Dire Wolf
Overview:
First encountered in 3040, the Dire Wolf was intended to be the most powerful
Clan BattleMech ever fielded. Massing a full 100-tons, this Wolf designed
war-machine would be slow moving but carry an array of weaponry more in line
with that of a naval battlecruiser than a BattleMech. And even though the
design was a complete success, in general Wolf Warriors did not like the
plodding beast--it was simply too slow.
But the Smoke Jaguars desired it, and in 3041--barely seven months after the
Dire Wolf fought its first trial--the Jaguars secured the rights to produce
this brute. Since then, this BattleMech has become the central focus of the
Jaguar touman.
Although the Wolves retain production rights, they only manufacture a handful
each year, and assign those Dire Wolves only to units specifically built to
handle the heaviest defensive fortifications. General field operations are
conducted by lighter, more mobile Assault- and Heavy-weight designs.
A few of the more suspicious minds among the Khans have whispered the question:
did the Wolves deliberately design the Dire Wolf to further slow the already
ponderous Jaguar touman in maneuver warfare? Such questions raise many issues,
but in some respects they are correct--for every Jaguar blood-named feels that
he must have a Dire Wolf if he commands or serves in an Assault Star (or even a
Heavy Star!). And the proliferation of this design has slowed the strategic and
tactical maneuvering ability of the Smoke Jaguars as a whole by roughly 25%.
The debate continues to this day.
The Wolves only grin when they are asked to speculate on the matter.
Capabilities:
Massing 100-ton, the mighty Dire Wolf is perhaps the slowest Clan BattleMech,
along with the Blood Drinker. It uses a 300-rate extra-light fusion engine for
a walking speed of 32.4 kilometers per hour and a running speed of 54 kph,
which is roughly the same as the most sluggish Heavy BattleMechs walking speed.
The design mounts no jump jets, so it cannot avoid rugged terrain that impairs
its strategic mobiity even further.
The Wolf designers opted to forgo any advanced construction materials, but did
fit the chassis with nineteen tons of standard armor plating--as much as the
ancient Atlas of the SLDF. This left a massive 55.5 tons for weapons,
equipment, and heat sinks.
However, the design team had to proceed cautiously at this point, because even
without Endo-Steel internal structure or Ferro-Fibrous armor plating, the
internal volume would too small to accomodate a sizable number of
double-strength heats--only twelve of which could be placed within the 300-rate
engine.
The final weapons layout was a mixture of ballistic, energy, and missile
systems that made the most efficient use of available heat dissipation and
internal volume. To maximize that volume, the design team eliminate both hand
actuators, but retained the lower arm actuators (which continues to point at
the entire project being a means to shackle the Jaguars, as the design cannot
direct any weapons to protect its rear).
The right arm carries a Gauss Rifle with 24 shots, while the left mounts an ER
PPC. Alongside the ER PPC is an LB-10X autocannon with 10 shots of cluster and
10 more of slug. The right torso carries an LRM-15 launcher with Artemis IV and
three tons of ammunition (24 salvoes), while the left carries a Streak SRM-6
launcher with 15 shots. One additional energy weapon (an ER Medium Laser) was
mounted in the center torso, and four AP Gauss Rifles (with 20 shots each) were
mounted in pairs in the right and left torsos.
Sixteen double-strength heat sinks were fitted to the chassis--enough to fire
all weapons except the Streak SRM-6 without generating any excess heat other
than that produced by movement. If the Streak successfully locks on to the
target, the Warrior piloting a Dire Wolf can maintain his heat balance by not
firing the quad APGs. Unlike many Clan heavy and assault-class BattleMechs, the
Dire Wolf does not mount an Anti-Missile System, although with its thick armor
plating it probably does not need to.
However, one flaw with the design (especially since the start of Operation
Revival Reborn) is the lack of any rear-firing weapon systems, of vital
improtance on a BattleMech so slow moving. It is interesting to note that the
Jaguars are planning to upgrade existing Dire Wolves by downgrading the LRM-15
to an LRM-10, reducing the ammunition to two tons, and fitting four rear-facing
ER Small Lasers to the right and left torso (2 each). None of these variant
Dire Wolves have so entered service with the Clan touman, however.
Deployment:
The majority of the Dire Wolf inventory is in the possession of Clan Smoke
Jaguar, who deploy the BattleMech in every Assault Star, and several Heavy
Stars. As one of only two producers of this Assault BattleMech, the Jaguars
consider it to be their pride and joy.
The second producer is Clan Wolf, who only deploys the Dire Wolf in specialized
Stars dedicated to reducing heavily defended fortifications. These Stars are
supported by lighter Clan elements and are comprised of two or three Dire
Wolves, support by Gargoyles or Timber Wolves. However, on a mobile
battlefield, the Dire Wolf has no place in the Wolf touman.
A handful of these BattleMech have reached other Clans, including the Jade
Falcons. Most have been impressed by the firepower, but many are leery of the
low speed. However, the Blood Spirits have indicated they will soon issue a
batchall for production rights--first against the Wolves, and if that fails
against the Jaguars. They are also trading furiously to acquire any isorla Dire
Wolves in the possession of other Clans.
Variants:
Other than the proposed Dire Wolf Mk C Mod SJ detailed above, this Assault
BattleMech retains its original weapons layout and configuration.
Dire Wolf Mk C Mod W (Prime)
Mass: 100 tons
Tech Base: Clan
Chassis Config: Biped
Rules Level: Tournament Legal
Era: Clan Invasion
Tech Rating/Era Availability: F/X-X-E
Production Year: 3049
Cost: 23,382,000 C-Bills
Battle Value: 2,906
Chassis: Unknown Standard
Power Plant: Unknown 300 Fusion XL Engine
Walking Speed: 32.4 km/h
Maximum Speed: 54.0 km/h
Jump Jets: None
Jump Capacity: 0 meters
Armor: Unknown Standard Armor
Armament:
1 ER PPC
1 Gauss Rifle
1 LRM-15 w/ Artemis IV FCS
1 LB 10-X AC
1 Streak SRM-6
1 ER Medium Laser
4 AP Gauss Rifles
Manufacturer: Unknown
Primary Factory: Unknown
Communications System: Unknown
Targeting and Tracking System: Unknown
================================================================================
Equipment Type Rating Mass
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Internal Structure: Standard 152 points 10.00
Engine: XL Fusion Engine 300 9.50
Walking MP: 3
Running MP: 5
Jumping MP: 0
Heat Sinks: Double Heat Sink 16(32) 6.00
Heat Sink Locations: 1 LT, 1 RT, 1 LL, 1 RL
Gyro: Standard 3.00
Cockpit: Standard 3.00
Actuators: L: SH+UA+LA R: SH+UA+LA
Armor: Standard Armor AV - 304 19.00
CASE Locations: LT, RT, LA, RA 0.00
Internal Armor
Structure Factor
Head 3 9
Center Torso 31 45
Center Torso (rear) 14
L/R Torso 21 34
L/R Torso (rear) 8
L/R Arm 17 34
L/R Leg 21 42
================================================================================
Equipment Location Heat Critical Mass
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Gauss Rifle RA 1 6 12.00
LB 10-X AC LA 2 5 10.00
ER PPC LA 15 2 6.00
LRM-15 RT 5 2 3.50
Artemis IV FCS RT - 1 1.00
2 AP Gauss Rifles RT 2 2 1.00
2 AP Gauss Rifles LT 2 2 1.00
Streak SRM-6 LT 4 2 3.00
ER Medium Laser CT 5 1 1.00
@Gauss Rifle (24) RA - 3 3.00
@LB 10-X (Cluster) (10) LA - 1 1.00
@LB 10-X (Slug) (10) LA - 1 1.00
@LRM-15 (Artemis) (24) RT - 3 3.00
@AP Gauss Rifle (40) LT - 1 1.00
@Streak SRM-6 (15) LT - 1 1.00
@AP Gauss Rifle (40) CT - 1 1.00
Free Critical Slots: 3
BattleForce Statistics
MV S (+0) M (+2) L (+4) E (+6) Wt. Ov Armor: 10 Points: 29
3 8 8 5 0 4 0 Structure: 5
Special Abilities: CASE, SRCH, ES, SEAL, SOA, IF 1, FLK 1/1/1
Dire Wolf Mk C Mod SJ
Mass: 100 tons
Tech Base: Clan
Chassis Config: Biped
Rules Level: Tournament Legal
Era: Clan Invasion
Tech Rating/Era Availability: F/X-X-E
Production Year: 3049
Cost: 23,322,000 C-Bills
Battle Value: 2,852
Chassis: Unknown Standard
Power Plant: Unknown 300 Fusion XL Engine
Walking Speed: 32.4 km/h
Maximum Speed: 54.0 km/h
Jump Jets: None
Jump Capacity: 0 meters
Armor: Unknown Standard Armor
Armament:
1 ER PPC
1 Gauss Rifle
1 LB 10-X AC
1 LRM-10 w/ Artemis IV FCS
1 Streak SRM-6
1 ER Medium Laser
4 AP Gauss Rifles
4 ER Small Lasers
Manufacturer: Unknown
Primary Factory: Unknown
Communications System: Unknown
Targeting and Tracking System: Unknown
================================================================================
Equipment Type Rating Mass
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Internal Structure: Standard 152 points 10.00
Engine: XL Fusion Engine 300 9.50
Walking MP: 3
Running MP: 5
Jumping MP: 0
Heat Sinks: Double Heat Sink 16(32) 6.00
Heat Sink Locations: 1 LT, 1 RT, 1 LL, 1 RL
Gyro: Standard 3.00
Cockpit: Standard 3.00
Actuators: L: SH+UA+LA R: SH+UA+LA
Armor: Standard Armor AV - 304 19.00
CASE Locations: LT, RT, LA, RA 0.00
Internal Armor
Structure Factor
Head 3 9
Center Torso 31 45
Center Torso (rear) 14
L/R Torso 21 34
L/R Torso (rear) 8
L/R Arm 17 34
L/R Leg 21 42
================================================================================
Equipment Location Heat Critical Mass
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Gauss Rifle RA 1 6 12.00
LB 10-X AC LA 2 5 10.00
ER PPC LA 15 2 6.00
2 AP Gauss Rifles RT 2 2 1.00
LRM-10 RT 4 1 2.50
Artemis IV FCS RT - 1 1.00
2 (R) ER Small Lasers RT 4 2 1.00
2 AP Gauss Rifles LT 2 2 1.00
Streak SRM-6 LT 4 2 3.00
2 (R) ER Small Lasers LT 4 2 1.00
ER Medium Laser CT 5 1 1.00
@Gauss Rifle (24) RA - 3 3.00
@LB 10-X (Cluster) (10) LA - 1 1.00
@LB 10-X (Slug) (10) LA - 1 1.00
@LRM-10 (Artemis) (24) RT - 2 2.00
@AP Gauss Rifle (40) LT - 1 1.00
@Streak SRM-6 (15) LT - 1 1.00
@AP Gauss Rifle (40) CT - 1 1.00
Free Critical Slots: 1
BattleForce Statistics
MV S (+0) M (+2) L (+4) E (+6) Wt. Ov Armor: 10 Points: 29
3 8 8 5 0 4 0 Structure: 5
Special Abilities: CASE, SRCH, ES, SEAL, SOA, IF 1, FLK 1/1/1