This Inner Sphere heavy mech has the unenviable honor of sharing a weight class with the
Clan Mad Cat. While the Mad Cat is generally the better design (a typical outcome when
comparing Clan mechs to their Inner Sphere counterparts), the Thanatos holds its own and
manages to retain its usefulness by focusing its strengths in areas where the Mad Cat is
weaker. The Lack of omni weapons slots is generally
the biggest limitation that Inner Sphere mechs have in MechWarrior 4. Still, the Mad
Cat is not exceptionally strong in that category, and is thus unable to equal the Thanatos
in the ability to mount ballistic weapons. Six of its total of thirteen weapons slots are
ballistic, grouped into one set of four and one of two. A bit of a negative there; two
groups of three slots each would have been preferable. As it is, the Thanatos can carry
only one large ballistic weapon; a secondary ballistic weapon could be no more powerful
than an LBX-10 AC. If you want to mount two heavy hitting weapons on this mech, it becomes
necessary to fall back on its right-arm-grouping of three missile slots, the only other
area on the mech that can mount a full-size weapon. Still, an LBX-20 AC backed up by a
Thunderbolt or MRM40 is an imposing configuration, and one of which the Thanatos is most
certainly capable.
The ability to perform a full torso rotation is a nice
touch, especially since the Thanatos is not especially mobile. Its minimum and maximum
speeds are respectable for its weight, but its acceleration and deceleration values are
downright abysmal. Stopping and starting are not a strong point here. Jumping, however, is
a strong point, and its jump jets and ballistic nature make the mech well suited for
jump-sniping with a Gauss Rifle.
The Thanatos is also surprisingly durable. Overall, it's
one of the most viable Inner Sphere mechs to take into combat.
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Mad
Cat
