Stone Rhino (Behemoth)

This article is about the 100-ton BattleMech. For other uses of "Behemoth", see Behemoth.

Stone Rhino (Behemoth)
Production information
Manufacturer	Csesztreg Industriplex Alpha Tokasha MechWorks
Production Year	2847
Model	(base)
Class	Assault
Cost	10,512,000 C-bills
Technical specifications
'Mech type	Clan BattleMech
Mass	100 tons
Chassis	Star League Monster
Armor	Compound 12A1 Standard
Engine	Heavy Force 300
Communications System	Garret L15
Targeting Tracking System	RCA Instatrac Version 8a
Heat Sinks	10 double
Speed	54.0 km/h
Jump Jets	Grandthrust Mk 5
Armament	2x Gauss rifles 2x large pulse laser 1x small pulse laser
BV (1.0)	2,626
BV (2.0)	3,001

Description

The Stone Rhino was one of the most remarkable surprises sprung upon the Inner Sphere by the invading Clans. The Inner Sphere code-named the 'Mech Behemoth. It was apparently derived from the Matar, which was also known as "Amaris' Folly".

Developed during the Golden Century as somewhat of a passion project, the Scientist Caste of Clan Smoke Jaguar sought to prove the superiority of the Clans by turning the flawed Matar into a successful design to achieve what the Inner Sphere could not. The resulting 'Mech was christened the Stone Rhino in honor of the nearly indestructible beast native to Eden. Mainly seen in the Clan Smoke Jaguar touman, scattered examples of the Stone Rhino do appear in other Clans even though it was produced in somewhat limited numbers. Because of these low production numbers, most Stone Rhinos in existence are ancient machines with long and storied histories of their combat actions and their quirks in the hangar.

Following the fall of the Smoke Jaguars, Clan Goliath Scorpion's need for new machines to defend their captured Jaguar holdings led them to revisit the Matar's original design specs. They rapidly developed a visually different and powerful "new" 'Mech that was immediately put into production on Tokasha while still using the Stone Rhino name. However, the Scorpions would soon need to scramble to establish new production elsewhere after Clan Hell's Horses captured their Tokasha holdings. This allowed the Horses to produce new variants, and the Horses ultimately established a production line for the 'Mech on Csesztreg following their ejection from the Clan Homeworlds.

Weapons and Equipment

Though visually resembling the Matar, the Stone Rhino is ten tons lighter than "Amaris' Folly", marking it an assault-class 'Mech instead of a superheavy design. Despite the reduced weight it achieves a roughly similar damage output through superior Clan weaponry. The design features a Kolibri Delta Series Large Pulse Laser in each arm, a Thunderstroke Series 2B Gauss rifle mounted in each side torso, and an almost superfluous Chi Series Small Pulse Laser located near the cockpit. The Stone Rhino also sports an interesting feature; each arm contains a retractable, shock-absorbing cowl covering the weapon barrels. This allows MechWarriors to use the arms as battering rams without damaging the weaponry.

Similar to its progenitor, the Stone Rhino is a fairly slow design with the addition of Jump Jets barely mitigating the mobility issues over short distances. Eighteen tons of armor provides reasonable protection until the 'Mech becomes a target of priority. Thus, despite bringing awesome firepower to the battlefield, these machines often cannot be used effectively by field commanders because they ultimately cannot afford to lose one.

Variants

• Stone Rhino 2 

  In order to plug holes in their touman, Clan Goliath Scorpion scientists revisited the Behemoth. Like Clan Smoke Jaguar before them, they upgraded and improved upon the design. This version used an extralight fusion engine to mount a pair of Thunderstroke Series 2b Gauss Rifles along the top of the 'Mech. Each arm carried a Series 4D-2 Heavy Large Laser, a Series 22a heavy medium laser, and a General Systems Heavy Small Laser. It retained the shock-absorbing cowls of the original. Another pair of heavy medium lasers protected the rear of the 'Mech. A head-mounted Shield-3 anti-missile system defended against missiles, while an anti-personnel pod in each leg discouraged unarmored infantry. This design had jump jets, nineteen tons of armor, and a meager sixteen double heat sinks. BV (1.0) = 2,531; BV (2.0) = 3,107

• Stone Rhino 3 

  A Clan Hell's Horses variant made use of two Large Pulse Lasers in each arm and two ATM 9s with four tons of ammo in the torso. Two ER Micro Lasers to protect the 'Mech's rear arc, while the other equipment was removed to add heat sinks. BV (1.0) = 2,795; BV (2.0) = 3,072

• Stone Rhino 4 

  A Smoke Jaguar test platform, the Stone Rhino 4 is a variable range variant which uses an XL engine to provide weight savings for four LRM 10s to lay down impressive long-range fire. Backing these up are a pair of Ultra AC/10s for midrange engagements. From there, four ER medium lasers provide a solid short-range punch. Lastly, four Machine Guns provide anti-infantry support. These combine to make a solid and well-rounded configuration. BV (2.0) = 2,601

• Stone Rhino 5 

  A design based off of early specifications for Amaris's Folly, the Stone Rhino 5 uses a 400 XL engine to reach speeds up to 64.8 km/h. It is armed with four LB-5X Autocannons mounted in the torsos backed up by six ER medium lasers in the arms. BV (2.0) 2,157

• Stone Rhino 6 

  A close combat dueling design based on the Stone Rhino 5, the Stone Rhino 6 is armed with a simple yet effective loadout of 14 Medium Pulse Lasers. These are backed up by a single ER Small Laser. BV (2.0) = 2,981

• Stone Rhino 7 

  A space combat 'Mech based on the standard model, the Stone Rhino 7 replaces twin Gauss rifles with a trio of ER Large Lasers, one mounted in each torso section, with the remaining space devoted to additional double heat sinks. BV (2.0) = 2,804

• Stone Rhino 8 

  A Dark Age variant of the standard model produced by the Hell's Horses, the Stone Rhino 8 drops the jump jets for an Actuator Enhancement System in each arm, trading mobility for enhanced accuracy. BV (2.0) = 2,981

Custom Variants

• BHN-6H Behemoth 

  Assigned to Gordon Zed of the Zalman Bloodname, even downgraded with primitive Succession Wars era technology his Behemoth was a powerful 'Mech that caused mass panic and confusion whenever it took to the field with Wolf's Dragoons Alpha Regiment during the Third Succession War. Zed's Behemoth swapped the large pulse lasers for PPCs, the small pulse laser for standard model and the twin Gauss rifles for Autocannon/10s with four tons of reloads, the extra weight for this loadout and the heat sinks to make it viable is made possible by a reduction to 200-rated standard engine, greatly reducing its ground speed. Like many Dragoons, Zed and his Behemoth would fall during the brutal Battle of Misery, and though the Draconis Combine might have salvaged the 'Mech, they were never able to repair or reproduce it.

Apocryphal Variants

Apocryphal Content Starts

The information after this notice comes from apocryphal sources; the canonicity of such information is uncertain.
Please view the reference page for information regarding their canonicity.

From MechWarrior Online:

• SR-K Koloss 

  The Stone Rhino Hero 'Mech is armed with an LB 10-X autocannon in each arm alongside a SRM-6 and a ER medium laser, supported by SRM-6 and another ER medium in each side torso, a further two SRM-6 racks in the center torso and another ER medium laser in the head. Built around an endo steel frame and a MASC-boosted 325-rated XL engine fitted with four jump jets, the Koloss carries two tons of LBX rounds and four tons of SRM missiles along with fifteen double heat sinks.

• SR-AK Aksum 

  This Legendary variant of the Stone Rhino is built on an Endo Steel frame and armed with four Ultra Autocannon/2s in each side torso, with thirteen tons of reloads providing enough ammunition to keep the guns firing for several minutes. Driven by a 300-rated Clan XL engine, Aksum is cooled by sixteen double heat sinks. A single jump jet provides a modest boost in mobility,

Apocryphal Content Ends

Design Quirks

The Stone Rhino (Behemoth) has the following Design Quirks:

• Barrel Fist (LA) (RA)
• Protected Actuators
• Oversized
• Poor Performance
• Weak Head Armor (1)

Related BattleMechs

• Matar - The original failed prototype, the Matar massed over one hundred tons and experienced extreme stresses on its leg actuators that effectively prevented the 'Mech from moving. The project ended when Stefan Amaris had the design staff executed for "treasonous incompetence".
• Crucible - The Stone Rhino was used to create this 100-ton assault 'Mech for the Wolf Empire.

Notes

• In German products, the unit's proper Clan name was translated to Felsrhino. The unit's proper Inner Sphere name was altered to Koloss, which means Colossus.
• Recognition Guide: ilClan, vol. 2, page 10 originally included a passage stating "In an act of sheer cheek, Jaime Wolf snuck a Stone Rhino into his Dragoons when they departed for the Inner Sphere, knowing full well it would stand out." This was noted as errata to be removed and replaced in an updated document.
• Author Ashley Watkins has claimed to be the original creator the Behemoth with both original text and statblock as described in 2015 blog entry. Author Blaine Lee Pardoe has also claimed in a 2018 blog entry that, according to his memory which he admitted could be wrong, the Behemoth was among the BattleMechs which he designed.

Gallery

• 

  Original Unseen Stone Rhino from TRO:3055

• 

  Stone Rhino from RG:ilClan v2

• 

  Stone Rhino 2 from TRO:3055 Upgrade

• 

  Iconic Stone Rhino emblazons TRO:3055 cover

• 

  Stone Rhino in action from Jade Falcon Sourcebook

• 

  Stone Rhino with torso-mounted Gauss from BattleCorps

• 

  Stone Rhino in combat from CCG

• 

  Behemoth miniature from BattleTech: Clan Heavy Star

Bibliography

• BattleMech Manual
• D.R.T.
• Jihad: Final Reckoning
• Master Unit List
• MechWarrior Online Stone Rhino Sale Page
• Recognition Guide: ilClan, vol. 2
• Record Sheets: 3055 Upgrade
• Record Sheets: 3055 Upgrades Unabridged
• Record Sheets: 3055/3058
• Technical Readout: 3055
• Technical Readout: 3055 Upgrade
• Wolf's Dragoons