Production Designations: What do they mean?

NOTE: the following applies to IS-based mechs

For example you have the House designations:

• D = Davion
• K = Kurita
• L = Liao
• M = Marik
• S = Steiner

Other forces:

• 1b/1c = ancient designations for Star League Royal Guard units
• C-__ (prefix) = Word of Blake Celestial designations
• DC = Draconis Combine units
• H = Terran Hegemony sourced, common Star League designation
• FS = Federated Sun units
• MC = Magistracy of Canopus
• NAIS = units designed by the New Avalon Institute of Science (in Davion space)
• R = Republic of the Sphere units
• SA-__ (prefix) = Solaris Arms
• TC = Taurian Concordat

Examples of equipment-based designations:

• A,B,C = standard variant designations
• C = can also be signify the unit is equipped with a C3 computer
• CD = "Civil Defense" for law enforcement
• HT = "High Threat" firefighting mech
• J = has Jump Jets
• O = Omni equipped (or OA, OB, OC, etc. for different variants)
• PL = pulse laser version
• r = small "r" represents an field refit of a factory design
• T = equppied with a Targeting Computer
• UBM-__ (prefix) = WoB designation for Unmanned BattleMech
• X = experimental
• Y = refitted experimental

Unknown designations (with my own thoughts included):

• E = Energy build?
• F
• G = Gauss build?
• I
• N
• P
• Q
• U
• V
• W
• Z = limited production / last of production line designation?

Still deciding on a proper "Lancer" designation.

One-off custom designs are usually given a "proper name" after their original design (which for the most part, is what I've been having you guys do). For example:

• THG-11ECX Jose
• GRF-1E Sparky
• ZEU-9WD Stacy

Although, occassionally some of these designs become popular enough to warrant mass production.

All you really need to know is that if the size of the chassis is changed (the Mad Cat is probably the best example), that is what constitutes a full designation change.

 

EDIT: Clan production lines are much more straightforward. The only one really worth mentioning is the IIC designation.

• IIC = Clan produced BattleMechs; means "second generation, Clan tech"

As far as I can tell, this is a clan-exclusive designation. No original IS designs utilizing Clan tech have ever used it. The closest I've seen is some rare occassions where IIC designs were produced by IS factions with Clan ties (ie. Wolf's Dragoons, Kell Hounds, Wolves in Exile), but again... these IIC's were originally clan designs.

Obviously, none of this is written in stone and clearly some designations follow the rules better than others. We have to remember that this is a game and multiple people with various levels (or none at all) of engineering knowledge were involved.

 

From what I can tell, the way the Clans did it was they gave the Chassis a basic name, such as 'Timber Wolf' or 'Pack Hunter' or 'UrbanMech IIC'. If they were OmniMechs, they'd have the base as 'Prime', followed by 'A, B, C, D, ...'. For Second-Line mechs, if they had variants they would be '2, 3, ...'. Clan mechs never had a shortened 'designation' from what I can find. I wonder if that relates to their whole 'no contractions' deal?

 

That is correct. The original post was more to explain IS designations. Clan stuff is pretty straightforward.

 

I guess technically I should have made my Pack Hunter as as 'Pack Hunter 'Chrome'', which would then have been made into an OmniMech, so it would now be 'Pack Hunter 'Chrome' Prime', or 'Pack Hunter 'Chrome' A', and so on, since it is a one-off.

 

I didn't realize it was originally a Battlemech. That makes a lot more sense now.

Seeing as the PH II was originally intended to be an OmniMech, but never was and add to the fact that yours is 5 tons heavier, I think running with the "Pack Hunter III" is probably the most accurate designation. Afterall, you've pretty much rebuilt the whole thing from the ground up.

Using the example of the canon one-off version (Pack Hunter II Isis), "Pack Hunter III Chrome" does feel appropriate.

 

Well, it's all based off a stock Pack Hunter I that was up-tonned, kept the internal structure and armor, threw in a new engine, moved the cockpit. Being an experimental one off I'd think giving it a 'production line' designation of 'Pack Hunter III' would be rather generous. Unless you like it and Alliance Industries Ltd. wants to pay Chrome royalties.

 

I see your point. What you describe sounds like this:
http://www.sarna.net/wiki/Super_Griffin

Using that as a reference, it sounds like yours is basically a prototype new design that hasn't reached production status. Maybe you will get famous enough to sell the design specs to Alliance and then retire comfortably to your private tropical island?

 

Screw that, I want a tropical moon.

Orc raises an interesting point... Do our one offs get the Prototype quirk? Or is that for ground up new designs?

 

Hey Magnus! So for gullible Trevnor, his Axman AXM-3S that he overhauled would gain a new designation of AXM-3S 'Jötunn', if I am correct. That designation would hold even when up tonned and converted to Clan tech, as it is a unique one-off? That way it's lineage holds

 

The prototype quirks greatly increases the chance of a critical hit, so unless you guys are masochists, I'm leaning towards ignoring that. It would pretty much ruin people's fun in having custom designs. In a normal campaign, this can be a good thing as it very effectively discourages dramatic design changes. However, I think we have enough checks & balances with our current ruleset to allow everything with the kitchen sink.

Also, from a canon perspective, you guys are Lancers... and your Handlers are quantifiable geniuses regarding tech. You have plenty of resources available to you that it is completely plausible for them to come up with new designs. If anyone here is familiar with the Solaris team "Stables" one could draw a lot of similarities between the two.

Here's an example of a refurbished old design into something new:
http://www.sarna.net/wiki/Ronin_(BattleMech)
The maker is Solaris Arms, which specializes in small production run, specialized Battlemech designs.

Another way of putting it, Solaris Arms (and organizations like them) is kind of the "Orange County Choppers" of the Battletech universe.

 

HMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM, actually, looking at the Super Griffin, I'm wondering if a good convention for IS mechs would be to add a L- to refitted Lancer mechs? So make it a L-AXM-3S 'Jötunn'.

Would help sort all of em too

 

I dig it.

 

Doesn't help with Lancer Clam mechs vs unique variants, but it's a start!