OBT Forum

Elysium is always looking to break into cutting edge ground with it's limited resources.  in one of Mount neverminds numerous vaults were existing examples of Mk I Land-Air Battle Mechs.  these platforms spent many years in Storehouse 42 being stripped, analyzed and reverse engineered, ultimatly a report to the Joint chiefs came back with a none to positive outlook.

"Land Air Battlemechs as direct combatants are too expensive to produce, to expensive to train pilots for, far to maintaince intensive, and can not accomplish anything that can not be done as quickly, efficiently, or subtly as more conventional forces."

this was followed immediately by the paragraph

"A Land Air Battlemech directed as a strategic support element, such as Battlefield Preparation however maybe viable with further development and testing..."

This led to the funding of Project Drache, whose mission as to develop a LAM that could act as a Minelayer, Anti Materiel and Incendiary asset.

the Whitworth was chosen as the basis for this new LAM.  the tough frame, strong armor plating and impressive for the weight firepower permitted the machine to survive the succession wars as a valued, if under appreciated battlefield asset.  unfortunately to many compromises, from improved jump jets to enhance air speed in fighter mode, and the near halving of armor coverage to accommodate mass needs, led to the downsizing of the WTH-1's Missile compliment, and precluded the use of the MML Launchers.  the fact that the developers insisted on a Bi Modal LAM to "prevent pilots from acting like hot shots underneath an unhittable war god" also kneecapped the final product with another 2 tons of wasted tonnage.

in the end Project DRACHE produced a wing of twenty combat ready examples before the project was shelved.  while the use of Thunder and Incendiary LRMs permitted the mech to carry out it's Mission, it was outclassed by the use of the newest generation of Vali Artillery tanks and Jayhawk Omnifighters, both of which could do the same job for much cheaper.  not one example was deployed to a combat theater.

VARIANTS
as a nod to greater efficincy, a pair of the twenty prototypes were developed using a Carbon Nanotube chassis and utilizing clan grade weaponry.  meanwhile the jump jets were downgraded back to standard models, while this slowed the LAM to a crawl in the air, it also provided a significant boost in firepower.  the survivablity projections and cost made the Military budget committee of the Sanhedrin Balk however.

Type: Project DRACHE
Technology Base: Inner Sphere (Experimental)
Tonnage: 40
Internal Structure:  4
Conversion Equipment:  6
Engine:  160 Fusion
Walking MP: 4
Running MP: 6
Jumping MP: 6
Air Mech Cruising MP: N/A
Air Mech Flank MP: N/A
Safe Thrust: 6
Max Thrust: 9
Heat Sinks: 10
Gyro: 2
Cockpit: 3
Fuel: (80) 0
Damage Threshold: 12
Armor Factor 5
Head: 8
CT: 10/6
RT: 8/4
RT: 8/4
R/L A: 6
R/L L: 10

Weapons and ammo
Medium Laser RA 1 Crit 1 Ton
Medium laser LA 1 Crit 1 Ton
LRM 5 RT 1 Crit 2 tons
LRM 5 LT 1 Crit 2 Tons
Ammo (24) LT 1 Crit 1 Ton
Ammo (24) RT 1 Crit 1 ton
3 Improved Jump Jets RT 6 Crit 3 tons
3 Improved Jump Jets RT 6 Crit 3 tons