Ever since the first "Assault 'Mech" was built, the general concept of "Assault 'Mech" has gradually changed. The Warhammer was valued for its many weapon systems; the Atlas, however, carried a few big guns. Now, Star League technology allows a fusion of the two ideas. Modern Assault 'Mechs rely on many large weapon systems to literally pound their foes to pieces. Although their primary focus is short-range fire power, they often carry a long range weapon or two to keep their opponents honest.

Capabilities

• Tonnage: 70-100
  

• Speed: Assault 'Mechs are very slow having a walking speed of 3 or 4. Because they allow the 'Mech to traverse bad terrain quickly, Jump Jets are fairly common and should be included if possible.
  

• Armor: Heavy armor is essential for Assault 'Mechs since they will be in the thick of the fighting for the entire battle. Also, the loss of an Assault 'Mech is very demoralizing and can easily turn the tide of battle, so they should be able to hold their own against several enemy 'Mechs.
  

• Weaponry: Short to medium range weapons with high damage potential are the ideal primary weapon systems for Assault 'Mechs. Autocannon 10s and -20s are the most popular, but large pulse lasers, PPCs, and Gauss rifles also see much use. Common Secondary weapons include small or medium lasers and SRMs. Some 'Mechs carry many small weapons and wither their opponents away with volley after volley of fire. The disadvantage of this type of design is that damage is spread over the entire target while a large weapon can punch a hole in an enemy's armor with one or two shots. On the other hand, hitting the enemy with many weapons gives you a better chance of destroying a vital component and the chances of a lucky shot silencing your 'Mech are less.
  

• Other Equipment: Assault 'Mechs are often used as command 'Mechs and may carry probes, ECM suites, and C3 master systems to enhance their command ability.
  

• Notes: Heat dissipation need not be perfect with most Assault 'Mechs; they have enough weaponry to alternate fire and control heat while still doing respectable damage. The biggest concern in designing Assault 'Mechs is critical spaces. There is enough tonnage available to carry all the weapons you want, but sometimes there is not enough room to mount them. To avoid having to deal with a shortage of critical spaces later in the design process, use standard internal structure and armor initially. If it turns out that there is enough room to carry Endo Steel, you can always add it later; adding Endo Steel is easier than removing it.