Rise of the Reds: Hardware Update, Media Update #24 news

Greetings once again comrades! We’re back with yet another update for your eyes to feast on. We’ve been working very hard behind the scenes to deliver the best possible product. Like proud wine makers, here’s a sample from our reserves to delight your taste buds:

The American Crusader

Full designation: M5A1 Hover Gun System "Crusader II"
Armament: 1 x 90mm smoothbore gun
Armour: Lightweight aluminium/polymer weave armour, optional composite armour inserts
Weight: 22 tons combat loaded
Performance: Traction mode (cross-country) 40 km/h, Hover mode (all-terrain) 80 km/h
Power plant: High powered gas turbine engine

The original "Crusader" tank was well known for its sturdy but lightweight construction which allowed it to be rapidly deployed around the world, even via air drop. Its weight was still quite significant and its mobility was limited to terrain suitable for a tracked vehicle. Therefore various US defence firms competed to develop a "hyper-mobile armoured system" capable of carrying a similar level of armour and firepower to the Crusader but being able to travel over any terrain type and at a higher speed. In the end only one design was able fulfil all requirements - Mondo Armor System's "Turtle Drive" hover-track system. This design took advantage of the fact that most of the time tank tracks are adequate for what is required of the vehicle - so in "traction mode" the vehicle travels on four small lightweight track units.

However when extra agility is required the vehicles 4 track units, incredibly, all swivel into an outboard position to reveal large ducted-fan thrusters attached to them. These are powerful enough to lift the entire vehicle clear of the ground and in this "hover mode" it can cross any type of terrain and even water. In addition it can reach speeds of up to 80 km/h, double what it can attain riding on conventional tracks. Naturally, much scepticism surrounded the design - General Bradley himself saying "If that son of a bitch really flies, I'll eat my stars!" and several more (carefully orchestrated) demonstrations were required to prove the vehicle was, indeed, real.

This fantastic feat of engineering and technology required many expensive innovations. The armour on the vehicle is made of an extremely lightweight combination of aluminium and a classified polymer intricately woven together to give extra strength. The crew consists of only two men, with most tank functions (including gun loading) being entirely automatic. The vehicle is powered by a hugely powerful gas turbine engine which completely fills the hull of the vehicle (the crew occupies only the turret).

As with any new design there are a few minor problems, but Mondo Armor Systems is confident that with further development - and DARPA funding - almost all of them might be resolved. The most critical of these issues include:
• Armour may not cover entire chassis of tank.
• Gas turbine engine so loud the crew requires ear protection.
• Gas turbine engine so hot the crew requires individually cooled body-suits.
• If set on fire, the armour burns releasing toxic gases.
• If struck, the armour will catch fire.
It was also discovered that firing the main gun rapidly while in hover mode could cause catastrophic destabilisation of the vehicle - this was deemed not to be a problem however, as sustaining hover mode consumes so much engine power it reduces the autoloader by 50%!

Regardless, the tank's advantages were seen (by the Pentagon) to outweigh its disadvantages and production of the new vehicle to replace the aging fleet of Crusaders was quickly begun. In order to honour the original model Crusader tank (and possibly to hide the massive program budget from Congress) the new tank was named "Crusader II".

In the field, in order to ensure optimal mission readiness (and avoid Congressional wrath) a veritable army of highly skilled (and even more highly paid) Mondo Armour Systems civilian contractors follow the "Crusader II" on every deployment to service its delicate systems. Skilled "Crusader II" drivers (the only kind that last very long) have discovered the vehicle is even able to hover gently down very steep slopes (though it does not have the thrust to move back up them)

The Dutch Goalkeeper

The Goalkeeper was first developed in 1975 and in more recent times has proven to be a very capable platform in naval and ground defence. During the European Invasion the Goalkeeper saw action under the supervision of General Willem. A defensive line fortified with a few Goalkeepers is almost impregnable by air and significantly protected from artillery bombardment.
Armed with a GAU-8/A Avenger 30mm Gatling gun and state of the art target selection utilising to two radar sub systems, the Goalkeeper is a force to be reckoned with. It can be defied by supersonic missiles, despite the ability to track and hit them; they may still have enough momentum to hit their target.The Goalkeeper was first developed in 1975 and in more recent times has proven to be a very capable platform in naval and ground defence. During the European Invasion the Goalkeeper saw action under the supervision of General Willem. A defensive line fortified with a few Goalkeepers is almost impregnable by air and significantly protected from artillery bombardment.
Armed with a GAU-8/A Avenger 30mm Gatling gun and state of the art target selection utilising to two radar sub systems, the Goalkeeper is a force to be reckoned with. It can be defied by supersonic missiles, despite the ability to track and hit them; they may still have enough momentum to hit their target.

We're also delighted to tell you that we'll be posting a Meet the Generals and Under the Spotlight soon both will introduce you to a anticipated ECA Unit and one of the remaining Chinese Generals

Stay tuned and see you soon!
~SWR

Many thanks to all those who have voted for us in the first round; we were among the victors! That being said, the battle isn't over, and thus we must continue our efforts. Come Comrades! Let us march towards Victory!