Orion ON2-SKR

         The first true heavy ‘Mech ever produced, the well-designed Orion has served on the battlefields of the Inner Sphere for nearly 500 years and remains a formidable machine even today. The ON1-M version incorporates the latest technology and promises to ensure that the Orion remains a common sight on ‘Mech battlefields well into the foreseeable future.
         The most obvious innovation of the ON1-M is the arm-mounted Kali Yama Weapons Industries Type V LRM-20 missile rack and the Octagon Missile-Magnet Narc beacon. These systems replace the troublesome 15-shot Death Bloom missile system found on earlier Orions and provide the ‘Mech with markedly improved long-range firepower. The ON1-M also features the sophisticated Kali Yama LB 10-X autocannon, which possesses greater range, accuracy and reliability than the temperamental autocannon of previous Orions. Additionally, the new ON1-M features cellular ammunition-storage equipment, which protects the BattleMech’s weapon reloads from enemy hits, double heat sinks for more rapid heat dissipation, and a Hermes 300 XL extra-light power plant.

         The longevity of the Orion is due to the simple, efficient placement of systems within the ‘Mech’s roomy body. Techs enjoy working on Orions, marveling at the ease with which they can locate and replace faulty systems.
         The Free Worlds League is the only Successor state currently manufacturing Orions. The other States only occasionally produce spare parts for their Orions.
         The Kali Yama autocannon is a temperamental weapon. To the mystification of technicians who work on these ‘Mechs, the autocannon ammunition feed system, which draws new rounds from the ‘Mech’s torso, fails on a fairly regular basis. Oddly enough, if only nineteen rounds instead of twenty are placed in the weapon’s clip, the autocannon does not jam. The autocannon itself is placed awkwardly, restricting right arm movement, and can be jarred out of alignment when struck accidentally.
         The Death Bloom missile system is mounted on the Orion’s left shoulder. The system launches fifteen long-range missiles in a very concentrated pattern, which is effective against both ground and air vehicles. Unfortunately, the control cables of the missile launchers travel through a narrow shoulder area. Thus, the shoulder is subject to excessive heat, and the actuator or missile system frequently shuts down.
         The other missile system, the Irian Weapon Works Class 4, consists of four tubes mounted around the medium laser on the left arm. Shooting short-range missiles, the system holds twenty-five rounds. Instead of four holes around the medium laser, the Orion sports six holes, the bottom two holes serving as hookup points for coolant hoses so that excess heat can be purged by cooler trucks.
         The armor protection of the Orion is excellent. It carries a total of 14.5 tons of armor spread across its squat frame, far more than many ‘Mechs its own size. The center torso is the best protected, while the rear torso is least protected. The armor coupled with its speed makes the Orion a formidable opponent.

         The Orion BattleMech has a long, colorful history of battles both large and small. In October of 2779, for example, Earth was liberated from the hands of Stefan the Usurper. General Kerensky in his olive-drab Orion accomplished the final act of this liberation by kicking open the thick palace gates. All who witnessed this act understood the fate of Stefan and his family.
         In 2787, one of Minoru Kurita’s initial acts as “First Lord of the Star League” was the virtual genocide of Eblar. After fighting off the garrison of Federated Suns ‘Mechs, a regiment of Kurita Orion pilots poisoned the sole water supply of the planet’s largest city. Millions died.
         During the tenth battle for the Lyran planet of Hesperus II, Orions played a major role in the rout of Kurita forces. The relief force, led by Kommandant Katrina Steiner, left the planet from one hemisphere and dropped onto another hemisphere so swiftly that the enemy was caught totally off guard.
               The Fifth Defenders of Andurien of the Free Worlds League is composed almost entirely of Orions. Veterans of many campaigns against the Lyran Commonwealth, they are one of the few units that do not apply new color schemes according to the type of battlefield in which they will fight. They choose to remain a royal purple, and have earned the nickname “The Hunters.”