@@MechanicalFrog Honestly, I think it's a bit of both. The bullying makes them invent new things to pick new fights, which ends up in them getting bullied more. It's a vicious cycle.
Played some classic BT last Sunday. We weren't able to continue our campaign that day, so the tree of us who showed up broke out a solaris map and had a 3 way duel. One player brough out an adv tech Wolverine, one brought out Yen-lo Wang, and I brought a Stormcrow B. When I saw the discrepancy in bv, I offered to take a light mech instead, since I only brought my clan mechs expecting the campaign to continue, but they chose to take higher skill pilots. The Wolverine got bumped up to 3/4 and YLW was now 0/1. First round I engage the wang. He fires everything at me, and only scratches me with a med laser to RT, I respond by double tapping my UAC-20, one shot misses, but the other goes right into the wang's head. Mech dies instantly in round 1. I'm trying hard not to laugh as I remind them I had offered to downgrade my mech. In the end, we let the wang player rejoin in turn 2 piloting a Nova Prime, he goes on to win after ending my reign of terror by getting a floating point crit on my last two rounds of AC ammo. (No one was safe from my left arm delete button, not even me.) By this time, I had crippled the Wolverine, and blown the Nova's left arm off. Between the ammo explosion and taking a gyro crit, my mech wound up unable to get back up, and ultimately got taken out by a final engine crit after the Nova kicked me in the dick after his lasers failed to finish the job. I regret nothing. We all agreed that me one-shotting what was essentially Kai Allard-Liao in the beginning was hilarious.
@@tacituskilgore2016 Mechs can compliment one another based on strengths they share, or strengths they cover one another on. The Centurion and Trebuchet for example are routinely paired up because the Centurion can brawl at medium and close range while the Trebuchet can provide supporting fire and long range cover. In regards to the Mad-Dog and Stormcrow, its because the two are so close in terms of what you can outfit them with that the two can and will act as mirrors of one another. Even in their default loadouts, the Mad-Dog and Stormcrow have major overlap in terms of range brackets.
I like to imagine a Commando pilot, thinking its speed is enough during the Invasion has these final moments, "Take that you stupid medium!....... He's right behind me isnt he?"
"Haha gotcha! Now for a lap and another strike! Can't keep up? Wooooo!" !!!Target in rear arc!!!!! "Wha..."""" - the last words of a Rasalhague Commando pilot
The Stormcrow is what happens when you fine tune a war machine to have nothing unnecessary and stick with what works. The results speak for themselves.
Gods, this mech carried me in MW2 back in the day. I still love it for that. I run a IS Merc list in Alpha Strike, but I make any excuse I can to add a Stormcrow.
Add on top of that none of its invasion variants are truly bad (pre-tyukkayid). It is a supremely solid mech that doesn't sacrifice any one side for the firepower, speed, armor triangle.
The Stormcrow is an attack helicopter on legs, which is an inherently cool aesthetic for a mech to have. It's way better looking than basically any of the "man in a robot suit" designs.
Why do we love the Ryoken/Stormcrow? Same reason for why we love our 55-ton IS mechs. It's a sweetspot between speed, armor, and sustained firepower that doesn't seem to exist in other weight classes that can regularly, decisively, punch above its weight with ease and is always a dreaded sight to behold on the horizon.
The Stormcrow was my favorite medium mech in Mechwarrior 4: Mercenaries. Didn't have much of a insta-death armament, but I liked the way I could balance weapons, armor, and speed.
2:31 I bought the same medium Omni set in the early '90s, and I amazingly still have all four of them 🙂. I do wish to say however, I did put the legs on correctly 🙂😊.
I fondly remember 1990ish being introduced to Clan cheese during our massive Inner Sphere campaign. During our first encounter I tangled with a Star of Stormcrows. Sheesh what a fight. We survived, barely, and many painful battles later, eventually pieced a prime together from salvage. We all loved it, fighting over it for each battle. Then a few games later we came across a quad PPC Macaroni, pardon me, a Warhawk that removed the Stormcrow, among other mechs, from our TOE. It was a brutal, terrible campaign.
You hit one of my favorites here. So many fond memories of the earlier days of MW:O running in an SRM-bomb Crow configuration. That and I have a nice Stormcrow cutaway poster from the '90s hanging in a frame in my downstairs game room.
I love the storm crow as a mech that just, does its job. There are flashier mediums, love me a viper, but the storm crow is there to hold off the spheroid heavies while the rest of your star does their job. Did they just drop an atlas? Well, At least your buddy in the nova has something do now. Not your problem. the prime is probably my favourite, it's just a lighter and properly cooled Marauder. what's not to love about that? the Tiny Tim build seems like a good idea but rarely delivers the same results. It also shows how silly the gargoyle is, sharing a load out with it, and might be better at it? Just, a constant MVP that might not be your star player, but is the anchor of your team.
In my latest game of HBS' BTA, I managed to take a Stormcrow D very early, and it was the most insane LRM-boat upgrade ever. I don't even remember what I had before that, as it was instantly retired.
I will say this about the prime for all it hits hard it really suffers from not really having any crit seeking weapons. Those ER medium lasers and the extra heat sinks for them are costly. I'd shove in 4 SRM-4s and 2 tons of ammo at the expense of those 3 ER medium lasers and 3 heatsinks. You gain some utility in the form of alternative ammo types if you want to (low ammo for weapons is after all very clanner) and you get a lot of crit seeking punch and still can fire 2 ER larges while doing so.
Fair, but no loadout is perfect. Though if were to change it, I personally would remove just the arm ERMLs and a couple heat sinks for 2 SRM4s. I know it's less efficient, but it's based on my own preferred fighting style. I like jousting at range and having a little more backup firepower if I loose a torso.
I love the new CGL sculpt of the Stormcorw so much! They finally fixed the proportions of the hands and feet of this mech, and I no longer think it looks ugly at all!
AT LONG LAST IT'S FINALLY HERE. And doesn't disappoint. Watched this over a fine meal of ribs, chicken wings, and Cheerwine. I concur that the C configuration is highly underrated. Once shot down a Hiryu WiGE down with a single shot of cluster with one once, been a big fan ever since. Even kitbashed a miniature Stormcrow C so I could have a proper looking figurine to play with. Finally, as a reminder, the Stormcrow has small hands so that there is less space for victory to potentially slip through.
The Stormcrow is a very very capable 'mech sure, probably one of the most optimized designs along with the Mad cat of the original 3050 Omni's. Great vid about a superb 'mech!
If you want to loose friends quickly , bring a 60 C-LRM Stormcrow to the table. You can fire every turn and laugh when someone attempt to close the distance
I've always liked the Stormcrow. I vaguely recall one of my first custom configs Mounting an ultra-10, ER PPC and jump jets. It was flawed but I always like big damage weapons. Early in my collection, I had 3 of the old IWM sculpts. Of the variants on or before 3067, I reach for the A and E variants. The A has the pulses and streaks that do consistent damage and the LRM system gives you something to fire while you close. The E config is a beast at point blank range. It strikes me as a hunter/killer of hidden units. ATMs on HE and those 4 ER smalls on an average volley where everything hits will inflict 62 damage. Throw in the ER meds for extra pain and creeping up the heat scale a bit, and you could inflict nearly 80 damage. Many people like the B, but I've seen far too many times where a warrior has recklessly used the AC ammo or the cannon gets destroyed, and then the arm with the lasers gets shot off rendering the mech useless. The K and the P configs look promising, but I haven't taken the opportunity to field them yet.
Loving your videos man! i am such a huge battle tech fan have read tons of the books and played all the video games, but i have never played the table top game! wish i knew someone who played!
Thanks a lot. Hopefully the game will keep growing in popularity so there will be players everywhere. Ask at your local game shop if others are around. Sometimes they have postboards for LFGs.
Great video! The Stormcrow is in my top 3 clanner mediums, along with the Vapor Eagle and Black Lanner. 27:56 Yeah, I'm using the 'Kotare' variant in MW5: Clans, and its a very respectable machine, made better by the story it originated in.
Such a great mech in both classic and AS. Almost every list I currently use for AS involves the Stormcrow F. Hard to beat 9 pips, 3 damage 2 OV, and 2 heat for 37 PV
One of my more recent favorites, My Clan Wolf army has a white one named Gandalf as one of its command mechs. Now if only there was a Jump-jet equipped version
I absolutely love the Stormcrow. It is my favorite medium Omnimech and it is one of the Omnimechs I always take when I play Clans... It is just amazing.
The Stormcrow Prime is a fantastic Light Mech hunter. It'll put down anything under 35 tons in only one or two salvos, and do so while completely cool.
My 1st exposure to the Clans waaaay back when, was when a Convoy with a S'Crow as salvage protected by a LRM carrier and a Cougar. The Cougar took a lucky Cockpit hit from my Uziel and a kick took care of the LRM Carrier. The S'Crow had a blown gyro, so I opted to keep it as my cut since the LRM Carrier and Cougar werent total losses and the POW's included 2 Astechs. It was 4 months later before I got a gyro replacement and it was on then.
I love the stormcrow C variant, it was my go to clan medium mech in MWO when the clan invasion dropped and it got me through a lot of the mid game in MW5 clans.
I object to a mech named 'Storm' Crow not having more builds with an ER PPC. Gimme an ER PPC, an ATM, and add some jump jets and machine guns for spice.
I love the stormcrow... one of my favorite.. just so useful and so versatile. have used it many many many times.... and honestly, I like the look of it.
Probably the very best UAC 20 carrier in the game. Used this to crush many a heavy mech with its speed and firepower. It isn't a bad missile boat ether.
@@MechanicalFrog I find clans generally don't do mediums well. So many end up specialists but this one is actually pretty flexible and is a favorite. Like it better than the timber wolf actually. Is ironicly responsible for my only double decapitation ive had in a game. Hard feelings that one.
@@sheilaolfieway1885 the Hunchback IIC is indeed a platform but not a very good one honestly. 2 shots in ultra mode slow and not likely to survive good for one kill where I've used a B to kill multiple mechs that's to the speed.
Recently I tried 6 a medium pulse laser Stormcrow in MWO, and in my first match I solo-killed a pair of Locusts which were hunting a Marauder IIC. My match damage wasn't that high, but the Marauder IIC I saved went on to deal 800 damage, which felt nice. The build also works in tabletop, and with the better heatsink efficiency in tabletop you can add a targeting computer to improve the accuracy of the pulse lasers, and still have 5 tons left over - More than enough to add a plasma rifle with two tons of ammo :D
I modified an A configuration for a campaign i was playing in. dropped one of the pulse lasers and 1 ton of the SRM ammo (cause streaks are amazing and do not waste ammo) in exchange for 2 more heat sinks and an Artemis 4 system for the lrm20. Absolute monster. Light mech jumps in behind you? get that arm back and pulse laser its ass (clan light mechs are not known for having a lot of armor. 21 damage is usually enough to punch some holes). The lrm20 was great for sitting back with my heavier friends and tacking onto their damage. Then when enemies had holes to exploit, running in and feeding weakened and usually slower enemies alpha strikes meant between 33 and 65 damage depending on how many weapons and how much of the lrm 20 connected. Absolute crit seeking nightmare able to stand on its own against anything its weight and under and reliably put down anything heavier if my buddy in the gauss king crab got a round or 2 to soften them up.
Honestly, I have 4 non-canon configurations for this one, lol; with the last one being a variant of Atwater's variant. I could do all of them, but I'll stick with the last 2 I created. The Stormcrow ISM 3 is a mixed tech platform, with the native Clantech being found primarily in the non-weapon areas - excluding the TSM it mounts. That, combined with a supercharger in the CT, gives it a movement profile of 6(7)/9(14)/5 - which obviously means it has 5 jump jets. It has 12 DHS and 10 tons of Clan FF armor. For the weapons, it has an IS Plasma Rifle/w 2 tons of ammo in the right arm, along with an IS Medium Re-Engineered Laser. Another pair of Medium Re-Engineered Lasers are mounted in the left arm, and a Clan Laser AMS is carried in the head. The combined heat from its weapons, not including the heat generated by running and jumping, is 33. So you have to be careful. The Stormcrow ISM 4, as stated, is a variant of the Stormcrow Atwater. I retained the 6 jump jets and the twin LB-2X autocannons, though each one now has its own ton of ammo. An Active Probe is mounted in the heat, and an ER Medium Laser is added to each arm. Each side torso also carries a Medium Re-Engineered Laser, and it of course mounts TSM (for 6(7)/9(11)/6. It has no additional DHS.
I played this last Sunday in its Prime configuration and I love it. Though my main critique is with the current plastic model which while it is a great sculpt it looks too similar to a Nova from a distance to me.
One of the nastiest mechs to come from TRO 3050. I have a great fondness for the Stormcrow. I still kind of like the old Ral Partha mini for its classic look, and how it brings me back to using one in MechWarrior 2. The New CGL mini is great, but I have mixed feelings on the hand actuator/gun orientation. I suppose it makes more sene in that orientation for utility purposes, but I still like the vestigial hands of the original.
Ah, the thing that I like to call a Death Chicken - because it looks like a headless chicken running around in its death-throws. Morbid, yes, but it is a compliment. I like this thing. Well armoured, fast, and decently armed. What I like is that it isn't overgunned like so many other Clan mechs - so at least the base config doesn't overheat like crazy - it is easy to use, but still dangerous and versatile.
the Stormcrow always has a place in my Clan Invasion era Ghost Bear Stars along with either a Kingfisher or Executioner, Nova, Arctic Cheetah & Adder can't wait to play with one in MW5 Clans
While II know this is primarily a tabletop channel, it was my love for this this mech on the tabletop which inspired me to replay the only mission in MechCommander 2 where it was possible to take this mech and a Summoner/Thor as salvage. What would you rather take at 55 tons? A Bushwacker? An Uziel? Nah, this bird strong.
The Stormcrow does so much right for a 55-ton 'Mech that it's almost unfair to stack it up against IS 55-tonners, but I guess that explains the BV. My favorite config is a custom one inspired by MechWarrior 4 Mercenaries. In this case, I modded it into a nasty brawler that mixes four ERMLs, two Streak 6's, jump jets, a targeting computer, and a total of 17 double heat sinks. Bringing this thing of evil to the table asks you to sacrifice about 2400 BV and the occasional friendship.
I love this thing in MW5 The Clans. You can slap 3 Large Pulse Lasers and alpha strike them all day with the occasional heat check. Besides the Grendel and Nova, one of my favorite clan mediums.
Sweet, Stormcrow time! I like the stormcrow because it's a rare generalist in the Clan frontline arsenal. Almost every configuration has a backup plan for it the primary plan doesn't work out. Since I felt like making a configuration today, I thought I'd try to improve Mia Attwater's configuration. And honestly, I didn't change much. The LRM 5s are out, replaced by 2 ER Medium Lasers in each side torso, giving this Stormcrow some of the punch it was lacking. The LB-5Xs also get a second ton of ammo, with one in each side torso. And that's all! It's a little toasty, but tolerable. I think it's still a little under gunned compared to any other configuration, but it's the price to pay for keeping the two autocannons.
It may look silly but the Storm Crow is just so dang efficient I'm willing to go with it. I was first introduced to the chassis with what I guess is the P config back with Mechcommander 2.
my first contact with the Ryoken was the variant Natascha Kerensky herself piloted, and i loved the story to bits * ^^ * speaking of it, time to search that book back out and give it a read, its been way to long ^^
@@MechanicalFrog he is! please, encourage this. i wasnt as a kid, and its taken a while to power through the ol childhood drama hate to see talent go to waste
Aaahhhh Stormcrow... If the Stooping Hawk hadn't stolen my heart, you'd be my favorite 55 tonner period. As for the Attwater - there's two lines of logic you can go downfor the ammo placement. One is mostly gameplay - the head is the hardest place to hit, and therefore the least likely to suffer critical hits at all. If critical hits *do* occur at all, it's just as likely to take out the sensors or cockpit which would be "mission kills" anyway (any sensor damage triggers Forced Withdrawal - same as taking 2 engine hits, 4 pilot hits, or running out of ammo). Also factor in that the Attwater is ice cold (it only goes +3 on alpha, run, *and* 15 max outside heat sources) you're just unlikely to trigger ammo explosions at all. The second line of logic is logistical: ammo explosions in the head don't transfer (not that clan mechs with their CASE transfer either) so a head ammo explosion leaves a nearly pristine machine to repair/refit after the battle is over, whether the machine has CASE or not. And because Autoeject still work on ammo explosions before damage is applied, you're not even really risking the pilot, either.
I do find the Stormcrow incredibly pretty, it has such sleek lines, the arms are an oddity but the little winglets on the arms as seen in MW5 make up for them. This one does not need a plasma weapon, just take the B and add 6 flamers instead of the 6 er medium lasers, as they weigh half as much as er medium lasers you have 3 tons left. so you add jump jets to make this far more of a problem for infantry. Because of mechwarrior 5 clans I have a reverence for the B configuration, even though the UAC20 (solid slug) cannot head cap with a single hit most often it won't jam until the third or so shot allowing you to utterly trivialize a boss fight. It is awkward having Ezra still praising some mechwarrior as better than the other when my mech turned it's pilot into paste in under a second. I also don't know how the mechwarrior recovered from said pasting to appear in a scene after that mission. and the er medium lasers can be chain fired to clear the skies or bore a hole through something's armor when not chain fired.
This design is close to peak use of the Clan XL Engine, Ferro Fibrous Armour and Endo Steel Frame Most heavier designs are making sacrifices in terms of critical slots which limit use of the weight because of the weight saving tech This never feels too constrained by slots, while still having good weight for loadouts
I LOVE the laser vomit prime Stormcrow! 41 points of damage and the heatsinks to alpha every turn on a 6/9 platform protected by 9.5 tons of clan ferro fibrous armor. If there was ever a reason to be a clanner...
Com Guard mentioned, wooooooo! Mechfrog, if you feel the urge to make a "Why do we love the Clanbuster mechs" video, don't be afraid. It's just the voodoo doll doing its work.
At this point, Clan Hell's Horses feels like that one quirky inventor nerd kid who gets bullied by most of the other kids in the neighborhood.
I see them more like the annoying kid at school who provokes fights and then loses every time.
@@MechanicalFrogNerd kid with a big mouth?
@@MechanicalFrog My official trial of grievance statement is on it's way.
@@MechanicalFrog Honestly, I think it's a bit of both. The bullying makes them invent new things to pick new fights, which ends up in them getting bullied more. It's a vicious cycle.
They've also got Special Snowflake Syndrome with their whole "tanks are cool guys I swear" mentality
Played some classic BT last Sunday. We weren't able to continue our campaign that day, so the tree of us who showed up broke out a solaris map and had a 3 way duel. One player brough out an adv tech Wolverine, one brought out Yen-lo Wang, and I brought a Stormcrow B. When I saw the discrepancy in bv, I offered to take a light mech instead, since I only brought my clan mechs expecting the campaign to continue, but they chose to take higher skill pilots. The Wolverine got bumped up to 3/4 and YLW was now 0/1. First round I engage the wang. He fires everything at me, and only scratches me with a med laser to RT, I respond by double tapping my UAC-20, one shot misses, but the other goes right into the wang's head. Mech dies instantly in round 1.
I'm trying hard not to laugh as I remind them I had offered to downgrade my mech. In the end, we let the wang player rejoin in turn 2 piloting a Nova Prime, he goes on to win after ending my reign of terror by getting a floating point crit on my last two rounds of AC ammo. (No one was safe from my left arm delete button, not even me.) By this time, I had crippled the Wolverine, and blown the Nova's left arm off. Between the ammo explosion and taking a gyro crit, my mech wound up unable to get back up, and ultimately got taken out by a final engine crit after the Nova kicked me in the dick after his lasers failed to finish the job.
I regret nothing. We all agreed that me one-shotting what was essentially Kai Allard-Liao in the beginning was hilarious.
Not so lucky without a Canyon rigged to explode!
Haha! 0/1 pilot rendered into mist after whiffing everything but a medium laser. That's incredible.
Is it wierd that I liked reading this story 😂 I read it as if it was a battle in one of the novels 😂😂😂
The stormcrow pairs so well with the Mad-Dog as a "Do anything" Omnimech. So much so I love to mirror my builds across them.
They make a good pair.
Thor too. Those are truly the omniest omnis
Can someone explain to me how two mechs pair well together?
@@tacituskilgore2016 Mechs can compliment one another based on strengths they share, or strengths they cover one another on. The Centurion and Trebuchet for example are routinely paired up because the Centurion can brawl at medium and close range while the Trebuchet can provide supporting fire and long range cover.
In regards to the Mad-Dog and Stormcrow, its because the two are so close in terms of what you can outfit them with that the two can and will act as mirrors of one another. Even in their default loadouts, the Mad-Dog and Stormcrow have major overlap in terms of range brackets.
I like to imagine a Commando pilot, thinking its speed is enough during the Invasion has these final moments, "Take that you stupid medium!....... He's right behind me isnt he?"
"Haha gotcha! Now for a lap and another strike! Can't keep up? Wooooo!"
!!!Target in rear arc!!!!!
"Wha...""""
- the last words of a Rasalhague Commando pilot
"Hunh... He's fast...!!"
Mentioning Games & Gizmos in Bellevue instantly slammed me back into childhood. Man. I miss that place.
Core memory.
yeah that place and Nybles and Bytes that was down here in Tacoma.
wait, aren't they in Redmond now?
@@SpaceMarine4040 From what I can gather on Google, they shuttered at the end of 2017.
@@SpaceMarine4040 G&G is now in Kirkland if i am not mistaken....
I love how every week I look forward to "how is MechFrog going to insert a Plasma Weapon into this mech?"
Please don't stop
I know what the audience wants.
@@MechanicalFrog warcrimes with a side of ecological disasters
One thing I love about the Prime is how consistent it is. Like, it's not gonna have mega-huge bursts, but it wont ever stop. EVER.
Love the “B” configuration . So many good memories including the winning of a Bloodname competition at my local club
The Stormcrow is what happens when you fine tune a war machine to have nothing unnecessary and stick with what works. The results speak for themselves.
Well put.
Gods, this mech carried me in MW2 back in the day. I still love it for that. I run a IS Merc list in Alpha Strike, but I make any excuse I can to add a Stormcrow.
One of the few truly perfect battlemechs. Well protected, well armed, and fast to boot. It's glorious.
Add on top of that none of its invasion variants are truly bad (pre-tyukkayid). It is a supremely solid mech that doesn't sacrifice any one side for the firepower, speed, armor triangle.
I’m glad you included Cherry Blossoms in the fiction portion of your video. It’s one of my favorite BattleTech short stories.
Mine too.
The Stormcrow is an attack helicopter on legs, which is an inherently cool aesthetic for a mech to have. It's way better looking than basically any of the "man in a robot suit" designs.
Absolute gem of an episode. Great script well delivered. This one is way up on the list of favorite episodes.
I appreciate the kind words, thanks for watching.
Definitely agree!
Definitely proved it's value on MW5 Clans
Definitely worth the unlock.
My moutainline painted one is featured as one of the screenshots defintly a fun mech.
Admittedly haven't tinkered with it myself. Been too busy having fun with the Nova and Mad Dog. I'll have to check it out for my second playthrough
Because it's objectively one of the best mech designs in the history of the game
A perfect balance of the triangle
Nothing less than a true monster. Probably the best medium mech out there, all told?
Definitely a tough challenge to find a better 55 ton omnimech.
Why do we love the Ryoken/Stormcrow? Same reason for why we love our 55-ton IS mechs. It's a sweetspot between speed, armor, and sustained firepower that doesn't seem to exist in other weight classes that can regularly, decisively, punch above its weight with ease and is always a dreaded sight to behold on the horizon.
The Stormcrow was my favorite medium mech in Mechwarrior 4: Mercenaries. Didn't have much of a insta-death armament, but I liked the way I could balance weapons, armor, and speed.
2:31 I bought the same medium Omni set in the early '90s, and I amazingly still have all four of them 🙂. I do wish to say however, I did put the legs on correctly 🙂😊.
wish i had known about it in the 90's the only thing i knew of was the cartoon :(
I fondly remember 1990ish being introduced to Clan cheese during our massive Inner Sphere campaign. During our first encounter I tangled with a Star of Stormcrows. Sheesh what a fight. We survived, barely, and many painful battles later, eventually pieced a prime together from salvage. We all loved it, fighting over it for each battle. Then a few games later we came across a quad PPC Macaroni, pardon me, a Warhawk that removed the Stormcrow, among other mechs, from our TOE. It was a brutal, terrible campaign.
The prime is basically a 6/9 Warhammer.
One of the really good Mechs in MW5. So many options and interesting Omnipods. Never gets boring
I learned to love the Stormcrow in MW4 Mercs. And I still love it in MW5 Clans.
Bless you, mighty frog man from beyond the stars. You heard my prayer and delivered. You've earned a line in the Remembrance for this.
The nonsense must flow.
You hit one of my favorites here. So many fond memories of the earlier days of MW:O running in an SRM-bomb Crow configuration. That and I have a nice Stormcrow cutaway poster from the '90s hanging in a frame in my downstairs game room.
I apppreciated the “North American badger “ jab clanner
Anything to get through a Wednesday.
The C config is my fav.
I love the storm crow as a mech that just, does its job. There are flashier mediums, love me a viper, but the storm crow is there to hold off the spheroid heavies while the rest of your star does their job. Did they just drop an atlas? Well, At least your buddy in the nova has something do now. Not your problem.
the prime is probably my favourite, it's just a lighter and properly cooled Marauder. what's not to love about that? the Tiny Tim build seems like a good idea but rarely delivers the same results. It also shows how silly the gargoyle is, sharing a load out with it, and might be better at it? Just, a constant MVP that might not be your star player, but is the anchor of your team.
Idk why YOU love the Stormcrow, but I love the Stormcrow bc it's a freaking beast.
Truth.
This mech was my introduction to the Battletech universe.
In my latest game of HBS' BTA, I managed to take a Stormcrow D very early, and it was the most insane LRM-boat upgrade ever. I don't even remember what I had before that, as it was instantly retired.
So many shiny new designs that I love, but the stormcrow is still my all time favorite. Step a side timberwolf.
Timber is a heavy though.
I will say this about the prime for all it hits hard it really suffers from not really having any crit seeking weapons. Those ER medium lasers and the extra heat sinks for them are costly. I'd shove in 4 SRM-4s and 2 tons of ammo at the expense of those 3 ER medium lasers and 3 heatsinks. You gain some utility in the form of alternative ammo types if you want to (low ammo for weapons is after all very clanner) and you get a lot of crit seeking punch and still can fire 2 ER larges while doing so.
Fair, but no loadout is perfect. Though if were to change it, I personally would remove just the arm ERMLs and a couple heat sinks for 2 SRM4s. I know it's less efficient, but it's based on my own preferred fighting style. I like jousting at range and having a little more backup firepower if I loose a torso.
I spent many Saturdays in the bellevue games and gizmos during the late 90s and early 2000s. I miss that store.
It was a great one.
I love the new CGL sculpt of the Stormcorw so much! They finally fixed the proportions of the hands and feet of this mech, and I no longer think it looks ugly at all!
its a 55t 6/9 with two hands! it can steal so much stuff!!
AT LONG LAST IT'S FINALLY HERE.
And doesn't disappoint. Watched this over a fine meal of ribs, chicken wings, and Cheerwine.
I concur that the C configuration is highly underrated. Once shot down a Hiryu WiGE down with a single shot of cluster with one once, been a big fan ever since. Even kitbashed a miniature Stormcrow C so I could have a proper looking figurine to play with.
Finally, as a reminder, the Stormcrow has small hands so that there is less space for victory to potentially slip through.
The Stormcrow is a very very capable 'mech sure, probably one of the most optimized designs along with the Mad cat of the original 3050 Omni's. Great vid about a superb 'mech!
If you want to loose friends quickly , bring a 60 C-LRM Stormcrow to the table. You can fire every turn and laugh when someone attempt to close the distance
I've always liked the Stormcrow. I vaguely recall one of my first custom configs Mounting an ultra-10, ER PPC and jump jets. It was flawed but I always like big damage weapons. Early in my collection, I had 3 of the old IWM sculpts.
Of the variants on or before 3067, I reach for the A and E variants. The A has the pulses and streaks that do consistent damage and the LRM system gives you something to fire while you close. The E config is a beast at point blank range. It strikes me as a hunter/killer of hidden units. ATMs on HE and those 4 ER smalls on an average volley where everything hits will inflict 62 damage. Throw in the ER meds for extra pain and creeping up the heat scale a bit, and you could inflict nearly 80 damage. Many people like the B, but I've seen far too many times where a warrior has recklessly used the AC ammo or the cannon gets destroyed, and then the arm with the lasers gets shot off rendering the mech useless.
The K and the P configs look promising, but I haven't taken the opportunity to field them yet.
Loving your videos man! i am such a huge battle tech fan have read tons of the books and played all the video games, but i have never played the table top game! wish i knew someone who played!
Thanks a lot. Hopefully the game will keep growing in popularity so there will be players everywhere. Ask at your local game shop if others are around. Sometimes they have postboards for LFGs.
Quality battlemech. Stats and build aside, love its unusual design profile.
Great video! The Stormcrow is in my top 3 clanner mediums, along with the Vapor Eagle and Black Lanner.
27:56 Yeah, I'm using the 'Kotare' variant in MW5: Clans, and its a very respectable machine, made better by the story it originated in.
Such a great mech in both classic and AS. Almost every list I currently use for AS involves the Stormcrow F. Hard to beat 9 pips, 3 damage 2 OV, and 2 heat for 37 PV
One of my more recent favorites, My Clan Wolf army has a white one named Gandalf as one of its command mechs. Now if only there was a Jump-jet equipped version
I relate to Clan Hell's Horses because both of our life stories is being wrong in fun, interesting ways.
I absolutely love the Stormcrow. It is my favorite medium Omnimech and it is one of the Omnimechs I always take when I play Clans... It is just amazing.
The Stormcrow Prime is a fantastic Light Mech hunter. It'll put down anything under 35 tons in only one or two salvos, and do so while completely cool.
My 1st exposure to the Clans waaaay back when, was when a Convoy with a S'Crow as salvage protected by a LRM carrier and a Cougar. The Cougar took a lucky Cockpit hit from my Uziel and a kick took care of the LRM Carrier. The S'Crow had a blown gyro, so I opted to keep it as my cut since the LRM Carrier and Cougar werent total losses and the POW's included 2 Astechs. It was 4 months later before I got a gyro replacement and it was on then.
The HBS Battletech game (modded) introduced me to the crow. Absolutely love it!
Let’s go. All time favorite.
Definitely Stormcrow time.
I love the stormcrow C variant, it was my go to clan medium mech in MWO when the clan invasion dropped and it got me through a lot of the mid game in MW5 clans.
I love the Stormcrow, and I’m excited to get an overview!
Thanks for this; I had no idea that the Stormcrow was such a heavy hitter. I'm going to try this one out when I get Clans for my Steam account:)
Yay, my other fave clan omnimech!
...also, +10 points for the shareware Doom reference. :D
I object to a mech named 'Storm' Crow not having more builds with an ER PPC. Gimme an ER PPC, an ATM, and add some jump jets and machine guns for spice.
Everybody loves their free crit-fishing... Right up until the ammo goes up.
I love the stormcrow... one of my favorite.. just so useful and so versatile. have used it many many many times.... and honestly, I like the look of it.
Conventional wisdom: “Jack of all trades, master of none.”
Stormcrow: “reality is what I make of it.”
Jack of all trade, master of none. Oftentimes better than a master of one.
Nice vid on the Ryoken.
I'm glad you enjoyed the video!
@@MechanicalFrog You make good entertaining video's.
This is my favorite Clan medium mech.
Probably the very best UAC 20 carrier in the game. Used this to crush many a heavy mech with its speed and firepower. It isn't a bad missile boat ether.
Quite flexible little platform.
@@MechanicalFrog I find clans generally don't do mediums well. So many end up specialists but this one is actually pretty flexible and is a favorite. Like it better than the timber wolf actually. Is ironicly responsible for my only double decapitation ive had in a game. Hard feelings that one.
next to the hunchback IIC
@@sheilaolfieway1885 the Hunchback IIC is indeed a platform but not a very good one honestly. 2 shots in ultra mode slow and not likely to survive good for one kill where I've used a B to kill multiple mechs that's to the speed.
Recently I tried 6 a medium pulse laser Stormcrow in MWO, and in my first match I solo-killed a pair of Locusts which were hunting a Marauder IIC. My match damage wasn't that high, but the Marauder IIC I saved went on to deal 800 damage, which felt nice.
The build also works in tabletop, and with the better heatsink efficiency in tabletop you can add a targeting computer to improve the accuracy of the pulse lasers, and still have 5 tons left over - More than enough to add a plasma rifle with two tons of ammo :D
The Stormcrow is in my opinion the most versatile and effective Medium Mech in the game.
I modified an A configuration for a campaign i was playing in. dropped one of the pulse lasers and 1 ton of the SRM ammo (cause streaks are amazing and do not waste ammo) in exchange for 2 more heat sinks and an Artemis 4 system for the lrm20. Absolute monster. Light mech jumps in behind you? get that arm back and pulse laser its ass (clan light mechs are not known for having a lot of armor. 21 damage is usually enough to punch some holes). The lrm20 was great for sitting back with my heavier friends and tacking onto their damage. Then when enemies had holes to exploit, running in and feeding weakened and usually slower enemies alpha strikes meant between 33 and 65 damage depending on how many weapons and how much of the lrm 20 connected. Absolute crit seeking nightmare able to stand on its own against anything its weight and under and reliably put down anything heavier if my buddy in the gauss king crab got a round or 2 to soften them up.
Honestly, I have 4 non-canon configurations for this one, lol; with the last one being a variant of Atwater's variant. I could do all of them, but I'll stick with the last 2 I created. The Stormcrow ISM 3 is a mixed tech platform, with the native Clantech being found primarily in the non-weapon areas - excluding the TSM it mounts. That, combined with a supercharger in the CT, gives it a movement profile of 6(7)/9(14)/5 - which obviously means it has 5 jump jets. It has 12 DHS and 10 tons of Clan FF armor. For the weapons, it has an IS Plasma Rifle/w 2 tons of ammo in the right arm, along with an IS Medium Re-Engineered Laser. Another pair of Medium Re-Engineered Lasers are mounted in the left arm, and a Clan Laser AMS is carried in the head. The combined heat from its weapons, not including the heat generated by running and jumping, is 33. So you have to be careful. The Stormcrow ISM 4, as stated, is a variant of the Stormcrow Atwater. I retained the 6 jump jets and the twin LB-2X autocannons, though each one now has its own ton of ammo. An Active Probe is mounted in the heat, and an ER Medium Laser is added to each arm. Each side torso also carries a Medium Re-Engineered Laser, and it of course mounts TSM (for 6(7)/9(11)/6. It has no additional DHS.
That P variant has got a nice loadout. Definitely a nasty brawling unit. 😎
I played this last Sunday in its Prime configuration and I love it. Though my main critique is with the current plastic model which while it is a great sculpt it looks too similar to a Nova from a distance to me.
I remember getting the Jade Falcon source book as a kid.
A good one.
One of the nastiest mechs to come from TRO 3050. I have a great fondness for the Stormcrow. I still kind of like the old Ral Partha mini for its classic look, and how it brings me back to using one in MechWarrior 2. The New CGL mini is great, but I have mixed feelings on the hand actuator/gun orientation. I suppose it makes more sene in that orientation for utility purposes, but I still like the vestigial hands of the original.
The OG mini holds up. I wish I had mine...
Ah, the thing that I like to call a Death Chicken - because it looks like a headless chicken running around in its death-throws.
Morbid, yes, but it is a compliment.
I like this thing. Well armoured, fast, and decently armed. What I like is that it isn't overgunned like so many other Clan mechs - so at least the base config doesn't overheat like crazy - it is easy to use, but still dangerous and versatile.
the Stormcrow always has a place in my Clan Invasion era Ghost Bear Stars along with either a Kingfisher or Executioner, Nova, Arctic Cheetah & Adder can't wait to play with one in MW5 Clans
While II know this is primarily a tabletop channel, it was my love for this this mech on the tabletop which inspired me to replay the only mission in MechCommander 2 where it was possible to take this mech and a Summoner/Thor as salvage.
What would you rather take at 55 tons? A Bushwacker? An Uziel? Nah, this bird strong.
The Stormcrow does so much right for a 55-ton 'Mech that it's almost unfair to stack it up against IS 55-tonners, but I guess that explains the BV.
My favorite config is a custom one inspired by MechWarrior 4 Mercenaries. In this case, I modded it into a nasty brawler that mixes four ERMLs, two Streak 6's, jump jets, a targeting computer, and a total of 17 double heat sinks. Bringing this thing of evil to the table asks you to sacrifice about 2400 BV and the occasional friendship.
I love this thing in MW5 The Clans. You can slap 3 Large Pulse Lasers and alpha strike them all day with the occasional heat check. Besides the Grendel and Nova, one of my favorite clan mediums.
Sweet, Stormcrow time! I like the stormcrow because it's a rare generalist in the Clan frontline arsenal. Almost every configuration has a backup plan for it the primary plan doesn't work out.
Since I felt like making a configuration today, I thought I'd try to improve Mia Attwater's configuration. And honestly, I didn't change much. The LRM 5s are out, replaced by 2 ER Medium Lasers in each side torso, giving this Stormcrow some of the punch it was lacking. The LB-5Xs also get a second ton of ammo, with one in each side torso. And that's all! It's a little toasty, but tolerable. I think it's still a little under gunned compared to any other configuration, but it's the price to pay for keeping the two autocannons.
I didn't know there was a deluxe model available. That autocannon arm looks great.
It's solid, and I plan on using the extra arms elsewhere...
It may look silly but the Storm Crow is just so dang efficient I'm willing to go with it. I was first introduced to the chassis with what I guess is the P config back with Mechcommander 2.
Hey I picked up a stormcrow at pax west too. Virtual high five.
i miss that used record store in bellevue square, i found some great stuff there
my first contact with the Ryoken was the variant Natascha Kerensky herself piloted, and i loved the story to bits * ^^ * speaking of it, time to search that book back out and give it a read, its been way to long ^^
22:55 my compliments to the artist! is that watercolor? never did good with that
He's getting pretty good with his markers.
@@MechanicalFrog he is! please, encourage this. i wasnt as a kid, and its taken a while to power through the ol childhood drama
hate to see talent go to waste
Aaahhhh Stormcrow...
If the Stooping Hawk hadn't stolen my heart, you'd be my favorite 55 tonner period.
As for the Attwater - there's two lines of logic you can go downfor the ammo placement.
One is mostly gameplay - the head is the hardest place to hit, and therefore the least likely to suffer critical hits at all. If critical hits *do* occur at all, it's just as likely to take out the sensors or cockpit which would be "mission kills" anyway (any sensor damage triggers Forced Withdrawal - same as taking 2 engine hits, 4 pilot hits, or running out of ammo). Also factor in that the Attwater is ice cold (it only goes +3 on alpha, run, *and* 15 max outside heat sources) you're just unlikely to trigger ammo explosions at all.
The second line of logic is logistical: ammo explosions in the head don't transfer (not that clan mechs with their CASE transfer either) so a head ammo explosion leaves a nearly pristine machine to repair/refit after the battle is over, whether the machine has CASE or not. And because Autoeject still work on ammo explosions before damage is applied, you're not even really risking the pilot, either.
Well colored Minifrog!
He's getting pretty good at it.
Great video! Thanks
I do find the Stormcrow incredibly pretty, it has such sleek lines, the arms are an oddity but the little winglets on the arms as seen in MW5 make up for them. This one does not need a plasma weapon, just take the B and add 6 flamers instead of the 6 er medium lasers, as they weigh half as much as er medium lasers you have 3 tons left. so you add jump jets to make this far more of a problem for infantry.
Because of mechwarrior 5 clans I have a reverence for the B configuration, even though the UAC20 (solid slug) cannot head cap with a single hit most often it won't jam until the third or so shot allowing you to utterly trivialize a boss fight. It is awkward having Ezra still praising some mechwarrior as better than the other when my mech turned it's pilot into paste in under a second. I also don't know how the mechwarrior recovered from said pasting to appear in a scene after that mission. and the er medium lasers can be chain fired to clear the skies or bore a hole through something's armor when not chain fired.
The Stormcrow might be the best general-purpose 'mech of the OG Omnis. Its fairly fast, it has decent armor, and can mount enough weapons.
Bellevue?! If you are in Cascadia I would love to see you in Pasco at RadCon in Feb!!!
I grew up in the Seattle area, yes.
Both a great mech, and a decent bar. 🍻🥘🍵🍺
You could say your Stormcrow and Viper were lost in a trial of moving all your possessions.
The I's LRMs are for critseeking at all ranges.
Awesome vid!^^
This design is close to peak use of the Clan XL Engine, Ferro Fibrous Armour and Endo Steel Frame
Most heavier designs are making sacrifices in terms of critical slots which limit use of the weight because of the weight saving tech
This never feels too constrained by slots, while still having good weight for loadouts
The bonds of nostalgia.
I LOVE the laser vomit prime Stormcrow! 41 points of damage and the heatsinks to alpha every turn on a 6/9 platform protected by 9.5 tons of clan ferro fibrous armor. If there was ever a reason to be a clanner...
Another one in the books!
Com Guard mentioned, wooooooo!
Mechfrog, if you feel the urge to make a "Why do we love the Clanbuster mechs" video, don't be afraid.
It's just the voodoo doll doing its work.
14:11 what book is this quote from?
It's a short story in Tukayyid 3rd Edition sourcebook.
Best Omnimech ever designed. Fast, armored, heat neutral on the surface of the sun, no ammo, no ammunition, just long range pain.
Regarding the Attwater Storm Crow;
It is used for Solahma units. Expedites the process.