Hephaestus
| Hephaestus | ||
|---|---|---|
| ||
| Class: | Hovercraft | |
| Faction | Clan | |
| Ticket cost: | 2 upon destruction | |
| Tier: | 4 | |
| Tonnage: | 30 tons | |
| Speed: |
84 km/h | |
| Turret rotation: | 360° | |
| Turret pitch: | -10° to +70° | |
| Variant Armament | ||
| Variant | Weapons | Equipment |
| Prime: Price: 46 100 CBills Total armor: 18 434 Engine: Fusion 110 |
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| A: Price: 39 500 CBills Total armor: 17 055 Engine: Fusion 110 |
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| B: Price: 40 400 CBills Total armor: 21 194 Engine: Fusion 110 |
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| C: Price: 42 250 CBills Total armor: 17 055 Engine: Fusion 110 |
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| D: Price: 35 750 CBills Total armor: 18 434 Engine: Fusion 110 |
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| E: Price: 42 050 CBills Total armor: 18 434 Engine: Fusion 110 |
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| F: Price: 36 300 CBills Total armor: 18 434 Engine: Fusion 110 |
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| G: Price: 40 550 CBills Total armor: 18 434 Engine: Fusion 110 |
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| Armor Points Distribution | ||
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All stats current as of release 0.15.3 </div>
The Hephaestus is a Clan light scouting and spotting Hovercraft introduced with MWLL 0.4. All variants are equipped with advanced electronics packages, allowing it to spot enemies early with BHP while remaining undetected itself using GECM or providing cover for friendly units with AECM. Every Hephaestus has a infantry bay that can carry up to one Battle Armor (unfortunately at this time the battle armor loses it's larger weapons when it enters the Hephaestus.)
Contents
Roles and Gameplay Hints
Prime
A close range brawler, the prime is able to harass smaller mechs and tanks thanks to its twin small and medium pulse lasers. The Hephaestus prime is also one of the few early units with AECM allowing it to cover its allies from enemy NARCs all game and its fast enough to avoid most fire coming its way. One glaring weakness of the Hephaestus is its fast speed, while slower then a harasser it will still have trouble bringing its full damage on a single spot due to its high speed. It is a cheap brawler though and very well adapt to poking at partisans or other light units and should never be underestimated.
Variant A
A spotter, that trades one pulse laser and some armor for LRM and a TAG. Those allow it to give long range fire support or to use its speed and stealth to attack from long range, only to vanish into cover right afterwards. With its 2 free tons it can stay in the field long by itself.
Variant B
This variant exchanges all the pulse lasers of the prime for 3 cSPLs and a ATM6 (HE), making it probably the best brawling variant. With extra 1 ton of armor, its GECM to get close and C3 for nearby allies. Its sole heatsink will strugle to keep heat in check in prolonged engagements thou.
Variant C
Only armed with 1 cERLBL for poking, 1cERSBL for defence and cNARC, this variant is intended for a supporting role. It uses its AECM to provide cover for friendly units and the combination of C3 and a BHP to feed them radar data far more detailed then they could gather themselves.
Variant D
D is hit and run variant. Because its twin cUAC5s jam on third salvo, its best to hide and wait for it to cool down. BAP and Eoptics should help with finding the right engagement.
Variant E
This scout is a brawler rather than a spotter. Lacking any automatic target relying equipment, short of the voice-coms of the pilot, this variant is closer to the spirit of reckon in force.
Once the enemy breaks the distance of the two HML range it will find him self in the land of hurt. The vary pilot is advised to break radar silence as soon as the enemy closes to the range of it's trusty cDSSRM4 launcher to benefit of the self homing salvos while the lasers reload. The disciplined warrior can dish out an nearly constant stream of hurt and sore should he opt to chain fire the lasers. Coupled with the swift and mobile nature of the Heph, one can stay out of the engagement window of most of the assets in game, save for the but few of the lightest and swiftest.
The 4 SHS are quite enough for its weapons heat. The BAP will provide 200m head start versus most opponents and GECM will deny additional 200m off from the prying enemy radars netting some 400m of radar advantage - nothing to sneeze at.
Selling point? Are you kidding me? Or, are you all out of c-bills and only paying a mere tourist visit to the shop?
Variant F
The "F" there seems to stand for "Far". There is a sweet spot at 1300 meters where all of this variants weapons meet to bear at the extreme of long range. Out of reach of any lock-on missile and any radars not augmented by an Active Probe. The twin cLBX2 and single ATM6 (ER) guided by the 1350 meter reaching TAG will rain hurt while safe on the fringes of the battlefield. The allied guided missiles platforms will bring mutual benefit if the TAG does it's job right. Further, would an enemy try to break the distance, the care taken to position this unit properly will prove if the pilot has mastered the skill or still has lessons to learn. The free ton will spare the owner some time-loss when finally on the right spot.
Selling point for this unit is chance - do you have the wast distance to engage from? - as in the close quarters, especially would the foe come more intimate than 150 meter, this units pilot damn better start cursing the enemy - as there is really little injury the insults can be added to.
Variant G
This one is meant to be mid-range firesupport, with its duo of cERMBLs and single ATM6 launcher its ideal range is around 600~700m. GECM and BAP is there to help with that. Its huge disadvantage is its lack of SHS, which makes G run rather hot, because it cant afford to stop firing as mid-range support. Use of coolant is necessary, otherwise you wont be able to provide the support your brawlers deserve.
Canon
The first Hephaestus scouting tanks left assembly in 3064. They are being produced exclusively by Clan Hells Horses. Matching its reconnessaince role, it is equipped with a fixed Active Probe and has moderate protection through five tons of armor. Five ton of weaponry allow it to defend itself against lighter opponents. The prime configuration is designed for electronic warfare, carrying TAG and ECM.
