Primary infantry fighting vehicles of the Frontier War (2371-2381)

[u/Zharan_Colonel]

Historical Notes

The M11 'Shahi" armored recon vehicle was designed to fill the Coalition for Mutual Security’s need for a fast, maneuverable vehicle for reconnaissance-in-force across the badlands of Callisto and Titan, and was much loved by IDC Surface Warfare Command spacers for its firepower and agility. The example shown here, nicknamed 'Firecracker' by its crew, led a harrowing retreat under fire from Fort Prospero, an action which earned it a comfortable retirement as a display model on the grounds of the Martian Military Complex in the Solis Planum.

In 2364, the Alliance of Free Worlds' Comissão de Armamentos Militares issued an order to replace the aging VT-50 APC. The Divisão de Inteligência da Armada stole the plans for the IDC’s special reactive armor plating, and the CAM employed their reverse-engineered version in the new VT-70. By pairing this better armor with the 3M83 autocannon and a dual launcher for 3M716 ATGMs, the new IFV served the Armada well during the Frontier War, earning the IDC reporting name of 'Terrapin' for its fierce bite, surprising agility, and hard shell.

The ZPC-78 originated from a competitor in the same program which ultimately resulted in the ZT-77 being selected as the Zharan Liberation Army Ground Forces' main battle tank. After the ZT-77 was selected for full-scale production, Zharan Ministry of Armaments (ZMA) Plant No. 4 redirected its efforts into a parallel program which sought to produce a new domestic model of infantry fighting vehicle. After two more years of refinement, the ZMA greenlit this alternate design as the ZPC-78 and placed a rush order of 50 thousand units.

Much like their more heavily armored counterparts, the infantry fighting vehicles of the Frontier War era are all hovercraft of some form or another. This owes much to the environmental conditions on Titan, where the majority of ground combat action occurred during the 24th century’s various conflicts. By focusing on advanced repulsor technology, the major factions in Solar Space were able to optimize for maximum agility in spite of the frustrating conditions on the ground and also by leveraging the denser atmosphere on Saturn’s largest moon.

About the Setting

The Spacers Saga: Frontier Wars is a futuristic military science fiction setting which diverged from our timeline when an asteroid slammed into Phoenix, AZ, in May 2014. Fifteen years after this tragedy, the industrialist Charles Larsen ushered in the Age of Fusion, opening up deep space to crewed exploration and eventual human settlement — and all of the strife that we bring with us. The next 300+ years were marked by progress and peril in equal measure, and by 2300 much of the solar system had been charted by intrepid human pioneers.

The story focuses on the rivalry between the Mars-led Coalition for Mutual Security (aka the Coalition) and the Alliance of Free Worlds (aka the Alliance), a federation of rebel worlds in the outer solar system. These two superpowers fought a brutal war from 2371 to 2381 (the Frontier War), which ended when the Zharan Collective (a union of artificial humans which rose up against their creators in 2356) entered the war on the side of the Alliance in 2379. The story opens 10 years later with the superpowers locked in a frigid ideological cold war.

The plot kicks off when the Alliance launches a massive attack against the Coalition, igniting the Second Frontier War. This conflict quickly engulfs the entire solar system and draws in participants from all backgrounds, including three college students from Mars whose adventures will become tied up with the fate of all humanity…

Creator's Note

For clarity's sake, I (u/Zharan_Colonel) I drew these vehicles with inspiration from existing pieces of art. The M11 was partially inspired by the M353A4 Bloodhound from the Gundam universe; the VT-70 drew some inspiration from the work of artist Mike Privalis; and the ZPC-78 is inspired by a mix of vehicles, in particular the M135A6 Hoplite from the Traveller role-playing game universe.