"My dear boy, the Horizonians aren't the "successors" to anything. Consider this: in all the long years of war, Horizon has never been conquered. Invaded, yes, but never surrendered. Never capitulated. And yes, they adopted feudalism as many others have, but their government has never been broken. Their rulers can trace a single legitimate line all the way back to the days of Amaris and Kerensky. So no, young man, they aren't successors of the Rim Worlds Republic. They ARE the Rim Worlds Republic. And if you doubt that, just look at that armored fighting vehicle parked over there and then tell me that this isn't so."
KEN-A1 Kentaurus IFV
Mass: 30 tons
Movement Type: Tracked
Power Plant: UVZ 150 Fuel Cell
Cruising Speed: 54 kph
Maximum Speed: 86.4 kph
Armor: Starshield
Armament:
1 Intek Medium Laser
1 Coventry Light Autogun Machine Gun
2 Harvester SRM 2s
1 Zippo Vehicular Flamer
Manufacturer: UVZ
Primary Factory: Horizon
Communication System: Basix 200
Targeting & Tracking System: ComStar Test-2
Introduction Year: 2998
Tech Rating/Availability: E/X-D-D-D
Cost: 566,800 C-bills
Overview
Most people looking at a Kentaurus for the first time might wonder if it was a replica of the infamous Ignis, stepped out from some old Star-League-Era holoreel and given life again. Ironically, this assumption would be entirely correct. The Kentaurus Infantry Fighting Vehicle is, in fact, a modified clone of the Rim World Republic's Ignis infantry support vehicle.
Capabilities
In an age where the regular infantryman is often considered to be ineffective and expendable, the concept of the IFV has largely fallen out of favor. The Kentaurus is the Royal Army's locally-produced counterpoint to this trend. Unlike an APC, the Kentaurus can safely deliver a platoon of infantry directly to a firefight and then continue to lend its considerable firepower for the duration of an engagement.
After the defects inherent to the design of the Ignis were identified and corrected, it was found to be a suitable candidate for conversion into a new infantry fighting vehicle. As a result the Kentaurus is, at first glance, mostly indistinguishable from the SRM variant of the Ignis. It shares the same hull, the same design cues, the same automotive assembly, and it has a slightly altered version of the same turret. Weaponry is also the same, aside from the characteristic addition of a Horizonian medium laser and the removal of the side flamers for a single front-mounted weapon. The two-ton SRM ammo bin is also retained, allowing crews to use both standard missiles and Infernos. With 9 tons of armor the Ignis was noted for being exceptionally well-armored for its size, perhaps excessively so. At 6.5 tons the Kentaurus offers a more practical but still-sturdy level of protection.
The Kentaurus differs from the Ignis in two other important aspects. The first is the exchange of the ICE for a hydrogen fuel-cell engine. Although this slightly reduces operational range compared to an ICE, the improved power-to-weight ratio allows the Kentaurus to reach speeds of 86 kph. Secondly, the removal of most of the vehicle's flamer ammunition allows the expanded infantry bay to accommodate an entire foot platoon.
Overall, the Kentaurus is a much more well-rounded vehicle than the Ignis. With its good combination of speed, firepower, and protection it performs well when pitted against vehicles and mechs of similar tonnage. Finally, while it is not quite the fire-breathing dragon that the Ignis was, it is still a fearsome foe when deployed against infantry.
Deployment
The Kentaurus is a relatively new vehicle, having been first fielded only 20 years ago. In that time it has proven itself to be reliable and versatile. Approximately 3-4 vehicles per month are produced at the UVZ plant on Horizon. It is the most important vehicle in the HRA's new mechanized infantry battalions.
History
There is still some lingering stigma associated with the Ignis because it was one of the chosen vehicles of Amaris. Indeed, the Ignis might not have ever been selected as the basis for the Kentaurus until a scrapping team discovered a complete set of schematics in an abandoned repair depot. Furthermore, Horizon still possesses a few partially-intact Ignis hulls in storage. This combination of convenient factors was enough to justify a jumping-off point for a redesign.
Type: Kentaurus IFV
Technology Base: Inner Sphere (Standard)
Movement Type: Tracked
Tonnage: 30
Battle Value: 496
Equipment Mass
Internal Structure 3
Engine 150 Fuel Cell 7
Cruising MP: 5
Flank MP: 8
Heat Sinks: 3 2
Control Equipment: 0.0
Power Amplifier: 0.5
Turret: 0.5
Armor Factor 104 6.5
Internal Armor
Structure Value
Front 3 26
R/L Side 3/3 20/20
Rear 3 18
Turret 3 20
Weapons
and Ammo Location Tonnage
Trailer Hitch Rear 0.0
Flamer Front 0.5
Medium Laser Turret 1.0
Machine Gun Turret 0.5
2 SRM 2 Turret 2.0
Vehicle Flamer Ammo (20) Body 1.0
SRM 2 Inferno Ammo (50) Body 1.0
SRM 2 Ammo (50) Body 1.0
Half Machine Gun Ammo (100) Body 0.5
Infantry Body 3.0
Note: This is a revised version of the Kentaurus from my New Horizons AU.
