In the final days of the invasion of Terra, the Word of Blake had begun producing and building newer and more desperate ideas to shore up defenses of humanity's homeworld. Central to this, was the designing and proliferation of fully autonomous drones- from the space above to battlemechs- that were intended to shore up the dire lack of pilots late in the war. The "ghoul", was one of several drone designs on the ground that coalition forces fought against in the final months.
Ghoul UBM-0C
Mass: 20 tons
Tech Base: Inner Sphere
Chassis Config: Quad
Rules Level: Experimental Tech
Era: Clan Invasion
Tech Rating/Era Availability: E/X-X-F
Production Year: 3070
Cost: 1,230,000 C-Bills
Battle Value: 337
Chassis: Unknown Endo-Steel
Power Plant: Unknown 180 Fusion Engine
Walking Speed: 97.2 km/h
Maximum Speed: 151.2 km/h
Jump Jets: None
Jump Capacity: 0 meters
Armor: Unknown Standard Armor
Armament:
None
Manufacturer: Unknown
Primary Factory: Unknown
Communications System: Unknown
Targeting and Tracking System: Unknown
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Equipment Type Rating Mass
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Internal Structure: Endo-Steel 35 points 1.00
Internal Locations: 3 LT, 3 RT, 2 FLL, 2 FRL, 2 RLL, 2 RRL
Engine: Fusion Engine 180 7.00
Walking MP: 9
Running MP: 14
Jumping MP: 0
Heat Sinks: Single Heat Sink 10 0.00
Heat Sink Locations: 1 HD, 1 LT, 1 RT
Gyro: Standard 2.00
Cockpit: Robotic 4.00
Actuators: L: H+UL+LL+F R: H+UL+LL+F
Armor: Standard Armor AV - 64 4.00
Internal Armor
Structure Factor
Head 3 9
Center Torso 6 9
Center Torso (rear) 2
L/R Torso 5 8
L/R Torso (rear) 2
L/R Front Leg 4 6
L/R Rear Leg 4 6
Booby Trap CT 1 Crit 0 Heat 2.00 tons
Though there is little reason for it's nickname, the "ghoul" is a design that is essentially an enigma, though it's purpose as a remote-guided suicide bomber is obvious. Built from devils peak in massive numbers from spare parts (a fact that was discovered only when coalition forces inspected the sparse remains) the "Ghoul" were pack-based, doglike 'mechs that commonly were hid in pre-prepared positions beforehand, and only activated once a battleline had advanced far enough ahead. With only enough directives to arm the explosive and to seek prime targets, and with no second thoughts as to it's decision making, the "ghoul" was a terrifying force... when it worked.
Like the Revenant, the "Ghoul" suffered from even the most basic ECM interference, with most being crippled and shutting off once they began to close with chosen targets. Worse yet, a fault likely left over in case a Ghoul should get it's IFF detection damaged or improperly calibrated after restarting meant that it's booby trap would be disarmed if the Ghoul should ever shut down- which led to many odd moments in which a Ghoul would run up to an unsuspecting enemy, pass within 15 meters, and then stop as if it was expecting another order. It turns out, that the Word never programed the Ghoul to return if the explosive did not fire, and even the Ghoul's basic programming would leave it motionless on the battlefield. For this reason alone, the Ghoul was the most heavily salvaged drone during the retaking of Terra, but because of it's extremely basic programming there is little to learn how the drones were programmed, or how terrible their army could have been if they had more time.
