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06/08/18 11:31 AM
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Merkava II IFV Base Tech Level: Standard (IS)
Weight: 65 tons Cost: 7,541,820 C-bills
Movement: 4/6 (Tracked) Engine: 260 Light
Internal: 35 Armor: 208 (Heavy Ferro-Fibrous) Internal Armor Front 7 58 Right 7 40 Left 7 40 Rear 7 30 Turret 7 40
Weapons Loc Heat Plasma Rifle TU 10 MML 3 TU 2 MML 3 TU 2 MML 3 TU 2 MML 3 TU 2 Anti-Missile System TU 1 Scorpion TU 4
Ammo Loc Shots Anti-Missile System Ammo [IS] BD 12 Plasma Rifle Ammo BD 10 Plasma Rifle Ammo BD 10 MML 3 LRM Ammo BD 40 MML 3 LRM Ammo BD 40 MML 3 SRM Ammo BD 33 Scorpion Ammo (1/2) BD 25 Scorpion Ammo (1/2) BD 25 Scorpion Ammo (1/2) BD 25
Equipment Loc CASE BD
Carrying Capacity Troops - 4.0 tons
Variants: GECM-Exchanges the AMS and ammunition for a Guardian ECM Suite BAP-Exchanges the AMS and ammunition for a Beagle Active Probe Assault BA-Exchanges 2 MML-3s and a ton of MML ammo for 4 extra tons of infantry space MBT-A more traditional tank variant, this exchanges the Plasma Rifle, AMS, and the troop bay for an ER PPC.
(Scorpion stats can be found in my Alternative Artillery Systems thread)
Not to be confused with the ancient Terran Alliance heavy tank and its various marks, the Merkava II is a Federated Suns armored fighting vehicle that's only loosely influenced by the older design.
The Merkava II is a very curious dark-age vehicle of the AFFS. Designed by General Motors in response to a design requirement for a well-armed, flexible vehicle that could carry, protect, and provide fire support to a squad of IS medium BA against conventional infantry, other battle armor, hostile MBTs, and Battlemechs with a reasonable chance of success.
In other words, the new vehicle had to do everything.
Ultimately, the AFFS got their vehicle, but not at the price tag they wanted. The new vehicle, the Merkava II IFV, had 10.5 tons of heavy ferro-fibrous armor, an active protection system, CASE, and a 260 Light Engine, giving a good mix of survivability for its weight class, despite costing about as much as a regular heavy or assault Battlemech. The 65-ton design incorporates a 4-ton infantry compartment for Battle Armor, usually a squad of 4 IS standards.
The armament, intended to get the most flexibility out of a design possible without resorting to omni-technology, is a fairly eclectic mix. The main gun is a plasma rifle with plenty of ammunition, which is effective against all sorts of targets and has a few unpleasant secondary effects to the receiver. The gun has a particularly generous ammunition bay, so the rifle is often used as an "improvised flamethrower" by aiming at foliage to burn away an opponent's cover. Its secondary battery of 4 MML-3s supplied by 3 tons of ammunition, arranged in 6-packs on either side of the turret, provides a supporting punch that can be particularly versatile with additional ammunition types.
The most curious feature is very recently developed Scorpion mortar with three half-ton ammo bays. The Scorpion was originally a Goon mortar redesigned with lightweight materials for use on light and ultralight vehicles, but the Merkava II IFV apparently uses it to gain a lightweight artillery capability. While alone the Scorpion is not much of a threat to vehicles, in a full Lance of four Merkava IIs the Scorpion can be... still not particularly effective against vehicles or Battlemechs, though it can be potent at supporting its BA squad against other infantry or BA with its ammunition variety.
Companies of Merkava IIs were being assigned to Federated Suns dropships, especially modified Gazelles (3055). These jacks of all trades performed fairly well overall, while the mortar weapon installed was often stated to be a source of confusion and panic for defending conventional infantry running into BA-Merkava Mechanized companies, and an effective psychological weapon.
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