Approved Vehicle FRT-01

[Asharad Graush]

Spoiler

Image Source: http://forum.astroempires.com/viewtopic.php?t=81061

Intent: Another toy for First Order writers to use in RPs

Development Thread: No

Manufacturer: Vitiate

Model: FRT-01 (First Order Repulsor Tank Mark One)

Affiliation: The First Order

Modularity: No

Production: Mass-Produced

Material: Durasteel, Reinforced Titanium Plates, Repulsors, Tank Components

Role: Support / Assault Tank

Height: 4.5 metres

Length: 10 metres

Width: 4 metres

Weight: 58967kg

Minimum Crew: 2

Optimal Crew: 5)

Propulsion: Repulsorlift

Top Speed: 89km/h

Armaments:

• 
  One Electromagnetic Plasma Cannon
• 
  Four Light Laser Cannons
• 
  One Anti-Air Laser Cannon

Squadron Count: 11

Passenger Capacity: 2

Cargo Capacity: 226kg

Misc. Equipment:

• 
  Sensor Array
• 
  Encrypted Communications Network
• 
  Inertial Dampeners Protect Against Kinetic Damage
• 
  Hermetic Seal: Three day air supply in sealed cabin
• 
  Explosive / Kinetic Reactive Armour
• 
  Thermal Blanket
• 
  RAM
• 
  Anti-Spalling Coating

Strengths:

• 
  Versatile Armament
• 
  Multiple Countermeasures

Weaknesses:

• 
  Slow
• 
  Lack of Physical Camouflage
• 
  Thin Side Armour
• 
  Repulsors
• 
  Recharge Time Versus Tanks

Description: Slow, yet powerful. The Electromagnetic Plasma Cannon's weight, although supported by the repulsors of the tank and the structure of the tank, it still swivels slowly, thus making it preferable to fire upon targets that do not move often. More likely to target a support vehicle with limited mobility, or a heavy target that'd have trouble moving. Constructed with a variety of weapons for anti-air, anti-personnel, and effective against lightly armoured vehicles, the Sith constructed repulsor tank may act as an assault tank, or as a support vehicle.

The FRT-01 features a variety of equipment that gives the tank its ability to be used for Assaults. Hermetically sealed against gaseous substances, it excludes the passage of air, gaseous poisons, and oxygen. Should the repulsorlifts underneath the tank be damaged, or knocked out entirely, it'd potentially leave the tanks vulnerable to attack from all sides due to its single form of propulsion. In addition, should the tank be travelling over a body of water and the repulsors were to turn off, whether by driver fault, or enemy sabotage, it'd sink, its hermetic seal only extending up to non-solid, gaseous forms.

In the form of defenses, the FRT features reactive armour that essentially, reacts to explosive and kinetic energy striking its hull to minimize the damage that it takes. Tested in the form of other tank weapons, when the reactive armour is struck, (only on the reinforced plates) it leaves the tank with the ability to take up to three direct strikes. Reinforced plates only upon the front and top of the tank hull, this is an oversight for the tank is meant to operate within vehicle oriented combat, which also features support vehicles to prevent flanks from occurring. In addition, with the heat emissions and power output from the tank that would undoubtedly bring it up on sensors, a thermal blanket was also built into the tank so as to reduce its popping up on infrared optics. This also ties into the RAM that is installed.

The RAM functions primarily as equipment that reduces the thermal, infrared, and radar signatures of the tank. With such technology in place, it prevents being targeted by laser designators and from being targeted in conventional means, however, it still leaves it vulnerable to manually plotting in coordinates and dumb fired projectiles.

The electromagnetic plasma cannon is a powerful weapon. Used centuries past by numerous factions and organizations, the electromagnetic plasma that is fired has the ability to utterly vaporize an un-shielded and unarmoured target, though it happens to have a slow travel time compared to other projectiles fired by tanks, and a recharge time of up to eighteen seconds leaves it open to being struck back at long-ranges with no response.
Primary Source:

 

[Jorus Merrill]

<p>RESEARCH REVIEW<br />-----<br />Star Wars Canon:<br />Pending initial review<br />------<br />Starwars Chaos:<br />Pending initial review<br />------<br />WITHOUT DEV THREADS<br />Pending initial review<br />------<br />WITH DEV THREADS<br />Pending Initial review<br />------<br />SUGGESTIONS<br />Pending Inital review</p>

 

[Jorus Merrill]

[member="Asharad Graush"]

While I review the substance of the sub, can you please link to the image's source page and the manufacturer?

 

[Asharad Graush]

Gotcha.

[member="Jorus Merrill"]

 

[Jorus Merrill]

[member="Asharad Graush"]

So I'll be the first to admit that I'm no expert on tanks. I sat down with Wikipedia and a bona fide tank expert who used to work for the Factory, and I nailed down some points that ought to help strengthen the sub.

• First off is weight. You're 6 tons right now; an M1 Abrams is 60; a light tank I looked at was 15.
• Your supporting armament strikes me as fairly heavy for a vehicle that small, if these are full-sized laser cannons. I think you'll probably get more traction out of a more versatile loadout. Maybe look at an AT-ST or some IRL examples.
• You've listed slow speed as a weakness, and yeah, what you've got is slow for a repulsor tank -- but it's still faster than most tracked vehicles, walkers, etc. Gonna need another weakness in there.
• Your sealed cabin - are we talking hermetically sealed and rated against biological/chemical weapons? If so, can you flesh that out a little?
• Beef up your squadron count if you would. Something around 10-12 would be fine.
• Beef up your misc. equipment list. Tanks can have all kinds of really cool things, even stuff as basic as cages that pre-detonate anti-tank warheads. Anti-spalling coating also comes to mind. Basically, just go do some more reading on tank features and you'll find all sorts of non-intuitive options.
• Beef up your description. The number one thing my tank expert friend emphasized was that you really need more detail. His point was that anyone fielding or opposing this tank has the latitude to call it a worthless tin can or an unstoppable juggernaut. Critically, consider more detail on armor/defenses and what your main gun actually does.

Hope that helps. Tanks are always a bit of an education.

 

[Asharad Graush]

[member="Jorus Merrill"]

• Reinforced added to Materials under Titanium Plates
• Added more Misc Equipment.
• Upped the weight.
• Airtight cabin. Description further explains.
• Description: How's that for bulked?

Actually enjoyed doing the research.

 

[Jorus Merrill]

<p>Awesome. Pending Admin Approval. Thanks! [member="Spencer Varanin"]</p>

 

[Allyson Locke]

Approved.