ConDiesel LARC-5

     Notes: The LARC-5 was introduced in the late 1950s to the US Army, and has been subsequently deployed by other armies in the world.  The LARC-5 is a wheeled amphibious personnel carrier, with a hull very similar to a patrol boat.  The cab is at the front of the vehicle, with an open cargo area in the center, and engine compartment at the rear.  The vehicle is propelled in the water by a three-bladed propeller and steered by a rudder.  On the roof of the cab is a pintle mount that is NLT/NMT/NHT compatible.  The early LARC-5s were powered by a gasoline-burning engine developing 300 horsepower; these were replaced in production by Cummins diesel engines also developing 300 horsepower. A 2006 SLEP gave 42 of the US’s LARC-5s a John Deere turbodiesel developing 375 horsepower and following Tier 2 emissions controls.

     The LARC-5 is used by the US Army (in small numbers), Argentina, Australia, France, Germany, Portugal, Singapore, and Thailand. The LARC-5 has seen combat use in Vietnam and the Falklands (used by Argentine Marines). Australian LARC-5s saw extensive service in the 2010-11 Queensland Floods. Australian LARC-5s are also sometimes used by scientists in Antarctica.

AM General M35A2

     Notes: This is the standard 2½-ton truck described in the Twilight: 2000 Version 2.2 rules.  The statistics given in those rules are not exactly correct, and alternate statistics are given below.  The vehicle is of conventional design, with the engine at the front, cab behind that, and rear cargo area.  The standard vehicle has an all-metal construction, and a cargo area with a tarpaulin cover, drop tailgate, and removable wooden fence-type sides.  Some of these vehicles are fitted with a ring mount over the commander's seat for a weapon.  The M35 (A0) is powered by a Continental COA-331 146-horsepower gasoline engine; the M35A1 replaced this engine with a Continental LDS 427-2 multifuel engine which could burn diesel, gasoline, aviation fuel, kerosene, or heating oil.  It was turbocharged and produced 140 horsepower. (This engine was not considered reliable, suffering from frequent head gasket failures.) The M35A2 traded engine power for fuel economy, producing only 134 horsepower in their LD-465-1 multifuel engines, and doing without the turbocharger. The M35 series can haul 4.54 tons on roads; it can tow 2.72 tons offroad and 4.54 tons on roads.

     The M36A2 is a long wheelbase variant of the M35A2; it has a cargo box 5.3 meters long, as opposed to the M35A2’s 3.7-meter cargo box. The M49A2 is a fuel tanker variant, able to double its fuel load if traveling on roads. The tank is steel, and the fuel may be dispensed by gravity if small amounts of fuel are to be delivered.  The crew may also employ a pump which may deliver fuel at a rate of 303 liters per minute. The M50A3 is, despite its designation, a variant of the M35A2.  It is a water tanker with an aluminum tank, which can double its water load if it stays on roads. It can feed from three gravity-fed taps on each side of the tank at the bottom, or pump using the same pump mechanism as the M49A2. Both the M49A2 and M50A3 may mount a tarpaulin over bows to disguise what kind of vehicle they are.

     The M35A3 is an M35A2 upgraded by Extended Service Program (ESP) for the US and certain US allies' forces.  The manual transmission is replaced with an automatic transmission, the multifuel engine is replaced by a more powerful Caterpillar 3116 turbocharged diesel engine developing 205 horsepower, power steering is added, and other improvements have been added.  Most of these vehicles are merely upgraded versions of the M35 series, instead of new vehicles.  These upgrades were begun in 1990 and completed in 1996. 

     One of the most innovative vehicle types seen during the war was the “gun truck,” standard cargo carriers field-modified into makeshift armored vehicles by adding improvised armor and weapons mounts.  Originally developed during the Vietnam War as a means of providing escorts for poorly protected supply convoys, the idea proved successful and was widely used.  This is a representative American design, produced from a standard M35A2 2½-ton truck.  There is welded steel armor protecting the cab and cargo area, and three weapons mounts located in the truck’s bed -- one NHT mount firing forward over the cab, and two NMT mounts, one firing to each side.  The most common armament on these vehicles consisted of machineguns and AGLs.  Note that in order to provide adequate fields of fire for the gunners in the bed, the cargo bed must be at least half-empty, and the gunners must also expose at least half their body to return fire when firing their weapons.

     The M35 has numerous variants, including a tanker, dump truck, long wheelbase version, wrecker, hard cargo body (for use as a workshop, ambulance, or radio vehicle), and a tractor-trailer that can tow 7.71 tons. The M35 series is in use by the US and many countries who have received US aid or are allied with the US.  In addition, some were sold to China, and some were captured by Vietnam after the US left that country.

GMC M211

     Notes: This predecessor of the M35 series was first designed just after World War 2.  It is a conventional layout truck with an appearance very similar to that of the M35.  The truck has a removable canvas top for the cab and the cargo area, and the cargo area has removable fence-type sides.  Some M211s have a ring mount above the commander’s seat with a heavy weapon mount, able to take any weapon usable on an NHT or below. Some of them are fitted with a winch that has a capacity of 4.54 tons (included in the stats below), and a deep-fording kit is available.  With the kit, fording up to 1.98 meters is possible; without the kit, fording is limited to 76 centimeters. The engine of the M211 is a GM 302 gasoline engine developing 130 horsepower.  This is coupled with something unusual for its time period: an automatic transmission.

     The M135 is nearly identical, but has single larger wheels and tires instead of the smaller, dual rear wheels and tires. This makes the M135 slightly worse at off-road work, but has no practical effect in game terms, except when trying to change tires.

Oshkosh Family of Medium Tactical Vehicles

     Notes: The Family of Medium Tactical Vehicles (FMTV) is the replacement of dozens of M35, M54, and M809 2 ½ and 5-ton trucks in the US Army, Air Force, and Space Force.  The LMTV (Light Medium Tactical Vehicle is a 4x4 cabover design that has 80% of parts in common with the M1083 5-ton truck listed below, and 50% parts commonality with the Steyr 12M18.  The vehicle is designed to be easily serviceable, and most components can be removed, serviced, or replaced with basic tools and the use of a crane (for larger components).  The FMTV has a roof mount for a machinegun. They are designed to be easily sling-loaded while carrying full loads in their cargo area, with sliding outriggers for this purpose. They may also be air-transported without preparation. They are built of 758 MPa high-grade steel, sourced from Sweden. FMTVs may be fitted with an armored cab, the Crew Protected Cab (CPC).  The CPC was not actually developed with ballistic protection in mind; it was designed to protect the crew from exhaust and debris when a HIMARS launcher is fired.  This was later upgraded to include floor protection. The CPC also includes armored shutters over the windshield and side windows, again originally developed to protect the crew from HIMARS launches.

     Another armored variant is the US Marines’ Caiman MRAP.

     The MTV (Medium Tactical Vehicle) is a larger version 6x6 of the LMTV, with double the cargo capacity and more powerful engines. The M1083 is the base cargo/troop carrier version.  The M1084 is the same vehicle with a 3-ton-capacity cargo handling crane.  The M1085 is a long wheelbase (LWB) variant, with a length of 8.86 meters, as opposed to the M1083’s 6.96-meter length. The M1086 is the LWB version fitted with a cargo handling crane. The M1091 is a fuel tanker variant, with a sealed and lined steel tank divided into three sections, and a pump for each section.

     A0 variants of the LMTV are powered by a 3116 ATAAC diesel engine developing 225 horsepower, coupled with an Alison MD-D7 automatic transmission. A1 variants have an upgraded 3126 ATAAC with 275 horsepower, coupled with an Alison MD 3070 PT automatic transmission. A1P2 versions are powered by a Caterpillar C7 diesel which has the same horsepower rating but is easier to maintain and adjust, and has more torque. The engine is also compliant with the (former) regulations of the EPA. This engine is coupled with an Alison 3070 SP automatic transmission. MTVs use the same transmissions; the A0 MTV uses the same engine as the LMTV, but it is uprated to 290 horsepower.  The A1 versions of the MTV again use the same engine as the LMTV, but uprated to 330 horsepower. Steering and brakes for both the LMTV and MTV are power assisted.

     The base chassis for these vehicles was the Austrian Steyr 12M18, but this chassis was strengthened and upgraded for better cross-country mobility. Variants of this vehicle include a standard cargo/troop carrier, a van body, and a version designed for airdropping.  The MTV comes in a wide variety of versions, including a basic cargo/troop carrier, a wrecker, a version with a cargo loading crane (3-ton capacity), a long wheelbase vehicle, a tractor-trailer (may tow 11.34 tons), a dump truck, a tanker, and air-droppable versions of the basic cargo, long wheelbase, and dump trucks.

     The FMTV also includes a set of trailers based on the trucks’ components and cargo beds.

*The listed AV is for the cab only; the rest of the truck is not so armored.  The floor AV for the cab is 4Sp.