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Cardinal

Cardinal.jpg
Cardinal Transport
Production information
Manufacturer Trellshire Heavy Industries[1]

Manufacturing Plant SFF-IT1[1]

Production Year 3112[1]
Mission Infantry Transport[1]
Type VTOL[1]
Technical specifications
Mass 50 tons[1]
Armor Forging AM15 Ferro-Fibrous[1]
Engine Type 215 XL[1]
Speed 129[1] km/h
Communications System Neil 9000[1]
Targeting Tracking System RCA Econotrac[1]
Heat Sinks 10[1]
Armament
BV (2.0) 641[1][2]


Description[edit]

The Cardinal was one of the most successful vehicles Clan Sea Fox manufactured in the thirty-second century. Produced from the Sea Fox plants on Twycross and Itabaiana and introduced to service in 3112, the Cardinal was designed to be a low-maintenance assault transport for infantry, and while the Cardinal's dual-rotor arrangement was originally subject to some faults, the Sea Foxes had decades in which to redesign and reengineer as needed, resulting in the Cardinal having one of the lowest maintenance costs for its engine and rotor systems.[1]

Made from high quality components and Clan-manufactured weaponry, the Cardinal carries either two Points of Elementals or three squads of Inner Sphere battle armor in the ten-ton Infantry Compartment. The Cardinal was so successful that most ended up being produced for Clan Jade Falcon and the Sea Foxes. Despite the prodigious size of the Cardinal - at least in VTOL terms - the lightweight fusion engine provides enough power for the dual rotors to propel the Cardinal at speeds approaching 130 km/h. Five tons of ferro-fibrous armor protects the Cardinal as it ventures into heavy combat zones, and the array of weaponry mounted onto the front of the Cardinal meant that it often provides fire support to the troops it transports.[1]

Weapons and Equipment[edit]

All three of the weapon systems built into the Cardinal were installed in the front of the vehicle. The heaviest was the Type OVR-X LB 2-X Autocannon, backed up by a Type V "Longbow" LRM 5 Launcher and a pair of Tau II Anti-Personnel Gauss Rifles.[1]

Variants[edit]

  • RAF 
    The majority of the customers who purchased Cardinals followed the Sea Fox guidance and avoided modifying the vehicles. The exception was the Republic of the Sphere;[1] the RAF removed the Sea Fox weapon systems and replaced them with an MML 5 and three Clantech Small Pulse Lasers, again all mounted in the front of the Cardinal. The weight saving allowed the Republic Armed Forces to expand the Infantry Compartment up to 12 tons, giving RAF commanders more flexibility. BV (2.0) = 582[3][4]

Design Quirks[edit]

The Cardinal was subject to the following Design Quirk:[1]

References[edit]

  1. 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 1.14 1.15 1.16 1.17 Technical Readout: 3145 Mercenaries, p. 26-27, "Cardinal Transport"
  2. Record Sheets: 3145 Unabridged, p. 26
  3. Technical Readout: 3145 Mercenaries, p. 74, "Cardinal Transport (RAF)"
  4. Record Sheets: 3145 Unabridged, p. 27

Bibliography[edit]