The Highlander was originally   introduced in 2592 as a dedicated city/installation defender. Its wide range of weapons and powerful jump jets enabled it to cover virtually any contingency for fighting in a typical Inner Sphere city with low buildings, winding streets and dead-end alleyways.
         Because of its variety of weapons, however, commanders began assigning the 'Mech to more active units and using it to break through enemy lines and wreak havoc along the front. Modern-day Highlanders often serve in mobile fire lances alongside BattleMechs such as the Catapult, Grasshopper and Exterminator.

         Though the Highlander's massive HildCo jump jets were designed to lift the BattleMech over inconveniently placed buildings, initial combat trials showed that Highlander pilots often used them to execute the popular death-from-above maneuver. The engineers redesigned the structure and armor of the lower legs and switched to sturdy Lang composite armor so that the Highlander's actuators could withstand the repeated stress caused by this devastating maneuver. Over the years, a Highlander's death-from-above attack became known as a "Highlander burial."
         The HGN-733 Highlander's weapon systems are diverse and well-suited to the confused maelstrom of combat. The 'Mech's primary weapon, the Mydron heavy autocannon, has enough power and range to punch through most armor before the target can effectively return fire. Its low heat buildup enables the MechWarrior to keep up a nearly continuous barrage without stressing the Highlander's heat dissipation capabilities. The cannon's position, mounted on the right arm, gives the pilot a wide firing arc that allows him to fire to the rear when the 'Mech's torso is rotated completely to the right.
         The reliable Holly missile launchers work well alone and as part of the overall weapons package. The long-range missiles, mounted in the left torso alongside the autocannon, scour the armor from an enemy and allow the short-range missiles mounted in the left arm to exploit the gaps left in the armor by the bigger weapons. Highlanders carry more than enough ammunition to sustain a frantic pace in combat, though the cautious MechWarrior will avoid overtaxing the heat sinks. A pair of torso-mounted Martell medium lasers round out the weapons package and serve to protect the MechWarrior when the ammunition finally runs low.