Mad Dog (Vulture)

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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
'Mech type Clan OmniMech
Mass 60 tons
Chassis Eden Mk 60-OM
Armor Compound SJ6CW Ferro-Fibrous
Engine 300 Type I XL
Communications System Build OSJ-41
Targeting Tracking System Cat's Eye MD6
Heat Sinks 12 Double Heat Sinks
Speed 86.4 km/h
Armament

Primary Configuration

BV (1.0) 1,871[2]
BV (2.0) 2,351[3][4]


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 Lupus 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. 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. 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 introduced by the time of the FedCom Civil War is almost 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. One such change of note was moving the Medium Pulse Lasers to a torso-mounted chin turret.[19]

Apocryphal Configurations

Apocryphal Content Starts

The information after this notice comes from apocryphal sources; the canonicity of such information is uncertain.
Please view the reference page for information regarding their canonicity.

From MechWarrior Online:

  • MDD-BA Bandit 
    PGI's first Hero 'Mech config, the Bandit is themed as being piloted by Russou Howell and is armed with a mammoth Ultra Autocannon/20 in each side torso. With only twin ER Small Lasers in each arm as supporting weapons, its pilot must make every shot of its combined total of two tons of reloads count.[20]
  • MDD-RV "Revenant" 
    Themed as the battered Mad Dog used by ex-Smoke Jaguar Garrett on Solaris VII, the second MWO Hero 'Mech is configured as a long ranged specialist mounting sixty Long Range Missile tubes - twin LRM-20s and twin LRM-10s split between its side torsos - supported by four Medium Pulse Lasers, one in each arm and two in a Mad Dog Mk II style center torso mounted turret. Four tons of LRM ammunition is more than enough for the average Solaris duel or Clan Trial. [21]

From Solaris VII Boxed Set - German Edition:

  • Vulture D 
    A different loadout from the canonical "D" version, this one sports 3 medium pulse lasers, 2 LB 2-X autocannons, a LRM-20 and a Streak SRM-6. BV (1.0) = ??, BV (2.0) = ??[22]

Apocryphal Content Ends

Related BattleMechs

  • Archer - Although not strictly descended from this 'Mech, the Vulture shares design lineage with it, most visibly in the side torso mounted missile racks.
  • 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.
  • Timber Wolf - The Mad Dog shares similiar parts to the venerable Omnimech due to the fact it was made from the same mould of the Timber Wolf. But the name of the mech itself was use to insult the Timber Wolf and Lupus designs that came before it.

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. [25]

Gallery

References

  1. MUL online date for the Mad Dog (Vulture)
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 Combat Operations, p. 109
  3. 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"
  4. Record Sheets: 3050 Upgrades Unabridged (Clan & Star League), p. 82
  5. 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 Technical Readout: 3050, pp. 28-29, "Vulture OmniMech Profile"
  6. 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 Technical Readout: 3050 Revised, pp. 26-27, "Vulture OmniMech Profile"
  7. Field Manual: Warden Clans, p. 41
  8. Record Sheets: 3050 Upgrades Unabridged (Clan & Star League), p. 83
  9. Record Sheets: 3050 Upgrades Unabridged (Clan & Star League), p. 84
  10. Record Sheets: 3050 Upgrades Unabridged (Clan & Star League), p. 85
  11. Record Sheets: Upgrades, p. 105
  12. Record Sheets: 3050 Upgrades Unabridged (Clan & Star League), p. 86
  13. Record Sheets: 3050 Upgrades Unabridged (Clan & Star League), p. 87
  14. Record Sheets: 3050 Upgrades Unabridged (Clan & Star League), p. 88
  15. Record Sheets: 3145 New Tech, New Upgrades, p. 141
  16. Record Sheets: 3060, p. 168
  17. Record Sheets: 3050 Upgrades Unabridged (Clan & Star League), p. 89
  18. Record Sheets: 3085 Unabridged — Old is the New New, p. 141
  19. Ask The Developer ruling, 21-Aug-2013
  20. MechWarrior Online Clan Wave Two Hero Sale Page
  21. MechWarrior Online Solaris-7 Sale Page
  22. Arena-Planet Solaris VII, "German language edition of the boxed set Record Sheets Booklet"
  23. Technical Readout: 3058, p. 92
  24. Era Digest: Golden Century, p. 23
  25. MWDA Stormhammer's dossier of Latonya Lyons

Bibliography