Well, I seem to have satisfied the cravings of my inner Munchkin for now with the Superheavy
Olympian and
Great Cthulhu and the ultra-tech
Xenorauder. (None of them are currently part of my AU or ever likely to be, BTW.) So let’s resume perusing the back catalogue of the “freebie giveaway” folder.
The first two models of this design were featured in
BattleTechnology Magazine Issue #16 (December 3050). Despite the optimistic tone of the article, in the end neither model ever progressed beyond the prototype stage or was put into mass production.
- - - - - -
BattleMech Technical Readout
WS3-L Weasel
Mass: 25 tons
Chassis: Kell/D Endo Steel
Power Plant: Magna 250 XL
Cruising Speed: 108.0 km/h
Maximum Speed: 162.0 km/h
Jump Jets: None
Jump Capacity: 0 meters
Armor: StarGuard CIV Ferro-Fibrous with CASE
Armament:
1 Sutel Precision Line Medium Pulse Laser
3 Sutel Precision Line Small Pulse Lasers
1 Crossbow Anti-Missile System
Manufacturer: NAIS Stellar 'Mech Fabrication and Repair Complex
Primary Factory: CLASSIFIED [Novaya Zemlya] (FC)
Communications System: Lynx-shur
Targeting & Tracking System: Sync Tracker (39-42071)
Overview:
With the success of the Mongoose, designers at Diplan 'Mechyards of Ozawa decided to improve upon the 'Mech. It would contain all the advanced technology possible. The team came up with two designs. Both were accepted and built into the same 'Mech design. It was hoped that the Star League would see value in a 'Mech with two configurations.
The Amaris Coup in 2765 brought the design to a halt. As Rim Worlds Republic troops stormed the plant a group of the designers fled. A week later they were found. When the designs were not found on them, they were killed. It wasn't until 3041 when the designs were found again. On the planet Ozawa, a Davion science team were looking in the ruins of a city. This city was in a radioactive "hot spot", so it had been left untouched for centuries. The team came upon a capsule embedded in the foundation of a building. After carefully opening it they found a group of holovid memory crystals and the memory core of a small but advanced computer. The contents seemed to have survived the radiation, so they were rushed to the NAIS for further investigation.
The Weasel and its counterpart the "Wild" Weasel were designed to be the ultimate in speed and technology. The Magna 250 XL engine gives them excellent speed without the normal weight. Together with their endo-steel frame and ferro-fibrous armor, this leaves the 'Mech with enough weight to equip it for its primary modes.
The Weasel has many roles: quick strike and harassment, serving as an escort for its sister the "Wild" Weasel and used as an anti-recon 'Mech. With its speed and pulse lasers, it can be capable of crippling almost any light scouting 'Mech or vehicle. Its small pulse laser mounted in the rear makes any attack from that direction a little more tricky.
The "Wild" Weasel looks almost identical to its sister. It drops the rear-mounted small pulse laser and uses standard lasers to save weight for its Beagle active probe and Guardian ECM suite. Both are tucked inside the torsos of the 'Mech. It is not meant to fight, depending on its speed to keep it out of trouble. The probe and ECM suite combination make it a valuable recon and jamming 'Mech. It cannot use the probe and the ECM at the same time, due to a design flaw in the circuit card which ties them to the Central Processing Unit. If a careless pilot turns one on while the other is still operating, the circuit card will short out, rendering both pieces of equipment inoperable until the warrior gets a chance to replace the card.
Both 'Mechs are equipped with a Crossbow anti-missile system to protect it against any pilot lucky enough to lock onto this fast-mover in the first place. Both of them have their AMS ammo protected by cellular ammunition storage. The "Wild" Weasel holds only one ton of ammo to save room for its probe.
The Federated Commonwealth, already having two prototypes in field testing, has created only one further variant of this 'Mech type. It drops the rear-mounted small pulse laser in order to add another ton of AMS ammo. The WS3-L1 does show a lot of promise. Its Achilles heel is psychological. Its capabilities can fool a pilot into using stand and fight techniques which are inappropriate for the 'Mech's size and armor. A good 'Mech if you don't let it fool you into getting cocky.
Type: WS3-L Weasel
Technology Base: Inner Sphere Level 2 3050
Tonnage: 25
Equipment Mass
Internal Structure: ES 1.5
Engine: 250 XL 6.5
Walking MP: 10
Running MP: 15
Jumping MP: 0
Heat Sinks: 10 [20] 0
Gyro: 3
Cockpit: 3
Armor Factor: 72 FF 4.0
Internal Armor
Structure Value
Head: 3 8
Center Torso: 8 11
Center Torso (Rear): 5
R/L Torso: 6 8
R/L Torso (Rear): 4
R/L Arm: 4 6
R/L Leg: 6 6
BV 1: 493 Cost: 4,232,084 C-Bills
Weapons and Ammo Location Critical Heat Mass
Small Pulse Laser RA 1 2 1.0
Small Pulse Laser LA 1 2 1.0
Anti-Missile System RT 1 1 0.5
Ammo (AMS) 12 RT 1 0 1.0
CASE RT 1 0 0.5
Medium Pulse Laser CT 1 4 2.0
Small Pulse Laser CT (R) 1 2 1.0
ACTUATORS RA RH LA LH
ES RA2 LA2 RT3 LT3 RL2 LL2
FF RA4 LA4 RT3 LT3 - - - - - -
BattleMech Technical Readout
WS3-L2 "Wild" Weasel
Mass: 25 tons
Chassis: Kell/D Endo Steel
Power Plant: Magna 250 XL
Cruising Speed: 108.0 km/h
Maximum Speed: 162.0 km/h
Jump Jets: None
Jump Capacity: 0 meters
Armor: StarGuard CIV Ferro-Fibrous with CASE
Armament:
1 ChisComp 39 Medium Laser
2 ChisComp 32 Small Lasers
1 Crossbow Anti-Missile System
* Beagle Active Probe
* Guardian ECM Suite
Manufacturer: NAIS Stellar 'Mech Fabrication and Repair Complex
Primary Factory: CLASSIFIED [Novaya Zemlya] (FC)
Communications System: Lynx-shur with Guardian ECM Suite
Targeting & Tracking System: Sync Tracker (39-42071) with Beagle Active Probe
Type: WS3-L2 "Wild" Weasel
Technology Base: Inner Sphere Level 2 3050
Tonnage: 25
Equipment Mass
Internal Structure: ES 1.5
Engine: 250 XL 6.5
Walking MP: 10
Running MP: 15
Jumping MP: 0
Heat Sinks: 10 [20] 0
Gyro: 3
Cockpit: 3
Armor Factor: 72 FF 4.0
Internal Armor
Structure Value
Head: 3 8
Center Torso: 8 11
Center Torso (Rear): 5
R/L Torso: 6 8
R/L Torso (Rear): 4
R/L Arm: 4 6
R/L Leg: 6 6
BV 1: 570 Cost: 4,675,209 C-Bills
Weapons and Ammo Location Critical Heat Mass
Small Laser RA 1 1 0.5
Small Laser LA 1 1 0.5
Guardian ECM Suite RT 2 0 1.5
Anti-Missile System RT 1 1 0.5
Ammo (AMS) 12 RT 1 0 1.0
CASE RT 1 0 0.5
Beagle Active Probe LT 2 0 1.5
Medium Laser CT 1 3 1.0
ACTUATORS RA RH LA LH
ES RA2 LA2 RT3 LT3 RL2 LL2
FF H1 RA5 LA5 LT3 - - - - - -
The following pair of variants are both original. In the wake of the Blakist War, the FedCom was anxious to rebuild its severely depleted ‘Mech forces as quickly as possible (within the constraints of the informal agreement not to go so fast that it could spark another arms race). They saved time that would have otherwise been needed for designing a new recon and screening 'Mech to replace the many older ones destroyed in the conflict by dusting off the blueprints for the
Weasel and
"Wild" Weasel, upgrading them a little and finally putting them into mass production after more than 300 years. (The arbitrary flaw preventing the Beagle and Guardian from both operating simultaneously was corrected along the way.)
- - - - - -
BattleMech Technical Readout
WS3-L3 Weasel
Mass: 25 tons
Chassis: Kell/D Endo Steel
Power Plant: Magna 250 XL
Cruising Speed: 108.0 km/h
Maximum Speed: 162.0 km/h
Jump Jets: None
Jump Capacity: 0 meters
Armor: Lexington Ltd. High Grade Ferro-Fibrous
Armament:
1 Diverse Optics Type 20PX Medium X-Pulse Laser
3 Diverse Optics Type 10PX Small X-Pulse Lasers
1 Diverse Optics Sunray Laser Anti-Missile System
Manufacturer: TharHes Industries, Achernar BattleMechs
Primary Factory: Tharkad (FC), New Avalon (FC)
Communications System: TharHes Crystal Flower RG-2
Targeting & Tracking System: O/P 911
Type: WS3-L3 Weasel
Technology Base: Inner Sphere Level 3 3090
Tonnage: 25
Equipment Mass
Internal Structure: ES 1.5
Engine: 250 XL 6.5
Walking MP: 10
Running MP: 15
Jumping MP: 0
Heat Sinks: 10 [20] 0
Gyro: 3
Cockpit: 3
Armor Factor: 80 FF 4.5
Internal Armor
Structure Value
Head: 3 8
Center Torso: 8 11
Center Torso (Rear): 5
R/L Torso: 6 8
R/L Torso (Rear): 4
R/L Arm: 4 8
R/L Leg: 6 8
BV 1: 724 Cost: 4,454,584 C-Bills
Weapons and Ammo Location Critical Heat Mass
Small X-Pulse Laser RA 1 3 1.0
Small X-Pulse Laser LA 1 3 1.0
Laser AMS RT 2 7 1.5
Medium X-Pulse Laser CT 1 6 2.0
Small X-Pulse Laser CT (R) 1 3 1.0
ACTUATORS RA RH LA LH
ES RA3 LA3 RT3 LT3 RL1 LL1
FF RA3 LA3 RT3 LT3 RL1 LL1 - - - - - -
BattleMech Technical Readout
WS3-L4 "Wild" Weasel
Mass: 25 tons
Chassis: Kell/D Endo Steel
Power Plant: Magna 250 XL
Cruising Speed: 108.0 km/h
Maximum Speed: 162.0 km/h
Jump Jets: None
Jump Capacity: 0 meters
Armor: Lexington Ltd. High Grade Ferro-Fibrous
Armament:
1 Diverse Optics Type 20X ER Medium Laser
2 Diverse Optics Type 10X ER Small Lasers
1 Diverse Optics Sunray Laser Anti-Missile System
* Beagle Active Probe
* Guardian ECM Suite
Manufacturer: TharHes Industries, Achernar BattleMechs
Primary Factory: Tharkad (FC), New Avalon (FC)
Communications System: TharHes Crystal Flower RG-2 with Guardian ECM Suite
Targeting & Tracking System: O/P 911 with Beagle Active Probe
Type: WS3-L4 "Wild" Weasel
Technology Base: Inner Sphere Level 3 3090
Tonnage: 25
Equipment Mass
Internal Structure: ES 1.5
Engine: 250 XL 6.5
Walking MP: 10
Running MP: 15
Jumping MP: 0
Heat Sinks: 10 [20] 0
Gyro: 3
Cockpit: 3
Armor Factor: 80 FF 4.5
Internal Armor
Structure Value
Head: 3 8
Center Torso: 8 11
Center Torso (Rear): 5
R/L Torso: 6 8
R/L Torso (Rear): 4
R/L Arm: 4 8
R/L Leg: 6 8
BV 1: 783 Cost: 4,828,959 C-Bills
Weapons and Ammo Location Critical Heat Mass
ER Small Laser RA 1 2 0.5
ER Small Laser LA 1 2 0.5
Guardian ECM Suite RT 2 0 1.5
Laser AMS RT 2 7 1.5
Beagle Active Probe LT 2 0 1.5
ER Medium Laser CT 1 5 1.0
ACTUATORS RA RH LA LH
ES RA3 LA3 RT3 LT3 RL1 LL1
FF RA3 LA3 RT2 LT4 RL1 LL1 - - - - - -
Fun though it was to come up with these, I have to be honest and say that neither I nor my players would ever willingly actually
use a 'Mech weighing less than 30 tons. (And even then only with maxed or near-maxed armor protection.)
Edit:
For a gratuitous Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention reference... here's a one-sentence excerpt from an after-action report by a Silver Hawks Coalition
Locust pilot, who was bushwhacked by an AFFC tag-team of
Weasel and
"Wild" Weasel and had them raining punches and kicks on his 'Mech (before they were ordered to withdraw and let him go for tactical reasons) during the foolhardy SHC invasion of the Terran Corridor in 3083, referring to the serious injuries he sustained from being violently knocked back and forth within his cockpit:
"Weasels Ripped My Flesh!" 
Author
Topic: Freebie giveaway time! 'Mechs, more 'Mechs and yet more 'Mechs! (Read 70001 times)