Date: Thu, 22 May 1997 08:39:06 PST Subject: Legged Vs. Hover Vs. Tracked From: eddydrake@JUNO.COM (Edward D Drake) Following up on Anthony JacksonÆs contribution of a legged mecha, here is my attempt at a hover-tank for comparison. Called the ôJump-Tankö this hover-tank variant is equipped with the expected GEV skirt, ducted fan for hover lift, and a equal thrust vectored turbofan for cruising. The variation is the supplemental lift turbofan, allowing full VETOL flight, and a second vectored turbofan totaling a full 1g of vectored motive thrust! The Jump-Tank makes unusual use of Neural Net technology, linking a matched pair of forward facing LLTVÆs to allow the gunner/sensor op augmented binocular vision. The pilot is allowed a full 360deg global view via six LLTVÆs, one mounted in each direction. The VH-70 is equipped with a powerful onboard computer, aiding in piloting, navigation, and sensor op, a dedicated targeting computer, and two lesser backup versions of each. I have also included a set of short range laser-comÆs for a communications network (ala Onno Meyer). Armed with a 22.5mm Electromag Cannon, the JumpTank can punch through armor of up to 2268pts. The 8.5mm Electromag Machine-gun is intended for straifing runs against lightly armored targets, a battlesuit with 200pts or less armor would be easly mowed down. If a full seconds worth of ammo is dumped into a target, on average one shot out of the 20 will penetrate up to 280pts of armor. VH-70 VETOL/Hover Tank ôJump-Tankö [made using Vehicles 2nd ed., with March 97 errata, and 5 times wt power cells] [where possible provided (or derived) formulas have been used for ease of spreadsheet use] Load of Cannon Ammo, $5000, aprox. 34lbs. Load of Machine-gun Ammo, $1110, aprox 46lbs Jet Fuel to fill internal tank, $1400, 3016lbs Empty Drop Tank (DR 25 Fireproof, Ablative), $2500, 271.5# Jet Fuel to fill Drop Tank, $800, 1716lbs. SUBASSEMBLIES: Ground Effect Skirt, Detachable Pod (on hardpoint). BODY FEATURES: Responsive hull, robotic frame, and 60deg frontal slope. PROPULSION AND AEROSTATIC LIFT: 1100kw Lift/Hover Ducted-fan (HP 17), 4400lb Vectored Turbofan (HP 39), Three 5200lb Lift Turbofans (HP 51/ea), 15600lb Vectored Turbofan (HP 88). WEAPONRY: TL 9, Concealed 22.5mm EM-Cannon (BoF, HP 88, 5125kWs), with Full Stabilization (HP 19), 60 x 22.5mm APFSDSDU, TL 9 8.5mm EM-Mg (BoF, HP 14, 307kWs), with Cyberslave Mount (HP 14), 600 x 8.5mm AP. INSTRUMENTS AND ELECTRONICS: Two med. range scrambled radios (HP 1/ea, Range 1000mi), Med. range lasercom (HP 2, Range 2000mi), Five med range lasercoms ôcomm netö (HP 1/ea, Range 200mi). Two LLTV X45 ôbinocularö (BoF, HP 3/ea, +5/+10), Six LLTV X3 ôPanoramaö (BoAll, HP 1/ea, +2/+3), 10mi Targeting Ladar (BoF, HP 4, Scan 17), 20mi PESA (BoF, HP 6, Scan 19) Five 2mi PESA (BoAll (ex. F), HP 2/ea, Scan 13), Ranging Sound Detector (Bo, HP 1, Level 16). Two IFF (Bo, HP 2/ea), INS (Bo, HP 2), Two backup Military GPS (Bo, HP 1/ea), Advanced Radar/Laser Detector (Bo, HP 3), Two backup Radar/Laser Detectors (Bo, HP 1/ea). Minicomputer, Compact, Genius, Hardened, High-Capacity, Robotic Brain (Bo, HP 6, Cplx: 5). Two backup small computers, Compact Hardened (Bo, HP 1/ea, Cplx: 3). Gunnery Minicomputer, Compact, Dedicated, Genius, Hardened (Bo, HP 3, Cplx: 5). Two backup small computers, Compact, Dedicated, Hardened (Bo, HP 1/ea, Cplx: 3). Two Compact Terminals (Bo, HP 6). Two Auto-Interface Webs (Bo, HP 6) SOFTWARE: Three Comp. Navigation (Cplx: 2), 60 Datalinks (Cplx: 1), Two Routine Vehicle Op, (Cplx: 5, Skill 15), Targeting +6 (Cplx: 5), Transmission Profiling (Cplx: 3), Two Routine Vehicle Op, (Cplx: 2, Skill 12), Two Targeting +4 (Cplx: 3). MISCELLANEOUS EQUIPMENT: Compact Fire Suppression System (Bo, HP 6), High-Security Alarm. CONTROLS: Computerized CREW STATIONS: two cramped stations. OCCUPANCY: Short. CREW: Pilot/Commander and Gunner/Sensor Op. ENVIRONMENTAL SYSTEMS: Two seat NBC kit (HP 4), Two-man 4hr limited life support (HP 6). SAFETY SYSTEMS: Two Crashwebs (HP 4/ea) POWER: 4.4kW from Jets while cruising, 35.6 during VETOL flight. Rechargeable Power Cells sufficient to empty both guns (Bo, HP 9) FUEL: 464gal Ultralight, Self sealing tank (Bo, HP 102), 264gal tank (Pod, HP 70) Fuel Pod w/ 264gal Jet Fuel (Fire 13) 2hr hover operation, Internal tank w/ 464 gal Jet Fuel (Fire 12) 2hr hover operation plus 20min VETOL Flight. ACCESS, CARGO, and EMPTY SPACE: Access space 107.78cf, Empty space 3.7cf. VOLUMES: Body 420cf, Fuel Pod 39.6cf. AREA: Body 390.47sf, Pod 69.7sf STRUCTURE: Body: Heavy, Very Expensive. Pod: Light, Med. HIT POINTS: Body 1172, Pod 53 ARMOR: Advanced Laminate(over Advance Fireproof Ablative), Front PD 6/ DR 200(1800); Left, Right, and Top PD 4/ DR 100(400); Back and Under PD 4/ DR 100(200); Non-Rigid, GEV skirt PD 2/ DR 90. SURFACE FEATURES: Sealed, Instant Chameleon HARDPOINTS: One on rear body, rated for 2000lbs VISION: Poor windows, Excellent via video. STATISTICS: Empty Wt 16,504lbs, Usual (internal) payload 400lbs, Ammo & Fuel 3096lbs, Loaded Wt 19,954lbs (10 tons), or 21,942lbs (11tons) with fuel pod. Volume 840, Size mod +4, Price $3,230,000. HOVER PERFORMANCE: Static Lift 4400lbs (GEV Lift 22000lbs), Stall Speed: 0, Hover Motive thrust 4400lbs, Aerodynamic drag 527, Top speed 238, hAccel 4.4mph/s, hMR 4.5, hSR 5, aDecel 18mph/s. (132gal/hr) AIR PERFORMANCE: Static Lift 20,000lbs, Stall Speed 0, Vectored Motive Thrust 20,000lbs, Aerodynamic drag 527, Top speed 533mph, aAccel 20mph/s, aMR 4.5, aSR 5, aDecel 18mph/s (600gal/hr) Main Gun: 22.5mm (22.5mm) Electromag, extremely long barrel, slow autoloader, with APFSDSDU. Power 5125kWs/shot. Secondary Gun: 8.5mm (8.5mm) Electromag, long barrel, heavy automatic, with AP. Power 300kWs/shot, or 6000kWs/Sec. (Enough ammo for 30 seconds of fire) Weapon Malf Type Damage SS Acc 1/2D Max RoF WPS CPS 22.5mm Crit. Cr. 6dx36(3) 30 22 7.25mi 17mi 1 .57 $82 8.5mm Crit. Cr. 6dx5(2) 20 17 1650 5000 20 .077 $1.84 CommentÆs, criticisms, and bug reports all welcome. Drake