Cutter multirole Naval Hydrofoil

[maxcarrion]

The Cutter is a high speed Naval Hydrofoil designed to deal with a multitude of situations
A sizable infantry/cargo capacity makes the Cutter an excellent launch for boarding and customs actions as well as providing additional troops in an amphibious assault
The main turret sports a PPC for a capable punch and quad light machine guns to rake infantry and suppress crew from any deck, these weapons are also lethal to a hovercraft on water
Additionally a pair of LRT-5s fixed forward allow the Cutter to operate in an anti-submersible role, especially in cases like submerged mechs where even light torpedo strikes can cause hull breaches

Often carried by larger vessels like the Imagineer Light Support Cruiser the Cutter provides additional capacity and punch for these vessels

Code: [Select]

Cutter

Mass: 50 tons
Tech Base: Inner Sphere
Motive Type: Naval (Hydrofoil)
Rules Level: Tournament Legal
Era: All Eras (non-canon)
Tech Rating/Era Availability: E/X-X-E-A
Production Year: 0
Cost: 2,430,556 C-Bills
Battle Value: 984

Power Plant:  145 Fusion Engine
Cruise Speed: 86.4 km/h
Flanking Speed: 129.6 km/h
Armor:  Heavy Ferro-Fibrous
Armament:
    1  PPC
    2  LRT-5s
    4  Light Machine Guns
    1  Infantry Bay (6.0 tons)
Manufacturer:
    Primary Factory:
Communications System:
Targeting and Tracking System:

================================================================================
Equipment           Type                         Rating                   Mass 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Internal Structure: Standard                      25 points                5.00
Engine:             Fusion Engine                145                       7.50
    Cruise MP:  8
    Flank MP:   12
Heat Sinks:         Single Heat Sink             10                        0.00
Control Equipment:                                                         2.50
Lift Equipment:                                                            5.00
Turret:                                                                    1.00
Armor:              Heavy Ferro-Fibrous          AV - 168                  8.50

                                                      Armor     
                                                      Factor     
                                               Front     41       
                                          Left/Right   33/33       
                                              Turret     34       
                                                Rear     27       

================================================================================
Equipment                                 Location    Heat     Spaces     Mass 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2 LRT-5s                                     FR        4         2         4.00
PPC                                          T         10        1         7.00
4 Light Machine Guns                         T         0         4         2.00
Infantry Bay (6.0 tons)                      BD        0         1         6.00
@LRT-5 (24)                                  BD        -         0         1.00
@LMG (1/2) (100)                             BD        -         0         0.50

BattleForce Statistics
MV      S (+0)  M (+2)  L (+4)  E (+6)   Wt.   Ov   Armor:      6    Points: 10
8n         2       2       2       0      2     0   Structure:  3
Special Abilities: TUR(2/2/1)



[truetanker]

What's more funny is that you could go LL/ML turret with 1 extra SHS for the same weight as your PPC WITHOUT minimums. Also adds more damage profile. While it may not be cool, it would be cost effective if she had an ICE engine... slower yeah, but more logistical. Also have you looked at a possible LRT in the Turret for non-frontal snapshots? I can see a variant that drops a Infantry Bay ( 3 ton ) for added LRM-5 w/ ammo for indirect light shore support missions.

TT

[maxcarrion]

What's more funny is that you could go LL/ML turret with 1 extra SHS for the same weight as your PPC WITHOUT minimums. Also adds more damage profile. While it may not be cool, it would be cost effective if she had an ICE engine... slower yeah, but more logistical. Also have you looked at a possible LRT in the Turret for non-frontal snapshots? I can see a variant that drops a Infantry Bay ( 3 ton ) for added LRM-5 w/ ammo for indirect light shore support missions.

TT

Yeah, LL/ML is the same weight profile, personally, for naval engagements I prefer the reach and punch of the PPC rather than closing to ML range but it's definitely a variation worth considering.
An ICE version would be very different - with no built in HS the PPC would have to go and it would lose some speed. Personally I would design an ICE hydrofoil from the ground up rather than making it a variation on this one.  In the timeline/AU this design is for fusion engine availability is fine cause if you're building an SFE hydrofoil you can build the engine
I can absolutely see a fire support variant, I would add 3 LRM 5, 2 tons of ammo for some serious ranged firepower.  Downgrading the PPC to 2 ERML and the 6ton bay to a 3 ton bay make space for it - not sure about spaces but if I run short then an extra ton of bay can be sacrificed to make the 3x5 into a 15.
You're probably right about the turret LRT.  My mental image was to stick the torpedo tubes underwater but it would be useful to be able to fire those LRT sideways and backwards