Here we have a seminal battlemech design. Along with the Mad Cat, the Thor, the Loki, the
Cougar, and the Daishi, it is one of the original Clan Mechs introduced into the
BattleTech universe. The Vulture traditionally fulfills a fire-support role; lightly
armored, with primarily long-range weaponry. You are free to modify the armor, of
course, but leaving long-range weaponry on the mech is a fine idea. It doesn't have quite
the tonnage for weapons of the Argus, the Inner Sphere design that fills the same weight
class, but it has eight missile slots and two omni slots. Two sets of three beam
slots allow for an excellent range of support weapons. The Vulture can pack any kind of missile (two of any kind, in fact), but LRMs fit
the design especially well. With a little effort, it's possible to squeeze 5 LRM20s
into the mech with two tons of ammunition for each; one can be downgraded to an LRM15 if
things are tight. This kind of salvo can devastate even the largest of mechs with
only a few volleys, frequently knocking targets over in the process. Also, the
vulture is one of a few mechs that can turn its torso a full 360 degrees. Is that
big, bruising Daishi with its AC20s getting too close for comfort? Start walking the
other way; use your speed advantage to keep him at distance. Just keep your business end
pointed in his direction and be careful not to walk into any buildings.
Missile weapons score especially well in attrition and team
attrition matches. The Vulture is therefore a good choice for those contests, but its
combination of speed and firepower really mean that there are few scenarios where it is
not a worthy choice. It's also a surprisingly durable mech, one of the best in the game.
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Argus
