The MM/PT 71 Series was a production series of modular transports designed and produced by VMEW before the RLF-Imperial War. It was used predominantly on Onderon by the Onderon Guard and Republic Liberation Front/Republic Liberation Forces before being replaced by the MT 85.
Characteristics[]
The MM/PT 71 included the core chassis and multiple variants comprised of modular components attached to the chassis. Minimally armed and shielded, with moderate hull strength, the MM/PT 71 served its role competently but ultimately underperformed in comparison to other modern military transports. Despite its age it served well enough in multiple roles, including variants with the following designations:
- MM/PT 71 Core or "Stock" chassis
- MM/PT 71 AGS (Armored Ground Support) variant for transporting and supplying ground operations.
- MM/PT 71 LTC (Light Tank Carrier) variant for transporting the ATX ground attack tank series
- MM/PT 71 MTC (Modular Troop Carrier) held a bay of drop pods for orbital deployment of troops
- MM/PT 71 PEC (Portable Emplacement Carrier) designed to carry the
- MM/PT 71 IC-14 (Imperial Carrier) a cargo variant intended for sale to the Galactic Empire before the RLF-Imperial war. It was never adopted.
- MM/PT 72 Streamlined variant designed for greater mobility and lighter loads
- MM/PT 72 VTC (VT-RSV Transport Carrier )variant used to transport VT-RSV walkers
- MM/PT 73 A heavy variant with thicker armor and larger engines, with mounting points for weapons.
- MM/PT 73GS An armed gunship variant of the MM/PT 73
The MM/PT 71 IC-14
The MM/PT 73GS
History[]
Development[]
The MM/PT 71 series was developed not long after the APT-3 "Cuirass" to provide an aerial support component to the array of military support transports they sold for paramilitary use. VMEW attempted to strike a balance between mobility, defense, and attack potential while allowing for as much modularity as was possible. This left the core MM/PT 71 as little more than a skeletal frame or spine, to which modular components could be attached. The design was moderately successful when it was introduced, and it was deployed in modest numbers throughout its production.
Use in the RLF-Imperial War[]
The MM/PT 71 AGS variant with expanded cargo pod.
Preparing for the production of the MM/PT 85 Series of transports, VMEW again emptied its surplus stores of ancient vehicles by donating them to the RLF. The RLF at first had little use for the vehicles, still favoring the less conspicuous Cuirass transports for day-to-day operations. With the onset of violence against the Empire however, the RLF acquired VMEW ATX-3s and VT-RSVs and began using the MM/PT 70's to transport them around Onderon. The Onderon guard used the vehicles in their limited defensive operations against the Empire until finally deploying them in the first hours of the invasion of Iziz by the Galactic Empire. Most of the RLF's MM/PT 70's were destroyed by the Imperial occupiers upon the takeover of the palace, although some survived to see use by the Republic Liberation Forces. The transports were replaced by the newer MT 85 soon after.
Operational Deployment[]
The ancient transport is barely even used by underfunded fringe paramilitaries, long since supplanted by both the MM/PT 80 Series and MM/PT 85 Series, being largely useless without being able to also get a hold of the modular components designed for it.