Battletech Mech Tactics: Longbow

[@TheDaNuker]

There's a bit of history behind the Longbow. The current TRO:3039 puts the LGB-0W as the primary Succession Wars model, which in turn is an errated version of the Longbow from the old 80s BT sourcebooks, which I think mistakenly listed it as a 60 tonner. However, the first TRO publication of the Longbow was the LGB-7Q version in TRO:3058, which collects a bunch of 'Mechs published in the sourcebooks into a single TRO. The 7Q is also Succession Wars era complaint and was my first introduction to the Longbow, and that variant merits a discussion. The 0W model moves at the common Heavy 'Mech walk speed of 4 hexes but has the armor of medium 'Mech, especially its arms with only 9 points making them vulnerable to crit from a PPC or AC/10. It also has an unusual LRM ammo mix: 12 shots per LRM-20 but 24 shots for each of the LRM-5. Given it has 13 heat sinks and generates 16 heat with LRM fire, you typically would want to skip a LRM-5 barrage every 2-3 turns. This leads to a dangerous explosive excess of LRM-5 ammo for most games. You might want to deploy with one LRM-5 ton empty or load alternate LRM missile types. It's primary advantage is its BV price. Due to its thin armor, the BV is on par with the much more hotter and heavily armored Archer. If you can devote additional BV into escorts for a Longbow, it be worth it. It is also faster than a LRM Carrier and obviously more flexible and has a dangerous 17 damage kick. I think in a defensive scenario, the LRM carriers are a better choice but in the typical stand-up fight, the extra mobility to keep within medium range of your Heavy frontline 'Mechs and the torso twist of the 0W is probably more effective. I do want to detour to the 7Q though, which IMO is the true Assault 'Mech version of the Longbow that I played with and against more often. It drops down to a typical Assault 'Mech walk speed of 3 hexes, but with that engine swap, it mounts 2 medium lasers instead of a single small laser, 22 heat sinks and 14.5 tons of armor, which is as much as a Battlemaster and heavier than the Stalker. It also drops the surplus extra ton of LRM-5 ammo and pads its side torsos with single heat sinks to keep the LRM-20 ammo safe. Now this version of the Longbow is one you just advance forward in your Assault 'Mech vanguard to get into 6 hex range and keep shooting at every target every turn. You pay in BV for this assault role though, as it now costs as much as an Awesome 8Q. I generally prefer this model for direct missile fire support. You need to pay an additional 300 BV but you eliminate the need to escort it and can throw it along with your front line to soak damage. On a final note, some of the later era upgrades of the Longbow gets nasty too: The 12R is one of the most heavy missile barrages you get from a Longbow (70 Artemis IV LRMs per round with no heat issues!) or the 13C with Artemis IV MMLs that lets you swap between 42 LRMs/SRMs per round!

[@Wraithcannon]

When spotting for indirect LRM fire, use infantry. They do not apply their movement mode modifier to your target number unlike other spotting units, always counting as being stationary. Just use a transport and dump some flootsloggers on an elevated midfield position and start calling out targets. Finding yourself low on ammo? Bring a J-27 ordnance transport. It carries 3 tons of whatever ammo you desire and can reload your mech mid battle using the Tac Ops rules on page 213. Is it risky? Hell yes. But for 98 BV, (47 for the truck and 51 for the ammo) it might be worth if you have 5 turns where the longbow can hide unmolested while continuing to fire.