Sentinel STN-5Ga

Mass: 40 tons
Tech Base: Inner Sphere
Chassis Config: Biped
Rules Level: Tournament Legal
Era: Age of War/Star League
Tech Rating/Era Availability: E/E-F-E-A
Production Year: 2750
Cost: 6,482,280 C-Bills
Battle Value: 1,238

Chassis: Unknown Standard
Power Plant: Unknown 240 Fusion XL Engine
Walking Speed: 64.8 km/h
Maximum Speed: 97.2 km/h
Jump Jets: None
    Jump Capacity: 0 meters
Armor: Unknown Ferro-Fibrous
Armament:
    1  ER PPC
    4  Medium Lasers
    1  Streak SRM-2
Manufacturer: Unknown
    Primary Factory: Unknown
Communications System: Unknown
Targeting and Tracking System: Unknown

Overview:
The Sentinel is a medium BattleMech, though its 40-ton mass puts it at the low
end of its weight class. Designed to provide battalion-level BattleMech support
for infantry and light-armor units, the 'Mech has good maneuverability,
long-range hitting power, and an advanced communications system. Equipped with
the powerful VidCom-17 and Targa-7 long-range targeting and tracking system,
the Sentinel is ideal for patrols or as a mobile observation post. The 'Mech
also carries a StarLink/Benicia Model AS829G communications system. Capable of
simultaneous operation on multiple frequencies, this system not only allows the
Sentinel to closely monitor and command units operating under it, but also
keeps the Mech in close contact with rear-area artillery units so that it can
easily call for fire when needed.

 Defiance Industries first produced the Sentinel in 2651 for House Steiner's
private army. The 'Mech appeared one year after the Star League Council passed
an amendment allowing the Council Lords to double their personal household
forces. Originally intended for infantry support, the 'Mech soon took on the
role of guarding military installations and the Steiner family's major
landholdings. By the early 28th century, the SLDF and the private armies of
Houses Davion and Marik had also begun to deploy Sentinels.

 After the fall of the Star League, the Sentinel appeared most often in the
vanguard of the Steiner and Marik armies. In this position, the Sentinels took
disproportionate losses. Currently only a handful of Sentinels remain, more
heirlooms than weapons of war.


Capabilities:
The Sentinel's 40-ton frame is powered by an 11.5-ton Pitban 240 fusion engine,
giving the 'Mech a walking speed of 65.4 kph and a top running speed of 97.1
kph. Shortly after the 'Mech's original deployment, concern arose over the
choice of the Pitban 240 because of rumors about shielding problems with the
Pitban 240s being produced by Defiance Industries. After a number of Sentinels
were pulled from the field because of chronic overheating, an investigation
found that the heat circulation system rather than the engine shielding was at
fault. The faulty components were replaced in all subsequent versions, which
includes most of the remaining Sentinels.

 Well-equipped for combat, the Sentinel carries a Defiance autocannon, a
Defiance-2 SRM launcher, and a Defiance B-1A small laser. The original design
included a Kawabata autocannon, which had twice the Defiance autocannon's
cyclic rate of fire, but which

also turned out to have serious problems. When fired at its maximum rate, the
weapon vibrated violently, jarring the internal circuitry in the BattleMech's
weapon arm. This often caused the pilot to lose control of the arm effectively
rendering the autocannon useless and cutting the Sentinel's combat capabilities
almost in half. Repairs, though relatively simple, kept the 'Mech out of combat
for half an hour or more. Modifications to the mount and circuitry reduced the
problems somewhat, but by 3014 the Sentinel's manufacturers decided to reequip
the 'Mech with the easier-to-maintain Defiance autocannon. Trouble also cropped
up with the original design's Defiance A-1 small laser, which was prone to
problems after extended field operations. The designers therefore substituted
the more rugged B-1A laser in 2678.

 The Defiance B-1A small laser is mounted in the right torso, just below the
Streak-2 SRM launcher, an arrangement that has caused problems of its own. The
addition of the B-1A small laser displaced the SRM ammo feeding system by half
a meter. Though not a problem under normal circumstances, this shift made the
missile-feeding mechanisms prone to jamming whenever the 'Mech fires its SRMs
while performing an abrupt maneuver. When this occurs, the pilot has one more
shot, but must correct the problem before he can fire again. The standard
procedure for clearing such a jam is to open up the ammo-feeding access panels
and manually readjust the missile rounds. As this is impossible to do in
combat, many pilots tap hard against their machine's chest area with the
'Mech's free right hand to clear up the problem.


Additional:
From TRO 3025 (revised).


Distribution from RS 3025/3026.


Entered by Josh Helton, aka Maverick.


================================================================================
Equipment           Type                         Rating                   Mass
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Internal Structure: Standard                      67 points                4.00
Engine:             XL Fusion Engine             240                       6.00
    Walking MP: 6
    Running MP: 9
    Jumping MP: 0
Heat Sinks:         Double Heat Sink             13(26)                    3.00
    Heat Sink Locations: 2 LA, 2 RA
Gyro:               Standard                                               3.00
Cockpit:            Standard                                               3.00
    Actuators:      L: SH+UA    R: SH+UA+LA+H
Armor:              Ferro-Fibrous                AV - 134                  7.50
    Armor Locations: 1 HD, 2 CT, 3 LT, 1 RT, 1 LA, 2 RA, 2 LL, 2 RL

                                                      Internal       Armor
                                                      Structure      Factor
                                                Head     3            9
                                        Center Torso     12           17
                                 Center Torso (rear)                  6
                                           L/R Torso     10           15
                                    L/R Torso (rear)                  5
                                             L/R Arm     6            12
                                             L/R Leg     10           19

================================================================================
Equipment                                 Location    Heat    Critical    Mass
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ER PPC                                       LA        15        3         7.00
2 Medium Lasers                              RT        6         2         2.00
Streak SRM-2                                 RT        2         1         1.50
2 Medium Lasers                              LT        6         2         2.00
@Streak SRM-2 (50)                           RT        -         1         1.00
                                            Free Critical Slots: 8

BattleForce Statistics
MV      S (+0)  M (+2)  L (+4)  E (+6)   Wt.   Ov   Armor:      4    Points: 12
6          4       4       1       0      2     0   Structure:  2
Special Abilities: SRCH, ES, SEAL, SOA