Rifleman
| Rifleman | ||
|---|---|---|
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| Class: | Heavy Mech | |
| Faction: | Inner Sphere | |
| Ticket cost: | 7 upon destruction | |
| Tier: | 8 | |
| Tonnage: | 60 tons | |
| Speed: | 64 km/h (91 km/h with MASC) | |
| Torso yaw: | 360° | |
| Torso pitch: | -35° to +88° while standing -35° to +88° while crouching | |
| Variant Armament | ||
| Variant | Weapons | Equipment |
| Prime: Price: 71 600 CBills Total armor: 52 271 Engine Size: Pitban 240 |
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| A: Price: 62 000 CBills Total armor: 45 884 Engine Size: Pitban 240 |
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| B: Price: 67 700 CBills Total armor: 45 884 Engine Size: Pitban 240 |
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| C: Price: 65 750 CBills Total armor: 45 884 Engine Size: Pitban 240 |
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| D: Price: 80 500 CBills Total armor: 45 884 Engine Size: Pitban 240 |
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| E: Price: 76 500 CBills Total armor: 49 079 Engine Size: Pitban 240 |
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| F: Price: 64 500 CBills Total armor: 45 884 Engine Size: Pitban 240 |
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| G: Price: 79 500 CBills Total armor: 49 079 Engine Size: Pitban 240 |
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| Armor Points Distribution | ||
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All stats current as of release 0.15.3 </div>
The Rifleman is an Inner Sphere Heavy Mech and was added with the 0.6.0 update as a surprise.
As it is intended primarily as an anti-air mech it sports only moderate speed and armor, but it has the best torso pitch and rotation of any mech.
All variants are equipped for anti-aircraft duty and are therefore very efficient against BA, ASF and VTOL. However, their performance against mechs or tanks of similar weight is poor, and Rifleman pilots might find themselves getting easily overwhelmed by medium or even light assets.
The center torso of the Rifleman is very large and is usually the first and only part of the mech to be destroyed. Mechwarriors are advised to hide their center torso whenever possible such as while waiting for weapons to reload or cool down.
Contents
Roles and Gameplay Hints
Prime
The Rifleman Prime is a well-balanced AA mech. Despite its 2 DHS the Prime runs very hot, as it boasts 2 ERLBLs and 2 ERMBLs. These energy weapons are complemented by 2 UAC5s, making the Prime an excellent anti-BA mech. Two free tons for ammo, coupled with the fact that the Prime is mostly an energy-based mech, give it tremendous staying power for as long as its armor holds. The Prime has a BAP, which, along with the EOptics that all Rifleman variants carry, allow it to spot and effectively engage threats at range, aerospace or otherwise.
Variant A
The Rifleman A is a long-range specialist. The A doesn't have the pinpoint damage output of the Prime, but it more than makes up for that with precise damage from 3x HVAC2s reaching 1500m outside most other direct-fire weapons' ranges while it fires at aircraft and targets of opportunity. Equipped with 1 ELRM20, allows the Rifleman A to lock and fire its missiles out to a maximum range of 1500m with 6 shots per ton. The Rifleman A carries 4 free tons of ammo, 1 extra ton or each weapon. Equipped with EOptics which are useful for precision and long-distance aiming, as well as picking out targets from their surroundings that were otherwise undetectable by radar. The Rifleman A is designed to snipe your prey from an unexpected distance.
Variant B
A variant designed for mid range engagements, a relative rarity amongst Riflemen, the Rifleman B packs the meanest alpha of the bunch. Two LBX10 can engage targets from 700m, but the spread of the pellets means the closer the target the more drastic the results, while a battery of 4 ERMBL deal a pinpoint blow to the weakened components. Make no mistake though, despite its relatively short reach, the hitscan nature of its lasers and the spread of its autocannons allow it to punish aircraft that enter its range. A BAP allows the Rifleman B to acquire radar contacts at long range, staying aware of ground and air movements.
Variant C
While other Rifleman variants rely on putting up a wall of projectiles or a laser show to deter enemy aerospace, the Rifleman C trusts in the cool killing power of the gauss rifle. 2 UAC2s provide close in anti-BA protection, but their main purpose is to help calculate the lead the 2 LtGauss rifles will need in order to send enemy aerospace hurtling to earth. As the two weapons have nearly the same projectile speed, pulling enough lead to start landing hits with the UAC2s ensures that any following light gauss shots will land right on target. The Rifleman C carries the standard BAP and EOptics as well, though like all Rifleman variants it should be wary of close combat with other ground assets.
Variant D
Though the Rifleman D has the same 4 RAC2 armament as the much cheaper Partisan B, it still has its own niche. The D variant is meant as a group support mech, intended to shield its lance-mates from both radar and aerospace alike while keeping up with them over rough or uneven terrain. An AECM unit gives nearby friendlies radar cover, while a BAP helps the Rifleman D sniff out any incoming air or ground assets. Enemy aerospace will have to deal with the hailstorm of RAC2 rounds sent their way, and enemy mech assets will stumble into your lance, expecting only a single heavy mech to deal with.
Variant E
The Rifleman E brings a frightening 4 ERLBLs to the fight. Though the resulting heat spike from firing all 4 lasers at once can be worrying, the immense amount of heat dissipation provided by the 11 DHS it carries means that it's impossible to overheat on anywhere but the hottest terrain. With a steady enough hand, the Rifleman E can quickly deal death to any enemy aerospace that is unwise enough to linger inside its 800m range, and can strip enemy mechs of weapons or armor from the relative safety of the second line. 2 Mguns provide adequate anti-BA protection, or allow the E variant to chip at aerospace flying outside the range of its lasers. A BHP gives even further radar range than most Rifleman variants, preventing most enemies from coming up on it unawares.
Variant F
The F variant is somewhat of an oddball. Theoretically, its armament of 2 AC10s and 2 PPCs can deal a great amount of damage to any aerospace it manages to hit. However, the fairly slow projectile speed of each, coupled with their restrictive (for anti-aero work) ranges of 550m and 700m, respectively, means that the Rifleman F will have a hard time landing hits on aerospace with either weapon. Rather, the Rifleman F is meant as a direct fire-support mech, intended to sit behind the front lines and pound away at otherwise distracted targets. Unlike other Rifleman variants, the F carries no active probes, and must thus be careful it isn't caught alone. Though its armaments can cause a significant amount of damage, its slow speed and light armor mean that any assets in its own weight class will easily overpower it.
Variant G
The Rifleman G is a is a short to midrange attacker coupled to blistering array of 6x MXPL X-Pulse Lasers at 279 shots/min each, are capable of removing arms of opponents. 11 DHS is more than enough to handle the heat under normal fire but keeping an eye on you temperature is well advised. Rushing in at 91 km/h with MASC it's good idea to give your unit a few seconds to cool down before opening fire. GECM will keep you under cover right up until your firing range so utilizing the EOptics will help you determine the battle assessment. Knowing the situation and maintaining your heat in this unit will bring you victory.
Canon
The definitive anti-aircraft 'Mech, the Rifleman was first fielded in 2505, making it amont the first 'Mechs ever built. Its combination of long-ranged weaponry, including rapid-fire autocannons and it's excellent targeting and tracking system ensured it would remain a viable battlefield unit through half a millennium of combat. The Rifleman's focus on anti-aircraft work dictated a heavy load of long-range weapons to the exclusion of everything else. The 'Mech's heat sinks are grossly inadequate for constant fire, but in an anti-aircraft role, the Rifleman is expected to have time to dissipate heat while the target aircraft turns for its next pass.
Notable pilots include: Gray Noton "Legend-Killer", Conner Rhys-Monroe "Former Knight of the Sphere", John "Gentleman Johnny" Clavell, and Davis McCall of the Gray Death Legion.
