Awesome

Technicron Manufacturing began production of the Awesome in Introduction Year::2665 to replace the STR-2C Striker. What they produced not only replaced the aging Striker, it became one of the most feared BattleMechs of all time. The Awesome is built around its impressive all-energy based arsenal and heavy armor making it a highly independent and powerful assault 'Mech. Rugged and reliable, the Awesome is traditionally used in a vanguard role when penetrating enemy defenses. The Awesome&#39;s massive firepower also lends it to defensive actions, acting as a mobile turret when necessary. Because of its reliance on PPCs, the Awesome is able to act independently for extended periods of time. This trait is also useful in siege situations where the 'Mech can keep up a constant barrage, allowing it to win battles of attrition through bleeding an enemy dry. The only downsides to the Awesome is its low maneuverability and lack of rear-facing weaponry, making it vulnerable to being outflanked and surrounded by lighter 'Mechs, although good intelligence and a well-deployed screening force can mitigate this issue.

Originally built for the Star League out of Technicron's factory on Savannah, the Awesome soon became a common sight in the armies of all the House Lords. At the start of the Succession Wars, the Free Worlds League was able to maintain control of the Savannah factory, making them the only Successor State capable of building new Awesomes and thus the largest user of them. Lycomb-Davion IntroTech had been producing the Awesome and other designs from their main factory on Demeter, but the Capellan Confederation struck at and destroyed the manufacturing lines on Demeter early in the First Succession War.

Eventually Technicron partnered up with Irian BattleMechs Unlimited to open a new line on Irian, although neither one was willing to tamper with the venerable design. The discovery of the Helm Memory Core and the onset of the Clan Invasion finally spurred them on to build a new variant, the AWS-9M, which took advantage of recovered lostech to address some of the issues of the original. The AWS-9Q was built in time to take part in Operation Guerrero, while the advanced AWS-10KM built at the time of the Jihad was the result of a joint venture between Irian Technologies and Alshain Weaponry.

Weapons and Equipment
The Awesome has a limited, but effective, armament consisting of three Kreuss PPCs, one mounted in its right arm and two split between left and right torso. These give it an immense amount of damage potential at ranges exceeding five hundred meters, enough to destroy some 'Mechs with a single salvo, although at point-blank range they are less useful. For close combat the 'Mech mounts in its head a Diverse Optics Type 10 Small Laser while its left arm ends in a battle fist sufficient for hand-to-hand fighting.

To handle the tremendous heat load of its weaponry the Awesome carries twenty-eight heat sinks, although even these can be overwhelmed; most pilots only fire two of their PPCs per salvo to reduce the strain. With fifteen tons of armor plating the Awesome is one of the most heavily-armored assault 'Mechs, making it better protected than even the BattleMaster, including some of the thickest rear armor of any 'Mech. Although an enemy coming at it from the rear or left flank has a fighting chance, most soldiers agree that "the only defense against an Awesome is another Awesome."

Variants

 * AWS-8R : The 8R variant of the Awesome was introduced in 2683, and while also focused on long range damage it dispenses with the traditional energy-based loadout. Retaining the small laser it replaces the three PPCs with two LRM-15 launchers in the left and right torso, each fed by two tons of ammo in the same location, and a Large Laser in its right arm. Although providing long range damage potential equal to that of the 8Q, the heavy dependence on ammunition limits the amount of time a barrage can be maintained to just under a minute and a half. BV (1.0) = 1,283, BV (2.0) = 1,470


 * AWS-8T : Introduced in 2815 and taking the concept of the 8R further, the 8T removed five heat sinks and replaces them with an additional large laser in the left arm while retaining the two LRM-15s of the 8R. This modification makes good use of the Awesome's heavily heat sink design, as the removal of the five heat sinks has little effect on the 'Mech and it is still effective when the LRM ammunition has been depleted. BV (1.0) = 1,312, BV (2.0) = 1,593


 * AWS-8V : An attempt to meld the concepts behind the 8R with the 8Q, the 8V was introduced in 2980. It is armed with a single PPC in its right arm, an LRM-15 launcher with two tons of reloads in the right torso, and a large laser in the left torso. This mix of weapons allows the Awesome to keep up a constant barrage after it has depleted its LRM ammunition. BV (1.0) = 1,323, BV (2.0) = 1,510


 * AWS-9M : The 9M is an upgrade of the Awesome that uses Star League technologies and was introduced in 3049. The 'Mech is built around a 320 Hermes XL Fusion engine, giving the 'Mech a top speed of 64.8 km/h. The heat sinks were upgraded to double heat sinks to allow this variant to be rearmed with three Fusigon Longtooth ER PPCs. The ER PPCs are backed up by two Hovertec Streak SRM-2s, split between the left arm and center torso and fed by one ton of reloads in the left leg, a Magna 400P Medium Pulse Laser also in the center torso, and a Diverse Optics Type 10 Small Pulse Laser in place of the head-mounted small laser. BV (1.0) = 1,469, BV (2.0) = 1,812


 * AWS-9Md (Drone) : A Capellan experimental unit in 3071 based on the AWS-9M, the cockpit weight is increased to seven tons to accommodate the robotic drone control and the two Streak SRM-2s and their ammo are removed. These 'Mechs were operated by a AI controller known as The Broken. BV (1.0) = ??, BV (2.0) = ??


 * AWS-9Q : A basic upgrade to the original 8Q introduced in 3057, the heat sinks are upgraded to double heat sinks and are reduced to nineteen. The saved weight is used to add a fourth PPC to the 'Mech as well as a Guardian ECM Suite. Although there was some criticism for using basic PPCs and not upgrading to ER models, the 9Q proved itself during Operation Guerrero to be quite devastating. BV (1.0) = 1,623, BV (2.0) = 1,875


 * AWS-10KM : The newest variant, a joint project between IBMU and Alshain Weaponry, was introduced in 3067. The 'Mech utilizes Irian's Compact Engine and Compact Gyro to save space at the expense of mass. It retains the speed and ECM of the 9Q, but utilizes an Endo Steel structure. Two Heavy PPCs deal a good amount of damage in each blow, while a Snub-Nose PPC is deadly and accurate at close range. At the time of its introduction the 10KM was reserved for only the elite units of the Free Worlds League and Draconis Combine, and thanks to an iron-clad contract even the wily Irian Technologies had trouble finding a loophole to sell the 'Mech to the other Houses or mercenary units. BV (1.0) = ?, BV (2.0) = 1,961


 * AWS-11M : This advanced tech variant of the Awesome was introduced during the end of the Jihad in 3079, and uses eight Light PPCs as its main armament. To improve the damage potential of the 'Mech, half of those PPCs are equipped with experimental PPC Capacitors. Technicron engineers were forced to reduce the top speed of the Awesome to that of an 8Q, and to provide the room for two of the Light PPC's, they had to equip the 11M with a heavy Compact Gyro. To offset the heat caused by the eight PPCs and capacitors, the engineers used twenty Clan-spec Double Heat Sinks. BV (2.0) = 1,801


 * AWS-11R : Developed in 3133 this Awesome variant is protected by thirteen tons of Stealth Armor and a Guardian ECM Suite. The weaponry has been replaced with a Light Gauss Rifle, LRM-15, Extended LRM-15, and a single ER Medium Laser. The ammunition and Gauss rifle are protected by CASE II systems. For emergency use, a single Coolant Pod can supplement the ten double strength heat sinks. A Compact Gyro freed enough room in the center torso to store three tons of ELRM ammunition. A 240XL engine provides a top speed of 54km/h, but this is supplemented by a Supercharger which allows for bursts of speed up to 64 km/h. BV (2.0) = 1,878


 * AWS-11V : Derived from the AWS-11R, this variant uses direct fire weaponry.

Custom Variants

 * AWS-8Q Buck : This standard Awesome was modified by Major Buck Tripp of The Thumpers. It carries the standard three PPCs of the Awesome-8Q, but uses an XL Gyro and larger XL Engine to reach a maximum speed of 84km/h. It removes twelve heat sinks and upgrades the remaining sixteen to double strength models. It also removes the small laser and standard armor, instead using thirteen and a half tons of Ferro-Fibrous armor to provide protection. BV (2.0) = 1,787


 * AWS-8Q Smith : The personal 'Mech of Black Omen commander Captain Richard Smith, Smith's 8Q Awesome was refitted with Clan salvage given to the Omen by the grateful Draconis Combine following their escape from Damian. Hiring Wolf's Dragoons techs to perform the refit, the 8Q's primary weaponry was replaced with a pair of Clantech ER PPCs and a Clan-grade Ultra AC/5. BV (2.0) = 2,166


 * AWS-9Ma : A customized variant of the stock AWS-9M model that was utilized by Adam Steiner during the 1st Somerset Strikers' liberation of Somerset in the midst of the Clan Invasion. The pulse lasers were removed and the AWS-8Q's standard Small Laser was restored; the remaining weight was devoted to a Guardian ECM Suite, Command Console, and two tons of advanced Communications Equipment. The small laser was moved to the left arm, and twenty double heat sinks kept things cool. BV (2.0) = 1,836 Note: The AWS-9Ma as it appeared in the 1st Somerset Striker sourcebook used the now superseded Tactical Handbook Command Console.


 * AWS-9Q Klatt : A customized variant piloted by Rodney Klatt of the famed Crescent Hawks, this simple modification of the AWS-9Q removes the Guardian ECM suite and replaces it with a C3 Slave unit. The Small Laser is replaced by a Small Pulse Laser. BV (2.0) = 1,805


 * AWS-10KM Cameron : The Awesome used by Cameron St. Jamais for his last stand during Operation SCOUR mixed both Clan and Inner Sphere technology. It replaces the standard Awesome-10KM's Heavy PPCs with two Clan built ER PPCs. It also mounts an Improved C3 computer to share targeting data, and is equipped with an advanced Targeting Computer. A single ER Small Laser has been reinstalled in the head. The heat sinks have been built to Clan specifications. The compact fusion engine has been replaced with a standard fusion engine. The Guardian ECM and Snub Nosed PPC of the standard AWS-10KM remain, but to provide more protection this Awesome uses an Armored Engine, Armored Cockpit, and Armored Gyro. BV(2.0) = 2,466

Apocryphal Variants
These variants were introduced in MechWarrior Online, and thus far have not appeared in any canonical media.


 * AWS-PB Pretty Baby : While there are no indications that Danielle Peterson piloted anything other than a standard and most likely AWS-8Q variant, in MechWarrior Online the Pretty Baby Hero 'Mech first released in February 2013 is easily identified by its flashy flame paintjob and unexpected speed, achieved through the use of an 340-rated Extralight Engine. The MWO Pretty Baby (serial number AWS8V99TG-2957) also features a unique weapon loadout as well - mounting a standard PPC in the right arm, a LRM-15 in the right torso, a Medium Laser in the head, Large Laser in the left torso and an SRM-4 in the left arm. 19 Double Heat Sinks, two tons of LRM and three of SRM missiles keep it in the thick of battle.

Notable 'Mechs and pilots

 * Cameron St. Jamais, Precentor Martial of the Word of Blake, was a noted Awesome pilot. St. Jamais died at the controls of a customised AWS-10KM facing Devlin Stone at the end of the Jihad.


 * Marcus Barton, commander of the 2nd Regiment (Barton's Regiment) of McCarron's Armored Cavalry, piloted a modified AWS-8Q in the assault on Marlette in 3044. The Small Laser had been removed, and almost half a ton of armor was added (specifically 1 point to each leg, 2 points to each arm and 1 point to the center torso) in its place.


 * Danielle Peterson, a member of the Chisholm's Raiders, Peterson has a petite build and physical beauty that is atypical of MechWarriors and seemingly at odds with her Awesome's appearance. She is highly regarded for her exceptional piloting ability, and the extraordinary agility and performance she displays in her Pretty Baby have been well documented throughout the Successor States.


 * Rodney Klatt of the Crescent Hawks piloted a customized AWS-9Q Awesome during the Jihad. XO and ersatz bodyguard of unit CO Jeremiah Youngblood, Klatt's lumbering Awesome was the heaviest 'Mech ever deployed by the notably speedy Crescent Hawks and its lack of mobility stymied more than one grand plan during that conflict.

Design Quirks
The Awesome has the following Design Quirk:
 * Battlefists

The AWS-11R Awesome variant is subject to the following Design Quirks:
 * Battlefists
 * Distracting
 * Poor Performance