Medium BattleMechs range in mass from 40 tons to 55 tons, and are generally the more commonly-used assets used to fill out a Lance for any particular mission profile. They are generally less agile than Light 'Mechs, but have more arms and armor. Because the weight class allows a great deal more equipment and weapons to be employed, Medium 'Mechs can fill a variety of battlefield roles.
40 Tons
Assassin
Known models: ASN-21
The Assassin is a rare sight, but another humanoid scout BattleMech equipped with a great deal of speed but light on weapons. Its right arm holds a Medium Laser, the right torso contains a five-tube Long-Range launcher while the left torso contains a two-tube Short Range launcher. The speed and maneuverability is comparable to that of many light BattleMechs, but it lacks a comparable punch.
Cicada
Known models: CDA-2A
The Cicada is a very strange BattleMech, as what tasks it is suitable for are more readily filled by the more common Locust than it. It even shares a similar appearance and low profile. However, it is still a fairly capable reconnaissance BattleMech, so long as it is not expected to fight with its paltry torso-mounted armament of two Medium Lasers and a Small Laser.
Hermes II
Known models: HER-2S
The Hermes II is the lighter Hermes given a larger frame and retaining a respectable amount of speed and armor for a scouting role. That said, it's fairly decent at most other roles so long as you don't expect it to have the staying power of heavier-mass BattleMechs. It is armed with a Medium Laser in the right arm and a Flamer in the left arm, supported by a Class 5 Autocannon in the torso.
Vulcan
Known models: VL-2T, VL-5T
The Vulcan was designed primarily for fighting off infantry with its Flamer and Machine Gun, mounted in the right and left arms respectively. For the purposes of not leaving it completely underarmed, it has a Class 2 Autocannon in the right torso and a Medium Laser in the left torso to fight armored targets. For the most part, this is a specialized machine akin to the Firestarter, only with a few other options to it. The VL-5T model exchanges the Autocannon for more armor, heat sinks, and three more Medium Lasers. This transforms this variant model into a somewhat dangerous scout with serious threats to lighter units or heavier units which are ripe for flanking.
Whitworth
Known models: WTH-1
The Whitworth is armed with two ten-missile Long Range launchers, and three Medium Lasers, and it is very good at a fire support role. Between the long-range missiles and the shorter-range energy loadout, it can be an adequate threat to a great many targets. As most designs have some part they're deficient in, it should be noted the Whitworth lacks any extra cooling systems outside the basic suite and is relatively slow for the weight class it is in.
45 Tons
Blackjack
Known models: BJ-1
The Blackjack is a humanoid machine whose arms are devoted to twin Class 2 Autocannons and a Medium Laser, giving it long-range capability and two more Medium Lasers on either side of the torso add to the short-range capability. Added to this is the moderately heavy armor, giving the Blackjack a decent chance to be useful supporting other units in a lance.
Hatchetman
Known models: HCT-3F
The Hatchetman is a brand new 'Mech design, incorporating the namesake hatchet alongside two Medium Lasers, and a Class Ten Autocannon. If anything else it is said to resemble a lanky humanoid with an oversized hatchet, but it is a fairly effective close-range combatant if it has the chance to get in close.
Phoenix Hawk
Known models: PXH-1
The Phoenix Hawk is designed with quite a lot of heat-producing equipment, but is not given a cooling system capable of doing so. It is fast, mobile, and its weapon suite (one Large Laser in the right arm and one more Medium Laser in each arm) allows it to do a considerable amount of damage at close range. Backing this up are two Machine Guns in either forearm alongside the Medium Lasers. The general role it excels at is playing bodyguard to your scouting force, since it has the speed and armor to keep up and stick around to fight.
Vindicator
Known models: VND-1R
Manufactured exclusively within the Capellan Confederation, this BattleMech is fairly effective at a great many tasks. Its right arm is devoted to housing a PPC, while it has a Medium Laser built alongside the head, a Small Laser embedded inside the left forearm, and a five-missile Long Range launcher in the left chest. It is remarkably well-protected and agile enough to function alongside even slightly-heavier BattleMechs known for similar roles such as the Enforcer and Centurion.
50 Tons
Centurion
Known models: CN9-A
The Centurion is a known workhorse of a Medium 'Mech, armed with the Luxor-D Class 10 Autocannon and a ten-missile Long Range launcher, and two Medium Lasers in the torso. One of these is arranged to fire backwards, allowing the Centurion to gently dissuade attempts to sneak up behind it by lighter 'Mechs. The BattleMech is associated heavily with the Federated Suns and their armed forces, though it is employed in numerous forces across the Inner Sphere.
Enforcer
Known models: ENF-4R
Very similar to the Centurion, this is a Medium 'Mech used by the Federated Suns as a very capable workhorse. It is armed with a Class 10 Autocannon in the right arm and a Large Laser in the left arm. As a final touch a Small Laser is installed in the left breast of the BattleMech. Jump jets enhance its mobility considerably, and its cooling system is capable of controlling its heat levels.
Hunchback HBK-4G
Known models: HBK-4G, HBK-4P
The HBK-4G Hunchback is a slow machine, but it is well-known for its primary armament: a Tomodzuru Class 20 Autocannon embedded in a large weapon mount in the right shoulder, with ammo enough to fire it ten times kept in the left torso. Backing this up are two Medium Lasers, one in each arm, and a Small Laser in the head just in case. While it is slow and not entirely mobile, the potential damage the autocannon can cause is enough to give anyone pause before engaging it.
One of the variant models, the HBK-4P, instead chooses to reduce the profile of the shoulder weapons mounting and uses it for six Medium Lasers and enough additional cooling to allow almost all the waste heat to be mitigated in a full salvo. This variant lacks the single-point punch of the autocannon but can still be incredibly effective.
Trebuchet
Known models: TBT-5N, TBT-5S
The Trebuchet is a venerable design which has proven itself very capable of handling itself in a few roles. The base model is armed with two fifteen-missile Long Range launchers (one in the left arm, one in the right torso), three Medium Lasers (one in the left arm, two in the right), and a decent amount of speed for a 'Mech holding this much ordinance.
The TBT-5S variation is a short-range missile carrier, carrying two six-missile Short Range launchers and exchanging most of the other weight for enough heat dissipation capacity to fire its full arsenal at a walking pace.
55 Tons
Dervish
Known models: DV-6M
Two ten-missile Long-Range launchers backed by a two-missile Short Range launcher and Medium Laser in each arm, married to a fairly agile frame. The venerable Dervish is quite good for a fire-support role, containing a decent ability to fire at long distances and it has a decent amount of ammunition to fire those launchers.
Gladiator
Known models: GLD-3R
A very old design, the Gladiator was developed entirely within the Draconis Combine as a Medium-class BattleMech and achieved a very poor reputation within the Combine following a lost battle in 2475. A very few of these BattleMechs still exist, and as such very little is known about them. The GLD-3R model is a slightly more recent development, armed with two ten-missile Long Range missile launchers in either side of the torso and a Medium Laser in each arm.
Griffin
Known models: GRF-1N, GRF-1S
A singularly-focused unit, the GRF-1N Griffin has only a PPC in its right arm and a ten-missile Long Range launcher on its right shoulder. It is about average speed for its weight class, and mounts jump jets to give it more mobility. This long-range fire support unit is quite effective at its task of finding a firing position and cutting loose.
By contrast the GRF-1S variant of the Griffin is armed with a Large Laser and two Medium Lasers where the PPC would be, and instead mounts a five-missile Long Range launcher on the left shoulder. With 33% more cooling efficiency, this also can bleed off more of the waste heat caused by firing these weapons more often.
Shadow Hawk
Known models: SHD-2H, SHD-2D, SHD-2K
A multi-role Medium BattleMech, the Shadow Hawk is equipped with a variety of weapons to engage at different ranges. A Class 5 Autocannon and five-missile Long Range launcher give it some long-range fire support while a Medium Laser and two-missile Short Range launcher allows it more punch at closer ranges.
The SHD-2K model of the Shadow Hawk exchanges most of its weapons suite for having a PPC alongside the Long Range launcher along with more capacity for handling waste heat. In a way, this design winds up mimicking the GRF-1N Griffin. As a counterpoint, the SHD-2D model instead sheds some armor in order to mount more short-range weaponry in the form of another Short-Range launcher and Medium Laser to pair up the existing ones.
Wolverine
Known models: WVR-6R, WVR-6K
The Wolverine is almost like its namesake, in that it seems capable of taking a considerable amount of punishment. It is armed with a Class 5 Autocannon, a six-tube Short Range launcher, and a Medium Laser with enough temperature control to stay maneuverable with its jump jets and fire its arsenal.
The WVR-6K model is almost a completely different unit, removing its jump jets and exchanging the autocannon for a Large Laser to begin with. It also adds a Medium Laser and Small Laser to help with its short range capability, and extra armor which makes this model of Wolverine quite difficult to put down and keep down.
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