Vapor Eagle (Goshawk)
Sarna News
| Vapor Eagle (Goshawk) | |
| Vapor Eagle | |
|---|---|
| Production information | |
| Manufacturer | Unknown |
| Model | Goshawk |
| Class | Medium |
| Technical specifications | |
| Mass | 55 tons |
| Chassis | Endo Steel |
| Armor | Ferro-Fibrous |
| Engine | 380 XL |
| Speed | 97.2 km/h |
| Jump Jets | Unknown |
| Armament | |
| BV (1.0) | 2,243 |
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This is the article for the Classic BattleTech 'Mech. For the BattleTech CCG 'mech see Vapor Eagle (CCG).
Contents
Description
The Vapor Eagle first appeared around 3055, in the use of Clan Steel Viper as a "second-line" BattleMech. It was dubbed Goshawk by the Inner Sphere for its unusual bird-like design. However, this seems to serve a purpose. While most 'Mechs rely on sheer jump jet power to get airborne and are often not very aerodynamic, the Vapor Eagle's swooping-pauldron design apparently helps alleviate the lack of precision and stability most jump jet equipped 'Mechs have.
Armament
The Clan Vapor Eagle BattleMech focuses a good deal on speed and maneuverability, and its weapons configuration accentuates close-range firepower. The Streak SRM-2s require a lock on to strike a target makign it impossible to waste ammunition on a missed shot and its cluster of machine-guns and medium pulse lasers perform fairly well at close range. However, its targeting computer and large pulse laser make many Inner Sphere tactical analysts wonder about its true purpose. True, many medium or heavier 'Mechs always have a least one long-range weapon to help round out their capabilities, but the combination of a targeting-system and short-range is unusual. Some have even theorized the 'Mech was designed for the arena, not the battlefield. Either way, the Vapor Eagle has rather decent firepower, as long as it can get its weapons in range.
Variants
- Vapor Eagle 2 - This variant of the Vapor Eagle removes two of the medium-pulse lasers, both Streak missiles pods, and the large pulse laser are as well as one of the 'Mechs double heat sinks in exchange for an Ultra-Autocannon/10. The weapon fires at twice the rate of a standard Autocannon/10 and carries enough ammunition to cntiniously fire at its maximum rate of fire for over a minute and a half. BV (1.0) = 2,016