Blitzkrieg
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- This article is about the BattleMech. For the electronic fiction format, see Blitzkrieg (fiction format).
Blitzkrieg | |
---|---|
Production information | |
Manufacturer | Coventry Metal Works[1] |
Production Year | 3061[2] |
Model | BTZ-3F[1] |
Class | Medium |
Cost | 10,787,500 C-bills |
Technical specifications | |
'Mech type | Inner Sphere BattleMech |
Mass | 50 tons |
Chassis | Coventry BTZ-VII [endo steel] |
Armor | Lexington Ltd. High Grade Ferro-Fibrous |
Engine | Magna 350 XL |
Communications System | TharHes Muse 54-58K |
Targeting Tracking System | Cyclops 9b |
Heat Sinks | 10 double |
Speed | 118 km/h |
Armament |
1x UAC/20 |
BV (1.0) | 1,092[3][4] |
BV (2.0) | 1,273[1][5] |
Contents
Description
Taking its name from a German term meaning "Lightning War," the Blitzkrieg completely lives up to the name. Built on a lightweight Coventry BTZ-VII endo steel chassis and powered by a Magna 350 XL engine not only frees space for powerful weapons and equipment, but also gives the 'Mech a top speed of 118.8 km/h. The Blitzkrieg is primarily protected by its high speed, but carries six and a half tons of Lexington Limited High Grade ferro-fibrous armor that is light for a 'Mech of its size.[6]
Weapons and Equipment
The cavernous amount of space in the Blitzkrieg allows it to carry a massive Defiance Thunder UAC/20 that can fire at twice the rate as a standard autocannon. This powerful weapon, combined with the 'Mech's high speed, lets the Blitzkrieg truly live up to its name by bringing an immense amount of firepower to bear on a target and fading away just as quickly.[6]
Variants
- BTZ-4F
- This variant was introduced during the Jihad. It exchanges the 'Mech's ferro-fibrous armor for the even lighter light ferro-fibrous armor and the standard gyro for an XL gyro. This allows for the addition of jump jets, a targeting computer, a C3 slave unit, and a heavy PPC. BV (2.0) = 1,740[7]
Design Quirks
The Blitzkrieg has the following Design Quirks:[8]
Related BattleMechs
- Hollander - The Blitzkrieg was built as a replacement for the lackluster Hollander, improving speed, armor, and firepower. However, the Blitzkrieg does not address one of the greatest concerns: the lack of a secondary weapons system.[6]
- Legionnaire - An upgrade on the venerable Centurion, the design and weaponry of the Legionnaire BattleMech was inspired by the performance of the Blitzkrieg during the Federated Commonwealth Civil War. Davion designers based the Legionnaire around a single weapon system; in the case of the Legionnaire, designers chose the newly developed rotary autocannon.[9]
- Hollander II - Another improvement over the Hollander BattleMech, the Hollander II increases weight but maintains a similar chassis. The increased weight has been used to add a secondary weapon system or replace the Gauss rifle with a heavy Gauss rifle.[10]
Notes
- In German products, the unit's proper name was altered to Blitzschlag, which rather translates to Lightning Strike. The model code was left unchanged. That was presumably done to prevent any perception of wielding sympathy to German World War II army Wehrmacht and German fascism.
Gallery
Original Blitzkrieg from TRO:3060
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Technical Readout: Jihad, pp. 96–97: "BTZ-3F Blitzkrieg"
- ↑ MUL online date for the Blitzkrieg
- ↑ Combat Operations, p. 131
- ↑ Record Sheets: 3060, p. 123
- ↑ Record Sheets: 3060 Unabridged, p. 134
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 Technical Readout: 3060, pp. 94–95: "Blitzkrieg 'Mech Profile"
- ↑ Record Sheets: 3060 Unabridged, p. 135
- ↑ BattleMech Manual, p. 90: Design Quirk Table - Blitzkrieg Entry
- ↑ Technical Readout: 3075, p. 76
- ↑ Technical Readout: 3055, p. 24