Another submission to the motor pool by Gillian Manufacturing, it was initially designed to operate in the desert conditions of Valaad, but after the planet was bombarded, resulting in the loss of their office there, and subsequently claimed for the Yamatai Star Empire, the executives of GM decided to convert it into an all-terrain scout vehicle.
Organizations Using This Vessel: Gillian Manufacturing, with hopes of selling to whoever wishes to buy.
Type: Tracked vehicle
Class: GM-GVT-2259
Designer: Abydos Lab, Operations
Manufacturer: Gillian Manufacturing
Production: 500 initial run
Crew: 2
Pilots: 1
Maximum Capacity: 50 kilograms of supplies
Appearance: The Salamander is a sleek vehicle, sitting on two pairs of tracks that are each mounted on independent suspension. The tracks themselves are supported by three standard-size road wheels, which house electric motors. The body is smooth and angular, blending into a squarish rear with a cupola.
Length: 12 meters
Width: 4 meters
Height: 6 meters
Weight: 8 tons
The Salamander is a small reconnaissance vehicle, so all the available space is taken up by the driver's couch and the operator's station. The driver's legs fit into a contoured well, allowing the left foot to rest on the brake and the right foot to reach the accelerator. On each side of the padded metal chair is a control lever; these affect the disposition of the treads. If both are pushed forward, both sets of treads will drive the vehicle forward; if both are pulled back, reverse, and one forward and one back will spin the Salamander left or right (depending on the setting).
A Salamander's driver has a clear console and a heads-up display; since the front of the vehicle is solid he also has a screen to look through, which paradoxically offers a better view than if he were looking through a viewport or periscope. While still not a full 150 degree field of vision, he would be able to navigate obstacles more efficiently. Should he reflexively look left or right there are two smaller screens, one on each side, that show a less detailed view of what surrounds the vehicle.
Speed is indicated by a bar graph LED display that occupies the left of his switch console; on the right of this display is a damage meter that monitors track and body integrity. In easy reach of his right hand and clearly marked are toggles for headlamps, night scope, nav beacon receiver, and traction control setting. Lastly, there would be a battery gauge, as the Salamander relies on fuel cells for electrical power and locomotion.
The operator's chair is set tandem to the driver's, back to back. He or she would possess an array of screens showing readout data and a visual display from the equipment in the cupola. There would also be a bank of recording devices to store the data collected in the non-combat role. His chair would have a simple joystick on the right arm, controlling the cupola's orientation and camera angle (from zero to ninety degrees), as well as switches to change display mode and rotate through sensing gear.
In combat models, the display is much simpler. A screen for normal light and a screen for alternative input modes. Both would be overlaid with a crosshair and an ammunition display, showing which weapon is currently enabled to fire. The coaxial machine gun, naturally, would be operable by a secondary trigger while in linear cannon mode, and an arc projection display would take the place of the crosshairs while the grenade launchers were in use. The joystick would be more contoured and possess two triggers instead of a set of switches; the switches themselves would be moved to the left arm.
Speed over land: 120 kph
Speed over water: not designed for water operation.
Range: 8000 kilometers
Lifespan: 5 years
Refit Cycle: once every six months
Weaponry (Optional):
1 linear cannon
2 grenade launchers
1 coaxial machine gun
Range: 6 kilometers
Damage: Medium (damage rating 3)
Ammunition type: 88mm HE shell
Capacity: 20 rounds
Range: 200 meters
Damage: Heavy against infantry, light vehicle damage. (damage rating 2)
Grenade Type: 25mm fragmentation
Alternative type: Smoke rounds
Number of rounds: 20 per launcher
Range: 310 meters
Caliber: 7.65x20mm caseless
Damage: Light, will harm soft targets and unshielded infantry.
Max rate of fire: 300 rounds per minute
Max rounds: 2000 per belt
**Replacement belts:* 2
Salamanders are protected by steel plate covered by impact ceramics. Since they are not combat vehicles and carry weapons only in extreme situations they do not require much armor, boasting just enough to meet safety standards and guard against small-arms fire.
In non-combat roles the Salamander's cupola is outfitted with a variety of sensor equipment, including a long-range optical scope, infrared tracking unit, and spectrographic analysis gear. It can also carry a radar transceiver.