CP-10-Z Cyclops for Battletech

The Cyclops began production in 2710 as an assault BattleMech and headquarters unit for Star League Defense Force field commanders. A decent mix of weapons provided the Cyclops with both long- and short-range firepower and a sizable engine to keep up with mobile operations. The most important feature of the 'Mech though was its advanced electronics, especially the Tacticon B-2000 Battle Computer, which allows the pilot to effectively command up to brigade-sized units. Other aspects of the 'Mech are less than stellar however. The diverse array of weapons means the 'Mech does suffer somewhat from ammunition issues while meager armoring provides less protection than that found on similar machines, though it is enough to stave off attackers until reinforcements arrive. In particular the armoring on the head section, while as heavily protected as allowed by the internal structure, leaves the pilot and the sophisticated command and control equipment more vulnerable than usual. When operating as the command vehicle at regimental and higher echelons with an ample support apparatus and guarded by a headquarters lance, these deficiencies are far less noticeable and the Cyclops could be kept in reserve until employed to turn the tide of battle or exploit a weakness.

Unfortunately the Cyclops did not fare so well with the onset of the Amaris Civil War when the Rim Worlds Republic Military destroyed its primary factory on Caph in 2774. Spare parts for the machine quickly began to dry up, until by the end of the Succession Wars less than ten percent still had a working B-2000 computer. Lacking the critical part of being a command vehicle many Cyclopses were pressed into assault role. Acting as the bodyguard or decoy for the real commanding officer, they proved to be swift if mediocre combat machines. As most enemies know about the vulnerable head and automatically target it in combat, many Cyclops pilots also began adding false head protectors to defend against impacts; a study by the NAIS after the Fourth Succession War would eventually find that these caused more harm than good by restricting vision and increasing shrapnel, ending the practice altogether.

The rediscovery of the Helm Memory Core kick-started a number of attempts to replicate the B-2000 computer, however there were no successful attempts prior to the Clan Invasion. As well the invention of the C3 Computer, with its emphasis on small-scale networking, and a switch in doctrine to using DropShips as command posts, saw the Cyclops' command role decline. However Grumium Creations was eventually able to restart production of new variants of the 'Mech, and where it has participated a Cyclops with a working B-2000 has had noticeable effects. For this reason Cyclops 'Mechs with a working battle computer were reserved for high-ranking officers.

Model is printed in a grey resin and supplied with a base.

Mech design by Matt Mason.