’Mech of the Week: LCT-** Locust
Locust. Scourge of farmers everywhere. The Eighth Plague of Egypt. Cause of many famines. Swarms of them blotting out the sun. A twenty-ton BattleMech that can bite as badly as its namesake.
And if encountered in swarms can take even assaults down.
Designed as a fast-recon scout, the
Locust was the fastest design when it premiered, its main competition at the time being the THE-F
Thorn (which I cannot find a record sheet for). Going into full production at eight different locations in 2499, the LCT-1V was accepted by all consumers. Built around a 160-rated LTV fusion engine, the design mounts four tons of armor, giving the design 92% of maximum protection. The armor is laid out in an 8, 10/2, 8/2, 4, 8 pattern (head, center front/rear, side front/rear, arms, legs respectively). Weapons-load consists of a centerline medium laser and twin machine guns, one in each arm. One full ton of ammunition is stored just below the laser. Ten standard heat sinks more than adequately deal with the design’s heat output (though the original write-up seemed to indicate this wasn’t the case).
This model was extremely popular. Enough so that it was still one of the most common designs in the times of the War of 3039. Even then some tinkering did occur. The first variant arrived in 2567. The LCT-1S swapped the machine guns for a pair of 2-pack SRM launchers. One ton of armor was also removed, leaving the protection in a 6, 6/2, 6/2, 3, 6 pattern.
Then in 2571, the LCT-1M arrived. This model uses 5-rack LRM launchers in place of the machine guns. The weight requirements for this make the design the least armored for many years (that experimental
Flea variant actually has the same amount of armor). One ton of armor put in a 3, 2/1, 2/1, 1, 1 pattern. For some reason, House Davion liked this design. I’ve never had much luck with it… For some reason I always end up falling on my rear center torso and getting that one crit…
In 2610, the SLDF commissioned a variant that became the Royal
Locust. The LCT-1Vb uses an extralight engine, endo-steel skeleton, and ferro-fibrous armor. Armor has also been maximized in a 9, 10/2, 8/2, 6, 8 pattern. The centerline laser was retained, and the machine guns were swapped for a medium and small pulse laser in each arm. Heat sinks were upgraded to double-strength models. While it appears all -1Vb models were taken on the Exodus, there is at least one potential after-effect.
Appearing in 2811, the LCT-1E model appears to me to be at least partly inspired by the Royal variant. Armor is like the -1V model, the centerline laser removed, and the arm lasers downgraded to standard versions. This is also the last variant of that millennium.
In 3004, someone decided to add a second medium laser to the center torso of a -1V model. The LCT-3V drops half the machine gun ammunition, placing the lighter bin in the right torso. Half a ton of armor was also shaved (two points from each leg and side torso front).
In the aftermath of the Fourth Succession War, House Liao experimented with triple-strength myomer to try and find a version that didn’t have such interesting reactions to chemicals. To do so, they placed it on a
Locust model, designated the LCT-1L. (I’m just picturing them getting it right, but not knowing it until some pilot decided to have someone heat the machine up…)
Two variants entered service in 3049. The first, the LCT-3D uses an endo-steel skeleton, and drops all the weapons from a 5-rack LRM launcher in each arm. Two and a half tons of ferro-fibrous armor provide protection in a 7, 5/2, 5/1, 4, 5 pattern. The LRM ammunition is CASEd, but stored in the center torso. The second, the LCT-3S differs from the -3D by retaining the original medium laser, and mounting 2-pack SRM Streak launchers in place of the LRMs. The SRM ammo is now in the CASEd left torso.
In 3050, the LCT-3M model entered service. This model uses an endo-steel skeleton and ferro-fibrous armor. Armor is laid out in a 7, 6/2, 6/2, 4, 7 pattern. This design retains the centerline laser of the -1V, while dropping the machine guns for twin small lasers in each arm. An anti-missile system was installed under the center laser, with the ammunition CASEd in the left torso. The next variant is the LCT-1V2, which appears to be a field refit, swapping the -1V’s machine guns for two 10-pack rocket launchers in each arm.
In 3066, Project Phoenix made its first visit to the
Locust. The LCT-5M uses an endo-steel skeleton and maximized ferro-fibrous armor in a 9, 9/3, 8/2, 6, 8 pattern. The centerline medium was upgraded to an extended-model, and the machine guns were replaced by two extended-model small lasers in each arm. But the biggest change was the swap of the old 160-rated engine for a 240-rated Pitban extralight model, giving the design a walking speed equal to the running speed of all prior
Locust models.
In 3068, the LCT-5V variant officially entered service. This model differs from the -1V2 variant by dropping one rocket launcher from each arm to add another laser to the center torso, while upgrading those lasers to extended models.
Then in 3070, the LCT-5T entered service. This model uses a 160-rated extralight engine, swaps the -1V’s machine guns for three light machine guns in each arm, tied into arrays. Ammunition is stored in the CASEd right torso. Armor is ferro-fibrous, laid out like the -5M model.
In 3071, a new variant entered service that was either built by someone borderline insane, or just wanted to see how much speed they could eke out (possibly both). The LCT-6M takes the -5M, upgrades the heat sinks to double-strength models, installs an extralight gyro and small cockpit, places an extended-model medium in each arm, and an extended-model small in the head. A MASC system was also placed in the head, and the engine bumped up to a 280-rated model. This design can outrun a
Fire Moth, without engaging its MASC. Outside of using a superlight (XXL) engine and a supercharger, this is about as fast as you can get without losing armor.
The next two variants are the result of the last pass of Project Phoenix (so far). The first, the LCT-5W was built by the Word of Blake in 3076. The design uses a 180-rated extralight engine, an endo-steel skeleton, and light ferro-fibrous armor. The armor is laid out in a 9, 9/3, 8/2, 5, 8 pattern. An extended medium is placed in each arm. Ten double heat sinks deal with the heat load. MASC is installed in the center torso, alongside a TAG designator. Finally, in the right torso there is an Improved C3 system. After the Liberation of Terra in 3079, the Republic of the Sphere created the LCT-5W2 variant by swapping the C3 unit for a Slave unit and a Guardian ECM suite.
The final two variants were created after the Jihad by Corean Industries. Based on the -5M model, they avoid the extralight gyro of the -6M. The first model, the LCT-5M2, drops a ton of armor, leaving protection in a 7, 6/2, 6/2, 4, 7 pattern. The heat sinks have been swapped for double-strength models. The smalls have been swapped for a medium pulse in each arm. Finally, the engine has been downgraded to a 220-rated model, giving the -5M2 a speed of 11/17. The second variant, the LCT-5M3 has a half ton more armor than the -5M2 (8, 9/3, 8/2, 4, 7). Weaponry consists of a centerline extended-model large laser and an extended medium in each arm. The engine is a 180-rated model, giving the design ground speed equal to that of the -5W models.
Using one of these is relatively simple. You are a 20-ton BattleMech. Speed is your life. Keep your speed up, run in to strike something, then get out. If possible, run in packs. Giving them more targets than they can shoot is always good. And if you are somehow stuck playing as the WoBbles, bringing a full Level II of LCT-5W
Locusts may cause your foes nightmares. For that matter, having a company using the -5W2 models as the Slave units may be worse.
Fighting them starts with taking a deep breath. Depending on your era, your best bet may be simply to flood the area with firepower, and if they fall down, take advantage of it. If you can pick the terrain, choose areas that will reduce their speed. Now as time progressed in BattleTech, things got easier. Pulse lasers, Precision ammunition, and targeting computers help. Targeting computers with either pulse lasers or precision ammo is even better. Of course, just as you got comfortable with this, the truly psychotic models showed up. The -5M and -6M models you really need to pounce on if they trip (anyone have something to ice the ground?). And the C3-equipped models are a range of pains, depending on what they bring as back-up. And then there is that bunch of
Locusts vs.
Atlas scenario…
The
Locust is an icon. As such, it has a long history of service that will hopefully continue long into the future. And then there are the other designs inspired by this twenty-tonner. The
Locust IIc is the most obvious, but the
Koto was originally called a
Locust on steroids, and the
Cicada is just a double-sized
Locust. And then there was the model piloted by Savannah Johnson. That lead to the naming of the
Savannah Master hovercraft.
I wonder if her descendants want a rematch using a -6M model…
