Triax XM-335 “Spectre” Hover Missile Tank:


One weakness the “Phantom” Hover Tank always had was the fact that few ground vehicles can keep up and during an assault often the artillery and air defense vehicles would be left behind. Various solutions were discussed including new hover craft designs. In many ways, a new hover tank design would be the most effective but a new design would be very expensive. It was decided that creating a modified version the “Phantom” into a missile support vehicle would be the most cost effective. The plan was to make as few modifications to the original design as possible. There were several important advantages beyond simple cost. These include that their factories would not have to do as much retooling as they would otherwise which would speed production. In the battlefield, the large amount of part compatibility makes repairs simply and simplifies logistics. The first hover missile tanks have entered service in the New German Republic and it has been well received by both the crews themselves and the hover tanks that they are tasked with supporting. It is planned that eventually about ten percent of hover tank units will be composed of the “Spectre” class hover missile tanks. Along with being used for heavy fire support, the vehicle is very effective in air defense roles with its large number of missiles.


The turret and all weapon system with the exception of the forward mounted rail guns are replaced with the vehicles missile launcher. The hovercraft carries a partially retractable box launcher which carries both long range and medium range missiles. The box launcher has four long range missiles and eight medium range missiles ready to fire. Both the medium range and long range launchers have an automatic reload system and the tank carries a total of 8 long range missiles and 24 medium range missiles. A larger payload of medium range missiles (Three reloads of medium range vs. two reloads of long range) was felt to be more useful on the battlefield especially in the air defense role. The rail guns carried in front are modified from the original XM-330 rail guns to fire at a greater rate of fire. These same modifications were made to the rail guns on the XM-330-A2 version of the “Phantom” Hover Tank. The smoke grenade launchers are unmodified from the original design. Triax has experimented with the use of Prismatic Aerosols in the grenade launchers to disperse laser beams used against the tank.


Designation: XM-335
Vehicle Type: Military Hover Missile Tank
Crew: Three (Pilot, Gunner, and Communications Officer). The missile tank can fit one additional passenger (normally a unit commander)


M.D.C. by Location:

Multiple Missile Battery:325
[1] Smoke Grenade Launchers (3):10 each
[1] Forward Headlight:5
[1] Main Sensor (front):20
[1] Top Access Hatch:120
[1] Belly Hatch:100
Reinforced Pilots Compartment:100
[2] Main Body:700


Notes:
[1] All indicated hit locations are small and/or difficult targets to hit. An attacker must make a called shot and has a -3 penalty as well.
[2] If all the M.D.C. of the main body is depleted, the vehicle is completely shut down and unsalvageable, but crew and troops may survive in their reinforced compartments.


Speed:
Land: 80 mph (128 kph) maximum. The hover tank rides on a cushion of air as low as two feet (0.6 meters) or as high as six feet (1.8 meters).
Water: 15 mph (24 kph). The hover system is not as efficient over water as it is over land.
Flying: Flight is not possible.
Maximum Effective Range: Effectively Unlimited by propulsion system, system does not overheat.


Statistical Data:
Length: 38 feet (11.6 meters)
Width: 20 feet (6 meters)
Height: 9 feet (2.7 meters) with missile launcher fully retracted and 12.5 feet (3.8 meters) with missile launcher fully extended.
Weight: 39 tons (35.4 metric tons) empty and 58 tons (52.6 metric tons) fully loaded
Power Source: Nuclear Fusion, Should have an average lifespan of 20 years.
Cargo: Minimal (Storage for small equipment). Tank has space for three backpacks, canteens, and rifles
Black Market Cost: Not Available, a black market knock off of the original Phantom hover tank cost around 40 million credits and would normally not have the same weapon systems.


Weapon Systems:

  1. Forward Rail Guns (2): Two rail guns are located in the front of the tank. Each can rotate up to 270 degrees and angle up to 45 degrees and down to a 15-degree angle. Each can be controlled individually or simultaneously and while normally controlled by the pilot, the weapons can be controlled by the gunner or communications officer as well. The cannons have an increased rate of fire for greater damage. Rail Guns can use depleted uranium rounds for greater damage.
    Maximum Effective Range: 4,000 feet (1200 meters)
    Mega Damage: Normal Ammo; 1D6x10 M.D.C. per burst of 60 rounds (Does not fire single shot) for one rail gun or 2D6x10 M.D.C. for both cannons. Depleted Uranium Ammo; 2D4x10 M.D.C. per burst of 60 rounds (Does not fire single shot) for one rail gun or 4D4x10 M.D.C. for both cannons.
    Rate of Fire: Equal to pilot’s hand to hand plus one
    Payload: 12,000 rounds total with 6,000 rounds each gun, That is 200 Bursts for each rail gun. The rail guns are fed by a massive drum in the main body of the tank. Reloading the drum will take an experienced field mechanic 10 minutes.
  2. Long Range Missile Launchers: Mounted underneath and in the same mounting as the medium range missile launcher. The box launcher can rotate 360 degrees and has a 75 degree arc of fire. The launcher mount has two rows of two launchers immediately ready to fire (4 tubes total) with one set of reloads. Long range missiles are normally used against large targets and aircraft further out and the medium range missiles will normally be used to engage closer targets.
    Maximum Effective Range: As per long range missile type (See revised bomb and missile tables for details.)
    Mega Damage: As per long range missile type (See revised bomb and missile tables for details.)
    Rate of Fire: Can fire missiles one at a time or in volleys of two (2) or four (4) missiles. Missile cells are automatically reloaded and are ready to fire next melee.
    Payload: 4 missile cells in the launcher with reload systems for each cell (maximum of 8 long range missiles total).
  3. Medium Range Missile Launchers: Mounted above and in the same mounting as the long range missile launcher. The box launcher can rotate 360 degrees and has a 75 degree arc of fire. The launcher mount has two rows of four launchers immediately ready to fire (8 tubes total) with two sets of reloads. Long range missiles are normally used against large targets and aircraft further out and the medium range missiles will normally be used to engage closer targets.
    Maximum Effective Range: As per medium range missile type (See revised bomb and missile tables for details.)
    Mega Damage: As per medium range missile type (See revised bomb and missile tables for details.)
    Rate of Fire: Can fire missiles one at a time or in volleys of two (2), four (4), six (6), or eight (8) missiles. Missile cells are automatically reloaded and are ready to fire next melee.
    Payload: 8 missile cells in the launcher with reload systems for each cell (maximum of 24 medium range missiles total).
  4. Smoke Grenade Launchers (4): Mounted on either side of the turret and launches smoke grenades. Fragmentation and Stun flash grenades can be theoretically substituted. See Flanker Urban Defender for details. The dispenser can dispense prismatic aerosol for dispersing laser beams. This has the same effect as prismatic aerosol grenades.
    Effect: Creates a cloud of smoke 40 ft (12 m) in diameter. Effects are obscures vision, Infrared sensors cannot penetrate smoke cloud, and those without environmental protection will have trouble breathing (-5 to strike parry, and dodge). Passive thermal equipment will work inside of smoke cloud.
    Rate of Fire: Two per melee
    Maximum Effective Range: 25 to 150 feet (7.6 to 46 meters)
    Payload: Carries 8 smoke grenades per launcher.


Special Equipment:
The Tank has all the standard features of a standard robot (including long range communication, radar, and radar tracking) plus these special features listed.



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Writeup by Kitsune (E-Mail Kitsune).


Copyright © 2001, Kitsune. All rights reserved.


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