Shadowhawk "Blackbeard"
Base Tech Level: Standard (IS)
Level Era
-------------------
Experimental -
Advanced -
Standard 2983+
Tech Rating: D/X-E-D-D
Weight: 55 tons
BV: 940
Cost: 4,409,337 C-bills
Movement: 5/8/3
Engine: 275
Heat Sinks: 12
Gyro: Standard Gyro
Internal: 91
Armor: 152/185
Internal Armor
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Head 3 9
Center Torso 18 23
Center Torso (rear) 8
Right Torso 13 18
Right Torso (rear) 6
Left Torso 13 18
Left Torso (rear) 6
Right Arm 9 16
Left Arm 9 16
Right Leg 13 16
Left Leg 13 16
Weapons Loc Heat
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Medium Laser RA 3
SRM 2 HD 2
SRM 2 RT 2
Ammo Loc Shots
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SRM 2 Ammo CT 50
Equipment Loc
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Dual Saw LA
Cargo (4 tons) LT
Overview:
The "Blackbeard" was a highly modified SHD-2H Shadowhawk operated by pirates who primarily operated in the Free Worlds League in the areas near the Lyran and Capellan borders. During its brief career it was part of a pirate group that managed to highjack several hundred thousand tons of shipping, including at least one JumpShip.
These pirates operated from a modified Leopard dropship, and preyed on shipping moving through unmarked or unimportant systems. When possible they appeared to target shipping controlled by smugglers, since attacks on those smugglers were less likely to provoke a response from nearby military units.
Capabilities:
The Blackbeard was extensively modified to perform boarding actions. This is exceptionally unusual. It is one of the few mechs ever designed for this purpose. Normally such an operation is considered unfeasible, since mechs are far too large to fit into the confines of the crew areas of the ship.
The Blackbeard's true use in a boarding action was as a transport. The Shadowhawk's large Armstrong autocannon was removed, and replaced by a transport bay capable of carrying a full platoon of EVA-gear equipped infantry troopers. Once the Blackbeard had landed on a victim’s hull these troops would deploy to try to take the ship.
To aid those troopers in an assault, a massive tungsten-carbine rotary cutter was mounted to the left arm in place of the standard lower arm assembly. This allowed the Blackbeard to breach the armor of a target, tearing a hole that would allow its infantry cargo to board the ship. Often simply the sight of the mech tearing a hole in the skin of a vessel was enough to get the ship to surrender.
Other changes were made to the weaponry. Though the arm-mounted medium laser and head-mounted SRM launcher were maintained, the torso-mounted long range missile launcher was replaced with a second Holly short-ranged missile pack. The close-in nature of the Blackbeard's operation meant that its creators saw little use in giving the mech a long-ranged capability.
The Blackbeard appears to have maintained the same motive systems of the standard Shadowhawk. Though the ground speed was difficult to estimate due to the nature of its deployment, there was no change in other capabilities that indicates engine or chassis modifications. The jump capability of the standard Shadowhawk was likely sufficient to allow it to operate in a vacuum. Likewise, armor protection also appears to have been unchanged.
Deployment History:
The pirates that operated the Blackbeard operated from approximately 2983 until 2987. In that year they had the bad luck to stumble across the 6th Lyran Guards, on their way to Ling as part of the Deep Raid.
According to evidence and testimony taken from the 6th after the Raid, the pirate Leopard mistook the disguised dropship that the Lyrans were being transported in for a standard cargo carrier. They attempted to hijack the Lyran JumpShip.
The Lyran commander allowed them to get close enough that the Leopard deployed the Blackbeard and other assets. Finally, when the pirate vessel was at a close enough range that it could not escape, Lyran aerospace fighters were launched against both Pirate Leopard and what it had deployed.
Most of the pirates were caught entirely off guard and were destroyed in space. The mechwarrior piloting the Blackbeard was able to get his mech on to the surface of the JumpShip. Rather than simply surrendering, that mechwarrior attempted to hold the 6th Lyran hostage by threatening to use their cutting tool against the JumpShip's K-F drive.
A precise strike from a Lyran Chippewa was able to destroy the Blackbeard before it could make good on the threat. For his bravery and skill, the pilot of the Chippewa was commended upon the 6th's return to Lyran space.
