Iron Heart Industries produced a large variety of combat vehicle designs before being conquered by the Coalition Rifts including several tank designs. These designs include the Iron Hammer battle tank, the Iron Maiden Armored Personnel Carrier, and the Iron Eagle combat helicopter. The sales of all of these products paled in comparison to the sales of the Iron Weasel. It is not as well known by scholars due to the design having been left off of several Iron Heart Industries catalogs. Many Mercenary Companies love the light and nimble design and the design is very popular. While not technically a tank, the tracked vehicle carries incredible firepower for its size and is very affordable. The main weakness with the design is a lack of armor and is called a "weapons platform" to reflect this lack of armor. The price of even the nuclear version was not much more than most power armors. Since the capture of Iron Heart Industries by the Coalition, production of these vehicles have ceased although large numbers have been produced and are expected to be in service for decades to come. It is quite likely that one or more manufacturing companies in the future will copy the design and begin production on a similar or identical design. Already, several companies are producing space parts for the weapon platform.
The Iron Weasel is much smaller than other designs produced by Iron Heart Industries but like virtually all ground vehicle designs produced by Iron Heart Industries, it is a tracked design. Due to the Iron Weasel's lightweight design, less than four tons, the ground pressure is far less than other Iron Heart designs. This results in a tracked vehicle which is both faster and able to perform in more mountainous and rocky terrain than other Iron Heart designs. Top speed is about 80 mph on most reasonably decent roads, a bit less on rough terrain. Power on conventional versions is provided by a lightweight gas turbine engine or through super efficient batteries. Battery powered version are very popular with the light weapon platforms simply being recharged from larger fusion powered vehicle. Nuclear powered versions use the same fusion reactor which is standard in the Mountaineer A.T.V. and provides virtually unlimited endurance at a very economical price. The only real weakness which the Iron Weasel is that it considered to have is light armor. The Iron Weasel is only slightly better armored than the Northern Gun Sampson power armor. Standard crew for the Iron Weasel is two, one driver and one commander / gunner. It mounts most of the standard electronics carried on other Iron Heart designs.
There are three main versions of the Iron Weasel. One version is armed
with a 30 mm chain cannon similar to the cannon carried on the Iron Eagle
combat helicopter while the other version is armed with eight medium range
missiles as its main weaponry. The primary version's 30 mm chain gun was
developed to be lighter in weight compare to the standard cannon mounted
on the Iron Eagle. Some sources give the 30 mm chain gun on the Iron Eagle
a weight of 2 tons but in fact is less than 400 lbs. This is reduced in
the version carried by the Iron Weasel by using lighter weight composites
but also through reducing the armor protecting the weapon. Ammunition carried
for the 30 mm cannon is reduced from two thousand rounds carried on the
Iron Eagle to eight hundred rounds. The chain cannon is useful against
both ground targets and against aircraft. Coaxial to the 30 mm cannon,
the Iron Weasel mounts the same laser which is mounted in many of the Iron
Heart designs in a separate turret. This gives the weapon platform the
ability to engage targets without using the main gun. Weight of the laser
mount is around 45 lbs, reduced from the standard weight of around 60 lbs
for versions carried in most Iron Heart designs. On each side of the hull
of the tracked vehicle are four mini-missile tubes for a total of eight
tubes. A total of twenty-four mini-missiles are carried. The medium range
missile carrying version is used for long range missile artillery but can
also be very effective at close range against heavily armored opponents.
For self defense, the missile variant also carried the mini-missile launchers
carried on the standard model and mounts the light laser mount although
in a turret in the front of the hull. Finally, there is a third version
which is armed by a 120 mm mortar. It is not mounted in a full turret and
has limited traverse. It has several advantages over the missile armed
version due to greater payload and much less expensive ammunition cost.
It carries thirty rounds ready to fire. It has an automatic loader so there
is no need for manual loading. One weakness is that the vehicle must plant
itself so that it can fire due to its extremely light weight. For self
defense, the vehicle is armed with a defense laser and side mounted mini-missile
mounts. All three versions mount smoke dispensers.
| Model Type: | Iron Weasel I | Heavy Chain Gun Model |
| Iron Weasel II | Medium Range Missile Model | |
| Iron Weasel III | 120 mm Mortar Version |
M. D. C. by Location:
| Heavy Chain Gun Model |
| Weapon Turret: | 180 | |
| IH-280-LW 30 mm Chain Gun (In Turret) | 50 | |
| IH-34-XT Coaxial Laser (In Turret) | 40 |
| Medium Range Missile Model |
| MM-8 Medium Range Missile Launcher | 150 | |
| IH-34-XL Laser Turret (Forward) | 40 |
| 120 mm Mortar Model |
| Weapon Mount | 150 | |
| IH-120-MT 120 mm Heavy Mortar (In Mount) | 60 | |
| IH-34-XL Laser Turret (Forward) | 40 | |
| Support Feet (4) | 25 each |
| MLRS-12 Mini-Missile Launchers (2, Sides): | 30 each | |
| Smoke / Gas Dispensers (2): | 15 each | |
| Reinforced Crew Compartment: | 60 | |
| [1] Main Body: | 280 | |
| [2] Treads (2): | 40 each |
Notes:
[1] Depleting the M.D.C. from the main body will shut the tank down
completely, rendering it useless.
[2] Depleting the M.D.C. of a tread will immobilize the tank 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 possible when the vehicle is
not under attack.
Speed:
Ground: 80 mph (129.7 kph), on land; it cannot travel on or
underwater. 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%.
Maximum Effective Range: 800 miles (1290 km) with a full tank
of fuel (Diesel or Gasoline) or via electric motor before needing refueling;
unlimited if nuclear (20 year life).
Statistical Data:
Height: 6.2 feet (1.88 meters)
Width: 6.1 feet (1.85 meters)
Length: Hull: 11.3 feet (3.45 meters) With Barrel
Forward (30 mm version): 15.3 feet (4.65 meters)
Weight: 3.85 tons (3.5 metric tons) fully loaded
Cargo: Minimal storage space; about two feet (0.6 meters) for
extra clothing, weapons, and personal items. Two Wilk's 447 laser rifles
and one WI-23 Missile launchers with 2 loads each are stored in a compartment
behind the driver's seat.
Power System: Combustion or electric engine or nuclear (20 year
duration)
Black Market Cost: All Versions: 650,000 with combustion
engine, 800,000 for an electric motor, 1.8 million with a nuclear engine
(lifetime of 20 years).
Weapon Systems:
Special Equipment:
[Coalition TM, Iron Heart Industries TM, Northern Gun TM, Phase World TM, and Triax 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 © 2004, 2008, & 2009, Kitsune. All rights reserved.
