Mech of the Week: Night Gyr
(Sorry I'm a couple days late, power was cutting in and out all weekend after the snow storm as the tried to get my neighbors lines fixed)
First appearing in the Inner Sphere when the Falcons returned from electing a new Ilkhan, the Night Gyr is a powerful omnimech tipping the scales at the top of the heavy weight class. The Night Gyr is a no expense spared machine sporting a 300 XL power plant, Endo steel structure, and eleven and a half tons of Ferro Fibrous armor. The Night Gyr also has four fixed jumpjets much like the Falcon favorite Summoner.
Before I run down the configurations I would like to point out that the Night Gyr appears to address the shortcomings of the Summoner. The latter’s lack of pod space and armor is rectified by reducing the engine size and using more high tech materials for chassis construction. The result is a slower machine but one that is very much heavily armed and armored. In fact most Night Gyr configurations are capable of handing out damage above their weight class leading many to refer to them as “pocket assaults.” The Night Gyr works just as well anchoring heavy stars with the 5/8 classics as it does in mobile assault stars with starmates like Warhawks, Blood Asps, and Executioners. The Night Gyr’s take on the slower gun-boat heavy drew the attention of Clan Nova Cat when they used the mech as the basis for their new totem omni the Nova Cat.
It does however seem that the Night Gyr is on the way out with no production in the Inner Sphere and the Ironhold facility getting whacked by the Vipers.
Prime: The first Night Gyr config is a day-ruiner for other mechs. The prime sports twin ERPPC’s in the left arm for long range combat as well as an Ultra 10 autocannon in the left arm for medium range heavy hitting. As backups the Night Gyr prime carries three medium pulse lasers with one each in the torsos and head. Eight additional heat sinks bring the total to 20 and allow the prime to throw some serious damage around without over heating.
Using the prime is easy, punch big holes at range then get in close for accurate MPL shots or wait for good numbers to double tap the Utra 10. The number of weapon firing combinations is high and they all work well. Use the jump jets to control terrain especially against faster 5/8 mechs. And remember, you’ve got more guns than them!
A: As with most omni’s we need a close in fighter. In the case of the Night Gyr we get pure unadulterated in your face firepower. The left arm now sports the pulse lasers with one large and two mediums. The right arm gets the monster Ultra AC 20 with 15 reloads. Also, for good measure each torso gets a Streak SRM 6 sharing one ton of ammo. The head mounted medium pulse is retained from the prime. All this firepower is great until you realize to make it fit they had to drop four extra heat sinks off the prime. You have to watch the heat indicator on this one, though not religiously.
This one should be pretty self explanatory. It’s for tight confines, cities, etc. Rely heavily on jumpjets for mobility and generally eviscerate anyone silly enough to stand in front of you. The Large pulse gives you a little bit of plinking and decent range but really just get close, smash them with the big bore cannon and lasers. Then follow up with the lasers and SRMs to fill in holes. The pulse lasers are helpful against those pesky vehicles scooting around as well.
B: The B config is the long range fighter. Twin gauss rifles and LBX-2 Cannons are the entire armament. Stay way the heck away and rain down gauss slugs and golden BB’s. You can’t over heat it so just fire whenever but remember you only have 12 shots for each gauss rifle.
Use this thing as a sniper. Jump into good firing position and send a barrage down range. Then bounce back in cover.
C: The C is long range fighter version 2.0. This one get three class 2 autocannons , though this time they are Ultra versions and mounted in the left arm. To accompany the cannons you have two ER Large Lasers in the left arm and a Medium pulse in the head and left torso. The big deal here is that all these guns are tied to a targeting computer.
Once again you want to fight at range, but unlike the Night Gyr B you are not hindered by minimum range, and your shots are more accurate with the TarComp. Up close the medium pulse and ER Large combo with TarComp guidance can put a serious hurt on something.
D: Again as with most omni’s we get a missile boat load out. The Night Gyr D sports four LRM 20’s with Artemis IV fire control. The launchers can block out the sun in one salvo but they only have six tons of ammo to draw on allowing only nine shots per launcher. As back up weapons the D carries a large pulse laser in the center torso and a medium pulse laser returns to the head.
I am personally a big proponent of using Clan LRM’s up close since they have no minimum range. The best way to use this one is to get to medium range and jump around lobbing missiles at opponents. Watch the heat since the D sports the base 12 double heat sinks. Use the pulse lasers in stead of a pair or launchers to conserve ammo.
E: Typically the ATM launcher config the Night Gyr E only sports one ATM 6 with two tons of ammo. You will want a ton of ER and one of HE since it already carries and SRM 6 as well. Along with the missiles are enough pulse lasers to arm a star of light mechs. Each arm sports a large and two medium pulse lasers while two more mediums land in the center torso. This config adds four extra heat sinks to the base 12, so watch the heat indicator.
To use the E you need to get in close, again use terrain and jump jets to maneuver. Use the pulse lasers carefully. Mix in missile to crit seek or the HE up close. The E can do impressive damage through massed firepower.
F: Only a matter of time before somebody jammed a HAG on this thing. The F has two a 30 in the right arm and a 20 in the left arm. The 20 comes with 3 tons of reloads and the 30 with 4. The HAGs are backed up by a pair of ER Medium Lasers. All the guns are tied to a targeting computer. The F also mounts and ECM suite for electronic warfare.
You can’t over heat this one and the Tarcomp means your shots should count more often than not. That’s a lot of mid-sized hits with impressive accuracy. Once again just out gun the other guy until his mech falls apart.
H: The heavy laser config only has one, a large in the left torso. It carries a gauss rifle in the right arm with two tons of reloads and an Utra 10 in the left arm with two tons of reloads. The medium pulse is back again in the head. Like the F the H sports an ECM.
Yet another variant you can not over heat. This thing is a brawler, get to medium range and bounce around. Pick your shots with the gauss as you close. It’s a bit light on ammo so make the gauss rifle shots count.
The Night Gyr seems to get infrequent mentions around the forum but it is a beast in most every configuration. Fighting these things takes either an assault with more armor or using another heavy with more speed. Most of the configs out gun almost everything close to it in size and the jump jets make it mobile enough to control a fight.
Personally, I think the Prime and A about cover every need a clan warrior would ever have minus infantry control. The other configs fall off a bit but are all pretty good. The Night Gyr prime for me will always be a favorite.
