Battletech Lore - Rifleman Heavy Battlemech 

The only enemy that could bring down a Rifleman: Harmony Gold lawyers.

The Rifleman: a mech so awesome that I'm the grim darkness of the distant future, some dreadnoughts still carry the name.

I call mechs like the Rifleman, Jaegermech and the Blackjack "long range plinkers" as they rely on smaller autocannons for their main firepower. The best way to use them is to keep your distance and plink away at your foes.

I hope this Mech makes a comeback since the Lawsuit w/ Harmony Gold was thrown out and several "Unseen" Mechs were in the new box set.

It was always funny that "Gentleman Johnny" Clavell piloted a Rifleman while leading the Black Widows Recon Lance. The BWC was conceived at the start of the franchise, and there just weren't that many Mechs at first. The Barnes&Noble Exclusive "Wolf's Dragoons Assault Star" Forcepack includes a plastic Rifleman and an Alpha Strike card for "Gentleman Johnny".

I always viewed the Rifleman mech as largely anti-aircraft system on legs, rarely used them too since aerospace fighters never really showed up in the games I played.

Biggest weakness on any mech: Frame. Existing rules call for weight of frame to be set at Target weight of the mech. My opinion, ALWAYS max the IS to allow upgrades.

Great battlemech. I was not aware of all the different variants. Talk about a flexible chasis. I used it in many scenarios with my company and as a enemy unit with the tabletop game. That long range was a life saver taking out enemy mechs as they were about to put the killing blow to many a over eager Crusader pilot or other battlemech. My all time favorite BattleTech manual cover is the one for MechWarrior with the Rifleman in the cockpit sights of another mech. Really captures a world war one and two vibe. Thank you for the excellent video. Definitely puts me in the mood for some HBS BATTLETECH or a Google search for art work :)

The RFL-3N with 2*LB10x and 6*SL, an LFE250, and 5 tons of ammo is one of my most reliable Inner Sphere mechs in MWO. I like running an RFL-3C with 4*ERLL, it's faster, I think with an LFE 285, and the four torso mounts makes the convergence of the beams is great. It plays like an off-brand Virago.

Let's have a field refit where we change the internal structure, the armor, the engine to XL, a larger engine and a nearly completely different weapon loadout. But other than that, it is something simple to do out in the middle of the field away from a tech depot.....

When playing BattleTech, back in the day, I'd prefer a 1- 2 punch where I come in at the enemy hard and fast with medium mechs supported by heavier mechs with long range weapons.

Hey Look! It's a Destroid!! I love Robotech

So this is one of the Unseen, yeah? That's one of the more interesting bits of lore about it, isn't it?

Hello GrimDark. I have been playing, and a fan of, Battletech since it's release back in 1984/1985. So, I have some experience with the B-tech universe, the many manuals, technologies, lore, history, and the resulting computer games. Your videos are informative, well researched, and I have yet to find a glaring error in them. All good points in your favor as a reviewer of B-tech lore and information. Why yes, I do have a favorite Mech... But, it was 'banned' by the play group at The Emperor's Headquarters, in Chicago, as being 'rules breaking', and 'unfair'. I took the standard Locust (20 tons) and redesigned it. Basically from the ground up. Endo-Steel structure, Ferro-Fiberous Armor, and an Engine large enough to give the Mech a speed of 10/15/00. For weapons, my design carried ONE ER Large Laser, and enough double strength heat sinks to keep it cool, even when firing the laser and running at top speed. As a final 'upgrade', I swapped the standard Myomers for TSM. When TSM was activated, the Mech moved at 11/17/00. The Ferro-Fiberous Armor was maxed out over the entire Mech, excepting a single point in the Center Torso Front. This includes maxing out the rear armor sections as well. Although my design would have cost more to produce in C-Bills, the extra cost was not prohibitive, and I could field a LOT of Locusts (my design was designated as the LCT-D9X. Showing it was designed in Davion Space, and was an 'experimental' design, although the production run of experimental Mechs was quite high). At the time, the playing group at the game shop was using 'tonnage' to keep things somewhat 'even', and battles of 400 and even 500 tons were not uncommon, although 300 was the 'normal' range. At 300 tons, most players would field between 3 and 6 Mechs for that tonnage range. I fielded 15 of my locusts and basically out maneuvered my opponents, getting as many Mechs into their rear arcs as possible. Each ER Lrg Laser would be a significant threat to the relatively 'thin' armor there. And usually it took only 4 or 5 shots at the rear to penetrate a single armor location during one turn, and thus wreck the oppenent's Mech. This resulted in me losing only 3 to 4 mechs per battle, totaling a loss of up to 80 tons, whereas the Enemy would lose 300 tons. The speed of the re-designed Locust was a major factor in my mind when I was playing with the numbers. The addition of TSM was 'icing on the cake', so to speak. Go ahead and add up the firing penalties for a 5/8/5 mech vs my Locust. You will find that even a Mech opponent that fast would fair badly against such a swift and agile opponent. Even a Medium Mech moving at 6/9/0 does not fair well. And anything slower than 5/8/0 is doomed. During battles, it was my common tactic to ALWAYS run at top speed, and take snap shots at enemy rear armor locations. Medium, Heavy, and Assault Mechs were slow enough that I could always maneuver a few behind the most deadly opponents and take them out first, then go down the ranks until all Mechs were too damaged to continue combat, or destroyed. The only units that gave my Locusts 'a fight', were other light Mechs. And even then, the relative thickness of my armor, and the large weapon carried, would ensure my Mech survived long enough to send opposing Mechs to the scrapyards. Even when the Playing Group at the store changed to C-Bill costs, I could still field massive numbers of my Locust design... So, they ended up 'banning' the Mech as 'unfair', and somehow 'breaking the rules' of the game... Even though I was using the Design System in the rear pages of the basic rules! The Locust (mine) was only the first of well over three dozen Mech Designs I fielded that ended up 'banned' by the group because they could not counter them over a more than 10 year period. Feel free to play with the numbers. You will find that the above design is indeed possible, and a FAR more 'streamlined' design overall. Keep on making videos. Although your pronunciation sometimes falls on my ears a bit weirdly, I can understand you, and it is good to hear younger people doing 'lore' about Battletech (yes, I am THAT old. Currently just passing 60 and still a 'kid' at heart). Just some thoughts, the Frank Gamer

Hey GDN, quick question; since the Clan's also field 2c variants of some of the mechs that you have covered, such as the Rifleman IIC, Marauder IIC, etc, are you going to do them as separate clan mechs, or add them in as variants? Keep up the great work, and awesome job on this series.

I am a fan of the Rifleman. I like using them in fire support lances and as AA. Pair them up with the lrm Jagermech.

A request; the Hachetman and/or the Axeman mechs'. 😁

Gotta love how some 'Field refit kits' can mean a new skeleton, engine, gyro, armor, sensors, electronics, weapons, heat-sinks... What was used from the original mech? Some buttons and bolts? Sounds more like a DIY mech kit from IKEA. Just picture it, 1st the whole mechbay floor is covered in parts with packing materials shoved into every corner... Then weeks later it's finished and someone is asking 'What are these bolts for and why don't any of these nuts fit them?'

Three rifleman is the true sniper of the original box. Allot of weight went into the auto cannons and first armor. No doubt it's great sitting back and slapping others around but with light armor and ammo bins all over it pops easy and with heat curve problems you push it and will cook if that same ammo. The ability too flip it's arms into the rear Arc helps allot though. This is a support mech pure and simple and very very few variants are able to fix that. There are a metric boat load of variants though to fit your flavor which leads to it being in the field allot. Other than Target computer there isn't allot of tech that helps it's short falls much. Jamming auto cannons or great big heat curves are a plague. Hitting with this mech is critical, as is staying out of touch. Any tech, in my opinion should focus on those two options otherwise it hurts what makes the mech Excel in the first place. It is funny to watch an opponent fighter wing go down before it can cause damage to your forces lol.

The second line clan version, the Rifleman 2C I enjoyed playing a lot. Four large pulse lasers caused most opposing mech pilots to have a really bad day. Also loved the standard inner sphere version despite its drawbacks because it looked so damned cool.

Ah, the Rifleman. As is, it's a so-so Mech design. But after 3050? It gets so much better! Upgrade it with ENDO, and FERRO, XL Engine, and FOUR AC-2's and you have a sniper support Mech that just pisses off your opponent to no end! 6 tons of ammo for the ACs and you still have tonnage left after dropping un-needed heat sinks to up-armor the beast, or enlarge it's Engine for faster redeployment time to a new sniping nest. Put a Mechwarrior with the best Gunnery skill into the cockpit, and snipe head shots while the enemy is dealing with the rest of your deployed force.

My favorite Long range support mech I have in BattleTech right now is the Rifleman's counterpart the Jegermech. Currently stripped all armor weapons and heatsinks, it carries 3 LRM 20's 1 lrm 10 and 4 tons of reloads and guarded by a black knight

Probably one of my faves after the urban mech

Some of the guys I used to play against liked these but I always found them pretty easy to kill No armour and great for cooking turkeys

I might used that much next time.I love marauder mech 😁

Is it just me or does the PGI rifleman look like its arms are on upside down?

DAKKA DAKKA DAKA DAKKA DAKKA DAKKA DAKA!!!!!

I was playing MWLL in a Rifleman just an hour ago! It was absolutely brutal, im not a very good pilot so i had to eject a few times, but that autocannon+laser combo is great for dishing out damage at mid range

This is basically an upscaled Defender Destroid. Defender: 11 meters tall. Rifleman: 18 meters tall.

Rifleman made for a good anti-air and sniper unit that's for sure just not so great when it's foes get up in its face for a little melee action.

Funny thing though, the Rifleman was not a particularly good AA mech when using the rather crummy aerotech rules.

Great video GDN , TY for getting me into the lore of this game . Don't knovv if it helps but the company EM4 Miniaures puts out some generic plastic "MECH" minis inexpensively & vv/a little conversion might serve players . Their other 28mm plastic minis are inexpensive & fit vv/40k minis fine & had no problems taking the EM4 bodies & converting on a 40k spare vveapon . The "Gangers" vvork good 4 necromunda & they've got generic Guard models as vvell as generic Space Marines pretty cheap. Lastly they've got dirt cheap Orks & Dvvarves. Sorry, I'm not trying to advertise for them but I just got box that I ordered & they're nice & suprisingly cheap ( compared to 40k ) & I thought the MECH minis vvould vvork for battletech. TY again

Thanks for the vid sir.

How about a video on that HighLander

It's nice to see the Swedish Chef has a new gig

I used to play mech warrior online I still do on occasions and this was one of the mechs I used although my play style is more based around the assault and heavy mechs this was the mech I mainly used until I had enough credits for the larger ones and as it goes I really liked it worked really well with my play style. Although I don't like using the ac ultras as I found they jammed up at the worst of times which cost me hit point's so if I'm remembering right I think I used a couple of ac 10 and I'm sure it had three lasers which was two light one medium but this was a while ago when I was using this mech so I might be remembering it wrong. Great video grim been loving these mech warrior video's.

its not a front line unit its great sniper and support mech

Aye laddie! Now yer talking!

I can't believe you didn't cover the Rifleman II C, the Clan retrofit weighing 65 tons !! It has 4 x Large Pulse lasers, two in each arms.

How about doing one on the Mackie?

I have two books BattleTech technical readouts 3055 and 3050 you should give them a look

Will you cover the poster child for battletech eventually the Madcat?

thanks for another great video

The original version light armor, pathetic ammunition load, poor heat dissipation. Good a stomping on vehicles but avoid real battlemechs.

fire power of all variants awesome, heat management(heat sinks) and armor sucks much, it is support mech or AA mech like the Jaguar not much for mixing it up at close range or against well matched light mechs suffers horribly against fast medium mechs like the Phoenix Hawk Griffin 1S or ShadowHawk 2K it is also outranged by missile mechs like the Dervish or Trebuchet or Catapult unless it is configured in AC2 AC5 combo with LLasers additions and then it is only the ping from the AC2s that give it an advantage not knocking your video just pointing out a few things to consider if using it in TT CBT games

I would like to see 5he bushwacker or scorpion mechs

I have the rifle man in the battletech pc game as a mod its a great mech sort of a baby jagermech lol

I approve of this.

I am a Rifleman Pilot.

Has anyone ever told you that you sound a lot like Dr Michio Kaku?

I am a straight white male.

Tacos

Camper Mech