Crab

Crab
Production information
Manufacturer	Cosara Weaponries
Production Year	2719
Model	CRB-27
Class	Medium
Cost	4,050,875 C-bills
Technical specifications
Mass	50 tons
Chassis	Hollis Mark 1A
Armor	Paulina Heavy Ferro-Fibrous
Engine	Magna 250
Communications System	Dalban Series K
Speed	86.4 km/h
Armament	2x Large Lasers 1x Medium Laser 1x Small Laser
BV (1.0)	965
BV (2.0)	1,198

Description

Designed during the last days of the Star League, the Crab proved itself to be a superior unit, likely to become the standard medium 'Mech of the Star League Defense Force, were it not for the events leading to the downfall of the League. First built in 2719, fewer than 1,000 were produced before the Succession Wars destroyed the technological know-how to build and maintain these 'Mechs. Following the recovery of the Helm Memory Core, Cosara Weaponries was able to restart production in 3050.

The Crab has a maximum speed of 86.4 km/h which allows it to avoid most heavy and assault 'Mechs but leaves it vulnerable to machines of its own weight class. Born to be a guerrilla fighter, the Crab is heavily armed and armored with an all-energy payload giving it logistical durability. Its advanced communications gear monitors all radio and short-wave bands in order to figure out its exact location and approximate locations of other units, friend or foe. While not always precise, it allows the 'Mech to predict enemy troop movements and project a path towards its goal. The Crab also suffers from an extremely steep heat curve; while the the 'Mech has sufficient standard heat sinks to facilitate repeating firings of its twin Large Lasers, adding its supplemental weapons quickly overheats the machine.

The ejection system on the Crab is also unique: if no explosion is imminent, the Mechwarrior’s seat is rotated 90 degrees and ejected out the back of the 'Mech. This allows for a much shorter flight time and more gentle experience for the pilot, landing 20 to 50 meters away from the 'Mech.

Weapons and Equipment

The Crab carries two arm mounted RamTech 1200 Large Lasers. They are backed up by a Ceres Arms Medium Laser and an Exostar Small Laser. While this is a high heat design, the all laser configuration does lend itself to guerrilla warfare as it cannot run out of ammunition.

Variants

• CRB-20 

  The CRB-20 is a downgrade of the CRB-27 Crab that was given to the Draconis Combine Mustered Soldiery in preparation for the War of 3039 by ComStar as part of Operation Rosebud. The only major modification to the design is the use of standard armor which reduced the overall protection on the Crab although ComStar also replaced the Crab's electronic systems with a Garret T-11b communications system and a Garret D2j targeting and tracking system. BV (1.0) = 921, BV (2.0) = 1,143

• CRB-27b 

  A simple upgrade utilized by the SLDF Royals, the 27b upgrades the heat sinks to double heat sinks and the Large Lasers to ER Large Lasers. BV (1.0) = 1,167, BV (2.0) = 1,308

• CRB-27sl 

  This Crab variant was used by the Star League. It uses an XL Engine with fourteen double heat sinks. The Large and Medium Lasers are traded out for their pulse equivalents, and the Small Laser has been replaced by a Medium Laser. To improve mobility, five Jump Jets have been added for a 150 meter jumping range.

• CRB-30 

  The CRB-30 is a complete rework of the CRB-27 Crab. To start, the standard engine has been replaced with an ExtraLight model. The CRB-30 puts this free weight to good use by replacing the twin Large Lasers with a pair of ER PPCs and upgrading the Medium and Small Lasers to an ER Medium Laser and an ER Small Laser. The standard heat sinks have all been replaced with double heat sinks, though two have been removed, so the PPCs must use volley fire. The last part of this upgrade is the addition of a Guardian ECM Suite and an improved C3 computer. BV (1.0) = 1,204 (C3: 188), BV (2.0) = 1,509

• CRB-45 

  This variant fielded by Word of Blake makes use of three Light PPCs and an ER Large Laser, making the Crab into a direct-fire support 'Mech. The -45 incorporates enough heat sinks to combat all heat the machine is capable of producing. The engine was upgraded to allow speed of up to 96 km/h. This came at a slight decrease in armor, though the use of a Heavy Ferro-Fibrous weave helped make up most of the difference. A seemingly-standard C3i Computer allows this design to share target data with other like-equipped units. BV (2.0) = 1,342

• CRB-C 

  The CRB-C Crab is a minor update of the design modified to include a C3 Slave Unit. The Crab makes space for the C3 unit by removing the Medium Laser. BV (1.0) = 950 (C3: 90), BV (2.0) = 1,135

Gallery

• 

  Side view of a CRB-20 Crab

• 

  Low-angle shot of a CRB-20 Crab

• 

  CRB-27 Crab from above

• 

  CRB-27 Crab in combat

• 

  CRB-27 Crab in motion

• 

  A Crab in combat

Bibliography

• Master Unit List.pdf
• Combat Operations
• Era Report: 2750
• Record Sheets: 3025/3026
• Record Sheets: 3039
• Record Sheets: 3050
• Record Sheets: 3050 Upgrade (Clan & Star League)
• Record Sheets: 3060
• Record Sheets: 3075 Unabridged
• Record Sheets: 3075 Unabridged - Age of War
• Record Sheets: Upgrades
• Technical Readout: 2750
• Technical Readout: 3025 Revised
• Technical Readout: 3039
• Technical Readout: 3050
• Technical Readout: 3050 Revised
• Technical Readout: 3050 Upgrade
• Technical Readout: 3075