Type/Model: | Hollander BZK-F3 |
---|---|
Tech: | Inner Sphere / 3055 |
Config: | Biped BattleMech |
Rules: | Level 2, Standard design |
Mass: | 35 tons |
Chassis: | Coventry BZK-III Endo Steel |
Power Plant: | 175 Omni Fusion |
Walking Speed: | 54.0 km/h |
Maximum Speed: | 86.4 km/h |
Jump Jets: | None |
Jump Capacity: | 0 meters |
Armor Type: | Lexington Limited High Grade Ferro-Fibrous |
Faced with the superior range and firepower of the Clan invaders, the Steiner military wanted a light, fast ‘Mech with superior long-range firepower. Many design firms offered plans featuring LRM racks and PPC’s, but the contract went to Coventry Metal Works.
Their design, tagged the BZK-F3 Hollander, eliminated the heat buildup from PPC’s and the danger of ammo explosion inherent in LRMs by mounting the massive Poland Main Model A Gauss cannon in the ‘Mechs’s right torso. This unorthodox design would provide unprecedented firepower in a light ‘Mech, enough to take down other light ‘Mechs in one shot.
Intended to engage light and medium ‘Mechs at extreme range and eliminate them quickly, the Hollander mounts a single Gauss cannon around which the entire ‘Mech is built. The Gauss cannon provides devastating firepower and range, but also poses some inherent design limitations.
The Gauss cannon is so heavy that the designers had to reduce the size of the original power plant to compensate. The final design runs at a maximum speed of 86 kph, which severely limits the ‘Mech’s ability to pursue other light ‘Mechs and makes it difficult to mount an effective retreat if outnumbered or in need of ammunition. Space requirements limit ammo to sixteen shots for the cannon, and weight limitations forced designers to remove a medium laser from the design, so the ‘Mech has no backup weapon.
Initial specifications also called for six tons of ferro-fibrous armor, giving the ‘Mech very good coverage for its weight. After mounting the Gauss cannon, the designers found that the ‘Mech could barely move and that the weapon had difficulty tracking. The engineers were forced back to the drawing board again, and had to sacrifice armor coverage on the torso and arm in order to afford full articulation for the gauss cannon. As a result, the ‘Mech has a distinctive profile, as the Gauss cannon appears bigger than the Hollander’s chassis.
Even with all these drawbacks, the Hollander remains a marvel of design. Its chassis combines an endo steel internal structure and ferro-fibrous armor, giving maximum protection for minimum weight. The ‘Mechs’s legs are heavily reinforced to provide a stable fire platform for the Gauss cannon, which is fitted with recoil compensators and support hydraulics. The end result is essentially a running cannon, capable of accurate long-range barrages even while moving at top speed.
Many pilots have been dissatisfied with the Hollander’s lack of a secondary weapon and poor armor coverage. Designers at Coventry are already working on a variant coded BZK-G1, which replaces the Gauss cannon with a Mydron Excel LB 10-X autocannon. This refit provides enough weight and space to mount a Defiance B3M medium laser in each arm and to add two more tons of ferro-fibrous armor. This difficult modification is not expected to advance beyond prototype stage for quite some time.
All of the Hollanders currently produced by the Coventry Metal Works are being sent to the Pasig Operations Area along the Jade Falcon front. Units receiving Hollanders include the Seventeenth Skye Rangers stationed on Barcelona, and the First Kearney Highlanders on Mogyorod. Commonwealth commanders have high hopes that the design with compete favorably with the Jade Falcons’ Uller OmniMech.
Type/Model: | Hollander BZK-F3 |
---|---|
Mass: | 35 tons |
Equipment: | Crits | Mass | |
---|---|---|---|
Internal Structure: | 58 pts Endo Steel | 14 | 2.00 |
(Endo Steel Loc: 2 LA, 2 RA, 6 LT, 2 LL, 2 RL) | |||
Engine: | 175 | 6 | 7.00 |
Walking MP: | 5 | ||
Running MP: | 8 | ||
Jumping MP: | 0 | ||
Heat Sinks: | 10 Single | 3 | .00 |
(Heat Sink Loc: 1 HD, 2 RT) | |||
Gyro: | 4 | 2.00 | |
Cockpit, Life Support, Sensors: | 5 | 3.00 | |
Actuators: | L: Sh+UA+LA+H, R: Sh+UA+LA+H | 16 | .00 |
Armor Factor: | 72 pts Ferro-Fibrous | 14 | 4.00 |
(Armor Crit Loc: 6 LA, 6 RA, 2 LT) |
Internal | Armor | ||
---|---|---|---|
Structure | Value | ||
Head: | 3 | 8 | |
Center Torso: | 11 | 10 | |
Center Torso (Rear): | 4 | ||
L/R Side Torso: | 8 | 8/8 | |
L/R Side Torso (Rear): | 3/3 | ||
L/R Arm: | 6 | 6/6 | |
L/R Leg: | 8 | 8/8 |
Weapons & Equipment: | Loc | Heat | Ammo | Crits | Mass |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 Gauss Rifle | RT | 1 | 16 | 9 | 17.00 |
(Ammo Loc: 2 CT) | |||||
TOTALS: | 1 | 71 | 35.00 | ||
Crits & Tons Left: | 7 | .00 |
Calculated Factors: | |
---|---|
Total Cost: | 2,585,160 C-Bills |
Battle Value: | 861 |
Cost per BV: | 3,002.51 |
Weapon Value: | 307 / 307 (Ratio = .36 / .36) |
Damage Factors: | SRDmg = 12; MRDmg = 11; LRDmg = 7 |
BattleForce2: | MP: 5, Armor/Structure: 2/3 |
Damage PB/M/L: 2/2/2, Overheat: 0 | |
Class: ML, Point Value: 9 |
Created with HeavyMetal Pro
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