How can I get Joyna Simm's custom Mad Cat II to the table?

[1000Foot]

I'm leaping 100 years out of my grognardy 3025 comfort zone into the Dark Age and could use your help in getting one of the mech's I've taken a shine to onto the table.

I've latched on to Banson's Raiders and want to build a small force of them to start playing some Dark Age games. I thought this custom Mad Cat II was pretty interesting, but I'm having a hard time translating it to the table top.

• It doesn't seem to have an actual variant name. I can't find either a Classic or Alpha Strike record sheet for it.
• I like the weird look of this mech: the underslung arms with their weird, long barrels. The scrawny chicken legs. The bulbous cockpit that looks out of place with the missing LRM pods. The IWM metals mech won't look the same, even if I leave the missile pods off. Are there any arms I can kitbash from another kit that would look right? Any legs? I know the clicky model is just the regular Timber Wolf sculpt, but I'd like to embrace the 90 tons of mass for the MK II, just give it a few cosmetic changes to make it look a bit more like the clicky sculpt.
• Also, I take it some of the awesome garbage mechs the Raiders have (Agromech MOD B, Raider and Raider II) never got 6mm miniatures, correct?

Thanks Battletech geniuses! I hope your exhaustive knowledge can point me in the right direction.

[Sartris]

Hi there. Excellent taste, that's a fun looking variant

in the tabletop, the design is somewhat modified, known as the Mad Cat Mk II 5. Instead of the Ultra AC/20 it has a Gauss Rifle. I do have good news - the UAC/20 and Gauss weigh the same so you can easily swap one out for the other freely and get that sweet, sweet point blank destruction. the main problem is that boy is going to be short on ammo - ten shots for an ultra is a tough row to hoe in most games - though I guarantee it will be a blast up until you run out. Play with both and see which you like

Kitbashing advice is best asked in the minis subforum. we have some fantastic modders that hang around and have lots of experience.
https://bg.battletech.com/forums/miniatures/

The other mechs are hit and miss - there is an agromech mini (oops I got that mixed up with the ConstructionMech MOD) and the Raider I/II is on the way within the next year most likely.

addendum: here are the available industrial mechs in metal
https://www.ironwindmetals.com/index.php/categories/cat-battletech/cat-bt-oe/category/online-exclusive-industrialmech
https://www.ironwindmetals.com/index.php/categories/cat-battletech/cat-bt-im

[Colt Ward]

The 5 is Gus Eddington IIRC . . .

To the OP . . . actually all of those Mad Cat II were Mad Cat Mk II, though I agree they are closer to the old Timber Wolf in the way the 'fuselage' took meets that box that is the rest of the Timber Wolf torso.

As far as the kitbash . . . IWM now has a lot of parts- the Hound offers some of the best bits IMO.  Do you have any of the MWDA IndiMechs?  Many of them can sort of fit on the table when you take them off the dial, mostly b/c they are 'commerical' and bulkier than BattleMechs so you can use that reasoning.  The other reason I mention MWDA mechs is some of them are excellent sources for bits if you are kitbashing- FREX I seem to recall a Spirit Cat AgroMech that has a long barrel with a drum that works for a AC.  Mech, or it would be possible to even chop the arms off that mini itself!

[worktroll]

Okay, this is a challenge!

On one level, I think this is pretty straight forward. The Kickstarter Timber Wolf is the place to start; as plastic, it's a heck of a lot easier to mod. Remove the missile launchers (retain for future mods, or send to me ;) and trim off the gun pods at the 'wrist'.

For the left arm, I'd recommend the right arm from the IWM Scourge. Remove the power cable, and plug onto the left wrist. For the right arm, the right arm from the Avatar looks closest to the mini; however, for HLL and HML, you could at a pinch leave the existing right arm as is.  Pinning recommended. If any of that doesn't make sense, PM me, I can wax prolific ;)

The only thing is that the Mad Cat II is a 90-tonner, while the Timber Wolf is 75 tons. The KS Timber Wolf is plenty bulky as is, but I'd probably cheat - separate the feet from the black hex base, carefully; build up the hex base by 1/4"or more with putty/clay/etc, then glue back in place, for some spurious extra size.

Hope that helps some!

[Deadborder]

I just want to say kudos for latching on to Bannson's Raiders. They're a very fun and flavourful faction and one I quite liked myself. I can't wait to hear and see what comes of this

[Luciora]

If I were to do this mod, I'd probably use the Mad Cat Mk II, v4 and see what Ultra20 bits could be used as well as perhaps the Thanatos energy arm to give it a somewhat era appropriate look.

[MoneyLovinOgre4Hire]

Hi there. Excellent taste, that's a fun looking variant

in the tabletop, the design is somewhat modified, known as the Mad Cat Mk II 5. Instead of the Ultra AC/20 it has a Gauss Rifle. I do have good news - the UAC/20 and Gauss weigh the same so you can easily swap one out for the other freely and get that sweet, sweet point blank destruction. the main problem is that boy is going to be short on ammo - ten shots for an ultra is a tough row to hoe in most games - though I guarantee it will be a blast up until you run out. Play with both and see which you like

There are some other things that can be done as easy customizations to  the mech.  I'd be happy to talk more about it if the OP wants to start a thread in the fan designs forum.

[Sartris]

Yeah there’s definitely room for tweaking. The weapon swap is primarily to see if UAC/20 and heavy lasers are a thing they like