Compiled overview of the 80
ton Goliath 'Mech, from various
BattleTech novels and game sourcebooks:
GOL-1H Goliath
Brigadier Corporation's success with the
Scorpion Battlemech, the first of the four-legged
'Mechs, spawned the creation of the four-legged
Goliath. Some of the early
technical difficulties of a four-legged
'Mech had already been overcome by the time the
Goliath was created. Leg movement was coordinated through the
neurohelmet, and the
'Mech was streamlined to allow more
armor.
Dr. Harrison, the creator of the four-legged
'Mech, felt that such
'Mechs would usher in a new era of
Battlemech warfare. Unfortunately, the
Star League did not agree with him. Nevertheless,
Brigadier Corporation managed to sell several
Goliaths, most of which were stationed on the
Periphery, where
'Mechs were usually tested.
The
Goliath performed well, and the
Star League began to take
interest shortly before its fall and the start the
First Succession War. The few
Goliaths that were operational quickly become the property of their pilots. Only a handful are still functional and in service today . Of these, the majority are in the hands of
House Steiner.
Brigaidier Corporation trained its own pilots for the
Goliath program, and many of their heirs still pilot those same
'Mechs. Most consider the
Goliath to be the best piece of equipment produced by
the firm.
Unlike the earlier
Scorpion, the
Goliath supports a good deal of
firepower and armor. Also, modifications to the
cockpit added to the
MechWarrior's comfort.
The weaponry systems are centered around the Rand
PPC system installed on its turret-like head. The Rand system has an average performance, but works well with the
Garret GRNDTRK 15 Targeting and Tracking System. Supporting the
PPC are two torso-mounted
Holly Long Range 10 Missle Packs. Coupled with the variable-height firing capability of a four-legged
'Mech, this weapons system gives it a very long range in combat.
Goliaths can only store twelve rounds of ammunition for the long-range missile systems. This lack of sufficient
ammunition has sometimes meant the difference between
victory and defeat.
For anti-
infantry support, it carries twin Ramsey
machine guns in center-torso mounts. Though the Ramsey system may
jam and overheat frequently, it is an impressive sight when they are aimed almost straight down to attack
infantry attempting to secure the
'Mech from below.
The
Goliath's armor is constructed from the best materials that
Star League could offer. Supporting over 18 tons of armor, this
'Mech is not quickly or easily disarmed in combat.
Due to its
precarious center of gravity, the
Goliath cannot move if one of its legs is dis
abled. This is a fatal weakness, as leg damage is common on the battlefields of the
Succession Wars. An immobilized
Goliath becomes 80-plus tons of pure
target.
Due to the limited number of
Goliaths, they almost never work in conjunction with each other. However, the
Goliath has been instrumental in a few battles throughout the Inner Sphere.
One such example is the battle for
Sirus between
House Marik and
House Liao in 2901. The hot plains of this world provided a test for many pieces of equipment, and the
Goliath was one of them. The
Marik Militia's Cannery attack
lance, which had a
Goliath, engaged several large
'Mechs during a
rear area raid. The
Goliath managed to disable a
BattleMaster and two
Shadow Hawks, which were the main defenders of the rear command area. In a sweeping
drive, the
lance killed many in the command post, and within two days, the entire
Liao battlefront withdrew nearly 40 kilometers.
House Kurita's raid on the planet
Ryde along the
Steiner border in 2950 resulted in the only recorded combat of
Goliath versus
Goliath. The two
Goliaths battled for nearly an hour until the
Steiner 'Mech finally crushed the fleeing
Kurita 'Mech. Naturally, the
Steiner forces stripped the
crippled
Goliath for parts, which are otherwise nearly impossible to come by.
The last known major
action involving a
Goliath was in 3003, when the
Federated Suns squashed a rebellion of nobles on the planet
T'sanna. The rebel forces seized a
Goliath, and used it to repel several
advances by
Davion recon forces. The
Goliath was finally defeated by a crushing attack to the
'Mech's cockpit.
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