Gladiator (Exoskeleton)

Description
The Gladiator Exoskeleton was created for the thrills and chills of the Class 1 fighting circuit on Solaris VII. The Gladiator was Solaris Arms' entry against similar Pit Fighters to get notoriety. The exoskeleton was designed to handle any of a wide array of handheld infantry arms and also heavy melee weaponry for show fights. It is noted for its sturdy and easy to maintain design. The suit visually resembles a mechanical knight.

Solaris Arms hoped that by demonstrating their Exoskeleton's capacities in the arena, they would catch the eye of military organizations. They hoped to lure them into purchasing the design for anti-BattleMech combat applications. However, the general consensus from the Inner Sphere powers was that it was more prudent to concentrate their funding into battle armor development.

The Solaris Arms plant was destroyed in 3071, but StarCorps put the design into production on Emris IV.

Weapons and Equipment
The suit is typically equipped with a pair of Armored Gloves and has 100 kg worth of Standard Armor protecting its hull. Weaponry typically used for the Gladiator was primarily arena restricted weaponry. It also could have its manipulators changed for other equipment. One popular modification was equipped with an Industrial Drill.

Variants

 * Gladiator-S : This version is based on "The Spider", a custom variant from Solaris and produced by StarCorps Industries. The ground speed was increased to 40 km/h, allowing the unit to quickly close with enemy forces. In case more speed is needed, the Gladiator-S is equipped with a Magnetic Clamp system. The Vibro-Claw on the left arm can inflict damage on armored units, and the Anti-Personnel Weapon Mount on each arm allows for anti-infantry work. BV (2.0) = 9

Custom Variants

 * "The Spider" : The personal exoskeleton of Abasi Oteke, "The Spider" is equipped with a Battle-Vibro Claw on its right arm while keeping the armored glove on the left. Oteke then added Magnetic Clamps on the knees and elbows, which baffled many opponents until they discovered the final addition: A Mechanical Jump Booster that launches "The Spider" into the air and lets Oteke grab onto the many metal structures that surround a Class 1 pit fight. BV (2.0) = 8

Design Quirks
The Gladiator-S variant is subject of the following Design Quirk:
 * Difficult to Maintain