During the build-up to Operation REVIVAL, Clan Hells Horses was faced with a lack of suitable DropShips to transport its forces if they won a place in the Invasion (and they fully intended to). The aging Lion and Sassanid were not exactly ideal as to transport a Nova you would require the use of two different DropShips, both of which would need escorting and their own supplies as well as increased fuel consumption. There was also the tactical delay in unifying the forces from both craft as it might not be possible to land close together. The state of the Lion's in Horse service was also a cause for alarm as the ships had deteriorated greatly over the years and many would need expensive and extensive overhauls before being fit to be returned to service.
Originally ordered by Khan Darwin Lassenerra, the Scientists of her Clan were to design a ship that could carry at least two Nova's worth of forces into combat and be capable of protecting itself from hostile craft and even be able to support ground troops if necessary. Looking at historical records the Horse scientists settled on an aerodyne bodied ship that was in part based on the Triumph class that had seen service in the SLDF. The main change was the size, the new craft would be 400 tons heavier, bringing her up to 400 tons and would incorporate Ferro-Aluminium armour for protection, saving weight whilst adding to the crafts hide. The engines were more potent and would allow the ship to reach a higher speed, useful in a combat situation when racing to either land troops or reach a target world before defenders could react.
The armament was ruthlessly standardized with lasers, particle cannons, LRMs and anti-missile defences making the new ship a prickly target for interceptors and able to engage hostile Assault DropShips if needed.
With the additional tonnage available to them the Scientists managed to fit not only enough space for a Trinary of Mechs but a Trinary of Elementals and a Binary of vehicles of any type as well as 700 tons of cargo space. Unfortunately, the ship was extremely cramped and uncomfortable with crew quarters spartan even by Clan standards, but the design met and exceeded the Khan's request and she would call the class the Impi after the ancient Zulu military formation. This was to be one of the Khan's last acts and she would die several months later, which slowed the project with the first being constructed in 3044
The death of Khan Lair Seidman and the damage done to the Horses military and industrial strength put the brakes on the Impi program as the resources were needed elsewhere and the five built would be the only ones in service for the foreseeable future. No other Clan trailed for the design of the Impi as they felt that with its vehicle bays it was far too 'specialized' for their use, and as none of the Invaders would be using vehicles in their assaults, there wasn't a need for it in REVIVAL. Khan Malavai Fletcher would order new Impi's to be constructed from 3053 and the design came to the attention of the new ilKhan in the dark days after Tukkayid and the name 'Quicksilver' spread across the Chatternet.
Impi DropShip
Base Tech Level: Standard (Clan)
Level Era
-------------------
Experimental -
Advanced -
Standard 3145+
Tech Rating: F/X-X-X-E
Weight: 9000 tons
BV: 11,306
Cost: 606,981,600 C-bills
Movement: 4/6
Heat Sinks: 137 [274]
Fuel Points: 0/12000 (400.0 tons)
Tons Per Burn Day: 1.84
Structural Integrity: 14
Armor: 841 (Ferro-Aluminum)
Armor
-------------------
Nose 246
Left Side 211
Right Side 211
Aft 173
Weapons Loc Heat
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Laser Bay NOS 24
ER Large Laser
ER Large Laser
Laser Bay LS 12
ER Large Laser
Laser Bay AFT 24
ER Large Laser
ER Large Laser
Laser Bay RS 12
ER Large Laser
Pulse Laser Bay RS 28
Large Pulse Laser
Large Pulse Laser
Medium Pulse Laser
Medium Pulse Laser
Pulse Laser Bay LS 28
Large Pulse Laser
Large Pulse Laser
Medium Pulse Laser
Medium Pulse Laser
Pulse Laser Bay AFT 36
Large Pulse Laser
Large Pulse Laser
Medium Pulse Laser
Medium Pulse Laser
Medium Pulse Laser
Medium Pulse Laser
Pulse Laser Bay NOS 16
Medium Pulse Laser
Medium Pulse Laser
Medium Pulse Laser
Medium Pulse Laser
AC Bay LS 2
Gauss Rifle
Gauss Rifle
Gauss Rifle Ammo [Clan] 56
AC Bay RS 2
Gauss Rifle
Gauss Rifle
Gauss Rifle Ammo [Clan] 72
AMS Bay NOS 2
Anti-Missile System
Anti-Missile System
Anti-Missile System Ammo [Clan] 192
AMS Bay RS 2
Anti-Missile System
Anti-Missile System
Anti-Missile System Ammo [Clan] 192
AMS Bay LS 2
Anti-Missile System
Anti-Missile System
Anti-Missile System Ammo [Clan] 192
AMS Bay AFT 2
Anti-Missile System
Anti-Missile System
Anti-Missile System Ammo [Clan] 192
LRM Bay NOS 12
LRM 20
LRM 20
LRM 20 (Clan) Artemis-capable Ammo 48
LRM Bay LS 12
LRM 20
LRM 20
LRM 20 (Clan) Artemis-capable Ammo 48
LRM Bay RS 12
LRM 20
LRM 20
LRM 20 (Clan) Artemis-capable Ammo 48
PPC Bay NOS 60
ER PPC
ER PPC
ER PPC
ER PPC
Equipment Loc
---------------------
Artemis IV FCS NOS
Artemis IV FCS NOS
Artemis IV FCS LS
Artemis IV FCS LS
Artemis IV FCS RS
Artemis IV FCS RS
Carrying Capacity
-----------------
Mech (2 doors) - 15 units
Cargo Space (2 doors) - 700 tons
Battle Armor Bay (2 doors) - 15 Points
Heavy Vehicle Bay (2 doors) - 20 units
Crew
-----------------------
Officers 0
Enlisted/Non-rated 6
Gunners 8
Bay Personnel 280
10 x Escape Pods
10 x Lifeboats
My first dropship made on Megamek, lemme know what you think folks!
