The Centaur is a Main Battle Tank(MBT) developed, manufactured, and produced by Department Of Engineering. First being deployed in mid-YE 41 to replace the Hydra Variable Tank, as their main frontline armor unit for the NDC Ground Forces "Duskerian Legion".

The Centaur is designed as a sturdy and reliable frontline main battle tank. Spreading the high grade performance of its design, between its tough armor, shields, high speed tread assembly, and heavy hitting arsenal. The S6-MBT-1a is all around a formidable tank, able to deal and take great amounts of damage, with the speed required for the battle field of the future.

Functions or equipment that make this vehicle stand out, or very effective in its role.

• Magnetic tracks for better traction on metal surfaces
• Attachable RCS thrust modules to keep grounded in low gravity atmospheres
• Pressurized interior for zero atmosphere, and under water deployment
• Advanced armor plating materials and techniques
• Diverse arsenal
• Long range capable

In YE 41, NDC Ground Forces "Duskerian Legion" decided it was time to graduate from the light tanks they had been using as their main and only tank. Having no need for something fancy in design, or aesthetic, but a reliable, effective, and versatile platform. The project was handed to the Department Of Engineering, who got to work on the new tank. Rolling out several new advancements in armor, weapons, shields, and internal systems; the Centaur outpaces the Hydra in almost every field save for environs it can be used in. Where the Hydra could be used in water, ground, air, and even space, however the Centaur is strictly limited to the ground of planetary bodies, and below water. Production began around mid-YE 41, and entered service immediately after.

The Centaur is a very blocky and straight edged design of chassis. Most of its armored faces are sloped, with sections that are thicker where additional plating has been installed. Its turret is much of the same, having a conventional shape, but also covered in the entire arsenal this frontline tank carries. A long, coil surrounded barrel sticks out from the front of the turret and sits atop a rectangular recoil piston system.

Below here are the manufacturer's data on the Centaur.

• Organization: New Dusk Conclave
• Type: Main Battle Tank
• Class: Tank
• Designer: Department Of Engineering
• Manufacturer: Department Of Engineering, Black Wing Enterprises
• Production: 200 per month
• Price: 120,000DS with license¹⁾

• Crew: 2 ²⁾
• Maximum Capacity: 10³⁾
• Passenger Capacity: 8⁴⁾

• Width: 12ft⁵⁾
• Height: 8ft⁶⁾
• Length: 26ft⁷⁾

Here is the data on the Centaur's performance capabilities.

• Ground speed: 90mph on flat/paved terrain, 80-70mph on rough terrain.
• Range: 2 months per power core
• Lifespan: 20 years

Below is the damage rating of the Centaur's defensive capabilities.

• Body: T8 Medium Mecha
• Shields: T8 Medium Mecha

The entrance to the tank is via either topside, or underside pressurized hatch.

Inside the turret is the gunner's chair with a control setup before it that slides back and folds out to somewhat enclose the gunner. A central screen with two side screens and a top screen are folded over it, with the control panels slid back along with the control sticks. One stick controls the turret with a main trigger for the main gun, and a button on either side for the secondary weapons⁸⁾, with the left side having a small stick to adjust the aim of the RCG or Hyper-Shift Rotary Gun mounded on the swivel. Finally in the center is is a two stage button, which flipping the cap activates the missile pod targeting system, effectively locking all other weapons until closed. Once a target is acquire, or the free fire crosshair is placed on a target, the gunner simply presses the button.

The opposite stick has no use unless the pilot hands over drive control to the gunner in order to make repairs and etc. This has a small stick to adjust gears, while the trigger is the gas, and the red button on the right is the brake. This means that one person could pilot and gun with some difficulty unless properly trained, but is discouraged for its less then effective practice, as well as that digital control for driving can be sabotaged via EM⁹⁾ based weapons and devices. The two rectangular faced control panels that are slanted slide forward to sit just under the screens, having various fire settings, energy output controls, safety controls, and screen controls. The middle, left, and right screens display the turret's targeting and optical field of view, while the top screen displays status and system readouts.

Below the turret which it sits upon attached via motorized swivel mount, is the chassis of the Centaur. Up front is the pilot's station, which has a setup similar to the gunner's station. However with far more controls and only one control stick which is more analog based. To the pilot's right is the communications, and systems console, which controls all internal systems as well as the forms of communications installed on the tank. To the rear of the interior is the engine, munition storage, feed systems for all weapons. To the right and center of the compartment is the storage compartment for supplies, weapons, and spare power cores.

• Main Gun: Mass Accelerated Kinetic Ordinance "MAKO"
• Secondary: S6-TLAC "Cavalry", T7 Light Anti-Mecha
• Ant-Personnel: These are the options for this slot.
  • BWE Rotary Chain Gun: T3 Heavy Anti-Personnel
  • 2 linked S6-HAR1-1 Storm Rifle: T4 Light Anti-Armor
  • BW-HPT "Dragon's Breath": T4 Light Anti-Armor
  • Hyper-Shift Rotary Chaingun: T6 Heavy Anti-Armor
• Missiles: S6-TBOM "Swarm" Rocket Pod System

Listed here are the internal systems of the Centaur MBT. This includes power, propulsion, computation equipment, safety, and any additional systems.

• Computer System: Graphene circuitry based computer/processors
• Shields: Paladin Barrier System
• Armor: Aegium, with Low Explosive Webbed Delaminating (LEWD) armor exterior plates
• Life Support: Liquid Ally
• Power: 4 BW-PC-1A Plasma Core
• Engines: Plasma powered drive system
• Stealth: ECS, or Electronic Camouflage System
• (Optional addition)AI: EVE

There is a storage compartment on the back of the turret that is 9ft long, 3ft deep, and 3ft tall; and a much larger one inside to the middle right of the interior. It is 4ft long, 8ft wide, and 6ft tall.

A kit attached to the back of the each pilot seat containing: *Three days' worth of S6-SR-A Survival Rations Type A *Three days' worth of water *A medical kit containing bandages, disinfectant, and gauze

A storage crate that is hermetically sealed and kept within the main storage compartment: *Two weeks' worth of S6-SR-A Survival Rations Type A *Two weeks' worth of water in 5 gallon blitz jugs *A full medical kit containing 5 hypos of pain medication, 15 bandages, 10 rolls of gauze, 20oz bottle disinfectant, 5 Stym hypos, and 5 doses of medical nanoes. *Two BW-MWS2 "Harbinger"(SMG), with three magazines each of S6-SCPR(45acp)¹⁰⁾ *Six additional magazines of S6-10mm¹¹⁾

Jack Pine created this article on 2019/04/29 15:45.

This article was approved by charmaylarg here on 10/14/19