EAH - 01 Vindicator

The Vindicator is currently the most powerful mass-produced battlemech in the solar system. Because of its high cost, it is usually assigned to proven pilots or squadron commanders only. The massive armament and armor give the Vindicator a tremendous advantage in combat. The Vindicator program was started only two years ago, in U.C. 2178, as a direct result of the introduction of the Wyvern by the N.E.O.. The Earth Federation's generals felt that since the Wyvern was nearly the equal of the Retaliator in combat, they needed an even more powerful unit to stay in the forefront of the arm race. The Vindicator is such a machine. Although a bit slow, its massive light missile batteries (located on the side of its legs) can easily overwhelm most close defense systems. The heavy warheads carried on the shoulders and in the backpack can even be used to destroy or severely cripple small ships or damage large ones. A pair of Jovian Optics anti-missile turrets guard the exo against return fire. Its most impressive weapon, however, is the combination mass-driverlaser mounted on the right arm. The presence of a non-ammunition based weapon extends the combat endurance of the Vindicator, enabling it to get rid of small threats while saving the precious massdriver ammunition for more important targets. If the Vindicator had only those qualities, it would indeed be king of the battlefield. Unfortunately, the development was rushed, leaving serious flaws in some of the systems. For example, due to a powerplant sensor malfunction, an overheat warning sounds every time the pilot pushes his machine above the normal operating parameters. Veterans are now used to the problem, simply disabling the sensor and relying on their "gut instinct" instead. The Vindicator is also painfully slow compared to other, smaller machines.

Variations
Since the Vindicator is a relatively new design, no variants were built as of U.C. 2180. There are plans for a commander-type version, but production is not expected to begin until late U.C. 2185. If the machine proves successful in service, it will probably be adapted to a variety of operational roles such as interception, heavy assault and hunter/killer.

Service Record
No Vindicator has seen true combat yet, although computer simulations and mock battles clearly established the superiority of the design. The Federation's high command is considering sending a few Vindicators to the Belt to help clear the way for the commercial ships. If these operations are a success, the Vindicator will probably be widely used by the Federation in the near future, albeit in a slightly weaker and less expensive mass-produced version