6 replies to this topic

[InnerSphereNews]

Mon: Dec 5, 3048: Brooks Incorporated announces more lay-offs; further fall-out from shutdown of the Thumper Artillery Vehicle line in ’46.

[Brakkyn]

Bambi and Flower will be so upset.

[Nakir]

Description

The TAV-1^[2] Thumper was created by Brooks Incorporated as a cheap knockoff of the SLDF's Thor Artillery Vehicle. The vehicle was mass produced and and sold to the Successor States from 2735 to 3046. Sales of the vehicle fell off in the years following the Fourth Succession War.
The vehicle was put into production again and refitted for modern combat during the Jihad. During this chaotic time, Brooks Inc. used the advantage of defense spending increases to begin selling its vehicle to the Word of Blake. It is suspected that Brooks conspired with the the fanatical Blakists to ensure that newly revised equipment and sales would go to them. Brook Inc attempted to sell the vehicle to other powers, including Periphery realms, however had failed in their endeavours.
The current version of the vehicle is noted for its mobility, crew comfort, and electronic defenses. By the time of the Dark Age, it has become the most common mobile artillery platform used in that era.^[3]
edit] Armament

The vehicle's primary weaponry is the Edward Industries Thumper Artillery Piece with two tons of ammunition. For close-in defense, the vehicle is armed with two Hellion c-II ER Small Lasers mounted in the turret. It also mounts a pair of Voelkers Machine Guns in the front and the back to protect from infantry. The Machine Guns share a ton of ammunition, which is stored in the main body with the artillery ammunition in a CASE protected compartment. The vehicle is also protected by a Guardian ECM Suite.

Variants

• ICE - The original version of the vehicle produced at the end of the Star League until after the Succession Wars utilized an ICE power plant and slightly more armor. The vehicle was not equipped with turreted lasers, ECM, or CASE. It is equipped with four machine guns, mounted in pairs on each side of the vehicle. The vehicle been given 1 ton of ammunition for the Machine Guns. BV (2.0) = 568^[4]

• TAV-2 - Second variant produced during the Jihad, this version simply swaps the Guardian ECM for a Beagle Active Probe. BV (2.0) = 682^[5]

• Thumper Artillery Maxwell - Another product of the Maxwell Planetary Defense Consortium, this variant uses Experimental Technology to provide better performance. The largest change is the engine exchange. Instead of a Fusion or ICE engine, Maxwell's engineers used a Fuel Cell engine. This engine trade allowed engineers to remove extra fusion engine shielding that was no longer needed. The engineers also used a pair of Sponson Turrets for the secondary weapons instead of the standard turret. Dropping the turret and heavy fusion engine provided the design team with enough room to double the Thumper Artillery's ammunition bay. The standard ER Small Laser was also removed. Secondary weapons on this version are now a single SRM-2 and Machine Gun mounted in each Sponson Turret. For additional protection the Thumper Maxwell employs an Angel ECM Suite and CASE. BV (2.0) = 758^[6]

• Thumper Angel - This Thumper is the production version of the Thumper Artillery Maxwell. Maxwell Planetary Defense Consortium was having serious problems making production targets and then Brooks Incorporated filed suit for trademark infringement in court. A solution was found by having Brooks produce the "Maxwell" version of the Thumper for any client who wanted to pay for it. Aside from a few changes to component names, the Thumper Angel is identical to the Thumper Maxwell version. BV (2.0) = 758^[7]

P.S. noooo artillery again as WOT!!! artillery is for noobs

Edited by Nakir, 05 December 2011 - 10:36 AM.

[Dihm]

Artillery is for commanders you mean.

[Skwisgaar Skwigelf]

Let the big guns boom.

[Strum Wealh]

Beagle Active Probe - recovered by the IS (the Capellan Confederation, specifically) in 3045
Guardian ECM Suite - recovered by the IS (again, specifically the Capellan Confederation) in 3045

Yay Electronics and E-War!

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The Angel ECM Suite is said to be developed by the Draconis Combine, with development started after the Battle of Luthien (the 3052 invasion by Clan Smoke Jaguar and Clan Nova Cat, or the 3067-3074 campaign against the WoB Jihad? ).

[Rakett]

While I hate to see any citizens of the FWL out of work I was never a fan of the TAV-1. Back in the 3FWG Col. Kiel liked to say "Hit 'em Fast and Hit 'em Hard". In my opinion the TAV-1 did neither, but kind of bumbled along somewhere in the middle. I pulled close support duty once for a unit of TAV's on Andurien. Standing around in a Hermes II seemed like anathema. I completely felt like aerospace bait hanging around those ridiculous thumpers...not enough range to be seriously stood off and too slow to relocate easily when the 6th traced back that incoming fire. No, Brooks is better off concentrating on their core lines. And I have a funny feeling that the demand for tanks and fast skimmers is going to spike again.