After the Reunification War, Star League military commanders asked several contractors to design a heavy tank. HartfordCo Industries answered the call with the VNL-K65N Von Luckner, named after the famous twentieth-century Terran raider, Count Felix von Luckner.
         The tank was designed as a BattleMech without legs. It weighs 75 tons, more than many 'Mechs. The Von Luckner is one of the few vehicles still driven by a fusion reactor, as most reactors have been stripped from vehicles for use in 'Mechs.
         Only a few Von Luckners remain in service. Like the larger Demolisher tank, they are deadly foes against light BattleMechs.

         The VNL-K65N provides ample firepower and supports a great deal of armor to protect its delicate systems. Its fusion power plant gives it a very long range, making it deadly in combat against most 'Mechs. It carries an Armstrong AC/20, considered one of the most accurate autocannons of its class.
         The Von Luckner's indirect weapons and missile systems are also impressive. Two Holly SRM-6 racks on the turret provide right and left firing capability when the turret is facing forward. Holly Armaments also included an LRM-10 rack mounted high on the tank's rear. This system acts as a turret mount, as it can be rotated to a certain extent. Finally, a Dannel SRM-4 rack is mounted on the front of the turret just to the right of the autocannon.
         For close-in weapons, the Von Luckner supports a Ramsey machine gun mounted in the front turret. Though the Ramsey has a tendency to jam, a single Firestorm flamer on the front of the tank fills the gap well enough when necessary.
         Though its armor and weapons might seem to make the Von Luckner unstoppable, the tank's weakness is the enormous amount of ammunition it must carry to support its missile systems. Most reloads are stored in the lower portion of the tank rather than in the turret, and so a fire or an internal critical hit can cause devastating explosions in the Von Luckner. The tank also has problems with its ammunition reloading system, which jams from time to time.
         The four-person crew of the Von Luckner tank has its hands full during combat. One man drives the tank, and a second crew member is in charge of the ammunition reloading systems and the engine. A third acts as the turret/fire control officer, coordinating the turret with the O/P targeting and tracking system. The fourth crew member is the turret gunnery officer, who works closely with the turret fire control officer.

         House Davion is known to have several experimental versions of the Von Luckner in its armies. Once of these, the VNL-K100, has fewer missile deliverey systems than the standard but carries an Armstrong AC/20 with an updated targeting and tracking system.

         Only a few Von Luckners are still in service. Many were cannibalized for BattleMech spare parts: House Liao, for example, has stripped all its Von Luckners for parts. The other Great Houses have a few VNL-K65Ns serving with front-line troops. Many of these tanks proved their worth on such far-flung worlds as Wing, Proserpina, Bryant, Tannil, Danais, and Tybalt.
         A famous battle involving Von Luckner tanks took place in 2859, when House Davion launched an attack on the Kurita-held world of Saffell. Kurita had no 'Mech units on the planet, and so they had to rely on their tanks and infantry. The 3600th Heavy Armored Company, consisting of a few Von Luckners, led the counterattack.
         The Davion invasion force received reports of tanks moving along their western front through the forests. Mistakenly believing the tank forces a minor threat, they sent only one light company to hold them back. The light lances found themselves trapped by fire from the Von Luckners, and the heavy tanks destroyed the company to the last 'Mech.
         Several Von Luckners were stationed on the Commonwealth world of Aubisson to cover House Steiner's retreat before Draconis Combine forces in 2989. Though most historians viewed the loss of the Von Luckners as a senseless waste, the tank battle bought time for the Steiner forces to regroup. By all accounts, the heavy tanks inflicted severe damage on the Kurita troops.
         In 3017, Redjack Ryan led a raid for water on the world of Icar in the Lyran Commonwealth. The raid turned into a disaster for Ryan's forces when several Von Luckners emerged and shelled Ryan's 'Mechs. Many of the 'Mechs were crippled, and Ryan was eventually forced to retreat with nothing gained.