Type: Banshee
Technology Base: Inner Sphere Tonnage: 95
Battle Value: 1,422
Equipment Mass
Internal Structure: 9.5
Engine: 380 41
Walking MP: 4
Running MP: 6
Jumping MP: 0
Heat Sinks: 16 6
Gyro: 4
Cockpit: 3
Armor Factor: 240 15
Internal Armor
Structure Value
Head 3 9
Center Torso 30 40
Center Torso (rear) 17
R/L Torso 20 30
R/L Torso (rear) 10
R/L Arm 16 21
R/L Leg 20 26
Weapons
and Ammo Location Critical Tonnage
PPC RT 3 7
AC/5 LT 4 8
Ammo (AC) 20 LT 1 1
Small Laser H 1 .5
AS7-D ATLAS 168
Mass: 100 tons
Chassis: Foundation Type 10X Power Plant: Vlar 300 Cruising Speed: 32 kph Maximum Speed: 54 kph Jump Jets: None
Jump Capacity: None Armor: Durallex Special Heavy Armament:
1 Defi ance ’Mech Hunter Autocannon 1 FarFire Maxi-Rack LRM 20
4 Defi ance B3M Medium Lasers 1 TharHes Maxi SRM 6
Manufacturer: Defi ance Industries, Yori MechWorks, Independence Weaponry
Primary Factory: Hesperus II (Defi ance), Al Na’ir (Yori), Quentin (Independence) Communications System: Angst Discom Targeting and Tracking System: Angst Accuracy
Overview
When General Aleksandr Kerensky laid down the design specifi cations for the Atlas, he said it should be “a
’Mech as powerful as imaginable, as impenetrable as possi-ble, and as foreboding as conceivapossi-ble, so that fear itself will be our ally.” With the Regular army increasingly concerned with the growing strength of the House Lords’ personal armies, a new and powerful ’Mech was needed. Despite the coming war and the abandonment of the Inner Sphere by General Kerensky and most of the SLDF, the Atlas served its purpose.
Capabilities
The fi rst impression any spectator gets of the Atlas is its ferocious appearance. The famous skull-head took designers a full year to perfect, and although there are taller ’Mechs on the fi eld, none of them have the sheer presence of the Atlas.
As an assault ’Mech, the Atlas has few peers. The larg-est long-range missile launcher available sits in the left torso, giving the Atlas a powerful long-range punch. As the ’Mech closes it can bring a bevy of deadly weapons to bear, the most fearsome of which is the massive Defi ance
’Mech Hunter Autocannon in the right torso with enough ammunition to decimate a company of ’Mechs. The can-non is backed by a six-tube short-range missile system and two pairs of medium lasers covering all sides of the ’Mech.
Twenty heat sinks give the Atlas the freedom to use this fi repower, and most MechWarriors are fearful of this ’Mech for very deserved reasons.
Very few if any BattleMechs carry more armor than the Atlas, and a complete set of actuators (including hands) give the ’Mech frightful physical combat capabilities. There are myths among MechWarriors of the Atlas actually pick-ing up lighter ’Mechs and breakpick-ing them like toys.
If the Atlas has any weakness it would be its slow speed.
Although other assault ’Mechs are as slow, the fact that an Atlas is easily escaped is the hope most MechWarriors have when they face such a machine.
Deployment
Although it was built for the Star League, almost all of the Atlases built during that era remained when General Kerensky vanished. Since then, production has continued to supply the Successor States with this ’Mech, and it has spread in limited numbers to every Successor State mili-tary. It is most often used as a command vehicle for senior commanders, although several common MechWarriors man them in assault lances as well.
Variants
Most militaries are loath to tamper with the Atlas for the simple reason that it seems nearly perfect in its role already. Attempted modifi cations generally fail since most engineers have to make too many concessions to keep the
’Mech functioning.
Notable MechWarriors
Prince Ian Davion: First Prince of the Federated Suns before Hanse Davion, Ian Davion fell in combat on Mallory’s World in 3013 against House Kurita. While many scoff at a realm’s sovereign entering battle, Ian Davion was a warrior fi rst and a leader second, and his army loved him for it. During his fi nal battle, Prince Davion held a vital pass against Yorinaga Kurita and his Second Sword of Light while his men made their escape. Although other units, including the Kell Hounds, were pushing forward to support him, he fell in battle before help could arrive.
General Aaron DeChavilier: Second-in-command of the SLDF under General Kerensky, General DeChavilier took part in the assault on Amaris’ last stronghold. While his-tory records Kerensky’s Orion kicking in the gates, it was DeChavilier’s Atlas destroying the outer wall that gave the Commanding General access to that famous gate.
MechWarrior lore recounts how DeChavilier continually ex-posed his ’Mech to fi re from the Usurper’s defenses, trust-ing in his Atlas’ heavy armor to protect him.
Hauptmann-General Kathleen Heany: A member of Field Marshal Nondi Steiner’s staff and a former regimental commander in the Lyran Guard, Hauptmann-General Heany is a proponent of the “old school” of Lyran warfare. She routinely rejects the advice of the AFFS offi cers under her command and ignores any of the tactical innovations that the alliance with House Davion has brought to the LCAF.
AFFS offi cers forced to serve under her apply for transfer as soon as possible, and those Davion units unlucky enough to be placed under her command chafe at the (to them) incompetent orders they are forced to follow.
ASSAULT ’MECHS
169
AS7-D ATLAS
Type: Atlas
Technology Base: Inner Sphere Tonnage: 100
Battle Value: 1,893
Equipment Mass
Internal Structure: 10
Engine: 300 19
Walking MP: 3
Running MP: 5
Jumping MP: 0
Heat Sinks: 20 10
Gyro: 3
Cockpit: 3
Armor Factor: 304 19
Internal Armor
Structure Value
Head 3 9
Center Torso 31 47
Center Torso (rear) 14
R/L Torso 21 32
R/L Torso (rear) 10
R/L Arm 17 34
R/L Leg 21 41
Weapons
and Ammo Location Critical Tonnage
AC/20 RT 10 14
Ammo (AC) 10 RT 2 2
LRM 20 LT 5 10
Ammo (LRM) 12 LT 2 2
Medium Laser RA 1 1
Medium Laser LA 1 1
2 Medium Lasers CT (R) 2 2
SRM 6 LT 2 3
Ammo (SRM) 15 LT 1 1