"William H. Keith Jr - Decision at Thunder Rift" - читать интересную книгу автора (Keith jr William H)

kph. It mounts one autocannon and a heavy laser in a twin-barrel assembly on
each arm, and a pair of lasers in the torso.
Shadow Hawk: A medium BattleMech weighing 55 tons, with a top speed of
85 to 90 kph. It mounts a medium laser on its right arm, five LRM launchers in
its torso, a pair of SRM launch tubes on either side of its head, and a
backpack-mounted, over-the-shoulder, large-caliber autocannon.
SRM: Abbreviation for "Short-Range Missiles", direct-trajectory
missiles with high-explosive or armor-piercing explosive warheads. They have a
range of less than one kilometer, and are accurate only at ranges of less than
300 meters. They are more powerful, however, than LRMs.
Stinger: A light scout BattleMech, the Stinger weighs 20 tons, with a
top running speed of 100 kph. It is armed with one medium laser and two heavy
machine guns.
T.O. & E: Abbreviation for "Table of Organization and Equipment," the
breakdown of a unit's personnel, order of battle, and equipment, including
vehicles and weapons.
UV: Ultraviolet light is radiation at wavelengths too short to be seen
by the eye. Special scanning equipment can see by UV light.
Wasp: A light scout BattleMech, weighing 20 tons, with a top running
speed of 100 kph. The Wasp is armed with one medium laser and a pair of SRM
launch racks.
Wolverine: A medium BattleMech weighing 55 tons, with a top speed of
85 kph. It mounts a heavy-caliber autocannon in its right arm, and six SRM
tubes in its torso. High on its chest, just below the head, is a ball turret
mounting a medium laser.




PROLOGUE
Ten thousand years of organized warfare have culminated in that
fabrication of arms and armor, mobility and strength called the BattleMech.
Standing ten to twelve meters tall, the typical 'Mech is vaguely
humanoid, an armored giant of myth and legend come to life. The lightest weigh
20 tons, the heaviest 75 or more, and even the smallest 'Mech bristles with
lasers, particle cannons, long- and short-range missile launchers, autocannon,
or machine-guns. A 'Mech is striding, thundering death for any unarmored army
crazy enough to stand and fight, and a formidable foe even for heavily-armored
conventional units.
Traditional military tactical thought holds that the best way to fight
a 'Mech is to send in another 'Mech, preferably one bigger, stronger, and more
heavily armored. When matched, the monster machines can pound away at one
another for hours, each waiting for that one fatal mistake by his opponent.
Each waiting for that inevitable, critical failure of nerve or machine, that
instant's lapse in guard or tactics that will leave the way open for a fatal
strike.
This same kind of military balance exists between the five major
Houses of the Successor States of the early 31st century as they war among
themselves for control of known space. On one side is the Capellan
Confederation of House Liao, the Free Worlds League of House Marik, and the