Why Do We Love The Vindicator?
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- Опубліковано 7 лис 2023
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Vindicator - MF1 Record Sheet: www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/op4jrm...
BattleTech imagery remains the property of Topps.
Some imagery/video from Pixabay
IlClan Rec Guide 25:
Project Development: Johannes Heidler
Development Assistance: Aaron Cahall, Étienne Charron-Willard,
Chris Wheeler
BattleTech Line Developer: Ray Arrastia
Assistant Line Developer: Aaron Cahall
Writing: Keith Hann, Edward McEneely, Lance Scarinci, Chris Wheeler
BattleTech Line Editor: Aaron Cahall
Editing: Geoff ‘Doc’ Swift
Production Staff
Art Director: Anthony Scroggins
Assistant Art Director: Ray Arrastia
Cover Design and Layout: David A. Kerber
Illustrations: Alan Blackwell, Harri Kallio
#BattleTech #Mechwarrior #CatalystGameLabs #lore - Ігри
Thank you to Oswald for letting me use that really awesome original art of the Vindicator:
twitter.com/Oswald81288433
"the triple-strength myomer doubles the damage from kicking, punching, and clubbing"
anyone else now imagining the Vindicator on a dance floor?
It does a wicked rendition of the Cabbage Patch.
There's an SPA for disco. I swear I'm not making this up.
Capellan dub step? Now I've heard everything, and wish I hadn't. :P
I see one walking down the road with a huge barrel of paint and a Red and Black paint job
The vindicator is the M4 Sherman of the Battletech timeline, it’s sturdy, it’s reliable and it’s capable, and there’s some variant that can do what you need.
Excellent comparison.
Good comparison. I’ve always looked at the Vindy as the AK-47 of mechs. Sturdy, simple, effective. Not the best mech, but one nobody would pass up and one nobody should ignore.
Or the Capellans' T-55 mech
Also: it might cost 10 Vindicators to take down a Davion lance...but the Capellans always seem to have 11...
I like to comparison. I want to see a Vindicator like the Assault Sherman armed with howitzer 😎.
Eyyyy, one of my favorites! A good trooper is worth it’s weight in gold, and something about the Vindicator feels like a Zaku to me for some reason
It’s the head. Just imagine a glowing pink mono-eye in the middle of that cockpit canopy and the only thing missing is the snout grill having two hoses sticking out.
Well now you have to paint one red and name the pilot Char.
Solid. Glad I could give it some limelight.
It took me a long time to give 4/6 movement mediums like Vindicator the respect they deserve. These tough lil guys can push around anyone on the battlefield until something 25 tons heavier starts stomping around.
Yeah you don't want to be caught out alone with the schoolyard bully shows up.
This
I really wish the Whitworth would have gotten some love other than that one Marion Variant with MRMs. It really needed to be a 5/8 mech instead of 4/6.
Yeah, the Vindicator was one of the few remaining mass-production lines within the Capellan Confederation by the end of the Succession Wars. Part of its success was that it was likely used alongside other Vindicators and Blackjacks with similar movement profiles. A battle line of Vindicators anchored by a Victor and some Thunderbolts would still be quite effective.
Griffin can go up against one on longer ranges
While I generally dont like or trust Capellans... I must admit they do know how to make some quality mechs
They're wacky, but definitely can make a mech.
Catapult and Highlanders.
I swear BOTH my favorite Heavy/Assault mechs are made by the Green boys.
Most if not all factions with specifically associated materiel have at least 1 good design. Often more if they're not tiny. Heck, even the obscure Clan Fire Mandrill has one of the most bonkers light missile boats for per salvo offensive power
When playing tabletop the Vindicator(and Centurion) are my filler mechs when I have about 1k bv left. Its one of the most solid mediums, and maybe the only good 45ton mech there is.
@macrux152__8 the highlander isn't a capellan invention, but it's associated with then given that they were able to refurbish them and it's the only assault mech they could somewhat reliably get their hands on at the time
Big fan of CCAF and the mechs, never forget "Hanse shot first". I do really like the 5L as it lets you play with a lot of different rules without getting into anything to complicated.
Absolutely. It's a great entry mech.
Hanse shot first? Typical Capellan re-visionist history there. Might want to ask old Mad Max and Micheal Hasek-Davion just why Hanse declared to Melissa' I give you the Capellan Confederation!'.
Hanse Shot first? So we're just ignoring the body double the Capellans tried to replace him with?
It's worth noting that the 6L has stealth armor as it was an upgrade of the (not discussed, though that's your prerogative) 4L.
Good catch.
I didn't realize that, I was just about to make an upgrade of the 6L with stealth armor lol
Not only that, but it gives you the heat you need to get TSM active very easily.
This is the one with the plasma rifle and sword.. I always wanted to try it out
Stealth gives you a +1/+2 until you can get into Physical Combat range...where that TSM comes in handy.@@MechanicalFrog
6:30 hey, at least unlike the spider you have an ejection system
Fun for making sure your corpse is deposited well away from the rest of the mech.
For the Chancellor and the Celestial Throne!
Huzzah!
First time I’ve ever seen or heard that said!
The Vindicator was a favorite in HBS. in the Red Beast Flashpoint I took the AA variant alone and held off a whole lance!
It is a huge help in the slog of an early game.
The Vindicator is one of the more consistently underestimated 'mechs in the game. It seems to be lackluster on paper but it's actually a tough high intensity fighter for its weight putting out solid hits and typically has little concerns with overheating. It's major weakness is when it runs into heavier opponents at close range. It's simply too slow to outrun heavier opponents if they happen to close to point blank range. Now we see why sword equipped TSM variants were built. I'm actually surprised that more effective faster variations were never created.
Once it whacks you a few times with the PPC, can't ignore it any more.
The Vindi is such a great trooper. Its not going to be the hero of the story but if you're building a military youd want every one of them you could get.
It just works.
the vindicator always struck me as a mech that works best with things like it. it can make most use of its small weapons with something like a firestarter, it works well for sniping with something like a less moble sniper like a jagermech and it works best with its lrm when you load smoke rounds into it so the treb in the lance can focus on damage rounds. That said, the thing folds if anything built for short range closes
Edit: although thank you for talking about its "quirks" that make this cappy mech feel like a combine one and its GRAND INNOVATION of a water-cooled barrel
"Only dangerous in numbers..." PPCs everywhere...
Hello, since this vid is fresh I just wanted to say I discovered you recently after being into BattleTech for a few months and I got to say I really like your vids, very comfy and fun feel to them, and the MF variants are always intresting.
Vindicator is one of my favourite mechs too, so thanks, I have something to look forward to after class.
As a guy who fell in love with Battletech 35 years ago, welcome! I also really enjoy these vignettes. Welcome to the Inner Sphere!
@@mattmelton7389 Thank you :))
Thank you so much. Welcome to the fray, Mechwarrior!
This is a favorite of mine. Even though it is Capellan, the Vindicator is a solid mech.
Quite useful.
YES! Glory to the Vendi!
This was my first mech that my roommate used to get me into battletech. Is it the best trooper mech? No. The Panther does it better for cheaper. Is it a good skirmish mech? No. It is too slow to out run heavier pursuers. Is it still my absolute personal favorite mech, and would I take it over almost every other mech? Yes, and Yes.
It's got enough of everything and staying power that you want to ignore it as a target, but its got a PPC which means you can't. Then it is stacked with a lot of armour so when you have jogged your noggin into getting around to try and stamp them out, well it just takes a long time! I really don't mind the Vindi as a bit of a gap-filler, its completely at home in that mid-long range just bothering people enough that they might focus on it instead of something important and more expensive.
They work well screening for Blackjacks, Trebuchets, and Whitworths in medium fire support lances and, unlike the Centurion, aren't completely reliant on ammunition.
Yeah you can never ignore a PPC mech for long.
I'm starting to remember why small lasers were such a thing in 3025. They were good against infantry and vehicles, back before the rules were "updated". Makes the Vindy more capable back in the day.
I like to believe they make a super adorable, "pew pew" sound when fired.
The VND-7L built to be a tough-to-kill trooper is truly not something to scoff at - especially when built with heavy FF armor & reinforced structure, even more so with Clan ER PPC that's capable of head clipping like a Gauss rifle.
I can imagine most of the Capellans old VND-1Rs kept in storage were upgraded to VND-7Ls during the ilClan era. They really need a lot of those trooper mechs to stand up against the Woof Empire's false Star League, as well as ensuring the Confederation survive as long as it can should their march towards Terra turned south
If I can find a local game shop participating in the "At the Cost of Bootlaces" event, I will look forward to using the VND-7L to smash Alaric's forces.
I always liked how the Vindicator looks. And the re-imagined version just reinforced my love for it.
The original is kind of silly looking but the CGL revamp really nailed it.
Love the Vindy. Such a great, and generally reliable platform, with a good amount of options with what to do with it. I've discussed some customs in the past, my fav being a 5/8/5 LFE upgrade, using a Snubby and MML7 as main weapons, and 7.5 tons of Heavy FF to protect it. Either way, a lot of fun variants, and the fact it's such a mainstay of the CCAF means I'm sure we'll continue to see more of it in the future!
I was tempted by the Snub-Nosed PPC... always am.
Anything that weighs less than 50 tons and bops around with a clan erPPC has my stamp of approval.
What could go wrong?
The vindicator is the stand out in the sub-50 ton mech category. It's one of my favorite trooper Mechs, and an absolute little monster in the field
It's a completely respectable entry in that category.
A long time ago, I remember reading about the Vindicator being the model example of a "trooper mech".
This in turn prompted the obvious question "What the hell is a trooper mech?"
While I found no specific answer for this from FASA Corp, working via intuition and inference, I derived the following meaning: If one assumes "trooper" to mean "Something designed to be deployed as a troop." and "troop" to assume similarity/uniformity, then a Trooper Mech would be a mech that's meant to operate alongside others of the same kind.
Given its broad, generalist loadout and solid durability (not to mention being a medium mech) the Vindicator does in fact, work quite well when deployed in full lances of its own kind, as the weapons loadout creates overlapping fields of fire and is able to some apply pressure at any range as long as someone has eyes on a target. When operating as a troop, four+ Vindicators covers a surprising amount of territory without indulging in the usual mix-and-match pick of specialists.
Perhaps then, it's hardly surprising why the Vindicator is so widely used from large house military regimes to independent mercenary companies. The design is rugged, relatively cheap, and effective either when modified or used straight off the assembly line.
From the Mechwarrior Mercenary perspective, the VND-1R is typically one of the first mechs worth buying or dropping all your limited Salvage shares on, as it will usually serve a lance quite well in whatever configuration you set it up with.
The Vindicator-1X is especially fun in MW5 when fitted with a Mech Rifle or two, and can even be converted up into a pretty competent skirmisher or brawler when equipped with Medium-Pulse Lasers, SRMs, Machineguns and a modest bump to the fusion engine via weight-saving techs.
About the only bad thing I have to say about the Vindie its REALLY low-swept arms; they have some of the very worst ground-clearance of any mech in the game (beaten only by the Crab and King-Crab, both of which have lower profiles to compensate for this).
This makes sniping with its primary weapon (usually a PPC or Large Laser) much trickier than usual, and the lack of speed means its basic acceleration is poor, making "hill humping" or similar potshot tactics useless. To fire, you will either have to expose most of the mech to return fire, use strafing fire (bad for lasers), or put those jump jets to work by "poptartting" the mech over short cover to fire. (only really works with PPCs and Short-Burst type Large Lasers)
My garage of custom-fit VIndicators change with the wind and each career playthrough in MW5, or whatever my friends want to bring to the party in MWO. But I'm particularly fond of Medium-Pulse-Laser + Heavy Rifle skirmisher config of the 1X that can dome or disarm most mechs at range, but then convert into a competent brawler to finish targets off with precision fire pulse lasers.
If pressed for a tabletop-specific build, the 6L is surprisingly close to what I'd field, and the constant in-universe attempts at mounting Clan ER PPCs onto the thing makes total sense for the mech between their lack of a minimal range deadzone, and absurd damage bump over their IS equivalent.
Excellent analysis. Thank you.
An economical, robust, and well-rounded choice. If any mech could be described as a Swiss Army Knife, it is the Vindicator. I'm no fan of Capellans, but the Vindicator is one of my favorite medium mech designs, behind the Phoenix Hawk and Wolverine. In my long-running campaigns, my merc unit acquired an old VND-1X which held a spot in my roster all the way from the 4th Succession war through to the early Clan Invasion. Definitely one I would highly recommend!
It just works and will usually earn its keep.
Vindicators redesign by piranha hooked me. Also its probably the only 45t medium I like to pilot in that weight bracket. Also the reason why I ordered the beginer box seeing that great artwork on the cover. Can't wait to play it when it arrives in the mail.
What's interesting about Clan-tech on the Vindicator is that, unlike the other Great Houses, the Capellan Confederation in the Dark Age and ilClan eras, despite its military and industrial power, does not yet have the ability to domestically produce any Clan-grade parts. This means that they're entirely dependent on the Sea Foxes, which may lead to their army degrading in their fight against Clan Wolf.
Or not, who knows what goes on in Sea Foxes head.
It's possible, though the factionalization of Sea Fox may lead to some being willing to sell parts at a premium even if cut off elsewhere.
I think they're starting to ramp up manufacturing. Before VND-7L, there's one Capellan mech first equipped with Clan ER PPC
@@Darren_Xero I could be wrong, but I believe they still have to source all their Clan ER PPCs from the Sea Foxes. Does something say otherwise?
Starting from the Dao: drop the supercharger, swap to Light Fusion increase to 5/8/4. 13DHS, Replace compact gyro with a standard. Drop AES, install targeting computer (C),
Clan spec; ERPPC, ERMLaser, LRM15 w/A5 (2t A), L-AMS (BV2 2094)
That would pack a punch.
I really dig the MF1 variant. Always a good idea to upgrade the missle system to one with more punch.
The LRM-5 is good for very little. Best give it some umph.
The Vindicator: because a Panther with the staying power of a Griffin doesn't just sound good and work good, it looks good too
Vindicators: "Eh, it works."
Vindi?!? Now this is my fucking jam. Thank you!!!!
Enjoy!
"Capellans may be kinda wacky" is a solid contender for understatement of the century.
This isn't a disparagement. I love your videos, even when I catch them four months late.
For a bit there, the Firestarter Omni configuration D sorta replaced the Vindicator 5-8-5 an ECM and C3, but half a ton less armor and an IS XL engine.
Yeah the Firestarter Omni really mixed things up.
I absolutely adore the humble Vindicator. It's an AK-47 in battlemech form, the trooper mech of trooper mechs. It'll keep soldiering on through almost anything, and like the Capellan Confederation itself, if it goes down it goes down swinging.
That's a fair comparison. Stick the Vindicator in the mud, pull it out and fire.
A captured Vindicator is a high value prize for all my Davion forces.
And I can't think of a higher compliment than that!
And it encourages future conquests to get at those replacement parts. Win/Win.
For a period of time the Vindicator was the heviest mech the Cappies could build constantly. Other heavier mechs were produced when they could get the parts. Vindicators work well in numbers. 4 PPCs and 4 LRM 5's start hurting over time.
The music's my favourite part of your videos. It's all good but the somber, almost mournful music keeps me listening to videos long after I first watch them.
It is quite calming... zzz...
Nice job on the MF1 here! I like the range steps being maintained, but with (what I think are) better weapon choices. Love it!
It has a slightly different spice to it which could be fun.
I like my Mechwarrior 5 Vindi with just Flamers and extreme hatred for walled settlements.
Sounds... toasty.
For the 6L, you forgot one thing that will help keep it warm and imitate that movie monster even more, Stealth Armor. Not only does it make itself harder to be seen, it generates 10 heat for every turn it is active, making it a little easier to reach that ideal heat score.
The Vindicator was never the star of the show, but it was an ideal support mech for any Capellan unit, whether that be as long range support for lighter units or giving additional options for heavier units with its ability to jump, it was a good mech for the job. Yours is nice, kinda reminds me of an early Kurita model called the Gladiator. Good range punch but more for the up close and personal. Probably a nasty city fighter.
Ah yes, good catch. Good thing I only make mistakes on days that end in Y or I'd be in real trouble.
Gotta say, having this mech show up on OG HBS battletech 2018 right from the get go gives me a bit of a soft spot for it.
I loved how much space that PPC on the right arm gives you. And it's a good mech with JJ's.
It's good even without.
It's good with the PPC,
Also good without.
Heck, you can shove SRMS and small lasers(2 if memory serves), on it and you have a melee/close range punchbot. It's just a good mech.
It really helps in the HBS early game.
It's a great bodyguard for a heavy, while still having enough long-range firepower to impact the opening stages of the battle.
Funny, the Vindy never seemed to do much for me, but the Mech I designed for shiggles was called a "Better Vindy" by the people I showed it to. So i guess the Vindy needs to find itself somewhere on my list of "use it at some point"?
It's good to have around if you need something expendible.
The Vindi has always been one of my favorite mechs in all its forms. Fast versions are a lot of fun even with reduced armor. Just keep your range, movement, and pick off opponents with the PPC and LRM fire.
You can, though it definitely ceases to be a generalist once you go fire support. Depends on what you need.
Hello Frog.
Yup, the Vindicator... an often used Mech 'back in the day'.
Now, due to the fact that the Battle Master we had back then enforcing 'rarity' based upon where a Mech was produced, and since my original Merc company was basically Davion, I had no Vindicators to start with. After facing Liao forces, heavy with Vindicators, I intentionally salvaged as many Vindicator parts as I could lay hands upon.
Even to the point where I was peeling off special forces to raid Liao supply bunkers while engaging them frontally. Several successful raids netted me enough parts to build 3 Vindicators for my use, which I deployed as often as I could.
Now, mind you, this was using 3025 tech. So the later variants were not available for use or to face off against. As the timeline advanced, I encountered upgraded Vindicators, and captured several for my force's use. It was rather nice that most of the parts from older Vindicators worked as replacement parts for the newer ones, due to the sheer availability of those parts.
All in all, the Vindicator was a good opponent, and a good choice for lighter forces.
Among lights, it's definitely a heavy hitter.
Ok this is your best intro by far.
I have mostly used these as OpFor, though I own several and I think that speaks to how useful they are.
Also it has a funny little hat.
Never underestimate the awesome drawing power of raccoons.
The Vindicator is a solid and dependable machine with well proven weaponry and a thick hide to keep it alive longer than most would expect from a medium mech. My only hindrance in using the mech in most games is the limited availability outside Capellan space.
Your MF Vindicator has some promise I think, and I will have to give it a try.
The LRM 5. When you really want to reach out and annoy someone.
Pack it with Thunder LRMs for some serious war crimes.
The Vindicator is a true light mech killer. It may not live long, but the Avenging Angel (the 1AA) is always fun as heck to surprise people with; they're not too hard to come by via salvage when operating in the Capellan March.
If you really want to have fun with a raccoon, give it some cotton candy. This is funny because raccoons insist on rinsing their food in water. They get so sad and confused as they look for it where it "should" be and even go through the motions of grabbing it even though it's not there.
If you want to turn the AA into a solid mech and you table allows light modification, just strip off 3 heat sinks and add 3 tons of armor. It really makes the mech a solid medium.
@@GliderBaneYep. I've done exactly that. :) I've also gotten away with swapping the LRM ammo for a half ton of ammo and another half ton of armor.
Pulling 4.5 tons of armor off of it was a crime.
@@MechanicalFrogWhaddaya expect from Capellans?
I have always been fond of removing the small laser for a half ton more armor.
Regarding the Vindicator as a good intro 'mech, I consider a good intro pairing to be a Vindicator vs a Centurion. It teaches the value of mobility, both 'mechs have forgiving heat curves, both use the cluster hits chart, and both have a 10-point hole maker in an arm, teaching the value of maneuvering into side arcs and blind spots.
A half ton of armor is probably worth more than the small laser.
Raccoon bit is the best thing you've ever produced, well done! But really, great video!
I know my fans.
Excellent video, citizen! I would also recommend the VND-4L which is very versatile at 5/8/5 and is the first to incorporate stealth armor. The VND-3Lr refit is also a favorite as the snub nose PPC really lets it hang back and still get good TH numbers for about 1k BV.
Also solid picks.
It's a good mech because with a few minor alterations with some added armor removal of the PPC, addition of a large laser and more medium lasers, it can really punch above its weight class and can take quite a bit of punishment, especially when a pack of them. They are especially dangerous.
Easy to punch, hard to kill.
The Vindicator was one of those 'mechs that I never really gave any consideration to before playing MWO. Same with the Blackjack. But holy crap, it is an effective bruiser. Although my preferred variant is the St. Ives Blue inspired version. Swapping the PPC and LRM5 for a Large Laser and LRM10 is exactly the kind of modification I would make myself. Even if I do love PPCs, they're not always the best choice.
Lastly, as a courtesy to my loyal warriors, I always swap the medium and small laser positions to give them a little more wiggle room in the cockpit. More room, less waste heat, a happy mechwarrior is a lethal mechwarrior.
Loved the video. Quite a few good variants. My VND-ISM variant is Mixed-tech as well, utilizing a Clan XL engine, Clan DHS, and a Clan chassis. Dropped the heat sink count to 10, since they're Clan Doubles, and placed a Clan ER Medium Laser in the left arm. A Plasma Rifle/w 3 tons of ammo is in the right arm, with an MML-7 and 4 tons of CASE II protected ammo in the left torso. Rounding things out is a Small Re-Engineered Laser in the head.
Thank you, Hailey.
Anything with a plasma rifle and I'm game.
Love it because it is the epitome of a trooper mech and I am here for it. Tough scrapper that keeps on trucking while dishing out damage. I also really enjoy the narrative tie in that makes sense.
Plus, love me some PPC platforms.
Also, always enjoy seeing Liao getting the W.
EDIT: oh yeah, also enjoy it as a "lance" mech. I.E. like the Zeus. Yeah, other Assaults shine more. But the Zeus speed, durability, and all ranges weaponry means it plays well with others, en masse, and contributes almost all the time. Similarly, the Vindicator can fit in when ya need it and actually do something.
I often dig that in a game about "armies" of giant stompy unrealistic as hell mechs :D
The Capellans are wacky, but they can make some solid mechs.
So, I've been on a real Vindicator kick recently, modifying them like I would if I were a mercenary commander. At first, I started with the 3050-era stuff, which is fine. It allowed me to turn the VND-1AA into what it should've been from the start (thank you, DHS). But then I went back and looked at the -1AA with a Fourth Succession War mercenary eye.
The 'mech I came up with I nicknamed the 'Bandito'. I removed the Small Laser from the left arm and 3 heat sinks from the design, putting all that weight back into armor, where the -1AA originally took its mass to fit the larger engine and extra jump jet. This gives it 8 tons of armor, a PPC, Medium Laser, and LRM 5.
For my one lance of only VND-1AAs, I gave my pair of Banditos some guard dogs in the form of my VND-1AA 'Rottweiler' models, whose only change from the 'Bandito' is trading the LRM-5 for an SRM-4. Both models run a little hot, but hey, it's the Succession Wars.
Removing the emotional support small laser? Are you sure? *nervous*
@@MechanicalFrog It was a tough decision. But between a laser pointer for blinding infantry and an extra 8 points of armor, the VND-1AA moves fast enough to avoid infantry, so I'll take the armor.
A later tech version upgrades the emotional support laser to a SPL to make up for its absence.
In my defense, it's not the worst thing I've done to the VND-1AA. I also made a variant with an AC/5 and no jump jets. That one hurt.
My favorite mech as a teenager through my 30's. Still holds a special spot for me, and I will use whole lances of them when the BV allows.
The vindy and Whitworth are perfect together. It's my favorite cheap line units.
The Whitworth will see some limelight in the future. Definitely.
The Vindicator was one of the mechs from the original TRO 3025 that "just worked." Sure, its nowhere as fast as most other 'mechs in it's weight range. But those jump jets let it maneuver easily in an urban environment, allowing it to pick the range of the engagement in most situations. The "Panther on steroids" would often take on mechs much heavier than itself and win. Usually by ambushing faster 'mechs in the city and pounding heavier mechs at range with it's PPC and LRMs by using it's jump jets to control the range of the engagement.
Great video.
The Vindicator is one of those mechs that I almost never use but I've played against it quite a bit.
In introtech games it's almost always tough to kill and seems to punch above it's weight.
Wish it were more available outside of the CCAF. Especially the parts.
I consider it a great team player for the cost but not a lone wolf mech.
All the more reason to invade Capellan space. Collecting those sweet repair parts.
I have a Vindicator VND-1AA mod that I run, VND-1AA-X1. The heat sinks are upgraded to DHS and the number dropped to 11. The freed weight is applied to armor (9 tons standard armor / 144 pts) and the weapons are swapped for a heavy PPC and a pair of small x-pulse lasers. The "lore" is that the 1AA was acquired by the owner for a pittance due to its utter unpopularity and the owner was able to swap out the heat dissipation system, then applied a standard Vindicator armor set to the 'mech. Weapons were swapped out with one small x-pulse in the left arm and the other in the head, taking the places of the lasers normally carried. The LRM-5 bay is left empty, the armored cover locked shut. I think my mechwarrior stores some Pharaoh beer in there in a cooler...
I briefly considered the Heavy PPC route but didn't want to go all in on basically one weapon.
@@MechanicalFrog if you’re in the ilClan era and/or are willing to use clan tech, you can mount a clan ER PPC, ER ML(s) and a missile system. I just wanted to keep it all IS and punching big holes.
Much like the Cappelin Confederation itself. It's the red headed step child of trooper mechs. a real "jack of all trades, master of none" type of mech. With lacking speed, and mediocre fire power. It gets by with using special technologies, though in my opinion it can really bloat the expenses for a single trooper mech. But if played right, the Veindicator can still shine, with its much less ammonium to potentially go off. Even if it still wont stand up to the greats like the Centurion, or Wolverine, you would go wrong having one in a heavier lance, or slower medium lance.
The 3Lr is my favorite. Super cheap and simple.
If just to get another PPC onto the field, they're quite useful.
I've just painted one of those for one of my Mercanary outfits. Such a fun little Mech.
Nice! what color scheme?
@@MechanicalFrog a vertically halved yellow/blue scheme, I wanted something that 'popped' on the table
Good stuff as always. Blessing of Blake be upon you Mr Mechfrog.
Much appreciated!
First Medium I got in MW2. Even though I'm not a big fan of Capellans, I do like the Vindy and Catapult, so I have to give them some credit( as a Davion player, that really hurt to say).
They're wacky but can make a good mech.
The fact that it took till after the Fourth Succession war for the St.Ives Blue to become a production model is a tragedy. Oh my favorite version didn't get a mention. Uh the Vindicator 1SIC is great people that don't know about it.
It's a fun one.
The in-universe reputation of generalists is quite understandable: any military planner looking to fill niches in a formation will inevitably sigh with disappointment when they realize they have to use a Vindicator. There will always be a hypothetical better tool for the job.
OmniMechs in particular have rendered generalists almost obsolete in later eras: sure, an Omni-Firestarter costs much more, but it can excel wherever you put it rather than merely doing adequately. I think the later, more specialized variants of the Vindicator reflect that shift.
In Universe, the generalists would be kings. For tabletop, rock paper scissors, often not.
Was one of my favorite in 87 to 96 miss the Toysolder Saturday game
The before before before times.
Vindicator is a fun design. Really, the only downside it has is that it's more or less Liao exclusive. But hey, salvage is a thing, and that just adds one more reason to go take up jobs against the Capellans. I'm not sure if I would pick this over a Griffin if I had the option, but for a smaller, cheaper, and arguably a bit more flexible machine? It's pretty damn good.
I remember how much I used this thing in HBS Battletech. Glitch was the pilot for this thing, and she quickly became one of my top snipers. I'd keep this thing around for a long time in the back because that PPC had a hell of a punch, and it was only ever phased out when I got my hands on the Catapult K2... and then the Royal Highlander. Thinking about it now, the Highlander kinda is like a giant version of the Vindicator... or the Vindicator is a mini-Highlander, either or.
Anywho, good stuff, eager to see what you cover next!
Yeah I'm generally not a big fan of exclusivity. One can always argue that you picked one up off the battlefield, I suppose.
Quite possibly my favorite medium mech. I love the Shadowhawk because of the original Mechwarrior game where you can spam the AC 5 and LRM 5 to surgically remove the heads from enemy mechs before they could even start moving, but the reality of the mech is that it really has no battlefield utility. Vindicators definitely have that utility, and because they routinely punch above their weight, there will always be a spot in my lance for Vinny.
The Vindy is what you get when necessity demands a solid, relatively inexpensive all-rounder. Capellans can't be trusted politically, but they can be trusted to design and utilize solid units to great effect - even when out numbered. The Vindicator joins the ranks of the Raven and Cataphract as solid choices for any force.
It'll rarely let you down.
Vindicator, the most produced Capellan mech ever. The little capellan medium that could.
The vindicator is a bigger, meaner panther mech. It has decent range but lacks close up firepower, so the pilot needs to make the most out of its jumpjets to stay in ideal firing range. Its an okay addition to any medium mech lance cause its one of these swiss army knife mechs that can do a little bit of everything.
The downside to the mech is not in its performance on the battlefield... but about who owns the design, the capellans, and their jealous guarding of the design and replacement parts for it. If you dont work for them, good luck purchasing replacement parts for the thing since they come for a hefty upmark for out of state sales. Though if you ARE working for the capellan as a mercenary it might aswell happen that you actually get paid in vindicators. (ofcourse this is merely a fluff thing but i do like the additional lore that the capellans hold the design close to home) since at times the capellans had more vindicators then cbills to spare.
It is capellas grunt mech and has remained in service for hundrets of years.. and considering how beaten up capella was at certain points in the inner spheres history, that speaks for the mechs reliability.
All the more reason to invade and collect more parts...
Great video! Looking forward to more videos.
More to come! Thanks for watching.
I had fun with the Dao. I had nice mission where I had to capture a Clan Timber Wolf (F) in a forest jungle environment using this mech. So, I stripped the ER PPC and equipped a MML 5 with a ton of Inferno LRM ammo and a ton of Inferno SRM Ammo. Added and extra ton of taser ammo and Guardian ECM. If I'm going to need to get suicidle range of a timberwolf at 4 hexes ECM and Inferno missiles are a must. The payout was 100,000,000 C-bills and I can keep the mech if completed. Thankfully I won the intuitive roll and gone first. I started out good by setting the entire forest patch on fire and hitting the mech 4 out of 5 Inferno Missiles. Forcing it have to use its AP Guass Rifles on me. For 3 damage x3 each they damn hurt it took me 5 rounds to close into taser range. The Timber Wolf hit me 4 times with all 3 APGs before I manage to roll a 11 on the 2d6 for the Taser to do it's job.
Picturing the Vindicator dragging the Timberwolf back to its cave by a rope over its shoulder.
@@MechanicalFrog Well drag it for 14 hexes outta battle field.Where the Recovery Team was ready. Moving 3 hexes per round while the rest of Lance kept the rest of the clanner busy. lol
That MF variant gives me Wolverine IIC vibes.
I can see that.
Its funny that you mention raccoons. In the Warrior trilogy, it's mentioned that they were nearly extinct and ComStar had reintroduced them to North America. Makes me wonder if the author had ever dealt with raccoons.
Why you would ever want to reintroduce them anywhere is beyond me.
I love this mech. Took out a victor with one before it could ever get in range.
It's a decent one.
I drop the PPC down to a Large Laser and drop the Small Laser to upgrade the LRM to a 10 as I find the LRM5 doesnt pack enough on the cluster table unless I'm playing with Thunder LRMs. Nothing like making that nice clump of heavy woods into a minefield!
Sounds like a plan.
If you use the TacOps energy weapons rule for dialing their strength back, heat management with TSM becomes much easier and less clunky.
Fair point.
I may not have a Vindicator story, but I have had quite the experience with a raccoon...
One wandered through where I kept my dog at the time, it was walking weirdly, I was afraid it might have rabies (I live in the country and have seen some stuff), so i grabbed my 22 and tried to drop it. It ended up eating 15 rounds before slowing down. Finally I walked towards it to find it lunging towards me still. I got it through its head and it still lunged at me, three more rounds in the head and it finally stopped...
So based on this, I would agree that nukes do seem the optimal solution for a racoon family.😂
Vinicator always reminds me of storm troopers
They do sort of have that look...
This seems like a great mech, why have I not heard of it? Oh it is completely integrated into the Capelland Command Economy, that explains it. Thanks for the video.
I'm sure a few have shown up with the Davions just from scrap.
It's fun, cheap enough and can chuck lightning down field. What's not to love.
Well put.
Love the Vindi!
It's even one of the main mechs of my own comic! :P
Gotta say, love the 4L.
It's a solid one. :D
VinDiesel really only has two things against it being a tremendous medium:
- it's 45t
- it's Capellan
It's still excellent for what it is but if you made a more widely-available model in 50-55t, just shut up and take my money.
The Capellans may be wacky but they can make a decent mech.
Very good stuff. I love the look and it seems, as you said, a good mech to learn the game with.👍
Thanks a ton!
I fell in love with this thing, funny enough, playing mechwarrior online. Getting to tinker with it a bit, I was in love with my own variant carrying an artemis IV LRM 15 and ERPPC and lots of jump jets.
Honestly vindicator is one of the best all use mechs
A great entry machine. Just works.
It pulls off the trooper mech role
Why do we love the Vindicator? Because the Capellan camel-by-committee is a trooper mech. The newbs love specialists and expensive assaults because they are sexy, the same way the media does. Vindicators just work, and they're easy to make and support. No movie star is going to be driving a Vindicator on the big screen, but in every Capellen war movie has them in the background. Another commenter compared it to the Sherman tank, and I agree. It's everything that the Panther is for the Dracs, but there is more to it. I can see the Rasaulhauge reverting at least some of their AAs back to 1R and using them in with lances of Panthers. And DHS makes it even better.
Oh you broke your Vindicator? Go get a new one from the back.
I have yet to get the set with the Vindicator but I definitely plan on getting it asap
It's solid.
The mech taser: a way to turn high luck into extreme luck. I wonder if its best use case is against Elementals?
When you open up the Elemental armor, soup is inside.
At times I am led to suspect that not even the use of a nuclear detonation will guarantee raccoon eradication. Catastrophic ecological humor aside, the 1AA is a curious version that has honestly made me scratch my head. That massive drop in armor? I'm not honestly sure that the extra agility can ever justify just how fragile this particular variant is.
More testing is needed.
Is it really a big surprise that in HBS Battletech, Your best starting merc Glitch pilots a Vindicator?
It's a great starter mech in a game where the early part is a slog.
Considering the reputation of the Capellans, makes me wonder if the ejection rumor wasnt an in-house psyop to dissuade pilots from ejecting in combat...
Or, its just a but of flavor. Who knows~
Sounds plausible.
I actually enjoy the 1X version, myself. I like to swap the dual mgs in the left arm for either light rifles or burst/rapid AC-2s, sure you shed a small bit of armor but I like the extra range and annoyance it causes. Besides, there's other ways to save the weight, with xl engines and endo, for example, or I could swap the PPC for a light PPC to save more weight for the ballistics.
The 7L is a good example of judicious Clan-spec equipment usage: the ER PPC has such a tremendous advantage that it is worth shelling out for if you're using any PPC at all. I do find the IS-spec LRM 5 a bit questionable, though: I'd have swapped that for either a Clan-spec version or an MML 3.
Even so, I imagine that ER PPC is a bit of a nightmare for less-experienced Capellan technicians. Not exactly suitable for garrisons.
I find a little over sinking to be fine. At the least, it gives you a buffer to keep going at full speed if you get an engine critical hit.
Good for that or desert environments, I suppose.
A great succession wars soldier mech :-) its a poor mans wolverine and does a job wherever its deployed...thanks for a great overview of a classic mech :-)
Poor man's wolverine... dang.
The Vindi might be a cappie mech, but it's certainly not crappy one.
The Capellans may be wacky but, they can make a decent mech.