Balac

Balac Strike VTOL
Production information
Manufacturer	New York Vehicle Y2 Facility
Production Year	3079
Mission	Anti-Tank Support
Type	VTOL
Technical specifications
Tech Base	Clan
Mass	25
Armor	Forging AM15 ferro-fibrous
Engine	Consolidated 135 XL
Speed	184 km/h
Crew	2
Communications System	Neil 9000 Comm System
Targeting Tracking System	RCA Econotrac
Heat Sinks	10
Armament	2x ATM-6 1x ER medium laser
BV (2.0)	1,271

Description

Introduced after the Jihad, the Balac Strike VTOL was an extremely fast and versatile Advanced Tactical Missile-armed VTOL.

With Clan Diamond Shark expecting that both the Clan and Inner Sphere militaries would invest heavily to rebuild to pre-Jihad levels, the Sharks focused on quickly filling the need for a heavily armed VTOL. While sales were not everything the Sharks hoped for, thanks to the increasing use of reduced military philosophies by Devlin Stone, the Balac was a common sight within most standing militaries and was retained over other older designs that were being phased out. It was maintained in general use even after the collapse of the Republic of the Sphere.

Somewhat of a rarity for VTOLs due to their extreme increase in cost, a Consolidated 135 XL fusion engine provides the Balac with an impressive flank speed of 184 km/h while allowing it to carry a heavy weapons loadout. Unfortunately like many VTOLs, the Balac carries a relatively minimal armor protection; two and half tons of Forging AM15 ferro-fibrous plating are enough to survive incidental hits at speed, but insufficient to survive a sustained salvo while pilots use the hover feature to maximize accuracy of its ATMs.

Weapons and Equipment

Intended for anti-vehicle support, the Balac carries a pair of Type 6 ATM-6 launchers as its primary weapons. With a four ton capacity ammo bay allowing the craft to carry any combination of ATM missile loads, the Balac boasted lengthy field endurance. In case the ATMs did run dry, a nose-mounted Mk.3 ER Medium Laser provided a degree of ammo-free firepower. The ammunition is protected by C.A.S.E.

Variants

• Spotter 

  The spotter variant developed in 3079 reduced the size of the ammo bay to free up weight for an ECM Suite and Active Probe, trading the ER Medium Laser for TAG. The ammunition is protected by C.A.S.E.. BV (2.0) = 934

• LRM 

  A low-cost "budget" variant also introduced in 3079, both ATM's were downgraded to LRM-15s and the XL engine was swapped to a standard model. The ammo bay was reduced to compensate for the heavier engine. Additional the variant has an 0.5 ton cargo bay.BV (2.0) = 1,278

• Hybrid 

  Introduced in 3090 this version uses a standard Fusion engine. The two ATM-6 launchers remain, but the laser has been replaced by a single Heavy Machine Gun with a half-ton of ammunition. The smaller engine means the Hybrid can only reach a top speed of 150 km/h. BV (2.0) = 797

VTOL Gallery

• 

  The original Dark Age image of the Balac.

Bibliography

• Dossier of Wahab Fusilli
• Master Unit List
• Record Sheets: 3085 Unabridged - The Cutting Edge
• Record Sheets: 3145 New Tech, New Upgrades
• Technical Readout: 3085