Sturmvogel

OVERVIEW
Outside of OmniMechs, improvisation on the battlefield is rare amongst the Clans, and equally rare in preparations for the field. The Sturmvogel, however, is a decided alternative to this trend. Although currently produced as a normal 'Mech, this 'Mech first found its way onto the battlefield as a loose conglomeration of battlefield spoils. During the fighting between the Ice Hellions and Coyotes on the planet of Londerholm, several commanders found their Trinaries short of 'Mechs. One in particular, led by the Clan ristar Star Captain Edward Jerricho, was in dire need of a replacement 'Mech almost immediately. Between the shattered light Hellion 'Mechs and the heavier Coyote 'Mechs, Jerricho decided to take a chance and throw together a vaguely functional 'Mech in hopes that it would at least provide another warrior on the battlefield.

Some seven 'Mechs went into the hasty construction of the Sturmvogel, and many of the 'Mechs were not of compatible types. The ER PPC was salvaged from an assault 'Mech, but the medium pulse lasers were both salvaged from light 'Mechs. In addition, the LRM-5 is thought to have been a damaged Omni pod that could not be restored to pod status and was integrated at the last minute. The structure was a patchwork of welding, and much of the armor seemed unlikely to hold up under movement, much less weapons fire. However, by the next battle, Jerricho had a 'Mech in battle, albeit one that appeared to have seen better days. Only after its surprising performance did Jerricho decide to recommend his hastily-built Sturmvogel, and introduced it into the Coyote mainstream.

CAPABILITIES
Built as a stopgap, the Sturmvogel needed to be mobile, well-armed, and able to hit from variable ranges. The result was an eclectic, but effective, array of weaponry. Mobility is easily addressed by the 270 XL engine and the six jump jets, both of which allow the Sturmvogel to effectively move over large stretches of terrain. Its name, in fact, comes from German, meaning "stormbird" - an off reference to the jumping capabilities it has.

The armament can hit at long or short range with little problem. A massive ER PPC, an unlikely weapon for a medium 'Mech, and an LRM-5 allow appreciable long-range hitting power, while the two medium pulse lasers and the Streak SRM-4 allow the Sturmvogel to harrass any enemies that might come within range. In addition, the jump jets allow the Sturmvogel to pepper an opponent from afar, then jump in to hit harder, and jump out before being targeted.

Two major weaknesses do stand out. As could be expected, the Sturmvogel's armor was never repaired, and as such the machine suffers from slightly below-par armor. In addition, the haste of the design prevented the inclusion of more than a few heat sinks, leaving the Sturmvogel with serious heat problems when it fires all of its weapons at once.

DEPLOYMENT
Epsilon Galaxy of Clan Coyote currently features more of these 'Mechs than any other unit, although it is beginning to spread throughout the Coyote touman. The Ice Hellions have expressed some interest in the design, due to its speed and armament, and due to the continued fighting between the two Clans, it is likely that some of these machines will find their way into Ice Hellion hands.