47.152.131.235: /* Description */

2025-02-04T19:24:49Z

Description

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{{otheruses|the medium combat tank|the BattleMech renamed in German products|Trebuchet}}
{{InfoBoxCombatVehicle
| image = Ballista.jpg
| name = Ballista Self-Propelled Artillery Tank
| manufacturer = [[Rivverson Technologies]]
|production year = 2480
|year reference = <ref name=MU>''[http://www.masterunitlist.info/Unit/Details/6775/ballista-self-propelled-artillery-tank-standard MUL online entry for ''{{PAGENAME}}'']''</ref>
| Mission = Long-Range Fire Support
| Type = Tracked
| Cost =
| mass = 55 tons
| armor = [[standard armor|Quantum Heavy Plate]]
| engine = [[ICE|PowerTech 165 HighLift]]
| comsys = [[Dushen Electronics Collective DEC/ML-5WB]]
| T&T = [[Kallon Set DC-5]]
| speed = 54
| Crew =
| armament =
* 1x [[Sniper artillery piece]]
* 3x [[machine gun]]
| BV (1.0) =
| BV (2.0) = 531<ref>''Historical: Liberation of Terra Volume 2'', p. 154: Ballista - BV 2</ref>
}}

==Description==
Designed in the last decades of the [[twenty-fifth century]], the '''Ballista Self-Propelled Artillery Tank''' was produced for the [[Terran Hegemony]] Armed Forces. Originally designed by Rivverson Technologies of [[Nanking]], the Ballista was considered the latest word in artillery vehicles. Vehicles produced during the time were considerably heavier, slower, and carried less protection than the Ballista. The vehicle would be deployed in the closing years of the [[Age of War]], its innovative design spurring the production of virtual clones for various Inner Sphere and Major Periphery nations.

With the inception of the [[Star League]], the [[Star League Defense Force]]'s cobbled-together forces would soon purge these clone copies in favor of their originator to streamline logistics headaches. The vehicle soon became the standard SLDF mobile field artillery piece for centuries to follow, only being supplanted by the [[Marksman (Combat Vehicle)|Marksman]] and the [[sniper]] by the [[twenty-eighth century]]. The vehicle would remain in service (with minor updates), despite its ancient origin, through the [[Star League Civil War]] and well into the [[Succession Wars era]] with both the Inner Sphere and the [[Pentagon Powers]].<ref name=H:LoT2p139+>''Historical: Liberation of Terra Volume 2'', pp. 139–140, 154: "Ballista"</ref> Indeed the Ballista was still in service with various powers during the Jihad.<ref name=MU/>

==Weapons and Equipment==
Designed solely as an artillery vehicle, it is appropriately armed with a Hegemony Arms DAT/91 Sniper Artillery Cannon mounted in the turret. The vehicle carries three tons of ammunition onboard, however with its trailer hitch it can transport additional ammunition. The Ballista's secondary weaponry only includes three KKL/h-12 Machine Guns, mounting two forward and one in the rear.

Powered by a 165-rated Internal Combustion Engine, the vehicle is able to keep up at modest pace with other mobile support elements. Protecting the Ballista's hull is 7.5 tons of Quantum Heavy Plate, giving adequate protection against enemy fire should opposing forces manage to penetrate deeply behind friendly battle lines.<ref name=H:LoT2p139+/>

==Notes==
The vehicle's armament fluff classifies the individual Sniper weapon as a cannon. However, it is not a true [[Sniper Artillery Cannon]], which is lighter and shorter ranged than a regular Sniper Artillery Piece. The Ballista's record sheet and weapon break down shows that the Sniper Artillery weapon is in fact listed as an Artillery Piece.<ref>''Historical: Liberation of Terra Volume 2'', pp. 139–140, 154: "Ballista" - Noting that vehicle's fluff name for its Sniper weapon is misleading, weapon is in fact regular Sniper Artillery Piece.</ref>

==Design Quirks==
The Ballista is subject to the following [[Design Quirks]]:
* [[Accurate Weapon|Accurate Weapon (Sniper)]]
* [[Easy to Maintain]]
* [[Trailer Hitch]]

==References==
<references />

==Bibliography==
* ''[[Historical: Liberation of Terra Volume 2]]''
* ''[[Master Unit List]]''

[[Category:Medium Combat Vehicles]]
[[Category:55 ton Combat Vehicles]]
[[Category:Artillery Support Unit]]
[[Category:Artillery Combat Vehicles]]
[[Category:Combat Vehicles]]
[[Category:Tracked Combat Vehicles]]
[[Category:Fire Support Combat Vehicles]]
[[Category:SLDF Combat Vehicles]]
[[Category:Terran Hegemony Combat Vehicles]]

Ballista - Revision history

47.152.131.235: /* Description */