Tanuki Vector Assault

**Key Features** | »» Knetic burst canister guns (x2)»» Vector jet propulsion units (x6)»» Solar panel (x2)»» Noise detection suite (w/ noise-cancelling headphones)»» Suzumebachi drone bay

*"Patrolling the Empire's borders!"*

- Tanuki Commander
## Tactical Analysis

* **The Imperial Ranger**: Playing as similar role as the Continentals scout car, the Tanuki offers anti-infantry support and reconnaissance to the land of the rising sun.

* **Night on town**: Dual kinetic burst guns let the Tanuki cut down soldiers and if things get too hectic, the Tanuki can launch an emp drone to stun nearby enemies.

* **Watch the paint job**: Trying to take on armour with what amounts to shotguns is not going to end well, nor can the Tanuki target aircraft.

* **Something with a bit more punch**: Experienced Tanuki drivers are given low powered plasma-cutters for their ride. While not powerful enough they penetrate the frontal armour of tank, they are certainly effective the thinner rear and sides and fantastic against less well protected targets.

## Background

The sleek **Tanuki Vector Assault** craft is not a new development in the Empire's arsenal. Versions of the compact vehicle have seen service for nearly a decade as police vehicles, and the civilian version is quite a popular way of navigating the crowded streets of Tokyo. Cheap to build, extremely fast and with an low profile, the Tanuki has gained a reputation as a reliable long-ranged patrol craft and infantry fighting vehicle.

Though lacking the offensive and defensive power of the Tengu, the Tanuki is much cheaper to build and easier to use, and is a great deal faster on the ground due to its lower weight. Tanuki units have already seen service in the Pacific islands, eastern Russia and the Chinese coast. They are also extremely popular with the Yakuza.

The Tanuki floats several feet off the ground on six vector jets in a manner similar to the Sudden Transport, and is capable of impressive feats of speed. Unfortunately, the low traction makes the vehicle difficult to turn on the move, and deceleration must be a gradual manoeuvre with no ground contact and less flexibility than the Tengu. The Tanuki's kinetic-burst cannons are modeled after Allied shotguns, firing short bursts of superheated slugs in a wide spread to discourage enemy aircraft and take out isolated infantry elements.

The Tanuki excels at hit-and-run attacks. To protect it against vehicles, the Tanuki's drone bay allows it to deploy Suzumebachi EMP drones, which dive onto enemy vehicles in the manner of a burst drone before disabling them with a powerful electromagnetic pulse, buying time for the patrol vehicle to escape, as a matter of fact, the drones is how the Tanuki got its name.

During early testing, when one of the drones was activated to test the EMP, the strange screaching noise and excessive static discharge generated as a side effect caused several technicians to suffer dizzyness, nausea, and one even defecated himself. Seeing them stumble around, one designer jokingly commented that they were acting like the Tanuki Racoon Dogs of Myth, shambling about like they had drunk an entire keg of rice wine and that he wouldn't be surprised if they went off to try to seduce women. Despite being such an off colour remark, one of the executives of Mitsubishi Hoverworks actually found it clever and quite humourous. Thus the name Tanuki stuck.

Rumour has it the Tanuki was in fact based on the classic Allied Ranger Scout Car, and despite the vast difference in shape between the two vehicles the idea has merit. Both are small, light military vehicles with anti-infantry weapons and a priority of speed over armour, and both have seen excellent sales in civilian markets as well as military contracts.

Indeed, the Tanuki is leading the pack in foreign vehicle sales as something of a novelty in America and Europe; they are popular enough that former movie star and Continental Commander Col. Ronald Reagan uses an imported 1969 sports model as his personal staff car. The export of Tanuki vehicles are carefully regulated, and each vehicle contains a special internal failsafe that will burn the sensitive integrated circuitry if non-authorized personnel attempts to access it, denying Allied scientists a look at the computerised core.

## Just the Stats

 **Armour Type** | Light Armour

 **Kill Reward** | 4800

 **DPS** | 20/6