Imperial Vehicles: Vanguard-Class Infantry Fighting Vehicle

ST/HP: 80

Hand/SR: +2/4

HT: 11f

Move: 4/70 (+9)

LWt.: 5

Load: 1.2

SM: +4

Occ.: 12S

DR: 500/200*

Range: 100,000

Cost: $4.25M

Loc.: Xt

*The Vanguard IFV has a DR 500 frontal armor; the rest of the armor is DR 200; the open mount on top includes a forward gun shield with DR 200. All armor is composite and EMA (triple DR vs plasma weapons and shaped charge attacks)

Notes

Standard Imperial Ground Vehicle Electronics:

• Medium Ultra-Scanner: 30-mile scan, 3-mile imaging/bioscan; 360°;
  
  
• Targeting Computer: +5 to hit target with a scan-lock.
  
  
• Night Vision Sensors: +9 nightvision, ×8 magnification (up to +3 to aimed attacks, if the vehicle aims for three turns).
  
  
• Tactical ESM: +1 to dodge missiles.
  
  
• Inertial Compass: +3 to Navigation
  
  
• Medium Holographic Radio: 1,000 mile range (orbital); “palm sized” holographic console.
  
  
• Hyperium Fusion Reactor: With sufficient fuel for 1 month of operations.
  
  
• Life Support: Sealed, with NBC filters and environmental control, and one hour of air.
  
  
• Security: Simple Electronic Locks.
  
  

The Vanguard has a crew of two people, a driver and a gunner. The control spaces connect, as one long bench similar to the control space of a semi-truck. The gunner can take up a seat next to the driver and, as all controls are computerized, either can control the vehicle. The gunner can also open a hatch above and take control of the open-mount weapons to attack personnel. The rear of the Vanguard contains enough space for 10, fully armed and armored imperial soldiers. The vehicle also includes sufficient cargo space for 5 reloads for all of its armaments, or additional equiment for soldiers about (200 lbs of cargo space).

The Vanguard has three major armaments. The open mount contains a 40mm electro-magnetic grenade launcher (typically loaded with Plasma warheads, but might be loaded with riot gas or plasma-lance warheads, depending on its expected usage) and an anti-personnel blaster autocannon.  While generally controlled directly by the gunner, the open mount can be remotely controlled from within the vehicle, though at a -1 penalty. The vehicle also has mini smoke-launchers located around the vehicle, capable of discharging a cloud of smoke around itself up to 5 times. In battle, this tends to be generic smoke, but when used as a riot vehicle, it might be loaded with riot gas.

Weapon	Dmg	Acc	Range	Ewt	RoF	Shots	ST	Bulk	Rcl
EMGL	6d×4 burn ex	4	300/2000	65	1	20(5)	14M	-8	2
Blaster Auto-Cannon	6d×2 (5) burn	9	400/1200	70	8	300/Ep	21M	-10	2

Look and Feel

The Vanguard IFV has a sleek, streamlined exterior, and smooth black, white, grey or chromed armor that gleams in sunlight. It grows bulkier and blockier towards the back and the open mount ruins atop it, imposing and intimidating, ruins some of its perfect lines. It is slightly larger than the Vanquisher-class hover tank, mostly thanks to its large infantry compartment, and its repulsorlift engines have a similarly deep thrum when operating.

The crew sit in the front in a roomy set of seats joined together, so the two crewmen can talk to one another easily; both can be accessed via an electronically controlled seamless hatch (a press of a panel will get it to automatically rise), with the latter hatch arranged to allow the gunner to pass back and forth from the open mount to his own seat. The rear interior is roomy enough for 10 soldiers. The interior has stark white glow blocked by interior railing and armor creating a chiaroscuro effect within that makes it both well-lit and gloomy at the same time. The interior has a few benches and hand-holds, enough for all ten soldiers to secure themselves.

The Vanguard sees two uses in the Valorian Empire. Imperial Security makes use of them as riot-control vehicles. A soldier glares ominously from the open mount as the vehicle’s sound projector system blasting propaganda or commands to disperse. During such operations, the Vanguard contains ten paramilitary security agents and its smoke launchers contain riot gas (the EMGL is usually also loaded with riot gas), ready to deploy and disperse a particularly unruly crowd. In this capacity, it also operates as troop transport for paramilitary security operations (such as hostage crises). As a military vehicle, a Vanguard generally deploys as part of a mass invasion, joining Vanquishers and other highly mobile vehicles in a Legion-class super-carrier, and deploying typically from some distance away (usually outside of the range of a local planetary shield or artillery bombardment) and then races towards it target. Such invasions tend to be spear-headed by Vanquisher-class hover-tanks, but Vanguard-class IFVs follow close behind. Once the enemy has been met in battle, the Vanguards disgorge their soldiers, and begin to support their units with suppressive fire from the EMGL and autocannon and offering cover with the well-armored vehicle sides. A Vanguard cannot stand up to a tank, but it cannot be easily defeated by small-arms fire either.