Scott's Game Room’Mech Manual: Pouncer H
After the invention and proliferation of heavy lasers, many Clan OmniMechs received standard configurations making use of the new weapons. For the Pouncer, the new H configuration was inspired by the existing D configuration with its triple ER medium lasers in each arm replaced by a pair of heavy medium lasers.
Clans Wolf and Wolf-in-Exile are the primary users of the Pouncer, but it is not an exclusive design. In the 3100’s, it can be found in the forces of every Clan in the Inner Sphere, the Scorpion Empire, and mercenary units.
Read This First
- Get within 3 hexes of targets and blast them
- 10 damage hits are enough to blow holes in the rear armor of most targets, so you make a great backstabber
- The Streak SRMs are good at finding holes in armor to try to get critical hits
- Have a plan for cooling off following any attempted alpha strikes
- Remember that you have a light ’Mech’s armor so try not to be an easy target
Pouncer H
- Role: Striker
- Tech Base: Clan (3062)
- Chassis: 40 tons (Endo Steel)
- Movement: 6 / 9, XL
- Jumping: 5
- Armor: 115 (Ferro Fibrous)
- Heat Sinks: 15 (30)
- Weapons:
- Streak SRM 6 × 2 (ammo: 15)
- Heavy Medium Laser × 4
- Heavy Small Laser
- Equipment:
- Targeting Computer
- CASE
- Design Quirks:
- Weak Head Armor (2)
- Battle Value: 1,784
Mobility
The Pouncer’s movement profile is okay, but not great. On the ground, it can walk with 6 MP or run with 9 MP. Its jump jets provide it with 5 jump MP. Either jumping or running, it can achieve a +3 target movement modifier. In the H config, it wants to use its mobility to get within 3 hexes of targets so that it can get the most out of its heavy medium lasers.
Durability
The armor on the Pouncer is a little below average for a 40-ton BattleMech. It also suffers from the Weak Head Armor quirk so that a lucky hit from any 10 damage weapon will end the life of its MechWarrior. In the H configuration, it carries a ton of CASE-protected ammo in its right torso. A critical hit there has an 11% chance of hitting that bin and destroying the Pouncer’s entire right side.
Weaponry
The Pouncer H has four heavy medium lasers as its primary weapons. These match the range of Inner Sphere medium lasers but hit twice as hard. A targeting computer counters the inherent inaccuracy of the heavy lasers. With the potential to deliver four 10 damage hits, the H config can quickly blast holes in a target’s armor. Then once internals are exposed, two Streak SRM 6 launchers can deliver a dozen hits to attempt to damage critical systems. A heavy small laser rounds out the arsenal.
Maximum and Expected DamageAll of the lasers are mounted in the Pouncer’s arms. With the ability to flip its arms, that means that it can fire its primary weapons in any direction. The SRM launchers are torso mounted though, so they can only be fired into its front arc.
Maximum Damage for Firing ArcsThe two Streak SRM 6 launchers share a single bin of ammunition. That allows for a total of 15 salvos to be fired. Thanks to not wasting missiles on misses though, that should be more than enough for most engagements.
Heat Management
The H configuration’s numerous heavy lasers contribute to it running hot. Its 15 double heat sinks can dissipate 30 heat in a turn, but an alpha strike will generate 39 heat. It can also generate as much as 5 heat from its movement when jumping. In actual use, the situation is not as bad as those numbers imply though. The four heavy medium lasers generate 28 heat, so the Pouncer can fire those at a run while staying heat neutral. Then the SRMs are Streak systems, so they will only generate heat in the turns when they actually lock and hit. All together, that means that a MechWarrior is able to run and try to fire everything other than the small heavy laser. If one SRM locks, the Pouncer will overheat by 4 and not face any penalties. If both fire, the situation is worse with penalties to movement and accuracy, but it also means that a dozen missiles just hit its target. After a turn in which the missiles fired, the Pouncer can hold fire with some of its lasers to cool back off and potentially jump out of sight for a turn if it is all the way up to 8+ heat. The heavy small laser can also be used at point blank range in exchange for one of the mediums to reduce the heat burden for a turn.
Heat-Adjusted Maximum and Expected DamageBrawling
Like many Clan machines, the Pouncer is not built to brawl. Its lack of lower arms means that its punches suffer +3 modifiers to their to-hit numbers and only deal 2 damage. That is vastly out performed by the heavy lasers mounted in its arms. Instead, it is better off kicking for 8 damage.
OmniMech Chassis
The Pouncer is an OmniMech, so it can have its pod-mounted equipment swapped between engagements. It loses some flexibility due to its built-in jumpjets, but still has 15.5 tons of pod space.
Capacity15.5 tonsHeadnoneCenter TorsononeRight Torso3 slotsLeft Torso5 slotsRight Arm5-7 slotsLeft Arm5-7 slotsRight LegnoneLeft LegnoneMiniature
A plastic Pouncer Prime is included in the Alpha Strike Box Set, and it works well to represent any Pouncer configuration on the table.
Sources
