The Annihilator

[pRaX]

Is this thing like some super ancient Mech or something?
He's the slowest in the game and I don't mind that too much but he also seems to lack in potential Firepower and doesn't even have more armor than an Atlas or King Crab.

Am I missing something that would make him worthwhile?
Is the nice thing about him that he's available pretty early on in the timeline or something?
The biggest upside so far that I can see is that he's up to a 100% cheaper than most of the other 100t Assaults.

[hghwolf]

Almost every mech in T1 is super ancient and plodding, be glad you're not expected to run a Mackie.

Annies are 'siege' mechs. They're not supposed to rapidly advance on something, they slowly advance and grind stuff down.

To be clear, the 'common' Annihalator is a downgrade using IS tech, and T1 is where ACs are at their worst, but the A1 is still a massively powerful mech. The 'real' Annie mounts four MPLas and four LBX10s, which is a withering amount of firepower. It's also a chassis that can reasonably mount two Gauss, and variants that drop the armour and support weapons to essentially make the mech a mobile quad Gauss tower exist.

[charliedrex]

Due to its relatively small engine, it is (as you discovered) very slow for an assault. But it's basically an Assault-sized Urbanmech, built for garrison and defensive duties.

It also means it has some of the most free tonnage for fitting weapons, and most of its variants have a selection of hardpoints fitting this capacity.

Regarding whether it's "super old"
-- not really, relative to any other mech. Indeed, it was a prototyped platform at the very end of the Star League era, so probably a bit more advanced than your average mass-produced chassis, but it went "extinct" in the Inner Sphere after the SL collapsed. It was brought back by the Wolf's Dragoons, who thought it would blend in with all the other IS mechs; they didn't realize that having multiple of them would be hugely anachronistic, since the chassis was virtually unknown in the IS.

[pRaX]

Ha, interesting.
I actually got the ANH-1A infront of me in the game now. I guess I could slap the 4x LBX's on him. I always forget about them and that they are actually Mediums.
Shame that, if the Mech table im looking at is correct, there is no way to emulate that Quad Gauss boi.
Maybe that's something we'll see with the next DLC, if there is one and if it extends that timeline past 3049 and everything that comes with it.

I guess I'm gonna pick him up and give him a whirl in some defense missions.
Larping as the chad version of an Urbie.

[hghwolf]

Originally posted by pRaX:

the chad version of an Urbie.

That is, in essence, what the Annie is, yes. Unlike the Urbie it has the ammo and armour to matter, despite its relatively short range.

In HBStech they can be built to throw a ton of ammo downrage when they fire. As in an entire ammo bins worth of shots.

[Tovias]

I ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ love the annihilator
Placed 4 UAC5 on it with like six tons of ammo and two PPCs on his penis. Peak turret in defense missions and a fairly relaxed Raid mission.

[pRaX]

Originally posted by Tovias:

I ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ love the annihilator
Placed 4 UAC5 on it with like six tons of ammo and two PPCs on his penis. Peak turret in defense missions and a fairly relaxed Raid mission.

Don't give me ideas my man.
In my first career playthrough, as soon as I'm finished with campaign, I might also be tempted to get an Urbie for the earlier defense missions.

[Yojimbo]

my annihilator is 4 heavy rifles with like 10 tons of ammo and a bunch of medium laser back up, the rest is heat sinks (you can fit 3 double and like 6-7 normal). if you are careful with your aim and heat, this thing can one shot mediums right through the middle and it is glorious

[pRaX]

Originally posted by Dood:

my annihilator is 4 heavy rifles with like 10 tons of ammo and a bunch of medium laser back up, the rest is heat sinks (you can fit 3 double and like 6-7 normal). if you are careful with your aim and heat, this thing can one shot mediums right through the middle and it is glorious

Oooohhh right. The Heavy Rifles are Medium's aswell. I'm always thinking they are Large.
Man was I off about this baby. The possibilities, the power the... okay I stop now

[Yojimbo]

although i am also using a mod to extend the weapon slots up one size so i have some medium lasers in small energy hardpoints, but the 4 heavy rifles is still the main thing and fit normally. saves 3 tons per rifle over the 4 lb10x that the thing came with so you have space to play around with

[pRaX]

Oh I bought the ANH-1A. That one didn't come with LBX's but AC/10s instead.
I have plenty LBX T4's though it's all good.
Gonna give HeavyRifles a try aswell.

[Yojimbo]

just be careful of the heat. with 3 double heatsinks and 7 normal heatsinks, firing all 4 heavy rifles goes from no heat to ~83%. my heavy rifles are tier 2, tier 1, tier 1 and tier 0 if you were wondering, since heat values vary

[Bovril Brigadier]

Originally posted by hghwolf:

Almost every mech in T1 is super ancient and plodding, be glad you're not expected to run a Mackie.

Say what you like about the Mackie but if you were running a 7A or later it'd be kicking the ass of a lot of the Assaults in game.

[Valandras]

Originally posted by tiger:

Due to its relatively small engine, it is (as you discovered) very slow for an assault. But it's basically an Assault-sized Urbanmech, built for garrison and defensive duties.

It also means it has some of the most free tonnage for fitting weapons, and most of its variants have a selection of hardpoints fitting this capacity.

Regarding whether it's "super old"
-- not really, relative to any other mech. Indeed, it was a prototyped platform at the very end of the Star League era, so probably a bit more advanced than your average mass-produced chassis, but it went "extinct" in the Inner Sphere after the SL collapsed. It was brought back by the Wolf's Dragoons, who thought it would blend in with all the other IS mechs; they didn't realize that having multiple of them would be hugely anachronistic, since the chassis was virtually unknown in the IS.

Just thought I'd add that the prototype, the ANH-1X, is in game in addition to the ones the Dragoons brought back. Just found one at an industrial hub as a rare mech. The prototype has more hardpoints (three small energy) in addition to the four medium energy and four medium ballistic. It has a dual heatsink engine too. It's basically just a better version of the ANH-1A.

[cszolee79]

^^

ANH-1X 

Community Created Artwork for Steam Artwork

By: cszolee79

WIP MechLab

ANH-1X 

Community Created Artwork for Steam Artwork

By: cszolee79

WIP MechLab

[MechBFP]

Originally posted by hghwolf:

The 'real' Annie mounts four MPLas and four LBX10s, which is a withering amount of firepower. It's also a chassis that can reasonably mount two Gauss, and variants that drop the armour and support weapons to essentially make the mech a mobile quad Gauss tower exist.

I prefer the extra ammo/heatsinks over the pulse lasers personally.
https://imgur.com/a/kMMj3A0