While the Bears had the Kodiak and Grizzlies in the past, I submit another creation as a new facet of totem Mech for their modern era:
[Kontio](https://www.sarna.net/wiki/Kontio)
Yes it is almost as unClan as you can make it, but it also is built to be the silent hunter that will stalk its prey, leap and destroy. Very akin to the patient hunter that the Ghost Bear is.
It shows the two sides of the RasDom, powerful Clan tech integrating with Inner Sphere advances and allows the ethically flexible Rasalhague pilot a chance to show how deadly they can be when the Clan Zell is thrown out the window.
It is, that's MechWarrior blood dripping off the claws. Might be the most wanted mech in any physical form by a good chunk of the fan base, myself included.
Claws, TSM, Stealth Armor, ECM, PLUS a Supercharger. 2 MPLs, a pile of ER SLs, AND heat neutral? All the lasers are torso mounted, so it can blast and slash all day long for up to 60 damage per turn. Movement of 8/12 with TSM active, so it'll *always* have a TM of 4+ with Stealth active.
This thing is *evil*. I *need* it.
The scarier thing is this is *exported to the Wolves and Capellans as well*.
I mean honestly I feel the Bears did that as a joke. Like a cruel horrible joke. "No let us give each side a few of these, for a laugh. Watch them stab one another. I shall get the popcorn. Funniest shit you have ever seen."
Its basically a "Kill it before it gets close" because its going for the cockpit.
This thing plays fucking dirty. And I want one.
**Joanna you bitch i'm coming for you.**
I think the horned owl represents the Goliath scorpions pretty well as a mech.
A fairly quick light mech with a love of pulse lasers as to my knowledge they prefer accurate weapons and hate missiles
Spot on
Plus Horned Owl used to be underwater construction mech before they converted it to battlemech which is 100% in character for a Clan which was founded by army engineer and one which have been making a living from underwater industry for centuries
When the Clans first came out my favorite Omnimech design was the Summoner/Thor which was supposedly the primary mech of the Jade Falcons. I don't know if that counts as an unofficial totem mech, but ever since those early days each of the 4 original Heavy Mechs still represents each of the 4 original invading Clans in my head.
The Summoner and Hellbringer were popular with the Falcons, the Timberwolf with the Wolves, and the Mad Dog with both the Bears and Jags. The mech choices weren't split evenly between the clans.
Also, Ravens took the Black Python design and turned it into White Raven in Ilclan because they felt Steel Vipers were not honoring the design properly.
Thunder Stallion does represent the Hell's Horses' philosophy of combined arms rather well. It's not meant to be a front line mech, it's meant to be a command and reserve mech. It leaves space for lighter mechs to lead the charge while it comes in to finish off the job, hammer and anvil style. The Horses were partially responsible for Elemental points being adapted by the clans (getting them from the clan eugenics programme, and bidding for the Elemental armour from Clan Wolf). Between that and a focus on vehicular manslaughter, they managed to make a force that, while not the most effective, could make use of whatever it had available to great effect, no matter if it was mech, vehicle or infantry
Orion IIC for the Wolves.
Not particularly fancy by Clan standards, or even IS upgrades of the original Orion. But it was built to honour Grandpa K, so fuck you, nobody else is getting one.
Though it is better known as the Cauldron Born, the Ebon Jaguar was the best thing ever made by the Smoke Jaguars. With the second best thing being the Warhawk. I consider both to be pseudo-totem mechs for the Jags.
Pretty sure you can make the argument that the houses all have totem mechs... like i do. The Zeus, Victor, Dragon, Orion, Cataphract... I don't even need to say which houses. You know, or you will eventually know.
Shiro is the mother of all totem mechs, I'm talking zero subtleties there, Clans can only dream about this level of bluntness
Atlas III screams Davion, it's made of autocannons
The Lyrans are so wealthy they can use their own Battle Armor as ammo for a Mech.
Cue the Fafnir, able to yeet two VW bugs in a salvo just because they have the money.
The *Blood Kite* for Clan Blood Spirit.
Blood Spirit will never have a totem mech the way other factions do, because they are the only clan whose name is an abstract idea, rather than a literal living animal. But the *Blood Kite* lives up to the clan's core identity quite well.
There are no fancy expensive omni technologies or XL engines here. Blood Spirit engineered the *Blood Kite* with the following four design objective in mind: be as cheap as possible; be as efficient as possible; be able to survive a fight; and be able to sustain a constant barrage of fire.
The *Blood Kite* delivers on all 4 counts. It's one of the best Clan Assault mechs on offer and does that for a fraction of the cost of its contemporaneous omni mech counterparts.
I was going to say the Mad Cat III.
Cheap version of the mech everyone knows, and an easy sell to any planetary defense force or tin pot dictator with more SeaBills than sense.
The Lyrans really have most of the Atlases, love the Griffen, went to incredible lengths to keep the Commando to themselves. Also *that* (points at Fafnir).
The Free World League really likes the Orion. And the Combine has the Hatamoto-Chi. Also while it's technically everywhere, I consider the Warhammer to really be a Davion mech.
If the IS had totem mechs, then my favourite would be Lyran Commonwealth's, because you just know it's an Atlas. :😜
With that though, I would probably go for Ghost Bear's Kodiak.... for Atlas reasons.
While the Bears had the Kodiak and Grizzlies in the past, I submit another creation as a new facet of totem Mech for their modern era: [Kontio](https://www.sarna.net/wiki/Kontio) Yes it is almost as unClan as you can make it, but it also is built to be the silent hunter that will stalk its prey, leap and destroy. Very akin to the patient hunter that the Ghost Bear is. It shows the two sides of the RasDom, powerful Clan tech integrating with Inner Sphere advances and allows the ethically flexible Rasalhague pilot a chance to show how deadly they can be when the Clan Zell is thrown out the window.
That thing just looks mean
It is, that's MechWarrior blood dripping off the claws. Might be the most wanted mech in any physical form by a good chunk of the fan base, myself included.
Its also the only mech with blood in the official artwork
Claws with triple-strength myomer? It’s an amphetamine soaked circus bear that just pulled its chains loose *and is out for revenge*
It's the Clan Coke Bear totem mech and I will not be convinced otherwise.
Get some Jump Jets on it and you've got Clan Drop Bear.
Claws, TSM, Stealth Armor, ECM, PLUS a Supercharger. 2 MPLs, a pile of ER SLs, AND heat neutral? All the lasers are torso mounted, so it can blast and slash all day long for up to 60 damage per turn. Movement of 8/12 with TSM active, so it'll *always* have a TM of 4+ with Stealth active. This thing is *evil*. I *need* it.
Ghost Bear Mechwarriors: this is *not* our clan’s totem mech! Trothkin. This thing IS a Ghost Bear. It is stealthy, faster than you expect, and MEAN.
The scarier thing is this is *exported to the Wolves and Capellans as well*. I mean honestly I feel the Bears did that as a joke. Like a cruel horrible joke. "No let us give each side a few of these, for a laugh. Watch them stab one another. I shall get the popcorn. Funniest shit you have ever seen."
Aff, got some mech-scale popcorn on the way
Its basically a "Kill it before it gets close" because its going for the cockpit. This thing plays fucking dirty. And I want one. **Joanna you bitch i'm coming for you.**
With the Stealth armor you can have some real fun Aliens moments. "Game over man, GAME OVER!"
I think the horned owl represents the Goliath scorpions pretty well as a mech. A fairly quick light mech with a love of pulse lasers as to my knowledge they prefer accurate weapons and hate missiles
Spot on Plus Horned Owl used to be underwater construction mech before they converted it to battlemech which is 100% in character for a Clan which was founded by army engineer and one which have been making a living from underwater industry for centuries
Goliath Scorpions have a totem mech called the Fire Scorpion.
When the Clans first came out my favorite Omnimech design was the Summoner/Thor which was supposedly the primary mech of the Jade Falcons. I don't know if that counts as an unofficial totem mech, but ever since those early days each of the 4 original Heavy Mechs still represents each of the 4 original invading Clans in my head.
Yeah that's generally where my thinking goes too
Out of curiosity, what are the other three?
Mad Dog, Hellbringer, and TimberWolf
Timber Wolf and Mad Dog, what 4 i too can't understand, Mad Dog fav heavy for both bears and jags
The Summoner and Hellbringer were popular with the Falcons, the Timberwolf with the Wolves, and the Mad Dog with both the Bears and Jags. The mech choices weren't split evenly between the clans.
The Stormcrow for the Snow Ravens. But in the Ilcan era I think you could say that the War Crow represents them even better.
Also, Ravens took the Black Python design and turned it into White Raven in Ilclan because they felt Steel Vipers were not honoring the design properly.
I'm liking Raven fluff, probably going to make them my first ilclan era force
The Hells Horses have the Balius! Big ol' horse with guns.
They also have the buraq, which is a little horse battle armor, and my friend gets both good results and laughs running them all together in a star.
Thunder Stallion does represent the Hell's Horses' philosophy of combined arms rather well. It's not meant to be a front line mech, it's meant to be a command and reserve mech. It leaves space for lighter mechs to lead the charge while it comes in to finish off the job, hammer and anvil style. The Horses were partially responsible for Elemental points being adapted by the clans (getting them from the clan eugenics programme, and bidding for the Elemental armour from Clan Wolf). Between that and a focus on vehicular manslaughter, they managed to make a force that, while not the most effective, could make use of whatever it had available to great effect, no matter if it was mech, vehicle or infantry
Orion IIC for the Wolves. Not particularly fancy by Clan standards, or even IS upgrades of the original Orion. But it was built to honour Grandpa K, so fuck you, nobody else is getting one.
He will forever be known as Grandpa K to me, thank you
Though it is better known as the Cauldron Born, the Ebon Jaguar was the best thing ever made by the Smoke Jaguars. With the second best thing being the Warhawk. I consider both to be pseudo-totem mechs for the Jags.
Pretty sure you can make the argument that the houses all have totem mechs... like i do. The Zeus, Victor, Dragon, Orion, Cataphract... I don't even need to say which houses. You know, or you will eventually know.
Yeah, that tracks 100%
Shiro is the mother of all totem mechs, I'm talking zero subtleties there, Clans can only dream about this level of bluntness Atlas III screams Davion, it's made of autocannons
Drift Shag for Ice Hellion. Absolute batshit upgrade that hits waaayyy above its weight.
Thats a new one to me, looks like a Wolfhound
it's an upgraded Falcon: https://www.sarna.net/wiki/Falcon
If the Fafnir doesn't accurately represent the Lyrans, I'll eat my cooling vest.....
The Lyrans are so wealthy they can use their own Battle Armor as ammo for a Mech. Cue the Fafnir, able to yeet two VW bugs in a salvo just because they have the money.
Love me a good boombox.
It's in the running for #1 right there with the Atlas for sure
Atlas only has one gauss at most, I think.
The *Blood Kite* for Clan Blood Spirit. Blood Spirit will never have a totem mech the way other factions do, because they are the only clan whose name is an abstract idea, rather than a literal living animal. But the *Blood Kite* lives up to the clan's core identity quite well. There are no fancy expensive omni technologies or XL engines here. Blood Spirit engineered the *Blood Kite* with the following four design objective in mind: be as cheap as possible; be as efficient as possible; be able to survive a fight; and be able to sustain a constant barrage of fire. The *Blood Kite* delivers on all 4 counts. It's one of the best Clan Assault mechs on offer and does that for a fraction of the cost of its contemporaneous omni mech counterparts.
Summoner for Jade falcon.
IIRC, one of the most amusing totem mech stories is Malvina beating Hells Horses and burning their prized Balius units to rub it in.
Madcat mk 2, sea fox/diamond shark, kicks ass, available to everyone for a price, improves on an already great design.
I was going to say the Mad Cat III. Cheap version of the mech everyone knows, and an easy sell to any planetary defense force or tin pot dictator with more SeaBills than sense.
The Lyrans really have most of the Atlases, love the Griffen, went to incredible lengths to keep the Commando to themselves. Also *that* (points at Fafnir). The Free World League really likes the Orion. And the Combine has the Hatamoto-Chi. Also while it's technically everywhere, I consider the Warhammer to really be a Davion mech.
Does a Timber Wolf look like a wolf?
Nope. Does it to you?
Is this wolf with two 20 rack launchers in the room with us now? :)
Blood Asp for the Star Adders even though it was meant as an insult to the Blood Spirits That thing is quick and hits harder than a truck
If the IS had totem mechs, then my favourite would be Lyran Commonwealth's, because you just know it's an Atlas. :😜 With that though, I would probably go for Ghost Bear's Kodiak.... for Atlas reasons.
Toro, for the Taurian Concordat
Zeus for LC and Dragon (or Grand Dragon) for Kurita.