Dragon DRG-8R

Mass: 60 tons
Tech Base: Inner Sphere
Chassis Config: Biped
Rules Level: Tournament Legal
Era: Dark Ages
Tech Rating/Era Availability: E/X-X-F-A
Production Year: 3095
Cost: 13,491,680 C-Bills
Battle Value: 2,026

Chassis: Dieron Type 66-89H Endo-Steel
Power Plant: Vlar 300 Fusion XL Engine
Walking Speed: 54.0 km/h (64.8 km/h)
Maximum Speed: 86.4 km/h (97.2 km/h)
Jump Jets: None
    Jump Capacity: 0 meters
Armor: Starshield with CASE Standard Armor
Armament:
    1 Lord's Light 3 Heavy PPC
    1 Lord's Light 5 Snub-Nose PPC
    2 Lord's Light 4 Light PPCs
    2 Diverse Optics Type 20X ER Medium Lasers
    2 Diverse Optics Type 10X ER Small Lasers
Manufacturer: Krupp Armament Works, Luthien Armor Works
    Primary Factory: Terra (Krupp), Dieron (LAW)
Communications System: Sipher CommSys 4
Targeting and Tracking System: Eagle Eye SY10-12

Overview:
The nascent Republic of the Sphere's absorption of a number of Combine worlds
and units meant that a large amount of older Dragon chassis came with them.
Unwilling to look a gift horse in the mouth and to foster a sense of identity
for the new Draconian citizenry, the Republic began a refit and rebuild program
of the aging -1N and -5N Dragon chassis in their stockpiles. As both of the
Krupp and LAW facilities began tooling up for the refit program in 3094,
designers from each company came together to set down the new -7R's design
parameters. The Krupp lead, Doctor Milos Adevon, advocated a heavier ballistic
system in the form of a Gauss Rifle, while LAW's design lead, Doctor Kanaguchi,
advocated for a more radical update, focusing on an array of lasers and
particle cannons. Neither team managed to come to consensus for six months,
until both team leads were arrested for fraud and embezzlement relating to
their own modifications of the Dragon. RAF procurement, seeing a solution,
ordered both companies to produce both variants.


Capabilities:
The -7R received a Vlar 300 extra light engine to keep it moving at it's
previous top ground speed of 80 kph, along with an endo steel skeleton that
would allow the new variant to accept modern components, as well as being
easier to repair. The new Dragon also had a quartet of jump jets installed to
give it more maneuverability. For armament, Krupp's engineering team agreed
with their previous head, and installed a massive Gauss Rifle in place of the
original AC-5 system, while the older standard medium lasers were replaced with
a pair of ER Medium lasers, and moved into a forward mount in the case of the
left torso laser. The original Dragon's LRM-10 launcher was deemed sufficient,
and was not replaced. The greatest change however, was the modification of the
Dragon's looks, making the mech look more like it's namesake, though the
European interpretation was used on the -7R. LAW's response in a fit of pique,
made the -8R look like the emblem of the Draconis Combine, which served to
exacerbate the integration problems in the Republic.


Deployment:
From their joint development and release, the -7R and -8R Dragons ended up
appearing in moderate numbers throughout the Republic from 3095 to 3135, though
the fall of Dieron means that the RAF has lost access to the only facility that
produced the -8R, as Krupp Armament, soured by their time with LAW, refuse to
build it. Thus, the Dragon -7R remains a prime fire support variant in both the
RAF and the Remnant, where it's Gauss Rifle makes the design prized for it's
firepower.


Variants:
The other design to come out of the joint Krupp/LAW design summit, the Dragon
-8R, trades out all of the original's equipment, and emulating the -7R, uses
both Endo Steel and an XL Engine to add a Heavy PPC, a Snub Nose PPC, two Light
PPCs and a set of Medium and Small lasers, augmented by Triple Strength Myomer,
giving the -8R a strong punch both figuratively and literally.


Notable 'Mechs & MechWarriors:
Captain Carolyn Matsuhiko: The daughter of a pair of Draconian expats in the
Republic of the Sphere, Captain Matsuhiko refused to abandon the Republic that
had been her home all of her life, while her older brother, Martin, rebelled
and joined the Dragon's Fury group while the Republic was descending into
chaos. The numerous battles in the Dieron Prefecture saw the siblings fight a
dozen times, with neither coming out on top, until the younger Matsuhiko
ordered an artillery strike on her brother's BattleMech, seemingly killing her
brother.


Additional:
Visual and Mechanical refit (Refer to text for visual), Fluff complete.
Quirks: Distracting, Stable.


================================================================================
Equipment           Type                         Rating                   Mass
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Internal Structure: Endo-Steel                    99 points                3.00
    Internal Locations: 4 LT, 4 RT, 2 LA, 2 LL, 2 RL
Engine:             XL Fusion Engine             300                       9.50
    Walking MP: 5 (6)
    Running MP: 8 (9)
    Jumping MP: 0
Heat Sinks:         Double Heat Sink             14(28)                    4.00
    Heat Sink Locations: 1 LT, 1 RA
Gyro:               Standard                                               3.00
Cockpit:            Standard                                               3.00
    Actuators:      L: SH+UA+LA+H    R: SH+UA+LA
    TSM Locations: 2 RT, 2 LA, 2 RA
Armor:              Standard Armor               AV - 200                 12.50

                                                      Internal       Armor
                                                      Structure      Factor
                                                Head     3            9
                                        Center Torso     20           31
                                 Center Torso (rear)                  8
                                           L/R Torso     14           21
                                    L/R Torso (rear)                  7
                                             L/R Arm     10           20
                                             L/R Leg     14           28

================================================================================
Equipment                                 Location    Heat    Critical    Mass
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Heavy PPC                                    RA        15        4        10.00
2 Light PPCs                                 LA        10        4         6.00
ER Medium Laser                              RT        5         1         1.00
ER Small Laser                               RT        2         1         0.50
ER Medium Laser                              LT        5         1         1.00
ER Small Laser                               LT        2         1         0.50
Snub-Nose PPC                                CT        10        2         6.00
                                            Free Critical Slots: 2

BattleForce Statistics
MV      S (+0)  M (+2)  L (+4)  E (+6)   Wt.   Ov   Armor:      7    Points: 20
5          3       3       2       0      3     2   Structure:  3
Special Abilities: TSM, ENE, SRCH, ES, SEAL, SOA