BATTLETECH: The Cataphract
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- čas přidán 5. 09. 2024
- Necessity is the mother of all invention.
In #Battletech and #Mechwarrior, #HouseLiao, the #CapellanConfederation, was placed into such a circumstance during the latter #SuccessionWars, thanks to the efforts of their neighbours, particularly the #FreeWorldsLeague and #FederatedSuns.
The result of this is a heavy #Battlemech that performs exceptionally well, and would become a symbol for the #CCAF.
It would participate in every battle after the #4thSuccessionWar, the #Cataphract is impossible to ignore in the setting. Let's dive into this video, and find out why.
#InnerSphere #ClanInvasion #Ilclan #DarkAge #WordofBlake #StIvesCompact #FederatedCommonwealth #LyranCommonwealth #HouseSteiner #HouseDavion #HanseDavion
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Note: I am not associated with the Battletech / Mechwarrior IP, and create this under fair-use. Ownership of the Battletech IP resides with several companies at this time. I support all official releases.
I always loved the Cataphract/Raven story arc, both because it really is the peak of "strategic wartime logistical storytelling" in the IP, and because someone was cruel enough to write in the FC takeover of the factory, which is very harsh, something that would definitely happen in a "non-fiction" battlespace, and is a gut-punch seldom written in Sci-fi lines.
For better or worse, the writers and developers behind the BT universe aren’t afraid to shake things up.
@@cobalt968 Exactly - look at the ilClan era right now and how the Federated Suns are faring compared to how they used to be!
@@Spore9996shaking things up is ok. But I feel like they are overdoing it a lot. Look at 3025, it was stagnant and brutal. Then the hope of revival with 3035 and the helm memory core. And it all crashed and burned with the clans. It shook the universe a lot. But it wasn't an ass pull like recent lore. Even the jihad wasn't as bad. But after the jihad clan wolf has just been the ultramarines of Battletech. There will need to be a lot of damage control when they finally realize people don't like marry sues and undefeatable factions in fiction. And wolf will probably be memed relentlessly.
@@HalIOfFamer To be frank, I'm not super familiar with the post-FCW eras because I haven't gotten any books or sourcebooks from the Jihad or beyond yet... Unfortunately. I'll take your word for it, that sounds quite bad. Clan Wolf already had a heavy dose of plot armour, so that makes it worse.
@Spore9996 Only way Catalyst can regain faith is by having Clan Wolf fall on hard times due to all of the Successor Houses coming together to say "get bent, weirdo" one last time before returning to the regularly scheduled programming of "Which Successor State will become more powerful than in the Succession Wars, and why are they the Free Worlds League, Draconis Combine, and Capellan Confederation?"
I’m not a big fan of the Confederation, but the Cataphract makes me understand those who are. The Capellans took a pretty much nonfunctional industrial base and a mountain of spare parts and managed to cobble together one of the era’s best mechs from sheer ingenuity.
I just love this mech because it captures the Capellan's resourcefulness in the face of crippling setbacks. It's ugly, but it works. Beauty is no concern when survival is at stake. For the Chancellor and the Confederation!
The Chancellor's will be done!
IKR between this thing and the Raven it's hard not to like them.
@@stevenclark2188 the only good Cappellan is a dead Cappellan add clanners to that list as well.
Personally I love the way it looks and don’t think it looks ugly at all
What are you talking about? It looks beautiful and deadly. I won't let anyone call it ugly.
Necessity is the mother of invention, and what a fine invention it is.
Always liked the look of the cataphract and cappie mechs don't get enough love sometimes
I sure love stealing them XD
I love Capellan mechs. It's the leadership of the confederation that can't be trusted 🤣
They get regular pats from ZEUS, CAESAR and other FedCom mechs ;)
Not a great mech, but a savvy pilot/Lance commander can win with a Cataphract.
The cataphract is honestly one of the most impressive mechs of 3025. It’s honestly on par with a warhammer or marauder and unlike them, it is made with what amounts to spare parts that the capellan confederation had little use for anyway. (What is the ccaf gonna do with marauder parts?) Glory to liao!
I haven’t used one in mw5 until today when I looted one from a liao mechwarrior and repaired it for cheap, it surprised me with how nice it felt to use and how durable it was while being able to swing back hard. I was thinking it was gonna be mushy for a bit from the way I got it, but I just remembered that most mechs would go down from four simultaneous medium lasers followed by a gauss round to the cockpit point blank. It’s equally as good at dropping most mechs as my marauder which I’ve lovingly modified thoroughly with expensive equipment, but I won’t feel as bad when the cataphract takes a vicious beating when two catapults are dropped off 1000m behind my lance
It’s alright, but that cockpit is so exposed… I know all I have to do is alpha strike somewhere near middle torso and it goes down instantly
Nerd
For a frankinstine mech I won't lie it's not bad
Xin Sheng, Citizen!
Its a perfectly capable 'Mech, its a good mix of weapons, its tough, and is a very good, very solid trooper, one that's had a LOT of life added to it with refits over the centuries.
Over the century* It ain't that old lol
@@BigRed40TECH yet
look up the Ceasar if you like this, its good at being like this thing
The FedSuns must have appreciated the Cataphract because they made their own homegrown version - The Caesar. I mean sure the Caesar was primarily a front to cover development of the Axman, but it worked out well enough that they kept producing it into at least the Jihad.
Made a.campaign of stealing cataphract chassis’s for Caesar project , what 🤩
They are still producing it at the dark age, has harden armour and clan spec weapons.
@@BC-vg3zf No need to steal 'em, given the main Cataphract production plant on Tikonov got straight up overrun by the Feddies during the 4th Succession War.
The Cataphract is what made the Capellans my favourite faction. I like how the mech was built up, alongside the Raven, as the first new designs in ages, how surprisingly well rounded the design was, and how the Federated Suns immediately stole the production facility for this thing to prevent the Capellans losing their technologically inferior underdog status.
Loved this thing in MWO and MW5, hope to grab a model and try it on the tabletop soon. Thanks for another top notch video!
A few spare parts, an AC10 here, a PPC there... All you need is a mad scientist screaming "Its alive! ITS ALIVE!"
Igor! Pull the switch!!
@@swiftmaticOkay Boss *FLIPS THAT SWITCH*
@@deltazero7262Wrong lever! Aaaaaa!
The Maskirovka approves of your praise for this most vaunted of domestic Mech designs and the rightful condemnation for the base villainy of Hanse Davion and his Federated lapdogs displayed within this vid-cast.
A note of your patriotic sentiments has been added to your Citizenship Evaluation file and you have been pre-approved for voluntary participation in the Chancellor's Voice vid-entertainment department. We are certain this will inspire you to find great personal fulfilment in service to the Confederation.
As a further reward, a Fed-rat POW has been executed in your name.
Glory to the Chancellor! Glory to the Capellan Confederation!
Glory to the Chancellor!
Xin Sheng!
Not a big fan of the Capellans, but I've always liked the Cataphract. Maybe my favorite mech.
Anyone who's a fan of CapCon in general should probably be reported to the cops, but Liao can gin up some nice mechs when they get desperate.
My favourite heavy is still the good ol' Thunderbolt, but the Cataphract is a very, VERY close second. I favour hard-shelled trooper 'mechs that can take insane amounts of punishment while giving as good as they get, and the Cataphract is very hard to top in its weight range.
@@Spore9996 if it wasn't for the ability of a charger to act as a blank slate when in my hands I'd also have the cataphract as a close second.
Thunderbolt stands supreme tho of course
One of my favourite 'Mechs looks-wise. His clone/descendant "Caesar" is an interesting design too.
The Cataphract, more than any mech in particular, is an interesting vehicle for storytelling.
It in and of itself is an amalgamation from spare parts, so one could describe from whom these parts originated from.
It's factory on Tikinov was later captured, this theoretical Cataphract changing hands from the Cappies to the FedSuns, in the process going through some upgrades.
Then in the FedCom civil war, it's current pilot was forced to choose a side, leading it to change to Steiner colours.
A fantastic machine that has never let me down.
Yeah it's like the 31st century version of the Pontiac Fiero. I'd drive it.
I love the Cataphract. I play the Capellan Confederation and mostly the Death Commandos. Thank you Red for putting out this great video!!
Imagine being one of the few nations to produce new mech designs…only to have its only factory taken from you within the same year production starts. Being a Capellan sucks, but that’s your lot in life as a Capellan.
Butthead: heh, heh heh, heh, Nice Ract...
Bevis: I am Cornholio, I need CATAPHRACT for my bunghole!
Cataphract is another mech that took until MWO before i actually liked its looks.
The current iteration by Alan Blackwell looks great IMO, however that 0X Matt Plog did also looks rad.
Agreed. She's an ugly bird, but does have it where it counts.
PPC, AC10, medium lasers and enough armor and heatsinks to keep it in the fight. What more could you want from a 3025 frontline heavy.
Compare it to the other heavyweight long range 2x10 damage lobbers (Warhammer & Marauder) this thing isn't an overheating mess as it will happily pump out 10 rounds of sustained fire. By the time the ammo's run out either you or your enemy should be dead, but if you really care you can drop a heatsink or ton of armor to add another bin of boom.
I've always loved that Death Commandos colour scheme on the 'phract.
One thing that is kind of strange is that the stories have not really done much with the Lao Hu, I played it in Mech Commander 2 and I always used that as my heavy mech.
Well now. I wasnt aware there was not just a TBS and FPS game. But also a RTS. Imma have to look more into that.
Just found your channel and fell back into battletech after 20 some years. Love your lore breakdowns. Thank you!
Glad you like them!
I found one in _MW5,_ was pleasantly surprised.
4/5, would loot from dead Capellan again.
A solid and thorough analysis! The Cataphract has always been one of those mechs that I know on paper is a solid performer, but have never personally fielded one. I tend to have an aversion to rear-firing weapons on anything lighter than a Battlemaster, and fully believe they are not enough of a deterrent to keep someone from making a backstab on you. However, with some slight retooling of these to the front, the Cataphract becomes a fearsome mech on the battlefield.
Honestly, the original Cataphract should drop a rear mounted medium laser for another ton of AC 10 ammo.
How often do rear firing weapons get used on tabletop?
Depends on what you or facing surprisingly often if there are lots of fast jumpy things about, never in big boy slugfest
Problem is even when you get to shoot them they often do not matter as ba k armor is just to thin. Can't think of a mech with rear weapons that would not benefit from either turning them around or stripping them off depending on the mechanics heat curve and or ammo situation
@@snipersl270 They come up more often in vees and mechs that can’t do a 180 without running.
I really like the 2X. More armor, more heat efficient, more AC/10 ammo. Another solid 70 ton mech for the Succession Wars.
I love the Cataphract. I love reverse legged mechs like this and the Marauder. It also reminds me of Kain from Robocop 2 lol.
Dang I never noticed the similarities, now I can't unsee it!
I have always liked ad hoc constructed mechs... born of desperation. Plus its a great vid!! Keep up the great work!!
Thanks!
The Capellans are both contemptible and admirable.
I always felt like the biggest problem with the Capellans was the leadership, they tend to bounce between the inept and the insane when it came to house Liao. It makes Confederation look like what would happen if the Steiner's lost their massive industrial backbone. Not saying it'd fix everything but the Capellans would probably benefit from a change in leadership.
Yup, their population are perhaps the most competent and capable people in all the inner sphere, and none of the bs maneuvers Aleric Ward has pulled to ruin the Lyrans would work against the Capellan citizens...
And their you have their leadership and you wonder how they are all still alive let alone a House of the Inner Sphere.
@@codyraugh6599 I think a lot of it is just that the citizens are batshit crazy fanatics for the Capellan state.
Give them a line to hold and more often than not it will be held after all if that was not the case the Cappellan state would have long since ceased to exist.
@@GUMMRUCHK i don't think they meet the criteria for batshit crazy. After all even they don't like the idea of living as a non-warrior under the Clans categorically batshit insane cast system and would rather fight to the death than live in a system as oppressive as that one. (seriously every stict cast system ever enforced throughout human history has lead to a weak and incapable civilization, a earned citizenship is one thing, but a cast system is peak mental deficiency... makes sense that the guy who made it was a brain damaged sociopath)
This is easily one of my favorite mechs out there. thank you for visiting it.
I love this mech and how it gets somewhat overshadowed by something as the Hatchetman that essentially just bolted an axe onto an arm actuator while the Capellans managed to make not one but two entirely new 'Mechs without the limitless industrial might available to the Lyrans.
I actually really like the Cataphract. Its an awesome front line mech. It has decent armor, a kinetic weapon paired with a ppc (instead of 2 ppc's or 2 kinetic weapons which causes problems for other mechs). Its got a couple medium lasers for dropping lighter targets like aerospace or light tanks. Its not horrifically slow, its a little slow but not painfully so.
The hardpoints it has available can support a massive variety of refits allowing it to fulfill a variety of potential roles on the battlefield as well. Its a fantastic jack of many trades and as an old man once said, good enough is often the best thing on the battlefield.
This is prolly a controversial take but id absolutely take this over a marauder or a warhammer any day.
I prefer the WHM to it, but I think I might take one over a MAD.
@@BigRed40TECH WHM has no large caliber kinetic weapons and cannot stay cool in my experience. trade a ppc for a kinetic weapon and i might like the WHM better. SLDF WHM with an lbx in the right arm and a snup ppc in the left might be fun
@@schneecoraxx8689 I find it runs cool when managed correctly, personally.
@@BigRed40TECH my issue may stem from over reliance on the PPC as a "primary" weapon. Personally i utilize ppc's or AC as a primary weapon. Missiles are secondary and the usual compliment of medium lasers many mechs carry are utilized as close range burst damage to either rip the head or the leg off an enemy to allow me to make space and get back to where the AC or PPC can be used comfortably. This might be why my Favorite mech to pilot is a highlander :D
@@BigRed40TECH ultimately, i will freely admit i may be using the warhammer wrong
Not going to lie - I really like this one. It looks good, and I generally arm it using my standard approach - needs armour, needs to be able to fire for extended operations, which generally ends up being some variety of an AC/10 (preferably a LBX, so I can shout GET OFF MY DAMN LAWN every time I pull the trigger) and medium lasers, and I also generally up-armour it. I've had a good deal of success with that loadout in MW5 and HBS.
Given my love of the Vindicator, maybe I lean towards Capellan designs. That's cool. But I'm a merc at heart. And the other side better get off my lawn.
Proof that not everything they do is horrible. Love this machine.
The Chancellor will remember your kind words!
Overall, it's an excellently designed 'Mech. I see this going toe to toe with the likes of the Marauder and Warhammer. It's also a design I'm totally comfortable using the stock variants.
For a fugly mech it sure packs a punch :-) seldom used but never disappointed by it :-)
The -3L is one of my favorite variants, it’s got what made the -1X good, but just improves upon it.
The 4L is my favorite Mech in the game
Im all for some Cataphract and really like the look of it personally
It's alive, It's ALIVE!!
As much as I'm not a huge fan of the Capellans, they sure know how to work with what they've got, and sometimes less.
The t-34 of the Confederation...which would probably also take some t-34s if you offered them.
Liao also makes their own T-34; the Po heavy tank. 60 tons, 1 AC/10, two MG, 240 ICE with ten and half tons of armor.
One of my favorite looking mechs and the 5L isn't too shabby in the games.
YES! I LOVE this mech! Thank you for doing this one.
Another great vid bud. Thanks, take care 😎 🤘🍻
Thanks Jim! I put a lot of effort into this one. I'm giving myself the day off as a result lol
@@BigRed40TECH it shows! Great channel. 😎🤘🍻
Man, every time the Cappies have their backs to the wall, they dig deep and cook up something amazing.
The Cataphract was the first step to the Capellan Confederation becoming the greatest military power in the Inner Sphere. No seriously the Confederation is the greatest power next to the clans in the current BattleTech timeline lore. How derpy is that? That said I always loved the Raven and to a slightly lesser extent the Cataphract. Great mechs.
When you ally with Canopus, the house always wins...
One Franken to rule them all. One Franken to find them, One Franken to bring them all, and in the fires of succession bind them. In the Land of Liao where the land that burns (Thanks Hanse) lies
FOR THE REPUBLIC!
Nice, love this thing. I have a max armor one I’ve used to go toe to toe with assault mechs in MW5.
Ahh, the Cataphract, I remember the first time I met one in the field, the Kercel Lancers campaign had some interesting mechs to fight, also the Cataphract itself is one hell of a mech, very strong for it's weight and the mix of weapons made it very good at most ranges, overall, a great example of perhaps not an amazing machine, but one that is good enough.
Agreesd. Tho i have to say the davion cataphract is probably one of my fave variants. I put 4 med sb lasers and a full 3 ultra ac5 in it. Its a disgusting brawler with a surprising amount of dps
Great video as always!
Thanks again!
Capellans make good stuff with very little! Raven, Cataphract, Vindicator... You can accomplish a lot when you take a break from assassination!
Thank you for the vid'. Good One!
Glad you liked it!
Cataphract - my favourite Succession Wars Heavy since it represents resourcefulness, ingenuity, and perseverance
Played a few games with the Cataphract, it certainly is a fun mech to use. Doubly so once you start fielding my beloved Davion variants, but always make sure it's got someone else to draw fire from it. It's armour doesn't last long once everyonce takes notice of it.
My favorite variant of this is the CTF-IM from MW5. Three ballistic slots that allow me to strip all weapons and most of the armor, then equip 3 LBX-10 SLDs and turn it into a sniper mech, with enough ammo to last a pitched battle.
One of my favourite videos on the channel! Thanks!
One of my personal favourite videos as well. :)
This animation sequence is sick
That's CZcams's not mine lol
Best -3D refit, drop the UAC/5 and the single heat sinks for DHS, and add a second LB10-X with ammo and some armor. Beast on table top!
The Cataphract is one of those mechs that probably deserves more credit than I give it. I don't have anything against it at all, there are just other chassis that I like better in that weight range. I love the lore behind it though (even though I think the CC is barbaric and deserves to be dismantled and absorbed into almost any of its neighbor states).
Very will Done I like the CFT but i will always feel sorry for the confederation as sad as that sounds
I too wheep for the Confederation's poor fate.
This seems like a scrappy underdog of a mech. I really like it. I got a few of these models for my Tabletop Merc company. They will be put to good use. thanks for the video.
The only two nit picks against the CTF-1X is the 2 rear mounted medium lasers and the 1 ton of ammo for the AC-10. Drop 1 medium lasers and make the remaining 3 face forward. Use the 1 ton gained for AC-10 ammo and the CTF-1X becomes a mech that can enter any engagement with confidence.
The CTF-2X switches the 2 torso mounted medium lasers to the front, a Large Laser in place of the PPC, a SRM-4 in the other arm, and retains the AC-10 in the right torso. The 2X manages to carry 2 tons of AC-10 ammo which relives ammo concerns. 2 heat sinks are removed and 2 tons of armor are added. Honestly I think the 2X is superior to the 1X. While the 2X does slightly less damage at range, the added durability goes a long way to finish an engagement. Considering the CTF is expected to do the heavy lifting and face off against heavy and assault mechs, the extra armor helps considerably and the 2X's alpha strike in close is better than the 1X (thanks in part to the 1X's rear mounted lasers).
Great video as always, Red! Glory to the Chancellor! Glory to the Confederation! Xin Sheng!
The cataphract uses the marauders arm better than the marauder. It´s a beauty.
I did and still do not like the look of this mech, but as an engine of war, it grew on me.
Great video!
Thanks!
Didn't think id like this mech once upon a time but now it is one my favorite heavy's solid all around and fairly customable
Thank you for reviewing the Cataphract. Great video! Along with the Vindicator, this is one of my favorite mechs.
Glad you enjoyed it!
The single biggest weakness is its weapon placement. Both the AC10 and the PPC are on the right side of the mech. Lose the right torso and both primary weapons are gone.
Yep! But all battlemechs have some kind of weakness typically. It's half the fun :)
justmake sure you get shot on the left side lol.
The Cataphract is one of my favorite Heavy mechs in the game, especially if I get use my custome variant.
Quality keeps getting better man
Good.
Very good
Picked up a 3D and slapped 2 UAC5's and 2 Snubs with some JJ's
It's really versatile!
It may look like a cobbled-together piece of tech (which it is!) - but one has got to respect the 'Phract. If not, this thing can lay on some serious hurt. Not bad for a Capellan design - now excuse me while I search my Home for some hidden Capellans. Can't trust them Cappies! :D
And it always loses its weapon arm in MW5
Every time I see about the Cataphract, I think about The Beefs video where he did x3 Gauss rifles and 360 no-scoped headshot 2 Mechs.
*TR TR TR TR Triple Gauss Riffllllllllllllle!*
*insert random explosions*
THIS IS THE B33F SPEAKING, AND TO-DAY!
First mech i ever got in mwo, good memories.
It alive! Yes master it is...back from the dead and all of its bits fits well.
The Cataphract is a great mech. Can't count the times I've use the CTF-3D model
Surprisingly good in MechWarrior 5, it was my heavy lance for a long while until I had more Black Knights.
For the Chancellor... errr..... actually I mean Wolverines! The Peace of Blake be with you Demi-Precentor.
Sees an unaffected building...BLAST IT!!
Thank you finally you bring justice to a Mac that I have pilot it off and on for a very long time I started with the one X model I played around with some of the other variations, but did you wanna ask is my favorite it’s nice the only problem I have with the L variation that has masc It can lock up on you and you can become a pill box but I don’t want it’s a sweet machine and it’s my favorite and it’s the one that I started playing MechWarrior wish thank you again
Bruh, this has damn near more armor than an Atlas. She takes a lickin' and keeps on kickin'.
in MW5 during the tikonov mission these things were so easy to headshot.
Yep, just use some binary lasers or gauss and that pilot is mush.
I do love this thing it’s like a bulldog it’s ugly but it’s got so much personality
I first encountered the Cataphract in the MW5 DLC, learning about its lore and how it was made in desperation for the CCAF almost made me feel bad about going in stealing and breaking their stuff... *almost.*
Alas, another well bred Heavy mount for my Mercs
I don’t feel too bad for stealing one by melting a the cockpit and pilot with all the lasers on a wolfhound and then painting it in modified davion colors, 500k c-bills to replace the glass is much cheaper than buying it outright
I like the 2x in my late secession era lances dropping the PPC hurts but the extra ammo for the AC 10 and two tons of added armor increases its longevity in a way that works for me.
I never gave this mech a second glance until I played it in MWO... I was definitely put off by its funky design. Looks can be deceiving! Loading this thing with autocannons made it one of the most fum mechs to pilot in that game. 😀
Helped take the factory producing it then started using it against Capellans. I feel even better knowing we took Highlanders from the Capellans.
They got it back tho lol
@@BigRed40TECH true but… we still did it. A shame we couldn’t go all the way or expand St. Ives but still.
Why would you enCASE Gauss Ammo, if I remember correctly it does not explode in the table top game.
The CASE is for the Gauss Rifle itself.
@@BigRed40TECH Ah yes I had forgotten that, the coils did damage. Ty for the reminder.
Love the Cataphract! I don't care if they are dissed by everyone. I love the underdog! Long live the chancellor and life for service to The Capellan Confederation!
Mechwarrior 5's Legend of the Kestrel Lancers gave us a front row seat to how the Campellans lost Tikonov.
And while I take great joy in blasting Campellans into scrap with my ON1-YAJ, I do begrudgingly admit that the Cataphract has won me over.
The Cataphract is one of the few things I will credit the Capellan Confederation with being a decent product.
Innovative and devastating.
There's lots about the Cataphract I like. They're just too easy to loose my cockpit in MW5 for me to use them in that game though. Used to have the same problem with the Mad Cat Mk II in MW4.
Huh, I totally forgot the prhact wasn't in 3025 base
A damned good war machine
my first ever liked Heavy Mech, and still one of my all time favs (along with the Thunderbolt) in terms of design. this Mech looks awesome, packs a punch and is durable enough for long fights. what more can a Mechjockey ask for? ^^
The Cataphract has greatly grown on me over the years, tickling my love for Combat Chassis that are upgraded and practical. The newest redesigns look just right, actually cool, but with enough of the "Frankenmech" roots still visible.