Thunder Fox

Thunder Fox
Production information
Manufacturer	Skobel ’Mech Works,[1] Defiance Industries[1] Luthien Armor Works[1]
Production Year	3077[2]
Model	TFT-A9
Class	Medium
Cost	4,953,671 C-bills[2]
Technical specifications
'Mech type	Inner Sphere BattleMech
Mass	55 tons
Chassis	Dennenbach-Mitchell Series 8 - Modified[1]
Armor	Krupp 205 Light Ferro-Fibrous w/ CASE[1]
Engine	DAV 220[1]
Communications System	Skobel Wave 13[1]
Targeting Tracking System	Matabushi Sentinel[1]
Heat Sinks	10 Double heat sinks[1]
Speed	64[1] km/h
Jump Jets	Rawlings 60[1]
Armament	1x light Gauss rifle[1] 1x ER large laser[1] 1x Streak SRM 4[1] 1x ER small laser[1]
BV (2.0)	1,325[1][2][3]

Description[edit]

The Thunder Fox is a medium Quad BattleMech that was produced at the end of the Jihad, thanks to an engineer named Lara Harman. Harman, a former Mitchell Vehicles designer, secretly - and principally - combined the Blue Flame Quad 'Mech's design specs with other Blakist designs to conceive the Thunder Fox. The design became popular with the newly formed Republic of the Sphere. It was later exported to the Draconis Combine and Lyran Commonwealth.^[1]

By the 3130s, the design fell into the hands of many of the splinter groups or pirates that ravaged the Republic of the Sphere after the HPG Blackout. These included the Steel Wolves, the Swordsworn and the Spirit Cats.

Weapons and Equipment[edit]

The Thunder Fox's principal weaponry includes a Corean light Gauss rifle and a Diverse Optics Sunbeam extended-range large laser. The rifle has been given only a ton of ammunition to consume. When the 'Mech is in close range, the Fox has a Guided Technologies 2nd Gen 4-tubed Streak SRM Launcher and a Diverse Optics extended-range small laser to rely on. The launcher only has one ton of ammunition, which is located in the right torso, along with the light Gauss rifle's ammunition. Protecting the 'Mech from an ammunition explosion, the right torso has been fitted with CASE to defend against such crippling damage.^[1]

To make up for its 64 km/h speed the 'Mech can use its Jump Jets, which allow the 'Mech to jump 90 meters to prevent enemies from attacking it from behind, or to help it move in difficult terrain.^[1]

The 'Mech's hull is protected by 9 tons of light ferro-fibrous armor.^[1]

Variants[edit]

• TFT-C3 

  An experimental variant intended for command and training, developed by the Draconis Combine in 3085.^[4] This variant removes the light Gauss rifle for a Cockpit Command Console and a C3 command unit, the ER small laser for an ER medium laser, and then adds a medium X-pulse laser instead of the Streak SRM-4. The variant also trades the A9's jump jets for mechanical jump boosters for each leg. All of these changes have been made possible by replacing the standard Fusion engine of the A9 variant with a light fusion engine.^[1] BV (2.0) = 1,104^[5][4]

• TFT-L8 

  A Lyran Commonwealth variant developed in 3082,^[6] which shares a strong resemblance to the Thunder Fox's parent design, the Blue Flame. The L8 uses the Blue Flame's 275-rated XL fusion engine, which allows it reach 85 km/h. The design's jump jet quantity is also increased to match its cruise movement. The design is mainly armed with a pair of snub-nose PPCs and an LB 10-X autocannon.^[1] BV (2.0) = 1,513^[7][6]

• TDF-F11 

  This Dark Age era variant fielded in 3119^[8] is protected by over twenty tons of Hardened Armor. The head carries a Clan-built ER PPC and a targeting computer in a head turret. To make room for the turret, this Thunder Fox uses a torso-mounted cockpit. To make room for the torso cockpit, it uses a compact gyro and a larger XXL engine allows it walk at 58 km/h while reaching a top speed of 74 km/h. It also has five standard jump jets, allowing it to cover 150 meters in a single jump. BV (2.0) = 2,426^[9][8]

Dark Age Variants[edit]

The following variants were released during WizKids' Age of Destruction release. There are no canon specs or record sheets for these variants.

• TFX-A1

  A Steel Wolves and Stormhammers variant.^{[citation needed]}

• TFX-A1

  A Swordsworn variant.^{[citation needed]}

• TFX-B1

  Spirit Cats variant^{[citation needed]}

• TFX-B2

  "Frigga" A Rasalhague Dominion variant.^{[citation needed]}

• TFX-B4

  "Bartlby"^{[citation needed]}

• TFX-C4

  "Twinkletoes"^{[citation needed]}

Design Quirks[edit]

The Thunder Fox has the following Design Quirks:^[10]

• Easy to Maintain

Related Designs[edit]

• Blue Flame - The inspiration for the Thunder Fox

Notes[edit]

The Thunder Fox was originally introduced to the BattleTech universe by WizKids in their MechWarrior: Age of Destruction Collectible Miniatures Game. Originally introduced as the TFX-A1 Thunderfox, the 'Mech was not given BattleTech-style stats. Technical Readout: 3085 was the premiere of a base model developed during the Jihad. It is unclear if Dark Age variants (which were not given full stats) are canon as of this writing.

BattleMech Gallery[edit]

• 

  Thunder Fox figure from Mechwarrior: Age of Destruction

References[edit]

Bibliography[edit]

• Master Unit List
• MechWarrior: Age of Destruction
• Record Sheets: 3085 Print Edition
• Record Sheets: 3085 Unabridged - The Cutting Edge
• Record Sheets: 3145 New Tech, New Upgrades
• Technical Readout: 3085