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