Battletech Lore - Land-Air Mech Models

[@GrimDarkNarrator]

Felt really ill with nausea today, so I couldn't make the regular 40k episode. Enjoy this Battletech video from my emergency stash instead :)

[@JZ0UK]

Get well soon mate 😊

[@thegreatbamboozler4837]

Feel better GDN.... you serve a valuable purpose on this planet :)

[@ZombieSexmachine]

Get well. Was wondering do you play any Battletech? Like video games or the tabletop game. Did you get in on the Battletech clan invasion kickstarter? I'm looking forward to the new plastic mechs with modernised sculps. The old models often didn't represent the sizes of the mechs well and had lower details.

[@Autobotmech]

As always, entertaining, and informative. Found the Wanata to be the most interesting. Always a fan of LAMs if only from the original Stinger design as lifted from Robotech/Macross.

[@alexandarvoncarsteinzarovi3723]

Transform and roll out!

[@GrimDarkNarrator]

Get ready to crumble, before Rumble!

[@alexandarvoncarsteinzarovi3723]

@@GrimDarkNarrator Megatron does not yield he conquers! Decepticons forever!

[@Peter_Morris]

Oh man I’ve been waiting for this episode! I find these things fascinating, given how compromised they are. Still, you’d think they would be the ultimate hit-and-run weapon. Fly in behind enemy lines, transform to sustain fire so you’re not wasting time turning for strafing runs, then fly back out before the enemy can organize resistance. That’s how I’d try to use them, anyway. But maybe there’s better regular battlemechs fir that.

[@dubuyajay9964]

Alas, not everyone in Battletech (both in fiction and ppl playing the video games and tabletop) thinks of that. 🤦‍♂️ Still, not proud to ask, but how do you know when to use LAM hybrid mode instead of the fighter or mech mode?

[@GrimDarkNarrator]

Seems like hit and run attacks was what they were designed for.

[@spawnof200]

basically a cross between fast jets, helicopters and light tanks

[@irishijo1]

​@@dubuyajay9964 It really all depends on the ruleset. Under the original rules, Airmech mode was treated like a Mech with the ability to work like a WiGE, and with no accuracy penalties. This meant that in Airmech mode, a LAM could function exactly as a mech, while moving dramatically faster than any mech, upwards of 36 movement points, and with the ability to increase and retain its altitude. The obvious downside in the original ruleset was its lack of armor/weapons, making them very squishy. Unfortunatly in modern rulesets, Airmech mode has serious accuracy penalties, on top of the tonnage limit and the inability to use weight-saving technology like Endosteel, Light or Extra Light engines, or Fero Fiberous. The obvious advantages of the LAM being excellent speed for a Mech, and relativley decent flexability for any vehicle in the setting, but at the cost of the whole fanbase more or less treating them like the butt of an incredibly old and not funny joke. So much so, that the most recent officially created LAM is the Urbanmech LAM, or so at the current time. Its unlikely that LAMs will get any new rules or new equipment functionalities, which is unfortunate.

[@Xarcht]

The clan people couldn't handle the best in flexibility armored vehicles. So they had them removed from play. I prefer mixed arms and LAMs were a perfect fit for me.

[@Colonel_Overkill]

We all know if the clans made a LAM it would be called Optimus, if for no other reason than to run the prime variant and see the stony look of rage that comes from every great pun presentation.

[@dubuyajay9964]

Jade Falcon legitimately tried. Because Totem Animal.

[@simonwillis1529]

I only know of battletech through the 90s cartoon and mech warrior 3 always loved mechs but know there is a lot to learn

[@GrimDarkNarrator]

There's a huge amount of lore on the setting.

[@Mecha82]

Fun fact: while events of BT cartoon aren't canon cartoon itself is canon as anti-Clan propaganda show in Lyran Alliance. Also Adam Steiner become eventually Archon making him only Archon to have been MC of fictional show.

[@Kattbirb]

I absolutely love my Shadow Hawk LAM. I understand that it isn't as good of a choice as any of my other aerospace assets, but it's just so unique. That's so very appealing to me as a narrative player. Also, dropping bombs from a Battlemech never gets old.

[@Morachnyion]

Hah!! Loved that I was originally able to help you with the Pwwka’s pronunciation from the original video. As for the last wobbie l name I guess your right. I do t know. .

[@GrimDarkNarrator]

Thanks for the tips!

[@bluelionsage99]

I like the old borrowed "Robotech" artwork versions over the 2010 stuff.

[@Mecha82]

F Harmony Gold and Robotech. I have watched shows that they used to make Robotech and those are so much better than what Harmony Gold frankensteined from those.

[@Wrangler-fp4ei]

Sorry to be johnny come lately, I did enjoy this video and rest of the series. One thing I do think was miss rules of original FASA book differ from the modern ones. Thus why the LAMs did not perform as well as they do then.

[@kahtrellscott1436]

Awesome mech jets

[@DocWolph]

The Best land-air mecha, not necessarily Battletech, had to be the flying "knights" from the anime series "Escaflowne". They did not really transform much. Their were designed with curved and edged armor that, with they tucked in their arms and twisted their legs slightly, formed a lifting body design allowing them to fly with remarkable ease and maneuverability. Granted, this was an Anime and so likely not even plausible, especially with a world with a technological disparity so vast that the Mechs would be functionally impossible without "techno-magic" or "Technomancy". But given the enormous possibilities within various Fantasy and Sci-Fi universe, these mecha would be anywhere from reasonably plausible to unavoidably doable.

[@DeepInsideZettaiRyouiki]

Heh... far me more plausible than "liquid metal" weapon systems they used ...also super unique and not seen until maybe something like nano-blades from "After Earth" with Will "smack you in tha face" Smith. Loved that anime, just after Macross Plus.

[@docvaliant721]

My man horse

[@docvaliant721]

I like the book where horse goes to the smoke jaguar home world at the jade falcon research facility to work on the air ground mechs. Gets together with a bloodnamed mech warrior.

[@jasonulysess3652]

Hello KZbin algorithm. Hope you are already feeling better.

[@generaldvw]

Cool!!!

[@timshen6516]

I wish they would have left it just a land/air mech, not a aerospace fighter. They would have made more sense.

[@thegreatbamboozler4837]

In the words of Jeff Spicoli, "Awesome.... Totally Awesome." I'm an old-tech guy so I prefer the ones from the early 1990's that were virtual rip-offs from Macross……. ALOT of people hate LAMS and they're super fragile in combat BUT nothing could match taking a Phoenix Hawk LAM, in air mode, and making moves like an Aerotech fighter meaning you could STRAFE a map causing damage to MULTIPLE enemy 'mechs...in one attack phase. Super, super technical 'mech that suffered immensely with cannibalization when the Star League fell and los-tech was vanishing from the Inner Sphere almost daily. I think I even still have a few wrapped in foam somewhere!

[@WastelandSeven]

Actually FAFSA bought the drawings in the original Battletech in good faith from the artist and HG sued them. Then again, HG sues anyone with mecha in their games in the US because they're greedy douchbags. Even if the mech designs are not derived from Macross, or the other series they turned into Robotech.

[@tyreecebaker6600]

👍

[@tablekun8690]

Did they really try and make it fly?

[@GrimDarkNarrator]

yup

[@ianholmquist8492]

WiddoutFurdoowadooo

[@gregdomenico1891]

LAM's; Jack of all trades, masters of absolutely none. As a quick strike/recon unit, they have their uses. The major issue really is the conversion equipment. It's both fragile and bulky. In Mech mode, you lose armor and firepower ( also you have the added joy of carrying fuel around), and in air mode you suffer from low fuel and the drag of the mech components. One hit to any of it, and you're stuck in that mode. Against certain enemies that don't have AA or fighters, they have their uses. Against any one with a combined arms approach, they are toast.

[@GrimReaperGaming2031]

so give them a skip unless you are dealing with idiots?

[@thegreatbamboozler4837]

@@GrimReaperGaming2031 Well... let's just say you don't want to go up against a Rifleman, or Jagermech in one of these :)

[@jamesm783]

@@GrimReaperGaming2031 or clanners?

[@ThugShakers4Christ]

The fuel issue was always the dumbest piece of lore, possibly in all of Battletech. The damn thing is powered bya nuclear reactor! Empty or full, the weight of the fuel is going to be completely negligible!

[@jasonulysess3652]

Hello KZbin algorithm look what you are doing to this guy.

[@JZ0UK]

1st to... Hey these are not the droids I was looking for.... On the other hand this looks totally macross so I guess I'll stay 😁

[@MOrab46019]

Grear better

[@AMX0009]

"Yo hurry up and make these things irrelevant so we don't get sued by harmony gold, because we sued paymates over exo squad and killed it And now we are worried about harmony gold doing it to us." Probly a fasa head in the early 90s

[@TymersRealm]

not Mattel, but Playmates. Then HG saw it happening and said to Playmates, "Ya know..."

[@AMX0009]

@@TymersRealm I see your a man of culture has while, I appreciate it the heads up

[@WastelandSeven]

They did sue them. Then again HG sues anything with mecha in it that's small enough to be shook down without putting up a fight. The bastards would sue Macross, Southern Cross, and Mospeda if they could get away with it. And they've done everything to keep the original series out of the US that they can while sitting on the IP and doing nothing.

[@AMX0009]

@@WastelandSeven that's the joke fasa sued play mates for using a large mecha in the exo squad season 2 it looked like a mad cat it had toy come out and playmates abandoned the franchise because of it, on the other hand harmony gold loaned the macross destroids designs to use on the playmates exo squad toy line. They saw this happen and that's when they sued fasa over the use of the macross designs and a bunch of others. Harmony gold is often the villain in the story when all their really guilty of was having more money at the time.

[@TymersRealm]

@@WastelandSeven ::: looks at the ADV dub of Macross ::: While I share your ire about HG's dickery about everything produced after SDF Macross, HG did allow releases of Macross not only once, but twice.

[@Bafimar01]

I love your Battle Tech content so I like every video but Lams need to die. I really do not like them. That being said I love your approach to presenting them. You do a great job.

[@GrimDarkNarrator]

Glad you enjoyed it.

[@GrimReaperGaming2031]

lightly armed, no armor, and basically massive aircraft in a world where missiles,lasers and auto-cannons are a thing.........i think i would rather be in the infantry then pilot one of these coffins

[@dubuyajay9964]

Read the comments. Some people actually do well using them.

[@GrimReaperGaming2031]

@@dubuyajay9964 when i talk about piloting these vehicles i mean if they were real........not on the tabletop in real life these things would be coffins that fly

[@thegreatbamboozler4837]

@@dubuyajay9964 Yes... you can do well with them.... but typically not for very long :)

[@GrimDarkNarrator]

@@GrimReaperGaming2031 Well remember that in Battletech, missile technology is so "good" that they can only accurately target you at a few hundred meters away :D But I agree they are very fragile.

[@GrimReaperGaming2031]

@@GrimDarkNarrator the Germans in ww2 have better missiles then people who create massive walking killing machines and advanced space warships.......these are the things that hurt me when i look into battletech lore

[@jman41171]

I always found the LAMs to be rather stupid. Back when they were licensing the anime mecha in the early game they were included because they looked cool I guess, but they they got sued and they vanished. Really they are the only unseen I don't miss. :P

[@NodDisciple1]

Someone call the "no fun police" please. I just found Buzz Killington from Family Guy.

[@ME262MKI]

When Battletech goes full weebshit