Cray
11/27/01 10:34 AM
204.245.128.108
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The M-7 and M-8 are two tracked vehicles based on the same chassis. The concept of the M-7 MBT is strikingly similar to the 40-ton Myrmidon, while the M-8 IFV is a slightly less armored version that carries a squad of infantry. Due to the lighter armor and passengers, the M-8 should not be deployed in the same front-line combat role as the M-7, but rather as an infantry support tank.
The M-7 and M-8 are products of Masterson Industries, which introduced the Inner Sphere to the cheap fusion engine and the utility mech-derived Minuteman mech. Ironically, the "low tech" tracked M-7 and M-8 could not share the truly low tech "cheap fusion engine" of the "high tech" Minuteman battlemech (despite needing a similarly-rated 180 engine) without suffering crippling weight penalties. Masterson Industries resorted to standard fusion engine shielding to lighten its 180 engine enough for use on the M-7 and M-8.
However, this hitch did not prevent Masterson Industries from applying its trademark standardization to the new M-7 and M-8. The Masterson 180-S fusion engine of the tracked vehicles is identical to the Masterson 180 of the Minuteman except for having shielding of a different (much lighter) material. In fact, the electronics, some of the environmental control machinery, and even the multi-function crew stations are identical to their counterparts on the mech. The only differences are in the software. Needless to say, the ferro-fibrous armor of the tanks was of the same composition as the mech's, and mounted in similar removable, upgradeable panels. The "civilian endosteel" of the tank's frame was of the same composition as the mech's.
Like the Minuteman, the M-7 and M-8 are not spectacular combatants, but are rather "adequate" in all areas: armor, firepower, and maneuverability. They are exceptional for their availability, low cost, ease of maintenance, availability, and low cost. If I forgot to say it, they are exceptional for their availability and low cost.
Fusion engines are still not all that common and somewhat trying for the average backwater planet tech to maintain. Masterson Enterprises has been dealing with that issue since is began manufacturing cheap fusion engines in 3033 and now includes video training manuals and easy-to-use, interactive video diagnostic displays in the tanks. It also often sends instructors with its first shipments of tanks to a planet to train a core of military technicians.
Noting the value of a trained armored crew, Masterson Enterprises emphasized crew protection in its design of the M-7 and M-8. Though rather in the face of "life cheap, mechs aren't" Inner Sphere thinking, the concentration of weapons (especially the missile ammo) in a remote turret made crew protection easy to achieve. Indeed, design decisions made for other reasons - like the front-mounted engine (placed there to allow easy infantry dismounts from the rear of the M-8) - were easily spun by Masterson advertizing agents as being there for additional crew protection. The CASE is another example of "crew protection" that was born of colder logic: it was added to protect the fusion powered vehicle from ammo explosions.
The CASE serves a third purpose. The blow-away rear and top panels of the turret bustle are mounted on frangible hinges designed to shatter easily when the ammo cooks off. However, they ARE hinges, and allow easy access to the ammo bin. Reloading the M-7/8's launcher thus takes about half normal time, sometimes less for M-8s where its infantry squad is press-ganged into service.
M-7 MBT
36 tons
3.6 tons internal structure
1.8 tons controls
10.5 tons 180 fusion engine
Cruise: 5
Flank: 8
0 tons 10 SHS
1.25 tons turret
7.35 tons ferro-fibrous armor (132pts)
Front: 31
Sides: 25/25
Rear: 21
Turret: 30
7 tons PPC (turret)
2 tons SRM 4 (turret)
.5 tons CASE (turret)
1 ton ammo (turret)
IIRC, cost is about 1.6 million C-bills.
VARIANTS
M-8 IFV
The M-8 IFV sheds 1 ton of armor (8pts from turret, 4pts from the sides, 2pts from the front) and puts a squad of infantry in the rear of the tank. This is simply empty "stretch room" in the M-7 but gains comfortable, easy-exit seating in the M-8. Indeed, it's arguable the M-7 is the variant as the "removed" armor is in the form of applique plates that the M-8 never has mounted. The applique armor is welded to the main plates, so converting from M-7 to M-8 requires a complete armor exchange. The modular armor plates of the M-series makes this relatively easy as far as removing multi-ton slabs of armor is ever easy, but should only be conducted at a depot (or just ordered from the factory).
Beyond the M-7/8 variants, Masterson Enterprises offers the M-7 and M-8 in an alternate weapons format. The same worlds that have purchased the Minuteman often purchase the M-7 and M-8, and so were requesting M-7/8s with the same main gun (an ER Large Laser) as the Minuteman before the tanks ever left the drawing board. (Masterson always carefully interviews potential customers to understand their requirements.) With an added cooling jacket (of 2 SHS), the Minuteman's ER Large Lasers were easily modified to fit in place of the M-7/8's PPC. Both PPC and ER LL variants of the tanks are built on the same assembly line, with either weapon being added at the same station of the assembly line as easily as a car gets leather or fabric seats to satisfy a customer. Though installation at the factory is quick, a field conversion requires more (armor removing) effort and takes about 3 hours.
The Harvester SRM 4 was mounted in a pod on the starboard side of the narrow, wedge-shaped turret, with ammo in the turret bustle. It was designed (of course) to be easily dismounted for repair or replacement. Field technicians quickly found a Holly LRM 5 model that was nearly a perfect match for the pod, too, and others had no problem installing a quartet of machine guns (particularly Capellan militias interested in urban duty, i.e. crowd control, vehicles). Masterson now issues standard procedures (and will happily sell the weapons to get a middle man's share) for such SRM-to-LRM or SRM-to-MG conversions. Conversions take about 6 hours in the field (mostly from the intensive armor banging and ammo bin remodeling) or 3 hours in a depot.
Mike Miller, Materials Engineer
Mike Miller, Materials Engineer
Disclaimer: Anything stated in this post is unofficial and non-canon unless directly quoted from a published book. Random internet musings of a BattleTech writer are not canon.
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Bob_Richter
11/27/01 11:34 AM
134.121.149.97
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In spite of myself, I like it.
Good concept. Good fluff.
Reminds me of something in Shadowrun.
Now, I can't see ever using it when I'm trying to WIN....but when I'm GMing....we'll see.
>>>IIRC, cost is about 1.6 million C-bills. <<<
Somebody plug this thing into HMVEE and confirm that.
That would actually make it slightly MORE expensive than the LCT-1V Locust...
Hm. I suspect you were talking about the 3050 LCT-3M.
-Bob (The Magnificent) Richter
Assertions made in this post are the humble opinion of Bob.
They are not necessarily statements of fact or decrees from God Himself, unless explicitly and seriously stated to be so.
:)
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Karagin
04/15/08 08:05 PM
24.26.220.4
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Hey Cray, yes old thread day, was wondering if you had done anything else with these?
Karagin
Given time and plenty of paper, a philosopher can prove anything.
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