Mass: 35 tons
Tech Base: Inner Sphere
Chassis Config: Biped IndustrialMech
Rules Level: Experimental Tech
Era: Age of War/Star League
Tech Rating/Era Availability: D/C-D-D-A
Production Year: 2515
Cost: 1,427,715 C-Bills
Battle Value: 286
Chassis: Sherman Industrial
Power Plant: VOX 140 Fuel Cell Engine
Walking Speed: 43.2 km/h
Maximum Speed: 64.8 km/h
Jump Jets: None
Jump Capacity: 0 meters
Armor: Lexington Limited Commercial
Armament:
1 Diverse Optics Small Laser
1 Mining Drill
1 Cargo, Insulated (5.0 tons)
Manufacturer: Concordat Telecom and TransStellar
Primary Factory: New Vandenburg
Communications System: OTT&T Janice 5
Targeting and Tracking System: OWT&T Edgar 1
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Equipment Type Rating Mass
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Internal Structure: Industrial 58 points 7.00
Engine: Fuel-Cell Engine 140 6.00
Walking MP: 4
Running MP: 6
Jumping MP: 0
Heat Sinks: Single Heat Sink 1 0.00
Gyro: Standard 2.00
Cockpit: Industrial 3.00
Power Amplifiers: 0.50
Actuators: L: SH+UA+LA R: SH+UA+LA+H
Armor: Commercial (BAR: 5) AV - 108 4.50
Internal Armor
Structure Factor
Head 3 9
Center Torso 11 17
Center Torso (rear) 4
L/R Torso 8 12
L/R Torso (rear) 4
L/R Arm 6 10
L/R Leg 8 13
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Equipment Location Heat Critical Mass
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Small Laser CT 1 1 0.50
Cargo, Insulated (5.0 tons) LT 0 5 5.00
Mining Drill LA - 4 3.00
Environmental Sealing * - 8 0.00
Free Critical Slots: 30
* The Environmental Sealing occupies 1 slot in every location.
BattleForce Statistics
MV S (+0) M (+2) L (+4) E (+6) Wt. Ov Armor: 2 Points: 3
4 1 0 0 0 1 0 Structure: 3
Special Abilities: MEL, ENE, SRCH, EE, SEAL, SOA
Overview:
The "Blastmech" is an engineering demolitions variant of the Concordat Telecom and TransStellar Crusher, itself a license-produced copy oi the Wesley Industries Demolitionmech. Like its parent design it was deigned to allow a single worker to quickly and safely perform engineering tasks. Unlike the Demolitionmech it was not intended to be used on man-made structures.
Instead, the "Blastmech" is a vehicle specifically designed for use use of engineering explosives. It is often found in mines and on road crews, cutting their way through hills and rock formations. It has proved remarkably popular over the years.
The CT&T Blastmech is not the only one of its type. Indeed, Industrialmechs very much like it can be found on nearly every planet with a significant mining operation. what makes the Blastmech notable is the sinister legacy of its use during the New Vandenburg uprising in 2765.
Capabilities:
Upon its introduction in 2515 the Blastmech became instantly popular in its home star nation. The Taurian Concordat was growing rapidly, and it had a
great need for raw materials, and for infrastructure projects to allow those raw materials to be transported to the factories and refineries that would process them.
The Blastmech was popular because it allowed a single properly-trained mining engineer to drill and blast huge sections of a mine or hillside in less than half the time a traditional demolition team would require. It mounted a precision rock drill in the left arm to make the hole for the charge, and then an extremely well engineered right hand and pilot interface to allow the charges to be laid. In addition, the Blastmech variant used the mass saved by the removal of the Crusher's wrecking ball to expand the cargo container to a full 5 tons. This container is designed to carry the explosives the Blastmech needs for its task. The compartment has been insulated against shock and weather effects.
These features allowed a single mining engineer to work for nearly a full day, supported only by the teams and equipment required to excavate the post-blast rubble. The increase in productivity helped the Taurian Concordat's economy to flourish in the years before the Reunification War, and helped it recover after the Concordat was brought forcibly into the Star league.
One odd holdover from the Crusher was the inclusion of the small laser unit mounted in the central torso. It is unknown why this module was retained. Speculation is that CT&T did not want to modify the central support structure of the 'mech as it had tied the structural support of the fuel cell engine to the top of the laser housing.
Battle History:
The Blastmech's infamy has little to do with its intended purpose. It instead has to do with its use during the New Vandenburg Uprising. In that conflict Blastmechs proved themselves to be invaluable as engineering vehicles for the resistance. Their drilling ability, cargo capacity, rough terrain performance, and the experience of their pilots allowed them to literally use the terrain to their advantage in ambushes against Star League and Inner Sphere forces.
Their most infamous use was likely at the outset of the conflict. Several Blastmechs were commandeered by Taurian special forces. The insulated cargo compartment of the Blastmech was just large enough to fit a single Alamo tactical nuclear warhead. Special forces used Blastmechs to pre-position those warheads for the initial strike against occupying Star League forces.
Blastmechs became priority targets for enemy forces operating in the Concordat. It is estimated that only 3 of every 11 Blastmech manufactured before the war survived it. This greatly slowed the ability of the Concordat to recover from the conflict.
Variants:
While minor variations of the design were manufactured over the years, they generally simply replaced the communication and control systems with minor upgrades. None of the core systems was ever changed throughout the Blastmech's production life cycle.
Only one major "variant" of the Blastmech was ever considered. Its ability to carry an Alamo nuclear device led to it being considered for a last-ditch suicide warhead delivery vehicle. The abrupt end to the New Vandenburg conflict cause by the outbreak of the Amaris Civil War meant that none of these were ever constructed.
