Author Topic: 'Atomic Edgar' Regional Defense Armored Train  (Read 745 times)

AlphaMirage

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'Atomic Edgar' Regional Defense Armored Train
« on: 31 August 2024, 20:45:25 »
While thinking about my Battlesea Concept ( here )I was thinking of how to improve support vehicles to make them more interesting for an Ace Combat-esque so I used MegaMek to see what the biggest problem was (it's Item Slots BTW almost without exception) and wanted to build a few things to unmodified rules.

My first creation is Atomic 'Edgar' an atomic armored train that comes in 4 parts. The Prime Mover, a Long Tom Bombardment Car, Support Car, and the Rearguard Car with a total mass of 1,200 tons and cost of around 12 million c-bills (a 3025 Company roughly).

Atomic 'Edgar' Fission Prime Mover
Mass: 300 tons
Movement Type: Rail
Power Plant: Fission
Cruising Speed: 86.4 kph
Maximum Speed: 129.6 kph
Armor: BAR 10
Armament:
3 Chaff Pods
Cost: 3,217,913 C-bills

Background - The heart of 'Atomic Edgar' is in its Prime Mover, where a nuclear fission reactor heavier than a Warhammer powers the 1,200 ton apparatus at a reasonable speed (~43 kph or 4 if I read carrying capacity correctly) as it emerges from its concealed underground bunkers to disappear on rivers of iron throughout a planet. With such power at its heart the weapons and equipment onboard can continue operating as long as the crew can endure or until it runs out of rail.
   
Code: [Select]
Type: 'Atomic Edgar'
Chassis Type: Rail (Medium)
Technology Base: Inner Sphere (Advanced)
Mass: 300 tons
Battle Value: 686

Equipment                                         Mass (tons)
Chassis/Controls                                  216.0
Engine/Trans.                                      72.0
    Cruise MP:8
Flank MP:12
Heat Sinks                    0                     0.0
Fuel                                                0.0
Armor Factor (BAR 10)         134                   8.5

                          Internal   Armor   
                          Structure  Value   
     Front                   30        42   
     R/L Side              30/30     33/33   
     Rear                    30        26   

Notes:
Features Environmental Sealing, Armored Chassis, Tractor Chassis and Controls Modifications
Trailer Hitch
Searchlight(0.5 tons)
Chaff Pod(3; 1 ton each)

Atomic 'Edgar' Long Tom Bombardment Railcar
Mass: 300 tons
Movement Type: Rail
Armor: BAR 10
Armament:
2 Long Tom
Cost: 2,752,888 C-bill

Background - Our planet has salvaged a pair of Long Tom Artillery Pieces but rather than emplace them into static fortifications they were made the centerpiece of 'Atomic Edgars' firepower. Not only are they potent Anti-Air weapons when loaded with Flak Shells but the Davy Crockett-M nuclear shell is the only type that we have access to. The plutonium they run off frequently comes from the reprocessing of 'Edgars' reactor and the existence of nuclear radiation is why the train is environmentally sealed. If we should ever get into a 'hot war' again it might be the only thing that can reply.
    
Code: [Select]
Type: Atomic 'Edgar'
Chassis Type: Rail (Medium)
Technology Base: Inner Sphere (Advanced)
Mass: 300 tons
Battle Value: 1,093

Equipment                                         Mass (tons)
Chassis/Controls                                  150.0
Turret                                              6.0
Armor Factor (BAR 10)         154                  10.0

                          Internal   Armor   
                          Structure  Value   
     Front                   30        40   
     R/L Side              30/30     30/30   
     Rear                    30        24   
     Turret                  30        30   

Weapons
and Ammo              Location    Tonnage   
2 Long Tom             Turret       60.0   
Long Tom Ammo (50)      Body        10.0   

Cargo
    Bay 1: Cargo (50 tons)       1 Door   
    Bay 2: Infantry Compartment (14) 3 Doors

Notes:
Features Trailer, Armored Chassis, Environmental Sealing Chassis and Controls Modifications
Trailer Hitch(2)
Advanced Fire Control(6 tons)

'Atomic Edgar' Support Railcar
Mass:300 tons
Movement Type: Rail
Armor: BAR 10
Cost: 1,635,288 C-bills

Background - With such a long effective range and its reliance on rails it is important for 'Atomic Edgar' to become a reasonably self-sufficient fighting unit. As such it carries a pair of recon helicopters and Mechanized Hover Platoons to verify the rail ahead is intact, uncover ambushes, and spot for gun fire. The helicopters often serve a secondary function of providing replenishment for 'Atomic Edgar' and its crew.
    
Code: [Select]
Type: Atomic 'Edgar'
Chassis Type: Rail (Medium)
Technology Base: Inner Sphere (Advanced)
Mass: 300 tons
Battle Value: 420

Equipment                                         Mass (tons)
Chassis/Controls                                  144.0
Armor Factor (BAR 10)         154                  10.0

                          Internal   Armor   
                          Structure  Value   
     Front                   30        48   
     R/L Side              30/30     38/38   
     Rear                    30        30   

Cargo
    Bay 1:  Light Vehicle (2)       1 Door   
    Bay 2:  Infantry (Mech. Squad) (40)1 Door   
    Bay 3:  Cargo (6.0 tons)        1 Door   

Notes:
Features Trailer, Armored Chassis, Environmental Sealing Chassis and Controls Modifications
Trailer Hitch(2)
   
'Atomic Edgar' Rearguard Railcar
Mass:300 tons
Movement Type: Rail
Armor: BAR 10
Armament:
3 Gauss Rifle
6 Anti-Missile System
Cost: 4,368,788 C-bill

Background - As the tailing module of Atomic 'Edgar' this car must be able to defend itself from Aerospace Fighter attack and ambushing units. As such it has a Triple Turret of Gauss Rifles with abundant ammunition and Anti-Missile Systems in the remaining facings to intercept hostile attack on the best armed module aboard the train.
 
Code: [Select]
Type: 'Atomic Edgar' Rearguard Car
Chassis Type: Rail (Medium)
Technology Base: Inner Sphere (Advanced)
Mass: 300 tons
Battle Value: 1,315

Equipment                                         Mass (tons)
Chassis/Controls                                  148.5
Turret                                              4.5
Armor Factor (BAR 10)         154                  10.0

                          Internal   Armor   
                          Structure  Value   
     Front                   30        40   
     R/L Side              30/30     30/30   
     Rear                    30        24   
     Turret                  30        30   


Weapons
and Ammo                        Location    Tonnage   
2 Anti-Missile System             Rear        1.0     
2 Anti-Missile System             Left        1.0     
2 Anti-Missile System            Right        1.0     
3 Gauss Rifle                    Turret       45.0   
Anti-Missile System Ammo (72)     Body        6.0     
Gauss Rifle Ammo (72)             Body        9.0     

Cargo
    Bay 1:  Cargo (74.0 tons)       1 Door   

Notes:
Features Trailer, Armored Chassis, Environmental Sealing Chassis and Controls Modifications
Trailer Hitch
Advanced Fire Control(4.5 tons)

Daryk

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Re: 'Atomic Edgar' Regional Defense Armored Train
« Reply #1 on: 01 September 2024, 06:22:56 »
Interesting!  For extra AAA goodness, replace one or two of the Gauss Rifles in the rear car with Silver Bullet Gauss... ;)

Gorgon

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Re: 'Atomic Edgar' Regional Defense Armored Train
« Reply #2 on: 01 September 2024, 15:28:39 »
This gives me goosebumps. Love it, well done!
Jude Melancon lives!

AlphaMirage

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'Atomic Gabriel' Capital Missile Rail Launcher
« Reply #3 on: 01 September 2024, 17:50:03 »
'Atomic Gabriel' Super Heavy Capital Missile
Mass: 450 tons
Movement Type: Rail
Armor: Ballistic-Reinforced
Armament:
1 Killer Whale Capital Missile Launcher
Cost:2,285,420 C-bills

Background - With our President looking to invest in 'productive infrastructure' he looked toward 'Atomic Edgar' and decided that it needed brothers. Gabriel was the first additional unit to be built with a direct copy of 'Atomic Edgar's Prime Mover, the rearguard car, and a different array of supporting cars. Since the new railcars were much larger the railroads needed to be upgraded so additional tunnels, hideouts, roundtables, and reinforced bridges were installed to further enhance 'economic activity.' This investment not only increased civilian rail traffic to the hinterlands but the sunk cost gave the President the necessary authorization needed to greenlight Francis, Gabriel, and Michael's development. Due to the increased mass of the super-heavy rail cars the 'younger' brothers aren't as environmentally sealed, but considering their armament's stand-off range this is deemed acceptable.
    
Code: [Select]
Type: 'Atomic Gabriel'
Chassis Type: Rail (Large)
Technology Base: Inner Sphere (Advanced)
Mass: 450 tons
Battle Value: 959

Equipment                                         Mass (tons)
Chassis/Controls                                  162.0
Armor Factor (Ballistic-Reinforced)         228                  19.0

                          Internal   Armor   
                          Structure  Value   
     Front                   60        46   
     Front R/L Side        60/60     38/38   
     Rear R/L Side         60/60     38/38   
     Rear                    60        30   


Weapons
and Ammo                     Location    Tonnage   
Killer Whale Launcher      Front       150.0
Killer Whale Ammo (2)     Body       100.0   

Cargo
    Bay 1:  Cargo (17.0 tons)1 Door   

Notes:
Features Trailer, Armored Chassis Chassis and Controls Modifications
Advanced Fire Control

'Atomic Gabriel' Missile Command
Mass:150 tons
Movement Type: Rail
Armor: Ballistic-Reinforced
Armament:
3 LRM-5
1 Anti-Missile System
Cost: 916,360 C-bills (+64,000,000 if carrying a Peacemaker)

Background - In order to maintain the approved 1200 ton limit already established for the Prime Mover the support car for 'Atomic Gabriel' is appropriately downsized to 150 tons. Missile Command is not used to provide scouting support though, they are meant to be a bunker for the launch crew who can sit within Missile Command while a missile is launched as the launch module itself could not be environmentally sealed. An additional Killer Whale missile, often Gabriel's "Peacemaker" 500 kiloton nuclear missile is held within the cargo bay of Missile Command and loaded via an integrated lift hoist that will slide it into the secondary missile magazine. With an extensive communications room Missile Command can remain in contact with political and military leadership and receive codes to deploy its Nuclear Missile if authorized or use the conventional warheads for Anti-Air or even Anti-Orbital combat.

Code: [Select]
Type: 'Atomic Gabriel' Missile Command
Chassis Type: Rail (Medium)
Technology Base: Inner Sphere (Advanced)
Mass: 150 tons
Battle Value: 370

Equipment                                         Mass (tons)
Chassis/Controls                                  73.95
Turret                                              1.0
Armor Factor (Ballistic-Reinforced)         78                    6.5

                          Internal   Armor   
                          Structure  Value   
     Front                   15        21   
     R/L Side              15/15     15/15   
     Rear                    15        12   
     Turret                  15        15   

Weapons
and Ammo                        Location    Tonnage   
LRM 5 Ammo (24)                   Body        1.0     
Anti-Missile System Ammo (12)     Body        1.0     
AR10 Killer Whale Ammo (1)        Body        50.0   
3 LRM 5                          Turret       6.0     
Anti-Missile System              Turret       0.5     

Notes:
Features Trailer, Armored Chassis, Environmental Sealing Chassis and Controls Modifications
Trailer Hitch(2)
Communications Equipment (1 ton)(7; 1 ton each)
Lift Hoist/Arresting Hoist(3 tons)
Additional Seating (26)

Like 'Atomic Edgar' 'Atomic Gabriel' uses the same rear-guard railcar with its triple Gauss turret and missile defenses. Total Unit Cost of ~11 million c-bills or ~75 million if equipped with a Peacemaker.

AlphaMirage

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'Atomic Francis and Michael' IADS
« Reply #4 on: 01 September 2024, 18:22:34 »
Background - The youngest of the "Atomic Quad" are 'Francis' and 'Michael,' both are equipped with Barracuda capital missiles and two pairs of Arrow IV launchers in turrets all of which are meant to provide strategic anti-air defense as part of our integrated air defense rather than a powerful surface to surface deterrent like 'Edgar' or 'Gabriel.'

Atomic 'Francis' and 'Michael' IADS
Mass: 450 tons
Movement Type: Rail
Armor: BAR 10
Armament:
        4 Arrow IV
                1 Barracuda
Cost: 6,361,338 C-bills
    
Code: [Select]
Type: Atomic 'Francis' and 'Michael'
Chassis Type: Rail (Large)
Technology Base: Inner Sphere (Advanced)
Mass: 450 tons
Battle Value: 1,397

Equipment                                         Mass (tons)
Chassis/Controls                                  168.0
Turret                                              6.0
Armor Factor (BAR 10)         229                  14.5

                          Internal   Armor   
                          Structure  Value   
     Front                   45        43   
     Front R/L Side        45/45     32/32   
     Rear R/L Side         45/45     32/32   
     Rear                    45        26   
     Turret                  45        32   


Weapons
and Ammo                                        Location    Tonnage   
Barracuda Capital Missile Launcher   Front                  90.0
Barracuda Capital Missiles (3)            Body                  90.0
4 Arrow IV                                       Rear Turret       60.0   
Arrow IV Air-Defense Arrow Missiles Ammo (40)     Body        8.0

Cargo
    Bay 1:  Cargo (13.5 tons)       1 Door   

Notes:
Features Trailer, Armored Chassis Chassis and Controls Modifications
Trailer Hitch(2)
Advanced Fire Control(6 tons)

Atomic 'Francis' and 'Michael'' Missile Command
Mass: 150 tons
Movement Type: Rail
Armor: BAR 10
Cost: 521,760 C-bills

Background - Since the main launch module is more heavily armed with Arrow IV the missile command module for 'Francis' and 'Michael' are unarmed and this enables them to carry a pair of additional Barracuda reloads. While they only have 'five' shots this is doctrinally fine as the reloading process should be conducted where aerial observation can be prevented such as within a tunnel or beneath a bridge.
 
Code: [Select]
Type: Atomic 'Francis' and 'Michael' Missile Command
Chassis Type: Rail (Medium)
Technology Base: Inner Sphere (Advanced)
Mass: 150 tons
Battle Value: 95

Equipment                                         Mass (tons)
Chassis/Controls                                  73.95
Engine/Trans.                                       0.0
    Cruise MP:0
Flank MP:0
Heat Sinks                    0                     0.0
Fuel                                                0.0
Armor Factor (BAR 0)          72                    6.0

                          Internal   Armor   
                          Structure  Value   
     Front                   15        22   
     R/L Side              15/15     18/18   
     Rear                    15        14   


Weapons
and Ammo                  Location    Tonnage   
Barracuda Ammo (2)     Body        60.0   

Notes:
Features Trailer, Armored Chassis, Environmental Sealing Chassis and Controls Modifications
Trailer Hitch(2)
Communications Equipment (1 ton)(7; 1 ton each)
Lift Hoist/Arresting Hoist(3 tons)

Daryk

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Re: 'Atomic Edgar' Regional Defense Armored Train
« Reply #5 on: 01 September 2024, 18:25:58 »
Well, the system will work great until the rails are targeted from orbit... ;)

AlphaMirage

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Re: 'Atomic Edgar' Regional Defense Armored Train
« Reply #6 on: 01 September 2024, 19:29:45 »
Well, the system will work great until the rails are targeted from orbit... ;)

You gotta bring something capable of orbital bombardment...and be willing to risk it. Trains can hide from overhead observation, you'd have to send in ground forces to be sure they were neutralized. Ground forces that will be at elevated risk of potentially nuclear ordnance. It would make for an interesting engagement however.

Daryk

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Re: 'Atomic Edgar' Regional Defense Armored Train
« Reply #7 on: 01 September 2024, 19:33:17 »
True, but rails can't... ;)

AlphaMirage

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Re: 'Atomic Edgar' Regional Defense Armored Train
« Reply #8 on: 01 September 2024, 19:55:07 »
True, but rails can't... ;)

True but they can be repaired by Mechanized Railroad Combat Engineers (Wheeled/Rail) as seen below.

Rails have a CF of 20 (according to TacOps, IMO should be higher but alas) and Bridge-Building Combat Engineers can build a CF 40 Medium Bridge (also according to TacOps) so Railroad Combat Engineers can replace a rail hex if its destroyed or damaged in 6 turns. A Mechanized Railroad Infantry Platoon has a Transport Weight of 22 tons (1+0.1) x 20 Troops and can move along rails as they would a road hex (5 MP) otherwise they move at half-speed (2 MP) due to their specialized vehicles.

Daryk

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Re: 'Atomic Edgar' Regional Defense Armored Train
« Reply #9 on: 01 September 2024, 20:02:26 »
30 meters a minute?  WOW!

RifleMech

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Re: 'Atomic Edgar' Regional Defense Armored Train
« Reply #10 on: 03 September 2024, 02:31:29 »
True but they can be repaired by Mechanized Railroad Combat Engineers (Wheeled/Rail) as seen below.

Rails have a CF of 20 (according to TacOps, IMO should be higher but alas) and Bridge-Building Combat Engineers can build a CF 40 Medium Bridge (also according to TacOps) so Railroad Combat Engineers can replace a rail hex if its destroyed or damaged in 6 turns. A Mechanized Railroad Infantry Platoon has a Transport Weight of 22 tons (1+0.1) x 20 Troops and can move along rails as they would a road hex (5 MP) otherwise they move at half-speed (2 MP) due to their specialized vehicles.


I'd wondered where the engineers were. An engineering vehicle might be good too.

PeripheryExplorer

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Re: 'Atomic Edgar' Regional Defense Armored Train
« Reply #11 on: 07 September 2024, 07:39:24 »
Everything about this train makes my Taurian heart flutter as if I was having my first school aged crush.

We need one installed on every planet, starting with New Vandenberg. Budget-smudgets. The heart of every Taurian is built on fissionable material, they shall love this train.

***

This is amazing. I love this. Everything about it is awesome. And you could even assign a lance of BattleMechs to guard it too. Or give it a VTOL escort. Having a rail car that provides manufacturing would be extra amazing, so that it could repair itself, build more ammo, repair the rails - heck you could even make it so that it provides services to little villages that get hit. Add a MASH car and you've got a mobile base and good will train that will absolutely justify the investment.

This is so cool!

Wrangler

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Re: 'Atomic Edgar' Regional Defense Armored Train
« Reply #12 on: 07 September 2024, 11:22:05 »
Wow, it a nice seeing such unique vehicle. Is this being used for any kind of any kind of story you're writing, AlphaMirage?
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AlphaMirage

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Re: 'Atomic Edgar' Regional Defense Armored Train
« Reply #13 on: 07 September 2024, 11:47:49 »
Wow, it a nice seeing such unique vehicle. Is this being used for any kind of any kind of story you're writing, AlphaMirage?

Not particularly, it and Thomas and Friends and Whistler are actually more an experiment for Point Barrow's Guide to Conventional War which will become more a key thing for my BattleSea concept. Although the 'Brothers of Iron' might make for an interesting short story.