Vehicle of the Week: Hunter Light Support TankThe Hunter Light Support Tank was originally designed during the Third Succession War to provide a relatively inexpensive, relatively mobile support unit for the more well-heeled militias or second-line units that can provide support for a fusion power plant. This isn't a bottom-of-the-bin bargain the way LRM carriers are - the presence of the fusion engine alone makes that abundantly clear given the time period - but rather something that can keep up with a line unit (or even medium 'Mech units, if they keep the tank's poorer performance in rough terrain in mind) , doesn't need fuel, and still packs a respectable punch for its size. At the time it was originally introduced, the combination of specialization and a fusion engine limited procurement but combat performance justified the design decisions made by Defiance Industries, leading to sales across the Inner Sphere. One of the most notable users, historically, was the First Kittery Planetary Armored Militia, who made proper nuisances of themselves to the Federated Suns in 3005. 9 Hunters out of the 24-strong tank force were used to pull Federated Suns forces out of position so the Second St. Ives Lancers could make a break, becoming the last unit to engage the AFFS on Kittery in that year.
At 35 tons, this is on the upper end of the light vehicle category, and the tracked chassis is a little slow but holds up better under fire and lets the Hunter crawl into some of the usual indirect fire hiding spots that a wheeled design couldn't get into. I'm not entirely convinced it's a “tank” given the lack of a turret but let's not quibble. As I mentioned above, it has a fusion engine, a 175-rated Magna design that gives it a flank speed of 86 kph. The fact that the Lyrans had a supply of those engines - it's not an engine type/rating combination there was a lot of call for on common 'Mechs or vehicles in 3025 - may suggest some interesting things about how they were able to put a new 260 fusion plant into service for the Rommel and Patton later on, or it may be indicative of an older engine plant that was still online with nothing else to do. Either way, it's a bit enigmatic. Defiance engineers put a reasonable amount of armor for the size on, 6 tons arranged 32/24/16. I might have considered spreading a little more on the back plates - sooner or later, you're going to have to run for the ammo carriers to reload if nothing else - but overall, not bad. The fun part is, as usual, the weapons. The primary armament is a FarFire Maxi-Rack LRM 20 fed by two tons of ammunition. Given the armor, that's basically sufficient but short, although later on, you're lacking the ability to maintain combat endurance and still carry something like Thunders to take advantage of the rack size. The rear-facing flamer can deter infantry but it's also frequently used to set fires for cover. We also get this gem in TRO3039: “Stories of Hunter crews using the flamer as an outdoor barbeque are probably untrue; the plasma weapon is ill suited for producing gentle grilling heat.”
One variant solves that ammo problem I mentioned with brute force by swapping the flamer for a larger ammo bin, although the fluff implies that it tends to lead to problems feeding the ammunition to the launcher. Swapping the LRMs for smaller racks and mounting secondary weapons isn't unknown, either. The LRM 10 model has two medium lasers in the front and two MGs on each side fed by a full ton of ammunition, while the LRM 15 variant drops the lasers. Each one retains two full tons of LRM ammo.
Beginning in 3053, Defiance worked on developing a new and improved Hunter. The results are a mixed bag and it definitely is
not “little different” - the details matter quite a bit. The engine was swapped out for a Doorman 140, reducing speed to 64 kph and losing the tank's ability to pace a cavalry formation. The armor was also reduced to 4 tons, though the switch to ferro-fibrous kept the damage down to a 27/15/14 arrangement. The payoff for these changes was a 50% increase in throw weight with two Coventry Star Fire LRM 15s, the same brand used on the
Zeus, and just to top it off, they added Artemis IV. The fine print is fairly important there, too - only two tons of ammunition means eight shots per launcher.
The first variant of the 3054 model to emerge traded one launcher out for an ERLL, using the tonnage saved from the lack of Artemis to wedge in another ton of ammo in the bargain. Not a bad direct fire unit, really. A couple more models turned up later on. One does the same sort of swap with a large pulse laser - not really a great idea in this case if you ask me. I'd rather have the ERLL's reach. The real prize for pure crazy variant for the entire Hunter family has to go to the “Assault Hunter” AKA the “Why Not Just Buy A Hetzer Hunter” with an Ultra/20 and three tons of ammunition.
During the Jihad, the Andrea County Armor Yards on Herzberg began experimenting with a major refit (“rebuild” might be more accurate) called the “Sea Hunter” Maritime Tank that significantly altered the design's mission profile. Not its visual profile, though. No, they took great pains to maintain looks similar to the original 3025 model's according to XTRO: Boondocks. The engine was replaced by a 140-rated extra-light fusion plant, restricting it to the speed of a 3054 model on the ground but freeing up significant tonnage for making this thing amphibious. And costing a lot compared to what you get. Normally I'm more willing than some posters to cut XLFE vehicles some slack but not this time. Four tons of heavy ferro-fibrous armor improves the matter to 30/18/13... well, mostly. Don't get backshot? The equipment load is suitably eclectic. The LRMs are swapped out for a pair of ten tube launchers, one enhanced LRM 10 rack (shorter minimum range, mainly) and one LRT 10 rack. Each one has one ton of ammunition, giving it a 12 round endurance. Given the intended mission role, this isn't a bad mixture of weapons, although I'll leave it to you to decide whether that mission role was a good idea to begin with. The rear has its own quirks. A crew escape pod provides some additional protection against a watery grave, while two mine dispensers typically filled with sea mines are definitely intended to help send your opponents to one. Finally, a cosmetic flamer was added.
In TRO:Prototypes, we see Defiance Industries' response from the early 3080s, the Hunter Maritime Tank. Replacing the engine with a cheaper and slightly heavier Doorman fuel cell, Defiance also eliminated the escape pod. Another ton of armor was added, arranged 21/21/19/17. They also went for a first in Hunter history by placing the Delta Dart II Enhanced LRM 10 launcher in a turret, although the Naval Dart-S LRT 10 (with license from Galtor Naval Yards, builders of the Neptune) remains fixed forward. The mine dispensers (now Defiance Aqua-Drops) are still there, although they pulled the cosmetic flamer. Overall, this is a much more practical version of the original Sea Hunters and while definitely a niche unit, some situations and some commanders can probably find it rewarding. Based on sales to date, though, most prospective customers aren't terribly impressed.
The land-based Hunters need to use one of two basic techniques, depending on whether they're opting for direct or indirect fire. In the former case, try to find a commanding but sheltered position with a nice, long LOS to snipe at your victims. In the latter, hard cover is the order of the day. Either way, bring friends. Guards are helpful, so is something to go right into someone's face to get their attention. Sea Hunters are odd enough that I'm not sure what to recommend, although they're better in direct-fire and do have the advantage of the LRT. If you need to cut off access to a critical stream or keep 'Mechs out of certain waters, it could be pretty useful.
AMS is handy to blunt a Hunter's attacks, but your primary tool to squash one is a something nasty to hit it with. Faster units can dart under the LRMs (and brave the lasers on certain models) to kill the Hunters by striking the flanks, while a lot of heavier units can brave the fire to kill them with concentrated PPC, Gauss, or LRM fire. Whatever you do, try not to march straight into a whole lance of them rippling LRMs off - they're not that heavily armed but it's just not a good idea. Against the navalized variants, assuming you have something mobile enough to play that game, I recommend getting around at the least the torpedoes to hit the flanks.
References: The general family is found
here on the MUL, although you'll need to look elsewhere for the
Sea Hunter. Three miniatures of what look to be the 3025 model are viewable on
CamoSpecs.
