Hornet HNT-199

Hornet HNT-199

Mass: 20 tons
Chassis: Corean Endo Steel KL-77
Power Plant: Hermes 100XL
Cruising Speed: 54 kph
Maximum Speed: 86.4 kph
Jump Jets: Pitban LFT-50
     Jump Capacity: 150 meters
Armor: Krupp Modified Stealth
Armament:
     1 Medium Laser
     1 RISC Advanced Point Defense System
Manufacturer: Coalition Armory Inc.
     Primary Factory: Filtvelt
Communication System: Tri-Word duplex 4880
Targeting & Tracking System: Dalban HiRez II
Introduction Year: 3145
Tech Rating/Availability: E/X-X-X-E
Cost: 2,390,800 C-bills


Overview
The end result of the HNT-181 Hornets that 
were left behind in the Republic after the wall went up, altered by 
Rhode's Foundary tech shop groups into it's best option as a escort 
'mech for high-profile targets and the Ares class Superheavy Tripods. 
Used in Lieu of the Angerona Aquilla suits, the -199 Hornet sees more 
use than the battle armor as it makes use of a maligned chassis and 
frees up the Superheavy Omni's to carry other battle troopers into 
combat.

Capabilities
The Rhodes Foundary was apparently 
"requested" to construct an upgrade package for the -181 Hornets, in an 
era where every battlemech was seen as a necessity. Passed to a student 
technical project due to manpower needs for the Ares project (but with 
the requirement that the base structure and armor be kept so it could be
 preformed in-field), methods to alter the Krupp Stealth armors for the 
Omni Bolla tanks were found which happily kept the -199 within existing 
Republic logisitc chains while giving the slow 'mech the option of 
avoiding oncoming fire.

Using stealth armor and ECM to both 
protect itself from direct hits as well as shroud friendly units under 
overlapping ECM Fields, the -199 is also equipped with a RISC APDS 
system as it's primary mode of function. With a surprising 24 rounds of 
ammo, the -199's purpose is to partner up with assault units as 
supplementary 'machines, providing advanced AMS fire while also keeping 
it's stealth armor functioning at full for several minutes of active 
combat before building heat demands it be deactivated for short spans.

Deployment
-199s
 are entirely considered "supplementary" machines and are never 
considered apart of live operations with other battlemechs, added to 
lances or battle groups as supplemental extras and force-multipliers. 
But the other benefit for the -199 is as a trainer 'mech for both pilots
 and technical crews- The 'mech uses difficult RISC technologies but on a
 simple chassis that lacks arms or even a torso ring which means repairs
 are quick, while it's role as a strongpoint defense unit means pilots 
have to focus on evading incoming fire, observing heat generation and 
allowing the PDS to work above all other issues. Because of that 
however, the -199 has an all-new reputation; taking pilots who were poor
 shots but decent pilots and still making functional mechwarriors out of
 them despite their flaws. Other republic pilots see this as a symptom 
of the republic's military losses and not an efficient use of resources.

 

History
Tyler Thompson and "The Silver Shield"
The
 70 year old Tyler is espoused as a case of the -199 project's 
successes. "Old Man Tyler" had been a mechwarrior for 5 years within the
 Princepes Guards for the Republic during times of peace until his 
family history of Glaucoma damaged his eyesight. Though the sugical 
repair kept him from needing augmentics to see, Tyler could no longer 
pass Republic gunnery tests without mechanical replacements and elected 
to take an honorable discharge pension and work with a construction 
'mech for the remainder of days. He did so for more than 30 years.

The
 Loss of the HPG grid had other ideas- somehow referred to the program 
as a test pilot, "Old Man Tyler" found that he was a good technical 
advisor and pilot for the program in spite of his disabilities. His old 
charter was reinstated to protect the Ares tripods, and the Old Man soon
 found he had an uncanny knack of being "in the right place" when it 
came to oncoming Wolf and Capellan missile fire- to the point where he 
was directly responsible for the detonation of thousands of tons of wolf
 and capellan munitions without ever damaging their targets. His last 
recoded moment was a public discussion with a Wolf mechwarrior where he 
was seen adimonishing them for their poor behavior with the "Conquored" 
peoples of terra, all while swapping between his two pairs of glasses to
 properly see the Mechwarrior and the documentation of his warrior 
status.

Tyler "Old Man" Thompson
Gunnery: 6
Piloting: 2
SPAs: Dodge, Lucky, Maneuvering Ace
Ancient
 by any standard, Tyler is both a display of endurance of the Republic 
but also it's desperation. He can only improve his gunnery skill if he 
agrees to surgery to replace one or both eyes with prosthetics.