Osprey

Osprey
Production information
Manufacturer	Achernar BattleMechs Hollis Incorporated Skobel MechWorks
Production Year	3076
Model	OSP-26
Class	Medium
Cost	9,154,946 C-bills
Technical specifications
'Mech type	Inner Sphere BattleMech
Mass	55 tons
Chassis	Hollis Mk II Endo Steel
Armor	Durallex Heavy with CASE
Engine	DAV 220 XL
Communications System	O/P COM-211
Targeting Tracking System	O/P 1078 with Beagle Active Probe
Heat Sinks	10 double
Speed	64 km/h
Jump Jets	Anderson Propulsion 25
Armament	1x Gauss rifle 1x MML-7 2x ER medium laser 1x ER small laser
BV (2.0)	1,541

Description

Originally a rare and little-known urban combat 'Mech from the Star League era, the Osprey reached new levels of prominence thanks to the Jihad.

Designed by Hollis Incorporated to fulfill a Star League Defense Force contract for a mobile, medium-weight fire support unit, when Blue Shot Weapons' Lynx design won the bid the Osprey was relegated to a limited contract for the SLDF's Royal units in an urban defense role. Rendered virtually extinct during the Succession Wars, the Word of Blake commissioned Skobel MechWorks to revive the design to bolster its own militia forces, resulting in massive production runs at Skobel and later Achernar BattleMechs during the Jihad. Impressed by the durability and effectiveness of the design during the brutal fighting to take Achernar and Terra, both the Republic of the Sphere and the Capellan Confederation placed a priority on restarting production for their own armed forces after the Jihad.

Weapons and Equipment

The modern Osprey's main ranged weapon was its dorsally mounted M-7 Gauss rifle supported by Holly MML-7 rack underneath. At closer ranges the 'Mech carried a pair of Diverse Optics ER medium lasers and a single ER small laser. The small laser and a Beagle active probe were designed to fit into mountings identical to the medium lasers, thus giving the impression the 'Mech mounts two medium lasers in each of its stubby arms. Two tons of ammunition for the Gauss rifle and the MML-7 were carried in CASE-protected ammo bays in the Osprey's torso, allowing the missile system to flexibly use both LRM and SRM missiles and giving the design some but limited independence from supply lines.

To allow the Osprey to carry such a heavy weapons loadout for its size, the 'Mech was built using a weight-saving endo steel chassis and a DAV 220 XL extralight engine. Clad in 11 tons of standard armor and equipped with 10 double heat sinks, the design also employed a Beagle active probe to weed out hidden units in urban environments. To make up for the Osprey's low ground speed, four Anderson Propulsion 25 jump jets were mounted, split between its torso and legs.

Variants

• OSP-15 

  The original SLDF model created in 2738, the OSP-15 mounted the same M-7 Gauss rifle as the modern models, but had an LRM-10, three medium lasers and no other special equipment. BV (2.0) = 1,564

• OSP-15E 

  Functionally identical to Word of Blake's OSP-25 version, the OSP-15E was built by Hollis Incorporated for the CCAF using one of its Catapult production lines on Corey.

• OSP-25 

  This was the original, revived version of the Osprey that the Word of Blake used prior to the OSP-26 in 3074. This version upgraded the OSP-15's 'Mech's standard medium lasers to ER medium lasers. BV (2.0) = 1,630

• OSP-36 

  Developed in 3139, the OSP-36 was the first production Advanced Point Defense System–equipped BattleMech introduced by the Republic Armed Forces. To mount a APDS system and one ton of ammo in each arm, the OSP-36 drops the Beagle active probe and ER small laser entirely, replacing the Gauss rifle with an ER PPC supported by a Radical Heat Sink System to free up the required weight while allowing the variant to remain combat-effective. As a bodyguard unit the OSP-36 has been an astounding success, hampered only by the move of the ER medium lasers to the wing-tip positions causing them to aim off-target from time to time. BV (2.0) = 1,532

Custom Variant

• OSP-26 Osprey Lawrence 

  A customized variant created in 3085 for Lawrence Sawyer of the Lamenkov's Liability, only the MML-7 and Beagle active probe were kept, with the rest of the weaponry replaced with a heavy PPC, two medium pulse lasers, and a C3 slave unit. For improved cross-country handling it also mounted five improved jump jets. A compact gyro was also installed. BV (2.0) = 1,461

Design Quirks

The OSP-26 Osprey is subject to the following Design Quirks:

• Directional Torso Mount (RT)
• No/Minimal Arms

The OSP-36 Osprey is subject to the following Design Quirks:

• Inaccurate Weapon (ER Medium Laser)
• No/Minimal Arms

Notes

• Originally conceived by Joel Bancroft-Connors, who was then a contributor to Battletechnology magazine. Many years later, Mr. Bancroft-Connor joined Catalyst Game Labs and introduced the Osprey into the canon BattleTech universe with the publication of Technical Readout: 3085.

Gallery

• 

  Original (apocryphal) Osprey from BattleTechnology, Issue #12

• 

  Osprey from TRO:3085

• 

  Osprey (also) from TRO:3085

Bibliography

• BattleTech Dossiers: Lamenkov's Liability
• BattleTechnology, Issue #12
• Experimental Technical Readout: Republic, Volume 3
• Master Unit List
• Record Sheets: 3085 Print Edition
• Record Sheets: 3085 Unabridged - The Cutting Edge
• Technical Readout: 3085