Alright old girl, almost time to put on the show.

Showroom’s thrusters roared ahead, pouring on the speed as Jameson hauled her nose into a wide bank to set up for our approach. She was eager tonight. The cackling report of her thrusters buzzed in my ears alongside the piped-in chatter of the announcers casting in the Boreal far below. 

Six Shooter’s reactor plant thrummed with power, the feeling of anticipation rife in the old ‘Mech’s frame as I brought her systems to full ready. Wouldn’t be long now till we were on target and Jameson started yelling at me to get going. As long as Six Shooter’s jets didn’t give up on us again we’d be just as fine as can be…

Unlike that one entrance at the Factory. Another couple feet and I’d’ve missed that smoke stack just fine. Damn if that wasn’t a kick to the head, the reputation, and the ego. Two years gone by from it now and there was still a whole list of jockeys what figured they could punch up on me if they needed a big stamp to put in their record. After the third or fourth one bit the bullet and actually tried, you’d think they’d’ve figured out it was a fluke. 

Never did though…

The docket tonight was simple. Open Class challengers once again. Some overconfident and underskilled newcomer in a jumped up Grasshopper calling himself the ‘The Kid’ had figured an assault pilot with a semi-recent blemish on his record was the fastest way into a better bracket for next years Grand Tournament. He picked the arena, he picked the layout, and he picked the time; stacking every card in the deck he could to show he could run with the big dogs. Six and I had a hankering to prove him wrong.

“‘Alright Fluke,” Jameson started, his voice hissing past the menagerie of sounds vying for dominance in my nuerohelm, “we’re coming in on the drop. You two ready back there?”

“As we’ll ever be. We’re in your hands, Chief.”

“Don’t you ever forget it, Fluke.” The old pilot laughed in return, Showroom’s frame groaning underneath us as he pitched her into a shallow dive. “T-Minus thirty.” 

The drop bay’s dim lights cut completely, casting the space into darkness for a few heartbeats as a newfound silence filled my ears but for the breath in my chest and the hum of the ‘mech at my back. Showroom’s door alarms burst to life, blaring claxons and flashing orange light blasting the silence and darkness away like a slug cleaving through a Wasp.

Howling winds ripped at the door as the pedestal beneath us pivoted, bringing Six Shooter and I around to stare out across Solaris City’s ocean of twinkling lights, sweeping spotlights and towering skyscrapers. It was always a wonder to me how the Company could arrange the permits for these drops; Sam always said the Company thought they set a good precedent for advertising but I couldn’t imagine this was a cheap way to get even more advertising.

Always did love the thrill of the drop though.

“10. 9. 8. 7.” Jameson’s counted, the distant lights of my entry point on the Boreal Arena’s roof growing ever closer. “4. 3. 2. 1.” Those swirling orange flashes that assaulted my eyes switched to a solid green tone, casting long shadows across the floor as the claxon cut away to a rousing bugle that ushered us out of Showroom’s yawning bay. “GO GO GO.”

Showtime.

Six Shooter and I leapt at Jameson’s word, hurling out into the great black yonder and giving ourselves over to gravity, and Newton’s, whim. Showroom’s thrusters left us, their raging blue fading into miniscule pinpricks as we dropped. The dull chatter of the broadcast sharpened, inane advertisements and contractual obligations replaced by the steady clack of a ticking metronome. 

“Fluke, you’re on in 3… 2… 1…” Sam whispered in my ear over the comm, the transmitter lighting green as she snapped her fingers.

“Boreal 1, Fluke is on Station, 164 high; coming in on target.”

“Fluke, Boreal reads you. Try not to clip the lip this t-”

“I don’t see you in the ring, Fluke.” The petulant voice of The Kid jeered over the comm-link, cutting the announcer off as he continued. “Go on ‘n get cold feet, or were you always a yellow-belly?”

The lights closed, my entry growing by the second as the track-ball on Six’s hud neared the firing point. If I could time the firing right… 

“Scared? No.” I answered, angling Six in on target as the trackball locked into place. The howl of her jump jets screamed into the night as we crashed down into the fresh snow with a gout of fire, steam and blasted powder. A garish yellow and blue Grasshopper stood at the farside of the compound, taking a hesitant, worried step back as I brought Six Shooter up to her full height and snapped a pair of PPC bolts up into the air before turning them on him. “Nowhere to run, nowhere to hide.”

“L-Lot of playin’ to the gallery, Old Timer! You gonna back it up with some actual fightin’ or just blow hot air all day?”

“Your free ride ends here, boy.” I growled, planting Six’s foot forward as her rotary clattered to life. “When you get back to the bay, tell ‘em Fluke sent ya’.”

“Oh w-”

I didn’t hear whatever clever response he spat at me over the deafening report of Six’s rotary screaming to life with eager glee, dousing the punk in a deluge of shells and fire.

It was time to teach The Kid a lesson.

— Mechwarrior Austin ‘Fluke’ Cassidy, General Motors Generalist Mercenaries Solaris Team ‘RAC PAC’. Solaris VII, June 3148.

—

Howdy Mechwarriors and welcome to another Mech Overview! This time around we’re looking at the Marauder II, another one of my favorite ‘mechs and a staple in the GM catalog since their merger with Outreach and a good deal with the Dragoons. Now that means we’ve got a fun sequel on our hands both ‘mech wise and article wise!

So, with that in mind prepare for this summer’s blockbuster hit; Marauder II: The Maraudening.

Chassis

The Marauder II is an exercise in fixing a few of the ‘flaws’ in the original frames execution. As much as I may love the MAD family Peri is right about one thing: Marauders are heavies that pack an assault’s worth of guns and as such they can get targeted sometimes.

The MAD II seeks to fix this issue by just cutting out the biggest problem; being a heavy. The MAD II goes from the original MAD’s 75 ton weight class up to being a full blooded 100 ton assault with all the anger issues that come with them. She also ditches the 4/6 movement profile for a slightly different 3/5/3 and packs on a LOT more armor.

Being a MAD but big the MAD II retains the same layout as the OG MAD meaning they usually pack two big hitters in the arms backed up by some form of underslung support weapons and some third big gun up in the right torso. This means most MAD IIs are relatively simple machines, especially since they start out mounting just about all the armor they can take and don’t really bother taking less.

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).

MAD-4A

Who are these Dragoon guys? The fuck is an ‘Imp’? Can I help you? Get off my lawn.

Introduced in 3012 the standard MAD II really is just a big Marauder, specifically a big Marauder MAD-3D as it is the exact same loadout with way more armor and more than enough heat sinking to be able to rip off all three guns at a walk and be heat neutral. Hitting an alpha strike on the run only sends you up 7 heat on a ‘mech with no ammo so feel free to burn it down to your heart’s content!

At 2,073 BV this is an alright enough price to pay for a big ass intro tech brick that will take a beating, dish some damage and saunter towards the enemy until the center torso gets beaten out of it or the head gets staved in. Both torsos are like 90% heat sink by volume and it is titanically durable even in the IlClan era. You’re not paying for its ability to kill things, you’re paying for its capacity to refuse the mere concept of death.

Liberty’s Rating: C. 2,000 BV is a lot to spend for this little damage but good god will this fucker never die. Look threatening and get shot at, it’s what he wants to do. 

MAD-4H

I’M BACK ON MY PERIPHERY BULLSHIT!!!

HEY KID! DO YOU LIKE EXPLOSIONS?

DO YOU LIKE BEING AN UNKILLABLE WALL OF HATE?

DO YOU LIKE OVERHEATING WHEN YOU TRY AND VAGUELY FUNCTION LIKE A REAL ‘MECH?

WELL IF YOU ANSWERED YES TO ANY OF THESE QUESTIONS COME ON DOWN TO YOUR LOCAL HEGEMONY ARMS DEALERSHIP TODAY! WE’VE REFITTED SOME TOTALLY NOT STOLEN MARAUDER II MAD-4S’ BY RIPPING OUT THOSE PESKY CREATURE COMFORTS LIKE ‘Double Heat Sinks’ AND ‘Heavy Gauss Rifles’ TO REPLACE WITH FOUR ROCKET LAUNCHER 20S, SIX ROCKET LAUNCHER 15S AND A SINGLE ROCKET LAUNCHER 10!

GET YOURS TODAYYYY!!!

Oop, sorry, left the radio on the wrong band again, anyhow.

Christ alive this thing is an abomination. The Hegemony really did just steal a freight load of MAD-4S’ bound for the Lyrans by the way. Then, in their infinite canopan battle powder fueled wisdom ripped out the HGR, the Light Engine and the extra Double Heat Sinks so they could replace them with a shitload of rocket launchers, a standard engine and 21 single heat sinks.

Note that they didn’t pull the ERPPCs or ER Mediums. This thing burns it down even firing normally. You want to fire both the PPCs? Too bad, up 9 heat standing still and it only gets worse from there.

All the rocket launchers standing still? Up 27 heat.

This thing is an abomination that is genuinely fixed by just replacing the ER PPCs with normal ones. I don’t know why they didn’t do that. It hurts my brain as the hegemony often does. Granted I do love me a rocket launcher caddy and this thing still has the 4A’s durability now with a harrowing amount of close range ‘fuck your day up’ on tap if you should need it.

For 2,180 BV it is an incredibly funny way to point a one turn potential of 210 damage at something before shooting up to 67 heat and shutting down for the next 18 years.

This is bad but almost certainly measured in ‘smiles per mile’ over efficiency.

Liberty’s Rating: D. Immerse them in pain and treat your mechwarriors to a spa day!

MAD-4K

Big Guns!

House Kurita likes Heavy PPCs so guess what they did! The 4K drops the previous weapon load entirely, mounts a Light Engine with sixteen Double Heat Sinks and that same monstrous amount of armor we’ve come to know and love to make room for a whole lot of big gun hate.

Occupying the arms you’ve got a pair of Heavy PPCs with their emotional support ER Small lasers and in the coveted right torso slot we find a Gauss rifle with two tons of ammo and, unfortunately, no case.

At 2,626 BV this is pretty on point cost wise for a big brick of head choppers but I really wish they’d done something armor wise to grab CASE for that gauss. As it stands this thing probably doesn’t die outright to a gauss explosion but it’s only one CT Crit from the explosion overflow away from it happening anyhow. If it blows up from more than one point of side torso damage there’s a real chance of this one just falling over dead.

Liberty’s Rating: C. A little bit of a tweak in that regard and I could see this thing becoming a big problem for the price. 

MAD-4L

Time for some Liao wetwork shit.

The 4L has ditched all of the guns a MAD II would usually come with and, in the usual fashion for an L model MAD, does weird shit with it. Weapon wise a gauss rifle occupies both arms and an ERPPC has taken up residence in the right torso while there are no other supporting weapons at all and a Guardian ECM hanging out in the right torso.

Twelve Double Heat Sinks are kind of overkill for the 20 heat it can build with an alpha striking jump so I’m not sure…

Oh, it snuck up on me again! Stealth armor!

Well, that explains the hefty price of 2,839 BV! The second most expensive of all the MAD IIs!

To be fair a ‘mech with stealth and three big sniping guns like this kinda has to be this expensive or it would be a real monster before too long. The best way to use this variant is just to find a good spot to put the parking brake on, kick the guardian over to powering the armor and then start slinging long range bombs at people.

Heat wise the 4L goes up 3 heat standing still firing all three guns with the stealth armor on which is pretty acceptable. You just end up running the ERPPC up for a turn or two before dropping it to sink your heat!

Still… lot of BV to spend on a really weird Nightstar.

Liberty’s Rating: C+. Time to get all sneaky breeky like.

MAD-4S

A walking Wet Floor sign with a Colt 45 strapped to it. A thing of true beauty.

The MAD-4S is a direct upgrade to the MAD-4A’s original design ethos in every possible way. The normal PPCs and Medium Lasers are uprated to ER variants, the engine is upgraded to a Light, the 29 single heatsinks become 16 doubles and the Large Laser turns into a Heavy Gauss rifle with four tons of ammo.

Acting a lot like a bigger, angrier, Marauder MAD-2R the 4S builds 1+ heat firing off all three big guns on the run and goes up a balmy +11 heat in an alpha strike. That said there’s a lot of fun to be had here with that Heavy Gauss rifle and, more importantly, it wants to be fired standing still to avoid the PSR that results from discharging it on the move. The HGR isn’t CASE protected so when it goes off things might go a bit poorly for the 4S but probably won’t outright kill it.

At 2,623 BV this is a MAD-4K competitor price wise. Which one you pick is really a question of what you’re looking for in terms of output but I run the 4S quite a lot. Really just a funny guy.

Liberty’s Rating: C. Big guns are funny, falling over from firing them is even funnier.

MAD-5A

Well you look familiar, now don’t you…

The MAD II -5A has an incredibly similar loadout to the normal Marauder’s 5CS variant being a pair of ER PPCs and Medium lasers in each arm supported by an LB 10X Autocannon with three tons of ammo and backwards CASE that’s protecting the gunside not the ammoside. Not that that helps keep the ‘mech upright as it has an XL engine but at least it’d keep the pilot going for another day! All of this gun is kept woefully uncooled by 29 single heat sinks that, at the very least, act as good crit padding for those three tons of ammo in the left torso.

The 5A has some mild heat problems as, even standing still and firing off the two PPCs and the LB 10-X builds 3 heat. Going up 11+ heat on a running alpha strike, 12+ on a jumping one, means the 5A gets real toasty real quick.

Additionally the addition of the XL engine and ammo to the mix has taken away the 4A’s capacity to just be an undying brick. That said, at 2,058 BV it could be worse but it could absolutely be better.

Liberty’s Rating: C-. About the same price and damage as the 4A but far more brittle, kinda sad as 16 Double Heat Sinks would save a lot of tonnage for this thing, enough to ditch the XL engine and have 3.5 tons left over for activities. 

MAD-5B

Oh hey, that’s better!

The 5B ditches the 5A’s XL engine and LB 10-X to mount a Standard engine, 16 Double Heat Sinks and a Gauss rifle with 3 tons of ammo. I wouldn’t mind retaining the LB-10 but a Gauss is always nice to have on hand, especially when there’s not an XL parked next to it to instantly die to if it goes off. That said it loses the CASE protection so it will probably still get a crit check into the CT if it goes off, unfortunately.

At 2,589 BV this is a steep price jump prompted by the big jump in firepower that the Gauss brings and the near return to the 4A’s survivability. The presence of an explosive the size of a Gauss is unfortunate but it’s got a DHS and a pair of ammo bins next to it that can hopefully eat a crit or two before it goes off!

Liberty’s Rating: C. A tougher form of the normal Marauder Gauss cousins this is a pretty acceptable backline brick to just take pain and dish it back out… I’d really rather have a Nightstar for the job though.

MAD-5C

Back to kinda stupid land.

The 5C is a 5A that has swapped the LB 10-X and one ton of ammo for a UAC/5 with two tons of ammo and 3 heat sinks. This is cold at a stand still and the ammo is in the CASE bay at least? Still has the XL so it’ll fall over if that ammo goes off but there’s a lot of not ammo in there to hopefully eat the crits and if the UAC takes it you just dump the bins and lean on the PPCs, I suppose.

Costing 2,024 BV this is really just kind of a sidegrade of the 5A that feels better in some ways and worse in others IMO. It is the cheapest MAD II which is a good thing to note at least!

Liberty’s Rating: C-. Pop-Pop guns are funny and the heat jump is good but it still has a few of the 5A’s same problems. Not bad per-se but there are definitely better things to do this job for cheaper.

MAD-5W

Alright, the wobbies make funny shit sometimes.

The 5W is a very odd example of a frontline C3i spotter assault. Moved by a Standard engine while packing a snub-nosed PPC in each arm and a Heavy PPC in the right torso the 5W has not fallen to the XL + Ammo madness that some MAD IIs are beholden to but it is kind of hot. Additionally it has 5 Improved Jump Jets which makes it by far the most mobile MAD II we’ve seen so far!

With 16 Double Heat Sinks a standing alpha strike bumps the 5W up 3 heat which isn’t terribad, entirely manageable by dropping one of the PPCs every third round and just dealing with it. A jump puts it up to +6 heat which isn’t great but is again mitigated by just not firing a PPC every other turn so it’s pilots choice on what you want to be doing here.

All this movement and funny gun brings the 5W’s cost to 2,383 which is pretty middle of the pack as far as MAD IIs go!

Liberty’s Rating: C+. Mild but workable heat problems paired with something  that can give your big beefy assault an on demand hit of 3 TMM is pretty fun but there are a few other high mobility assaults with IJJs that just kinda do the style better. 

MAD-6A

Beeeeeg ‘mech, teeeeeeeny gyro.

Filling the role of being another big skirmisher the 6A carries the standard pair of ERPPCs supported by a pair of underslung Medium X-Pulse Lasers for some extra range and a right torso mounted UAC/10 with three tons of CASE protected ammo next to the left torso’s light engine. This is a pretty good amount of gun to have strapped up and ready to go, especially when paired with the survivability provided by the light engine and compact gyro with a whole IS Double Heat Sink and jump jet parked next to them in the CT.

The 6A is kept relatively cool by 18 Double Heat Sinks, making it so that firing off both PPCs and one tapping the UAC on the run is heat neutral which is pretty acceptable. A running alpha strike sends you up 16+ heat which is not so good but easily remedied by dropping one of the ER PPCs and calling it square.

Not quite as survivable as the original 4A the 6A makes a good gambit of splitting the gap of carrying enough guns to be a threat and still being a tough nut to crack while costing an acceptable enough 2,367 BV. With a concise game plan of closing on the enemy and then doing everything it can to rip them a new one at the merge the 6A is a good example of what the MAD II platform can do when used right!

Liberty’s Rating: B-. Good survivability, good heat equations and a pretty angry loadout makes for a ‘mech I just might start taking… if it wasn’t for the 6D.

MAD-6C

Ride the fuckin’ lightning I guess!

With the usual suspects of an ER PPC and ERML in the arms the 6C mounts a third ER PPC in the right torso and 22 Double Heat Sinks for maximum crit eating capacity.

The 6C is a fun, incredibly survivable brick to behold. Especially because it has a Command Console in it.

If you’re using the optional Command Console rules the 6C is probably one of the most durable units to mount one in the game. Having no explosives, competent enough heat management, long range weapons to stay out of the fight with, a compact gyro and standard engine padded with a Double Heat Sink the only way to reliably kill a 6C is going to be either drilling out the CT/engine or smashing the cockpit clean off of it. Otherwise it’ll still be sat there staring at you, offended at the audacity to even think to stand to the King when you didn’t come anywhere near correct.

For 2,346 BV this is a very good choice for a Command Console if you don’t want it to ever die unless its just unlucky or things are going very wrong for you.

Liberty’s Rating: B- without Command Console rules in effect, B with them.

MAD-6D

TREAD THE ENEMY ‘NEATH MOUNTAINS OF FIRE AND SHELL, HEAR THE SONG OF THE ROTARY AND REJOICE FOR THE END IS NIGH!!!

The 6D looked at the 5W and decided the Wobbies had the right idea but the wrong execution. The Snubs were cool, and perhaps even good, but the supporting weapons were all wrong. No, in this house we need more and so we get more. Lot’s more.

Mounting up an XL engine, 5 IJJs and 14 Double Heat Sinks the 6D has enough room to fit a RAC/5 with 4 tons of CASE protected ammo and a pair of Light PPCs out in the arms. Why that’s not two Medium Pulse Lasers and two tons of ammo I’ll never know but whatever, two Snubs and a RAC/5 on a 100 tonner that can jump 5 hexes sounds like a great time to me.

Heat wise the 6D can run and fire off the Snubs with the RAC set to fire off all 6 shells and be heat neutral, tossing in the LPPCs will build you to 10 heat but they’re here for long range plinking shots on the approach more than anything.

All this glorious firepower will cost you 2,378 BV – a price I am all too willing to pay. 

The XL is a slight problem but with 3 TMM from a 5 hex jump on tap to try and extricate yourself from a bad position there’s an amount of ‘speed is armor’ here that can help get the 6D in close when it wants to be and back out when it needs to be!

Liberty’s Rating: B. I have an unhealthy relationship with RACs and this is absolutely my new go to MAD II because of it.

MAD-6M

Oh boy, the LASIC machine is back and it’s fucking angry about it.

In the normal Marauder article I referred to both of the M model MADs as ‘LASIC’ machines due to their proclivity to amassed lasers and a craving for close in and violent confrontations while they tried to jam as many laser beams as they could manage into the enemy pilot’s eye holes.

Let me tell you, the 6M is no different and for 2,218 BV on a ‘mech with no explosives it’s got some possibility for dirty deeds done at mild costs.

Packing an XL engine, a Guardian ECM suite, an ER PPC in the right torso and 18 Double Heat Sinks the 6M has a lot of room to make fun decisions with for that bevy of lasers it wants to blind you with. Filling out the slots in the arms we find a pair of Large X-Pulse Lasers and a pair of Medium X-Pulse Lasers. This is a lot of hateful blinking lights to have to deal with. Interestingly this loadout fits in a normal MAD II chassis with a standard engine so why is this an XL and where did the extra 16.5 tons go?

It’s 4/6/4. That’s where. The 6M could make a nasty lance lead for a trio of MAD 5Ms and it would only cost 6,631 BV with standard skills. This is very funny and incredibly stupid while still being fully available on the Marik and Merc avals from the Jihad through to IlClan, if that matters to you. Even if it doesn’t you should still do that for the memes, honestly I fuckin’ might.

Heat can be a mild issue for the 6M, going up 6+ when firing off all the pulse lasers at a run or 23 when alpha striking isn’t great but is easily fixed with some heat math so we can let it be.

Go on not-so-little guy, go do your job giving out Marik’s own bootleg vision plan. God Speed.

Liberty’s Rating: B-. Incredibly funny and very angry once it’s within five hexes of something, let alone three. God forbid a Light ‘mech get anywhere near this thing.

MAD-6S

The Steiners dusted the 4S’ frame off and put some different shit in it.

A 6S is a 4S with different guns and an extra heat sink to bring the total to 17. Gun wise it’s packing the usual pair of ER PPCs, a pair of Medium Pulse Lasers, a Gauss in the right torso, an ER Small Laser in the center torso and an Anti-Missile System mounted backwards in the head.

Guess Lyran ‘mech warriors were worried about getting fragged by their missile support?

This is probably the best of the sniper MAD IIs as, for 2,546 BV, it has adequate heat sinking with the main guns only building 33/34 heat at a run, leaving one heat over for the AMS to kick on if it needs to. CASE around the Gauss rifle means if it goes off you probably lose those two Light engine slots but that’ll be the end of it, then the 6S is an angry ER PPC, MPL and ERSL with no real heat problems.

Liberty’s Rating: C+. Best of the sniper MAD IIs but definitely not the best sniper in its bracket by a longshot. When the Nightstar exists in the same techbase and general availabilities it’s hard to compete while being the same speed, about the same armor and more expensive with any heat buildup at all.

MAD-8K

What’s that banging noise? Is that hail?

At first glance the 8K is kind of ‘eh’. It’s an XL engine carrying a normal PPC and a light PPC in each arm with a gauss rifle and two tons of ammo in a CASE II bin in the right torso. The 15 double heat sinks are fighting a slightly losing battle to keep it cold since when the normal PPCs and the Gauss are firing the light PPCs also want to be firing which will send you up +3 heat on the run.

Entirely manageable but a slight disappointment in some manners.

So, with a generally acceptable weapons load why is this thing this expensive? Coming in at 2,849 the 8K is the most expensive, non custom or Clan, MAD II, holding 10 BV over the 4L and 108 over the 10D.

Well, that answer is simple: Ballistic Reinforced Armor.

If your local meta is rife with annoying ballistics or missiles the 8K will not give a shit. This thing can tank a gauss to the cockpit and stare the guy who shot it in the face as it returns the favor with the glowing slug smoldering like an old cigar in a dim bar room.

A very durable machine in the right circumstances, I’m not entirely sure if it justifies the cost but it’ll certainly take a licking and keep on ticking when those circumstances are met!

Liberty’s Rating: C- if there’s not any significant concentration of Ballistics or Missiles on the other side of the table B+ if there is because this thing will probably never die. 

MAD-10D

Hey Sarge… that new laser’s doin’ weird shit. It’s not gonna give me cancer or something, is it?

The 10D builds from the fun provided by the 6M’s speed boost and takes a different tack for the weapons load. Mounting an XL engine, an XL gyro and an Endo-composite structure the 10D buys a lot of space for toys and uses it well enough.

Mounting 20 Double Heat Sinks the 10D has sufficient heat sinking to deal with the demand of its main armament, a pair of Clan ER PPCs in the arms and a Large Re-Engineered Laser in the right torso; supported by a pair of secondary Medium X-Pulse Lasers beneath the ER PPCs. Heat neutral at a walk when firing off the ER PPCs and the Large Re-Engineered Laser the 10D has some good brawling potential. A running alpha strike will send the 10D up 13+ heat, 15 if jumping the full distance, which is a good bit but fully dealt with by dropping an ER PPC for the turn.

Coming in at 2,741 BV the 10D is expensive but the accuracy bonus and capacity to chew on specialty armors with that Re-Engineered Laser is always a nice thing to have on hand.

Liberty’s Rating: C-. Pretty expensive for what it is but I can absolutely see it tearing up the right targets and doing good work otherwise against every one else.

C

The MAD II C, not to be confused with the IIC or the IIC 2! God I hate it here.

At 2,916 the C ditches a bit of armor to mount the same loadout as the 5A except Clan grade all around. With 23 Clan Double Heat Sinks the Heat problems are entirely gone. With 6 less heat sinks and everything else being Clan built we’ve got a lot of tonnage leftover which has been put to use making the II C another 4/6/4 assault. This thing is nasty and is certainly up there with a few other Clan second line Assault ‘mechs in effectiveness.

Liberty’s Rating: B. Very expensive but I’ve dealt with this thing on the other side of the table a few times and it always ends up having to be public enemy number one. If it’s left alone, or not properly focused down, it will just kill shit until the end of time since it can alpha ever turn without a care in the world.  

Bounty Hunter

Standard Engine. Standard Movement. Clan Spec Guns. Targeting Computer. No Lower Arm Actuators…

Yup, this sure is some Bounty Hunter Bullshit alright. A Clan grade ER PPC and pair of Clan Medium Pulse Lasers occupy both arms, supported by a Clan Gauss rifle with two tons of ammo, 17 Clan heat sinks and a targeting computer.

This ‘mech is a monster, though it does cost 3,767 BV, and will absolutely rip-shit and kill its way through what gets put infront of, or behind with the flippable arms, it.

Liberty’s Rating: D+? I’m not entirely sure. The Bounty Hunter MAD II is a monster of a machine but there are a lot of things that do just about this exact job while not costing near as much a fucking Turkina Z.

Conclusion

God I love Marauders. Big, small and tall I love them all, even most of the bad ones and the MAD II just scratches some itch in my brain. With acceptable enough mobility for what it’s doing, a shit load of durability, and usually good guns most of the MAD IIs really do check most of my usual MAD boxes. Love this thing.

A little sad there isn’t an overgrown MAD-5T variant that’s just a big burly pain dispenser… maybe we’ll get that some day! Man would I be happy.

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

—

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