Golden Age Weaponsmiths Leopard 2 Main Battle Tank:


While the United States operated the Abrams Main Battle Tank, the Canadian Military adopted the German Leopard 2 tank. Initially, the tanks were borrowed from Germany but they were later acquired permanently and larger numbers were purchased. In most ways, the Abrams and Leopard designs were quite comparable. They carry basically the same main gun and have similar protection. Their mobility is similar as well.


Of course, by the coming of the Rifts, the Leopard 2 tanks had been long retired. The revolution is super strong alloys and composites had made them virtually obsolete. Still, like the Abrams, many were kept in storage and due to their remote locations, more survived than one might expect. Some of these have been recovered and been then rebuilt. Golden Age has upgraded a number of these tanks. What is also surprising how, even though the design was considered obsolete long before, effect the tank can be with a few modest upgrades.


The most important upgrade to the design is the armor. The steel, tungsten, and composite armor of the original Leopard 2 simply is not able to withstand the damage of the weapon carried by most vehicles which it might encounter. New armor materials replace these, a combination of incredibly strong composites and alloys. Still, the original structure is not modified and the tank is still comparatively fragile. Most new tanks are far able to withstand damage than the rebuilt Leopard.


The 120 mm main gun is slightly longer than the main gun on the Abrams although performance is extremely close in most respects. Payload, like the Abrams is 42 rounds. The weapon uses the same basic ammunition as the much newer “Iron Fist” tank. Wellington Industries, as well as a number of other companies, make a variety of ammunition types for this weapon. For dealing with other armored vehicles and robot vehicles, armor piercing discarding sabot rounds are generally the most effective. As much be expected, the most commonly carried ammunition is of this type. Like the M1 Abrams, the Leopard 2 lacks an automatic loader. Most newer tanks used an automatic loader because it reduces required crew by one, allowing four tanks to be crewed for every three older tanks.


The medium machine guns carried on the Leopard 2, even when upgraded with Wellington Ammunition are general considered substandard. The tank mounts one 7.62 machine gun coaxial to the main gun and a second is controlled by the tank’s loader above the turret. While these are not replaced unless requested by the owners, upgrades are common either when rebuilding or by the owners. Common weapons include pulse laser weaponry and light / medium rail guns. In the case of energy weapons, the weapons must have a power source mounted with them. For the commander's mount, an automatic grenade launcher is also popular.


For defensive measures, the Leopard 2 is fitted with sixteen smoke grenade launchers with eight per side. While smoke grenades are standard, special purpose grenades such as missile decoy and tear gas grenades can also be fires. The main battle tank can have one additional weapon system fitted. His is usually a missile launcher of some type. Most common are mini-missiles although some crews prefer short range or even medium range missiles.


As far as the automotive system of the tank, that is not greatly modified. The tank mounted a limiter which gave the Leopard 2 a top speed of around seventy-two kilometers per hour. This was partially for safety reasons and also to reduce stress on the tracks. The tracks are replaced with new composite and alloy materials which allows for operation at higher speeds. With modifications, top speed of the Leopard 2 is about one hundred kilometers per hour. Speed is less when operating off road. The problem is most often fuel. While the 1500 horse power diesel engine is more fuel efficient than the gas turbine engine of the M1 Abrams, it has more problems with the poor quality fuel often found in the post Rifts World.


Electronics are not upgraded with the main battle tank having a combat computer which allows for firing while the tank is moving. As well, the tank has nigh vision and thermal imagining systems. The Leopard 2 also has periscopes to be able to look over the top of terrain with a variety of magnifications. Finally, the tank is fitted against chemical, biological, and radiological attacks although not fitted with full life support. It is fitted with a powerful air conditioning system to operate in hot climates.


Model Type: GAW Leopard 2A6M CAN
Vehicle Type: Main Battle Tank
Crew: Four (Driver, Commander, Gunner, and Loader)


M.D.C. by Location:

[1] Tractor Treads (2):50 each
Weapon Turret:145
120 mm L55 M256 Rheinmetall smooth-bore gun:100
Coaxial FN MAG 7.62 mm Machine Gun:10
Loader FN MAG 7.62 mm Machine Gun:10
Smoke Grenade Launchers (8):5 each
[2] Main Body:290


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] If all the M.D.C. of the main body is depleted, the vehicle is completely shut down and is unsalvageable.


Speed:
Ground: Cruising speed on land is 62.14 mph (100 kph) on roads and 57.17 mph ( 92.0 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: 330 miles (550 km)


Statistical Data:
Height: 9.84 feet (3.0 meters)
Width: 12.30 feet (3.75 meters)
Length: Main Body: 25.23 feet (7.69 meters) and with Gun Forward: 32.71 feet (9.97 meters).
Weight: 68.67 tons (62.3 metric tons)
Power Source: Diesel (MTU MB 873 KA-501 Liquid-cooled V-12 Twin-Turbo Diesel Engine - Produces 1,479 hp at 2600 rpm) - Used standard diesel fuel
Cargo Capacity: Minimal, enough for equipment with crew. Usually each crew carries a pistol, light carbine, and usually the tank carries a rocket launcher for defense against other armor if force to evacuate the tank.
Black Market Cost: 140,000 Credits. If fitted, any extra weapons systems will add to the cost of the tank.


Weapon Systems

  1. 120 mm L55 M256 Rheinmetall smooth-bore gun: Very similar to the Iron Fist's main cannon although the Leopard 2 does not have an auto loader. The gun can fire a wide variety of loads, including high-explosive (HE), high-explosive anti-tank (HEAT), armor-piercing explosive (AP),and armor piercing sabot-discarding solids (APSD). The turret can rotate 360 degrees and the gun can elevate 20 degrees and depress 10 degrees. Fired by the main gunner.
    Maximum Effective Range: 11,500 feet (3,500 meters) for direct fire with discarding sabot round, 6,000 feet (1828 meters) for direct fire with all other rounds, and indirect fire range of 26,250 feet (8,000 meters).
    Mega-Damage: High Explosive: 1D6x10 with a blast radius of 20 feet (6.1 meters). High Explosive Anti-Tank: 2D6x10, blast radius of 10 feet (3.05 meters). Armor Piercing: 2D4x10. Armor Piercing Discarding Sabot: 3D4x10 (optional rule is that cannon gets a critical on a natural 18, 19, or 20 due to its high penetration)
    Rate of Fire: A Maximum of three (3) attacks per melee.
    Payload: 42 rounds.
    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 tank is moving.
  2. Coaxial FN MAG 7.62 mm Medium Machine-gun (1): Mount is beside the 120 mm main gun and aimed wherever the main gun is fired. Weapon is controlled by the gunner of the tank. Uses WI-10 Ramjet rounds to increase the weapons damage. While the weapons have been refitted using Wellington ammunition, they are still considered underpowered by most crews. Favorite replacements are a light rail gun or a pulse laser weapon. Since the tank is not fusion powered, all energy weapons much have their own power source.
    Maximum Effective Range: 2,000 feet (609.6 meters)
    Mega Damage: One round does 1 M.D.C. to M.D.C. targets or 3D6x10 S.D.C. to soft targets. Twenty round bursts do 2D4 M.D.C.
    Rate of Fire: Equal to combined hand to hand attacks of gunner (Main Gunner)
    Payload: 1000 ready rounds (4,750 rounds with reloads total - shared with Loader's Mount.)
  3. Loader FN MAG 7.62 mm Medium Machine-gun: Mount is on left hand side of tank and is controlled by the tank’s commander. Designed so that weapon mount can be operated from inside of the tank so that the loader is protected. Uses WI-10 Ramjet rounds to increase the weapon's damage. While the weapons have been refitted using Wellington ammunition, they are still considered underpowered by most crews. Favorite replacements are a light rail gun, automatic grenade launcher, or a pulse laser weapon. Since the tank is not fusion powered, all energy weapons much have their own power source.
    Maximum Effective Range: 2,000 feet (609.6 meters)
    Mega Damage: One round does 1 M.D.C. to M.D.C. targets or 3D6x10 S.D.C. to soft targets. Twenty round bursts do 2D4 M.D.C.
    Rate of Fire: Equal to combined hand to hand attacks of gunner (Loader)
    Payload: 220 ready rounds (4,750 rounds with reloads total - shared with Coaxial Mount.)
  4. Smoke Dispenser (8): Mounted on either side of the tank and designed to launches smoke grenades. Other types of grenades including missile decoy and tear gas grenades also can be fired from the launcher.
    Effect: Creates a cloud of smoke 40 ft (12 m) in diameter:
    Rate of Fire: Two per melee
    Range: 1,200 feet (365 m)
    Payload: Carries four smoke grenades per launcher.


Sensory Equipment:



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Writeup by Kitsune (E-Mail Kitsune).


Copyright © 2010, Kitsune. All rights reserved.


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