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Under the radar StarCorps in 3048 acquired the schematics for the Orion from the struggling periphery Diplass Technologies, a once powerful corporation in the days of the Usurper. Exchanging currency as well as assistance in the improving of the remaining Diplass production facilities. StarCorps was able to over the past few years repair and outfit production capability on the planet of Crofton to devote towards the Orion Battlemech. With the ability to utilize rediscovered Lostech technologies the designers have been able to downsize one of their most iconic designs into the 20 ton lighter frame of the Orion. Utilizing existing patents on many of the technologies seen throughout their vast holdings the design was relatively easy to put together once the internal framework was figured out. With Oriente Gauss Rifle and Holli LRM system the design is able remove tons of armor off its opponent at longer ranges and if the opponent is able to survive that its twin Harmon medium lasers and locally sourced Harpoon-6 missile system will exploit any holes in them quickly. While more pricey then other designs in its weight class due to the inclusion of the Vlar 300XL engine the Federated Commonwealth has quickly gobbled up the first few production runs to fill the holes left in their forces due to the Clan invasion.


Orion ON1-SC

Introduction Year: 3053
Cost: 15,772,750 C-bills
Battle Value: 1,931

Mass: 75 tons
Chassis: StarCorp 110
Power Plant: Vlar 300 XL
Cruising Speed: 43.2 kph
Maximum Speed: 64.8 kph
Jump Jets: HildCo Model 10
     Jump Capacity: 120 meters
Armor: Arcshield VII Mk.4
Armament:
     2 Harmon Starclass Medium Laser
     1 Oriente MagCoil Model M Gauss Rifle
     1 Holli "Ballista-15" LRM 15
     1 Harpoon-6 SRM 6
Manufacturer: StarCorps
     Primary Factory: Crofton
Communication System: Hector VII
Targeting & Tracking System: Starlight LX-1

Equipment                                          Mass
Internal Structure                                  7.5
Engine                        300 XL                9.5
Walking MP: 4
Running MP: 6
Jumping MP: 4
Double Heat Sink              10 [20]                 0
Gyro                                                  3
Cockpit                                               3
Armor Factor                  224                    14

                          Internal   Armor   
                          Structure  Value   
     Head                    3         9     
     Center Torso            23        36   
     Center Torso (rear)               9     
     R/L Torso               16        25   
     R/L Torso (rear)                  7     
     R/L Arm                 12        23   
     R/L Leg                 16        30   

Weapons                Location  Critical   Heat    Tonnage
Gauss Rifle                RT        7        1       15.0 
LRM 15                     LA        3        5       7.0   
SRM 6                      LT        2        4       3.0   
2 Medium Laser             RA        2        3       2.0   
ECM Suite                  CT        2        -       1.5   
LRM 15 Ammo (16)           LT        2        -       2.0   
SRM 6 Ammo (15)            LT        1        -       1.0   
CASE                       LT        1        -       0.5   
Gauss Rifle Ammo (16)      RT        2        -       2.0   
2 Jump Jet                 RL        2        -       2.0   
2 Jump Jet                 LL        2        -       2.0   

All done light but effective

Overview
Following the Fourth Succession War, the Wolf’s Dragoons settled on Outreach and developed their own world with the installation among others of Blackwell Heavy Industries. Eager to display their resilience and their success, the mercenary units requested, in a move that wasn’t fully understood at that time, an upgrade of the Orion, General Kerensky’s ‘Mech.


Capabilities
On the surface, the ON2-BHI doesn’t look really different from the classical Orion but a closer look shows that is a different beast.

Packing an Ultra AC/5, that increases the range while giving the same damage capacity as the original AC/10, backed by a trio of LRM-5, this long-range fire support ‘Mech is equally at ease at closer ranges with the SRM-4 having been replaced by 4 Medium Lasers arranged in the same way with the cooling system integrated in the 2 empty racks in the arm.
All these weapons along with the ammo and the CASE to protect it were given by Federated companies as a further proof of the bond between House Davion and the Wolf’s Dragoons.

The use of these weapons (and most of all of the Medium Lasers) is only possible thanks to the use of 11 Double Heat Sinks that barely keep the Orion running cool enough to bring its guns in battle.

All these changes allow the new Orion to perform efficiently at all ranges, blending into every combat style or battle plans. The only problem that some might face is its lack of heavy weapon able to finish its opponent with one shot but for a pure team member this is not a problem.


Battle History
I'll stand by you
Take me in, into your darkest hour
And I'll never desert you
I'll stand by you
I'll stand by you
Won't let nobody hurt you

This is how to best describe the job of the ON2-BH1 which battle after battle is there for its lance mate. An example happened during the assault by the Wild Geese on Blackjack.
Thanks to its generous supply of ammo and abundant laser weapons, a ON2-BHI piloted by ‘MechWarrior Patrick Dillon stayed behind in the Fire Lances and managed to protect them against a determined attack by elements from Clan Jade Falcon. Using their honour system to take the attackers one by one (a bit like Kai Allard-Liao on Twycross) and alternating between long range fire and fight at close range, he managed to slow down the Clanners enough to let the fire support units take a new and better position to destroy the attackers. Upon receiving the first massed shots, the jade Falcons quickly reacted and destroyed the ON2-BHI in front of them with all the might of their superior weapons but it was too late to save them.


Variants
The next step was a logical one that went along many of the upgrades made in the Inner Sphere. Using a Vlar 300XL Engine allowed the use of a locally produced Grizzard Gauss Rifle together with a Sunglow Binary Laser Canon with the rest of the weapons being a lot like the ON2-BHI (the most notable exception being the use of only 2 LRM-5), except for the use of Ferro-Fibrous to lighten the weight of its protection.
Some speculations are going on around the newly locally produced weapons with some saying that the newest Orion is just a test bed for a more advanced ‘Mech that Blackwell Heavy Industries will soon be producing but so far nothing has been seen.


Deployment
Blackwell Industries sells its retrofit kits of the Orion only to units or individuals approved by the Wolf’s Dragoons, going as far as to offer the complete upgrade in its installations to those rewarded by the mercenary units.

The ON2-BHI is more commonly spread in the Inner Sphere and the Periphery while only a handful of ON3-BHI can be seen outside of the Wolf’s Dragoons.


Notable ‘MechWarriors
Phoenix, the ‘Mech of ‘MechWarrior Sylvan Greenspan, was twice the first ‘Mech of the new retrofits made by Blackwell Heavy Industries and has been given as a reward to ‘MechWarriors of the Wolf’s Dragoons that were on the fast track to being promoted to officers. In spite of being constantly used and of the damage it may suffer, the tech teams take special pride in keeping the tradition alive of the phoenix rising each morning from its hangar in an immaculate state.
Its last action was in the team building sessions following the Outreach summit where it lead a Star of Dragoons in spite of not being retrofitted with Clan tech.

Orion ON2-BHI

Mass: 75 tons
Tech Base: Inner Sphere
Chassis Config: Biped
Rules Level: Tournament Legal
Era: Clan Invasion
Tech Rating/Era Availability: E/X-X-D-D
Production Year: 3052
Dry Cost: 6 818 000 C-Bills
Total Cost: 6 905 000 C-Bills
Battle Value: 1 673

Chassis: GM Marauder Standard
Power Plant: Vlar 300 Fusion Engine
Walking Speed: 43,2 km/h
Maximum Speed: 64,8 km/h
Jump Jets: None
    Jump Capacity: 0 meters
Armor: Valiant Lamellor Standard Armor w/ CASE
Armament:
    1 General Motors/General Motors Nova-5 Ultra AC/5
    6 Blackwell Heavy Industries/Martell Model 5 Medium Lasers
    3 Achernar BattleMechs/Magna Longbow-5 LRM-5s
Manufacturer: Blackwell Heavy Industries
    Primary Factory: Outreach
Communications System: Irian Orator-5K
Targeting and Tracking System: Wasat Aggressor Type 5

================================================================================
Equipment           Type                         Rating                   Mass 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Internal Structure: Standard                     114 points                7,50
Engine:             Fusion Engine                300                      19,00
    Walking MP: 4
    Running MP: 6
    Jumping MP: 0
Heat Sinks:         Double Heat Sink             11(22)                    1,00
Gyro:               Standard                                               3,00
Cockpit:            Standard                                               3,00
    Actuators:      L: SH+UA+LA    R: SH+UA+LA
Armor:              Standard Armor               AV - 231                 14,50
    CASE Locations: 1 LT, 1 RT                                             1,00

                                                      Internal       Armor     
                                                      Structure      Factor     
                                                Head     3            9         
                                        Center Torso     23           36       
                                 Center Torso (rear)                  10       
                                           L/R Torso     16           22       
                                    L/R Torso (rear)                  10       
                                             L/R Arm     12           24       
                                             L/R Leg     16           32       

================================================================================
Equipment                                 Location    Heat    Critical    Mass 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ultra AC/5                                   RT        1         5         9,00
Medium Laser                                 RT        3         1         1,00
3 LRM-5s                                     LT        6         3         6,00
Medium Laser                                 RA        3         1         1,00
4 Medium Lasers                              LA        12        4         4,00
@Ultra AC/5 (60)                             RT        -         3         3,00
@LRM-5 (48)                                  LT        -         2         2,00
                                            Free Critical Slots: 28

BattleForce Statistics
MV      S (+0)  M (+2)  L (+4)  E (+6)   Wt.   Ov   Armor:      8    Points: 17
4          4       5       2       0      3     0   Structure:  6
Special Abilities: CASE, SRCH, ES, SEAL, SOA, IF 1

Orion ON3-BHI

Mass: 75 tons
Tech Base: Inner Sphere
Chassis Config: Biped
Rules Level: Era Specific
Era: Clan Invasion
Tech Rating/Era Availability: E/X-X-E-D
Production Year: 3052
Dry Cost: 15 268 750 C-Bills
Total Cost: 15 358 750 C-Bills
Battle Value: 1 929

Chassis: GM Marauder Standard
Power Plant: Hermes 300 Fusion XL Engine
Walking Speed: 43,2 km/h
Maximum Speed: 64,8 km/h
Jump Jets: None
    Jump Capacity: 0 meters
Armor: StarSlab 511 Ferro-Fibrous Ferro-Fibrous w/ CASE
Armament:
    1 Blackwell Heavy Industries/Grizzard Gauss Rifle
    1 Blackwell Heavy Industries/Sunglow Heavy Binary Laser Cannon
    6 Blackwell Heavy Industries/Martell Model 5 Medium Lasers
    2 Achernar BattleMechs/Magna Longbow-5 LRM-5s
Manufacturer: Blackwell Heavy Industries
    Primary Factory: Outreach
Communications System: Irian Orator-5K
Targeting and Tracking System: Wasat Aggressor Type 5

================================================================================
Equipment           Type                         Rating                   Mass 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Internal Structure: Standard                     114 points                7,50
Engine:             XL Fusion Engine             300                       9,50
    Walking MP: 4
    Running MP: 6
    Jumping MP: 0
Heat Sinks:         Double Heat Sink             10(20)                    0,00
Gyro:               Standard                                               3,00
Cockpit:            Standard                                               3,00
    Actuators:      L: SH+UA+LA    R: SH+UA+LA
Armor:              Ferro-Fibrous                AV - 231                 13,00
    Armor Locations: 1 HD, 2 CT, 2 LT, 2 RT, 3 RA, 2 LL, 2 RL
    CASE Locations: 1 LT                                                   0,50

                                                      Internal       Armor     
                                                      Structure      Factor     
                                                Head     3            9         
                                        Center Torso     23           36       
                                 Center Torso (rear)                  10       
                                           L/R Torso     16           22       
                                    L/R Torso (rear)                  10       
                                             L/R Arm     12           24       
                                             L/R Leg     16           32       

================================================================================
Equipment                                 Location    Heat    Critical    Mass 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Gauss Rifle                                  RT        1         7        15,00
2 LRM-5s                                     LT        4         2         4,00
6 Medium Lasers                              RA        18        6         6,00
Binary Laser Cannon                          LA        16        4         9,00
@Gauss Rifle (24)                            LT        -         3         3,00
@LRM-5 (24)                                  LT        -         1         1,00
                                            Free Critical Slots: 5

BattleForce Statistics
MV      S (+0)  M (+2)  L (+4)  E (+6)   Wt.   Ov   Armor:      8    Points: 19
4          4       4       2       0      3     3   Structure:  3
Special Abilities: CASE, SRCH, ES, SEAL, SOA


Final day for entries of the optimized Orion!

No entries for me this round as I've pulled my two posts due to lack of fluff a bit earlier. I'm just finding it harder to come up with something original besides the boring 'tech swap' type-posts I've been writing lately. I think there will be few entries from from here on out. Boredom with the inner sphere designs with way too much repetitive effort on my part. With about a nine or so designs left, this part of the contest won't be over another four to five months or so and judging is even further behind as Takiro (who I know is probably a busy man) has just finished up the 50-tonners. It's hard for me to remain engaged or excited. Now, I go back to watching the impressively boring Olympics coverage by NBC.

Yeah looking back I have very few entries for judgements in the next 20 tons of competitions. Either no ideas or to many other similar ones available

No entries for me this round as I've pulled my two posts due to lack of fluff a bit earlier. I'm just finding it harder to come up with something original besides the boring 'tech swap' type-posts I've been writing lately. I think there will be few entries from from here on out. Boredom with the inner sphere designs with way too much repetitive effort on my part. With about a nine or so designs left, this part of the contest won't be over another four to five months or so and judging is even further behind as Takiro (who I know is probably a busy man) has just finished up the 50-tonners. It's hard for me to remain engaged or excited. Now, I go back to watching the impressively boring Olympics coverage by NBC.