MechDB Misadventures, Part 1: Building Zombie 'Mech Loadouts in MechDB

MechDB Misadventures, Part 1: Building Zombie 'Mech Loadouts in MechDB

One of the design philosophies for BattleMechs in MechWarrior Online (and by extension, BattleTech) is the zombie 'Mech, which emphasizes survivability above all else. To this end, such a 'Mech would have no ammunition-dependent or explosive weapons (including any type of Gauss Rifle) of any kind. This necessitates an all-energy loadout, but on its own, it's not enough to create a zombie 'Mech - there are also a few other criteria which must be met for a 'Mech to qualify.

With survivability being the key objective, light and extralight engines should be avoided since they occupy at least two critical slots in each side torso, and can be damaged (or in the case of Inner Sphere XL engines, destroyed outright) if either side torso is destroyed. Moreover, zombie 'Mechs also need to have (almost) as much armor for their tonnage as they can carry, to reduce the risk of components being blown off in the first place. Finally, for a BattleMech to be a zombie 'Mech in the strictest sense, it must have at least one weapon in its all-energy loadout located in its center torso or head, since this will allow it to continue attacking as long as its head, center torso, and legs remain intact.

With the above advice in mind, it's time to consider what 'Mech variants can(not) be configured as a zombie 'Mech. Clan OmniMechs (as well as the Black Hawk-KU scheduled for introduction in the next major patch) cannot be "zombified", since the ones in MWO all have XL engines. However, some variants of standard Clan BattleMechs (such as the Stone Rhino SR-6 and SR-7, the Marauder IIC MAD-IIC, Warhammer IIC WHM-IIC-3) can be turned into zombie 'Mechs if the player desires. Even so, most zombie 'Mechs in MWO will use the Inner Sphere tech base.

The stock loadout for the Awesome AWS-8Q is a classic example of an Inner Sphere zombie 'Mech. With a 240-rated standard fusion engine, 15 tons of standard armor, 3 PPCs (one each in its right arm, left torso, and right torso), a head-mounted Small Laser as a backup weapon, and 28 tons of standard heat sinks, it's a very slow assault 'Mech, but also a very strong one, both offensively and defensively.

Above and below: The stock configuration (above) for the Awesome AWS-8Q fulfills all the requirements for a true zombie 'Mech, as does this custom quad-Binary Laser setup (below).

Another example of a zombie 'Mech loadout for the AWS-8Q would be the one shown above, featuring four Binary Laser Cannons (two in each side torso) and an ER Medium Laser in the head as backup. However, with a 260-rated engine and 14 Double Heat Sinks, it is barely any faster, and requires more skilled heat management (i.e. firing the BLCs in pairs at a time) to get the most out of it. Even so, with a theoretical maximum of 77 alpha strike damage, it has more than twice the theoretical firepower.

Here's my idea of the ultimate zombie 'Mech in MWO: an Annihilator Stone Crusher with 8 ER Medium Lasers (3 in each arm), a Binary Laser Cannon in each side torso, 21 Double Heat Sinks, a 325-rated Standard fusion engine, and 19 tons of standard armor over a standard structure, plus Laser AMS, a Mk1 Inner Sphere Targeting Computer, and a Beagle Active Probe. It may not run as cold as a stock AWS-8Q, but it delivers a lot more firepower, with advanced sensors to ensure it always makes its mark on the opposition, and in a more heavily armored chassis to boot;

Above: My idea for MWO's ultimate zombie 'Mech. Replace the Laser AMS, TC and BAP with 3 additional ER Medium Lasers if you want more offensive potential, but whatever you do, be sure to split fire to minimize ghost heat.

In short, zombie 'Mechs may not be to everyone's taste, but if survivability and endurance are a key priority, they may just be your best bet - as long as you configure and use them correctly.