THE OFFICIAL WEBSITE OF THE HAMMER’S SLAMMERS THE CRUCIBLE RULES SYSTEM HANDBOOK

Republican 'Spearhead' Forces The off planet supplies of AFVs reached a peak with the Terran supplied Pz266 Eisenfaust Main Battle Tank (and the uprated Eisenfaust 2AI). Nine metres long, four metres wide and almost as tall, the Eisenfaust (or 'Iron Fist') has a laser in a main turret plus an auto cannon in a restricted angle mount on the hull front. Unlike most other vehicles in either Cacach force, the Eisenfaust is a fusion powered 'blower' with 10cm density enhanced steel armour facing with a sapphire and resin matrix core followed by a further 10cm DE steel interior plate. It has eight fans with intakes in the top deck surface with a crew of three: commander, turret gunner and driver. Spearhead Infantry are transported in the large PZ441 Kastenwagen  Platoon APC. Although similar in size to the Eisenfaust, the APC's are much lighter (at 15 tonnes). They hold a complement of up to 20 infantry, and have a 25mm cannon turret in the front roof) and a commander and driver at the front. The infantry sit inside the ‘Bread Van’ (as it’s popularly called) in four rows, paired to face outwards on folding benches: the vehicle has five firing ports per side. Egress (for the infantry squad, anyway) is via the sides of the vehicle: the whole passenger compartment sides drop down to provide the squad with a ramp out and a very big incentive to leave (there not being any side walls on the AFV to protect the infantry when the ramps are lowered). This is the drill for a combat debus although there is also a door to the rear of the vehicle for a more leisurely exit. The APC is powered by a gas turbine engine but - like the Eisenfaust - it is still a blower with steel skirts forming a plenum chamber. The Eisenfaust 2AI has an increased AI suite along with extra cooling meaning that the weapon can be fired for longer and is more effective, both against ground targets and in an AAA role. The Republican forces use both variants and they - and the Kastenwagen - are all manned by their own infantry and crews, eschewing off planet mercenaries.

The Cecach Campaign 322 - 329TW