BattleTech Mech Review: Black Knight BL-7-KNT

[@brianhenry152]

The Black Knight is one of those mechs that really shines with the better technology of 3048 and beyond. With only 3025 tech it's kind of underwhelming. Great analysis! Keep up the great work on the vids and battle reports.

[@DeathfromAboveWargaming]

Double Heatsinks or bust.

[@blackroan6172]

This is def one of my favorite mechs to mod. It doesn't take much. Literally remove one the "big guns" (PPC or a LL which I recommend a LL to keep the PPC's punch), add a couple heat sinks and more armor and this thing becomes a monster able to hold it's own even against lower end assaults.

[@Linkous12]

Or, just go with the Flashman and all that is done for you!

[@DwarfElvishDiplomacy]

Ah yes the Black knight, also known as: There is always another laser

[@Beargeek616]

I hear a puppy in the background! Walking around! So adorable!

[@DeathfromAboveWargaming]

Ahaha you have good ears! That’s the DFA mascot. My buddy Outlaw. 😆

[@armondphilmon]

Great content! Love the facts and statistics to highlight strengths and weaknesses. How about some Thunderbolt-5SE? I love it in my 15th Dracon!

[@DeathfromAboveWargaming]

I got the 5S in the works - maybe we can do a variant shootout down the road to see which does better!

[@davidsteele640]

Was super excited to see this mech reviewed. I have been on both ends of this guy on the field, and it never ceases to amaze me what a zombie this thing is on the field. I laughed pretty hard when you mentioned destroying all the weapons without killing the mech (this has happened to me before). I think it would be really interesting to see the data for the Flashman to see how they compare.

[@DeathfromAboveWargaming]

Thanks - and good idea! I will add it to the list!

[@dariusdurandal7501]

I generally drop the pocket for L Laser and then add extra heat sinks. Depending on the Era like late 3rd succession war or clan war I replace all heat sinks with double heat sinks, as long I have the hard points for them. This will optimize the black knight to the point where it becomes a heavy and assault mech killer.

[@ManuelGuajardo-zd7hx]

So much armour you could say if its still standing at at end of a game tis only a scratch in my battletech games using it as in the black knight from monty python and the holy Grail lol

[@matthewbirdsall9518]

Still haven't acquired a Black Knight but this video is motivating me to for sure.

[@matthewbirdsall9518]

Picked up a shirt to help support the channel. Can I give a shout out to future Mech Review? for the Hunchback 4G?! I know what to expect, it'd just be fun to see the actual numbers broken down.

[@DeathfromAboveWargaming]

Sure, I will add it to the list! Thanks for grabbing a shirt... let me know how it turns out!

[@arrgylerawrgyle3784]

Recently found the channel and loving your take! One suggestion would be a quick look for a summary on the mech reviews. Something like the donut charts of lethality/defense/efficiency on the thumbnail and/or in the description or at the end with the conclusion would be very awesome

[@arrgylerawrgyle3784]

Also a couple of requests. Hunchback 4p (?) All laser variant VS the normal hunchie would be a neat combined review for comparison of small vs big guns. Crusader, thunderbolt, and my favorite mech the centurion. Thanks!

[@DeathfromAboveWargaming]

Hey - welcome to the channel and thanks for these recommendations! I’ll add the Hunchback comparison to the list, and think on the summary / thumbnail - good thought!

[@CrankyOldGamer]

Great analysis. I wonder how it would change if you dropped the PPC and put that tonnage towards armor, especially in the legs.

[@vensersrevenge8739]

Great video! One thing I would always recommend with the Black Knight is to stand it in water. The leg-mounted heatsinks work at double efficiency, allowing for long-ranged fire that is considerably more consistent. The 'Mech is a threat in eery tie-period, especially once House Davion starts making them in the 3060's and creates some insanely good variants, with their Dark Age Clan Tech variants being completely insane.

[@DeathfromAboveWargaming]

Great call out! With that kind of uptick (30%!) in dissipation, this mech would be a killer.

[@TheEldarGuy]

This was inciteful. Thank you very much. One of my favourite Mechs (after the Archer and Griffon) is the PNT-9R Panther. If I could ask for a review, it would be for this one. Thanks.

[@DeathfromAboveWargaming]

I will add it to the list!!

[@MrDmitriRavenoff]

I'd love to see something like a Panther vs Pack Hunter.

[@czarvak9186]

I would love to see the King Crab or Atlas! Show the 100 toners some love!

[@DeathfromAboveWargaming]

Yeaa! Love that KGC! It was one of the mechs I used extensively in testing when I was building the analysis engine. I will definitely add them to the list ... maybe a special ATLAS VS KING CRAB showdown haha

[@GenAhab]

How about a MAD-3D? Classic mech, so I'd be very interested to see how it does.

[@DeathfromAboveWargaming]

Yes! A great mech... it’s on the list!

[@lightseeker4155]

Getting one of these! I'd love to see one on the Nova Cat was one of my favorite mechs to pilot in Mech Warrior 4

[@DeathfromAboveWargaming]

Ah, the Nova Cat was a monster in MW4 multiplayer.

[@lightseeker4155]

@@DeathfromAboveWargaming yes we ALWAYS played in heat based games Didnt really care for the free for all Of the no heat games. Me and a few friends are starting tabletop again your videos are extremely helpful keep up the good work!

[@DeathfromAboveWargaming]

Awesome! Did you play MW4 online or any leagues? I ran a team that played in UTS and NBT, then in the later years W!O and ISW... good times.

[@TheGreystroke]

The black Knight an underrated mech as all the replacement for the unseen are really to be fair to it it beats things like Mads and Warhammers most of the time, and you think this has poor leg armour values most Warhammers die to legs being kicker off and most Mad's die of torso bombs . this and the flashman can live in 3025 unlike most 2750 choices

[@tuckerodonnell9269]

Thanks guys

[@DeathfromAboveWargaming]

Thank you!!! Appreciate your support and suggestion!

[@fluidfox1436]

I tend to use mine as a worse Awesome early to mid game, knowing that when I close I'd better make it worth while because that's going to be where it stays. The thing about kick attacks is, they always hit the legs... I prefer the -L variant for the two additional heat sinks, but it has the same overall problems. This mech is actually the black knight from Monte Python.

[@HalIOfFamer]

It instantly became 1 of my favorites when I learned that the reason it has this s laser in the head is so that in those rare moments of losing both torsos but still being alive you can still punch with your head. 'tis but a scratch!

[@madcat3525]

HI Aaron, I liked your video on the Black Knight BL-7-KNT. Is it possible to do a mech review for the Lancelot LNC25-01,or the Flashman FLS-8K ?

[@DeathfromAboveWargaming]

I can add them to the list!

[@madcat3525]

@@DeathfromAboveWargaming Great! looking forward to it.

[@XanderDraft]

If I was going to take one of these I’d drop the PPC add the armor and put the savings into double heat sinks.

[@legomech1946]

This mech just begs to downgrade a large laser to a medium and put that saved tonnage towards armor and heat sinks.That would probably be broken though.

[@DeathfromAboveWargaming]

Yah totally agree. Or even drop BOTH Llas for a second PPC, and slap on 5 tons of sinks and armor ... either way totally agree that it is suboptimal as-is.

[@Archiemonty]

firing the ppc and large lasers: per turn:: all three heat 24, next turn the lasers heat 16 dissipating all heat, next turn repeat: all three heat 24, next turn the lasers heat 16 dissipating all heat

[@rotwang2000]

Three main energy weapons ... just look at the Awesome to see how far you can push that envelope and the Black Knight tries to much to get there and still have the cake as well. The Awesome can only achieve what it can do by sacrificing everything else like speed and secondary firepower. The Black Knight is still a potent mech by virtue of so energy weapons and 20 HS combo, but it's so tempting to push it over the red line and corner yourself. It's not like other SLDF mechs that had to be downscaled to keep using them. This was cutting edge tech even the SLDF didn't get right in their day (unless we talk the ever-optimized Royal designs) Black Knight : Look at all my gunz ! Yeah, but can you use them all ? *SHUTDOWN* !

[@a6mzeke1]

So, basically, the Black Knight is a claymore mine 'front towards enemy' type of gameplay.

[@DeathfromAboveWargaming]

Haha yes it sure looks that way 😆 At least for this variant!

[@a6mzeke1]

@@DeathfromAboveWargaming Nothing wrong with those types of designs. I just tend to favor ones that have some flexibility in the weapons employment.

[@DeathfromAboveWargaming]

Yes! Agreed. And knowing the best way to deploy and use the mech (to your original point!) is a big part of a successful strategy.

[@justinpinter8955]

Please, please do the Thug. Ugly girls need loving too.

[@DeathfromAboveWargaming]

Hah! I will add it to the list! We have been hard at work to bring you battlytics online... almost there... so stay tuned for that as well!

[@Linkous12]

Unpopular opinion: Flashman > Black Knight.

[@DeathfromAboveWargaming]

Sounds like a future match up!

[@Linkous12]

@@DeathfromAboveWargaming Love it!

[@carlwells9504]

I pity anyone reducing this mech to 0 movement modifier as it means the Black Knight will enter suicide mode standing still with all weapons firing!!!!

[@mathewkelly9968]

Flashman is way better change my mind

[@DeathfromAboveWargaming]

Haha love it. Would need to run the numbers but I might agree!

[@imasspeons]

A comparison with the 7K would be interesting.

[@JosephofWalton]

I don't know how yall play the game, but only the best IS pilots had a Gunnery score of 3. Rarely do you see a 2. 4 is the average, 5 if they really suck. 2 or 3 is your average Clanner.

[@Xeno426]

3 Gunnery is Veteran IS pilots.