A special note should be made for the Grasshopper's appearance in Battletech 2018. Six support slots and seven energy slots means the potential to run 13 lasers in total for a devastating close range alpha strike. Being able to jump means its entirely possible to hop right over an enemy assault mech and slag his center torso in one turn. The six support slots combined with arm mods for melee damage also mean the Grasshopper has the potential to be one of the most deadly melee fighters. Eventually you'll get access to ER small lasers that deal 40 damage each and up to two arm mods that increase melee damage by 60 each. For only a paltry investment of 5 tons of equipment, you can deal 230 damage with the melee hit followed by an additional 240 from all the ER small lasers for a grand total of 470, and depending on build potentially even sink some heat while doing so. Incidentally, one of the patches added the ECM as usable equipment so it should be possible to refit back to the original 'Ghosthunter', stealth role and all.
The grasshopper and the archer are two of my favorite and most used mechs. During the succession wars my merc group always used a grasshapper 5H. When able the LRM5 and ammo is droped and replaced with a famer in each side torso and an additinal heat sink. Ince the grasshopers became next to impossible to replace or maintain the thunderbolt 5SE replaced the grasshopper 5H. When able the thunderbolt was modifed to more match the retrofitted grasshopper by deoping the LRM10 and ammo and putting two medium lasers in each side torso and a flamer in the center torso and filling the rest of the space with heat sinks.
One of the greatest survivors of the Succession Wars. I probably wouldn't take it over a Guillotine, but there's a great big long list of heavies I would absolutely chooce it over. My personal upgrade package consists of swapping to double heat sinks, and then using the sheer amount of weight you save to add four more medium lasers, two small pulse lasers for dicing infantry, swap the Large Laser to an ER version, drop the LRM-5, and then bump it up to 18 double heat sinks. It's disgusting. Or you can swap the LL for a Snub-Nose PPC and become the ultimate brawler.
There are so many good machines in the 70-ton bracket, but the Grasshopper has earned the respect it gets. It isn't my 70-ton dream machine, that goes to the Minsk, but it is tough & adaptable to the situation.
In my 3010 Periphery campaign the other day, had one of my players in a Grasshopper (no LRM, replaced with 1 extra Med Laser and 2 HS) go toe to toe with an enemy Grasshopper. His ended up no arms but standing. Enemy Grasshopper took 2 Medium laser crits, 5 HS crits, Engine crit and eventually went down with missing left leg, left arm and left torso. Durable indeed.
I was just thinking that the weapon, if any, to be replaced with that AMS should’ve been the LRM-5. Apart from the questionable upgrades, one of the few Inner Sphere heavies that comes across as elegant, even if it’s a close-in brawler.
For my own version: I swap the VOX 280 engine for a Light version Swap the regular Myomer for TSM Swap the LL for a C-ERPPC Swap he LRM-5 for a Medium laser Add 2 C-ERLL to the arms Swap the 22 SHS for 19 DHS With this, you get a damn good sniper mech with the Clan weapons, devastating brawler when combining the fire from the C-ERPPC with the Medium Lasers, and a Mech that can fist fight Lighter Assault Mechs due to the TSM Very expensive when it comes to BV though
I like the OG Grasshopper a lot, including the random LRM5 in the head. Just put some Smoke rounds there instead of the standard LRMs and it's great to cover your approach
I feel like the grasshopper could be a very interesting mech to experiment with a light engine on. Something along the lines of a light engine, DHS and twin large pulse could be spooky
The problem is that whatever you do with a Light Engine makes it not as tough as the original. I was playing around with the numbers to make it "Stealth" yesterday evening, and honestly? The base specs on it still are some of the better designs.
@@ProfessorHeyTeeEn Fair, the base grasshopper is a great machine, it holds up really well in later eras as is and even better with basic upgrades like DHS.
Filmora is broken when uploading video files from another software like I do it seems. I have to disconnect the audio from the video THEN it works. Live and learn, but I wish I had known earlier in the weekend. :(
IMO, the reason why most of the advanced tech variants that don’t quite measure up to the original is due to the fact that the Grasshopper’s original role as a jump capable heavy brawler was supplanted by more modern machines with faster ground movement and/or jump distance. With its movement profile of 4/6/4, it doesn’t hunt light or medium mechs particularly well in the post-Clan Invasion era. This only left it with its identity as a zombie mech that has easily sourced parts, which the original variants still do quite well with only minor QoL tweaks (DHS, adding on FF armor ) or added utility stuff like TSM.
Hello prof. I have run into the same situation here at the Hellsport Mech Museum as you encountered with the Grasshopper Mech. Hellsport Mek Werks (that is NOT mis-spelled. The founder of the Mek Werks was from Steiner space) handles most conversion work, but all design specs cross my desk here at the Museum in case of special circumstances, unique design specifications, or 'odd' variants. I should mention that the basic GHR-5J is the 'preferred' Mech design, with some 'changes'. The Mek Werks has an 'official' variant that is listed as the GHR-5J (GL). The GL standing for Ghost Lions Legions variant. The 5J (GL) has the AMS in the head, with CASE protected 1-ton ammo bin in the left torso. Basic movement profile is 4-6-4, and an ER PPC is mounted to the right arm. Four ER Medium Lasers are mounted in the left torso, right torso, center torso, and left arm. A targeting computer is mounted in the left torso and linked to all the weapons, excepting the AMS. A Guardian ECM is located in the left torso. The mech mounts 12.5 tons of IS FFA, and 16 IS DSHS (11 of which are Engine mounted internally). The Mek Werks spent nearly 5 years planning and implementing the design changes for the 5J chassis, but the end result is a Mech that is almost totally energy based. The ammo for the AMS being the exception. The variant is looked upon by Mech pilots with favor, and should the Mek Werks gain a pile of Clan Laser AMS systems, the design team has blueprints to enable them to swap out the AMS and its ton of ammo, plus CASE, for four Clan Laser AMS systems. Personally, I would swap out the AMS, ammo, and CASE for a basic LRM-5 with a ton of specialty ammo, and a single laser AMS, but that's just me. Diana McFairlain, Head Mech Tech, Ghost Lions Legions Hellsport Mech Museum Stygian Compact
The AMS is there to make it more durable (strangely enough). The increase in survivability you get from it compared to getting a marginal increase in firepower can make a big difference.
@@ProfessorHeyTeeEn : As said, I would replace the CASE with a Clan Laser AMS and the standard AMS and ammo for an LRM-5 and a ton of specialty ammo. A few shots of smoke to lay down a visually obscuring barrier should aid the Mech to close on target without dealing with missile 'rain' while closing on target, especially against SRM mounted light Mechs.
I could write a treatise on the Grasshopper, so pardon me while I gush. Like Flannigan's said, the Grasshopper is one of the best IS trooper chassis in existence. There are better command mechs, or even lancers, but there isn't a better soldier. It's cheap, tough, mobile, hard to break, easy to fix, and cool. It's man-shaped with hands, meaning anyone with a neural helmet can pilot it without thinking their legs are inside out. Better yet the chasis is highly upgradable with small cheap changes. Have some MPs laying around that you don't care about? Thow them on the GH. They broke, So what? Put the MLs back on. You can say this about any of its guns, engine, or tech. It's fights at any range in any terrain, and is especially great at defending or escorts.
@@ProfessorHeyTeeEn it's only real drawback its pilot and lance often ask it to carry too much of the burden. A good indicator of a strong mech design. Often the GH doesn't have the chance to play only to it's strengths.
For a heavy Mech of the 3025 era the 28 point damage output isn´t bad at all. The only weakness of the Grasshopper is the lack of meaningful ranged damage.
7K may be wrong, but onto something. light PPC's have a minimum range, so putting them in the arms may be a good thing, as it can punch twice, and not have to choose to not use weapons, as you'd be inside minimum range.
With the helm memory core upgrade there are several ways to improve on the GRH-5H. The amazing thing about the GRH-5J is that they found a way to make a good design worse with advanced tech.
The vast majority of classic mechs should receive 1:1 updates with new tech (swap SHS for DHS, AC to LBX, ferro, etc) and then use the tonnage for what ever was weak on them before (case, add jump jets, fill in armor gaps, more heatsinks if still needed, etc). Instead we get these disasters of mechs trying to reinvent the wheel and it is baffling (HBK IIC is probably the absolute worst for this). I feel like the devs thought it would be lazy to just update existing designs, but man this is the worst compromise. Most of the designs were right when they were first put down, and doing anything other than just updating them tends to worsen the design.
Hippity hoppity jumping in to smash your property
A special note should be made for the Grasshopper's appearance in Battletech 2018. Six support slots and seven energy slots means the potential to run 13 lasers in total for a devastating close range alpha strike. Being able to jump means its entirely possible to hop right over an enemy assault mech and slag his center torso in one turn. The six support slots combined with arm mods for melee damage also mean the Grasshopper has the potential to be one of the most deadly melee fighters. Eventually you'll get access to ER small lasers that deal 40 damage each and up to two arm mods that increase melee damage by 60 each. For only a paltry investment of 5 tons of equipment, you can deal 230 damage with the melee hit followed by an additional 240 from all the ER small lasers for a grand total of 470, and depending on build potentially even sink some heat while doing so. Incidentally, one of the patches added the ECM as usable equipment so it should be possible to refit back to the original 'Ghosthunter', stealth role and all.
It was a very good 'Mech in that game, to be certain. Not sure WHY they gave it all those hardpoints, but I appreciated it.
The grasshopper and the archer are two of my favorite and most used mechs.
During the succession wars my merc group always used a grasshapper 5H. When able the LRM5 and ammo is droped and replaced with a famer in each side torso and an additinal heat sink. Ince the grasshopers became next to impossible to replace or maintain the thunderbolt 5SE replaced the grasshopper 5H. When able the thunderbolt was modifed to more match the retrofitted grasshopper by deoping the LRM10 and ammo and putting two medium lasers in each side torso and a flamer in the center torso and filling the rest of the space with heat sinks.
One of the greatest survivors of the Succession Wars. I probably wouldn't take it over a Guillotine, but there's a great big long list of heavies I would absolutely chooce it over.
My personal upgrade package consists of swapping to double heat sinks, and then using the sheer amount of weight you save to add four more medium lasers, two small pulse lasers for dicing infantry, swap the Large Laser to an ER version, drop the LRM-5, and then bump it up to 18 double heat sinks. It's disgusting.
Or you can swap the LL for a Snub-Nose PPC and become the ultimate brawler.
I think I like the Grasshopper better than the Guillotine simply for the hands. It makes a big difference in many situations.
Ah a very reliable machine.
There are so many good machines in the 70-ton bracket, but the Grasshopper has earned the respect it gets. It isn't my 70-ton dream machine, that goes to the Minsk, but it is tough & adaptable to the situation.
I agree, a very solid machine.
In my 3010 Periphery campaign the other day, had one of my players in a Grasshopper (no LRM, replaced with 1 extra Med Laser and 2 HS) go toe to toe with an enemy Grasshopper. His ended up no arms but standing. Enemy Grasshopper took 2 Medium laser crits, 5 HS crits, Engine crit and eventually went down with missing left leg, left arm and left torso.
Durable indeed.
That is what you should expect of Grasshoppers, really. Crazy decent machines.
Grasshopper and Archer are my two favorite basic mechs, and they work well together.
I like the 5N and 7K, because PPC's are bestest.
I was just thinking that the weapon, if any, to be replaced with that AMS should’ve been the LRM-5.
Apart from the questionable upgrades, one of the few Inner Sphere heavies that comes across as elegant, even if it’s a close-in brawler.
I love a mech that cant overheat in the succession wars. CT large laser for max Zombie!
While my favorite 70-ton IS mech is the Warhammer, the Grasshopper has served me well, I usually swap the LRM-5 with an SRM-6
For my own version:
I swap the VOX 280 engine for a Light version
Swap the regular Myomer for TSM
Swap the LL for a C-ERPPC
Swap he LRM-5 for a Medium laser
Add 2 C-ERLL to the arms
Swap the 22 SHS for 19 DHS
With this, you get a damn good sniper mech with the Clan weapons, devastating brawler when combining the fire from the C-ERPPC with the Medium Lasers, and a Mech that can fist fight Lighter Assault Mechs due to the TSM
Very expensive when it comes to BV though
I like the OG Grasshopper a lot, including the random LRM5 in the head.
Just put some Smoke rounds there instead of the standard LRMs and it's great to cover your approach
5N is my favorite. An LRM5 is a joke of a weapon and removing it and the ammo makes it even more of a zombie mech.
Plus, PPCs are always glorious.
Grasshopper LRMs aren't for damage though, you load that sucker with smoke or mines.
I feel like the grasshopper could be a very interesting mech to experiment with a light engine on. Something along the lines of a light engine, DHS and twin large pulse could be spooky
The problem is that whatever you do with a Light Engine makes it not as tough as the original. I was playing around with the numbers to make it "Stealth" yesterday evening, and honestly? The base specs on it still are some of the better designs.
@@ProfessorHeyTeeEn Fair, the base grasshopper is a great machine, it holds up really well in later eras as is and even better with basic upgrades like DHS.
Now the sound works. Thank you.
Filmora is broken when uploading video files from another software like I do it seems. I have to disconnect the audio from the video THEN it works.
Live and learn, but I wish I had known earlier in the weekend. :(
You know I wonder why the Capellans haven't making a stealth armor variant of this thing
Capellans prefer to invent new 'Mechs that their MIC can then grift from rather than getting classics and upgrading them.
They have. It’s just very good at being sneaky.
IMO, the reason why most of the advanced tech variants that don’t quite measure up to the original is due to the fact that the Grasshopper’s original role as a jump capable heavy brawler was supplanted by more modern machines with faster ground movement and/or jump distance. With its movement profile of 4/6/4, it doesn’t hunt light or medium mechs particularly well in the post-Clan Invasion era.
This only left it with its identity as a zombie mech that has easily sourced parts, which the original variants still do quite well with only minor QoL tweaks (DHS, adding on FF armor ) or added utility stuff like TSM.
Hello prof.
I have run into the same situation here at the Hellsport Mech Museum as you encountered with the Grasshopper Mech. Hellsport Mek Werks (that is NOT mis-spelled. The founder of the Mek Werks was from Steiner space) handles most conversion work, but all design specs cross my desk here at the Museum in case of special circumstances, unique design specifications, or 'odd' variants.
I should mention that the basic GHR-5J is the 'preferred' Mech design, with some 'changes'.
The Mek Werks has an 'official' variant that is listed as the GHR-5J (GL). The GL standing for Ghost Lions Legions variant. The 5J (GL) has the AMS in the head, with CASE protected 1-ton ammo bin in the left torso. Basic movement profile is 4-6-4, and an ER PPC is mounted to the right arm. Four ER Medium Lasers are mounted in the left torso, right torso, center torso, and left arm. A targeting computer is mounted in the left torso and linked to all the weapons, excepting the AMS. A Guardian ECM is located in the left torso. The mech mounts 12.5 tons of IS FFA, and 16 IS DSHS (11 of which are Engine mounted internally).
The Mek Werks spent nearly 5 years planning and implementing the design changes for the 5J chassis, but the end result is a Mech that is almost totally energy based. The ammo for the AMS being the exception. The variant is looked upon by Mech pilots with favor, and should the Mek Werks gain a pile of Clan Laser AMS systems, the design team has blueprints to enable them to swap out the AMS and its ton of ammo, plus CASE, for four Clan Laser AMS systems.
Personally, I would swap out the AMS, ammo, and CASE for a basic LRM-5 with a ton of specialty ammo, and a single laser AMS, but that's just me.
Diana McFairlain,
Head Mech Tech,
Ghost Lions Legions
Hellsport Mech Museum
Stygian Compact
The AMS is there to make it more durable (strangely enough). The increase in survivability you get from it compared to getting a marginal increase in firepower can make a big difference.
@@ProfessorHeyTeeEn : As said, I would replace the CASE with a Clan Laser AMS and the standard AMS and ammo for an LRM-5 and a ton of specialty ammo. A few shots of smoke to lay down a visually obscuring barrier should aid the Mech to close on target without dealing with missile 'rain' while closing on target, especially against SRM mounted light Mechs.
I could write a treatise on the Grasshopper, so pardon me while I gush. Like Flannigan's said, the Grasshopper is one of the best IS trooper chassis in existence. There are better command mechs, or even lancers, but there isn't a better soldier. It's cheap, tough, mobile, hard to break, easy to fix, and cool. It's man-shaped with hands, meaning anyone with a neural helmet can pilot it without thinking their legs are inside out. Better yet the chasis is highly upgradable with small cheap changes. Have some MPs laying around that you don't care about? Thow them on the GH. They broke, So what? Put the MLs back on. You can say this about any of its guns, engine, or tech. It's fights at any range in any terrain, and is especially great at defending or escorts.
It has no really weaknesses when you dig into it. A 'Mech I grew to like more and more over time, to be quite sure.
@@ProfessorHeyTeeEn it's only real drawback its pilot and lance often ask it to carry too much of the burden. A good indicator of a strong mech design. Often the GH doesn't have the chance to play only to it's strengths.
To please the algorithm is all
Thank you!
I love the Grasshopper. The 5H's firepower is a little underwhelming but it makes up for it by being a tough pain in the opfor's ass.
It has enough firepower to get a PSR every turn, which is enough for me.
For a heavy Mech of the 3025 era the 28 point damage output isn´t bad at all. The only weakness of the Grasshopper is the lack of meaningful ranged damage.
Never understood why there is not a LPL refit. With DHS it got enough space weight for more fun tools.
How to improve on the 5H, swap for single heat sinks to double, swap all the lasers to their clan pulse version, and swap the lrm5 with a streak srm4.
7K may be wrong, but onto something. light PPC's have a minimum range, so putting them in the arms may be a good thing, as it can punch twice, and not have to choose to not use weapons, as you'd be inside minimum range.
I honestly do not like the Light PPCs to begin with, I feel like ER Medium Lasers will almost always serve you better.
Always remember, LRM 5 is Useless but Can be SRM 4.
In tabletop, it can be used to lay small minefields and smoke, which makes it more useful than in most video games.
Hey Professor, can you do an Awesome video? Tell me what you've done with the Awesomes that have come into your garage!
Alot mechs suffer from new tech. Watching mechs I enjoy get worse over time hurts alot.
With the helm memory core upgrade there are several ways to improve on the GRH-5H.
The amazing thing about the GRH-5J is that they found a way to make a good design worse with advanced tech.
The vast majority of classic mechs should receive 1:1 updates with new tech (swap SHS for DHS, AC to LBX, ferro, etc) and then use the tonnage for what ever was weak on them before (case, add jump jets, fill in armor gaps, more heatsinks if still needed, etc).
Instead we get these disasters of mechs trying to reinvent the wheel and it is baffling (HBK IIC is probably the absolute worst for this).
I feel like the devs thought it would be lazy to just update existing designs, but man this is the worst compromise. Most of the designs were right when they were first put down, and doing anything other than just updating them tends to worsen the design.