Tao 'Mechworks

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Tao 'Mechworks
Tao-mech-works.png
Corporation Profile
HeadquartersStyk
LeadershipCEO
Product(s)BattleMechs

Tao 'Mechworks is a BattleMech manufacturer on the Capellan Confederation world of Styk.

Overview[edit]

Located on the second-largest trading and industrial center in the Confederation, the Tao 'Mechworks was the third-largest 'Mech manufacturer in Liao space, and its capture was a prime target during the Fourth Succession War. When it became apparent that Styk would fall to the AFFS, the retreating Capellan forces destroyed as much of the facility as possible, effectively forcing the Federated Commonwealth to rebuild the factory from scratch.

One benefit of this was the ability to design the production line to produce any 'Mech of their choosing, configuring it to manufacture the advanced-tech VTR-9D Victor, to replace in part the lost output of the FedCom signature design from Independence Weaponry, itself captured by the Draconis Combine in the War of 3039.

The facility came under the control of the Styk Commonality after the Marik-Liao invasion of the Sarna March in 3057. After Sun-Tzu Liao became the First Lord of the Star League, he used the political weight of the Office to gain effective control of all Chaos March factories to supply the forces participating in Operation BULLDOG and Task Force Serpent. From that point on, Tao 'Mechworks was garrisoned by "Observation Troops" friendly to the Capellan Confederation and used the plant's output to equip the SLDF and CCAF. This remained the status quo even after the need to supply the SLDF had passed and for all intents and purposes the facility is now under the control of the Capellan Confederation.

The CCAF has since reconfigured the site to produce the Stealth Armor–equipped VTR-10L Victor and CRD-7L Crusader.

There is some evidence to suggest that during the Jihad Tao 'Mechworks sponsored some corporate sabotage efforts against the Earthwerks Incorporated plant on Grand Base.[1] As a result, the Capellan government nationalized the Tao 'Mechworks plant on Styx on the 1st of September 3080 as a punishment for industrial espionage during wartime.[2] The CEO of Tao 'Mechworks at the time, Robert "Bubba" Larson, initially claimed that the covert operations were conducted as a ploy by the Word of Blake, but agents from the Maskirovka uncovered information implicating Larson directly in the strikes against the Earthwerks factory sites, which had resulted in the destruction of a plant constructing fusion engines. Sang-jiang-jun Talon Zahn justified the nationalization of Tao 'Mechworks by stating that the act of espionage, intended to secure a greater market share for Tao 'Mechworks, had undermined the security of the Confederation as a whole. The first stage of the nationalization of the Styk plant involved the removal of all senior executives at the factory, along with the majority of middle management.[3]

During the Capellan conflict with The Republic of the Sphere, the Styk plant was totally destroyed; the employees of the Styk plant were able to remove the tools, dies, and other equipment before the plant was destroyed in the fighting.[4] These were relocated to Sarmaxa, where another factory was constructed.

In the years of Republic of the Sphere occupation, the Styk factory was rebuilt. It was completely functional by 3135.[5]

Manufacturing[edit]

Tao 'Mechworks has manufacturing centers on the following planets:

Styk[edit]

Note: Since the start of the Jihad, the facility on Styk suffered capital and personal losses of 63%, with the operating capacity of the factory reduced to 63% of their main production volume in 3079.[6] As of April 3081, the Styk plant was in a perilous position; damaged by raiders employed by Earthwerks Incorporated in retaliation for the earlier Tao 'Mechworks raid, the plant was then damaged by the Word of Blake in 3076[7][8][9] and again in 3080. The extent of the damage inflicted on the plant was such that another raid might have resulted in it being completely destroyed.[9] It was also suspected that in the immediate wake of the Jihad, the CO of Ambermarle's Highlanders resorted to pilfering from the Tao 'Mechworks shipments intended for supply to Marshigama's Legionnaires in order to make up for the Highlanders' low priority for supplies within the Capellan military.[10]

This plant was destroyed in the fighting between the Republic of the Sphere's V Triarii Protectors and Stone's Liberators and the CCAF's Warrior House Dai Da Chi, Warrior House Tsang Xiao, and Paget's Dragoons.[11] All the tools and manufacturing components that could be removed were relocated to Sarmaxa before the plant was destroyed.[4]

By 3135, the Tao 'Mechworks facility had been repaired and was producing at least the VTR-9K Victor, CRD-7L Crusader and BLR-4L BattleMaster.[12]

Components produced on Styk:[13][14][15]
Component Type
BattleMechs
CRD-7L Crusader[15] Heavy BattleMech
VTR-9D Victor[13][15] Assault BattleMech
VTR-9K Victor[14][15] Assault BattleMech
VTR-10L Victor[14][15] Assault BattleMech
BLR-4L BattleMaster[16] Assault BattleMech
Chassis
Alshain Class 920 Endo Steel Victor 9K[14]
Crucis-B Crusader[citation needed]
HildCo Type V Endo Steel Victor[13]
Fusion Engine
Pitban 320 Victor 9K[14]
Nissan 195 Crusader[citation needed]
Armor (BattleMechs & Combat Vehicles)
Durallex Heavy with CASE Victor 9K[14]
Jump Jets
Lexington Ltd. Lifters Victor 9K[14]
GM Jetstar Crusader[citation needed]
Communications System
Sipher Security Plus Victor 9K[14]
Targeting-Tracking System
Matabushi Sentinel Victor[14]

Sarmaxa[edit]

Components produced on Sarmaxa:[17][18]
Component Type
BattleMech
CRD-8L Crusader[17] Heavy BattleMech
LN-4B Lu Wei Bing[18] Assault BattleMech (Since 3110)[19]
Chassis
Foundation CMRFa6 Crusader 8L[17]
HildCo Type VI-T Endo Steel Lu Wei Bing[18]
Light Fusion Engine
Strand 340 Light Lu Wei Bing[18]
Extralight Fusion Engine
VOX 325 XL Crusader 8L[17]
Jump Jets
GM Jetstar Lu Wei Bing[18]
Armor (BattleMechs & Combat Vehicles)
Riese 500 with CASE Crusader 8L[17]
Starshield with CASE II Lu Wei Bing[18]
Communications System
CeresCom Model 21-RS with Angel ECM Suite Lu Wei Bing[18]
Garret T11-A Crusader 8L[17]
Targeting-Tracking System
C-Apple Churchill Lu Wei Bing[18]
Garret D5j Crusader 8L[17]
ER Medium Laser
Diverse Optics Crusader 8L[17]
Plasma Rifle
CeresArms Crusher Crusader 8L[17]
MML-7
Doombud Crusader 8L[17]

Tall Trees[edit]

Tao Optics, one of the company's divisions, had a plant on the planet that was destroyed during the Jihad by Word of Blake forces that leveled the Tree Mills Arcology, a fifty million–C-bill project that was home to several corporations.[20]

References[edit]

  1. Objectives: Capellan Confederation, p. 3
  2. Jihad: Final Reckoning, p. 61: "The Jihad in Review"
  3. Jihad: Final Reckoning, p. 38: "For The Greater Good"
  4. 4.0 4.1 Field Manual: 3085, p. 21
  5. Confidential Bannson Universal Document
  6. Objectives: Capellan Confederation, p. 3: "State of the Industry Table"
  7. Jihad Hot Spots: Terra, p. 22: "Timeline of the Jihad"
  8. Jihad: Final Reckoning, p. 56: "The Jihad in Review"
  9. 9.0 9.1 Jihad: Final Reckoning, p. 101: "Liao Commonality"
  10. Jihad: Final Reckoning, p. 100: "The Capellan Brigade"
  11. Operational Turning Points: Capellan Crusades, p. 9
  12. Confidential Bannson Universal Document
  13. 13.0 13.1 13.2 Objective Raids, p. 88: "Produced Tao 'Mechworks Components on Styk"
  14. 14.0 14.1 14.2 14.3 14.4 14.5 14.6 14.7 14.8 Technical Readout: 3050 Upgrade, p. 90: "Produced Victor Components"
  15. 15.0 15.1 15.2 15.3 15.4 Objectives: Capellan Confederation, p. 12
  16. Confidential Bannson Universal Document
  17. 17.0 17.1 17.2 17.3 17.4 17.5 17.6 17.7 17.8 17.9 Technical Readout: 3085, p. 90: "Produced Crusader 8L Components"
  18. 18.0 18.1 18.2 18.3 18.4 18.5 18.6 18.7 Technical Readout: 3145 Capellan Confederation, p. 46: "Produced Lu Wei Bing Components"
  19. MUL's profile of Lu Wei Bing's Year of Production Start.
  20. Tall Trees Overrun!

Bibliography[edit]