Weapons and Ammo Location Tonnage Heat SRV MRV LRV ERV
AC/10 Nose 12 0 10 10 — —
Ammo (AC) 20 — 2
SRM 4 RW 2 0 6 — — —
SRM 4 LW 2 0 6 — — —
Ammo (SRM) 50 — 2
Type: Heavy Strike Fighter (“Meteor” Variant) Technology Base: Inner Sphere
Tonnage: 45 Battle Value: 451
Equipment Mass
Engine: 225 15
Type: Fusion
Safe Thrust: 5
Maximum Thrust: 8
Structural Integrity: 5
VSTOL Equipment: 0
Heat Sinks: 10 0
Fuel: 480 3
Cockpit: 4.5
Armor Factor: 40 2.5
Armor
Value
Nose 12
Wings 10/10
Aft 8
’MECHBUSTER 184
Mass: 50 tons
Chassis: Shinobi III Standard Power Plant: Shinobi 250 Turbine Armor: Buster Standard
Armament:
1 Zeus-75 Mark IX Autocannon/20
Manufacturer: Gorton, Kingsley & Thorpe Enterprises Primary Factory: Rasalhague
Communications System: Duoteck 5
Targeting and Tracking System: RCA Instatrac MK II
Overview
A hastily designed conventional fi ghter produced as a stopgap for dwindling aerospace fi ghters, the ’MechBuster nonetheless performed admirably for its short production run. Thousands were churned out until Wakazashi was able to re-tool their lines for more eff ective aerospace designs right before the outbreak of the Fourth Succession War.
With the formation of the Free Rasalhague Republic and the destruction infl icted during the Ronin Wars, the Draconis Combine “gifted” the design and all rights to the fl edgling state, allowing it to produce a cheap and eff ec-tive fi ghter to defend its systems from any possible Lyran aggression, and production re-started.
Capabilities
What led to the end of the production run were the natural limitations of any turbine-powered conventional fi ghter. Thin armor, plus limited fuel and ammunition, forced ’MechBusters to return to airstrips frequently for re-arming and re-fueling. Even with other support craft to protect it and supply aerial refueling, the ’MechBuster only has enough ammunition for under a minute of continuous fi ring before it ran dry. Without VSTOL, it also requires a dedicated airstrip for it to land and take-off , precluding any ability to wage a guerrilla campaign. If the enemy captures the airstrip, ’MechBusters will have to be abandoned if no other base of operations can be procured quickly.
As a strike craft and interceptor, however, the ’MechBuster proved excellent. Its sole weapon, a Zeus 75 Class-20 Autocannon, provides a potential for it to destroy several BattleMechs before it needs to retire from the fi eld. A squad-ron of ’MechBusters can turn the tide in a ground battle in the time it takes to run their autocannons dry. Also incorporated into the design is an advanced bomb targeting system, which allows external weapons to be targeted with ease.
Deployment
The Free Rasalhague Republic has been arming mili-tias with dozens of ’MechBusters, and it seems the state cannot get enough of the fi ghter. In fact, the KungsArmé has been buying up used ’MechBusters that House Kurita retired since the production lines on Rasalhague cannot keep up. No other nation has expressed interest in the design, though a number of paranoid nobles looking to expand their private militias have purchased a few.
’MechBusters were so rare outside of the Draconis Combine that many do not believe they exist beyond that House’s borders. However, the Lyran Commonwealth at-tempted a daring raid using a squadron of ’MechBusters (in Combine livery) and a company of BattleMechs on Kirchbach in 3025. The plan was to launch the fi ghters from an in-fl ight DropShip and then race to destroy a command bunker that would be housing several prominent ISF fi gures. The BattleMech company would then combat drop to capture a nearby airstrip, where the fi ghters would be recovered. After training in simulators for weeks on end, the raiding party left for Combine space, confi dent of their abilities.
The raid started off poorly. Four of the six ’MechBusters launched into a fl ock of migratory birds, wrecking their tur-bines and crashing. The other two went on to successfully destroy the bunker and killed most of the targets.
The ’Mech force hot-dropped on the planet but came across a militia unit that was several kilometers from its an-ticipated location. Low on fuel, the fi ghters had to land on the airstrip even while it was still in the defenders’ hands.
Amazingly, Combine-style fl ight suits and paintjobs con-vinced airstrip personnel that the ’MechBusters were inforcements to help the militia, so the fi ghters were re-supplied and sent off . The ’MechBusters helped destroy the militia, recover the pilots of the four crashed ’MechBusters, and secure the landing strip before successfully escaping to Lyran space.
Variants
Units have tried alternate weapon loads in an attempt to lengthen the ’MechBuster’s loiter time. One variant re-moves the autocannon for a trio of medium lasers and an-cillary equipment, and adds fuel. Another uses four SRM 6 packs along with extra armor and fuel, but neither of these have the “one shot, one kill” capability of the original.
Upgrades
One newtech upgrade to the ’MechBuster replaces the Zeus-75 with an LB 20-X autocannon. The ability to fi re solid or cluster shells adds to the ’MechBuster’s utility, but the single ammunition bin forces the pilot to make their choice wisely prior to take off .
Notable Pilots
Michael Bergman: One of the surviving pilots of the Kirchbach operation, he still is amazed to this day that he was not captured during the desperate landing. With roy-alties from a best-selling holovid based on his exploits in the Kirchbach operation, The Bergman Raid, Michael looks forward to a wealthy retirement from the LCAF.
CONVENTIONAL FIGHTERS
185
’MECHBUSTER
Weapons and Ammo Location Tonnage Heat SRV MRV LRV ERV
AC/20 Nose 14 7 20 — — —
Ammo (AC) 5 — 1
Type: ’MechBuster
Technology Base: Inner Sphere Tonnage: 50
Battle Value: 417
Equipment Mass
Engine: 250 25
Type: Turbine
Safe Thrust: 5
Maximum Thrust: 8
Structural Integrity: 5
VSTOL Equipment: 0
Heat Sinks: 0 0
Fuel: 320 2
Cockpit: 5
Armor Factor: 48 3
Armor
Value
Nose 18
Wings 10/10
Aft 10