Rotwang
01/31/11 03:05 PM
213.118.11.143
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Marauder MAD-5VTC
Mass: 75 tons
Tech Base: Inner Sphere
Chassis Config: Biped
Rules Level: Tournament Legal
Era: Clan Invasion
Tech Rating/Era Availability: D/X-X-D
Production Year: 3070
Cost: 6.228.250 C-Bills
Battle Value: 1.526
Chassis: Unknown Standard
Power Plant: Unknown 225 Fusion Engine
Walking Speed: 32,4 km/h
Maximum Speed: 54,0 km/h
Jump Jets: Unknown
Jump Capacity: 90 meters
Armor: Unknown Standard Armor
Armament:
2 PPCs
1 Autocannon/5
2 Medium Lasers
Manufacturer: Unknown
Primary Factory: Unknown
Communications System: Unknown
Targeting and Tracking System: Unknown
Overview:
The Valentin Trading Company was a Periphery successs story. After the fall of
the Star League, Inner Sphere trading companies became less dominant in the
Periphery, allowing local companies to grow and prosper. The Valentin Trading
Company was a large conglommerate of various businesses, manufacturing and
selling goods across the Periphery.
As it grew larger it became the target of pirates and raiders who would loot
warehouses and factories. In order to protect their premises, VTC at first
hired mercenaries, then built its own security force, which in time even
included Battlemechs.
When VTC acquired an old SLDF factory leftover from the Amaris Civil War, they
were able to produce minor equipment and spare parts, but as the Company grew
and had more resources they attempted to put Battlemechs into production.
Capabilities:
SLDF mobile factories were modular designs for use in extended campaigns,
carried to their destination by dropships and intended to produce anything from
spare parts to complete Battlemechs. Kerensky's forces had several dozens of
these units when the Civil War broke out. Though their production was limited
compared to standard factories, it was far more economical and effective than
having to move replacements across vast distances, even for a realm as powerful
as the Stat League. A few were abandoned after the war, others were taken by
Kerensky's people in the Exodus.
VTC went through dozens of design options before settling on the Marauder.
This was the SLDF version, which included advanced technology that was unknown
outside the SLDF.
It took years to build a working prototype and changes were made to ensure it
could be built with local materials and technology.
The Marauder VTC as it was known had to replace the fusion engine with a
lighter model as the 300 VLAR could not be produced locally. The ligher 225
did free up a considerable tonnage which was used to install jump jets and
extra heat sinks. These changes did come at a cost. The extra heat sinks
changed the outline of the Marauder as did the Jump Jets. Though they were an
attempt to make up for the loss of speed, they were highly unstable and could
cause a pilot to crash, forcing engineers to add winglets and vanes that would
improve maneuverability, although in practice they often made it much more
difficult to pilot the mech in flight. Most pilots simply ignored their jets
except in dire need.
Overall the Marauder VTC was comparable to its Inner Sphere counterpart, except
that its technology was less reliable, though considered acceptable for
security forces. For military use the VTC Marauder had high maintenance
requirements and most teams would replace parts with salvaged equipment at the
earliest occasion.
As a result the VTC Marauder had a poor reputation as a military mech. This
was a moot point to VTC, who believed that the Marauder's size and reputation
were enough to discourage attack.
Battle History:
Only a handful of VTC Marauders were sold to the military and the odd mercenary
command in need of a Mech. They performed poorly and would often break down if
pushed too hard. Some were put into shape by their owners, but often at great
expense.
Most were kept as fire support mechs and were only used as front line units by
poorer units without access to better mechs.
Deployment:
VTC built several dozen units to guard its own facilities across the Periperhy.
About two dozen more were produced for sale to third parties. Only a handful
were fixed to better standards, most ended up being used as stopgaps and were
inevitably scrapped.
Wilson's Hussars is famous for deploying a pair of VTC Marauders at some point
in their long and unfortunate history. Both machines were destroyed in combat
and according to legend parts from both mechs were passed on from one mech to
the other, leading to breakdowns and more destroyed mechs. It's only after the
containers with the spare parts were lost that the unit's luck seemed to change.
Variants:
Production of the VTC lasted until 2989, when the last unit rolled off the
assembly line and the ancient mobile factory irreparably broke down.
VTC was able to keep most of its Marauders in working condition until the
3040's. The Clan Invasion did save the VTC Marauders from extinction as the
Inner Sphere scrambled to upgrade its mechs, older, but perfectly serviceable
spare parts became available and VTC rebuilt its complement with superior
parts.
As new technology filtered to the Periphery, VTC attempted to rebuild the
factory and was able to resume limited production in 3069. By 3084, an
upgraded version of the Marauder featuring Ferro Fibrous armour and replacing
the autocannon for an LB-X model was introduced.
Notable 'Mechs & MechWarriors:
Two Marauder VTC's served with Wilson's Hussars, though nearly always breaking
down they were for a brief period a much welcomed fire base around which the
unit could rally. After they were destroyed in combat they were scrapped and
their parts were used to repair old mechs. Shortly aftwards various pilots
began to report mysterious breakdowns and things started to go further downhill
for the Hussars, already down on their luck.
It wasn't until the spare part containers were lost (Some say dumped or stolen)
that luck seemed to return to the Hussars.
================================================================================
Equipment Type Rating Mass
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Internal Structure: Standard 114 points 7,50
Engine: Fusion Engine 225 10,00
Walking MP: 3
Running MP: 5
Jumping MP: 3 Standard
Jump Jet Locations: 1 CT, 1 LT, 1 RT 3,00
Heat Sinks: Single Heat Sink 22 12,00
Heat Sink Locations: 1 HD, 1 CT, 5 LT, 1 LA, 1 RA, 2 LL, 2 RL
Gyro: Standard 3,00
Cockpit: Standard 3,00
Actuators: L: SH+UA+LA R: SH+UA+LA
Armor: Standard Armor AV - 184 11,50
Internal Armor
Structure Factor
Head 3 9
Center Torso 23 28
Center Torso (rear) 7
L/R Torso 16 24
L/R Torso (rear) 6
L/R Arm 12 17
L/R Leg 16 23
================================================================================
Equipment Location Heat Critical Mass
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PPC RA 10 3 7,00
Medium Laser RA 3 1 1,00
PPC LA 10 3 7,00
Medium Laser LA 3 1 1,00
Autocannon/5 RT 1 4 8,00
@AC/5 (20) RT - 1 1,00
Free Critical Slots: 20
BattleForce Statistics
MV S (+0) M (+2) L (+4) E (+6) Wt. Ov Armor: 6 Points: 15
3j 3 3 3 0 3 1 Structure: 6
Special Abilities: SRCH, ES, SOA
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Karagin
01/31/11 04:44 PM
178.76.138.173
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So what is high tech about this one? Reminds me of the countless Marauder variants that have marched across the game boards since the rules came out on how to make your own mechs....
Karagin
Given time and plenty of paper, a philosopher can prove anything.
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His_Most_Royal_Highass_Donkey
01/31/11 05:49 PM
173.152.151.132
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The fluff
Why argue if the glass is half full or half empty, when you know someone is going to knock it over and spill it anyways.
I was a Major *pain* before
But I got a promotion.
I am now a General *pain*
Yay for promotions!!!
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Cray
01/31/11 06:39 PM
173.168.112.109
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Interesting fluff. The armor is lighter than I would've selected for a 3/5 'Mech with tonnage to burn, but the extra heat sinks and the jump jets are cool.
Mike Miller, Materials Engineer
Disclaimer: Anything stated in this post is unofficial and non-canon unless directly quoted from a published book. Random internet musings of a BattleTech writer are not canon.
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Karagin
01/31/11 11:39 PM
178.76.138.173
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Fluff is not going to change how the mech preforms on the battlefield...
Karagin
Given time and plenty of paper, a philosopher can prove anything.
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His_Most_Royal_Highass_Donkey
02/01/11 12:23 AM
173.152.173.255
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In table top game terms, yes. In terms of a campaign game story line, no.
Why argue if the glass is half full or half empty, when you know someone is going to knock it over and spill it anyways.
I was a Major *pain* before
But I got a promotion.
I am now a General *pain*
Yay for promotions!!!
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Karagin
02/01/11 08:50 AM
178.76.138.173
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If that is how you play...
Karagin
Given time and plenty of paper, a philosopher can prove anything.
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Christopher_Perkins
02/01/11 10:45 AM
138.162.128.52
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it is unclear whither or not the fluff for the TR3025 marauder mentioning the advanced armor of the SLDF model was really functionally different (I say yes - others could say no), the Canon released a new "Royals" design that is intended to be the one referenced in the TR3025 fluff.
i see no advanced technology more advanced than the age of war on this design.
Quote:
This was the SLDF version, which included advanced technology that was unknown
outside the SLDF.
It took years to build a working prototype and changes were made to ensure it
could be built with local materials and technology.
ok, it appears that what you were trying to say is that while the factory originally had the specs for the SLDF Royals model, the Specs were downgraded to what the local area could manufacture?
that could fit what we see in the stats...
Christopher Robin Perkins
It is my opinion that all statements should be questioned, digested, disected, tasted, and then either spit out or adopted... RHIP is not a god given shield
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