Week Three of the Mutant Sea Bass Know Your Enemy Series (still trying to decide on a name other than "Mech of the Week", which is pretty bland and boring)
Today we continue with our study of the DCMS Samurai Mechs with the Hitotsume Kozo.
From the limited fluff, we learn the Combine is undergoing an unofficial cultural rebirth in the military, sort of like Sun Tzu Liao's revival in the 3060s that gave us the Yu Huang, Men Shen, and the Lau Wu. This one is designed for "more aggressive samurai". So the 'Kubi is for suicidal ones, the Kozo is for aggressive ones. Also, we find out its name means "One-Eyed Dwarf". Field both of these mechs with Hammerfall/Jack Farrell and the original One-Eyed Jack Jupiter for the One Eyed Theme!
This mech gains the difficult to maintain quirk, which only really comes into play under campaign rules. It does so, because the Combine is using Triple Strength Myomers on this mech. This doesn't really make a lot of sense, since the Combine has experience with the No-Dachi in the realm of TSM, but I digress. Maybe they just haven't used TSM in a while. TSM increases a mech's walking points by one, and recalculates the run speed accordingly. So a 3/5 mech goes 4/6. 4/6 = 5/8, and 5/8 = 6/9 and so on. It also allows one to deal more damage in physical attacks. I think it's doubled, but I'm not too sure. Either way, it is activated when the heat scale reaches 9, and ignores the -1 to movement points and the targeting hindrances. Sadly, most designs that use TSM are loaded with explody ammo (I'm looking at you, Hammerhands dual RAC version!). This mech uses a Heavy PPC and two ER Medium Lasers to balance the heat load. Worry not; the variant uses the autocannon that our Clicky versions use. Also equipped is a axe. Now, the Combine invented the SWORD in response to the Davion's barbaric AXE. This is probably done so that Catalyst didn't have to make a new Japanese-stlye weapon that this mech uses.
The mech weighs 55 tons and uses an Inner Sphere Endo Steel Chassis. Because of the Hardened Armor, it moves 6/8, but with TSM moves 7/10. Running hot, it will keep up with the 'Kubis and run down light mechs. It also jumps 4 hexes/inches, so it is a pretty fast and maneuverable mech. It is made by Luthien Armor Works and built primarily on New Smarkand. It uses both an XL Engine and Gyro.
Our variant swaps the PPC and Lasers for an Ultra AC/10 and IS Medium Pulse Lasers. I'm not seeing this as a good mech. You keep same basic damage/range with the big guns, but are now dependent on 2 tons of ammo in a, read this slowly, Non-CASE'd torso with an Inner Sphere Extra Light Engine, on a mech that needs to be running hot in order to do its job most effectively... I have a rule: If its ammo is not CASE'd, and it uses anything bigger than a light engine, it's a failure. Yes, Hardened Armor will protect it for a while and if you fear a breach, dump the ammo and become a brawler. But still, I could take this mech out of the fight by letting my opponent run it hot for the TSM, then drop Infernos and Plasma weapons on it to force an ammo explosion or shutdown.
Now the primary version I really like. Cover the Panthers and 'Kubis, supplement the Shiro's fire support, and be ready to charge forward and make a frenzy of bladed implements. This mech also has the Stable Quirk: "The exceptional stability of certain units is reflected in the Stable Quirk, giving those units a bonus when they are forced to execute a Piloting Skill Roll as a result of physical attacks". This mech is essentially a mid range support and brawler mech. Treat it like an over-armored, undergunned Hunchback.
How do we make it better? Swap the Axe for a lance or sword. Add a capacitor to the PPC or upgrade to a CLAN ER model. For the variant, give it CASE. Both could use C3 or BC3.
Next week, we will look at the Shiro!
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