Quikscell Express
Base Tech Level: Standard (IS)
Level Era
--------------------------------------------
Experimental -
Advanced -
Standard 3055+ (Clan Invasion -)
Tech Rating: D/X-X-C-C
Weight: 3100 tons
BV: 660
Cost: 70,621,600 C-bills
Source: (Unknown)
Movement: 3/5
Heat Sinks: 64
Cockpit: Standard Cockpit
Fuel Points: 0/4140 (138.0 tons)
Tons Per Burn Day: 1.84
Structural Integrity: 5
Armor: 260 Standard Aerospace
Armor
-------------------
Nose 81
Left Side 64
Right Side 64
Aft 51
Carrying Capacity
-----------------------------------
Mek (2 doors) - 12 units
Cargo Space (1 door) - 446.500 tons
Crew
----------------------
Officers 1
Enlisted/Non-rated 4
Gunners 0
Bay Personnel 24
Quirks
------
Easy to Maintain
Poor Performance
Overview:
In the wake of the Clan Invasion and the wider proliferation of technology throughout the Inner Sphere, Quikscell's marketing department found what they felt was an unfulfilled niche. While the vaunted Battlemech was no longer quite so rare and irreplaceable, there was still a significant shortage in transportation and what existed was very expensive. Even the simple Leopard was out of reach for many of those new hot to trot mercenary start-ups - even centuries old ones easily cost $170 million while transporting only the bare minimum four mechs.
Thus was born the Express: an ultra-cheap dropship alternative. Capable of carrying a full Battlemech company plus significant room for supplies with a cost of only $70 million - less than half that of a Leopard and a quarter of a modern Union. Additionally thanks to Quikscell's well known affinity for economical choices, the Express was a hardy ship that used mostly commonly accessible or easily replaceable parts to ease maintenence and repair woes.
The downside, of course, was that the Express cut every other corner possible. The engine - while sufficient to break atmo on most worlds - was sluggish and weak. The armor was the bare minimum of acceptable for a military craft, and there were no weapons what so ever.
Deployment:
The Express did not sell as well as hoped. While it was picked up by a few, most mercenary companies were unwilling to put themselves in a dropship that could be shot down by a Sparrowhawk. It did find considerably more popularity in the hands of private security forces and some Periphery militaries, who were more often worried about corporate raiders and pirates who rarely fielded aerospace elements.
Variants:
There are two known variants and one uniquely refitted dropship.
The first was an Express reconfigured to carry conventional armored vehicles - oriented towards Quikscell's own Scorpion, Hetzer, and Bulldog lines. Changing minimal aspects of the internals allowed it to transport eight heavy vehicles and eighteen light vehicles, which made Quikscell's marketing department very happy.
A second variant existed only in brochures and on paper: an aerospace carrier. Ostensibly designed to act as a carrier to defend the otherwise vulnerable ground transport Expresses, there is no evidence one was ever produced. (It was suggested that the more complex methods of launching aerospace fighters while in vacuum dissuaded Quikscell's engineers from completing the design.)
And finally there was an Express (dubbed the Gilliflower) that was modified during the Jihad to act as a minelayer, converting the mech bays into storage for large quantities of space mines. It is not noted as having had a significant impact, however, before being destroyed over Dieron during Operation: SCOUR.