DUNE STALKER
Overview
Following the ascension of Nikolai Djerassi to the Khanship in 3040, the new Khan ordered a Touman-wide review to assess the new OmniMechs and formations created by Khans Solheim and Kirov. While for the most part, the Clan had seen a major improvement in logistics, maintenance, and operations, there were some notable problems. First and foremost was the overall lowering of the Touman's average tonnage . . . and the resulting decline in firepower and individual unit durability. Although this had been expected, and the Scientists and Warriors behind Project Scorpion 3000 had warned of this very issue, for the most part the increased effectiveness and versatility of the four OmniMechs that now comprised the Touman were far more capable and effective (individually) than those that they had replaced. Still, the lack of a true assault-weight element to the Clan (which had previously fielded large numbers of assault-class warmachines!) boded ill for future encounters with Clans that favored such units.
Indeed, already the Scorpions had lost three Trials (one to the Coyotes, a second to the Jaguars, and a third to the Star Adders) where the lighter (albeit faster and more maneuverable) Scorpion OmniMechs just simply could not prevail against the raw firepower that their opponents possessed.
Khan Djerassi sought to change that. However, he did so by not changing (again) the Touman structure, or the revised Cluster table of organization and equipment. His plan had two parts, one of which could take almost immediately. The second would require more time.
First, the Khan ordered that the
Desert Tiger be configured as a Artillery Support Platform and that a Reserve Artillery Trinary (which would eventually turn into three such formations) be created. This quick fix provided the Touman with a boost in firepower . . . but it was useless in the typical intra-Clan Trials where artillery was often bid away.
The second part was the design, development, and production of a true Assault-weight OmniMech. Christened the
Dune Stalker, this 90-ton beast would be unveiled in 3045 after five years of development and testing.
Not wishing to adjust the Clan TO&E yet again, Khan Djerassi borrowed from the SLDF of old. Noting that the Star League Defense Forces had fielded companies, battalions, and even regiments comprised of the same exact make and model of BattleMech, he called for the establishment of the 13th Scorpion Shock Cluster . . . a new formation that would be equipped
exclusively with the
Dune Stalker as that OmniMech became available.
It was a decision that made other Clans sit up and take notice. Even the most traditional Clans who favored the use of Assaults (the Coyotes, Jaguars, and Adders amongst them) were uncertain whether the Scorpion decision was brilliant or delusional. However, after becoming active, it quickly became clear that the 13th Shock Cluster (or the
Harbingers of Misfortune as the Scorpions named them; although some wags referred to them instead as the
Bad Luck Brigade) was a powerhouse that few Clan opponents were prepared to handle in combat.
Seldom committed
en masse, the 13th Shock nonetheless saw a variety of combat throughout the later years of the '40s and early '50s . . . and whenever one of the five combat Trinary were committed to the field, the Scorpions prevailed.
Despite this, the sheer cost of these OmniMechs prevented Khan Djerassi from raising more than one Shock Cluster, limiting the number of
Dune Stalkers within the Clan to a mere forty-seven. Assigned to some of the deadliest Warriors in the Scorpion Touman, along with veteran Elementals and fighter Pilots, the 13th Scorpion Shock Cluster is a force with which to be reckoned on any field of battle.
Capabilities
The
Dune Stalker masses some 90-tons in overall weight, using a 360XL engine that allows the OmniMech to walk at speeds of 43.2 kilometers per hour and run at 64.8 kph. Fourteen double-strength heat sinks were banked within the engine core to save valuable internal volume. Fourteen and one-half tons of Compound GS Ferro-fibrous armor provides near maximum protection for the chosen weight class . . . however, concern over the dwindling internal space led to the Scientists to recommend (and the Khan approve) that the OmniMech be built with standard internal structure materials rather than endo-steel composite (making the
Dune Stalker the only OmniMech in the Touman that does not use endo-steel).
This left thirty-nine tons of pod-space available . . . more than the
Gargoyle,
Warhawk,
Kingfisher, or
Executioner, albeit without much of the fixed heat sinks or other equipment some of those OmniMechs also carried.
The overall body design was based on the ancient
Stalker BattleMech used by the Inner Sphere and SLDF . . . although subtle changes make the chassis appear to be leaner and faster (which it is, actually).
Code:
BattleMech Technical Readout
Type/Model: Dune Stalker (Base)
Tech: Clan / 3045
Config: Biped OmniMech
Rules: Level 2, Custom design
Mass: 90 tons
Chassis: Standard
Power Plant: 360 XL Fusion
Walking Speed: 43.2 km/h
Maximum Speed: 64.8 km/h
Jump Jets: None
Jump Capacity: 0 meters
Armor Type: Ferro-Fibrous
Armament: None
Manufacturer: (Unknown)
Location: (Unknown)
Communications System: (Unknown)
Targeting & Tracking System: (Unknown)
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Type/Model: Dune Stalker (Base)
Mass: 90 tons
Equipment: Crits Mass
Int. Struct.: 138 pts Standard 0 9.00
Engine: 360 XL Fusion 10 16.50
Walking MP: 4
Running MP: 6
Jumping MP: 0
Heat Sinks: 14 Double [28] 0 4.00
Gyro: 4 4.00
Cockpit, Life Supt.: 5 3.00
Actuators: L: Sh+UA+LA+H R: Sh+UA+LA+H 16 .00
Armor Factor: 278 pts Ferro-Fibrous 7 14.50
(Armor Crit Loc: 1 HD, 1 LT, 1 RT, 2 LL, 2 RL)
Internal Armor
Structure Value
Head: 3 9
Center Torso: 29 45
Center Torso (Rear): 12
L/R Side Torso: 19 29/29
L/R Side Torso (Rear): 9/9
L/R Arm: 15 30/30
L/R Leg: 19 38/38
Weapons and Equipment Loc Heat Ammo Crits Mass
--------------------------------------------------------
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TOTALS: 0 42 51.00
Crits & Tons Left: 36 39.00
Calculated Factors:
Total Cost: 26,040,450 C-Bills
Battle Value: 962
Cost per BV: 27,069.07
Weapon Value: 0 / 0 (Ratio = .00 / .00)
Damage Factors: SRDmg = 2; MRDmg = 0; LRDmg = 0
BattleForce2: MP: 4, Armor/Structure: 7/5
Damage PB/M/L: 2/-/-, Overheat: 0
Class: MA; Point Value: 10
Specials: Omni
Configurations
The
Dune Stalker Prime is virtually a Clan copy of the original STK-3F
Stalker in terms of classes of weaponry. Two ER Large Lasers are the main ranged weapons (fitted one each to the right and left torsos), while four ER Medium Lasers support these guns in close (two each in the right arm and left arm). Twin LRM-10 launchers with Artemis IV fire-control systems were installed next (one each in the right and left arm, each with two tons of ammunition for 24 dual salvoes), while a pair of Streak SRM-6 launchers were placed within the torsos (one each in the right and left), fed by a single ton of ammunition in the right torso.
Code:
Type/Model: Dune Stalker (Prime)
Heat Sinks: 20 Double [40] 12 10.00
(Heat Sink Loc: 1 LA, 1 RA, 3 LT, 1 RT)
Weapons and Equipment Loc Heat Ammo Crits Mass
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1 LRM 10 w/ Artemis IV RA 4 48 6 7.50
(Ammo Locations: 2 LA, 2 RA)
2 ER Medium Lasers RA 10 2 2.00
1 LRM 10 w/ Artemis IV LA 4 2 3.50
2 ER Medium Lasers LA 10 2 2.00
1 Streak SRM 6 RT 4 15 3 4.00
(Ammo Locations: 1 RT)
1 ER Large Laser RT 12 1 4.00
1 Streak SRM 6 LT 4 2 3.00
1 ER Large Laser LT 12 1 4.00
1 Targeting Computer RT 3 3.00
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TOTALS: 60 72 90.00
Crits & Tons Left: 6 .00
Calculated Factors:
Total Cost: 30,426,125 C-Bills
Battle Value: 2,449
Cost per BV: 12,423.9
Weapon Value: 6,171 / 5,651 (Ratio = 2.52 / 2.31)
Damage Factors: SRDmg = 57; MRDmg = 38; LRDmg = 20
BattleForce2: MP: 4, Armor/Structure: 7/5
Damage PB/M/L: 7/6/3, Overheat: 3
Class: MA; Point Value: 25
Specials: Omni