

Mad cats madcats for daysss son😂

[@z3r0_35]

I have a real soft spot for the UrbanMech, even though I know it's shit (most of the time).

[@CrankyOldGamer]

It is pretty bad in game but Ive got a soft spot for it too. And, its always underestimated!

[@Eserchie]

Catapault K2 and derivatives.

[@CrankyOldGamer]

Catapults such a great chassis

[@darkstorminc]

Marauder is great until you take a gauss round to the head. On the first turn. Killing your elite commander.

[@CrankyOldGamer]

Wouldnt that happen to just about every mech?

[@darkstorminc]

@@CrankyOldGamer not on the first turn lol At long range. Or did you skip that part.