MechDB Misadventures, Part 8: What If the Stalker STK-7D Existed During the Succession Wars?

MechDB Misadventures, Part 8: What If the Stalker STK-7D Existed During the Succession Wars?

For many, the 85-ton Stalker STK-7D is considered to be the epitome of Inner Sphere assault 'Mechs in MechWarrior Online, short of the 100-ton Atlas (and other 100-tonners such as the Annihilator). This is mainly because its cluster of nine torso- and head-mounted energy hardpoints make it well-suited to laser vomit builds, many of which rival Clan equivalents for raw firepower. One of these hardpoints is found in the head, and two more are situated in the center torso. As icing on the cake, each arm contains a missile hardpoint, but these are simply ignored in pure energy-based builds. The only problem with it is that it has very few quirks, but this variant doesn't really need them.

In the original BattleTech tabletop game, however, the STK-7D was introduced in 3062, during the FedCom Civil War era, and originally fielded by the Federated Suns. This made it too new for earlier eras such as the Succession Wars and Clan Invasion eras. As such, I was tempted to ask this question: "What would a Succession Wars-era take on the STK-7D be like?" To that end, I decided to create a build for it exclusively using equipment and technology that was widely available during that era, and nothing that was (re)introduced later. Thus, I had to limit myself to standard SRM and LRM launchers, regular lasers and PPCs, single heat sinks, and standard armor, structure, and engines, with no AMS, targeting computers, or Active Probes. This was the result:

Above: Had the Stalker STK-7D existed during the Succession Wars, this would've been my favored configuration for it. By putting all of my eggs in the energy weapon basket (4x Large Lasers + 5x Medium Lasers = 61 damage), I avoided the problem of ammunition explosions, and to cover the immense heat load, I installed 16 single heat sinks (7 in each side torso + 1 in each leg) to complement the 10 single heat sinks embedded in the 255-rated standard engine.

With 5 Medium Lasers, 4 Large Lasers, and a total of 26 single heat sinks, this Succession Wars-spec Stalker is reminiscent of an Ostsol, but slower, harder-hitting, and even more durable, carrying 16.5 tons of armor (three more than most Stalker variants). It would have been popular with every Great House worth its salt back then, and would have been a mercenary's dream come true - being able to fire constantly without having to worry about ammunition supply (as long as you have enough heat capacity) is a boon for prolonged engagements, especially since this configuration is a zombie 'Mech in the strictest sense - it can continue attacking even after both of its side torsos are blown off, as long as its head, center torso, and either (or in the tabletop, both) of its legs remain intact. And without anything in its arms, its effective profile is much narrower. Combine this with the cost savings resulting from not having any lostech whatsoever, and you have a nigh-unkillable direct-fire build that, in some ways, may well be superior even to an Awesome AWS-8Q for the same purpose.

In short, it's not as primitive as RetroTech (which isn't in MWO anyway), but it's still a handy fallback for when lostech of any kind is completely unavailable. Even in the dark times of the Word of Blake War and the subsequent Dark Ages, it could serve as a handy last resort for anyone desperate for an assault 'Mech that doesn't depend on any form of advanced technology.