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Skorpios Light Tank - Another Scorpion Upgrade
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Author:  boilerman [ Thu Jan 17, 2019 12:42 am ]
Post subject:  Skorpios Light Tank - Another Scorpion Upgrade

It's been a long time so I figured I share something.

Skorpios Light Tank
Code:
Mass: 27 tons
Tech Base: Inner Sphere
Motive Type: Tracked
Rules Level: Advanced Rules
Era: All Eras (non-canon)
Tech Rating/Era Availability: D/X-X-D-A
Production Year: 0
Cost: 605,917 C-Bills
Battle Value: 449

Power Plant: SitiCide 135 Fuel Cell Engine
Cruise Speed: 54.0 km/h
Flanking Speed: 86.4 km/h
Armor: ProtecTech Light Standard Armor
Armament:
    1  Autocannon/5
    2  Rocket Launcher 10s
Manufacturer:
    Primary Factory: 
Communications System: 
Targeting and Tracking System: 
================================================================================
==Background==
The Aporian Republic is small Periphery state anti-spinward of the Magistracy of Canopus and rimward of the Marian Hegemony; not an enviable address these days. Although the Republic maintains good relations with the Magistracy it has watched the growth of the Hegemony with trepidation and expects an invasion to come eventually. The Republic Guard has been preparing to meet one for decades, but the Republic’s resources and industrial base are finite. They have had to make do and recycle everything they can.

Like many smaller states the Republic bought hundreds of Scorpion light tanks over the years; although troublesome they were cheap. About a decade ago the Republic Guard High Command decided to rebuild the Scorpion to extend its service life at least a couple more decades, resources to replace it simply are not available. Priority was given to improved reliability and easier maintainability, increased mobility and protection, followed last by firepower.

==Design==
The Republic’s economy has always relied on large central fusion power stations and either batteries or hydrogen from cracking water for needs away from the power grid. As a result, fuel cell technology is ubiquitous in the Republic, and the High Command decided to convert the Scorpion. The improved power to weight ratio would be used to increase the tank’s cruising speed and still provide for additional armor. To improve reliability the Scorpion’s running gear was switched from a linked track system to a band track design. However, this change nearly scuttled the project. Engineers grossly underestimated the work involved in the switch and compromises increased the mass of the tank by 2000 kg. Despite the weight gain the tank proved far more reliable than the original design and they managed to add 25% more armor to boot. Only the armament improvements proved disappointing.

The Republic couldn’t afford to import new weapons for the Scorpion or build new ones worth installing so the AC/5 autocannon remains the tank’s primary weapon. But autocannon ammunition was doubled thanks to space freed up by switching to a fuel cell engine. The MG was removed: rocket launchers now serve as backup to the AC/5. Overall the High Command feels the Scorpion rebuild is a success and to celebrate they rechristened the tank the Skorpios, in keeping with the ancient Greek naming convention used on the Republic’s home-grown vehicle designs.
==Variants==
Two variants of the Skorpios exist: a recovery vehicle and a command tank. The command variant uses the space allotted to the extra ammo bin in the regular tank for C3-ISR terminal to maintain connection with Guard communications network. A third crewman is shoehorned into the hull to man the terminal. A single command tank is assigned to each light tank company and each cavalry troop. The recovery vehicle is nothing special; it’s equipped with a bull dozer blade and a large multi-function crane to assist in recovery operations. The vehicle also has the space for a full mechanic squad and their tools.

==Deployment==
After five years in production most of the Republic Guard’s fleet of Scorpion tanks have been rebuilt. There is talk of buying used Scorpions on the open market to rebuild and perhaps sell or place in reserve. No decision has been made on whether to pursue this idea or not.

==Action Report==
To date the only action the Skorpios has seen has been against a couple of pirate raids. The tanks proved worthy harasser units but did not score any major hits. But nor did they incur any losses.


================================================================================
Code:
Equipment           Type                         Rating                   Mass  
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Internal Structure: Standard                      15 points                3.00
Engine:             Fuel-Cell Engine             135                       5.50
    Cruise MP:  5
    Flank MP:   8
Heat Sinks:         Single Heat Sink             1                         0.00
Control Equipment:                                                         1.50
Lift Equipment:                                                            0.00
Turret:                                                                    1.00
Armor:              Standard Armor               AV -  80                  5.00

                                                      Armor      
                                                      Factor     
                                               Front     20        
                                          Left/Right   16/16        
                                              Turret     16        
                                                Rear     12        

================================================================================
Equipment                                 Location    Heat     Spaces     Mass  
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Autocannon/5                                 T         1         1         8.00
2 Rocket Launcher 10s                        T         6         2         1.00
@AC/5 (40)                                   BD        -         0         2.00

BattleForce Statistics
MV      S (+0)  M (+2)  L (+4)  E (+6)   Wt.   Ov   Armor:      3    Points: 4
5t         1       1       1       0      1     0   Structure:  2
Special Abilities: EE, TUR(1/1/1)

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