The idea of a Steiner company purchasing Marik weapons and then selling the completed weapon system back to the FWLM was just too interesting a concept to let go.
Archer Light Air Defence Vehicle
Mass: 35 tons
Movement Type: Wheeled
Power Plant: VOX FC 190
Cruising Speed: 64.8 kph
Maximum Speed: 97.2 kph
Armor: StarSlab /1
Armament:
1 Surefire Minigun Machine Gun
2 Imperator Smoothie-2 AC/2
Manufacturer: Gienah Combat Vehicles
Primary Factory: Gienah
Communication System: O/P COMSET M8
Targeting & Tracking System: O/P 3100AD
Introduction Year: 3025
Tech Rating/Availability: E/X-D-D-D
Cost: 680,717 C-bills
Overview
The Archer Light Air Defense Vehicle grew out of a need for a relatively fast,
inexpensive, and rapidly deployable air defense vehicle. Gienah Combat
Vehicles, long known for their dependable work, submitted a design that fit all
the requirements laid out in the LCAF request.
Gienah included a design component, though, that raised some eyebrows in
the Lyran command that almost led to the cancellation of the bid. The main
weapons listed were light autocannons that were manufactured by Imperator
Automatic Weaponry, a company in the Free Worlds League. The weapon had
a reputation almost as solid as Gienahs, but it took some negotiating on the
part of Gienah Combat Vehicles to get past that. The go-ahead for the design
was given, and the little vehicle soon went into production.
Capabilities
The primary purpose for the Archer is air defence, and its main weaponry is
centered on this role. The paired Imperator Smoothie-2 autocannon are highly
accurate, have a high rate of fire, and a long range. While they don't have much
impact on their own, the weapons are intended to damage the control surfaces of
incoming fighters and bombers and not to take down 'Mechs. The turret they are
mounted in is designed to allow the weapons to reach a near-vertical angle, and
the specially strengthened turret ring allows the weapons to be brought to bear
very quickly.
The O/P 3100 AD targeting system was based on existing systems, but configured
primarily for air-defence work. Like similar systems, the 3100 AD allows for a
landline connection between vehicles in a lance to tie them into one air defence
network and magnifying the effect of the autocannon by training them all on one
target.
The limitation of the size of the vehicle in comparison to its weapons is that it has
little in terms of self defense. With only 5 tons of armor and a single SureFire Minigun,
the best defense an Archer under attack has is to retreat and call on other units.
Deployment
The Archer is most commonly seen in air defence artillery units with both the LCAF
and the FWLM. In both cases, the little vehicle is often assigned to units that are
attached to larger units as needed to provide extra air defence as needed. The low
cost of the Archer has also led to smaller orders from other customers, primarily
mercenary units that make use of vehicles as well as some Periphery states friendly
with either the Lyran Commonwealth or the Free Worlds League.
Type: Archer Light Air Defence Vehicle
Technology Base: Inner Sphere (Standard)
Movement Type: Wheeled
Tonnage: 35
Battle Value: 392
Equipment Mass
Internal Structure 3.5
Engine 190 Fuel Cell 9
Cruising MP: 6
Flank MP: 9
Heat Sinks: 1 0
Control Equipment: 2.0
Power Amplifier: 0.0
Turret: 1.5
Armor Factor 80 5
Internal Armor
Structure Value
Front 4 20
R/L Side 4/4 16/16
Rear 4 12
Turret 4 16
Weapons
and Ammo Location Tonnage
Trailer Hitch Rear 0.0
Machine Gun Front 0.5
2 AC/2s Turret 12.0
AC/2 Ammo (45) Body 1.0
Half Machine Gun Ammo (100) Body 0.5
