Proposal One: SMG, Light MK1 - 'Warbler'
-> Conditions: 30 round magazine, around 800mm long, 3kg or less, using .45cal ammo, stamped metal, easy to produce and reliable.
((Roll=10))
Your first engineer team toils away almost religiously at their project. The sound of machinery, arguing, shouting and the odd fight echoes from their workshop for days. They have the requirements, you can only hope they manage to meet them all.
The use the Lanchester SMG as a base, sort of. They strip the gun down to its bare bones, and completely redesign it.
They reduce the overall length down to 800mm by cutting away excess material and redesigning the stock and grip, and increase the barrel length to 450mm. The grip is turned into a pistol grip, with a second pistol-foregrip infront of the magazine, which still feeds from the bottom.
The magazine is redesigned to use the .45 cal Itannic Auto round previously used in the Hubble revolver. Both the magazine and the weapon body are made of stamped metal, with light, varnished softwood foregrip and main pistol grip. Leather is wrapped around the stock for comfort.
The weight is reduced through the use of lighter materials and new metal alloys in the core components, reducing the weight to a relatively feather-light 2.5kg. The weapon is designed in such a way that it is relatively easy to produce, and is somewhat less intricate than the Lanchester. This also makes it far more reliable, with only 87 failures in every 4000 shots fired.
The weapon is also accurate, thanks to the longer barrel and better spin caused by the better rifling, which was almost non-existent on the Lanchester SMG.
Overall, a good success.
Result:
Overall Length: 800 mm
Barrel Length: 450 mm
Weight: 2.5 kg
Calibre: .45cal Itannic Auto
Action: Blowback closed bolt
Feed: 30-round detachable box magazine, bottom feed.
Muzzle Velocity: 450m/sec
Rate-of-Fire: 600 rounds per minute
Range: 200m
Sights: Adjustable Rear and Front Blade
NOTE: Stamped metal construction, reliable, easy to produce, light.
Natural 10 Success; choose one of the following:
Extreme ruggedness
Simple maintenance
Easy reload
Fantastic sights
Stable (Easily managed recoil)
-----
Proposal Two: Lightweight Frag Grenade
-> Conditions: None
((Roll=9))
With no preset conditions, the engineers go wild. They design several different grenades. One is a fist sized round grenade, roughly 500g of high explosive fragmentation. Due to its light weight, it can be thrown fairly far and carried in large number in rope-tied leather bags, and due to its shape, waterproofing can be easily applied to it. This means it can be used by the army, air force and navy regardless. Could easily clear a room, dug out etc.
The second type is a long, cylindrical grenade which feels like it weighs a lot less than it does. Weighing in at 850g, it is far heavier than the 500g fistgrenade of the first design, however due to its lever-like throwing action, it can be thrown just as far, and do far more damage. Great for blowing holes in walls, clearing large rooms, de-tracking tanks etc.
The third is an impact detonated, universal hand grenade made from a hard top and a flexible bag-like component below it that could be filled with whatever was needed for the role it needed to play. Tests show that it can be both a very effective anti infantry weapon as well as an effective anti tank weapon if used properly.
Results:
Grenade, Hand, No 4 'Fist-Grenade' - 500g high explosive fragmentation.
Notes: Light, easy to use, stable.
Grenade, Hand, No 5 'Cylinder-Bomb' - 850g high explosive frag grenade
Notes: Easy to throw long distances, stable, heavy.
Grenade, Hand, No 6 'Bag-Bomb' - Variable weight grenade.
Notes: Customizable. Difficult to throw effectively with certain configurations.
-----
Proposal Three: Jet Engine
->Conditions: At least 1600 pound-force thrust(2000 would be ideal); Be able to run at for at least 100 flight-hours, if not longer.
((Roll=12))
Your engineers had been waiting for permission to commence with a project like this. They jump on it like madmen trying to find a solution to the worlds most complex mathematical problems. They worked hard, and dozens of designs were thrown out before they managed to get on track.
They theorized of 5 different jet engine types, the Turbojet, turbofan, pulse-jet, Ramjet and Scram-jet. They also batted around ideas for a marine pump-jet which they said would be very useful for ships.
They decided on starting with the turbojet engine first and foremost, and the design they came up with is a fantastic example of a turbojet engine, that can seeming run for many hundreds of hours before needing extensive repairs.
The Majestic Mk1 Turbojet Engine:
General characteristics:
Type: Turbojet
Length: 3.2m
Diameter: 1.5m
Dry weight: 1000kg
Components:
Compressor: Single stage centrifugal flow with Afterburner
Combustors: 12 chambers
Turbine: Single-stage
Fuel type: Kerosene
Performance:
Maximum thrust: 5,120 lbf at 10,155 rpm
Overall pressure ratio: 4.9
Specific fuel consumption: 0.5kg/Lbf*hour
Critical success roll of 12. Choose two of the following:
Highly efficient - Low fuel consumption
Easy Construction - Fast construction
Tough - Highly durable and hard wearing, reduced maintenance needs
Lightweight - 150kg is removed from the weight through the use of the latest alloys from our nations metalworks.
Armoured - Resistant to enemy fire, adds 280kg to weight.
-----
Proposal Four: RFR, the Rapid Fire Rifle.
->Condition: Combine the roles of SMGs and Rifles into one to create an automatic rifle, also known as an assault rifle
((Roll=12))
Your engineers seem to be on a roll this month, as the new rifle takes shape very quickly indeed. In fact, it takes shape so quickly that the engineering team designs two versions of the rifle, one using a mid-mounted magazine between the front grip and pistol grip, and another using the experimental bull-pup design theorized during the Great Continental War.
The two designs are similar, however, the bull-pup design has a longer barrel and is more stable and has lower recoil, as well as being easier to use and control. They both, however, take up the same space, and are similar lengths. The bull-pup design as such has a somewhat higher muzzle velocity due to more pressure build up.
The weapons benefit from recent advances in propellent composition, leading to more bang for your buck.
Design 1:
RPR, Rifle, Bullpup Design Mk1. Designation: 'Firestorm'
Weight: 3.34 kg
Length: 890 mm
Barrel length: 652 mm - Octo-helix rifling
Cartridge: 8x40mm Itannic
Action: Gas-operated Rolling lock
Rate of fire: 600-700 round/min
Muzzle velocity: 812m/s
Effective firing range: 700-820m
Feed system: 34-round detachable box double-stacked magazine
Sights: Optical (100-900m markings), backup iron sights
Fire Modes: Semi-auto, Auto and 2 shot burst.
Notable assets: Permanent pistol foregrip, forward angled magazine for ease of change, and less clash with the soldiers combat webbing.
Design 2:
RPR, Rifle, Standard Design MK1. Designation: 'Bulldog'
Weight: 3.14 kg
Length: 890 mm
Barrel length: 612 mm - Octo-helix rifling.
Cartridge: 8x40mm Itannic
Action: Gas-operated Rotating Bolt
Rate of fire: 600-650 round/min
Muzzle velocity: 772m/s
Effective firing range: 700-780m
Feed system: 34-round detachable box double-stacked magazine
Sights: Optical (100-800m markings), backup iron sights
Fire Modes: Semi-auto, Auto and 2 shot burst.
Notable assets: Rearward angled magazine for rapid change
Critical success roll of 12. Choose two of the following:
Tough - Highly durable and hard wearing, reduced maintenance needs
Extreme ruggedness - Virtually no failures or jams, even in extreme conditions.
Simple maintenance - Easy to put together and take apart, and therefore easy to clean and repair.
Easy reload - Smooth reloading action reduces reload times, meaning high rates of fire.
Fantastic sights - Clear, sealed optics and well made iron sights means high situational awareness and high accuracy.
((You can have only one or both, however one has to be designated as the primary weapon and one relegated to specialist usage))-----
Proposal Five:
Seagull Pelican Light Naval Helicopter
->Conditions: Mainly for utility and ASW usage. Able to land on current vessels with little change. To be crewed by one man, have intermeshing rotors and powerful enough to carry 200kg of cargo on top of weapons and fuel.
((Roll=11))
Again, your engineering teams pull through with another 1-month miracle. They pump out a powerful design that many call an engine with rotors with a guy stuck on the front along for the ride. The helicopter is relatively small, capable of landing on the limited space our existing ships have. It is also crewed by only one man and it has a pair of intermeshing rotors.
The vehicle uses the Gyron 88 turbo-aero 2,350 hp engine, giving the helicopter massive amounts of torque and horsepower.
Depending on set up, the Pelican can transport 4-8 troops with full kit, carry ASW weapons and/or tow ASW platforms that float on the ocean, can carry just over 2000kg of supplies. Some have started calling this design more than a light helicopter, and more of a carry-all.
You are somewhat annoyed the engineers didnt stick to the design plan, but you cant complain, you have a good naval chopper.
Result:
General characteristics:
Crew: 1
Capacity: 2,234 kg external load
Length: 12.7 m
Rotor diameter: 10.7m
Height: 3.84 m
Empty weight: 2,334 kg
Max. takeoff weight: 5,443 kg
Powerplant: 1 × Gyron 88 Turbo-aero 2,350hp engine
Performance:
Maximum speed: 175 mph
Cruise speed: 120 mph
Range: 278 nm
Service ceiling: 4570m
Critical Success roll of 11. Choose two of the following:
Highly efficient - Low fuel consumption
Easy Construction - Fast construction
Tough - Highly durable and hard wearing, reduced maintenance needs
Lightweight - 150kg is removed from the weight through the use of the latest alloys from our nations metalworks.
Armoured - Resistant to enemy fire, adds 280kg to weight.
-----
Proposals Six and Seven: Use the new material, 'Kevlar', as well as these new 'ceramics' and 'composites' to create a new tactical body armour set up for our troops. Designation: Crusader
->Conditions: Redesign helmet, and design new armour that covers the front, back and low sides, whilst keeping the arms and shoulders free.
((Roll=10))
Your ROF receives its first batch of the new materials and, quite rightly so, the first thing they go into building is armour for the troops. Your engineers design body armour that comes in three types. All three types cover the front and back, as well as the lower sides to varying degrees.
The 'Light Crusader' version essentially covers the front and rear torso with a kevlar base and small interlocking composite armour plates, with small side plates on the sides that, truly, would only stop smaller calibre fire, if that. The main protection is from the front and rear, and the chest and back sides would stop up to 3 armour piercing rifle shots before failing.
The 'Standard Crusader' body armour uses a kevlar base to protect the neck, front and rear torso and the soldiers sides from shrapnel, knives and other things, whilst solid, continuous plates, not the smaller overlapping plates of the 'Light' version, cover the front and rear torso, and small continuous plates cover the sides, which double as connectors for the front and back, securing the body armour closed using 4 sturdy quick-release clips. The plates can take up to 5 AP rounds from a full sized rifle, and 6 of our smaller assault rifle rounds before failing ((Bonus from extra stopping power, especially at short ranges.)). This comes with a kevlar helmet, with reinforcing composite plates.
The third version, the 'Heavy Crusader' armour is only for defensive forces, troops who would take a lot of fire such as emplaced weapons etc. The armour is much the same as the 'Standard' armour, but the plates are somewhat thicker, and there is a crotch plate, upper arm plates and thigh plates included, articulated for extra movement. Heavy, cumbersome, it is specially designed for mostly stationary troops. This comes with a kevlar helmet, with reinforcing composite plates.
Result:
Armour plates: 6.4mm composite/steel sandwich (7.2mm in 'Heavy' Designation).
Kevlar: 12mm kevlar undervests.
3 Designs, Light, Standard and Heavy
Roll 10, success. Please choose one of the following:
Sturdy Plate Carrier: Less chance of armour failure.
High Tension Composites: Ceramics in the composite plates are kept under higher tension than normal, improving longevity and armour protection
Lightweight Composites: Reduces weight of armour by 1 quarter, enabling the use of the 'Heavy Crusader' armour in the field on offensive operations for shock troops and heavy weapons teams.
-----
Proposal Eight: Further Develop Meteor Cruiser tank into Meteor MK3.
-> Condition: More powerful engine, new materials into armour
((Roll=8))
The engineers seem enthusiastic about this project. In order to increase power to the vehicle, they strap on a supercharger, which increases the engines output by 250hp. They also make minor improvements to the vehicles transmission, suspension and other systems.
They then turn on the armour. Using the new composites, they develop a semi-modular system. The first, inner layer is a relatively thick, yet light, steel-composite shell attached permanently onto the steel frame of the tank. The next layer is a modular system of armoured blocks bolted onto the hull. Armour is effectively doubled on all sides, turning the Meteor into a formidable modern tank indeed.
Result:
Tank, Cruiser Medium Tank, Meteor MK3
Weight: 40 tons
Length: 7.6m
Width: 3.9m
Height: 2.9m
Crew: 5 (Commander/Radio Operator, Gunner, Loader, driver, hull gunner.
Armour: Heavily sloped 220mm to 68mm effective (not actual). Composite-steel hybrid.
Main Armament: 80mm HV AT Gun – 60 round (80x 520mm)
Secondary Armament: 2x Mortimer 8mm MGs, one Coaxial, one hull mounted. 1xPintle Mounted Mortimer 8mm MMG/GPMG above commanders hatch.
Engine: Supercharged Meteor V12 Petrol engine, 850hp
Suspension: Christie
Ground Clearance: 0.9m
Operational range: 190 miles.
Speed: 35mph.
NOTE: Reliable, heavily armed and armoured. Somewhat slow. Low/small silhouette.
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Topic: Royal Ordnance - Story of a War Factory (Read 16022 times)