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Aculeus class Dropship

Type: Military Aerodyne 
Use: Assault Transport
Technology: Clan
Introduced: 3054
Mass: 1,900 tons

Dimensions
   Length: 65.5 meters
   Width: 51.6 meters
   Height: 22.4 meters

Fuel: 250 tons (10,000 fuel points)
Tons/Burn-day: 1.84
Safe Thrust: 5
Maximum Thrust: 8
Heat Sinks: 103 (206)
Structural Integrity: 14

Armor
   Fore: 512
   Sides: 402
   Aft: 252

Cargo
   Bay 1:   â€˜Mech (1) 1 door
   Bay 2: Fighters (2) 1 doors
   Bay 3: Battle Armor Point/Squad (1) / Cargo (104.5 tons) 1 door

Escape Pods: 1
Life Boats: 0
Crew: 8 minimum (1 officer, 7 enlisted/non-rated)

Ammunition: 48 rounds Gauss Rifle ammunition (6 tons), 144 rounds LRM 20 ammunition (24 tons)

Notes: Equipped with 63 tons of Ferro-Aluminum armor.

Weapons Capital Attack Values (Standard)
Arc (Heat) Type     Short Medium Long    Extreme Class
     Nose (50 Heat)
2 Gauss Rifles      3 (30)   3 (30) 3 (30)      - Autocannon
2 LRM 20+Artemis      3 (32) 3 (32) 3 (32)      - LRM
3 ER Large Lasers      3 (30) 3 (30) 3 (30)    3 (30) Laser
     LW/RW (132 Heat)
2 ER PPCs      3 (30)      3 (30) 3 (30)         - PPC
2 LRM 20+Artemis 3 (32)      3 (32) 3 (32)         - LRM
2 ER Large Lasers 2 (20)      2 (20) 2 (20)      2 (20) Laser
     Aft (24 Heat)
2 ER Large Lasers 2 (20)      2 (20) 2 (20)      2 (20) Laser
Overview:
The relationship between the Steel Viper and Goliath Scorpion Clans has always been based upon mutual respect. Warriors on both sides regularly acknowledged the combat skills and tactical acumen of their rivals. When saKhan Ren Posavatz challenged the Vipers for a position in their invasion force and won this well founded esteem seemed to grow. Despite the disappearance of this senior Mechwarrior and his elite ‘Mech star on Tukayyid this friendship has apparently continued to expand. During the Twelfth Challenge of the Quicksilver Trails the two Clans successfully worked together on the Golden Lion OmniMech.
   So when Khan Ariel Suvorov was asked to consult on the Kheshig Project by Clan Steel Viper she likely thought her Clan would be able to repay some of the debt it had accumulated during the earlier phases of the Quicksilver Trails. Never would she have dreamt of a scenario which would lead to the creation of this Dropship. However, keen on developing the Scorpion’s Aerospace Force the Khan accepted confident that she would share in the fruits of a new design effort. Stunned after reviewing the Free Guilds available resources she soon realized the Scorpions could field their own ship designed to give them a distinct tactical advantage in any situation.
   Based on the retired Leopard class Dropship this design was part Assault Ship and part Combined Arms Transport. Drawing heavily on the Avenger’s weaponry and the Broadsword’s speed this battle wagon could quickly deliver a small force effectively into almost any combat zone. While saKhan Nelson Elam and Master of Instruction Nikolai Djerassi voiced serious concerns over such an investment the results seem to have proven Khan Suvorov correct at least in the short term. Aptly named the Aculeus for the sting of the Scorpion this new Dropship could be the decisive edge which the Khan was seeking for her Clan.
 
Capabilities:
   Built to deploy the smallest piece of a Goliath Scorpion combined arms unit (3 mixed points) and insert it into a variety of battlefields the Aculeus is something akin to a Special Forces transport. While the element of stealth is of course absent in true Clan fashion this design has some pretty impressive capabilities. Intending to match the speed and firepower of the Avenger the final product would fall short of 5.5Gs of thrust. However, mating the Peterson 211 Drive System with the Leopard’s hull did produce 4Gs of thrust at maximum burn which designers considered outstanding for a transport.
   With two Gauss Rifles, four Extended Range Particle Projection Cannons, six Long Range Missile 20 systems with Artemis IV FCS, and nine Extended Range Large Lasers it does exceed the impressive arsenal of the Avenger. The structural integrity of the Leopard was doubled also surpassing the Assault Ship’s sturdy hull. The armor too was replaced with sixty three tons of Clan Ferro Aluminum tripling the available protection of the Leopard. Thanks to Clan technology the crew complement has been reduced by one officer to a total of eight personnel.
   With only a single ‘Mech bay, two fighter bays and room for five Elementals it takes five of these ships to carry a Battle (Mixed Services) Trinary into action. Since many Clans do not utilize such formations it is currently remains unknown if this design will draw much interest outside the Goliath Scorpion Clan. With fuel tanks nearly doubled from the Leopard to facilitate long range operations speculation about this being a Seeker vessel is also plausible. Some have suggested that the Watch could also use such ships for independent recon missions.

Deployment:
   The Goliath Scorpions plan to refit as many Leopards as they can into Aculeus with the help of the Steel Vipers and the Free Guilds. How rapidly these ships will proliferate their touman depends upon their available resources. The first vessels were immediately assigned to the renowned Heartvenom Cluster for extensive field testing. These upgraded Assault Transports have yet to see actual combat with potential opponents wary to challenge its capabilities.
   While Clan Steel Viper and the Free Guilds were instrumental in the construction of these formidable Dropships neither apparently wants to field it. The Vipers instead are leveraging their rights to lure the Wolf Clan into a deal which could include a joint attack against the Jade Falcons. The Wolves have expressed interest in acquiring the design for use with its 4th Striker Cluster of Epsilon Galaxy which was patterned after Goliath Scorpion formations but it is unknown if they would commit to such an arrangement.
     Speculation that the Vipers also plan to reactivate Leopard CVs based upon the success of this project is also circulating. With its unique aerospace stars composed of five fighters it is thought that the Clan would utilize these proposed Assault Carriers to augment its strength. However rumors also say that this is but one Dropship design being looked at by the Steel Vipers for future manufacturing.
   While forbidden from fielding any weaponized equipment the Free Guilds have made use of the Aculeus. Evidently the Guilders reached an agreement with Clan Diamond Shark to acquire the design. It was the Sharks who first produced the Broadsword and have now begun to sell captured InnerSphere Leopards refitted as Assault Transports to other Clans. Star Adder has eagerly acquired most of the ships but has yet to deploy them with any units thus far. Reportedly one was also bought by Cloud Cobra missionaries who are in the process of departing the Homeworlds for their first mission to spread the Way.

Can't wait too see what else you have going!

Pentagon IIC class Dropship

Type: Military Spheroid
Use: Assault Ship
Technology: Clan
Introduced: 3054
Mass: 4,000 tons

Dimensions
   Length: 89 meters
   Width: 75 meters
   Height: 82 meters

Fuel: 500 tons (15,000 fuel points)
Tons/Burn-day: 1.84
Safe Thrust: 7
Maximum Thrust: 11
Heat Sinks: 270 (540)
Structural Integrity: 21

Armor
   Fore: 541
   Sides: 472
   Aft: 411

Cargo
   Bay 1:   Cargo (476.5 tons)

Escape Pods: 4
Life Boats: 0
Crew: 17 minimum (3 officer, 14 enlisted/non-rated) and 5 Elementals

Ammunition: 576 rounds Gauss Rifle ammunition (72 tons), 324 rounds LRM 20 ammunition (54 tons)

Notes: Equipped with 75.5 tons of ferro-aluminum armor.
Weapons Capital Attack Values (Standard)
Arc (Heat) Type Short     Medium Long    Extreme Class
     Nose (90 Heat)
2 ER PPCs 3 (30)      3 (30) 3 (30)         - PPC
4 Gauss Rifles 6 (60)      6 (60) 6 (60)         - Autocannon
2 ER Large Lasers 2 (20)      2 (20) 2 (20)      2 (20) Laser
2 LRM 20+Artemis 3 (32)      3 (32) 3 (32)         - LRM
2 Large Pulse Lasers 2 (20)      2 (20) 2 (20)         - Pulse Laser
     FL/FR (180 Heat)
2 ER PPCs 3 (30)      3 (30) 3 (30)         - PPC
4 Gauss Rifles 6 (60)      6 (60) 6 (60)         - Autocannon
2 ER Large Lasers 2 (20)      2 (20) 2 (20)      2 (20) Laser
2 LRM 20+Artemis 3 (32)      3 (32) 3 (32)         - LRM
2 Large Pulse Lasers 2 (20)      2 (20) 2 (20)         - Pulse Laser
     FL/FR (180 Heat)
2 ER PPCs 3 (30)      3 (30) 3 (30)         - PPC
4 Gauss Rifles 6 (60)      6 (60) 6 (60)         - Autocannon
2 ER Large Lasers 2 (20)      2 (20) 2 (20)      2 (20) Laser
2 LRM 20+Artemis 3 (32)      3 (32) 3 (32)         - LRM
2 Large Pulse Lasers 2 (20)      2 (20) 2 (20)         - Pulse Laser
     Aft (90 Heat)
2 ER PPCs 3 (30)      3 (30) 3 (30)         - PPC
4 Gauss Rifles 6 (60)      6 (60) 6 (60)         - Autocannon
2 ER Large Lasers 2 (20)      2 (20) 2 (20)      2 (20) Laser
2 LRM 20+Artemis 3 (32)      3 (32) 3 (32)         - LRM
2 Large Pulse Lasers 2 (20)      2 (20) 2 (20)         - Pulse Laser
Overview:
   Threatened by the sudden launch of so many new Dropships including several Steel Viper designs in development the Snow Ravens searched for a way to restore the balance. Luckily the Free Guilds were ready to assist the so-called Naval Clan who they had long viewed as kindred spirits. The Guilders revealed to the Ravens that a single partially built Pentagon had survived in their Naval Caches. While none survived the Amaris Coup to depart on the Exodus the Star League in Exile apparently decided to resurrect the class for service in the Pentagon Worlds.
No doubt the name had something to do with the decision but the changing state of logistics probably played the largest role. Demobilizing the SLDF sent many ships into mothballs and new craft which could be crewed with fewer personnel became desirable. With a fearsome reputation and small crew needs the Pentagon was considered an ideal patrol craft. This apex predator could effectively guard the star systems of the Exiles and insure security among their new space lanes. Five ships each named for the Pentagon Worlds were approved for construction by “the Great Father” Aleksandr Kerensky.
Unfortunately none of these vessels were ready for launch when the Civil War began and the conflict made further construction impossible. It was thought until recently that all were scrapped or destroyed by the various warring Pentagon factions. Apparently the enterprising Guilders salvaged what would have become the SLS Circe following Operation Klondike. Gathering parts from other craft they finished what they could and hid the unfinished dropship. Forgotten this incomplete craft was stashed away in the outer reaches of the Strana Mechty star system for more then two centuries.

Capabilities:
   At its very core the Clan version of the Pentagon remains almost completely unchanged. Its internal structure was untouched by engineers and the GM 5600 Sublite Maneuver Drives remain largely unaffected by the refit. The engines did however receive a Clan tech overhaul which reduced their overall mass but retained their remarkable 5.573 Gs of thrust at maximum burn. Cargo space was slightly increased while fuel space was decreased by one hundred tons. The crew complement was reduced to seventeen from twenty two and five Elementals replaced the twenty five Star League era conventional marines. While Clan Ferro Aluminum armor was used to maximize and improve protection the amount was still the same.
   Snow Raven weapon designers focused their efforts on the Nose Arc of the original Pentagon which they considered formidable. Doubling the number of Gauss Rifles in the nose while adding two Large Pulse Lasers gave that arc a total of twelve weapons. After reviewing the potential firepower offered by this long ranged configuration the decision was made to clone all six firing arcs. This effectively optimized the ship’s arsenal without resorting to extra fire control systems which would have been cumbersome. In total this uniform weapons array is truly impressive.
   Two dozen Gauss Rifles backed up by twelve Extended Range Particle Projection Cannons compose the vessel’s main guns. These heavy hitters are supplemented by a dozen Long Range Missile-20 systems which are all linked to Artemis IV FCS improving their performance. Twelve Extended Range Large Lasers provide striking power at extreme distances while twelve Large Pulse Lasers are also available for sustained accurate fire against fighter craft. This impressive arsenal can shoot without fear of over heating thanks to the Pentagon IIC’s expanded Double Heat Sinks.

Deployment:
   Essentially designed to wade into oncoming enemy Fighters and Dropships while delivering withering destructive fusillades the Pentagon IIC has the potential to change Clan naval warfare. The CSR Jackdaw is the only one of its kind in service thus far with the Lum Garrison Fleet. As no Pentagons remain to be salvaged new craft will have to be built – a process that could take another year to begin. With the Steel Viper Noruff class beginning service at nearly the same time and the Ice Hellion Hector class coming online it should be interesting to see how these designs fare in Clan service. While it remains to be seen how exactly they will be used the Snow Ravens will likely jealously guard their new Naval Escort from possession by all other Clans for as long as possible.

NOTE: This design was inspired by someone long ago who posted it on the internet. One of my favorite ideas. This is not an exact copy but the credit should go to the original poster. Sadly I can not remember who. Feel free to point that out if you know. 

Hector class Dropship

Type: Military Aerodyne 
Use: Assault Ship
Technology: Clan
Introduced: 3054
Mass: 4,500 tons

Dimensions
   Length: 125 meters
   Width: 37.4 meters
   Height: 23 meters

Fuel: 300 tons (9,000 fuel points)
Tons/Burn-day: 1.84
Safe Thrust: 10
Maximum Thrust: 15
Heat Sinks: 257 (514)
Structural Integrity: 16

Armor
   Fore: 600
   Sides: 446
   Aft: 300

Cargo
   Bay 1:   Small Craft (1) 1 door
      Battle Armor Point/Squad (2)
   Bay 2: Cargo (148 tons) 1 door

Escape Pods: 2
Life Boats: 0
Crew: 14 minimum (2 officers, 12 enlisted/non-rated)

Ammunition: 100 rounds Ultra Autocannon/20 ammunition (20 tons), 144 rounds Gauss Rifle ammunition (18 tons), 90 rounds LRM 20 ammunition (15 tons)

Notes: Equipped with 63 tons of Ferro-Aluminum armor.

Weapons Capital Attack Values (Standard)
Arc (Heat) Type Short     Medium Long    Extreme Class
     Nose (116 Heat)
2 ER PPCs 3 (30)      3 (30) 3 (30)         - PPC
2 Large Pulse Lasers 2 (20)      2 (20) 2 (20)         - Pulse Laser
2 ER Large Lasers 2 (20)      2 (20) 2 (20)      2 (20) Laser
2 Gauss Rifles 3 (30)      3 (30) 3 (30)         - Autocannon
2 LRM 20+Artemis 3 (32)      3 (32) 3 (32)         - LRM
2 Ultra AC/20s 6 (60)      6 (60)    -         - Autocannon
     LW/RW (176 Heat)
2 ER PPCs 3 (30)      3 (30) 3 (30)         - PPC
2 Large Pulse Lasers 2 (20)      2 (20) 2 (20)         - Pulse Laser
2 ER Large Lasers 2 (20)      2 (20) 2 (20)      2 (20) Laser
2 Gauss Rifles 3 (30)      3 (30) 3 (30)         - Autocannon
2 LRM 20+Artemis 3 (32)      3 (32) 3 (32)         - LRM
     LW/RW Aft (148 Heat)
2 ER PPCs 3 (30)      3 (30) 3 (30)         - PPC
2 Large Pulse Lasers 2 (20)      2 (20) 2 (20)         - Pulse Laser
2 ER Large Lasers 2 (20)      2 (20) 2 (20)      2 (20) Laser
     Aft (74 Heat)
2 ER PPCs 3 (30)      3 (30) 3 (30)         - PPC
2 Large Pulse Lasers 2 (20)      2 (20) 2 (20)         - Pulse Laser
2 ER Large Lasers 2 (20)      2 (20) 2 (20)      2 (20) Laser
Overview:
    Spurred on by the Quicksilver Program the Ice Hellion Clan investigated the possibility of putting their mark on Dropship design. News that a few swift Achilles had been mothballed by the Free Guilds immediately caught their interest. Many of these formidable vessels had been destroyed during the Pentagon Civil War or early in the Golden Century. As naval combat evolved among the Clans these Assault Ships saw their roles were diminish in Kerensky’s new society. Aerospace fighters took a leading role while Warships were honored for their destructive potential. With Safcon resulting in Dropships becoming mere transports the few remaining Achilles were mothballed or simply dismantled for parts.
   Intrigued by the vessel’s speed the Clan purchased the Guild’s inventory and sought ways to improve the original further. Hellion scientists wanted to push the upper limits of Dropship over thrust and soon convinced their Khans to bring in Clan Snow Raven for technical assistance. Looking for ways to blunt the new Dropship building program of the Steel Vipers the acknowledged masters of all things naval were only too happy to help. Team Frozen, as Ice Hellion and Snow Raven engineers took to calling themselves, got to work. While they built a massive new engine the first ship was refitted with Clan weaponry and technology. Their recently completed creation named the Hector is named for the Clan homeworld as well as the hero of ancient Troy.

Capabilities:
   Essentially an upgraded Clan Achilles this Dropship redesign went beyond a simple IIC designation. Swifter than its predecessor thanks to the Talarian Star Drive which is an engineering marvel of Clan technology. Named after the winged sandals of mythology these powerful interplanetary engines are capable of 7.5 G's at maximum acceleration. With the speed of some Light Aerospace Fighters these vessels can easily outmaneuver any other dropship and bring its devastating front facing weaponry to bear on unlucky targets.
   The main guns of the Hector are twin Ultra Autocannon/20s mounted in the vessel’s nose. These devastating weapons are both supplied with fifty rounds of ammunition enabling their continuous use during battle. Augmenting the forward arc are six Gauss Rifles and six Long Range Missile-20 racks with Artemis IV FCS. This long range arsenal is just as formidable and complements the Ultra Autocannons nicely. Last but certainly not least are a battery of energy weapons mounted in every arc that further supplement the ship’s arsenal.
   A dozen Extended Range Particle Projection Cannons bring their limitless firepower along with twelve Extended Range Large Lasers whose extreme reach is nearly unmatched. To deal with opposing aerospace fighters twelve Large Pulse Lasers round out the Hector’s offensive array. The heat dissipation was radically upgraded to improve its performance by almost four times the original Achilles specifications. The armor was replaced by sixty three tons of Clan Ferro-Aluminum giving the Assault Ship impressive survivability.
   Not everything was changed however as the fuel system and internal structure remained almost completely unaltered. Some sacrifices did have to be made to make way for new improvements. Luckily Clan tech enabled the crew complement to be reduced from thirty to just fourteen personnel. With two Elemental Points (one used for ship security the other for boarding actions) replacing the original conventional infantry carried on board the number of escape pods were also reduced. The integral small craft was reduced to a single bay and only one hundred forty eight tons remained for cargo.

Deployment:
   The recent launch of the IHS Hector by the Ice Hellions has already begun a race to build more of these Assault Ships it seems. Since the Hellions control most of the available Clan supply it is likely they will field a majority of these vessels. Snow Raven whose assistance guaranteed them the second ship in the class, the SRS Lum, will likely try to procure more. The Smoke Jaguars appear to be third in line with the SJS Huntress which was one of two brand new Achilles sent for refit to the Clan Homeworlds. The second will become Ice Hellion property as part of this still to be revealed supply agreement. Incredibly Kindraa Mick-Kreese of the Fire Mandrills announced they salvaged an Achilles recently and intend to refit it.
   Other Clans will likely follow depending upon their success. As of now there are no production facilities gearing up for production in the Homeworlds but that could change. It is possible that the Schuyler production facility could be retooled for the Hector but it remains unknown if the Jaguars are willing or able to accomplish that right now. It should be noted that techs serving as crew members are perhaps the most enthusiastic about the new design. Many are trueborn washouts who can now comes close to fulfilling their dreams as an Aerospace Pilot.

Seeker IIC class Dropship

Type: Military Spheroid
Use: Troop Carrier
Technology: Clan
Introduced: 2815
Mass: 6,700 tons

Dimensions
   Length: 90.2 meters
   Width: 90.2 meters
   Height: 88.7 meters

Fuel: 400 tons (12,000 fuel points)
Tons/Burn-day: 1.84
Safe Thrust: 5
Maximum Thrust: 8
Heat Sinks: 117 (234)
Structural Integrity: 10

Armor
   Fore: 260
   Sides: 222
   Aft: 200

Cargo
   Bay 1: Heavy Vehicles (30) 1 door
   Bay 2: Battle Armor Point/Squads (15) 1 door
   Bay 3: Cargo (384.5 tons)

Escape Pods: 25
Life Boats: 25
Crew: 8 minimum (1 officer, 7 enlisted/non-rated)
 
Notes: Equipped with 36 tons of ferro-aluminum armor.

Weapons Capital Attack Values (Standard)
Arc (Heat) Type Short     Medium Long    Extreme Class
     Nose (54 Heat)
2 ER PPCs 3 (30)      3 (30) 3 (30)         - PPC
2 ER Large Lasers 2 (20)      2 (20) 2 (20)      2 (20) Laser
     FL/FR (108 Heat)
2 ER PPCs 3 (30)      3 (30) 3 (30)         - PPC
2 ER Large Lasers 2 (20)      2 (20) 2 (20)      2 (20) Laser
     AL/AR (48 Heat)
2 ER Large Lasers 2 (20)      2 (20) 2 (20)      2 (20) Laser
     Aft (24 Heat)
2 ER Large Lasers 2 (20)      2 (20) 2 (20)      2 (20) Laser
Overview:
   Originally launched by the Terran Hegemony as a scout battalion transport the Seeker was immediately place on the Cameron Blacklist. Its Quad RanTech 720 Fusion Engines were highly reliable and capable of impressive thrust. As a result the Star League Defense Force jealously guarded the design right up till the Exodus. Naturally General Kerensky chose to include every available Seeker in his departing armada. While some were mothballed after reaching the Pentagon Worlds many remained in service with the Star League in Exile.
   When Nicholas first envisioned Clan Clusters built around three Mech trinaries along with armor trinary and infantry trinary the Seeker became the perfect choice to transport these supporting elements. Ironically the Clan refit was introduced in the same year as the InnerSphere model and would continue to evolve over the years. The Seeker IIC was often used in conjunction with an Overlord IIC to effectively deploy early Clan troops into battle. While some Clans abandoned armor in favor of integral aerospace support the Blood Spirits remained faithful and continued to refine the Seeker IIC into its current shape.

Capabilities:
   While the Seeker IIC has continued to develop during its lifespan many aspects of the original design remain unchanged. The outward appearance and internal structure are chief among the unaltered characteristics of the Dropship. Save for a few Clan tech upgrades the Quad RanTech Fusion Drive that gives the craft 4Gs of thrust at maximum output is almost completely untouched. Likewise the fuel tank has been slightly enlarged adding to its range but working almost the same as the first design. Some warriors find the vessel’s interior to soft preferring more Clan-like accommodations of modern ships.
   Truly luxurious for the lower castes that are lucky enough to serve aboard especially in light of crew reductions. Thanks to extensive automation and streamlined systems the Seeker IIC needs only eight members in order to function. Normally transporting thirty Heavy Vehicles and seventy five Elementals its semi-modular bay system allows it to vary troops carried. This flexibility which has been improved upon from the original design inspired the Condor IIC. As a result this Dropship can easily accommodate Light Vehicles and even BattleMech crucibles with little difficulty.
   Building on the long range staying power of its precursor the Seeker IIC removed any integral missile and ballistic weaponry that relied on ammunition. Six Extended Range Particle Projection Cannons and twelve Extended Range Large Lasers provide an all energy arsenal that gives the vessel unmatched staying power. The cooling system was easily adapted to handle the increased heat from weapons fire allowing for continuous use. Finally the standard armor of the earlier Seeker was exchanged for advanced Ferro-Aluminum which was maximized for superior protection.

Deployment:
   The Seeker IIC has been in service with the Clans since the early twenty ninth century but only the Blood Spirits have used it faithful since this time. The other Clans methodically decommissioned them as Vehicles fell out of favor and replaced by other forces in their Touman. It was not until the late thirtieth century that the Spirits quietly began to commission new vessels to facilitate transport of their new ground forces. More recently the introduction of OmniVehicles courtesy of the Quicksilver Program has seen their use expand rapidly.
   Hell’s Horses, who are widely referred to as the Vehicle Clan often derisively, were the first to reactivate their Seeker IICs. Wolf and Diamond Shark have followed their lead at a more gradually pace. Other Invading Clans like Ghost Bear and Steel Viper moved to mobilize their mothballed Seeker IICs in order to transport their Provisional Garrison Clusters in the InnerSphere. Both Ice Hellion and Star Adder are also utilizing their Dropship reserves. While the Hellions are believed to be building up their Flurry Clusters the Adders intentions are unknown at this time. Finally Kindraa Kline of the Fire Mandrill Clan has activated their sole Seeker IIC in hopes of improving their position.

Definitely need something like the Outpost, but more generic and not Hell's Horses specific

Okay folks I went back and looked this one up, here is the story. Much of the second post on this thread outlines the overall intent of these 15 planned designs well but the back ground draws from BattleTech Shattered Dawn and this blurb from TRO2800 on Restricted Technologies which explains why certain canon dropships have two entirely different intro dates.

Restricted Technologies
The Star League, and the Terran Hegemony before it have long had a history of banning the sale of advanced technologies to the Great Houses. This ban ranged from small components to weapons to BattleMechs, Dropships and even Warships. The Great Houses chaffed under this policy and repeatedly attempted to have it repealed, but to no avail. One of the most frustrating bans was on the sale of specific Dropship designs. The SLDF developed several innovative new designs but refused to sell them to the Great Houses, in an effort to maintain an advantage over the Inner Sphere Navies. In some cases the reasons for withholding these designs from the Great Houses is obvious. Some of the designs were assault ships, such as the Avenger, Pentagon and Titan, which far outclassed the designs used by the Great Houses. These vessels featured better maneuverability and firepower then existing designs and the SLDF was afraid that providing the InnerSphere Navies with access to the designs would enable the Houses to develop new ships that could out class those of the SLDF. Other designs, such as the Seeker, Condor, Vengeance and Colossus found themselves on the restricted list because of their transportation capacity. By keeping transports smaller, it would require more vessels to move troops. This would help ensure the Houses could never launch an effective campaign against the SLDF, as they would require so many transports that operations would become unwieldy. Only the SLDF had the ability to rapidly move large forces, ensuring they could bring their superior forces to bear during any conflict. In other cases the SLDF and Terran Hegemony sought to maintain an economic advantage over the Great Houses. The large and efficient Mammoth and Behemoth would provide Hegemony companies with an advantage over other companies forced to rely on smaller and less efficient vessels. It was this sort of action that would result in a large number of protests from the House Lords, who rightly accused the First Lord of abusing his position to benefit the Terran Hegemony at the expense of the Great Houses. With the fall of the Star League, the Great Houses started to get access to the advanced Star League dropship designs. While some companies remained loyal to the Star League and the new Terran Republic and refused to sell their ships to the Great Houses, other companies have been selling their ships as quickly as they can produce them. Perhaps most disturbing of all is the outright theft of patented technologies including some dropship designs by foreign corporations. Certain Successor Lords have encouraged this illegal behavior which has sharply increased since the fall of the League.

The reasoning that these designs are Terran (or Royal SLDF) and that the Clans would still have them but just not speak a lot about them because of their lack of combat value at least in their Trial driven system we have the appearance or reappearance of these designs.

Military Designs
These 10 military designs were created by individual Clans to fill an obvious niche

Aculeus Assault Transport
Mass: 1,900 tons   
Thrust: 5/8
Carries: Three Mixed Points
Manufacturer: Goliath Scorpion
Notes: This one is already posted on the thread and is sort of a special forces lander almost. Not sure how it came out in regards to deployment of a unit. There is a fuzzy memory of something in error about the amount of troops deployed.

Fury IIC Troop Carrier   
1,900 tons
4/6
Light Nova Transport (10 Light Vehicles & 25 Elementals)
Hell’s Horses

Pentagon IIC Assault Ship
4,000 tons
7/11   
Naval Escort
Snow Raven

Condor IIC   Troop Carrier
4,500 tons
3/5
Heavy Nova Transport (10 Heavy Vehicles & 25 Elementals)
Diamond Shark

Hector Assault Ship
4,500 tons
10/15
Faster Clan version of the Achilles
Ice Hellion

Seeker IIC   Troop Carrier
6,700 tons
5/8
30 Heavy Vehicles & 75 Elementals
Blood Spirit
Notes: Obvious with frontline units sporting vehicles you need something to deploy them

Torguud Assault Transport
9,000 tons
3/5
Clan Fortress (15 Mechs, 10 Fighter, 25 Elementals)
Nova Cat
Notes: Combined arms transport meant to transport a third of the standard Clan Cluster. Part one of the Kheshig Project conducted by three Clans and the Free Guilds in order to better facilitate transport

Vengenace IIC Aerospace Carrier   
11,400 tons
4/6
4 Binaries of Fighters (40 fighters)   
Cloud Cobra

Khevtuul Transport
20,000 tons
5/8
Full Cluster transport based on the Lee   
Steel Viper
Notes: Based on the Colossus with inspiration from the Lee (combat speed)
Carry a full Steel Viper cluster with good armor and excellent speed
50 Mechs, 15 Fighters, 75 Elementals (or 45 Mechs, 20 Fighters, 75 Elementals)
Part two of the Kheshig Project conducted by three Clans and the Free Guilds in order to better facilitate transport

Civilian Designs

This is where the Free Guilds come in (link below detailing my thoughts on them mentioned in the Jade Falcon Sourcebook) and their jump start of transport craft with Quicksilver. These six non-combatants help fill out the Clan fleet.

https://www.ourbattletech.com/forum/index.php?topic=2556.0

Exodus Liner (5,000 tons) based on the Monarch
Mule IIC Cargo Carrier (11,200 tons) deweaponized
Clydesdale Tug (15,000 tons)
Colossus IIC Cargo Carrier (20,000 tons) deweaponized
Mammoth IIC Cargo Carrier (52,000 tons)
Behemoth IIC Cargo Carrier (100,000 tons)


Need to Do!
I still have to research existing Clan dropship production which is not exclusively a Snow Raven deal.