The Panther has been a staple of the Draconis Combine Mustered Soldiery since the Succession Wars, and shows no sign of being replaced any time soon. Indeed, the year 3062 alone will see two new additions to this venerable line of Medium BattleMechs – the Panther PNT-12A and PNT-12K. The PNT-12A will be House Kurita’s foray into the use of targeting computers, and we expect its increased accuracy will have a definite impact on opposing forces’ scouting tactics. The PNT-12K, on the other hand, is destined for quite a different mission…

   Built on an Endo Steel chassis and featuring the same good mobility Panthers have always enjoyed, the -12K goes one better on its brother design by replacing 7.5 tons of standard armor with 6.5 tons of Ferro Fibrous armor, saving a precious ton of weight at a cost of only 3% of the original coverage. Making room for this bulkier armor cost the -12K its Double Heat Sinks, but the heat profile is such that the replacement Single Heat Sinks are more than adequate. This ‘Mech dispenses with the traditional backup laser as well, to make room for a new weapon tailor-made for close-in work – the Snub-Nose Particle Projection Cannon.

   The Snub-nose PPC is lighter than a standard PPC, has no minimum range and generates the same amount of heat during operation. However, there is a trade-off – the Snub-nose design cannon maintain tight particle beam focus at anything other than close range. Damage from this weapon drops off significantly at longer ranges. This is apparently not a problem with the PNT-12K; moreover, it carries a C3 slave unit, ideal for reducing the effective range of more heavily-gunned lancemates.

   Short-ranged weapons designed to be either reload-free or extremely frugal with ammunition… a tough chassis and heavy armor for a Light ‘Mech… a Command/Control/Communications link… adequate mobility and a 120-meter jump… all of this points to a ‘Mech which is ideally suited for fighting in cities and in mountainous terrain. The Panther PNT-12K is an infighter meant to clean out cityscapes in short order and guide munitions from larger guns onto targets it cannot handle alone.

Sho-sa (Major) Hiromi Momohara
    This MechWarrior is a standout in the DCMS - a woman whose ability, determination, discipline and force of will forged a career through traditionally male-dominated ranks. Born in 3027 to a middle-ranking Army officer, she enrolled in the Dieron District Gymnasium in 3044 and graduated three years later near the top of her class.

    Her first assignment was to a Light Recon lance, where she was relegated to piloting a broken-down Panther PNT-9R. Hard fighting and quick thinking earned her a good reputation, as well as priority on repairs. Soon, Momohara’s lance enjoyed a success rate that was the envy of her Regiment. Blessed (or cursed, depending on your viewpoint) with good looks, Chu-i (Lieutenant) Momohara successfully resisted the temptation to use her sex appeal as a tool for career advancement, opting instead to ‘do it the hard way’.

    A transfer from her Panther to one of the first Maulers ever deployed only enhanced her career. Although it massed nearly three times her original ‘ride’, Chu-i Momohara piloted the new Assault ‘Mech to victory during a border skirmish with the Lyran Alliance in early 3049. Although Combine ‘Mechs suffered several demoralizing losses in the city due to guerilla tactics employed by local militia, Momohara nevertheless was instrumental in taking nearly complete control of the planet’s major population centers before being abruptly recalled. Departing with the rest of the Combine forces, she soon found herself tasked with an even greater challenge – that of repelling the Clan Invasion.

    Twelve years later, Sho-sa (Major) Momohara is back in the cockpit of her beloved Panther, a PNT-12K version just recently introduced to her Regiment. She has since married and is even now contemplating retirement from the DCMS when her twenty years are up. Disciplined and yet extremely resourceful in the cockpit, Hiromi Momohara is currently training junior MechWarriors in effective city fighting. Her experience with the Mauler gave her insights into the strengths and weaknesses of the larger ‘Mechs, and taught her the value of close teamwork, lessons she now passes on to a new generation of thirty-first century samurai.