HK-Tank
From Terminator Wiki
The Hunter-Killer Tank – also called a centaur, ogre or 'cyborg tank' – is one of Skynet's principal ground-based combat vehicles. Developed from the original T-1, the HK-Tank is several stories tall and vaguely humanoid in overall shape, possessing a rotating, conning tower-like "head", two steel "arms" equipped with twin-barreled directional plasma cannons, and two "legs" consisting of massive individual tank treads. While formidably armed, the H-K Tank can be easily destroyed by a well-placed demolition charge.
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Model 250A,D / Tracked HK
Production date: 2024 (A), 2026 (D), 2028 (255D) Standing over roughly 10 meters tall, 10 meters wide and wieghing 40 tons, the HK-Tank Model 250A was the largest ground based assault vehicle designed by Skynet. Its function was ground pacification. Its appearance was that of a giant humanoid robot with cannons for arms and tank treads in the place of legs. Though slow moving and not highly intelligent, it was very effective. It laid waste to whatever stood in its path.
Intelligence
The 250A and the later 250D had a primative AI. It could be compared to an insect. A later smaller model, the 255D (scout), had a more sophisticated AI, was semi-autonomous and could direct and organize other HK units on the combat field.
Weapons
The 250A was armed with two linked pairs of reactor fed rapid fire Westinghouse Model 25D3 phased plasma guns. These were located on the end of its gun arms (not its front mounted grappling arms). The 250D had double plasma guns in place of the single of the 250A. For all practical purposes its ammunition was infinite. Its firepower was sufficient to destroy any conventional armor used by the resistance. Such firepower was superior to that used by any Terminator.
Speed & Maneuverability
The 250A and D were not very fast (probably 50 mph at most) but could traverse over most terrain easily. They were capable of destroying any structures that might be in their path as well. Their construction incorporates an advanced drive train and transmission system that powered the units four set of caterpillar treads. 250 models were powered by a reactor, with a second reactor dedicated to weapons systems. In the event that either reactor went off line the remaining would take over both functions. The sensor suite of the HK-Tank consisted of optical cameras and highly sensitive infra-red scanners. It was sometimes linked via transmission to aerial HKs which granted it the ability to accurately fire at targets beyond its field of vision. A later model, the 255D had a more advanced optical suite similar to that of a Terminator (heat sensors, night vision, telescopic vision).
Endurance
The armor of the 250A was very dense hyper alloy. This armor was resistant to phase powered weapons and conventional weapons had no effect on it at all. It did have certain weak points, however. Its sensor suite was vulnerable to conventional artillery and there were certain areas on the rear assembly of its treads that were vulnerable to explosives. In the later model, the 250D, these short comings were largely corrected.
Other Variants
Tracked HK- Model 250D Series G3 Type 500
The heaviest ground unit deployed by Skynet, the T500 HK has earned several names among the Resistance, chief of which is "Tank". The Model 250D is the largest unit deployed by Skynet for ground assault and urban pacification, which are its primary roles. The M250D stands 15 meters tall, stretches 25 meters in length, and has a width of 10 meters. The weight of the M250D is impressive as well, even with lighter and harder than steel hyperalloy, the M250D still maintains a hefty 60 ton displacement. The enduralloy chassis cradles a compact fusion bottle type reactor as well as the drive train subassembly which handles the multiple and redundant transmissions that drive the four independently suspended, independently steerable, all terrain bogey track assemblies. Each track is a full two meters wide, allowing superior all terrain mobility and the four independent track and drive assemblies enable the M250D to lose up to two drive units and still maintain a reasonable speed and percentage of maneuverability.
The 'torso' of the tank houses the primary sensor / scanner suite, target acquisition modules, and FiConSys fire control systems as well as redundant tactical microprocessors and operating systems. The 'arms' of the torso each contain independently targeted and tracking RED-T Remote Electric Drive Turrets. The unit is heavily armored in 5cm thick hyperalloy which provides superior protection against kinetic impact and excellent protection against both man portable energy weapons and light support weapons. Small arms employing kinetic or chemical explosive penetration strategies of less than 40mm caliber are useless in penetrating the M250D's armor, though the Resistance has found that the optical and electronic sensors which the M250D uses to hunt are somewhat susceptible to personal weapons fire, rendering the earlier models of the M250 (A, B, and C models) blind. The M250-D counters this with multiple sensor arrays and redundant acquisition modes as well as armored nacelles in which the sensors are housed, nacelles which are much less vulnerable to small arms fire or collateral damage.
The M250D is equipped with two large hydraulic servo enhanced manipulator arms with waldo-style gripper extensions housed in front of the main 'torso' of the tank. These are used for manipulating heavy equipment, acquiring hard to reach Resistance units, and removing debris from the path of the unit that it could not normally just roll over. Very few things can stand the direct impact of the heavily armored M250D which has been known to simply steam roller Resistance armed vehicles, with the Resistance units still inside the vehicles, while the M250D engaged multiple other targets.
The primary role of the M250D has been large area pacification. This role has placed the M250D in a wide search pattern of an area where it patrols, actively searching for human occupation and the unit is charged with terminating all positive contacts. Secondary mission objectives include clearance or destruction of potential sources of cover and shelter for human occupation. The M250D is often supported by an A4 HK-Aerial which maintains a 'high eye' style of close air support, directing target acquisition and beyond visual sensor acquisition information directly to one or more M250Ds on the fly.
Primary sensors and communication suites for the M250D are somewhat inferior to that of the A4, allowing some initial defeats by Resistance units. Newer electronics have been added to the 'D' model, resulting in better performance in experimental field trials and actual combat missions.
Primary armament for the M250D are Plasma weapons carried on the side mounted turret sponsons. Each turret affords a full 270 degree traverse and a elevation / depression of up to + / - 120 degrees and is controlled by a separate FiConSys which can operate and engage separate targets at the same time thus increasing the efficiency of the unit. The Resistance discovered that precision shots to the turret sensors would blind the HK on one side and this tactic was taken advantage of to a great degree in the early years of the model's introduction. Later models ('B' and later) would cross-link the FiConSys of both turrets into the main processor array of the HK, thus allowing for triple redundancy in target acquisition, a move that caught many of the Resistance by surprise.
Previous models of the M250 relied on chain fed plasma pulse cartridges, drawn in linkless feed from the ammunition bays deep within the Machine itself, to feed its primary armament. A pair of cross-linked ammunition bays, each holding 2500 plasma pulse cartridges, exists just slightly ahead of the main reactor in the main body. The ammunition bays are designed with walls and floor that are thicker than the roof of the bay so that an explosion in the bay won't wreck the machine, merely that all of the ammo will blow outwards, through the weaker top shell of the bay. The Machine will lose all of its ammo storage capacity but could return to its base for repair and resupply.
The later 'D' model uses a smaller, dedicated reactor for the weapon systems. In the event that either reactor is damaged or forced off-line, the remaining reactor can be brought to full power and still maintain the power requirements of the M250 weapon systems.
Primary weapons load for the early M250 series ("A" through "C") tracked HK units consists of two individual General Dynamics Model 44RD89 rapid pulse phased plasma guns, mounted in full powered turrets to the port and starboard side of the unit. These heavy, high gain plasma guns are fed by Type 3AM44 series 2 plasma pulse cartridges, linkless feed, drawn from dedicated 2500 round ammunition bays deep within the armored body of the Machine.
The "D" model is armed with linked pairs of reactor fed very rapid fire General Dynamics Model M25D3 phased plasma guns. Each M25D3 has a throughput range of 250 kilowatts with a practical ROF of 2000 pulses per minute, allowing the M250D to project 8000 PPM from its combined armament. Payload, feeding from the reactor waste, is for all practical purposes, infinite but did require periodic refueling and maintenance service.
The later variant of the HK heavy pacification unit, Model 250F, including aft powered turret with two heavy General Dynamics Model M25D3 plasma guns to provide for rear and improved side defense coverage. The "F" model could direct up to 4 heavy plasma guns to each side and to the front while directing up to 6 heavy plasma guns to the rear.
Another variant of the M250D used a much smaller combat chassis to allow it to maneuver in places the M250D could not. This model, the M255D was used extensively in the last years of the War as both an urban pacification unit as well as a fast scout and an installation patrol unit. it was easier to produce, requiring fewer raw materials, it was faster, carried two powered turrets with improved traverse each mounting a rapid pulse high energy phased plasma gun. The advanced electronics, a generation ahead of anything else in Skynet's arsenal, were the prototypes for its next series of hunter killers. The electronic suite was the predecessor to the Centurion form of unit over unit supervisory control. Skynet began to experiment with allowing some of the M255Ds to have semi-autonomous control of their patrol zones as well as their actions. M255Ds were armed with individual General Dynamics Model 44RD89 rapid pulse phased plasma guns, mounted in full powered turrets to the port and starboard side of the unit. These heavy, high gain plasma guns were fed by Type 3AM44 series 2 plasma pulse cartridges, linkless feed, drawn from a single, dedicated 2500 round ammunition bay deep within the armored body of the Machine.
The "M255F" model is armed with two, individual mounted reactor fed, very rapid fire General Dynamics Model R25D3 phased plasma guns. Each M25D3 has a throughput range of 250 kilowatts with a practical ROF of 600 pulses per minute, allowing the M255F to project 1200 PPM from its combined armament. Payload, feeding from the reactor waste, is for all practical tactical purposes, infinite but did require periodic service and refueling.
With the increase of effective anti-HK tactics used by the resistance to not only disable these units but to scavenge them for heavy weapons, power sources, and armor, Skynet has started equipping some units with crew compartments, containing concealed endoskeletons to counterattack the human assault teams. [1]
Terminator 3: War of the Machines
A different type of HK-Tank appears in the in the video game Terminator 3: War of the Machines. This variant lacked a 'head' like the original model and instead had a cluster of large sensors on its front. It's arms extended out further than the original model and mounted triple plasma cannons.
Terminator Salvation
An HK Tank can be seen briefly from the viewpoint of the cruise missile near the beginning of the film. It's by the satellite dishes at the Cyberdyne Research facility, firing upwards in an attempt to destroy the missile before impact. Also - The defense turret at the perimeter of Skynet Central appears to be a modified HK Tank with it's treads removed, and the torso mounted onto the wall. This allows it to rotate and effectively destroy incoming targets, but leaves it as stationary defense.
Terminator Salvation Game
In the game, the HK tanks are compeletely different from the aforementioned ones
Appearances
Movies
Television
- Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles
- "Dungeons & Dragons" (Mentioned only) (The Centaur Patrol)
- "Goodbye to All That" (Mentioned only) (The Ogre)
Novels
Comics
Games
- The Terminator Collectible Card Game
- Terminator 3: War of the Machines
- Terminator Salvation (video game)
