There is an ancient saying among military circles than a army marches on their stomachs. Logistics are just important after the coming of the Rifts with its high tech robots and power armors as it was thousands of years ago with horses and oxen transporting the supplies needed for the army. Trucks or some other form of heavy transport are required to keep any army in the field.
When people think of Iron Armory, most thinking about the various tanks which they produce. The simple fact is that between their Jeep and Truck lines, they produced far more wheeled vehicles than they have any of their combat vehicles. The Longhorn was actually the second design which they produced after the Desert Wolf Jeep and was one of the keys to the company's early success. This allowed the company to expand to the various tank and other combat designs they are famous for.
Iron Armory rarely seems to develop designs completely from scratch, with most of their designs based on late Twentieth Century designs and early Twenty-First Century designs, and the Longhorn is no different. In many ways the design appears similar to the Heavy Expanded Mobility Tactical Truck or "HEMTT" series of transport trucks. It is an eight wheel design which can carry up to around fourteen tons of cargo or tow up to thirty tons of cargo. The truck has excellent traction and can operate on most terrain that the LAV-800 Can operate on. A wide variety of different cargo modules are available including both an enclosed and not enclosed cargo bay, the mounting of a crane for various operations, a tanker design, and a generator truck. A small number have been converted into travel vehicles by adventurers or into mobile workshops by operators.
The vehicle is not a conversion of a pre-rifts vehicle like most Golden Age Weaponsmith designs but instead is a modern design. It has a fully enclosed compartment with room for four in the compartment in addition to a crew of two in comparative comfort. Top speed is around one hundred miles per hour on roadways and around seventy miles per hour off road. The vehicle was initially available with a diesel engine, a pure electric system, or a fusion reactor. The fusion reactor gives the vehicle virtually unlimited range but is extremely expensive. As well, diesel fuel often is of questionable quality.
When Iron Armory made a deal with Archangel "Heavy" Industries, they introduced a fuel cell system. Since the coming of the Rifts, the technology was virtually lost. Because it uses hydrogen cracked from water usually using a fusion reactor, fuel is cheap and plentiful. The electrons pass through the "load" (engines, weapons, avionics, etc.) creating current and powering the systems. Meanwhile, the 2H+ molecules pass from the anode to the cathode through the electrolyte. At the other "end", the electrons then recombine with the 2H+ molecules and Oxygen (from the air) and are release as water from the rear of the vehicle.
Most versions of the vehicle are outfitted with a crane for loading and unloading lighter cargos. The crane is technically optional but most owners chose to add it to the vehicle. There are few places where there is the proper equipment for loading and unloading otherwise. The crane has the ability to lift cargo loads of up to 1,250 kilograms (2755.8 lbs) at full boom extension of 20 feet (6.1 meters.) At a 10 foot (3.1 meter) extension, can lift 2,500 kilograms (5511.6 lbs). As well, an option which most purchasers have added to their vehicle is a tow winch mounted on the front and in some cases in the rear. This has a 10,000 kg (22046.2 lb) capacity and is useful for a wide variety roles including self recovery. There is also a tanker variant of the vehicle which is fitted with a 10,000 liter (2641.7 gallon) fuel tank. This version can carry diesel, gasoline, hydrogen, or water although must be extremely carefully cleaned out if switching from diesel or gasoline to drinkable water so not to pollute the water.
While not a combat vehicle, the world after the coming of the Rifts is an extremely dangerous place. As such, the vehicle is often put in danger. As such, it is design to be able to carry a weapon system above the cab. Available weapon systems include a pulse laser and an automatic grenade launcher. The pulse laser has the advantage of being effective against incoming targets such as missiles while the grenade launcher is extremely devastating. As well, a number of different missile systems from mini-missiles to medium range missiles can be fitted on either side. It is also lightly armored to deal with attacks. Optional is increasing the armor although still not the equal of true combat designs. Still, there is the idea of creating a "Battle Truck." That is truck which acts a weapon platform. Iron Armory does not produce one although some purchasers have added heavy weaponry to their trucks for just that purpose.
There is an extended version of the Longhorn available, designated the GP-02-B which has ten wheels instead of eight. It is designed with a special flat bed which can tilt down to pick up either a container or disabled vehicle. The standard 20 foot cargo container survived the coming of the Rifts although generally now made from high strength composites. Such containers can be used for a wide variety of purposes. The cargo bed can carry a single container and the vehicle can actually pick up a container without the driver ever leaving the heavy truck. Weight limit is twenty tons. The truck can also tow a single forty foot container or a pair of twenty foot containers. Towed weight limit is forty tons.
| Model Type: | I.A. GP-02 | Eight Wheel "Standard" Version |
| I.A. GP-02-TA | Eight Wheel "Tanker" Version | |
| I.A. GP-02-EX | Ten Wheel "Extended" Version |
| M.D.C. By Location: | "Standard" Version: | "Extended" Version: |
| [1] Rapid Fire Laser Cannon (Optional):: | 50 | 50 | |
| [1] Automatic Grenade Launcher (Optional): | 70 | 70 | |
| Variable Missile Launchers (2 - Optional): | 50 each | 50 each | |
| [1] Tow Winch (Optional - Front / Rear): | 10 each | 10 each | |
| Crane (Optional): | 40 | 40 | |
| [1] Headlight (2) | 5 each | 5 each | |
| [2] Wheels / Tires (8 or 10): | 50 each (8) | 50 each (10) | |
| Crew Compartment | 200 | 200 | |
| Cargo Compartment / Bed / Tank: | 125 | 150 | |
| [3] Main Body: | 250 (350) | 300 (400) |
Notes:
[1] 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.
[2] Up to one tire can be destroyed on each side of the vehicle without
any appreciable loss in mobility but top speeds with be reduced by 10%.
If two tires on a side are destroyed, the vehicle is reduced in top speed
by 20% and has a -25% to piloting rolls when being operated off-road. The
truck normally carries a pair of spare tires with one on either side of
the crew compartment (replaced by variable missile launchers in some models)
[3] Depleting the M.D.C. of the main body will shut the unit down completely,
making it useless. Standard armor is 250 / 300 M.D.C. (Depending on Model)
but can be upgraded in increments of 20 M.D.C. up to an addition 100 M.D.C..
Speed:
Ground: Cruising speed on land is 100 mph (160.9 kph) on roads
and 75 mph (102.7 kph) off road maximum. 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 30%.
Water Capabilities: Not Amphibious but can ford water up to
5.5 feet (1.68 meters) deep.
Maximum Range: With gas or electric, 400 miles (643.7 km), with
fuel cells, 450 (724.2 km), and with fusion, effectively unlimited.
Statistical Data:
Height: Both Versions: 8.2 feet (2.5 meters) for cab
(does not include weapon mounts)
Width: Both Versions: 8.6 feet (2.62 meters)
Length: Standard Version: 33.5 feet (10.21 meters). Extended
Version: 36.5 feet (11.13 meters)
Weight: Standard Version: 36 tons (32.65 metric tons)
empty and 50 tons (45.36 metric tons) fully loaded.
Extended Version:
42
tons (31.10 metric tons) empty and 62 tons (56.25 metric tons) fully loaded.
Power Source: Four versions. Nuclear with 5 year fusion
reactor, Electric, Conventional liquid fuel that uses aviation gas, and
Fuel cell version that uses Hydrogen as a fuel to produce electricity.
Cargo Capacity: Standard Version: 14 tons (12.7 metric
tons) in cargo compartment and can tow up to 30 tons (27.2 metric tons).
Crew can also carry basic equipment including weaponry in crew compartment.
Extended
Version: 20 tons (18.1 metric tons) in cargo compartment and can tow
up to 40 tons (36.3 metric tons). Crew can also carry basic equipment including
weaponry in crew compartment.
Black Market Cost: Basic vehicle costs 180,000 credits with
Internal Combustion engine, 250,000 with Electrical engine or fuel cell
power system, and 1,000,000 for fusion with a 5 year life. (Ten wheel variant
costs 200,000 credits with Internal Combustion engine, 280,000 with Electrical
engine or fuel cell power system, and 1,100,000 for fusion with a 5 year
life.) Sensory / Communication upgrade (equal to a standard power armor)
costs 12,000 credits. Fully contained life support system costs 50,000
credits. Cargo Crane costs 5,000 credits. Tow Winches costs 2,000 credits
each. Missile launchers costs 400,000 credits for a pair, Grenade Launchers
costs 150,000 credits, and rapid fire laser cannon costs 35,000 credits.
Additional armor costs 25,000 credits per 20 M.D.C..
Optional Weapon Systems: The vehicle can mount the following above the rear section of the crew compartment. Direct fire weapons are controlled by a gunner who sits behind the weapon mount. Missiles are controlled by a remote control system.
[ Rifts® is a registered trademark owned by Kevin Siembieda and Palladium Books Inc.]
By Kitsune (E-Mail Kitsune).
Copyright © 2008, Kitsune. All rights reserved.
