Lucifer
Mass: 40 tons
Chassis: Type W1 Endo-Steel
Power Plant: Type II 360 XL
Cruising Speed: 97.2 km/h
Maximum Speed: 146 km/h (194 km/h with MASC)
Fixed Jump Jets: 0
Armor: Type 1 OmniMech Plate
Armament:
7 tons of Pod Space
Manufacturer: Smythe OmniWorks
Primary Factory: Foster
Communications System: Howler 71
Targeting and Tracking System: Model 81 “Primal”
In the internecine conflicts that dominate Clan Fire Mandrill, OmniMechs were even more potent than within other Clans. Most Clans of the mid-29 century had sufficient numbers of Warriors and materiel to field multiple Galaxies distributed throughout their holdings. The average Clan possessed hundreds of BattleMechs, some active, some in caches, and some in repair bays. Whether relying on their caches or their factories, bidding for Trials may have required finesse to manage resources, but were still accomplished regularly; were it not the case, generations of sibkos would not have been able to become Warriors through Trials of Position. While the OmniMech is a force multiplier because it can be adapted to multiple mission types and can be repaired more easily, if a Clan possesses units large enough to bid appropriate to a Trial, OmniMechs are a luxury. Choosing units with BattleMechs capable for the mission is a skill, but is largely still accomplishable.
Resource scarcity, both in materiel and Warriors, was a completely different matter within the Kindraa system of Clan Fire Mandrill. Most Kindraa of the mid-2800s were limited to 2-5 Clusters of Warriors, but much of their Toumans were composed of Conventional Infantry or Warriors equipped with Combat Vehicles. Conventional infantry would be taken from any genetic stock, including Warriors decanted from MechWarrior and AeroSpace lineages, simply due to lack of genetic diversity. Additionally, Kindraa had to be largely self-sufficient, and most could barely manage that. For example during the REVIVAL Trials, some Kindraa Warriors took to the field in OmniMechs with damage unrepaired from the internecine Trials waged to determine the bid (FM: CC, pp. 40-41). With only 1-2 Clusters of MechWariors, a medium-sized Kindraa often had fewer than 90 BattleMechs split between their entire active Touman, their caches, and their repair bays, and most of this was rebuilt from isorla or Star League salvage. Considering the circumstances of Clan Fire Mandrill, any Kindraa with the ability to field 3-4 Trinaries of fresh OmniMechs could shift the balance of power dramatically.
This was the circumstance when Kindraa Smythe-Jewel decisively won OmniMech technology from Clan Coyote early in 2866. By hiding Lancelot C heavy cavalry ‘Mechs among their light Stars, and forcing the Coyotes to fight the heavier ‘Mech by manipulating zellbringen, the Smythe-Jewels won for themselves a decisive victory, albeit one that was considered very dishonorable. The victory secured the Smythe-Jewels parts, crews, Scientists, and schematics for three Coyote OmniMechs (TRO: GC, p. 26, FM: WC, pp. 41-42, FM: CC: pp. 39-40).
Soon the Smythe-Jewels were in a position to dictate the type of engagement when conducting Trials with rival Kindraa, and it appeared the Smythe-Jewels would become the most powerful of all the Kindraa, perhaps even able to re-unite the Clan. By 2869, Kindraa Faraday was attempting to integrate the Smythe-Jewels into a leadership position within Clan Fire Mandrill by accelerating joint strategic planning and brokering technology transfers between the Smythe-Jewels and their rivals in exchange for more Foster territory. Naturally, the Smythe-Jewels resisted the Faraday overtures, believing them unnecessary, since they appeared to be able to subjugate their fellow Kindraa by the force of their will without what they saw as Faraday manipulations. New configurations of the Coyotl and Lupus began appearing on Foster and Shadow as quickly as the chasses and parts could be manufactured. These newer configurations featured more anti-infantry and anti-Combat Vehicle loadouts, with pulse lasers, LRMs, SRMs, and the ubiquitous, domestically manufactured flamer. But configurations adding anti-infantry capabilities proved less effective against ‘Mechs, prompting the Smythe-Jewels to develop a new OmniMech.
The Smythe-Jewels new OmniMech would be purposely built for infantry and Combat Vehicle support operations. While the Coyotl, Lupus, and Spirit Walker were capable at fighting other ‘Mechs, their speed was frequently modest when compared with faster light ‘Mechs and swift Combat Vehicles like the Anhur or Svantovit. The Smythe-Jewels also decided anti-‘Mech loadouts of these Omnis were insufficiently effective against conventional infantry, which were far more common in Fire Mandrill Trials. A faster OmniMech could bring anti-personnel weaponry to range more easily, allowing this new OmniMech to operate in a cavalry role and aid Smythe-Jewel Battle Armored infantry. This new OmniMech would be moderately armed and capable of outmaneuvering larger ‘Mech opponents if necessary.
A further consideration prompted the Smythe-Jewels into designing the new OmniMech. When the Smythe-Jewels captured Elemental Battle Armor materials, breeding protocols, and Scientists in late 2870 (Shrapnel 09), Kindraa Smythe-Jewel Scientists heard rumors of Hell’s Horses efforts to design a novel OmniMech with mechanized Battle Armor capabilities. However, the isorla Scientists were unable to provide any details of the initial work. Rumors on the Chatterweb echoed the Scientists’ claims, with traces of Cloud Cobra Scientists’ work with infantry compartments capable of hard-wiring communications between the MechWarrior and the Battle Armor infantry. However, without details the Smythe-Jewel Scientists experimented with the concept briefly before abandoning it. While a mature sibko of Elemental infantry might be able to manage the stresses of mechanization, the first generation of Smythe-Jewel Battle Armor infantry found the infantry compartments too physically punishing. Instead, the Smythe-Jewels decided to acquire this new development from Clan Hell’s Horses and retrofit it when it was at last available.
The new Smythe-Jewel OmniMech would be named the Lucifer. The name Lucifer was derived from a subspecies of the Fire Mandrill introduced into the gallery and flooded forests of equatorial Foster. Fire Mandrills instinctively form large, aggressive, familial hordes dominated by females, with male pushed to the periphery by the age of sexual maturity. While evolutionarily favorable on Eden, hordes of Foster’s Fire Mandrills began declining in genetic diversity due to severe attrition of male Fire Mandrills (although females and the hordes themselves were showing signs of novel speciation even as early as 2867). The Scientist caste believed this was a result of toxicity from unsuspecting males hunting tree amphibians, a mistake the main horde made less often. Rather than leave such a crucial animal to succumb to natural selection, the Fire Mandrill Scientist caste corrected this flaw by creating a subspecies of Fire Mandrill, the Lucifer Fire Mandrill, which inherited the male-tolerance of the terran lucifer monkey. Though significantly smaller and darker of coat, the lucifer fire mandrill had far lower attrition rates in their male population, an even more insular nature than the wild type Fire Mandrill, and distributed communal parental duties among all the adults. The lucifer even carried their young until the infant dismounted to kill their first prey. With their even greater focus on the safety of juvenile members of the horde, Kindraa Smythe-Jewel decided the lucifer was the ideal inspiration for their new, infantry-support OmniMech.
Capabilities
The Lucifer is designed first to be fast. Using a 360-rated Extra-Light Fusion Engine, the Lucifer is capable of reaching speeds near 150 km/h at a run. However, if required to exploit a weakness or run down a fast Combat Vehicle, the Lucifer also mounts MASC for short burst above 190 km/h. The chassis saves mass by using Endo-Steel. 5.5 tons of standard armor is not thin, but is a weakness, protecting most locations with only enough armor to deflect infantry fire or the occasional Medium or Large Laser. In exchange for the weaker armor, the Lucifer can mount 7 tons of OmniPods.
Most Lucifer configurations are capable of fighting Combat Vehicles or infantry, if not as their primary mission, at least as the need arises. The Prime is designed to take on Combat Vehicles at medium distance, but carries a flamer to deal with infantry. “A” is a long-range sniper capable to killing many light and medium BattleMechs. “B” is designed for fire support and was meant as a gateway for MechWarriors accustomed to the Mandrill and Howler. Configuration C is tailored for incapacitating damaged opponents, or killing Combat Vehicles, and its 2 tons of ammo can include Infernos. Configuration D mixes infantry support with an ER Large Laser and ER Medium Lasers. None of the standard configurations mount jump jets. Additionally, lower arm actuators and hands were not even designed, meaning this OmniMech can flip in all standard configurations, but the ‘Mech has little utility outside combat. Heat and ammo are both well managed in all configurations, except configuration D, which can overheat if a Warrior turns their lasers on infantry.
Deployment
The Lucifer was introduced in 2871 to the general approval of Kindraa Smythe-Jewel, and the horror of Kindraa Payne in particular. While production could only manage one dozen OmniMechs in their first production run, this was sufficient to outfit each double-sized combined-arms Trinary in the Touman (TP:F, pp. 9-10) with a pair of Lucifers and a supply of spare parts. This wound up being the total number ever produced, however, because before a second production run could commence in 2872, Clans Hell’s Horses and Coyote launched a punitive Trial of Possession against several of Kindraa Smythe-Jewel’s key Blood Heritages. The Trial became the de facto Trial of Annihilation for Kindraa Smythe-Jewel.
After Clans Hell’s Horses and Coyote along with Kindraa Payne had completed the Absorption, Kindraa Smythe-Jewel Blood Heritages were claimed by the Coyotes and Horses, picked over by other Kindraa, or simply discarded. Clan Coyote kept most of the Smythe-Jewel enclave. Both Hell’s Horses and the remaining Fire Mandrill Kindraa split the isorla and standard production facilities. While Clan Fire Mandrill may have appreciated the Lucifer for its abilities as an infantry support OmniMech, the Coyotes and Hell’s Horses divided the OmniMech facilities and salvage amongst themselves, not allowing the Mandrills access to the infrastructure. Even if they had access, it seems unlikely they would have fielded the Lucifer. For Kindraa Payne especially, the Lucifer had been responsible for killing entire Trinaries of infantry in the preceding year. With the fall of the Kindraa Smythe-Jewel, it would be more than 65 years until any Kindraa would have the ability to design and manufacture a novel OmniMech again (TRO: 3050U, p. 122 – the Viper being one of the first, but not the first, attempt to create an OmniMech).
Lucifer (2871)
BASE:
Lucifer
Mass: 40 tons
Tech Base: Clan
Chassis Config: Biped Omnimech
Rules Level: Tournament Legal
Era: Succession Wars
Tech Rating/Era Availability: F/X-F-E-D
Production Year: 2871
Dry Cost: 11,173,750 C-Bills
Total Cost: 11,173,750 C-Bills
Battle Value: 582
Chassis: Type W1 Endo-Steel Endo-Steel
Power Plant: Type II XL 360 Fusion XL Engine
Walking Speed: 97.2 km/h
Maximum Speed: 151.2 km/h (194.4 km/h)
Jump Jets: None
Jump Capacity: 0 meters
Armor: Type 1 OmniMech Plate Standard Armor
Armament:
7.0 tons of pod space.
Manufacturer: Smythe OmniWorks
Primary Factory: Foster
Communications System: Howler 71
Targeting and Tracking System: Model 81 'Primal'
================================================================================
Equipment Type Rating Mass
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Internal Structure: Endo-Steel 67 points 2.00
Internal Locations: 1 HD, 1 LT, 1 RT, 1 LA, 1 RA, 1 LL, 1 RL
Engine: XL Fusion Engine 360 16.50
Walking MP: 9
Running MP: 14 (18)
Jumping MP: 0
Heat Sinks: Double Heat Sink 10(20) 0.00
Gyro: Standard 4.00
Cockpit: Standard 3.00
Actuators: L: SH+UA R: SH+UA
Armor: Standard Armor AV - 88 5.50
Internal Armor
Structure Factor
Head 3 9
Center Torso 12 12
Center Torso (rear) 5
L/R Torso 10 10
L/R Torso (rear) 4
L/R Arm 6 7
L/R Leg 10 10
================================================================================
Equipment Location Heat Critical Mass
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MASC CT - 2 2.00
Free Critical Slots: 38
BattleForce Statistics
MV S (+0) M (+2) L (+4) E (+6) Wt. Ov Armor: 3 Points: 6
11 0 0 0 0 2 0 Structure: 2
Special Abilities: OMNI, ENE, SRCH, ES, SEAL, SOA
CONFIGURATIONS:
Loadout Name: Prime Cost: 11,801,375
Tech Rating/Era Availability: F/X-F-E-D BV2: 1,577
Equipment Type Rating Mass
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CASE Locations: LA 0.00
Actuators: L: SH+UA R: SH+UA
Equipment Location Heat Critical Mass
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MASC CT - 2 2.00
Flamer RA 3 1 0.50
2 Medium Pulse Lasers RA 8 2 4.00
Anti-Missile System LA 1 1 0.50
ER Medium Laser LA 5 1 1.00
@Anti-Missile System (24) LA - 1 1.00
Free Critical Slots: 32
BattleForce Statistics
MV S (+0) M (+2) L (+4) E (+6) Wt. Ov Armor: 3 Points: 16
11 3 3 0 0 2 0 Structure: 2
Special Abilities: OMNI, AMS, ENE, SRCH, ES, SEAL, SOA
================================================================================
Loadout Name: A Cost: 11,738,125
Tech Rating/Era Availability: F/X-F-E-D BV2: 1,871
Equipment Type Rating Mass
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Actuators: L: SH+UA R: SH+UA
Equipment Location Heat Critical Mass
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MASC CT - 2 2.00
ER PPC RA 15 2 6.00
2 ER Small Lasers LA 4 2 1.00
Free Critical Slots: 34
BattleForce Statistics
MV S (+0) M (+2) L (+4) E (+6) Wt. Ov Armor: 3 Points: 19
11 3 3 2 0 2 0 Structure: 2
Special Abilities: OMNI, ENE, SRCH, ES, SEAL, SOA
================================================================================
Loadout Name: B Cost: 11,781,250
Tech Rating/Era Availability: F/X-F-E-D BV2: 1,507
Equipment Type Rating Mass
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CASE Locations: RA 0.00
Actuators: L: SH+UA R: SH+UA
Equipment Location Heat Critical Mass
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MASC CT - 2 2.00
2 LRM-10s RA 8 2 5.00
ER Medium Laser LA 5 1 1.00
@LRM-10 (12) RA - 1 1.00
Free Critical Slots: 34
BattleForce Statistics
MV S (+0) M (+2) L (+4) E (+6) Wt. Ov Armor: 3 Points: 15
11 2 2 1 0 2 0 Structure: 2
Special Abilities: OMNI, CASE, SRCH, ES, SEAL, SOA, IF 1
================================================================================
Loadout Name: C Cost: 11,754,938
Tech Rating/Era Availability: F/X-F-E-D BV2: 1,186
Equipment Type Rating Mass
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CASE Locations: RA 0.00
Actuators: L: SH+UA R: SH+UA
Equipment Location Heat Critical Mass
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MASC CT - 2 2.00
3 SRM-6s RA 12 3 4.50
ER Small Laser LA 2 1 0.50
@SRM-6 (30) RA - 2 2.00
Free Critical Slots: 32
BattleForce Statistics
MV S (+0) M (+2) L (+4) E (+6) Wt. Ov Armor: 3 Points: 12
11 3 3 0 0 2 0 Structure: 2
Special Abilities: OMNI, CASE, SRCH, ES, SEAL, SOA, SRM 2/2/0
================================================================================
Loadout Name: D Cost: 11,830,000
Tech Rating/Era Availability: F/X-F-E-D BV2: 1,868
Equipment Type Rating Mass
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Actuators: L: SH+UA R: SH+UA
Equipment Location Heat Critical Mass
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MASC CT - 2 2.00
Flamer RA 3 1 0.50
ER Large Laser RA 12 1 4.00
ER Medium Laser RA 5 1 1.00
Flamer LA 3 1 0.50
ER Medium Laser LA 5 1 1.00
Free Critical Slots: 33
BattleForce Statistics
MV S (+0) M (+2) L (+4) E (+6) Wt. Ov Armor: 3 Points: 19
11 3 2 1 0 2 1 Structure: 2
Special Abilities: OMNI, ENE, SRCH, ES, SEAL, SOA
