Editing Kanga

{{InfoBoxCombatVehicle
| image = Kanga_TRO2750.jpg
| name = KGA-2B Kanga
| manufacturer = [[Mitchell Vehicles]]
| production year=2653
| year reference=<ref>''[http://www.masterunitlist.info/Unit/Details/1745/ MUL online date for the ''{{PAGENAME}}'']''</ref>
| Mission = Jump Tank
| Type = Hover (Jump)
| Cost = 
| mass = 50
| armor = [[Durolex Standard]]
| engine = [[Janzen 165]] [[internal combustion engine]]
| comsys = [[Stony AIX]]
| T&T = [[AL2200]]
| heat sinks = 0
| speed = 129
| Jump Jets = [[Mitchell JB Thurst Bottles]]
| Crew = 4
| armament = 1 x [[autocannon/5]]<br> 1 x [[LRM-10]]<br> 1 x [[SRM-4]]<br> 1 x [[machine gun]]
| BV (1.0) = 
| BV (2.0) = 752<ref>''Record Sheets: 3050 Upgrades Unabridged (Clan & Star League)'', p. 192</ref>
}}

==Description==
One of the most memorable and unique [[Combat Vehicle]]s of the [[Star League era]], the '''Kanga''' was the first combat vehicle to mount [[Jump Jet]]s.<ref name=TRO2750>''Technical Readout: 2750'', pp. 100–101: "Kanga Hovertank Profile"</ref><ref name=TRO3050R>''Technical Readout: 3050 Revised'', pp. 206–207: "Kanga Hover Profile"</ref><ref name=TRO3050U>''Technical Readout: 3050 Upgrade'', pp. 166–167: "Kanga Jump Tank Profile"</ref>

The ability to jump was one of the advantages long retained by the [[BattleMech]], but in the mid-[[2650]]s [[SLDF]] Vehicle Corps [[General]] [[Alvarez Mitchell|Alvarez "Bull" Mitchell]] attempted to overcome this hurdle. The general's family ties to the mammoth [[Mitchell Vehicles]] of [[Graham IV]] ensured that his ideas were developed into prototypes. Unable to solve the complex balance issues caused by the jump jets the company turned to the [[Nirasaki Computers Collective]] for assistance who responded with the AL2200 Track-Nav AI computer, an advanced system which basically controlled every aspect of the Mitchell JB Thrust Bottle jets from takeoff to landing, resulting in an efficient and deadly [[hovertank]].<ref name=TRO2750/><ref name=TRO3050R/><ref name=TRO3050U/>

Like many highly advanced designs, the loss of both Mitchell Vehicles and Nirasaki to the unbridled destruction of the [[Amaris Coup]] and the [[First Succession War]] doomed the Kanga, and by the [[Second Succession War]] virtually none survived outside [[ComStar]]'s [[Terra]]n stockpiles or [[Brian Cache]]s of the [[Clan Homeworlds]]. The vehicle's fate has improved in the modern era. While the fighting of the [[Jihad]] resulted in the destruction of the last of Kangas still operational in the [[Inner Sphere]], the desperation of the age led to the Kanga being reintroduced and upgraded by [[Clan Hell's Horses]] as a precursor to a program of developing new jump-capable vehicles.<ref name=TRO2750/><ref name=TRO3050R/><ref name=TRO3050U/>

==Weapons and Equipment==
The vehicle's main weapon is a front-mounted [[Autocannon/5|Class 5]] Lonworth Type V [[autocannon]], supported by [[General Datatech]]–produced Vertical Launch [[LRM-10]] and [[SRM-4]] launchers in the center of the hull, with a nose-mounted Tri-Axe [[Machine Gun]] for anti-[[infantry]] purposes. One ton of reloads for the autocannon and each missile launcher, and half ton of the machine gun, give the design reasonable endurance. While somewhat hampered by its fixed forward weaponry, the increased maneuverability offered by the Kanga's jump jets greatly compensates for this.<ref name=TRO2750/><ref name=TRO3050R/><ref name=TRO3050U/>

==Variants==
*; KGA-3X : Little is known about this experimental variant save it reportedly included a turret assembly.

*; Kanga (AC) : This version of the Kanga lost its jump capability, turning it into a standard hovertank. The SRM launcher was also removed. In exchange, the main gun was upgraded to an [[autocannon/10]] with two tons of ammunition. BV (2.0) = 774<ref>''Record Sheets: Operation Klondike'', p. 12</ref>

*; Kanga-X : A continuation of the manufacturing and trade alliance between Clan Hell's Horses and [[Clan Wolf-in-Exile]] that resulted in the ''[[Cygnus (BattleMech)|Cygnus]]'', seeking new and unique weapons for the fight against the [[Word of Blake]] led to another look at the Kanga on [[Arc-Royal]], under Technician [[Ansom]]. Focusing on copying the original's frame and systems as much as possible, the '''Kanga-X''' mounts a [[fusion engine]] to free up weight to mount its weapons in a so-far aerodynamically unstable turret, with the autocannon replaced with an experimental [[large chemical laser]] and the standard [[LRM]] and [[SRM]] launchers being swapped for a [[Streak LRM-10]] and [[Streak SRM-4]]. Two tons worth of laser shots and a single ton of reloads for each efficient Streak missile launcher give it reasonable endurance.<ref name=XTRO:Mercs>''Experimental Technical Readout: Mercs'', pp. 10, 21</ref>

==Related OmniVehicles==
* [[Hephaestus]] - Seeking to develop a new light hovertank employing unexpected equipment to surprise their enemies, Clan Hell's Horses immediately focused on producing a modern [[OmniVehicle]] version of jumping tank like the Kanga. Unfortunately even the advanced technology base of the Clans found replicating and integrating the AL2200 into an OmniVehicle chassis prohibitively expensive and the design was shelved and later repurposed solely as a non–jump capable infantry-carrying OmniTank. Building off the lessons learned from the ''Kanga-X'', after the Jihad's conclusion a non-OmniVehicle variant of the Hephaestus equipped with jump jets was finally developed.<ref name=TRO3067>''Technical Readout: 3067'', p. 30</ref><ref name=TROP-69>''Technical Readout: Prototypes'', p. 69</ref>

==Gallery==
<gallery>
File:Kanga TRO2750.jpg|Original Kanga from ''[[Technical Readout: 2750|TRO:2750]]''
File:3050U Kanga.jpg|Upgraded Kanga from ''[[Technical Readout: 3050 Upgrade|TRO:3050 Upgrade]]''
</gallery>

==References==
<references />

==Bibliography==
* ''[[Experimental Technical Readout: Mercs]]''
* ''[[Record Sheets: 3050 Upgrades Unabridged (Clan & Star League)]]''
* ''[[Record Sheets: Operation Klondike]]''
* ''[[Technical Readout: 2750]]''
* ''[[Technical Readout: 3050 Revised]]''
* ''[[Technical Readout: 3050 Upgrade]]''
* ''[[Technical Readout: 3067]]''
* ''[[Technical Readout: Prototypes]]''


[[Category:Combat Vehicles|Kanga]]
[[Category:Medium Combat Vehicles]]
[[Category: Hover Combat Vehicles|Kanga]]
[[Category:50 ton Combat Vehicles|Kanga]]
[[Category: SLDF Combat Vehicles|Kanga]]
[[Category:ComStar Combat Vehicles]]