Wildfire
Sarna News
| |
| Wildfire | |
|---|---|
| Production information | |
| Manufacturer | NAIS Dark Mirage Facility, Hyde |
| Production Year | 3053[1] |
| Model | P1-WF |
| Class | Heavy |
| Cost | ???? |
| Technical specifications | |
| 'Mech type | Inner Sphere BattleMech |
| Mass | 65 tons |
| Chassis | Endo Steel[2][3] |
| Armor | Ferro-Fibrous Armor[2][3] |
| Engine | Magna 390 XL[2] |
| Speed | 95.1 km/h |
| Armament |
2x Streak SRM-2 |
| BV (1.0) | ? |
| BV (2.0) | 1,292[3] |
Description
Designed at the same facility that birthed Burke Kale’s Direct Neural Interface project, the Wildfire was designed from the ground up to use a Torso Cockpit. Based on the 3050 era Crusader, the Wildfire was intended to show the new cockpit technology in use. As a result, it became the first documented headless BattleMech. Equipped with a suite of close range weapons, the Wildfire was intended to be a close combat fighter. The lack of any significant long-range firepower made the Wildfire rely on its heavy armor to bring it into effective range.
Only two Wildfire 'Mechs were ever produced on Hyde. Their ultimate fate is unknown.
Weapons and Equipment
The Wildfire traded the Crusader’s long range firepower for speed and armor protection. Intended to pursue fast-moving opponents, the Wildfire used a suite of pulse lasers as its primary armament. (The pulse lasers’ increased hit probability offset the inefficiency of the Torso Mounted Cockpit.) When in close combat with an enemy, the pair of Streak SRM-2 launchers provided additional firepower without being wasteful. The Machine Gun was very useful for defending against enemy infantry units.
Defensively, the Wildfire mounted CASE in the right torso to protect the 'Mech from ammunition explosions.
Variants
As the Wildfire was a prototype design, it had no variants.
Notes
- The Wildfire record sheet in Unbound contains numerous errors. It does not show Endo Steel, Ferro-Fibrous Armor, or an XL engine that are detailed on p. 73. An Anti-Missile System plus ammunition are shown in the Critical Hit Table (in the head and right torso, respectively), but are not shown in the Mech Data section, nor are they mentioned in the description on p. 73. The entry in Record Sheets: 3055 Upgrades Unabridged shows the correct structure, armor, and engine, plus replaces the AMS with one machine gun in the head and removes the AMS ammunition.
- The top speed (95.1) is slightly lower than what the engine and tonnage would provide (97.2), but this has no impact on gameplay and might be a typo.