HOME | DD

Description
From Anno Astra...

Hovertank

A less sophisticated, older alternative to flowtanks, hovertanks possess similar offensive & defensive capabilities but have poorer speed, maneuverability and cross-country capability. Nevertheless, they retain certain attractive features, such as lower manufacturing and operational costs, and a lower technological base required to support them. These are due to several factors. Powerplants, for example, have a lower power-to-weight ratio and the lack of wing-in-ground-effect capabilities obviates the need for aerodynamic flight surfaces and the computing power needed to control them.

The depicted hovertank is an FMC Halvizard, named after a pseudoreptilian predator indigenous to the planet Grant. It follows the general layout of most hovertanks and flowtanks, with an unmanned, modular turret and a 2-man crew compartment occupying the rear of the hull. The main weapon is a 75mm coilgun with a secondary 15mm co-axial weapon. With the proper equipment, the main gun can be quickly reloaded by replacing the ammo cassette through the rear of the turret overhang. Recoil from the main gun is handled by a combination of vectored counterthrust from the tank’s propulsion system and an electromagnetic recoil buffer system.

The turret is thickly armoured along its frontal arc, although it does have a higher profile than many other tank turrets. As additional protection, the turret is liberally covered by appliqué armor plates of the passive type, a mix of composites and ablative material designed to absorb & dissipate directed-energy weapons fire. Defensive armament includes a 10mm coilgun repeater and a point-defense pulse laser. A mast-mounted sensor & countermeasures system is installed in a small turret mounted on the overhang.

The hull has thinner armour compared to the turret, in keeping with the prevalent tactical doctrine that tank crews should engage their opponents from a hull-down position as often as possible. Active defense arrays in the form of directional mines are attached around the perimeter of the hull, providing defense against threats such as ATGMs & infantry at very close ranges. The multilayered collapsible skirts are made of a tough, flexible ballistic polyamide and conceal the louvers in the plenum chamber through which vectored thrust can be directed. These are used mainly for hopping over obstacles up to about 2 meters in height. To cope with dusty conditions, filters have been installed over the air intakes in the bow of the hull—the air itself is drawn through a U-shaped passage in the armoured hull before reaching the drive fans.

This was done surprisingly quickly for me while waiting for the GL 27 sub to download. The turret design was based on an M-60's covered with ERA tiles.

Description
From Anno Astra...

Hovertank

A less sophisticated, older alternative to flowtanks, hovertanks possess similar offensive & defensive capabilities but have poorer speed, maneuverability and cross-country capability. Nevertheless, they retain certain attractive features, such as lower manufacturing and operational costs, and a lower technological base required to support them. These are due to several factors. Powerplants, for example, have a lower power-to-weight ratio and the lack of wing-in-ground-effect capabilities obviates the need for aerodynamic flight surfaces and the computing power needed to control them.

The depicted hovertank is an FMC Halvizard, named after a pseudoreptilian predator indigenous to the planet Grant. It follows the general layout of most hovertanks and flowtanks, with an unmanned, modular turret and a 2-man crew compartment occupying the rear of the hull. The main weapon is a 75mm coilgun with a secondary 15mm co-axial weapon. With the proper equipment, the main gun can be quickly reloaded by replacing the ammo cassette through the rear of the turret overhang. Recoil from the main gun is handled by a combination of vectored counterthrust from the tank’s propulsion system and an electromagnetic recoil buffer system.

The turret is thickly armoured along its frontal arc, although it does have a higher profile than many other tank turrets. As additional protection, the turret is liberally covered by appliqué armor plates of the passive type, a mix of composites and ablative material designed to absorb & dissipate directed-energy weapons fire. Defensive armament includes a 10mm coilgun repeater and a point-defense pulse laser. A mast-mounted sensor & countermeasures system is installed in a small turret mounted on the overhang.

The hull has thinner armour compared to the turret, in keeping with the prevalent tactical doctrine that tank crews should engage their opponents from a hull-down position as often as possible. Active defense arrays in the form of directional mines are attached around the perimeter of the hull, providing defense against threats such as ATGMs & infantry at very close ranges. The multilayered collapsible skirts are made of a tough, flexible ballistic polyamide and conceal the louvers in the plenum chamber through which vectored thrust can be directed. These are used mainly for hopping over obstacles up to about 2 meters in height. To cope with dusty conditions, filters have been installed over the air intakes in the bow of the hull—the air itself is drawn through a U-shaped passage in the armoured hull before reaching the drive fans.

This was done surprisingly quickly for me while waiting for the GL 27 sub to download. The turret design was based on an M-60's covered with ERA tiles.