Bandit

The Bandit is a 50-ton combat hovercraft, first seen in use by the Wolf’s Dragoons. Originally it was an old Clan design brought to the Inner Sphere by the Dragoons, who approached the Blackwell Corporation in January of 3007 to produce three vehicles for their exclusive use; along with the Bandit, the other vehicles were the Kestrel VTOL transport and the Badger APC.

At the time, Blackwell was only a minor manufacturer of actuator parts and other BattleMech components, which required significant technical assistance to produce these advanced designs. In addition to providing the plans for the three vehicles, the Dragoons gave notable production advice, and helped to greatly expand and upgrade Blackwell's operations. The first Bandit floated off the assembly line in March of 3008, only a little more than a year after the order was placed. The Bandit and Badger were the first two OmniVehicle designs in the Inner Sphere. For years, the Dragoons took great care to conceal the Bandit's true nature, wary of letting Omni-technology fall into the hands of the Successor States.

The OmniVehicle capability makes the Bandit very adaptable to a wide range of combat situations, from infantry transport to fire support, and short to long-range. It’s often rumored that the Dragoons reconfigure their Bandits after initial contact with enemy recon patrols in hopes of confusing attempts to estimate the actual quantity of their forces.

Deployment
Through most of its service life in the Inner Sphere, the Bandit served solely with the Wolf's Dragoons. In fact, nearly half of the unit's APCs are Bandits. Most served in the Dragoons’ Support Command and Home Guard, though some were still assigned to frontline combat units in 3070.

Eventually, the sales restriction came to be lifted, and the vehicle can now be found in service with other mercenary units of the Allied Mercenary Command. A number of military historians suggested the Dragoons sold Bandits to the Star League before that body’s collapse.

Weapons and Equipment
The primary Bandit configuration carries three Blackwell Opal Medium Lasers in its turret, along with two front-mounted Blackwell Pilum SRM-2 launchers and a Machine Gun. Ammunition includes two tons of SRM-2 reloads, along with one-half ton for the Machine Gun. Most configurations provide four tons of carrying capacity in the infantry bay, though the 'H' variant provides a whopping eight tons of infantry space. BV (1.0) and BV (2.0) = 566.

Alternate Configurations

 * Alt. Config. A : In this guise, the Bandit can soften up enemy fortifications, or threaten enemy vehicles and BattleMechs from afar with its single turret-mounted PPC. BV (1.0) = 539, BV (2.0) = 902.


 * Alt. Config. B : This short-range configuration carries two turret-mounted SRM-4s drawing from a single ton of ammunition. In addition, the B has a single front-mounted SRM-2 supplied with one ton of reloads. BV (1.0) = 389, BV (2.0) = 753


 * Alt. Config. C : Another short range configuration, the C is armed with two turret-mounted SRM-6 launchers, drawing from one ton of ammunition. BV (1.0) = 428, BV (2.0) = 792


 * Alt. Config. D : Designed for long-range bombardment, this version includes three turret-mounted LRM-5s with a single ton of ammunition split between them. BV (1.0) = 463, BV (2.0) = 827


 * Alt. Config. E : The E is equipped with a single turret-mounted LRM-10, drawing from a single ton of ammunition. This version also carries a single front-mounted Medium Laser for closer fighting.   BV (1.0) = 476,  BV (2.0) = 839


 * Alt. Config. F : Equipped solely with Energy Weapons, this version sports a single turret-mounted Large Laser and a single front-mounted Medium Laser. BV (1.0) = 526, BV (2.0) = 887


 * Alt. Config. G : Another design that wields only Energy Weapons, this version can provide serious short-range punch with its two turret-mounted Medium Lasers and six front-mounted Small Lasers. BV (1.0) = 474, BV (2.0) = 837


 * Alt. Config. H : This version provides eight tons of infantry space, while still providing short-range fire support with a single Streak SRM 2 launcher and a single ER Medium Laser mounted in the turret. The SSRM launcher is provided with one ton of ammunition. BV (1.0) = 366, BV (2.0) = 708


 * Alt. Config. I : This configuration has a four ton infantry bay and carries a forward-firing Light Machine Gun and a pair of Light PPCs in the turret. BV (2.0) = 914

Bandit (C)
The Bandit has several Clan-tech variants. Most are essentially identical to the Inner Sphere-tech duplicate, with some major exceptions — they mount Ferro-Fibrous armor but do not appear to be OmniVehicles. These variants are all equipped with a five-ton infantry bay. The first two variants have only appeared in limited numbers within the Dragoons although the rest have been seen infrequently in service on the Clan homeworlds.


 * Prime Config. : The first variant is similar to the standard “C” model by mounting two Streak SRM 6 launchers in the turret. BV (1.0) = 73, BV (2.0) = 1,054


 * Alt. Config. A : The second variant mounts an ER Large Laser and a standard SRM-2 rack in the turret, with a second SRM-2 launcher fixed forward. BV (1.0) = 839, BV (2.0) = 1,145.


 * Alt. Config. B : This configuration provides long range fire support via a turret-mounted LRM-20. BV (2.0) = 1,162


 * Alt. Config. C : This variant is equipped with three Medium Pulse Lasers in the turret. BV (2.0) = 1,231


 * Alt. Config. D : This variant carries an ER Medium Laser and LB 2-X AC in the turret and mounts an ER Medium Laser in the front. BV (2.0) = 1,093


 * Alt. Config. E : This version uses an ATM-9 with a ton of each ammunition type to support its infantry cargo. BV (2.0) = 1,063


 * Alt. Config. F : Apparently intended to destroy enemy infantry forces, this Bandit configuration uses a Plasma Cannon and two AP Gauss Rifles in the turret. A Streak SRM-2 covers the front arc. BV (2.0) = 1,119


 * Alt. Config. G : This configuration mounts an Active Probe and ECM Suite. Offensively, it carries four Heavy Machine Guns mounted in a Machine Gun Array firing forward. The turret carries four Light Machine Guns in a Machine Gun Array, as well as a single ER Medium Laser. Each machine gun type has a half-ton of ammunition. This configuration is apparently designed for anti-infantry work in cities and other crowded areas. BV (2.0) = 915


 * Alt. Config. H : A Heavy Medium Laser and Streak SRM-4 are in the turret, while a Medium Pulse Laser covers the front. A Targeting Computer offsets the heavy laser's inaccuracy. BV (2.0) = 1,209

Custom Variants

 * Bandit "Warthog" : Designed by the Blackwell Industries technicians who survived the Jihad's opening salvo on Outreach, the "Warthog" trades the standard engine for an XL Engine. Heavy Ferro-Fibrous armor improves the Bandit's protection, particularly the Armored Motive System that improves the durability of the hoverskirt. A turret-mounted Machine Gun and Large Variable Speed Pulse Laser are the only weapons carried by the "Warthog." BV (2.0) = 872


 * Bandit Mk. II : Based on the Bandit "Warthog", this version was created by Arc-Royal MechWorks under license for export. It replaces the XL engine of the Warthog with a standard fusion engine and removes the infantry bay. This is replaced by nine tons of Heavy Ferro-Fibrous armor. A pair of turret mounted Machine Guns and a Medium Variable Speed Pulse Laser are the Mk. II's only weapons. The Mk. II retains the Armored Motive System and adds CASE for increased protection. BV (2.0) = 770

Design Quirks
The ''Bandit Mk. II'' variant is subject of the following Design Quirks:
 * Bad Reputation
 * Modular Weapons
 * Rumble Seat