Advanced Star League technology is becoming more and more
of a common sight in the Periphery. Medical technology
and literacy has improved greatly over the years. Military
advancements can be seen in 'Mechs like the Marshall, a
BattleMech originating from the Magistracy of Canopus.
With the ongoing research being done in the Inner Sphere
and the Periphery, aging models like the Rifleman can no
longer compete with the second generation of BattleMechs 
that have taken to the field. For settlements in the Deep
Periphery, this is even more of a problem. Production is
limited in the Periphery, especially the Deep Periphery
where war is a constant. Something of noteworthy importance,
however, a new BattleMech has been spotted in the
Anti-Spinward and Coreward regions of the Inner Sphere. The
new BattleMech is very similar to the Rifleman, and has been
highly successful in raids against the Marian Hegemony,
Lyran Alliance, and even Clan Jade Falcon. 

Capabilities
Apparently the Rifleman Mk III was designed to fight the 
Clans, particularly the Jade Falcons. However, the design 
has been instrumental in causing havock in parts of the 
Inner Sphere where it has been seen. The Rifleman Mk III 
resembles the Clans' Rifleman II-C in that it has a dome 
sensor array built on its head. The dome served the same 
purpose of the original Rifleman's fin sensor mounted along 
its back. All three designs are made to track incoming 
aircraft and feed their locations to targeting systems 
mounted in the arm mounts. In each arm, the Rifleman Mk III 
carries a powerful Extended-Range Large Laser and a LB 5-X 
Autocannon. Both weapons do good damage at long-range. The 
Autocannons are customarily loaded with Cluster munitions. 
The Rifleman Mk III has another unusual feature that has 
provided it with an advantage on the field. Its center torso 
looks like the face of some demon. This was obviously the 
look that its armorers wanted the Rifleman Mk III to present
to its foes.

Deployment
The RFL3-BH Rifleman Mk III has been used extensivley on 
the Lyran/Jade Falcon Clan border. The design has been a 
nuisance, if not, a hazzard to Falcon AeroSpace pilots who 
have the diffculty of delivering air support to Rifleman Mk 
III infested areas. Similarly, the Lyran Alliance's AeroSpace 
Fighter units have been having trouble with the Rifleman Mk 
III. The Rifleman Mk III is a threat to even assault 'Mechs 
in the Marian Hegemony. Some experts believe that the raiding 
in the Marian Hegemony is not raiding at all, but an attempt 
to capture the Hegemony. If so, the Hegemony has lost almost 
a Battalion in mercenaries and line-troops. The Rifleman Mk 
III has been credited with nearly half of those kills. The 
Rifleman Mk III has also reportedly been seen in the Chaos 
March in limited numbers, mostly along the Terran border 
worlds. This is not particularly hard to believe since Word 
of Blake is an ally of the Bludhounds and perhaps has the 
design as a gift from them.

Known Variants
Other than the RFL3-BH, only one other variant of the 
Rifleman Mk III has been spotted. The RFL3-BH2 Rifleman Mk 
III is so similar to the RFL3-BH, that it is almost impossible 
to tell which variants are being used. The RFL3-BH2 has been 
seen mostly in the Chaos March. Word of Blake refits the 
Shotgun Autocannons with 2 General Motors Nova Class 5 Ultra 
Autocannons. To make the space for the larger weapons, the 
Medium Pulse Lasers are downgraded to Starflash-1A Medium 
Lasers. The ER Large Lasers still remain, but the manufacturer 
has been identified as Maxell.