Little-known outside the testing grounds of New Earth Trading Company, this variant of the premier 'mech destroyer took cues from the Mk. IV, but exchanged the three bulky autocannon for a staggering fifteen Maxell Mk. II medium lasers. Allegedly the project lead for the Mk. V had said, "Why aren't we using that fusion reactor?" then set out to push the envelope. The results were striking.
Visually, the sheer bulk of the cooling system required a raised deck behind the lightened turret, and aerospace pumps, heatsinks and coolant had to be employed to deal with the gigawatts of excess heat - nothing else would fit.
Tactically, the firepower of so many lasers was undeniable, and more than comparable to the three AC/20. Simulated targets were nearly vapourised by a full-power barrage, and an improvised 'five-five-five' firing pattern allowed continuous sustained fire in what the test crew nicknamed "the beam-hose".
However, there were problems: under heavy load, the cooling hump would glow red-hot, and in exercises, crew had to stay buttoned-up or risk severe burns when in battle. Even without that, the tracks would expand from the heat and need re-tensioning... but the crew would have to wait until the deck cooled to emerge, increasing the chances of a thrown track. The crew compartment had to have its own separate coolant loop as well. These issues could have been solved. What finally sunk it was that the normally low-slung, quiet-running tank was both louder (thanks to the cooling system) and much easier to find in a battle, as when firing it became a beacon on infra-red; a real problem for its short-ranged weaponry.
Uniquely, the Mk. V was the only Alacorn to ever mount an anti-personnel weapon, however superfluous: one Maxell small pulse laser in the front.
Alacorn Mk. V
Mass: 95 tons
Tech Base: Inner Sphere
Motive Type: Tracked
Rules Level: Tournament Legal
Era: Age of War/Star League
Tech Rating/Era Availability: E/E-F-E-D
Production Year: 2589
Dry Cost: 16,228,875 C-Bills
Total Cost: 16,228,875 C-Bills
Battle Value: 1,457
Power Plant: Pitban 285 Fusion XL Engine
Cruise Speed: 32.4 km/h
Flanking Speed: 54.0 km/h
Armor: Star Guard Type VG Ferro-Fibrous
Armament:
15 Maxell Mk. II Medium Lasers
1 Maxell Small Pulse Laser
Manufacturer: New Earth Trading Company
Primary Factory:
Communications System: CeresCom Recon Model 20
Targeting and Tracking System: TharHes Digital Scanlok 331
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Equipment Type Rating Mass
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Internal Structure: Standard 50 points 9.50
Engine: XL Fusion Engine 285 13.00
Cruise MP: 3
Flank MP: 5
Heat Sinks: Single Heat Sink 47 37.00
Control Equipment: 5.00
Lift Equipment: 0.00
Turret: 1.50
Armor: Ferro-Fibrous AV - 232 13.00
Armor
Factor
Front 50
Left/Right 46/46
Turret 50
Rear 40
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Equipment Location Heat Spaces Mass
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Small Pulse Laser FR 2 1 1.00
15 Medium Lasers T 45 15 15.00
BattleForce Statistics
MV S (+0) M (+2) L (+4) E (+6) Wt. Ov Armor: 8 Points: 15
3t 8 8 0 0 4 0 Structure: 5
Special Abilities: ENE, TUR(8/8/0)
Design Quirks: Prototype
