StarCorps Engineers: Okay, we've designed this supremely sophisticated and expensive assault mech to be a mobile Command unit, boasting state of the art targeting and communications technology and cutting edge weaponry to be a threat at all ranges. We've also included Jump Jets to provide extra mobility and tactical flexibility in rough terrain." Mechwarrior: "I'm gonna jump on top of the enemy!"
StarCorps Engineers: Fine. Fine. Back to the drawing board. Maybe we need to reinforce the legs to brace them for the impact and give the thing a visor in case these idiots decided to start headbutting too....
@@rcgunner7086 Well, different universe, but the Titans in Wh40k are usually _much_ bigger than the puny things in Battletech, they have void shields and whatnot... and then an Ork brings a 33m Warlord down, simply by jumping into the Warlords cockpit with his motorbike.
And on Gorst Flats, to this day, they say, you can see all thats left of the Black Watch; the single hand of a Highlander, its middle finger raised in vicious mockery to the man who TRIED to kill them, so doused with radiation that even Amaris simply decided to leave it where it was.
For those with a keen eye the Highlander is an Atlas with jump jets and a Gauss Rifle. It may not have the AC/20 bubble of doom, but it can decapitate any mech and fight at range as well as up close and personal. The Highlander IIC and the Royal version are particularly nasty.
In the HBS game, I made something I dubbed the Hellboy, a Star League Highlander with the closest thing to a right arm hand cannon in a world of giant robots, and a Highlander with AC20s was precisely what I made. One UAC20 and one AC20, effectively making it capable of shooting 3 AC20 slugs at once. So I had to make sure I had room to pack enough ammo crates to at least last a medium length battle. The heat sinks being double strength helped, but I ultimately took out all the missiles and left its lasers as its backup weapons. The gauss rifle saw usage on my Marauder.
In Battletech 2018 I have a SLDF (Probably a royal due to Double Heat Sinks and extra Gauss ammo) Highlander I call Bellum Draconis. It has been fitted with a Gauss that weighs two tons less,one ton went to extra armor and another went to mounting a flamer. (Mostly for a laugh but it has come in handy a few times) After facing down two other Highlanders at once it lost one of it's double heat sinks that I couldn't replace so I put a second flamer in it's place. Still stays mostly cool but it now cooks Stalkers and other hot running mech in close combat. It's an old and scarred dragon of war,but they as they say beware the old in a profession where many die young.
I too mounted a flamer on a heavy tonner. For me, it was a baseline Awesome, the one with three PPCs. I gave it a flamethrower, because the design kept reminding me of a Dreadnaught from 40k. Surprisingly useful too.
One of my favourite Assault Mechs. It's just so flexible and effective. In HBS Battletech, I often take four of these with different jobs - a LR support mech with PPCs and LRMs, and a close-range obliterator, with SRMs, Small and medium lasers (seriously, this thing has regularly one-shot an Atlas, it's that destructive). Gauss-rifle brawlers round out the roster with LRMs and Large lasers. Superb machine.
If I take three of these machines I follow the same tactics but include a Marauder for tactical support or maybe a LRM Stalker to rain down missiles to create softened targets for the Highlanders' LRMs and other long range weapons
@@vali6717 the LRM stalker is an absolute firework display of a machine. Love that ‘mech. Normally in an assault lance I take one myself, but to be honest, with this lance, I was pissing about to see how it worked. The Highlander variant that doesn’t have a ballistic hardpoint is an absolute demon of a close range ‘mech - like I say, put medium lasers, small lasers and as many SRMs on it as you can and it deletes an undamaged ‘mech each turn. The stalker though… probably my favourite assault mech. You’ve made a good call there, in my view.
Used this a lot in MW5. Always tore out the jump jets as they're basically useless in that game. With the weight saved, more armor and sinks. The result is a beast that can blow out an Atlas in a handful of seconds, then turn and blow out its escort without breaking stride. Doing that to "March of Cambreadth" was one of the high points of the game.
My friend didn't know how good these things were playing MW5 and he got blindsided in a Kintaro by a Jeager and a Thunderbolt I tanked them both without hesitation. This beast is a flying brick with enough fire power to mop anything in a lighter weight bracket.
@@BigRed40TECH I just got into the tabletop! The only mech I got you hadn't covered was the Exterminator. Your video on it came out as I was putting the finishing touches on my Wolverine. I am painting this real assassin in Com Gaurd colors.
DO YOU HEAR THE BAGPIPES TOO???😁 Got to love the IIC it is so true to the original, unlike several other IIC offerings, but with a significant hike in firepower thanks to clan streamlining. Sometimes you just go with what works.
The bit that confused me is saying that the gauss rifle was chosen specifically for urban defense... right, because the long range sniper rifle is key for house fighting.
@@scottmacgregor3444 Well the fact alone that feudal societies fighting over what is basically infinite resources is where humanity is at in this universe never made me think they possess much intelligence in the first place
I mean if I was in control of city defense. I would definitely want Highlanders and Urbies. I’m sure there are other Mechs but I’m still learning which are for city defense or urban fighting.
This mech stayed the truest to it´s earliest artworks especially with the characteristic hood around the cockpit windows. But i´m glad they updated the image, the other ones haven´t exactly aged well. I really like how MWO/MW5 depicts the Highlander as well, it looks strong and tough.
Agreed! The Highlander and the Centurion are the best resculpts PGI has given us, and I adore they’re out in Catalyst’s miniatures now too. SO excited to buy the Northwind pack!
I remember someone roleplaying as a wandering northwind highlander with this as a mech he ended up fighting with my Merc company in a city defense lucky enough The GM let him keep his shiny SLDF model but he ended up being focused on by the dracs itching to head shot him, and using him as the decoy we ended up wiping out half of em and cornering their superior then calmly saying his only out was sudoku as we would most definitely prisoner exchange him and his chain of command would most definitely punish him for the failure. As this was takashi combine era. He pussed out like a bitch. And that is how we got a shiny new Atlas. Hard to try and solo enough heavy Mechs to make a lyran cry and the Highlander Gauss. Thank God he was a da!n good shot with it.
@@sockmonkey6666 "Commit Sudoku" is an expression intentionally confusing the Japanese word "seppuku" for suicide by disembowelment with the Sudoku puzzle game. It is often associated with the engrish catchphrase "shamefur dispray".
But Red, you already talked about Star Corps immortal design, the Warhammer. A mech so good, it's base model was in use for longer then some nations in universe existed.
*SCOTLAND THE BRAVE INTESIFIES* IMO one of the most tactically flexible I.S. assaults available, able to engage at any range and incredibly resilient. It's slow, but the excellent selection of weapons means it's got something for almost any situation (it can be a little weak vs. infantry and BA though). It's a titan of war, wading into battle like a walking battleship and unleashing hell... And then it jumps on you.
A good note about infantry. A lot of people overlook infantry because of course a mech with proper weaponry instantly remove them. But a mech not properly armed will instead waste most their ammo just trying to delete one platoon.
@@codyraugh6599 meanwhile if that one platoon is in good cover and has portable SRM launchers or medium lasers, or even emplaced AC2s and 5s, they can be a genuine threat to a mech! That's not even accounting for elite jump infantry who swarm all over your mech and start slapping satchel charges in your joints! A mechwarrior who discounts infantry may one day have a sudden and VERY rude wake-up call!
@@codyraugh6599 Thank you. I can't recall if the Highlander has one t or SRM ammo or two. If it has two, taking a ton of inferno ammo would resolve most of the infantry issues.
The Highlander is a solid, solid design. Like most every mech, it can do a lot with a capable pilot but it certainly isn't the almighty god-mech some believe it to be. A favourite of mine in the IS assault class though for sure. And my opinion is exactly that.
@@thatonecarguy_bg2701 No Mech is godlike just because of what it is ... If it's played right and smart it can reach a godlike status ... Have seen too many players think because they choose a certain Mech they can wipe the field .... Only to see them scream & cry when their Mech is reduced to slag or salvage by smarter players in same or lesser Mechs
Running the Royal Highlander in the HBS game, swapped the LRMs and a medium laser for an upgraded AC/20, double heat sinks mean more ammo and armor. The result is an absolutely insane brawler, nothing like jumping behind an atlas and coring it out with a full alpha strike to the back.
My favorite assault, in both HBS and MW5. There's just something about the appearance that makes it so striking and appeasing. The rest is just icing on the cake.
My introduction to the highlander was on a snowy planet killing Taurian’s. That 732B became my favorite mech in the series and since then. I try to get every highlander I can get my grubby little hands on. The reason these things are rare isn’t because of los tech. It’s because every mercenary company I run can field 2 full lances of assorted models including PP and RS’s though I mainly use 732B’s and 733C’s I just love the flexibility and the ability to do a burial.
I went out of my way to protect the one I got in the HBS game. In MW5 it's the assault mech that I keep the jump jets in. And yes, I landed a couple DFAs.
I really like the inclusion of the extended history and setting surrounding this mech. Even more enjoyable! Also, please do speculate. All of us can read tech readouts and availability lists; the inclusion of your informed extrapolation is actually extremely useful.
I love the Highlander and its mighty gauss rifle. For those times when you need to hurl a brick at subsonic speeds from across the battlefield into someone's cockpit. Nothing else quite gets the job done like a Highlander.
The Royal Highlander is probably the first SLDF mech for many first time players of HBS BattleTech. Nothing quite like the first time of being gifted an assault mech with a Gauss Rifle, double heatsinks, and jump jets all at once.
The Highlander is easily my favorite of all Assault Mechs that I know of. There's just this simple majesty of its loadout combined with the flexibility of actually being able to jump at its tonnage. Plus it's one of those mechs where the Succession Wars and the creation of Lostech didn't hinder it that much. Compared to most other mechs of its tonnage, the downgrades did very little to harm its damage output. Sure it can't headchop with an AC/10 or regular PPC, but it doesn't need to when those and downgrading to single heat sinks is all that's changed from its loadout. Marvelous mech.
i must say, the HGN-732b is my absolute all time best battlemech, because it can do just about everything, and the royal variant (if MW5 had programmed it correctly) its like near impossible to overheat, and i prefer this over an Atlas any time because its long range fire power is a lot better than an Atlas with its Gauss Rifle. And if it must get into a brawl, it has the weapons to do it with if it must, though long range is its preferred strategy. Those Jump Jets really help mitigate its slow speed and give it a better ability to fight on mountainous terrain. Its a mech that can just do about anything...except for outrunning most mechs but it doesn't have to do that.
Highlanders, one the best SL Era assaults, (and SW for that matter) period. I personally love the SW Era 733P, and 733C variants. A PPC is a great substitute for a gauss if you care more about endurance than heat. And as for the 733C, AC/20 'nuff said 😎
All the Highlander film franchise references made me smile. Definitely my second-favorite 'Mech in the whole of BattleTech, and it's even sometimes a coin toss whether I like this or the BattleMaster better. Partly because I'm also a fan of the Highlander films and series, partly because it's just a damn solid machine, able to do everything. It may not excel in any one area, but it rarely overheats or finds itself with nothing to do. The only flaw I can think of, and it's a very minor one, is that it's hard to pair with my other favorite 'Mech, the BattleMaster moving 4/6 and the Highlander 3/5/3, making hard to keep them in formation on the tabletop. But that's probably not something I should be doing anyway. Never said I was any good at the game, just that I like it. The Highlander: It is the one, the only one. It is the god of kingdom come. Just give it the prize. It's a kind of magic.
What I always love the most about this mech is the portrayal of what likely is a mega-corporation in a sci-fi setting. In that when they realize that people who use their military equipment are doing a very specific thing that is a horrific way to die for the person you're doing it on... They didn't officially address it and instead just made it to where it damaged the internals less to that would make this risky venture even sturdier so that people would buy more of them
I appreciate the nice long form video. I've been a Highlander driver since forever, and this machine holds a special place in my heart. My main unit has the maximum amount of armor the chassis will support. Everything else has been stripped out, in favor of two AC fives, in the right arm. 3 large pulse lasers in the left. All else is CASE, ammo, and an AMS, and an upgraded engine. The rest of the available tonnage is taken up by double heat sinks. It has been built, and refined with the sole purpose that when it begins firing, it has no need to stop, under any circumstances.
Awesome job Bear. I love the opening shot of the Highlander Burial of an Atlas. And the badassness of this vid gives me very high hopes for the Black Knight. Keep up the great work bro!!!
I played a game with one team comprised of a King Crab, an Orion, and some light mech with jump jets (I don't remember what) VS a Marauder, and a Highlander. It was fairly equal in BV at first. But relatively early on the MAD and HGN got separated letting the King Crab and Orion beat on the MAD. I was about to have the MAD jump out of there, but the King Crab shot it's AC20 at the MAD's arm, the MAD failed the PSR and fell on the same arm, destroying it completely. The next turn the King Crab got another shot with the AC20, on the head. The MAD was instantly dead. That same turn the Highlander kicked off the light mech's leg, making it a fresh Hobbler. It was now a two against one, the HGN could only jump about and wait out the expenditure of the KGC's AC20 ammo. This paid off, the time to strike had happened. Through a series of SRMs, ML blasts, and kicks, the KGC was devastated by failed PSRs, losing a leg and it's head by critical damage roll of 12. The Orion's destruction was quickly followed by an ammunition explosion blasting it. Finally, the the Hobbler was left. The Highlander performed it's trademark DFA, crushing it under heel. God, I love Battletech! It's so dynamic.
Great mech. It was actually the first ones my unit used at their very beginning. Found them complete with Star League era tech as part of a hidden cache/factory used by Kerenski during the Amaris Civil War that was left behind under the guard of a part of the family that would go on to found Ghost Bear. We lost them after a contract with the Draconis Combine in which they didn't pay us and stole the mechs and us to leave at gun point. We basically were down to two dragons and a blackjack which we sold and parted out to get what would turn out to be an incredible line up of an Atlas, an Awesome, a Commando, and a Catapult that rarely had two missile pods often swapping the other out for lasers or auto cannons. Eventually found an Archer in the wreck of a ship to replace the catapult but the pilot died and the unit outside of the commander pretty much dissolved. Guy in the Commando retired and the guy in the awesome joined a different group. He ended up finding the Highlander the one that died had and got ahold of us, we stole it back but the other guy died in the effort. We salvaged another after a fight with Combine forces but it was heavily stripped of its Star League tech. The other two we got back by various means one of which was still in the hands of the of the guy that stole them from us. It was after a joint job between FedCom and the Dracs against smoke jag, we stayed behind to celebrate while the FedCom rushed off, the Dracs commander didn't recognize us and thought we were FedCom. We ended up stealing the clan salvage which included a few mechs AND our highlander (last of the four) back, blew the engines on a Crab and a couple of Dragons, exposed the Drac Commander for what he was, then issued a challenge to the Smoke Jags under his name on the way out pinning the blame for what happened next squarely on him. Those four highlanders were patched up back to how they were when we found them and put into storage. A statue of them however is on display on the planet. Such a good mech, it's like if the Commando (another incredible and well designed and built mech) grew up to be an assault mech.
I fell in love with the HGN-732 early on in my Battletech experience. I was able to upgrade to the 732b later on, and took that machine into the Clan Invasion era. It was one of the few designs that could stand up to many of the Clan invaders. Even the non-royal 732 was a match for many Clan machines. This and a modified Marauder II are the two machines I almost always play.
Excellent as always. Though I do have a pet peeve. A lot of people say "HighlandER Burial" but the phrase is actually just "Highland Burial" as it's a reference/joke about the Scottish funerary custom of having a highland burial. Getting jumped on by a Highlander gives you a highland burial. Calling it a Highlander burial ruins the joke because it obfuscates the reference, IMO But I'm also old and language drifts over time, so who knows. Doesn't matter that much, I just felt like I needed to say it lol. Again, not a knock on the video. It was fantastic as ever. Keep it up
Aaaaah... The venerable HGN-732...Totem Spirit of Northwind. If the Atlas is a Hammer, the Highlander is a Scalpel (being hit from behind by a hammer.)
Far and away my favorite assault mech. I never had a highlander mini because I only played 3025-3050 inner sphere. I need to find a nice highlander mini.
@@gkeaton9755 Yeah, I liked the look of the FASA sculpt, but never got one. Now I am really interested in 3D printing mechs. As for a 3025 version, the 2750 TRO was always my favorite to read, just never got around to playing any of it.
Love the highlander, although, while a solid design, does sacrifice for those 6 tons of jump jets compared to other fightier assaults. That said, those jump jets give it amazing flexibility in dense terrain, useful for urban and command roles. And that reinforced leg quirks, and the cowl, yes yes yes. It also seems to kind of be a poster boy for the SLDF in that its literally in the posters, being front and center in alot of the CGL and other official and fan art with the SLDF or offshoots of it, you often see it in comstar art or others like the northwind highlanders or eridani.
Yes the Highlander at last! This mech has been by baby ever since I was introduced to it back in Battletech 2017. A veritable Jack of All Trades of an Assault Mech that I would argue is superior to the Atlas mobility wise.
An Atlas will typically stop a Highlander. But if you're in the Highlander, you're last job is to stop they Atlas. Your job is to disrupt him, and kill his friends. lol
While it is true that the Highlander in that game's campaign is better than the typical Atlas, that Highlander comes with lostech attached to it giving it advantages not inherently given very many mechs in the campaign. The lostech Atlas from the campaign is much more frightening than the Highlander.
@@DIEGhostfish nice! I also forgot the "One Vision" card with the Confederation logo, which just happens to be an arm wielding a katana. Very nice double meaning on that one.
It is quite funny listening to the tabletop specification of the 8 shot gauss and at the same time looking at the mercenaries 5 footage where it has 80 shots total.
Never played with it and very rare to find in the battletech video game as you have to get 4 or 5 parts to make the mech complete. It seems very powerful.
The SLDF commissioned a school to train its pilots in the Highlander Burial technique, it was known as the Special Tactical Redeployment and Weapons School, but to the Pilots it was better known as TOPFOOT.
Had a well intact Star League era Highlander with lostech intact in MW5 by sheer luck in 3026, Gauss Rifle, Artemis Fire Systems and all. ...And it was all trashed in a contract gone horribly wrong. The Highlander now sits in cold storage waiting for proper replacements. I actually face palm upon looking at my losses.
I love this mech would get as many as I could in the Battletech PC game. Only downside was they were one of the easiest mechs for me to one shot head kill in that game anyways along with the catapult.
I pulled off a Highlander burial on an Atlas in MW5 last night! Probably my proudest gaming moment hahaha damn near hucked my controller out of excitement.
i so love this mechs design, its epic and very intriguing to me, and honestly if i had to pick an Assault mech (and there was no Atlas available) i would almost always pick a Highlander, its just such an awesome and versatile maschine ^^ thx for the absolute detailed Vid ^^
I have to admit, during that group shot around the 8 minute mark I thought to myself: 'Yeah, the Highlander is nice and all, but look at all of these other sweet mechs.'
In tabletop, i love this assault mech the most because it has range, armor, and jump capability. In MechWarrior Online, I love it for the same reason, my Highlander 733P is my signature mech, the one I have the most hours (literally nearly a MONTH of in-game time over 10 years) in and the most kills in. Were I a MechWarrior in the Northwind Highlanders, my 733P, the "Crom Dubh", would be my baby.
I hope this doesn't come off an insult, but I couldn't help feeling like you've finally nailed the saying part about introducing the Mech's name in a bad-ass voice.
Works well in tandem with the Atlas, IMO. That gauss rifle is great for making holes for the Atlas's LRMs, and a highlander burial or a steel fist with 90 tons of righteous indignation can be comparable to an Atlas's AC20 in the right circumstances. The HGN-740 is an absolute beast, though. I'm not too familiar with the new tech in the later settings but Capacitor PPCs sound like a real treat!
The Highlander is a mean, mean mech. One of those designs that you literally can't go wrong with including in a force. My personal merc unit is composed of all jumpers, so they obviously have one in the command lance along with a Victor and a pair of Grasshoppers. I honestly love the 3025 tech downgrade with the AC20, it's just a good mech that can do work at any range, but pulverizes you when it gets close, opening holes in your armor with the autocannon and exploiting them with SRM shots.
A great assault that I prefer to the atlas :-) great looking, packs a punch at all ranges and is tough enough to survive into the end game phase of battles :-) if you need an assault and arnt sure what to get then get a highlander :-) great long form overview of an all time classic :-)
StarCorps Engineers: Okay, we've designed this supremely sophisticated and expensive assault mech to be a mobile Command unit, boasting state of the art targeting and communications technology and cutting edge weaponry to be a threat at all ranges. We've also included Jump Jets to provide extra mobility and tactical flexibility in rough terrain."
Mechwarrior: "I'm gonna jump on top of the enemy!"
Marauder design team: You too huh? Except it was the arms for us.
Royal Black Watch: But can it survive nukes?
StarCorps Engineers: Fine. Fine. Back to the drawing board. Maybe we need to reinforce the legs to brace them for the impact and give the thing a visor in case these idiots decided to start headbutting too....
@@rcgunner7086 Well, different universe, but the Titans in Wh40k are usually _much_ bigger than the puny things in Battletech, they have void shields and whatnot... and then an Ork brings a 33m Warlord down, simply by jumping into the Warlords cockpit with his motorbike.
Shouldn't have given it to the Scots, then. You know full well they'll get excited and try to beat a bastard to death with it.
And on Gorst Flats, to this day, they say, you can see all thats left of the Black Watch; the single hand of a Highlander, its middle finger raised in vicious mockery to the man who TRIED to kill them, so doused with radiation that even Amaris simply decided to leave it where it was.
Not to be that guy, but the Northwind Highlanders did recover the hand, and pretty much (rightfully) treat it as a holy relic.
@@TheSlamburger When did they grab it?
@@KillerOrca Post Exodus.
For those with a keen eye the Highlander is an Atlas with jump jets and a Gauss Rifle. It may not have the AC/20 bubble of doom, but it can decapitate any mech and fight at range as well as up close and personal. The Highlander IIC and the Royal version are particularly nasty.
Until the guass-rifle explodes.
@@LazyLifeIFreak ya gotta get close for that. Not easy.
It was pretty common to replace the gauss rifle with an AC/20 when replacements were in short supply.
In the HBS game, I made something I dubbed the Hellboy, a Star League Highlander with the closest thing to a right arm hand cannon in a world of giant robots, and a Highlander with AC20s was precisely what I made. One UAC20 and one AC20, effectively making it capable of shooting 3 AC20 slugs at once. So I had to make sure I had room to pack enough ammo crates to at least last a medium length battle. The heat sinks being double strength helped, but I ultimately took out all the missiles and left its lasers as its backup weapons. The gauss rifle saw usage on my Marauder.
@@pmcollectorboy2929 That's hilarious.
In Battletech 2018 I have a SLDF (Probably a royal due to Double Heat Sinks and extra Gauss ammo) Highlander I call Bellum Draconis. It has been fitted with a Gauss that weighs two tons less,one ton went to extra armor and another went to mounting a flamer. (Mostly for a laugh but it has come in handy a few times) After facing down two other Highlanders at once it lost one of it's double heat sinks that I couldn't replace so I put a second flamer in it's place. Still stays mostly cool but it now cooks Stalkers and other hot running mech in close combat. It's an old and scarred dragon of war,but they as they say beware the old in a profession where many die young.
Who wants to live forever?
I too mounted a flamer on a heavy tonner.
For me, it was a baseline Awesome, the one with three PPCs. I gave it a flamethrower, because the design kept reminding me of a Dreadnaught from 40k.
Surprisingly useful too.
One of my favourite Assault Mechs. It's just so flexible and effective.
In HBS Battletech, I often take four of these with different jobs - a LR support mech with PPCs and LRMs, and a close-range obliterator, with SRMs, Small and medium lasers (seriously, this thing has regularly one-shot an Atlas, it's that destructive). Gauss-rifle brawlers round out the roster with LRMs and Large lasers.
Superb machine.
If I take three of these machines I follow the same tactics but include a Marauder for tactical support or maybe a LRM Stalker to rain down missiles to create softened targets for the Highlanders' LRMs and other long range weapons
@@vali6717 the LRM stalker is an absolute firework display of a machine. Love that ‘mech. Normally in an assault lance I take one myself, but to be honest, with this lance, I was pissing about to see how it worked. The Highlander variant that doesn’t have a ballistic hardpoint is an absolute demon of a close range ‘mech - like I say, put medium lasers, small lasers and as many SRMs on it as you can and it deletes an undamaged ‘mech each turn.
The stalker though… probably my favourite assault mech. You’ve made a good call there, in my view.
Used this a lot in MW5. Always tore out the jump jets as they're basically useless in that game. With the weight saved, more armor and sinks. The result is a beast that can blow out an Atlas in a handful of seconds, then turn and blow out its escort without breaking stride. Doing that to "March of Cambreadth" was one of the high points of the game.
Idk battlemaster be crushing it
@@BLOODKINGbroYeah the Battlemaster was my go-to when I couldn't get Atlases. Named it _Black Monday_ because it made everything crash.
there a mod that greatly improves the jump jets
Commander: "Pilot, why did you paint your mech red with blue... coveralls?"
Mechwarrior: "Heeere we goooooooo!"
@@ryanjones6384 "WAHOOO!"
Loved the royal Highlander in HBS Battletech. My most memorable kill was a Highlander burial on the head of an otherwise pristine Atlas.
My friend didn't know how good these things were playing MW5 and he got blindsided in a Kintaro by a Jeager and a Thunderbolt I tanked them both without hesitation. This beast is a flying brick with enough fire power to mop anything in a lighter weight bracket.
It's a beast. It can fight other assaults pretty well too. Especially in the Tabletop.
@@BigRed40TECH I just got into the tabletop! The only mech I got you hadn't covered was the Exterminator. Your video on it came out as I was putting the finishing touches on my Wolverine. I am painting this real assassin in Com Gaurd colors.
Nice.
Comstar was one of my favourite factions when I first got into the setting too. All too cool :)
@@BigRed40TECH Stiener for life. Who needs tactics when you have logistics!? ...then the Clanners came :,(
@@BigRed40TECH My Merc Companies are always named "ComStar Collections Agency"...
"...fighting to survive in a war with the darkest powers." Oh... ohhhh, you magnificent bastard, well played.
DO YOU HEAR THE BAGPIPES TOO???😁
Got to love the IIC it is so true to the original, unlike several other IIC offerings, but with a significant hike in firepower thanks to clan streamlining.
Sometimes you just go with what works.
The 'Ultimate urban defence mech"?! Only until the Urbie starting rolling off the production lines. 😎
ONCE THE BIG URB IS MASS PRODUCED!
The bit that confused me is saying that the gauss rifle was chosen specifically for urban defense... right, because the long range sniper rifle is key for house fighting.
And his Big Bro - Annihilator
@@scottmacgregor3444 Well the fact alone that feudal societies fighting over what is basically infinite resources is where humanity is at in this universe never made me think they possess much intelligence in the first place
I mean if I was in control of city defense. I would definitely want Highlanders and Urbies. I’m sure there are other Mechs but I’m still learning which are for city defense or urban fighting.
This mech stayed the truest to it´s earliest artworks especially with the characteristic hood around the cockpit windows.
But i´m glad they updated the image, the other ones haven´t exactly aged well.
I really like how MWO/MW5 depicts the Highlander as well, it looks strong and tough.
The cockpit has this badass locomotive/control tower look to it
The new Catalyst mini for it is it's peak so far I think, but the MW5/O one is pretty damn cool
Agreed! The Highlander and the Centurion are the best resculpts PGI has given us, and I adore they’re out in Catalyst’s miniatures now too. SO excited to buy the Northwind pack!
I remember someone roleplaying as a wandering northwind highlander with this as a mech he ended up fighting with my Merc company in a city defense lucky enough The GM let him keep his shiny SLDF model but he ended up being focused on by the dracs itching to head shot him, and using him as the decoy we ended up wiping out half of em and cornering their superior then calmly saying his only out was sudoku as we would most definitely prisoner exchange him and his chain of command would most definitely punish him for the failure. As this was takashi combine era.
He pussed out like a bitch. And that is how we got a shiny new Atlas. Hard to try and solo enough heavy Mechs to make a lyran cry and the Highlander Gauss. Thank God he was a da!n good shot with it.
Umm, I think you mean seppuku. Sudoku is that number grid puzzle.
@@sockmonkey6666 "Commit Sudoku" is an expression intentionally confusing the Japanese word "seppuku" for suicide by disembowelment with the Sudoku puzzle game. It is often associated with the engrish catchphrase "shamefur dispray".
@@kythebengzon8023 I know. Just teasing. There's a comic somewhere showing a samurai carving a number grid on his torso.
But Red, you already talked about Star Corps immortal design, the Warhammer. A mech so good, it's base model was in use for longer then some nations in universe existed.
*SCOTLAND THE BRAVE INTESIFIES*
IMO one of the most tactically flexible I.S. assaults available, able to engage at any range and incredibly resilient. It's slow, but the excellent selection of weapons means it's got something for almost any situation (it can be a little weak vs. infantry and BA though). It's a titan of war, wading into battle like a walking battleship and unleashing hell...
And then it jumps on you.
If you aren't BLARING bagpipe music the entire time this video is playing, you are doing it WRONG.
@@Archris17 To be fair, you could instead be blaring classic heavy metal in your hot pink Highlander.
A good note about infantry. A lot of people overlook infantry because of course a mech with proper weaponry instantly remove them. But a mech not properly armed will instead waste most their ammo just trying to delete one platoon.
@@codyraugh6599 meanwhile if that one platoon is in good cover and has portable SRM launchers or medium lasers, or even emplaced AC2s and 5s, they can be a genuine threat to a mech! That's not even accounting for elite jump infantry who swarm all over your mech and start slapping satchel charges in your joints! A mechwarrior who discounts infantry may one day have a sudden and VERY rude wake-up call!
@@codyraugh6599 Thank you.
I can't recall if the Highlander has one t or SRM ammo or two. If it has two, taking a ton of inferno ammo would resolve most of the infantry issues.
The Highlander is a solid, solid design. Like most every mech, it can do a lot with a capable pilot but it certainly isn't the almighty god-mech some believe it to be.
A favourite of mine in the IS assault class though for sure. And my opinion is exactly that.
It's one of the great standouts from 2750 imo.
If it isn't then what is?
@@thatonecarguy_bg2701 maybe there isn't one.
@@thatonecarguy_bg2701 No Mech is godlike just because of what it is ... If it's played right and smart it can reach a godlike status ... Have seen too many players think because they choose a certain Mech they can wipe the field .... Only to see them scream & cry when their Mech is reduced to slag or salvage by smarter players in same or lesser Mechs
Reputation mixed with capability and a overwhelmingly terrifying weapon, does that make it a god? Maybe not but fear is a god like power.
Running the Royal Highlander in the HBS game, swapped the LRMs and a medium laser for an upgraded AC/20, double heat sinks mean more ammo and armor. The result is an absolutely insane brawler, nothing like jumping behind an atlas and coring it out with a full alpha strike to the back.
My favorite assault, in both HBS and MW5.
There's just something about the appearance that makes it so striking and appeasing. The rest is just icing on the cake.
I love the appearance and the function.
It looks menacingly utilitarian
My introduction to the highlander was on a snowy planet killing Taurian’s. That 732B became my favorite mech in the series and since then. I try to get every highlander I can get my grubby little hands on. The reason these things are rare isn’t because of los tech. It’s because every mercenary company I run can field 2 full lances of assorted models including PP and RS’s though I mainly use 732B’s and 733C’s I just love the flexibility and the ability to do a burial.
I went out of my way to protect the one I got in the HBS game.
In MW5 it's the assault mech that I keep the jump jets in. And yes, I landed a couple DFAs.
It didn't matter if we were down to the last enemy in a mission. If they damage my Gauss Rifle, that's an instant restart.
I really like the inclusion of the extended history and setting surrounding this mech. Even more enjoyable! Also, please do speculate. All of us can read tech readouts and availability lists; the inclusion of your informed extrapolation is actually extremely useful.
It was a blast to make it. :)
I love the Highlander and its mighty gauss rifle. For those times when you need to hurl a brick at subsonic speeds from across the battlefield into someone's cockpit. Nothing else quite gets the job done like a Highlander.
You mean super sonic right? Subsonic is less than 1,130 feet per second. Gauss rifle in universe is well over 3000 feet per second.
@@Ratkill9000 gauss ballistic tables must be nuts
*Coughs in Fafnir*
@@nicolasgodines1129 UwU daddy Fafnir would like to have some words with us all.
He's not angry, just disappointed
@@ian5395 If he was angry, we would have all been cored by now, lol.
The Royal Highlander is probably the first SLDF mech for many first time players of HBS BattleTech. Nothing quite like the first time of being gifted an assault mech with a Gauss Rifle, double heatsinks, and jump jets all at once.
Ah, the Highlander - it's a kind of magic.
Did you catch the "Who wants to live forever anyway" line? Nice touch 😉
The fact that this thing can actually jump via jump jets is mindboggling and terrifying.
It's the 90-metre jump that many mechwarriors see only once in their lives really :P
The Highlander is easily my favorite of all Assault Mechs that I know of. There's just this simple majesty of its loadout combined with the flexibility of actually being able to jump at its tonnage. Plus it's one of those mechs where the Succession Wars and the creation of Lostech didn't hinder it that much. Compared to most other mechs of its tonnage, the downgrades did very little to harm its damage output. Sure it can't headchop with an AC/10 or regular PPC, but it doesn't need to when those and downgrading to single heat sinks is all that's changed from its loadout. Marvelous mech.
i must say, the HGN-732b is my absolute all time best battlemech, because it can do just about everything, and the royal variant (if MW5 had programmed it correctly) its like near impossible to overheat, and i prefer this over an Atlas any time because its long range fire power is a lot better than an Atlas with its Gauss Rifle. And if it must get into a brawl, it has the weapons to do it with if it must, though long range is its preferred strategy. Those Jump Jets really help mitigate its slow speed and give it a better ability to fight on mountainous terrain. Its a mech that can just do about anything...except for outrunning most mechs but it doesn't have to do that.
Stand and die, or run and die tired.
My favourite Assault Mech! Love me a good Highlander burial! Such an iconic Warmachine.
Highlanders, one the best SL Era assaults, (and SW for that matter) period.
I personally love the SW Era 733P, and 733C variants. A PPC is a great substitute for a gauss if you care more about endurance than heat. And as for the 733C, AC/20 'nuff said 😎
All the Highlander film franchise references made me smile.
Definitely my second-favorite 'Mech in the whole of BattleTech, and it's even sometimes a coin toss whether I like this or the BattleMaster better. Partly because I'm also a fan of the Highlander films and series, partly because it's just a damn solid machine, able to do everything. It may not excel in any one area, but it rarely overheats or finds itself with nothing to do. The only flaw I can think of, and it's a very minor one, is that it's hard to pair with my other favorite 'Mech, the BattleMaster moving 4/6 and the Highlander 3/5/3, making hard to keep them in formation on the tabletop. But that's probably not something I should be doing anyway. Never said I was any good at the game, just that I like it.
The Highlander: It is the one, the only one. It is the god of kingdom come. Just give it the prize. It's a kind of magic.
... best-boy. Love this machine...
What I always love the most about this mech is the portrayal of what likely is a mega-corporation in a sci-fi setting. In that when they realize that people who use their military equipment are doing a very specific thing that is a horrific way to die for the person you're doing it on... They didn't officially address it and instead just made it to where it damaged the internals less to that would make this risky venture even sturdier so that people would buy more of them
I appreciate the nice long form video. I've been a Highlander driver since forever, and this machine holds a special place in my heart.
My main unit has the maximum amount of armor the chassis will support.
Everything else has been stripped out, in favor of two AC fives, in the right arm. 3 large pulse lasers in the left.
All else is CASE, ammo, and an AMS, and an upgraded engine.
The rest of the available tonnage is taken up by double heat sinks.
It has been built, and refined with the sole purpose that when it begins firing, it has no need to stop, under any circumstances.
Sounds like the Highlander IIC(C)
@@Red-S-267 no way. Inner sphere for life!
@@taxman3749 I understand the Inner Sphere pride. But if I’m gonna have any Clan mechs it might as well be Highlander and Bullshark variants.
45 minutes dedicated to one of my favorite mechs? Yes please.
People voted for it. I keep my word. lol
I did not know a thing about battletech lore
But when I read a wiki about every mec- Highlander is by far my favourite
Awesome job Bear. I love the opening shot of the Highlander Burial of an Atlas. And the badassness of this vid gives me very high hopes for the Black Knight. Keep up the great work bro!!!
Truly an excellent assault mech for its time (and beyond).
My favorite Mech! A great command steed. Good mobility for an assault, great weapon options. And looks intimidating to boot.
It's a mean bastard and looks the role. lol
I played a game with one team comprised of a King Crab, an Orion, and some light mech with jump jets (I don't remember what) VS a Marauder, and a Highlander.
It was fairly equal in BV at first.
But relatively early on the MAD and HGN got separated letting the King Crab and Orion beat on the MAD.
I was about to have the MAD jump out of there, but the King Crab shot it's AC20 at the MAD's arm, the MAD failed the PSR and fell on the same arm, destroying it completely.
The next turn the King Crab got another shot with the AC20, on the head. The MAD was instantly dead.
That same turn the Highlander kicked off the light mech's leg, making it a fresh Hobbler.
It was now a two against one, the HGN could only jump about and wait out the expenditure of the KGC's AC20 ammo. This paid off, the time to strike had happened.
Through a series of SRMs, ML blasts, and kicks, the KGC was devastated by failed PSRs, losing a leg and it's head by critical damage roll of 12.
The Orion's destruction was quickly followed by an ammunition explosion blasting it.
Finally, the the Hobbler was left.
The Highlander performed it's trademark DFA, crushing it under heel.
God, I love Battletech! It's so dynamic.
Great mech. It was actually the first ones my unit used at their very beginning. Found them complete with Star League era tech as part of a hidden cache/factory used by Kerenski during the Amaris Civil War that was left behind under the guard of a part of the family that would go on to found Ghost Bear. We lost them after a contract with the Draconis Combine in which they didn't pay us and stole the mechs and us to leave at gun point. We basically were down to two dragons and a blackjack which we sold and parted out to get what would turn out to be an incredible line up of an Atlas, an Awesome, a Commando, and a Catapult that rarely had two missile pods often swapping the other out for lasers or auto cannons. Eventually found an Archer in the wreck of a ship to replace the catapult but the pilot died and the unit outside of the commander pretty much dissolved. Guy in the Commando retired and the guy in the awesome joined a different group. He ended up finding the Highlander the one that died had and got ahold of us, we stole it back but the other guy died in the effort. We salvaged another after a fight with Combine forces but it was heavily stripped of its Star League tech. The other two we got back by various means one of which was still in the hands of the of the guy that stole them from us. It was after a joint job between FedCom and the Dracs against smoke jag, we stayed behind to celebrate while the FedCom rushed off, the Dracs commander didn't recognize us and thought we were FedCom. We ended up stealing the clan salvage which included a few mechs AND our highlander (last of the four) back, blew the engines on a Crab and a couple of Dragons, exposed the Drac Commander for what he was, then issued a challenge to the Smoke Jags under his name on the way out pinning the blame for what happened next squarely on him. Those four highlanders were patched up back to how they were when we found them and put into storage. A statue of them however is on display on the planet.
Such a good mech, it's like if the Commando (another incredible and well designed and built mech) grew up to be an assault mech.
44 minutes. This pleases me. I'll have to give this beast a chance soon
There can only be one! Great upload!
ruclips.net/video/sqcLjcSloXs/видео.html&ab_channel=RobNYYankees
Love how you slipped in lyrics from the Highlander song by queen. Top knotch.
It was a ton of fun making this one lol
I fell in love with the HGN-732 early on in my Battletech experience. I was able to upgrade to the 732b later on, and took that machine into the Clan Invasion era. It was one of the few designs that could stand up to many of the Clan invaders. Even the non-royal 732 was a match for many Clan machines. This and a modified Marauder II are the two machines I almost always play.
Excellent as always. Though I do have a pet peeve. A lot of people say "HighlandER Burial" but the phrase is actually just "Highland Burial" as it's a reference/joke about the Scottish funerary custom of having a highland burial. Getting jumped on by a Highlander gives you a highland burial. Calling it a Highlander burial ruins the joke because it obfuscates the reference, IMO
But I'm also old and language drifts over time, so who knows. Doesn't matter that much, I just felt like I needed to say it lol.
Again, not a knock on the video. It was fantastic as ever. Keep it up
If I didn't see you say it, I was going to.
Very well done dude. Great writeup of one of the best Inner Sphere Assaults ever.
Battletech 2018 made me fall in love with the Highlander.
Aaaaah...
The venerable HGN-732...Totem Spirit of Northwind.
If the Atlas is a Hammer, the Highlander is a Scalpel (being hit from behind by a hammer.)
As a fan of both Battletech and I certain movie involving swords and losing your head... bravo sir.
There can be only one!
Far and away my favorite assault mech.
I never had a highlander mini because I only played 3025-3050 inner sphere.
I need to find a nice highlander mini.
Highlander operated in 3025. The video within shows this.
The Capellan Confederation will not be denied!
I like the MWO version. The minis ARE available if you have access to a 3d printer, and know where to look for the files.
@@gkeaton9755 Yeah, I liked the look of the FASA sculpt, but never got one. Now I am really interested in 3D printing mechs.
As for a 3025 version, the 2750 TRO was always my favorite to read, just never got around to playing any of it.
I love the Highlander platforms. It is a great all purpose mech with great flexibility and range.
Easily my favorite mech in any version of BattleTech!
Mechwarrior 2 music still slaps. It's still my favorite game soundtrack of all time.
You really stomped the landing on this one, great job!
Thanks a lot!
I still love the 2750 TRO book Highlander. The art really shows off what it should be.
Love the highlander, although, while a solid design, does sacrifice for those 6 tons of jump jets compared to other fightier assaults. That said, those jump jets give it amazing flexibility in dense terrain, useful for urban and command roles. And that reinforced leg quirks, and the cowl, yes yes yes. It also seems to kind of be a poster boy for the SLDF in that its literally in the posters, being front and center in alot of the CGL and other official and fan art with the SLDF or offshoots of it, you often see it in comstar art or others like the northwind highlanders or eridani.
Those jump jets have come in clutch for me on several occasions. Absolutely worth it
Yes the Highlander at last! This mech has been by baby ever since I was introduced to it back in Battletech 2017. A veritable Jack of All Trades of an Assault Mech that I would argue is superior to the Atlas mobility wise.
An Atlas will typically stop a Highlander.
But if you're in the Highlander, you're last job is to stop they Atlas. Your job is to disrupt him, and kill his friends. lol
While it is true that the Highlander in that game's campaign is better than the typical Atlas, that Highlander comes with lostech attached to it giving it advantages not inherently given very many mechs in the campaign. The lostech Atlas from the campaign is much more frightening than the Highlander.
And Glitch always gets the Highlander. “Did you see that? Did you see it?” =)
My favorite IS assault mech! What a beast.
It's definitely brutal.
@@BigRed40TECH funny enough though. I think the 733c is actually nastier than the 732. That ac20 is just nasty.
Thanks for finally reviewing my favorite assault mech!
The movie references had me chuckling, especially the Queen quote. 😄👍
There are 3 quotes hidden within (at least!) :P
@@BigRed40TECH I spotted two, will check again while I'm at work tonight. Keep up the good work, love your mech breakdowns.
@@duncantiv I got Darkest powers and who wants to live foreverz plus of course the title card's "there can only be one"
@@DIEGhostfish nice! I also forgot the "One Vision" card with the Confederation logo, which just happens to be an arm wielding a katana. Very nice double meaning on that one.
This is a personal favorite of my group.
Found a melee equipped Highlander in MW5 and that was fun but later I ran into the hero version which had a assault claymore by default and oh boy.
It is quite funny listening to the tabletop specification of the 8 shot gauss and at the same time looking at the mercenaries 5 footage where it has 80 shots total.
Highlander IIC's only flaw is that we never saw enough of them!
Loved the way you just wrecked that atlas at the end . It never stood a chance.
This is my favorite battlemech! Thank you for this :) !
Love the Highlander :D
...I generally don't care for Assault Mechs, but the Highlander stands out here as it sports not merely armor & weapons but also mobility.
This was great. I really enjoyed the extended format and the Highlander is definitely one of my favorite mechs.
Never played with it and very rare to find in the battletech video game as you have to get 4 or 5 parts to make the mech complete. It seems very powerful.
The SLDF commissioned a school to train its pilots in the Highlander Burial technique, it was known as the Special Tactical Redeployment and Weapons School, but to the Pilots it was better known as TOPFOOT.
As a scotsman this has always been my favourite mech.
Had a well intact Star League era Highlander with lostech intact in MW5 by sheer luck in 3026, Gauss Rifle, Artemis Fire Systems and all.
...And it was all trashed in a contract gone horribly wrong. The Highlander now sits in cold storage waiting for proper replacements.
I actually face palm upon looking at my losses.
Oooooof
And this is how Tech became Los. Now you've experienced it first hand xD
I love this mech would get as many as I could in the Battletech PC game. Only downside was they were one of the easiest mechs for me to one shot head kill in that game anyways along with the catapult.
I love the short vids, I love the long vids, keep 'em coming! 🙏🏼💪🏼
I pulled off a Highlander burial on an Atlas in MW5 last night! Probably my proudest gaming moment hahaha damn near hucked my controller out of excitement.
most excellent. such mech, so lore. loved listening to this during my workout.
Awesome :D
Oh my, one of my favourites!
Expected: Highlander movie references.
Not Expected: Queen lyrics masterfully woven in. Bra-fuckin-vo.
after listening to this story now is my favorite assault mech
One of my favorite Mechs!
i so love this mechs design, its epic and very intriguing to me, and honestly if i had to pick an Assault mech (and there was no Atlas available) i would almost always pick a Highlander, its just such an awesome and versatile maschine ^^ thx for the absolute detailed Vid ^^
I have to admit, during that group shot around the 8 minute mark I thought to myself: 'Yeah, the Highlander is nice and all, but look at all of these other sweet mechs.'
I've covered those mechs already! XD
Awesome video. I enjoy the Highlander. Informative as always. Thank you.
Glad you enjoyed it! This one took a ton of time and research.
In tabletop, i love this assault mech the most because it has range, armor, and jump capability. In MechWarrior Online, I love it for the same reason, my Highlander 733P is my signature mech, the one I have the most hours (literally nearly a MONTH of in-game time over 10 years) in and the most kills in. Were I a MechWarrior in the Northwind Highlanders, my 733P, the "Crom Dubh", would be my baby.
I hope this doesn't come off an insult, but I couldn't help feeling like you've finally nailed the saying part about introducing the Mech's name in a bad-ass voice.
Nah it's fine. lol
Good timing I happened to be painting a highlander when this dropped
My envy is real :(
The Royal Blackwatch are badasses, nukes are merely inconvenient. Their use of the Highlander clearly demonstrate that.
i remember calling this the mister roboto mech because of the rectangular head that reminds me a lot to the robot designs from the 60s
Thanks for this. Was such a great video!
Love the references to the movie.
It's almost born to be a King with the Princess of the Battlefield XD
I loved hearing the Mechcommander 2 music in the background!
Very well done, this vid! Thank you!
Thank you :D
The Highlander IIC is my personal favorite.
I found it very funny that the IC's gauss arm is stupidly huge in TRO 3060 despite the clan gauss rifle taking up less space.
Works well in tandem with the Atlas, IMO. That gauss rifle is great for making holes for the Atlas's LRMs, and a highlander burial or a steel fist with 90 tons of righteous indignation can be comparable to an Atlas's AC20 in the right circumstances.
The HGN-740 is an absolute beast, though. I'm not too familiar with the new tech in the later settings but Capacitor PPCs sound like a real treat!
Basically means it can charge its PPC and do more damage.
The Highlander is a mean, mean mech. One of those designs that you literally can't go wrong with including in a force. My personal merc unit is composed of all jumpers, so they obviously have one in the command lance along with a Victor and a pair of Grasshoppers. I honestly love the 3025 tech downgrade with the AC20, it's just a good mech that can do work at any range, but pulverizes you when it gets close, opening holes in your armor with the autocannon and exploiting them with SRM shots.
My only complaint about this video?
Not enough bagpipes ;p
Sorry, just couldn't make that work.
That would just scare off all the Amaris stans
@@Atourq thats not a bug, its a feature :p
Plenty of license-free renditions of the Garyowen that could have kicked the party off...
@@digitalis2977 Didn't fit the video. Didn't fit the tone.
i love the fact that one of the variants is just, shotgun knees!
A great assault that I prefer to the atlas :-) great looking, packs a punch at all ranges and is tough enough to survive into the end game phase of battles :-) if you need an assault and arnt sure what to get then get a highlander :-) great long form overview of an all time classic :-)
Great video. Love it! As Tex said, get Foched.