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Digging into more of those Wave Two mech designs, or should I say, hacking into :)

Hatchetman is here. This is a mech that has such an iconic look, but also a look that is innately goofy, so I wanted to see how much of it I could save and keep on the "modern retro" angle.

I was ready for quite a challenge, but turns out it was super easy barely an inconvenience ;)
Shift some angles around, give it a little more bulk, fair bit more chest protrusion. I lot of other redesigns of this mech, official and unofficial, end up straying a fair bit to capture a cool look, so I'm glad I didn't need to go that far. Still a bit goofy, but I feel enough of the edge is taken off.

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Comments

Damen DeLeenheer

I don’t love the head. It feels too soft. The more angular head of the original felt more menacing.

Anonymous

That looks pretty cool. Honestly, I never liked the Hatchetman... until now. You are doing a great job in turning Battletech's ugly ducklings into beautiful swans.

Andrew Bethards

I think you hit what you were going for, can’t wait to see the pose you go with in the mini. Great redesign.

Anonymous

I like it! I feel like most (literally all but one) of the hatchet designs have been goofy - the only exception being HBS Battletech - the way the hatchet was built in to the arm was super cool - any thoughts on that style? (I really like the figure/proportions of yours though - feels like it just fits!) *overall - my favorite rendition of the Hatchetman!*

Carlos Sempere

Wow. It’s clearly a Hatchetman, and it still uses a zeppelin gondola for a head, but it works! It has visual mass in the right places. I wouldn’t mind a little more in the calves and ankles, but that’s minor. I was getting this lance pack for the other mechs. Now I’m actually looking forward to getting this one.

Anonymous

I've yet to speak up, loving the work. Here I think the center chest is sticking out just a bit too much. Just my opinion.

Anonymous

Like most of the stuff so far too but not digging this one. It has a rounded appearance in the head and body that look off to me. My 2cents.

Alexander J De Santis

So far there seems to be mixed reviews on this one. I personally like it.

ShimmeringSword

I made the change because as the boldest goofiest element of the design, I wanted it to meld better with the rest of the mechs curves, including the existing head curves. So the suddenly angular front of the head got softened.

ShimmeringSword

This one (you can't see here) has a small ram attachment beside the arm laser that attaches to the hatchet. It's not a collapsible system, but it does show that melee weapons aren't just pick up and play systems.

ShimmeringSword

I feel that roundness has always been there in the torso, I just increased it a little in the nose and pulled it together. If I went more angular it'd do the opposite conflict and lose some of the old curves. I felt this one was a good rare candidate for the subtle curve look.

Anonymous

Excellent. Is the axe part of the arm, or a separate piece? Ergonomically, I'd think it would be more useful if the haft was longer, long enough that the head cam to about the ankle if the hand articulation allowed the axe to be held straight down, as though along the outseam of a pair of pants. Kind of the biomechanical sweet spot for things to bash people with. Unrelated question: What is the round dingus on the left side of the head? Radar dish? Laser emplacement? I'm sure it does something useful, and I know it's been part of the design forever, but I had always assumed it was equal parts "rule of cool" and "fire magnet" designed to save the pilot from at least one headshot by causing opponents to unconsciously aim at the ball instead of the pilot. :)

Anonymous

I would almost expect the right wrist to be optimized for rotation, for swinging the axe. Sort of like a lazy suzan style rotating platter at the end of the arm, with four grippers (two fingers, two thumbs) to hold the axe securely. Maybe a hinge joint just up from that, so it can pivot a bit for fine tuning.

Tyler Erickson

This is one I was genuinely curious about how it would look with your magic touch.

Henning Boessler

Cool beast. I also like this one. Reminds me more of the big brother, the Axeman as this one is beefier. But as the old sculpt always looked very skinny and thin this here is a vast improvement.

David

I like it

Steven Cross

Very nice, the big problem with the 'ol Hattchet was its suoer spindly legs and arms that looked like they'd snap if exposed to a stiff breeze. This one does not have that issue :D

Anonymous

Really enjoy this design, think it's looking classic. Perhaps the original had skinnier limbs. But, what's the mystery with four finger arms?:) As I look through various art, the pinky appears then dissapears depending on artist)

Peter Holthaus

Three fingers and a thumb should be plenty if what you grab are cargo crates at best...

Peter Holthaus

I like the design. Looks like it could wield the hatchet without fear of breaking an arm and the torso doesn't threaten to collapse the legs under it. And there still is that funny extra globe on the head that I never understood :D

Anonymous

Really nice, one of the first things I noticed is the head definetly looks like it can detach and fly off as the lore states it does!

Swen Decker

Overall i really like it. I get the generall "roundyness", with the given alien-like shape of the "full-head-ejection"-head. The AC could be a bit bigger (compared to those on the Urby, Bushwaker, Banshee S or Orion), but the angle can fool me here. But something about the cockpit looks off, im not sure if its the rounded front or the shape the side windows. I cant help myself but to think the hatchetman looks sad.

Anonymous

This is the first redesign that I really don’t like. I think there’s too much roundness. I agree with the comment above about the head. I think there needs to be a bit more angularity added.

Peter Campi

Remaking classic Battlemech designs is tight!

Chris

WAAAAAGH!!!

Lexikon

I have never liked the Hatchetman, but this actually looks good.

Anonymous

Sounds like someone has been watching a lot of Screen Rant Pitch Meetings recently. I think the one thing I dont quite like about this is the rounded feeling of the cockpit. It feels like it should be a harder angle there.

Robert Moore

I have a friend that can't wait to see this mech in plastic! Well done Sir!

Anonymous

Perhaps I'm in the minority, but I really like the original design. The bulked chest is good (and helps emphasize the skinniness of its limbs) but it a bit too angular for me. The vent and centerline indent, are unnecessarily fiddly. I'd like the torso much better if it was smoother, more like the original design.

Anonymous

Dammit. I wasn't going to buy this mech pack, but now... I think I have to.

Anonymous

Man alive, you're good at this. My only (extremely belated) note if I have one is that I really dig the integrated hatchet in the new HBS design. Might detract slightly from the goofy factor though?