Roadrunner (Emerald Harrier)
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| |
| Roadrunner (Emerald Harrier) | |
|---|---|
| Production information | |
| Manufacturer | Auxiliary Production Site 11 |
| Model | RD-1R |
| Class | Ultralight |
| Introduced | 2920[1] re-introduced 3112 |
| Technical specifications | |
| Mass | 15 tons |
| Chassis | Endo Steel |
| Armor | Ferro-Fibrous Armor |
| Engine | 210XL |
| Heat Sinks | 10 Double Heat Sinks |
| Speed | 210 km/h |
| Armament |
2 x ER Medium Lasers |
| BV (2.0) | 888[2] |
Contents
Description
Mech's Origin
Originally conceived by Clan Jade Falcon during the Clans' Golden Century, the Emerald Harrier is a 15-ton BattleMech. It was out of production by the time of the Clan Invasion of the Inner Sphere and only sparsely deployed there. ComStar ROM operatives gave it the reporting name RD-1R Roadrunner when they first observed it in the Jade Falcon occupation zone.[3][4] It was last reported with Eyrie units on Coventry in 3058 and is thought to have been meant as a training 'Mech.[3]
Resurrection
The design faded into obscurity until it resurfaced in 3112 when the Republic of the Sphere inaugurated a Roadrunner factory on Capolla. Clan Sea Fox had sold the design specs to the Republic along with an agreement to provide technical support for the design. When they were still known as Clan Diamond Shark the Sea Foxes had apparently received the specs from the Jade Falcons around the time of the Clan Invasion, without ever putting the 'Mech in production themselves.
The Roadrunner was the first completely Clan-tech design produced in the Inner Sphere. It was used extensively by the Republic particularly as a recon unit, though the design had been purchased both for training MechWarriors and to delve into the secrets of producing Clan technology.
Their most notable usage was during the Senate Rebellion in 3135 on Terra. During the brief conflict on Terra, Roadrunners in service of pro-Republic units were used to track down Senate aligned units.[5]
It was noted that visually, the Roadrunner bears a vague resemblance to the Timber Wolf (Mad Cat), with the leg assembly of the Viper (Dragonfly).[4] At 15 tons, the Roadrunner is only a fifth of the mass of the former and less than half the mass of the latter.
Weapons and Equipment
The Roadrunner is equipped with a massive engine and a fifteen ton frame. This combination allows it to reach a top speed of 210 km/h, more than enough for recon and cavalry tactics. Each arm carries a single ER Medium Laser, allowing it to remain away from supply bases and making it a good deep raider. The main drawback to the Roadrunner is the limited armor. Carrying only one and a half tons of Ferro-Fibrous Armor means that nearly any location can be breached by a single SRM strike.[6]
Variants
No variants are known to exist. The design put in production on Capolla by Clan Sea Fox for the Republic in 3112 is identical to the original specs from Clan Jade Falcon.
Design Quirks
The Roadrunner (Emerald Harrier) has the following Design Quirks;
Notes
- For Alpha Strike game set, the Roadrunner is designated as a Scout which features; TMM 4, MV 28, Damage stats of 2/2/0, ENE, and has 1 armor and structure.[7]
- Unlike other articles on Clan BattleMechs with Inner Sphere reporting names, this article is named for the Inner Sphere name, with the Clan name in brackets. This is because the 'Mech was consistently listed as Roadrunner in the sources featuring it and also because the "reporting name" RD-1R Roadrunner has become its official designation after it was put in production by the Republic of the Sphere while the Clans had apparently shelved the design and did not produce it in two centuries.
- The Roadrunner first appeared in a FASA's 1993 Update Flyer. In typical FASA fashion the two new 'Mechs it featured—the Roadrunner and the Devil—were thinly veiled references to another intellectual property (the Looney Tunes characters of The Road Runner and The Tasmanian Devil). In the notable units section of TRO:3150, a Roadrunner dubbed "Beep-Beep" is also a nod to Looney Tunes character also known as the Roadrunner.[8]
- As of this writing, the record sheet for the Road Runner (Emerald Harrier) only appears in Experimental Technical Readout: Republic, Volume 1.
References
- ↑ - MUL Profile for the Roadrunner RD-1 - Introduction Year, Battle Value 2, and Alpha Strike Data Card info.
- ↑ XTRO: Republic I, pp. 3, 17 - Battle Value 2
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 XTRO Republic I, p. 3
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 1993 Update Flyer, pp. 6-7
- ↑ Technical Readout: 3150, p. 122 RD-1 Roadrunner - Additional unit information as of 3150.
- ↑ XTRO: Republic I, pp. 3, 17 - Stats and abilities of the Mech in the profile and from the record sheet.
- ↑ Alpha Strike Data Card of the RD-1R Roadrunner - Stats and other Alpha Strike abilities.
- ↑ Technical Readout: 3150, p. 122 Roadrunner / Notable Units - Beep-Beep is nod to the Looney Tunes Character of the same name.