LARC-15

Notes: The LARC-15 was developed in the late 1950s and early 1960s to provide the US Army with a means to deliver larger cargoes and amounts of troops to shore from assault ships, and inland if necessary. In the US Army, its role has been taken over by helicopters, and the job of amphibious warfare largely taken over by the US Marines, and thus the LARC-15 is seldom seen in the US except in civilian hands or in museums. The Germans and the French also once used the LARC-15, but theirs have also been retired long ago. Most active LARC-15s are in the service of scientific or exploratory agencies, and no longer used by the military.

The LARC-15 is essentially a large amphibious truck with a 4x4 off-road suspension and a boat-like hull made from aluminum plates over an aluminum framework. The LARC-15 looks backwards, with the cab at the rear of the vehicle, the engine underneath the cab, and the cargo section up front. The design allows cargo and troops to be offloaded quickly after the LARC-15 is driven ashore. The bow has a ramp over which a longer ramp with retractable rollers may be slid out if necessary. The LARC-15 is also low enough to be easily loaded by forklifts, and the cargo section is large enough to accept standard NATO CONEX containers or equipment of a similar size. The LARC-15 is propelled by a single four-bladed propeller in the water and steered by a combination of a rudder and the wheels; on land, the driver may choose 2-wheel drive (for road use), 4-wheel drive, or crab steering, where the wheels may be turned virtually sideways and the LARC-15 driven at slow speeds to the sides.

Price

Fuel Type

Load

Veh Wt

Crew

Mnt

Night Vision

Radiological

$32,503

D, A

13.61 tons

20.5 tons

2+60

11

Headlights

Open

Tr Mov

Com Mov

Fuel Cap

Fuel Cons

Config

Susp

Armor

144/36/9

36/9/2

1363

87

Stnd

W(3)

HF1 HS1 HR1

LARC-60

Notes: One of the largest of the "amphibious trucks" ever designed or produced, the LARC-60 was designed in the early 1950s for the US Army to deliver large amounts of troops and/or heavy cargoes to beach landings and beyond. Once used by the US Army, the LARC-60’s role was made unnecessary by the heavy-lift helicopter and hovercraft-type beach assault vehicles; in addition, the amphibious warfare role in the US military was basically made the exclusive province of the Marines in the 1960s. The original designation for the LARC-60 was the BARC.

The LARC-60 has a large boat-like hull, with an additional 4x4 suspension underneath. The bow has a hydraulic ramp in front to unload troops and cargo; in addition, a further ramp may be extended that has retractable rollers to make the loading of cargo into the hold easier. Like the LARC-15, the LARC-60 looks "backwards," with the crew compartment at the extreme rear and the cargo hold up front and taking up most of the vehicle. There are a total of four engines, one over each wheel and powering that wheel exclusively (though there are provisions for the other engines to take over the work of a damaged engine). In the water, the LARC-60 is propelled by a pair of propellers; in this case, the two engines power each propeller. The tires of the LARC-60 have a central tire pressure regulation system. The transmission of the LARC-60 is automatic; shifting the gears of the four engines would be a nightmare otherwise. While the standard Load figure is listed below, the LARC-60 can carry an emergency overload of 100 tons in both water and on land. This is extremely stressful on almost every component of the LARC-60, and the maintenance figure for the vehicle should be doubled in any period that an overload is carried.

The LARC-60 was never exported to any other countries’ militaries, and it has long been out of use in the US Army. Most have gone to the scrapyard or museums or private collections by now, but a very few are still operating here and there in roles ranging from scientific exploration to oil exploration.

Price

Fuel Type

Load

Veh Wt

Crew

Mnt

Night Vision

Radiological

$84,902

D, A

60 tons

37 tons

3+200

25

Headlights

Open

Tr Mov

Com Mov

Fuel Cap

Fuel Cons

Config

Susp

Armor

160/40/10

40/10/3

2271

194

Stnd

W(3)

HF1 HS1 HR1

M-54

Notes: This medium 6x6 truck is the immediate predecessor of the M-809 5-ton truck (the standard 5-ton truck listed in the Twilight: 2000 Version 2.2 rules). Most statistics are similar, and in fact the M-813 is merely an upgraded M-54. The M-54 entered US service in 1950, and large numbers were still used by the time of the Twilight War. The standard vehicle has wooden side rails in the cargo bed that are removable, and a removable canvas cover. Some of these vehicles have a front-mounted winch with a capacity of 9.07 tons. Variants include a dump truck, a tractor-trailer that can tow 13.6 tons, a long wheelbase version, a wrecker, a version with a fully enclosed cargo body, and expandable-side version, and a truck that carries bridging components. Some of these trucks have a ring mount over the commander's position for a weapon. This vehicle is in use by the US and countries that have received American aid or have been US allies.

Price

Fuel Type

Load

Veh Wt

Crew

Mnt

Night Vision

Radiological

$10,968

D, G, AvG, A

4.54 tons

8.73 tons

3+20

5

Headlights

Open

Tr Mov

Com Mov

Fuel Cap

Fuel Cons

Config

Susp

Armor

156/62

39/16

295

127

Stnd

W(3)

HF1 HS1 HR1

M-520 Goer

Notes: This vehicle was formerly the US Army’s standard heavy tactical truck before its replacement by the HEMTT, and it was still found in large numbers in National Guard and even some Reserve units. It never served outside the US Army however, and is thus a relatively rare vehicle outside of US units. The Goer is somewhat of an oddity among trucks, being amphibious and articulated. The front unit is independent of the rear cargo area; the truck can flex and is very sure over rough terrain. In the US’s involvement in the Vietnam War, the Goer developed a reputation of being able to go where other trucks could not, and it was one of the preferred resupply vehicles after its introduction in 1966. They achieved a 90% availability rate even though spare parts for the Goer were not an official part of the US Army inventory until 1971. The front-mounted cab has a canvas cover over a tilt, and the windshield could be folded forward. The front of the vehicle has a winch with a capacity of 4.54 tons and 61 meters of cable. Some of these vehicles are equipped with a materiel-handling crane with a capacity of 4 tons. A kit was available that added a ring mount for a weapon over the commander’s position, but this was not a standard installation. Variants include a wrecker able to tow or recover a 10-ton vehicle and a tanker with a capacity of 9463 liters.

Price

Fuel Type

Load

Veh Wt

Crew

Mnt

Night Vision

Radiological

$16,431

D, A

8.26 tons

10.24 tons

2+32

7

Headlights

Open

Tr Mov

Com Mov

Fuel Cap

Fuel Cons

Type

Config

Susp

Armor

128/52

32/13/3

416

77

Unarmored Vehicle

Stnd

W(3)

HF1 HS1 HR1

M-548

Notes: This logistics carrier is based on the chassis and automotive components of the M-113 series armored personnel carrier. It does not have armor, but instead carries large loads over terrain too difficult for wheeled load carriers. The number of variants is almost bewildering, ranging from a basic load carrier to radar and electronic warfare variants to minelayers to missile carriers such as for Lance ballistic missiles or the Chaparral SAM system. There is a cab for the crew with doors on either side, and the rear area is accessed by a rear that has double watertight doors. The cargo area is covered by a canvas tilt over bows. The base M-548 is amphibious; however, after many sinkings, the amphibious capability of US M-548s was removed and water crossing barred by policy. At the front of the vehicle is a winch with a capacity of 9.07 tons. Over the commander’s position is a ring mount for a weapon; normally, an M-2HB is used, but a weapon does not come with the vehicle.

Vehicle

Price

Fuel Type

Load

Veh Wt

Crew

Mnt

Night Vision

Radiological

M-548A1

$9,817

D, A

5.44 tons

12.88 tons

2+22

7

Headlights

Enclosed

M-548A1E1

$12,103

D, A

6.05 tons

16.17 tons

2+24

8

Headlights

Enclosed

M-548A3

$10,914

D, A

5.44 tons

12.88 tons

2+22

8

Headlights

Enclosed

Vehicle

Tr Mov

Com Mov

Fuel Cap

Fuel Cons

Config

Susp

Armor

M-548A1

135/94

31/22/3

397

63

Stnd

T2

HF1 HS1 HR1

M-548A1E1

146/102

34/24/4

416

89

Stnd

T2

HF1 HS1 HR1

M-548A3

152/106

35/25/4

397

81

Stnd

T2

HF1 HS1 HR1

M-648

Notes: Though based on a real proposed vehicle, the M-648 does not actually exist in real life.

Twilight 2000 Notes: This vehicle is along the same lines as the M-548, but built on the chassis of the Bradley and MLRS. This vehicle was developed specifically for the needs of US forces in the Gulf and delivery of them did not start until late 1995, so they are rarer then the M-548. Most of them were used as ammunition carriers, especially for MLRS and LARS formations. It is believed that the only other country that received these vehicles other than the United States was Israel, and they got few of them. Like the M-548, there are doors on either side of the cab, with the engine compartment to the rear of that. The cargo area is accessed by a watertight ramp. On top of the all-metal cab, there is a mount for a weapon, but no weapon is provided with the vehicle.

Price

Fuel Type

Load

Veh Wt

Crew

Mnt

Night Vision

Radiological

$11,088

D, A

10.89 tons

14.51 tons

3+44

12

Headlights

Enclosed

Tr Mov

Com Mov

Fuel Cap

Fuel Cons

Config

Susp

Armor

152/107

36/25/4

617

185

Stnd

T3

HF1 HS1 HR1

M-809

Notes: This is the standard 5-ton truck described in the Twilight: 2000 Version 2.2 rules. However, the statistics given are not exactly correct. Alternate statistics are given below. The standard vehicle has all-metal construction, with a drop tailgate, removable wooden fence-type side rails, and a tarpaulin cover. The M-809 has many variants, including a model with drop sides, a long wheelbase version, a wrecker, a tractor-trailer which can tow 17 tons, an expandable van, a bridging transporter, and various hard cargo area versions which are used as workshops, command posts, or communications vehicles. Some M-809s have ring mounts above the commander's position for a weapon. The M-809 series is in use by the US and countries that received US aid or are US allies. An undisclosed number were supplied to China in the early 1990s.

Price

Fuel Type

Load

Veh Wt

Crew

Mnt

Night Vision

Radiological

$10,655

D, A

4.54 tons

9.73 tons

3+26

6

Headlights

Open

Tr Mov

Com Mov

Fuel Cap

Fuel Cons

Config

Susp

Armor

134/54

34/14

295

88

Stnd

W(3)

HF1 HS1 HR1

M-939

Notes: This series of 5-ton trucks is based on the M-809 series. They are improved in three basic areas, the transmission, the transfer case, and the brakes. As the transmission on the M-809 was under capacity and mismatched to the output of the engine, it was replaced on the M-939 to prevent the engine from overspeeding. In addition, this new transmission is automatic instead of the manual transmission of earlier US trucks. The new transfer case is pressure-lubricated and has the ability to shift into 4x6 mode to conserve fuel. The new brakes are air brakes, which have four times the life of the shoe-based brakes on the M-809. In addition, the noise in the cab was reduced, and for the first time, a heavy US military vehicle met the Surgeon General's requirements for noise. The M-939 has a winch in the front bumper that has a capacity of 8 tons with 80 meters of cable. There are many variants of the M-939 series, including the basic cargo, long wheelbase cargo, a dump truck, a tractor-trailer, an expandable van, a hard-bodied van, a wrecker, and a tanker (with fuel and water variants). About 40,000 of these trucks were produced between 1981 and 1992 for the US, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and a few other countries.

Price

Fuel Type

Load

Veh Wt

Crew

Mnt

Night Vision

Radiological

$10,812

D, A

4.54 tons

10.16 tons

3+24

6

Headlights

Open

Tr Mov

Com Mov

Fuel Cap

Fuel Cons

Config

Susp

Armor

154/62

39/16

295

88

Stnd

W(3)

HF1 HS1 HR1

M-977 HEMTT

Notes: The HEMTT (Heavy Expanded Mobility Tactical Truck) is the primary heavy truck of the US Army, and is also used by Bahrain, Egypt, Israel, South Korea, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and Taiwan. It is designed for heavy loads and rough terrain. The rear set of wheels and the front set of wheels steer separately, allowing for a tighter turning radius than might otherwise be expected from a truck of the HEMTT’s size. Several variants exist, including the basic version, one with a materiel-handling crane with a capacity of 5 tons, a recovery vehicle (see Unarmored Recovery Vehicles), a tractor truck, a tanker, and a flatbed truck for pallets and containers.

Price

Fuel Type

Load

Veh Wt

Crew

Mnt

Night Vision

Radiological

$12,741

D, A

9.48 tons

17.6 tons

2+40

9

Headlights

Open

Tr Mov

Com Mov

Fuel Cap

Fuel Cons

Config

Susp

Armor

154/62

39/16

589

164

Stnd

W(4)

HF1 HS1 HR1

M-1074/M-1075 Palletized Load System (PLS)

Notes: These vehicles are heavy 10x10 trucks designed to carry a number of standardized NATO pallets and containers, similar in concept to the German MAN 7t truck listed in the NATO Combat Vehicle Handbook. The primary difference between the two is that the M-1074 is equipped with a materiel-handling crane with a capacity of 1.77 tons, and the M-1075 does not have this crane. Both versions have a winch and A-frame over the front of the vehicle that pulls cargo onto the load bed by means of rollers. The entire truck can be unloaded in less than one minute without the crew leaving the cab of the truck. An optional feature is a hatch in the roof of the cab with a machinegun mount. The PLS is not normally set up for passengers, though an improvised load may be carried; this number is shown below.

Price

Fuel Type

Load

Veh Wt

Crew

Mnt

Night Vision

Radiological

$16,646

D, A

14.97 tons

24.95 tons

2+20

11

Headlights

Open

Tr Mov

Com Mov

Fuel Cap

Fuel Cons

Config

Susp

Armor

134/54

34/14

379

184

Stnd

W(5)

HF1 HS1 HR1

Medium Tactical Vehicle Replacement (MTVR)

Notes: This is basically the USMC’s equivalent of the US Army’s MTV. It is not, however, the same vehicle. The MTVR will replace existing 2 1/2-ton and 5-ton trucks. The MTVR is all around a better truck, with greater load-carrying capability, a more powerful engine, automatic transmission, and a stronger construction. The MTVR is equipped with a winch to the rear with a capacity of 9.07 tons. It can be transported in any transport aircraft the size of the C-130 or greater, and in a stripped-down condition, inside a CH-53 helicopter.

Price

Fuel Type

Load

Veh Wt

Crew

Mnt

Night Vision

Radiological

$12,657

D, A

6.44 tons

12.61 tons

3+26

8

Headlights

Open

Tr Mov

Com Mov

Fuel Cap

Fuel Cons

Config

Susp

Armor

152/62

38/16

303

157

Stnd

W(3)

HF1 HS1 HR1

MK48

Notes: The MK48 is a heavy 8x8 truck used by the US Marines since 1983. It is a long vehicle of cabover construction. The cab has a roof hatch with a weapon mount, as well as a heater. The engine is behind the cab. The vehicle has excellent cross-country mobility. Variants include the basic cargo/troop carrier (MK48/17), a flat-decked logistics platform (MK48/14), a recovery vehicle (MK48/15), and a tractor truck that may pull a 14-ton trailer (MK48/16).

Price

Fuel Type

Load

Veh Wt

Crew

Mnt

Night Vision

Radiological

$14,388

D, A

11.34 tons

18.6 tons

2+44

14

Headlights

Open

Tr Mov

Com Mov

Fuel Cap

Fuel Cons

Config

Susp

Armor

118/46

30/12

568

164

Stnd

W(4)

HF1 HS1 HR1