Galahad (BattleMech)
- This article is about the 26th century Terran Hegemony BattleMech. For other uses, see Galahad (disambiguation).
Galahad | |
---|---|
Production information | |
Manufacturer | Mitchell Vehicles Defiance Industries |
Production Year | 2570[1][2] |
Model | GLH-2D |
Class | Heavy |
Cost | 4,585,600 C-bills |
Technical specifications | |
Mass | 60 tons |
Chassis | Star League VI |
Armor | Grumman-3 Ferro Fibrous |
Engine | GM 180 |
Communications System | HartfordCo COM 3000 |
Targeting Tracking System | HartfordCo XHW 7 |
Heat Sinks | 10 |
Speed | 54 km/h |
Armament |
|
BV (2.0) | 1,648[3][4] |
Contents
Description
Born from the Terran Hegemony's attempts to create a medium fire-support platform that would be more advanced than the RLN-1N Rifleman, Mitchell Vehicles unveiled the GLH-1D Galahad in 2570. The new design suffered from the same heat issues as the BattleMech it was meant to replace. With the development of the new Gauss Rifle, Mitchell Vehicles decided in 2594 to redesign the Galahad around these new weapons, changing it into a heavy design in the process. Production of the Galahad was stopped when the Graham IV manufacturing center was destroyed during the First Succession War"First Succession War" contains an extrinsic dash or other characters that are invalid for a date interpretation..[1][5]
The Galahad utilizes special building materials in the form of eleven tons of Ferro-Fibrous armor and Endo Steel internals. To fit the massive weapons on the Galahad, the engine was dropped to a GM 180, giving it a maximum speed of only 54 km/h, making it difficult for the 'Mech to keep up with its companions in most cases. Because the Galahad possessed so much advanced technology, the Galahad was mainly (but not exclusively) reserved for SLDF Royal Units. Most functioning Galahads departed the Inner Sphere during Kerensky's exodus.[1]
During the Word of Blake Jihad, the Blakists put the Galahad back in production for the first time in centuries at the massive Defiance Industries plant on Hesperus II. After the factory was retaken by the Lyran Alliance and its allies, production of the 'Mech would continue for the Lyrans as of 3079.[6]
Weapons and Equipment
The GLH-2D utilizes two massive M-7 Gauss Rifles, with two tons of ammo for each rifle. It was a showing of the powerful new weapons at the time and earned it the nickname of "Gausszilla". One problem with the two massive rifles was the recoil. During the Reunification War, multiple reports of catastrophic failure of the shoulder couplings came in from the front lines.[1]
Variants
- GLH-1D
- The original Galahad was only 50 tons, had a 150-rated-Fusion engine, used Endo Steel internals, and had ten tons of standard armor to protect it. For weapons, it had two Large Lasers and two Particle Projection Cannons, one in each arm. It only had thirteen double heat sinks to attempt to cope with the heat, which was not enough. This shortcoming led to the upgraded GLH-2D variant. BV (2.0) = 1,307[7][8]
- GLH-3D
- The Word of Blake's version of the Galahad, the GLH-3D variant, employs a 240-rated Light Fusion Engine and a small cockpit. For weapons it uses two Light Gauss Rifles with four tons of ammo to split between them. It was also given more sophisticated electronics, in the way of an improved C3 computer and a Guardian ECM Suite. BV (2.0) = 1,268[9][10]
Custom Variant
- GLH-3D Galahad Laodices
- This custom variant of the Galahad was used by Phantom Demi-Precentor Delta Laodices, a commander of the 40th Shadow Division.[11] It uses a Small Cockpit, an Improved C3 Computer, one Light Gauss Rifle, and a Guardian ECM Suite - just like a standard 3D Galahad. It differs, however, in that it drops the other Light Gauss Rifle and one ton of ammunition, replacing them with an ER PPC enhanced by an experimental PPC Capacitor in the right arm. In addition, a Light PPC is mounted in the center torso. These modifications allow the 'Mech to remain in combat for far longer.[12]
Related BattleMechs
- Glass Spider - The Glass Spider is the Clans' version of the GLH-2D, using a 240-rated Fusion Engine due to the lighter versions of Gauss Rifles it used, which also allowed for one extra ton of ammo to be put on. It also utilizes Clan Ferro Fibrous armor and Endo Steel internal structure to free up space that the inferior GLH-2D used. After Clan Wolf absorbed Clan Widowmaker in 2834, many Glass Spiders were captured and subsequently spread throughout the Clans. BV (2.0) = 1,825[1][5][13]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Technical Readout: 3075, pp. 180-181, "Galahad 'Mech Profile"
- ↑ Era Digest: Age of War, p. 11
- ↑ Record Sheets: 3075 Unabridged, p. 167
- ↑ Record Sheets: 3075 Unabridged - Age of War, p. 62
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Technical Readout: 3055, p. 124
- ↑ Objectives: Lyran Alliance p. 29, Hesperus II, Defiance Industries: Main Products
- ↑ Record Sheets: 3075 Unabridged, p. 168
- ↑ Record Sheets: 3075 Unabridged - Age of War, p. 61
- ↑ Record Sheets: 3075 Unabridged, p. 169
- ↑ Record Sheets: 3075 Unabridged - Age of War, p. 63
- ↑ Jihad Turning Points: Hesperus II, p. 2
- ↑ Jihad Turning Points: Hesperus II, p. 20
- ↑ Technical Readout: 3055 Upgrade, p. 116