Blitzkrieg

This article is about the BattleMech. For the electronic fiction format, see Blitzkrieg (fiction format).
Blitzkrieg
Blitzkrieg
Production information
Manufacturer Coventry Metal Works[1]
Production Year 3061[2]
Model BTZ-3F[1]
Class Medium
Cost 10,787,500 C-bills
Technical specifications
'Mech type Inner Sphere BattleMech
Mass 50 tons
Chassis Coventry BTZ-VII [endo steel]
Armor Lexington Ltd. High Grade Ferro-Fibrous
Engine Magna 350 XL
Communications System TharHes Muse 54-58K
Targeting Tracking System Cyclops 9b
Heat Sinks 10 double
Speed 118 km/h
Armament

1x UAC/20

BV (1.0) 1,092[3][4]
BV (2.0) 1,273[1][5]


Description[edit]

Taking its name from a German term meaning "Lightning War," the Blitzkrieg completely lives up to the name. Built on a lightweight Coventry BTZ-VII endo steel chassis and powered by a Magna 350 XL engine not only frees space for powerful weapons and equipment, but also gives the 'Mech a top speed of 118.8 km/h. The Blitzkrieg is primarily protected by its high speed, but carries six and a half tons of Lexington Limited High Grade ferro-fibrous armor that is light for a 'Mech of its size.[6]

Weapons and Equipment[edit]

The cavernous amount of space in the Blitzkrieg allows it to carry a massive Defiance Thunder UAC/20 that can fire at twice the rate as a standard autocannon. This powerful weapon, combined with the 'Mech's high speed, lets the Blitzkrieg truly live up to its name by bringing an immense amount of firepower to bear on a target and fading away just as quickly.[6]

Variants[edit]

Design Quirks[edit]

The Blitzkrieg has the following Design Quirks:[8]

Related BattleMechs[edit]

  • Hollander - The Blitzkrieg was built as a replacement for the lackluster Hollander, improving speed, armor, and firepower. However, the Blitzkrieg does not address one of the greatest concerns: the lack of a secondary weapons system.[6]
  • Legionnaire - An upgrade on the venerable Centurion, the design and weaponry of the Legionnaire BattleMech was inspired by the performance of the Blitzkrieg during the Federated Commonwealth Civil War. Davion designers based the Legionnaire around a single weapon system; in the case of the Legionnaire, designers chose the newly developed rotary autocannon.[9]
  • Hollander II - Another improvement over the Hollander BattleMech, the Hollander II increases weight but maintains a similar chassis. The increased weight has been used to add a secondary weapon system or replace the Gauss rifle with a heavy Gauss rifle.[10]

Notes[edit]

  • In German products, the unit's proper name was altered to Blitzschlag, which rather translates to Lightning Strike. The model code was left unchanged. That was presumably done to prevent any perception of wielding sympathy to German World War II army Wehrmacht and German fascism.

Gallery[edit]

References[edit]

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 Technical Readout: Jihad, pp. 96–97: "BTZ-3F Blitzkrieg"
  2. MUL online date for the Blitzkrieg
  3. Combat Operations, p. 131
  4. Record Sheets: 3060, p. 123
  5. Record Sheets: 3060 Unabridged, p. 134
  6. 6.0 6.1 6.2 Technical Readout: 3060, pp. 94–95: "Blitzkrieg 'Mech Profile"
  7. Record Sheets: 3060 Unabridged, p. 135
  8. BattleMech Manual, p. 90: Design Quirk Table - Blitzkrieg Entry
  9. Technical Readout: 3075, p. 76
  10. Technical Readout: 3055, p. 24

Bibliography[edit]