The Federated Commonwealth Union forced the Lyran military’s old “wall-of-steel” doctrine to adapt to and adopt some of the more modern, mobile, and flexible tactics of the Federated Suns military. One outgrowth of this sea-change was the development of experimental “assault cavalry” units that attempted to maintain the Lyran preference for assault mechs while boosting their speed to the levels required of Suns cavalry units. The Zeus X series developed by Defiance Industries of Kwangjong-ni are the most well-known of these “assault cavalry” designs. But Defiance Industries of Hesperus was unimpressed by the compromises that Kwangjong-ni made in the survivability, weapons accuracy, and firepower of the Zeus platform and pursued a parallel “Athena” program to increase Zeus mobility while modernizing the design and providing it with surprising new capabilities in close combat.
Unlike every other Zeus or Zeus X, the Athena is built around a weight-saving endo-steel chassis. The same 320-rated Light Fusion Engine that powers the ZEU-9T and other -9 series Zeuses also powers the Athena. But the Athena’s musculature is completely reworked with Triple-Strength Myomer from the BRZ-C3 and-D4 Berserker production lines on Hesperus, temporarily granting the Athena heavy cavalry speeds and vicious kneecapping attacks in melee combat.
The Athena’s weapons loadout is also upgraded, sporting a longer-ranged and more powerful Gauss Cannon and ER PPC pairing in place of the Zeus’s traditional Autocannon and Large Laser, as well as five MML three-packs in place of the Zeus’s usual 15-rack LRM launcher. The MMLs provide the same reach as the LRM launcher, a vicious weakness-seeking salvo in close combat like that of the old ZEU-6A variant, and, in combination with the Gauss Cannon and two standard Medium Lasers, precise thermal management for TSM activation and maintenance.
Defensively, the latest production version of the Athena shaves off a half-ton of its maximally thick armor in favor of CASE II protection for its MML ammo.
Ultimately, despite the Athena’s all-around sounder design, Defiance Industries corporate saw more profit in the exotic and costly technologies of the Zeus X series. Lobbying and advertising followed, with relatively few resources allocated to selling the Athena, and Zeus X variants outnumber Athenas in the Lyran military to this day.
BattleMech Technical Readout
Name/Model: ZEU-A2S ATHENA (ZEUS)
Tonnage: 80
Configuration: Biped BattleMech
Technology Base: Inner Sphere
Era/Year: Jihad/Dark Age/ilClan (3075)
Rules: Advanced
Chassis: Chariot III Light Endo-Steel
Power Plant: Defiance 320 Light
Walking Speed: 43 kph (54 kph)
Maximum Speed: 65 kph (86 kph)
Jump Jets: None
Jump Capacity: None
Armor: Valiant Lamellor w/ CASE II
Armament:
1 Gauss Cannon
1 ER PPC
5 MML-3s
2 Medium Lasers
Manufacturer: Defiance Industries
Primary Factory: Hesperus II
Communications: TharHes Calliope ZE-5A2
Targeting & Tracking: TharHes Ares X9-B
================================================================================================
Equipment Mass
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Internal Structure: Endo-Steel 4.00
Engine: 320 Light 17.00
Walking MP: 4 (5)
Running MP: 6 (8)
Jumping MP: 0
Heat Sinks: 11 (22) 1.00
Gyro: Standard 4.00
Cockpit: Standard 3.00
Armor Factor: 240 15.00
Type: Standard w/ CASE II
Internal Armor
Structure Value
Head: 3 9
Center Torso: 25 40
Center Torso (rear): 9
R/L Torso: 17 26
R/L Torso (rear): 7
R/L Arm: 13 26
R/L Leg: 17 32
Arm Actuators: RS, RUA, LS, LUA
================================================================================================
Weapons and Ammo Location Critical Tonnage
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MML-3 RA 2 1.50
MML-3 RA 2 1.50
MML-3 RA 2 1.50
MML-3 RA 2 1.50
MML-3 RA 2 1.50
Ammo (MML) 40/33 RT 1 1.00
Ammo (MML) 40/33 RT 1 1.00
CASE II RT 1 0.50
Gauss Cannon LA 7 15.00
Ammo (Gauss) 16 LT 2 2.00
ER PPC LT 3 7.00
Medium Laser CT 1 1.00
Medium Laser RT(R) 1 1.00
Triple-Strength Myomer RA 2 0.00
Triple-Strength Myomer RL 2 0.00
Triple-Strength Myomer LL 2 0.00
================================================================================================The Athena’s design was not finalized until the proliferation of Multi-Missile Launchers in the Jihad, and under the duress of that conflagration, Defiance Industries could not outfit all its Athena chassis. Recognizing their common foe in the Word of Blake, under the auspices of old Federated Commonwealth technical exchanges, unfinished Athenas were shipped to the Federated Suns military. With help from NAIS weapons designers fleeing New Avalon, General Motors used its Warlord facility on El Dorado to outfit these Athenas with Heavy PPCs, 15-class Thunderbolt launchers, LB 10-X Autocannons, and slightly thicker Ferro-Fibrous Armor. Although lacking the boosted speed, close combat capabilities, and longest ranges of the Athena, the Phoebus brutalizes opponents with two potentially decapitating attacks followed by ten LB-X cluster munitions, all under the same range band out to over a half-kilometer. With 11 freezers, the Phoebus can alpha strike while flanking without negative heat effects. Modern Phoebus models forgo their Medium Lasers in favor of CASE II to protect their Thunderbolt and LB-X ammunition. Pressed into service against Word of Blake and even some Manei Domini, the Athena and Phoebus would become rare but feared opponents during the Jihad on opposite ends of the defunct Federated Commonwealth.
BattleMech Technical Readout
Name/Model: ZEU-A2D PHOEBUS (ZEUS)
Tonnage: 80
Configuration: Biped BattleMech
Technology Base: Inner Sphere
Era/Year: Jihad/Dark Age/ilClan (3075)
Rules: Advanced
Chassis: Chariot III Light Endo-Steel
Power Plant: Defiance 320 Light
Walking Speed: 43 kph
Maximum Speed: 65 kph
Jump Jets: None
Jump Capacity: None
Armor: Glasgow Limited Primo Ferro-Fibrous w/ CASE
Armament:
1 Heavy PPC
1 LB 10-X Autocannon
1 Thunderbolt-15 Launcher
Manufacturer: General Motors
Primary Factory: El Dorado
Communications: TharHes Calliope ZE-5A2
Targeting & Tracking: TharHes Ares X9-B
================================================================================================
Equipment Mass
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Internal Structure: Endo-Steel 4.00
Engine: 320 Light 17.00
Walking MP: 4
Running MP: 6
Jumping MP: 0
Heat Sinks: 11 (22) 1.00
Gyro: Standard 4.00
Cockpit: Standard 3.00
Armor Factor: 247 14.00
Type: Ferro-Fibrous w/ CASE
Internal Armor
Structure Value
Head: 3 9
Center Torso: 25 40
Center Torso (rear): 10
R/L Torso: 17 26
R/L Torso (rear): 8
R/L Arm: 13 26
R/L Leg: 17 34
Arm Actuators: RS, RUA, LS, LUA
================================================================================================
Weapons and Ammo Location Critical Tonnage
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Thunderbolt-15 RA 3 11.00
Ammo (Tbolt) 12 RT 3 3.00
CASE RT 1 0.50
LB 10-X AC LA 6 11.00
Ammo (LB-X) 10 LT 1 1.00
CASE RT 1 0.50
Heavy PPC LT 4 10.00
================================================================================================Either the Wolf Empire or Clan Jade Falcon obtained plans for and/or samples of the Athena as isorla from the Seventeenth Battle of Hesperus II. The ilClan would eventually inherit these models, rework them with Clantech, and put them into production using StarCorps’ damaged Doloire facility on Terra. The resulting Lykaios would become the most dangerous Zeus design to date.
The Lykaios reverts to a standard Zeus chassis, but incorporates the same 320-rated Clantech extralight engine used by the Doloire for greater weight savings, as well as the same TSM musculature as the Athena. Over 17 tons of Ferro-Lamellor Armor provide the Lykaios with protection at least equivalent to that of a 100-ton assault mech. The Athena’s ER PPC and Gauss Cannon are upgraded to lighter-weight Clan-grade models, while five ATM three-packs replace the Athena’s MMLs. This weapons loadout gives the Lykaios the same dual decapitating attack as the Phoebus and the same precise thermal management as the Athena but with greater reach and even more mid- and close-range firepower from standard ATM and HE munitions. Twin Pulse Medium Lasers and CASE II for the ATM ammunition round out the terrifying capabilities of the Lykaios.
BattleMech Technical Readout
Name/Model: LYKAIOS (ZEUS C)
Tonnage: 80
Configuration: Biped BattleMech
Technology Base: Clan (Mixed)
Era/Year: ilClan (3153)
Rules: Advanced
Chassis: Chariot Type III
Power Plant: Light Force 320XL
Walking Speed: 43 kph (54 kph)
Maximum Speed: 65 kph (86 kph)
Jump Jets: None
Jump Capacity: None
Armor: Compound LZ-7 Ferro-Lamellor w/ CASE II
Armament:
1 Gauss Cannon
1 ER PPC
5 ATM-3s
2 Pulse Medium Lasers
Manufacturer: StarCorps Industries
Primary Factory: Terra
Communications: TharHes Calliope ZE-5A2
Targeting & Tracking: TharHes Ares X9-B
Arm Actuators: RS, RUA, , LS, LUA, LLA
================================================================================================
Equipment Mass
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Internal Structure: Standard 8.00
Engine: 320 Extralight 11.50
Walking MP: 4 (5)
Running MP: 6 (8)
Jumping MP: 0
Heat Sinks: 11 (22) 1.00
Gyro: Standard 4.00
Cockpit: Standard 3.00
Armor Factor: 245 (294) 17.50
Type: Ferro-Lamellor w/ CASE II
Internal Armor
Structure Value
Head: 3 9
Center Torso: 25 40
Center Torso (rear): 10
R/L Torso: 17 26
R/L Torso (rear): 8
R/L Arm: 13 26
R/L Leg: 17 33
================================================================================================
Weapons and Ammo Location Critical Tonnage
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ATM-3 RA 2 1.50
ATM-3 RA 2 1.50
ATM-3 RA 2 1.50
ATM-3 RA 2 1.50
ATM-3 RA 2 1.50
Ammo (ATM) 60 RT 3 3.00
CASE II RT 1 0.50
Gauss Cannon LA 6 12.00
Ammo (Gauss) 16 LT 2 2.00
ER PPC LT 2 6.00
Pulse Medium Laser CT 1 2.00
Pulse Medium Laser RT(R) 1 2.00
Triple-Strength Myomer LA 2 0.00
Triple-Strength Myomer RL 2 0.00
Triple-Strength Myomer LL 2 0.00
================================================================================================
