Wolfhound

"This is Grinner. This is my Wolfhound."

– Phelan Kell, Blood Legacy

The Lyrans' protagonist-tier laser show. Hates big cats and olympic athletes.

In keeping with a wolf fetish reminiscent of Russ's Rowdy Furries, the WLF-2 "Wolfhound" is a Michael A Stackpole-designed protagonist Light BattleMech from the BattleTech universe.

Overview

The Wolfhound was designed in 3028 by the Lyran Commonwealth to counter the Jenner and Panther light 'Mechs of the Draconis Combine. It is generally equipped with the maximum amount of armor for a 'Mech of its size while sporting an all-energy loadout that preempts the need for resupply during extended campaigns. Designed by author Michael A. Stackpole for the heroes of his novels, the Wolfhound has a strong identity as a reliable 'Mech that can outfight anything it can't outrun.

At least until the Clans show up.

Before then the Kell Hounds mercenary group had the honor of test-driving the 'Mech, followed by Wolf's Dragoons; its first full-scale deployment would come during the Fourth Succession War where it performed above expectation and cemented the aforementioned identity. It was so effective on its intended prey, in fact, that the Kuritans made a counter to their counter in the form of the Wolf Trap 'Mech.

A more advanced version known as the WLF-2 (the one that would end up being the most ubiquitous) using what was formerly LosTech would be drafted up after the rediscovery of the Helm Memory Core, but retooling of factories taking too long would make it not be rolled out in time for the Clan Invasion and ended up being used in FedCom mopups, though its successor the WLF-3S would become an important 'Mech in Katherine Steiner's rebellion that fractured the FedCom alliance. Finally, the 4-series was made after TharHes, the main producer of the Wolfhound, got taken over by the Wobbie bastards - they were cheaper 'Mechs made by Arc-Royal MechWorks (who also had the rights) meant to help allied forces turn back the lunatics.

Specs

Weighing in at 35 tons, the Wolfhound is built on a Arc-Royal KH/3 chassis and powered by a GM 210 fusion engine; the latter allows the 'Mech a top speed of 97.2 km/h. Its famously heavy protection comes from seven-and-a-half Durallex Medium armor, while its cooling comes from 10 double heat sinks (more than enough to keep the standard laser boat loadout cool). Additional systems include a O/P Com-22/H47 communications system, a Digital Scanlok 347 targeting/tracking system, and a Full-Head Ejection System provided by the Federated Suns that has saved the lives of many a Mechwarrior.

As for its laser loadout, it specifically consists of a right arm-mounted Cyclops XII ER Large Laser for long-range marksmanship at up to 600 meters, as well as four Defiance B3M Medium Lasers for close quarters. The medium lasers in particular are spread across the 'Mech: on the torso one is in the center, one on the left, and one on the right, while the fourth is on the back to cover the 'Mech's backside against any sneaky 'Mechs that have any bright ideas about exploiting the usual blindspot. Overall well-rounded for its role, though heat management will be the name of the game as with any laser boat (even if the doubles make it pretty easy).

Design Quirks

For the optional crunch of the same name, the Wolfhound has the design quirks of being Easy to Maintain and having a Good Reputation (1) (not an actual quirk of the design per se, but means there's plenty of people lining up to pilot one). The 2H in particular swaps the good reputation for having cooling system problems, reflecting the extra heat sink not being placed effectively in the design.

Variants

• WLF-1: The original Wolfhound from 3028, less prominent than its post-Memory Core incarnation. Compared to its later incarnation its Setanta Large Laser means its maximum engagement range is noticeably decreased, while the use of 10 single heat sinks as opposed to doubles means temperature management is even more of a concern. Straight downgrade compared to the WLF-2, but since we're talking about two variants that are separated by a major technological recovery that's to be expected.
• WLF-1A: A common field refit that tries to reduce heat load by removing the rear-mounted Medium Laser in exchange for an extra heat sink. Not much to it, just trading firepower (and reintroducing a blindspot) for reliability.
• WLF-1B: Another common field refit, this one moves the rear-facing Medium Laser to be forward-facing, meaning two Medium Lasers are on the center torso. Naturally, this introduces the rear blindspot again, but in exchange makes it able to absolutely blast other Lights that dare get close using all four torso lasers at once.
• WLF-2: The ubiquitous FedCom-era Wolfhound that was conceived in 3052, as detailed above.
• WLF-2H: The production era of the WLF-2X below. It ditches the Actuator Enhancement System so it can squeeze in an additional double heat sink, while also downgrading to standard armor since its more cost-effective to use that instead of the special anti-laser stuff. Otherwise its the same as the 2X, taking a Heavy PPC with a PPC Capacitor, two ER Medium Lasers, an ER Small Laser, and a Supercharger, all built on an Endo-Steel chassis with an eXtraLight Engine. Overall more reliable thanks to the extra heat sink but less accurate since you don't have an AES to allow fine-tuning of your aim, and of course you're vulnerable to lasers again (though even before that change you could just fire at it with physical rounds). Or well, it would be more reliable, if someone didn't botch the installation of said heat sink and introduced flaws into the cooling system. So close...
• WLF-2X: Made in the middle of the Blakist temper tantrum, the 2X was designed by one Michael Bodien from Arc-Royal using experimental technology to fight back against the rogue ComStar agents. To save weight the 'Mech is built on an Endo Steel chassis and uses an XL Engine for power, freeing up space for its heavier weapons as well as a Supercharger for extra bursts of speed. And heavy they are, since the 'Mech's main gun is a Heavy PPC seldom seen on light 'Mechs in general that's enhanced with a PPC Capacitor and an Actuator Enhancement System. For backup it still has torso lasers, consisting of two ER Medium Lasers and one ER Small Laser. And in case you thought you could laser spam it back, it laughs at you with its laser-reflective armor (until you shoot it with a Re-engineered Laser, that is). Overall this is a deadly particle sniper that can punch up extremely hard thanks to the Heavy PPC + PPC Capacitor combo, but since the amount of double heat sinks is the same as a standard WLF-2 heat management is a noted issue.
• WLF-3M: A post-Jihad refit of the 3S made & used by the former members of the Free Worlds League (which temporarily Balkanized due to the head of House Marik becoming Master of the Wobbies and destroying his own state). It changes out the ER PPC for a Light Gauss Rifle with one ton of ammunition, but in the process the 'Mech also has to remove its other armaments (the ER Medium Lasers and ER Small Laser), a half ton of armor, and two double heat sinks. The end result is a less durable one-trick pony sniper, as it can deal out a good amount of damage at a distance but sucks at CQC (which if it's getting into it, something's gone wrong anyway).
• WLF-3S: The aforementioned update to the Wolfhound that ended up being commonly used by the Lyran Alliance during the FedCom Civil War and the Lyran Commonwealth after. Made in 3064 and benefiting from further technological progress (such as reverse-engineered Clantech), its intent is to sacrifice some protection for more powerful Dakka. The 'Mech is built on an Endo-Steel chassis with a Light Engine, saving a bunch of weight to mount its increased firepower: A ER PPC replacing the ER Large Laser for sniping, three ER Medium Lasers on the front torso, and an ER Small Laser to cover the rear of it. Finally, two extra double heat sinks are attached to help with the increased heat load. The loadout is overall an energy generalist that packs a punch both at range and up close, making it perfect as a frontline soldier.
• WLF-4W: Based on the WLF-2, the WLF-4W is the first of Arc Royal's 4-series 'Mechs, being from 3069, made to be churned out to fight in the Jihad. Intended to be a midrange harasser, the WLF-4W is upgraded to have an Endo-Steel chassis so it can support its ballsy move to mount three Fusigon Longtooth Light PPCs in the torso. You read that right, three PPCs (though downsized) on one Light 'Mech. This is backed up by it taking an ER Medium Laser and ER Small Laser for when something moves inside the particle guns' minimum range. Overall, this is one scrappy 'Mech with a surprising bite, but any Mechwarrior piloting one is going to have to keep it from becoming a microwave.
• WLF-4WA: A variant of the 4W and the second 'Mech in the 4-series (being made in 3071), the 4W is essentially Arc Royal seeing how electronic warfare was favored by the Word of Blake and deciding to hit the fanatical loons with their own medicine. This is done by swapping out the arm lasers for a Guardian ECM suite. While this gives it the means to counter enemy ECM units and such, the lack of any close-range weapons means you're properly fucked if something gets inside the three Light PPCs' minimum range. Should have thought about that one...
• WLF-5: After the Wobbies were blown the fuck out by Stone and co., Arc Royal would introduce the WLF-5 in 3079 and market it alongside the still-produced 4-series. This variant is a speedster, taking various changes to make it lighter and faster - namely, building everything on an Endo-Steel chassis and using an XL engine to squeeze out 20 more kilometers an hour, and upping that even further with Myomer Accelerator Signal Circuitry (MASC), bringing its final top speed to a 150 m/s velocity able to keep up with a Fire Moth even if it is slightly slower. As for armament, the 'Mech goes all-in on particle projector cannons, taking a Hound's Tooth Snub-Nose PPC on its right arm and two Defiance 1002 Light PPCs mounted on the torso. The snubnose helps make sure its not vulnerable at close range, as does the blistering speed, so it avoids being comically weak in CQC like the 4WA. Overall a dangerous opponent able to take potshots and reposition at blinding speed. The pilot yet again is going to have to be careful about heat, though.
• WLF-6S: A Dark Age-era variant that is a special armor buster, thanks to the Large Re-engineered Laser on its right arm that it uses as its main gun. Its accuracy is increased thanks to an Actuator Enhancement System making stabilizing the weapon and aiming significantly easier. Backing that up is two ER Medium Lasers and a Small X-Pulse Laser. Finally, the platform itself is overhauled to be built on an Endo-Steel chassis, protected with Ferro-Fibrous armor, and powered by an XL Engine - the latter giving the 'Mech a blistering top speed of 111 km/h. Overall it has a surprising bite and is able to defeat armor types normally considered laser-resistant, but the Re-engineered and X-Pulse lasers make heat management a large concern for its pilots.
• Unnamed Lyran variant: No official designation since it doesn't have a full record sheet, but we do know this Lyran Alliance variant was made in the latter days of the FedCom Civil War. The 'Mech uses a light engine for its power, while for weapons it uses an ER Large Laser and four ER Medium Lasers like the WLF-2. So in essence its just an engine space efficiency upgrade that doesn't make use of the extra space provided by shrinking it down.

Grinner AKA the Wolfhound IIC

That toothy grin has seen both sides of the war between the Inner Sphere and the Clans, and killed a good amount of both as well.

A Wolfhound named Grinner was the personal 'Mech of Phelan Kell during the Clan Invasion, and got violently disassembled on first contact with the Clans, where it famously misnamed the Timber Wolf due to thinking it was a Marauder/Catapult fusion (hence the 'Mad Cat' codename) before exploding. Kell was captured by Clan Wolf, and used his secret powers of Protagonist-Fu (or more accurately the Clans' willingness for captured Mechwarrior Bondsmen to join them as per Clan tradition) to become a Mechwarrior for the Clans, resulting in the Grinner getting rebuilt with Clan-tech and becoming the sole Wolfhound IIC.

This unique 'Mech still weighs in at 35 tons, but is now built on an Endo-Steel chassis and powered by a 210-rated XL engine. Its protection is similarly improved to be 6 and a half tons of Ferro-Fibrous armor, while the number of double heat sinks is increased to 14. Its comms and targeting/tracking systems are unknown, but we do know it has an ECM suite for electronic warfare.

Weapons-wise, its main weapon is a Series 7K ER large laser mounted on the right arm - pretty standard Wolfhound stuff, but the boosts from it being Clantech cannot be ignored. Where the Clan stuff really shines, though, is in the fact its forward torso weapons are now three Kolibri Omega Series Medium Pulse Lasers, providing a significant accuracy and range boost on those. The rear spot is still covered by a Series 2b ER medium laser. As one would expect from an IIC custom, this is essentially a straight upgrade, and served Phelan Kell well for the time he used it. Eventually though he'd swap for a Clan-original Executioner instead, around the time he became Khan of Clan Wolf-in-Exile.