Hello,
I have a question. Or, I should say, I am attempting to reconcile the Star League introduction of an introductory tech CRD-3R in 2752. Here is what I have:
MUL gives the following introductory dates for CRDs available during the Star League (with any information on who is receiving them by end of SL | tech level):
CRD-1R 2596 (IS General, SLDF General, Merc, RWR Terran Corps | Unknown tech level)
CRD-2R 2649 (IS General, SLDF General, Merc, Periphery General | sophisticated Royal SLDF design, with endo steel, dhs, case, streak, and artemis iv)
CRD-3R 2752 (Merc, SLDF General, Periphery | Introductory tech)
CRD-3L 2753 (Capellan Confederation | Introductory tech)
CRD-3D 2756 (Federated Suns | Introductory tech)
CRD-3K 2765 (Draconis Combine | Introductory tech)
Additionally, there is a line in TRO: 3039 about the CRD-3L being based on the SLDF "variant used for raiding an reconnaissance." (p. 294, "CRD-3R Crusader: Variants"). Since there are only three previous, named variants, my thoughts immediately gravitate to the identity of this raiding and recon variant...
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With this in mind, I wonder a bit why the CRD-3R would have been introduced so late in the Star League without Endo Steel, Ferro Fibrous, and especially Double Heat Sinks and CASE. The lack of the latter two makes this feel like the CRD-3R was a 1SW or 2SW downgrade, rather than contemporaneous with the 28th Century. I decided to take it for face value though, and reconcile this with my perception of late SL 'Mechs, because the results themselves could be pretty interesting. This is my preferred explanation for what the author intended:
The CRD-3R was not meant for SLDF Royal brigades. The CRD-3R was a "raiding and reconnaissance" variant, and the 'Mech would be more widely deployed and available to SLDF units stationed in different parts of the Human Sphere. Therefore, the technology level of a WHM-6R or ARC-2R would be adequate for the task. Rather than an upgrade based upon the Royal CRD-2R (with endo steel, CASE, and DHS), the CRD-3R was based on the CRD-1R. Noting the line of CRDs (-3L, 3D, and -3K) that appear shortly after the the CRD-3R, and explicit mention the CRD-3L was based on the "raiding and reconnaissance" variant (TRO: 3039, p. 294), if the CRD-3R indeed was the raiding and recon variant, perhaps allowing it to walk off the production line without the newest technology was a good idea.
If the author is available, could they confirm this was the thought process? Or if this thought process is somewhat, moderately, or entirely off the mark...? Any answer here would be really informative. Thank you for your time!
S.gage
