Ares class Combat Walker
| Combat Walker | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Tech Level | TL–10 |
| Mass | ~3.2 dton |
| Cost | Cr3,186,343.278 |
| Mode | Ground (Walker) |
| Type | Main Battle Tank |
| Speed | road 117.9kph cross country 70.7kph |
| Cargo | 0 |
| Crew | 2 Driver/Commander, Gunner |
| Passengers | 0 |
| Armament | 30MW Plasma Gun VRF Gauss Gun 4xTAC missiles |
| Cannis Weapons Labs | |
The Ares class Combat Walker was designed and manufactured at TL–10, these vehicles were license built at Felid (world), along the Distant Fringe. The vehicle has a crew of two: driver/commander, and gunner. These probably date from models used during the Scybrian Wars.
Description / Specifications[edit]
Ares class Combat Walker, TL 10: The vehicle's crystaliron armor sheaths the chassis to levels of protection equivalent or superior to starship hull metal. This design is sealed with life support for the crew in vacuum and protected forces roles. The heavy 14m3 four leg suspension is only rated for 96.6tons. The ground pressure is too high, a common problem with combat walkers. The vehicle has horrible off-road performance. Traditionally deployed in companies of twelve crawlers with 24 crew, support units are concentrated at higher levels. One of the fundamental tradeoffs in the design was the decision to put a 30MW custom plasma gun into a stabilized turret on the vehicle's deck with TL–10 direct fire control. A standard 40 MW fusion power plant is installed, which can share stock parts with a wide variety of military vehicles across the Distant Fringe. For greater self-defense and to partially compensate for their lighter armor, a VRF Gauss Gun is installed with expensive TL–10 point defense fire control. This weapon will also shred any infantry that gets too close as well. Finally, a set of four 78kg TAC missile launch rails are attached to the turret.
Chassis:[edit]
- Height: 2m (+3m turret); Width: 3m; Length: 6m.
- Total usable volume: 45.42478m³
- Total mass loaded: 136.996545 metric tons
- Hull Material: Crystaliron
- Armor: Turret and Chassis all faces, 40.
- Target Size DMs: +2 low, +1 high hits
- Production Cost: Cr3,186,343.278
Movement:[edit]
Maximum: Road: 117.9kph/98cm; Cross Country 70.7kph/58cm. Movement effect on fire: None
Weapons:[edit]
Full weapons stabilization.
Turret Mounted 30MW Plasma Gun[edit]
The turret is a cylinder. It is 3m tall and has a 1m radius and has a volume of 7.07278m3. It mounts a plasma gun, a custom energy weapon developed for this vehicle. It has a 30MW input and 6mw output and is fitted with TL–10 direct fire control. The weapon has some burst radius in addition to impact penetration for greater area effect against adjacent targets at short and medium ranges. It can engage a single target per firing phase and is automatically spotted when it fires.
| Effective Range | Long Range | Extreme Range |
| 2.44km (59)/3cm(43) | 4.89km (46)/2cm(30) | 9.79km (20)/1cm(4) |
Coaxial Mounted Point Defense System[edit]
The dorsal turret mounts a VRF Gauss Gun with TL–10 point defense fire control. It rolls 6d6 versus indirect fire missions. The weapon has a +4 signature, and it can engage 16 targets. The main VRF Gauss Gun has storage for five hoppers of ammunition or 150,000 rounds, enough to allow 115 fire phases of sustained fire. It can engage 16 targets in 15 seconds and has a +4 signature. It has the following direct fire characteristics:
| Effective Range | Long Range | Extreme Range |
| 1.5 km (21)+8 | 3 km (19)+6 | 4.5 km (17)+3 |
TAC Missiles[edit]
There are 78kg capacity launch rails on the side of the turret. They are delivered with a variety of missiles detailed below. They utilize a 20cm 6kg HEAP 52 warhead wedded to a variety of guidance packages. It takes two crew members to manually reload these missiles externally if additional rounds are available. The homing missiles struggle to achieve intercepts against vehicles protected with advanced ECM abilities. The ranges of some packages exceed the platform's sensor footprint, so relays and spotters are required for longer range engagements. No HE warheads are typically available for anti-aircraft work. The platform has no target designating lasers of its own and requires other spotters or well-equipped vehicles to employ that guidance package. Several guidance packages have long range and hyper velocity interceptor options available. The teleguided package is the heaviest and most expensive, but it is the best for hunting grav sleds fond of pop ups.
| Type | Range | Price |
| (1) Homing HEAP 52 | 75km or 65km with +10 DM | Cr407 |
| Target Designated HEAP 52 | 75km or 65km with +10 DM | Cr707 |
| (1) IR Follow Up HEAP +8 | 75km or 65km with +10 DM | Cr507 |
| (1) Operator Guided +3 DM with radio command links HEAP 52 | 61.5km or 51.5km +10DM Hyper Velocity | Cr306 |
| (1) Teleguided with radio command links HEAP 52 | 50km | Cr1,805 |
Power / Equipment:[edit]
- Power: a stock 40 megawatt fusion power plant
- consumes 60 liters of fuel/ hour; fuel capacity 1,114.57522 liters, enough for 18.5 hours. Ground pressure 19tons/m2, always gets stuck in mud, sand, soft earth and snow. Power to weight is 72.9.
- Sealed environment with extended life support for 2 crew (proof against CBR/NBC threats);
- Extensive ECM
- Map box
- Thermal and image enhancement
- 1,000km MASER communicator
- 5,000 power radio
- 10 power target acquisition RADAR
Maintenance[edit]
- Vehicle 12
- Electronics 37
- Weapons 29
- Suspension 15
History & Background / Dossier[edit]
Still in service despite some disastrous defeats compounded by getting mired in soft terrain. Success relies on very carefully deployment. It requires two full time mechanic/technicians to maintain each vehicle. Its Protected Forces service is one feature that have kept them in deployed formations. Experts disagree if the small crew size is an advantage or disadvantage.
References & Contributors / Sources[edit]
- Author & Contributor: Lord (Marquis), Captain, and Lead Naval Architect Ronald B. Kline, Jr. of the Imperial Navy
- Author & Contributor: Lord (Marquis) and Master Scout Emeritus Adie Alegoric Stewart of the IISS