Orion Heads!

Fundamentally opposed? I agree.

I am diametrically opposed to any cockpit with a vertical bar down the middle, but frankly there's not much fighting it with how many there are in BT already.

David Razi

I love how the comments almost all say the old head, but even I, a Marik player, voted with the majority, voting for the Nuhead. Nuhead is best head :P

The DRT

the head on the right makes me think of a dual pilot mech, giving a clear view to both, in a single operator system having your view directly ahead blocked the way it would be seams "strange" (although it does look cool when you think of them as eyes) for this reason I chose the head on the left.

Jeffery Smith

I prefer the old head. It's a part of the 'mech's character. But then I am biased as I'll evetually end up drawing it one way or another

Alex F

I wonder which one people would go for if there was a third choice of the left one of the other Orion picture you posted. I guess that one was already nixed?

Mike

I'm a Grog, but I'd totally go for the Nu-head.

Stewart Spencer

The old style just fits, it looks solid. The new style is too much along the lines of MWO art with lines going everywhere making a mess - and with all the people complaining about CGL designs like the Atlas III canopy, this new canopy here is actually going to have more weak points than the old style, so many pieces that can flex and break in such a critical spot.

Andrew McKenna

True enough. I forgot that was a thing since I never felt that was a great trade-off. Now that you bring it up, I vaguely remember running a modified 1V where I swapped the AC/10 with an AC/5, adding 2 heat sinks, and maxing out the armor.

Mike

The size of it will make it easier to implement the SRM-4 in the ON1-V design

Malintus

With the SRM pod being in the torso, I'm curious what's in the left arm. If that's just medium laser, that's the best armored one ever.

Mike

I voted for the older head strictly because it will be easier to paint the cockpit. The new one is far more pleasing on the eye. I really hope that the antenna makes it into the final design.

I believe my comment on the new art was that the modernizing of the head was the best part of the design.

That said I like the one on the left much more.

I really like the head on the right. The practical arguments for left-head are sound though. Both look good.

Lexikon

Painting wise right appears easier than left.

the Nu Head's arraignment of Cockpit panels does not do it for me. I am more a fan of either a three panel like on the Orion IIC or making it a single large panel. of the choices presented I would favor old school style

James Bixby

The new one is beautiful. The iconic thing of the Orion was the LRM placed in the shoulder and the head, frankly was quite goofy. Keep the new head. The new Orion looks gorgeous

I enjoy both cockpits, but the Nu is playing safe. I get that the SW one might ruffle some jimmies, but it's far less generic than most and I'd pick it for that reason. I guess one should consider Battletech's audience too though, SW might appeal newer players better for the sleek look but grognards might not enjoy seeing such a classic not looking like what they expect...

BFenix

The one on the right is a bit too bug-like. Something more fitting to a light 'mech. I love the one on the left.

I have gotten so used to the MWO head, I had to look up the old one.

Ryan Voigt

I like the head on the right, I do. But the Orion is old. It's one of the early designs in the lore and I think the head on the left better reflects that. So yes, the head on the left gets the lore nerd seal of approval. Also the head on the left just looks better full stop. But you have a lot of people saying that already.

Sororitas Cupid

not being able to see directly in front of you does make it harder to drive.

So, yeah, left one, with a clear view.

Putting a thick strut right in front of the pilot's line of sight does not seem like something that will increase the effectiveness of the mech or extend the pilot's life.

I’m an old school guy but the left head looks better!

Dan Hegarty

The NuHead looks better and more realistic. Compare it to older fighter aircraft that don't have bubble canopies. Not many have a cross brace in the middle of the pilot's line-of-sight.

Franky Waky

Dang bro be cool! You can just say “I don’t really like it”

Left times ten million. I love the left one.

That's not the SW head on the right, that's the Tyco Thor head. It's almost like you're deliberately making it look like a turd. I KNOW you're a better artist than that. Could you put up a real Succession Wars version? Keep the wide front of version A and split it.

Your Orion design is what convinced me to join this page. I think it is the best version of the mech I have ever seen. The cockpit looks perfect.

I agree with several others - the exact head design is not its distinctive feature. In fact. I can't even recall from memory what the original Orion head looks like! For me, it's all about the asymmetry with the triangular missile launcher in the torso.

Lets be honest here, either is way better than the classic, the orion never had a decent cockpit. Id say the left but what i really dislike about the right are the thick struts of it. Id guess with the way finer struts of the left one you could even give it a demanded center split bar without changing too much of the left shape. And... isnt the srm4 arm-mounted?

Swen Decker

The head isn't the thing that identifies the orion - its the unique profile. In which case, the left head (or a variant of it, perhaps with a slightly narrow central panel) is the way forward.

Phil

I'm with Zera in that it never occurred to me that the head is what people considered iconic about the Orion.

Mike

New!!!!! 100%

Joshua Bressel

The left one. It just goes very well with the whole design.

Never been a huge fan of the Orion so no emotional horse in this race. Gut reaction is one on the right. It just looks cooler to me even though I know it makes less sense. On the bright side, I'd argue the Orion is one of those rare mechs where the head isn't all that important to the identity so long as it's tucked in the torso. I always thought the Orion's awkward, insanely asymmetric design was it's defining characteristic, especially the massive LRM shoulder.

Zera

Left for sure~~~

Left

The left.

Tyler Erickson

I didn't even know this was debatable. Left Nuhead for sure

NuHead, definitely.

I'm a frog that likes a more upright head than a flatter head but I do like these as well, classic preferred. I'd be happy both ways!

Taylor Shead

Definitely the NuHead. The center split bar makes no sense visibility-wise and really disturbs the pilots field of view. Maybe a horizontal bar along the front edge of the NuHead center window to make changing broken parts easier.

Peter Holthaus

NuHead for sure, hands down.

Alexander J De Santis

NuHead seems to fit better with the torso than OldHead.

Andrew Dickinson

Oh and yes, I DO want the grogs to make the grog case if you have it. Or if you're a grog that likes the departed look I want to hear that too.

Anthony Scroggins

Left. The split window just doesn't match the rest of the design at all

Benjamin Myers (Bishop Steiner)