Panther (35t)
			Model by Peer Risch
			Edited by Primus BuS
	The prototype Panther was first built for the Star League during the closing years of the Cameron dynasty. The Panther's main function is as fire support for light and fast-moving'Mech units. It has played this role for almost three hundred years, providing covering fire for more mobile 'Mechs in mid-maneuver, whether toward or away from the enemy. For close-in work, the Panther carries four SRM tubes. Its PPC is unusual for a 'Mech of its size. Pilots discovered early in the Panther's career that it was well-suited to the dirty tactics of city fighting. The nimble 'Mech easily moves through the restricted spaces of a city, while its PPC gives it the chance of disabling all but the heaviest 'Mechs with a few aimed shots. The Draconis Combine is the only Successor State that today uses the Panther in any significant numbers. The current model, the 9R, is a compromise developed by Combine engineers. Though lacking the original Panther's sophistication, its systems are more adaptable to present-day factories.