Background: Limitation on terrain is the design flaw common to the hover vehicle. The Star League solved the problem with the Kanga. The Roo Scout is designed along similar lines, but as the name implies, it is meant for scout units. First designed by the NAIS to be used as a guerilla combat vehicle, it proved too expensive once the jump jets were added to be produced by most home planets. At the same time, the Recon Departmentof the Field Performance Analysis Division of the Federated Commonwealth Armed Forces was asking for possible design ideas for a new recon vehicle. And so the Roo entered service as a recon vehicle. Technical Capabilities: The Roo Scout is reasonable fast and has some good armament and solid armor systems. Overall it is well designed. The Gallant Jump System is on a 600 ball and pintle mount, designed so that the scout vehicle can jump in any direction and land safely. This is the same design as used in most BattleMechs. (It is also useful in getting out of bogdowns. Treat as -2 to piloting skill roll as per optional rules, page 30 of this issue.) The hoverskirt aids in the landing by acting as a cushion, which allows for near-instant response by both gunner and pilot. The armor is a honeycomb style which also acts as internal support. It leaves more open space on the interior to provide for easier living conditions for the three man crew. The crew consists of a pilot, a gunner, and a sensor systems operator who also controls the rear machine gun. The sensor systems operator may take over either the gunner's or the pilot's position if necessary. The armaments have been well thought out and placed for maximum effect. The Tri-medium laser mount on the front is fascinating because it uses the primary laser to guide the pulse lasers mounted one on either side of the turret. The rear is protected by a standard machine gun which can be removed if necessary for any extravehicular excursions that are thought to be dangerous enough to warrant the extra fire power. Overall, the Roo Scout is designed with the careful scout in mind. Its long range firepower may be considered poor, but it will make a good recon and ambush vehicle in the wars to come. Preliminary trials all indicated this vehicle will be unmatched in city fighting. Mass: 20 Tons Movement Type: Hover/Jump Power Plant: GM-75 fusion Cruising Speed: 86.4 kph Maximum Speed: 129.6 kph Jump Jets:Gallant Jump System Jump Capacity: 180 meters Armor: Star Slab-1 Armament: 1 Mitchell Machine Gun 2 Power Punch Medium Pulse Lasers 1 Stryke Medium Laser Manufacturer: NAIS Avalon Arms Type: Tonnage RO-2A Roo Scout 20.0 Internal Structure: 2.0 Engine: GM 75 3.0 Cruise: 8 Flank: 12 Jump: 6 Heat Sinks 100.0 Control Equipment: 1.0 Lift Equipment: 2.0 Armor Factor: 48 3.0 Location: Armor Value Front: 16 Left: 10 Right: 10 Rear: 12 Turret: 0 Weapons and Ammo: Location Critical Tons Medium Pulse Laser F 1 2.0 Medium Pulse Laser F 1 2.0 Medium Laser F 1 1.0 Machine Gun R 1 0.5 Ammo MG (100) body 1 0.5 Jump Jets LT 3 1.5 Jump Jets RT 3 1.5 Back to BattleTechnology 14 Table of Contents Back to BattleTechnology List of Issues Back to MagWeb Magazine List © Copyright 1991 by Pacific Rim Publishing. This article appears in MagWeb.com (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web. Other military history articles and gaming articles are available at http://www.magweb.com