Editing Hunchback (section)

== The many merry Autocannon replacements ==
Sometimes, preferences in role and raw materials have left many states in BattleTech looking for replacements for that Autocannon, and many variants of the ''Hunchback'' exist as a result. However, since the 'Mech is balanced specifically for that fortress hole-puncher, many of these 'Mechs often gain the dubious title of "Swayback" due to their propensity to sway back and forth, even in the heat of combat, due to the 'Mech trying to keep balance against a big heavy gun it no longer has.

* '''HBK-4J''' - A complete role reversal from close range uppercut to long range missileboat that replaces the Autocannon with two LRM-10s, three medium lasers, and a heat sink. Most of it's flaws are mitigated by it's newfound fighting range, and the 4J sometimes finds itself on guard duty of fire support lances thanks to it's Lasers.
* '''HBK-4P''' - Lasers for days. Instead of an Autocannon, this version of the 'Mech replaces the Autocannon with ''six'' medium lasers and a boatload of heatsinks just to be able to handle the insane heatload. Ironically, this is actually the variant of the ''Hunchback'' most likely seen on modern battlefields due to a full volley from this laser display case being able to do ''more'' damage than the AC/20 it replaced at the cost of becoming an expensive pizza oven if fired too often.
* '''HBK-5H''' - The 5H is a periphery mod of the base model that merely replaces the small laser and some of the armor with three rocket launchers. Most of the same problems exist from the base variant, but now it can crack open it's foes instead of just kill them once the heavy hitters come through.
* '''HBK-5M''' - The initial Kali Yama produced model. It honestly isn't that great, thanks to weight concerns brought upon by it's upgrade small laser to a small pulse laser and the CASE system add-on, which robbed it of most of it's ammo capacity, effectively turning it into the UrbanMech XL. Understandably, everyone went out of their way to try and fix that immediately.
** '''HBK-5N''' - The FWL's attempt at fixing this was just to scale the small laser back to it's original kind and pulled out the CASE. Seriously, was it that easy to fix? Jesus christ, Kali Yama.
** '''HBK-5SG''' - A prototype that never got off the ground that potentially could've filled a Sniper role: it replaces the Autocannon with a Gauss Rifle, all armor gets replaced with Stealth Armor, and the small laser is replaced with an ECM Suite.
* '''HBK-6N''' - Kali Yama's official apology to most of it's clientele. It removes three of the -5M's heatsinks and replaces them with three extra reloads worth of ammo.
* '''HBK-6S''' - The long-awaited full upgrade from Kali Yama, this one a hell of a lot better than the -6N. Endo-Steel chassis, 300-rated XL engine that shaves tons off the 'Mech, allowing it to go nearly 90kph at full charge. It bears a hard upgrade on the AC/20, an SRM-6, and an ER Medium Laser, as well as improved heat sinks.
* '''HBK-IIC''' - armed with two AC-20’s and jump jets but lacking sufficient armor and ammo, it was believed by Spheroid observers as a last chance BattleMech intended for elderly Clan warriors seeking a final chance for glory. In reality, the Hunchback IIC was actually intended to be a death sentence and a suicide Mech assigned to elderly warriors and disgraced Mechwarriors by their commanders. After a star of disgraced Smoke Jaguars managed to show the design’s lethality by destroying the better part of a Jade Falcon unit that was six times their size, Clan sibcadets and elderly began seeing it as an “all-or-nothing” design that can unleash a full blast of firepower on unsuspecting targets.

[[category:BattleTech]]
[[category:BattleMech]]