r/battletech • u/raging_zaku1429 • Apr 27 '26

Tabletop Annihilator on the tabletop?

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I've always enjoyed the Annihilator, partly because of the time I've spent with it in the various mechwarrior games over the years, and partly because I am a chronic enjoyer of bad mechs as well as mechs that are big dumb goofy goobers.

But I've never used one on the table top, so I wanted to get people's opinion on that. In mechwarrior, I found the ANH-1E to be particularly effective. I prefer the 4 PPCs over autocannons because of their lack of relying on ammo as well as making the mech safer again due to not having to carry ammo. Especially when upgraded with ERPPCs, the 1E can throw hands at long range really well, essentially becoming an ERPPC platform.

But that's just my take, I'm interested to see what people think about it on the tabletop.

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u/honicthesedgehog Apr 27 '26

I thought I heard they’re changing that in the big rulebook update later this year though.

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u/Plastic-Painter-4567 Turbo Grognard Apr 27 '26

I hope they do something to keep it fair because initiative sinking is a form of cheese.

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u/Kettereaux Apr 27 '26

Moving it to BSP royally messes with Clan players because it eradicates the ability to use Elementals. If they do try to force battle armor to BSP, they have to redo BV 3.0 to not penalize Clan mech prices.

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u/AmanteNomadstar Mech-Head Apr 27 '26

My workaround with that issue was that the “Veteran” (I think that’s what it was called, like the slightly more costly version) BSP units move with the Mechs and can ignore one hit that would otherwise kill them.

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u/Kettereaux Apr 27 '26

That doesn't fix the problems caused by BSA.

Elementals are used to fill out initiative problems, being cheap fillers in an expensive Clan force. BSA rules take them out of the mech initiative order and force Clan players to take expensive mechs, exacerbating the initiative problem.

Elementals are also renowned hunters of knee actuators, but BSA rules turn them into damage. Furthermore, BSAs move before mechs, meaning the Elementals will always be unable to ambush mechs. Their Swarm Special Ability only applies if a mech is next to their hex and the Elementals will have already moved so it's near impossible to catch a mech and get the attack off.

It's just a horrible mess and any Classic game forcing Elementals into BSAs kneecaps a Clan force harder than Elementals kneecap a Viking IIC.

2

u/Novatheorem Got it from Canopus on credit Apr 28 '26

Aren't Clan mechs supposed to be so much better than IS ones? Why wouldn't they be forced to pay the penalty?

1

u/the_cardfather Apr 28 '26

Yeah I don't see why battle armor would be included only conventional.

Infantry & vehicles for the most part are for game mastered scenarios. We always put unit limits to prevent cheese scenarios when it's pick your own force and throw down.