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Originally produced in 3019, the Outback is a rugged, easy to maintain vehicle that requires very few resources to operate. It has proven extremely popular among mercenary units, garrisons on undeveloped worlds, and with the Explorer Corps. Its ability to operate for long periods of time with no support has made it particularly useful among these groups, who frequently operate far from repair and resupply. When designing the Outback, SWI's engineers wanted a vehicle with maximum versatility and limited dependencies. To this end they decided to go with a fusion engine which, although more expensive, removes fuel depndency. They also chose to go with a hover-type chassis which maximizes its terrain capabilities and provided it with a half ton of cargo space for crew quarters and supplies for its two man crew. Finally they wrapped everything in a hefty 9.5 tons of armor to provide a great deal of protection in case of combat or other, less expected occurrences. Although not meant for front-line combat, the designers did give the Outback a potent punch by adding a single front-mounted Large Laser. Despite the relatively heavy armor carried by the Outback, a frontal attack is still not suggested. The best use for an Outback in combat is to use its high speed to get around an opponent's forces and work on the weaker rear armor while avoiding fire as much as possible. There have been numerous reports of Outback formations allowing their armor to absorb damage while they broke through into an enemy's rear area to wreak havoc among their opponents' supply lines. Variants: There is one minor variant of the Outback, designated the OTB-2SW. This variant is meant for police forces on more developed worlds and swaps the cargo space with an additional half ton of armor. |
| Equipment | Mass | ||||
| Engine: | 140 Fusion | 7.5 | |||
| Cruise MP: | 9 | ||||
| Flank MP: | 14 | ||||
| Internal Structure: | Standard | 3.0 | |||
| Heat Sinks: | 10 | 0 | |||
| Turret: | 0.0 | Control Equipment: | 1.5 | ||
| Lift Equipment: | 3.0 | ||||
| Power Amplifier: | 0.0 | ||||
| Armor Factor: | 152 | 9.5 | |||
| Internal | Armor | ||||
| Structure | Value | ||||
| Front: | 3 | 44 | |||
| Right: | 3 | 38 | |||
| Left: | 3 | 38 | |||
| Rear: | 3 | 32 | |||
| Weapons and Ammo | Location | Heat | Mass | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Large Laser | Front | 8 | 5.0 | |
| Cargo | Body | 0 | 0.5 |