The Mech So Nice They Named It Twice – The Mad Cat / Timber Wolf Breakdown
The Mad Cat is one of the most iconic Battlemechs in all of the Inner Sphere. Or is it the Timber Wolf? It’s actually both!
In the earliest days of the Clans’ invasion, the forces of the Inner Sphere found themselves outmatched and outgunned. Not only were their enemies wielding better weapons, they were wielding ones heretofore unseen in this part of the galaxy. The advantage of surprise, knowledge, and technological prowess was embodied in the mech known to the Inner Sphere as the Mad Cat, and the Timber Wolf to the Clans. In fact, the Mad Cat was likely the first OmniMech ever encountered by the Inner Sphere.
The Mad Cat was classified as a heavy ‘Mech, boasting both heavy armor and firepower, but most distressing of all to the Inner Sphere, the speed with which to use both. But where does the Timber Wolf get its name?
As the story goes, Inner Sphere targeting computers couldn’t make sense of the design. But as it vaguely resembled a cross between the Marauder (MAD) and the Catapult (CAT) the computer kept switching between MAD and CAT when trying to identify it. From there, the rest is history and heavy firepower.
Heavy Doesn’t Mean Slow – The Mad Cat Philosophy
One of the things that made the Mad Cat such an imposing figure in the Clans’ arsenal, was its surprising speed. Boasting armor and firepower that could make an Assault Mech blush, the Timber Wolf packs a punch. But it was its incredible mobility that let it menace the Inner Sphere.
With a Starfire 375 XL series engine, and a chassis made up of Type W3 Endo-Steel, the Mad Cat was able to tap into quite a bit of speed, despite being heavily laden with armor and weapons. The reinforced Endo-Steel and the oversized fusion engine gave it a cruising speed of 86 km/h, making it much faster than other ‘Mechs of its class.
On top of that, a Timber Wolf packed in a ton of firepower. Its primary configuration was bristling with Clan technology, which made it suited to engage at whatever range it liked. At long range, a rack of two LRM-20s supported by two Extended Range (ER) Large Lasers, allowed it to rain death from afar.
But as it drew close, a pair of ER Medium Lasers, backed by a Medium Pulse Laser could help a Mad Cat finish off its prey. It even boasted a pair of Machine Guns to deal with infantry and exposed ‘Mech systems.
Putting the “Omni” in OmniMech
The Mad Cat was instrumental in the early years of the Clan Invasions. The first encounter with the Inner Sphere happened at the system known as “The Rock” in 3049. There, Phelan Kell, of Kell’s Hounds, encountered an unknown unit of Mechs while hunting pirates. In the ensuing battle, Kell was believed to have been killed (though in reality he was captured by the Clans), and the Inner Sphere was thrown into disarray.
But despite the Timber Wolf’s impressiveness, there were very few of these made. Originally designed by Clan Wolf, the Timber Wolf was a very closely guarded secret. After all, with a weapon that was both fast and heavy, Clans could take adavantage. Typically only trade, exemplary gifts, or the occasional bit of battlefield salvage meant that a Mad Cat would end up in another Clan’s army.
Had they shared info, would they have been more successful? Or would the in-fighting have never led to the invasion in the first place? Who can say?
