a
'Mech from
Battletech that has a
reputation for being very
resilient. many players will chose this
weathered design over 'Mechs that have more advanced
technology because of the
psychological advantage that piloting a Thunderbolt caries.
compiled overview of the 65
ton Thunderbolt 'mech, from various
BattleTech novels and game sourcebooks:
The TDR-5S
Thunderbolt is a familiar 'Mech throughout the
Successor States. First produced in 2491, it was used extensively in assault
lances of
the era. Known for its heavy armament and hard-hitting assault capability, the
Thunderbolt remains a favorite of many
MechWarriors.
The TDR-5S Thunderbolt was one of the first
'Mechs designed for
planetary assault. In its early years, it was also one of the heaviest assault
'Mechs possible to produce. As technology advanced, the
Thunderbolt was inevitably superseded by larger, more advanced heavy 'Mechs. Because of
its excellent design, however, the Thunderbolt remained in production, and some of the newer technology was added to its sub-assemblies. The
Thunderbolt is respected as a tough opponent all across the Successor States.
The Thunderbolt remains one of the best-armed 'Mechs in existence. Its standard
Sunglow Type 2 large laser packs a punch that few 'Mechs of
any type can withstand. Combined with its three
Diverse Optics Type 18 medium lasers and its drum-mounted
Delta Dart LRM 15-rack, the
Thunderbolt has more than ample firepower at long and medium ranges. For close-in combat, the 'Mech also carries a
Bical short-range missile twin
rack and two
Voelkers 200 machine guns. There are very few opponent 'Mechs that can match this kind of
firepower.
The Thunderbolt's armor is another of the 'Mech's impressive features. Though not the heaviest
armor known today, it is still considered
substantial, and many newer heavy 'Mechs have considerably less.
With all its heavy weaponry, however, the Thunderbolt is more susceptible to heat buildup than many other 'Mechs. Careful
salvo firing of the
Thunderbolt's weapons is a must if the vehicle is to avoid
heat overload and
shutdown. In many battles, commanders order their Thunderbolts into
bodies of water early on, which allows them to fire more of their weapons than normal. Water holes in combat areas are always of great tactical value, but
for the Thunderbolt, they are desperately needed to utilize its entire
armament.
In a raid on the planet Damian in 2902, 'Mech lances of Heimar Valasek,
Bandit King of Santander V, engaged elements of
Kurita's 9th Sun Zhang
Academy Cadre, which were on the planet for maneuvers. In six hours of pitched battle, three old Thunderbolts standing in the middle of Lake
Omenshoufter withstood an assault by at least ten 'Mechs of various types sent against them by the pirate commander. The raiders finally
withdrew when
reinforcements from Damian's capital arrived on the scene. Forced to their
DropShips, they left the planet
empty-handed.
In the year 3000, a
reconnaissance in force by the
Eridani Light Horse on the
Kurita planet Benet led to a costly surprise for that unit. Scouting for a
reported secret
supply dump, two
recon lances supported by four jump-capable Thunderbolts were ambushed by the better part of the First Pesht
Regulars. The Eridani commander saw no recourse but to withdraw, and ordered the four Thunderbolts to cover the lighter 'Mechs'
retreat. Dodging
the traps and enfilades that the Kurita 'Mechs tried to create, the Thunderbolts successfully covered the retreat, but absorbed a tremendous amount of
damage doing so. Only one of the four 'Mechs was able to make it to the last DropShip before it lifted off.
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