Why do We Love The Schrek PPC Carrier?

[@thunderK5]

if a company of Schreks has a dedicated maintenance vehicle, I think it must be nicknamed 'Donkey'. 😄

[@jocylinfrancis930]

It’s just an srm carrier to make light mechs go away, maybe with a water tank to cool off the schrek

[@MechanicalFrog]

I'll allow it.

[@Ironclockwork]

So will the Donkey crews be making waffles every day?

[@robrib2682]

@@Ironclockwork they don't even turn on the irons, they just set a comically large one on the engine block and drive around

[@thunderK5]

@@Ironclockwork Yes, of course.

[@mikegould6590]

Shrecks, like Demolishers, are one of those tanks that make Mechwarriors requisition new underwear.

[@MrDmitriRavenoff]

A lance with two of each... oh boy.

[@Gwolfsoun]

Brown underwear

[@MechanicalFrog]

Absolutely.

[@PRC533]

Let's not forget about our friend the Alacorn.

[@andrewszigeti2174]

Bring me my brown pants!

[@SvenVanDerPlank]

I love specialised vehicles built around a single weapon system and the Schrek is one of my absolute favourites. Anything that swaps out any of the PPCs though cuts out the very soul of the tank in my opinion. My first introduction was back in the original MechCommander. Even with how gimped vehicles were in that game, the Schrek was something to be feared.

[@MechanicalFrog]

It absolutely must be respected. Those Ral Partha sculpts and a couple of Long Toms were the only tanks I bought back in the 90s because I liked the Schrek so much.

[@Tom_Cruise_Missile]

I prefer gauss for my long ranged fire support, but ppcs are still really good.

[@kennethelkins-wulff9644]

I run 2 Alacorn tanks and 2 Schrek tanks as a WTF to the other guy.​@@Tom_Cruise_Missile

[@fenny1578]

Somebody once told me this design really hits the ground running. A very sharp tool in your vehicle shed. The years never did stop coming for it, but it really makes it fun. It absolutely shines. Glows even. A real all star.

[@MechanicalFrog]

The nonsense must flow.

[@bthsr7113]

As must the heat.

[@defiantmechwarrior2397]

Schreck is always a menace on the field. It's a baby awesome. And awesomes are fun.

[@MechanicalFrog]

Your math checks out.

[@hermes7587]

Offesively the Schrek is even better than the Awesome because it has no heat issues but defensively it can´t hold a candle to an Awesome. The Awesome is the definition of a zombie Mech and trying to use a Schrek like an Awesome will only yield a destroyed tank.

[@Illianor123]

Always scary seeing three lightning blasts fly out of the fog of war in HBS Battletech

[@h.a.9880]

Whenever I see an unidentified vehicle of 80 tons creep around the battlefield behind the fog of war, I start gritting my teeth.

[@MechanicalFrog]

"Oh... oh no..."

[@Andrewlik]

I love my Schrek PPC carrier because I got it painted like a rock thats so convincing that my opponents often forget it exists when i field it in an Alpha Strike tournament

[@ogrehaslayers605]

Evil and effective. Love it!

[@argokarrus2731]

Are there rules against irl camouflage?

[@MechanicalFrog]

Operation Sneaky PPCs is go!

[@RobertMooney-g1z]

sneaky

[@Tom_Cruise_Missile]

​@@argokarrus2731shouldn't be lmfao if it's just paint

[@atmosdwagon4656]

When the primary comparison of your vehicle is to the Awesome, that's not a bad place to be at all. PPCs are among the top 'meta' weapons for 3025 standard combat as it is, so having an angry mobile turret full of them on a reasonable budget is a rather good use of procurement funds/BV for your company. Just don't ask them to roleplay as an Awesome for soaking up return-fire; they're reasonably durable for their tonnage, but they're no Battlemech.

[@MechanicalFrog]

It's a very good place to be.

[@Stlaind]

Why do we love the Schrek? It's simple, nothing says "I love you" quite like three PPCs. They can love you over long range, and for a long time.

[@MechanicalFrog]

Warm particles projected with love.

[@spectrelead]

There's a reason one famous Schrek was called "Lover's Kiss"

[@TurboRob85-hf5le]

"I you're going to be shocked in the direction I took in upgrading our friend the schrek". *3 plasma rifles* You sir are not a clown but the entire circus, but that is why I love you.

[@RobertMooney-g1z]

what about 3 clan large pulse lasers?

[@MechanicalFrog]

The nonsense must flow.

[@KillerOrca]

No ammo requirements. No overheating. Low profile and visabiluty and the possibility of dropping a stupid amount of damage into an unsuspecting mech. Always loved these things.

[@MechanicalFrog]

Good times had by all... except the target.

[@garomcfbgdd3211]

It's big It's green It lives in a swamp It isn't mech frog It's Shrek...

[@cobalt968]

SOMEbody once told me…

[@MechanicalFrog]

I'm not usually as grumpy.

[@Arcalargo]

​@@MechanicalFrog Unless Urbanmecha get mentioned

[@charleslarue792]

I made an audible "WOO" when I saw the 3 Plasma Rifles on the MF.

[@MechanicalFrog]

I know what people click on the videos to see.

[@readwatchlisten2863]

The Shreck was really the only tank that scared me in the HBS game. I made killing them a priority. Haven't used them on the tabletop yet. I'm sure they are just as scary.

[@majorplothole2620]

Agreed. If you bumbled into one, or heaven forbid it survived your first barrage - well... I tended to clench my teeth and physically brace myself whenever the Schrek PPC would aim towards one of my mechs. It doesn't matter what kinda mech it was aiming at - Assault's maybe could 'shrug off" a direct salvo but that was only the heaviest of them. Heavies and everything lighter than that had to fear not getting insta murdered.

[@h.a.9880]

A close second: being flanked by an SRM carrier. It's a _very angry_ sandblaster, that'll shoot forever.

[@MechanicalFrog]

It's definitely not a tank you can ignore for long.

[@h.a.9880]

@@MechanicalFrog Well, you can ignore the Schrek, but you can't ignore the results of ignoring the Schrek.

[@majorplothole2620]

Any player playing a Schrek PPC gets bonus points (IMO) for humming Smash Mouth's "All Star" when first introducing the tank to the map.

[@frankb3347]

I love the Schrek for defending ma swamp!

[@MechanicalFrog]

Steeling myself for a long day of movie references. :D

[@bthsr7113]

If it's any consolation, people will suffer for trying to use a PPC carrier in a Swamp for the memes. Hot, humid, and abysmal sightlines.

[@hideshisface1886]

Schrek is positively terrifying. Comparatively cheap, while pumping similar firepower to an Awesome, with zero heat issues. Sure, it is nowhere near as survivable as a mech, but it is still pretty fearsome, especially when you consider the cost - I mean, you can get two with just a tiny bit more than an Awesome. Probably only scariest regular tank I can think of is the dreaded SRM Carrier. While many basic vehicles are just a minor inconvenience on their own, especially in comparison to proper mechs, Schrek is just not something you can ever ignore.

[@Doomrider47]

Fire support lance of 3 lrm carriers and an ecm loadout raven with a narc beacon? Nothing says I found you, quite like 180 missiles obliterating a medium

[@hideshisface1886]

@@Doomrider47 Ok, that is downright terrifying.

[@georgestauber2636]

And if you really want to ruin someone's day have a charger guarding them@@hideshisface1886

[@elchjol2777]

​​@@hideshisface1886Quoth the raven,Arrow IV. Tags/Narcs are a fun thing aren't they?

[@hideshisface1886]

@@elchjol2777 You got me there. I suppose we could also extend this to all the artillery pieces, like Long Tom or Sniper, but I had more standard, direct combat stuff in mind.

[@BCWasbrough]

Hmm. Wonder why it's named "fear"? Ah. I see. Yes.

[@nikkity5491]

Shrek is love, Shrek is life

[@MechanicalFrog]

Indeed...

[@onethousandmuffins6842]

When it comes to the Schrek, I love it for its big 3 barreled turret that reminds me of the great battleships of old

[@MechanicalFrog]

It does have that cool look to it...

[@Eulemunin]

I always enjoyed bringing one and parking it with a good fire lane.

[@MechanicalFrog]

For a second I imagined you parking it at the loading zone at the airport and just daring someone to tow it.

[@marsar1775]

"get out of the tank!" "Im in a tank and your not!"​

[@scytheseven9173]

Thanks for the video! That MF variant would be terrifying up close and to infantry

[@MechanicalFrog]

Help the infantry self-actualize as toasty bois.

[@scytheseven9173]

@@MechanicalFrog you are describing war crimes

[@christianholzschuh6853]

3 PPc's make an AWESOME vehicle. Who would have thought...

[@MechanicalFrog]

No one could have predicted this outcome.

[@duncanmackenzie7795]

1) This thing is always serious business when I've seen it run. In the best showing of it I'd ever seen at a game store a Tukyaad battle involved a Comstar player achoring a position with 2x Schreks, 2x Alacorns, and 2x Demolishers, while their mixed medium group ran cavalry missions. It was not a position i would have wanted to try and take without some serious attention. 2)The mention of the problems of techs not understanding fusion engines in the vehicles, and the fun with seeing everyone posting their composition lists for Tukyaad actions reminded me of a scenario we ran in the TTRPG mixed game I played back in college days. It was a long form game with some challenges added in that made it one of the more fun, but brutal campaigns I've played. The deployment ran as 2 legs of 4 scenarios. The core premise is a reinforced company's worth of units (2 mech lances, a vehicle lance, and an attached recon vehicle lance) deployed in pirate hunting operations. Sounds easy enough but there were a few complications as laid out before hand: a) Drop tonnage was limited. Our employer in the scenario was a periphery power that was big on creativity and making due and short on big assets. Our dropships were rigged up retrofits of cargo haulers, and ass such no mech above the medium weight limit could be used. Vehicles had a little easier form factor and were allowed to go to heavy, but only just. b)Ammunition was a fixed volume we carried with us. While we needed to finish the pirates and were operating in a periphery tech base, boating missiles or the like could mean that you masssacred on the first drop of the four, but by the end you had nothing left in the tank to deal with the pirates. c)Due to techs who actually know how to maintain a fusion engine being a resource to be jealously husbanded, all vehicles deployed were equipped with ICE. I don't know if something like that has enough appeal to folks for a video or the like but I've found there's some fun to be hadf at least for me by placing my mercs into various places where life isn't as shiny. For the record, our game ended when our GM running the TTRPG side got sick of us and ran us over with a Clan vanguard at the edg of Operation Revival after his whacky pirate warlord didn't do as well as he hoped (Orion Frankenmech he had cobbled together with gimmicks like it had LRM's equipped with what i can onl describe as a mix of Incendiary LRM ammo and Inferno rounds. Very fiery stuff that did fascinating remodeling to the mech when an ammo explosion occurred to it early in.) Keep on keeping on, mechwarriors.

[@laggybum3218]

I love how the stealth light gauss version is painted bright pink!

[@MechanicalFrog]

It's a stealthy pink.

[@pavelnadolski]

I've been in love with the Schrek since it first appeared in Dragon Magazine way back when. I think I've used them every time I've played inner sphere forces in a campaign. Nothing quite beats that look of horror on the opposing player's face when some of their mechs walk into the crossfire of a lance of concealed Shreks.

[@spannerturnerMWO]

In HBS’ Battletech, enemy Shrecks always get first priority. Demolishers are second only because of their shorter weapon range. If utilized properly, they are a force multiplier.

[@georgesulea]

A plasma rifle variant?! I never would have expected THAT!!! (yeah, yeah I would have...:)

[@MechanicalFrog]

Shocking revelation... Startling even.

[@jasonfarley9025]

We love the Schrek, Because it absolutely schreks things!

[@MechanicalFrog]

Well played...

[@Vic-fj3qs]

On HBS, i lost a stalker, an atlas and a king crab to these little menaces on different occasions. The moment i recognize that this pain in the ass is in the field, i make it a priority for destruction

[@Timberjac]

A Schrek PPC made by the clans with their technology could be a lot of fun.

[@hermes7587]

It does not work with Clan tech. The clans only have ER-PPCs that generate 15 heat each. Three ER-PPCs mean you need a heat sinking capacity of 45 and vehicles can only use single heat sinks. However you could mount three Clan LPLs (10 heat) on a Schreck and have three tons left for extra armor. That would be a monster.

[@ElGreco15]

@@hermes7587 Can you put a targeting computer on a vehicle?

[@vmonk722]

​@@hermes7587Or use the extra tonnage for BAP + ECM. Funny enough, the refit to clan ER LLas is just as viable with 2 tons less per weapon but 2 HS more required. For a garrison near clan territory I'd combine those two, one with ERs and the remaining tonnage invested into 2 AMS + ammo to draw attention, the pulse refit with BAP + ECM lurking nearby to prevent fast and/or sneaky flankers from overrunning the position. Should be a solid defense against pretty much everything without artillery support.

[@hermes7587]

@@ElGreco15 According to the rules it is possible to use TC on vehicles (e.g. the Morning Star has one). However, most clanners are biased against vehicles and rarely use their lastest tech on vehicles.

[@hermes7587]

@@vmonk722 Take a look at the Morrigu fire support vehicle from TRO 3067. ECM and AMS may be useful on a fire support vehicle. However, the clans usually prefer firepower over survivability and therefore defensive equipment is rarely seen on clan vehicles. BAP is good for scouts but not for heavy fire support vehicles. The detection range of active probes is so short that it will only reveal enemy units that are already in brawling range and this not were your fire support should be.

[@morrigancollins2092]

Why do I love the Schrek? It's a long range mech killer for less than the cost of a Phoenix Hawk.

[@MechanicalFrog]

Very succinct.

[@z3r0_35]

One variant of the Schreck that I've come up with and used with some degree of success is one I call the Schrek Ambusher. This one uses an XL engine and six and a half tons of heavy ferro-fibrous armor (giving it three points less protection on the turret) in exchange for a trio of snub-nose PPCs linked to a targeting computer, a Guardian ECM Suite, a supercharger (letting it hit 64.8 km/h in a pinch) and a C3 Master Computer. Not only can this act as a C3 hub, but with that weapons loadout it, practically can't miss if some idiot in a light mech or hovercraft rounds a corner in front of it. The price one pays for it is that it's hideously expensive and you lose half of your damage output past nine hexes.

[@calumdeighton]

The Schreks is one of those vehicles I'm definitely considering for my Merc Battalion. My thinking is pairing 2 Schreks with 2 Demolishers and forming them into a mech buster lance. (Using the upcoming boxsets from CGLs instead of buying double to get full lances)

[@Grizmar456]

🎶I saw the PPCs, now I'm a believer 🎵

[@weaselwolf]

The wide tracks make it surprisingly adept at maneuvering boggy ground. Nothing says "Get out of my swamp!" Like a Shrek

[@MechanicalFrog]

Suppose it would help keep the tank cool... and there's the scenic local flora and fauna.

[@wraith7989]

When I first saw that this thing had 3 PPC’s, I was sold. That fact that it has any armor at all is a bonus.

[@irishijo1]

Its three biggish guns with enough armor to be a threat, a miniature Awesome. Its adorable and I love every version. Especially that 2X.

[@Yacovo]

The Shrek: because why should mechs get all the cool toys? Thanks for the video.

[@MechanicalFrog]

Sure thing. Have a great one!

[@TheHolyKnight932]

You said it best, "we like hitting things with bolts of lightning." The Schrek had quickly become one of my favorite vehicles in the setting because of it. I had mentored in the LRM Carrier video of a game I had as WoB against Jade Falcon. I also had 2 Schrek C3Ms in the list to fill out the points in their own network. A Black Lanner and a Fire Falcon had decided to rush both the vehicles. As expected, the Black Lanner and Fire Falcon had tore through the first Schrek, but not after it barked an overcharged, limit-removed salvo of glorious blue lightning as it's last word (we were playing with advanced rules). Both PPCs and the Light PPC hit the Black Lanner 2 hexes away, but instead of doing a mere 25 damage, the weapons belched out a staggering 49 damage that salvo! If the Schrek would be alive afterwards, it would be a very expensive paper weight as overcharging fried all the PPCs, but it was well worth it. The second schrek let loose with the standard salvo and put on the additional 25 damage against the Black Lanner, hoping to finish the job but, it was not meant to be. At the end of the turn, with a +7 to the piloting skill (broken Gyro, with hip actuator and the extensive damage received), that Mechwarrior stood tall. To this day i still do not know what is more impressive. The fact that the Schrek did 49 damage from 2 PPCs and a Light PPC, or that Mechwarrior being able to tank (for a turn) enough damage that would topple an Atlas and still remain standing. Thanks for the great video!

[@MechanicalFrog]

Those darn tanks can be tougher than they look on paper if the dice gods are on your side.

[@mistformsquirrel]

"Mechs are like onions... they have layers!" *blows the armor off a nearby heavy, revealing it's internal structure.*

[@franksmedley8619]

Hello Frog. Ah, the Schrek PPC Carrier. Is there anyone out there that has not used this tank? Way, way back, in the late 1980s, I fielded several of these tanks in support of my growing Mercenary Company. The 'then' current Battlemaster of our group basically insisted that everyone's command, be it House or Merc, have at least a few tanks in their inventory. I was more than happy to lay my hands up on several Schrek and both SRM and LRM Carrier tanks. These tanks came as quite a surprise in a few battles I played on the tabletops. In one such battle, I intentionally 'fell back' from an enemy's assault in good order. Bypassing my hidden tanks, which were deeply dug into the terrain. Complete with sensor deadening covering plates, strewn with vegetation as camouflage. Deep enough dug in, that the tanks had to reverse out of their revetments to fire their guns before rolling back into cover. It was with quite a bit of satisfaction that my tanks 'took out' several fast Mechs in their opening round of combat. Fast enough, that it was judged that not a single one was able to transmit anything about what they faced, and merely dropped off the opponent's 'radar'. Soon enough, the foe's heavier units closed the distance and still saw nothing. They too bypassed my heavy tanks without noting their presence due to only looking for Mech threats. My own Mechs, still outnumbered, rose up from concealment and kept the opponent's attention locked upon them while the tanks slowly backed up to clear their turrets for firing. Ah, the cries of cheating that were howled when my tanks began 'coring' Mechs from behind! But, it was pointed out to the Player that he had specifically said he was only looking for Mech threats and not general threats. Also pointing out that I had taken the time to obscure my tank's positions as much as I could with the tech available. In a later game with the same player, who had learned his lesson by that point, I had come up with a way to 'bolt-on' sensor deadening layers to my tanks. Making them mobile and camouflaged at the same time. Instead of static dug-in revetments, the tanks roamed a thick jungle area that no Mech could penetrate due to the mix of Schreks and the missile tanks. Anything that approached the jungle basically 'melted' under the weight of outgoing fire before it could enter the jungle area. Even a 'basic' Shrek is a solid unit to field into battle, so long as that battle is not highly mobile. However, deception and stealth can be used to lure one's foe into the tank's ranges and make them an effective 'surprise' force against the foe's units. In a city fight, the Schrek is just about the Queen of the Battlefield, as it motors around the city finding its prey and eliminating them with those triple PPCs. One has to like that about the tank, at the very least. Your Mech Frog variant is 'unique', and one I plan on 'stealing' to use for myself. I like the idea of triple Plasma weapons and the rather high number of MGs available. A handful of those paired up with SRM and LRM Carriers would be a nasty group for a foe to encounter. In a city, or not.

[@davidtherwhanger6795]

Always one of my favorites.

[@MechanicalFrog]

Glad I could give it some time in the spotlight.

[@rylian21]

Schreks are one of the few vees able to stand one-on-one vs a heavy mech and come out ahead.

[@treevenewson]

It's an awesome deathmachine, especially paired with Demolishers.

[@MechanicalFrog]

Quite true.

[@rebeccafishlock226]

Hell yeah! I have an ''awesome'' I sometimes play with that's a 32 printed urbie with no head and a schrek glued on top.

[@kierdalemodels]

Another great vid, MechFrog! Thanks for making it!👍

[@MechanicalFrog]

Glad you enjoyed it! Have a great week!

[@chrissegee]

I did an HBS run with only tanks and i ended up with a full lance of the original Schrek backed up with a lance of Challengers and and a mixed lance of Demolishers and Gauss Schrecks. They were devastating to anything that they could catch but were really vulnerable to lights and power armor. I would love to have a way to build an MF variant for HBS just for the barbecued Elementals.

[@Tom_Cruise_Missile]

Mg-demolishers. They have much worse armor but the ac-20s have flak, incendiary, and standard armor, and they're the ones that fire multiple shots, so you're essentially firing an RAC. It MASSACRES light mechs because it's doing 25-30 damage in 10 shots with decent accuracy.

[@chrissegee]

@@Tom_Cruise_Missile I want using modern tech or star league, succession wars tech on the demolishers so the lights just danced around the big guns until I could get them damaged enough to slow down

[@LolixLP]

My version of choice would use snub-nose PPC. Fixes some issues that plague the Schrek in that getting close to it is more punishing.

[@MDDwarf]

Gotta love the Awesome on tracks.

[@MechanicalFrog]

It rolls and zaps. What more can we ask for?

[@ImSamsquanch]

Never had the chance to field or fight a Schrek but that light gauss version would make a great addition to my Capellan 'mercenary' lance. Another three barrelled nightmare inducer would be the Alacorn with it's bevy of gauss cannons and 5 tons of ammo to keep it going.

[@Versudan]

The Schrek II-X reminds me of the good old early days of MWO, with the 6 PPC Stalker... It's the perfect name for it too... With 6 PPCs, it's enemies will be... Getting Schrek'd. ;)

[@MechanicalFrog]

It's just a Light PPC hog.

[@sebastiang.5032]

I've got one Schreck painted up and it's a terror on the battlefield with it's three PPCs. 🎉

[@ogrehaslayers605]

Dang! That Shrek II is scary! Also, the Shrek reference aboit the Shrek was classic.

[@gregbird5684]

Thanks for the battletech fix for today 😊

[@MechanicalFrog]

Happy to help!

[@anselmoffrisia2930]

I've never heard of it, so thanks for shedding light on another vehicle. :D

[@MechanicalFrog]

You bet!

[@MilitaryStyx]

I have unironically fielded 3 autocannon carriers and fielded them in my back line with a blackjack and a rifleman. My opponent was too afraid to close with my rear line so i took my maxims up to them and unloaded my anti-mech infantry and started doing leg attacks. There was salt until i reminded them that all they had to do was close with me instead of moving to a single corner and letting me fight the exact battle i wanted to

[@ambientlight3876]

I was wondering when the Schrek would be reviewed... Its a great tank thats hard to upgrade. Used in its proper role, its a devastating vehicle with solid endurance thanks to its energy weapons. Other configurations of the Schrek just don't seem to come up to the original. I have a fair amount of battlefield experience with this tank and I swear by it. The trick is to keep it in its role. I'm not a fan of the AC carrier, though it could be a good support to the the regular. I do like the Heavy FF variant though. Nothing lost, everything gained. I do want to change the LB 10X variant though and the Guass version looks interesting. I got a great laugh for your MF variant... Now all we need is a Clantech variant with 3 Clan Large Pulse Lasers, a targeting computer, and Heavy FF armor.. Great job as always!

[@wademilesjr9947]

Frog builds a war crime, lol. One of my favorite vehicles. Now if the PPCs could be put in an array.....

[@MechanicalFrog]

*pondering*

[@DSFARGEG00]

My own 'urban Schrek' replaces the main guns with snubbies, adds 4 light MGs (two in the turret , one front, one rear) with a half-ton of ammo (mostly for flavor, let's be honest), and mounts 8 tons heavy FF armor to make it pretty beefy. The basic Schrek is one of those 'perfect units' in that it's still relevant in any era. A few of these fighting hull-down demand respect and attention even from high-tension units mounting post-Star League wonder gear. And man, are they going to get a lot of it.

[@Vericyn]

The Plasma carrier is a fucking dream!

[@MechanicalFrog]

A beautiful dream.

[@brothersgt.grauwolff6716]

getting jumped by this vehicle in a city using hidden units rules is like getting jumpscared by the Animatronics in FANF 😱

[@haileysaint5443]

I really do like the standard Schrek, though your MF variant is a close second. For my ISM variant, even using Clan tech for the chassis, XL engine, and heat sinks, I still had to increase the mass to 90 tons to do what I wanted. I made it fully amphibious, added a supercharger, and slapped a trailer hitch on its rear - though I don't know why it would need one. It carries 10 tons of hardened armor, and in the turret I swapped out the PPCs for a trio of SN PPCs. And each hull facing joints a Clan ER Micro Laser. So it's more of a city fighter that's a bit harder to kill

[@MechanicalFrog]

Sounds like quite a functional and deadly tank.

[@JohnDoe-oh7gf]

'Its only a tan....' then your cockpit crackles with the unmistaken after effects of a ppc. Yup its years back and its MW4. You just got hit by the Schreck and it got interesting. PPCs are awesome and anybody that knows a bit about the german language understands why this tank with its loadout and its name demands respect. X)

[@claytonhollowell4488]

An MF variant with a Plasma Rifle (or 3)? This is my shocked face!

[@MechanicalFrog]

I know what puts butts in seats.

[@fix0the0spade]

I'm surprised nobody ever bolted Clan ER-PPCs and double heatsinks into the Schrek. 3 of those and 24 DHS and you have an extra 9 tons to play with, add a small pulse laser and 8 tons of armour, presto, mobile barbershop. Yes it increases the cost of the tank about 50%, but it's also 50% more damage at longer range. . The MF variant uses plasma weapons, I'm shocked, SHOCKED. Well not that shocked, in fact I'm actually burning, aaaaiiieeeeeeee!

[@gregdomenico1891]

If you ever play BTA 3062, you can run into the Clan version; and since Clan weapons are lighter, it mounts 4 Clan grade ER PPC's. Ouch is an understatement.

[@MechanicalFrog]

*shudder*

[@MechanicalFrog]

Fire! Fire!

[@fix0the0spade]

@@gregdomenico1891 After playing about 600 hours of BEX I'm actively avoiding BTA, I need to keep my job!

[@stormcrow28]

Another solid performer from Aldis Industries. The Schrek is the poor man's Awesome. I am surprised they didn't build a Clan variant with three large pulse lasers, but then we did get the Kokou which is the Clan version of the Schrek's slowere brother, the Burke. As for the Mechfrog Schrek variant, it's time to burninate the invaders out of my swamp!

[@jeremysaklad6703]

I think the best Schrek variants, by far, are the ones that don’t rely on extra heat sinks while still using regenerative cooling: Lothian, LB-X, and Gauss. Sure, ammo might run dry, but your armor will probably be an issue first in most cases.

[@MechanicalFrog]

You're onto something.

[@lukedudley5030]

Great vid :-) why do we love this tank? Its because it hits like an awesome at a fraction of the cost :-) had great wins with a group of these and will always puck one if combined arms are allowed :-)

[@MechanicalFrog]

It's definitely a fun one for humbling those cocky mechwarriors.

[@gregdomenico1891]

First time running into one in Mech Commander was a very bad experience. One thing alot of people forget, is PPC's also do impact damage; you get hit with all 3, get ready to do a piloting check. Not to mention your sensors getting scrambled to hell and gone. (TBH, I prefer a Burke, but the Schrek is alot cheaper).

[@jamesbeard5513]

Ah, a standard for most MF Variants, committing war crimes every time. The Schrek, it's simple and it works. I especially like the Kurita variant. It uses the internal heatsinks for one PPC, and does respectable damage for a tank its size and the hardened armor giving it greater protection without the loss of mobility (at least with tracked vehicles) that BattleMechs suffer when equipped with it. The only variant that I haven't seen of it would be a Schrek C, so I made one. It mounts 3 Clan ER Large Lasers in a turret giving it the same damage at greater range (it does need 6 more heat sinks to counter the load, but with the weapons being 9 tons less, it is doable). It also mounts 2 AP Gauss Rifles, one in the turret and one in the front, to discourage infantry from getting to close. It finally mounts 9 tons of Clan FF. It still has a standard engine to make it on the 'cheap' side of things, so it has the old movement profile.

[@R17inator]

I once designed a IIC version of this in Solaris Armor Werks. Same speed and fusion engine, more armor. Replacing the three regular PPCs with two Clan ER PPCs and a targeting computer, the price tag was only 170k more c-bills (around 3,990,000 vs 3,820,000-ish) than the regular Schrek. Nasty, though the BV is of course a lot higher.

[@MechanicalFrog]

Nice to have that range boost. Can it keep a vestigial third barrel just for looks?

[@R17inator]

@@MechanicalFrog Sounds neat, perhaps the dummy third barrel could be used to confuse hapless Inner Sphere foes at a glance? It kind of reminds me of how the Command variant of the Cromwell in Company of Heroes 1 has a fake barrel.

[@MechanicalFrog]

Sounds like a plan.

[@Kingofdragons117]

Will you do a video on the Drillson? The recently released Streak Variant is one that I am particularly fond of. I have been running them in my clan invasion games, and they are a terror to behold.

[@MechanicalFrog]

Will have to ponder this one.

[@jasonfarley9025]

We are all shocked, SHOCKED I tell you, to see Plasma Rifles on a Mech Frog Schrek.

[@MechanicalFrog]

I hope that in time, we can all recover from this startling turn of events.

[@jasonfarley9025]

@@MechanicalFrog to be fair It is an obvious way to go with a modern Schrek Although I am somewhat surprised that there has never been an ER PPC + Double Heat Sinks version

[@paladinslash4721]

Mom I want to pilot an awesome. Mom: We have an awesome at home

[@mwhyte1979]

I ran a Fire Support lance a couple of time which consisted of two LRM carriers, a SRM carrier and a Shrek PPC carrier. It seemed to work well, course we weren't going against Clanners so I don't know how well that would have gone.

[@EdmondHiggins]

Getting a few of the "Awesome with treads" in the Kickstarter goods. This is an expensive variant, love me some plasma though.

[@forgefathervulkanhestan18]

WHAT ARE YOU DOING IN MY CONFEDERATION!?!?

[@MechanicalFrog]

Setting up shop. Who wants cookies?

[@egaroadkill8701]

LOL, played plenty of campaigns where our Schrek's PPC's went to mangled mechs as AC5's went to the Schrek's. My Awesome Whole Lotta Luv would go through one, sometimes two, PPC's every engagement. I hate expensive arm weapons. When the techs missed the scrounge roll, or no PPC could be bought, they had to come from somewhere.

[@randyslater199]

Tales of the Scherk MF PC: "Awww, Monsieur Commander, how do you want this morsel cooked?" Said the Gunner in a faked French accent. The Commander answering back similarly "Why, slowly charred to a blackened crisp, so we can hear the pig squeal and hiss." "Aff" As the three plasma shots went down range striking the Hunchback squarely in the torso. "The char-broiling has begun, we will see how long takes for the roast timer to pop, if at all, Monsieur!" The gunner voice stated with a hint of joy to his voice.

[@MechanicalFrog]

Well done... very well done...

[@Metal_Carnage]

I've found schreks to be lackluster direct fire support platforms. While damage from 3 PPCs is significant, especially for the late succession wars era, The armor is lacking if the opposing force focuses on it. A sufficiently large LRM barrage will do the job too. Another issue is if the engine takes a hit the energy weapons stop working. So overall the Schrek will put out damage until the enemy realizes it's there. Multiple Schreks could be a formidable strong point for a time. The best use of Schreks is when you can keep your enemy distracted so they aren't firing on them. @Mechanical Frog When are you making the Alacorn video? The lore about the "tread gauges" alone should be noteworthy in addition to the tank's fantastic firepower and significant armor.

[@Dreadwolf3155]

this is one of my all time favorites! kinda bummed there is no clan version. Also never thought of using light PPC's with capacitors have to use that trick

[@sim.frischh9781]

The Schrek is a prime example for the beauty of simplicity. It just works. Three identical guns, no fancy combinations. Yes that makes the tank very specialized, but with that level of both range AND damage potential, who would really complain? Optics-wise, the tank pretty much looks like a self-propelled artillery piece like the M109, so it´s definitely a hard SciFi design, phantastic particle cannons aside. And you HAD to go for the Plasma Rifles for the MF variant, you just LOVE f*cking the Geneva Convention, outright turning it into a check list, right? XD

[@Vulpine407]

The Schrek is one of the greatest vehicles in the original vehicle TRO. Costly, in terms of BV yes, but worth every point. No ammo limit, no heat build-up, good armor and an incredible damage output at any range. It has only two major flaws. One, it's a vehicle. So, once an enemy gets through the armor, it's usually done. Two, the minimum range penalty of PPCs coupled with an urban environment means it is very susceptible to infantry swarming. Or even being ambushed by other tanks with better short-range weapons. A Schrek does NOT want to meet a Demolisher in a dead-end alley. (Can you say "confetti", boys and girls?) This problem gets worse with the advent of Elementals during the Clan invasion. These problems aside, the Schrek PPC carrier is one of the best anti-mech vehicles out-of-the-box from the 3026 Technical Readout.

[@MechanicalFrog]

Well put. And yes, you don't really want to take a Schrek downtown.

[@krissteel4074]

An enterprising merc would probably make it worth their while to bodge in Clan ER-PPC's or at least that's what happens in my fantasy land. Even the base model is quite a fearsome beast capable of dealing out flex-seal levels of a lotta damage, they were fairly expensive though so its not a hugely common tank.

[@dakkath414]

Due to the extra heat sinks needed, erppcs wouldn't be viable swaps. Clan-tech large pulse lasers or er large lasers, however, would maintain the same damage as OG schrek at greatly increased range and free up one ton of mass per gun.

[@MechanicalFrog]

Yeah unfortunately we cannot cram DHS onto vehicles, which makes those super hot weapons impractical.

[@riptors9777]

Awesome on a budget. A heavy tank that is a bit on the squishy side, wich isnt that great considering its max range is somewhat limited. Its also very vulnerable to fast light mechs due to the PPCs minimum range. That being said: A full lance of them can be a very scary thing for the fraction of the cost of a full mech lance. As a merc commander i would only take the shrek in a supporting or garrison role. Its not really suited for assaults due to its relatively light armor and slow speed and absolutely needs babysitting units to keep it from being swarmed. Also dont use it against clans.. even their mediums and heavies will quickly close the gap and be in the shreks minimum range. The shrek is a godsend for any frontier colony governor who has to deal with pirates though. A lance of these guys will practically ensure that the pirates will avoid wichever area these things are stationed at. You also wont need to have mechwarriors on your payrole for simple garrison duty and the transportability with more traditional modes of transportation (like trains) is easier to manage. The shrek also makes for a great early "midboss" enemy for new players, its scary enough that a GM can form an entire battle around it if their players only have light and/or medium mechs available, but at the same time its not an unsurmountable obstacle either since it has clear cut weaknesses.

[@MechanicalFrog]

It definitely benefits from having a babysitter mech/tank.

[@Ironclockwork]

Some random Mechwarrior: "Why do I hear boss music and why is it being sung by Jennifer Saunders?" Seriously, there's nothing that'll give a Mechwarrior pause quite like a PPC hat trick, be it a 'Mech or a tracked vehicle. There's a reason the Schrek's up there on my priority kill list alongside Demolishers and the like.

[@baker90338]

Ah yes, it’s very simple to understand why it’s popular: it’s a pocket awesome that is unable to kick or punch, but is more available.

[@MechanicalFrog]

It can crush 50 gal drums like tin cans. So it's got that going for it.

[@williamjanak2013]

I find it odd that no version has ER PPCs. Good video.

[@MechanicalFrog]

Too toasty warm, I guess.

[@therakshasan8547]

My modified Shrek has 2 ERPPCs and a central Large Pulse laser . Hvy vehicle flamer keeps infantry at bay . The Xl engine and Hvy FF armor with fewer HS but upgraded to doubles .

[@imasspeons]

Vehicles can't use DHS.

[@cnkclark]

I wonder about a variant with 3 Large Lasers and a couple of Medium Lasers or more armor. Lose a little range and max damage but the closer you get the more dangerous it becomes.

[@MechanicalFrog]

Could be workable.

[@MrFleem]

Oh, the Schrek AC carrier has 8 machine guns? Well, if you are going against a lot of infantry... bring a dedicated infantry killer and/or your own infantry.

[@MechanicalFrog]

One can never have too many machine guns.

[@yurtus83]

Damn those Mechhunters btw with the Shrek II-X you say it has 35 heatsinks but in the text it says 45.

[@MechanicalFrog]

Probably left out the 10 free with the fusion engine.

[@77professional]

I would switch from three plasma rifles to two and add an ERPPC.

[@MechanicalFrog]

Toasty.

[@irongiant6112]

I think the schrek would work best in a french style platoon, comprised of 4 schreks, and 4 light jeeps/armored cars with MGs, small lasers, maybe AP gauss in later eras, or some 15-20 ton tanks if you feel more practically minded

[@yecnay25]

Schrek is love, Schrek is life lol

[@MechanicalFrog]

It's going to be a long day of Schrek references... :D

[@GeofftheIronwolf]

The MF version, I'd go with two plasma 1 ERPPC wit two tons of ammo. Allow the tank to stay in the game once the plasma ammo is gone. Just my two cbills.

[@MechanicalFrog]

Could work well.

[@spencerjones841]

Pull a PPC and add a LRM 20 and 3 tons of ammo and as much armor as you can add and you get a lot more balanced fire support tank. Albeit one that's more Ammo dependent

[@MechanicalFrog]

But... three ppcs! :D

[@R4V3-0N]

It is a great design. Curious no late succession war designs did not just downgrade the ppc to large lasers though

[@marsar1775]

A stealth schrek with 3 gauss rifles? god thats terrifying. Is there enough space and tonnage to make it worse, like some ECM systems? make it so even if spotted, good luck hitting it?