![]() CPLT-C1b In 2688, Royal units were issued kits to upgrade their standard C1 Catapults to the C1b variant.While it doubles the amount of LRM ammo carried and adds on two tons of armor, it is highly susceptible to close range attacks and has little defense if an enemy does manage to close in on it. CPLT-A1 The A1 variant of the Catapult was designed without backup weapons.The 'Mech is also unique for having a sideways ejection system which, while generally safe, can be quite a surprise to new Catapult pilots. A general recall in 2566 to replace the 21s with improved Anderson 25s solved the issue, though some Catapults never received this retrofit. The original Anderson 21 model jump jets tended to break down over prolonged use, venting into the machine's interior and overheating the 'Mech. The use of four jump jets in the left and right rear torso gives the Catapult a jumping distance of one hundred and twenty meters and the ability to pace faster units over broken terrain. Ten tons of armor, fifteen heat sinks and a cruising speed of 43.2 km/h serves the Catapult well in its mission of launching Long Range Missiles on the enemy from great distances while minimizing the risk of return fire. Its greatest weakness though is ammunition: only one ton, or eight reloads, for each launchers gives the Catapult a level of endurance which is barely acceptable. Since the Catapult was designed to stand well behind the main line of battle, it lacks anti- infantry weapons or arms for close-quarters combat. In case an enemy closes to within the LRMs' minimum range the 'Mech carries four Martell medium lasers, which are usually enough to dissuade most light and medium 'Mechs from closing with the Catapult. The primary weapons of the Catapult are two Holly LRM-15 launchers which allow the Catapult to give friendly units fire support at ranges of over 600 meters. ![]() In the years prior to and after the Clan Invasion, the Confederation and Combine retained the largest number of existing Catapults, though many Periphery realms would field some of the centuries-old models, and more variants would be produced for decades. These models were put to excellent use, especially when paired with Ravens, and paved the way for new design advancements. ![]() The greatest change to the chassis came later, with the introduction of the CPLT-C3, which swapped out the original's LRMs for much larger and more powerful artillery missiles. Many variants of this venerable design were produced through its lifetime, and the Catapult's rarity began to reverse in 3033 when Yori 'Mech Works was contracted by the DCMS to restart production of the CPLT-K2 on Al Na'ir. Entire invasions were commenced simply to seize the remaining number of these 'Mechs, particularly those launched by the Federated Suns against the Confederation. The renewed production ended when the Corey factory was destroyed at the onset of the First Succession War, ensuring the rarity of the Catapult during the rest of that bloody era. At the same time, the Draconis Combine managed to seize a sizable force in their capture of Dieron. The Capellan Confederation collected most of the Catapults that remained in the Inner Sphere, and the Hollis factory on Corey briefly produced new models and spare parts. When the Star League fell, many of the remaining Catapults joined Aleksandr Kerensky on his Exodus. When the factory constructing them switched over to the more-successful BattleMaster, Hollis' limited production of spare parts couldn't keep the design's numbers from dwindling. With large numbers of the 'Mech still in the field, the Catapult would continue to see use in the Star League Defense Force with second-line and specialist formations such as mountaineering regiments. ![]() However, when the contract came up for review in 2563, the Hegemony decided not to renew it while the Catapult had performed adequately at its role, it was not quite what they wanted. Representing Hollis Incorporated's first foray into the 'Mech market, the Catapult was produced in record numbers over its initial three-year period from the company's brand-new, state-of-the-art factory. The Catapult is an offense oriented, second-line fire-support BattleMech initially produced from 2561 to 2563 on a limited contract for the Terran Hegemony. ![]()
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