Once again, I want to refer you to the most underrated volume "First Strike!" by Bryan Nystul. It lists 7 categories of 'mechs, which I found to be a useful guide, if no more.
TBT-5N - the basic model of the Trebuchet is actually one of the designs named in First Strike as a MISSILE BOAT. This is obvious. The two large LRM launchers make up 85% of its weapon weight. I actually think it is atypical of its category in that it invests more in speed than in armour (Whitworth and Archer are opposite and more typical examples). It carries little armour and ammo. I personally feel that that is no real problem. I quite like the characterisation in TRO:3025 - "Although it does not carry enough ammunition to cripple an opponent at long range, it can 'soften up' the enemy. This is useful against heavy 'Mechs, such as the Marauder and the BattleMaster, that lack LRM racks of their own."
While I would argue about the wisdom of discounting the Marauder's long range fire-power (3 hexes difference isn't a lot), I totally agree that this is a support design against really big and slow targets with a predominance of short-range weaponry. I'm looking at things like the Victor, Battlemaster and Atlas here. So it isn't conventional in that it won't sit in a "firing nest" that MISSILE BOATS usually use. It doesn't anchor any line or stuff like that. It is a head-hunter MISSILE BOAT. It picks its target/victim and then uses its above-average speed to try to keep the ranges at the desired distance.
I like this design a lot. It has the fire-power of something like a Hunchback (even though in a totally different character), but keeps up the speed to what a medium should have. Its lack of ammo is its life-line, it should withdraw when it runs out of it.
In one-off games it becomes expendable, meaning it can then be used in almost callous strikes which often field surprising results.
And yes, all this clearly means that this is very much a support design. It would fare much less well if it was fielded as the main head of any force.
TBT-5S - no, the Trebuchet isn't named like a lot of other designs. This isn't the Steiner variant, but much rather the generic SRM variant. It really is beautifully clean: it replaces the LRMs with an equal amount of big SRM launchers and then fills up on heat sinks. Yes, even though it is then aimed at short ranges, it does not increase the weak armour. No weird extra tacked-on plates.....
This is now definitely a STRIKER. Personally, I find this category to be a very difficult one to use: not as fast as a SCOUT, but way more brittle than a BRAWLER. Not as versatile as a SKIRMISHER. How exactly do you use it? Ok, it is perfect for hitting objectives, but then, I don't usually play campaigns or special scenarios. And, more weapons or not, in most cases STRIKERs still don't have a knock-out punch....or do they?
In many ways, the Trebuchet -5S is probably the largest STRIKER that I can think of right now. And that really, really shows in its guns. With 3 ML (15 damage) and 2 SRM6 (an average of 16 damage) it can easily outgun most other 3025 designs at closer ranges, especially considering it has the heat sinks to use all of that. Yes, that includes any weight classes (exceptions being the Victor, Stalker, Atlas and, only if it overheats, the Cyclops. The Hunchback is roughly on par).
I'm kinda split on this one. I've used it a couple of times and it did well, but couldn't stand up to return fire.
TBT-5J - The Marik variant. The J is for jump jets. By halfing the no of LRMs, the Trebuchet becomes slightly more resilient, jumps 5 hexes and loses the need to bracket-fire (it gains 5 HS).
This means that it now is a true SKIRMISHER - a jack of all, master of none. Annoying at all ranges, but no real threat.
The problem I see here is that there are already a *lot* of designs that fulfill that role, anyways. It is no better than a lot of them. I've never used it (BV is way too high, thanks to the good heat dissipation and JJ), so I shouldn't really go on about it....
TBT-7K - "WTF?!" some of you may exclaim. Well, this design has the Kuritan spin to it (and do you remember what they did to the Catapult?). The design originates in "Sorenson's Sabres" as seen in a Sword of Light regiment. It was never fully made clear whether this was a field refit or a factory refit kit or a limited factory run (unlike the Hermes III, also released in that volume, which was a factory conversion line thing). So a conservative guess tells us that it may not be unique but it is likely to be extremely rare.
This drops all the weaponry and replaces it rather arbitrarily. It mounts an AC5, a PPC and an SRM2 along with an extra HS, which means that it clearly becomes a SNIPER.
A bit of everything for this design, no? I quite like that load-out. It can handle the heat, it will surprise unwary opponents (unless the model is nicely converted....yes, I went through that trouble). But it is the only one of these designs that cannot, ever, cause more than 20 damage in a pinch. It also still mounts the mediocre armour.
In a way, this needs to fall back into the SKIRMISHER role of leading a running battle with rather ineffective firing if it ever gets *noticed*. But then, the Jagermech is screwed, too, if anyone ever concentrates on it....
Ok, I think I've run out of steam thoroughly. I picked out this design because of its varied roles and because I totally love the stock design. I realise this wasn't very nuanced, but then, that is what you guys are here for. No?
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