BattleMech

A BattleMech (usually abbreviated as Mech) is a fighting machine in the fictional BattleTech universe, as well as the origin and main representative of said franchise.

The BattleMechs have appeared in various media used by the trademark since their original board game in 1984, through multiple supplements and manuals, several video games, a vast series of novels, and a series of cartoons, among other products.

This type of vehicle belongs to the category known as "wick" within the terminology of science fiction, manga and anime. Other similar examples can be found in manga and anime such as Mazinger Z or Neon Genesis Evangelion.

Origin

The BattleMechs appeared in 1984, under the name BattleDroids, as the protagonists of the FASA Corporation board game to which they gave their name. In the second edition, the name of the game and said robots had to be changed, renaming them BattleTech and BattleMechs respectively, due to the rights that George Lucas and Lucasfilm owned over the game. term droid (in Spanish, droide).

The designs of early BattleMechs were based on robots from anime, such as Macross. Subsequently, the use of these designs was abandoned due to lawsuits by the companies Playmates and Harmony Gold for copyright infringement and unfair competition. Since the rights to those designs only affected the visual appearance of the Mechs, these continued to be used, although no images of them were shown until the Technical Readout: Project Phoenix created new artwork for these designs.

The Mechs are very different from each other in various aspects, such as weight, speed, chassis configuration, armor and weaponry, which has resulted in a considerable number of official designs. FASA and its successors, WizKids, FanPro, and Catalyst Game Labs, have created hundreds of official BattleMechs to complement the original game, most of them published in the series of supplements called Technical Readouts i>. Additionally, detailed in-game building rules have allowed players to create their own custom designs, spawning a vast number of additional designs, some of them published in magazines, websites, and other media.

As the BattleTech franchise grew, BattleMechs appeared in formats other than the board game. A series of miniatures, a collectible card game, several video games, a prolific saga of novels, and even a series of cartoons for television, have as one of their main protagonists Mechs and duels in which they face each other.

Background

In the BattleTech universe, the first BattleMech built was the Mackie, which contemporary accounts describe as a 100-ton box on legs. It was developed in 2439 in the Terran Hegemony, used for the first time in 2443, and reproduced throughout the Inner Sphere once its construction plans were stolen in 2455. In the following centuries they were gone. developing and refining new models. The pilots who command these machines are called MechWarriors.

Advancement in the construction of Mechs reached its peak during the days of the Star League, although, after its fall and the consequent Wars of Succession, its progress slowed down and even part was lost. of the infrastructure and knowledge necessary to produce the latest models. As a consequence, at the beginning of the 31st century the Great Houses produced models centuries old and the mercenary units were practically forced to recycle the Mechs destroyed in the battlefields.

The society known as the Clans, given their voluntary exile from the known universe since the fall of the Star League, preserved and improved the technological level of that time. Once they returned to the Inner Sphere for its reconquest in 3050, the overwhelming superiority of their models with respect to the obsolete ones of the Inner Sphere was verified.

The first confirmed sighting of a Clan Mech by someone from the Inner Sphere occurred in 3049 on The Rock in the Oberon Confederacy i>, where MechWarrior Phelan Kell, from the Kell's Demons mercenary unit, faced off against the model named Timber Wolf (who would be called Mad Cat in the Inner Sphere).. This duality of names for the Mechs of the Clans was common during the Invasion, since, apart from the official name given by the Clans, the people of the Inner Sphere assigned a new name to them as they were facing unknown models.

The Clan invasion sparked a revival of research and development in BattleMechs technology, both in the Inner Sphere and in the Clans, resulting in the appearance of many new models. during the 3050s and 3060s. However, following Blake's Word Jihad and the new period of peace during the Republic of the Sphere era, much of the technology was lost or fell into disuse. BattleMechs.

Related Terms

Within the BattleTech universe, there are some terms closely related to BattleMech:

• OmniMech: name they receive Mechs First line of the Clans. Apart from having a more advanced technology, its main feature is the modularity of weapons and equipment, allowing them to be repaired and adapted to the requirements of the mission or the preferences of the MechWarrior. Subsequently, the Interior Sphere adopted this property in its new designs, so the term was generalized, leaving it to be exclusive of the Clan technology.
• IndustrialMech: generic name that receives Mechs not designed for combat, but for use in civilian tasks. Because of their less critical use, they use internal combustion engines instead of fusion engines. Several specializations are distinguished:
  • AgroMech: designed to be used in agricultural tasks.
  • ConstructionMech: designed to be used in infrastructure construction.
  • ForestryMech: designed to be used in forestry.
  • MiningMech: designed to be used in mining.
• Mechwarrior: name given to the battlemech pilots. These pilots are considered the elite of the elite of any army.

Technology

The BattleMechs considered within the official canon of the universe are described as machines between 8 and 16 meters in height (about 26 to 53 feet) and between 20 and 100 tons in weight (in multiples of 5). Some of them reach a speed of up to about 150 km/h (about 90 mph). Although, by design, they are better prepared for combat on land, they can be used, with certain restrictions, underwater or in outer space.

Although, within its background, the technology for the construction of Mechs has suffered a serious setback compared to past eras, most elements of a BattleMech still belong to science fiction today:

Internal structure

The BattleMechs have an internal structure, like a skeleton, composed of bones manufactured, originally and roughly, by an aluminum core covered by a casing of steel and titanium. A later improvement introduced the so-called endosteel internal structure, in which, using weightless manufacturing techniques, a metal twice as light (but also bulky) as the original was obtained.

These bones are actuated by artificial muscles, called actuators, made of myomer, an artificial polymer fiber that contracts when exposed to an electric current.

The system of bones and muscles is combined with a large gyroscope in the torso of the Mech that contributes to the stability of the whole. The entire system is controlled by the MechWarrior through his neurohelmet, a bulky helmet with electrodes inside, capable of transmitting nerve impulses from the pilot to the system to provide it with stability and control the movement of the Mech partly subconsciously (since a joystick, throttle and two pedals are also used). Thus, the pilot can attend to the rest of the information offered by the sensors and to the combat itself.

The power needed to move the Mech and fight is drawn from a small fusion reactor housed in its torso, commonly called a fusion engine.

When moving, firing, or just having its fusion engine activated, a Mech generates a lot of heat. Various heat sinks are included in all BattleMechs to prevent overheating of the reactor, the ammunition of its weapons or damage to the pilot.

Shielding

To protect the delicate internal structure of a BattleMech it is encased in thick armor. This armor is made up of two layers:

• Exterior layer: made with lined crystal steel. This gives you an excellent heat driving property, making it a useful protection against energy weapons.
• Inner layer: manufactured with foil nitride and diamond filaments, effective against the penetration damage of ballistic weapons and the fragmentation of the armor.

A later improvement introduced the so-called ferro-fibrous armor, composed of interwoven fibers of ferro-steel and ferro-titanium , which increased considerably the tensile strength, at the cost of being more bulky.

Weaponry

The BattleMechs can carry a wide variety of weaponry. Since the Mech's own fusion engine can power energy weapons almost indefinitely, these are usually the most widely used. In addition, batteries of short- or long-range missiles, autocannons, and machine guns can be mounted, which, while generating less heat, require ammunition. Of course, a Mech's own limbs can also become a weapon, kicking or punching.

Equipment

The BattleMechs can carry various devices that increase their defensive and offensive characteristics. Some examples of so-called electronic warfare are: electronic countermeasure equipment that makes detection difficult, probes that enhance the range of their radars, anti-missile systems or systems to improve the precision of their weapons.

Classification by chassis type

Depending on the type of chassis, there are three general types of design for a Mech:

Bipedal

The vast majority of BattleMechs belong to this category, as it is the most versatile. The bipedal Mechs move using two limbs and, depending on the shape of these, are divided into three variants:

• Humanoid: the most common model. His lower limbs follow the design of a human leg. Typical examples of this variant are the Atlas [1] and the Summoner (Thor[2].
• Inverted joint: also called colloquially peeping. Its lower extremities have a knee with the opposite turning angle of the human being, as in the birds. Typical examples of this variant are the Catapult [3] and the Timber Wolf (Mad Cat[4].
• From Double knee: the least frequent of all three. Its lower extremities have a design like that of mythological fauns. An example of this variant is the Thanatos [5].

MAT

MATs (Mech Aero Tterrestrial) have the ability to transform into aerospace fighters, allowing them to travel great distances soon. However, design restrictions, its vulnerability, and legal conflicts over early Mechs designs (several of which were of this type) prevented the spread of this category. The original MAT designs belonged to the Wasp [6] [7], Stinger [8] [9] and Phoenix Hawk [10] models. ] [eleven].

Quadruped

Quadruped Mechs (also called Quads) move on four limbs and, therefore, do not have useful arms, like the rest of the categories, that serve to pick up objects, carry weapons or punch. Despite its greater stability, and possibility of lateral movement, its lack of ability to carry heavy weapons meant that this category was not favored by most players. Some of its rare examples are the Scorpion [12] and the Goliath [13].

Classification by weight

Based on weight, BattleMechs are classified into the following categories:

Light

Light Mechs are those that weigh between 20 and 35 tons. As a general rule, they are usually designs with little armor and weapons, capable of reaching high speed and equipped with electronic sensor systems. For all these reasons, they are normally used as scouting, anti-personnel or support fire units.

Some typical examples of this category are the Locust [14], the Commando [15], the Panther [16] or the Raven [17].

Medium

Medium Mechs are those that weigh between 40 and 55 tons. They are the most frequent and versatile class on the battlefield, as they are capable of carrying a respectable amount of armor and weapons, while maintaining a medium-high speed. They are considered the workhorse in most armies.

Some typical examples of this category are the Centurion [18], the Hunchback [19] or the Shadow Cat [20].

Heavy

Heavy Mechs are those that weigh between 60 and 75 tons. Although they are less versatile than the average Mechs, they can carry much greater armor and weapon loads, being able to withstand large amounts of damage and neutralize smaller units in a single barrage of shots.

Some typical examples of this category are the Rifleman [21], the Warhammer [22] or the popular Timber Wolf (Mad Cat).

Assault

Assault Mechs are those that weigh between 80 and 100 tons. Some of these gigantic robots carry an amount of armor and weaponry greater than the weight of an average full Mech. On the other hand, they are the slowest and least maneuverable units on the battlefield. They are generally used as command units, for assaulting fortified positions or as heavy fire platforms.

Some typical examples of this category are the Battlemaster [23], the Dire Wolf (Daishi) [24] or the popular Atlas.

Colossal

The Colossal class is a new category created in the Dark Age era. It includes experimental BattleMechs with three legs and in around 130 tons in weight. These Mechs require a crew of three (pilot, gunner, and engineer). The original design was called Ares, the name by which the category is also known. There are four variants, differentiated in the arms and in the type of weaponry. These variants are, in order of appearance, Hades, Hera, Zeus, and Poseidon.