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Old Dog
Capellan Confederation
Sang-wei
Joined: 24-May-2002 00:00
Posts: 299
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 Posted: 03-Jun-2002 12:05 Post subject: Rifleman (65D) |
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Mech: Rifleman (D 65) |
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Mass: 60 Tons |
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Tech Base: I.S. Level 2 |
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Equipment |
align="center"> Mass |
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Internal Structure: |
6.0 |
(Standard) |
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Engine: 240 |
11.5 |
(Standard) |
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Walking MP: 4 |
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Running MP: 6 |
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Jumping MP: 0 |
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Heat Sinks: 10 |
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(Standard) |
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Gyro: |
3.0 |
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Cockpit: |
3.0 |
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Armor Factor: (152) |
9.5 |
(Standard) |
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align="center">InternalStructure |
Armor |
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Head |
4 |
8 |
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Center Torso |
20 |
28 |
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Center Torso (Rear) |
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4 |
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Right/Left Torso |
14 |
20 |
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Right/Left Torso (Rear) |
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4 |
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Right/Left Arm |
10 |
16 |
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Right/Left Leg |
14 |
16 |
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Weapons &
Equipment |
align="center"> Location |
align="center">Criticals |
align="center"> Mass |
RAC-5 |
RA |
6 |
10.0 |
Ammo (RAC-5) 30 |
RA |
2 |
1.5 |
RAC-5 |
LA |
6 |
10.0 |
Ammo (RAC-5) 30 |
LA |
2 |
1.5 |
Medium Laser |
RT |
1 |
1.0 |
Medium Laser |
LT |
1 |
1.0 |
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OVERVIEW:
The Rifleman was once known far and wide in the Inner Sphere, serving for centuries in the armies of every major house, Periphery power, and even in most mercenary or pirate bands. That was then. In the modern world, the production of Riflemen continued on, but the sales of same didn't keep up. Even retooled versions didn't match needed sales figures, and, before long, the mech fell almost entirely out of production, reduced to an 'Unseen' mech whose time had passed.
House Davion, however, had always had a warmth in its heart for Autocannons, and had kept their Rifleman facilities running, albeit at a low priority. Fortunately, two events combined to give the line life once more. The first was the perfection of the Rotary Autocannon, an upgrade of earlier Ultra-style cannons that Davion, alone, had access to. The second was a time of strife, where the House found itself stretched thin ... war against the Clans, attacks by the Capellan Confederation, attacks against, and by, the Draconic Combine, and, in time, even attacks agianst itself, as the Federation split in two. Monies were short, need was great, and nothing could be left idle if it could produce materiels needed for the hungry war. The Rifleman was returned into full scale production in 3065, intended at first as a Periphery guard, to protect the less-vital areas that more powerful mechs were being pulled away from. As the Civil War grew, Riflemen were soon pressed to second line, or even frontline roles. While their individual ability has been higher than before, they're still no match for a modern front line machine in single combat. Fortunately, a lance costs roughly the same as a single modern mech, and in a war of attrition, the RIfleman stands tall.
CAPABILITIES:
As is the norm with such a venerable base design, the Rifleman has long since had most of its strengths and weaknesses documented. However, a young warrior might never have encountered this old veteran of the field, and, as such, a short briefing is in order.
The primary design feature of the Rifleman has always been its twin weapon system. If fully half the mech is taken out, the remaining half is fully capable of continuing on, fighting, or escaping, as the need arises. In the 65D's case, the rotary autocannon replaces both the standard Autocannon of old and the paired large lasers. While, at first glance, this seems to be a brutal reduction in firepower, the reverse is actually true, as the damage capability has increased over its predecessor, at an admited risk. Fully third rounds of ammunition feed each cannon, a number which seems impressive until the rapid fire rate is taken into account. The overall assignment of the mech as a defensive mech for garrisons, rather than an attack platform, negates many ammunition factors.
Backing up this state of the art weaponry are a pair of decidedly NOT state of the art medium laser. Millions of these basic weapons can be found in Davion storehouses and, rather than let them rot, they were put into service on a mech whose nature needed only emergency backups, not mainline gear. A paltry pair of medium lasers is rather unimpressive for a sixty ton mech to make use of should its main guns go dry, but, in a pinch, the Mechwarrior can always count on his 'sidearms' for aid.
The biggest weakness of the venerable Rifleman has always been its average to weak armor protection, a feature still found on the 65D. Front plating and cockpit protections are fully up to normal levels, with arms being of average strength, but the legs and, especially, the rear sections are vulnerable. Commanders have long been advised to use RIflemen on a firing line, protected by a ridge or other waist-high feature, placed in such a way that the enemy cannot attack them from behind. In those instances where this can be done, the Rifleman becomes a serious threat.
DEPLOYMENT:
As noted, the primary placement of the 65D has been far, far away from most combats. The Periphery, in particular, has seen many deployed in an anti-bandit capability, while interior worlds that are being stripped of higher grade machines are seeing new model 65D's shipped in as a replacement. Ironicly, this exact deployment is what originally caused the Rifleman to outlive so many of teh Star League's own top-notch machines, and if the war drives everyone to a dark age, it will likely survive again.
The 65D has had hefty production, as House Davion suppliers have long had a plethera of parts for the older Rifleman in storage, and have been willing to sell great volumes of them at discount prices, since the market dried up. As such, in the two years since production restarted, New Avalon has seen nearly a regiment's worth deployed, as an astonishing one a week has run off the assembly line. It is expected that this speed will slow once parts on hand are sold through and reorders have to be made, but, for now, the Rifleman 65D seems to have a future everywhere in the Federated Suns.
VARIANTS:
The 65D itself is, in fact, a variant, but from its base design, there has been no official deviation as of yet. A few prototype machines exist, with armor, ammunition, and secondary weapons slightly changed, but there are only a half dozen of these machines left, and all reside in the testing hall, not the battlefield.
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Old Dog
Capellan Confederation
Sang-wei
Joined: 24-May-2002 00:00
Posts: 299
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| Posted: 03-Jun-2002 12:07 Post subject: Rifleman (65D) |
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Ugh!
Well, the old Mordel page display format thingy I have does NOT work.
Somebody throw me a bone, here? I know *nothing* of code, and I need a skeelton to fill in so I can post designs. 
-- Old Dog, Sparklypoof@yahoo.com
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Kraken
Federated Suns
Marshal
Joined: 04-Feb-2002 00:00
Posts: 2755
Location: United States
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| Posted: 03-Jun-2002 12:31 Post subject: Rifleman (65D) |
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Nice job. Do you have any more redesigns of older units? If so, I'll let you post them before I do mine.
_________________
"I wish I could write as mysterious as a cat." -Edgar Allen Poe"I knew there was something special about you, but I never realized you were really a cat." Wolfwood to a random cat (Trigun)
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Old Dog
Capellan Confederation
Sang-wei
Joined: 24-May-2002 00:00
Posts: 299
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| Posted: 03-Jun-2002 13:43 Post subject: Rifleman (65D) |
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Actually yes. The infamous 'X' editions of the Unseen, for example, and some more recent work as well.
But I'm not posting anything else when I only have this format skeleton to follow. It was *perfect* for the old board, but it blew up on the new page. *cry*
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Nightmare
Lyran Alliance
Kommandant-General
Joined: 03-May-2002 00:00
Posts: 2214
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| Posted: 03-Jun-2002 14:13 Post subject: Rifleman (65D) |
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I find it easiest to create a text file first, then copy-paste it to Mordel`s page.
HmPro, BMD and some versions of TDB all allow you to store a mech as a .txt file.
And the 65D is certainly fearsome enough, as Riflemen go  I prefer using a fast medium lance for hunting fire support units, like the RFL and it`s friends. Phoenix Hawks, Wolverines, and the like. They would have to be unusually careful against THIS particular variant Rifleman though. RACs are nasty when you get too close to the owner.
_________________
A tree fall in the forest, and no one is around, and it hits a mime. Does anyone care?
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