How about a baby Thunderbolt for those medium-'Mech drivers out there? You know the ones who want a Thud, but are still paying off their student loans and can't afford one yet. >:D
TRN-1D Tornado
Overview:
The creation and production of the TRN-1D Tornado was a fortuitous mistake that led first to the criminal trial of its creator and then to the adoption of the new BattleMech by the Taurian Defense Force! It began in 2998, when Major Tim Davis was reassigned as the head of a team of internal analysts for the Office of the Inspector General for the TDF's Administration Division. A mathematical wizard and borderline genius, Davis had served for over sixteen years without a single blemish on his service records. But he found that his new position generated far too much spare time; and Major Davis was one of those who got bored rather easily.
However, unlike most people in such positions, who would search for on-line pornography or relieve the tedium with games of chance played against total strangers, Tim Davis decided to design a 'Mech. He did his research and he sent our 'response required' questionaires to serving and retired TDF officers to find out what they wanted in a BattleMech. Two months after receiving the first batch of replies, he sketched out his initial ideas for Project LITTLE BROTHER.
That would have garnered him a commendation for initiative and good thinking, but Davis still considered this design his private pet project. He turned his intellect towards volumes on design engineering, and shot off e-mails and HPG tranmissions to Taurus Territorial, Pinard Protectorates, and Vandenberg Mechanized Industries, asking for offical evaluations and suggestions on specific elements of his design. And meanwhile the files on LITTLE BROTHER keep on growing and growing.
Late in 3002, the Inspector General discovered exactly what Major Davis had been playing at; and in the wake of three seperate scandals involving the misuse of government funds, he recommended that the Major stand a court-martial for his diversion of Taurian monies into a private-obession with something that everyone knew would never be more than a pipe dream.
But, in court, when the prosecution called upon engineers from TTI, PPL, and VMI to dismiss Davis' design, the court was shocked at the acknowledgement by these engineers that the design schematics and plans were complete . . . and ready for immediate prototype production, with an estimated price tag two million C-bills less than a TDR-5S Thunderbolt. Declaring a recess, the court officers confered with the engineers and the Protector, and three days later, all charges against Colonel Davis were dismissed and the Big Three manufacturers began to work together on making LITTLE BROTHER a reality.
Six months later, the first TRN-1D Tornado walked out of the Taurus Territorial Industries factory on Taurus under its own power.
Capabilities:
Massing 50 tons, the Tornado is a near copy of the 65-ton TDR-5S Thunderbolt. Nicknamed as the Little Brother, this 'Mech carries almost the exact same armament as the older and heavier design, lacking only 5 long-range missile tubes and carrying one additional machine-gun. Both 'Mechs are capable of the same maximum speeds, both have near maximum armor for their weight classes (although the Tornado does carry two and a half-tons less than the Thunderbolt, due to its smaller size). Both designs are also easily able to handle their heat load through proper bracketing of weapon systems.
The commonality of many components have assured the TDF that this new 'Mech will be easy to maintain.
Deployment:
The Tornado has been an unabashed hit amongst the soldiers of the TDF. It is a solidly capable, hard-working medium, that can punch well above its weight class, and few other 'Mechs (regardless of weight) carry anywhere near the same percentage of armor protection. Today, the Tornado serves in nearly all Regiments of the TDF, and despite being produced in three different facilities, there is a six month back-log on export orders for mercenaries. Rumors abound that TTI is considering opening a new factory complex on Samantha to produce Tornados for export only.
Tornado TRN-1D
Mass: 50 tons
Tech Base: Inner Sphere
Chassis Config: Biped
Rules Level: Tournament Legal
Era: Succession Wars
Tech Rating/Era Availability: D/X-E-D
Production Year: 3025
Cost: 3,373,000 C-Bills
Battle Value: 1,092
Chassis: Taurus TRN Standard
Power Plant: Nissan 200 Fusion Engine
Walking Speed: 43.2 km/h
Maximum Speed: 64.8 km/h
Jump Jets: None
Jump Capacity: 0 meters
Armor: Ryerson 130 Standard Armor
Armament:
1 Sunglow Type 2 Large Laser
1 Delta Dart LRM-10
3 Diverse Optics Type 18 Medium Lasers
1 Bical SRM-2
3 Voelkers 200 Machine Guns
Manufacturer: Taurus Territorial Industries
Primary Factory: Taurus
Communications System: Neil 8000
Targeting and Tracking System: RCA Instatrac Mk X
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Equipment Type Rating Mass
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Internal Structure: Standard 83 points 5.00
Engine: Fusion Engine 200 8.50
Walking MP: 4
Running MP: 6
Jumping MP: 0
Heat Sinks: Single Heat Sink 12 2.00
Heat Sink Locations: 3 RT, 1 LL
Gyro: Standard 2.00
Cockpit: Standard 3.00
Actuators: L: SH+UA+LA+H R: SH+UA+LA+H
Armor: Standard Armor AV - 168 10.50
Internal Armor
Structure Factor
Head 3 9
Center Torso 16 24
Center Torso (rear) 7
L/R Torso 12 18
L/R Torso (rear) 6
L/R Arm 8 16
L/R Leg 12 24
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Equipment Location Heat Critical Mass
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Large Laser RA 8 2 5.00
3 Machine Guns LA 0 3 1.50
LRM-10 RT 4 2 5.00
3 Medium Lasers LT 9 3 3.00
SRM-2 CT 2 1 1.00
@MG (1/2) (100) LA - 1 0.50
@LRM-10 (24) RT - 2 2.00
@SRM-2 (50) RT - 1 1.00
Free Critical Slots: 28
BattleForce Statistics
MV S (+0) M (+2) L (+4) E (+6) Wt. Ov Armor: 6 Points: 11
4 2 2 1 0 2 2 Structure: 4
Special Abilities: SRCH, ES, SEAL, SOA
