Technical readout 2866 Rise of the Scavengers

WVE-5Nx Wyvern
History:
Maltex Corporation, the manufacturer of the Wyvern, got
its start producing BattleMechs in 2572 with its
introduction of the 80-ton Thug. Intended to both replace
and improve upon the venerable Warhammer, the Thug
was quickly accepted by a nascent Star League Defense
Force and went on to become one of their most sought
after and combat effective assault BattleMechs.
The design proved so successful in fact, that Maltex’s
assembly lines on Errai were unable to keep up with
demand, and they were subsequently forced to license
the design to Earthwerks Incorporated who began
producing the Thug out of their massive industrial
complex on Keystone in what is now the Free Worlds
League.
Almost a hundred years would pass before the
introduction of Maltex Corporation’s next BattleMech. In
2660, they unveiled a tough 45-ton jump-capable urban
fighter, the WVE-5N Wyvern. While slower than most
other medium ‘Mechs, the Wyvern carries enormous
firepower and its 9.5 tons of Kilosh 1000 armor offers
best-in-class protection. Both torsos are also equipped
with CASE to protect against a catastrophic ammunition
explosion. Armed with a Nighwind heavy laser, a
Jackson Dart LRM-10, a Totschlagen-6 SRM-6, backed
up with a pair of Starflash light lasers, the Wyvern can
engage enemies at any range and is capable not only of
easily destroying ‘Mechs equal and lighter than itself, but
can also engage heavier ‘Mechs with a reasonable
chance of success.
The Star League generals who witnessed its field tests
were so impressed they immediately asked Maltex
Corporation to create a special “Royal” variant
incorporating the latest BattleMech technology. The
same year the -5N was released, Maltex also began
delivery of the -5Nb variant to select SLDF Royal
Divisions. While both models were built around an
Endo-Steel chassis and protected with Cellular
Ammunition Storage Equipment, the -5Nb featured an
Extra-light fusion engine. This allowed the Nightwind
heavy laser to be replaced by a state-of-the-art Tronel
XIII large pulse laser. One of the Starflash lasers was
also upgraded to a medium, and an additional heat sink
was also installed.
Maltex Corporation would continue developing new
BattleMechs for the Star League, their next design taking
square aim at a replacement for the aging Stinger and
Wasp BattleMechs that had been in use for centuries.
2676 ushered in the 40-ton ASN-21 Assassin.
Leveraging their success with both the Thug and
Wyvern, Maltex lobbyists had little trouble convincing the
Star League quartermasters the Assassin would be the
premier reconnaissance and scout hunter BattleMech.
Indeed, on paper the Assassin appeared formidable.
Weighing 40-tons with a top speed of almost 120 kph
and equipped with weapons that allowed it to engage at
any range, it could jump over 200 meters, making it
second only to the Spider in terms of maneuverability.
Unfortunately, in order make the cost more attractive
when compared to the inexpensive Wasp and Stinger,
Maltex Corporation cut corners in the manufacturing
process anywhere and everywhere possible, resulting in
numerous components that frequently failed prematurely.
When these failures began affecting the life support
system, the SLDF launched an investigation of the
assembly lines where they discovered that a number of
sub-standard components. The assembly lines were
temporarily closed and production of the Assassin
ground to halt. Maltex Corporation eventually
overhauled the life support system, but even then the
cockpit remains incredibly cramped and the ‘Mech has a
reputation for spending as much time in the repair bay as
it does on the field.
Nonetheless, due to it’s speed and jump capacity, the
Assassin proved a superb reconnaissance ‘Mech
whenever it did manage to take the field. Production
never reached full capacity and eventually Maltex
abandoned the design entirely, selling it to Hellespont
Industrials based on Sian in the Capellan Confederation.
Maltex Corporation would go on to release a “Royal”
variant of the Thug just before the Amaris Civil War,
making it one of only a few BattleMechs to carry the
vaunted Tiegart Magnum extended range particle
cannon. Following the fall of the Star League, Maltex
was forced to downgrade the Wyvern, creating the -6N
in 2821, and returned to producing the original -11E
Thug shortly before their headquarters were destroyed
in 2835.
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Notable ‘Mechs and MechWarriors:
Captain Laurent Lafoe
When the First St. Ives Lancers were rebuilt for the
second time following their hard fought defense of Spica
against the Ceti Hussars, among the replacement
BattleMechs was a 45-ton Wyvern. Pulling rank, the
recently dispossessed Captain Laurent Lafoe
immediately claimed it for himself only to discover the
‘Mech was barely operational. Its ancient fusion reactor
was leaking dangerous amounts of radiation as well as
heat, the Jackson Dart LRM-10 feed mechanism was a
tangled mess and the heavy laser’s cooling jacket was
all but non-existent.
Pulling rank again, Captain Lafoe ordered the Lancer
technicians to take whatever they needed from the unit
stockpiles in order to get his new Wyvern fully
operational. Pulling a salvaged CoreTek 275, along with
the Northrup 12000 jump jets from a scrapped Davion
Wolverine, they managed to get the Wyvern mobile.
Next, turning to an ancient and battered Assassin that
had long been a maintenance nightmare, the technicians
removed both the Holly LRM-5 and Holly SRM-2,
installing them in the torso of the Wyvern.
Finally, they repurposed a ChisComp 43 Special heavy
laser to replace the damaged and bulky Nightwind in the
right arm. Covering it with nine tons of Starshield armor,
also taken from a scavenged Davion Enforcer, they
completed the refurbishment of Captain Lafore’s Wyvern.
While the rebuilt Wyvern has successfully completed its
field trials, it remains to be seen how well it will hold
together in combat. Where the original Wyvern was
known best as a urban street fighter, the rebuilt Wyvern’s
profile makes it much more suited for reconnaissance
and quick strikes.
Alpha Strike Statistics
TP: BM SZ: 2 TMM: +2
MV: 12j” Role: Striker
Damage S: 2 M: 2 L: 0*
OV: 0
Armor: O O O O O
Sructure: O O O O
Special: IF0*, LRM -/0*/0*