United Galaxies Council.	E-664 Badger Engineering Vehicle.		United Galaxies Council.
One of the dirty secret of grav pod technology is it doesn't like sudden drops; Trenches of greater than 10' can easily defeat a tank, if it's wide enough. With this in mind, the Badger (E-664) Type: Engineering Vehicle (tracked). Place Of Origin: United Galaxies Council. Used By: UGC Army; UGC Marine. Wars: Several; The First was the latter part of the Invid Wars. Designer: James DOVERS (Perytonian). Designed: 2080's. Manufacturer: Local Contractors. Unit Cost: 150,000credit. Produced: 2085-Present. Variants: No significant variants. Weight: 80 tons with most gear; 105 tons with mine clearing gear. Length: Hull: 20 feet; Bridge: 25 feet; Mine Clearing: 30 feet. Width: 10 feet 6 inches. Height: Bridge Stowed: 6 feet, 4 inches; With Lifting Booms: 7 feet 2 inches. Crew: 2; Pilot/commander, Commander/Pilot. Armor: Classified. Primary Armament: Engineering Equipment: A. Bridge Laying Gear B. Mine Clearing Gear C. Anti-Mine Line Charges; 2. 25MM Autocannon; M-240. Powerplant: HRTY-44.8A Hydro-Cell engines@62,000 Kwh. Suspension: Torsion bar. Operational Range: 3,000 miles. UWA Army re-developed the armored engineering vehicle; Originally they only had an engineering vehicle in mind, but the project quickly grew as the program managers needed new tools to complete basic bridging, and realized how easily the vehicle could be so converted. They now have as standard one 8-ton telescoping lifting boom (comes out the rear top of the turret), a pair of secondary manipulator arms (comes out the sides of the turret), heavy-gauge plasma welding torch (looks like a very SHORT cannon coming out the front of the turret), cutting laser (also comes out the front of the turret), and other tools needed to build and demolish structures in combat (without the use of crude explosizes). Bridge layer tanks were common enough before the Global Civil War; Every nation capable of deploying armored vehicles, even technicals, had some sort of bridge-laying capability. Only few had automated capabilities, however. The bridge's length is a MINIMUM of 20', but can be extended up to 50' simply enough. Beyond this length, however, the bridge needs a stanchion or pillar to support it. One of the more brazen strategies in this direction is to lay the bridge, then send a team of engineers over it with fascine (bundled tree limbs) to drop down. The bridge is then pulled back, repositioned over the fascine, and set down. Though not usually effective in and of itself, it can be used to support the bridge long enough to allow a proper support work to be brought in, and generally is strong enough to support light vehicles, and even guntrucks. This minor support structure means a proper support structure can be built an in place in as little as 30 minutes; A proper support structure can support full-fledged combat vehicles. The hullframe of the Badger is ancient technology; Like the M-221 Grant Hovertank, the hull frame is the GCW-Era American M-1 Abrams MBT, upgraded to UGC technology with Hydrocell engines and grav-pods; However, because of the mine-clearing duties the vehicle may be assigned to, treads are still needed for certain stages (some mines are designed to detonate upon detection of focused gravity waves). The bridge lain can support any ground-capable vehicle in the UGC- Even the PLANETMASTER-Class assault shuttle, though such large vehicles require TWO bridges, not because of the weight but because of the beam of the vehicle. The Badger can also be fitted for mine clearing using focused laser, chain flail, and deep-rip plow, as a repair vehicle for other tanks, and almost any other type of engineering duty; The possibilities are limited solely by some tanker's wild imaginations (and some of them are "imaginative" indeed). Mine clearing is also a major reason for the use of treads; There are mines designed to activate on grav pod waves, and these are much more effective than those designed to activate on weight or seismic effects. The E-664 can also tow just about anything in the UGC's standard inventory, from engineering trailers (trailers filled with engineering equipment, like Marston Mats), to combat gear (such as the SLAMM), to other vehicles; Any ground-effect vehicle, in fact. Badgers routinely carry spare grav clamps, which can be placed on the underside of a disabled vehicle, then plugged into the Badger, allowing them to be towed to a proper repair facility (or at least out of the line of fire). When all else fails, the turret of the Badger can be replaced with a standard REF-Era Gladiator, using it's arms to do manual labor; Though this is certainly not the most efficient way to utilize the badger, there are some circumstances that demand it (such as construction of certain components of power plants, most especially Reflex and nuclear reactors, and repairs on Landships). The switch out takes about 4 hours either way and only requires another heavy lifter- Which is easily enough accomplished by another badger. The Badger has also had a profound influence in the civilian sector; Several civilianized clones have been developed, most notably the Advart Tractor, which has all of the major Badger variant equipment (with the exception of the anti-mine flail); Like the Badger, the Advart can use grav pods or wheels, which themselves can be covered with flexible tracks- A feature the Badger lacks. This allows the Advart to be run over rough terrain or on roads safely (tracks tear up roads far too quickly). Name: E-664 Badger. Model Type: Engineering Vehicle. Class: Military Tracked and Hover Armored Engineering Vehicle. Crew: 2; Pilot/commander, Commander/Pilot. (The second and tlack of general interesthird titles are their secondary job, the First title their primary job.) Both are fully qualified engineers. Passengers: Can hold 2 passengers internally (if a little cramped), or up to 20 (or more) externally (riding on the hull). MDC By Location:
Tank Hull- Crew Compartment- Grav Pods (16; 8 each side)- Rear Jet Thrusters (2)- Lifting Gear (Boom)-	300 200 150 each 150 each 50	Bridge- Mine Shield- Flail- 25MM Auto Cannon- MM-60-	200 20,000 200 100 10 SDC.
Notes: Usual penalties apply. Speed and Statistical Data:.
Speed: Grav Pods: 400 MPH max. NOTE: Due to the use of gravity pods, there is NO physical terrain that they can't traverse sort of hills over 15 feet high and 50º; Even then, they can cover it with a running start, but this is the upper end of their limits. Treads: 150 MPH max. Hovering Height: From 2 to 15 feet: WARNING: Higher flight causes a 02% loss of piloting control per foot (-30% at maximum 15 foot hover height). On Water: High surface-water worlds (such as Terra) are known to fit out their hovertanks with out-board engines, giving some effectiveness on the water; Speed: 10 knots Range: 200 miles. The grav pods WILL work over water. Maximum Range: 3,000 miles (483 km) Height: 6 feet, 4 inches with the bridge in the STOWED position (the higher position). Lifting booms (if installed) decrease the clearance to 7 feet 2 inches. Width: 10 feet 6 inches (3.2 meters).		Length: 20 feet. The Bridge is 25 feet, but fully extended it can cover 50 feet, plus the 5 foot extension area, making it potentially 75 feet long. Weight: 80 tons with most gear; 105 tons with mine clearing gear. Powerplant: HRTY-44.8A Hydro-Cell engines; Output: 62,000 Kwh Hover System: Normal grav pods. Cargo Capacity: Crew supplies only; About 1 ton of various cargos are known to be tied onto the hull, but this is not the true purpose of the tank. Also, such cargo is subject to any environmental factors (including chemical, biological, and nuclear/Reflex weapons). Cost and Availability: Each tank costs 500,000credit; Always available. Black Market Cost and Availability: 150,000credit. If fitted, any extra weapons systems will add to the cost of the tank. Occasionally available, but only for the newness and lack of general interest.
Weapon Systems:
01. Engineering Equipment: Though not weapons per se, the engineering equipment is the reason for the tanks being, and therefore are not considered "Features." While all Badgers have bridge layers, most have one or two additional pieces of engineering equipment as well. (All mine clearing gear combined are considered "one piece", as are Lifting gear, etc.) Types: Bridge Laying Gear; Can support up to 100,000 tons if properly erected. Include the span, Shoring Struts (legs for extended cavities), fascine, and a Bailey Bridges "can" be towed behind. Range: 20 to 50 feet; Must be shored at BOTH ends; Use Time: Takes five melees to fully deploy; Effective Payload: Only one, but can be re-used indefinitely. Mine Clearing Gear; Uses a combination of a large plowing shield, a flail, and a turret laser to destroy all the mines IN THE PATH OF THE TANK. This clear area can be widened to three times that area, but only to about 50% effectiveness. The Shield and fail aren't intended to actually detonate the mines, but merely to knock the out of the way or break them; However, occasionally they do in fact detonate on, and then the operation must be stopped to check the shield (the most important part of the gear) to ensure it isn't damaged. Range: about 10 yards Use Time: Infinite, but mine clearing must be stopped when a detonation occurs to ensure the shield isn't damaged. Effective Payload: Unlimited plus about a million. Boom And Hook; A simple telescoping boom and 5-part hook (crane). Each part has a breaking strain of 20 tons, so it can support up to 100,000 tons if properly used. Range: 8 to 100 feet; Use Time: Takes 2 melees to fully deploy; Effective Payload: 100,000 tons at 100' maximum. Plasma Welder: Heats up any two or more pieces of metal allowing them to be joined. Not intended as a weapon. Effect: Welds metals together (2D6 MD). Rate Of Fire: Once per melee, but for a full melee. Payload: Unlimited. Laser Cutter: A simple laser cuts any metal. Effect: Cuts metal (1D4 MD per melee). Rate Of Fire: Once per melee, but for a full melee. Payload: Unlimited.		02. 25MM Auto Cannon: Uses depleted uranium rounds (which spall and hyper-incinerate on impact). Can be used for self-defense or mine clearing, or just to tear up an embankment on the other side of a ravine (for bridgelaying). MD: Short Burst: 1D6; Medium Burst: 2D6; Full Melee Burst: 4D6 Blast Radius: 1.5 feet Range: 3,200 feet; Utilizing stratospheric gravimetrics, this can be multiplied TEN TIMES, but is -1 strike every other multiple (-5 at maximized range). Rate of Fire: Per gunner. Payload: 400 rounds. 3. M-240: This copula mounted weapon is intended for infantry harassment, effect, and most importantly, for corralling POW's stripped of body armor and weapons. NOTE: This is an SD weapon, not an MD weapon. Also, it is NOT remotely operated, so the commander or the gunner must climb out the copula to operate or re-load the weapon, pull the box out, clear the empty canister, load up the gun, and cycle the gun TWICE; Takes one full melee, and removes the tanks vacuum seal and NBC protection for ten minutes. The weapon is set up with a butterfly trigger grip while mounted, but a standard stock and pistol grip kit is kept on the tank in case it must be abandoned. Damage: 5D6 times 10 per 10-round burst (only fires bursts). Range: 3,000 feet; Utilizing stratospheric gravimetrics, this can be multiplied TEN TIMES, but is -1 strike every other multiple (-5 at maximized range). Rate of Fire: Payload: 400 rounds per canister; Up to 6 canisters can be carried, but reloading requires the commander to climb out the copula, pull the box out, clear the empty canister, load up the gun, and cycle the gun TWICE; Takes one full melee, and removes the tanks vacuum seal and NBC protection for ten minutes. M-240D (butterfly) and M-240B (stock and pistol grip).
Features:
HUD: Displays maps, radar, targeting information, and any OTHER information the wearer wants directly in front of the user. Video Recorder: Records from sensors and the cockpit itself. 500 hours of recording available. Radar: Combat grade radar. Range: 200 miles, can track up to 250 individual targets. 95% reliability (24% against unfriendly stealthed vehicles). FLIR/SLIR: Forward and Side Looking Infrared. Allows pilot and weapons officer to get visuals on targets at night. ESM: Radar Detector. Passively detects other radars being operated. AJP: Active Jamming Pod. Causes -25% to detection but when it is active, other vehicles/bases can detect that it is jamming, and some missiles will home in on jamming signals. Jamming also causes a -4 penalty to all radar guided weapons. Full Range Sensory Suite: Infrared, ultra violet, Magnification, night sight, color filters, thermal imager. Range is about 2,000 miles for MOST sensors. Motion Detector: Activates a loud wailing when an object is coming at the user fast, and a soft ringing if it's coming slowly. Activation ranges must be specified by the pilot. Blue Force Tracker: Identifies Friend from Foe. Overlays the information on both the radar and HUD, ensuring that friendly forces are not accidentally targeted. GPS: Standard tracking device. Virtual Map: Displays a continuously-updating map of local terrain for the pilot. Effective land navigation of 85% as updates come. Good to 50 miles. Specific range can be adjusted in 1 mile increments. Anti-Jamming System: Reduces Electronics Countermeasure by 3/4 (decrease skill level appropriately). Electronic Counter Measures (ECM): These systems disrupt enemy radar and tracking systems, making it difficult for them to lock onto the ship with weapons. The countermeasures give the Mecha a +3 to dodge, +2 to strike and +1 on initiative in combat. Loudspeaker: Amplifies voice 1 to 100 times. 100 feet in normal crowds. CBR Protection: Complete chemical, biohazard, and radiological protection. Vacuum Seal: Permits the Mecha to be used in hard vacuum (such as outer space), and other hostile environments. Variable Tint Cockpit Canopy: Adjusts tinting to light conditions, up to an including a black dot if the sun is directly on the pilots face (only covers eyes). Fire resistance: Fires external to the tank are not felt at all. Internal temperature and humidity control: Automatically maintains users desired heat, humidity, and other personal comfort settings. Combat/Targeting Computer: Records all enemy and friendly activity over the course of time; Can replay that activity for the pilot, assign target designation numbers, and track likely damage based on mathematical formulas (ie "Right leg red" badly damaged/destroyed, "head green" not damaged, etc). Displays this information as a pop up in the HUD as requested by the pilot. Oxygen Rebreather System: Extends pilots air supply to 100 hours; Cartridge MUST be replaced after that period of time. Grav Clamps: Electro magnets in the underside of the hull allow the unit to adhere to any solid and some liquids. Survival Pack: A pack of simpler emergency survival supplies: Pup tent, sleeping bag, black light, GPS, First aid kit (bandages, gauze, bandage tape, pads, antiseptic/analgesic), plasma torch (for small repairs and starting fires), repair kit (with MDC Repair Spray), sewing kit (a small spool of thread and 5 needles), 7 star flares (250 foot apogee), 2 white parachute flares (1,500 foot apogee), 100 feet of black or brown parachute cord (150 lbs tensile strength), 2-5 days rations, 2 gallons water, water purification kit- good for about 10 gallons.		Decoys: Specially modified Mini-Missiles used as decoys; Burning globs of magnesium/aluminum alloy to confuse both radar AND heat sensory systems, as well as creating a lot of smoke to obscure the Mecha. NOTE: Though the modified mini-missiles combine smoke flares, AMC/FDs, and LDP's, they aren't powerful enough for use with Destroids/Guardians/Etc. Reduce effect by 20% against smart missiles (add +20% to rolls for smart missiles). Effect: 01-50: Enemy missile or missile volley detonates in chaff cloud - Missiles are all destroyed. 51-75: Enemy missile or missile volley loses track of real target and veers away in wrong direction (may lock onto another target). 76-00: No effect, missile is still on target. Also note that the chaff cloud will also blind nearby heat sensors (and optically based sensors at night) for 1 melee. They will suffer the following penalties: Reduce melee attacks/actions, and combat bonuses by half. Also, a cloud of smoke approximately 25 cubic feet wide and high by about 1 half-mile long. Duration: 1D4 melee rounds. Rate of Fire: Once per melee. Payload: 6 chaff/flares. Combat/Targeting Computer: Records all enemy and friendly activity over the course of time; Can replay that activity for the pilot, assign target designation numbers, and track likely damage based on mathematical formulas (ie "Right leg red" badly damaged/destroyed, "head green" not damaged, etc). Displays this information as a pop up in the HUD on request by the pilot. MRA 6 Radios: Allows real time, continuous radio link up with friendly forces in the area via satellite relay over laser radio signals, preventing jamming, and automatically encrypts/decrypts same to prevent eavesdropping. Type-11 wide band radios: Effective 10 mile range, auto encrypt/decrypt. Works on standard radio band wavelengths, so it can still be jammed (if the enemy knows the frequencies). XTNDR RADAR/Radio Antenna Extender: A simple, 2 cubic feet helium balloon lofts a 10 lb. pod 100 feet into the air. Hanging from this payload is a fiber-optic cable that relays the data collected from the XTNDR Pod to the tanks computers. Note that using this system under heavy foliage will allow the radar, etc to work there, at no penalties, but it will not break the canopy either. MDC By Location: Pod: 50 Fiber Optic Cable: 10 Effect: Extends range of any sensors 10 times (or defeats other penalties in a 5 mile area). CS/A-013(a) Communications Satellite: The M-221 Grant Hovertank can be fitted out with 1 of these satellites for extended communications and radar range. MDC By Location: Pod: 50 Fiber Optic Cable: 10 Effect: Extends range of any sensors 10 times. Standard Infantry Grip Points: Allows hands-free adhering to the outside of the tank's hull. Generally, there are about 10 grip points per tank.
Combat Bonuses from E-664 Badger Engineering Vehicle Combat Elite: 3 additional attacks per melee. One additional attack per melee at levels 3, 6, 9, and 12 with any additional bonuses for the pilot and crew. +3 Initiative. +3 Strike. +4 Parry, Dodge, and Roll.