Porcupine

Porcupine
Porcupine
Production information
Manufacturer Innovative Design Concepts[1]
Production Year 3063[2]
Model PRC-1N
Class Light
Cost 5,310,240 C-bills
Technical specifications
'Mech type Inner Sphere BattleMech
Mass 20 tons
Chassis IDC-PRC01 Lite endo steel
Armor Lexington Limited High Grade Ferro-Fibrous with Spikes
Engine Edasich Motors 180 XL with supercharger
Communications System Angst Clear Channel 3
Targeting Tracking System Angst Clear View 2A
Heat Sinks 10 single heat sinks
Speed 151 km/h (194 km/h with MASC)
Armament

4x medium laser

BV (1.0) 602
BV (2.0) 870[1]
880[3]


Description

Named for the array of spikes embedded in its armor, the Porcupine is built by Innovative Design Concepts to fulfill a highly unusual niche for a light dueling 'Mech: charge specialist. No expense was spared in order to make the Porcupine as effective in this role as possible, with the 'Mech powered by an Edasich Motors 180 XL engine and built on a IDC-PRC01 Lite endo steel chassis. The Edasich engine is capable of pushing the 'Mech up to speeds of 151 km/h, and with the experimental supercharger engaged the Porcupine is capable of speeds of up to 194 km/h in open terrain. Protection for the Porcupine is provided by three and a half tons of Lexington Limited High Grade ferro-fibrous armor which has had spikes embedded in it, giving the 'Mech greater damage potential when performing a charging attack than its laser weapons.[1]

Weapons and Equipment

The Porcupine is armed with a light arsenal of four Defiance B3M medium lasers. These allow the 'mech to wear down an enemy's armor until it is thin enough to succumb to one of the Porcupine's ramming attacks.[1]

Variants

  • PRC-2N 
    Almost an entirely different 'Mech, this version drops the supercharged 180-rated XL engine for a smaller, lighter, but considerably more expensive, 160-rated IDC-VX XXL engine and swaps the spikes and ferro-fibrous armor for cosmetically enhanced standard plating. The lighter engine and use of a small cockpit gives the PRC-2N enough space and tonnage to feature two ER medium lasers, two small X-Pulse lasers, and an ER small laser in addition to the four standard medium lasers of the PRC-1N. While a deadly close quarters combatant, even with an upgrade to double heat sinks PRC-2N can only vent half the waste heat generated by all the extra weaponry and its experimental power plant. BV (2.0) = 918[4]
  • PRC-3N 
    This version, designed for battlefield use in 3132 under Jeremy Stuart, focuses on the Porcupine's specialization in charging. The PRC-3N includes impact-resistant armor to withstand its own charges, a Null-Signature system and a laser anti-missile system to avoid fire before charging, and a MASC and supercharger combo to enhance speed. Space for this equipment is made through the use of a 180-rated XXL engine and the removal of all ranged weaponry. These changes resulted in an expensive combat 'Mech without ranged capabilities, which made had no sales by 3135. BV (2.0) = 511[5]

Design Quirks

The Porcupine has the following Design Quirk:[6]

Gallery

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Technical Readout: 3055 Upgrade, pp. 126-127, "Porcupine 'Mech Profile"
  2. MUL online date for the Porcupine
  3. Record Sheets: 3055 Upgrades Unabridged, p. 211
  4. Record Sheets: 3055 Upgrades Unabridged, p. 212
  5. Experimental Technical Readout: Caveat Emptor, p. 8
  6. BattleMech Manual, p. 94 BattleMech Quirk Table - Porcupine Entry.

Bibliography