BattleMech Technical Readout
Name/Model: Pikeman PKM-8M
Designer: Captain_Frosty
Source(s): Custom Mordel.Net Units
Technology: Inner Sphere
Technology Rating: F
Tonnage: 60
Role: Brawler
Configuration: Biped BattleMech
Era/Year: Jihad / 3078
Rules (Current): Standard
Rules (Era): Advanced
Rules (Year): Experimental
Total Cost: 10,800,800 C-Bills
Battle Value: 1,709
Chassis: TFT Model 6 "Pike" Endo Steel
Power Plant: Microsol "R68 Medium" 300 Light Fusion
Walking Speed: 54 kph
Maximum Speed: 86.4 kph
Jump Jets: None
Jump Capacity: None
Armor: TFT Light Ferro Plating Light Ferro-Fibrous with CASE II
Armament:
1 Lambert Corp. "G-150" Gauss Rifle
5 Lambert Corp. "G-20" MagShot Gauss Rifles
Manufacturer: Task Force Talon
Primary Factory: Unknown
Communications: Gencore "VFX-7" with Angel ECM Suite
Targeting & Tracking: Zica Inc. "FC-70"
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Overview:
A product of necessity, the PKM-8M 'Pikeman' began as a concept for multirole combat
platform that could perform with great effect at both short and long range while having both
enough armor and enough mobility to have effectively no downsides. Though an unreasonable
demand by all metrics, the Lambert corporation took it upon themselves to provide the
solution. Using a variety of reverse engineered technologies and improving upon existing
ones, the result was the creation of a home-grown variant of Magshot gauss rifles.
Lightweight, lacking in heat demands and with the reach of a medium laser, a rotary
arrangement was made by combining five of these weapons, effectively creating a gauss
shotgun for close range engagements, which was mounted on the left side. Much simpler was
the installation of a regular gauss rifle on the right arm which provided not only an
extensive boost in firepower but also impressive reach.
Through these weapons, the project's scope became viable, if only barely so. using a light
fusion engine, light ferro-fibrous armor and endo-steel structure, the resultant 'mech was a
terrifying mix of fair speed, good armor and incredible lethality. The only downside,
unfortunately found only after the unit began to be deployed in earnest, was the volatile
nature of its gauss weapons. An internal threat that was regretfully accepted as a necessary
compromise with pilots being instructed to take into account this flaw for their
positioning.
Capabilities:
The PKM-8M 'Pikeman' can be a terrifying 'mech in any lineup. With the capacity to be
extremely dangerous at all ranges and enough firepower to threaten assault 'mechs up close,
it carries both raw damage dealing potential and an impressive amount of protection without
sacrificing its ability to properly position itself. Though technically lacking in
anti-infantry capabilities, the combined magshots can still easily annihilate mechanized
infantry companies and battle armor units without much trouble.
Deployment:
The PKM-8M 'Pikeman' is a force multiplier unit. The gauss rifle provides pure damage output
while the magshots provide excellent short range crit-seeking potential. The main problem
arises in the unit's own extreme vulnerability to crit-seeking, potentially leaving it
crippled through either one lucky hit or sheet force of statistical probability via volume
of fire (3 infantry platoons with 4 AC/2 Field-guns each, for example). This means that a
great priority much be given against such crit-seekers from allied units while the PKM-8M
punishes more conventional enemy units that attempt to engage.
Variants:
The PKM-8 'Pikeman' has three variants.
The first is the PKM-8M, which was described above.
The second is the PKM-8P, in which Lambert Corp. sought to resolve the two key downsides of
the original model by replacing the gauss rifle with an LB 10-X AC that carried two tons of
regular and two tons of cluster ammo. The 5 Magshots were also replaced with 5 SRM/2
launchers which were loaded with 1 ton of inferno ammo. The last remaining half ton of space
was used for additional armor. Despite the drop in damage output, this variant has proven
popular due to it greater versatility and better safety.
The third is the PKM-8R, which was entirely spearheaded by Zica Inc. and sought to replace
the full loadout with energy weapons. The 'mech was upgraded with fifteen double heat-sinks,
to start with. The gauss rifle was replaced with a newly developed heavy PPC which, while
having slightly less range, kept the same damage potential. Next, all five Magshots were
replaces with 5 standard medium lasers, increasing the total damage potential while
maintaining the range. Lastly, the remaining space was used to install a cockpit command
console and half a ton extra armor. Considered by many to be the best variant of the Pikeman
by far, it's only real downside is the vulnerability to heat based weapons.
Notable MechWarriors:
[CLASSIFIED]
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Equipment Mass
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Internal Structure: Endo Steel 3.00
Engine: 300 Light Fusion 14.50
Walking MP: 5
Running MP: 8
Jumping MP: 0
Heat Sinks (Single): 10 0.00
Gyro: Standard 3.00
Cockpit: Standard 3.00
Armor Factor: 186 11.00
Type: Light Ferro-Fibrous
Internal Armor
Structure Value
Head: 3 9
Center Torso: 20 25
Center Torso (rear): 6
R/L Torso: 14 23
R/L Torso (rear): 5
R/L Arm: 10 20
R/L Leg: 14 25
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Weapons and Ammo Location Critical Tonnage
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Angel ECM Suite CT 2 2.00
CASE II RT 1 1.00
Gauss Rifle (Ammo 24) RT 3 3.00
CASE II LT 1 1.00
MagShot Gauss Rifle (Ammo 50) LT 1 1.00
Gauss Rifle RA 7 15.00
5 MagShot Gauss Rifles LA 10 2.50
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Alpha Strike Statistics
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Point Value (PV): 38
TP: BM, SZ: 3, TMM: 2, MV: 10"
Damage: (S) 3 / (M) 3 / (L) 2, OV: 0
Armor (A): 6, Structure (S): 3
Specials: AECM, CASEII
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