Hector (BattleMech)

The second BattleMech model introduced by the Free Worlds League, the Hector entered service in Introduction Year::2471, only one year after the original Icarus. Built by Corean Enterprises on Stewart, it used a simple design suited for mass production and quickly became the workhorse of the Free Worlds League Military's 'Mech regiments. Limited by the Primitive Technology it was built with, the Hector's performance was generally considered lackluster. Its good top speed came at a big price; the large engine took up so much mass that the 'Mech ended up undergunned. It also had endurance problems as its twelve tons of primitive armor did not provide adequate protection to deal with heavy opponents and it also lacked enough heat sinks for its armament. Overall the Hector proved largely unpopular in its time but was just effective enough to last into the Production Ceased::2520s when it was taken out of service in favor of newer, better designs. No Hectors survived the Extinction Era::Age of War, making it one of the earliest lost 'Mech designs.

Weapons and Equipment
The Hector carries an I.W.W. Large Laser in each arm, giving it a respectable punch at the price of easily overheating. A curious design choice was the inclusion of Sperry Browning machine guns mounted on its upper legs. Meant to deter infantry attacks, the placement of the guns, and especially their ammo bins, in the legs had the opposite effect - enemy infantry soon began specifically targeting the Hector's legs to cripple them via ammunition explosions.

Variants

 * HOR-1C : A variant introduced to fix the "exploding legs" problem, the 1C replaced the machine guns and their ammo with two small lasers. It also added another heat sink, making for a more durable 'Mech overall. BV (2.0) = 993.

Design Quirks
The HOR-1B Hector is subject to the following Design Quirks:
 * Bad Reputation
 * Exposed Actuators
 * Obsolete/2520