Xi-51 Qi-Chu (QCX-51) (51-Xíng Qìdiànchuán - Type 51 Hovercraft-Artillery)
The 51-Xíng Qìdiànchuán is, as the name suggests, an artillery piece mounted on an innovative platform to allow the Toskesh military offensive indirect fire, while complying with the Geneva convention and replacing the sled-moved horror that is current serving as it's main artillery. It accomplishes this by employing a novel method of locomotion, as it relies on two powerful turboshaft powered fans on the back of the vehicle for forwards motion and rests on a cushion of air contained by a thick, flexible rubber skirt, which allows the vehicle to travel over small obstructions without damage or take enemy fire without rendering the vehicle immobile. The rear fans are mounted to the sides and use ducting to allow them to perform both the inflation of the skirt and the propulsion of the craft by directing some of the air to the skirt, the rest of the air passing out of the back to push the craft forward. The fans can be turned to allow the vehicle to change direction. That said, the vehicle is open-topped to save weight, with the closest thing to armoring it has being the gun's gun plate, a set of posts to let the crew run a tarp over it to keep the rain and snow out and a raised, thin metal bulwark to offer limited cover and to prevent the crew from falling off the vehicle. The vehicle also features four deployable braces for use in managing recoil, as well as basic railings on top of the bulwark. On top of the vehicle there is slightly raised, circular platform which is free to rotate 360° on which the TOS-31 'Sunrise' Field Gun is mounted, allowing the operator to quickly lay the gun in the direction of enemy forces regardless of the vehicle's orientation. Ammunition for the field gun is kept in cases located in indentations in the platform, so they're safe from enemy fire as opposed to being in the open on top of the platform, and allowing people to move over them, saving space. The back of the vehicle features a ramp which can be lowered when the piece is stationary, to allow for quicker and easier mounting and dismounting. The vehicle is overall 9 meters long, 5 meters wide and 3.5 meters high, gun and all. To convert the vehicle into a transport (which takes minimum priority in it's design, should it prove too harmful to it's performance or take up too much time for whatever reason) such as a general truck or canvas-covered infantry transport, the central gun platform is taken out, leaving plenty of room for passengers, materials, ammunition, etc. and making the profile of the vehicle smaller by a meter - down to 2.5 meters.
Extremely Hard: 5 (4, 5)
The
Xi-51 Qi-Chu is the worlds very-first hovercraft; at least in the more modern sense. Not only does the design made leaps forward with the invention of the first hovercraft, but it is also our first turboshaft engine as well.
The Xi-51 Qi-Chu is a 50 mm Sunrise artillery piece mounted on a flat platform that rides a cushion of air contained by a thick, rubber skirt. The air pumped underneath the craft keeps it off the ground and gives it a remarkably low ground pressure, causing the craft to hover - thus giving it the name. The air intakes for the air cushion is a large, circular intake that rises upward out of the rear of the craft, and pair of large, stationary fans dominate the back of the platform. The firing arc of the gun is somewhat limited by these fans and air intakes and can mainly fire forward.
Three turboshaft engines are required to power the hovercraft. Two work in tandem to keep the skirt inflated and provide the air cushion and the third powers the fans on the back. The driver sits in an open cockpit on the front and can control the speed of the fans as well as the deflection of the attached rudders.
The turboshafts run nearly non-stop, even when the craft is stationary on flat ground and especially when on sloped ground. This burns a great deal of fuel, and operators are advised to deploy the braces and deactivate the craft when stationary for any length of time. Even with the braces the craft will shift during artillery barrages. The skirt has been known to collapse when met with high obstacles or waves; on ground the skirt can be deflated and refilled, but this is a more serious concern when over deep water. The skirt is also quite thick, and though it features chord-plys similar to radial tires enemy fire will represent a hazard and can immobilize the craft. Our new turboshaft engines are primitive and prone to failure, unable to run during rain, and can get quite hot. On the bright side, the Xi-51 can move quite quickly, able to outpace even our Lingxin-Chao Pattern A Truck on flat ground. The central artillery piece can also be removed to allow up to eight soldiers to hitch a ride in full gear. 4 Ore, 6 Oil, 1 Cobalt.
(Note: You have 2 Ore and 1 Oil by default. The U.N. provides 1 Ore and 1 Oil, but you have only 1 TC at the moment and can only utilize one of these additional resources.)
Faction Color: Navy BlueUnique Resource: Titanium(You may re-select either of these up until the strategy phase has been completed)
Author
Topic: Arms Race: Iron Behemoths - Toskesh - GAME OVER (Read 47168 times)