Author's note: The Langschwert was built entirely with equipment with a maximum availability rating of C in the dark age era, according to the tables found in Interstellar Operations. The Vorschlaghammer, on the other hand, was not so limited, though I tried not to go overboard.Twin disastrous invasions have forced the Lyran Commonwealth into a new strategic reality. With their realm nearly torn in half and most of the military industrial complex either behind the lines or under imminent threat of invasion, the Commonwealth didn't just need to rebuild its army, it needed to rebuild the infrastructure the army depended on, it needed to do it quickly, and it had to embrace a new, or perhaps old means of warfare to get it done.
Declaring it their patriotic duty, a coalition of Lyran civilian industrial groups, led by Garvey Multinational and Ngo Industries, have poured trillions of kroner over the last couple of years to meet this need, beginning a massive industrial buildup in the so far untouched periphery border regions of the Commonwealth. Though some of this has gone towards the construction and expansion of battlemech plants on worlds like Pocologan, New India, and Qantir, the vast majority has gone towards the development and production of low cost, quickly built, effective conventional and aerospace forces to rapidly bulk up defense forces, as well as support the formation of brigade sized offensive forces, the Ersatzkampfgruppen, which are intended to help carry the weight of the eventual liberation of the occupied territories. For the almost radically nationalist entities directing the program, it is not enough for the Commonwealth to simply survive. They will accept nothing less than total victory over the clan invaders, a goal that seems all but unreachable given the reversals the Commonwealth have suffered.
Though not the flagship of this program, the Langschwert medium tank so far being produced on six worlds under license from Tanjin Heavy Industries (THI) may prove to be its backbone, at least in the short term. True to form, the Langschwert is a simple vehicle built from components readily available across the commonwealth. A fuel cell engine grants excellent mobility without having to deal with the relative scarcity or cost of a fusion engine. The armor plate is of a type that has been in production since the mid 25th century that can be easily acquired in bulk. The main weapon system, either a Gauss Rifle or LB-10X autocannon, is more sophisticated than other alternatives, but after decades of production, can be acquired in sufficient numbers to support prodigious production while giving the Langschwert a powerful bite. The relatively light weight of the Langschwert is a bit of a double edged sword. The vehicle is relatively easy to transport, but at the same time it limits the vehicle's ability to carry secondary weapons. To deal with this problem, THI and its licensees produce two variants in parallel, the Gauss variant for engaging hard targets, and the LBX to act as a support unit against conventional vehicles, airborne target, and infantry. Units are produced and shipped out in a roughly fifty/fifty split, though the preferences of individual commanders and the local tactical and strategic situation may result in different combinations of vehicles in battle.
Aside from these, an additional, more exotic variant named the Vorschlaghammer is being manufactured by Sydney Industrial Machines of Pocologan. Designed as a simple assault gun with no turret and a wheeled motive system, the Vorschlaghammer manages to be something of a paradox. Its structural design is simpler to work with and faster to assemble than the Langschwert, but its more sophisticated technology is less readily available, preventing it from reaching the same production goals. The wheeled turretless design was also not intended as a cost or resource cutting measure, but a necessity for carrying the powerful heavy gauss rifle. Unlike the generalist Langschwert, the Vorschlaghammer is a specialist ambusher. Stealth Armor conceals the vehicle, as well as providing additional protection from opponents engaging at longer ranges. Once in close the heavy gauss provides a devastating punch, while smoke dispensers allow the Vorschlaghammer to cover its own withdrawal once its position becomes untenable. As a final insult, a pair of mine dispensers allow the Vorschlaghammer to disrupt pursuit. These assault guns are turning up among urban defense units on some of the Commonwealth's most populous and industrialized worlds, where they a frequently paired with ECM equipped SRM carriers.
Langschwert Medium Tank
IS advanced
50 tons
BV: 1,008
Cost: 1,636,625 C-bills
Movement: 5/8 (Tracked)
Engine: 250 Fuel Cell
Internal: 25
Armor: 128
Internal Armor
--------------------------------------
Front 5 33
Right 5 25
Left 5 25
Rear 5 20
Turret 5 25
Weapon Loc Heat
----------------------------------------
Gauss Rifle TU 1
Light Machine Gun FR 0
Ammo Loc Shots
----------------------------------------
Gauss Ammo BD 8
Gauss Ammo BD 8
Half Light Machine Gun Ammo BD 100
Equipment Loc
----------------------------------
Standard None
Langschwert Medium Tank (LBX)
IS advanced
50 tons
BV: 769
Cost: 1,910,000 C-bills
Movement: 5/8 (Tracked)
Engine: 250 Fuel Cell
Internal: 25
Armor: 128
Internal Armor
--------------------------------------
Front 5 33
Right 5 25
Left 5 25
Rear 5 20
Turret 5 25
Weapon Loc Heat
----------------------------------------
Light Machine Gun FR 0
LB 10-X AC TU 2
Light Machine Gun TU 0
Light Machine Gun TU 0
Light Machine Gun TU 0
Light Machine Gun TU 0
Ammo Loc Shots
----------------------------------------
LB 10-X Cluster Ammo BD 10
LB 10-X AC Ammo BD 10
LB 10-X Cluster Ammo BD 10
Light Machine Gun Ammo BD 200
Equipment Loc
----------------------------------
CASE BD
Vorschlaghammer Wheeled Assault Gun
IS advanced
50 tons
BV 1,049
Cost 2,009,375 C-bills
Movement 46 (Wheeled)
Engine 180
Internal 20
Armor 120 (Vehicular Stealth)
Internal Armor
--------------------------------------
Front 5 50
Right 5 25
Left 5 25
Rear 5 20
Weapon Loc Heat
----------------------------------------
Heavy Gauss Rifle FR 2
Vehicular Grenade Launcher FR 1
Vehicular Grenade Launcher FR 1
Vehicular Mine Dispenser RR 0
Vehicular Mine Dispenser RR 0
Ammo Loc Shots
----------------------------------------
Heavy Gauss Ammo BD 4
Heavy Gauss Ammo BD 4
Heavy Gauss Ammo BD 4
VGL Smoke Grenade None 1
VGL Smoke Grenade None 1
Equipment Loc
----------------------------------
Vehicular Stealth BD
Vehicular Stealth BD
Guardian ECM Suite BD
Conventional Mine RR
Conventional Mine RR
