While the Caramelles Kingdom does not operate a large number of tanks, they do manufacture an indigenous tank design. While their engineering on larger starships is considered surprisingly good, their engineering of smaller designs such as star fighters is less advanced. Even though not an extremely advanced design, the Centauro Tank is surprisingly effective.

The Kingdom does not operate any assault ships but instead relies on cargo ships to carry troops and assault vehicles. In times of war, large numbers of cargo ships are brought into military service. While warships are used to bombard planetary targets to force an opponent to surrender, troops much still need to be used to control the surface of a planet. Caramelles Kingdom also operates these tanks in support of security services, especially on the planet of Telramund.

In addition to manufacturing these tanks for their own forces, Caramelles Kingdom also export these tanks in surprisingly large numbers and is one of the Kingdom's more popular design for export. The Kingdom manufactures a number of different armored design along with manufacturing their own power armor design based on the Human Alliance Steel Grunt design. The military operates a small number of old Human Alliance Kramer hover tanks as the spear point of their forces. There is some consideration being given towards the adoption of the Mercenary Lion class Hover Tank.

While most main battle tanks operated within the Three Galaxies are hover tanks, the Centauro tank is a ten wheel design. This vastly simplifies the design and makes it far less expensive than a gravity based design would be. The Kingdom considered manufacturing an air cushion hover tank design but could not be operated in environments lacking an atmosphere. Top speed is one hundred and fifty kilometers per hour on roads with speeds a bit slower off road. The vehicle is not designed to be able to operate on the water due to weight but can operate underwater to a limited extent.

Power for the tank is provided by an advanced fusion reactor similar to what is mounted in the Kingdom Avispa light fighter design. Even though far more massive that the light fighter, the reactor is in many ways overpowered for the wheeled tank design.

While reasonably well armored, the Centauro Tank is not as heavily armored as the Human Alliance Kramer design even though far older. One reason for this is that the Centauro is far lighter at less than forty metric tons fully loaded. Some have criticized that the Caramelles Kingdom tank design does not mount a protective force field for the ability to withstand additional damage. Because it is expected to operate on moons and other places where there is no atmosphere, the tank has full life support for the crew of three.

The main gun of the tank is a 75 mm heavy electromagnetic rail gun mounted in the turret of the tank. Virtually the same weapon as is mounted in the Mercenary Lion tank, it is quite powerful. The Kingdom does not operate many gravity based rail guns but is quite advanced in the design of electromagnetic rail guns. To engage rapidly moving air targets, the turret can rotate extremely rapidly and can elevate to a maximum of eighty degrees. Standard payload for the main gun is sixty rounds. Most common round fired from the main gun is a solid anti-tank round. There is a high explosive fragmentation and high explosive anti-tank round also carried by the tank. Generally the Kingdom does not operate these tanks with flechette type rounds although they are available. Naruni K-Hex rounds can also be used in the main gun.

For secondary weapons, the tank carries coaxial to the main gun a particle beam mount. The mount is designed targets which does not seem to need a main gun round. The weapon is fairly short ranged and is similar to the particle beam carried on the Kingdom's modified Steel Grunt power armor. Above the turret is a twin 10 mm rail gun similar to what is carried on the fighters operated by the Kingdom. A total of two thousand rounds are carried for the twin rail guns. On each side of the tank is a pair of mini-missile launchers with sixteen mini-missiles each for a total of thirty-two mini-missiles. Even though not as advanced as many powers, the Kingdom does have smart mini-missiles carried.

(Note: The power system is fusion not anti-matter because the author's opinion is that anti-matter is to dangerous to be used in vehicles that may be used in an atmosphere. If a craft powered by anti-matter was to detonate in an atmosphere it would cause huge planetary damage. At GM option, this can also be applied to all vehicles or this craft can be changed to anti-matter.)

Model Type: TA.4
Vehicle Type: Main Battle Tank (Wheeled)
Crew: Three, one driver, one commander, one gunner.

M.D.C. by Location:

	75 mm Heavy Electromagnetic Rail Gun (Turret):	160
	[1] Coaxial Light Particle Beam (Turret):	60
	Twin 10 mm Electromagnetic Rail Gun Cupola / Mini-Turret (Turret):	120
	Mini-Missile Launchers (2, Hull):	80 each
	Turret:	280
	Driver Compartment:	150
	Gunner / Commander Compartment	120
	[2] Main Body:	725
	[3] Giant Wheels (10):	100 each

Notes:
[1] These are small and difficult targets to strike, requiring the attacker to make a "called shot," but even then the attacker is -4 to strike.
[2] If all the M.D.C. of the main body is depleted, the vehicle is completely shut down and is unsalvageable.
[3] Up to one tire can be destroyed on each side of the vehicle without any appreciable loss in mobility but top speeds with be reduced by 10%. If two tires on a side are destroyed, the vehicle is reduced in top speed by 20% and has a -25% to piloting rolls when being operated off-road. If three tires on one side are destroyed, the vehicle is reduced in to speed by 30% and has a -45% penalty to all piloting rolls when operated off road and -10% when operated on the road. If more than three tires on a side are destroyed, the vehicle will be immobilized.

Speed:
Ground: Maximum speed on land is 93.2 mph (150 kph) on roads and 77.7 mph (125 kph) off road maximum. The vehicle is designed to traverse virtually all terrain and can climb at up to a 60% grade although at a much slower speed (About 10% of maximum road speed). It can also climb barriers and ford trenches. The vehicle can also handle side slopes of up to 30%.
Water Capabilities: Buttoned up, it can travel under water at 20 mph (32 kph).
Range: Effectively Unlimited by drive system but only has supplies for crew for two weeks.

Statistical Data:
Height: 9.02 feet (2.75 meters) including top 10 mm rail gun mini-turret.
Width: 13.12 feet (4.0 meters)
Length: 31.17 feet (9.5 meters) not including gun barrel and 41.83 feet (12.75 meters) with barrel forward
Weight: 28.11 tons (25.5 metric tons) empty and 41.89 (38.0 metric tons) fully loaded
Power Source: Advanced Fusion with 8 year life span.
Cargo Capacity: Minimal storage space in pilots compartment; about three feet (0.9 m) in side dimensions for extra clothing, weapons, and personal items. Three carbines and one hand-held missile launcher with four loads each are stored in a compartment in the crew compartment.
Market Cost: 45 million credits.

Weapon Systems:
Note: Space ranges are given for when the tank is used on airless moons and other similar locations.

1. One (1) 75 mm Heavy Electromagnetic Rail Gun: Main cannon in turret with the ability to depress 10 degrees and elevate up to 80 degrees. Turret is designed for rapid movement and can rotate a full 360 degrees in just three seconds. The turret is able to target high speed airborne targets. Projectile comes out of launcher at relativistic velocities in space and at hypersonic speeds in a atmosphere. Unlike most rail guns in the Three Galaxies, the heavy rail gun is electromagnetic. A variety of different rounds are available. Mounted with the cannon is a powerful fire control system. Main gun is usually controlled by the Gunner although both the commander have emergency controls.
   Maximum Effective Range: Solid Projectile: 9.32 miles (15 km) in an atmosphere and 932 miles (1,500 km) in space. Flechette Round: 2.24 miles (3.6 km) through atmosphere and 224 miles (360 km) in space. Other Rounds: 3.11 miles (5 km) through atmosphere and 311 miles (500 km) in space.
   Mega Damage:
   Solid Projectile: 5D6x10 (optional rule is that cannon gets a critical on a natural 18, 19, or 20 due to its high penetration).
   Flechette Round: Against a large target (10 feet/3 meters tall/wide or higher), the flechette gun does 3D4x10 M.D. Against human sized targets the flechettes do 1D4x10 M.D. to a area 20 feet (6.1 meters) in diameter (has an additional +2 to strike fast moving targets.)
   Other Rounds: High Explosive Fragmentation inflicts 6D6 with a blast radius of 30 feet (9.1 meter). High Explosive Armor Piercing does 3D4x10 in a 6 feet (1.8 meter) radius. Special K-Hex High Explosive Fragmentation inflicts 1D6x10 with a blast radius of 30 feet (9.1 meter). Special K-Hex High Explosive Armor Piercing does 3D6x10 in a 6 feet (1.8 meter) radius.
   Rate of Fire: Equal to the Gunner's combined hand to hand (usually 4 or 5).
   Payload: 60 rounds (Usually 40 rounds are solid projectiles)
   Bonuses: Has a special fire control computer that helps to aim the cannon. Gives +4 to strike with 75 rail gun and vehicle does not have minuses to fire when tank is moving.
2. One (1) Coaxial Particle Beam Cannon: Mounted next to the main 75 cm cannon is a light particle beam cannon. Powered by the tank's fusion reactor, the secondary weapon has a virtually unlimited payload and designed to deal with targets where the main gun is considered overkill. Weapon is virtually identical to the particle beam carried on the Caramelles Kingdom version of the Steel Grunt. Weapon shares the same fire control as the 75 mm cannon. Like the rail gun mounts, the driver and commander have auxiliary controls.
   Maximum Effective Range: 4,000 feet (1,219.2 meters) in an atmosphere. Range is eight times normal when used in space.
   Mega-Damage: 1D6x10+10 per blast
   Rate of Fire: Equal to number of combined hand to hand attacks of gunner (usually 4-6).
   Payload: Effectively unlimited.
3. Twin 10 mm Electromagnetic Rail Gun Mini-Turret: Mounted above the main turret of the tank is a remote mini-turret operated by the Tank's commander. Weapon is very effective for shooting down missiles and is useful against ground targets as well. Turret can rotate 360 degrees in less than a second and can elevate up to 90 degrees vertical. Unlike rail-guns mounted on most newer Three Galaxies / Phase World tanks, the rail guns work through the use of electromagnets instead of through gravity. The rail guns still fire projectiles at incredible velocities compared to rail guns on Rifts Earth and projectiles come out of mounts at a significant fraction of the speed of light in space and when used in an atmosphere are fired at a slower but still at hypersonic speeds.
   Maximum Effective Range: 8 miles (13 km) through atmosphere and 400 miles (640 km) in space.
   Mega Damage: Both rails firing together (20 rounds) inflicts 2D4x10+20 MDC. Single rail gun (10 rounds) inflicts 1D4x10+10 MDC, one round does 2D6+4 M.D.
   Rate of Fire: Equal to the commander's combined hand to hand (usually 4 or 5) - firing both rail guns together costs one attack.
   Payload: 1,000 Rounds (100 Bursts) each rail gun (2,000 rounds total.)
4. Two (2) Mini-Missile Launchers: One of these are mounted on the left and the other on the right side of the tank's body. These are standard mini missile launchers, usually used for close in defense purposes. Missile has a top speed of Mach 10 in an atmosphere and in space has an acceleration of 2% of light per turn (slightly faster than any starship except if it is exceeding it maximum safe acceleration). Mini-Missile in the Phase World setting are normally guided.
   Maximum Effective Range: Mini-Missile range is 2 miles (3.2 km) in an atmosphere and 100 miles (161 km) in space
   Mega Damage: Varies with mini-missile types (See Phase World Missile for further details.)
   Rate of Fire: Each pod can fire missiles one at a time or in volleys of two (2), four (4), eight (8), or Sixteen (16.) Counts as one attack no matter how many missiles in a volley.
   Payload: Each launcher carries 16 mini-missiles (32 mini-missiles maximum.)

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By Kitsune (E-Mail Kitsune).

Copyright © 2011, Kitsune. All rights reserved.