Artemis

Specifications
Use	Anti-Aircraft Weapon Platform
Production Code	AA-64
Manufacturer	Various
Height	2.8 meters

Modern anti-aircraft duties are usually handled by a dedicated laser or particle beam weapon system. Their direct line-of-sight and practically instantaneous response time generally mean that once a target is acquired, it is shot down. Energy weapons are temperamental beasts, however, require more maintenance and specialized training than standard projectile weapons. The Artemis anti-aircraft vehicle has been designed to address this problem.

It was commissioned in TN 1888 by the Southern MILICIA itself (with the always benevolent advice of the Republic) to prepare for the chaos and tensions which would eventually lead to the Judas Syndrome. Instead of assigning the contract to an independent company, however, the MILICIA formed a group of specialized military engineers working under its command and ensured the Artemis would be designed following their specifications. The vehicles would then be assembled by proven sub-contractors. The Artemis was finalized in TN 1892 and entered production early Spring 1893. Several thousand Artemises were built and deployed near Badlands borders, where Northern operations were disturbing the peaceful relationship of the Republic with the neighboring Badlanders. The Artemises served as a reminder that the South was ever vigilant and would not be challenged, either on the ground or in the air.

The Artemis is intended to serve as a rugged field air interdiction platform, relying on the relatively simple Buzzsaw Mk II 20 mm liquidcooled chainguns rather than laser arrays. The four autocannons, each of which is fed ammo from four drums of 500 rounds each, are turret mounted and slaved to the same fire control computer, allowing them to saturate entire areas of the sky with deadly shrapnel. The ammunition feed process is fully automated, leaving the gunner to concentrate on acquiring targets and pressing the trigger. The addition of an enhanced, computer-controlled suspension allows the Artemis to lay down covering fire even on the move, increasing its survival rate against strafing runs and long-range artillery fire.

Usage

Artemises are presently found in most Southern armies thanks to the licenses sold to various armored vehicle manufacturers throughout the hemisphere. The vehicle’s relative simplicity and low cost for its capabilities has made it popular with foreign buyers and even small town militias. The Artemis’ one main defect is its ravenous apetite for ammunition, which can prove to be a strain for a force’s budget as well as its supply lines.

During the War of the Alliance, the Artemis was instrumental in drawing interdiction lines against incoming hovertanks and CEF armored cavalry vehicles, often slowing down Earth’s advance and giving the troops more time to set up their defenses. They also ensured the survival of various headquarters near which they were stationed.

Gallery

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