Phantom 'Mech

The Phantom 'Mech is the only canonical allusion to a possibly supernatural event or power within the BattleTech universe, and as such remains somewhat of an engima.

The Phantom 'Mech incident

Phantom 'Mech refers to the conclusion of the famous duel between Morgan Kell and Yorinaga Kurita.

Situation

During a Draconis Combine campaign against the Federated Suns, forces from the Second Sword of Light regiment killed First Prince Ian Davion on Mallory's World in 3016. The mercenary unit Kell Hounds, then in employ of House Davion, moved to recover the late prince's body before the Kurita units could take the body as a trophy.

The Kell Hounds were hard pressed by the Second Sword of Light, and on the verge of being crushed. The battle culminated in a ritual 'Mech duel between the respective commanders, Morgan Kell (piloting an Archer) for the former and Yorinaga Kurita (piloting a Warhammer) for the latter.

The duel

Yorinaga Kurita essentially defeated Morgan Kell in the fight, until he had his enemy's critically damaged 'Mech kneeling directly before his own. According to the reports, Kurita's Warhammer then fired all weapons (Alpha strike) at Kell's Archer at pointblank range but miraculously missed with each and every weapon although Kell did not even move. Conversely, Kell fired his long-range missile launchers. The missiles failed to detonate due to the very short range; their impact did crack open the canopy of Kurita's 'Mech, however. Kell (in his Archer) then respectfully bowed to his opponent, acknowledging him as the better fighter. Kurita could not return the gesture because the full salvo had overheated his Warhammer. Ashamed, Yorinaga Kurita uttered a Haiku, conceded victory to Morgan Kell and allowed the Kell Hounds to withdraw with Prince Ian's body.

Kurita later claimed that he had had the Archer plain in his sights at very short range, but then Kell's 'Mech had inexplicably disappeared from all sensors all of a sudden, despite standing still, and the salvo missed because the targeting computer could not acquire a lock.

Conclusion

The duel was a turning point for both Morgan Kell and Yorinaga Kurita. The former largely disbanded the Kell Hounds down to a single battailon and went into exile in a monastery on Zaniah for the next 11 years without a word of explanation; the latter requested permission from his Coordinator to commit seppuku which was denied, however. He then also went to a monastery until he was recalled to active duty in 3025.

In 3027 a second duel took place between Morgan Kell and Yorinaga Kurita, which was almost exactly a replay of the earlier event. Yorinaga Kurita subsequently did commit seppuku.

The mysterious event has never been given a satisfactory explanation. Three distinct theories abound:

• Morgan Kell used some kind of LosTech ECM device or cloaking device
• Yorinaga Kurita, who had essentially won the duel, elected to spare Kell and even to concede victory to him for some reason (possibly following his own interpretation of the Code of Bushido)
• Morgan Kell used a supernatural ability

Notes

• The duel is never directly described in canon sources; instead, it is recounted by various people in the novels. Since the duel has a legendary status within the universe, those statements are hardly objective, and may rather be blurring the subject.
• Although a mystical ability seems rather far-fetched, especially considering the technically oriented outlook of the BattleTech universe and the total absence of any Psi powers, magic, telepathy etc., a rare supernatural skill called "Phantom 'Mech" ability has been suggested. Wether or not such an ability exists at all is ambigous canon.
• Critter-TEK parodies the Phantom 'Mech with a special rule called "The amazing Ghost TEK" ability, which "allows the Swell Hounds to rescue any important character or leader TEK from overwhelming odds or an desperate situation, once during a scenario."