Battle Cobra

Battle Cobra
Battle Cobra
Production information
Manufacturer Arc-Royal MechWorks[1]

Novy Minsk Armaments Plant[2]

Production Year 2873[3][4][5]
Model Prime[2]
Class Medium
Cost 4,595,500 C-bills
Technical specifications
'Mech type Clan OmniMech
Mass 40 tons
Chassis Cobra Endo Steel
Armor Ferro-Fibrous V3
Engine New Kent Type 240
Communications System Bishop 400 Holly-Meridian CTC
Targeting Tracking System Spanke 112-A
Heat Sinks 10 double
Speed 97 km/h
Armament

Primary Configuration

BV (1.0) 1,236[3][6]
BV (2.0) 1,487[2][7]


Clan OmniMech[edit]

Description[edit]

The Battle Cobra was already in the prototype stages when Clan Steel Viper introduced their first OmniMech, the Crossbow. Following this, the Battle Cobra prototypes were quickly redesigned to allow similar arm-mounted OmniPods, debuting only a few years later. Like the Crossbow, the Battle Cobra does not mount fixed jump jets and cannot mount them in their arms - therefore, early Battle Cobras would not be jump capable.[8] The first of the design saw deployment in 2873, and even though all of its weapon mounts are in the arms, this 'Mech has been in production ever since.[3][9][10][11] Outside the Vipers, the Battle Cobra's relative simplicity would also attract the interest of both Clan Blood Spirit and ComStar, its low cost appealing to the resource-starved Blood Spirits, while ComStar found it an easy base to reverse engineer as the centerpiece of its own OmniMech program.[3]

As a design built and primarily used by Clan Steel Viper, the Battle Cobra's production facilities in Clan Space would end up being destroyed during the Annihilation of Clan Steel Viper in 3075 on New Kent, fading from use.[12][13] Ironically one of the Vipers' nemeses, Clan Jade Falcon, would resume its productions decades later in the Inner Sphere during the Dark Age-era following the capture of Arc-Royal. Seeking to fully exploit their new holding's industrial capacity after discovering the defunct ComStar Battle Cobra line, the Falcons restored and upgraded it to Clan standards, highly amused to field a design built, redesigned, and manufactured in turn by three enemies it had vanquished.[1]

Weapons and Equipment[edit]

The Battle Cobra makes use of endo steel and ferro-fibrous weight-saving technologies, but uses a standard fusion engine for increased durability. The primary configuration uses a pair of large pulse lasers and small pulse lasers, making it capable of highly accurate fire that is effective against armored and unarmored targets alike.[3]

Alternate Configurations[edit]

  • Alternate Configuration B 
    A configuration popular with Clan Blood Spirit warriors who use a Battle Cobra. It mounts twin ER PPCs and small pulse lasers, but it lacks additional heat sinks to cope with the heat generated by the cannons.[2] BV (1.0) = 1,421[3][16], BV (2.0) = 1,892[2][17]
  • Alternate Configuration F 
    A medium-range, jump jet equipped brawler, the F configuration mounts a UAC/5 and single ton of reloads in its right arm, supported by a trio of ER medium lasers in its left. BV (2.0) = 1,507[21][1][22]
  • Alternate Configuration G 
    An incendiary 'Mech, the Battle Cobra G carries a plasma cannon, flamer, and ER medium laser in each arm along with a combined four tons of plasma cannon reloads. BV (2.0) = 1,593[1] [23]
  • Alternate Configuration I 
    A Dark Age-era missile boat, the I configuration carries an Artemis V FCS-equipped LRM-15 and two tons of reloads in each arm. BV (2.0) = 1,593[1] [27]
  • Alternate Configuration J 
    The Battle Cobra J carries a RAC/2 with two tons of reloads in its right arm, supported by a pair of ER medium lasers in its left arm. BV (2.0) = 1,272[1] [28]


ComStar OmniMech[edit]

Description[edit]

Obtaining a large number of mostly operational Battle Cobras in the aftermath of the brutal conflict in the Devil's Bath during the Battle of Tukayyid, ComStar selected the Battle Cobra as the focus of their efforts to reverse engineer and develop their own OmniMech.[10][9][11][3] First introduced in 3063, by the later years of the Word of Blake Jihad Arc-Royal MechWorks was manufacturing the design for the Com Guards, [32] with production halting and the line deteriorating following the conclusion of the Jihad and disbandment of the Com Guards.[1]

Armament[edit]

Constructed using Inner Sphere–manufactured components, ComStar's BTL-C-2O Battle Cobra is built on an endo steel, clad in seven tons of ferro-fibrous armor, and is powered by a 200-rated fusion engine. While reducing its speed by 20 km/h, the extra weight was required to carry heavier Inner Sphere–grade weapons.[33]

The Prime is based on its Clan counterpart, carrying an IS-grade large pulse laser in each arm as well as an extra double heat sink. BV (2.0) = 944[33]

Alternate Configurations[edit]

  • Alternate Configuration B 
    A medium-range missile boat, the BTL-C-2OB mount a pair of MRM-10 launchers in each arm with three tons of reloads in its right torso. BV (2.0) = 895[35]
  • Alternate Configuration C 
    An improved Narc missile beacon spotter, the BTL-C-2OC mount an iNARC launcher in each arm. While carrying no other weapons of any kind, five tons of reloads allows it to carry every conceivable form of iNARC ammo. An additional heat sink rounds out the configuration. BV (2.0) = 895[36]
  • Alternate Configuration D 
    Developed in the early years of the Jiahd, the BTL-C-2OD mounts a pair of light PPCs in each arm linked to a targeting computer. BV (2.0) = 1,221[37]
  • Alternate Configuration E 
    Taking advantage of Multi-Missile Launcher technology, the BTL-C-2OE mount an MML-9 launcher in each arm, carrying two tons of LRM reloads and single ton of SRM missiles in its right torso. BV (2.0) = 840[38]
  • Alternate Configuration F 
    A modern anti-infantry design, the BTL-C-2OF mounts a plasma rifle in each arm, with three tons of reloads in its right torso. BV (2.0) = 1,300[39]

Design Quirks[edit]

The Battle Cobra has the following Design Quirk:[40]

Notes[edit]

  • The ComStar model has not been given a separate article due at time of this writing, as no fluff has yet been provided.
  • In German products, the unit's proper name was translated to Kampfkobra.

Gallery[edit]

References[edit]

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 Recognition Guide: ilClan, vol. 22, p. 12 "Battle Cobra"
  2. 2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10 Technical Readout: Clan Invasion, pp. 26–27: "Dasher"
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.7 3.8 3.9 Technical Readout: 3058 Upgrade, pp. 166-167, "Battle Cobra Profile"
  4. Era Digest: Golden Century, p. 21
  5. MUL online date for the Battle Cobra
  6. Record Sheets: 3058 Upgrades, p. 173
  7. Record Sheets: 3058 Unabridged (Clan & Star League), p. 112
  8. TechManual, p. 51
  9. 9.0 9.1 Invading Clans, pp. 96-97
  10. 10.0 10.1 Bloodright (scenario pack), p. 62
  11. 11.0 11.1 Technical Readout: 3058, p. 162
  12. The Wars of Reaving Supplemental, p. 17 "Discarded Tools of War"
  13. The Wars of Reaving, pp. 150-151 "Focused Aggression"
  14. Record Sheets: 3058 Upgrades, p. 174
  15. Record Sheets: 3058 Unabridged (Clan & Star League), p. 113
  16. Record Sheets: 3058 Upgrades, p. 175
  17. Record Sheets: 3058 Unabridged (Clan & Star League), p. 114
  18. Record Sheets: 3058 Upgrades, p. 176
  19. Record Sheets: Upgrades, p. 59
  20. Record Sheets: 3058 Unabridged (Clan & Star League), p. 115
  21. Record Sheets: 3058 Unabridged (Clan & Star League), p. 116 - Battle Cobra F.
  22. Recognition Guide: ilClan, vol. 22, p. 15 "Battle Cobra F"
  23. Recognition Guide: ilClan, vol. 22, p. 16 "Battle Cobra G"
  24. Record Sheets: 3058 Upgrades, p. 177
  25. Record Sheets: Upgrades, p. 60
  26. Record Sheets: 3058 Unabridged (Clan & Star League), p. 117
  27. Recognition Guide: ilClan, vol. 22, p. 17 "Battle Cobra I"
  28. Recognition Guide: ilClan, vol. 22, p. 18 "Battle Cobra J"
  29. Recognition Guide: ilClan, vol. 22, p. 14 "Battle Cobra T"
  30. Record Sheets: 3058 Unabridged (Clan & Star League), p. 118 - Battle Cobra X.
  31. Recognition Guide: ilClan, vol. 22, p. 19 "Battle Cobra X"
  32. Objectives: Lyran Alliance, p. 22 "Donegal Province - Industrial Systems - Arc-Royal - Arc-Royal MechWorks"
  33. 33.0 33.1 Record Sheets: 3058 Unabridged (Clan & Star League), p. 119 - BTL-C-2O - design shown to be ComStar model mention in original fluff.
  34. Record Sheets: 3058 Unabridged (Clan & Star League), p. 120 - BTL-C-2OA.
  35. Record Sheets: 3058 Unabridged (Clan & Star League), p. 121 - BTL-C-2OB.
  36. Record Sheets: 3058 Unabridged (Clan & Star League), p. 122 - BTL-C-2OC.
  37. Record Sheets: 3058 Unabridged (Clan & Star League), p. 123 - BTL-C-2OD.
  38. Record Sheets: 3058 Unabridged (Clan & Star League), p. 124 - BTL-C-2OE.
  39. Record Sheets: 3058 Unabridged (Clan & Star League), p. 125 - BTL-C-2OF.
  40. BattleMech Manual, p. 90 BattleMech Quirk Table - Battle Cobra Entry.

Bibliography[edit]