Failure, dishonor, and duty. 

In the end it was all I had now.

Laid low at the hands of a damnable, barbaric pirate. Sent home to Alpheratz with a quarter of my Binary still upright and functional. With my beloved Wake’s frame shattered and broken in her bay, it had been all I could do to limp the decrepit Warhawk home. Khan McKenna had been disappointed with the result. At the waste of the Clan’s resources, both in that which was lost on the mission and in the time expended to shepherd myself and my men to learn from the Reaches’ Marshals. Sent and spent on a world of little importance to uproot a thorn in the Alliance’s side. The result was far from worth the investment.

Now all that remained of my command was myself, Monet, Jacob, Posca and Ewan. Fallen to a Star. A second line one at that. 

By all measure we were to be counted amongst the lucky ones. Despite my failings I had been granted a ‘mech a second time, given the chance to redeem myself in service of the Clan once again. The Khan’s own provision, no doubt. Disgraced or not, it seemed she held some amount of good will towards me from our time in the Sibko.

Little grace that it may be.

But we were not to languish at home, guarding a meaningless depot to wait out the remainder of our lives. We were to be given a second chance. A chance at redemption. A chance to do the duty we had failed at. A chance to make good on the Clan’s prior trust.

To shed our dishonor.

To finish what we started.

The Broadsword’s thrusters crackled and roared alongside her groaning frame as the pilot brought us into a braking maneuver. The Hunchback beneath me shuddered and rattled as the buffeting howl of ripping atmosphere clawed at the hull, sending the flickering flames of re-entry past the drop-bay’s windows. 

“One minute to drop zone.” The Comm crackled, the apathetic voice of the pilot filling my ears as the warning klaxons sounded. “Opening doors.”

“Aff.” I grunted, followed shortly by my ‘mechwarriors, coaxing the Hunchback to life. The wind’s muffled howling grew to a deafening roar as the cockpit breathed to life, system after system showing green in the dim light of the bay. Filtering rays of sunlight glared against the Hunchback’s visor, casting gashes of yellow-white across the displays while the drop door beneath our feet slid away to leave us dangling over the rushing ground far below. 

“Zeta, sound off.”

“Aff, Commander.” Jacob, Posca and Ewan answered, a lingering silence hanging in the air over Monet’s comm-line.

“Warrior Monet, is there an issue with your ‘mech’s comm systems?”

“Neg, Commander. I believe I have solved it.” She answered, the gray and red Hunchback bringing up a fist to indicate she was online. “Ready.”

“Fifteen Seconds. Prepare to drop.” Came the pilot’s terse reminder, the ground beneath the dropbays falling away as the Broadsword nosed up and away from the terrain. 

10… 9… 8… 7… 6…

A final check. Guns engaged. Comm active. Actuators responsive. Jets primed.

5… 4… 3… 2… 1…

“Drop.”

The Broadsword’s ‘mech bay falls away, replaced by pale skies and drifting pink clouds, the wrenching grasp of gravity gripping at my stomach as we plummet to the unforgiving gray-blue sand far below. The Hunchback spins on her jump jets, coming about to face the pirate enclave as we fall. 

“Target, bearing 224. One Kilometer and closing.” A chorus of acknowledgements follows as we continue to descend, the display’s track-ball growing ever nearer to the artificial horizon. Far below, the base grew in my HUD, the sight of scrambling ants rushing into action on the pavement accompanied frantic chatter as they went on high alert. 

Too little too late.  

The track-ball snaps into place as the Hunchback’s jump jets scream eager howls into the sky, ripping us free from gravity’s greedy hand. Smoke and fire billows past the cockpit, scorching pavement as we touch down in the midst of the panicking pirates. 

The rotary cannons at my sides clatter to life, whining and clattering as I bring the Hunchback to its full height and plant a foot forward. A vast mass of hard edges and rectangular plates fill my viewscreen, an ancient powered down Charger sat amongst the swirling dust and frantic ministrations attempting to coax the old beast to life. Clattering turns to roaring as a rip of fire bursts from the whirling barrels, slamming into the old machine and knocking its gross bulk to the pavement amongst its supplies. Billowing plumes of smoke rise from the cratered, smoldering armor as the raucous sounds of cannon fire splits the air around me; the rest of Zeta putting themselves to work. The wispy smoke of smoldering metal grows into small, flickering flames that lick at the edges of cracked armor before a gout of yellow-orange fire erupts from the Charger’s old shell, igniting the ammunition around it in a cacophonous explosion that shudders the base’s very foundations.

Zeta pounces on the defenders, the harrowing sear of lasers clawing at ozone followed by the deafening clap of vast cannons fills the air as we set about our tasking. We would see to it that the Clan’s resources had not been wasted. That the training we had been bid away for was worth the price and time. That the alliance brokered with the spheroids was worth that which had been given. That we had learned that which Marshal Jones had said was most important from our time alongside his ranks. 

That the only good Pirate was a dead one.

– Star Commander Orton, Raven Alliance, Gamma Garrison Galaxy. Trimaldix,  March 3136

—

Howdy Mechwarriors and welcome to another Mech Overview! This time around we’re looking at the Hunchback IIC, an absolute ripper of a close range idiot machine that craves nothing more than an honorable death.

Now, this is a Clan ‘mech which means I’m tempting fate and getting dangerously close to going back into the Omni-mines. But worry not dear reader, I’ve won a trial of leaving-me-the-fuck-alone-about-it with my Clan Advisor so this time I get to stay clear of the maddening machines that bring the Clans such pride. Instead I get to poke around in the back lines to see the true glory the Clans can achieve.

Clan Second Liners.

I adore Clan Second Line ‘mechs- as evidenced by the Kodiak article -and am of the firm belief that anything with a IIC in the name is probably going to be a great time. Let me tell you, the Hunchback IIC is no different. Motivated by the Clans’ whole thing about honor bound warfare and duels and whatnot the Hunchback IIC is the logical conclusion of what a Hunchback pilot truly craves from their machine: A faster route to lasting tinnitus.

Hunchback IICs are, without real exception, meant to get in something far larger than its face and be a credible fucking threat. There are few things something like a Kodiak, Blood Asp, Kingfisher, or Dire Wolf are going to think twice about letting get into short range with them that isn’t one of their own compatriots and the Hunchback IIC is fucking one of them.

Chassis

Now, why is this?

Why would such massive behemoths of death and destruction be afraid, if even in passing regard and respect, of a 50 tonner? Well, that answer is as strikingly simple as why people don’t want to get hit with artillery. It’s gonna fucking hurt.

Every Hunchback IIC has gone full tilt into one corner of the design triangle: Fire Power. They are all 4/6/4. They are almost all hot as fuck.  Shit half the time the ones with guns don’t even carry enough ammo for a prolonged engagement. All of them are built on an endo-steel chassis, clad in standard armor powered by a Clan XL engine. They are not terribly survivable, they can only build 2 TMM at the most. The armor ranges from bad to meh so it’s barely even worth talking about, it never passes PPC proof on the arms, not that it matters since all they’re good for would be punching anyhow. The thickest the armor ever gets is the consistent 18 on the CT.

Because the Huncback IIC isn’t here for a long time. This thing is the epitome of being here for a good time and brother, they’re engaging in some type 3 fun.

Variants

These mechs have all been reviewed based on a standard F through S scale, which you can find described on our landing page here (along with all of our other ‘mech reviews, the name of the box you can buy to get any of the mechs we have covered, and our general methodology).

Standard

ENGULF THEM IN PAIN, LET THE ULTRA’S SONG SEAR THE HEAVENS AND SHATTER THE VERY EARTH UPON WHICH THE ENEMY STANDS.

The OG Hunchback IIC is the tone setter. The baseline. The original redeemer of dishonored pilots. Built to slam itself into whatever looked most threatening, and thereby would be the most honorable kill, in the other line. There’s a simple rhythm to piloting a Hunchback IIC Standard if I’m honest, here let me illustrate it for you.

This machine has 10 total shells of UAC/20 ammo for two UAC/20s. That’s two and a half turns of fire. Once those are empty you’ve really not got much left. The Standard also has a pair of Clan ER Medium Lasers to harass people with.

If you’re still alive that is.

This thing only has 6 armor on the arms, 12 on the side torsos and legs and 18 on the CT. Don’t worry about back armor, it’s not real and therefore cannot hurt you. Note that it also only has 12 double heat sinks, meaning that ripping off both UAC/20s is going to build 4 heat plus movement.

That said, this is 1,679 BV of concentrated violence. A Hunchback IIC Standard that does it’s job right will just about always trade up. I’ve watched these things run into the thick of it with some truly horrifying Clan assaults and just drill their way through them in truly horrifying ways.

Liberty’s Rating: C+. In a world where this thing gets on top of something right it will do heinous things to anything it is allowed near. 80 possible damage per turn, if even only for two turns, has a good chance of killing or making a lot of things nonfunctional. Honestly the only thing keeping this out of B tier is about 5 tons of mass to pack on some extra armor, ammo, and/or heat sinks.

Insanity Rating: A+. I ONLY LAMENT THAT I CANNOT HEAR THE GLORY OF THE CANNON’S TERRIBLE SONG FOR LONGER. THE PRESENCE OF THESE ‘BACKUP WEAPONS’ OFFENDS ME. THE QUIET OF THIS WORLD IS MADE TO BE BROKEN. SHATTER THEIR SPIRITS! DESTROY THEIR ARMOR! RAVAGE THEIR EXISTENCE AND LEAVE NOTHING STANDING!!!

2

THE COLD IRON AND DARK DEPTHS OF UNFORGIVING CANNON BARRELS HAVE HARDENED MY SOUL, DRIVING ME EVER DEEPER INTO THE DEPTHS OF DESPAIR. HARK, THO FOR I HAVE SUFFERED LONG I TOO HAVE FOUND SALVATION AND ABSOLUTION IN THE GLARING BRILLIANCE OF THE LASER’S HEATED HATRED.

So, were you one of those weirdos upset about the fact that ‘ammo runs out’ and ‘range is actually somewhat important’?

You were?

Well, you’re lame but that’s your problem, not mine.

Lucky you, someone in the scientist caste was listening to people like you and as such made the 2. Ripping out the Ultra AC/20s the 2 replaces them with a touch more armor, 7 more heat sinks, upgrades the cERMLs to cMPLs and… oh, yea, puts in four Large Heavy Lasers.

Man this thing is fuckin’ bright.

So, the armor is a touch better, 9 on the arms, 13 on the side torsos and 16 on the legs with the same 18 on the CT. Don’t worry about back armor, it’s still not real and therefore still cannot hurt you.

Heat is… a problem here. Even with the extra sinks the 2 is nowhere near good at heat management. It’s only heat neutral firing pattern is 2 LHLs on a run, anything more than that and you start rocketing up the heat scale. Keep in mind that this machine still wants to try and trade up on someone so in reality what you’re doing is holding your restraint back just long enough to get really good shots you think are worth it into something before pulling the cord at them and cackling maniacally as you shut down for a turn. Pulling the cord is a minimum of 44 into the red, and that’s before whatever movement option you chose. Fuckin’ toasty. But that 38 sinking will definitely send you past auto turn on thresholds so if what you were pointing at is dead, or sufficiently crippled, it may have been worth it!

If you do this and shutdown the machine dies. That’s not a threat, or a possibility. It’s a promise. If you shut this thing down at someone after it chews up that target and they’re cogent enough to realize they want the 2 dead it will be dead. This thing does not have it in it to eat that hate.

At 1,869 BV it better be a damned good shot to risk that outcome but if you find someone shut down, or push them into it one way or another, and do an aimed shot into the CT? There’s an incredible chance you knock it straight back into the opponent’s mini-case.

Liberty’s Rating: C-. Good god that price plus that heat management. As much as I love LHLs there are better ways to functionally bring 2 of them into the fight. You can do a firing pattern where you go up 20-22 heat to get a third laser on, or 8+ for the MPLs, but that’s still a shutdown check on 6s or 8s.

Insanity Rating: B+. Heh-heh, big LAZOR.

3

THEY BASK AMONGST THE SUN’S RAYS, CONTENT TO SOAK HER NOURISHING WARMTH. A WARMTH I WAS DENIED BY CANNON AND BEAM. NOW I SHALL STEAL THEIR WARMTH BY MOTOR AND FIRE. BLOT OUT THE SUN, IMMERSE THEM IN THE SHADOW OF A THOUSAND THOUSAND MISSILES. GIVE THEM ONLY PAIN.

Do you remember the Turkina D? That one with the four ATM-12s that cost 3,132 BV for a 100 ton assault that went 3/5?

I do, it’s my favorite Turkina. This is his littlest brother.

That’s right, the 3 mounts three ATM-12s with 4 tons of ammo, that’s only 20 total shells so it’ll fire funny at the end but this is a Hunchback IIC so that’s fine. Backed up by three cERMLs and kept cool by twelve double heat sinks, the 3 only builds movement heat when firing off all three ATMs. This can make for a quite strong support piece in your midline, rippling off ATM Standard salvos or as a hand of divine intervention that you mainline straight into something you want dead, fast.

1,951 BV isn’t exactly cheap but this is quite functional, even if it has the Standard’s pitiful armor load. Load her down with Standard and HE and find something in need of being turned inside out. Each launcher is 36 potential damage, when set to HE. If you land all three you’ve got a possible smack of 108 damage. 

Liberty’s Rating: C. Expensive but good god is that a lot of possible hate for the price. Get an ambush in on the right target and you could scrape most of the armor off of a lot of assaults with this thing.

Insanity Rating: A+. I WILL SHATTER YOUR WORLD AND BLOT OUT YOUR SKIES. YOU WILL NOT STAND BEFORE ME. I AM THE CLAN’S UNENDING TIDE OF PAIN, I WILL DRAG YOU ‘NEATH MY BOOT AND STOMP UNTIL YOU ARE LITTLE MORE THAN A FINE RED STAIN.

4

THE CACOPHONY! THE HOLY CLATTER! THE WORLD’S ENGINE TURNS AT MY COMMAND. OH BY THE GODS AND THE GREAT FATHER’S WILL I HEAR THAT WHICH IS MOST DIVINE IN THIS WORLD!!! THE CLAN ROTARY HAS ARRIVED AND I BASK IN THEIR ETERNAL GLORY!!! ENGULF THEM IN SHELLS!!! I WILL DECIMATE THEIR RESOLVE AND BUILD PILES OF BRASS THAT SHALL MAKE THE GREAT FATHER WEEP WITH JOY AT THE DEEDS I HAVE WROUGHT UPON THESE SPHEROID BASTARDS!!!

That’s right, RAC/5 time.

Clan RACs are very entertaining. Bigger than their IS counterparts the Clan RAC trades this inefficiency for a lot of range. Nearly the same range banding as a cERPPC actually, except with a 21 hex long instead of 23.

Using the same chassis as the 2 the 4 has a touch more armor to keep the RACs firing as long as they can sing. With a pair of cRAC/5s, with 2 tons of ammo each, supported by a pair of cERMLs and an ECM suite the 4 has slightly less damage potential than her contemporaries but more importantly can project that damage out to a far longer range. Additionally the 12 double heat sinks keeps the 4 heat neutral on a running alpha strike when sending all 6 shells out of the RACs.

Honestly this is the closest to a good sniper Hunchback IIC we get and I dig it. On the other hand I don’t dig the 2,097 BV price tag. Yeesh Clan RACs are expensive.

Liberty’s Rating: C-. This thing will do pretty alright support work and about as much hateful close-in work as you can expect from a pair of RAC/5s, it does let you skirmish at 7 hexes so you can do a good job of avoiding counter fire by being in most things medium range which is nice. In the end it’s a pair of long range RACs which means if it jams it’s actually not a big deal to back down for a moment and try and unstick it which is nice. The pair of cERMLs will help support it when things get close and the ECM can help keep artemis off your back but like… price.

Insanity Rating: A-. DISPENSE SHELLS UPON THE ENEMY UNTIL YOU ARE EMPTY OR THEY ARE GONE. KILL! KILL!!! KILL!!!

5

THIS IS MY LAND NOW, YA HEAR? GO ON AND GIT. *Racks gargantuan shotgun*

In the end a Hunchback of any kind should have a class 20 autocannon. Otherwise it’s just not right, you know? Well, this is just that. The 5 is built from a Standard and has all the armor problems that entails. Dropping two of the heat sinks lets it upgrade the cERMLs to cMPLs instead while also turning the UAC/20s into LB20s with a ton of ammo each.

This is pretty angry and is really a weird, and worse, budget Kodiak 3. Coming in at 1,534 BV this is honestly a pretty great price for this much crit seeking. As Peri and I talked about in our Colonial Marshals vs. Blood Sails Battle Report it really cannot be understated how good having a cheap LB is. While LB20s aren’t as long ranged as LB10s the two of them could do some really heinous things to something if they grab on just right.

Building movement heat on an alpha strike is also incredibly cool for Hunchback IIC land so that’s another point in its favor. Honestly I might start using this thing more often than the Standard.

Liberty’s Rating: B+. Cheap pair of LB-20s for a somewhat reasonable price? Sign me the fuck up.

Insanity Rating: S. Cheap TAC and cockpit torture machines are a beloved staple of insanity. BUST OUT THE CLATTER BOX. TURN THEIR WARRIORS TO SOUP AND THEIR INTERNALS INTO MUSH. I AM THE TENDERIZER AND YOU WILL REFER TO ME AS SUCH.

Conclusion

Hunchback IICs are fucking hilarious. I love all of them. They are machines with true purity of purpose in their heritage, application and design. It’s here to wreck your shit and cackle maniacally while doing it and once he’s done you still can’t help but love him. The Clans may have thought this thing dishonorable but I absolutely adore it.

If you wanna run them honestly take your pick, they’re all funny as shit and will be an absolute blast to run. I’d say the best are probably the Standard and the 5 just from the ease of fitting them into a list.

Until next time! Fair weather, good seas and happy bushwhacking!

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