Editing Marksman (Combat Vehicle)

{{otheruses|artillery tank|other uses|Marksman}}
{{InfoBoxCombatVehicle
| image = Marksman_TRO2750.jpg
| name = Marksman
| manufacturer = [[Grumman Industries]]
| production year=2702
| year reference=<ref>''[http://www.masterunitlist.info/Unit/Details/2077/ MUL online date for the ''{{PAGENAME}}'']''</ref>
| Mission = Artillery Fire Support
| Type = Tracked
| cost = 2,938,925 C-bills
| mass = 65 Tons
| armor = [[Grumman CRT Ferro-Fibrous]]
| engine = [[Magnus 260]] [[fusion engine]]
| comsys = [[O/P GRD 300]]
| T&T = [[O/P GRD059]]
| heat sinks = 10 [[Heat Sink|single]]
| speed = 65
| Crew = 4
| armament = <span></span>
* 1x [[Sniper Artillery Piece]]
* 1x [[Large Laser]]
| BV (1.0) = 392<ref>''Combat Operations'', p. 106</ref>
| BV (2.0) = 688<ref name=TRO3050Up172f>''Technical Readout: 3050 Upgrade'', pp. 172–173: "Marksman Vehicle Profile"</ref><ref>''Record Sheets: 3050 Upgrades Unabridged (Clan & Star League)'', p. 200</ref>
}}

==Description==
The [[Star League]]-era '''Marksman''' was created as a fire support vehicle, specifically to carry the newly designed [[Sniper Artillery Piece]].  Initially, the vehicle was to use the older [[Thor (Combat Vehicle)|Thor Armored Fighting Vehicle]]'s chassis, but the weight of the Sniper forced the designers to start with a new design.<ref name=TRO3050Up172f/><ref name=TRO2750p108f>''Technical Readout: 2750'', pp. 108–109: "Marksman Vehicle Profile"</ref><ref name=TRO3050Rp212f>''Technical Readout: 3050 Revised'', pp. 212–213: "Marksman Vehicle Profile"</ref>

As a successor to the Thor, the designers improved the design by trading the previous wheeled configuration for tracks.  The tracks gave the Marksman more stability, as well as increased all-terrain capabilities.  The short range of the Sniper means that the vehicle is more likely to be involved in direct combat than most artillery pieces. Correspondingly, a secondary combat computer was added to allow the Sniper to be used in direct-fire situations, as well as constructing the vehicle with seven and a half tons of [[ferro-fibrous armor]], most of it concentrated on the front.<ref name=TRO3050Up172f/><ref name=TRO2750p108f/><ref name=TRO3050Rp212f/>

==History==
===Star League & Succession War Eras===
The vehicle entered service with the [[Star League Defense Force]] in [[2702]] and became its standard medium artillery piece.  Unfortunately, the vehicle suffered from an early design flaw: due to faulty track locks, the vehicle tended to throw its tracks at flank speeds. The designers corrected the flaw, but over a thousand production units had been built before it was remedied. Although some of the original production vehicles were retrofitted, many never received the fix.<ref name=TRO2750p108f/><ref name=TRO3050Rp212f/>

Because of their poor reputation many of these Marksman were stripped for spare parts through the Succession Wars. The vehicle faded from service by the end of the [[Third Succession War]]. Only one surviving vehicle was left in service of a planetary militia in the [[Magistracy of Canopus]].

===Late Thirty-first Century===
Grumman Industries, the original manufacturer of the Marksman, merged with CRI Mechanical becoming [[Grumman-CRI]]. One of its first actions was to redesign the Marksman chassis.  Grumman-CRI built a new manufacturing plant on [[Melissia]] for service of the [[Lyran Alliance]] by the late [[3060]]s, and Marksmans were being deployed to the borders adjoining the [[Clan Jade Falcon Occupation Zone|Clan Jade Falcon OZ]].<ref name=TRO3050Up172f/>

==Weapons and Equipment==
The Marksman's primary feature is its main battery, the [[Sniper Artillery Piece]]. The vehicle carries 20 rounds of ammunition for the Sniper.  For defensive purposes, it also has a turret-mounted [[Large Laser|RAMTech 500 Large Laser]].<ref name=TRO3050Up172f/><ref name=TRO2750p108f/><ref name=TRO3050Rp212f/>

==Variants==
*;Marksman (Light PPC) : Armed with a Sniper artillery piece, this Lyran-built [[3068]] variant swaps the original large laser for a [[LPPC|light particle projector cannon]]. Enhancing its close-in defense, the vehicle is equipped with four [[heavy machine gun]]s, two mounted in the front and two mounted in the turret. The original Magnus-260 was replaced with a [[light fusion engine]]. BV (2.0) = 684<ref>''Record Sheets: 3050 Upgrades Unabridged (Clan & Star League)'', p. 201</ref>

*;Marksman (AC) : Similar to the [[Thor (Combat Vehicle)|Thor AC refit]], this [[2801]] version of the Marksman replaces the Sniper Artillery piece with an [[Autocannon/20]], three [[Rocket Launcher 10|ten tube Rocket Launchers]], and two [[Rocket Launcher 15|fifteen tube Rocket Launchers]]. The large laser remains, and three tons of autocannon ammunition allow the Marksman to terrorize enemy forces. BV (2.0) = 976<ref>''Record Sheets: Operation Klondike'', p. 14</ref>

==Vehicles Notes==
*''Fist of Justice'' - Part of the [[First Skye Rangers]]' artillery company, the Fist of Justice Lance has been in service since [[3068]].  The lance is noteworthy for taking out sixty vehicles and 'Mechs over its brief history, without taking any serious injuries or damage. Part of their success is due to the use of [[VTOL]] spotter aircraft to home in on their targets. The lance is also known to close in on its enemies due to the Sniper's short-range. Two of the lance's commanders are former Mechwarriors.<ref name=TRO3050Up172f/>

==Notes==
* In German products, the unit's proper name was altered to '''''Taru'''''.

==Gallery==
<gallery>
File:Marksman TRO2750.jpg|Original ''Marksman'' from ''[[Technical Readout 2750|TRO:2750]]''
File:Marksman-vehicle.png|Upgraded ''Marksman'' from ''[[Technical Readout: 3050 Upgrade|TRO:3050 Upgrade]]''
</gallery>

==References==
<references />

==Bibliography==
* ''[[Combat Operations]]''
* ''[[Record Sheets: 3050 Upgrades Unabridged (Clan & Star League)]]''
* ''[[Record Sheets: Operation Klondike]]''
* ''[[Technical Readout: 2750]]''
* ''[[Technical Readout: 3050 Revised]]''
* ''[[Technical Readout: 3050 Upgrade]]''

[[Category:65 ton Combat Vehicles]]
[[Category:Artillery Combat Vehicles]]
[[Category:Artillery Support Unit]]
[[Category:Combat Vehicles]]
[[Category:Fire Support Combat Vehicles]]
[[Category:Heavy Combat Vehicles]]
[[Category:SLDF Combat Vehicles]]
[[Category:German renamed units]]