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Raven!
Clan Snow Raven
Galaxy Commander
Joined: 04-Feb-2002 00:00
Posts: 1326
Location: United States
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 Posted: 04-Nov-2005 13:22 Post subject: Mi-18 Night Crow |
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Mi-18 Night Crow
BFV-OA1 Night Crow
CSR -HV Night Crow
Heavy Defense VTOL
EDIT: Done by hand! So no cost or BV
*** Overview ***
The Night Crow is perhaps the oldest known combat vehicle, though not the longest running. In fact, the history of the Night Crow is, perhaps, one of the strangest and most complicated histories any modern fighting vehicle has. Quickly, however, the BFV-OA1 Night Crow is a heavy, slow, but powerful combat VTOL meant for a wide variety of operational situations.
As an omnivehicle, the Night Crow accomplishes its missions through flexibility and ease of maintenance. However, most pilots have come to love the Night Crow not for its armor, its weapons, or its powerful engine, but rather because of its smooth ride, easy handling, and simple cockpit layout that is almost purely designed based off of human ergonomics.
*** Capabilities ***
These features are the result of two things: the first is the dual rotor design. Though seen on a few VTOL designs, such as the Kharnov, it is not a common practice, as it limits a VTOL's maneuverability. However, pilots overwhelmingly agree that the added stability and reliability of the dual rotor system more then make of for the loss of some exceedingly dangerous stunts. The second part is that the cockpit uses all liquid crystal display panels. No toggles, no switches, no mechanical components except for the ejection lever. The panels can be reconfigured for the pilots ease and thus make the cockpit comfortable, and far more user friendly then other designs. It is important to note that pilot and navigator actually have separate cockpits, one in front and lower then the other. In the event of catastrophic damage, both cockpits can be ejected separately thus increasing the chance of one crew member to survive.
Moving away from pilots, the power of the Night Crow is the reason for its love by the military. The basic design comes with six modern configurations, as well as four original configurations that will be talked about in detail later on in this intelligence briefing.
To begin with, this VTOL was discovered and reverse engineered by a team of Outworlds Alliance and Clan Snow Raven technicians who discovered the machine and blueprints for it during an archaeological dig on the OA world of Dneiper. The Night Crow, therefore, has nine configurations, four original and five modern. Though Clan Snow Raven is involved in the development of this machine, most of the weapon systems are Periphery in origin, and not Clan. This section of the document will only consider those configurations that the Outworlds Alliance has developed.
The Primary configuration of the weapon system is built around the concept of the Night Crow as a city fighter, one that combats enemy BattleMech units through superior maneuvering, and the use of a powerful cannon to blast away armor and resolve. To do this, a single Autocannon/10 is mounted forwards, with four grenade launchers, using smoke grenade ammunition, are mounted on the sides to cover escapes and approaches. This simple design is direct and not very complex. The ease of attaching the heavy cannon pod to the underside of the Night Crow means that this variant can be ready in under fifteen minutes with a crew of three, and a simple flatbed truck.
The Alpha Configuration of the Night Crow switches away from cannons and instead relies on missiles. Keeping in mind the fairly close quarter combat that city fighting results in, the Outworlds Alliance was able to get their hands on MRM systems through their Snow Raven allies, and have loaded the Alpha with two MRM 10 systems and two SRM 6 systems. With enough ammunition to keep even a heavy BattleMech honest, this system is seen as a natural and powerful compliment to the Primary configuration.
The Beta Configuration of the Night Crow is a direct contribution of Clan Snow Raven to the Outworlds Alliance. Though they have not given out advanced Clan weapons or electronics, they have made available Inner Sphere versions of the same equipment. The Beta mounts a Beagle Active Probe in a nose mount, an ECM Suite in the Navigators cockpit, a TAG system, and two snub nosed light autocannons. Though their range is reduced, their damage output is still equal to the Primary variant, but without the piloting complexities of the off balance AC/10.
The Charlie Configuration was designed by a Colonel in the Outworlds Alliance limited and small artillery division, and made possible by Clan Snow Raven engineering. This configuration mounts an internal Arrow IV missile artillery system. The system works very similar to an old six shooter. As the pilot gets a firing solution, bomb bay doors open and the launcher lowers one missile out of the Night Crow. Firing the missile involves releasing it to fall slightly, where its wings then emerge and it rockets out ahead of the Night Crow to attack. This configuration is often in used in conjunction with the Beta configuration.
The final configuration of the Night Crow, the Delta configuration, is designed to bring the Night Crow to work on behalf of the most powerful city defense: infantry. The entire system is designed around infantry support and transportation, including a three ton infantry transport pod, SRM-2 systems and machine guns to clear landing spots and a powerful autocannon/5 to lend heavy support fire where it is necessary.
*** Deployment ***
Currently only Clan Snow Raven and the Outworlds Alliance deploy the Night Crow. There are trades being discussed with the Taurian Concordat and Magistry of Canopus, both of whom are interested in Omnivehicle technology, but transport and production of their orders will take time. However, it is only that time that stands between them and ownership of these fine craft.
*** Appearance ***
The Night Crow is a long, fairly small, and slightly curved design. From profile, the machine looks like a slopped hill, with the rear longer then the nose. The forward cockpit comes down like a beak, and the tail extends out like a bird hovering in air. The machine has an overall flat and deadly appearance, with a very narrow profile from the front, which makes it hard for most opposing gunners to hit it out of the air. The two rotor pods, one on each side of the navigators cockpit, are fairly narrow as well, almost flattened out. Each is about a meter in height. Two control surfaces emerge from the rotor pods at 45 degree angles. One down, and one up. The oddest feature, however, is the landing gear, which is designed along the lines of BattleMech feet similar to the Marauder. Two legs emerge down from the fuselage while landing and actually provide a fairly stable landing platform, but contribute to the overall bird image of the design.
*** History ***
Developed by the Concord of Free Colonies in 2237, the Night Crow participated in the heavy fighting against the Colonial Marines that would establish the Colonies as independent from the Terran Alliance. It was one of the first VTOLs to be produced off of, and independent of, a Terran military or industrial complex. As such, it is somewhat of a historical footnote. Originally designed as a mobile anti-tank platform, it mounted heavy missiles and light autocannons, excellent long range weapons able to strike out and destroy enemy armor with ease. It is interesting to note that security for these machines was considered vitally important, and before the development of the Neuralhelmet, security was provided by genetics. Each pilot wore a special suit which had a small needle in the right arm. The needle would take a small blood sample and that would be taken by the main computer which would verify the genetic data against a database. If the genetics matched, then the computer would activate the machine. If not, a biological agent was sent back through the needle and into the hijacker. Though death was not instantaneous, it was only a matter of time. Onset was in five days, though they were contagious two days after exposure.
The first pilot of the Night Crow, and the person the machine is named after, was a man by the name of Captain Nathan Crow. His great granddaughters genetic information was found in one of the machines recovered off of Dniester, and proved that this Crow was the same as one of the Founders of Clan Snow Raven. Such a discovery, of course, made Clan Snow Raven aide on the project to restore the Night Crow guaranteed.
The Concord of Free Colonies used the Night Crow for over a hundred years. Towards the end of their existence they were facing war with the newly formed Federated Suns, and as world after world began to fall to the first of the Davion leaders, the new Samantha Crow, head of the Presidential Guard, ordered what was left of the civilian government into transports, gave command to her XO and ordered them to safety. Speculations found in a journal indicate that she did not get her chance to a final battle in the capital as she had hoped. House Davion announced the total annihilation of the Concord of Free Colonies by nuclear explosion. They blamed radical Colonial forces detonating bombs as Davion forces approached, but as the entire nuclear arsenal had been taken by the last of the guards, that would have been impossible.
It is reported that Samantha Crow's son was one of the speakers at the Ares Convention, speaking from the safety of the Confederation. Clan Snow Raven has taken this information and the genetic data found in the computers back to their home world to be saved for the prosperity of the Clan. It is rumored that the genetic data of Samantha Crow is to be included in the Crow Bloodline.
Statistical Overview: Mi-18 Night Crow
Tech Base: Inner Sphere Level 3
Tonnage: 30.00
~ Cockpit: 1.50
~ Lift Equipment: 3.00
~ Internal Structure: 3.00
Engine Rating: 10
~ Movement: 5
~ Flanking: 8
Armor Tonnage: 6.5
Armor Points: 104
Distribution:
~ Front: 26
~ Rear: 26
~ Left/Right Side: 20/20
~ Rotor: 2
Equipment: 16 tons of Pod Space
Primary Configuration:
Autocannon/10 (Front)
Ammo (AC/10) 20
Grenade Launcher (Smoke) x2 (Left Side)
Grenade Launcher (Smoke) x2 (Right Side)
Alpha Configuration:
MRM 10 x2 (Front)
SRM 6 x2 (Front)
Ammo (MRM 10) 48
Ammo (SRM 6) 30
Beta Configuration:
Beagle Active Probe (Front)
ECM Suite (Body)
TAG (Front)
LAC/5 x2 (Front)
Ammo (LAC/5) 40
Charlie Configuration:
Arrow IV Missile Artillery System (Front)
Ammo (Arrow IV) 5
Delta Configuration:
Autocannon/5 (Front)
Ammo (AC/5) 20
SRM 2 (Left Side)
SRM 2 (Right Side)
Ammo (SRM 2) 50
Machine Gun x2 (Left Side)
Machine Gun x2 (Right Side)
Ammo (Machine Gun) 200
Infantry Pod (3 tons) (Body)
[ This Message was edited by: Raven! on 2005-11-04 13:22 ]
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Karagin
Imperial Karagin Army
Imperial General
Joined: 04-Feb-2002 00:00
Posts: 4120
Location: United States
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| Posted: 04-Nov-2005 18:13 Post subject: RE: Mi-18 Night Crow |
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Okay your armor points are off, at least the listed number per facing come up to 6 tons (94 points with 2 left over) worth not 6.5 tons.
Also you only have 15 tons left not 16 for pod space.
Here is the basic vehicle via HMPro: (note I went with what you had posted:
BattleTech Vehicle Technical Readout
VALIDATED
Type/Model:
Tech: Inner Sphere / 3050
Config: V.T.O.L. Omni
Rules: Level 3, Standard design
Mass: 30 tons
Power Plant: 10 Omni Fusion
Cruise Speed: 54.0 km/h
Maximum Speed: 86.4 km/h
Armor Type: Standard
Armament: None
Manufacturer: (Unknown)
Location: (Unknown)
Communications System: (Unknown)
Targeting & Tracking System: (Unknown)
--------------------------------------------------------
Type/Model:
Mass: 30 tons
Equipment: Items Mass
Int. Struct.: 15 pts Standard 0 3.00
Engine: 10 Fusion 0 .50
Shielding & Transmission Equipment: 0 .50
Cruise MP: 5
Flank MP: 8
Heat Sinks: 10 Single 0 .00
Cockpit & Controls: 0 1.50
Crew: 2 Members 0 .00
Rotor Equipment: Main/Tail Rotors 0 3.00
Armor Factor: 94 pts Standard 0 6.00
Internal Armor
Structure Value
Front: 3 26
Left / Right Sides: 3 20/20
Rear: 3 26
Rotor: 3 2
Weapons and Equipment Loc Heat Ammo Items Mass
--------------------------------------------------------
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TOTALS: 0 0 14.50
Items & Tons Left: 11 15.50
Calculated Factors:
Total Cost: 612,500 C-Bills
Battle Value: 57
Cost per BV: 10,745.61
Weapon Value: 0 / 0 (Ratio = .00 / .00)
Damage Factors: SRDmg = 0; MRDmg = 0; LRDmg = 0
BattleForce2: MP: 5V, Armor/Structure: 0 / 4
Damage PB/M/L: -/-/-, Overheat: 0
Class: VA; Point Value: 1
Specials: omni
_________________
Karagin
Only the dead have seen the end of war. - Plato
"Wasted trip Man. Nobody said nuthin' about lockin' horns with no tigers." Oddball
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Raven!
Clan Snow Raven
Galaxy Commander
Joined: 04-Feb-2002 00:00
Posts: 1326
Location: United States
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| Posted: 04-Nov-2005 20:41 Post subject: RE: Mi-18 Night Crow |
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Yay. What did you think? It was done by hand, there are going to be errors. hence the note at the begining I don't care about that!  I want to know what people think!
Raven!
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Karagin
Imperial Karagin Army
Imperial General
Joined: 04-Feb-2002 00:00
Posts: 4120
Location: United States
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| Posted: 04-Nov-2005 21:16 Post subject: RE: Mi-18 Night Crow |
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Well it's a nice VTOL, but unless you are using the Support Vehicle rules it needs to fit a rule set...I like the VTOL, and I was just letting you know where you had some errors...overall it's a good chopper and I can see it getting a lot of use, and the weapon load outs are really good.
_________________
Karagin
Only the dead have seen the end of war. - Plato
"Wasted trip Man. Nobody said nuthin' about lockin' horns with no tigers." Oddball
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