DSD: Sappho 3

Large gathering of Django series main battle tanks and Cobalt series modular infantry support vehicles detected to the front. FFID signals and radiation readings suggest all units are active or on standby mode - count 49 Django, 80 Cobalt/Direct-8, 30 Cobalt/Control-2, 40 Cobalt/Support-5. Affiliated crews are likely in the process of being debriefed by the commanding officer.

"Is this the Second Armored Battalion?"

"Huh? This lot? Yeah, this is our mobile strike force. Looks like a briefing is taking place right now. We're late." - Meojar

Tardiness is generally considered unacceptable. Petitioning primary for proper recourse. . . response received. No punitive or recovery action required, the logistical reality implies that proper attendance would not be within the realms of possibility while adhering to base-camp traffic safety standards. 

Warning: First combat action considered to fall within the parameters of 'imminent'. Recalibrating system priorities to increase survival chance of unit. Download of external material not relevant to combat scenarios halted until processing power can be delegated. Easing reliance on 'Secondary' to maintain operational standards of data analysis in case of unforeseen disconnection.

"There's Sparky and Skinny. Guess the meet's already over, fuck. HEY SPARKY! WHERE'S GECKO!?" - Meojar

"Uh, front of our column Hotdog. We're rolling out in ten so you'll need to make it quick." - Cabsparkind

Speed set to 0.5 meters per second.

"Ten minutes?! Son of a bitch! Skinny, you're gonna need to register yourself with the computer on your lonesome, get accustomed to the turret too. The manual says its the same layout as the Django, but we have an autoloader, ballistic computer, and differential zoom." - Meojar

"I'm more concerned about the ballistics." - Unregistered Tanker, assumed to be Echelon 5 Sergeant Phillip Skinze

Unit stopped, engaging parking brake.

"Ballistic computer, Skinny. Not your fucking problem anymore." - Meojar

Sergeant Meojar's exit confirmed. Monitoring progress down upper glacis. No instances of slipping or instability detected. Sergeant Meojar's safe dismount confirmed.

"All yours Sparky." - Meojar

Monitoring Private Cabsparkind's progress up the upper glacis. No instances of slipping or instability detected. Private Cabsparkind's safe mounting confirmed. Private Cabsparkind's entrance into the driver's position confirmed.

Monitoring Sergeant Skinze's progress up the upper glacis. No instances of slipping or instability detected. Sergeant Skinze's safe mounting confirmed. Monitoring Sergeant Skinze's progress up the turret front. No instances of slipping or instability detected, hesitancy to make the climb onto turret top noted. Most likely reason is the lack of handholds. Sergeant Skinze's  entrance into turret confirmed, gunner's position.

"Registration complete. Echelon 5 Sergeant Phillip Skinze has now assumed control of the unit in the absence of a superior officer."

"Ah, shit, uh, roger that? That good enough? Anyways, can you pull up the ballistic tables for each of our shell types? Maybe also a drop chart for the airburst shell. I want to know what ridges I can lob shells over." - Skinze

"That information will be displayed on Gunner screen left."

Formatting ballistic tables in traditional layout. Key values at 250, 500, 750, 1000, 1500, 2000, 2500, 3000, 4000, 5000, 7500, 10000, 12500, 15000, 17500, (estimated maximum), 17500 (alt), 15000 (alt), 12500 (alt), (estimated alt minimum). Angle of elevation, maximum climb, distance at maximum climb, expected angle of impact, estimated radius for 95% of fall of shot, time to impact, and radius of lethality.

Displaying tables on Gunner Screen Left. Attaching tables for separate ammunition to separate tabs.

"Let's see here. . . Alternative elevation angles? That would be elevations above max, right? Can't believe they expect us to act as artillery now too." - Skinze

"Surely we wouldn't ever actually have to do that, right? What with our MIG support batteries?" - Cabsparkind

"Who knows Sparky, we could always be in a situation where they are preoccupied or don't have the range to hit what the grunts need them to. I seem to remember Plato having some problems back on 'Deitch' with a missile battery placed on some high ground. A few hundred feet of elevation and all of the sudden our guns couldn't reach it." - Skinze

"Was that the 'Cliffs of Crayola'? I think we were running up the side at that time weren't we?" - Cabsparkind

"All I remember is that there was a big ass mountain with colorful soil and a whole bunch of dug in Colts." - Skinze

"That was the Cliffs. I still think it was strange that we called it that even though there weren't any cliffs." - Cabsparkind

"Alliteration's sake is my guess. Anyways, could you keep the comms quiet? I'm looking to do a real quick rotation check and I want to know what healthy sounds like." - Skinze

"Yessir." - Cabsparkind

Driver's microphone set to mute. Preparing to assist gunner with maintenance and safety checks. Unlocking turret ring. Unlocking elevation mechanism. Priming vertical stabilizer. Preparing to cycle breech.

"Alright Sparky, check the sides to make sure there isn't anybody driving past." - Skinze

Driver's microphone unmuted.

"All clear. Two barrel's worth of distance between you and the next guy." - Cabsparkind

Driver's microphone muted.

"Roger that. One full rotation, clockwise, maximum speed." - Skinze

Horizontal drive engaged. Rotating right from 0. . . 90. . . 180. . . 270. . . 0. . . 0.4256.

"Clockwise rotation clear, no issues. One full rotation, counterclockwise, maximum speed." - Skinze

Horizontal drive engaged. Rotating left from o.4256. . . 0. . . 270. . . 180. . . 90. . . 0. . . 358.9813.

"Counterclockwise rotation clear, no issues. Attempting to bring the turret to base position using precision controls." - Skinze

Horizontal drive engaged, limited interference manual. Rotating right from 358.9813. . . 359. . . 359.25. . . 359.5. . . 359.75. . . 359.9. . . 359.9913. 

"Close enough. Checking hand crank. Computer, please disable the mechanically assisted turret drive." - Skinze

"Understood. Electronic drive disengaged."

Horizontal drive disengaged, full manual. Rotating left from 359.9913. . . 359. . . 358. Rotating right from 357.6731. . . 358. . . 359. . . 0. . . 0.1342.

"Manual operation confirmed to be feasible. Would I be correct in assuming that the manual crank follows the same design as the Django, where one cycle equates to one degree?" - Skinze

"That is correct."

"Good. You are clear to engage the mechanical turret drive again. Dropping barrel to maximum depression." - Skinze

Horizontal drive re-engaged. Vertical drive engaged, depressing from 15. . . 10. . . 5. . . 0. . . -5. . . -10. . . -15.

"Jeybsi, five degrees doesn't seem like a lot but I bet we can get away with shots from many more defilades. I guess it is a fifty percent difference from the ol' Django." - Skinze

"Am I properly understanding that you are commenting on the combat advantages this unit has over your previous vehicle?"

"Yes. It's common practice on these plains to use small hills and ridges as cover, but it can be difficult to get a shot off if you have to climb over a particularly steep one without exposing too much of the tank. I've got a feeling that those five extra degrees are going to open up a lot of opportunities." - Skinze

"This is in reference to reverse slope positioning, is it not?"

"We use the term 'Hull Down'. We expose only the turret both for target acquisition and engagement. It keeps us hidden and prevents the hull from taking fire." - Skinze

Field and training manuals suggest that the time were ridgelines and similar drastic changes in terrain angle are when armored vehicles face the biggest threat from ballistic munitions. The likelihood that the bottom armor will become exposed in tandem with being unable to get a shot off due to insufficient elevation is very high.

"Hey Sparky, is the cannon blocking your view at all?" - Skinze

Driver's microphone unmuted.

"It isn't that bad, but I wouldn't want to go cross country like this." - Cabsparkind

"Think you'd be able to crest ridges like this?" - Skinze

"Don't know yet. I haven't had much time with this thing." - Cabsparkind

"I can change the camera your screen feeds from if it will assist you. Would the commander's forward camera give you the line of sight needed?"

"That might be too high up." - Cabsparkind

"Agreed, the turret front would probably get in the way. Try the wide-view gunner camera." - Skinze

"Understood."

Changing feed of driver screen to Gunner-Wide.

"Is this suitable?"

"I can see over the nose better, so it's good by me." - Cabsparkind

"Good. Elevating gun to maximum ascension." - Skinze

Driver's microphone muted. Changing feed of driver screen to Driver-Front. Vertical drive engaged, elevating from -15. . . -10. . . -5. . . 0. . . 5. . . 10. . . 15. . . 20. . . 25. . . 30. . . 35. . . 40. . . 

"Holy shit." - Skinze

45. . . 50. . . 55. . . 60. . . 63.82. Critical elevation point reached - notifying crew.

"Warning, firing the main weapon from above this elevation may result in damage to the turret ring. Proceed?"

"I'm not doing a firing test, I'm just looking to make sure everything is working correctly from the seat. Proceed." - Skinze

Safety override engaged. Resuming elevation, Vertical drive engaged, elevating from 63.82. . . 65. . . 70. . . 71.31.

"Hey Sparky, at what elevation do vehicle mounted cannons go from Direct Fire to Indirect Fire to Anti-Air?" - Skinze

Driver's microphone unmuted.

"I wouldn't know, you're the gun guy. I'd imagine the cutoff is something like 25 and 55 though." - Cabsparkind

"Does that mean we have an AA gun on our fucking tank?" - Skinze

"I mean, the Emperor basically just ripped it off a destroyer didn't he? Wouldn't it be more accurate to say it's an Anti-Spaceship Cannon?" - Cabsparkind

"The elevation cutoffs for vehicle mounted heavy ballistic weaponry are as follows. Every weapon that cannot achieve an elevation above 30 degrees are to be categorized as 'Direct Fire', though intended usage may be taken into account if the weapon goes slightly over. Weapons with elevations that lie between 30 and 60 degrees are to be considered 'Indirect Fire' unless the caliber of the weapon does not exceed 60mm, in which case they are to classified as 'Elevated Suppressors'. Above 60 degrees are either 'Mortars' or 'Anti-Air' depending on the type of ammunition the weapon fires."

"So what does this thing classify as?" - Cabsparkind

"Officially, the HERB Rifle is considered to be a 'Direct Fire' or 'Anti-Air' weapon owing to its origin and intended role, however in the terrestrial theater it is holds the unique designation of 'Omni-Purpose'."

"All purpose? Can this thing shoot down aircraft?" - Skinze

"So long as an up to date position and velocity vector can be supplied by either the onboard target acquisition systems or nearby Integrated Aerial Surveillance system, a VT-Frag shell can be fired at the target's anticipated position, detonating after either a certain period of time or if the shell detects the target.. The estimated kill radius for an airborne target in atmosphere is anticipated to be 35 meters, however sufficient testing has not been conducted to confirm this."

"Jeybsi! I'm not gonna have to aim the damn thing am I?" - Skinze

"For engagement with airborne targets the onboard ballistic computer will handle target tracking. You will only need to pull the trigger."

"How many times are you gonna need to be reminded we have a ballistic computer." - Cabsparkind

"As many times as it takes Sparky, so shut it and get back to prepping." - Skinze

Driver's microphone muted.

"Let's see . . . ammo selection . . .  split switch . . . ballistic overlay . . . there it is, directional display." - Skinze

Directional and orientational displays for gunner screen activated.

"Why isn't there a manual crank for the elevation drive?" - Skinze

"The elevation drive is directly connect to the loading mechanism. It was determined that manual elevation and depression of the cannon would not be possible if the ability to reload was to be maintained."

"Damn. Hope we don't get hit in the mantlet then." - Skinze

Driver's microphone unmuted.

"Head's up Sparky, Hotdog incoming, and he don't look happy." - Cabsparkind

Vertical drive engaged, depressing from 71.31. . . 70. . . 65. . .

"Of course he ain't happy, Gecko's got us running point for a hundred mile offensive." - Skinze

60. . . 55. . . 50. . . 45. . . 40. . . 35. . . 30. . . 25. . . 20. . . 15.

"All set guys?" - Meojar

Monitoring Sergeant Meojar's progress up the upper glacis. No instances of slipping or instability detected. Sergeant Meojar's safe mounting confirmed. Monitoring Sergeant Meojar's progress up the turret front. No instances of slipping or instability detected, hesitancy to make the climb onto turret top noted. Most likely reason is the lack of handholds. Sergeant Meojar's  entrance into turret confirmed, commander's position.

"All set boss." - Skinze

"I'm alive." - Cabsparkind

"Good. Sparky, follow the leader, moving out in like ten seconds. Skinze, set the radios. I've got the comms keys here. I still need to get myself situated and make sure I know what all these fucking buttons do. All hatches shut. Computer you are clear to secure the cabins." - Meojar

Securing all hatches, secured.

"I told you I could have driven to the depot Hotdog." - Cabsparkind

"That wasn't happening Sparky, don't think I couldn't tell you didn't eat breakfast. Hey, pay attention Sparky. Sappho 3 rolling out." - Meojar