Noah Corek
Cocked, Locked and a Smoking Barrel
[SIZE=9pt]Intent:[/SIZE][SIZE=9pt] To create a Infantry Support Tank in a process of overhauling the New Republic armory[/SIZE]
[SIZE=9pt]Image Source: Here[/SIZE]
[SIZE=9pt]Canon Link: [/SIZE][SIZE=9pt]N/A[/SIZE]
[SIZE=9pt]Primary Source: [/SIZE][SIZE=9pt]N/A[/SIZE]
[SIZE=9pt]Manufacturer:[/SIZE][SIZE=9pt] Hekler’Kok Defense Industries[/SIZE]
[SIZE=9pt]Affiliation:[/SIZE][SIZE=9pt] [/SIZE][SIZE=9pt]Closed-Market[/SIZE]
[SIZE=9pt]Model:[/SIZE][SIZE=9pt] Protector-class Infantry Support Tank[/SIZE]
[SIZE=9pt]Modularity:[/SIZE][SIZE=9pt] No[/SIZE]
[SIZE=9pt]Production[/SIZE][SIZE=9pt]: [/SIZE][SIZE=9pt]Mass-Produced[/SIZE]
[SIZE=9pt]Material: [/SIZE][SIZE=9pt]Composite Alusteel, Boron Carbide and Depleted Baradium Armor, Electronics and Transparisteel (Periscopes)[/SIZE]
[SIZE=9pt]Classification:[/SIZE][SIZE=9pt] Infantry Support Tank[/SIZE]
[SIZE=9pt]Role[/SIZE][SIZE=9pt]: Anti-Infantry and Anti-Fortification Duty[/SIZE]
[SIZE=9pt]Size: [/SIZE][SIZE=9pt] [/SIZE][SIZE=9pt]Average[/SIZE]
[SIZE=9pt]Weight: [/SIZE][SIZE=9pt]Heavy[/SIZE]
[SIZE=9pt]Minimum Crew: [/SIZE][SIZE=9pt]2 (Driver and Gunner/Commander)[/SIZE]
[SIZE=9pt]Optimal Crew:[/SIZE][SIZE=9pt] 3 (Driver, Gunner and Commander)[/SIZE]
[SIZE=9pt]Propulsion[/SIZE][SIZE=9pt]: Tracks[/SIZE]
[SIZE=9pt]Speed[/SIZE][SIZE=9pt]: [/SIZE][SIZE=9pt]Average[/SIZE]
[SIZE=9pt]Maneuverability[/SIZE][SIZE=9pt]: [/SIZE][SIZE=9pt]Average[/SIZE]
[SIZE=9pt]Armaments:[/SIZE][SIZE=9pt] [/SIZE][SIZE=9pt]High: [/SIZE][SIZE=9pt]1x 152mm Short Barreled Low Velocity Smoothbore Cannon, 1x Coaxial Medium Repeating Blaster and 1x Cupola Mounted Heavy Repeating Blaster[/SIZE]
[SIZE=9pt]Defenses:[/SIZE][SIZE=9pt] [/SIZE][SIZE=9pt]High[/SIZE]
[SIZE=9pt]Squadron Count: [/SIZE][SIZE=9pt]Average: [/SIZE][SIZE=9pt]10[/SIZE]
[SIZE=9pt]Passenger Capacity: [/SIZE][SIZE=9pt]6 (Can pile on behind the turret)[/SIZE]
[SIZE=9pt]Cargo Capacity[/SIZE][SIZE=9pt]: [/SIZE][SIZE=9pt]Small [/SIZE][SIZE=9pt](Only what can be strapped to the back of the tank)[/SIZE]
[SIZE=9pt]Cannon Autoloader[/SIZE]
[SIZE=9pt]Ablative Armor[/SIZE]
[SIZE=9pt]Reactive Armor Tiles[/SIZE]
[SIZE=9pt]Rocket Cages[/SIZE]
[SIZE=9pt]Internal Fire Suppression System[/SIZE]
[SIZE=9pt]Gyroscopic Gun Stabilizer[/SIZE]
[SIZE=9pt]Electric Turret Traverse[/SIZE]
[SIZE=9pt]Broadband Radio Antenna[/SIZE]
[SIZE=9pt]Advanced Radio Encryption Equipment[/SIZE]
[SIZE=9pt]Advanced Radio Decryption Equipment[/SIZE]
6x Smoke Canister Launchers (3 Canisters Per Launcher)
[SIZE=9pt]Backup Reactor[/SIZE]
[SIZE=9pt]Ray Shield Generator[/SIZE]
[SIZE=9pt]3x Crew Survival Kits[/SIZE]
[SIZE=9pt]Treads[/SIZE][SIZE=9pt]: [/SIZE][SIZE=9pt]While tracks are a weakness they as double as a strength due to the fact that in a intense combat situation it is much more simple to replace a track than it is to try and repair a repulsor[/SIZE]
[SIZE=9pt]Easily Repairable[/SIZE][SIZE=9pt]: [/SIZE][SIZE=9pt]The Protector-class Infantry Support Tank is a extremely simple tank to repair and due to it sharing many components with the Hunter-class Main Battle Tank spare parts are always available[/SIZE]
[SIZE=9pt]Various Ammunition[/SIZE][SIZE=9pt]: [/SIZE][SIZE=9pt]Due to the Protector-Class IST’s use of a physical cannon it can use a wide variety of ammunition including its main five: High Explosive, High Explosive Squash Head, Canister, White Phosphorus and Shield Disabling Ion[/SIZE]
[SIZE=9pt]Tracks:[/SIZE][SIZE=9pt] The Protector-class Infantry Support Tank relied on two sets of tracks which both restrict its movement and maneuverability. The Protector struggles in tight spaces as it does not have the freedom that a hovering tank would have.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=9pt]Immobilized:[/SIZE][SIZE=9pt] If the Protector’s tracks are destroyed it is unable to move, effectively immobilized on a the battlefield. The track must either be jury rigged or replaced for the tank to move once more. [/SIZE]
[SIZE=9pt]Unstealthy:[/SIZE][SIZE=9pt] While tanks are not exactly the stealthiest of machines the Protector can be heard from a distance due to its metal tracks. Tearing and scraping across the land it is quite audible unless some forethought was given and the operators had equipped it with tracks which mixed both rubber, or some other compound, and metal.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=9pt]The Protector-class Infantry Support Tank was designed by Hekler’Kok Defense Industries after the New Republic asked them to develop three tanks to help them overhaul their arsenal. The Protector was designed to be an infantry support tank that can keep up with the faster APC’s of the infantry and provide basically a mobile anti-infantry and anti-fortification gun. [/SIZE]
[SIZE=9pt]The first thing that need to be decided on was the armor. Many ideas were floated but at the end of the day it was decided a layered composite armor made up of Alusteel, Boron Carbide and Depleted Baradium would be the best armor to use. The Alusteel would protect from blaster fire, the Boron Carbide would protect from physical projectiles and the Depleted Baradium would provide a final protective layer for both. The Protector also comes equipped with a Ray Shield and Albative as well and supplemental armor like Reactive Armor Tiles and Rocket Cages can be added depending on the mission and crew preference. [/SIZE]
[SIZE=9pt]Next came the Protector’s main armament. Many ideas were thrown around from a light blaster cannon to a massive 200mm high velocity cannon but in the end they design team settled on a 152mm short-barreled low velocity cannon. The 152mm main cannon was chosen because it was not only a large enough caliber to destroy almost any fortifications it came up against but also its low velocity design made it optimal to use with various types of ammunition. The four main types of ammunition are High Explosive, used for infantry and light fortifications, High Explosive Squash Head, used for armored vehicles and heavy fortifications, Canister, used for infantry, and White Phosphorus, used for creating smoke screens and burning foliage and people if need be. [/SIZE]
[SIZE=9pt]Once the armor and main armament was decided on the designers moved on to the Protector’s secondary armament and it’s special features. The secondary armament was a simple decision and they decided on a coaxial medium repeating blaster and a heavy repeating blaster mounted inside a fully enclosed commander’s cupola. Finally the last things to add we’re the special features. The first few things were pretty obvious features, an internal fire suppression system to stop fires inside the tank, a gyroscopic gun stabilizer to help it shoot on the move, an electric turret traverse to help traverse the turret more quickly and a broadband radio antenna to stay in contact with the rest of the unit. [/SIZE]
[SIZE=9pt]Along with the obvious special features a few non-obvious special features we added. A backup generator was added in case the main generator breaks down or is damaged, an autoloader was included to reduced the number of crew needed to operate the tank, advanced radio encryption equipment to prevent enemies from listening in and finally the crew are provided with survival kits in case the tank breaks down or is destroyed. The survival kits are basic consisting of a standard issue BR-1 rifle, six magazines for the rifle, a blast vest, a blast helmet, a first aid kit, an entrenching tool, two frag grenades, two smoke grenades and enough rations and water to last three days. It is worthy of note that while there is a designated space for all the survival kits but most crew elect to keep in near their station and often decide to wear the blast vest and helmet inside the tank to have slightly more protection. [/SIZE]
[SIZE=9pt]In all the Protector-class Infantry Support Tank has turned into a great tank to support the infantry of the Republic Army and Marine Corps in their duties.[/SIZE]
