Entropedian
EBRC Jaguar
The EBRC (Engin Blindé de Reconnaissance et de Combat) Jaguar is France’s next-generation combat vehicle, designed as a replacement for the antiquated ERC-90, AMX-10RC and VAB HOT fleets still in service with the Armée de Terre. Designed primarily by Nexter, the EBRC is a 6x6 mine resistant vehicle intended to serve as a scout and a frontline support vehicle. It shares the tall profile typical of many modern scouts, leaving enough room for mine protection and good visibility, at the cost of a more exposed profile.
Offensively, the Jaguar sports a CTA CT40 40mm caseless autocannon capable of firing a variety of ammunition types, allowing effectively engaging hostile light armor and older generation MBTs, as well as entrenched infantry via the use of programmable airbursting rounds. It is also armed with an AA-52 7.62 LMG in a remotely operated turret. Its offensive potential is rounded out with a pair of MMP (Missile Moyenne Portée) ATGMs, capable of fire-and-forget top-attacks on hostile armor. ATGMs can be reloaded on the battlefield, with 4 extras store internally, however, in practice, most crew will not reload the ATGMs in combat.
The design of the EBRC Jaguar was profoundly influenced by the French Army’s role in the Second Eastern European War in 2016. Following NATO’s commitment to assist Bulgaria, Slovakia, Ukraine and Moldova against the Romanian, Yugoslav and Hungarian invaders, French light armor and reconnaissance brigades were among the first units deployed to stabilize the frontlines until slower-to-deploy heavy units could muster and be moved in theatre. Then armed with ERC-90s and AMX-10RCs (and at an overall low readiness state), and contrary to doctrine, these units were often forced to engage hostile armor directly, in order to protect allied ground forces, and were not able to pick fights of their own choosing. Their cannons frequently proved unable to seriously damage much of the JNA’s heavy armor, which resulted in surprisingly heavy losses for the NATO forces. The losses were severe enough to cause serious alarm within NATO as a whole and somewhat humbling the French Armored Cavalry. The Jaguar was already well into development to replace these Cold Warriors, but lessons from the short, but bloody campaign needed to be taken into account. First and foremost, the inclusion of an ATGM was seen as essential, as the 105mm-armed last-generation fire support vehicles had great difficulty knocking out or destroying properly-equipped modern MBTs. Second was that a slightly higher level of armor protection was necessary, somewhat increasing the weight and overall size of the Jaguar, as well as necessitating a slight redesign of the profile.
This retooled EBRC entered service in 2021 and almost immediately found itself as part of the NATO Balkans SFOR, where it has proven to be ideally suited to the anti-insurgency role as NATO engages with the militant USR-sponsored Black Cross Alliance.
The model can fit three minifigures, and has all the standard features that I like to include in my models (hatches, steering/suspension, etc). The model's development was definitely slowed by fitting the minifigs in there (which I have not always done the past few years), and resulted in a more complex vehicle than I'd originally wanted. Still, I am reasonably pleased with the end result. Special thanks to Andrew Somers for his efforts to help me find a good wheel combination while I was away from my collection.
I should also note that this model was based on the first design iteration of the Jaguar, and not the design that is currently in the prototype phase and undergoing evaluation.
EBRC Jaguar
The EBRC (Engin Blindé de Reconnaissance et de Combat) Jaguar is France’s next-generation combat vehicle, designed as a replacement for the antiquated ERC-90, AMX-10RC and VAB HOT fleets still in service with the Armée de Terre. Designed primarily by Nexter, the EBRC is a 6x6 mine resistant vehicle intended to serve as a scout and a frontline support vehicle. It shares the tall profile typical of many modern scouts, leaving enough room for mine protection and good visibility, at the cost of a more exposed profile.
Offensively, the Jaguar sports a CTA CT40 40mm caseless autocannon capable of firing a variety of ammunition types, allowing effectively engaging hostile light armor and older generation MBTs, as well as entrenched infantry via the use of programmable airbursting rounds. It is also armed with an AA-52 7.62 LMG in a remotely operated turret. Its offensive potential is rounded out with a pair of MMP (Missile Moyenne Portée) ATGMs, capable of fire-and-forget top-attacks on hostile armor. ATGMs can be reloaded on the battlefield, with 4 extras store internally, however, in practice, most crew will not reload the ATGMs in combat.
The design of the EBRC Jaguar was profoundly influenced by the French Army’s role in the Second Eastern European War in 2016. Following NATO’s commitment to assist Bulgaria, Slovakia, Ukraine and Moldova against the Romanian, Yugoslav and Hungarian invaders, French light armor and reconnaissance brigades were among the first units deployed to stabilize the frontlines until slower-to-deploy heavy units could muster and be moved in theatre. Then armed with ERC-90s and AMX-10RCs (and at an overall low readiness state), and contrary to doctrine, these units were often forced to engage hostile armor directly, in order to protect allied ground forces, and were not able to pick fights of their own choosing. Their cannons frequently proved unable to seriously damage much of the JNA’s heavy armor, which resulted in surprisingly heavy losses for the NATO forces. The losses were severe enough to cause serious alarm within NATO as a whole and somewhat humbling the French Armored Cavalry. The Jaguar was already well into development to replace these Cold Warriors, but lessons from the short, but bloody campaign needed to be taken into account. First and foremost, the inclusion of an ATGM was seen as essential, as the 105mm-armed last-generation fire support vehicles had great difficulty knocking out or destroying properly-equipped modern MBTs. Second was that a slightly higher level of armor protection was necessary, somewhat increasing the weight and overall size of the Jaguar, as well as necessitating a slight redesign of the profile.
This retooled EBRC entered service in 2021 and almost immediately found itself as part of the NATO Balkans SFOR, where it has proven to be ideally suited to the anti-insurgency role as NATO engages with the militant USR-sponsored Black Cross Alliance.
The model can fit three minifigures, and has all the standard features that I like to include in my models (hatches, steering/suspension, etc). The model's development was definitely slowed by fitting the minifigs in there (which I have not always done the past few years), and resulted in a more complex vehicle than I'd originally wanted. Still, I am reasonably pleased with the end result. Special thanks to Andrew Somers for his efforts to help me find a good wheel combination while I was away from my collection.
I should also note that this model was based on the first design iteration of the Jaguar, and not the design that is currently in the prototype phase and undergoing evaluation.