Inner Sphere Assault Lance ForcePack

The Tread of these ‘Mechs shakes the very ground and the determination of any defenders willing to face these monsters. Boasting maximum armor and withering firepower, these ‘Mechs usually are the true “kings of the battlefield”

Today, I’m taking a hard look at the Inner Sphere Assault Lance ForcePack for BattleTech. This is another miniature ForcePack released by Catalyst Game Labs that isn’t specific to a single era, which I’ll touch on later in the article.

So, let’s unpack the Inner Sphere Assault Lance ForcePack, shall we?

The Inner Sphere Assault Lance ForcePack includes the following BattleMech miniatures and cards:

• Pillager, Goliath, Shogun, Hoplite
• 4 MechWarrior Pilot Cards
• 4 Alpha Strike Cards

Diving into the BattleMech miniatures in the ForcePack, the Inner Sphere Assault Lance is composed of three assault ‘Mechs and a single medium ‘Mech, so let’s take a closer look at each unit in the ForcePack.

First up, we have the Pillager, a 100-ton monster BattleMech retroactively introduced in the first Star League. Armed with dual gauss rifles, a double-pair of medium lasers and a large laser, the assault ‘Mech can hit hard at almost any range. But what makes the Pillager a beast is its 90-meter jump ability. The jump jets compare favorably to the Highlander, another Star League assault favorite, giving the Pillager the ability to DFA unsuspecting enemy units. Incidentally, the Pillager and Highlander pair favorably, and make a solid one-half of a great assault lance (so if you own the ComStar Command Level II or Snord ForcePack, you’re in good shape!) Early unit art gave the illusion that the Pillager was also armed with claw-like weapons, but sadly, it is not. However, if playing with quirks, the Pillager gets the battlefists quirk—a nice nod the original art.

First up is the 4X “Anvil.” The 4X is an odd duck, featuring not one, but TWO Long Tom Artillery cannons. Not as long-ranged as the full Long Tom, it’s still a respectable indirect artillery piece. More importantly, the cannons can fire all of the Long Tom’s ammunition types, and paired with the natural mobility of a BattleMech, gives the platform the kind of usefulness a traditional vehicle, like the Aithon, lack. I’ve never played with artillery cannons, but the “Anvil” could be the variant that gets me trying them out in a scenario. One last thing to note is that artillery cannons can be used in direct-fire mode, so the 4X isn’t quite defenseless is the enemy gets too close.

The remaining four Pillager variants are very Capellan-inspired and showcase a lot of Confederation inspiration, including their shifting preference towards certain pieces of technology during mid-3060s that proliferate their military towards the end of the Dark Age era.

The 4Z asks the question: What’s it like to pilot a 100-ton dual-wielding gauss rifle BattleMech, whilst jumping in full stealth/ECM mode? Well, look no further! In my opinion, the 4Z is just nasty. The stealth armor and ECM suite make this Pillager a back-map or back board nightmare. On paper, the 4Z feels like a harbinger of the soon-to-come Celestial Omnis: it’s mean, hits hard, is hard to hit, and can survive most things thrown at it. Paired with low gunnery skill, the 4Z is one of those ‘Mech designs that consistently outperforms, especially if it’s paired with a close brawler design, like the Vindicator 4L or the Ti Ts’ang 9H. (Am I the only one who thinks it’s odd we haven’t seen a stealth equipped Ti Ts’ang yet?) One of these days, I’m going to run a scenario using a pair of 4Zs and Dolas and see how well they do together. If you haven’t tried the 4Z yet, do it. You won’t be disappointed.

The next variant is the 5L. The 5L could be the Capellan version of the Bowman. One gauss rifle is removed for an Arrow IV Artillery piece. The lasers are a mix of ER mediums, with the large laser swapped for an ER PPC. An ECM suite rounds out the new additions. The 5L has some heat problems, but the three tons of Arrow IV ammunition are super fun. Personally, I would drop the ER PPC, add back the missing ER laser, one more ton of Arrow & gauss ammo, and a few extra heat sinks to give the 5L some extra endurance. I haven’t run the crits, so I don’t know for certain if it’s doable, but I think not having stealth armor on this variant is a big missed “high five.” But that’s just one MechWarrior’s opinion.

The 5Z actually jumps us backwards, turning into a close-quarters combat version of the 4Z. It’s a fun variant, especially with the TSM activated. The Triple-Strength-Myomer compensates for the removal of the Pillager‘s trademark jump jets, so you won’t lose a great deal of mobility, but it means this variant is going to run HOT for the entire game. Players who are used to husbanding their BattleMech’s heat levels will find the 5Z strange, almost counter-intuitive, but it’s worth stepping outside of the normal comfort zone. Playing hot can be a lot of fun! For MechWarriors who like to physical attacks, the 5Z is pretty fantastic, but I feel like this was another Liao design that missed out on a little more totem-love, and like other TSM-equipped ‘Mechs, the 5Z could have benefitted from a melee weapon. A vibro-Dao anyone? Yes, please.

The final variant, the 6ZA is billed as a bodyguard for the 4Z, but really, it’s a city-fighter. Mounting a mix of ClanTech and Inner Sphere technologies, the centerpiece of the 6ZA are two Clan-built LB 20-X ACs. Backing up the cannons is a mix of ER and pulse lasers, combined with TSM and jump jets. Again, the design lacks a melee weapon to take full advantage of the TSM, but it’s still a short-ranged beast. I’ve run this variant in a small arena-type map, and it just shreds opponents. What can I say, the 6ZA is just fun to play.

Next, I’m going to “hop” over the next two assault ‘Mechs to talk about the lone medium in the ForcePack.

Let me get this out of the way early: the Hoplite is kind of a donkey. I’m not a fan.

Ok, I’ll admit it’s not the worst BattleMech, that dubious honor goes to another, but I’d place the Hoplite in the top 10. It just doesn’t have a lot going for it. The Hoplite is slow, under-armed, and lacks jump jets. When compared to the Griffin—one of the famous 55-ton trio—the Hoplite doesn’t stack up. Some of the newer variants attempt to improve the design, but only the Dragoon’s C comes close to making gold out of lead. Using ClanTech, the Hoplite C gets reskinned in 10 tens of ferro-fibrous armor and double heat sinks. The autocannon is upgraded for an Ultra AC/10, while the LRM jumps to 15-tubes. The real genius is the addition of two medium pulse lasers and a single ER medium laser. The Hoplite C is still slow, but at least it’s well armed and armored. Too bad it’s a Wolf Dragoon exclusive and extinct by the ilClan era. Boo!

The only variant available in the ilClan era is the Hoplite 5C. Armed with two arm AES, an MML-5, and Clan Ultra AC/10, the 5C is a slightly better version of the original. The addition of CASE II and Clan double heat sinks helps make the 5C look better, but the 220 light fusion engine and slow speed aren’t doing the design any favors. Compared to the Hoplite C, the 5C feels like a small step backwards, but in 3153 it’s all we got.

Oh well, better luck next time. With any luck we’ll see variant mimicking the best parts of the C variant as we move deeper into the ilClan era and production on Arc Royal increases. Only time will tell.

Jumping back, the next assault on the list is the Shogun.

The Shogun is like the Thug‘s weirder, slightly overweight cousin. We’ll start a little out of order, with the once-well known 2F Shogun. Armed with an ER PPC, two LRM-15s, and two SRM-6s, the 2F also has jump jets. Meaning, the slow Shogun can throw some weight downrange and kinda scoot out of harms way. But without double heatsinks, heat build up is guaranteed. That’s bad news with all that LRM ammunition aboard and no CASE. If you’re playing era-specific scenarios set in the Succession Wars, the 2F has obvious advantages over standard tech units. More likely, you’re probably rocking the 2E, which drops the ER PPC for a regular PPC to make the Shogun, 3025-Wolf Dragoon compliant.

Thankfully, the 2F and 2E variant aren’t the only Shoguns out in the wild.

The 2H is the “original” Shogun manufactured for the first Star League. The LRMs get an Artemis IV upgrade, while the SRM-6s are replaced with a quad pack of Streak SRM-2s. A medium pulse laser and medium laser are added, along with CASE. The armor is swapped for ferro-fibrous to up the 2H’s protection. The 2H still runs hot, but you can afford a “cool down” phase or two with the extra armor and the lasers give you something to bracket with up close. I actually like the 2H. It’s not perfect, but in the Star League Civil War scenarios I’ve played, the 2H accounted for itself reasonably well.

Switching lanes and moving onto the Dark Age era, the Shogun C is a full ClanTech redesign of the Shogun. Armed with two LRM-20s with Artemis IV, an ER PPC, and four Streak SRM-6s, the Shogun C can launch some powerful long-range attacks. Finally, we Clan double-heat sinks help dissipate some of the tremendous heat this variant can produce. Produced by the Sea Foxes for Clan customers, the Foxes don’t offer the any of the C variants to the Inner Sphere. Instead, they created a mirror variant for Inner Sphere sale on the open market. Sold to mercenaries, the Shogun 3E swaps the C’s Clan technology for the closest Inner Sphere equivalent and includes CASE II. I find the 3E kinda of funny, seeing how the Sea Foxes will sell other full Clantech designs to Inner Sphere customers, but “hold on one second, not the Shogun!”

Anyway, the remaining two Shogun variants, the C2 and C3, are also Clan versions. The C2, also produced by the Sea Foxes, uses ferro-lamellor armor, retains the ER PPC, but swaps out the LRM-20s for two Streak LRM-15s. Two torso-mounted Streak SRM-6s and CASE II round out the C2. The Shogun C2 doesn’t bring much ammunition for its missile systems, but using the Streak system compensates for the smaller ammo count. The real gem of the C2 is the ferro-lamellor armor. In my experience, ferro-lamellor can be a game changer. I’ve played some interesting faction games, including one against a White Raven and a Osteon. The ferro-lamellor turned them into zombie beasts. I expect the C2 to function similarly in most games.

The Shogun C3 is an odd bird, but interesting. Rocking a bigger engine, the C3’s higher speed pair well with LRM-15s outfitted with Artemis V, and a Clan ER PPC with capacitor. Rounding out the C3 are two ATM 6s. Now, I’m usually a fan of the ATM system, but not this time. It’s not because the ATMs themselves are bad, but because the Shogun C3 only mounts a two tons of ammo for them. The low ammo count really restricts the ATM’s adaptability and kinda defeats the whole purpose of the ATM in my humble opinion. What the Shogun C3 could really use an addition ton of ATM ammo to make the most out of the launchers. But if you can’t modify the design, I’d personally go with two tons of HE ammo so the Shogun C3 has some significant punch up close with no minimum range.

Last, but certainly not least, we move onto the final miniature in the ForcePack, the walking turret known as the Goliath.

The Goliath is a quad-‘Mech with a long history and a bajillion variants. In fact, I’m going to skip listing all of them because there’s just too damn many, and focus instead, on a few of the variants I love. Now, if you’ve never played a quad before, you’re in for a treat. They’re super fun to play with, and work differently than their more humanoid counterparts. Read up on the rules for quads if you’re interested in making the most out of these slightly different BattleMechs.

The first variant up on the chopping block is the Capellan-built 3L. This Goliath rocks stealth armor, ECM, decent speed, an ER PPC and MMLs. There’s nothing to hate about the 3L except for that pesky unprotected MML ammo sitting smack dab in the center torso. Yikes! Well, I’ve always said the Capellans were an adventurous lot.

The Goliath 3S rocks thirteen + tons of armor, an LB-X 20 auto cannon, lasers, and a nice-sized LRM launcher. This is a great defensive design that can dish out some hurt and soak up some damage. The light-fusion engine also provides a little more longevity compared to an XL.

The Goliath 7K hits hard with a capacitor-enhanced Heavy PPC, MRMs, machine guns, CASE II, and M-pods. The best thing about the 7K, though, is the supercharger. This variant is the fastest version of the Goliath, and works great in urban terrain. I’ve played it one time in MegaMek, and it killed two heavies, and three vehicles before succumbing to leg damage. Not a bad trade for one Goliath.

I haven’t tried the Goliath 7R, but on paper it feels like a solid upgrade to the original chassis. A light fusion engine, a gauss rifle, two LRM-10s, a pair of ER medium lasers, CASE II, and a lot of light ferro-fibrous armor make for a solid warhorse. I’m including here because it’s basically the reverse image of the short-ranged 7C, and is better looking than the Goliath 6H and 6M (though I like the 6M’s turret).

The last variant is the Goliath C, built by Clan Wolf in 3143. I’m including it because this variant definitely saw deployment with the Wolf Touman during the invasion of Terra. The Goliath C mounts a quad turret sporting a Clantech gauss rifle, with an additional ER large laser and ER micro laser (why not) as backup. An ATM 9 and ER medium laser were also included. Each leg mounts a B-pod, and the ATM ammo is protected by CASE II. Fourteen + tons of standard armor provide protection. I like a lot of the design choices, especially since the Goliath C would likely be piloted by former Inner Sphere warriors, but there are things I’d play with. Namely, I’d change armor type, the missile launcher, and some of the equipment. Playing with crit availability is crucial with a quad design, but it can accidentally to some fun unit construction.

Final thoughts on the ForcePack.

I’m struck by the pack’s selection. In a gaming universe with thousands of miniatures to choose from, the choice of Shogun and Hoplite is quite the head-scratcher for a ForcePack billed as a “generic” Inner Sphere Assault Lance. Putting aside the Goliath‘s uptick in acceptance, the Shogun is pretty darn rare, and the Hoplite was only recently reintroduced via Arc-Royal. Looking at both miniatures in terms of availability across the different eras, and I just don’t understand why they’re in the ForcePack Meanwhile, for most of its existence, the Pillager is literally a Liao and Liao-fanboy faction BattleMech—which I’m willing to grant—does include mercenaries, but still.

Personally, I would prefer to see some newer heavy and assault models with more widespread availability, even if they’re somewhat restricted to eras either during or after the Clan Invasion. The Cerberus, Victor, War Dog, Salamander, Zeus, Titan, Falconer, Defiance, or dare I say the Gallowglas, Gallant, or Hercules would have been inspired choices to include in this ForcePack. This ForcePack would have really popped if it replaced the Shogun and Hoplite with the Cerberus and Hercules. Not only is do the Cerberus and Hercules desperately need a new miniature, but both are on the Mercenary availability lists for later eras, meaning they can show up basically anywhere.