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                 Combat Vehicle Technical Readout

Name/Model:         Panther
Designer:           09-Tyba
Source(s):          Custom Mordel.Net Units
Technology:         Inner Sphere
Technology Rating:  E
Tonnage:            75
Role:               Brawler
Configuration:      Combat Vehicle
Era/Year:           Civil War / 3063
Rules (Current):    Standard
Rules (Era):        Standard
Rules (Year):       Standard
Total Cost:         9,406,250 C-Bills
Battle Value:       1,102

Movement Type:        Tracked
Power Plant:          Vlar 300 Light Fusion
Cruising Speed:       43.2 kph  
Maximum Speed:        64.8 kph  
Armor:                StarSlab 9.5 Ferro-Fibrous
Armament:             
    2 Parti-Kill Heavy Cannon PPCs
    2 Holly SRM 4s
Manufacturer:         New Earth Trading Company
    Primary Factory:  New Earth
Communications:       O/P Janxir
Targeting & Tracking: Jalastar TargiTrack 753

================================================================================================
Overview:
    Imported from TRO:3063 by Steven Satak.
    
    It  is  common  knowledge  that  the  New  Earth  Trading Company (NETC) supplied the Lyran
    Alliance Armed Forces (LAAF)  with  the  Manticore  heavy  tank  prior  to  shifting
    production to the Myrmidon medium tank in 3060.  What is less well known is that NETC?s
    engineers have spent the past three years tooling up a new factory line to produce an even
    heavier  main  battle  tank  (MBT)  whose  sleek  lines  harken back  to  the  original
    Galleon  light  tank.    Reports  from  our ROM  agents  indicate  this  new  tank,  the
    Panther,  promises to be a formidable opponent.

Capabilities:
    As a general purpose MBT, the Panther must tread a fine line between firepower, armor and
    maneuverability.  Driven by  tracks,  this  tank  operates  over  a  wider  variety  of
    terrain than  either  hovercraft  or  wheeled  vehicles  ?  its  75-ton chassis can keep
    pace with most BattleMechs in its weight class (such as the Orion or the Marauder).
    
    The Panther?s top speed of 64 km/h was originally to be provided by a standard fusion
    powerplant, but this left little room  for  effective  armor  and  payload.    Instead,  the
    tank  is equipped with a lighter and more advanced VLAR 300 light fusion engine.  At little
    more than twice the cost, the Panther can carry nearly double the firepower, eighty percent
    more armor  and  move  at  nearly  twenty  percent  greater  speeds than would be allowed by
    a similar standard fusion engine.
    
    Its  ten  and  a  half  tons  of  ferro-fibrous  armor  give  it plenty  of  protection  in
    a  firefight.    Such  encounters  are likely  to  be  fierce;  the  designers  chose  a
    pair  of  Parti-Kill particle projection cannons (PPCs) for the main guns.  They combine
    range, striking power and endurance, and are well established in LAAF supply depots.
    
    Two turret-mounted Holly quadruple short range racks augment the tank?s main guns, allowing
    the Panther to lay down  suppression  fire  against  infantry  and  fast  vehicles.
    Although  the  SRM  racks  must  work  from  a  single  ton  of ammunition, we believe they
    will be equipped with Inferno rounds to maximize their effectiveness.
    
    This  tank?s  low  oscillating  turret  has  perhaps  attracted the  most  attention.
    Unlike  comparable  designs,  the  PPCs are  anchored  in  the  upper  half  of  the
    turret.    The  gunner raises  or  lowers  the  main  guns  by  pivoting  on  the  bottom
    half  of  the  turret.    Mounted  further  back  on  the  hull  and combined  with  a
    front-mounted  engine,  it  shortens  the Panther?s signature profile.
    
    While  the  Panther?s  primary  electronics  are  hardened against   the   massive   static
    discharge   of   the   dual   PPCs, secondary   electrical   functions   such   as   the
    turret/gun elevation and rotation motors are not.  The Panther?s guns are  aimed  instead
    using  a  fluid-logic  controlled  hydraulic system  which  is  immune  to  electromagnetic
    disturbance.  This  arrangement  combats  the  usual  ?lag?  found  in  such hydraulics with
    a ?dither? valve.   It is vital to controlling the movement of the turret and guns and is in
    constant motion in order to react more quickly to the gunner?s commands.
    
    The resulting low frequency harmonics resonate through the crew compartment, pulsing at a
    frequency between 24 and 30 hertz to create a distinctive sound.  The crew of the first
    prototype  dubbed  this  comforting  vibration  the ?cat?s purr? and it led to the nickname
    ?Raubkatzen? or ?big wild cat.?  NETC?s marketing department, inspired by the sound, gave
    the design its present name.

Deployment:
    While  the  Terran  panther  might  have  been  a  solitary animal by nature, this tank is
    not.  The Panther is meant to deploy  in  large ?fleets?  -  but  the  design  must  first
    prove  its worth.  Thus the first ?Panther prides? have been trained and shipped  to  the
    Timbuktu  Theater,  where  they  will  defend Lyran space against incursions by Periphery
    pirates.
    
    House Steiner is hoping for success - this combat vehicle and others like it would free up
    much-needed BattleMechs for the Civil War.  If viable, Panther crews may find themselves
    facing more organized opponents ? such as the Federated Commonwealth

Notable MechWarriors:
    The Bagheera
    Painted  flat  black,  the  Panther  affectionately  known  as ?Bagheera?  is  already  a
    veteran  of  several  Periphery  border actions.    The  crew  considers  her  to  be  the
    perfect  night combat  vehicle  ?  sleek,  stealthy  and  powerful.    One  pirate prisoner
    captured  during  an  ambush  confessed  that  the raiders did not realize there were any
    LAAF forces in the area until they heard the purring hum of the Bagheera?s turret ? followed
    shortly by the roar of the big cat?s PPCs.panther56

================================================================================================
Equipment                                                             Mass                      
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Internal Structure:                          Standard                  7.50                     
Engine:                                  300 Light Fusion             22.00                     
    Cruising MP:                                4                                               
    Flanking MP:                                6                                               
Heat Sinks (Single):                            20                    10.00                     
Control Equipment:                                                     4.00                     
Lift Equipment:                                                        0.00                     
Power Amplifier:                                                       0.00                     
Turret:                                                                2.00                     
Armor Factor:                                  188                    10.50                     
    Type:                                 Ferro-Fibrous                                         

                                              Armor                                             
                                              Value                                             
    Front:                                      50                                              
    R/L Side:                                   32                                              
    Rear:                                       24                                              
    Turret:                                     50                                              

================================================================================================
Weapons and Ammo                                            Location              Tonnage       
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2 PPCs                                                       Turret                14.00        
2 SRM 4s                                                     Turret                4.00         
SRM 4 (Ammo 25) [Inferno]                                     Body                 1.00         

================================================================================================
Alpha Strike Statistics                                                    
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Point Value (PV): 31
TP: CV,  SZ: 3,  TMM: 1,  MV: 8"t
Damage: (S) 3 / (M) 4 / (L) 2
Armor (A): 6,  Structure (S): 4
Specials: SRCH, SRM1/1, TUR(3/4/2, SRM1/1)
 
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Code Release 2.24.13.1 (2024-09-02T12:52:21-04:00)