Rattler
Sarna News
| |
| Rattler MKII Anti-Aerospace Mobile Fortress | |
| Production information | |
| Use | Anti-Aerospace |
| Chassis Type | Fortress |
| Motive Type | Ground |
| Technology Base | Inner Sphere |
| Cost | |
| Introduced | 3072 |
| Technical specifications | |
| Size (in hexes) | 7 |
| Length (meters/Hexes) | 90 meters/3 Hexes |
| Width (meters/Hexes) | 90 meters/3 Hexes |
| Height (meters/Levels) | 42 meters/7 Levels |
| Power System | Fusion |
| Fuel | NA |
| Heat Sinks (total) | 176 |
| Construction Factor | 150 |
| Armor (per Hex) | 150 |
| Total Cargo (tons) | 636 |
| Doors (total) | 6 |
| Bays | 4 Light Vehicle Bays 6 Jump Infantry Bays |
| Escape Pods | 0 |
| Crew | 43 officers 42 crew 105 gunners 177 bay personnel |
| Armament | 3x Sub-Capital Laser/3 10x Large Pulse Lasers 16x Machine Guns 4x Light Machine Guns 14x Streak SRM 6 4x LRM 20 with Artemis IV 2x Heavy Gauss Rifles 2x Long Toms 2x Arrow IV |
| Equipment | 14x Anti-Missile Systems 3x Barracuda |
| Facilities | 98 steerage quarters 24 crew quarters 1 MASH unit 10 tons comms eqpt 2 field kitchens 4 lift hoists |
| BV (1.0) | ???? |
| BV (2.0) | 14,495 |
Overview
The Rattler Mk II was a Word of Blake mobile structure intended to act as an anti-Aerospace platform and was based on an earlier Star League design.[1]
Description
The modern Rattler Mk II program began with the refurbishment of those SLDF Rattler Mk Is that had survived the Amaris Civil War shortly after the Word of Blake captured Terra in 3058, but soon expanded into the production of new platforms.[1]
Capable of transporting 4 VTOLs and 2 companies of jump infantry, the Rattler is not particularly luxurious; the standard crew quarters are double occupancy, while the steerage quarters are intended to be triple occupancy. To support the crew, the Rattler is equipped with a full MASH, augmented by 2 additional operating theatres.[1]
The Rattler Mk II has treads larger than the average assault 'Mech, and the complete platform stands more than forty meters tall; however, the Word of Blake went further than the SLDF did when it came to protecting the Rattler by modifying the various Castles Brian on Terra to allow the Rattlers to be stored underground until needed. The main Word of Blake headquarters on Terra, Hilton Head, had a regular garrison of 4 Rattlers, along with numerous sally ports to allow them to enter and exit underground.[1]
The Rattler is a fearsome anti-Aerospace platform; while the Barracuda launchers allow the Rattler to reach targets in orbit, it excels at engaging sub-orbital targets. Mounting three of the largest sub-capital lasers manufactured, the Rattler also mounts defensive turrets containing Long Tom and Arrow IV systems. Smaller weapon systems are dotted around the Rattler in blisters, making engaging them on land a difficult task.[1]
Variants
- Rattler Mk I - The original SLDF Rattler mounted three additional Barracuda Launchers and had a larger cargo capacity when compared with the Mk II, but lacked the Sub-Capital Laser/3s of the modern Mk II. This gave the Mk I longer range than the modern Mk II, but at the price of increased ammunition dependency. Predating the invention of the Heavy Gauss Rifle, the Mk I mounted Heavy Autocannon instead. Only 12 Rattler Mk Is are known to have survived the Amaris Civil War, and all were upgraded by the Word of Blake to Mk IIs.[1]
Notes
The description for the Rattler indicates that the Rattler Mk I had 5 Barracuda Launchers, and that the Word of Blake removed 3 of the Barracuda Launchers to install the Sub-Capital Laser/3s in place on the Mk II. That would leave 2 Barracuda Launchers on the Mk II. However, the readout of the Rattler Mk II[1] and the Record Sheet for the Rattler Mk II[2] show 3 Barracuda Launchers. It is not currently known if the mention of 5 Launchers on the Mk I is in error, and that the Mk I therefore had 6 launchers, or if the reference to removing 3 Launchers in the Mk II is in error, with only 2 Launchers instead being removed. No record sheet currently exists for the Rattler Mk I.