THERE HAS BEEN MUCH COMMENT ABOUT USING NEW TECHNOLOGY, TACTICS AND COMBINED ARMS AGAINST THE CLANS TO OVERCOME THEIR DEVASTATING COMBAT ABILITY. BUT LITTLE HAS BEEN OFFERED SPECIFICALLY. THE NEW AVALON TACTICS RESEARCH THINK TANK HAS RELEASED THE FOLLOWING DOCUMENTATION AND BATTLEMECH DESIGNS IN THEIR FIRST ATTEMPT AT EXPLORING NEW TECHNOLOGIES AND NEW TACTICS. The key technologies which we have isolated for use have been the C3 Computer System in combination with the Pulse Laser. Previously the Pulse Laser has had limited applications because of its shorter range. In most cases the benefit of extra accuracy is more than lost by the range reduction. Tests show that any opponent who is aware of pulse laser technology and has any ranged weapon capacity can move to longer ranges and offset any possible benefit of the pulse laser. But that is not the case if the laser system is installed as a package with the C3 Computer system. In this instance, the range advantage can be maintained because all the units in a lance can fire based upon the targeting information of the closest unit! Our research has determined that a standard medium lance could be produced, a force which would be fully integrated to fight as a unit, rather than as single units. The unit leader would pilot a'Mech we have dubbedthe Pulse Leader. This 'Mech weighs fifty tons and has limited movement. Its key weapons are matched Pulse Lasers, one in the arm and another in the torso. The 'Mech avoids XL technology because it is far too likely that a 'Mech will be killed by a shot which penetrates the torso. Endo Steel construction was used along with double heat sinks to offset the high heat effects of the pulse lasers. The Pulse Leader is actually required to stay behind its two screen 'Mechs because it holds the master computer in the C3 system, which must be carefully protected. For this reason an anti-missile system was added to give as much protection as possible. Type: LDR-1A Pulse Leader Designer: A. Braskin Tonnage: 50.0 Internal Structure: EndoSteel 2.5 Engine: Nissan 200 8.5 Walking: 4 Running: 6 Jumping: 4 Heat Sinks: 10 Double 0.0 Gyro: 2.0 Cockpit: 3.0 Armor Factor: 168 10.5 Internal External Head 3 8 Center Torso 1626/6 LT/RT 12 10/4 LA/RA 8 16 LL/RL 12 24 Type Loc Oty Crits Tons Heat Sink LT 1 3 0.0 Heat Sink LT 1 3 0.0 Jump Jet LT 2 1 1.0 Jump Jet RT 2 1 1.0 Large Pulse Laser LA 1 2 7.0 Large Pulse Laser FIT 1 2 7.0 Anti-Missile System H 1 1 0.5 Ammo (AMS) CT 2 2 2.0 C3 Computer LT 1 5 5.0 Net Free Tons: 0.0 Net Free Critical Locations Remaining 11.0 Type: PLS-1 A Pulsar Designer: A. Braskin Tonnage: 45.0 Internal Structure: EndoSteel 2.25 Engine: VOX 225 10.0 Walking: 5 Running: 8 Jumping: 5 Heat Sinks:10 Double 0.0 Gyro: 3.0 Cockpit: 3.0 Armor Factor: 161 Ferro Fibrous 9.0 Internal External Head 3 9 Center Torso 1422/6 LT/RT 11 17/5 LA/RA 7 14 LL/RL 11 22 Type Loc Qty Crits Tons Heat Sink LT 1 3 0.0 Jump Jet LT 2 1 1.0 Jump Jet RT 3 1 1.5 Large Pulse Laser LA 1 2 7.0 Large Pulse Laser CT 1 2 7.0 C3 Slave H 1 1 1.0 Ammo (AMS) CT 2 1 2.0 C3 Computer LT 1 5 5.0 Net Free Tons: 0.25 Net Free Critical Locations Remaining 6.0 The next unit in the lance is the 45 ton Pulsar. There will be two of these in each lance. They serve the purposes of screening the Pulse Leader and providing high powered fire support. The purpose of these two 'Mechs is to orient themselves against the targeted enemy 'Mech, then to unload a precision barrage of pulse lasers at maximum range. The C3 Computer will completely offset the long range effects and the pulse technology will allow for devastating accuracy! Each of these 'Mechs is equipped with two Large Pulse Lasers. The final unit in the lance is the heaviest at 60 tons. The Ranger has the difficult task of closing with an enemy unit and maintaining a deadly attack while sending critical range information back to the C3 system. Therefore this 'Mech is heavily armored (as much armor as we could possibly fit!) and has a devastatating close in attack. It combines a Hand Axe with a single Large Pulse Laser. The 'Mech was designed with Myomer Accelerator Signal Circuitry (MASC) in order to improve its movement profile. This should allow it to close quickly with the enemy and permit all of its team mates to deliver a devastating barrage of laser fire with deadly accuracy! This concludes the 'Mech portion of the strategy. It is our opinion that dedicated vehicle dtachment could work with this unit to improve its ability even further. Research and design has begun on that aspect and is expected to be completed soon. Type: RGR-1A Ranger Designer: A. Braskin Tonnage: 60.0 Internal Structure: EndoSteel 3.0 Engine: Vlar 300 19.0 Walking: 5 Running: 8(10) Jumping: 5 Heat Sinks: 10 Double 0.0 Gyro: 3.0 Cockpit: 3.0 Armor Factor: 206 Ferro Fibrous 11.5 Internal External Head 3 9 Center Torso 2030/10 LT/RT 14 20/8 LA/RA 10 20 LL/RL 14 28 Type Loc Qty Crits Tons Jump Jet LT 2 1 2.0 Jump Jet RT 3 1 3.0 Small Laser LT 1 1 0.5 Large Pulse Laser CT 1 2 7.0 C3 Slave H 1 1 1.0 Hand Axe LA 1 4 4.0 Net Free Tons: 0.0 Net Free Critical Locations Remaining 3.0 Back to BattleTechnology 17 Table of Contents Back to BattleTechnology List of Issues Back to MagWeb Magazine List © Copyright 1992 by Pacific Rim Publishing. This article appears in MagWeb.com (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web. 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