Type 972

The Type 972 is a Main Battle Tank of the Union Guards put into service in Year 859.

Overview
The Type 972 was designed to be an expensive but powerful counterpart to the well-built but otherwise unexceptional Type 759 Main Battle Tank already in service in the Union Guards.

Design
The Type 972's body design is simultaneously angular and rounded, drawing inspiration for different portions of it from many historical tank designs.

Unlike nearly all other tanks in the past or present, all of whom feature a pair of tracks, the Type 972 features four running tracks that occupy the entire space underneath the tank. A hydro-pneumatic suspension and specially designed gearbox, combined with the quad tracks, allow the Type 972 to achieve an exceptionally low ground pressure. This provides increased performance on loose terrain and against inert anti-tank obstacles but makes the current height of the Type 972 impossible to lower without a redesign of the vehicle. A powerful turbine engine combined with an electric power pack allows the Type 972 to achieve a max speed of 60 kilometers per hour without the extreme fuel consumption of the turbine engine alone. The turbine is designed to burn diesel fuel but can also use a wide variety of combustible liquids (though at reduced efficiency).

The combination of its elliptical shields (see below), CBRN-E protective equipment (including an installable internal air supply), and an automatic fire suppression system allows the Type 972 to comfortably fight in extreme scenarios (such as battlefields involving the use of tactical nuclear weapons) that the Type 759 may not be fully adequate to handle.

Armor
One of the most visually striking features of the Type 972 is the elliptical composite shield that covers over and partially intersects with the main body armor of the vehicle. This elliptical shield, sloped at a significant angle relative to the vertical axis, wraps around the side of the vehicle but terminates near the boxy rear of the vehicle. This shield provides protection against pressure waves, shaped charges, and some long-rod penetrators.

The main body of the Type 972 is constructed out of rolled homogeneous armor with additional layers of composite, ceramic, and non-explosive reactive armor overlaid on top, with options for additional explosive reactive armor (such as the 22E30) to be attached. The Type 972B and Type 972U, upgraded versions of the Type 972, replaces some rolled homogeneous armor on the front and on all sides, respectively, with meta-material armor.

The turret of the Type 972, similar to the rounded shield body, combines rounded and angular designs. The front of the turret carries a second elliptical composite shield that, unlike the main body shield, only extends halfway down the sides of the turret before abruptly ending. The rear bustle of the turret, containing a blow-out panel equipped ammo compartment and an autoloader, is of a boxy design similar to that of the rear of the Type 972 main body.

Armament
The Type 972 is armed with a stabilized 120mm smoothbore cannon, a coaxial 20mm gyro-gun, and two 12.7mm general purpose machine guns in CROWS mounts. The tank carries 40 rounds for its main cannon, 1000 rounds for its gyro-gun, and 500 rounds for each machine gun.

The main cannon is designed to fire kinetic penetrator, shaped charge, scatter, and high explosive munitions.

The roof mounted gun is part of a Common Remote Operated Weapons Station (CROWS) and can be fired by crew within the vehicle.

Additional equipment
The Type 972 is equipped with four two-barrel smoke launchers on its turret sides, behind the edge of the turret elliptical shield. Also located on the turret are two thermal sights for the gunner and commander respectively.

The Type 972 has four equipment slots located on its turret that can be equipped with modular packages. Compatible packages include:
 * Active Protection Systems (such as the 22P51 "Scattershot")
 * CROWS (machine gun, autocannon, direct energy weapon, anti-tank missile)
 * Smoke launchers
 * Spotting drone launch and recovery bay

Operators
An unspecified number of Type 972s have been produced by Martian Heavy Industries, acquired by the Union Guards, and issued to select armored units.

Variants
Type 972: Standard production variant.

Type 972B: Modified variant of the Type 972 featuring meta-material armor along the front of the turret and hull and slots for Active Protection System racks along the edges of the hull and turret elliptical shields.

Type 972U: Upgraded variant of the Type 972B featuring a number of cameras on the exterior of the vehicle, an augmented reality system that works with the cameras to offer the crew increased awareness, meta-material armor on all sides, and reduction of mass to 70 metric tons.