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Sleeping Dragon
Draconis Combine
Tai-i
Joined: 06-Apr-2005 00:00
Posts: 4818
Location: Czech Republic
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 Posted: 13-Feb-2008 03:18 Post subject: mud's Review: Centurion CN9-A3 |
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| mud wrote: | I'm not certain that I buy the idea that units are going to rebuild their old Centurions with endo steel just to add a ton of ammunition and CASE. We're not talking about a field modification here, but about completely tearing down and rebuilding the entire 'mech. This would probably cost close to a million c-bills in man-hours alone.
While I appreciate that the fluff doesn't just say, "They upgraded the 'mech to endo steel", as too many people try to say, I'm just not buying this idea. |
Well, the problem is to replace a skeleton on a fully operational machine while fighting, but with 'Mechs that already need repairs you have all the time necessary. The skeleton is already completed and you don't have to touch it at all. Replacing gyro, head systems (I don't think that there would be a problem with using a head from the old machine) or engine takes time, but I doubt that it is an uncommon operation once the unit goes through a major overhaul. No problem with armour either IMO.
The idea isn't just to get some upgrade for the Cent. No Centurions are built with the standard skeletons since the TRO 3050 came out, so I thought that it the old 9-As are either cannibalized or slightly upgraded. I decided to make minimal changes to the stats, so only the most necessary changes are done to keep the 'Mech operational.
Those 2.5 tons were used to get me the most out of the old technology. The ES wasn't installed to make any huge changes in the other areas. I installed 8 more points of armour plating to torso to prevent all the ammo from going boom after the first gauss hit, and CASE keeps the 'Mech operational (and biting thanks to the placement of weapons) even after such thing happens. The additional ton of ammo may look strange, but I thought that it may be handy once you decide to use the special ammo which just came out of NAIS and was pressed to mass production a year or two before the 'Mech had been introduced. AP rounds and precision ammo are only 5 shots per ton, so the expanded magazine is just what you need to keep you fighting. The basic idea was that as a militia machine it will go against conventional units (vehicles, infantry) more often than not, so I decided not to go with the LB gun this time. According to what I heard the AFFS didn't have enough standard AC carriers and with new ammo around the standard AC is just as deadly, if not worse (flechettes - 20 damage to standard infantry, ...).
There is some anti-'Mech capacity, but it isn't that great if compared to more recent 'Mechs. I doubt that anyone would think that this is a good unit to field in non-defensive mission. Sure that the old Cent could do that as well, but you'll get a factory support for this one, which means less jury-rigs and you can use parts from the other Cent models currently in service as well, which was impossible with the unupgraded 9-A.
I fully agree with your rating, the 'Mech wasn't meant to be a thing with which you'd dominate the battlefield. Just trying to answer your questions.
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CO_17thRecon
Kell Hounds
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| Posted: 13-Feb-2008 11:21 Post subject: mud's Review: Centurion CN9-A3 |
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I should also point out, there is precedent for replacing the entire skeleton of a 'Mech. Comstar did so with the Thorn machines they gave to the Draconis Combine.
I'm just not sold on whether this is really an overhaul or making a new 'Mech. I suppose it depends on how you look at it mostly. Still, if you have the time, making a new skeleton, but using the parts from an older machine is efficient...at least from a materials usage point of view.
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Sleeping Dragon
Draconis Combine
Tai-i
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| Posted: 13-Feb-2008 12:48 Post subject: mud's Review: Centurion CN9-A3 |
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Well, the skeleton was already built and there was little need for any extensive modification. Technically the CN9-A3, CN9-D, CN9-D3 and CN9-D5 use the same model of skeleton now. If the designers used some experience from the omnis (which is probably quite common these days), the old accessories may be installed on the skelet with ease.
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CO_17thRecon
Kell Hounds
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| Posted: 13-Feb-2008 13:45 Post subject: mud's Review: Centurion CN9-A3 |
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Ease? Perhaps. But it would take time. To get at everything, and move it over, you essentially must disassemble the entire 'Mech from the old skeleton, and put everything back together on the new skeleton.
With the right tools, techs and time, this is a simple, if lengthy procedure, and does cost less than buying a brand new factory build CN9-A3 to replace your old CN9-A.
But, because you're disassembling the old 'Mech to get all its parts out, you could argue that you're not refitting it. Rather, you're building a new 'Mech composed mostly of parts from an old one. If this makes any sense...
Like I said, there's good precedent for it though. I definitely like the idea, especially since you do point out in the fluff this is not a process that is possible during combat operations. It requires a pretty good repair bay and quite a bit of downtime.
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"What the...?! Where did you get THAT?!"
"Creative aquisition."
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Sleeping Dragon
Draconis Combine
Tai-i
Joined: 06-Apr-2005 00:00
Posts: 4818
Location: Czech Republic
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| Posted: 13-Feb-2008 15:15 Post subject: mud's Review: Centurion CN9-A3 |
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Heh, I wouldn't think about this rebuild with missiles and laser beams flying around.
I think that the upgrade will save the money to the Corean as well. The unit will get it's money back with higher survival rates and cheaper parts. Saying that an ES structure is cheaper may be strange, but if the CE had to reopen the production line, or worse, retool one of it's plants to produce the parts to produce parts for the old Cent would be surely reflected in the costs. The same problem could be caused by trying to import the goods or hiring another company to produce them, not to mention that in the Civil War the loyalties of several companies were questionable, weren't they? On the other hand if the ES skeletons are mass produced, they will cost less.
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