BattleTech Vehicle Technical Readout

Type/Model:	Gabriel Light Hover Tank PR1
Tech:	Mixed Tech / 3062
Config:	Hovercraft
Rules:	Level 3, Modified design
Mass:	5 tons
Power Plant:	35 VOX Fusion (IS) with Jet Boosters
Cruise Speed:	162.0 km/h
Maximum Speed:	243.0 [324.0] km/h
Armor Type:	Rock Hard 3 Ferro-Aluminum

Armament:

1 Farstar-C ER Medium Laser (C)

Manufacturer:    Pryde Rock Industries

   Location:    Pryde Rock

Communications System:    Rock Talk 15 with SatComm

Targeting & Tracking System: Rock Trac 15

Overview:

We aren't sure why PRI opted to redesign this unique vehicle. Originally designed by Bowie Industries, an aerospace firm, this vehicle bears more in common with the fighters they designed then with any other normal vehicle. In fact, PRI had to import aerospace engineers from Comstar just to understand what was what.

The process added months to the design schedule of the Gabriel, pushing the release of this vehicle back to March of 3062. And the expense of bringing them in was more expensive then they can possibly recoup from any sales of this vehicle. Other factors that slowed them down was refining the new Talk & Track 15 to work with their SatComm system, designed to replace the CBR CommStat system, and the design of the new Rock Hard 3 Ferro-Aluminum armor.

Where they could have standardized the Gabriel to a more normal selection of parts, they went far out of their way to make it more aerospace-like. Frankly, our analysts have no explanation for these abnormal actions. We believe there is some reason for these actions that look mad, but only time will tell what they are.

Capabilities:

One of their design changes on the Gabriel was the introduction of their Farstar-C laser system in place of the old Maxell model. Placed on a turret, it's targeting system acts much like aerospace systems, just like the original. The turret swivels towards the closest threat, leaving it up to the pilot to aim at the particular part and fire. As before, the pilot can override the system, but it has proven very successful so is rarely done.

The Rock Hard 3 Ferro-Aluminum armor, what should be on an aerospace fighter, is maintained at the same thickness as the original. Nearly any weapon can break through, but generating a hit at the speeds this vehicle can go are very difficult indeed.

Like the original, the main purpose of the Gabriel is to gather intelligence. The Talk & Trac 15 SatComm, designed especially for the Gabriel, would also seem to be more at home in space. Able to bounce signals off satellites to get information to an allied comm. station, the comm. system operates across a wider degree of frequencies then the Talk & Trac 10 does, and seems to have been optimized for work in space. It works as well in atmosphere as the older system, giving the same advantages of battlefield awareness and gunnery[+1 bonus to gunnery at all times and +1 bonus to initiative when leading a unit.], but costs much more, making us wonder why they made it and use it on this vehicle. Like the original, atmospheric randomization of signals requires the vehicle to drop below 100 kph to transmit to a satellite.

The final oddity they added was a Jet Booster system, not unlike the standard boosters you see on an aerospace fighter. Much more expensive then the systems found on their earlier Pinto VTOL, they really don't have any better performance. They do however push maximum speed up to 324 kph, an absolutely insane speed except under the most skilled pilot or on absolutely flat terrain. This Gabriel is not a vehicle for the feint of heart.

Oddly enough, despite engineer's wishes, the test pilots managed to keep the refit from affecting the reason the Gabriel got its name. By angling the forward fans at a certain degree the pitch-back noise makes the sound of a wailing trumpet. As the original, this makes the ride rough, but the elite pilots who tend to control these rare vehicles like to do it to show off. Oddly enough, the Gabriel pilots have more in common with the aerospace pilots then their land-bound brethren, hanging out in the traditionally aerojock bars.

Variants:

We have recently received information that PRI has marketed a downgraded version of this vehicle to other governments. Replacing the Farstar laser with a Diverse Optics ER laser manufactured in the League and dropping the high-tech comm. and targeting gear for off-the-shelf hardware, this design is being marketed as the Gabriel PR2 in a "step-by-step aerospace training system," which includes the newer Lightning PR2.

Deployment

The pure cost of these vehicles leaves them an extremely rare vehicle, and we doubt they will be anywhere near as common as their Serra-Pryde 'Mech, one of the rarest 'Mechs in existence also because of its cost. We really have no idea what this vehicle will be used for, and have seen very few of them anywhere.

Interestingly enough, the few places we have seen them is in aerospace schools. Because of their massive amounts of aerospace technologies, they work well as training vehicles for aerospace fighters. Their top speed being the lowest speed an aerospace fighter will maintain under usual circumstances also helps the training process.

We do not expect to see these vehicles outside of an aerospace training facility any time soon, if ever. Even assuming this was why they designed it, our analysts do not understand why PRI would go to the expense of making this vehicle and her advanced technologies. A traditional ground-based trainer is less expensive after all.

(January 24, 3064 Information Update - Recent information has surfaced of a squadron of these vehicles being used at the Free World's League's Mount Olympus aerospace training center. According to our sources, the academy leaders made the decision to order these vehicles (and their Lightning PR2 brethren) since fixing them after a crash would be cheaper then buying a new standard trainer....and replacing the pilot in training which had already cost the academy millions.)

In summation, this is the most puzzling design to come out of PRI since they started and we do not understand it.

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Type/Model:	Gabriel Light Hover Tank PR1
Mass:	5 tons
Const. Options:	Fractional Accounting

Equipment:		Crits	Mass
Internal Structure:	5 pts Standard	0	.50
Engine:	35 Fusion	0	1.00
Engine Supercharger:	Body	1	.10
Shielding & Trans Equip:		0	.50
Cruise MP:	15
Flank MP:	23 [30]
Heat Sinks:	10 Single	0	.00
Cockpit & Controls:		0	.25
Crew:	1 Members	0	.00
Lift Equipment:		0	.50
Turret Equipment:		0	.10
Armor Factor:	(IS)	2	1.00

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		Internal	Armor
		Structure	Value
	Front:	1	5
	Left / Right Sides:	1	3/3
	Rear:	1	3
	Turret:	1	4

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Weapons & Equipment:	Loc	Heat	Ammo	Crits	Mass
1 ER Medium Laser (C)	Turret	5		1	1.00
Rock Talk SatComm	Body	0		1	.05
TOTALS:		5		5	5.00
Crits & Tons Left:				1	.00

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Calculated Factors:
Total Cost:	1,055,266 C-Bills
Battle Value:	503
Cost per BV:	2,097.94
Weapon Value:	34 / 34 (Ratio = .07 / .07)
Damage Factors:	SRDmg = 6; MRDmg = 4; LRDmg = 0
BattleForce2:	MP: 15,   Armor/Structure: 0 / 1
	Damage PB/M/L: 1/1/-,   Overheat: 0
	Class: GL,   Point Value: 5

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