OBT Forum

FRE-E1 Firerider
Tech:            Inner Sphere
Movement Type:      Wheeled
Mass:                  10 tons
Power Plant:          60 I.C.E.
   Cruise Speed:        75.6 kph
   Maximum Speed:    118.8 kph
Armour Type:             Standard
Armament:     
   2 Rocket Launcher 20  (OS)
   1 Machine Gun

Overview
   In the vastness of the periphery, piracy is commonplace. Though most of the well-known pirate groups raid in force with BattleMechs and military-grade weaponry, there are thousands of smaller pirate groups terrorizing the stars. Many do not have access to modern military technology, and do their best to improvise. The Firerider, though not produced to any standard specifications, is a  common vehicle for pirates large and small.

Capabilities
   One of the more common Firerider variants mounts twenty-tube Rocket Launcher giving the dune-buggy a single strong fast strike.  Mounted alongside the Rocket Launchers is a BattleMech sized machine gun with half a ton of ammunition.  And sixty rated Internal Combustion Engine give the Firerider  a top speed of one hundred-and-eighteen kilometres per hour which only the fastest vehicles and light BattleMechs can match.  An impressive ton and a half is given over to armour giving the rider some decent protection for such a small craft.

Battle History
   In one of the most well documented cases of Firerider attacks, the pirate group "Death's Dirks" launched a daring raid on the Lyran world of Florida.  Landing in a dilapidated merchant ship, the bandits surprised the spaceport defences when over two dozen Fireriders poured out of the cargo-hold, striking before the security detachment could respond. Securing the spaceport before the local militia forces could respond. As the Lyrans started to breach the spaceport with heavier assets, the Dirks boosted off planet for the jump-point, along with two other civilian DropShips and over four million C-Bills worth in assorted cargo.
EDIT: What if: In 3071 on New Avalon twenty-four of these vehicles attacked Danai Centrella-Davion and her two children, and their escort on their way to the Davion Palace on the Rostock continent of New Avalon near the marshlands where the dune-buggy enhancements proved their worth.  These vehicles ran rings around the defending BattleMech forces causing heavy damage to all four Mechs and several of the Battle Armour guards.  Only the timely arrival of a pair of prototype Mikoyan Conventional Fighters stopped them overrunning the limousine and killing the Duchess.  Where these craft originated is never found however the AFFS issues orders for all examples of the craft discovered to be destroyed on sight. Several in service with AFFS Militias are destroyed and replaced with Savannah Master Hovercraft and Packrat vehicles.

Variants
   From the Battle on New Avalon a variant of the Firerider has been identified by the AFFS.  The AFFS noticed only eight of these vehicles however they were an extremely effective modification to the design.  The E2 as it has been dubbed uses a single SRM-4 with a ton of armour and an additional ton of armour making the vehicle a tough nut to crack.  During the battle against AFFS forces the SRM launcher was armed with Inferno rounds which caused devastating damage to the Mechs of the AFFS Bodyguard forces.

FRE-E1 Firerider Wheeled Vehicle    10 tons
Equipment:             Mass
Internal Structure                                   1
Engine:                         60 I.C.E             3
                                Cruise MP:   7
                                Flank MP:  11
Heat Sinks:                     0                    0
Cockpit & Controls                                   0.5
Dune Buggy Enhancement                               0
Armour Factor:                 24 pts                1.5
                           Internal Structure      Armour Value
Front                              1       8
Left / Right Sides:                1                  6
Rear:                              1                  4

Weapons and Equipment           Location            Mass
2 Rocket Launcher 20 (OS)       Front                3
Machine Gun                     Front                0.5
Ammo (Machine Gun) 100          Front                0.5

FRE-E2 Firerider Wheeled Vehicle    10 tons
Equipment:             Mass
Internal Structure                                   1
Engine:                         60 I.C.E             3
                                Cruise MP:   7
                                Flank MP:  11
Heat Sinks:                     0                    0
Cockpit & Controls                                   0.5
Dune Buggy Enhancement                               0
Armour Factor:                 40 pts                2.5
                           Internal Structure      Armour Value
Front:                             1                    12
Left / Right Sides:                1                    10
Rear:                              1                    10

Weapons and Equipment             Location          Mass
SRM-4                             Front              2
Ammo (SRM-4) 25                   Body               1