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Design Overview
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                 BattleMech Technical Readout

Name/Model:         Hatchetman HCT-3S
Designer:           Ruger
Source(s):          Custom Mordel.Net Units
Technology:         Inner Sphere
Technology Rating:  D
Tonnage:            45
Configuration:      Biped BattleMech
Era/Year:           Succession Wars / 3025
Rules (Current):    Introductory
Rules (Era):        Introductory
Rules (Year):       Introductory
Total Cost:         3,835,540 C-Bills
Battle Value:       1,108

Chassis:              Standard
Power Plant:          225 Fusion
Walking Speed:        54 kph    
Maximum Speed:        86.4 kph  
Jump Jets:            Standard
    Jump Capacity:    150 meters
Armor:                Standard
Armament:             
    1 Large Laser
    2 Medium Lasers
    1 SRM 4
Manufacturer:         Unknown
    Primary Factory:  Unknown
Communications:       Unknown
Targeting & Tracking: Unknown

================================================================================================
Overview:
    Although an effective city fighter, it has been a well known fact that the Hatchetman is not
    an effective combatant in open fields and other similar terrain. Therefore, Defiance
    Industries engineers decided to revisit the design to make it more effective on the average
    battlefield.

Capabilities:
    Despite its hard-hitting firepower, the autocannon mounted on the Hatchetman is simply
    massive in comparison to the 'Mech's size, taking up nearly one-third the mass of the
    overall machine, especially when ammunition is included. Knowing this mass could be put to
    more effective use, the designers removed the autocannon and its ammunition, replacing them
    with two weapon systems. The first was a Thunderbolt A5M heavy laser, a model that matches
    the range profile of the original autocannon while being less than half as massive. Although
    hits by this weapon are only 80% as effective as the autocannon, it still provides heavy
    firepower when needed. The second new weapon system installed is a TharHes 4 pack of short
    range missiles, fed by a single ton of ammunition. This weapon only has a little over half
    the range of the autocannon, but like the heavy laser, can hit almost as hard as the larger
    gun, and has the added benefits of potentially impacting into holes already created by the
    other weapons of the model, and being able to use alternate ammunition types if the
    situation calls for it. To free up the hatchet for melee strikes when its within range of
    such attacks, the right arm's medium laser was moved to a mount in the center torso. The
    left arm's medium laser remained in its position.
    
    Having used 8 of the 14 tons freed up by the autocannon's removal, other aspects of the
    design were reviewed for improvement. Knowing that the original Hatchetman had trouble
    closing with an enemy in open field combat, the engine size was increased from the original
    type 180 engine to a type 225, which provides cruising speeds over 50 kph, and maximum
    speeds in excess of 80 kph. The jump range was also improved with an additional jump jet
    added to the rear torso. Finally, the armor on the design was increased, as several pilots
    had complained of the light armor load on the original design. After the other changes,
    enough mass remained to increase the armor to 8 tons, but it was felt this would be
    insufficient for what was becoming a trooper or skirmisher design, and so, with great
    reluctance given the high heat load of the heavy laser, the single additional heat sink was
    removed. Although this can cause major heat concerns if the 'MechWarrior piloting the new
    model was not careful, it was enough for a talented war to make the 'Mech shine on the
    battlefield; which was only enhanced by the fact that it was found that, for whatever
    reason, the heavy laser was especially accurate on this design (note: accurate weapon
    quirk). However, it soon became known that the heavy laser also suffered from a poor cooling
    jacket, and the short range missiles from an ammunition feed issue similar to the autocannon
    on the Orion BattleMech.

Deployment:
    Although the design was at first lauded for what should have been a highly effective
    upgrade, the HCT-3S should gained a poor reputation due to the issues with its two new
    weapons. Deployment was slowed and then halted to Lyran line units, and most of the output
    of this newer model has been regulated to sale to friendly mercenary units.

================================================================================================
Equipment                                                             Mass                      
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Internal Structure:                          Standard                  4.50                     
Engine:                                     225 Fusion                10.00                     
    Walking MP:                                 5                                               
    Running MP:                                 8                                               
    Jumping MP:                                 5                                               
Heat Sinks (Single):                            10                     0.00                     
Gyro:                                        Standard                  3.00                     
Cockpit:                                     Standard                  3.00                     
Armor Factor:                                  144                     9.00                     
    Type:                                    Standard                                           

                                    Internal         Armor     
                                    Structure        Value     
    Head:                               3              8       
    Center Torso:                      14             20       
    Center Torso (rear):                               8       
    R/L Torso:                         11             15       
    R/L Torso (rear):                                  5       
    R/L Arm:                            7             14       
    R/L Leg:                           11             20       

================================================================================================
Weapons and Ammo                                       Location          Critical     Tonnage   
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Jump Jet                                                  CT                1          0.50             
Medium Laser                                              CT                1          1.00             
Jump Jet                                                  RT                1          0.50             
Large Laser                                               RT                2          5.00             
SRM 4                                                     RT                1          2.00             
SRM 4 (Ammo 25)                                           RT                1          1.00             
Jump Jet                                                  LT                1          0.50             
Hatchet                                                   RA                3          3.00             
Medium Laser                                              LA                1          1.00             
Jump Jet                                                  RL                1          0.50             
Jump Jet                                                  LL                1          0.50             

================================================================================================
Alpha Strike Statistics                                             
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Point Value (PV): 29
TP: BM,  SZ: 2,  TMM: 2,  MV: 10"j
Damage: (S) 2 / (M) 2 / (L) 0,  OV: 1
Armor (A): 5,  Structure (S): 4
Specials: MEL
 
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Code Release 2.25.5 (2025-11-01T16:12:58-04:00)