Alamo Armory T-113-MOR Self-Propelled 120 mm Mortar:
"Every Mercenary Company needs fire support but missiles are just so expensive. Heavy gun artillery is large and cumbersome. A simple solution is the heavy mortar vehicle. Compact and having virtually the same potential effects as larger howitzers."
"Yes, several other companies produce heavy mortar vehicles but most cost around one and a half million credits. Previously, your only real choice was to by refitted pre rifts vehicles. Most are maintenance nightmares and are virtually worn out."
Alamo Armory has the solution, the T-113-MOR Self Propelled 120 mm Mortar. At less than half a million credits fully equipped, it can do everything that the higher priced mortar vehicles can. It uses the same chassis as out standard Armored Personnel Carrier for easy support."
"When your troops need fire support, call Alamo Armory. Quality at an affordable price."
- Sales Pitch by Lausanne Rose - Company Executive
Alamo Armory is an unusual company in that it specializes in the use of just one basic chassis, engines, and many of the same components for their combat vehicle designs. That chassis is an updated version of the M-113 Armored Personnel Carrier first introduced into the United States military in the Nineteen-Fifties. It is a simple yet highly functional design which lends itself to being adapted to many different roles. Their designs include an Armored Personnel Carrier, an Infantry Fighting Vehicle, a Self-Propelled Mortar, and a pair of missile platforms. While of reasonable quality, the vehicles often cost only a fraction of what other companies charge for their designs. In many cases, a whole army of these vehicles can be fielded for the cost of a single robot vehicle.
As might be expected by the name, Alamo Armory facility is in what was the American Empire state of Texas. It uses a restored pre-rifts automobile factory for their manufacturing. The company is small and demand far outstripped demand for these vehicles. Due to the low cost of their products, they are much in demand by various mercenary companies. The fact that all of the vehicles use the same chassis makes logistics extremely easy compared to designs which all use different chassis and similar capabilities also means that tactically they are easy to employ together.
The company only started after the collapse of Iron Heart Industries and several engineers who helped to found the company are originally from that company. Several others are from Golden Age Weaponsmiths originally. There has been some speculation that the company is really owned by Golden Age but the leadership of both companies denies the claim. The reason for the speculation appears to be the similarly between the Godlen Age upgraded M-113 design and Alamo Armory's designs.
The T-113M shares the same basic frame and chassis of the standard Armored Personnel Carrier although the vehicle is reinforced to better withstand the force of the 120 mm mortar firing. When buttoned up, the vehicle looks like a standard T-113 even. The design is far better armored than the various mortar vehicles refitted by Golden Age Weaponsmiths but not as heavily armored as the Iron Armory Centurion Mortar vehicle.
The vehicle does not have full life support systems although there is basic NBC protection. In most cases, the crew will be wearing full environmental body armor so they do not really even need that as far as protection. The vehicle has only basic optics including infra-red optics and basic radio systems. There is no radar system mounted in the vehicle and little in the way of advanced electronics which many companies fit in their designs.
The power plant is also identical to the standard model and retains the amphibious capacity of the original design. The vehicle has a top speed of approximately forty-five miles per hour and has a range of around six hundred miles on a full tank of fuel. The engine is an extremely efficient diesel and electric hybrid engine. With the poor quality control of fuels in many areas after the coming of the Rifts, it was also important that the design would be able to run different qualities of fuel including bio-organic fuels. Alamo Armory does not manufacture any pure electric, nuclear, or fuel cell powered designs. They would all raise the price to the point that their designs would no longer.
Alamo Armory does not make the weaponry mounted on their products but instead buys a variety of weapon systems and mounts then on their designs. Most of their weapon systems come from Wellington Industries but a few come from other companies. The vehicle has a 120 mm mortar with total of sixty-nine rounds. The rounds are hand loaded by a crew of four. Mostly unguided projectiles are used although guided projectiles are available as well. A pair of hatches open in the top for the firing of the mortar and the mortar has a 360 degree rotation. As a measure of self defense, the vehicle mounts an automatic grenade launcher with eight hundred rounds of ammunition as well as a pair of smoke grenade launchers. No firing ports are in the design and there are no mini-missile launchers. The fitting of them would interfere with the free operation of the mortar. For defense against attacking troops, it can be fitted with up to six claymore type mines. When it looks like they are about to be overrun, one of the crew simply triggers one of the mines.
Model Type: Alamo Armory T-113-MOR
Vehicle Type: Self Propelled Mortar
Crew: Six (Driver, Automatic Grenade Launcher Gunner, and Four
Mortar Crew)
M. D. C. by Location:
| [1] Tractor Treads (2): | 50 each | |
| WI-GL21 Automatic Grenade Launcher: | 40 | |
| WI-M120 120 mm Heavy Mortar (When Compartment Open): | 60 | |
| WI-CL3 "Super Claymore" Mine - Optional (6, sides and front): | 20 each | |
| [2] Smoke / Gas Dispensers (2): | 20 each | |
| [2] Headlights (2): | 10 each | |
| Rear Hatch: | 80 | |
| Upper Hatches (2): | 60 each | |
| Reinforced Crew Compartment: | 80 | |
| Reinforced Mortar Bay: | 80 | |
| [3] 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] 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.
[3] 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-MOR Self Propelled Mortar is designed
to be amphibious and can cross small bodies of water. It is not designed
for deep water use. The T-113-MOR 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 8.27
feet (2.52 meters) overall
Width: 8.81 feet (2.866 meter)
Length: 15.95 feet (4.863 meters)
Weight: 22,487.2 pounds (10,200 kg) empty, 24,691.8 pound pounds
(11,200 kg) combat loaded, and 27,557.8 pounds (12,500 kg) maximum load.
Power Source: Conventional, Diesel / Electric Hybrid developing
300 hp
Cargo Capacity: Minimal, enough for equipment with crew (basic
weapons)
Black Market Cost: 430,000 Credits for standard model. Super
Claymore Mines cost 30,000 Credits (for six).
Weapon Systems:
Sensory Equipment:
[Golden Age Weaponsmiths TM, Wellington Industries TM, and Iron Heart
Industries TM are trademarks owned by Kevin Siembieda and Palladium Books
Inc. ]
[ Rifts® is a registered trademark owned by Kevin Siembieda and
Palladium Books Inc.]
By Kitsune (E-Mail Kitsune).
Copyright © 2008, Kitsune. All rights reserved.
