The AC234 series of armored cars was originally designed to provide a mobile reconnaissance force for tech level 10 planets without the expense of maintaining grav vehicles. Originally the class provided low cost, highly mobile reconnaissance vehicles. As equipment and heavier armor was added it soon lost mobility and cost advantage against grav APCs. The vehicle is still effective against lower tech opponents and is frequently exported to lower tech worlds where the lack of gravitic trained personnel and expense of maintaining grav vehicles makes their use prohibitive.
  1. Armored Car, 234Mk1E1, VRF Gauss Gun
  2. Armored Car, 234Mk2E1, 50 mm auto cannon
  3. Armored Car, 234Mk3E1, Type A plasma gun

Armored Car, 234Mk1E1 (Mongo (1204)/Jewell/Spinward Marches) (Tech Level 10)
The armored car has a crew of 3 (commander, gunner, driver) and 4 passengers.  All crew and passengers are in the chassis.  It mounts a VRF Gauss gun with TL 10 point defense fire control (6 dice) and TL 10 stabilization in a remote turret. Length: 7.0m. Width: 2.5m  Height: 2.0m (+0.5m turret). Total volume: 34.85 m3. Weight: 34.647 tons. Price: Cr. 1,193,273 plus fuel and ammunition.
Movement: Road: 157 kph / 130 cm; Cross Country: 31 kph / 26 cm; Amphibious: 16 kph / 13 cm.
Ground Pressure: 19 tons/m2
Movement Effects on Fire: no effect.
Armor: Chassis front and sides, 30; chassis rear and top, 16; chassis bottom, 4; turret front and sides, 30; turret rear, 16.
Target Size DMs: +2 low, +1 high.
Equipment: 10 prismatic aerosol dispensers; laser sensor (roll 6+); sealed environment and life support for 7; 500 power radio; radio direction finder; radar direction finder; 20 km laser communicator; map box; battle computer; image enhancement; thermal image; magnetic and chemical mine detectors; 6 m3 cargo space.
Power: 2.0 megawatt fusion power plant consumes 3.0 liters per hour; fuel capacity is 75 liters, enough for 25 hours.
Weapons: VRF Gauss Gun in remote turret. 300,000 rounds of ammunition are carried; enough for 20 phases.
 
Effective Long Extreme Targets Signature
150(21)+8 300(19)+6 450(17)+3 16 +4

The vehicle has 0.4042 m3 of wasted space.


Armored Car, 234Mk2E1 (Mongo (1204)/Jewell/Spinward Marches) (Tech Level 10)
The armored car has a crew of 3 (commander, gunner, driver) and carries 4 passengers.  The commander's and gunner's positions are in the turret, the driver and passengers are in the chassis.  It mounts a 5 cm electric hyper velocity auto cannon with direct fire control in the turret. Length: 7.0m. Width: 2.5m Height: 2.0m (+0.7m turret). Total volume: 36.55 m3. Weight: 36.53 tons. Price: Cr. 758,821 plus fuel and ammunition.
Movement: Road: 154 kph / 128 cm; Cross Country: 31 kph / 26 cm; Amphibious: 15 kph / 13 cm.
Ground Pressure: 20 tons/m2
Movement Effects on Fire: no effect.
Armor: Chassis front and sides, 30; chassis rear and top, 16; chassis bottom, 4; turret front and sides, 30; turret rear, 16.
Target Size DMs: +2 low, +1 high.
Equipment: 10 prismatic aerosol dispensers; laser sensor (roll 6+); extensive ECM; sealed environment and life support for 7; 500 power radio; radio direction finder; radar direction finder; 20 km laser communicator; map box; battle computer; image enhancement; thermal image (turret); thermal image (chassis); magnetic and chemical mine detectors; 6m3 cargo space.
Power: 2.0 megawatt fusion power plant consumes 3.0 liters per hour; fuel capacity is 75 liters, enough for 25 hours.
Weapons: 5 cm electric action hyper velocity single barrel auto cannon. Space is provided for 1600 rounds of ammunition storage; enough for 20 phases of fire.

The weapon has the following direct fire characteristics: ROF 80/phase; 8 targets in direct fire mode; signature DM is +1; its other direct fire characteristics are dependent on ammunition type.

Rounds weigh 4 kg each.  Their characteristics are listed below.
 
Type Price Direct Fire Characteristics
HE 20 250(+4)/350(+3)/500(+1) Contact pen./burst size/fragmentation pen.: 11/1/2
HEAP 30 250(+4)/350(+3)/500(+1) Contact penetration: 26
KEAP 20 300(+4)/400(+3)/550(+1) Contact penetration, effective/long/extreme: 25/23/21
KEAPER 22 300(+4)/400(+3)/550(+1) Contact penetration, effective/long/extreme: 23/21/19
Flechette 100 250(+8)/350(+7)/500(+5) Contact penetration/hit DM/danger space: 3/+4/20 cm
In. Smoke 20 250(+4)/350(+3)/500(+1) Cloud size/burn time: 1 x 1 cm/2 turns

The vehicle has 0.1682 m3 of wasted space.


Armored Car, 234Mk3E1 (Mongo (1204)/Jewell/Spinward Marches) (Tech Level 10)
The armored car has a crew of 2 (commander/gunner, driver). It mounts a Type A plasma gun with TL 7 direct fire control on the forward chassis. Length: 7.0m. Width: 2.8m  Height: 2.65m. Total volume: 46.26m3. Weight: 46.24 tons. Price: Cr. 1,425,369 plus fuel.
Movement: Road: 316 kph / 263 cm (non firing), 143 kph / 119 cm (firing); Cross Country: 63 kph / 53 cm (non firing), 29 kph / 24 cm (firing); Amphibious: 32 kph / 26 cm (non firing), 14 kph / 12 cm (firing).
Ground Pressure: 23 tons/m2
Movement Effects on Fire: no effect.
Armor: Chassis front and sides, 30; chassis top and rear, 16; bottom, 4.
Target Size DMs: +3
Equipment: 10 prismatic aerosol dispensers; laser sensor (roll 6+); 500 power radio; 20 km laser communicator; battle computer; map box; thermal image; room for 28 m3 cargo.
Power: 10.0 megawatt fusion power plant consumes 15 liter per hour; fuel capacity is 300 liters, enough for 20 hours.  The plasma gun draws 8.0 MW.
Weapons: Type A plasma gun:
 
Effective Long Extreme Targets Signature
126(44)/1(28) 250(31)/1(15) 400(6)/- 1 auto. spot

The vehicle has 0.1622 m3 of wasted space.