Gray Death Standard

Gray Death Standard
Production information
Manufacturer	Gray Death Technologies
Production Year	3052
Use	Line Unit
Weight Class	Medium
Tech Base	Inner Sphere
Cost	600,000 C-bills
Introduced	3052
Technical specifications
Mass	1,000 kg
Top Speed	32.4 km/h
Armament	1x Modular Weapon Mount 1x Anti-Personnel Weapon Mount
Armor Type	Standard
BV (1.0)	Flamer: 31 Light Recoilless Rifle: 41 Machine Gun: 30 Small Laser: 36 SRM: 34
BV (2.0)	Flamer: 37 Light Recoilless Rifle: 48 Machine Gun: 37 Small Laser: 43 SRM-1: 41 Battle values given here are per trooper in squad.

Description

The Gray Death Standard battle armor was developed by the technicians of the Gray Death Legion after the New Avalon Institute of Science sent them prototype battle armor suits, the progenitors of what eventually became the Inner Sphere Standard, for field testing. Using what was learned from these tests, the Legion decided to remove the suits' jump jets to make room for dedicated anti-infantry firepower, superior sensor systems, and reinforced myomer bundles to improve ground speed. While losing the ability to leap over obstacles, these changes made the suit easier to maintain and cheaper to build than the Inner Sphere Standard.

The new armor, as well as the Gray Death Scout suit, debuted during the Clan Invasion in battle against Clan Jade Falcon for control of Pandora. The Gray Death Standard played a decisive role in the Gray Death Legion's victory over the Falcons. Afterwards the Legion continued to build limited numbers of Standard suits, largely to replenish their own losses but also to sell small numbers to other mercenary commands. Following its creation, the Legion also sold limited numbers of Gray Death Standard suits to the Lyran Alliance.

The Gray Death Legion was effectively destroyed in battle on Hesperus II in 3065, one of the many casualties of the FedCom Civil War, but the suits they created would live on. Surviving members of the Legion's support staff created Gray Death Technologies and, with financial aid from Defiance Industries, established a dedicated factory on Glengarry to continued production. As the only dedicated battle armor manufacturer within the realm, Gray Death Technologies continued to sell its Standard suits to the Lyran Alliance Armed Forces and various mercenaries.

Disaster struck again during the Jihad when the Word of Blake attacked Glengarry in 3073 and sacked the factory. The destruction was not complete however and the survivors were able to restart production on a new variant of the Gray Death Standard. When Precentor Berith attacked again a year later he was more thorough in destroying the factory and rendered GDT incapable of building any battle suits. By that point Gray Death Technologies was bought up by Defiance Industries, which decided to move manufacturing of the Gray Death Standard to Furillo and put a hold on new suits. Production of the Gray Death Strike suit resumed in late 3080, although sale of the latter was restricted to the Lyran Alliance (and Defiance Industries' own security forces).

Weapons and Equipment

The battle armor retains the Modular Weapon Mount of the Inner Sphere Standard in its right arm, allowing it to carry either a single-tube SRM launcher with four reloads, a Flamer, a Small Laser, or a Machine Gun. Starting in 3069 the mount could also accept a Light Recoilless Rifle. On its left arm is an Anti-Personnel Weapon Mount for dealing with conventional infantry. The left arm also ends in a Battle Claw, allowing it to make anti-'Mech attacks or be transported into battle via OmniMech handholds. The Gray Death Standard carries 450kg of standard armoring, enough to survive a full burst from an Inner Sphere Large Pulse Laser and keep the trooper inside alive, and Improved Sensors for detecting hidden opponents, including mimicking the function of a portable radar sensor. It can also maintain an impressive top speed of 32.4 km/h over open ground.

Variants

• Gray Death "Strike Suit" (Prototype)

  This experimental version of the Strike suit was unique for being a hybrid of both Inner Sphere and Clan technology. Built under the supervision of technician Brian Kinnison, this version of the armor removed the improved sensors and modular weapon mount. In their place are a Clan-spec detachable Advanced SRM-3 launcher with three shots mounted on the suit's body and a Light TAG system in the left arm that can spot for artillery units or Semi-Guided LRM carrying units. Both arms ended in Battle Claws and the AP weapon mount was retained, as were its armoring and movement capabilities, although the missile launcher had to be jettisoned before anti-'Mech attacks could be made. The reliance of Clan technology prevented the suit from reaching mass production, as not even Clan Diamond Shark was willing to sell enough components to justify such a move. Although Defiance Industries eventually went with a redesign production model using Inner Sphere technology, it was rumored they kept these prototype suits on for their own security forces. BV (2.0)= 63

• Gray Death "Strike Suit" (Standard)

  The mass production model of the Gray Death Strike was first built in late 3080 after Defiance Industries decided to redesign the original so it could be built with Inner Sphere technology. In place of the Advanced SRM-3 the Strike carries a regular SRM-3 in a detachable body mount with just two reloads. The battle claws were also replaced with simpler Basic Manipulators, although the AP weapon mount and Light TAG were retained, as were the 450kg of armoring and impressive ground speed. Sold exclusively to the Lyran state, Gray Death Strike suits were used in conjunction with Gray Death Standards in a fire-support role.

• Gray Death "Surat" Solahma Suit 

  This suit replaces the standard armor with lighter Clan-built armor. This in turn frees up space for heavier weapons. Most frequently a Heavy Small Laser is fitted to the suit. The suit itself is frequently used by solahma infantry formations in Clan toumans. Though it has a bad reputation among Clan Elementals, it is nevertheless an effective weapon. BV (2.0) = 51

Design Quirks

The "Surat" Solahma Suit is subject to the following Design Quirks:

• Bad Reputation
• Easy to Maintain
• Poor Workmanship

Bibliography

• Experimental Technical Readout: Republic, Volume 1
• Experimental Technical Readout: Steiner
• Field Manual: Mercenaries
• LosTech: The MechWarrior Equipment Guide
• Master Unit List
• Record Sheets: 3058 Unabridged (Clan & Star League)
• Record Sheets: 3058 Upgrade
• Technical Readout: 3058 Upgrade