For those wishing to pass on this week’s Quicksilver contest (22nd Upgrade: Crossbow) I would ask that you help with the Program’s next step, replacing the old. Certainly, maligned the Crossbow maybe the first of these now established designs to be challenged but how exactly and in what fashion? Let me summarize up till this point.
The first major part of Operation Restoration was the Quicksilver Program which unified the industrial resources of the Clan Homeworlds to maximize production for the war effort. The resulting boost in manufacturing should allow the Clans to solidify their hold over the Occupation Zone while weathering any significant counterattacks by the InnerSphere and build up sufficient equipment in order to complete the restoration of the Star League.
Quicksilver also established the Monster Doctrine which called for the construction of three distinct types (Zombie, Vampire, Werewolf) of OmniMech for each weight class (20 to 100). With this triad (Survivability, Weaponry, Speed) of capabilities spread over seventeen distinct mass increments to create fifty-one (51) OmniMech designs it made sure that each Clan could develop their own unique preferences while securing a share of the manufacturing which would be greatly enhanced.
Step one in our grand design contest series set out to Fill the Gaps while simultaneously eliminating any conflicting designs. Eight (
OmniMech designs (Coyotl, Phantom, Mongrel [Grendel], Nova [Black Hawk], Lupus, Hellbringer [Loki], Woodsman, Naga) which were in production were ultimately discontinued after being defeated in the initial Quicksilver Trials by other established designs. While many of these discontinued designs remain in production at Secondary facilities these smaller single Clan owned sites can not keep up the manufacturing rates of the new Primary Quicksilver facilities.
Nineteen (19) new OmniMechs were then developed to insert into any open design slot left unfilled by existing models. The competition was intense as all seventeen Clans vied for these remaining spots eventually completing 135 qualified designs. With an average of seven (7) entries per contest submissions drew on historical designs from the Star League as well as some BattleMechs still in use. An additional eleven (11) designs were also developed from June 3053 to March 3054 alerting some to a secret Society within the Clans. Please note that OmniMechs were not the only war machines impacted as OmniFighters and even a few OmniVehicles went on to become a part of the Quicksilver Trials.
The conclusion of this first phase bought us to our second and current round of projects, Quicksilver Upgrades. It aims to take the twenty-eight (28) OmniMechs already in service and modernize their loadout without altering the core designs which would negatively impact production. A number of discontinued designs and four (4) accelerated concepts from mere blueprints (Crimson Langur, Hell Cat [aka Nova Cat], Savage Coyote, Black Mamba [aka Blood Asp]) will encompass make up phase two. This could and should also include existing OmniFighters and the single OmniVehicle in service within the Clans as well.
This brings us to the third phase which now we can talk about planning in detail all thanks to the hated Crossbow. Initial questions I have –
First off, what should we call this new phase? Quicksilver Replacements??
Say I want to challenge an existing design like the Crossbow for example how would someone do that? Can a Clan simply challenge a questionable design citing age, defects, or capability decline and trial the owner?
Would a committee or the ilKhan be involved since Quicksilver is a unified industrial effort? I think this is likely given the joint nature of the project.
Would any protections on manufacturing be granted for a set amount of time since considerable investment would be needed to bolster ownership? Guarantees maybe required to insure sufficient returns on even the most hated designs – if so how long – five years for something like the Crossbow?
Does the challenger need to risk anything of equal value? Quicksilver equally divides resources to maintain balance and establish a fair standard
What if it is not an outside Clan but a Clan who already holds the spot? Say the Vipers have a replacement in mind - would their own redesign open a general design competition?
Hopefully we can develop a system to facilitate this next step and I look forward to working with everyone on doing just that.
