Saladin

Description
Built by the same company that made the Saracen and Scimitar, the Saladin was Scarborough's last medium hover tank. It is unlike its brothers in that the Saladin does not mount a turret, and its only weapon is a heavy, short-range AC/20. Since it's vastly different from the company's other hovercraft, buyers were quite skeptical about purchasing it; Scarborough had to offer incentives like free training and transportation. Soon it became as cheap as the Saracen and spread throughout the whole Inner Sphere.

Weapons and Equipment
With a top speed of 130 kph, and sporting a Scarborough Original 20 Autocannon/20, it is by far the fastest land vehicle to mount such a devastating weapon. Unlike other vehicles, which have turrets, the tactics for using the Saladin are different. They're best used to make passing runs like AeroSpace Fighters: rush toward the enemy, close in and fire, then continue past and turn back for another run. Therefore the armor layout is different - the majority of the Saladin's armor is located at the front, while the vehicle's sides and rear are left comparatively vulnerable.

Variants

 * Armor : This 2960 variant drops one ton of ammunition for an additional ton of armor. BV (2.0) = 594


 * LB-X : This 3061 variant of the Saladin replaces the AC/20 with a LB 20-X AC. Crews usually carry a ton of cluster rounds and two tons of solid slug rounds. BV (1.0) = 638, BV (2.0) = 760


 * Ultra : Another simple upgrade, this 3064 version uses an Ultra AC/20 as its main weapon instead of the LB 20-X. BV (1.0) = 691, BV (2.0) = 760


 * Clan Cargo : During the Clan Invasion, several Saladins were captured by the attacking Clans. The Clans saw no use for them in their military, so the Technician Caste removed the autocannons and replaced them with a large (17 ton) cargo bay and more armor protection. The Clans used these vehicles from 3050 to transport troops, parts, and ammunition to the front lines without worrying about being injured. BV (2.0) = 150


 * Saladin Ifrit : This custom refit uses a fusion engine to provide a top speed of 140km/h. It also uses experimental Vehicle Jump Jets to provide a jump capability of 270 meters. This required the removal of the LB 20-X autocannon normally used; Instead the Saladin Ifrit uses a Snub Nose PPC paired with a Targeting Computer to inflict damage. Though the maximum damage inflicted per engagement has dropped, the increased speed, maneuverability and battlefield endurance has more than compensated. BV (2.0) = 955


 * Saladin Mk II : The Saladin was later given a complete overhaul and entered service with the DCMS as the Saladin Mk II.

Design Quirks
The Saladin Ifrit variant is subject to the following Design Quirks:
 * Hard to Pilot
 * Non-Standard Parts
 * Prototype
 * Rumble Seat