The RAVEN, a good capellan mech. Eventually. | BattleTech lore

[@Verdis_deMosays]

Last time I was this early, the Raven was still Capellan only.

[@nilswassem7209]

Yep, but davion captured so many of them in 3028-3030 that the fedsun citizens actually thought it was a Brand New fedsun Design. Later the capellans Sold them to their partners in the FWL and Combine, it was one of the few things worth trading for them

[@shenandoahreynolds6921]

Lol

[@Dracobyte]

I still remember when a Raven gave the killing blow to a Timberwolf in the MechCommander intro.

[@TheGXDivider]

With a srm2 Omg

[@anorouch]

​@TheGXDivider raven was walking on water, or literally late to the party.

[@thieupham493]

I thought Capellan mechs were all jokes until MechCommander 2. I took a Raven on every mission after I salvaged one. It completely changed my fighting style.

[@Resident_Kriegsman]

​@@thieupham493it's a good one to run on light missions, if you've got a weight limit of 140 you can run a lance of them and if you've loaded them right you can play vicious

[@weddincoyote2440]

Man that's a blast from the past. Loved that game.

[@Nostroman_Praetor]

The Raven is my favorite light mech. Electronic warfare is such an underrated thing in fiction and the Raven has seen me through many matches of MWO as an ECM machine/TAG support.

[@Doomrider47]

Can get super nasty on tabletop, switch the tag for a narc and stealth armor. Then have the rest of the lance be LRM carriers. The look on someone when the Assault leading their lance is deleted from a salvo of 180 missiles is quite delicious

[@thieupham493]

@@Doomrider47 Stealth armor, ECM and AMS can really ruin someone's day as they have to figure out which is the greater threat in that moment. If you have a good pilot, infernos can definitely change the balance of the force equation.

[@edwardsmith4722]

The best use I have ever found for a raven was to have three missile boats in the back line and run around with your ECM hitting people with narc beacons

[@goldcharizard]

Or quoteth the raven....Arrow IV

[@Yacovo]

The early Raven: a wunderweapon that even the enemy didn't want. Thanks for the video

[@deidryt9944]

I always liked the 3050 Tech Readout art, where the legs were so thin that they looked like chopsticks. Part of it is my first Battletech Novel was "Close Quarters", where a Raven featured prominently from Comacho's Cabelleros and the art was included in the back.

[@johnbowen5336]

My favorite Raven is "Polly", which is welded to the shoulder of the AS7-D-HBB aka ATLAS AS7-D 'BLACK BEARD'. In Roguetech. Because Pirates. Arrr!

[@TheRyderShotgunn]

I basically had my raven in MWO be a support mech for the longest time. The full suite, yknow. ECM, L-AMS, TAG, BAP, NARC, recon drones. But then I realized that I was being rewarded piss for playing a full support mech, so I stripped everything off for 2 SRM6s and a big ass XL engine, but did keep the ECM.

[@Klatchan]

As a Capellan sympathizer, maybe they're so backstabby because they keep getting backstabbed?

[@greenjoseph4]

Maskirovka agent in the corner taking notes as to what Capellans are saying about Capellans…

[@thieupham493]

Well from what I understand, their Chancellor just did an inventory of their military in preparation for a reunification operation and discovered rocket fuel had been replaced by water and missile doors didn't open fully as many Generals were buying estates in foreign lands.

[@chr821]

@@Klatchan tell me EXACTLY when the capellans got backstabbed. And I dont mean "mimimimimimi, marik wont let me marry his daughter for political leverage and eventually gaining control over the free world league. im such a pooooor little baby. i just want to have peace for my people"

[@heboric6136]

​@@chr821 bro, chill. Just accept the divine wisdom my dude. Life's easier without all these silly questions

[@toastertech1181]

Gotta love that circle jerk of backstabbing

[@brianpower5868]

Eeeeee, my favorite light mech. The idea of being a little gremlin turning the battle into an asymmetrical information war is great.

[@EricDKaufman]

Should have done the Locust but this works also. Happy Holidays!!! Also, it is very funny you choose the Raven when Tex is doing poetry. LOL Nevermore!!!

[@eddapultstab2078]

He already did I'd I remember right.

[@Fancypants117]

my favorite raven build is just an AC20 about 60 shells and decent speed it's really good

[@Reddotzebra]

I started my Battletech journey with MechCommander 4, and the Raven was unironically my favorite sensor and ECM platform for the entire game. I've never really stopped liking it after that so I guess in a way you could call it my favorite mech of all time. At least my favorite light mech. And once I got to trying out Mechwarrior Online it brought me endless amounts of hating my teammates for never taking advantage of my artillery spotting.

[@davethefoxmage5797]

Thanks for covering this one! The Raven has been my favorite mech ever since the first MechCommander game. It also got me into being "the electronic warfare guy" in games, lol. 🙂 Edit: Also, I love the droopy-snoot version. I think it's adorable and charming!

[@doomspud6302]

I always liked the original, since it looks like a bird beak. The new PGI one is cool, too. But its nose always looked more like a dog, than a bird, to me. Like it should be named the Bloodhound, not the Raven.

[@davethefoxmage5797]

@doomspud6302 That name would have worked great for its role, too!

[@uzunaruMelonness]

My first Raven experiences came from Mechwarrior 2: Ghost Bear and Mech Commander. When I was young, I watched my father chewed out Ravens in Ghost Bear. Yeah, 2 stars of Ravens taking turns against a Heavy isn't a good idea. Especially against one belonging to clan Ghost Bear. When Mechcommander came out, I tried my hand with the fictional Raven-W against Smoke Jaguar. I like the Streak SRM and Large Laser. The Advanced sensor helps alongside the Probe and ECM... However I want the Cougar and Firestarter over this in fights, especially the PPC/W variant of the Firestarter. My first light mechs was the Cougar and Kit Fox. So, I was biased in my love for the Cougar.

[@bthsr7113]

Love this nasty little thing. A fantastic forward observer/spotter and scout. And later eras give them some nasty tools. Like the iNARC. Maybe even a hide of Clan stealth armor if you're really rich and know the right Sea Foxes.

[@DadalorianCreates]

I always liked the appearance of the Raven and I loved using it and all of its wonderful EW to the late succession wars. The Capellan's really loved machine guns, flame throwers and infernos for civil disturbances - They did develop several decent low cost stop gap mechs over the years. I just had better things to do over following the Celestial Throne...

[@tael3081]

Twas also my first consistently played light, except I ran double ppc (pre-clan, only standard ppc in the game at that point). My damage was almost never the best, and heat was a constant challenge, but you'd be hard pressed to find something funnier than a slow 35-tonner managing to rout groups of mediums/heavies because they found multiple ppc-explosions being thrown at them by a poptart covering an open area too intimidating to advance though.

[@LoliFoxQueen]

ah, sounds like the average WoT game where your entire team lemmings to one side and shits their collective pants as the sight of a single light tank with ZERO signs of other unspotted tanks anywhere on that flank

[@grygaming5519]

A Raven....calling in a Arrow IV. I like the Raven over most light mechs, the Jenner and Locust being my other two in part because you can just make stupidly annoying builds with them. The raven is a overall great support mech on the field. Its fun to just start tossing NARCs onto enemy mechs and run away. Clan wise....kit fox with 3x AMS and heavy small lasers and a cougar to make it a annoying piece. Then...you got the Urbie with heavy machine guns. Ah memories....MWO part fun and part crazy.

[@fix0the0spade]

The Cataphract is an outstanding mech, it's the Frankenmech every other mech has nightmares about, dreaming that somewhere in that field of fallen enemies, there is a Cataphract just watching and waiting for them to turn their back. But they can't see it among all the wreckage, because it's a Cataphract, it already looks like a pile of wreckage smashed together, but it's there and it can see you just fine... . It's also the official faction mech of the Crucis Lancers, who stole the planet they were built on, the factory tey were built in and the entire first production run because death to Capellans.

[@Tanblch]

Got a job for you, 621. Oh wait. Wrong universe.

[@jumpinghunter9152]

It's 3151 and capellans are in bettee state than literally anyone aside from clan wolf. Sometimes it's better to actually look past the clan invasion era, and not cut two thirds of timeline out!

[@KillerOrca]

Well they did ally with Canopus so that's their blackjack and hookers requirement filled All the other houses have to outsource theirs

[@PopeMetallicus]

Yeah, except that's post 3062, and thus is non-canon

[@ALV694]

Clan wolf is in a worse shape 1. Most of their force died either during the invasion of earth or batchall for earth. 2. They are facing an insurgency from a resurgent wolf dragoons who have a hate boner towards them due to being branded a traitor by Alaric despite helping the clans with the invasion. 3. Upstarts like trade federation, Tamar pact, hells horses, andurien and oriente are nibbling at their territories 4. Wolf has no real allies as both falcon and jaguars are endangered clans on life support.

[@bthsr7113]

@@ALV694 The biggest thing they still have though, is plot armor. But I hope that fails them, and the Wolves are shattered, with the Dragoons and Exiles carrying the legacy from before the Wolves went crusaders. Those who rule from Terra? May they go the way of of Camerons, Amaris, and Wobbies before them.

[@pheonixshaman]

@@bthsr7113 Indeed. Would love to see them stop being clan Mary Sue.

[@AngryDuck79]

I gotta say Raven is one of my all time favourites. I got a soft spot for the chicken walkers: Raven, Catapult, Stalker, etc, and they seem so rare in inner sphere designs.

[@wrayday7149]

It's not true to say they were useless. In War you send out scouts in sectors. If a scout found something you can muster forces for a fight in that area/direction. But there is another lesser talked about strategy. If the scout fails to return... then you also know where the enemy is.

[@LezzyMania_02]

I like this Mech because of the introduction in MechCommander 1. It's a well rounded light mech that can be used to spam artillery and lrm boats around unsuspecting enemies.

[@TheSpectralFX]

Finally, some good fucking mech

[@Bluetheknight21]

*me a random mercenary, currently stealing random Ravens...* Lol

[@roguedruid]

I see Science Insanity video posted 56 seconds ago, I click

[@rafen40k40]

Deng I was like 20 minutes late

[@kortova1232]

@@rafen40k40 Outdid me, I'm around an 60-80 minutes late

[@TimeSweeperAdam]

My Raven 3L is largely the same, but has slightly reduced armor and a XL210 engine and a couple of double heat sinks to shed enough tonnage for the sake of stuffing a third large laser and a beagle active probe in it, though I could probably definitely afford to drop the beagle in favor of another heat sink or a slightly bigger engine.

[@theodoreschott3293]

Once I learned how to use a Raven, I made it the only mech I used on the table and had them li ked to a couple of batteries of Long Tom super heavy artillery units

[@damianarvizu1095]

You do good work. I appreciate watching your reviews, even if I don’t care for the particular game system

[@Tsunamiatunzen1]

Battletech player here: So my favorite raven was the 3X and I'd slap on COIL weapons (yeah, yeah I know, non-canon weapon). Not the most effective in the vanilla game but I had fun with it anyways whenever I would get tired of running a Steiner Scout Lance.

[@kevinbartoe7881]

Yet another awesome video man thanks!

[@cobalt968]

The Raven’s heavier omnimech counterpart, the Men Shen, was also particularly nice to use in MC2. While not quite as focused on ECM as its predecessor, it can easily be configured to do so. It’s a real shame that it isn’t featured in more Mechwarrior/Battletech games.

[@z3r0_35]

The Raven is probably my favorite light mech, it's everything I want in a scout. It's reasonably mobile, it can defend itself if it must, it's got all the electronic warfare and target designating equipment it needs to get the job done. The only thing I wish it could do was all of that whilst also being able to jump, but that's opportunity cost for you. If it were my mech and rebuilding it around an endo-steel chassis isn't an option, I'd probably take off the 3L's lasers and one heat sink and stick on six jump jets, it won't need the lasers because it's not supposed to stick around and fight, the missiles can cover it as it retreats towards friendly lines if fired upon (note that endo-steel isn't an option in the tabletop because there's not enough crit slots unless you downgrade the armor to standard plate).

[@WorldArchivist]

Yooooo, thanks for the community shout-out!

[@Gadgets2059]

This was my favorite mech to use during to old mechwarrior on X box. It was able to use all three weapon types. So I would just run around stealing power-ups snd constantly hitting people in the back. You have zero idea the rage an atlas pilot has after 2 minutes of machine gun fire to the back of the head.

[@Delvien]

The raven is my favorite light mech, I started with battle tech playing Mech Commander 2, and once I got one in that game, it stayed with me all the way to the end. It was broken in that game when you had a proper light mech pilot in it. Nothing could hit it. I love the new look, but pretty much all my favorite mechs sport chicken legs and look like space ships. (Raven, Raptor II, Timber Wolf, Maruder II by weight class)

[@stevenclark2188]

I have built that Raven 3L, but no ER's: I like a little endurance. Edit: The Cataphract is a desperate trash heap that works, and possibly the first mech built by effective supply chains and assembly instead of high-tech vertical integration. Edit again: On tabletop I'm a fan of the 4LC, with a C3S instead of the situational probe to let it spot even more missiles and give your heavies and assaults magical aiming powers. Also it has stealth armor so the ECM actually makes it harder to hit.

[@anja2792]

The Narc launcher joke took me a second 😆

[@Kaiju-Driver]

I definitely agree with the stealth bomber outlook.

[@Funkin_Disher]

Yyyyeeeeeesssss more Sci just in time for christmas!

[@jameswhite3532]

Love this video

[@SlaphappyMongoose]

I say it once, I'll say it again, WHY DOESN'T IT FLY!!!!!!!!!!

[@derekburge5294]

I mean, what tonnage would you sacrifice for boing?

[@SlaphappyMongoose]

@derekburge5294 ALL OF IT

[@derekburge5294]

@@SlaphappyMongoose Well, can't argue against that!

[@SlaphappyMongoose]

@@derekburge5294 agreed!

[@ThatSlowTypingGuy]

13:16 That's a nice paint scheme.

[@kevinbartoe7881]

Awesome paint jobs on the miniatures

[@TrepidDestiny]

The Raven. AKA the light mech i've never had a good time in (and neither did the Capellans). Always looks cool though.

[@christophermetzger8183]

Love this mech in mechcommander only thing tha could help me sneak up on clan mechs or suddenly pop a warning that clan patrol was heading your way. Love it in Battletech, too, but in that, it was a situational use unit.

[@pheonixshaman]

Great video as ususal Sci. Needs more Steve though. The interaction between you two is just kino and nectar.

[@TheStartrek99]

I prefer the Raven's bigger brother the Men Shen. Combine the Raven's stealth and speed with an advanced BAP and more armor and weapons.

[@DJTourniquet]

I love raven meme builds. My 2 favs so far are the mrm 40 (I forget the chassis model, I think 3L but that doesn't sound right), and the 2x lb10 huginn. Because why not.

[@VIFFVDTCED]

This was a good day

[@toddleavitt3366]

I have been playing Battletech since the 80s and kickstarted the HBS game(still playing with Universe 3062 mod) and mercenary Kickstarter

[@Lumen_Obscurum]

Of course it's not your favourite light mech. Everyone's favourite light mech is the Urbie. After all, it's a trash can not a trash can't.

[@Qardo]

Thank you! Someone who has it right. Someone who loves the Raven has no right trash talking the Urbie! At least the Urbie was good at something from the start. Even if it is still a terrible mech. But it has its uses. Raven had a dream and well. Those are still dreams.

[@chaoscommentary2179]

The raven was my first mech review on tictok

[@chaoscommentary2179]

My favorite light mech

[@LoliFoxQueen]

oh hey look, it's Baradul's favorite light mech

[@walkingravenhart2498]

Favorite mech, largely for MWO giving it some shine. Early MWO didn't always give you more missile tubes when you loaded a larger launcher, So I'd put an LRM 10 right next to the TAG. It fired them one at a time in a long tail that wasn't great. Unless your purpose was to be annoying as hell or eat all their AMS ammo.

[@craigmorris4083]

The weight if Capellan EW equipment is listed as 7.5 tons, TAG is 1 ton. No matter what kind of math I use, I still end up at 8.5 tons.. Source...the rules...and MegaMek.

[@spartana1116]

Still remember getting swarmed with theses and A5 chargers in mw5 mercs and apparently they gave some to the FRR wheh it was founded

[@PlagueOfUnicorns]

Slow 35 tonners are my favorite genre of light mech.

[@GraniteGhost778]

Yes! Some Raven love!

[@matthewmueller2215]

8:50 Hey I know that Raven! That’s the one from the Mechassault fan game Wolves!

[@RevokFarthis]

0:01-1:30 Oh, I didn't realize I wrote this script.

[@Alucard-yb6fq]

Can't wait for 50k sub.

[@Jackthetech]

I have to admit that I always ended up turning it into a angry crackhead turret myself. Stealth is an option, but Dakka just feels better.

[@Tychonaut-wg3]

Quoth the Raven: Arrow IV.

[@scrimpishimp4857]

A FEW DECADES? MFer, MechWarrior Online only came out in 2013!

[@alecciarosewater7438]

Couldn't the Capellans just fit the ewar gear into a catapult missile pod? But i guess then you wont have the stealth fighter mech

[@alexs5814]

Currently trying to play a Roguetech playthrough and i hope i get the chance to find and field a true Narc&TAG supporter.

[@bartlester591]

Sorry, I never played with paper tissue armor. The only thing I will say is this quote the raven. Never more .

[@spoonz202]

I love the Raven too.

[@NiteSheyde]

If the Capellans didn't want people trash talking them, maybe they should try Gittin Gud

[@semperatis]

I never had any luck with the NARC system,so I removed it and it's ammo and stuck in a Large Laser and 11(22) h/s.

[@Squirrel4361]

Wow, Sci posted! Gotta watch mech absurdity! Where is Steve, though?

[@Edmar_Fecler]

My favorite mech, fell in love via MWO, cheesed it in MW4, and will forever remember my machine as the Blood Raven _(the name is purely coincidence; I knew nothing of 40k at the time)_ Fuck the Capellans though. I’ll take my raven and move somewhere where i can properly appreciate it.

[@javelin_if]

Can you do the huncback or crusader

[@Gillymonster18]

From stereotypical gameplay, the Raven and other recon/EW mechs don’t seem to do all that well. If you apply real world concepts, the Raven would be a huge asset and force multiplier. A platform that has enhanced detection capabilities, can designate targets AND has the ability to mess with the enemy’s own ability to fight back ALL at the same time? This thing is an EA-6B Prowler on legs. There’s a reason those aircraft lasted so long and were virtually everywhere. I feel like the Raven, a second line indirect fire support like an AIV Catapult and a first run Exterminator could shred critical targets.

[@ALV694]

Raven gameplay = narc missile targets, then flee, while missile tanks spam lrm 20s and watch tears flow

[@ChuckvdL]

It’s also supposed to have great senser range. On the order of 300 hexes. We play in a tabletop campaign setting, with rules for sensors, a mech like this makes a difference in that kind a game

[@pheonixshaman]

Raven is a beast in campaigns and double blind matches (so I have heard)

[@SirPlocks]

I like the hero raven in merc 5 i got rid of the missles and put 2 light rifles in it and den shot stuff in the back with it

[@OctoberRaven]

I've soloed Assaults in MWO with my RAC-fitted 4X

[@TheRedshirt93]

I've barely started the video, but I will not stand for this Cataphract slander. Sure, the UAC/5 model sucks. but the PPC/AC-10 model is literally a better Marauder. No heat issues, on-demand critseeking, generally tanky and effective, its an all-around solid platform. There's a reason the FedSuns put it into production for themselves the moment the captured its factory.

[@sohrabroozbahani4700]

Nah, still a Lucust guy, specially that one which can practically run over water...

[@ronmiller5968]

My first light me as well 😅

[@TheStraycat74]

3050 full clan tech rebuild of The Raven RVN-5A. 6/9, armor factor 115, 35t, 1.75t Endo-Steel, 4.5t XL+dhs, 6t standard cockpit+gyro, 6t Fero-Fiberous, leaving 16.75t podspace. PRIME Config: TAG, AP, ECM, Streak SRM-6 (rt), 2t streak ammo (30, rt, cased), NARC (la), 2t NARC ammo (12, la, cased), 2 Medium Pulse Lasers (ra), clan MG + 0.5t ammo (100, la, cased) ALT Config: 4 Streak SRM-4 (r/lt), 2t Streak ammo (50, r/lt, cased), 2 MPL (ra), MPL (la), Clan MG+ 0.5t ammo (100, ct, cased)

[@riptide1ful]

You forgot the Raven 4L.

[@defiantmechwarrior2397]

I love my raven 3L

[@AnimeSquirrel]

The Raven is my favorite light mech. Not because I like or even respect light mechs in any conceivable way, I don't. But in HBS Battletech, I can get the steal the Raven and not give it back to the Capellans.

[@kryptonianguest1903]

10:14 Why did you say Capellan twice?

[@luthorcorp0]

Last time I was this early they named an ICBM after me.

[@MrGeiermaier]

The 3L With 2 ERlarge was a good build tho

[@Nightseekerxd]

Catapult when? xD

[@Tejyasn]

Quoth the Raven: "Arrow IV"

[@masterlink2319]

yeah I love the PGI design, it reminds me of a stealth attack helicopter.

[@thatotherchannel2740]

Capella can making actually good mechs despite being the smallest state and having fewer resources meanwhile the lyrans are putting out nothing but trash despite having the most money the spend.

[@wheelcha1rman2]

Mechwarrior Online? Oh my sweet summer child.

[@dantejones1480]

Hmmm, where's Steve? Haven't heard him play the guessing game with Sci for months.

[@Dork_224]

YES!!! I LOVE BIRD BOT

[@M0rtunodos]

The Chancellor will be informed on your opinion.

[@bartlester591]

So the question is this is the raven X3X Raven the word is we all know the word is the bird

[@albertparente584]

No Steve!? STEEVE!!??

[@DarkElfDiva]

I'm pretty sure Steve is dead.

[@pheonixshaman]

Missing the GOAT.