BattleMech Technical Readout
Name/Model: Proteus Prime
Designer: Redshirt
Source(s): Custom Mordel.Net Units
Technology: Inner Sphere
Technology Rating: E
Tonnage: 65
Configuration: Biped BattleMech
Era/Year: Dark Age / 3150
Rules (Current): Standard
Rules (Era): Standard
Rules (Year): Standard
Total Cost: 6,092,900 C-Bills
Battle Value: 1,343
Chassis: American General
Power Plant: Allied 260
Walking Speed: 43.2 kph
Maximum Speed: 64.8 kph
Jump Jets: None
Jump Capacity: None
Armor: Advanced/3 with CASE
Armament:
1 Anderson Armaments Particle Cannon 12 PPC
1 Holly-15 LRM 15
1 Pontiac 50 Autocannon/10
Manufacturer: Unknown
Primary Factory: Unknown
Communications: A nerf-branded walkie-talkie
Targeting & Tracking: A windows XP with crosses on it
================================================================================================
Overview:
The Proteus OmniMech is a relatively new and supposedly cheap design intended for sale to
Periphery nations who cannot afford to produce there own domestic OmniMechs. With the
exception of its Double Heat Sinks and XL Gyro, the Proteus utilizes readily available
technologies and weapons systems.
Built as a joint venture between Apple Computers Interstellar and Ford Military Limited,
with Hardware and Management support from Nintendo of Terra Ltd. and Electronic Arts,
respectively. Together, they succeeded in developing a brand-new OmniMech, and provided Ford
Military with its first new product in ages.
Capabilities:
The final product of 6 years of development was a 65-ton IS OmniMech clad in 10.5 tons of
armor, capable of moving 64kph, has 10 fixed DHS, and 30 Tons of Pod Space onboard. With no
Endo Steel, XL Engines or Ferro-Fibrous armor, the Proteus has ample space for onboard
weapons.
Its in the finer details where issues with the Proteus arose. The Nintendo-provided hardware
was reliable, if dated and difficult to upgrade. Apple's software was generations behind the
modern standard, lacking many quality of life improvements that made modern IS OmniMechs a
delight to service. Reconfiguring the Gyro for alternate payloads was especially annoying,
and would extend repair and refit times by up to 30 minutes as Technicians navigated a
confusing and unintuitive series of menus, with no provision for saving Gyro configurations.
EA's choice to acquire Succession War surplus to outfit the various configurations caused
several weapon failures mid-combat. The response to any complaints was to offer to have
thier Proteus serviced at a "generous" 5% discount. The OmniPod connectors were designed
specifically to prevent IS or Clan standardized OmniPods from working with the Proteus,
forcing anyone who owned a Proteus to purchase OmniPods from Ford Military at a significant
markup, with portions of the sale being split among the other contributors.
Worst of all, EA backed out of the project after 3 years to "pursue new Market trends",
leaving those that remained in complete disarray, and struggling to determine what, if any
services they were allowed to provide without EA's involvement, essentially killing Factory
support for extant Proteus Mechs by 3148.
Deployment:
The Proteus was sold in the hundreds to the Magistracy of Canopus, Marian Hegemony, Taurian
Concordat, and even in small numbers to the Lyran Commonwealth. Another 150 examples were
sold to Mercenaries and Single-Planet Nation-States.
The Lyrans were one of the first to purchase the Proteus when it began priduction in 3145.
Predictably, they were extremely unimpressed with the design, and very unhappy with the
preadatory "support" on offer, and retired the Proteus from service after a single year.
The Periphery nations, on the other hand, had few, if any options when it came to procuring
OmniMechs. Once EA cut support for the Proteus, the Taurian Armed Forces authorized its
MechTechs to "modify" the design, adjusting the OmniPod connectors to make them compatable
with IS and Clan standard OmniPods. The MoC and MH followed suit soon afterwards.
In spite of the numerous minor issues with the Proteus, it was well received, at least after
the OmniPod modifications were made. The flexible, well-armored OmniMech was the perfect
choice for small, planetary garrisons, as they could be reconfigured to match any threat, or
utilize whatever weapons were on hand in a crisis. The Proteus also saw front-line combat
with many of the "Minor" Houses and Mercenary units, the flexible design capable of
supporting most other unit types with the appropriate configuration.
Variants:
Thanks to corporate management chasing the latest design trends, the Proteus was released
with several variants.
The Prime configuration is an all-rounder featuring an AC/10, PPC, and LRM-15 as its
weapons. This configuration is the one Ford sold the most, often rolling Proteus' off the
assembly line with this configuration equipped. However, most used this configuration for
training purposes, choosing instead to use one of the more specialized variants for actual
combat.
Alternate Configuration A is a miniature Awesome equipped with 3 PPCs, A Medium Laser, and
enough DHS to fire them all turn on turn. While not as heavily armored as an Awesome, its
more mobile, and remains a favorite among both Mercenary and MoC forces for its lack of
ammunition dependency.
Alternate Configuration B is a Fire Support Mech similar to the Catapult and Archer, with 2
LRM-20s and three Medium Lasers. While it lacks the Catapult's jump jets, it compensates for
this with expanded ammunition stores and a greater volume of missiles per salvo.
Alternate Configuration C utilizes a MASC system and paired Binary Laser Cannons to blast
the heads off of enemy Mechs. Its arms are fitted with a unique OmniPod containing an M-Pod
in a housing shaped vaguely like a fist. Although not intended to be fired while in physical
contact with enemy Mechs, MechWarriors regularly choose to ignore this fact.
Alternate Configuration D is an expierimental model biult by the Taurian Concordat to
provide heavy Artillery support in terrain too rough for conventional Artillery Trucks or
altogether inaccessible. Its main weapon is a Long Tom Cannon and 15 rounds of ammunition,
with a Small X-Pulse Laser for protection from Infantry.
Alternate Configuration E is another MASC-equipped variant, this time packing four SRM-6
launchers(with four tons of ammo) and a Large Laser. This configuration was advertised by
Ford/EA as a cheap "non-lethal option" for Peacekeeping and Riot-Control missions. While it
could be armed with smoke and Tear Gas rounds, eyewitness reports from Marian "police
actions" show frequent use of Inferno rounds instead. 24 rounds of Inferno SRMs can generate
enough heat to liquify asphalt, to say nothing of flesh.
Alternate Configuration F was the result of EA noticing the trend towards Partial Wings in
current Mech development and demanding a configuration to match. Ford's attempt to meet this
new requirement was insufficient, and the OmniPod Partial Wings had a tendency to fall off
during test flights. Still, development continued until a total of 3 Proteus test-beds were
wrecked. after that, Ford made the decision to use Improved Jump Jets instead.
The finished product pairs this enhanced mobility with two Large Lasers and three Medium
Lasers, creating an effective short and medium-range skirmisher.
Alternate Configuration G was the first of three recognized configurations pioneered by the
Minor House militaries. The G configuration is essentially a larger, faster Hunchback,
equipped with MASC, an AC/20, three Medium Lasers and a Targeting Computer. While some
models use standard HEAP ammunition, the G configuration is most often loaded with
Armor-Piercing rounds, to maximize the weapons lethality.
Alternate Configuration H was first spotted among the warriors of the Taurian Concordat,
before proliferating throughout the Periphery. The H configuration is equipped with 3 Medium
Lasers, 1 ER Small Laser, and a pair of LB-10-X Autocannons mounted together in the Right
Torso. The autocannons are fed by four 1-ton ammunition bins, with 20 rounds of Solid Shot
and another 20 of Canister Shot.
Alternate Configuration I was developed by the Marian Hegemony, for use as an ambush Mech.
The Marians added MASC for additional bursts of speed, and modified the Cockpit to fit a
Large Laser into it. This modification was done rather crudely, and the standard command
couch has been removed for an insulated saddle laid onto the Large Laser's cooling jacket.
The primary weapon of this configuration is not the Laser however, but the 290 Rockets
mounted in the Mech's various OmniPods. This design is used primarily for ambushes and
Hit-and-Run attacks, where the Proteus will approach a target, unleash its payload of
Rockets, then retreat at best speed to the nearest Field Base or Refit Truck to have its
OmniPods swapped for another set of Rocket Launcher OmniPods, and repeat the process from
there. A most effective strategy, until the MASC system fails.
Notable MechWarriors:
While there are many competent MechWarriors who pilot Proteus Mechs, the ones who become
truly "notable" are the ones who grab the attention of interstellar News networks.
Agnus McAllister is the leader of a small Mercenary outfit operating in the area of the
Periphery near the Capellan border. His Proteus sports a custom configuration with twin ER
PPCs, hip-mounted RL-15s, and a Lift Hoist and add-on Hand Actuator in each arm. These
modified arms allow Agnus' Mech, dubbed "Arsenal" by Capellan state media, to wield Heavy
Handheld weapons packages, substantially increasing the Mech's firepower and flexibility.
Agnus demonstrated these traits when he and his fellow Mercenaries were hired to extract a
political prisoner held by the Capellans. Deploying from thier small dropship, McAllister
was followed by a cargo truck packed full of Handheld weapons packages. Some of the more
noteable and eye-catching were the Machine Gun/Flamer package and the Rotary AC/5 Packages,
Though an LRM-20 and LB-10-X package were used as well. When Agnus McAllister and his team
of Mercenaries departed, having succeeded in thier objective, he had racked up a total of
Seven confirmed Mech kills and a Dozen vehicular kills.
The second noteable MechWarrior, known only as "Nemo", hails from the planet Gibraltar in
the Free Worlds League. When the planet was invaded by the Marian Hegemony in 3147, Nemo
lost several family members to fighting and even more were taken as slaves. Unfortunately
for the Marians, Nemo had a few friends among the MechTechs of the FWL Militia, one of whom
allowed Nemo access to a skeletal Proteus Mech that had been dumped on-world by the FWLM.
Nemo equipped the Mech with twin Plasma Rifles and four Laser AMS systems, and even went as
far as to fabricate makeshift bayonets to mount beneath the barrels of the Plasma Rifles.
The process of outfitting the Mech took time, as Nemo worked alone. Eventually however, the
Proteus was fully equipped, and Nemo took the Mech on its first-and last-sortie.
Nemo tore through the streets of Gibraltar's Capital, Mountweasel, firing on any Marian
military unit he came across. When a salvo from those failed to kill his target, he moved in
to kick and stab the target into submission. Nemo even encountered a Marian Proteus during
the fighting, its rocket barrage neutralized by the four AMS systems on Nemo's machine. As
Nemo pushed through a platoon of Marian infantry, onlookers and soldiers alike were
horrified to see that Nemo had adjusted his Laser AMS systems to fire on anything that moved
within range. The streets of Mountweasel were filled with an angry red light as the four AMS
systems fired non-stop, scything through soft targets as fire and smoke from burning Tanks
and Mechs filled the air. Eventually, Nemo was stopped when a Marian Yellow Jacket Gunship
put a gauss slug through the cockpit. But by that time, Nemo had destroyed three Marian
Mechs, five heavy Tanks and three platoons of Infantry.
When the planet was finally cleared of Marian troops by FWL Mercenaries, they found Nemo's
customized Proteus-referred to by the locals as "Rampage"-still intact inside the Marian's
MechBay. Since it was technically property of the FWLM, and not a Marian combatant, the
Mercenaries were denied the right to salvage it. To this day, nobody had come forward to
identify "Nemo", though it is unclear if this is because all of his associates were killed
or captured, or those who did know him were unwilling to talk about it.
================================================================================================
Equipment Mass
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Internal Structure: Standard 6.50
Engine: 260 Fusion 13.50
Walking MP: 4
Running MP: 6
Jumping MP: 0
Heat Sinks (Double): 10 [20] 0.00
Gyro: XL 1.50
Cockpit: Standard 3.00
Armor Factor: 168 10.50
Type: Standard
Internal Armor
Structure Value
Head: 3 9
Center Torso: 21 22
Center Torso (rear): 5
R/L Torso: 15 21
R/L Torso (rear): 5
R/L Arm: 10 20
R/L Leg: 15 20
================================================================================================
Weapons and Ammo Location Critical Tonnage
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Autocannon/10 (Ammo 20) RT 2 2.00
CASE RT 1 0.50
CASE LT 1 0.50
LRM 15 (Ammo 8) LT 1 1.00
PPC LT 3 7.00
Autocannon/10 RA 7 12.00
LRM 15 LA 3 7.00
================================================================================================
Alpha Strike Statistics
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Point Value (PV): 33
TP: BM, SZ: 3, TMM: 1, MV: 8"
Damage: (S) 3 / (M) 3 / (L) 2, OV: 0
Armor (A): 6, Structure (S): 5
Specials: AC1/1/-, CASE, IF1
Distribution
Name/Model: Proteus Prime
Technology: Inner Sphere
Tonnage: 65
Configuration: Biped BattleMech
=======================================================================================
Left ArmHeadRight Arm
1. Shoulder 1. Life Support 1. Shoulder
2. Upper Arm Actuator 2. Sensors 2. Upper Arm Actuator
3. Lower Arm Actuator 3. Cockpit 3. Lower Arm Actuator
4.LRM 15 4. Roll Again 4.Autocannon/10
5.LRM 15 5. Sensors 5.Autocannon/10
6.LRM 15 6. Life Support 6.Autocannon/10
1. Roll Again 1.Autocannon/10
2. Roll Again 2.Autocannon/10
3. Roll Again 3.Autocannon/10
4. Roll Again 4.Autocannon/10
5. Roll Again 5. Roll Again
6. Roll Again 6. Roll Again
Left TorsoCenter TorsoRight Torso
1. LRM 15 (Ammo 8) 1. Fusion Engine 1. Autocannon/10 (Ammo 10)
2. CASE 2. Fusion Engine 2. Autocannon/10 (Ammo 10)
3.PPC 3. Fusion Engine 3. CASE
4.PPC 4. XL Gyro 4. Roll Again
5.PPC 5. XL Gyro 5. Roll Again
6. Roll Again 6. XL Gyro 6. Roll Again
1. Roll Again 1. XL Gyro 1. Roll Again
2. Roll Again 2. XL Gyro 2. Roll Again
3. Roll Again 3. XL Gyro 3. Roll Again
4. Roll Again 4. Fusion Engine 4. Roll Again
5. Roll Again 5. Fusion Engine 5. Roll Again
6. Roll Again 6. Fusion Engine 6. Roll Again
Left LegRight Leg
1. Hip 1. Hip
2. Upper Leg Actuator 2. Upper Leg Actuator
3. Lower Leg Actuator 3. Lower Leg Actuator
4. Foot Actuator 4. Foot Actuator
5. Roll Again 5. Roll Again
6. Roll Again 6. Roll Again
LRM 15 4. Roll Again 4.
LRM 15 5. Sensors 5.
LRM 15 6. Life Support 6.
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