Okay, folks. We all have our favorites BattleMechs--we know them, we love them, we use them as often as we can!
Today, as a thought exercise, how about we (the posters here at CBT) form our own Merc unit? We all get to choose (EDIT) any TWO BattleMechs produced by the Inner Sphere (including the Star League) up to 3050 or any IS/Periphery Age of War design (once again, up to 3050 and NOT including any Clan 'Mechs or OmniMechs or technology). (EDIT) If you choose two 'Mechs, please make those choices in two separate weight classes (Light, Medium, Heavy, or Assault). What I mean here is if your first choice is a Heavy, then their 2nd can be either a Light, Medium, or Assault--just not another Heavy.
That is right, sports fans--you get one 'Mech and one 'Mech only.
So choose wisely.
I'll start.
My choice is the TDR-5Sb 'Royal' Thunderbolt. A 65-ton Heavy BattleMech, the legendary Thud isn't the prettiest gal at the ball, and she ain't the fastest. But she is tough, reliable, and has good enough firepower.
Thunderbolt TDR-5Sb
Mass: 65 tons
Tech Base: Inner Sphere
Chassis Config: Biped
Rules Level: Tournament Legal
Era: Age of War/Star League
Tech Rating/Era Availability: E/E-F-E
Production Year: 2760
Cost: 6,141,410 C-Bills
Battle Value: 1,613
Chassis: Unknown Endo-Steel
Power Plant: Unknown 260 Fusion Engine
Walking Speed: 43.2 km/h
Maximum Speed: 64.8 km/h
Jump Jets: None
Jump Capacity: 0 meters
Armor: Unknown Standard Armor w/ CASE
Armament:
1 ER PPC
1 LRM-15 w/ Artemis IV FCS
3 Medium Lasers
1 Streak SRM-2
2 Small Pulse Lasers
Manufacturer: Unknown
Primary Factory: Unknown
Communications System: Unknown
Targeting and Tracking System: Unknown
================================================================================
Equipment Type Rating Mass
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Internal Structure: Endo-Steel 104 points 3.50
Internal Locations: 2 CT, 2 LT, 4 LA, 2 RA, 2 LL, 2 RL
Engine: Fusion Engine 260 13.50
Walking MP: 4
Running MP: 6
Jumping MP: 0
Heat Sinks: Double Heat Sink 14(28) 4.00
Heat Sink Locations: 2 LT, 1 RT, 1 RA
Gyro: Standard 3.00
Cockpit: Standard 3.00
Actuators: L: SH+UA+LA+H R: SH+UA+LA+H
Armor: Standard Armor AV - 208 13.00
CASE Locations: 1 RT 0.50
Internal Armor
Structure Factor
Head 3 9
Center Torso 21 30
Center Torso (rear) 11
L/R Torso 15 24
L/R Torso (rear) 6
L/R Arm 10 20
L/R Leg 15 29
================================================================================
Equipment Location Heat Critical Mass
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ER PPC RA 15 3 7.00
2 Small Pulse Lasers LA 4 2 2.00
LRM-15 RT 5 3 7.00
Artemis IV FCS RT - 1 1.00
Streak SRM-2 RT 2 1 1.50
3 Medium Lasers LT 9 3 3.00
@Streak SRM-2 (50) RT - 1 1.00
@LRM-15 (Artemis) (16) RT - 2 2.00
Free Critical Slots: 4
BattleForce Statistics
MV S (+0) M (+2) L (+4) E (+6) Wt. Ov Armor: 7 Points: 16
4 4 4 2 0 3 0 Structure: 5
Special Abilities: CASE, SRCH, ES, SEAL, SOA, IF 1
Where the black-hearted Taurian scoundrel known as Master (Sergeant) Arminas managed to find, repair, and place into service a genuine vintage SLDF Royal Thunderbolt, no one knows for sure--and Arminas ain't talking. What is known is that he showed up a few years back in this battered and scarred war-machine and (so far, at least) has been lucky enough to avoid crippling damage that would require scrapping the irreplaceable 'Mech.
Assigned to a heavy lance tasked with direct assault, Arminas often eschews subtlety in favor of overwhelming concentrated firepower--in one noted engagement where his Lieutenant was temporarily out of communication, the NCO ordered his entire lance to intensify forward firepower . . . against a single Phoenix Hawk!
Needless to say, the Pixie went BOOM.
Although eccentric in nature (and rather obsessed with the proper application of what most others would term overkill), Arminas is a valued addition to any command.
What is your choice?
MA
