BattleTech Vehicle Technical Readout

Type/Model: Coolant Truck Wheeled (Human Sphere)
Tech: Inner Sphere / 2588
Config: Wheeled Vehicle
Rules: Level 1, Standard design
   
Mass: 30 tons
Power Plant: 100 I.C.E.
Cruise Speed: 43.2 km/h
Maximum Speed: 64.8 km/h
Armor Type: Standard
Armament:
2 Small Lasers
Manufacturer:    (Unknown)
   Location:    (Unknown)
Communications System:    (Unknown)
Targeting & Tracking System: (Unknown)


Overview:

         Coolant trucks, better known as "coolers" among MechWarriors, station themselves close to the battlefield, where they can be hooked up to heated 'Mechs for the purpose of flushing away the excess heat with super-cold liquid nitrogen.
         The coolant truck was first developed during the Reunification War, when the Star League sought to extend its control over worlds in the Periphery. The need for a battlefield device able to provide quick cooling for overheating 'Mechs became especially apparent during this period because so many of the Periphery worlds were water-poor. Though the Star League 'Mechs were superior to the Periphery troops, Star League lost several battles before the development of coolant trucks simply because the Periphery armies were able to exhaust the Star League 'Mechs with unrelenting attacks.
         The first coolant trucks appeared on the battlefield in 2588, participating in the siege of Cerberus, a world in the Outworlds Alliance. As the world was a desert world, the coolant trucks more than doubled the range of the League 'Mechs. Since that time, coolant trucks have been an important part of many 'Mech armies.

Capabilities:

         Most coolers carry between seven and nine tons of coolant, (often but not always a mix of liquid nitrogen and liquid oxygen) in armored tanks kept cold with small recirculation motors. The motors also stir the tank's contents to prevent dangerous temperature gradients that might rupture the tank.
         A 'Mech has two uses for liquid nitrogen. The first is as a coolant for its reactors. In most 'Mechs, a twin-jacketed fusion core is insulated by a surrounding reservoir of liquid nitrogen.This nitrogen is kept in circulation to keep the heat of the reactor within performance norms. As the 'Mech exerts more energy, its heat rises, which causes the liquid nitrogen to expand to dangerous pressures. Sensing this rise in pressure, the control system will vent a portion of the nitrogen into the air until the pressure falls. If a pilot is forced to do this several times, his 'Mech is also losing precious coolant in the process. To prevent a shutdown or explosion the MechWarrior of a severely overheating 'Mech will retire from the battle and move to the coolers standing by. Once attached to the truck the lukewarm nitrogen is flushed from the 'Mechs reservoir and replaced with cold nitrogen.  
         A BattleMech also uses nitrogen to cool other of its parts. By diverting a portion of the liquid through tubes called "arteries", the liquid is spread throughout the 'Mechs structure. In this way, it cools other hot spots that may occur at the various actuators in the missile system, and so forth.
         Coolant trucks also sometimes carry liquid oxygen, which is used to replenish the small jump jet tanks. The pure oxygen is used to supplement the normal air passing over the hot reactor, creating the jet propulsion. Liquid oxygen can also be pumped through the 'Mechs artery system to cool burning joints. However as oxygen is more volatile than nitrogen it is used for coolant only if the coolers nitrogen supply is exhausted.
         Most coolant trucks have always carried twin lasers, though some have been refitted with flamers over the years. If approached by a 'Mech either in flames or on the verge of exploding, such a truck can switch the fuel source of its flamers and spew liquid nitrogen onto the wounded 'Mech, dousing the flames and cooling the 'Mech off in a cloud of super-cool mist. This is still less common than the standard laser armament though.
         Most coolers have slightly more armor than might be expected for a non-combat vehicle. The protection has been added because a single laser bolt or hot piece of flying metal would explode the trucks volatile cargo.
         Most coolers have between three and six receptacles for the long rubber/plastic hoses used for attachment to overheating 'Mechs. Most 'Mechs have hookup points for just one hose, but heavy 'Mechs require two for cooling.

Deployment

         Every major force that has the money to "waste" on support units for their BattleMechs tends to have at least one of these units, and often several of them. They can be seen in almost any environment that BattleMechs manuever in, thanks to the different chassis that different models use.


Type/Model: Coolant Truck Wheeled (Human Sphere)
Mass: 30 tons
Equipment:   Items Mass
Internal Structure: 15 pts Standard 0 3.00
Engine: 100 I.C.E. 0 6.00
Power Amplifiers: Body 0 .10
   Cruise MP: 4    
   Flank MP: 6    
Heat Sinks: 2 Single 0 2.00
Cockpit & Controls: 0 1.50
Crew: 2 Members 0 .00
Turret Equipment:   0 .50
Armor Factor: 108 pts Standard 0 7.00

    Internal Armor
    Structure Value
  Front: 3 20
  Left / Right Sides: 3 28/28
  Rear: 3 20
  Turret: 3 12

Weapons & Equipment: Loc Heat Ammo Items Mass
2 Small Lasers Turret 2   2 1.00
Coolant System Body 0   1 8.90
TOTALS:   2   3 30.00
Items & Tons Left:       8 .00

Calculated Factors:
Total Cost: 225,400 C-Bills
Battle Value: 117
Cost per BV: 1,926.5
Weapon Value: 24 / 24 (Ratio = .21 / .21)
Damage Factors:    SRDmg = 2; MRDmg = 0; LRDmg = 0
BattleForce2: MP: 4W,   Armor/Structure: 0 / 4
    Damage PB/M/L: 1/-/-,   Overheat: 0
    Class: GL,   Point Value: 1

Designed with HeavyMetal Vee