Just like the Centurion, Zeus' greatness is shown in it's simplicity. Cheaper and easier to repair and refit that others means that it's seeing more battles and more experience. Mechs that come back more often than their pilots are the best ones.
Lyran repair man: oh hey there, you must be the new pilot. Give us a sec and we'll wash out your... predecessor from the cockpit. Good luck mech warrior!
Mechs like that are what I like to call “Warfighters”. Reliable, solidly armed with multiple ranging weapons. They’re mechs that’ll fight your war and’ll always be raring to go for the next one. That or they’re more likely to outlast their pilots.
The Zeus: you do have to worry about it, but in reality you REALLY have to worry about his buddies being deployed by the company all looking for blood.
I've always loved the aesthetic of the great big barrel fist littered with LRM tubes on the Zeus. It's so brutal and unsubtle it somehow wraps around to being beautiful again.
The Davions may have the organization and combined arms doctrine to beat the world, but mechs like the Zeus are proof that the Lyrans are one competent command chain away from being the preeminent military force in the sphere. The Zeus on it's own is a relatively solid mech, although largely unimpressive, but as part of a lance or company the Zeus is a nearly unmatched in it's ability to play the flex role, near effortlessly slotting itself into any role needed to round out your forces. Flexible, tough, fast for it's size, and capable of threatening targets at any range with weapons that can both punch holes and find them. I also think that rear facing weapons are kinda dumb and so I houserule that a player can elect to make any rear facing weapons front facing if they want, and that extra ML can help some in close.
@@patrickkenyon2326 Awesome, Victor, Battlemaster and Stalker for the classics of 3025. Of course the Atlas, though I'm not a big fan of ammo dependent designs. For a heavy 'mech I'd consider the Orion a superior design, they both have comparable weapons but the Zeus has better HS and the Orion superior armor.
I know that case helps with the untimely explosion disease, however I usually play 2nd-3rd Succession wars where it is vanishingly rare. I just like the simpler tech scale eras and the natural balance it comes with.
i like the Zeus because although they are of Assault Class, a prestigious weight group that one expects to all be rare high tech war machines, the Zeus are one of those things that flips that expectation to make a simple and relatively inexpensive mass production assault mech. and unlike the Charger and default Banshee, is actually decent
Only recently discovered your channel despite being an avid watcher of battletech lore vids. You are killing it with these uploads, thank you for your work
Despite being an assault mech the zeus to me always felt more like a fire support backliner. One with enough close in weapons and armor that is really hard to dislodge from good firing positions. It's a grown up thunderbolt, and while not as glamorous at other assaults, the zeus gets the job done.
“… is a series of compromises. It is a strategic weapon as much as it is a tactical one.” Yup, that’s how I have always fielded them. Referring to tabletop: “What’d you just do over there? Yeah, f*you buddy here comes a Zeus.” Haha
The Zeus is one of my favorite assault mechs. It's simple, well armed and armored, has solid heat dissipation in all of its variants, and Steiner cranks them out like candy. The 9S during the Clan Invasion is also notable for not using an XL engine, which makes it a tougher unit to pull down. You could quibble about the 9S's medium pulse lasers, as I often pull them for another ton of LRM-15 ammo and armor, but that's simply preference. I often use captured or salvaged Zeuses in Free World Leauge lances of Awesomes, Stalkers, Battlemasters, Longbows or Orions. They work great in fire or command lances
The big 3 mech manufacturers I know in lyran space is defiance industries, Coventry metal works and majesty metals. Coventry makes the the commando and Phoenix hawk among others and majesty builds the shadow hawk, all good mechs for anyone's TOE.
I'm tinkering with one I gave jump jets to. It's a rather good quick reaction mech when I need a mech somewhere else in a hurry. Haven't fully nailed the design down yet but it has served well so far.
The Zeus is one of the best heading neck designs I've ever seen. I am able to build so many different variants out of this one unit it's unbelievable. I had the most fun on the tabletop game and still do with it.
The Zeus I built in mechwarrior 5 (modded) is a beast of a machine. 2 PPCs in the left arm, 3 SRM-6s in the right arm, and 3 medium lasers in the torso with enough double heatsinks to keep it all cool in all but the most extreme combat environments.
I feel it would be good in a full lance of 3x6S and 1x6A. At long range, 3xLRM-15's. As they approach the 4xAC-5 and then the 4x LL's add to the mix, then as they close the 6A adds its 3xSRM-6's to the mix 5o crit seek and finish off damaged opponents. Honestly a really solid lance for about 5500BV.
@@treevenewson There is always charging. Zeus has a hell of a charge attack. IIRC the charge attack can do up to 40 damage or so and you can push the enemy off of cliffs or into hazards.
This guy is in my top-3 favorite succession war era assault mechs; I hesitate to say #1, cause I'm bad at this sort of decision making, but whenever I start a new MechHQ mercenary campaign I always put my commander in one!
I think I personally prefer the Victor over the Zeus as far as 80-tonners go (I like having jump jets), but as far as trooper mechs go, this one's hard to beat. There's a reason that the typical Lyran assault lance seen in scenarios actually fields at least two of these (usually along with a Banshee - either a 3E or 3S - and an Atlas).
One of my favorite mechs of all time. Love the thing. Fun on the tabletop. Works GREAT as a Lance mate. Long range support? I can add some pips. Take fire for my retreating buddies? You got it. Use the LRM launcher as a club? Well, if you insist! I love the fluff behind it too. It makes SENSE, because outside of Solaris, Mechs are used in conjunction with other units. And as an engine of war, it is great. It always feels like a Heavy rather than an Assault, just a bulky bruiser.
It's like an 80 ton medium mech. Okay at everything but master of nothing. LRM - check. LL - check. Automation - Check. ML - Check. Moderate speed- yes.
@@MrDmitriRavenoff Yeah, it has a loadout similar to a Centurion. The difference is a weaker cannon, an extra laser of the large variety, and 5 more missile tubes in the LRM. Same speed and just a couple more tons of armor.
"immediately recognizable"....I keep mixing up the Zeus with the Awesome. Sorry, still relatively new to BT, got into it a year ago thanks to Tex's Marauder video.
While I love the AC/5, the PPC variant is my preferred chariot. My only changes to it tend to be double heat sinks, CASE for the missile ammo, and more armor. Oh, and then the Mystery Mouse-ka-tool of the build, swapping the locations of the medium and large lasers. If I'm in the fight long enough to lose both arms and both side torsos, I'm going to remain a problem to the bitter end.
A "cheap" lance support assault mech. It's got some passable stand-off firepower, but I've always been stuck with the feeling the Zeus has a glass jaw. Though that's not uncommon in 80t mechs. The addition of ferro helped a bit but ultimately only allowed it to keep pace. The ppc addition helps encourage the pilot to keep their distance which is a good thing. You really don't want it in a mech tango.
The Zeus is one of my favorite Assault designs. I like its role as a faster cavalry unit, and can see it work well with trooper designs like the Bushwacker or Uziel
My mwo. Setup is the skokomish. 2 snubnosed ppcs and 2 mrm30s with the masc . 97km/hr speed. Absolutely ruthless med range and close range ability. And fast enough to.nascar with medium mechs
The Zeus is a solid generalist; decent speed, armor and firepower. Sure there are mechs that can do it's different jobs better, but the broad spectrum effectiveness is hard to overlook.
The Zeus, like the Victor, are two designs that I visually like but that I have always avoided using (at least the variant with the PPC, inspires a little more confidence ...). Honestly, there is some lower category design such as the Orion (which I hope that in the era of the Ilclan, they make a variant using clan technology) or the Grasshopper, to get more use of, or the battlemaster, if we are looking for something heavier, is a mech that can be taken much more advantage of.
@@yanndubois2731 hopper is too short range in that Lance, not that I don't like the mech, but the ability for all range fighting, was why I choose that set up
@@martinrpke5388 As I said, a very good set up. Meanwhile I'm not an Orion fan. In that case, I would take a Crusader. Despite its flaw (heat sinks), he is versatile.
@@yanndubois2731 like the other 3 types in my Lance the Orion, is a jack of all trades, but master of none, except durability. And your right the Orion is a mech i wouldn't choose in most instances, playing scenario it's hunger for ammo, and risk for ammo explosion is a liability in Lance Vs Lance it seldom has the punch contra weight compared to many other lance set ups. In big games company Vs company or bigger, it's staying power is very useful, on the map, as an opponent you can't ignore it for long, because all that armour, has to be chipped away eventually, and it always have a weapon that can reach. Crusader I like too
@@martinrpke5388 You're right. As your Lance is balanced (and hard to destroy) we can expect a good survivability. In big games, a Grasshopper may be usefull thanks to its (nearly) all laser weapons and huge heat sinks capacity. If you're able to be close to your foes, it's almost alpha strike each round. In fact, it depends on the game size and maps. Maybe I will try your Lance. It may be fun.
Zeus is the most iconic and lightest of all the Steiner scout mechs. I love the look, but not a fan of the weapon systems. I like my weapons to have the same ranges. ER PPCs with LRMs are pretty good as are Large Lasers and AC10s. I just love this mech for its distinct look. I even have one in my Sword of Light unit.
I see the Zues being able to be many roles. It can be a Ugh Smash mech. I can be a leader for heavy lance. It can be the light / fast component of an assault lance. It's also a general combat unit, it's decent at all ranges.
As a pilot I prefer a Maurader or Warhammer, in a larger game format like table top with longer engagements and more mechs the Zeus is a great option, paired with a Cyclops in the company makes it amazing
I think the 5S and 5T were actually the Star League models that disappeared due to loss of technology during the Succession Wars. It was the ZEU-9S the was introduced just before the Clan Invasion-it’s basically the mid-point between the 6T and the 11S (same weapons loadout as the 11S but with no clan tech).
Yep! I got them mixed up: "The 9S was an upgrade using Star League technology, debuting in 3048." The 5S, 5T, and 9S are all really, really similar to one another and I made that mistake. Apologies!
Also, the 11S has a Gauss Rifle, which is a pretty big difference, as the 9S utilizes an ERPPC. The only difference between the 9S and the 5S, is that the 9S uses Medium Pulse Lasers iirc. I'll need to double check, but I think the 5S may have more ammo or heatsinks.
@@BigRed40TECH (I always opt for the 5T/6T versions anyway. PPCs are my absolute favorite weapons in the game, though the gauss rifle is a close second.)
Are they actually Star League models if the first Zeus were rolled out after the Amaris Coup and the Lyrans had gobbled up the Rim Worlds Republic's territory and awfully similar Rampage mech factories?
I've always liked a Zeus as an anchor mech or assault-support for heavy lances. Most certainly a staple of the LCAF, but also favored by more than a few mercenary commands when they can get them. Probably the most glaring flaw in my opinion is the low ammo capacity for the LRM. The flamer is also an odd choice for the design, but once again, just my opinion.
Using the CCG art for these thumbnails is giving me hard nostalgia. Shame the game was an unbalanced mess because some of the concepts in it were really rad and I haven't seen them used elsewhere.
I consider Zeus to be in the same category with Marauder, Warhammer, and Awesome: direct fire support. Hang in the second line while brawlers (BattleMaster, Victor, Atlas) and main BattleMechs (Orion, Thunderbolt, Highlander) charge forward. In such role Zeus armor should be sufficient. Should other 'Mechs in close combat role get worn out, Zeus can step in and tank the damage to limited extent as others fall back. Do it better than your opponent, and he should be the first to fall against the might of Zeus.
When making a lance and you're looking for a nice cheap jack of all trades assault you can't go wrong with a Zeus :-) nice weapon array and speed...even if its armour isn't that great its enough if you can keep it out of the direct line of fire :-) however a jack of all trade assault is kind of obsolete when you can get 2 mediums that spread your armour amongst 2 targets and can have the same fire power as a team....in a lance the Zeus is useful but specialist assaults are far more effective so it makes picking it hard even though its a good all round design :-)
Yeah, my problem with the Zeus is that I would rather take a thunderbolt. It does everything the Zeus does cheaper and lighter. Also my good old TBolt doesn't fall off at close range.
I'm afraid I stay away from assault class mechs in my tabletop merc units, outside of a role as C3 units, so the Zeus was never in my realm of interest when compared to the Cyclops or Battlemaster. Playing the HBS Battletech game, it's a decent enough brawler mech for when I'm playing a bang bang shoot 'em up unit.
@@BigRed40TECH it a mech from battle technology magazine. It carries two sniper cannons and two lrm 10. I lost the magazine in one of my moves many years ago.
The Zeus ZEU-6S is merely adequate at best. However, I prejudiced against ammo dependent 'Mechs, it's why I'm not a fan of the Atlas or King Crab. The Highlander and Victor are my only exceptions to ammo dependent Assault 'Mechs.
Seems to be a theory that Zeus' and Rampages' share alot of parts commonality which is why the LCAF has so many because they stole tooling from RWR factories. Not sure if that's true though.
@@BigRed40TECH It's a beast of a 85 ton machine, even the introtech RMP-2G made in 2735 had a AC/10, Large Laser, LRM10, and two Med Lasers. A Flamer and MG for anti-infantry/civilian suppression given it was a RWR mech. Twenty heat sinks, and fourteen tons of armor for survivability and its top speed was 54kmph. The later 5G series was filled with Star League goodies because of Amaris's closeness to Richard Cameron and the RWR and Amaris Empire used the design greatly. However the stigma of its creators and the destruction of the surface factory of Wiegel Armory and Munitions, on Kwangjong-ni halted production. Defiance later found the hidden underwater factories in the mid 3000s, but converted the lines to manufacture Zeus's. A shame that, as I could only imagine the LCAF fielding them against the Clans.
@@BigRed40TECH Think of it as being kinda like a Zeus that trades a bit of speed for more armor and firepower. It was the premier assault mech of the Rim Worlds Republic...and consequently it has a bad reputation just about everywhere. That said, I actually have a printed mini of one as part of my mercenary company (the lore I wrote for them actually gives them a reason for why they have it), and it's probably one of the better assault mechs in that particular force that doesn't use Clan tech.
The 3rd Succession War versions of the Zeus and Marauder are easy to compare. Why? 5 tons of difference. Same speed. The Engine and internal structure eat the weight difference between the Marauder and the Zeus, which means armor and weapons have an equal amount of tonnage to play with. Against the MAD-3R, the ZEU-6S is about equal. My preference is the 2 PPC and AC5 vs the Zeus' large laser, LRM 15 and AC5, because the 2 PPCs hit harder in a single location and don't have randomized damage from the LRMs or ammo concerns. The ZEU-6T trades the AC5 for a PPC, which gives a better alpha strike potential, with the same heat problem as a MAD-3R. The Zeus is just a more expensive Marauder.
My issue with the zeus is that I don't like ac 5s. I dot think is a good weapon and I definitely think a single Ac5 is a definitely to light of a gun for an assault. I Personally would up the Ac to a 10 downgrade the LRMs even pulling them altogether if needed to make room. I know its taking away the versatility but that just my two cents. Hell Im the guy who takes the marauder 3r and strips the ppcs for medium lasers and turns the Ac 5 into a 20 and max the armor. In clan invasion games I make the medium lasers into pulse. For a less extreme departure tun the ppcs into large lasers and the ac 5 into a 10. Also a soild mech. I honestly hope some of you guys try these builds on the table, in MWO, Mechwarrior 5, or the Battletech pc game.
I know this video is one of Red's earlier ones & around a year old with nearly 200 comments, but the Zeus was not created in 2410, which would make it older than the Mackie (2439?), but rather 2789. Not a big deal, but something for viewers to be aware of.
Wait what. In the video you say Zeus was made in 2400s but Sarna says it was 2787. And i distintily remember playing that factory defense mission in mech warrior mercenries years ago, which im pretty sure was neither in 2400s nor 2700s. What the hell?
I used the original TRO 3025 from 1986 to make this video. It has been updated since 1988 when they invented the Mackie. I added a note for further details in the video description.
At 0:33, you stated that the Zeus was first built in 2410, which is way off. That was before even the Mackie, the first-ever mech, was built in 2439. The Sarna wiki states that the Zeus was actually first built in 2787, right as the First Succession War started. Other than that, good video. The Zeus is one of my favorite IS assault mechs, and I like how much they upgraded it as the eras went on. The late-stage Zeuses are quite good, especially pound for pound!
Just quoting the original TRO I used, which lists 2407, 2410, and 2411. It's likely a typo in the original book, but I'm literally using the original as the primary source for the default variants in these. They've been updated in the Succession Wars TRO, but I only use that if I feel the initial trove is inadequate.
Just as a follow up, I had the exact quotes in another response: "The initial design ideas were first put to paper just after the start of the war with the Draconis Combine in 2407. Three years later, when the enemy forces were threatening Hesperus II, two Zeus Prototypes were already lumbering across test terrains." "The defiance factories on Hesperus II are the only ones currently producing the Zeus, which first came off the production lines in 2411."
@@BigRed40TECH understood. And whoa, those old sourcebooks must be really weird by now, if they're off by so much! Makes me wonder what those old sources say about when the Mackie was made. Like, the 2300s or even earlier?
The TRO:3025 had the VTR being built in 2500 as well. The Mackie's statline was made up in the 90's. This book actually predates the Star League sourcebook, which created the concept of the Mackie and the current timeline (1988), which is where that date of the first mech comes from.
This is the one: www.sarna.net/wiki/Technical_Readout:_3025 1986. Where as the Mackie to myknowledge is first mentioned here: www.sarna.net/wiki/The_Star_League in 1988. :)
I dont like the base Zeus because its a Heavy Mech in the Assault Mech weight class. Its armor is low, and its firepower especially at long range is fairly low. The upgraded models help this problem with better technology, but not always upgrading the armor. That said its because of the untapped potential that Im still interested. By 3150 upgrading it to carry clan-grade Gauss Rifles, LRMs, and extended range Lasers exploits the potential as much as possible.
ah, the old Lore hiccup. The old source books say the Zeus was created around 2410, but the Mackie, the first battlemech ever didn't exist until at least the 2430s
I like the zeus. I regularly ran one in my command/assault lance when I was a reular player. It's sort of the third man on the relay race. Not flashy, but ok. I just wish its main weapons were in the torso, so it could be a better brawler. It's set up as an assault-sized fire support mech with the lrm and autocannon.
IMO the Zeus is a "camel". It tries to do too may things at once but does not really excell at any. The three primary weapons do not match in range and available ammo. The speed is good for an assault class mech but the armor is mediocre. The biggest issue is that it lacks a weapon with some serious punch - at least in it´s original design. The later models get much better like the 9T.
I never understood some of these designs where they make an assault mech yet give it so little armor. That's the main reason to increase a mech/tank in size and weight. It's so easy to fix that mech. Swap the ac5 for a ppc. Change the Lrm 15 to 3x Lrm 5. Swap the Large laser for 3 medium lasers(for a total of 5). Add 3 tons of armor. Now you have a cool mech, with lots of armor and lots of firepower that is dangerous at all ranges and has 3x the missile payload.
Uhm...three lrm-5's do not mean three times the firepower. It's actually worse cause the missiles roll for each launcher on the cluster hots table. However...that one extra ton devoted to armor...and keep the large laser. It's VERy useful.
I was never a fan of the zeus. Far too much of its weapons set on the arms, meaning a high chance of turning into a stick/meat-shield. Though with slight adjustment the die hard 4 line could be, "Don't fuck with me, or I'll show a PPC up your as! Zues, you got a problem with that?"
The Atlas is used more by the Draconis Combine and Federated Suns (until they make the Atlas III), than it is by Steiner. Steiner uses the Zeus and Banshee more. Though this might have been retconned at some point, the Atlas being THE Steiner mech, is just a meme created by the community that got out of control.
Okay. I like Zeus in concept. BUT. Any 4/6 mech with Fusion Engine that's bigger than 75-tonner is an economical mistake. Hear me out. ZEU-6S has AC/5, LL, LRM15, 2 MLs, 1 ton of each kind of ammo and 11.5 tons of armour for 7.6kk C-Bills. If you had outfitted an Orion with the exact same speed, guns, ammo and armour, you'd saved 1 million C-Bills on the Engine and Gyro. And didn't lose ANYTHING in process. It's the same mech. Just cheaper. Okay, you lose Barrel Fist quirk, but you get Rugged and AA Targeting instead. It's just a more expensive Orion.
Same argument could be said about Thug and Charger. There is a great number of 'Mechs, vehicles, and other units that are sub-optimal. But that can also be part of the charm. As one player phrases it (from memory): "Hellbringer is cool either way. It isn't cool because it suck. It is cool because it suck WITH BALLS!"
@@mattikuokkanen No, no, what I mean is it's LITERALLY the same mech. Same amount of armour. Same guns. Same weapon locations. Same movement speed. The only difference would be quirks (which are arguably better in Orion) and price. The only time it makes sense to get 4/6 Fusion Engine on an 80/85 - tonner is when you want more that 231 armour dots. Like in Battlemaster, for instance. Because 75/80/85-ton mechs with 4/6 movement get the same amount of free tonnage to use on guns/ammo/armour - 42.5 tons. The only difference would be the price of the Engine and Gyro (heavier the mech - the bigger Engine you'll need).
Big Red has got a number of errors there. He claims first Zeus was made in year 2410 and served in time of the Star League. Technical Readout 3039, Master Unit List, and Sarna all say the year is 2787, which is years after dissolution of Star League (2781). Furthermore first Zeus model to be made is ZEU-5T followed by ZEU-5S.
*For those wondering about the off-date in this video, I used the original, like the Original Original TRO:3025 as the primary source for this video. It uses the dates 2407, 2410, and 2411. These dates are wrong with the current timeline of events. But it is what's on the page. I don't use Sarna for these things, I use the TRO's, and I have a preference for using the originals if I have them. Only the variants do I start poking around for elsewhere. Just as a quick heads up. Exact Quote: "The initial design ideas were first put to paper just after the start of the war with the Draconis Combine in 2407. Three years later, when the enemy forces were threatening Hesperus II, two Zeus Prototypes were already lumbering across test terrains." "The defiance factories on Hesperus II are the only ones currently producing the Zeus, which first came off the production lines in 2411."
"The initial design ideas were first put to paper just after the start of the war with the Draconis Combine in 2407. Three years later, when the enemy forces were threatening Hesperus II, two Zeus Prototypes were already lumbering across test terrains." "The defiance factories on Hesperus II are the only ones currently producing the Zeus, which first came off the production lines in 2411." So yea, prototypes were produced in 2410, full blown production was 2411.
![PASULOL รามเกียรติ์ ตอนที่ 4 นนทกพบรัก [Ramakien Ep.4: Nonthok in love]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/tMUQgmZzf_A/mqdefault.jpg)
Ah, yes, Steiner's light scout mech.
Lol! "The little one."
Just like the Centurion, Zeus' greatness is shown in it's simplicity. Cheaper and easier to repair and refit that others means that it's seeing more battles and more experience. Mechs that come back more often than their pilots are the best ones.
Lyran repair man: oh hey there, you must be the new pilot. Give us a sec and we'll wash out your... predecessor from the cockpit. Good luck mech warrior!
Mechs like that are what I like to call “Warfighters”. Reliable, solidly armed with multiple ranging weapons. They’re mechs that’ll fight your war and’ll always be raring to go for the next one. That or they’re more likely to outlast their pilots.
The Zeus: you do have to worry about it, but in reality you REALLY have to worry about his buddies being deployed by the company all looking for blood.
Unless they were the reason the pilot didn't come back too....
I've always loved the aesthetic of the great big barrel fist littered with LRM tubes on the Zeus. It's so brutal and unsubtle it somehow wraps around to being beautiful again.
try the 3050 update but keep the med lasers and add artemius V and another ton of ammo to the lrm's
Zeus is so fun . An assault that can run with mediums and deliver still a nice damage numbers.
The Davions may have the organization and combined arms doctrine to beat the world, but mechs like the Zeus are proof that the Lyrans are one competent command chain away from being the preeminent military force in the sphere. The Zeus on it's own is a relatively solid mech, although largely unimpressive, but as part of a lance or company the Zeus is a nearly unmatched in it's ability to play the flex role, near effortlessly slotting itself into any role needed to round out your forces. Flexible, tough, fast for it's size, and capable of threatening targets at any range with weapons that can both punch holes and find them.
I also think that rear facing weapons are kinda dumb and so I houserule that a player can elect to make any rear facing weapons front facing if they want, and that extra ML can help some in close.
I trade the rear firing weapons for armor.
I like the Zeus. Solid design.
Sorry, but the Zeus ZEU-6S is merely adequate as an Assault 'Mech.
@@treevenewson May I ask, what do you consider a superior design?
@@patrickkenyon2326 Awesome, Victor, Battlemaster and Stalker for the classics of 3025. Of course the Atlas, though I'm not a big fan of ammo dependent designs. For a heavy 'mech I'd consider the Orion a superior design, they both have comparable weapons but the Zeus has better HS and the Orion superior armor.
@@treevenewson I like the Stalker.
Victor and Atlas rely on the AC20 a bit too much.
I love the PPC varient, the AC just explodes too often for me.
CASE is your friend.
Agreed. If memory serves, in the lore the PPC-armed variant was what Defiance Industries actually wanted for the design.
I know that case helps with the untimely explosion disease, however I usually play 2nd-3rd Succession wars where it is vanishingly rare. I just like the simpler tech scale eras and the natural balance it comes with.
i like the Zeus because although they are of Assault Class, a prestigious weight group that one expects to all be rare high tech war machines, the Zeus are one of those things that flips that expectation to make a simple and relatively inexpensive mass production assault mech. and unlike the Charger and default Banshee, is actually decent
Are you Taurian? I do agree, it is a versatile & economic lighter assault mech.
Only recently discovered your channel despite being an avid watcher of battletech lore vids. You are killing it with these uploads, thank you for your work
No thank you!
Amen to that
Despite being an assault mech the zeus to me always felt more like a fire support backliner.
One with enough close in weapons and armor that is really hard to dislodge from good firing positions.
It's a grown up thunderbolt, and while not as glamorous at other assaults, the zeus gets the job done.
I always saw the Battlemaster as the grown-up Thunderbolt, just as I saw the Stalker as a grown-up Catapult
“… is a series of compromises. It is a strategic weapon as much as it is a tactical one.” Yup, that’s how I have always fielded them. Referring to tabletop: “What’d you just do over there? Yeah, f*you buddy here comes a Zeus.” Haha
Economy of scale is a hell of a thing.
The Zeus is one of my favorite assault mechs. It's simple, well armed and armored, has solid heat dissipation in all of its variants, and Steiner cranks them out like candy. The 9S during the Clan Invasion is also notable for not using an XL engine, which makes it a tougher unit to pull down.
You could quibble about the 9S's medium pulse lasers, as I often pull them for another ton of LRM-15 ammo and armor, but that's simply preference. I often use captured or salvaged Zeuses in Free World Leauge lances of Awesomes, Stalkers, Battlemasters, Longbows or Orions. They work great in fire or command lances
It gets better with Star League/Clan tech, but the base model is nothing impressive. Stacy Church's version of the Zeus-X is a scarry MOFO.
@@treevenewson Especially since the Dragoons adopt her pre reflective armor version as a standard mech post Jihad.
Nice idea on the salvage machines. Marik needs some spare parts, go fight a few Lyrans...
Anymore when i see the Zeus I can’t help but mentally hear Kratos screaming the name.
Good. Unlike the game though, this Zeus would strike him down no problem :P
Steiner. Nothing says Steiner like the Zeus and the Fafnir. Defiance Industries baby. Good video. House Steiner Forever!!!
Definitely the Fafnir, though I like the Hauptman from Coventry Metal Works better.
The big 3 mech manufacturers I know in lyran space is defiance industries, Coventry metal works and majesty metals. Coventry makes the the commando and Phoenix hawk among others and majesty builds the shadow hawk, all good mechs for anyone's TOE.
God I love that Clint Langley mech art
Agree very much, but his painting of the Kodiak is my favourite, makes it look like something out of a horror movie.
I'm tinkering with one I gave jump jets to. It's a rather good quick reaction mech when I need a mech somewhere else in a hurry. Haven't fully nailed the design down yet but it has served well so far.
The Zeus is one of the best heading neck designs I've ever seen. I am able to build so many different variants out of this one unit it's unbelievable. I had the most fun on the tabletop game and still do with it.
Glad to see the Zeus getting attention. Thing has been a favorite of mine since childhood. In MC2 it was a workhorse
Always did love the look of the mech aswell, especially in MC2.
I cry that we never got MC3
The Zeus I built in mechwarrior 5 (modded) is a beast of a machine. 2 PPCs in the left arm, 3 SRM-6s in the right arm, and 3 medium lasers in the torso with enough double heatsinks to keep it all cool in all but the most extreme combat environments.
Well rounded Assault mech , not flash but no glaring weakness either . Good assault trooper
I feel it would be good in a full lance of 3x6S and 1x6A. At long range, 3xLRM-15's. As they approach the 4xAC-5 and then the 4x LL's add to the mix, then as they close the 6A adds its 3xSRM-6's to the mix 5o crit seek and finish off damaged opponents. Honestly a really solid lance for about 5500BV.
I'd say its ammo dependence and the danger of ammo explosions is a glaring weakness.
@@treevenewson Just use up all the ammo before you run out of armor lol. Then go to town in melee. 80 ton fast assault mechs can hit hard.
@@joseph1150 Yes but the lack of Hand Actuator's makes melee more difficult.
@@treevenewson There is always charging. Zeus has a hell of a charge attack. IIRC the charge attack can do up to 40 damage or so and you can push the enemy off of cliffs or into hazards.
This guy is in my top-3 favorite succession war era assault mechs; I hesitate to say #1, cause I'm bad at this sort of decision making, but whenever I start a new MechHQ mercenary campaign I always put my commander in one!
I think I personally prefer the Victor over the Zeus as far as 80-tonners go (I like having jump jets), but as far as trooper mechs go, this one's hard to beat. There's a reason that the typical Lyran assault lance seen in scenarios actually fields at least two of these (usually along with a Banshee - either a 3E or 3S - and an Atlas).
One of my favorite mechs of all time. Love the thing. Fun on the tabletop. Works GREAT as a Lance mate. Long range support? I can add some pips. Take fire for my retreating buddies? You got it. Use the LRM launcher as a club? Well, if you insist!
I love the fluff behind it too. It makes SENSE, because outside of Solaris, Mechs are used in conjunction with other units. And as an engine of war, it is great. It always feels like a Heavy rather than an Assault, just a bulky bruiser.
It's like an 80 ton medium mech. Okay at everything but master of nothing. LRM - check. LL - check. Automation - Check. ML - Check. Moderate speed- yes.
@@MrDmitriRavenoff Yeah, it has a loadout similar to a Centurion. The difference is a weaker cannon, an extra laser of the large variety, and 5 more missile tubes in the LRM. Same speed and just a couple more tons of armor.
"immediately recognizable"....I keep mixing up the Zeus with the Awesome. Sorry, still relatively new to BT, got into it a year ago thanks to Tex's Marauder video.
I love these battletech videos. Thanks a lot for your work
Glad you like them! More to come. Always more to come. O.O
While I love the AC/5, the PPC variant is my preferred chariot. My only changes to it tend to be double heat sinks, CASE for the missile ammo, and more armor. Oh, and then the Mystery Mouse-ka-tool of the build, swapping the locations of the medium and large lasers. If I'm in the fight long enough to lose both arms and both side torsos, I'm going to remain a problem to the bitter end.
I can't wait to remake this video XD
Now this. This I like.
The real Steiner assault mech. Perfection.
Damn right.
Yes, as a kurita pilot, I must admit that the Zeus IS a outstanding mech. Thanks 😄
A "cheap" lance support assault mech. It's got some passable stand-off firepower, but I've always been stuck with the feeling the Zeus has a glass jaw. Though that's not uncommon in 80t mechs. The addition of ferro helped a bit but ultimately only allowed it to keep pace.
The ppc addition helps encourage the pilot to keep their distance which is a good thing. You really don't want it in a mech tango.
The Zeus is one of my favorite Assault designs. I like its role as a faster cavalry unit, and can see it work well with trooper designs like the Bushwacker or Uziel
Speed is king and being fast give a edge in almost every/any fight.
My mwo. Setup is the skokomish. 2 snubnosed ppcs and 2 mrm30s with the masc . 97km/hr speed. Absolutely ruthless med range and close range ability. And fast enough to.nascar with medium mechs
The Zeus is a solid generalist; decent speed, armor and firepower. Sure there are mechs that can do it's different jobs better, but the broad spectrum effectiveness is hard to overlook.
Like the Warhammer, it's good enough, and just like that, its perfect.
The Zeus, like the Victor, are two designs that I visually like but that I have always avoided using (at least the variant with the PPC, inspires a little more confidence ...). Honestly, there is some lower category design such as the Orion (which I hope that in the era of the Ilclan, they make a variant using clan technology) or the Grasshopper, to get more use of, or the battlemaster, if we are looking for something heavier, is a mech that can be taken much more advantage of.
Best Lance I ever fielded had a Zeus an Orion and two thunderbolts, sticking together, they had the armour and combined firepower too carry the win.
Mmm... Good choice. But I would replace the Orion with a Grasshopper.
@@yanndubois2731 hopper is too short range in that Lance, not that I don't like the mech, but the ability for all range fighting, was why I choose that set up
@@martinrpke5388 As I said, a very good set up. Meanwhile I'm not an Orion fan. In that case, I would take a Crusader. Despite its flaw (heat sinks), he is versatile.
@@yanndubois2731 like the other 3 types in my Lance the Orion, is a jack of all trades, but master of none, except durability. And your right the Orion is a mech i wouldn't choose in most instances, playing scenario it's hunger for ammo, and risk for ammo explosion is a liability in Lance Vs Lance it seldom has the punch contra weight compared to many other lance set ups. In big games company Vs company or bigger, it's staying power is very useful, on the map, as an opponent you can't ignore it for long, because all that armour, has to be chipped away eventually, and it always have a weapon that can reach. Crusader I like too
@@martinrpke5388 You're right. As your Lance is balanced (and hard to destroy) we can expect a good survivability. In big games, a Grasshopper may be usefull thanks to its (nearly) all laser weapons and huge heat sinks capacity. If you're able to be close to your foes, it's almost alpha strike each round. In fact, it depends on the game size and maps. Maybe I will try your Lance. It may be fun.
Finally, my favorite assault mech!
Love this mech. Plenty of flaws, but they add to the mech, not take away anything.
The PPC Zeus or the "all energy" Warhammer (6D) are my prefered 3025 official (and back in the 1990s tournament legal) variants.
Zeus is the most iconic and lightest of all the Steiner scout mechs. I love the look, but not a fan of the weapon systems. I like my weapons to have the same ranges. ER PPCs with LRMs are pretty good as are Large Lasers and AC10s. I just love this mech for its distinct look. I even have one in my Sword of Light unit.
Hey Zeus! That's a Jesus good mech!
I see the Zues being able to be many roles. It can be a Ugh Smash mech. I can be a leader for heavy lance. It can be the light / fast component of an assault lance. It's also a general combat unit, it's decent at all ranges.
The zeus has the jason effect where if you're in a weaker mech your ass better run and hope you don't get caught on terrain.
As a pilot I prefer a Maurader or Warhammer, in a larger game format like table top with longer engagements and more mechs the Zeus is a great option, paired with a Cyclops in the company makes it amazing
I think the 5S and 5T were actually the Star League models that disappeared due to loss of technology during the Succession Wars. It was the ZEU-9S the was introduced just before the Clan Invasion-it’s basically the mid-point between the 6T and the 11S (same weapons loadout as the 11S but with no clan tech).
Yep! I got them mixed up:
"The 9S was an upgrade using Star League technology, debuting in 3048."
The 5S, 5T, and 9S are all really, really similar to one another and I made that mistake. Apologies!
Also, the 11S has a Gauss Rifle, which is a pretty big difference, as the 9S utilizes an ERPPC.
The only difference between the 9S and the 5S, is that the 9S uses Medium Pulse Lasers iirc. I'll need to double check, but I think the 5S may have more ammo or heatsinks.
@@BigRed40TECH (I always opt for the 5T/6T versions anyway. PPCs are my absolute favorite weapons in the game, though the gauss rifle is a close second.)
Are they actually Star League models if the first Zeus were rolled out after the Amaris Coup and the Lyrans had gobbled up the Rim Worlds Republic's territory and awfully similar Rampage mech factories?
I've always liked a Zeus as an anchor mech or assault-support for heavy lances. Most certainly a staple of the LCAF, but also favored by more than a few mercenary commands when they can get them. Probably the most glaring flaw in my opinion is the low ammo capacity for the LRM. The flamer is also an odd choice for the design, but once again, just my opinion.
Using the CCG art for these thumbnails is giving me hard nostalgia. Shame the game was an unbalanced mess because some of the concepts in it were really rad and I haven't seen them used elsewhere.
Love me some Battletech lore
I consider Zeus to be in the same category with Marauder, Warhammer, and Awesome: direct fire support. Hang in the second line while brawlers (BattleMaster, Victor, Atlas) and main BattleMechs (Orion, Thunderbolt, Highlander) charge forward. In such role Zeus armor should be sufficient. Should other 'Mechs in close combat role get worn out, Zeus can step in and tank the damage to limited extent as others fall back. Do it better than your opponent, and he should be the first to fall against the might of Zeus.
One of the Best mechs in MWO, i run it wth MRMS LRMS and RAC-5s and some lasers just in case.
Always makes me chuckle with it's bunny ears also you can turn this thing into a brawler of nightmarish proportions
When making a lance and you're looking for a nice cheap jack of all trades assault you can't go wrong with a Zeus :-) nice weapon array and speed...even if its armour isn't that great its enough if you can keep it out of the direct line of fire :-) however a jack of all trade assault is kind of obsolete when you can get 2 mediums that spread your armour amongst 2 targets and can have the same fire power as a team....in a lance the Zeus is useful but specialist assaults are far more effective so it makes picking it hard even though its a good all round design :-)
Yeah, my problem with the Zeus is that I would rather take a thunderbolt. It does everything the Zeus does cheaper and lighter.
Also my good old TBolt doesn't fall off at close range.
Well it’s definitely an interesting designed mech cant really see anything I dislike
Ah, the ol` bugmech. Zeus looks like a giant cricket and it`s buglike design always stopped me from using it.
James woods would kill to get one. Or work retail.
It's funny that for a long time after the original PPC failures the Zeus lost its lightning. Didn't get it back till what 3024?
Around there yea.
I'm afraid I stay away from assault class mechs in my tabletop merc units, outside of a role as C3 units, so the Zeus was never in my realm of interest when compared to the Cyclops or Battlemaster. Playing the HBS Battletech game, it's a decent enough brawler mech for when I'm playing a bang bang shoot 'em up unit.
I hear a variant with Thunderbolts boo hiss
The Zeus has always been to me, a Wrong-Awesome.
All I know is the 5T variant in MW5 is an absolutely mean mech. That LRM15 with Artemis hurts
Would love to see you do a video on the huntress
Huntress eh? Like the planet? O.o
@@BigRed40TECH it a mech from battle technology magazine. It carries two sniper cannons and two lrm 10. I lost the magazine in one of my moves many years ago.
@@BigRed40TECH just found the write up for it on Sara. My mistake it two thumpers
The Zeus ZEU-6S is merely adequate at best. However, I prejudiced against ammo dependent 'Mechs, it's why I'm not a fan of the Atlas or King Crab. The Highlander and Victor are my only exceptions to ammo dependent Assault 'Mechs.
Seems to be a theory that Zeus' and Rampages' share alot of parts commonality which is why the LCAF has so many because they stole tooling from RWR factories. Not sure if that's true though.
Haven't heard that one, but I don't know much about the Rampage.
@@BigRed40TECH It's a beast of a 85 ton machine, even the introtech RMP-2G made in 2735 had a AC/10, Large Laser, LRM10, and two Med Lasers. A Flamer and MG for anti-infantry/civilian suppression given it was a RWR mech. Twenty heat sinks, and fourteen tons of armor for survivability and its top speed was 54kmph. The later 5G series was filled with Star League goodies because of Amaris's closeness to Richard Cameron and the RWR and Amaris Empire used the design greatly. However the stigma of its creators and the destruction of the surface factory of Wiegel Armory and Munitions, on Kwangjong-ni halted production. Defiance later found the hidden underwater factories in the mid 3000s, but converted the lines to manufacture Zeus's. A shame that, as I could only imagine the LCAF fielding them against the Clans.
@@BigRed40TECH Think of it as being kinda like a Zeus that trades a bit of speed for more armor and firepower. It was the premier assault mech of the Rim Worlds Republic...and consequently it has a bad reputation just about everywhere.
That said, I actually have a printed mini of one as part of my mercenary company (the lore I wrote for them actually gives them a reason for why they have it), and it's probably one of the better assault mechs in that particular force that doesn't use Clan tech.
Big beefy trooper mech
The 3rd Succession War versions of the Zeus and Marauder are easy to compare. Why? 5 tons of difference. Same speed. The Engine and internal structure eat the weight difference between the Marauder and the Zeus, which means armor and weapons have an equal amount of tonnage to play with. Against the MAD-3R, the ZEU-6S is about equal. My preference is the 2 PPC and AC5 vs the Zeus' large laser, LRM 15 and AC5, because the 2 PPCs hit harder in a single location and don't have randomized damage from the LRMs or ammo concerns. The ZEU-6T trades the AC5 for a PPC, which gives a better alpha strike potential, with the same heat problem as a MAD-3R. The Zeus is just a more expensive Marauder.
The Zeus is loose! This mech is 80 tons of whoop-ass.
The Zees is leese
Kratos: ZEUSSSS!!!
My issue with the zeus is that I don't like ac 5s. I dot think is a good weapon and I definitely think a single Ac5 is a definitely to light of a gun for an assault. I Personally would up the Ac to a 10 downgrade the LRMs even pulling them altogether if needed to make room. I know its taking away the versatility but that just my two cents. Hell Im the guy who takes the marauder 3r and strips the ppcs for medium lasers and turns the Ac 5 into a 20 and max the armor. In clan invasion games I make the medium lasers into pulse. For a less extreme departure tun the ppcs into large lasers and the ac 5 into a 10. Also a soild mech. I honestly hope some of you guys try these builds on the table, in MWO, Mechwarrior 5, or the Battletech pc game.
I know this video is one of Red's earlier ones & around a year old with nearly 200 comments, but the Zeus was not created in 2410, which would make it older than the Mackie (2439?), but rather 2789. Not a big deal, but something for viewers to be aware of.
Read the video description.
The Zeus is my second favorite Mech
Wait what. In the video you say Zeus was made in 2400s but Sarna says it was 2787. And i distintily remember playing that factory defense mission in mech warrior mercenries years ago, which im pretty sure was neither in 2400s nor 2700s. What the hell?
I used the original TRO 3025 from 1986 to make this video. It has been updated since 1988 when they invented the Mackie.
I added a note for further details in the video description.
@@BigRed40TECH Ahhhhhhh ok awesome! I love your videos btw.
At 0:33, you stated that the Zeus was first built in 2410, which is way off. That was before even the Mackie, the first-ever mech, was built in 2439. The Sarna wiki states that the Zeus was actually first built in 2787, right as the First Succession War started.
Other than that, good video. The Zeus is one of my favorite IS assault mechs, and I like how much they upgraded it as the eras went on. The late-stage Zeuses are quite good, especially pound for pound!
Just quoting the original TRO I used, which lists 2407, 2410, and 2411. It's likely a typo in the original book, but I'm literally using the original as the primary source for the default variants in these. They've been updated in the Succession Wars TRO, but I only use that if I feel the initial trove is inadequate.
Just as a follow up, I had the exact quotes in another response:
"The initial design ideas were first put to paper just after the start of the war with the Draconis Combine in 2407. Three years later, when the enemy forces were threatening Hesperus II, two Zeus Prototypes were already lumbering across test terrains."
"The defiance factories on Hesperus II are the only ones currently producing the Zeus, which first came off the production lines in 2411."
@@BigRed40TECH understood. And whoa, those old sourcebooks must be really weird by now, if they're off by so much! Makes me wonder what those old sources say about when the Mackie was made. Like, the 2300s or even earlier?
The TRO:3025 had the VTR being built in 2500 as well. The Mackie's statline was made up in the 90's. This book actually predates the Star League sourcebook, which created the concept of the Mackie and the current timeline (1988), which is where that date of the first mech comes from.
This is the one:
www.sarna.net/wiki/Technical_Readout:_3025
1986.
Where as the Mackie to myknowledge is first mentioned here:
www.sarna.net/wiki/The_Star_League
in 1988. :)
Fun Fact: The German speaking Lyrans would pronounce his name as "Z-Oi-S". The original ancient Greek would more sound like "Ze-us".
The German version of the centurion in short terms
I dont like the base Zeus because its a Heavy Mech in the Assault Mech weight class. Its armor is low, and its firepower especially at long range is fairly low. The upgraded models help this problem with better technology, but not always upgrading the armor.
That said its because of the untapped potential that Im still interested. By 3150 upgrading it to carry clan-grade Gauss Rifles, LRMs, and extended range Lasers exploits the potential as much as possible.
The Zeus 11S is basically the mech you're talking about, and it's got more armour too.
ah, the old Lore hiccup. The old source books say the Zeus was created around 2410, but the Mackie, the first battlemech ever didn't exist until at least the 2430s
Yep, mistakes were made. I followed the 86 one. :\
@@BigRed40TECH I'm pretty sure they hadn't hammered out all the lore yet, when 3025 hit the shelves.
Yea, they updated the lore to include the Mackie in 1988 with the Star League sourcebook.
Have you heard the conspiracy theory that the Zeus is actually the Rampage 2?
honestly often overlook the zeus, typically prefering what the thug has going for it
I'd recommend if you play later eras to try out the 11S. It's brutal.
An entirely servicable if boring mech.
Boring + reliable wins battles and brings home the bacon. lol
I like boring.
Boring keeps me out of the hospital.
I like the zeus. I regularly ran one in my command/assault lance when I was a reular player. It's sort of the third man on the relay race. Not flashy, but ok.
I just wish its main weapons were in the torso, so it could be a better brawler. It's set up as an assault-sized fire support mech with the lrm and autocannon.
IMO the Zeus is a "camel". It tries to do too may things at once but does not really excell at any. The three primary weapons do not match in range and available ammo.
The speed is good for an assault class mech but the armor is mediocre. The biggest issue is that it lacks a weapon with some serious punch - at least in it´s original design.
The later models get much better like the 9T.
Well... how to pronounce "Zeus" the real Steiner-way?
"Soos"? Nope.
"T-soys"? Jawoll!
The Zoose is Loose.
I never understood some of these designs where they make an assault mech yet give it so little armor. That's the main reason to increase a mech/tank in size and weight. It's so easy to fix that mech. Swap the ac5 for a ppc. Change the Lrm 15 to 3x Lrm 5. Swap the Large laser for 3 medium lasers(for a total of 5). Add 3 tons of armor. Now you have a cool mech, with lots of armor and lots of firepower that is dangerous at all ranges and has 3x the missile payload.
Uhm...three lrm-5's do not mean three times the firepower. It's actually worse cause the missiles roll for each launcher on the cluster hots table. However...that one extra ton devoted to armor...and keep the large laser. It's VERy useful.
I was never a fan of the zeus. Far too much of its weapons set on the arms, meaning a high chance of turning into a stick/meat-shield.
Though with slight adjustment the die hard 4 line could be, "Don't fuck with me, or I'll show a PPC up your as! Zues, you got a problem with that?"
until the 1st Succession Wars, its the Zeus 5S/5T, the 6S/6T are the downgrades.
Yep, I got them mixed up as the 9S is too similar. I added the notes in the video for the mistake. Apologies.
I feel disappointed that the lore has this as a Steiner mech. I thought the Atlas was “the” Steiner Assault.
The Atlas is used more by the Draconis Combine and Federated Suns (until they make the Atlas III), than it is by Steiner.
Steiner uses the Zeus and Banshee more. Though this might have been retconned at some point, the Atlas being THE Steiner mech, is just a meme created by the community that got out of control.
Okay. I like Zeus in concept. BUT. Any 4/6 mech with Fusion Engine that's bigger than 75-tonner is an economical mistake. Hear me out. ZEU-6S has AC/5, LL, LRM15, 2 MLs, 1 ton of each kind of ammo and 11.5 tons of armour for 7.6kk C-Bills. If you had outfitted an Orion with the exact same speed, guns, ammo and armour, you'd saved 1 million C-Bills on the Engine and Gyro. And didn't lose ANYTHING in process. It's the same mech. Just cheaper. Okay, you lose Barrel Fist quirk, but you get Rugged and AA Targeting instead.
It's just a more expensive Orion.
Same argument could be said about Thug and Charger. There is a great number of 'Mechs, vehicles, and other units that are sub-optimal. But that can also be part of the charm. As one player phrases it (from memory):
"Hellbringer is cool either way. It isn't cool because it suck. It is cool because it suck WITH BALLS!"
@@mattikuokkanen No, no, what I mean is it's LITERALLY the same mech. Same amount of armour. Same guns. Same weapon locations. Same movement speed. The only difference would be quirks (which are arguably better in Orion) and price. The only time it makes sense to get 4/6 Fusion Engine on an 80/85 - tonner is when you want more that 231 armour dots. Like in Battlemaster, for instance.
Because 75/80/85-ton mechs with 4/6 movement get the same amount of free tonnage to use on guns/ammo/armour - 42.5 tons. The only difference would be the price of the Engine and Gyro (heavier the mech - the bigger Engine you'll need).
Big Red has got a number of errors there. He claims first Zeus was made in year 2410 and served in time of the Star League. Technical Readout 3039, Master Unit List, and Sarna all say the year is 2787, which is years after dissolution of Star League (2781). Furthermore first Zeus model to be made is ZEU-5T followed by ZEU-5S.
THese have been addressed in the notes for the video.
*For those wondering about the off-date in this video, I used the original, like the Original Original TRO:3025 as the primary source for this video. It uses the dates 2407, 2410, and 2411. These dates are wrong with the current timeline of events. But it is what's on the page. I don't use Sarna for these things, I use the TRO's, and I have a preference for using the originals if I have them. Only the variants do I start poking around for elsewhere.
Just as a quick heads up.
Exact Quote:
"The initial design ideas were first put to paper just after the start of the war with the Draconis Combine in 2407. Three years later, when the enemy forces were threatening Hesperus II, two Zeus Prototypes were already lumbering across test terrains."
"The defiance factories on Hesperus II are the only ones currently producing the Zeus, which first came off the production lines in 2411."
@@BigRed40TECH Oopsie, I overlooked that one. So you dismiss errata then?
@0:33: "Originally built in 2410" Sorry that would predate the Mackie. Per TRO3039, "[t]he first Zeus walked of the line in 2787...."
Please read the notes to the video.
Lol made in 2410 huh?
"The initial design ideas were first put to paper just after the start of the war with the Draconis Combine in 2407. Three years later, when the enemy forces were threatening Hesperus II, two Zeus Prototypes were already lumbering across test terrains."
"The defiance factories on Hesperus II are the only ones currently producing the Zeus, which first came off the production lines in 2411."
So yea, prototypes were produced in 2410, full blown production was 2411.