Copyright 2000 by Brandon Cope
 

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TL8 Puma Infantry Fighting Vehicle

This is the second vehicle of the Cat series. Like other Cats, it is amphibious and air-transportable, capable of high off-road speed and with a fair amount of defensive systems. It can carry six infantrymen. While its armament is somewhat weak, the Puma can engage both air and ground targets and has some chance against other armored vehicles. Most of the other vehicles in the Cat series are simple modifications on the Puma. There are three top hatches for the crew. For the troops, there is one roof hatch and a rear-mounted assault ramp for the troops.

The autocannon feeds from two 450 rounds magazines and the 70mm launcher from two 3-round magazines. Usual loadout is listed below.  While it may seem unusual that an ATGM uses a stabilized mount, it should be noted than some users load unguided rockets, which can benefit from the stabilization.

The stats below represent the 'standard' Puma model, but most users customize the IFV to some degree. Since it has a high HT, it isn't uncommon for many buyers to take the Cheap option.

note: Yes, the way I handle the space in the superstructure and hull violates VE2 rules. I did this so that all the Cat vehicles would share the same hull (body) and chassis (tracked subassembly). There are historical vehicles like this (M113 and M577, the Scorpion light tank and its derivatives, many WWII German tanks and assault guns, etc). Roughly, 2/3 of an infantryman is in the superstructure and 1/3 in the hull.

Vehicle Layout (from to back):
fuel tank; drivetrain; ceramic engine; crew compartment; passenger/cargo area

 Subassemblies: two tracks, superstructure, full rotation turret, one pod
 Body Features: Slope on body and turret: 60 degress front, 30 degrees left and right, Slope on superstructure: 30 degrees front
 Propulsion: 340 kW tracked drivetrain
 Weaponry (Turret): 30mmC autocannon, 70mm launcher, 10mmC minigun, 450x30mmC APDS rounds, 450x30mmC SAPHE rounds, 6x70mm PRH-PU missiles, 2000x15mmC AP rounds
 Weaponry (Pod): 2xStinger 3.0, 1xRaptor 6-Pack
 Weapon Accessories: full stabilization for all guns and launcher, anti-blast magazine for cannon shells and missiles
 Instruments and electronics (turret): Thermograph (10 mile, Scan 17), laser rangefinder (5 miles), searchlight, short range lasercomm
 Instruments and electronics (body): 2x medium range scrambled radios, 4xLLTV (1x10 mile F, 4x2 mile L/R/B), advanced laser/radar detector, 2xIFF, military GPS, HUDWAC, two hardened small computers, three terminals
 Miscellaneous: 8 Dischargers w/8 blackout gas loads (body), full fire supression (body)
 Controls: Computer, duplicate controls for commander
 Occupancy: Short
 Passengers: six in cramped seats (body and superstructure)
 Crew: Commander, Gunner and Driver in 3 normal crew stations (body)
 Envirnmental Systems: 9 NBC kits
 Power: 350 kW turbo ceramic, 10.5 gph
 Fuel: self-sealing 100 gallon tank, 100 gallons diesel fuel
 Access, Cargo and Empty Space: Turret - .305 cf empty space, Body - 2.72 cf empty, 10 cf cargo and 35.8 cf access space, Superstructure - 4.11 cf empty space, Pod - 0.1 cf empty space
 Volumes: Body 400 cf, Superstructure 100 cf, Turret 25 cf, Pod 2, Tracks 240 cf; Surface Area: Body 325.7 sf, turret 57.9 sf, superstructure 129.3 sf, tracks 231.7 sf, pod 9.5 sf; Total Area 754.2
 Structure: heavy frame
 Structural Options: total compartmentalization (hull and superstructure)
 Hit Points: Body 977, Superstructure 387, Turret 173, Track (each) 347
 Surface features: sealed, improved suspension, basic IR cloaking, sound baffling, basic chameleon
 Armor (Turret): expensive laminate, PD 6 DR 200 F, PD 5 DR 150 L,R, PD 4 DR 100 B/T
 Armor (Superstructure): expensive laminate, PD 5 DR 150 F, PD 4 DR 100 all other
 Armor (Body): as turret, but also PD 4 DR 100 U
 Armor (Tracks): advanced metal, PD 4 DR 50
 Statistics: Loaded Weight 22,963 lbs (11.48 tons), Volume 772 cf, Size Modifier +4, Price $763,242, HT 12
 Ground Performance: Speed 71 mph, gAccel 4 mph/s, gDecel 20 mph/s, gMR 0.75, gSR 7, Very Low ground pressure, 4/5 off-road speed
 Water performance: can float, flotation rating 25,000 lbs (+2037 lbs), drag 848, Speed 6 mph, wAccel 0.6, wDecel 10, wMR 0.5, wSR 5

New Weapons
30mmC autocannon: one medium barrel, heavy automatic
Dam 9dx3, Malf Ver, Type Cr, SS 30, Acc 15, 1/2 Dam 1500 yds, Max 6300 yds, ROF 8, $22,000, 230 lbs
APDS ammo is $17.2, 1.1 lbs, 5dx9(2), 1/2Dam 2250 yds, Max 9450 yds, +1 Acc
APEX ammo is $17.2, 1.1 lbs, 9dx3(5), HE damage 3d [2d]

10mmC minigun: six long barrels, elextric gatling, caseless
Dam 9d, Malf Ver., Type Cr, SS 20, Acc 13, 1/2 Dam 900, Max 4500, ROF 60, 0.38 kW
Ammo is 0.063 lbs and $0.125 each.

Stinger 3.0: 70mm SAM, 6dx21 HEPF-ABF, Max 4750 yds, IIR homing, skill 15, SS 20, Speed 700 yds/sec, ROF 1NR; a complete missile and semi-disposable launcher is $5530 and 36 lbs

70mm ATGM: 7dx10(10) HEAT, Max 1850 yds, PRH homing pop-up, skill 16, SS 25, Speed 1000 yds/sec, ROF 1/2; $3600 and 48 lbs for slow autoloading launcher, $9500 and 24 lbs per missile

Raptor Six-Pack: 6x102mm artillery rockets, 6dx88 HEC or 6dx27(5) HEDP, 1/2 Dam 1500 yds, Max 2800 yds, Acc 13, SS 20, Speed 900, ROF 1-6; rockets are $500 (HEC) or $585 (HEDP) and 25 lbs each.