Outpost (DropShip class)

Outpost
Production information
Manufacturer	Clan Hell's Horses
Use	Troop Carrier
Type	Military Spheroid
Tech Base	Clan
Technical specifications
Mass	7000 tons
Structural Integrity	20
Length	127 meters
Width	127 meters
Height	101 meters
Safe Thrust	5
Max Thrust	8
Fuel (tons)	150
Fuel (days)	Burns 1.84 tons a day.
Armament	16xER Large Lasers 26xMedium Pulse Lasers 16xStreak SRM-6s 13xAnti-Missile Systems
Armor	70 tons Ferro-Aluminum
Crew	18
Heat Sinks	195 Double Heat Sinks
BV (1.0)	12830

Description

Deployed by Clan Hell's Horses in 3063, the Outpost-class DropShip was the result of two years of hard work. In 3061, Horse's saKhan Tanya DeLaurel ordered her engineers to create a combined arms transport vessel that could operate as a forward command post. The engineers looked at other combined arms transports like the Excalibur, but their greatest inspiration came from the Fortress class DropShip.

Unlike the Union-C and Overlord-C conversions, the Outpost is a completely new design. Using the Fortress as a model, the engineers equipped the Outpost with more armor than the Overlord-C and a full suite of energy-based weapons. The design's shining feature, however, is its ability to carry a Star each of BattleMechs, heavy tanks, and Elementals. Supplementing these ground forces are two Points of AeroSpace Fighters, which can support the ground troops or defend the Outpost. This combined arms support is ideal for the Hell's Horses approach to war.

Armament

Incorporating a lesson from Operation Revival, the Outpost uses mostly energy weapons to ease logistical needs. The suite of Extended Range Large Lasers and Medium Pulse Lasers will quickly strip the armor from any attacker. To keep the pressure on enemy forces while the cooling system dissipates the laser's heat, the Outpost uses a set of ammunition efficient Streak missile launchers. Though the ship has more armor than an Overlord the Outpost mounts thirteen Anti-Missile Systems to destroy incoming missile fire before the armor is tested.

Cargo

Split among five cargo bays, the Outpost mounts handling equipment for every element of the Horse's arsenal. Bay 1, located at the nose of the ship, carries four AeroSpace Fighters. The next bay carries a Star of BattleMechs or OmniMechs. Bay 3 is the combat vehicle bay, carrying a Star's worth of tanks. An Elemental Star is assigned to Bay 4, and Bay 5 carries 316 tons of supplies for the other warriors.

Variants

No variants of the Outpost are known to exist.