I stuck with the canon heatsinks since if small mods are available then we start getting into the "why not add ferro-fibrous protection?" and such. Seemed like a can of worms - and frankly, pretty much all of the configurations here need those heatsinks.
Nova (Black Hawk)
Mass: 50 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: 2870
Cost: 9,716,875 C-Bills
Battle Value: 762
Chassis: Star League XTA Standard
Power Plant: Model SF-2 250 Fusion XL Engine
Walking Speed: 54.0 km/h
Maximum Speed: 86.4 km/h
Jump Jets: Clan Standard Type A2
Jump Capacity: 150 meters
Armor: Forge Type HH30 Standard Armor
Armament:
16.0 tons of pod space.
Manufacturer: Tokasha MechWorks
Primary Factory: Tokasha
Communications System: CH3B
Targeting and Tracking System: Version Omega-V TTS
Overview:
With the bulk of the Fire Mandrill's medium 'Mechs Novas rather than the newer and more modern designs that had emerged from the Quicksilver trials, Amanda Carrol proposed that rather than the expense of phasing out the Novas, that the Clan instead invest in creating a new production line for parts or even new chassis and obtain 'Mechs discarded by other Clans in favour of Quicksilver designs.
The motion failed to pass the fractious Clan Council (and the Grand Council might well have censured the expense of propping up an aging design) but Carrol then provided a second, more modest proposal that captured the attention of the Fire Mandrills - perhaps her goal all along. The Nova would not be vanishing from Toumans, so she suggested that the Fire Mandrill Kindraa each develop a new configuration in celebration of their diversity and share them with the other Clans to raise their prestige. The approval of the measure also raised Amanda Carrol's own prestige, possibly positioning her to take the position of Khan in the near future.
Capabilities:
Clan Fire Mandrill have long found that the staggering firepower of a Nova Prime was almost impossible to use without massively overheating. In addition the range was only modest, which on a relatively slow proved limiting. Kindraa Sainze presented a solution to this by replacing half of the medium lasers with a pair of extended-range large lasers that could be used to soften up a target on advance or to engage faster targets that declined to enter close or medium range.
Despite their usual restrained politics, Kindraa Faraday-Tanaga had a long-standing preference for the brutal and smashing power of paired ER PPCs on their Novas. However, the anti-missile systems felt redundant and the ammunition was a dangerous liability. They therefore removed the systems in favour of an extra heatsink and a targeting computer.
Predominantly aerospace operators, the Beyl-Grant still operated a number of Novas and wished to develop an improved air defense configuration. Staring with the Nova B they replaced the ultra-autocannon with a LB 5-X to make use of cluster rounds. Adding a second ton of ammunition, the clan elected to retain the machineguns for a secondary anti-infantry role. While this suggests a lack of focus it may more reflect the Beyl-Grants use of Mechs in a supporting role.
Arguably the best Mechwarriors of Clan Fire Mandrill (or at least so they would argue), Kindraa Payne responded to the new Nova configurations by taking on the old Nova C. Reasoning that the main advantage of the gauss rifle was low heat - arguably irrelevant on the cool-running Nova - they replaced it with an ER PPC and moved the SRMs to the right arm, greatly expanding the missile load. The result is a mix of hole-punching and crit-seeking that can deliver shattering blows to Mechs much larger than the Nova.
Reflecting their cooperative nature and wish to support other elements of their fractious Clan, the Kindraa Kline have developed a new fire support configuration role for the Nova, switching the autocannon of the Nova D for a second missile launcher and adding artemis targeting. The result may not be the most effective design alone but should zellbrigen be broken it's a formidable support to the rest of its Star.
Kindraa Mattila-Carrol developed their Nova configuration to cater to the freeborn and bondsmen in their second-line Clusters. The highly accurate pulse lasers are relatively undemanding in terms of gunnery, something that can be important if the relatively weak Kindraa must rush replacement warriors into duty. Yet at the same time, a skilled Mechwarrior can make maximum use of the weapons, adjusting weapons fire to compensate for the heat of jump-jets and targeting weak points on a 'Mech.
Primarily using the Nova to support their Elementals, Kindraa Mick-Reese scaled down the lasers of the prime to small lasers for point-blank assaults and fitted two missile launchers to be used providing longer-range fire support. A beagle active probe serves if the Nova must follow the Elementals into very dense terrain to back them up. By design no weapons are fitted to the torso where elementals being carried might obstruct them.
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Equipment Type Rating Mass
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Internal Structure: Standard 83 points 5.00
Engine: XL Fusion Engine 250 6.50
Walking MP: 5
Running MP: 8
Jumping MP: 5 Standard
Jump Jet Locations: 1 CT, 2 LL, 2 RL 2.50
Heat Sinks: Double Heat Sink 14(28) 4.00
Heat Sink Locations: 2 LT, 2 RT
Gyro: Standard 3.00
Cockpit: Standard 3.00
Actuators: L: SH+UA R: SH+UA
Armor: Standard Armor AV - 160 10.00
Internal Armor
Structure Factor
Head 3 9
Center Torso 16 23
Center Torso (rear) 8
L/R Torso 12 16
L/R Torso (rear) 8
L/R Arm 8 16
L/R Leg 12 20
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Loadout Name: Sainze Cost: 11,389,375
Tech Rating/Era Availability: F/X-X-E-A BV2: 2,395
Equipment Type Rating Mass
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Jumping MP: 5 (Standard)
Jump Jet Locations: 1 CT, 2 LL, 2 RL 0.00
Heat Sinks: Double Heat Sink 16(32) 2.00
Heat Sink Locations: 3 LT, 3 RT
Actuators: L: SH+UA R: SH+UA
Equipment Location Heat Critical Mass
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3 ER Medium Lasers RA 15 3 3.00
ER Large Laser RA 12 1 4.00
3 ER Medium Lasers LA 15 3 3.00
ER Large Laser LA 12 1 4.00
Free Critical Slots: 22
BattleForce Statistics
MV S (+0) M (+2) L (+4) E (+6) Wt. Ov Armor: 5 Points: 24
5j 4 4 2 0 2 3 Structure: 3
Special Abilities: OMNI, ENE, SRCH, ES, SEAL, SOA
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Loadout Name: Faraday-Tanaga Cost: 10,909,375
Tech Rating/Era Availability: F/X-X-E-A BV2: 2,575
Equipment Type Rating Mass
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Jumping MP: 5 (Standard)
Jump Jet Locations: 1 CT, 2 LL, 2 RL 0.00
Heat Sinks: Double Heat Sink 15(30) 1.00
Heat Sink Locations: 3 LT, 2 RT
Actuators: L: SH+UA R: SH+UA
Equipment Location Heat Critical Mass
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Targeting Computer RT - 3 3.00
ER PPC RA 15 2 6.00
ER PPC LA 15 2 6.00
Free Critical Slots: 25
BattleForce Statistics
MV S (+0) M (+2) L (+4) E (+6) Wt. Ov Armor: 5 Points: 26
5j 4 4 4 0 2 0 Structure: 3
Special Abilities: OMNI, ENE, SRCH, ES, SEAL, SOA
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Loadout Name: Payne Cost: 11,090,313
Tech Rating/Era Availability: F/X-X-E-A BV2: 2,103
Equipment Type Rating Mass
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Jumping MP: 5 (Standard)
Jump Jet Locations: 1 CT, 2 LL, 2 RL 0.00
CASE Locations: RA 0.00
Actuators: L: SH+UA R: SH+UA+LA+H
Equipment Location Heat Critical Mass
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Small Pulse Laser RT 2 1 1.00
4 Streak SRM-4s RA 12 4 8.00
ER PPC LA 15 2 6.00
@Streak SRM-4 (25) RA - 1 1.00
Free Critical Slots: 24
BattleForce Statistics
MV S (+0) M (+2) L (+4) E (+6) Wt. Ov Armor: 5 Points: 21
5j 4 4 2 0 2 1 Structure: 3
Special Abilities: OMNI, CASE, SRCH, ES, SEAL, SOA
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Loadout Name: Beyl-Grant Cost: 10,720,000
Tech Rating/Era Availability: F/X-X-E-A BV2: 1,453
Equipment Type Rating Mass
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Jumping MP: 5 (Standard)
Jump Jet Locations: 1 CT, 2 LL, 2 RL 0.00
CASE Locations: LT, RA 0.00
Actuators: L: SH+UA R: SH+UA
Equipment Location Heat Critical Mass
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2 Machine Guns LT 0 2 0.50
LB 5-X AC RA 1 4 7.00
Large Pulse Laser LA 10 2 6.00
@MG (1/2) (100) LT - 1 0.50
@LB 5-X (Cluster) (20) RA - 1 1.00
@LB 5-X (Slug) (20) RA - 1 1.00
Free Critical Slots: 23
BattleForce Statistics
MV S (+0) M (+2) L (+4) E (+6) Wt. Ov Armor: 5 Points: 15
5j 2 2 2 0 2 0 Structure: 3
Special Abilities: OMNI, CASE, SRCH, ES, SEAL, SOA
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Loadout Name: Kline Cost: 11,241,250
Tech Rating/Era Availability: F/X-X-E-A BV2: 1,881
Equipment Type Rating Mass
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Jumping MP: 5 (Standard)
Jump Jet Locations: 1 CT, 2 LL, 2 RL 0.00
CASE Locations: LA, RA 0.00
Actuators: L: SH+UA+LA+H R: SH+UA+LA+H
Equipment Location Heat Critical Mass
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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) RA - 2 2.00
@LRM-20 (Artemis) (12) LA - 2 2.00
Free Critical Slots: 16
BattleForce Statistics
MV S (+0) M (+2) L (+4) E (+6) Wt. Ov Armor: 5 Points: 19
5j 4 4 4 0 2 0 Structure: 3
Special Abilities: OMNI, CASE, SRCH, ES, SEAL, SOA, IF 3
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Loadout Name: Mattila-Carrol Cost: 10,598,125
Tech Rating/Era Availability: F/X-X-E-A BV2: 2,085
Equipment Type Rating Mass
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Jumping MP: 5 (Standard)
Jump Jet Locations: 1 CT, 2 LL, 2 RL 0.00
Actuators: L: SH+UA R: SH+UA
Equipment Location Heat Critical Mass
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Large Pulse Laser RA 10 2 6.00
Medium Pulse Laser RA 4 1 2.00
Large Pulse Laser LA 10 2 6.00
Medium Pulse Laser LA 4 1 2.00
Free Critical Slots: 28
BattleForce Statistics
MV S (+0) M (+2) L (+4) E (+6) Wt. Ov Armor: 5 Points: 21
5j 4 4 3 0 2 0 Structure: 3
Special Abilities: OMNI, ENE, SRCH, ES, SEAL, SOA
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Loadout Name: Mick-Kreese Cost: 11,213,125
Tech Rating/Era Availability: F/X-X-E-A BV2: 2,029
Equipment Type Rating Mass
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Jumping MP: 5 (Standard)
Jump Jet Locations: 1 CT, 2 LL, 2 RL 0.00
CASE Locations: LT, RT 0.00
Actuators: L: SH+UA+LA+H R: SH+UA+LA+H
Equipment Location Heat Critical Mass
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Active Probe HD 0 1 1.00
6 ER Small Lasers RA 12 6 3.00
LRM-15 RA 5 2 3.50
6 ER Small Lasers LA 12 6 3.00
LRM-15 LA 5 2 3.50
@LRM-15 (8) RT - 1 1.00
@LRM-15 (8) LT - 1 1.00
Free Critical Slots: 11
BattleForce Statistics
MV S (+0) M (+2) L (+4) E (+6) Wt. Ov Armor: 5 Points: 20
5j 6 6 2 0 2 1 Structure: 3
Special Abilities: OMNI, PRB, RCN, CASE, SRCH, ES, SEAL, SOA, LRM 1/1/1, IF 1