UrbanMech

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UrbanMech
UrbanMech
Production information
Manufacturer Orguss Industries, Hellespont Industrials
Model UM-R60
Class Light
Cost 1,471,925 C-bills
Technical specifications
Mass 30 tons
Chassis Republic-R
Armor Durallex Medium
Engine Leenex 60
Speed 32.4 km/h
Jump Jets Pitban 6000
Armament
BV (1.0) 454
BV (2.0) 504[1]


Description

The UrbanMech is designed for just what its name suggests, urban combat and defense. This is achieved by making the UrbanMech the slowest light BattleMech in existence with a top speed of only 32.4 km/h and a jumping distance of only sixty meters. On an open battlefield, speeds that slow would be a death warrant for any light 'Mech, but in the streets and alleys of an urban labyrinth, even with its slow speed, the UrbanMech is free to fight and fade back into the city as it sees fit.[2]


Armament

The UrbanMech packs a powerful punch for its size. The standard version carries an Imperator-B Autocannon/10 in its right arm and as a back up weapon it carries a Harmon Light Small Laser in the left arm. With these two weapons the UrbanMech can constantly harass, or if piloted by an experienced enough MechWarrior, down 'Mechs up to twice its own size.[1]

Variants

  • UM-R50 - This was an early variant without arms. The idea was to give the 'Mech a smaller silhouette in combat. However, the drawbacks of having no arms turned out to be greater than benefits and this particular variant is generally regarded as a failure. Only very few units of this subvariant survived into 3025.[citation needed]
  • UM-R60L - Generally associated with the Capellan Confederation who have modified a few of their UrbanMechs in this fashion, the -R60L is an upgrade to make the UrbanMech twice as deadly as the -R60 version. The -R60L sacrifices two tons of armor and replaces the Imperator-B Autocannon/10 with an Imperator-Zeta Autocannon/20 that is capable of downing most light 'Mechs and severely damaging most medium 'Mechs in a single salvo. Besides the thinner armor this modification comes with a very limited ammunition supply, and is noted as being not very popular. BV (1.0) = 443, BV (2.0) = 470[3]
  • UM-R63 - This is the official upgrade kit for the Capellan Confederation's UrbanMechs, distributed for field modification since before 3050. It replaces the Autocannon/10 with an LB-X Autocannon/10 version and retains the small laser; it also substitutes a Small Pulse Laser for the machine gun in the left torso. Given that neither the -R50 nor the -R60 or -R60L variants have a machine gun, this indicates the previous standard Capellan version was neither of those, but a different subtype with a machine gun (see below). BV (1.0) = 494, BV (2.0) = 540[4]
  • UM-AIV - This variant of the UrbanMech replaces the standard weaponry with an Arrow IV missile launcher and ER Medium Laser. It requires an Endo Steel chassis and Small Cockpit to provide room, and the UrbanMech can only carry ten rounds for the Arrow system. Despite these limitations, it's still a decent fire support unit. BV (2.0) = 603[9]
  • Machine Gun version: There is evidence in the UrbanMech's entry in the Technical Readout: 3050 Revised for the UM-R63 that there is a contemporary variant of the classic UM-R60 that mounts a Machine Gun in the left torso. Although no subtype designation is known, the Capellan Confederation apparently used primarily this subtype: Their later UM-R63 upgrade was in fact based on this subvariant instead of the standard -R60, as the -R63's Small Pulse Laser is installed in the place of the Machine Gun. It can be speculated that this variant's Machine Gun and half a ton of ammo take the place of the curious and largely useless eleventh heat sink found on the standard -R60 and most other models including even the -R63. BV (1.0) = 448, BV (2.0) = 492
  • UrbanMech IIC - The UrbanMech was one of the 'Mechs carried on the Exodus with General Kerensky and the remnants of the SLDF. The Clans have created their own variant of the UrbanMech (called the UrbanMech IIC), which is an upgraded version using Clan technology. BV (1.0) = 737, BV (2.0) = 800

Gallery

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 Technical Readout: 3039, p. 109
  2. Technical Readout: 3039, p. 108
  3. Record Sheets: 3039, p. 80
  4. Technical Readout: 3050 Upgrade, p. 23
  5. 5.0 5.1 5.2 Master Unit List: Battle Values, p. 160
  6. Technical Readout: 3050 Upgrade, p. 22
  7. Technical Readout: 3085, p. 190
  8. Record Sheets: 3085 Unabridged — Old is the New New, p. 64
  9. Record Sheets: 3085 Unabridged — Old is the New New, p. 63

Bibliography