Prepared by Professor Eion McLeary and Dr. Kelly Ferguson, NAIS Research Staff Overview: In 2736 the Star League Quartermaster Corps called for a new BattleMech. They wanted a Mech of the medium class that concentrated more on fire power than on speed. Hollis Industries, creators of the Battlemaster and the Catapult, leapt to the challenge. They immediately began designing a Mech using all the latest Star League Technology. Unfortunately, Kallon Industries beat out all the competition by a full six months when it released the Lynx BattleMech. The LYN5X Lynx used a Wolverine chassis with tried and true weapons systems to cut time and to beat their competitors. Undaunted, Hollis continued research at a more leisurely pace. Two and a half years after Kallon released the Lynx, Hollis field-tested the OSP-15 Osprey in front of representatives of the League High Command. In a five minute battle the Osprey managed to outmaneuver and disable a Warhammer. The Quartermaster Corps immediately ordered 36 for 'testing purposes'. In all, 3000 were produced. Most are said to have left the Inner Sphere during Kerensky's Exodus. One Osprey, discovered in 3028, is the only known operating unit. Rumors have spread of similar discoveries since then, but they have not been confirmed. Capabilities: Once Hollis had been beaten out by Kallon Industries, the design staff was no longer pressured for time, and therefore they could take their time. Using the latest technology, Hollis designed the Osprey to hold its own against any previously built Mech. Its weapon array is comparable to that of even some of the heaviest Mechs. Mounted over the chassis is the M-1 1 Gauss Rifle. Using a smaller bore with a faster rate of fire, this gun is comparable to the M-7 Gauss Rifle that made the Highlander so deadly. A Holly LRM-10 rack and three Martell Medium Lasers round out the Osprey's impressive array of firepower. With two tons of ammunition for each proj . ectile systems, the Osprey can stay in a fight for longer than most medium Mechs. In addition , the OSP-1 5 carries ten double heat sinks to ensure that it will rarely overheat. Mounting 11.5 tons of Duralex Ferro Fibrous Medium armor on an Endo Steel 11 skeleton, this Mech has staying power equal to that of a heavy BattleMech. With four Anderson 25 JumpJets, the Osprey has the added manueverability to stay in the fight with faster and lighter Mechs. Designed as an all-purpose support Mech, the OSP-1 5 filled its mission perfectly. Used time and again in the Periphery Wars, the Osprey was a feared Mech. Notable Mechs and Mechwarriors: Captain Kyoto Noguchi Commander of the fourth Company Wyld Stallions LAG, he pilots the Osprey that his unit discovered in 3028. His first combat mission occurred during a recon raid on the city of Montoya on the Kurita planet of Kessel. Piloting the 'Bird of Prey', Noguchi was surprised by a Stalker. In a three minute battle, Captain Noguchi used his years of combat experience with Catapults to jump and outmaneuver his opponent. Then, in a stunt of sheer lunacy, he set his Osprey toe to toe with the Stalker and swapped salvo after salvo. Forty seconds later the Stalker lay in ruins and the 'Bird of Prey' retired for moderate repairs. OSP-15 Osprey Mass: 55 Tons Chassis: Hollis Mark V Power Plant: DAV 220 XL Cruising Speed: 43.5 kph Maximum Speed: 65.0 kph Jump Jets: Anderson Propulsion 25 Jump Capacity: 120 meters Armor: Duralex Ferro Fibrous Medium with CASE Ammo Armament: 1 M-11 Gauss Rifle, 1 Holly Long Range Missile Pack (110), 3 Martell Medium Lasers Main Manufacturer: Hollis Incorporated Communication System: Coventry Communications TransCom Alpha Targeting/Tracking System: Starlight LX-2 Type: OSP-15 Osprey Tons Tonnage: 55 tons 55 Internal Structure: EndoSteel 11 2.75 Engine: DAV 220 XL 5 Walking MPs: 4 Running MPs: 6 Jumping MPs: 4 Heat Sinks 20 (10 double) 0 Gyro: 3 Cockpit: 3 Armor Factor: 207 11.5 Location: Int Structure: Armor Value Head 9 Center Torso 30 RT/LT Torso 20 Rear CT 6 Rear RT/LT Torso 6 RT Arm 17 LT Arm 18 RT/LT Leg 25 Weapons and Ammo: Type Location Critical Tons Gauss Rifle RT 7 15 GR Ammo (20) LT 2 2 LRM 10 CT 2 5 LRM Ammo (24) LT 2 2 CASE LT 1 0.5 Medium Laser LA 1 1 Medium Laser LA 1 1 Medium Laser RA 1 1 Jump Jets RL 2 1 Jump Jets LL 2 1 Back to BattleTechnology 12 Table of Contents Back to BattleTechnology List of Issues Back to MagWeb Magazine List © Copyright 1990 by Pacific Rim Publishing. This article appears in MagWeb.com (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web. Other military history articles and gaming articles are available at http://www.magweb.com