Stone Rhino (Behemoth)

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Stone Rhino (Behemoth)
Stone Rhino (Behemoth)
Production information
Manufacturer Csesztreg Industriplex Alpha

Tokasha MechWorks

Production Year 2847[1]
Class Assault
Cost 10,512,000 C-bills
Technical specifications
'Mech type Clan BattleMech
Mass 100 tons
Chassis Star League Monster (Standard)
Armor Compound 12A1 Standard with CASE
Engine 300 Standard
Speed 54.0 km/h
Jump Jets Grandthrust Mk. 5
Armament
BV (1.0) 2,626[2]
BV (2.0) 3,001[3]


Description

The Stone Rhino was one of the most remarkable surprises sprung upon the Inner Sphere by the invading Clans. The Inner Sphere named the 'Mech Behemoth. It was apparently derived from the Matar, which was also known as "Amaris' Folly".[4]

Developed during the Golden Century as somewhat of a passion project, the Scientist Caste of Clan Smoke Jaguar sought to prove the superiority of the Clans by turning the flawed Matar into a successful design to achieve what the Inner Sphere could not, the resulting 'Mech rechristened the Stone Rhino in honor of the nearly indestructible beat native to Eden. Mainly seen in the Smoke Jaguars touman, though produced in limited numbers scattered examples of the Stone Rhino do appear in other Clans. Despite the low production numbers, thanks to their durability most Stone Rhinos in existence are ancient machines with long and storied histories of their combat actions and their quirks in the hangar.[5]

Following the fall of the Smoke Jaguars, Clan Goliath Scorpion's need for new machines to defend their captured Jaguar holdings led themselves to revisit the Matars original design specs, rapidly developing a visually different and powerful "new" 'Mech that was immediately put into production on Tokasha under the Stone Rhino name. The Scorpions would soon need to scramble to establish new production elsewhere after Clan Hell's Horses captured their Tokasha holdings allowing them to produce new variants, the Horses ultimately establishing a production line for the 'Mech on Csesztreg following their ejection from the Clan Homeworlds.[5] [6]

Weapons and Equipment

Though visually resembling the Matar, the Stone Rhino is ten lighter than "Amaris' Folly", achieiving a roughly similar damage output through superior Clan weaponry. The design features a Kolibri Delta Series Large Pulse Laser in each arm, a Thunderstroke Series 2B Gauss Rifle mounted in each side torso, and an almost superfluous Chi Series Small Pulse Laser located near the cockpit. The Stone Rhino also sports an interesting feature; each arm contains a retractable, shock-absorbing cowl covering the weapon barrels. This allows MechWarriors to use the arms as battering rams without damaging the weaponry.[4] [5]

Similar to its progenitor, the Stone Rhino is a fairly slow design with the additional of Jump Jets barely mitigating the mobility issues over short distances. Eighteen tons of armor provides reasonable protection until the 'Mech becomes a target of priority. Thus while bringing awesome firepower, these machines cannot be often used effectively by many commanders because they cannot afford to lose one.[4] [5]

Variants

  • Stone Rhino
    A Clan Hell's Horses variant made use of two Large Pulse Lasers in each arm and two ATM 9s with four tons of ammo in the torso. Two ER Micro Lasers to protect the 'Mech's rear arc, while the other equipment was removed to add heat sinks.[6] BV (1.0) = 2,795,[9] BV (2.0) = 3,072[10]
  • Stone Rhino
    A Smoke Jaguar test platform, the Stone Rhino 4 is a variable range variant which uses an XL Engine to provide weight savings for four LRM 10s to lay down impressive long range fire. Backing these up are a pair of Ultra AC-10s for mid-range engagements. From there, four ER Medium Lasers provide a solid short range punch. Lastly, four Machine Guns provide anti-infantry support. These combine to make a solid and well rounded configuration.[5] BV (2.0) = 2,601[11]
  • Stone Rhino
    A design based off of early specifications for Amaris's Folly, the Stone Rhino 5 uses a 400XL engine to reach speeds up up to 64.8kph. It is armed with four LB-5X Autocannons mounted in the torsos backed up by six ER Medium Lasers in the arms. [5] BV (2.0) 2,157[12]
  • Stone Rhino
    A close combat dueling design based on the Stone Rhino 5, the Stone Rhino 6 is armed with a simple yet effective loadout of 14 Medium Pulse Lasers. These are backed up by a single ER Small Laser.[5] BV (2.0) = 2,981[13]
  • Stone Rhino
    A space combat 'Mech based on the standard model, the Stone Rhino 7 replaces twin Gauss Rifles with a trio of ER Large Lasers, one mounted in each torso section, with the remaining space devoted to additional Double Heat Sinks.[5] BV (2.0) = 2,804 [14]
  • Stone Rhino
    A Dark Age variant of the standard model produced by the Hell's Horses, the Stone Rhino 8 drops the jump jets for an Actuator Enhancement System in each arm, trading modbility for enhanced accuracy.[5] BV (2.0) = 2,981[15]

Custom Variants

Related BattleMechs

  • Matar - The original failed prototype, the Matar massed over one hundred tons and experienced extreme stresses on its leg actuators that effectively prevented the 'Mech from moving. The project ended when Stefan Amaris had the design staff executed for "treasonous incompetence".

Notes

  • Captain Jeremiah Rose in a Masakari and Antioch Bell in a Banshee faced one of these on Courcheval. They ended up withdrawing from the fight. They later learn the name of the Mech and that the local Clan Nova Cat garrison cluster had "no less than three of the giants, maybe more."[17]
  • In German products the unit's proper Clan name was perfectly translated to Felsrhino. The unit's proper Inner Sphere name was altered to Koloss, which means Colossus.

Design Quirks

The Stone Rhino (Behemoth) has the following Design Quirk:[18]

Gallery

References

  1. MUL online date for the Stone Rhino (Behemoth)
  2. Record Sheets: 3055 Upgrade, p. 198
  3. Record Sheets: 3055 Upgrades Unabridged, p. 203
  4. 4.0 4.1 4.2 Technical Readout: 3055, p. 128 "Clan 'Mechs - Second-Line 'Mechs - Behemoth"
  5. 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 5.6 5.7 5.8 5.9 Recognition Guide: ilClan, vol. 2, p10 "Stone Rhino (Behmoth)"
  6. 6.0 6.1 6.2 Technical Readout: 3055 Upgrade, p. 120 "Behemoth 2"
  7. Record Sheets: 3055 Upgrade, p. 199
  8. Record Sheets: 3055 Upgrades Unabridged, p. 204
  9. Record Sheets: 3055 Upgrade, p. 200
  10. Record Sheets: 3055 Upgrades Unabridged, p. 205
  11. MUL Profile of the Stone Rhino 4 - BV/Intro Date/Alpha Strike Data Card
  12. MUL Profile of the Stone Rhino 5 - BV/Intro Date/Alpha Strike Data Card.
  13. MUL Profile of the Stone Rhino 6 - BV/Intro Date/Alpha Strike Data Card.
  14. Recognition Guide: ilClan, vol. 2, p35 "Stone Rhino (Behmoth) 7"
  15. Recognition Guide: ilClan, vol. 2, p36 "Stone Rhino (Behmoth) 8"
  16. Wolf's Dragoons (sourcebook), p. 51
  17. D.R.T., ch. 22, 27
  18. BattleMech Manual, p. 90 Design Quirk Table - Stone Rhino (Behemoth) Entry

Bibliography