Now, this would be my first article. Be gentle?
The Blood Asp
If you are a dirty Spheroid, you are probably thinking "What in the heck is a Blood Asp?". This is because the machine was produced almost exclusively by conservative Homeworld Clan Star Adder. Unless you face them (or Clans Snow Raven, Clan Hell's Horses, or Clan Goliath Scorpion, who have limited numbers of these machines) you will likely never see one. And if you have the cajones to claim that you "upgraded" a "Star Adder" and turned it into a Blood Asp, you probably belong in a non-canon game.
Anyway, Clan Star Adder developed the Blood Asp as a semi-logical upgrade over the Kingfisher OmniMech. At first glance, the two machines compliment each other well - a Kingfisher can keep the heat off of a Blood Asp while it does the sniping. This is useful, because the Blood Asp isn't nearly as hard to kill. The engine that makes the Blood Asp tick is merely an XL "upgrade" over its inspiration, a standard 360 Fusion Reactor. Allowing the OmniMech to move at a steady 4/6 pace, it can barely keep up with most other Clan Assault Frontline units such as the Warhawk and Executioner. The Blood Asp is considerably more fragile, however; given the tendency of its official Omni-configs to mount explosive components in the side torsos, the XL engine can quickly become a concern over long-term combat...even with the sixteen tons of standard armor plating armoring this Ninety ton insult. Fourteen Double-Strength Heat Sinks come standard in the engine as well. The final piece of this puzzle is an Endo-Steel structure, increasing the overall pod space of the Blood Asp to a high 42 tons and 40 critical spaces.
With the guts of this omnimech out of the way, we move onto everyone's favorite portion; The configurations.
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The Prime configuration is rather typical of the Heavy Laser craze that went through the Clans in the early 3060s. A quartet of Heavy Medium Lasers, arranged two to an arm, provide the shortest range of fire on the machine. They are supported by a Medium Pulse Laser in each arm and a Streak SRM-6 in the center torso, fed by a ton of ammo in the right torso. The longest-ranged part of this machine are a duo of Gauss Rifles (one per side torso) with a ton of ammo for each gun allowing for eighty seconds of constant firing. While this may be enough for engaging a single target - especially for a competent MechWarrior - it forces the pilot to go back for reloads frequently in longer battles. Four extra DHS increase total cooling power to 36 points of cooling.
The A configuration is a dangerous, long-ranged powerhouse. Boasting twin ER PPCs and twin Heavy Large Lasers, one of both in each arm, a massive load of heat is forced on the machine. An ECM Suite in the core and a trio of jump jets allow the A to become a decent mugger as well as a solid anchor in any Assault Star - and what's more, all weapons are tied to a four-ton targeting computer in the right torso, getting rid of the pesky +1 to Heavy Lasers and increasing the chances for the ER PPCs to hit an unlucky foe. An added eleven DHS barely keep the heat under control under normal conditions, meaning you can only fire about three weapons a turn without overheating, while a jumping alpha will give you a very painful 15 points of heat to track.
The third Omni-configuration is the B, is an all around stable design. Twin LRM-20s with Artemis IV grace the arms with purpose, with four tons ammunition (two per arm and launcher) keeping the heavy launchers fed. The Gauss Rifle in the Right torso makes a triumphant return, bringing three tons of ammo with it - one in each leg, plus one in the center torso. A quartet of Medium Pulse Lasers resides in the Left Torso, and the ECM Suite from the A returns to the Center Torso. Two extra DHS allow the Blood Asp B to pull of a running alpha every turn, provided your engine doesn't receive any damage or get hit with heat-causing weaponry. On a personal note, this is probably my favorite Blood Asp configuration.
The fourth Config is the C, a machine I'd almost call a Davion design if it weren't for the Clan make - an attitude the D configuration also gives off. A pair of Ultra AC/10s make up the core of the armament, one in the Left Arm and the other in the Left Torso. Four tons of ammunition reside in the left torso, making that side is a bit of a powderkeg. An LB-20X Autocannon graces the Right Torso, taking up every crit in that sector - as well as putting two tons of ammo in the Center Torso. I would heartily recommend that one fires the LB-20X every turn they can in order to keep this OmniMech from becoming the next notch on any fortunate opponent's weapon or ride. Anyhow, the final weapon of the C, and the only true long-ranged weapon, is an ER Large Laser in the Right arm. The C makes due with the stock fourteen DHS, meaning one has to manage heat to some extent.
The fifth and final 3060 variant is the D configuration. Taking a page from the Prime's book, it mounts a Gauss Rifle in the Left Torso with two tons of ammo alongside it. A pair of Heavy Medium Lasers in each arm provide short-range firepower, and an added ER Large Laser assists the Gauss Rifle at range. The most odd component on this machine is the trio of Ultra AC/2 Autocannons fed by a solitary ton of ammo, all in the right torso and providing six chances for a Golden TAC. Despite the relative low heat of ballistics, however, the D config is still one of the hotter-running Blood Asp configurations, with only two DHS failing to keep the machine cooled down.
With that, we make a short jump to 3063 and the E configuration. The E shares many design traits with common "Coyote" designs, thanks to the quad ATM-3s, mounted two per arm and fed by a sparse two tons of ammo. The ATM's flexibility is slightly lower on this design, not uncommon for ATM-based omnimechs. Backing these up is an ER PPC and Medium Pulse Laser in each Side Torso, with all four energy weapons being directed by a four-ton Targeting Computer. The E configuration also can jump at its full walking speed, a first for the Blood Asp series. Six extra DHS reduce the heat load, but a standing alpha will leave you overheated.
With that, we move on to 3071. This configuration, the F, is a particularly vicious beast, but also one of the least heat-efficient designs of the series. A duo of ER PPCs are mounted (one per arm), par for the course for Blood Asp configurations. A Plasma Cannon, perfect for frying infantry or tanks (or really anything that doesn't track heat) with its ton of ammo is mounted in the Left Arm, and a duo of Medium Pulse Lasers are mounted in the Right. A quad set of Streak SRM-6s are also mounted two to a Side Torso, providing a deadly and accurate barrage if one gets a lock. Three tons of ammunition feed these launchers. Finally, two AP Gauss Rifles reside in the Center, with a ton of ammo residing in the Left Torso. Five DHS barely help with the heat situation on this particular Config.
The final known configuration before the Homeworlds went dark was the G, appearing in 3074. The first thing to notice is a massive Hyper-Assault Gauss Rifle, 40-Class, split between the Left Arm and Torso and fed by four tons of ammo. A Heavy Medium Laser is crammed into the Left Torso alongside it, and a second is mounted in the Right Arm. Twin Medium Pulse Lasers reside in the Right Arm once again, as does an ER Large Laser. A second ER Large shares its space with a six-ton Targeting Computer. The two extra DHS, however, cannot help with the heat situation at all.
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How do you deal with a Blood Asp? Well, that is heavily dependent on the configuration. Like most Clan Omnis, the Blood Asp doesn't really have a "pattern" aside from almost always running hot. That can certainly make one's job easier; Infernos, IIW Ammo (For iATMs), Plasma Weapons, Venusian Atmospheres - it doesn't matter, the Blood Asp pilot will hate you immensely for using and/or being surrounded by them. Given how heat-heavy the Blood Asp can be, the unit will likely have to at least halve its firing rate or simply stop shooting altogether or risk shutdown - or in some of the less fortunate configurations, an ammo explosion. Which brings me to the next weakness: most Blood Asp variants mount explosive components in their side torsos, from Gauss Rifles to Ultra AC/2 ammo. Given the fragile XL Engine, a Blood Asp can be rendered combat-ineffective in short order by an unfortunate and untimely explosion.
Now, using a Blood Asp in your force can be a mixed bag. Most configurations, as previously mentioned, run hot - exceedingly so. If one is used to the high-heat loadouts of the "Original" Clan Assault Mechs, the Blood Asp requires a similar level of heat management, and a healthy knowledge of bracket firing in most configurations. This machine is designed to work solo as per the Clan norms, but I honestly believe it truly shines as the centerpiece of a lighter force in honorless conflict; the capability to put massive fire on a target at close range in almost all configutions make it an invaluable ambusher once the fight gets to spitting range, while it tends to spam hard hits at longer ranges on the way to support the faster, lighter units.
It's rather unfortunate how rare the Blood Asp is in the current timeline, considering how much of a blast it is to field one. One can only hope that the Kingfisher's younger, hotter sibling makes a return in the timeline soon, even if it is little more than a fancy new shell.
