Katana Kat
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Contents
Description[edit]
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Katana Kat is an individual Panther BattleMech and family heirloom of House Tetsuhara. Its serial number is DC119-77B.[1][2][3]
History[edit]
Katana Kat was gifted by Draconis Combine Coordinator Miyogi Kurita to Jackson Hayes in 2865.[4] Hayes would change his family name to Tetsuhara.
The 'Mech remained in the Tetsuhara line until it eventually came into the possession of Minoru Tetsuhara, who was presumably a MechWarrior himself as he was a teacher at the renowned Sun Zhang Academy by 3021.
During 3021 it was piloted by Minoru's eldest son, Minobu Tetsuhara, but he was denied the right to pilot a 'Mech following his involvement in the Combine's defeat on Dromini VI in that year. Katana Kat passed to his brother Fuhito Tetsuhara, who used it during the Fourth Succession War alongside future Coordinator Theodore Kurita. At the onset of the Ronin Wars, Fuhito Tetsuhara switched to piloting Theodore Kurita's BLR-1C BattleMaster. It is unclear if he retained Katana Kat for himself.
Katana Kat continued to be handed down through the Tetsuhara family line and served in the Ninth Sword of Light regiment when the unit joined the Republic of the Sphere.[3][5]
As a direct descendant from Fuhito Tetsuhara and heir to the Tetsuhara clan from her mother's side, Katana Tormark came into possession of the PNT-9R Panther Katana Kat. However, during her campaign as leader of the Dragon's Fury in the 3130s, she fought in a BattleMaster or an NX-23L Nyx named Kolyu instead, loaning Katana Kat to Dragon's Fury MechWarrior Abeda Measho. At some point prior to or during Measho's use, Katana Kat had been upgraded to the PNT-10K2 model[6][3]
Due to Tormark's decision to support the losing side in the Nova Cat Rebellion, Katana Kat was seized by the Combine government and transferred to a loyal member of House Tetsuhara, Orestes. With its new owner Katana Kat participated in the Combine's invasion of the Federated Suns and the 3146 conquest of New Avalon.[5]
Configuration[edit]
The 'Mech was originally described as a standard PNT-9R Panther, though it has been upgraded at various times in its life. In the mid-3050s Katana Kat was refitted as a -10KA variant and then as a -10K2 a generation later. Shortly before the 3144 invasion of the Federated Suns the 'Mech was upgraded to a -12KCD variant.[5]
In MechWarrior Online it was (apocryphally) given different stats with advanced technology:
Apocryphal Variants[edit]
- PNT-KK Katana Kat
- MechWarrior Online's apocryphal version of the Katana Kat piloted by Minobu Tetsuhara features a large amount of LosTech equipment unavailable during his life time. PGI's Katana Kat is armed with a PPC in each arm and retains the normal center torso SRM-4 rack. The addition of a second PPC is made possible through the use of 140 rated XL engine and an Endo Steel frame. A single ton of reloads and ten double heat sinks keep the Katana Kat in the thick of battle.[7]