The Union of Worlds Trooper was the first protomech designed with all Clan level technology-- while the Union had invented the concept, earlier protomech suits (and most Army and Militia units) had used the bulkier and less effective weapons technology of the Inner Sphere.
As one of the first attempts to build a fully clan tech unit, the Union designers focused on survivability and mobility, providing the unit with impressive jump capability. This found great favor among the Marine's which had always prized the ability to move about he battlefield.
They were less happy with the weapons fit, which was, in many respects, lackluster. A ER medium laser provided acceptable anti-armor capability, while a light machine gun allowed for anti-infantry work. The LRM was almost an afterthought, and a number of marines thought that it's light damage potential made it more or less useless. The fact that few on the design team admitted was that the weapon had been chosen mainly because it fit into the protomech without demanding a major redesign.
The lack of torsomounted weapons was a design choice, coupled with extensive work on making the systems easy to maintain and user friendly.
The Trooper was too late for the Clan war, and found its baptism of fire in the last stages of the Taurian conflict, especially as Marine Infantry Combat Teams tracked down remnants of TDF units that had refused to surrender. Although by no means ideal according to many, the Union continued to produce the Trooper, and export it to friendly groups such as Clan Nova Cat, the Federated Suns, and the PSDF until 3120, when the last factories were decomissioned.
ProtoMech Technical Readout
VALIDATED DESIGN
Type/Model: Union Trooper
Tech: Clan / 3062
Config: TOTALS: 5 9,000ProtoMec
Rules: Level 3, Standard design
Mass: 9 tons (9,000 kg)
Chassis: Advanced Composite
Power Plant: 75 Size Fusion
Walking Speed: 54.0 km/h
Maximum Speed: 86.4 km/h
Jump Jets: 5 ProtoMech Jump Jets
Jump Capacity: 150 meters
Armor Type: Integral Advanced Alloy
Armament:
1 ER Medium Laser
1 Light Machine Gun
1 LRM 1
Manufacturer: Unknown
Location: Unknown
Communications System: Unknown
Targeting & Tracking System: Unknown
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Type/Model: Union Trooper
Mass: 9 tons (9,000 kg)
Equipment: Mass, kg
Int. Struct.: 21 pts Advanced Composite 900
Engine: 75 Size Fusion 2,000
Walking MP: 5
Running MP: 8
Jumping MP: 5
Heat Sinks: 5 Compact ProtoMech 1,250
Cockpit, Life Support, Sensors & Pilot: 500
Armor Factor: 45 pts Integral Advanced Alloy 2,250
Internal Armor
Structure Value
Head: 2 6
Torso: 9 18
Main Gun: 1 3
Left/Right Arms: 2/2 4/4
Legs: 5 10
Weapons and Equipment Location Heat Ammo Mass, kg
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1 ER Medium Laser Main Gun 5 1,000
1 Light Machine Gun Left Arm 0 20 350
1 LRM 1 Right Arm 0 6 250
JumpJets: 5 - 100 kg 500
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TOTALS: 5 9,000
Mass remaining, kg: 0 left
Calculated Factors:
Total Cost: 923,639 C-Bills
Battle Value: 353
Cost per BV: 2,616.54
Weapon Value: 110 / 110 (Ratio = .31 / .31)
Damage Factors: SRDmg = 8; MRDmg = 5; LRDmg = 1
BattleForce2: MP: 5J, Armor/Structure: 11/0
Damage PB/M/L: 5/5/1, Overheat: 0
Class: P ; Point Value: 18