Timber Wolf (Mad Cat) A

         The Inner Sphere’s first brush with an OmniMech was with a Mad Cat on The Rock, Oberon Confederation, 13 August 3049. It was from a broadcast by a member of the Kell Hounds mercenary unit that Our Blessed Order learned of these machines and their mysterious masters. ComStar named this design the Mad Cat because its hunched-over torso is common to both the Marauder and Catapult. The Mad Cat is an exceptional combination of an XL Class engine, Endo Steel internal structure, Ferro-Fibrous armor, and double heat sinks.

         The most common configuration of the Mad Cat carries impressive firepower, starting with double LRM-20 racks on the shoulders. The weapons pods on the arms each contain an extended-range large laser and extended-range medium laser. The Mad Cat also incorporates pulse technology, with a medium pulse laser in its left torso. Two machine guns round out its weapon array.
         Alternate Configuration A carries a short-range missile launcher on its right shoulder instead of LRM’s, and a box-mount package of three medium pulse lasers in the left shoulder. It also features a particle projection cannon in each arm, with a small laser in the center torso.
         Somewhat less common is a version that mounts a Gauss Rifle in its right arm. Its left arm carries a large pulse laser and a small pulse laser. The version B Mad Cat makes use of the Artemis IV fire-control system for the LRM-10 rack on its left shoulder and the SRM-4 on its right shoulder.
         The Mad Cat C also concentrates more firepower in its arm weapons pods. Its right arm carries the Ultra-5 autocannon, while the left has two extended-range large lasers. These leave enough pod weight for an LRM-15 launcher on each shoulder and an anti-missile system in the left torso.
         Though rarely seen, Configuration D of the Mad Cat carries an especially unusual array of weapons. Apparently designed to fight in the enemy’s midst, this version has double Streak SRM-6 launchers mounted on each shoulder, one pointing forward, and the other to the rear. Each arm packs the devastating firepower of an extended-range particle projection cannon, and the center torso holds an extended-range small laser.

         The Mad Cat is the favorite ‘Mech of the Wolf Clan. It can claim a large share of the credit for the Wolves’ great successes and there is no apparent explanation why it appears in only moderate numbers with the other Clans.