The Grasshopper seems to be able to fit in almost any lance that needs a tough front-liner to take hits and finish off anything that the longer-ranged members of the lance leave alive. I can definitely see why the FedSuns liked it so much. It fits their heavy cavalry doctrine to a tee. Plus, it fits in so well with a lot of their other Mechs. It can act as the big bully, lance-leader for a lance of 4/6 mediums like Blackjacks, Enforcers, and Centurions. It can run with the other 4/6 heavies like Archers, Warhammers, and Marauders. It can act as a bodyguard and damage-sponge for the fragile direct-fire Mechs like Riflemans and JagerMechs. Lastly, it can be an absolute terror in a city fight alongside Victors, Hunchbacks, and Wolverines.
Yes! Been waiting for this one! I love, love, love this bad boy! Such a hard hitting design. There's plenty 70 tonners out there with more firepower, but few can match its heat management and mobility. Definitely a must-have in my lists.
Not to mention durability. A personal varient I use swaps the LRM for a SRM-4 and drops 2 HS for 2 more ML's. I've had that model weather a Timber Wolf's fire until it got into close range and then it just opened it up and cored it. Jumped most rounds and got sand papered by lasers and LRM's but just wouldn't die.
A beautiful example of the KISS principle in action; it's tough, it's affordable, and it can force a PSR with surprising regularity. When it jumps you--and it's going to jump you--it'll hang onto you until you chase it off or you die. "Tenacious" is really the key word for the Grasshopper, and there's a reason I tend to employ it as the point-man in my close-combat lance. Few things ruin the OpFor's day like rounding the corner and suddenly being greeted by 70 tons of alpha strikes and jump jets. It should tell you something that the 3025 vintage -5H variant has a higher BV than the -5J from 3050.
@@DeathfromAboveWargaming In TRO 3025, it's also the largest jump capable 'Mech with two hands, and this remains true even in to TRO 3050. This means it is uniquely capable of closing the distance in bad terrain, such as cities, to start throwing haymakers without a to-hit penalty. 7 damage per punch doesn't sound that bad, but to quote Mike Tyson, "Everybody has a plan until they get punched in the face."
The Grasshopper was the favorite mech of my friend who introduced me to Battletech in middle school. Also the mech that I received my first DFA from! Thanks for the video Mr. Aaron!
Excellent vid! The following snippet from Battletech wiki about book you mentioned… Legacy (subtitle: A BattleTech Anthology) is a print anthology of thirteen short stories from different authors, plus a foreword by editor Philip A. Lee and an "About the Authors" section. Although called an anthology, the book can arguably be described as a serial novel because the individual short story episodes narrate the overarching story of a single individual BattleMech, a Grasshopper (tentatively called the "Legacy Grasshopper" here on BattleTechWiki for lack of a better name) as it is passed down from one MechWarrior to the next over a span of three centuries.
I confess that I prefer the Guillotine for its SRMs over the 'Hopper for its LRMs. The Battlytics seem to bear this out. If I were modding a Grasshopper, the low-end swap would be an SRM4 for the LRM5. The mid-tier swap would be strip the LRM for a ML and a mix of heat sinks and armor. The high-tier swap would be strip the LRM, move the LL to the right torso (you have some room freed up with the ammo bin being removed) and upgrade it to a PPC with either a heat sink or even more armor. Of those, I'd be more inclined toward the SRM or ML field refits. The PPC swap is a bit hefty, what with moving a weapon from one torso section to another, and it kind of changes the character of the design by adding a minimum range to its big gun.
Such a solid mech. Every time I think of modding it, I realize, no, don't do it. It's just about perfect for its job and its era. That armor really costs you a lot of BV, but it serves its purpose on this mech. Would love to see how the 5N measures out, it seems to address your biggest gripes with the design.
One of my favorite mechs, and in my opinion the 5N is even better. Edit: I'm a little surprised you didn't care for the other variants over the 5H. The 5N solves the ammo explosion issue, and also replaces the large laser with a PPC.
I’m curious how the Grasshopper 5N would fare in Battlytics as it fixes most of the issues of the 5H. It ditches the LRM 5 for a medium laser (no more ammo to worry about) and trades the large laser for a PPC. It loses the indirect fire capability, but I think that is more than made up for by the better big gun and the lack of an LRM ammo torso bomb.
I love my GHR-5N. 🙂 It has better ranged firepower and no ammo to explode. Just have to be careful of the heat, but that's true of any energy-heavy design. The JJs are worth taking this over a Warhammer or Marauder any day, and as you said it pairs really well with 4/6/4 mediums as a lance leader / point man.
as this is a mech you mentioned (and seen it in some classic BatReps) that you use a lot, would love another section of these Battylics for subjective opinion, where you mention some of the variants and ways you customize it, which you find to be better overall for the chassis. Like the shadowhawk for example, i think everyone agrees its stock variants are trash, would love to see what you think is the best change to make something like that useable
I had a think about how to improve the SHD-2H without sacrificing it's "identity", and my conclusion was toss the SRM-2 launcher and ammo, remove two heat sinks and use that tonnage to upgrade the LRM to an LRM-10 and add one extra Medium Laser. Now it can harass at long range with the peashooter and the larger LRM rack and can defend itself up close with two Medium Lasers. Still not _great_ but at least it does more consistent damage and could _theoretically_ force a PSR if the stars align. And it retains an eclectic mix of weapons and the weird 3-hex jump so it's still a "real" Shadow Hawk. What do you think?
It could work! Heat may become an issue and you do really cut into the range (even if its only an LRM-5!). Also not sure tonnage wise if it is a clean swap.
@@DeathfromAboveWargaming The dice are fickle but occasionally they roll my way after the large and mediums peel away rear armor and BOOM time. Also LRM is 3T with ammo, so is the SRM4
The Grasshopper 5N is my favorite official design that doesn't require lostech. Sure it runs hotter but it also has no ammo to worry about. I like the 5P from the video and computer games but that requires lostech. I never understood why the official lore is that the 5N didn't exist until the 3040s when it could have easily existed in the First or Second Succession War era.
You could. CASE is a 3040ish era tech (3036 per Sarna) so right before clan invasion. It only weighs a half ton too so a good swap for 4 pips of armor (one from each appendage even!).
Great mech :-) it's the epitome of zombie mech....hard hitting moves well and is useful in any situation....one of the only heavies that justifies its pick over a medium mech :-)
Ah Yes my fav. Mech that isnt great at Something but good at anything. Lets See how good Battelytics thinks this Mech is. Also i would Like top See BA and Protomechs get the Battelytics Treatment.
Love my Grasshoppers only the -5J and C are bad , the 7P is weird but usable the rest are awesome . Pity the 5N isn't a thing until 3040 itd be the only mech id take if it was 3025
Hard to say. More heat, more BV, and reduced max range (even if it is only an LRM-5). No ammo is fantastic, and the PPC is far superior to the LLas for sure!
@@DeathfromAboveWargaming the PPC can be cycled or used for finishing off an opponent once it’s in ML range. I see it more as a opportunity weapon more than a main weapon.
Curious as to why you feel 8 for 8 is a bad deal when a PPC is 10 for 10. 1 heat for 1 damage at a decent range doesn't seem that bad for energy weapons.
A fair question! The way I look at it is the ROI for heat really shouldn’t be linear. Take the family of IS beam weaps: SLas 3/1 MLas 5/3 LLas 8/8 PPC 10/10 … In my mental model, I would expect a LLas to be somewhere around 8 damage/6 heat. 15 hexes is a decent range, but 8 damage doesn’t have the bite of 10. 10 damage guarantees you a critical chance on a heat hit. So in that regard my “ROI” on the LLas (comparing to mediums or PPCs) really isnt that great.
LL has become my favorite overall weapon - VERY slightly less range and damage than a PPC, with less heat, less weight, and NO MINIMUM RANGE. I've come to believe that you should only take a PPC if you're intending to have sniping be an important function. LL is 80% of a PPC that you can take into a knife fight.
Finally the Grasshopper, one of the best designed mechs of 3025, even the lostech "upgrade" is worse than the original beautiful design. One of my favs for sure and the resculpt is amazing.
The grasshopper is alot better than it first looks. The ability to jump 4 and still fire 4 MLAs makes it scary. If you get into close combat against a 4/6/0, you can always jump into the back arc, they can't escape the 3 hex minimum range and turn around without running. In my experience that lrm 5 is a liability - I've ammo dumped it in 2/3 games I fielded it, and in my opinion the grasshopper would be much better if you drop the LRM 5 and ammo for a medium laser in the head and 2 heatsinks.
It's boring but just taking the LRM-5 off all together buys you 3 tons. Add the last ton of armor to max it out and put two heatsinks back into it. One in the head to crit pad and the other in the torso where the LRM ammo used to be. You now are completely 100% heat neutral when alpha striking and jumping max (4) hexes. A perfectly balanced and symmetrical Grasshopper with the maximum survivability. Even an engine crit or two just means you start small cycling your medium lasers.
I think you don't give the LL enough credit. The heat balanced investment of a LL is 13 tons and 10 crit locations (8 hs), for 8 damage out to 15. Comparing it to the AC10, which has a heat exchange weight of 16 tons and 11 crit locations (3 hs and 1 ammo) for 10 damage, the LL is clearly a superior investment. It's less of a burst option, true, which impacts ambush scenarios and point blank slug fests, but as a jump jet mech the Grasshopper is a durable skirmisher, and skirmishers do much better carrying skirmisher weapons which benefit over long, drawn out battles and campaigns. An over reliance on burst doctrine is literally the reason the Clans lost at Tukayyid. Any battle scenario where it's possible to trade space for time is where large lasers and LRM 5s actually excel, although I personally find LRM5 is best used for fascam minelaying to further restrict the mobility of non jumping opposition.
I keep wanting to love this mech but I’m only okay with it. I think it’s entirely my fault. I am not a big fan of jump jets on heavy and assault mechs. Too many points, not enough movement. Both times I’ve taken it I found myself wishing it was a Warhammer. I will say I screwed up last time and deployed towards a flank. My nearest target was a Victor whose speed was the same and didn’t want to play with me. Spent the game chasing.
calls this machine timeless 3025 she is great this doesn't work after 50 wish she did but it doesn't and i love the thing a regular feature for my commands
The Grasshopper seems to be able to fit in almost any lance that needs a tough front-liner to take hits and finish off anything that the longer-ranged members of the lance leave alive. I can definitely see why the FedSuns liked it so much. It fits their heavy cavalry doctrine to a tee. Plus, it fits in so well with a lot of their other Mechs. It can act as the big bully, lance-leader for a lance of 4/6 mediums like Blackjacks, Enforcers, and Centurions. It can run with the other 4/6 heavies like Archers, Warhammers, and Marauders. It can act as a bodyguard and damage-sponge for the fragile direct-fire Mechs like Riflemans and JagerMechs. Lastly, it can be an absolute terror in a city fight alongside Victors, Hunchbacks, and Wolverines.
My planned FedSuns close combat lance: VTR-9B, GRH-5H, ENF-4R and HCT-3F.
Yes! Been waiting for this one! I love, love, love this bad boy! Such a hard hitting design. There's plenty 70 tonners out there with more firepower, but few can match its heat management and mobility. Definitely a must-have in my lists.
Not to mention durability. A personal varient I use swaps the LRM for a SRM-4 and drops 2 HS for 2 more ML's. I've had that model weather a Timber Wolf's fire until it got into close range and then it just opened it up and cored it. Jumped most rounds and got sand papered by lasers and LRM's but just wouldn't die.
A beautiful example of the KISS principle in action; it's tough, it's affordable, and it can force a PSR with surprising regularity. When it jumps you--and it's going to jump you--it'll hang onto you until you chase it off or you die. "Tenacious" is really the key word for the Grasshopper, and there's a reason I tend to employ it as the point-man in my close-combat lance. Few things ruin the OpFor's day like rounding the corner and suddenly being greeted by 70 tons of alpha strikes and jump jets.
It should tell you something that the 3025 vintage -5H variant has a higher BV than the -5J from 3050.
Good point on the BV! I almost never use the 5J for all the reasons you pointed out - the 5H is perfection!
@@DeathfromAboveWargaming In TRO 3025, it's also the largest jump capable 'Mech with two hands, and this remains true even in to TRO 3050. This means it is uniquely capable of closing the distance in bad terrain, such as cities, to start throwing haymakers without a to-hit penalty.
7 damage per punch doesn't sound that bad, but to quote Mike Tyson, "Everybody has a plan until they get punched in the face."
Great Battlytic on the Grasshopper! Maybe, could do a battlytic on the Starslayer ? Looking forward to more videos.
Honestly I was surprised about the ammo explosion issue. I’ll have to keep that in mind. Thanks!
The Grasshopper was the favorite mech of my friend who introduced me to Battletech in middle school. Also the mech that I received my first DFA from! Thanks for the video Mr. Aaron!
Excellent vid! The following snippet from Battletech wiki about book you mentioned…
Legacy (subtitle: A BattleTech Anthology) is a print anthology of thirteen short stories from different authors, plus a foreword by editor Philip A. Lee and an "About the Authors" section.
Although called an anthology, the book can arguably be described as a serial novel because the individual short story episodes narrate the overarching story of a single individual BattleMech, a Grasshopper (tentatively called the "Legacy Grasshopper" here on BattleTechWiki for lack of a better name) as it is passed down from one MechWarrior to the next over a span of three centuries.
The Grasshopper made the Big Mac. 🤣. Great vid as always.
I confess that I prefer the Guillotine for its SRMs over the 'Hopper for its LRMs. The Battlytics seem to bear this out.
If I were modding a Grasshopper, the low-end swap would be an SRM4 for the LRM5. The mid-tier swap would be strip the LRM for a ML and a mix of heat sinks and armor. The high-tier swap would be strip the LRM, move the LL to the right torso (you have some room freed up with the ammo bin being removed) and upgrade it to a PPC with either a heat sink or even more armor. Of those, I'd be more inclined toward the SRM or ML field refits. The PPC swap is a bit hefty, what with moving a weapon from one torso section to another, and it kind of changes the character of the design by adding a minimum range to its big gun.
snub nosed ppc, like on the GHR-7k
no minimum range, lotta damage.
Such a solid mech. Every time I think of modding it, I realize, no, don't do it. It's just about perfect for its job and its era. That armor really costs you a lot of BV, but it serves its purpose on this mech. Would love to see how the 5N measures out, it seems to address your biggest gripes with the design.
One of my favorite mechs, and in my opinion the 5N is even better. Edit: I'm a little surprised you didn't care for the other variants over the 5H. The 5N solves the ammo explosion issue, and also replaces the large laser with a PPC.
It also replaces the LRM5 which is dead weight and a threat to your existence.
I’m curious how the Grasshopper 5N would fare in Battlytics as it fixes most of the issues of the 5H. It ditches the LRM 5 for a medium laser (no more ammo to worry about) and trades the large laser for a PPC. It loses the indirect fire capability, but I think that is more than made up for by the better big gun and the lack of an LRM ammo torso bomb.
I love my GHR-5N. 🙂 It has better ranged firepower and no ammo to explode. Just have to be careful of the heat, but that's true of any energy-heavy design. The JJs are worth taking this over a Warhammer or Marauder any day, and as you said it pairs really well with 4/6/4 mediums as a lance leader / point man.
My baby! Finally! My Hoppy getting her due!
💯. The 5H is my favorite. The other is the 5N. I play the 5H more. My preferred role is heavy calvary scout.
as this is a mech you mentioned (and seen it in some classic BatReps) that you use a lot, would love another section of these Battylics for subjective opinion, where you mention some of the variants and ways you customize it, which you find to be better overall for the chassis. Like the shadowhawk for example, i think everyone agrees its stock variants are trash, would love to see what you think is the best change to make something like that useable
Like the suggestion!
I had a think about how to improve the SHD-2H without sacrificing it's "identity", and my conclusion was toss the SRM-2 launcher and ammo, remove two heat sinks and use that tonnage to upgrade the LRM to an LRM-10 and add one extra Medium Laser.
Now it can harass at long range with the peashooter and the larger LRM rack and can defend itself up close with two Medium Lasers.
Still not _great_ but at least it does more consistent damage and could _theoretically_ force a PSR if the stars align. And it retains an eclectic mix of weapons and the weird 3-hex jump so it's still a "real" Shadow Hawk. What do you think?
Great review. Love the shout out to the anthology Legacy, one of my favorite pieces of battletech fiction.
A unique set of stories indeed!
Yesss! The 4 MLs are great in Destiny! Swapping the LL for an ERLL or (takes breath) LPL can gives it some utility or edge jumping, respectively.
You know what's nothing like a grasshopper? The Hollander. You should do a video on the Hollander ;-)
It could be happening. You won’t be disappointed.
@@DeathfromAboveWargaming hope I haven't missed the poll, I don't check my Patreon often
I picked this time. Based on the number of times my favorite patrons asked.
Maybe Q4. Maybe Q1. It’s happening though.
@@DeathfromAboveWargaming aww shucks ;-)
One of my favorite mechs. I do prefer to pull LRM5 and ammo and replace with flamers.
Ammo issues aside, I like changing to a SRM 4 to crit fish on the rear
@@primafacie5029 that is also a good option. The SRM better complements the rest of the weapon load out well.
I love the Grasshopper and was also thinking about swapping the LRM5 for the SRM4, how has that worked in a game?
It could work! Heat may become an issue and you do really cut into the range (even if its only an LRM-5!). Also not sure tonnage wise if it is a clean swap.
@@DeathfromAboveWargaming The dice are fickle but occasionally they roll my way after the large and mediums peel away rear armor and BOOM time. Also LRM is 3T with ammo, so is the SRM4
The Grasshopper 5N is my favorite official design that doesn't require lostech. Sure it runs hotter but it also has no ammo to worry about. I like the 5P from the video and computer games but that requires lostech. I never understood why the official lore is that the 5N didn't exist until the 3040s when it could have easily existed in the First or Second Succession War era.
Is the Marauder background hanger for sale? The one in the video or as a store purchase?
It is not an item that is for sale. I had them custom manufactured.
This thing is like if the Black Knight cut some fat and got really into gymnastics. It's just a nasty, nasty brawler.
A classic mech but somehow I have missed out ever playing one. Going to need to deliberately get one in the next game.
Could you drop a ton of back armor and put CASE in it? Would that help? Is that era correct?
You could. CASE is a 3040ish era tech (3036 per Sarna) so right before clan invasion. It only weighs a half ton too so a good swap for 4 pips of armor (one from each appendage even!).
Grasshopper is one I love to hate. Or maybe it's hate to love..
The book sounds good. The mech is too.
Slightly tangential, will there be a video going through weapon systems you think are most efficient?
Great mech :-) it's the epitome of zombie mech....hard hitting moves well and is useful in any situation....one of the only heavies that justifies its pick over a medium mech :-)
Ah Yes my fav. Mech that isnt great at Something but good at anything. Lets See how good Battelytics thinks this Mech is. Also i would Like top See BA and Protomechs get the Battelytics Treatment.
Love my Grasshoppers only the -5J and C are bad , the 7P is weird but usable the rest are awesome . Pity the 5N isn't a thing until 3040 itd be the only mech id take if it was 3025
So the GRH-5N is probably a flat upgrade?
Hard to say. More heat, more BV, and reduced max range (even if it is only an LRM-5).
No ammo is fantastic, and the PPC is far superior to the LLas for sure!
@@DeathfromAboveWargaming the PPC can be cycled or used for finishing off an opponent once it’s in ML range. I see it more as a opportunity weapon more than a main weapon.
Curious as to why you feel 8 for 8 is a bad deal when a PPC is 10 for 10. 1 heat for 1 damage at a decent range doesn't seem that bad for energy weapons.
A fair question! The way I look at it is the ROI for heat really shouldn’t be linear. Take the family of IS beam weaps:
SLas 3/1
MLas 5/3
LLas 8/8
PPC 10/10
… In my mental model, I would expect a LLas to be somewhere around 8 damage/6 heat. 15 hexes is a decent range, but 8 damage doesn’t have the bite of 10. 10 damage guarantees you a critical chance on a heat hit.
So in that regard my “ROI” on the LLas (comparing to mediums or PPCs) really isnt that great.
LL has become my favorite overall weapon - VERY slightly less range and damage than a PPC, with less heat, less weight, and NO MINIMUM RANGE. I've come to believe that you should only take a PPC if you're intending to have sniping be an important function. LL is 80% of a PPC that you can take into a knife fight.
Solid mech except the chance for an ammo hit. You have 6 on alpha strike to get one when all the armor is gone.
My absolute favorite mech, she aint pretty she aint flashy but she will get the job done.
Finally the Grasshopper, one of the best designed mechs of 3025, even the lostech "upgrade" is worse than the original beautiful design. One of my favs for sure and the resculpt is amazing.
The grasshopper is alot better than it first looks. The ability to jump 4 and still fire 4 MLAs makes it scary.
If you get into close combat against a 4/6/0, you can always jump into the back arc, they can't escape the 3 hex minimum range and turn around without running.
In my experience that lrm 5 is a liability - I've ammo dumped it in 2/3 games I fielded it, and in my opinion the grasshopper would be much better if you drop the LRM 5 and ammo for a medium laser in the head and 2 heatsinks.
It's a weird mech and not my first choice of 70's but damn if you don't get the sweats when in gets in behind you.
It's boring but just taking the LRM-5 off all together buys you 3 tons. Add the last ton of armor to max it out and put two heatsinks back into it. One in the head to crit pad and the other in the torso where the LRM ammo used to be. You now are completely 100% heat neutral when alpha striking and jumping max (4) hexes. A perfectly balanced and symmetrical Grasshopper with the maximum survivability. Even an engine crit or two just means you start small cycling your medium lasers.
Hey man would you be able to include subtitles? I am having a hard time really hearing you.
4//4 pilot is cheap way to boost this mechs performance
I think you don't give the LL enough credit. The heat balanced investment of a LL is 13 tons and 10 crit locations (8 hs), for 8 damage out to 15. Comparing it to the AC10, which has a heat exchange weight of 16 tons and 11 crit locations (3 hs and 1 ammo) for 10 damage, the LL is clearly a superior investment. It's less of a burst option, true, which impacts ambush scenarios and point blank slug fests, but as a jump jet mech the Grasshopper is a durable skirmisher, and skirmishers do much better carrying skirmisher weapons which benefit over long, drawn out battles and campaigns. An over reliance on burst doctrine is literally the reason the Clans lost at Tukayyid. Any battle scenario where it's possible to trade space for time is where large lasers and LRM 5s actually excel, although I personally find LRM5 is best used for fascam minelaying to further restrict the mobility of non jumping opposition.
I described the LL in another comment as 80% of a PPC that you can take into a knife fight. Great on a skirmisher.
I keep wanting to love this mech but I’m only okay with it. I think it’s entirely my fault. I am not a big fan of jump jets on heavy and assault mechs. Too many points, not enough movement. Both times I’ve taken it I found myself wishing it was a Warhammer. I will say I screwed up last time and deployed towards a flank. My nearest target was a Victor whose speed was the same and didn’t want to play with me. Spent the game chasing.
First
calls this machine timeless 3025 she is great this doesn't work after 50 wish she did but it doesn't and i love the thing a regular feature for my commands