The Ram Battletank is in essence the same tank that ARMOR has been using for
almost 100 years. After the debacle that was their assault on the Baltimore
City-State, this was one of the few things that were not changed. Its heavy
armor, Ramjet armor-piercing railgun, and contra-gravity drive were found to be
more than adequate for combat on Rifts Earth. The only thing that was changed
was the addition of internal short-range missile bays.
The Ram Battletank has several systems that are unique to it. The first system is its virtual reality targeting system that is tied into the sensor dome on the turret. This visual system gives the entire crew a full 360 degree visual arc, making it impossible for a tank crew to be surprised. The VR Targeting System inputs feeds from all of the sensor systems on the tank. The tank AI filters the multiple feeds and displays target information in a manner best suited for the crew. If a target is picked up by camera, then the AI will use the camera feed to display it. If a target is picked up by Lowlight, Ultralight, or Thermo, the target is displayed as a wireframe image. Motion, M.A.D., and Ground sonar targets are displayed as moving dots; with arrows representing line of motion, and thickness of the dot representing approximate weight. This targeting system gives the crew a +4 to initiative, a +4 to strike, and a +4 to dodge. In the event that the sensor dome is destroyed, the tank does have a backup visual system that does not provide any bonuses. As the ground sonar and motion detectors are integral parts of the tank, they are not affected by the loss of the sensor dome; however, if the tank takes more than 60% damage to the main body, then the systems will be destroyed. The second unique system to this tank is its drive system. While the tank does use an internal contra-gravity system that allows it to float above the ground, it requires a separate thruster system to actually move it. The tank also has a second electric drive system that powers its drive wheels. What the tank can do is lower itself until it floats just above the ground, with the drive wheels making full contact with it. It can then move silently on its drive wheels and sneak up on its opponents. In a situation in which its opponents cannot see it coming (a foggy/smoky environment or a city), the tank has a 50% Prowl rating.
More than anything else, the Battletank is designed to bring its crew home. The entry way into the tank is the large round armored hatch in the front of the tank. It opens by unscrewing from the frame, then swinging open. This hatch leads to a crawl way that leads to a second hatch that then opens into the armored crew compartment. Both hatches can only be opened from the inside. In the event that the tank is shutdown from damage (all MDC is depleted), the crew can blow off an emergency escape hatch in the rear of the tank. In normal use, the hatch is completely covered with armor and can not be accessed. A second lifesaving feature of the Battletank is that the turret is completely separated from the crew compartment. It can completely swivel 360 degrees, and is designed to blow the effects of an ammunition explosion away from the main body in the event that the turret is blown-up. The armored internal missile bays are designed the same way. If the armored hatches are blown away, the internal missile bays still have an armored compartment to protect them. In the event that these are destroyed as well, the effects of the resulting missile explosions are channeled away from the main body. It has not been unheard of for Battletanks with nearly 60% damage to come limping in from battles.
Ram Battletank
Class: Ground Attack Hovertank
Crew: Five. One pilot, one co-pilot, two gunners, one
commander.
M.D.C. by Location:
Turret - 450
Armored External Hatch - 300
Internal Hatch - 75
Ramjet Railgun - 200
Missile Launcher Hatches (4) - 200 each
Internal Missile Bays (2) - 100 each
Main Thruster - 200
Secondary Thrusters (2) - 100 each
Drive Wheels (2) - 50 each
* Sensor Dome - 150
** Armored Crew Compartment - 150
*** Main Body - 700
* Destroying the sensor dome will disable the pilot's and gunner's
virtual reality targeting system. All initiative and dodge bonuses from the
targeting system are negated, and the pilot and gunner will have to rely on
backup view-sites to find their targets. The sensor dome is a difficult target
to hit. It requires a called shot at -3 to strike.
** The crew compartment cannot be damaged until the main body armor has
been destroyed.
*** Depleting the M.D.C. of the main body will cause the armor to shutdown.
An emergency hatch in the rear of tank can then be blown off so that the crew
can quickly escape.
Speed
Hover: 150 mph maximum. The tank typically hovers three to four
feet above the ground, but can raise as far as 15 feet and make jumps of up
to 75 feet in length. If either the main thruster, or both secondary
thrusters, is destroyed, the speed is reduced by half. If all thrusters are
destroyed, the tank can only limp home on its drive wheels.
Land: 25 mph maximum. While the contra-gravity system is still engaged,
the drive wheels provide the propulsion. The tank is typically hovering about a
1/2 foot above the ground, with only about 100 lbs of weight resting on the
drive wheels.
Statistical Data
Height: 15 feet
Width: 18 feet
Length: 25 feet
Weight: 50 tons, fully loaded.
Systems of Note: The tank is completely environmentally sealed, and
has all the features of robot power armor.
Cargo: A small compartment in the crew compartment provides room to store
light body armor, laser rifles and bolt guns, and any survival equipment the
crew may want to carry.
Power System: Nuclear, 25 year life.
Cost: 40 million. It is exclusive to the ARMOR military and is not
available on the Black Market.
Weapon Systems
1. FSRPM Railgun: The railgun of the ARMOR
Battletank fires a fin-stabilized, rocket propelled round that can accelerate to
just under Mach 3 before it hits its target. The FSRP Munition is a solid metal
round that relies completely on kinetic energy to destroy its targets. It has no
explosives on board other than the rocket propellant. Upon launching from the
railgun at just under Mach 1, the round's rocket motor ignites and boosts it to
Mach 3. During flight, the round receives course corrections from the gunner
that gives it a phenomenal hit ratio. If the railgun has a weakness, it's that
the round does not reach its full speed until after at least 50 feet. The turret
can rotate 360 degrees, and has a field of fire from 80 degrees up to 75 degrees
down.
Primary Purpose: Anti-Tank.
Secondary Purpose: Assault.
Mega-Damage: 4D6x10 MD per round. If fired on a target under 50 feet,
the rounds don't have enough time to accelerate to full speed. They only do
2D6x10 MD.
Range: 3 miles.
Rate of Fire: One at a time.
Bonus: +2 to hit.
Payload: 50 shells.
2. Concealed Pulse Laser: Just over the prow of the Battletank is a
concealed pulse laser that is controlled by the second gunner. It is generally
used against infantry that gets too close to the tank. While pointed forward, it
does have a firing arc that extends to 60 degrees in all directions.
Primary Purpose: Anti-personnel.
Secondary Purpose: Anti-missile.
Mega-Damage: 6D6 MD per burst.
Range: 3200 feet.
Rate of Fire: Fires bursts only.
Payload: Unlimited.
3. Missile Bays (2): Each missile bay has two launch hatches to enable it to vertically launch its missiles. Each hatch can launch two missiles at a time, for a total of four from each bay, and eight from the tank total. These high explosive missiles are best used against aircraft and lightly armored vehicles and robots.
Primary Purpose: Anti-Aircraft.
Secondary Purpose: Assault.
Mega-Damage: 2D10x10 MD per missile.
Range: 5 miles.
Rate of Fire: Volleys of 2, 4, 6, or 8 missiles.
Payload: 20 missiles in each bay for a total of 40.
4. Physical Combat: The Battletank can also engage in its
own form of physical combat. It basically consists of either ramming
(1D6x10 MD + 1D6 per 10 MPH) or Tail Swiping (6D6 MD, opponent is
knocked down and loses 2 actions, costs pilot 2 actions to perform).
There are no bonuses to hit with either attack.