Ayden Cater
Grumpy Goat
Image Credit: Here
Intent: To make a main battle tank for Protectorate forces
Development Thread: N/A
Manufacturer: Kuat Drive Yards (Through Rothana Heavy Engineering) (With Permission from [member="Lorelei Darke"])
Model: O1 Bhesj
Affiliation: Omega Protectorate / Omega Pyre
Modularity: Minor
Production: Mass Produced
Material: Durasteel-Ceramic Composite Plates (Armor Plating), Desh (Hull), Durasteel (Frame)
Description: One of the critical weaknesses revealed in Protectorate ground forces during the Second Battle of Eriadu was a profound lack of direct combat vehicles. Protectorate infantry forces were forced to rely on distant artillery strikes and occasional air strikes. Lacking the experience to field a vehicle of sufficient quality, the Protectorate outsourced construction to Rothana Heavy Engineering, a subsidy of Kuat Drive Yards.
Opting for a repulsorlift for improved speed and maneuverability, the main gun of the O1 is a heavy mass driver cannon. Much like the ancient AT-TEs of old, the cannon can be loaded with a variable payload of solid shells, missiles, or energy weapons. While the turret boasts improved lateral turret speed over its older cousin, it has slow vertical speed, rendering the tank a poor choice for targeting elevated positions.
Supplementing its main cannon are two repeating anti-personnel laser cannons and a quad laser cannon to fend off aerial attacks. To further aid in assaulting entrenched positions, the O1 possesses a pair of retractable missile launchers. The varied suite of weapons gives the O1 a fearsome visage and reputation as an MBT.
Of course, the tank is not without its flaws. First comes from the double-edged sword that is the repulsorlift. On heavily ionized worlds, or worlds with unusual magnetic fields, the O1 cannot be deployed. As well, the cramped interior means field repairs can be exceedingly difficult for all but the most basic damages. Completely repairing the repulsorlift or main gun can take hours or even days to complete, with all the parts on hand and in the best of times. As well, the particle shield generator must be brought offline while the main cannon fires. While this only exposes the tank for 3.1 seconds, it is a considerable enough window that clever enemies can take advantage of.
The armor plating on the tank is designed to protect primarily against physical, kinetic rounds of various origins. Ablative armor plating can be attached over the exterior main armor plates to protect against energy attacks, though such modifications reduce the overall cargo space by half and speed by a quarter. The tank's overall sloped design gives it an edge against direct attacks on its sides. However, this same sloping can cause attacks against its front to ricochet upward into the turret mount.
In the end, the O1 is a main battle tank designed to engage enemy armor and infantry with confidence that it can get the job done.
Role: Main Battle Tank
Height: 3.9 meters
Length: 8.1 meters
Width: 3.8 meters
Weight: 42.5 metric tons
Minimum Crew: 1
Optimal Crew: 4
Propulsion: Repulsorlift
Flight Ceiling:
- 6 Meters (Minimal Crew, No Cargo)
- 3.5 Meters (Optimal Crew, No Cargo)
- 1.2 Meters (Optimal Crew, Full Cargo)
- Combat Speed: 55 km/h
- Traveling Speed: 280 km/h
- x1 Heavy Mass Driver Cannon
- x1 Quad Laser Cannon Turret
- x2 Dual Repeating Laser Cannons
- x2 Side-Mounted Missile Launchers (x8 missiles apiece)
Cargo Capacity: 350 kg (w/ full crew), 800 kg (w/ minimal crew)
Misc. Equipment:
- Damage Control Systems
- Emergency Transponder
- In-Field Armor Repair Kit
- Short-Range Comm Array
- Short-Range Sensor Array
- Standard Particle Shield Generator
- Standard Targeting Computer
