Catalyst 35XT013 - Experimental Technical Readout - Gunslingers [2014].pdf

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INTRODUCTION
TO: Paladin Janella Lakewood
FROM: Ghost Knight XX
Date: 1 January 3146
Open any technical digest printed in the last forty years and you’ll see one recurring theme. Somewhere in the introductory text or the précis descriptions
or combat performance reports you’ll see the phrase “Star League-era technology” used to describe an advanced component or weapon system. The original
Star League was an unprecedented technological developer, with uncounted scientific breakthroughs in all aspects of society, but in the aftermath of the
Succession Wars the only real interest the Great Houses had was in military technology—and even in that specific focus, the Star League did not disappoint.
Advanced materials and weaponry were rediscovered shortly before the return of Kerensky’s Clans and rushed into frantic production. Once the
invasion was halted and the Inner Sphere discovered that the Clans had progressed technologically beyond even the high water mark of the Star League their
scientists threw extraordinary efforts into designing and manufacturing evermore advanced and devastating weaponry. Some of these advances were honest
breakthrough of original thought, but the majority was distilled from the raw materials provided by the Star League centuries ago. Technicians and engineers
pored through the Helm memory core and any old references they could located, rebuilding long-forgotten prototypes and retesting failed experiments.
Much of that research has been gathered here, combined from the fragmentary records of all four remaining Successor States and those archives that
survived the Word of Blake’s occupation of Terra. Stefan Amaris the Usurper captured Terra and its collaborationist population intact, and used the knowledge
and manufactories available there to try and create the ultimate weaponry to hold back General Kerensky’s onslaught. Many prototypes were designed, far
more than ever reached initial production, as both sides jockeyed for an edge against the other. We have endeavored to draw a sampling of these systems both
as a tribute to the ingenuity of those engineers and scientists and as a tool to developing newer systems of our own. The Republic of the Sphere represents
the best of the Inner Sphere, but the Clans are still out there. The Capellan Confederation still covets its former worlds. Conflict, although greatly lessened, is
still present, and if the RAF is to protect the Republic worlds it must have the best weaponry available.
And so we offer this treatise, a digest of several of the prototypical and unique craft of the Star League, in the hopes that the information may lead to the
development of a new and more powerful tool to safeguard the Republic. None of these vehicles made it beyond prototype stage, although several of them saw
actual combat in the last minutes of Amaris’ control of Terra. Several of them had large prototype groups—the long-range recon patrol variant of the Beagle, for
instance, ran to fifty-seven chasses before the SLDF decided to pass on the design. Most of them used equipment that never made it to standard production in
the SLDF, although all the technologies have survived to the present era. In one instance, the
Rifleman III,
its actual construction was only conjecture before the
reclamation of old ruins after the Word of Blake’s defeat. Its wreckage was discovered beneath a collapsed skyscraper in Buenos Aires, and Republic technicians
and archeologists have been studying it and combing the archives for technical data.
Advancement in military technology, as with any other technology, has always been trial-and-error. We hope to assuage some of the errors to come, but
showcasing the errors of the past.
—Introduction to
The Old School: Prototype Weaponry of the First Star League
by Doctor Harrison Beech, Geneva Press, 3084.
HOW TO USE THIS BOOK
The ’Mechs, combat vehicles, and fighters described in
Experimental Technical Readout: Gunslingers
provide players with a sampling of the various custom
designs that have existed during the last days of the First Star League. The designs featured in this book reflect limited-run prototypes and “one-offs” that have
yet to reach full factory production—and most likely never will.
The rules for using ’Mechs, vehicles and fighters in
BattleTech
game play can be found in
Total Warfare,
while the rules for their construction can be found
in
TechManual.
However, the experimental nature of these designs also draws upon the Experimental-level rules presented in
Tactical Operations.
Thus, none
of the units featured in this volume are considered tournament legal, and their use in introductory games is discouraged. Furthermore, the extreme rarity of
these machines is such that none of them should occur in a
BattleTech
campaign as a chance encounter, but the capture or destruction of any one of these
prototypes could be potential objective for
BattleTech
scenarios, tracks and role-playing adventures.
1
INTRODUCTION
CREDITS
Project Development
Herbert A. Beas II
Development Assistance
Randall N. Bills
Jason Schmetzer
BattleTech Line Developer
Herbert A. Beas II
Assistant Line Developer
Ben H. Rome
Primary Writing
Jason Schmetzer
Writing Assistance
Herbert A. Beas II
Production Staff
Cover Design and Layout
Ray Arrastia
Original Illustrations
Chris Daranouvong
Matt Plog
Factchecking/Playtesting:
Joel Bancroft-Connors, Johannes
Heidler, Luke Robertson, Patrick Wynne.
Special Thanks:
Special thanks for this project series go out
to Randall Bills (for conceiving it), Jason Schmetzer (for having the
second book basically ready to go and being incredibly patient that it
took us over two years to get this one out the door), Brent Evans (for
the art mods), and Ben Rome, Joel Bancroft-Connors, and Paul Sjardijn
(for their varying degrees of support).
Under License From
®
©2014 The Topps Company, Inc. All Rights
Reserved. Experimental Technical Readout:
Gunslingers, Classic 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.
STAR LEAGUE ERA
CLAN INVASION ERA
JIHAD ERA
CAT35XT013
SUCCESSION WARS ERA
CIVIL WAR ERA
DARK AGE ERA
2
MON-66GX MONGOOse GUNslINGeR
Field Testing Summation:
Customized MON-66 Concept
Producer/Site:
Diplan ’Mechyards/Ozawa
Supervising Technician:
Georges Fordham
Project Start Date:
2 April 2766
Non-Production Equipment Analysis:
Null-Signature System
Chameleon Light Polarization Shield
Overview
Although long prized among front line forces for its role as
a scout, the
Mongoose
was also a popular choice for light ’Mech-
graduates of the Star League’s Gunslinger program on Mars. Fast,
well-armed, and familiar, the
Mongoose
remained preeminent until
its near-extinction during the Succession Wars, with few variants
made to its basic design. When researching the model for possible
upgrades in the 3050s, ComStar discovered the technical specs for
a dueling prototype that Diplan ’Mechyards offered to the SLDF’s
elite Gunslingers.
For a duelist the
Mongoose
was overburdened by its scouting
equipment; the
ronin
never attacked from ambush, and their
duels nearly always took place in well-regulated areas, with little
opportunity for deceit. In order to make the Mongoose a more
deadly fighter, Diplan stripped out the electronics and increased
the weaponry. Four medium lasers—two in each arm—provided
adequate fields of fire and a very respectable barrage capability
against the other lightweight opponents
Mongoose Gunslingers
could expect to face. For added power, a six-tube short-range
missile battery was installed in the chest, providing an excellent
“surprise” against opponents who would not expect a scout ’Mech
to have such formidable armament.
Increased armor protection helped provide for better
resilience, but the real defensive power lay in what the Diplan
engineers replaced the scout electronics with. Including the Null-
Signature anti-infrared system and the visual-masking Chameleon
Light Polarization Shield, the
Mongoose Gunslinger
would have
been the only light ’Mech of its day to mimic the capabilities of
the infamous
Exterminator
BattleMech. The intended tactic—
especially against long-range ’Mechs—was to use this ability to foil
enemy sensors long enough for the
Mongoose
to close in, where its
superior short-range firepower and maneuverability would make
it possible for the warrior to maintain contact until their opponent
was defeated.
A single
Mongoose Gunslinger
was created as a demonstrator,
but the SLDF command never approved the project, citing the
’Mech’s expense and concerns that MechWarriors trained on
standard
Mongooses
would be inclined to use these machines
“inappropriately.”
Type:
Mongoose Gunslinger
Technology Base: Inner Sphere (Experimental)
Tonnage: 25 tons
Equipment
Internal Structure:
Engine:
Walking MP:
Running MP:
Jumping MP:
Heat Sinks:
Gyro:
Cockpit:
Armor Factor:
Mass
1.5
4.5
Endo Steel
200 XL
8
12
0
10 [20]
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
SRM 6
Ammo (SRM) 15
2 Medium Lasers
89
Internal
Structure
3
8
6
4
6
Location
RA
RT
RT
LA
0
2
3
6
Armor
Value
9
12
4
10
2
8
12
Critical
2
2
1
2
Tonnage
2
3
1
2
Notes:
The Null Signature System occupies 1 slot in every location
except the HD; The Chameleon LPS occupies 1 slot in every
location except the HD and CT; Features the following Design
Quirks: Easy to Pilot, Obsolete/2767
3
WVN-5UX WyVeRN CITy
Field Testing Summation:
Customized WVN-5N Refit
Producer/Site:
Maltex Corporation/Errai
Supervising Technician:
Thacksin Satispavta
Project Start Date:
14 May 2685
Non-Production Equipment Analysis:
Supercharger
Command Console
Vehicular Grenade Launchers
Overview
The
Wyvern
earned a valiant reputation as an urban combatant,
but this combat style meant that many unit commanders were
forced deeper into battle when they should have been directing
their troops. A number of
Wyvern
battalions were decapitated when
the commander was accidentally killed in close-quarters action, and
so in 2685 Maltex Corporation offered for trials a prototype
Wyvern
City
command BattleMech to be used in
Wyvern
battalions.
The heart of the
Wyvern City
is the cockpit command
console that allows the battalion commander to direct his troops
while a MechWarrior fights the machine. In trials the efficiency
of the battalion increased by more than thirty percent when
commanded by an officer in a
Wyvern City.
Attempts to place
company commanders in the same vehicle in simulators had the
opposite effect—leading some Star League Defense Force analysts
to conclude that the more direct command style employed by
frontline officers requires them to be engaged in active combat.
The weaponry of the
Wyvern City
was modified as well, to
supplement the likely outlier role of the command ’Mech. The
long-range missile launcher was replaced by a second six-tube
short-range missile system for closer bombardment strength.
The large laser was upgraded to an extended-range model to
keep the command ’Mech dangerous at longer ranges, and two
torso-mounted grenade launchers provide a defense against the
ambush-style swarming attacks that cost many
Wyvern
battalion
commanders their lives in the Concordat.
To further protect the commander, Maltex increased the
Wyvern’s
armor protection and added a high-powered supercharger
to help the
Wyvern City
escape dangerous situations. During the
trials, however, aggressive SLDF officers used the supercharger
to keep pace with their troops and to reach crisis points more
quickly. This aggressiveness was one of the factors that led the
SLDF procurement officers to pass on the design.
The command vehicle was noticeably different in appearance,
and when the SLDF added their own evaluation scenarios to
Maltex’s, this difference allowed the
Wyvern City
to be picked out
from the surrounding
Wyverns
much more quickly. While it was
true that the battalion’s performance improved while the CO was
active, once the
Wyvern City
was removed, this efficiency collapsed.
The SLDF decided the answer was in better training for standard
Wyvern
officers and declined Maltex’s upgrade. The initial four
prototypes were scrapped in 2687.
Type:
Wyvern City
Technology Base: Inner Sphere (Experimental)
Tonnage: 45 tons
Equipment
Internal Structure:
Engine:
Walking MP:
Running MP:
Jumping MP:
Heat Sinks:
Gyro:
Cockpit:
Armor Factor:
Mass
2.5
7
Endo Steel
180
4
6 (8)
4
10 [20]
152
Internal
Structure
3
14
11
7
11
Location
RA
H
RT
RT
RT
RT
CT
LT
LT
LT
LT
RT
LT
RL
LL
Armor
Value
9
20
7
16
6
14
22
Critical
2
1
2
1
1
1
1
2
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
0
2
3
9.5
Head
Center Torso
Center Torso (rear)
R/L Torso
R/L Torso (rear)
R/L Arm
R/L Leg
Weapons and Ammo
ER Large Laser
Command Console
SRM 6
Ammo (SRM) 15
Veh Grenade Launcher
CASE
Supercharger
SRM 6
Ammo (SRM) 15
Veh Grenade Launcher
CASE
Jump Jet
Jump Jet
Jump Jet
Jump Jet
Tonnage
5
3
3
1
.5
.5
1
3
1
.5
.5
.5
.5
.5
.5
Notes:
Features the following Design Quirks: Command
BattleMech, Distracting, Obsolete/2687
4

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