TRO: 3087 - Kangaroo

3087 is a Battletech alternate universe where The Jihad never happened. Instead, political fracturing continues in the wake of the technological and military upheavals of the 3050's. Its history is told through the pages and designs of TRO: 3087. With any luck this series will be the last anyone hears about 3087.

MCT-3T Kangaroo
Overview
In the aftermath of The Federated Commonwealth civil war, Federated Suns military leaders looked to rebuild their forces with older, warehoused ‘Mechs. They were surprised to find most of those units missing, transferred to bases, worlds, or units that never requested or received them. While investigators centered on loyalist leaders, a crash program was started to create a cheap unit to fill the ranks.
It’s generally agreed that the resulting design, the Macheté, did occupy space. Its contributions to the battlefield ended there and it was discontinued shortly before the Taurian attack on New Syrtis destroyed the factories which made many of its parts.
When the Federated Hellfire Territories needed a new trooper ‘Mech, they turned to the failed design. An upgraded engine and a trade agreement with the Taurians made a new and improved version, now called Kangaroo, possible.

Capabilities
The Kangaroo was designed as part of the Federated Hellfire Territory’s “jab and hook” combat doctrine. Small and cheap despite a extralight engine, the Kangaroo often speeds into combat, using its massive Deathgiver Pontiac 100 Autocannon to deliver a final blow to enemies already weakened by the long range missile barrages common to other units of the Federated Hellfire Territories Citizen Army.
A pair of medium lasers and an extended range PPC added enduring, close-range firepower once its autocannon rounds are expended. New jump jets give it improved infighting abilities.
The Kangaroo sees some of the heaviest combat in the FHTCA. They’re often deployed in a lance of other line ‘Mechs, with two lances of long range missile ‘Mechs as support. This intense role has yielded incredible amounts of data on the Kangaroo’s performance in extreme situations. Each upgraded model of the Kangaroo carries major design upgrades based on that data.

Battle History
During the Federated Hellfire Territories’ probe of The Capellan Border in 3085, the First Filtvelt Destroyers were assigned to New Hessen. Their primary mission was to engage the defending Capellans to gauge their strength, but they were also tasked with estimating the fallout from the nuclear weapons used by the Capellans when taking the world.
Instead, The Capellans lured the Territories command elements into a trap. Lieutenant Colonel Sydney Raster’s Kangaroo was drawn into the ruins of Buchvaal and downed. Raster was turned over to local Maskirova for interrogation and immediately gave up information on the Destroyers. With his intelligence, the Territories units were expertly dismantled by the Capellan defenders. Even when they attempted to flee the planet, The Capellans used tactical nukes to utterly destroy the Destroyers.
It’s unclear whether Raster defected or was interrogated and executed. Capellan press releases indicate he’s been retired to a quiet village on the Free Worlds League border. It was considered to be a rumor spread to undermine morale in the Territories until the appearance of a Kangaroo painted in Capellan colors among Capellan raiders on Markesan in 3086.

Variants
The Kangaroo -5T drops the autocannon for a pair of particle projection cannons and additional heat sinks. Its similarities to the Awesome have earned it the name “Pawsome.”
The Macheté had only a 200 standard fusion engine and lacked the Kangaroo’s endo-steel structure. Even lacking its successor’s jump jets, this required a standard PPC and additional single heat sinks to manage its heat load.

MCT-3T Kangaroo
Type/Model:    Kangaroo ROO-3T
Tech:          Mixed / 3082
Config:        Biped BattleMech
Manufactured:  FHT
Fielded:       
 FHT (Common)
 Capellan Confederation (Singular)
 Taurian Concordat (Uncommon)
 Federated Suns (Rare)

Mass:          50 tons
Equipment:              Crits     Mass
Int. Struct.:              14     2.50
 (Loc: 1 HD, 1 CT, 3 LT, 1 RT, 4 LA, 
       2 LL, 2 RL) 83 points
Engine:250    Fusion XL    12     6.50
  Walking MP:   5
  Running MP:   8
  Jumping MP:   5
Jump Jet Locations: 1 CT, 2 LT, 2 RT
Heat Sinks: 10 Double       8     0.00
Gyro:                       4     3.00
Cockpit:                    5     3.00
Actuators:                 12     0.00
 L: SH+UA+LA+H    R: SH+UA+LA
Armor Factor:               0     7.50
  120 pts
       Internal Structure  Armor Value
 Head:                  3      9      
 Center Torso:         10     18     
 Center Torso (Rear):          5
 L/R Side Torso:        7    15/15
 L/R Side Torso (Rear):       4/4
 L/R Arm:               5    11/11
 L/R Leg:               7    14/14

Weapons and Equipment Loc  Crits  Tons
---------------------------------------
Autocannon/20        RT/RA 3/7    14.00
2 Medium Lasers        RA   2      2.00
ER PPC                 LA   3      7.00
@AC/20 (10)            RT   2      2.00
 Crits & Tons Left:         6      0.0