’Mech of the Week: Timber Wolf

[JadeHellbringer]

Of the 3050 heavy omnis, only the Thor has less pod space then the timber wolf.


ps. I like the configs of the Mad Dog more then those of the Timber Wolf.

I'd back that. Other than the oddball 'B' config, the Mad Dog has some really good configs in the invasion era (later versions tended to suffer from kicked-in-the-head syndrome- four rounds per HAG? Really?). The 'A' in particular is just ugly to have to deal with- my favorite way to provide SRM spam until Quinn Kerensky sat down and looked at ways to make a Summoner disappear behind an exhaust cloud.

[cold1]

FF not trying to knock you.  I'd take a Gargoyle over any of the 3050 heavies any day (and they are all better sans the Hellbie) and I'm not even a Wolf.

[TigerShark]

It's his personal preference. Nothing to argue with there. The Timber Wolf is a terrific chassis with great canon designs and a flexible configuration. Some people just have their preferences.

[Fear Factory]

Outside of personal preference, the Mad Dog is worse than the Timberwolf in numerically quantifiable ways, having less armor, less pod space, less engine-mounted HS, so I just don't see how you can claim it is "better" than the Timby. It does look awesome though :D

I'd back that. Other than the oddball 'B' config, the Mad Dog has some really good configs in the invasion era (later versions tended to suffer from kicked-in-the-head syndrome- four rounds per HAG? Really?). The 'A' in particular is just ugly to have to deal with- my favorite way to provide SRM spam until Quinn Kerensky sat down and looked at ways to make a Summoner disappear behind an exhaust cloud.

Pretty much sums it up for me.  From a design standpoint you can do some mean things with the Timber Wolf.  Great base chassis...  I just can't agree with the stock configurations.  Hence why I like using the Mad Dog instead.  Even so, I'm a medium guy, so like I said I would prefer to use even the Nova, Stormcrow, or Viper before any heavy.

The ONLY Timby I can ever see myself using is the A and boy do I feel mean using it.

FF not trying to knock you.  I'd take a Gargoyle over any of the 3050 heavies any day (and they are all better sans the Hellbie) and I'm not even a Wolf.

And that's fine.

You know part of it is my hatred for anything made by the Wolf Clan.  I never feel good when I use Wolf designs.

[TigerShark]

Huh? The Mad Dog B is one of the better configurations. It definitely has worse. The C is a disaster.

[willydstyle]

Huh? The Mad Dog B is one of the better configurations. It definitely has worse. The C is a disaster.

I like the B as well, it's has some nice brackets built in to it.

[Arkansas Warrior]

Indeed.  It's not as specialized as the Prime or A, but is better than either if you don't know what you're facing.

[willydstyle]

Indeed.  It's not as specialized as the Prime or A, but is better than either if you don't know what you're facing.

I find the prime to be a poor specialty mech because of heat issues.

[Diablo48]

Pretty much sums it up for me.  From a design standpoint you can do some mean things with the Timber Wolf.  Great base chassis...  I just can't agree with the stock configurations.  Hence why I like using the Mad Dog instead.  Even so, I'm a medium guy, so like I said I would prefer to use even the Nova, Stormcrow, or Viper before any heavy.

The ONLY Timby I can ever see myself using is the A and boy do I feel mean using it....

Oh man, you can do some downright evil things with the Timber Wolf if you ignore the silly stock configurations.  I have done a lot of tinkering with that frame, and the amount of pain it can carry is just insane.  Of course you do tend to pay for it with one of my personal favorites coming in at a staggering 3164 BV, but still....

[Maingunnery]

Huh? The Mad Dog B is one of the better configurations. It definitely has worse. The C is a disaster.

The C is a specialist, use it on opponents that are fire/plasma happy.  ;)

[TigerShark]

The C is a specialist, use it on opponents that are fire/plasma happy.  ;)

How would you know that before the battle? You'd have to reconfigure the design to a C, then specifically find the opponent least-suited to dealing with you. That's a pretty precise set of circumstances just to make two Gauss Rifles work. Especially for the Clans, who abhor waste and don't usually seek out the weakest opponent on the field to gain honor.  ^-^

[ANS Kamas P81]

How would you know that before the battle?

"With what forces will you defend?"

[A. Lurker]

To me, the Mad Dog C kind of looks like a configuration for hotshot Clan MechWarriors with something to prove to show off in. Taking it is kind of tantamount to claiming "by the time my ammunition is spent, I will have won and so not need any more"...which strikes me as a very Clan warrior-like attitude to take. ;)

It's not necessarily the most practical configuration out there, but twin Gauss rifles with sixteen shots each can inflict a fair bit of damage, assuming the 'Mech even holds together long enough to actually expend its ammo. There's definitely more ridiculous stuff out there.

By the way...wasn't this the Timber Wolf thread? :)

[TigerShark]

"With what forces will you defend?"

That doesn't include configurations of designs. Not from any source I've ever read. Who configures their OmniMechs before the terrain is even declared?

[ANS Kamas P81]

That doesn't include configurations of designs. Not from any source I've ever read. Who configures their OmniMechs before the terrain is even declared?

You do get codexes of warriors and you can look them up to see what their preferences are based on past battle footage.  "Oh, this dude loves his missiles" "that guy's a total sniper/plinker" sort of thing.

[Matti]

And that can give This Dude and That Guy something to surprise the opposition. Let's say codex of This Dude shows his latest 'Mech being Timber Wolf and he has used it in Prime configuration repeatedly. Then he enters the trial with Timber Wolf A and ERPPCs say: "Peek-a-boo"

[TigerShark]

Ok. So your claim is that all Clans have access to the codices of all warriors, regardless of Clan? Where are you getting that information?

[Dragon Cat]

No OmniMech lacks jump jets. You can add them to a pod configuration. That's probably the least-realistic of the gripes.

The Warhawk does with all those fixed Heat Sinks filling torso and leg space

Always liked he mix of weapons and speed the Timber Wolf brought to the table

[Fear Factory]

Ok. So your claim is that all Clans have access to the codices of all warriors, regardless of Clan? Where are you getting that information?

Do you know what a codex is?

A Codex is the record of a Clan warrior's victories or defeats in battle, honors, disgraces, general behavior, units served with, and rank. The codex is embedded in a device worn around the wrist like a bracelet. The device stores the warrior's geneparent information as well as the warrior's genetic information. The codex is the basis for the bestowing of status by a Clan on to one of its warriors.

Funny thing is I vaguely remember the codex being accessible during the bidding process.  It's also something you present as a bondsman.

[TigerShark]

The Warhawk does with all those fixed Heat Sinks filling torso and leg space

Always liked he mix of weapons and speed the Timber Wolf brought to the table

You have crit space in the Right Torso. It can only hold 4 jump jets and there's no rule stating they need to be evenly dispersed among torso locations. You can have 4 JJ in the RT if you want.

[TigerShark]

Do you know what a codex is?

Funny thing is I vaguely remember the codex being accessible during the bidding process.  It's also something you present as a bondsman.

Yes, I'm aware of what a codex is. Please quote a source stating that the warrior's personal and combat records are available to the opponents during a bid.

[Diablo48]

You do get codexes of warriors and you can look them up to see what their preferences are based on past battle footage.  "Oh, this dude loves his missiles" "that guy's a total sniper/plinker" sort of thing.

This would only be true against honorable opponents which was not a given even before the invasion when you could run into dark caste bandits and some of the uglier feuds, and once you hit the IS you can forget it.

[SCC]

You have crit space in the Right Torso. It can only hold 4 jump jets and there's no rule stating they need to be evenly dispersed among torso locations. You can have 4 JJ in the RT if you want.

There's also space in the CT, all up the Warhawk has 8 crit slots that can hold JJ's or IJJ's

[Fear Factory]

Yes, I'm aware of what a codex is. Please quote a source stating that the warrior's personal and combat records are available to the opponents during a bid.

Like I said I vaguely remember something.  I'll dig through some of my retro books a little bit later.

[TigerShark]

Like I said I vaguely remember something.  I'll dig through some of my retro books a little bit later.

I did a little digging too. Let me know if you find anything. I'm curious what the context would have been.

[Moonsword]

Could we get back on the topic of the Timber Wolf, please?

[SCC]

Could we get back on the topic of the Timber Wolf, please?

The Timber Wolf is awesome (not the 'Mech), the very symbol of the Clans and a fan favorite, enough said
 ;D

[JadeHellbringer]

Something that I find interesting about the Timber Wolf... proliferation.

Think about it. We've seen Timber Wolves in every Clan, at least a few. And yet we've been told that the Wolves are the only Clan that built it- no one else, even the Sharks (which may explain the Mad Cat IV later- if the Wolves were the only producer, and their production sites were wiped out in the Jihad/WoR, this may be an attempt to make a 'close enough' design). And yet, like I said, everyone has some.

It's likely that the Wolves traded the design frequently with other Warden Clans prior to the invasion, such as the Coyotes, but it makes you wonder how many Wolf-owned Timber Wolves were killed and rebuilt by Clans like the Smoke Jaguars and Jade Falcons, doesn't it? (Same for other proprietary designs in history like the Zeus).

[SCC]

That raises another question: where do the Wolves (and the other Clans for that matter) get their TW's after the WoR?

[cold1]

Something that I find interesting about the Timber Wolf... proliferation.

Think about it. We've seen Timber Wolves in every Clan, at least a few. And yet we've been told that the Wolves are the only Clan that built it- no one else, even the Sharks (which may explain the Mad Cat IV later- if the Wolves were the only producer, and their production sites were wiped out in the Jihad/WoR, this may be an attempt to make a 'close enough' design). And yet, like I said, everyone has some.

It's likely that the Wolves trad the design frequently with other Warden Clans prior to the invasion, such as the Coyotes, but it makes you wonder how many Wolf-owned Timber Wolves were killed and rebuilt by Clans like the Smoke Jaguars and Jade Falcons, doesn't it? (Same for other proprietary designs in history like the Zeus).

The number of them on the Homeworld RATs in WoRS makes me think there must still be production in the homeworlds.  They were built on Strana Mechty right?  One of tbe home clans (likely the Yotes or Adders) may have the plant.  The Wolf left in a hurry.