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Description
Created for the Facebook BTI Mech "Mascot" Contest, although I'm still waiting for feedback from the judges to see if my late entries still made it Regardless, it was fun messing around with SSW (Solaris Skunk Works) and digging through Sarna.net for a possible place and time in-universe for the design to fit in. Would love to hear your thoughts on it. Enjoy!

Named after the notorious multi-purpose tool utilized by covert agents in ancient feudal Japan on Terra, the Kunai is the Draconis Combine attempt at utilizing the new technologies made available during the FedCom Civil War to create an agile and furtive Battlemech capable of being tasked with missions of sensible nature. With the developments of Guardian ECM equipment and the ironic unveiling of Stealth Armor, Luthien Armor Works were tasked with designing a new machine that made best use of these and other technologies in order to carry out objectives behind enemy lines while avoiding detection or heavy fire. Although the Jenner was the first test-bed for these novelties, tradition and the core strengths of the older design kept it from receiving significant changes or seeing new variants since these were to be carried over to the newer ‘mech, making it a spiritual successor but on a heavier weight bracket. The combination of a Hermes 250 Light Fusion Engine and four Icarus 81 Jump Jets allied to its powerful electronic stealth package makes the Kunai a very difficult target to hit while it closes in on its target. When in range, four Victory 23R medium lasers and two Shannon SH-60 SRM6 launchers provide significant firepower, along with claws instead of hand actuators paired with a small laser and small pulse for close combat.

Another novel and unorthodox feature of the ‘mech is its ability to close its claws into a spike-shaped form. Not only does this grant greater penetration when used as a melee weapon but it also allows the ‘mech to attach itself to hard surfaces such as a wall or ceiling, mimicking the actual usage of the ancient tool, millennia ago. This way, with the help of its Jump Jets the Kunai can lay ambushes, perform DFA strikes, climb or simply hide in unsuspecting places where most people wouldn’t even expect a battlemech at all. Naturally, the Kunai feels at home performing raiding, hit-and-run, infiltration, assassination and scouting missions. However, production and fielding comes at a cost - literally, logistically and tactically. Its capabilities make production slow and expensive, [while leaving little room for armor, making it subpar when compared to other ‘mechs of its weight class, which encourages pilots to commit to short-term engagements and avoiding brawling situations.] Plus, its uncommon features require a great deal of training and familiarization and as such, the DCMS won’t put any green mechwarriors in such a specialized and premium machine. Misusage of Stealth Armor and its weapon systems can cause the ‘mech to provide excessive amounts of heat, threatening a complete shutdown despite the fourteen Double Heat Sinks best ability to dissipate it. Most Kunai’s are assigned to Ghost Regiments and DEST teams, although they’ve also been seen, if rarely, in other units.

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Kunai KUN-A1
Mass: 50 tons
Tech Base: Inner Sphere
Chassis Config: Biped
Rules Level: Tournament Legal
Era: Clan Invasion
Tech Rating/Era Availability: E/X-X-E-A
Production Year: 3070
Cost: 8,241,375 C-Bills
Battle Value: 1,483
Chassis: Unknown Standard
Power Plant: Unknown 250 Light Fusion Engine
Walking Speed: 54.0 km/h
Maximum Speed: 86.4 km/h
Jump Jets: Unknown
Jump Capacity: 120 meters
Armor: Unknown Stealth Armor
Armament:
2 SRM-6s
4 Medium Lasers
1 Small Pulse Laser
1 Small Laser
1 Guardian ECM Suite
Manufacturer: Unknown
Primary Factory: Unknown
Communications System: Unknown
Targeting and Tracking System: Unknown
======================================================================
==========
Equipment Type Rating Mass
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Internal Structure: Standard 83 points 5.00
Engine: Light Fusion Engine 250 9.50
Walking MP: 5
Running MP: 8
Jumping MP: 4 Standard
Jump Jet Locations: 2 LT, 2 RT 2.00
Heat Sinks: Double Heat Sink 14(28) 4.00
Heat Sink Locations: 1 LT, 1 RT, 1 LA, 1 RA
Gyro: XL 1.50
Cockpit: Standard 3.00
Actuators: L: SH+UA+LA+H R: SH+UA+LA+H
Armor: Stealth Armor AV - 169 11.00
Armor Locations: 2 LT, 2 RT, 2 LA, 2 RA, 2 LL, 2 RL

Description
Created for the Facebook BTI Mech "Mascot" Contest, although I'm still waiting for feedback from the judges to see if my late entries still made it Regardless, it was fun messing around with SSW (Solaris Skunk Works) and digging through Sarna.net for a possible place and time in-universe for the design to fit in. Would love to hear your thoughts on it. Enjoy!

Named after the notorious multi-purpose tool utilized by covert agents in ancient feudal Japan on Terra, the Kunai is the Draconis Combine attempt at utilizing the new technologies made available during the FedCom Civil War to create an agile and furtive Battlemech capable of being tasked with missions of sensible nature. With the developments of Guardian ECM equipment and the ironic unveiling of Stealth Armor, Luthien Armor Works were tasked with designing a new machine that made best use of these and other technologies in order to carry out objectives behind enemy lines while avoiding detection or heavy fire. Although the Jenner was the first test-bed for these novelties, tradition and the core strengths of the older design kept it from receiving significant changes or seeing new variants since these were to be carried over to the newer ‘mech, making it a spiritual successor but on a heavier weight bracket. The combination of a Hermes 250 Light Fusion Engine and four Icarus 81 Jump Jets allied to its powerful electronic stealth package makes the Kunai a very difficult target to hit while it closes in on its target. When in range, four Victory 23R medium lasers and two Shannon SH-60 SRM6 launchers provide significant firepower, along with claws instead of hand actuators paired with a small laser and small pulse for close combat.

Another novel and unorthodox feature of the ‘mech is its ability to close its claws into a spike-shaped form. Not only does this grant greater penetration when used as a melee weapon but it also allows the ‘mech to attach itself to hard surfaces such as a wall or ceiling, mimicking the actual usage of the ancient tool, millennia ago. This way, with the help of its Jump Jets the Kunai can lay ambushes, perform DFA strikes, climb or simply hide in unsuspecting places where most people wouldn’t even expect a battlemech at all. Naturally, the Kunai feels at home performing raiding, hit-and-run, infiltration, assassination and scouting missions. However, production and fielding comes at a cost - literally, logistically and tactically. Its capabilities make production slow and expensive, [while leaving little room for armor, making it subpar when compared to other ‘mechs of its weight class, which encourages pilots to commit to short-term engagements and avoiding brawling situations.] Plus, its uncommon features require a great deal of training and familiarization and as such, the DCMS won’t put any green mechwarriors in such a specialized and premium machine. Misusage of Stealth Armor and its weapon systems can cause the ‘mech to provide excessive amounts of heat, threatening a complete shutdown despite the fourteen Double Heat Sinks best ability to dissipate it. Most Kunai’s are assigned to Ghost Regiments and DEST teams, although they’ve also been seen, if rarely, in other units.

-

Kunai KUN-A1
Mass: 50 tons
Tech Base: Inner Sphere
Chassis Config: Biped
Rules Level: Tournament Legal
Era: Clan Invasion
Tech Rating/Era Availability: E/X-X-E-A
Production Year: 3070
Cost: 8,241,375 C-Bills
Battle Value: 1,483
Chassis: Unknown Standard
Power Plant: Unknown 250 Light Fusion Engine
Walking Speed: 54.0 km/h
Maximum Speed: 86.4 km/h
Jump Jets: Unknown
Jump Capacity: 120 meters
Armor: Unknown Stealth Armor
Armament:
2 SRM-6s
4 Medium Lasers
1 Small Pulse Laser
1 Small Laser
1 Guardian ECM Suite
Manufacturer: Unknown
Primary Factory: Unknown
Communications System: Unknown
Targeting and Tracking System: Unknown
======================================================================
==========
Equipment Type Rating Mass
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Internal Structure: Standard 83 points 5.00
Engine: Light Fusion Engine 250 9.50
Walking MP: 5
Running MP: 8
Jumping MP: 4 Standard
Jump Jet Locations: 2 LT, 2 RT 2.00
Heat Sinks: Double Heat Sink 14(28) 4.00
Heat Sink Locations: 1 LT, 1 RT, 1 LA, 1 RA
Gyro: XL 1.50
Cockpit: Standard 3.00
Actuators: L: SH+UA+LA+H R: SH+UA+LA+H
Armor: Stealth Armor AV - 169 11.00
Armor Locations: 2 LT, 2 RT, 2 LA, 2 RA, 2 LL, 2 RL