Unreal Vehicles

In the aftermath of the Strider Wars, there was a strong desire on the part of the Terran populace to resume space exploration. Unfortunately, the resources for doing so were hard to find. The central government was in no position to reactivate the program, so much of the burden of funding this exploration fell to enormous corporations. These corporate colony expeditions required protection, leading to the formation of huge private armies and even bigger contingents of Mercenaries, the ultimate temporary employee.

Without the funds to field such large forces, the Terran government instead focused on training and equipping lone marshals, making sure they had the necessary guts, bravery, training, and equipment. These men, the Marshals of the Terran Colonial Authority, patrol far and wide, keeping the peace and dishing out justice in the remotest parts of human-controlled space. Also in the service of the TCA, you’ll find Techs, Gunners, and Rangers—teams whose interlocking skills and knowledge can present a challenge to any foe.

Facing off against anything you might encounter isn’t an easy job, so the TCA wants its people to be ready and equipped with everything they might need. Here are some of the handiest vehicles.

The Raptor is light and fast.

The Raptor
The Raptor is the most common ground-unit vehicle in the Terran Colonial arsenal. It is light and fast ground, intended for moving personnel and light cargo rapidly from place to place in the area of operations. The Raptor is mounted with a state-of-the-art suspension system for handling the roughest terrain on alien planets. It also features a powerful drive system that can be overpowered for brief periods, to give the vehicle a temporary burst of speed. The vehicle’s on-board computer monitors the status of the drive system to prevent overuse of this feature, as it can damage the vehicle’s components. So, it is only available on an intermittent basis.

The Raptor is armed with a heavy machine gun, suitable for anti-personnel and light anti-vehicular engagements. However, it does require a human passenger to be present to man the weapon’s controls. Experiments with auto-targeting A.I. firing systems so far have been unable to reach an acceptably low incidence of Friendly Fire deaths. A series of devastating grinders are mounted on the front of the vehicle, making the Raptor literally “Death on Wheels” for unlucky enemy ground troops caught in its path.

The Harbinger boasts great anti-armor capabilities.

The Harbinger
The Harbinger is ostensibly a personnel transport, but it also sports excellent anti-armor capabilities. With room for three soldiers and equipment, it’s a great way to move troops through an area where heavier armor (like the Juggernaut) might give them trouble. This unusual hybrid of operational uses drew some criticism, but it’s proven itself in the field over and over again. The Harbinger may not look like much, but its top-mounted multi-rocket launcher is more than a match for heavier vehicles and can obviously spell doom for ground troops. It’s also very effective for taking down fixed gun emplacements to free up a zone for ground troops to move through. The Harbinger also has a rear-mounted shock cannon, strictly for self defense, of course. The Harbinger has an overdrive system similar to the Raptor’s.

The Juggernaut is the ultimate battle tank.

The Juggernaut
The Juggernaut is a main battle tank of the Terran Colonial ground forces and is described by the soldiers who operate it as being “one smooth ride.” The tank has room for two soldiers inside, but it isn’t roomy. The Juggernaut’s main cannon packs a punch that puts most other weapons in the field to shame. The driver also has access to an anti-personnel flamethrower unit, to keep ground troops from harassing the Juggernaut as it advances. The Juggernaut is very well armored and provides good protection to its crew in exchange for limited speed and mobility. Like the Raptor and the Harbinger, the Juggernaut is also equipped with an overdrive system that allows it to boost its speed for short periods. But, it has a required cool down between uses.

As you proceed into the field with these vehicles, keep in mind that, in spite of what you may hear about how tough they are, these vehicles can be destroyed. Any vehicles lost because of gross incompetence will be charged to your Terran Colonial bank account and repaid in full.

By Shawn Marshall