The Skulker Scout Tank is much larger than any of its cousins, such as the Swift Wind Scout Car.   It also has a four-man crew complement, which is larger than what most wheeled scout vehicles have.   The increased size in crew and tonnage allows the Skulker to act as a mobile communications outpost as well as a reconnaissance vehicle.
         Skulker Scout Tanks are an old design based on an unknown heavy armor personnel carrier.   Although found in all parts of the Inner Sphere, the tank is most common in the Draconis Combine.

         Wheeled Scout Cars have been a popular means of information-gathering ever since the invention of the internal combustion engine.   Though any vehicle can be used as a scout car, the addition of electronic surveillance equipment has made specific scout vehicles extremely valuable.
         The Skulker is not the best recon vehicle available in the Inner Sphere because many of its systems are old and outdated, especially the antiquated Communique Equipment communications and recon systems.
         Like many recon vehicles, the Skulker is capable of deploying and monitoring various light remote sensors.   The Skulker's sensor drop compartments were designed with smaller, more compact devices in mind, however.   Newly manufactured sensors cannot be carried in the drop tubes, but must be implanted by hand, limiting the tactical usefulness of the vehicle.
         Most Skulkers do not use advanced relay equipment, such as the CeresCom Recon system found on the Swift Wind.   The cost of these systems is what keeps them from being retrofitted into the Skulker.   It is usually cheaper and more effective for an army to buy more Skulkers and then chain the communications from one tank to the next.
         The forward-mounted laser is the newest addition to most Skulkers.   There was originally a tube antenna on the front, which was later exchanged for a machine gun.   Because the crew compartment's ventilation system is poor, the buildup of fumes inside the cabin severely restricted the machine gun's use.   Finally, some sensor equipment was removed and a complete laser system was installed.

         In 3025, the Draconis Combine and the Federated Suns waged one of the bloodiest campaigns of recent years on Galtor III.   Though the Davion Forces were ultimately victorious, the Kuritans managed to inflict plenty of damage with the help of captured Skulkers.
         During most campaigns, each side usually takes many prisoners.   In this one, however, the Kurita forces had armed their Techs and used them to cover the withdrawal of the 8th Galedon Regulars.   As a result, the Galedon Tech Defense League was nearly decimated, suffering more than 91 percent casualties.   Suddenly, the Combine was no longer interested in exchanging the captured Davion Techs, because most of their own Techs were gone and they needed the prisoners' expertise for themselves.
           Federated Suns intelligence then discovered the location of the prisoner of war camp where the captured Davion Techs were awaiting transshipment to the Combine.   Rather than making a straightforward 'Mech or VTOL raid on the camp, one Davion Major Baum contrived an overly complicated plan to slip in with a task force of twelve captured Combine Skulkers and other wheeled transports, under his command.   For some reason, it was the Chief of Davion Intelligence rather than the Davion high command that gave the go-ahead.
         Task Force Baum moved out under cover of a Davion diversionary attack.   They were easily able to penetrate the Combine forward lines, but ran into trouble when they reached the rear area.   At this point, the Davion troopers were all wearing Combine uniforms and using what they thought were proper Combine passwords.   They had no way of knowing that those codes and passwords had been planted by the Kurita Intelligence services for just such a contingency.   When the improper password was given at a road block, the Kurita forces immediately radioed for help and opened fire.   Two Skulkers and four transports were destroyed before Task Force Baum broke through the road block.   A reserve recon lance was sent to intercept the column.   In the first engagement, the Davion task force lost three more Skulkers and all their transports.   The Kuritans shattered the remaining Skulkers and then hunted them down one by one.   Major Baum was captured and taken along with the Techs he had been trying to rescue, into the Draconis Combine.

         There are many variants of the Skulker, but most of these modifications are either cosmetic or electronic.   Many military units will salvage the equipment from enemy scout vehicles for use in their own.   Because the Skulker is so large, it can carry almost any piece of equipment.   The addition of the laser's heat sinks ensures that overheating will not damage the delicate electronics.

         Matahari
         "Matahari" is the name of a special stealth Skulker designed by the Capellan Confederation.   It uses several engine baffler systems found on helicopters, and communications and detection equipment similar to the Hi-Scout Drone Carrier, considered the best detection vehicle available.
         Nancy Taweei, Ronda Stundt, Isis Arditti, and Betty Saunders
         These four women are veterans of over 60 scouting missions.   Having worked for every possible House in the Inner Sphere, they are now in the employ of the 12th Star Guards.   As each woman has been given her own command, it looks as though they have plans to stay in their current posts.