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Marksman

Armament:

1 Sniper Artillery

1 RAMTech 500 Large Laser

Manufacturer:    Grumman Industries

   Location:    Terra

Communications System:    O/P GRD 300

Targeting & Tracking System: O/P GRD059

Overview:

       With the success of the Thor Armored Fighting Vehicle, designers attempted to replace the Thumper with the heavier Sniper Artillery Piece.   The weight of the Sniper forced them to abandon the Thor's chassis and to create a new carrier.
       The resulting vehicle was much changed from the successful Thor.   To support the weight and provide stability, designers used tracks instead of wheels.   The designers sacrificed speed for additional armor and mounted a single RAMTech 500 large laser in the turret as the only secondary weapon.   Field tests were acceptable, and production began in 2702.
       The original vehicles arrived at their assigned units with faulty tread locks on the inner track wheels.   When the vehicle operated at flank speed, the lock tended to slip and throw the tread.   Designers quickly went back to the drawing board, but thousands of Marksmen had already come off the production lines.   Newer models had no problems, but not all the initial vehicles were retrofitted.   These vehicles continued to be problematic, and many on far-flung [worlds] simply fell into disuse.   [EDITOR'S NOTE: These are the vehicles that have survived to the present.   Not knowing of the improvements, we have considered the Marksman a worthless design.   Most have had their fusion engines stripped out and the chassis and weapons cannibalized for spare parts.]

Capabilities:

       Although considered a mobile artillery piece, the Marksman lacks speed.   The tracks allow the vehicle to enter most terrain, but at the cost of speed.   Because of the Marksman's inability to outrun its enemies, designers included extra armor, most of it concentrated in the front.
       The Sniper is the standard medium-duty artillery piece of the Star League Defense Forces.   Though its range is short for an artillery piece, the Sniper does more damage than most others.   The marksman's only secondary weapon is the large laser mounted in the turret.   Tied into the sophisticated tracking system, the laser has a reputation of being extremely accurate, even at long range.  
       Because of the shorter range of the Sniper, the Marksman is more likely to see combat than any other artillery pieces.   Because of this, the Marksman carries a second fire-control computer, which controls the Sniper for direct fire.   The additional computer allows the target tracking computers to lock onto a target much more quickly than normal, giving the Sniper notable direct-fire capabilities.

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Type/Model:	Marksman
Mass:	65 tons
Const. Options:	Fractional Accounting

Equipment:		Items	Mass
Internal Structure:	35 pts Standard	0	6.50
Engine:	260 Fusion	0	13.50
Shielding & Trans Equip:		0	6.75
Cruise MP:	4
Flank MP:	6
Heat Sinks:	10 Single	0	.00
Cockpit & Controls:		0	3.25
Crew:	5 Members	0	.00
Turret Equipment:		0	.50
Armor Factor:	134 pts Ferro-Fibrous	2	7.50

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		Internal	Armor
		Structure	Value
	Front:	7	54
	Left / Right Sides:	7	20/20
	Rear:	7	20
	Turret:	7	20

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Weapons & Equipment:	Loc	Heat	Ammo	Items	Mass
1 Sniper Artillery	Front	0	20	2	22.00
1 Large Laser	Turret	8		1	5.00
TOTALS:		8		5	65.00
Items & Tons Left:				13	.00

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Calculated Factors:
Total Cost:	2,951,300 C-Bills
Battle Value:	392
Cost per BV:	7,528.83
Weapon Value:	415 / 415 (Ratio = 1.06 / 1.06)
Damage Factors:	SRDmg = 13; MRDmg = 10; LRDmg = 6
BattleForce2:	MP: 4,   Armor/Structure: 0 / 6
	Damage PB/M/L: 1/2/1,   Overheat: 0
	Class: GH,   Point Value: 4
	Specials: artS