Archer

[DeJaVu]

Type/Model: ARC-7S Archer
Mass: 70 tons
Chassis: Earthwerks Archer
Power Plant: 280 Edasich Light
Walking Speed: 43 km/h
Maximum Speed: 65 km/h
Jump Jets: None
Jump Capacity: 0 meters
Armor Type: Durallex Guardian Heavy Ferro-Fibrous with CASE
Armament: 2 Hovertec Streak SRM-2
2 Doombud LRM-20
1 Diverse Optics ER Medium Laser
1 Magna 200P Small Pulse Laser
Manufacturer: Bowie Industries
Primary Factory: Carlisle
Communications System: Neil 9000
Targeting & Tracking System: RCA Instatrac Mark XII with Artemis IV


Another legend. Another facelift.
Archers are perhaps the most common BattleMechs in the Inner Sphere. The two most famous MechWarriors of the previous generation piloted Archers: Jaime Wolf and Morgan Kell. Most MechWarriors of the last three hundred years have learned to face Archers as superlative support ’Mechs and impressive command BattleMechs. Almost every Inner Sphere nation currently builds at least one variant of this classic machine, as does at least one Periphery nation.
In Steiner space my friend Franz sent me some ‘borrowed’ data from the remaining Bowie Industries facility on Carlisle. The others—Bowie of Wyatt and Bowie of Alarion—have both been victims of Word of Blake aggression, but the LAAF is dedicating enough resources to the remaining facility to ensure the continued availability of Archer-class BattleMechs to the Lyran Alliance Armed Forces.
The data show an Archer that is more in line with the venerable -2R model, with paired Doombud long-range missile racks mated to an Artemis IV fire control system. We know how well that paring works here in the Free Worlds—we’ve been using it on the -4M for twenty years. Supporting those bombardment weapons are a pair of reliable Hovertec Streak SRM-2s and a mixture of single-mount laser weapons. I don’t have access to the Steiner deployment data, but I can’t imagine, with Hersperus and Coventry captured or neutralized, that the LAAF is satisfied with anything less than full output.
The largest change in this new Archer is the incorporation of a light fusion engine and Durallex’s new Guardian heavy ferro-fibrous armor composite. Clearly, the LAAF intends the destruction of one of these Archers to be very expensive for the Blakists. Myself, I’m thankful we’ve got that stupid war with Skye under control. I wouldn’t want our boys and girls facing this new Archer.
Kuritan engineers in the Combine are also making changes to their Archers, using a mixture of flexible Shigunga multi-missile launchers and Lord’s Light light PPCs. Although it is not as heavily protected as the Steiner version, the lack of an extra-light engine means even this standard-armor Archer is very difficult to kill. Even the hardheaded samurai of the Combine will see value in that, I’m sure.
I don’t have any data on a new Blakist Archer, which might be good, but I’m more afraid I just haven’t seen it yet. I can only hope that these new Archers will prove such a thorn in the Word of Blake’s side that they will be too busy trying to kill them to worry about building their own.

[Rabid Coyote]

The two most famous MechWarriors of the previous generation piloted Archers: Jaime Wolf and Morgan Kell. n.

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