I was leafing through an old copy of a BattleTechnology issue when I saw the Huntress. From there my thoughts went to RoboTech and the MAC-10 (I think that was it). And I realized I had never built a 'tube' artillery BattleMech. Well, here is my attempt. I've fluffed it out as a Lyran design (school of 'get a bigger gun' and all), but would serve in the Shattered Dawn universe equally well as a Capellan 'Mech (Russians and Chinese love their artillery) or a Terran unit put into production after the departure of Kerensky (intended to bolster local artillery units). Anyway, use it how you want it, but here is the Valhalla.
Valhalla VHL-4A
Mass: 100 tons
Tech Base: Inner Sphere
Chassis Config: Biped
Rules Level: Advanced Rules
Era: Clan Invasion
Tech Rating/Era Availability: E/X-X-F
Production Year: 3070
Cost: 9,040,000 C-Bills
Battle Value: 1,252
Chassis: Unknown Standard
Power Plant: Unknown 300 Fusion Engine
Walking Speed: 32.4 km/h
Maximum Speed: 54.0 km/h
Jump Jets: None
Jump Capacity: 0 meters
Armor: Unknown Standard Armor
Armament:
2 Snipers
1 Medium Laser
Manufacturer: Unknown
Primary Factory: Unknown
Communications System: Unknown
Targeting and Tracking System: Unknown
Overview:
The VHL-4A Valhalla is an extremely rare BattleMech produced in limited numbers
by Defiance Industries of Hesperus II. Some estimates put the total production
over the past decade at just two score of these machines; certainly there are
not more two or three dozen currently in service across the whole of the Inner
Sphere. Executives for Defiance have always declined to answer any questions
aboard the Valhalla, citing 'security considerations' and that the design is
'classified by Lyran Intelligence'.
However, one example of this bombardment 'Mech was captured by the Draconis
Combine during the War of 3039, while a second was delivered to ComStar by a
Lyran defector. The Combine unit was heavily damaged and unable to be restored
to service, but the example obtained by ROM was in pristine condition, complete
with the original operations manuals. The defector was given a new identity on
Earth until his tragic death in an automotive accident two months after his
defection.
The first known example of this artillery unit entered service in 3036 with the
Lyran Commonwealth. Assigned to a dedicated Artillery Lance that was then
shuffled among various Regiments on an as-needed basis, this first Valhalla and
those that followed have provided mobile, heavy artillery support for the
Lyrans for more than a century.
Although massing as much as the infamous and feared Atlas, the Valhalla does
not have the offensive weapons systems or the armor traditionally associated
with Assault-class BattleMechs. However, in its designed role at providing
long-range heavy artillery support on the Battlefield, few other units can
match the Valhalla.
Capabilities:
The VHL-4A Valhalla masses 100 tons and uses a 300-rate fusion engine that
allows it to walk at speeds of 32.4 kilometers per hour and run at 54 kph. The
design does not mount jump jets and only fourteen tons of standard armor
plating are carried (72.96% of maximum armor coverage). For its design role as
an artillery unit, this is normally sufficient coverage, as all four limbs and
the center torso can take a direct hit from an AC-20 without suffering internal
penetration--the legs and center torso can take three PPC hits without internal
damage. This 'Mech is equally tough from the rear, able to take a PPC strike
to all three rear armor locations without the hit causing internal damage.
The only conventional weapon is a single head mounted Medium Laser. The design
features no arms--not even minimal vestigal structures, although two sets of
acutators (often referred to as the shoulder and upper arm) remain, they are
actually used to aim the primary weapons and not for 'normal' arm operations.
The Valhalla was one of the first units to mount recovered double-strength heat
sinks, with all ten housed within the engine core to save available internal
space. Even this impressive heat dissipation capacity is not enough to handle
both primary weapons and the Medium Laser simultaneously.
The two primary weapon systems are a pair of shoulder/arm mounted Sniper
Artillery Howitzers. Not the popular Sniper Cannons of late, but full-fledged
Sniper Howitzers. Each cannon masses twenty tons (as much as an entire
Locust!) and consumes more than 83% of the volume in each torso and 100% of the
available volume in each 'arm'. The Snipers are able to elevate up to
30-degrees above the horizon and depress to -5-degrees, but their traverse is
fixed. The Valhalla is capable of twisting its torso, however and the
mechanism for doing for is graduated extremely finely, allowing for very
precise weapon alignments.
The recoil of these Howitzers requires that the Valhalla be stationary when
firing a salvo; it can, on the other hand, fire both cannons simultaneously.
Special shock absorbers in the legs, waist, and torso compress to dissipate the
fearsome recoil and require almost constant maintenance to keep operational.
The single greatest feature--and the one that caused more than a few jaws to
drop when the first intact model was dissected on Terra--is the munitions
supply. One hundred artillery shells (10 tons of ammunition) are provided with
onboard storage. The normal loadout of the Valhalla appears to be the
following: 20 HE rounds, 20 Cluster rounds, 20 Copperhead rounds, 20 Smoke
rounds, 10 Flechette rounds, and 10 Illumination rounds. All magazines are
cross-connected to both Snipers and ammunition can be transfered as needed.
The Copperhead rounds in particular are worrisome for ComStar, as these rounds
require a TAG-equipped spotter; yet despite ROM assurances that the Lyrans have
yet to produce such a unit, the Valhalla on Terra contained no less than twenty
Copperhead shells in its onboard inventory.
No other known mobile artillery unit (either 'Mech or vehicle) carries such as
extensive and varied supply of ammunition. As a BattleMech, it is able to
travel places where vehicles cannot, and its speed--although slow--is more than
enough to keep pace with Lyran Assault Regiments.
Should the Primus approve, this section suggests that we adapt the design for
our own use and begin production of the Valhalla immediately for the ComGuards.
================================================================================
Equipment Type Rating Mass
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Internal Structure: Standard 152 points 10.00
Engine: Fusion Engine 300 19.00
Walking MP: 3
Running MP: 5
Jumping MP: 0
Heat Sinks: Double Heat Sink 10(20) 0.00
Gyro: Standard 3.00
Cockpit: Standard 3.00
Actuators: L: SH+UA R: SH+UA
Armor: Standard Armor AV - 224 14.00
Internal Armor
Structure Factor
Head 3 9
Center Torso 31 30
Center Torso (rear) 15
L/R Torso 21 25
L/R Torso (rear) 10
L/R Arm 17 20
L/R Leg 21 30
================================================================================
Equipment Location Heat Critical Mass
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sniper RT/RA 10 10/10 20.00
Sniper LT/LA 10 10/10 20.00
Medium Laser HD 3 1 1.00
@Sniper (10) RT - 1 1.00
@Sniper (Cluster) (10) RT - 1 1.00
@Sniper (10) LT - 1 1.00
@Sniper (Cluster) (10) LT - 1 1.00
@Sniper (Illum) (10) CT - 1 1.00
@Sniper (Flechette) (10) CT - 1 1.00
@Sniper (Cprhead) (10) RL - 1 1.00
@Sniper (Smoke) (10) RL - 1 1.00
@Sniper (Cprhead) (10) LL - 1 1.00
@Sniper (Smoke) (10) LL - 1 1.00
Free Critical Slots: 0
BattleForce Statistics
MV S (+0) M (+2) L (+4) E (+6) Wt. Ov Armor: 7 Points: 13
3 5 1 0 0 4 0 Structure: 8
Special Abilities: ARTS, SRCH, ES, SOA
