Linesman

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Linesman
Linesman
Production information
Manufacturer Earthwerks Incorporated/Kallon Industries (prototype)
Model LMN-1N
Class Assault
Technical specifications
Mass 90 tons
Chassis
Armor
Engine GM 270
Speed 54.0 km/h
Jump Jets none
Armament
BV (1.0) ?
BV (2.0) ?


Description

Built from proven, domestically produced components, the Linesman was a Capellan Confederation design project developed alongside the Cataphract around 3015. The Linesman concept caused a polarized debate among the scientists and officers involved that prompted Chancellor Maximilian Liao to step in. Since the Capellan industry would only be able to bring one of the two new designs into full production, he decided in favour of the Cataphract and the Linesman design was shelved after five prototypes had been built.

The prototypes were given to McCarron's Armored Cavalry for field testing and saw combat action during McCarron's Long March in 3022 and 3023. They served with distinction on Beten Kaitos, and Earthwerks Incorporated weapons technician Wassili Cherenkow was subsequently awarded ownership of one he had piloted in a critical situation. Two prototypes were destroyed completely, and a third was damaged beyond repair and salvaged for spare parts. The two remaining prototypes were returned to the Earthwerks facility on Tikonov after the Long March. Cherenkow quit his service with Earhwerks in 3027 and reportedly joined Romano Liao's personal guard.

Before the outbreak of the Fourth Succession War, Earthwerks sold the plans for the Linesman, along with a prototype, to Luthien Armor Works in the Draconis Combine during the tech transfers made possible by the Concord of Kapteyn. The design became known as Nainokami in the Combine and became the basis for the Daboku/Mauler. The outer appearance of the Linesman went essentially unchanged in the process.

Variants

When it became apparent that enemy forces could close in on the Linesman to stay below the effective range of its weaponry, the designers considered to exchange the Ceres Arms medium lasers for Sunglow 2S large lasers for better defense at short range. However, this required a speed reduction and came with heat problems and no satisfactory solution could be found. While no change was implemented, these considerations already herald the weapons layout of the later Daboku and Mauler evolutions of the basic design.

Canonicity

As of yet, the Linesman ("Linienrichter" in German) has not appeared in a canonical publication.

It was first published along with its background history in Life Support #4, the official magazine of the (first) MechForce Germany.

The German-only book Battletech, Die Welt des 31. Jahrhunderts, an official publication by FanPro that nevertheless does not meet the criteria for Canon, does mention the Linesman and its (shortened) background history, but does not provide statistics for the 'Mech.

Further, the expanded German edition of the Solaris VII Boxed Set produced by FanPro included an official record sheet for the MAL-1PT5 Mauler, an exact reproduction of the Linesman in all but name.

It is generally held that the Linesman was meant to give 3025-era players a chance to play a contemporary version of the popular Mauler.

References