BATTLETECH: The Annihilator

Oh boy, this one's going to be controversial.
Brought to the #InnerSphere by the #WolfsDragoons in #Battletech, this ancient relic of the #SLDF prior to its #Exodus from the defunct #StarLeague, the #Annihilator is a surprisingly inflexible, substandard #Battlemech, despite the love it has from the #Battletech community. While I don't like to just drag some machines into the mud, its backstory is also heavily altered from its introduction.
There is a lot to unpack too. The Dragoons, The #Clans, the #ClanInvasion, the #FederatedCommonwealth, and later #LyranCommonwealth all using this thing has made it a much more common sight than it ever would have been should it not have left with the SLDF.
For an #AssaultMech, this thing is frankly just not something that delivers, in my experience, in tabletop #Battletech. Even in #Mechwarrior, if it stays true to its initial weapons configuration, its ability to survive is going to definitely be questionable.
#SuccessionWars #AmarisCivilWar #ClanInvasion #Warden #Crusader
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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.

[@mojoforthewin3069]

The Annihilator isn’t so much a ‘mech’ as a geographically flexible bunker.

[@GrumpyCoffeeBean]

One of the most accurate descriptions of the Annihilator right there..

[@trilit2]

Redeployable defence turret

[@abaddonblack1294]

Its 4 Urbanmechs mashed together! That is all it is!

[@TheBloodedCat]

@@abaddonblack1294 and all inside one trench coat

[@corethunder3487]

I'm going to add the term "Geographically Flexible Bunker" to the things I describe mechs as now

[@jacobrancourt2508]

I will die on a hill for the annihilator. So will the annihilator itself.

[@GhostBear3067]

But it will take a while for it to die on that hill.

[@Lycanion0]

Rocking this mech in mwo makes you feel powerful. Especially if your a madman like me and only take rotary guns

[@Ironknuckle100]

Ah the Annihilator. Battletech’s walking meme of: “I ONLY HAVE TO HIT YOU ONCE DEXNERD!”

[@anexistanthuman2435]

That would be the king crab, actually. The annihilator cries every night wishing it was as good at urban warfare as that machine.

[@harleyme3163]

then gets one shotted by my dire wolf

[@Ironknuckle100]

@@harleyme3163 The Dire Wolf is a georgeous monster. Love that one.

[@TheSlamburger]

@@anexistanthuman2435 The Clanbuster King Crab with the Gauss rifles is awesome.

[@tonydalimata]

​@@TheSlamburgeryah that's an amazing mech, but I like the KGC-010 better

[@Temeluchas]

Well, in my twisted mind I always thought that the Annihilator is "the Urbie of assault mechs" - it is far too slow to be useful, can hit hard and looks derpy

[@44R0Ndin]

Somehow, that moniker applies better to the Annihilator than it does the Urban Lord, which is the in-universe "embiggened" Urbanmech. Strange how that works, isn't it?

[@jamesricker3997]

When attacking or defending a fixed location, mobility isn't important Without support or caught out of its environment, it is just a big target

[@chrisc7563]

The Urbie has jump jets which let it negate its weakness if it's in an dense environment. The Urbie is the superior mech.

[@bthsr7113]

The speed is not a deal breaker for the Urbie, but the Annie is a bigger and more obvious target, so its armor will be tested more often. If it was faster or better armored, it could truly be feared. Does it have the space to fit ferro fibrous armor in most configs?

[@iller3]

There's always that type of class or "Reinhardt" archetype that doesn't measure your own skill as much as it measures how much of a Leeroy Jenkins your opponent is....and it's amazing how often it still works despite that.

[@andrewt3768]

Anyone remember this mech in MW3? This sucker was terrifying, just because of how quickly it could knock you over with overwhelming autocannon fire. I miss that game.

[@chrisc7563]

The first one you met had you literally funnelled to it too. You'd have an Orion if you were lucky on salvage and suddenly BAM.

[@andrewt3768]

@@chrisc7563 Right? In the underground factory, if I remember right. I was usually rolling a Blackhawk and my only chance to survive was to jumpjet to throw it's aim off and alpha striking it's leg until I overheated or blew it's leg off lol

[@dennisrobinson4274]

What did the Lance mate say in the game? "Oh my God! They have an Annihilator!"

[@andrewt3768]

@@dennisrobinson4274 or "I'm dancing with an ANNIHILATOR over here!" 😂

[@depth386]

@@chrisc7563 agreed the difficulty spike made no sense that mission. Basically retry until the AI misses that one salvo and you melt one leg off.

[@z2ei]

I love the Annihilator. It's big, dumb, completely impractical, but it's *cool* and that's what matters.

[@screamingcactus1753]

As an avid enjoyer of this mech in MWO, the painfully slow speed combined with what a comedically tall target it is does not lend it any favors, but I am willing to forgive every time I got Gaussed, PPC'd and LRM'd to death from well outside of my effective range while just being too damn big and slow to effectively use cover for those delicious moments where I catch an enemy heavy or smaller assault off guard at close range and proceed to tear it in two before it can even back up. It's not good, but it's still one of my darlings

[@Elrigger]

I have one I absolutely love in mwo with 4 lb10x autocannons its a beast

[@mr6johnclark]

i like the meanbaby the Only Annihilator with LRMS.

[@Evinthal84]

@@Elrigger Be a man and use my version that crams in 5 LBX-10s. Might as well since you are going to be slow, but it is hilarious to watch people backpedal as fast as they can when you pellet bukkake them.

[@rybread3981]

As a Flea pilot, an annihilator is my favourite wall to hide behind, mostly because the wall kills anything I can lead to it.

[@iller3]

I think Red's recitation of its Lore explains exactly how its existence was justified. IoW: Exploiting exactly the sort of mind set of a culture that would try to "Square Off" in the range or artificially constrained _arena_ where a mech like this would naturally dominate. But as soon as they're issuing batchalls to Mercs or Pirates...those advantages evaporate

[@frankb3347]

Ah yes. The semi-mobile turret. It's perfectly fine at what it's intended to do. Only problem is what it's intended to do is inherently limited.

[@platiuscyndar9017]

The Annihilator has one biiig problem: It's a 100 ton Urbie. But, being a 100 ton mech, it has one downside where the Urbie has an upside: It's not cheap. In fact, it is quite expensive - as assaults tend to be. That makes it not nearly as disposable or avilable as its 30 ton sibling. You CAN just kinda plop down a company of urbies to defend several key acces points of a city, and have proper forces in addition. But the Annihilator is too expensive to do that with.

[@bthsr7113]

The Uribe is also smaller and more likely to be underestimated. A 30 ton, slow small trashcan? What a jo- BOOM Where'd the armor go!? A 100 tonner spotted, I want everyone in this lance ready. It's called an Annihilator, all fire on my command!

[@schneecoraxx8689]

As much as i adore the Annihilator, from a command perspective I would absolutely deploy the 6 urbanmechs and spare parts i can get for the same price. But from a pilot perspective i would like to pilot what is basically the metagross to the urbanmech/beldum 🤣

[@Nerthos]

@@bthsr7113 6 urbies without armor to be able to stand the weight of a gauss, hidden behind buildings

[@a.h.1358]

The Urbies are the Annihilators spotters 😂

[@404cp]

The Annie is one of the best mechs in MechWarrior Online since that game lets you put a light fusion 300 engine in it and walk at 48kph. Drop the lasers because who needs lasers when you got 4x lbx10s anyway. Drop the extra heat sinks cause you don't need em since you dropped the lasers. Use the extra weight for more ammo. Put in endosteel and max out the armor. Now you got a beast that can kill anything it looks at.

[@BigRed40TECH]

MW's not really reflective of Battletech or the BTU to be fair.

[@iller3]

This mech would have been a great support asset in a game-world where high-Arcing TAG-guided LongTom shells were a thing.

[@purpleboye_]

@@BigRed40TECH Yeah, can't have canon variants be too good to begin with or we wouldn't have anything to feel clever about when we fix them.

[@NemFX]

This is the one you see coming. This mech is designed for sieges and cleanup duty. It either walks towards an enemy encampment, guns blazing, or hides out in your base, shooting down anything that comes near. This one is the autocannon version of the Awesome.

[@BigRed40TECH]

The Awesome is a vastly superior machine, unfortunately.

[@burnttoast.2017]

@@BigRed40TECH yeah, in universe I'm surprised that autocannons weren't completely replaced by the PPC at some point. Removing a autocannon 10, for example, and replacing it with an PPC, which from what I remember is 7 tons, while the autocannon is 12 tons. Sure, you'll need heat sinks, but you can add 3-4 more from the weight saved and use the otherwise ammo tonnage as additional armor or more heatsinks.

[@NeroLordofChaos]

@@burnttoast.2017 an all energy Annihilatior load out would be terrifying. PPC route: volley fire every other turn and watch anything dumb enough to be in that front arc get namesaked. Large laser route: discball of death. Kinda surprised there isn't a variant that trades the torso mounted autocannons for some LRMs. 10s or 15s would work pretty well and it could definitely benefit from some indirect fire capability and the potential weight savings could go towards either a larger engine or gyro...considering the fact it's mostly a Clan and merc mech, I'm surprised there isn't a variant with pure clantech...that would probably be the only one that could excel at siege and anti-siege combat.

[@bthsr7113]

@@NeroLordofChaos You want the E variant for energy. 4 PPC and 41 heat sinks. As for missiles, only MWO Mean baby is mentioned on Sarna, and it's short range missiles. Though for apocryphal variants, the 1p variant looks more fun.

[@GonnaDieNever]

@@bthsr7113 Isn't that just a slow Awesome 9Q

[@Frostfly]

The annihilator is strange because it's a historical type of weapon that isn't used in BattleTech because there are no good game rules for it. It's a lot like an Interwar Heavy tank from the 30's Either something like a Char B1 or an Early Churchill. Or a bit latter some of the assault guns built by Germany and Russia (or even the American t28/t95). It is for killing bunkers and providing fire support, not actually killing other mechs. Battletechs is limited rules set doesn't make a place for what (given BattleTech's other assumptions) would be a very useful tool in the hands of the right commander, but because of the silly way BattleTech deals with ballistic weapons, the Annihilator is neutered from the start.

[@lorefox201]

putting an annihilator on the field is not about winning the battle it's about sending a message

[@emmavaria]

And that message is "Just go around."

[@dubuyajay9964]

Into my trap card! ​@@emmavaria

[@BoisegangGaming]

Draconis Infantry: *sees Annhilator* "I swear I've seen this before."

[@bthsr7113]

If the soldier is lucky, they have friend reminding them to run to the transport first, think about it later.

[@dubuyajay9964]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/pWfUcnyXprBmlbMsi=0Mo4JsTPEGw6W5td

[@JumpingFlapjack]

I own an Anihilator Mech in Mechwarrior Online, armed with four Rotary 2 AC`s and four Medium Lasers (when ammo runs out) The mech is named: bloody chainsaw. And the name says it all, reflecting exactly what this monster does to other mechs. Granted it is very slow, but if you see an enemy mech, draw your crosshairs over it and: BBBBBBBBBRRRRRRRRRRT! He is Toast in secounds. It is one of my funbuilds ;)

[@dennisrobinson4274]

As an Atlas pilot, it's just nice to see something other than an Urbanmech I'm faster than. Of course whenever I run into an annihilator, I just start walking backwards and burn through all my LRM ammo. Pepper them up real good before I show them what a real autocannon can do.

[@bthsr7113]

Don't assume they're using standard class 10 autocannons. They can do a lot of different ballistic barrages.

[@johnarnold8485]

Was introduced to this mech by the mektek pack for mw4 mercs. I saw "The Annihilator" and my little jaw hit the floor only to learn it had a derpy head and walked so slowly it doubled mission length. I love the idea of this mech (a mighty juggernaut, something to flee before as 1 on 1 you will be outgunned or outlasted) but tragically nothing of its implementation.

[@rylian21]

1 v. 1 is when you fear it least. I'll Crack it open (eventually) with a Locust.

[@TheRealBDouble]

I had a ton of fun with the Annihilator in MW4. I tended to run either LBX-5's instead of the 10's OR I ran 2x erPPC's and 2x LBX-5's with a ton of ammo, more armour and a better engine. It was glorious.

[@Nerthos]

Ah Mektek, added so many things but also wildly fucked the weapon balance. Love it and hate it at once.

[@nexusofice9135]

Ya. The Annihilator is good for placing it in a spot and defending that spot with lots of guns. Best used as a Garrison Mech. It and the Urbanmech are best buds.

[@thil2894]

''Look at the horizon litle trashcan, one day you too will be able to fill it with AC shots''

[@BC-vg3zf]

How do you feel about the hunchback

[@thil2894]

@@BC-vg3zf Pop gun and laser vomit are great models that can punch above their weight class, good mech.

[@nexusofice9135]

@@BC-vg3zf The Hunchback is a classic heavy firepower medium mech. Very fun to play on the Tabletop.

[@mr6johnclark]

I have three of these in MWO.. The annihilaor... it annihilates!

[@Zero01k]

Be me Light mech Easily annihilates you

[@phildicks4721]

I first played one of these when the Wolf's Dragoons Sourcebook came out in the late 80s...damned battle was over before I could arrive to the fight on the other map.😉

[@jingleding9002]

In mechwarrior 5 I found out the ANH-1E with 4 ER Large lasers instead of ppcs was excellent at melting down slower mech cockpits at a distance or raking across lighter mech legs to cripple them. The speed is a massive issue and makes it only viable in defense or warzone missions and even then if a light mech enters the city or base from the other side of where you’re being a turret it’s almost impossible to reposition in time to prevent anything they do in there and you’ll be forced to order your lance to go in and deal with it

[@Freelancer117]

A laser Annihilator loaded for bear with heat sinks is capable of coring almost any mech with a single alpha-strike, and is capable of alpha striking 2-3 times without overheating. It is absolutely brutal.

[@Nerthos]

In MW5 I use a hero warhammer with 9 Mlasers and 2 er Llasers plus srm4 and srm6 to do this, it's lighter but also fast enough to maneuver and alpha a cockpit into slag

[@KageRyuu6]

Love the ANH-1G, originally a Meme mech called Gauss Zilla, and while it does have the same problems of all Annihilators, for its time only Clan Tech and AC2s could out range it, if barely. As it stomped around with 3 Gauss Rifles and 1 ERPPC, supported by 10 DHS, 6t of ammo, and 18.5t of Standard armor, nearly maxed out, allowing it to Alpha for sixteen turns till its ammo ran dry, potentially dealing 880 damage within that time frame, effectively destroying 55t of Standard Armor.

[@bthsr7113]

Check the C2 and true Gausszilla with its 5 gauss rifles.

[@tullyDT]

funny that it gets gets called that when it looks more like Gigan

[@spartana1116]

Dear God that's like the rifleman 3 but as a 100 ton mech

[@dubuyajay9964]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/pWfUcnyXprBmlbMsi=0Mo4JsTPEGw6W5td

[@robertharris6092]

Its the first mech i ever bought on MWO back when i knew barely anything about MW. My only complaint is if im in first person i often fire at a target i can see and the guns in the arms hit the hill infront of me.

[@Aleksandrgrc]

I run the missiles variant. Those neck mounted hard points make good mrm builds. I have 6 medium laser 80 mrm and 40rockets. That's a 190 alpha, then 110, run a coolent shot and just win the first engagment with dps . Smoke anything 45 tons or lighter in the back with 40rockets.

[@Arvyn992]

From the MW5 the only thing I don't like about the Annihilator is the view from the cockpit because I'm not a big fan of highest and your character is basically hanging over some window

[@DarthP00P00]

I just took this thing to an Alpha Strike tournament and placed 13th out of 52 players. The Annihilator was paired with a Regent and defended my backfield gloriously.

[@BigRed40TECH]

Alpha Strike does the Annihilator a lot of favours to be fair.

[@Demolitiondude]

Alas. We'll never get Jamie Wolf in live action. Rest in peace Shaun Connery.

[@iampoch01]

I love this Mech. It was my introduction to the Wolf's Dragoons and I've been fanatically in love with that unit ever since. However, I love the 2A and 1X versions and not so much with the others. My first encounter with it was when our unit (a Davion unit) was helped out by the Wolf's Dragoons vs the Clans (3050 era). Our battered unit was lent out some of their mechs, and my lancemate was lent the 2A (IIRC, I was given the ultimate egg mech, the Imp, which I also love dearly). In the midst of the fighting, a JF (or SJ, can't remember clearly) warrior using a Timber Wolf challenged my lancemate to a duel. The TW was in partial cover (torso above) and the 2A let out 40 LB-X cluster rounds. We've spent the rest of that afternoon rolling the dice, even continued on well after the Clan warrior had died of critical hits to the head. It was sheer fun to see where the rest of the cluster rounds were going to land next, and it was sort of our "revenge" for all the shit our Clan opponents put us through. After that, I had a weird fascination with both my Imp and the Annihilator, but most importantly, with the Wolf's Dragoons. So much so that it bordered to fanaticism. My first email (yahoo) was p_wolfsdragoons, I created a Wolf's Dragoons CCG deck, and stuck to it even after an errata was issued concerning the mechs bearing the Wolf's Dragoons faction designation. I gobbled up every novel connected to the unit, as well as the sourcebooks. Even today, I'm still madly in love with the unit despite them being a small fraction of their former glory.

[@ilnigromante666]

On Mechwarrior 3 I would leave a trail of burning carcasses with the Annihilator.

[@ilnigromante666]

Sagittaire for the next video!

[@cptstarboob7508]

Man i know this was going to be a hard video to watch and it was my boy got done dirty great vid mate keep it up

[@STzim]

Dakka: Yes. Speed: Nope. Quite the extreme Mech. Probably cheaper and faster to build an actual fortress where you'd place this Mech. Still, as I like dakka I just can't bring myself to hate this incarnation of firepower.

[@yanyanfourtwenty]

This is my favorite 100 tonner mech. I could take an Atlas, Marauder 2, or a King Crab, but the Annihilator takes the crown for me, especially in MechWarrior games.

[@dubuyajay9964]

Hope you give it Gauss and PPC to make up for the horrid range.

[@TheStrayHALOMAN]

I would love for living legends to have this with 4 light gauss and a couple lasers.

[@Shane2020xxx]

BTA-3062 has a hero variant called Gausszilla that holds 4+ Gauss rifles.

[@TheStrayHALOMAN]

@@Shane2020xxx Well living legends uses it's own stats and tonnage. The Catapult A for instance has a BAP, LAMS, 2erppc and 4 lbx2 shotguns with improved jump jets. 4 normal gauss is too heavy for 100tons in mwll. 4 light gauss has a range of 1250m and does light kinetic damage making it have more damage against asf and hover tanks.

[@thaipankatima658]

All I remember about seeing this monster of a mech was the power of its teleportation magic. Boom, one shot of those Autocannons and I wake up in the hospital the next day.

[@Chromevod]

"Help, I don't move so good and can be seen from orbit."

[@Antoine_Colette]

Mechwarrior 2: Mercenaries. What a phrase! And what a intro! I read this phrase and I'm in my happy days. Good work with the video! When we start to play this game (a friend if mine and I, with 14yo in the late 80's) we always created 100 tons 'mech with a 200 engine and every ac20 we can. We thinked that more weapons made a better 'mech (some of then only wear 4 or 5 tons of armor). It was like see fighting two snails. Then we understood some things. Again, good work.

[@drizztschiesl8405]

In mechwarrior 5 I have the 1 x variety kitted out with 4 heavy rifles and 7 flammers. I find it works quite well as no cockpit can survive 2 rounds of heavy rifle and most mechs can survive a 4 round Salvo even to the CT.

[@joshuamidgette4846]

The Annihilator is a good source for guns for other mechs.

[@Phoney72]

I'm just new to Battletech (great video btw, thank you) and I painted one of these lads the other day. Absolutely couldn't shake the idea that it looks like Winnie the Pooh

[@BigRed40TECH]

Winnie the Autocannon.

[@starmechs]

"For an #AssaultMech, this thing is frankly just not something that delivers, in my experience, in tabletop #Battletech." Funny enough this is me with The Timber Wolf line. Field them and I loss usually immediately. The Mech hates me, unless apparently I'm playing the clan I hate the most, Smokies

[@ncleasure94]

Rocked this in MW 4 mercenaries for Solaris. 4 LBX 20S and a pair of heavy medium lasers melted everything inside of 300 meters.

[@Jackelmandingo]

The Devastator says hi. 50% more armor and speed with a better range. Yes it has an XL and costs 1k more BV... but is way better at the the big scary mech fire support role. Heck you can swap out the XL for a light and endo steel and get the same Devastator with out the XL... SO a way better mech.

[@Slenkamure]

one of my favorite mechs especially the field refit that took the AC10's and swapped them for PPC's and 41 heat sinks (the ANH-1E)

[@andrewboyer7544]

It works great mag locked to the hull of a starship as a turret!

[@stormcrow28]

The base Annihilator and most of its 2/3 kin are designed as defense units or long range direct fire support in assault formations like Zeta Battalion. The slow speed isn't a detriment in those type of situations, especially if you're in terrain such as Misery, the snow planet where the Dragoons tore Kurita apart. The better variants are the ones using 300 XLs, such as the Annihilator C, or I believe the one with 3 Gausses and an ER PPC. It's child's play to take most of the 2/3 variants, mount a 300 rated XL in it, swap for doubles and more armor, and then the maneuverability issues are solved. Is it more vulnerable? Of course, but then so areany of the 100 ton beasts we see trundling through the Inner Sphere by this point. No one is going to deploy an Annihilator in heavy forest unless you need to guard your base camp, need an anti-aircraft unit, or a turret. It's the ultimate move towards defense, something Operation Klondike makes clear. That's really the Annihilator's main use. Drop it in a base defense, a Trial, or upgrade the engine to a 300 and add to your battle line of Atlases, Devastators, Rifleman IICs, and Awesomes. My favorites are the 1E, which has 4 PPCs, 4 Medium Lasers, and 41 heat sinks plus more armor for sheer hutzpah, the Gausszilla with 5 Gauss Rifles just because (all hail Bryan Nystul), and the C, which gives it 4 Ultra AC/10s, 4 ER Mediums, and a 300 rated XL engjne. The 3 Gauss and 1 ER PPC 3/5 is also very nice.

[@BigRed40TECH]

I agree with George S Patton when it comes to defence. The Annihilator just doesn't apply to that doctrine.

[@Timberjac]

I think the real way to use it is mainly, in urban environments, to deny the enemy that has been able to pass through the rest of the defenses or has managed to sneak through them the possibility of destroying key installations, to a mech that has already had combat, this monster can unravel such an amount of damage that it is possible that it is not alive after or at least that it is on the ground. And if it's a lighter mech, the amount of damage it can inflict is insane. Obviously, the variant that makes the most sense is the initial prototype, but it is understandable that they were not going to send that junk if what they wanted is not to give technology that was not in service, although it is clear, that the files of the clans on the SLDF, were very incomplete, to send a mech that did not even see practically action, thinking that if it was something old, everything was already explained. Other mech, whose factories were destroyed, are less negligent cases. Or perhaps, the Khan who commanded the mission, had long-term plans that they would attract too much attention (so much to include a Kerensky), to react in some way. Or maybe maybe to make sure that when they got attention, everyone would want to hire them in case they managed to get some information, to get that information out more quickly about the different states of the SI from within.

[@77professional]

There is absolutely one place it shines in Mechwarrior 5. Give it four medium rifles to watch the parts go flying from miles away or give it four AC/10 BFs to make short work of any demolition mission. The spread of the AC/10 BFs is better against building from a distance than it is mechs. It is Battletech's slow moving gun platform. It does an amazing job for any work that calls for a super slow moving gun platform. If the job calls for something just a bit different than that, you are going to have a bad time as well as any enemies who somehow manage to forget to take its firepower seriously.

[@drizztschiesl8405]

Try 4 heavy rifles I love it

[@chrisb3585]

After the introduction of the ANH-1X I always thought of the Annihilator as an Amaris Empire design rather than an SLDF design, a last ditch wonder weapon to help shore up Amaris' defensive lines as the SLDF sought to liberate the Hegemony during Operation Chieftain. Given its design limitations, it just seemed more natural to be a product of a force on the defensive which the SLDF wasn't after rallying to Kerensky and smashing the Rim Worlds Republic in the wake of the Periphery uprising and Operation Apotheosis. Naturally before the Exodus, the SLDF secured the design and any prototypes recovered or salvaged before departing to lands unknown, much like the Matar thus there use by the Clans.

[@AkselGAL]

Assaultmechs are so situational. If you play a campaign, air superiority and fast medium mechs win wars. Assaultmechs can be slowed and channeled by mines, bombarded, artillery striked, allowed to take their target and then blockaded until they do something stupid. Force them to seperate and pick them mech by mech. Assaultmechs are only as strong, as the lighter, more mobile elements acompanying them.

[@generalvictorironraven.1347]

Combined arms? Flexible and versatile doctrine!? Sir you forgot your self!!!

[@EricLinstone]

Funny that you called it a Kaiju. I always thought it kinda looked a little like Gigan. 😄

[@BigRed40TECH]

I did this on purpose. lol

[@bthsr7113]

Gigan is a Kaiju, just not the king.

[@afinegamingexperience5739]

"Look out!!! It's Gauszilla!!!" "Do you mean Godzilla?" "NO!!!" "...Dear god..."

[@ijt766]

An Annihilator with UAC2s can kill with head shots at a distance.

[@afinegamingexperience5739]

@@ijt766 Eh... that's like saying a light can kill with an ac2 or large laser and headshots. That's the glory of something like an ac20 or gauss: one shot is all it can take

[@malcontender6319]

The year is 1998. I was half through the mechwarrior 3 campaign and I actually thought I could facetank this "Annihilator" thing. It killed my Thor in three salvos, took all of 4 seconds. Do not fight an Annihilator face to face.

[@BigRed40TECH]

Walking into it's guns is the one time it'll work out. lol

[@bthsr7113]

@@BigRed40TECH so, most of the time with Inner Sphere pilots, especially Liao, Kurita, and even more so with Steiner's?

[@knightwolf57]

I get the distinct feeling that the Annie was meant to be garrison mech. Something that you dropped out in the sticks or recent planet acquisitions to help discourage rebels protesters. Slap some plasma rifles on to it with some double heatsinks and you have a terrifying mech to face off against.

[@bthsr7113]

LBX autocannons are already a good way to tell the squishies to stop having a opinions. And Plasma rifles wouldn't exist for a long time after the first Annies.

[@knightwolf57]

@@bthsr7113 Very true, though that wouldn't stop a deep periphery warlord with more money than sense from going through with it. Several lances of urbies with flamers and MGs is much cheaper for the same effect.

[@spamhonx56]

At one point while messing around late-game in HBS's battletech game, I decided to field two... unorthodox annhilators. One was a gausszilla with literal paper armour, the other mounted 4 UAC20s, with ammunition for 2.5 salvoes. It was... funny. Glass cannons they may have been, but the UAC20 one took down Black Widow's warhammer and the professional with a single turn of multi-target fire. Not many mechs can pull that trick.

[@vali6717]

It's slow to the point of it being nearly a liability, absolutely, but I lost a good pilots and a lot of great lostech trying to bring down two of these things at once. They gave a surprisongly tough fight and the Stiener merc squad that had taken the same job made the victory I had phirric at best. Annihalators aren't quite the monsters they seem but they can certainly leave your assault lancr easy prey for a second wave.

[@canderoussnurd4265]

I never cared for the annihilator. Too large and slow. Wouldn’t want to be hit by one and I definitely wouldn’t want to fight in a city against one but I would rather have a balance of firepower, mobility and range than go all in on one specific skill. (Yes I am a Red Mage fan and yes that’s where I started my love of balanced character/weapons design). Especially when one considers how unpredictable war can be. Give me an Battlemaster any day. Hell I’ll even pilot a Zeus over an annihilator just for the benefit of movement alone. Hit and fade and let the bastard wear himself down (insert Bronn versus Sir Verdis fight here). But I’ll give it credit where it’s due. Great video yet again Red. I appreciate the level of detail on the mechs and lore.

[@igorsdonjon2271]

in the hbs game i took one and replaced all the weaponry with 6 ac/2s , I was able to put ecm and stealth armor on it ans jump jets. the 6 ac/2s do well at extreme range and most things dont get near it to become a bother.

[@tychozzyx9439]

I did the same with AC and UAC 5s. With the small AC damage buff, I routinely had 7 head capping shots down range per turn. Brutal to anyone in sight with enough ammo to last a siege, it was a Guts pilot's dream ride

[@kenduncan3221]

I added UAC-10++ with 70 damage and took headshots!

[@gunrunner7224]

Love my 4 annihilators in mw5. i have a 1x with 4 heavy rifles backed with 6 s lasers for headhunting, 2 1E's, 1 w/ppc and the other ER lasers and a 1A with 4 UAC-5's and MP lasers for maximum dakka. All of them i managed to get 639 armor. Never used them for beachhead missions or artillery missions but for destruction, assasination and holdout missions they are king.

[@CMDRFandragon]

Mechwarrior 5: Mine had like an XL300, I managed to get it up to like 52kph and then gave it 4x LB10X Solids and all the ammo it could hold. Thing was murder. In HBS BAttletech, I put 4x Ultra 5 ACs on mine, thing was a machinegun murder bunker.....

[@Covolsky]

From what I remember the ANH-4W was dubbed the Gausszilla... And is considered super rare! Man, I wish you could apply clan weapons to the anni in MWO... With a clan XL 300 you could also get hexa c-AC10 with clan endosteel! But that'd be way too powerful and a fever dream impossible...

[@kennetth1389]

A textbook city defense mech. In its element they can be truly terrifying, however, outside of a city they are easily outmaneuvered and overmatched.

[@blue95kun]

A very fun and silly mech to use from time to time. My usual solution is to strip out the AC 10s and swap them out for lighter AC 5s for larger volume of fire and leaves some weight to slap on more armour.

[@acetraker1988]

The Annihilator's Tactics Manual = *Shoot Things, Then Move slowly to Shoot More Things.*

[@bthsr7113]

I think I'd consider using some to guard space ports. Next to ammo dumps, can bring firepower to bear on big targets that warrant 4 gauss rifles and an ERPPC, and where heavier armor wouldn't save them from the enemy's guns.

[@thesilentninja9255]

Always thought the niche for the original Annihilator was serving as close protection for a indirect fire lance. Always worked pretty well for me on the tabletop.

[@MKmaki6094]

I feel the Annihilator my guilty pleasure Battlemech. I got one of these in Merc5 and strapped a bunch of UACs and BF Autos onto it, deployed it on a garrison mission with a big open bowl and grinned like an idiot as I let loose my load on the enemy. Piloting this thing was a dopamine hit I couldn't get enough of.

[@discipleofsound4565]

Step 1, hide it behind a level 2 mountain facing backwards. Step 2, wait to be flanked. Step 3, profit. You'll still probably lose it, but boy oh boy will your opponents soil their tactical lingerie for a turn or two.

[@AXE2501]

After watching this, I’m thinking the paint scheme I chose for mine fits way too well.

[@eugeneodea6689]

This Mech is based on the table top game. Its secret is each point of damage is rolled separately. "Average" hits are 6 points per gun, this gives you on average 24 chances at either a head shot (natural 12) or a CT crit (2) on hit location table. 3 head hits kills a pilot; 3 engine or 2 gyro kills the mech. Many times "sandblaster" kills are the signature of this bad boy.

[@philo2077]

Never worked for me - by numbers: (24*2)/36 is 133 % for a head or crit. The crit you need to be bigger than 8 on 2d6. For the Pilot to go unsciencieous he needs to not make a 3 (5,7 with the next). And you need to be close to hit at all an PPK or AC5 or LRM beeing at Medium range while you play around long... In the End its to slow to deliver the wreckage it's intended for. I believe the machine was basically an reference to the 4Gauss Mech ("Amaris Rifleman")with stealth armor Stefan Amaris procured during the Battle for Terra. Even his body remembers me of the Rim World Shark insignia. The best use I had warst a real cool antiaircraft unit. Have a good day - here we have soaking heat and all intentuons to do sport were replaced by studying Battletech...

[@johnlowther4068]

Great content, you and Tex keep me going

[@Elrigger]

I have had really good success playing the annihilator in a defensive role either in an urban setting or in a canyon map. Usually paired with a victor or highlander with a archer and hunchback as lancemates. They can easily cover the annihilator as it falls back from position to position. Ive frustrated the living hell it I g my players using those tactics

[@karelmclean1164]

I loved using this mech in MW3 a lot. Without cheating, I was able to turn this mech into a fairly mobile sniper. I remember roughly(it's been a while since I was able to play the game) using salvaged Clanner tech, I gave it a targeting computer(head), 4 Clan ERPPCs(one on each arm and side torso), 12 Clanner Double Heat Sinks(three in each arm and torso), 4 Clanner jump jets(two each leg), 19 tons of standard armor, endo-steel internal frame and an extra light engine revamped to cruise at a respectable 64kph. Setting the shots for linked fire and there you go. Alpha Striking will auto shutdown because of heat but only for about half a second because of the double heat sinks. I've also subbed the PPCs with 8 Clanner Medium Pulse Lasers as well as 16 Clanner ER Medium Lasers.

[@alexbrown1930]

The classic 1A Annhilator is an Ambush Predator. It hides somewhere, jumps out, hits hard, makes something cease ti be,and moves on. It is great in Double Blind games.

[@Remi-Toruzen]

Be it when I first encountered the Anni in MW3 all those years ago scared shitless and eventually hijacking it for myself if memory serves. Later the redesign in MWO and also having it in both battletech and Mw5 I still love this towering derp machine. Between the Annihilator and Stalker both are ugly as sin yet I adore everything about both of them and it’s a guilty pleasure to put gauss on the variants I can get away with. Imagine in MWO lugging two heavy gauss around and just ripping legs and arms or anything off instantly. Ya sorry to anyone who I have done that too but damn does it feel fun.

[@Voicfulcornet5]

Is it that suprising that this is used by the same Merc company that took parts from the Heavy mechs to fix a light mech?

[@alfo149]

Foster did what he thought best. Didn't hear the Mech Warrior complain any.

[@christophk.3085]

Short Discription of the Annihilator: From the Model = Mechagodzilla ! In the Game = 4 Urbis in a Trenchcoat

[@zacharygoguen5126]

I don't particularly care how bad the Annihilator is, it is by far my favorite. It got me into Battletech by how absurd it's design is. A literal mechanized siege tower on paper, a super Urbie in tabletop and Mechwarrior. I just love it so much, in all variations of it. Whether it's standard ballistic variants, or energy variants, there is something about this tower of a machine.

[@michaelcowling9928]

My favorite custom build for the Annihilator is 2* ERPPC and 5* UAC2. It fixes that lack of speed problem by making everything in sight automatically in range, even the LRM spammers. I also add jump jets to help address that lack of mobility.

[@chriswriter9087]

Why do I like the Annihilator? Because it's simultaneously goofy looking and cool looking at the same time! There's not may designs that can do that.

[@marcusshiffler2614]

In CBT play on tabletop, my favorite is the ANH-3A with 8xLAC/2 and a TarComp. Add Precision Ammo, and it's fantastic for defense. My number one refit for it is switch from Light Ferro-Fib to standard Ferro-Fib and add a C3 Slave, no other changes. That lets it use the full range mods of the LAC/2's.

[@LazyLifeIFreak]

The Annihilator only works if: 1) The enemy is braindead. 2) The enemy is funneled into a killing zone. 3) The enemy cannot flank the Annihilator. 4) The enemy attacks one-by-one, taking turns, while standing more or less perfectly still. 5) The enemy does not bypass the Annihilator. All above conditions must be met in unison.

[@ryanjones6384]

What? Urbanmech is evolving! Congratulations! Your Urbanmech evolved into Annihilator!

[@observationsfromthebunker9639]

the best historical comparison I have for the Annihilator is the Jagdpanzer VI Jagdtiger. It's a big, BFG-toting, heavily armored blockhouse. Its presence forces enemy mechs to seek cover or get out of the way. But the problem is, it can't do that. the Annihilator, like the Jagdtiger, is so slow and clumsy and heavy that it loses nearly all the offensive potential. So it becomes a mobile blockhouse, denying the enemy force a hazard-free approach to the objective its unit is guarding. Now against some opponents that prefer the banzai charge or zerg rush approach to attacks, this can work. There is also some intimidation factor against an opponent in facing such a blockhouse. However, there are three types of options that can work on the dread Annihilator. 1. Bring up the fire lance and let the missile boats work it over. It won't last long that way! 2. Flank its position, taking care to have minimal exposure to its main armament. the objective can be taken and secured before the Annihilator can get re-positioned for a counterattack. 3. As my crazy recon lance players once said, "Death from Above works on everything!" They're not really wrong, as a Griffin coming off a building like a ring corner post can leave the dreaded gunbus face-down in the street and helpless to do any move on its turn except stand up.

[@The_Viscount]

I'd build a base with walls and a series of mech elevators and have annihilators act as disappearing guns. In history, disappearing guns were artillery guns placed inside fortresses that rested on special armatures. They'd deploy above the walls, and fire. The recoil would push the armature back down where it would be safe behind the earthen or concrete fort to reload. Using the annihilator as a mobile gun turret inside a base may be a gross waste of money if you're buying an annihilator. However, if you already own them, it seems an excellent use of the things. The enemy doesn't know which elevator is gonna pop up next to unload a salvo on them. Meanwhile, a separate spotter can be hidden feeding targeting data to the defenders.

[@nameless9573]

The Annihilator is In the Lyran Commonwealths inventory starting on the clan invasion to the II clan Era and also the same with the Kell Hounds . In Mechwarrior 5 the 1X and 2A are my favorites. For the 2A I use 4 double heatsinks and armor is at 16.5 tons .

[@SelwynClydeAlojipan]

In the HBS BattleTech game, I strip out the 4 M-Lasers, replace one of the basic AC10s with an Ultra AC-10, and add more ammo to keep it shooting in long engagements. Then I pair the Annihilator with a Cataphract 0X or Raven 1X or any mech with an ECM 1-X Suite so that the ECM umbrella prevents any precise targeting and acts like additional armor plating. If there's extra weight freed up, it could be used to add a Ballistic TTS Targeting and Tracking System, or to give it better heat sinks or heat banks to keep its heat low in Lunar, Martian, and Desert environments. I normally also put my Mech pilot with the highest Gunnery skill in the Annihilator cockpit so it can consistently headshot or cripple any mech within range. Unfortunately, the HBS game doesn't allow for switching out the engines or else I would give the Annihilator more speed. My next version is going to have 2 Utra AC5s and 3 AC5s or Gauss Rifles (if I can get them) for even longer-range crippling and knockdown abilities that helps its lancemates blow the knocked-down enemies away at leisure.

[@pmcollectorboy2929]

Everyone talking about the big guns but my vision for the Annie was turn it into a glorified howitzer with uac2s and uac5s. It utterly demolished during high stakes but low movement missions.

[@mattblom3990]

I am really, really curious what Big Red says about this 'Mech. It's rough in the tabletop but it slaps in the HBS PC Battletech game where I believe the game makes its slow movement less of an issue.

[@BigRed40TECH]

HBS actually doesn't reduce its movement as much as it should be. They buffed it, basically.

[@mattblom3990]

@@BigRed40TECH That explains it then, I figured it had to be a buff of some sort because it's very playable.

[@fix0the0spade]

The HBS version is sort (completely) of overpowered. The 20% ballistic damage buff it has takes it from 'the ultimate iteration of the Blackjack-Rifleman-Jagermech line, drawbacks included' to 'the best mech'. One loaded up with 5 Ultra AC-2s can remove a mech from play every turn, any mech big or small, it gives no shits. Then again, if you're playing Modtech you can load it up with 4 Clan Gaus Rifles... which is just cruel.

[@StressmanFIN]

I gave mine triple Gauss rifles. Give it a nice elevated vantage point and it slaps. HARD.

[@DIEGhostfish]

@@fix0the0spade I think in basegame they're called "Gauss Rifle ++" but they're basically clan Gauss weight with IS gauss slot cost.

[@TheEclipse5]

This the Urbie's final evolution!

[@janrautenstrauch4729]

Oh man, i remember the first time engaging one of them in Mechwarrior 3.... what followed was a lection in humbleness. These monsters pack a punch and can be absolute deadly if not approached carefully. And with the design of the head it feels like they're looking down on you while hammering you into the ground. As if they're saying: "Oh, you thought you could stand up to the big boys? That's so adorable... now RIP!" I was so happy when the were introduced in the heavy-metal-dlc for Battletech (the Pc-game). And yeah, they rely quite much on ammunition BUT... switch die AC10 for 2x LBX-AC5 and 2x Ultra-AC5, and oh boy...that thing annihilated armor and made assault mechs very vulnerable to precision-shots. So, if you find the right role for this beast in your lance its weaknesses are much more tolerable.

[@DTSephiroth]

In Mechwarrior 3, the Anhiliator was my favorite punching bag during practice runs.

[@dabombinablemi6188]

Video pops up in recommended, just after I started my first mission in my brand-new Annihilator on a demolition snow map. With LBX10 firing slugs, it really is good at 1 shotting light mechs. And it sucks having to walk 1.2KM to the evac point. Would make a good command mech for Urbie however.

[@Lightningcount4]

Can't wait to see your take on the marauder 2 and the flea

[@BigRed40TECH]

The Flea is already out.

[@steveharrison76]

I... Love this 'mech. in the HBS game, I normally put 5 UAC/5s on it and it eats an Atlas equivalent each turn. Don't even need to headshot someone - it deletes armour like nobody's business. Slow as hell though, and my version doesn't have the best armour. And if its shots miss, you feel it.

[@jrockoclock7088]

in mwo I really liked playing an anni with 6 lbx2s because it can hit immediately after trudging out of the spawn before the other team gets into cover and then it can mop up in the late game. Also lbx2s were super underrated because they were just as precise as ac2s for anything in brawling or midrange. The only time the spread meant anything was if you were doing across map pot shots in which case you're probably missing half the regular ac2 shots anyway just because of barrel convergence.

[@PantsuMann]

I love the Annihilator. It's the perfect mech to headshot with Medium Pulse Lasers.

[@peterkallend5012]

I can't help but notice how similar in appearance it is to a Geth Prime from Mass Effect. Both are slow juggernauts of withering firepower and destruction in their respective universes. Both are also VERY big targets that are easy to concentrate fire on critical locations.

[@Gigas0101]

I wonder what the ideal lance and mission profile would be for the Annihilator. I mean it's the 'mech equivalent of of someone's 500 lb aunt going to Walmart on their mobility scooter, but if 400 of those 500 lbs were multiple, fully loaded main battle cannons off of modern tanks. Maybe two medium mechs to guard the flanks and an atlas to help lift it back up when it falls over?

[@amaru5858]

I always loved the Annihilator and the King Crab for the same reason

[@theodoreschott3293]

This is the best damn pill box I have ever used in combat. Most people run out of range when they see it

[@realmofrandom3696]

medium/light mechs: haha, im too fast for you to hit me annihilator: i only have to hit you once