British Firefly Expeditionary Tank:


"I`m tellin` ya mate, the Firefly might look like a Dinky Toy, all cheap lookin plastic, but when the shit hits the fan you`ll be glad to have one or two of em around. Them things carry more firepower than you`d give em credit for. Just don`t stand around em when enemy infantry decides to make a go at em. The `puter gets confused, and is likely ta fire one `o them claymores at YOU!"

- Sgt John McGee, Royal Marines


The Firefly came out of a request of the Royal Marines in 2064 for a medium armored vehicle which could provide fire support and anti-armor capabilities for a landing force. The huge Conqueror MBT which made up most of the British armies armored forces was utterly inadequate for such a job. It could barely be fitted into the Crab landing craft, and left little room for any other vehicles. With a weight of almost 100 tons it also suffered from a diminished mobility.


The Vickers Firefly was a wonderful medium tank. Utilizing mainly resin composites and ceramics in its construction, the engineers kept the weight of the tank quite low, while maintaining a adequate protection. The main hull of the tank had a low sloping profile, and a small turret was mounted on top.
Extensive use of automation meant that there were only two crew needed. Both were seated side by side in the hull, as the turret was fully automated.


Weaponry consisted of a soft recoil 120 mm Electro-thermal cannon which fired mostly various explosive rounds, but could also be used as a launcher for Short Range Missiles. It`s extremely high elevation could be used for indirect fire or, as was sometimes done in city fighting, to fire into sniper positions high up in buildings...
Further weaponry consisted of a coaxial LMG-60 coupled directly to the main power source, and a remote controlled grenade launcher on the turret roof. Lastly there were four mini-missile launchers, which were supposed to be used for missile defense. Last ditch defense against enemy infantry consisted of a series of claymore mines around the tank at chest height.


The troops received the firefly with mixed feelings. To soldiers used to the uberpanzers of the day the firefly looked rather anemic. Protection was barely adequate, and just about everybody hated the claymore mine system. Many crews went so far as to remove the mines in order to put the soldiers they had to support at ease. The other side of the coin was that the Firefly was a relatively small and maneuverable target, with considerable firepower. When used as intended, a infantry support tank, it was very successful.


Model Type: Vickers Firefly Mk II
Vehicle Type: Medium Infantry Support Vehicle
Crew: Two (Driver and Commander).


M.D.C. by Location:

[1] Tractor Treads (2):80 each
Weapon Turret:200
[2] Extendable Sensor Pod:80
Soft Recoil 120 mm Electro-Thermal Cannon:120
LMG-60 Co-axial laser:50
Grenade Launcher:60
Mini Missile Launchers (4):30 each
Smoke Dispenser (2):20 each
[3] Main Body:450


Notes:
[1] Depleting the M.D.C. of a tread will immobilize the tank until it is replaced. Replacing a tread will take 1D6x10 minutes by a trained crew (2 replacements are carried on board) or three times as long by the inexperienced. Changing the tread is only advisable when the vehicle is not under attack.
[2] Small target, -2 to hit.
[3] 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:
Ground: Cruising speed on land is 65 mph (104 kph) on roads and 60 mph ( 96.6 kph) off road maximum. The vehicle is designed to traverse virtually all terrain and can climb at up to a 60% grade although at a much slower speed (About 10% of maximum road speed). It can also climb barriers and ford trenches. The vehicle can also handle side slopes of up to 30%.
Maximum Range: Effectively Unlimited.


Statistical Data:
Height: 9.5 feet (2.9 meters)
Width: 10 feet 6 inches (3.2 meters)
Length: Main Body: 26 feet (7.9 meters)
With Gun Forward: 32.2 feet (9.8 meters)
Weight: 32 tons
Power Source: Nuclear (Should have an average lifespan of 10 years).
Cargo Capacity: Minimal, enough for equipment with crew.
Black Market Cost: Not available, should go for about 40/50 million credits when in good condition.


Weapon Systems

  1. 120 mm Electro-Thermal Smoothbore Cannon: A electro-thermal gun, this weapon was designed to have a relatively low recoil for its caliber, and to be able to be used as a light howitzer as well. The rounds were fired by vaporizing a dot of light metal at the base of the projectile, by means of a strong electromagnetic field. It can fire a variety of loads, including high-explosive (HE), high-explosive anti-tank (HEAT), and fragmentation. The cannon could also be used to launch Short Range Missiles, of which 6 were carried. The turret can rotate 360 degrees and the gun can elevate 55 degrees up and 15 degrees down. Fired by the commander.
    Maximum Effective Range: 13,120 feet (4,000 meters) for direct fire with special anti-tank rounds, 8,000 feet (2,400 meters) for direct fire on all other rounds, and 30,000 feet (9,000 meters) for indirect fire. Range for short range missiles varies by missile type (See revised bomb and missile tables for details.)
    Mega-Damage: Special anti-tank rounds inflict 3D6x10+20 (optional rule is that cannon gets a critical on a natural 18, 19, or 20 due to its high penetration), High Explosive Rounds inflict 2D4x10 with a blast radius of 20 ft, High Explosive Anti Tank inflicts 2D6x10+20 with a blast radius of 6 ft. (Fragmentation): 1D4x10, blast radius of 40 ft. Damage varies for short range missile by missile type (See revised bomb and missile tables for details.)
    Rate of Fire: A Maximum of 3 attacks per melee.
    Payload: 30 rounds, plus 6 Short Range Missiles.
    Bonuses: Has a special fire control computer that helps to aim the cannon. Gives +2 to strike with cannon and vehicle does not have minuses to fire when it is moving.
  2. Automatic Grenade Launcher: Mounted on top of the turret in a powered remote controlled mount. The commander can operate the grenade launcher from inside the Firefly and does not need to expose himself. Aiming is aided by the use of the fire control computer of the Firefly. Normally only fragmentation grenades were fired from the launcher.
    The mount can rotate 360 degrees and has a maximum elevation of 60 degrees.
    Maximum Effective Range: 3,000 ft (914 m)
    Mega-Damage: 3D6 for single shot of Fragmentation with a blast area of 12 ft, and 2D4x10 for a burst of ten rounds of Fragmentation with a blast area of 40 ft.
    Rate of Fire: Equal to combined hand to hand attacks of gunner
    Payload: 200 Rounds
    Bonuses: Has a special fire control computer that helps to aim the grenade launcher. Gives +1 to strike with launcher and launcher does not have minuses to fire when the Firefly is moving.
  3. LMG-60 Coaxial Automatic Pulse Laser: Basically the Squad Automatic laser rifle mounted above the cannon barrel and linked directly to the Firefly`s powerpack. It`s special cooling system allowed for extended bursts which, in combination with a unlimited payload, made up for the somewhat low range of this weapon. Troops who saw the coaxial mount fire were very impressed by it, and it was remarked that the coaxial mount was the reason that the troops called the Firefly by its name, instead of some of the less flattering names which initially served the Firefly.
    Maximum Effective Range: 2,000 ft (610 m)
    Mega-Damage: 2D6 per single shot, 6D6 for a rapid fire three shot burst, or use machine gun burst rules for higher burst setting.
    Rate of Fire: Equal to combined hand to hand attacks of gunner
    Payload: Effectively unlimited.
  4. Mini Missile Launchers (4): Two mounted on either side of the turret. These look suspiciously like smoke grenade launchers, but the canisters are really mini missiles. These missiles are supposed to be used to protect the Firefly from enemy missiles, and as such fragmentation warheads are standard issue. Enterprising crews have been known to switch some or all of the fragmentation rounds for AP or Plasma rounds, giving the tank a considerably enhanced anti armor punch at the expense of defensive capability.
    Maximum Effective Range: Varies with missile types, mini-missiles only (See revised bomb and missile tables for details.)
    Mega-Damage: Varies with missile types, mini missiles only (Seerevised 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 twelve (12) missiles.
    Payload: each launcher carries 6 mini-missiles for a total of 24 Mini-missiles.
  5. Claymore Mines (16): Five mines are mounted on the sides of the tank, and three more on the front and the back. Normally computer controlled, they are a last-ditch weapon against enemy infantry. The crew can override the computer, and fire the mines (or not) when needed. Since the computer was easily confused by such mundane things as mud or dust on uniforms, the system was usually set to manual...
    Maximum Effective Range: a cone 50 feet (15 meters) long and 30 feet (9 meters) wide.
    Mega-Damage: 6D6 for targets 30 feet and further away, 1D4x10 for targets closer than that.
    Rate of Fire: Can activate one (1) mine at a time.
    Payload: 16.
    Special: Uses the onboard computer to identify friend or foe, and fire the mines. Computer has a skill of 65%.
  6. Smoke generator (2): Mounted on the either side of the rear of the Firefly these generators create dense clouds of particulate smoke.
    Effect: Creates a cloud of smoke 40 ft (12 m) in diameter:
    Rate of Fire: Two per melee (continuous production)
    Range: Around tank, when moving creates smoke curtain (max. 40 meters long, 5 meters wide and 4 meters high.)
    Payload: 10 clouds per generator.


Sensory Equipment


Special Notes:



[ Altarain TM, Bandito Arms TM, Brodkil TM, Chipwell Armaments TM, Coalition States TM, Cyber-Knight TM, Federation of Magic TM, Free Quebec TM, Golden Age Weaponsmiths TM, Horune TM, Iron Heart Armaments TM, Kankoran TM, Kittani TM, Kydian TM, Larsen’s Brigade TM, M.D.C. TM, Mechanoids TM, Mega-Damage TM, Megaversal Legion TM, Millennium Tree TM, Mutants in Orbit TM, Naruni Enterprises TM, Naut’Yll, New Navy TM, New Sovietskiy TM, NGR TM, Nog Heng TM, Northern Gun TM, Phase World TM, Psyscape TM, Rifter TM, SAMAS TM, S.D.C. TM, Shemarrian TM, Splugorth TM, Stormspire TM, Sunaj TM, Tolkeen TM, Triax TM, Wellington Industries TM, Wilk’s Laser Technologies TM, Xiticix TM, and Zaayr TM are trademarks owned by Kevin Siembieda and Palladium Books Inc. ]

[ Beyond the Supernatural®, Heroes Unlimited®, Nightbane®, Ninjas & Superspies®, Palladium Fantasy®, and Rifts® are registered trademarks owned by Kevin Siembieda and Palladium Books Inc. ]


Image drawn and copyrighted by Mischa (E-Mail Mischa).

Mischa has no art home page at present but many other items on my site.


Writeup by Mischa (E-Mail Mischa )

Updated by Kitsune (E-Mail Kitsune).


Copyright © 2002 & 2009, Mischa. All rights reserved.


Return