Combat Vehicle Technical Readout
Name/Model: Hardshot Supertank HDS-1C
Designer: Kirbanzo
Source(s): Custom Mordel.Net Units
Technology: Inner Sphere
Technology Rating: D
Tonnage: 100
Role: Juggernaut
Configuration: Combat Vehicle
Era/Year: Star League / 2475
Rules (Current): Introductory
Rules (Era): Introductory
Rules (Year): Introductory
Total Cost: 5,275,000 C-Bills
Battle Value: 1,496
Movement Type: Tracked
Power Plant: GM 300
Cruising Speed: 32.4 kph
Maximum Speed: 54 kph
Armor: Durallex
Armament:
1 GM Hurricane Autocannon/10
1 Zeus-5 LRM 5
1 Scatter Gun Light Machine Gun
Manufacturer: Ford Military Limited, General Motors, TharHes Industries
Primary Factory: Chicago Pandora Plex, Terra (FML), Detriot 'Mechworks, Terra (GM), Arc Royal (GM), Tharkad (THI), Eutin (THI), Arc Royal (THI)
Communications: Ford Watchdog
Targeting & Tracking: GME HiTrak-2
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Overview:
The Hardshot supertank is the result of a collaboration between General Motors and Ford
Military Limited on a contract for the Terran Hegemony to design a cheap yet reliable
superheavy combat vehicle for the Terran Hegemony. Designed as a juggernaut to hold areas
under siege (or slowly advancing and providing other forces with cover when doing the
besieging), the Harshot carved a niche for itself in an era where BattleMech warfare was in
its earliest stages. Even as BattleMechs continued to only grow in their share of the
battlefield the Hardshot was prized for its ruggedness, ensuring its survival in the
centuries to come.
It would be adopted by the Star League Defense Forces upon its formation, serving in the
Reunification War against the Periphery powers. The design would both witness the birth of
the First Star League and outlive it, for the Lyran Commonwealth convinced the Terran
Hegemony to give them the design documents of the tank in 2693 - the transfer would be
through their facilities on Arc Royal. TharHes Industries would become the primary producer
of the Hardshot after the Amaris Civil War, though some of their factories would be
destroyed in the Succession Wars.
The design would see several modernization efforts after the Grey Death Memory Core's
discovery, which were kicked into overdrive by the Clan Invasion. These modernizations would
see the design manage to survive all the way to the ilClan era, long enough for it to see
Project Rhodes' fruit to bear its name.
(art source)
Capabilities:
The main cannon of the Hardshot takes the form of a GM Hurricane Autocannon/10 mounted
centerline on its turret, providing a dangerous close-range punch. Long ranges are handled
by a single Zeus-5 LRM 5, providing an indirect means of attack. A Scatter Gun Light Machine
Gun was installed on a pintle for dealing with infantry. Due to the AC/10's autoloader in
particular being sensitive to rapid movement, the traversal rate of the turret is
artificially limited to avoid jamming (or, in the worst case scenario, backfires that could
destroy the whole tank).
The Hardshot is infamously loaded with a massive amount of ammunition for its various
weapons, making a critical shot to the tank's body a death sentence. However, despite the
risk, it is generally well regarded for crews trust it to not run out of steam in the middle
of a fight. Specifically, it has seven tons of AC/10 ammo for 70 shots, five tons of LRM 5
missiles for 120 volleys, and four tons of .50cal machine gun ammo that lets it fire 800
times before running dry, though to prevent barrel warping and to simplify the feed
mechanism it's stored in large drums that can easily be switched out.
The tank itself is protected by 24 and a half tons of Durallex standard armor, virtually a
quarter of the Hardshot's mass, and what fuels it is a GM 300 fusion engine. Communications
are handled by a Ford Watchdog unit, while a GME HiTrak-2 provides targeting for the crew.
DESIGN QUIRKS: Narrow/Low Profile, Fast Reload (Machine Gun), Slow Traverse
Variants:
While not a variant, the Lyran Commonwealth's first QuadVee, the Hardshot HDS-0T, would be
named after the venerable Hardshot Supertank.
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Equipment Mass
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Internal Structure: Standard 10.00
Engine: 300 Fusion 28.50
Cruising MP: 3
Flanking MP: 5
Heat Sinks (Single): 10 0.00
Control Equipment: 5.00
Lift Equipment: 0.00
Power Amplifier: 0.00
Turret: 1.50
Armor Factor: 390 24.50
Type: Standard
Armor
Value
Front: 101
R/L Side: 78
Rear: 55
Turret: 78
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Weapons and Ammo Location Tonnage
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Autocannon/10 Turret 12.00
LRM 5 Turret 2.00
Machine Gun Turret 0.50
Autocannon/10 (Ammo 70) Body 7.00
LRM 5 (Ammo 120) Body 5.00
Machine Gun (Ammo 800) Body 4.00
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Alpha Strike Statistics
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Point Value (PV): 39
TP: CV, SZ: 4, TMM: 1, MV: 6"t
Damage: (S) 2 / (M) 2 / (L) 0*
Armor (A): 13, Structure (S): 5
Specials: AC1/1/-, IF0*, SRCH, TUR(2/2/0*, AC1/1/-, IF0*)
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