Trepida & Astrin Grav Vehicle Family
See also:
Description (Specifications)[edit]
The Trepida & Astrin Grav Vehicle Family is a group of Imperial vehicles developed from the start of the 12th Century and deployed from 1109 onwards. All were designed to be deployed from orbit using a common Rapid Deployment Aeroshell.
History & Background (Dossier)[edit]
Initial Design[edit]
This family was initially developed as a group of TL–14 vehicles that could be deployed cheaply and effectively. The two initial members, Trepida (Grav Tank) and Astrin (APC), were supplemented by the TL–15 Meson Artillery Vehicle (MAV).
Subsequent Development[edit]
Trepida[edit]
The family was quickly developed. The Trepida saw the initial version renamed the Trepida I was up-gunned with a TL–15 Fusion Gun transforming the vehicle into a Tank-Destroyer (Trepida IIA) (shown above), and then making various alterations to range and ammunition storage based on combat experience (Trepida IIB).
Norris[edit]
By 1150s, the Trepida I was becoming obsolete, and the Regency Army sought to create a Trepida III at TL–15. This was deployed in 1156 as the Norris Grav Tank - A standard variant - and the Norris Command Grav Tank. These were then issued to increase the firepower of Jump Troops units such as the 3122nd Assault Infantry Regiment (Armoured), Orbital Cavalry (e.g. 317th Aero-Mech Brigade) and Armoured Lift Infantry (e.g. 85th Lift Infantry Brigade (Armoured)).
Astrin[edit]
The initial Astrin APC deployed in 1112 (Shown above) was a turretless "Battlefield Taxi", but this was rapidly discovered to be a mistake and a turret added in 1116. This was also known as the Astrin APC with a temporary designation of Astrin/T APC while the initial production run was upgraded.
Meson Artillery Vehicle[edit]
The Meson Artillery Vehicle (MAV) was deployed as a combat effective vehicle from the first. Some minor variations of internal electronics occurred as time progressed and component manufacturers changed, but these were always backwards compatible and made no effective difference to the vehicle's characteristics.
References & Contributors (Sources)[edit]
- Rob Caswell, Joe Fugate, Bryan Gibson. 101 Vehicles (Digest Group Publications, 1988), Inside Front Cover & 17.
- Dave Nilsen. Regency Combat Vehicle Guide (Game Designers Workshop, 1995), 8-15,40-41.
- Author & Contributor: BackworldTraveller