A7 Security Battalion

Formed with the assistance of a corporate Dream Ticket Mercenary contract these Hessians serve on Mengo (world) under the command of Colonel Ace Hodges.

In their current TOE they field a company of twelve A7 Self-Propelled TAC Missile Launchers. They deploy in three platoons of four vehicles each. There are three officers, a captain who commands the first platoon and two lieutenants that command the other two platoons. There are a total of 48 troopers in the company.

A-7 Vortex class Self-Propelled TAC Missile Launchers

(TECH LEVEL 10): These air cushion vehicles, rely on ground effects from vectored thrust to move at NOE but pay double movement for broken ground, on gentle slopes and sparse undergrowth. They may not climb steep slope gradients, enter boulder fields nor dense undergrowth. They are fully sealed with life support and can float to cross water obstacles. They are lightly armored. They can’t maneuver in the absence of an atmosphere. They carry four crew, a driver, gunner, loader, and commander.

Vehicle Dimensions: height: 1.5 m (0.5m turret) width: 2 m length: 5 m.

Total usable volume: 18 m3

Total mass loaded: 17.7876 metric tons “Floats.”

Production Cost: Cr. 58,084.05

Movement: 83kph/69cm.

Movement effect on fire: None.

Armor: Chassis and turret front, chassis, and turret sides 17, chassis and turret rear, belly, and deck 6.

Target Size DMs: +1 low, +0 high

Equipment: 500 power radio, map box w/GPS, passive IR/LI, 1m3 and 1 ton of cargo.

Power: 0.6 megawatt MHD turbine power plant consumes 180 liters of fuel/ hour; fuel capacity 8,640 liters, enough for 48 hours. Power to weight is 33.

Weapons: There are six 100kg capacity TAC missile launch rails mounted on the turret. The turret is 0.5m high, 2m wide, 3m long. The missile uses 7cm HEAP 34 warheads. They use homing guidance. They have 630km range. Six missiles are mounted with two reloads and these cost Cr401.5 each are included with the purchase price.

Maintenance:

Vehicle 6

Electronics 8

Weapons 18

The unit boasts its own organic close air support assets. They have a squadron of twelve fighters with 24 total crew. They operate A-7 Soul Burner Transonic Fighters. All front line support on the flight line is supplied by external units.

A-7 Soul Burner class Transonic Fighters

(TECH LEVEL 10) used by a mercenary unit. The vehicle has a crew of 2, a pilot and a co-pilot/gunner. They have complex cockpits, with ejection seats, with powered controls in a transonic airframe. It can carry four 10kg capacity launch rails for homing TAC missiles for air to air or air to ground targets. The star of the show is the six barreled, medium-velocity, electric action 40mm autocannon with TL 8 direct fire control in the nose to shred enemy tanks.

Vehicle volume: loaded combat ready 1,800m3, with wings removed for transport loaded 600m3.

Total mass: empty: 30 tons loaded: 30 tons.

Production Cost: Cr. 2,107,271.05

Movement:

Empty Maximum 1,092kph/910cm, Cruise 819kph/682cm, Minimum 176kph/146cm.

Movement effect on fire: None

Damage Points: 300

Agility: 13

Turns: 55o

Equipment: 10 power target acquisition RADAR, full weapons stabilization, and a 1,000-power radio.

Power: The transonic airframe mounts 0.8214MW high performance turbofan engines producing 28.749 tons of thrust and consuming 1,971.36 liters of fuel per hour, internal fuel capacity 7,165.8 liters, enough for 3.6 hours. Thrust to weight produce 0.91G's fully loaded. Range: loaded 1,474.2km patrol radius on internal fuel.

Weapons:

Six Barreled, Medium Velocity, Electric Action 4cm Autocannon: is stabilized, has +1 signature, and can engage 16 targets per fire phase in a direct fire role. It has TL 8 direct fire control. It features full weapon stabilization for accurate fire on the move. The weapon has a ROF 320/phase. The rounds mass 2kg each and there is storage for 6,400 rounds on board, enough for 20 fire phases in a direct fire role. A full load of KEAPER is provided.

Direct Fire Characteristics: Direct Fire Characteristics: Six Barreled, Medium Velocity, Electric Action 4cm Autocannon

Effective Range: 2km(20)+6 w/KEAPER

Long Range: 3km(18)+5

Extreme Range: 4.5km(16)+2

There are four under wing 10kg capacity TAC missile launch rails. There is no on-board guidance provided. The missiles have a homing guidance package. They mount 6cm HE 13/2/2 warheads, well suited for the air-to-air role, but less than ideal for anti-tank work. The missiles cost Cr309.9 each and have a 40km range. Four missiles are included in the price.

Maintenance:

Vehicle: 12

Electronics: 12

Weapons: 15

The strategic bomber for features a squadron of eight B-7 Ancestral Vengeance class Transonic Bombers, with a total of 48 crew. Ground crews, refueling and rearming is handled by local native units.

B-7 Ancestral Vengeance class Transonic Bombers

(TECH LEVEL 10) used by a mercenary unit. The vehicle has a crew of 6, a pilot, co-pilot/bombardier, and four gunners. One gunner is also a navigator, one is a crew chief, one is trained as a medic (10kg medical kit sold separately), and the last is the tail gunner. They flight crew have simple cockpits with ejection seats, the rest have crew stations fitted with ejection seats, as well. The plane has powered controls in a transonic airframe. It can carry four tons of bombs in the ventral bomb bay and mount four defensive remotely operated MMG turrets. These turrets create extra drag which robs the plane of some speed and maneuverability.

Vehicle volume: loaded combat ready 1,800m3, with wings removed for transport loaded 600m3.

Total mass: empty: 30 tons loaded: 34 tons.

Production Cost: Cr. 2,179,612.95

Movement:

Empty Maximum Empty 1,048kph/873cm, Cruise 786kph/655cm, Minimum 176kph/146cm.

Maximum Loaded 921kph/767cm, Cruise 691kph/575cm, Minimum 176kph/146cm.

Movement effect on fire: None

Damage Points: 300

Agility: 13/12

Turns: 51o

Equipment: Full weapons stabilization, and a 1,000-power radio.

Power: The transonic airframe mounts 0.8214MW high performance turbofan engines producing 28.749 tons of thrust and consuming 1,971.36 liters of fuel per hour, internal fuel capacity 13,331.8 liters, enough for 6.7 hours. Thrust to weight produce 0.8 G's fully loaded.

Weapons:

There are four stabilized remote turrets fitted to the fuselage. A MMG is mounted in each turret. Ammo storage is 6,400 rounds, enough for 20 fire phases. Each MMG can engage 8 targets and has +2 signature. Direct Fire Characteristics: MMG

Effective Range: 40(3)+4

Long Range: 75(2)+3

Extreme Range: 120(2)+1

There is a four-ton bomb bay. The typical load out is (40) 100kg HE, laser guided bombs 34/6/5 which each cost Cr.900. A full load is included in the purchase price.

Maintenance:

Vehicle: 12

Electronics: 1

Weapons: 0

The final components are two field artillery batteries of A7 Angry Kindred class Tracked Amphibious Weapon Carriers. Each battery features nine weapon systems with 27 crew per battery. Each battery breaks down into three platoons of three self propelled gun systems. Target acquisition, fire direction centers and ordinance resupply must be attached from indigenous units.

A-7 Angry Kindred class Tracked Amphibious Weapon Carriers

(TECH LEVEL 10): This tracked vehicle carries a 14cm medium velocity gun in the turret mounted on the chassis deck. The vehicle has a crew of three, driver, gunner and commander. The vehicle is sealed for amphibious operations.

Vehicle Dimensions: height: 1.5 m (1.75m turret) width: 3 m length: 7 m.

Total usable volume: 42 m3

Total mass loaded: 41.057125 metric tons “Floats.”

Production Cost: Cr. 232,459.9688

Movement: Road 90kph/75cm, Cross Country 45kph/37cm, Water 4.5kph/3.75cm.

Movement effect on fire: None, for direct fire, can’t move and conduct indirect fire missions.

Armor: Chassis and turret front, chassis, and turret sides 6, chassis and turret rear, belly, and deck 4.

Target Size DMs: +2 low, +1 high

Equipment: 500 power radio, full weapon stabilization, sealed chassis.

Power: 0.6 megawatt MHD turbine power plant consumes 180 liters of fuel/ hour; fuel capacity 21,147.375 liters, enough for 117 hours, 4.8 days. Power to weight is 14 and ground pressure is 5.8653 tons/m2.

Weapons: The 14cm medium velocity gun requires 11.5 turns to set up, and has +3 signature when it fires, rounds mass 52kg. There is an autoloader, the weapon has TL 8 direct fire control, and TL 10 indirect fire control. There is storage for 70 rounds, enough for 20 fire missions. For indirect fire missions 16km(24km)+3 , 32km(48km)+1, ( ) is extended range is with the use of rocket assisted projectiles.

Rounds Available:

HE 24/3/4 Cr. 156

HEAP 46 Cr. 234

KEAP 35/31/27 Cr. 156

KEAPER 33/29/25 Cr. 171.6

CBM 21/9 +2 DM Cr. 468

Illum 96cm Cr. 312

Chaff 96cm Cr. 312

Smoke 2cmx2cm Cr. 156

Chemical 2cmx2cm 6turns Cr. 312

Flechette 3 10cm +6 Cr. 780

RAP +52kg +156Cr.

Laser Guidance +600Cr.

Variable Ballistic +60Cr.

Direct Fire Characteristics: 14cm Medium Velocity Gun

Effective Range: 2km(35)w/KEAP

Long Range: 3km(31)

Extreme Range: 4.5km(27)

Maintenance:

Vehicle 8

Electronics 17

Weapons 3

Suspension 1

All command and control are provided by indigenous personnel from the regular Mengo (world) army. The unit is entirely reliant for external assets for logistics and resupply. Medical, mess, quartermaster, and maintenance are attached separately. They are wholly reliant on native infantry support to provide security to these high performance alien assets.

This list of sources was used by the Traveller Wiki Editorial Team and individual contributors to compose this article. Copyrighted material is used under license from Mongoose Publishing or by permission of the author. The page history lists all of the contributions.

• Author & Contributor: Lord (Marquis), Captain, and Lead Naval Architect Ronald B. Kline, Jr. of the Imperial Navy