Scott's Game Room’Mech Manual: Savage Wolf Prime
While the original Timber Wolf OmniMech was developed by Clan Wolf, its battlefield prowess earned it a reputation as a near-ideal war machine amongst both the other Clans and the Inner Sphere.
As Clan Sea Fox shifted more and more towards their role as merchants and arms dealers, they decided to capitalize on the Timber Wolf’s reputation with the introduction of the Mad Cat Mk II. Intended for sale to the Inner Sphere, and using their designation for the Timber Wolf as a result, this assault ‘Mech proved a popular offering in the 3060s. It was followed by the 55-ton Mad Cat III and additional variants of each of those BattleMechs. Despite being named after the Timber Wolf, these new designs filled different niches rather than actually trying to supplant the legendary Timber Wolf.
In the 3130s, Clan Sea Fox was finally ready to introduce a direct competitor to the Timber Wolf. The Savage Wolf, marketed as the Mad Cat Mk IV to Inner Sphere customers, is built as an upgraded Timber Wolf at the same tonnage and filling the same battlefield roles. Its Prime configuration is based on the Timber Wolf D and closely matches it.
The design has proven to be popular throughout the Inner Sphere and can be found in Clan toumans, Great House militaries, and mercenary commands.
Read This First
- Watch your heat, the XXL means that you run hot
- Use your ER PPCs at range, then favor your SRMs once your target’s internals are exposed
- Your Ferro Lamellor armor gives you a tough shell, but internal damage to your torso can quickly take you out of the fight
Savage Wolf Prime
- Role: Skirmisher
- Tech Base: Clan (3136)
- Chassis: 75 tons (Endo Steel)
- Movement: 5 / 8, XXL
- Armor: 224 (Ferro Lamellor)
- Gyroscope: Armored
- Heat Sinks: 17 (34)
- Weapons:
- ER PPC × 2
- Streak SRM 6 × 4 (ammo: 30)
- Equipment:
- CASE
- Design Quirks:
- Stable
- Non-Standard Parts
- Protected Actuators
- Battle Value: 2,781
Mobility
The Savage Wolf matches the Timber Wolf on mobility. It can walk with 5 MP or run with 8 MP. That means that in clear terrain, it can achieve a +3 target movement modifier. The Prime configuration of the Savage Wolf does not mount any jump jets though, so it can get bogged down in difficult terrain.
Durability
The most notable changes between the older Timber Wolf and the Savage Wolf are related to its durability, but despite the claims of Sea Fox marketing not all of the changes are improvements.
The first upgrade is a move from Ferro Fibrous armor to Ferro Lamellor. While it has a few less points of armor than a Timber Wolf, the damage reduction of Ferro Lamellor means that it will be able to take 20-30% more damage before its armor is depleted.
Another improvement over the Timber Wolf is that the Savage Wolf’s gyroscope is armored. Together with its Stable and Protected Actuators quirks, that can help the Savage Wolf stay on its feet and in the fight.
Another internal change works against the OmniMech’s durability though. In order to mount more armor, the Savage Wolf utilizes an XXL fusion engine. In addition to generating extra heat, the larger engine means that the Savage Wolf is both more likely to suffer engine hits and unable to survive the loss of either side torso location.
The Prime configuration also has explosive ammunition in both of its side torsos. Only one slot is in each torso for a 9% and an 11% chance of taking a critical hit in those locations, but they are only protected by standard CASE, so an ammo explosion is guaranteed to disable the Savage Wolf despite the CASE system.
Altogether, the changes should mean that the Savage Wolf can take more damage before starting to degrade, but then can go from good shape to disabled faster than a Timber Wolf once its torso internals are exposed.
Weaponry
The Savage Wolf Prime’s armament largely matches the Timber Wolf D. It has an ER PPC in each arm and then two Streak SRM 6 launchers facing forward and two facing backwards in its torsos. It does drop the Timber Wolf D’s ER Small Laser, but that is unlikely to be missed by most MechWarriors. The ER PPCs allow it to hit hard out to 23 hexes with two shots that are capable of taking off heads and punching holes in armor. Then within 12 hexes, two of its Streak launchers will come into play and be able to seek critical hits inside of the holes punched by the ER PPCs.
Maximum and Expected DamageThe Prime configuration is equally dangerous in any direction. Its arm-mounted ER PPCs can turn or flip to fire in any direction. Then it can fire either the forward-facing or rear-facing SRMs, or both, depending on where its target is.
Maximum Damage for Firing ArcsThe Streak launchers are the only ammo-dependent system for the Prime. Thanks to only firing when they achieve a lock, the 30 shots in its two bins should be more than enough for most engagements.
Heat Management
The Savage Wolf Prime runs hot. It has 17 double heat sinks, which is just enough to dissipate the heat from it walking and firing its two ER PPCs. If it runs or its Streak systems fire, then it will start to overheat. A successful alpha strike on a run can cause a heat gain of 10 in a single turn. The Streak systems do work to its advantage here since they will only generate heat when they lock on and do damage, but even then a MechWarrior will need to be careful to avoid pushing their heat levels too high and risking either shutdown or a heat-induced ammo explosion.
Heat-Adjusted Maximum and Expected DamageBrawling
Just like the Timber Wolf, the Savage Wolf is not likely to be throwing any punches. While it can fight at point-blank range, its lack of lower arms and needing to give up on using its ER PPCs means that punching is almost always a poor choice. Instead it can kick when the opportunity presents itself to deliver 15 damage.
OmniMech Chassis
The Savage Wolf can be reconfigured with different equipment pods to be tailored to its missions. Its 28 tons of pod space is a half ton more than a Timber Wolf can carry, but it is more restricted in its number of open critical slots due to its XXL engine and armor. The designers opted to keep the bulk of its open slots in its side torsos with its arms more restricted than the Timber Wolf’s.
Capacity28 tonsHeadnoneCenter Torso2 slotsRight Torso7 slotsLeft Torso7 slotsRight Arm2-4 slotsLeft Arm2-4 slotsRight LegnoneLeft LegnoneThe Savage Wolf can also carry a unit of mechanized battle armor. The Savage Wolf Prime has good speed for that and only has to sacrifice its ability to fire its Streak SRMs while they are mounted.
Miniature
A plastic miniature of the Savage Wolf A is included in the Third Star League Battle Group force pack. Iron Wind Metals also offers a Savage Wolf miniature that can be built as either the Prime or A.
Playtest Notes
The above ignores the playtest rules for BattleTech’s next core rulebook. If those changes take effect, then the Savage Wolf does have a chance to survive an ammo explosion in its side torso thanks to the cap of 10 damage when an explosion occurs in a location with CASE.
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