Approved Vehicle Radama mortar carrier

[Jessica Med-Beq]

A Radama mortar carrier conducting exercises

OUT OF CHARACTER INFORMATION

• Intent: To provide a mortar carrier for the board
• Image Source: http://www.flaeck.co...63/flying-truck
• Canon Link: N/A
• Restricted Missions: N/A
• Primary Source: Schfein light speeder truck

PRODUCTION INFORMATION

• Manufacturer: Ringovinda StarYards
• Model: Radama mortar carrier
• Affiliation: Open market
• Production: Minor
• Material: Durasteel frame, desh-terenthium armor plating

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

• Classification: Light Tank
• Role: Light Tank/Recon
• Size: Small for a tank
  6m long
• 2.38m high
• 2.14m wide
• Weight: Light for a tank: 10 tons
• Minimum Crew: 1
• Optimal Crew: 5 (1 pilot, 4 gunners)
• Propulsion: Repulsorlift
• Speed: Average: 130 km/h
• Maneuverability: High
• Armament:
• 1 Jairdain heavy mortar (360x45 arc)
  1 Anoat electromagnetic plasma cannon (360x90 arc)
• Defenses: Moderate
• Deflector shields
• Kreelan explosive reactive armor
• Squadron Count: 12
• Passenger Capacity: 2
• Cargo Capacity: 50kg

SPECIAL FEATURES

• 
  - Integrated rangefinder
  - Long-range communications array
  - Sensor array
  - Environmental control equipment (temperature control, air purifier, containment field)
  - Electronic warfare package (ECM, ECCM)
  
• 
  - Inertial compensator
  - Tensor field generator
  - Refrigerator unit
  

Strengths:

• Primary weapon's great indirect firepower (thanks to the explosive firepower of the 120mm mortar, which is the same as regular airborne proton bombs)
• Easy to camouflage as a civilian vehicle
• Enemies firing at short ranges can receive shrapnel after firing on the vehicle
• Maneuverable
• Can jam enemy vehicles and defend against jamming attacks

Weaknesses:

• Weak underside: an enemy can get underneath a Radama and score a mobility kill
• Infantry must operate at a distance from a Radama mortar carrier due to the risks of shrapnel projection
• Slow secondary weapon deployment/retraction time: 15 seconds to gain the ability to fire the Anoat are an eternity in an urban firefight, during which time it is exposed
• The mortar is exposed from above, rendering it vulnerable to airborne attack, along with its magazines
• The mortar has limited ammunition - can be a problem in prolonged firefights
• The mortar can be removed from the vehicle but it takes 60 seconds to do so - that's a period of vulnerability for the vehicle during which the back door of the vehicle is exposed and sneaky, opportunistic enemies can fire at the then-exposed ammunition magazines during that timespan
• The mortar can't fire at point-blank range, rendering it vulnerable to anti-tank fire at point-blank range
• Once the armor plates have been exploded, an enemy can penetrate the armor by firing at the same spot

Description: Built on the chassis of the Schfein light speeder truck, the Radama mortar carrier was designed to fill one need: highly mobile, indirect-fire, field artillery. Whereas MLRS are more common for use in direct-fire roles, as well as for anti-aircraft, the Radama is for effecting bombardments of targets that cannot be reached by direct-fire weapons. Due to the 120mm mortar ammunition being carried inside the vehicle, the usual requirement for Jairdain mortars of carrying five crewmembers is reduced to three, given that two of the crewmembers are there for the handling of ammunition caissons in the standard, carrier-less mortar. Also, due to the necessity of keeping the ammunition in cool areas, the ammunition magazine is refrigerated. In addition, a retractable roof hatch is there for allowing the mortar to fire once it's in position to fire. When the mortar is being reloaded, the secondary weapon, a retractable Anoat electromagnetic plasma repeater cannon, can fire three shots per second across 360 degrees, and with a separate gunner. However, the retraction or deployment process is slow: 15 seconds are an eternity in a firefight, during which the Anoat cannot fire. Finally, use of the Kreelan explosive reactive armor makes the Radama capable of making enemies that close in at point-blank range pay for it, especially infantry: if the enemy scores a hit on the armor after the shields are down, they can expect explosions of shrapnel to come their way. However, it comes with the drawback that infantry support elements must be at a distance from the vehicle while in combat operations. As for the shields: they may be able to withstand a shot or two from heavy laser cannons or equivalent, but they are not the strongest in the vehicle market.

But because the mortar is the main armament of the vehicle, some of the weaknesses of the vehicle are tied to it: the mortar is exposed from above while in position to fire, the mortar can't fire at point-blank range, which renders the vehicle vulnerable from both anti-tank and aircraft attacks, and, most importantly, the limited size of its ammunition magazine. Also, while the mortar can be moved in or out of the vehicle, doing so takes time, during which the vehicle is vulnerable thanks to the need to open the rear door, where a sneaky enemy can fire at its then-exposed ammunition magazines during the timespan. For these reasons, commanders wishing to deploy Radamas should deploy them behind a support line.

 

[Netherworld]

Hello, I'll be the factory judge reviewing your submission. If you have questions, please feel free to respond to this thread once we are underway.

 

[Netherworld]

[member="Jessica Med-Beq"]

Couple issues here.

Speed: Fast: 200 km/h

• With two heavy weapons mounted, and all the ammo for them as well, it's not going to be as fast as its non-combat ancestor.
• Lower the speed to Average, please.

1 Anoat electromagnetic plasma cannon (360x90 arc)

• From its Weaknesses:
  The mount is vulnerable when it isn't firing: a swift enemy can fire at the gun and take it out between bursts
• Since the cannon is retractable, this weakness is basically useless. I'm highly uncomfortable with an essentially invulnerable, rapid-fire, unlimited-explosive-ammo cannon.
• Put it on a fixed external mount, or switch it out for something less powerful and keep the retractability.

Kreelan explosive reactive armor

• The Kreelan explosive reactive armor is Minor production. You can't use it on a mass-produced vehicle.
• Either remove the armor or drop this submission's production to Minor as well.

Maneuverability: High

Maneuverability Rating: High

• The repeated Maneuverability rating is redundant. Remove it, as it is not part of the Vehicle template.

- Electronic warfare package (ECM, ECCM)

• Any significant Special Features should be listed under Strengths. Add this, please.

The mortar can be removed from the vehicle but it takes 60 seconds to do so - that's a period of vulnerability for the vehicle

• How is this a period of vulnerability? It still has the Anoat canon that can fire during that time. Explain, please.

@mention me with edits or questions.

 

[Jessica Med-Beq]

[member="Netherworld"] I just added in the weakness of the Anoat's slow retraction/deployment time (15 seconds), during which it cannot fire and is left exposed to enemy fire: does that work?

Otherwise I made all the other edits.

 

[Netherworld]

Awesome. Pending Admin Approval. Thanks! [member="Cira"]

 

[Jamie Pyne]

Approved.