BATTLETECH: The Raven

The #CapellanConfederation managed to create one of the most influential designs of the 31st Century in #Battletech, if not, I'd personally argue, THE most influential design. That mech is in fact, the #Raven
The first mech to use electronic warfare in centuries, this #Battlemech would change the nature of war.
#HouseLiao and its #CCAF wouldn't be the only operators of this #Mech however, as #Mechwarriors within the #FreeWorldsLeague and #DraconisCombine would also see its use due to trade agreements as apart of the #KapteynAccords, in their efforts to combat the #FederatedCommonwealth / #FederatedSuns / #LyranCommonwealth.
Even these states would gain the #Raven in some numbers, just due to capturing a large volume of them, particularly in the #4thSuccessionWar / #SuccessionWars.
Even the #Clans during the #ClanInvasion would face off against this nimble, deadly machine.
Still, join us, friends, as we explore this deadly Corvid.
#InnerSphere #HouseDavion #HouseMarik #HouseSteiner #HouseKurita #HouseLiao #DarkAge #Ilclan #ChaosMarch
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Note: I am not associated with the Battletech / Mechwarrior IP, and create this under fair-use. Ownership of the Battletech IP resides with several companies at this time. I support all official releases.

[@aragos32727]

Fun fact! The Raven has exceptionally strong rear armor. So as their fellow Capellans cannot stick a knife in its back!

[@Alex-pj8nz]

More like it will run away most of the time

[@tokusatsukeyblade797]

@@Alex-pj8nz why not both?

[@twistedoperator4422]

They know their own gotta give them that.

[@MultiKbarry]

@@Alex-pj8nz Of course you run from a fight. It’s the best way to lure someone into a trap.

[@Darren_Xero]

So that Raven MechWarriors won't be easily "replaced" by a Maskirovka commissars in their Urbanmechs with its AC20 shells on their backs for a "perceived insubordination", let alone being a valuable operatives for the intelligence agency

[@yourseatatthetable]

A minor point. What really made the Raven stand out for it's original era is that new Mech designs were rare, and its cutting edge technology was advanced in more ways than one might think. The supposed weakest and smallest of the great houses, Liao introduced this Mech well before the discovery of the Helm memory core. And it was a completely new design, not a made over existing one. It was these facts that made the Raven stand out more than anything else. It also proved that House Davion wasn't the only one capable of inovation as of 3025.

[@BigRed40TECH]

New Mech Designs are rare! EXCEPT IN THE CAPELLAN CONFEDERATION! *drops mic* lol

[@yourseatatthetable]

@@BigRed40TECH with out a doubt.

[@Chromevod]

You've got to give the Capellans a lot of credit for their ingenuity. Where the other Successor States stagnated before the spread of the Helm Memory Core information, the Capellans focused on real R&D. Redeveloping LosTech is no small thing.

[@bthsr7113]

Wonder how many people they starved for it. And how much sooner they could have had it without purging people who weren't "faithful" enough.

[@ALV694]

@@bthsr7113 well they are kinda forced to do that due to facing, fed sun, Free league and later the combined fed

[@JohnnySmithWhite-wd4ey]

Remember when Maximilion built a huge mech force using captured tech . Unfortunately the triple strength myomar was faulty and burned in nitrogen.

[@PeachDragon_]

Yup that's why I've always loved the cappellans particularly even considering that i like all factions

[@TheCptnOfFail]

Seeing a raven in the distance is concerning. Suddenly not seeing that raven is more concerning. Seeing the horizon light up with rocket artillery is greatly alarming. This is why I always have masc, AMS, and any EW stuff I can get my hands on installed. Because someone will pay me to poke capellans, and for some reason the battle cry of "STOP IT! THAT'S EXPENSIVE!" fails to scare them off.

[@asukalangley4209]

That's my battle cry as well 😢

[@hentaioverwhelming]

*Laughs in stealth Raven relaying targeting data to Long Toms in the next sector*

[@g2fxgraphics]

Big Red 40k..."not the sick man of the Inner Sphere." That's the best piece of writing I've heard in along time in context of Battletech.

[@ivandewanda5509]

As someone who jump into the PC Battletech without any knowledge about the lore, discovering this unit in a heist mission involving urban areas was a banger moment.

[@mergins1958]

I play a BTA and use the Raven as my primary scout, for little other reason then I like it

[@corethunder3487]

Facts

[@meining-mech4378]

The Raven is a very nostalgic design full of personality. Since I’m venturing into building/painting a Liao company, this seems rather timely.

[@cobalt968]

Utility mechs always seem to get less glory or exposure than they deserve. I remember using this in MechCommander 2, it served well for over 10 or so missions before I got access to the Cyclops, which had an equivalent EWar/utility package. Being able to detect and pinpoint exact models of enemy mechs was a very useful ability for a first time player going in blind.

[@stephenfritz7493]

Is the music from mech commander 2?

[@mikkim-mh9bc]

@@stephenfritz7493 Yes, its the House Liao theme

[@golork_meat_mangler]

Excellent! Your Capellan Credits have been transferred! This is actually my favorite light simply from the sheer nuisance moves you can do with it lol

[@mattcarper9853]

This mech dies first in any Alpha Strike game I play.

[@toddkes5890]

Quoth the Raven, "Arrow IV"

[@bthsr7113]

@@toddkes5890 Now we're cooking with puns.

[@theshatteredsaga3965]

One of my favorite IS light mechs. Right behind the Panther.

[@jonbezeau3124]

It's only appropriate for a Liao mech to be right behind an unsuspecting machine.

[@tullyDT]

In Irish mythology there is supernatural being called the Morrígan who foretells doom, death, or victory in battle. She often appears as a Raven offering heroes advice on how to win battles, and destroying the enemy's moral with he foreboding. Sometimes she will appear as a hag washing the hero's own blood stained clothes foretelling his death in a coming battle. I think the Raven is an apt name for this pint-sized technological terror.

[@marsar1775]

Morrigan also roughly translates to Phantom Queen, which is a further excellent descriptor/title

[@jacobrancourt2508]

The raven is definitely a favorite. In my mind it was the first mech to really begin reversing of the "Cappies suck ass forever". Yeah the cataphract was certainly a strong start but it was more of a desperate measure to staunch the bleeding.

[@MrGrimsmith]

Nah, Cappies still suck and always will. The Raven just proves that the only reason a Capellan pats you on the back is to check where to stick the knife :P

[@bthsr7113]

@@MrGrimsmith If you see them readying the knife, you can beat them up, take it, and keep it, and the Raven is a good knife.

[@MultiKbarry]

@@MrGrimsmith CC are probably the least likely faction to betray you. While FedSuns do it all the time.

[@jdmmike7225]

@@MultiKbarry What are you talking about, Cappie's literally threaten to kill you as you work for them LMAO. They are straight up snakes. Ask the Taurians about whether Cappie's ever keep their word 😂😆🤦🏻

[@MultiKbarry]

@@jdmmike7225 The bulls betrayed Capella during Jihad. The Capellans never lied to them once. As a merc working with the CC you have a unique position of being needed greater than any other house. You are their first and last line of defense. They know not to mess with the contract otherwise they lose access to mercs.

[@Zetasphere]

Ah the Raven. The single most important mech created in the Inner Sphere since the Mackie.

[@Sapper21b10]

I would argue the hatchetman is more important. Being as it came out on the scene before the raven. Granted, it doesn't have the toys the raven does.

[@stefanamaris543]

@@Sapper21b10 What? That doesn’t even make sense. That mech doesn’t have the design or equipment that makes the Raven one of the most important mechs of its era, but it’s somehow better simply because it’s older? If age is the only criteria my 1978 Monte Carlo is the best mech ever produced.

[@egoalter1276]

Both of them vie for the title of most important because they signified the end of the succession wars, the seemingly inevitable backslide of technology, and were the first new engineering projects undertaken in the inner sphear in centuries. And seeing as the raven was a lot more innovative in terms of novel technologies, I would also call it the more important one.

[@StressmanFIN]

Raven is such an adorable light 'mech. Instantly recognizable, full of history, not to mention a real game-changer with it's experimental electronic warfare suite. Even if Helm memory core would be discovered 4 years after it's introduction. Crucis Lancers Mechwarrior: "It's difficult to get a hit with all this sensor interference! Somebody take out those Ravens!"

[@leeroyjenkins7325]

One of my favourite Mechs visually (the predatory bird aesthetic is just cool, I guess).

[@AGS363]

Smart Ass Fact: Actually, the Raven is not counted as a predatory bird, but among the song birds.

[@leeroyjenkins7325]

@@AGS363 I meant it looks predatory and bird-like, and both things are cool.

[@AGS363]

@@leeroyjenkins7325 I know, and you are right!👍

[@RCBashist]

I'm sure Clan Jade Falcon must have been jealous of the design when they first saw one.

[@Goldhawk7]

“The Raven isn’t well ARMED. Though it has merits for its PUNCHING power…” 😂😂

[@Doomer1984]

Best team support mech, from the frigin Capellans! The Cappies understand teamwork, it's just that they have funny ideas about who is on the team

[@BraindeadCRY]

The Capellans main mistake on the original Raven was treating it like a battlemech with ECM capabilities, rather than fully specializing it as an ECM support mech thats not intended to be proficient at doing any actual fighting. Ditching the SRMs and investing that weight into siginificant armor upgrades and some extra engine power would have made it a far better mech.

[@bthsr7113]

The SRM does seem like the first thing I'd drop.

[@darkyshooter]

i really like the aesthetics of the raven looks like a bird tbh jaja

[@PrimoRocker]

Ravens are birds

[@darkyshooter]

@@PrimoRocker i know but i was talking about the mech

[@jasonreed1631]

I love the Raven, one of my top 3 favorites. It embodies everything a light mech should be in my opinion and can serve as an excellent hunter-killer with the right modifications.

[@justinjacobs1501]

I have a Raven equipped with four light ppcs in MWO. The little dude is one hell of a harasser. I can basically chain fire them forever as long as I make each shot with a half second interval.

[@tenchraven]

The Raven can not be spoken of without dusting of Poe, which is why mine is call sign "Lenore" and well partnered with a pair of Vindicators and a LRM boat. One of the few pieces of current lore that doesn't make me twitch is the CCAF getting stealthy as a force multiplier. Agreed, even more so than the Cataphract, a very critical Mech of it's day and the first step forward the Capellan military took to regain their reputation and their value to their masters. Without it, the Confederation probably would be extinct. .

[@meshuggahshirt]

Quoth the Raven, "Arrow IV."

[@sebastiang.5032]

I'm just painting two Urbanmechs fielding Arrow IV launchers to give my TAG-equipped Raven something to do. Looking forward to painting enemies with the TAG laser to then lob missile-death upon them! ☺️

[@michaelwilson5233]

I’ve grown to love this ‘mech, both in video games and on the tabletop. It also just looks great! If House Liao did anything right, it was definitely designing the Raven.

[@IsaacCoverstone]

Love your work, just finished vanilla campaign in the Battletech PC game, starting the BTA mod career. It's re-energized my interest in this universe.

[@sim.frischh9781]

Rarely has a mech been given a name as fitting as the Raven, it literally looks like one... IF painted black... But jokes aside, with the Helm Core tech unvieled, this mech became pretty much THE best scout mech and electronic warfare fighter in the entire Inner Sphere.

[@vali6717]

I remember when toy line K'nex had the Battletech licence and produced a mix of Clan and Inner Sphere sets that were sold at a local toy store. I tried hard to get a Mad Cat or Mad Dog but wound up getting a Raven. I don't have it anymore, but I still think fondly of the Raven.

[@chriswriter9087]

I remember the Raven showed up as an early game boss in Mech Assault 2. The little bastard had a video game invisibility cloak and ran rings around me!

[@StressmanFIN]

How about in HBS Battletech, where ECM is an AoE invisibility, which from within you can fire without penalty and enemies can't target you? 😂

[@kennethelkins-wulff9644]

Sorry to tell you man. That was the Raptor 2 not the Raven. There was 2 versions of the Raptor 2 in the game. The Raptor and the Stiletto. Not a Raven.

[@kazekamiha]

Used them all the time in Mech Commander because it could mount the best radar. One of the best light mechs, period.

[@TheStrayHALOMAN]

I refit one of these with clan tech and was able to fit an erppc, lrm20 and 2 heavy small lasers in it, thing was a head popper in MW5.

[@bthsr7113]

How many salvos did you get?

[@stevenclark2188]

Owwww?!

[@TheStrayHALOMAN]

@@bthsr7113 I think either 2 or 1 and a half tons of lrm ammo.

[@bthsr7113]

@@TheStrayHALOMAN So 9 or 12 volleys. Impressive. Very impressive.

[@MoreEvilThanYahweh]

Now let's see Paul Allen's loadout

[@paralykeet-]

I think this video highlights a difference between Battletech with and without God's Eye view of the battlefield, and why it made things that disrupt that interesting, but not very good early on. I don't mean rules level, either- just that there are optional rulesets for a fog of war that really change the game in cool ways. Later on, it's a damn decent scout; but not a force multiplier. Smart design, venerated in flavor. At least passable for the shitbrickhouse the Panther built, and clans blew into kingdom come by halving the weight of LRM launchers, and having light mechs with good heat sinks.

[@vulkhanasennet9961]

My chronic illness+ projesterone super tiredness almost made me miss the premiere; oh and also I would look up "Ghost Targets" they provide a definite defensive weapon for anything equipped with an ECM system.

[@vulkhanasennet9961]

Is there a way to DM you, I'd like to send you my Tiger Lily readout.

[@BigRed40TECH]

If you're on discord, my DM's should be open to anyone who is on the discord.

[@Dracobyte]

The mech that gave the killing blow to a Timberwolf in the MechCommander intro!

[@brothersgt.grauwolff6716]

I remember having two distinct datasheets for "Nevermore" one specifically for the RP campaign 2nd for regular games as the RP version wouldn't normally be table top legal oh all the times I've spotted for fire support and watch an opponent roll devastating criticals 😂

[@elchjol2777]

Love the looks of the Raven,the torso kinda looks like the body of a small fighter craft. Always have to pick them up, generally in a violent manner, from the Cappies when available. Considering my MW 5 company has a bit of a raven theme they just had to 'collect' a few. Also cool to see the nevermore quote.

[@R4V3-0N]

One of my favourite 'mechs. Something I would feel is a missing opertunity is more house specific variants especially with Marik and Kurita. Could you imagine something like a Kuritan RVN-4K with a pair of LPPC's, ECM, and a Streak SRM 6? The vast majority of the variants are Liao and though that makes sense I think only 2 variants are not which is strange considering how it looks like such a widespread design especially following the clan invasion.

[@BigRed40TECH]

Limited variants outside of Liao made ones. Contracts and licenses my friend :P

[@raypath403]

Fun fact, in the 80s, the F-111s Raven electronic warfare aircraft was put into service in the United States.I saw a young American general who, in a video from the 80s, also talked about this aircraft, also calling it sophisticated. Man, like military nerd i want to say that you told about fictional military tech better than real so-called experts talking about real military equipment on KZbin or TV. IMHO this is a very correct view of the Battletech universe.It's very lucky that Battletech has a fan like you. It's a pity that I'm from Russia and it's not very clear to me how to donate to you, maybe I'll think of something.

[@BigRed40TECH]

Thank you Raypath! :D

[@stevenclark2188]

A 3L was my first owned mech in MWO and Ravens in general my first to mastery in the old skill system.

[@ChairmanMo]

In the retrieve the Raven mini campaign on the Harebrained Schemes Battletech Game; the Raven is really hard to use. I can imagine that using the Raven defensively would kick ass. However in the mini campaign, which I eventually managed to beat after like the sixth attempt. The problem was that you need to set up the Raven in the right place, have the thing march at the right speed with the rest of your unit so that it has ECM cover and then launch the attack against the final base which is in the city and lure defenders into a kill zone inside your ECM fied. But if you are in the wrong position by only a little bit; you get killed. Not only that in a city environment since there are only so many roads eventually once someone figures out which road you are in then they can just bum rush you and your toast. The Raven however was done very well in Mechwarrior Mercenaries 4; as in if you do not use the Raven to complete the recon mission on the Talon Mech works (this is the pro-Steiner side version of the mission) you are screwed and it is impossible to do that mission (I have tried to do it with the Locust, Fire Ant and Owen even with max armor, max engine and almost no weapons I still end up getting killed because the Raven has the ECM)

[@thunberbolttwo3953]

The raven has always reminded me of the concord sst.

[@alaxion5628]

that reference to The Raven was very fitting and thematic

[@nalonius5469]

Thank you for the nostalgia... I've been playing "battletech" since it was called battle droids. Cover the Fire bee, and the Behemoth and you will make me a happy man.

[@thaipankatima658]

I didn't find the Raven to be a particularly special mech. But then again, I didn't exactly play them in mech commander for their firepower. It was only during the Battletech game did I found their anti-missile/anti-detection ability to be super OP. If you go against any base or many units with indirect fire capability, this mech will make their missiles near useless. Like the Spartans said: Hide in the shade.

[@Dudeosaurus]

I got goosebumps from that brief bout of bird balladry.

[@Darren_Xero]

Despite the failure of military cooperation in the 4th Succession War, at least there were a few good things came out from the Kapetyn Accord, and the exports of Ravens to the Draconis Combine was one of it that later demonstrated Ravens' incredible performances in recon & electronic warfares during the 3039 War & Clan Invasion

[@TheGXDivider]

Liked how the Raven took down the mad cat in Mech commander intro.

[@blue95kun]

One big question that's been bugging me ever since my introduction to the franchise via MechCommander. How the heck did that Raven pilot, Panther, miss that Mad Cat in his Raven?

[@fix0the0spade]

It's just after the drop, he clearly has low XP and a low Sensor rating. Although with a MadCat kill to his name that rating's going to jump right up.

[@GhostBear3067]

Fail as a scout, get demoted to bait.

[@stormcrow28]

An excellent video on an excellent Mech. The Raven 3L is useful in any era, and with the addition of semi-guided ammo, is an exceptional force multiplier for any unit.

[@NeroLordofChaos]

Probably my favorite light mech out of all of them. Always try to have either a large laser or ER/PPC equipped because it's absolutely hilarious when someone tries to bully me and I blow out their leg _AND_ Tag/Narc them for some extra reaming. Absolute terror in BTA3062 with a pilot whose specialization is building evasion counters. Nearly unstoppable and just ramps the entire lance's DPT through the roof.

[@JosephKano]

Always a great mech in the novels etc. and in the mech commander opening heh.

[@TheStraycat74]

RVN-7A Full 3050 Clan Tech Redesign 35 tons, clan Endo-steel, XL+DHS, standard cockpit and gyro, 6 full tons of clanner Fero-Fiberous, TAG, AP, and ECM built into the chassis, and 16.75 tons of podspace. PRIME config: Streak SRM-6 with 2 tons of ammo, NARC with 2tons of ammo, twin MPL, and a clanner MG with a half ton of ammo. ALT-config: 4 Streak SRM-4's with 2 tons of ammo between them, 3 MPLS, a single MG and half ton of ammo.

[@hentaioverwhelming]

The Raven was my favorite mech in the first MechCommander game. Being able to have peace of mind in knowing where enemy forces were as I moved my forces around was always worth it.

[@mr6johnclark]

I have 2 of these... the best one are energy and missile armed. the ECM variant is also excelent.

[@kilowhiskyforge4337]

My fav light mech, stealth raven shenanigans in MWO was fun while my laptop was working at least

[@jeffreywilliams8018]

The Raven really came into its own using the Double-Blind rules in the old Tactical Handbook. Especially if you had the Angel ECM and could run both ECM and ECCM at the same time. People rarely seemed prepared for that. In MechCommander 2, a Raven with a pilot with extended range sight and Swarm LRM’s could lay to waste most anything before anyone even knew you were there. Sure you needed all your battlefield supports for ammo reloads, but that is the cost of basically never being shot at.

[@xRaalx]

one of my favorite light mechs, despite its relativly low speed for its size

[@richardcharay7788]

Enjoyed, thanks!

[@BigRed40TECH]

Awesome :D

[@Funkin_Disher]

That EW suite is a killer in terms of weight, but as a proof of concept the raven is phenomenal

[@tennoskoom2233]

Whenever I squad up with friends for MW5, I'm driving this. If the available tonnage for heavies and assaults are filled by newer players, I claim the Raven. What a great tool to both protect your allies and scout enemies, and ironically, it's low maximum damage means I rarely get focused.

[@GamingPsychologist]

Whole video was excellent but I loved that chilling rendition of Poe at the end. Beautiful!

[@BigRed40TECH]

I really enjoyed narrating that portion :)

[@MechanicalFrog]

RIP Falcons...

[@BigRed40TECH]

RIP :(

[@theomnissiah-9120]

Nothing of value was lost

[@MechanicalFrog]

@@theomnissiah-9120 aww

[@SteelWolf13]

My work is a 30x30ish foot shack. Occasionally i have to go outside and play nice with the customers. Going back in my shack I pretend it's a cabin in the woods, crank the heater on (its winter time with a squall alert active) and pour myself a cup of almost hot coco. And mentally relax untill the next customer and then play podcasts like this one. Only thing missing is the red lumberjack shirt. Not part of the uniform sadly. Keep up the good work. Crusader next?

[@SteelWolf13]

Battlemaster, Crusader, Stinger and shadowhawk. When I was a kid i picked them because of their looks. Years later Maurader and Maurader II PGI versions have my Fave mech look. I remember reading a novel where one of the characters bemoaned about his mech not having hands. Kinda stuck. Which is why handless mechs would not be my first choice. But you don't go to war to shake mech hands.

[@BigRed40TECH]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/jZ26nZ9jhM-mbNk&ab_channel=BigRed40k

[@SteelWolf13]

@@BigRed40TECH YAAASSS!! Thanks. Those customer trucks and employee pickups can stack till i'm done. Going to need more hot chocolate and Mnt Dew.

[@ianjankus8090]

A Raven 3L - With ECM and 2 Large Lasers is a really neat fire support and lance support mech. Not bad at all.

[@mikhielthorsson6033]

Dude that was one of your best vids, but I'm also a HUGE Edgar Allan Poe fan, and The Raven is one of a few fave's I have.

[@dashiellgillingham4579]

I love the mission they introduced this mech in for the 2018 Battletech. So much changes about how the game works so quickly that you need an entirely new UI for it to make sense. The soundtrack was great too, it made diving to rip apart an absurd number of LRM defenses feel incredible.

[@Cousin_Uli]

One of the best mechs in the setting. Love the Raven to death.

[@MultiKbarry]

The Men Shen is also an interesting upgrade of the Raven improving it to a 55 ton Omnimech.

[@PSC4.1]

I'm not surprised the capellans wanted to put ECM on everything, it makes it harder to hit the mech from long distances by cannon fire or LRM missile barrages, with the exception of copperheads and long toms.

[@Dokdiamant]

In the PC Game Battletech, with it's latest DLCs, you have a Mission where you have to steal a Raven X1 from a Capellan World. It is a very difficult Mission, because you have to destroy a Lance of light Mechs before you can retreat, but with a Heavy Mech Lance and Tanks around the corner to back up the light one AND it is a City Szenatio. My first Time I had a Raven in Action, were in the Mech Commander Game and later in Mechwarrior 4 and 5. I really love this Mech as a light Scout, but when I use it, I change the SRM6 often against a LRM5 and take out the EW Systems, to bring in 2 Pulse Lasers instead of the Med Lasers and Power Up Armour and Missile Packs. When playing with Mods, I often Change the Armour and Skelleton to a different Type and give it Double Heatsinks, so I can use less of them. Also I than change the normal Med Lasers / Pulse Lasers to ER Med Lasers and switch the LRM 5 with an Artemis LRM 5 and reinstall the Bab and ECM Systems, but now with the real deal, not the EW Variant. In MW 4, there were some special Pulse Lasers, called the X Pulse Lasers. I can remember using 2 of them on a Raven Chassis, but they were way to hot to use in Tandem for a longer Time or I used Clan Weapons, making the Raven a mixed Tech Variant. ^^ And in Mech Commander were a Variant with 2 Med Lasers, an LRM 5 (Right Arm and Torso) and an SRM 2 in the left Arm. I can't remember if it had bab or ECM or if this even had a role in MC1. In MW 5 is the Problem, that you begin your Career way before the Raven X1 hits the Market, so you have to wait for it a looong time. Until it drops, I normally have a complete Lance of Marauders ready to roll out and often don't need any light mechs anymore, so it is very sad when I finally can get one, and have no use for it anymore. But as a Mech collector, you really HAVE to have one, even if you only put it in the Fridge. ^^

[@blairdurward4324]

I have had some amazing matches in MWO with this thing, especially when my team runs a bunch of LRM boats

[@tciaravino]

The Sian Dagger!

[@gregoryroth5527]

The mech I started with, and my all time avatar. Go Raven!

[@Viper0701]

Awesome video. Easily one of my favorite light mechs. Thank you. Nevermore...

[@ASNS117Zero]

Visually probably my favorite light mech, right up there with the Clan variant Jenner.

[@corethunder3487]

I gotta say, this video and the Cataphract episode kinda cemented a certain amount of respect I have for the Capellans. They got the piss beaten out of them, only to eventually rise back up and help drive the wedge into the Federated Commonwealth. I'll freely admit I dont know much else of the lore of the Confederation, but that amount of history is pretty cool

[@Vericyn]

This might be my new favorite video of yours. It has one of my Favorite Mech and a lovely Edgar Allen Poe reading. Cheers the 4L is the apple of my eye even if I play the Fed Suns

[@BigRed40TECH]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@georgesulea]

Great Video!

[@pmcollectorboy2929]

"Commander... I don't have jump jets."

[@BigRed40TECH]

Ah Mechcommander lol

[@raxsavvage]

truely beautiful mech can confirm , definatly murderised some clanners with a pair of ravens in MC1

[@johntaylor8095]

Excellent video!

[@maggiweber]

You are the best :) thank your for your content ^^

[@enddhabzen9278]

I'm always happy af when I see you drop a new battletech video!!! You and Tex are battletech gods ❤️

[@steveharrison76]

You missed an important upside. Damn mech looks sweet as all hell. I do find the armaments to be a bit weird. I would have expected something like this to almost exclusively be armed with very short ranged and rapid firing weapons to sandblast and seek crits. The rest of the lance is for fighting - this guy is there to screw the enemy over when they get too close (and that’s why I’d overarm it for close quarters).

[@HClaurance]

Playing the BTA mod, Ive found that the Raven is pretty solid, but its variants are even scarier. The Sha Yu in particular, as it has stealth armor and a similar speed on a heavier chassis, with improved protection and firepower. I love it as a Medium Mech fighter, and heavy scout.

[@malith1321]

loved the poem at the end!

[@archangel2709]

One of my all time favorite mechs!

[@johnsmoke4249]

It's my fav mech. You did a great job covering it!

[@BigRed40TECH]

Thanks! It was a lot of work :)

[@faithmcclosky4528]

Great video as always, Red. Not surprisingly, this is one of my favorite mechs out there. There's just something awesome about the Raven, even in it's OG days where the ECM didn't really do much. And of course, it adds to the glory of the Confederation! Xin Sheng!!!

[@bbsamik1999]

The tip of the Cappellan spear the Raven! Amazing video thank you Red

[@BigRed40TECH]

Glad you liked it!

[@WyvernCV]

I like the raven, solid light mech.

[@bthsr7113]

One of my all time favorite lights from looking at specs.... though that's largely because of how much better it can make fire support assault mechs and vehicles. Still, even on it's own, it's packing respectable firepower potential for what was built to be a spotting scout.

[@Sapper21b10]

One of my preferred lights. If you use it for proper tactical fuckery they're fun. Drop one in when your opponent sinks all his BV into C3 systems and let the lamentations start. In the original, I drop the narc and put in some more armor and ammo. Lots of fun can be had with a ton of regular, and a ton of inferno SRMs. Or drop the narc for an LRM rack. Either way it improves the design a lot.

[@RyeFields]

One of my favorite looking mechs I don't use

[@pentultimatearsehole9190]

A couple ravens, a catapult and a longbow walk into a fedsun industrial centre.... Stop me if you heard this one...😂

[@krissteel4074]

Yeah, its one of those lessons of life you're not likely to forget

[@haroldbenton979]

Here's what would be freaking death from long range. A lance of Ravens equipped with stealth TAG and ECM plus put a Nova C3 command in it. Then for the support lance 4 Arrow4 equipped longbows. Then also have 4 long Tom artillery systems with those longbow mechs.

[@3phemaral]

Fun mech, but I think it ought to have been two complementary designs: One with Active Probe, Narc, and TAG as a dedicated recon/spotter and a second with ECM/stealth armor/XL engine as a harasser. I used the Raven often until the community got wise and everyone mounted ECM on part of their force. I seldom used the ECM suite because it would have interfered with the NARC pod. Also, as usual, you should swap the SRM for 2 more medium lasers, a heat sink, and more armor. The best I ever saw one used was when a player danced in and out of cover, and NARCed two enemy mechs. The other player huddled his units around their ECM mounted on some vehicle (I forget). A turn later, it turns out the Liao player targeted that vehicle with tube artillery (4 snipers) using standard ammo. The actual effect was moderate, but mechs caught splash damage, some to their rear armor. So, the guy decides to space his mechs out more. The next round, his opponent (using the Raven) caught a Tbolt out of the ECM and, perfect tactics, he had switched to copperheads and was rewarded with an ammo critical and a huge explosion. Given the overall size of the forces, this wasn’t a huge deal…but it was so demoralizing. So, then the Liao player ducks the Raven behind cover and keeps it there. His enemy now had all attention focused on this one Raven, and it had already taken a lot of damage…it wasn’t really a huge threat…but the other guy sent two heavy mechs way out of position to hunt it down, and those ended up getting shot up prematurely as well. The Raven, however, didn’t make it. What I noticed was, back then, a Raven was either a waste of points or scarier than an Atlas. It all depended on the supporting forces and the terrain. I personally never played games with enough points to cover artillery…but a few LRM carriers were usually good enough - the Raven became a zone-of-control piece, like a Hunchback…you didn’t want to get in range of the thing. What was worse was, you could kill my Raven, but the NARC pods still worked. But, I never played a game with a Raven where it survived. Just the idea of indirect fire delivered without needing a spotter was spooky enough that players overtargeted them. That was, in the end, what made them really useful…they were huge distractions…ironic given it’s an EW specialist. Those pilots had to have serious guts.

[@xedalpha1]

I've kind of had a soft spot for this mech ever since Mechcommander.

[@BazztheBazz]

Say what you will about the Cappies, they make some great mechs.

[@michaelrizzo4174]

What is that cool video playing as we wait for premier? It’s super neat!

[@BigRed40TECH]

It's just KZbin's Sci Fi Premier

[@thestabbybrit4798]

Quoth the Raven: "target lock established."

[@bthsr7113]

Fire at will! Hahahaha Caw caw caw!

[@Colonel_Overkill]

"Then the bird said.....Arrow IV"

[@TroySeward]

Another great mech video.

[@BigRed40TECH]

Glad you enjoyed it