CEF Mobile Artillery Tanks
MAT-68 Self-Propelled Artillery
Built to overcome a critical shortfall in capability, the MAT-68 is an artillery system completely unlike any other. Designed as an extremely mobile fire support, it is primarily tasked with counter-battery duty in addition to softening up static defenses and breaking up enemy formations.
The principle objective of the MAT-68’s design is to work in close concert with other high-mobility friendly forces without itself becoming a liability. To this end the successful MHT-68 chassis was used as a basis for what would prove to be one of the few light artillery systems capable of firing while moving. The firing sequence itself is almost completely automated, with the entire vehicle first entering a computer-controlled jump maneuver that brings the massdriver around to the correct bearing. While temporarily airborne the fire control system rapidly cycles the gun repeatedly as the front end of the vehicle pitches up and down through the necessary ballistic declinations under automatic computer control. Once the entire salvo is away, the turbofans wind up to full power for a controlled “landing” back on the ground, after which pilot authority is restored to the crew who can then resume maneuvering. Individual shells in a salvo are programmed to arrive automatically on target simultaneously through slight variation in ballistic trajectories for best area saturation despite having been fired sequentially.
MAT-72 Self-Propelled Artillery
Developed experimentally as a heavier adjunct to the older MAT-68 model, the MAT-72 is a fearsome weapon system. Yet despite the improvements made in the MHT-72 chassis, the MAT-72 lacks many of the advantages of its lighter predecessor.
Armed with a massive 152mm massdriver, the MAT-72 is much closer to being a conventional artillery platform in that it must deploy stabilizers and fire from a prepared position. In this respect it is extremely different from its counterpart in that deployment too close to a battlefield may be extremely hazardous. Fortunately overrun situations are relatively rare due to the high mobility potential of the basic chassis, a necessary consideration since a formation of hovertanks can easily move beyond the reach of a MAT-72 within only a few minutes.
Although the MAT-72 is able to engage in counter-battery fire, the lighter, faster and almost invariably closer MAT-68 patrols most often handle the task. The primary role for the MAT-72 tends to be in reducing static defenses in addition to breaking up close formations of troops and heavier armor.
CEF Mobile Artillery in Heavy Gear Blitz!
The MAT-68 and MAT-72 are CEF Vehicles added to the CEF model list in Heavy Gear Blitz!. These additional profiles are Extended Content.
| Model | TV | Roles | MR | Arm | H/S | A | GU | PI | EW | React Weapons | Mounted Weapons | Traits | Type | Size |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MAT-68 | 24 | FS | H:7 | 10 | 4/4 | 3 | 4+ | 5+ | 5+ | LLC (T, AA) | LAG (T) | Airdrop, Jump Jets:2 (Aux), CBS, Sensors:24 | Vehicle | 2" |
| MAT-72 | 26 | FS | H:8 | 10 | 5/3 | 3 | 4+ | 5+ | 5+ | LLC (T, AA) | MAG (T) | Airdrop, Jump Jets:3 (Aux), CBS, Sensors:24 | Vehicle | 2" |
