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Author Topic: PANZER designs  (Read 3581 times)

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drakensis

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PANZER designs
« on: October 22, 2012, 03:25:03 AM »
Quote from: drakensis on October 21, 2012, 03:28:49 PM
The LCAF's Defense Plan PANZER called for all worlds between 30 and 60 light years of the Draconis Combine, Terran Hegemony and Free Worlds League to build up a large armoured militia force to provide defensive depth along the borders.

The plan quickly hit the problem of expense: building the tanks would cost a vast sum and shipping respectable numbers to all the worlds in question would cost almost as much again. The solution elected upon was not to ship the equipment at all: instead bids were solicited for a design that could be built on all of the worlds using existing resources. The final design went through nine redesigns before being approved as it required only minimal construction of new facilities and came in two versions: the Mk.Xb Armoured Fighting Vehicle and the Mk.Xc Infantry Fighting Vehicle.

Between 2766 and 2825 the Mk.X was built in such huge numbers that on several worlds invaders simply elected to carry out nuclear carpet bombing of areas believed to have substantial militia reserves.

Code: [Select]
Panzer Mk.Xb

Mass: 20 tons
Tech Base: Inner Sphere
Motive Type: Tracked
Rules Level: Tournament Legal
Era: Succession Wars
Tech Rating/Era Availability: D/X-C-C
Production Year: 2768
Cost: 212,700 C-Bills
Battle Value: 336

Power Plant:  100 I.C.E.
Cruise Speed: 54.0 km/h
Flanking Speed: 86.4 km/h
Armor:  Standard Armor
Armament:
    1  Medium Laser
    1  Machine Gun
Manufacturer:
    Primary Factory:
Communications System:
Targeting and Tracking System:

================================================================================
Equipment           Type                         Rating                   Mass 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Internal Structure: Standard                      10 points                2.00
Engine:             I.C.E. Engine                100                       6.00
    Cruise MP:  5
    Flank MP:   8
Heat Sinks:         Single Heat Sink             3                         3.00
Control Equipment:                                                         1.00
Lift Equipment:                                                            0.00
Power Amplifiers:                                                          0.50
Turret:                                                                    0.50
Armor:              Standard Armor               AV -  80                  5.00

                                                      Armor     
                                                      Factor     
                                               Front     20       
                                          Left/Right   16/16       
                                              Turret     16       
                                                Rear     12       

================================================================================
Equipment                                 Location    Heat     Spaces     Mass 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Medium Laser                                 T         3         1         1.00
Machine Gun                                  T         0         1         0.50
@MG (1/2) (100)                              BD        -         0         0.50

BattleForce Statistics
MV      S (+0)  M (+2)  L (+4)  E (+6)   Wt.   Ov   Armor:      3    Points: 3
5          1       1       0       0      1     0   Structure:  1
Special Abilities: EE
Code: [Select]
Panzer Mk.Xc (APC)

Mass: 20 tons
Tech Base: Inner Sphere
Motive Type: Tracked
Rules Level: Tournament Legal
Era: Succession Wars
Tech Rating/Era Availability: D/X-C-C
Production Year: 2768
Cost: 200,700 C-Bills
Battle Value: 289

Power Plant:  100 I.C.E.
Cruise Speed: 54.0 km/h
Flanking Speed: 86.4 km/h
Armor:  Standard Armor
Armament:
    1  Medium Laser
    1  Machine Gun
    1  Infantry Compartment (1.0 tons)
Manufacturer:
    Primary Factory:
Communications System:
Targeting and Tracking System:

================================================================================
Equipment           Type                         Rating                   Mass 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Internal Structure: Standard                      10 points                2.00
Engine:             I.C.E. Engine                100                       6.00
    Cruise MP:  5
    Flank MP:   8
Heat Sinks:         Single Heat Sink             3                         3.00
Control Equipment:                                                         1.00
Lift Equipment:                                                            0.00
Power Amplifiers:                                                          0.50
Turret:                                                                    0.50
Armor:              Standard Armor               AV -  64                  4.00

                                                      Armor     
                                                      Factor     
                                               Front     18       
                                          Left/Right   13/13       
                                              Turret     12       
                                                Rear     8         

================================================================================
Equipment                                 Location    Heat     Spaces     Mass 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Medium Laser                                 T         3         1         1.00
Machine Gun                                  T         0         1         0.50
Infantry Compartment (1.0 tons)              BD        0         1         1.00
@MG (1/2) (100)                              BD        -         0         0.50

BattleForce Statistics
MV      S (+0)  M (+2)  L (+4)  E (+6)   Wt.   Ov   Armor:      2    Points: 3
5          1       1       0       0      1     0   Structure:  1
Special Abilities: EE


The Mk.X was quite successful on simple numbers but as the likelihood of a Second Succession War approached certainty, LCAF planners decided that it was time to consider a replacement better suited to the extended periods of fighting anticipated. While construction would be slower and more expensive due to the more powerful laser and the fusion reactor (and many factories simply never transitioned at all), the lower operating costs made the Mk.XI a very welcome replacement when it was slowly phased into militia service through the 29th century.

Code: [Select]
Panzer Mk.XI

Mass: 20 tons
Tech Base: Inner Sphere
Motive Type: Tracked
Rules Level: Tournament Legal
Era: Succession Wars
Tech Rating/Era Availability: D/X-E-D
Production Year: 2768
Cost: 400,500 C-Bills
Battle Value: 418

Power Plant:  100 Fusion Engine
Cruise Speed: 54.0 km/h
Flanking Speed: 86.4 km/h
Armor:  Standard Armor
Armament:
    1  Large Laser
    1  Machine Gun
    1  Infantry Bay (1.0 tons)
Manufacturer:
    Primary Factory:
Communications System:
Targeting and Tracking System:

================================================================================
Equipment           Type                         Rating                   Mass 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Internal Structure: Standard                      10 points                2.00
Engine:             Fusion Engine                100                       4.50
    Cruise MP:  5
    Flank MP:   8
Heat Sinks:         Single Heat Sink             10                        0.00
Control Equipment:                                                         1.00
Lift Equipment:                                                            0.00
Turret:                                                                    1.00
Armor:              Standard Armor               AV -  72                  4.50

                                                      Armor     
                                                      Factor     
                                               Front     18       
                                          Left/Right   15/15       
                                              Turret     14       
                                                Rear     10       

================================================================================
Equipment                                 Location    Heat     Spaces     Mass 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Machine Gun                                  T         0         1         0.50
Large Laser                                  T         8         1         5.00
Infantry Bay (1.0 tons)                      BD        0         1         1.00
@MG (1/2) (100)                              BD        -         0         0.50

BattleForce Statistics
MV      S (+0)  M (+2)  L (+4)  E (+6)   Wt.   Ov   Armor:      2    Points: 4
5          1       1       0       0      1     0   Structure:  1
Special Abilities:
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Gabriel

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Re: PANZER designs
« Reply #1 on: October 23, 2012, 01:26:30 AM »
Simple but Effective.
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Red Pins

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Re: PANZER designs
« Reply #2 on: October 23, 2012, 01:49:37 AM »
...Sorry, but they're too small!  Where's the earth-shaking 'Ka-Boom!'?  Frankly, my idea of a military 'Model T" are these;

- The largest tonnage that still fits in a Light vehicle bay - what's that, 50 tons?
- Wheeled.  Tracks are fine, great even.  Its still easier to change a tire than a tread - more likely to be commonly available, too.
- TANK:  One big gun in a turret, one little gun fixed front.  APC:  A couple of little guns in a turret, standard Infanty bay.

*By 'big gun', I mean at least a Large laser, more likely an AC/5.  Worked for the Scorpion, which is my standard for 'minimum tank'.

If I had my way, they'd all be Pattons.
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drakensis

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Re: PANZER designs
« Reply #3 on: October 23, 2012, 03:46:00 AM »
The earth shattering Kaboom is the price tag. Imagine if you will:

The first thing Chu-i Bon Scott noticed was the ground shaking. "Report to Battalion." The radio automatically switched him to Tai-sa Paul Morrissey. "This is Scott's Lance. We have contact. Map reference 14 by 56."

"Understood Chu-i. Identify and report."

Bon pushed down the pedals against the rests and his Panther roared into the air on a column of fire. The rest of his lance followed suit, sensors lashing the terrain at they soared over hills and ridges, maximising their reach while minimising their exposure.

"Multiple magnetic targets across the next ridge," reported Talon Sergeant Clarkson. Her Jenner had more powerful jumpjets and so she had been picking up more altitude. For that reason Bon had posted her on the left flank. "No numbers but about a thousand tons."

That could be a heavy company... or perhaps a larger force of smaller units. "Understood, Talon Sergeant." Bon picked out the next ridge. "We'll do a hit and run. Jump the ridge, hammer the first thing you see and then get back behind the ridge to cool off."

They jumped again, just behind the crest and then Bon hit his jumpjets and all four light 'Mechs soared over the ridge. He swung his Panther's PPC looking for a target and realised that he was spoiled for choice. The valley behind the ridge was full of tanks... so many that for a moment he wasn't sure he could even see the ground. A battalion? More than a battalion?

And they were evidently aware of his lance because their turrets were all turned to face the ridgeline.

He fired the PPC, seeing armour fragmenting on the flank of one of the tanks. A moment later SRMs slashed out on a flat trajectory, cratering the top armour of the tank.

Neither stopped the turret from adjusting its tracking and as he felt the shock of his Panther's feet crashing down onto the torn soil between two of the tanks, armour exploded away from the Mech.

Bon wasn't sure how many tanks were firing at him... a company perhaps? Enough hit that he lost his balance and the Panther crashed to the floor. More tanks swarmed forwards, machine guns crackling in support of the lasers that were tearing into his 'Mech's armour.

He saw two of his lance jumping away, plates of armour still splintering as the tanks kept firing at them. Clarkson's Jenner hesitated, firing into the tanks closing in on him. Then the Jenner toppled backwards as one of the tanks rammed into its legs, taking them out from under it.

"Tai-sa!" Bon screamed as he fired his PPC again, not caring about the heat as he struggled to stand again. "Scott's lance... all the tanks in the world, all the tanks in world, right here!"

There was an explosion of light as one of the lasers punched through his Panther's chest and wrecked the shielding on the reactor. The last thing Bon Scott saw was his controls melting in his hands.




Because for the cost of two Panthers and two Jenners, it's possible to buy 55 Mk.Xb Panzers.
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Takiro

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Re: PANZER designs
« Reply #4 on: October 23, 2012, 06:25:24 AM »
A standard invasion force is far more mobile than your mass militia though. How will you defeat my aerospace fighters? If aerospace supremacy is not contested you have serious problems. They are gonna go after your C&C facilities and gas depots - those ICE tanks run on something. I can also drop anywhere concentrating my force against your piecemeal defenses as you are spread planet wide. Or are you protecting a single continent? Do you have nautical forces and conventional air support? Also I'd recommend a shuttle (small craft) force to interdict space traffic. You'd need them all plus your own mobile response force to quickly reinforce any points that are attacked.
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drakensis

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Re: PANZER designs
« Reply #5 on: October 23, 2012, 05:04:41 PM »
Quite. I'm not saying that a force built solely of these designs is invincible.

What I am saying is that this provides a ground complement to a planetary defence force that can be built in great numbers, to the effect that it's not feasible to contest the ground without a major invasion force.

To give another example: suppose a world was considered worth deploying a battalion of medium Mechs on it. For the purposes, you have funds enough to pay for 36 Vindicators = 115m. But alas, due to shortage of 'Mech construction you simply cannot purchase these Mechs as they are all reserved for the House regiments to replace their losses. Or maybe buying a full regiment of Vedettes for 101.6m would be more obtainable if you can arrange shipping.

Would you consider the deployment of five regiments of these tanks - purchase price 108m - to be a reasonable alternative? It'll certainly give you more coverage than a single 'Mech battalion. Regiment-sized units posted at five major cities gives reasonable coverage and saves 7m to spend on infrastructure - such as a factory to build them onworld so you don't have to depend on shipping from elsewhere, you can replace losses and perhaps even export a few.
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Takiro

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Re: PANZER designs
« Reply #6 on: October 23, 2012, 11:40:42 PM »
Such proliferation might also prove unwise if said highly armed planets revolt against your authority. Maybe its a form of control that the House Lords encourage? Realistically yeah I can see planets especially on the border building major defense forces but this is battletech.  ;)
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drakensis

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Re: PANZER designs
« Reply #7 on: October 24, 2012, 01:40:24 AM »
Quote from: Takiro on October 23, 2012, 11:40:42 PM
Such proliferation might also prove unwise if said highly armed planets revolt against your authority. Maybe its a form of control that the House Lords encourage? Realistically yeah I can see planets especially on the border building major defense forces but this is battletech.  ;)
Indeed. This does seem like a very amusing problem to arise, with the House Lords having to handle their own defensive lines with kid gloves. Powerful border lords.

It would also mean that fewer battlemech regiments are needed for defense and more can be used as a mobile reserve and for offensives.
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