Orca (BattleMech)
- This article is about the 200-ton BattleMech. For the DropShip, see Orca (Individual Intruder-class DropShip).
| |
| Orca | |
|---|---|
| Production information | |
| Manufacturer | Skobel MechWorks |
| Production Year | 3091 |
| Model | OC-1X |
| Class | Superheavy |
| Cost | N/A |
| Technical specifications | |
| 'Mech type | Inner Sphere BattleMech |
| Mass | 200 tons |
| Chassis | Skobel Endo Steel |
| Armor | Standard armor w/ CASE II |
| Engine | 400 XL |
| Communications System | "GarbleTalker X" with Guardian ECM Suite |
| Targeting Tracking System | Unspecified |
| Heat Sinks | 19 double |
| Speed | 32.4 km/h |
| Armament |
|
| BV (2.0) | 3,357 |
Originally a noncanonical April Fools publication as "Project Omega" (see below), the Orca as such has since been canonized as a prototype project, even referencing the tongue-in-cheek Clan Wolverine references from the Project Omega publication.
Description
The Orca was constructed as a secret project in or shortly before 3091. Its development occurred under such total secrecy that even "an unfortunate delivery driver who slipped through security due to a lapse [and] was caught filming a live-fire test with his personal device" was only released from custody five years later.
The prototype was created haphazardly, and thus includes some intrinsic flaws like the very difficult control. With suboptimal production standards, it was decided to mothball all prototypes in still-classified locations. While considered a failure, the multiple lessons learned from the Orca's development ultimately resulted in the successful creation of the Poseidon, the Republic's first production superheavy BattleMech, decades later.[1][2]
When Terra fell under attack by both Clan Wolf and Clan Jade Falcon a desperate Republic Armed Forces sought out all the tools available. Devlin Stoneand his command staff attempted to roll out any top secret units at their disposal to find a way to shut down at least one of the clans. During the time behind the Fortress Wall work continued in the Superheavy BattleMech labs. As a positive side effect of the success with the Ares-Class Superheavies, some of the challenges with the long mothballed Orcas were sorted out.
However, their preparation time was simply much longer than available. The headhunting mission led by Damien Redburn against Alaric Ward and the deployment of the Old Guard against Malvina Hazen could not wait any longer. (After the loss of Terra, Devlin Stone lamented that he split the two forces and should have combined them all against one of the chains of command.)
Rather than abandon the expensive prototypes that were pulled from classified storage sites in Europe, they were loaded onto dropships and sent up to await the results of the Battle for Terra onboard the Necessitas and Harmonia. Technicians aboard the Yardships began working on a new variant of the Superheavy Battlemech, resulting in the 2X. Where the 1X was a solid support unit meant to sit much further back from the fighting, the 2X would be able to support the front lines with the armor to take the hits and a Hyper-Assault Gauss Rifle 40 to punch back with the rest of the same weapons minus the Sniper Artillery cannon.
The first deployment of the Orca to see combat takes place in 3153 to defend New Avalon against the invading Word of Blake and their allies, Clan Sea Fox....
Weapons and Equipment
- Orca OC-2X
- Maintaining a very similar weapons loadout, the major change that takes place is the swap out of the Sniper Artillery Piece for the Hyper-Assault Gauss Rifle 40. While keeping such an expensive and immobile war machine at a distance will prolong it's life, the tradeoff is a mess of weapons that no longer have any effect on the enemy. The general expectation is that the Orca will remain close to dropships and at the rear of Battlemech formations. However, now it can bring the HAG-40, Gauss Rifle, 2x ER PPCs, ER Large Laser, LRM-20, and SRM-6 to bear in combat. Oh yes, and a Small X-Pulse Laser. BV(2.0)=3915
[Note: Resurgence Era variants would be considered "custom units" in normal gameplay, before using, verify with the Game Master if they are approved for use.]
Variants
No additional variants have been built besides the 1X and 2X.
Design Quirks
The Orca has the following Design Quirks:
Project Omega
The "Project Omega" document was an April Fools joke by Dave McCulloch and Warner Doles that was uploaded to the official classicbattletech.com website. Purporting to be an official Technical Readout-style document within the BattleTech universe (a report within Word of Blake), it described the superheavy Orca BattleMech, allegedly built and deployed by the not-named Clan, complete with combat history and variants.
Although clearly marked as noncanonical, the design gained notoriety among fans similar to Gausszilla (which was also canonized eventually). Within the document the Orca was classified as a "Dreadnought"; 'Mechs massing above 100 tons are now known as Superheavy 'Mechs.
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| Orca ("Project Omega" version) | |
|---|---|
| Production information | |
| Manufacturer | Minnesota MechWorks |
| Class | Superheavy |
| Technical specifications | |
| 'Mech type | Inner Sphere BattleMech |
| Mass | 200 tons |
| Chassis | Wolverine Dreadnought Type XX |
| Armor | Bioforge Delta Zulu |
| Engine | 400 |
| Speed | 32.4 km/h |
| Armament |
|
Variants
The April Fools Orca as presented does not appear to be an Omni design.
- The anti-personnel laser does not exist under BattleTech rules, though a small pulse laser or micro pulse laser could easily serve the implied function.
- One variant mentioned exchanges the artillery piece for a quartet of "rotary gauss guns," which are described as "deadly against light vehicles" (but do not exist as a weapon system under BattleTech rules).
- The other variant exchanges the artillery piece for two more ER PPCs plus heat sinks.
Miniatures
The Orca OC-1X is available from Iron Winds Metals as Item BT-400