’Mech of the Week: WER-LF-00* Werewolf
The
Werewolf. Conjuring images of the stalking lycanthrope of legend, the design that bears its name strives hard to live up to its reputation. Not well known outside the arenas where it stalks its trade, the 40-ton
Werewolf is O’Neil BattleMechs of Solaris’s only known machine.
My experience with this design is limited to two occasions. One with the old GM, where he decided to drop the old-school variant on us as part of an ambush by the 3rd Night Stalkers. Probably would have worked better for him if our group hadn’t whapped him in the head with a couple medium pulse lasers. The other was with the new variant in the Jihad Hot Spots campaign. During the first Solaris mission, we were given one as a friendly. Might have done well, if the Blakist
Sasquatch hadn’t hit the right torso with a Gauss slug, and critted the tender bits.
Introduced in 3056, the WER-LF-004 is one of the coolest running designs I have ever seen. Carrying sixteen double heat sinks, twice the heat dissipation required for its weapon and movement load, this is likely a relic from the old dueling rules set (something I have no experience with). The use of a Nissan 200 XL engine allows for ground speeds similar to that of the contemporary
Watchman. Four jump jets are adequate, if not optimal for quick redeployment.
Armor is one point off maximum, allowing all front locations (save the chin) to pass the Inner Sphere PPC test, and the torsos a Gauss slug. The rear torsos can take a medium laser (but little more). Weapons start with a medium pulse laser in the left arm, a small pulse in each side torso, machine guns in the head and center torso, and a right arm-mounted 6-pack SRM launcher. The ammunition for both is in the right torso. Without CASE, that makes said torso a bomb waiting to happen, but with arena ’Mechs, danger comes with the territory.
Though quite popular with stables and independents alike, when the Banshees stable approached O’Neil with a request for modifications for a grudge match, the engineers were intrigued, and suggested additional modifications. The result was the WER-LF-005. The first change was the removal of two jump jets, making jumping more of an adjustment than a valid tactic. The machine guns were also removed. The 6-pack was upgraded to a Streak, and each small pulse laser was replaced with a Magshot Gauss. One ton of ammunition feeds them. The medium pulse was upgraded to a large x-pulse, giving this Werewolf a much extended range. One half ton of armor was removed, allowing for a Gauss rifle to now pierce the side torsos. Finally, a temperamental null-signature system was installed.
Using one of these designs differs only slightly from model to model. The -004 model needs to be brought in close, though you can constantly alpha strike and leap around like a jumping bean. The -005 can stand off more, and the null-signature system allows the same bonuses as Stealth armor. In close dropping the big gun will keep you cool. Out farther, using just the large x-pulse will only raise you heat by one if you jump. In either variant, keep moving. Lower-end mediums cannot take much damage.
When fighting one of these designs, use faster, more nimble machines. Noting that he most times wishes to get in close, wait for him to do so, then take them down with fire. Or perhaps with melee weapons. And if you can get to him, all the better (the
Ti Ts’ang, for example, is larger, faster, jump farther, has TSM, and carried a big axe). If you have access, use Gauss rifles (one of my fellow players likes to say there are few problems that cannot be solved with Gauss rifles). Clantech weapons are always useful.
