Battletech/Mechwarrior Lore : The UrbanMech!

#Battletech #Mech #Lore #LoreExplained #BattletechLore
Tex Talks Battletech is a new series where Tex talks Battletech, Battletech lore, history, and mech combat in the glorious 31st Century. Avast Clanners, its Fightin' time. No guts. No Galaxy.
Editing Guru - The Mad Asgardian
Music: EPIDEMIC SOUND ATTRIBUTION
Production Music courtesy of Epidemic Sound www.epidemicsound.com

[@theblackpantslegion]

*** VOTE FOR THE NEXT MECH HERE - > kzbin.info/door/Solk-6yJ_-cJPJLtA4UB0Acommunity < - ITS ALSO WHERE I ENGAGE WITH MY COMMUNITY SOMETIMES ***

[@wrongway1100]

Vulture.

[@samgross7352]

Saggitaire

[@blacklynx7720]

And now you must do the IIC version of it. I dare you.

[@nonyabiznessses102]

This is STUPID BEYOND BELIEF. Why bother spending trillions to use stupid robots? Why not simply NUKE THEM FROM SPACE AS IS LOGICAL LOGICAL????????

[@MrDogsledder]

Blackhawk

[@ThePraetorianOfTerra]

The Urbanmech could probably be more accuratly be defined as a geographically flexible bunker.

[@FrikInCasualMode]

Self-propelled turret?

[@ThePraetorianOfTerra]

@@FrikInCasualMode Also correct

[@barrybend7189]

So a mecha KV2?

[@ThePraetorianOfTerra]

@@barrybend7189 Yes

[@PandorasFolly]

Beautiful

[@MuchKoku]

"It should be noted that this was Orguss Industries first and only Battlemech design." Because you can't improve on perfection.

[@horusrage]

You also can't heal/cure stupid.

[@georgethesometimesknowledg2685]

I mean, you're kinda right. It was perfect at being an urbanmech.

[@TheDownrankTrain]

Well, it made them stupid amounts of money

[@morrigancollins2092]

@@TheDownrankTrain It made them stupid amounts of money because every mechwarrior has seen one of these little bastards blow out a mech far outside its weight class. The Urbie is an excellent ambush predator. It's cheap, it's tough, it's dangerous, and it's the very definition of punching up.

[@kinagrill]

@@morrigancollins2092 It is the mech for urban combat standing around a corner and mister Marauder comes trundling around and gets mega-cored out by that AC-20 if the improved version is bought... otherwise there's just the AC-10. XD

[@fien111]

You're in an Atlas, all flee before you. You wade into the outskirts of some city, taking out tanks and APCs left and right. A lone Cataphract gives you a decent enough fight, but it never stood a chance against your UNBRIDLED MIGHT. You turn the corner of the intersection of high-rise apartment complexes and your world SHAKES. Alarms blare as the mech's computer warns that your CT armor, damaged but still quite intact from the day's slaughter, has just been all be depleted in a single hit. You scan the horizon for this mysterious attacker.....but see nothing. You look at your motion sensor and see it's mere few dozen meters away. Is it some new Capellan stealth mech that's invisible even to the naked eye? You then notice a glint of metal at the bottom of your vision. You look down and see a god damn trashcan with an AC20 pointing up at you. It is in the moment you know you are already dead, and your memory will be the height of humor among your fellow mechwarriors for decades to come. You reactor cooking off and flooding the cockpit with sun-hot plasma is a mercy.

[@xedrickOG]

Best little short stpry in the comments

[@thurin84]

since ive fortuitously installed jump jets in my atlas i engage them and, with a heavy heart (gotta admire the plucky little bastard) DFA the angry, overcompensating little trashcan into sub level 4 parking garage.

[@GreenBlueWalkthrough]

You think that's bad... You can put PCCs on Urbanmechs too.

[@janinecat1865]

@@GreenBlueWalkthrough Ah yes, the formidable Projected Carrot Cannons.

[@rhorybader4054]

The only thing funnier than coring an Atlas that isn't expecting it with an Urbie, is coring a Dire Wolf that IS expecting it with an Urbie.

[@Mastergrunt9dawg]

In MWO I can consistently get 4-8 kills a match in my Urbie. The thing is so low-priority to people that I can walk into the middle of a battlefield and core several mechs before anybody realizes that it's actually the Urbie killing them rather than the Assaults they were looking at. I also painted it to look like it's wearing a bikini for added psychological warfare. 11/10 favorite mech

[@theblackpantslegion]

awesome. Urbie's rock

[@tjmoorhouse390]

I've got mine running at around 72kph with the skeleton paint job. Urbie ftw!

[@michaelmcgilbery1922]

I need to see the Urbiekini

[@edspencer7121]

Ingenious!

[@TheInsomniaddict]

I once played Urbie stock in MWO just for the hell of it to see what I could do. I ended up being the "rearguard" for my force and soloing/destroying a StreakDog. Say what you will, but a couple good shots with the AC20 is all you need.

[@darthrex354]

Think of the Urbie less as a very slow battlemech, and more as a highly mobile turret emplacement.

[@talinpeacy7222]

Probably the best way to think about it really.

[@akiraguy]

The irony in that mobile part.

[@dubuyajay9964]

@@akiraguy It's more mobile than an actual turret.

[@gameaddict2744]

In MWO you can have Urbies running at about 100kpm sporting the armor of a heavy. Frankly, I avoid them when in another light... and take them seriously in a med/heavy.

[@maclarenschell8855]

@@gameaddict2744 ye, they rip lights apart

[@SeekerLancer]

Watching an AC20 Urbie slooowly sneak up on an occupied Assault Mech and core it from behind was one of the best experiences I had in MWO.

[@urbypilot2136]

I saw an Urbie in the thumbnail, came here. Was not disappointed. Remember people, its trashCAN not trashCAN'T! Also, Urbie is love, Urbie is life!

[@kevinbray3724]

Urbie the Love Bucket!

[@therakshasan8547]

HEHEHEHHEEEHA .

[@thegardenofeatin5965]

I saw an urbie in the thumbnail, came here. Am extremely disappointed, but more about the whole "I can't tell which is more pathetic, disgusting and worthless, society as a whole or me personally, so we should probably drown both in buckets of our own piss just in case" thing more than the video, which is actually pretty entertaining.

[@primal9007]

I agree

[@deepstrike9750]

He CAN DO IT

[@TopIvyAdmin]

A: Let's fight with equal tonnage. B: What about same money? A: Yeah ok, sure. B: City map? A: Sure. Looking forward to it. [LATER THAT NIGHT] A: OK, I've got six mechs. Quality over quantity. B: I have 2 full companies. A: ... HOW!?! B: Here's my design. I call it the UrbanMech. A: ... [looking] ... [counting] ... [looking again] ... [counting again] ... That. That is low. Loooooooow.

[@theblackpantslegion]

UrbanMech is great in some arenas. Masterful Douchebaggery.

[@Derpy-qg9hn]

Alternatively: A: Okay, I've got two companies of Savannah Masters. You? B: Same but urbies

[@barrybend7189]

@@Derpy-qg9hn with nukes.

[@yourearidiculouslunatic8435]

Gents, we to remember that war is very often, not fair.

[@razorburn645]

Just grab some Blackjacks

[@HundredDaysMusic]

Honestly, in so far as realism even remotely matters with Battletech, the Urbanmech is one of the most realistic designs for a mech. It has wide feet to distribute ground pressure, a compact, heavily-armored chassis, a low profile that still gives its guns height advantage, and no moving parts (looking at you, arms) that, in reality, would just create additional points of failure in an armored vehicle.

[@invaderdesla7229]

I agree or another design that i think would work is the King Crab. Though IRL we'd build a King Crab much smaller. The feet could be wider but the fact it can carry tons of missiles and two big cannons on its arms would be fantastic

[@tetsatou2815]

All good points, but at the end of the day, there is a reason why no one seriously considers mechs a viable military technology. You can do all that with a tank, but smaller, and cheaper, and with fewer failure points. It's why the Partisan is fucking terrifying.

[@invaderdesla7229]

@@tetsatou2815 realistically with today's technology of course theyre innefecient and super expensive. In the future? Hard to say, we might have tech powerful enough and cheap enough to justify their construction. At maximum, IMO, a mech should not be bigger than a Shade Tree. That would give it plenty of size to house impressive weaponry while keeping its weight down and ground pressure. Again I want to make it clear a mech in today's world is not viable and a waste of money. I love tanks a bunch but a mech is just as cool and an impressive feat of engineering. If not used in a combat role they do have other uses. They can be used to lift heavy cargo, carry equipment into the battlefield for squads and platoons. Or better yet, i see mechs becoming very popular with construction companies and first responders like firefighters and law enforcement as anti riot mechs. What I'm also trying to say is mechs are going to happen, more than likely, but were probably going to see them is less epic combat roles than we realize.

[@Elthenar]

@@invaderdesla7229 There is another game called Heavy Gear that has a much more realistic take on mechs. For the most part, they are more like very heavy power armor than mechs. They are generally 5 to 15 tons robots that fill the role of mechanized infantry with heavy weapons. They can run, crawl and use cover like an infantry team. That same game also has tanks, which are much larger with better armor and weapons but dramatically less mobility and stealth.

[@invaderdesla7229]

@@Elthenar Oh word?

[@FirstLast-cg2nk]

The UrbanMech: They don't go fast because they're made to defend cities, and cities tend to stay put. Running is what the attackers do after Urbies have cored a few dozen of their friends.

[@thefusionforce6339]

Up until a Highlander cores it instantly with a HAG-30 Gauss Rifle....

[@baker90338]

@@thefusionforce6339 but can it see the darned thing over the skyscrapers?

[@thefusionforce6339]

@@baker90338 yes and can jump jet to avoid being shot and thanks to the slow reload time on the ac/20 the urbie has

[@thefusionforce6339]

Well depends on the skyscraper if its a commonwealth setup then yes however if its a like river city then it might be difficult because of the variety of buildings but thanks to the high profile and arm actuators it really don't need to look down to worry about getting harmed

[@tssteelx]

@@thefusionforce6339 sure it cores one urbanmech but remember its cheap and its freinds DESCEND UPON THE ENEMY LIKE ANPHANYTAMY SOAKED MONKEYS, FROM THE KINGDOM OF MADNESS!

[@dancingowlbear]

Try to imagine yourself in the Succession Wars. You get your first look at this 30 ton trash can as you enter an intersection. He moves like a heavy mech, slowly, bobbing his head, and you keep still because you think, maybe, with his cheap Periphery radar he'll lose you if you don't move. But no, not Urbie. You stare at him and he just stares right back. And that's when the attack comes. Not from the front, but from the side. From the other two Urbanmechs you didn't even know were there. Because Urbie's a pack hunter, you see. He uses coordinated attack patterns and he is out in force today. And he shoots at you with this: an Imperator-B Autocannon, like a sledgehammer, on the right arm. He doesn't bother to aim for the cockpit, like a Hunchback, see? No, no. He fires at you here at the torso, or here at the legs, or maybe across the gyro, spilling you across the tarmac. The point is: you are alive when they start to eat you. So, you know, try to show a little respect?

[@delcanfisher8496]

...clever urb.

[@aerfwefd7334]

Remember kids, an Urbie single-handedly annihilated the Kell Hounds. Yes, this is canon.

[@barrybend7189]

Nukes make any mech dangerous.

[@EMesch]

What which book?

[@ineednochannelyoutube5384]

@@EMesch An official tournament I believe.

[@CharlesUrban]

From the trash can comes death.

[@xveers]

And just in case you didn't think the -60R was nasty enough, the -AIV is -nuclear capable-. Yes. Your urbanmech can now deploy Nuclear Weapons and be as feared as Ghandi in late game.

[@vincegalila7211]

So the urban mech can be essentially a metal gear

[@andrewamann8855]

@@vincegalila7211 This is actually a weapon to surpass the weapon that surpassed Metal Gear.

[@ghoulbuster1]

METAL GEAR URBIE

[@benlaskowski357]

Nukes? How big are the warheads?

[@user-ni6ej2jl2h]

@@benlaskowski357 Today you can put nuclear warhead even in 155mm shell. Of course it will be a tactical warhead, but it still be nuclear. ;) en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuclear_artillery

[@tetsatou2815]

Let's just take a moment to enjoy the fact that, while most of our experiences with the Urbanmech are in the context of the tabletop or video games, a military force could buy 8 of these for the cost of a single Atlas, and get more firepower for that price tag.

[@vadandrumist1670]

Practically by design that is. Mechs were introduced into the war intentionally as something you could very rarely get as big a bang for your buck, an intentional redefining of war in an effort to limit it. Tanks are far more efficient than mechs, but mechs contain so much awesome as to keep keep tanks on the down-low, and an urby is essentially a tank on legs. That said, between the Atlas and 8 Urbies I'd rather be in the Atlas, as while there's probably a very good chance I'll die at least I'm not in an urby knowing that on that day there would absolutely not be 8 urbies walking out. This is the exact numbers game the battlemechs are meant to counteract.

[@ladywaffle2210]

Isn't a decently common strategy for measuring if a Mech is worth the cost to check how many well-equipped Urbies you could get for the same price?

[@Deridus]

@@ladywaffle2210 It has only RECENTLY in my experience. "Tonnage vs Tonnage, C-bills, or Points" is a how a lot of players decide to go at it. I prefer Tonnage to the others, mainly because cost isn't a nice round number, and while points is more managable thanks to the numbers being magnitudes smaller, you gotta nitpick in ways you don't even see in 40k which is saying alot. Tonnage may result in excedingly unballanced play but it is, in my humble opinion, more fun even when losing.

[@guitarhausdoesntknowwhatac3285]

Or you could take an awesome and just giggle at the stupid urbies as you outrange, armor and speed them. "Aha!" you say, thinking that you're smarter then you are "What If I'm hiding amongst a bunch of buildings, what then?" To which I shrug my shoulders and casually state "I level the buildings thus presenting clear lines of sight and/or burying your trash." "You mean Trash*can* M I RIT!?!?!?" "No I got it right the first time."

[@Ahrone1586]

​@@guitarhausdoesntknowwhatac3285what

[@SLDFSpectreSix]

In Clan Wolf, we have a saying. "If you want to make a Ghost Bear mad, just mention Urbanmech-R68."

[@untrackedvariable3554]

There are other ways to do this, of course, such as mentioning the Not-Named clan... but, yeah, this'll do it too.

[@bthsr7113]

There's probably more, but short of losing an American Football game for a planet to Freebirths I got zilch.

[@untrackedvariable3554]

@@bthsr7113 Fairly certain we didn't lose that one, my friend. :)

[@RyllenKriel]

You may all them "tropes" but it is a fact Urbanmech pilot survivability is quite low for many reasons throughout the Inner Sphere. These unsung heroes do their best to get to the battlefield but usually the war is usually over by the time they arrive. Some die of old age or starvation during deployment or just trying to rearm, but some are lucky enough to arrive in time for the next war. Re-enlistment papers are carried in the glove box just in case they need to swap sides if the planetary regime changes while deployed. This is why some Urbanmech pilots take their entire family with them into combat like some sort of two-legged gypsy caravan. It can be a common sight on outer rim worlds for Urbanmechs to be customized with trappings of home and what can be misinterpreted as a "crown" or some marking of military rank. It's actually just a white picket fence on top so the children and family dog won't fall off while playing in the yard during extended deployment. Many pilots forgo families due to the dangerous life they choose however. It's too easy to die on the way to the frontlines when automated waste management trucks accidentally grab them and dump their pilots into a mobile trash compactor. On ice worlds Urbanmechs pilots are known for cunning camouflage patterns. Whites and pale blues cause the Urbanmechs to seamlessly blend in with other objects of similar speeds such as glaciers or icebergs. Factory beige or tan colours are an infamous no-no to Urbanmech pilots of a few temperate worlds in Kurita space. More than once the giant sloths living in the jungle boomed have caused massive casualties to the mechs during mating season. Trust me, no one wants to die in such a manner and no one wants that salvage!

[@Finwolven]

Absolutely delightful! (Now I secretly want a semi-civilized world where roaming Urbie War-Caravans cross deserts and glaciers, occasionally fighting over depots of AC/10 and AC/20 rounds... Somewhere in the Deep Periphery)

[@Lewis82100]

Im going to make a plaque and mount this over my urban mechs.

[@deidryt9944]

​@ValorJ Omega Well... when the posterchild pilot for a Spider/Venom is Ricky Bobby (Gotta Go Fast!), everything comparatively has a better relative survivability.

[@alexdemoya2119]

" Whites and pale blues cause the Urbanmechs to seamlessly blend in with other objects of similar speeds such as glaciers or icebergs." had me actually snort laugh

[@troyskeete8372]

This comment is glorious and you are a genius of the internet lol!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@mr.gunzaku437]

"Because what's funnier than a trashcan that cores an assault mech in a surprise attack?" Nothing.😂

[@wardenkarn1664]

Doing it to a lance of mad-cats

[@beefylovelord7385]

"which Surprised the living hell out of clan Ghost Bear" Boy that must have been a fun debriefing.

[@theblackpantslegion]

"What did we learn"

[@Finwolven]

"What happened?" "Their trashcans shot us to pieces, Sir!"

[@beefylovelord7385]

That they can field 13 missileboat trashcans for the cost of one timberwolf sir?

[@ineednochannelyoutube5384]

@@beefylovelord7385 when the enemy brings to bear an artillery battery for the cost of a single one of your units, you are in for a bad time.

[@michaelkeha]

@@ineednochannelyoutube5384 until said singular unit eats your artillery battery and is still hungry for half a lance of medium mechs and oh by the way it brought friends all of which are looking to do about the same

[@GeneralBolas]

Back in the elder days, I found myself playing Battletech 3025 on PCs. I managed to upgrade myself to an UrbanMech. I recall one engagement where I charged forward towards a lance of other light 'Mechs. Because that's exactly what an UrbanMech pilot should do. They apparently didn't may an UrbanMech any mind, since they just charged past me, seemingly looking for more dangerous fare. See, they apparently forgot that there are *two* UrbanMech variations. And I was using the one that you *really* don't want to let into your rear arc.

[@hermes7587]

I remember a scenario we played many years ago on a convention. There were two sides available: Attacker: 2 full companies of Davion Heavy Guards. Objective: Take a Liao-held city defended by light Mech forces. Defender: Liao Militia. Objective: Defend the city against attacking Davion Heavy Guards with 40! Urban Mechs and 4 prototype Ravens. All Liao Mechs started the Szenario in hidden positions. This was fun.

[@purplefreedom1631]

Unrealistic!!! The Capellans would have a bunch of APCs and light tanks as well :)

[@Hardcover_Pilot]

NGL, I'm getting major Battle of Endor (read: Space Vietnam) vibes from that.

[@OptimusWombat]

40 factorial is a lot of mechs!

[@absalomdraconis]

@@OptimusWombat : They're Urbies, eventually you get to the checkout and realize you still haven't spent your minimum budget.

[@BLACKFLAME4941]

@@OptimusWombat they are 1.4 mio c-bills. even in mwo you can afford one in like 6-8 decent rounds

[@Servellion]

"How slow?" It has the same top speed as a stock Annihilator, a machine 70 tons heavier.

[@andorfedra]

and one that carries an order of magnitude more autocannons and ammunition in its baseline configuration.

[@SpaceMan101South]

Steiner scout lance: *peacefully scouting* UrbanMech with an AC/20: that’s a nice assault mech you have there... Steiner scout lance: Please no! UrbanMech with an AC/20: Would be a shame if I were to... core it.

[@SchroederUSMC]

A lot of you don't understand the UrbanMech because you never played the old CityTech boxed set. The rules for skidding were pretty severe, so the UrbanMech was designed to be slow and have a high weapon to weight ratio.

[@davidlink3787]

Yeah, skidding into a 4 level heavy building was...painful...

[@wrayday7149]

Let’s face it, the designer after many failed attempts to get a working plan out of the boards requests had a meltdown and shouted “Why don’t we just put a gun on a trash can?”.... he was sarcastic.... the board greenlit it, rest is history.

[@angelusnielson7135]

Am I the only person who sees Tex as a grizzled old veteran MechWarrior talking about stuff at a bar?

[@vodamiinurl1337]

You mean he's not?

[@mattshriner4897]

This isn't a bar? Where am I? What planet is this? Did I forget the contract again?

[@oslo6661]

Sounds a bit like Patches O'Houlihan (Dodgeball).

[@KillerOrca]

Pretty sure thats legit canon now as of latter shows.

[@CrizzyEyes]

@@oslo6661 My immediate thought is the cowboy who's telling the story in The Big Lebowski.

[@Maddog3060]

I once managed to fit a Heavy Gauss Rifle into an Urbie. Because what's funnier than coring an assault 'mech with a trash can? Having that trash can fall over and hurt itself immediately afterward.

[@satannstuff]

There's a decent chance that thing will kill itself each time it fires, because Gauss rifles go boom.

[@Maddog3060]

@@satannstuff Yeah, that's part of the joke.

[@tahunkwai5979]

would this work on MWO

[@TheTrueAdept]

@@tahunkwai5979 Not likely, given that they've been trying to keep it semi-canonical is design ability. A HGR can only be placed in the torso (RT/CT/LT) due to the immense recoil (i.e. it would literally rip the arm off). You could probably get a LIGHT gauss rifle, but that would be not as effective...

[@tanall5959]

The important question: Do you move farther forward with the jumpjets, or backwards from the HGR recoil?

[@FirestreakRodimusPr]

I mean, you have to admit, a Trashcan with an AC 20, that appears out of nowhere in a city fight, is either A)funny for you as the Urban or B)cause for a Brown alert if you're its target/victim.

[@veiledAutonym]

Like I said elsewhere, that trashcan costs a fraction of most other mechs. For equal C-Bills, each Timberwolf you deploy (24M c-bills) would be facing approximately *16* urbies (24M/1.4M) with AC-20's, all poptarting at you from every apartment building.

[@philips.5563]

"You came to the wrong neighborhood." -Urbie

[@akiraguy]

Clearly not many have met Urbies Arrow IV variant, because they got nuked 10 seconds later.

[@michaelkeha]

Or said Urbie just angered a far larger mech which proceeds to rip it apart like say as it walks out to pop off a shot only to get a pair of PPC shots to the dome

[@meatmelon1476]

@@michaelkeha nope. They try and kick it over, at which point it weebles back up and removes their hip with a single shot

[@inquisitordragon6827]

I called my dad to ask him about the UrbanMech, he said "Give me a Raven or a Catapult and I'll get the mission done today. Give me an Urban Mech and I'll ask why did you buy me a Mobility Scooter with an Ac/10 attachment." Yeah my dad threw alot of hatred at it

[@BLACKFLAME4941]

Yeah until you upgrade the engine to a 180xl or light and suddenly it runs at 90+ kph whilst it maybe having reduced firingpower.. well better that nothing i guess right oh and in mwo the R60L is one hell of a tanky boi

[@satannstuff]

Urbie can and will crush most other light mechs one on one on tabletop, save for some top end striker mechs that beat it in raw damage output. Even then it's closer than you'd expect and those are mechs that cost at least twice as much as the Urbie. Scout mechs that aren't called Charger have basically no chance versus an Urbie because the first hit they take will probably cripple them and they usually don't have nearly enough firepower to fight back effectively. At best they can try to kick it to death or DFA and that pretty much guarantees they will be hit themselves.

[@Finwolven]

Your dad has obviously been to a city-fight where the opponent had urbies. Or a non-city fight where he had to bring Urbies...

[@TsorovanZero]

@@BLACKFLAME4941 One of the craziest variants I made was the Energy Urbie. Swap the AC for a PPC (snub later on), and put all the saved tonnage into the engine. Snub Urbie is NASTY on tabletop. All of the firepower of the original, except every single other thing about it is better. In MWO, Urbie is the strongest mech, period. The trick is doing it on tabletop. It CAN be done, if you follow the Urbie's original niche and have access to snubs. Snubs are a godsend for Urbies. Try it in a tabletop mechlab and you'll see. You can make a close combat monster really easily, and relatively cheaply.

[@andorfedra]

He's not wrong. I love coring those things first when I amd on the assaulting end... Heavy Gauss for life.

[@logandarklighter]

It should be noted that the manufacturer of the Urbanmech was originally Orguss Industries. Now - that's a deep, deep, deep DEEP meta reference there for the uninitiated. You see - Super Dimension Century Orguss was an anime series that aired in Japan right after Macross finished it's initial run. It was even possible that it MIGHT have been included in the old Robotech package (Carl Macek was seriously looking into it). But it was not to be. And Orguss is a beloved mecha anime - but now an EXTREMELY obscure one that almost no one remembers anymore. And the namesake mech was... unique. Oh it was functional. It was a transforming mecha with a similar theme to the Valkyrie. Had an aerofighter, GERWALK and even tank mode in addition to the classic mecha mode. It even looked really REALLY cool! Until you looked more closely and realized that the cockpit was in the CROTCH of the Mecha in Battroid mode. Uhm... Yeah. So that happened. Anyway - just one more bit to add to the trivia for the Urbanmech and the in-jokes being tossed around by the old FASA crew. :D

[@barrybend7189]

In the Japanese rpg manuals Studio Nue did the designs for a lot of the mechs. I did have fun putting them up on Tex's discord. If you want to find them go to Gears online.

[@internetzenmaster8952]

That "Battletech vs. 40k" meme at 2:13 had me burst out laughing. Seriously, the default UrbanMech strikes me as something the TechPriests would -be forced to give to the ImperialGuard at lasgunpoint.- gladly give them something where they don't have to rely on the Imperial Knights anymore. Meanwhile, the Urbie variants are what happens when you give the Ork Mekboys a large trashcan, a bunch of random dakka and bitz, a metric ton of duct tape and a couple dozen tons of scrap metal. Because sticking nuclear artillery on a trashcan is *EXACTLY* something those crazy green bastards would do. If only the 'red ones go faster' Ork logic worked in Battletech. Then UrbanMechs could actually keep up with even the slowest assault mech.

[@tanith117]

As a Guard Player I would Love an Urban Mech. Actually come to think of it, An Urbie could be a decent proxy/Counts as for a Shadow sword (One Big Gun and a Small gun) Now I can Laugh at My Opponent When the "Giant ambush trashcan Mech" cores his Imperial Knight in one shot.

[@Deridus]

@@tanith117 As a dedicated Imp player since the early 2000's, I say... NO CURBTEH URBIE!

[@Karmag555]

I can see it. Even the aesthetics sorta look like they came from the same school of design as the Sentinel.

[@sebastianthomsen2225]

dose a red urbanmech go 3 times faster ? 🤔

[@CrizzyEyes]

I think Orks would be greatly conflicted on the use of nukes. On the one hand, it's a ton of dakka. On the other, the fight's over too quickly and there's no one left to smash.

[@Sherudons]

it's the only mech I know that has an engine that makes the mech lighter... And has a speed gauge that reads slow to less slow.

[@TrampyPulsar]

"Wait doesn't the urbanmech have arrow IV?" "Yes?" "NUKE ALL THE THINGS" -Word of Blakists

[@kereminde]

"Nuclear launch detected."

[@tanall5959]

@@kereminde Followed by "Oops. I just accidentally the Ghost Bears." And then shit just starts blowing up.

[@iller3]

...when your Primary + ammo's worth more C-bills than the chasis its attached to

[@adamblakeslee5301]

Whenever I want to assess the quality of a Battlemech, I like to imagine said battlemech tangling with it's C-bills price in Urbanmechs.

[@SirusDiarota]

"It's a walking trashcan that can put people into trashcans...SHIP IT"

[@theblackpantslegion]

Because why not

[@Finwolven]

Do not diss the Small Laser of Doom! That... Thing... It... Kills.

[@tanall5959]

@@Finwolven **SSJ Vegeta theme starts playing in the background...**

[@wesleychandler6754]

Urbanmech, capturing points and hearts.

[@sim.frischh9781]

You, sir, deserved this: www.deviantart.com/bishopsteiner/art/Sistine-Urbie-510551911 For your kind words.

[@happydee6950]

That Pimped Urbie was art in the credits and the advice at the end was words to live by.

[@theblackpantslegion]

Thank you

[@CocoHutzpah]

I just recently saw someone who kitbashed an Imperial Guard Sentinel into an Ubranmech. I fear that man and the destruction he casts upon his opponents.

[@Hacker_lyx]

You forgot the story about the "Canon" Urbie with a mounted nuke launcher. (Although the Arrow IV variant can take nuclear munitions.) The story goes, that there was a tournament going on at some battletech convention in the late 90s early 2000s. Someone brought in a custom sculpted urbie with a Davy Crocket (fairly small nuclear device.) And showed that to one of the lead canon writers of battletech at the time. The writer was apparently about to go into the tournament, but it was a canon variant only tournament. I guess he really liked the Nuke Urbie, because he wrote "Canon" on the record sheet and signed it. And at that point it was technically allowed to bring it into the tournament. Where he crushed the board he was playing on in one shot. I'd love to find the actual interview where he told this story but I've confirmed it using a few old battletech forums/related sites.

[@theblackpantslegion]

That's awesome. Thanks for the info!

[@Kazzmod]

The true full story is that at gencon 2010 the CGL demo team knew they were dropping nuclear weapons on the Kell hounds and we needed a way to deliver them. Complete with a large template saying of your miniature was under the template don't bother rolling damage. After some strong spirits the monster that became the AIV and built the appropriate miniature for it. At one of the later events, known as Masters and minions as some of the tables were wrapping up one of the GMs was trolling tables by having a Raven walk on to the table, TAGging people and dropping nukes on them from across the con hall. And because it was in an official event, it needed to be canonized and well, it was canonized. How do I know this? I was the GM who designed the thing and dropped the nukes at gencon

[@akiraguy]

@@Kazzmod itstehPope! All hail gamemaster extrodenaire Pope! When's House Arano sourcebook coming out?

[@crashstudi0s]

@@Kazzmod you're a mad lad and i'm glad to know this story now

[@ExplosionRadius]

"Metal Gear Urbie"

[@KILLRAIN42]

Memes aside I can absolutely believe a few of these things would be hell to deal with in an urban ambush. Your lance or column moves into the city, nothing happens, then suddenly you get a bunch of activation warnings as a contact appears behind your rear vehicle and suddenly an ac10 or god help you 20 round punches through the rear mech/vehicles rear armor. Everyone turns to engage that bastard as it slips back around the corner of the building it had only just barely peeked around to engage and that's when the second contact appears in front and hits everyone while they're turned around. Everyone is now confused, and unable to concentrate in one direction as artillery starts falling on the now stationary and jumbled column and while that's going on there's still the peek and strike attacks hitting them and picking them apart. I imagine the urbanmech in the hands of a semi-decently trained militia pulling ambushes like that would be fucking lethal to deal with, you can get a surprisingly large amount of firepower on that little thing.

[@gmradio2436]

How to fight an urbanmech in a city? Step 1. Level the city.

[@ephemispriest8069]

When you realize it's insane twist lets it peak either side with an AC20.

[@Jay-ln1co]

The guy in the trashcan with a revolver will never cease to amuse me.

[@GregAtlas]

The urbanmech also had space between the engine and the chassis that made it a good option for smugglers to sneak contraband through customs. It's basically the millennium falcon of Battletech.

[@theblackpantslegion]

Except slow.

[@GregAtlas]

@@theblackpantslegion so was the Falcon until the hyperdrive kicked in. ;) "I thought you said this thing was fast!"

[@GregAtlas]

@@theblackpantslegion oh geeze... Now I'm imagining the urbie with a mini KF drive built in. Blake help us...

[@combativeThinker]

@@GregAtlas “I thought you said this thing was jump capable! There’s not a single jet to be found!” “Oh, it’s jump capable all right…”

[@LupusAries]

The Urbie is a self-aware joke! ;) ..........but if you underestimate it, it will be the last one to laugh! ;)

[@Finwolven]

It knows it's crap, and it knows it can still blow a hole clean through a medium mech, if given the chance.

[@benlaskowski357]

TRUE!!!

[@gozillabk]

There is a confirmed Urbie armed with a nuke, it was originally a fan design but evidently the creators loved it enough to make it a canon thing in the Jihad part of the timeline.

[@pikachufantastic]

Guess that version of the urbie is the one to send when friends ask for a tabletop modified rule set titans vs mechs fight. Nuke toting trash cans vs The Avatar of the Machine God. That would be interesting.

[@jeffweskamp3685]

In most urban settings, the Urbie will be walking on pavement, which gives any 'Mech a +1 to its base walking speed. On pavement, the Urbie movement rate is 3/5/2 instead of 2/3/2. Excitement!

[@Eliphas_Leary]

In MW4:Mercs you could equip the Urbie with Heavy Gauss. Once I used that to kill a fresh Atlas. Took two shots. He couldn't stop laughing before the HG reloaded. And then we both laughed.

[@vincentletzner8638]

How did commanders get rid of troublemakers? They stuck them in an Urban Mech and told them to charge at the enemy over open terrain.

[@SeraphimRoad]

Ha, Kuratita tactics!

[@SheyD78]

There is just something adorable about that slowass little bastard. Yes I know properly modded it can and usually does move faster when not in it's designated roll, but that description of the 60L variant really says it all. And to go with it the poster of one fighting an WH40K titan really says everything about the attitude of those who love it. Why? Because why the hell not!

[@thevader2176]

Whan an urban mech gets old enough to evolve it transforms into the all mighty atlas

[@mikeching6374]

..I am now going to pester the living hell out of my Gundam modelmaking friends to make an Urbanmech custom. They will hate me and my freebirth progeny into the next seventeen millenia. I don't care.

[@theblackpantslegion]

you must do what you must do

[@fenrirslairpainting511]

Use an Akguy as the base.

[@barrybend7189]

Use the Teirien from Gundam 00 Or a Loto for the legs then if you can find a Giga custom built top matched for size.

[@poodlescone9700]

The Turn A Mobile suit Kapool is half way to an Urbie.

[@mikeching6374]

@@poodlescone9700 Too round. not garbage dumpy enough...

[@josephlafluer8729]

It saddens me that I can only like this once 😂

[@MrBingogogo]

When I see a Hunchback I blast it before it can get close. When I see an Urbie I think, "It's cute you're trying with that AC10..." followed by, "OH FUCK THERE GOES MY ARM! How does that little dork have an AC20?!"

[@magni5648]

Simple answer: Because Cappellans.

[@Questknight12]

Choice between the trashcan and the Atlus, ALWAYS SHOOT THE TRASHCAN!

[@9365fall]

WE ARE ENTERTAINED

[@colinmartin9797]

My urbie spins like a broken tumble dryer. That's why I love it.

[@zscout1288]

You spin me right round, Right now baby!🎶

[@absalomdraconis]

So, I guess noone's thought to have an Urban Mech drag around a cannon capable of actually launching the mech yet. Someone should fix that.

[@poodlescone9700]

Angry Marines: We already did that.

[@KwadDamyj]

Mount heavy gauss rifle and aim at the ground. Urbie Space Program.

[@SerLagsalot]

The Urbi is unironically one of my favourite mechs to pilot in MWO. I'm especially partial to my UM-R63; kitted out with all the frontal armour it can mount, two snub PPCs because why not mimic an AC/20 with PPCs? Two machine guns, because birds need to stop shitting on trashcans. Now. Plus an L 125 engine, so it isn't tooo slow. Despite its tendency to cook itself, its surprisingly effective either for securing kills itself or softening up targets for the bigger stompies.

[@killerpeaches7]

Have o correct one point. Orguss Industries is also the company that designed and first produced the Phoenix Hawk (see TRO 3025) in 2568.

[@Ghostcamel]

Im gonna be that asshole who mentions that in MWO, Urbanmech is a very capable, undeniably effective weapons platform. Its one of my best mechs on there. Keep doin you urbie!

[@kelvithon8063]

i agree and so does my street cleaner with is sole uac 20

[@WolfHreda]

I've changed mine into a Heavy PPC platform with small lasers and MGs for close-in fighting and criticals. I even killed a Raven with it by accident. 🤣

[@antimattercarp2720]

So apparently someone memed into existence a WoB variant with a nuke.

[@Kazzmod]

The nuclear urbie existed before the meme did

[@OspreyKnight]

that shit is canon.... god help us all.

[@Om3n2007]

When you work with dedicated hardpoint types, the UM can do some pretty decent low level brawling. When you do it off a TRO sheet with genuine free load rules, theres at least 6 tonnes of whatever you damned well want.

[@Sabrowsky]

I hopped into Battletech lore after I began playing MWO, I was very surprised to learn that the mech I had been tearing ass with for the past 2 weeks was a meme and supposed to be ineffective in a lot of ways

[@scribblerstudios9895]

The reason why it's so effective is because everyone thinks it isn't, right up until some AC20 or Lord above forbid a PPC toting maniac cores them from 20 paces while they were focusing on the Atlas.

[@ashaide]

It's the one mech you wish you didn't meet in Crescent Hawk's Inception because it can shut down entire parts of your Chameleon in one or two shots and you have no way to repair your Engine slots and Gyros. It gets funny once you got the tabletop rules and the appropriate Technical Readout to see what the Urbie is all about. Also, there's the PPC-equipped Urbie in the new game.

[@lawrencestanley8989]

At 2 walking, this thing is slower than a herd of turtles stampeding through peanut butter.

[@rylian21]

If you're in a dense urban environment you don't need to be any faster than that.

[@jeffweskamp3685]

@@rylian21 And in most urban settings, the Urbie will be walking on pavement, which gives any 'Mech a +1 to its base walking speed. On pavement, the Urbie movement rate is 3/5/2 instead of 2/3/2.

[@prshadowcat]

@@jeffweskamp3685 1: This rule only applies to non-hover ground vehicles. 2: It's a flat +1 MP increase.

[@blasterofmuppets4754]

At a certain powerlevel in a defensive city fight supported by Infantry and maybe some Hetzer Tanks, there is nothing better. You can argue all the time that a Hunchback or a Victor will utterly destroy an Urbie, but you can get several Urbies for one of these mechs. I've played with Urbies in several tabletop campaigns. I love this mech.

[@danielvandersall6756]

The Urbanmech certainly has its advantages; very good armor for its size, and some surprisingly heavy firepower. I particularly like Gauss or RAC-5 variants.

[@ineednochannelyoutube5384]

So this is basically the StuG of Battletech.

[@Cowboycomando54]

The UrbanMech could have defeated the angles and stopped the third impact from happening. No souls of mothers or clones required.

[@mq5731]

2:17 You know...after watching Ahoys video on the Glock, I have to say, it and the urban mech share a similarity in the fact that they were both made by companies that had never produced that type of product before, and were successful in carving out a piece of the market for themselves.

[@TheBeardedFrogSage]

You do the Locust next, but only if you include the story about how Locust pilots are crazy. Kim Howard of Fink's Lance in particular.

[@Finwolven]

Locust, or as we used to call them, 'Assault Mech Melee Weapons'

[@everyonethinksyoureadeathm5773]

No, Locust pilots are the butt bandits of battle tech. "You shoot the butt and they cannot turn away" - the B33f

[@TK-nn8jd]

I just recently started another play through of Mechwarrior 4 Mercs, and I have to say that I had forgotten how much fun it was to bring an Urbanmech with a clan LBX-20 into the Solaris Light Circuit.

[@ufofighter16]

*Gundam creates the Ball* Urbie: "Finally a worthy opponent, our battle will be legendary!"

[@jekubfimbulwing5370]

When Atlas Pilots say they can out maneuver MOST fortifications, they're talking about the Urbanmech!

[@ScorpiusZA.]

I can't even tell you how many times I've watched this video. Whenever I need to be cheered up, I put this video on and I feel better.

[@c182SkylaneRG]

Holy Shit! They put Arrow IV Artillery on an URBANMECH?!!! And managed 2 tons of ammo for it! Which beats out the single ton that it got for literally every other weapon system, and is even more ammo than the Catapult C3 was able to carry for ITS Arrow IV system.

[@barrybend7189]

To be fair the Catapult has two 1 ton ammo boxes for the aero 4 launch systems.

[@c182SkylaneRG]

@@barrybend7189 Not on the C3 version (which uses Standard everything). It takes a stock C1 Catapult, removes all of the missile launchers and ammo, adds a single Arrow IV system to the right arm/torso, and puts one single solitary ton of ammo (5 rounds) in the right torso. The C5 version uses Endo Steel and Double Heat Sinks, and is able to up the ammo to 4 tons (20 rounds: half ballistic and half homing) in the left torso. It also has ER Mediums.

[@magni5648]

Wobbies gonna wobbie. The nutjobs gave it endo and a small cockpit to fit in the AIV and ER med laser. Personally, I love the R-80. Snub-nose PPC, small pulse laser, small laser, Guardian ECM, BAP, TAG and they even gave it improved jump jets so it can now jump 90 meters. Though the R-70 is also a barrel of laughs with that RAC/5. As for stupid, there's the R-93, where the Cappies put a plasma rifle in it... and 12 tons of hardened armor, reducing its max speed to 20km/h.

[@missbish1000]

The Urbie or urbanmech is one of my favorites primarily because it get's ignored a lot on a battlefield because it is a low priority target, this allows a tactical advantage when you start modifying the urbie, a little extras frontal armor and an ac 20 or something that's a cockpit puncher makes for an unexpected and unpleasant surprise for the enemy. A lance of modified urbies can be a very nasty surprise in an urban environment even against larger mechs. The urbie is one of my favorites to use when I use swarm tactics in combat. Last battle I had a lance of urbies all modified with double heat sinks a single long range heavy laser and extra frontal armor and I won the battle, urbies due to their small size can hide in places larger mechs cannot go and mount a variety of unexpected weapons despite their small size and can prove to be surprisingly powerful in battle if equipped right. Not bad for a slow, walking trash can .

[@GeraldLassaline]

I recently got an Urbanmech in the Battletech game listed as UM-R90 which has a freaking PPC as the main and 2 Med Lasers and still has the Small Laser and jump jets. For an Urban that's an insane number of weapons to carry lol.

[@sofaking2369]

The urbie was the first battletech figurine that I ever purchased, I didn't even paint it I just left it pewter or lead colored and was very fond of it. Also, in the original MW game, the top-down view one, there is a mission that you have to use an Urbie to save the city from attack and it was pretty tough to finish.

[@Ishlacorrin]

Lead Designer: How slow do you want this urban combat mech? Corporate CEO: Yes.

[@509Gman]

3:25 “today on Forgotten Battlemechs...”

[@laughingsnake1989]

thgreatandini gun Jesus had sons lol

[@jetbroplays719]

The best part about being such a low priority mech is that you can just walk around the battlefield getting cool shots of the fight, and if anybody even dares look your way you can just core them

[@sasha1mama]

It is here that I shall state that these videos both properly got me into BattleTech a few months ago, and have since made me an ardent defender of the Little Urb That Could. I literally gave Science Insanity a speech on how determined and tenacious this little guy is over on his channel the other day. Because the Urbie is a ridiculous little goofball...but he's got spirit. Trash *can,* not trash *can't.* You've done your job on me, Tex. I'd offer you a cookie, but I'm not sure you'd accept one that isn't made with a combination of whiskey, coffee, gruff cynicism, and the condensed tears of defeated Capellans. I'm fresh out of most of those.

[@garereeve117]

I showed a coworker in his mid-20s your Tex Talks Battletech videos, and loaned him my copy of Mechwarrior 3. He was heartbroken that he couldn’t field an Urbanmech in that game. Then his Windows 10 computer got an OS updated and the game became unplayable, but the you gave the franchise a new fan.

[@squirrellordsgaming2772]

Two random ideas: make the mech greatly more terrifying and hilarious by painting them in the same color pattern as the Minons from Despicable Me. Or even better, have an entire group of these mechs piloted by same said Minions. Now that would be both hilarious and terrifying!

[@isaacyoung4601]

worst part is it's cheap enough for almost/all the minions to have their own. Granted now i'm envisioning them trying to use Jump jets to stand on top of each other just to look Assaults in the eye

[@jybil178]

I could not stop cackling, maniacally as you were going down the variants lineup.... each one was more outlandish than the last, and I ABSOLUTELY LOVED IT xD

[@steelshanks1265]

I've watched this Vid like 15+ times... Love the Urbie, love this series... It never gets old.

[@TheSYLOH]

The urban mech isn't a pug, it's a daschund. If you're unfamiliar with the design specifications, it looks dumb as hell. But once you realize that it's specifically engineered to get into a close confined space and utterly murder anything that it reaches, you learn to respect it.

[@sharlin648]

Trumphant Kazoos, a perfect piece of backing music for the lil Urbie :D

[@barrybend7189]

Or Spanish flea.

[@battlespace13]

Played the Battletech video game and one of these lovable little guys did a headshot on an Orion with its AC/10. Dropped the scenario boss in one shot. Loved it!

[@robertharris6092]

*stalin shedding a single tear*:its... beautiful.

[@GhostWolf_X]

You forgot the clan version of the UrbanMech, the UrbanMech IIC, talk about slapping paint onto a trashca- er i meant...Upgrading it with a slight design change and using Clan tech instead of Inner Sphere tech because somehow Clanners using less than their tech is dishonorable. Replacing the weapon system with the Clan Ultra AC 10 and a ER Small Laser, upgrade the jump jets with Clan versions and give it a faster engine that can, get this, keep up with an Atlas (wow we are really zooming along here). Built and fielded mostly by Clan Coyote other Clans like the Snow Ravens, Ice Hellions, and Hell's Horses. Of course they are also distributed by salvage to others and the black market for a slight increased price of 1,456,325 C-bills due to it being clan tech but still an UrbanMech.

[@combativeThinker]

Even clanners can appreciate the urbie’s charm.

[@Spartan120]

Kazoo theme for the Urbanmech used in this vid: Tricycle Riot - You Won't Believe What I Saw

[@theaureliasys6362]

you're my proper introduction to battletech. and I really like this. a mech that isn't too powerful, but heck, ignoring it will cost you dearly? Sounds hecking awesome

[@Taurox220]

It's interesting going back and seeing the difference in Tex's voice and characterization. The Urbanmech is honestly one of the best and most practical designs in battletech. Cheap, powerful, and able to defend your most important areas against far more expensive enemy forces.

[@metalmadness5851]

Ahhh, the perfect mech for trouncing my older brother and his favorite Locust!

[@thegreatbamboozler4837]

The Urbanmech is the Chevy Vega of the BattleTech Universe.... small, joked about, but very impressive when modified to take down bigger, "better", opponents.

[@barrybend7189]

Actually its more MG as its small slow and good in tight environments.

[@user-nj9mh7ly2n]

Love these videos. Good content and the narrator character is perfect! Well written, consistent and voiced superbly!

[@theblackpantslegion]

Thank you kindly sir.

[@bluesmet]

Urban mech with a pimp cane and hat. Tex your videos are so cool I might do some youtube myself someday.

[@theblackpantslegion]

There's always room for losers like us, my friend. Always more.

[@bluesmet]

Well I like that you create things for the sake of creating... I'd like to do something like that, I think it would be a fun project and if its good maybe even cathartic. Keep up the good work tex and take care of yourself.

[@chrisbingley]

The best bit about the Urbie is that it breaks the laws of physics by having an engine with negative mass.

[@slammerjaxlive]

Awesome video! I haven't played battletech in years but like to keep up to date on it. This video hit the spot.

[@rotwang2000]

Remove the AC/10, pop in a Snub-Nose PPC and a TSEMP and you have something really nasty, especially if you have a lance of them ...

[@Mr00Ted]

rotwang2000 I prefer cramming in two snub-PPCs, because the only thing more fun than firing an energy AC10 is an energy AC20

[@magni5648]

I meyn, the R-80 variant is canon: Snub-nose PPC, small pulse laser, small laser, guardian ECM, beagle active probe, TAG and improved jump jets for 90 meter jumps.