M8 Greyhound Armored Car (WWII)
The M8 entered production in 1943, after two years of development, continuing until the end of the war, by which time some 11,000 had been constructed. It was quickly gotten rid of by the Americans, who preferred tracked vehicles for recce duties (such as the later M24 Chaffee and M41 Walker Bulldog). It was the British who gave it the name 'Greyhound,' both for its high speed and for its thin armor. However, it proved to be a reliable vehicle with very good performance. Although the 37mm cannon was outclassed as an anti-tank gun, it could easily deal with other armored cars of its day.
After WWII, it was exported to many Third World countries (especially in Africa and South America), where it proved useful in as an internal security vehicle. Many were still in use by the late 1980's (and perhaps still a handful even now), though it must be very difficult to keep the main gun stocked with ammo, as it has not been produced for years.
Historical Note: The real M8 was 17,00-17,470 lbs, had a 47 gallon tank good for a 350 mile range and used a 110 hp (82 kw) engine good for a 55mph top speed. My sources disagree on armor thickness - one has 8mm all around, the other has 3mm-20mm; I have chosen the last.
Subassemblies: six off-road wheels, full rotation turret, full
rotation open mount (skate rail)
Body Features: Slope on body and turret: 30 degrees front
Propulsion: 95 kW all-wheel-drive wheeled drivetrain
Weaponry (turret): 37mm tank gun, .30-cal coax MG, 48x37mm AP
rounds (body), 32x37mm HE rounds, 1000x.30-cal rounds
Weaponry (open mount): .50-cal (12.7mm) MG, 200x.50-cal rounds
Weaponry (body): no weapons, 1000x.30-cal rounds, 200x.50-cal
rounds
Weapon Accessories: partial stabilization for both turret guns,
universal mount for .50-cal MG
Instruments and electronics (body): two medium range radios
Miscellaneous: fire extinguisher
Controls: Mechanical
Occupancy: Short
Crew: Driver and Co-Driver in hull, Commander and 37mm Gunner/Loader
in turret, all in normal crew stations
Power: 95 kW gasoline engine, 2000 kWs lead/acid battery, 4.275
gph
Fuel: 37 gallon standard tank, 37 gallons gasoline, 8.65 hours
of fuel
Access, Cargo and Empty Space: Turret - 8.24 cf empty space,
Body - 7.37 cf empty, 50 cf cargo and 18.9 cf access space, open mount
- 0.08 cf empty space
Volumes: Body 200 cf, Turret 80 cf, Wheels 60 cf, Open Mount
3.2 cf; Surface Area: Body 205 sf, turret 111.4 sf, wheels 92 sf, open
mount 13 sf; Total Area 422
Structure: heavy frame, cheap
Hit Points: Body 616, Turret 334, Wheel (each) 92
Armor (Turret): PD 5 DR 78 Front, PD 4 DR 52 Left, Right and
Back, PD 4 DR 28 Top, std. metal
Armor (Body): PD 5 DR 78 Front, PD 4 DR 25 Left, Right, and Back,
PD 4 DR 16 Top, PD 2 DR 8 Underside, std metal
Armor (Wheels): PD 4 DR 20, std metal
Statistics: Loaded Weight 17,041 lbs (8.52 tons), Volume 343.2
cf, Size Modifier +4, Price $27,511, HT 12
Ground Performance: Top Speed 53 mph, gAccel 3 mph/s, gDecel
10 mph/s, gMR 0.75, gSR 4, High ground pressure, 1/4 off-road speed
M20 Utility Car
This was basically the M8 with the turret removed. Often, a second open mount gun (usually .30-cal) was added to a skate rail mounted atop what had been the turret ring, to compliment the .50-cal, which was retained. Drop the turret, .30-cal MG and ammo and 37mm gun and ammo. Some owners of the M8 may have carried out conversions with similar results. Change the commander and gunner to two normal open seats and add two passengers in normal open seats. Hull cargo is 10 cf and empty space is 36.82 cf.
Statistics: Loaded Weight 12,210 lbs (6.11 tons), Volume 240.9
cf, Size Modifier +4, Price $25,360, HT 12
Ground Performance: Top Speed 63 mph, gAccel 4 mph/s, gDecel
10 mph/s, gMR 0.75, gSR 4, High ground pressure, 1/4 off-road speed
New Weapons
37mm L53 tank gun: medium barrel, breechloading conventional
cannon
Dam 7dx4 (2) AP or 2d+1[4d] HE, Malf Crit, Type Cr, SS 20, Acc 14,
1/2 Dam 1000 yds, Max 4900 yds, ROF 1/3
.30-cal machine gun: use TL6 7.62mm MG, but ROF 8
.50-cal machine gun: use TL6 12.7mm HMG, but ROF 8