Approved Vehicle Tartarus mortar carrier

[Jessica Med-Beq]

A Tartarus with its roof closed

OUT OF CHARACTER INFORMATION

• Intent: To provide a mortar carrier
• Image Source: http://forums.newtek...266-hover-truck
• Canon Link: N/A
• Restricted Missions: N/A
• Primary Source: Math 25000 refrigerated truck

PRODUCTION INFORMATION

• Manufacturer: Ringovinda StarYards
• Model: Tartarus mortar carrier
• Affiliation: Open-market
• Modularity: Yes: ammunition type loadout
• Production: Mass-Produced
• Material: Durasteel

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

• Classification: Artillery
• Role: Heavy Artillery
• Size: Average
• Height: 2.77m
• Length: 10.4m
• Width: 2.42m
• Weight: Average
• Minimum Crew: 1
• Optimal Crew: 8 (1 pilot, 7 gunners)
• Propulsion: Repulsorlift
• Speed: Average (130 kph)
• Maneuverability: Average
• Armament: High
• 1 Anoat electromagnetic plasma cannon (360x90 arc)
• 2 Dunkirk heavy mortars (360 x 45 arc)
• Defenses: Average
• Squadron Count: Low (8)
• Passenger Capacity: 0
• Cargo Capacity: Average

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
• Can jam enemy vehicles and defend against jamming attacks
• A mortar can be removed from the vehicle - or can be re-inserted - in the vehicle in 90 seconds

Weaknesses:

• Weak underside: an enemy can get underneath a Tartarus and score a mobility kill
• Slow weapon deployment/retraction time: 15 seconds to gain the ability to fire the Anoat, and also 15 seconds to get the roof to retract prior to firing the mortars are an eternity in an urban firefight, during which time it is exposed
• Limited mortar ammunition
• The mortars are exposed from above, rendering it vulnerable to airborne attack, along with its magazines
• The mortars have limited ammunition - can be a problem in prolonged firefights
• The mortars can only be removed from the vehicle one at a time
• When the mortars are being moved in or out of the vehicle, 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

Description: It was found that ERA was a liability for a vehicle supposed to be operating behind the front line, and that it also compromised its ability to be camouflaged as a civilian vehicle. As with its smaller cousin, the Radama, the Tartarus uses mortars as its primary weapon, which makes it well-suited for indirect-fire operations where guided ordnance is ill-suited. Due to 160mm mortar ammunition being carried inside the vehicle, the usual requirement for crewing Dunkirk mortars is brought down from six to three, since three of the six crewmembers are there to carry the ammunition in a regular mortar team. 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 (or the mortars) cannot fire.

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 airborne 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 Tartaruses should deploy them behind a support line.

 

[Adron Malvern]

<p>Under Review.</p>

 

[Adron Malvern]

The mortars can be removed from the vehicle but it takes 90 seconds to remove one -

So this vehicle can remove it's entire mortar complement in a minute and a half? That seems very fast for such a move, more of a strength than weakness.

[member="Jessica Med-Beq"]

 

[Jessica Med-Beq]

[member="Adron Malvern"] I have also added a mention of how mortars can only be installed or removed one at a time, so, while it takes 90 seconds to remove (or re-install) one mortar, it takes 3 minutes total to install or remove both.

It's still a 90 second or 3-minute span where the back door is open and the ammunition (if any) is exposed, however.

 

[Adron Malvern]

Awesome. Pending Secondary Approval. Thanks! [member="Jamie Pyne"]

 

[Ellie Mors]

Approved.