’Mech of the Week: CL-P3/CLS-*S Colossus
OmniTech’s 95-ton
Colossus has been called the result of the unholy congress of a
King Crab and
Marauder II. Not to be confused with the later Colossal series of ’Mechs, the
Colossus is a dangerous combatant in all its forms. Though a product of the Solaris Box Set, my first encounter with this design was strangely during a campaign as Nova Cats. Some opponent had one and made a nuisance of himself, before it was captured and added to our forces.
I almost felt sorry for the poor saps who got caught between that beast and our
Berserker.The heaviest design from the original box set, the CL-P3
Colossus is built around an endo-steel skeleton, and a massive Class-20 autocannon, which is fed by a two-ton ammunition bay. While rather limited, for quick duels it could be adequate. Each arm mounts a large and medium pulse laser, adding to the devastation that can be unleashed up close. Thirteen double heat sinks provide some heat dissipation, but the inclusion of six prototype (at the time) coolant pods ease the burden further. CASE was used on one side torso for the Class-20 ammuntion, and protects half the coolant pods as well.
To survive in close quarters, the design is armored to within five points of maximum. Save for the head, all front locations can take two Gauss rifle hits, and the center torso can take two Class-20 shots. The rear torsos can all take a Clan large laser hit, and the center torso rear is only one point off being able to sustain a Class-20 blast without breaching. The use of a fusion engine adds to the survivability, and with the three jump jets, allows for the same movement profile as the later
Sagittaire (though that is unlikely to be a fight the Colossus pilot would enjoy).
While this is a formidable machine, according to Technical Readout: 3055 Upgrade, after two of the three prototypes failed spectacularly in the arenas, the design was shelved. (Though based on the notes I have, the third, nicknamed “Bossman†delivered a knee to the crotch of the Top Twenty list, staying there for some time.) The design saw the light of day once more when Bethel Labs introduced upgrade kits that allowed Inner Sphere pulse lasers to reach standard laser ranges. The Colossus became one of the flagships for the (then) new x-pulse lasers.
The resulting CLS-4S model retains the engine, heat sinks and armor layout of the original. One of the jump jets was relocated to a more standard position, to allow for the upgrading of the autocannon to an LB-X model, with double the ammunition. Each pulse laser was upgraded to an x-pulse version. The coolant pods were removed, to allow for the installation of small shields on each arm.
While the article on the
Sasquatch gave a good overview of how shields work, a quick refresher is in order. Small shields inflict no movement point penalties, can absorb three points of damage from each incoming attack deflected, and can absorb eleven such attacks. Note that each cluster of an attack counts as a separate hit. There are three modes for shields. Inactive protects only the arm on which the shield is mounted and inflicts a +1 to-hit penalty on all weapons in that arm. Active protects the arm, leg, center torso front, head, and the side torso nearest the arm in question (front and rear), but prohibits weapon attacks from those protected areas. And finally, passive which protects the arm and side torso nearest that arm, with a +2 penalty for the protected weaponry. Passive also allows for a shield bash. A small shield gets a -2 modifier on that attack, which would do 3 points on the full table. This also counts as a “hit†to the shield for number of absorbtions.
As intimidating as that model is, Omnitech decided to design a more frightening variant. The CLS-5S removes the weaponry and shields, and starts with the installation of four of the controversial coolant pods. Each arm mounts an extended-range medium laser, and a standard particle cannon with a capacitor. And the big gun role on this machine is filled by a Gauss Rifle with three tons of ammunition. In those arenas with more open spaces than usual, this machine will be a very frightening foe. And based on some of the more “mainstream†designs that have appeared in the post-Jihad era, the CLS-5S seems to fit in quite well.
Using one of these machines differs only slightly between the first two variants. Both are monsters up-close, so using them as such is key. If you are uncomfortable with marching straight up the middle, use every piece of cover you can. Liberal use of the jump jets is also worth considering. Remember that with the CL-P3, if you are starting to redline, use one of the coolant pods, as that increases your heat dissipation by your number of heat sinks. With the CLS-4S use the shields to allow you to get in closer and to protect your important bits. I would probably use the one shield in active mode to protect the ammunition bins, with the other in either passive or inactive as my whim suited. As soon as the gun suffered a crit, I would put both in active, walk backwards, dump ammo, and starting on the following turn, march forward and blow the crap out of the bastard who broke my gun.
The CLS-5S is slightly different. Use it from range to wear your foes down, and when you get in close, let them have it. Having access to three potential headcappers makes you almost as dangerous as a
Thunder Hawk. Perhaps more so, since you can jump. Still, that fact also means you will become one of the bigger targets on the field. Use every piece of cover and movement you can.
To fight one of these monsters, buckle up. As with other articles, Gauss rifles are a quick fix for almost everything. The original variant has rather limited range, so if you can draw it out into a longer-range battle, so much the better. If not, using machines like the
Sagittaire or that double 20-carrying
Nightstar would give the
Colossus pilot fits. The CLS-4S is also a brawler, though it has more range. Those shields are going to be a pain, but things like LB-X cannons and SRMs will help deal with those. Remember, once the shields have taken their allotted hits, all they do is hinder his arm weapons. And as for the last variant, hit it with everything you got until it stops twitching. And then shoot it a couple more times just to be sure.
