StarDate 3/4
Jack Freeman
Movement Type: Hover
Power Plant: Vox 280 Fusion
Crusining Speed: 141 kph
Flank Speed: 216 kph
Armor: 1/Star Slab
Armament:
None
Manufacturer: RaschSilber Industrie
Communications System: Sprechenmacher BXT
Targeting and Tracking System: O/P 150 XLA
Record Sheets: Quicksilver & ICE variant
Quicksilver Small Laser variant
The RaschSilber Industrie Quicksilver hover scout, that firm's only successful major combat vehicle, was developed under contract for the Star League. The third prototype chassis became the production model, but the Star League collapsed shortly after mass assembly began, curtailing manufacture. Total production equalled only a few thousand, yet this vehicle remains one of the most popular of its type ever built. The Quicksilver is still seen in small numbers among first-line units of every major House and occasionally in mercenary units as well.
The Quicksilver is a distinctive design, nearly the shape of a flattened, tapered teardrop. In fact, it is a common practice for its drivers to paint the forward 'tip' in distinguishing colors. The vehicle is extremely fast and remarkably stable and maneuverable for its shape. Not surprisingly, two-thirds of the vehicle's mass consists of propulsion and lift equipment.
The Quicksilver is designed for three (with the driver seated in front of two observers behind and on either side), although a fourth occupant might be transported in back during an emergency. The driver normally occupies himself with driving while observers use binoculars and other light gear to search for opposing forces. An oval windscreen 'bubble' gives all occupants an excellent view.
Despite its shape and protruding cockpit bubble, the Quicksilver has a relatively low silhouette. This is partly achieved by having cramped quarters for its crew. Driver and observers remain in a reclined - nearly horizontal - position while aboard the unit, with very little room for movement. Only generous padding and the vehicle's smooth, ground-effect method of travel make the ride enjoyable.
The VOX 280 fusion power plant has worked well in this unit, producing a very respectable cruising speed and a
flanking speed of just over 200 kph. The armor is somewhat light for the mass of the vehicle, but it is of high quality. There have even been reports where the armor was scavenged from a Quicksilver and refitted to patch a badly damaged BattleMech.
The O/P 150 XLA tracking system is carried on the scout, and has been more than adequate. Other O/P models were considered, but this was selected because the vehicle had no weapons requiring a more complex and expensive targeting system. The lack of weaponry on the vehicle has been a source of argument with some, but a majority of scouts agree that no matter what weapons they might have, their sole purpose is to make high-speed reconnaissance forays and return intact. This scout has proven well-suited to that task.
Aside from the weaponry issue, the Sprechenmacher BXT communications unit has been the Quicksilver's only weakness. The unit is unusually sensitive to heavy vibration and sudden jolts (such as those encountered on a battlefield). Indeed, it has shown an unpleasant tendency of going "on the blink" just when it was most needed, leaving the scout unable to radio in reports or call for assistance. Technicians have worked on the design problem, but it has not been resolved. On more than one occasion, a driver has gone into hiding, stopped the vehicle, and tinkered with the BXT until it worked before he could report what he had seen.
Battle History:
Since their manufacture, Quicksilvers have been used as high-speed recon vehicles by every major power on every major combat front during all three Succession Wars. It was also reported that General Kerensky took at least 200 brand-new vehicles and crews with him on his exodus from the Inner Sphere. Of course, none of those has been seen to date.
Quicksilvers are often attached to conventional armored units because of their superior speed. They operate best when they can penetrate enemy forward areas and scout around, then quickly return to friendly lines and coordinate reinforcements. The Quicksilver has also seen limited use in Houses Kurita and Davion as a forward observation vehicle for calling in air and artillery strikes. The practice would undoubtedly be more common if the scout's communication system were more reliable.
Variants:
The most common variant involves replacing the rare fusion power plant with a more widely-available IC engine. Unfortunately, this reduces performance and reliability considerably, and is usually an option considered only when the fusion unit can no longer be repaired.
A handful of scouts have had a light weapon (machine gun, flamer, small laser, or SRM two-pack) mounted on the vehicle's front, most often at the expense of the armor. However, many Scouts agree that such a weapon is not really worth the loss in defensive protection.
Finally, at least a dozen Quicksilvers have been reequipped with other communication systems. So far, though, none have been a substantial improvement over the erratic BXT.
Notable Vehicles and Scouts:
Sergeant Margaret "Slick" Graize
A petite woman and skilful Scout, "Slick" more than makes up for her slight stature with wild tactics and a "let-me-at-'em" philosophy. Graize, and her Quicksilver "Speed Daemon", have served with House Marik's 33rd Armored Brigade for the last decade, and she has already turned down two promotions preferring instead to remain with her battered but serviceable vehicle. "Slick" got her nickname from a bizarre ritual of pouring a pail of light machine oil over the "Speed Daemon" after every successful sortie.
Lee "Sniper" Podart
A ruggedly-handsome man, "Sniper" has made his name as a Davion Scout by driving directly toward enemy lines and calling in supporting Sniper artillery strikes. He has been known to cut things too finely, however, such as when he miscalculated the fire coordinates by a few hundred meters and got caught by his own artillery barrage. Luck was on his side that time, though, and the only damage was to his cockpit bubble which took shrapnel from a near miss. Aside from a badly-cracked bubble, both Podart and his Quicksilver, "Long Shot", remain intact.
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