Premier APC for all Agency uses the Hunchback is a logical extension of the Warthog ASV capable of carrying up to 12 infantry soldiers with a normal load of 8. Its crew compliment is 2, although it is capable of operating with a single “driver”. The driver is situated behind the engine on the front-right of the vehicle, the co-driver to the left side.
The vehicle has Type-2 MIB CCA armour and unlike the Warthog carries no Molecular Deflection Screen, it being reasoned that the Type-2 CCA being as, if not more, effective than the MDS, with none of its drawbacks.
Production is solely at the Agency Warminster Habitat including the Fusion-4 engine, although some minor parts are produced off-Habitat by UKS and NRF sub-contractors.
The vehicle is shaped for major protection against mines and IEDs and the vehicle has substantial R-Grav plating that substantially reduces its road-weight, gives it excellent cross-country performance and a top-speed of 70mph. It is capable of crossing water barriers either fully submerged or afloat.
Weaponry is varied: typical load-outs including a Light Armour Piercing Canon and AOE missiles, AA HPV Missiles, Pulse canons and similar. The APC is regarded primarily as a support vehicle though and not a true AFV, hence its light weaponry and the Vampire remains the primary heavy-armour killer in the T-PEA arsenal.
The Hunchback, along with the Warthog and Adv Warthog, is tuned to protect its occupants and get them to where they are needed, against an opponent that is unlikely to consist of heavy or medium armour units. It is exceptionally difficult to kill, although its lighter weaponry does mean that heavy armour units, for whom it provides little threat, can largely ignore it.
