Lancelot

The Lancelot was originally conceived in response to a Star League Defense Force contract for a medium BattleMech that could operate with minimal logistical support, was fast enough to take part in mobile operations and packed sufficient firepower to be a viable threat on the battlefield. With this criteria in mind Krupp Technologies attempted to combine the speed of a medium 'Mech with the survivability of a heavy 'Mech in the Lancelot. Despite the use of a lightweight engine, the production Lancelot ended up in the heavyweight class, but the SLDF was impressed enough with the unit's speed and firepower during its trial runs to make an initial order of 250 in Introduction Year::2581.

An entirely energy-based armament allowed the Lancelot to operate away from friendly supply lines for extended periods, while the use of a Hermes 360XL engine not only made it faster than any other heavy 'Mech at the time but also allowed for thirteen double heat sinks to be installed. The use of only nine and a half tons of armor was considered light for its tonnage, however this was partially offset by the design's mobility and its subtle curves, presenting a narrower silhouette for the enemy to target. Its advanced Krupp KBC battle computer, long a standard in the industry, offered superior internal system monitoring, such as current armor status and skin temperature, without distracting the pilot during combat. The most exceptional part of the Lancelot was its KBC Starsight Model 3 T&T System, which could track and prioritize hundreds of targets and projectiles at once. This also made the Lancelot superior at shooting down enemy fighters, and by all indications it was replacing the Rifleman as the SLDF's standard anti-aircraft 'Mech before the Amaris Civil War put an end to that plan.

Many Lancelots, along with Krupp's factory on Mars, were destroyed during the Civil War, and as the advanced systems which had gone into their construction became lostech these 'Mechs came to the brink of extinction. Luthien Armor Works obtained copies of the design and began production after the Second Succession War, but their LNC25-02 model was greatly reduced in capability, most significantly the loss of its mobility. With only average speed now and enough armor plating to withstand only a few solid hits, pilots derisively began referring to the 'Mech as "the Coffin." Whereas before the fall of the Star League the Lancelot could be found in almost all militaries, by the end of the Succession Wars less than a dozen still functional original models were in service, many heavily modified due to battle damage, alongside a few hundred 02 models, most of which were in the hands of the Draconis Combine. In the wake of the Clan Invasion and the Battle of Tukayyid, Precentor Martial Anastasius Focht would rebuild the Krupp Stellar factory on Mars to restart production of original model Lancelots for the Com Guards along with other advanced variants. Examples of these 'Mechs would also be used by the Word of Blake in the prosecution of their Jihad.

Production of the Lancelot would cease due to the upheavals of the Jihad and its wake, but thanks to a redesign utilizing common parts with the Grand Dragon Luthien Armor Works' Luthien plan would resume production in the lead-up to the ilClan era.

Weapons and Equipment
The weapons carried by the Lancelot cover almost the entire range of energy weapons available and gave it firepower equivalent to that found in many assault 'Mechs. Its primary armament is a Kinslaughter PPC mounted in the right side of its torso. The Kinslaughter has a tendency to generate more heat than other particle cannons if not properly maintained. This is backed up by two arm-mounted Krupp Model 32 Large Lasers, known among MechWarriors as "Fur Burners" for their excellent performance, and a single Krupp Model 2 medium laser in the center torso.

Variants

 * LNC25-01sl : This Lancelot variant removes the PPC and Large Lasers of the standard model and replaces them all with ER Large Lasers. Ferro-fibrous armor provides increased protection, while the remaining tonnage has been devoted to extra double heat sinks. This model did not survive past the Star League Era and was only found in the SLDF.


 * LNC25-01X : This prototype Lancelot variant was produced by Krupp prior to Amaris' seizure of Terra. An upgrade of the LNC25-01, it uses an Endo-Steel chassis and ferro-fibrous armor.  The weapons array is same, except the large lasers are Extended Range Type and four jump jets are added for mobility.  Early field tests revealed that the inclusion of jump jets did little to improve the design, with most pilots requesting either more armoring or more heat sinks instead. BV(2.0) = 1659


 * LNC25-02 : The Lancelot did not survive the loss of Star League technology as well as most of its older cousins. Manufactured by Luthien Armor Works from their huge plant on Luthien, the 02 retained the same weapons array though with different models: a Lord's Light PPC, two Sunglow Large Lasers, and a Victory 23R medium laser. This came at the expense however of a smaller Pitban 240 fusion engine and nineteen single heat sinks.  With a new maximum speed of only 64.8 km/h the thin-skinned Lancelot made for an easy target for other 'Mechs of its weight class, and the less efficient heat dissipation system made it unable to unleash its full firepower safely and consistently; firing both large lasers and the PPC at the same time now entailed risking a shutdown from overheating. LAW also had to replace the Krupp electronics used in the Star League variants, installing a Sipher KIT-4 communications system and a Hawkeye B3 targeting and tracking system. BV (1.0) = 968, BV (2.0) = 1,236


 * LNC25-03 : A field refit of the 01 model owing to a lack of proper spare parts, this variant swaps out the large lasers and extra heat sinks for a pair of rugged Autocannon/5s. It is made tougher with the inclusion of additional armor, though the extra protection comes at the cost of a reduction in speed to a maximum of 85 km/h. BV (1.0) = ??, BV (2.0) = 1,360


 * LNC25-04 : This variant of the Lancelot is a completely upgraded version, built to utilize the improved C3 computer in use by ComStar and the Word of Blake. In addition to using an Endo-Steel chassis and added a half-ton of armor, the particle cannon and large lasers were upgraded to Extended Range models.  In order to make room for these sweeping changes the medium laser was removed.  BV (1.0) = 1,256 , BV (2.0) = 1,640


 * LNC25-05 : The 25-05 is a curious variant of the traditionally energy-based Lancelot primarily aimed at fighting conventional forces. The medium laser and two heat sinks have been replaced with four Machine Guns and a full ton of ammunition. The armor has not been upgraded, and the 25-05 Lancelot has the same speed profile as the older 25-01 model. BV (1.0) = 1077, BV (2.0) = 1,380


 * LNC25-06 : This upgrade to the 04 variant, first employed by the Word of Blake Militia, replaces the ER PPC with a standard PPC and removes two heat sinks. The use of a Small Cockpit and an XL Gyro allowed for the addition of a Targeting Computer. BV (1.0) = ??, BV (2.0) = 1,661


 * LNC35-07 : This variant is included in the original Record Sheets: 3050 Upgrade (Clan & Star League) as the 07, though it is identical to the 01. This variant "maybe" a modification to the 06 that removes the lasers to replace them with paired LB-X Autocannon/5s and drops the Targeting Computer in favor of the Light Ferro-Fibrous armor that was mentioned in Technical Readout: 3050 Upgrade. BV (1.0) = ??, BV (2.0) = 1,422


 * LNC25-08 : This version is equipped with a single PPC, while each arm mounts an LB-5 X autocannon. It also carries an Improved C3 Computer. It uses a Small Cockpit, Endo Steel, and Light Ferro-Fibrous armor. BV (2.0) = 1,162


 * LNC25-09 : A Dark Age era variant utilized by the Combine, the 09 shares a symbiotic relationship with the Grand Dragon, sharing many parts with modern variants of that 'Mech and often serving as fire support for them as they close with their foes. A Clan-tech ER Large Laser in each arm and Medium Pulse Laser in the center torso are the variant's primary and secondary weapons, supported by plasma rifle with two tons of reloads in the right torso. Maintaining the XL Engine, a much improved shell of Heavy Ferro-Fibrous armor improves the 09's endurance. BV (2.0) = 2,099


 * Lancelot C : Introduced by Kindraa Smythe-Jewel, the all-Clan tech Lancelot C carried three Kolibri Delta Series Large Pulse Lasers into battle as a light 'Mech hunter. Sixteen double heat sinks and nine and a half tons of armor protected the Lancelot C. BV (2.0) = 1,960


 * Lancelot C 2 : This variant of the Lancelot C entered service twenty five years after the original. Similar to the original Lancelot, each arm carries an ER Large Laser while an ER PPC is mounted in the right torso. To fight infantry or create smoke, a pair of Flamers is in the center torso. Seventeen heat sinks offset the heat generated by these weapons. The Lancelot C 2 can also sprint at 120 km/h thanks to a MASC system. BV (2.0) = 2,571

Design Quirks
The Lancelot has the following Design Quirks:
 * Anti-Aircraft Targeting
 * Narrow/Low Profile
 * Bad Reputation

Related BattleMechs

 * Dragoon - In many respects the Lancelot's larger brother, featuring a similar body design and visual style, the 70-ton Dragoon was developed by Krupp on the orders of Stefan Amaris and would see service against the SLDF during Operation LIBERATION.