| The Flash Jaguar, which has begun to enter servce in TN 1933, is a response to the South's deployment of the laser-equipped Snakeye Black Mamba. While the Panther matches the Snakeye's operational profile, the advantage of a laser sniper was also clear to Northern commanders. Northco signed an exclusive deal with Sergon Optics in TN 1931 which allowed it to guarantee a supply of laser weapons that its competitor Shaian Mechanics could not provide for its Stalking Cheetah model. Investing in a heavier laser weapon for the Flash, Northco was unwilling to replicate the Snakeye's costly stealth capabilities, especially given the strictures against a combination of stealth and laser capabilities that had been placed on them during the development of the Panther. The Flash was created by refitting standard Jaguars as snipers with the new Sergon Optics Arrowlight-14 laser rifle. This weapon requires two manipulators to hold and delivers a great deal of energy to its target, but it is a serious drain on the Gear's energy supply. The Flash carries a bank of high-density capacity capacitors on its back to provide power, but the laser must still recharge after about 20 shots. Moreover, the laser recharging system that converts the output from the Gear's engine is plagued by inefficiency. The use of the Arrowlight involved a few additional changes to the Jaguar, including stripping off all other weapons except the anti-personnel grenade launcher, a few grenades, and the vibroknife. The fragile nature of the electronic components of the Arrowlight required that the system be reinforced and armored, but the Flash's paratrooper capability was lost even with these precautions. Nonetheless, the power, range, and phenomenal accuracy of the Arrowlight make the Flash Jaguar a premier, though high-maintenance sniper model.
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