Cestus

Description
The CTS-6Y Cestus began production for the Star League Defense Force in 2766, however the original CTS-6X Cestus was produced during Introduction Year::2603. Introduced by General Motors and constructed at their Kathil plant, the Cestus served in the Armed Forces of the Federated Suns after the Fall of the Star League until its factory became a casualty during a Capellan Confederation Armed Forces raid at the beginning of the Production Ceased::Second Succession War. The 'Mech was originally designed to carry a heavy energy weapons payload, but because of complications encountered with the heat sinks on the 'Mech, the upgraded Cestus was modified to carry a mix of ballistic and energy weapons. The Cestus was reintroduced by both Blue Shot Weapons and General Motors in the mid-3050s.

Weapons and Equipment
The Cestus uses a powerful GM 260 XL engine to propel itself to a top speed of 64.8 km/h which, while slower than most sixty-five ton 'Mechs, is a respectable speed for a heavy 'Mech. For protection from enemy fire, the Cestus carries a respectable thirteen and a half tons of Durallex Special Heavy armor, allowing it to take a great deal of punishment before going down. Finally, to help dissipate the waste heat from the 'Mech, the Cestus has twelve double heat sinks.

The Cestus carries as its primary weapon a Poland Main Model A Gauss Rifle that can strip nearly a ton of armor off an enemy at up to six hundred and sixty meters. The Gauss Rifle is supported by a pair of Defiance B3L Large Lasers that can strike a target at medium to long-ranges and combined can do as much damage as the Gauss Rifle. For close combat, the Cestus has two ChrisComp 39 Medium Lasers that provide the 'mech with point-blank firepower.

Variants

 * CTS-6X : The original 6X Cestus carries an all energy weapon payload. Each arm carries a Large Pulse Laser, Medium Pulse Laser, and PPC. Heat is a major concern with this design as it only carries fourteen single heat sinks. BV (2.0) = 1,424


 * CTS-6Y-EC : Clan Fire Mandrill refitted their rare Cestuses with prototype ER Medium Lasers, Improved Large Lasers, and an Improved Gauss Rifle. The Gauss Rifle has four tons of ammunition, and fourteen double heat sinks keep the heat under control. (Note: EC is an abbreviation used by historians to designate "Early Clan" designs.) BV (2.0) = 1,783


 * CTS-6Z : The 6Z variant of the Cestus is a throwback to the original concept of the 'Mech. The 6Z variant is armed with two PPCs in place of the Gauss Rifle. The saved weight is used to add four more double heat sinks to the 'Mech, helping to alleviate the large amounts of excess heat from the twin PPCs. This variant of the Cestus does sacrifice the cool-running aspect of the design for increased firepower but also has the added benefit of being able to operate for long periods of time without needing to resupply. BV (1.0) = 1,275, BV (2.0) = 1,560


 * CTS-7A : A variant created by Blue Shot Weapons, the 7A turns the Cestus into a close range brawler. The first step was the removal of all the weaponry. In their places are newer guns, the largest of which is the LB-X Autocannon/20. With three tons of ammunition, the MechWarrior has the flexibility to swap between slugs and cluster rounds. This is backed up by paired ER Medium Lasers, Medium Pulse Lasers, and Streak SRM-4s. As long as the autocannon has rounds, heat can be an issue, so it should be managed with care. BV (1.0) = 1,231, BV (2.0) = 1,519

Design Quirks
The Cestus has the following Design Quirk:
 * Stabilized Weapon (Gauss Rifle)

Notable pilots

 * Cassandra Allard-Liao piloted a Cestus during all the Capellan-St. Ives War.