Sea Swallow vectored thrust transport bio-aerocraft

[Wooly]

As soon as I saw this overhead view of the very real but tiny, terrestrial floating Sea slug the Glaucus Atlanticus aka Sea Swallow it reminded me of a V-22 Osprey tiltrotor aircraft: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glaucus_atlanticus

Interestingly the Glaucus Atlanticus which floats on the surface of the ocean, at the mercy of the wind and waves to move has an interesting camoflauge pattern. A pattern which reminded me of military aircraft. That is, blue on top to blend in with the sea from above and grey silver from the bottom to blend in with the sky.

The resistance is very weak when it comes to air assets so I put this vectored thrust "bio-aerocraft" together.

Concept art: http://imgur.com/BLjzazn

Sea Swallow

The resistance has long been lacking in airborne capabilities but none so readily apparent as a air heavy lift capability. The Sea Swallow is a genetic hybrid of a Glaucus Atlanticus sea slug that has been miraculously engineered into a large transport/cargo a vectored thrust (Aerodyne) war mount which uses multiple gas filled sac of helium and methane for both lift and propulsion via bio thrusters, though still heavier then air. The mount. which takes the role filled by modern day cargo helicopters has a voracious carnivorous appetite but can sustain flight for up to 6 hrs before needing to feed again to replenish its fuel stores. Common mission roles include search and rescue, insertion and extraction of air mobile infantry forces, emergency resupply and casualty evacuation (medvac), light assault and close air support while on station. While not a dedicated combat bio-aerocraft the Sea Swallow can still fight back. Usually flown fast and low to the deck to avoid 'bot radar and sensors. Sea Swallow pilots are known for their bravery and tenacity when landing under fire, particularly on medevac missions in hot landing zones (LZ). The Sea Swallow has a capacity of 24 roughnecks in living armor or 8 Host armors. A single Larger ground warmounts can be sling loaded underneath.

Class: Organic Vectored Thrust bio-aerocraft
Crew: 4, 1 Pilot, 1 Co-Pilot, 1 Crew Chief (who acts as door gunner in flight, sees to feeding and maintenance as well), 1 Door gunner (assists crew chief as needed)
Troop Cargo Capacity: 24 humans or 8 Host armor. A single larger ground warmount can be slung underneath.
M.D.C. by Location:
Forward Thrust pods and control surfaces (2) - 200
Aft Thrust Pods and control surfaces (2) - 180
Tail Section - 240
Chin turret - 100
Head/Cockpit - 320
Main Body - 490

Speed:
Running: Not possible. Can taxi slowly under 10 mph on retractable fore and aft insect like legs.
Flying: Maximum speed 310 mph, Crusing Speed 277 mph,
Maximum Altitude: Operational ceiling of 12,000 ft usually flown close to the deck (<500 ft) to avoid radar and sensors.

Stastical Data:
Overall Length: 60 ft cockpit to tail
Width (fuselage) 10 ft
Width (forward control surface overall span) 45ft
Width (aft control surface overall span 40 ft

Troop Transport/Cargo hold Dimensions
Length: 30 ft.
Width 8 ft
Height 8 ft
Weight 15 tons

Max Payload: Internal 20,000 lbs
External 10,000 lbs
Rescue Hoist 1500 lbs

Trade Value: 35 Million Credits for a healthy, undamaged warmount
Bio-Regeneration Rate: 4D6 MDC per hopur for the Main Body and 2d6 MDC per hour for all other locations. The Warmount cannot regrow severed or destroped limbs or weapon sustem redued to zero or less. There must be at least two MDC points remaining to regenerate an appendage, which takes 1D6+8 days.
Horror Factor: 10 against Humans, None against 'bots
Senses & Features:Standard for a War Mount
Feeding: The Sea Swallow is anomnivore which eats 200-400 lbs of organic matter a day.
Sleep Requirements: An artifical Organism, the WarMount requires ony 4 hours of sleep/rest per day.

Sea Swallow Bio-Weapon Systems:

Chin Turret
A dual mode chin turret equipped with an automatic Super Thumper Grenade Launcher and a Heavy Pod rifle.

Heavy Pod rifle (1) Chin Turret
Mega Damage: 6D8 MD per burst with a blast radius of 20 ft
Maximum effective range: 3000 ft
Rate of Fire: Each blast counts as one melee attac; can only fire bursts
Payload: Grows Enough Speed pods for 128 bursts per hour
Bonus: +1 to strike with a burst of pods

Super Thumper Automatic Bio-Grenade Launcher (1) Chin Turret
The Super Thumper is a heavy, automatic, self loading version of the infantry Thumper grenade launcher. It is named for the distinctive thumping sound it makes when fired. This is a heavy eight barreled bio-weapon that uses compressed air to lob grenades. Air is stored in an a expandable internal bladder and discharged in a powerful blast to hurl grenades farther then they can be thrown. A series of membranes and cartilage pistons function as a compressor to keep the air bladder full.

Mega Damage: By type of round. See below
Rate of Fire: One or Eight grenades may be fired per melee attack
Maximum Effective Range: 2000 ft.
Payload: 80 Chig Grenades. The air bladder automatically refills while firing. Reloads automatically every other melee round. No ammunition regeneration.
Bonus: +1
Prerequisite: None
Chig Grenade: As described on pg. 137 Splicers RPG. Ignore maximum effective thrown range.
The Infantry version of this weapon and other ammunition types can be found here: viewtopic.php?f=46&t=116244

Heavy Pod Rifles (2) 1 ea. Side Orifice
Door Gunners are equipped with Heavy Pod Rifles on flexible mounts.
Note: Other weapons maybe equipped, mission dependent
Mega Damage: 6D8 MD per burst with a blast radius of 20 ft
Maximum effective range: 3000 ft
Rate of Fire: Each blast counts as one melee attack; can only fire bursts
Payload: Grows Enough Speed pods for 128 bursts per hour
Bonus: +1 to strike with a burst of pods

Bio Rocket Launchers (2)
Maybe equipped with 2x 20 Shot bio-rocket pods, one each under the forward control surfaces
See Splicers p. 136

[Shark_Force]

wow, that is a really cool looking creature for something named a sea slug

i really like the idea, but there are a couple of minor things that don't quite work for me.

the ammo on the seed pods feels a bit high to me, especially for something that isn't supposed to be constantly fighting.

and the grenade launcher only mentions a payload for the air bladder... is it supposed to just be manually reloaded somehow? how many chigs can the grenade launcher produce if not? and an 8-grenade burst should probably be more impressive than just 8x damage, based on other full-auto grenade launchers in other lines.

on a side note, the draco is supposed to be the heavy air transport iirc

[Wooly]

I'll clean it up Shark thanks. I always thought the capacity on some of the other warmounts weapons is woefully low. So I beefed up the ammo capacity on the Pod Guns.

[Shark_Force]

yeah, lots of warmounts have low ammo. but that's true of most everything the resistance produces. they're not set up for hour-long slugfests. they're set up for 1 minute skirmishes, then running away.

that should be even more true for this warmount; your goal should be to get in, sweep an area clean quickly or at least force enemies back, pick people up or drop them off, and get out. you don't need quadruple the regular ammo capacity for that.

if you're concerned about ammo, i might add a few basic unlimited ammo weapons; bio-e vents or super light cells would be helpful.

but also consider that the crew will have their own unlimited fire options to support with.

[Wooly]

Edit one complete.

[Wooly]

Concept Art coming in!

Check it out Gents: http://imgur.com/BLjzazn

[NMI]

Concept Art coming in!

Check it out Gents: http://imgur.com/BLjzazn

The front end looks a little too "mechanical" and not organic. Overall the pic seems to fit the description. Would be nice to see this fleshed out more. Great work so far!

[Wooly]

Concept Art coming in!

Check it out Gents: http://imgur.com/BLjzazn

The front end looks a little too "mechanical" and not organic. Overall the pic seems to fit the description. Would be nice to see this fleshed out more. Great work so far!

The cockpit is primarily a bio-engineered plastic which is installed onto the grown organism and "wired" into the central nervous system of the sea swallow organism.

The concept art is also more in scale with a UH-60 blackhawk then say a V-22 Osprey so I will have to go adjust the stats and make this a smaller vehicle. I had forgotten all about the giant dragon warmount.

[Guy_LeDouche]

A very cool creation. Well done.

[taalismn]

Well done, with a cool original inspiration.

[Wooly]

Well done, with a cool original inspiration.

This is high praise coming from one of the most prolific and best weapon, vehicle, borg and mech designers we have on this forum.

[The Reaper Man]

Lord Wooly
After seeing your designs on this vehicle I come to you at the behest of my god and master Freyja. I formally request access to the design so that I may add it to our existing forces. My master believes that we can benefit greatly from your creation in our continued efforts of preserving the human race.

Vulcan Ammon Klasion

(In other words permission to swip for Domus ad Honerum)

[kaid]

yeah, lots of warmounts have low ammo. but that's true of most everything the resistance produces. they're not set up for hour-long slugfests. they're set up for 1 minute skirmishes, then running away.

that should be even more true for this warmount; your goal should be to get in, sweep an area clean quickly or at least force enemies back, pick people up or drop them off, and get out. you don't need quadruple the regular ammo capacity for that.

if you're concerned about ammo, i might add a few basic unlimited ammo weapons; bio-e vents or super light cells would be helpful.

but also consider that the crew will have their own unlimited fire options to support with.

Generally if splicers engage in an hour long slug fest they have already lost. They tend to specialize in up close fighting and limited ammo overkill type end a fight fast weapons. Any fight that lasts long enough for the machine to call in backup is one they will likely lose.

[Shark_Force]

yeah, lots of warmounts have low ammo. but that's true of most everything the resistance produces. they're not set up for hour-long slugfests. they're set up for 1 minute skirmishes, then running away.

that should be even more true for this warmount; your goal should be to get in, sweep an area clean quickly or at least force enemies back, pick people up or drop them off, and get out. you don't need quadruple the regular ammo capacity for that.

if you're concerned about ammo, i might add a few basic unlimited ammo weapons; bio-e vents or super light cells would be helpful.

but also consider that the crew will have their own unlimited fire options to support with.

Generally if splicers engage in an hour long slug fest they have already lost. They tend to specialize in up close fighting and limited ammo overkill type end a fight fast weapons. Any fight that lasts long enough for the machine to call in backup is one they will likely lose.

i know. that's why i think extreme amounts of ammo, especially on a vehicle that is not primarily intended as a fighting vehicle, feels kind of unusual.