Since the later half of Twentieth Century, the Chinese have been producing variants of Soviet designs including several of their tanks. After the Russia government initially rejected the design of the T-212, China was able to purchase the design. The Chinese modified the design to their own specifications and manufactured the design in vast numbers. It could only be expected that the design would be used for their own advanced tank design in the latter half of the Twenty-First Century. They also managed to acquire advanced technology from the United States to further develop the design. So, the Type 2060 tank was born. It used the basic chassis design of the Soviet T-212 tank with new technology from advanced American systems. The tank was exported all over the world and competed with Soviet designs in many third world nations. It had many advantage over the Soviet designs which were in many cases military cast-offs. The NORINCO type 2060 tank is actually a close match for the Soviet T-255 Main Battle Tank. Even after the coming of the Rifts, the Chinese designs can be found in many different corners of the world and Triax manufactures repair parts for the old tanks. Few have been found in North America although it is possible some are in the hands of the vampires of Central America and Mexico.

These tanks are not cast off tanks like most Soviet designs and as such were originally built using high strength composites and alloys. As such, it can take a large amount of abuse and is designed to be low maintenance as well. The original T-212 tank was powered by a Gas Turbine engine but the Type 2060 tank is powered by two modified versions of the fusion reactor carried in the "Troll" heavy power armor. The engines give the tank virtually unlimited power and range. The Chinese tank has an improved drive train and suspension which allows a top speed of 100 kph on roads and 80 kph off road. The design is not amphibious but can be run underwater like some Iron Heart Industry designs. The tank has full life support and standard electronics carried in most robot vehicles and other tanks.

The Soviets went to a heavy conventional 152-mm cannon in their T-255 tank but the Chinese engineers decided to develop their tank differently. They retained the 125-mm cannon but instead of being a conventional cannon, an electro-thermal cannon was designed based on American technology. New rounds were developed for the new cannon as well. The reactors provide enough power for the firing of the main cannon through the use of capacitors to store enough of a charge for firing. The tank retains an improved auto-loading system. The Chinese designers were careful to retain the ability to fire short range missiles from the barrel of the cannon. Chinese rail gun technology still lagged behind the West and it was decided to carry liquid propellant weapons instead. The tank carries a liquid propellant machine-gun co-axial to the main gun and the commander can fire one from the top of the turret. In many cases, the liquid propellant weapons have been replaced by energy weapons or rail guns in Tanks operating after the Rifts. Ammunition for rail guns in more common and energy weapons can pull power directly from the fusion reactors which power the tank. On the rear of the tank is a disposable missile rack which fires short range missiles. The missiles are often reloaded by replacing the missile rack. Some crews preferred to carry the empty rack, considering it to be additional armor after being empty while others preferred to jettison it after being emptied due to it interfering with the tank firing to the rear. Often the empties were picked up by support vehicles after being jettisoned. There was a large debate about defensive systems with some designers preferring simple defense grenade launchers but they decided to go with Soviet style jamming systems.

Model Type: NORINCO Type 2060
Vehicle Type: Main Battle Tank
Crew: Three (Driver, Gunner, and Commander).

M.D.C. by Location:

	[1] Tractor Treads (2):	100 each
	[2] Weapons Turret:	250
	125-mm electro-thermal cannon:	125
	[3] Commander LPG-8 Liquid Propellant Gatling Gun (Turret):	60
	[3] Co-axial LPG-8 Liquid Propellant Gatling Gun (Turret):	60
	[4] Ejectable SRM Box Launcher:	40
	Multi-Option Jammers (2):	25
	[5] Main Body:	500

Notes:
[1] 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 advisable when the vehicle is not under attack.
[2] The Weapons turret is unmanned by the crew, and can be destroyed without otherwise damaging the vehicle. This makes the tank very survivable, and it can retreat and have a new weapon's turret fitted relatively quickly.
[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] Once the missiles have been expended, or in an emergency, before they have been fully expended, the launcher can be ejected from the tank. Though disposable, they do not have to be disposed, and can be re-used indefinitely.
However, while the launcher is on the tank, the turret cannot rotate into an rear arc of 40 degrees, as the barrel will be blocked by the launcher. The launcher does NOT have to be used with the tank; It is purely an optional feature.
[5] 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 62.1 mph (100 kph) on roads and 49.7 mph (80 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%.
Underwater: Cannot float on the surface but can run underwater down to 200 feet (61 meters) at 25%of normal top speed.
Maximum Effective Range: Effectively unlimited (Nuclear Fusion power supply with 8 year duration) Armored Vehicle carries about two weeks worth of supplies emergency rations onboard.

Statistical Data:
Height: 7.22 feet (2.20 meters) to top of commander's cupola.
Width: 11.98 feet (3.65 meters)
Length: 20.18 feet (9.2 meters) not including gun barrel
Weight: 68.3 tons (62 metric tons).
Power Source: Nuclear fusion reactor; Must be refueled every eight years, otherwise effectively unlimited.
Cargo Capacity: Minimal storage space in pilots compartment; about three feet (0.9 m) in side dimensions for extra clothing, weapons, and personal items. Three carbines and one hand-held missile launcher with four loads each are stored in a compartment in the crew compartment.
Black Market Cost: 20 to 25 million credits

Weapon Systems:

1. 125 mm Electro-Thermal Cannon: An electro-thermal version of the 125 mm cannon which was carried on several generations of Soviet and Chinese tanks. It is useful as a direct fire anti-tank weapons and as a light howitzer. The rounds were fired by vaporizing a dot of light metal at the base of the projectile, by means of a strong electromagnetic field. It can fire a variety of loads, including special discarding sabot anti-armor rounds, high-explosive (HE), high-explosive anti-tank (HEAT), and fragmentation. The cannon could also be used to launch Short Range Missiles, of which 10 were normally carried.
   Maximum Effective Range: Direct fire range is 8,200 feet (2,500 meters) and can fire indirectly out to 32,800 feet (10,000 meters). Range for short range missiles varies by missile type (Go to Revised bomb and missile table.)
   Mega-Damage: Special anti-tank rounds inflict 3D6x10+30 (optional rule is that cannon gets a critical on a natural 18, 19, or 20 due to its high penetration), High Explosive Rounds inflict 2D4x10+10 with a blast radius of 25 ft, High Explosive Anti Tank inflicts 2D6x10+20 with a blast radius of 8 ft. (Fragmentation): 1D6x10, blast radius of 45 ft. Damage varies for short range missile by missile type (Go to Revised bomb and missile table.)
   Rate of Fire: A Maximum of 3 attacks per melee.
   Payload: 60 rounds maximum (Each short range missile takes the space of two rounds) - Normal payload is 18 Anti-Tank Rounds and 22 other rounds (In addition to 10 short range missiles.)
2. NORINCO LPG-8 Liquid Propellant Gatling Guns (2): One of the weapons is mounted co-axial with the main cannon and fires wherever the main cannon is pointed. The second is on the top of the tank and is controlled by the commander. Commander's weapon can be fired from within the turret so that the commander is not exposed. The weapon is a multi-barrel Gatling style weapon. The weapon is considered multi-purpose and can inflict heavy damage on well armored targets and well as being able to spray targets. The weapon can fire all types of burst available to machine guns except extended bursts. The weapon uses a special liquid propellant which delivers about four times the force of nitro-cellulose propellant and the weapon fires an 8 mm round.
   Maximum Effective Range: 3,000 ft (914 meters)
   Mega-Damage:
   Single Shot (Costs 1 attack): 1D6
   Ten Round Burst on One Target (Costs 1 attack): 5D6
   Ten Round Burst on 1D4 Target (Costs 1 attack): 1D6
   Thirty Round Burst on One Target (Costs 1 attack): 1D6x10
   Thirty Round Burst on 1D8 Target (Costs 1 attack): 2D6
   Rate of Fire: Equal to combined hand to hand attacks of pilot
   Payload: 3,000 rounds for Co-axial mount and 1,500 rounds for commanders mount.
3. Disposable Short Range Missile Launcher: Mounted on the back of the tanks body, this simple vertical style launcher gives the tank an initial missile volley and can be ejected when no longer needed. It can be eject at any time in emergency. Once the launcher is empty, it is usually discarded due to the fact that it reduces the rear arc of fire by forty degrees. Usually logistic support vehicles will collect the launchers to be reloaded later. The launcher can be strapped to any Type 2060 Main Battle Tank.
   Maximum Effective Range: Varies with short range missile type; Usually High Explosive or Armor Piercing Missiles are carried (Go to Revised bomb and missile table.)
   Mega Damage: Varies with short range missile type; Usually High Explosive or Armor Piercing are carried (Go to Revised bomb and missile table.)
   Rate of Fire: One, two, four, or six Short Range Missiles s per melee.
   Payload: Twelve (12) Short Range Missiles, no reloads carried.
4. Multi-Option "Shtora-8A" Jammers (2): These are multi-purpose jamming devices designed to stop incoming missiles and confuse an enemy targeting the Type 2060
   Effect: Each firing launches two Chaff rockets, two Flare rockets, and the tank begins emitting a large cloud of smoke, both standard and Anti-Laser Prismatic Aerosol; The Chaff rockets detonate and spread Chaff over the area, the flare rockets floating down by parachute; Effects last for one minute (4 Melee rounds.) The Chaff rockets have a 20% chance of interfering with the course of enemy missiles each (40%, total) that are radar guided so that they miss the tank. The flares have the same percentages, except with IR-guided missiles. The Anti-Laser prismatic aerosol reduces damage by half for any laser beam striking the tank (With the exception of X-ray lasers but not variable frequency lasers; X-Ray lasers suffer no damage modifiers, and variable frequency lasers simply cannot compensate for the variables involved), and adds a +4 difficulty to targeting the tank with a laser guidance system or visually.
   Rate of Fire: Usually once every four melee rounds; Effects are not cumulative.
   Maximum Effective Range: Around tank only; Rough distance of 80 ft (24 m) around tank.
   Payload: Sufficient for twenty firings; One of each type of jamming option from each side of the vehicle.

Sensory Equipment:
The tank carries all standard equipment of a robot vehicle plus this special equipment:

• Data-interlink transmitters: For using targeting data from scout vehicles for firing the Anti-Tank missiles or Sabot rounds. Bonus varies on the quality of the data being provided, but all data would allow the tank to fire over obstacles if the scout vehicle is in the right position. The normal effective battlefield range is 5 miles (8 km).
• Full Infrared viewing mode: Range of 2 miles (3.2 km), with IR searchlight (+3 to detecting targets with IR when in use, however, +3 to detecting the Type 2060 with IR equipment when in use, as well.).
• Two Periscopes: Has up to x100 magnification for commander and driver to view out of while maneuvering the vehicle. Visual targeting sight with same magnification possible for gunner.
• Laser targeting system: For main gun, range of 2,000 meters.

[New Navy, New Sovietskiy, and TRIAX 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 © 2002, Kitsune. All rights reserved.