technical readout

31 45

2

IntroductIon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4How to Use this Technical Readout . . . . . . . 5

Battle armor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6PAB-28 Sniper Suit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6Kishi Battle Armor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8Amazon Battle Armor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10Buraq Fast Battle Armor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12Oni Battle Armor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14Quirinus Battle Armor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16Simian Battle Armor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18Wraith Battle Armor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20Black Wolf Battle Armor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22Centaur Battle Armor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24Marauder Battle Armor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26Ogre Battle Armor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28Shen Long Battle Armor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30Taranis Battle Armor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

VehIcles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34Gossamer VTOL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34Hawk Moth II Gunship . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36Luduan Scout Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38Shandra Advanced Scout Vehicle . . . . . . . 40Crane Heavy Transport . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42Skadi Swift Attack VTOL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44MHI Amphibious APC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46Scimitar Mk II HCV . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48Hasek Mechanized Combat Vehicle . . . . . 50Scapha Hovertank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52Cizin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54R10 Mechanized ICV . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56

Cardinal Transport . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58Aesir Medium AA Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60Kamakiri Attack VTOL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62JES III Missile Carrier . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64MHI Defense AA Tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66Manticore II Heavy Tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68Pixiu Heavy Tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70Hanse MBT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72DI Schmitt Tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74Bulwark Assault Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76Behemoth II Heavy Tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78Paladin Defense System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80

Battlemechs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82CLR-03-O Celerity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82GN-2O Gùn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84GBT-1G Gambit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86CH11-NG Gunsmith . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88CVR-A1 Cadaver . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90JLP-BD Jackalope . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92UBM-2R Revenant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94Wulfen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96Eyrie . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98FS9-M2 Firestarter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .100HVC-P6 Havoc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .102RK-4T Rokurokubi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .104STM-R3 Storm Raider . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .106Tiburon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .108NSR-K3 Night Stalker . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .110VT-U1 Violator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .112AGT-1A Agrotera . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .114

CN11-O Centurion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .116MGL-T1 Mongrel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .118SRTH-1O Sarath . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .120Cyllaros . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .122EXR-2X Exhumer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .124GTL-1O Gauntlet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .126Gyrfalcon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .128HKZ-1F Hitotsume Kozo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .130KHP-7R Kheper . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .132VLP-1D Vulpes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .134Vulture Mk IV . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .136LMT-2R Lament . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .138SCG-WF1 Scourge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .140URA-2A Ursa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .142LI-O Vandal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .144CRN-7M Carronade . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .146HD-2F Hound . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .148BLK-NT-5H Black Knight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .150Mad Cat Mk IV . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .152MS-1A Mortis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .154SH-1V Shiro . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .156TNZ-N3 Tian-zong . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .158UAE-7R Uraeus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .160Warwolf . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .162DLR-O Doloire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .164NTL-AG Neanderthal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .166ZEU-X4 Zeus X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .168STK-9A Stalker II . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .170Shrike . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .172TN-10-O Tenshi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .174

AS7-D3 Atlas III . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .176

MAL-XT Malice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .178

Tomahawk II . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .180

PSD-V2 Poseidon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .182

ARS-V1 Ares . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .184

aerospace . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .188

SCK-O Schrack . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .188

CUT-01D Cutlass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .190

SMG-O Simurgh . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .192

KOS-1A Koroshiya . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .194

Condottiere Assault Craft . . . . . . . . . . . . . .196

Würger . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .198

Caerleon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .200

Nagasawa-class DropShip . . . . . . . . . . . . .202

Gorgon Carrier . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .204

Duat Military Transport . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .206

new tech, new upgrades . . . . . . .208

Battle Armor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .208

Vehicles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .209

BattleMechs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .210

AeroSpace Fighters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .213

DropShops . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .213

technologIcal adVancements: 3145 . . . . . . . . . . .214

The Dark Age Technology

Advancement Table . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .214

New Design Quirks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .219

table of contents

4

When Exarch Levin raised the Fortress in 3135, the majority of the Republic’s citizens felt abandoned . Not those in Prefecture X, of course, since they were inside the Fortress, but the citizens of the other nine prefectures quickly fell to the nearest aggressor . Ten years later, an entire generation of children has been born and made citizen of whatever nation or faction controls their world . Ten years later, Devlin Stone has returned .

Ten years later, the Fortress has served .The idea of the military withdrawal is one that every recruit learns, and every officer, whether Republic or not, knows that he or she will almost certainly be

called upon to lead one . The sacrifice of space for time, the time necessary to build powerful defenses and assemble counterattacking forces, always lays hard on the those left behind . Our brethren outside the Fortress have paid the price, many of them the ultimate one, to give us time to rebuild the RAF, and assemble the forces that will reclaim both the Republic and the peace .

Safe behind the Fortress, led by Devlin Stone, we have done that .The people outside the Fortress will understand, once the walls come down and we begin the liberation . Our new regiments and battalions, inspired by Devlin

Stone himself and led by our knights and paladins, will march across the captured worlds and return the light of the Republic to our people . It is only their sacrifice that has made this possible, and they will be made to know that we value this sacrifice by our tenacity and our ferocity in freeing them from the boots of invaders .

The expansion of the RAF has led to a renaissance of new technologies and equipment . New ’Mechs, battlesuits and vehicles have flowed from the manu-factories across Prefecture X . Equipment designed and built by ComStar before its betrayal and destruction now strides across Republic worlds under our colors . Fearsome new war machines stride out of the RISC facilities on Devil’s Rock, proving to our own citizens and our enemies both the resolve of our new military .

New combat equipment has been built . New soldiers have been trained, and officers tested . On the battlefields where the rebels of the Senate Alliance were defeated, on the rough stones where ComStar’s outlawed Com Guards fought and died, our new military found its footing .

All of our soldiers—be they Hastati, Triarii, Principes or Stones—stand ready to reclaim the Republic . In our absence the rest of the Inner Sphere has devolved into the same petty warfare that carried along four succession wars . If we had no other guide, the example of the decades of peace while the Republic shone would be enough to prove the rightness of our cause .

—Paladin Janella Lakewood12 October 3145

introduction

5

Game Notes Technical Readout: 3145 covers a wide breadth of units and equipment . To understand how these various units plug into the core BattleTech rulebooks, it’s useful to cover how

the various rulebooks interact .

standard rules The Total Warfare (TW) and TechManual (TM) rulebooks present the core game and construction rules for BattleTech (BT), otherwise referred to as the standard rules . In addition,

to reflect the advancement and proliferation of new technologies, several Advanced Rules items from Tactical Operations have been reclassified as Standard Rules items for games set in the Dark Age era .

advanced rules Beyond the standard rules a legion of advanced rules exists, allowing players to expand their games in any direction they desire . In an effort to bring these rules to players in

the most logical form possible, the advanced rules are contained in three “staging” core rulebooks, each one staging up and building off of the previous rules set . Tactical Operations (TO) is the first in the “staging” advanced rulebooks . Its focus is on special situations and advanced terrain during game play, and applies directly to a game

as it unfolds on a world in the BattleTech universe . Strategic Operations (SO) is the second “staging” advanced rulebook . It stages a player up to the next logi cal area of play, focusing on “in a solar system” and multi-game play . Interstellar Operations (IO) is the third and final “staging” advanced rulebook . Players are staged up to the final level of play, where they can assume the roles of a House lord

or Clan Khan and dominate the galaxy .

How to Use tHis tecHNical ReadoUt Complete rules for using ’Mechs, vehicles, infantry, battle armor, fighters, and DropShips in BattleTech game play can be found in Total Warfare, while the rules for their construction can

be found in TechManual; some equipment is detailed in Tactical Operations . The rules for using JumpShips and WarShips, as well as their construction rules, can be found in Strategic Operations . The following three definitions are used to clarify the various types of equipment that appear in Technical Readout: 3145 and are presented in the standard and advanced rulebooks .

standard: most of these work with Total Warfare rules only, but some Advanced rules items may be present, requiring Tactical Operations for full effect .advanced: Any equipment mass produced “in universe”; must have Tactical Operations and/or Strategic Operations, in addition to Total Warfare, to use .experimental rules: Any equipment not mass produced “in universe” because it is prohibitively expensive, extraor dinarily sophisticated, exceedingly difficult to maintain or

simply deemed too unreliable or restrictive for widespread deployment; must have Tactical Operations and/or Strategic Operations, in addition to Total Warfare, to use .

design QuirksEvery unit described in Technical Readout: 3145 may have one or more listed positive and/or negative Design Quirks (see p . 193, SO and p . 204, TRO: Prototypes) . These quirks are

included to give each design a unique flavor . Use of these quirks is optional and should be agreed upon by all players before play begins .

22

battle armor

Black Wolf battle armor debuted in 3138 as a joint effort by the scientist castes of Clan Wolf-in-Exile and Clan Wolf that could have served as the harbinger of reunification . That dream died stillborn when Khan Seth Ward turned against his Lyran allies and carved the new Wolf Empire out of the Commonwealth . While the politics of the Black Wolf turned sour, the brief collabora-tion produced a flexible and potent heavy suit that has proved itself in the hands of both Clans . capabilities

Reactive armor gave the new suit greatly improved survivability against artillery com-pared to standard Elemental battle armor, which served it well against the AMSC and LCAF . Available configurations tend to stress close-in assault and support roles, though it can be rushed into the fray by available OmniMechs . Notably, divergences in produc-tion protocols have rendered Black Wolf parts produced by either Clan incompatible with suits from the other .

deploymeNtClan Wolf-in-Exile views the Black Wolf as a

symbol of the betrayal by their parent Clan rath-er than the token of hope that was wished for . With Malvina Hazen and Alaric Ward breathing down the neck of the Commonwealth, though, they have had no choice but to assign it to their touman as quickly as it can be produced . Clan Wolf, by contrast, has shown no animus toward the Black Wolf, and Elementals of that Clan view being assigned one as a promise of glorious combat in the near future .

Perhaps the bitterest irony is that Black Wolf came to prominence during the invasion of Tharkad in 3143 . Embedded Lyran media re-corded Black Wolf suits jumping into skyscrapers to rain death down on entrenched infantry in a re-doubt outside the Triad . Fire from their heavy mor-tars obliterated the position, clearing the way for a push by Clan Wolf ’Mechs and Elementals into the Royal Palace . In a single moment the battlesuit that Clan Wolf-in-Exile had crafted to protect the Commonwealth became an object of terror and hatred to their Lyran comrades .

The Exile Beta Galaxy’s defense of Incukalns saw the suit play to its strengths in the clash at Knockbridge . Black Wolf suits of the Second Wolf Legion took up defensive posi-tions along the Fane River, drawing the initial Falcon artillery bombardment on themselves instead of supporting Cuchulainn suits . The LB-X armed Black Wolf suits were still in fight-ing trim when the Falcons advanced on them, and exploited the damage dealt by the over-watching Cuchulainns to disable an entire Star of Falcon ’Mechs with cluster ammunition . The carnage forced the Jade Falcons to stop the at-tack to bring up reinforcements, buying time for the rest of Beta Galaxy to retreat .

When the Falcons came again, the battle armor resisted inside Knockbridge, with the Black Wolf suits again making use of the long-range support from Cuchulainns to create openings to destroy Falcon ’Mechs . Flamer-armed suits then sprang a firetrap once the Falcons had advanced into the suburbs, and a counterattack by their plasma rifle-armed coun-terparts overheated a number of enemy units .

That made the ferocious counterattack of a Star of Cuchulainns led by the ristar Barrett possible, which temporarily drove the Jade Falcons away and allowed the surviving Elementals to escape .

Notable UNits

star captain eamon sradac: Star Commander Eamon was one of the liaisons with Clan Wolf at the time of their betrayal, was one of the very few to take the Wolves up on their offer to join their Clan . He brought his Black Wolf suit with him, and soon tested up to Trinary com-mand . He participated with distinction in the battles for Tharkad and Hesperus II, and most recently won his Bloodname from Clan Wolf . Sibkin from Clan Wolf-in-Exile have sworn to kill him for his treason .

star commander devon shaw: A former Star Captain in the 328th Wolf Assault Cluster, Devon Shaw lost his rank during a Trial of Possession against Paolo, a Star Commander in his Supernova who was determined to cata-pult himself above Devon . Devon defeated this same challenger in a Trial of Possession over his rank a year prior; after the win he left his oppo-nent alive due to Paolo’s command ability being an asset in combat . Devon’s Starmates believe he lost the Trial to test Paolo’s command skills . Observers believe that if Paolo does not per-form up to Shaw’s expectations or is not soon nominated for a Bloodname, Shaw will chal-lenge for his former rank and handily regain it, killing Paolo in the process .

blacK Wolf battle armor

23

type: Black Wolfmanufacturer: WC Site 2, W-7 Facilities, Corean Enterprises MacAdams-Suharno primary Factory: Arc-Royal (Site 2), Weingarten (W-7), Stewart (CE)equipment rating: F/X-X-F

tech Base: Clan (Advanced)chassis type: Humanoidweight class: Heavymaximum weight: 1,500 kgBattle Value: 58 [LB-X] 67 [ERSPL] 56 [Heavy Flamer] 57 [Heavy Mortar] 54 [Plasma]swarm/leg attack/mechanized/ap: No/No/Yes/Nonotes: Features the following Design Quirks: Non-Standard Parts .

equipment slots massChassis: 400 kgMotive System: Ground MP: 1 0 kg Jump MP: 1 125 kgManipulators: Right Arm: Heavy Battle Claw 20 kg Left Arm: None 0 kgArmor: Reactive 7 385 kg Armor Value: 11 + 1 (Trooper)

slotsweapons and equipment location (capacity) massModular Weapon Mount LA 1 (2) 10 kg BA LB-X AC (20) — 2 440 kg ER Small Pulse Laser (24) — 2 555 kg Heavy Flamer (20) — 2 360 kg Heavy Mortar (IS) (60) — 2 560 kg Plasma Rifle (IS) (40) — 2 330 kg

blacK Wolf battle armor

24

battle armor

Conceived at the same time as the Simian, this battle armor has no progenitor . Its pur-pose is to provide highly mobile artillery sup-port, relying on support from any available war machines to maintain contact with the enemy . Built by Rhodes Foundry, its initial deployment mirrors the Simian’s .

capabilitiesAdvanced metallurgy is used to create the

ultra-lightweight barrels of the battlesuit artil-lery weapon, making it light enough for deploy-ment . The ammunition uses a special clathrate propellant and a hydraulic ram to initiate defla-gration . Recoil compensation is nearly nonexis-tent, and the legs of the suit are mechanically locked prior to firing to prevent stress on the operator . The static foldout legs do not permit a properly actuated firing platform, resulting in a very high ballistic arc and short effective range .

Engineers at Rhodes wisely used reactive armor on the Centaur, drastically reducing the consequence of misfires and permitting the suits to survive some minor counterbattery fire . Magnetic clamps were included instead of a modular mount to make the Centaur able to support formations that lack dedicated battle armor transport .

While the tube artillery unit could be de-tached to grant the Centaur improved ground speed, this capability is rarely used in the field . This is attributed to the reluctance of the opera-tors to relinquish the weapon that makes the Centaur so effective .

deploymeNtMost Centaur deployments occur in sup-

port of Simian and other battle armors utilized by the RAF . In this capacity, the Centaur proved proficient at destroying hostile infantry for-mations, particularly battle armor and dug-in troops . The suits lack the ammunition to main-tain sustained bombardments, but a common tactic that emerged on Carnwath has the avail-able Centaurs deploy in two separate groups that support each other . The resilience against their own shells allowed the suits to “scratch their own backs” when in close-contact with enemy infantry .

When the Jade Falcons attempted to ab-sorb Suk II subsequent to the Wolf Clan migra-tion, they found the Ghost Bears in opposition . After a week of maneuver and small-scale Trials, the Jade Falcons led a running battle through the planet’s northern polar continent . When the Bear Trinary entered the valley, a nearby squad of hidden RAF Centaurs fired from an ancient Hansen’s Roughriders firebase on the ridge, causing an avalanche . The Ghost Bear ’Mechs that survived were shelled by the Centaurs, as were the Jade Falcon ’Mechs the moment they emerged from the snow . While the enraged Ghost Bears fought hard with their remaining troops and ‘Mechs, the imbalance caused by the ambush proved insurmountable, and they were soon ejected . As of this writing, neither the Jade Falcon Watch nor the Rasalhague Dominion’s in-telligence services have identified who fired the artillery shells .

Notable UNits

major mariska hirsh: As a commander of an artillery battery, Hirsh is expected to stay with her mobile HQ or any of the artillery vehicles in her command . The major seems to prefer her Centaur suit . With the aid of several Crane and Lamprey VTOLs, she moves her platoon near the targets assigned to her battery . From their elevated position, her troops provide spotting data to the main force, but also actively engage any targets or structures that have been weak-ened by the larger batteries .

sergeant greg “lucky” lloyd: The Centaur is unsuitable for counterbattery fire, but none-theless this activity is what Sergeant Lloyd has devoted himself to . Together with an aging Ferret VTOL, the sergeant races toward hos-tile artillery and deploys within a kilometer of them . He then shells the enemy while the Ferret prepares a small ammo dump about half a kilometer away . Lloyd fires his shells before getting a pickup to the ammo drop, where he reloads in order to begin a new salvo . So far, this has not yet killed Lloyd, though a near miss once did disable the Ferret . His suit’s armor saved him . Operationally, this tactic has rarely been effective at eliminating hostile ar-tillery, but it has proven a substantial distrac-tion, especially when the enemy elects to try to wipe out the “gnat” nearby rather than the full-size artillery battery that has begun coun-terbattery fire .

centaur battle armor

25

type: Centaurmanufacturer: Rhodes Foundry Ltd . primary Factory: Devil’s Rockequipment rating: F/X-X-F

tech Base: Inner Sphere (Experimental)chassis type: Humanoidweight class: Heavymaximum weight: 1,500 kgBattle Value: 73swarm/leg attack/mechanized/ap: No/No/Yes/Nonotes: May only move at 1 Ground MP while carrying any Detachable Weapon Pack weapons .

equipment slots massChassis: 300 kgMotive System: Ground MP: 1 (2) 80 kg Jump MP: 0 0 kgManipulators: Right Arm: Basic Manipulator 0 kg Left Arm: Basic Manipulator 0 kgArmor: Reactive 7 420 kg Armor Value: 7 + 1 (Trooper)

slotsweapons and equipment location (capacity) massSmall Laser (60) RA 1 205 kgBA Tube Artillery (8 Shots) Detachable Weapon Pack Body 2 465 kgMagnetic Clamps Body 2 30 kg

centaur battle armor

54

combat vehicles

mass: 45 tonsmovement type: Hoverpower plant: Consolidated 215 XL Fusioncruising speed: 108 kphmaximum speed: 162 kpharmor: Alpha Compound Ferro-Fibrousarmament: 4 Series 2d Extended-Range

Medium Lasers 2 Pattern D-II SRM 2 Launchersmanufacturer: LAW-Barcella Beta, Clan Sea

Fox IndustriPlex-C primary Factories: Irece, Itabaianacommunications system: Omicron 5000targeting and tracking system: Build 4 CAT

TTS with Advanced Targeting Computer

A hovertank developed by Clan Nova Cat during the late 3090s, the Cizin’s specifications and production rights were transferred to Clan Sea Fox in 3107 . In exchange, the Nova Cats—and by ex-tension, the Combine—received much-needed resources for enclaves relocated on Meinacos and Savinsville . The Nova Cats put the Cizin into limit-ed production when the DCMS authorized a mod-est expansion to the Clan’s touman in the 3120s .

capabilities Built for speed, the Cizin met Nova Cat

standards for their combined-arms striker Stars and Binaries . A Cizin Point can drop a medium-class BattleMech after a few minutes of com-bat with little damage in return . Its turrets are modular in production, allowing technicians to replace the entire component in under an hour . The tank can swiftly return to duty while the technician teams repair damage to the turret .

Named for the Mayan god of death, Cizins must utilize their speed to strike . Though properly armored, a slow-moving Cizin can survive only a few heavy strikes from a determined MechWarrior .

deploymeNt Cizins became a mainstay of Clan Nova

Cat combined-arms Stars . Points would range out far afield, calling out targets and attempt-ing to pull them back toward the main body . The Fury Star of Alpha Galaxy’s Ninth Cluster was particularly adept at this . During the Clan’s final days on Irece, they sniped at a First Sword of Light Hatamoto-chi until the samurai turned and pursued them . The Cizins pulled back far enough for two Shadow Cat IIs to pounce on the assault ’Mech . Though neither Cizin survived the encounter, the Hatamoto took enough damage from the Nova Cat ’Mechs to force it from the field .

After the Clan touman’s destruction, the Cizin facilities were claimed by the Combine and given to Luthien Armor Works . The megalithic military manufacturer proceeded to dismantle the factory and examine its workings in detail . In early 3145, the LAW facility on Luthien added a new produc-tion wing at Guthrie Island, and new Cizins have been shipping to all of the DCMS regiments in-volved in the Federated Suns campaign .

VaRiaNtsA long-range support variant of the ho-

vertank has been spotted among the Galedon Regulars regiments . This version utilizes a lon-ger-range laser and a larger advanced technol-ogy missile rack to provide cover for fast attack lances . These units have also been noted using electronic countermeasures to disrupt target-ing telemetry from opposing AFFS forces .

Notable UNits

star commander Bridjit rosse: In command of the Fury Star of Alpha Galaxy’s Ninth Cluster, Rosse made the First Sword of Light pay for every kilometer they advanced against her

hunted Clan . The Fury consisted of three Cizins and two Shadow Cat IIs . By the time she and her Star were destroyed, the Furys had thwart-ed two companies of Sworders, smashing six BattleMechs and more than ten vehicles .

head engineer ulysses marquardht: In charge of Luthien Armor Works’ Guthrie Island Division, Marquardht was the key player in get-ting the Cizin built on Luthien . Initial plans were to dissect the Irece plant and redistribute com-ponents to various other LAW facilities across the Combine . Marquardht, a former Saracen commander in the First Arkab, believed in the solidity of the Clan design and had one of the captured tanks undergo a series of stress tests . Impressed with the tank’s resiliency, LAW offi-cials approved Marquardht’s request to incor-porate the production through a new expan-sion to the Guthrie Island facility .

captain devline Bane: Self-appointed leader of the Cat Squad mercenary unit, Bane is a reckless commander from the Cizin’s cupola . Despite his unit’s size—six hovertanks in vary-ing degrees of disrepair—he firmly believes in his tactical acumen and takes on foes twice his force’s size . The delusional captain believes he is descended from two Clan Nova Cat “seers” and often shares his visions—typically induced from excessive alcohol consumption— with anyone who remotely appears interested . Though none of his prophecies have come true, the other members of the Cats remain with Bane as his checks are always good . (Rumors that his generous benefactor is Jacob Bannson have proven unfounded .)

cizin

55

Type: cizinTechnology Base: ClanMovement Type: HoverTonnage: 45Battle Value: 1,762

equipment massInternal Structure: 4 .5Engine: 215 9 Type: XL Fusion Cruise MP: 10 Flank MP: 15Heat Sinks: 20 10Control Equipment: 2 .5Lift Equipment: 4 .5Power Amplifier: 0Turret: .5Armor Factor (Ferro): 134 7 Armor Value Front 45 R/L Side 25/25 Rear 18 Turret 21

weapons and ammo location tonnage4 ER Medium Lasers Turret 42 SRM 2 Front 1Ammo (SRM) 50 Body 1Targeting Computer Body 1

notes: Features the following Design Quirks: Battle Computer, Fast Reload, Bad Reputation, Poor Performance, Non-Standard Parts .

cizin

72

combat vehicles

mass: 75 tonsmovement type: Trackedpower plant: GM 300 XL Fusioncruising speed: 43 kphmaximum speed: 64 kph, 86 kph with

Superchargerarmor: Kallon Unity Weave Ferro-Fibrous

with CASEarmament: 1 Mydron Snakekiller Light Class 5

Autocannon 2 Jalastar Engineering Plasma Rifles 4 GM Light Machine Gunsmanufacturer: General Motors primary Factories: Kathilcommunications system: Wunderland XXXV-

2 Seriestargeting and tracking system: Dalban HiRez

Intended to correct deficiencies in AFFS armor platoons exposed during the Victoria War, the Hanse was hoped to become as pow-erful and popular a combatant in the Capellan March as the Manticore or the Brutus . Instead, what it became was an embarrassment to the AFFS and an export vehicle that inspired buyer’s remorse in almost every user .

capabilitiesWith the victory at Victoria fresh in their

minds, the Hanse’s designers must have imag-ined an aggressive, offensive tank as their outcome, but what they delivered was a tank with the speed to get close to an enemy but no turret to exploit that closeness . Time and time again Hanse tank commanders have overesti-mated their tank’s firepower and closed with an enemy, only to be swarmed by nearby battle armor or crushed by flanking units .

deploymeNtDespite its reputation, the Hanse can be

used effectively in combat, as was proven on Cumberland during the Confederation’s drive toward New Sytris . There, a militia battalion led by Leftenant Colonel Rebecca Lindemann used its Hanses to slow the advance of a Liao ’Mech battalion for nearly a week .

Thanks to GM’s successes with Capellan March procurement, more than half of Lindemann’s battalion was built of Hanse MBTs . When the Capellans began their advance, the major let her sparse VTOL forces slow the ’Mechs and sent her Hanses in to salvo their plasma rifles, hoping to knock the invaders off-balance . The initial ambush, along the M87 highway to-ward the capital, succeeded—three of the Liao ’Mechs were shut down and the Liao column halted while the Hanses spun in place and fled .

The next engagement went much the same, though this time Lindemann led with her Hanses firing precision autocannon ammuni-tion from their light autocannons . Again the Liaos halted, expecting another wave of VTOL assaults that never appeared . When Lindemann repeated the tactic three days later, the Liaos expected that the VTOLs wouldn’t be coming, so Lindemann sprung them on them, claiming another two Liao ’Mechs .

By this time the Liaos had reached an in-dustrial district on the outskirts of the capital, and despite her objections Major Lindemann was ordered to attack again . After repeated engagements the Liaos were expecting the at-tack, and cut her Hanses to pieces in the tight confines of the buildings . Unable to escape, or to cover their withdrawal with fire as they re-treated, the tanks succumbed to repeated flank-ing attacks and swarming battle armor .

Hanses have also been found in mer-cenary ranks, where they find more success . Professional mercenaries learn quickly to identi-fy the strengths and weaknesses of their equip-ment, and few learn more quickly than Captain Ng Tranh’s Hanoi Half-Dozen . All six Hanses in this defensive unit are scarred with damage, but Tranh has learned to use them as a last-ditch ambusher to break combat . When the rest of the Half-Dozen are pressed, these six Hanses use their superchargers to sprint forward, fire two barrages of plasma fire at the local enemy commander, and withdraw . Though attrition is high, the rest of the Half-Dozen revere the Hanses, as few enemies ponder pursuit with their commander either shut down or on fire .

Notable UNits

leftenant sani “checkpoint” mallick: Although the Hanse MBT does not often fare well against large targets, Leftenant Mallick of the Sixth Syrtis Fusiliers Armor Brigade has had considerable success using her company in anti-infantry measures . During recent raids into the Capellan-controlled New Syrtis province, she would specifically target roadblocks and checkpoints, using shock tactics and anti-per-sonnel weapons to secure the area . In several instances, Mallick would have her Hanse drive straight through any temporary defensive forti-fication blocking her advance . Her platoon be-came so proficient at clearing out obstructions that the rest of her battalion started calling her “Checkpoint” and alerting her to roadblocks near her location .

hanse mbt

73

Type: hanseTechnology Base: Inner SphereMovement Type: TrackedTonnage: 75Battle Value: 1,537

equipment massInternal Structure: 7 .5Engine: 300 14 .5 Type: XL Fusion Cruise MP: 4 Flank MP: 6 (8)Heat Sinks: 20 10Control Equipment: 4Lift Equipment: 0Power Amplifier: 0Turret: 0Sponson Turrets: .5Armor Factor (Ferro): 197 11 Armor Value Front 61 R/L Side 48/48 Rear 40

weapons and ammo location tonnageLight AC/5 Front 5Ammo (Light AC) 40 Body 22 Plasma Rifles Front 12Ammo (Plasma) 40 Body 42 Light Machine Guns Right Sponson 12 Light Machine Guns Left Sponson 1Ammo (Light MG) 100 Body .5CASE Body .5Supercharger Body 1 .5

notes: Features the following Design Quirks: Bad Reputation .

hanse mbt

80

combat vehicles

mass: 130 tonsmovement type: Trackedpower plant: Nissan 260 XL Fusioncruising speed: 22 kphmaximum speed: 32 kpharmor: Durallex Special Heavy Ferro-Fibrous

with CASEarmament: 2 Kallon Weapon Industries Vicar

Long Tom Artillery Pieces 2 Diverse Optics Extended Range

Medium Lasers 2 Mydron Minigunsmanufacturer: Kallon Weapon Industries primary Factories: Kirklin, Victoriacommunications system: JoLex Systemstargeting and tracking system: Omicron XII

Kallon’s Paladin Defense System was built from plans captured by the Federated Suns when they conquered Victoria just after the turn of the century . Originally a Capellan idea, it was denied to the Confederation until they re-claimed Victoria . Well aware of the cost they had paid fighting against the Paladin, the Strategios immediately started surging the heavy tank to its own forces .

capabilitiesWith built-in communications systems

and a pair of Vicar Long Tom artillery pieces, Paladins are rarely out of communication with their spotters . Heavily armored and slow, they are not meant to be tactical vehicles, but the strains of combat have sometimes led to fire-fights . Paladins suffer from a relatively small magazine space, but most batteries mitigate that by hauling ammunition trailers .

deploymeNtThe majority of the AFFS’ Paladins fight with

the Suns’ planetary militias and dedicated artillery battalions; the tank is just too slow and cumber-some to deploy with the relatively fleet-footed frontline light combat teams . Frontline command-ers never fail to utilize the Paladin whenever it is available, of course, but this has led to mishaps .

During the Draconis Reach campaign, the pro-Davion denizens of Harrow’s Sun were rein-forced by a company of Paladins, but the local commander had no understanding of how best to use them . Blinded by the thought of twenty-four Long Tom tubes at her command, she attached the company to an armor battalion and ordered it out, only to have the Paladins overrun and cap-tured by the fast-moving Dragoon striker compa-nies . Twelve Paladins, captured without having fired a shot, became a powerful bulwark around which the Dragon built a new planetary militia .

During the Capellan invasion of the Federated Suns Paladins saw heavy action on the worlds around Tikonov . On Alrescha, for instance, a pro-Davion militia held a firebase for three weeks against a determined push by a combined-arms battalion of Liao Chargers . Strong defenses at the walls kept the Capellans away, while day-and-night bombardments from the Paladins’ Long Toms kept them from halting and establishing good bivuouacs . By the time the battalion with-drew, the Paladins had each emptied twelve am-munition trailers apiece, and the ground in the firebase was covered with the ash-like residue of cannon propellant .

Paladins have also been put to good use by the Republic Remnant on Galatea . Fighting against the Jade Falcons, Redleg Company dis-carded both ammunition trailers and doctrine

and fought a mobile, if slow, campaign, using screening units and handy support from RAF BattleMechs to fire and move . Though few of the Jade Falcons succumbed to artillery fire, the psychological effects of having shells rain-ing out of the sky from all directions couldn’t be discounted . Four of the Paladins were isolated and destroyed, but their crews were recognized by Damien Redburn himself as having provided sterling and necessary service .

Notable UNits

twisted sisters: An all-female artillery pla-toon from the First New Ivaarsen Chasseurs, the Twisted Sisters gained their nickname and notoriety during the battle for New Ivaarsen in 3144 . When the battle was capable of going in favor of either side, the Sisters moved into position and began remorselessly shelling the Ryuken-ni to the point the Ryuken commander ordered a strike on their position . Unable to flee in time, the Sisters were surrounded by a light strike lance and took a beating before help arrived to chase the Kuritans away . Of the two surviving Paladins, one had a Long Tom launcher twisted clean off and both had suf-fered locked turrets . Instead of giving up, the Sisters continued to launch shells, despite their tanks’ limitations, which required them to ad-just fire by rotating Paladins themselves . Much to the rest of the First’s amazement, the Sisters’ were still able to effectively coordinate time-on-target strikes with other artillery batteries, despite their current state . For their bravery, dedication, and ingenuity in the line of fire, the Sisters were nominated for the Robinson Medal of Valor .

Paladin defense system

81

Type: paladin defense systemTechnology Base: Inner Sphere (Advanced)Movement Type: Tracked Mass: 130 tonsBattle Value: 1,624

equipment massInternal Structure: 26Engine: 260 10 .5 Type: XL Fusion Cruise MP: 2 Flank MP: 3Heat Sinks: 10 0Control Equipment: 6 .5Lift Equipment: 0Power Amplifier: 0Turret: 6Armor Factor (Heavy Ferro): 228 11 .5 Armor Value Front 56 Front R/L Side 27/27 Rear R/L Side 27/27 Rear 26 Turret 38

weapons and ammo location mass2 Long Tom Artillery Turret 60Ammo (Long Tom) 30 Body 62 ER Medium Lasers Front 2Communications Equipment Body 1CASE Body .5Trailer Hitch Rear 0

Paladin defense system

84

light ’mechs

gn-2o gùn

mass: 20 tonschassis: Ceresplex Light Omni Endo Steelpower plant: Rawlings 100cruising speed: 54 kphmaximum speed: 86 kphJump Jets: None Jump capacity: Nonearmor: Ceres Standardarmament: 10 tons of pod spacemanufacturer: Ceres Metals Industries primary Factory: Capella, Locktoncommunications system: Hellespont

TiteBeamtargeting & tracking system: Apple Churchill

2000

On the eve of the Capellan Confederation’s most recent invasion of the Republic of the Sphere, Ceres Metals Industries released a new light OmniMech . Named for the most basic of the four traditional Chinese fighting weapons, the fighting staff, the Gùn was designed for the most basic form of modern combat, infantry combat . Whether fighting against enemy infan-try or supporting friendly battle armor and in-fantry forces, the Gùn is the infantryman’s worst enemy and favorite ally .

capabilitiesAn OmniMech is an unusual choice for

what is essentially a garrison unit, but this OmniMech provides benefits that are useful in garrison forces . One benefit is the ability to quickly deploy and relocate battle armor forc-es, a staple of Capellan garrison forces . Unlike offensive actions, defensive actions require a commander to counter many different types of attacks . The ability to change weapons con-figurations of the Gùn based on the enemy forces, combined with the mechanized battle

armor capabilities, was determined enough of a benefit to offset the extra costs in construc-tion and supplies .

deploymeNtThe Gùn’s most notable assignment oc-

curred during the Capellan conquest of New Hessen in 3144 . After major combat had ceased and the planetary rulers surrendered, a lance of Gùns from the Second McCarron’s Armored Cavalry were sent to establish a field outpost . Along with a company of infantry and a pla-toon of Arrow IV Assault Vehicles, the lance was tasked with guarding a mining facility in a remote area while new Capellan overseers re-started production .

A week after their arrival, the miners re-volted, killing the overseers and attacking the guarding forces with two mixed lances of MiningMechs and LoaderMechs, a company of assorted vehicles, and over 150 miners attack-ing on foot with whatever tools they could find . The lance, two Gùn Primes and one each of the other two configurations, led the counterattack on the miners . The MiningMechs, LoaderMechs, and vehicles quickly fell to the combined fire of the A and B configurations and directed Arrow IV artillery support . Witnessing two-thirds of their number fall to plasma fire, the remain-ing miners scattered, seeking out any hiding spot they could find . The last of the miners were flushed out using the A configuration’s Bloodhound Active Probe .

The Gùn has begun deployment to select units among the CCAF, MAF, and even the forces of Andurien . Despite the years of cooperation between the CCAF and MAF, differences can still be seen in the deployment of the Gùn . Deployed in the CCAF as a support or garrison unit, the Gùn is a prized frontline battle armor transport and combat unit for the MAF .

Former Knight of the Sphere Rick Raisho defeated four Gùns in late 3144 with only his Centurion . Seeing two companies of infantry being savaged by the Gùns, Raisho challenged the lance to “pick on someone more their size .” The Capellans thought they could easily de-feat the ancient Centurion, but Raisho quickly shredded the thin armor of the Gùns with his Centurion’s Luxor Devastator-20 Autocannon .

Infantry commanders drill their forces to quickly identify the Gùn Prime configuration; its fearsome plasma weapon can quickly elimi-nate an entire platoon of infantry . All RAF units are advised to consult the warbook carefully when facing a Gùn, as the B configuration is rarely deployed without supporting artillery units within range .

Notable UNits

Si-ben-bing Ismail leung: As a child, Leung barely survived when RAF troopers fired into a crowd on Sarna in 3113 . Assigned a Gùn before the collapse of the Republic, Sao-wei Leung of the Fourth Liao Guards hesitated when ordered to fire on a crowd suspected of harboring guerrillas on Tall Trees . His refusal to follow orders was later vindicated when the crowd was identified as noncombatants, but his court-martial resulted in demotion and corporal punishment rather than expulsion from the CCAF .

85

gn-2o gùn

Type: gùnTechnology Base: Inner SphereTonnage: 20Battle Value: 775

equipment massInternal Structure: Endo Steel 1Engine: 100 3 Walking MP: 5 Running MP: 8 Jumping MP: 0Heat Sinks: 10 [20] 0Gyro (XL): .5Cockpit (Small): 2Armor Factor: 56 3 .5 Internal Armor Structure Value Head 3 7 Center Torso 6 7 Center Torso (rear) 2 R/L Torso 5 6 R/L Torso (rear) 2 R/L Arm 3 6 R/L Leg 4 6

weight and space allocationLocation Fixed Spaces RemainingHead None 2Center Torso 2 XL Gyro 0Right Torso 6 Double Heat Sink 4 2 Endo Steel Left Torso 6 Double Heat Sink 4 2 Endo SteelRight Arm 3 Double Heat Sink 2 3 Endo SteelLeft Arm 3 Double Heat Sink 2 3 Endo SteelRight Leg 2 Endo Steel 0Left Leg 2 Endo Steel 0

notes: Features the following Design Quirks: Improved Targeting, Short .

weapons and ammo location critical tonnagePrimary Weapons ConfigurationPlasma Rifle RA 2 6Ammo (Plasma) 20 RT 2 22 ER Medium Lasers LA 2 2

weapons and ammo location critical tonnageAlternate Configuration AHeavy PPC RA 4 10 Battle Value: 685

Alternate Configuration BER Large Laser RA 2 5Angel ECM Suite RT 2 2Bloodhound Active Probe LT 3 2TAG LA 1 1 Battle Value: 639

96

light ’mechs

Wulfen

mass: 30 tonschassis: Process 12 Endo Steelpower plant: Model 39b 300 XXL Enginecruising speed: 108 kphmaximum speed: 162 kphJump Jets: None Jump capacity: Nonearmor: Imstar V-Stealtharmament: 10 tons of pod space availablemanufacturer: Kallon Weapon Industries primary Factory: Thermopoliscommunications system: Garret T11-b with

ECM Suitetargeting & tracking system: Sync Tracker

(39-42071)

Originally the subject of some controversy within Clan Wolf, the Wulfen light ’Mech has become a signature unit that ristars fight Trials over . The few prototypes that were available when Clan Wolf uprooted itself proved devastat-ingly effective in the invasions of the Republic, Free Worlds League, and Lyran Commonwealth . Success bred respect in the Wolf Empire, which has poured considerable resources into bring-ing the unit into production . capabilities

The Wulfen combines exceptional speed with stealth armor, which allows it to completely dictate the terms of engagement with heavier ’Mechs . It is equally adept at wearing down op-ponents in an honorable long-range duel, tear-ing into the enemy’s supply lines, hunting down reconnaissance elements, and screening a gen-eral advance . The standard configurations largely play to the unit’s strengths, though some close-in loadouts like H configuration’s heavy lasers exist .

deploymeNtOriginal production of the Wulfen on

Weingarten was highly limited, and it was not until after 3142 that Kallon’s plant on Thermopolis could be refitted to Clan stan-dards . As a result of high demand and limited availability, the Wulfen is reserved for frontline Galaxies and to ristars within them . Beta Galaxy, Khan Ward’s own command, has the highest concentration of Wulfens . Thus far Clan Wolf has gone to considerable lengths to prevent the Wulfen from being taken as salvage or isorla .

The Wulfen did not start off so highly re-garded . Star Colonel Josiah Ward publicly de-nounced the ’Mech as “tainted by Spheroid dis-honor” shortly after the first prototypes walked off the floor of the W-7 facility . It was a political attack on Khan Seth Ward, and was answered by saKhan Garner Kerensky challenging the of-fending Ward to a Trial of Grievance . Kerensky made a point of taking the first Wulfen proto-type out to meet Ward’s Loki .

Facing off on the trial grounds outside Krefeld, it was assumed by most observers that Ward would have the advantage thanks to his superior firepower . However Kerensky used the Wulfen’s superior mobility to dictate the range and systematically tore apart his opponent’s ’Mech with highly accurate shooting from his lone large laser . Kerensky’s configuration for the Trial became the basis of the B configuration, and open complaints about the unit ceased .

Muted acceptance became admiration as the prototype Wulfen proved itself against the Silver Hawk Irregulars on a half-dozen worlds during the invasion of the Marik-Stewart Commonwealth . Wulfens further played a key role in outflanking the First Covenant Guards on New Olympia, leading to the death of

former paladin Thaddeus Marik . By the time Clan Wolf turned on their Lyran allies the Wulfen had claimed its present status as a sym-bol of the ristar .

Notable UNits

star captain gwin Fetladral: Gwin won her Bloodname at age twenty-five and joined the Steel Wolves following the HPG blackout . An ar-dent supporter of the Steel Wolves rejoining the Clan Wolf fold, Gwin lost her way after Anastasia Kerensky killed Galaxy Commander Kal Radick in 3133, and she fought in only a few more com-bat operations before striking out on her own . Soon after, Gwin rejoined Clan Wolf and vowed to someday repay Kerensky for casually discard-ing Kal Radick’s vision .

Type: wulfenTechnology Base: Mixed Clan (Advanced)Tonnage: 30Battle Value: 983

equipment massInternal Structure: Endo Steel 1 .5Engine: 300 XXL 6 .5 Walking MP: 10 Running MP: 15 Jumping MP: 0Heat Sinks: 10 [20] 0Gyro (XL, IS): 1 .5Cockpit: 3Armor Factor (Stealth, IS): 104 6 .5 Internal Armor Structure Value Head 3 8 Center Torso 10 15 Center Torso (rear) 5 R/L Torso 7 10 R/L Torso (rear) 4 R/L Arm 5 10 R/L Leg 7 14

97

Wulfen

weight and space allocationLocation Fixed Spaces RemainingHead ECM Suite 0Center Torso 2 XL Gyro 0Right Torso 4 XXL Engine 5 1 Endo Steel 2 Stealth ArmorLeft Torso 4 XXL Engine 5 1 Endo Steel 2 Stealth ArmorRight Arm 3 Endo Steel 3 2 Stealth ArmorLeft Arm 2 Endo Steel 4 2 Stealth ArmorRight Leg 2 Stealth Armor 0Left Leg 2 Stealth Armor 0

notes: Features a Full-Head Ejection System .

Fixed equipment location critical tonnageECM Suite H 1 1 weapons and ammo location critical tonnagePrimary Weapons ConfigurationATM 3 RA 2 1 .5Ammo (ATM) 20 RT 1 1CASE II RT 1 .5Cargo LT 1 .5Ultra AC/2 LA 2 5Ammo (Ultra) 45 LA 1 1CASE II LA 1 .5

Alternate Configuration A2 Double Heat Sinks RT 4 22 Double Heat Sinks LT 4 2ER PPC LA 2 6 Battle Value: 1,615

Alternate Configuration BSupercharger RT 1 1Targeting Computer LT 1 1ER Large Laser LA 1 4Double Heat Sink LA 2 1Jump Jets RT 3 1 .5Jump Jets LT 3 1 .5 Battle Value: 1,806

Alternate Configuration CDouble Heat Sink RA 2 13 ER Medium Lasers LA 3 3Targeting Computer LA 1 1Jump Jets RT 5 2 .5Jump Jets LT 5 2 .5 Battle Value: 1,334

weapons and ammo location critical tonnageAlternate Configuration DSRM 2 RA 1 .5Artemis V FCS RA 2 1 .5Ammo (SRM) 50 RT 1 1CASE II RT 1 .5LB 2-X AC LA 3 5Ammo (LB-X) 45 LA 1 1CASE II LA 1 .5 Battle Value: 859

Alternate Configuration EATM 3 RT 2 1 .5Ammo (ATM) 20 RT 1 1CASE II RT 1 .5ATM 3 LT 2 1 .5Supercharger LT 1 1Targeting Computer LT 1 12 ER Medium Lasers LA 2 2Micro Pulse Laser LA 1 .5Double Heat Sink LA 2 1 Battle Value: 1,839

weapons and ammo location critical tonnageAlternate Configuration HDouble Heat Sink RA 2 1Improved Heavy Medium Laser RT 2 1Double Heat Sink RT 2 1Improved Heavy Medium Laser LT 2 1Double Heat Sink LT 2 1Improved Heavy Large Laser LA 3 4Double Heat Sink LA 2 1 Battle Value: 1,556

156

heavy ’mechs

mass: 75 tonschassis: Luthien Class 74-77 Endo Steelpower plant: Ford 375 XLcruising speed: 54 kphmaximum speed: 75 kphJump Jets: None Jump capacity: Nonearmor: New Samarkand Teppeki Hardenedarmament: 1 Imperator LB 2-X Autocannon 4 Shigunga C Type LRM 10 Launchersmanufacturer: Luthien Armor Works primary Factory: Luthiencommunications system: Sipher CommSys 4

with Guardian ECM Suitetargeting & tracking system: Neko Megane 7

Named after the Combine’s founder, the Shiro’s classic look evokes samurai pride, glory, honor, and nationalism . It is the only BattleMech within the DCMS that is specifically assigned by a warlord’s command staff . All Shiro pilots are required to have one Combine honor bestowed upon them, the most common being the Bushido Blade .

capabilities The Shiro is often regarded as “an assault

’Mech disguised in a heavy ’Mech chassis .” Mounting dense armor, yet still capable of maintaining pace with other heavy ’Mechs, the Shiro is best utilized leading from behind . Unlike the social generals of the Lyran Commonwealth, however, Shiro pilots are expected to advance with their troops, providing a constant symbol of the Dragon watching over its people as they bring victory to the Combine . Its quadruple Shigungas spread an impressive umbrella of ordnance that is as effective on airborne targets as they are to those on the ground .

deploymeNt Upon seeing the Shiro for the first time,

then-Tai-shu Toranaga ordered that only DCMS MechWarriors of acclaim and honor could pilot such a magnificent machine . With the Combine—and the DCMS in particular—ex-periencing a rebirth of its cultural history, the Shiro’s appearance on the battlefield would be an inspiration . The first operational Shiro in the Ryuken, for instance, was then given to Tai-sho Tori Ishihara for the Ryuken-go’s superb performance in the Draconis Reach campaign . Earning a Shiro became an obses-sion for many Kuritan officers, though it be-came standard practice for warlords to refuse one to an officer who publicly expressed such a desire .

Tai-sa Edwin Sota, commander of the Nineteenth Sun Zhang, had his Shiro revoked after the disastrous landings on Exeter . Brash in his approach, Sota landed his DropShips in full view of the planetary capital, hoping to cow the local populace . As the cadre paraded in full regalia to their deployment zones, the Exeter militia overwhelmed the DCMS troops . With a company of ’Mechs lost in less than an hour, the Nineteenth quickly retreated . Upon their arrival at Homam, Sota was demoted, his Shiro seized by the Procurement Department, and the cadre relegated to guard duty .

On Robinson, Chu-sa Moishe Tolkowski, second in command of the Seventh Sword of Light, stood fast on the hill approach near Bueller and rebuffed a heavy counterattack by the Twentieth Avalon Hussars . The Davion unit, recovered from the Seventh’s headlong assault two days prior, attempted to blast through the DCMS line and seize the Combine DropShips . Tolkowski and his company of heavy and as-sault ’Mechs, low on ammunition and supplies,

closed ranks and met the Hussars rush head-on . Outnumbered nearly four-to-one by Davion light ’Mechs and vehicles, Tolkowski’s troops denied the Hussars their breakout . Tolkowski’s Shiro, depleted of missile ammunition as the battle unfolded, waded into the midst of the Davion charge . The sight of their commander’s Shiro smashing, kicking, and stomping Davion machines inspired the Dragon’s troops to un-matched courage . At the end of the day, a bat-talion of AFFS machines and men lay broken along the shallow pass .

VaRiaNtsA special variant of the Shiro was built as a

prototype for the Combine’s new ballistic armor . The SH-2P replaced the original’s autocannon for an ER-PPC . Few of these are found in the field and are considered honored gifts when awarded by the kanrei .

Notable UNits

Sho-sho Katsuro sutoku: A faithful servant of House Kurita, Sutoku is happiest when piloting a ‘Mech for the Dragon . His inner peace with such simple devotion makes him a formidable warrior . Sutoku was gifted Tai-sa Sota’s Shiro after the debacle on Exeter .

Tai-i moriko horiama: Raised on the exploits of ancient Kuritan MechWarriors, Horiama strove to earn a place among the elite of the DCMS . Graduating with honors from the Sun Tzu School of Combat, Horiama steadily moved up the ranks of the Pesht Regulars . Her innate stra-tegic abilities served the Combine well during a Dominion raid on Schuyler, earning her recogni-tion as a Guardian of the Lair . She now serves with the warlord’s command staff .

sh-1v shiro

157

Type: shiroTechnology Base: Mixed Inner Sphere (Advanced)Tonnage: 75Battle Value: 2,016

equipment massInternal Structure: Endo Steel 4Engine: 375 XL 19 .5 Walking MP: 5 Running MP: 7 Jumping MP: 0Heat Sinks: 10 [20] 0Gyro (XL): 2Cockpit: 3Armor Factor (Hardened): 168 21 Internal Armor Structure Value Head 3 9 Center Torso 23 25 Center Torso (rear) 8 R/L Torso 16 18 R/L Torso (rear) 5 R/L Arm 12 18 R/L Leg 16 22

weapons and ammo location critical tonnageSword RA 5 42 LRM 10 (C) RT 2 5Ammo (LRM) 36 RT 3 32 LRM 10 (C) LT 2 5Guardian ECM Suite LT 2 1 .5LB 2-X AC LA 4 6Ammo (LB-X) 45 LA 1 1

notes: Hardened Armor reduces Running MP by 1 . Features the following Design Quirks: Distracting .

sh-1v shiro

168

assault ’mechs

zeu-x4 zeus x

mass: 80 tonschassis: Chariot III Ultralight Compositepower plant: Defiance 400 XXLcruising speed: 54 kphmaximum speed: 86 kphJump Jets: None Jump capacity: Nonearmor: Durallex Shockwave Reactive

with CASE IIarmament: 1 Corean Light Gauss Rifle 1 Defiance Model 6 Extended Range

Large Laser 1 Doombud LRM 20 Launcher 1 Defiance X5M Medium X-Pulse Lasermanufacturer: Defiance Manufacturing Annex primary Factory: Kwangjong-nicommunications system: TharHes Calliope

ZE-5A2targeting & tracking system: TharHes Ares-X9-B

The Zeus is the epitome of the Steiner “wall of steel .” The homegrown pride and joy of the LCAF was supposedly the ultimate proof that excellence in production quality could com-pensate for lackluster battlefield prowess . After three centuries of stalwart service, it was cho-sen for a facelift to prove Defiance’s standing as one of the Inner Sphere’s leading manufactur-ers . The Zeus X is equal parts poster child and innovative high-tech platform . Its upgrades el-evate the venerable BattleMech to cutting edge even by thirty-second century standards .

capabilitiesStructurally, the Zeus X-series is defined

by a huge engine and a light but brittle struc-ture covered by layers of experimental armor . When the ZEU-X4 was readied for production in the late 3110s, these features were carefully combined with sensible equipment . The thick

reactive plating is now production grade and safely covers the complete ’Mech . A spacious rumble seat was upgraded to a full console, resulting in a command ’Mech for the LCAF . Equipped with simple but effective weapon-ry, the ZEU-X4 once again engages enemies that are no more than approaching blots on the horizon .

deploymeNtShortly after Gray Monday, elements of the

Third Lyran Guards stationed on Port Moseby were able to test the Zeus X against ancient en-emies when a company of the Second Legion of Vega landed . Striking minor commercial tar-gets on Java, the raiders relied on their nimble ’Mechs to circumvent fortified defenses . Only after Steiner Zeuses moved onto the Semeru Flats did the Kuritans attack, confident that their superior speed would grant them the advantage in open terrain . The improved per-formance of the Zeus Xs shocked the Legion . The advanced assault ’Mech outgunned them at long range, and their unexpected speed was equal to that of the Legion’s Dragons . Even a few advanced Dragon IIs could not threaten the Zeus Xs, as their reactive armor neutralized the incoming Arrow IV fire . The Legion hast-ily retreated, harrowed by the pursuing assault ’Mechs . Only the general confusion of those days and the related communication problems prevented the incident from being used in a massive propaganda campaign .

This opportunity was not missed during the recent battle of Hesperus II, where the Zeus X was again fielded by the Third Lyran Guards . Duke Brewer made sure that Defiance’s most prestigious product was covered favorably by the media . Be it as the hero of Calipee Pass—without ever engaging there—or as the de-fender of Phobos Peak, the Zeus X was displayed

as a rally point for Lyran troops during their rec-lamation of its home planet . Few sources voiced the inconvenient truth that the Zeus X isn’t built on Hesperus, and that Duke Brewer himself is far away in safe hiding .

VaRiaNtsThe original ZEU-X was an experimental

engineering milestone . It was also an ungainly hodgepodge of patchwork armor, reactive com-posites and counterintuitive short-range weapons whose limited production during the Civil War merely served propaganda . The next model was a genuine failure, as the marriage of armored com-ponents and composite structure often resulted in a pile of undamaged internal components as the only remains of a defeated ZEU-X2 . A 3080s model was an inefficient jumping monster influ-enced by Solaris experimentation on the obscure Sasquatch . Only the sub-variant ZEU-WD series that melded the X-series’ innovations with stan-dard Zeus chassis, proved successful .

Notable UNits

Kommandant mike donnelly, Jr: Kommandant Donnelly of the Second Donegal Guards runs his battalion with an even hand—a difficult task when the Falcons always seem to be breathing down the RCT’s neck . During the Falcon inva-sion, his battalion always kept the enemy on the defensive, which meant Donnelly himself often fought on the frontlines . In three separate battlefield incidents, a section of reactive armor on Donnelly’s Zeus X blew off, further damaging the ’Mech’s internal structure and placing him in jeopardy . As he was returning to base on 13 May, a catastrophic coolant failure caused the ’Mech to overheat and explode . The Guards dedicated their latest base publication to their gruff commander .

169

zeu-x4 zeus x

Type: Zeus XTechnology Base: Inner Sphere (Advanced)Tonnage: 80Battle Value: 2,222

equipment massInternal Structure: Composite 4Engine: 400 XXL 17 .5 Walking MP: 5 Running MP: 8 Jumping MP: 0Heat Sinks: 11 [22] 1Gyro: 4Cockpit: 3Armor Factor (Reactive): 232 14 .5 Internal Armor Structure Value Head 3 9 Center Torso 25 37 Center Torso (rear) 12 R/L Torso 17 26 R/L Torso (rear) 8 R/L Arm 13 23 R/L Leg 17 30

weapons and ammo location critical tonnageLRM 20 RA 5 10Ammo (LRM) 12 RT 2 2CASE II RT 1 1Cockpit Command Console H 1 3Medium X-Pulse Laser CT 1 2ER Large Laser LT 2 5Light Gauss Rifle LA 5 12Ammo (Light Gauss) 16 LA 1 1

notes: Features the following Design Quirks: Command BattleMech, Difficult to Maintain .

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assault ’mechs

shriKe

mass: 95 tonschassis: DSAM Endo 4power plant: Olivetti 380 XLcruising speed: 43 kphmaximum speed: 64 kphJump Jets: Grandthrust Mk 5 with Partial Wing Jump capacity: 120 metersarmor: Forging ZM15 Ferro-Fibrousarmament: 2 Type 9 Ultra-5 Autocannons 1 Type X “Long Bow” LRM 10-Rack 2 Series 2b ER Large Lasersmanufacturer: Eagle Craft Group primary Factory: Erewhoncommunications system: Raptor X-T Type iiitargeting & tracking system: Goshawk

E-Series

At first glance, one might erroneously as-sume the fearsome Shrike is another falcon-themed BattleMech of Olivetti Weaponry manufacture . While it was clearly inspired by the aesthetics of Olivetti’s Flamberge and Eyrie, the Shrike’s more humble origins stem from Red Devil Industries’ Onager . Following in the foot-steps of the Eyrie, Eagle Craft Group took the Onager concept and retooled it to satisfy the Clan Council’s revitalization mandates and de-sign philosophies . The heavier Shrike, which was unveiled shortly after Olivetti’s similarly styled Gyrfalcon, met with acclaim from the warrior caste when it outperformed the Onager in all areas . After witnessing Shrikes in battle against fast, heavy ’Mechs, many Falcon warriors issued Trials of Possession for them .

Since its debut, the Shrike has become one of the go-to choices for Galaxy and Cluster com-manders due to its mobility, heavy armor, range, accuracy, and intimidating battlefield presence .

capabilitiesAlthough heavier than its spiritual prede-

cessor, the Shrike exceeds the Onager in every category . It can outmaneuver many heavy and assault ’Mechs, and jump jets paired with a par-tial wing let the Shrike reach areas inaccessible to most ’Mechs in its weight class . The Shrike’s weapons and targeting computer allow it to maintain range on its opponents, potentially keeping the pilot out of danger without sacri-ficing accuracy, and reinforced legs encourage Death From Above attacks on enemies who wander too close . Heavy armor, a command sta-tion, and a menacing falcon silhouette serve to make the Shrike an attractive command ’Mech .

deploymeNtThe Shrike remains exclusively a Jade

Falcon asset, although a few salvaged chassis have appeared in Lyran black markets .

Many Jade Falcons were enamored with the Shrike when it rolled off the assembly line, but it initially caught the warrior caste’s attention in 3115 when the Third Falcon Talon Cluster raided La Grave . Clan Wolf’s Blue Keshik fielded a large number of Tundra Wolfs on the Geiranger Plateau, so the Third brought forward its trio of Shrikes to slow them down . The Shrikes chipped away at the Tundra Wolfs from long range, and once the Wolves were forced to slow down to keep from abusing MASC, the Shrikes outmaneuvered them and dove in for the kill . Upon winning the Trial, Star Colonel Howard Malthus surprised the Wolves by immediately declaring a second batchall for fur-ther resources, bidding only the same two Shrikes that had helped win the first Trial . In the first few minutes of the Trial, Star Colonel Malthus’ Shrike killed the Blue Keshik’s commander by destroying her Orion IIC; the remaining Wolves were granted hegira in short order .

Another notable battle occurred in 3142 along the Coventry front of the Golden Ordun invasion . The First Falcon Velites faced the Fifth Lyran Regulars on Guatavita, where a Talon Star of Shrikes steamrolled through two whole lances of defenders without ever letting them reach close range . The rest of the Falcons were blindsided and had to withdraw, but after re-grouping, the counterthrust’s Shrike vanguard allowed the Falcons to claim the planet .

VaRiaNtsThe Shrike 2 is a medium-range fighter that

exchanges the standard configuration’s lasers and autocannon with extended-range medium lasers and Ultra AC/10s . This version has not proven terribly popular in extended engage-ments due to its overreliance on ammunition . The Shrike 3 exchanges the standard configura-tion’s autocannon for paired PPCs and five addi-tional laser heat sinks, but heat buildup remains a problem .

Notable UNits

Khan malvina hazen: An early adopter of the Mongol doctrine of warfare, Malvina Hazen leaves few survivors in her wake . During the Jade Falcons’ desant into the Republic, her even-tempered sibkin Aleksandr Hazen kept her more violent impulses in check . However, when Aleks was killed on Skye in 3134, Malvina’s gloves came off . Her successful revolt against Khan Jana Pryde, her espousal of total war phi-losophies, and her questionable grasp on san-ity make her one of the most dangerous and feared opponents in the Inner Sphere .

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shriKe

Type: shrikeTechnology Base: ClanTonnage: 95Battle Value: 2,969

equipment massInternal Structure: Endo Steel 5Engine: 380 XL 20 .5 Walking MP: 4 Running MP: 6 Jumping MP: 4*Heat Sinks (Laser): 12 [24]* 2Gyro: 4Cockpit: 3Armor Factor (Ferro): 288 15 Internal Armor Structure Value Head 3 9 Center Torso 30 44 Center Torso (rear) 15 R/L Torso 20 29 R/L Torso (rear) 10 R/L Arm 16 32 R/L Rear Leg 20 39

weapons and ammo location critical tonnageTargeting Computer RA 5 5ER Large Laser RT 1 4Ammo (LRM) 12 RT 1 1LRM 10 CT 1 2 .5ER Large Laser LT 1 42 Ultra AC/5 LA 6 14Ammo (Ultra) 40 LA 2 2Partial Wing RT/LT 3/3 5Jump Jets RT 2 4Jump Jets LT 2 4

notes: *Partial Wing adds +1 Jump MP and –3 Heat per turn in Standard Atmosphere (see pp . 293 and 295, TO, for ad ditional rules) . Features the following Design Quirks: Command BattleMech, Distracting, Reinforced Legs, Rumble Seat, Exposed Weapon Linkage (Ultra AC/5) .

182

colossus ’mechs

mass: 125 tonschassis: Rhodes-P Endo Steelpower plant: PlasmaStar 375 XLcruising speed: 32 kphmaximum speed: 54 kphJump Jets: None Jump capacity: Nonearmor: Maximillian 320 with CASE IIarmament: 2 Hyperion Lance Extended Range

Medium Lasers 3 Hyperion Ray Extended Range

Small Lasers 2 Hyperion Titan Bolt Extended Range

Particle Projection Cannons 2 LongFire Light LRM 5 Launcher 1 Skobel Drotnik MRM 20 Launcher 3 Harvester 2K SRM 2 Launcher 1 Brontios Tight-Stream Electromagnetic

Pulse Cannon 6 Titan’s Tread A-Podsmanufacturer: Rhodes Foundry primary Factory: Devil’s Rockcommunications system: Titan’s Shout Mk . IVAtargeting & tracking system: Titan’s Vantage

Mk . II with Apollo FCS

Ever since the dawn of the BattleMech, it seems, engineers have tried to develop a walk-ing war machine capable of breaking the so-called “100-ton barrier,” that point where simply too much mass stresses a frame made of too many moving parts . In the days of the original Star League, there were many attempts made to do this—all the way to the realm’s bitter end with “Amaris’ Folly” itself, the Matar . It was not until the waning days of the Jihad that the tech-nology emerged to make viable super-heavy ’Mechs, but the sheer devastation that befell Terra, and the taint of any machines made from Word of Blake research, led to a moratorium on

the notion of building ’Mechs bigger, stronger, and better than before . Having the sponsoring realm champion the cause of universal peace and minimal armies didn’t help either .

But that’s not to say the Republic of the Sphere wasn’t ready to leap at the chance . No sooner had war erupted in the wake of the Blackout, and the Fortress walls had gone up, than the Rhodes Project went into overdrive—aimed at giving the Republic nothing short of the ultimate ’Mech .

capabilitiesThe PSD-V2 Poseidon is the spiritual succes-

sor to the Republic’s first experimental attempt at a superheavy BattleMech—a lumbering biped known as the Orca . Itself derived from en-gineering specs for the Word of Blake’s Omega, the Orca project was mothballed shortly after it produced its prototype models . Though forgot-ten by most, lessons from the Orca inspired the Poseidon’s development down to its endo steel bones and reinforced actuators . Reengineered for greater stability and battlefield flexibility, the first prototypes of these superheavy tripods emerged from secret facilities on Terra and went through their paces against a surprising enemy: the Republic Senate .

deploymeNtThe Poseidon is the first of the tripod su-

perheavies—or, as many have dubbed them, “Colossals”—produced by the Rhodes Project, but one wouldn’t know that from the hype . Unlike the heavier Ares, the Poseidon was not built for modular technology . This made it easy for observers to identify many of its features once they survived the initial encounters .

Prototypes of this unit first saw action at the Serbian proving grounds on Terra, when rebel senatorial forces attempted to seize the

top secret facilities there in 3135 . Two test bed PSD-X1 models took the rebels completely by surprise, achieving almost as much in their shocking appearance as they managed with their weapons . The entire engagement took place under a blackout imposed by the proving grounds’ loyalist commanders, and was sub-sequently classified under orders from Exarch Levin himself, but details of the Poseidons’ per-formance quickly led to the refinements that appeared on the final PSD-V2s .

At present, all Poseidon- and Ares-class superheavy tripods are being used only by the RAF’s most reliable commands, with the major-ity deployed only in defensive roles .

Notable UNits

captain Jacques wolfcastle: As a test pilot for the Rhodes Project, then-Lieutenant Wolfcastle gained the distinction of being one of the Republic’s first Poseidon pilots to see combat, at the helm of a prototype X1 in Serbia . Though he operated the machine solo—the three-man cockpit systems were not fully established and integrated yet—and was saddled with a faulty targeting system, he managed to drive off the rebel senatorial forces with a combination of intimidation and what he called “spray and pray” shooting .

In recognition of his bravery and loyalty, Wolfcastle was promoted to captain and given command of one of the first completed V2 Poseidons . Posted now to Stone’s Fury on Liberty, he has since honed his skills with a full crew of veteran MechWarriors, and leads a full lance of superheavy tripods . His combat style remains fo-cused on using shock as his primary weapon, de-moralizing the enemy with overkill attacks and saturation fire all designed to deliver more flash and thunder than surgical precision .

Psd-v2 Poseidon

183

Type: poseidonTechnology Base: Mixed Inner Sphere (Advanced)Tonnage: 125Battle Value: 3,760

equipment massInternal Structure: Endo Steel 14Engine: 375 XL 19 .5 Walking MP: 3 Running MP: 5 Jumping MP: 0Heat Sinks: 20 [40] 10Gyro: 8Cockpit: 5Armor Factor: 384 24 Internal Armor Structure Value Head 4 12 Center Torso 38 55 Center Torso (rear) 21 R/L Torso 26 40 R/L Torso (rear) 12 R/L Arm 21 36 R/C/L Leg 26 40

weapons and ammo location critical tonnageMRM 20 RA 2 7Apollo FCS RA 1 1TSEMP RA 3 6ER Medium Laser (C) RT 1 1ER Small Laser (C) RT 1 .5LRM 5 RT 1 2SRM 2 RT 1 1Ammo (SRM) 50 RT 1 1Ammo (MRM) 12 RT 1 1CASE II RT 1 1ER Small Laser (C) CT 1 .5SRM 2 CT 1 1

weapons and ammo location critical tonnageER Medium Laser (C) LT 1 1ER Small Laser (C) LT 1 .5LRM 5 LT 1 2SRM 2 LT 1 1

weapons and ammo location critical tonnageAmmo (LRM) 24 LT 1 1CASE II LT 1 12 ER PPC (C) LA 2 122 A-Pods RL 2 12 A-Pods CL 2 12 A-Pods LL 2 1

Psd-v2 Poseidon

notes: Features the following Design Quirks: Command BattleMech, Distracting, Searchlight .

188

aerosPacefighter

mass: 60 tonschassis: Shipil SC1Fpower plant: Krupp 300 XLarmor: Fiber 15 Heavy Ferro-Aluminumarmament: 30 tons of pod spacemanufacturer: Wangker Aerospace primary Factory: Marscommunications system: COMSTAT 500 ATMtargeting & tracking system: IMB SYS 6000

The Schrack OmniFighter has proven, over the last forty years, to be one of the Republic’s most potent aerospace fighters . Fast for its weight without being overengined, well-ar-mored and flexible enough to fill several fleet roles, Schracks are favored fighters . Under the Fortress protocols Wangker’s Mars production facility has almost doubled production, flowing these fighters into the RAF Navy .

capabilitiesShracks are offensive fighters, and all three

of its available configurations reflect this . Both the primary and the A configuration are built for interception and interdiction duties, while the B configuration is a deadly dogfighter . The primary configuration’s improved heavy Gauss rifle makes it particularly threatening to enemy DropShips .

deploymeNtIn production since before the Victoria

War, Schracks are familiar wings in the RAF . Wangker’s production was prodigious enough even to deploy a number with the Standing Guard, though all those wings heeded the Fortress recall order and ended up in Prefecture X . Still, enough remained with the Remnant and other abandoned forces to earn heavy praise .

During the coursing of the Com Guards, the Republic WarShip Auspicium joined in the pursuit but chose the wrong jump point at Epsilon Eridani; waiting at the nadir point, its crew was disappointed when the bulk of the Com Guards arrived at the zenith point . Only a handful of transports arrived at the nadir point, and none of them merited the attention of an Aegis-class cruiser . Still, Auspicium’s aero-space escort participated in the destruction of several DropShips, including the Achilles-class Purity of Purpose .

Led by two Schrack squadrons, the RAF fighters weren’t able to intercept Purpose before it broke for in-system, but they pur-sued nonetheless, trusting the RAF units at the jump point to arrange tenders and col-liers to resupply them . Configured for dog-fighting, the Schracks engaged as they could and forced the Purpose to turn and deal with them . The resulting battle was high-speed and violent; by the time Purpose signaled its surrender, only four of the original twelve Schracks were still flying .

In the October 3136 Republic withdrawal from Aldebaran, two Schrack squadrons were responsible for shepherding the last DropShips out . Staging from a pair of Leopard CVs, the squadrons flew sortie after sortie against the Capellan aerospace contingent, shooting down twice their own number while losing only three planes . The final Capellan attack, as the DropShips left orbit, was spearheaded by a pair of Lung Wang DropShips . The Schracks launched a final time, targeting the Lung Wangs . Though one of the DropShips was forced to turn back with heavy damage, only three of the nine Schracks made it back to their carrier—which was destroyed the next day by Capellan fight-ers en route to the jump point .

Notable UNits

captain nadia Kelvan: Captain Kelvan com-mands a squadron in the air defenses of Stone’s Pride . She and her six Schracks are often tasked as covert JumpShip security for raiding parties outside the Fortress . In the last six deployments Kelvan’s squadron has only deployed from their carrier once, when an RAF JumpShip had the misfortune to emerge from hyperspace near a pirate in the Kawich system . Kelvan’s squad-ron launched while the pirate fighters were still in transit and destroyed them in a single pass before escorting marine boats to capture the pirates’ JumpShip .

Type: schrackTechnology Base: Inner SphereTonnage: 60Battle Value: 2,113

equipment massEngine: 300 XL 9 .5 Safe Thrust: 7 Maximum Thrust: 11Structural Integrity: 7 Heat Sinks: 10 [20] 0Fuel: 400 5Cockpit: 3Armor Factor (Heavy Ferro): 248 12 .5 Armor Value Nose 81 Wings 61/61 Aft 45

scK-o schracK

189

scK-o schracK

weapons and ammo location mass heat srV mrV lrV erVPrimary ConfigurationImproved Heavy Gauss Rifle Nose 20 2 22 22 22 —Ammo (iHeavy Gauss) 12 — 33 ER Medium Lasers Nose 3 5 5 5 — —Streak SRM 2 RW 1 .5 2 4 — — —Streak SRM 2 LW 1 .5 2 4 — — —Ammo (Streak) 50 — 1

weapons and ammo location mass heat srV mrV lrV erVConfiguration AGauss Rifle Nose 15 1 15 15 15 —Ammo (Gauss) 16 — 23 ER Medium Lasers RW 3 5 5 5 — —3 ER Medium Lasers LW 3 5 5 5 — —ER Medium Laser Aft 1 5 5 5 — —6 Double Heat Sinks — 6 Battle Value: 2,173

weapons and ammo location mass heat srV mrV lrV erVConfiguration B2 Rotary AC/5 Nose 20 6 20 20 — —Ammo (RAC) 140 — 72 ER Medium Lasers Nose 2 5 5 5 — —Double Heat Sink — 1 Battle Value: 2,212

notes: Features the following Design Quirk: Easy to Pilot, Non-standard Parts, Difficult to Maintain .

205

gorgon carrier

type: Military Aerodyneuse: Aerospace Carriertech: Inner Sphere Introduced: 3096mass: 6,800 tonsBattle Value: 6,133

dimensions length: 103 meters width: 86 meters height: 39 meters

Fuel: 500 tons (15,000 points)tons/Burn-day: 1 .84safe thrust: 4maximum thrust: 6heat sinks: 88 (176)structural Integrity: 12

armor nose: 231 wings: 211 aft: 202

cargo Bay 1: Fighter Cubicles (18) 3 Doors Bay 2: Cargo (1,002 tons) 1 Door

life Boats: 3escape pods: 3crew: 3 officers, 3 enlisted/non-rated, 4 gunners, 36 bay

personnel

notes: Equipped with 51 .5 tons of Ferro-aluminum armor .

weapons: capital attack Values (standard)arc (heat) type short medium long extreme classnose (48 heat) 3 ER PPC 3 (30) 3 (30) 3 (30) — PPC 3 Gauss Rifles (48 rounds) 5 (45) 5 (45) 5 (45) — Autocannonrw/lw (28 heat) 2 LRM 15 + Artemis IV 2 (24) 2 (24) 2 (24) — LRM (32 rounds) 1 Heavy PPC 2 (15) 2 (15) — — PPC 3 AMS (72 rounds) 1 (9)† — — — Point Defenseaft (33 heat) 2 LRM 15 + Artemis IV 2 (24) 2 (24) 2 (24) — LRM (32 rounds) 2 Large Pulse Lasers 2 (18) 2 (18) — — Pulse Laser 3 AMS (72 rounds) 1 (9)† — — — Point Defense

notes: Features the following Design Quirks: Internal Bomb Bay .

214

technological advancements: 3145In the decades since the Jihad, military technology across the Inner Sphere continued to advance, despite the relative peace of those years . Though manufacturing slowed as

the various realms and Clans focused on rebuilding their infrastructure, few truly believed that they had seen the end of war, and planned to be ready for the next Sphere-spanning conflict . Refinement of Jihad-era equipment thus became the order of the day, while innovators continued to tinker .

In terms of BattleTech game play, the rules classifications of various equipment—Tournament Legal, Advanced, and Experimental—not only reflects the complexity of their rules, but also their availability to the manufacturers of the various in-universe factions . Tournament Legal weapons, for example, are readily available to all factions capable of a given technology base (Clan or Inner Sphere) . Advanced weapons, meanwhile, are broadly available, but are either hardly to come by, or employ special rules that are not readily extrapolated from the core game rules of Total Warfare . Experimental weapons, meanwhile, reflect either extinct/disused technologies, or equipment still in the prototype phases—and thus are not available to mainstream manufacturing .

tHe daRk aGe tecHNoloGy adVaNcemeNt tableThe technological advances of the BattleTech universe since the Jihad brought many items and design options previously classified as Experimental into the mainstream, while

additional items even managed to pass through their experimental and pre-production phases to see limited development . To reflect this, the Dark Age Technology Advancement Table shown on pp . 215-218 shows how and when various new technologies and construction options offered in the Tactical Operations advanced rulebook (and Field Manual: 3145) moved from its previous rules classifications and into general, mainstream production . Where applicable, the years each item was first considered prototyped under its current rules class are shown (under the Prototyped column), followed by a year of introduction when the item moved to its new classification (under Introduced) .

estimated iNtRodUctioNsAny year preceded with a tilde (~) reflects an estimated year of introduction, usually due to the fact that some factions gained access to the technology or technique within a

year or two before others . Exact dates of introduction by faction are beyond the scope of this product, but campaign game masters may approach such estimated introduction years as an opportunity to slip in an item of new technology up to 2 years before (or up to 3 years after) the listed year . If randomness is desired, simply add (1D6 – 3) to the estimated year of introduction .

UNlisted adVaNced aNd expeRimeNtal itemsAny Advanced- or Experimental-level equipment and items not listed in this table are unaffected by the technology progression since the Jihad and remain unchanged as of

3145 . Where listed, the item’s “Previous Class” represents its level as of 3090, in the wake of the Jihad era . If an “NA” appears in the Previous Class column, the item did not have a previous class . If an item listed as “NA” for a previous rules class has a prototype date before 3090, it

would be considered Experimental-level equipment in all eras before and up to 3090 .

215

Weapon/Item Previous Class Prototyped New Class Introduced Tech BaseActive Probes

Bloodhound AP Adv 3058 TL 3082 ISActuator Enhancement Systems Exp 3070 Adv 3109 IS/ClanAngel ECM Adv 3057IS / 3058C TL ~3080 IS/ClanArmor

Anti-Penetrative Ablation NA ~3100 Adv 3114 ISBallistic Reinforced NA ~3120 Adv 3131 ISFerro-Lamellor Adv 3070 Adv 3109 ClanHeat-Dissipating NA ~3115 Adv 3123/3126C IS/ClanImpact-Resistant NA ~3090 Adv 3103 ISModular Exp 3072IS / 3074C Adv ~3096 IS/ClanVehicular Stealth Adv 3067 TL 3084 IS

Artemis V Fire Control System Adv 3061 TL 3085 ClanArtillery Cruise Missiles Exp 3065 Adv ~3095 ISAutocannons

ProtoMech Autocannons Adv ~3070 TL 3073 ClanRotary AC/2/5 (Clan) Exp 3073 TL 3104 Clan

BattleMech Melee WeaponsClaws Adv ~3050IS / 3090C TL 3110 IS/Clan*Shield Exp 3067 Adv 3079 ISTalons Exp 3072 Adv 3087 ClanVibroblade Exp 3065 Adv 3091 IS

BattleMech/ProtoMech Motive SystemsMechanical Jump Boosters Adv 3060 TL 3083 ISUMUs Adv 3066IS / 3061C TL ~3084 IS/Clan

darK age technology advancement table