Igni Irae
OUT OF CHARACTER INFORMATION
Intent: Sub a vehicle.
Image Source: Here
Canon Link: N/A
Permissions: ARGH tech available for Firemane per this thread.
Primary Source: N/A
PRODUCTION INFORMATION
Manufacturer: Originally designed by Kar'zun engineers, now produced by Firemane Industries
Affiliation: Kar'zun
Market Status: Closed-Market
Model: Crusher of White Towers
Modularity: Limited.
Production: Limited
Material: Durasteel, standard vehicle components.
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
Classification: Tank, Subterranean Transport, Tunneller.
Role: Tank/Tunneller
Size: Large
Weight: Very Heavy
Armaments: Very High
- A grinder
- Laser drill
- Two, dual linked laser cannons.
- A few turreted e-webs or equivalent anti-personnel weapons such as blaster rotary cannons or RC-2 shattercannons.
- Heavy armour plating
- Deflector shield
- Reactive armour
Speed Rating: Low
Propulsion: Tracks
Minimum Crew: 1
Optimal Crew: 7
Passenger Capacity: 15
Cargo Capacity: Large
SPECIAL FEATURES
- Part tunneller, part tank, the Crusher a big grinder on the front for mining, but also demolishing buildings. The grinder can also be used to clear away land mines.
- When burrowing it folds the guns into the hull so it can drill streamlined.
- Damage Control Systems
- Probe Droid Dispenser
- On-Board Fire Control/Targeting Systems
- Compact Fusion Drive
- Class-4T3 Power Generator (Featuring Gk7 Cryocooler)
- Explosive reactive armor plating
- Communicator with strong encryption
- IFF Circuitry
- Part tunneller, part tank, the Crusher can burrow beneath the earth to appear unexpectedly and demolish buildings. At the same time it has sufficient armaments to defend itself against enemy vehicles and infantry. The Crusher has ferocious close range firepower whilst also being hard to attack close in.
- In addition, it makes a decent anti-mine vehicle. The grinder can kick mines up and away from the vehicle, setting them off as it goes. This is not its primary function obviously. but it can be used that way. Bit more complex than a shovel in front of a tank, but pretty similar.
- Alas the Crusher is very slow and ponderous, lacking agility and speed.
- Its large size makes it an obvious target while on the surface.
In ages past, the Kar'zun and the Eldorai fought a bloody war for supremacy over Kaeshana. The war ended with an Eldorai victory, and a horrible near-genocide of the Kar'zun species. One that to this day many Eldorai, especially conservative, traditionalist ones, deny or seek to whitewash. Notwithstanding the Eldorai's attempts to paint them as brutish barbarians, the Kar'zun were - and are - a highly sophisticated, ingenious people. Indeed, the stone people managed to reach space before their Eldorai rivals. Moreover, the excel as engineers and artisans.
One of the war machines designed by them was the dramatically named Crusher of White Towers. The name is a reference to the Eldorai buildings and fortresses it used to bring down. Essentially, the vehicle is a cross between a tunneller and a tank. Its big grinder up front can be used for mining, but also to demolish buildings. Moreover, it can burrow underground and appear unexpectedly in the midst of the enemy.
This makes the Crusher an ideal vehicle for sieges or trench warfare, as it allows allies to bypass enemy defences and wreak havoc on them. Fittingly for its name, the Crusher is well-armed and armoured. Of course, there are tradeoffs. Due to its large size and heavy bulk, the Crusher is slow and ponderous. Moreover, it is an obvious target for aerial and artillery strikes once it has surfaced. As powerful as it is, it requires support. Its laser cannons are potent, but standard rather than exceptional. On a more idiosyncratic note, the Kar'zun nickname it the 'dinner truck' because of the way it grinds up rock, as they can just pick up the bits after and eat them bize sized. Sadly, the 'disarmament treaty' forced on the Kar'zun by the Eldorai Matriarchy prohibited them from building or owning such machines, though Kar'zun engineers managed to hide some away.
A few years ago, Firemane took an interest in the design. Though many Kar'zun disliked it, rightly distrusting the intentions of the megacorp, they agreed to share some of their designs so that Firemane could modernise and utilise them, in return for greater access to resources and funding. In this day and age, the Crusher has once again seen action...against Firemane's tyrannical rule. When the fledgling Tygarian-Arkasian Liberation Army assaulted Fort Kerrigan, a Crusher proved decisive. Having surfaced in the midst of the Firemane base, it wrecked part of the command centre and deployed a squad of crack Qadiri Cataphracts and Kar'zun.
