We have an upcoming game of Battletech, Lance V Lance (4 on 4) at 5000 BV 2.0, from the Master Unit lists. I decided that I should use some Classic Battletech Unseen Mechs.
Why are they unseen, well that stems from some of the mechs look remarkably like those from Macros, Robotech, Crusher Joe and a number other Japanese anime series. The whole saga started the removal of some classic battletech mechs and images. Then in 2009 Catalyst Games Lab re-introduced them in the Reseen designs, only to discover they were in the middle of a legal minefield, and they were removed again and redesigns were done. You can read more here. The whole thing left us with some terrible looking mechs with familiar names. I had been lucky to have some of the Mechs removed some way back in the day. I also found some other mechs in other peoples discards and purchased them.
Then in 2012 we had the Robotech kickstarter, which ultimately failed to deliver, and was terminated as a project five or six years later.
So I have the main box and the main expansion that came with wave 1. And so I thought that I would knock together a couple of units to see how they go along side Battletech. And of course being the old school classic mechs we all love, they were going to be used for battletech, cause I am never going to play Robotech.
I have put together the following:
- Rifleman – ADR-04-Mk.X Destroid Defender
- Archer – MBR-07-Mk.II Destroid Spartan
- Warhammer – MBR-04-Mk.VI Destroid Tomahawk
- Longbow – SDR-04-Mk.XII Destroid Phalanx
Now knowing that the Robotech Zentradi battlepods are larger than the Mecha used by the SDF I also put together:
- Marauder – Glaug Commander Type
I know the models are terribly designed, and the plastic frames are also terrible. So it was going to be a chore to put them together. Once I do all 4 frames I will have 8 Destroid’s two of each ready to go, but I only got five put together and the marauder as I ran out of Hex bases for battletech.
Comparing the Models
Rifleman – ADR-04-Mk.X Destroid Defender
The Rifleman Frame is a bit of a mess like all these frames.
But it didn’t take that long to get put together. Some of the plastic has some terrible shrink issues and many mold lines, not all the joins are neat and some have gaps.
It is built like a model frame, not wargame piece frame. And the models are not really robust enough to be used all the time, I expect they will break with use.
Comparing the original unseen on the right, the new on the left with a near complete Riffleman in the middle. The original which would have been made in the 1980’s is a little rough now days, but the new plastic from Robotech fits right in along side both.
Warhammer – MBR-04-Mk.VI Destroid Tomahawk
I do love the warhammer, in all it’s iterations, but I have never purchased one of the newest sculpts, other than the Warhammer IIc but that doesn’t count cause it is clan.
It is still a mess.
So very similar, and again fits right in so it is going to be good to be able to field loads of Warhammers.
Marauder – Glaug Commander Type
I don’t have a frame pic of this one, as I had started to assemble this when it looked like we might actually get to play Robotech. I stopped soon after starting the assembly as we all realised that we would never see half the stuff we paid for.
The plastic is larger but it is ok. it sort of works.
Archer – MBR-07-Mk.II Destroid Spartan
I don’t have an archer Mech so no comparisons so here is the frame and an assembled Archer.
Longbow – SDR-04-Mk.XII Destroid Phalanx
I also never had a longbow, though was something I keep looking at but the new models sort of suck.
Painting.
As you have seen I have gone for a Blue on Black scheme.
Overall I am really happy, they are a bit of a pain to go together, but once you have one done they it happens pretty fast. It is also nice to have some of the classic mechs that just don’t get seen that often on the table.
What is on the work bench.
I still have that Skaven Bloodbowl team there… sigh… it is looking at me, asking for paint, I will have to get to it. soon…
