BARD PAPER: VERA2002

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Tiamat Mining Crawler

design by Pete Grey

This vehicle was based on the design from DGP's 101 Vehicles

With the advent of fusion power and crystaliron construction, the construction of long-duration deep submergence vehicles and vessels finally became feasible. The Tiamat Mining Crawler, first marketed by Sternmetal Horizons (now just Horizons) in the early 900s, was one of the most common PC designs intended for ocean-floor mining. At 500 tons displacement, the Tiamat is one of the largest free-standing vehicles ever manufactured. The vehicle is not very fast, but it can swim forward on its treads and with the assistance of small propellers, and its performance is decent for mining operations. The vehicle has staterooms for a crew of 40-80 people, an auxillary vehicle bay for crawlers, DSRVs and hardsuits. Two massive robotic arms, capable of lifting 1050 tons each, do the actual mining.

On most TL-9 to 10 worlds, the Tiamat and its cousin the Gashedda are the only means of reaching oceanic resources. Most Tiamats run year-round, recieving relief crews every six months or so. Aside from periodic maintenance, these vehicles almost never see sunlight. The Tiamat is light enough to float, requiring the use of ballast tanks to weigh down the vehicle during mining operations. The vehicle's cargo bay is seperated into two seperate holds: one for normal stores, and the other a combination cargo/ballast bay. A set of water ports and pumps fills the cargo/ballast bay to submerge the vehicle. This water is displaced back out from the bay by ore accumulated from mining operations. As the bay is not large enough to still overcome the vehicles buoyancy, jettisonable weights are carried as well, usually mine tailings. Because the vehicle will be operating under extreme load conditions, the engine and transmission are enormous even for one of this magnitude. Even at full weight, a Tiamat can reach highway speeds of 70 kph, though governors keep it from exceeding this speed when operating at lower loading weights.

The Tiamat listed below is the generic model. Most Tiamats are custom built to customer desires, and fittings include nodule dredges, sickbays and labs, and additional launch and vehicle facilities. Other models include vacuum and fluid atmosphere mining, aquaculture and factory fishing, factory platforms, starship towing and service, and wilderness construction. The Tiamat is named after the sea monster/dragon of ancient Babylonian myth.

Tiamat Mining Crawler

General Data

Tech Level: 10

Price: 17.986 MCr

Size: 7000 m³

Mass (loaded/unloaded): 3139.086 tons unloaded, 4505.866 tons loaded (7000 tons maximum with ore or water)

Engineering Data

Power Plant: TL-10 200 MW Fusion Plant (0.32 MW excess power)

Maint: 193

Electronics

Controls: 2 TL-10 St Computers (0.3 MW each), 5 Open Crewstations

Computer:

Avionics:

Commo: 30,000 km radio (1 MW), 30,000 km Laser (0.8 MW)

Sensors: PEMS 30 KM (0.1 MW), 10xHeadlights , 4xSearchlights, 2xWSV Viewer

ECM/ECCM: None

Life Support Extended (1.4 MW), 3 Airlocks

Cargo: 3709.366 m³ 3500 m³ for cargo/ballast

Crew: 5 (Operator, 2 Engineers, 2 Maintenance) plus two optional crew.

Passengers: 35-75 miners

Accomodations: 40 Small Staterooms (Varying Occupancy)

Launch Facilities: Minimal Hanger for 10 ton vehicle.

Armament

Offensive None

Defensive: None

Ammo: None

Fire Control: None

Stabilization: None

Movement

Max Speed: 70 kph Road, 28 kph Cross-country, 14 kph Water

Travel Move: 302/120/60

Combat Move: 32/13/7

Endurance: One year

Fuel Capacity: 15 m³

Armor

Config: Standard

Suspension: Tracked

HF:	20
HS:	20
HR:	20
Deck:	20	Belly:	20

Notes

2x70 m³ robotic arms (1,050 tons lifting capability)
Without the engine governor, the vehicle can attain 220 kph road, 88 kph cross country, and 44 kph water. Usually local laws and company regulations strictly forbid either tampering with the transmission, or in allowing a 500 dt vehicle from moving at such a high velocity.