HQN-1A Huwei Quan (15T Quad IS)

[Suralin]

So here's my first try at a Proto design using the IS Proto rules from the other thread, and a weapon I made up but which kinda makes sense in-universe. Lemme know what you think!

(Oh, and I'll calculate the BV and cost later. Too lazy right now. Same goes for the variants.)

Edit: BV added.

Code: [Select]

Name: HQN-1A Huwei Quan
Tech Base: IS Quad Protomech
Tonnage: 15 Tons
BV2: 399

Equipment Mass (kg)

Internals: Standard 1,500    
Engine: Leenex 60 Std 1,500
Walking MP: 4
Running MP: 6
Jumping MP: 0    
Gyro: Standard 1,000    
Control Sys: IS Ultra 1,000    
Armor Factor:    50 3,000

Internal Armor
Structure Value
Head    4   8
Torso   15 20
Main Gun   2   6
Legs   16 16


Equipment Loc    Mass (kg)
L.PlasRifle MG 3,000
@Plasma (24) MG 1,200
erµLAS MG   250
  6 HS                  1,800
Light MG T   500
@LMG (50) T        250

Overview
   Though Republic Intelligence has yet to get an inside look at this new design, we have ascertained that the Huwei Quan -- whose name, roughly translated from Chinese, means "guard dog" -- was developed in 3091 as an outgrowth of the Capellans' ongoing efforts to build up their armed forces. The decision to mass-produce the as-yet untested Protomechs for this purpose was likely made based on cost and the availability of suitable parts.

   Its components are a mix of old and new; its gyro and engine (minus the too-bulky heat dispersal system), along with a number of armor sections, look as though they've been taken wholesale from the venerable UrbanMech. We're certain there was a large surplus of old Leenex 60-rated fusion engines in the Capellan stockpiles, even after the rampant destruction of the Jihad. This -- and no small amount of political lobbying -- likely influenced the decision to supplement the CCAF with ProtoMechs, rather than build slower, more vulnerable Light BattleMechs like the UrbanMech.


Capabilities
   The engine can push the Huwei Quan up to 65kph, which is more than sufficient for garrison duty -- particularly against the slower designs likely to be used by hostile Periphery or former League states. Few have been seen on the worlds bordering the Republic; we're not sure whether this is because the Capellans don't know we've already reverse-engineered our own ProtoMechs, or whether they simply feel it is inappropriate for facing the tactics we favor.

   The armor is quite tough for a design so small. We've heard rumors that it is possible for a Huwei Quan to take a Gauss slug or even an AC-20 burst to the torso and survive, though it's unlikely that squads of these ProtoMechs are meant to directly engage targets wielding such heavy weaponry without substantial support.

   The Huwei Quan's armament is respectable for a ProtoMech of its size. Along with a torso-mounted light machine gun, primarily intended for defense against infantry, the Huwei Quan boasts a turret-mounted light plasma rifle, newly developed by Ceres Arms and finding its way onto a wide assortment of Capellan units these days. It provides decent range and power against multiple different targets, and is quite suitable for engaging any type of target, from infantry all the way up to vehicles and BattleMechs. Alongside the plasma weapon is an ER Micro laser, likely an afterthought.

   What really sets the Huwei Quan apart from our, and even the Clans', ProtoMech designs is its surprising versatility. The turret-mount and its accompanying ammunition bin were designed to be removable, making it possible to refit the ProtoMech in the field with mission-appropriate armaments. Our operatives have already spotted several variants mounting everything from an AC-2 to LRM racks to Streak SRMs and lasers.


Deployment
   The CCAF has deployed their new ProtoMechs on only a handful of worlds as yet. The closest to our border the Huwei Quan has gotten, as far as Republic Intel knows, is a squad on Kaifeng. We also have word of Proto's being delivered to little-known border worlds such as Yuris and Shiba. The decision to provide brand new technology to such backwater militias is quite obviously a publicity stunt, both on the part of the Chancellor and Ceres Arms.


Edit: Deployment fluff edited, since Halloran and Styk are no longer in Capellan hands. Which is a shame, since I had a nice MW4 reference in there.

Edit 2: Internals changed back to Standard. Fluff tweaked accordingly.

[Suralin]

Variants
   The first variant we've encountered is a sniper of sorts, mounting a standard light autocannon and a quarter-ton of ammo. We now have reason to believe it was initially meant to be a prototype for the new Small Gauss, which would likely be more effective, but the limited production of the Small Gauss and the ubiquity of the old autocannons means the B variant will be far more common than its intended successor for quite some time to come.

Code: [Select]

HQN-1B
(BV: 284)

Equipment Loc    Mass (kg)
Autocannon/2 MG 6,000
@AC/2 (12) MG   240
Light MG T   500
@LMG (50) T        250


Code: [Select]

HQN-1B1
(BV: 326)

Equipment Loc    Mass (kg)
Small Gauss MG 6,000
@SGauss (8) MG   250
Light MG T   500
@LMG (50) T        250

   Next is a missile support variant. A decent-sized LRM rack on a ProtoMech is nothing to dismiss lightly, and a squad of these makes for a rude surprise for those who would ignore them.

Code: [Select]

HQN-1C
(BV: 370)

Equipment Loc    Mass (kg)
LRM-10 MG 4,000
@LRM (17) MG 1,420
SLAS MG   500
  1 HS   300
Light MG T   500
@LMG (50) T        250

   We're also aware of a close-assault variant mounting a Streak SRM system and a surplus medium laser...

Code: [Select]

HQN-1D
(BV: 382)

Equipment Loc    Mass (kg)
SSRM-4 MG 3,000
@SSRM (18) MG   720
erMLAS MG 1,000
  5 HS 1,500
Light MG T   500
@LMG (50) T        250

   ... as well as a rare variant mounting an MRM launcher. Apparently this variant was swiftly discontinued for logistical reasons.

Code: [Select]

HQN-1E
(BV: 349)

Equipment Loc    Mass (kg)
MRM-15 MG 4,500
@MRM (20) MG 1,200
Light MG T   500
@LMG (50) T        250

   In recent months we've seen an upsurge in the production of ancient Chemical Lasers by Ceres Metal Works. Intelligence believes the Capellans may have stolen the blueprints from us about a year ago. The Huwei Quan's latest variant mounts a Large Chemical Laser in its topside turret. One of our operatives inside Ceres reports that the Capellans originally tried to mount multiple medium-sized chemical lasers on the turret, but the turret mechanisms and ammo feeds kept breaking down when they did.

Code: [Select]

HQN-1F
(BV: 365)

Equipment Loc    Mass (kg)
LgChemLaser MG 5,000
@LCL (12) MG 1,200
Light MG T   500
@LMG (50) T        250



Edit: Forgot half a ton on the LRM variant.

Edit 2: Recalculated heat sinks as 300kg each instead of 500, and altered a few variants accordingly. Also added BVs.

Edit 3: Recalculated internals and adjusted BVs for the changed armament.

[Suralin]

Time for a new variant!


   The Capellans have mixed the new, larger recoilless rifles with an off-the-shelf Harvester SRM rack, for a powerful short-range punch. Republic Intel believes this variant was meant to shred combined-arms formations, as many Huwei Quans of this type have been observed loading Inferno rounds into their SRM launcher.

Code: [Select]

HQN-1G
(BV: 350)

Equipment Loc    Mass (kg)
Hv.Recoilless MG 1,500
@HRR (18) MG   720
SRM-6 MG 3,000
@SRM (15) MG 1,000
Light MG T   500
@LMG (50) T        250


[bblaney]

Personally I like the idea of IS Protomechs, so would love to see more.

[RunandFindOut]

Same here, and I like the Capellan angle, it seems appropriate thematically and historically for the Capellans to seek this kind of weapon system.

I like and approve of your IS Proto rules.  And also would suggest that if anybody fully developed the DNI family into a non-brainscrambling technology it would be the Capellans as they aren't going to have qualms about throwing tests subjects at the problem until they made a breakthrough.

[Suralin]

Same here, and I like the Capellan angle, it seems appropriate thematically and historically for the Capellans to seek this kind of weapon system.

Danke :)

I like and approve of your IS Proto rules.  And also would suggest that if anybody fully developed the DNI family into a non-brainscrambling technology it would be the Capellans as they aren't going to have qualms about throwing tests subjects at the problem until they made a breakthrough.

Actually, they didn't bother messing with DNI at all post-Jihad. (The symbolism would remind too many people of the Manei Domini. Plus brain surgery is expensive.) By my rules, the controls for IS Protos were kludged together from standard 'Mech cockpit tech and Battle Armor controls, and then standardized.

The upshot of all this is that the cockpit's 200k cheaper, and there's no brain surgery, so the pilots don't go crazy. Well, no more than Cappies normally do, anyway. ;)

Downside is that the whole mess is heavier and clunkier, and a gyro is required, which cuts available tonnage even more.

[RunandFindOut]

Actually, they didn't bother messing with DNI at all post-Jihad. (The symbolism would remind too many people of the Manei Domini. Plus brain surgery is expensive.) By my rules, the controls for IS Protos were kludged together from standard 'Mech cockpit tech and Battle Armor controls, and then standardized.

The upshot of all this is that the cockpit's 200k cheaper, and there's no brain surgery, so the pilots don't go crazy. Well, no more than Cappies normally do, anyway. ;)

Downside is that the whole mess is heavier and clunkier, and a gyro is required, which cuts available tonnage even more.

Yes, I know your IS Protos don't use EI or DNI controls.  I was simply saying that out of all the IS if anyone turned that into a non-suicidal technology it would be the Capellans as they have both large numbers of politically expendable people and a political/social culture willing to expend those people if they think it will get results.  Honestly I tend to just allow DNI with no side effects as RL tests have shown it's safe and effective.