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Technical readout 2866 Rise of the Scavengers

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Third Generation BattleMechs<br />

incorporate Cellular Ammunition Storage Equipment, or<br />

CASE. This breakthrough technology protects volatile<br />

ammunition from catastrophic explosion. In <strong>the</strong> event <strong>of</strong><br />

an ammunition explosion, <strong>the</strong> force <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> blast is<br />

redirected away from <strong>the</strong> central core <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> BattleMech.<br />

While this almost always leaves <strong>the</strong> BattleMech severely<br />

crippled, it does protect <strong>the</strong> fusion engine, gyro, and <strong>the</strong><br />

pilot from destruction.<br />

straight forward route. Inspired by Kallon Industries’ well<br />

received RFL-2N Rifleman, Mitchell Vehicles unveiled<br />

<strong>the</strong>ir own direct fire support platform, <strong>the</strong> GLH-1D<br />

Galahad. Armed with two heavy lasers and two particle<br />

projection cannons, <strong>the</strong> GLH-1D could generate<br />

enormous amounts <strong>of</strong> waste heat. Even <strong>the</strong> RFL-2N<br />

with its two heavy lasers and two medium-light<br />

autocannons was prone to overheating. To combat this,<br />

Mitchell Vehicles built <strong>the</strong> Galahad on an Endo-Steel<br />

chassis and equipped it with 13 double strength heat<br />

sinks, <strong>the</strong> first ever production BattleMech to carry <strong>the</strong>m.<br />

GLT-3N Guillotine<br />

By 2499, <strong>the</strong> Terran Hegemony’s military superiority was<br />

a thing <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> past with all <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> major powers now<br />

producing BattleMechs <strong>of</strong> quality equal to <strong>the</strong>ir own.<br />

However, <strong>the</strong> Hegemony, seeking to regain <strong>the</strong>ir<br />

advantage, developed <strong>the</strong> first third generation<br />

BattleMech, Newhart Industries’ GLT-3N Guillotine. Built<br />

on an advanced lightweight titanium and aluminum<br />

skeleton, <strong>the</strong> Guillotine would go on to serve as <strong>the</strong><br />

future Star League’s primary frontline BattleMech for<br />

decades. Newhart Industries, who made <strong>the</strong> Guillotine,<br />

had production facilities located on New Earth and<br />

Thorin, both well within <strong>the</strong> Hegemony borders. The<br />

HAF kept a tight rein on <strong>the</strong>m in hopes <strong>of</strong> preventing <strong>the</strong><br />

Great Houses from stealing <strong>the</strong>ir military secrets for a<br />

second time.<br />

Newhart Industries would remain <strong>the</strong> sole producer <strong>of</strong><br />

Endo-Steel for fifty years before <strong>the</strong> HAF trusted <strong>the</strong><br />

secrets <strong>of</strong> its manufacture to ano<strong>the</strong>r company. Ford<br />

Military Limited, whose production facilities were all<br />

located directly on Terra, introduced <strong>the</strong> overhauled third<br />

generation THE-N Thorn in 2549. Built out <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> same<br />

lightweight titanium and aluminum composite used in <strong>the</strong><br />

Guillotine, <strong>the</strong> Thorn was <strong>the</strong> first BattleMech to<br />

THE-N Thorn<br />

Twenty-one years later, in 2570, <strong>the</strong> next major<br />

breakthrough in BattleMech technology was announced<br />

by Mitchell Vehicles based on Graham IV, ano<strong>the</strong>r core<br />

world <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Hegemony. By this time all <strong>the</strong> major<br />

houses had signed treaties with <strong>the</strong> Terran Hegemony,<br />

and <strong>the</strong> Star League Accords would be signed <strong>the</strong> very<br />

next year. Mitchell Vehicles entered <strong>the</strong> BattleMech<br />

market during its infancy with <strong>the</strong>ir HEP-1H Helepolis<br />

which <strong>the</strong>y went on to update in 2488 with second<br />

generation technology. Built around an Armstrong<br />

Industries Sniper artillery piece, <strong>the</strong> concept <strong>of</strong> using a<br />

BattleMech for long range fire support was never fully<br />

accepted by <strong>the</strong> HAF outside <strong>of</strong> a few rare<br />

circumstances and <strong>the</strong> engineers at Mitchell were forced<br />

to go back to <strong>the</strong> drawing board.<br />

Instead <strong>of</strong> looking for ways to provide indirect fire<br />

support, this time <strong>the</strong> engineers took a much more<br />

9<br />

GLH-1D Galahad<br />

In 2572, Maltex Corporation united all three new<br />

Hegemony technologies in <strong>the</strong>ir 80-ton THG-11E Thug<br />

assault ‘Mech, one <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> first ‘Mechs to be built<br />

especially for <strong>the</strong> new Star League Defense Forces .<br />

Built on a Endo-Steel chassis, equipped with 18 double<br />

heat sinks, and with <strong>the</strong> ammunition for its dual Bical<br />

SRM-6 racks protected with CASE, <strong>the</strong> Thug would go<br />

on to have a long and illustrious career in <strong>the</strong> SLDF,<br />

which would eventually go on to commission a highly<br />

advanced “Royal” version almost 200 years later.<br />

Watching <strong>the</strong> continuing advances being made in<br />

BattleMech technology by <strong>the</strong> Terran Hegemony, now<br />

<strong>the</strong> undisputed leader <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> nascent Star League, <strong>the</strong><br />

house militaries realized <strong>the</strong>y were once again being left<br />

behind. Although all <strong>the</strong> leaders <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Great Houses<br />

made various and repeated attempts to pierce <strong>the</strong> veil <strong>of</strong><br />

security guarding <strong>the</strong>se secrets, <strong>the</strong>y almost all failed,

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