And here’s the “budget” version of the Goliath, a pure fire-support design. I’d prefer to use massed LRM-5s, but there’s just not enough crit space for the necessary heat sinks to make that work, so I’m going with the second most efficient LRM design, the LRM-15, instead. This variant puts out the firepower of a Salamander, and between side-step and hull-down, can manage some battlefield shenanigans that should make it possible to keep even Clan 5/8 heavies to its front arc (= only arc) of fire. As an added bonus, the four different LRM launchers play very nicely with the Multitrac quirk of the Goliath.
Type: Goliath GOL-2M
Production: Free Worlds League (Brigadier Corporation, Oliver)
Combat Value: 1883 BV
Total Cost: 7,966,201 C-Bills (including x1.8 tonnage premium)
Internal Struc (std): 8t
Engine: Pitban 240: 11.5t
Walking: 3
Running: 5
Heat Sinks: 10(20): 0t
Gyro/Cockpit (std): 6t
Armor Factor (std: 16.5t (263-max pips)
Head: 3/9
Center Torso: 25/31/19
R/L Torso: 17/21/13
R/L Front Leg: 17/34
R/L Back Leg: 17/34
Quirk: Multi-Trac, Exposed Actuators
4x LRM15 (12cr, 28t) 2RT/2LT
7x Ammo (LRM) 56 (7cr, 7t) 5RT/2LT
2x CASE (2cr, 1t) RT/LT
1x Double Heat Sink (3cr, 0t) LT
2x Medium Laser (2cr, 2t) H/CT-r
When Corean Enterprises of Steward upgraded the Goliath in 3047 with the 3M, Brigadier Corporation, the original designers of the Goliath and long-time manufacturer, felt they were now put on notice. After reviewing the Corean upgrade, Brigadier engineers concluded that that 3M was a medicre ‘Mech, but still a clear upgrade over the much-maligned (and admittedly underperforming) Goliath 1H. The onus was now on Brigadier to either upgrade their existing Goliath production line, or consider rebuilding it entirely to produce a superior and better-selling ‘Mech instead.
By 3050, having seen some successes already with their Griffin 3M and Crusader 5M upgrades, Brigadier decided to attempt an upgrade of their Goliath line – some discussion was made about focusing on the Scorpion lines first, but corporate executives decided that potential Scorpion sales would simply cannibalize their own Griffin manufacturing, as they were both medium-weight designs. The company then focused the next two years on producing a viable and upgraded Goliath – right as the Clans invaded, and in an environment where the Combine and Commonwealth were desperate for more (and more cost-effective) ‘Mech designs.
Given the direction of the market, Brigadier chose to rework their Goliath and produce a highly cost-effective support-fire assault design, one capable of providing excellent firepower that would be effective against even Clan opponents, while still being affordable for cash-strapped Great Houses attempting to rapidly rebuild. The redesignated GOL-2M saves considerable weight by downgrading its engine, rather than installing a pricely extra-light. It is powered by a Pitban 240-class fusion engine, sourced from long-time corporate collaborator Nimakachi Fusion Products of Tematagi, who was delighted to find a buyer for their Pitban engines, as they had switched much of their own ‘Mech production from Spiders to Venoms (which utilizes a VOX 280XL engine instead).
With the Pitban, the 2M moves at a relative snail’s pace, with just 53kph top speed. However, Brigadier designers have focused on creating a pure support-fire design, accepting the poor mobility as a necessary trade-off to make a cost-effect assault ‘Mech. Instead of direct-fire weapons like a PPC or Gauss Rifle (such as fielded by their competitor), the Brigadier Goliath instead doubles down on the indirect fire of LRM launchers. With their Crusader line already churning out Magna Longbow LRM-15 launchers, it was quite straight-forward to fit four of these LRM launchers into the torsos of the 2M, where it can lay down a withering volley of fire that surpasses that of nearly all other LRM-equipped ‘Mechs in the Inner Sphere. The Corean B-Tech targeting system even allows pilots to easily split fire from the four launchers against multiple opponents. Seven tons of CASE-protected ammunition, split between the left and right torsos, give the 2M reasonable endurance, and a pair of Intek Medium Lasers (also from their Crusader line) give the 2M some backup short-range punch – one fitted to the head, and one rear-firing in the center torso.
Finally, Brigadier added an additional two tons of StarSlab-3 ‘Mech armor to their Goliath, bulking up the armored protection on the four legs of the ‘Mech, as well as a modicum of extra protection to the side torsos. Although still a tall ‘Mech, the revamped Goliath 2M is heavily armored, capable of providing half a lance’s worth of fire support all on its own, and in the hands of a good pilot capable of maximizing a quad ‘Mech’s unique quirks, capable of utilizing cover and maneuvering to maintain its range advantage as necessary. Most importantly, the revamped design comes in under 8 million C-bills, dramatically less expensive than Corean’s somewhat lackluster “upgrade”, and helping Brigadier stay well positioned to keep growing its market share and expanding their ‘Mech offerings into the future.
