Patton

Rommel.jpg
Patton Tank
Production information
Manufacturer Defiance Industries
Production Year 3027[1]
Mission Close Range/Urban Combat
Type Tracked
Cost 2,747,113 C-bills
Technical specifications
Mass 65 tons
Armor 14.5 tons Standard
Engine Magna 260
Speed 43.2 km/h
Crew 3
Communications System TharHes Muse 54-58K
Targeting Tracking System TharHes Mars5
Heat Sinks 10
Armament
BV (1.0) 961[2]
BV (2.0) 943


The Patton tank is a 65-ton armored combat vehicle, specializing in conventional armored warfare. Identical to its twin, the Rommel, in every way but armament and armor configuration, the Patton has primarily served with the Lyran Commonwealth and the Lyran Alliance. It is named after General George S. Patton, Jr., a legendary commander of armored and mechanized forces renowned for his exploits during World War II on Terra.

Description

Designed concurrently with the Rommel, Defiance Industries decided that a vehicle to replace 'Mechs was needed in the early 3000s. Since 'Mech production was nearly at a standstill, the ability to produce and field armored vehicles became a necessity no Successor State could ignore.

Unlike the Rommel, which features a massive and powerful but short-ranged AC/20 as its main gun, the Patton mounts an AC/10, giving it twice the ammunition capacity and superior firing range while also enabling it to be fitted with more armor. The Patton is capable of fighting in short-ranged and urban environments, but is far more suited than the Rommel to engaging targets at medium to long range.

Weapons and Equipment

The Patton uses a single Defiance Killer Type T Autocannon/10 as its main armament. While not able to as easily cripple light and medium 'Mechs as the Rommel's AC/20, combined with a Coventry Five-Tube LRM-5, the AC/10's longer range allows it to strike and keep enemies at a distance while retreating to another position. To counter attacking infantry, the Patton is equipped with both a turret mounted Defiance ASL Small Laser and a front mounted HotShot Flamer.

Variants

  • Patton Ultra 
    This variant of the Patton replaces the standard weaponry with a turret-mounted Ultra AC/10 and a pair of Medium Lasers to support it. For anti-infantry work, the Patton Ultra has three Machine Guns: One covers the rear while the other two cover the front of the tank. BV (2.0) = 1,160[3]
  • Patton-SB 
    This version of the Patton was built with the intent of functioning in hostile environments like the vacuum of space. Environmental Sealing protects the crew from hostile environments. An XL Fusion Engine with Supercharger allows the Patton-SB to perform sprints of up to 86km/h to reposition quickly. It retains the LRM-5, but replaces the other weaponry with a pair of ER Medium Lasers and a Silver Bullet Gauss Rifle with three tons of ammunition. The tank is protected by eleven and a half tons of Heavy Ferro-Fibrous armor. BV (2.0) = 1,468[4]

Related Designs

  • Rommel - The Rommel tank is built on the same chassis, but carries an massive Autocannon/20. While giving the Rommel signifcant short range firepower, backed up by a LRM-5 and Small Laser, the heavier weapon forces a reduction in armor to a still quite respectable 11 tons.

Design Quirks

The Patton-SB variant is subject to the following Design Quirks:[4]

References

  1. MUL online date for the Patton
  2. Combat Operations, p. 120
  3. Record Sheets: 3058 Unabridged (Inner Sphere), p. 156
  4. 4.0 4.1 Experimental Technical Readout: Periphery, p. 9
  5. 20 Year Update, p. 50, "Defense Industry"

Bibliography