Hi,
Slinking out of my exile here only because someone compelled me to do this... Inspiration is the common phenomenon of someone's cat jumping up on their BattleTech terrain during a game.
Vorzellian Gigasphinx
Homeworld: Vorzel (Lyran Alliance)
Preferred environment: Plains, grasslands
Also comically referred to as “Catzilla”, the Vorzellian gigasphinx is an example of the type of megafauna one can find on many of the lower gravity worlds throughout human-occupied space. Vorzel, with a gravity rating of 0.63 Terran Gs, is home to several superlative examples of such megafauna, of which surprisingly many are mammalian. The gigasphinx, native to the plains and savannahs of Vorzel’s Uralfrika continent, is one of the planet’s largest mammals, and is particularly remarkable for its resemblance to an incredibly enormous Terrestrial housecat.
Sharing many traits with felines across known space, the gigasphinx is mainly carnivorous, with keen senses most commonly used for night hunting. It features retractable claws, a furred hide, and an elongated tail that aids it in balance, and has incredible land speed for its tremendous size. Like many terrestrial small cats, gigasphinx’s preferred prey are smaller species native to Vorzzel, including other oversized mammals like the gigantobison (a grazing animal that can weigh up to eight tons) and the bishaymoi (a tunneling beast large enough to devour a small ground car).
The creature’s massive size makes it hard to vent heat during the warmer seasons, and thus they tend to migrate around the vast plains of Uralfrika, which extend almost to the planet’s southern polar region. During the day, gigaphinx are known to meander for dozens of kilometers before settling down to rest for a few hours at a time. This habit tends to leave large swaths of the plains flattened in unusual patterns, though most smaller creatures can easily evade the slumbering giants. At night, when temperatures are much cooler, gigasphinx are far more active, while simultaneously a lot more aware of their surroundings.
Relatively solitary, gigasphinx are rarely encountered in large groups. Unlike terrestrial cats, gigasphinx give birth to only a few young at a time, and those that reach adulthood can live for upwards of fifty years. Early colonial efforts on Vorzel attempted to wipe out the species, and nearly succeeded before it became clear that they actually helped contain the spread of some of the planet's more destructive native creatures. For this reason, the few human settlements on the Uralfrika continent today, simply cluster in the northern reaches, where high mountains and towering woodlands form a natural barrier against gigasphinx incursions.
A Time of War Stats
Mass: 202,000 kg
Attributes (S/B/D/R/I/W/E): 185/202/6/4/7/9/7
Size Class (Modifier): Monstrous (+9)
BAR (M/B/E/X): 4/3/3/3
Damage (AP/BD): 8M/54
Move (W/R/S): 95m/189m/378m
Traits: Armor (+4), Compulsion/Lethargic (–2), Good Hearing (+2), Night Vision (+2), Offensive Adaptation (Claws/Bite), Patient
Skills: AniMelee +4, Climbing +5, Perception +5, Tracking +4
Total Warfare (Beast Infantry) Stats
Creature Type: Gigasphinx
Creature Size: Monstrous (+9)
Weight (Unloaded): 202 tons
Movement (Type): 7 (Ground)
Damage Bonus: +18D6 vs. Infantry; (+6 vs. Armored)
Damage Divisor: 11
Troops/Creature: 28
Creatures/Platoon: 1
Attacker To-Hit: –6
Notes: Can carry up to 10 Support Weapons (half crew needs, round up); Uses ’Mech rules for entering buildings; Treat as DropShip for stacking limits; May not execute anti-’Mech Swarm or Leg Attacks
... Yeah. I need more coffee...
Enjoy!
- Herb
