The HSR 200-D Hussar was one of the most widely used light 'Mechs in the Star League Defense Forces. With a maximum speed of 151 kph, the Hussar is a difficult target to hit in a one-on-one fight. Its paper-thin armor, however, made it extremely vulnerable to enemy fire. Originally intended to provide fire support for infantry units, the Hussar proved useful as a support 'Mech for light units and so was often deployed in the company of the Thorn.
         Historically, the Hussar earned fame for its success in skirting enemy lines and monitoring enemy troop movements. In 2630, during a series of rebellions on the Lyran world of Wotan near the Dark Nebula, Lyran officials requested assistance from the 51st Hussar Regiment of the XXX Corps. Ten Hussars known as "The Fingers of Death" dropped far behind enemy lines with little support. Their mission was to disrupt enemy activities for as long as possible. During the three-week operation, the 'Mechs destroyed several communications stations and ammunition dumps. Finally, the rebellious locals tracked down several of these raiding Hussars and attempted to engage them in combat, only to see the 'Mechs turn tail and run away at staggering speeds.
         When the fighting ended, only three of the ten Hussars had been destroyed. The Fingers of Death had proved the combat value of the Hussar, and its positive reputation grew.

         The Hussar was originally equipped with an extended-range large laser, which gave it above-average targeting ability and firing range. However, this laser used a crystalline-matrix focusing array that degraded over time, and so over the course of the Succession Wars most of the Great Houses were forced to replace the focusing mechanism in their Hussars with a more conventional lens system.
         The Hussar's most significant drawback is the thinness of its armor; its mere 1.5 tons of armor make it the least-protected 'Mech on the battlefield. Fortunately for its pilots, the Hussar is also amazingly fast and mounts better weapons than most light 'Mechs. The relative power and weight of a 'Mech's armor, weapons and speed are delicate tradeoffs in battle, but the net result allows the Hussar to make a quick strike against a target and just as quickly disengage even against lighter BattleMechs.
         The Hussar's Ranger communications system is also above average, with extended-range capabilities for surveillance missions as well as the ability to jam most communication channels. Several well-placed Hussars behind enemy lines can completely disrupt the giving of orders and deployment of enemy troops. A Hussar can tap into transmissions between enemy BattleMechs 35 kilometers away from it. As with most Star League-era lostech, the serviceability of this system depends on the skills of the technician maintaining the BattleMech. However, this system has stood the test of time better than most other advanced electronics, and reliable estimates indicate that 25 percent of all operational Hussars still have a fully functional Ranger system.