Confessions of an Automationeer, Part 182: War Wagon

Confessions of an Automationeer, Part 182: War Wagon

With QFC47 on the forums still in its final judging phase, I'd like you to take a look at the car I created and submitted for it: the '98 AMS Acolyte 420SW.

Above: The '98 AMS Acolyte 420SW may look like an ordinary 5-door station wagon, but it conceals the heart of a true sports car under its hood.

After reviewing the brief for QFC47, I decided to throw the kitchen sink at it, by teaming its 340-horsepower 4.2-liter naturally aspirated V8 with some of the best equipment I could afford with the $38k AMU budget: a helical AWD system with additional helical limited-slip differentials, a 5-speed automatic gearbox (electronically controlled this time), 18-inch alloy wheels with low-profile high-performance tires, large ABS-assisted vented disc brakes at each corner, driver and passenger front and side airbags, traction and stability control, a full premium interior with a high-quality stereo system and CD player (simulated with a multitude of 3D interior fixtures), and fully independent suspension at each wheel (dual wishbones up front with a multilink rear), tuned for a balance between sportiness and comfort. The end result was meant to be a one-size-fits-all performance car with seating for five, more than enough luggage space for all of them, and all-weather everyday usability - and indeed it was.

Even with all the weight of so much standard equipment, the flagship Acolyte could still sprint to 60 mph from a standstill in just 5.2 seconds, while providing cornering figures comparable to a genuine sports car from the same era. The fact that it didn't have to sacrifice practicality to achieve its awe-inspiring performance was just a bonus. Moreover, this was my first attempt making a fully detailed interior for anything with this body style, and I was quite impressed by how it looked. In short, this war wagon is proof that you can satisfy your head and your heart when you need a true performance car.

Confessions of an Automationeer, Part 181: Lightweight David and Goliath Redux

Confessions of an Automationeer, Part 181: Lightweight David and Goliath Redux

I recently took some time to revise not only the KMA K310 (my CSR163 entry), but also the LVC LS60 that I had made earlier. In both cases, I went to the trouble of cloning the model and the engine, but for the former, I shifted the model and engine family years forward by a full 10 years (from 2005 to 2015), with the trim and variant years being adjusted accordingly. This was purely a styling exercise, which meant that the exterior design remained virtually unchanged (at least for now), but it's still worth taking a look at the changes I made to this build.

Above, from top: The 2015 KMA K315T is now powered by a turbocharged engine, one that doesn't rev as high (or freely) as before, but to compensate for this, it's now slightly less spartan on the inside than before, and more reliable to boot.

This time, I opted for a turbocharged engine instead of a naturally aspirated one, to see if it would adversley affect the driving experience sufficiently to not be worth installing, considering that the cloned car was a full decade newer. Surprisingly, it did not - although I also made a different trim of this car with a naturally aspirated version of the same engine, and was suitably impressed by the result (especially its 600kg kerb weight), I realized that the turbo version was easier to drive daily (if it were ever possible in something as specialized as this) and, when geared correctly, even more efficient, without losing any reliability or safety. It was also only 15kg heavier compared to the original test mule on which it was based (a 2.5% increase), but the extra weight meant that I didn't have to mount the engine as far aft as before, which improved its dynamics somewhat.

As for the LVC LS60, I decided to give it a minor styling update, with a the front air extractor duct being split in two (thanks to a recolored grille accent fixture), and the single round taillights on each side being replaced by smaller dual units, to bring it into line with the rest of the contemporary model range. The interior has also been slightly reworked to have a smaller center stack (which is more in keeping with the car's lightweight ethos). Finally, a lighter exhaust system (incorporating dual straight-through mufflers in place of the original reverse-flow items) cuts the weight down to just 1030kg, especially with the rear wing fixture now a regular passive one (instead of a more complex active type), with the suspension being retuned accordingly.

Above, from top: With dual circular taillights on each side replacing the single units found in earlier versions, the LVC LS60 now has a more obvious family relationship to its lesser brethren, while on the inside, its smaller, simpler center stack is more harmonious than the bulkier design used previously.

In short, while both of these cars have had significant design and/or engineering changes compared to their previous iterations, they still show that light weight and razor-sharp dynamics can go a long way to erasing a power and/or torque deficit compared to their rivals.

MechDB Misadventures, Part 6: The Berserker-Like Stone Rhino

MechDB Misadventures, Part 6: The Berserker-Like Stone Rhino

In BattleTech, one of the most formidable 100-ton BattleMechs introduced after the Clan Invasion era (3050-3052 AD) is the Berserker, a hulking monstrosity with a 400-rated extralight engine and provision for MASC (an acronym for Myomer Accelerator Signal Circuitry). This gives it a maximum running speed of 64 km/h (or 86 km/h when using MASC) - a boon for when it has to close in on its target, as its melee-focused design dictates. Extrapolated to MechWarrior Online, this equates to a normal maximum speed of 64.8 km/h without MASC, and 81 km/h with it in use. However, the Berserker has not yet been introduced to MWO, since that game does not support functional melee weapons; even if it were, its enormous price (over 32 million C-bills) would make it one of the more expensive offerings, even by Clan standards. Moreover, its Inner Sphere XL engine can be disabled if even one of the Berserker's side torsos are blown off. Still, the possibilities that could arise from having the Berserker in MWO are intriguing, to say the least.

But what if you could combine the movement profile of a Berserker with the superior miniaturization of Clan tech, stick them in a standard BattleMech of identical mass, and add a quartet of jump jets for good measure? The result would be the nimblest and fastest 100-ton BattleMech known to man (outside of experimental designs). What, then, should we use as the basis for such a build? The most promising example is the Stone Rhino SR-K "Koloss", the hero variant, and the only one to have provision for MASC and four jump jets (whereas all other variants can mount only two or three each). Here's the starting point:

Above: This loadout for the Stone Rhino Koloss is the starting point for our quad jump jet, MASC-boosted 400 XL-engined build. To simulate the mass and space requirements of two Clan ER Medium Lasers, a Mk2 Targeting Computer weighing two tons has been fitted to the center torso. If I wanted to put more of my eggs in the offense basket, I could replace the AMS hardpoint with a pair of extra energy hardpoints and stick a Clan ER Medium Laser in each one, trading heat efficiency (and a half-ton of armor) for even more firepower. Swapping the Active Probe for yet another ER medium laser would raise the damage potential to a staggering 74, but reduces the heat efficiency even further.

As you can see, the Koloss' engine cap is the same 350 rating as most other variants, but for the sake of this post, we're raising it to the maximum of 400, as shared with the SR-6. The Clan XL 350 engine weighs 26 tons with all four of its heat sink slots filled; replacing it with a Clan XL 400 engine (which has provision for six extra heat sinks) would add 13.5 tons to the 'Mech if all heat sink expansion slots are filled, which ensures that it would now be on (rather than under) the maximum tonnage limit for the chassis. With the two extra double heat sinks fitted, it should not have too many problems with heat management, even with two Clan ER Medium Lasers installed in the center torso in place of the TC I fitted as a placeholder (although for this change to be possible, the center torso would have its pair of missile hardpoints replaced by a pair of energy hardpoints) And while we're at it, we're filling the remaining two critical slots with lower arm actuators, thus bringing back the original variant's Barrel Fist quirk (which applies only to the tabletop). Even so, it still carries maximum armor for its mass (16 tons of Clan Ferro-Fibrous armor), which would make it an extremely tough nut to crack, especially with its AMS system and Active Probe guarding against missile salvos and hidden threats, respectively.

I'm calling this new variant of the Stone Rhino the SR-B "Berzerk" for its ability to reach unprecedented speeds for a 100-ton 'Mech, in addition to its unrivaled agility. Considering its potential for being overpowered, the Berzerk should either be a Hero or Legendary 'Mech - but it may just be worth the price. At present, the only 100-ton 'Mech in MWO with an engine cap of 400 and provision for MASC is the Kodiak KDK-SB "Spirit Bear", but since that particular chassis lacks provision for Jump Jets, the Berzerk could yet fill that void. OK, so it may seem undergunned on paper, but its all-energy loadout, full load of armor, and surprisingly rapid performance make it more formidable than you think. As for the ramifications of bringing it to the tabletop, everyone would freak out over the idea of something with firepower rivalling a Hellstar 3 and the movement profile of a Berserker, augmented with the jump jet capability of a Kodiak KDK-2. 

Taking the idea further,  I could replace the AMS hardpoint in the right torso with an additional energy hardpoint in each side torso, and stick an extra Clan ER Medium Laser in each one (or better still, have all the Clan ER Large Lasers in the side torsos instead, with each arm having a Clan ER Medium Laser), to further emphasize offense at the expense of less heat efficiency. This increases the alpha strike damage from 56 to 68, and a half-ton of armor removed to avoid going over the tonnage limit. An especially brave MechWarrior could swap the head-mounted Active Probe for a fifth ER medium laser, yielding a whopping 74 alpha strike damage, but making it even more prone to overheating.

Just to show another way to configure the chassis, a possible basis for an adaptation of the Stone Rhino Berzerk with a quartet of Clan ER PPCs instead of the original laser-based loadout is shown below.

Above: This alternate loadout could be a sound basis for a variant of the Stone Rhino Berzerk - upgrading the engine to an XL 390 engine and removing a heat sink would be necessary to reach the tonnage and critical slot limits. It may run hotter, but it hits harder, and crucially, it can jump just as far.

The resulting 'Mech, with a Clan XL 390 engine, and one Double Heat Sink removed to accommodate a lower arm actuator in each arm, would be essentially a slightly slower Hellstar 1, but with the ability to jump over obstacles and temporarily increase its speed, at the cost of requiring more careful heat management - as with the original Berzerk variant, it's meant as a faster, more agile, and wholly ammunition alternative to most other 100-tonners, which are less likely to (be able to) use speed as armor (and firepower). In short, these two hypothetical build suggestions show that there is a strong case to be made for a 100-ton Assault-class 'Mech with a strong focus on mobility to counter any potential shortfalls in raw firepower and armor... up to a point.

Update (September 21st, 2024, 7:35pm UTC+7): After revisiting MechDB, I found out that this configuration for the Stone Rhino SR-6 was the closest match I could find (in terms of tonnage and internal structural configuration) to the Berzerk:

Above: This is as close to my proposed Berzerk variant of the Stone Rhino/Behemoth as MechDB currently allows in terms of tonnage and internal structure configuration.

As approximations to the Stone Rhino SR-B "Berzerk" go, this one comes closest, with dual Clan Medium Pulse Lasers and a Mk IV Targeting Computer to simulate the mass and space requirements of two extra Jump Jets and Clan MASC Mk IV, respectively - but this time, I've replaced the head-mounted Clan ER Medium Laser with a Clan ER Small Laser to regain that missing half-ton of armor. Also, with its entire loadout tucked away in its side torso, its effective profile is now somewhat narrower - although you still have to be careful with your heat management, since it only has 23 heat sinks. And if you actually replaced the MASC, head-mounted ER Small Laser, and a half-ton of armor with a Mk IV Targeting Computer and Clan Active Probe, you'd essentially trade its sprinting ability for better accuracy and the ability to detect hidden targets, which is an equally effective combination. The Berzerk's firepower without the Clan Medium Pulse Lasers, however, would be as follows:

Above: 73 alpha strike damage from a full rainbow of Clan ER Lasers - not bad for a mobility-focused 100-tonner, eh? It still runs hot, though, and deserves some more heat-related quirks (and/or associated Skill Tree upgrades) to be a more viable option - unless you're skilled enough with your laser fire.

With the quirks from the SR-7 variant (another energy boat), its firepower breakdown would be as follows:

Above: This is more like it. The SR-7's heat and range quirks (which I feel should be shared with the Berzerk) are welcome, and help offset the heat penalty of the cooldown reduction quirk (which the Berzerk should not retain). However, when the heat/range quirks are combined with the SR-7's armor quirks, it becomes even tougher still. Whether or not the Berzerk should also have these, I do not know, but I think they would still be helpful for any 100-ton assault 'Mech that places a high emphasis on mobility, as the Berzerk would.

In any case, it'll still be the fastest and most agile 100-ton assault 'Mech of them all (an, even though it runs very hot (unless you stagger your shots) - but it will still be very deadly in the right hands.

MechDB Misadventures, Part 5: Replicating the Hellstar in MechDB - Is it Possible?

MechDB Misadventures, Part 5: Replicating the Hellstar in MechDB - Is it Possible?

One of my favorite Clan standard BattleMechs from the Wars of Reaving/Blakist War era (3067 AD to 3085 AD) is the Hellstar, a 95-ton Assault 'Mech. The original HLS-1 (which is what it would be called if it were featured in MechWarrior Online) is armed exclusively with four Clan ER PPCs (one in each arm and side torso), and carries 30 Clan Double Heat Sinks to absorb their immense heat load, while a 380-rated Clan XL fusion engine propels it to a maximum running speed of 64.8 km/h. All of this is wrapped up in a Clan endo-steel structure and 18 tons of standard armor (the maximum amount possible for its weight class). 

The only problem (although admittedly, a major one) with the Hellstar is that it wasn't introduced until 3079 AD, whereas the current MWO timeline remains stuck at 3067 AD (for now). As such, the Hellstar has yet to be introduced to MWO, but there is one 95-ton Clan standard 'Mech in the game right now that comes closest: the Bull Shark (specifically, the Clan-tech hero variant, the BSK-M "Mako"). It should be noted that the Bull Shark was originally created for Harebrained Schemes' BattleTech video game, and introduced to MWO later on; as such, it is an apocryphal 'Mech design that cannot be used in the tabletop.

So I decided to configure a Bull Shark in a similar fashion to the Hellstar, but with a few key differences: since the Bull Shark's maximum engine rating is a relatively modest 345 (as opposed to the Hellstar's 380), I had to install a 340-rated engine instead, thus freeing up enough spare mass for a standard (rather than Clan endo-steel) structure, along with three extra Clan double heat sinks and a Clan Active Probe (which can be replaced with a Mk1 Targeting Computer if required). The resulting build is shown below:

This customized Bull Shark BSK-M "Mako" is the closest thing you can get right now to a 1:1 replica of the Hellstar HLS-1 in MechWarrior Online - instead of the Clan endo-steel structure and 380-rated Clan XL engine, there's now a standard structure encasing a 340-rated Clan XL engine, a Clan Active Probe, and three additional Clan double heat sinks. 

This custom build (which I call the HellShark - a portmanteau of Hellstar and Bull Shark) may be slower than its inspiration, but it runs slightly colder, and its effective profile is narrower due to all of its weapons both located in its side torsos (one high up and another lower down in each, in both cases close to the centerline). Moreover, it will not lose any effectiveness (aside from heat capacity) if either or both arms are blown off. And with its absence of lower arm actuators (which the Hellstar has, as evidenced by that 'Mech's Barrel Fist quirk on both arms), it can carry a whopping 32(!) Clan double heat sinks. For comparison, a Warhawk WHK-Prime (an 85-ton Clan assault OmniMech) with the same weapons configuration and a full set of 8 OmniPods can carry only 28 at most (although admittedly, most of those are fixed equipment). Even so, with the recent nerfs to Double Heat Sinks, it's still best to fire those ER PPCs two at a time to avoid ghost heat.

The reason for using a standard structure and a 340-rated XL engine is that the Hellstar's 380-rated XL engine weighs a whopping 32.5 tons after attaching five more heat sinks to it - nine more than a 340-rated engine with all three of its heat sink slots filled, as installed on this Bull Shark. If it were indeed possible to swap it out for a 380-rated engine, doing so and upgrading to an endo-steel structure would entail removing three double heat sinks, while only gaining two in return (for a net loss of one), and there would be no room for the Active Probe either. Also, an additional half-ton of armor would have to be removed to accommodate these changes, so it wouldn't be quite as well-protected as a Hellstar. Removing a heat sink would then solve the armor deficiency, but would take away the Bull Shark's advantage of extra heat capacity, so my proposed Bull Shark build may indeed work better with a 340-rated XL engine (complete with 3 extra heat sinks) and a standard structure after all.

In short, compared to a Hellstar, this Quad ER PPC Bull Shark Mako may be slightly slower, and lacks any energy weapon-related quirks (although skill tree upgrades can help compensate for that), but on the other hand, it has even more heat capacity, and is incapable of being completely disarmed if both arms are blown off, due to the entirety of its firepower being concentrated in its side torsos, allowing you to use its arms as shields. Just be careful if even one arm falls off - you'll lose quite a fair bit of heat capacity if you do. Still, to say that this Bull Shark build is the next best thing to a Hellstar may just be an understatement - with the exception of speed, it may just be an improvement in so many other ways that you may even start questioning whether the Hellstar should even be introduced to MWO. And if this build were available in the tabletop, its greater heat capacity (when compared to MWO, where all Double Heat Sinks are nerfed in comparison to the source material, to avoid overreliance on energy-based builds, among others) and Active Probe would make it utterly frightening for any foe to face, especially since its lighter engine and standard structure would effectively turn it into a discount Hellstar. Maybe it's a good thing that the Bull Shark Mako is only found in MWO - it would potentially be overpowered on the tabletop if it were configured similarly to the Hellstar.

As for the later Hellstar HLS-3, which carries four Clan ER Large Lasers, two Clan Medium Pulse Lasers, a MkIV Targeting Computer, and a Clan ECM Suite, this is the closest equivalent:

This alternate loadout for the Bull Shark Mako apes the Hellstar HLS-3, but downgrades to a 340-rated Clan XL engine and a standard structure, while swapping the ECM suite for an anti-missile system due to the Mako lacking provision for ECM.

This may not be quite as powerful as the quad ER PPC build, but it runs even colder and is even more accurate, in addition to being able to resist incoming missile salvos for as long it has AMS ammo to spare. However, both of them are very effective for prolonged battles where ammunition dependency (except for AMS) is of significant concern.

Confessions of an Automationeer, Part 180: Flyweight Fantasy

Confessions of an Automationeer, Part 180: Flyweight Fantasy

Now that I've given a brief description of my latest build in the previous post in this series, I'll invite you to take a deeper look at it, along with other variants in the lineup.

Above: The KMA K310 lineup consists of six different trim levels, covering a wide gamut from maximum economy to ultimate track performance.

The six trims of the 2005 KMA K310, all sharing the same all-carbon platform and 1.0-liter naturally aspirated inline-three, are shown here from left to right as follows:

• XLE: Base model with 60 horsepower, open diff, a 5-speed manual gearbox, and 14-inch wheels, capable of over 80 mpg while still being somewhat fun to drive.
• XLP: A mid-range trim with 100 horsepower, a viscous limited-slip diff, and 15-inch wheels, bridging the gap between the XLE and the upper trim levels in terms of economy and performance.
• XLS: A sportier trim level with 10 more horsepower and high-performance tires in place of the economy-focused ones, plus an extra cog in the gearbox and a helical LSD for a sharper feel.
• XLC: Identical to the XLS but with some standard equipment (such as the CD player and all electronic driving aids) omitted, aimed at the purist.
• XLT: A true hardcore variant with 145 horsepower, essentially a road-legal version of the track-only XLR.
• XLR: The ultimate evolution of the K310, with 189 horsepower and a race-spec interior and tires, exclusively for race use.

All in all, the K310 is proof that a very light car with a modest power output can be just as fun to drive as a heavier, more powerful car, but in this case it comes at a price - between $50,000 and $60,000 AMU depending on trim level, although it's worth it for something that weighs so little.

Crippling Overspecialization: A Major Problem for Infinite Space Fleet Commanders

Crippling Overspecialization: A Major Problem for Infinite Space Fleet Commanders

Much like BattleTech (and the MechWarrior games spawned from it), the Infinite Space trilogy allows one to customize units (especially in Sea of Stars) to tailor them for a specific role. However, this has the potential to create builds that are either capable of fulfilling multiple roles, but none of them well, or too specialized at one specific task to be truly effective in others. Here, we're discussing the latter - a phenomenon known as crippling overspecialization.

To show this off, let's consider a fleet comprised of just two vessels: a Garthan scout armed with nothing but a Nova Cannon, and a Calatian destroyer carrying four Proton Blasters. The scout's Nova Cannon is well-suited to long-range sniping against capital ships (up to and including Yellow Kawangi dreadnoughts), but its slow fire rate makes it far less effective against fighters. The end result is a high-alpha build that delivers a lot of damage when it hits, and none at all otherwise - but the Scout's innate speed helps mitigate the cannon's inaccuracy to some extent, since it can get into position more quickly. On the other hand, the Calatian destroyer's array of rapid-fire turrets higher fire rate (and hence more damage per second) has a comparatively low alpha strike potential and shorter range. Considering the strengths and weaknesses of these builds, it's therefore best to use the two together, with one ship's specialty compensating for the other's deficiencies.

Above, from top: This battle sequence between a Garthan fleet (comprised of three light carriers and four frigates) and a custom two-ship fleet (consisting of a Calatian destroyer armed with four Proton Blasters, and a Garthan scout carrying a Nova Cannon) shows why having one ship specialized in a specific role is a bad idea unless supported by another specialized ship configured to compensate for the other ship's deficiencies. The scout's long-range weaponry is best used against other capital ships, since its fire rate is too slow to be truly effective against fighters - the exact kind of target that the Calatian Destroyer is generally meant to counter, although that ship's weapons have a shorter maximum range and damage by comparison.

The need to specialize some ships in your fleet within the Infinite Space trilogy reminds me of having to do the same thing in BattleTech (and, by extension, MechWarrior), where some units are configured as long-range snipers, and others are used as close-range brawlers, alongside fast, agile scouts and heavily armed (yet fragile) missile boats providing indirect-fire bombardment. In a typical battle scenario, units of these different types are used in concert, with one type covering the other's weaknesses, and vice versa.

Above, from top: Two examples of highly specialized 'Mech builds from MechWarrior Online. The Firestarter FS9-K is built as a fast, agile brawler with high DPS, and requires a high speed (plus two Jump Jets) to leverage it due to its low tonnage. The Dire Wolf DWF-Prime, on the other hand, has been set up as a slow but strong and powerful sniper, with four Clan ER Large Lasers (fired in pairs to avoid ghost heat) in each arm providing a combined alpha strike of 88 - too much to use in reality, in fact, but still nearly 50% more than a Warhawk Prime carrying four Clan ER PPCs.

In short, just as in BattleTech and MechWarrior, specialization in Infinite Space can be a good idea... until it's taken too far, at which point you'll need another specialized unit to negate the resulting weaknesses in your formation. Even then, you'll need to use them all in concert to create a truly effective fighting force, but when you do, you should not have any trouble conquering the battlefield.

Confessions of an Automationeer, Part 179: A 32nd Birthday Gift

Confessions of an Automationeer, Part 179: A 32nd Birthday Gift

In honor of my 32nd birthday, I have decided to treat myself with another celebratory Automation build - one that, like my previous birthday build, is mid-engined and built around a carbon-fiber monocoque chassis clad in carbon-fiber panels. However, the similarities end there; instead of a flagship '90s supercar (or hypercar), this one is an ultra-light track car with an emphasis on agility and efficiency to compensate for its much lower output. The car in question, the KMA KM310, is intended for submission in a forum competition in the near future, so here it is in its current form.

In its most extreme form, the KMA K310 is a spartan flyweight of a track car whose small size and efficiency help it punch well above its weight.

Although a fully detailed interior (which omits a sound system in its most basic form) has not yet been fitted as of now, I plan to do so for when I am ready to submit this build. It may only be a limited production car (or even a concept) due to its high cost ($57,000 AMU when new), but with its 110-horsepower naturally aspirated 1.0L inline-three driving the rear wheels via a six-speed manual gearbox and helical LSD, it's surprisingly quick off the mark, taking just under 5 seconds to reach 60 mph from a standstill. Moreover, its track-tuned pushrod-actuated suspension, ultra-light carbon-ceramic disc brakes, and narrow yet grippy high-performance tires help it breach the 1g mark on a skidpad with ease. Most amazingly of all, its combination of a flat floor, slippery aerodynamics (<0.2 drag coefficient), low curb weight (515kg in its lightest guise), and small engine helps it return a devilish 66.6 US mpg on the in-game combined cycle - virtually unheard of from any track-focused mid-engined sports car.

In short, the K310 may not be the fastest or most powerful car of its kind, but as one of the lightest and most efficient, expect it to outlast many heavier rivals on a track - and outsmart them on the road.