Despite our best hopes to the contrary, it was inevitable that the technology behind the superheavy battlemech would spread beyond the Republic, though perhaps we failed to grasp just how quickly it would happen or how widely it would spread. Our intelligence suggests that one of the biggest sources of this proliferation was Solaris VII, where a sole Blakist era Omega has long been a fixture of the gaming scene in the Kobe district. Years of keeping the mech in fighting trim allowed its owners to accumulate a wealth of information about Superheavy mech design and engineering, and with the encouragement of the criminal underworld were more than willing to sell this information to all comers. In truth, it was likely the limitations of superheavy battlemechs and the relative peace of the years leading up to the blackout that kept these machines from appearing decades earlier. Now, with the entire Inner Sphere once again at war, their time has apparently come.
Mastodon MSD-1X
IS experimental
105 tons
BV: 1,953
Cost: 7,026,375 C-bills
A closely guarded secret among the Regulan military, the origins of the Mastodon are rather murky. Unsubstantiated rumors suggest that the original design was intended to be a standard assault class battlemech built around the Longtom III artillery piece, a weapon that had never before been successfully mounted on a battlemech. Other rumors suggest the mech was intended as a superheavy battlemech from the beginning, and was only later redesigned to accomodate a Longtom piece when theoretical modelling determined it would fit.
Whatever the origin, the Mastodon is clearly more of a proof of concept rather than a front line machine. The mech relies primarily on only the most basic major components, foregoing the advanced engines or improved structure that some would consider vital to such an undertaking, but would also complicate the development process. The artillery piece, supplied with a generous magazine, is its only major weapon, with the secondary lasers and smoke projectors having only nuisance value against a determined enemy. Reach is to be the Mastodon's primary defense. Ideally, its opponents will never even get a chance to see the mech, much less engage it (though doubtless such a valuable asset would also warrant its own bodyguard force).
Also of note is the drone control console, another technology recovered by agents on Solaris. We still don't have definite information on how it will be used, though obvious possibilities include controlling an unmanned spotter unit, a remote bodyguard, or even both, with the console's ability to switch between different drones as the situation requires.
The Regulans are believed to have assembled at least a handful of Mastodons, and while we cannot confirm whether the mech has seen combat, some clashes with the Free Worlds League and Duchy of Andurien are suggestive, with Hi-scout drones providing spotting for long range artillery fire originating in regions too rough for combat vehicles. We continue to seek confirmation.
Movement: 2/3
Engine: 210
Heat Sinks: 11 [22]
Cockpit: Superheavy Cockpit
Gyro: Superheavy Gyro
Internal: 158
Armor: 320/319
Internal Armor
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Head 3 12
Center Torso 32 48
Center Torso (rear) 16
Right Torso 22 33
Right Torso (rear) 11
Left Torso 22 33
Left Torso (rear) 11
Right Arm 17 34
Left Arm 17 34
Right Leg 22 44
Left Leg 22 44
Weapon Loc Heat
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Long Tom RT/CT 20
ER Medium Laser CT 5
ER Medium Laser CT 5
Vehicular Grenade Launcher LT 1
Vehicular Grenade Launcher LT 1
Ammo Loc Shots
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Long Tom Ammo LT 5
Long Tom Ammo LT 5
Long Tom Ammo LT 5
Long Tom Ammo LT 5
Long Tom Ammo LT 5
Long Tom Ammo LT 5
Long Tom Ammo LT 5
Long Tom Ammo LT 5
VGL Smoke Grenade None 1
VGL Smoke Grenade None 1
Equipment Loc
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Standard None
CASE II LT
Drone Control Console HD