The Schützenpanzer Marder 1 (“armored infantry carrier pine marten 1”) is a well-armored infantry fighting vehicle which has been in German service since 1971. It has a fairly typical layout, with the exception of its unusual turret and the presence (in earlier models) of an unmanned weapon station on the rear of its roof. Due to its high weight it is not amphibious, but can ford through water up to 5′ deep without preparation, and up to 8′ when fitted with a ‘snorkel’ air intake.
The main turret has the crew seated low in the basket with the weapons mounted above them. The main gun is a Mk 20 Rh-202 single-feed autocannon in an unstabilised mount with 500 rounds. It has a co-axial MG3 machine gun (GURPS High-Tech, p. 134) with 250 rounds. These weapons have exceptional elevation and depression, which makes them well suited for shooting from a hull-down position, combat in urban or mountainous terrain, or even engaging slow, low-flying aircraft. A combination 0.5 mile infrared illuminator (GURPS High-Tech, p. 47) and 1 mile searchlight (GURPS High-Tech, p. 228) is mounted on the left of the turret while six smoke dischargers (GURPS High-Tech, p. 229) are located high on the front. The gunner (seated on the left of the turret) and commander (on the right) have duplicate controls, allowing either to use the guns. Each has a 6× variable magnification optical sight (+2 Acc) and image intensifying night-sight (gives Colorblindness, Night Vision 4, No Depth Perception, and Tunnel Vision). Only the commander has a hatch, which has eight periscopes for all-round view (although sight-lines to the left are obscured by the main gun). The gunner has three periscopes, with a better view to the left. Two medium radios (GURPS High-Tech, p. 38) are located in the back of the turret. An intercom system (GURPS High-Tech: Electricity and Electronics, p. 27) allows communication with the rest of the vehicle. The turret’s electric motor takes one Ready manoeuvre to change facing.
The driver sits in the hull, ahead and to the left of the turret, and has a hatch with three periscopes, the middle of which can be replaced with an image-intensifying optic (gives Colorblindness, Night Vision 4, No Depth Perception, and Tunnel Vision). Behind the driver and slightly higher up is a single passenger seat, which has its own hatch and fully rotatable periscope. At the rear of the hull is the troop compartment, which seats six, back to back, facing outwards. An additional 750 rounds for the autocannon and 4,500 rounds for the machine guns are stored in the troop compartment. Two gun ports (GURPS High-Tech, p. 228), three periscopes, and two roof hatches are provided for troops on each side. The back of the troop compartment has a large door which opens downwards to form a ramp. Above this is mounted a remote weapon station fitted with an MG3 machine gun, with 250 rounds, which is controlled from inside the troop compartment and covers a 180° arc to the rear (one Ready manoeuvre to change facing). A telephone (GURPS High-Tech, p. 37) is mounted on the rear outer hull, to allow dismounted infantry to speak to those inside the vehicle.
The Marder 1A1A (1979) is a Marder 1 with a dual-feed autocannon (with 100 and 400 rounds in its ready belts) and a Milan missile launcher (GURPS High-Tech, pp. 151-152) in an exposed mount to the right of the commander’s hatch. The troop compartment seating is reduced to five in order to make room for four missiles (Occ: 3+6S). The Marder 1A1(−) is the same but with additional image intensifying sight (gives +2 Acc, Colorblindness, Night Vision 5, and Tunnel Vision) replacing the gunner’s optical sight. The Marder 1A1(+) has similar image intensifying sight with a low resolution thermal imaging sensor overlay (gives +2 Acc, Colorblindness, Detect Heat, Night Vision 5, and Tunnel Vision).
The Marder 1A2 (1984) also has a dual-feed autocannon and Milan launcher as well as numerous minor upgrades over previous models. The remote weapon station is replaced with another top hatch, the infrared illuminator / searchlight is removed, the coaxial machine gun is moved to a pod on the left of the turret (with 500 rounds), and the commander and gunner share a thermal imaging sight (gives +2 Acc, Infravision, and Tunnel Vision) with duplicate displays. The driver's night vision optic is upgraded (gives Colorblindness, Night Vision 5, No Depth Perception, and No Peripheral Vision). The Marder 1A1A2 has the hull of a Marder 1A2 but the turret of a Marder 1A1(+), and so retains the infrared illuminator / searchlight, original coaxial machine gun configuration, and cruder weapon sights.
The Marder 1A3 (1988) adds a lot of armor, and some exterior stowage to the Marder 1A2, along with an upgraded engine and suspension to handle the extra weight. The driver's hatch is larger than on previous versions and the optics better protected, but the passenger seat behind the driver loses its hatch and periscope. The troop compartment roof hatches are reduced to three, the gun ports are blocked off, and the passenger periscopes are removed. The turret gains a 5,000-yard laser rangefinder (+3 Acc).
The Marder 1A4 is simply a Marder 1A3 with an encrypted radio (GURPS High-Tech, p. 38). It is used as a command vehicle. Similarly, the Marder 1A2A1 is a Marder 1A2 with the same encrypted radio, while the same radio in Marder 1A1A makes it a Marder 1A1A4, in a Marder 1A1(−) a Marder 1A1A3, and in a Marder 1A1A2 a Marder 1A1A5.
The Marder 1A3/VB-Trp (vorgeschobener beobachter trupp, “forward observer team”) (2000) is a Marder 1A3 modified to act as an artillery spotter vehicle. It loses the missile launcher and gains a 20,000-yard laser rangefinder, precision navigation instruments (+3 Navigation), GPS receiver (GURPS High-Tech, p. 53), a medium computer (GURPS High-Tech, p. 20), and two large radios (GURPS High-Tech, pp. 38-39) with long-range antennae (GURPS High-Tech, p. 39).
The Marder 1A5 (2003) adds additional mine protection to the Marder 1A3. In addition to thicker belly armor, the stowage and seating was redesigned so that it is suspended from the roof and sides of the vehicle in order to reduce the risk of explosive force being transmitted to those inside and loose equipment being thrown around. All crew and passengers are also protected by spall liners (DR 10). The driver gets an integrated image intensification and thermal imaging system (gives Infravision, Night Vision 9, No Peripheral Vision, and Protected Vision). In the turret the thermal imaging sight is upgraded (gives +2 Acc, Infravision, Night Vision 9, Protected Vision, and Tunnel Vision), a GPS receiver is added, and the radio is encrypted as standard. The Marder 1A5A1 (2010) further adds air conditioning (gives Temperature Tolerance 2), a radio-jammer (GURPS High-Tech: Electricity and Electronics, p. 49) for protection against remotely detonated IEDs, and multi-spectral camouflage (gives +2 to Camouflage against Infravision).
DRIVING/TL (TRACKED)
| TL |
Vehicle |
ST/HP |
Hnd/SR |
HT |
Move |
LWt. |
Load |
SM |
Occ. |
DR |
Range |
Cost |
Locations |
Notes |
| 7 |
Marder 1 |
155 |
−3/5 |
10x |
2/23 |
31 |
1.2 |
+4 |
3+7S |
120/50 |
320 |
$300k |
2CTt |
[1][2][3][4][5][6][7] |
| 8 |
Marder 1A2 |
157 |
−3/5 |
11x |
2/23 |
32.1 |
1.2 |
+4 |
3+6S |
120/50 |
320 |
$350k |
2CTX |
[1][2][3][4][5][6] |
| 8 |
Marder 1A3 |
167 |
−3/5 |
11x |
2/20 |
38.5 |
1.5 |
+4 |
3+6S |
230/75 |
310 |
$450k |
2CTX |
[2][3][5][8][9][10][11] |
| 8 |
Marder 1A5 |
171 |
−3/5 |
11x |
2/19 |
41.1 |
1.5 |
+4 |
3+6S |
230/80 |
310 |
$500k |
2CTX |
[2][3][8][9][12][13] |
[1] Fire extinguisher (GURPS High-Tech, p. 229) in engine compartment.
[2] Higher DR is for body front, lower DR is for body sides.
[3] Body rear has DR 30.
[4] Body top has DR 30.
[5] Body underside has DR 30.
[6] Main turret front has DR 100, main turret sides and rear have DR 50, main turret top has DR 30.
[7] Secondary (unmanned) turret has DR 15 on all facings.
[8] Fire-suppression system (GURPS High-Tech, p. 229) in engine compartment.
[9] Turret front has DR 180, turret sides have DR 120, turret rear has DR 50, turret top has DR 30.
[10] Body top has DR 50.
[11] Body sides have spaced armor (GURPS High-Tech, p. 229).
[12] Body top and underside have DR 75.
[13] Body sides have laminated armor (GURPS High-Tech, p. 229).
