Battletech Lore - Mackie Assault Battlemech

[@mikefanofGDNgenuinedarksyde703]

Wow...a true path-forger...monolith of history. Literal monolith, on any battlefield at that time. Ancestor 'Mech and relic heavily worthy of respect. You're right, Narrator, it is somewhat surprising that the first design was an Assault model. Although, since they were gonna go 'big' on everything particularly unprecedented resource expenditures on the construction of this particular proto-unit, then why not go fully 'up to 11' on weaponry and armor? Assured enemy destruction. It's just like an academy, and/or museum, to send out anything, everything and antiques for its own defense. Like the school's janitor charging into the fray instead of cowering in his closet. The profile of the Mackie was certainly fearsome, particularly to militaries facing anything of its kind for the very first time. A possible legacy of seven centuries for some surviving mega-veterans is damned impressive no matter the time period or location within BattleTech history - especially as examples of the flagship BattleMech. As for selecting a specific variant, well...they have interesting loadouts as the premiere design of the very first 'Mech, but I like reading Frank Smedley's usual comprehensive and knowledgeable comment as a veteran Mechwarrior. This was really neat to see and learn about, GDN. I'd had no preconceptions or expectations, I only realize now, of what the very first 'Mech would've been like. Now I know, in typically terrifically-presented fashion. Thank you, Narrator, for taking us to one of the most ancient eras covering the most essential development in this universe. 'Til your next broadcast from there, be well and have an awesome week!

[@donright4492]

I like the Mackie but when it comes down to it Mike I'm more of a light Mech kind of guy who likes to run and guns in a good decent Mech What would be your favorite Mech to use in a fight Mike🤔

[@mikefanofGDNgenuinedarksyde703]

@@donright4492 I had to think over my answer to that question, don, because my experience with BattleTech has been limited...short and sweet, to an earlier MechWarrior game and not since the end of the '90s. When truly-desktop-covering dashboards replicating 'Mech cockpits were being come up with. Of those too-few designs that I piloted and not only faced-off with in-game, I guess I'd have preferred one of the Wolfs, Timber or Dire, or the Nova (a.k.a. Black Hawk). I like armor and a well-rounded weapons loadout but I'm a sucker for throwing in jump jets.

[@donright4492]

Very interesting choice and still you got to love those all rounded Mech's Plus jump jets always good for any Mech

[@Brofisticus]

Thanks for the video, chief. Everyone likes to point and laugh at the ancient museum piece plodding across the battlefield. That is... until the machine older than their family tree decides yours could use some pruning.

[@joeblack5393]

Hey GrimDark, im not sure if your narration improved, or ive gotten used to you, but man, your videos are so much easier to listen to now than earlier on. Whatever it is, keep it up!

[@darkhobo]

Agreed. I think it's more confidence + a better mic improving the quality of his videos.

[@GrimDarkNarrator]

Glad you think so. I like to think its the new mic.

[@donright4492]

this is one of my friends favorites since he is a heavy Mech Guy and the name itself Mackey Kind of reminds me of old Irish pub I've once visited in Chicago For a couple of drinks with my friends

[@peters6345]

Great video:) the 2ppc and AC 20 model is not too bad for a museum piece

[@waverlh]

Great review of an icon! Thank you.

[@katabolik-dev]

I like the version shown around 00:07:15. The two medium lasers look like they're on a spery-ball turret and could possibly aim with the arms at targets.

[@docvaliant721]

The true mastermind of battlemechs is Jacob Cameron’s Mullet.

[@christopherperrote7780]

Great video GDN! Your work has gotten really polished and very good. I have to say tho, you need to put some respect on my boy Star Captain Horse's name (aka Tyle, named after his father), for he wasn't just "a Jade Falcon warrior", he was a Freeborn hero with several lines in the Falcon Remembrance, and hand picked by Khan Marthe Pryde to lead The Khan's Irregulars. On a side note, I've always thought he must've been piloting an MSK-9H series Mackie as the text of "Freebirth" by Robert Thurston refers to "PPC's" plural. I would bolster this argument by pointing out that the -9H was the last in the production series of Mackies and prized by Terran Hegemony Militia; making it likely that particular 'mech has a storied and glorious battle history. Thank you once more for the delightful content! 👍🏽

[@joshuamidgette4846]

If you think about it, even the primitive versions, if your basic militia mech is a 100 ton assault mech, that is terrifying to your basic pirate raider.

[@christopherperrote7780]

I think it's worth pointing out and remembering that when the Mackie first dropped, it's main guns could defeat the older armor types (BAR 9 or lower) that it encountered more easily, sometimes causing catastrophic damage with a single shot.

[@wraith7989]

It makes sense that a group as arrogant and paranoid as the TH would skip the small stuff and go right for an assault mech. Fear and overwhelming firepower is totally their style.

[@franksmedley7372]

Hello Grim. Another awesome video. The Mackie was the first Mech ever made, and being such, the designers built the largest they could design and build. This was probably due to wanting as much space available inside the 'hull' to accommodate the weapons and equipment of the 'current' technologies available. Against the Tanks and other Vehicles of the period, it was a 'monster'. Able to traverse terrain, their vehicles could not, and thus gain tactical advantages that were impossible before the advent of the Battlemech. I tend to agree that a comparison of the Mackie with ANY Clan Mech leads to a false conclusion. The Mackie held its own against all the early Mech designs of the Era, and only became 'outmoded' due to not being upgraded with new tech, as it became available. For myself, I took an MSK--9HKR and modified it to have Endo-Steel internal structure. This freed up 5 tons of mass to use for other needs. In my case, I added 3 more Medium Lasers and 2 additional Double Heat Sinks (14 total). Doing this gives the Mackie a long range strike ability with the 2 PPCs (20 heat) and the ability to run and stay totally cool (28 heat), even if one fires off the pair of LB-10X ACs as well (26 heat). This is due to the total of 14 IS-DSHS within the Mech. For shorter ranges, the Mackie now sports FIVE Medium Lasers total (15 heat), and can 'run and gun' without heat buildup (17 heat). For 'intermediate' ranges, the pilot has the choice of what weapons to bring to bear most efficiently, which would be a mix of the PPCs, AC-10s, and the Medium Lasers. Since the LB-10-x ACs have NO minimum range, they can be fired at the same time as the Medium Lasers, while the Mech runs at flank speed, without heat issues (2+2+3+3+3+3+3+2 = 21 total heat, including movement). With a total 'heat delta', or maximum cooling, of 28 per turn of combat, you can easily see that a single PPC (10 heat) could be fired along with both ACs (total of 14 now), and 'flank speed' (full run), which would only increase the heat delta to 16, leaving 12 cooling available... which just happens to be same heat delta as four of the five Medium Lasers. So, firing at no closer than 90 meters, out to the maximum range of the Medium Lasers, less the single, 5th Laser, would not overheat the Mech. And even firing that 5th Laser, would only increase the heat delta total by 3, over the maximum cooling rate. At that rate, it would take 3 or 4 combat turns to have any 'significant' drawbacks to generating excess heat. To me, this is a sign of a 'superior' design. Drawbacks to the design after the Clans invade are significant, however... All weapons, excepting the LB-10-Xs, are 'older' models, with shorter maximum ranges. A way to offset this is to replace the Fusion Engine with an XL variant instead, and leave the Internal Structure as 'original'. This frees up enough space and weight to include 3 Jump Jets, at the cost of half a ton of Armoring. Reducing overall Armor tonnage to 18.5 tons. The design still has the twin PPCs, twin LB-10-X ACs, and the 5 Medium Lasers, as well as the 14 total Inner Sphere double strength heat sinks. The additional mobility due to the Jump Jets, in an Urban setting, should aid the new Mackie to make it more effective at ambushing invading Mechs and vehicles in that setting. Just a few thoughts... speaking, Frank-ly.

[@GrimDarkNarrator]

Thanks for the input as usual, Frank!

[@georgesulea]

"THE" original battlemech. I thought you'd already done this one. Very cool. (And, on top of all that history, the first every mech with a dual assault penis...)

[@lexington476]

Another great one by gdn.

[@GrimDarkNarrator]

thanks.

[@malcontender6319]

The progenitor. The Jade Falcon in me finds it holy.

[@tannerdowney2802]

The OG.

[@mrkojak-ci1zm]

Yakima Terra? Yakima Washington? If it's from here definitely spawned from agricultural (and more popular "Hop" ) use.

[@GrimDarkNarrator]

I actually looked into that and I think it was probably Washington.