TSR Gamma World introduced me to the idea of powered body armor around 1983, but it was Maschinen Kreiger models that helped me visualize them. I discovered Maschinen Kreiger at the same time as Battletech in 1986 before the clans, heck even before the Fourth Succession War was introduced. When the clans and their Elemental suits debuted, I thought the Maschinen Krieger suits made the perfect Inner Sphere battle armor prototypes. So here is my tribute to Maschinen Kreiger.
Give credit where credit is due: but due to the language barrier I cannot credit the modeler (possibly Stakezo7) that painted the Maschinen Krieger suit I claim is a fair representation of the Legionnaire light battle armor but the link below is to a site showcasing his fine model.
https://gamp.ameblo.jp/stakezo7/entry-12368497763.html
Classic BattleTech Battle Armor Technical Readout
* CUSTOM EQUIPMENT
Type/Model: Legionnaire
Tech/Era: Inner Sphere / 3050
Chassis Type: Humanoid
Weight Class: Light Battle Armor (401 - 750 kg)
Rules: Level 2, Standard design
Ground Speed: 21.6 km/h
Armor Type: Standard
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==Background==
The Aporian Republic has been slowly expanding its industrial base for nearly a century with the goal of building all its own armaments. About 20 years ago military leadership set engineers to work developing their own battle armor suit. Engineers start with indigenous exoskeletons and reverse engineered what they could from a half dozen Inner Sphere model suits that the High Command supplied, most likely bought on the black market somewhere in the Inner Sphere. Development took far longer than expected, but the result is reasonably agile and adequately armed and armored. Whether the Republic Guard can afford to deploy the suit in the numbers envisioned remains to be seen.
==Capabilities==
The suit, dubbed the Legionnaire, weights in at 710 kg and comes equipped with versions of the Republic Guard’s standard issue medium machinegun and personal defense weapon as well as an autoloading version of its medium recoilless rifle. The suit is not equipped with a jump pack to reduce complexity and cost but does have oversized myomer bundles in the legs for sprinting. The suit is also designed to carry the operator’s infantry kit externally, so it is close at hand if needed, rather than on a truck in the rear area.
==Deployment==
The Republic Guard is still experimenting on how best to deploy its battle armor but has, at least for the moment, settled on a 20-suit Troop as its standard unit. A troop consists 2 squads each made up of 2 fire teams, each fire team has 4 suits; the final 4 suits form the troop command element.
A single troop will be attached to each Expeditionary Battlegroup, a reinforced combined arms battalion. The Expeditionary Battlegroup, built around a BattleMech company, is the Republic Guard’s primary BattleMech deployment scheme. The High Command plans to attach a troop to every infantry regiment, assuming the Republic can afford to.
The Legionnaire battle armor suit has not seen combat yet as the first troop only reached operation status 6 months ago, but the High Command has high hopes.
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Type/Model: Legionnaire
Equipment: Slots Mass
Chassis Type: Light Class Humanoid 0 100
Motive System: Ground Movement (2 MP) 0 30
Armor Type: 5 Points Standard 0 250
Manipulators:
Left Arm: Basic Manipulator 0 0
Right Arm: Basic Manipulator 0 0
Weapons and Equipment Loc Shots Slots Mass
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Medium Recoilless Rifle Body 20 2 250
(with High-Explosive Ammo)
Mission Equipment (40kg Capy) Body 1 0
Light Machine Gun* RA 50 1 75
Anti-Personnel Weapon Mount LA 1 5
Sub-Machine Gun LA 50 0 0
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TOTALS: 5 710
Slots & Mass Left: 3 40
Calculated Factors:
Total Cost: 295,186 C-Bills, Including Trooper
Training Costs of 150,000 C-bills
Battle Value: 43 (172 for 4) Weapon Value: 19 (Ratio=.44)
Cost per BV: 3,376.42 (w/o Trooper Training costs)
Damage Factors: SRDmg = 2 MRDmg = 0 LRDmg = 0
BattleForce2: Class: IB MP: 2 Armor/Structure: 2 / 0
Damage PB/M/L: 1/1/- Overheat: 0
Point Value: 2 Specials: mec, car4
CBT:RPG Data: Armor Value (M/B/E/X): 7/7/6/6 Coverage: Full
IR: 0, ECM: 0, Camo: 0
Melee AP: 1, Target Size Modifier: 0
Movement Modifiers:
Walking: +2, Running: +4, Sprinting: +6
Attribute Modifiers: STR: +2, DEX: -1, RFL: -1
Equipment Rating: E/E/E
Created by HeavyMetal Battle Armor
