Skobel Mechworks

The known galaxies oldest mechworks, Skobel has been in more or less continuous production since the time of the Terran Hegemony. From the very first Mackie to the very last Omega, Skobel has and will continue to have, a heavy impact on the competition.

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From Judge Dredd: Act of Grud by Rob Williams (script), Henry Flint (art), Annie Parkhouse (letters), 2000 AD Prog 2005.

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Originally conceived by Clan Hell's Horses, the QuadVee (Quadruped Vehicle) is a hybrid Quad BattleMech which is able to transform itself from a four legged 'Mech into typically a tracked Combat Vehicle, however, they can be fitted with wheels as well. All QuadVee's possess a torso which acts as a turret; this has its own 4-ton, two-man cockpit and usually is the location of the majority of the unit's weapons. They all have Conversion Equipment that allows the vehicle to transition from 'Mech to Combat Vehicle.

Developed by Clan Hell's Horses in 3132, the Boreas is a experimental Heavy Class hybrid Quad BattleMech / Combat Vehicle known as a QuadVee. Created by Hell's Horses scientist, the Mech has the ability to transform itself from a tracked combat vehicle into a quadruped BattleMech, benefiting from some of the best qualities of both. Developed at the Csesztreg Industriplex Alpha Annex on Csesztreg in 3135, the Boreas was the first of it's kind to be developed. It would be later in 3136 when production versions of the Quadvee would be fielded in combat for the first time. Built with the modularity of a OmniMech, this OmniQuadVee has a twelve ton omni-pod capacity which gives some flexibility over later fixed-configuration Quadvees. In the Echo Configuration of the Boreas, it mounts a single Gauss Rifle, one Medium Pulse Laser, and a 6-tubed Streak Short-Range Missile launcher with a single ton of ammunition.

The Arion is a Light Class Hybrid Combat Vehicle/BattleMech known as a QuadVee. Designed during the 3130s by Clan Hell's Horses, its design philosophy was to enable a unit to be a superior to a BattleMech while avoiding the issues that plague a typical combat vehicle. The Arion, like others of its kind, is able to transform from a tracked Combat Vehicle into a quadruped BattleMech with a torso-like tank turret. The Arion was designed as a fast moving harasser, being able to use its limited array of weaponry to snipe enemy units it would encounter. However, due to its size and limited space, the Arion would leave Warriors questioning the value of the design along with its other brethren. Initially, the surprise appearance of the QuadVee allowed Clan Hell's Horses commanders to be able to bid a QuadVee as "vehicle" in Trials using Zellbrigen. This allowed these commanders to double up there forces with 'Mechs, due to a vehicle stars typically consisting of 10 units. The QuadVee, like the transforming LAM before it, did not meet combat projections and is considered a design failure.  Nonetheless, several variations did see combat during the early and mid 32nd century.

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🎤🎵🎶Sensitive Klegg🎶🎵🎤

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An attempt by Bergan Industries to push the limits of Land Air 'Mech technology, the Champion LAM remains the heaviest LAM ever built. To make room for the conversion equipment, engineers had to remove the XL Engine, Endo Steel skeleton, and Ferro-Fibrous armor of the standard Champion. This in turn forced the engineers to remove the heavy LB 10-X Autocannon of the original design.

Despite these setbacks, the Champion LAM was able to jump well and the transformation into fighter mode went smoothly. The problem came when the LAM actually had to fly. The heavy weight of the chassis forced the use of large jump thrusters, which were not suited for combat. After landing the technicians assigned to the project found that the conversion gear was extremely worn, particularly in the waist and hip assemblies. Their concerns of a catastrophic failure of those assemblies, combined with an inability to make any significant progress and falling stock prices, led Bergan to end the experiment and shipped the few prototypes that survived testing to a New Dallas storage facility.

This Champion LAM (CHP-X4-H) carries a markedly lighter armament than it's forbear, equipping two Medium Lasers, and two Streak SRM-2s, backed up by an LRM-5 with an Artemis IV Fire Control System.

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The Star League era Shadow Hawk LAM was notable for being the first Land Air 'Mech ever tested. The inherent flaws with the design prevented any of the Shadow Hawk LAM prototypes from entering full-scale production. In 2680, Michael Cameron appointed Admiral David Peterson commander of the Star League Defense Force. Peterson quickly established commission guidelines for “a series of ’Mechs that could fly as well as function as light ground ’Mechs.” Allied Aerospace was eager to obtain a foothold in the surface-combat market. Their highly ambitious and revolutionary design, based on the venerable Shadow Hawk BattleMech, won the bid. Allied gave their new Land-Air 'Mech the ability to convert directly into an Aerospace Fighter. While construction was completed in 2680, thanks to the chassis' numerous flaws, lackluster performance and a number of ill-fated and publicly witnessed test-flights disasters during SLDF reviews in 2682, Allied Aerospace was forced to go back to the drawing board. The more refined X2 variant faced considerable scrutiny by SLDF evaluators in 2684, successfully meeting the SLDF's requirements but still rejected thanks to its high fuel consumption and the bad press generated by the earlier X1. Twenty SHD-X2 were built for trials with potential customers, but failed to attract any interest. Ultimately Allied scrapped the Shadow Hawk LAM program in favor of what became the considerably more successful Phoenix Hawk LAM. Unlike the follow-on designs, the Shadow Hawk LAM was constructed to transition from 'Mech directly to a Fighter with no intermediate AirMech mode. While a smaller DAV 220 engine reduced the SHD-X2's ground speed compared to its parent design, the reduction was offset by a thirty-meter increase in jump range. The 'Mech mounted ten Double Heat Sinks to manage the high heat loads caused by flight and it weapons. The 'Mech's hull was protected by 9.5 tons of StarSlab/2 Standard Armor and had a Structural Integrity of 18. The Shadow Hawk LAM's notoriously small fuel tanks greatly limited its flight endurance.

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The Rock Hound ProspectorMech was introduced by Alliance Motors Limited of Sevon in 3042. The design was created for LosTech prospectors who needed a good reliable WorkMech that could defend itself should pirates or other potential threats arise.  During the years of Pax Republica, Skobel Mechworks suvived as a going concern by retooling their manufacturing lines to produce industrialmechs.  Like many other battlemech manufactuers, Skobel was a few steps ahead of their civilian counterparts when it came to militarizing the designs. The design was a successful one for Outworlds Alliance-based Alliance Motors, selling the design to foreign interests such as the Taurian Concordat, Magistracy of Canopus, and private parties like Interstellar Expeditions. By 3067, the design and its variants were seen in wide use throughout the Inner Sphere.

Unlike most IndustrialMechs, the Rock Hound was designed with weaponry as part of its standard equipment. Its two shoulder mounted Shannon Fore SRM-4 Launchers have one ton each of ammunition. Guiding the SRMs is a military grade Advance Fire Control system, allowing the Hound's pilot to direct accurate fire on any would-be attacker. The 'Mech is given nearly seven tons of standard military grade armor to protect its hull from damage. The Hound is also equipped with an Ejection Seat, which is not normally found in Industrial Mech designs. For use at night and in dark locations, a Search Light was added to its center torso. The 'Mech is powered by a economical Alliance Motors 160 rated Fuel Cell engine, giving it reasonable speed and power.

The Hound's main tool, however, is the Mining Drill mounted on its right arm actuator. Using this drill allows the operator to cut into hardened ground to recover potential ore or buried LosTech. Suplimenting this powerful tool is a full size 'mech hoist, which allows the Rock Hound to move burdens too large for its hand acuators.  

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The Battle Cobra was already in the prototype stages when Clan Steel Viper introduced their first OmniMech, the Crossbow. The Battle Cobra prototypes were quickly redesigned to allow similar arm-mounted Omni-Pods, debuting only a few years later. Like the Crossbow, the Battle Cobra does not mount fixed jump jets and cannot mount them in their arms - therefore, early Battle Cobras would not be jump-capable.  The first of the design saw deployment in 2873, and even though all of its weapon mounts are in the arms, this 'Mech has been in production ever since.  However, the 'Mech's production facilities in Clan Space would end up being destroyed in during the Annihilation of of Clan Steel Viper in 3075 on New Kent.

The Battle Cobra makes use of Endo Steel and Ferro-Fibrous technologies, but uses a standard Fusion Engine for increased durability. The primary configuration uses a pair of Large Pulse Lasers and Small Pulse Lasers. With these, it is capable of highly accurate fire that is effective against armored and unarmored targets alike.

Obtaining a large number of mostly operational Battle Cobras in the aftermath of brutal conflict in the Devil's Bath during the Battle of Tukayyid, ComStar selected the Battle Cobra as the focus of their efforts to reverse-engineer and develop their own OmniMech.  First introduced in 3063, by the later years of the Word of Blake Jihad Arc-Royal MechWorks was manufacturing the design for the Com Guards.

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The Excalibur is designed to engage an enemy at long range and use its mobility to dictate the ranges of the engagement. The 'Mech is named for the appearance of the muzzle and dummy hand on the right arm, which reminded the design team of the look of an medieval Terran sword. The EXC-B2 first saw service in 2620, and served with SLDF forces well in Operation Smother and the Amaris Civil War. However, the Excalibur has proven to be most potent when supported by other types of BattleMechs, primarily due to insufficient armor. Through the Succession Wars and Clan Invasion era, the Excalibur has become an exceptionally rare sight in the Inner Sphere, excluding those fielded by the ComGuard and the Word of Blake Militia. The Excalibur has had a bit of a revival due to Yankee Weapons Systems novel production of the 'Mech on New Earth in 3058. This variant (EXC-D1) is a radical reworking of the Excalibur by Word of Blake that was first reported to have been seen in 3067 on Outreach.  All the weapons are removed to make way for eleven and a half tons of armor and enough jump jets to vault the 'Mech up to one-hundred fifty meters at a time. A short-range arsenal is in place for the remaining tonnage, anchored by a Rotary Autocannon/5. It, along with two ER Medium Lasers, are made more accurate through an advanced Targeting Computer. A Streak SRM-6 enables highly-accurate missile fire. An Improved C3 CPU aids in targeting with the other five members of the Level II.

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Originally conceived by Clan Jade Falcon during the Clans' Golden Century, the Emerald Harrier is a 15-ton BattleMech. It was out of production by the time of the Clan Invasion of the Inner Sphere and only sparsely deployed there. ComStar ROM operatives gave it the reporting name RD-1R Roadrunner when they first observed it in the Jade Falcon occupation zone. It was last reported with Eyrie units on Coventry in 3058 and is thought to have been meant as a training 'Mech. The design faded into obscurity until it resurfaced in 3112 when the Republic of the Sphere inaugurated a Roadrunner factory on Capolla. Clan Sea Fox had sold the design specs to the Republic along with an agreement to provide technical support for the design. When they were still known as Clan Diamond Shark the Sea Foxes had apparently received the specs from the Jade Falcons around the time of the Clan Invasion, without ever putting the 'Mech in production themselves.

The Roadrunner was the first completely Clan-tech design produced in the Inner Sphere. It was used extensively by the Republic particularly as a recon unit, though the design had been purchased by other powers,  both for training MechWarriors and to delve into the secrets of producing Clan technology The Roadrunner is equipped with a massive engine and a fifteen ton frame. This combination allows it to reach a top speed of 210 km/h, more than enough for recon and cavalry tactics. Each arm carries a single ER Medium Laser, allowing it to remain away from supply bases and making it a good deep raider. The main drawback to the Roadrunner is the limited armor. Carrying only one and a half tons of Ferro-Fibrous Armor means that nearly any location can be breached by a single SRM strike. This custom model has had the armor further reduced to equip a light TAG system, allowing the speedy mech to act as spotter for heavier weapon systems.

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The Bushwacker was originally a failed BattleMech designed to have a smaller forward profile to make the 'Mech a harder target to hit. The Bushwacker's unique design caused problems with the engine shielding, the side-effects of which manifested themselves as various gremlins in the 'Mech's on board electronics on the prototypes fielded during the Clan Invasion. The 'Mech was redesigned after schematics for an OmniMech known as the Vulture (Mad Dog to the Clans) were captured during a raid into Clan territory by Lyran irregulars. Information gleaned from the schematics was used to overcome the aforementioned engine shielding problems. Finding the schematics had given the Bushwacker a second lease on life. Full production of the corrected Bushwacker began just after the Truce of Tukayyid, and the 'Mech has since become a favorite of MechWarriors in the Draconis and Capellan Marches of the Federated Suns.

The Bushwacker has a top speed of 86.4 km/h and carries nine tons of armor. What the 'Mech lacks in protection it makes up for in range, using its speed to keep enemies at arm's length while using its slew of long range weaponry to slowly wear down enemies. In an attempt to keep the enemy at as long a range as possible, the Bushwacker carries two Federated 5-Shot LRM-5 launchers. The LRM-5s give it the capability to give some indirect fire support as well as laying down minefields with specialized munitions. These are backed up by a BlazeFire Sweetshot ER Large Laser and an eighty millimeter Mydron Model B Autocannon/10, which give the 'Mech a powerful long range direct-fire punch. A pair of Johnston Minigun Machine Guns are the only short range weapons carried by the 'Mech.

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The Gurkha was developed by the Word of Blake in response to a request from Precentor Martial Cameron St. Jamais to keep the production lines on Terra running. The Gurkha itself is engineered as an up-close and personal fighter. To open up as much space as possible for weapons and equipment, the Gurkha is built on a lightweight Krupp 255 Endo Steel chassis and is powered by a lightweight Magna 245 XL engine that gives it a top speed of 118.8 km/h. That, combined with the Gurkhas seven and a half tons of Krupp 155 armor, make taking the 'Mech down a difficult proposition. Its only real deficiency is its lack of jump jets, which make maneuvering in limiting terrain difficult for the 'Mech. As the Word of Blake's opponents realized the power of this little 'Mech, Gurkhas quickly became targets to be eliminated quickly, as the C3i Computer often means that an individual MechWarrior can rapidly find him or herself attacked by up to six extremely accurate 'mechs.

The four Diverse Optics ER Small Lasers and Battlemech Sword all lend themselves to the up-close style of fighting that the Gurkha is centered around. It can deal a fair amount of damage relatively quickly, but its real strength lies in the C3i that allows the other five members of the pilot's Level II to effectively fire upon the Gurkha's target. The Fusigon Longtooth ER PPC provides a strong long-range punch that may surprise opponents who do not expect such a powerful weapon on a light 'Mech. Now considered a taboo design because of its association with the Blakists, the Gurkha has not been produced by Skobel Mechworks since 3067.

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"Star Colonel, what the hell is this??"

“Edible undergarments, Galaxy Commander!!”

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I’ve had this for a year and haven’t posted it yet. The hell. 

I made this to end an argument with a friend. It worked. 

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Truth. 

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The Word of Blake Jihad was a major interstellar war that involved all major factions. The opening salvo was launched in October 3067 against Wolf's Dragoons on their homeworld of Outreach.  The Jihad was perpatrated by the Word of Blake, a splinter faction of the ancient Comstar organization. 

The war lasted until the Word of Blake's defeat in 3081, which was made possible through the unifying efforts of Devlin Stone and David Lear.  These previously unknown leaders used their gathered coalition forces to crush the new Blakist Hegemony.

The Word's strategy mainly consisted of attacking capitals and other, important industrial worlds to hamper their enemies' capacity to wage war. They created a white-out of the HPG grid that forced regional leaders to take a more active role, then manipulated those leaders to create chaos and warfare that distracted their enemies from the Word's activities. During the early parts of the war, the Blakist "hidden" armies hit former Chaos March worlds in the vicinity of Terra. This led to the formation of the Word's new nation, the Word of Blake Protectorate.

The Jihad was not comprised only of the Word of Blake assaulting foreign powers, but also conflicts that erupted between neighboring states, as well as intercine conflict within the word itself. Of note were the battles between the Free Worlds League and Lyran Alliance, Capellan Confederation and Federated Suns, Federated Suns and Draconis Combine, Clan Snow Raven and their allies in the Outworlds Alliance (later formalized as the Raven Alliance) fighting both the Federated Suns and Draconis Combine, and the ongoing conflict between the Marian Hegemogy and Circinus Federation.

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Large sign in bold text and multiple languages: “Bukkake is forbidden on this spacecraft at all times.”