Battletech: Initiate Revisited Mercenary Commanders Thoughts From The Inner Sphere Episode 378

[@WRXSEVEN]

In a game as diverse as Battletech, we need mechs that fill the role of a cheap, multi-role trooper. The Initiate is just that type of mech. It's perfect for filling out Level IIs of "bad-guys" in the WoBM.

[@Helcarexe26]

@@WRXSEVEN Exactly, you can't always be running fancy expensive mechs in your formation. They're very useful for plugging holes in your lineup

[@nathanbrown8680]

I have a soft spot for budget troopers like this, but it really needs jumpjets. It's not quite at the durability level where the mech crit table decisively outperforms the tank crit table. It'll handle LBX fire better, but it's not going to handle Gauss fire as well. And a similar sized tank fits in a 50 ton bay. You use trooper mechs to hold the flanks of your tank force in terrain tanks have trouble with, which means terrain jumpjets are really helpful in. Non-jumping medium troopers only make sense if you're playing mech only. Or playing corporate wellfare, but that only justifies stuff with Star League era origins. The unCASEd ammo when you demonstrably have access to CASE is also an unforced error.

[@Helcarexe26]

@nathanbrown8680 It's a decent mech for the most part and I agree that it should have jump jets for increased mobility for getting around terrain. Vehicles can do a lot of the same work cheaper, but having a few mechs in the formation like this one is a good bonus. I don't know of many mechs or vehicles that handle a Gauss Rifle or Clan ERPPC very well. I have a soft spot for mechs that operate similarly to the Succession Wars mechs. Have a good day

[@JosephMitchell-zw3db]

Cool thanks 😅

[@Helcarexe26]

@@JosephMitchell-zw3db Thanks 👍😎👌

[@basicminiaturepainting]

Another great mech,looks like Jonny 5 from the film short circuit on steroids

[@Helcarexe26]

@@basicminiaturepainting I can't unsee that now as a design. 👍😎👌 Have a great day

[@sharlin648]

The initiate's an odd duck, most 40 tonners are fast but this thing is lumbering, its a trooper with a weapon for every range and its got quite a punch, but that slow speed makes it easy to hit. And its only a 40-ton mech with not too much armour even if it has got a lot for a mech its size.

[@Helcarexe26]

@sharlin648 It does fit right into the average slow moving mechs commonly found in the medium to assault speeds. I tend to look at it as a good addition for providing firepower

[@fearanarchy]

ROFL.. that pose combined with the color scheme just makes me think Warhammer 40k. Another informative video about a unit I previously had no feelings on.

[@Helcarexe26]

@fearanarchy It does seem to have some similarities with 40k items like the older epic Knights

[@edwardclay7551]

I honestly looked at the mechs produced in the Australian factory for the WoB bc I am in Australia. Kyudo, Initiate, Spartan, Hoplite, Raijin II, Lightray, Deva, Grigori, Preta. I have a lot of Purifier Battle Armour but after those mechs I am planning on adding in more Demon Armour and some of the Tau Wraith and Tau Zombie squads.

[@Helcarexe26]

@@edwardclay7551 Looking like a good start for the WOB force

[@Magermh]

Initiate INI-02 The Initiate is as much trash as an Urbanmech. It is a mech called “trash” but is useful in urban warfare. I would rather run a Vulcan VT-5M for 200 less BV or run the mech with a Vulcan. The Initiate INI-02 has a BV of 1036. You’re able to accept that the mech was designed for 4/5 pilots in mind. One can believe that the Initiate is a poor man’s Albatross. The slow speed and lack of jump jets informatively situates this mech into units with medium mechs like the Wyvern, heavy mechs like the Orion and assaults like the Albatross. I own a mini and have played with the mech several times and often deploy it with the Magi Infantry Support Vehicle UCSV with ether Tornado PAL’s, Achileus, and Purifiers. The lack of Artemis IV is a blessing for the missiles. The LRM-15 is fair with Semi-Guided rounds that would be useful in supporting Achileus and Purifiers. The SRM need special ammos. I absolutely would take tandem charge SRMs or infernos. For anti-infantry SRM rounds are best served with tear gas or Anti-personnel ordinances. NARC rounds may be respected. The AMS is good to shoot down missiles from infantry laying in ambush. The best thing about the mech is the armor. It is well armored for a 40-tonner. The Initiate INI-04 is an improvement, the loss of the LRM-15 is a downer. The gain is in mobility of jump jets netting the mechs movement at 4/6/4. The added C3I is a bonus to any low-end pilot of 4/5. The two light PPCs have greater range, the SRM-6 was replaced by an MML-7 that I like to call an SRM-7. The MML is better utilized with SRM ammo. The battery of small lasers is augmented with pulse technology. A bonus vs infantry and battle armor to mitigate smoke. Unless laser inhibiting screens that I am playing with currently. I hold this 04 version of the mech in higher regards. I read about those games in Ohio in a player driven community news article. Blame you for evolving the game by playing the game. Blame is not always negative but maybe used to often for negatives. Sharing my own notes.

[@Helcarexe26]

@Magermh It's a plugged mech that slowly gets the job done in a style similar to our beloved Succession Wars mechs. I agree that it should have a few tons dedicated towards jump jets for increased mobility like found in the one version. We kept driving forward to WOB storyline in those years, it did come to a close when the game masters made us switch sides and not fight as WOB forces. Have a great day

[@Magermh]

@@Helcarexe26 You too. WoB forces have fun and interesting gameplay set into there units. I do have a WoB Level III that has to be finished one of these days. They would make a good OpFor for a campaign. I normally play Comstar, Merc, Davion, and Steiner. The players that taught me Battletech where mostly Marik, Kurita and Capellon. I also had a Wolf in there for the clan units. Please forgive the massive comments. Often I am losing the papers for my units as they where never digital. I often return to review them.

[@Helcarexe26]

@Magermh The WOB are fun faction for a bunch of crazy 🤪 fanatics