So here's my first try at a Proto design using the IS Proto rules from the other thread, and a weapon I made up but which kinda makes sense in-universe. Lemme know what you think!
(Oh, and I'll calculate the BV and cost later. Too lazy right now. Same goes for the variants.)
Edit: BV added.Name: HQN-1A Huwei Quan
Tech Base: IS Quad Protomech
Tonnage: 15 Tons
BV2: 399
Equipment Mass (kg)
Internals: Standard 1,500
Engine: Leenex 60 Std 1,500
Walking MP: 4
Running MP: 6
Jumping MP: 0
Gyro: Standard 1,000
Control Sys: IS Ultra 1,000
Armor Factor: 50 3,000
Internal Armor
Structure Value
Head 4 8
Torso 15 20
Main Gun 2 6
Legs 16 16
Equipment Loc Mass (kg)
L.PlasRifle MG 3,000
@Plasma (24) MG 1,200
erµLAS MG 250
6 HS 1,800
Light MG T 500
@LMG (50) T 250
Overview Though Republic Intelligence has yet to get an inside look at this new design, we have ascertained that the Huwei Quan -- whose name, roughly translated from Chinese, means "guard dog" -- was developed in 3091 as an outgrowth of the Capellans' ongoing efforts to build up their armed forces. The decision to mass-produce the as-yet untested Protomechs for this purpose was likely made based on cost and the availability of suitable parts.
Its components are a mix of old and new; its gyro and engine (minus the too-bulky heat dispersal system), along with a number of armor sections, look as though they've been taken wholesale from the venerable UrbanMech. We're certain there was a large surplus of old Leenex 60-rated fusion engines in the Capellan stockpiles, even after the rampant destruction of the Jihad. This -- and no small amount of political lobbying -- likely influenced the decision to supplement the CCAF with ProtoMechs, rather than build slower, more vulnerable Light BattleMechs like the UrbanMech.
Capabilities The engine can push the Huwei Quan up to 65kph, which is more than sufficient for garrison duty -- particularly against the slower designs likely to be used by hostile Periphery or former League states. Few have been seen on the worlds bordering the Republic; we're not sure whether this is because the Capellans don't know we've already reverse-engineered our own ProtoMechs, or whether they simply feel it is inappropriate for facing the tactics we favor.
The armor is quite tough for a design so small. We've heard rumors that it is possible for a Huwei Quan to take a Gauss slug or even an AC-20 burst to the torso and survive, though it's unlikely that squads of these ProtoMechs are meant to directly engage targets wielding such heavy weaponry without substantial support.
The Huwei Quan's armament is respectable for a ProtoMech of its size. Along with a torso-mounted light machine gun, primarily intended for defense against infantry, the Huwei Quan boasts a turret-mounted light plasma rifle, newly developed by Ceres Arms and finding its way onto a wide assortment of Capellan units these days. It provides decent range and power against multiple different targets, and is quite suitable for engaging any type of target, from infantry all the way up to vehicles and BattleMechs. Alongside the plasma weapon is an ER Micro laser, likely an afterthought.
What really sets the Huwei Quan apart from our, and even the Clans', ProtoMech designs is its surprising versatility. The turret-mount and its accompanying ammunition bin were designed to be removable, making it possible to refit the ProtoMech in the field with mission-appropriate armaments. Our operatives have already spotted several variants mounting everything from an AC-2 to LRM racks to Streak SRMs and lasers.
Deployment The CCAF has deployed their new ProtoMechs on only a handful of worlds as yet. The closest to our border the Huwei Quan has gotten, as far as Republic Intel knows, is a squad on Kaifeng. We also have word of Proto's being delivered to little-known border worlds such as Yuris and Shiba. The decision to provide brand new technology to such backwater militias is quite obviously a publicity stunt, both on the part of the Chancellor and Ceres Arms.
Edit: Deployment fluff edited, since Halloran and Styk are no longer in Capellan hands. Which is a shame, since I had a nice MW4 reference in there.Edit 2: Internals changed back to Standard. Fluff tweaked accordingly.