Marsden II

Marsden II.jpg
Marsden II Main Battle Tank
Production information
Manufacturer Arcturan Arms[1]

MacEnroe Motors[2]

Production Year 2473[3]
Mission Main Battle Tank
Type Tracked
Technical specifications
Mass 60 tons
Armor AA-50 Diamondplate
Engine OmniDiesel 180 ICE
Speed 54 km/h
Crew 4
Communications System Arc-Signal 750
Targeting Tracking System Land Shark Scanner 15
Heat Sinks 0
Armament
BV (2.0) 1,056[1][4][5]
984[6]


Description[edit]

The Marsden II Main Battle Tank was introduced by Arcturan Arms in 2463 to improve upon and replace its venerable predecessor after seventy years of frontline service. Not only did it share the name of the Lyran Commonwealth's late founding father with the Marsden I, but also its mission profile and much of its general layout. Improved technical and manufacturing knowledge stemming from Operation Prometheus allowed the company to improve the new tank's arms and armor while still making it five tons lighter. With its excellent firepower and thick armor, it was considered a cutting edge combat vehicle when it premiered during the Age of War.[1]

The initial production of the Marsden II took a decade in which the first batch still utilized what has become termed as Primitive Technology before the manufacturer switched to modern technology for the rest of its production run. The first, primitive batch was quickly upgraded or phased out.[1]

Through the 2470s and '80s, the tank became the Lyran Commonwealth's frontline main battle tank. However, Arcturan Arms' economic difficulties in Arcturus' long recession (starting with the move of the Commonwealth's capital to Tharkad) caused the company to bleed money and lose ground in the technological arms race, until it was finally bought out by MacEnroe Motors of Donegal in 2541.[1][7] The new company immediately decided to end the tank's production run in favor of the new Marsden III, whose dismal failure led to MacEnroe Motors' closure only six years later, ending the Marsden line of tanks for centuries.[1]

The durable Marsden II continued to soldier on in various planetary militias and private security force arsenals into the Succession Wars, where the last remaining units were finally destroyed.[1]

During the Word of Blake's Jihad, the Marsden II design was revived in new a incarnation with production facilities on Arcturus, Halfway and Buena.[1]

Weapons and Equipment[edit]

The tank's main gun, the turret-mounted Arcturan Arms Longarm Series Autocannon/5, serves as its long-range weapon, with one ton of ammunition for it. Providing for close-in firepower, the tank has two front-mounted, 6-tube Short Range Missile launchers with four tons of ammunition. To handle infantry, the Marsden II mounts a pair of General A70 Model Machine Guns, which share half a ton of ammunition.[1]

The tank is protected by 15.5 tons of 'Mech grade armor, with more protection allocated to its front. The tank's internal combustion engine provides enough horsepower to give tank a good 54 km/h. This allowed it to keep respectable speed when facing frontline forces.[1]

Variants[edit]

  • Marsden II (Primitive Armor) 
    The original prototype for the Marsden II, the tank features an even amount of primitive armor on all locations. The tank otherwise offers the same weaponry and speed as its production model. BV (2.0) = 800,[8] 762[9]
  • Marsden II-A 
    The only successful field variant from the original production run of the tank. This variant removes a machine gun, one of the SRM-6 launchers and two tons of SRM ammo to swap out the AC/5 for a Strongarm Autocannon/10 with two tons of ammunition.[1] BV (2.0) = 1,054,[10] 980[11]
  • Marsden II-A (LB-X) 
    A Jihad-era production variant of the Marsden II-A, this tank receives an infusion of modern weaponry. The tank's Strongarm Autocannon is swapped out for an LB-X Autocannon/10 with two tons of ammunition. The original II-A's SRM-6 is replaced with a pair of Streak SRM-2 launchers with two tons of ammunition mounted in the front of the vehicle. To add some protection from infantry, the tank returns to two machine guns to the turret with a ton of ammo.[1] BV (2.0) = 1,090,[12] 1,013[13]

Notable Pilots[edit]

Related Designs[edit]

Gallery[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 Technical Readout: 3075, pp. 274–275: "Marsden II Vehicle Profile"
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Technical Readout: 3075, p. 274: "Marsden Main Battle Tank"
  3. ↑ MUL online date for the Marsden II
  4. ↑ Record Sheets: 3075, p. 46
  5. ↑ Record Sheets: 3075 Unabridged, p. 254
  6. ↑ Record Sheets: 3075 Unabridged - Age of War, p. 188
  7. ↑ Technical Readout: Jihad, p. 124: "CRS-6B Crossbow - Deployment"
  8. ↑ Record Sheets: 3075 Unabridged, p. 255
  9. ↑ Record Sheets: 3075 Unabridged - Age of War, p. 187
  10. ↑ Record Sheets: 3075 Unabridged, p. 256
  11. ↑ Record Sheets: 3075 Unabridged - Age of War, p. 189
  12. ↑ Record Sheets: 3075 Unabridged, p. 257
  13. ↑ Record Sheets: 3075 Unabridged - Age of War, p. 190

Bibliography[edit]

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