Name: Battle Cougar
Alignment: Helic Republic
Family: Griffin
Registration Number: RPZ-22
Crew: 1-2
Height: 9 Meters
Length: 21 Meters
Weight: 60 Tons
Top Speed: Mach 3.6 (air), 240 kph (ground)
Weapons: Dual 200mm Long-Ranged Surge Cannons, Dual Short-Range AZ70mm Beam Cannon, Dual 40mm Pulse Laser Cannons, Hardened Alloy Claws, Blade, and Beak.
Special Abilities: None.
Cost:
Level: 5
The Battle Cougar, among the first air-land hybrid Zoids ever created, was originally designed by the Helic Republic for the purpose of mounting aerial assaults against extremely tough or well-armored ground targets. However, the Battle Cougar also proved to be effective surface combat and dogfighting, due to its revolutionary hybrid Griffin design. The powerful and unique scramjet system it boasts allows it move as fast as Mach 3.6, though it sacrifices maneuverability to do so. At subsonic speeds, its maneuverability is just a notch below the Redler, on par with the Zabat.
However, maneuverability and speed aren’t what makes the Battle Cougar the legend it is today. Two other unique attributes do: firstly, the fact is the fact that the Battle Cougar armor on par with the Blade Liger, making it the toughest production aerial Zoid in existence. The other unique attribute is the Battle Cougar’s 200mm Long-Ranged Surge Cannons, the largest caliber weapons to be on any production aerial Zoid. So, as far as things in the sky go, the ‘Cougar is the toughest with the biggest guns.
If that wasn’t enough, the Battle Cougar is still a formidable opponent on the ground. It’s weaponry hasn’t gone anywhere, and neither has its armor, and it has Shield Liger-grade maneuverability on top of the both of those attributes. Furthermore, take off and landing are relatively simple -- the Battle Cougar can hover up to 50 meters in the air with flaps of its powerful wings.
All in all, I’m sure anyone can see why with the Battle Cougar on its side, the Helic Republic briefly flirted with the idea of invading the Guylos Empire. However, the Empire quickly developed its own equivalent of the ‘Cougar: the Gunguyarados, a hybrid in its own right. Note that the two have been arch-rivals ever since one-another’s conception.
Weapons:
Dual 200mm Long-Ranged Surge Cannon:
Many of the Guylos soldiers who first encountered the Helic Battle Cougar described experiencing a “horrible sinking feeling” followed by “panic and uncontrollable fear” upon seeing these weapons. Mounted to either side of the ‘Cougar’s body, just underneath each wingjoint is a 200mm Long-Ranged Surge Cannon, locked facing forwards. It’s essentially a beam cannon, but there are a series of hypercapacitors located inside the cannon that empty all of their energy into the Surge Cannons, overcharging the blast. This makes this weapon even more powerful than its caliber would suggest, and fully capable of blowing straight throw lesser Zoids. Furthermore, since it was designed to hit aerial targets from on high, the Surge Cannon was designed to be Long-Ranged, and decent accuracy to distances as far out as 2 kilometers. However, because the capacitors require time to recharge, this weapon requires 6 seconds to regenerate energy after every volley (both barrels are linked and must be fired together). Also, these are of only limited utility against other aerial Zoids, but a solid hit will down most other aircraft.
Dual Short-Range AZ70mm Beam Cannons:
To supplement the Battle Cougar’s ground-attack capabilities, one AZ70mm Short-Range Beam Cannon was mounted underneath each 200mm Surge Cannon, locked facing forwards. Put simply, these are slightly smaller, longer-ranged, beam variants of the Dual Impact Cannon, such as that found on a Blade Liger. They are completely useless at ranges above 400 meters, and are most effective at ranges under 300 meters. However, they deal damage slightly less than the aforementioned Dual Impact Cannon, and boast a semiautomatic firing rate. Unfortunately, they’re often less useful in dogfighting due to the range limit and such.
Dual 40mm Pulse Laser Cannons:
Built into the joint between the two halves of the wing, the Battle Cougar’s main dogfighting weapon is a pair of fully automatic 40mm Pulse Laser Cannons. Though these do only standard 40mm Laser Cannon damage with standard accuracy, they each put out an impressive 12 rounds per second, making the Battle Cougar no joke in a dogfight. As a last note, these are locked into the wings, and face whatever the ‘Cougar faces.
Hardened Alloy Claws, Blade, and Beak:
For the most feral and rough kinds of melee combat, the Battle Cougar possesses several melee weapons. Namely, these are hardened alloy claws, beak, and a four meter long blade extending from the top of its head. Though these are strictly ornamental in aerial combat (attempting to use them at even slow aerial speeds is suicide), they’re all very useful for ripping, biting, tearing, and stabbing your enemies on the ground. Still, these weapons are something of a last fallback, given how many other weapons the ‘Cougar has...
Available Modifications:
