Vesuvius Heavy Combat Walker
These massive war machines, dubbed “assault mechs” by their designers, dominated the battlefield at the height of the stellar era. Their moniker came from the fact that these types of combat walkers were designed and used to spearhead ground assaults and to destroy or hold objectives. Few other ground units are as heavily armed and armored – these walkers are even able to face off against light starfighters.
This combat walker is a TL 14 update of the fabled Galactic Monopoly (GM) Vesuvius-class assault mech with the latest in gauss, fusion and rocket weaponry. The anthropomorphic form, advanced fire control systems and neural control helmet allow humanoid pilots unparalleled reaction time and accuracy. It also carries the most armor of any combat walker design that saw widespread use.
Vesuvius
Cost (Cr.) 31,705,700
TL 14
Skill drive (walker)
Agility 1
Speed 125 kph
Range 800 km
Crew 1 pilot
Cargo none
Open no
Hull 16
Structure 17
Armor 150 (225 front, 100 left and right, 75 rear, 100 top, 100 bottom) +13 (ERA)
Shipping Size 75 tons
Height 24 meters
Weapons
– hard point (right arm) – 22mm heavy gauss cannon (14d6 mega-AP, very distant range, 100 rounds), 19 spaces, 10,000,000 Cr
– hard point (left arm) – RF Plasma B Gun (14d6 destructive, distant range, auto 4) 16 spaces, 1,500,000 Cr
– missile bay (torso) – artillery rocket pod (16d6, distant range, auto 12, 30 rockets) 4 spaces, 52,000 Cr
– improved fire control (+4 DM) 100,000 Cr
Extras
– AFV
– manipulator arms (Str 24, Dex 16) 190,000 Cr
– laser anti-missile system (TL 13, +2 to negate hits, 2D6 damage), 4 spaces, 250,000 Cr
– explosive reactive armor type IV, 0 spaces, 125,000 Cr
– neural link (+2 initiative, +2 agility), 1,050,000 Cr
– advanced navigation (+3 DM), 50,000 Cr
– TL 10 communications (encrypted continental), 1 space, 8,000 Cr
– advanced electronic countermeasures (TL 14, +3 DM, ), 40,000 Cr
– advnaced sensors (TL 14, +2 DM, very distant range), 1 space, 62,500 Cr
– hostile environment protection, 1 space, 50,000 Cr
– life support (short-term, 1-4 days), 1 space, 20,000 Cr
– stealth (class III, +3 DM), 3,200,000 Cr
– smoke, 0.5 spaces, 1,000 Cr
– flares, 0.5 spaces, 1,200 Cr
– chaff, 0.5 spaces, 2,000 Cr
– prismatic aresol, 0.5 spaces, 4,000 Cr
– extra armor (superdense) x 15, 15,000,000 Cr
Posted in Traveller, Vehicle and tagged mech by Adam A. Thompson with no comments yet.
Kraken – heavy quadruped amphibious walker
Designed to defend static emplacements or settlements from land, sea, or air units, these massive four-legged combat walkers have a heavily armored hull that is streamlined for underwater movement. This allows them to also serve as fire-support platforms assisting amphibious assaults, or to attack boats and naval forces from the darkness of the sea.
The primary armament of the Kraken is an immense 35 mm mass driver. Mounted in a turret and fired from the walker’s stable four-legged chassis this mass driver has a range of 25 kilometers and is capable of destroying almost any target smaller than an armored spaceship.
For attacking targets while under the water, the Kraken uses a “blue-green” laser cannon that is wavelength-tuned for optimal sub-marine range in a small chin turret, typically operated by the Kraken’s commander.
Finally, to strike airborne targets, they mount an anti-aircraft TAC missile with a range of 50 kilometers. On an external hard point, it can instead carry an anti-armor or anti-personnel TAC missile. (more…)
Posted in Equipment, Traveller and tagged mech by Adam A. Thompson with no comments yet.
Einhorn – heavy quadruped combat walker
A larger, updated successor to the venerable Quarterhorse mech chassis, the Einhorn class combat walker also saw extensive use at the dawn of the stellar era. Like the Quarterhorse, they mount the main weapon in a small forward turret, in this case a gatling laser with a range of 5 km. Mission versatility is achieved through two light TAC missile hard points, which can carry anti-armor, anti-personnel, or anti-air missiles as needed.
They are still sometimes used as command units due to their long-range communications, heavy armor, and extensive defensive systems. On the battlefields of the Inheritance wars they were frequently deployed to provide fire support and anti-air cover for lances of Quarterhorse mechs.
| Einhorn | heavy quadruped combat walker with long range air defense capabilities |
| System | Details |
| Cost (Cr.) | 1,314,200 |
| TL | 10 |
| Skill | drive (walker) |
| Agility | 0 |
| Speed | 80 kph |
| Range | 300 km |
| Crew | 1 |
| Cargo | none |
| Open | no |
| Hull | 6 |
| Structure | 7 |
| Armor | 40, (60 front, 40 left and right, 20 rear, 40 top, 40 bottom, 60 turret front, 40 turret sides, 20 turret rear) |
| Shipping Size | 30 tons |
| Height (m.) | 8 |
| Weapons | light turret with TL 8 gatling laser (6d6, auto 2, distant range) |
| 2 hard points for light TAC missiles (missiles not included) | |
| Extras | AFV |
| extra legs (+1 drive on rough or uneven ground, +1 to hit) | |
| laser anti-missile system (TL 10, +1 to negate hits) | |
| advanced controls (+1 agility) | |
| advanced sensors (+2, very distant) | |
| standard navigation (+2) | |
| TL 10 communications (encrypted continental) | |
| long term life support | |
| flares | |
| prismatic aerosol | |
| extra armor x 4 |
Posted in Equipment, Traveller and tagged mech by Adam A. Thompson with no comments yet.
Combat Walkers of the Confederation of Planets – Quarterhorse
These combat walkers, or “mechs” as they are more commonly called, are old tech level (TL) 9 and 10 designs used by the Confederation of Planets in wars past. Occasional examples of these vehicles show up in the planetary defense forces of Confederation worlds, in the private armies of mercenaries, and in the hands of rich collectors of expensive weapons. Others are seen in the form of copies, variants, and equivalents on low-tech worlds.
Quarterhorse – light quadruped military walker
A basic four-legged mech, the Quarterhorse is relatively fast, very sure-footed, and provides a nimble firing platform for its heavy autocannon. Good out to a range of about 500 meters, the autocannon can threaten most light or medium armored units.
Still used for patrols or perimeter defense, they were mainly used in assaults as infantry support vehicles. Their, agility, build, and high forward turret placement give their “mech-jockeys” the ability to crouch the mech behind cover and pop up to fire.
Quarterhorses are sometimes mockingly referred to as “poor planeteer’s battle armor”, as they provide protection and armament similar to the powered personal armor of higher-technology forces at a fraction of the price.
Lacking life-support, pilots using them in hostile environments must wear vac suits or otherwise make arrangements for their respiration.
| Quarterhorse | light quad military walker, general purpose |
| Cost | 428,000 Cr. |
| TL | 9 |
| Skill | drive (walker) |
| Agility | +2 |
| Speed | 102.5 kph |
| Range | 300 km |
| Crew | 1 |
| Cargo | none |
| Open | no |
| Hull | 2 |
| Structure | 3 |
| Armor | 20 (30 turret front, 10 turret rear) |
| Shipping Size | 10 tons |
| Height | 2 meters |
| Weapons | small turret with
|
| Extras | AFV |
| 2 extra legs (+1 DM on rough terrain, +1 DM to attack rolls) | |
| advanced controls (+1 agility) | |
| basic navigation (+1) | |
| TL 6 communications | |
| advanced sensors (+2 bonus, very distant range) | |
| increased speed |
Posted in Equipment, Traveller, Vehicle and tagged mech by Adam A. Thompson with no comments yet.