Nightstar
Sarna News
| |
| Nightstar | |
|---|---|
| Production information | |
| Manufacturer | GM BattleMechs; Norse-Storm Technologies Inc. |
| Model | NSR-9J |
| Class | Assault |
| Technical specifications | |
| Mass | 95 tons |
| Chassis | Norse-GM HeavyTRQ |
| Armor | Kallon Royalstar Heavy Type K |
| Engine | Pitban 285 XL |
| Speed | 54.0 km/h |
| Armament | |
| BV (1.0) | 2,135 |
| BV (2.0) | 2,399 |
Contents
Description
The genesis of the Nightstar lies in the Amaris Civil War, when it was noticed that unit commanders, most of whom were piloting Marauder BattleMechs, were being targeted by troops loyal to Stefan Amaris. The 'Mech itself was only produced until 2786, when both of the factories capable of producing the Nightstar were destroyed. About two hundred and fifty years later, the Nightstar began production in both halves of the Federated Commonwealth and, since then, has become a popular 'Mech in both the AFFS and the LAAF. The Nightstar has a top speed of 54 km/h that is provided by a powerful Pitban 285 XL Engine. The Nightstar has a respectable amount of armor for its weight, at eighteen and a half tons, which rivals that of most other assault 'Mechs. To dissipate the waste heat from the 'Mechs impressive arsenal, the Nightstar has fourteen double heat sinks.
Armament
The Nightstar is armed to keep an enemy at standoff ranges. To keep an enemy at as long of a range as possible, the primary weapons carried are a pair of Norse-Storm Model 7D Gauss Rifles, each of which can strip almost a ton of armor off an enemy unit. These are backed up by a Defiance 1001 ER PPC that is capable of hitting a target at six hundred and ninety meters. For defense at short ranges, the 'Mech has two Defiance P5M Medium Pulse Lasers and an Exostar Small Laser.
Variants
- NSR-9FC - Reconfigured for greater speed, the 9FC variant of the Nightstar replaces the two Gauss Rifles with a pair of LB-X Autocannon/10s that are not as destructive as the weapons they replace, but can use both standard and cluster ammunition, making them effective in a variety of roles. The Small Laser has also been upgraded and the Medium Pulse Lasers downgraded, giving the Nightstar a total of three Medium Lasers. To make the 'Mech fit better into the mobile warfare doctrine of the Federated Suns and Federated Commonwealth, the 9FC model has used the saved weight to upgrade its engine, giving it a top speed of 64.8 km/h. BV (1.0) = 1,600 BV (2.0) = 1,929
- NSR-9SS - Originally developed for use in the arenas of Solaris VII, the 9SS is produced by Norse-Storm. The long-range weaponry of the 9J is removed and replaced with an Ultra Autocannon/20 and an LB-X Autocannon/20. The two guns are each incredibly powerful at short range, enabling the 9SS to obliterate enemies incredibly quickly. Three tons of ammunition for each ensure that this variant of the Nightstar has some staying power. A half of a ton of armor is removed to make way for three jump jets, enabling the 9SS to vault up to ninety meters at a time so that it can more effectively bring its autocannons to bear. Three Medium Pulse Lasers back up the autocannons and provide the only firepower should they run out of ammunition. Also of note is the loss of both lower arm and hand actuators to make space for the weapons and equipment fielded. BV (2.0) = 2,149