Armored Vehicle Variants

[taalismn]

[u
M2210 “Zippo Jan” Armored Flamethrower Vehicle
, it was not produced in great numbers. Still, it performs its mission exceedingly well, and is also useful for flushing infantry out of entrenched positions, and so was never fully retired even after the large-scale threat of Zentraedi infantry on Earth abated.

And fully body EBA became more common; your targets had to be SWIMMING in flaming napalm before the flamethrower became effective against such protection.

[glitterboy2098]

well, most of the armors in the new RPG aren't EBA, and the ones that are EBA are vulnerable to heat. plus the psychological effect of being covered in flaming goop can't be ignored.

[SRoss]

[u
M2210 “Zippo Jan” Armored Flamethrower Vehicle
, it was not produced in great numbers. Still, it performs its mission exceedingly well, and is also useful for flushing infantry out of entrenched positions, and so was never fully retired even after the large-scale threat of Zentraedi infantry on Earth abated.

And fully body EBA became more common; your targets had to be SWIMMING in flaming napalm before the flamethrower became effective against such protection.

I could also see this as the new Ronson "Lights first time every time." There's a reason flamethrowers went out fashion. I could see the image on the news. A pair rogue Zentraedi, post battle lighting their cigarettes from the flames coming off a burning Zippo Jan. I'd suspect the Zippo would probably been relegated Engineering duties as fast as combat units could replace it.

[Sgt Anjay]

Well, for one you'll note the particular instance I outlined in which that variant was developed and fielded. Especially in the jungle with close quarters where enemy infantry is hiding in vegetation (Amazon, Congo, Indochina, anyone?), shooting fire from an armored vehicle is an effective way to counter ambush by light infantry. And under no circumstances should they be rolling solo; they're there (when they are as I state them to always have been limited in number) to support other vehicles by stopping infantry from rushing into point-blank range, something that's probably even more important when the infantry is 30ft tall. And of course the MDC of a Janissary does not, in fact, lend it to "Lights first time every time", when used against light infantry.

There's also the question of assuming widespread use of full MDC body armor by all the Army of the Southern Cross's foes; sure, some Malcontents would have kept theirs, major nation-states likely swung that, and the B-list players could likely buy some from the A-list, but given the world description not every player on the board would be able to swing it. So keeping a few around stands a good chance of paying off, though as I acknowledge there's political ramifications with that kind of weapon.

And yeah, the psychology behind flamethrowers is almost always as important as the fact of the flamethrowers themselves. Maybe that armored vehicle spitting flaming death at you will take 2-3 melee rounds before it spits enough to crack your armor, depending on the model. But realistically speaking, that's still less than a minute to flaming death, and ignoring being on fire isn't a natural thing. Especially if you're hiding in vegetation that is now also on fire, and in the back of the trooper's mind is what the in-universe result of the phrase "Take a point of mega-damage fire" actually means in terms of suffering.

I'll also note the US Marines' flame tank (of Korean War vintage) and the US Army's flamethrower APC based on the M113 used through Viet Nam weren't noted for causing the death's of their crews, and were certainly not "pulled as fast as combat units could replace it". Their effectiveness is the reason I came up with this Janissary variant.

[jaymz]

I am liking all this stuff guy, keep it up

[glitterboy2098]

i really embraced this concept for my EBSIS. if you go to my EBSIS vehicles page, you'll find:
HumVee's of the troop carrying/weapons, Ambulance, Cargo, Command, SAM, and Radar varieties (for about 5 types, considering the basic humvee can be fit with a wide range of weapons);
KTO Rosomak's in Troop carrying/CAV, Ambulance, SAM, and command models for 4 varieties;
and T-72 derived heavy combat vehicles in MBT, DIVADS, and SAM models for 3 Varieties.

and if i add the ANDERS that'll be at least 6 more common hull variants.. APC/IFV, Mobile Gun System, Ambulance, Scout, Command, Forward Observation Vehicle.. maybe more. i really need Mortar Vehicles, resupply vehicles ,and such, be they Rosomaks or ANDERS series. just can't find pics of them. i know it can be done (the ANDERS is basically a CV90 crossed with an M113, both of which have mortar versions.. and the Rosomaks are knock off LAV's, which produced the Stykers.. the later of which has a mortar version.)

of course i'm inheriting real world, post-80's design concepts like "modular design" and "commonality of systems"..

[ShadowLogan]

LACV-60 AVLB And M220x AVLB (Armored Vehicle Launched Bridge)

The LACV-60 and M2200 both had a limited procurement variant for deployment of portable bridges. The LACV-60 used a traditional front deploying scheme, and the M2200 used a rear deploying scheme. The bridges are used to cross obstacles that are to deep or wide for Battloids (and Destroids) to cross by jumping, and especially for their conventional wheeled/tracked ground forces that can not hover across. Both sacrifice their troop carrying capacity (do retain some storage options though), and the M2200 was able to retain the ability to mount an HL-80 turret (though when carrying a bridge the field of fire is restricted).

Unlike the old Destroids, the ASC battloids only required ONE bridge to cross, just like the typical armored vehicle. Destroids due to their width require a minimum of two bridges to cross safely and quickly (one can be used, but it would be like walking on a balance beam or require them to side step across) with three being ideal. Late model bridges where developed that could extend slightly (+25% to length) to increase the spans the bridge can cross (done with costly memory materials OR using hydraulics to telescope slight gaps that one can roll/walk over).

The Bridge has the following statistics (based on the carrier platform) and are made to be slightly oversized from their carrier:
Length: ~1.5x Folded and for each segment (2) (don't forget to subtract 1m on each end for purchase)
Width: ~1.1x
Height: 1m unfolded for each segment (add another 0.25m deployment hardware) which adds to the height of the vehicle when stowed
Weight: 1/4 Mass, can support 100tons
MDC: each segment has 100MDC

Civil Defense Forces posses a larger inventory number for disaster response use in areas that may see bridges knocked out (and to speed evacuation if necessary) due to flooding, landslides, or earthquakes.

[taalismn]

Go, combat engineers!!!
Hobart's Funnies roar on!!!!

[Sgt Anjay]

M2200H Hover Janissary
The “H” model of the M2200 vehicles is an attempt to update the Janissary to the newly matured hover drive technology. Due to its reputation for ease of maintenance and reliability, it was fitted with a beefed-up version of the drive on the M-10 hovertruck. This modification gives the Janissary slightly better performance both on and off-road and a greater ability to traverse obstacles. Unfortunately, the mass and handling characteristics of the M2200 were such that these gains were not as much as had been hoped, and did come with some disadvantages. Top speed had to be limited, as risk of vehicle rollover became too great at higher speeds. The range of the vehicle was much reduced. And, due to a risk of water flooding the drive system, it can only ford shallow waters rather than being amphibious. These shortcomings kept the H model from widespread acceptance, although several of the Tactical Corps’ Special Forces divisions invested in a few IFV and CFV versions. Programs for purpose-built hover drives specifically tuned to the M2200 to overcome those shortcomings had barely begun before the 2nd Robotech War brought them to a halt.
Armament: as base model
Personnel: as base model
Performance: top speed of 60mph; however, speeds of 40-50mph give a penalty of -10% to piloting rolls, and speeds of 50-60mph give a penalty of -20%. Generally hover 1.3 ft. high; top travel altitude of 5 ft. Range of 300 miles.


Hybrid-drive Improved Janissary
M2201A1: Taking advantage of the same advancements in capacitors and power-storage systems that led to widespread adoption of energy weapons, the M2201A1 is a test-model hybrid-electric Janissary IFV with a new, smaller diesel engine optimized for the role and an expanded battery and capacitor bank. This variant has only been produced in limited numbers due to its expense, though it was used as the basis for the M2212 “Levend” variant (see below) and several in the first batch of M2212 units were converted directly from M2201A1 rather than purpose-built.
Armament: as per M2201
Personnel: as per M2201
Performance: Double range, “Quiet Running” (shutting the engine down and running solely on battery power)--penalty to perception rolls by infantry to notice it and to detection by thermal/infrared sensors.
(haven't decided the extent of the penalty to give for this feature)


M2212 “Levend” Amphibious Assault Vehicle
Noting the ability of a hybrid vehicle to better seal itself against the environment when running on battery power than conventionally powered vehicles, designers involved with the Tactical Corps' Navy Division took the M2201L “Sea Janissary” modifications and applied them to a M2201A1 hybrid Janissary. The result was even better than they had hoped. Including all the features of the “Sea-J”, it adds more powerful hydro-jets and a special cover system fitted over the normal air inlet/outlets and exhaust to completely seal them off while operating under battery power. This allows it to better travel in heavy seas. The excellence of this design for its intended task almost immediately made it dearly loved by both the Tactical Corps' Navy and Marsh Divisions. It was in the process of supplanting the “Sea-J” in service at the time of the Invid Invasion. “Levend”-led raids would become a mainstay of the Southern Cross resistance in the Greek islands during the Invid occupation.
Armament: L8A1 105mm Demolition Gun, auxiliary heavy weapon mount
Personnel: driver, gunner, vehicle commander, up to 8 troops in full gear
Performance: The “Levend” can self-deploy from an amphibious assault ship 15 miles from shore with a full load of infantry. Its water propulsion improvements allow it to travel 16mph through seas with waves up to three feet. It has both the extended range and the “Quiet Running” capability of the M2201A1.

[taalismn]

Ewww....First trundling bricks, then flying bricks! Nifty!

Maybe the stability problems would be alleviated somewhat by adding on something akin to the retractable hoverpads from the Spartas' drive train?

[Sgt Anjay]

Yeah, something like that would probably do the trick, and that'd probably be a pretty interesting looking IMU-type modification.

[ShadowLogan]

M2201A1: Taking advantage of the same advancements in capacitors and power-storage systems that led to widespread adoption of energy weapons, the M2201A1 is a test-model hybrid-electric Janissary IFV with a new, smaller diesel engine optimized for the role and an expanded battery and capacitor bank.

I have to wonder why they haven't transitioned to gas-turbines instead of a V-# for more power (which could cut the need for the expanded battery/capacitor bank) or straight up fuel-cell conversion (PA). The VHT-2 (transport mode) can fit into a M220x space (LxWxH) with room to spare in all directions, so they should be able to put the engine(s) from one into the other and would give them 5x the listed horsepower (gas-turbines on the M1A1 did have a variant to compete as a helicopter engine, so the VHT engine may need to be modified slightly, but should be doable).

Such a move would also work to simplify their fuel logistics somewhat from the current combination of diesel, SLMH-V/B, and Hydrogen (assuming the PA don't use SLMH level hydrogen). It would also increase parts commonality (and may help lower the cost of the VHT's engines).

[glitterboy2098]

VHT isn't a gas turbine.. it's a "fusion turbine" aka a fusion reactor with an indirect cycle cooling/jet thrust system.

that said, Destroids use a gas turbine backup, presumably running the same SLMH fuel as their main fusion plants. so it shouldn't be hard to apply them to conventional vehicles.

in regards to the Powered Armor.. i generally have assumed their fuel cells use SLMH-B like the battloids.. purely due to the fact it makes sense to standardize logistics.

[Sgt Anjay]

They may just save that much money using diesels as opposed to turbines for vehicles that can make do. Possibly there was some technological breakthrough on diesel sets. Maybe it was due to the designers of the Janissary being a consortium that included a maker of high-end diesel engines, or good relations with a state that had that industry or petroleum producing/refining. Or maybe it was a sweetener to curry favor with a state that had that industry or petroleum producing/refining. Who knows?

But yeah, fitting other power systems into a M2200 chassis should be very doable; that’s actually the main theme of the next set of variants I’m noodling through at the moment.

[taalismn]

But yeah, fitting other power systems into a M2200 chassis should be very doable; that’s actually the main theme of the next set of variants I’m noodling through at the moment.

"You see, we have these small furry animals on these exercise wheels all running in concert linked to the main drive train..."
"POLLY!!!"

[Sgt Anjay]

But yeah, fitting other power systems into a M2200 chassis should be very doable; that’s actually the main theme of the next set of variants I’m noodling through at the moment.

"You see, we have these small furry animals on these exercise wheels all running in concert linked to the main drive train..."
"POLLY!!!"

"This new drive has 8 horsepower."

"8? That doesn't seem like very much."

"I know, but we couldn't micronize the horses any smaller."

[ShadowLogan]

But yeah, fitting other power systems into a M2200 chassis should be very doable; that’s actually the main theme of the next set of variants I’m noodling through at the moment.

"You see, we have these small furry animals on these exercise wheels all running in concert linked to the main drive train..."
"POLLY!!!"

"Of course we could get more power out of a single duck..."

[taalismn]

"What's that banging noise from the gear box?"
"Couldn't get the sticks away from the bunny."

[glitterboy2098]

"we would've been able to get near infinite power out of two porcupines, a exercise wheel, and six tons of Raisin bran, but porcupines are allergic to raisins. go figure.."

[taalismn]

"we would've been able to get near infinite power out of two porcupines, a exercise wheel, and six tons of Raisin bran, but porcupines are allergic to raisins. go figure.."

But for a tragic genetic imperfection in a species unique to Earth, the Robotech Masters, the Invid, AND the Haydonites could have been sent packing....

[taalismn]

UGV2200 'Minion' Semi-Autonomous Vehicle Series
(aka 'Robbie', 'Minnie', 'Rover')
The Unmanned Ground Vehicle 2200 was a variant on the M2200 chassis, fitted with a semi-autonomous robot intelligence in the driver's seat. The UGV was developed in a completely different Tactical Corps program to that of the GMP's own robot efforts, and was decidedly more successful. This was in part due to the more limited objectives, more limited range of movement, and the greater amount of space that could be devoted to onboard electronics in the 'Minion'. The Minion also built on earlier unmanned ground vehicles such as the UGV-60, used during the Reconstruction.

In its unarmed form, the UGV2200 was used as a salvage and hazardous environment work vehicle, engaged in recon and recovery efforts. The weapons turret was fitted with either several spare VF-1 utility arms or the unarmored skeleton of a Battloid arm, while the troop compartment was fitted with tankage for decontamination chemicals or drain tanks for recovering hazardous chemicals. The onboard AI was programmed to carry out a number of basic maintenance and salvage tasks, with only minimal attention given to its 'personality'(although many technicians would perform in-field hacks to give their units' UGV2200s various vocal personalities and mannerisms). A large number of these units were operated by both the Tactical Corps and the Civil Defense Units, and a number were also leased to commercial concerns.

ARMED UGV2200s were much more rare, and operated by both the Tactical Corps and the Global Military Police. These units were externally identical to the standard M2200 and carried identical armament, but had basic target IFF and targeting gear. These units were also frequently fitted with mine/IED detection and sweeping gear. Used primarily as mine sweepers and recon-by-fire decoys in dealing with entrenched Malcontents and anti-UEG dissidents. The units were also occasionally programmed to patrol high security areas, especially those areas with residual radiation and chemical contamination.

Another variant, the UGV2200EVA, was fitted for operation in space, on the moon. Sealed against vacuum and radiation, fitted with electrical motors, and carrying supplemental solar cells, the -EVA variant assisted in the construction of the Moon bases, ship salvage and construction, and the operation of various lunar mines, including the Helium-3 dredging operations.

Rumors also told of a variant inadvertently programmed with copied (some say cribbed) software from the infamous Macross City Petit Cola machines and outfitted as an armored refreshment vehicle, hunting down thirsty soldiers in the field, but this is largely dismissed as an urban myth or a short-lived publicity stunt(though several ASC units claim to have destroyed these 'cola-dreadnoughts' in the heat of battle or by way of accidentally mistaking them for attacking anti-UEG forces).

The UGV2200s saw the most use during the Interregnum period, but proved sitting ducks during the Second Robotech War, though CDU Minions gave yeoman service in early rescue efforts, especially around spaceports and industrial sites. The armed variants were almost all destroyed in futile resistance to the better armed and manned Tirolian mechanized forces, and what few survived were stripped of their AI gear and converted back to manned battle taxis. None on Earth are known to have survived the Invid War, although a number of -EVAs survived as strange 'orphans'. Their bases destroyed by the Tirolians, the dumb robots continued to carry out their programmed tasks, trundling across the lunar surface, carrying materials back to their wrecked bases, and attempting to service the ruins of downed spacecraft, as long as their solar cells trickled power into their batteries.

[Sgt Anjay]

Ha! Now I definitely want to somehow fit an Orphan EVA into a game

[taalismn]

Ha! Now I definitely want to somehow fit an Orphan EVA into a game

Wandering background boojum.

Or the unexpected 'serviceman' that shows up when the PCs crashland their Garfish or Horizont at an abandoned/wrecked SC moon base and are looking for repair parts to scavenge.

[taalismn]

M2204A2 Command Vehicle(Upgraded)
The M2204A2 Command Vehicle was a field variant inspired by the VHT-!A2 armor upgrades, with an eye towards increasing the M2204's survivability in a 'hot' battlezone. The first and most obvious modification was the enclosure of the open 'pulpit' command deck into a fully armored pod that offered both battle and environmental protection. Extensive armor-glass glazing effectively DOUBLED the armored protection while not interfering with visibility. When retracted, additional armored shutters covered over the command 'pod'. Additional applique armor to the hull increased protection by 25% without affecting mobility, while several flare/chaff/smoke launchers were added to provide active defense. There was some move to include a small weapons turret mounting a squad weapon such as an HLW-6 Heavy Laser, or VHT-stock MIW-20 Ion Cannon, but both power demand and the desire to keep stocks of those weapons for their respective infantry and mecha unit end-users won out over the dubious effectiveness of an armed command vehicle. This didn't prevent some field units from making do with a mounted heavy machine gun, however.
The M2204A2 was quickly ushered into service as a field modification kit as the newly arrived Tirolian forces took a fearsome toll of ASC ground forces. The modified M2204s managed, in many cases, to hold out and maintain unit cohesion for a precious few more minutes before being destroyed, and that alone perhaps allowed the the ASC to claim a few more Bioroids. In open field campaigns, though, the M2204A2s were wiped out alongside their unmodified brethren, and only those units posted to densely foliaged regions such as the jungles of South America and Far East sectors survived the war to serve into the Invid Occupation. There, those units gave yeoman service as camouflaged observation posts and rebel communications relays well through the Invid years.

[Sgt Anjay]

M2201AX: An advanced power system model, designers took the foundation laid by the M2201A1 and introduced the modularity so often a hallmark of Robotechnology. These vehicles are designs specially configured with modular, easily adaptable and easily modified power systems. Originally this was for the purpose of allowing those power systems to be evaluated by procurement teams, and units of this variant were built as or converted from the M2201 IFV version of the M2200 chassis as the base. Nearly all of this variant actually issued for testing out to the field carried conventional types of engines, either diesel or gas turbine, and labeled the M2201A2. Able to easily take different types of engines and easier to convert to other power sources than nearly all other types of vehicles, the lucky few in the Resistance who came across A2 models found much to like.

Other, even less numerous, versions of the modular power system design were fitted with hydrogen fuel cell stacks or SLMH fusion plants (nominally the M2201A3) and a rare few even tested protoculture cell systems based on Expeditionary Force specs accessible from Space Station Liberty (nominally the M2201A4). These systems were tried to test the extent of the power system's modularity and the viability of mounting add-on armor packages while simultaneously increasing the performance of the vehicle. In this, the high-powered versions were far and away a success. Unfortunately, as mostly test-bed designs in the process of undergoing cost-to-benefit analyses, only miniscule numbers of these were produced.

Armament: as per M2201
Personnel: as per M2201
M2201A2 Performance: As per M2201A1. +15% to any rolls to work with, upgrade, or modify the power system.
M2201A3/4 Performance: Range increased to a week of continuous operation, up to two weeks with fuel conservation. Top speed increased to 50mph. These models typically include an Up-Armor Package which adds +25% to main body, drive wheel, hatch, and weapon mount MDC, but also increases the weight to 34 tons and reduces water speed when wading to 4mph.
NOTE:A fusion plant version of this variant was used to develop the M2225 sub-family of variants, which take further advantage of the increased power availability by adding a larger energy weapon (see below).

M2225 Heavy Energy Weapon Janissary Variant
The possibility that the legion of M2200 derived vehicles already in service could be upgraded into truly advanced vehicles at a fraction of the cost of new designs to replace them kept development projects going. With the successful development of the test-bed M2201A3 which could mount a fusion plant, designers looked for further ways to capitalize on that investment into M2200 chassis improvements.

One of these, the M2225, focused not on increased survivability through armor and mobility like the M2201A3/A4, but instead on offensive power by mounting a heavy energy weapon in an automated turret. Though heavier energy armament on a Janissary chassis had been a constant thought in development, most notably in the DEWC program, through work in other Janissary improvements progress was made in the right areas for this to bear full fruit. With a baseline vehicle now able to take advantage of fusion power to integrate such a weapon in a much smaller turret than the earlier M2221 DEWC conversions, a heavy energy weapon turret on the Janissary chassis became much more viable. Eventually, two designs completed preliminary testing, though the 2nd Robotech War and then Invid Invasion prevented the M2225 program from reaching fruition.

M2225HPC Heavy Particle Cannon Armored Vehicle “Mamluk”
The design team behind what would be dubbed the M2225HPC “Mamluk” developed the HPC-120A3 120mm particle cannon. This weapon, descended from those mounted on the Tomahawk destroid, was a contemporary of and competed with the HPW-125A1 to provide a new energy armament for the Spartas Hovertank. Though it lost out to the larger, heavier weapon in trials, the HPC-120A3 was accepted by the UEDF as test weapon for the Janissary upgrade programs. Having a more modest energy requirement than the HPW-125A1, while managing a respectable punch and good range, it seemed perfectly suited to the task. The weapon is mounted on an advanced armored turret operated from inside the vehicle with a range of traverse from -3° to 85°. A 14.5mm laser, also descended from Tomahawk armament, was included for anti-infantry work. In addition, the “Mamluk” retains capacity to carry up to four infantry while providing direct fire support to either other armored vehicles or light infantry. A capable though costly unit using mature technologies with all indications of a bright future ahead of it, it never got out of various proving grounds before global circumstances brought development to a halt.
Armament: HPC-120A3 (Range: 5000 ft., Damage: 2D6x10+10 MD, Rate of Fire: 3 times per melee round, Payload: effectively unlimited), 14.5mm rapid-fire laser (stats as per rapid-fire laser on TZ-IV gun cluster, Macross Saga pg.31)
Personnel: Driver, Gunner, Vehicle Commander, up to 4 light infantry
Performance: Range increased to a week of continuous operation, up to two weeks with fuel conservation. Top speed increased to 50mph. Though never fitted during testing, the M2225HPC could mount the Up-Armor Package developed for the M2201A3.

M2225RPW Rotary Particle Weapon Self-propelled Anti-Aircraft Gun (RPW SPAAG) “Sipahi”, “Ripper-Spaag”
The M2225RPW adapts the rotary particle cannon of the M2221DEWRPW model, itself an outgrowth of a Zentraedi armament. It was dubbed the “Sipahi” by its design team but often called the “Ripper-Spaag” by service members involved in its testing. With the M2225’s power system, the weapon could be mounted on a new and significantly smaller turret on the main chassis, leaving room for a sensor suite comparable to that on the M-400 Arbalist. It was hoped this design would both allow it to fulfill the earlier vehicle’s intended purpose and provide rapidly deployable air defense to frontline units. The space freed up by the more robust power system and smaller turret also allowed the option for a portable air defense team to be carried in the vehicle. Unfortunately, by the time fully functional vehicles were produced its predecessor’s role was in question due to the expected missile-heavy threats never materializing. This created a lack of interest to attract funding. Thus, despite the advanced state of progress on this variant only the units being tested at the Southern Cross’s various proving grounds were ever built before the program ground to a halt.
Armament: RPW-32 (stats as per ZP-32
Personnel: Driver, Gunner, Vehicle Commander, 3-person portable air defense team armed with RL-4 light anti-aircraft weapons.
Performance: Range increased to a week of continuous operation, up to two weeks with fuel conservation. Top speed increased to 50mph. Though never fitted during testing, the M2225RPW could mount the Up-Armor Package developed for the M2201A3.

[taalismn]

Joy in heavy metal.

Plus I like the references to the 2221 series.

[taalismn]

M2211R ‘Tamal’ Recon Vehicle
Work on what would develop into the M2211R actually began as a parallel design study to the VHR-2 Myrmidon. As a hedge against the possible failure of the VHR-2 (and other light recon mecha), it was decided to develop a conventional vehicle mounting similar armaments, albeit on a much smaller budget. Using the most common vehicle chassis then in service, the M2200, an M2200XR variant was testbedded, laying down the design configuration for the later M2211R. The M2200XR featured an improved gas turbine system for greater speed and acceleration for a recon vehicle, and revamped suspension to handle the extra stress greater speed would bring. The major visible changes, however, were a substantially remodelled upper body; the high-profile ‘brickhouse’ was cut down to a lower casemate with a substantially sloped front. There, a turret mounting two MIW-20 Triple Barreled Ion Pulse Cannon, seconded from the Myrmidon program, was installed, the weapons bracketing a sensor array and laser target designator. A secondary hardpoint on the rear hull was also tested for mounting a Mk.17-4 four-shot pack of anti-armor short range missiles. The M2200XR retained a three person crew, with the space that might be used for troops, even with the cutdown hull, was turned over to electronics and capacitors for the energy weapons. Hull armor included an experimental form of stealth coatings(radar-absorbant composites) and a low-powered sensor jammer was installed for testing. The M2200XR was not intended as a front line combatant, but was meant to skulk around the edges of battlefields and ‘paint’ targets for artillery and other units. The short range of the main armaments was deemed adequate for self-defense.

The M2200XR was dubbed a failure, with the success of the VHR-2 Myrmidon, which, though far more expensive per unit and technically complicated, could accomplish the same role far faster and with only one crewmember(it was also argued that the Recon Escort Patrol on Hoverbikes was also more effective than a slow-moving crawler). Also, the M2200XR ran into similar problems as the early LAV-60DEWC conversions; the energy weapons ate up more power than the conventional powerplants could supply at a steady rate, and the capacitors took up more room than necessary. Much as the diehard proponents of the military philosophy that favored greater numbers of less expensive conventional vehicles to bolster Earth’s defenses wanted it not to be so, the Age of Mecha was dominating the battlefield. For want of more mature technologies, the M2200XR was shelved, along with many other concepts.

However, when SLMH/fusion systems became more refined and common, the M2200XR was again trotted out and rebuilt to take advantage of the improved technology, using the chassis and powertrain of the new M2201A3 as a basis. The use of an SLMH-fed fusion powerplant changed the entire equation; the bulky energy cells could be removed, electronics moved around, and enough space for a four-man recon team(or dedicated EW operators) opened up. Provision was also made for a quad-rack of rapid-fire self-reloading RL-4 missile launchers in place of the Mk.17-4 box launcher. The problematic ‘stealth’ armor was dropped, and the EW suite made optional(using plug-in modules and aerials). The vehicle could ably serve as the command vehicle for an attached recon team or forward tactical command unit.

Though very promising, the newly-dubbed 2211XR suffered from the same problems as its ancestor; mecha and hovervehicles were far faster and more likely to survive on the Robotech battlefield. The M2211XR was more than adequate for yesterday’s battlefield, but too slow to make an impression in more fluid modern combat.

Still, the diehard vehicle proponents(some of whom were even more conservative and zealous than Leonard), many commanding military districts that they contended were regularly shorted on mecha allocations, managed to scrape up enough funding for several dozen preproduction test vehicles to be built for field testing, mainly in the Far East and India sectors. When the Second Robotech War broke out, these vehicles were promptly pressed into service as M2211Rs and were scrambled into the field. At least one of them was used as the field command vehicle of a district commander(and program supporter), who eschewed the arguably more vulnerable M2204 assigned his command unit for the faster and armed M2211R.

The concentration of hostilities around the Americas meant that the Masters paid little attention to the smaller garrisons and ASC outposts, so the M2211Rs actually survived the War, having only brief contact with the Tirolian forces, but got caught up in the subsequent breakdown of law and order as various dissident groups and regional warlords sought to take advantage of the weakened Southern Cross’s distraction by trying to carve out their own kingdoms in Asia. Here the M2211Rs came into their own, working to oppose various factional forces, but eventually a lack of reinforcements and specialized spare parts meant that the vehicles were either overwhelmed or absorbed into various regional militia, especially after the Invid invasion cut short any hope of the return of Southern Cross-enforced global law and order. From there the history of surviving operational units becomes harder to trace.

The last account recorded of an M2211R was of one used in the defense of a community in northern India that was being assaulted by Invid Malar Troopers.

Armament: 2x MIW-20 Triple Barreled Ion Pulse Cannon, optional Mk.17-4 or 4xRL-4 missile launchers.
Crew: 3(driver, gunner, commander) plus a four man recon team(or EW operators)
Performance: Speed increased to 60 MPH, endurance increased by 50%.