Prometheus (Support Vehicle)

Description
The Prometheus Combat Support Bridgelayer (also known as the Prometheus CSB) is a Federated Suns Combat Support Vehicle used to assist conventional ground vehicles in traversing tough terrain and downed bridges. The vehicle was first designed by Olympus Construction Vehicles of Fallon II in 2471. The Armed Forces of the Federated Suns were in need of a vehicle that could help its extensive conventional forces keep up with their BattleMechs' all-terrain abilities.

Once in service, the Prometheus was put into use to overcome battlefield difficulties for the troops, such as destruction of fortifications and clearing minefields.

Deployment
The AFFS deployed the vehicle with its forces during the last years of the Age of War, trying to help conventional vehicles compete with the BattleMechs of the era.

The vehicle was viewed by combatants as an inferior tank, and was never targeted by either frontline forces or conventional infantry. This allowed the vehicle to remain in service despite its factory having been destroyed in the First Succession War by the Draconis Combine. A few of these even survived well into the late thirty-first century. By the Jihad, demand for the vehicle had resurfaced because FedSun forces were rebuilding after the bloody FedCom Civil War. Production resumed with the return of Olympus as its main manufacturing company.

All AFFS RCT formations during the Jihad had least one Prometheus CSB attached to them.

Weapons and Equipment
The vehicle’s main equipment is its two side mounted Heavy Bridgelayers, one mounted on each of the vehicle's flanks. The bridges can each span up to 30 meter gaps, and are able to handle vehicles or 'Mechs up to 90 tons. The vehicle has a five ton infantry compartment which allows it to carry a platoon’s worth of troops, typically combat engineers.

For the vehicle's defense, it is armed with a 15-Tubed Long Range Missile Launcher mounted in its front. Meant as a stand-off weapon only, the vehicle is only given one ton of ammunition for it. Also mounted in the front is a Medium Laser. These weapons are linked to an Advanced Fire Control which enables the vehicle to fire with military precision. The Prometheus has small five ton cargo capacity, with a door mounted in the rear.

The Prometheus has ten tons of BAR 10 grade armor protecting its hull from damage.