Starslayer. Or “Are you sure that’s not a Crab shooting at us?”When the Crab started appearing in 2719 the SLDF loved it, with its minimal supply issues, hard punch (for its size) and good ratio of protection and performance and if Cosara Weaponries been able to produce the required quantities it would have been one of the standard Battlemech’s of the SLDF.
The key word there is
‘if’. Unfortunately Cosara could simply not produce the Crab in the quantities the SLDF wanted (perhaps due to its shape and the time required to force so heavily curved armour?) and after failing to meet production deadlines again and again the SLDF went “FINE!” threw their hands up at the matter and asked other firms to make something akin to the Crab.
Enter Blue Shot Weapons with their competitor in 2765 with the STY-2C Starslayer, a 50 tonne medium mech. But technical issues with the main production plant of South Fork and technical gremlins that plagued the FireScan targeting systems delayed full production until 2772 by which time the Amaris Civil War was well underway.
Blue Shot possibly under the direction or influence of Archon Robert Steiner (who REALLY didn’t like his fathers old friend, General Kerensky) then started a beauracratic fight with the SLDF over paperwork relating to the delivery of the new Mech, whilst happily shipping them off to Lyran forces.
This beauracratic ‘misscommunication’ ensured that few Starslayers were delivered to the SLDF with deliveries only starting in 2781 whilst the Lyrans horded the Mech for themselves and few left with General Kerensky. Those left in Lyran service were all but lost in the 2nd Succession War and by the time the 3rd rolled round, the design was officially extinct.
It wasn’t until the discovery of the Helm Memory Core that the Starslayer saw the light of day with the Mech being produced after the Clan Invasion and it joined the forces arrayed against the invaders.
Design.At 50 tonnes the Starslayer joins a fairly crowded market and when first introduced it is very much a Crab Plus. With a 250 rated engine the Starslayer can hit 86kph and its jump jets can throw it into 150 meter long jumps (5/8/5 in game terms) which was pretty much par for the course for heavy Mech’s its weight and above. Armour was a bit light with 7 tonnes of protection still gave it adequate protection especially as it was of a Ferro-Fibrous compound that saved weight but still gave good density, still protection was not it’s strong point.
Later variants built after Operation REVIVAL though did feature improved protection, thanks to them having endo-steel skeletons to save more weight, though the engine was never altered from a standard 250 rated one.
VariantsSTY-2C – The Crab’s replacement/competitor within the SLDF if it ever arrived (seriously this is a case of ‘And this is where my Starslayer would be….IF I HAD ONE!’. Shipping delays aside the 2C is a good, if somewhat lightly protected Mech with an armour pattern laid out as follows;
9/13/19/13 (5/5/5)
11/11/17/17
It could still be easily argued though that the Starslayer was superior to the Crab. It retained the other Mech’s paired large lasers, one in the right arm and one in the right torso, but short ranged firepower went up. A pair of Medium lasers and a SRM-4 all nestled together in the left torso with the ammo safely stored in CASE whilst 11 double heatsinks kept the Mech running cool. The advantage of being able to jump also gave it considerable tactical and even strategic mobility and save the SRM, the Mech can keep in the field as long as its onboard supplies hold out.
STY-3C – A later iteration but basically the same as the older 2C the ‘secret’ of the 3C was an Endo-steel skeleton which saved considerable weight which was then put into thickening the Starslayer’s hide, doubly important as it could well be facing Clan Mech’s who would cut through the 2C’s thin hide in the blink of an eye.
With more protection the Starslayer’s hide went up to a more respectable level;
9/19/26/19 (5/6/5)
16/16/24/24
Firepower though remained near identical save the somewhat curious addition of a small laser mounted in the head that fired backwards. Perhaps the designers felt that the Mech could be outmanouvered by generally faster Clan Mech’s and having something, anything covering the rear was better than nothing. This is if anything a rather unimaginative yet solid Mech, its firepowers good, protection’s adequate and mobility is average for its size, putting it firmly in the jack of all trades or trooper role.
STY-3D – Another evolutionary design the 3D acknowledged the fact that the Starslayer often found itself outranged by hostile machines especially as the ER large laser and PPC became more common whilst Clan weapons significantly outranged the Starslayer. So in an attempt to fix this flaw the weapons were swapped but at its heart, this machine is identical to the 3C in every aspect such as structure and armour. The arm mounted large laser was retained but the torso mounted one was replaced with an ER PPC and an extra heatsink (giving it 12). With the same protection as the 3C the 3D had to lose something so out went the SRM-4, its ammo and CASE. The rear firing small laser though was upgraded to a medium. In theory the long range firepower goes up and it does give the Starslayer a long range weapon, so between a 3D or 3C its six of one, half a dozen of the other on what you want, they are both good.
STY-3DR – A somewhat curious variant to come from House Kurita the 3DR is again based on the 3C with its endo-steel skeleton and 250 rated engine, and the same amount of armour, even if the compound is now Light Ferro-Fibrous instead of the normal version.
The big change is the weapons, out go both the large lasers and SRM-4, but filling up the right torso is a Heavy Particle Cannon giving the Mech a good solid punch. Now whilst two large lasers have a slightly better damage output they have to hit the same area to do that, the Heavy PPC can deliver a solid knock down punch.
The Secondary weapons will be familiar to anyone who rides a 3D, two standard mediums in the left torso and one in the head firing over the back.
There’s also some more subtle changes, the Mech has a Guardian ECM added to disrupt C3 suites whilst the Mech’s musculature has been re-worked with TSM which can provide a surprising boost of speed and give you a mean kick. But actually setting off the TSM is tricky as the 12 double heatskins mean you’ll have to turn a fair few off and alpha strike like mad to overheat. Personally I’m not sold on this one, perhaps putting it in a Medium Lance purely for the hitting power of the PPC is really its best bet. Then other Mech’s can cover its weapon’s or weaken a foe before the Heavy PPC goes to town would be the best use for it.
ThoughtsThe Starslayer is a trooper, its as fast as the classic 55 tonners and has a better choice of firepower rather than the often eclectic mix of things like the Shadow Hawk. Whilst the 2C is very under-armoured its still oddly tough, a standard engine and CASE make it difficult to put down as there’s no XL engine to knock out and this is the same for the whole family. Much like the Crab they give good, if unimaginative service. Fighting one, well its easy, its no speed demon so it can’t really generate big TMM’s unless its jumping around like its going out of fashion, and a few solid hits should silence its guns. Once its right torso is gone it becomes largely toothless. Still due to its standard engine, actually killing the thing requires coring the chest or ripping a leg off. Or the good ‘ol ER PPC to the face if you're a Clanner.
Dem hips...
A Starslayer opening fire...possibly...
As always thoughts and comments are welcome!
