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IRS Type 70AM Thunder II SPH

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Description

Type 70 Advanced Modification 'Thunder II' Self Propelled Howitzer
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Nation of Origin: Interstellar Republic of Singapore

Developer: Arkensen Industrial Works, Military Department of Weapons Design, Heavy Weapons

Length of Service: 2070- current time 2125

Weight: 65 tons

Armor: Tryomite Class C Armor Composite T(C)-AC electroplated with Aegis Energy Repellent Layers

Armament: Arkensen Weapon Systems 160mm 'Thunderquake' Howitzer Cannon, Meteor-20B Multiple Rocket Launch System

Engine: EMT-100M2 Electric Drive

Top Speed: 65 KM/H

Power Plant: ETH-100 Ethervoltaic Generator

Crew: 5 (1 Driver, 1 Gunner, 1 Secondary Weapons Controller, 1 Communications Officer, 1 Vehicle Commander)

Sensory Equipment: HOLMES Mark II Multipurpose Detection Device, Multi-Spectra Visual Optical Device, U90M Communications Antenna 
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Background: To know the story of the Type 70 Thunder II one must first know the story of its original predecessor; the Type 60 Thunder. After the end of World War 3 and the new world order under the superstate Interstellar Republic of Singapore, its mess of a military inventory with so many kinds of tanks and artillery pieces of many different nationalities had to be standardized and effectively unified for the coming future as intergalactic nation. Central Command held a contest to select a new Self Propelled Howitzer and received contestants from Russia, China and Africa as well as Arkensen Industrial Works, an Afrian Union-based defence industry, which fielded the Type 55 Thunder. The Thunder was revolutionary for its time was an advanced but highly practical and cost effective design that was fast, well-armored and all terrain and effectively triumphed in the contest as the winner. It was mass produced, replaced the obsolete Russian and Chinese SPHs in service and shipped to many developing colonies. The Type 55 saw action in the First Chasan Interstellar War but despite its combat effectiveness its firepower was inadequate to destroy the technologically superior Chasan tanks which had energy shielding. Thus the Type 55 was declared obsolete and had to be replaced. Arkensen came up with the Type 70 Thunder II as the original Thunder's successor. The Thunder II was drastically redesigned with heavier armor and was equipped with a large 160mm Howitzer Cannon, a radical innovation for a time when 155mm howitzers were still the norm. While generals became skeptic of the 160mm gun's large size and unnecessary addition to an already existing supply chain of 155mm rounds, it became clear that the 160mm gun was a necessity for destroying Chasan units as the Thunder II was first rolled off into action as prototype units and eliminated the enemy force. The Type 70 Thunder II thus became the new SPH of the IRS's military and saw through war to its end on Chasan worlds as they pummeled Chasan positions into submission. It was also deployed in the Markenn War in 2085 against their cybernetic land forces in the defence of Singaporean worlds. After the war, a wealth of upgrades to its subsystems, armor, howitzer gun and other aspects brought the Type 70 to AM standard, rebuilt on a modified Archer II tank chassis as Central Command pushed its modularization program to increase commonality of vehicle parts and simplify production and logistics. In peacetime and low intensity conflicts with insurgencies, the Type 70AM saw little action and was used to shell heavily fortified rebel-held cities in isolated regions. However, the Second and the opening of the Third April Fool's War against Separatist forces as well as continued campaigns against a revitalized Chasan Empire renewed major deployments across time and space. 



Tactics and Roles:
The Thunder II is a long range artillery unit and is a self-propelled howitzer (SPH); essentially a howitzer gun in an armored turret on a mobile tracked chassis. The job of the Thunder II is to engage and destroy enemy targets from long ranges and lay down a blanket of suppressive fire to soften up heavily dug-in positions for a military strike force to advance. While usually deployed behind enemy lines well protected by a reserve force, it is by no means a fragile unit; the heavy armor of the Thunder II allows it to take enemy fire like a tank and continue operating unscathed. It is highly effective against armored units, large groups of infantry and enemy structures and has motion-tracking features in the turret that allows it to fix an accurate aim on moving targets. The Thunder II typically operates in artillery batteries of four to five each, placed in a largely spaced out formation to avoid clustering that makes them easy targets for enemy aircraft or a line formation to maximize firepower. It is supported by an ammunitions carrier which supplies additional 160mm shells. The Thunder II is also deployed in city sieges; shelling civilian areas and public facilities as well as vital infrastructure to cause panic, terror and loss of resistive morale among both enemy troops and civilians who affiliate with them. 



Armament:
The Thunder II is armed with a 160mm Howitzer gun for long range artillery combat. Firing 160mm High Explosive ramjet shells, the 160mm 'Thunderquake' howitzer gun has both the firepower and long range to take out enemy units from afar. The 160mm HE-R rounds can punch through tank armor with ease given its immense size and crushing kinetic force and destroy heavily armored tanks with one or few shots. The explosive nature of the shell has also an area of effect which damages enemy armor clustered together and take out large groups of infantry units. Assisted by auto-aiming, auto-stabilization and auto-lock on features in the turret and the gun, the Gunner's job becomes easy and all he needs to do is select targets on his computer interface and clutch the trigger to fire as the central computer helps him to set the gun's elevation according to the target coordinates it calculated. Recoil dampening mechanisms negate recoil and backblast in the gun during firing, allowing for near-perfect accuracy and precise hits on the target. Autoloaders also help to keep a sustainable rate of fire for continuous and rapid artillery barrages on enemy positions. The Thunder II also sees a new addition to its weapon systems; a multiple rocket launch system launcher known as the Meteor-20B. The Meteor 20-B fires AT warheads mounted on a guided missile and is highly effective against tanks and structures. While usually it is fired individually, it can be set to fire in volleys for devastating results, though commanders are advised against this as such an act is considered a waste of ammunition. What targets it cannot see due to a limited field of view or terrain obstacles can now be seen with an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle it stores in the side hatch of its turret known as the 'Sightmarker' drone. The Sightmarker drone helps to keep a visual on enemy units and relays both video and target coordinates to the parent vehicle as well as updating the IIN military network to alert other IRS units. It also assists in ensuring the accuracy of each shot by pin pointing and tracking target movements. 



Power Plant and Engine: 
Power is provided by an Ethervoltaic Generator which houses photo-voltaic bacteria known as Etherium to convert light or excess biomass into usable electricity. Ethervoltaics are cost-effective, safe to operate and relatively simple to repair and maintain by engineers with very little moving parts. Its Electric Drive engine converts electricity into kinetic motion and drives the tank's propulsion systems at relatively good speeds. Also easy to maintain for its simple operation and construction.  
 


Armor and Defensive Subsytems: 
 Ferolattice crystals are natural alien crystals which converts and incorporates minerals and other elements in the environment it is planted in into its own lattice structure, forming a tough metal-like material. Ferolattice is extracted and melted down into a variety of materials formed by varying pressures, temperatures and industrial catalysts. One of them is Bryoceramic, a metallic lightweight ceramic commonly used as building material and its reinforced versions as bullet-proof armor worn by soldiers. When added with carbon and atomically tempered to reinforce intermolecular forces in Byroceramic, it forms an alloy known as Tryomite. Thickness of Tryomite is classified by classes, with Class C used by medium armor such as itself. Tryomite Class C is a tough but lightweight piece of armor plating that provides the Thunder II with protection from small-arms, heavy caliber weapons and can absorb a good amount of kinetic damage from hypervelocity shells, shaped explosives and even lasers and plasma. Layers of Aegis are electroplated onto the Tryomite armor to diffuse heat energy away from the Thunder II's hull preventing lasers, plasma and hypermatter from melting through. Armor packages can be mounted on it in the field by engineers to further improve its survival and such includes simple blocks of additional Tryomite armor or advanced modules such as Kinetic Wave Barrier Generators and Active Energy Shield Generators. Canister launchers are mounted on the chassis and can pop an Infrared-Radio Disruptor smoke cloud that not only makes the tank invisible from the naked eye, but also to sensor systems and targeting systems as the cloud disrupts radio and infrared 



Mobility and Terrain Handling: 
The Thunder II can drive on almost any land terrain thanks to its Individual Wheel Suspension System that allows it to drive over rough uneven terrain such as rocks and rubble without much difficulty and has ground pressure controllers which enables it to maneuver across mud, sand and loose soil without sinking or being trapped. It has decent speed and can travel across large distances quickly as well as changing its direction on the fly immediately, making it an agile vehicle capable of switching an attack direction to evade fire and strike an enemy at an unsuspecting vector. Its weight is light enough to use local infrastructure without problems, removing the constant need of setting up bridges which wastes time and logistical effort. 


Sensors and Communication Systems: The Thunder II is fitted with a versatile HOLMES Mk2 Pulsar device which can perform motion tracking, GPS positioning, radar and scanning functions and is paired up with a Multi-Spectra Camera which can provide 360 degree visuals in multiple spectrums, from normal visible light to infrared, thermal and night vision. It is also connected to the Integrated Intelligence Network and continuously receives and broadcasts battlefield information in this secure military network, allowing them to coordinate military actions more effectively and keep track of everything from enemy and allied positions to terrain and landmarks. The Vehicle Commanding Officer in charge of the entire tank and its crew can see everything in the battlefield in a virtual projection on his holographic interface, allowing him to see things from a larger view and strategize accordingly. It also has a central computer that is capable of gathering combat data from both the IIN and the tank's own sensory equipment and use it to calculate everything from battlefield analysis to firing solutions for aiming the 160mm cannon and guiding the AT rockets from the Meteor-20B launcher. 

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678091's avatar
Ok, you sir, redefined the word Overkill