Wasp

Wasp
Production information
Manufacturer	General Mechanics Achernar BattleMechs Defiance Industries Detroit Consolidated MechWorks Hellespont Industrials Irian BattleMechs Unlimited Kali Yama Weapons Industries Taurus Territorial Industries General Motors
Production Year	2464
Model	WSP-1A
Class	Light
Cost	1,646,640 C-bills
Technical specifications
Mass	20 tons
Chassis	1A Type 3
Armor	Durallex Light
Engine	GM 120
Communications System	Duotech 65
Speed	95.1 km/h
Jump Jets	Rawlings 52
Armament	1xMedium Laser 1xSRM-2
BV (1.0)	335
BV (2.0)	384

Introduced in Battledroids with wrong stats (one ton overweight) and then with accurate stats in BattleTech, 2nd Edition as one of the very first BattleMechs ever, the Wasp was presented with third-party art and its classic visual representation is now among the Unseen.

Description

Introduced in 2464 as an attempt to create a fast and maneuverable recon BattleMech, the Wasp was revolutionary for being the first 'Mech capable of jumping, sporting a prototype jump jet system. However, the system was not perfected for most of the next decade.

With improvements in production and jump jet technology, the modern WSP-1A Wasp began production in 2471. Centuries later, it is still considered a valued asset for recon work. The classic WSP-1A has a ground speed that could be considered lackluster when compared to most modern light 'Mechs, but the slow ground speed was offset by its capability to jump up to 180 meters. While carrying heavier weapons than 'Mechs like the Locust, the Wasp will generally only engage other light 'Mechs, using its jumping capabilities to avoid conflicts with larger foes when it can. The Wasp is also used in the role of raider because of its ability to hit and fade in rough terrain.

The Wasp was among the classic 'Mech designs that received a makeover from 3064 onwards in what has become known as the "Project Phoenix" program. This considerably changed the outer appearance of newly produced Wasps as well as those older models that received the upgrade as a refit (thus becoming "reseen").

Armament

The WSP-1A Wasp was not designed as a line combat unit. It carries a light weapons payload meant primarily for self-defense against other light 'Mechs and was not meant to be used to engage heavier 'Mechs. The primary weapon is a Diverse Optics Type 2 medium laser. This is backed up by a Bical SRM-2 launcher which can use standard and Inferno rounds, making it useful against enemy 'Mechs and a good deterrent against infantry and vehicles.

Published schematics indicate that the leg-mounted SRM-2 launcher is located near the hip.

Variants

• WSP-1 - Developed by General Mechanics on Mars in 2464 as the first generation Wasp, this version used several primitive components. The primitive engine reduced the top speed to 85km/h and meant that only a single medium laser was carried. The prototype jump jets could only cover 150 meters in a jump. The primitive armor provided much less protection than the later Succession Wars-era Wasps, even though it carried three and a half tons of armor.

• WSP-1D - This House Davion variant exchanges the SRM-2 launcher for two small lasers and a flamer while retaining the medium laser. BV (1.0) = 327, BV (2.0) = 403

• WSP-1K - House Kurita's 1K Wasp carries a medium laser and a machine gun. The saved weight was used to upgrade the armor by half a ton. BV (1.0) = 330, BV (2.0) = 376

• WSP-1L - The variant of the Wasp produced by House Liao replaces the medium laser and SRM-2 launcher with a single SRM-4 launcher. BV (1.0) = 290, BV (2.0) = 335

• WSP-1S - The Federated Commonwealth's model of choice, Defiance Industries of Furillo upgraded the chassis to Endo Steel and the armor to Ferro-Fibrous. This variant carries a medium pulse laser, two small lasers, and a flamer. BV (1.0) = 336, BV (2.0) = 423

• WSP-1W - Associated with Wolf's Dragoons and debuting in 3009, the 1W Wasp replaced all of the weapons with six small lasers.. BV (1.0) = 316, BV (2.0) = 373

• WSP-3A - Developed by the Outworlds Alliance, the 3A was armed with a single medium pulse laser. While using a smaller engine, its reduced ground speed was off-set by Improved Jump Jets allowing it to jump 240 meters at a time. It also includes a Full-Head Ejection System. BV (2.0) = 401

• WSP-3L - Developed by Vicore Industries from Word of Blake plans and manufactured by Hellespont Industrials of Sian, the 3L variant uses the Capellan Confederation's new Stealth Armor and an Endo Steel chassis. The 'Mech carries a Guardian ECM Suite, a Diverse Optics ER medium laser, and a Death Bloom Rocket Launcher 10. It is also equipped with a Full Head Ejection System. First appearing in 3067, the WSP-3L was the first model featuring the new "Project Phoenix" makeover. BV (1.0) = 441, BV (2.0) = 610

• WSP-3M - The post-Helm Memory Core House Marik variant, the 3M Wasp upgrades the chassis to Endo Steel and the armor to Ferro-Fibrous. This variant carries an Intek medium pulse laser and a single Irian Weapons Works SRM-2 launcher. BV (1.0) = 346, BV (2.0) = 394

• WSP-3S - The Lyran Alliance's Project Phoenix rebuild, the 3S variant of the Wasp upgrades the structure to an Endo Steel version, replaces the heat sinks with double heat sinks, and carries two ER medium lasers, a Full-Head Ejection System, a Guardian ECM suite, and a TAG target designator. BV (1.0) = 584, BV (2.0) = 595

• WSP-3W - Manufactured by Achernar for Wolf's Dragoons, the Clan Invasion era 3W upgraded the armor to Ferro-Fibrous and carried two small pulse lasers and four small lasers. BV (1.0) = 276, BV (2.0) = 342

• WSP-7MAF - This variant uses an XL Engine on a Hellespont Type W Endo Steel frame to propel the Wasp up to 129 km/h. It also mounts enough jump jets to match, with a maximum range of 240 meters per jump. It has to use this speed to good effect, as it is only protected by three tons of Jolassa 328 armor. The right arm laser was upgraded to a Diverse Optics ER medium laser and the design uses ten double heat sinks to dissipate waste heat. Finally, a Doombud MML 5 with two tons of ammunition gives it a decent punch at all ranges. In order to make room for these upgrades, a small cockpit and XL Gyro are also used. Despite the unit designation, the design was manufactured by all three members of the Trinity Alliance at Hellespont Industries, Taurus Territorial Industries, and Detroit Consolidated MechWorks. BV (2.0) = 488

• WSP-8T - Manufactured by Hellespont and Detroit Consolidated, the 3T carries a single MML-3 and a light PPC to increase the Wasp's effective range. The increased size of the weaponry forced designers to use a Small Cockpit and XL Engine. BV (2.0) = 439

Related designs

• WSP-2A Super Wasp - Although it carried the designation WSP-2A, this is arguably not a variant but rather a new 'Mech design based on the regular Wasp in a similar fashion to IIC evolutions of existing designs (albeit without Clan level technology). The Super Wasp weighs in at 25 tons, 25% more than its predecessor.

Design Quirks

The WSP-1 Wasp variant is subject to the following Design Quirks:

• Hard to Pilot
• Weak Legs

Notes

In Marik Zabielski's dossier from the MechWarrior: Dark Age game set Counter Assault, the file cites a unknown variant of the Wasp. The only given information is its serial number: DA4350-11L. This Wasp has been equipped with Endo Steel, a 120-rated XL Engine, Jump Jets, an ER medium laser and a LRM 10 launcher.

Gallery

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  WSP-1 Wasp

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  WSP-3M Wasp

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  Wasp internal schematics view

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  WSP-3L Wasp

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  WSP-3S Wasp

• 

  WSP-8T Wasp

Bibliography

• Experimental Technical Readout: Primitives, Volume 2
• MWDA's Confederation Reserve Cavalry - Marik Zabielski's dossier
• Record Sheets: 3039 Unabridged
• Record Sheets: 3085 Unabridged — Project Phoenix
• Record Sheets: Phoenix Upgrades
• Solid Periphery Machinery
• Technical Readout: 3025
• Technical Readout: 3039
• Technical Readout: 3050
• Technical Readout: Project Phoenix
• Technical Readout: 3085
• Total Warfare Style Record Sheets: Phoenix Upgrades