„Hello, this is Ernest Klapperstorsch and I welcome to our live audio broadcast from Solaris VII. Today we have a special treat for you: I’m reporting directly from the cockpit of Liara Sheppard’s
Shadow Cat II 2.
“Sheppard is pitted against Javik Zorah in his
Shadow Cat II. Yes, you heard correctly, we have both variants of the Shadow Cat II competing against one another. This will be a match to remember.
[In the background you can hear a computer voice going through a check list of startup procedures and the low hum of a Battlemech powering up]
“While Liara gets her
Shadow Cat II 2 operational, let me tell you a bit about the
Shadow Cat II. The standard variant was first deployed by the Jade Falcons in 3076, only a year later the variant started showing up on the battlefields. It is produced at the Olivetti production facility. Until now it is unknown, if the development took place in the Homeworlds or here in the Inner Sphere, but let’s be honest: Nobody cares.
“What you want to know is what kind of weapons are being thrown at one another and what tactics our contestants are going to use. Let’s start with the basics.
“Both variants sport exactly the same amount of armor, namely 7.5 tons of Ferro Fibrous. Only half a ton more than the original
Shadow Cat, which is definitely too low for a 60t heavy ‘Mech. The side torsos are barely able to withstand a Gauss slug.
“Also identical is the engine on both ‘Mechs. A 360 rated XL engine provides a maximum speed of 97kph. Jump jets enable both variants to jump 180 meters in a single bound, but Liara's variant has something special to add to this - more of that in a moment. Making both very agile compared to most other heavy ‘Mechs, even for Clan standards.
“While you can clearly see that the basic features are identical, you will notice enormous differences in the armament. Javik’s standard variant is armed with a single HAG 20, two ten tube LRM launchers and one extended range Medium Laser. Twelve shots for each ammo using weapon enables the ‘Mech to keep firing for two minutes. You will notice that it seems as if the armament makes this a long range support unit, but if you know how HAGs work, then you will see that it is not a good idea to fire this weapon from a long distance on a regular basis, because the ammo scatters a lot once it leaves the weapon, which means even if you score a hit, most of your shells will go wide. This forces the
Shadow Cat II to get in close and lose a lot of its advantages, while bringing the disadvantages (such as the low armor) into play.
“All in all I’m not very impressed with this ‘Mech. But let’s see what Liara’s variant has to offer.
“While armor and movement profile are almost identical, the variant sports experimental technology. And this is where said specials come into play. The
Shadow Cat II 2 gains an additional 30 meters jump capability by employing experimental Partial Wings, enabling us to virtually fly across the battlefield. But that is not, where the experimental technology ends.
"An Extended Range Large Pulse Laser replaces the HAG and an Extended Range Medium Pulse Laser replaces the standard laser. To make this experimental variant even more daring, both lasers are fitted with Laser Insulators, reducing their heat output. The extended range pulse lasers loose some of their targeting potential, but their damage stays the same as with their predecessors and while the standard version of the
Shadow Cat II only seemed like a long range unit, this ‘Mech actually shows most of its strengths at long range where it can outhit most other units at extreme ranges. So my money is on Liara winning today, as long as she can keep her opponent at a distance.
“I can see that we are almost ready to start the match, so let’s end my prefight warmup with a positive note: both ‘Mechs can fire their weapons without the risk of overheating as long as they refrain from jumping around too much. This means we will probably see (or in your case hear) a steady amount of weapon fire being exchanged.
“And now the match begins!
[You can hear the gates opening and the thundering of a 60t avatar of war start walking]
“On the other side of the arena I can see Javik walking through the gates. He is raising his arm as if to greet us. No, he is not greeting us, [Ernest's voice is getting all excited] he is targeting us with his Hyper Assault Gauss Rifle. He is firing. He…
[Static…]
[A new voice can be heard.]
“Ernest Klapperstorsch leaves a wife and three children…
References: The Master Unit List has
everything there is to see here, which is not all that much (with only two variants). Camospecs offers a
single painted unit. And, to add a little bit of self promotion, if you understand German you can read building instructions for the mini
here.
UPDATE:
The
Schadow Cat II 3 & 4 have been covered by Diplominator
here.
