Vapor Eagle (Goshawk)

Vapor Eagle (Goshawk)
Vapor Eagle
Production information
Manufacturer	Clan Steel Viper
Production Year	2863
Model	Goshawk
Class	Medium
Cost	12,227,795 C-bills
Technical specifications
Mass	55 tons
Chassis	Viper MR 6 Endo Steel
Armor	Compound V133/b Ferro-Fibrous
Engine	New Kent Type 105 330 XL
Speed	97.2 km/h
Jump Jets	Pryzhok WM 5
Armament	1x Large Pulse Laser 3x Medium Pulse Lasers 2x Streak SRM-2s 4x Machine Guns
BV (1.0)	2,243
BV (2.0)	2,368

This is the article for the Classic BattleTech 'Mech. For the BattleTech CCG card see Vapor Eagle (CCG).

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. It is equipped with nine tons of Ferro-Fibrous armor.

Weapons and Equipment

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 making 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, most medium or heavier 'Mechs have at least one long-range weapon to help round out their capabilities, but the combination of a targeting-system and short-range weaponry is unusual. It wasn't until Clan culture became more understood that Inner Sphere observers figured out the Goshawk was designed as a duelist for the one-on-one fights that are prevalent in Clan society. Nonetheless, 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 Missile pods, and the Large Pulse Laser 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 continuously fire at its maximum rate of fire for over a minute and a half. BV (1.0) = 2,016, BV (2.0) = 1,989

• Vapor Eagle 3 

  Changes in the way the Clans fight since they made contact with the Inner Sphere led scientists from Clan Steel Viper to revisit the Vapor Eagle. They stripped out all the weaponry, but left everything else alone. This variant is effective at long range, as it mounts a Clan Mk. XVII ER PPC. The Fang Series-A ATM 3 replaced the Machine Guns of the original, though it only mounts one ton of ammunition, so the launcher loses the all-important flexibility of the Advanced Tactical Missile System. For close range, three Series 5K Heavy Medium Lasers provide a powerful punch, while a pair of Pattern D-II SRM-2 launchers add more damage potential. BV (1.0) = 2,182, BV (2.0) = 2,466

• Vapor Eagle 4 

  A more radical redesign, this variant actually drops the targeting computer and jump jets to mount three ER Small Lasers and four ER Medium Lasers. A pair of ATM 6s with four tons of ammunition provided it with a credible threat at all ranges. The high amounts of heat generated by this variant led designers to mount seventeen double heat sinks on the chassis. BV (1.0) = 1,865, BV (2.0) = 2,069

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.

These variants were introduced in various apocryphal sources, and thus far have not appeared in any canonical media.

From MechWarrior Online:

• VGL-RI "Rival" 

  A customized variant of the Vapor Eagle. The Rival carries 3 Heavy Machine Guns in its left arm, while a single ER PPC is mounted in the right arm. An ATM 9s and three ton of ATM ammo is in the right torso mounted with MASC.

Apocryphal Content Ends

Related BattleMechs

• Goshawk II - A ten-ton lighter and faster version of the original, the Goshawk II was manufactured by Clan Snow Raven to bolster their forces after their move into the Outworlds Alliance.

Gallery

• 

  Vapor Eagle in Combat

• 

  Vapor Eagle 3

• 

  MechWarrior Online Concept Art for the Vapor Eagle

Bibliography

• Combat Operations
• Master Unit List: Battle Values
• Record Sheets: 3055/3058
• Record Sheets: 3055 Upgrade
• Record Sheets: 3060
• Technical Readout: 3055
• Technical Readout: 3055 Upgrade