AN: As I said last time, this isn't actually the next chapter and I apologise for that, but rest assured I'm working on it. Instead this is more of an extended codex entry breaking down the armoured vehicles in use by the Alliance. There'll be another one at some point in the future for their aircraft, shuttles, dropships etc.

Excerpt from: Janes Armoured Fighting Vehicles 2156-2157 (Section II)

[+]

SECTION II – Systems Alliance Marine Corps and Colonial Guards

The Systems Alliance Marine Corps (SAMC) is an incredibly new force in the grand scheme of Earth (plus solar and extra-solar colonial) militaries. Even a number of the Colonial Guard units under the Alliance's remit, existed years before the organisation came to be i.e. the Martian Republic Armed Forces and the Luna Defence Force. But that hasn't prevented the SAMC building a comparably small but very highly capable force in only nine years. Not content to survive off the vast mix of equipment donated from member states, the SAMC has worked with both Earth and Colonial defence companies to introduce a completely new range of armoured vehicles that are specifically tailored to the missions and doctrine of the new force. The success of the multiple concurrent programs can be seen today in the Marine Corps motor pools, where only seven primary models of vehicles exist (only one of which existed prior to the Alliance's founding), where once there were twenty-two.

[+]

[M-05 Weasel]

Role: Ultralight all-terrain vehicle

Manufacturer: Supacat International

Length: 2.8 m (11.1 ft)

Width: 1.0 m (6.2 ft)

Height: 1.5 m (4.9 ft)

Weight: 510 kg (1124 lbs)

Max Speed: 116 kph (72 mph)

Armament: None

Crew: 1 (driver)

Capacity: 1 marine

Notes: The smallest manned vehicle in use with the SAMC, the M-05 Weasel is a 4-wheeled ultralight ATV used primarily by sniper, special forces and reconnaissance teams. Equipped with a very small eezo core, the Weasel has exceptional performance characteristics when crossing rough and heavily inclined terrain, allowing it to quickly reposition small units to almost anywhere on the battlefield. Whilst unarmed, it has mounting points to carry infantry portable weapons and the passenger can utilise their personal weapon from the rear perch. Like many other SAMC vehicles, the Weasel has limited amphibious capability, but unlike every other vehicle in service, it is not vacuum/CBRN rated as it's completely open-top.

[+]

[M-010 Ocelot]

Role: Light Armoured Mobility Vehicle (LAMV)

Manufacturer: Lowell Heavy Industries Mars

Length: 5.6 m (18.5 ft)

Width: 2.3 m (7.6 ft)

Height: 2.4 m (7.9 ft)

Weight: 5.9 t

Max Speed: 148 kph (92 mph)

Armament: 1x remote weapon system for heavy machinegun, autocannon and/or anti-tank guided missiles

Crew: 2 (driver, commander/gunner)

Capacity: 4 marines

Notes: The M-010 Ocelot is the first military vehicle exclusively designed and built on Mars by Lowell Heavy Industries. Principally used by light role and frontier units in the SAMC and Colonial Guard Forces, the four-wheeled vehicle has high manoeuvrability/speed and excellent utility as a patrol, rapid reaction and liaison vehicle. It's designed to carry an infantry fireteam in addition to the driver and gunner, all of which can dismount whilst still utilising the Ocelot's firepower. This is down to the Ocelot having remote links that allow the crew to control it even when outside of the vehicle. It is vacuum/CBRN rated with limited amphibious capability in calm waters.

Variants:

- M-011/UV Odysseus – Light drone carrier and control vehicle

- M-012/C Olympus – Light command vehicle

- M-013/R Oculus – Light reconnaissance vehicle

[+]

[M-080 Modular Combat Platform] (Specifications for M-080/APC variant)

Role: Modular combat platform

Manufacturer: GDLM America/United Lunar Corporation + various contractors for different variants.

Length (6-wheel): 7.8- m (25.6 ft)

Length (8-wheel): 9.3 m (30.5 ft)

Width: 3.0 m (9.8 ft)

Height: 2.7 m (8.9 ft)

Weight: 14.6 t

Max Speed: 105 kph (65 mph)

Armament: 1x remote weapon system (APC variant)

Crew: 2 (driver, commander/gunner)

Capacity: 8 marines (IFV) / 12 marines (APC)

Notes: The M-080 Modular Combat Platform (MCP), often simply known by its APC model the Bison, is an extensive family of modular vehicles in service with the Systems Alliance, UNAS, EU and many other nation states. It comes in either a 6 or 8-wheeled basic configuration which consists of the hull, power pack, driving compartment and drive train. Behind the driving compartment, is where the combat module is installed. Large formations will keep numbers of spare, replacement and auxiliary modules in reserve that can be replaced within an hour if/and when the occasion calls for it. Whilst weaponry is obviously highly varied depending on the module installed, all variants have the same (or better) loadout of ground-penetrating radar, communication suites, composite armour and passive electronic countermeasures. Moreover, like other Alliance vehicles, the Bison and all its variants are rated for vacuum and have amphibious capability, although some of the heavier 8-wheeled variants are restricted in the latter regard.

Variants:

- M-080/APC Bison – Armoured personnel carrier (6-wheeled)

- M-081/IFV Barracuda – Infantry fighting vehicle (6-wheeled)

- M-082/SPM Bullfrog – Self-propelled mortar (6-wheeled)

- M-083/SPG Broadsword – Self-propelled gun (8-wheeled)

- M-084/GRS Broadside – Guided multiple launch rocket system (6-wheeled)

- M-085/AAM Bowman – Mobile Surface-to-Air missile launcher (8-wheeled)

- M-086/AAL Brightlance – Self-propelled air-defence laser (6-wheeled)

- M-087/U Buffalo– Utility logistics vehicle (8-wheeled)

- M-088/M Brigid – Armoured ambulance (6-wheeled)

- M-089/CEV Badger– Combat engineering vehicle (8-wheeled)

- M-0810/ARV Bull– Armoured recovery vehicle (8-wheeled)

- M-0811/ABV Bridger– Armoured Bridging vehicle(8-wheeled)

- M-0812/C Baron– Command vehicle (6-wheeled)

- M-0813/EW Buzzkill – Electronic warfare (6-wheeled)

- M-0814/UV Beehive – Drone carrier and control vehicle(6-wheeled)

[+]

[M-28 Grizzly]

Role: Heavy infantry fighting vehicle / heavy planetary rover

Manufacturer: GDLM America

Length: 10.0 m (32.8 ft)

Width: 4.8 m (15.7 ft)

Height: 2.9 m (9.5 ft)

Weight: 28 t

Max Speed: 72 kph (45 mph)

Armament: 1x 162mm/L15 coilgun, 2x remote weapons stations

Crew: 3 (driver, commander, gunner)

Capacity: 11

Notes: The M-28 was the first armoured vehicle fielded by the Systems Alliance, having already seen a lengthy career in a number of nation states as well the Lunar colonies. Despite its impressive offroad capabilities, powerful coilgun and strong armour, this infantry fighting vehicle is widely considered to be too old, large, slow and lacking airdrop/amphibious capabilities to be useful in the new Alliance doctrines. As such it was quickly replaced in frontline service by the M-080 and M-35 and relegated to reserve and training roles. Although it should be noted that its robustness and high tolerances have given it a second life with Colonial Guard formations as a planetary rover or even in its original IFV role in some cases.

[+]

[M-35 Mako]

Role: Heavy airborne infantry fighting vehicle

Manufacturer: RheinNexter Land Systems/Lowell Heavy Industries Mars

Length: 7.7 m (25.3 ft)

Width: 2.9 m (9.5 ft)

Height: 2.4 m (7.9 ft)

Weight: 17.7 t

Max Speed: 105 kph (65 mph)

Armament: 1x 155mm/L12 accelerator cannon, 1x coaxial heavy machinegun

Crew: 2 (driver, commander/gunner)

Capacity: 6 marines

Notes: Pound for pound, the M-35 Mako is the most expensive ground vehicle in service with the SAMC, even more so than its larger cousin, the M-50 Megalodon. This is due to a multitude of reasons, the first of which is that the Mako is designed to fulfil the role of a heavy IFV as well as that of a tank. The second and arguable biggest being that the Mako, whilst in significant use by standard Marine mechanised brigades, it's also used by Marine Airborne and "Frigate Expeditionary Detachments." The latter two units required a vehicle that could be dropped from low or high atmosphere, descend quickly without the use of a parachute, land safely and then immediately enter combat. All the while, the Mako would be carrying its full complement of six marines and two crewmen. To facilitate this capability, the Mako has a small but powerful eezo core, heat-shielded hull (including jettisonable wheel covers when necessary) and powerful vertically mounted retro thrusters to slow the vehicle down for landing. Once on the ground, the M-35 can handle terrain unpassable to other vehicles whilst able to deliver and receive significantly more punishment due to its 155mm mass accelerator cannon and advanced composite armour. Similar to the M-080 and M-50, it's also equipped with laser warning systems and ground-penetrating radar.

Variants:

- M-36/UVC Mosquito – Drone carrier and control vehicle

- M-37/CP Mastermind – Command vehicle

- M-38/M Moby – Heavy armoured ambulance

- M-39/SPM Mayhem – Self-propelled mortar

- M-310/AAL Musketeer–Self-propelled air-defence laser

- M-311/R Mustang – Reconnaissance vehicle (under development)

[+]

[M-44 Hammerhead]

Role: Lightly armoured cavalry vehicle/tank destroyer

Manufacturer: New Norinco Corporation

Length: 7.5 m (24.6 ft)

Width: 4.6m (15.1 ft)

Height: 1.8m (. ft)

Weight: 7.5 t

Max Speed: 193 kph (120 mph)

Armament: 1x autoloading anti-tank guided missile launcher, 1x retractable belly-mounted RWS for a heavy machinegun.

Crew: 3 (driver, commander, gunner)

Notes: The M-44 Hammerhead is unique amongst the Alliance's ground-based arsenal, in that it doesn't use a wheeled chassis. Instead, this cavalry vehicle uses three powerful lift fans combined rear-facing thrusters to hover a few feet off the ground at high speeds. For short bursts, the Hammerhead can even jump over taller obstacles. In its roles as a reconnaissance vehicle, it was designed to rush to a position, land and then use a cryo-cooling system to hide the engines heat, whilst advanced sensors were used to gather intel. But the engines were proven to be very susceptible to cold temperatures creating a major disadvantage, as it required a significant warm-up procedure to get the Hammerhead moving again after a cryo-cool. Not to mention that the vehicle could not be deployed to very cold environments (including vacuum). Most analysists and the Alliance themselves believe that this makes it completely unsuitable as a reconnaissance asset and RheinNexter have already been contracted to develop a recon variant of the M-35 Mako instead. However, despite its abject failure in one of its primary roles, it's reliable and fast-firing ATGM launcher combined with exceptional mobility have allowed the Hammerhead to continue on as highly capable cavalry tank.

[+]

[M-50 Megalodon]

Role: Main battle tank

Manufacturer: RheinNexter Land Systems/Lowell Heavy Industries Mars

Length: 8.8 m (28.9 ft)

Width: 2.9 m (9.5 ft)

Height: 2.6 m (8.5 ft)

Weight: 24 t

Max Speed: 100 kph (60 mph)

Armament: 155mm/L38 accelerator cannon, 1x coaxial autocannon, 1x remote weapon station, 1x mini-laser PDS, 4x combat drones

Crew: 4 (driver, commander, gunner, drone operator)

Notes: The M-50 is a rare sight, even within the SAMC. As the Alliance's only MBT, it really only fulfils a singular role, which is to engage and destroy enemy tanks and armoured vehicles; a role in which it does excel. But due to this important but limited utility, the Megalodon can't be used in anything short of full-scale conflict and so has only been built in small numbers. Built by the same designers of the M-35 Mako (Rheinmetall and Lowell HIM), the M-50 shares a lot of commonality with the smaller vehicle: for example, they share the same driver train, suspension, powerpack, armour, sensors and even a derivative of the same gun. Where they differ is the M-50 being slightly longer, with an extra set of wheels, no thrusters or heat-shielded hull, two extra crew, a flight of combat drones and a point-defence laser. The gun itself is significantly longer allowing for far greater muzzle velocities and fires unique anti-tank ammunition: Electronic Armour-Piercing Anti-Tank (EAPAT), a round with a quadruple-stage warhead. The first stage consists of an EMP that disables active and passive defensive systems before the round even hits the target. The second is a small high-explosive warhead that defeats reactive armour and outer layers of composite. The third stage is an extremely dense kinetic penetrator that punches through the remaining armour. The fourth and final stage being a second high-explosive warhead that detonates inside the vehicle. As of 2157, only a single unit is known to be equipped with the M-50; the 1st (Alliance Dragoon Guards) Armoured Regiment who's three battalions are assigned to the 3rd, 12th and 20th Mechanised Brigades respectively.