The RTR-46B Rioteer was designed by Akula Corporate 
Engineering in early 3058 for use as a riot control mech.  
For that duty, it is more than adequate.  While it also finds 
some use as a city defender against infantry and light 
armored vehicles, against another mech it is totally 
outclassed.

However, though its combat effectiveness is often 
questioned, there can be no mistake about one thing.  
The Rioteer is quite possibly the most economical mech 
on the market.  With a price tag of just over 1.2 million 
C-Bills, the Rioteer has found a niche in the Inner Sphere.

Capabilities:

The Rioteer is capable of crowd control, anti-infanty, and 
light anti-vehicular work.  It's slow speed limits it to city 
terrain where its lack of manueverablility is not a negative 
factor.

The Rioteer is powered by a Leenex 60 rated fusion 
engine which propels the mech at 54 kph at full run.  The 
2 Chilton 360 jump jets that are provideded do give the 
Rioteer added manueverability, but not enough to 
compensate for its light armor.  While the Rioteer carries 
the most armor a mech of its weight class can, 4 tons of 
A.C.E. Type 1 Light armor is not enough to allow the 
Rioteer to engage enemy mech forces and expect to 
survive.

The weaponry of the Rioteer reflects its crowd control role 
perfectly.  Carrying 2 Chiscomp 39 Medium Lasers, 1 
Zippo Flamer, and 5 Mydron Minigun Machine Guns, the 
Rioteer is well suited to carry out crowd control and 
anti-infantry duties.  The Medium Lasers do give the 
Rioteer the ability to engage armored vehicles and mechs 
with limited success, but when doing so, Rioteers should 
engage in packs to amplify their firepower, and increase 
their chances of survival.

Deployment:

The Rioteer has seen little deployment in standard army 
units, however, several militia and police units have 
obtained Rioteers for policing duties.  Rioteer sales have 
also increased lately as tension in the Lyran Alliance has 
escalated, and many Lyran Militia units are in need of a 
mech well suited to crowd control duties.  While the 
Rioteer will almost never be seen serving in a line unit, a 
field commander tasked with occupying a Lyran city 
should be well aware of their possible presence.