Harvester Ant

Harvester Ant
Harvester Ant
Production information
Manufacturer Kong Interstellar Corporation
Use Farming

Bulk Crop Collector

Model KIC-3
Class Light
Introduced Star League era[1]
Technical specifications
'Mech type Inner Sphere IndustrialMech
Mass 20 tons
Chassis
Armor StarSlab/Comercial [BAR 5]
Engine Leenex 60 internal combustion engine
Communications System Basix 100
Targeting Tracking System None
Heat Sinks None
Speed 50 km/h
Armament

2x Combine

BV (2.0) 143[2][3]


Description[edit]

The Harvester Ant is a Quad IndustrialMech originally designed for the use of farmers and colonists during the golden era of the Star League. It was built by Kong Interstellar of Connaught starting in 2650, where the IndustrialMech became a successful model for the company. Production continued until the daunting years of the Succession Wars, when Kong's manufacturing abilities were wrecked. Many 'Mechs of this design fell into disrepair, a majority being stripped to repair BattleMechs.[4][5][6]

The design was returned to production in 3058 when a new factory was constructed. During the brief Second Star League period, sales of the Harvester Ant began to rise, however the civil wars that dominated the 3060s lowered the demand for this 'Mech design.[4]

Some forces desperate for defense modify their Harvester Ants to mount weaponry. Though not effective against most dedicated combat units, these armed IndustrialMechs can effectively engage conventional infantry and light armor.

Weapons and Equipment[edit]

The standard KIC-3 Harvester Ant is a simple design used to collect bulk crops using two combine heads mounted on its front leg actuators, and can carry the harvested goods in a two ton cargo bay.[4]. The 'Mech was designed with colony uses in mind, with intentional inclusion of the flexible Leenex engine. This engine allows the 'Mech to run on any combustible fuel available during the early stages of colonization. It is noted for being an easily controlled design, especially for less experienced pilots available on a new colony world, and its quad design allows the Harvester Ant to easily traverse difficult terrain.[4]

The design is protected by two tons of StarSlab-3 commercial armor, which has been shown to be too weak for combat situations.[4]

Variants[edit]

  • KIM-3M MOD 
    Introduced during the Succession Wars era in year 2801, this variant of the Harvester Ant removes the combines and replaces them with a pair of machine guns in each torso, fed by a half ton of ammunition in each torso as well. To deter heavier units, the center torso mounts an SRM-2 launcher with a ton of ammunition. A pair of single heat sinks disperse the SRM heat. BV (2.0) = 127[7][8][9][10]
  • KIM-3M-B MOD 
    This variant mounts an LRM-5 in each torso and was introduced in 2801 during the early Succession Wars. Acting in a fire support role, it provides long-range firepower for other units. Its launchers are fed from a single center torso mounted ammunition bay. A pair of single heat sinks disperse the heat from the LRMs. BV (2.0) = 214[11][8][12]

Design Quirks[edit]

The KIC-3 Harvester Ant version features the following Design Quirks:

Notes[edit]

  • Harvester Ant MODs were first featured in Record Sheets: Operation Klondike, as units used by the Pentagon Powers during the Pentagon Civil War among mini-factions of the Pentagon Cluster, what would become Clan space. The later revised version of Technical Readout: Vehicle Annex and Record Sheets: Vehicle Annex, IndustrialMechs and Exoskeletons would republish these variants and the base model. It unclear how the Inner Sphere managed to duplicate these modifications due to complete separated nature of these two separate regions. Both introduction years for the MODs are the start of the conflict with Pentagon Powers and the creation of the Clans of Kerensky.

References[edit]

  1. Record Sheets: Vehicle Annex, IndustrialMechs & Exoskeletons, p. 43: Harvest Ant KIC-3 - Standard Model RS Intro Era is Star League Era.
  2. Record Sheets: Vehicle Annex, IndustrialMechs & Exoskeletons, p. 43: Harvest Ant KIC-3 - Standard Model's BV2 included in Record Sheet.
  3. MUL Profile for the Harvester Ant standard version - BV2.
  4. 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 Technical Readout: Vehicle Annex, pp. 204–205: "Harvester Ant Profile"
  5. Technical Readout: Vehicle Annex Revised, p. 204
  6. MUL Profile for the Harvester Ant standard version - Introduction Year listed.
  7. Record Sheets: Operation Klondike, p. 63
  8. 8.0 8.1 Technical Readout: Vehicle Annex Revised, p. 229
  9. MUL Profile for the Harvester Ant (MG) version - BV2 and Introduction Year.
  10. Record Sheets: Vehicle Annex, IndustrialMechs & Exoskeletons, p. 44: Harvest Ant KIC-3M MOD - Machine Gun version of the Harvester Ant includes BV2 and same stats as Operation Klondike.
  11. Record Sheets: Operation Klondike, p. 64
  12. Record Sheets: Vehicle Annex, IndustrialMechs & Exoskeletons, p. 45: Harvest Ant KIC-3M-B MOD - KIC-3M-B's BV2 included in Record Sheet and matches the earlier rendition in Record Sheets: Operation Klondike.

Bibliography[edit]