How does the Lynx not have a MOT* write-up?
The mech was introduced in 1995’s TRO:3058 as a Star League era retcon inclusion. While the concept of ‘royal mechs’ is a much more recent thing, I consider this pretty much a royal. It’s what the Wolverine wanted to be when it grew up, complete with cheesy medium laser spam.
The original mech is the 9Q. It’s 55 tons, and has the classic 55 ton movement of 5/8/5, although it unfortunately uses an XL. Armor is maxed, to the point of wasting most of the last half ton. Distribution is reasonable; I’d like to be able to take a clan medium laser to a side rear, but being able to absorb two ten pointers to the front is probably more important.
That’s reasonably survivable. Not great, but good.
Cooling is fifteen double heat sinks, and at this point you begin to suspect what is to come. Begin with the ‘long range token,’ an ER-PPC. For the intermediate bracket we have a large laser join in. When things get up really close four medium lasers get the chance to show why they’re the weapon all others are still compared to. It’s a lot of firepower, especially in close. It doesn’t really volley or bracket cleanly, but it isn’t hard avoid penalties on the heat scale while dishing out steady photonic pain.
Playing it? If you’ve ever run a wolverine you’re in good shape; stay mobile, bully lighter mechs and harass heavier ones. It’s a good all-rounder with a heavy side of close assault.
So why isn’t it more popular? My guess is partly the mini. It’s a victim of Ral Partha’s big hips/bigger shoulders era with a straight-legged pose; again in my opinion it’s a prime candidate for a re-sculpt.
The first variant post-revival is the -9C. It deletes the large laser for a pair of streak two launchers, and a massive two-ton un-CASEd ammo bay in the side torso. That isn’t great. It’s lower heat than the laser it replaces for the same damage, but the spikes are unpredictable and shorter ranged. It makes riding the curve a guessing game.
However, like most streak-2 mechs of the ‘90s, there used to be a point. Infernos were usable in S-2s, and small number of infernos used to be much more effective. With the second ton of ammo the S-2 could deal damage, but the real point was to cut off some of the enemy’s capabilities.
The second variant is the -9R. It’s a simple swap of the large laser for an ER large. Whether the tradeoff is worth it probably depends on who you’re fighting. In close you’re less heat efficient, therefore dealing less damage over a period of turns. Beyond the effective range of the medium lasers you have better accuracy, hopefully getting more hits. I’d chose stock against inner sphere and -9R for fighting clans usually.
There is also a succession war downgrade; the -8Q's engine becomes a standard, but it loses the jump jets, some armor – notably the side torsos go under a threshold by losing a point – two medium lasers, and the ER-PPC becomes a standard large. Most painfully, the heat sinks become singles. Basically it’s a tougher but hotter succession war Crab.
Last year (2020) we got the final version in Golden Century, the Lynx C. I don’t have the book or record sheet, but sarna makes it sound like it has less armor and runs hotter – very smoked kitty. OTOH, range goes up by a lot, as well as damage.
Final analysis – this mech is one of the reasons TRO 3058 has the reputation for optimized designs (despite also having some real clunkers.)
