Support Vehicle

"No battle can be waged or won without the mammoth numbers of Support Vehicles that feed the war machines of the Great Houses. From cargo trucks to tanker airships, from airborne M.A.S.H. units to communication satellites, from armored transport trains to coastal patrol boats, from hauler exoskeletons to LoaderMechs, and even hover and wheeled police cruisers or civilian vehicles conscripted into the military, the Support Vehicle is the backbone of any military machine. Support Vehicles may be custom-designed for inclusion in the support apparatus of a military organization or conscripted into service as the need arises. Though usually not intended for direct use in combat, Support Vehicles often end up there.

"Support Vehicles belong to one of eight chassis types: wheeled, tracked, hover, VTOL, WiGE, Airship, Fixed-Wing and Naval vehicles. Within each chassis type, all Support Vehicles fall into one of three size classes: small, medium and large."¹

Wheeled Vehicles

"Wheeled Support Vehicles weigh from 0.1 to 160 tons. Simple and inexpensive, wheeled units operate most efficiently on established road networks, though some special models possess off-road capabilities."¹

Tracked Vehicles

"Tracked Support Vehicles weigh from 0.1 to 200 tons. A vehicle equipped with tracks has a distinct advantage over a wheeled vehicle when crossing soft or rough terrain. The expense, maintenance requirements and oversized tonnage that can inflict damage on roads sometimes limit the use of tracked vehicles."¹

Hover Vehicles

"Hover Support Vehicles weigh from 0.1 to 100 tons. Supported on a cushion of air, hovercraft can cross land and water with equal ease. Sometimes referred to as “skimmers,” hover vehicles see extensive use on water-rich planets."¹

VTOL

"VTOL Support Vehicles weigh from 0.1 to 60 tons. Rotary wings or vectored-thrust vehicles can achieve Vertical Take Off and Landing (VTOL). The high thrust-to-weight ratio required limits the maximum weight of such flying machines."¹

WiGE Craft

"WiGE Support Vehicles weigh from 0.1 to 240 tons. With a larger frame than its military counterpart, the WiGE Support Vehicle can achieve a larger overall size and carrying capacity. Though not common, this type of Support Vehicle still sees use."¹

Airships

"Airship Support Vehicles weigh from 0.1 to 1,000 tons. These vehicles use lighter-than air gases (usually inert helium) to fill lifting cells that keep them aloft, and propellers for maneuvering and station keeping. Airships are an attractive form of low-tech bulk cargo transport for locations that lack rail or sea links."¹

Fixed-Wing Craft

"Fixed-Wing Support Vehicles weigh from 0.100 to 200 tons. Lacking the flexibility of VTOLs because of their need for prepared runways, Fixed-Wing Support Vehicles can operate at higher altitudes, are more rugged and can be larger."¹

Naval Vessels

"Naval Support Vessels weigh from 0.1 to 100,000 tons. Often eclipsed by the DropShip, these naval vessels are nonetheless a cost-eff ective means of transporting bulk cargo. Primitive paddle-wheel steamers still exist, their unsophisticated design an asset on backwater worlds. Elsewhere, more advanced (and efficient) propulsion methods are employed."¹

==References

1. "Support Vehicles", Total Warfare, (Chicago: FanPro, 2006), 25.