I almost skipped this entry just like Technical Readout 3025 but don’t worry no 60-ton Ost mix up here folks. The Ostscout is meant to be the premier InnerSphere recon ‘Mech with seemingly every Successor State possessing one for vital regiments. Not many to go around with numbers like that which I’d guess at 50 or 60 per Great House but don’t forget the ComGuards which may have the most. In another note that is sort of funny to me as a New York with the Ostscout slowing down and waving its hands to effectively use its sensors it makes me think of some locals who speak with their hands. Anyway, couldn’t find the MotW Article: Ostscout on the main boards so there is only the link from BattleTechwiki below to inspire you.
https://www.sarna.net/wiki/OstscoutOptimal Design Thoughts on the OstscoutRole. It’s a scout with little weaponry to go with speed that rivaled the Locust and Spider in 3025 which were the fastest game in town at the time.
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[DESTROYED] Ostmann Industries (Terra)
The original designer of the Ostscout who began production of this popular recon asset in 2600. The Light BattleMech was such a hit with the militaries of the InnerSphere that demand outstripped production forcing them to either impact production of their other products (most notably the Ostroc) or license it to another manufacturer. Recognizing their facility’s limitations, they choose the later course of action and in 2700 Kong Interstellar took over. Production perhaps ended altogether here, but in any case, this facility was destroyed in 2777 presumably during Operation Liberation.
[DAMAGED] Kong Interstellar Corporation (Connaught)
Kong built this popular Scout Mech for the next one hundred years after the conclusion of their licensing agreement in 2700. This major defense contractor during the Star League era was nearly wiped out by the First Succession War. With extensive damage leaving it unable to manufacture any new Ostscouts this facility limping through the remaining Succession Wars by concentrating on repair work and replacement part fabrication. Only recently has this facility begun to restore some of its manufacturing abilities but this appears to be a slow process.
Internal Structure. The three and a half ton Kell/S chassis is the bones of this Light BattleMech and since both of its factories were long destroyed there are no possibilities of new ones being built. So we gotta work with what we have this time around at least until the Krupp 255 EndoSteel model is introduced in 3064. It is possible to speed things up I suppose but we'd need one hell of a story to back it up.
Engine. The massive sixteen ton 280 VOX Fusion powerplant allows the Ostscout to move at nearly 130 kilometers per hour. This is certainly an area we can improve upon thanks to the four 280 Extra Light (XL) Engines currently in production. I feel that is an easy way to get eight tons and while it is more fragile, I don't feel it is out of character at all for the Ostscout. Especially if you can get a little weaponry, some electronic devices, and more armor would be great.
Jump Jets. Eight Ostmann Sct-A jump packs mounted in the side torsos allowed this BattleMech to match the maneuverability of the Spider. Able to leap 240 meters at a time this movement is responsible for a large part of the Ostscout’s heat scale. This large degree of mobility allows the recon machine to do its job effectively and should really be retained unless some other movement enhancement (Larger Power Plant, MASC, Triple Strength Myomer, etc.) can be substituted.
Heat Sinks. Single Heat Sinks just may be enough especially if you are not including any weapon systems or like the OTT-7J featuring a single Medium Laser. This could keep cost down but for such a specialized and highly prized BattleMech I would doubt this is a priority. Double Heat Sinks have the advantage of being incorporated wholesale into the 280 Fusion Engine plus one could be added without any critical effect. However, you’d need a reason to double them in the first place.
Cockpit & Gyro. Nothing much can be done with the standard three-ton cockpit at this time but the gyroscope will depend on the size of your engine. The base 280 Fusion Engine requires a three-ton balancer to operate effectively and if anything thing I see folks sticking with that or going higher for a larger engine.
Armor. Once again, the thirty-five-ton chassis has a max armor factor of 119 and seven tons of armor would offer a near max 112-armor factor. Six and half tons of Ferro-Fibrous would be even better at a 116 armor factor which could be a winner thanks to the difficulty of producing an EndoSteel chassis here. Both the OTT-7J and the 7K featured only four and a half tons of armor for a total factor of 72 which barely matches internal structure. My preference here would be to go with the maximum amount of armor if possible as the Ostscout is a pretty valuable asset to the militaries of the InnerSphere now more than ever.
Weapons & Equipment. The OTT-7J featured just one Medium Laser while the lostech upgrade 7K went completely weaponless serving as a spotter with only a TAG and friendly artillery fire able to defend it. The rarity and limited weapon systems of the Ostscout often resulted in its Mechwarriors refusing to engage in combat. More often than not this BattleMech will run when confronted by an opponent preferring to evade and scout. Eluding pursuit was easy back in 3025 but now on the modern battlefield possibly against Clan Invaders some more teeth may be necessary in order to survive.
Design CriteriaDesign: Ostscout Light BattleMech
Era: 3052, just following the Truce of Tukayyid
Tech: InnerSphere Level 2
Mass: 35 tons
Tech BaseThe tech base for this enterprise will be InnerSphere Level 2, also known as Star League lostech, circa 3053. Remember some Level 1 standards which Bradshaw and myself think still have value like Large Lasers and PPCs which feature the same damage factor as their higher tech brethren with less range and perhaps most significantly less heat. I've also become a fan of massed LRM-5s over the larger batteries (Free Worlds League in particular has gone in this direction) which could provide closer equivalents to Clan LRMs. Here is a list for your design reference. Let me know if there is anything I missed!
Star League LosTechAnti-Missile System
Arrow IV Artillery Missile System
Extended Range Large Laser (ER Large Laser)
Extended Range Particle Projection Cannon (ER PPC)
Gauss Rifle
Ultra Autocannon/5
LB 10-X Autocannon
One-Shot Missile Packs
Pulse Lasers (Small, Medium, & Large)
Streak SRM-2
Swarm LRMs
Thunder LRMs
Artemis IV FCS
Beagle Active Probe
Guardian ECM Suite
Myomer Accelerator Signal Circuitry (MASC)
Narc Missile Beacon
TAG
Cellular Ammunition Storage Equipment (CASE)
Double Heat Sinks
Endo Steel Internal Structure
Ferro-Fibrous Armor
Extra Light (XL) Engine
InnerSphere Low TechBlazer Cannon (or Binary Laser)
Recon Camera
Remote Sensor Dispenser
New InnovationsTriple Strength Myomer
Hatchet
C3 Computer
The Ostscout can be found in every Great House and in the service of ComStar at about the rate of one per regiment. Not sure about mercenaries and Periphery powers but the ratio is probably less than even that. Please do your research (think Objective Raids) for available components as this will be another factor in rapid production. I love fluff and your winning designs will be featured in my BattleTech Salient Horizon alternate setting. I'd like to go beyond the refits bought to you by Technical Readout 3050 and delve into extensive redesigns of your BattleTech favorites. Sharpen up your favorite war machines perhaps drawing on past or current variants while remembering the spirit or role of these Mechs. Don't forget to justify the expense of your project and multiple winners are possible. Figure that all entries have to be completed and posted on these forums by Friday January 24, 2019 by 11:59 PM which should give you all a full two weeks for this contest, good luck!!
