Warhammer (BattleTech)

This page is for the 'Mech from BattleTech. If you are looking for the page about the weapon (and Geedubs' various games under that name), please see Warhammer.

Natasha Kerensky's Warhammer from her days as a Dragoon - arguably the most famous Warhammer in the setting.

The WHM-6R Warhammer is one of the most iconic BattleMechs ever put out by BattleTech. How iconic, you ask? Well, it both was the cover 'Mech all the way back when the game was BattleDroids and is considered the Heavy 'Mech of the setting.

Overview

The Warhammer was rolled out in 2515 by StarCorps Industries with the intent of the 'Mech being an absolute menace to other 'Mechs of the same or lower weight class. It achieved this using balls-to-the-wall firepower while making itself hard to kill by being relatively heavy-armored. Needless to say, it did its job and went on to practically define its weight class. Back in the heyday of the Star League, it was both a mainstay of their Defense Force and one of the 'Mechs selected for the Gunslinger Program.

After the collapse of the League brought everything to shit due to the Succession Wars, the Warhammer remained a mainstay since the factories to make it were still prevalent across the Inner Sphere, though the rate of production was a shadow of what it once was. This also saved the design from having its original specs become LosTech like several other 'Mechs, though some of its League-era variants would meet that fate. Eventually, the Helm Memory Core would allow the Warhammer to regain its former glory, especially after the Clan Invasion made StarCorps get off their asses and start producing significant numbers of the 'Mech again, this time making variants for each of the major Successor States.

Of course, the 'Mech is also found in the Periphery, with some Periphery powers making their own variants of the 'Mech. And The Clans get their own lineage in the form of IIC variants, based on OG Warhammers brought with them during Kerensky's Exodus and going up a weight class.

Specs

Weighing in at a chunky 70 tons, the Warhammer sits at the upper limit of the Heavy size class - any heavier and it'd be an Assault 'Mech. It's built on a StarCorp 100 chassis and powered by a VOX 280 fusion engine, the latter of which allows the 'Mech to reach a top speed of 64.8 kilometers per hour. This is in spite of its heavy protection of 10 tons of Leviathon Plus armor. The Warhammer is also noted as having an O/P 3000 COMSET communications system that, while dated by the 31st Century, is still considered reliable enough for the Mech to be able to assume a command role. An O/P 1500 ARB provides targeting and tracking, which is supported by a spotlight mounted on the left shoulder which made the 'Mech adept at night fighting. Finally, 18 single heat sinks are the standard cooling package that keeps a Mechwarrior from being microwaved by its own waste heat.

Armament

The standard loadout of a Warhammer as intended by the Star League focused on being an all-rounder of a damage dealer. For its main weapons, a pair of arm-mounted Donal PPCs were mounted for long-range shredding of other 'Mechs. When fired in unison, the resulting damage was basically like if you were hit by an Autocannon/20 that somehow could nail you from dozens of meters away. For CQC it relies on two Martell Medium Lasers and two Magna Small Lasers, as well as a Holly SRM-6 launcher on the right shoulder which was fed by 1 ton of missiles within the right side of its torso. Finally, anti-infantry was provided by two Sperry Browning Machine Guns mounted on each side of the torso with one ton of HMG ammo split between them stored in the center of said torso.

Design Quirks

In terms of crunch, a Warhammer has the design quirks of being Rugged(2) (not needing maintenance nearly as often as other 'Mechs do), having a Searchlight as previously mentioned, being Stable (needing more force for a melee attack to knock it down), and Ubiquitous (since factories to make parts for it are still prevalent, swapping a blown-out PPC is relatively easy).

Variants

Since the Warhammer's one of the oldest 'Mechs around both in-universe and out, it's accrued a long list of alternate loadouts over the years. Also, something to note is that a Warhammer variant's numerical designation does not reflect what iteration it is chronologically unlike some other 'Mech designations.

• WHM-4L - One of the 31st-century StarCorp variants, this one for the Capellan Confederation and their Shadow Lances. This 3067 'Mech completely overhauls the Warhammer to be a sneaky fucker. It now uses an XL Engine, Double Heat Sinks, and Stealth Armor, while its weapons are now two ER PPCs, four Medium Pulse Lasers, and a Streak SRM-6.
• WHM-5L - Another Capellan variation introduced in 3081, though this one is in-house. The 5L utilizes plasma rifles in place of PPCs, three ER medium lasers, and a Streak SRM-4 launcher. However, the most important addition was 5 Improved Jump Jets allowing it to rocket across the battlefield with a 150-meter jump range.
• WHM-6D - A Federated Suns-favored alternate loadout introduced in 2835, this variant of the standard 6R ditches the machine guns and SRM-6 launcher in favor of 4 more tons of armor, reinforced legs, and two more heat sinks.
• WHM-6K - Another 6R mod, this time common to the Draconis Combine. It simply removes the machine guns and their ammo in favor of two more heat sinks. This was explicitly done in order to make the Warhammer's PPCs more efficient.
• WHM-6L - Yet another Capellan variant, but much older than the first two above. It swapped the Machine Guns for Flamers, earning the 6L the nickname of the "Hot Hammer".
• WHM-6Rb - A Star League-era Warhammer used by the SLDF Royal units. No weapon changes for this one - instead, this 2599 variant upgraded to use 17 double heat sinks and ferro-fibrous armor, as well as an Artemis IV fire control system.
• WHM-6Rk - A Combine variant that's also from the days of the Star League. It uses an XL Engine and 15 double heat sinks, and has 13 tons of armor. This weight reduction brings its top speed to an abnormally high for its weight 86 km/h.
• WHM-7A - An upgraded 6Rb also used by the SLDF Royal units during the time of the First Star League. Its internal structure is now Endo Steel, and it now uses 16 double heat sinks instead of 18 standard ones. Its PPCs are upgraded to have extended range, and the SRM-6 had an Artemis IV FCS installed. The machine guns and small lasers, meanwhile, are swapped for two Small Pulse Lasers and two more Medium Lasers.
• WHM-7CS - Created by ComStar for the express purpose of turning back the Clanner tide at the Battle of Tukayyid (though in a bout of irony it'd be turned against the Inner Sphere it was supposed to protect by the Word of Blake), the 7CS is designed for traversing difficult terrain and engaging in ambush tactics. Its main weapons are now two Fusigon Longtooth ER PPCs, and the secondary weapons systems have been completely swapped out in favor of two Martel medium lasers and three Hovertec Streak SRM-2 launchers with one ton of ammo protected by CASE. Other mods include adding four Leviathon Plus jump jets to allow it to jump 120 meters max, changing to a VOX 280 XL engine, and upgrading to Double Heat Sinks.
• WHM-7K - A variant used by House Kurita of the Combine for the purpose of coordinating artillery by being a walking Markerlight. This is achieved with a Target Acquisition Gear system installed on the 7K which allows targeting data to be relayed between the 'Mech and the big guns several kilometers away. However, it's still a tough cookie without its shelling friends - built on an Endo Steel chassis, it totes around two ER PPCs, two medium lasers, two small pulse lasers, and two Streak SRM-2s.
• WHM-7M - A Warhammer variant utilized by the Free Worlds League and produced by Ronin Inc., the 7M is built on a Kell Reinforced 270 Standard chassis and is now powered by a Magna 280 fusion engine, the latter granting it a top speed of 64.5 km/h. It also upgraded to Double Heat Sinks. Weapons-wise, its main guns are two Fusigon Longtooth ER PPCs while the secondaries are now two Martell medium lasers and a Shannon SH-60 SRM-6. For anti-infantry, it mounts an LFN Lindblad machine gun, and it also incorporates missile defense in the form of an LFN Lindblad Shotgun anti-missile system. The machine gun, SRM-6, and AMS all have one ton of ammo each. Finally, the aging electronics of the standard Warhammer were swapped out for newer options of a Barret Party Line-200 comms system and a Wasat Watchdog W100 targeting system.
• WHM-7M-DC - A dedicated command version of the 7M which installs a Command Console at the expense of a Medium Laser, the AMS, and half a ton of machine gun ammo.
• WHM-7S - The 7S is an upgraded version used by the Federated Commonwealth and later by its ex-constituents post-Civil War. Its loadout only kept the small lasers, everything else went into the dumpster. What replaced them were two ER PPCs, two Defiance P5M medium pulse lasers, and two Coventry T4H Streak SRM-2 launchers (which have one ton of reloads between them). The heat sinks were also upgraded to doubles.
• WHM-8D - A nigh-total overhaul made as the first of StarCorp's modern upgrades to the Warhammer, this one being rolled out to the then-extant Federated Commonwealth and later to the Federated Suns and Lyran Commonwealth after they split up. The 8D is built on a Star Frame Heavy Endo Steel chassis, protected by 13.5 tons of Durallex Heavy armor, and powered by a GM 280 Fusion power plant, the latter of which ensures there's no loss in speed compared to the original despite toting around a fuckton more weight. It also uses 17 double heat sinks instead of 18 singles, ensuring the 'Mech can deal with a lot more waste heat before either shutting down or frying the Mechwarrior inside. Weapons-wise, its main guns are two Johnston High Speed ER PPCs, with supplementary weapons being two Defiance Model XII ER medium lasers, two BlazeFire Longshot ER Small Lasers, and a Harpoon-6S Streak SRM-6 launcher with one ton of reloads protected by CASE. Finally, its electronics were updated to be a Garret T-60 FastScan comms system and Garret F22C targeting computer, and adding on a C3 slave unit so it can share targeting data with its mates to collectively ruin some poor sod's day.
• WHM-8D2 - An 8D made in the Dark Age after the Jihad, this Warhammer upgrades to a C3 boosted slave and switches the Streak SRM-6 for a Thunderbolt-5 missile launcher. Expect LRM salvos aplenty if you face off against a group of these.
• WHM-8K - Originally made as a field retrofit by the Draconis Combine during the Blakists' temper tantrum, the 8K switches to Valiant Ringmail Light Ferro-Fibrous armor for additional protection and lighter weight. For weapons, it dumps everything the 8D uses in exchange for two Lord's Light 3 Heavy PPCs and a Guided Technologies Streak SRM-4 with CASE ammo protection. Heat dissipation is provided by 16 Double Heat Sinks, and it maintains the C3 slave of the 8D. Overall, a lighter Warhammer that'll coordinate volleys of Heavy PPC fire with its peers to remove anything that stands in its way.
• WHM-8M - A variant made to focus on long-range combat, the Warhammer 8M utilizes two ER PPCs and a Light Gauss Rifle that turns the 'Mech into a sniper. Its medium lasers are also upgraded to be extended range. Finally, it reduced the number of heat sinks to 12 double ones in exchange for being able to take 13 tons of armor and the aforementioned Gauss Rifle.
• WHM-8R - Meant to be a second take of the original, tried-and-true formula the 6R is known for, this Warhammer mounts two ER PPCs, two medium lasers, two small lasers, two machine guns with one shared ton of ammo, and a Streak SRM-6 with one ton of reloads. The ammo and reloads are protected by CASE II, while its base is now an Endo Steel structure with 13 tons of standard armor, 16 double heat sinks, and a conventional 280 fusion engine. This all makes the 8R to be noted as a very long-lived and survivable 'Mech.
• WHM-9D - Meant to be a straight upgrade to the original, the 9D is a 'Mech built around an Endo Steel chassis and an XL Engine - the latter allowing it to increase its top speed to 86 km/h while carrying around 13.5 tons of armor. It also upgraded the PPCs and Medium Lasers to be extended range and added a Targeting Computer on top of all of that so it can LARP as an aimbot on 2Fort. And if that wasn't enough, it can quickly reposition with three jump jets which allow it to leap up to 90 meters at a time. Which means you have a sniper that has inhuman accuracy that'll just jump away the moment you get close enough to try and kill it.
• WHM-9K - A variant used by House Kurita of the Combine which focuses on long-range engagement, though, unlike the similar 8M, it drops the standard close-combat loadout entirely. Built on endo steel and a light engine, the 9K carries two Heavy PPCs and has a large MML-9 mounted in its right torso for close range and nothing else weapons-wise. It also utilizes 16 double heat sinks (noted to be easy to overtax even with the reduction of the number of weapons) and protects two tons of MML reloads with CASE II. So overall, it's an overheat-prone sniper that becomes a paper tiger the moment something comes into close range. Though given it's made by the guys who send hordes of light 'Mechs manned by rookies to die, are we really surprised?
• WHM-9S - A Lyran Commonwealth variant, from the time they were the Lyran Alliance, that had its main claim to fame being the use of a Light Fusion Engine, which slashed 25% of the original reactor's weight off the 'Mech. Due to this reduction, it was free to add two more Heat Sinks for a total of 20 and makes them Double Heat Sinks, as well as up its armor to 13 tons. Weapons-wise, it changes to use two ER PPCs, two ER Medium Lasers, and a Streak SRM-6 launcher.
• WHD-10CT - A bit of an odd case, this Warhammer is based on a Solarian arena custom Warhammer known as the Lich as well as the Marauder and Nova Cat, the latter making it a mixed-tech 'Mech. The D-10CT is built on an Endo Steel chassis, a Heavy Gyro, a light fusion engine, 13 double heat sinks, and 12.5 tons of light ferro-fibrous armor. Its main guns are now two Ceres Arms Thrasher Snub-Nose PPCs, while the medium lasers and small lasers are swapped out for Diverse Optics Sunfire ER medium lasers and Ceres Arms Model W medium pulse lasers respectively. The missile launcher is now a Sian/Ceres Stalking Cougar Streak SRM-6 Rack. Finally, electronics are updated with an O/P COM-500 with C3 module communication system and an O/P Scanoptics Type 9+ targeting and tracking system, alongside a Clantech Targeting Computer. The C3 module and Targeting Computer are a particularly dangerous combo.
• WHM-10K - Another mixed-tech variant of the Warhammer, though this one tries to stick to the original formula of the Warhammer. Its arm weapons are Inner Sphere ER PPCs, while the sides of the torso mount 1 ER medium laser, one ER small laser, and a Clantech machine gun each. A Clantech Streak SRM-6 is also attached on the right shoulder. Clantech CASE II protects 1 ton of streak SRM reloads as well as half a ton of machine gun reloads, while the platform itself is now an Endo-Composite structure, 16 double heat sinks, a 280 light fusion engine, and 18 tons of ballistic reinforced armor.
• WHM-10T
• WHM-11T
• Warhammer C
• Warhammer C 2
• Warhammer C 3
• Dual Cockpit refits

Warhammer IIC

Bigger, sleeker, and Dakka-ier. STILL IZN'T ENUFF!

The Clans, when presented with the challenge of updating the aging Warhammer, decided to have their Warhammer variants cross the weight line and become outright Assault 'Mechs capable of going toe-to-toe with the biggest boys. Now weighing 80 tons, the beefier Warhammer IIC is built upon an SFX-80 Endo Steel chassis, powered by a Type 10 320 standard fusion engine (giving a top speed of 65 km/h), and protected by 12 tons of Forging ZM15 Ferro-Fibrous armor - protection that lets it stand up to even 100-ton Assault 'Mechs. Comms are provided by a TDWS-37 Mk 2.2 and targeting/tracking by a "Hermes" CT-44. Finally, 20 double heat sinks are more than enough to keep everything nice and chill.

This gets traded out for losing the Rugged(2) and Ubiquitous design quirks of its Inner Sphere counterpart. Of course, having those is nice and the OG Warhammer fills a different niche than the IIC, hence why the Warhammer C variants exist.

• Warhammer IIC 1
• Warhammer IIC 2
• Warhammer IIC 3
• Warhammer IIC 4
• Warhammer IIC 5
• Warhammer IIC 6
• Warhammer IIC 7
• Warhammer IIC 8
• Warhammer IIC 9
• Warhammer IIC 10
• Warhammer IIC 11
• Warhammer IIC 12
• Warhammer IIC 13

Gallery

• 

  Where it all began. (Also Unseen since the design is pretty blatantly "borrowed" from Destroid with dubious legality. And let's not get started with the original name...)

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  A Warhammer headlining a squad of 'Mechs.