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

New Ukrainian Army in 15mm

Shunning kinetic energy rounds, the main guns on the Molot MBT and Xaoc Medium Tank are powergun weapons of different calibres. The Xaoc uses a 15cm powergun but - lacking the ability to manufacture larger 20cm barrels for an MBT, CMG took a cue from the weapon systems used by the Terran Authority HSAG13 tank with it's twin barrels. They produced a double barrelled weapon 'in-house' which encases two 8cm barrels side by side in one flat 'barrel housing' or shroud but - although separate tubes - both barrels fire simultaneously. This has the effect of a larger powergun. It's only disadvantage is that - compared to a 20cm powergun as used on a Slammer's Blower - the weapon produces a greater amount of radiation scatter when fired so the barrel length was increased to protect the crew and the vehicles electronic systems. Unlike the tank destroyers often used with the Zaporoskiye Brigade, Orlyk decided to use tanks and so the Molot and the Xaoc - like their Sabre predecessors - both feature 360 degree turrets. Artillery and AAA defence Mounted on the same hull as the Molot, the Buran AAA vehicle has a powergun with four barrels: a heavy calliope in the 10cm calibre. The sheer size of the Buran's rounds make it less effective as a calliope than smaller 3cm weapons but more effective against ground targets: a compromise Orlyk was prepared to accept. The Groza - a turreted artillery piece - also uses the same hull as the Molot but has a large turret with a crew of three and has a long barrelled howitzer firing a 17.5cm rocket boosted round and features an auto-loader. With the CMG AFVs fitted with powerguns with their extra hitting power, Orlyk moved his forces away from tried and tested railguns supported by missiles as a primary attack system. However, for secondary weapons the vehicles employed a traditional 'slug thrower': a rapid fire Heavy Coil Gun. This has extra cooling to provide a substantial rate of fire from a single barrel: twice that normally achieved elsewhere. The downside to the prodigious firepower is heavy wear and excessive heat. With hard use, the weapon system needs barrel changes with alarming regularity.