Starkorm Class Demi Tracklayer
| Starkorm class | |
|---|---|
| |
| Type: | Half track multi purpose |
| Designed in: | File:Imerian flag.png Imeriata |
| Service history | |
| Produced: | 1979- present |
| Users: | File:Imerian flag.png Imeriata |
| Wars: | The first new Frelandian war. The second new Frelandian war. Northern Venezuean liberation. The crimson war. The Al-Jzr Al-Khḑrān war. The Vorraidian war. Imerian colonial campaigns. |
| Production history | |
| Designer: | Orm auf Stark |
| Designed: | 1973 |
| Manufacturer: | the royal merchant guild (Starkorms automobil företag) |
| Variants: | Standard variant |
| Specifications | |
| Weight: | 3000 kg |
| length: | 8 m |
| Width: | 2 m |
| Height: | 3 m |
| Crew: | 2 (Driver, commander), capacity and duties varies between classes |
| Armour: | varies between classes |
| Primary armament: | Depends on variant |
| Secondary armament: | Depends on variant |
| Fuel capacity: | 100 liters |
| Fuel: | Disel operated |
| Operational range: | 400 km |
| Speed: | 75 km/h |
There are two vehicles in the royal guard that competes about the title "Workhorse of the crown" The hammar class medium tracklayer due to it's pure military prowess and it's versatility in combat. The second is the Starkorm demi tracklayer with the several variants used for all manner of tasks ranging from radar duty, anti aircarft duty and finally the most common transport duty that it was originally built for.
Background
The idea of a halftrack is not a new one in the royal guard and the Starkorm even replaced the older Herlmand halftrack in the seventies. Instead of giving the former contractor the task of making a new version before looking around as the guard normally does so was this not possible due to the corporation making the Herlmand having declared bankruptcy and the house dying out on the male side.
The auf Stark house was one of the houses that had continued production after the royal merchant guild gained the rights to produce the Herlmad. However with the experience gained so did they as many other houses and corporations start designs for an eventual replacement for the older demi tracklayer.
When finally in the seventies when the army officially requested a replacement so were the Starkom put through fierce competition but the reliability of it made it able to finally overcome the competition and it was adopted as the replacement for the older Herlmand.
Quickly did new variant follow and a ski equipped version for winter combat were presented to the court. This caused the army to immediately halt all production and instead demand that a version that could switch between skis and wheels would be produced instead. This held up production for almost a year but finally were the new version put into production and during the Scanderan winter months so did the slightly slower ski version prove itself as the all terrain vehicle it was.
Many versions followed as a missile one, a hospital one, radar, troop transport, armoured troop transport, equipment transport and finally command versions and were all put into affect while versions specialised for a certain realms conditions were also created and put into work for the krigsmakt units for that realm.
Lately so have there even been a new idea added to the arsenal of the vehicle as the wheels have been replaced with wheels made from rubber and bends around anything it hits rather than bounce over it. The new wheels adds more to the vehicle's terrain abilities as they makes the risk of blowing a tire something of the past and heavily reduces the discomfort of both the crew and passengers.
Versions
Standard variant
The standard variant of the Starkorm demi tracklayer is the most common one and used for troop transports to and from the frontlines. It is sturdy and able to cross a large variant of terrain and it is cheep to make which makes it an ideal troop transport.
Where it however falls short is that it lacks much in the way of armour and is at best able to stop small arms fire and it does entirely lacks all forms of offensive capacities. However as the standard variant is not considered a combat vehicle so is this mostly seen as something of minor concern and instead so is the cheaper fuel consumption seen as a bigger advantage.
Snow variant
Rather than a real variant in itself so is the snow variant of the tracklayer a version where the front wheels have been replaced with skis to allow it to travel over snowy terrain quicker than normal wheeled versions of the tracklayer. While it lacks uses in a lot of places in the absolute royal federation so is the ability to travel over snow a gods send in Scandera and several of the colder realms where the wheels are regularly replaced by the skis. However as some realms never sees snow so are there places where the issued skis only gathers dust.
Despite this flaw so is the use in colder areas good enough to warrant them being issued in the royal guard.
Armed light variant
The armed light variant is almost a exact copy of the standad version of the tracklayer with two major differences, the first one is that instead of the all but none existent armour on the standard so is the Armed light variant carrying a 20 mm thick armour to protect it's crew from small arms fire and lighter explosions. Further more so is the tracklayer also armed with a heavy Martin tyngre kulsprute gevar attached to the top.
This variant is used to wand off enemy units during patrols or convoys and to provide transport for infantry in low intensity conflicts and to deploy units against low threat skirmishes against both rebels and savage soldiers. To compensate for it's heavier armour so is it slower than a regular demi tracklayer and the crew and the passenger compartments are hot and small compared to those of regular transports.
Medical variant
The medical variant is vastly different from the rest of the demi tracklayers used by the federation, it carries no armour, no weaponry and it's passenger compartment is rebuilt and it is higher than most of it's kind to allow personal in it to stand up inside. The reason for this is to allow for simpler and less complicated treatment of wounded men.
Where a normal variant is crammed and ten to twelve men is expected to use one for transport so is the medical one wider and open, it has a medical bed and several shelves instead of the empty walls of the standard transport where it carries vital medical supplies. Further more so is it faster than your average troop transport due to a more powerful engine and it's shock absorbers are better than those found on your average transport.
Heavily armoured and armed variant
In high risk engagement so is the men mounted in the heavily armoured and armed variant the first men into combat and they are also seen on the flanks of columns to respond to threats alongside the heavier tracklayers. There are several things that sets this armed machine apart from a standard one. Firstly so is it's armour tilted more and the wheels protected better to make it able to soak up fire. Further more is the armour much heavier than the one found on normal demi tracklayers and the crew is protected by as much as 50mm of steel and aluminium oxide plates packed together. To further protect itself so is this variant just as a tracklayer outfitted with infrared jammers to confuse enemy electric fire control systems
Making it even more of a threat so does it also carries a heavy 90 mm smoothborn khönunga kannon able to keep up fire at alarming rates with the aid of electronic rangefinder and fire control systems which gives it an even greater ability to keep up fire and devastate most things that is not a heavy tank or a main battle tank.
Towing and cargo variant
The towing and cargo variant is one of the more humble variants of the demi track layer as it lacks protection from it's crew compartment and is lighter than the standard version. The lighter protection and weight has the added advantage of making it able to carry more equipment and the removed walls gives people in the tross the ability to stack and put more equipment on it than a sealed vehicle would be able to even if they are not as protected. This version is as a result used for transporting supplies and to tow heavier pieces of artillery and damaged tanks and warmachines to and from the frontlines and is considered the vehicle of the artillery corps.
It has also found use amongst the federal engineering corps to carry engineers to their position with their equipment and to help them once they have gotten there.
Self propelled shell artillery variant
One of the two artillery versions of the demi tracklayer is the self propelled shell artillery that carries launching tubes for up to nine missiles or "self propelled shells". The demi tracklayer is capable to launch several kinds of missiles and can be outfitted for both anti air and anti ground duties. Even amongst the various kinds of missiles so are there several choices as ground targets are often shoot at by both bunker buster missiles and scatter missiles which showers advancing enemy units with smaller explosives.
While it is often deployed alongside radar and communication demi tracklayers to help their targeting computers so does it sprout a small radar of it's own and is able to fire independently at long distance targets or to work with smaller radars further to the front. However as it is unlikely to get involved in pure battle scenarios or close firefights so is the missile demi tracklayer lacking in armour and other weaponry to make it cheaper to maintain.
Radio and communication variant
While the radar and communication demi tracklayer lacks much in the way of armour and is mostly armed with only a heavy machinegun if it is armed at all so is it's strength in the large radar or radio disk on top of the tracklayer.
Depending on the vehicle so can this either be a large radar designed for tracking either ground enemy moments or air forces and then relying the information to command that can then get a better electronic view of the battlefield.
Further more so is the communication variant outfitted with a large radio system that allows a commander not only to keep in contact with satellites and high command back in Imerbürg but also to keep in contact with as far down the chain of command as lance corporals due to their radio sets. This gives a commander with this type of tracklayer the ability to know in real time and much more effectively what each squad is doing and exactly what they are facing as well as giving him the ability to keep direct contact with a much larger force.
Temple variant
The most absurd demi tracklayer is the temple variant which is a mobile place of worship for the men on the march and there is no standardised pattern to these vehicles. Each realm makes mosques, chronological temples, synagogues, churches and temples risen to indian and pagan gods for the men in the ranks of the guard. Mostly does these vehicles looks like someone simple glued a temple to the demi tracklayer. Often are they slow, heavy, lacks armour and does not carry any weaponry but for the very superstitious and religious guard so are the places of worship a welcomed addition to any large column of armoured vehicles and horses.