Technical readout 2866 Rise of the Scavengers

AWS-8Zx Awesome
History:
Technicron Manufacturing got its start producing
Invader-class JumpShips on Tamarind in the Free
Worlds League. Largely spared the devastation of the
Succession Wars, their orbital facility there remains one
of the few operational plants capable of manufacturing
new K-F drives. Partnered with Forerunnner A.G., also
located on Tamarind and considered the premiere
JumpSail maker in the Inner Sphere, they are one of the
most productive JumpShip manufactures left.
Rather than taking the prodigious profits from their
business in FTL ships and increasing their production
capacity, Technicon Manufacturing chose to diversify
instead. In 2665, Technicron opened its first BattleMech
factory on Savannah, which was, at the time, also a part
of the Free Worlds League. It would later fall to the
Seventeenth Arcturan Guards during the Second
Succession War, and currently remains in Lyran hands.
Hoping to win a contract with the SLDF for a
replacement for the ancient, and uninspired 80-ton STC-
2C Striker, Technicron submitted the now famous AWS-
8Q Awesome for the High Command’s consideration.
Armed with a trio of the vaunted Kreuss Particle
Projection Cannons and equipped with an astounding 28
heat sinks, the SLDF was suitably impressed and
immediately granted Technicron an open-ended
contract. As the 80-ton ‘Mech made its way to frontline
SLDF units to replace the Striker, commanders quickly
realized it value. It’s long-range, all energy based loadout
made it an ideal siege ‘Mech, capable of maintaining
a massive barrage of particle beams indefinitely.
Protected by 15 tons of Durallex Special Heavy, the
Awesome is also often found in the vanguard of assaults
on heavily fortified enemy positions or against high
concentrations of other enemy BattleMechs. Laying
down a constant barrage of particle cannon fire, there
are very few ‘Mechs capable of withstanding its terrifying
firepower, and those are invariably only other assault
‘Mechs. It is generally agreed throughout the Inner
Sphere that, “the only defense against an Awesome is
another Awesome.”
It is a testament to the effectiveness of the original
design that this wildly popular ‘Mech was never altered
for use by the SLDF Royal Brigades. Only a single
variant was ever manufactured during the time of the
Star League, and it was generally considered a failure.
The AWS-8R introduced in 2683, only 17 years after the
‘Mechs debut, removed the PPCs in favor of a pair of
LRM-15s and a large laser in the right arm. While in
theory the damage potential remains largely unchanged,
the dependence on ammunition severely limits the time
the -8R can sustain its barrage and very few were sold
before Technicron ended production of the unpopular
variant.
After the fall of the Star League, Technicron tried
improving upon the -8R variant largely due to supply
problems with the Kreuss PPCs. The -8T differs from
the -8R in that it carries five less heat sinks and carries a
second heavy laser in its left arm while retaining both
LRM-15s and the design’s original head mounted
Diverse Optics Type 10 light laser. While better
regarded than the -8R version, the original -8Q remains
the design of choice.
The Awesome would prove so popular, that Technicron
was unable to keep up with demand. They first licensed
the design to Lycomb-Davion IntroTech on Demeter
before finally partnering with the massive Irian
BattleMechs Unlimited for additional production capacity.
Capellan forces destroyed the Demeter facility shortly
after the start of the Succession Wars, although IBU’s
flagship facility on Irian still currently produces the AWS-
8Q.
Notable ‘Mechs and MechWarriors
Captain “Wild Bill” Remington
A member of the Seventeenth Arcturan Guards, “Wild
Bill” has an incredible fondness for ballistic weapons.
When his AWS-8Q was seriously damaged fighting
against the 23 rd Marik Militia in their foiled attempt to
retake Savannah, he finally had an opportunity to indulge
his obsession. Wielding an ancient Terran Desert Eagle
.44 magnum, he had little trouble convincing the
engineers at Technicon to rebuild his Awesome
according to his specifications.
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Already severely damaged, he ordered the engineers to
rebuild his ‘Mech will a full array of autocannons. Under
his Eagle eye, the engineers managed to accomplish
their task to his satisfaction.
Wild Bill’s Awesome, dubbed “Buckshot”, now carries an
Imperator Zeta-A Class 20 autocannon in its right arm,
an Imperator A Class 5 autocannon in its right torso, an
Imperator B Class 10 autocannon in its left torso, and a
pair of Deprus RF machine guns.
While retaining the thick armor and slow speed of the
original, “Buckshot” only carries the standard ten heat
sinks. However, with the exception of the massive Zeta-
A autocannon, the rest of the ballistic weapons generate
little heat, making the ‘Mech capable of maintaining a
pummeling stream of lead that only gets worse as the
target gets closer.
On the flipside, however, “Buckshot” carries a total of five
tons of ammunition, including machine gun ammunition
in the center torso, making it a walking ammo explosion
waiting to happen.
Regardless, “Wild Bill” is extremely pleased with his
customized Awesome, and so far it has proved to be
quite the surprise to enemy MechWarriors accustomed
to ‘Mechs normal trio of PPCs.
Alpha Strike Statistics
TP: BM SZ: 3 TMM: +1
MV: 8” Role: Brawler
Damage S: 4 M: 4 L: 1
OV: 0
Armor: O O O O O O O O
Sructure: O O O O O O
Special: AC 4/4/1