Padilla

(References to Padilla)

Description
Introduced in 2620 by Leopard Armor of Terra for the Star League Defense Force, named in honor of Colonel Alfred Padilla, the Padilla heavy artillery tank was created as companion to the Chaparral. Stationed well back from the front lines, the Padilla was usually paired with light, fast BattleMechs equipped with Target Acquisition Gear to make better use of their missile artillery. If caught in a firefight, the Padilla relied on its speed and maneuverability for protection, as it was built with only five and a half tons of armoring.

Most of the Padillas produced were destroyed during General Aleksandr Kerensky's Operation LIBERATION, the battle to free Terra from Stefan Amaris and end the Amaris Civil War. By the time of the First Succession War only twenty of the tanks could be found in active service, all with the Capellan Confederation, but they were soon stripped of their weapons systems when the Capellans' stock of Arrow IV missiles ran out. By the thirty-first century, only fifteen Padillas still remained within the Inner Sphere, deployed with Com Guard units operating within the Free Rasalhague Republic, with some sold to the Second Star League's SLDF in a symbolic gesture.

More recently, the Word of Blake has resumed production of the Padilla, once again produced by Leopard Armor on Terra. Leopard Armor is also building the Red Shift battlemech, designed to serve as a fast artillery spotter for the tank.

Weapons and Equipment
The vehicle's primary weapon is its forward mounted Katyusha Arrow IV Missile Launcher, stocked with six tons of ammunition. The vehicle's self-defense weaponry comprises a pair of Martell Medium Pulse Lasers. To protect the vehicle from missile fire, it has been armed with a forward mounted Burrow Anti-Missile System with two tons of ammunition. The Burrow system proved to be susceptible to electronic jamming, however, and while the Quartermaster Command ordered their replacement with improved McArthur systems, most never had the chance to refit. The vehicle was also equipped with its own TAG to provide for guided missile fire.

Variants

 * LRM : This First Succession War era variant resulted from House Liao's inability to produce more Arrow IV missiles. Their surviving vehicles were refitted with a pair of LRM-20s with two tons ammunition. BV (1.0) = 855, BV (2.0) = 1,113

Related Vehicles

 * Republic of the Sphere version of the Padilla Artillery Tank