SturmFeur

SturmFeurHeavyTank.jpg
SturmFeur Heavy Tank
Production information
Manufacturer Trellshire Heavy Industries
Production Year 3018[1]
Mission Fire Support
Type Tracked
Cost 2,395,288 C-bills[2]
Technical specifications
Mass 85 Tons
Armor ProtecTech 6
Engine 255 InterComBust I.C.E.
Speed 54 km/h
Crew 6
Communications System Angst 2100-b
Targeting Tracking System SturmFeur Highlight with BlindFire Radar
Heat Sinks None
Armament
BV (1.0) 763[3][4]
BV (2.0) 1,400[5]


Description

The SturmFeur, translated as "Assault Fire" in German, debuted in 3018. At that time, it was the largest combat vehicle dedicated to providing missile support in the Inner Sphere. True to the philosophy of the LCAF that commissioned it, the SturmFeur is slow and can withstand a determined counter-assault before needing to withdraw, thanks to its copious armor protection.[6][7]

Weapons and Equipment

The primary armament on the SturmFeur was a pair of SturmFeur LRM-20s. These allowed the tank to provide withering support fire, both directly and indirectly. This allowed it to stay out of range and even out of sight of most enemy units. Difficulties with targeting technology during the Third Succession War necessitated splitting up the launchers so that they didn't accidentally damage friendly units. Because of this, one LRM was mounted in a turret, and the other was mounted behind but only fires forward, over the turret in an arc. The only secondary weapons were a pair of MiniGuns attached to the turret. They provided effective anti-infantry defense, but little else.[6][7]

Variants

  • Heavy Gauss 
    A newer variant was more radical. This "Heavy Gauss" variant replaced the turret mounted LRM-20 and Machine Guns with an Artemis IV assisted LRM-10 and an ER Medium Laser. Even more radical is the removal of the fixed missile rack and mounting a Heavy Gauss Rifle in the front of the tank. These also radically change the SturmFeur's mission from a fire support role to more of a close up brawler. Considering the SturmFeur's speed, it is unclear how well it would do in such a role.[8] Cost = 5,133,750 C-bills[9] BV (1.0) = 1,067[4] BV (2.0) = 1,711
  • SRM 
    A variant introduced in 3023 offered by Trellshire, the "SRM" replaced the turret-mounted LRM with four SRM-4s and an additional Machine Gun. This gave the SturmFeur increased ability to defend itself at short range and was sometimes used as a bodyguard for standard SturmFeurs.[7] Cost = 2,481,313 C-bills, BV (2.0) = 1,390[10]
  • Kalki Cruise Missile Launcher 
    Using a SturmFeur chassis, the Kalki was designed by Kallon Industries to provide missile artillery support to ground units. Unfortunately, even expanding the chassis to a staggering 125 tons and downsizing the engine only allowed the designers to incorporate a single Cruise Missile 50 launcher. Also problematic was the greatly reduced top speed. To reduce costs and make more room for the Cruise Missile launcher, the top speed was reduced to approximately 32 km/h. Though it carried a decent amount of armor protection, the increased size of the vehicle resulted in the armor being considerably thinner in all locations. The largest problem, however, was the sheer size of the missiles. The Kalki only had enough room to carry a single missile for the launcher, meaning it had to be reloaded from an external source after every shot. Considering the missiles weigh as much as a Commando, this was a deadly shortcoming. Kallon shelved the project in the 3070's. BV (2.0) = 803[12]
  • Kalki Cruise Missile Launcher (Production) 
    The production version of the Kalki is a complete redesign of the experimental version. Many components from the SturmFeur are re-used, but the chassis has been updated to 150 tons. The Kalki is now powered by a Fuel Cell engine, which reduces cost. It also mounts a pair of Magshots for protection. The Cruise Missile 50 launcher still only has one reload, but engineers were able to upgrade the armor protection to seven tons. BV (2.0) = 1,036[13]

Design Quirks

The Kalki Cruise Missile Launcher (Production) variant is subject of the following Design Quirks:[13]

Gallery

References

  1. MUL online date for the SturmFeur
  2. Record Sheets: 3039, p. 53
  3. Technical Readout: 3026 Revised, p. 81
  4. 4.0 4.1 Combat Operations, p. 131
  5. Technical Readout: 3039, p. 93
  6. 6.0 6.1 Technical Readout: 3026 Revised, p. 80
  7. 7.0 7.1 7.2 Technical Readout: 3039, p. 92
  8. Record Sheets: Upgrades, p. 23
  9. Record Sheets: Upgrades Errata 1.0
  10. Record Sheets: 3039, p. 54
  11. Jihad Turning Points: Hesperus II, p. 19
  12. Experimental Technical Readout: Corporations, p. 8
  13. 13.0 13.1 Technical Readout: Prototypes, p. 65

Bibliography