Welcome to the first in a series of new articles dealing with those half-pint pests we call Protomechs.
The first installment deals with the model that is pretty much the yardstick by which all other "trooper" Protos are measured by: The Roc.
The Roc is one of the so-called "first generation" Protomechs, which is the end result of research going back to the 30th Century. Or,when the Jaguar scientists figured out that their Clan's "All About Warriors, All Of The Time" policy was screwing the pooch. Trade, colonization, resource exploration, etc,etc. had been neglected to the point where the worlds they did have were running low on resources. So, the scientists began research into mechanized units that used minimum resources to build and maintain, but retained a high level of combat effectiveness. These new units would combine the best attributes of Battlemechs and powered battlearmor. Working in secret for decades, the project ran into roadblocks, both technical and genetic. However, the breakthrough they had been waiting for came about during Operation:Revival. Using a modified form of the new Enhanced Imaging technology, they solved the problem of scaling down a cockpit, and was able to eliminate the need for a gyroscope. They were also able to use pilots of the aerospace phenotype to get around the inability to create a new breed of pilot for their new toy.
These breakthroughs came about at the right time. The problems that the Smoke Jaguars were having on their OZ, were putting a great strain on their already dwindling resources. Resistance was hot and heavy during the years of Jaguar occupation of worlds belonging to the Dragon, thanks to citizens and displaced soldiers following the Dictum Honorium. Unfortunately, by the time the first Protomechs were ready for production and deployment, they were being used to defend Huntress from an Inner Sphere task force, rather than securing the OZ.
This stunning debut caught the attention of the other Clans, especially resource starved Clans like the Blood Spirits (who would become prolific Protomech users in the Homeworlds). The technology quickly spread after the fall of Clan Smoke Jaguar.
Enough with background history. On to the Roc itself......
The Roc was the end result of lessons learned from work on models conceived before it. Thus, it has an excellent balance of firepower, armor, speed, and mobility. Weighing in at seven tons, it proved to be the most successful design at that time, and was very popular with it's operators.
The base model is powered by a sixty ton rated powerplant, allowing to cruise along at fifty-four klicks per hour. Or move at 86 kilometers per hour balls to the wall. This 5/8 movement rating gave the Roc the ability to pace the faster heavies among Clan 'Mech forces. Throw in the 150 meter jump capability, and you can see why some consider the base Roc to be a sort of "Super Elemental". It's highly flexible, like the classic Clan battlearmor, able to operate in most terrain types and areas of operation with little loss in combat performance.
The Roc's firepower is nothing to sneeze at. Sporting a extended range medium laser in a main gun mount, it can be a threat to lighter 'Mechs individually. In a full Point, it can serious hurt heavier units.
The base model is protected by 1,550 kilos of integral advanced alloy armor, giving it an armor factor of thirty-one. The torso and legs are the most heavily armored, at ten and seven points respectively. The Main Gun has three points of protection, the arms four each, and the head unit has an armor rating of three points. One could argue that the armor isn't too bad for a Protomech of the Roc's tonnage.
All of these combined make the original Roc the quintessential multi-purpose "trooper" Protomech, sharing traits and similar mission profiles with it's "trooper" 'Mech cousins. Not to mention, the Roc's smaller kin, the generalist BA suit. The standard model Roc is pretty much the ultimate expression of what the development team set out to do: create a unit with the better attributes of 'Mechs and battle armor.
The Roc soon spread to other Clans' Toumans after the fall of the Smoke Jaguars. You would think that the phrase "Don't Mess With Success" would apply here. But other folks among the Clans had other ideas. Thus, we get to the variants.
The Roc 2 attempts to give the Proto more punch by replacing the solid ERML with a heavy medium laser. However, the Roc 2 sacrifices some range, and (more critically) armor protection, in order to mount this potent close quarters weapon. This variant came about in the 3060's, when the heavy laser craze was heating up among the Clans (especially among the Crusader faction). Whether or not the trade offs are worth it is up to the individual player. As for me, I don't much care for it. In the AO's where HMLs will be most used, the ERML is good enough in my opinion. But it's still a workable variant if played in the right environs.
The Roc 3 came along around the same time as the second type. Instead of a heavy laser, this variant mounts a medium pulse laser. In exchange, it loses less armor than the Roc 2. But it also loses the all-important jump jets in the process, as well. The jump capability is one of the things that gives the Roc it's excellent flexibility on the tabletop. So, losing that doesn't sit too well with me. Fortunately, running it in areas where there is plenty of cover (like cities) compensates to a large degree.
The Jihad-era Roc 4, on the other hand, is a specialized variant that I can get behind. Optimized for electronic warfare, this variant sports heavier armor than the base Roc and retains it's jump capability. This mobility and armor is necessary in keeping the valuable Clantech ECM suite intact and in operation. As far as weaponry, the Roc 4 carries a single anti-personnel gauss rifle, fed by a two ton magazine, for defense. I say "defense" because this isn't a variant to take on the Bad Guys in the shooting gallery. It's a pure support variant to muck up the other side's electronic toys for the benefit of the actual shooters on your side. "Use it smart, or lose it quick", as we say in my playgroup. With that in mind, this is a popular support variant amongst my group's players.
The "latest and greatest" Roc variant comes to us compliments of those sinister, mustache twirling villains of The Society. As folks familiar with the genocidal conflict known as the "War of Reaving" know, The Society made heavy use of high-tech Protomech variations, even to the point of coming up with new classes (superheavy and quad). Even though they came up with new models, the scientist-led cabal didn't discard the older tried and true machines. They simply added to the list of variants to expand their shadow army.
The Society variant, known as the Roc Z (Heh. Reminds me of IROC-Z. Wonder if mullets were popular among it's pilots. :D), offers some interesting features. One of note is the use of the Hell's Horses designed Medium Chemical Laser, supplied with a ton's worth of chemical "charges" (enough for thirty shots). What's cool about this choice is that with Protos dealing with heat, and mounting heat sinks, in the same manner as AFVs, chemical lasers don't require power amps (AFVs) or additional heat sinks (AFVs and Protomechs). It makes sense that someone would eventually mount this new weapon on a Protomech (though LCLs are too bulky for Protomech use). The only downside is the need for "ammunition".
The other cool feature is the addition of Protomech-scale magnetic clamps, a technology developed from Capellan battlearmor mag clamps. As with the battlearmor system, it allows Protos to hitch a ride on a 'Mech (conventional or Omnimech). While there are limitations, the system has it's benefits. One is the quick deployment and evacuation of slower Protomechs by faster Battlemech models. Though, in the case of Ultraheavy Protomechs, it might not be worth the weight dedicated to the MCS in the eyes of some, since a 'Mech can only carry one Ultraheavy (as opposed to two standard Protomechs). And the standard external cargo rules apply, since Protos are larger and heavier than battlearmor. So the faster the ferrying 'Mech, the better. However, the Roc Z maintains the same ground speed as the Clan military Rocs, so hitching a ride might not be necessary except in an emergency.
Well, that's the meat and potatoes of the existing variants of the Roc Protomech. As usual, one must remember that the Roc, like any other Proto, is a team player and well-tailored to combined arms operations. Each variant of the original has it's good and bad points, and areas of operation that each does the best in. Work as a team within the Point, coordinate with other units, use your mobility to the hilt, and use cover whenever it's available. All of these make for a successful recipe for effective Protomech usage in your game.
Hope you guys find this enjoyable and informative.
And as always, my two cents worth in the mix.
