TL8 Tracked Recon Vehicle (Wasp)
The Wasp is typical of bottom-of-the line military (or average paramilitary and megacorp) vehicles. Its advantages are low cost, robust design (high HT), amphibious capabilities and ease of transportation via aircraft and helicopters. Its disadvantages are vulnerability to anything greater than small arms fire, minimal sensors and light weaponry. However, all of these make it useful for scout and internal security duties (or riot control), which are it's primary roles. Also, the manufacturer employed better salesmen than engineers, ensuring that large numbers were bought by many users.
The version described below is the Mk 1. The Mk 2 and Mk 3 variants are virtually identical, differing principally in the main armament, replacing the medium barreled 20mm autocannon with a different weapon (weights are about 100 lbs less and costs about $1000 (Mk 2) to $2000 (Mk 3) less). The Mk 2 mounts a 40mm automatic grenade launcher with 300 rounds (typically 150 HEDP and 150 CHEM in two hoppers). The Mk 3 mounts a 60mm gun/mortar with 30 rounds of ammo (also in two hoppers, usually 15 HE and 15 HEAT). All versions mount a coaxial 7mm caseless minigun. All primary weapons are in universal mounts, which (given the poor sensor fit) is of dubious value against aircraft and helicopters, but does allow indirect fire for the 40mm AGL and 60mm G/M, as well as fire into the upper floors of buildings. All versions can carry over 800 lbs of additional weight and still float.
Some users upgrade the basic model, adding a thermograph or PESA in the hull and basic emission cloaking.
Compare to the generally superior Golpher utility carrier.
All components are mounted in the hull, except for the weapons, ammo, weapon accessories and spotlight, which are all in the turret.
Subassemblies: two tracks, full rotation turret
Body Features: Slope on body and turret: 30 degress front, left
and right
Propulsion: 30 kW tracked drivetrain
Weaponry: 20mm autocannon, 7mmC minigun, 500x20mm rounds, 4000x7mmC
rounds
Weapon Accessories: full stabilization for both guns, universal
mount for 20mm autocannon
Instruments and electronics (turret): searchlight
Instruments and electronics (body): one medium range scrambled
radio, light amplification, military GPS, HUDWAC, small computer with Targeting
(+1) program and 1 gig database, two terminals
Miscellaneous: ST 25 winch, 2 Dischargers (2 Blackout gas)
Controls: Computer
Occupancy: Short
Passengers: None
Crew: Driver, Commander/Gunner in 2 cramped seats
Envirnmental Systems: none
Power: 30 kW ceramic, 0.9 gph
Fuel: self-sealing 10 gallon tank, 10 gallons diesel fuel
Access, Cargo and Empty Space: Turret - 0.08 cf empty space,
Body - 3.125 cf empty, 5 cf cargo and 3.4 cf access space
Volumes: Body 95 cf, Turret 10 cf, Tracks 57 cf; Surface Area:
Body 124.9 sf, turret 27.9 sf, tracks 88.9 sf; Total Area 241.64
Structure: medium frame
Hit Points: Body 187, Turret 41, Track (each) 66
Structural Options: Waterproofing
Armor: PD 5 DR 45 Front, Left and Right (turret and body), PD
4 DR 30 other body and turret locations, PD 4 DR 20 tracks (all sides)
Statistics: Empty Weight 4048, Loaded Weight 5125 lbs (2.56 tons),
Volume 162 cf, Size Modifier +3, Price $42,353, HT 12
Ground Performance: Speed 41 mph, gAccel 3 mph/s, gDecel 20 mph/s,
gMR 0.5, gSR 4, Very Low ground pressure, 4/5 off-road speed
Water Performace: Can float, Hydrodynamic Drag 262, Aquatic Motive
Thrust 60, Top Speed 4 mph, wAccel 0.3, wDecel 10, wMR 0.75, wSR 4, Draft
1.15'
New Weapons
7mmC minigun: six long barrels, electic gatling
Dam 6d+1, Malf Ver(Crit), Type Cr, SS 17, Acc 12, 1/2 Dam 750 yds,
Max 4000 yds, ROF 60
20mm autocannon: one medium barrel, heavy automatic
Dam 6dx3, Malf Crit, Type Cr, SS 20, Acc 14, 1/2 Dam 1300 yds, Max
5500 yds, ROF 10
40mm AGL
see p.VE43, TL7 40mm GL, but HEDP dam 8d(5), HE dam 6dx2[4d], CHEM
6 yrd radius
60mm gun/mortar: short smoothbore barrel, fast autoloader, low-powered
Dam 6dx7 [6d] HE or 6dx10(10) HEAT, Malf Crit, Type Spcl, SS 20, Acc
10, 1/2 Dam 500 yds, Max 3100 yds, ROF 1