Claymore

Description

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One of the first new AFFC DropShip designs to be produced after the recovery of the Helm Memory Core, the Claymore is a small but formidably armed and armored assault ship.

The design phase began amid great secrecy in 3047, but the Clan Invasion refocused AFFC funds toward new BattleMech design and production, with the prototype only taking its maiden flight at the end of 3053, production approved after successful operations on combat raids with the 6th Lyran Guards in 3054. Shipil produce one Claymore every nine months, the majority posted along the edge of the Clan occupation zones ensured they became a primarily Lyran design after the formation of Lyran Alliance, with the majority of new production making their way to Skye loyalist units.

Armament

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While some observers have criticized the craft for lacking adequate firepower for an assault ship, the weapon array is enough to give pause to most other Dropships. The Claymore’s six nose bays contain most of the vessel’s weaponry, a mixture ER PPCs, an ERs and Mediums and Large Pulse Lasers, Streak SRM-2 and LRM-20 launchers and an LB 10-X AC autocannon. The rear of the vessel repeats the same basic layout, save for omitting the ER large laser and Streak launcher for two Small Pulse Lasers.
The Claymores wing-mounted mixture of a forward facing Large Laser, LRM-10 and LB 10-X AC autocannon, paired with rear facing Large laser and Streak 2 launchers on each side, also cover both fore and aft arcs.

Cargo

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Designed as an assault craft, the Claymore features a single two door cargo bay, with a 329 ton capacity.

Variants

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• Claymore V3 

  This variant of the Claymore is based on the Claymore Interceptor. Unfortunately all the Clan spec weaponry has been replaced by less-efficient Inner Sphere versions. This leads to a design that hasn’t performed as well as the Interceptor, resulting in some embarrassing losses to the Capellan Confederation’s Lung Wang Pocket WarShip. BV (2.0) = 5,889[4][5]

Design Quirks

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The Claymore V3 variant is subject to the following Design Quirks:[4]

Known vessels

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(See Category:Individual Claymore-class DropShips)

Gallery

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  Original Claymore from TRO:3057

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  Variant Claymore V3 from TRO:Proto

References

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Bibliography

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