Bombshell Genius
Image Source: http://www.moddb.com.../aia-hovertank1
Intent: To provide a main battle tank that can be used for sweeping minefields
Development Threads:
- http://starwarsrp.ne...orbital-hazards(post #12 onward, for the Sasori Joshu)
- http://starwarsrp.ne...in-battle-tank/
Blackout (Galactic Alliance invasion of One Sith Coruscant) - posts #5, 17, 21, 57, 61, 108, 141, 144, 171, 179, 201, 203, 224, 227 (14 posts)
Manufacturer: Ringovinda StarYards
Model: Zamboni minesweeping main battle tank
Affiliation: Open market
Modularity: No
Production: Mass-Produced.
Material: Durasteel chassis, quadranium/terenthium armor
Role: Main battle tank, minesweeping vehicle
Height: 2.7 meters
Length: 8.5 m (frame)/11 m (with dual laser cannons fully extended in forward position)
Width: 3.77 meters
Weight: 66 tons
Minimum Crew: Two (driver, sweeper operator)
Optimal Crew: Three (driver, gunner, sweeper operator)
Propulsion: Repulsorlift
Top Speed: 130 KM/H
Armaments:
- 2x laser cannons (can be retracted or extended)
- 1x Remote E-Web heavy repeating blaster
Squadron Count: 12
Passenger Capacity: Six to eight soldiers can be carried atop the turret, without any comfort
Cargo Capacity: 250 kg without the rear cargo hopper
Misc. Equipment:
- Sasori Joshu, mounted on the vehicle's underbelly to sweep the ground underneath the vehicle
- Retractable rotating flail
- Mine detector, which extends the rotating flail upon detecting mines
- Other standard tank equipment (integrated rangefinder, communications array, sensor array, electronic countermeasures)
Description: The Zamboni minesweeping main battle tank is born from the same design efforts that created the Zamboni-class sanitation ship, it can also be used in peacetime for cleaning up roads or streets. The Sasori Joshu can even be used for converting mines into consumables or fuel. However, the main weakness is that, without the rear cargo hopper addition, the tank can only sweep dirt (and mines) for short periods and two starfighter-grade laser cannons proves to be a big drain on the power systems, so the tank may have a slow rate of fire (10-12 rounds per minute, and sometimes 6-8 RPM when the underside sweep is active).
However, the Sasori Joshu is not effective at an altitude over five meters above ground, and the tank suffers from a lack of stability, which can be a problem when crossing ridges, ravines or scaling cliffs, up or down.
Strengths:
- Mine sweeper: the Sasori Joshu at the front of the tank can sweep debris from its path in addition to mines
- Can aim secondary weapon independently of main cannons
Weaknesses:
- Main cannons' slow rate of fire
- When the rotating flail is active, only secondary weapons can be used on the forward 90-degree arc; in addition, the tank slows to a speed where enemy infantry can overtake the tank even at non-forced march speed
- Unstable if flying too high above the ground (can pose a problem five meters above ground or more, and the minesweeping functions become ineffective)
