Cypher Decretum
Sources: Image | Custom Text
Intent: To create a vehicle designed to slug it out with well defended facilities and super heavy vehicles. The turtle of HAT-AT's
Development Thread: Here *15 Posts Allocated for this Tech
Manufacturer: OS with FFE weapon, PDS, Alloy and Shield Components.
Model: HAT-AT Heavy All Terrain Assault Transport
Affiliation: OS Standard Use and FFE Special Order Only
Modularity: Weapon Systems, Outer Armor Layer.
Production: Minor, Closed Market
Material: Duravlex | Neutronium Inserts | Anti Corr coating to prevent Corrosion
Role: Firing March and Bombardment Platform.
Height: 50 M
Length: 50 M
Width: 25 M
Weight: 500 Tons
Minimum Crew: 5
Optimal Crew: 10
Propulsion: Hexapod (Six Legs)
Top Speed: 50 KM
Armaments: 1x Eros Large (360 Degrees) | 35 x OS-PDS (360 Degrees Cover) | 8 x KT6 Heavy Blaster Cannon (Rear Quarters)
Squadron Count: 1
Passenger Capacity: 128 Men. 1 OS Company
Cargo Capacity: 3 Tons
Misc. Equipment: OS-FPHS | Backup Deflector Shield (Bridge | Generators | Main Gun) | ECM Defensive Measures Only
Description:
Heavy Walkers are the backbone of many Sith or Imperial Armies. Designed as a turtle, this is the latest, advanced and one of the heaviest designs to date. 500 tons of metal, its armor is exceptionally thick, using high grade durasteel called duravlex and braced with neutronium inserts over critical systems and at load bearing areas. Slow, ponderous and very heavy, using six legs for stability over rough ground, four could carry it but at reduced capacity and speed. There is little inside its innards except bodies and more armor.
The HAT-AT are not the biggest vehicles on legs out there, but it is one of the toughest for its size. Atop it the HAT-AT usually mounts a frigate sized mass driver gun, heavily braced to handle its shockwave and recoil, it is able to swap this for one other frigate sized weapon designed with this unit in mind. Able to shell positions from a fairly long distance away, half the range of a turbolaser, or engage heavily fortified facilities and heavy armor directly. The Eros fires slowly at 2 rounds a minute, and requires clear line of sight to its target, unable to fire like artillery over it, however at the strength of 7 turbo lasers its raw punching power is often unmatched for a frigate sized gun, creating large sonic shockwave in its wake. The HAT-AT can often be a backbone of the OS forces when its on the field, providing a platform for slow forward advance, or barrage fire. The weight is such that special joints have been fitted, to retract the legs and assist over softer or more difficult terrain. This allows the HAT-AT to pull its leg up rather than just sink and become bogged down, operating on rugged terrain more easily than the weight suggests, because it can adjust a limbs height, extending or retracting it. All this slows it down however even further in these more difficult conditions!
Noticeable in this design is the removal of the neck area, which removes an obvious target point for incoming fire, putting the bridge inside the units heavy armor, central like a turtle, the generator is the same way, thick armor surrounding it on all sides. As a weakness it does mean less of a firing arc for the main gun, which is instead mounted atop the walker. Though the main gun can be swapped out with anything frigate sized usable on the ground, it is usually a frigate sized Eros Large weapon, with a turreted 360 degree field of fire. Being on the top means it has reduced effectiveness tracking close threats and indeed if anything gets under the walkers legs, which makes the gun useless along its underbelly, which is the big drawback! In that case falling back on its heavy particle cannon PDS system as best it can.
On Board Tech and Manpower:
The use of the OS-FPHS, which was especially designed to fit the walker, gives it ion resistance in its shield, while the four ion buffers supporting the shields struts are still operational, when they are down it operates as a heavier version of the gungan shield. The drawback of the shield technology is if something moves very slow, at a walking pace it can enter unhindered. Things such as an explosive, man, or vehicle will enter at a steady, human walking pace, but bounce if moving faster. The upside is the shield works vs energy and matter, allowing it out but not in.
The use of a standard ECM, in a purely defensive capacity, referred to onboard as a ECWCS electronic warfare counter suite, and its technical operators, means the vehicle is resistant but not impervius to electronic warfare attacks. The ECWCS however offers nothing to hide the massive machine, because that would be near impossible to do so given its size and main gun's output, nor any offensive capabilities of its own.
The OS-PDS aboard (Point Defense System), run by the Charybdis AI, also specially designed to fit this vehicle, allows many small point defense particle cannons to operate in unison, to react to incoming missile, starfighter, infantry, torpedo or shell threats. The PDS system weapons are not usually effective against medium armor or bigger unless grouped together to sheet fire, which the AI does naturally. They are supported by their own generators and a power conduit built into the hull in this case, they are also able to beam fire in a continuous stream, making starfighters and even more bombers exceptionally vulnerable to counter.
The intent of this model therefor is to face off in a slugging match with heavy facilities, large formations of infantry and super heavy armor directly. While it does carry two platoons of infantry, it is often too slow to deploy these to the front in many evolving battles, only in sieges or under slow marching fire orders. Thus the men aboard usually serve as defensive troops if boarded, or to be deployed via hatches from the underbelly if surrounded by threats around the leg areas. They can shoot from these small hatches with smaller arms, but don't usually open them unless really pressed. When cut open from the outside, these hatches also make for a way into the otherwise very thick vehicle. Each hatch giving access or exit to one individual at a time such as a force user cutting in. There is no large bay or door, everything is shipped into and out of these small hatches, so no vehicles will ever be coming with it, the rest of it is solid armor sheeting.
AI Note
The use of the Charybdis AI on the OS-PDS system means that the heavy particle cannons mounted across the surface of the vehicle, operate with supervision rather than usually direct targeting, freeing gunners up for other tasks such as range finding or damage control. The AI has been designed to learn as it goes about its opponent, but each turret that is taken out, will lose the specific targeting data it gained, leaving only general impressions in its simulated subconscious or nearby turrets which might have been assisting with the same target. The AI has been fed tactical information on Rogue squadron already, using living Sith Aces from Gladiator Squadron to design counter tactics.
Water Submersion
Finally the unit has a water tight finish when undamaged, spreading pressure across its body, allowing for lake or shallow sea channel based submersion, depending on the pressure of the world. At average earth pressure this would be no problem, heavier than that they'd lose their ability to go into shallow sea channels, heavier than that they'd need to avoid lakes or bodies of water entirely. Few if any circumstances would allow deeper ocean crossing ever be possible, the gravity would need to be very light. Speed is reduced to half or less underwater, and its weapons will fire from underwater but at a greatly reduced capacity to track anything, this includes its point defense weapons, making it vulnerable to regular torpedoes or weapons designed for naval combat.
Typical OS HAT-AT crew inside each vehicle.
Captain
Pilot, Co Pilot
2x Technical, ECM, Radar and Communication Specialists.
Gunner, Secondary Gunner, PDS Operator
2x Damage Control Specialists
Passengers
Strengths
+ Very Thick Armor, Hard to Bring Down, almost solidly armor sheeting inside.
+ Heavy Shielding, Ion Buffers technology.
+ Independent AI assisted Point Defense vs Small Targets.
+ Lakes and Shallow Channel Crossings Possible, but make more vulnerable underwater.
+ 6 Legs, requires 4 minimum, allowing it to lose a limb or two at most.
+ ECM resistant.
Strength | Weakness
+/- Slow to fire but devastating main gun.
Weaknesses
- Slow and Heavy to move.
- No way to move vehicles, or larger cargo with difficult but limited entry or exit points.
- Can't Target its Main Gun Below Itself.
- PDS Guns are weak by themselves and can be picked off.
- Slowed further by difficult or soft terrain
- Easy to Spot, Big Target and hard to miss
- Main Gun is an obvious target, and makes a huge energy signature and noise when fired.
- You can walk right through its shield for boarding, but try to run, jump or drive at anything but a crawl into its legs for example and you'll bounce.
Existing Cannon Techs, Showing other heavy vehicles.
Bahamut Class
HAVW A10 Juggernaut
*Any Additional Weapons or Armor Finishes will link this sub clearly to show what its for, so factory judges know.
