’Mech of the Week: AS7-D-H* Atlas II
Atlas II. The Royal
Atlas. Kerensky’s next stage to the iconic design. Prized find of the Clans. Mounting a visage reminiscent of Lord Vader sans his helmet. (Though after playing lots of
The Old Republic, the visage looks more like Darth Malgus to me…)
When the AS7-D
Atlas entered service in 2755, it was but step one in General Kerensky’s goal of reasserting the dominance of the SLDF over the House militaries. Ten years later, as the New Vandenburg revolt broke out, the AS7-D-H
Atlas II started to roll out. Facing formidable odds they performed admirably, one of them even being driven by Kerensky himself in his breakout.
First produced at the Weapons Division of the Hegemony Research and Development Department on New Earth, the
Atlas II uses the same skeleton and 300-rated Vlar engine of its progenitor. Seventeen tons of ferro-fibrous armor was used to give the same amount of protection as its forebear’s nineteen tons of standard plate. Said protection is laid out in a 9, 47/14, 32/10, 34, 41 pattern (head, center front/rear, side front/rear, arms legs). While still using a 20-rack LRM and 6-pack SRM launcher like its father design, the launchers themselves have been redesigned (so no 5-tube quick-firing LRM-20). In addition the design totes a Class-10 LB-X autocannon in the right arm (looking like a minigun), two extended-model large lasers in the left arm, and two medium pulses in the left torso. Two tons of LRM, two of LB-X, and one of SRM ammunition are stored in the CASEd side torsos. Fourteen heat sinks struggle mightily with the heat stresses.
That factory was destroyed in the early days of the Amaris Coup (since the date listed in the TRO is likely a typo, 2766 or 2767 seem about right). In the aftermath, General Kerensky led his forces to take the Rim Worlds Republic, where the design was put into mass production. During the breakdown of relations following the Liberation, the AS7-D-H2 model entered service in 2780. This variant swaps the large lasers for an extended-model Particle Cannon, and the LB-X for a Gauss Rifle. One heat sink was also removed.
When the Exodus came every
Atlas II went on the Journey Into the Unknown. So did most of the plans apparently, save a copy or two held by the nascent ComStar. The Clans highly prized these machines, whenever one was found in a Brian Cache. This was no doubt assisted by the fact that one was the Founder’s ’Mech of choice. The version he died in (technically dragging the Widowmakers with him) had been upgraded to Clantech.
With that switch, the ferro-fibrous armor drops to sixteen tons, but adds the last three points of armor, one to the center rear, and one to each leg. The weaponry of the AS7-D-H was upgraded, with the missile launchers gaining Artemis IV fire-control. An ECM suite and active probe were added. Finally, the chassis carries nineteen double-strength heat sinks.
One
Atlas II survived long enough to be used by the Jade Falcons on Tukayyid.
That isn’t to say that ComStar didn’t make a few. And when the Word of Blake inherited their storage spaces on Terra, the Blakists also took a liking to it (even though they must have realized that Nicky used one). During the Jihad, the
Atlas II was put into production on Hesperus II where it continued to be produced by the Lyrans afterwards. I will also note that some escapee on Kittery grabbed one, repainted it as a skeleton, and used it to become leader of the Coalition and later, the Republic of the Sphere.
He even made a cameo on the cover of
Strategic Operations.Using one is like using an
Atlas. You are a presence on the battlefield, expect a lot of attention. You have some heat issues, so try and avoid the Big Red Button (aka Alpha Striking). You can choose to wade into your foes, bringing the fear of Death to them. Or, as you are a lot better armed than your forebear in long-range firepower, shoot from a distance.
Fighting one is the same as facing its parent design, and starts with getting your heavy hitters ready. Give him as much attention as you think he deserves. Gauss Rifles, Particle Cannons, and other means of removing his head should always be used. Heat-inducing weapons are also nice if he gets close enough. And if you have the gunnery skill and the equipment to do so, targeting one of his side torsos (the right has more stored ammunition) works too. CASEd or not, ammo explosions suck. And if you manage to take out both side torsos… he’s the Black Knight from Monty Python, and can only kick you.
Now I cannot be sure if the
Atlas II is still being produced. It is a nice design, rugged and all that. But Hesperus II has had a few battles since then, and the general chaos of the post-Blackout period has made things hazy. That said, it is likely we will still get to see it soldering on. At least until Devin Stone dies (probably from decapitation in his
Atlas II).