’Mech of the Week: Sphinx
The
Sphinx. Guardian of the Egyptian Pyramids. Riddler of ancient times. And this machine is indeed a riddle. Though to paraphrase a movie villain, “Riddle me this, riddle me that. How shall I kill you, you dezgra bat?”
Sorry, that line is one of the few Jim Carrey quotes I can stand…
Designed both as a heavy cavalry ’Mech, and a companion to designs such as the
Nova (that’s
Black Hawk to Spheroids), the Sphinx was also apparently envisioned as an OmniMech, before the rush for more machines caused the Nova Cats to go forward as a standard BattleMech, entering service in 3078. At 75 tons, the Sphinx is half again the size of the
Black Hawk.
It is built around an endo-steel skeleton and uses the same Starfire 375-rated extralight engine as the
Timber Wolf. This later choice appears to have made repairs a bit more difficult (OmniMechs get precedent, after all). Thirteen and a half tons of standard plate provide 93% of maximum protection. Aside from the head, all front locations can take a single Class-20 shot, with the legs and center torso able to withstand two Gauss slugs. Rear locations can take a medium laser blast, and the center rear a large laser. The weapon’s load consists of two arm-mounted large lasers, and ten torso-mounted mediums. Twenty-three double-strength heat sinks struggle with the heat load, and inexperienced pilots are likely prone to shutting themselves down.
A second variant showed up in 3080. Removing all of the medium lasers and one heat sink, the
Sphinx 2 moves both large lasers to the center torso, adds five small lasers to each side torso, as well as MASC and a targeting computer. This design is a great dueling machine, at least when you get in close.
In the 3090’s, a streamlined variant, designated
Sphinx 3 entered service. This model mounts ten medium lasers, four in each side torso, two in the center. All are tied into a targeting computer. An ECM suite provides some added protection. Twenty-five double-strength heat sinks provide adequate cooling, as only movement increases heat. MASC is also installed for extra boosts when needed.
The
Sphinx 4 was created at the same time, for issuing to garrison clusters. This variant lacks the MASC, ECM, and targeting computer. Instead the design mounts one large pulse in each arm, and ten heavy smalls, mounted in the pattern of the mediums of the 3. Twenty-four heat sinks moderate the heat somewhat.
Using one of these machines is relatively simple. Snipe from long range with your large lasers as you close, then when you can supplement with the medium (or small) laser fire. The primary variant can only sustain four mediums in addition to the larges while running, or nine mediums while walking, before you start gaining heat. The secondary variant can fire all weapons while only gaining movement heat. Depending on your opponent, you may well put him down before he knows what hit him.
Fighting one is not so easy. Either you need to outmaneuver him, or you need to have more firepower. And since most machines with more firepower are heavier, he may not decide to attack you. That said, if you do have a
Hellstar or
Turkina B, go to town. Inner Sphere foes are even more troubled. Simply put, if you are using Spheroid machines, pour as much fire into him as you can until he stops moving.