Oh wow, our first of the three 55 ton brothers.

@MechanicalFrog

4 ай бұрын

Off to the races...

@odinulveson9101

4 ай бұрын

* searches * yeah, I imagined you did one for the Wolvie.. Well Im eager to see your take on the original Shadow Hawk You got tons of mechs to make content for and Im ALL here for it!

@wowerdude38

4 ай бұрын

There is another....

@cobalt968

4 ай бұрын

275 mafia forever!

@catboxvideo

4 ай бұрын

sniff ... my original heavy scout corps ... 2 wolv 1 griff 1 ph... but hey there were only what 10 ... 15 mechs to work with- well OK we did a lot of customizing and designing ... but the originals i still so Iconic and I tend to gravitate to them if i need a chassis to modify and refit as a hero mech or bbg as i figure now that they have in cannon been being produced for 100s of years and in tt they have been around for 40 , i figure there is probable the skeleton of at least one of them on every planet ... so you should be able to find one to work with ... mind you I also used this as an excuse to add flaws and quirks --- well 8 of the 10 hs in your engine work.... or no that arm cannot support full armor or more than ___ tons of weapons due to is damage or that arm can only ark to blank facing due to shoulder damage. that way even the highly customed cannot be perfect to begin with... rebuild it with newer parts through out your campaign. fine. new out of the box to begin with, not likely. I had one player decide that it was his family mech that his grandfather had been shot out of and he put it back together and made it his over arcing goal (that drove a lot of plot - a good and well used back story) to retore the mech to as new as possible ...

lmao at "the crate of Alaric-themed bobble heads that no one seems to want" 😂

@MechanicalFrog

4 ай бұрын

These dang things are going to end up in the basement next to the POGS and Beanie Babies...

@atmosdwagon4656

4 ай бұрын

@@MechanicalFrog Hey now. I can at least find people still doing POG tournaments in Hawaii (where the game originated before it became yet another 90s fad, admittedly). I can't find ANYONE sticking up for Super Incest Man.

@alexanderwhite298

4 ай бұрын

​@@MechanicalFrog the Griffen having all the weapons on one side is intended. It forces pilots to torso twist.

@catboxvideo

4 ай бұрын

@@alexanderwhite298 plays Twist and Shout and do the Twist over the PA on repeat when in combat.... ah to have Steiner money

@Spartaner251

4 ай бұрын

@@MechanicalFrog maybe you can trade them in for some mostly functioning urbis at discount dan?

My Lancemate's absolute favorite Mech. He prefers the GRF-1S in MW5. Loadout of an SRM6, PPC, and 2 SLAS. He runs around cutting legs off, blasting cockpits out, and punching whatever is left.

@MechanicalFrog

4 ай бұрын

"What is best in life?" "running around cutting legs off, blasting cockpits out, and punching whatever is left."

You don't want the Griffin jumping by reflex and cooking the Archon on the throne...

@cobalt968

4 ай бұрын

Everyone cheers at the “I am Jade Falcon” maneuver, but suddenly a Lyran palace guard wants to invent the “Free Skye Forever” maneuver and suddenly everyone’s stripping jump jets from iconic mechs.

@SHDW-nf2ki

4 ай бұрын

Where would they even jump to indoors anyway?

@TheDalegoberdhan

4 ай бұрын

@@SHDW-nf2ki reflexes. That means they're acting before thinking about things like, "What's next to my feet? What's over my cockpit?"

@ThelemicPotter

4 ай бұрын

@@SHDW-nf2ki it's been forever, but I feel like the piece of art inferred the throne room was more than ample for a 3 hex jump. Like a hanger you build leopard dropships in. But it's been a VERY LONG time

@MechanicalFrog

4 ай бұрын

Hey... sometimes you just have to fly.

It's solid, simple and does it's job with efficiency and grace. The Griffin doesn't need to be fancy, it just does the job and does it well.

@MechanicalFrog

4 ай бұрын

Well put.

This mech is a beloved classic, ironically my personal favorite artwork is the rather new "Primitive Griffin" version. Weapon loadouts are mostly consistant with the theme of the mech, but often leave it vulnerable to being charged and engaged at close range. Your MF variant finally adresses that properly, but the "Sparky" variant is a good take on this as well.

@MechanicalFrog

4 ай бұрын

I just had to include Sparky 2.0. It would just be fun.

@sim.frischh9781

4 ай бұрын

@@MechanicalFrog No quesiton, it´s a fun mech, and 5 medium lasers are a solid punch against most targets.

The weakness of 1 side weaponry is also the strength of the 1 side weaponry. It means if that side dies you lose all firepower but it also creates the "shield" side that is popular with some mechwarriors.

@LoneWolf-rc4go

4 ай бұрын

Having played a lot of Mechwarrior Online I can attest to the benefits of utilising the shield side tactic.

@MechanicalFrog

4 ай бұрын

While that does work to some extent in MWO/MW, I don't think it's as strong an argument on tabletop.

@mikealpha2611

4 ай бұрын

@MechanicalFrog it is not strong on tabletop but for lore u can see the explanation

@WarhawkTalon

Ай бұрын

@@MechanicalFrog It would probably be a viable reason if torso twisting affected the location roll.

One of the quintessential mechs of Succession Wars-era Battletech. Do you need mobile fire support on a relatively affordable and tough body? Look no further than the lovable Griffin. The 6S Griffin is one of my favourite mech variants in the whole game; I would argue it's the perfect IS-tech medium mech of the later eras.

@MechanicalFrog

4 ай бұрын

Do you need... Yes.

23:42 we are all here to provide you with positive affirmation and to keep you on the straight and narrow 🙂.

@MechanicalFrog

4 ай бұрын

Ahhh.... That's the good stuff...

I taught a friend how to play Classic Battletech with the Griffin (and a Wolverine across from it), and the tutorial match ended with simultaneous kills between the PPC and an incoming alpha strike. We've been playing on the regular ever since.

@MechanicalFrog

4 ай бұрын

That's awesome, though I think I prefer the Wolverine. :D

The GRF-1MF reminds me of a roided-up pheonix hawk. Nice.

@MechanicalFrog

4 ай бұрын

Heh. There's some imagery.

A staple of Battletech, and a classic. Thank you for this one Sir.

@MechanicalFrog

4 ай бұрын

Rarely the MVP, but usually a quality producer. Thanks for coming by. Have a great weekend!

I like the Griffin 2N built for the Star Leauge Royal Divisions. It carries an ER PPC, two SRM-6s with Artemis and one ton of ammo for each, Endo Steel and Ferro, 13 DHS, and ten tons of armor. It's a great interdictor and close combat skirmisher that can snipe if needed.

@NekoboyBlue

4 ай бұрын

2N's essentially a bulked up panther. It's a Lostech premium (until the helm memory core) but a good platform for ranged poke and crit seeking wounded opponents.

@MechanicalFrog

4 ай бұрын

The 2N is solid though I generally don't bring up the Royals in the videos for petty personal reasons.

@maliceharding4668

3 ай бұрын

@@MechanicalFrog what are those reasons

About time got to the 55 ton holy trinity

@MechanicalFrog

4 ай бұрын

Only just begun...

@brettwerdesheim9767

4 ай бұрын

@@MechanicalFrog still liked to see the 1s get the variant spotlight but I guess having the RG is bit funnier

A mechwarrior in the griffin has such great visibility to the front and left of the mech!

@MechanicalFrog

4 ай бұрын

Front...and to the Left... Front...and to the Left... Front...and to the Left...

I think the Griffin is a mech you never particularly want, but are always glad to have. It does its job, and it does it well, but that's all there is to it - no flash, no fun.

Took a 1N into a Succession Wars era fight. Jumped atop the walls of an outpost. Got shot to hell for sticking my head up, but intact enough to execute a DFA on an enemy Light Mech. Which didn't kill it, irritatingly enough. Also managed to go toe-to-toe with a Wolverine IIC with a 4N. Just enough armor, mobility, and heat sinks to make that fight last way longer than the Conjurer's Pilot wanted, both mechs trying to jump around and get a shot at that rear armor. Match ended before either unit could win that duel, however.

@MechanicalFrog

4 ай бұрын

When you DFA a light mech and don't kill it... "hello darkness my old friend...."

No GRF-1S? The sole production variant in the field for much of the Succession Wars! My 3028 10th Donegal Guards have one in their Fire Lance accompanying a Longbow, an Archer-2S, and a Hatchetman.

@MechanicalFrog

4 ай бұрын

It's a solid one.

@SoloAxlion

4 ай бұрын

Think the -1S is also one of the probably rare examples of "Griffin with the missile pod on the left" variants.

Ah, the Griffin. My personal favorite is the -4N, but your custom is a nasty little.. uhm... MechFrogger. The -1RG is such a unicorn that it's retconning can be forgiven for such a excellent configuration- more of those, paired with -1Ns, would have made for excellent fighting pairs. Out of the the "Trinity", it is the Ringo Star (and the Dervish is the 4th member of the Trinity, the George Harrison as it were). Completely earns its reputation as a classical mech (fire support is a lot like drummers :P ).

@MechanicalFrog

4 ай бұрын

Heh. More of the Trinity soon...

Man, I love designs like the Griffin because to me a mech with so much history and such a niche spot on the field just makes my heart happy

@MechanicalFrog

4 ай бұрын

Glad to hear it has its fans.

I love the Griffin because taken alongside the Thunderbolt and Awesome- it's a perfect 'Mech for helping new players wrap their head around the game. It also belongs to the trinity of 55 ton Skirmishers that should never be underestimated, in spite of all their quirkyness. They serve to show players the point of opportunity cost, and reward creative play.

Kinda surprised you didn't mention 2N. It's a weird, yet fun SLDF variant trading long range missiles for SMR punch

@MechanicalFrog

4 ай бұрын

It still owes me $15 from a bet we made back in college. When it pays up, it'll get a mention.

The Griffin was one of the first Mech I ever played on the Table top(along with a Catapult, Hollander and couple others light mechs I don't remember). They weren't mine but a friends who was trying to get me into the game, which I never did(I was big into Yugioh back then, so it took up more of my interests as well as money). The match I did play didn't go too well as I faced off against a star of Nova Cats. But I did manage to score a couple of kills and cripple or severely damage others before being taken down. Largely due to using the Catapult as meat shield, which didn't last long(about two to three turn I think)still got off a couple of volleys of LRMs to soften them up. As well as using the light mechs as cannon fodder rushing in(one never even got in range to fire its weapons). The Griffin with its PCC and the Hollander with its Gauss Rifle did most of the work with some very lucky shots before being cored.

@MechanicalFrog

4 ай бұрын

Fighting Clan mechs in your first game... boy they had it out for you!

A fine vintage that just kept getting better with time.

@MechanicalFrog

4 ай бұрын

Quite right.

7:28 Holy crap you just FINALLY answered the reason for that classic picture of the Lyran throne flanked by two Griffins! I always thought how weird it was to put two highly mobile mechs with exclusively long range weapons into a relatively confined room like that! I didn't realize that variant existed!

@MechanicalFrog

3 ай бұрын

Glad I could clear that up.

Piloted a Griffin 1N in the Mechwarrior TTRPG in my favorite 3025 lance composition ever: Griffin Phoenix Hawk Wolverine-M w/ the Large Laser Dervish I have never seen a Dervish deliver more consistently than in that game. Those missiles always hit their mark.

@MechanicalFrog

4 ай бұрын

Solid classic crew.

The Griffin is my favorite of the three classic mediums. Only vulnerable up close, its PPC alone outguns the other 2 'mechs. As for its two primary weapons on the right side: I agree, engineers should easily be able to move the missile launcher to the other Torso.

@user-db1dl5fd4q

4 ай бұрын

move the ppc instead, easier than refitting a torso

Excellent! Another Mechfrog Saturday morning cartoon! Thanks. The GRF-1RG is an interesting unit but rare. I think I would have covered the GRF-1S instead as it's a full production variant. The GRF-1N is an interesting mech for me. I don't think I've ever chosen it but I've rolled it on RATs quite a bit. It's always useful but it's focused weaponry limits it's use for me. A new player that I've been gaming with has had great success with the GRF-1N. I don't play cut throat with new guys and leave them some chances to take advantage of once in a while. First chance I gave him to get behind me he put a PPC through the rear torso of my untouched Archer2R and hit the ammo bin. The very next round he rolled an 11 to hit a Warhammer ,12 for location, and a 12 for the crit roll. Man he's got good dice luck. That 6D was expensive! Now he plays a Griffin in EVERY game.

@MechanicalFrog

4 ай бұрын

Hah. That's great. Always nice when the first outing has one of those moments.

The Griffin was one of the original 'mechs that just "clicked". Good armor, good speed, good maneuverability, good range, good damage output... About the only flaws in the original version is a lack of close-in weaponry (and even that is mitigated by the fact that the Griffin can jump to open the range up, even in an urban battlefield) and that it is prone to overheating badly. Especially when it jumps. But among the original 55 ton mechs in the first TRO, (Griffin, Shadowhawk, Wolverine) -the Griffin really is the better choice in nearly all combat environments. Small wonder the Lyrans love it so. Edit: Yes, I failed to mention the Scorpion from the original TRO's medium mechs. That was deliberate. Until the advent of the advanced rules for quad-legged mechs, the Scorpion was even worse than the Shadowhawk. Now, once those rules were added, the Scorpion was a bit better, but still nothing compared to a Griffin.

Love the video, sad that no ine ever seems to talk about my favourite version of my favourite mech, the Griffin-2N. Keep up the good work.

@MechanicalFrog

4 ай бұрын

Shucks. Maybe next time.

My very first medium. The 1N is a great starter mech. She may not have much for close range but if you time your movements and keep the enemy at a distance, she’s more than enough to win nearly any engagement. Shot down plenty of Wolverines with her.

The Rommel quote was just a case of mech bullying. Thanks for the video

@MechanicalFrog

4 ай бұрын

"no bully tank...."

I think the LRM pack was an issue with the first design, and the designers were stuck with it because clan omnimechs had not yet destroyed the concept of "the mini mostly matches most variants"

@MechanicalFrog

4 ай бұрын

I'm prepared to accept, "It had to be this way because we lack the skill to do it right," as an excuse.

Ah one of the original mechs to teach folks about range optimization and sniping. Also lots of heat management with this one vs the Wolverine and Shadow Hawk.

I actually love the Griffin, it was the mech that made Inner Sphere mechs click for me back when I played MW5 for the first time! And honestly I'm surprised you didn't mention the GRF-2N with its ER-PPC, 2 SRM-6 packs with Artemis IV, and Guardian ECM suite. Nasty Star League-era skirmisher that I had to include in my Jade Falcon Eyrie trinary full of SLDF mechs and second line Clan designs. Oh, and also the GRF-1S which actually fixed that dinky right-sidedness of the design by throwing an LRM-5 on the LT and including a large laser and two medium lasers on that right arm. You even had screenshots of it in the video! :P

@MechanicalFrog

4 ай бұрын

The 2N is solid though I generally avoid the Royal Variants because of my petty personal grudge against their introduction to the timeline.

@BongoTurtles

4 ай бұрын

@@MechanicalFrog I cannot agree enough with the sourness that comes with "royal regiment" tech, especially when it's shoehorned into the timeline.

Was my first mech metal ninny and cardboard in my high school days

@MechanicalFrog

4 ай бұрын

Good times...

Literally the only improvement the GRF-1N needs is an ER-PPC and double heatsinks. Use the weight saved by dropping two heatsinks to bump up the armor, and maybe add a mini-fridge next to the command couch. Edit: My ideal Griffin customization is to slap a Light Engine into it, 10 double heatsinks, Ferro-Fibrous, an ER PPC, an LRM-15 with 2 tons of ammo in a CASE bin, and 3 medium lasers in the left torso. It's basically a faster, jump-capable Thunderbolt. Just watch that heat curve. It's basically the -6S without the fancy missile system and less laser heat. Ooh, the -1MF sounds like fun.

@MechanicalFrog

4 ай бұрын

You know you never just get a simple logical upgrade. :)

@mbr5742

3 ай бұрын

I would also add Artemis fire control to the LRM

The Griffin For when your secret heart wants a phoenix hawk, but you might actually end up in a battle someday

@MechanicalFrog

4 ай бұрын

Oh Phoenix Hawk... you gem.

@maliceharding4668

3 ай бұрын

​@MechanicalFrog my favorite light mech

Good video, but I feel like a few of my favorites were left out. But that's a bit unavoidable. I can't wait to see the videos for the Shadow Hawk and Wolverine. Especially the Wolverine, it doesn't get enough love. I'm going to throw out my own custom Griffin, but I'm going to warn you all that this will contain some fluff and a bit of homebrew tech that I'm still fine-tuning. So just be ready for a mini-essay. The Griffin SD uses a endo-steel structure as a base, built around a 275 Re-engineered fusion engine. The RFE weighs 2/3 of a standard engine but takes 9 slots instead of 6, divided evenly between all three torsos. With the extra CT space, the SD is able to keep a Double Heat Sink and Jump Jet, with the last slot being given to a medium laser. The LRM 10 is upgraded to a LRM 15, with the PPC remaining untouched. The LRM was also given an extra ton of ammo, but all the ammo was moved to the left torso and protected by CASE. A Small Laser is added to the head, and the Jump Jets are untouched. Finally, two tons of armor are added, with most of it being concentrated on the torsos. The fluff for my design was that it was a collaboration between Defiance Industries and Sandstone Heavy Industries, the company I list all my custom mechs under. Sandstone wanted to gauge if the Inner Sphere would be interested in the Re-Engineered Fusion Engine, with the collab being a experiment to gauge that (and why it's called the SD). The results were lukewarm at best. No one could see any real merit to the engine, and sales were poor. After the first production run, Defiance quietly swept the Griffin SD under the rug and pretended like it never happened.

@MechanicalFrog

4 ай бұрын

-Keeping Jump Jets -Emotional Support Small Laser It has what I need.

I love using the 1N in Alpha Strike. It’s sniper role and high mobility makes it a useful tool in most situations.

@MechanicalFrog

4 ай бұрын

Glad to hear it does well in AS.

The Griffin 1RG is one of my personal favorites. I find a lot of the time I prefer a fast brawler, since it deals tons of damage at point blank for low heat. The zombie mech factor helps too. Its also the cheapest BV wise, as Jump Jets make it so much more expensive!

@MechanicalFrog

4 ай бұрын

Cheap, but at what cost... *Dreaming of flight*

@AlexDenton0451

4 ай бұрын

@@MechanicalFrog cheap, and it has MGs and small lasers. While those are niche, on a mech made to brawl they absolutely do the job. Dealing a scatter of 10 damage in combination with the 4 main lasers for only 2 extra heat lets you crit seek and lay into the enemy. Just don't forget to drop one of the two MG ammo bins.

Keep in mind that prototype PPC generates 15 heat, so the GRF-1A's gonna overheat firing it, given the 11 heat sinks-but if it stays still and doesn't fire those LRMs, it at least won't suffer penalties

@MechanicalFrog

4 ай бұрын

Even with that cooling jacket? Edit: Ak! you're apparently right.

@scytheseven9173

4 ай бұрын

@@MechanicalFrog it's easy to forget prototype PPCs run so hot, and it makes a lot of primitive designs seem quite odd because they appear to be heat-balanced for a normal PPC

@MechanicalFrog

4 ай бұрын

Yeh I don't deal with primitives at all in games. I'll have to write this on the white board on the wall so I don't forget. Thank you for pointing it out.

@scytheseven9173

4 ай бұрын

@@MechanicalFrog I don't think anyone plays with 'em all too often, lol Maybe in the Blakist era, with its RetroTech craze? That's lore, though, not actual players. I'd be surprised if more than a handful of people have ever actually used a prototype PPC in an actual game.

@Eulemunin

4 ай бұрын

It can be a lot of to play with retro tech, teaches old timers that do play out of Succession war some new tricks.

When I first got into BT in the 80s, I wasn't a fan of the Griffin. As time went on, I began to see why this design has lasted, and I'm proud to have Griffins in my touman. A true workhorse.

@MechanicalFrog

4 ай бұрын

It has warmed on me, even with its faults.

I have a bit of a war story about a modified Griffin-1C. I swapped the large laser for a standard medium and the LRM5 for an SRM6 then used the free weight to add some more armor and then enough heat sinks to allow it to run and fire its full weaponry almost continiously. While it packed less punch than the atandard 1C these modifications kept the machine not only relivant but also rather effective through an entire campaign and, when working in tandem with a Wolverine 3R, was part of a viciously effective harrasser duo.

One of my favorite mediums. Often use it as a lead mech in scout lances. Finding decent cover and provide fire support for the rest of the lance. My first video was an escape by a locust in a scout mission. It never would have survived without the support fire from the Griffin. Its simple has its weaknesses, but little else in 3025 can do what it can.

@MechanicalFrog

4 ай бұрын

Excellent use for it.

I've just started collecting with the CGL Beginner box. It was great to learn about the Griffin whilst painting one!

@MechanicalFrog

Ай бұрын

Nice! Welcome to the fray, Mechwarrior.

The light engine is like a silver lining, sure it took the horror of Kathrine's reign to free it from the wolves but hey, silver lining!

@MechanicalFrog

4 ай бұрын

I do like an optimist.

Thanks for the video! I quite like the MF variant, it works well for a sniper (and good job moving the missile launcher!)

@MechanicalFrog

4 ай бұрын

"Did you make this video just so you could make an MF variant that moves the missile launcher?" Yes.

I use a weird Griffin variant in MechWarrior: Destiny that's got souped-up 4xMLs and LRM-10 along with a bunch of other mods it got over time as a sort of "hero" variant, but I wouldn't have a clue how that all shakes out into proper Battletech, including its added shield for brawling with. But I've been having fun with the Griffin even since the beginning, though having the freedom of running it in an actual RPG that allows flexibility and creativity beyond "shoot/punch, compare numbers" probably helps. E.g. despite all that I never cared for it in HBS BT.

Alaric Ward bobble heads. *Ollie's flashback* Thanks for the good laugh.

The Griffin GRF-1S is very popular with the 3025 gronads ;)

@mbr5742

3 ай бұрын

Solid bodyguard for a lance of Derwish

While all the weapons on one side is bad on table top, it is good in simulators, as it allows the pilot to "peak" around corners/obstacles to stay relatively safe and still be able to bring all their weapons at the enemy.

@MechanicalFrog

4 ай бұрын

Eh.... it also means your enemies focus fire your weapon side whenever possible, so it balances out.

You can use the fact the weapons are on the right to protect them by keeping adversaries to the other side and torso twisting to engage. This is possible with that excellent mobility. Also it exploits combatants going out of their way to try to get to the left side of the ranged Griffin. I do agree with having the ammo on the other side of the mech however just in case (pun intended) 😊

@MechanicalFrog

11 күн бұрын

All well and good in MWO and in lore, but on the tabletop it doesn't quite work that way.

Love this mech. Sure it’s light on the armor, but mobility and range is it’s protection anyway.

@MechanicalFrog

4 ай бұрын

Yep. Treat it like a light. Always Be Moving.

The Griffin has been the standard mech for the CO of the 42nd Mercenary company for a long time. As a mobile cavalry company the movement, range, and firepower suit the missions they take well. Eventually, they got their hands on a GRF-2N and the CO went ham with it. PPC fire and the salvos of SRM6 launchers up close is not a polite thing, nor was that empty left arm getting real punchy.

@MechanicalFrog

4 ай бұрын

It can definitely be a solid performer. And won't break the bank.

Ah it was my first mwo mech , so many lrm ppc builds

@MechanicalFrog

4 ай бұрын

Hope it was successful.

Love it! The more agile mech of the three brothers. Cant wait for Flea, Shadow Hawk, Banshee, Cougar, Mad Dog Mk II, III, IV IS Omnimechs like Raptor😆😉 Your custom variant is neat, sure having a focused offensive side makes targetibg easier, its donzo if lost. Also non gunned arm should be dedicated as PUNCHY(with melee upgrades)🤜💥 if losing the gunz. Gotta watch through all in this series, you are very unbiased though with some preferances and own variant takes, which I appreciate! I would myself make a Clan Omni Flea, Flea II etc

@MechanicalFrog

4 ай бұрын

So many fun units to cover this year... not enough time.

Really good vid about the Griffin, the 1DS is grossly oversinked and that Griffin C is SCARY that's very mobile! I like the MF one too, different because it can give quite a slap but its unusual to see it with two long range energy weapons, but that's what you can do with LPPC's and a capacitor. Great stuff as always Mr Frog :)

@MechanicalFrog

4 ай бұрын

Thanks a ton! Hope we can find a time to play HellDivers2 with our wacky alternating schedules.

"Ok, who requisitioned those substandard gyros?" You know there's not an engineer in the IS that will ever admit they can't read their slide rule. The REAL reason that all the weapons were on one side of the mech. That's my backstory for this atrocity, and I am sticking to it.

ahh the house stiener medium special lol

@MechanicalFrog

4 ай бұрын

Good times had by all.

always a treat when my favorite BT channel puts out a new video, was waxing nostalgic with your video on the Taurian Concordat just yesterday. i've always wondered why the LFE was less common in the IS and it sounds like you explained that here. consistent as always, of course, with your penchant for the plasma weaponry.

@MechanicalFrog

4 ай бұрын

Thanks a lot for giving it a try. I hope it improved your weekend.

Ah, the Griffin. My second favourite medium chassis. My own custom variant takes advantage of the tech obtained from the Helm Memory Core, trading some long range firepower and manoeuvrability for durability: 275 Std Fusion engine 3 Jump Jets 10 Double Heatsinks Endo Steel Chassis 10t Ferro Fibrous Armour w/ CASE in LT and RT 1 Large Pulse laser in RA 1 LRM 10 w/ 2t ammo in LT 1SRM 6 w/ 1t ammo in RT

I like the 1DS, but mine has an upgrade. The Large Pulse is replaced by a clan-tech variant taken as salvage in a 3050 campaign. With that little tweak it is a monster fire-support ‘mech.

@MechanicalFrog

4 ай бұрын

Adding a CLPL to anything makes it much better. :D

The 1N is my favorite Griffin that I've played so far, though the 6S is pretty close. I'm all for the right side loadout and standard fusion engine, because they allow you to use the left side as a meat-shield. Position your left side towards the enemy, and torso-twist to fire. All XL variants lack this ability, so I'm very interested in trying the 3N version in a Dark Age game. It could easily become my favorite Griffin.

@MechanicalFrog

4 ай бұрын

Worth a try.

Even in the future, Yakima refuses to both die and also stop being a military center. There's a huge Army base there to this day

@MechanicalFrog

4 ай бұрын

The Palm Springs of Washington...

A classic will always be a classic. One of the quintessential mobile medium mechs. The GRF-1S wasn't a bad variant either.

@MechanicalFrog

4 ай бұрын

When used correctly, it just works.

ngl, I love this mech for probably dumb reasons. I don't know why, but I just love how it looks. I'm not super into sniper mechs for the most part, but this is probably my biggest exception. That said, think my favorite video is the Royal 2N. Having watched your Marauder vid not too long ago, I get why you don't really like them, and frankly do kinda agree on the sentiment for the most part. Battletech is not 40k, and it's good seeing tech develop into different paths if not surpass what was around back in the Star League days after things started to recover in the late Succession Wars (and earlier for the Clans of course). That SAID, god I love how the 2N looks with the second missile pod, adds a bit of symmetry to the design that I love, and admittedly love the fact it's not a straight sniper but something that can hit far while still being a threat up close. Makes me wish more of the variants developed from the 2N. Hell, part of me thinks it makes more sense that the IIC Griffin was based more on the 2N, since it feels like going from two missile pods one on each side to four with two on each side makes more sense than going from one pod to four... but that's just me. Plus, given the fact the clans turned the Phoenix Hawk into a gods damn assault mech, I suppose crazier changes have happened.

Shame the improved cooling jacket quirk didn't translate over from the 1A to other designs. Along with the whole using LRM-5s albeit two of them in this case. Using the saved mass to add a medium laser to provide at least some close up punch. As for the LRMs being in the right Torso....I personally view it as gaining the ability to use the entire left arm and Torso as a shield to the rest of the mech ala the centurion's left arm

Good stuff. Very nice mix of lore and tabletop talk. Positive affirmation all the way.

@MechanicalFrog

4 ай бұрын

Thanks a ton!

Great video! Looking forward to more great videos.

@MechanicalFrog

4 ай бұрын

Thanks!

Heck, I learned something today! I always thought the Grif was a ridiculous choice for a bodyguard mech for the Archons. I didn't realize they used a variant optimized fro close0in/anti-infantry fighting!

@MechanicalFrog

3 ай бұрын

Always fun when we learn something wild like that.

@MM22966

3 ай бұрын

@@MechanicalFrogI always saw that beautiful art of the Lyran throne room in white & blue with the Grifs flanking the throne and thought: "If somebody goes after the boss with a knife or pulls a gun, it's going to be safer to stomp on the bad guy than fire a PPC in that room...Where's a Locust when you need one!"

dammm i love waking up to a frog video thanks mate

@MechanicalFrog

4 ай бұрын

Glad you enjoyed. More nonsense to come.

@nukenuked5749

4 ай бұрын

all ways do mate all ways do @@MechanicalFrog

My griffins run similar to MF, but in game we had loads of ATMs. So I put an ATM 6 in each torso. 2 tons ammo ER and HeX. The light ppcs are pirate and fire in a cluster vs singles. Use lrm 5 table on non-aimed hits. The main beast griffon uses a snubbie, 3 clan er mdms and an srm 6 with case for 2 tons ammo. 1 std and half ton utility ammo x 2 types depending on terrain and intel. If lots of tanks. Then tandem and inferno. If mechs, emp and acid. Mixed forces acid and inferno. ie. Marinade and BBQ sauce. My Solaris 7 griffon cant truly be called a griffon anymore. As it has improved jj , dhs, tsm, dragon breath flamer (head) acid fluid guns, mrm 30 with ton of high explosives and infernos. (The mrm version of hydras). Right arm spiked mace and enhanced heavy actuators . Left arm heavy shield. And 2 small pulses. Meant for arena/gladiator battles. Tried a LAM version using stuff from shadowhawk and Wolverine lams, but wing mounts and hardpoints weren't allowed as it gave mech first strike capacity of an entire lance effectively. Would like to see a Jade Falcon mod IIC with PWS, improved jjs, and clan weapons. It'd def have jade talons on feet, cause jade falcons... Anyone want a go at that build? No xl for sure, maybe light clan engine though. Prob built as striker/brawler vs harrasser/fire support.

The standard Griffin is already a pretty potent beast (albeit with questionable weapon placement), but I also really like the 1S variant. Sure, the oomph of a PPC and LRM-10 is pretty neat, so downgrading to a large laser and an LRM-5 seems a bit iffy, but those two medium lasers do come in handy.

@MechanicalFrog

4 ай бұрын

Always nice to have a medium laser or two around in a clinch.

@h.a.9880

4 ай бұрын

@@MechanicalFrog The Medium Laser is the workhorse-weapon of Battletech. It might not have the longest range or highest damage, but it has a really good damage/heat ratio and the range is more than enough to act in a brawl.

I understand wanting to put the launcher on the other side of the torso. However, keeping it on the right allows the pilot to keep the left side presented towards incoming fire. When I play on the table top, I try to keep the left arc presented.

@MechanicalFrog

4 ай бұрын

I understand the argument, I just don't think it's ultimately very practical.

@victoriastrunk200

4 ай бұрын

​@MechanicalFrog Thankfully there are enough mechs and variants out there we can all find something we like. Admittedly I have a soft spot for any 55 tonner that jumps 5.

@MechanicalFrog

4 ай бұрын

On this, we agree.

I have a friend who will love this video. We went back & forth over early era medium mechs with him preferring the Griffin while I tend to favor the Hoplite. Sure, there are better mechs out there, but both of those are relatively cheap, durable, & common enough to make repair & refit not too daunting.

@MechanicalFrog

3 ай бұрын

Could be fun. I don't know when I'll get around to the Hoplite though. It's an odd duck.

@Mr._Anderpson

3 ай бұрын

@@MechanicalFrog That's my curse. My thought process is usually-- "Oooh, what a screwed up design. I love it!"

I love this place. Thanks man!!

@MechanicalFrog

3 ай бұрын

No problem 👍

Good MF variant, gives you the option to rotate the Light PPC fire to keep a consistent 10 damage option or burst of 20 damage if the shot is worth the risk. Still love the MMLs for the flexible options, and the 9 is definitely going to make a light hurt if it gets too close

Great vid as usual. I have to admit that I've never managed to run a griffin and feel like I got my BV worth out of it.

@MechanicalFrog

4 ай бұрын

It'll rarely be an MVP, but it usually does carry its weight.

A MF Griffin video and a Sven history on the same day? Is this BattleTech heaven?

@MechanicalFrog

4 ай бұрын

It's nice to have a solid group of BT creators doing their best to make interesting content.

@clarkreamer4560

4 ай бұрын

@@MechanicalFrog Bless you all! And so many of the creators seem to "play well together" and enjoy having lots of people at the party.

@MechanicalFrog

4 ай бұрын

Yep. Most of us are frequently in communication and collaboration.

Much like the Rifleman, the main appeal of the Griffin is nostalgia. One of the original ten BattleDroid (back before Lucas' lawyers got involved, much less Harmony Gold), it was a solid medium... so long as it's only competition was the Phoenix Hawk and Shadow Hawk. Once the 3025 TRO came out, it quickly became a bit... underwhelming.

@mbr5742

3 ай бұрын

Up to 60to there are few better units (a Crab comes close). The one real rival is the PPC equiped Dragon

As for the RG, you don't need jump jets while in a throne room. Just infantry splatter guns

@MechanicalFrog

4 ай бұрын

But... I want them anyway.

@davidboothe9620

4 ай бұрын

@@MechanicalFrog I want a mech that doesn't feel like an Arizona summer. It's just a Lyran thing I guess.

I’m gonna be honest, I’m not a Griffin enjoyer (not for lack of trying). Every time I fielded one I just found myself wishing I had a QuickDraw, an archer or a kintaro. However, two ppcs with capacitors…you had me intrigued but now you have my attention

@MechanicalFrog

4 ай бұрын

"Wishing I had a Quickdraw" You are a unique person. Few wish this. :D

@nathangraham4551

4 ай бұрын

@@MechanicalFrog woah woah woah, are you dissing the fastest particle spitter this side of the sphere? Tukayyid, high noon, be there bud ;D

Great video! Thanks!

@MechanicalFrog

4 ай бұрын

You're welcome!

well, its faster to just give the mech to a lefty and have him pick up the ppc with the left arm of the mech than putting the whole LRM system in the left torso.

IS Light Engines rule as shown with the 6S, and post FASA variants. But came out way later than they should have to mattered in old days. They fix so many issues without excessive liability. But came way to late timeline in the "old days". 8( Oh well new age of pain is upon us to use them if we want to avoid 3 slot IS XL engines. 8)

@MechanicalFrog

4 ай бұрын

A fair critique.

I don't mind both weapons being on one side. It gives you the ability to keep that side to the enemy and use it as a shield. It's kind of sad you didn't talk about the 2N. That one is my favorite. The 4R has its MML5 in the Left torso and it's snub ppc and erml in the right arm. The1S has a LRM 5 in the left torso and 1Lg laser and 2 med. Laser in the right arm. 5L is also loaded with weapons MML in the LT

Thanks M.F.😊 i am also a fan of the plasma rifle so i like the 4N😂

@MechanicalFrog

4 ай бұрын

It's an interesting take on the mech, for sure.

Well its a 55t medium, nuff said. Its a rare mech that has great artwork all around from every time when the IP was all over the place. The way its designed is just another part of the 'real world'. Its one of the first designs so they didnt know any better and when the orders came streaming in it was just 'assemble and ship them craze' we know these things from our time. It also shows how a good pilot can leverage that design in shielding its one armed side with the unarmored. In thinking with my variant I would incorporate some kind of 'Griffin claw' in the unarmed side for the time when someone thinks the mech is now helpless. Ending this rant: love me some PPC ;]

It doesn't change the mechs BV if you move the weapons. So sticking the LRM into the other side is just time and cost.

@MechanicalFrog

4 ай бұрын

I need a good mech tech who works for Oreos.

A bigger panther, only this one has cashed in all on long range weapons. The Griffin is sturdy, decently agile thanks to its jump jets, and packs a okay long range punch. But its weapons loadout leaves it rather defenseless in close combat, and a single PPC is not that scary on a medium mech... especially if you close the distance. The Griffon is a team player out of necesity, a okay fire support for a medium lances with great survivability (thanks to its armor and its position in the rear lines). Its also relatively cheap and readily available and thus easy to maintain. It pairs surprisingly well with Wolverines for example. As a merc commander you could do worse then a Griffin. It wont blow a hole in your budget, your techs wont hate you when it gets damaged and it will quickly get back on its feet and out of the repair bay. That being said: you could also do alot better then the griffin. Later on it gets a plethora of variants as mentioned in the video, ensuring that over the years you can count on encountering them on the fields of battle of the inner sphere, wich in turn means theres plenty of spare parts to go around. Finaly it also makes for a great mook enemy for new players to learn about exploiting minimum ranges.

@MechanicalFrog

4 ай бұрын

A Griffin for every want and need. Good to have around.

@riptors9777

4 ай бұрын

@@MechanicalFrog Some of the variants are excellent trooper mechs. Only that most of them have very lobsided loadout locations is a bit iffy

The intro music was hype frog

@MechanicalFrog

4 ай бұрын

A good jam.

I like the Griffin MF. But I would swap out the two Light PPCs for a Snub Nose PPC, give Artemis to the MML9, and either throw in an ER medium laser or a Small X Pukse laser.

@MechanicalFrog

4 ай бұрын

I considered that but there is a Word of Blake Griffin that runs the SNPPC and I didn't want to copy.

Of the Dougram-Three the Griffin is my favorite. its simply practical. Its faster than most heavy and assault mechs of its era. Its got medium and long range weapons. It has just enough heat sinks to run and shoot with its infinite-ammo PPC. It has jump jets to get through various terrain types. If it has one major problem its just that it lacks close-range weapons. It could easily be charged by something like a Locust 1E and have a lot of trouble. If I had designed the Wolverine it would have a Large instead of a Autocannon-5 to be (more of) a close range companion of the Griffin. Upgrading it is pretty easy as its variants attest too. The Griffin IIC is lighter, but also faster and better armed thanks to better clan-tech. If anything I hated how the 2018 Battletech PC game treated the Griffin by changing the PPC stats so its always overheating.

The 1MF's lack of a plasma rifle is disappointing, but I'm a sucker for MMLs, so it balances out. Twin LPPCs with capacitors is actually pretty decent because you can choose between alpha striking and toggle-firing, which gives a lot of flexibility. A good mix of quantity or quality of particle blasts is nice.

@MechanicalFrog

4 ай бұрын

If I do Plasma Rifles every time, I get complaints.

@BoisegangGaming

4 ай бұрын

@@MechanicalFrog and if you don't do plasma rifles, you get complaints. A catch 2d6 if I've ever heard one.

3050 full clan tech rebuild GRF-5A Griffin, 55 tons, 5/8/5 movement, XL + DHS, Endo-steel, 9.5tons Fero-Fiberous, standard cockpit and gyron leaving 26.5 tons of pod space. PRIME Config: 2 ERPPC r/la, 2 LRM-10 with a ton of ammo each r/lt, emotional support ERSL in the head, and 5 extra DHS. ALT-config: 2 Large Pulse Lasers r/la, 2 Streak SRM-4's with a ton of ammo each r/lt, 3 ERSL r/lt/h, and 5 additional DHS

Great vid as always :-) i never liked the griffin and much prefered the wolverine but recently i had a battle where the griffin killed 3 mechs including a stalker and won me the fight so my mind has been changed :-)

@MechanicalFrog

4 ай бұрын

It's one of those quality producer teammates who never wins the MVP but does put points on the board consistently.

I just find that about the time in game you start getting 55ton mechs your also getting 60 and 65 ton mechs making them a hard sell unless you have to limit your drop tonnage

Huzzah! Saturday Mech Frog!

@MechanicalFrog

4 ай бұрын

A day later than expected but, if you're going to do it, do it right.

It’s simple and it does good work.

@MechanicalFrog

4 ай бұрын

True and true.