Although Battlemech-versus-Battlemech gladiator-style combat is the big draw on Solaris VII, there are also other competitions on the Game World that attract loyal fans, big money, and skilled pilots. Most of the Great Houses sponsor at least one racing arena, destroying one’s opponents is a secondary goal, behind that of navigating a course thick with obstacles, automated turrets and mines to reach the finish line first. Most BattleMech manufacturers prefer to test new ‘Mech in the racing arenas; although the gladiatorial matches draw more money and publicity, the environment of a BattleMech Race is in many ways a more accurate depiction of an actual moving battle, making it far more useful as an evaluation venue.

As of 3065, Clan Wolf-in-Exile had collaborated with its hosts, the Arc-Royal Defense Cordon, on one or two BattleMech designs, combining Clan and Inner Sphere technology and design methods to the benefit of both. In late 3065, Morgan Kell, administrator of the ARDC, gave his approval for another combined design effort. The goal was not to create a field unit, but to build a ‘Mech especially for arena combat on Solaris; the ARDC would now sponsor its own team of pilots on the Game World instead of fighting alongside the teams from the Lyran Alliance, as it had before.

This was meant to be a political gesture, a subtle declaration of independence and a statement of opposition to Katrina Steiner’s rule of the Lyran Alliance. Six months later, the ARDC’s arena team debuted on Solaris VII with a BattleMech no one ever expected to see in an Inner Sphere arena.

The Marauder III is based on the Clans’ Marauder IIC; at a distance the two ‘Mechs would be difficult to distinguish from one another. However, the ARDC ‘Mech is thirty tons lighter than the Marauder IIC, is significantly faster, and is equipped with jump jets for added maneuverability. Its armament is geared for the short-to-mid-range combat, and consists of multiple small and medium pulse and beam lasers. Using its advanced targeting computer, the Marauder III can surgically disable or hobble an opponent rather than pound away in a slugging match.

Although the M3 has only run a few races, its performance thus far has been outstanding, a promising indicator of the ARDC team’s future on Solaris VII.

The Model

The model is a Ral Partha Marauder IIC pewter miniature. It was definitely one of the better-looking Battletech figs on the market, and I had the good luck to get my hands on a couple of them before they vanished from distributors everywhere.

The miniature’s default pose is a little stiff-looking, so I cut apart the figure at all the joints and then proceeded to drill, pin and reassemble the Marauder into a more dynamic posture. A great deal of putty smoothed over the seams and exposed joints.

Still dissatisfied, I discarded the miniature’s dorsal gun and scratchbuilt a new one from styrene rod and sheet. I added maneuvering fins and coolant/propellant tanks to the miniature, ostensibly because the ‘Mech was equipped with jump jets, but mostly because I liked the way they looked. I used more styrene to add two tiny three-barreled rotary gun muzzles to the otherwise empty forearm cannon holes, and then finished out with a few spare etched brass details here and there (mostly on the top, back, and underside of the body).

Image: Top/left view

Image: Rear view

Image: Scale comparison