Florence

The Florence was created as a prestige project by Gibson Federated BattleMechs to improve the firm's public standing.

As a publicity stunt it was never actually intended for serial production, however, having served its public relations purpose when the prototype was tested near the city of Portent on Gibson to great fanfare in 3029. By that time, the Senior Techs on the project had in fact already been reassigned to a project seeking to optimize a new Locust variant. The impression is given that it indeed never entered production.

The prototype was presented to "Save the Children", a charity organization recognized throughout the Successor States but in reality a front for intelligence gathering. With the understanding that its capable acoustic and infrared sensors could be used for intelligence gathering (and also to bring Andurien agents there), Samuel Humphreys gave the prototype 'Mech away to be used in the Capellan Confederation just before the Andurien Secession and Andurien's declaration of war on the Confederation.

Designed as an AmbulanceMech to recover or rescue wounded people, this bipedal 'Mech features a pair of fully functional hands for increased mobility including climbing, and to navigate and dig into rubble. A side torso section included four cabins with stretchers that could be remotely monitored from the cockpit, complete with automated semi-robotic arms inside the cabins to handle patients.

The hands contained microphones that could detect underground noises such as tapping signals, and the 'Mech's infrared sensors were receptive enough to potentially spot people trapped under rubble.

The weight or engine type of the Florence were not mentioned, nor if it was built to BattleMech or IndustrialMech specifications. No weapons were mentioned.