Roc

The Roc is considered one of the best of the first generation ProtoMechs, and most known successful, as it was produced, operative and fighting for almost a century. By the time it was created, the engineers and technicians had enough feedback from the other units to find a good balance of armor, weaponry, and speed. It proved to be very popular with pilots, and formed the backbone of many ProtoMech Points and Stars.

After its development by the Smoke Jaguars, the Roc was adopted by Clans Coyote, Goliath Scorpion, Hell's Horses and Wolf-in-Exile. Other Clans also adopted the Roc towards the latter half of the 31st century. In the year 3069, a Roc-producing factory of Clan Steel Viper on Arcadia was taken by the forces of Clan Blood Spirit. By the time of the Dark Ages only the Raven Alliance still fielded the original Roc.

Weapons and Equipment
In a sense a "super-Elemental", a Roc carries a single ER Medium Laser and is equipped with sufficient Jump Jets to leap 150 meters at a time. It can also maintain a cruising speed of 54 km/h and carries sufficient armoring to survive a direct PPC hit to the chest.

Variants

 * Roc 2 : A new variant developed in the 3060s from the original, the Roc 2 centers on the use of the then-newly developed Heavy Laser technology. The original's main gun was exchanged for a Heavy Medium Laser. To accommodate the new weapon, armor protection was reduced. BV (2.0) = 245


 * Roc 3 : This variant of the Roc, developed at same time as Roc 2, utilizes Pulse Laser technology. The main gun is exchanged for a Medium Pulse Laser, with less armor reduction than the Roc 2. However, the designers were forced to drop the jump jets from the ProtoMech. BV (2.0) = 281


 * Roc 4 : Specialized for the use in the Jihad conflict, this variant drops its heavy weaponry for heavy armor and electronic warfare equipment. While retaining the original Jump Jets, the Roc 4 is fitted with an ECM Suite and a AP Gauss Rifle with two tons of ammunition. BV (2.0) = 297


 * Roc 5 : This Dark Age variant uses an Extended Jump Jet system to keep up with Snow Raven Hippogriffs. It carries a Chemical Laser.


 * Roc Z : This version of the Roc was developed by The Society. It maintains the same ground speed, but carries a Medium Chemical Laser with 30 reloads. It's also equipped with a Magnetic Clamp system.

Notable pilots

 * Point Commander Ean, a Clan Jade Falcon solahma aerospace pilot, taken bondsman by Clan Smoke Jaguar and assigned to the ProtoMech project. He died in the Battle of Huntress,