version 3 - The Alien Encyclopedia

APCs.
The M577 has a length of over 8,5 meters and weighs over 14 tons. The vehicle is operated by a
crew of two soldiers, one being the driver and the other one being the section commander, and can
transport up to 12 passengers, who are strapped into harnessed seats in the dedicated passenger
compartment. The interior can be accessed through a starboard slide-door and the portside driver's
hatch. A tactical operations center for the section commander is located at the rear of the vehicle.
The M577 can be loaded with equipment for up to 5 days.
Sensor coverage is provided by a 270-degree sensor cluster at the front searchlight. Further features
include a turreted thermal imager, an optic sensor capable of providing footage with a magnification
of up to 20x, an ultrasonic motion tracker and a weapon radar with a range of up to 3000 meters.
Stealth capabilities consist of laser absorbents and infrared camouflage, while defense measures are
provided by jamming systems and a decoy launcher at the rear of the vehicle which is also able to
release particulate smoke as a countermeasure against lasers.
The weapon systems of the M577 are divided in two elements. The first one is two front-mounted
Republic Dynamics Electric RE-700 20mm gatling guns equipped with a 1700-round feed and capable
of handling various ammo types. The other element is a weapon turret that can be slid back to
the rear side of the APC when entering narrow passages. The exact weapon type of the turret varies,
the three main variants of the vehicles being the M577A, the M577A2 and the M577A3. (A2,
A:INF, CMTM)
M577A: A variant of the M577 Armored Personnel Carrier, which has its turret module equipped
with two Boyas PARS 150 phased plasma cannons. The weapons are powered by a hydrogen fuel
cell with a capacity for 1000 shots. Using Cadmium Telluride pellets, the projectiles are fired with a
velocity of 5000 m/s and a cyclic fire rate of 40 rpm. Depending of atmospheric conditions, the
range of the M577A is up to 4000 meters. (CMTM)
M577A2: A variant of the M577 Armored Personnel Carrier outfitted with two Republic Dynamics
M2025 free-electron lasers on its turret module. This configuration enables the M577A to attack
both ground and air targets effectively. Given ideal atmospheric conditions, the M577A2 can fire
over a maximum distance of 3000 meters. (CMTM)
M577A3: The most recent variant of the M577 Armored Personnel Carrier by the year 2179, the
M577A3 is equipped with a turret module sporting two charged particle beams. For the demands of
this weapon type, the vehicle has been outfitted with a dedicated Martin Continental magnetohydrodynamic
turbine which holds enough fuel capacity to fire 50 seconds on a single tankful. The range
of the M577A3 is up to 4000 meters, depending on the atmospheric conditions. A M577A3 was
used during the Hadley's Hope incident in 2179. (A2, CMTM)
M579: A mobile air defense weapon platform used by the USCM in the second half of the 22 nd century,
consisting of a 20mm gatling gun mounted on a M570 chassis. Targeting data is provided by a
multi-spectrum sensor system. (CMTM)
Mantis Alien: A Xenomorph breed originating from a mantis-like creature. The most prominent
anatomical feature of this subspecies are its two large grasping forelegs it used to get hold of its victims.
(KAF)
Marachuk, John L.: A male human and a lower-echelon colonist living at Hadley's Hope in 2179.
During the Xenomorph outbreak that eventually wiped out the colony's population, Marachuk was
impregnated by a Facehugger and subsequently brought to the medical facilities in order to remove
the parasite. While the Facehugger could be removed before implantation, Marachuk was killed
during the operation. (A2)