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Design Overview
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                 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"

================================================================================================
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]

================================================================================================
Equipment                                                             Mass                      
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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       

================================================================================================
Weapons and Ammo                                       Location          Critical     Tonnage   
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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             

================================================================================================
Alpha Strike Statistics                                             
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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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Code Release 2.24.13.1 (2024-09-02T12:52:21-04:00)