Godwin's Gladiators (interactive project)

[TJHairball]

History:

In 3026, Takashi Kurita formed the Ryuken, a regiment designed to emulate Wolf's Dragoons; later expanded to nine regiments. Taking the wrong lessons to heart a little too well was Chu-i Goro Goto, a young scion of a large noble family who - for the most part - lived on An Ting, but also owned estates on Misery, in the Draconis Combine.

During the chaos of the crushing defeat of the Ryuken on Misery itself, the Chu-i made what was initially a tactical withdrawal with his lance, bringing them to familiar territory - his family's lands. Recognizing in the destruction of his parent unit a unique opportunity to make a new life, Goro and his lancemates hid out at the estate until the fighting had ended, then hopped a ride off-world in a cargo ship belonging to his family - a converted Leopard - to make his name as Godfrey Godwin.

Several black-market transactions later, the incriminating BattleMechs with registry numbers associated with the Ryuken in the DCMS's records were exchanged for a quartet of aging Gladiators courtesy of planetary militias, and Godwin's Gladiators were in service, surfacing in 3030 in the Free Worlds League, subcontracting from other mercenary units during the Andurien Secession. There was plenty of work for them in the next ten years, and the unit's unique tactical profile was very well suited for carrying out a series of lucrative raids.

These years were good to Godfrey Godwin; he traded up his Leopard for a Union in 3034; and, although he would not learn this until several years later, had a son in 3034 to a local Andurien woman, whom he married in 3041 after the end of the civil war. Godric Godwin went on payroll in 3052, and took over the unit in 3064 after his father died of a heart attack.

Today, the unit is a full company-strength mercenary unit, keeping afloat if not growing, living out of their aging Union DropShip. Godric pilots his ancestral Gladiator as a point of pride (refitted to a more modern standard); but neither he nor Godfrey before him have restricted themselves to finding new Gladiators when adding 'Mechs to the company or replacing downed 'Mechs.

Instead, Godfrey used two basic standards to determine whether or not a 'mech would fit with the companies tactical doctrines: Is its main weapon a PPC? Can it keep up with a Gladiator, both in speed and in jump capacity?

Godric has since added two more requirements; that the 'mech must use CASE to shield any stray ammunition; and that it not have an expensive but all-too-fragile extralight engine.

Interactive part:

Submit bids for people to be in the Gladiators. If I like your bid, I'll add them in here.

TO&E:

Lance Alpha
Captain Godric Godwin (Piloting 3 / Gunnery 4) GLD-4R-Godwin Gladiator [customized]
Lieutenant Kiso Eriksson [née Katsuragi] (Piloting 4 / Gunnery 3) GLD-4R-Eriksson Gladiator [customized]
MechWarrior Brandon Whitehorse (Piloting 3 / Gunnery 4) Starslayer STY-3D Starslayer
Mechwarrior Dante Rigatello  (Piloting 4 / Gunnery 3) ENF-600M Enforcer [customized]

Lance Beta
Lieutenant Natsumi 'Sumi' Kajiwara (Piloting 4 / Gunnery 3) QKD-5K-Kajiwara Quickdraw [customized]
Sargeant Bruno "Big Hands" Kildare (Piloting 4 / Gunnery 3) TBT-5R-Kildare Trebuchet [customized]
MechWarrior William Roberts (Piloting 6 / Gunnery 4) SNT-04 Sentry
MechWarrior Erland Fekete (Piloting 4 / Gunnery 4) Starslayer STY-3Dr Starslayer

Lance Gamma
Lieutenant Viktor Zimin  (Piloting 4 / Gunnery 3) GLD-4CM Gladiator [customized]
Sargeant Takashi Backstrom (Piloting 5 / Gunnery 3) SHD-3K Shadow Hawk
MechWarrior Celestine Marik (Piloting 4 / Gunnery 4) VND-1AA-Marik Avenging Angel [customized]
MechWarrior Samantha Jian (Piloting 5 / Gunnery 4) Phoenix Hawk PXH-1-JIAN Pheonix Hawk [customized]

Air lance
Pilot Sian Martinsson [née Martinez] (Piloting 4 / Gunnery 3) F-92-Martinez Stingray [customized]
Pilot Elana Martinsson [née Martinez] (Piloting 6 / Gunnery 5) F-92-Martinez Stingray [customized]

Support personnel
Ship's Captain: Carmen Lee.
Quartermaster: Sargeant Takashi Backstrom (also a MechWarrior, see above)
Chief Tech: Yoshi Backstrom [née ???] (Backstrom by marriage)
Tech: Midori Backstrom (Wife of Yoshi, above; older sister of Takashi, above)
Aerospace Tech: Luther Williams

Original MechWarriors:

Godfrey Godwin (deceased, heart attack)
Kiso Eriksson [née Katsuragi] (still alive and in service)
Igor Zimin (deceased, seppuku)
Satoichi Kajiwara (deceased, cancer)
Sven Backstrom (KIA, Andurien Secession)

Former personnel/associates, not including the above:

Akane Backstrom [née Goto] - cousin to Goro Goto, wife to Sven, mother to Takashi and Midori (deceased, suicide).

Timeline of events:
2994: Goro Goto is born.
3008: Kiso Katsuragi is born.
3020: Goro Goto enlists in the DCMS as a MechWarrior.
3026: Ryuken formed.
3028: Goro Goto flees disaster on Misery and deserts the Ryuken, bringing his lance with him.
3030: Godwin's Gladiators surfaces, headed by Godfrey Godwin. Subcontracting in the Andurien Secession.
3032: Viktor Zimin is born.
3034: Godric Godwin born on Andurien. Godwin trades Leopard for Union. Carmen Lee joins crew.
3035: Gemma Lee born.
3036: Godric Godwin marries Carmen Lee.
3038: Rosa Godwin born. Godwin-Lee marriage ends in divorce.
3039: Takashi Backstrom is born. Sven Backstrom dies when his Gladiator is destroyed by a sabotaged SRM load, just as the Andurien Secession winds to a close.
3041: Godfrey marries Godric's mother. Backstrom's widow commits suicide. Luther Williams born.
3049: Viktor Zimin enters Tikonov S.M.D., estranged from father.
3052: Godric officially joins the unit at age 18.
3053: Viktor is commissioned as an officer of the AFFC.  Takashi Backstrom begins serving as de facto unit quartermaster for Godwin's Gladiators. Carmen Lee promoted to ship's captain.
3058: Takashi Backstrom enlists as a MechWarrior in the Gladiators.
3059: William Roberts joins Gladiators.
3062: Bruno "Big Hands" Kildare joins the Gladiators. Ivan Zimin commits seppuku. Viktor Zimin takes extended leave from the AFFC to "attend to family matters."
3063: Celestine Marik wins MegaMillions lottery on Herotitus.
3064: Godfrey dies of a heart attack. Godric takes command of the unit.
3065: Celestine Marik completes refit of family BattleMech, checks bank balance, finds it shows little evidence of mega millions, joins Gladiators.
3066: Martinez sisters abscond with pair of stolen Troika fighters.
3068: "Martinsson" sisters first publicly sighted as members of the Gladiators. Luther Williams signs on as aerospace technician.

[Sharpnel]

This is neat. I'll try and come up with a character and Mech

[Demon55]

Possibly some Griffins to back up the Gladiators. 

[Nav_Alpha]

Loving this idea! I'm going to have a crack if that's alright. Every unit needs an XO:

Kiso Eriksson's (formerly Kashira Kiso Katsuragi) life has been one of service. His clan have been faithful retainers of the Gotos since 2475 when Kiso's ancestor was rescued by the scion of the Goto family at the Battle of Nox.
Assigned to Chu-i Goro Goto lance during the late 3020s as a bodyguard, adviser and retainer, Kiso carried on his family's service.
A skilled PXH-1 Phoenix Hawk pilot accounted for three Dragoon mechs during the chaos that was Misery. Sworn to serve his young, headstrong charge he protected Goto and faithfully obeyed his orders to hide - even as his sense of honor screamed at him to go, fight and die like a real Samurai.
Abandoning his family and name, along with his master he fled Misery with the rest of the disgraced unit.
It was Kiso's insistence that the lance swap their distinctively Combine battlemechs for Gladiators to elude pursuit.
Throughout the Gladiators' good years, Kiso always stood behind his master, faithfully serving and offering advice. Often his calmer words and clear mind made up for the brash, head strong nature of his charge.
Upon the death of his old master, Kiso continued to serve - "Uncle Kiso" had been a long time fixture for young Godfrey and the new mercenary commander was more than happy to rely on his retainer, much as his father had.
Now at 62 Kiso's skills are not as sharp as they once were - his hair (still in the traditional top knot of his youth) has gone totally grey and his back aches after long hours in the command couch.
Looking back at his years of service he still burns at the dishonor that saw him leave his homeland but is sworn to serve his new young master.

Kiso continues to pilot the original Gladiator he was assigned decades ago - with a slight twist. Equipped with a light fushion engine and enhanced jump jets it is designed to close quickly.
Which is good because Kiso has swapped out the original armament: installing eight ER Medium Lasers across both arms and torso.
The Gladiator is designed as a duelist, which suits Kiso's stand and fight mentality.
Double heatsinks keep the ancient mech was cooking.

[TJHairball]

Loving this idea! I'm going to have a crack if that's alright. Every unit needs an XO:

Kiso Eriksson's (formerly Kashira Kiso Katsuragi) life has been one of service. His clan have been faithful retainers of the Gotos since 2475 when Kiso's ancestor was rescued by the scion of the Goto family at the Battle of Nox.
Assigned to Chu-i Goro Goto lance during the late 3020s as a bodyguard, adviser and retainer, Kiso carried on his family's service.
A skilled PXH-1 Phoenix Hawk pilot accounted for three Dragoon mechs during the chaos that was Misery. Sworn to serve his young, headstrong charge he protected Goto and faithfully obeyed his orders to hide - even as his sense of honor screamed at him to go, fight and die like a real Samurai.
Abandoning his family and name, along with his master he fled Misery with the rest of the disgraced unit.
It was Kiso's insistence that the lance swap their distinctively Combine battlemechs for Gladiators to elude pursuit.
Throughout the Gladiators' good years, Kiso always stood behind his master, faithfully serving and offering advice. Often his calmer words and clear mind made up for the brash, head strong nature of his charge.
Upon the death of his old master, Kiso continued to serve - "Uncle Kiso" had been a long time fixture for young Godfrey and the new mercenary commander was more than happy to rely on his retainer, much as his father had.
Now at 62 Kiso's skills are not as sharp as they once were - his hair (still in the traditional top knot of his youth) has gone totally grey and his back aches after long hours in the command couch.
Looking back at his years of service he still burns at the dishonor that saw him leave his homeland but is sworn to serve his new young master.

Hm. I like the idea of him being fairly senior in the organization, but with his relationship, it seems like he really ought to be in the same lance.

Kiso continues to pilot the original Gladiator he was assigned decades ago - with a slight twist. Equipped with a light fushion engine and enhanced jump jets it is designed to close quickly.
Which is good because Kiso has swapped out the original armament: installing eight ER Medium Lasers across both arms and torso.
The Gladiator is designed as a duelist, which suits Kiso's stand and fight mentality.
Double heatsinks keep the ancient mech was cooking.

Something like this?

Code: [Select]

Gladiator GLD-4R-Eriksson

Mass: 55 tons
Tech Base: Inner Sphere
Chassis Config: Biped
Rules Level: Tournament Legal
Era: Clan Invasion
Tech Rating/Era Availability: E/X-X-E
Production Year: 3070
Cost: 10,258,365 C-Bills
Battle Value: 1,629

Chassis: Unknown Standard
Power Plant: Unknown 275 Light Fusion Engine
Walking Speed: 54.0 km/h
Maximum Speed: 86.4 km/h
Jump Jets: Unknown
    Jump Capacity: 210 meters
Armor: Unknown Ferro-Fibrous
Armament:
    1  PPC
    2  ER Medium Lasers
    3  Medium Pulse Lasers
Manufacturer: Unknown
    Primary Factory: Unknown
Communications System: Unknown
Targeting and Tracking System: Unknown

================================================================================
Equipment           Type                         Rating                   Mass 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Internal Structure: Standard                      91 points                5.50
Engine:             Light Fusion Engine          275                      12.00
    Walking MP: 5
    Running MP: 8
    Jumping MP: 7 Improved
    Jump Jet Locations: 1 CT, 3 LT, 3 RT                                   7.00
Heat Sinks:         Double Heat Sink             10(20)                    0.00
Gyro:               Standard                                               3.00
Cockpit:            Standard                                               3.00
    Actuators:      L: SH+UA+LA+H    R: SH+UA+LA+H
Armor:              Ferro-Fibrous                AV - 170                  9.50
    Armor Locations: 1 HD, 2 LT, 2 RT, 3 LA, 2 RA, 2 LL, 2 RL

                                                      Internal       Armor     
                                                      Structure      Factor     
                                                Head     3            9         
                                        Center Torso     18           26       
                                 Center Torso (rear)                  7         
                                           L/R Torso     13           21       
                                    L/R Torso (rear)                  5         
                                             L/R Arm     9            18       
                                             L/R Leg     13           20       

================================================================================
Equipment                                 Location    Heat    Critical    Mass 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PPC                                          RA        10        3         7.00
2 ER Medium Lasers                           RA        10        2         2.00
3 Medium Pulse Lasers                        LA        12        3         6.00
                                            Free Critical Slots: 7

BattleForce Statistics
MV      S (+0)  M (+2)  L (+4)  E (+6)   Wt.   Ov   Armor:      6    Points: 16
5/7j       3       3       1       0      2     1   Structure:  3
Special Abilities: ENE, SRCH, ES, SOAEDIT: Revised it to be a little more functional.

[Nav_Alpha]

Hm. I like the idea of him being fairly senior in the organization, but with his relationship, it seems like he really ought to be in the same lance.Something like this?

I've often put my XO in the same lance - rather than giving them a lance of their own to look after. Means they can better handle admin, communications, etc without having to ride herd of three other mech jocks.
But putting him in the command lance just as a loyal retainer works well for me.

Eight ER Medium lasers? Very, very nice. Like your design a lot

[TJHairball]

I've often put my XO in the same lance - rather than giving them a lance of their own to look after. Means they can better handle admin, communications, etc without having to ride herd of three other mech jocks.
But putting him in the command lance just as a loyal retainer works well for me.

Eight ER Medium lasers? Very, very nice. Like your design a lot

At this point, I've come to the conclusion that horrific things will happen with 8 ERML and 10(20) heat sinks. A standing alpha of +30 seems a bit excessive. I've reworked it to something that's a little more practical - keep paired ERMLs in the right arm with the PPC for longer range shots, switch to triple MPLs in close. (See edited versions of previous posts).

Here's another fellow:

MechWarrior William Roberts "Don't call me Billy-bob!"
BattleMech: SNT-04 Sentry

In 3059, the Gladiators were on Outreach, looking to fill their roster back up to full strength. MechWarrior Roberts was a bored 26 year old, just finished with his tour of duty with the Draconis March Militia and wanting to see more of the Inner Sphere, seeking the glamorous life of a mercenary. Roberts wasn't half as good as he thought he was, and after being turned down by half a dozen more elite units, the offer from Godwin's Gladiators started to look pretty good.

Good enough, in fact, that he was willing to overlook the fact that Captain Godric sometimes spoke in Japanese with the older members of the unit. William's BattleMech is a Sentry, brought with him from the March and still perfect working order today. His BattleMech's secondary armament is very well suited for anti-infantry work, which has earned him the nickname of William the Bloody, a name he only tolerates as being marginally less offensive than Billy-Bob. Although highly intelligent and easily able to do his own Tech-work - he, in fact, insists on performing all routine maintenance himself - he has not altered the Sentry from its original factory specifications.

He enjoys short walks on the beach, drinking heavily, and spending time finding things to complain about in the half dozen or so languages he is fluent in. He has become estranged from most of the rest of his family, which experienced difficulties during the FCCW.

[Nav_Alpha]

Looks like you've got the start of a good unit. But these Gladiators need some aero support.

Sian and Elana Martinez are a team of sister aero-jocks hailing from the far-flung, half-wild Fronc Reaches in the Periphery.
While almost a decade separates them (Sian celebrated her 31st birthday shortly after joining with the Gladiators in 3068, Elana is 24) the pair are almost identical beauties with long, blue-black hair, olive skin and figures that could earn them a fortune on Sarna or New Avalon as holo stars.
Both epitomize the dashing, devil may care and free-wheeling stereotype of mercenary warriors from the Periphery, often rashly diving into dogfights on the battlefield or igniting bar fights and brawls with coarse language off the field. Both also dress in the provocative style that many civilians associate with mercenary fighter pilots or mechwarriors do their best to play up on that infamous reputation.

Sian has served as a freelance mercenary throughout the Reaches and in Canopian and Taurian space. De-classified documents released by the Fronc authorities also show she has assisted anti-pirate actions being run by Colonial Marshals several times.
Her younger sister Elana's career has been far less impressive - growing up in the boondocks of Detroit fed a steady diet of her older sister's fame she made it known she would fly as soon as she could and started training on the neighborhood crop duster. Without informing its owner.
This behavior was soon par for the course and she wracked up an impressive list of theft offenses, speeding fines and public drunkenness arrests before she even came of age.
By 18 she'd fallen in with an even worse crowd and found herself driving shuttles for a smuggling ring - running drugs, guns and stolen mech parts across the Reaches.
It was during one particular mission that she caught up with her long-lost sister - who happened to be at the controls of a Lucifer fighter and leading the mercenary crew sent to smash the smugglers.

The pair were next seen when warrants were put out for their arrest in Fronc and Taurian space - according to the police report Sian busted her younger sister out of prison on Spencer and the pair fled at the controls of two stolen Troika heavy fighters.
Close to two years on the run and the pair have finally re-appeared - with their now heavily customized aerospace fighters - on the rolls of a small mercenary command Godwin's Gladiators.

Sian Martinez (P3/G4) - CMT-4U Troika*
Elana Martinez (P5/G6) - CMT-4U Troika*

*CMT-4U - Making extensive use of the cost effective Rocket Launchers available to both the Concordat and Magistracy, the 4U variant replaces the Troika's LRM launcher and CASE with five Rocket Launcher 20s in the nose and two Rocket Launcher 15s in the wings, also adding two additional heat sinks. 

[Sharpnel]

Question One: Do the Mechs have to be armed with a PPC?

Question Two: What year is it in this Interactive World?

[TJHairball]

1.) Yes, 'mechs must be armed with a PPC, be at least 5/8/5, must CASE any ammo, and can't have an XLFE (or XXLFE... they should be tournament legal, though they can be customized versions of a 'mech, and I reserve the right to fiddle with them if it seems necessary).
2.) Let's say this overview is a snapshot as of 3070, which would fit with Nav Alpha's posts.

When Godric signed on the Martinez sisters, the Gladiators were on Andurien for R&R. The Martinez sisters needed a legitimate source of income and a quick change of identity; the Gladiators needed fighter pilots, but couldn't afford to buy aerospace fighters. There was one complication: The stolen Troikas were entirely too easy to identify, and the Gladiators were in the process of bidding on a lucrative single-mission contract offered by the Protector's office.

Godric made a deal: The incriminating Troikas would be left behind on Andurien for the mission while his contacts searched for a buyer. He would advance the money to immediately buy a pair of older F-92 Stingrays; and any revenue raised in excess of the sale price of the F-92s would go towards upgrades and spare parts.

The mission was a bust; the Gladiators ended up beating a fast retreat to the jump point. The Martinez sisters had to cover this retreat, and barely made it back into the DropShip after being shot up heavily by a trio of Corsairs. When the company returned to Andurien for repairs and refits, the F-92s were refit with uprated extralight engines, ferro-aluminum armor, and extended fuel tanks, giving them equivalent armor protection to the sisters' much-missed Troikas and long enough legs to get away from a Corsair.

The sisters' cover identity gives them the last name of Martinsson; they are now allegedly from Pinnacle, and fled from Ghost Bear space to escape the oppressive grasp of the Clans. Unfortunately, this cover identity has proven fairly flimsy.

Code: [Select]

F-92 Martinez
Mass: 60 tons
Chassis: Standard
Movement Type: AeroSpace Figher
Power Plant: Vlar 300 XL
Safe Thrust Speed: 1210 kph
Maximum Thrust Speed: 2050 kph
Armor: Andurien Steel Ferro-Aluminum
Frame: F-90/A
Armament:
     2 Hellion-b II Medium Lasers
     2 Hellion-X III ER Large Lasers
     1 Magna Firestar ER PPC
Manufacturer:    Andurien Aerotech, Gutierrez Aerospace
Communications System: Lassitor-3QZ
Targeting & Tracking System: IMB SYS 3700

Type: F-92 Martinez
Technology Base:          Inner Sphere / 3075
Ruleset:               Standard (5th edition)
Tonnage:                                   60

Equipment                                       Mass
Structural Integrity:           7                0.0
Engine:                    300 XL                9.5
Safe Thrust:                    7
Maximum Thrust:                11
Fuel:                         480                6.0
Cockpit:                                         3.0
Heat Sinks:                20[40]               10.0
Armor Factor:                 224               12.5
                        Armor Value
                          Nose 74
                   L/R Wing 52/52
                           Aft 46
Weapons and Ammo Location   SR  MR  LR  ER  Heat Tons
Medium Laser     Left Wing   5  --  --  --    3   1.0
Medium Laser     Right Wing  5  --  --  --    3   1.0
ER Large Laser   Left Wing   8   8   8  --   12   5.0
ER Large Laser   Right Wing  8   8   8  --   12   5.0
ER PPC           Nose       10  10  10  --   15   7.0

[Stormcrow]

Bruno "Big Hands" Kildare is a veteran of the Solaris VII arenas and Trebuchet has been modified more times than he can remember during his career. Ater the riots prior that were a precursor to the FCCW, he decided it was time to go. With the help of some friends and a good chunk of his fortune, he was able to convert his Trebuchet into a mish-mash of three diferent models of the Trebuchet. The main weapon is the Defiance 1000 ER PPC mounted in the right torso, which is supplemented by a brace of ER Medium Lasers and a Streak SRM-4.

Trebuchet TBT-5R

Mass: 50 tons
Tech Base: Inner Sphere
Chassis Config: Biped
Rules Level: Tournament Legal
Era: Clan Invasion
Tech Rating/Era Availability: E/X-X-E
Production Year: 3070
Cost: 4,896,500 C-Bills
Battle Value: 1,410

Chassis: Unknown Standard
Power Plant: Unknown 250 Fusion Engine
Walking Speed: 54.0 km/h
Maximum Speed: 86.4 km/h
Jump Jets: None
    Jump Capacity: 150 meters
Armor: Unknown Standard Armor w/ CASE
Armament:
    1  ER PPC
    2  ER Medium Lasers
    1  Streak SRM-4
Manufacturer: Unknown
    Primary Factory: Unknown
Communications System: Unknown
Targeting and Tracking System: Unknown

================================================================================
Equipment           Type                         Rating                   Mass 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Internal Structure: Standard                      83 points                5.00
Engine:             Fusion Engine                250                      12.50
    Walking MP: 5
    Running MP: 8
    Jumping MP: 5 Standard
    Jump Jet Locations: 1 CT, 2 LL, 2 RL                                   2.50
Heat Sinks:         Double Heat Sink             12(24)                    2.00
    Heat Sink Locations: 2 LT
Gyro:               Standard                                               3.00
Cockpit:            Standard                                               3.00
    Actuators:      L: SH+UA+LA+H    R: SH+UA+LA
Armor:              Standard Armor               AV - 136                  8.50
    CASE Locations: 1 LT                                                   0.50

                                                      Internal       Armor     
                                                      Structure      Factor     
                                                Head     3            9         
                                        Center Torso     16           21       
                                 Center Torso (rear)                  8         
                                           L/R Torso     12           15       
                                    L/R Torso (rear)                  6         
                                             L/R Arm     8            12       
                                             L/R Leg     12           16       

================================================================================
Equipment                                 Location    Heat    Critical    Mass 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ER PPC                                       RT        15        3         7.00
2 ER Medium Lasers                           RA        10        2         2.00
Streak SRM-4                                 LA        3         1         3.00
@Streak SRM-4 (25)                           LT        -         1         1.00
                                            Free Critical Slots: 29

BattleForce Statistics
MV      S (+0)  M (+2)  L (+4)  E (+6)   Wt.   Ov   Armor:      5    Points: 14
5j         3       3       1       0      2     0   Structure:  4
Special Abilities: CASE, SRCH, ES, SEAL, SOA

DESIGNER NOTE: I will add more to the fluff later. I've got a busy day ahead of me.

[Nav_Alpha]

First Leutnant Conner Schultz, WLF-3S Wolfhound  G/3/P3
Conner Schultz does not fit the bill of a typical Lyran officer.
In an armed forces overloaded with heavy or assault mechs he has long piloted a light battlemech and is well known for his skill in recon, harassing and irregular operations.

Growing up in Marfik, Conner's head was filled with stories about the glory of House Steiner and despite his low birth he worked hard and managed to gain a partial scholarship to the Buena War College.
High test scores and the recommendations of several of his tutors saw him take up a commission with the formerly "third rate" 5th Donegal Guards just as new funding saw it accept a new influx of personnel and updated equipment.
His actions fighting against rebel forces on Kentares IV, first as a mechwarrior and later as a First Leutnant commanding a Pursuit Lance, saw Conner repeatedly commended for his action and he was soon tapped on the shoulder to run a special "Blitzkrieg", fast attack company.
On Kentares he also developed a taste for irregular and counter insurgency warfare - Hauptmann-General Ursa Potroy repeatedly called on the young officer to develop plans to combat rebel forces' hit and run tactics.

During the vicious fighting againsy Loyalist and even Comstar forces later on Benet III Conner was ambushed left horribly scarred: including the traumatic amputation of his left hand while attempting to eject from his burning ride.

Close to a year of healing and therapy put Conner back into fighting trim (if you don't notice the chrome replacement hand, the jagged scar that stretches down his left cheek or the full beard he now wears to hide the hideous burn scars that plaster the left side of his jaw and neck) but did little to improve his growing depression about the state of his beloved nation or his role in what a bunch of military lawyers were now trying to term "war crimes" on Kentares. He quit the LCAF soon afterwards.
Using his medical discharge compensation, plus cash loaned to him by his wife's family, Conner managed to bounce out of the ranks of the dispossessed, purchasing and repairing a junked Wolfhound, re-jigging it into a WLF-3S model.

He spent a year as a freelance mercenary around the Chaos March, occasionally sub contracting for the AMC before hearing stories of a company that seemed to suit his style: energy weapon focus, hit and fade and crazy tactics. He and his wife, Jamie-Lynn Falcone have since presented himself to Captain Godwin, hoping for jobs. Ms Falcone was a senior mech-tech with the 5th Guards up until the birth of the couple's first child in 3067.
She is considered a technical genius by most people and did most of the refurbishment work on her husband's Wolfhound.

The WLF-3S Wolfhound sacrifices some of the 'Mech's durability for an increase in firepower. The 'Mech is powered by a Light Fusion Engine which frees up space on the chassis for new equipment. The ER Large Laser has been removed and replaced with an ER PPC, extending its range even further. The Medium Lasers have been replaced with three forward facing ER Medium Lasers and a rear facing ER Small Laser. Finally, the chassis is now built using Endo Steel and the 'Mech has two additional double heat sinks to help handle the heavier heat burden

[TJHairball]

Hm... the WLF-3S Wolfhound doesn't quite fit the strategic profile. No jump jets!  :P

I like Big Hands so far. I'm putting him a lance with Billy-bob. Let's see if they become fast friends.

I thought about it a little bit, and I've decided to put out there a 'mech that will be the commander's ride for Lance Gamma:

Code: [Select]

Gladiator GLD-4CM

Mass: 55 tons
Tech Base: Inner Sphere
Chassis Config: Biped
Rules Level: Tournament Legal
Era: Clan Invasion
Tech Rating/Era Availability: E/X-X-E
Production Year: 3070
Cost: 7,872,657 C-Bills
Battle Value: 1,536

Chassis: Unknown Standard
Power Plant: Unknown 275 Fusion Engine
Walking Speed: 54.0 km/h
Maximum Speed: 86.4 km/h
Jump Jets: Unknown
    Jump Capacity: 150 meters
Armor: Unknown Ferro-Fibrous
Armament:
    1  ER PPC
    2  Medium Lasers
    1  C3 Computer (Master)
    1  Guardian ECM Suite
Manufacturer: Unknown
    Primary Factory: Unknown
Communications System: Unknown
Targeting and Tracking System: Unknown

================================================================================
Equipment           Type                         Rating                   Mass 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Internal Structure: Standard                      91 points                5.50
Engine:             Fusion Engine                275                      15.50
    Walking MP: 5
    Running MP: 8
    Jumping MP: 5 Standard
    Jump Jet Locations: 1 CT, 2 LT, 2 RT                                   2.50
Heat Sinks:         Double Heat Sink             10(20)                    0.00
Gyro:               Standard                                               3.00
Cockpit:            Standard                                               3.00
    Actuators:      L: SH+UA+LA+H    R: SH+UA+LA+H
Armor:              Ferro-Fibrous                AV - 179                 10.00
    Armor Locations: 1 CT, 3 LT, 3 RT, 3 LA, 2 LL, 2 RL

                                                      Internal       Armor     
                                                      Structure      Factor     
                                                Head     3            9         
                                        Center Torso     18           27       
                                 Center Torso (rear)                  7         
                                           L/R Torso     13           21       
                                    L/R Torso (rear)                  5         
                                             L/R Arm     9            18       
                                             L/R Leg     13           24       

================================================================================
Equipment                                 Location    Heat    Critical    Mass 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Guardian ECM Suite                           RT        0         2         1.50
C3 Computer (Master)                         RA        0         5         5.00
ER PPC                                       RA        15        3         7.00
2 Medium Lasers                              LA        6         2         2.00
                                            Free Critical Slots: 16

BattleForce Statistics
MV      S (+0)  M (+2)  L (+4)  E (+6)   Wt.   Ov   Armor:      6    Points: 15
5j         2       2       1       0      2     0   Structure:  5
Special Abilities: C3M, TAG, ECM, ENE, MHQ5, SRCH, ES, SOAWhoever this lance commander is, they're an old hand in the unit. Probably not another "original" hand like Kiso, but they may have grown up in and around the unit. This is probably the only other actual Gladiator in the unit - it might not actually be original, it may have been acquired as a replacement. While Kiso's upgrades the close-range firepower and adds an enormous jump capacity for a close-range bodyguard, this one replaces the SRM rack with a C3 master and adds an ECM unit, dropping firepower overall [though upgrading the PPC to an ER model].

Lance Gamma, then, is going to be a C3 lance.

[Sharpnel]

Celestine Marik [no relation] was a down on her luck Mechwarrior prior to winning the MegaMillions lottery on Herotitus in 3063. Her 7 million C-bills in winnings allowed her to leave Herotitus (after a week long debauch aand spending spree) and make her way back to the Capellan world of Victoria, her homeworld , where she had contacts that could hel her rebuild her broken down Vindicator. She realized long ago that her Mech was underarmored and, at close range, undergunned. With her newfound wealth she could address her Mech's flaws. The PPC  remained and the Medium Laser was upgraded, but all other weapons were replaced. The most time consuming part of the upgrades was the refurbishing of the Vindicator's powerplant. The upgrade to double heat sinks also ate up the most time and a large protion of her remaining wealth. The long-range missile launcher was traded out for an SRM-6 that would compensate for the PPC's short-range deficiency. Additionally, two machine guns replaced the small laser in the right arm and would deal with the growing threat of anti-mech infantry on the battlefield. The final upgrade was stripping off the remaining armor on her Mech and replacing it with the more advanced ferro-fibrous armor. This change gave an increase of over 60% in armor protection, which is something she was glad to have.

The entire process took more than two years to complete, but Celestine ended up with a much better Mech and nearly empty wallet. She left Victoria to join up with her new employers on XXXXXX just as the Wobblies kicked off what would be later known as The Jihad.

Vindicator VND-1AA "Avenging Angel" Marik

Mass: 45 tons
Tech Base: Inner Sphere
Chassis Config: Biped
Rules Level: Tournament Legal
Era: Clan Invasion
Tech Rating/Era Availability: E/X-X-E
Production Year: 3070
Cost: 4,577,070 C-Bills
Battle Value: 1,186

Chassis: Unknown Standard
Power Plant: Unknown 225 Fusion Engine
Walking Speed: 54.0 km/h
Maximum Speed: 86.4 km/h
Jump Jets: Unknown
    Jump Capacity: 150 meters
Armor: Unknown Ferro-Fibrous w/ CASE
Armament:
    1  PPC
    1  ER Medium Laser
    1  SRM-6
    2  Machine Guns
    1  C3 Computer (Slave)
Manufacturer: Unknown
    Primary Factory: Unknown
Communications System: Unknown
Targeting and Tracking System: Unknown

================================================================================
Equipment           Type                         Rating                   Mass 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Internal Structure: Standard                      75 points                4.50
Engine:             Fusion Engine                225                      10.00
    Walking MP: 5
    Running MP: 8
    Jumping MP: 5 Standard
    Jump Jet Locations: 1 CT, 2 LL, 2 RL                                   2.50
Heat Sinks:         Double Heat Sink             10(20)                    0.00
    Heat Sink Locations: 1 RT
Gyro:               Standard                                               3.00
Cockpit:            Standard                                               3.00
    Actuators:      L: SH+UA+LA+H    R: SH+UA+LA
Armor:              Ferro-Fibrous                AV - 116                  6.50
    Armor Locations: 3 LT, 5 RT, 3 LA, 3 RA
    CASE Locations: 1 LT                                                   0.50

                                                      Internal       Armor     
                                                      Structure      Factor     
                                                Head     3            9         
                                        Center Torso     14           17       
                                 Center Torso (rear)                  6         
                                           L/R Torso     11           13       
                                    L/R Torso (rear)                  5         
                                             L/R Arm     7            10       
                                             L/R Leg     11           14       

================================================================================
Equipment                                 Location    Heat    Critical    Mass 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ER Medium Laser                              HD        5         1         1.00
C3 Computer (Slave)                          CT        0         1         1.00
SRM-6                                        LT        4         2         3.00
PPC                                          RA        10        3         7.00
2 Machine Guns                               LA        0         2         1.00
@MG (200)                                    LT        -         1         1.00
@SRM-6 (15)                                  LT        -         1         1.00
                                            Free Critical Slots: 14

BattleForce Statistics
MV      S (+0)  M (+2)  L (+4)  E (+6)   Wt.   Ov   Armor:      4    Points: 12
5j         3       3       1       0      2     0   Structure:  4
Special Abilities: C3S, CASE, SRCH, ES, SEAL, SOA

Designer Note: I will have to wait until I get back home to make BV and Cost corrections to this. I changed this on the fly. Originally this Mech had a TAG unit. I saw the C# Lance posted and made changes from the original design.

DESIGN UPPDATED

[Nav_Alpha]

Hm... the WLF-3S Wolfhound doesn't quite fit the strategic profile. No jump jets!  :P

Damn! I really like Conner. Any chance we can fit him in if we swap him into something jumpy - like.... a captured WGT-2LAW. Light Ferro-Fibrous armor and a Light PPC to free up the weight needed for Improved Jump Jets?
Or a Panther?

On another note: how about this for Gamma's CO:

Lt Vitkor Zimin: tall, precise and immaculately dressed at all times - regardless of the shells falling around him or the lack of supplies flowing is way - Zimin embodies the officer class.
Well trained as a staff officer and experienced at lance and company level tactics he has extensively studied tactics, as well as the use of C3 computers and advanced targeting equipment.
His father was Kashira Igor Zimin, the fourth member of Chu-i Goro Goto's lance. A Panther pilot, Igor was also a slightly eccentric drunk and womanizer, as quick with a filthy joke as he was with a quote from Tolstoy, Rommel, Kerensky, Napoleon or Kafka.
He was more than willing to follow his commander into exile, a native of the bleak prison world of Radstadt. he was happy to expand his horizons and his... foibles... had already attracted interest from the dreaded ISF.
During the bloody Andurien Secession campaign he had a brief, tumultuous but enjoyable affair with Commander Isis Inez-Petroski, a liaison from the Magistracy Armed Forces attached to the Tooth of Ymir mercenary command assisting Andurien forces on Primus. The result was Vitkor. While the pair had planned a life together, Isis was killed five years later during the battle for Xanthe III.
Grief stricken, Igor raised his son with the help of his unit. Only two years older than his CO's child, Vitkor was a popular member of the unit's family unit and all of the unit's members were sad to see Vitkor leave at 17 for the Tikonov School of Military Discipline.
Relations between Vitkor and his father had soured considerably since the elder warrior had remarried. Twice. A series of arguments had eventually driven the younger Zimin to renounce his father and flee into the nearest AFFC recruiting depot during the Gladiator's short stint in the FedCom's Sarna March.
Following graduation from Tikonov, he served with the 1st Republican, including their spirited defense of Talitha in 3057, against Marike forces and later as a staff officer with divisional headquarters.
In early 3062 Lieutenant Zimin was informed his father had died. Later he was to discover Igor had actually committed seppuku. The circumstances of his ritual suicide are still shrouded in secrecy, but it is understood a select number of older Gladiator warriors attended.
A return to his father's unit saw Vitkor swap his Shadow Hawk for his father's Gladiator, following an extensive overhaul of the ancient machine.
Many describe the man as cold and focused entirely on his duty - and his performance at the controls of his mech match up - but Vitkor is a highly emotional person who harnesses his energy into creative outlets, including traditional Kuritan painting and poetry, when off duty.
It is also rumored that he has begun a relationship with Sian Martinsson.

[TJHairball]

Sargeant Takashi Backstrom
BattleMech: SHD-3K Shadowhawk (yes, it's a few years early, but it's a class D refit of the -2K and all the toys are available on the open market).

Takashi Backstrom is the younger child of Sven Backstrom, one of the original Gladiators, and Akane Goto, a younger cousin of Goro's who stowed away on the family Leopard on Goro's final flight out of the Combine. Sven Backstrom actually was born on Pinnacle, and Takashi identifies himself as Rasalhagian in spite of having visited the Free Republic only three times in his entire life. In his defense, his bright red hair, freckles, thin facial hair, and slanted eyes would be a very unusual combination of features outside of the immediate vicinity of Rasalhague.

Sven Backstrom died when Takashi was young; partisans inserted a gimmicked SRM in the Gladiators' ammunition pool, and Backstrom was unlucky enough to load it. His mother committed suicide shortly thereafter, and Takashi was raised by the men of the unit. In spite of his grim origins, Takashi is an inordinately cheerful man, and is particularly fond of practical jokes.

Takashi has been the unit's quartermaster since he turned fourteen, and is obsessed with keeping up with the latest in BattleMech technology. It is Takashi's knack for trading, begging, borrowing, and stealing new and old parts which has kept the Gladiators' array of heavily customized machines in working order; he was so useful in this role that Godfrey was reluctant to allow him into the BattleMech cockpit. Only when Takashi threatened to quit and seek work elsewhere did Godfrey relent. Although not the natural pilot that Godric is, Takashi compensates for his lack of piloting skill with extensive time on the firing range.

It is no surprise that Takashi's own BattleMech - a Shadow Hawk that formerly belonged to Lt. Zimin - has been refit extensively with the latest technologies - a multi-missile launcher, a heavy PPC, and the latest heavy-duty ferro-fibrous weave from the Lyran commonwealth. Luthien Armor Works is reportedly interested in developing a refit kit to match this configuration.

[Sharpnel]

The last Mech of C3 Lance could be a modified Raven that strips out the Narc Beacon and SRM-6 and swaps in a Light PPC and jump jets. The TAG could be swapped out for a C3 Slave unit. Anything left offer could go to armor,

[Nav_Alpha]

Have we considered an armoured lance? Like a lance of  Pegasus X's? Or some Harrasers or something?
That could mean rolling beta and gama into one or making the unit a reinforced mech company with armour support?
Just a thought?

[Stormcrow]

Here's a shot at the Raven mentioned earlier based on the 3039-era RVN-4X (The jumping one). SRM & ammo removed and replaced with a Light PPC and C3 Slave.

A former Mechwarrior in service with St. Ives military, Samantha Jian (born Stefani Cheng) fled the Compact not wanting to return to a life within the Confederaton. Samantha lucked into a position with Rubinsky's Renegades shortly after arriving where her 'Mech received many of the upgrades it now has. Prior to arriving on Outreach, Samantha assumed her new identity to better to cover her tracks in case the Capellan Confederation should pursue her (they've no interest in her and her outdated 'Mech, but that's not what she believes). She left the unit after their last contract expired. Since 3068, she has worked as independentcotractor with less than ideal success prior to joining the Gladiators

Raven RVN-4X JIAN

Mass: 35 tons
Tech Base: Inner Sphere
Chassis Config: Biped
Rules Level: Tournament Legal
Era: Clan Invasion
Tech Rating/Era Availability: E/X-X-E
Production Year: 3070
Cost: 3,014,325 C-Bills
Battle Value: 897

Chassis: Unknown Standard
Power Plant: Unknown 175 Fusion Engine
Walking Speed: 54.0 km/h
Maximum Speed: 86.4 km/h
Jump Jets: Unknown
    Jump Capacity: 150 meters
Armor: Unknown Standard Armor w/ CASE
Armament:
    1  Light PPC
    2  Medium Lasers
    2  Light Machine Guns
    1  C3 Computer (Slave)
Manufacturer: Unknown
    Primary Factory: Unknown
Communications System: Unknown
Targeting and Tracking System: Unknown

================================================================================
Equipment           Type                         Rating                   Mass 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Internal Structure: Standard                      58 points                3.50
Engine:             Fusion Engine                175                       7.00
    Walking MP: 5
    Running MP: 8
    Jumping MP: 5 Standard
    Jump Jet Locations: 1 CT, 2 LT, 2 RT                                   2.50
Heat Sinks:         Single Heat Sink             12                        2.00
    Heat Sink Locations: 1 HD, 2 LL, 2 RL
Gyro:               Standard                                               2.00
Cockpit:            Standard                                               3.00
    Actuators:      L: SH+UA    R: SH+UA
Armor:              Standard Armor               AV - 112                  7.00
    CASE Locations: 1 LT                                                   0.50

                                                      Internal       Armor     
                                                      Structure      Factor     
                                                Head     3            9         
                                        Center Torso     11           15       
                                 Center Torso (rear)                  6         
                                           L/R Torso     8            12       
                                    L/R Torso (rear)                  4         
                                             L/R Arm     6            11       
                                             L/R Leg     8            14       

================================================================================
Equipment                                 Location    Heat    Critical    Mass 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
C3 Computer (Slave)                          CT        0         1         1.00
Light PPC                                    RT        5         2         3.00
2 Medium Lasers                              RA        6         2         2.00
2 Light Machine Guns                         LA        0         2         1.00
@LMG (1/2) (100)                             LT        -         1         0.50
                                            Free Critical Slots: 32

BattleForce Statistics
MV      S (+0)  M (+2)  L (+4)  E (+6)   Wt.   Ov   Armor:      4    Points: 9
5j         2       2       1       0      1     0   Structure:  3
Special Abilities: C3S, CASE, SRCH, ES, SEAL, SOA

[Stormcrow]

2nd Lance Commander candidate: Natsumi 'Sumi' Kajiwara

Sumi is the eldest daughter of one of the unit's original members, Satoichi Kajiwara. She inherited her father's Gladiator when her father was dagnosed with a rare form of cancer that was always fatal. Sh lost the Gladiator in her third engaement in the 'Mech. Using a  Quickdraw-5K that the unit salvaged off the battlefield, they refit the salvaged 'Mech with her Gladiator's PPC. Several double heat sinks had to be removed along with four of the medium lasers. In addition to the PPC, CASE and 1.5 tons of armor were added to increase the chances that she would survive her next engagement. Several years later she was able to replace the two remaiing mediums laser with extended range models. On numerous occasions she's had the opportunity to replace the PPC with an ER PPC and has refused everytime claiming that she wanted to keep at least thing from her father's old Mech.

Code: [Select]

Quickdraw QKD-5K-KAJIWARA

Mass: 60 tons
Tech Base: Inner Sphere
Chassis Config: Biped
Rules Level: Tournament Legal
Era: Clan Invasion
Tech Rating/Era Availability: E/X-X-D
Production Year: 3064
Cost: 5,944,960 C-Bills
Battle Value: 1,496

Chassis: Unknown Standard
Power Plant: Unknown 300 Fusion Engine
Walking Speed: 54.0 km/h
Maximum Speed: 86.4 km/h
Jump Jets: Unknown
    Jump Capacity: 150 meters
Armor: Unknown Ferro-Fibrous w/ CASE
Armament:
    1  PPC
    2  ER Medium Lasers
    1  SRM-4
Manufacturer: Unknown
    Primary Factory: Unknown
Communications System: Unknown
Targeting and Tracking System: Unknown

================================================================================
Equipment           Type                         Rating                   Mass 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Internal Structure: Standard                      99 points                6.00
Engine:             Fusion Engine                300                      19.00
    Walking MP: 5
    Running MP: 8
    Jumping MP: 5 Standard
    Jump Jet Locations: 1 CT, 2 LT, 2 RT                                   5.00
Heat Sinks:         Double Heat Sink             12(24)                    2.00
Gyro:               Standard                                               3.00
Cockpit:            Standard                                               3.00
    Actuators:      L: SH+UA+LA+H    R: SH+UA+LA+H
Armor:              Ferro-Fibrous                AV - 170                  9.50
    Armor Locations: 1 HD, 2 LT, 1 RT, 5 LA, 1 RA, 2 LL, 2 RL
    CASE Locations: 1 RT                                                   0.50

                                                      Internal       Armor     
                                                      Structure      Factor     
                                                Head     3            9         
                                        Center Torso     20           28       
                                 Center Torso (rear)                  11       
                                           L/R Torso     14           18       
                                    L/R Torso (rear)                  8         
                                             L/R Arm     10           15       
                                             L/R Leg     14           20       

================================================================================Equipment                                 Location    Heat    Critical    Mass 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SRM-4                                        CT        3         1         2.00
PPC                                          LT        10        3         7.00
ER Medium Laser                              RA        5         1         1.00
ER Medium Laser                              LA        5         1         1.00
@SRM-4 (25)                                  RT        -         1         1.00
                                            Free Critical Slots: 20

BattleForce Statistics
MV      S (+0)  M (+2)  L (+4)  E (+6)   Wt.   Ov   Armor:      6    Points: 15
5j         3       3       1       0      3     0   Structure:  5
Special Abilities: CASE, SRCH, ES, SEAL, SOA

[Nav_Alpha]

Catarina Savage G4/P5
Catarina Savage, heir to the large DelaTech Industries electronics empire grew up in the lap of luxury on New Exford.
While she would never be required to work a day in her life, Savage took a keen interest in the running of the multi-planet corporation and even brokered several major investments as soon as she was allowed into the boardroom.
But her energies were focused solely on one thing: becoming a mechwarrior. DelaTech's secondary focus is the distribution of Solaris V coverage to much of the former Arc Royal Defense Cordon region and Savage had grown up idolizing the gladiators of the game world.
But her first tentative inquiries about enlisting in the regular army were quashed by her father, Sir Richard Chambers-Savage who saw her place as a bargaining chip, married off to one of his industry rivals as a way to expand his own power.
Basically confined to the family's complex, Savage trained in secret - hiring two former mercenary mechwarriors, dispossessed in the Clan War, as tutors and logging thousands of hours on a DelaTech built simulator.
At 22 in early 3066 she slipped quietly out of the compound and managed to smuggle herself offworld on a merchant dropship bound for the Game World.

But on Solaris there was little need for a half trained warrior without a Mech and Savage only managed to participate in half a dozen pick up fights before her meager funds run dry.
It was then that a Word of Blake operative contacted her as part of a new recruitment drive to sweep up out of work, dispossessed and down on their luck soldiers for service in the newly formed Word of Blake Protectorate.
A steady pay packet, a brand new STG-3P Stinger and pirate hunting actions on Keid, Caph and Bryant meant Savage would have been happy to stay with the Word forever.
But soon things began to get odd - disturbing news started to filter in about the Word striking against Outreach and her own Lyran Alliance, combined with an increased focus on rooting out and eliminating "dissenting" or "disloyal" elements on Keid made her think twice.
In 3068 Savage fled, taking with her the Blakist Stinger. While she has yet to face any retribution from her former employers she has found herself blacklisted by most mercenary units for her involvement with the Robes and is now starting to get desperate.

STG-3P Stinger
The 3P flowed out of refit yards in the Lyran Commonwealth and was also a popular ’Mech in the Blakist Protectorate Militia, as well as a popular “incentive” to the many disreputable mercenary bands the Word attracted.
The  STGTG -3P uses both endo steel internal structure to save enough mass to increase the ’Mech’s overall protection by almost a quarter. Maintaining the same speed and maneuverability profiles as classic Stingers, the 3P replaced the original machine guns and medium laser with a longer-ranged light particle projection cannon

[TJHairball]

Hm...

I've been thinking about it, and while a light PPC would technically fulfill the requirement, I think it's not quite enough oomph for a unit which hangs its hat on one particular tactical specialty, especially on a machine that doesn't really outpace the rest of the unit.

It's certainly possible to shoe-horn a full-strength PPC onto a Raven chassis, if you're willing to.  :P

A Stinger, not so much. I can't say the ex-Blakist angle fits that well, either.  :-\

[Stormcrow]

Instead of the Raven, try this one on for good measure

Phoenix Hawk PXH-1 JIAN

Mass: 45 tons
Tech Base: Inner Sphere
Chassis Config: Biped
Rules Level: Tournament Legal
Era: Clan Invasion
Tech Rating/Era Availability: E/X-X-E
Production Year: 3070
Cost: 4,850,903 C-Bills
Battle Value: 1,233

Chassis: Earthwekrks PXH Standard
Power Plant: GM 270 Fusion Engine
Walking Speed: 64.8 km/h
Maximum Speed: 97.2 km/h
Jump Jets: Rawlings 45
    Jump Capacity: 180 meters
Armor: Durallex Light Ferro-Fibrous
Armament:
    1  ER PPC
    1  Medium Laser
    1  Small Laser
    1  C3 Computer (Slave)
Manufacturer: Earthwerks Incorporated, Coventry Metal Works, Achernar BattleMechs, Gorton, Kingsley, and Thorpe Enterpises
    Primary Factory: Keystone (Earthwerks), Coventry (CMW), New Avalon (Achernar), New Oslo (GKT)
Communications System: Neil 6000
Targeting and Tracking System: Octagon Tartrac System C

================================================================================
Equipment           Type                         Rating                   Mass 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Internal Structure: Standard                      75 points                4.50
Engine:             Fusion Engine                270                      14.50
    Walking MP: 6
    Running MP: 9
    Jumping MP: 6 Standard
    Jump Jet Locations: 3 LT, 3 RT                                         3.00
Heat Sinks:         Double Heat Sink             10(20)                    0.00
Gyro:               Standard                                               3.00
Cockpit:            Standard                                               3.00
    Actuators:      L: SH+UA+LA+H    R: SH+UA+LA+H
Armor:              Ferro-Fibrous                AV - 134                  7.50
    Armor Locations: 1 CT, 2 LT, 2 RT, 3 LA, 2 RA, 2 LL, 2 RL

                                                      Internal       Armor     
                                                      Structure      Factor     
                                                Head     3            9         
                                        Center Torso     14           21       
                                 Center Torso (rear)                  6         
                                           L/R Torso     11           16       
                                    L/R Torso (rear)                  6         
                                             L/R Arm     7            10       
                                             L/R Leg     11           17       

================================================================================
Equipment                                 Location    Heat    Critical    Mass 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
C3 Computer (Slave)                          CT        0         1         1.00
ER PPC                                       RA        15        3         7.00
Medium Laser                                 LA        3         1         1.00
Small Laser                                  LA        1         1         0.50
                                            Free Critical Slots: 21

BattleForce Statistics
MV      S (+0)  M (+2)  L (+4)  E (+6)   Wt.   Ov   Armor:      4    Points: 12
6j         2       2       1       0      2     0   Structure:  4
Special Abilities: C3S, ENE, SRCH, ES, SEAL, SOA

[Stormcrow]

 another Mech that yo could put in the Command Lance or as the last mech in Beta

Name: Erland Fekete (when the name is translated from its two root languages [Norwegian and Hungarian] it means Stranger Black)
He is an ocular albino and is always seen wearing dark tinted goggles. The only time  he doesn't wear them is when he's in his Mech or asleep (sometimes). He's a tall, lithe measuring just under two meters in height but weighs in at about 85 kg. Like his name indicates, he is a man of mystery and reveals little about his past. There are burns scars on both hands, but he usually keeps them covered with black cotton gloves.

Starslayer STY-3C Fekete

Mass: 50 tons
Tech Base: Inner Sphere
Chassis Config: Biped
Rules Level: Tournament Legal
Era: Clan Invasion
Tech Rating/Era Availability: E/X-X-E
Production Year: 3056
Cost: 5,356,250 C-Bills
Battle Value: 1,612

Chassis: Unknown Endo-Steel
Power Plant: Unknown 250 Fusion Engine
Walking Speed: 54.0 km/h
Maximum Speed: 86.4 km/h
Jump Jets: Unknown
    Jump Capacity: 150 meters
Armor: Unknown Ferro-Fibrous w/ CASE
Armament:
    1  ER PPC
    1  SRM-6
    3  Medium Lasers
    1  Guardian ECM Suite
Manufacturer: Unknown
    Primary Factory: Unknown
Communications System: Unknown
Targeting and Tracking System: Unknown

================================================================================
Equipment           Type                         Rating                   Mass 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Internal Structure: Endo-Steel                    83 points                2.50
    Internal Locations: 2 LT, 2 RT, 4 LA, 4 RA, 1 LL, 1 RL
Engine:             Fusion Engine                250                      12.50
    Walking MP: 5
    Running MP: 8
    Jumping MP: 5 Standard
    Jump Jet Locations: 1 CT, 2 LT, 2 RT                                   2.50
Heat Sinks:         Double Heat Sink             11(22)                    1.00
    Heat Sink Locations: 1 RT
Gyro:               Standard                                               3.00
Cockpit:            Standard                                               3.00
    Actuators:      L: SH+UA+LA+H    R: SH+UA
Armor:              Ferro-Fibrous                AV - 169                  9.50
    Armor Locations: 2 LT, 3 RT, 4 LA, 3 RA, 1 LL, 1 RL
    CASE Locations: 1 LT                                                   0.50

                                                      Internal       Armor     
                                                      Structure      Factor     
                                                Head     3            9         
                                        Center Torso     16           26       
                                 Center Torso (rear)                  6         
                                           L/R Torso     12           19       
                                    L/R Torso (rear)                  5         
                                             L/R Arm     8            16       
                                             L/R Leg     12           24       

================================================================================
Equipment                                 Location    Heat    Critical    Mass 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(R) Medium Laser                             HD        3         1         1.00
Guardian ECM Suite                           RT        0         2         1.50
2 Medium Lasers                              LT        6         2         2.00
SRM-6                                        LT        4         2         3.00
ER PPC                                       RA        15        3         7.00
@SRM-6 (15)                                  LT        -         1         1.00
                                            Free Critical Slots: 1

BattleForce Statistics
MV      S (+0)  M (+2)  L (+4)  E (+6)   Wt.   Ov   Armor:      6    Points: 16
5j         3       3       1       0      2     0   Structure:  4
Special Abilities: ECM, CASE, SRCH, ES, SEAL, SOA

[Nav_Alpha]

Shoot'in me down here, Hairball!

How about this:

Brandon Whitehorse has always been a man looking for something to believe in. Born on  New Earth in 3032, he fled the world as soon as he could, wandering the inner sphere for several years until finally joining the then still ultra secretive Comstar.
Initial testing revealled he had a knack for mech piloting and was one of the early recruits to the new Comguards.
Dedication and devotion to the teachings of Jerome Blake, along with a natural ability as a pilot saw him pass out of Sandhurst in the top 10 per cent later and take up a posting as an Adept with the 66th division.
During the battle of Tukayyid his unit pClayed a key part in raising an harnessing Clan Wolf forces until his Excalibur was destroyed. Sadly his ejection seat did not deploy properly and Whitehorse was horribly wounded.
He spent close to three years healing before going back to frontline status- this time at the controls of a Raijin.
Almost daily defections to the Word of Blake from his unit and the 66th's eventual breaking of Comstar vows to side with the Lyran Alliance as part of the Fedcom Civil War was too much for the warrior and Whitehorse quit in 3067.
He brought his Raijin with him to the mercenary market.

The 50tonne Raijin mounts an Er-PPC, along with a trio of medium lasers and an SRM-6. Three jump jets allow it to leap 180m at a time

[TJHairball]

Hm... a Raijin doesn't work.

A Starslayer, though, does, and it happens to be something that a Com Guard would drive.

I'm going to exercise a couple points of discretion. See, there's two "standard" Starslayer variants that fit the bill for the Gladiators - the -3D, and -3Dr. Let's say that Fekete has been with the unit a while, and is someone who Ivan Zimin showed up with in, say, 3052 after disappearing for a couple months; and his Starslayer has been inventively refit by the ever-enthusiastic Takashi to the -3Dr standard [a little early for there to be a -3Dr, so it's a bit of a "pre-fit," rather like Takashi's Shadow Hawk, but there is a method to this madness]. Fekete will be in Beta Lance. Whitehorse has a -3D model Starslayer, fairly standard C* issue, and will go in Alpha Lance.

We'll stick Jian in Gamma Lance, and then ... I have an idea I want to use for the last MechWarrior in Godric's lance, so let's say that submissions are closed on putting in more active MechWarriors. (We're not necessarily done with inventing new characters here, but twelve active-duty MechWarriors does fill up a Union.)

[Snimm]

All right, let me have a stab at this.  Hopefully this isn't too boring a character here.

EDIT:  Oh, sorry.  I see I missed the boat.  Ah, well, I had fun building him anyway.


Overview:

Mechwarrior Dante Rigatello is a brash, outgoing Mechwarrior from a minor Davion noble family of Italian descent, and isn't ashamed to flaunt the stereotype with a classical flair.  He likes to wear Renassiance-era-style capes formally and sometimes even casually, he curses regularly in Italian in the heat of battle, and has a fairly short temper.  He even has taken pains to learn to cook, especially with pasta.  When the ingredients are available and/or the occasion is ripe, he has been known to cook for the Gladiators a feast fit for a Prince!

His Mech, an Enforcer III which he rebuilt from scrap after his (dishonorable) discharge from House Davion service, suits his hot temper well;  it was discovered to have triple-strength myomer in it.  As far as Dante knows, it was an experimental model, and nobody else in the unit knows about the special myomers.  He refuses to tell anyone how he acquired the Mech:  "It's a family secret."  He tends to use the extra speed to outmaneuver opponents rather than get physical, but when his temper flares, anything can happen.   

He and his family did, however, have to rebuild the engine, as the original XL was toasted.  Finding a suitably rated regular fusion engine,  Dante made weight by dropping the heavy autocannon in favor of a PPC, and upgraded the ER small to a medium.  Along with the Mech's original ER large laser, Dante's Enforcer is well capable of taking advantage of its myomer bundles.  He also managed to wrangle an SRM 4-pack and ammo into the spaces left by the removed ammunition, and CASE it.  It doesn't fit well, and the system's lubricants often break down due to the high heat he generates in battle, but it provides an extra chance to create havoc on an opponent's internals that most Enforcers lack.

Code: [Select]

Enforcer III (Modified) ENF-600M

Mass: 50 tons
Tech Base: Inner Sphere
Chassis Config: Biped
Rules Level: Experimental Tech
Era: All Eras (non-canon)
Tech Rating/Era Availability: E/X-X-E
Production Year: 0
Cost: 6,053,000 C-Bills
Battle Value: 1,602

Chassis: Unknown Endo-Steel
Power Plant: Unknown 250 Fusion Engine
Walking Speed: 53.75 km/h (64.5 km/h)
Maximum Speed: 86.0 km/h (96.75 km/h)
Jump Jets: Unknown
    Jump Capacity: 150 meters
Armor: Unknown Standard Armor w/ CASE
Armament:
    1  PPC
    1  ER Large Laser
    1  ER Medium Laser
    1  SRM-4
Manufacturer: Unknown
    Primary Factory: Unknown
Communications System: Unknown
Targeting and Tracking System: Unknown

================================================================================
Equipment           Type                         Rating                   Mass 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Internal Structure: Endo-Steel                    83 points                2.50
    Internal Locations: 1 CT, 3 LT, 3 RT, 4 LA, 3 RA
Engine:             Fusion Engine                250                      12.50
    Walking MP: 5 (6)
    Running MP: 8 (9)
    Jumping MP: 5  (Standard)
    Jump Jet Locations: 1 CT, 2 LL, 2 RL                                   2.50
Heat Sinks:         Double                       10(20)                    0.00
Gyro:               Standard Gyro                                          3.00
Cockpit:            Standard                                               3.00
    Actuators:      L: SH+UA+LA+H    R: SH+UA+LA
    TSM Locations: 3 LT, 3 RT
Armor:              Standard Armor               AV - 160                 10.00
    CASE Locations: 1 LT                                                   0.50

                                                      Internal       Armor     
                                                      Structure      Factor     
                                                Head     3            9         
                                        Center Torso     16           24       
                                 Center Torso (rear)                  7         
                                           L/R Torso     12           18       
                                    L/R Torso (rear)                  6         
                                             L/R Arm     8            16       
                                             L/R Leg     12           20       

================================================================================
Equipment                                 Location    Heat    Critical    Mass 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PPC                                          RA        10        3         7.00
ER Large Laser                               LA        12        2         5.00
SRM-4                                        LT        3         1         2.00
ER Medium Laser                              HD        5         1         1.00
@SRM-4 (25)                                  LT        -         1         1.00
                                            Free Critical Slots: 14

BattleForce Statistics
MV      S (+0)  M (+2)  L (+4)  E (+6)   Wt.   Ov   Armor:      5    Points: 16
5j         2       2       2       0      2     0   Structure:  4
Special Abilities: TSM, CASE, SRCH, ES, SOA


[Nav_Alpha]

Bump....

How are we going with the final member, Hairball?

[TJHairball]

Bump....

How are we going with the final member, Hairball?

OK, over the interim of not-being-around-here, I completely forgot my devious plans for the last member, so I decided to just glue in Snimm's submission.  O0

[Stormrider]

Tagged  :)