Ranger RNG-1M
Mass: 50 tons
Tech Base: Inner Sphere
Chassis Config: Biped
Rules Level: Tournament Legal
Era: Clan Invasion
Tech Rating/Era Availability: E/X-X-E-A
Production Year: 3059
Cost: 9,849,500 C-Bills
Battle Value: 1,538
Chassis: Unknown Endo-Steel
Power Plant: Unknown 250 Fusion XL Engine
Walking Speed: 54.0 km/h (64.8 km/h)
Maximum Speed: 86.4 km/h (97.2 km/h)
Jump Jets: Unknown
Jump Capacity: 150 meters
Armor: Unknown Standard Armor
Armament:
2 Ultra AC/5s
3 ER Medium Lasers
Manufacturer: Astrolabe Battlemech Works/Kallon Industries
Primary Factory: Augustine/Asuncion/Talon
Communications System: Unknown
Targeting and Tracking System: Unknown
The second battlemech designed by the "garage manufacturer" Astrolabe Battlemech Works, the Ranger proved both more conventional and more successful than the Southern Cross that came before it. The Ranger is a dedicated medium trooper and harrasser, possessing decent mobility, though perhaps only middling firepower due to its dependence on paired rapid fire autocannons for its primary weaponry. Pilots almost universally describe it as dependable, a capable direct fire support platform for conventional units, as well as a decent counterpart to mechs like the Hermes II and Trebuchet, though none would go so far as to call it fantastic.
Deployment:
As the Astrolabe Works has never had significant manufacturing capacity, its entire market strategy has revolved around selling enough units to keep the lights on while trying to attract a major liscenser, and in this case, they succeeded in drawing the interest of Kallon Industries, which put the design into limited production in both the Free Worlds League and the Federated Suns. Several hundred were produced in subsequent years, with ultimately the Suns proving the more prolific user due to the ongoing civil war.
The Jihad years proved to be the design's swan song. The plants on Talon were destroyed in 3069, while the next year saw the Asuncion plant disabled by retreating Free Worlds troops. Finally, the blockade of Augustine forced Astrolabe to cease their own production and turn their efforts to producing retrotech for the planet's defense. Production was never resumed, and in the current era the design is practically extinct.
Variants:
The factory on Talon produced the Ranger's sole variant in the later years of the Fedcom Civil War. Intended to improve firepower (with limited success) while tailoring the design to their Davion customer base, this 2D variant swapped the ultra autocannons for paired rotary guns and a generous supply of ammunition. Most practical assessments regard the change as something of a wash.
Not really a true variant but more of a field modification, the triple strength myomers, considered largely superfluous by Marik Pilots, were often removed to reduce logistical demands. This was especially common among the forces of Allys Rousette-Marik's resistance, which found replacement triple strength actuators hard to come by.
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Equipment Type Rating Mass
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Internal Structure: Endo-Steel 83 points 2.50
Internal Locations: 5 LT, 5 RT, 2 LA, 2 RA
Engine: XL Fusion Engine 250 6.50
Walking MP: 5 (6)
Running MP: 8 (9)
Jumping MP: 5 Standard
Jump Jet Locations: 1 CT, 2 LT, 2 RT 2.50
Heat Sinks: Double Heat Sink 10(20) 0.00
Gyro: Standard 3.00
Cockpit: Standard 3.00
Actuators: L: SH+UA+LA+H R: SH+UA+LA+H
TSM Locations: 1 LT, 1 RT, 2 LL, 2 RL
Armor: Standard Armor AV - 152 9.50
Internal Armor
Structure Factor
Head 3 9
Center Torso 16 22
Center Torso (rear) 7
L/R Torso 12 17
L/R Torso (rear) 5
L/R Arm 8 14
L/R Leg 12 21
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Equipment Location Heat Critical Mass
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ER Medium Laser HD 5 1 1.00
ER Medium Laser RT 5 1 1.00
ER Medium Laser LT 5 1 1.00
Ultra AC/5 RA 1 5 9.00
Ultra AC/5 LA 1 5 9.00
@Ultra AC/5 (20) RA - 1 1.00
@Ultra AC/5 (20) LA - 1 1.00
Free Critical Slots: 1
BattleForce Statistics
MV S (+0) M (+2) L (+4) E (+6) Wt. Ov Armor: 5 Points: 15
5j 3 3 2 0 2 0 Structure: 2
Special Abilities: TSM, SRCH, ES, SEAL, SOA
