After the introduction of Jackson Main Battle Tank and the Maverick Infantry Fighting vehicle, there was seen a need to replace the missile vehicles then in service. While it never completely replaced cannon artillery, missile artillery had become more and more important over the decades before the introduction of the Morgan missile vehicle. In addition to being used as artillery, missile vehicles also filled important air defense functions. To make production easier and to reduce costs, it was decided that a standard chassis would be used. The Maverick IFV was selected. The first Morgan missile vehicle prototype entered service only about six months after the design was proposed and the Morgan began replacing the previous design only four years after that. Production was delayed initially because the army did not want to divert production of the Maverick. Eventually an additional factory was set up to produce Morgan class missile vehicles.

The Morgan shares modular construction methods with the Maverick IFV and allows for the replacement of armor quickly and parts were designed to be able to be quickly replaced. The Morgan and Maverick have about 60% of their part in common with each other which vastly reduced logistics. Like most designs entering service at the time of the Morgan, the Morgan was designed to be low maintenance. Like the Maverick and Jackson, the Morgan received several important upgrades during it service life. These included both new weapon systems and upgraded armor.

Production of the Morgan ended around the same time as the Maverick but was still in use in a couple of active duty units still using the vehicle as well as being very common in reserve units. The vehicles served in the Marine Corp and were preferred by many marines to the new designs that were being introduced just before the coming of the Rifts. As well as serving in the United States military, the Morgan was exported to many other nations. Many of the missile vehicles survived the coming of the Rifts and found their way into mercenary companies. These missile vehicles have served their new owners with distinction and their low maintenance design has served well in a myriad of different conditions.

The vehicle mounts a large missile launchers in place of the troop compartment on the Maverick. This launcher does not have a reload system like the later Crocket hover missile launching vehicle but has a total of twelve cells for missiles. A long range missile can be replaced by two medium range missiles but since half of the Maverick fighting vehicles in service carried medium range missile launchers, long range missiles were the most common carried ordnance. The vehicle initially carried two liquid propellant Gatling guns but these were later replaced by more powerful weapon system. These weapons were first replaced by rail guns similar to what was carried by the SAMAS power armor but the weapon system was later replaced in most vehicles with a pulse laser system. The rail gun was still found in some models although the liquid propellant guns had been replaced in all models serving in the United States military. As well as weapons, the armor was upgrade with stronger alloys. Laser resistant armor materials were not used although otherwise the armor replacement was similar to that for the Jackson main battle tank.

Model Type: USA-M-9 Morgan
Vehicle Type: Tracked Missile Vehicle
Crew: Three (Pilot, Gunner, and Commander).

M.D.C. By Location:

Initial Model:

Upgrade Model:

	Multiple Missile Battery:	180	220
	[1] Forward Light Weapon Mount:	50	70
	[1] Smoke / Gas Dispensers (2):	15 each	25 each
	[1] Headlights (2):	10 each	10 each
	Reinforced Crew Compartment:	100	120
	[2] Main Body:	340	400
	[3] Track Treads (2):	65 each	85 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. The main body of later tanks is constructed out of special materials.
[3] Depleting the M.D.C. of a tread will immobilize the fighting vehicle until it is replaced. Replacing a tread will take 1D6x10 minutes by a trained crew (two replacements are carried on board) or three times as long by the inexperienced. Changing the tread is only advisable when the vehicle is not under attack.

Speed:
Ground: 96.3 mph (155 kph) maximum road speed; 77.6 mph (125 kph) maximum off-road speed.
Water: On the surface at 40.4 mph (65 kph) or underwater (Buttoned up) at 19.9 mph (32 kph)
Maximum Range: Unlimited (Nuclear Fusion power supply with 15 year duration)

Statistical Data:
Height: 8.25 feet (2.5 meters) with missile launcher lowered and 13.5 feet (4.1 meters) with missile launcher extended.
Width: 12.5 feet (3.8 meters)
Length: 24.5 feet (7.5 meters)
Weight: 28 tons (25.4 metric tons)
Cargo Capacity: Minimal storage space in pilots compartment; about four feet (1.2 m) for extra clothing, weapons, and personal items. Four Laser Rifles and three hand-held Missile Launchers with 5 loads each are stored in a compartment behind the driver's seat.
Power System: Nuclear Only (15 year life span)
Black Market Cost: 22 million credits for a new or fully operational USA-M-9 Morgan Missile Vehicle. Add 4 million for the Upgraded Model.

Weapon Systems:

1. Pilot Compartment Gun Mount (1): The Morgan carries a mount in the front and can be controlled by either the driver or the commander.
   1. Liquid Propellant Gatling Gun: This weapon is carried on the original USA-M-8 Model but replaced on most infantry fighting vehicles. This weapon is similar to the sub-machine-gun carried on the USA-GPA-01-D. This weapon's primary purpose is use against infantry and other lightly armored targets. The weapon can fire all types of burst available to machine guns except extended bursts. The weapon uses a special liquid propellant which delivers about four times the force of nitro-cellulose propellant and the weapon fires an 8 mm round.
      Maximum Effective Range: 3,000 ft (914 m)
      Mega-Damage:
      Single Shot (Costs 1 attack): 1D6
      Ten Round Burst on One Target (Costs 1 attack): 5D6
      Ten Round Burst on 1D4 Target (Costs 1 attack): 1D6
      Thirty Round Burst on One Target (Costs 1 attack): 1D6x10
      Thirty Round Burst on 1D8 Target (Costs 1 attack): 2D6
      Rate of Fire: Equal to combined hand to hand attacks of pilot or commander.
      Payload: 6000 rounds each.
   2. USA-M31 Rail gun: Mounted on early USA-M8A1 models and refitted on many earlier models. It is simpler as far as ammunition and operation than the liquid propellant weapon. From the original Pre-Rifts SAMAS design. The rail gun has fewer bursts and is heavier but the rail gun inflicts more damage than the post Rifts C-40R
      Maximum Effective Range: 4,000 feet (1,200 meters).
      Mega-Damage: A burst of 40 rounds does 1D6x10.
      Rate of Fire: Equal to combined hand to hand attacks of pilot or commander.
      Payload: 4,000 round magazine for 100 bursts each.
   3. Pulse Laser Mounts: Original mounted in the later versions of the Maverick Infantry Fighting Vehicle and refitted into many earlier models. The weapons' primary purpose is use against infantry but is effective against missiles and to a lesser extent both aircraft and other armored vehicles.
      Maximum Effective Range: 4,000 feet (1,200 meters)
      Mega-Damage: 1D6x10 per pulse.
      Rate of Fire: Equal to combined hand to hand attacks of pilot or commander.
      Payload: Effectively Unlimited.
   4. Long Range/Medium Range Missile Launchers: Mounted as a retractable box launcher where the Maverick Armored personnel carrier has the main troop bay. The box launcher can rotate 360 degrees and has a 75 degree arc of fire. The launcher mount has three rows of four launchers immediately ready to fire (12 tubes total) but unlike the Crocket hover missile vehicle, does not carry any reloads. Each launcher cell can fit one long range missile or two medium range missiles which use a special adapter to use the same launcher. Long range missiles are normally used against large targets and aircraft further out and the medium range missiles will normally be used to engage closer targets.
      Range: As per long or medium range missile type (Go to Revised bomb and missile table).
      Mega Damage: As per long or medium range missile type (Go to Revised bomb and missile table).
      Rate of fire: One at a time or in volleys of 2, 4, 6, 8, or 12.
      Payload: 12 missile cells in the launcher (maximum of 12 long range missiles, 24 medium range missiles, or a combination of both). No Reloads are carried
   5. Smoke/Gas Dispensers (2): A smoke/gas dispensing unit is attached to each side of the IFV. The dispenser releases a dense cloud of smoke that covers a 40 foot (12.2 m) area in front of the vehicle. It can also release tear gas. The dispenser can dispense prismatic aerosol for dispersing laser beams. This has the same effect as prismatic aerosol grenades. The effects of the prismatic aerosol is combined with the laser resistant materials that compose the armor if the later tanks when they are used together.
      Payload: 20 total; 10 charges each; typically 10 smoke, 5 prismatic aerosol, and 5 tear gas.

   Sensory Equipment:

   The missile vehicle carries all standard equipment of a robot vehicle plus this special equipment:

   • Radio/ Video Communications: Long range, directional, has a range of 500 miles with short range directional radio of 5 miles (8 km).
   • Laser Targeting System: Range is 2 miles (3.2 km) and gives +1 to strike with long range weapons.
   • Combat Computer/ Targeting Computer: Assist in the tracking of targets.
   • Radar: 50 miles (80 km), can identify 96 targets and track 48 as low as 500 feet (152.4 meters). Same as robot's Maxi-Radar.
   • Full Life Support: Protects crew, troops, and vehicle from heat and radiation and gives a breathable atmosphere inside the tank for up 48 hours in vacuum and three weeks with scrubbers.
   • Spotlight: Range: 600 feet (182.9 meters)
   • Thermo-Imager: Range: 2,000 ft (609 m). Finds the infrared radiations of things that are warm. Also enables pilot to see in smoke, shadows and darkness.
   • Nightvision Optics: Range: 2,000 ft (609 m). Uses light amplification to make a picture. Emits no light but will not work in absolute darkness. System can be dazzled by sudden bright lights but does not physically blind the pilot.
   

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   Writeup by Kitsune (E-Mail Kitsune ).

   Copyright © 2001, Kitsune. All rights reserved.