MoTW: Hellcat (Hellhound II)

[glitterboy2098]

yeah the 'hardpoint' systems used in MW4, MWO, and MW5 make pretty much every mech an "omni-lite" as far as customization goes. which is why they had to create alternative benefits for the actual omnis (the "omni" slots of MW4 that could accept anything, and the swapping of hardpoint presets for MWO. which will eventually make it into MW5 i'm sure)

[Intermittent_Coherence]

A hardpoint system that is used to implement a modular system is one of those things that just kinda makes sense. TBF every BT-franchise game including the actual BT game has implemented some version of it since then, so Microsoft must have been on to something.

[Rince Wind]

If you don't add some restrictions then a Warhammer and an Archer have exactly the same options, which would be boring and encourage very few meta builds even more.

[glitterboy2098]

for the medium, its a decent compromise. i just wish that they'd come up with a system that allowed omnimechs be actual Omnimechs.

[Rince Wind]

Some mods do, for the most part. Like quick refitting and the possibility to put any kind of weapon in any slot. Mostly you don't have the restrictions of omnis though.
To be fair, both recent games were set at a time when there were no omni around.

[Tyler Jorgensson]

for the medium, its a decent compromise. i just wish that they'd come up with a system that allowed omnimechs be actual Omnimechs.

I know we are getting off topic (and we should get back on) but MW5 or HBS BT have the repair/rearmament times a true Omni would have VERY reduced times but the cost of not being able to adjust base items (other than those upgrade slots)

[parable]

to get back on topic...I played with the Nova Cat version in MegaMek a bit and while I liked its design in MW4: Mercs, in 'Mech games I go assault or go home (in the HBS Battletech, I have a scout Atlas...apparently I'm Lyran at heart), this little scrapper is one of my new favorite 'Mechs.  It almost feels like a Medium version of the Nova Cat (and basically is a Night Gyr minus 15 tonnes) in that while the former is a pocket Assault, boasting range, damage, and armor that can compete 1v1 against 'Mechs far heavier than it, the Hellcat is a pocket Heavy.  It's well-armed, well-armored, well-sunk, and slow.  Even with 'only' the clan XL, it has compromised vulnerability, but its ability to strip off 20 points of armor at 25 hexes is no joke, and when combined with an accurate dice-roller and a proven close-range critseeker makes it a priority target. 

Long story short: it's a fun, cool-looking, terrifying murderer of a 'Mech.

[Silverline]

Though MW4 was not my first foray into the series, it was the game that really got me invested in the setting in a deeper way than "stompy mechs good". And the design that always stood out to me head and shoulders above all other was the Hellcat

I'm looking forward to hopefully seeing it in plastic mini form one day, the new lineart for the design is utterly gorgeous

[marauder648]

The Hellcat P reminds me of another Nova Cat design - https://www.sarna.net/wiki/Huntsman_(Nobori-nin) Its not that fast for a Medium, decent speed by IS standards but a bit slow for Clan but it makes up for that with weapons and other features.

Here the Hellcat has even more weight for the dakka thanks to not having jump jets and being able to punch nearly as hard as a Summoner Prime, making it more akin to a 'pocket heavy'. Whereas the Huntsman was a kitchen sink generalist approach (and wasted tonnage with the UAC) the Hellcat is very much a hard hitter that is there to kill 'Mechs or lame and then destroy tanks with its LB and ER Larges.

This makes me think that it was designed to be less your typical Medium role of forwards skirmishers etc but an adjunct to the heavy Stars and part of them because it can happily pace with the Mad Dogs, Summoners etc, and has enough firepower to make itself a very dangerous threat with them.

Plus, it just looks AMAZING, I've always loved the Hellhound from MW4's looks, its unlike any Clanner 'Mech out there.

I'm not too sure about the Hellcat II because of the XXL engine, sure its a BIT faster, but is the heat load and vulnerability worth it? I'd say not.

[glitterboy2098]

I always thought it had a lot of Black Lanner in it, specifically the image from Rec Guide 15. Beef up the shoulders a bit and change out the arms, and you have most of the Hellhound there.

https://www.sarna.net/wiki/File:Black_Lanner_RGilClan_v15.png

funny, i would have pointed to a different Falcon built design as the basis.. the Cougar. to me it looks rather like a heavier more built up Cougar to me, and it does fill a similar role to the Cougar D. the Falcons lost the ability to produce the Cougar in the wars of reaving, and i could see the Falcons looking to fill that niche with the new design, using what blueprint data they had managed to salvage from Ironhold when they pulled out of the homeworlds to build the new mech.