For some time, Clan Wolf had been looking for a lighter companion to their highly successful Timber Wolf (Mad Cat) design - a complementing system of missiles and energy weapons. Khan Vladimir Ward did not want to bother with short-ranged missiles, LRMs were too heavy for a middleweight BattleMech, and the Inner Sphere's developement of Medium Range Missiles seemed a step in the wrong direction to most clan scientists. Then Clan Coyote developed their Advanced Tactical Missile System, neatly solving Khan Ward's problems. The Lobo was already on the design boards when Clan Coyote debuted their ATM. Winning the technology in a brief and bloody batchall, Khan Ward quickly ordered the Lobo redesigned to field test the ATM. The Lobo mounts a single extended range laser for jousting as it closes. In medium ranges, it relies mostly on its heavy lasers and ATMs. This is a hot-running machine, however, and in firefights its Mechwarriors have shown a tendency to risk shutdown. Fortunately, seven tons of armor and an anti-missile system allow the Lobo to stand up to some punishment during its weapons-free cool down periods. The Lobo is currently found only in Clan Wolf and has earned excellent marks. Against ComStar the machine showed a slight weakness in prolonged combat, though its heavy lasers allowed it to win out in the end.