Despite our best hopes to the contrary, it was inevitable that the technology behind the superheavy battlemech would spread beyond the Republic, though perhaps we failed to grasp just how quickly it would happen or how widely it would spread. Our intelligence suggests that one of the biggest sources of this proliferation was Solaris VII, where a sole Blakist era Omega has long been a fixture of the gaming scene in the Kobe district. Years of keeping the mech in fighting trim allowed its owners to accumulate a wealth of information about Superheavy mech design and engineering, and with the encouragement of the criminal underworld were more than willing to sell this information to all comers. In truth, it was likely the limitations of superheavy battlemechs and the relative peace of the years leading up to the blackout that kept these machines from appearing decades earlier. Now, with the entire Inner Sphere once again at war, their time has apparently come.
Mastodon MSD-1X
IS experimental
105 tons
BV: 1,953
Cost: 7,026,375 C-bills
A closely guarded secret among the Regulan military, the origins of the Mastodon are rather murky. Unsubstantiated rumors suggest that the original design was intended to be a standard assault class battlemech built around the Longtom III artillery piece, a weapon that had never before been successfully mounted on a battlemech. Other rumors suggest the mech was intended as a superheavy battlemech from the beginning, and was only later redesigned to accomodate a Longtom piece when theoretical modelling determined it would fit.
Whatever the origin, the Mastodon is clearly more of a proof of concept rather than a front line machine. The mech relies primarily on only the most basic major components, foregoing the advanced engines or improved structure that some would consider vital to such an undertaking, but would also complicate the development process. The artillery piece, supplied with a generous magazine, is its only major weapon, with the secondary lasers and smoke projectors having only nuisance value against a determined enemy. Reach is to be the Mastodon's primary defense. Ideally, its opponents will never even get a chance to see the mech, much less engage it (though doubtless such a valuable asset would also warrant its own bodyguard force).
Also of note is the drone control console, another technology recovered by agents on Solaris. We still don't have definite information on how it will be used, though obvious possibilities include controlling an unmanned spotter unit, a remote bodyguard, or even both, with the console's ability to switch between different drones as the situation requires.
The Regulans are believed to have assembled at least a handful of Mastodons, and while we cannot confirm whether the mech has seen combat, some clashes with the Free Worlds League and Duchy of Andurien are suggestive, with Hi-scout drones providing spotting for long range artillery fire originating in regions too rough for combat vehicles. We continue to seek confirmation.
Movement: 2/3
Engine: 210
Heat Sinks: 11 [22]
Cockpit: Superheavy Cockpit
Gyro: Superheavy Gyro
Internal: 158
Armor: 320/319
Internal Armor
--------------------------------------
Head 3 12
Center Torso 32 48
Center Torso (rear) 16
Right Torso 22 33
Right Torso (rear) 11
Left Torso 22 33
Left Torso (rear) 11
Right Arm 17 34
Left Arm 17 34
Right Leg 22 44
Left Leg 22 44
Weapon Loc Heat
----------------------------------------
Long Tom RT/CT 20
ER Medium Laser CT 5
ER Medium Laser CT 5
Vehicular Grenade Launcher LT 1
Vehicular Grenade Launcher LT 1
Ammo Loc Shots
----------------------------------------
Long Tom Ammo LT 5
Long Tom Ammo LT 5
Long Tom Ammo LT 5
Long Tom Ammo LT 5
Long Tom Ammo LT 5
Long Tom Ammo LT 5
Long Tom Ammo LT 5
Long Tom Ammo LT 5
VGL Smoke Grenade None 1
VGL Smoke Grenade None 1
Equipment Loc
----------------------------------
Standard None
CASE II LT
Drone Control Console HD
(this post was eaten during the troubles, so here it is again)
Fafnir II FNR-2X
IS experimental
125 tons
BV: 3,058
Cost: 36,415,125 C-bills
Thanks to exploits of Duke Dietric Utz during the Fedcom Civil War and Jihad, the Utz family of Pocologan has long considered the Fafnir (his battlemech of choice) as a symbol of their house and its dedication to the Lyran Commonwealth as a whole. Their affection for the design led to the creation of the Utz battlemech works, originally formed entirely to produce heavily customized Fafnirs for the Lyran military elite under liscence from Defiance industries. With the long Utz obsession with building a better Fafnir, their first attempt at a superheavy mech design should surprise nobody at all.
The Fafnir II is exactly what it claims to be, a Superheavy version of the now classic Lyran machine. That said, the design is not as ambitious as some, featuring only a moderate increase of mass to avoid compromising mobility while still allowing for an overall improved design. The result, on paper, at least, is something of a success, though certainly not an unqualified one. The Fafnir II certainly manages more firepower and armor than the standard 5X model it was paterned after, though LCAF generals have questioned whether it is enough of an improvement to justify the Fafnir II's considerably higher pricetag.
Despite being developed by what was at the time something of a small time manufacturer, the Fafnir II was one of several Superheavy Battlemech projects granted generous financial support from the LCAF, until the disastrous Jade Falcon and Wolf invasions forced a change in priorities to more proven weapon systems. With government funding lost, Duke Heinrich Utz resorted to supporting the program with private funds, a financially draining process that nonetheless turned out a single field-ready prototype shortly before the Duke's death in 3145. It is currently unknown if his successor will continue the program.
Movement: 3/5
Engine: 375 XL
Heat Sinks: 12 [24]
Cockpit: Superheavy Cockpit
Gyro: Superheavy Gyro
Internal: 188 (Endo-Steel)
Armor: 380/379
Internal Armor
--------------------------------------
Head 3 12
Center Torso 38 57
Center Torso (rear) 19
Right Torso 26 39
Right Torso (rear) 13
Left Torso 26 39
Left Torso (rear) 13
Right Arm 21 42
Left Arm 21 42
Right Leg 26 52
Left Leg 26 52
Weapon Loc Heat
----------------------------------------
Improved Heavy Gauss Rifle RT 2
Improved Heavy Gauss Rifle LT 2
ER Medium Laser CT 5
ER Medium Laser CT 5
ER Medium Laser CT 5
ER Medium Laser LA 5
ER Medium Laser RA 5
Ammo Loc Shots
----------------------------------------
Improved Heavy Gauss Ammo LT 4
Improved Heavy Gauss Ammo LT 4
Improved Heavy Gauss Ammo LT 4
Improved Heavy Gauss Ammo RT 4
Improved Heavy Gauss Ammo RT 4
Improved Heavy Gauss Ammo RT 4
Improved Heavy Gauss Ammo LT 4
Improved Heavy Gauss Ammo RT 4
Equipment Loc
----------------------------------
CASE II RT
CASE II LT