Hi Everyone!
I did not focus on Combat Vehicles (CVs) for my Golden Century Campaign, but indeed CVs should be a characterful part of the setting for my campaign. I wrote these, then sat on them for a few months. I would like to present them now.
Considering the customization rules available in Strategic Operations, p. 188, I upgraded Star League-era CVs with Clan equipment upgrades available in Historical: Operation KLONDIKE, p. 156, as well as the Early Clan Equipment from Interstellar Operations, pp. 95-98, 195, and 216-219. All upgrades Class A-D.
As with the upgraded Clan BattleMechs I presented, these upgrades will go extinct as intermediate Clan technology is slowly removed from production in favor of Clan-spec. After intermediate Clan technology has disappeared, Combat Vehicles will adhere to Star League-era technology or Clan standard production.
Please keep in mind the limited roles CVs played in the early Clan Touman. In most Clans, CVs are last-chance opportunities for many Warriors, either washed out from age, or not sufficiently capable to win a position as a MechWarrior, AeroSpace Pilot, etc. CV crews are tasked primarily with defensive responsibilities, for instance Clan Star Adder's Kokou Defense Tanks (TRO:GC). Vehicles are also the preferred transports for infantry on the battlefields of the Kerensky Cluster, at least before the advent of the Nova (and yes, with its expanding Warrior population, washouts are often given an opportunity to enlist in "civilian" security details or as infantry - which in most Clans is synonymous with "cannon fodder"). A few Clans, for instance the Hell's Horses, use vehicles for roles beyond simple garrison or transport. Vehicles used as combat surveillance or ECM interdiction may exist, but are almost always bid away.
Please note, as these vehicles begin appearing around the time of Operation: KLONDIKE, we are using the (apparent, please correct me if this is wrong) organization of:
Star of Mech - 5 Mechs
Star of ASF - 5 ASF
Star of Combat Vehicles - 10 Combat Vehicles, 5 point commanders
Star of special operations infantry - 25 soldiers, 5 point commanders
Star of infantry - 125 soldiers, 5 point commanders
With that in mind, let us look at some of the options available for early Clan upgrades.
S.gage