(NOTE: Edits are being made to this article, so if you see weirdness that's probably why. Apologies for the inconvenience!)When we discuss some of Battletech’s true timeless designs- Mechs so popular that they virtually define a unit style- what do we think of? For LRM support, the Archer is usually what people think of first, maybe a Cyclops as a command unit, or a Locust for scouting. Trooper designs have a few solid entries, of course, but perhaps none fit the bill better than the Centurion, a design that has embodied the frontline soldier aspect of Battlemech warfare since the fall of the Star League. While perhaps not the most agile, most powerful, or toughest design, it is a solid fighter at any range that allows one to meet any task with ease, from its earliest days to the cutting-edge versions now fighting in 3150.
We’ll start by looking at the machine’s history. Corean designed the Centurion as a sort of bodyguard for their Trebuchet fire support Mech, but it ended up being versatile enough to do just about anything one could ask. The Mech was first built in the last few years before the First Succession War, making it a rare example of a machine that came about as humanity declined into madness, yet still managed to be produced in large numbers. That lasted only until the destruction of the Ramen II assembly line in 2845, but Corean rebounded by building a new line on the Federated Suns capital world of New Avalon a century and a half later- the machine, despite its being built in Marik space originally, was very popular with the AFFS, so this move made a lot of sense.
Bringing in a standard-model CN9-A for review, we find a fairly basic machine in most respects. At 50 tons, it’s average in weight, like many of its contemporaries in the trooper class. A 200-class engine moves the machine at a somewhat disappointing 4/6, with no jump jets to compensate like the Panther or Enforcer can boast. That can be a problem in a rapid-moving battle, but as a trooper design the Centurion really isn’t intended for that kind of job anyway- its role is steady advances or holding its own ground, and as such mobility isn’t a high priority.
What IS a priority is being able to take the beating that will be thrown at it, and with eight and a half tons of armor a Centurion isn’t an easy Mech to put down. The spread is about what you would expect, with no big surprises in coverage. Since the machine can’t effectively dodge most fire, it has to be able to absorb it better, and the Centurion, while not exactly putting the Atlas out of business in terms of armor, won’t go down from a couple of quick hits generally.
Going back at the target is a pretty handy array of weaponry for a Mech this size. The primary weapon, mounted in the right arm as so many Mechs of Battletech’s early days were, is a big Luxor AC-10, a weapon that probably isn’t the best choice. The brutal power of the cannon is undeniable, but its size is a solid fifth of the unit without counting its two-ton ammo bin. That’s a big gun, and one can’t help but wonder if a PPC and some heat sinks wouldn’t have been a better choice. Regardless, the gun packs a hefty punch at modest ranges, and while one is merely a concern a lance of these machines can be a sobering sight. However, the Luxor has a major problem with jamming (in fluff, obviously, in game this isn’t an issue), which made the design somewhat unpopular with technicians and Mechwarriors alike.
Backing the cannon is a chest-mounted Luxor LRM-10, again supplied with two tons of ammo. This gives the Centurion a solid long-range bombardment option as it closes to cannon distances, and with plenty of ammo one can afford to throw shots downrange even at questionable numbers (In later eras, the second ton of ammo is also a fine choice for alternate ammo types such as Thunder rounds!). As so many units do, the Centurion backs up the two main weapons with a pair of medium lasers, both in the center torso. One is faced forward and the other backward, to provide better protection against fast units getting behind the Centurion, but one can’t help but wish to turn that laser forward for better firepower and trust the Centurion’s lancemates to keep its rear safe- or failing that, the Luxor cannon being brought about at the harassing enemy. Regardless, the Centurion has a weapon for every range, and earns its place as a true jack of all trades.
The problems with the cannon resulted in many field modifications to Centurions, but the first named new model was the CN9-AH, which pulled the gun and the two medium lasers in favor of an AC-20. While the firepower obviously goes up in terms of cannon power, the loss of range is disappointing, and the author suggests sticking to the Hunchback for your assault-grade autocannon needs. The AH isn’t a bad machine, but the differences between the LRM and cannon’s ranges mean that it’s sometimes difficult to do much more than one-weapon attacks. Support this machine well.
Our next variant is the CN9-AL, another attempt to remove the wretched autocannon. This time however, the result was an over-under combination of a large laser and small laser, with six more heat sinks added to help cover the added heat. Two and a half tons of armor also were tacked on to an already tough machine, making for a really fun Mech. The laser’s range isn’t that different from the old Luxor, and only loses two points of damage per shot in exchange for being free of ammo concerns. While the author wouldn’t mind dropping half a ton of the new armor to bump that small laser to a medium, the CN9-AL is a very fun machine to use, and should be strongly considered over the original for raiding and other operations that might make cannon reloads difficult to come by.
By the time the Clans invaded, the Centurion had become one of the most important Mechs in the AFFS/AFFC arsenal, and so it was no surprise that recovered Star League technology was quickly added to the Mech in the hopes of making it an even more useful design than ever. The CN-9D that resulted first pulled off the autocannon yet again to add a Mydron LB-10X instead, a simply fantastic upgrade in terms of both reliability and utility. The engine bumped to a 300XL, an upgrade that may or may not be viewed as acceptable depending on preferences- while it does make for a more fragile machine than the old version, the boost in speed to 6/9 is certainly nice! What had been a stately-paced trooper suddenly can kick its heels up and keep pace on the ground with the old bug Mechs and the like, and suddenly the Centurion can is capable of flanking an enemy rather than finding itself on the wrong end of a flanking maneuver! Endo-steel internal structure was used in this as well to keep weight down, making for a difficult field upgrade if one wishes to improve their old machine but no problem for the New Avalon production site.
A brief sidenote is the CN-9D3, an NAIS testbed machine equipped with triple-strength myomer. This Mech can’t really gain enough heat to reliably use the myomer, so outside of the testbed scenario this isn’t a great machine- you’re best leaving it as a standard 9D and using that myomer on something that can really utilize it, like a Griffin.
A halfway measure came along in the late 3050s with the CN10-B, keeping the Endo-Steel and LB-10X of the 9D but sticking with the original 200-class fusion engine and 4/6 movement. The Mech gains Artemis to its LRM rack and one of the lasers gains pulse technology as well, but one can’t help but like this if you need a low-cost anti-armor machine that can take a bit of a pounding. LB-10X is a great way to park enemy vehicles and lawn-dart aircraft, and this makes for a great way to get one in the field on the cheap.
As the FedCom Civil War began to swirl, yet another variant debuted, this time using the 300XL of the 9-D to keep the 6/9 speed. This version, the D5, took the idea of the fast-Centurion even further though with the inclusion of MASC, allowing for brief Locust-like bursts of speed. The weaponry is completely overhauled, with paired ER medium lasers in the chest providing backup to a mighty Rotary AC-5 in the right arm. Three tons of ammo provide a standard combat load for the cannon, while CASE keeps an explosion from wiping out the Mech in the event of a catastrophe (the XL engine, of course, means the Mech is still out of the fight). A targeting computer helps put the gun on-target, and a C3 Slave module means that the RAC is just the beginning of the target’s suffering. This is a REALLY fun Mech for jobs like headhunting, or for responding to threats along a defensive front- a brief burst of speed, and the CN9-D5 is on the scene to punish those who attempt to breach the line. The author strongly recommends this design for mobile operations, though the LRM of previous designs is missed for ranged attacks.
As the D5 marched off the New Avalon assembly lines, we also see the D3D enter service. Keeping the same engine/MASC as its cousin, the D3D also retains the LRM-10 of older versions, backed by an ER medium laser. The obligatory big-ballistic has become a Light Gauss Rifle, making for an excellent mobile sniper. A switch to ferro-fibrous armor also makes it a bit tougher than usual, never a bad thing. (NOTE: The MUL lists this variant as being from TRO:3050, but I’m having trouble finding it in anything- this info came from Megamek and Sarna, and any help in figuring out where it’s hidden would be appreciated)
Based on the D3D, the D4D drops the engine back down a notch to bump the LRM to a 15, with an Artemis system attached. Less speed, more missiles- if you feel that’s a good tradeoff, this design is for you. If not, it’s really the same basic idea.
The Jihad was, for all its horror, a boon to those looking to debut new Battlemech designs, and the Centurion was a beneficiary of new ideas yet again. The earliest jihad version seems to be the CN-9D9, license-built via Jalastar. Using several new technologies, a compact gyro and light-ferro-fibrous armor among them, we find the D5’s twin ER medium lasers in the center torso have returned. A plasma rifle, with two tons of ammo, now take up that right arm mounting- this is a hilariously fun weapon for almost any situation and should be viewed as a whole lot of fun as a result. For the first time though, jump jets appear on a Centurion, giving the Mech a six-hex leap. Combined with the rifle, this is a very intriguing design that deserves respect from opponents- the author was caught off-guard by one not long ago and certainly won’t underestimate one twice.
CN9-Ar meanwhile threw in more new treats- including double heat sinks, something the design hadn’t really needed before. This is because that nice cool autocannon has become a monstrous heavy PPC, backed by a light PPC with it. That requires some heat sinks, for sure! This major upgrade to the original 9-A model finishes things by replacing the rear-mounted laser with a pulse model. This is fun- it fixes a lot of problems with the original Centurion model, and while it runs warm if you push it this works surprisingly well on Jihad-era battlefields. The author was impressed with his test run of this design!
Less impressive was the CN-9-Da, a field modification that removes the 3050-made 9-D’s LB-10X (nooooo!) with a standard AC-5 (NOOOOO!!!) and a targeting computer. While intended to use the Davion-designed speciality munitions, the loss of the LBX’s utility and punch are sorely felt, and I cannot in all good conscience advise commanders to use this variant unless absolutely necessary or if you owe the Mechwarrior money.
Yet another version came from the Marians, who understandably with their culture in mind find the Centurion intriguing. This machine uses primitive technology, with a bulky engine and less-than-effective armor. An LB-10X and a medium laser seem familiar, but where a regular Centurion would have an LRM rack this thing packs in a gaggle of RL-10 packs, as Periphery forces like to do. While not nearly as effective as a standard-tech design, this again gives the Marians the ability to put a versatile anti-vehicle/aircraft platform into the field for dirt-cheap, and deserves respect as a result.
It remains to touch briefly on one last Mech, because while a future article will cover it in detail I would get nothing in the comments but complaints if I leave out Yen-Lo-Wang. The personal ride of Justin Allard, the machine was modified somewhat like the CN9-AH to gain an AC-20 in place of the original cannon, though it also had what we could now call ‘claws’ on the left hand. The Mech was later handed down to his son Kai, who further modified the famous machine with a Gauss rifle replacing the cannon, pulse lasers in place of the other weapons, triple-strength myomer, an XL motor, and one presumes cupholders. With a few exceptions, Kai operated this machine until after the Jihad, and died in its seat. Handed down now to Danai Centrella-Liao, the most recent incarnation of the famous machine seem to have been turned into a melee-nightmare with an axe and shield. More info will be done in a MotW special eventually on Yen-Lo-Wang.
And finally, stay tuned for next week’s look at the Centurion’s new Omni-tech platform, different enough to warrant its own article (by Empyrus). You know what to do- get to talking in the comments!
