The old GHR-5H Grasshopper was one of my favorite 3025-era BattleMechs. Mobile, with heavy armor, good heat balance, and a surprisingly effective spread of weapons, this design was always effective on the map-sheet. So I asked myself . . . why isn't there a Royal version? And why the devil did not the Clans ever make a IIC? Well, since the Powers-That-Be aren't going to do it, I have. Enjoy.
MA
GHR-5Hb GRASSHOPPER II
Overview and Capabilities
The Grasshopper was introduced right at the end of the Star League, and a fine, fine machine o' war it was. What might the League have done with it, we wonder? Hmmm . . . .
The 'Hopper is definitely a close-combat 'Mech, but also one that features a long-range (well, medium-range) sting. We decided to keep the spirit of Jiminy Cricket alive and well and went with that close-combat theme.
Now, as you guys and dolls already know, Jiminy can crack corn, and I don't care, but when it comes to Inner Sphere XL engines, I get a flustered under the collar. But, to do what I wanted to do the 'Hopper, an XL actually worked out best. We pumped that puppy up to a 350-rate, which gets J.C. moving at 54 kph walking and 86.4 kph running, which the speed of many medium-weight designs. A fifth jump jet was added giving us a full 150-meters of jumping distance (a movement profile matched by the Terrible Trio of the Grifster, Shade, and Wolvie).
Endo-steel was mandatory, as it saved another 3.5 tons, but standard armor was the best we could give J.C. However, we were able to slather on 13 tons of standard making the 'Hopper one tough little bug.
Guns, guns, and guns! Now we come to the heart of the matter. The original design mounted a Large Laser, four Medium Lasers, and an itty-bitty LRM-5 for plinking away. plus enough heat sinks to fire everything and just generate movement heat. For Jiminy Cricket, that means we gotta to do better! Eighteen double strength heat sinks are fitted; that ought to be enough, but we'll double check in a bit.
Replacing that single Large Laser is a pair of Snub-nose PPCs (one in the right torso and the second in the left). The Snubbies have the same range as the old Large, but an expanded short-range envelope (9 hexes)--and they inflict more damage within that envelope. At medium, they do the same damage as a Large Laser (each), but drop to just 5 points at their long range of 14 and 15 hexes. Best of all, they don't have a minimum range. Backing up the Snubbies are three regular ole Mediums (center torso, right arm, and left arm).
Now, that generates 29 heat, and jumping generates 5, so we are at 34 heat, but can shed 36. We got three and half free tons and three crits left, so lets go with tradition. (TRADITION!) We add back in the head-mounted LRM-5, put the ammo in the right torso and add CASE. Heat is 36 for 36, and we've got a winner!
Overall, this 'Hopper is faster, can jump farther, is more accurate (because of the expanded ranges of the two Snubbies), does more damage at every range except 16-21, and runs as cold as block of arctic ice! I still don't like the XL engine, but on this machine it does make some sense. As long as you don't have to pay the sticker price out of your own pocket, at least!
Grasshopper II GHR-5Hb
Mass: 70 tons
Tech Base: Inner Sphere
Chassis Config: Biped
Rules Level: Tournament Legal
Era: All Eras (non-canon)
Tech Rating/Era Availability: E/X-X-F
Production Year: 2750
Cost: 16,735,707 C-Bills
Battle Value: 1,843
Chassis: Mingh z233/7 Endo-Steel
Power Plant: VOX 350 Fusion XL Engine
Walking Speed: 54.0 km/h
Maximum Speed: 86.4 km/h
Jump Jets: Leviathon Lifters
Jump Capacity: 150 meters
Armor: Durallex Heavy Standard Armor w/ CASE
Armament:
2 Diplan SN Snub-Nose PPCs
3 Diplan M3 Medium Lasers
1 Conan/5 LRM-5
Manufacturer: Lantren Corporation
Primary Factory: Bryant
Communications System: Allet C308
Targeting and Tracking System: Allet T11
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Equipment Type Rating Mass
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Internal Structure: Endo-Steel 107 points 3.50
Internal Locations: 2 LT, 4 LA, 4 RA, 2 LL, 2 RL
Engine: XL Fusion Engine 350 15.00
Walking MP: 5
Running MP: 8
Jumping MP: 5 Standard
Jump Jet Locations: 1 CT, 2 LT, 2 RT 5.00
Heat Sinks: Double Heat Sink 18(36) 8.00
Heat Sink Locations: 1 LT, 1 RT, 1 LA, 1 RA
Gyro: Standard 4.00
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 22 32
Center Torso (rear) 11
L/R Torso 15 22
L/R Torso (rear) 6
L/R Arm 11 20
L/R Leg 15 30
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Equipment Location Heat Critical Mass
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Medium Laser RA 3 1 1.00
Medium Laser LA 3 1 1.00
Snub-Nose PPC RT 10 2 6.00
Snub-Nose PPC LT 10 2 6.00
Medium Laser CT 3 1 1.00
LRM-5 HD 2 1 2.00
@LRM-5 (24) RT - 1 1.00
Free Critical Slots: 0
BattleForce Statistics
MV S (+0) M (+2) L (+4) E (+6) Wt. Ov Armor: 7 Points: 18
5j 4 4 1 0 3 0 Structure: 3
Special Abilities: CASE, SRCH, ES, SEAL, SOA
OBSIDIAN MANTIS (GRASSHOPPER IIC)
Overview
Designed by Cloud Cobra scientists in an effort to upgrade aging SLDF Grasshoppers (standard and Royal alike), the Obsidian Mantis is a capable and respected design. Today, it has spread to four Clans (the Cobras, the Diamond Sharks, the Nova Cats, and the Wolves) who have the right to produce the design, but it remains relatively common among the other Clans of Kerensky.
Capabilities
Massing 65 tons, the Obsidian Mantis is a solid heavy-weight design. Cobra engineers used a 325-rate extra-light fusion engine to achieve a walking speed of 54 kilometers per hour and a running speed of 86.4 kph. Next, the engineers installed five jump jets giving this BattleMech a jump capacity of 150 meters. Endo-steel was installed as a matter of course and the design incorporates ten and a half tons of ferro-fibrous armor plating (95.26% of maximum coverage).
The armament closely mirrors that of the old SLDF GHR-5H Grasshopper: five lasers are fitted (an ER Large Laser in the center torso and four ER Medium Lasers; one each in the right arm, right torso, left torso, and head). However, instead of the head-mounted LRM-5 launcher found on the original design, the Cobras instead fitted the Obsidian Mantis with an LB-5X autocannon in the left arm, along with two tons of ammunition for a total of forty shots. While this choice did raise some eyebrows, the increased range and ability to use both cluster and slug ammunition, as well as the low-heat production and effectiveness as an anti-vehicle/anti-aircraft weapon, made perfect sense, with the BattleMech losing only the ability to conduct indirect fire and the use of specialized LRM munitions.
All six of these weapons were then tied into a three-ton targeting computer in the right torso. To deal with the substantial heat production, the Cobras installed a total of seventeen double-strength heat sinks. This impressive number allows for the use of all weapons while walking for zero net overheat production; heat buildup on a full jumping alpha strike is minor and considered easily within the range which a Warrior should be able to deal with.
Deployment
Four Clans produce this 'Mech today: the Cobras, Sharks, Cats, and Wolves. However, the effectiveness, flexibility, and toughness of the Obsidian Mantis has endeared it to all of the Clans of Kerensky who prize examples captured as isorla or traded for resources. The Scorpions and Falcons both field substantial numbers of these BattleMechs, along with the Adders and Horses. Clan Smoke Jaguar fields the fewest, regarding the design as too lightly armed for its Touman, with Clan Blood Spirit a close second (where the design is viewed as too expensive and difficult to repair for general wide-spread deployment).
Variants
The Obsidian Mantis is extremely difficult to modify, as the current configuration leaves little excess room and altering the heat load either cripples the machine or leaves it over-sinked. However, one alternate configuration has been tested and is in production by Clan Nova Cat: the Obsidian Mantis Mod 2 removes the left arm LB-5X autocannon and replaces it with an Ultra AC-5 autocannon, while retaining the two tons of ammunition magazines. Although the Mod 2 runs slightly hotter than the standard Obsidian Mantis (and lacks the effectiveness against airborne targets), the added potential damage increase has made the Mod 2 rather popular among some Warriors, even with the UAC-5s tendency to jam.
Obsidian Mantis (Grasshopper IIC)
Mass: 65 tons
Tech Base: Clan
Chassis Config: Biped
Rules Level: Tournament Legal
Era: Clan Invasion
Tech Rating/Era Availability: F/X-X-D
Production Year: 3050
Cost: 14,866,060 C-Bills
Battle Value: 2,705
Chassis: Unknown Endo-Steel
Power Plant: Unknown 325 Fusion XL Engine
Walking Speed: 54.0 km/h
Maximum Speed: 86.4 km/h
Jump Jets: Unknown
Jump Capacity: 150 meters
Armor: Unknown Ferro-Fibrous
Armament:
1 ER Large Laser
4 ER Medium Lasers
1 LB 5-X AC
Manufacturer: Unknown
Primary Factory: Unknown
Communications System: Unknown
Targeting and Tracking System: Unknown
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Equipment Type Rating Mass
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Internal Structure: Endo-Steel 104 points 3.50
Internal Locations: 1 LT, 1 RT, 1 LA, 2 RA, 1 LL, 1 RL
Engine: XL Fusion Engine 325 12.00
Walking MP: 5
Running MP: 8
Jumping MP: 5 Standard
Jump Jet Locations: 1 CT, 2 LT, 2 RT 5.00
Heat Sinks: Double Heat Sink 17(34) 7.00
Heat Sink Locations: 2 LT, 1 RT, 1 RA
Gyro: Standard 4.00
Cockpit: Standard 3.00
Actuators: L: SH+UA+LA+H R: SH+UA+LA+H
Armor: Ferro-Fibrous AV - 201 10.50
Armor Locations: 1 LT, 1 RT, 1 LA, 2 RA, 1 LL, 1 RL
CASE Locations: LA 0.00
Internal Armor
Structure Factor
Head 3 9
Center Torso 21 30
Center Torso (rear) 8
L/R Torso 15 22
L/R Torso (rear) 7
L/R Arm 10 20
L/R Leg 15 28
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Equipment Location Heat Critical Mass
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ER Medium Laser RA 5 1 1.00
LB 5-X AC LA 1 4 7.00
ER Medium Laser RT 5 1 1.00
Targeting Computer RT - 3 3.00
ER Medium Laser LT 5 1 1.00
ER Large Laser CT 12 1 4.00
ER Medium Laser HD 5 1 1.00
@LB 5-X (Cluster) (20) LA - 1 1.00
@LB 5-X (Slug) (20) LA - 1 1.00
Free Critical Slots: 2
BattleForce Statistics
MV S (+0) M (+2) L (+4) E (+6) Wt. Ov Armor: 7 Points: 27
5j 5 5 2 0 3 0 Structure: 4
Special Abilities: CASE, SRCH, ES, SEAL, SOA
