Overview
During the ComStar War, the Free Worlds League was left without any means to communicate because of the Interdiction for destroying a HPG station. Eager to find a way out of this problem and not trusting any of the remaining Successor States, Captain-General Charles Marik negotiated with the Magistracy of Canopus.
In exchange for blueprints, the Magistracy was to provide much-needed intelligence (as communications with their own troops was achieved through JumpShips couriers). The first blueprint given for the first information on the Capellan moves was one of very low importance for the Free Worlds League Military, the Galleon, a small tracked tank.
Before the deal could go any further, Captain-General Charles Marik sent his son to negotiate with ComStar and managed to settle a peace agreement, allowing the Free Worlds League to strike back.
Unable to secure more blueprints but willing to protect itself, the Magistracy tried to make the best of what it had gained and to diversify their industrial basis by launching a new company, Canopus Industries Alpha and ordering it to launch an improved version of the Galleon.
The newly gathered engineering team was taken-aback by this challenge as they had no experience at all and the board of directors had ordered to go for security first by doing some APCs but they began to work on it and found out that the Galleon had a highly customisable basis that could be serve as the basis of an entire set of vehicles, and thus the Durga was born.
Capabilities
The DUR-A is just a standard Galleon GAL-100.
The DUR-B dropped the Small Lasers for more armour (6,5 tons protect, almost twice as much as the DUR-A) giving the Durga the capacity to stay longer on the field.
The DUR-C is an anti-infantry tank with 4 Machine-Guns in the turret and an impressive 7 tons of armour that will be needed if the tank gets close to its targets.
The DUR-D drops the turret and uses a Medium Rifle to give it more range and a concentrated firepower. Thanks to its lower profile, the DUR-D seems to be the perfect hunter-killer, moving from one fire position to another.
Thanks to its twin turret mounted LRM-5, the DUR-E is the perfect support vehicle for units of light tanks. Its two tons of ammo allow it to perform different missions.
The DUR-F is the close-ranged sister of the DUR-E with 2 SRM-4 able to make short of most targets with a few volleys.
The following DUR are more on the logistical side of the battlefield but are at the heart of any successful operation.
The DUR-G, with its Bulldozer, Lift Hoist, Search Light and Small Laser (both mounted in the turret) can clear the path or repair any road.
Its sister, the DUR-H can do the same for every destroyed bridge thanks to its Bulldozer and Heavy Bridgelayer.
DUR-I is a concentrated display of the advanced skills owned by Canopian medics. With its 2 MASH units and 4 Paramedic equipments, it can save the life of many soldiers.
Thanks to its 7 tons of communication and analysis equipment, DUR-J is the perfect mobile HQ. Although the lack of space and of power of the engine shows into its overall performance, it is a true wonder for a Periphery unit.
The only variant close to the original request by the board, the DUR-K is a little Goblin with a Medium Laser in its turret and a small one ton infantry compartiment.
The perfect companion to the DUR-G and the DUR-H, the DUR-L and its turret Backhoe/Small Laser combo can work on a defensive position quicker than an entire engineer unit.
The last Durga variant is the DUR-M, the master cargo with its twin 3 tons compartments that can transport everything an unit on the field might need while still protecting it from predators thanks to its twin Machine Guns.
