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Nightward
Clan Wolf
Point Commander
Joined: 19-Sep-2003 00:00
Posts: 39
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 Posted: 23-Sep-2003 19:00 Post subject: BSW-X2 Bushwacker |
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Type: BSW-X2 Bushwhacker
Technology Base: Inner Sphere, Lyran Alliance Armed Forces, 3060
Mass: 55 Tons
Chassis: Earthwerks GRF-2 Endo Steel
Power Plant: Hermes 275 XL
Cruising Speed: 54.0 kph
Maximum Speed: 86.4 kph
Armour: Kallon Unity Weave Ferro-Fibrous
Armament:
1 Imperator Code Red LB-10X Auto Cannon
1 Holly LRM-10
1 BlazeFire Sweetshot ER Large Laser
2 Diverse Optics Type 428 ER Medium Lasers
Communications System: TharHes Euterpe HM-14
Targeting and Tracking System: TharHes Ares-8a with Artemis IV
Primary Manufacturer: TharHes Industries
Primary Factory: Tharkad
OVERVIEW
After almost ten years of production, the Bushwhacker has fallen from cutting-edge technology to being considered as barely above Garrison-quality machines. Line units are no longer requisitioning Bushwhackers; most are, instead, being sold to Mercenary units such as the Eridani Light Horse. The LAAF ordered an inquiry into the reasons for this, and eventually came back with the following pilot complaints, quoted here verbatim:
1. You wasted tonnage on my Auto Cannon 10. Why can’t I have an LB Cannon?
2. Who uses Machine Guns? Why do I have TWO of them?
3. Errr…I only build up marginal amounts of heat anyway…Why didn’t you give me extra armour instead of adding a Heat Sink?
The inquiry did uncover one favourable respondent: Billy Smith, night janitor who works near a 'Mech bay containing a Bushwhacker, reported that he liked the noises the 'Mech made as it powered up.
The LAAF is currently trialing three Bushwhacker variants; one utilises a Light Engine, and is armed with a massive LB-20X Auto Cannon and an ER Large Laser; the second replaces its LRM systems with SRMs and carries an Anti-Missile System; the last is presented herein for review.
CAPABILITIES
The design team heeded the pilot gripes when they redesigned the Bushwhacker, replacing the Auto Cannon with an LB-10X and replacing the Machine Guns with a pair of ER Medium Lasers. The removal of the 'Mech’s CASE has allowed for the installation of a single LRM-10, equipped with Artemis IV.
These changes have dramatically altered the Bushwhacker’s battlefield capabilities. The increased accuracy and ammunition of its weapons allows the Bushwhacker to remain in the field for longer than its precursor.
However, the Bushwhacker is now susceptible to overheating; the ER Medium Lasers that the 'Mech carries mean that the pilot must be careful when selecting middle-range weapons. However, since a single Medium Laser has four times the range of a Machine Gun and does better damage than both Machine Guns combined, there are few complaints.
VARIANTS
Pilot concerns about heat problems have persuaded the Engineers to trial a Variant armed with Standard Medium Lasers instead.
The recent successes of Archer Christofori’s Avengers has prompted the TharHes technicians to look into TAG systems. The TAG Variant removes one ER Medium Laser in order to carry a TAG designator.
DEPLOYMENT
All three Bushwhacker variants are still undergoing testing on Tharkad. Since this modification requires the least effort and money to perform, it is swiftly gaining favour amongst technicians.
MY BLURB
MW3 taught me not to love the Bushwhacker, just to hate it less. It really wasn’t that bad, all things considered; it’s just that there was so much wasted tonnage on the 'Mech.
Most of the alterations I made were ‘gee, duh’ types, so I won’t waste our time discussing them.
I generally do not bother with CASE on XL-equipped 'Mechs, which is why it does not appear here.
MASS BREAKDOWNS
Engine: 8
Gyro: 3
Cockpit: 3
Endo Steel: 3
Ferro-Fibrous: 10
1 Additional Double Heat Sink: 1
ER Large Laser: 5
LRM-10 with Artemis IV and 1 ton ammo: 5
2 ER Medium Lasers: 2
LB-10X AC with 2 Tons Ammo: 13
ARMOUR DISTRIBUTION
Head: 9
Centre Torso: 27/6
Side Torsos: 20/6
Arms: 18
Legs: 25
LOCATIONS
LB-10X, 2 tons LB Ammo (No Lower Arm/Hand Actuators)- Right Arm
ER Large Laser (No Lower Arm/Hand Actuators)- Left Arm
LRM-10- Centre Torso
Artemis IV- Head
1 ER Medium Laser, 1 Ton LRM Ammo- Left Torso
1 ER Medium Laser- Right Torso
(Variants: Replace ER Mediums with Standard Mediums, or remove Right Torso ER Medium and replace with TAG)
COST ANALYSIS
Standard
At 1,201 BV and 10,643,591 C-Bills, this Bushwhacker increases its costs by about 10%, which is not too bad.
Medium Laser
With a BV of 1,232 it is supposedly more dangerous than the standard mod. Cost is 10, 519,591 C-Bills.
TAG
BV is 1,381 (+200 for Tag/Arrow IV) and cost is a bit down at 10,597,091 C-Bills.
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