Helcat

Helcat
OJR Helcat
EZ-023 Panther Type Guylos Empire
Crew	1
Weight	24 tons
Depth	13.2 m
Height	5 m
Maximum Speed	190 km/h
Weapons	Small-Bore Double-barreled Laser Machinegun, AZ 20 mm Double-barreled Beam Cannon
Equipment	Composite Sensor Unit, 3D Radar Antennae, Stealth shield

The Helcat is a Panther-type Zoid, one of over 200 species of biomechanical life forms that provide the basis for TOMY’s model kit, anime, and comic based Zoids franchise.

Overview

The Helcat is a small, high-speed Zoid developed primarily for stealth and recon operations. It boasts a multitude of specialised features reflecting its role, such as highly advanced sensors, a heat dispensing system to minimise its heat signature, and a sound muffling system on its legs enabling it to run near-silently. However, the Helcat is best known for its ability to turn invisible thanks to its stealth shield, which enables it to avoid visual detection.

However, Zoids with advanced sensory equipment such as the Shadow Fox can see right through the Helcat's stealth shield. In addition, the Zoid is only lightly armed and armored, making it vulnerable to attack if it is spotted. Despite this, it is considered a highly capable machine, and technology used in the construction of the Helcat was carried on to its successor, the Lightning Saix.

Battle Story appearances

Introduced after ZAC 2056, the Zoid was a pioneer in high-speed and stealth combat. What it lacked in armour it made up for in stealth. The Helcat was designed for surprise attacks in forest and mountain regions and was nicknamed the "Jungle Assassin" because of its advanced stealth technology and its ability to engage enemy forces silently. This left more noticeable Zoids like the Command Wolf and other Republic Zoids outmatched in battle, and the Helcat would continue to be used with great effect.

Later Zoids with advanced sensors like the Shadow Fox were able to see right through the Helcat's stealth shield, and because of its weak armour it was destroyed easily. As a result, the same stealth tech would be later used on more capable Zoids like the Zaber Zang. They would continued to be used afterwords, as they were still effective on the battlefield and also would be upgraded with a more high-speed version using an Organoid system to create the Lightning Saix.

Media appearances

Marvel Zoids Comics

Helcat was one of three new Red Mutants from the Blue Moon to join Krark near the end of the UK Zoids comics series. It worked with Znake and Scarab as a commando to protect Red Scavenger's secrets. Before the comic was cancelled, Helcat fought against Zabre in the mountains.

Anime

Zoids: Guardian Force

Helcats first appeared in episode 39, "The Invisible Enemy". Van Flyheight, Fiona and Thomas Shubaltz were dispatched by the Guardian Force to investigate a series of attacks in a remote section along the Helic/Guylos border. It turned out that the attacks were being helmed by Hiltz and his thugs, who used Helcats to guard a secret cave where a core from one of the two scorpion-type Zoids needed to create the Death Stinger was being recovered.

Another Helcat featured prominently in Episode 52, "The Boy from the Ruins". After sustaining fatal damage to the Blade Liger in a battle against the Geno Breaker in the previous episode, Van falls out of his Zoid and into a river and is washed downstream. He washes ashore at a village, but the villagers offer him no help, and he faints. When Van awakens, he finds himself in a cave, with a child named Nichalo, and his Zoid; a white Helcat named "Tivrol". Van showed the boy how to pilot the Helcat. It was later revealed that Nichalo and Tivrol died while defending their village from an attack by Republican soldiers many years prior to the story, implying that Van encountered Nichalo's and Tirol's ghost.

Zoids: New Century Zero

Custom Helcat with CP-02 and CP-03.

In various episodes, Helcats appeared in New Century Zero. These Zoids were usually piloted by miscellaneous Backdraft pilots. There were several instances where these Helcats were mounted with micronized CP-02 and -03 units designed for the Zaber Fang. There was never a kit made of this variant.

Zoids: Fuzors

A black Helcat is piloted by Doug, a minor character in Fuzors. He first appears in episode 15, after being defeated by the wild Dispelow and Evo Flyer.

Video Games

The Helcat was featured in both the Zoids Saga series and Zoids VS series. It appeared as a wandering monster throughout the Zoids Saga series. In Zoids VS II (Zoids Battle Legends), the player starts the Empire Mission Mode in a Helcat Noir, and fights other Helcats later in Mission Mode.

Trading Cards

The Helcat made an appearance in the Original Battle Game and Trading Collection Card releases of Zoids Trading Cards.

Models

Help! This article is currently in pieces! If you have the instructions, or are just an expert on Zoid construction, you can help the Zoids Wiki by assembling this poor fella. Wanted edits: OER section

Original Japanese Release

• Assembly required. (Snap-together, no glue needed. Scissors or X-acto knife recommended for trimming off excess plastic bits.)
• The model's colors are moulded into the plastic, and it does not need any paint.

The Helcat includes 4 frames and a wind up motor. It is colored in a light grey and red. It has a standard pilot figure and a green canopy. As with all wind-up motor Zoids it is known to have trouble functioning properly.

New Japanese Release

NJR Helcat

The Helcat was released in a slightly new coloor scheme as a part of the NJR line. There were no changes to the model itself and included a standard pilot figure.

New American Release

The Helcat was released in the United States under a new name, Atak Kat, being that the old name might have been considered offensive. The Zoid came with an extra gun that could be mounted on the Zoid with none of the original parts needing to be removed. The Zoid itself was identical to the NJR version.

Zoids Graphics

The Helcat was released as a part of the Zoids Graphics line. This version is almost identical to the OJR version. The only difference is that the colors are brighter. The Zoid includes a Zoids Graphics Comic and a diorama set.

Helcat Noir

Helcat Noir

This version of the Helcat was released as part of the Zoids VS II line as well as the Desert Liger and the Snipe Master Blue Unicorn. This version was recolored a dark green, black and dark grey with a green canopy, and features a standard blue pilot. The colour of the caps have been known to be inconsistent. They are either shades of red or orange or a mixture of both.

The box indicates the name as Helcat but the Zoid is referred to as Helcat Noir like in the game. Like the OJR Helcat, the motor is not reliable. The box shows stickers that correspond to the NJR version, and the instruction sheet does as well, but really contains an all new custom sticker sheet.

List of Zoids

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