Alamo Armory T-113-ADV Air Defense Vehicle:

"Alamo Armory has been accused by their competitors as being cut rate, no better than Chipwell Armaments. Either that or they say that our vehicles are no better than converted Pre-Rifts designs with all of their inherent maintenance nightmares."

"Lets be honest here. Our designs are not pretty and don't have many of the bells and whistles which out competitors have. How many of those bells and whistles do you ever use though? Likely none. Do you really want a robot design to serve your purpose when it costs twenty times as much as ours and requires specialized training?"

"No, our designs are not as our competitors have stated. They are not inferior products and are constructed from modern composites and alloys so are extremely tough. The simple fact is that they cannot compete so instead they attempt to misrepresent our products."

"If you want a combat vehicle which works, have a limited budget, but still want a top quality design, Alamo Armory is your only choice."

Alamo Armory is a fairly small vehicle manufacturing located in what was once the American Empire states of Texas. The facility is a converted automobile manufacturing which has been fully restored to capacity. Unfortunately, the facility was fairly small and the company has found itself unable to keep up with demand. Still, many of the companies which also produce military vehicles feel threatened by the company and have resorted to a smear campaign against them. Alamo Armory is looking for ways to expand production. One of there best options is to work with Golden Age on producing the design.

The founders who formed the company include people who left Golden Age Weaponsmiths as well as some who escaped the Coalition when they took over Iron Heart Industries. There was agreement between the founders that there would be no vendetta against the Coalition but that the company would be started for profit. What the individuals who came from Iron Heart Industries of course has to be wondered about. As well, there have been the suggestion that the company is actually part of Golden Age but both companies denies this.

The products produced by Alamo Armory are not low quality or converted Pre-Rifts designs but are new built vehicles based on the Pre-Rifts M-113 Armored Personnel Carrier. In spite of the design having been developed in the Nineteen-Fifties, it is still an extremely flexible platform which was used for scores of different purposes. Unlike Chipwell Armaments, old fashion materials are not used but instead advanced composites and alloys are used. They are not the most advanced materials available but are still extremely strong and durable.

Alamo Armory produces several designs as well based on the T-113 platform. These designs include an Armored Personnel Carrier, an Infantry Fighting Vehicle, a Self-Propelled Mortar, an Air Defense Vehicle, and a longer ranged missile platform. There is likely several other prototype designs which may be produced if the company is able to expand its basic production.

Each design uses as most of the basic chassis as possible. This allows a great reduction in logistics and construction. Another advantage is that they are quite homogenous in tactical terms. They have the same basic speed and are all amphibious. They also all have the same basic range of around six hundred miles with a top speed of around forty-five miles per hour. On the water, the vehicle is much slower, only around four miles per hour. It uses the tracks for propulsion on the water.

The power plant is a diesel / electric hybrid designed to run on a variety of different fuel types and qualities. The fuel which is available after the coming of the Rifts is often not of the best quality. As well, bio-diesel fuel is often the most common available fuel. A fusion power plant, as is run in most competitors designs, would have been too expensive. It is likely that some purchasers may replace the standard diesel plant with an off the shelf fusion plant, most likely from the mountaineer.

The vehicle is designed around a crew of three. One is the driver while the other two operate the missile launchers and the fire control systems. Most of the Alamo Armory designs are only outfitted with basic optics. The Air Defense Version does mount a short range tracking and fire control radar system. Along with the fire control computer, it is not manufactured by Alamo Armory but instead a variety of sources for the systems are used. Some of the providers of the system are the same as most complain about the quality of Alamo Armory designs. It is similar to the systems carried in most robot vehicles. The radar system and the missile launchers are a single unit which retracts when not in use. While primarily designed to track airborne targets, the system can also track targets on the ground.

Many air defense vehicle are armed with an auto-cannon, laser, or other close range weapon systems. As well, many are armed with medium range missile batteries. Single cannon or beam armed versions can only target a single missile or aircraft at a time and not enough medium range missiles can be carried to be effective. The Alamo Armory version mounts neither but instead relies on a pair of short range missile box launchers. Usually faster anti-air type missiles are used. Like the radar system, the missile launchers are not manufactured by Alamo Armory but are purchased from Wellington Industries. They retract when not in use and to reload. They have a three hundred and sixty degree rotation and the whole platform rotates. The pair of short range missile launchers each have four short range missiles ready to fire and the vehicle carries a total of twenty-eight short range missiles per launcher as reloads in addition to the four in each launcher for a total of sixty-four missiles. The missiles take up the entire troop compartment and there is no space for personnel beyond the driver and two crew. Each though each launcher has a relatively small capacity, reloading takes only moments allowing it to rapidly engage incoming missiles.

The vehicle does carry a automatic grenade launcher for defense against close in infantry attacks. It is normally controlled by one of the crew which operate the missile and fire control systems. A total of four hundred rounds are carried, half of what is carried in the armored personnel carrier version. The vehicle also has standard a pair of smoke grenade dispensers. Prismatic Aerosol and decoy grenades are also available. The vehicle can also have special claymore mines outfitted to the sides for additional protection against attacking infantry.

Model Type: Alamo Armory T-113-ADV
Vehicle Type: Armored Air Defense Vehicle
Crew: Three (Driver and two Missile / Fire Control Operators)

M. D. C. by Location:

	[1] Tractor Treads (2):	50 each
	[2] Short Range Radar Array (Retractable):	60
	WI WI-54S Short Range Missile Box Launchers (2, Retractable):	40 each
	WI-GL21 Automatic Grenade Launcher:	40
	WI-CL3 "Super Claymore" Mine - Optional (6, sides and front):	20 each
	[3] Smoke / Gas Dispensers (2):	20 each
	[3] Headlights (2):	10 each
	Rear Hatch:	80
	Reinforced Crew Compartment:	80
	Reinforced Missile Bay:	80
	[4] Main Body:	280

Notes:
[1] Depleting the M.D.C. of a tread will immobilize the platform until it is replaced. Replacing a tread will take 1D6x10 minutes by a trained crew (2 replacements are carried on board) or three times as long by the inexperienced. Changing the tread is only advisable when the vehicle is not under attack.
[2] Missiles mount targeting systems but system can no longer track and target multiple incoming missiles simultaneously.
[3] These are small and difficult targets to strike, requiring the attacker to make a "called shot," but even then the attacker is -4 to strike.
[4] If all the M.D.C. of the main body is depleted, the vehicle is completely shut down and is unsalvageable.

Speed:
Ground: Maximum speed on land is 45 mph (72.4 kph.) The vehicle is designed to traverse virtually all terrain and can climb at up to a 60% grade although at a much slower speed (About 10% of maximum road speed). It can also climb barriers and ford trenches. The vehicle can also handle side slopes of up to 40%.
Water Capabilities: The T-113-ADV Air Defense Vehicle is designed to be amphibious and can cross small bodies of water. It is not designed for deep water use. The T-113-ADV can travel in this manner at 4.0 mph (6.4 kph/3.5 knots).
Maximum Range: 620 miles (997.8 km)

Statistical Data:
Height: 6.06 feet (1.85 meters) to hull top and 9.35 feet (2.85 meters) when retractable radar system is extended
Width: 8.81 feet (2.866 meter)
Length: 15.95 feet (4.863 meters)
Weight: 24,691.8 pounds (11,200 kg) empty, 27,557.8 pounds (12,500 kg) combat loaded, and 30,423.8 pounds (13,800 kg) maximum load.
Power Source: Conventional, Diesel / Electric Hybrid developing 300 hp
Cargo Capacity: Without missiles, can carry up to 2.0 tons (1.81 metric tons)
Black Market Cost: 650,000 Credits for standard model. Super Claymore Mines cost 30,000 Credits (for six.)

Weapon Systems:

1. WI-GL21 Automatic Grenade Launcher: Replaces the .50 Machine Gun in the original M-113. It is mounted in a pintle mound which has a 360 degree rotation and can angle up to 60 degrees. Mostly designed for anti-personnel, the weapon is extremely powerful and can damage other armored vehicles as well. As a result, many crews use the armor piercing round even with a smaller blast radius. The gunner is outside the vehicle when he uses the weapon mount.
   Maximum Effective Range: 3,000 feet (914 meters)
   Mega-Damage: 4D6 for Fragmentation with a blast area of 12 feet (3.6 meters) and 1D4x10 for Armor Piercing with a blast area of 3 feet (0.9 meter), burst of 10 rounds does 2D6x10 for Fragmentation with a blast area of 40 feet (12 meters) and 3D6x10 for Armor Piercing with a blast area of 8 feet (2.4 meters.)
   Rate of Fire: Equal to combined hand to hand attacks of gunner.
   Payload: 400 Rounds.
2. WI-54S Short Range Missile Box Launchers (2, Retractable): Mounted in the rear of the vehicle is a pair of box launchers which retract when not in use and when reloading. The launchers rotate together 360 degrees and have a 90 degree arc of fire. The missile launchers reload extremely rapidly and are ready to be fire on the next attack. The system is designed to be able to target multiple incoming missiles simultaneously.
   Note: SAM style missiles are missiles that sacrifice payload for higher speeds, see Chris Curtis' modified missile table for specifics.
   Maximum Effective Range: Varies by short range missile type (Use Revised bomb and missile table - SAM style missiles normally.)
   Mega-Damage: Varies by short range missile type (Use Revised bomb and missile table - SAM style missiles normally.)
   Rate of Fire: One at a time or in volleys of 2, 4, or 8 missiles simultaneously (both launchers fire as one.) Launchers retract and are ready to fire for next melee attack.
   Payload: Four (4) short range missiles each launcher for eight (8) total. The vehicle carries twenty-four (24) missiles as reloads for each launcher for a total of sixty-four (64) missiles total. If a launcher is damaged, those missiles cannot be accessed except manually.
3. Six (6) WI-CL3 "Super Claymore" Mine (Optional): Two are positioned on either side with two in front. None are in the rear of the vehicle. Mounted on armored plates which prevent the mines from doing damage to the vehicle itself. Derived from the pre-Rifts claymore mine, this weapon is extremely effective. It is slightly larger than the original Claymore mine and has 1000 super dense alloy spheres instead of steel balls and is backed by two pounds (0.9 kg) of powerful advanced explosive instead of the original C4 plastic explosive. The "Super Claymore" operates in a similar fashion to the original mine and creates a fan of projectiles for a 328 foot (100 meter) cone with a 60 degree arc of danger. Generally the Super Claymore is activated by the crew when it looks like the vehicle will be overrun.
   Maximum Effective Range: 820 feet (250 meters)
   Mega Damage: Front 60-degree horizontal Cone of Mine: 2D6x10 MD for a 164 foot (50 meter) range, 1D4x10 MD for a 328 foot (100 meter) range, and 2D6 MD for a 820 foot (250 meter) range. Sides of Mine: 4D6 MD for a 66 foot (20 meter) range and 2D6 MD for a 328 foot (100 meter) range.
   Rate of Fire: Each mine single use only.
   Payload: Six Mines.
4. Smoke Dispenser (2): Mounted on either side of the tank and launches smoke grenades. While other types of grenades can be used, they have been rarely carried. Recently, there has been consideration for the use of prismatic aerosol and decoy grenades to help protect the vehicle against lasers and other weaponry.
   Effect: Creates a cloud of smoke 40 ft (12 m) in diameter. Other special effects per grenade type
   Rate of Fire: Two per melee
   Range: 1,200 feet (365 m)
   Payload: Carries 12 smoke grenades per launcher.

Sensory Equipment:

• NBC Protection: While not full life support, the Armored vehicle is equipped with protection for the crew from most gas, radiation, and biological attacks.
• Nightvision Optics: Range: 2,000 ft (609 meters). Uses light amplification to make a picture. Emits no light but will not work in absolute darkness. System can be dazzled by sudden bright lights but does not physically blind the pilot.
• Thermo-Imager: Range: 2,000 feet (609 meters). Finds the infra-red radiations of things that are warm. Also enables pilot to see in smoke, shadows and darkness.
• Combat Computer/ Targeting Computer: Assist in the tracking of targets.
• Radar (Standard): 50 miles (80.5 km), can identify 96 targets and track 48 as low as 500 feet (152.4 meters.) Same as robots Maxi-Radar. Retracts when not in use.

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[ Rifts® is a registered trademark owned by Kevin Siembieda and Palladium Books Inc.]

By Kitsune (E-Mail Kitsune).

Copyright © 2008, Kitsune. All rights reserved.