This is an experimental vehicle built by the R.E.E.F. that is based on the original Southern Cross hover tank. So far only a handful of these vehicles pending field tests on the design. The main reason they have only been produced in limited numbers is because many R.E.E.F. leaders feel that the Defender Glitterboy can do the same job and are less expensive to manufacture. Even so, these tanks are tough customers and few groups would relish engaging them in all likelyhood. The supporter for the design state that the larger hovertank would be easier to operate for long periods than the Glitterboy is and easier on crews. So far, tests have showed good results but the leaders in Florida are still cautious.

Weapon systems have been greatly upgraded when compared to the original Southern Coss Hovertank. The main gun has been replaced by the Particle beam cannon from the US-G14 Space Glitterboy. While the cannon is far more powerful that the original ion cannon, it still has the problem of a fairly limited payload. This problem is partially alleviated with the help of a backup laser cannon. The tanks auto-cannon has been replaced by a pair of variable frequency pulse laser cannons. In the same housing carrying the twin variable laser cannons, the tank has an added mini-missiles launcher. The launcher has a total of eight tubes and has a payload of twenty-four mini-missiles. This gives the vehicle a sizeable missile firepower in all modes. The large EU-11 energy rifle has been >replaced by a powerful rail gun based on the Shemarrian Rail gun, and a grenade launcher has been included in the same mount. Both of these weapons are capable of inflicting large amounts of damage while still having large payloads. The final weapon system are two medium range missiles launchers. Each one has a total of eight medium range missiles but can only be carried while transformed into in tank and transport mode.

The vehicle armor has been completely upgraded and the tank can take about twice as much damage as the original Veritech Hovertank could. The arm shields have also been modified to withstand more damage than the originals. The Veritech hovertank can go into combat and parry quite a few energy blasts before having to worry about the tank taking serious damage. Unlike most Southern Cross models, all tanks are constructed with an enclosing pilots compartments. While its was not originally planned for the design, a heavy Naruni force field was fitted to the first prototype before field test began and since it was found to be quite effective it was also installed in all later models.

Propulsion systems have been upgraded as well. All models now use fusion engines and only use Protoculture for the neural control net. The fusion engines have about a 50% higher power output than the original engines.

This allows the particle beam cannon to recharge more quickly than would be otherwise possible and increase the vehicles top speed in both Transport and Tank Modes. The engines have also been designed for quiet operations to allow the tank to sneak up to the enemy in tank and transport modes.

Probably one of the major problems with the original design is the lack of flexibility in the design. Because of this, the engineers worked hard to compensate for this. In Tank Mode, it could originally fire its cannon rapidly and potentially unlimitedly but its mobility was greatly restricted. There was little that could be done about the mobility and although ground speed was greatly increased, it is still very slow. In Battloid Mode, the hover tank originally had great mobility but the cannon could only be fired once every fifteen seconds. The particle beam cannon that replaced the original main ion cannon is quite a bit smaller even though its is more powerful. Because of this, the cannon can be fired normally in Battloid mode. The only real weakness with the battloid mode is that if the medium range missile launchers are being carried, they must drop off when the vehicle transforms to battloid mode. The most common tactic will likely be for the hover tank to fire off all its medium range missiles before transforming to battloid mode. The Transport Mode is the least changed. The only major change is the fact that the medium range missiles add a lot to the vehicles firepower, the laser cannons can be fired in this mode, and the tank can travel slightly faster.

Model Type: Spartas ATAC-02-REEF
Class: Veritech Hover Tank (Transformable)
Crew: One, two passengers can be placed in the back seat

M.D.C. By Location:

	Head:	120
	Headlight (2 on top):	8 each
	Hands (2):	80 each
	Arms (2):	220 each
	Arm Shields (2):	800 each
	Legs (2):	300 each
	[1] Retractable Hover Jets (2):	90 each
	[1] Rear, Lower Hover Jets (2):	80 each
	Retractable Utility Arms (3):	8 each
	Main Particle Beam Cannon:	200
	Variable Frequency Pulse Lasers (2):	60 each
	Mini-Missile Launcher:	100
	FCRGGL-20C Rail Gun /Grenade Launcher Pod:	150
	Medium Range Missile Launchers (2, Top):	60 each
	Reinforced Pilots Compartment:	275
	[2] Main Body:	500
	[3] Force Field (N-50 Robot):	320

Notes:
[1] The lower hover jets are located on the bottom in transport mode and rear underside in tank mode, and lower back in battloid mode. The retractable hover jets are only a target in transport mode.
[2] Depleting the M.D.C. of the main body will shut the mecha down completely, rendering it useless. Note: Lasers do half damage due to armor being special laser resistant materials.
[3] The force field will stop energy attacks and fast moving objects. Slow moving objects can pas through. It Regenerates 1 MDC per melee unless overloaded and then cannot be activated for 12 hours if overloaded. The force field pulls its power off of the power plant.

Speed:
Battloid Mode, Running: 40 mph (64.4 kmph)
Battloid Mode, Leaping: 120 feet (36.6 meters) up and 80 feet (24.4 meters) across using booster jets.
Tank (Guardian) Mode, Hovering: Altitude of 3 to 10 feet off the ground (0.9 meters to 3 meters) and can travel from stationary to 20 mph (32.2 kph)
Transport Mode, Hovering: Altitude of 3 to 10 feet off the ground (0.9 meters to 3 meters) and can travel from stationary to 120 mph (193.1 kph)
Tank & Transport Mode, Leaping: Up to 80 feet (24.4 meters) up using booster jets.
Underwater: It can walk along the bottom of the sea floor at 25% of maximum speed.
Maximum Ocean Depth: 1 mile (1.6 km)
Range: Limited only by the pilot's endurance. Emergency food and air supply will keep the pilot alive for a week.

Statistical Data:
Height: 20.3 feet (6.2 meters) in Battloid mode, 14.7 feet (4.5 meters) in Tank (Guardian) mode, and 7.4 feet (2.3 meters) not including medium range missile packs in tank and transport modes. Missile packs add 3 feet (0.9 meters) to height.
Width: 14.3 feet (4.4 meters) in Battloid mode, 7.4 feet (2.3 meters) in Tank (Guardian) mode, and 9 foot (2.7 meters) in transport mode.
Length: 6.5 feet (2.0 meters) in Battloid mode, 23.4 feet (7.1 meters) in Tank (Guardian) mode, and 19.6 feet (6.0 meters) in Transport mode.
Weight: 16.6 tons (15.1 metric tons) not including external medium range missile launchers. Medium range missiles add 1.2 tons (1.1 metric tons) each.
Physical Strength: Equal to Robotic P.S. 55
Power System: Nuclear Fusion (15 Years). Uses four Protoculture cells for special systems (100 Year Duration)
Cargo: Minimal space is available in the pilots compartment, but there is a 5 ft x 5 ft x 3 ft space behind cockpit designed to carry a cyclone
Market Cost: Not Sold, If found it would probably be worth 80 to 100 million for a new, undamaged, and fully operation Veritech Hover Tank complete with Weapons.

Weapon Systems:

1. Particle Beam Cannon: Mounted in place of the rapid firing Ion cannon is a copy of the PB-20 particle beam cannon off the USA-G14 but has a higher payload and recharge rate and uses a larger barrel than the standard PB-20. The cannon is shorter than the original ion cannon. Because of the limited payload, the Hovertank version carries a powerful laser as a backup weapon. The backup laser is a copy of the TX-41 mounted in place of the light laser. While the cannon is only fully exposed in tank form, it can be used in battloid mode by extending from the left arm (standard rate of fire)
   Maximum Effective Range: Particle Beam: 11,000 feet (about 2 miles/ 3.2 km) Variable Frequency Laser: 4,000 feet (1,200 m).
   Mega Damage: Particle Beam: 4D6x10 per blast. Variable Frequency Laser: 3D6 for one pulse , 1D6x10 for three pulse burst. (Each costs 1 attack)
   Rate of Fire: Equal to number of combined hand to hand attacks (usually 4-6) in both tank and battloid mode.
   Payload: 40 shots in a capacitor, recharges at the rate of one shot every 30 seconds for Particle Beam
2. Forward Variable Frequency High-Powered Lasers: Mounted on either side of the front of the hovertank in transport and tank mode. It cannot be used in battloid mode. The original auto-cannon system has been replaced by a system that copies the Triax TX-41 Laser pulse rifle like the backup to the particle beam. The weapon has 13 different possible frequencies to counter laser resistant armor. Number 7 counters USA-10 Glitterboy, Setting Thirteen is blue green and has full range underwater, and all other setting are designed to counter other laser resistant materials.
   Maximum Effective Range: 4,000 feet (1,200 meters)
   Mega Damage: 3D6 for one cannon, 6D6 for both cannons, 1D6x10 for three round burst from one cannon, 2D6x10 for three round burst from both barrels (6 total shots)
   Rate of Fire: Equal to the pilots combined hand to hand (usually 5 or 6).
   Payload: Unlimited (Draws Power off the main engines).
3. FCRGGL-20C Gun Pod: The abbreviation stands for Fully Contained Rail Gun and Grenade Launcher. Due to the fact that the REEF personnel run against targets that are impervious to energy weapons, The FCRG-20C Gun pod was designed. It is designed using a Shemarrian Rail gun and Grenade Launcher with ammo for both and putting it into a special EU-11 Style gun casing
   1. Rail Gun:
      Maximum Effective Range: 6,000 feet (1,828 meters).
      Mega-Damage: 2D6x10 M.D. per round
      Rate of Fire: Equal to number of combined hand to hand attacks (usually 4-6).
      Payload: 440 rounds (2 belts of 220 rounds)
      Bonuses: +2 to Strike
   2. Grenade Launcher: Weapon is WI-GL21 Automatic Grenade Launcher mounted under rail gun
      Maximum Effective Range: 3,000 ft (914 m)
      Mega-Damage: 4D6 for Fragmentation with a blast area of 12 ft and 1D4x10 for Armor Piercing with a blast area of 3 ft, burst of 10 rounds does 2D6x10 for Fragmentation with a blast area of 40 ft and 3D6x10 for Armor Piercing with a blast area of 8 ft.
      Rate of Fire: Equal to combined hand to hand attacks of gunner
      Payload: 200 Rounds
4. Forward Mounted Mini Missile Launchers: The launchers are mounted under the laser cannon mounts in tank and transport modes and in the center of the chest in battloid modes. Mini-missile Launcher can be used in all modes. The launcher has 8 tubes with two reloads each.
   Maximum Effective Range: Varies with mini-missile types (Go to Revised bomb and missile table).
   Damage: Varies with mini-missile types (Go to Revised bomb and missile table).
   Rate of Fire: One at a time or in volleys of 2, 4, or 8.
   Payload: 24 mini-missiles total.
5. Medium Range Missile Launchers (2): This launchers give the Hover Tank boy a very long range weapon system. This mount can only be carried in Tank and Transport mode and must be dropped if tank is in Battloid mode. Normally the most powerful warheads are used and are normally smart missiles. The launcher itself is fairly inexpensive and is designed to be able to be discarded after use.
   Maximum Effective Range: Varies with medium range missile type (Go to Revised bomb and missile table).
   Mega-Damage: Varies with medium range missile type (Go to Revised bomb and missile table).
   Rate of Fire: One at a time or in volleys of 2, 4, or 8.
   Payload: 8 each launcher for 16 total.

Special Equipment:
The Tank has all the standard features of a standard robot (including long range communication, radar, and radar tracking) plus these special features listed.

• Silenced Engine and Propulsion System: The Veritech Hover Tank is so quiet in transport and tank modes that it gets a prowl roll of 35% in daylight and 60% in darkness.

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By Kitsune (E-Mail Kitsune ).
Copyright © 2000, Kitsune. All rights reserved.