Post by New Dornalia on Jan 12, 2012 11:39:55 GMT -5
A Leman Russ Vanquisher. The Vanquisher Cannon is the key selling point of this thing, and the thing Dornies took from it.
The Leman Russ Vanquisher is a rare variant of the Leman Russ tank. In Dornalian service, it is likewise rare in regular contexts, Dornie forces preferring to use power suits a la Heinlein's Starship Troopers to do the armored cav role and leaving IFVs to do most jobs. However, the Vanquisher does see work in PMC and specialized contexts, often mounted on other vehicles and mecha, as well as some Leman Russes and in that sense, has been revived.
Of course, the old problem has arisen with the Vanquisher--what is it?
Like with the Forge Worlds that once made it, the Vanquisher name is taken to mean a class of high-velocity tank killing cannons utilizing mostly anti-tank shells and ordinance to harm enemy vehicles and beasts of burden. Sounds simple; but the legends and records promised Godlike killing power from these things. No tank would survive what these things could dish out. And in New Dornalia, the maxim is thus--All Legends Are Real. Whether You Like It Or Not.
In Dornie contexts, they do not mean merely the Gryphonne series and the classic IoM series guns, they also mean the following:
--NORINCO Type 605 HVSS (High Velocity Special Shooter) Cannon: NORINCO's Type 605 attempts to approximate the legendary Vanquisher tank killing performance with a high velocity 90mm rail-assisted shell. Initially fired like a standard slug, the shell activates an internal motor to achieve hypersonic speeds within a matter of seconds to hit the target. Often made in kinetic and HEAT loads due to sheer speeds involved, but other loadings are available with a remote or proximity detonator. Long ranged, accurate, deadly, but somewhat inflexible and admittedly a tad expensive.
--BAe Systems Class 132 Armored Fighting Gun: Made by HT Industries's General Dynamics Division, the AFG resembles more a traditional cannon akin to the classic Vanquisher, although it uses the electric firing mechanism of the Tennenbaum type to allow it to work in more hostile environs and is touted as being simpler.
In essence, it uses a longer, rifled barrel with anti-gravity projectors inside to assist the shell to faster speeds as it leaves the barrel, along with the increased pressure allowed by the longer barrel and the shells themselves, which use an oxygenless propellant compound developed by HT Industries's Dynamit Nobel Division called "Fastex," which burns faster and hotter than standard materials. Not as long ranged as the Type 605, but is able to utilize a wider array of shells, and it is a bit less expensive as upkeep isn't as costly. The Pepsi to NORINCO's Coke.
--Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Mk 90 Heavy Projectile Launcher: Spoor Holdings's attempt to recreate the Vanquisher. The most esoteric of the three major types used, it is more akin to an oversized Tennenbaum AMR than a conventional gun. It can be converted to use more conventional shells, however, owing to its modular construction, even the shells of competitors--a point of annoyance with the other companies.
--Rheinmetall Multi-Armament Support Heavy Gun--Tyrol Industries' answer to the Vanquisher, built in their Rheinmetall factory. Typical Tyrol, it is the most expensive, but most well-crafted and well made of the Vanquisher "clones." Originally developed for use on the Pelican/Dakota-Tomahawk CAS plane, the MASH-G uses a simple system that combines four internal magnetic rails and a series of repulsorlift projectors to propel 100mm slugs at ridiculously fast sublight speeds--in fact, they are some of the fastest weapons on record in terms of railgun velocity in ND.