LCT-O Locust

Mass:           20 tons
Tech Level:     Inner Sphere Level 3
Primary Role:   Fast Recon
Base Cost:      3,351,251 C-bills

Chassis:  Bergan VII Endo
Power Plant:  GM 200 XL
     Cruising Speed:  108.0 kph
     Maximum Speed:   162.0 kph
Jump Jets:  None
     Jump Capacity:  None
Armor:  Lexington Ltd. Special Laser-Reflective
     Armor Capacity:  98.6% of maximum
Armament:
     5.5 tons of pod space
Communications System:  Burger ReComm
Targeting/Tracking System:  Corean CalcMaster
Manufacturer:  Burger's Battlemechs
     Primary Factory:  Tancredi IV

Internal Structure.........Endo-steel................1
Engine.....................200 XL....................4.25
     Walking MP's...........10
     Running MP's...........15
     Jumping MP's............0
Heat Sinks..................10 (20)..................0
Gyro.................................................2
Cockpit..............................................3
Armor Factor................68 Laser-reflective......4.25

                 Internal      Armor     Crits

     Head............3...........8.........0
     C. Torso........6..........10.........1
          (rear).................2
     R/L Torso.......5...........8........3/3
          (rear).................2
     R/L Arm.........3...........6........3/3
     R/L Leg.........4...........8........1/1

No Hand or Lower Arm Actuators

Weapons                  Loc.        Crit
Pod Space............................................5.5
Double Heat Sink..........RT...........3
Double Heat Sink..........LT...........3
Endo-steel................RL...........1
Endo-steel................LL...........1
Endo-steel................RA...........6
Endo-steel................LA...........6
Laser-reflective...........H...........1
Laser-reflective..........CT...........1
Laser-reflective..........RA...........1
Laser-reflective..........LA...........1
Laser-reflective..........RT...........3
Laser-reflective..........LT...........3

Primary Configuration (Level 3)
Weapons                  Loc.        Crit
Medium X-Pulse Laser......CT...........1.............2
ER Small Laser............RA...........1.............0.5
ER Small Laser............RA...........1.............0.5
ER Small Laser............LA...........1.............0.5
ER Small Laser............LA...........1.............0.5
Laser AMS.................RT...........2.............1.5

Alternate Configuration "A" (Level 3)
Weapons                  Loc.        Crit
LRM-5.....................RA...........1.............2
LRM-5.....................LA...........1.............2
Ammo (LRM) 24.............RT...........1.............1
CASE......................RT...........1.............0.5

Alternate Configuration "B" (Level 2)
Weapons                  Loc.        Crit
MRM-10....................RT...........2.............3
Ammo (MRM) 24.............LT...........1.............1
CASE......................LT...........1.............0.5
ER Small Laser............RA...........1.............0.5

ER Small Laser............LA...........1.............0.5

Alternate Configuration "C" (Level 3)
Weapons                  Loc.        Crit
ER Medium Laser...........CT...........1.............1
Streak SRM-2..............RA...........1.............1.5
Streak SRM-2..............LA...........1.............1.5
Ammo (Streak) 50..........RT...........1.............1
CASE......................RT...........1.............0.5

Alternate Configuration "D" (Level 3)
Weapons                  Loc.        Crit
Beagle Active Probe.......RT...........2.............1.5
Guardian ECM Suite........LT...........2.............1.5
TAG.......................CT...........1.............1
A-Pod.....................RL...........1.............0.5
ER Small Laser............RA...........1.............0.5

ER Small Laser............LA...........1.............0.5

Alternate Configuration "E" (Level 3)
Weapons                  Loc.        Crit
Beagle Active Probe.......RT...........2.............1.5
TAG.......................LT...........1.............1
ER Medium Laser...........CT...........1.............1
ER Medium Laser...........RA...........1.............1

ER Medium Laser...........LA...........1.............1


Overview:

The LCT-O Locust is Burger's Battlemech's initial foray into the Light Omnimech market.  Taking a well-known light recon mech and "omni"-ing it seemed an easy task, but was far from.  Numerous small glitches, both in the targeting array and in the armor, took nearly 5 years to hammer out, and the project was almost scrapped on more than one occasion.  The green light finally came when the NAIS made further breakthroughs into Coventry Metal Works's initial discovery of "laser reflective" armor.

Capabilities:

Such "laser reflective" armor was deemed important for giving a light reconnaissance mech the protection it needed versus likely opponents.  Although the new armor mounted on the LCT-O cuts energy weapon damage in half, it is very brittle, multiplying damage caused by physical attacks and falls.  Since a recon mech is unlikely to be actively pursuing close-in combat, the trade-off was deemed acceptable by the LCT-O design team.  Four-and-a-quarter tons of laser-reflective armor provides almost maximum armor protection, in addition to the armor's benefits, which are essential considering the next change.

That next change was in the engine.  Since speed is important to a recon mech, the LCT-O design team eventually decided on a 200 XL engine, although it was acknowledged that this increased the vulnerability of the side torsos.  Given the LCT-O's primary job, however, it was reasoned that if the side torso was breached, the mech was in serious trouble to begin with, and go ahead was given for the XL engine.  Fortunately, the engine gives the LCT-O an impressive 162kph top speed, enabling it to outrun almost every mech in existence.

With the other changes and improvements, 5.5 tons of pod space was available for weaponry, almost doubling the weapon space of the original LCT-1V.  With the extra pod space, the primary configuration takes a slightly different approach to the traditional Locust, similar to that of Marik's LCT-3M, using energy weapons exclusively, even down to the experimental Laser Anti-Missile System.

Configurations "A", "B", and "C" all carry a missile system as the primary weapon, while "D" and "E" both carry specialized recon equipment.

Deployment:

The LCT-O has so far shown up in AFFC and ComStar units, plus the occasional mercenary unit.  The Davion Light Guards are the unit most known to use the mech.

Configuration Statistics:

Config.     Cost (C-bills)     Battle Value     Weapon Value
LCT-O..........3,921,251............678..............248
LCT-OA.........3,561,251............446..............149
LCT-OB.........3,542,501............448..............167
LCT-OC.........3,672,251............515..............223
LCT-OD.........4,062,251............441...............61
LCT-OE.........4,086,251............704..............355

Battleforce 2 Statistics:

Config.    MP    Dmg. PB/M/L    OH    Armor/St    Pts    Spec.
LCT-O......10.......3/2/0........0.......2/1........7....omni
LCT-OA.....10.......1/1/1........0.......2/1........4....omni, if
LCT-OB.....10.......2/1/0........0.......2/1........4....omni
LCT-OC.....10.......2/1/0........0.......2/1........5....omni
LCT-OD.....10.......1/1/0........0.......2/1........4....omni, ecm, prb, tag
LCT-OE.....10.......2/2/0........0.......2/1........7....omni, prb, tag

Heavy Metal Pro Files:

LCT-O (base) Locust
LCT-O Locust
LCT-OA Locust
LCT-OB Locust
LCT-OC Locust
LCT-OD Locust
LCT-OE Locust

Zip File of all LCT-O variants

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Page last modified 31 December, 2003