Patton

Patton Tank
Production information
Manufacturer	Defiance Industries
Production Year	3027
Mission	Close Range/Urban Combat
Type	Tracked
Cost	2,747,113 C-bills
Technical specifications
Mass	65 tons
Armor	Durallex Heavy
Engine	Magna 260
Speed	64.8 km/h
Crew	3
Communications System	TharHes Muse 54-58K
Targeting Tracking System	TharHes Mars5
Heat Sinks	10 single
Armament	1x Autocannon/10 1x LRM-5 1x Flamer 1x Small Laser
BV (1.0)	961
BV (2.0)	943

The Patton tank is a 65-ton armored combat vehicle, specializing in conventional armored warfare. Identical to its twin, the Rommel, in every way but armament and armor configuration, the Patton has primarily served with the Lyran Commonwealth and the Lyran Alliance.

Description

Designed concurrently with the Rommel, Defiance Industries decided that a vehicle to replace 'Mechs was needed in the early 3000s. Since 'Mech production was nearly at a standstill, the ability to produce and field armored vehicles became a necessity no Successor State could ignore.

Unlike the Rommel, which features a massive and powerful but short-ranged AC/20 as its main gun, the Patton mounts an AC/10, giving it twice the ammunition capacity and superior firing range while also enabling it to be fitted with more armor. The Patton is capable of fighting in short-ranged and urban environments, but is far more suited than the Rommel to engaging targets at medium to long range.

Weapons and Equipment

The Patton uses a single Defiance Killer Type T Autocannon/10 as its main armament. While not as able to cripple 'Mechs when compared to the Rommel's AC/20, the Patton has a longer ranged AC/10 and 14.5T of armor. More armor than the Rommel, and indeed many mechs. The Patton adds a Coventry Five-Tube LRM-5 for added punch at range. To deal with attacking infantry, a front-mounted Defiance A5L Small Laser and rear-mounted Hotshot Flamer are included.

Variants

• Patton Ultra 

  This variant of the Patton replaces the standard weaponry with a turret-mounted Ultra AC/10 and a pair of medium lasers to support it. For anti-infantry work, the Patton Ultra has three Machine Guns: One covers the rear while the other two cover the front of the tank. BV (2.0) = 1,160

• Patton-SB 

  This version of the Patton was built with the intent of functioning in hostile environments like the vacuum of space. Environmental Sealing protects the crew from hostile environments. An XL fusion engine with Supercharger allows the Patton-SB to perform sprints of up to 86 km/h to reposition quickly. It retains the LRM-5, but replaces the other weaponry with a pair of ER medium lasers and a Silver Bullet Gauss Rifle with three tons of ammunition. The tank is protected by eleven and a half tons of Heavy Ferro-Fibrous armor. BV (2.0) = 1,468

• Patton (Taurian) 

  Several Patton variants would undergo testing with the Taurian Concordat for use in hostile environments. The resulting design retains the Flamer and LRM-5 but mounts an LB 10-X AC and ER Medium Laser in place of the standard AC/10 and Small Laser. The Taurian variant also carries a Supercharger and Heavy Ferro-Fibrous armor. BV(2.0) = 1,213.

• Patton (XL) 

  Devised as a partnership between DefHes and GM, an engine swap to the GM 260 XL Fusion allowed this Patton variant to free up additional tonnage for various upgrades. This variant mounts a Mydron Excel Ultra Type 10 Auto cannon, a Holly MML5, a Martel-X Medium X-Pulse Laser, and a Hotshot Flamer for anti-infantry work. The Targeting & Tracking system is upgraded to a TharHes Mars 5 with Targeting Computer and Artemis IV. For protection this variant relies on its StarSlab/6 Ferro-Fibrous armor along with CASE protected ammunition bins carrying a single ton of MML ammunition and 3 tons of Ultra AC/10 ammunition. BV(2.0) = 1,278.

Design Quirks

The Patton-SB variant is subject to the following Design Quirks:

• Prototype
• Trailer Hitch

Design Quirks for XL:

• Narrow/Low Profile
• Poor Targeting/Short Range

Related Designs

• Rommel - The Rommel tank is built on the same chassis, but carries a massive Autocannon/20. While giving the Rommel significant short range firepower, backed up by an LRM-5 and Small Laser, the heavier weapon forces a reduction in armor to a still quite respectable 11 tons.

• Axel - Produced in a Mark I and a Mark II version on Spittal by Benson and Bjorn since the inception of the Free Rasalhague Republic, the Axel tanks are internal-combustion-engine variants of the Rommel and Patton designs, respectively.

Gallery

• 

  Original Patton from TRO:3025

• 

  Patton from RG:ilClan vol. 27

• 

  McIntyre House Guard Patton from FM:Periphery

Bibliography

• 20 Year Update
• Combat Operations
• Experimental Technical Readout: Periphery
• Record Sheets: 3058 Unabridged (Inner Sphere)
• Technical Readout: 3025
• Technical Readout: 3039
• Recognition Guide: ilClan, vol. 27