Good BattleMech Technicians are often a little crazy. They regard the 'Mechs they work on as their personal property on loan to the pilots who take them into battle. Pilots have actually apologized to a Tech for damaging "his" 'Mech. I've even known a Tech to attack a pilot with a torque wrench for getting an arm blown off a Shadow Hawk after he spent a week rebuilding said limb.
Before and After photos of a Falcon Hawk fixed by Stewart.
When first assigned to a different unit, a Tech will go down to the 'Mech maintenance bays, or "The Pits", as we refer to them, to personally inspect the BattleMechs. Often he does this before reporting to the commanding sfficer. During this inspection, he sometimes adopts a "baby", a'Mech which he feels specifically needs his attention. Such idiosyncracies annoy the commanders of House companies. Because of their 'tin god' attitudes, House commanders prefer to have the last word on anything and the best of everything for themselves. A few years ago a senior repairman named Drexler was assigned to the Ninth Lyran Regulars after his own group was destroyed. The company commander was pleased at the prospect of having a personal Tech to work on his Warhammer. Indeed, the 70-ton Mech had a small scar on its armor from his last battle (led from twelve kilometers away - after all, one can't expect a Captain to risk HIS life, can one?). Several hours after Drexler was due to report, Captain Malten finally went looking for him only to find the errant Tech helping a grateful Stinger pilot to rebuild his battered 'Mech.
This isn't to say that Technicians have no respect for pilots or officers, and any repairman who gets too flippant with his superiors will soon find himself in serious trouble. But because BattleMech Technicians are the only people who can keep the giant war machines in operating condition, they have considerable leverage to use if necessary. The Techs are out there to do a job, and they will not tolerate any obstacles in their work.
I recall ten years ago during a planetary assault on Koren. First Lieutenant Reiko Konn, commanding the 2nd Benjamin Regulars 3rd Company on garrison duty, had her JagerMech reduced to walking junk by enemy fire. After spending over an hour cataloging the damage, Senior 'Mech Tech Jiro Shin and his crew decided to strip the crippled machine for parts to repair the company's other three heavy 'Mechs. Reiko demanded that the entire Tech crew work non-stop until her own 'Mech was in perfect battle ready condition. Jiro explained that to repair the JagerMech would take months of intense labor and spare parts they didn't have. Reiko was adamant and threatened to withold the Tech crew's back pay unless they fixed her machine.
That was her biggest mistake. Never threaten a Senior Tech; it only causes trouble. When Reiko later went down to The Pits to check the progress of the repairs, she was shocked to find that none of the damaged 'Mechs had been touched. The entire Tech crew was busy drinking beer, playing cards, and ignoring her. Finally she realized she was trapped. Unless the Tech crew repaired the BattleMechs soon, her entire command would be in jeopardy when the enemy next attacked. The company would have to withdraw from the planet or risk capture or death. So she reached a compromise. The crew removed some parts from her 'Mech to repair the others, but left the basic structure intact so it could be rebuilt at a later date. There is a mistaken belief among some people that Technicians really don't know how to repair the various parts of a BattleMech. They believe the old technology is beyond our understanding; that we can only replace nonworking systems with duplicate working systems. However, Technicians must have a thorough knowledge of the inner working of the BattleMechs they maintain. Non-technically trained people make this assumption because there is seldom time in combat situations to properly fix an important component. It is quicker to replace an entire system and then repair it at a more opportune time. For example, a damaged laser would take a repair team two and a half hours to replaces. To repair it can take several days, or even weeks, depending on how bad the damage is.
Admittedly, not all damaged systems can be repaired. If the energy focusing synthetic ruby core on a laser is cracked, for example, there's no way it can be made functional again. But many times the laser isn't really destroyed when hit by enemy weapons. Often minor damage to the firing circuitry or power capacitors can keep it from working. Machine guns and auto cannons stop working if the ammunition feeds get bent or jammed. The same rules apply to actuators, gyros, life support, and sensor equipment. It is possible to take parts from two "destroyed" systems of the same type and combine them to get one working unit. A highly trained Tech can even fabricate new parts from stock metal if he has access to machining facilities. The Technical crews of the Waco Rangers are particularly adept at building fully functional 'Mechs from battle salvage.
It's not easy to become a fully qualified BattleMech Technician. Teachers are hard to find, since any Tech worth his tool kit can earn good money in any House or mercenary unit. To truly understand the inner working of any complicated machine, the student must have plenty of hands-on experience. This requires a functional 'Mech to work on. For these reasons the only course left to hopeful repairmen is to be accepted as an apprentice.
Each apprenticeship program is entirely up to the Master Technician running it. Usually it consists of the young trainee spending at least two standard years doing nothing but "grunt" work; fetching fools, cleaning damaged parts, and helping to carry heavy equipment. Soon the student is rewarded for all his effort by being allowed to help the Technicians rebuild and repair the various'Mechs in their charge. Eventually he or she works his way up to doing minor repairs with a minimum of supervision. After three or four years, the apprentice is given some sort of test, usually overhauling a large laser or repairing a damaged hip servo. If he succeeds, he becomes a full-fledged Tech.
Of course after the apprentice passes his final test there is still the matter of initiating him properly into the Brotherhood of BattleMech Technicians. Each repair group has its own traditions, but all share the same common themes; welcoming the newcomer, testing his "worthiness", and general riotous partying. The initiate is required to do something along the lines of drinking half a bottle of cheap liquor while dancing on top of a replacement heat sink. Often he is "baptized" by having a quart of lubricant dumped on his head. Some initiations can prove very dangerous. Team Banzai once required new Techs to climb their tallest 'Mech with just grappling hook and rope.
Once the initiation is over (and the new Tech has lived through the hangover), he is now accepted as a fullfledged Technician. The other Techs chip in to buy him a new tool box which becomes his most prized possession. He may now receive the work, pay, and respect of a trained Technician in any unit he may choose to work in.
Some people think that the apprenticeship method of teaching BattleMech maintenance is old-fashioned. Many believe the new schools, like the New Avalon Institute of Science, will be the training grounds of future Techs. I personally don't believe anybody can learn how to repair a 'Mech from just sitting in a classroom. These schools may have much to offer for the education of young repairmen, but the only way to really understand 'Mech repair work is to get your hands dirty.
Five years ago, I was Senior Tech for the Crucis Lancers of House Davion. One day they brought me a young lad called Edwin to be my assistant. I was informed that Edwin had just graduated with full honors from a prestigious college program as a 'Mech Technician. The company commander decided Edwin could help me to better understand new BattleMech technology while I found him a suitable niche in the Senior Tech crew.
Our first job together was on a Wasp. The light 'Mech had been hit by an autocannon right between the "eyes", so the head was in need of a complete rebuild. As I started to tear down the damaged electronics, I told Edwin to clean the air filter in the life support system. He informed me that the filters were supposed to be changed after every battle. (As if filters grew on trees orsomething). Even a first year apprentice knows how to blow an old filter clean with compressed air. Experienced 'Mech pilots consider themselves lucky if they even have an air filter.
That was only the beginning of my problems with this "highly trained individual". I told him to program the replacement permanent memory IC chips for the targeting computer; he programmed it to check the radar rangefinder before firing the weapons. No Wasp-sized 'Mech has had functional radar for a hundred years! I told him to test the tension on the myomer bundle "muscles", and he asked me for a dynamic/static calibration meter. It was the first time I ever met a repairman who couldn't test the myomers by twanging them like guitar strings. I knew I didn't want him working in my repair team without some real training. Still, he wasn't totally stupid; when I questioned him, he gave me names for parts I didn't even know had names. Since the boy showed promise, I took him under my wing. The company commander was upset at finding his new "Senior" Tech cleaning parts and fetching tools like a first year apprentice, but Edwin just wanted to learn; he was willing to do anything required. Today Edwin is the second highest ranking Tech of the Crucis Lancers, and has a reputation for being extra hard on his apprentices.
Being a Technician isn't as easy as many people seem to think. During combat campaigns every Tech is expected to perform miracles on a regular time schedule with little or no spare parts available. They work long hours for days on end only to see their 'Mechs return from combat as battle scarred wrecks. Sometimes the 'Mechs don't return at all!
A reliable source of spare parts is the biggest problem Techs face. Armor and heat sinks get destroyed whenever there's combat. Weapons, servos, and gyros are far easier to replace than to fix. 'Mechs must be maintained even when not in battle. Wear and tear can disable these machines as effectively as enemy fire. Without replacement parts even the greatest BattleMech will eventually grind to a halt.
Getting spare parts is hardest for the small mercenary lance. Individual 'Mechs and 'Mech lances depend on battlefield salvage for much of their supplies. However, these units regularly find themselves attached to larger companies. This makes it hard for the smaller unit to get their fair share of salvaged parts. The problem is worse if the larger force is a House company or battalion; in such an organization the "little guys" often get no salvage at all. Sometimes they even find their own cache of spare parts looted by the other units!
Large battalions and companies have less trouble getting battlefield salvage. As they are more powerful, they have less trouble capturing enemy 'Mechs. But they also have their problems. With more 'Mechs to maintain there is a far greater demand for parts and equipment. The Techs of most small units would be happy to get their hands on a few heat sinks or circuit boards. It takes a dozen tons of parts to make a dent in the repair work of a large sized company.
The numerous problems in getting spare parts are worse in a House company. With several battle units to supply, the Successor Houses must carefully regulate their limited resources. But where regulation goes, greed and bureaucracy always follow. Many times, Techs have gone to fully stocked House supply depots, only to be told they have "used up their allotment" or "haven't filed the correct paperwork". Often this is an excuse as House leaders attempt to hoard their resources. Sometimes the problem is just stupidity. Either can cut a unit off from needed supplies.
Two years ago the Eridani Light Horse was assigned to the planet Hoff. They were defending this House Davion world from an attack from the Draconis Combine. After several successful battle, Brevet General Armstong had units from the 7th Striker Battalion pull back for repairs. They had captured numerous enemy 'Mechs and were planning on using them for spare parts. However, upon reaching the Davion base they were told by the House Liason Officer, "No parts may be used from captured 'Mechs until they have been inspected, categorized, and listed, with said list approved, signed, filed..." The argument could have lasted for days except that the Liason Officer was accidently run over several times by a small tank. Fortunately, Major Robert Green-Davion, the unit's new Liason Officer, has more sense than his predecessor did.
In any well-equipped battle group, it is best to have a senior Technician assigned to each 'Mech, with a squad of lesser Technicians, electricians and mechanics working under him. Many companies try to get by with one Senior Tech in charge of The Pits with a regular Tech responsible for each individual Mech's repair crew. Some mercenary lances try to get by with just one good Tech with a few "grunts" under him to do all the work. In all cases it is the Senior Tech who does the jobs requiring the utmost precision, who keeps the maintenance schedules in line, and who does the regular inspections. It is his job to keep the unit commander informed of the condition of each 'Mech. If a 'Mech fails due to improper maintenance, the responsibility is his alone.
So why do we do it? Why do we go through the headaches, backpains, and skinned knuckles to keep these ancient machines going? For some it's the money. Others do it for the elevated social status of the occupation. For most it is the pride of accomplishment we get in taking a battered and burned wreck and making a functional `Mech out of it. I know more than one Technician who has cried for joy at the sight of a rebuilt Wasp taking to the battlefield after being reduced to scrap by enemy laser fire.
Biography
Sired by an AsTech and born to a Warhammer pilot, Stewart McCobb Robertson grew up surrounded by the tools of his future career. He apprenticed early (age 10) to the company's repair crew in order to spend more time with his parents. He showed a great aptitude for BattleMech engineering, and later turned down the chance to pilot his mother's `Mech in order to continue his technical training. Today he is a Senior Tech, and has his pick of jobs. Sporting a full head of white hair, Stewart has worked for four of the Successor States, and for more companies, both House and mercenary, than he cares to remember. Although he admits he's over sixty, his eyes, skill, and stamina have yet to lose any of their edge. Many younger Techs expect Senior Tech Robertson, the "Old Man of the Pit", to be around for a long time. Before & after pictures of Stewart's current "baby" are supplied courtesy of his Pit Crew, as a surprise for Stewart. The 'Mech is a Falcon Hawk, a rare predecessor to the Phoenix Hawk. It had been lying damaged in a storehouse for over fifty years before Stewart decided to salvage it.
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