Longbow and Archer - We are the best missile boats! Catapult - *quietly sneaking into more games*

Hello Grim. The Catapult is one of the first Mechs any player encounters, after piloting the smaller, lighter, Light Mech designs. Even though the Mech has limited ammo, and some heat issues, and very thin armor for it's Class type, it is still favored for Long Range support fire. Jump Jets and the quad Medium Lasers do help quite a bit against harassment by Light Mechs and most of the Lighter and Medium Tanks it might encounter. Many people 'tinker' with this Mech's design to improve upon it. And I am no exception to that general 'rule of thumb'. It is possible to improve upon this Mech's design using just 3055 technology, and even more so using both 3055 and 3057. You, no doubts, have run into many variations, so I will not elaborate upon them all. I will only mention here that in my own re-designs, that I usually maximize the Mech's armor protection with Ferro-Fiberous Armor, replace the Standard Internal Structure with Endo-Steel, and finally, upgrade the Heat Sinks with Double Strength versions. This results in a weight savings that is mostly used for the additional Armor, with the rest going to replacing the Medium Lasers with Extended Range versions. Although I do have a favored design that does all of the above, but keeps the mediums and replaces the LRM-15's for LRM-20's and a Targeting Computer. What kept the Catapult in Service for so long was not just that so many were made, even before production on the design was continued later, but the fact that ALL of it's equipment and components were readily available to anyone, even the Lesser Houses, the smaller Star Nations, and the Pirates, of course. ANY Mercenary Company would find parts to fit a Catapult almost anywhere, wither it was on the Battlefield as Salvage, Payment for Services, at almost ANY good Mech Parts Supply Service (store), or via the Black Market. By 3060 or so, most of the 'new' parts made possible by the Helm Memory Core would have made the up-keeping of an upgraded Catapult fairly 'easy' in a relative manner of speaking. And, by the time of the Jihad, such 'upgraded' Catapults would have been pretty common in forces of the Great Houses, and the Periphery States. Enough from me, for now. Frank-ly speaking.

@GrimDarkNarrator

4 жыл бұрын

Thank ou for the share.

Cats are a Raven's best friends.

@joshuasturnfield7549

4 жыл бұрын

Katyusha rocket storm!

@SSGTWinters

2 жыл бұрын

and locusts as well. hell the 3 of them can take on any one

One of the most optimised canon designs of its technical level. Nice to see it featured.

The first battlemech I ever played and it began my long running lover affair with LRM boats. I love using this with spotter infantry and/or light mechs.

Another icon. My brother lives missile boats and this one is an absolute pain in the but to face. It's very mobile, respectable armor, 4 medium lasers get into piloting skill roll and missile saturation in approach. Special munitions add to the fun. The chickenpult with double PPC is an epic sniper in it's weight range and can hit and move easily as well as having less short range issues. However you slice it the catapult is a serious threat on the table top. It's hard to get a better mech in the RPG because it can be pretty flexible for a missile boat. It even runs fairly cool for that much dakka. About the best balance of any of the base game mechs. Anyone would want one or hell just having one in your company is a benefit arguably more than a Marauder and that says something.

Tex: Even though it's a niche mech, I really like. GDR's fans: nah GDR: Gonna do it anyway

Ah my favorite of all heavies! Theres just something about LRMs that spark the imagination!!!

@77Arcturus

5 жыл бұрын

My favorite for LRMs is the Archer where it can also go close range with its limited energy weapons and excellent tonnage for melee.

@GrimDarkNarrator

5 жыл бұрын

I like the Catapult but I think the Archer is better for spamming endless missiles :D Or at least that's how I remember it in the old Mech Warrior Mercenaries.

I could never understand this mech from the point of view of Mechwarrior 3 and 4. But it makes a whole hell of a lot of sense from the tabletop or other strategy perspective.

Oh my goodness the Catapult is a monster. It is one of the first mechs I target when am able to avoid frontline enemy battlemechs that are at closer range. If left alone it will shred my units like a storm of matchsticks falling upon walls of paper. A most terrifying sight. Fortunately its weakness is close range combat or other long range units which reveal how fragile it can be when hit with LRM 15 and 20 racks. Still it can take a pounding whenever I face it on HBS BATTLETECH video game. Thanks GrimDark Narrator for this hair raising electrifying readout. Truly you gave me the fear! Now where are my meds? :D

@GrimDarkNarrator

5 жыл бұрын

Thanks for the share 😀

The Catapult's core designs : When one missile MIGHT solve the problem, 30 should *definitely* solve it. As much as I dislike the Dracs, they have the most fun with this -- PPC variants, MRM variants. Though the Capellans did have one with plasma rifles and that's just _exotic._

@GrimDarkNarrator

5 жыл бұрын

Kuritans knew what was up when they put 2 PPC's on the thing :D

@wrongway1100

5 жыл бұрын

So it's like a MRLS.

You know what this mech needs......... Three rotary autocannons on each mount.

@GrimDarkNarrator

5 жыл бұрын

I like how you think.

"It's raining missiles, hallelujah, it's raining missiles..."

Catapults.... THANK YOU. THANK YOU, THANK YOU for doing the 'ol skool 'mechs. This was a STAPLE 'mech of every force back in the old century. We always liked it because it was so easy to see how it's core design was used by the clans to develop the Timberwolf/Madcat…. and there's nothing more satisfying that showering 30 LRMs down on a poorly armored light 'mech or vehicle... and the Medium Lasers (don't scoff) could cause havoc at close range. Now...let's make the kiddie's eyes glaze over and talk about Thunderbolts, Exterminators, and Grasshoppers :)

@GrimDarkNarrator

5 жыл бұрын

I'll definitely add those to the topics roster.

Ah, the Mickey Mouse Mech. In MechAssault for Xbox it was my favorite. Pretty mean thanks to its simplicity.

I've had fun modifying a Catapult by adding a XL Engine allows for CASE, extra heat sinks, replacing the LRM15's with MRM20's with 2 tons ammo, and adding about 1ton armor. Kinda fun for hit and run urban combat.

My favorite battlemech, ever since I accidentally fired on DeadEye in MW2:Mercenaries and got ass handed quick. Catapult is one of the only mech's that the AI actually handles well, as if the developers may have used it as their primary playtest model when developing their AI. Its likely the same with MW5 and may have a full catapult squad in that game too when I finally get around to buying it.

My favorite LRM support mech! And the Kurita PPC variant rocks the house too!

@GrimDarkNarrator

5 жыл бұрын

The Kurita one is definitely one you wouldn't expect given the general role of this mech.

Catapults always in my heart! ;)

@GrimDarkNarrator

5 жыл бұрын

what about Trebuchets ? :P

@salahal-din7564

5 жыл бұрын

@@GrimDarkNarrator never used. Very boxy mech. Is for the most a lrm boat, but too light to do something. But yep. Thanks

@salahal-din7564

5 жыл бұрын

@@GrimDarkNarrator maybe the Dragon ;)

I liked using this support mech, always tried to take two when ever my merc force took to the field, pared well with Longbows and Warhammers.

I label my Catapults as Trebuchets. For when I am doing siege missions. Using Clan medium ER pulse lasers instead of the stock lasers.

@GrimDarkNarrator

4 жыл бұрын

Interesting.

@joshuasturnfield7549

4 жыл бұрын

Might go to Katyusha for a few of them.

I actually modified my K2 model in BattleTech as the jester without even knowing it does insane damaged at face hugging range

One tactic I learned early on was, team up the Catapult and the Hunchback in the game and see the enemy sweat...

@GrimDarkNarrator

3 жыл бұрын

Lol :D

Three of those, a Guillotine or Grasshopper to spot for indirect fire (or using TAG and the matching LRMs) - mobile fire support

Keep it going thanks and yes love it

A good Narc Raven's best friend. I have seen some crazy builds which mount even double Heavy Gauss Rifles

@GrimDarkNarrator

5 жыл бұрын

Sounds like overkill :)

great video the catapult is a great fire support mech

@GrimDarkNarrator

5 жыл бұрын

Thank you!

I always kinda liked this one....it looks like a VW beetle was glued to the front

Thanks for the vid sir.

@GrimDarkNarrator

5 жыл бұрын

You're welcome :)

My go to missile boat in any BattleTech game before getting hold of the true king of the missile boats, the MadCat Mk II

@GrimDarkNarrator

5 жыл бұрын

A natural evolution of the Catapult :D

@Ertwin123

5 жыл бұрын

I'd rather grab a stalker

There was another variant born from MWO... the glass cannon - 4 medium lasers and 2 Gauss rifles - i believe all the concessions were made with the armor, hence it being the glass cannon... Pure offense

My first table top merc company back in 3025 was built around a Cat with Arrow IV's. Sure seamed like a good idea, it was not. Six hours into the game and I had even lost my dropship. Realized then that, maybe, I wasn't Ender.

Nothing like the classics!

Best Mech Ever !

The catapult is my favorite battlemech in the BTU. A high-capacity missile truck on legs; minimal and realistic concept and design. What's not to like?

@GrimDarkNarrator

5 жыл бұрын

Not good at close quarters :P

You missed the ButterBee. It rocks 4x SRM6 instead of the LRMs

@GrimDarkNarrator

5 жыл бұрын

Might've slipped through the cracks. I don't always mention 100% of the variants I read about.

I prefer the Yeoman.

Archers are support lords

I love and hate the Catapult. I love that it unleashes a devastating rain of missiles. I hate it because every tabletop session I used a Cat with, it ALWAYS got headshot in the opening rounds with a PPC or Gauss; and if my opponent used a Cat, I got headshot quite often. So, I have a real dislike for them, but like them all the same.

My Cat never last too long in battle. Enemy always focuse it ☹

@GrimDarkNarrator

5 жыл бұрын

/sadface

Hello Michio.

@GrimDarkNarrator

3 жыл бұрын

Hello there!

More tacos

@GrimDarkNarrator

5 жыл бұрын

All the tacos.

Shaddup Your not Tex :(