From: foregone@stein.u.washington.edu (Carl Chavez)
Subject: BTECH: Amputator hovercraft and Mongol and Shadow mechs
Organization: University of Washington, Seattle
Date: Thu, 17 Dec 1992 08:06:30 GMT

Amputator: Heavy Hovercraft

Cruise: 10 Flank: 15

Tons: 45			Front: 60		Base cost: $695625
IS: 4.5				Back:  32
IC Engine: 19 			Left:  30
Control: 2.25			Right: 30
Hover: 4.5			Armor: 9.5 tons

Modular mountings: 0.25 tons
5 tons available for items

This new hovercraft was designed by the Magistracy of Canopus as a modular
vehicle in 3025. First seen as a novelty, in 3055 its value is now recognized
because of Clan modular design. Easy to repair and configure, the Amputator is
becoming a hot seller among truce-line worlds.

Features:
	Modular mountings of weapons. 5 tons are available for most small
	weapons.

	Typical weapons include:
		1 ML, 3 HS, 1 power amp ($66000)
		8 MGs, 200 shots ($41000)
		2 LRM-5s, 24 shots ($90000)
		SRM-6, 15 shots; MG, 100 shots ($112500)
		4 SRM-2s, 50 shots ($67000)

	Low cost of operation and maintenance. Reliance on an internal
	combustion engine allows cheap and easy repair. Weapons modules
	typically cost about $60-80K. The hovercraft itself costs less than
	$700K.

	Heavy front armor. This combined with a high speed allows
	devastating ram attacks (equiv. 45-75 pts. max damage, depending on
	how the house rules for ramming are). The name Amputator comes from
	the original fusion-powered design which had incredible damage
	potential from its speed, as well as more weaponry. It was deemed
	too expensive to mass produce, as fusion engines are rare for
	vehicles. (The fusion version went 13/18 and did 59-90 pts. max!)

	Easily requisitioned parts. The entire vehicle is made from pre-Core
	technology. This eases repair and supply, as well as reduces cost.

Known weaknesses:

	Ineffective in wooded areas (cannot enter or ram)
	Low weapons power compared to other hovercraft

Battle History:

A notable attack was recorded by Canopian forces when attacked by pirate
bands. 4 Amputators were sent against a medium lance. 2 Amputators went
after a Wolverine, while the other two went after a Hunchback, a Stinger,
and a Wasp. The Wolverine pilot was rather surprised when his modified
8 ML mech was unable to destroy a hovercraft in one salvo, and was even
more surprised when both legs were sheared off and his torso fell to the
ground. The Hunchback pilot was similarly surprised to see a hovercraft
shrug off an AC/20 storm with no apparent loss of speed or control and soon
found himself legless. The Stinger happened to take out the drive of one
of the Amputators, but was shot in the back by several SRMs. The Wasp
escaped through some woods but was later captured by Canopian militia.

Another notable fight was when in which a Rifleman passed a low hill and
was rammed by a passing Amputator. Unfortunately, the hovercraft crashed
through the arm and side torso, causing an ammo explosion that destroyed
both machines.

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Mongol 55-ton Medium BattleMech

5/8/5

Tons: 55
IS: 5.5			
Cockpit: 3
XL Engine: 7.75
Gyro: 3
Jump: 2.5
Armor: 10.75 (place it however you want...) (172 pts)

Variant #1:			Variant #2:
12 medium lasers		7 medium pulse lasers
C^3 link			C^3 link
ECM				ECM
8 Double Heat Sinks		6 Double Heat Sinks

This version is used for	This version is used against
optimum range (7 hexes) for	mechs which don't have ECM so
C^3 combined with LRMs, Gauss,	powerful short-range weapons like
or ER PPCs when defending	AC/20s can be used with C^3.
mech has ECM.			(i.e. Hunchback with C^3 link)
(i.e. Archer with C^3 link)		

The Mongol was developed from a failed 100-ton design called the Kamikaze.
The Kamikaze featured an incredible 23 medium lasers and an incurable heat
problem (the mech was called Kamikaze because the pilot would shoot every
laser and hope that the target was destroyed because the Kamikaze would shut
down). The designers realized that 2 lighter mechs could have equal firepower,
have more mobility, and handle the heat better, so they created the Mongol.

Shadow: Light Command Mech

11/17/0 (22)

Tons: 20
ESIS: 1
Cockpit: 3
XL Engine: 5
Gyro: 3
FF Armor: 2 (35 pts)
C^3 computer: 5
MASC: 1

The designers of the Mongol, knowing that heavy mechs are vulnerable to quick
strikes from a Fenris or Dragonfly, decided to put a C^3 computer into a highly
mobile light mech. The result was the Shadow, a mech that can run an amazing
220 kph! The C^3 is safer in a mech that one cannot catch easily than in a
mech that is armored but easily hit. A special feature of the Shadow is a
1/2 ton of removable armor. Underneath is a mount for a small laser (not
included). This allows lightning strikes on lightly defended villages if a
Shadow is stranded on a planet or in a similar situation. The armor takes only