Okay, this one may (
may, I say!) be illegal. However, technically speaking, both of the systems incorporated in the design below ARE available to the Clans . . . they just don't use them. Normally. But this is after Tukayyid. Kerensky is ilKhan, and it is his Clan (many, many years later) that develops the
Wulfen. However, to make it work in Solaris Skunkworks, I had to do it as a 'mixed' Technology, since SSW doesn't allow either system on Clan 'Mechs. Anyway, this is my effort turned up to 11 . . . hope y'all enjoy it.
MA
ICE GHOSTOVERVIEW and CAPABILITIESIn 3052, Khan Stephen Tyler of Clan Ice Hellion assembled a ‘working group’ of Warriors and Scientists. Hand-picked for their expertise in combat, OmniMech engineering, tactical and strategic acumen, and their ability to think outside of conventional boxes, this group of Hellions were directed to conceive, design, and ready for production a new OmniMech for the IlKhan’s Project QUICKSILVER.
Stung by the loss of the Hellion prototype in earlier trials, Khan Tyler was determined that THIS OmniMech slot would be won by his Clan. But recognizing that his resources were finite (and urged onward by his saKhan Danielle Lienet), Tyler reached out to two unlikely Clans for assistance with the development process: Clan Ghost Bear and Clan Goliath Scorpion.
Perpetually short of resources, the Scorpions nonetheless had access to their unparalleled archives and historical records, whereas the Bears (though cautious in nature and generally disdainful of Hellion pack tactics) had industrial might to spare and a noted preference for fast designs in all weight categories.
Tyler had but one order to the working group of nineteen men and women from across three Clans: the design must be unique, something that would catch ilKhan Kerensky’s attention from the start. To the Hellion members of the assembly, he reminded them only that a success here would prove Hellion doctrine (and their Touman) remained strong.
From the start, it appeared that such success would be a long time in coming . . . for each Clan (and indeed factions within the representatives of each Clan) had their own ideas for what the design should be. Initial proposals for a speed greater than the existing
Fire Moth and another for a quadruped design were both quickly squashed by the majority. Eventually, the group settled upon an idea proposed by Ghost Bear Star Captain Liam Kabrinski to base the central chassis largely on the SLDF
Hussar.
Upgraded to 35-tons in mass, the design would use a 315-rate extra-light fusion engine to attain walking speeds of 97.2 kilometers per hour and a running speed of 151.2 kph. The Hellion members insisted on including a one-ton Myomer Acceleration Signal Circuitry system, which would boost the overall ground speed to 194.4 kph when running . . . for short periods of time. In an effort to keep the peace, the Scorpions and Bears agreed that MASC would indeed be useful.
To obtain a workable amount of pod-space, the working group next ordered the use of Endo-Steel II internal structure and Ferro-Fibrous armor plating. Six full tons of armor were added giving the design 96.63% of the theoretical maximum coverage on a bipedal 35-ton chassis. But it was the armor layout that surprised (and shocked) the Hellion Khans when they reviewed the data! Taking a page from the SLDF
Ost-series of BattleMechs, the working group proposed maximum armor on all locations except the arms. Futhermore, they included as much bulk from the ESII and FF within the arms as possible, leaving only the torsos available for weapon pods; this was done to add additional protection to the OmniMech as it could lose both arms and remain at 100% combat effectiveness. The center torso could even tank a single burst from a Class 20 autocannon without suffering internal damage. But the REAR armor was almost non-existent! Even the
Fire Moth was better protected from rear shots! But the design team shrugged their shoulders and insisted that if you wanted good frontal protection, then the rear must be vulnerable; besides, no REAL Clan Warrior should ever be facing away from the enemy!
Here is where the design process took a sharp turn into an arena that would be quickly designated as unique (although some neutral observers instead called it ‘insane’).
One evening, before the design was finalized and weapon configurations addressed, Star Captain Deborah Arbuthnot (the senior Scorpion Warrior) and her Engineer-Scientist Gregor had dinner with Star Captains Kabrinski and Jennifer Bragg (the Hellion senior officer) and their scientific/technical advisors. She began to lament that modern light designs were, in the context of intra-Clan conflict, no longer able to rely solely upon speed as a defense. The expanded range of Clan Pulse Lasers, the increased reach and broad categories of LB-X autocannons and their Cluster munitions, the spread of Targeting Computers, and even the heightened training and gunnery ability of Clan Warriors in general all combined to make even the fastest, most mobile light OmniMechs and BattleMechs exceptionally vulnerable.
What follows is the transcript of a recording from that dinner.
KABRINSKI: True, aff. But what is there to do? Modern weapons are simply too destructive, too long-ranged, and defensive technology has not yet reached the point where even armor, or rather as much armor as a light unit can carry, has much of an effect.
BRAGG: I am not certain your premise is accurate; light units—
fast light units—will always be needed.
ARBUTHNOT: Of course they will! That is not what I am saying, Jennifer. I am . . . [PAUSE] . . . lights are vulnerable to everything. We need something that will make this design stand out; to use your own Khan’s words . . .
unique.
BRAGG: What do you propose? We are already fixing an ECM Suite on the base chassis . . . that leaves just seven tons of space for weapons! Maybe,
maybe if the Raven scientists ever get the formula for . . . what do they call it?
KABRINSKI: Ferro-Lamellar was the latest designation I heard.
BRAGG: Thank you. If they ever manage to complete that project and make it available for production, then maybe we can address this issue. But there are no options with our current tech-base.
ARBUTHNOT: Our current tech-base, being the operative words. What about something from our past?
KABRINSKI: Such as?
[PAUSE]
ARBUTHNOT: Null Signature Sheaths. Chameleon Light Polarization Shields.
[CLAMORED SHOUTS]
ARBUTHNOT [YELLING]: The Star League Defense Force had them both! We Scorpions have the plans and schematics . . . will you two SHUT THE HELL UP AND LET ME EXPLAIN!
[CLAMOR QUIETENS]
ARBUTHNOT: My apologies. But look, speed is not enough anymore. Neither is armor, at least the armor we have now and in the quantities we are able to put on a light combat unit. But these systems make a ‘Mech harder to hit; combined with an ECM we could introduce a complete paradigm shift in our thinking here in the Homeworlds.
KABRINSKI: Nicholas Kerensky himself
forbade those systems . . .
ARBUTHNOT: Neg. He never issued an order concerning them; he expressed public disdain for their use as ambush weapons by the SLDF. Hell,
ANDERY Kerensky, the Founder’s own
brother, piloted an
Exterminator in Operation KLONDIKE!
BRAGG [SOFTLY]: The other Clans would never allow this . . . [VOICE TRAILING OFF]
KABRINSKI: I need another beer. And a shot of whiskey.
ARBUTHNOT: The beauty of it is these systems can be turned ON and OFF. In honor Trials, turn the damn thing OFF! But in operations in the field, or against bandit
dezgra opponents, or against Inner Sphere
surats . . . ah, come now, Liam, you fought in the Inner Sphere. Tell me that you—and your Khans—would not have wanted to employ such a device on the light and medium OmniMechs when fighting on Tukayyid. But we didn’t have any for them to deploy. We are so conditioned today that we do not even CONSIDER it anymore.
BRAGG: How big an advantage are we speaking of?
ARBUTHNOT: Take the difficulty of hitting a
Fire Moth going maximum speed. Now double it. [PAUSE] At least at long-range. It gets easier to hit the shorter the range is.
KABRINSKI: Do not forget the increased heat production, Scorpion.
ARBUTHNOT: I was getting there, Bear! The system does generate excessive levels of heat, but you can use it to make your OmniMech all but unhittable as you close, and then . . . [VOICE TRAILS OFF]
BRAGG: And then we are in range where we Hellions are most effective.
ARBUTHNOT: It could level the playing field between Heavy-weight designs and fast lights; perhaps even between Assaults and fast mediums!
KABRINSKI: We are going to be stood against a wall and shot.
ARBUTHNOT [LAUGHING]: That is the spirit! Going out with a BANG!
KABRINSKI [CHUCKLES]: Well, if we are going to do this, best we do it right. Scientist Hancock . . . can we revise those schematics? In the next . . . six hours?
[GROANING SOUNDS]
BRAGG: If we cannot, then we risk disappointing the Khan. The design, so far, is too . . .
conventional. Yes. Yes, this will make it unique. Paradigm-changing, even.
ARBUTHNOT: Then shall we begin,
trothkin?
The inclusion of Null Signature Sheath and Chameleon Light Polarization Shields on the design (newly designated as
Ice Ghost to honor both Clan Ice Hellion and Clan Ghost Bear) caused every bit of the furor expected . . . but Khan Tyler realized that his team had delivered all that he had demanded and more.
In 3052, he submitted the design to ilKhan Kerensky and stood ready to defend it against the might of the outraged Khans. Meanwhile, the Ghost Bear Khans (publically) withdrew their support, taken aback by the unconventional equipment (considered by many as
dezgra) on the new war-machine. Privately, they informed Khan Tyler that if the
Ice Ghost was approved by the ilKhan and
IF Tyler and his Hellions defeated the all-but-certain Trials of Refusal and Grievance to follow, they would provide support for production behind the scenes . . . but until then it was now a Hellion (and Hellion alone) project.
CONFIGURATIONSThe
Ice Ghost features an integral head-mounted ECM Suite as part of its base chassis, along with NSS and CLPS, and a center-torso mounted MASC. This leaves seven tons for weapons and equipment. Only the base ten double-strength heat sinks are included on the chassis; this leaves little margin for error (and excess heat production) when the Stealth systems are activated.
The Prime Configuration includes an Active Probe in the left torso and a Large Pulse Laser in the right torso. Intended for use as a recon element, the Prime's Large Pulse Laser provides accurate and long-range firepower (although maximum damage is extremely low for a 35-ton OmniMech) and the lack of onboard munitions prevents the excess heat generation from using the laser in combination with onboard Stealth systems from crippling the design.
Configuration A features four LRM-5 racks (two each in the right and left torsos) fed by two tons of ammunition (for a total of 48 missile salvoes). An ER Medium Laser (placed in the right arm, replacing the hand actuator) is the only back-up weapon.
Configuration B consists of two SRM-6 launchers (mounted one each in the right and left torso) with two tons of munitions (for a total of 30 salvoes). Two ER Medium Lasers (as with the A placed in the arms in lieu of the hand actuators in the right and left arms). Heat build-up on this model can be
quite high and care must be taken to ensure that onboard munitions do not prematurely detonate.
The
Ice Ghost C includes two additional double-strength heat sinks (for a total of twelve). This is not enough to compensate for the heat generated by four ER Medium Lasers (two each in the right and left torso) and two ER Small Lasers (one each in the right and left torso). Warriors are encouraged to use the Stealth systems to close and then drop their cover, generating only movement heat on point-blank range Alpha-strikes.
Configuration D is very lightly armed . . . but it is also the only configuration able to run, gun, and remain in Stealth mode at all times without generating overheat. Thirteen DHS are mounted, but the only weapons are two Medium Pulse Lasers (right torso and left torso).
The final Configuration is the
Ice Ghost E. It is very similar to the C config, with two ER Medium Lasers and two ER Small Lasers, mounted one each in the right and left torsos. No additional DHS are included; however, this configuration does have EIGHT jump jets for a maximum jump capacity of 240 meters.
Ice Ghost
Mass: 35 tons
Tech Base: Mixed
Chassis Config: Biped Omnimech
Rules Level: Experimental Tech
Era: All Eras (non-canon)
Tech Rating/Era Availability: X/X-X-X
Production Year: 3052
Cost: 12,339,844 C-Bills
Battle Value: 915
Chassis: Unknown Endo-Steel
Power Plant: Unknown 315 Fusion XL Engine
Walking Speed: 97.2 km/h
Maximum Speed: 151.2 km/h (194.4 km/h)
Jump Jets: None
Jump Capacity: 0 meters
Armor: Unknown Ferro-Fibrous
Armament:
7.0 tons of pod space.
Manufacturer: Unknown
Primary Factory: Unknown
Communications System: Unknown
Targeting and Tracking System: Unknown
================================================================================
Equipment Type Rating Mass
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Internal Structure: Endo-Steel 58 points 2.00
Internal Locations: 1 LT, 3 LA, 3 RA
Engine: XL Engine 315 11.00
Walking MP: 9
Running MP: 14 (18)
Jumping MP: 0
Heat Sinks: (CL) Double Heat Sink 10(20) 0.00
Gyro: Standard 4.00
Cockpit: Standard 3.00
Actuators: L: SH+UA R: SH+UA
Armor: Ferro-Fibrous AV - 115 6.00
Armor Locations: 1 RT, 3 LA, 3 RA
Internal Armor
Structure Factor
Head 3 9
Center Torso 11 20
Center Torso (rear) 2
L/R Torso 8 15
L/R Torso (rear) 1
L/R Arm 6 10
L/R Leg 8 16
================================================================================
Equipment Location Heat Critical Mass
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MASC CT - 1 1.00
ECM Suite HD 0 1 1.00
Null Signature System * 10 7 0.00
Chameleon LPS * 6 6 0.00
Free Critical Slots: 18
* The Null Signature System occupies 1 slot in every location except the HD.
* The Chameleon LPS occupies 1 slot in every location except the HD and CT.
BattleForce Statistics
MV S (+0) M (+2) L (+4) E (+6) Wt. Ov Armor: 4 Points: 9
11 0 0 0 0 1 0 Structure: 2
Special Abilities: OMNI, ECM, STL, ENE, SRCH, ES, SEAL, SOA
================================================================================
Loadout Name: Prime Cost: 12,988,013
Tech Rating/Era Availability: X/X-X-X BV2: 1,658
Equipment Type Rating Mass
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Actuators: L: SH+UA+LA+H R: SH+UA+LA+H
Equipment Location Heat Critical Mass
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(CL) Large Pulse Laser RT 10 2 6.00
Active Probe LT 0 1 1.00
MASC CT - 1 1.00
ECM Suite HD 0 1 1.00
Free Critical Slots: 11
BattleForce Statistics
MV S (+0) M (+2) L (+4) E (+6) Wt. Ov Armor: 4 Points: 17
11 2 2 2 0 1 0 Structure: 2
Special Abilities: OMNI, ECM, STL, PRB, RCN, ENE, SRCH, ES, SEAL, SOA
================================================================================
Loadout Name: A Cost: 12,856,725
Tech Rating/Era Availability: X/X-X-X BV2: 1,845
Equipment Type Rating Mass
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CASE Locations: LT, RT 0.00
Actuators: L: SH+UA+LA+H R: SH+UA+LA
Equipment Location Heat Critical Mass
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(CL) ER Medium Laser RA 5 1 1.00
2 (CL) LRM-5s RT 4 2 2.00
2 (CL) LRM-5s LT 4 2 2.00
MASC CT - 1 1.00
ECM Suite HD 0 1 1.00
@LRM-5 (24) RT - 1 1.00
@LRM-5 (24) LT - 1 1.00
Free Critical Slots: 8
BattleForce Statistics
MV S (+0) M (+2) L (+4) E (+6) Wt. Ov Armor: 4 Points: 18
11 1 1 0 0 1 0 Structure: 2
Special Abilities: OMNI, ECM, STL, CASE, SRCH, ES, SEAL, SOA, LRM 1/1/1, IF 1
================================================================================
Loadout Name: B Cost: 13,054,500
Tech Rating/Era Availability: X/X-X-X BV2: 1,861
Equipment Type Rating Mass
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CASE Locations: LT, RT 0.00
Actuators: L: SH+UA+LA R: SH+UA+LA
Equipment Location Heat Critical Mass
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(CL) ER Medium Laser RA 5 1 1.00
(CL) ER Medium Laser LA 5 1 1.00
(CL) SRM-6 RT 4 1 1.50
(CL) SRM-6 LT 4 1 1.50
MASC CT - 1 1.00
ECM Suite HD 0 1 1.00
@SRM-6 (15) RT - 1 1.00
@SRM-6 (15) LT - 1 1.00
Free Critical Slots: 10
BattleForce Statistics
MV S (+0) M (+2) L (+4) E (+6) Wt. Ov Armor: 4 Points: 19
11 2 2 0 0 1 0 Structure: 2
Special Abilities: OMNI, ECM, STL, CASE, SRCH, ES, SEAL, SOA, SRM 2/2/0
================================================================================
Loadout Name: C Cost: 12,953,419
Tech Rating/Era Availability: X/X-X-X BV2: 2,258
Equipment Type Rating Mass
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Heat Sinks: (CL) Double Heat Sink 12(24) 2.00
Actuators: L: SH+UA+LA+H R: SH+UA+LA+H
Equipment Location Heat Critical Mass
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2 (CL) ER Medium Lasers RT 10 2 2.00
(CL) ER Small Laser RT 2 1 0.50
2 (CL) ER Medium Lasers LT 10 2 2.00
(CL) ER Small Laser LT 2 1 0.50
MASC CT - 1 1.00
ECM Suite HD 0 1 1.00
Free Critical Slots: 4
BattleForce Statistics
MV S (+0) M (+2) L (+4) E (+6) Wt. Ov Armor: 4 Points: 23
11 4 4 0 0 1 0 Structure: 2
Special Abilities: OMNI, ECM, STL, ENE, SRCH, ES, SEAL, SOA
================================================================================
Loadout Name: D Cost: 12,588,075
Tech Rating/Era Availability: X/X-X-X BV2: 1,518
Equipment Type Rating Mass
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Heat Sinks: (CL) Double Heat Sink 13(26) 3.00
Heat Sink Locations: 1 LT, 2 RT
Actuators: L: SH+UA+LA+H R: SH+UA+LA+H
Equipment Location Heat Critical Mass
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(CL) Medium Pulse Laser RT 4 1 2.00
(CL) Medium Pulse Laser LT 4 1 2.00
MASC CT - 1 1.00
ECM Suite HD 0 1 1.00
Free Critical Slots: 6
BattleForce Statistics
MV S (+0) M (+2) L (+4) E (+6) Wt. Ov Armor: 4 Points: 15
11 2 2 0 0 1 0 Structure: 2
Special Abilities: OMNI, ECM, STL, ENE, SRCH, ES, SEAL, SOA
================================================================================
Loadout Name: E Cost: 13,419,169
Tech Rating/Era Availability: X/X-X-X BV2: 1,849
Equipment Type Rating Mass
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Jumping MP: 8 (Standard)
Jump Jet Locations: 4 LT, 4 RT 4.00
Actuators: L: SH+UA+LA+H R: SH+UA+LA+H
Equipment Location Heat Critical Mass
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(CL) ER Medium Laser RT 5 1 1.00
(CL) ER Small Laser RT 2 1 0.50
(CL) ER Medium Laser LT 5 1 1.00
(CL) ER Small Laser LT 2 1 0.50
MASC CT - 1 1.00
ECM Suite HD 0 1 1.00
Free Critical Slots: 2
BattleForce Statistics
MV S (+0) M (+2) L (+4) E (+6) Wt. Ov Armor: 4 Points: 18
11/5j 3 3 0 0 1 0 Structure: 2
Special Abilities: OMNI, ECM, STL, ENE, SRCH, ES, SEAL, SOA
Author
Topic: Quicksilver Program #5: 35 ton Werewolf OmniMech (Read 2505 times)