Sniper Artillery (Dark Age)

Description
Following a successful introduction to service with second-line battalions in the Armed Forces of the Federated Suns, Quickscell began producing and selling the Sniper Artillery vehicle from such worlds as Ares, Kalidasa, Layover and Richvale, leading to it being found in service throughout the Inner Sphere and nearby Periphery worlds. The Sniper Artillery vehicle is ubiquitous enough that while it is often found in platoon- and company-sized groupings, some officers go so far as to build entire units around the artillery pieces.

Weapons and Equipment
Capable of moving at more than fifty kilometers an hour thanks to the GM 240 Fusion engine, the key feature of the Sniper Artillery vehicle is its namesake weapon - more specifically, the forward-mounted Armstrong Industries Sniper Artillery Piece. The two forward-mounted Diverse Optics ER Small Lasers and the two turret-mounted Sperry Browning Machine Guns are secondary weapons at best. Twelve tons of Durallex Standard armor give good coverage to most sides of the Sniper Artillery vehicle, and Quikscell included CASE in the design to protect the seven tons of ammunition for the Sniper Artillery Piece stored in the body - and the ton of Machine Gun ammunition.

The Sniper Artillery vehicle's capabilities go beyond simple fire support; equipped with a Tow Hitch, the Sniper Artillery vehicle can tow trailers, and Quikscell also added Limited Amphibious Equipment, in a rare example of doing something that earned actual praise from those using one of their vehicles. More impressive is the four tons of Communications Equipment built into the Sniper Artillery vehicle, allowing it to function as a limited mobile command and control vehicle.

Variants
As of 3145 there were no variants of the Sniper Artillery in service.

Design Quirks
The Sniper Artillery is subject to the following Design Quirk:
 * Difficult to Maintain