Chevalier

Specifications
Use	Fire Support Gear
Production Code	NM-06TR-S
Manufacturer	Neill Motorworks
Height	5.0 meters

Early in the development of the Hussar, NuCoal and PAK commanders identified the need for a less specialized fire support vehicle for mass production. At the time, Neil Motor Works had been designing a heavy lifter Gear called the Sapeur for use in civilian applications and was adapted into what would eventually be known as the Chevalier.

Neil Motor Works has had a long history of producing parts and components for older, outdated polar Gears, but in recent cycles the company has been aggressively pursuing licenses that would allow full productions of those older Gear models. This experience translated into modifications to existing designs making them viable for general use. This practice lent the design teams skills necessary to develop original designs. The Chevalier was produced almost entirely without the aid of outside engineering.

Neil Motor Works engineers took prior experiences from manufacturing Boas, Pythons, and Bears and utilized many tried and true design elements when they constructed the initial design. The prototype resembled more of a Southern design, but the engineers were dissatisfied with the performance of the heavier armor. Breakthroughs in the Lancier’s designs from HAPF engineers gave the NMW engineers the compromise they had been looking for in the machine. The angled ceramic and composite metal plating system was lighter and more durable than the Northern equivalent, but less protected than the fully rounded armor casing that the Southern designs preferred.

When designing the v-engine for the Chevalier, the NMW teams borrowed heavily from their proven vehicle engines and modified one of the heavy v-engines utilized on their Longrunner caravan hauler for use on the combat Gear. The power output of the NMW-5000 series engines put out the necessary amount of horsepower, but additional compromises had to be made with the engine in order to make the vehicle engine work well with combat Gear’s design. The engineers maintained a significant amount of cross compatibility in the NMW-5000 and the NMW-6000 series designed for the Chevalier. The NMW-6000 model engines were implemented for use in the Hussar, Voltigeur, and Chevalier. With the exception of a few minor parts, all three vehicles are able to utilize the majority of the components from each others engines. In the case of the Chevalier, an engine governor is used to cap the output of the engine to within tolerance levels for the Gear. Some regimental duelists that use the Chevalier have been known to have the engine governor removed to increase performance, but they are also known to go through more struts and shocks than is typical.

The basic model of the Chevalier has a good variety of support and assault weapons, making the support Gear versatile on the field. Like most Gears in this class, the Chevalier has a heavy autocannon as its primary point weapon for assault, but the unit shines in its role as a support vehicle with its combination of NM-25 light guided mortar and NM-45 heavy incendiary rocket pod. For close anti-infantry protection, the two integrated DI-32 heavy machineguns make quick work of any ground troops.

Usage

The Chevalier has been active since TN1941 and has seen limited action throughout the last nine cycles. The Humanist Alliance Protectorate Forces were slow to adopt the Chevalier due to their heavier reliance on striders, but prior to the second CEF invasion, HAPF forces saw a general increase in the use of the Chevalier.

The regiments in the Pacifica front have seen heavy use of their Chevaliers as their heavy incendiary rockets have been very effective in collapsing invading infantry groups.

Within PAK and the NuCoal SDF, the Chevalier has largely displaced all polar vehicles in their front line regiments. Second line units and county militias still utilize Polar support Gears, and prior to the CEF invasion, the military planned to have all of the Polar units phased out of SDF and PAK forces by TN1960.

Gallery

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