141331872 BattleTech Experimental Technical Readout Succession Wars

INTRODUCTION

My Dearest Bertram, I trust you’re settling in nicely on Terra. I must admit that I was somewhat surprised to hear that you would not be returning to the new Checkswa campus on Donegal, though I suppose the allure o humanity’s home can be very great indeed. I am pleased that ComStar ound a role or you beyond that o a media pundit or Mister Stone’s new Republic. I eared or a time that they would transorm you into some kind o cynical armchair politician had they kept you on INN much longer, and I know your passion has always been the study o history. I can also relate to your choice to ocus on military history, as your brother did (God rest his soul). On Tharkad, I have always ound that study immensely gratiying, and probably would even i it weren’t the “amily business”. business”. I’m sure Arastide would have been proud. I especially applaud your recent contributions to the compilation o equipment seen in the early days o modern warare, a research area that I have personally been pursuing o late, especially with respect to the developments that took place during the dark days o the Succession Wars. Contrary to the popular belie, o course, the destruction o knowledge and innovation during the twenty-ninth and thirtieth centuries was ar rom complete. In act, this very destruction that orced new innovation, inevitably culminating in the renaissance we saw just as the Clans invaded—or, depending on how ironically one wishes to see it, the renaissance that inspired the Clans’ decision to return to the Inner Sphere.  To whet your appetite, I have taken the liberty o compiling some o the Succession Wars’ more more remarkable records o experimental one-os and eld variants that tried to overcome the declining tech standards o their day. Many o these were ailures, admittedly; developmental dead-ends that only served to prove a solution had to be sought elsewhere. Others were simply victims o the changing tides o warare. But a ew have let their ootprints on military history that persists to this very day. I should note upront that the nature o these articles varies quite wildly. I have chosen to present these reports to you in a largely unedited orm, to avoid tainting the primary sources. Thanks to my amily’s network o associates, I oten nd these tidbits quite ascinating, and ar more exciting than the oten-dry ocial reports one oten nds in our court archives. Secrets o the trade, eh? Let me know i you would like to pursue this particular avenue o research urther. I am condent that the study o Succession Wars-era technological innovations is an area that won’t all under royal censorship. And Bertram? Happy Birthday. I hope this reaches you on time. Cordially yours, Christopher Auburn

INTRODUCTION

My Dearest Bertram, I trust you’re settling in nicely on Terra. I must admit that I was somewhat surprised to hear that you would not be returning to the new Checkswa campus on Donegal, though I suppose the allure o humanity’s home can be very great indeed. I am pleased that ComStar ound a role or you beyond that o a media pundit or Mister Stone’s new Republic. I eared or a time that they would transorm you into some kind o cynical armchair politician had they kept you on INN much longer, and I know your passion has always been the study o history. I can also relate to your choice to ocus on military history, as your brother did (God rest his soul). On Tharkad, I have always ound that study immensely gratiying, and probably would even i it weren’t the “amily business”. business”. I’m sure Arastide would have been proud. I especially applaud your recent contributions to the compilation o equipment seen in the early days o modern warare, a research area that I have personally been pursuing o late, especially with respect to the developments that took place during the dark days o the Succession Wars. Contrary to the popular belie, o course, the destruction o knowledge and innovation during the twenty-ninth and thirtieth centuries was ar rom complete. In act, this very destruction that orced new innovation, inevitably culminating in the renaissance we saw just as the Clans invaded—or, depending on how ironically one wishes to see it, the renaissance that inspired the Clans’ decision to return to the Inner Sphere.  To whet your appetite, I have taken the liberty o compiling some o the Succession Wars’ more more remarkable records o experimental one-os and eld variants that tried to overcome the declining tech standards o their day. Many o these were ailures, admittedly; developmental dead-ends that only served to prove a solution had to be sought elsewhere. Others were simply victims o the changing tides o warare. But a ew have let their ootprints on military history that persists to this very day. I should note upront that the nature o these articles varies quite wildly. I have chosen to present these reports to you in a largely unedited orm, to avoid tainting the primary sources. Thanks to my amily’s network o associates, I oten nd these tidbits quite ascinating, and ar more exciting than the oten-dry ocial reports one oten nds in our court archives. Secrets o the trade, eh? Let me know i you would like to pursue this particular avenue o research urther. I am condent that the study o Succession Wars-era technological innovations is an area that won’t all under royal censorship. And Bertram? Happy Birthday. I hope this reaches you on time. Cordially yours, Christopher Auburn  Tharkad, 22 January 3082 (sent via Priority HPG)

How to Use tHis Book  The ’Mechs, combat vehicles, and ghters described in Experimental Technical Readout: Succession Wars provide players with a sampling o  designs maintained or even newly constructed in the dark days o lostech. The designs eatured in this book refect both limited-run production units and “one-os” that never reached ull actory production.  The rules or using ’Mechs, vehicles and ghters in BattleTech game play can be ound in Total Warare, Warare, while the rules or their construction can be ound in TechManual . However, the experimental nature o these designs also draws upon the Experimental-level rules presented in Tactical  Operations.. While none o the units eatured in this volume are considered tournament legal, their use in introductory games is appropriate due to Operations their Succession War status.

1

INTRODUCTION

Credits Project Development Herbert A. Beas II Development Assistance Randall N. Bills BattleTech BattleT ech Line Developer Herbert A. Beas II Assistant Line Developer Ben H. Rome Writing Joshua Franklin William Gauthier Keith Hann Johannes Heidler Daniel Isberner Chris Marti Luke Robertson Chris Smith Chris Wheeler Editing: Keith Hann Johannes Heidler Michael Miller Chris Wheeler Patrick Wynne Art Direction Brent Evans

Production Sta  Cover Design and Layout  Ray Arrastia Evolved Faction Logos Design Jason Vargas Illustrations Doug Chaee Chris Lewis Duane Loose Matthew Plog Record Sheets Sebastian Brocks Johannes Heidler BattleTech Logo Design Shane Hartley, Steve Walker and Matt Heerdt Factchecking/Playtesting: Your MUL Team: Joel Bancrot-Connors, Joshua Franklin, William Gauthier, Keith Hann, Johannes Heidler, Daniel Isberner, Chris Marti, Michael Miller, Luke Robertson, Chris Smith, Chris Wheeler, and Patrick Wynne Special Thanks:  This unique volume o the Experimental Tech Readouts series was originally dedicated to me (Herbert A. Beas II) as a birthday git rom the volunteers rom the MUL Team and other noted above. Though presented to me as a complete (but entirely unocial) PDF, it seemed only right to canonize these eorts and share the results with you, the reader, and the rest o the BattleTech community. To you—and to all o BattleTech’s dedicated ans, volunteers, and players—I dedicate this

INTRODUCTION

My Dearest Bertram, I trust you’re settling in nicely on Terra. I must admit that I was somewhat surprised to hear that you would not be returning to the new Checkswa campus on Donegal, though I suppose the allure o humanity’s home can be very great indeed. I am pleased that ComStar ound a role or you beyond that o a media pundit or Mister Stone’s new Republic. I eared or a time that they would transorm you into some kind o cynical armchair politician had they kept you on INN much longer, and I know your passion has always been the study o history. I can also relate to your choice to ocus on military history, as your brother did (God rest his soul). On Tharkad, I have always ound that study immensely gratiying, and probably would even i it weren’t the “amily business”. business”. I’m sure Arastide would have been proud. I especially applaud your recent contributions to the compilation o equipment seen in the early days o modern warare, a research area that I have personally been pursuing o late, especially with respect to the developments that took place during the dark days o the Succession Wars. Contrary to the popular belie, o course, the destruction o knowledge and innovation during the twenty-ninth and thirtieth centuries was ar rom complete. In act, this very destruction that orced new innovation, inevitably culminating in the renaissance we saw just as the Clans invaded—or, depending on how ironically one wishes to see it, the renaissance that inspired the Clans’ decision to return to the Inner Sphere.  To whet your appetite, I have taken the liberty o compiling some o the Succession Wars’ more more remarkable records o experimental one-os and eld variants that tried to overcome the declining tech standards o their day. Many o these were ailures, admittedly; developmental dead-ends that only served to prove a solution had to be sought elsewhere. Others were simply victims o the changing tides o warare. But a ew have let their ootprints on military history that persists to this very day. I should note upront that the nature o these articles varies quite wildly. I have chosen to present these reports to you in a largely unedited orm, to avoid tainting the primary sources. Thanks to my amily’s network o associates, I oten nd these tidbits quite ascinating, and ar more exciting than the oten-dry ocial reports one oten nds in our court archives. Secrets o the trade, eh? Let me know i you would like to pursue this particular avenue o research urther. I am condent that the study o Succession Wars-era technological innovations is an area that won’t all under royal censorship. And Bertram? Happy Birthday. I hope this reaches you on time. Cordially yours, Christopher Auburn  Tharkad, 22 January 3082 (sent via Priority HPG)

How to Use tHis Book  The ’Mechs, combat vehicles, and ghters described in Experimental Technical Readout: Succession Wars provide players with a sampling o  designs maintained or even newly constructed in the dark days o lostech. The designs eatured in this book refect both limited-run production units and “one-os” that never reached ull actory production.  The rules or using ’Mechs, vehicles and ghters in BattleTech game play can be ound in Total Warare, Warare, while the rules or their construction can be ound in TechManual . However, the experimental nature o these designs also draws upon the Experimental-level rules presented in Tactical  Operations.. While none o the units eatured in this volume are considered tournament legal, their use in introductory games is appropriate due to Operations their Succession War status.

1

INTRODUCTION

Credits Project Development Herbert A. Beas II Development Assistance Randall N. Bills BattleTech BattleT ech Line Developer Herbert A. Beas II Assistant Line Developer Ben H. Rome Writing Joshua Franklin William Gauthier Keith Hann Johannes Heidler Daniel Isberner Chris Marti Luke Robertson Chris Smith Chris Wheeler Editing: Keith Hann Johannes Heidler Michael Miller Chris Wheeler Patrick Wynne Art Direction Brent Evans

Production Sta  Cover Design and Layout  Ray Arrastia Evolved Faction Logos Design Jason Vargas Illustrations Doug Chaee Chris Lewis Duane Loose Matthew Plog Record Sheets Sebastian Brocks Johannes Heidler BattleTech Logo Design Shane Hartley, Steve Walker and Matt Heerdt Factchecking/Playtesting: Your MUL Team: Joel Bancrot-Connors, Joshua Franklin, William Gauthier, Keith Hann, Johannes Heidler, Daniel Isberner, Chris Marti, Michael Miller, Luke Robertson, Chris Smith, Chris Wheeler, and Patrick Wynne Special Thanks:  This unique volume o the Experimental Tech Readouts series was originally dedicated to me (Herbert A. Beas II) as a birthday git rom the volunteers rom the MUL Team and other noted above. Though presented to me as a complete (but entirely unocial) PDF, it seemed only right to canonize these eorts and share the results with you, the reader, and the rest o the BattleTech community. To you—and to all o BattleTech’s dedicated ans, volunteers, and players—I dedicate this

INTRODUCTION

Production Sta  Cover Design and Layout  Ray Arrastia Evolved Faction Logos Design Jason Vargas Illustrations Doug Chaee Chris Lewis Duane Loose Matthew Plog Record Sheets Sebastian Brocks Johannes Heidler BattleTech Logo Design Shane Hartley, Steve Walker and Matt Heerdt

Credits Project Development Herbert A. Beas II Development Assistance Randall N. Bills BattleTech BattleT ech Line Developer Herbert A. Beas II Assistant Line Developer Ben H. Rome Writing Joshua Franklin William Gauthier Keith Hann Johannes Heidler Daniel Isberner Chris Marti Luke Robertson Chris Smith Chris Wheeler Editing: Keith Hann Johannes Heidler Michael Miller Chris Wheeler Patrick Wynne Art Direction Brent Evans

Under License From

®

Factchecking/Playtesting: Your MUL Team: Joel Bancrot-Connors, Joshua Franklin, William Gauthier, Keith Hann, Johannes Heidler, Daniel Isberner, Chris Marti, Michael Miller, Luke Robertson, Chris Smith, Chris Wheeler, and Patrick Wynne Special Thanks:  This unique volume o the Experimental Tech Readouts series was originally dedicated to me (Herbert A. Beas II) as a birthday git rom the volunteers rom the MUL Team and other noted above. Though presented to me as a complete (but entirely unocial) PDF, it seemed only right to canonize these eorts and share the results with you, the reader, and the rest o the BattleTech community. To you—and to all o BattleTech’s dedicated ans, volunteers, and players—I dedicate this special volume o the Experimental Tech Readout series! Readout  series!

©2012 The Topps Company, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Experimental Technical Readout:  Succession  Success ion Wars, Classic BattleTech, eTech, BattleTech, BattleTech, BattleMech, ’Mech and the Topps logo are registered trademarks and/or trademarks of  The Topps Company, Inc., in the United States and/or other countries. Catalyst Game Labs and  the Catalyst Game Labs logo are trademarks of  InMediaRes Productions, LLC. SUCCESSION WARS ERA

CAT35XT016

2

FLE-14 FLEa Field Testing Summation: Flea transitional model (ultralight) Producer/Site: Earthwerks-FWL Incorporated Supervising Technician: Alexi Demidov Project Start Date: 2516 (production 2519) Non-Production Equipment Analysis: Ultralight BattleMech ovv Over the past twenty years, the Clans have spent a lot o development time on the ProtoMech, introducing modern battleelds to ’Mech-like units ar lighter in mass than today’s standards. Yet the Clans’ eorts are ar rom unique; many times since the dawn o the BattleMech have seen a smattering o eorts to introduce the notion o an “ultralight” ’Mechs to the armies o  the Inner Sphere. One o the very rst attempts was the FLE-14 Flea Ultralight BattleMech, developed by Earthwerks Incorporated as a low cost alternative scout to the twenty-ton FLE-4, and a superior scout to the Wasps and Stinger s o the day.  The FLE-14 eatured a t y percent speed increase over the heavier FLE-4 and an added short-range jump capability. Between these eatures and the single medium laser carried in the ’Mech’s right arm, this let only a single ton’s worth o armor to cover the entire rame, a meager level o protection or the battleeld. Five hundred FLE-14s were originally produced—a small run or that day and age—but the ’Mech’s reviews were poor rom the start. Despite impressive speed, the act that just about any weapon on the battleeld could cause a deadly armor breach did not lend the design well to sales. House Marik purchased most o  the rst run on spec, but soon relegated the machine to backwater duty and urban crowd control. Even this duty was dicult or the ultralight Fleas as a single man-pack SRM 2 launcher could potentially deal devastating damage with a single hit.

 Type: Flea  Technology Base: Inner Sphere (Experimental)  Tonnage: 15 Equipment Internal Structure: Engine: Walking MP: Running MP: Jumping MP: Heat Sinks: Gyro: Cockpit: Armor Factor:

Head Center Torso Center Torso (rear) R/L Torso R/L Torso (rear) R/L Arm R/L Leg Weapons and Ammo Medium Laser Jump Jets Jump Jets

Mass 1.5 4.5

135 9 14 4 10

16 Internal Structure 3 5 4 2 3 Location RA RL LL

0 2 3 1 Armor  Value 2 3 1 1 1 1 2 Critical 1 2 2

Tonnage 1 1 1

Notes: Features the ollowing Design Quirks: Easy to Maintain, Hard to Pilot, Narrow/Low Prole, No/Minimal Arms.

FLE-14 FLEa Field Testing Summation: Flea transitional model (ultralight) Producer/Site: Earthwerks-FWL Incorporated Supervising Technician: Alexi Demidov Project Start Date: 2516 (production 2519) Non-Production Equipment Analysis: Ultralight BattleMech ovv Over the past twenty years, the Clans have spent a lot o development time on the ProtoMech, introducing modern battleelds to ’Mech-like units ar lighter in mass than today’s standards. Yet the Clans’ eorts are ar rom unique; many times since the dawn o the BattleMech have seen a smattering o eorts to introduce the notion o an “ultralight” ’Mechs to the armies o  the Inner Sphere. One o the very rst attempts was the FLE-14 Flea Ultralight BattleMech, developed by Earthwerks Incorporated as a low cost alternative scout to the twenty-ton FLE-4, and a superior scout to the Wasps and Stinger s o the day.  The FLE-14 eatured a t y percent speed increase over the heavier FLE-4 and an added short-range jump capability. Between these eatures and the single medium laser carried in the ’Mech’s right arm, this let only a single ton’s worth o armor to cover the entire rame, a meager level o protection or the battleeld. Five hundred FLE-14s were originally produced—a small run or that day and age—but the ’Mech’s reviews were poor rom the start. Despite impressive speed, the act that just about any weapon on the battleeld could cause a deadly armor breach did not lend the design well to sales. House Marik purchased most o  the rst run on spec, but soon relegated the machine to backwater duty and urban crowd control. Even this duty was dicult or the ultralight Fleas as a single man-pack SRM 2 launcher could potentially deal devastating damage with a single hit. Within a ew years, the FLE-15 was released, returning the Flea to its twenty-ton weight specs and sacricing speed or better armor and weaponry. Many pilots choose to modiy their model 14s by removing the jump jets and adding armor to make them more resilient, and many model 14s remained in use throughout the Star League years—albeit in ever-dwindling numbers. Ater the all o  the Star League, FLE-14s once again returned to the battleeld as desperate Successor State armies ound themselves in need o ast scouts. While these ultralights enjoyed some success in that role amid the decline o technology, most were easily deeated i ever caught in a ght. Generous estimates put the number o surviving FLE-14 units at less than twenty in the entire Inner Sphere and Periphery, though ew remain in active service.

 Type: Flea  Technology Base: Inner Sphere (Experimental)  Tonnage: 15 Equipment Internal Structure: Engine: Walking MP: Running MP: Jumping MP: Heat Sinks: Gyro: Cockpit: Armor Factor:

Head Center Torso Center Torso (rear) R/L Torso R/L Torso (rear) R/L Arm R/L Leg Weapons and Ammo Medium Laser Jump Jets Jump Jets

Mass 1.5 4.5

135 9 14 4 10

0 2 3 1

16 Internal Structure 3 5

Armor  Value 2 3 1 1 1 1 2

4 2 3 Location RA RL LL

Critical 1 2 2

Tonnage 1 1 1

Notes: Features the ollowing Design Quirks: Easy to Maintain, Hard to Pilot, Narrow/Low Prole, No/Minimal Arms.

3

WSP-2a-X SUPER WaSP Field Testing Summation: Prototype Wasp chassis rebuild and testbed Producer/Site: Friden Aerospace Park, Ho  Supervising Technician: Dr. Jorge Belasco Project Start Date: 3020 Non-Production Equipment Analysis: Supercharger ovv [Had a stroke o luck here and managed to nd two units or  the price o one. Came across these in some recently released NAIS documents—declassied ater some sixty-year secrecy rule or other.–CA]

An early eort by the NAIS and Team Banzai to build upon the knowledge gleaned rom the Halstead Collection, the “Super Wasp”was an attempt to ully rebuild and redesign a proven war machine using experimental technologies. Based at the Friden Aerospace Park on the sleepy world o Ho, the Super Wasp eatured a hand-built chassis, constructed to match and surpass the capabilities o its progenitor. Five tons heavier than the original Wasp, the Super Wasp mounted over thirty percent more armor, and a carried a second arm-mounted Diverse Optics Type 2 medium laser to double its repower. The most audacious addition, o course, was the inclusion o a supercharger. Capable o providing bursts o  speed similar to myomer-accelerator signal circuitry—in an age where MASC had been long-orgotten casualty o the Succession Wars—only the real danger o engine damage rom extensive use curtailed the widespread use o this technology. Although the two Super Wasps and the Super Grin were built strictly as demonstration units, all three ’Mechs received their baptism by re on 13 May 3022, when House Kurita and the Wol’s Dragoons raided Ho. With the Davion deending orces drawn o,

 Type: Super Wasp  Technology Base: Inner Sphere (Experimental)  Tonnage: 25 Equipment Internal Structure: Engine: Walking MP: Running MP: Jumping MP: Heat Sinks: Gyro Cockpit: Armor Factor:

Head Center Torso Center Torso (rear) R/L Torso R/L Torso (rear) R/L Arm R/L Leg Weapons and Ammo 2 Medium Lasers Supercharger SRM 2 Ammo (SRM) 50 Jump Jet Jump Jets Jump Jets

Mass 2.5 5.5

150 6 9 (12) 6 10

64 Internal Structure 3 8 6 4 6 Location RA CT LL LT RL RT LT

0 2 3 4 Armor  Value 6 10 4 7 2 6 7 Critical 2 1 1 1 1 2 2

Tonnage 2 1 1 1 .5 1 1

WSP-2a-X SUPER WaSP Field Testing Summation: Prototype Wasp chassis rebuild and testbed Producer/Site: Friden Aerospace Park, Ho  Supervising Technician: Dr. Jorge Belasco Project Start Date: 3020 Non-Production Equipment Analysis: Supercharger ovv [Had a stroke o luck here and managed to nd two units or  the price o one. Came across these in some recently released NAIS documents—declassied ater some sixty-year secrecy rule or other.–CA]

An early eort by the NAIS and Team Banzai to build upon the knowledge gleaned rom the Halstead Collection, the “Super Wasp”was an attempt to ully rebuild and redesign a proven war machine using experimental technologies. Based at the Friden Aerospace Park on the sleepy world o Ho, the Super Wasp eatured a hand-built chassis, constructed to match and surpass the capabilities o its progenitor. Five tons heavier than the original Wasp, the Super Wasp mounted over thirty percent more armor, and a carried a second arm-mounted Diverse Optics Type 2 medium laser to double its repower. The most audacious addition, o course, was the inclusion o a supercharger. Capable o providing bursts o  speed similar to myomer-accelerator signal circuitry—in an age where MASC had been long-orgotten casualty o the Succession Wars—only the real danger o engine damage rom extensive use curtailed the widespread use o this technology. Although the two Super Wasps and the Super Grin were built strictly as demonstration units, all three ’Mechs received their baptism by re on 13 May 3022, when House Kurita and the Wol’s Dragoons raided Ho. With the Davion deending orces drawn o, the Black Widows recon lance expected to nd little resistance at the research acility, but was surprised to nd the park deended by the prototypes and their experimental technologies. The unusual congurations and conficting ater-action reports led to various rumors about the incident that have persisted to this day. Although outgunned by the Widows’ BattleMechs, the Super  Wasps perormed admirably, disabling a Dragoons Stinger beore MechWarrior Annie B laze’s Super Wasp suered severe shielding engine damage rom a supercharger blowout. Swamped with heat, her ’Mech became an easy target or the Widows. Her ellow Super Wasp pilot, MechWarrior Oscar Meggie, ought on and nearly succeeded in taking down an enemy Phoenix Hawk beore a large laser red by the Dragoons’ Rifeman cored his ’Mech’s let torso and set o his SRM ammo, completely gutting the prototype.  Though a ll three experimental machines were d estroyed, their delaying action won the Davion scientists enough time to successully evacuate the acility and leave little o value or House Kurita to claim. Both Super Wasp pilots survived the battle and were eventually ransomed back to House Davion.

 Type: Super Wasp  Technology Base: Inner Sphere (Experimental)  Tonnage: 25 Equipment Internal Structure: Engine: Walking MP: Running MP: Jumping MP: Heat Sinks: Gyro Cockpit: Armor Factor:

Head Center Torso Center Torso (rear) R/L Torso R/L Torso (rear) R/L Arm R/L Leg Weapons and Ammo 2 Medium Lasers Supercharger SRM 2 Ammo (SRM) 50 Jump Jet Jump Jets Jump Jets Jump Jet

Mass 2.5 5.5

150 6 9 (12) 6 10

0 2 3 4

64 Internal Structure 3 8

Armor  Value 6 10 4 7 2 6 7

6 4 6 Location RA CT LL LT RL RT LT LL

Critical 2 1 1 1 1 2 2 1

Tonnage 2 1 1 1 .5 1 1 .5

Notes: Features the ollowing Design Quirks: Prototype.

4

GRF-2N-X SUPER GRIFFIN Field Testing Summation: Prototype Grin chassis rebuilt and testbed Producer/Site: Friden Aerospace Park, Ho  Supervising Technician: Dr. Jorge Belasco Project Start Date: 3020 Non-Production Equipment Analysis: Experimental “Freezer” Double Heat Sinks Prototype Improved Jump Jets ovv  The Super Grin concept was the pinnacle o the NAIS’ experimental eorts on Ho, eaturing more prototype technology than the Super Wasp. Built on a custom sixty-ton chassis designed to look like its medium-weight orebear, the Super Grin’s appearance was a deliberate eort to conuse would-be observers and draw less attention to the project.  The additional mass allowed the Super Grin’s engineers to boost its close-in deense with a medium and small laser, while the ’Mech’s Starshield A armor was strengthened to improve protection across the torso. The CoreTek 275 usion engine was downgraded to a 240-rated Pitban, but while this reduced the ’Mech’s ground speed, the weight savings allowed the Davion techs to implement the design’s biggest changes.  The Super Grin served as a testbed or the NAIS’ rst oray into prototype double-strength heat sinks. To retain the weight and volume o standard sinks, these “reezers” used volatile, liquidmetal coolants instead o advanced radiators to increase their eciency, but would prove to be too dangerous and dicult to maintain in the eld. With an estimated liespan o only a ew years beore required replacements, these reezers would ultimately be replaced with the Star League technologies recovered in the Helm Memory Core, but at the time o the battle or Ho, these reezers

While research into reezers would continue, House Davion’s work on improved jump jets was apparently canceled. It would be nearly ty years beore ar less volatile production-grade improved jump jets reached the battleeld—originating with Clan Wol (in-Exile).  Type: Super Grin  Technology Base: Inner Sphere (Experimental)  Tonnage: 60 Equipment Internal Structure: Engine: Walking MP: Running MP: Jumping MP: Heat Sinks: Gyro: Cockpit: Armor Factor:

Head Center Torso Center Torso (rear) R/L Torso R/L Torso (rear) R/L Arm R/L Leg Weapons and Ammo PPC

Mass 6 11.5

240 4 6 6 15 [20]

160 Internal Structure 3 20 14 10 14 Location RA

5 3 3 10 Armor  Value 9 24 7 22 6 14 18 Critical 3

Tonnage 7

GRF-2N-X SUPER GRIFFIN Field Testing Summation: Prototype Grin chassis rebuilt and testbed Producer/Site: Friden Aerospace Park, Ho  Supervising Technician: Dr. Jorge Belasco Project Start Date: 3020 Non-Production Equipment Analysis: Experimental “Freezer” Double Heat Sinks Prototype Improved Jump Jets ovv  The Super Grin concept was the pinnacle o the NAIS’ experimental eorts on Ho, eaturing more prototype technology than the Super Wasp. Built on a custom sixty-ton chassis designed to look like its medium-weight orebear, the Super Grin’s appearance was a deliberate eort to conuse would-be observers and draw less attention to the project.  The additional mass allowed the Super Grin’s engineers to boost its close-in deense with a medium and small laser, while the ’Mech’s Starshield A armor was strengthened to improve protection across the torso. The CoreTek 275 usion engine was downgraded to a 240-rated Pitban, but while this reduced the ’Mech’s ground speed, the weight savings allowed the Davion techs to implement the design’s biggest changes.  The Super Grin served as a testbed or the NAIS’ rst oray into prototype double-strength heat sinks. To retain the weight and volume o standard sinks, these “reezers” used volatile, liquidmetal coolants instead o advanced radiators to increase their eciency, but would prove to be too dangerous and dicult to maintain in the eld. With an estimated liespan o only a ew years beore required replacements, these reezers would ultimately be replaced with the Star League technologies recovered in the Helm Memory Core, but at the time o the battle or Ho, these reezers were revolutionary. (Indeed, based on the promising results rom the Super Grin’s early trials, ’Mechs rom the Eridani Light Horse’s Lightning Company were retrotted with similar reezers that would be put to great use against the Black Widows at the battle or Johnston’s Farm.) Yet the Super Grin’s most ambitious improvement was its experimental improved jump jet system. Developed to increase mobility beyond the structural limitations o the day, these super-powered  jets looked great on paper and provided greatly enhanced mobility at no signicant increase in thruster mass, but generated extreme heat levels and were prone to violent explosions when damaged. Along with the Super Wasps, the only working prototype Super Grin was thrown into battle on 13 May 3022, and did not are well. BattleROMs show the ’Mech using its extended jump range to surprise a Black Widows Rieman and deliver a powerul attack, but the return re rom the Rieman and a companion Phoenix Hawk  penetrated the Super Grin’s right torso, striking a  jump je t mounted there. The explos ion in t urn ignited the LRM magazine and destroyed the ’Mech utterly.

While research into reezers would continue, House Davion’s work on improved jump jets was apparently canceled. It would be nearly ty years beore ar less volatile production-grade improved jump jets reached the battleeld—originating with Clan Wol (in-Exile).  Type: Super Grin  Technology Base: Inner Sphere (Experimental)  Tonnage: 60 Equipment Internal Structure: Engine: Walking MP: Running MP: Jumping MP: Heat Sinks: Gyro: Cockpit: Armor Factor:

Head Center Torso Center Torso (rear) R/L Torso R/L Torso (rear) R/L Arm R/L Leg

Mass 6 11.5

240 4 6 6 15 [20]

5 3 3 10

160 Internal Structure 3 20

Armor  Value 9 24 7 22 6 14 18

14 10 14

Weapons and Ammo Location PPC RA LRM 10 RT Ammo (LRM) 24 RT Small Laser CT Medium Laser LA Prototype Improved Jump Jets RT Prototype Improved Jump Jets LT

Critical 3 2 2 1 1 3 3

Tonnage 7 5 2 .5 1 3 3

Notes: Features the ollowing Design Quirks: Prototype, Rumble Seat.

5

CTF-0X CaTaPhRaCT  Field Testing Summation: Cataphract command prototype Producer/Site: Earthwerks Limited, Tikonov Supervising Technician: Unknown Project Start Date: 3025 Non-Production Equipment Analysis: Electronic Warare Equipment ovv [ A colleague sent me this tidbit while I was doing research or a  paper on the Capellan March. His conclusion speaks or it sel.–CA]

Chris, you wanted to know about that Cataphract  I was talking about? Well, here is all I got. A chat session transcript started it all. Some Capellan Succession Wars vet was bragging about how, one-on-one, the Capellans trashed the elite Kestrel Grenadiers. Wishul thinking? But look it up, the First Grenadiers were indeed destroyed. Took Hanse’s personal intervention to keep them on the rolls. A recon raid that wipes out an entire ’Mech regiment?  There had to be more to it. Why didn’t the Capellan news jump all over this story? Excerpt rom AFFS debrieng o Sergeant-Major Nicholas Franklin: 27 May 3026 “The raid was Hasek-Davion’s idea. We were getting shited to the Capellan ront, and Michael thought he could use us to hit the Cappies beore they knew we were in theater. Make the Cappies look weak, and give uel to Hasek’s call or war. “The raid went to plan at rst. We landed with minimal intererence, complete surprise at our numbers. We split into detachments and went to hit them hard. We got the orders to move on to the secondary targets, when everything ell apart. “Even ater we lost contact with the drop site, we proceeded

 Type: Cataphract  Technology Base: Inner Sphere (Experimental)  Tonnage: 70 Equipment Internal Structure: Engine: Walking MP: Running MP: Jumping MP: Heat Sinks: Gyro: Cockpit: Armor Factor:

Head Center Torso Center Torso (rear) R/L Torso R/L Torso (rear) R/L Arm R/L Leg

Mass 7 16

280 4 6 0 14

176 Internal Structure 3 22 15 11 15

Weapons and Ammo Location PPC RA Medium Laser RA AC/5 RT Ammo (AC) 20 RT Remote Sensor Dispenser CT (R) EW Equipment LT Medium Laser LA

4 3 3 11 Armor  Value 9 26 9 16 6 22 22 Critical 3 1 4 1 1 4 1

Tonnage 7 1 8 1 .5 7.5 1

CTF-0X CaTaPhRaCT  Field Testing Summation: Cataphract command prototype Producer/Site: Earthwerks Limited, Tikonov Supervising Technician: Unknown Project Start Date: 3025 Non-Production Equipment Analysis: Electronic Warare Equipment ovv [ A colleague sent me this tidbit while I was doing research or a  paper on the Capellan March. His conclusion speaks or it sel.–CA]

Chris, you wanted to know about that Cataphract  I was talking about? Well, here is all I got. A chat session transcript started it all. Some Capellan Succession Wars vet was bragging about how, one-on-one, the Capellans trashed the elite Kestrel Grenadiers. Wishul thinking? But look it up, the First Grenadiers were indeed destroyed. Took Hanse’s personal intervention to keep them on the rolls. A recon raid that wipes out an entire ’Mech regiment?  There had to be more to it. Why didn’t the Capellan news jump all over this story? Excerpt rom AFFS debrieng o Sergeant-Major Nicholas Franklin: 27 May 3026 “The raid was Hasek-Davion’s idea. We were getting shited to the Capellan ront, and Michael thought he could use us to hit the Cappies beore they knew we were in theater. Make the Cappies look weak, and give uel to Hasek’s call or war. “The raid went to plan at rst. We landed with minimal intererence, complete surprise at our numbers. We split into detachments and went to hit them hard. We got the orders to move on to the secondary targets, when everything ell apart. “Even ater we lost contact with the drop site, we proceeded with the plan. We were tearing up the [CENSORED] barracks when the rst garbled comms came through. We went to hightail it back  to the drop site ASAP. “By the time we got there, command was a rubble. Cappies were everywhere. They saw us and we …ran. Nothing else to do. A ew stragglers rom other detachments, they had been swarmed by [CENSORED]. Those new Ravens were everywhere. We nally arranged a landing zone and ortunately there were just enough DropShips let to get us out o there. You know the rest. Less than a battalion made it back. They say the Grenadiers are being deactivated. [CENSORED].”

 Type: Cataphract  Technology Base: Inner Sphere (Experimental)  Tonnage: 70 Equipment Internal Structure: Engine: Walking MP: Running MP: Jumping MP: Heat Sinks: Gyro: Cockpit: Armor Factor:

Head Center Torso Center Torso (rear) R/L Torso R/L Torso (rear) R/L Arm R/L Leg

Mass 7 16

280 4 6 0 14

4 3 3 11

176 Internal Structure 3 22

Armor  Value 9 26 9 16 6 22 22

15 11 15

Weapons and Ammo Location PPC RA Medium Laser RA AC/5 RT Ammo (AC) 20 RT Remote Sensor Dispenser CT (R) EW Equipment LT Medium Laser LA

Critical 3 1 4 1 1 4 1

Tonnage 7 1 8 1 .5 7.5 1

Notes: Features the ollowing Design Quirks: Command BattleMech, Obsolete (3028), Rumble Seat.

So, why would the Capellans keep this quiet? I ound a note in  Tikonov’s les. Their request or more EW components was denied.  Tikonov never made the Raven, but the Cataphract ? They’d be right on top o the enemy beore anybody saw them—and, unlike the Raven, they could stay there. Several months beore the raid, there is a record o a shipment o prototype Cataphract s to Sian. The rest is the Kestrel Grenadiers’ nightmare. 6

 MaD-4X MaRaUDER Field Testing Summation: Marauder experimental ret Producer/Site: Ronin Incorporated, Wallis Supervising Technician: Arlo Fenster Project Start Date: 3039 Non-Production Equipment Analysis: Binary Laser Cannon Freezers Prototype Endo Steel ovv [Bertram, this passed my desk just as I was about to send the le of to you. I love Marauders, my team loves Marauders, and I assume  you love Marauders. Any Marauder is a good Marauder , right? I you do consider publishing this document, I suggest omitting this entr y, as I had no way to act-check it. File it under “rumors”. I conrmed by act-check, this one is a perect example o  “almost there” on the track set by Super Grin and Starre. –CA]

 The MAD-4X was one o two advanced technology designs that Ronin Inc. considered or production ater the secrets o the Helm Core were unlocked. Pitted against the design that eventually would become the MAD-5M, its creators tried to take a dierent tack. With PPCs still in short supply throughout the Free Worlds League (and most o those earmarked or Awesomes), the -4X team sought an alternative energy weapon that carried the same punch, but which languished in obscurity or much o the Succession Wars: the binary laser cannon. Nestling the lasers inside the weapons pods o a Marauder ’s arms was easy, but insulating them with advanced Star Leaguestyle cooling jackets and locally produced knock-os o the NAIS experimental reezers proved ar more challenging. In the end, the technicians had to remove the secondary lasers normally

In the end, the MAD-4X was ahead o its time. Its advanced systems proved inicky and ailed stress-testing under ield conditions, while the computer systems took up so much space inside the Marauder ’s cockpit that the ejection system had to be removed and test pilots complained o the cramped working space. While the MAD-4X Marauder  never appeared outside o  Ronin’s proving grounds, its basic design theory was still sound and would be revived roughly orty years later as the MAD-9M (and -9M2) Marauder upgrades that served so well during the Jihad.  Type: Marauder  Technology Base: Inner Sphere (Experimental)  Tonnage: 75 Equipment Internal Structure: Engine: Walking MP: Running MP: Jumping MP: Heat Sinks: Gyro: Cockpit: Armor Factor:

Head Center Torso Center Torso (rear) R/L Torso R/L Torso (rear)

Mass 3.5 19

300 4 6 0 18 [24]

200 Internal Structure 3 23 16

8 3 3 12.5 Armor  Value 9 35 10 23 8

 MaD-4X MaRaUDER Field Testing Summation: Marauder experimental ret Producer/Site: Ronin Incorporated, Wallis Supervising Technician: Arlo Fenster Project Start Date: 3039 Non-Production Equipment Analysis: Binary Laser Cannon Freezers Prototype Endo Steel ovv [Bertram, this passed my desk just as I was about to send the le of to you. I love Marauders, my team loves Marauders, and I assume  you love Marauders. Any Marauder is a good Marauder , right? I you do consider publishing this document, I suggest omitting this entr y, as I had no way to act-check it. File it under “rumors”. I conrmed by act-check, this one is a perect example o  “almost there” on the track set by Super Grin and Starre. –CA]

 The MAD-4X was one o two advanced technology designs that Ronin Inc. considered or production ater the secrets o the Helm Core were unlocked. Pitted against the design that eventually would become the MAD-5M, its creators tried to take a dierent tack. With PPCs still in short supply throughout the Free Worlds League (and most o those earmarked or Awesomes), the -4X team sought an alternative energy weapon that carried the same punch, but which languished in obscurity or much o the Succession Wars: the binary laser cannon. Nestling the lasers inside the weapons pods o a Marauder ’s arms was easy, but insulating them with advanced Star Leaguestyle cooling jackets and locally produced knock-os o the NAIS experimental reezers proved ar more challenging. In the end, the technicians had to remove the secondary lasers normally ound within the MAD’s arm pods, commandeering their emitter housings or the blazers.  To make up or this loss o the secondary repower, the design team replaced the Marauder ’s signature dorsal cannon with a pair o six-tube Thunderstroke SRM launchers, intending to both augment total short range repower, and take advantage o  the holes the MAD-4X was expected to create with its main guns.  This oered the added bonus o eliminating the ragile connection point between the Whirlwind autocannon and the hull. Even with the additional cooling jackets, the MAD-4X still ran ar too hot. Lead technician Arlo Fenster’s solution was twopronged. A total o six reezer heat sinks were installed in the machine, along with an advanced computer monitoring system derived rom the venerable Stalker .  To accommodate the increased load, the MAD-4X was built around a custom-made endo steel rame, which allowed or slightly more armor to protect the vulnerable waist rotator.

In the end, the MAD-4X was ahead o its time. Its advanced systems proved inicky and ailed stress-testing under ield conditions, while the computer systems took up so much space inside the Marauder ’s cockpit that the ejection system had to be removed and test pilots complained o the cramped working space. While the MAD-4X Marauder  never appeared outside o  Ronin’s proving grounds, its basic design theory was still sound and would be revived roughly orty years later as the MAD-9M (and -9M2) Marauder upgrades that served so well during the Jihad.  Type: Marauder  Technology Base: Inner Sphere (Experimental)  Tonnage: 75 Equipment Internal Structure: Engine: Walking MP: Running MP: Jumping MP: Heat Sinks: Gyro: Cockpit: Armor Factor:

Head Center Torso Center Torso (rear) R/L Torso R/L Torso (rear) R/L Arm R/L Leg Weapons and Ammo Binary Laser Cannon SRM 6 Ammo (SRM) 15 SRM 6 Ammo (SRM) 15 Binary Laser Cannon

Mass 3.5 19

300 4 6 0 18 [24]

8 3 3 12.5

200 Internal Structure 3 23

Armor  Value 9 35 10 23 8 22 20

16 12 16 Location RA RT RT LT LT LA

Critical 4 2 1 2 1 4

Tonnage 9 3 1 3 1 9

Notes: Features the ollowing Design Quirks: Improved Cooling Jackets (Binary Lasers), Combat Computer, Cramped Cockpit, Dicult to Maintain, No Ejection System.

7

 ZEU-6Y ZEUS  Field Testing Summation: Zeus limited production variant Producer/Site: Deance Industries, Hesperus II Supervising Technician: Gerhard Homan Project Start Date: 2922 Non-Production Equipment Analysis: Binary Laser Cannon ovv  The  Zeus was a reliable, roomy platorm, with spare parts available in quantity and many chassis on-hand or tinkering. This made it the perect testbed or a host o Deance projects over the centuries, most o questionable utility. The ill-ated -6Y was one such project. The -6Y did not originate out o any great love or the long-languishing blazer cannon, but rather rom a desire to create a Zeus that was easier to maintain than the standard -6S—an issue o increasing importance as the technological dark age known as the Third Succession War progressed.  The -6Y’s co ncept began rst with the downgrade o its missile launcher. Ad hoc battleeld repairs over the past century had demonstrated that the housing or the troublesome teentube Coventry Star Fire missile launcher could easily adapt to take a more conventional ten-tube launcher instead. This eliminated the only maintenance headache on a design otherwise almost as techriendly as the Orion. Considering a variant model Zeus that would adopt this improvisation as standard, Deance engineers explored the notion urther with the -6Y, when the discussion turned to the issue o what to do with the weight thus saved. Where most suggestions avored increased armor or ammunition, some designers argued instead or anti-inantry weapons. At some point, a particularly charismatic engineer remembered the unloved binary laser cannon, and successully petitioned or its use in place o the ’Mech’s Thunderbolt large

[The above evaluation (courtesy o ComStar) was too harsh— or, perhaps, deliberately misleading—as the -6Y is an example o  a airly successul, albeit inecient experiment. This ’Mech was, in act, produced (albeit in limited numbers), thanks to Deance’s ability to completely manuacture them on-site with no “lostech” components. The -6Y’s omission rom Technical Readout: 3025 speaks volumes about ComStar’s dedication to ree and accessible inormation. –CA]  Type: Zeus  Technology Base: Inner Sphere (Experimental)  Tonnage: 80 Equipment Internal Structure: Engine: Walking MP: Running MP: Jumping MP: Heat Sinks: Gyro: Cockpit: Armor Factor:

Head Center Torso Center Torso (rear) R/L Torso R/L Torso (rear) R/L Arm R/L Leg

Mass 8 22.5

320 4 6 0 17

184 Internal Structure 3 25 17 13 17

7 4 3 11.5 Armor  Value 9 26 9 18 6 22 24

 ZEU-6Y ZEUS  Field Testing Summation: Zeus limited production variant Producer/Site: Deance Industries, Hesperus II Supervising Technician: Gerhard Homan Project Start Date: 2922 Non-Production Equipment Analysis: Binary Laser Cannon ovv  The  Zeus was a reliable, roomy platorm, with spare parts available in quantity and many chassis on-hand or tinkering. This made it the perect testbed or a host o Deance projects over the centuries, most o questionable utility. The ill-ated -6Y was one such project. The -6Y did not originate out o any great love or the long-languishing blazer cannon, but rather rom a desire to create a Zeus that was easier to maintain than the standard -6S—an issue o increasing importance as the technological dark age known as the Third Succession War progressed.  The -6Y’s co ncept began rst with the downgrade o its missile launcher. Ad hoc battleeld repairs over the past century had demonstrated that the housing or the troublesome teentube Coventry Star Fire missile launcher could easily adapt to take a more conventional ten-tube launcher instead. This eliminated the only maintenance headache on a design otherwise almost as techriendly as the Orion. Considering a variant model Zeus that would adopt this improvisation as standard, Deance engineers explored the notion urther with the -6Y, when the discussion turned to the issue o what to do with the weight thus saved. Where most suggestions avored increased armor or ammunition, some designers argued instead or anti-inantry weapons. At some point, a particularly charismatic engineer remembered the unloved binary laser cannon, and successully petitioned or its use in place o the ’Mech’s Thunderbolt large laser mount in the let torso. Given that the Thunderbolt was slow to manuacture at the time and there were ears that it too might  join the ranks o lostech in the near uture, the bulkier and brutish blazer cannon seemed a good choice that would also provide the long-desired punch o a PPC without any o the troublesome technical issues that prompted the PPC to be removed rom the original Zeus specs in the rst place. Unortunately, initial optimism soon turned to rustration as it was learned that repeated ring o the blazer oten resulted in catastrophic myomer bundle ailures. Not even a redesign o  the let torso area to improve its heat dissipation could resolve the matter, nor could the nal solution o moving the blazer to a right-shoulder mount. As this engineering nightmare completely negated the other maintenance benets the -6Y was specically built to address, the project was abandoned ater only a ew prototypes were built.

[The above evaluation (courtesy o ComStar) was too harsh— or, perhaps, deliberately misleading—as the -6Y is an example o  a airly successul, albeit inecient experiment. This ’Mech was, in act, produced (albeit in limited numbers), thanks to Deance’s ability to completely manuacture them on-site with no “lostech” components. The -6Y’s omission rom Technical Readout: 3025 speaks volumes about ComStar’s dedication to ree and accessible inormation. –CA]  Type: Zeus  Technology Base: Inner Sphere (Experimental)  Tonnage: 80 Equipment Internal Structure: Engine: Walking MP: Running MP: Jumping MP: Heat Sinks: Gyro: Cockpit: Armor Factor:

Head Center Torso Center Torso (rear) R/L Torso R/L Torso (rear) R/L Arm R/L Leg Weapons and Ammo LRM 10 Ammo (LRM) 12 Binary Laser Cannon AC/5 Ammo (AC) 20

Mass 8 22.5

320 4 6 0 17

7 4 3 11.5

184 Internal Structure 3 25

Armor  Value 9 26 9 18 6 22 24

17 13 17 Location RA RT RT LA LA

Critical 2 1 4 4 1

Tonnage 5 1 9 8 1

Notes: Features the ollowing Design Quirks: Easy to Maintain, Improved Cooling Jacket (Binary Laser), Rumble Seat.

8

K-3N-KRhQ KISO COMMaNDMECh Field Testing Summation: Kiso support ret Producer/Site: Unknown Supervising Technician: Unknown Project Start Date: speculated 2820s, based on Kiso and CCM availability Non-Production Equipment Analysis: Collapsible Command Module

And here my own speculations begin. The Kiso was a marvel o engineering, but only ew existed in the Succession Wars era. I would argue that based on the low numbers and military use only at the regimental level, any Kisos they employed would almost have to be retted to the HQ standard to make them viable assets. I have sent one o my PhD students to Proserpina or urther research. I trust her paper will shed more light on this intriguing unit.

ovv  The ollowing is my own summary; primary sources consisted o the attached actory specs as well as various intelligence ragments. No coherent piece o inormation on this Industrial CommandMech exists to my knowledge.  The ’Mech-carried mobile eld HQ known as the “Collapsible Command Module” was made amous by being an intrinsic part o  the Cyclops assault ’Mech. This module, essentially a container or equipment that a regimental command unit can carry on a ’Mech’s torso like a giant backpack, was seen as a revolutionary concept by some, but to others, a olly—especially when the use o the technology passed into obscurity through the Succession Wars. Indeed, while the Cyclops brought this particular technology to ame, the HQ Cyclops—an assault-weight BattleMech—was let almost unarmed to oset the weight o its cargo. That the CCM eectively turned a potentially powerul combatant into a non-combatant by its very presence made it more a liability in the increasingly ’Mechstarved armies o the Successor States, so many military designers proposed that the use o such equipment would best be served by mounting them on non-combat units in the rst place. Apparently, or the Draconis Combine, at least one answer to the HQ Cyclops was a specically modied Kiso. I only have one holopic and the attached stats that were relayed to me when I probed my academic contacts at the University o Proserpina

 Type: Kiso CommandMech  Technology Base: Inner Sphere (Experimental)  Tonnage: 100 Equipment Internal Structure: IndustrialMech Engine: 200 Fusion Walking MP: 2 Running MP: 3 Jumping MP: 0 Heat Sinks: 10 Gyro: Cockpit (Command Console): Armor Factor (Heavy Industrial): 248 Internal Structure Head 3 Center Torso 31 Center Torso (rear) R/L Torso 21 R/L Torso (rear) R/L Front Leg 21 R/L Rear Leg 21

Mass 20 8.5

0 2 6 15.5 Armor  Value 9 23 16 22 14 32 32

K-3N-KRhQ KISO COMMaNDMECh Field Testing Summation: Kiso support ret Producer/Site: Unknown Supervising Technician: Unknown Project Start Date: speculated 2820s, based on Kiso and CCM availability Non-Production Equipment Analysis: Collapsible Command Module

And here my own speculations begin. The Kiso was a marvel o engineering, but only ew existed in the Succession Wars era. I would argue that based on the low numbers and military use only at the regimental level, any Kisos they employed would almost have to be retted to the HQ standard to make them viable assets. I have sent one o my PhD students to Proserpina or urther research. I trust her paper will shed more light on this intriguing unit.

ovv  The ollowing is my own summary; primary sources consisted o the attached actory specs as well as various intelligence ragments. No coherent piece o inormation on this Industrial CommandMech exists to my knowledge.  The ’Mech-carried mobile eld HQ known as the “Collapsible Command Module” was made amous by being an intrinsic part o  the Cyclops assault ’Mech. This module, essentially a container or equipment that a regimental command unit can carry on a ’Mech’s torso like a giant backpack, was seen as a revolutionary concept by some, but to others, a olly—especially when the use o the technology passed into obscurity through the Succession Wars. Indeed, while the Cyclops brought this particular technology to ame, the HQ Cyclops—an assault-weight BattleMech—was let almost unarmed to oset the weight o its cargo. That the CCM eectively turned a potentially powerul combatant into a non-combatant by its very presence made it more a liability in the increasingly ’Mechstarved armies o the Successor States, so many military designers proposed that the use o such equipment would best be served by mounting them on non-combat units in the rst place. Apparently, or the Draconis Combine, at least one answer to the HQ Cyclops was a specically modied Kiso. I only have one holopic and the attached stats that were relayed to me when I probed my academic contacts at the University o Proserpina about a wonderully successul delaying action on Paris in 2967. (Dr. Michael Miller says “hi”, by the way.) Orchestrated by Sho-sa Logan Kurita, a distant cousin o the Combine’s ruling amily and commander o third batt alion in the now-deceased First Proserpina Hussars, the DCMS orce held o a vastly superior Davion invasion on the southern continent. In an environment that consisted o hundreds o square kilometers o  rolling hills and light woods, the Kuritan headquarters was never detected, despite countless headhunter sweeps. I suspect the pictured Kiso—nicknamed “The Dog” in what was probably ond mockery—eatured the HQ ret and supplied its battalion command with all necessary resources. Indeed, there is hardly a more appropriate platorm or the CCM than this big quad. With superior communications to all other WorkMechs in existence, a stable platorm, lit hoists and cargo containers to support the command module, the Kiso is simply ideal to bear the sixteen-ton weight o a collapsible module during a mobile campaign.

 Type: Kiso CommandMech  Technology Base: Inner Sphere (Experimental)  Tonnage: 100 Equipment Internal Structure: IndustrialMech Engine: 200 Fusion Walking MP: 2 Running MP: 3 Jumping MP: 0 Heat Sinks: 10 Gyro: Cockpit (Command Console): Armor Factor (Heavy Industrial): 248 Internal Structure Head 3 Center Torso 31 Center Torso (rear) R/L Torso 21 R/L Torso (rear) R/L Front Leg 21 R/L Rear Leg 21 Weapons and Ammo Location 2 Searchlights RFL 2 Searchlights RRL (R) Collapsible Command Module RT 2 Cargo Containers CT 2 Machine Guns LT Machine Gun LT (R) Ammo (MG) 100 LT Communications Equipment LT Lit Hoist LT 2 Searchlights LFL 2 Searchlights LRL (R)

Mass 20 8.5

0 2 6 15.5 Armor  Value 9 23 16 22 14 32 32

Critical 2 2 12 2 2 1 1 3 3 2 2

Tonnage 1 1 16 20 1 .5 .5 3 3 1 1

Notes: Features the ollowing Design Quirks: Improved Communications, Non-Standard Parts, Stable.

9

 J. EDGaR LIGhT hOvER TaNK (CELL) Field Testing Summation: J. Edgar eld ret Producer/Site: Scarborough, Al Na’ir Supervising Technician: Unknown Project Start Date: 2998 Non-Production Equipment Analysis: Light Rife (Cannon) ovv War stirs up all manner o unusual nds. For example one o my archives rom the FedCom era tells o a ascinating piece o what-mighthave-been that the Davions came across during a data raid on Quentin. It turns out our neighbors in the Draconis Combine were looking to re-engine their J. Edgars back beore the turn o the century. Only, in this case, unlike that ICE modication everyone seemed to be using, Scarborough, Ltd. on Al Na’ir sought to employ uel cells back in 2998. It is oten hard to remember that the Inner Sphere was acing complete technological collapse barely sixty years ago. For decades beore that, usion engines were harder to produce and grew increasingly rare, so it became standard practice to appropriate them or use in BattleMechs rather than vehicles. Scarborough was amiliar enough with the specs that made the standard combustion engine ret or the J. Edgar so common, but opted to seek alternatives to retain the perormance curve o a usion engine.  Their uel cell ret oered a number o advantages, the most important o which being the ability to attain greater engine power or less weight lighter than a comparable ICE, thus making it possible or the J. Edgar to go usion-ree without a signicant loss in land speed. Unortunately, the rest o the ret graphically revealed the state-o-the-art at the time. In a highly questionable move, the successul Type 18 laser and Harvester SRMs were replaced with a light rife and a pair o machine guns—armament that was all but ineective against modern armor. Just what the designers were thinking is unclear as better weapons were available even then. Perhaps, as with the Pike Support Tank, they were anticipating a time in the near

 Type: J. Edgar Light Hover Tank (Cell) Movement Type: Hover  Tonnage: 25 Equipment Internal Structure: Engine: Type: Cruise MP: Flank MP: Heat Sinks: Control Equipment: Lit Equipment: Power Amplier:  Turret: Armor Factor:

Front R/L Side Rear Turret

145 Fuel Cell 11 17 1

104 Armor  Value 30 19/19 12 24

Mass 2.5 6

0 1.5 2.5 0 .5 6.5

Weapons and Ammo Light Rife Ammo (Rife) 18 2 Machine Guns Ammo (MG) 100

Location Turret Body Turret Body

Tonnage 3 1 1 .5

Notes: Features the ollowing Design Quirks: Non-Standard Parts.

 J. EDGaR LIGhT hOvER TaNK (CELL) Field Testing Summation: J. Edgar eld ret Producer/Site: Scarborough, Al Na’ir Supervising Technician: Unknown Project Start Date: 2998 Non-Production Equipment Analysis: Light Rife (Cannon) ovv War stirs up all manner o unusual nds. For example one o my archives rom the FedCom era tells o a ascinating piece o what-mighthave-been that the Davions came across during a data raid on Quentin. It turns out our neighbors in the Draconis Combine were looking to re-engine their J. Edgars back beore the turn o the century. Only, in this case, unlike that ICE modication everyone seemed to be using, Scarborough, Ltd. on Al Na’ir sought to employ uel cells back in 2998. It is oten hard to remember that the Inner Sphere was acing complete technological collapse barely sixty years ago. For decades beore that, usion engines were harder to produce and grew increasingly rare, so it became standard practice to appropriate them or use in BattleMechs rather than vehicles. Scarborough was amiliar enough with the specs that made the standard combustion engine ret or the J. Edgar so common, but opted to seek alternatives to retain the perormance curve o a usion engine.  Their uel cell ret oered a number o advantages, the most important o which being the ability to attain greater engine power or less weight lighter than a comparable ICE, thus making it possible or the J. Edgar to go usion-ree without a signicant loss in land speed. Unortunately, the rest o the ret graphically revealed the state-o-the-art at the time. In a highly questionable move, the successul Type 18 laser and Harvester SRMs were replaced with a light rife and a pair o machine guns—armament that was all but ineective against modern armor. Just what the designers were thinking is unclear as better weapons were available even then. Perhaps, as with the Pike Support Tank, they were anticipating a time in the near uture when military vehicles had degraded even urther—or perhaps the vehicle was being considered or sale to paramilitary organizations below the DCMS. Whatever the case, it was not the weapons choice that doomed the tank, but rather the engine. A poor choice o catalyst and a aulty reclamation system saw it produce excessive heat and insucient power, while its more limited endurance compared to a standard IC engine was a urther drawback.  Though fawed, the uel cell-modied J. Edgars did show promise and unds were allocated or urther development, only to see then-Coordinator Hohiro Kurita divert spending to pay or the Combine’s lavish millennial celebrations. The stalled program would not long outlive the Coordinator. As part o Coordinator Takashi’s military reorms, “marginal” programs like military uel cell research were cut in avor o proven technologies, leaving this vehicle a ootnote in the annals o military history.

 Type: J. Edgar Light Hover Tank (Cell) Movement Type: Hover  Tonnage: 25 Equipment Internal Structure: Engine: Type: Cruise MP: Flank MP: Heat Sinks: Control Equipment: Lit Equipment: Power Amplier:  Turret: Armor Factor:

Front R/L Side Rear Turret

145 Fuel Cell 11 17 1

104 Armor  Value 30 19/19 12 24

Mass 2.5 6

Weapons and Ammo Light Rife Ammo (Rife) 18 2 Machine Guns Ammo (MG) 100

Location Turret Body Turret Body

Tonnage 3 1 1 .5

Notes: Features the ollowing Design Quirks: Non-Standard Parts.

0 1.5 2.5 0 .5 6.5

10

KESTREL SCOUT vTOL Field Testing Summation: Kestrel scout variant Producer/Site: Blackwell, Outreach Supervising Technician: Unknown Project Start Date: 3030 Non-Production Equipment Analysis: VTOL Jet Booster ovv [ As my riend Benj amin Morriso n (o what is let o Wolnet) sent me various pieces o requested inormation on the Bufalo and  Starre , we got  talking about various other experimental Succession Wars-era designs. This is his recount o a specialized variant o a specialized helicopter. O course, the Dragoons are completely outside o the box in terms o lostech; they were, ater all, working rom a tech base that most Houses have yet to reach even today. –CA]

Quite possibly the rarest VTOL variant in the Inner Sphere, the Kestrel Scout was developed by Blackwell Industries or use by Wol’s Dragoons’ Seventh Kommando and Special Recon Group. Intended to serve as a highly mobile and unseen reconnaissance platorm, only a handul o these vehicles was ever built beore the Dragoons’ reorganization olded the SRG into the new Home Guards.  The Kestrel Scout is ideally congured to gather inormation without being detected and relay it to riendly orces. It accomplishes this by incorporating a sophisticated camera system in a special mast mount above the main rotor assembly, enabling the crat to remain saely concealed behind hills or trees, to observe an area without being exposed to hostile re. In addition to th is, an at dispenser allows the Kestrel to “seed” a target zone with air-dropped remote sensors as it passes. The high-powered communications equipment carried within the helicopter itsel not only enables its crew to keep in touch with these remotes, but also oers superior ability to cut through most ambient ECM and report its ndings.

 Type: Kestrel Scout VTOL Movement Type: VTOL  Tonnage: 25 Equipment Internal Structure: Engine: Type: Cruise MP: Flank MP: Heat Sinks: Control Equipment: Lit Equipment: Power Amplier:

 Turret: Armor Factor:

160 ICE 12 18 (24) 0

Mass 2.5 12

0 1.5 2.5 0

Front R/L Side Rear Rotor Weapons and Ammo 2 Machine Guns Ammo (MG) 100 Communications Equipment VTOL Jet Booster VTOL Mast Mount Remote Sensor Dispenser

24 Armor  Value 8 5/5 4 2 Location Front Body Body Body Rotor Rear

0 1.5

Tonnage 1 .5 1 1.5 .5 .5

Notes: Features the ollowing Design Quirks: Dicult to Maintain.

KESTREL SCOUT vTOL Field Testing Summation: Kestrel scout variant Producer/Site: Blackwell, Outreach Supervising Technician: Unknown Project Start Date: 3030 Non-Production Equipment Analysis: VTOL Jet Booster ovv [ As my riend Benj amin Morriso n (o what is let o Wolnet) sent me various pieces o requested inormation on the Bufalo and  Starre , we got  talking about various other experimental Succession Wars-era designs. This is his recount o a specialized variant o a specialized helicopter. O course, the Dragoons are completely outside o the box in terms o lostech; they were, ater all, working rom a tech base that most Houses have yet to reach even today. –CA]

 Type: Kestrel Scout VTOL Movement Type: VTOL  Tonnage: 25 Equipment Internal Structure: Engine: Type: Cruise MP: Flank MP: Heat Sinks: Control Equipment: Lit Equipment: Power Amplier:

 Turret: Armor Factor:

160 ICE 12 18 (24) 0

Mass 2.5 12

0 1.5 2.5 0

Quite possibly the rarest VTOL variant in the Inner Sphere, the Kestrel Scout was developed by Blackwell Industries or use by Wol’s Dragoons’ Seventh Kommando and Special Recon Group. Intended to serve as a highly mobile and unseen reconnaissance platorm, only a handul o these vehicles was ever built beore the Dragoons’ reorganization olded the SRG into the new Home Guards.  The Kestrel Scout is ideally congured to gather inormation without being detected and relay it to riendly orces. It accomplishes this by incorporating a sophisticated camera system in a special mast mount above the main rotor assembly, enabling the crat to remain saely concealed behind hills or trees, to observe an area without being exposed to hostile re. In addition to th is, an at dispenser allows the Kestrel to “seed” a target zone with air-dropped remote sensors as it passes. The high-powered communications equipment carried within the helicopter itsel not only enables its crew to keep in touch with these remotes, but also oers superior ability to cut through most ambient ECM and report its ndings. O course, or any recon vehicle, speed is o critical importance. The design team was unable to increase the Kestrel’s thin armor shell without compromising its capabilities as a scout. Thus, they turned towards improving the pilot’s ability to escape and evade enemy re by installing turbojet rockets in the VTOL’s stubby wings. These jet boosters provided the Kestrel with enough short-term thrusts to achieve air speeds up to two hundred and sixty kilometers per hour, enough to outpace even the astest hover tanks o its day. All o these upgrades naturally came at a price. The large amount o  radio gear, racks or the remote sensors and the jet boosters combined to eliminate the Kestrel’s once-sizable troop compartment. Combined with its minimal armor and armament, this act—more than anything—limited the variant’s deployment in any mission not strictly ocused on gathering intelligence.

24 Armor  Value 8 5/5 4 2

Front R/L Side Rear Rotor Weapons and Ammo 2 Machine Guns Ammo (MG) 100 Communications Equipment VTOL Jet Booster VTOL Mast Mount Remote Sensor Dispenser

Location Front Body Body Body Rotor Rear

0 1.5

Tonnage 1 .5 1 1.5 .5 .5

Notes: Features the ollowing Design Quirks: Dicult to Maintain.

11

CONDOR hEavY hOvER TaNK (FISSION) Field Testing Summation: Condor ssion engine test bed Producer/Site: Unknown Supervising Technician: Unknown Project Start Date: Early thirty-rst century Non-Production Equipment Analysis: Sponson Turrets

[Even rom a less arcical standpoint, the ssion engine Condors’ ailure makes sense. As a power source whose development has stagnated or  centuries now, ssion engines rated or combat duty simply cannot perorm any better than a comparable internal combustion engine—while costing more than their high-tech usion equivalents. Even the Capellans reasoned  this one out in short order, and likely shelved the concept beore wasting any  urther efort on the olly o improving a dead technology . –CA]

ovv [Sometimes, even the tabloids get it right. The ollowing is an “inormational” clip taken rom Bild von Tharkad. Yes, the old tabloid  magazine. Humor me. A quick bit o research proved the essence o the articl e to be correct, although I’ve made a ew amendments or clarity’s sake. –CA]

 Type: Condor Heavy Hover Tank (Fission)  Technology Base: Inner Sphere (Experimental)  Tonnage: 50

In the early thirty-rst century, House Liao attempted to upgrade its Condor heavy hover tanks without tapping its dwindling reserves o usion plants. As usion engines remained desperately needed or BattleMechs and heavy tanks, the Capellan engineers took some old Condor husks and replaced their damaged combustion engines with mothballed ssion models. How they could possibly think this was a good idea is probably even beyond the abilities o today’s Capellans to explain, but it was a dierent time, those Succession Wars.

Equipment Internal Structure: Engine: Type: Cruise MP: Flank MP: Heat Sinks: Control Equipment: Lit Equipment: Power Amplier:

[Surprisingly insightul or  Bild von Tharkad , but they s oon return to their usual standards. The ollowing description is actually incorrect in its assumption that these modications were undertaken on standard Condor  bases. We believe instead that the ssion engine “upgrades” more likely tested  on the urban combat amer variants, which would have required ar less structural alteration. –CA]  To make up or the additional weight consumed the engine shielding, the Capellans decided to remove the Condor’s autocannon and replace it with a third medium laser. This choice, which traded tonnage or reach,

165 Fission 8 12 9

Mass 5 16

4 2.5 5 0

 Turret: Sponson Turrets: Armor Factor:

Front R/L Side Rear Turret Weapons and Ammo 3 Medium Lasers Machine Gun Vehicle Flamer Machine Gun Vehicle Flamer Ammo (MG) 200 Ammo (Flamer) 40

136 Armor  Value 40 25/25 21 25 Location Turret Right Sponson Right Sponson Let Sponson Let Sponson Body Body

.5 .5 8.5

Tonnage 3 .5 .5 .5 .5 1 2

Notes: Features the ollowing Design Quirks: Non-Standard Parts.

CONDOR hEavY hOvER TaNK (FISSION) Field Testing Summation: Condor ssion engine test bed Producer/Site: Unknown Supervising Technician: Unknown Project Start Date: Early thirty-rst century Non-Production Equipment Analysis: Sponson Turrets

[Even rom a less arcical standpoint, the ssion engine Condors’ ailure makes sense. As a power source whose development has stagnated or  centuries now, ssion engines rated or combat duty simply cannot perorm any better than a comparable internal combustion engine—while costing more than their high-tech usion equivalents. Even the Capellans reasoned  this one out in short order, and likely shelved the concept beore wasting any  urther efort on the olly o improving a dead technology . –CA]

ovv [Sometimes, even the tabloids get it right. The ollowing is an “inormational” clip taken rom Bild von Tharkad. Yes, the old tabloid  magazine. Humor me. A quick bit o research proved the essence o the articl e to be correct, although I’ve made a ew amendments or clarity’s sake. –CA]

 Type: Condor Heavy Hover Tank (Fission)  Technology Base: Inner Sphere (Experimental)  Tonnage: 50

In the early thirty-rst century, House Liao attempted to upgrade its Condor heavy hover tanks without tapping its dwindling reserves o usion plants. As usion engines remained desperately needed or BattleMechs and heavy tanks, the Capellan engineers took some old Condor husks and replaced their damaged combustion engines with mothballed ssion models. How they could possibly think this was a good idea is probably even beyond the abilities o today’s Capellans to explain, but it was a dierent time, those Succession Wars.

Equipment Internal Structure: Engine: Type: Cruise MP: Flank MP: Heat Sinks: Control Equipment: Lit Equipment: Power Amplier:

Mass 5 16

165 Fission 8 12 9

4 2.5 5 0

 Turret: Sponson Turrets: Armor Factor:

Front R/L Side Rear Turret Weapons and Ammo 3 Medium Lasers Machine Gun Vehicle Flamer Machine Gun Vehicle Flamer Ammo (MG) 200 Ammo (Flamer) 40

136 Armor  Value 40 25/25 21 25 Location Turret Right Sponson Right Sponson Let Sponson Let Sponson Body Body

.5 .5 8.5

Tonnage 3 .5 .5 .5 .5 1 2

Notes: Features the ollowing Design Quirks: Non-Standard Parts.

[Surprisingly insightul or  Bild von Tharkad , but they s oon return to their usual standards. The ollowing description is actually incorrect in its assumption that these modications were undertaken on standard Condor  bases. We believe instead that the ssion engine “upgrades” more likely tested  on the urban combat amer variants, which would have required ar less structural alteration. –CA]  To make up or the additional weight consumed the engine shielding, the Capellans decided to remove the Condor’s autocannon and replace it with a third medium laser. This choice, which traded tonnage or reach, demonstrated once again that the engineers had no idea what they were doing. Ater all, not only would this change orce their ragile hover tank  close in with its targets, the added heat sink needs would virtually oset the weight savings made possible by swapping the gun out in the rst place. [But then the Capellans have a history o modiying standard Condors with short-ranged lasers, so that’s not news. –CA] At this point someone with some brains must have chimed in, because they did decide to address protection with an additional two and a hal tons o armor and some additional anti-personnel weaponry. A vehicle famer and machine gun, one each mounted on side sponson turrets, gave this Condor better ability to deend itsel against inantry orces at point-blank  range—without distracting the main gunners at the same time. Still, even these last two additions did not stave o the inevitable ailure. The ew tanks that could be put together rom the old husks ran out o replacement ssion engines ater just a ew years in operation.

12

BUFFaLO DRONE BOMB Field Testing Summation: Low-tech deense solution Producer/Site: Various Supervising Technician: Field Technicians Project Start Date: N/A Non-Production Equipment Analysis: Booby Trap Supercharger ovv  The history o war are is littered with instances o civilian vehicles being turned into deadly booby traps or the opposing military. One inamous historic example o this is Anton Marik’s “kitchen sink” deense o New Delos. While the battle itsel was decided long beore it even started because o the discrepancy o skill and will between the combatants, transcripts recounting the decimation o Summer’s Company (a part o  Charlie Battalion, in Wol’s Dragoons’ Delta Regiment) were used in several media broadcasts ollowing the end o the rebellion, to emphasize the terror tactics Anton’s orces pursued as their desperation mounted. In the transcripts, elements o Summer’s Company were securing a convoy o rebel hovertanks, when several o the vehicles detonated.  The blasts were so intense that they vaporized the nearby Dragoons’ BattleMechs, briefy convincing the mercenaries that the rebels were employing tactical atomics against them. The company sustained heavy casualties and nearly routed in panic. Ater-action investigations revealed that the entire incident had been a trap. The vehicles in question were large Bualo hovercrat, operating under remote control and tted with packed with enough explosives to rival a tactical weapon’s orce—i not its area o eect. Many o these vehicles also carried tons o munitions such as surplus machine gun ammo or Inerno missiles specically to increase their devastating blasts. The use o these support vehicles as Trojan horses oered not only the highest destructive potential given their payload capacity, but virtually guaranteed

 Type: Bualo Chassis Type: Hover (Large) Mass: 100 tons Equipment Rating: D/X-F-F (Experimental) Equipment Chassis: Engine/Controls: Cruise MP: Flank MP: Heat Sinks: Fuel: Armor Factor (BAR 5):

Front Front R/L Side Rear R/L Side Rear

Electric (Fuel Cell) 5 8 (10) 0 1,702 km 93 Internal Structure 10 10 10 10

Weapons and Ammo Ammo (MG) 900

Mass 30 23.5

Crew: 0 (Drone) Cargo: 1 Container (10 tons)

Location Body

Mass 4.5

1 Door (Rear)

Notes: Features Booby Trap (10 tons), Drone (Remote) Operating System (10.5 tons), Supercharger (2.5 tons). 0 6 3 Armor  Value 18 15/15 15/15 15

BUFFaLO DRONE BOMB Field Testing Summation: Low-tech deense solution Producer/Site: Various Supervising Technician: Field Technicians Project Start Date: N/A Non-Production Equipment Analysis: Booby Trap Supercharger ovv  The history o war are is littered with instances o civilian vehicles being turned into deadly booby traps or the opposing military. One inamous historic example o this is Anton Marik’s “kitchen sink” deense o New Delos. While the battle itsel was decided long beore it even started because o the discrepancy o skill and will between the combatants, transcripts recounting the decimation o Summer’s Company (a part o  Charlie Battalion, in Wol’s Dragoons’ Delta Regiment) were used in several media broadcasts ollowing the end o the rebellion, to emphasize the terror tactics Anton’s orces pursued as their desperation mounted. In the transcripts, elements o Summer’s Company were securing a convoy o rebel hovertanks, when several o the vehicles detonated.  The blasts were so intense that they vaporized the nearby Dragoons’ BattleMechs, briefy convincing the mercenaries that the rebels were employing tactical atomics against them. The company sustained heavy casualties and nearly routed in panic. Ater-action investigations revealed that the entire incident had been a trap. The vehicles in question were large Bualo hovercrat, operating under remote control and tted with packed with enough explosives to rival a tactical weapon’s orce—i not its area o eect. Many o these vehicles also carried tons o munitions such as surplus machine gun ammo or Inerno missiles specically to increase their devastating blasts. The use o these support vehicles as Trojan horses oered not only the highest destructive potential given their payload capacity, but virtually guaranteed the enemy would get in close enough to suer damage, as the capture o  logistical vehicles was a key part o the loyalists’ strategy. In the recent Word o Blake Jihad, Bualos once again became the avored vessels or suicide bombers, likely inspired by tales rom the Marik  Civil War. During the battle or Terra, in act, many reports demonstrated Bualo drone hovertrucks that were equipped or ECCM work, with some sporting thicker, military-grade armor and even actual nuclear payloads. Fortunately, most drones are the work o a desperate orce already strapped or resources, and most have historically been jammed and rendered harmless by even the simplest o electronic countermeasures. While this does not negate the possibility o living suicide drivers make up or the lack o remote operations, modern technology at least oers some deense against this more insidious use o technology.

 Type: Bualo Chassis Type: Hover (Large) Mass: 100 tons Equipment Rating: D/X-F-F (Experimental) Equipment Chassis: Engine/Controls: Cruise MP: Flank MP: Heat Sinks: Fuel: Armor Factor (BAR 5):

Front Front R/L Side Rear R/L Side Rear

Electric (Fuel Cell) 5 8 (10) 0 1,702 km 93 Internal Structure 10 10 10 10

Weapons and Ammo Ammo (MG) 900

Mass 30 23.5

Location Body

Crew: 0 (Drone) Cargo: 1 Container (10 tons)

Mass 4.5

1 Door (Rear)

Notes: Features Booby Trap (10 tons), Drone (Remote) Operating System (10.5 tons), Supercharger (2.5 tons). 0 6 3 Armor  Value 18 15/15 15/15 15

13

 Şoarece Superheavy MBT  Field Testing Summation: House Marik limited production Producer/Site: Earthwerks-FWL Inc., Keystone Supervising Technician: Tavian Vladimirescu Project Start Date: 2881 Non-Production Equipment Analysis: Super-Heavy Vehicle ovv [Pulled this one rom some o my Marik associates. While the loss o  technology was a very real threat, it does seem ironic rather that this overspecialized design was chosen to combat it. –CA]

 The devastation o the Second Succession War let the Free Worlds League with a severe shortage o combat vehicle manuacturers. With the loss o Bainsville’s Vickers-Shellingord Armor Company, the FWLM lost its last reliable source o battle tanks and spelled the end o the Tiger medium tank. Worse, with the increasing loss o sophisticated engineering knowledge, some speculated that the ability to design and construct new BattleMechs could be lost within the next three or our generations, thus imperiling the realm’s entire deense. Knowing the FWLM needed a heavy-hitting armored vehicle to regain its edge, Captain-General Philippa Marik tasked Earthwerks Incorporated with developing a new combat vehicle both less sophisticated and more survivable than a BattleMech. The ideal vehicle would also need to be capable o rapid mass-production, to ll out the League’s thinning military ranks and boost its deenses as quickly as possible. Initial design goals called or a vehicle with twice the rontal armor o any existing design, able to handle all-types o terrain, and built around a non-usion engine. The original prototype, dubbed Soarecar (in honor o Helios’ chariot), was a mundane vehicle sporting a pair o class ve autocannons. While its armor protection was stellar, this tank still ell well short o the BattleMech-level repower and durability the LCCC demanded.

 Type: Şoarece Superheavy MBT  Technology Base: Inner Sphere (Experimental) Movement Type: Tracked  Tonnage: 175 Equipment Internal Structure: Engine: Type: Cruise MP: Flank MP: Heat Sinks: Control Equipment: Lit Equipment: Power Amplier:  Turret: Armor Factor:

Front R/L Front Side R/L Rear Side Rear Turret

350 Fuel Cell 2 3 1

648 Armor  Value 110 92/92 92/92 60 110

Mass 35 7.5

0 9 0 0 4.5 40.5

Weapons and Ammo Location AC/20 Turret Ammo (AC/20) 30 Body AC/10 Turret Ammo (AC/10) 30 Body AC/2 Turret Ammo (AC/2) 90 Body Machine Gun Front Ammo (MG) 200 Body Limited Amphibious Equipment —

Tonnage 14 6 12 3 6 2 .5 1 7

Notes: Features the ollowing Design Quirks: Accurate Weapon (AC/2), Dicult to Maintain, Non-Standard Parts, Obsolete/2915, Poor Perormance.

 Şoarece Superheavy MBT  Field Testing Summation: House Marik limited production Producer/Site: Earthwerks-FWL Inc., Keystone Supervising Technician: Tavian Vladimirescu Project Start Date: 2881 Non-Production Equipment Analysis: Super-Heavy Vehicle

 Type: Şoarece Superheavy MBT  Technology Base: Inner Sphere (Experimental) Movement Type: Tracked  Tonnage: 175

ovv [Pulled this one rom some o my Marik associates. While the loss o  technology was a very real threat, it does seem ironic rather that this overspecialized design was chosen to combat it. –CA]

 The devastation o the Second Succession War let the Free Worlds League with a severe shortage o combat vehicle manuacturers. With the loss o Bainsville’s Vickers-Shellingord Armor Company, the FWLM lost its last reliable source o battle tanks and spelled the end o the Tiger medium tank. Worse, with the increasing loss o sophisticated engineering knowledge, some speculated that the ability to design and construct new BattleMechs could be lost within the next three or our generations, thus imperiling the realm’s entire deense. Knowing the FWLM needed a heavy-hitting armored vehicle to regain its edge, Captain-General Philippa Marik tasked Earthwerks Incorporated with developing a new combat vehicle both less sophisticated and more survivable than a BattleMech. The ideal vehicle would also need to be capable o rapid mass-production, to ll out the League’s thinning military ranks and boost its deenses as quickly as possible. Initial design goals called or a vehicle with twice the rontal armor o any existing design, able to handle all-types o terrain, and built around a non-usion engine. The original prototype, dubbed Soarecar (in honor o Helios’ chariot), was a mundane vehicle sporting a pair o class ve autocannons. While its armor protection was stellar, this tank still ell well short o the BattleMech-level repower and durability the LCCC demanded. For the next two decades, Earthwerks repeatedly reworked its designs to meet the increasingly impossible demands o the League’s procurement oce, each time increasing the vehicle’s weight. The nal design—unveiled at last in 2904—was gargantuan, so much so that the Romanian-speaking designers had long since abandoned its original name or “Şoarece” (mouse), as an ironic pun. Built around a specially developed, battleeld-grade uel cell en gine, the Şoarece eatured three classes o autocannons in its turret, including an Imperator Zeta to shatter the limbs o enemy ’Mechs and a Smoothie-2 or anti-aircrat work. Though its ground speed was slow, the vehicle was placed into limited production to ll the desperate need or heavy armor. Little over a hundred had been built by the time House Marik nally captured Shiro III, home o Grumman Amalgamated. With the capture o  the actory that still produced the venerable (and, ultimately, ar superior) Ontos tank, orders or the Şoarece plummeted. A ew years later, production o the superheavy vehicle was nally cancelled.

Equipment Internal Structure: Engine: Type: Cruise MP: Flank MP: Heat Sinks: Control Equipment: Lit Equipment: Power Amplier:  Turret: Armor Factor:

Mass 35 7.5

350 Fuel Cell 2 3 1

0 9 0 0 4.5 40.5

648 Armor  Value 110 92/92 92/92 60 110

Front R/L Front Side R/L Rear Side Rear Turret

14

 SF-1X STaRFIRE Field Testing Summation: Experimental airrame Producer/Site: Banzai Weapons Design Company, New Avalon Supervising Technician: Dr. B. Banzai Project Start Date: 3028 Non-Production Equipment Analysis: Prototype Ultra Autocannon/5 Prototype Ferro-Aluminum Armor ovv  The discovery o the Helm Memory Core was, o course, the watershed event that sparked the Inner Sphere’s technological renaissance. Though other discoveries and research were gradually dragging us out o the technology dark age o the Succession Wars were being made, the so-called Gray Death Core kicked this recovery into overdrive, especially in the military elds. With manuacturing still limited by centuries o decline, the rst beneciaries o this revival were, naturally, the older and proven machines that still remained on the modern battleeld. Newly developed machines, in the meantime, ound use as test beds, and survived more oten than not only in a niche role.  The Starre is an example o these test beds. As basic as its airrame is when reviewed today, the crat was groundbreaking or being one o the rst new designs o its day—albeit one devised specically or testing. Wolnet reached this same u nderstanding when they included the ghter in their update o ComStar’s original 3026 Technical Readout . The ollowing was Wolnet’s abstract:

 The Starre was an early upgraded technology project o  the NAIS, ollowing the dissemination o the Gray Death Memory Core. Based on th e Star League’s Hellcat II rame, the newly created Starre was the aviation research project running alongside the development o the  Axman and Caesar  BattleMechs. Unlike the

Starres were still reportedly fying even during the occupation o the FedSuns capital. O course, by then, with their production lines long destroyed and technology advanced well beyond th eir capabilities, these ghters had become relics o a bygone age.  Type: Starfre  Technology Base: Inner Sphere (Experimental)  Tonnage: 55 Equipment Engine: Sae Thrust: Max Thrust: Structural Integrity: Heat Sinks: Fuel: 400 Cockpit: Armor Factor (Ferro):

Nose Wings At

Mass 15.5

275 7 11 7 20

10 5

125 Armor  Value 42 31/31 21

3 7

Weapons and Ammo Location AC/20 Turret Ammo (AC/20) 30 Body AC/10 Turret Ammo (AC/10) 30 Body AC/2 Turret Ammo (AC/2) 90 Body Machine Gun Front Ammo (MG) 200 Body Limited Amphibious Equipment —

Tonnage 14 6 12 3 6 2 .5 1 7

Notes: Features the ollowing Design Quirks: Accurate Weapon (AC/2), Dicult to Maintain, Non-Standard Parts, Obsolete/2915, Poor Perormance.

 SF-1X STaRFIRE Field Testing Summation: Experimental airrame Producer/Site: Banzai Weapons Design Company, New Avalon Supervising Technician: Dr. B. Banzai Project Start Date: 3028 Non-Production Equipment Analysis: Prototype Ultra Autocannon/5 Prototype Ferro-Aluminum Armor ovv  The discovery o the Helm Memory Core was, o course, the watershed event that sparked the Inner Sphere’s technological renaissance. Though other discoveries and research were gradually dragging us out o the technology dark age o the Succession Wars were being made, the so-called Gray Death Core kicked this recovery into overdrive, especially in the military elds. With manuacturing still limited by centuries o decline, the rst beneciaries o this revival were, naturally, the older and proven machines that still remained on the modern battleeld. Newly developed machines, in the meantime, ound use as test beds, and survived more oten than not only in a niche role.  The Starre is an example o these test beds. As basic as its airrame is when reviewed today, the crat was groundbreaking or being one o the rst new designs o its day—albeit one devised specically or testing. Wolnet reached this same u nderstanding when they included the ghter in their update o ComStar’s original 3026 Technical Readout . The ollowing was Wolnet’s abstract:

Starres were still reportedly fying even during the occupation o the FedSuns capital. O course, by then, with their production lines long destroyed and technology advanced well beyond th eir capabilities, these ghters had become relics o a bygone age.  Type: Starfre  Technology Base: Inner Sphere (Experimental)  Tonnage: 55 Equipment Engine: Sae Thrust: Max Thrust: Structural Integrity: Heat Sinks: Fuel: 400 Cockpit: Armor Factor (Ferro):

Nose Wings At

Mass 15.5

275 7 11 7 20

10 5 3 7

125 Armor  Value 42 31/31 21

 The Starre was an early upgraded technology project o  the NAIS, ollowing the dissemination o the Gray Death Memory Core. Based on th e Star League’s Hellcat II rame, the newly created Starre was the aviation research project running alongside the development o the  Axman and Caesar  BattleMechs. Unlike the ’Mechs, the aerospace ghter never saw widespread deployment, as its construction was archaic and did not oer advantages over line units. It was, however, an exemplary testbed, and easily modied to trial a slew o new weapons, armor and heat sink  systems.  The Starre was exemplary, but I nd it interesting that Wolnet’s coverage shows discrepancies. In their 3050 Inner Sphere brie, they noted that the ghter reached actual production, while the TR 3026 revision essentially called it a stillborn concept. As always, the truth is somewhere in the middle: while most rediscovered Star League weapons were tested on the Starre, the Ultra autocannon was o most interest (in typical Davion ashion). While the initial Starres were hand-built custom crat, each with a dierent payload, the SF-1X that eatured the Ultra AC/5 entered limited production until the mid-3040s. Most o  these ultimately appeared in the ranks o the NAIS Training Cadre. While the prototype eatured in the NAIS museum did not survive the Word o Blake’s New Avalon rampage, a ew o the Cadre’s

Weapons and Ammo Prototype Ultra AC/5 Ammo (UAC-P) 20 2 Medium Lasers 2 Medium Lasers Small Laser

Location Nose — RW LW At

Tonnage 9 1 2 2 .5

Heat 2

SRV 7

MRV 7

LRV 7

ERV —

3 3 —

5 5 —

— — —

— — —

— — —

Notes: Features the ollowing Design Quirks: Atmospheric Flyer, Modular Weapons, Obsolete/3045.

15

TSURU vIP aIRCRaFT  Field Testing Summation: Military VIP Transport Producer/Site: Wakazashi Enterprises, Kervil Supervising Technician: Unknown Project Start Date: 3021 Non-Production Equipment Analysis: Cha Pods ovv  The details on this one come through some corporate contacts at Avanti Industries. When their highly luxurious Zanadu Air Bus debuted in 3004, it spawned a number o imitators rom rival states. One o the more successul copies was Wakazashi Enterprises’ Graceul Crane, which rst appeared in 3007. While a mere luxury airliner is not remarkable, this special VIP variant did catch some interest. Soon ater Vasily Cherenko was promoted to Warlord o the Dieron Military District, Wakazashi received orders to create a new military transport specically or his use. The brie stated that the warlord required a swit aircrat, capable o carrying himsel and his senior sta saely, yet with the luxury aorded by one o his rank. Working rom an existing airrame to ensure a speedy delivery, Wakazashi set about modiying the Graceul Crane. Deciding to use a more traditional name, the Tsuru (Japanese or crane) was the result. Its structure was heavily reinorced, allow it to mount the strongest possible armor, which was thickened to maximum tolerances. Three tons o military grade communications equipment was installed, so the warlord could be kept abreast o all developments even in fight, and enabling the aircrat to serve as a basic headquarters unit i  necessary. In a pinch, the comms gear could also be used to project an ECCM eld around the aircrat, to combat hostile electronic warare. For the Tsuru’s passengers, the Graceul Crane’s lavish ttings were retained, and even enhanced with the addition o purpose -

 Type: Tsuru Chassis Type: Fixed Wing (Medium) Mass: 100 tons Equipment Rating: D/X-E-E (Experimental) Equipment Chassis: Engine/Controls: Sae Thrust: Max Thrust: Structural Integrity: Heat Sinks: Fuel: Armor Factor (BAR 10):

Nose Wings At

Fusion 5 8 5 0 400 103 Armor  Value 24 24/24 31

Weapons and Ammo None

Mass 22.5 29

0 8 6.5

Crew: 6 (1 ocer, 5 enlisted/non-rated) Cargo: 15 tons standard 1 Door (At) Notes: Features Armored and STOL Chassis Modications, 4 Cha Pods (4 tons, RW/LW/2 At), Communications Equipment (3 tons), 6 crew and 14 passenger ejection seats (2 tons), 1 rst-class quarters (10 tons).

TSURU vIP aIRCRaFT  Field Testing Summation: Military VIP Transport Producer/Site: Wakazashi Enterprises, Kervil Supervising Technician: Unknown Project Start Date: 3021 Non-Production Equipment Analysis: Cha Pods

 Type: Tsuru Chassis Type: Fixed Wing (Medium) Mass: 100 tons Equipment Rating: D/X-E-E (Experimental)

ovv  The details on this one come through some corporate contacts at Avanti Industries. When their highly luxurious Zanadu Air Bus debuted in 3004, it spawned a number o imitators rom rival states. One o the more successul copies was Wakazashi Enterprises’ Graceul Crane, which rst appeared in 3007. While a mere luxury airliner is not remarkable, this special VIP variant did catch some interest. Soon ater Vasily Cherenko was promoted to Warlord o the Dieron Military District, Wakazashi received orders to create a new military transport specically or his use. The brie stated that the warlord required a swit aircrat, capable o carrying himsel and his senior sta saely, yet with the luxury aorded by one o his rank. Working rom an existing airrame to ensure a speedy delivery, Wakazashi set about modiying the Graceul Crane. Deciding to use a more traditional name, the Tsuru (Japanese or crane) was the result. Its structure was heavily reinorced, allow it to mount the strongest possible armor, which was thickened to maximum tolerances. Three tons o military grade communications equipment was installed, so the warlord could be kept abreast o all developments even in fight, and enabling the aircrat to serve as a basic headquarters unit i  necessary. In a pinch, the comms gear could also be used to project an ECCM eld around the aircrat, to combat hostile electronic warare. For the Tsuru’s passengers, the Graceul Crane’s lavish ttings were retained, and even enhanced with the addition o purpose built luxury quarters catering to the warlord’s every whim. As a urther saety measure, ejection seats were provided or all the passengers and crew. (Lurid rumors suggest that Cherenko  required an extra large seat built to accommodate his bulk, but no proo o this has ever arisen.) To ensure the warlords saety even upon landing, the cargo bay was expanded to hold a variety o armored limousines, so Cherenko could transit rom his air transport to his motorcade without exposing himsel to sniper re.  The Tsuru’s inal eatur e is its most intrigu ing. Taking precautions to the extreme, Wakazashi installed primitive cha  pods in the aircrat’s wings and at quarters o. Though the technology had existed since the earliest days o powered fight in one orm or another, these pods had become a rarity by the thirtyrst century, thanks to continual advances in missile targeting technology. Nevertheless, Wakazashi thought included them as a “spare no expense” measure to guarantee Cherenko’s approval.  The decision clearly paid o; pleas ed with the resulting design, Cherenko requested only one nal touch, and ordered his Tsuru painted red, to match the color o his  Atlas.

Equipment Chassis: Engine/Controls: Sae Thrust: Max Thrust: Structural Integrity: Heat Sinks: Fuel: Armor Factor (BAR 10):

Nose Wings At

Fusion 5 8 5 0 400 103 Armor  Value 24 24/24 31

Weapons and Ammo None

Mass 22.5 29

Crew: 6 (1 ocer, 5 enlisted/non-rated) Cargo: 15 tons standard 1 Door (At) Notes: Features Armored and STOL Chassis Modications, 4 Cha Pods (4 tons, RW/LW/2 At), Communications Equipment (3 tons), 6 crew and 14 passenger ejection seats (2 tons), 1 rst-class quarters (10 tons).

0 8 6.5

16

GaME RULES 

dgn Qu Every prototype and primitive unit described in this Experimental Technical Readout has one or more listed positive and/or negative Design Quirks (see p. 193, SO). These quirks are included to give each design a unique favor based upon its history and use in the post Star League era known as the Succession Wars. Use o these quirks is optional and should be agreed upon by all players beore play begins. Pyp impv Jump J  The concept o the improved-range jump jet technology nally reached ruition in the late 3060s, but had previously been attempted at various stages o Succession Wars history. The most amous near-breakthrough was House Davion’s experiments on Ho in the early 3020s. While prototype improved jump jets were lighter and smaller than their modern incarnations, they ran hotter and were prone to exploding when damaged. Ater the project’s destruction in the midst o the Wol’s Dragoons’ raid on Ho, urther development was halted. Compared to the old system, modern improved jump jets eature additional shielding and cooling circuits, making them bulkier an d heavier, but ultimately saer and much more reliable. Prototype improved jump jets have identical construction and game rules as standard jump jets (see p. 225, TM), but—like modern improved  jump jets—the oer a maximum Jump MP equal to the ’Mech’s maximum Running MP. Heat generated by these jets is also doubled, at 2 heat points per hex jumped, with a minimum cost o 6 heat points.  To refect the volatility o these experimental jets, a critical hit to a prototype improved jump jet destroys the extra capacitor banks powering the electron beam emitters used to ignite the jets. This results in a catastrophic discharge o the capacitor’s stored energy that is identical to a 10-point internal ammunition explosion in the location containing the jet.

Primitive Chaff Pods Cha is one o the earliest orms o electronic countermeasures in modern warare. Though the technology is rarely used, its eectiveness has been updated just as requently as has most modern electronic warare technology.  To represent this parity o technological advances, primitive cha pods work identically to standard cha pods (see p. 299, TO) both in terms o game play and construction.

Prototype Ferro-Aluminum Armor  The aerospace ghter equivalent o early erro-brous armor, prototype erro-aluminum armor takes up 1 slot in the ghter’s wings and at or a total o 3 slots (see p. 192, TM).

GaME RULES 

dgn Qu Every prototype and primitive unit described in this Experimental Technical Readout has one or more listed positive and/or negative Design Quirks (see p. 193, SO). These quirks are included to give each design a unique favor based upon its history and use in the post Star League era known as the Succession Wars. Use o these quirks is optional and should be agreed upon by all players beore play begins. Pyp impv Jump J  The concept o the improved-range jump jet technology nally reached ruition in the late 3060s, but had previously been attempted at various stages o Succession Wars history. The most amous near-breakthrough was House Davion’s experiments on Ho in the early 3020s. While prototype improved jump jets were lighter and smaller than their modern incarnations, they ran hotter and were prone to exploding when damaged. Ater the project’s destruction in the midst o the Wol’s Dragoons’ raid on Ho, urther development was halted. Compared to the old system, modern improved jump jets eature additional shielding and cooling circuits, making them bulkier an d heavier, but ultimately saer and much more reliable. Prototype improved jump jets have identical construction and game rules as standard jump jets (see p. 225, TM), but—like modern improved  jump jets—the oer a maximum Jump MP equal to the ’Mech’s maximum Running MP. Heat generated by these jets is also doubled, at 2 heat points per hex jumped, with a minimum cost o 6 heat points.  To refect the volatility o these experimental jets, a critical hit to a prototype improved jump jet destroys the extra capacitor banks powering the electron beam emitters used to ignite the jets. This results in a catastrophic discharge o the capacitor’s stored energy that is identical to a 10-point internal ammunition explosion in the location containing the jet.

Primitive Chaff Pods Cha is one o the earliest orms o electronic countermeasures in modern warare. Though the technology is rarely used, its eectiveness has been updated just as requently as has most modern electronic warare technology.  To represent this parity o technological advances, primitive cha pods work identically to standard cha pods (see p. 299, TO) both in terms o game play and construction.

Prototype Ferro-Aluminum Armor  The aerospace ghter equivalent o early erro-brous armor, prototype erro-aluminum armor takes up 1 slot in the ghter’s wings and at or a total o 3 slots (see p. 192, TM).

17

(2) (1)

(1)

Flea FLE-14 15

Inner Sphere

9 14 4

1

Medium Laser

Era:

RA

3

5 [DE]

(Experimental) Star League

—

3

6

9 (1)

(3)

(2)

(1)

(2) (1)

(2) (1)

(1)

Flea FLE-14 15

Inner Sphere

9 14 4

1

Medium Laser

Era:

RA

3

5 [DE]

(Experimental) Star League

—

3

6

9 (1)

(1)

(3)

(2)

(2) (1)

(1)

Shoulder Upper Arm Actuator Heat Sink  Roll Again Roll Again Roll Again Roll Again Roll Again Roll Again Roll Again Roll Again Roll Again

Heat Sink  Heat Sink  Roll Again Roll Again Roll Again Roll Again

2012

Life Support Sensors Cockpit Roll Again Sensors Life Support

Fusion Engine Fusion Engine Fusion Engine Gyro Gyro Gyro Gyro Fusion Engine Fusion Engine Fusion Engine Roll Again Roll Again

(4)

Shoulder Upper Arm Actuator Medium Laser Roll Again Roll Again Roll Again Roll Again Roll Again Roll Again Roll Again Roll Again Roll Again

Roll Again

Roll Again

Roll Again Roll Again Roll Again Roll Again Roll Again

Roll Again Roll Again Roll Again Roll Again Roll Again

Hip Upper Leg Actuator Lower Leg Actuator Foot Actuator Jump Jet Jump Jet

Hip Upper Leg Actuator Lower Leg Actuator Foot Actuator Jump Jet Jump Jet

(4)

(2)

(2)

(5)

(3) Heat Sink  Heat Sink  Roll Again Roll Again Roll Again Roll Again

(1)

(3)

10 (10) Single

(6) (7)

(7)

Super-Wasp WSP-2A-X 25

Inner Sphere

6 9 [12] 6

2 1

Medium Laser SRM 2

RA LL

(Experimental) Era:

3 2

5 [DE] 2/Msl

[M,C,S]

Succession Wars

— —

3 3

6 6

9 9 (6)

(6)

(10)

(7)

(7) (4)

(2)

Shoulder Upper Arm Actuator Lower Arm Actuator Hand Actuator Roll Again Roll Again Roll Again Roll Again Roll Again Roll Again Roll Again Roll Again

Heat Sink  Heat Sink  Jump Jet Jump Jet Ammo (SRM 2) 50 Roll Again

2012

Life Support Sensors Cockpit Roll Again Sensors Life Support

Fusion Engine Fusion Engine Fusion Engine Gyro Gyro Gyro Gyro Fusion Engine Fusion Engine Fusion Engine Supercharger Roll Again

(6)

Shoulder Upper Arm Actuator Lower Arm Actuator Medium Laser Medium Laser Roll Again Roll Again Roll Again Roll Again Roll Again Roll Again Roll Again

Roll Again

Roll Again

Roll Again Roll Again Roll Again Roll Again Roll Again

Roll Again Roll Again Roll Again Roll Again Roll Again

Hip Upper Leg Actuator Lower Leg Actuator Foot Actuator Jump Jet SRM 2

Hip Upper Leg Actuator Lower Leg Actuator Foot Actuator Jump Jet Roll Again

(6)

(4)

(4)

(8)

(6) Heat Sink  Heat Sink  Jump Jet Jump Jet Roll Again Roll Again

(2)

(6)

10 (10) Single

(9) (22)

(22)

Super-Griffin GRF-2N-X 60

Inner Sphere

4 6 6

(Experimental) Era:

1 1

Small Laser L RM 10

CT RT

1 4

1 1

PPC Medium Laser

RA LA

10 3

3 [DE] 1/Msl

[M,C,S] 10 [DE] 5 [DE]

Succession Wars

— 6

1 7

2 14

3 21

3 —

6 3

12 6

18 9

(14)

(14)

(24)

(18)

(18) (7)

(6)

Shoulder Upper Arm Actuator Lower Arm Actuator Hand Actuator Medium Laser Roll Again Roll Again Roll Again Roll Again Roll Again Roll Again Roll Again

Double Double Double Double Double Double

2012

Heat Heat Heat Heat Heat Heat

Life Support Sensors Cockpit Heat Sink  Sensors Life Support

Fusion Engine Fusion Engine Fusion Engine Gyro Gyro Gyro

Sink  Sink  Sink  Sink  Sink  Sink 

Gyro Fusion Engine Fusion Engine Fusion Engine Small Laser Roll Again

(14)

Shoulder Upper Arm Actuator Lower Arm Actuator Hand Actuator Double Heat Sink  Double Heat Sink  Double Heat Sink  PPC PPC PPC Roll Again Roll Again

Double Heat Sink 

LRM 10

Double Heat Sink  Double Heat Sink  Jump Jet Jump Jet Jump Jet

LRM 10 Ammo (LRM 10) 12 Ammo (LRM 10) 12 Roll Again Roll Again

Hip Upper Leg Actuator Lower Leg Actuator Foot Actuator Roll Again Roll Again

Hip Upper Leg Actuator Lower Leg Actuator Foot Actuator Roll Again Roll Again

(14)

(10)

(10)

(20)

(14) Double Heat Sink  Double Heat Sink  Double Heat Sink  Jump Jet Jump Jet Jump Jet

(6)

(14)

15 (20) Double

(9) (16)

(16)

Cataphract CTF-0X 70

Inner Sphere

4 6

1 1 1 1 1 1

Remote Sensor Dispenser(R)

AC/5 Electronic Warfare Equipment

Medium Laser PPC Medium Laser

(Experimental) Era:

CT RT

— 1

LT RA RA LA

— 3 10 3

[E] 5

[DB,S] [E] 5 [DE] 10 [DE] 5 [DE]

Succession Wars

— 3

— 6

— 12

— 18

— — 3 —

— 3 6 3

— 6 12 6

6 9 18 9

(22)

(22)

(26)

(22)

(22) (9)

(6)

Shoulder Upper Arm Actuator Lower Arm Actuator Hand Actuator Medium Laser Roll Again Roll Again Roll Again Roll Again Roll Again Roll Again Roll Again

Fusion Engine Fusion Engine Fusion Engine Gyro Gyro Gyro Gyro Fusion Engine Fusion Engine Fusion Engine

Medium Laser Roll Again Roll Again Roll Again Roll Again Roll Again

Roll Again

Roll Again

Roll Again Roll Again Roll Again Roll Again Roll Again

Roll Again Roll Again Roll Again Roll Again Roll Again

Hip Upper Leg Actuator Lower Leg Actuator Foot Actuator Heat Sink  Roll Again

Hip Upper Leg Actuator Lower Leg Actuator Foot Actuator Heat Sink  Roll Again

Roll Again

(15)

(11)

(11)

(22)

(15)

Roll Again Roll Again

Electronic Warfare Equipment

Remote Sensor Dispenser (R)

(15)

Shoulder Upper Arm Actuator Lower Arm Actuator PPC PPC PPC

AC/5 AC/5 AC/5 AC/5 Ammo (AC/5) 20 Roll Again

Electronic Warfare Equipment Electronic Warfare Equipment Electronic Warfare Equipment

2012

Life Support Sensors Cockpit Heat Sink  Sensors Life Support

(6)

(15)

14 (14) Single

(9) (23)

(23)

Marauder MAD-4X 75

Inner Sphere

4 6

(Experimental) Era:

1

SRM 6

RT

4

1

SRM 6

LT

4

1 1

Blazer Cannon Blazer Cannon

RA LA

16 16

Succession Wars

2/Msl

—

3

6

9

2/Msl

—

3

6

9

[M,C,S] [M,C,S] 12 [DE] 12 [DE]

— —

5 5

10 10

(22)

(22)

(35)

15 15

(20)

(20) (10)

(8)

Shoulder Upper Arm Actuator Lower Arm Actuator Double Heat Sink  Double Heat Sink  Double Heat Sink  Blazer Cannon Blazer Cannon Blazer Cannon Blazer Cannon Endo Steel Prototype Endo Steel Prototype

Double Double Double Double Double Double

2012

Heat Heat Heat Heat Heat Heat

Sink  Sink  Sink  Sink  Sink  Sink 

Life Support Sensors Cockpit Roll Again Sensors Life Support

Fusion Engine Fusion Engine Fusion Engine Gyro Gyro Gyro Gyro Fusion Engine Fusion Engine Fusion Engine Endo Steel Prototype Endo Steel Prototype

(16)

Shoulder Upper Arm Actuator Lower Arm Actuator Double Heat Sink  Double Heat Sink  Double Heat Sink  Blazer Cannon Blazer Cannon Blazer Cannon Blazer Cannon Endo Steel Prototype Endo Steel Prototype

SRM 6

SRM 6

SRM 6 Ammo (SRM 6) 15 Endo Steel Prototype Endo Steel Prototype Endo Steel Prototype

SRM 6 Ammo (SRM 6) 15 Endo Steel Prototype Endo Steel Prototype Endo Steel Prototype

Hip Upper Leg Actuator Lower Leg Actuator Foot Actuator Endo Steel Prototype Endo Steel Prototype

Hip Upper Leg Actuator Lower Leg Actuator Foot Actuator Endo Steel Prototype Endo Steel Prototype

(16)

(12)

(12)

(23)

(16) Double Heat Sink  Double Heat Sink  Double Heat Sink  Double Heat Sink  Double Heat Sink  Double Heat Sink 

(8)

(16)

18 (24) Double

(9) (18)

(18)

Zeus ZEU-6Y 80

Inner Sphere

4 6

(Experimental) Era:

Succession Wars

1 1

Blazer Cannon LRM 10

RT RA

16 4

12 [DE] 1/Msl

— 6

5 7

10 14

15 21

1

AC/5

LA

1

5

3

6

12

18

[M,C,S] [DB,S]

(22)

(22)

(26)

(24)

(24) (9)

(6)

Shoulder Upper Arm Actuator Lower Arm Actuator AC/5 AC/5 AC/5 AC/5 Ammo (AC/5) 20 Roll Again Roll Again Roll Again Roll Again

Heat Sink  Heat Sink  Heat Sink  Heat Sink  Heat Sink  Roll Again

2012

Life Support Sensors Cockpit Roll Again Sensors Life Support

Fusion Engine Fusion Engine Fusion Engine Gyro Gyro Gyro Gyro Fusion Engine Fusion Engine Fusion Engine Roll Again Roll Again

(17)

Shoulder Upper Arm Actuator Lower Arm Actuator LRM 10 LRM 10 Roll Again Roll Again Roll Again Roll Again Roll Again Roll Again Roll Again

Roll Again

Roll Again

Roll Again Roll Again Roll Again Roll Again Roll Again

Roll Again Roll Again Roll Again Roll Again Roll Again

Hip Upper Leg Actuator Lower Leg Actuator Foot Actuator Roll Again Roll Again

Hip Upper Leg Actuator Lower Leg Actuator Foot Actuator Roll Again Roll Again

(17)

(13)

(13)

(25)

(17) Blazer Cannon Blazer Cannon Blazer Cannon Blazer Cannon Ammo (LRM 10) 12 Roll Again

(6)

(17)

17 (17) Single

(9)

OO O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O

(Industrial)

Kiso K-3N-KRHQ CommandMech 100

Inner Sphere

2 Era:

0

2 1 1 1 2

Lift Hoist Machine Gun

CT RT LT LT LT

— — — — 0

1

Machine Gun(R)

LT

0

2 2 2 2

Mounted Searchlight FRL Mounted Searchlight FLL Mounted Searchlight(R) RRL Mounted Searchlight(R) RLL

Cargo Container (10 tons) Collapsible Command Module Communications Equipment (3 ton)

OO OO O OO O OO O OO O OO O OO O OO O OO O OO O OO O

(Experimental)

3

— — — —

[E] [E] [E] [E]

Succession Wars

2

— — — — —

— — — — 1

— — — — 2

— — — — 3

2

—

1

2

3

— — — —

— — — —

— — — —

170 170 170 170

[DB,AI] [DB,AI] [E] [E] [E] [E]

OOOO OOO OO O

O O O

O O O

O O

O O

(22)

O O O

O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O OO OO O O OO OO O O OO OO O O (23) OO OO O O OO OO O O OO OO O O OO OO O O OO O OO O OOO OOO

(32) (32) O O O

O O O O

O O O

O O

(14)

O

O O O O

O O O

O O

O

(22) OO OO O OO O OO O OO O OO O OO O OO O OO O OO O OO O

(32) O

O

BV: 940

OO O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O

O

O

O O

O O O

(32) O O O O

O

O O O O

O

O

O

(14) (16)

Hip Upper Leg Lower Leg Foot Mounted Searchlight Mounted Searchlight

Heat Sink  Heat Sink  Machine Gun Machine Gun Machine Gun (R) Ammo (Machine Gun) 100 Communications Equipment (3 ton) Communications Equipment (3 ton) Communications Equipment (3 ton)

Life Support Sensors Command Console Command Console Sensors Life Support

Fusion Engine Fusion Engine Fusion Engine Gyro Gyro Gyro Gyro Fusion Engine Fusion Engine Fusion Engine Cargo Container (10 tons) Cargo Container (10 tons)

(21) Hip Upper Leg Lower Leg Foot Mounted Searchlight Mounted Searchlight

Collapsible Command Module Collapsible Command Module Collapsible Command Module Collapsible Command Module Collapsible Command Module Collapsible Command Module Collapsible Command Module Collapsible Command Module Collapsible Command Module

Lift Hoist Lift Hoist Lift Hoist

Collapsible Command Module Collapsible Command Module

Hip Upper Leg Lower Leg Foot Mounted Searchlight (R) Mounted Searchlight (R)

Hip Upper Leg Lower Leg Foot Mounted Searchlight (R) Mounted Searchlight (R)

2012

Collapsible Command Module

(21)

(21)

OOOO OOOO OOOO OOOO OOOO

O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O

O O O

OOOO OOOO OOOO OOOO OOOO

OOOO OOOO OOOO OOOO OOOO OOOO O OOOO O OOO O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O (31) O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O

O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O

(21)

(21)

(21)

10 (10) Single O O O O O O O O O O

(30)

O

O

O

O

O O O O O

O O

J. Edgar Light Hover Tank (Cell) Inner Sphere (Experimental)

17

Era:

Hover

Succession Wars

O O O O O

O O

O O O

O

O O

O O O

O O

O O O O

O O

O O

O O

O

(19)

Fuel Cell Engine

O

O O O O

25 11

O

O O O O O

O

(24)

O O

O O 1

Light Rifle

T

2

Machine Gun

T

3

— 4

8

12

2

— 1

2

3

[DB,S] [DB,AI]

O

O

O O O O

O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O

Ammo: (Light Rifle) 18, (Machine Gun) 100

2012

2012

O O O O O

O O O O

(19)

O O O

O O O

(12)

O O O

(8) OOOOO OOO O OO OO

Kestrel Scout VTOL

O OO OO

25 12

Inner Sphere (Experimental)

18 [24] I.C.E.

Era:

(2) O

O

Succession Wars

(5) 1 1 2

Communications Equipment (1 ton)

1 1

Remote Sensor Dispenser

VTOL Jet Booster Machine Gun

BD BD FR

[ E] [E] 2

— — —

— — 1

— — 2

— — 3

— —

— —

— —

— —

[DB,AI]

Mast Mount

RR RO

[E] [E]

O O O O

(4) Ammo: (Machine Gun) 100, (Remote Sensors) 30

2012

2012

(5)

(40)

O

O O

Condor Heavy Hover Tank (Fission)

Era:

Hover

O O

Machine Gun

1 1

Sponson Turret Vehicle Flamer

1

Machine Gun

1 1

Sponson Turret Vehicle Flamer

3

Medium Laser

RSpo

2 — [DB,AI] RS [E] — RSpo 2 — [DE,S] LSpo 2 — [DB,AI] LS [E] — LSpo 2 — [DE,S] T 5 [DE] —

3

— 1

— 2

— 3

1

2

3

— 1

— 2

— 3

2012

2012

O O O O O O O

O O

O O O O O O O O O O O O O

O

(25)

O O O O

O O

O

O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O

O O O O

O O O O O O

O 6

O O

O

O

3

O

O

9 O O O

Ammo: (Machine Gun) 200, (Flamer) 40

O O

O O O O O O O

O O

2

O O O O O

O

O

(25)

1

O O

O O O O

1

O O

O O

Succession Wars

Fusion Engine

O O

O O

Inner Sphere (Experimental)

12

O O O

O O

50 8

O

O O O

O O O

O O O

(21)

O O O

O O O

O O O

(25)

(18)

BAR: 5 O

LARGE GROUND SUPPORT VEHICLE RECORD SHEET

O O

(15)

Buffalo Drone Bomb 100 5

Inner Sphere (Experimental)

8 [10]

Era:

Hover

Succession Wars

Fuel Cell Engine

1 1 1

Booby Trap Cargo Container (10 tons) Drone (Remote) Operating System

BD BD BD

[E] [E] [E]

— — — — — —

— — —

— — —

(15)

O

2012

2012

O O

O O

O

O O

O

O

O

O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O OO O

Ammo: (Machine Gun) 900

O

O

O O

O

O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O

O O

O O

O

O

O O

O O

(15)

O

O O

(15)

(15) O

(110) OOOOOO OOOOOO OOOO O OOOOOO OOOOO OOO OO OOOOOO OOOOO OO OOOO OOOOO OOOOOO OOOOO OOOOOO OOOOO O OOOOOO OOOOOO OOO O O O OO OOOOOO OOOOO O O OO OO OO OO O OO O OOO

SUPER-HEAVY COMBAT VEHICLE RECORD SHEET (92)

Soarece Superheavy MBT

OOOO OOOOO OOOOO OOOOO OOOOO OOOOOO OOOOOO OOOOOO OOOOOO OOOOOO OOOOOO OOOOOO OOOOOO OOOOOO OOOOOO

175 2

Inner Sphere (Experimental)

3

Era:

Tracked

Succession Wars

Fuel Cell Engine

1

Machine Gun

FR

1

AC/10

T

1

AC/2

T

1

AC/20

T

2 [DB,AI] 10 [DB,S] 2 [DB,S] 20 [DB,S]

— 1

2

3

— 5

10

15

4

16

24

6

9

8

— 3

OOOO OOOOO OOOOO OOOOO OOOOO OOOOOO OOOOOO OOOOOO OOOOOO OOOOOO OOOOOO OOOOOO OOOOOO OOOOOO OOOOOO

(92)

OOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOO OOOOOO OO OOOO OOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOO OO OOOO OOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOO OO OOOO OOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOO OO OOOO O O O O O O OOOOOOOOOOOOOO O O O O O O O O O O O O OOOOOOOOOOOOOO O O O O O O O O O O O O OOOOOOOOOOOOOO O O O O O O OOOOOO OO OOOO OOOOOO OO OOOO OOOOOO OO OOOO OOOOOO OO OOOO OOOOOO OO OOOO OOOOOO OO OOOO O OOOO OOOOO OOOO OOOO OO O OO O OOO O O O O OO OO

(92)

Chassis Modifications: Limited Amphibious

O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O OO O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O

Ammo: (AC/2) 90, (Machine Gun) 200, (AC/20) 30 (AC/10) 30

(92)

(60) (110)

2012

SUPER-HEAVY VEHICLE HIT LOCATION TABLE 2D6 Roll 2* 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12*

FRONT Front (critical) Right Side† Front† Front† Front Front Front Front† Turret Turret Turret (critical)

 ATTACK DIRECTION REAR FRONT SIDE Rear (critical) Side (critical)§ Left Side† Front† Rear† Side† Rear† Side Rear Side Rear Side Rear Side (critical)* Rear† Side† Turret Turret Turret Turret Turret (critical) Turret (critical)

REAR SIDE Side (critical)§ Rear† Side† Side Side Side Side (critical)* Side† Turret  Turret  Turret (critical)

*A result of 2 or 12 (or an 8 if the attack strikes the side) may inflict a critical hit on the vehicle. For each result of 2 or 12 (or 8 for side attacks), apply damage normally to the armor in that section. The attacking player then automatically rolls once on the Ground Combat Vehicle Critical Hits Table below (see Combat , p. 194 in Total Warfare for more information). A result of 12 on the Ground Combat Vehicles Hit Location Table may inflict critical hit against the turret; if the vehicle has no turret, a 12 indicates the chance of a critical hit on the side corresponding to the attack direction. †The vehicle may suffer motive system damage even if its armor remains intact. Apply damage normally to the armor in  that section, but the attacking player also rolls once on the Motive System Damage Table at right (see Combat , p. 192 in Total Warfare for more information). Apply damage at the end of the phase in which the damage takes effect. §If the attack hits the front right or left side, all Front side results strike the front armor, while Rear Side results strike the rear right or rear left side armor. If the vehicle has no turret, a turret hit strikes the armor on the side attacked.

MOTIVE SYSTEM DAMAGE TABLE 2D6 Roll 2–5 6–7 8–9 10–11 12+

EFFECT* No effect  Minor damage; +1 modifier to all Driving Skill Rolls Moderate damage ; –1 Cruising MP, +2 modifier to all Driving Skill Rolls Heavy damage; only half Cruising MP (round fractions up), +3 modifier to all Driving Skill Rolls Major damage; no movement for the rest of the game.  Vehicle is immobile.

 Attack Direction Modifier: Hit from rear +1 Hit from the sides +2

Vehicle Type Modifiers: Tracked, Naval Wheeled Hovercraft, Hydrofoil WiGE

+0 +2 +3 +4

*All movement and Driving Skill Roll penalties are cumulative. However, each Driving Skill Roll modifier can only be applied once. For example, if a roll of 6-7 is made for a vehicle, inflicting a +1 modifier, that is the only time that particular +1 can be applied; a subsequent roll of 6-7 has no additional effect. This means the maximum Driving Skill Roll modifier that can be inflicted from the Motive System Damage Table is +6. If a unit’s Cruising MP is reduced  to 0, it cannot move for the rest of the game, but is not considered an immobile target. In addition, all motive system damage takes effect at the end of the phase in which the damage occurred. For example, if two units are attacking the same Combat Vehicle during the Weapon Attack Phase and the first unit inflicts motive system damage and rolls a 12, the –4 immobile target modifier would not apply for the second unit. However, the –4 modifier would  take effect during the Physical Attack Phase. If a hover vehicle is rendered immobile while over a Depth 1 or deeper water hex, it sinks and is destroyed.

SUPER-HEAVY VEHICLE CRITICAL HITS TABLE 2D6 Roll 2–5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

FRONT No Critical Hit Driver Hit Weapon Malfunction Stabilizer Sensors Commander Hit Weapon Destroyed Crew Killed

LOCATION HIT SIDE REAR No Critical Hit No Critical Hit Cargo/Infantry Hit Weapon Malfunction Weapon Malfunction Cargo/Infantry Hit Crew Stunned Stabilizer Stabilizer Weapon Destroyed Weapon Destroyed Engine Hit Engine Hit Ammunition** Fuel Tank* Fuel Tank*

TURRET No Critical Hit  Stabilizer Turret Jam Weapon Malfunction Turret Locks Weapon Destroyed Ammunition** Turret Blown Off

*If Combat Vehicle has ICE engine only. If Combat Vehicle has a fusion engine, treat this result as Engine Hit. **If Combat Vehicle carries no ammuni tion, treat this resul t as Weapon Destroyed .

© 2012 The Topps Company, Inc. Classic BattleTech, BattleTech, ’Mech and BattleMech are trademarks of The Topps Company, Inc. All rights reserved. Catalyst Game Labs and the Catalyst Game Labs logo are trademarks of InMediaRes Production, LLC. Permission to photocopy for personal use.

Starfire SF-1X 55 7

Inner Sphere (Experimental)

11

Era:

Succession Wars

5 (42) O

O 1 2 2 1

Ultra AC/5 Prototype [DB,R/C] Medium Laser [DE] Medium Laser [DE] Small Laser [DE]

N LW RW A

1 3 3 1

7 5 5 3

7 — — —

7 — — —

— — — —

O O O O

O O O

O O O O

O O O

O O O O

O O O

O O O O

O O O

O O O

O O O

O O O

O O O

7

O

4 (31) Ammo: (Ultra AC/5) 20 Fuel: 400 Points

O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O

O O O O O O O O O O

O O O O O O O O

4 (31) O

O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O

O O

3 (21)

20 (20) Single O O O O O O O O O O

2012

O O O O O O O O O O