Merlin MLN-1B

       MechWarriors hailed the Merlin as a breakthrough when it was introduced in 3010 – not because it offered advanced features, but because the Merlin was one of the first new ‘Mech designs to be produced in the Inner Sphere in several centuries. Rugged and reliable, the Merlin is suitable for a variety of assignments. Its versatility makes it a popular choice in the Periphery and with mercenary units throughout the Inner Sphere.

       In designing the Merlin, its engineers sought to create a BattleMech that would stand up to hard use, serve multiple roles, and that could be easily repaired using commonly available parts. They succeeded on all counts. The Pitban 240 gives the Merlin speed comparable to most heavy ‘Mechs used in the Inner Sphere and the ten-plus tons of armor offers protection adequate for most situations. A balanced mix of long and short-range weapons makes the Merlin versatile enough to handle ‘Mechs and infantry with equal ease, and its jump jets provide satisfactory mobility.

       In   3052, Alliance Defenders Limited of the Outworlds Alliance signed a licensing agreement with Mountain Wolf to build the Merlin for the Outworlds military. In 3053, Alliance Defenders introduced the Merlin 1B. This model removes the machine gun and MG ammo, adds another heat sink, and moves the LRM ammo from the center torso to the left torso.

       The largest concentration of Merlins in active service belongs to the mercenary unit known as the Wolverton Highlanders, who have spent the last ten years hunting pirates along the border where Steiner and Marik space and the Periphery meet. Though the Merlin does appear in House units, those militaries usually can afford more specialized units specifically tailored to the type of tactics those troops favor. Because mercenary troops must be prepared to accept any number of assignment types, they tend to purchase ‘Mechs that can handle many tactical styles.