Arion

The Arion is a light hybrid combat machine which is a mix between a BattleMech and a combat vehicle, known as a QuadVee. Designed during the 3130s by Clan Hell's Horses, its design philosophy was to create a unit to be the superior of a BattleMech while avoiding issues that a typical combat vehicle encounters. The Arion, like others of its kind, is able to transform from a tracked combat vehicle into a quadrupedal BattleMech with a torso-like tank turret. The Arion was designed as a fast moving harasser able to use its limited array of weaponry to snipe enemy units it encountered. However, due to its size and limited space, the Arion would leave Warriors questioning the value of its design and, to some extent, the value of QuadVees as a whole. Initial appearances of the QuadVee allowed Clan Hell's Horses commanders to bid a QuadVee as a "vehicle" in trials using zellbrigen. This allowed commanders to double their forces with 'Mechs due to Vehicle Stars typically consisting of ten units, as opposed to five in a 'Mech Star (vehicles are typically deployed in pairs and two constitute a Point).

During the late 3130s, the Arion was only used briefly in a few battles, starting on Derf in 3136 in a Trial of Possession with Clan Jade Falcon. Used in an all-QuadVee Binary with other designs of its kind, the Binary fared poorly due to uncertainty towards how to properly use the design and not play into the flaws inherent in the QuadVee's design. It was successful in its supporting role in the battle on Weingarten in 3139 when Clan Hell's Horses faced off against elements of the Second Tyr Assault Cluster from the Rasalhague Dominion. In a less successful effort, a pair of Arions were used as part of a Vehicle Star of the Horse's 91st Mechanized Assault Cluster raid of the Dominion world of Gunzburg. In this raid, the star was crippled but the QuadVee's unique ability to transform into BattleMechs allowed them to withdraw under their own power from the oncoming defenses of the Second Freemen.

Weapons and Equipment
The Arion is designed for speed, powered by a 210-rated Light Force Fusion Engine that gives the Arion 97 kph top speed in either vehicle or Quad 'Mech mode, enabling it to avoid too much damage from incoming fire. Due to the size of its equipment, the Arion has limited room left over for weaponry and armor protection. This left designers only 2.5 tons for armor, leading to the use of ferro-fibrous armor. Due to this low armor protection and its marginal flank speeds, this left the design highly unlikely to survive a direct encounter with any heavier combat units, including typical light BattleMechs.

Like all vehicles of its kind, its 'Mech weaponry is concentrated in its turret-like torso, enabling it bring those weapons to bear on any opponent from any direction. With its two-crew cockpit, the QuadVee's dedicated Gunner can target multiple targets. The Arion's primary weapon is its Series 7K Extended-Range Large Laser mounted in the center torso. Its secondary weapons are a pair of Type 1 Cross-Pattern SRM 4 launchers, one per side torso. The integrated CASE allows for it to survive a possible ammunition explosion from its single ton of SRM reloads.

Design Quirks
The Arion has the following Design Quirks:
 * Bad Reputation
 * No Ejection System
 * Non-Standard Parts

Categoy:35 tons