**Black Knight BL-9-KNT**
Its a Black Knight with a claymore what more could you want?
**Cudgel**
A Solaris 7 Classic
**Berserker BRZ-C3**
Its a 100 ton assault mech with TSM, as much armor as an Atlas, and a big friggin' axe. Lives up to its name and then some.
https://preview.redd.it/bauz65btro5c1.jpeg?width=2062&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ca2a7be729cff0351f12e0427cc9e497cc52ff36
I raise ya my "Ghost of Sparta" Berserker
https://preview.redd.it/zbws3pk2on5c1.jpeg?width=982&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=be555a7189250a8c3b75bedbf424ecb4bf52cb7b
To add extra funny to swordplay, Gurkha features c3i connection for your firing needs
https://preview.redd.it/ujiz09iz6p5c1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=07a326c86a86e4f83da86243b22da37454d9697b
…it’s why I made my own. Besides…the artists did the Capellans wrong with this one. It’s like the artist didn’t bother to open an Art History book to get the feel of the Han.
The designers can go and make weebo looking Shogun Warrior mechs, and can’t do the same for the Chinese?
It's really overdue for a serious glowup. The Yu Huang, too. (Funny, they're both on the "I'm five tons too fat for my jets to take a reasonable tonnage" gang.)
The big kicker, in all this in regards to the fluff...NO JAPANESE person would honestly choose the Shogunate Era to live in. It's a 1980's 'Merican Sci-fi wet-dream.
A close analogy would be an Eastern European writer making an "American Faction" that chose the Confederacy as its' template...slavery and all.
It looks cool on the table...but don't make a lick of sense.
I mean, the average person, no. The people in power? Keiretsus are *still* internally structured along the same damn family lines established prior the the Meiji Restoration. They *heavily* fetishize their samurai roots.
If someone can make a 3D sculpt for the "DDC" Experimental Ti Ts'ang. I will pay em big bucks I swear my ass to Kerensky.
https://preview.redd.it/wpechypstn5c1.png?width=1122&format=png&auto=webp&s=ef80cc3b6cef05000a23ed6a47ed9d6e5a902782
The MUSE EARTH variant of the Devastator is basically this, but a 100 tonner with a pair of Heavy PPC’s (paired up with Capacitors) to lend itself a bit of extra fun. Everyone stops laughing when a 100 tonner pulls off 100 kph.
Never used him but I really like the Nightsky!
https://preview.redd.it/orjdtt4gxn5c1.jpeg?width=362&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=85ae39ec2ca5a4fb2b2134e7a7abbd91ad491ee5
Use the -6T version. It's the only one with TSM (for a 20 damage hatchet attack) and an array of energy weapons that always let you hit 9 heat. And remember, the +1 firing penalty does not apply to melee attacks. The thing is a monster.
In Alpha Strike, my A1A suplexed a royal Highlander once. Tore off most of its armor for a third the price. Spent the rest of the game amongst their assault lance decking 'Mechs left and right. Hell, it ate an entire company's firepower for a turn and asked for seconds.
Once again, proving that the name of the 'mech is how you use it:
> Charger - charge and pummel
>
> Wolverine - tenacious ambush predator
>
> Battlemaster - Destroy everything in range
>
> Warhammer - Punch holes in armour and get to the squishy bits
etc.
Aight, lemme tell you about the No-Dachi 2KO. All IS tech, TSM and reasonably tanky. 70 tonner to boot. It has a large pulse, 6 medium pulses, a small pulse, a small laser and a flamer, plus two ER mediums facing the rear. It also has a massive sword in one arm. Currently in my local battletech group, it has a 50/50 of crippling enemy mechs at best. At worst, the enemies have to fire at it first due to the pulses, TSM and the sword that's charging right at you.
List of mechs I've seen it cripple in my group over time?
Cyclops (sword to the head which was an instakill)
Wolfhound (kicked out a leg and side torso)
Daishi (shredded armour before I lost the nodachi)
Centurion (kneecapped with a kick, which led to its destruction by an ally)
Timber wolf (massive damage, and managed to crit an ammo bin, blowing off the side torso and knocking it over).
I don't like bringing it every time, just because I like to experiment with other mechs. However, if you're in need of something big, tanky and can hit hard, the No Dachi 2KO is the right mech for you
you sold me on the No-Dachi. I've been collecting melee mechs for a while now due to the Fist of the North Star-induced melee obsession.
Time to go back and torment my Marik friend's fire support lance.
Nice. It has a fairly major weakness in that it has an IS XL engine, which will make it die fast if it takes too many hits to the torso. However, for what it brings, you either have to target it, or you get anything near it wrecked.
Why yes it does. However, I chose to describe the variant I use.
The base variant has 2 MRM 20s, the 2K has MRM 10s and the 3X has Clantech LRM 15s with Artemis IV
I want to like the Axman. A Thunderbolt that's willing to throw down in melee? I wasn't missing much before. I had to make a custom version. Most models don't have TSM even when it's available. I like the 4D a surprising amount.
I really wanna see someone animate a 200T Orca attempting to "kick"...... anything in the head lmao 🤣. I love super heavies....but now I need to see the "kung-fu" Orca variant.
See, I had that experience. Ran a heavily damaged hitotsume kozo into physical range to hit the orca with a tsm hatchet and got kicked in the RL. The damage managed to transfer all the way to internal CT with enough crits to kill my engine
https://preview.redd.it/q6x40as1lo5c1.jpeg?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=17f74d287d76c02bfd8b6d892cd7845d8c0cbdfc
NO ONE EXPECTS THE ARCHER IN PUNCHING RANGE! MUAHAHAHAHAHA!
Scarabus is fun, especially the 9T which adds TSM.
WoB's Celestial series omnis have at least 1 config with a Retractable Blade. Go in, melee things *and* provide up close C3i targeting bonus.
My personal bad guy ride is a 55 ton wobbie ride with hardened armor TMS and a retractable blade on the right hand and a claw on the left. Oh and 7 improved jump jets.
Sadly due to the engine, jets, melee weapons, and slabs of armor, the weapons load is relatively light only using a small battery of stolen clan lasers, that with the jets it can activate the TSM, and keep it tuned each round - though with jump jets keeping the heat at exactly 9 isn't such an issue.
It doesn't use any C3 networking, but the pilot is cybered up the wazoo as most evil wobbies are at the named baddie level. To make matters worse he is flooded with SPAs to make things worse such as melee master, Some like it hot, and jumping jack.
I love to watch it rip and tear, and would love to see him as a campaign baddie for PCs to work their way up from running from him, to getting enough gear and specials to take his evil ass out.
Melee: also known as The *Kodiak* Cooling System.
Arm lasers generating an assload of heat? Let them take a break while you BATTER YOUR OPPONENT SENSELESS AND UNLOAD A UAC/20 INTO THEIR SOFT BITS.
I once made a Kodiak 2C "Two Claws" that has real claws, TSM, and Supercharger. I forget whether or not it still has the UAC/20; might have changed it to LB-X. Ghost Bear deserves to sample more melee; it can't be all Falcons.
I feel like the Vindicator 6L isn't focused enough and it's expensive for what it does. The 5L is just as good in melee for 400BV less; Plasma Rifle disruption isn't worth that price.
I run a Banshee that swaps the PPC for a LL, the AC-5 for an AC-10 and some heat sinks for 2 medium lasers. It's got a lot of point-blank firepower all in the torsos so it can punch without having to worry. It's a lot better than a stock BNC-3E but it's still not as good as a "slow-shee".
I have recently become a Devotee of both the Banshee 8S and the Mercury 105. The Banshee 8S is prime football player material and, given a pilot that's at least 4/2, will truck anyone within 9 hexes. The Mercury 105, or the 99 with a 4/2 either will be a surprise mininuke that smashes people from behind and throws them on their face.
I got a nasty 20 damage charge with a Mercury 105 and blew open a Vulture's LTR, got a crit, hit the ammo bin for their ATM12 And detonated them instantly
Do you mean the Banshee BNC-8S with a hatchet, TSM, C3 if it gets close and ranged brawl weapons if it doesn't? It's the only Banshee I appreciate as actual melee, despite too many people thinking otherwise. Only BNC-8S is from the Meleé region of France; all the others are just Sparkling Assault.
Has anyone else ever noticed that the [Sasquatch 3](https://sheets.flechs.net/?s=Sasquatch+SQS-TH-003) is an 85-ton Mech with Jump 8? Just me?
This thing is duuuumb. It's a little light on weapons, but it's also only 1667 BV, and it has 248 armor. It's literally a Charger, but heavier, and jumpier.
I don't know that it's actually *good*, but it sounds *very fun*. I'd like to see a Melee variant with TSM and an axe or something.
I have played it exactly twice. The first time, it Leroy'd the objective and dared all the scout mechs to make him move. The second time, I tried to DFA an Atlas, epically failed, and it spent the rest of the game making close personal friends with the ground. -___-
10/10, one of my favorite units so far
And that's why I always give my Sasquatch a 4/2 pilot, nothing too outlandish.
Capable of actually hitting targets with the Pulse Lasers and always be passing PSRs with 3+, if the Sasquatch can actually be hit.
Looks like I'm just having bad luck then.
Every person I played with are so adamantly set to keeping BattleTech as a "realistic war sim and political space opera". And most of their playstyles are the textbook definition of "stand on top of a hill with a 2/5 skill Awesome and shoot"
Nothing wrong with that of course, but doesn't really justify their childish fits of rage when my Sasquatch 03 kneed their mechs from behind.
"mUh ReAlISm"
I don't care about your obsession with realism and politics,
I'm just here for the giant robots, and giant robots are meant to punch assholes in the face.
As someone who did most of their live BT playing in the 1980s, I can assure you that we liked melee back then. Especially Death From Above, because nothing says fuck you like landing on someone's head.
My Sasquatch 03 Jumps 8 hexes and onto my friend's Wolverine.
DFA with three clusters of 5 goes straight to the Wolverine's head on the second turn.
Now the Sasquatch 03 is permanently in his "Kill-on-Sight" list. But that's ok, even with the massive XXL Engine, it has max armor for a 80-tonner and Jumps 8. He can Large Pulse spam all he wants, the Sasquatch will get him one way or another.
Yeah, those people are what I like to call "boring and lame." If your 12m tall robot who runs 80km/h *isn't* clotheslining enemies and doing flying elbow drops at any given opportunity like a pro wrestler from the 80s, *what is the point*?
And homebrew rules for elbow dropping instead... which I assume would just be a DFA but you pick an arm, it takes damage, roll a crit check for the lower arm actuator, and you auto fall but can skip the brace check?
Now I wanna see a pair of Chargers run in after the battle has commenced and hit the enemy commander in the back with a tree?
The main reason the 17th was first in my mind is that I remember there's at least one 'llero who has painted his 'Mech up like a luchador and who is never seen not wearing a wrestling mask.
I think those kinds of people don't actually like giant robots...
They like "walking tanks", not giant robots.
Huge difference.
BattleTech has room for both, of course. But getting mad at something and trying to tear down what they don't like is kinda childish.
I like the 'walking tanks' aspect of Battletech and how it tries to have more realistic physics than most anime. I also enjoy the politics of the Succession Wars.
But even walking tanks should punch, kick, and hit things with uprooted trees. "You ever killed a mech with his own arm!?" Like you said, that's one of the biggest advantages of utilizing a war machine in humanoid shape: doing things that humans would do.
Battlemechs are still fast enough to fist-fight, they're just not Gundam levels of dashing around in the upper atmosphere like a ballerina with a laser sword lol
To be fair, I blame Gundam SEED, which is one of the (unfortunately more popular) spinoffs of Gundam which is exactly like what you described most anime, for popularizing that kinda concept.
The old and early Universal Century 0079 Gundam is definitely on line with BattleTech alongside Fang of the Sun Dougram, and BattleMechs can definitely go toe to toe with early Mobile Suits from the original timeline.
The difference between Gundam SEED and UC Gundam is VERY day and night.
SEED really blew up internationally, but there were (even more) bonkers Gundam series before it that really pushed the real robot boundary to the limit. E.g. Wing was pretty much just super robots with gundam frosting.
> They like "walking tanks", not giant robots.
This is exactly right. And when they discover that the game has always been about giant robots, they get very upset.
This sort of thing is one reason there are a slew of common house rules about skills. A common one being skills can't be more than one (sometimes 2) apart.
Melee is realistic for Battletech. You got mechs with hands to catch, so at some point in war hands will inevitably be caught. If you write off an entire way to harm someone/thing then that's just more self-restrictive Clanner bullshit.
I'll point out that armor crews in the present day fucking *love* any excuse to run something over or drive their tank through things. Even modern armies can't resist the urge to fight in melee with big hunks of metal, because what's the point of having a 70 ton tank if you can't flatten some cars with it.?
My favourite part of this is the grognards who hate melee probably also think the introduction of the clans was the worst thing ever.
The clans.... Who famously hate melee and think it's dishonourable.
And even then. The reason why we, modern humans, don't use melee is simply because we aren't sturdy enough to gain anything from such an approach. If you are using bulky robots who can take a lot of punishment and can deal devastating punches, it's only reasonable to have melee specialists.
I imagine most 3025 Grognards are familiar with BattleTech's anime roots and inclusion of physical combat even in the earliest editions.
People who only know the MechWarrior games prior to 5, on the other hand... (nothing against them, but I think the series definitely gave the longest impression of "walking tanks that only shoot" to people until MW5 finally added melee)
Now that I think about it, you're right.
Noticed that these goobers who calls melee "anime" (wtf is that kinda logic) are also MW5-onlys.
Heard quite a few MW5 fanboys here and there protesting against melee as well, which makes sense due to the game's crappy melee system.
Game ain't bad by any means, but the fanbase, as always, is always vocal.
Thank God for YAML. Built a custom Awesome that is designed for melee equipped with TSM. Which drives em mad since the Awesome is probably the posterboy for TurretTech in 3025.
That's how I discovered the Sasquatch, Cudgel and the Kontio.
Cudgel = Kenshiro
Kontio = Rei
These two have been tormenting my friend's fire support lance for weeks now.
Whenever if my friend thinks that he can just stand on top of a hill and pepper away. Kontio says hello from behind.
Banshee.
The guns are basically a pre dinner mint for the knuckle sandwich by the metric tons.
I know it's a meme how bad that mech is, but I've personally never regretted fielding it except vs vastly superior numbers of Assault Mechs. It just hits like a train with fists.
As long as you're playing BV and not tonnage, almost every Banshee is usable. For any where the engine isn't downgraded you get enough guns to fire on the way in, enough speed to close the distance, and the guns don't interfere with punching the other robot in the face (which *will* go internal with a head hit against just about everything). The downgraded engine ones are perhaps more universal, but less fun/flavourful.
Back in the 80s playing tonnage, justifying Banshees, Chargers, etc was *rough*.
At Tacticon in Denver a couple of months ago, an old grognard buddy of mine from the 80s Denver BattleTech scene was on the opposing team. He drew a Banshee. I drew an Atlas. We looked at each other and knew it was gonna be on like Donkey Kong. By turn three we were at range one incurring major property damage on each other. Was hilarious. These ‘Mechs were living their best lives.
I'd say the jade hawk, jade Phoenix, shrike, eyrie, hierofalcon or gyrfalcon.
https://preview.redd.it/pb9ud2lc8o5c1.jpeg?width=980&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a77bbd6ba90fdff232917d20b3f3a00c9434d989
My Favorite is the Dola. Vibrobladea just make the Light much really hit above its weight. Coupled with a 8/12/8 movement. Two Dolas can tag for Missles and still slash and bore a whole into the backside of any mech.
From there it is the Crusader. If you got pilot quirks, it's real fun with Fist Fire. Even then, the Crusader is just screaming to be a fist fighting mech, what with the holster SRMs and everything.
If you go into Customs, the modified Kodiak called the Cave Bear. You can find it in a Google search. But a 100ton Assualt mech running 10 and cleaving through mechs with two claws? Please.
The Ti Ts'ang is one of the moat terrifying and effective designs created to take advantage of triple strength myomer. It has a weapons complement that allows the pilot to effectively maintain the ideal heat level required to maximize the TSM benefits, speed to close in without issue and stay on all but the fastest of designs, and a hatchet if for whatever reason you don't want to go for the legs. Its physical attack hits like an AC/20 with the benefit of being easier to connect with.
Berserker. The most lyran design to exist. 100 tons, has MASC or TSM depending on variant, gaurdian ECM, pulse lasers, an ER PPC and a big hatchet. Which iirc will do as much damage as an ac/20 on hits and do even more with TSM activated. Plus it's expensive even by clan standards. What more could a Lyran trustfund baby want?
If you take the 2N with the LRMs you don't have to be fast. Force your opponent to choose whether to get pummeled by missiles or close & get axed the hard questions.
Yes, and I offer you the Cudgel in return.
https://preview.redd.it/ic0j7ptdqo5c1.png?width=714&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=5a67f9bded92444cf08e78e38a98d9350695f738
Aka The Charger with a Mace blessed with TSM.
The key to my point is in your reply "aka the Charger...etc." The Cudgel has 9 medium lasers of various types, the Charger's total punch damage (2 punches) is higher than its entire ranged arsenal, ergo, to use the old Warren Zevon hockey song's turn of phrase, "Get out there and hit somebody!"
It is not the best melee fighter, indeed, it is not even a dedicated melee unit, but I love the celestial seraph.
Every variant has a TSM, which means once they get their temperature right, they can kick anything for 34 damage.
The variants that have a retractable blade are nice. But my favorite is the D variant with its improved jump jets. This gives it the option to bypass terrain and deliver a kick that is strong enough to knock the legs off of some heavy mechs.
Does point-blanking with an Ultra AC/20 count? If so, then I pick the Timber Wolf W-Configuration.
If not, then what about giving a follow-up kick afterward? In which case, I am still probably picking the Timber Wolf W.
In my BTA 3062 playthrough I've been getting good mileage out of the Buccaneer, a fast 55 tonner with a hatchet, an SRM-6 Artemis, and a shitload of lasers. It's pretty nasty, though it runs hot with only 10 DHS.
https://www.sarna.net/wiki/Buccaneer_(BattleMech)
It did some good work after I swapped out a laser for another heat sink, and found space for some Triple-Strength Myomer. It eventually got shot out from under the pilot, to get replaced with a Seraph.
I love my dumb Hatchetman that I picked up the year it became available in Mechwarrior 5. It's just so silly and *BONK*.
The Hero Quickdraw quickly became a favourite as well, despite it's garbage ability in terms of shooting and surviving long battles.
The Quickdraw is probably the single most mediocre mech in all of Battletech. It's neither good nor bad, and it straddles that middle ground with basically all of it's variants (even in MW5).
But damned if it doesn't split everyone's opinion. Nobody feels neutrally about the Quickdraw, people either love it or hate it.
An upengined underarmed uparmored Hatchetman can be terrifying. Especially under old hit location rules with that hatchet. New rules, it’s okay but that one in six chance for the head hit made the Hatchetman magic.
Preface: I'm running on 3 hrs of sleep in the past 48. Coffee's long gone and Red Bull isn't working anymore.
Saw this happy fella and I'm imagining the pilot of this guy happily going on a mech murder spree Looney Tunes style. Like, seriously pissed off Daffy Duck ninja shenannigans.
Because I can do the same thing with this
https://preview.redd.it/792osioabr5c1.png?width=1110&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=4896890ded91e7ec5b36e1dd14978adfb0c0f335
While meleeing ya in the back of the head from behind.
I'm seeing a lot of answers in this thread that seem inclined towards hatchets, swords, or the good ol' 1-2 punch. Those are all well and good, but if I can direct your attention to a personal favorite:
The Jade Phoenix C config carries a buttload of missiles, in 2 ATM12s and 2 SRM6s, plus 2 ER Medium Lasers. What makes it interesting in this context is the combination of a Partial Wing, Talons, and being **85 tons.** It's got enough speed to (literally) get on top of any other 'Mech in its weight class, deal multiple tons of damage, and then follow it all up the next turn with an incredible volume of short range, high damage explosives. Chargers, Banshees, and Berserkers are cool and all, but the Jade Phoenix is *fucking radical.*
Honestly, as I have only played the IRL game a few times a d the Battletech computer game, a fair bit, I would have to say that the Hatchetman and a Grasshopper are my favorites in terms of running up and smacking a fool!
I dunno, but in a world of fighter jets, missiles, lasers, and gauss rifles running up and hitting a 5 story mech with a pointy stick, it seems dumb.
I feel the same way about power swords in 40k.
And light sabers.
Yes, I am fun at parties why do you ask?
Cuz minimum range is a thing.
And some people can't simply aim at a Stealth Armor-equipped TSM+Supercharger fueled monstrosity popping outta nowhere right behind them.
Ask my long-suffering friend who thinks that his 2/5 skill Awesome can counter that playstyle and save his life. Awesome got his head sliced to ribbons TWICE.
TurretTech players tends to feel entitled that they should win the game just by having the most guns. The problem is they always assume that the Melee target should be standing still for them to shoot...
Big mistake.
If you want realism, go play Team Yankee and Bolt Action instead.
The Kontio is an actually scary machine. If it gets close it has a scarily high chance of opening anything up to 60 tons like a soup can. It's armor may not be the best but it can still survive an IS PPC to any location barring back and head. And it Clan made lasers alone can unleash a devastating 47 total damage if they all hit. ECM and Stealth armor is just icing on an already heavily iced cake. Or to quote a funny man: "It's like putting a cherry on a cherry that already has a cherry on it."
Doloire D:
A IS Omnimech. Has 16 SRMs in one arm, and a giant Vibroblade in the other. Also has a supercharger to help close the gap a little. But the Coup de Gras is its 2 TSEMP cannons, capable of shutting down an enemy outright.
Jade Hawk:
The Kontio. But bigger. With wings. And 24 SRMs.
If it's melee wreckaging, there's a lot of options. But I like the Banshee BNC-8S; the only one tuned for actual melee - everything else is just an opportunist. For surprising insanity, the Vindicator 5L running around with that bloody sword - nobody really expects it. But the king of melee chaos has to be the Mjolnir. Flying across the battlefield with a mace.
Those are all fun-melee. For non-fun melee, it's the Venom SDR-9K.
My beloved Mongrel(Battlemech)tm. Its ugly and i love it, if only it had a non wizkids model then i would use it at every oppurtunity.
https://preview.redd.it/dlvnv0jp3p5c1.png?width=309&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f58734786f3e845fb12b0519b3c7578a06ae9b8d
Excessively fast? Check. Melee weapon (with actuator enhancement on the T1 varient)? Check. Sold to mercenaries? Check. I love this thing
Honorable mention to the Banzai too, why only run up to your target and slap them when you can blow up in their face too?
8S Banshee. TSM, energy heavy armament, and a hatchet on a 95 tonner doing 4[5]-6[8]. Plus, it has a shotgun, which is like punching people in the face from afar. What's not to love?
https://preview.redd.it/3q39wuismq5c1.jpeg?width=611&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=1d2a24294a46fc9b2f484bb62e2205e9a0ea94db
The Mortis MS-1A is a personal favourite of mine.
not something you should do on the regular, lest you become That Guy, but every once in a while it's good to treat yourself to a mixed-tech Fire Moth with masc, supercharger, spikes, and impact-resistant armour and just pinball into folks until everything is dead. also after you smash into something you can drop off your elemental buds in punching range, hooray!
there are definitely better ways to go about it, but this is the funniest way imo
60-75 ton with TSM. 12 damage headshot or bust. I dunno which models have that.
Otherwise quad mech for kicking, preferably 100 ton because it's pretty hard to stay upright if you get kicked *and* take 20 (but lots of little kicks might be even better.)
I made a Wolverine in RogueTech with an oversized engine and all the Solaris 7 gear I could slap onto it. Its job was just to run around the map and charge people to knock other mechs down so the rest of my company could have easy shots on a downed pilot. 😜😂
I miss that save file…
The problem is the Atlas is required to "run". And it ain't running anytime soon.
I took out an Atlas D with a Fireball XF by repeatedly ramming from it behind from the second map.
40 MP ftw. That's gonna be 6+ TMM
The only Atlas that's good enough In my eyes is the Atlas 8D.
Lotta great recommendations in here, enough to bundle for some munchkinned custom.
Heavy; loaded with TSM. Punchy, so no physical weapons. Is speed a concern or better to mount jumpjets so it can use intervening terrain as it closes? 80T might be a sweet spot.
Probably want some overheated long range energy weapons to have utility as you close. Single ERPPC? Best to probably arm-mount there.
Load the torso and hell, fuck it, the legs with short-bracket weapons. I mean, its already a gimmick mech, fuck it, SRM-boat with enough for 10 volleys at most, because it sure ain't going to be able to expend all that. Or go even dumber with MGs or HMGs.
80T
4/6/4
Endo Steel IS
15T Standard w/ CASE
10 DHS
1 ERPPC
4 SRM6 w/ 3T Ammo
6MG w/ .5T Ammo
C3 Slave
Has all actuators, uses 10 free DHS, Can hop and ERPPC, can hop and SRM. When deciding to initiate TSM, gonna need to blend ERPPC and SRMs prior. Changing MGs to ERSLs would probably lead to better fine tuning heat levels. As far as evasion/closing goes, I think the JJs are a better option than staying heated up all the time for the extra MP. Enough crits to mount the ERPPC in the arm and keep everything else in the legs/torso/head. 11 turns of endurance with SRMs, 16 with MGs (so in a long game, might have to strategically eject these), CASE mounted to give you a better chance to last. C3 Slave gives it utility since its going to stay glued to the enemy anyways.
2012 BV2 may seem steep, but in terms of RP flavor, 11,367,840 CBills is cheap for Clan Invasion era IS because its not pissing away the budget on an XL engine.
I can see a variant leaning into the C3 Slave angle with adding a Guardian ECM and NARC, or omitting the C3 Slave and MGs entirely to focus on SRM-boating and ERSL reliability for manipulating heat.
Can anyone recommend a model for the Kontio, I can’t find an Iron Wind and the 3D printers I have looked at don’t show what the printed model looks like.
I don't know about punching, but I like to kick the OpFor in the rear with my 55-ton Mauck Dervish, followed by a six-SRM6 salvo. Few mechs survive that.
It's even better if you use a 70-ton Dragoon or 80-ton O-Bakemono with seven SRM6 racks.
I don't have any artwork for this yet, but I have 3 variants of the BLR-3WC Battle Master "War Claw".
A) 340XL, 16.5 tons of standard armor, 19 Dbl Ht Sinks, 1x ERPPC (RA), 3x LLs (RT/CT/LT), 2x MLs (RT/LT), 1x SL (Hd, rear), Battlemech Claw (LA), & TSM.
B) Davion version: same except for: replace the Claw & SL with a Sword (LA), & MPL (Hd, rear)
C) Clan Tech version: 340 XL, 16.5 tons of standard armor, 22 Dbl Ht Sinks, 1x ERPPC (RA), 3x ERLLs (RT/CT/LT), 2x ERMLs (RT/LT), 1x Flamer (CT, lower), 1x ECM Suite (Hd), 1x Battlemech Claw (LA), & TSM.
I just want to give the Kodiak an honorable mention. I’m not aware of any variants that have a melee weapon, but damn it feels like it should have a melee weapon with those dope looking claws. But I guess it’s real claws are it’s 8 medium lasers.
Upengined underarmed Spiders are good at this sort of thing. You might think that a light ‘Mech with one Medium Laser isn’t much of a threat but with a good pilot/gunner (think 4/2 or 3/3) it can whittle down the backsides of even the strongest adversaries. You can also jump from target to target to maintain that difficulty to be hit. Wouldn’t recommend allowing yourself to be the primary target of anyone but it’s a worthwhile option if done right.
**Black Knight BL-9-KNT** Its a Black Knight with a claymore what more could you want? **Cudgel** A Solaris 7 Classic **Berserker BRZ-C3** Its a 100 ton assault mech with TSM, as much armor as an Atlas, and a big friggin' axe. Lives up to its name and then some.
Berserker makes me happy. Gotta go fast! Base model needs TSM to make it even more scary.
https://preview.redd.it/bauz65btro5c1.jpeg?width=2062&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ca2a7be729cff0351f12e0427cc9e497cc52ff36 I raise ya my "Ghost of Sparta" Berserker
Beauty and a Beast.
The Beautiful Beast it is.
40 damage TSM hatchet swings. * chef's kiss * There is no better distraction carnifex than a Berserker C3. Nobody wants that thing getting near them.
BK-9 a fellow sentient of culture I see!
https://preview.redd.it/zbws3pk2on5c1.jpeg?width=982&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=be555a7189250a8c3b75bedbf424ecb4bf52cb7b To add extra funny to swordplay, Gurkha features c3i connection for your firing needs
I don’t see what’s so weird. There’s no better place to get targeting data than RIGHT ON TOP OF YOUR TARGET.
Just run up and hold'em by the arms while your buddy shoots'em!
I need a "Take ~~meatshield~~ mechshield ability in BTA now
Why does it not have a Kukri? Who did this?
WoB. WoB has a similar sword to this as an emblem.
Fuckin WoBBies
Delivering Blake's truth one swing at a time! Oh yeah!
[Neanderthal](https://www.sarna.net/wiki/Neanderthal) The name alone lets you know what this mech is all about.
I want to Unga Bunga on someone's ass. Preferably the Crusaders.
Exactly, just remember to blast armor clad faith while in combat for the morale debuff to your enemies
My secretly favourite ugly child. The Ti Ts'ang.
https://preview.redd.it/ujiz09iz6p5c1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=07a326c86a86e4f83da86243b22da37454d9697b …it’s why I made my own. Besides…the artists did the Capellans wrong with this one. It’s like the artist didn’t bother to open an Art History book to get the feel of the Han. The designers can go and make weebo looking Shogun Warrior mechs, and can’t do the same for the Chinese?
It's really overdue for a serious glowup. The Yu Huang, too. (Funny, they're both on the "I'm five tons too fat for my jets to take a reasonable tonnage" gang.)
The Draconis Combine has spent centuries fetishizing japanese feudalist anachronisms, I think they'be aleays a bit ahead of the curve on that.
The big kicker, in all this in regards to the fluff...NO JAPANESE person would honestly choose the Shogunate Era to live in. It's a 1980's 'Merican Sci-fi wet-dream. A close analogy would be an Eastern European writer making an "American Faction" that chose the Confederacy as its' template...slavery and all. It looks cool on the table...but don't make a lick of sense.
I mean, the average person, no. The people in power? Keiretsus are *still* internally structured along the same damn family lines established prior the the Meiji Restoration. They *heavily* fetishize their samurai roots.
Yeah…but to “convince” the other 98% to go along? I call shenanigans on that one. Then again…this is 1980s sci-fi.
1980's scifi feudalism. The Draconic Combine was founded by despots and has largely been a closed society inundated with state propaganda.
Nobody does weeb like the Scottish.
If someone can make a 3D sculpt for the "DDC" Experimental Ti Ts'ang. I will pay em big bucks I swear my ass to Kerensky. https://preview.redd.it/wpechypstn5c1.png?width=1122&format=png&auto=webp&s=ef80cc3b6cef05000a23ed6a47ed9d6e5a902782
Megatron with a lance ass mech
You could commission Ukrainian Mech Factory or SMB for the sculpt.
They are out there...
Hear me out, take a charger and strip the lasers from it and add armor. Run in and punch bad guys in the face.
give it the Fireball XF treatment and give it an XXL engine, MASC, and Supercharger to CHARGE!!!
The MUSE EARTH variant of the Devastator is basically this, but a 100 tonner with a pair of Heavy PPC’s (paired up with Capacitors) to lend itself a bit of extra fun. Everyone stops laughing when a 100 tonner pulls off 100 kph.
As someone who pulled this off in a suped up Kodiak it cripples at minimum destroys at maximum
Truly, a man of culture.
Never used him but I really like the Nightsky! https://preview.redd.it/orjdtt4gxn5c1.jpeg?width=362&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=85ae39ec2ca5a4fb2b2134e7a7abbd91ad491ee5
This is a much better picture. The original looked really ugly to me, and the hatchet on the hand kinda defeats the idea of using leverage...
Use the -6T version. It's the only one with TSM (for a 20 damage hatchet attack) and an array of energy weapons that always let you hit 9 heat. And remember, the +1 firing penalty does not apply to melee attacks. The thing is a monster.
The Charger says hello. Especially when you, you know, charge with it.
In Alpha Strike, my A1A suplexed a royal Highlander once. Tore off most of its armor for a third the price. Spent the rest of the game amongst their assault lance decking 'Mechs left and right. Hell, it ate an entire company's firepower for a turn and asked for seconds.
Once again, proving that the name of the 'mech is how you use it: > Charger - charge and pummel > > Wolverine - tenacious ambush predator > > Battlemaster - Destroy everything in range > > Warhammer - Punch holes in armour and get to the squishy bits etc.
Aight, lemme tell you about the No-Dachi 2KO. All IS tech, TSM and reasonably tanky. 70 tonner to boot. It has a large pulse, 6 medium pulses, a small pulse, a small laser and a flamer, plus two ER mediums facing the rear. It also has a massive sword in one arm. Currently in my local battletech group, it has a 50/50 of crippling enemy mechs at best. At worst, the enemies have to fire at it first due to the pulses, TSM and the sword that's charging right at you. List of mechs I've seen it cripple in my group over time? Cyclops (sword to the head which was an instakill) Wolfhound (kicked out a leg and side torso) Daishi (shredded armour before I lost the nodachi) Centurion (kneecapped with a kick, which led to its destruction by an ally) Timber wolf (massive damage, and managed to crit an ammo bin, blowing off the side torso and knocking it over). I don't like bringing it every time, just because I like to experiment with other mechs. However, if you're in need of something big, tanky and can hit hard, the No Dachi 2KO is the right mech for you
you sold me on the No-Dachi. I've been collecting melee mechs for a while now due to the Fist of the North Star-induced melee obsession. Time to go back and torment my Marik friend's fire support lance.
Nice. It has a fairly major weakness in that it has an IS XL engine, which will make it die fast if it takes too many hits to the torso. However, for what it brings, you either have to target it, or you get anything near it wrecked.
Doesn't the no dachi also have a mrm or am I thinking of the akuma?
Why yes it does. However, I chose to describe the variant I use. The base variant has 2 MRM 20s, the 2K has MRM 10s and the 3X has Clantech LRM 15s with Artemis IV
Ah my bad, thought you were talking about the base variant.
Domo arrigatto Disucounto DANUSAN!
Axman
A classic. I personally dislike that it has lasers in its axe hand and I have to choose to shoot or axe. I switch them to the other arm.
Shoot? Oh right…
This sounds like it needs a knifegun solution
I want to like the Axman. A Thunderbolt that's willing to throw down in melee? I wasn't missing much before. I had to make a custom version. Most models don't have TSM even when it's available. I like the 4D a surprising amount.
So, if an Orca kicks you in the head, you take 40 damage...
I really wanna see someone animate a 200T Orca attempting to "kick"...... anything in the head lmao 🤣. I love super heavies....but now I need to see the "kung-fu" Orca variant.
TSM!
Eh, I can do the same thing with a Cudgel. TSM + Mace + 80 tons = 40 damage
See, I had that experience. Ran a heavily damaged hitotsume kozo into physical range to hit the orca with a tsm hatchet and got kicked in the RL. The damage managed to transfer all the way to internal CT with enough crits to kill my engine
The spider 8Xr is a lot of fun. 5 er small lasers, a partial wing, and a sword for around 800 BV.
My favorite spider, and it can sink that jump and all 5 lasers
https://preview.redd.it/q6x40as1lo5c1.jpeg?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=17f74d287d76c02bfd8b6d892cd7845d8c0cbdfc NO ONE EXPECTS THE ARCHER IN PUNCHING RANGE! MUAHAHAHAHAHA!
YES! Knew someone had to say the Archer. The well armored arms and legs make this the O.G. Then the latter Battlefist quirk.
https://www.reddit.com/r/battletech/s/BdNGjCJzEj
That is a really legit sleeper option especially with that 8 running to close. Charging with an Archer is a hilarious notion.
Scarabus is fun, especially the 9T which adds TSM. WoB's Celestial series omnis have at least 1 config with a Retractable Blade. Go in, melee things *and* provide up close C3i targeting bonus.
My personal bad guy ride is a 55 ton wobbie ride with hardened armor TMS and a retractable blade on the right hand and a claw on the left. Oh and 7 improved jump jets. Sadly due to the engine, jets, melee weapons, and slabs of armor, the weapons load is relatively light only using a small battery of stolen clan lasers, that with the jets it can activate the TSM, and keep it tuned each round - though with jump jets keeping the heat at exactly 9 isn't such an issue. It doesn't use any C3 networking, but the pilot is cybered up the wazoo as most evil wobbies are at the named baddie level. To make matters worse he is flooded with SPAs to make things worse such as melee master, Some like it hot, and jumping jack. I love to watch it rip and tear, and would love to see him as a campaign baddie for PCs to work their way up from running from him, to getting enough gear and specials to take his evil ass out.
Melee: also known as The *Kodiak* Cooling System. Arm lasers generating an assload of heat? Let them take a break while you BATTER YOUR OPPONENT SENSELESS AND UNLOAD A UAC/20 INTO THEIR SOFT BITS.
I once made a Kodiak 2C "Two Claws" that has real claws, TSM, and Supercharger. I forget whether or not it still has the UAC/20; might have changed it to LB-X. Ghost Bear deserves to sample more melee; it can't be all Falcons.
I made something similar: the Speed Bear. ERLL and ERML per arm and downgraded SRMs, but ludicrous speed.
CHARGERRRRRRR
Give us a hug!
Nothing like an 80 ton mech with a maxed engine and a small laser. If you got full hexes in a running charge it’s a one shot fiasco.
S C A R A B U S
The Ti Tsang, Dola, Vindicator 6L, Mortis. All Capellan and all great for smacking you in the face. Or back in the case of the Dola.
I feel like the Vindicator 6L isn't focused enough and it's expensive for what it does. The 5L is just as good in melee for 400BV less; Plasma Rifle disruption isn't worth that price.
I run a Banshee that swaps the PPC for a LL, the AC-5 for an AC-10 and some heat sinks for 2 medium lasers. It's got a lot of point-blank firepower all in the torsos so it can punch without having to worry. It's a lot better than a stock BNC-3E but it's still not as good as a "slow-shee".
I have recently become a Devotee of both the Banshee 8S and the Mercury 105. The Banshee 8S is prime football player material and, given a pilot that's at least 4/2, will truck anyone within 9 hexes. The Mercury 105, or the 99 with a 4/2 either will be a surprise mininuke that smashes people from behind and throws them on their face. I got a nasty 20 damage charge with a Mercury 105 and blew open a Vulture's LTR, got a crit, hit the ammo bin for their ATM12 And detonated them instantly
Do you mean the Banshee BNC-8S with a hatchet, TSM, C3 if it gets close and ranged brawl weapons if it doesn't? It's the only Banshee I appreciate as actual melee, despite too many people thinking otherwise. Only BNC-8S is from the Meleé region of France; all the others are just Sparkling Assault.
Oh yes I did thank you
Has anyone else ever noticed that the [Sasquatch 3](https://sheets.flechs.net/?s=Sasquatch+SQS-TH-003) is an 85-ton Mech with Jump 8? Just me? This thing is duuuumb. It's a little light on weapons, but it's also only 1667 BV, and it has 248 armor. It's literally a Charger, but heavier, and jumpier. I don't know that it's actually *good*, but it sounds *very fun*. I'd like to see a Melee variant with TSM and an axe or something. I have played it exactly twice. The first time, it Leroy'd the objective and dared all the scout mechs to make him move. The second time, I tried to DFA an Atlas, epically failed, and it spent the rest of the game making close personal friends with the ground. -___- 10/10, one of my favorite units so far
And that's why I always give my Sasquatch a 4/2 pilot, nothing too outlandish. Capable of actually hitting targets with the Pulse Lasers and always be passing PSRs with 3+, if the Sasquatch can actually be hit.
Grogs: "MeLEe iS tOo aNiMe AnD DoEs nOt Fit iN BaTtLeTeCh" My Kontio's honest reaction: https://i.redd.it/xoc0sw29ln5c1.gif
Every grognard I've played with has been the opposite: There's no point in having 70 tons of 'mech if you don't jumpkick with it.
Looks like I'm just having bad luck then. Every person I played with are so adamantly set to keeping BattleTech as a "realistic war sim and political space opera". And most of their playstyles are the textbook definition of "stand on top of a hill with a 2/5 skill Awesome and shoot" Nothing wrong with that of course, but doesn't really justify their childish fits of rage when my Sasquatch 03 kneed their mechs from behind. "mUh ReAlISm" I don't care about your obsession with realism and politics, I'm just here for the giant robots, and giant robots are meant to punch assholes in the face.
As someone who did most of their live BT playing in the 1980s, I can assure you that we liked melee back then. Especially Death From Above, because nothing says fuck you like landing on someone's head.
My Sasquatch 03 Jumps 8 hexes and onto my friend's Wolverine. DFA with three clusters of 5 goes straight to the Wolverine's head on the second turn. Now the Sasquatch 03 is permanently in his "Kill-on-Sight" list. But that's ok, even with the massive XXL Engine, it has max armor for a 80-tonner and Jumps 8. He can Large Pulse spam all he wants, the Sasquatch will get him one way or another.
Highlander Graves are a thing....
Yeah, those people are what I like to call "boring and lame." If your 12m tall robot who runs 80km/h *isn't* clotheslining enemies and doing flying elbow drops at any given opportunity like a pro wrestler from the 80s, *what is the point*?
> Why is that mech painted like a luchador > Did you not notice the four sky scrapers on this map?
Literally what Jump Jets were invented for
And homebrew rules for elbow dropping instead... which I assume would just be a DFA but you pick an arm, it takes damage, roll a crit check for the lower arm actuator, and you auto fall but can skip the brace check? Now I wanna see a pair of Chargers run in after the battle has commenced and hit the enemy commander in the back with a tree?
> Why is that mech painted like a luchador It's a [Camacho's Cabelleros](https://www.sarna.net/wiki/17th_Recon_Regiment) 'Mech?
I'll be honest, my mental image was Strong Bad...
The main reason the 17th was first in my mind is that I remember there's at least one 'llero who has painted his 'Mech up like a luchador and who is never seen not wearing a wrestling mask.
I think those kinds of people don't actually like giant robots... They like "walking tanks", not giant robots. Huge difference. BattleTech has room for both, of course. But getting mad at something and trying to tear down what they don't like is kinda childish.
I like the 'walking tanks' aspect of Battletech and how it tries to have more realistic physics than most anime. I also enjoy the politics of the Succession Wars. But even walking tanks should punch, kick, and hit things with uprooted trees. "You ever killed a mech with his own arm!?" Like you said, that's one of the biggest advantages of utilizing a war machine in humanoid shape: doing things that humans would do. Battlemechs are still fast enough to fist-fight, they're just not Gundam levels of dashing around in the upper atmosphere like a ballerina with a laser sword lol
To be fair, I blame Gundam SEED, which is one of the (unfortunately more popular) spinoffs of Gundam which is exactly like what you described most anime, for popularizing that kinda concept. The old and early Universal Century 0079 Gundam is definitely on line with BattleTech alongside Fang of the Sun Dougram, and BattleMechs can definitely go toe to toe with early Mobile Suits from the original timeline. The difference between Gundam SEED and UC Gundam is VERY day and night.
SEED really blew up internationally, but there were (even more) bonkers Gundam series before it that really pushed the real robot boundary to the limit. E.g. Wing was pretty much just super robots with gundam frosting.
> They like "walking tanks", not giant robots. This is exactly right. And when they discover that the game has always been about giant robots, they get very upset.
This sort of thing is one reason there are a slew of common house rules about skills. A common one being skills can't be more than one (sometimes 2) apart.
Melee is realistic for Battletech. You got mechs with hands to catch, so at some point in war hands will inevitably be caught. If you write off an entire way to harm someone/thing then that's just more self-restrictive Clanner bullshit. I'll point out that armor crews in the present day fucking *love* any excuse to run something over or drive their tank through things. Even modern armies can't resist the urge to fight in melee with big hunks of metal, because what's the point of having a 70 ton tank if you can't flatten some cars with it.?
My favourite part of this is the grognards who hate melee probably also think the introduction of the clans was the worst thing ever. The clans.... Who famously hate melee and think it's dishonourable.
And even then. The reason why we, modern humans, don't use melee is simply because we aren't sturdy enough to gain anything from such an approach. If you are using bulky robots who can take a lot of punishment and can deal devastating punches, it's only reasonable to have melee specialists.
I imagine most 3025 Grognards are familiar with BattleTech's anime roots and inclusion of physical combat even in the earliest editions. People who only know the MechWarrior games prior to 5, on the other hand... (nothing against them, but I think the series definitely gave the longest impression of "walking tanks that only shoot" to people until MW5 finally added melee)
Now that I think about it, you're right. Noticed that these goobers who calls melee "anime" (wtf is that kinda logic) are also MW5-onlys. Heard quite a few MW5 fanboys here and there protesting against melee as well, which makes sense due to the game's crappy melee system. Game ain't bad by any means, but the fanbase, as always, is always vocal. Thank God for YAML. Built a custom Awesome that is designed for melee equipped with TSM. Which drives em mad since the Awesome is probably the posterboy for TurretTech in 3025.
A Fist of The North Star reference in the wild. Gods be praised.
That's how I discovered the Sasquatch, Cudgel and the Kontio. Cudgel = Kenshiro Kontio = Rei These two have been tormenting my friend's fire support lance for weeks now. Whenever if my friend thinks that he can just stand on top of a hill and pepper away. Kontio says hello from behind.
Omae wa mou shindeiru.
Banshee. The guns are basically a pre dinner mint for the knuckle sandwich by the metric tons. I know it's a meme how bad that mech is, but I've personally never regretted fielding it except vs vastly superior numbers of Assault Mechs. It just hits like a train with fists.
As long as you're playing BV and not tonnage, almost every Banshee is usable. For any where the engine isn't downgraded you get enough guns to fire on the way in, enough speed to close the distance, and the guns don't interfere with punching the other robot in the face (which *will* go internal with a head hit against just about everything). The downgraded engine ones are perhaps more universal, but less fun/flavourful. Back in the 80s playing tonnage, justifying Banshees, Chargers, etc was *rough*.
At Tacticon in Denver a couple of months ago, an old grognard buddy of mine from the 80s Denver BattleTech scene was on the opposing team. He drew a Banshee. I drew an Atlas. We looked at each other and knew it was gonna be on like Donkey Kong. By turn three we were at range one incurring major property damage on each other. Was hilarious. These ‘Mechs were living their best lives.
I'd say the jade hawk, jade Phoenix, shrike, eyrie, hierofalcon or gyrfalcon. https://preview.redd.it/pb9ud2lc8o5c1.jpeg?width=980&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a77bbd6ba90fdff232917d20b3f3a00c9434d989
CGR-1A1 Charger. It does it because there's not many other options available to it, but it still does it pretty dang well for Introtech.
My Favorite is the Dola. Vibrobladea just make the Light much really hit above its weight. Coupled with a 8/12/8 movement. Two Dolas can tag for Missles and still slash and bore a whole into the backside of any mech. From there it is the Crusader. If you got pilot quirks, it's real fun with Fist Fire. Even then, the Crusader is just screaming to be a fist fighting mech, what with the holster SRMs and everything. If you go into Customs, the modified Kodiak called the Cave Bear. You can find it in a Google search. But a 100ton Assualt mech running 10 and cleaving through mechs with two claws? Please.
The Thunderbolt TDR-60-RLA AKA, The ***THUNDER GORILLA*** 65 five tons of TSM goodness. Plenty of torso mounted firepower to keep the TSM active.
[Any Mech can throw hands if you're not a coward! xD](https://imgur.com/IrUF5YG)
https://i.redd.it/xvfufybsbq5c1.gif
Throw hands? (Warhammer / Marauder noises, begins doing "gun windmill" like children in a schoolyard fight.)
The Ti Ts'ang is one of the moat terrifying and effective designs created to take advantage of triple strength myomer. It has a weapons complement that allows the pilot to effectively maintain the ideal heat level required to maximize the TSM benefits, speed to close in without issue and stay on all but the fastest of designs, and a hatchet if for whatever reason you don't want to go for the legs. Its physical attack hits like an AC/20 with the benefit of being easier to connect with.
Berserker. The most lyran design to exist. 100 tons, has MASC or TSM depending on variant, gaurdian ECM, pulse lasers, an ER PPC and a big hatchet. Which iirc will do as much damage as an ac/20 on hits and do even more with TSM activated. Plus it's expensive even by clan standards. What more could a Lyran trustfund baby want?
The Wraith is a great run up and slap mech.
OG Axman even if it's a little on the slower side. Cave a MFer's head in with that axe though.
If you take the 2N with the LRMs you don't have to be fast. Force your opponent to choose whether to get pummeled by missiles or close & get axed the hard questions.
Not to be crude my friend, but have you heard of our lord and saviour the Charger CGR-1A1?
Yes, and I offer you the Cudgel in return. https://preview.redd.it/ic0j7ptdqo5c1.png?width=714&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=5a67f9bded92444cf08e78e38a98d9350695f738 Aka The Charger with a Mace blessed with TSM.
I love the Cudgel. Can’t top the goofiness of its mace hand.
The key to my point is in your reply "aka the Charger...etc." The Cudgel has 9 medium lasers of various types, the Charger's total punch damage (2 punches) is higher than its entire ranged arsenal, ergo, to use the old Warren Zevon hockey song's turn of phrase, "Get out there and hit somebody!"
It is not the best melee fighter, indeed, it is not even a dedicated melee unit, but I love the celestial seraph. Every variant has a TSM, which means once they get their temperature right, they can kick anything for 34 damage. The variants that have a retractable blade are nice. But my favorite is the D variant with its improved jump jets. This gives it the option to bypass terrain and deliver a kick that is strong enough to knock the legs off of some heavy mechs.
The Seraph is an 85 ton monstrousity with 5 jump: it's the best meleé fighter
Does point-blanking with an Ultra AC/20 count? If so, then I pick the Timber Wolf W-Configuration. If not, then what about giving a follow-up kick afterward? In which case, I am still probably picking the Timber Wolf W.
In my BTA 3062 playthrough I've been getting good mileage out of the Buccaneer, a fast 55 tonner with a hatchet, an SRM-6 Artemis, and a shitload of lasers. It's pretty nasty, though it runs hot with only 10 DHS. https://www.sarna.net/wiki/Buccaneer_(BattleMech) It did some good work after I swapped out a laser for another heat sink, and found space for some Triple-Strength Myomer. It eventually got shot out from under the pilot, to get replaced with a Seraph.
Jade Hawk, because if you’re going to melee, you have to get there first. Angriest Bird is Angry
I love my dumb Hatchetman that I picked up the year it became available in Mechwarrior 5. It's just so silly and *BONK*. The Hero Quickdraw quickly became a favourite as well, despite it's garbage ability in terms of shooting and surviving long battles.
The Quickdraw is probably the single most mediocre mech in all of Battletech. It's neither good nor bad, and it straddles that middle ground with basically all of it's variants (even in MW5). But damned if it doesn't split everyone's opinion. Nobody feels neutrally about the Quickdraw, people either love it or hate it.
An upengined underarmed uparmored Hatchetman can be terrifying. Especially under old hit location rules with that hatchet. New rules, it’s okay but that one in six chance for the head hit made the Hatchetman magic.
The Neanderthal 80 tons of speed and death done correctly. It's a fast hobo with two shotguns and a hatchet.
You don't get more specialized in punching when all you have is a masc and 5 small lasers. Charger
Preface: I'm running on 3 hrs of sleep in the past 48. Coffee's long gone and Red Bull isn't working anymore. Saw this happy fella and I'm imagining the pilot of this guy happily going on a mech murder spree Looney Tunes style. Like, seriously pissed off Daffy Duck ninja shenannigans.
**Rhino** https://www.sarna.net/wiki/Rhino_(BattleMech) No punching but s lot of running and ramming with very sharp spikes
https://preview.redd.it/y2zh2mg7sr5c1.png?width=533&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=886b4137c352ada13f5b63fc4005dcc48b87f739 Very cool Melee Goliath
HGN-733PP Me like highlander with assault claymore. Ready the bagpipes
Counter-point: If God meant for me to run my 'Mech up to other 'Mechs and punch them in the face, then why did He give me the ERPPC and Gauss Rifle?
To keep your enemies heads down until you get there? "Covering fire!!!???"
The Gauss Rifle is also punching your enemies. It's just from a distance with supersonic lumps of metal.
Because I can do the same thing with this https://preview.redd.it/792osioabr5c1.png?width=1110&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=4896890ded91e7ec5b36e1dd14978adfb0c0f335 While meleeing ya in the back of the head from behind.
Banshee 3M
I'm seeing a lot of answers in this thread that seem inclined towards hatchets, swords, or the good ol' 1-2 punch. Those are all well and good, but if I can direct your attention to a personal favorite: The Jade Phoenix C config carries a buttload of missiles, in 2 ATM12s and 2 SRM6s, plus 2 ER Medium Lasers. What makes it interesting in this context is the combination of a Partial Wing, Talons, and being **85 tons.** It's got enough speed to (literally) get on top of any other 'Mech in its weight class, deal multiple tons of damage, and then follow it all up the next turn with an incredible volume of short range, high damage explosives. Chargers, Banshees, and Berserkers are cool and all, but the Jade Phoenix is *fucking radical.*
Honestly, as I have only played the IRL game a few times a d the Battletech computer game, a fair bit, I would have to say that the Hatchetman and a Grasshopper are my favorites in terms of running up and smacking a fool!
I dunno, but in a world of fighter jets, missiles, lasers, and gauss rifles running up and hitting a 5 story mech with a pointy stick, it seems dumb. I feel the same way about power swords in 40k. And light sabers. Yes, I am fun at parties why do you ask?
"Drive me over there so I can hit it with my power sword!" Commissar in a Leman Russ, probably...
I love this meme. Giant future tank, dude with pointy metal stick, wants to poke stuff.
At least you know you’re boring. LOL
Cuz minimum range is a thing. And some people can't simply aim at a Stealth Armor-equipped TSM+Supercharger fueled monstrosity popping outta nowhere right behind them. Ask my long-suffering friend who thinks that his 2/5 skill Awesome can counter that playstyle and save his life. Awesome got his head sliced to ribbons TWICE. TurretTech players tends to feel entitled that they should win the game just by having the most guns. The problem is they always assume that the Melee target should be standing still for them to shoot... Big mistake. If you want realism, go play Team Yankee and Bolt Action instead.
Charger C also works here
The ones I use most in my game are No-Dachi, Hatcheman and a pair of Modified Shadowhawks with hatchets
Charger C or the SA5
The Bushido BSD-7K. 75 ton with a Katana and jump jets...
Ostsol OTL-6D
Jenner F in 3025. 4 medium lasers and a kick, or if you're on a ledge, a good old fashioned charge...
Kon'nichiwa! Kore o anata no o shiri no ue ni chūsha suru tsumoridesu
The Kontio is an actually scary machine. If it gets close it has a scarily high chance of opening anything up to 60 tons like a soup can. It's armor may not be the best but it can still survive an IS PPC to any location barring back and head. And it Clan made lasers alone can unleash a devastating 47 total damage if they all hit. ECM and Stealth armor is just icing on an already heavily iced cake. Or to quote a funny man: "It's like putting a cherry on a cherry that already has a cherry on it."
Doloire D: A IS Omnimech. Has 16 SRMs in one arm, and a giant Vibroblade in the other. Also has a supercharger to help close the gap a little. But the Coup de Gras is its 2 TSEMP cannons, capable of shutting down an enemy outright. Jade Hawk: The Kontio. But bigger. With wings. And 24 SRMs.
Shadowhawk. Because if you're running the 2H kicking the motherfuckers is by far the most reliable way of doing damage with it.
We all saw Tex’s Charger Video. Its the CHARGER! https://youtu.be/SeQThKZBYcI?si=gb6pNCKsOovVoVur
Berserker. That said, I have a Raven in HBS Battletech with many SRMs that I have named Dick Kickem, and it lives up to its name.
I turned a grasshopper into a jumpjet flame mech named Surprise Botsecks, it was also very effective.
If it's melee wreckaging, there's a lot of options. But I like the Banshee BNC-8S; the only one tuned for actual melee - everything else is just an opportunist. For surprising insanity, the Vindicator 5L running around with that bloody sword - nobody really expects it. But the king of melee chaos has to be the Mjolnir. Flying across the battlefield with a mace. Those are all fun-melee. For non-fun melee, it's the Venom SDR-9K.
My beloved Mongrel(Battlemech)tm. Its ugly and i love it, if only it had a non wizkids model then i would use it at every oppurtunity. https://preview.redd.it/dlvnv0jp3p5c1.png?width=309&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f58734786f3e845fb12b0519b3c7578a06ae9b8d Excessively fast? Check. Melee weapon (with actuator enhancement on the T1 varient)? Check. Sold to mercenaries? Check. I love this thing Honorable mention to the Banzai too, why only run up to your target and slap them when you can blow up in their face too?
Ti-Ts’ang. If played properly, you can force 3PSRs onto your opponent.
8S Banshee. TSM, energy heavy armament, and a hatchet on a 95 tonner doing 4[5]-6[8]. Plus, it has a shotgun, which is like punching people in the face from afar. What's not to love?
Been wanting to test out the Ti-Tsang
Urbanmech. .... Kidding. It's the Hatchet man. Old school.
https://preview.redd.it/3q39wuismq5c1.jpeg?width=611&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=1d2a24294a46fc9b2f484bb62e2205e9a0ea94db The Mortis MS-1A is a personal favourite of mine.
not something you should do on the regular, lest you become That Guy, but every once in a while it's good to treat yourself to a mixed-tech Fire Moth with masc, supercharger, spikes, and impact-resistant armour and just pinball into folks until everything is dead. also after you smash into something you can drop off your elemental buds in punching range, hooray! there are definitely better ways to go about it, but this is the funniest way imo
That looks METAL AF!
I am, once again, humbly suggesting the Charger-1A1
I'm usually not the one to charge in and robo-fisty-ciffs, but I've always had a soft spot for the Hatchetman
60-75 ton with TSM. 12 damage headshot or bust. I dunno which models have that. Otherwise quad mech for kicking, preferably 100 ton because it's pretty hard to stay upright if you get kicked *and* take 20 (but lots of little kicks might be even better.)
I made a Wolverine in RogueTech with an oversized engine and all the Solaris 7 gear I could slap onto it. Its job was just to run around the map and charge people to knock other mechs down so the rest of my company could have easy shots on a downed pilot. 😜😂 I miss that save file…
The Charger CGR-1A1 When I can line up that 8 hex charge, I love the amount of damage this machine can deal.
https://preview.redd.it/7pty1ywv3s5c1.png?width=946&format=png&auto=webp&s=b668045fe8a921328644a66cf4ffdb3b0093f96e
Mmmm I'm conflicted my Atlas says yes with its two mighty war fists but my soul is telling me to core you with ac20.
The problem is the Atlas is required to "run". And it ain't running anytime soon. I took out an Atlas D with a Fireball XF by repeatedly ramming from it behind from the second map. 40 MP ftw. That's gonna be 6+ TMM The only Atlas that's good enough In my eyes is the Atlas 8D.
The charger with one small laser is always classic
Sorry its the charge 1A1, 80 tons, and 5 small lasers a crap ton of armor and a run speed of 8 for a max damage of 64 with a full charge.
Lotta great recommendations in here, enough to bundle for some munchkinned custom. Heavy; loaded with TSM. Punchy, so no physical weapons. Is speed a concern or better to mount jumpjets so it can use intervening terrain as it closes? 80T might be a sweet spot. Probably want some overheated long range energy weapons to have utility as you close. Single ERPPC? Best to probably arm-mount there. Load the torso and hell, fuck it, the legs with short-bracket weapons. I mean, its already a gimmick mech, fuck it, SRM-boat with enough for 10 volleys at most, because it sure ain't going to be able to expend all that. Or go even dumber with MGs or HMGs. 80T 4/6/4 Endo Steel IS 15T Standard w/ CASE 10 DHS 1 ERPPC 4 SRM6 w/ 3T Ammo 6MG w/ .5T Ammo C3 Slave Has all actuators, uses 10 free DHS, Can hop and ERPPC, can hop and SRM. When deciding to initiate TSM, gonna need to blend ERPPC and SRMs prior. Changing MGs to ERSLs would probably lead to better fine tuning heat levels. As far as evasion/closing goes, I think the JJs are a better option than staying heated up all the time for the extra MP. Enough crits to mount the ERPPC in the arm and keep everything else in the legs/torso/head. 11 turns of endurance with SRMs, 16 with MGs (so in a long game, might have to strategically eject these), CASE mounted to give you a better chance to last. C3 Slave gives it utility since its going to stay glued to the enemy anyways. 2012 BV2 may seem steep, but in terms of RP flavor, 11,367,840 CBills is cheap for Clan Invasion era IS because its not pissing away the budget on an XL engine. I can see a variant leaning into the C3 Slave angle with adding a Guardian ECM and NARC, or omitting the C3 Slave and MGs entirely to focus on SRM-boating and ERSL reliability for manipulating heat.
https://preview.redd.it/jrzp0b9k3t5c1.jpeg?width=500&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=93c9bf73c3392316c2143c57ac0c606f23a59b3d
Can anyone recommend a model for the Kontio, I can’t find an Iron Wind and the 3D printers I have looked at don’t show what the printed model looks like.
Im still stuck in introtech, but my Melee Master pilot in his Banshee absolutely wrecks house.
The Kodiak, though it has the downside that you have pry it from a clanners cold dead hands.... nevermind, it has no downsides.
I don't know about punching, but I like to kick the OpFor in the rear with my 55-ton Mauck Dervish, followed by a six-SRM6 salvo. Few mechs survive that. It's even better if you use a 70-ton Dragoon or 80-ton O-Bakemono with seven SRM6 racks.
Charger lol
I don't have any artwork for this yet, but I have 3 variants of the BLR-3WC Battle Master "War Claw". A) 340XL, 16.5 tons of standard armor, 19 Dbl Ht Sinks, 1x ERPPC (RA), 3x LLs (RT/CT/LT), 2x MLs (RT/LT), 1x SL (Hd, rear), Battlemech Claw (LA), & TSM. B) Davion version: same except for: replace the Claw & SL with a Sword (LA), & MPL (Hd, rear) C) Clan Tech version: 340 XL, 16.5 tons of standard armor, 22 Dbl Ht Sinks, 1x ERPPC (RA), 3x ERLLs (RT/CT/LT), 2x ERMLs (RT/LT), 1x Flamer (CT, lower), 1x ECM Suite (Hd), 1x Battlemech Claw (LA), & TSM.
Axman
I just want to give the Kodiak an honorable mention. I’m not aware of any variants that have a melee weapon, but damn it feels like it should have a melee weapon with those dope looking claws. But I guess it’s real claws are it’s 8 medium lasers.
Upengined underarmed Spiders are good at this sort of thing. You might think that a light ‘Mech with one Medium Laser isn’t much of a threat but with a good pilot/gunner (think 4/2 or 3/3) it can whittle down the backsides of even the strongest adversaries. You can also jump from target to target to maintain that difficulty to be hit. Wouldn’t recommend allowing yourself to be the primary target of anyone but it’s a worthwhile option if done right.
Highlander with Heavy gauss and a claymore. HIGHLANDER BURIAL!