Mad Dog (Vulture)
Mad Dog | |
---|---|
Production information | |
Manufacturer | Various |
Production Year | 2963[1] |
Model | Prime |
Class | Heavy |
Cost | 15,292,000 C-bills |
Technical specifications | |
Mass | 60 tons |
Chassis | Eden Mk 60-OM |
Armor | Compound SJ6CW Ferro-Fibrous |
Engine | 300 Type I XL |
Communications System | Build OSJ-41 |
Speed | 86.4 km/h |
Armament |
Primary Configuration
|
BV (1.0) | 1,871[2] |
BV (2.0) | 2,351[3][4] |
Contents
Description
The Mad Dog is a heavy Clan OmniMech used for long-range indirect fire support. With hunched shoulders, a protruding head, and reverse-jointed legs, the Mad Dog resembles a vulture, so much so that it was codenamed Vulture and Hagetaka ("Vulture" in Japanese) by the Inner Sphere forces which first encountered it. The name also fit the battlefield role of the Mad Dog; the main role of the Mad Dog is to act as a support 'Mech, and it often holds a hill maintaining constant watch over the entire battlefield, like a vulture waiting for its prey. With its ample firepower and decent speed of 86.4 km/h, it makes a highly mobile firing platform, and as such has spread to near ubiquity among the forces deployed by the Clans, although the design is favored more by Clan Ghost Bear MechWarriors. The Mad Dog carries eight and a half tons of Ferro-Fibrous armor for decent protection, although it will not be able to stand up to heavy fire.[3][5][6]
The Mad Dog was designed by Clan Smoke Jaguar as a second generation OmniMech based on the original heavy OmniMech of Clan Coyote[7]. The Mad Dog also used some of the same moulds of the Clan Wolf Timber Wolf OmniMech. However, despite using some of the same moulds (which might be viewed as high praise), the Mad Dog was named as a slur to the Lupus and Timber Wolf, and to Clans Wolf and Coyote. Because of its widespread production, most Clans maintain a large number of Mad Dogs in their toumans.[3][5][6]
Weapons and Equipment
For its fire support purposes, the Mad Dog is armed with twin shoulder-mounted LRM-20 missile racks, which allow the 'Mech to inflict heavy damage on any opponent it may target. The Mad Dog is also more than capable of going on the offensive, mounting dual large and medium-sized pulse lasers, one on each arm. Mad Dog pilots have been known for showering missiles on opponents before swooping down with a finishing blow from the lasers, much like a vulture swooping down for carrion.[3][5][6]
In the case that the Mad Dog must retreat or face down heavier opponents, it can adequately do such as well, as the pulse lasers it mounts are much more accurate than standard lasers, allowing it to move and fire at the same time. This allows it to stall opponents and slowly back into a more defensible position, although overheating may become an issue.[3][5][6]
Variants
- Alt. Config. A
- The Mad Dog A can bring devastating fire on targets at any range, mounting an ER PPC and an LB 5-X AC, with which it can easily cripple enemies from long range. Should it get close enough, its six SRM-6 racks ensure the demise of nearly any foe. BV (1.0) = 1,510[2], BV (2.0) = 1,923[3][8]
- Alt. Config. B
- A more general purpose configuration, the Mad Dog B mounts more laser weaponry, with two ER Large Lasers in the left arm, and three Medium Pulse Lasers in the other. For additional long-range firepower, the Mad Dog B mounts only one LRM-20 having replaced the other with two Streak SRM-6 launchers. BV (1.0) = 1,903[2], BV (2.0) = 2,284[3][9]
- Alt. Config. C
- The Mad Dog C greatly differs from the other configurations, having replaced its entire weapon load with two massive Gauss Rifles for a powerful long-range punch. BV (1.0) = 1,707[2], BV (2.0) = 1,892[3][10]
- Alt. Config. D
- This variant uses a pair of ATM 12s that are powerful at all ranges. It also uses paired ER Medium Lasers, Medium Pulse Lasers, and ER Small Lasers. An extra heat sink helps to keep heat levels under some control. BV (1.0) = 1,966[2][11], BV (2.0) = 2,447[3][12]
- Alt. Config. E
- The E configuration makes use of a Hyper-Assault Gauss Rifle 30 in each arm, though each one only has a single ton of ammunition to draw upon. BV (2.0) = 2,031[3][13]
- Alt. Config. F
- The Mad Dog F has a pair of HAG 20s. Though they don't have the sheer power of the larger guns, the four tons of ammunition provide substantially better staying power than the E variant has. To back the Gauss Rifles up, the F mounts four ER Medium Lasers. BV (2.0) = 2,300[3][14]
- Alt. Config. G
- This variant carries a pair of Streak SRM-6s in the right torso and a Streak LRM-15 in the left. The Mad Dog G carries a single ER PPC in the left arm, while the right mounts a trio of ER Medium Pulse Lasers. BV (2.0) = 2,503[15]
- Alt. Config. H
- Built with new Heavy Laser technology, the Mad Dog H downgrades the LRM-20 launchers to LRM-15s, so it can mount it's arsenal of a Heavy Large Laser and three Heavy Medium Lasers, making it much more capable at close range. BV (1.0) = 1,735[2][16], BV (2.0) = 2,097[3][17]
- Alt. Config. U
- An underwater configuration, this version uses BattleMech HarJel System to prevent hull breaches. It's equipped with five UMUs to maintain a high cruising speed underwater. Its weaponry consists of twin LRT-15s with Artemis IV guidance and each arm carries a Medium Pulse Laser and ER Medium Laser. BV (2.0) = 2,488[18]
- Vulture Mk. II
- Produced by Bergan Industries for Clan Ghost Bear, the Vulture Mk. II is functionally identical to the original, but has a slightly different appearance in terms of armor, structure, engine mounting and other cosmetic areas due to being produced from factories using Spheroid tooling.[19]
Related OmniMechs
- Vulture Mk III - Originally created to bolster the touman of Clan Ghost Bear, and shared with Clan Snow Raven, this design adds more protection while also increasing the missile payload considerably. A fair complement of backup weapons allow the Vulture Mk III to defend itself at closer ranges.
- Vulture Mk IV - Manufactured by Clan Sea Fox and sold to every nation and Clan, the Vulture Mk IV OmniMech is largely unchanged from the original Vulture in basic design terms.
- Avatar - Battlefield salvage left after the Battle of Luthien allowed Luthien Armor Works engineers to reverse-engineer their own OmniMech, the Avatar. The torso of the Avatar was widened to allow the incorporation of a bulkier, Inner Sphere XL Engine.[20]
- Lupus - Clan Smoke Jaguar based their second generation Mad Dog on the first generation Lupus introduced by Clan Coyote.[21]
Notes
- In the MechWarrior 2 series, the missiles suffered from a glitch that caused them to ram into the cockpit shortly after launch.
- The MechWarrior 4 series actually showed the Medium Pulse Lasers in a chin rack, the results are the moving of the Medium Pulse Lasers into the Center Torso, this model is called the Mad Dog Mk II (Vulture Mk II) by the online BattleTech Community.
- The canon status of the Mad Dog Mk II (Vulture Mk II) was confirmed by the Lead Developer in a ruling on the official forum on 21 Aug 2013:
“ | ...The bottom line: The Mk. II is functionally identical to the original; it merely differs cosmetically. | ” |
— Herbert Beas, Line Developer, 21-Aug-2013 |
- Although credited as a Ghost Bear redesign the Vulture Mk.II owned by Latonya Lyons is stated to be of Smoke Jaguar manufacture. [22]
Gallery
References
- ↑ MUL online date for the Mad Dog (Vulture)
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 Combat Operations, p. 109
- ↑ 3.00 3.01 3.02 3.03 3.04 3.05 3.06 3.07 3.08 3.09 3.10 3.11 Technical Readout: 3050 Upgrade, pp. 130-131, "Vulture OmniMech Profile"
- ↑ Record Sheets: 3050 Upgrades Unabridged (Clan & Star League), p. 82
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 Technical Readout: 3050, pp. 28-29, "Vulture OmniMech Profile"
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 Technical Readout: 3050 Revised, pp. 26-27, "Vulture OmniMech Profile"
- ↑ Field Manual: Warden Clans, p. 41
- ↑ Record Sheets: 3050 Upgrades Unabridged (Clan & Star League), p. 83
- ↑ Record Sheets: 3050 Upgrades Unabridged (Clan & Star League), p. 84
- ↑ Record Sheets: 3050 Upgrades Unabridged (Clan & Star League), p. 85
- ↑ Record Sheets: Upgrades, p. 105
- ↑ Record Sheets: 3050 Upgrades Unabridged (Clan & Star League), p. 86
- ↑ Record Sheets: 3050 Upgrades Unabridged (Clan & Star League), p. 87
- ↑ Record Sheets: 3050 Upgrades Unabridged (Clan & Star League), p. 88
- ↑ Record Sheets: 3145 New Tech, New Upgrades, p. 141
- ↑ Record Sheets: 3060, p. 168
- ↑ Record Sheets: 3050 Upgrades Unabridged (Clan & Star League), p. 89
- ↑ Record Sheets: 3085 Unabridged — Old is the New New, p. 141
- ↑ Ask The Developer ruling, 21-Aug-2013
- ↑ Technical Readout: 3058, p. 92
- ↑ Era Digest: Golden Century, p. 23
- ↑ MWDA Stormhammer's dossier of Latonya Lyons
Bibliography
- Combat Operations
- Era Digest: Golden Century
- Field Manual: Warden Clans
- Record Sheets: 3050 Upgrades Unabridged (Clan & Star League)
- Record Sheets: 3060
- Record Sheets: 3085 Unabridged — Old is the New New
- Record Sheets: Upgrades
- Record Sheets: 3145 New Tech, New Upgrades
- Technical Readout: 3050
- Technical Readout: 3050 Revised
- Technical Readout: 3050 Upgrade
- Technical Readout: 3058
- MWDA Republic of the Sphere's dossier of Tammi Miller
- MWDA Stormhammer's dossier of Latonya Lyons
- MWDA Northwind Highlanders' dossier of Naomi Katina
- MWDA Swordsworn's dossier of Alice Vander