The Rifleman's
design history is one of the least inspiring in the annals of BattleMech
development. It took nearly two centuries of trial and error to arrive
at what was then the best compromise of weapons and armor, epitomized
in the classic RFL-3N Rifleman.
The refitted Rifleman failed to move forward from the basic design
concepts and used the same tired answer to the heat problem. The Clans
looked at the problem from a new point of view, however, and largely
resolved the major problems of overheating and lack of armor inherent
in the design. Visually, this Clan Rifleman looks nothing like the
traditional outline we would recognize on the battlefield. Like its
smaller brother, it mounts a large rotating radar array over its head.
The Rifleman is a common sight to all MechWarriors, as it forms the
first line of defense against air attack for many garrison units.
MechWarriors that have gone up against the Rifleman report that it
is impossible to close quickly enough with this 'Mech, as it will
often strip an opponent's armor off before that opponent can reach
close-combat range. The Clan Rifleman was first observed as part of
the Nova Cat forces.
Source:
Technical Readout 3055
Armament:
4 Large Pulse Lasers