Mad Dog (Vulture)

Mad Dog
Production information
Manufacturer	Various
Model	Vulture
Class	Heavy
Technical specifications
Mass	60 tons
Chassis	Standard
Armor	Ferro-Fibrous
Engine	300 XL
Speed	86.4 km/h
Armament	Primary Configuration 2x LRM-20s 2x Medium Pulse Lasers 2x Large Pulse Lasers
BV (1.0)	1,823

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 design resembles a vulture, and it was codenamed the Vulture by the Inner Sphere forces which first encountered it (namely the Draconis Combine, from Japanese "Hagetaka" meaning "Vulture", and Free Rasalhague Republic) but also for its main role as a support 'Mech, as it often holds a hill to overview a battle 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.

Armament

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.

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.

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) = 1,462

• 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 close-range firepower, the Mad Dog B mounts only one LRM-20 having replaced the other with two Streak SRM-6 launchers. BV (1.0) = 1,855

• 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) = 1,659

• 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.

• 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.

• 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.

• 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) = 1,686

Notes

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.

References

• Record Sheets: 3050
• Record Sheets: 3050 Upgrade (Clan & Star League)
• Technical Readout: 3050
• Technical Readout: 3050 Revised
• Technical Readout: 3050 Upgrade