Gray Death Standard

Gray Death Standard BA LTMEG.png
Gray Death Standard
Production information
Manufacturer Gray Death Technologies [1]
Production Year 3052[2]
Use Line Unit
Weight Class Medium
Tech Base Inner Sphere
Cost 600,000 C-bills
Introduced 3052
Technical specifications
Mass 1,000 kg
Top Speed 32.4 km/h
Armament
Armor Type Standard
BV (1.0) Flamer: 31
Light Recoilless Rifle: 41
Machine Gun: 30
Small Laser: 36
SRM: 34
BV (2.0) Flamer: 37[3]
Light Recoilless Rifle: 48[4]
Machine Gun: 37[5]
Small Laser: 43[6]
SRM-1: 41[7]
Battle values given here are per trooper in squad.

Description[edit]

The Gray Death Standard battle armor was developed by the technicians of the Gray Death Legion after the New Avalon Institute of Science sent them prototype battle armor suits, the progenitors of what eventually became the Inner Sphere Standard, for field testing. Using what was learned from these tests, the Legion decided to remove the suits' jump jets to make room for dedicated anti-infantry firepower, superior sensor systems, and reinforced myomer bundles to improve ground speed. While losing the ability to leap over obstacles, these changes made the suit easier to maintain and cheaper to build than the Inner Sphere Standard.[1]

The new armor, as well as the Gray Death Scout suit, debuted during the Clan Invasion in battle against Clan Jade Falcon for control of Pandora. The Gray Death Standard played a decisive role in the Gray Death Legion's victory over the Falcons. Afterwards the Legion continued to build limited numbers of Standard suits, largely to replenish their own losses but also to sell small numbers to other mercenary commands. Following its creation, the Legion also sold limited numbers of Gray Death Standard suits to the Lyran Alliance.[1]

The Gray Death Legion was effectively destroyed in battle on Hesperus II in 3065, one of the many casualties of the FedCom Civil War, but the suits they created would live on. Surviving members of the Legion's support staff created Gray Death Technologies and, with financial aid from Defiance Industries, established a dedicated factory on Glengarry to continued production. As the only dedicated battle armor manufacturer within the realm, Gray Death Technologies continued to sell its Standard suits to the Lyran Alliance Armed Forces and various mercenaries.[1]

Disaster struck again during the Jihad when the Word of Blake attacked Glengarry in 3073 and sacked the factory. The destruction was not complete however and the survivors were able to restart production on a new variant of the Gray Death Standard. When Precentor Berith attacked again a year later he was more thorough in destroying the factory and rendered GDT incapable of building any battlesuits. By that point Gray Death Technologies was bought up by Defiance Industries, which decided to move manufacturing of the Gray Death Standard to Furillo and put a hold on new suits. Production of the Gray Death Strike suit resumed in late 3080, although sale of the latter was restricted to the Lyran Alliance (and Defiance Industries' own security forces).[8][9]

Weapons and Equipment[edit]

The battle armor retains the Modular Weapon Mount of the Inner Sphere Standard in its right arm, allowing it to carry either a single-tube SRM launcher with four reloads, a Flamer, a Small Laser, or a Machine Gun. Starting in 3069 the mount could also accept a Light Recoilless Rifle. On its left arm is an Anti-Personnel Weapon Mount for dealing with conventional infantry. The left arm also ends in a Battle Claw, allowing it to make anti-'Mech attacks or be transported into battle via OmniMech handholds. The Gray Death Standard carries 450 kg of standard armoring, enough to survive a full burst from an Inner Sphere Large Pulse Laser and keep the trooper inside alive, and Improved Sensors for detecting hidden opponents, including mimicking the function of a portable radar sensor. It can also maintain an impressive top speed of 32.4 km/h over open ground.[1][10]

Variants[edit]

  • Gray Death "Surat" Solahma Suit 
    This suit replaces the standard armor with lighter Clan-built armor. This in turn frees up space for heavier weapons. Most frequently a Heavy Small Laser is fitted to the suit. The suit itself is frequently used by solahma infantry formations in Clan toumans. Though it has a bad reputation among Clan Elementals, it is nevertheless an effective weapon. BV (2.0) = 51[11]

Design Quirks[edit]

The "Surat" Solahma Suit is subject to the following Design Quirks:[11]

Related Designs[edit]

  • Gray Death Scout - The Gray Death Scout Armor was created as a companion to the Gray Death Standard.
  • Gray Death Strike - New battlesuit based on the Gray Death Standard

Notes[edit]

  • In German products, the unit's proper name was altered to Dayhawk, analogue to German name Nighthawk for the Gray Death Scout battle armor.

Gallery[edit]

References[edit]

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Technical Readout 3058 Upgrade p.22-23
  2. MUL online date for the Gray Death Standard
  3. Record Sheets: 3058 Unabridged (Clan & Star League), p. 31
  4. Record Sheets: 3058 Unabridged (Clan & Star League), p. 33
  5. Record Sheets: 3058 Unabridged (Clan & Star League), p. 34
  6. Record Sheets: 3058 Unabridged (Clan & Star League), p. 32
  7. Record Sheets: 3058 Unabridged (Clan & Star League), p. 35
  8. Experimental Technical Readout: Steiner, p. 15
  9. Technical Readout: Prototypes, p. 12
  10. LosTech: The MechWarrior Equipment Guide, p. 82
  11. 11.0 11.1 Experimental Technical Readout: Republic, Volume 1, p. 14

Bibliography[edit]