Okay ... it's no-where near the BV of the other entries, but I'm hoping for some bonus points for chutzpah
Erich found his grandfather slumped in his chair in the Long Hall, head in his hands. The smell of brandy was strong, even at this distance. "They were here again, Grandfather?"
"Ach!" The old man didn't bother to look up. "Zose 'Raiders'! Ven I vas mit zer Lyran Guards, ve vould have laughed at zer pathetic abominations zat zey are using! But now ..."
Erich followed his grandfather's gaze to the neurohelmet mounted over the great fireplace. His grandfather had been one of the early proponents of Stone's demilitarisation of the Republic, converting his prized Battlemech into a minor patent of nobility, and modest wealth. But now, with the HPGs down and chaos rising once more, all that meant was that Erich's family was the logical target for any jumped-up bandit in a half-armed utility 'Mech - and Erich didn't know what would fail first - the bonds that tied society together, or his grandfather's heart. He heard a snuffling sound, and saw the old man taking another drink, this time from the bottle.
"Enough of that! If you want to kill yourself, at least do it with a gun in your hand against the bandits!" Erich's round-house swing smashed the bottle from his grandfather's hands. "There must be
something we can do! You gave up too much to gain our responsibility, to just crawl into a bottle!" Ever since Father had dies, it seemed the life had just faded in Grandfather.
But now the old man was laughing. Bitterly, true, but at least this was a reaction. "Knowing this vould happen, I should! No man can cheat zer fates ... a false title built on a false promise! But nozzing cna be done!"
"What do you mean, Grandfather? A false promise? But ..."
The old man grabbed Erich by the collar. "It iz time you are knowing this, junger. Time to zee vat sand our pride built on is ..."
* * *
"My God" sighed Erich. "What is it?"
The old man straightened. "This is
Scheunentor, mein old Battlemech. Precizely, ein Devastator. Tvin Gauss Rifles, backed by an energy battery vich could smash such zose bandits like zer scum zey are!"
"But how ... how is it
here, I mean, how is it here
now? I thought ... "
"Ja, ja ... but zanks to ... mutual friends, all zat I traded vas zer fusion engine. Zat alone bought us our titles. And now, useless it is ... mitout zer fusion heart, a beast dead it is. Like me!" he cried. "Useless, old, failed ..."
But Erich was looking a the 'Mech with interest, an idea dawning, "But ... the Raiders use conventional engines, Grandfather - why couldn't we?"
"Weight. An ICE engine big enough to move zis much metal vould be so slow - at best, half zer speed. And mitout zer energy of zer fusion engines, how would be firing zer PPCs or lasers?"
Erich spoke slowly. "But the Gauss rifles don't need that much energy ... and we could turn out steel rounds in town." He swung round excitedly. "Grandfather, there are some people, some friends from the University, who could help us. Friends of mine, and loyal to you. They call themselves the Stormhammers ..."
Code:
BattleMech Technical Readout
Type/Model: Devastator ICE DVS-2-DA
Tech: Inner Sphere / 3058
Config: Biped BattleMech
Rules: Level 3, Standard design
Mass: 100 tons
Chassis: Star League XT Standard
Power Plant: 200 Vlar I.C.E.
Walking Speed: 21.6 km/h
Maximum Speed: 32.4 km/h
Jump Jets: None
Jump Capacity: 0 meters
Armor Type: Durallex Heavy Standard
Armament:
2 Gauss Rifles
10 Machine Guns
4 Rocket Launcher 15 (OS)s
Manufacturer: Norse-Storm BattleMechs Inc.
Location: Loxley / LA (NSTI)
Communications System: Johnston Wide Band
Targeting & Tracking System: Rander Pinpoint-HY
--------------------------------------------------------
Type/Model: Devastator ICE DVS-2-DA
Mass: 100 tons
Equipment: Crits Mass
Int. Struct.: 152 pts Standard 0 10.00
Engine: 200 I.C.E. 6 17.00
Walking MP: 2
Running MP: 3
Jumping MP: 0
Heat Sinks: 5 Single 5 5.00
(Heat Sink Loc: 1 HD, 2 CT, 1 LL, 1 RL)
Gyro: 4 2.00
Cockpit, Life Supt., Sensors: 5 3.00
Actuators: L: Sh+UA+LA R: Sh+UA+LA 14 .00
Armor Factor: 296 pts Standard 0 18.50
Internal Armor
Structure Value
Head: 3 9
Center Torso: 31 47
Center Torso (Rear): 12
L/R Side Torso: 21 30/30
L/R Side Torso (Rear): 10/10
L/R Arm: 17 34/34
L/R Leg: 21 40/40
Weapons and Equipment Loc Heat Ammo Crits Mass
--------------------------------------------------------
1 Gauss Rifle RA 1 32 11 19.00
(Ammo Locations: 2 LT, 2 RT)
2 Machine Guns RA 0 100 3 1.50
(Ammo Locations: 1 RT)
1 Gauss Rifle LA 1 7 15.00
2 Machine Guns LA 0 2 1.00
2 Rocket Launcher 15 (OS)RT 8 4 2.00
3 Machine Guns RT 0 3 1.50
2 Rocket Launcher 15 (OS)LT 8 4 2.00
3 Machine Guns LT 0 3 1.50
CASE Equipment: LT RT 2 1.00
--------------------------------------------------------
TOTALS: 2 73 100.00
Crits & Tons Left: 5 .00
Calculated Factors:
Total Cost: 5,737,666 C-Bills
Battle Value: 1,730
Cost per BV: 3,316.57
Weapon Value: 1,994 / 1,994 (Ratio = 1.15 / 1.15)
Damage Factors: SRDmg = 22; MRDmg = 13; LRDmg = 12
BattleForce2: MP: 2, Armor/Structure: 7/8
Damage PB/M/L: 6/3/3, Overheat: 0
Class: MA; Point Value: 17
Drop the energy weapons, shift down to easy-to-maintain SHS, and fill the gaps with cheap weaponry. Now THIS is going to give the next Utility'Mech MOD a fright
And it won't help a lot getting into point-blank range, either.
W