Rottweiler Battle Armor - Technical Readout 3075 page 23
The Rottweiler is the third of the quadruped Battle Armor designs that have found their way into service with the Lyrans, and while many may favor the heavier and more powerfully armed Fenrir, I believe that the Rottweiler is the best designed of the canon quads. With a decent blend of payload, protection and mobility the suit is well balanced, and if I was to protest about anything, it would be that it really should have been named the Greyhound or the Whippet, in recognition of its superb ground speed.
Originally introduced in Combat Equipment, the Rottweiler was noted as having barely made it into service in time for the FedCom Civil War. Beginning production in March 3065 after nearly four years of development, a few squads had been issued to the 11th Lyran Regulars and saw combat during the fighting against the Free Skye insurrectionists. Many Rottweilers were lost as part of a holding action to allow the majority of the unit to retreat off world, with the survivors then waging a guerilla war to keep the Free Skye forces off balance. After this harsh debut, the Rottweiler spread throughout the rest of the LAAF and served with distinction during the Jihad. Republished in Technical Readout 3075, we learn more details of the Rottweiler's service during the Jihad, at the expense of its brief history of combat in the Civil War, together with the introduction of two of the three variants that have been developed alongside the original standard model.
If there's one word that can be used to describe the Rottweiler, then that word would be "fast". Really, Rottweilers should be issued with go-faster stripes painted down the sides or perhaps flames instead, just to make sure that everybody knows that the design is all about speed. Able to run at an incredible 54 kph, this was only matched at the time by the VTOL-capable Sylph and in more recent years has finally been equaled by the Enhanced Sylph that requires advanced Clan technology to achieve the same ground speed.
Significantly, this speed allows the Rottweiler to obtain a +2 Target Movement Modifier, matching the bonus achievable by the typical Medium Battle Armor design with a jump capability of 90 meters, however this is only possible in clear terrain. Ideally, Rottweilers need to avoid rough terrain so that they do not suffer any loss of speed while coping with trees, rocks, slopes and similar restrictions, and where they really shine is in urban warfare. The high ground speed allows Rottweiler squads to zip around between and inside buildings, sometimes able to maneuver to a location unobtainable than jump-capable suits, or faster than they would be able to achieve.
Although not described as an urban combat specialist, the standard Rottweiler does mount weaponry that has limited range and thus would suffer in more open environments. With a Small Laser backed by a Firedrake needler, the Rottweiler is capable of engaging both armored targets and conventional infantry with equal aplomb, and it'll be a rare infantry platoon that manages to survive an encounter. The Rottweiler also comes with Improved Sensors, which further assist in urban combat, potentially enabling the suit to detect ambushes before they're tripped, either turning the tables on the concealed foes or escaping to safety.
Unlike the Fenrir, and returning to the design model introduced by the Sloth, the Rottweiler avoids the use of a turret and installs its weaponry in fixed mounts. This can prove problematic in RPG play, but imposes no restrictions in BattleTech scenarios, with all Battle Armor treated as having 360 degree coverage in the tactical game. The Rottweiler's write-up does note that this construction style did allow for the suit to be built as low-slung as possible, thus making it a more difficult target, however this is purely a cosmetic effect in game terms, offering no defensive bonus.
Compared to the other two canon quad designs, the Rottweiler's armor is far more respectable. While still unable to withstand a hit by a standard PPC or even a Large Laser, the armor can at least allow the suit to survive a hit by a Clantech Medium Pulse Laser or ER Medium Laser, weapons that may be commonly encountered due to the Lyran Alliance bordering Clan space. In addition to this protection, the designers opted to use Basic Stealth composites, reducing the accuracy of incoming fire from enemy armored units. Unfortunately, this stealth capability has no effect on conventional infantry, which will be frequent opponents in urban combat; however, given the Rottweiler's firepower and speed, they should be able to handle a few such encounters without serious problems.
The 5kg Mission Equipment bay is a peculiar feature, one that seemingly has absolutely no use, even as described in the design's write-up. Combat Equipment does note that the bay is situated where the Rottweiler's "jaws" would be, but doesn't explain what it's actually used for. As a quad suit, there's no way for the operator to access the exterior hatch, nor is there any mention of an interior hatch. Despite the name, as noted in the Tech Manual, Mission Equipment bays should more properly be viewed as cargo bays, so it can't even be used to install some form of lightweight equipment to be used while the suit is active. My guess is that it's used purely as a way for the operator to carry some limited supplies in case they're forced to abandon the suit, or perhaps as a way to carry physical messages, with similar limited uses being possible.
Despite its affinity to urban combat, the standard Rottweiler is described as primarily being used as a reconnaissance unit, scouting for enemy troops and acting as artillery observers. The first variant to enter production during the Jihad was specifically intended for close combat, supposedly due to shortages of the Infiltrator Mk II and the loss of the Gray Death factory. Personally, I wouldn't consider the Infiltrator Mk II as a close combat design, or the Gray Death Scout for that matter, although the GD Standard could fit the bill. Swapping the Small Laser and Firedrake for a Flamer and Machine Gun, the Close Combat variant doesn't really offer any real improvement at short ranges and would better be labeled as an anti-infantry unit in my opinion. Mislabeled or not, the Rottweiler (Close Combat) doesn't really differ all that much from the original model, offering no significant change in capabilities.
The next variant diverges much more from the Rottweiler (Standard), changing both the offensive armament and the sensor system. The Rottweiler (Upgrade), as it is designated, is intended for defensive operations, and is equipped to allow it to fight at greater ranges than the earlier models. Although the Upgrade’s King David Light Gauss Rifle has unimpressive damage, it does at least have a significant reach in Battle Armor terms, and in particular can be very effective against vehicles, inflicting critical hits at ranges that other armored infantry cannot match. Similarly, the Improved Sensors have been swapped for a Remote Sensor Dispenser, which can also be effective at a greater distance, although it does rely upon first getting close to actually place the sensors.
The Upgrade variant can be a useful unit during double blind games, especially those set in urban environments, with the rules for the Remote Sensors covered in Tactical Operations. Using their high speed to rapidly traverse the battlefield, Rottweiler units can quickly cast a web of tripwires that can pinpoint enemy forces, often providing a critical advantage. Outside of double blind games, the sensors can still be useful, allowing the owning player to use them for spotting for artillery or indirect LRMs.
Not seen until the Old Is The New New section of Technical Readout 3085, the Firedrake variant is the most combat orientated version of the Rottweiler, removing the sensor package to install extra armor. Now protected by nine points of armor, matching suits such as the IS Standard, the Rottweiler (Firedrake) is still unable to withstand hits by PPCs and similar heavy weapons, but it can at least absorb a single strike by Inner Sphere medium-heavyweights such as Large Lasers and Large Pulse Lasers. As the name suggests, the latest Rottweiler variant is armed with Firedrakes, mounting no less than four of them. This is actually overkill for engaging single infantry platoons, so where the opportunity presents I would always split fire between multiple targets. The quadruple array of weapons can also make for a useful crit seeker, although the limited range can restrict this usage.
As I've stated in earlier articles, I'm not a fan of quad Battle Armor, however in my opinion the Rottweiler is the most usable of the three canon designs produced so far. I would prefer a different armament mix, but apart from the Upgrade version, the various models do at least mount a respectable level of sustained firepower, greater than any other Inner Sphere Medium Battle Armor design. The range issue can at least be compensated for by the Rottweiler's high speed, even if closing the range may place units at greater risk to return fire. The high speed also helps the odd one out among the Rottweiler's variants, with the Upgrade better able to keep the range open if it needs to, although it should be acknowledged that many foes can afford to ignore the relatively pitiful amount of damage that can be inflicted.
I don't believe you can do wrong by selecting the Rottweiler for your forces and it certainly can add some powerful abilities that cannot be matched by bipedal designs. The lack of jump jets can sometimes be a major problem, and the inability to inflict Anti-'Mech attacks or conduct Mechanized Battle Armor operations are tough losses to stomach for a Medium suit, however if you play the Rottweiler to its strengths these restrictions can be minimized. As an urban fighter, the Rottweiler is a great choice, although I found it works best when partnered with some jump capable suits. Overall, I feel that the Lyran designers finally got it right with the Rottweiler, and if you have to go quad then this is the suit to pick.
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