Technical Readout: 3028
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There was a flurry of early work on the TT stats for the Argo-class shortly after it was announced over on the old HBS BattleTech Forum. It included Dev reaction and then input as a number of us hashed out the details. Over the course of 3+ months, a general consensus formed as to its statistics and equipment (sans the whole Daisy-Chaining Docking Collar thing). There was also discussion of whether the Argo-Class was actually a Space Station as opposed to a DropShip. Ultimately, since it is transportable via JumpShip, the DropShip designation made the most sense.
Here's the short preview of it (the full treatment includes the exact tonnage breakdown):
Argo-Class DropShip.
Mass: 100,000 tons
Type: Civilian Spheroid
Dimensions:
Length: 300 m
Width: 175 m
Height: 175 m
Drive System: SL-BI-1500 Novadrive
Safe Thrust: 1.5 G
Maximum Thrust: 2.5 G
Fuel: 3,532 tons (400 Days @ 8.84 tons/day)
Crew: 20 Officers, 78 Enlisted/Non-rated, 2 Gunners,
6 Aerospace Fighter Pilots, 4 Small Craft Pilots,
12 Small Craft Crew, 12 Mechwarriors, 22 Technicians
Passengers: 40 1st Class Passengers,
130 2nd Class Passengers
Cargo:
Bays 1-20: Cargo (57,000 tons)
Bays 21-23: 12 BattleMech Cubicles
Bay 24: 6 Aerospace Fighter Cubicles (1 Door)
Bay 25: 4 Small Craft Cubicles (1 Door)
Armor: 55 tons
Armament:
12 Medium Lasers
Escape Pods: 25
Life Boats: 25
Manufacturer: Boeing Interstellar (2762)
Cost: 37,000,000,000 C-Bills
You forgot to add in the Merlin. Since you repeatedly referenced that mech, it’s absance is quite noticeable.
Excellent job overall
Excellent job overall
If only PGI had a model for the Merlin. I love that 'Mech and it has such a fascinating place in lore, being the first "new" 'Mech created after the Vindicator, if memory serves, and in the Periphery no less! In my mind, it kicked off the relative slew of 'Mechs that followed in first quarter of the 31st century, notably the Hatchetman, Cataphract, Raven and, to a lesser extent, the Linesman. Alas, TRO 3028 is limited (for the most part) to presenting only those 'Mechs (and support units) which have updated art from PGI/HBS.
Hmm, I noticed that your stats only include space for 12 Battlemechs. I'm curious then as to the seeming potential for us to have a total of 18 cubicles in use by Battlemechs in the course of the game. I haven't kept up fully with the available streams, so I was curious if this meant that we would be retrofitting the Aerospace Fighter Cubicles into Battlemech cubicles or if the leopard would still be providing a mech bay of its own to pull us up to the full 18. It could be any number of things, but I thought I should ask.
TRO: 3028 adheres as closely to BattleTech canon as just about any other TRO out there. When it comes to the Argo-class, however, the closest "official" information available is Update #25 of the HBS Kickstarter site. Much of the Argo was reverse-engineered from these initial details. Note that Update #25 was published 8 MAR 2016 which is now over two years ago. Once the game is released, some minor adjustments to the Argo may occur. For example, since its unveiling, the initial idea of "Daisy Chaining" (Having a DropShip dock with another DropShip and then having that DropShip dock with a JumpShip for FTL transport) has already been revised with the concept being largely abandoned by HBS after coming under heavy criticism.
Update #25 describes the cargo area as thus: "MAIN HOLD - The Argo’s main hold is subdivided into into multiple bays, which are connected to each other both via the ship’s main spine elevators and internal lifts. There are three Mech bays, each of which has four Mech cubicles. Active ‘Mechs are kept in these cubicles, ready for deployment. The cubicles are also repair bays for MechTechs to upgrade, modify, and repair Mechs. The Argo was built primarily as a cargo hauler, and has 20 cargo bays ranging in size from 20 m3 to the vast cavernous Main Bay, with 25,000 m3 of storage."
That said, since the Argo is incapable of atmospheric operations, a small Leopard-class Dropship is used to transport 'Mechs to and from the planetary surface. Normally, a Leopard is outfitted with 4 'Mech Bays and 2 Fighter Cubicles. One common modification to this design is, as you point out, covert the 2 Fighter Cubicles into 'Mech Bays. This could, in theory, also be done on the Argo as well. Either conversion would effectively provide 18 'Mechs Bays total while doing both could net as many as 24 'Mech Bays (18 Argo + 6 Leopard).
From what I've seen in-game, we will have the ability to increase the Argo's active 'Mech capacity twice, by rehabilitating derelict cargo bays, each containing 4 'Mech Bays. I would be surprised if there was an option in game to covert the Argo's Fighters Cubicles into 'Mech Bays as well. For reference, it was never stated exactly how many Fighters the Argo's complement consisted of, rather simply that it carried one.
WOW! 
Thanks to all those who made this possible.
I have mentioned and linked it in my home forum (we have a BT kickstarter thread there): https://www.elitedangerous.de/forum/viewtopic.php?p=389925#p389925
Thanks to all those who made this possible.
I have mentioned and linked it in my home forum (we have a BT kickstarter thread there): https://www.elitedangerous.de/forum/viewtopic.php?p=389925#p389925
I'm curious about how the choice of Mech shown used by Jason Youngblood for Crescent Hawks came about. There were not any Cyclops in Crescent Hawks Inception or Revenge, right? One would think it would instead be the rare Phoenix Hawk LAM, which he found abandoned by his father Jeremiah from Inception.
Other choices would be any these:
Inception
Locust
Stinger
Wasp
Commando
Chameleon
(Phoenix Hawk LAM - Found abandoned, can't pilot)
Revenge
Wasp
Commando
Griffin
Enforcer
Phoenix Hawk
Hermes II
Other choices would be any these:
Inception
Locust
Stinger
Wasp
Commando
Chameleon
(Phoenix Hawk LAM - Found abandoned, can't pilot)
Revenge
Wasp
Commando
Griffin
Enforcer
Phoenix Hawk
Hermes II
In short, the text block above each 'Mech rendering is simply intended to reflect the paint scheme of a particular unit. The name of the CO and homeworld are listed for convenience. With only a few notable exceptions, such as the Bounty Hunter's Marauder, the 'Mech depicted is not intended to be the personal 'Mech of the CO. You are correct, there is no mention of
Captain Jeremiah Youngblood ever piloting a Cyclops.
Ah I see, I suppose it takes more time to paintshop schemes onto the artwork. My curiosity has been answered.
The Cyclops was also a nod to the Lord Commander (with his eye patch) - as you may notice the MechWarrior's name is Mitch. There is also an Infocom logo on the left arm ML
Maybe if we get the Hermes (or Chameleon), we will redo the color scheme on that one and give the Cyclops to another unit.
So are the guy I have to moan at for there only being one Taurian Mech?The Cyclops was also a nod to the Lord Commander (with his eye patch) - as you may notice the MechWarrior's name is Mitch. There is also an Infocom logo on the left arm ML
Maybe if we get the Hermes (or Chameleon), we will redo the color scheme on that one and give the Cyclops to another unit.
LOL - possibly
We tried to include a broad selection to represent all the factions out there - we even included Rasalhague, Skye and Andurien under their 3027/3028 era boundaries (Combine, Lyran and Free Worlds respectively). Originally we had 5 'Mechs for each of the major houses and 1 for each minor power, supplemented by some of the more fabled merc companies, Corporations, Solaris stables and even a SLDF scheme.
Though we went a little heavy with the Wolf's Dragoon 'Mechs - as they weren't really anywhere else at that time (not that I am going to complain, if any of you recall my old HBS forum avatar
We tried to include a broad selection to represent all the factions out there - we even included Rasalhague, Skye and Andurien under their 3027/3028 era boundaries (Combine, Lyran and Free Worlds respectively). Originally we had 5 'Mechs for each of the major houses and 1 for each minor power, supplemented by some of the more fabled merc companies, Corporations, Solaris stables and even a SLDF scheme.
Though we went a little heavy with the Wolf's Dragoon 'Mechs - as they weren't really anywhere else at that time (not that I am going to complain, if any of you recall my old HBS forum avatar
The Black Knight in ComStar Guards and Militia livery was also quite controversial for 3028
the single best source of solid information for a newbie like me ...this really helped me understand and put into context allot of things ..a massive thank you to all involved in this project
Ha, injustice ribbing you, it's all godLOL - possibly
We tried to include a broad selection to represent all the factions out there - we even included Rasalhague, Skye and Andurien under their 3027/3028 era boundaries (Combine, Lyran and Free Worlds respectively). Originally we had 5 'Mechs for each of the major houses and 1 for each minor power, supplemented by some of the more fabled merc companies, Corporations, Solaris stables and even a SLDF scheme.
Though we went a little heavy with the Wolf's Dragoon 'Mechs - as they weren't really anywhere else at that time (not that I am going to complain, if any of you recall my old HBS forum avatar
Although, if it has to be only one mech, could it be anything but the Jäger? A rubbish mech that's the tool of the Davion aggressors!
(And if you're really stuck for colour schemes, I know a periphery based merc company... )
Heh - yes, I toook it as such, but also wanted to give a little background on how it came to be - since a fair portion of new recruits might not have seen the historic 3028 threads.
As to why the Jager - that would be my twisted sense of humor showing throughout the book. The unit is the Concordat Jaegers AND it is typically a Davion 'Mech, so what better device to throw back in the Fedrat's faces!! As a further inside joke, the name HAVOC is in honor of @Prussian Havoc - using Prussian Font
There are more than a few hidden messages in the 'Mech and Map art for those that wish to embark on a scavenger hunt.
As to why the Jager - that would be my twisted sense of humor showing throughout the book. The unit is the Concordat Jaegers AND it is typically a Davion 'Mech, so what better device to throw back in the Fedrat's faces!! As a further inside joke, the name HAVOC is in honor of @Prussian Havoc - using Prussian Font
There are more than a few hidden messages in the 'Mech and Map art for those that wish to embark on a scavenger hunt.
Ha, injustice ribbing you, it's all god
God damned autocorrect
Thankfully you were hopefully able to translate that as "I'm just ribbing you, it's all good"
When I've finished pulling the text apart
I'll have to start examining the visuals!Unfortunately it's gotten very busy at work, although in a strange twist a lot of it is writing info captions a lot like TRO entries! Although my kit is a lot more primitive:
Artists impression since are no pics of the actual exhibition, so it means 75% of the visible aircraft are wrong and one is "off camera"
