Condor (Combat Vehicle)

This article is about the hover tank. For other uses, see Condor.
Condor RGilClan v26.jpg
Condor Heavy Hover Tank
Production information
Manufacturer Red Devil Industries[1]

Quikscell Company

Jalastar Aerospace[2][3]

Production Year 2564[4]
Mission Cavalry
Type Hover
Cost 1,217,000 C-bills
Technical specifications
Mass 50 tons
Armor StarSlab/9.5 Mk II
Engine Jones 165 ICE
Speed 129 km/h
Crew 4
Communications System TharHes KR-A P/Com[5]
Targeting Tracking System TharHes Mars 1[5]
Heat Sinks 6 single
Armament
BV (1.0) 425[6]
BV (2.0) 653[1]


Description[edit]

A heavy cavalry unit designed for rapid reaction to a shifting battle, the Condor is one of the few heavy hover tanks available. Although expensive to buy and to maintain, this immense hovercraft is capable of a flank speed of 129 km/h and a cruising speed of 86 km/h, making it one of the fastest vehicles in its weight class and as fast as the speediest 'Mechs and vehicles. Six tons of StarSlab/9.5 Mk II armor give the Condor considerable protection for its role, though the bulk is concentrated on the front and turret, notably weakening the sides.[1]

Introduced a few short years before the formation of the original Star League, the Condor remained one of Red Devil Industries main sellers for centuries and was widely distributed across the Inner Sphere, with the militaries of the Lyran Commonwealth, Federated Suns and Capellan Confederation fielding the majority during the Succession Wars. With the loss of Red Devil's factories with the capture of Pandora by Clan Jade Falcon in 3064, the design was secured by Quikscell Company, who developed an advanced new-tech refresh of the venerable and still highly popular design, even selling the unassembled components of the tank in kit form in effort to keep up with demand. These "flat-packs" usually work fine once properly assembled, but often leave behind a small pile of apparently unnecessary parts.[1]

Weapons and Equipment[edit]

Unlike tracked or wheeled vehicles of the same weight, the Condor is intended to attack enemies "on the fly" at medium ranges, carrying a GM Whirlwind Class 5 autocannon and a pair of Defiance B3M medium lasers in its turret. While many manufacturers are forced to buy the popular Defiance B3M medium laser at the going market rate, Red Devil actually builds their own under license. Originally, Defiance Industries declined to allow the company to do so, which led to Red Devil offering a bounty for used or slightly damaged lasers taken in combat to recondition and install on new Condors. When Defiance noticed that some of its flagship BattleMech designs, such as the Zeus, attracted undue fire from foes attempting to cash in on the bounty, they quickly relented. Not nearly as notable, the reliable SureFire MiniGun, mounted on the body, is intended as an anti-personnel weapon.[1]

Variants[edit]

  • Davion 
    A 2952 variant popular among AFFS units, AFFS forces generally strip both the lasers from the turret for two Autocannon/2s, with forty-five shots of ammunition per gun. BV (2.0) = 577[7][8]
  • Liao 
    A 2878 variant sighted in House Liao space, the CCAF strips out the GM Whirlwind and opts for four medium lasers instead. BV (2.0) = 765[9]
  • Flamer 
    This 3025 version of Condor changes the weapons array and adds armor. A vehicular Flamer is mounted fore and aft, each with a ton of ammunition. The turret contains a pair of Machine Guns and trio of medium lasers. BV (2.0) = 715[9]
  • Upgrade 
    Sharing only a minimal resemblance to the Red Devil model, the Condor rolling off Quikscell's Richvale production lines utilizes a wide range of advanced technology. Replacing the internal combustion engine with a more powerful Core Tek 215 XL fusion engine both greatly increases the Condor's speed while freeing up space to carry upgraded weapons array. Giving the Condor the long-range striking power required on the modern battlefield, the standard GM autocannon was replaced with an advanced Mydron Excel 5SG LB-X AC/5, boosting the ammunition carried to two tons to allow for the use of both standard and cluster munitions, while the lasers were dropped for a turret-mounted Valiant Arbalest LRM 15-pack fed with two tons of reloads. Based on the experiences of the FedCom Civil War, an extra machine gun was added to the sole original. An upgrade to ten heat sinks and StarSlab/9.5 ferro-fibrous Mk II boost the Condor's staying power in battle. BV (1.0) = 546;[10] BV (2.0) = 965[11][12]
  • Upgrade (Laser) 
    An attempt by Quikscell to reduce the Condor's dependence on ammunition based weaponry, this variant of the upgraded tank replaced the autocannon with a Cyclops extended-range large laser, with the remaining weight being used to add a turret-mounted anti-missile system, a Guardian ECM suite, and an additional ton of armor. BV (2.0) = 1,197[13][14]
  • Laser 
    Apparently a hybrid between the original Condor and the Condor Upgrade, this version uses a standard Fusion engine to provide power. The turret carries four ER medium lasers and three SRM-2 launchers with two tons of ammunition. BV (2.0) = 977[15]
  • Fission 
    This Capellan Confederation experiment replaced the fusion engine with a fission engine. To make room for the engine, engineers removed the autocannon and replaced it with a third medium laser. They also increased protection by adding sponson turrets to the tank, each carries a vehicle flamer and a machine gun. The ammunition for these weapons is stored in the body. The fission-powered engine also carries an extra two and a half tons of armor.[16]
  • Ultra 
    Produced by Red Devil under the auspices of the Lyran Commonwealth, the Ultra variant ups the craft's speed by 12.5% and replaces the weaponry with an Ultra Autocannon/10 and twin medium chemical lasers. The machine gun is replaced by an anti-missile system, and a TAG unit provides additional potency as a reconnaissance unit. The whole tank is encased in reflective armor and equipped with CASE. BV (2.0) = 1,252[17]
  • Fusion 
    Produced as a gamble by Red Devil in the early thirty-first century, the use of a fusion engine made room for an AC/10 with two tons and ammo, plus an additional medium laser. BV (2.0) = 939[17]
  • Condor Trans-Track 
    An experiment by the LCAF, this version of the Condor sought to overcome the hovercraft's inability to traverse difficult terrain by adding an additional transportation method: A retractable tread system. The theory was that the hoverskirts would allow the Condor Trans-Track to rapidly cover open terrain, and the track system would allow it to cover rough terrain. Engineers had to remove armor and trade the AC/5 for an AC/2 to free enough weight for the track system and additional controls. The retractable tread system wasn't successful, frequently jamming itself and rendering the tread system useless. The LCAF canceled the project.[18]
  • Laser Upgrade 
    This Dark Age variant uses a Fusion engine to power three Medium Re-Engineered Lasers in its turret. It is also protected by ferro-fibrous armor.[19] BV (2.0) = 752[20]
  • Condor Multi-Purpose Tank (Standard plate)
    This Republic variant uses the failed Condor Trans-Track as a base chassis. It removes the lift skirts and other hover-related components in favor of a fifty ton tracked chassis. Equipped with an LB 5-X autocannon, LRM-15, and two machine guns, it serves in the Republic Standing Guard. It can reach a top speed of 96 km/h thanks to an XL Fusion engine.[21] This version is protected by six and a half tons of standard armor. BV (2.0) = 811[22]
  • Condor Multi-Purpose Tank (Reactive)
    This version of the Condor Multi-Purpose tank offers weapons and performance identical to the standard armor protection version. The only difference is that this variant serves in front-line Republic commands and is protected by six and a half tons of Reactive Armor. BV (2.0) = 963[21]

Apocryphal Variants[edit]

Apocryphal Content Starts

The information after this notice comes from apocryphal sources; the canonicity of such information is uncertain.
Please view the reference page for information regarding their canonicity.

These variants were introduced in various apocryphal sources, and thus far have not appeared in any canonical media.

From MechCommander:

  • Mixed-Tech 
    The exigencies of the 3059 Operation BULLDOG saw both sides employing mixed-tech refits of Inner Sphere fighting machines. One such variant replaced the Condor's weaponry with a Clan Large Pulse Laser, creating a skrimisher par excellence. The remaining 1.5 tons may have gone into reinforcing the armor.[23]

Apocryphal Content Ends

Design Quirks[edit]

The Condor Heavy Hover Tank Fission variant is subject to the following Design Quirk:[16]

The Condor Trans-Track has following Design Quirks:[18]

Notable Crews[edit]

See Category:Notable Condor Crewmembers

Notes[edit]

  • In German products, the unit's proper name was translated to Kondor.

Gallery[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Technical Readout: 3039, pp. 60–61: "Condor Vehicle Profile"
  2. ↑ Handbook: House Davion, p. 172: "Jalastar Aerospace"
  3. ↑ Objectives: Federated Suns, p. 28: "Jalastar Aerospace"
  4. ↑ MUL online date for the Condor (Combat Vehicle)
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Technical Readout: 3039, p. 60: "Condor Heavy Hover Tank"
  6. ↑ Combat Operations, p. 120
  7. ↑ Record Sheets: 3039 Unabridged, p. 33
  8. ↑ Record Sheets: 3039 Unabridged, p. 101
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 Record Sheets: 3039 Unabridged, p. 103
  10. ↑ Record Sheets: MechWarrior Dark Age I, p. 24
  11. ↑ Record Sheets: 3075 Unabridged, p. 22
  12. ↑ Record Sheets: 3075 Unabridged - The Cutting Edge, p. 99
  13. ↑ Record Sheets: 3075 Unabridged, p. 23
  14. ↑ Record Sheets: 3075 Unabridged - The Cutting Edge, p. 100
  15. ↑ Record Sheets: 3058 Unabridged (Inner Sphere), p. 110
  16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 Experimental Technical Readout: Succession Wars, Volume 1, p. 12
  17. ↑ 17.0 17.1 17.2 17.3 Recognition Guide: ilClan Vol. 26, p. 4
  18. ↑ 18.0 18.1 Experimental Technical Readout: Boondoggles, p. 9
  19. ↑ Technical Readout: 3145, p. 209
  20. ↑ Record Sheets: 3145 New Tech, New Upgrades, p. 48
  21. ↑ 21.0 21.1 Experimental Technical Readout: Republic, Volume 1, p. 12
  22. ↑ Experimental Technical Readout: Republic, Volume 1, p. 29
  23. ↑ MechCommander

Bibliography[edit]

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