Rusty
Purveyor of Fine Weaponry
OUT OF CHARACTER INFORMATION
- Intent: Wasn't happy with the off the shelf artillery systems, so I decided to make one based off a system I'm intimately familiar with.
- Image Source: Not quite sure how to credit myself. Was a collaborative effort between myself and the driver of B3-1.
- Canon Link: N/A
- Restricted Missions: N/A
- Primary Source: N/A
- Manufacturer: Rusty's Custom Firearms and Cutlery
- Model: WRAS-1
- Affiliation: Open Market
- Production: Mass-Produced
- Material: Durasteel, Alusteel, Transparisteel, Ceramic, Hydraulic Components, Powertrain components, Computer components, Inertial Guidance components, Cabin Air Filtration Unit, Communications package components, 18 speaker 2000 watt sound system components, Coffee Maker
- Classification: Artillery
- Role: Rocket Artillery
- Size: 8 Meters long by 4 meters wide
- Weight: 14 tons
- Minimum Crew: 1
- Optimal Crew: 3 (Driver, Gunner, Chief)
- Propulsion: Internal Combustion Engine (can run off diesel, kerosene, or any similar hydrocarbon-based liquid fuel) provides power to a full time 6 wheel drive powertrain
- Speed: Medium: 130 km/h
- Maneuverability: Medium
- Armament: 6 250mm rockets OR 1 Advanced Tactical Missile, Pintle mount for a crew served weapon for the chief
- Defenses: Low
- Squadron Count: 4 per platoon, 3 platoons makes a battery
- Maneuverability Rating: Medium
- Passenger Capacity: 0
- Cargo Capacity: 300kg
- Simple, rugged construction is both durable and cheap.
- Packs a massive punch at ranges far beyond what most cannon artillery can reach.
- Awesome sound system.
- 8-300 kilometer range (depending on ammunition load).
- Coffee Maker
- Reliance on old, proven technology makes maintenance far easier than more "modern" designs. Just about everything except the computerized stuff can be reproduced by a half drunk machinist with a partially functional CNC mill, or a reasonably competent blacksmith/private with a hammer. It also means the WRAS-1 is extremely cheap compared to many of its competitors.
- Though diesel is the preference, the internal combustion engine can run off a variety of different fuels of various levels of refinement. Rougher fuels will require the fuel filters be changed out more frequently, but the WRAS-1 will burn just about anything short of actual bantha piss.
- Extremely versatile. Depending on the loadout, the WRAS-1 can do everything from drop a missile within 1 meter of a target at 300 klicks to scour a grid square clean of unarmored life at 15 klicks. A sufficiently skilled battery commander, together with a sufficiently imaginative forward observer, can accomplish nearly any mission with great vengeance and furious anger.
- Seriously awesome sound system. Since launcher crews would spend most of their time trying to patch in music players into the intercom anyway, Rusty figured he'd cut out the middleman and install a world class sound system. Music mutes for radio traffic, alerts, and fire missions. Can be set to automatically play the 1812 Overture when the rockets launch.
- Integrated coffee maker.
- Though the wheeled powertrain is rugged, cheap, and reliable, it does suffer somewhat compared to repulsors, tracks, and air cushions on extremely rough terrain. Extensive driver's training is recommended before fielding the WRAS-1. Since we know that the customer probably won't do that, the chief will receive a supply of coupons for cigarettes from any one of four popular manufacturers for the duration. It's best for everyone that way.
- Reloading is a slow and laborious process, and one that is not meant to be done under fire. The WRAS-1 has a great deal of range, so we recommend placing ammo points well behind the lines.
- Absolutely not meant to engage in close combat. The cab's armor (a sandwich of alusteel, ceramic, and durasteel) is designed to keep the crew from roasting during rocket launch. It is, by consequence, fairly bulletproof, but the rest of the truck is not. Though the WRAS-1 has a pintle mount for a weapon on the chief's hatch, it's mainly there to give him something to hold onto when the dumbass driver ramps off a berm at 70 kph and nearly throws him out of the truck (I'm looking at you, Chihuski).
The closer a self propelled artillery system is to the front lines, the more armored it tends to be. With an increase in armor comes an increase in weight and complexity, which drives up costs and reduces room for the weapons system and ammo. This is somewhat perplexing to longtime redlegs, who are well aware that they're driving what amounts to a lightly armored tank with a gun designed to shoot over the horizon, but little chance of actually seeing an enemy close up enough to need the armor.
When drawing up designs for his newest artillery piece, Rusty basically said "to hell with all that" and stuck the biggest, baddest artillery system possible on a medium truck chassis. The cab is armored just enough to survive the backblast from the massive rockets, and also the occasional shepherd with a rifle. The rest of the truck is armored just enough to keep it from bending too badly when the driver hits a tree at night for the millionth time.
Instead of using a cannon, which adds weight and additional complexity, the WRAS-1 fires 250mm rockets from six round pounds, known as six packs. The six packs come preloaded with a particular type of rocket. All six rockets are typically fired before reloading. Additionally, the WRAS-1 can fire the Advanced Tactical Missile, or ATM. The ATM comes in a pod disguised as a six pack, but that only contains a single missile due to its larger size. The six pack goes into a Launcher Loader Module, or LLM, which mounts onto the back of the truck. A simple computer controlled hydraulic system allows the LLM to traverse 360 degrees, and elevate up to 83 degrees.
The rockets come in several varieties.
- Unguided Unitary (range 8-50 kilometers)- A single explosive charge on an unguided rocket. Equivalent to 2000 pounds of TNT. Accurate to within 10 meters, so long as the launcher either has proper GPS lock or a properly aligned Inertial Guidance Module.
- Unguided Submunition (range 8-50 kilometers)- A submunition delivery system. Carries 200 baseball sized submunitions, each about the size and explosive power of a standard hand grenade. Each has an explosive radius of five meters. Effective against unarmored and lightly armored targets. Each rocket has a footprint of about 180 square meters, and a full six pack can cover approximately a square kilometer. You'll note this leaves a lot of overlap between submunitions. This is intentional, as it ensures the target area is completely and utterly saturated.
- Guided Unitary (range 30-100 kilometers)- Similar to the UU rocket, in that it's a single explosive charge. However, the GU uses internal guidance to reduce the margin of error down to 1 meter. Reduced explosive package (750 pounds of TNT), and extended range.
- Guided Submunition (Range 30-100 kilometers)- Same concept as US, but with 100 submunitions and extended range. Guidance system allows for some maneuverability along flight path, meaning that the submunitions can be patterned differently on drop. Nothing radical, mind, but instead of covering an oval pattern, they might be dropped in a long line, or along a slight curve.
- Guided Submunition Anti Tank (range 30-100 kilometers)- GSAT rounds are designed to engage heavy armor from above, where the armor is weakest. Each GSAT round contains 5 self guided drones. The drones can loiter for up to 15 minutes above a target area, using passive sensors to detect enemy tanks. Once a target is detected, the drone sets up on a terminal trajectory, then fires its own internal rocket as it dives for the top of the tank. Upon impact, it fires a shaped charge capable of burning through several inches of armor. Additionally, the charge is wrapped in notched wire, giving it the ability to fire shrapnel against unarmored personnel lethally up to 3 meters.
In addition to the rockets, there's the Advanced Tactical Missile family of munitions
- ATM Unitary (range 80-300 kilometers)- The ATM(U) delivers an explosive charge equivalent to 2500 pounds of TNT within a meter of a target up to 300 kilometers away. Ideal for engaging buildings, bunkers, or enemy encampments.
- ATM Submunition (range 80-300 kilometers) The ATM(S) follows the same principle as its smaller rocket brethren. It carries 450 submunitions, and can deliver them to a footprint of 600 square meters.
- ATM Anti Tank (range 80-300 kilometers) The ATM(AT) carries ten of the self guided drones to the target area, where they perform in much the same manner as the rocket delivered versions.
- ATM Baradium (range 80-300 kilometers) The ATM(Ba) is for when you absolutely, positively, must blow the everloving crap out of the target. Similar to the ATM(U), but carries a baradium charge with a blast radius of 75 meters.
The chassis features extremely sturdy independent suspension, massive tires, and six wheel drive. The end result is a truck that can bomb around through all but the worst terrains at higher speeds than your average tracked vehicle. The ride isn't necessarily easy on the crew, but as long as the driver retains some semblance of control, they probably won't die. The driver, however, might find several bootprints on his helmet from the chief if he attempts to ramp it off a berm more than once.
As alluded to, the crew consists of a driver (usually the newest and lowest ranking member of the crew) the gunner (usually a senior specialist or junior NCO) and the chief (the ranking member of the crew). The driver sits in the left hand seat, behind a standard wheel and pedal configuration. The gunner sits on the right side of the cab, with his fire control panel. His job is to process fire mission data as it comes in and actually fire the rockets. The chief rides in the middle. Though he has a seat, while driving he'll almost always stand up out of the hatch. Due to intense power of the rockets, the windows are small, and thus visibility is limited. The chief provides a second set of eyes for the driver, as well as swift kicks when the driver inevitably screws up.
The WRAS-1 is designed around the Shoot 'n' Scoot principle. When waiting for fire missions to come down, the launcher stays in a prepared hide position. Depending on how long they're in place, they'll usually try to camouflage the position to make it more difficult to spot from the air. Camo netting and thermal screens are commonly used to reduce the visual and thermal signatures. Upon receiving a fire mission, the launcher abandons the hide and heads to the firing point. The firing point is usually an area clear of vegetation, high enough that it can shoot over any nearby terrain features. Once the driver aligns on the heading, the chief ducks in and seals his hatch. The cabin is provided filtered air for the duration of the fire mission. Failure of the CAFU can cause the crew to suffocate in as little as 15 minutes if they cannot escape. The gunner processes the fire mission. As soon as the last round is fired, the launcher hauls ass to the next hide point.
A major downside of rocket artillery is the massive visual signature that comes from firing. The rockets are also easily tracked on sensors. In order to make firing survivable, the launcher must vacate the firing point as quickly as possible and get to a concealed position. When enemy aircraft come looking, the launcher should ideally be stationary behind as much cover and concealment as possible. By operating so far away from the enemy lines, counterbattery fire is unlikely, but aircraft and missiles are always a threat unless air superiority has been achieved.
To make life easier for the crew, the WRAS-1 has a couple of amenities found nowhere else in the military community. Firstly, each launcher has a bitchin' sound system. Since the conception of portable music players, vehicle crews have almost always tried to find a way to splice their personal music players into vehicle intercoms, with varying degrees of success. Since these splices have a nasty habit of causing the whole system to crap out at the worst possible moment, Rusty figured it would be easier to just incorporate music integration from the go. And since they saved fortunes by going with a simple, robust system, there was plenty of room in the budget for a sound system that would rival anything found in a luxury speeder. The cab also has a small, efficient coffee maker, providing the crew with enough caffeine to stay awake for days on end. On request, a small humidor can be installed as well, for those chiefs with really bad drivers.
