Orca Lander

**Key Features** | »» X43 *"Desolador"* Desolator Nozzle»» Heavy Soviet-manufactured tracks»» Rapid Unload System Handlebar *"RUSH"*»» Large supply of spicy food»» Outdated but very comfy sofas

## Tactical Analysis

* **Underwater Transport**: The Orca is the Soviet’s oceanic vehicle conveyor, capable of transporting up to three vehicles of any size from the minuscule Sputnik to the mighty Apocalypse Tank.

* **Emphasis, *Underwater***: As a submarine, the Orca is capable of bypassing most blockades and defenses to deposit its cargo on unprotected beaches.

* **Polluted Shores**: Once on land, the Orca can engage targets of opportunity with desolator sprayers, melting infantry and weakening defenses, and fire a barrage of tesla rockets that fries infantry and disable defenses. Keep in mind though the Orca isn’t heavily armoured and quite slow when out of water.

* **Shock Party**: Recently Soviet engineers had managed to attach some old deck guns to the Orca. Though its caliber is severely outdated it can be loaded with the same tesla shells as the Perun, though it won't do the same damage or shut down vehicles instantly, allowing the Orca crew to now immobilize vehicles as their allies make landfall. However, due to limited stocks on both guns and rounds only experienced crew are gifted them

## Background

In 1965, the American countries were shocked when the Communist Party of Uruguay swept the elections, gaining over 60% of the vote. What was even more shocking was that the election wasn't even rigged - the Soviet leadership was just as surprised (albeit pleasantly) as the Allies. Communism had succeeded democratically. In a couple of years, reforms made by the Communist Party had turned the economy into full-fledged socialism. There was no need to remove the free elections, the communists were as popular as ever, and never turned to the sometimes brutal methods of the Soviet Union.

Indeed, the population of Uruguay was mostly enthusiastic communists, and applied to help the Soviet cause en masse. The thought of including the country into the USSR was, however, soon forgotten due to the plain stupidity of such a move. Instead, the poor country built up a sizable industry, to be able to aid the Russians as much as they could without entering the war which had begun in Europe; still remaining formally neutral was the only way to avoid invasion by the neighbouring behemoths of Brazil and Argentina, both worried about the red insurgency in their neighbourhood.

In regards to military equipment, Uruguay had never been worth mentioning. But will can be a strong weapon itself, and so the Uruguayan officers began brainstorming. Sending men to the red cause was no use; the Soviets had a never-ending supply of soldiers, so that was the least of their problems.

The industry of Uruguay was yet too weak to support mass-producing more Soviet units, and a full-scale military presence would provoke the Allies, even though a naval base in South America would be a good possession. Thus they decided to focus on developing new technology, where they could use the available resources. This was initially done on Saturday evenings in the Uruguayan Secretary of Defense's living room.

After a month of studying weak parts of the Soviet armed forces, they found that the pride of the Red Army; the battle tanks; all had a glaring weakness, namely water. No matter the power of an Apocalypse Tank, it would be stopped by even the smallest of lakes. Though Twinblades could circumvent this problem to some extent, they were vulnerable to anti air weaponry. There was no use equipping all the heavy tanks with a raft underneath, due to the cost required, so other measures were needed to be able to transport the tanks over water. And with these words the light came upon the planners in a Montevideo villa; a vehicle transport.

It needed to be heavy, to allow it to carry more than one vehicle, but that would also make it slow. Heavy armour would also make it too big. These two complications were threatening the project - who wants a transport that three Javelin Soldiers could sink? - but a clever solution was found in making the ship a submarine, protecting it from most enemy fire. With the concept finished, the Uruguayans sent materials and blueprints to the Union for approval.

The Soviets, having lost a whole division of JS-3 Terminator Tanks on the Baltic Sea and having had trouble with transports in the Greek archipelago, rapidly approved of the idea, and signed a cooperation deal with Uruguay. The South Americans developed and produced the boat itself while the Soviets outfitted them with Desolator spray tanks, which were used to protect the otherwise vulnerable transports.

Meanwhile, the Motherland produced what required heavier industries, and recycled gear from old and scrapped units. The **Orca Lander** reached the fronts in the autumn of 1968, and proved its worth in the end of the war. Today it's a stable part of the Soviet navy, much to the pride of the Uruguayans, who care to mark every ship and every weapon with *"Made in Uruguay"*.