BattleTech Vehicle Technical Readout
                      VALIDATED

Type/Model:    Puma TDC-4A
Tech:          Inner Sphere / 3067
Config:        Wheeled Vehicle
Rules:         Level 2, Custom design

Mass:          50 tons
Power Plant:   180 General Motors I.C.E.
Cruise Speed:  43.2 km/h
Maximum Speed: 64.8 km/h
Armor Type:    1/Star Slab Standard
Armament:      
  1 Mydron Model B Autocannon/10 
  1 Sperry Browning Machine Gun 
  1 Holly-4 Pack SRM 4 
Manufacturer:  TDC
  Location:    Solaris VII
Communications System:  O/P COM-21
Targeting & Tracking System:  O/P 2000A

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==Overview:==
The Puma was designed by TDC as a low cost multi-environment weapons platform
offering low budget garrisons an affordable combat unit; further more, TDC
designed the Puma to be as versatile as possible in order that modifications
and repairs could be done on less technical worlds, yet they made it sturdy
enough to survive most combat conditions.

==Capabilities:==
This was attained by carefully calculating most needs of garrison units and
then balancing the equipment loads. The core of the Puma rests on a 50 ton
chassis design supported by a conventional 6 wheeled suspension system tied to
a General Motors 180 diesel that is able to push the Puma up to speeds of 86kph
on paved surfaces, though by most standards this is barely adequate TDC
designers felt it sufficient for a garrison unit. Incasing this chassis is
almost 8 tons of armor plating while less then some units its weight it proves
more then adequate for protecting the crew during combat operations. Further
protecting the crew a special armored ammo bin was installed into the turret
assembly insuring that if an ammo explosion occurs that the 4 man crew will
not be killed. 

While all these features may seem un-amazing to most, it was this very concept
that TDC was shooting for. Most of these parts can be found on most colonized
planets, and this availability helps to decrease there cost on the open
market. No it is not these things alone that make the Puma a good unit. It is
also the weapons load that is responsible for the Puma's possible success. By
saving a little weight here and there the TDC design teams was able a near two
ton turret assembly with nearly 15 tons of weapon capacity and 1 nearly 5 tons
of ammo capacity in body. This allows TDC to equip there stock Pumas with a
conventional Class 10 Auto-Cannon, a co-axial Machine Gun, and a SRM rack. The
main cannon is supplied with an odd 3 tons of munitions as if TDC plans on
selling this tank in numbers to the much wounded Davion forces who with there
new munitions types could use this oddly large amount of ammunition. 

Overall the Puma is not an outstanding unit, but then it is not meant to be;
instead, it is meant to be average and even plain as it is meant to be cheep
yet effective.


==Variants:==
Only one variant is presently planned in which the turret is redesigned to
allow for modular loads.

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Type/Model:    Puma TDC-4A
Mass:          50 tons

Equipment:                                 Items    Mass
Int. Struct.:  25 pts Standard               0      5.00
Engine:        180 I.C.E.                    0     14.00
    Cruise MP:   4
     Flank MP:   6
Heat Sinks:      0 Single                    0       .00
Cockpit & Controls:                          0      2.50
Crew: 4 Members                              0       .00
Turret Equipment:                            0      1.50
Armor Factor:  120 pts Standard              0      7.50

                          Internal    Armor
                          Structure   Value
   Front:                     5         25 
   Left / Right Sides:        5      25/25 
   Rear:                      5         20 
   Turret:                    5         25 

Weapons and Equipment    Loc  Heat  Ammo   Items    Mass
--------------------------------------------------------
1 Autocannon/10          Turret   0   30     2     15.00
1 Machine Gun            Turret   0  100     2      1.00
1 SRM 4                  Turret   0   25     2      3.00
1 C.A.S.E. Equipment     Body                1       .50
--------------------------------------------------------
TOTALS:                           0          7     50.00
Items & Tons Left:                           8       .00

Calculated Factors:
Total Cost:        835,000 C-Bills
Battle Value:      356
Cost per BV:       2,345.51
Weapon Value:      265 / 265 (Ratio = .74 / .74)
Damage Factors:    SRDmg = 13;  MRDmg = 6;  LRDmg = 1
BattleForce2:      MP: 4W,  Armor/Structure: 0 / 5
                   Damage PB/M/L: 2/2/-,  Overheat: 0
                   Class: GM;  Point Value: 4