Miniature Trading

General description:
This Unique 'mech is indeed very unique: it is the only 'mech unit in the entire MechWarrior game (both Dark Age and Age of Destruction) that has artillery capability. With a maximum artillery range of 24 inches it has incredible reach for a 'mech, albeit with less than stellar accuracy. This unit is pricey but it packs a wallop, with Armor Piercing special equipment on both primary and secondary weapons. It has a decent defense of 20, with Reactive Armor special equipment to protect you against ballistic fire. Due to the layout of the heat dial, you cannot use the artillery capability unless you are at the green squares starting position of the heat dial (the artillery jams immediately at any heat above the starting point). Otherwise, the heat dial is fairly tame for a ballistic monster like this.

Uses:
Viki would best be used in a special-purpose force designed around her absolutely unique ability. You're essentially getting two units for the price of one, although admittedly she makes a poor artillery piece: she needs a 16 (!) to hit her single artillery marker, and it has a pretty wild drift. Given her very unique capability, though, it should be possible to surprise your opponent by laying fire on him when he thinks he is perfectly safe. With luck, you may be able to lay down some damage before he can even get out of his deployment zone!

Strategies and game play:
Viki is all about the reach of her artillery piece. Loiter in the backfield and throw out artillery fire as often as you can, from as far as you can. Although the blast damage can be Armor Piercing (she has single use for several clicks), you're probably best off not using it: she has repair markers on every click for the first several clicks, and an overall short dial. Avoid the single use Armor Piercing on the secondary weapon (the artillery) unless you absolutely must. Once your opponent has closed within the minimum range for her artillery (12 inches) switch to the primary: 4 points of damage with Armor Piercing special equipment. This will ruin anyone's day in short order.

Combos with other miniatures:
You must screen Viki and keep your opponent's units off of her for as long as possible. Use fast vehicles and infantry screens a bit further out than normal (remember her minimum range on the artillery). This is easier said than done due to her above-average cost: she fits in best with a larger force than the standard 300 point game (Dark Age rules). A repair vehicle is pointless for her: the repair markers come too fast and furious for a repair vehicle to do any good.

Ways to counteract it:
You must brave the artillery barrage and blitz her. Due to her peculiar heat dial, energy weapons are an ideal tool to silence her bark.

Strengths/Pros:
Artillery! Reach out and touch someone! Armor Piercing goodness on her primary weapon right through to Salvage. A tame heat dial (aside from the automatic jam on the artillery secondary weapon).

Weaknesses/Cons:
Her heat dial makes it tough to use the artillery effectively. And even if you could keep up a continuous barrage, it has very poor accuracy and wild drift. She is somewhat expensive, making it very difficult to properly support her in standard size games.

Artwork and aesthetics:
The Shockwave sculpt is very handsome, with blocky lines reminiscent of the Unseen 'mechs from the old days of BattleTech. The paint job is well-executed and does credit to the Dragon's Fury faction.

Overall rating:
I give this unit an 8 out of 10. While it isn't an outstanding unit per se, it has a wonderfully unique capability that makes it well-worth having in your collection (if only for the novelty).