Human Alliance Forces "Sentry" Armored Missile Vehicle (Wheeled):


Developed from the Lynx armored personal carrier, the "Sentry" Armored Missile Vehicle is an incredibly effective yet simple design. Compared to many other designs filling similar roles, the Sentry is comparatively inexpensive. Many missile vehicles are needlessly expensive. In addition, large numbers of the Sentry vehicle have been built during various wars. As a result, while the Human Alliance military is planning to replace most of their other armored vehicle designs, present plans are to retain the Sentry for the foreseeable future. Phoenix Armory did attempt to sell missile vehicle developed from their Boxer Armored Personnel Carrier but the design was rejected by the Human Alliance.


Due to the large numbers constructed, a large number of the Sentry design have been exported with a number of companies manufacturing both authorized and unauthorized versions of the vehicle. As an extremely simple design, it is quite easy to copy. Extremely popular and widespread as a result, these vehicles can be found in the hands of both defense forces and mercenary companies.


When used on an airless satellite such as a moon, contra-grav long range missiles have incredible range, around three million kilometers. In an atmosphere, range is less, around five thousand kilometers, and transiting from atmosphere to space reduces the range quite a bit. Even so, these vehicles are extremely useful both on bodies with no atmosphere and planets with a normal atmosphere. Medium range missiles have less range but still cover vast volumes.


One advantage mobile missile launchers have over fixed launchers is that they are much harder to kill by proximity strikes from outside of the weapon's ability to engage. Because fixed defenses are unable to move, their location can be targeted by missiles from beyond the range of defensive launchers. When the missile's drives go dead, they are extremely hard to track as well. Mobile launchers can continue to move to avoid this. The one weakness to the mobile launchers are that they generally have a much smaller payload.


Finally, fixed launchers also require a fair amount of time to set up. Pits much be dug and the launchers usually have to be assembled. If a military needs to set up defense in a hurry or if the forces do not plan to set up anything permanent, mobile launchers are far more useful.


The main sensor array of the Sentry missile vehicle was developed from the Vixen light starfighter and combines gravity and radar systems. It is designed to be able to track multiple targets simultaneously. In many ways this sensor system is more important than the missiles themselves. Often these vehicle will operate together and can share fire control data between them. Range is not quite as good as the latest system but still capable in most cases. There is some consideration being given towards upgrading the sensor array.


There are two different versions of the Sentry missile vehicle. One is armed with long range missiles while the other is armed with medium range missiles. In both cases, a box launcher takes the place of the troop compliment of the armored personnel carrier. The box launcher hangs over the sides slightly. In the long range missile version of the Sentry, the vehicle carries sixteen long range missiles. On the medium range missile version, the vehicle carries thirty-two medium range missiles. While the standard Lynx carries some medium range missiles, the Sentry has four times as many missiles and is far more effective.


Often, both the long range and medium range missile armed versions of the Sentry will operate together with the medium range armed version tasked with engaging missiles which leak through the long range missile launchers. The Sentry will also often operate alongside the Lynx with the medium range missile version of the Sentry being most commonly operated alongside the armored personnel carriers. Generally, the long range missile version is considered more strategic while the medium range missile version is considered more tactical in their role on the battlefield.


While usually used against incoming missiles or aircraft / spacecraft, the missiles can engage ground targets. They can also hand off their targeting with a fighter or even a power armor being used for the targeting. Such a "spotter" can often pop up to make target lock and then drop down quickly. This is generally only a secondary role for these launchers.


Other than the missile box launcher, the Sentry is armed with only a single light pulse laser. Controlled by the commander, this is retained from the original Lynx armored personnel carrier. This is to give the vehicle some manner of close range self defense against troops. It also can be used as a last ditch defense against incoming missiles.


While the vehicle is armored, it is not really designed for direct combat. As a result, the design's armor is slightly reduced when compared to the Lynx armored personnel carrier which it was developed from. It is also slightly more massive due to the missile launcher. It is slightly slower as a result, with a maximum road speed of about one hundred and forty kilometers per hour and a maximum off road speed of one hundred and twenty kilometers per hour. The drive system and power plant are unchanged for the eight wheeled design although shock absorbers are slightly strengthened to compensate for the additional mass.


Standard crew is three for the vehicle although there is space for a fourth crew member. The vehicle is designed for a driver, weapon and sensor operator, and a commander. A fourth crew allows the sensor and weapon operator roles to be separated. In some cases, the fourth crew might operate communications as well. The electronics are highly automated and don't require a huge amount of human interaction. Designed for operations on an airless body, the vehicle has full life support systems for the crew. Even so, crews usually will wear full environmental body armor for protection.


This vehicle uses modified starship rules for its weaponry. See Revised Starship Rules for Phase World / Three Galaxies for more details.


(Note: The power system is fusion not anti-matter because the author’s opinion is that anti-matter is to dangerous to be used in vehicles that may be used in an atmosphere. If a craft powered by anti-matter was to detonate in an atmosphere it would cause huge planetary damage. At GM option, this can also be applied to all vehicles or this craft can be changed to anti-matter.)


Model Type:HAFA-AMV-133-LRMLong Range Missile Version
HAFA-AMV-133-MRMMedium Range Missile Version
Vehicle Type: Armored Missile Vehicle.
Crew: Three / Four (Driver, Commander, and Weapon / Sensor Operator)
Troops: None


M.D.C. by Location:

5 mm Pulse Laser Cupola / Mini-Turret (Mini-Turret):100
Missile Box Launcher (Rear):275
[1] Sensor Array:80
Reinforced Pilots Compartment:120
[2] Main Body:475
[3] Giant Wheels (8):100 each


Notes:
[1] Loss of sensor array destroys all long range tracking and targeting capabilities.
[2] If all the M.D.C. of the main body is depleted, the vehicle is completely shut down and is unsalvageable.
[3] Up to one tire can be destroyed on each side of the vehicle without any appreciable loss in mobility but top speeds with be reduced by 10%. If two tires on a side are destroyed, the vehicle is reduced in top speed by 20% and has a -25% to piloting rolls when being operated off-road.


Speed:
Ground: Maximum speed on land is 87.0 mph (140 kph) on roads and 74.6 mph (120 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%.
Water Capabilities: Has two propellers that allows the vehicle to travel on the surface on the water like a boat. It is not designed for deep water use. Using the propellers, the Sentry can travel on the surface of water at 28.0 mph (45 kph / 24.3 knots).
Range: Effectively Unlimited by drive system but only has supplies for crew for two weeks.


Statistical Data:
Height: 9.5 feet (2.9 meters).
Width: 13.1 feet (4.0 meters) with missile launcher
Length: 31.5 feet (9.6 meters)
Weight: 20.8 tons (18.87 metric tons) empty and 36.5 (33.11 metric tons) fully loaded
Power Source: Advanced Fusion with 10 year life span.
Cargo Capacity: Minimal storage space in pilots compartment; about three feet (0.9 m) in side dimensions for extra clothing, weapons, and personal items. Two carbines and one hand-held missile launcher with two loads each are stored in a compartment in the crew compartment.
Market Cost: 40 million credits. Often costs double that on the Black Market. Various knock-offs are also available with upgraded versions costing up to 50 million credits. Various upgrade packages are also available.


Weapon Systems:
Note: Space ranges are given for when the tank is used on airless moons and other similar locations.

  1. One (1) 5 mm Mini-Turret Pulse Laser: Basically a squad support weapon mounted in the turret which is remotely controlled by the vehicles's commander. Weapon is very effective for shooting down missiles and is useful against ground targets as well. Turret can rotate 360 degrees in less than a second and can elevate up to 90 degrees vertical.
    Maximum Effective Range: 4000 feet (1220 meters) in an atmosphere and 75 miles (120 km) in space.
    Mega Damage: 4D6 per single shot, 1D6x10+10 for a rapid fire three shot burst, or use machine gun burst rules for higher burst setting.
    Rate of Fire: Equal the Commander's number of hand to hand attacks - Single Shot, Three Round Burst, and Extended Bursts (Use Machine Gun burst rules).
    Payload: Effectively Unlimited.
  2. One (1) Box Missile Launcher: The launcher hangs slightly over the sides of the chassis, making the Sentry a bit wider than the Armored Personnel Carrier. The box launcher contains either sixteen long range missiles or thirty two medium range missiles. Box launcher can rotate 360 degrees and can angle up to forty-five degrees. Even so, the missiles can target against targets ninety degrees above the vehicle.
    1. Long Range Missiles: The box launcher is fitted to fire long range missiles. Missile has a top speed of Mach 20 in an atmosphere and in space has an acceleration of 8% of light per turn (faster than any starship.) Whether weapons can be shot down is calculated from the speed of target, launcher, and missile. When drive goes dead, missile will continue to travel in a straight line unless set to self destruct but has very low odds of hitting star ships (Great for hitting bases and planets because target does not move and missile when dead is at -25% to be detected.) Long range missiles do not have minuses to hit small targets, unlike cruise missiles, and are all considered smart missiles.
      Maximum Effective Range: Long Range Missile range is 3,400 miles (5,470 km) in an atmosphere and 1,800,000 miles (2,897,000 km/9.7 light seconds) in space.
      Mega-Damage & Properties: See revised Phase World / Three Galaxies missile tables for details (Fusion warheads inflict 2D4x100 M.D.C. each.)
      Rate of Fire: Can fire missiles one at a time or in volleys of two (2), three (3), or four (4) missiles.
      Payload: Sixteen (16) missiles total.
    2. Medium Range Missiles: Instead of being fitted for long range missiles, the box launcher is fitted for firing medium range missiles. Weapon system is used for hitting enemy robots, fighters, and long range and cruise missiles. Missile has a top speed of Mach 15 in an atmosphere and in space has an acceleration of 6% of light per turn. Weapon system can be used on multiple targets simultaneously.
      Maximum Effective Range: Medium Range Missile range is 160 miles (257.5 km) in an atmosphere and 80,000 miles (128,750 km/0.43 light seconds) in space.
      Mega-Damage: Varies with medium range missile type (See revised Phase World / Three Galaxies missile tables for details.)
      Rate of Fire: Can fire missiles one at a time or in volleys of two (2), four (4), or eight (8) missiles.
      Payload: Thirty-Two (32) missiles total.


Sensory Equipment:



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Writeup by Kitsune (E-Mail Kitsune).


Copyright © 2011, Kitsune. All rights reserved.


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