Hornet

Hornet
Production information
Manufacturer	Kallon Industries Coalition Armory Inc.
Production Year	2760
Model	HNT-171
Class	Light
Cost	1,441,600 C-bills
Technical specifications
'Mech type	Inner Sphere BattleMech
Mass	20 tons
Chassis	Corean Model KL-77 endo steel
Armor	StarGuard CIV Ferro-Fibrous
Engine	Hermes 100
Communications System	Tri-Word Duplex 4880
Targeting Tracking System	Dalban HiRez II
Heat Sinks	10 single
Speed	86 km/h
Jump Jets	Pitban LFT-50
Armament	1x LRM-5 1x anti-missile system 1x medium laser
BV (1.0)	491
BV (2.0)	535

Description

The Hornet debuted in 2760 as an urban recon 'Mech. Lack of interest forced the design to be shelved just two years later, but not before the SLDF had procured the HNT–151 variant in some numbers. In 2990, Kallon Industries rediscovered the blueprints and resumed production with the upgraded HNT-171 in 3051. This would be short-lived however, as the production line was destroyed by the Capellans in 3069.

Kallon had a hard time selling the Hornet to the Armed Forces of the Federated Suns, so most of these 'Mechs initially went to the mercenary market. A major user of the initial runs was Wolf's Dragoons, who demonstrated its effectiveness on Misery, which caused the Federated Suns to take renewed interest in this 'Mech. Since then, the Hornet has been deployed by March Militias as a replacement for Wasps and Stingers, as well as by the Ceti Hussars and Deneb Light Cavalry. It is also still popular among mercenaries.

The Hornet is designed around the concept of being able to swiftly move through an urban environment with relatively heavy armor. Ironically, because of its eclectic mix of weapons and relatively slow speed, the Hornet is only somewhat effective when inside of a city. When caught outside an urban environment the 'Mech is hard pressed to defend itself.

Weapons and Equipment

The Hornet carries a Holly LRM-5 launcher as its primary long range weapon, which allows it to strike at an enemy at a distance of over 600 meters. In an urban environment where the LRM launcher becomes more of a liability than an asset, the Hornet carries a Martell medium laser. Additionally, the 'Mech is armed with a MainFire Point Defense anti-missile system to defend against missile attacks.

Variants

• HNT-151 

  The version of the Hornet that debuted in 2990, the -151, had standard armor and a standard chassis. It also lacked the advanced anti-missile system, CASE, and one ton of LRM ammunition, though the jumping capacity was increased to 150 meters and the armament included a small laser. BV (1.0) = 429; BV (2.0) = 488

• HNT-152 

  A fairly common field modification of the 151, the 152 replaces the LRM-5 with a Holly SRM-4. BV (2.0) = 475

• HNT-161 

  Wolf's Dragoons fielded this variant, which eschewed the anti-missile system in favor of a full 150 meters of jumping and a small laser. BV (2.0) = 511

• HNT-181 

  Based on the 161 and produced by Coalition Armory Inc., this Hornet variant was produced by using a 100-rated XL engine with 10 compact heat sinks. It is protected by three and a half tons of ferro-fibrous armor, uses an endo steel chassis, and is armed with a small re-engineered laser, small laser, and an MML-5 with two tons of ammunition in a CASE-protected bay. It is most frequently seen in the service of AFFS and Filtvelt Coalition militias.

• HNT-182 

  A field refit of the 181 Hornet, this model replaces the small lasers with standard medium lasers. BV (2.0) = 505

Design Quirks

The Hornet has the following Design Quirks:

• Narrow/Low Profile
• No/Minimal Arms

The HNT-181 Hornet variant is subject to the following Design Quirks:

• Narrow/Low Profile
• No/Minimal Arms

Notable Pilots

See Category:Notable Hornet Pilots

Notes

• In The Spider and the Wolf, when a MechWarrior reports "Hornet, ready" the associated BattleMech is drawn like the Legios fighter/Alpha Veritech from the anime Genesis Climber Mospeada, also used as part of the Robotech series. This made this 'Mech one of the Unseen. All subsequent depictions of the Hornet have had its present shape. Fan speculation suggests from the context in the comic that the 'Mech depicted may have been a modified Stinger instead; and the MechWarrior in question may have nominally been assigned a Hornet that was out of commission at the time, or may have stated his radio call sign instead of his exact 'Mech. Later publications indeed list this particular MechWarrior as piloting a Stinger, not a Hornet.

• In German products, the unit's proper name was altered to Hummel, which means Bumblebee. The model code was accordingly changed to HML-151.

Gallery

• 

  Original HNT-151 Hornet from Wolf's Dragoons

• 

  HNT-171 Hornet from TRO:3050

• 

  Hornet from TRO:3050 Upgrade

• 

  HNT-151 Hornet from TRO:3039

• 

  HNT-171 Hornet from CCG

Bibliography

• BattleMech Manual
• Experimental Technical Readout: Republic, Volume 2
• Field Manual: SLDF
• Record Sheets: 3039
• Record Sheets: 3050 Upgrades Unabridged (Inner Sphere)
• Technical Readout: 3039
• Technical Readout: 3050
• Technical Readout: 3050 Revised
• Technical Readout: 3050 Upgrade
• Wolf's Dragoons