Burke (Combat Vehicle)

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Burke TRO2750.jpg
Burke
Production information
Manufacturer Foretechno
Leopard Armor
Production Year 2580[1]
Mission Fire Support, static defense vehicle
Type Tracked
Cost 3,075,625 C-bills
Technical specifications
Mass 75 Tons
Armor Acbar 55 Ferro-Fibrous
Engine GM 150 fusion
Speed 32 km/h
Crew 3
Communications System 1 Division 300
Targeting Tracking System Scope 30 RNDST
Heat Sinks 30 single
Armament

BV (1.0) 597[2]
BV (2.0) 815[3][4]


Description and History

The Burke was created as a static defense vehicle for the Star League Defense Force in 2580. The Foretechno corporation of Terra had great difficulties producing the tank, suffering from irregular production runs until 2650. Due to this 50 year period of uneven production, maintenance for the vehicle became difficult. By this time the corporation was in grave trouble, and was ultimately taken over by Leopard Armor in 2755.[3][5][6]

The tank is noteworthy for its devastating long-range firepower. Due to its ponderous speed and lack of short ranged weaponry, SLDF frontline forces disliked the vehicle, though garrison forces highly prized it. Member states of the Star League also employed the tank in their private armies.[3][5][6]

Leopard Armor was destroyed in 2778 during the Star League Civil War. This cut off parts and support for the Burkes with the militaries of the Great Houses. Without support for the surviving tanks, the model disappeared from the armies of the Successor States by the end of the multiple century conflict.[3][5][6]

Only in secret did ComStar's Com Guard units maintain a number of these vehicles in operational condition within the Inner Sphere. The Clans, who themselves are descendants of SLDF also maintained a number of them as well, particularly Clan Hell's Horses.[3][5][6]

The Com Guards put the tanks to good use at the Battle of Tukayyid in 3052. Additionally, Word of Blake defectors took many of these tanks with them after the ComStar Schism.[3][5][6]

It is thought that the tank's extinction may be at hand with the Jihad's fury of destruction cutting through the Inner Sphere.

Weapons and Equipment

The vehicle's main armament consists of three turret-mounted Chalker Model 25 Particle Projection Cannons. The cannons can be used to engage three separate targets or fire in unison against one. The cannons are backed up by a fixed forward Holly-10 LRM-10 launcher with one ton of ammunition. The launcher utilizes a Scope 30 RNDST tracking system, which is able to account for electronic jamming, atmospheric conditions and evasive maneuvers to provide accurate targeting.[3][5][6]

The vehicle is powered by a GM 150-rated fusion engine, pushing the vehicle at a slow maximum speed of 32 km/h. The Burke's slow speed is partially compensated for with its six tons of ferro-fibrous armor.[3][5][6]

Variants

  • Burke II 
    Superheavy version of the Burke tank created for the Rim Worlds Republic army during their occupation of Terra in 2776-2777. Only pair of Prototypes were produced before the vehicle's production line was destroyed by SLDF forces.[11]

Related Vehicles

Gallery

Notes

  • Author Blaine Lee Pardoe stated in a blog entry that, according to his memory which he admitted could be wrong, the Burke was among the vehicles for which he wrote the original background as initially published in TRO:2750; for some of these he also designed the stats.

References

  1. MUL online date for the Burke (Combat Vehicle)
  2. Combat Operations, p. 106
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.7 Technical Readout: 3050 Upgrade, pp. 176-1777, "Burke Vehicle Profile"
  4. Record Sheets: 3050 Upgrades Unabridged (Clan & Star League), p. 204
  5. 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 5.6 Technical Readout: 2750, pp. 112-113, "Burke Vehicle Profile"
  6. 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.5 6.6 Technical Readout: 3050 Revised, pp. 216-217, "Burke Vehicle Profile"
  7. Record Sheets: 3050 Upgrades Unabridged (Clan & Star League), p. 205
  8. Record Sheets: Operation Klondike, p. 15
  9. Technical Readout: 3050 Upgrade, pp. 177
  10. Historical: Operation Klondike, pp. 159
  11. Experimental Technical Readout: Gunslingers, pp. 12 Burke II Superheavy Tank - Basic info on Burke II.
  12. Technical Readout: Golden Century, p. 8, "Notable Units"

Bibliography