Author's note: I'm not certain I entirely like how this one came out. I'm not sure I entirely sold the concept in the fluff. The reference to pilots wearing armor in the cockpit is based on the A Time of War rules, where body armor actually does offer protection against some forms of pilot damage.Built by Tezuka Manufacturing on New Kyoto, the Senpai has been a controversial design almost as soon as it was introduced. Officially billed as an introductory trainer and familiarization platform that would allow a new pilot to engage in live action maneuvering and combat with only a minimum of risk, it quickly took on a role in a stranger, unsettling new enterprise: juvenile mech duels, involving pilots as young as fourteen (or younger, though organizers insist this is due to the pilots falsifying their records to seem older). Very similar to the games on Solaris (though admittedly much more regulated and much less dangerous), these dueling clubs have become increasingly common among affluent schools on Lyran worlds, where they are treated as simply another school sports program. They have met opposition almost everywhere they have been set up, however organizers are quick to note the numerous safeguards and regulations these clubs operate under, such as prohibitions on the maximum damage output any single mech can produce, restrictions on caliber of individual weapons, and specific rules dictating when a mech is considered "defeated" (enforced by referees who possess remote access controls able to shut down any mech as needed). With these restrictions in place, it is argued, the sport of mech dueling is no more dangerous than any other of the sports regularly practiced by school institutions. In addition these clubs encourage further military service and provide a steady stream of candidates to Lyran military institutions who already posses an understanding of the fundamentals of battlemech operation, which will speed their advancement through training and allow them to develop more specialized skills more quickly. Finally, these new games have proven extremely popular, and are said to encourage further investment in those communities where the fights are held.
[Editor's Note: Though Tezuka Manufacturing claims that it had no intention of creating a mech specifically for teenagers to duel each other, critics point to the choice of the name "Senpai" for the machine, which they believe is a reference to the Senpai/Kohai hierarchy common in New Kyoto's school system. Tezuka Manufacturing, however, insists that the notion of the senpai and kohai is not exclusive to school life, and that the name was chosen as a way to reassure new pilots, letting them know that their new training mech was something they could put their trust in, as a kohai is expected to trust their senpai.]
Though the actual benefits of this practice are subject to debate, the prominence of these games among the nobility is enough all on its own to ensure the practice continues. It's even been hinted that Archon Andrew Steiner (and later his heir Melissa) actively encouraged the games in the belief that it would gradually produce future military leaders who placed more attention on military skill and less on status.
The Senpai is fairly well suited to its role as a training mech and low intensity combatant, despite the use of civilian grade components and technology. Particular emphasis is put on protection and pilot safey. In addition to a relatively heavy sheath of civilian grade armor (chosen for its low repair cost and relatively high protection capacity against smaller caliber weapons), both the cockpit and the gyroscope feature additional armor protection, which protects the pilot from even a catastrophic chance strike, as well as preventing the gyro from easily suffering damage that might result in a fall and injure the pilot. Pilots in the competitive school leagues also wear additional body armor in the cockpit to better protect them from incidental injury. On the mobility side of things, the mech can be described as moderately quick, with jump jets to increase maneuverability. The Senpai is completely devoid of internal weapons. Instead, the mech relies on an externally mounted gunpod, with its triple strength myomers allowing it to carry a five ton payload. This is sufficient for a trainee to familiarize themselves with a wide variety of weapon systems, or a competitive pilot to deploy a wide variety of options on the field (though league rules restrict the most destructive options, such as a massed battery of rocket launchers or clan weapons). As has been demonstrated those times when a Senpai has found itself pressed into combat, this weapon load is still insufficient to present a serious threat to a true battlemech.
Though the primary manufacturer was located in Republic territory for much of its history, the Senpai is most commonly found in the Lyran Commonwealth, in the possession of some of the most elite private schools (its multi-million kroner pricetag is out of the reach of lesser institutions). The dueling clubs these schools have created are often too dispersed to have regular competition against each other, and as such these "leagues" are usually composed of several different teams formed at the same school, often sharing a small number of Senpais between them. This means it's rare to see more than one or two Senpais fighting per side during any given match. A couple of the most affluent schools in the Commonwealth have addressed this problem by forming "Gypsy Teams", basing them aboard a large dropship (such as a Mule or Mammoth) that has been converted to act as a mobile school complete with staff. This allows these teams to travel the Commonwealth engaging in matches with other schools without falling behind on their studies, though it is such an extravagance that no more than a handful of institutions can afford it, and at least half of those refuse to fund such endeavors regardless. Other schools have attempted to address a lack of opponents by approaching less affluent institutions and offering to "rent out" some of their Senpais to allow them to form their own teams. Though such expenses are usually still well outside of such smaller institutions' budgets, they are often able to obtain additional funding through public donations, as these dueling leagues are increasingly seen as a status symbol that even families of relatively modest means will want for their children.
Outside the school dueling leagues, the Senpai sees occasional use in its intended role as a training mech. Several academies have procured the machine in small numbers as familiarization trainers, and clan Wolf, which currently controls New Kyoto and the factories there, has similarly assigned the Senpais in their possession to sibko training (though they have shut down both the factory and the school leagues that once operated in their territory, even as they scout those same leagues for potential warrior candidates). The Jade Falcons have likewise captured a large number of Senpais during their war against the Commonwealth, however they regard the machines, and their use by non warriors for purely entertainment purposes, as detestable. At best, a captured Senpai might be handed over a particularly despised solahma, though most are simply broken up for parts.
Senpai V-45
Base Tech Level: Standard (IS)
Level Era
-------------------
Experimental -
Advanced -
Standard 3112+
Tech Rating: E/X-X-X-E
Weight: 25 tons
BV: 259
Cost: 2,546,813 C-bills
Movement: 6/9/5
Engine: 150
BAR Rating : 5
Heat Sinks: 10
Cockpit: Standard Cockpit (armored)
Gyro: Standard Gyro (armored)
Internal: 43 Industrial
Armor: 84/89 Commercial
Internal Armor
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Head 3 9
Center Torso 8 12
Center Torso (rear) 3
Right Torso 6 10
Right Torso (rear) 2
Left Torso 6 10
Left Torso (rear) 2
Right Arm 4 8
Left Arm 4 8
Right Leg 6 10
Left Leg 6 10
Equipment Loc
----------------------------------------
Industrial Triple Strength Myomer RT
Industrial Triple Strength Myomer RA
Industrial Triple Strength Myomer LA
Industrial Triple Strength Myomer RA
Industrial Triple Strength Myomer RT
Industrial Triple Strength Myomer RA
Industrial Triple Strength Myomer LA
Industrial Triple Strength Myomer LT
Industrial Triple Strength Myomer LA
Industrial Triple Strength Myomer LA
Industrial Triple Strength Myomer RA
Industrial Triple Strength Myomer LT
Ejection Seat (Industrial Mech) HD
