Cyclops (BattleTech)

File:Cyclops BT.jpg

Eye see you.

The CP-10-Z Cyclops is an Assault BattleMech from the world of BattleTech purpose-built for commanders, and is iconic for its single, round viewport reminiscent of the one-eyed giants that give the 'Mech its name. It's also one hell of a generalist, having one of the most diverse loadouts in its size bracket (though that leads to its own issues, but we'll get to that).

Overview

The Cyclops was rolled off the assembly lines of Stormvanger Assemblies Unlimited in 2710, intended for Star League Defense Force field commanders. To this end, it was equipped with a top-of-the-line holographic battle computer that would allow it to excel in directing large groups of 'Mechs, as well as having a good spread of weapons to protect itself. It was generally held in reserve as to play to its strengths of commanding a force, often sticking around their HQ's Lance defenses and a few bodyguard 'Mechs to take the heat off itself if the place got attacked. It's iconic viewport is intended to provide a MechWarrior good visibility, but it is also a glaring weakness - it means the pilot and command & control equipment is relatively unprotected compared to the rest of the Cyclops, making headshots a lot more dangerous. Which, of course, contributed to its relegation to a rear command role.

The Amaris Civil War fucked the Cyclops due to its main factories on the planet Caph being destroyed in 2774 by the Rim Worlds Army. This ended up making the computer it toted LosTech due to a lack of spare parts to keep any existing ones operational (and no new ones could be made). Bereft of its main advantage, commanders began pressing it to be a typical (if mediocre) Assault 'Mech, often as a bodyguard or decoy for the real commander. Since its head vulnerability would be more problematic with this new role, there was a time where Cyclops pilots put in false head protectors to defend against impacts. This kinda sucked though due to visibility problems, and the practice was taken out back and shot when the Federated Suns' New Avalon Institute of Science found that such field modifications increased shrapnel in the event that the cockpit was indeed breached by enemy fire.

After the Helm Memory Core was discovered and began leading to the resurgence of many technologies that were once thought lost for good, efforts began to use the knowledge within it to recreate the Cyclops' battle computer, but a combination of the new C3 computer accomplishing the same thing on a smaller scale and DropShips becoming used as mobile command posts meant that there was no real incentive to realize this (or use the Cyclops in a command role at all, for that matter) until The Clans came a-knockin'. Grumium Creations eventually cracked the code as shit hit the fan though, being able to restart production of multiple variants of the 'Mech and therefore allowing original-spec Cyclopes to be used once more in the Clan Invasion. It was discovered that, to nobody's suprise, the battle computer had a noticeable effect on engagements a Cyclops was involved in, leading to a resurgence in its use as a command 'Mech for higher ranking officers.

Specs

The standard Cyclops is built on a Stormvanger HV-7 chassis and powered by a Hermes 360 fusion engine, while protected from enemy fire by 10 tons of Starshield Special armor - this combination of frame, power source, and ablative defenses make the 'Mech weigh in at 90 tons and have a top speed of 64 kilometers an hour. Heat management is performed by 12 single heat sinks, while the communications and tracking vital for a command 'Mech are provided by a Olmstead 840 communications system and a Tacticon Tracer 280 respectively. However, the big cheese of its specs is the Tacticon B-2000 Battle Computer, which allows a Cyclops commander to micromanage an entire brigade like a pro StarCraft player.

As for the standard loadout of weapons, it has a Zeus-36, Mark III Autocannon/20 mounted in its right torso for deterring most 'Mechs from getting into CQC range, with 4 tons of ammo in both sides of the torso feeding it. This is backed up by a Diverse Optics Type 20 medium laser on each arm (for a total of 2), as well as a Hovertec Quad SRM-4 with one ton of reloads in the center of the torso. For long range, a Delta Dart LRM-10 is mounted in the left of the torso with one ton of reloads.

Now, this loadout has its fair share of problems. Firstly, it's relatively lightly armored for its size class, meaning it's most likely fucked if another Assault 'Mech goes after it. While it's not a Charger or, Kerensky forbid, a Banshee, this basically forces it to be a rear commander instead of it having the option of being on the front lines. As such, a good chunk of its damage output only really exists to be self-defense instead of actually being offensive, especially since 3 of its 4 weapon types are closer-ranged. In addition, ammunition issues are a problem due to the diversity of weapons, and since said ammo isn't protected by any form of CASE a stray shot igniting its reloads and blowing up the 'Mech is a real possibility.

Design Quirks

In crunch, the Cyclops has design quirks of Battle Computer (duh), Cowl for the sides and rear of the head, Weak Head Armor (2) due to the viewport, and Difficult Ejection due to the cowling.

Variants

• CP-10-HQ - The most notable Cyclops variant due to it strapping a Collapsible Command Module onto its back, allowing it to set up a field HQ in around 15 minutes. To make space the Autocannon/20 was removed, though to be fair this variant wasn't designed to be a fighter anyway. Originally made in 2753, the Succession Wars were not kind to it and half of the pre-Helm CP-10-HQs don't have a working command module, making those a straight downgrade.
• CP-10-Q - A 2081 variant that flips the weapons to be mainly long-range by replacing the Autocannon/20 with an additional LRM-10 and adding 3 more tons of LRM-10 reloads, as well as adding a third medium laser to the right torso, two more heat sinks, and seven more tons of armor. This essentially flips it into being a rear command 'Mech that'll bombard your ass from range while directing its lackeys, and is a decently protected 'Mech up close despite no longer having the AC/20.
• CP-11-A - The CP-11 series is first of the post-Helm variants that use rediscovered Star League-era tech. The CP-11-A was the first of that series, being a modification first seen in 3045. This one turns it into something of a sniper, with the Autocannon/20 replaced with a Zeus Slingshot Gauss Rifle (with the same amount of ammo) that bumps its effective range massively at the cost of some damage potential.
• CP-11-A-DC - A even more command-focused version of the CP-11-A used by the Capellan Confederation. It cuts down on ammo capacity (specifically removing one ton of Gauss ammo and LRM reloads each as well as a heat sink) in exchange for installing a Command Console.
• CP-11-B - This 3071 variant takes the CP-11-A and adds a second gauss rifle, switches the armor for 13 and a half tons of ferro-fibrous armor, and protects its ammunition with CASE. To make space for all the new shit, the engine had to be downgraded to a Hermes 270. This leads to a 25% decrease in speed (which, if you do some basic math, means it now moves at 48 km/h), but the lack of maneuverability is compensated for with the additional firepower and armor overhaul.
• CP-11-C - Combines the Battle Computer with the new innovation of the C3 system, specifically by replacing the LRM-10 launcher of the 11-A with a C3 master computer. This design from 3050 still works as a decent sniper, but really shines in coordinating 'Mech lances.
• CP-11-C2 - Two C3 computers are better than one. Want to direct an entire force to the smallest detail from the rear? If you're a brigade commander from after 3073, this is your 'Mech. Due to the size and power requirements of having two C3 master computers and the Battle Computer though, the rest of the loadout takes a hit - having to downgrade the 11C's gauss rifle to an ER PPC while also shaving some armor. This means it's undergunned for an Assault 'Mech, only really being a match from the Charger and Banshee in actual combat, but if this thing is getting attacked when it's meant to be in the far rear, chances are your forces have been overrun already.
• CP-11-C3 - Created in 3077 during the Blakist temper tantrum, this upgraded 11-C has an experimental boosted C3 master computer to cut through use of heavy ECM (a favorite tactic of said Blakists). The SRM-4 is upgraded to Streak and the arm-mounted Medium Lasers are now ER, for added damage-dealing.
• CP-11-G - A complete overhaul made by Grumium Creations in 3058 for the Second Star League, ComStar, and the Free Rasalhague Republic. Since it was given to ComStar, it was turned against those it was made for by the Word of Blake. The 'Mech is now made of an Endo-Steel chassis and 15 tons of ferro-fibrous armor, while changing the 11-A's loadout by having ER Medium Lasers on the arms and a Streak SRM-6 in the center torso. All the ammunition is shifted into the right torso and protected by CASE, centralizing where volatile rounds and reloads are stored and ensuring that them detonating from a hit won't take out the 'Mech.
• CP-11-H - A variant from the Periphery first seen in 3064 amongst the forces of infamous pirate Paula Trevaline, aka "Lady Death". Built on the original Cyclops chassis, the mech's armor was upgraded to 11 tons of ferro-fibrous plating and goes for a close-quarters brawler loadout by switching the LRM-10 and SRM-4 with six Rocket Launcher 20s. This means anything that gets too close will get hit by a massive hail of rockets.
• CP-12-K - A Draconis Combine version built by Grumium Creations, which takes the varied loadout of the original to its logical conclusion by equipping it for all range brackets. For long range, the arm lasers were upgraded to be ER medium lasers, allowing the pilot to simply aim one of the arms at a faraway target and zap it - though they are obviously more potent at close-to-intermediate ranges. Medium range is handled by an MRM-20 replacing the LRM-10, while close range is handled by a Streak SRM-4 launcher. The real star of the show, however, is the Ultra Autocannon/10 in the right torso, while while a smaller bore than the original AC/20 allows it to hit at medium ranges at double the firerate. Anything at close-to-intermediate range can kiss their ass goodbye.
• Cyclops C - The Cyclops only has one Clan variant for some reason. This was made by Clan Ghost Bear in 'recent years' (so likely after they merged with the Free Rasalhague Republic to become the Rasalhague Dominion) for use in garrison cluters, but is also sold on the market to anyone with the C-Bills to afford it. The Bears saw how lightly armored the original Cyclops was and decided it was high time for it to get a tanky revamp. This was accomplished by switching the 'Mech to use hardened armor, which while much better than the previous armor weighs the Cyclops C down. This results in a reduced top speed of 54 km/h, but who cares about speed when you're focusing on defense? Otherwise, the loadout is similar to the original, just being Clantech instead: a Gauss Rifle replacing the AC/20, upgrading to a Streak SRM-4 and Streak LRM-10 from their non-Streak counterparts, the Medium Lasers being made Clan ER ones, and adding CASE II to prevent ammo blowouts.
• Dual Cockpit refits - The Capellan Confederation likes to slap a second cockpit onto the Cyclops. They do it to the original 10-Z and the 11-A by removing one ton of ammo from the chest gun (so the AC/20 or Gauss Rifle, respectively).

Gallery

• The real life predecessor of the Cyclops?
  The real life predecessor of the Cyclops?