Atlas AS7-D-HT

The Atlas II AS7-D-HT is an Assault-class 'Mech in Battletech. It's an unique variant of the Atlas II, made for the Star League Defense Force. One of these was found in Outpost Castle Nautilus, an abandoned SLDF base in Artru. After "Raising the Dead", Kamea takes it as her personal BattleMech until "Showdown". Once Victoria and her lance are eliminated and Alexander is rescued, Kamea gives it to the player after reclaiming her throne as the High Lady of the Aurigan Coalition.

Description
The Atlas is the king of the battlefield, capable of bringing a dizzying array of weapons to bear on targets at any range. With nineteen tons of armor and a Defiance AC/20 as its main gun, few opponents can survive even brief contact with an Atlas.

Loadouts

 * The Atlas II has 13 additional free tons over the normal Atlas, giving it by far the largest payload of any BattleMech. The primary issue is using all of it.
 * It now has integral Double Heatsinks like many other Star League mechs, meaning its base cooling is 60 per turn compared to standard mechs' 30.This gives it much more freedom to use fewer added heatsinks to free up weight, or use high-heat LosTech Energy weapons (such as its stock ER Large and Medium Pulse Lasers) and the higher-caliber but hot-running Ultra Autocannons (with the Heavy Metal DLC).
 * With the changes to LosTech weapons in the latest patch, the ER Large Lasers and Medium Pulses are more competitive options: ER Larges are comparable to PPCs with similar range; they lose Stability damage and the EMP effect in exchange for substantially less heat and improved accuracy. Medium Pulses are functionally two standard Mediums in one hardpoint, with better heat efficiency and a guarantee that both lasers hit the same location. Out of the box, these changes mean the Atlas II's default loadout has an effective weapon at any range compared to the standard Atlas' close-range loadout. Their other LosTech counterparts are Large Pulses which offer a hefty damage upgrade over ER Larges with less range and slightly more heat, and ER Mediums which weigh only a single ton with less damage and heat efficiency compared to Pulses, but stretch out to medium range; making them very efficient and practical choices for a slow mech such as the Atlas.
 * The LosTech lasers can also be 'downgraded' to standard counterparts; while the freed mass can go into replacing the LRM-20 with twin LRM-15s, keeping roughly the same total damage and range, while trading single-location damage for less heat and increased stagger capability.
 * The Altas II is also a reasonably good choice to mount the Gauss Rifle.
 * A strong loadout for maxed close combat firepower is DOUBLE AC/20 along with several SRM6 as well as medium lasers. This allows a single Atlas to annihilate a heavy target with a single strike, or to cripple multiple enemies in seconds.
 * Extreme to standard range: 2 x SNUB PPC, 2 x LRM15, 2 x UAC/5, 8 x heat sink [D], 4 LRM ammo, 4 AC/5 ammo.
 * 300+ long range pure energy damage - 5 x PPC or 5 x ER PPC. Substitute 1 x PPC for 2 x L Lasers for more damage but reduced range.  Left over tonnage goes toward 8 x heat sink [D], 3 x exchanger++ and 1 ton TTS +3 energy accuracy.
 * 450+ mid-range to close range pure energy damage - 6 x SNUB PPC, 2 x ER S Laser, 7 x heat sink [D], 3 x exchanger++, TTS +3 energy accuracy. Using -10 heat SNUB PPCs will help with heat efficiency.
 * 500 - 600+ close to mid-range damage: 5 x SNUB PPC, 2 x SRM6, 2 SRM ammo, 4 x ER S Laser, 8 x heat sink [D], 2 x exchanger++, TTS +3 energy accuracy
 * 465 long to mid-range damage: 2 x UAC/10, 6 x AC/10 ammo, 3 x SNUB PPC, 8 x heat sink [D], exchanger++
 * 616 -784 close range damage: 2 x UAC/20, 8 x AC/20 ammo, 2 x SRM6, 2 x SRM ammo, 4 x ER S Laser, 6 x heat sink [D], 2 x exchanger++

Strategy

 * Known as the 'Atlas II,' the D-HT model carries more Energy weaponry and usually a lighter, more flexible Autocannon. It still has unbelievable protection and the same crushing Melee ability as other Atlas models.
 * The Atlas II is unrivaled in available tonnage, a whopping 54.25 tons at max armor. No other mech can beat that.
 * By default, the Atlas II vents 60 heat instead of the usual 30 heat.