Confessions of an Automationeer, Part 246: Rivage Duo

Confessions of an Automationeer, Part 246: Rivage Duo

While revisiting my backlog of fully detailed Automation builds, I stumbled across the 2005 SVM Ravager I had made almost two years ago in Ellisbury, and asked myself: "What if this had come out a decade earlier?" To that end, I cloned the entire car (including the base model and engine family) together, backdated all the years to 1995, and downgraded to a 3.2-liter 32-valve flat-crank V8 developing 380 horsepower in the base GT trim (or 400 horsepower in the 100kg lighter GTS trim) - more than adequate in a car as small and light as what I eventually called the Rivage (which was what the Brussels corner at the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps in Belgium used to be called) - and adjusted the trim options and settings accordingly to retain the razor-sharp handling feel without being unnecessarily wayward or sloppy.

Above, from top: As part of my thought experiment to see what the SVM Ravager would've looked like in the mid-1990s, I cloned the whole car and created the 1995 Rivage, powered by a 3.2-liter normally aspirated flat-crank V8 developing 380 or 400 horsepower depending on trim level, and mid-mounted in a compact, lightweight all-aluminum alloy body/chassis. The red car with a red interior is the GT trim, intended to be more usable on a daily basis; the yellow car with a yellow interior is the lighter, track-focused GTS, which can be distinguished externally by the presence of additional vents up front.

With the engine capable of revving to 9000 rpm courtesy of variable valve timing and lift, even the base GT trim was a visceral experience; this was even more true of the GTS, which shed 105kg (1160kg vs. 1265kg for the GT) due to a lightweight sports interior (replacing the premium item found on the base car), high-flow exhaust (catalytic converter + mufflers), and unassisted steering in place of the variable-ratio hydraulic rack, among others. In terms of philosophy, the Rivage follows the principles of my earlier KMA KX8 line, but takes those ideas to even higher extremes due to it being three years newer overall, and thus less encumbered by heavy techpool usage.

In short, the Rivage would've been a lot like the KX8 to drive in general, being a small, light mid-engined V8-powered junior supercar, but with an even more exciting feel due to its larger, more powerful, and higher-revving engine.

MechDB Misadventures, Part 26: BattleMaster IIC?

MechDB Misadventures, Part 26: BattleMaster IIC?

Although the BattleMaster IIC is not actually part of the canonical lore of BattleTech or MechWarrior, a recent update to MechWarrior Online has introduced a BattleMaster variant that's as close to it as you can get: the BLR-1GBc "Red Corsair", based on a Star League-era all-energy variant, but remanufactured with Clan tech. Being a pure energy 'Mech, it can run hot if you're not cautious, but it has no ammunition dependency or explosion issues whatsoever (unless you fit regular AMS and some ammo to feed it, and even then, integral CASE - Cellular Ammunition Storage Equipment - in each component will mitigate the effects of AMS ammo detonations), which can be a big plus in long matches. And as with the original BattleMaster, it has an engine cap of 400, allowing you to create surprisingly fast builds for its size, if you're brave enough - the fact that this is a Clan-tech variant (for which XL engines weigh less and require 1 fewer critical slot in each side torso) only sweetens the deal.

One of the possibilities resulting from this energy dependency is a quad ER PPC variant, reminiscent of the Warhawk/Masakari, but with each pair of ER PPCs placed in the side torsos instead of the arms. With a Clan 340-rated XL engine, it can match the Warhawk in speed, and fitting 24 Clan double heat sinks (including those built into, or externally attached to, the engine) gives it more than enough cooling as long as you fire them in pairs. Fit 16 tons of standard armor over an endo-steel frame, add a MkV Clan Targeting Computer, install a Clan Active Probe, and you're good to go.

Above: Emulating the Warhawk/Masakari WHK-Prime on the BattleMaster BLR-1GBC "Red Corsair" by fitting a MkV Targeting Computer and 24 Clan Double Heat Sinks in an Endo-Steel frame encased in 16 tons of Standard Armor creates a 'Mech that, though not as effective as its inspiration due to a lack of weapon-related quirks (or even secondary weapons), can still be a deadly sniper, and may actually be a better option in long battles due to its side torso-mounted dual ER PPCs (two per side torso) being placed high up on the 'Mech, and no ammunition dependency or explosion issues whatsoever.

However, it's also possible to turn this variant into a zombie 'mech by fitting a standard engine and an energy weapon of some sort in the lone center torso-mounted hardpoint. One suggestion with this in mind is as follows:

Above: An all-Pulse Laser zombie 'Mech loadout on the Red Corsair BattleMaster such as this one would be devastating at short to medium range, and crucially, it would remain a threat unless its center torso, head, or both legs were destroyed. Swapping the arm-mounted Medium Pulse Lasers for Small Pulse Lasers to save enough spare mass for a Clan Active Probe or Mk1 Targeting Computer (which would most likely occupy the free critical slot in the head) could be considered, if you want a more heat-efficient take on the same theme.

Using the Red Corsair as an ER Large Laser boat (with six such weapons in total, three in each side torso) with the largest targeting computer available (a MkVII unit) will also give unparalleled accuracy, but with slightly better heat efficiency than the quad ER PPC loadout, albeit with a lower maximum speed, as follows:

Above: Although slightly slower than the quad ER PPC build, the 6x Clan ER Large Laser Red Corsair build with a MkVII Targeting Computer is even more accurate, and easier on your heat gauge.

There are other loadouts that the Red Corsair can accommodate, but these are among the best known.

In short, the Red Corsair Legendary variant of the BattleMaster may not be an actual BattleMaster IIC, instead being closer to the Inner Sphere's Warlord (which also has an all-energy loadout, but weighs 5 tons less than the BattleMaster) in concept, but it takes some of the best bits of both 'Mechs and combines them into an ammunition-independent assault 'Mech that can fulfill many roles.

Confessions of an Automationeer, Part 245: Horse Heresy?

Confessions of an Automationeer, Part 245: Horse Heresy?

One of the body sets introduced in the Al-Rilma build of Automation is called the Horse (available from 1959 onwards, assuming body set tech pool is set to 0), and as far as builds from the 1960s and later are concerned, it's among my go-to builds for muscle/pony cars as well as other, more mundane stuff (family, premium, and luxury sedans, among others). My love for it got to the point where I created a new candidate for a fully detailed build: the first-generation SVM Bearclaw, which debuted in 1967. This is a reimagining of a model that had been built on a different, more angular body set in Ellisbury, but I realized that I could do a better job with a total redesign instead of an update of the original build.

Given that the original version had a fastback profile, it made perfect sense to give the remake the same feature. This was made easier on the Horse body set that I'd chosen, since I'd have more morphing zones (and a wider adjustment range for each one) to work with. And without the need to tailor it to the needs of a Discourse challenge (for which the previous iteration had been intended), I could afford to go all out and fit the biggest, punchiest engine that the flagship trim level could offer, instead of a smaller engine that would make more sense on some lesser trims. This meant fitting a 7.5-liter V8 engine breathing through two four-barrel carburetors and driving the rear wheels via a 4-speed manual gearbox and clutched limited-slip differential. In its most potent state of tune, it developed 410 net horsepower thanks to long-tube headers, high-flow heads, an aggresive cam profile, and forged internals.

In keeping with the technology of the era, the reimagined Bearclaw was built on a ladder frame with dual A-arm front suspension and a leaf-sprung live rear axle, with disc brakes up front and drums at the rear, along with bias-ply tires wrapped around steel wheels (although magnesium wheels would be optional). And to further justify its placing at the top of the range, it came with a premium interior and AM radio as standard in place of the mid-grade standard items that would otherwise have been fitted. An advanced safety suite was also part of the standard equipment list, while the roomy interior had seating for four full-sized seats (not a 2+2 arrangement with 2 smaller rear seats, as is the norm for the segment).

Even at an all-up price of $25,000 AMU in 1967, the 455 SC (standing for Special Competition) was great value for money; with a 0-60 time of as little as 5.1 seconds (depending on gearing) and a theoretical top speed of 165 mph (again, gearing-dependent) - enough to lead its class, especially when the quarter-mile time of 13.36 seconds was taken into account. Careful suspension tuning led to an 0.8g skidpad grip rating (on a 200m skidpad), while its braking distance from 62 mph was a solid 40.3 meters, despite some brake fade at the rear.

Obviously, such excess could not remain part of the lineup forever; I would expect this particular generation of Bearclaw to go out of production completely by 1974, when the next one made its debut. That, however, would be significantly downsized along with its engine - but a more detailed writeup about it (if I ever decide to make such a thing) would have to wait for another post.

Above: Here is what the 1967 SVM Bearclaw (the first generation of the nameplate) looks like in its current form. Its fastback roofline, squared-off rear end (with a functional, though discreet, ducktail rear spoiler above a set of paired circular taillight clusters on each side), and an imposing front end (complete with airdam and hood scoop, along with fog lights) leave no doubt that this is as much of a muscle car as it is a pony car - especially in its flagship 455 trim level, as shown here.

Going forward, my future plans for the Bearclaw lineage could include any, or even all, of the following:

• A rework of the third- and fourth-generation Bearclaws (for which I've already made fully detailed interiors), to account for the changes made to the game since the Al-Rilma version of Automation was introduced last year - and follow on from the proposed second-generation car, as stated above.
• The installation of a fully detailed interior on the original Bearclaw, possibly in combination with minor exterior revisions (if necessary), commensurate with the trim level's mechanical setup.
• Expanding the range with lesser trims (all of which would have lower power outputs, due to smaller, less aggressively tuned engines), different body styles (such as a convertible, or a notchback coupe, to sit alongside the fastback), and/or facelifts later in the production run (most likely in 1970, given that the Bearclaw debuted in 1967 under the revised timeline).

In short, my redesigned OG Bearclaw, remade for Al-Rilma, is a much more convincing rendition of the first generation of the model line, especially when compared to anything I'd made in Ellisbury.

Confessions of an Automationeer, Part 244: A Fiery Love Letter to Horsepower

Confessions of an Automationeer, Part 244: A Fiery Love Letter to Horsepower

The Valentine's Day/Chinese New Year long weekend has come and gone, and to celebrate I made a new trim of something I'd previously cooked up for a BeamNG-based Discord challenge: the Parana P600. In its original, Beam-friendly form, it had 580 horsepower from a 6.0-liter naturally aspirated V12 driving all four wheels via a six-speed manual gearbox and a luxury interior/CD stereo. However, the lore-accurate version is strictly rear-wheel drive, with 650 horsepower and a fully hand-built interior to better reflect its bespoke nature. Essentially, it's what my LVC LS60 (which follows a similar retro-futuristic aesthetic) would've been if it had an engine closer in size and RPM limit to what its chief rival, the AMS Archangel (another one of my original '90s hypercar designs), was fitted with, and was a true hand-built product in the vein of the WM Amadeus (which competes with both the LS60 and Archangel, despite making its debut five years before both of those cars did, according to my lore).

Since 2026 is the year of the Horse, or more specifically the Fire Horse, here's a set of screenshots showing the P600 with a red exterior and silver wheels (the Discord submission had a blue exterior and gold wheels of a different design), which fits the theme best (and also goes well with the Valentine's Day weekend that began three days before the official Chinese New Year celebrations) considering the topic of this post:

Above, from top: What if the LVC LS60 came out earlier, utilized an engine more like that of its chief rival (the AMS Archangel), and was fitted with a hand-built interior to match what the WM Amadeus had? The Parana P600 would've been the answer to that question.

This was my first fully detailed build to be based on any of the '88 Copy Cat body sets, but when revising the interior for the original version, I replaced the dashboard, center console, and door cards, while some of the other interior fixtures either had to be removed entirely. or were resized and repositioned to accommodate the constraints of the new interior fixtures.

In short, the P600 combines all the best aspects of all three of my favorite '90s V12 hypercar designs into a single build, while also incorporating lessons learned during their development.

Update (2:20 pm, Monday, March 9, 2026): I have revised the P600 with a scoop fixture on the rear deck between the vents, as follows:

Above: Both trims of the P600 Lusso after the latest revision, with the text on the rear bodywork moved very slightly upward, and a subtle scoop fixture between the vents on the engine cover.

In addition, the text has been moved slightly upward on both sides for a more harmonious look.

Confessions of an Automationeer, Part 243: Resolution Fulfilled

Confessions of an Automationeer, Part 243: Resolution Fulfilled

Having previously stated in my list of 2026 New Year's Resolutions that I had wanted to conclude the challenge I'd commenced at the end of the previous year, I managed to do just that. Admittedly, I took longer than expected, but still managed to do so without stirring up too much controversy. So here's how it went down.

In the Discourse QFC (Quickfire Challenge) prior to the one I recently hosted, I secured a top-5 finish on the strength of my engineering skills, even if my entry's exterior design was average at best. So, I decided to make plans for hosting the next round, just in case I got the chance - and I did, after the rest of the top 5 finishers passed on that responsibility. Looking to previous QFCs for inspiration, I eventually settled on a late 2000s setting, with the premise being that, having dreamt of driving through the European Alps in an open-topped supercar for a few decades, you, the client, had finally saved enough cash to buy one yourself and live that dream.

I started by defining a rule set with that particular premise in mind, before listing the client's priorities in descending order of importance. Exterior design, overall sportiness, and prestige sat at the top of the list, with safety, purchase price, overall running costs, and environmental resistance at the bottom, while I placed drivability, comfort, and reliability between these two extremes. In addition, I limited rear seating to +2 (if fitted), and made AWD an extra-cost option ($2500 across the board, except for advanced AWD, which costs $5000). With all the requirements and objectives set, I launched the round - but not before I adjusted its ruleset in response to user feedback.

Above, from top: All 24 cars I received and reviewed for QFC67, arranged into three groups of eight, with the best-placed car in each group qualifying for the final stage.

Over the next two weeks, I received two dozen cars, and the quality of entries was... a mixed bag, to say the least. Some were outright horrid and had no chance of reaching the top 3 (with one even being dismissed right off the bat due to rule violations, although in fairness, it would still have placed at the bottom anyway); others were decidedly average or turned out to be too inconsistent for further consideration. Within the top 8, however, the competition was particularly intense. It took a while, but I finally narrowed it down to three: the Mancini 538 Evo, the Bovos XBC Veloce Spider, and the Montiel Satra. As the highest-placed cars in each of their respective groups of 8 entries, they would face each other in the final stage of judging.

Above: The top three cars from left to right - the Bovos XBC Veloce Spider (orange), Mancini 538 Evo (cream), and Montiel Satra (purple) - emerged as the best entries in each group by fulfilling the brief better than their competitors. But which of those three would take the crown?

The Bovos claimed the bronze medal, being a strong contender in isolation but lacking the visceral appeal of the Mancini and the everyday usability of the Montiel. The Montiel, with the lowest base price among the top 3 cars, made a very strong case for itself, but with the heart ruling the head (rather than vice versa), I put the Mancini on the top step by a whisker. Even if the Montiel had a lot more quality and/or advanced technology invested into it (with a commensurate increase in price), it still wouldn't have finished first overall.

Above: A different spec of the winning car (the Mancini 538 Evo), with a blue exterior in place of the cream one the original entry had.

In the aftermath of the round's conclusion, I made (and shared) an Excel spreadsheet file (compressed to meet Discourse file size requirements) containing all the cars' vital stats. By that time, however, I'd already fulfilled my most important New Year's resolution for 2026: to show the Automation community that I could still host a Discourse challenge, and handle it better than I had ever done before. In short, this challenge was as enjoyable as I had hoped it to be - considering the next QFC didn't even have a third of the number of entries this one had (and the QFC after that one had exactly half as many as the one that's the topic of this post), that's saying something.

MechDB Misadventures, Part 20: SuperStarter

MechDB Misadventures, Part 20: SuperStarter

I've been intrigued by the possibility that Piranha Games will add the Supercharger as an optional item in MechWarrior Online. Currently, it is only available on the legendary Warhawk/Masakari variant, the WHK-K "Kasai", as fixed equipment on its center torso. Also, it works differently to its BattleTech tabletop counterpart, by merely providing a permanent top speed increase without affecting agility or acceleration, instead of being manually activated and causing direct engine damage in the event of a failed 2d6 roll, with an initial target number of 3 that increases by 2 for every successive turn until the device is deactivated, after which it decreases by 1 interval per turn. Finally, the MWO Supercharger does not cause damage to a 'Mech's engine while it is in use. If you want to find out more about how the tabletop equivalent works, click here.

Under tabletop rules, Superchargers always occupy one critical slot (which must be in the same location as a 'Mech's engine), either in the center torso (the only option for any 'Mech with a standard engine) or in the side torso (optional, but only if the 'Mech has a Light or Extralight (XL) engine). In addition, it, unlike Triple Strength Myomer (which MWO hasn't yet featured in its growing list of items), can be combined with Myomer Accelerator Signal Circuitry (which causes damage to a 'Mech's legs on a failed activation roll), and combining MASC with a Supercharger (with each device requiring its own activation roll) yields a much greater speed boost. So what would an Inner Sphere 'Mech with provision for a Supercharger be like?

To show you an example, let me give you this custom loadout for a Firestarter FS9-K:

Above: Here's the basis for our hypothetical Supercharger build - a Firestarter FS9-K - armed with six medium lasers. Its speed and low engine mass (14 tons for its 280-rated Inner Sphere XL engine, not counting that which is added through fitment of extra heat sinks) ensures that it can easily be made even faster with a Supercharger by replacing some of its equipment.

Using a 280-rated Inner Sphere XL engine (whose base mass is 14 tons) means that a Supercharger would weigh 1.5 tons after rounding up to the nearest half-ton, as per tabletop rules, and could theoretically be mounted on either the side or center torso locations. However, since all of its critical slots are already occupied, we'd have to replace the AMS and its ammo to do so, thus freeing up one critical slot for the Supercharger (and another one we may need later). Even so, it would certainly make an already fast light Firestarter 'Mech even faster still. Note that although 'Mech Superchargers always require only one critical slot, its mass can vary, being one-tenth of the engine's base mass rounded up to the nearest half-ton. This is less of a problem on a 'Mech whose engine requires less mass (but not necessarily space) when fitted.

What, then, should we do with the leftover critical slots? Suppose that, in addition to being compatible with a Supercharger, our Firestarter also had provision for eight jump jets instead of six. In that case, we'd remove the Target Acquisition Gear (TAG) and install two more jump jets to fill out both empty critical slots, thus yielding a jump distance equivalent to the Panther. If the Firestarter was instead capable of being fitted with MASC, we'd remove the extra heat sink on the engine and use the MASC (which would weigh two tons under tabletop and MWO rules) to fill the last two unused critical slots, allowing for an even greater speed increase (at the cost of a higher chance of component damage and reduced heat capacity) when both the MASC and the Supercharger are in use.

In short, the Supercharger as an optional item on Inner Sphere 'Mechs (and standard Clan 'Mechs) would be a great addition to the game, with its performance benefits nicely balanced with extra mass on heavier engines. However, for a MechDB implementation, it should be tweaked so that it cannot be fitted unless an engine of some sort has been fitted, and once that has been done, the MechLab will adjust the mass of the Supercharger accordingly depending on base engine mass (and even then, it must also occupy a critical slot in the same location as the engine, as stated above). It would be a shame to limit it to the Warhawk Kasai - there are many other 'Mechs that could benefit from it (at least in theory), and its implementation, if done right, would narrow the gap between MWO and BattleTech in terms of customizability.

Infinite Space Insights: Lone Wolf Frigate

Infinite Space Insights: Lone Wolf Frigate

Happy New Year to my fellow Infinite Space Explorers! My first Infinite Space trilogy-related post of 2026 will be about my first Sea of Stars playthrough attempt of the New Year. Here's how it went.

Above, from top: My first Sea of Stars playthrough of 2026 - a practice run for my next maximum difficulty attempt (as evidenced with the NPC strength and nebular area having been set to their minimum values - the highest settings for both are necessary for high score runs) - began like any other: after wiping out a Tan Ru fleet around that faction's home system and salvaging some of the high-end equipment stored there, I went on to deliver a Crystal Fish to the Tchorak, thus forging an alliance with them, before zapping two Garthan fleets with the advanced weaponry and technology I'd acquired.

In the early stages of this playthrough, I was lucky enough to trade for, purchase, or salvage enough high-end weaponry and starship technology to improve the overall combat effectiveness of my ship. However, a pivotal moment came when I decided to overwrite an entire cluster's worth of star systems using a Limited Vacuum Collapser I had acquired. On this particular playthrough, there were only four recruitable allies (one each of a Zorg and Muktian fighter, as well as one each of a Garthan and Terran capital ship - I'd convinced the former two to tag along, but chose to annihilate the respective systems in which the latter two were found after realizing I didn't need any help from either of those units), and two of them were in systems that were within the blast radius (as was the Garthan home system, which I'd successfully visited before I activated the LVC).

Above, from top: Shortly after finding the Brood Towers (which lured three Ravian fleets to Glory, the Terran home system - I would later annihilate every single one of them to complete the quest), I decided to overwrite six star systems on the far end of the map using a Limited Vacuum Collapser - and escaped to the Urluquai home system, where I tore apart the hostile fleet stationed there (and bought some highly coveted equipment after the battle for good measure). Two of the recruitable allies (out of four instead of the usual five) were found in the blast radius, and were rendered permanently unattainable due to the LVC detonating before I hired them (although I deliberately chose not to add them to my fleet due to the fact that, given the chosen game settings, I could take on the might of the Ravians with just my starting capital ship and nothing else).

Without the possibility of deploying additional capital ships in combat, the Terran capital ship I had started out with had effectively become a lone wolf, since its destruction would result in an immediate defeat - fighters are not counted as capital ships for gameplay purposes. However, I'd traded in that ship for a larger Terran frigate, which had an additional large turret and offered an extra equipment slot to boot. Even though it was slower and less maneuverable than the Terran corvette I was previously using, and also had less cargo space (8 items instead of 12), I decided that the extra firepower and defense was worth it when facing the Ravian fleets.

Above, from top: I swapped my trusty Terran corvette for a larger, more heavily armed and armored (though slower and less maneuverable) Terran frigate, fitted it with dual Multi-Missile Launchers (which I purchased from the Muktians home system, where I established an alliance with them by visiting it with a Muktian fighter in tow), and used it to eliminate all remaining Ravian forces. I later visited the Zorg home system with a Zorg fighter as part of my fleet to form yet another alliance, and used that system as a trading post, before mopping up other hostile forces using my frigate to complete the playthrough.

By the end of the game, I only had one capital ship (a Terran frigate armed with two Multi-Missile Launchers and a Tachyon Ray Gun, as well as a Sardion Optimizer, Plasma Coil Cloaker and Meson Lattice Shield for improved accuracy, stealth, and protection) and two fighters (a Zorg fighter and a Muktian fighter, both of which were armed with a Proton Blaster and carried one each of a Mnemonic Sequencer and Electron Matrix Shield - the most advanced equipment other than weapons and thrusters that can be fitted to regular fighters), but even with so few vessels in total, the sheer amount of firepower, technology, and defensive equipment was enough for me to take on any hostile fleet without any fear of defeat, especially since there was no chance of encountering a Yellow Kawangi dreadnought on this playthrough.

Above, from top: This game ended with only three ships in my fleet - a Terran frigate, a Muktian fighter, and a Zorg fighter - but I didn't deploy the latter two in combat at all (not that I needed to do so, given that my Terran capital ship had been sufficiently upgraded to win any battle with the right strategy and tactics), so the Terran frigate was effectively a lone wolf. However, the lack of capital ship support (or rather, the possibility of it) severely reduced my final score to a sub-20k value. Even on the highest possible difficulty, I would've struggled to attain the coveted promotion to Glory system president with this force composition unless I was really good (and/or lucky).

In short, my first Sea of Stars playthrough of 2026 was... weird, to say the least, given that I deliberately missed out on both chances to add any capital ships to my fleet (although the LVC detonation also wiped the Garthans' home system off the map), but by the end of the game, it didn't matter very much due to my sole capital ship being heavily upgraded to face whatever new threats it encountered. However, this was a very rare set of circumstances, so here's hoping that the other playthroughs in 2026 will generally be more normal, with all six fleet slots (two fighters and four capital ships) being filled most of the time, and staying that way by the end of the game.