Volkh

Volkh
Volkh
Production information
Manufacturer Vining Engineering and Salvage Team
Production Year 3063[1]
Model VKH-1
Class Medium
Cost 26,815,865 C-bills
Technical specifications
'Mech type Inner Sphere BattleMech
Mass 45 tons
Chassis VKH Endo Steel
Armor Durallex Hardened
Engine Edasich Motors 225 XXL w/Supercharger
Communications System Wilson Silicon Siren (modified)
Targeting Tracking System Winston Coral Snake (modified)
Heat Sinks 10 Double heat sinks
Speed 76 km/h
Armament
BV (1.0) 1,111[2]
BV (2.0) 1,670[3]


Description[edit]

A Solaris VII BattleMech, the Volkh was originally designed by Vining Engineering and Salvage Team to serve as a testbed for advanced technology. VEST designers used an XXL Engine to provide enough weight savings to mount the heavy armor. To provide bursts of additional speed, they also fitted a Supercharger to the engine. This allows the Volkh to boost its speed to 97 km/h briefly. This is usually enough to close or evade an opponent.[2]

For survivability, the Volkh uses hardened armor and a Torso-Mounted Cockpit. The nearly eighteen tons of Hardened armor allow the Volkh to absorb damage that would drop an Assault 'Mech. The Volkh just keeps coming. MechWarriors who use the Volkh are more willing to get in close to an opponent, trusting that the heavy armor surrounding the cockpit will protect them from weapons fire.[2]

Weapons and Equipment[edit]

The Volkh's main armament are its four Diverse Optics ER Medium Lasers, these are backed up by a single Hovertech SRM-4 launcher. The lasers are also tied into an advanced Targeting Computer, providing more effective fire. At point-blank ranges it can cause crippling damage with its two Lances.[2]

Variants[edit]

  • VKH-68 
    Aimed at the military market, this unsold prototype, design led by Julia Vining, removed the left lance and added MASC and a Supercharger. The SRM-4 launcher was removed and the lasers were upgraded to four Medium X-Pulse Lasers. An arena demonstration was derailed by the debut of the quite similar NSR-K3 Night Stalker, which outperformed and defeated the VKH-68. The VKH-68 project was abandoned, and VEST sued Victory Conditions Industries over suspected copyright infringement. BV (2.0) = 1,679[4]
  • VKH-7 
    This variant swaps out the SRM-4 and three ER Medium Lasers and replaces them with a single ER Large Laser and an extra heat sink.[5] BV (2.0)= 1,613[6]

Design Quirks[edit]

The Volkh has the following Design Quirks:[7]


Gallery[edit]

References[edit]

  1. MUL online date for the Volkh
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Technical Readout: 3055 Upgrade, pp. 146-147
  3. Record Sheets: 3055 Upgrades Unabridged, p. 244
  4. Experimental Technical Readout: Caveat Emptor, p. 13
  5. Technical Readout: 3055 Upgrade, p. 146
  6. Records Sheets: 3055 Upgrade Unabridged, p. 245
  7. BattleMech Manual, p. 95 BattleMech Quirk Table - Volkh Entry.

Bibliography[edit]