Sir,
You will find enclosed data extracted from several reports of ComStar envoys to the Clans. I still don’t understand how people that valued secrecy for years can be sometimes so careless about the security of their transmissions.
As you know I have been sent together with others to try to establish a more permanent contact between our Holy Order and the Clans. In spite of the difficulties of other Preceptors from Gamma, I must say that I managed to get some interesting insights and materials on the Clans and almost without looking for it. This society is so honest and open that they barely know the meaning of secrecy, even for what would be military secrets in the Inner Sphere. However their reactions can be quick and brutal if they feel betrayed or if they think you are not honourable enough.
I must confess that this society puzzles me and is quite alien to us.
This Adept has just seen the top of the iceberg but she is right, the Clans have troubles so far with secrecy, intelligence operations and so on, just because they never needed it. What is the use of gathering intelligence when all you have to do is ask your opponent?
One example of this openly available data can be found below: the genesis of a new OmniMech. As my teachers always said, knowledge is power so I intended to pack as much information on the designers at the same time.
Data is not information, information is not knowledge, knowledge is not understanding, understanding is not wisdom. This Adept should try to stay focused instead of going in all directions at the same time. However as she provided some insights on how ComStar sees the Clans I didn’t cut her writings.
Among the individualistic Clans, the Star Adders have always been eager to work as a team following the teachings of their original Khans and prizing the value of intelligence to make-up battle plans. Even if it cost them a place in Operation Revival, they kept on doing this and used every mean possible to follow the deeds of their fellow Clan members and to anticipate the next move. This is why they begun early on (some say after reading the First Wave report) to work on a new OmniMech, one that would be a team player but also a ‘Mech worthy of a true Warrior like every member of Clan Star Adder is as proofed by this extract of their Remembrance.
Go, Star Adder,
You are the stalker, the hunter, the killer.
Your prey stands before you;
Show them the way
Of the true warrior.
-- The Remembrance, Passage 5, Verse 17, Lines 20-24
I don’t get these people from ComStar. They think quoting the Remembrance is the Alpha and Omega for understanding the Clans. The truth is that every Clan Warrior is deadly and that Clan Star Adder is always trying to be ready for the next move. They are perhaps closer than any other Clans from having a view of the bigger picture of warfare.
Thanks to the collection of data acquired through the public reports or by targeted Trials aimed at specific individuals is how they managed to quickly design a brand new OmniMech that in their view should be able to win wars both on a tactical and a strategical level.
This is probably a lyric exaggeration of some kind by this Adept as for the Clans, warfare is just a succession of fights until the target is reached or the opponent destroyed. If by “win wars both on a tactical and a strategical levelâ€, she means being more or less independent of supply lines, I think there is still a long way to winning a war.
This ‘Mech was christened the Blood Asp for a snake whose venom is deadly in a few seconds and who is known thanks to this for being able to fight several enemies by killing them quickly. If I may had something, to me this ‘Mech doesn’t look to me like a snake but rather like a weapon made to brutally cut through any opponent. Perhaps it is my Federated Suns origin but this is more like Durandal, the sharpest word ever with which Roland the Paladin managed to defeat waves after waves of enemies and to cut through a mountain.
Oh no. Here they go again. The people of the Federated Suns and their love for swords and knives. Believe me or not but this name is so badly chosen that it is likely to stick.
- Adept VIII-Tau Laura of Beaumont
Due to her liberal use of non-encrypted communication, I would like to recommand that we keep on following this Adept to see if we can gather more data from her.
I don’t know who wrote the following part as we only got pieces of it as if it had been cut by someone or something. However it is straight to the point and seems to be written by someone with a knowledge of how ‘Mechs work.
Eager to keep on favouring their peculiar style of warfare focusing on mobility and firepower (of which the BattleMech is the optimum) Clan Star Adder chose an Assault chassis as the basis of their new project. At 90 tons, it weights as much as an old favourite of Clan Ghost Bear, the Kingfisher and some say that it was inspired by it.
However apart from the tonnage and the ground speed (a top speed of 64 kph), there is little in common between the two designs. The Blood Asp has an Endo-Steel Chassis and no Ferro-Fibrous Armour but its XL Engine allows it to carry 43 tons of weapons load. Its 17 tons of armour (nearly the maximum for its chassis) protect it for long periods on the battlefield and its 12 Double Heat Sinks while not maximising the extra space available in the engine are more than enough to cool it down most of the time.
Configuration Prime goal seems to be to pack as much firepower as possible, trying in a way to mirror the Matar BattleMech.
It is clearly meant to fire in volley with the long range firepower being provided by twin Gauss Rifles (supplied by 4 tons of ammo) in the torsos and twin ER Large Lasers. At shorter ranges, it can switch to the twin Gauss Rifles and 4 ER Medium Lasers. Except for the Small Pulse Lasers (designed to deal with infantry and Elementals), all the energy weapons are mounted in the arms providing this configuration with a good field of fire.
As pointed previously and in spite of the addition of one more Double Heat Sink, this Configuration has not the capacity to alpha-strike but is still more flexible than other designs. I had a debate with Com Guards Adept John Minoru regarding what should be the best way to equip Clan OmniMechs and if they should be able to alpha-strike or fire in brackets. Luckily for the Inner Sphere, this conversation remains private.
This Adept seems to be quite knowledgeable on the history of BattleMechs as I had to look deep into our archives to find any trace of this ‘Mech that was the forefather of the Stone Rhino.
If we ever need to identify the author of this technical analysis of the Blood Asp, I would suggest that we track down Com Guards Adept John Minoru.
Configuration A is focusing on only one thing: to provide heavy and precise firepower at all ranges. It achieves this thanks to the use of a weaponry system that would make proud a member of Clan Goliath Scorpion. With 3 massive ER PPC linked to a Targeting Computer for extra precision and with 24 Double Heat Sinks, it can bring down quickly anyone at any range. 3 Jump Jets and 2 Small Pulse Lasers round up its weapons. An ECM Suite protects it from the modern targetting systems, increasing its overall survivability.
Configuration B is like a Marauder on steroids and a further proof that sometimes, imagination is not needed to make good BattleMechs. With 3 Gauss Rifles, one in each arm and one in the torso but really built inside it, eliminating the vulnerable ammunition-feed linkage of the Marauder. Two ER Medium Lasers back up this massive firepower and provide this Configuration with some back-up should the 5 tons of ammo be emptied.
If this peculiar Configuration has one weakness, it is in the concentration of Gauss Rifle ammo in the right side of it; even if this kind of ammo doesn’t explode, targetting this side of the ‘Mech could provide a small advantage to an Inner Sphere ‘Mech facing it.
Not only is he or she providing a technical analysis of the Blood Asp but he/she is also trying to give tips on how to try to beat it or as written “provide a small advantage to an Inner Sphere ‘Mech facing it.â€
Whereas so far all Configurations have relied on direct fire weapons, Configuration C with its 4 LRM-20 linked to Artemis IV is more an indirect fire design. Its 6 tons of ammo while never enough for long battles will allow it to bring down a rain of 80 missiles on anyone facing it, more than enough to saturate quickly any defence. An ER PPC and 6 ER Medium Lasers give it the firepower to keep on the fight should it run out of ammo and to take care by himself of opponents, something missile boats with that load of missiles aren’t known for. However, this firepower is only efficient if carefully selected as with only 13 Double Heat Sinks, it can’t fire at the same time both systems of energy weapons. However it can bring an impressive firepower at different ranges, letting the Warrior in it select the optimal mix.
Configuration D is a strange mix. It reminds me of the Thugs we have in our inventory but the weapons are placed in a totally different way.
Each torso hold an ER PPC while in the arms two Streak SRM-6 coupled to two ER Medium Lasers can be found. A fifth Streak SRM is in the left torso, all this fed by two tons of ammo and by 17 Double Heat Sinks, which allows it to fire either its ER PPC to soften its targets at longer range or its closer range weapons when things get nastier.
In spite of the addition of Jump Jets, giving it the maximal mobility this chassis can achieve, this Configuration is clearly not meant to fight in urban settings as it lacks any anti-infantry/battle armour weapon or detection/jamming equipments or apart from the Streak systems the precise weapons the Clans are found of to fight in such areas.
Perhaps, is this a personal Configuration made at the request of a Warrior?
The comment on “our inventory†shows that this analyst is linked to the Com Guards.
The comment on the personal Configuration is interesting but irrelevant. This Configuration is just the perfect combination of firepower and mobility according to Clan Star Adder views. A ‘Mech designed by/for Clan Goliath Scorpion would be heavily laser based while other Clans would prefer bigger guns and so on.
This shows that ComStar is still far away from understanding the Clans.
When I wrote that Configuration B was a Marauder on steroids, I didn’t know about Configuration E, for which it is even more true.
However, this is probably where the bias of the Clans towards short fights is more seen. Packing two Ultra AC/10 (one in each arm) together with 3 ER Medium Lasers, it adds to this a massive Ultra AC/20 giving it thanks to 3 tons of ammo the possibility to either obliterate complete armour in one volley. Fully conscious of the short range it will have to fight at, Clan Star Adder added an ECM Suite to shield the Blood Asp.
As with most ammo-feed carriers (and most Clan ‘Mechs as if they couldn’t learn anything), its main weakness lies in its ammunition supply. With 4 tons of ammo for the Ultra AC/10 and 3 tons for the Ultra AC/20, the best tactic to fight against it is to deny it clear shots and wait for it to consume all its ammunitions. However, one should beware of getting caught as even one clear shot from all its weapons will give it the opportunity to quickly destroy almost anything like its namesake.
Right and wrong analysis. It is not that the Clans don’t learn. It is only that this kind of quick and brutal fights is what they prefer and sees as the panacea of all problems on the battlefield. It might take them some time to shatter their mental conditioning but the recent OmniMechs we saw, be they retrofits, upgrades or brand new, are all sharing this will to improve and to solve the problems the Clans faced against the Inner Sphere.
Configuration F is what would be more akin to a Command ‘Mech according to the Inner Sphere standards. It looks like what an upgraded Cyclops would be.
With a Gauss Rifle and one Artemis-IV LRM-20 (each with 3 tons of ammo) for long range fights, it can then bring 4 ER Medium Lasers, 2 Medium Pulse ones and one Streak SRM-6 (all located in the arms) into the fight while being shielded by an Active Probe and an ECM Suite. Once again in spite of its 17 Double Heat Sinks, it can’t fire all weapons and a careful selection is to be made to optimise the firepower brought on the enemy.
However we know that Command ‘Mech are not something really common in the Clans, where the practice is more to let their officers lead from the front and by example. Perhaps is this the way the Clans would create a generalist design?
The next and last part of this report is a mix of data from different sources gathered by one of our informants under the covert identity of a minor crew member of the JumpShip that brought the ComStar delegation to the Clans. Since ROM is pretty active and efficient, I don’t know how much trust can be given to what we received and if this source will remain safe for long. Our analysts are already cross-checking these pieces of information with others we have.
A lot of gossips along the crew members of DropShips assigned to Clan Star Adder show that their factory on Sheridan has already been producing a lot (a lot for a ‘Mech just coming into production that is). My estimate is that two Mules were fully loaded with this new design but they headed not towards the different units but rather towards some unknown Brian Cache where they seem to have been stored for further deployment en masse.
Would this mean that Clan Star Adder is working on a plan to standardise its Touman or setting aside reserves to expand it?
This means around 200 OmniMechs have been produced in a rather short period of time. Further chats with Merchants from Clan Diamond Shark let me think that for some obscure reason (some talked about other new designs, some talked about trade but no one was able to say what they might have received for this), Clan Star Adder was already producing the engine needed for this new OmniMech. The same informers told me that it was rushed into production because it shared many things with the Kingfisher, a common design according to them.
The first part could explain these impressive numbers but we saw earlier that the second part is not real or we and ComStar really missed something.
I have found other crews and like most space people, they like to talk about their travels. It seems that there has been a lot of exchange going on between different Clans lately. Merchants from Clan Diamond Shark are not that happy to be leftover.
It might be related or not but I heard that one of their favoured units, the 21st Combined Assault Cluster launched a Trial of Possession on a secret meeting of Clans Hell’s Horses, Wolf and Star Adder, only to be severely repelled with heavy loses in spite of their Aerospace support. From a couple of things said here and that, I could understand that they had faced a new design and felt its wrath. Could it be the Blood Asp?
If there was a secret agreement between Clans Star Adder, Hell’s Horses and Wolf, it could explain the production and move from the numerous Durandals. However, it doesn’t explain why the Star Adders are getting in return for their production rights.
Other stories I have heard involve the 42nd Adder Cavaliers (nicknamed The Answer) and their Star Colonel, Zachariah Truscott. This unit is known for its luck, always running on their target unprepared or on something of value for Clan Star Adder.
This seems to have happened again as there are rumours that they fought for a Brian Cache against Dark Caste members and that in spite of them being outnumbered and surrounded, Star Colonel Zachariah Truscott managed to punch a hole fighting head to head against their heaviest opponents in a daring display of what a Trial of Position might be, killing four opponents one after the other “thanks to the brutality of its ‘Mech.â€
This seems a bit too much for me and is probably a typical bravado from ‘MechWarriors. Achieving the same number of kills that is needed in a Trial of Position to get the rank of Star Colonel? This is too nice to be true. However, other intel we had show that the 42nd Star Adder Cavaliers received new ‘Mechs and ran into a Dark Caste unit superior in number and protecting something important.
As you can see from all of this, we still need to investigate a lot of things on this Blood Asp. I will let you decide if it is worth our time or if you need resources on other projects.
Respectfully,
Lieutenant Aralov
Blood Asp Durandal
Mass: 90 tons
Tech Base: Clan
Chassis Config: Biped Omnimech
Rules Level: Tournament Legal
Era: Clan Invasion
Tech Rating/Era Availability: E/X-X-E-A
Production Year: 3052
Cost: 25 927 875 C-Bills
Battle Value: 1 157
Chassis: Type MAES-90 Light Endo-Steel
Power Plant: Consolidated 360 XL Fusion 360 Fusion XL Engine
Walking Speed: 43,2 km/h
Maximum Speed: 64,8 km/h
Jump Jets: Unknown
Jump Capacity: 0 meters
Armor: Forging ZZ7 Ceramic Plate Standard Armor
Armament:
43.0 tons of pod space.
Manufacturer: Sheridan LM-TA 8-10
Primary Factory: Sheridan
Communications System: Series D8 CC-25X
Targeting and Tracking System: "Hermes" CT-42 Mk. II
================================================================================
Equipment Type Rating Mass
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Internal Structure: Endo-Steel 138 points 4,50
Internal Locations: 1 HD, 1 LT, 1 RT, 3 LA, 1 RA
Engine: XL Fusion Engine 360 16,50
Walking MP: 4
Running MP: 6
Jumping MP: 0
Heat Sinks: Double Heat Sink 12(24) 2,00
Gyro: Standard 4,00
Cockpit: Standard 3,00
Actuators: L: SH+UA R: SH+UA
Armor: Standard Armor AV - 272 17,00
Internal Armor
Structure Factor
Head 3 9
Center Torso 29 44
Center Torso (rear) 13
L/R Torso 19 27
L/R Torso (rear) 11
L/R Arm 15 28
L/R Leg 19 37
================================================================================
Loadout Name: Prime Cost: 29 412 000
Tech Rating/Era Availability: F/X-X-E-A BV2: 2 938
Equipment Type Rating Mass
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Heat Sinks: Double Heat Sink 13(26) 1,00
CASE Locations: LT, RT 0,00
Actuators: L: SH+UA+LA R: SH+UA+LA
Equipment Location Heat Critical Mass
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Gauss Rifle RT 1 6 12,00
Small Pulse Laser RT 2 1 1,00
Gauss Rifle LT 1 6 12,00
Small Pulse Laser LT 2 1 1,00
ER Large Laser RA 12 1 4,00
2 ER Medium Lasers RA 10 2 2,00
ER Large Laser LA 12 1 4,00
2 ER Medium Lasers LA 10 2 2,00
@Gauss Rifle (16) RT - 2 2,00
@Gauss Rifle (16) LT - 2 2,00
Free Critical Slots: 12
BattleForce Statistics
MV S (+0) M (+2) L (+4) E (+6) Wt. Ov Armor: 9 Points: 29
4 5 5 3 0 4 4 Structure: 5
Special Abilities: OMNI, CASE, SRCH, ES, SEAL, SOA
================================================================================
Loadout Name: A Cost: 29 267 125
Tech Rating/Era Availability: F/X-X-E-A BV2: 3 452
Equipment Type Rating Mass
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Jumping MP: 3 (Standard)
Jump Jet Locations: 1 CT, 1 LT, 1 RT 6,00
Heat Sinks: Double Heat Sink 24(48) 12,00
Heat Sink Locations: 3 LT, 1 RT, 3 LA, 3 RA, 1 LL, 1 RL
Actuators: L: SH+UA R: SH+UA
Equipment Location Heat Critical Mass
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ECM Suite CT 0 1 1,00
ER PPC RT 15 2 6,00
Targeting Computer RT - 4 4,00
ER PPC LT 15 2 6,00
ER PPC RA 15 2 6,00
Small Pulse Laser RA 2 1 1,00
Small Pulse Laser LA 2 1 1,00
Free Critical Slots: 0
BattleForce Statistics
MV S (+0) M (+2) L (+4) E (+6) Wt. Ov Armor: 9 Points: 35
4/2j 6 6 5 0 4 0 Structure: 5
Special Abilities: OMNI, ECM, ENE, SRCH, ES, SEAL, SOA
================================================================================
Loadout Name: B Cost: 28 801 625
Tech Rating/Era Availability: F/X-X-E-A BV2: 2 698
Equipment Type Rating Mass
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CASE Locations: RT, LA, RA 0,00
Actuators: L: SH+UA R: SH+UA
Equipment Location Heat Critical Mass
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Gauss Rifle RT 1 6 12,00
Gauss Rifle RA 1 6 12,00
ER Medium Laser RA 5 1 1,00
Gauss Rifle LA 1 6 12,00
ER Medium Laser LA 5 1 1,00
@Gauss Rifle (24) RT - 3 3,00
@Gauss Rifle (16) RA - 2 2,00
Free Critical Slots: 15
BattleForce Statistics
MV S (+0) M (+2) L (+4) E (+6) Wt. Ov Armor: 9 Points: 27
4 6 6 5 0 4 0 Structure: 5
Special Abilities: OMNI, CASE, SRCH, ES, SEAL, SOA
================================================================================
Loadout Name: C Cost: 31 475 875
Tech Rating/Era Availability: F/X-X-E-A BV2: 3 198
Equipment Type Rating Mass
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Heat Sinks: Double Heat Sink 13(26) 1,00
CASE Locations: RT, LA, RA 0,00
Actuators: L: SH+UA R: SH+UA
Equipment Location Heat Critical Mass
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2 ER Medium Lasers CT 10 2 2,00
LRM-20 RT 6 4 5,00
Artemis IV FCS RT - 1 1,00
ER PPC RT 15 2 6,00
LRM-20 LT 6 4 5,00
Artemis IV FCS LT - 1 1,00
4 ER Medium Lasers LT 20 4 4,00
LRM-20 RA 6 4 5,00
Artemis IV FCS RA - 1 1,00
LRM-20 LA 6 4 5,00
Artemis IV FCS LA - 1 1,00
@LRM-20 (Artemis) (12) RT - 2 2,00
@LRM-20 (Artemis) (12) RA - 2 2,00
@LRM-20 (Artemis) (12) LA - 2 2,00
Free Critical Slots: 4
BattleForce Statistics
MV S (+0) M (+2) L (+4) E (+6) Wt. Ov Armor: 9 Points: 32
4 5 5 3 0 4 4 Structure: 5
Special Abilities: OMNI, CASE, SRCH, ES, SEAL, SOA, IF 2
================================================================================
Loadout Name: D Cost: 30 267 000
Tech Rating/Era Availability: F/X-X-E-A BV2: 3 211
Equipment Type Rating Mass
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Jumping MP: 4 (Standard)
Jump Jet Locations: 2 LT, 2 RT 8,00
Heat Sinks: Double Heat Sink 17(34) 5,00
Heat Sink Locations: 1 CT, 1 LA, 1 RA, 1 LL, 1 RL
CASE Locations: LT, RT 0,00
Actuators: L: SH+UA+LA R: SH+UA+LA
Equipment Location Heat Critical Mass
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ER PPC RT 15 2 6,00
ER PPC LT 15 2 6,00
Streak SRM-6 LT 4 2 3,00
2 Streak SRM-6s RA 8 4 6,00
2 ER Medium Lasers RA 10 2 2,00
Streak SRM-6 LA 4 2 3,00
2 ER Medium Lasers LA 10 2 2,00
@Streak SRM-6 (15) RT - 1 1,00
@Streak SRM-6 (15) LT - 1 1,00
Free Critical Slots: 6
BattleForce Statistics
MV S (+0) M (+2) L (+4) E (+6) Wt. Ov Armor: 9 Points: 32
4j 5 5 2 0 4 4 Structure: 5
Special Abilities: OMNI, CASE, SRCH, ES, SEAL, SOA
================================================================================
Loadout Name: E Cost: 30 107 875
Tech Rating/Era Availability: F/X-X-E-A BV2: 2 575
Equipment Type Rating Mass
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CASE Locations: LT, RT, LA, RA 0,00
Actuators: L: SH+UA R: SH+UA
Equipment Location Heat Critical Mass
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ultra AC/20 RT 7 8 12,00
ER Medium Laser LT 5 1 1,00
ECM Suite LT 0 1 1,00
Ultra AC/10 RA 3 4 10,00
ER Medium Laser RA 5 1 1,00
Ultra AC/10 LA 3 4 10,00
ER Medium Laser LA 5 1 1,00
@Ultra AC/20 (5) RT - 1 1,00
@Ultra AC/20 (10) LT - 2 2,00
@Ultra AC/10 (20) RA - 2 2,00
@Ultra AC/10 (20) LA - 2 2,00
Free Critical Slots: 13
BattleForce Statistics
MV S (+0) M (+2) L (+4) E (+6) Wt. Ov Armor: 9 Points: 26
4 5 5 2 0 4 4 Structure: 5
Special Abilities: OMNI, ECM, CASE, SRCH, ES, SEAL, SOA
================================================================================
Loadout Name: F Cost: 30 319 250
Tech Rating/Era Availability: F/X-X-E-A BV2: 3 005
Equipment Type Rating Mass
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Heat Sinks: Double Heat Sink 17(34) 5,00
Heat Sink Locations: 1 LT, 1 LA, 1 RA, 1 LL, 1 RL
CASE Locations: LT, RT, LA, RA 0,00
Actuators: L: SH+UA+LA R: SH+UA+LA
Equipment Location Heat Critical Mass
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ECM Suite CT 0 1 1,00
Active Probe CT 0 1 1,00
Gauss Rifle RT 1 6 12,00
LRM-20 LT 6 4 5,00
Artemis IV FCS LT - 1 1,00
2 ER Medium Lasers RA 10 2 2,00
Streak SRM-6 RA 4 2 3,00
Medium Pulse Laser RA 4 1 2,00
2 ER Medium Lasers LA 10 2 2,00
Medium Pulse Laser LA 4 1 2,00
@Gauss Rifle (24) RT - 3 3,00
@LRM-20 (Artemis) (12) LT - 2 2,00
@Streak SRM-6 (15) RA - 1 1,00
@LRM-20 (Artemis) (6) LA - 1 1,00
Free Critical Slots: 0
BattleForce Statistics
MV S (+0) M (+2) L (+4) E (+6) Wt. Ov Armor: 9 Points: 30
4 8 8 3 0 4 1 Structure: 5
Special Abilities: OMNI, ECM, PRB, RCN, CASE, SRCH, ES, SEAL, SOA, IF 2
Author
Topic: Quicksilver Reconfiguration #4: Blood Asp or Black Mamba (Read 4303 times)