Hexareme

Hexareme HQ Hovercraft
Production information
Manufacturer	Michaelson Heavy Industries
Production Year	3115
Mission	Vehicle Uses: Tactical Mobile HQ Reconnaissance Support BlueWater Coastal Patrol Escort Spotter Boarding Vessel Special Operations Support
Type	Hover
Technical specifications
Mass	90 Tons
Armor	Heavy Ferro-Fibrous with CASE
Engine	XL Fusion Engine
Speed	110 kph km/h
Communications System	Unspecified
Targeting Tracking System	Unspecified
Heat Sinks	10
Armament	1x Snub Nose PPC 1x LB-2X AC 2x Light Machine Guns 2x AMS
BV (2.0)	1,408

Description

The Hexareme HQ Hovercraft is an early thirty-second century super-heavy combat vehicle, first produced for the Republic of the Sphere. The vehicle was originally intended to be a Main Battle Tank — however, due to nature of the design's hovercraft qualities, it proved to be impractical. From the drawing boards, the Hexareme became a special operations-type vehicle. The vehicle owes its existence to Trireme, where Michaelson Industries gained much success producing the vehicle and avoiding bankruptcy.

Initial testing of the vehicle once it entered the prototype stages showed that it was indeed not suited for traditional ground base operations, but the vehicle excelled on the water. It was a former Blue Water navy officer was part of the testing team for Michaelson Industries who suggested it would be suited for Republic's water operations.

The Hexareme was deployed Republic's SpecOps Commands where the vehicle is used for ship-to-shore assaults. Also it has been assigned as well to perform Blue Water-type operations such as coastal patrol. Its hovercraft speeds and modest armor allows it keep operate as a tactical mobile headquarters vehicle, keeping field command personnel safe while at sea. The Republic in it's later days, used the vehicle sparely. Notable use in combat was in 3149 on Addicks, where a Hexareme assigned to the Twelfth Hastatis Sentinels was utilized to try to counter units of the Draconis Combine's 4th Dieron Regulars. As the Republic began shrink, Hexaremes have fallen into various parties hands. This would include pirates using one particular one to raid maritime traffic on Connaught in late 3140s.

Weapons and Equipment

Powered by a 305-rated Extra-Light Fusion Engine, the Hexareme is able to move at respectable speeds by land or by sea. Its construction includes a floatation hull and 12 tons of Heavy Ferro-Fibrous Armor. This gives the Hexareme nearly the same level of armor protection with exception of its front, which has a slightly more armor. Additionally, a Guardian ECM Suite is fitted to give added electronic warfare protection.

For its primary mission, the Hexareme is fitted with 3-tons worth of Communication Equipment. The equipment provides tactical data from satellites in orbit as well as giving the edge to troops in the field.

Its primary offensive weaponry includes a turret-mounted Snub-Nose Particle Projection Cannon co-axed with a Class 2 LB-X Autocannon with single ton of ammunition fed from the main body. Defensive weaponry is limited to a pair of Light Machine Guns and AMS Systems mounted in Sponson Turrets on either side of the vehicle. Ammunition for the Autocannon and other ballistic weaponry is protected by CASE in the main body.

For its role in ship-to-shore assaults, the Hexareme uses its four ton Infantry Compartment to deploy a typically UMU-equipped Battle Armor Squad.

Design Quirks

The Hexareme is subjected to the following Design Quirk;

• Poor Performance

Notes

• The Hexareme's 3 tons of communication equipment is the lightest for a vehicle to be able to act as a functional mobile HQ vehicle. This provides +1 initiative when it can establish a link to a generic satellite; however, it is not enough to link to a satellite with a satellite imager.

• As of this writing, only record sheet for the Hexareme is found in XTRO: Republic I.

Bibliography

• Experimental Technical Readout: Republic, Volume 1
• Technical Readout: 3150