BattleMech Technical Readout

Name/Model:         Highlander (Highlander Upgrade) HGN-732-XX
Designer:           Strider Arashi
Source(s):          Custom Mordel.Net Units
Technology:         Inner Sphere (Mixed)
Technology Rating:  F
Tonnage:            90
Role:               Sniper
Configuration:      Biped BattleMech
Era/Year:           Dark Age / 3150
Rules (Current):    Standard
Rules (Era):        Standard
Rules (Year):       Standard
Total Cost:         19,289,180 C-Bills
Battle Value:       2,701

Chassis:              Star League XT NJT Light Endo Steel
Power Plant:          GM Super 270 
Walking Speed:        32.4 kph  
Maximum Speed:        54 kph    
Jump Jets:            HildCo Model 10 
    Jump Capacity:    90 meters
Armor:                Grumman-3 with CASE II
Armament:             
    1 Holly Streak LRM 20 (C)
    1 M-7C Gauss Rifle (C)
    1 Holly Mk II Streak SRM 6 (C)
    2 Harmon Starclass Heavy Medium Lasers (C)
    1 Skyshield MK.6 Laser Anti-Missile System (C)
Manufacturer:         Hollis Incorporated, StarCorps Industries
    Primary Factory:  Corey (HI), Son Hoa (SCI)
Communications:       Hector VII with Watchdog CEWS
Targeting & Tracking: Starlight LX-1

================================================================================================
Overview:
    Description:
    
    The Highlander is one of the most well-known Star League Defense Force assault 'Mechs,
    serving with distinction for almost two centuries since first entering service in 2592.
    Initially designed as a dedicated city and installation defender, the original model
    featured a variety of weaponry along with fifteen and a half tons of ferro-fibrous armor,
    but perhaps its most useful asset were the three HildCo jump jets giving it a jumping range
    of 90 meters. Among the heaviest 'Mech designs to feature jump jets at the time, their
    original task was to allow the Highlander the ability to jump over inconvenient obstacles
    such as buildings and outpace other 'Mechs with a faster ground speed, but because of this
    increased mobility and its versatile weaponry the Highlander proved to be a capable fighter
    on any battlefield and within decades nearly every BattleMech regiment of the Regular and
    Royal Armies featured them. However it was during the design's initial trial runs that
    pilots began using these 'Mechs in what would infamously become known as the "Highlander
    Burial". Leaping into the air and landing directly on their enemy, a Highlander could
    literally drive a light 'Mech into the ground. So successful was this maneuver that the
    design team reengineered the legs to withstand repeated death-from-above attacks and turned
    what had been a desperation move into an art form, giving Highlander pilots an additional
    psychological edge.[4][6][7][8][9]
    
    As with other Star League era designs the Highlander would suffer the loss of technology
    brought about by the Succession Wars, and when StarCorps' factory on Son Hoa was devastated
    towards the end of the Second Succession War the original HGN-732 became virtually extinct.
    An agreement between StarCorps and Hollis Incorporated to rebuild destroyed chassis from
    scratch using readily-available technology kept the line going until the mid-3030s when
    limited production was restarted by StarCorps on Son Hoa and Corey, producing barely a dozen
    new 'Mechs per year. These HGN-733 Highlanders were used in small numbers by the Capellan
    Confederation and Lyran Commonwealth, commonly as part of lances containing Exterminators,
    Victors, Grasshoppers and Catapults.[4][7][8]
    
    Unbeknownst to many, ComStar also maintained a large stock of Highlanders left over from the
    Star League, some of which they gifted to the Draconis Combine during the War of 3039. The
    appearance of so many seemingly rare 733s, along with a few 732s whose advanced technology
    managed to slip through ComStar screening, had a large impact on Lyran morale during that
    conflict. ComStar would also use the design in their own military forces, the Com Guards,
    and even during the Clan Invasion a few original 732s would take to the field as part of the
    Clans' fighting forces. The Northwind Highlanders especially favored this namesake
    BattleMech. In fact, during the Succession Wars, they were the only Inner Sphere army to
    keep a large number of them operational, along with ComStar. The Highlanders are especially
    skilled in delivering the famed Highlander Burial maneuver.[10] By 3057 StarCorps' Son Hoa
    line was at full production, producing brand-new original-spec Highlanders for Lyran units
    of the Federated Commonwealth, just in time to take part in the FedCom Civil War.
    Highlanders would continue to be produced all the way through to the Jihad, where advanced
    variants fought both for and against the Word of Blake.[4]

Capabilities:
    Weapons and Equipment:
    
    The Highlander carries a weapons mix that is more at home when fighting ranged battles, but
    when the ranges close, the Highlander has the right equipment for the job. The primary
    weapon is an M-7 Gauss rifle that is capable of stripping armor off of an enemy a ton at a
    time. The Gauss is backed up at long ranges by a Holly-20 Streak LRM-20 launcher. For
    close-range work, it carries two Harmon Starclass Heavy Medium Lasers and a Holly-6 Streak
    SRM-6 launcher. Two tons of ammo for the gauss rifle, LRM and SRM launchers each provide
    good endurance while the use of CASE grants added protection. Low heat buildup from the
    weapons allows for a nearly continuous barrage without taxing the twelve heat sinks, though
    pilots must still exhibit caution.[7][4][6][9].
    
    The Highlander has the following Design Quirks:[30]
    
    Command BattleMech
    Cowl
    Difficult Ejection
    Reinforced Legs
    
    Strengths:
    The HGN-732's ability to carry a Gauss Rifle and up to three PPC or ER PPCs means it can be
    a formidable sniper when used with Jump Jets.
    
    Weaknesses:
    All of the direct fire Hardpoints can be found on the right side of this 'Mech. Once that is
    lost, the missiles mounted on the other side of the 'Mech will still be useable though.
    Additionally, only three Jump Jets may be installed, limiting its ability to jump-snipe and
    move over obstacles. The HGN-732's arm twist range of 20° limits its ability to fight at
    close range.
    
    Overall, the stock loadout seems well-balanced. It's slow as dirt, but jumpjet-equipped for
    positioning and has a powerful melee punch plus a good mix of weapons.
    
    All in all, a great all-around stomper.

Deployment:
    Initially designed as a dedicated city and installation defender, and garrison work, this
    mech has also been deployed in many situations and is most famous for pilots using what is
    called the "Highlander Burial" otherwise known as "Death From Above" (DFB).
    
    Highlanders were used in small numbers by the Capellan Confederation and Lyran
    Commonwealth, commonly as part of lances containing Exterminators, Victors, Grasshoppers and
    Catapults.[4][7][8]

Variants:
    Variants:
    
    HGN-694
    Introduced during the FedCom Civil War, this Highlander variant replaces the missiles,
    medium lasers, and jump jets with two Large Lasers and a Heavy Gauss Rifle. The M-7 Gauss
    Rifle remains in place. BV (2.0) = 2,358[11]
    
    HGN-641-X-2
    This ComStar developed variant is equipped with a pair of Artemis IV-equipped MML-7
    launchers with four tons of ammo. It keeps the Gauss Rifle of the standard Highlander and
    mounts a pair of ER medium lasers. CASE II systems protect the Gauss Rifle and missile
    ammunition from explosions. A C3 slave unit allows the Highlander to share targeting data.
    Light Ferro-Fibrous armor and a Reinforced Structure provide protection from weapons fire.
    To make room for all the equipment, this Highlander uses an XL engine and XL Gyro. BV (2.0)
    = 2,185[12]
    
    HGN-732b
    The 732b model is an upgrade of the classic 732 built exclusively for SLDF Royal units. This
    variant drops two heat sinks and a ton of SRM ammo. Artemis IV FCS is added to the LRM and
    SRM launcher, while the heat sinks are upgraded to doubles. Additional short-range firepower
    comes in the form of a medium laser added to the right torso. BV (2.0) = 2,335[13][14]
    
    HGN-733
    The 733 model is a downgrade of the Highlander, although it weathered the use of more
    primitive technology better than other SLDF designs. In place of the Gauss Rifle the 'Mech
    now carries an Mydron Class B Autocannon/10 with two tons of ammo and an additional ton of
    LRM reloads while the rest of the Highlander's weapons have remained the same. The armor has
    also been upgraded by two tons, providing even more protection than the original 732 model.
    The speed profile of the Highlander maintains the original model's maximum speed of 54.0
    km/h. The communications system is a Hartford Com/A-7[7] BV (1.0) = 1,424; BV (2.0) =
    1,801[8][15][16]
    
    HGN-733C
    This model drops a ton each of SRM and LRM ammo. The Autocannon/10 is upgraded to an
    Autocannon/20. BV (2.0) = 1,867[17]
    
    HGN-733P
    This model swaps the Autocannon/10 for a PPC and seven additional Heat Sinks BV (2.0) =
    1,865[18]
    
    HGN-734
    The 734 Highlander emphasizes its role as an urban combat 'Mech, produced by the Lyran
    Alliance in the onset of the civil war. The Gauss Rifle has been replaced with a massive LB
    20-X AC, the medium lasers have been upgraded to ER medium lasers, the SRM-6 was upgraded to
    a Streak version with another Streak SRM-6 launcher added, as well as an ER Large Laser and
    a Medium Pulse Laser. Upgrading the standard fusion engine to a new Light Engine and
    removing the LRM-20 launcher allowed these changes.[1] BV (1.0) = 1,889[3] or 1,793;[19] BV
    (2.0) = 2,214[20]
    
    HGN-736
    This ComStar version of the Highlander introduced in the late 3050s has been upgraded to
    carry the improved C3 computer, as well as upgrading the LRM-20 with an Artemis IV fire
    control system and replacing the SRM-6 to a Streak SRM-4. This was accomplished by replacing
    the twelve single heat sinks of the 732 model with ten double heat sinks and by only using
    one ton of ammunition for the upgraded SRM launcher.[1] BV (1.0) = 2,118;[3][21] BV (2.0) =
    2,255[22]
    
    HGN-738
    Another upgrade by the Lyran Alliance following the civil war, the 738's largest weapon is
    its Heavy Gauss Rifle. The long-range missile launcher is replaced with an LRM-15, though it
    is guided by an Artemis IV FCS, with an ER Large Laser providing additional long range
    firepower. Should an enemy unit close, the 738 can bring a pair of ER medium lasers and a
    Streak SRM-4 to bear. Though the 'Mech utilizes a standard fusion engine, the concentration
    of ammunition in one torso and the Gauss in the other make it extremely vulnerable to
    critical damage, even with the inclusion of CASE for the ammunition bins. BV (2.0) =
    2,413[23]
    
    HGN-740
    This Dark Age variant of the Highlander uses an ER PPC with a PPC Capacitor for its main
    firepower. This is supplemented by an LRM-20 with an Artemis IV Fire Control System to
    enhance accuracy. The left arm carries a Streak SRM-6 and the right torso has a pair of ER
    medium lasers. Light Ferro-Fibrous armor provides protection. CASE II protects the two tons
    of LRM and one ton of Streak SRM ammunition. The final weapons system is a pair of M-Pods on
    each leg.[24] BV (2.0) = 2,237[25]
    
    Custom Variants:
    
    HGN-732 Colleen
    This version replaced the standard weaponry with an ER PPC, a prototype Streak SRM-6, twin
    Medium Pulse Lasers, and a pair of LRM-15 missile launchers. Fourteen double heat sinks keep
    everything cool. BV (2.0) = 2,127[26]
    
    HGN-732 Jorgensson
    Used by Clan Widowmaker Khan Cal Jorgensson, this Highlander uses two Clan spec ER Large
    Lasers and a Clan spec Gauss Rifle for its armament. It also has an Artemis IV enhanced
    LRM-20 and thirteen double heat sinks. Its protection is identical to the standard HGN-732
    Highlander. BV (2.0) = 2,682[27]
    
    Apocryphal Variants:
    
    HGN-733PP
    Introduced in 3025 as a melee-enhanced version of the standard HGN-733P, the HGN-733PP moves
    the SRM-6 to the left torso, drops one of the right-torso medium lasers and downgrades the
    LRM rack to an LRM-15, allowing it to carry an assault katana in its left arm.[28]
    
    HGN-RS Redshank
    The personal Hero 'Mech of Roz Sheridan, senior member of the Dragon's Breath mercenary
    unit, Redshank is based off the HGH-733, dropping the SRM rack to mount an additional ton of
    autocannon ammo and an extra medium laser in the right torso as well as allowing it to carry
    a massive assault claymore in its left arm.[28].
    
    HGN-HM Heavy Metal
    PGI's Hero 'Mech version of Rhonda Snord's custom Highlander, Heavy Metal retaining the
    right-arm mounted Gauss Rifle and left-torso LRM-20, the left-arm mounted SRM-6 is moved to
    the left torso while the twin right-torso medium lasers are moved to the left arm with a
    third laser added. Built around a 275-rated XL engine, Heavy Metal carries two tons each of
    Gauss, LRM and SRM reloads along with thirteen Double Heat Sink, the remaining weight being
    devoted to standard armor plate. Visually Heavy Metal features the bright pink color scheme
    and speakers surrounding the head of the Snord's 'Mech, these speakers are not just
    ornamental - each time a player gets a kill in a match the 'Mech plays one of three rock
    riffs.[1]
    
    HGN-VEST
    Introduced in 3029 by Vining Engineering and Salvage Team, the variant is designed for close
    quarters arena combat by featuring an arena supercharger to quickly close distances. The
    endo steel chassis is equipped with two SRM-6s in the left torso, an assault greatsword in
    the left arm, a Rapid-Fire AC/20 in the right arm, and two medium lasers in the right torso.
    Four tons of ammo, two double heat sinks, and two Class I jump jets fill the remaining
    weight.[29]
    
    Highlander IIC - The Highlander was one of the 'Mechs carried on the Exodus with General
    Kerensky and the remnants of the SLDF. The Clans have created their own variant of the
    Highlander called the Highlander IIC which is similar to an original 732 model upgraded with
    Clan technology.[31]
    St. Florian - Leftover chassis of the Highlander were repurposed to create a firefighting
    'Mech.[32]

Notable MechWarriors:
    Rhonda Snord, who commanded Snord's Irregulars after her father Cranston Snord retired,
    piloted a Highlander. The words "Heavy Metal" were painted on the barrel of the Gauss rifle,
    and several external speakers were mounted, which she would use to flood the battlefield
    with twentieth-century rock and roll. Despite her fondness for Elvis Presley, she was well
    aware of the disruptive value provided by heavy metal music.[33]
    
    Cal Jorgensson, younger brother of Ghost Bear Khan Hans Ole Jorgensson and the last Khan of
    Clan Widowmaker, piloted a modified Highlander when he accidentally (or deliberately) killed
    ilKhan Nicholas Kerensky in a duel between himself and Wolf Khan Jerome Winson during a
    Trial of Refusal.[34]
    
    Stephen James Gaffa:
    
    Stephen James Gaffa was a decorated SLDF General of the 364th BattleMech Division ("The Zulu
    Division"). Frequently leading from the front in a green Highlander BattleMech with the
    numerals "05" and (unusually) bearing three stars where a single star would have indicated a
    division commander, Gaffa was caught in a separatist ambush in a ravine area over Sander's
    Creek outside the town of Lyon on New Vandenberg on 4 November 2765 and supposedly killed,
    although no witnesses had his 'Mech in sight when it went supposedly down in a barrage of
    artillery and LRM fire while a company of BattleMechs bore down on him. No sign of General
    Gaffa nor his 'Mech was found at the ambush site, though a bright flash indicated his
    'Mech's reactor had been breached.
    
    General Gaffa would subsequently become the focal point of "Great Gaffa's Ghost", an urban
    legend and phenomenon.
    
    An archeological dig in 3060 failed to reveal additional information, though it was
    difficult to identify the historical site after three centuries.
    
    The Legend of Great Gaffa's Ghost:
    
    In his 3066 treatise Adept Vosteral explains that the legend of Gaffa's Ghost refers to
    decorated SLDF General Stephen James Gaffa of the 364th BattleMech Division ("The Zulu
    Division"). Frequently leading from the front in a green Highlander BattleMech with the
    numerals "05" and (unusually) bearing three stars where a single star would have indicated a
    division commander, Gaffa was caught in a separatist ambush in a ravine area over Sander's
    Creek outside the town of Lyon on New Vandenberg on 4 November 2765 and supposedly killed,
    although no witnesses had his 'Mech in sight when it went supposedly down in a barrage of
    artillery and LRM fire while a company of BattleMechs bore down on him. No sign of General
    Gaffa or his 'Mech was found at the ambush site, though a bright flash indicated his 'Mech's
    reactor had been breached. An archeological dig in 3060 failed to reveal additional
    information, though it was difficult to identify the historical site after three centuries.
    
    Three weeks later, one SLDF Lieutenant Sarah Fuller (piloting a Crab) was ambushed in the
    same general area while on patrol. Fuller later reported that, after her cockpit had
    suffered a hit and her 'Mech had effectively been disabled, a Highlander bearing the 364th
    BattleMech Division's markings appeared and saved her; she explicitly credited it with
    destroying an enemy Phoenix Hawk. However, as it turned out no friendly forces were
    operating within a twenty-five-kilometer radius. Fuller's story reached a reporter who
    reported it as a ghost sighting, possibly for propaganda purposes, and it was later
    popularized and exaggerated in several books. Fuller herself became listed as missing in
    action some three months after the incidents.
    
    Since then, numerous sightings of a mysterious green ghost Highlander with the numeral "05"
    and/or three stars, described both as an "old model" and a "command unit" (with a PPC
    instead of a Gauss rifle), were reported. All remain unconfirmed and some of these sightings
    were proven to be fabrications. Others, including the following, could not be disproven.
    
    During the liberation of Terra in 2779 one Nightshade VTOL pilot named Francis Holland
    crash-landed his craft in contested territory near Frankfurt, Germany after a technical
    malfunction. Armed only with a laser pistol and with an open head wound (in his own words to
    a reporter, his "brains were spilling out") he encountered a Republican patrol. Something
    from behind him suddenly fired a PPC, lasers, and missiles at the patrol, killing most. The
    rest surrendered, but suddenly dropped dead for no apparent reason. Looking behind him,
    Holland saw General Gaffa's Highlander. He lost his footing and when he looked up again the
    'Mech was gone. Holland later returned to Terra, purchased the spot where this encounter
    took place, and erected a shrine. After his death, a church was eventually built in the
    place of the shrine.
    
    After General Kerensky's Exodus, only two more reported sightings of the ghost 'Mech became
    known until the Fourth Succession War when the Northwind Highlanders returned to Northwind
    and battled the 2nd Sword of Light regiment. Highlander MechWarrior Matilda Ferguson ejected
    from her crippled 'Mech during the fighting outside Cromarty City, landing in contested
    territory. When rescue teams reached the seat much later they found it empty. The comatose
    Ferguson was found in a field hospital thirty kilometers from the battlefield. Her body had
    been delivered by a mysterious old-model Highlander in SLDF paint scheme, though a later
    investigation established no such 'Mech had been deployed by the Northwind Highlanders on
    Northwind at the time. Ferguson herself had no recollection of the event beyond being
    knocked out in her ejection seat by an errant artillery shell. She dropped out of the
    militia, became a nun in the church and died in 3062.
    
    19-year-old SLDF MechWarrior Barton Vale, attached to the Northwind Highlanders during
    operations against Clan Smoke Jaguar, was attacked by Smoke Jaguar forces in flat open
    plains on Virentofta in his first and last battle. His Bushwacker quickly had its gyroscope
    destroyed but then an early model Highlander in original SLDF paint scheme suddenly appeared
    and destroyed all Clan 'Mechs. Vale, a green recruit whose left arm had been amputated by a
    cockpit hit and whose right hand and hip had been shattered, was in no condition to fight,
    much less win, against his opponents and his downed 'Mech still carried almost full
    ammunition bins. His BattleROM had been destroyed. Despite his protests, an official
    investigation credited Vale with killing five Clan 'Mechs after being ambushed by them. He
    has been hospitalized for severe physical and psychic trauma ever since (as of the report's
    3066 date).
    
    Vosteral does not provide an ultimate conclusion in his report.
    
    Story:
    
    Lieutenant David Longstreet from Lindon's Battalion is patrolling the Jersey Flats brushland
    near Sanyo City on Caph in the Chaos March on 20 July 3058 when his radio contact with the
    rest of his lance is jammed and he is jumped by Word of Blake BattleMechs. His Lineholder is
    downed and essentially taken out of the fight by a Death from Above attack by an enemy
    Raijin. The dazed Longstreet helplessly watches how the Raijin aims its main gun at his
    cockpit to kill him when it is suddenly destroyed an eerie "museum piece" Highlander that
    appeared out of nowhere and disappears back into the dust clouds. Sergeant Shears, a
    lancemate in a downed 'Mech nearby, only saw a blur through the dust; when Longstreet tells
    him a mysterious Highlander had saved him Shears excitedly exclaims that it must have been
    Gaffa's Ghost.
    
    Alan Silka:
    
    Alan Silka was a notable warrior in ComStar's Thirty-fourth Division.[1
    
    Adept Silka was the oldest member of his rank in the Thirty-Fourth Division and was often
    demoted because of brawls he got into while off duty. If it wasn't for Silka's skill while
    at the controls of his BattleMech-- and his rightful claims that brawling outside the
    cockpit made him a better pilot in combat-- he would have been drummed out of the Com Guards
    long ago.[1]
    
    Quote:
    “Drinking and fighting go hand in face. Would you like me to demonstrate now that you've
    interrupted my conversation with this here bottle?[1]"
    
    Vivian Soballe:
    
    Vivian Soballe was the commanding officer of the Green Machine III-alpha of ComStar's
    Eighty-third Division as of 3062.[1]
    
    Demi-Precentor X Soballe, serving with the 83rd Division, was headquartered on Bryant in
    3062.[1] While nominally—as commander of a Level III in the new command division of the
    Fourth Army—Soballe could select one of the new post-Tukayyid BattleMechs developed by
    ComStar such as the Tessen, she steadfastly refused before the rest of her Level III had all
    received upgrades first.[2]
    
    BattleMech:
    
    Vivian Soballe would pilot a Star League era Highlander, covered in the scars of the
    centuries of conflicts the 'Mech has seen, all lovingly preserved in places that do not
    hinder its performance in combat.[2]

================================================================================================
Equipment                                                             Mass                      
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Internal Structure:                       Endo Steel (C)               4.50                     
Engine:                                   270 Fusion (C)              14.50                     
    Walking MP:                                 3                                               
    Running MP:                                 5                                               
    Jumping MP:                                 3                                               
Heat Sinks (Double):                       12 [24] (C)                 2.00                     
Gyro:                                       Heavy-Duty                 6.00                     
Cockpit:                                    Small (C)                  2.00                     
Armor Factor:                                  279                    17.50                     
    Type:                                    Standard                                           

                                    Internal         Armor     
                                    Structure        Value     
    Head:                               3              9       
    Center Torso:                      29             47       
    Center Torso (rear):                              11       
    R/L Torso:                         19             31       
    R/L Torso (rear):                                  7       
    R/L Arm:                           15             30       
    R/L Leg:                           19             38       

================================================================================================
Weapons and Ammo                                       Location          Critical     Tonnage   
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Laser Anti-Missile System (C)                             H                 1          1.00             
Searchlight, Mounted (C)                                  H                 1          0.50             
Watchdog CEWS (C)                                         CT                2          1.50             
2 Heavy Medium Lasers (C)                                 RT                4          2.00             
2 Jump Jets                                               RT                2          4.00             
CASE II (C)                                               LT                1          0.50             
Jump Jet                                                  LT                1          2.00             
Streak LRM 20 (C)                                         LT                5         10.00             
Streak LRM 20 (Ammo 12) (C)                               LT                2          2.00             
CASE II (C)                                               RA                1          0.50             
Gauss Rifle (C)                                           RA                6         12.00             
Gauss Rifle (Ammo 16) (C)                                 RA                2          2.00             
CASE II (C)                                               LA                1          0.50             
Streak SRM 6 (C)                                          LA                2          3.00             
Streak SRM 6 (Ammo 30) (C)                                LA                2          2.00             

Note: Equipped with Full-Head Ejection System

================================================================================================
Alpha Strike Statistics                                             
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Point Value (PV): 60
TP: BM,  SZ: 4,  TMM: 1,  MV: 6"j
Damage: (S) 6 / (M) 6 / (L) 4,  OV: 1
Armor (A): 9,  Structure (S): 7
Specials: AMS, CASEII, ECM, LPRB, RCN, WAT