Jack of Harts

ZT-5J Shadow Panther Tank Destroyer

Drawn by http://wansworld.deviantart.com

Writing by Jinghis Zhou and Medron Pryde

With the Sixth Millennium of Chinese history rapidly approaching, the People’s Republic of China was exceedingly busy building new war machines, and upgrading older ones to fight alongside the new designs. Their largest handicap was that modern Western Alliance designs were beginning to outpace the more rugged and dependable Chinese combat units. Their commanders were learning to use the aging DT-13’s relatively slow speed against it for instance, by slipping fast-moving cavalry mech platoons in to perform quick strikes before Chinese armored formations could respond.

New mech production was accelerating as a result of the Sixth Millennium upgrade program, but the Chinese Army still found itself consistently outgunned, outmaneuvered, and short of the necessary gear for its garrison and regular armor divisions, especially in the Hyades cluster. As a result, Army commanders requested a new vehicle for its troops that could be produced quickly and effectively while offering great anti-mech and armor firepower. Many Chinese companies vied for the right to build this new vehicle, and there are rumors even now of particularly vicious backroom, or bedroom, bloodletting over the contract.

Shanghai-based Tiger Design Corp won the design contest with an inspiringly successful tank that based much of its cost savings on recycling existing equipment. Stripping away the turret assembly from the old Hippo-class IFVs, Tiger engineers placed a fixed casemate mounting the HP-15 Wolf Fang cannons that were in excess capacity from Iron Rider production lines. They then added several centimeters of armor to each facing and twin anti-infantry miniguns. The most advanced systems added to the design were the gravplates that gave it limited flight outside of combat, and a modern Eclipse electronic warfare system that was used much more often to end the careers of countless Western Alliance mech jocks.

The Yingbao Multi-Purpose Anti-Armor Vehicle, named the Shadow Panther Tank Destroyer by Western Alliance Consolidated Intelligence, was quickly nicknamed the Beetle by Alliance troops for its resemblance to the old Earth Volkswagen ground car. Whatever names they went by, the small Panthers quickly became as popular with the Chinese as they were unwelcomed by Alliance troops due to their ability to hit hard and stay hidden with their long-ranged cannons, electronic countermeasures, and low stature. They were one of the most common opponents faced during the invasion of the Hyades Cluster where the old Hippo had been heavily deployed to manage the Chinese citizens before The War. They are found even now throughout Terran space in the hands of militia or corporate forces where they are cheap but effective defense units.