Why Do We Love The Goliath?

Today, we look at one of the most popular quad battlemechs! Yay!
Goliath-1MF Record Sheet: www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/tarz06...
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Sources: Strategic Operations, Tactical Operations, Total Warfare, TROs: 3025, 3039, 3050, Project Phoenix, IlClan Rec Guide 1, 22. House Marik Sourcebook. Era Digest: Age of War.
Thank you to Dwane Loose, ACS, Chris Lowry, Dale Eadeh, Harri Kallio, and all the other BattleTech artists that have brought the IP to live through their amazing work.
BattleTech imagery and mech info remains the property of Topps.
Some imagery/video from Pixabay
Some iconography in my edit of the battlemech line art was purchased from Ken Turner on ArtStation.
#BattleTech #Mechwarrior #CatalystGameLabs #lore

[@ajac009]

Quad mechs should have gotten more space for Torso areas but they do get stability modifiers in more advanced rules though.

[@rmcdudmk212]

I agree. More slots on the body would make quads more viable on the board. 👍

[@ShasOFish]

Might be an easy fix; what if they had the same crit-slot situation as superheavies (ie, crit requirements are functionally halved) for a torso with a turret? It wouldn’t invalidate existing designs, provides a little bit more room, and gives that extra little bit of oomph. I’d have to look at how the crit slot math works out though in terms of available space, but it probably wouldn’t be that much different.

[@DIEGhostfish]

​@@ShasOFishThat sorta works yeah.

[@MechanicalFrog]

An alternative idea would be to tweak the Endo Steel, XL Engine, and FF-Armor rules so that Quads don't have to fill in as many locations as bipedals.

[@ghoulbuster1]

Quads having 14 torso slots instead of 12 would give them a lot of extra space.

[@tenchraven]

Quads have been hampered by their rules since Day 0. For example, "back" torso armour should have been belly armour, with attacks from behind still hitting the hull, the "front" torso armour. With better hull down rules, and the mech turret being introduced early. It would have made for the walking tank that is terrified of infantry.

[@MechanicalFrog]

An interesting idea. I was pondering a possible fix with making Endo Steel, FF, and Engines take up 1-2 fewer locations on Quads.

[@Illianor123]

@@MechanicalFrog I feel like quads have beefier legs than bipedals, so they could get critical points on their legs? This way they could use endo etc. More in the CT would alsobe great. dorsal mounted CT weapons would be ace.

[@joshuaturnquist5538]

Im surprised the Goliath never got a variant with artillery mounted on it. A thumper, some mech mortars, thst sort of thing.

[@MechanicalFrog]

Seems due for that sort of thing.

[@DIEGhostfish]

Does it have the crits for it?

[@MechanicalFrog]

That's the challenge.

[@miafillene4396]

It does have the crits. Two spaces for a turret in one torso, twenty crits for a cannon. Two tons ammo. Two more tons in center torso. Heat sinks in four slots for legs. Tricky, but it IS possible.

[@chadweirick]

4-legged mechs seem to get a lot of hate, sort of like LAMs. I would love to see more on both. Especially since WoB had their own LAMs which sort of indicates that they aren't just holdovers from designs shared among multiple big-robots-blow-stuff-up franchises.

[@MechanicalFrog]

Tabletop Min/Max folk tend to not like them because they're objectively outclassed by the bipedal designs. In-universe though? I think the quads have some good features that could make them quite valuable.

[@chadweirick]

@@MechanicalFrog I think that the Dark Age/iLClan era might be a good reset for them as well. For example, maybe they slot in preference wise between retrofit workmechs and bipedal battlemechs.

[@ThelemicPotter]

I would love to see quads get some Alpha Strike love

[@thanaraela4343]

Would Quad LAMs be considered as pure heresy?

[@chadweirick]

@@thanaraela4343 ROFL - I'm sure some would consider that to be the case.

[@ironwarriorhonsou9303]

I adore my "Doom Doggo" Lance of 4 quad mechs. It's a Xanthos, a Goliath, a Bargheist and a Scorpion and leads to such memeage on the table

[@OptimusJedi]

I like the variety. It’s nice to have quad and tripod mechs along with bipedal. Just like combined arms with tanks, artillery, infantry and air support. Variety is the spice of life. Plus…..AT-AT vibes 😁

[@MechanicalFrog]

This is a fair and valid reason to bring quads.

[@catzo_5762]

Goliath and Scorpion are my go-to quads, both being one of my favorite mechs of their class, their introductory versions are decent, with upgrades being stellar, the Word of Blake Goliath model is probably one of my favorite variants of any mech in the game. Do not sleep on the Scorpion or Goliath.

[@MrDmitriRavenoff]

Look at the Stalking Spider. Clan tech, standard engine, jump capable, with an ER PPC and 2 medium lasers. Nasty boy.

[@DIEGhostfish]

​@@MrDmitriRavenoff3060 had a lot of fun quads.

[@MechanicalFrog]

They're fun classics.

[@milankostic2571]

​@@MechanicalFrog Don't forget Snow Fox, it was classic quad mech which later got converted to Omni mech and has now replaced Fire Moth as elemental taxi for Scorpion Empire

[@1inimilian567]

Man, I wish there was more quad mechs. They seem really cool and I feel like you could do a lot with it.

[@ambientlight3876]

I agree! I'd really like to see more quads in the game.

[@gregdomenico1891]

There is at least 9 in game that I can think of. Everything from the Tarantula to the Barghest. WOB had a couple, and so did the Clans. Like MF, said, the biggest issue is Critical Spaces; there just isn't enough

[@MechanicalFrog]

The rules need some tweaking. I would update the FF-Armor, Endo Steel, and Engine rules so that they take up fewer locations on a Quadmech.

[@stormcrow28]

There are 35 official Quad designs for BT. Check Sarna for more!

[@z3r0_35]

The Goliath is a mech you can make work, but you really need to be able to cover the mech's rear because it can't torso twist to fire behind it (later eras mitigate this with quadmech turrets). One loadout I've played around with in introtech ditches the PPC and machine guns entirely, upgrades the LRM-10s to LRM-15s fed by three tons of missiles, and installs four medium lasers with two facing aft to deter flanking light mechs. I also moved all of the heat sinks into the side torsos in order to provide an extra bit of insurance against the ammunition getting hit if the armor is compromised. This loadout turns it into a competent if still slightly underwhelming fire support platform that has at least some ability to defend itself close-in, but it should still have some sort of bodyguard mech by its side at all times. A later refit I came up with which imho still sticks to the spirit of the original Goliath is one I call the GOL-4Z. Debuting in 3068, its primary weaponry consists of a pair of turret-mounted ER large lasers and two torso-mounted MML 9s fed by four tons of CASE-protected missiles. Each leg also has an M-Pod in it to deter infantry or battle armor that gets too close. Armor is increased to 16.5 tons of standard plate, the most the chassis can support, and twelve double heat sinks provide sufficient cooling to fire the ER large lasers while standing still without going into the red. A light fusion engine and endo-composite structure were necessary to save weight for this. It's not heat neutral by any means - if you need to move just shoot one of the ER large lasers and both MML-9s and you can stay heat neutral at a full sprint - but it'll get the job done.

[@sebastiang.5032]

AT-AT with a big gun. Looking forward to the plastic mini!

[@MechanicalFrog]

Yeah it should be a fun one to paint up.

[@lexington476]

Now here's a design you don't think about very often. good video frog. four out of five!

[@MechanicalFrog]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@Tatsu_of_Liao]

Oh my Gawd! It’s a Quad!!! Great video, Frog!

[@MechanicalFrog]

Thanks a ton! 👍

[@chrissegee]

An elephant and The Borg enter a bar…… although seriously i love quads I’m currently running a Scorpion with an MRM40 ( with Apollo) and and ER Med Laser (C) , this little bug is a great back stabber and looks adorable in modded HBS

[@MechanicalFrog]

Can I get some apple cider and some pretzels?

[@marcmiddleton2277]

I wish there was more multi-legged mechs

[@MechanicalFrog]

They need some rules love. Perhaps more side torso criticals...

[@scytheseven9173]

If you like the Goliath C, you might also like the Doom Courser, a 70-ton Dark Age OmniMech from the Hell's Horses that's a bit like an Omni-Goliath: it has an ER PPC and LRM-20 in a quad turret, and a Gauss Rifle in its prime configuration. Also, it looks real neat.

[@MechanicalFrog]

Ah yes I've seen it. It's a beast.

[@milankostic2571]

Doom Courser is horror movie on 4 legs, I love it

[@jamesehlenfeldt7132]

I love the Doom Courser. I just wish it had a mini. I had one turn a spider into mist with it's HAG 40.

[@kierdalemodels]

Bloody hell! If I ever go Fire Horsey I need one of those!😍

[@mcnaughe]

The Barghast is my favorite quad. I had a lot of success with it in BTA 3062.

[@DIEGhostfish]

The base build without the heavy gauss is pretty bad, but it's got great potential and looks.

[@MechanicalFrog]

Glad to hear it.

[@defiantmechwarrior2397]

Meanwhile I'm here like TAKE MY MONEY. great quad video. Sheds a bit of light on them😊

[@MechanicalFrog]

Thanks for giving it a go. :)

[@yourseatatthetable]

Back in the 90's I tinkered. Using the salvage rules I kitbashed a Goliath. With the non cannon Huntress artillery Mech, I created an Artillery Goliath. It was slow, and didn't carry many reloads, but the stability of the quad design, as well as the Mechs ability to handle most terrain made it a promising variant.

[@MechanicalFrog]

Making it rain... artillery rounds.

[@yourseatatthetable]

@@MechanicalFrog love taps for your favorite foe..

[@DIEGhostfish]

What artillert piece was it? Thumpers have absurdly good 20 ammo per ton. And even the sniper is solid at 10, it's not till the long tom younget ac20 levels of poor ammom

[@yourseatatthetable]

@@DIEGhostfish I believe it was a pair of Snipers with ten reloads. It was the same the Huntress mounted.

[@yourseatatthetable]

The Huntress had the same ammo limit issue. I have a video on my channel somewhere highlighting the non-cannon Huntress. I'm thinking of the top of my head that it's printed in a old FASA Stardate magazine.

[@laggybum3218]

This was one of my favorite mechs way back in the day. All because it is different!

[@MechanicalFrog]

There's something to be said for bucking a trend.

[@chadevans7519]

The Goliath C was one of the first metal minis I bought to add to.my ilclan mercs. I don't regret it for a minute

[@MechanicalFrog]

It's a fun one.

[@ManuelPombeiro]

Thanks for doing this videos. One clarification on the M-Pod on the GOL-7K: those function like LBX autocannons (including -1 TN) delivering different damage at range: 15/10/5 (for Short/Medium/Long); then it rolls on the corresponding Cluster Hit Table Column, but does all damage to one location.

[@MechanicalFrog]

Thanks for the info!

[@przemoant2560]

I love QuadMechs, they just look cooler, it's a shame Clans, already rejecting the more humanoid look in their original designs, didn't more widely adapt the Quads.

[@MechanicalFrog]

There have been quite a few Clan quads. We may cover one of them in the near future...

[@przemoant2560]

@@MechanicalFrog oh, my bad, I remembered they had fewer...forgot Escorpión Imperio. And yes, please do cover more Quads, Clan or Inner Sphere.

[@DIEGhostfish]

​@przemoant2560 Scorps and Horses are both big on quads, and Cloud Cobra had the great Stalking Spider.

[@przemoant2560]

@@DIEGhostfish I knew the Scorpions were big on those, saw some Hells Horses, well, horse themed Quads, but I didn't know about the Cloud Cobra one. Thank you!

[@verysilentmouse]

Big red doesn't love the goliath wub wub

[@MechanicalFrog]

That's ok. We don't all have to like the same things.

[@argokarrus2731]

I mean, last I checked it's okay to be wrong

[@nachoneitzscheese]

A few weeks ago I went up against a custom Goliath during a game at the local hobby store. It was essentially a Goliath C with hardened armor. As it turns out, assault mechs with hardened armor are not easy to take down, and the turret mount means that the classic "outmaneuver the big, slow mech and poke at it from behind with light mechs" strategy is a lot more dangerous than usual. I'm looking forward to trying out the Goliath myself once the plastic model comes out with the forcepacks from the recent kickstarter.

[@EdmondHiggins]

I know they are not 'optimum', but I like quads. Everyone learns once about the mule kick rule and that is fun. The Clan refit is legit.

[@MechanicalFrog]

Mule kicking a locust into next week.

[@Tallus_ap_Mordren]

As long as the Hell’s Horses make quadvees, the quad will never truly die.

[@MechanicalFrog]

Stuck with it forever...

[@ResaFMkII]

The M-Pods on the 7K are more than just anti-BA and anti-infantry, they're basically giant claymores which can do 15 points of damage each to a mech at point-blank range!

[@MechanicalFrog]

Having a delightful flash of some poor light mech being turned into metal confetti.

[@csmead209]

Finally, we get to the mechs that Vorinclex would eat to establish dominance.

[@MechanicalFrog]

Oh dear...

[@brothersgt.grauwolff6716]

ah the Crab Gunner you never forget a classic 👌

[@MechanicalFrog]

Wherever it goes, there it is.

[@krissteel4074]

Quad-mechs are sort of like LAM's, fun but you're always out of room, or armour or ammo or heatsinks... etc etc Basically a huge pain for number crunching to make something of them. I always thought the approach in game should have been made more tank with legs than mech with two more legs in that they should have made a turret hit-location you can stuck stuff into, move the head-location to the CT and it wouldn't be playing second fiddle to bipedal designs. That's really the only downside to them, otherwise the extra stability is pretty good in a really sweaty fight. They are cool but sadly just a bit gimped without a lot of real positives to make the design appealing.

[@MechanicalFrog]

Agreed. The Quad Turret helps but, being constantly short on space turns things into Tetris even more than usual.

[@milankostic2571]

In universe they are cheap and easy to build and maintain

[@therakshasan8547]

Fave loadout : ERPPC , 2 MML 9's, 14DHS , 2 ERML ,2 ERSL . Battle Pods . The odd tonnage left over is armor .

[@UmberSkies]

Wait wait wait, no Plasma Rifles? OR Pulse Lasers?? We got a skinwalker in a frog suit boys.... Loving this series, its been my go to background noise/vid to fall asleep to for a couple weeks now. And as a relatively new fan (HBS BT my beloved) you've introduced me to some interesting mechs. Heres hoping quads get more attention in the future!

[@MechanicalFrog]

O_o

[@jeremysaklad6703]

I think one combination that has flown under the radar is the potential of superheavy quad ‘Mechs: the combination can be incredibly resilient, and the increased critical space of the weight class allows a considerable amount of firepower to fit in a turret. I have a 185-ton design with over fifty tons of Hardened Armor, six Clan-spec ER Large Lasers, and (unlike the Supernova) the ability to actually fire all of them without penalty using a Radical Heat Sink System. It also has a C3 master, Angel ECM, and a Bloodhound Active Probe, which allows it to overwhelm enemy electronics if ignored. It works quite well in the “anvil” role, though it’s still a bit impractical like all superheavies.

[@MechanicalFrog]

That's one big boi...

[@canislupus3655]

1:11 sounds like what I imagine a neurohelmet pipes into your ears when you take a PPC cockpit shot

[@MechanicalFrog]

All I hear are bells ringing.

[@haileysaint5443]

While I do like the Xanthos more than the Goliath, I still think the Goliath is a pretty decent 'Mech. The variant I created isn't an ISM variant, surprisingly enough. The Goliath IIC was developed by the Scorpion Empire in 3151 as a production-scale test-bed for their 'rumored' Goliath OmniMech project. Utilizing a Standard Fusion engine rather than XL for space and durability considerations, it does mount Clan Endo Steel to reduce weight. It carries 11 DHS but only 14 tons of Standard armor, so MechWarriors are advised to be only slightly less reckless than normal. Mounting a QuadMech turret in the right torso, it's primary weapon is a Clan LB-10X with 3 tons of ammunition, with an Clan ER Medium Laser mounted co-axial. Each leg mounts a Clan B-pod for Battle Armor defense, while the CT mounts 2 more ER Medium Lasers with a 4th in the head. The left torso carries an ATM-6 with 3 tons of ammunition, providing the Goliath IIC with tactical flexibility and an anemic long-range punch. All ammunition is protected by CASE II, further increasing the design's durability. Of course, once the ammunition for the LB-10X and ATM run out, you're left with only 4 ER Medium Lasers - and the 4 B-Pods, provided they haven't already been detonated by pesky Battle Armors (or PBIs with anti-armor weapons). There may be a Goliath IIC 2 down the line, provided this one is accepted by the Scorpion Empire and they want to test a new loadout for their 'rumored' Goliath OmniMech project.

[@MechanicalFrog]

Building a quad is definitely a different sort of experiment due to the location limitations. Fun though.

[@Darren_Xero]

Could you tell me where I can find about Scorpion Empire & their Goliath IIC?

[@mikegould6590]

Having fielded a Stalking Spider and a Thunder Fox with success, I don't think quads are going anywhere. They're an under utilized and under appreciated platform

[@MechanicalFrog]

Well that's good. :D

[@jasonstandlea1784]

That 7k I nasty customer. Though the good old MF is fun! Rarely see the bigger t-bolts

[@strcmdrbookwyrm]

An interesting video, I didn't realize the Goliath had so many variants. I hope you'll cover more quad mechs in future, a couple I'm looking forward to are the Ballius and Doom Courser. I like the MF of the Goliath, especially since it includes the Thunderbolt 20. I personally wouldn't have gone so hard on the ERSL's, maybe swapping four out for two more ERML's. In spite of their build limitations, I think that quad mechs with turrets are in a good spot. I personally like quads for the little extra toughness they bring to the table. I feel the lack of space inadvertently reinforces this, as they trend toward using Light engines instead of XLs to save on weight while preserving space. (I won't argue that it would be nice if things like endo-steel and FF-armor took less space. I'd say half as standard mechs).

[@michaelkimberling7307]

Those light mechs better not get too close when backbiting. Keep in mind that this big boy can mule kick. A single blow like that at 85 tons is enough to cripple or squash a light unit

[@gregdomenico1891]

That's why in a light vs one, do the Snowspeeder thing and go for the legs. The rear armor on a quad is usually pretty thick.

[@MechanicalFrog]

Ouch.

[@lukedudley5030]

A mech i love to use the go prone for free move to annoy my opponents :-) quads dont get much love in battletech due to their limitations but its nice to see them getting some love :-) cheers for a great vid on a underrated mech :-)

[@MechanicalFrog]

It may not be an objectively "good" mech, but it is fun and I'm glad it's in the game.

[@MrDmitriRavenoff]

In reality we would be much more likely to see 4 of 6 legged mechs before practical bipedal designs I feel like the Goliath is a great walking tank. Let us be real though, it really needs a turret like in the later models.

[@MechanicalFrog]

Yeah, the Quad Turret is really nice.

[@DIEGhostfish]

IIRC quads used to have very generous torso twist that was almost as good.

[@Andrewlik]

11:53 "You are opinion on how successful..." You son of a bitch you got me

[@MechanicalFrog]

:P

[@ElecManEXE]

I've been a quad stan since the secret unlockable Tarantula in MW2. I already prefer non-humanoid designs generally, and quads just take that to another level. They may not be the best mechs in the setting, but dangit they look cool. Its been quite a sad ride throughout the years of MW and other Battletech games, none of which have featured any quad designs. So I was absolutely thrilled that both the HBS Battletech game and MW5 eventually got quads (through mods, but still). It was a triumphant reunion after the decades of absence since MW2. The Goliath isn't my favorite quad by any means, especially since I have a further preference for the X-quads over the beast leg designs. But its still a great looking design.

[@Jackelmandingo]

The best off set Quads have is more armor. Don't suffer the prone fire negative. Can sink more heatsinks in water with the legs. No PSR to stand up and -2 pilot rolls vs falls. As for are friend Goliath here. Using the base 1H, drop the 7 HS and PPC. Swap to DSHS and Endo Steel and add two tons to armor. Add a LB-10X AC to the RT, w/two tons of ammo, 3 medium lasers for the HD and CT's, keep the LRM's as is, the two MG's and half a ton of ammo, then add CASE!!! to the LT and all the ammo goes there. The Mech is tight but works.

[@MechanicalFrog]

Unfortunately, the plusses really can't make up for the negatives. I think the quads need something else. Maybe a -2 to Endo Steel and FF criticals filled. Something to at least try to close the gap.

[@Aladine11]

thanks for doing goliath video i asked for ! now looking for scorpion one

[@MechanicalFrog]

Some day...

[@bthsr7113]

The Thunderbolt 20 is unexpected, but not entirely unwelcome.

[@MechanicalFrog]

Gotta keep you guessing.

[@milankostic2571]

Quad mechs? What Christmas miracle is this? Does this mean we can hope for Arana/Tolva and Thunder Stallion vids in the future?

[@MechanicalFrog]

I can give you a firm, "maybe"

[@DapperRaccoon]

I'd love to see the Scorpion Empire create a Goliath IIC for their mixed military.

[@Darren_Xero]

I wonder where I can find the source about it?

[@MechanicalFrog]

Give it double Plasma Cannons.

[@DapperRaccoon]

​@@MechanicalFrog I'm on it

[@hentaioverwhelming]

If the Goliath was twice its design size and weight, then it would have made for a decent boss mech from the Front Mission series.

[@MechanicalFrog]

That'd be a big un.

[@hentaioverwhelming]

@@MechanicalFrog Yup, the Front Mission games have fairly large Goliath-like quad-legged mechs that are either used as walking battleships or as walking fortresses depending on the size.

[@DS-tv2fi]

Ah, the Crab Gunner. Better call the Fang of the Sun to deal with it.

[@MechanicalFrog]

**Confused nodding**

[@DS-tv2fi]

@@MechanicalFrog (The Goliath was one of the unseen mechs, originally from the anime Fang of the Sun Dougram. The Fang of the Sun was a unit of resistance fighters who had the Dougram (a Shadow Hawk), and they regularly ran into Crab Gunners (Goliaths)).

[@kierdalemodels]

I love the Goliath (and not just as a Dougram fan!). Unfortunately as it got reseen in a more ape-like form without a turret, most of the AlphaStrike profiles (except the C, which is a monster) don’t have a turret. When the Merc KS model comes out I hope they redo the AS profiles to give it back it’s turret.🙏 Thanks again for a great vid, MechFrog!

[@MechanicalFrog]

It needs its turret.

[@scytheseven9173]

Thanks for the video! I'm a big fan of the MF variant, it has a cool backstory and is a good update with changing the Goliath but still keeping its character.

[@MechanicalFrog]

Thank ya. I need to test it out.

[@Gothmetalhead13]

Ive got one in my Donegals, usually used as a 9S. That HGR is hilarious and the stability bonus makes firing a non-issue. Its worth it to see the look on your opponents face when you hit him for 25 damage

[@joshfritz5345]

I love quads, and the Goliath especially.

[@MechanicalFrog]

It's a fun one.

[@joolsstoo3085]

I own a Goliath and a Scorpion in lead, same lance even. I always wished they'd given them some special rules to compensate for losing so many crit spaces, the extra limb armor barely mattered. Maybe an extra 1 mp at your run speed although that may be too strong, or the player can use a slightly lighter engine for the same speed, something like that.

[@oneproudbrowncoat]

Something I note about the GOL-1MF is the indirect-fire capability of the Thunderbolt-20. (Although the lack of specialty ammo for the Thunderbolt system is ever maddening and puzzling.)

[@bthsr7113]

Not my favorite quad, but I definitely have a soft spot for them. I'm surprised you didn't take the opportunity to make the audience sweat with mention of the Capellan stealth one.

[@MechanicalFrog]

No one can be truly prepared for the stealth Goliath.

[@gregkun1]

When I first got a set 4 of these. At the time I didn't know what to do with it. So I built two of them as a long range support defense unit to defend my merc base. For BV: 1,670 or Cost: 10,824,600 C-bills with standard Movement: 4/6 Engine: 320, Clan Double Heat Sinks: 17 [34] and Compact Gyro . I feed it a Long Tom Cannon in LT/CT with two tons of ammo. Follow up with two Medium Pulse Lasers (Clan) in the RT and one ER Medium Laser (Clan) in the HD. 3rd one is a more reasonable build: of a BV: 2,474 Cost: 10,869,600 C-bills. A Movement: 4/6(8)/4, Engine: 320, added 4 Jump jets one in each of the legs, Clan Double Heat Sinks: 16 [32] Gyro: Standard Gyro, Clan MASC. Internal: 130 (Endo-Steel) Armor: 256/263. Weapons: 2 Clan ER Large Lasers in LT & RT. 2 ATM 6 in the LT & RT with a ton of Extended-Range ATM/6 Ammo and for them close range brackets a ton of High-Explosive ATM/6 Ammo in the CT all linked to a Targeting Computer and as for a treat a Clan Light Active Probe. (•_•) ( •_•)>⌐■-■ (⌐■_■) The final one I build was an fast mobile Arrow IV platform. but hold on to your butts for this one. For a BV: 1,982 or Cost: 12,055,800 C-bills. Movement: 4/6(8)/4 Engine: 320, it also has MASC! Added 4 Jump Jets just because. Then Clan Double Heat Sinks: 10 [20] as usual. Gyro: Standard Gyro, Internal: 130 (Endo-Steel) Armor: 256/263, Of course the main weapon being a Arrow IV (Clan) in the LT. With two tons of Arrow IV standard ammo (10), and a ton of each RT: Arrow IV Cluster Ammo (5) Arrow IV Homing Ammo(5) Arrow IV Thunder (FASCAM) Ammo (5) Arrow IV Laser Inhibiting Ammo (5) For the FA/FO buttpucker 1 Arrow IV Davy Crocket-M all Protected by CASE II. Have nice day! (▀̿Ĺ̯▀̿ ̿)

[@BoisegangGaming]

Forgot to say this when this posted but its only a matter of time until centaur mechs emerge lmao

[@MechanicalFrog]

oh no... oh no!

[@johnalanwalker]

The goliath is the I've fallen down and can't get up.

[@MechanicalFrog]

It needs a little bracelet that calls out the wrecking crew.

[@jamesd5842]

It really confuses me why quads don’t get extra torso crit slots to make up for the loss of arms. It would do a lot to make quads more equally viable against traditional mechs

[@MechanicalFrog]

Agreed.

[@strcmdrbookwyrm]

My guess is that they didn't want to change too much when they were first designed, and that it didn't matter too much then anyway. After looking at any mech that uses 3025 level tech, I feel that the quads that existed (mainly the Goliath and the Scorpion) actually kept pace with standard mechs of the era, at least build wise. Once weight saving technology came along is when problems began to show for quads. I think the only reason why they didn't change anything is because nobody really used quads and or no new quad designs came out, so they didn't feel the need to update it. Now, they might not change it because it's too late. But that's just my theory.

[@Irondrone4]

I like the Project Pheonix look for the Goliath far more than the original Unseen art or the new CGL design. Yes, the CGL reimagining is leaps and bounds better than the old armored car on derpy legs, but the GOL-4S has proper quadrupedal leg joints and doesn't inexplicably have a non-functional turret. The lower profile and distinctive head help the aesthetic as well.

[@MechanicalFrog]

Very fair points.

[@joshuamidgette4846]

Make an 85 ton Goliath, 1 ppc, 4 medium lasers, 1 lrm 15. A few extra heatsinks.

[@MechanicalFrog]

Solid.

[@Yacovo]

Little trudly boy! Thanks for the video.

[@MechanicalFrog]

Our pleasure!

[@jamesbeard5513]

Fun variant and definitely different with the Thunderbolt 20, but I'm going with a Disco Death Ball. It stays at 16.5 tons of armor coverage and mounts a Light engine for tonnage, and in the right torso a Turret with a Heavy PPC and an ER Medium Laser with an insulator to keep heat down. In each leg, a small pulse laser with the fore legs facing forwards and the rear ones facing backwards, for when you want to kill that pesky infantry without the risk of an ammo explosion. Each leg also has a jump jet as who expects an elephant to fly? All of the weapons are tied to a 4 ton targeting computer in the left torso. Finally, it mounts a laser AMS in the center torso, and mounts 15 Double Heat Sinks. It isn't very powerful and is far from heat-neutral (38 Heat if all fired with JJ and the Laser AMS), but it's more of a punch for a backline raider unit than a frontline fighter. Plus an assault mech in the enemies rear would likely cause confusion from a lore perspective. But honestly, it is hard to top the Goliath C in overall effectiveness, but Clan weapons definitely have the advantage of being both compact and lightweight when compared to their IS counterparts.

[@Bomfunker91]

Visually the Goliath is one of my fav units in the game, battlemech or otherwise. It looks freaking cool.

[@greysonjones5429]

I think that an easy fix to make more people like the quad designs would be just to give them 6 extra crit slots in eacb side torso. That way they're tied for crits with bipedal mechs, but it gives them a distinct and thematic tradeoff compared to bipedal mechs. It also means you dont have to retcon mechs, as there are plenty of mechs that dont use all of their crits, so from an in-universe perspective it won't be too odd. You can even make quads have a technological breakthrough that updates the construction rules and explains the under-optimization of the older designs. Sincerely, a mechtech.

[@Gunthersby]

The less normal or standard the shape, the more interested I am, and I would love getting to feel how different it would be to pilot them in any game

[@MechanicalFrog]

Credit for unique. They just need a little rules update love.

[@skywatersky]

My biggest issue with quad Mechs is trying to guess how tall they're supposed to be, lol

[@MechanicalFrog]

As tall as you want it to be... *slaps the mech's leg*

[@mjbull5156]

The Galactic Emperor is intrigued by this design but feells it neeeds to be bigger and carry infantry.

[@MechanicalFrog]

denied.

[@hentaioverwhelming]

The Goliath 7K reminds me of that Robot Chicken Star Wars skit where two AT-ATs decided to have a race against each other

[@MechanicalFrog]

Why do I remember that? I can't remember anything...

[@hentaioverwhelming]

@@MechanicalFrog Because it was so silly and watching two AT-ATs on Hoth race each other rodeo style is exactly what I would do if I had 2 plastic models of the AT-ATs. Sometimes, the best comedies are the ones that take a silly concept and dial it up to 12. For example, the anime "Girls und Panzer" is excellent because you have high school girls playing team deathmatch in World War 2 tanks while their schools are literally repurposed aircraft carriers.

[@Vulpine407]

Never did like quads. Prior to the advanced quad rules, the Goliath and the Scorpion were wastes of tonnage, C-bills and BV. Even with the updated quad rules, they were still out-classed by two-legged mechs in their weight classes. Now, one can make arguments for the usefulness of a light quad-legged mech like the 25 ton Tarantula (from the 3055 TRO) which can dance rings around a two-legged mech, thus making it both a great scout and spotter for heavier mechs. And I will admit that if I wanted a fast scout, I'd probably choose a Tarantula. But for battleline mechs, the drawbacks of the quad design are just too much to make them practical.

[@Nikotheos]

4 legs and no tail? Must be a Rottweiler! We love Rottweilers!

[@MechanicalFrog]

woof.

[@Commander_Nearsight]

I feel like they really should have allowed the torso to twist 360°. Would make them so more effective

[@MechanicalFrog]

That's what the Quad Turret is for, I suppose.

[@mathewweeks9069]

Your awesome dude and awesome video you rock

[@MechanicalFrog]

You rock!

[@strcmdrbookwyrm]

After seeing a lot of people talking about how Quads are held back by a lack, I had a thought I wanted to put out there. I don't know quite how to word it, but I think when quads were first designed space wasn't really an issue. A lot of mechs from when Battletech first debuted used very little of the space allotted to them, with the few exception being mechs like the Awesome, Stalker, and Atlas. In the 3025 tech level, the lack of space didn't bother quads too much and was probably worth the trade for increased toughness. However, as the tech level advanced quads got left behind as equipment got less space efficient. (Seriously, after Pulse lasers were introduced, new weapons and systems have tended to take more space for equal or less tonnage, directly or not, ever since). My personal theory is that by the time designers found this would be an issue, it was to late to accommodate the quads in some way. (Other than maybe quad turrets, but if that actually helps enough is up for debate).

[@mikewaterfield3599]

Never did like quads, that said I just found a unique one in BTA 3062. “Santa’s Sleigh”, not much to say except it’s pretty fast for an 80 toner.

[@MechanicalFrog]

That's... horrifying.

[@mikewaterfield3599]

@@MechanicalFrog its a “hero” goliath comes from some merc group called Kringle’s Killers. You get a job to wack a couple heavy lances of quads, and an assault mech.

[@Brigand231]

Brigcorp... That has a nice ring to it.

[@MechanicalFrog]

It does seem to have a cadence to it.

[@jasonfarley9025]

Part of the issue with the Quads is that they, like they Scorpion, look so bloody derpy. The Goliath escapes that fate, at least. But the heaviest designs suffer most from the lack of critical spaces, and these ones are the ones which tend to look better.

[@jacoblitman4866]

We all know why bipedal designs are much more popular than quadmechs. In the words of Comrade Napoleon: "Two legs better than four!" If you don't get the reference, please read Animal Farm.

[@MechanicalFrog]

Who reads anything these days? Get with the times... I just get all my information from Ticktok.

[@Stormeris]

Wooo, quadmechs!

[@MechanicalFrog]

If two big stompy legs are good, four must be better.

[@rmcdudmk212]

I tend to think of the Goliath as more of a form of self propelled artilery then a mech. Not bad but not as manuvrable as I'd like.

[@MechanicalFrog]

So you're saying we need to add jump jets to it? >:D

[@rmcdudmk212]

@@MechanicalFrog that works. I ran one once that dropped the PPC, switched to light engine, dropped down to 10 double heat sinks, and throw on an LB-10x on a turret with cluster and slug ammo and CASE. Then throw on a C3 slave a medium and small laser and leftover weight goes to extra armor.

[@kierdalemodels]

If you want a jumping quad, there’s the SRC-6C Sirocco! 95t that jumps further than it can walk!😄👍

[@rmcdudmk212]

@@kierdalemodels I love mechs that can jump further then they can walk. Big fan of partial wing tech. 😁

[@covahredro8370]

It needs claws, boosters and the ability to pounce lol.

[@rmcdudmk212]

DFA Goliath. Sounds really fun 😁

[@MechanicalFrog]

Needs.... jump...jets... There, I wrote it down for next time.

[@covahredro8370]

@@MechanicalFrog I was kind of referring to Zoids with their claws and boosters ect.

[@michealcormier2555]

I would like to try to build an Omni version of this mech. That's if an Assault Omni Quad doesn't already exist somewhere.

[@MechanicalFrog]

Um... I can't think of one off the top of my head.

[@GeofftheIronwolf]

My personal variant for this would be a light fusion engine to keep the 64kph. 15 tons of armor. 10 double heat sinks, 6 medium lasers, and a Gauss Rifle with all the extra tonnage left for nothing but AMMO. I plan to make it RAIN Gauss ammo.

[@MechanicalFrog]

I can get behind this plan. Way behind.

[@GeofftheIronwolf]

@@MechanicalFrog 😁 turn a 4 legged mech into a mobile Gauss Bunker for direct fire missions. Best use I can find for it. Gauss on, apply directly to the mech forehead.

[@bogatyr2473]

The Phoenix look of the mech is truly abysmal. Looses all it's personality.

[@DDVargas1983]

I like Quad mechs, one of my top five is the Thunder Fox.

[@MechanicalFrog]

That's a fun one.

[@jordansimpkins8784]

Great video

[@MechanicalFrog]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@Gigas0101]

I'm a sucker for the Scorpion, used a few on the tabletop and I like shimmying them around to line up those perfect PPC shots. The Goliath looks like it'd be a nice upgrade if I can find a model or two. With Alpha Strike slimming down the rules, I wonder if that'll make quad 'mechs more viable?

[@tomarmadiyer2698]

You want long range? Gauss or ppc with turret mode You want close range? *Norris kicky*

[@tomarmadiyer2698]

OH MY GOD IM GONNA SRM STALKER

[@MechanicalFrog]

Oh no!

[@shawndmiles6747]

Long Tom fire support mech would have made the most sense to me.

[@MechanicalFrog]

I don't know if it's possible with the number of critical locations necessary.

[@enthusiasticgrog465]

Thank you Fang of the Sun Tiger Dougram

[@MechanicalFrog]

Just doing my part.

[@CMDR_B0B]

The A.S.P.'s preferred quick fix for Star League to 1&2 SWars is to swap the 2 LRM 10 for a single LRM15. With the 3 extra tons they add a pair of coaxial Med Lasers to the turret and another 2MGs for anti-infantry. This is your best low-tech field refit option and doesn't require excessive mods (or larger facilities) to the mech frame. Helps solve the CQ problem without sacrificing damage at range (much). Although the one they still fight with now has been downgraded to a slower speed to serve as all terrain close support artillery (& requires facilities a lot of Mercenaries seem to lack...Sad Panda ;-). Frees up a lot of tonnage for Arrows or Tubes with enough ammo to make it rain all day. Have Fun&Post Dangerous -Lakon Marketing Division, Keelback Office -'Only ship in the Galaxy to come equipped with a soul 😇'

[@BoisegangGaming]

Throw a pair of gauss rifled on this thing and one can pretend it's a mammoth mk. 2. Or some lasers/PPCs to have "AT-AT at home".

[@MechanicalFrog]

Hard to find room for the big guns we want to put on it.

[@ChaosTicket]

Its an interesting looking mech, like a camel with no neck, or a turtle that retracted its head. The Goliath by 3025 standards isnt too bad, being comparable to a Zeus. By later-eras it cant really compare well because its a quad-mech. Quad mechs are rare and unfortunately outdated within the rules. Because they have extra components that bipedal dont require(actuators are mandatory x4) this takes away a lot of space for useful combat equipment. The pretty much sticks them with either Missiles or Ballistic weapons, which are very heavy, and they cant really afford to take many weight-saving equipment options because those take space. They also lack the option to Torso-Twist. I might be wrong, but another failure with the rules is that a quad-mech cant live with only 2 limbs. They can lose a leg and get back up. Losing 2 and theyre down. A bipedal mech can lose both arms and still run around. Quad-mechs if anything are a much more sound design than bipedal mechs, if you mount them with a turret. They would be like walking-tanks. If you started at stage 1 you would take a combat vehicle. Stage 2 would be a quad-mech. Stage 3 would be Quad-Vees. The "King" of Quad-mechs is probably the Thunder Stallion from Clan Hell's Horses. The clans invented man-eating horses, then made a Clan with a horse-fetish. Its an okay mech, but really shows how limited quad-mechs are, even advanced technology upgraded ones. Arguably the most reasonably successful quad-mech is the 55ton medium Scorpion. Its fast, decently equipped, and fits in with 3025. I found out Clan Wolf has an upgraded Scorpion C with a clan-ER-ppc with a capacitor, just in case you want to knock someone down or out with a single shot from ambush.

[@MechanicalFrog]

The Quad turret is nice but I do think the mechs need some rules love.

[@catboxvideo]

I think they should have skipped the XL for double hs . cheaper and still take the Gauss, drop the MG for MLs and more G ammo...

[@DairXV]

This was my favorite IS mech for a long time. Too bad quads aren't as effective as they could be.

[@MechanicalFrog]

Yeh, I think they need some rules love. The quad turret is nice but, not enough.

[@johnnythompson3734]

Oh my goodness, no plasma rifle. Frog are you feeling ok, did the little frog give you the flu?

[@MechanicalFrog]

I don't know what is going on anymore...

[@Tempest_Murder]

I think quads are underrated in some aspects and under appreciated, especially the scorpion in some situations. I don't think quad mechs are as thematically and aesthetically disjointed in the BT universe as some people believe. Quad Proto-mechs on the other hand...

[@MechanicalFrog]

Yeh... protomechs... they're sure, a thing...

[@Richy0326]

Please excuse me while I go build a 1000 ton centipede mech with a gauss rifle on every body segment, and Inferno SRMs in every leg.

[@MechanicalFrog]

Did you just win BattleTech?