VEHICLES OF THE JAPANESE SELF DEFENSE FORCES Vehicle Missiles Except for the Heavy tank and air defense vehicles missile launchers fire Type 32 or type 26 missiles TYPE 57 MOD 3 HEAVY TANK (TRACKED) The Japanese heavy tank, it was built with the intent of matching or exceeding the capacity of the Manchurian Type-27 Tank. . It dates back to 2275 , it has had it’s electronics upgraded however there are no plans to replace the tank as the basic chassis is still sound. It is being supplemented in ILSDF Service by the Type 50 and the Type 81. An articulated chassis is used and the rear Hull has a multirole VLS Missile system, replacing an infantry squad carried by the Model 1. The hull feature antipersonnel flechette charges for close in point defense and anti-infantry work this system can be placed under automated control however this is not popular with supporting Infantry forces.. The tank has a crew of 3 using advanced automated systems to coordinate secondary weapons fire. The vehicle is also equipped to link to UAV’S and carries 2 drones similar to the American whisper Drones
TYPE 50 MEDIUM TANK (TRACKED) A lighter tracked tank intended to fill the roll played by the Hovertank in close terrain, such as the typical Japanese urban environment. This vehicle has similarities to the Type 77 Hovertank but has heavier armour is slower and has more extensive anti-infantry weapons reflecting the likelihood of close combat against infantry. This tank is a post Central Asian war design and has already almost replaced the type 45 tank, partly due to the reduced number in use . Some of the roles filled by the Type 45 of infantry support have been filled by the Type 81 and Combat walkers. Reflecting the probability of urban fighting and having to engage infantry targets a Plasma weapon was accepted over the mass Drivers used by foreign tanks. The Type 50 does not carry any missiles as these would be of limited use in an urban environment and anyway the Infantry it is supporting will carry plenty of missiles. The main armament is carried in a remote turret similar to that of the LZKPZ-IX, there are also auxiliary turrets on either side of the chassis carrying close in weapons. The remote turret has a high angle elevation capability allowing it to engage low level aerial targets on the upper level of buildings.
VARIANTS
TYPE 73 HOVERTANK The Japanese Hovertank in service at the time of the Central Asian war, it is of the same generation as that of the AC-8 , it has design similarities with the LKPZ-VIII . Like foreign Hovertank’s it is armed with a Massdriver , originally it carried no missiles but after the Central Asian war was refitted with Missile tubes on the deck. In the Central Asian war the Japanese found the tank to be moderately successful , superior to the AC-8 . It has a traditional tank silhouette similar to the us M-9
TYPE 77 HOVERTANK The Type 77 was designed to replace the type 73 after the Central Asian war. It was entering design trails at the start of the War of German reunification and was subsequently modified to take advantage of the lessons of the war. It resembles the LKPZ-1X and incorporates an internal missile launcher, the launcher is a revolver system allowing it to carry a mixed load of anti vehicle and AA missiles which can be selected based on the threat. There are 2 versions of this tank one armed with a Plasma cannon and the other with a Massdriver.
TYPE 81 TRACKED TANK DESTROYER Built on the chassis of retired type 45 Medium tanks. The turret is removed and a Heavy Plasma gun mounted in a forward mount. A remote turret on an arm is fitted to look over cover and armed with a 25mm autocannon to kill infantry. The intention was to build a fairly low cost vehicle to take out enemy heavy tanks in street fighting by attacking from ambush. It is also used to destroy strong points with Point blank direct plasma fire.
TYPE 82 Tracked Tank Destroyer A relative of the Type 81, this version carries a heavy missile armament and is intended to act in support of the infantry launching missiles on Targets designated by the Infantry As above however has 38 rd Revolver missile launchers TYPE 42 TRACKED APC A fairly heavily armoured tracked vehicle built on a Type 45 chassis without any heavy weapons. It carriers an infantry squad , a turret with a light plasma cannon and a pair of automatic mortars for use in support of it’s infantry and be . The infantry debus via side doors , and it is not usually intended that the APC fight in support of the troops in the urban environment however it is armed in case it is necessary to extract the infantry under fire or if it is ambushed. The majority of Japanese vehicle variants are based around the APC families rather than the more expensive tanks.
VARIANTS
TYPE 44 HOVER APC A Faster and more lightly armed APC designed to operate with the Hover tanks . It carries a squad of troops, missiles and is armed with light weapons. It is not designed to operate in close support of the infantry and is not suitable for Sturmtactick style assaults. The Japanese are still debating the purchase of an APC for such operations.
VARIANTS
TYPE 46 Combat Walker Carrier A version of the Type 44, it has had the weapons turret removed and the Combat walkers potrude slightly from the top. It is intended to carry combat walkers so that they can keep up with the infantry in their hover APC’s they are slow to debus from this vehicle and would be expected to do so before contact with the enemy. As the type 44 but no Weapons and can carry 4 Combat Walkers COMBAT WALKERS For all combat walkers Mod 1 is a hostile environment model, mod 2 is a Zero-G Model, Model 3 is a recent development for Airdropping . Japanese combat Walkers are Humanoid and visually are modeled on Samurai warriors. They show design influences of the BH-21 and Kz-7 Combat Walkers. The type 1 and Type 2 where early models in service during the central Asian war, here they where useful but a lack of firepower hindered them against Manchurian Combat Walkers. The central Asian war also fixed the Japanese doctrine which calls for Combat Walkers to operate as infantry largely in difficult terrain and urban environments, they are considered unsuitable for open field actions against mechanized opponents . All designs are basically similar with differing weapons particularly the backpacks, Weapons are carried in a backpack and also in Forearm mounts BASIC ATTRIBUTES
TYPE 3 HEAVY INFANTRY WALKER Equipped to fight enemy infantry it has A Laser Rifle/Designator in the Right Arm, A Gauss Lmg (2500rds) in the Left Arm and carriers a 30 MW Plasma Gun with 40 Shots in a backpack mount TYPE 4 FIRE SUPPORT WALKER Equipped to provide fire support to the Standard Walker It has the same arm mounts but carriees 2 automatic 30mm GL in the backpack with 4 90 rd magazines allowing a wide selection of rounds . The Grenade launchers are intended for use against infantry and to provide smoke screens, they are also capable of indirect fire. TYPE 5 AIR DEFENSE WALKER Standard arm weapons, the backpack carries 8 Type 15 Air defense missiles TYPE 6 ANTI-ARMOUR WALKER Standard Arm weapons and 8 Type 13 antivehicle missiles |