Hussar

The Hussar was one of the Star League Defense Force's most popular and widely-used recon 'Mechs since its introduction in Introduction Year::2620. It was originally conceived and constructed as an infantry support 'Mech, but, as it reached units, its incredible speed naturally lent the Hussar to a scouting role and eventually allowed it to take the place of the majority of light scout vehicles in use at the time. Its excellent communications gear allowed the Hussar to operate deep behind enemy lines while its incredible speed made it hard to target and allowed the 'Mech to quickly disengage from a fight. Its most significant drawback however was thin armoring - less even than that found on a Locust - and a weapon payload which left it vulnerable to close-in fighting. During battle it most often skirted the edge of combat and harassed the enemy at long range; Hussars were also often deployed in support of Thorn units.

The vast majority of Hussars were assigned to the SLDF and the Star League maintained a tight control over Newhart Industries. The only time any of the Great Houses were able to acquire the 'Mech was either through salvage or so-called "shipping errors." This scarcity was further affected during the Amaris Civil War when the Hussar's New Earth factory was destroyed in 2776. Thus when the Star League collapsed and General Kerensky led most of the SLDF on Operation Exodus, the Hussar practically disappeared from the Inner Sphere. What few Hussars remained were forced to make do with lesser parts as the knowledge behind their advanced components became lostech. The 'Mech remained a rarity until Operation Rosebud, when ComStar supplied stripped-down HSR-300-D variants to the Draconis Combine prior to the War of 3039.

Original Hussars were also used by the Com Guards, and during the Clan Invasion the design was among several selected to be upgraded to so-called Clanbuster variants prior to the Battle of Tukayyid. After the ComStar Schism the organization opened its vaults, allowing Coventry Metal Works to buy the rights to the design, including its original specifications and a new HSR-400-D variant being developed by Bonn Mekarmorwerks. Starting in 3055 CMW began producing both 200 and 400 models for the Armed Forces of the Federated Commonwealth, although it predominantly served in Loyalist units in the FedCom Civil War. Hussar mortality rate was excessively high during this time since many Lyran pilots often train for stand-up fights in heavier 'Mechs; eventually tactics changed to accommodate the weak armor and high speed of the design. Afterwards the Hussar continued to serve in the Lyran Alliance Armed Forces with new 'Mechs built out of Coventry until 3068 when the planet came under attack by the Word of Blake.

Weapons and Equipment
The Hussar has a single weapon on its chassis in a unique turreted mount on the center torso, a Newhart Extended Range Large Laser. While the use of a single weapon limits the defensive capabilities of the Hussar, the superior reach of the ER laser allows the 'Mech to engage enemies at a standoff range and its speed means the Hussar can dictate the range of the engagement, forcing enemies to fight on its terms. If enemies do get too close the Hussar can still engage in physical combat with kicks and punches but this is less than ideal. Ten double heat sinks are enough to keep the 'Mech cool in combat, but only one and a half tons of Ferro-Fibrous armor makes the Hussar among the least-protected 'Mechs ever built.

The Hussar's Ranger-brand communications and targeting-tracking systems are superior to most other electronic systems with greater range for improved reconnaissance capabilities. The Sightseer in particular is capable of jamming most signals and tapping into communications between enemy 'Mechs up to 35 kilometers distant. This makes several well-placed Hussars capable of completely disrupting an enemy's communications network, although they would more often be used to report on enemy movements and orders. While among those components most likely to be replaced with inferior technology, towards the end of the Third Succession War a quarter of Hussars in service were still equipped with the original Ranger systems.

Variants

 * HSR-200Db : An upgrade of the 200 introduced in 2735 and used exclusively by SLDF Royal units, the 200Db is powered by an XL Engine. This enables an upgrade of the 'Mech's electronics with a Beagle Active Probe and a Guardian ECM Suite in the side torsos. In addition, the armor coverage is increased to five and a half tons. BV (2.0)= 934


 * HSR-300-D : The 300-D Hussar is a simple downgrade of the 200-D Hussar, gifted to the Draconis Combine by ComStar in 3035. The primary changes in the design are the replacement of the ER Large Laser with a standard Defiance B3L Large Laser, standard heat sinks in place of the double-strength models, and replacement of the Ferro-Fibrous armor with standard Riese Reliable armor at a negligible cost to the already weak armor protection. In place of the advanced electronics the HSR-300-D uses the Garret T10B communications system and the Dynatec 990 targeting and tracking system. BV (1.0) = 484, BV (2.0) = 543


 * HSR-350-D : This Combine variant on the 300-D was introduced in 3038. It lowers the Hussar's top speed to 126 km/h by replacing the engine with a Pitban 240.  The weight saved from the smaller power plant was used to add a Medium Laser to each arm and an extra ton of armor. BV (2.0) = 731


 * HSR-400-D : One of the so-called "Clanbuster" upgrades developed by ComStar in 3052, the 400-D is an extreme modification of the original Hussar. The ER Large Laser and the engine have both been stripped from the chassis to make room for a LB-X Autocannon/10 with one ton of ammo, an additional 1.5 tons of armor and a GM 240 XL Engine, reducing the Hussar's speed to 129.6 km/h. This variant of the Hussar, due to the cluster rounds that can be fired from the LB-X Autocannon, performs admirably in anti-vehicle screening forces. BV (1.0) = 534, BV (2.0) = 615


 * HSR-500-D : The 500-D Hussar, built by Bonn Mekarmorwerks and introduced in 3060, follows the pattern of many of the recon 'Mechs of that era by adding advanced electronics to the mix. Once again, the engine has been replaced by a XL Engine, retaining the amazing speed for which the Hussar is famous for. The primary weapon on this version is an ER PPC. The targeting system has been mated to an Improved C3 Computer, making it deadly accurate at long range when working closely with other units. BV (1.0) = 867, BV (2.0) = 980


 * HSR-900-D : This variant that only saw limited production in 3067 retains the speed of the original, but is powered by a Light Fusion Engine. The increased weight of the engine required stripping out the weapons and reducing the armor protection from the levels of the 500-D, even with the inclusion of Heavy Ferro-Fibrous armor. It is armed only with a Light Autocannon/2 that is fed by a single CASE-protected bin, limiting the ability of the autocannon to use special munitions. The 900-D was only in the prototype stage when the Word of Blake attacked Coventry.  Afterwards it could be found in service with the Word of Blake Militia. BV (1.0) = ??, BV (2.0) = 551


 * HSR-950-D : An upgrade of the 900-D produced for the Blakists in 3070, the 950-D is built on a standard frame and the equipment is stripped out. It is replaced with two ER Medium Lasers and a Snub-Nose PPC. This variant has the most armor of any Hussar variant thanks to its use of a Heavy Ferro-Fibrous weave. BV (1.0) = ??, BV (2.0) = 965

Design Quirks
The Hussar has the following Design Quirks:
 * Directional Torso Mount (CT)
 * Improved Communications
 * Rugged (1)