View source for Marsden I

{{InfoBoxCombatVehicle
| image = marsden_i.jpg
| name = Marsden I Main Battle Tank
| manufacturer = [[Arcturan Arms]]
| production year=2396
| year reference=<ref>''[http://www.masterunitlist.info/Unit/Details/4602/ MUL online date for the ''{{PAGENAME}}'']''</ref>
| Mission = Main Battle
| Type = Tracked
| Cost = ???
| mass = 65 tons
| armor = [[AA Battleplate]]
| engine = [[Arcturus Engines CM Elite]] [[ICE]]
| comsys = [[Arc-Signal 100]]
| T&T = [[Scorpion Series AFC System]]
| heat sinks = None
| speed = 54
| Crew = 5
| armament = 
* 1x [[Autocannon/5]]
* 1x [[SRM-6]]
* 1x [[Machine Gun]]
| BV (2.0) = 500
}}

==Description==
Named after Archon [[Robert Marsden]], who had died the year before, the '''Marsden Main Battle Tank''' entered into service with the [[Lyran Commonwealth Armed Forces]] in [[2396]], shortly before the start of the [[Age of War]]. Combining a time-tested, simple design with modern equipment, it proved a successful general workhorse Main Battle Tank for the Commonwealth for almost seven decades before it was pushed into second-line duties by its successor, the very similar [[Marsden II]]. It continued serving for more than a century in planetary militias and garrison units until the end of the [[Reunification War]], after which all surviving tanks were decommissioned.<ref name=EDAoW>''Era Digest: Age of War'', pp. 23-24</ref>

==Weapons and Equipment==
The Marsden I carried an [[Arcturan Arms Longarm Series]] [[Autocannon/5]] as its main gun on a fully pivoting turret. The turret also contained a coaxial [[General A70 Model]] machine gun for use against [[infantry]]. While limited to twenty shots, the autocannon benefited from an advanced fire control system and quickly gained a reputation for accuracy. The real innovation, however, was the six-tube [[Alpha Wave]] missile launcher embedded in the thick frontal armor of the tank's hull. With its two tons of ammunition the launcher could keep up sustained missile fire to shatter the enemies' armor or disable their motive systems. It could also fire specialized ammo, such as smoke rockets to create cover.<ref name=EDAoW />

==Variants==
Some minor electronics upgrades aside, the Marsden I saw no specific variants throughout its service life. The basic design was eventually copied by other major states, leading to almost identical tanks with different names in other militaries.<ref name=EDAoW />

When it was phased out of service, Arcturan Arms converted a few into engineering tanks and combat bridgelayers but did not pursue those projects further after its own [[Büffel]] engineering vehicle proved superior.<ref name=EDAoW />

==Related Designs==
* [[Marsden II]]

==References==
<references />

==Bibliography==
* ''[[Era Digest: Age of War]]''


[[Category:Combat Vehicles]]
[[Category:Heavy Combat Vehicles]]
[[Category:65 ton Combat Vehicles]]
[[Category:Tracked Combat Vehicles]]

[[Category:Main Battle Combat Vehicles]]
[[Category:Lyran Combat Vehicles]]