Longbow

The Longbow, introduced in Introduction Year::2480 as the LGB-0C Longbow, has seen service in the armies of the Inner Sphere since the days of the Star League and is one of the most well-known fire support 'Mechs in existence. The Longbow is a massive BattleMech weighing in at 85 tons and is able to move at a top speed of 54.0 km/h, thanks to a Strand 255 fusion engine. The Longbow is protected by fourteen and a half tons of armor. Some have criticized the design for its lack of CASE - making an otherwise rugged 'Mech vulnerable to a loss by an ammunition explosion. As a fire-support 'Mech though, the Longbow is a trusted and reliable machine that can be counted on to carry out the mission it is designed for.

Weapons and Equipment
The primary weapons on the Longbow are its LRM launchers. The Longbow carries four launchers in all. The largest are a pair of Holly LRM-20s which have the firepower of two Delta Dart LRM-5s added to them. Combined, the launchers can put a devastating barrage of up to fifty missiles at ranges of six hundred and thirty meters. To protect itself in close combat, the Longbow has two Ceres Arms Medium Lasers.

Variants

 * LGB-0C : The original Longbow built in 2480, this Free Worlds League design carried twin LRM-20s each with three tons of ammunition, supported by two Medium Lasers and a Small Laser. The Primitive Technology used limited the design's top speed to 54km/h, but this was deemed acceptable for a fire support unit. The location of the LRM launchers in the arms allowed it to fire in a wider arc, a feature prized by pilots. The Primitive Armor provided some protection, but many felt it was too thin. This design would go on to become one of the most popular and widely distributed as the manufacturer, Lockenburg-Holly Industries, merged with several other manufacturers to form StarCorps Industries.


 * LGB-0W : To add some speed to the Longbow, the OW variant removes two Medium Lasers and five and a half tons of armor. This allowed the Strand 255 Fusion Engine to be replaced with a larger Strand 340, increasing the top speed of the Longbow to 64 km/h, allowing the 'Mech to keep up with most heavy 'Mechs. The LGB-0W used the O/P 3000 COMSET communications system and the Octagon Tartrac System C targeting and tracking system. BV (1.0) = 1,034, BV (2.0) = 1,377


 * LGB-7V : The 7V variant of the Longbow upgrades the design to more modern specifications. The 'Mech is powered by an XL engine that weighs half as much as the original engine. The 'Mech also removes the two LRM-5 launchers and adds Artemis IV to the LRM-20 launchers, and CASE for added protection. For close combat, the 7V has 5 Medium Pulse Lasers. To add a little more long range firepower, the 7V has also has an ER Large Laser. BV (1.0) = 1,366, BV (2.0) = 1,816


 * LGB-8V : This variant was introduced during the Jihad. By removing three of the 7V's Medium Pulse Lasers, designers were able to install two Arrow IV launchers with 10 rounds of ammunition per launcher. This variant retains two of the MPLs plus the ER Large Laser for direct fire and defense. BV (2.0) = 1,808


 * LGB-12C : A recent upgrade of the Longbow, the 12C variant is designed to maximize the 'Mech's fire support capabilities. The 'Mech has two LRM-20 launchers and two LRM-15 launchers, giving it an incredible bombardment capability and is capable of firing 40% more missiles down range than the base model. The 'Mech has three ER Small Lasers for close combat. The 12C variant is capable of doing this through the use of an XL engine that saves a great deal of weight. BV (1.0) = 1,342 , BV (2.0) = 1,686


 * LGB-12R : This version of the Longbow carries a quartet of LRM-15 launchers, backed up by an ER Large Laser and ER Medium Laser. CASE protects the ammunition bins, while three jump jets allow the 12R to cover 90 meters at a time. To make room for this equipment, a Light Fusion Engine is used. BV (2.0) = 1,979


 * LGB-13C : This upgrade of the 12C mounts six Doombud MML 7s, each of which is tied to an Artemis IV FCS. Six tons of CASE-protected ammunition supply these launchers. Three Diverse Optics ER Small Lasers provide paltry backup, though massed short-range missiles coming from the Multi-Missile Launchers are sure to deter smaller 'Mechs. A larger engine brings the 13C to a speed that matches that of the OW. BV (1.0) = ??, BV (2.0) = 1,397


 * LGB-13NAIS : This variant removes all missile launchers from the Longbow and uses a standard Fusion Engine, though it does use an Endo Steel frame to save weight. Each arm mounts three Light Autocannon/5s that can make use of special munitions produced by the Federated Suns. To ensure that it can mount such ammunition, seven tons are allotted to the ammunition bins. A Guardian ECM Suite protects it from enemy electronics, while a C3 Slave uses targeting data from other C3 equipped units to improve its accuracy. The 13NAIS mounts on ER Small Laser and a pair of ER Medium Lasers, along with a pair of B-Pods for use against battle armor. BV (1.0) = ??, BV (2.0) = 1806


 * LGB-14C : This upgrade of the 12C uses six Doombud MML 9s with ten tons of ammunition supplying them. For backup, it uses three ER Medium Lasers. It also mounts an additional ton and a half of armor, though it has two fewer double heat sinks. Pilots are cramped into a Small Cockpit, but seem to accept the additional firepower. BV (1.0) = ??, BV (2.0) = 1,421


 * LGB-14C2 : This upgrade of the 14C removes two of the ER Medium Lasers and replaces them with a Boosted C3 Slave unit. It is otherwise identical to the 14C. BV (2.0) = 1,291

Notable Pilots

 * Lieutenant Cedrick Sveinson - One of the original MechWarriors to serve with the Draconis Combine's Sorenson's Sabres. His ancient LGB-0W variant of the Longbow had fallen into ill-repair, missing 2 heat sinks and its right arm being unable to hold its full allotment of armor.

Design Quirks
The Longbow has the following Design Quirk:
 * Anti-Aircraft Targeting
 * Searchlight (RT)
 * Ubiquitous
 * No/Minimal Arms

The LGB-OC Longbow variant is subject to the following Design Quirks:
 * Cramped Cockpit
 * Extended Torso Twist
 * Improved Communications
 * Searchlight (RT)
 * Weak Legs
 * Obsolete/2506