Rat Air-Mobile Tank

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Retry
07/01/15 03:43 AM
76.7.232.162

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Rat Air-Mobile Tank Mk.I
Clan advanced
20 tons
BV: 766
Cost: 1,238,200 C-bills
Source: Crossroads

Movement: 5/8 (Tracked)
Engine: 100 XL

Internal: 10
Armor: 77 (Ferro-Lamellor)
Internal Armor
Front 2 20
Right 2 16
Left 2 16
Rear 2 9
Turret 2 16

Weapons Loc Heat
ER Large Laser TU 12
AP Gauss Rifle TU 1

Ammo Loc Shots
AP Gauss Rifle Ammo BD 40

Equipment Loc
Targeting Computer BD

Quirks
Bad Reputation
Power Reverse
Narrow/Low Profile
Easy to Maintain
----
Based upon the Scorpion Light Tank chassis, the Rat was designed to fit the design requirement of an effective tank that could be transported near the battlefield via conventional airframes.

Improvements upon both armored vehicles and conventional aircraft allowed the light airborne tank concept to be reborn. The heaviest planet-landing vessels, Dropships, can actually transport entire battalions of Mechs to the surface of a planet. Obviously, Dropships are fairly expensive for planetary garrison type forces, and so conventional aircraft instead fill this role. Garrison forces, which have had in recent years numerous skirmishes with various foes on outlier planets, pressured the Crossroadian military to supply a MBM (Main Battlemech) to bolster defenses more effectively than their stationed field guns and the occasional Shocktrooper PA(L) Suit.

The military branch responded to their requests, and sent a design contest, with a minor edit and some desired characteristics of their own.
>The vehicle designed must be a much simpler Tank, not a Battlemech.
>The tank must be 20 tons or lighter(Making it transportable by the most common Crossroads support aircraft)
>The tank must use the light-vehicle standardized 100 XL engine

Two separate designs came in. One was the 20 ton Rat, a derivative of the Scorpion Light Tank, and another was a 25 ton native prototype that ended up disqualified as it exceeded the weight requirement, another result of "bloating" by trying to reach combat design requirements. In contrast, the crew working with the Scorpion tank had to work to reduce weight while not reducing effectiveness. The lighter 100 XL helped somewhat, but the chassis weight was also reduced by redesigning the hull, effectively cutting off a small part of it and lightening the rest. During the redesign stage, an incredible transmission was installed which allowed the vehicle to put the gear into final drive even while going in reverse, allowing the vehicle to reach top speeds going foward AND backwards.

The Rat was designed rugged enough to do the MBT job for Garrison duty and doubles as an effective if not slow light tank for primary forces. At 5.5 tons of Ferro-Lamellor armor, the Rat is barely better protected than the Mouse armored car, although it can still resist small arms very well and take one AC/20 hit from most directions. The armament takes advantage of the engine type to mount a lightweight but effective ERLL with an incredible range, and an AP Gauss Rifle to suppress conventional infantry. Both weapons were mated to a lightweight targeting computer to increase accuracy.

The Rat is not what garrison forces were expecting. They asked for a deadly battlemech, and in their eyes they got a light tin can on treads. The crewmembers of the Rat themselves appreciated this new design, themselves often trading Scorpions in for the new model. The rest of the garrison generally did not. Feeling ripped off by this MBT wannabe, Garrison infantry would often snidely comment that "The Rat features an improved transmission, all the better for our tankers to run away from a fight."
ghostrider
07/01/15 03:58 AM
76.89.120.217

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Since I don't have the newer books, and no heat sinks are listed, did they change the heat output of the er large laser?
With being a tank, I would think the ap gauss wouldn't count towards heat build up.

Other then that, I think this would be a better tank then the scorpion. Better damage, and with the er better range.
Though I do have to ask. Did you consider using a couple of ermls? Not as much concentrated firepower, but over all damage would be better.
Yes the lesser range does make it a little harder to keep out of the line of fire.
Retry
07/01/15 11:35 AM
76.7.232.162

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The ER LL still produced 12 heat. AP gauss does not count towards heat buildup on vehicles, but it does on mechs.

Did consider dual ERMLs but I think ranged firepower was what was needed, something for a garrison force whose best firepower might otherwise be field guns, most of which don't have both range and a hard punch.(Although the AC/2 actually makes a great field gun, interestingly enough.) Long-range heavy hitters are what's needed on a MBT to retain usefulness in as many situations as possible, which is what makes PPCs and Gauss Rifles good primary weapons for those types. The ERLL fits the requirements almost perfectly, as it is light enough to mount on a compact platform like the Rat. The trouble becomes when you try to mount more energy weapons... which is why I didn't do that, of course.
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