AHP-3 LHP

## AHP-3 Light Hover Platform / AHP-3I CDAC Insertion Vehicle

The **AHP-3 LHP** (**Light Hover Platform**) and **AHP-3I CIV** (**CDAC Insertion Vehicle**) were a pair of light VTOL craft used by the Armies of the Southern Cross.

## Background

The Light Hover Platform was developed by the GMP in the early 2020s as a platform for urban patrol, security and counter-insurgency operations. The latter was driven by the fear of large-scale urban uprisings by 'renegade actors' (ie, Micronised Zentraedi) or actions by the reborn Anti-Unification movement. The vehicle was envisaged as a flying police motorcycle, a lightweight, highly mobile and agile platform that could be used to maneuver between buildings and chase down opponents in locations where Battloids and armoured vehicles could not access. The prototypes proved to be effective in the intended role, with the platform quickly entering service with the GMP and CDFC.

Soon after the LHP entered service, the GMP active deployment of the Civil Defence Armoured Cycle. Deployment was limited by its semi-functional limbs, however, limiting its mobility. While the GMP had developed a Support Truck to enable its field transformation, the size and vulnerability of the vehicle made it less than ideal. However, the LHP proved to be a potential solution to the issue, leading to development of an insertion vehicle variant. The CDAC Insertion Vehicle featured an extended tailboom, revised engines and a more armoured pilot position, but still retained most of the same components. In testing, the CIV was able to safely airdrop a CDAC from up to 14 meters altitude. While standard procedure was to drop while at a slow speed, tactics were developed for more rapid deployments where the CIV would swoop down, drop its cargo and then peel off to avoid fire.

Both variants were widely deployed in urban environments and were considered effective in their given roles. However, in service they proved to have a somewhat mixed reception. Pilots of the LHP disliked how exposed they were on the back of the craft, with no protection from enemy fire beyond their own body armour. The craft earned the nickname "fragger" due to the fears of how lethal it would be to its pilots and expected loss rates.

Ultimately, the LHP saw little combat, with the expected uprisings that it was developed against never materialising. Those that faced the Robotech Masters' forces fared well against the unarmoured conscript civilians that they threw into combat in the late stages of the war, but were hopelessly outclassed and easily destroyed by enemy Bioroids. A small number survived the Invid invasion, and were used by some of the larger collaborator states to discourage civil unrest, ironically closer to its intended role. They were also used by the Shimada Yakuza to help maintain control over Neo-Tokyo as the city's systems broke down.

## Capabilities

The LHP-3 was a lightweight, highly agile platform that was well-suited to its intended role. The craft hat a top speed of 143 km/h and was fully VTOL capable, capable of taking off and landing in its own size and coming to a full hover in mid-air. The craft had a maximum four hour flight time. Due to its light weight, it could land on top of most buildings with little to no damage. However, because of its small size, avionics were limited to a short-range radar and a thermal imager. Data was presented on a screen mounted on the control column, but pilots wearing the LPAS could opt to present information on their helmet HUDs.

The armour of the LHP-3 was composed of a plastic-ceramic composite that provided lightweight protection for minimal work. The armour stops most small arms fire, provides poor protection against heavier infantry weapons, such as a 12.7mm machinegun round. The platform itself provides minimal cover for the pilot, who is especially exposed from above. It was assumed that under operational conditions, the LHP pilot would be wearing a suit of body armour such as Gusoku or LPAS in the field.

## Weapons and Equipment

* **Triple-Barreled 25mm Autocannon:** Mounted in the front of the craft with a limited traverse and elevation. Maximum rate of fire 800 rounds/minute. Ammunition supply of 300 rounds from an internal magazine.

## Game Statistics

* **Required Rank:** 1

* **Designation:** AHP-3

* **Division:** GMP, ASC-CDFC

* **Stats**
	+ **Armour – Light:** 4
	+ **Structure** – **Light:** 4
	+ **Hardware Points**: Basic
	+ **Speed**: 200 kph / 320 m / 32 Ground Units

### Weapons

* **25mm Minigun:** The LHP is armed with a 25mm minigun under the front of the craft. The weapon is designed for use against enemy personnel and light vehicles. It inflicts x3 Light damage to targets and has a range of Long. [L1][H]

* **No Melee:** The LHP cannot engage in melee except to make Ramming attacks.

### Features

* **Hover:** As a VTOL craft, the LHP is able to hover or travel at speeds that would stall fixed-wing aerial craft.

* **Unarmoured:** A pilot operating a LHP without wearing personal Armour uses the stats above, but does not gain any Resistance benefit.

* **Atmosphere Only:** The LHP can only be used in an Earth-like atmosphere.

## CDAC Insertion Vehicle - Variant

This variant of the LHP was designed to work around the limitations of the CDAC’s transformation. The craft has an extended tail boom that allows it to carry a single CDAC under the body in Battloid mode, and then drop it into action from up to 14 meters in the air.

* **Required Rank:** 1

* **Designation:** AHP-3I

### Specific Features

**Drop Rack:** The LHP Insertion Vehicle carries a single CDAC under its body and can drop it into combat.

## Notes

* Design Notes
* Image Gallery