Paladin Steel Storefront

[ZINO]

nice!!! love it man

[taalismn]

Spring cleaning can be dangerous, but needed.

Preferably before the stuff in the back of the fridge acquires sentience and tool-using skills.

[taalismn]

Seems I'll have to add a new category of lightweight ordnance...
http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases ... 57275.html

Already got smart mortar shells and tiny seeker missiles, plus mini-smart bombs.
Guided rifle grenades?

[glitterboy2098]

have you played around with Sandia lab'slaser guided bullet idea yet? (said company has also been exploring concept powerplants for nuclear powered UAV's.. apparently seriously examining the radiothermal sterling engines NASA has been developing as a potential ultralong duration powerplant.)

[ZINO]

wow smart rounds/ bullets

[taalismn]

Paladin Steel Liquid Armor
(aka ‘paintskin’, ‘chrome-hide’, ‘body-bronze’)

“Yeah, it’s expensive outfitting our native auxiliaries with LA on a regular basis, but they just don’t get the hang of wearing regular armor, let alone full suits of EBA. They find the gear too confining and downright claustrophobic in the case of full body suits. Some of them don’t even like SKINSUITS! But it’s either send them out practically bare naked and the first to die messily when it hits the fan, or insult their warrior pride and dignity by telling them they can’t come out alongside us, and if we want to live up to our honor-bonds with them and not start a native insurrection all over again, we can’t afford to tell them they can’t face danger with us. Fortunately, they REALLY like the liquid armor and have no objections to our ‘magic’, and they’re really happy we give them the stuff, because they fight like demons in the field once they’re all bronzed up. So the expense balances out nicely.”

“Ever since we started selling this stuff, the incidents of nudists streaking around has gone up. Usually it’s just Crazies who will do just about anything for a thrill, but we’ve been getting a lot of nuts without the head-bling who figure it’s a real thrill to go tease some monster with a bit of exposed meat and then try outrunning it. Here’s some advice; a bit of warpaint doesn’t make you invincible; most critters out there are stronger, faster, and more persistant than you’ll ever be, and they can catch you and gnaw on you until the paintskin gives out. All you’ll be doing is wasting a perfectly good can of armor-skin.”

One of the long range pathfinder expeditions to Australia managed to acquire(at no small difficulty and expense) half-dozen cylinders of a material known locally as ‘wrap armor’(See Rifts Australia, pgs 144-145). Through painstakingly careful study(as the six samples were the examples the researchers were likely to get), Paladin Steel and Paragon Progress were able to discern most, but not all, of the components. Several of the Molokoi spells incorporated into the material were unique, and could not be duplicated(and the Molokoi are not the kind to share their secrets, especially with mammals). However, between Paladin Steel, Paragon Progress, and the Cambridge Jungle researchers, they were able to reverse-engineer enough of the Wrap Armor’s composition to grasp the principles involved, and have a go at producing their own similar armor using different materials.
PS Liquid Armor uses a combination of the Armor of Ithan spell, stabilized ectoplasm, fabricator nanites, and encysted ‘super cells’(supposedly engineered from spider glands) to produce a stable fluid. When sprayed on a warm body, the liquid reacts to body heat by activating the nanites and reviving the super cells, both of which work in tandem to rapidly weave the stabilized ectoplasm and polymer fluid into a quick-setting ultra-fine mesh.
PSLA, when deployed from its single use dispenser, gives the wearer a shiny or metallic appearance, and is readily flexible, passes sweat, and wears like a second skin. It protects against contact and acid burns, energy attacks, and even blunt and sharp attacks. It will NOT, however, protect against skin absorption toxins like nerve gases.
Truth be told, PS/PP/CJ have managed to actually improve on the original Molokoi device in a number of aspects, something which is NOT likely to sit well with the Molokoi if they ever learned of this ‘knock-off’ of their armor. The polymer component of the fabric gives the armor a somewhat longer lifespan before the material begins breaking down.
Liquid Armor is still considered to be in the ‘advanced experiemental’ stage of development, so it’s only available directly from PS and with their approval. Once it becomes a full mass production item, however, sales are expected to skyrocket.

Weight: Negligible
MDC: 2d10+80
Bonuses: Magical energy attacks to the armor are reduced in damage by 25%, and the wearer gets to save +1 versus magic. Psionic attacks are unaffected.
Duration: Lasts 48 hours before losing cohesion and crumbling to dust
Movement Penalties: None!
Cost: 58,000 credits per application
Variants:
-Fireskin---Incorporates a Resistance to Fire spell into it, so fire does NO damage(wearer must still have some sort of breathing protection, however, against possible smoke inhalation). Cost: 62,000 credits per can.

-Starskin---Incorporates the spells SpaceSwim and Impervious to Vacuum(see Rifts: Fleets of the Three Galaxies for details on both these spells), allowing the wearer to survive and move about in space. Lasts the full 48 hours in space, making it an ideal emergency spacesuit, though it costs correspondingly more at 80,000 credits per can.

[glitterboy2098]

wow smart rounds/ bullets

We have those already. They're called micro-missiles.

micromissiles are self propelled though. the Sandialabs guided bullet is a literal bullet, fired from a gun by smokeless powder down a barrel, etc, that is capable of homing in on a laser designator. not unlike some of the smart mortar and artillery rounds being developed by the swedes, only in .50cal size.

personally i can see a few applications of such micro-guidance tech. like say, 'tracer' rounds fired from a second barrel/magazine that emit a radio signal, that the bullets can home in on. "one shot, and replay sends every following shot to the same location"

[taalismn]

[
personally i can see a few applications of such micro-guidance tech. like say, 'tracer' rounds fired from a second barrel/magazine that emit a radio signal, that the bullets can home in on. "one shot, and replay sends every following shot to the same location"

We're Paladin Steel, not Zorg Industries.
But if we can develop a similar system that doesn't infringe on his copyrights, we're in.

[taalismn]

So what exactly are the advantages and disadvantages of the Micro-missiles versus the guided bullets?

5.000-7,000 ft ranges for the later models, for one thing. Being self-propelled, they're a lot more flexible on manuevering, and with a variable thrust or restartable propulsion, can perform some rather fantastic flight path contortions, whereas a bullet's limited to a ballistic path, even when able to 'smart-glide'.
Admittedly, the smallest micro-missile in the PS arsenal is 15mm, whereas the standard bullet is 7.52-9mm for rifles, up to the 12.7mm and 13mm(especially the big Russian types) for heavy machine guns, so one has to balance heavier warhead versus magazine capacity. A single smart micromissile strike does more damage than a regular bullet, but having smart guidance and, as mentioned, 'instant replay' means that one can sting a target a LOT with smaller rounds, with a better chance of more of them hitting than just 'pray and spray' with bursts.

[taalismn]

So what exactly are the advantages and disadvantages of the Micro-missiles versus the guided bullets?

5.000-7,000 ft ranges for the later models, for one thing. Being self-propelled, they're a lot more flexible on manuevering, and with a variable thrust or restartable propulsion, can perform some rather fantastic flight path contortions, whereas a bullet's limited to a ballistic path, even when able to 'smart-glide'.
Admittedly, the smallest micro-missile in the PS arsenal is 15mm, whereas the standard bullet is 7.52-9mm for rifles, up to the 12.7mm and 13mm(especially the big Russian types) for heavy machine guns, so one has to balance heavier warhead versus magazine capacity. A single smart micromissile strike does more damage than a regular bullet, but having smart guidance and, as mentioned, 'instant replay' means that one can sting a target a LOT with smaller rounds, with a better chance of more of them hitting than just 'pray and spray' with bursts.

So range, damage potential, and accuracy goes to micro-missiles, while rate of fire and ammo capacity goes to smartbullets?

Got it! Also: Most missile launchers that have the missiles boost directly from the launcher have to take exhaust into account, so the launchers tend to be boxy and require venting....regular guns use the cartridge gas to push forward, the venting being replaced by recoil. They tend to be more compact in many cases.
Now, some micromissile systems do operate as 'missile guns', using either cold-gas or massdriver stator rings to fire off bursts of missiles out to where the rockets light off, extending range and the window of powered maneuverability,as well as rate of fire, but requiring more complex programming systems for targeting, and the whole ammunition handling system, while even smart gun systems tend to cheaper.

[taalismn]

[
I was just thinking about something I saw on a fanon halo sight. It was a sniper rifle with 5 km 100% accuracy, 99.85% accuracy at 9 km, and a max effective range of 15 km. Mating http://halofanon.wikia.com/wiki/M99CA1_Special_Application_Scoped_Rifle with a smart bullet would redefine reaching out and touching someone.

Altough I would hear the micromissile enthusiasts yelling about making a version for micromissiles with even more ludicrous range.

Consider Edgar Rice Burroughs' description of Green Martian gunnery in his Barsoom series in A Princess of Mars, where he has the Tharks' long guns(admitted, a Thark-scale rifle is probably in the 20-30mm range and is more of an aircraft cannon that a rifle) able to hit targets 'hundreds of miles away'....sure, it was taking into account Mars' lesser gravity, thinner atmosphere, and the Martians' more advanced technology, but it was sheer lunacy to expect any accuracy at those ranges(if it was ARTILLERY, no Red Martian city would be safe from constant bombardment), and ERB quietly drops the absurdity in later books, thus allowing his heroes to frequently escape line-of-sight pursuers without being drilled in the back by snipers.
Now if he'd armed his Martians with LASERS.
So that's the bar for ludicrous rifle ranges. 4-6 miles is just impractical.

[taalismn]

Inspired by an old D&D campaign from back in college.

SaltMarsh
“Saltmarsh, sleepy little Saltmarsh. Good for a bite to eat, if you like fish, a boat patch, and, if you know the right people, a good deal on some fine contraband. Just don’t advertise you got money, lock your doors at night, and don’t question why traffic picks up after dark.”

A community along the Maine coast. The Town of Saltmarsh is worthy of greater mention because it is the base of operations for Ratman, a semi-retired adventurer. It is also a smugglers’ haven, doing business with just about anybody. It is also a semi-independent community on the edge of Greater New England.
Saltmarsh is a small(advanced village) post-Rifts coastal community that is on the verge of blooming into ‘A Typical Wilderness Town’, owing to several factors; the prosperity of local trade, the affluence of several recent residents, and the looming proximity of Greater New England.
The prospect of a bloom in prosperity and attendant expected growth in population is met with mixed opinions and emotions by residents, who are divided as to whether it will make them truly better off or attract undue attention to themselves. You see, Saltmarsh gets its prosperity from Black Market trade. While the majority of residents eke out a living from agriculture and fishing in the perilous waters, the upper crust of the town’s society have made their living from smuggling and rum-running(or the equivalent). The town has been effectively run for nearly a century by criminal oligarchs, working in cooperative, if uneasy, alliance with each other, but often in stiff competition with each other. The most powerful of the smugglers, Lord-Mister Mandolfi, became a real powerhouse in the local smuggling scene, becoming so powerful that he built an elaborate mansion and local network. However, as he grew older, he also grew more eccentric....He began to style himself a vigilante crimefighter, acquiring (or commissioning) special equipment to promote his secret identity as the ‘Midnight Avenger’...While he did do considerable good for the short time the elderly man served as the ‘Avenger in Darkness’, in his delusions, he also conveniently dispatched many of his cutthroat rivals. However, he grew old and frail rather quickly, and the burden of being both local crime-lord and resident superhero proved too much in the long run for his health. Rather than turn his little empire over to a local successor, he decided to pass on his cloak as crime-fighter(and incidentally his smuggling operations) over to an outsider, using magick to dragoon Rojann Karnak-kree (a.k.a. the ‘Ratman’) into the post, before Mandolfi died in his bed(natural causes). After breaking the geis placed on him, Ratman has gleefully stepped into Mandolfi’s place and expanded his operation, while also keeping up the crime-fighting(or rather his own version of it).
Overall, life for the average Saltmarsher is hard, but comfortable. The local oligarchs running the show have no reason to harass or abuse the local peasants, and if some of the oligarchs’ hired men get out of hand and roughhouse the commoners, a complaint to the responsible bigwig(or to a rival oligarch) takes care of the matter one way or other. Meanwhile, the commoners benefit from the oligarchs competing in generousity, showering their hometown with various gifts as new construction, or a local festival, or sponsoring a new fishing boat.
For now, Saltmarsh remains ‘just over the border’ from its more powerful neighbor, Paladin Steel-dominated Greater New England...close enough to benefit from trade and access to GNE markets and technology, and well within the ‘extended perimeter’ of the greater nation’s military patrols. Given that Saltmarsh does secret trade wth Atlantis, New Germany, Free Quebec, Naruni Enterprises, and others not attractive to current GNE policies, this has raised some concern among Saltmarshers as to whether they want the GNE nosing any deeper into their affairs and threatening a good thing. However, other locals believe that Saltmarsh hasn’t been annexed already precisely BECAUSE of its smuggling connections and that the GNE and PS are using Saltmarsh as a convenient middleman to gather intelligence and move products to and from their competitors. This latter theory is supported by the fact that PS has made several ‘gifts’ of equipment to Saltmarsh, while at the same time ignoring the blatant presence of such contraband items as the local militia’s squadron of Kittani Skimmers, and an issuance of Naruni-made body armor.

Size: Advanced Village/Small Town(population of about 1,800)

A. Weapons and Armor:
Saltmarsh is surprisingly well-armed for a small Eastern Seaboard community, courtesy of the various semi-legal enterprises going on. Courtesy of various ‘gifts’ by the local Black Market, the town militia and most of the fishing fleet and woodsmen have acquired megadamage armor and weaponry. The local police force might not be wholly honest, but they’ll defend the town to their last breath, together with the local Minutemen.
In addition, the local smugglers and their Black Market connections have their own well-armed(and well-trained) retinues of guards and goons. Their smuggling craft, ranging from fast ‘cigarette boats’ and other sleek high performers, to less conspicious fishing trawlers and tramp-freighters, also tend to sport a lot of concealed armament and armor.
Furthermore, one of the local oligarchs has recently rented part of his inland estate as a training camp for a mercenary group, the Star Commandos.

B.Medicine: Good; Ratman has sponsored a local walk-in clinic, while the other oligarchs have sponsored doctors and healers(of course, known loyalists to the particular oligarch get preferential treatment).

C: Agriculture and Natural Resources: Good

D. Real Estate and Land: Fine; Saltmarsh lies up a small river, and adjacent to several large marshes that cover approaches to it.

E. Vehicles and Fuel: Good; the oligarchs have enough left over from their own motorpools that there’s a fair selection of second- and third-hand vehicles, and a good supply of fuel and batteries at any given time.

F. Administration:
Good/Sound Structure---Civil affairs are run by a town council, but most of the affluence comes from the local oligarchs of smuggling, who publically compete for town respect by lavishing the town with gifts ranging from the money to establish a new school to advanced technology, rather than try to muscle their way to power(the Black Market knows that if they wanted, the locals could just ask the GNE to ‘intervene’, come in, take over, and rebuild the community as a subset of the GNE, just like how they annexed the Connecticut Baronies).

G. Alignment: Unprincipled and Anarchist

H. Magic: Tolerant. True, the oligarchs don’t like it when magic is used against them, but it’s perfectly fine when the mages are working for them, or otherwise make life in town easier. The exception is witches and cultists; the town will have nothing to do with those who dabble in serious darkness like witchcraft and necromancy.

I. Racial Tolerance: Tolerant. Prejudice is bad for business, since it cuts the size of your potential market.

J. Trade:
Established----Karnak-kree and his fellow smugglers have regular trade with such outsiders as Atlantis(both renegade merchants and the Liberty Underground use Saltmarsh as a staging area...the latter is rather ironic since limited slave trade IS allowed in Saltmarsh) and Triax.
Notable Allies:
Naruni Enterprises, Triax, and Free Quebec! Paladin Steel, Greater New England, and their allies also do trade in the other direction(s), albeit at a lower percentage of total trade.

K. Threats: The usual range of marine monsters, bandits, pirates, CS infiltrators, and local land beasts.
Notable Enemies: The Coalition is neck and neck with the Splugorth(since the former hate just about everything in the region and the Splugorth don’t always honor their trade agreements)....The Horune are universally disliked because they’re even bigger thieves and pirates than the Splugorth.

L. Skill Levels and Professionalism:(Notable skilled personnel groups)
*Smugglers
*Mechanics/Boatwrights
*Farmers and Fishermen

M. Community Overall: Average; most Saltmarshers are salt-of-the-earth hard workers doing basic jobs in agriculture(farming, logging, and fishing) with a handful of technical professionals.

N. Shelter: Solid. Depending on which oligarch one is beholding, or which one is feeling most generous, construction quality ranges in town from basic housing to megadamage modern.

O. Security and Fighting Force: Saltmarsh maintains a small police force presided over by a congenially corrupt sheriff, but the local police mainly exist to help in firefighting, take the obvious thieves and cutthroats in hand, and get the more obnoxious drunks off the town streets. There’s also a town militia(armed with mainly Northern Gun and Triax weaponry, as well as standard light- to medium- Black Market body armors), but they are pretty much under the thumb of the local oligarchs and will turn out in force only to deal with outside threats, rather than internal security(or political) matters. The REAL power sits in the hands of the oligarchs’ own gangs of toughs, who make sure their respective parts of town are nice and orderly.
Notable vehicles include a half-dozen Kittani Skimmers, a single Glitterboy, and a dozen PS-made amphibious vehicles. For martime defense, the militia operate about a dozen torpedo-boat-style armed speedboats.

P. Power/Energy: Nuclear power is provided by a public power station(and at least three of the major oligarchs have their own powerplants that can feed into the public power grid in an emergency). Supplemented by solar, wind, and hydro-electric.

Q: Special Features:
*Boat yards---Saltmarsh has a small, but fairly modern, boatyard that can turn out small craft(up to 100 ft) fairly easily, though they have to import the larger equipment(such as engines) from elsewhere. They can also do refit on larger vessels.

*Cellars---Most Saltmarsh residences have fortified basements to weather harsh weather and attacks.

*Air Strip---Ratman, Skeff, and Rochmann have their own private air strips to bring in aerial traffic.

*Roads---Both Moffett and Vinelli have combined resources to get a good road in, though this, and its branches, extend only as far as Vinelli’s gas station and Moffett’s farm/training camp. From there into town the roads are dirt and gravel.

Local Figures of Interest:
*Rojann Karnak-kree(aka the ‘Ratman’)(13th level Special Operative, Unprincipled alignment)
-Considered the top dog. Rojann Karnak-kree is a grizzled mutant human with decades of adventuring behind him. He earned the name ‘Ratman’ for his high-level thievery and his preference for black and dark grey clothing. A consummate professional in crime and combat, Ratman isn’t above using dirty tricks to accomplish his goals and make his points, but he adheres to a (twisted) sense of honor all his own. He’s annihilated more than a few would-be claimants to his current position as top dog, including, supposedly, a bioborg assassin sent from Atlantis to off him. Ratman’s gang is armed with mainly Paladin Steel- and Wilks-made gear.

*Skeff(9th level Ogre T-Man, Anarchist alignment)
-A condemned criminal in the slave pits of Atlantis prior to the Day of Retribution and the Great Liberation, Skeff has established himself in Saltmarsh as the #2 Blackmarketeer, doing trade with the Splugorth’s enemies; Naruni Enterprises and the Naut’yll. Skeff currently has no plans to challenge Ratman for the role of #1 blackmarketeer(though some of his more enthusiastic henchmen have made trouble and immediately paid for it), and he actually gets along well with Ratman, but he has no intention of giving up his #2 position on the ladder, and trouble is brewing between him and Gerhardt Rochmann. Skeff’s private guard is equipped with mainly Naruni-made gear.

* Gerhardt Rochmann(10th level Smuggler, Aberrant alignment)
-#2 in the local smugglers’ hierarchy until Skeff edged him out and made him the Number Three man in local society. Publically, Rochmann is all smiles and handshakes around Skeff, but he’s less than happy with being number three. Rochmann’s biggest clients are the Quebecois, and, to a lesser extent, the New German Republic. The NGR was his biggest outside connection until the Bluejay Incident between Triax and Paladin Steel embarassed him and lost him favor. Right now he’s concentrating on outdoing Skeff(or exposing him as a flash in the pan)...Ratman’s too powerful and has too many powerful friends to consider taking on. Rochmann’s private army (about three dozen strong) is equipped with Triax- and Free Quebec-made gear.

* Samuel Taggerlan Moffet (8th level Vagabond)
-Moffett legally makes his livelihood running a large inland ranch, raising and selling wool and meat. Of course, he does a fair amount of smuggling as well(the bales of wool he ships out concealing more than just fleece). Considered #4 in the local pecking order, Moffet’s decision to rent out part of his lands as a mercenary training camp(for the GNE-affiliated Star Commandoes) has upset many of his rivals, who wonder if he’s going to use the mercs to drive them out of the running. His gang is mainly armed with Paladin Steel-made gear.

* Adlee Matterson(7th level Coalition Military Specialist)
-A smuggler and arms dealer, mostly in Northern Gun material, Adlee is really a CS observer, but Matterson’s second big secret is that he’s been so thoroughly corrupted by the good life in Salt Marsh that he’s been feeding misinformation back to his minders in Free Quebec(who are even less inclined to give all the facts to the blowhards in Chi-Town). Matterson hasn’t lied about anything of real consequence, yet(otherwise, the CS would send another agent to verify the facts), but he’s leaning towards disobeying any orders to do more than report on any Atlantis shipping and the more monstrous residents. Frankly, he LIKES the power he has locally, and the small organization he’s built up around himself; going back to being just another intel clerk in grubby little CS Iron Heart doesn’t appeal to him at all. His small faction is armed with a variety of gear, including older CS-made equipment, making it easier for Matterson to deflect any suspicion he’s a CS spy if it comes to that(“Really, you think I’d be that dumb to wear Deadboy gear if I was one of them?”).

*Sarcho---(Doctor of Optometry and 6th level Body Fixer) Sarcho is the local Naruni Enterprises representative in the area. Rather than a conspicous Uteni however, NE chose to send a human agent(albeit heavily augmented; partial cyborg with cyber-disguises). Sarcho doesn’t blatantly advertise his NE affiliation, but those who need to know, find out somehow, and will find their way into his sitting room off his Main Street optical glass shop, where he’ll reveal an entirely different array of instruments. Of course, Sarcho is also spying for his Naruni masters, especially on PS and the GNE, but he makes a very comfortable living for a supposed optometrist. He is a frequent guest at oligarch social gatherings; besides his business connections, Sarcho is regarded as good company, and he’ll cheerfully exchange banter and information one-for-one over a glass of good liquor.

*Marko Vinelli---An old(11th level) Operator, Marko’s a shrewd old bird who runs the local alcohol fuel distillery. He’s carved out a nice little niche for himself and his extended family among the oligarchs by selling to everybody, and not playing favorites, but the rumors that some of those oligarches may be using their connections to bring in cheap fuel from other sources may upset Vinelli’s monolopy on liquid fuels and force him to take more drastic action, like aligning with one of the smuggler-lords.

*Ernesto Calligachi---(3rd Level Heritage Glitterboy Pilot) Son of the once-prominent Calligachis, who for a time were among the oligarchs of Saltmarsh, due to the Glitterboy power armor they kept operational. The Calligachis fell from grace over thirty years ago due to mismanagement and a less-than-sterling showing in the family armor by Ernesto’s father, now deceased. It bankrupted the family getting the Glitterboy back and repaired, and as a result, Ernesto has had to sell his services to Gerhardt Rochmann, whose Quebec connections managed to get the Calligachi Glitterboy repaired, but not confiscated. Ernesto is considered at best a mediocre talent as a military man, more content to take orders than to take the initiative, but he’s under family pressure to regain some of the old family glory and influence back, not that Rochmann will allow that, nor will he allow anything or anyone to threaten the asset the Glitterboy represents on some fool vainglory adventure.

*Father Mignon----(5th level Pirate/4th level Priest) Arion Mignon is an ex-naval mercenary who served as a pirate, a privateer, and company soldier until an encounter on the high seas with a sea monster left him without a ship, a crew, and any desire to lead the mercenary life. Born-again, Father Mignon claims he was saved from the same fate that befell his comrades by divine intervention and he took up the Cloth and returned to Saltmarsh to take over the old House of Our Saviour. Father Mignon takes his faith seriously, though he’s tolerant of other religions in town(however, he was among those who led the charge against the cultists at Mesterson House); he’s content that his is the right path. Father Mignon still knows his way around weapons, and though he’s given up soldiering as a profession, he’ll readily take up arms to defend Saltmarsh. In the meantime, he’s perfectly willing to offer advice and the small assistance to the mercs and toughs coming into Saltmarsh.

Locations of Note:
*Karnak House/’Ratly Manor’---Located on a craggy highland with its own bay, this sprawling fortified domicile was once the home of Lord-Mister Mandolfi, before Ratman took over his empire.

*Vircenzi Brothers’----The largest town boathouse and shipyard, responsible for the bulk of boat construction and ship repair in town. The Vicenzi Brothers are three Operators who will, for a good fee, build boats to order. The Vicenzis are a Ratman-sponsored business, though they do work for pretty much every oligarch.

*Skeffway’s---Tavern and pool hall that serves as Skeff’s headquarters. Skeff bought the joint from Old Conway, but kept part of the old guy’s name on the business. It makes just enough money to break even and still have a little lefy over, and most of its traffic is Skeff’s crews, but Skeff likes the air of legitimacy and community it gives him, so he’s frequently there, acting the barkeep.

*Doctor Limnos’ Apothecary Shoppe---Doc Limnos is a local holistic healer sponsored by family friend and oligarch Gerhardt Rochmann. Mainly dealing in ‘natural’ cures and remedies, Doc Limnos also occasionally gets in some magic potions and Faerie foods(especially if they have have curative properties).

*Saltmarsh Pharmacy---Being one to cover his bases, Gerhardt Rochmann has also sponsored the pharmacy down the street from Doctor Limnos’ . The Pharmacy sells mostly modern drugs shipped in from Free Quebec and Germany(including several of the energy supplements presented in -Triax 2-).

*Doctor Sarcho’s Eyelights---This humble and well-appointed little shop fits and sells eyeglasses for reasonable prices, but also sells spyglasses, telescopes, and binoculars. It also sells a selection of Wilks products. For those in the know, however, the real business is to be found in the rather large and surprisingly inconspicous barn shed tucked in the woods behind it on the edge of town, where there’s a good-sized cache of Naruni goods.

*Mesterson House---This imposing old boardinghouse once dominated the end of Alper Point. The house did some modest business, though locals learned to avoid it, and its foreign boarders, like the plague, especially on dark nights. Their caution turned out to be well-founded, when it was discovered Mesterson House was a front for a cult worshipping a particularly stomach-turning alien monstrousity. Mesterson House was eventually raided by the town militia(with the assistance of Ratman), the basements below it flushed out, and the structure burned and demolished . Though it is rumored that some of the cultists escaped, and have tried returning to find hidden cult treasures, the site of Mesterson House has been thoroughly gone over and all signs of it have been removed and destroyed.

*Templa Tritonus---Rumored to be as old as the town’s other place of worship, the House of Our Saviour, the Templa Tritonus was founded by a foreign fisherman who was washed ashore after a terrible storm, and settled in Saltmarsh, rather than risk the sea again. In gratitude for his safe deliverance, the fisherman established a temple to his patron god Triton.

[taalismn]

Now if he'd armed his Martians with LASERS.
So that's the bar for ludicrous rifle ranges. 4-6 miles is just impractical.

So what exactly is the difference between ludicrous and impractical?

Impractical is, "The chances of actually hitting that guy with a single shot from this distance are so poor aren't worth wasting the ammunition."
Ludicrous is, "I pot the guy single-shot with a single head-shot through the porthole of his cabin on his spaceship in low orbit while I's sitting on my backporch on the planet below."

A PERFECT example of a LUDICROUS marksmanship shot is in the anime 'Dominion Tank Police" when Leona gets off a single high angle shot from Breton's panzer before totaling the tank...then the villian with his assistants, who are speeding away from the scene in their stolen ambulance, certain they've gotten away, go driving over the horizon...just as the last shot zooms down out of the sky and NAILS them.

[abtex]

Inspired by an old D&D campaign from back in college.

SaltMarsh
“Saltmarsh, sleepy little Saltmarsh. Good for a bite to eat, if you like fish, a boat patch, and, if you know the right people, a good deal on some fine contraband. Just don’t advertise you got money, lock your doors at night, and don’t question why traffic picks up after dark.”

Nice place. What charts are you playing around with? Please.

[taalismn]

Inspired by an old D&D campaign from back in college.

SaltMarsh
“Saltmarsh, sleepy little Saltmarsh. Good for a bite to eat, if you like fish, a boat patch, and, if you know the right people, a good deal on some fine contraband. Just don’t advertise you got money, lock your doors at night, and don’t question why traffic picks up after dark.”

Nice place. What charts are you playing around with? Please.

Rifts Community Builder Charts(Rifts Adventure Guide) though I stray from a straight point tally in favor of storytelling. Probably when Rifts Black Market comes out, Saltmarsh will get some extra attention.

[taalismn]

Paladin Steel Spartoi Heavy Combat Infantry Drone
(aka ‘Frankie’, ‘Lurch’, ‘Gort’)

http://i408.photobucket.com/albums/pp164/taalismn/img240copy.jpg

“LIkeliest the most polite and well-mannered giant humanoid killing machines you’ll ever meet.”

Lucia hardly grunted as she casually picked up and slung the policewoman into the wall. The uniformed human female’s pained scream was cut short by a meaty smack as she hit the cellblock barrier and collapsed. Served the damn human nit right! Who did the screws think they were dealing with, here anyway!? She was Lucia D’ Marro StoneFist, Five-Time Champion of the Blood Pit! And these damn fleas thought they could force her to be polite and all subservient-like while she was walking in the streets of their damn cities...like it was some sort of treat walking around in them...Damn place was nothing like Splynn, now that was a happening city! Why she ever decided to leave that place and come here was beyond her...There, at least she was respected when she walked in the market, war-slave or not!
Well, she’d acted nice and polite since they put here in this damn prison for breaking that shopkeeper's back. But now it was time to get real and remind them who they were dealing with...
The enormous Rock Giantess pulled herself up to her full height, and sneered at the other cowering policewomen she’d surprised. The screws were milling around behind the cellblock gate, fingering their shocksticks like they didn’t know what to do with them, debating whether they open the gate and try to rescue their fallen partner, or remain hiding behind the bars. Grinning toothsomely, Lucia moved around and over the gasping policewoman on her side of the gate, deliberately prodding the fallen officer and eliciting a scream from her, just to let the other cops know...let them try to shoot her without harming their partner. The Minions would have NEVER been like this back in Splynn, and she fully intended to take advantage of it. Lucia picked up the fallen copper’s stunstick, and dialed it to full...cackling at the crackle of electrical current...yeah, this would do just fine. Zap the screw a coupla times to get the others’ attention, get them to open the door, throw the hostage at them, punch them up, and it would then be a short run down the hall, out the door, and over the wall...
Suddenly, behind her, she heard the rattle of something heavy, then something landed HARD right behind her...
It was then that she felt something clamp hard around her midsection, clamping one of her arms to her side....Instinctively, with a pitfighter’s reflexes, she slammed her free arm backwards, in a move intended to piledrive ribs into shrapnel.
Instead, with an audible cracking and a stab of white hot pain, it was her elbow that broke instead.
Surprised, but undeterred, she jumped and slammed both her feet down on her attacker’s insteps...or what should have been her attacker’s insteps...Only this time her feet skipped off of angled armor, and she ended up hanging, unceremoniously, in the steel grip...With a lunge, she kicked up and back, hoping to toss her assailant over onto his or her back.
She didn’t budge an inch...and seconds after her entire midsection lit on fire as an electrical charge arced around her stomach, up and down her back, and slammed into her head. Her legs danced, slamming the floor ineffectually, and her head swung back and forth, smashing back up against unyielding metal. Every time she got her senses back and made to resist, the wave of electricity slapped her again..and again...and again...until finally Lucia D’ Marro StoneFist wobbled into unconsciousness.
The guards outside the Number Two Interior Security Gate didn’t lower their guns until the hulking security bot blinked an all-clear. Only then did they lower their weapons long enough to open the gate and rush in to pick up their fallen comrades. A few made to secure the prisoner, but the giant Spartoi already had the situation well in hand, wrapping the giantess in steel banding, then slinging her over a flared shoulder. As the giant ‘bot clunked off to the maximum security holding wing, one of the late arrivals gave a knowing nod to one of the younger officers present.
“No shame in waiting around until Hercules gets to you...A big mutha like that will tear a copper in two, even in armor, if they get loose...Best bet is to hold on and keep them contained until Hercules or Big Brenda gets here...after that, you can bet it’s pretty well over...Hercules don’t take too well to seeing his little brothers and sisters getting beat up...not at all...”

After the experience with the Mechanoids and their robot drones, Paladin Steel and the then-Vermont Free State were initially leery of autonomous action combat robots, but the awareness of being between aggressive neighbors(Free Quebec to the north, the Coalition States to the west, the Splugorth to the east, and the Shemarrians to the south), forced the nascent Greater New England to rethink their stance in favor of force multipliers. Paladin Steel proved a quick study, and was turning out a wide variety of robot drones, and developing more, within the span of a decade. Though some pressure was taken off by the expansion of the GNE and its extradimensional outposts, and the Shemarrian Civil War(with the tentative alliance with the Ecotroz Shemar), the GNE’s remaining enemies demanded even more attention. Estimates of Splugorth power were steadily revising upwards, and more and more their Horune allies could be found deploying their borg-drones on North American shores. Equally worrying were reports that the New German Republic might share the designs for their heavy robot drones with the Coalition, already churning out thousands of Skelebots. It was to counter the expected import of the Triax DV-40 Hunter/Killer Drone and an anticipated Coalition version of it that PS began early development of a heavy combat drone of their own, under the name Project Cadmus.
In order to save time, Project Cadmus drew upon existing programs, or enfolded the assets or programs being declared defunct, in order to save time and streamline logistics. The basic body of the Project Cadmus robots would be based on the chassis from the controversial PS Glitterboy replication effort, and would incorporate the less effective, but also less expensive, laser-resistant armor developed early on in the project for testing. Modular arm assemblies would allow the ‘bot to take advantage of a variety of existing weapons, be customized for specific roles, and be easily updated as newer technologies become available.
The result of the Project Cadmus work would be unveiled as the SASR-7 Spartoi, named for the legendary Greek warriors, said to have sprung from dragon’s teeth sown by Cadmus.
Initially, both the GNE military and the public were leery of the hulking beweaponed Spartoi, fearing the possibility of the early generation AIs going berserk, but after several spectacular combat actions by Spartoi defending communities on the GNE borders from Splugorth and other monstrous predators, the public soon warmed to the giant warrior-bots.
After footage of a pair of Spartoi facing down a small swarm of Murvoma Metzla intent on devouring a busload of fleeing refugees was made public, demand for the robot soldiers went way up.
Today, the tall angular robots move like hotcakes off the production lines, serving as frontline skirmishers, assault troops, demolitions units, and garrison security. Modified versions serve in maximum security prisons, on naval vessels, and as special operations units. Adding to the confusion of various models are a cyborg and a power armor conversion.
Though originally meant in part to counter the Shemarrians to the south of the GNE, what PS doesn’t know is that ironically several Spartoi have been ‘turned’ by the Ecotroz Intelligence(s) that have broken the Shemarrians away from the grip of ARCHIE-3. These Awakened Spartoi have been left in place in the GNE as spies and inside agents for the reformed Shemarrian Nation, and have been quietly observing and reporting on activities in and around the GNE and Alliance nations as their assignments permit.

Type: PS-SASR-7 Spartoi
Class: Semi-Autonomous Multi-Function Infantry Robot
Date of Introduction: 109 PA
Crew: None; Robot Intelligence.
MDC/Armor by Location:
Head 200
Main Body 400
Arms(2) 175 each
Hands(2) 50 each
Legs(2) 250 each
Height: 10 ft
Width: 4 ft
Length: 4 ft
Weight: 1.1 tons
Physical Strength: Robotic P.S. of 40
Cargo: Large compartment in chest can be used for carrying cargo(2ftx 3 ftx2.5 ft)
(Can hold a small person if necessary, but compartment lacks life support protection).
Two leg compartments (1x 3 x1 ft)
Powerplant: Nuclear Fusion w/ 10-year energy life
Speed:
(Running) 50 MPH
(Leaping) 14 ft up/across standing leap, 30 ft up/50 ft across on a running leap
(Swimming) Unless fitted with hydrojets, the ‘bot sinks like a stone; can walk on the bottom at 4 MPH, maximum depth 1,000 ft.
(Flying) Not possible without jumpjets or a jet pack
Market Cost: Currently unavailable outside PS/GNE; would cost 10-12 million credits if it were made available to the Black Market

Systems of Note:
*Radio w/ Scrambler-50 mile range
(w/ radio tracker---able to follow a worn or implanted beacon on its charge)
*External Loudspeaker-60 decibels
*Data Drives/Recorders---Can record up to 48 hours of audio/visual inputs before needing disc erasure/download
*Voice Synthesizer----Typically has a monotone voice
*Optics(full 360-degree arc of vision):
Thermo-Imaging, IR/UV, Passive Nighvision, Image Enhancement, Telescopic
*Advanced Audio
Sound Editor, Ultra-Ear
*Laser Targeting--(+1 to strike w/ ranged weapons)
*Radiation Detector
*Micro-Radar---3 mile range

*Power Outlet---The Spartoi comes equipped with a power outlet that allows the ‘bot to be used to power appliances and auxiliary equipment at a campsite, or to recharge batteries and E-Clips; ideal for infantry support operations.

*Laser Resistant Armor---An earlier, less expensive, formulation of the laser reflective armors Paladin Steel would later perfect in their pursuit of duplicating the pre-Rifts United States’ Glitterchrome, this armor reduces laser damage only by 1/3. It can be more cheaply and readily produced, however, making it suitable for use on the mass-produced Spartoi.

*(Optional) Self-Destruct System---Spartoi operating in trouble zones or carrying sensitive systems(such as the experimental systems) are frequently fitted with a powerful, but very self-contained, self-destruct mechanism that completely destroys the ‘bot and its equipment, in event of capture and/or tampering.

Weapons Systems:
1) Arm Mount Modules---The arms can be replaced with special weapons modules, based on cyborg and power armor systems
a)Infantry Arm 1---Mounts a hand, a retractable under-forearm 5.56 mm gatling cannon, and a retractable mini-missile launcher
Range:(Gatling Cannon)3,000 ft
(Mini-Missiles)Varies by Missile Type
Damage:(Gatling Cannon) (SDC Rds) 5d6 SDC single shot, 1d6x10 +10 SDC per three rd burst
(MDC rds) 1d6 MD per three round burst, 2d6 MD per 20 rd burst
(Mini-Missiles) Varies by Missile Type
Rate of Fire:(Gatling Cannon) ECHH
(Mini-Missiles) Volleys of 1, 2, 3, or 4
Payload:(Gatling Cannon) 500 rd ammo box each arm
(Mini-Missiles) 4 each arm
Cost: 70,000 credits

b)Infantry Arm 2--This arm is similar to the IA1, except that it mounts a pulse laser and a grenade launcher instead of the gatling gun and the mini-missile launcher.
Range:(Pulse Laser)2,500 feet
(Grenade Launcher) 2,000 ft
Damage:(Pulse Laser) 5D6 per single shot or 1D8x10+10 per three shot "pulse" (actually fires in rapid sequence).
(Grenade Launcher) Varies by grenade type;
Standard HE does 4d6 MD to 7 ft area
8d6 MD to 14 ft area for double-barreled burst
10-rd burst does 2d6x10 MD to 30 ft blast area!
Rate of Fire:(Pulse Laser) ECHH
(Grenade Launcher) ECHH
Payload:(Pulse Laser) Effectively Unlimited
(Grenade Launcher) 20 rds
Cost: 100,000 credits

c)Infantry Arm 3---This arm mounts, in addition to the standard hand, a light rail gun, and a retractable vibro-blade.
Range:(Rail Gun) 4,000 ft
(Vibroblade) Melee
Damage:(Rail Gun) 1d4 MD single rd, 4d6 MD per 20 rd burst
(Vibroblade) 4d6 MD
Rate of Fire: ECHH
Payload:(Rail Gun)600 rd drum(30 bursts)
Cost: 60,000 credits

d)Infantry Arm 4---Carries a standard hand and a flamethrower firing from the back of the wrist. Popular with Bug Hunter units.
Range: 230 feet
Damage: 2d6 MD plus 2d6 MD per melee for 1d6 minutes
Rate of Fire: Standard
Payload: Fuel tank holds 60 blasts
Cost: 50,000 credits

e)Heavy Railgun Arm
Weight: 500 lbs
Range: 1 km(3,300 ft)
Damage:3d6x10 MD
Rate of Fire: Single shot only, EPCHH
Payload: 12 shots
Cost: 120,000 credits, 800 credits per penetrator round

f)50mm Multipurpose Launcher Claw: This overkill weapons system replaces the entire forearm and integrates a powered claw with a massively powerful short-range grenade launcher firing a smaller caliber version of PS’s 140mm Rifleman’s Assault Projectile(RAP). The weapon has wretched range for a ranged heavy weapon, but does TREMENDOUS damage at close quarters, much like a giant shotgun slug. This system has been nicknamed "Geshundeit" by PS engineers, because of the way it just blows things away. Claw hands CANNOT hold hand-held weapons like rail guns or rifle modules.
Range: 800 ft
Damage: 1d6x10 +40 MD to 6 ft blast radius, plus 1d4x10 SDC to anyone inside the armor(or 6d6 SDC to anyone within 10 ft of the other side of the wall). HALF that if used against composite ‘meshed’ armors designed to flex, rather than spald(most power armors are contructed to have a certain amount of ‘warp’ to their structure, but cheaper armors, like Chipwell and early Northern Gun designs, lack this protection).
More advanced modern armors, such as those used by the Coalition, Triax, and other very high tech nations(the Kittani, for instance), for their EBA, power armors, robots, some vehicles, and special purpose fortifications(such as high echelon command bunkers) are designed NOT to spald, due to multiple composite layers of megadamage fabric and netting.....for these armors, spalding/bleed-through damage may be reduced to 1/4, or may not apply at all(GMs, use your discretion). Normal blast damage still applies, though, as the outer layers of armor are blown off/vaporized.
Penalties: The RAP is rather slow (250 ft per second) and is meant to be used against stationary and slow-moving targets(like vehicles)...Against faster, more agile, targets like power armors and hovercycles that actually get a dodge, the RAP is -2 to strike.

Crush/Tear/Pry with Claw 2d4 MD
Rate of Fire: Single shot only
Payload: 15 rounds
Market Cost: 80,000 credits, plus 900 per shell

g)Heavy Laser Cannon---Replaces the entire arm with a tri-laser
Range: 6,000 ft
Damage: 4d6 MD single blast, 1d4x10+6 MD double blast, or 1d6x10+10 MD triple simultaneous blast
Rate of Fire: ECHH
Payload:Effectively Unlimited
Cost: 200,000 credits

h)Heavy Plasma Cannon---Replaces the entire arm
Range: 3,000 ft
Damage: 1d6x10 MD per blast
Rate of Fire: ECHH
Payload:Effectively Unlimited
Cost: 180,000 credits

i)Double-Barreled Particle Beam Cannon Arm---Replaces the entire arm
Range: 4,000 ft
Damage: 1d4x10 MD per single blast
2d4x10 MD double blast
Rate of Fire: ECHH
Payload: Effectively Unlimited
Cost: 150,000 credits

j)Electro-Mag Projector---Incorporates a standard hand manipulator and an EM-bolter.
Range:(EM Bolt) 3,000 ft
(Concussion Bolt) 2,000 ft
Damage:(EM Bolt) 5d6 MD per single bolt
(Concussion Bolt); has 80% chance of knocking down human-sized targets(lose initiative and 1 action/attack getting up), plus 60% chance of knocking them out, stunning them with concussion effects(-10 to strike, parry, roll, and dodge, lose initiative, lose HALF speed and actions/attacks for 1d4 melees!)
Rate of Fire: (EM Bolt) ECHH
(Concussion Bolt) ECHH
Payload: Effectively unlimited
Note: Being invisible, EM Bolts are -8 to dodge

k)Flamer Arm---A larger, more powerful, flame cannon with a larger fuel supply. Besides shooting a stream of incendiary fluid, it also shoots pellets of flamable plastic soaked in the fuel, that burst/splatter on impact for area of effect.
Range:(Direct-Stream Mode) 230 ft
(Pellet Launcher): 1000 ft
Damage:(Direct-Stream Mode)
(Gasoline/Alcohol) 1d4x10 SDC
(Napalm) 1d6x10 SDC, plus does 5d6 SDC per melee for 1d4 minutes
(MD Fluid) 1d4 MD per blast, 1d4 MD per melee for 2d4 minutes
(Incendi-Gel)2d6 MD, 2d6 MD per melee for 1d6 minutes
(WI Napalm-P) 3d6 MD per blast, 1d4x10+10 MD per concentrated burst(counts as two attacks). 2d6 MD per melee for 1d4 minutes.
Note: The flamethrower can also be used to cover an area with fluid: up to 10 ft per attack used. Used with Super-Napalm, this does 1d4 MD, Incendi-Gel does 1d6 MD, and with Napalm-P, this does 2d6 MD.
(Pellet Launcher)(SDC) 1d4x10 SDC to 10 ft area
(MD) 3d6 MD to 7 ft radius(Regardless of fuel-type)
Rate of Fire:(Direct-Stream Mode) Standard
(Pellet Launcher) Standard
Payload:(Direct-Stream Mode
(Gasoline/Alcohol) 20 blasts
(Napalm) 60 blasts
(MD Fluid) 100 blasts
(Incendi-Gel) 120 blasts
(WI Napalm-P) 200 blasts per tank(much more concentrated than the regular gasoline/alcohol).
(Pellet Launcher) 25 pellets in the chamber
Cost: 50,000 credits
(Gasoline/Alcohol) Typically 5-30 credits(depending on availability)
(Napalm) 50 credits per tank
(MD Fluid) 800 credits per tank
(Incendi-Gel) 1000 credits per tank
(WI Napalm-P) 2000 credits per tank
Pellets cost 5 credits apiece


l)Armor Arm 1---This handless box-like appendage holds a light plasma cannon, a micro-missile launcher, and a special targetter for increased accuracy
Range:(Plasma Cannon) 1,600 ft
(Micro-Missiles) 6,000 ft
Damage:(Plasma Cannon) 6d6 MD per blast
(Micro-Missiles) 4d6 MD to 4 ft blast radius, or 1d4 MD to a 10 ft blast radius in fragmentation mode
Rate of Fire:(Plasma Cannon) ECHH
(Micro-Missiles) Volleys of 1, 2, 3, or 5
Payload:(Plasma Cannon)Effectively Unlimited
(Micro-Missiles) 25
Bonuses: +1 to strike w/ both plasma and missiles
Cost: 100,000 credits

m)MicroMissile Launcher---Features a hand with an over-the-wrist micromissile launcher fed from a shoulder magazine.
Range:
Pattern-1A 5,700 ft
Pattern-1B 6,000 ft
Pattern-1C 6,000 ft
Pattern-1D 7,000 ft
Pattern-1E 7,500 ft
Damage/Bonuses:
Pattern-1A---1d4 MD to 2 ft blast radius
Pattern-1B---1d6 MD to 5 ft blast radius
Pattern-1C---4d6 MD to 4 ft blast radius, or 1d4 MD to a 10 ft blast radius in fragmentation mode
Pattern-1D----6d6 MD to a 5 ft blast radius, or 2d6 MDC out to a 18 ft blast radius in fragmentation mode
Pattern-1E---1d4x10 MD to 3 ft blast radius
Bonuses:
Pattern-1A (None) Spin-Stabilized
Pattern-1B (None) Gyro-Compass Chip
Pattern-1C (+1 to strike, in addition to W.P. Heavy bonuses. The Pattern-1C can also be set to be a ‘beam rider’, following a laser illuminator ‘painted’ on the target for an extra +2 to strike. However, this requires expediture of an extra attack per melee on the part of the gunner to keep the laser illuminator on target) Gyro-Compass Chip, Laser-Sensor Microchip, Radar Trigger Chip.
Pattern-1D (+2 to strike, in addition to W.P. Heavy bonuses. Like the Pattern-1C, the Pattern-1D can ‘beam-ride’...again, this requires the gunner to maintain target-lock at the cost of an additional APM, but the -1D is better able to remain on target if the lock is broken. Furthermore, the missile can be keyed to lock on to the laser illuminator of other gunners...done with a pre-determined key-chip...allowing squadmates to ‘paint’ targets for fellow soldiers with micro-missile launchers). Gyro-Compass Chip, Laser-Sensor Microchip, Radar Trigger Chip, Image Sensing Chip.
Pattern-1E(+4 to strike, in addition to W.P. Heavy bonuses, Same ‘beamrider’ capability as with Pattern-1D. ) Gyro-Compass Chip, Laser-Sensor Microchip, Radar Trigger Chip, Image Sensing Chip, Infra-Red Sensing Chip.
Rate of Fire:Volleys of 1, 2, 3, or 5
Payload: 55 micro-missiles
Cost:
Pattern-1A 25 credits per McM
Pattern-1B 32 credits per McM
Pattern-1C 60 credits per McM
Pattern-1D 95 credits per McM
Pattern-1E 220 credits per McM


n)Melee Arm 1---Replaces the hand with a massive folding chainsaw blade; alternatively, these can be circular buzzsaws with a 3 ft diameter.
Range: Melee; chainsaw is 7 ft long!
Damage:6d6 MD per slash, 1d6x10+10 MD per full melee cut
Cost: 60,000 credits

o)Melee Arm 2---Essentially an enormous armored piledriver fist, patterned after that first used by the Enforcer. Basically a massive armored mace slammed forward by the focused detonation of an energy cartridge.
MDC: The Piledriver has 100 MDC
Weight: 600 lbs
Range: 10 ft
Damage: 3d6x10 MD!
Rate of Fire: Once per melee; loading the cartridge takes one action
Payload: Firing chamber only holds one cartridge; magazine holds 10 shots.
Cost: 150,000 credits, 40 credits per cartridge

p)Melee Arm 3--Intended for use in prisons, this fiddler-crab-like claw is actually a padded heavy-duty gripper, used for restraining and carrying prisoners, It also includes an integral taser and drug injector for subduing inmates, and the outer, shield-like edge of the claw is lined with shock-contacts, for holding off other inmates.
Range: Melee
Damage:(Gripper)Punch/Slap:
(Taser)(Shock Damage---Generally nonlethal)
Light Prod: 1d4 SDC/HP
Moderate Prod: 2d6 SDC/HP
Lethal Zap: 5d6 SDC/HP, plus 01-33% chance of stunning humans, D-bees, and small animals for 1d4 melees, 01-33% against large or inhumanly strong/powerful animals. A successful save means victim takes HALF damage and only lose initiative and one APM.
Stun means -6 to strike, dodge, and parry, plus reduce APMs and Speed by HALF.
Being shocked on the strong/lethal setting for more than 5 times, or once the victim's Hit Points drop below half, means they are knocked unconscious for 2d4 melees. Chance of cardiac arrest as detailed in Rifts: Lone Star, pg. 50.
Ineffective against EBA, power armor, 'bots, and 'borgs.
(Shock Contacts)Nil. Humanoids struck with this weapon must save vs. coma or be shocked unconscious for 1D6 minutes.
Cyborgs have a 60% chance of having their cybernetics disrupted for 1D10 minutes, and a 30% chance of a non-vital system being permanently shorted out.
(Drug Injector) Varies by chemical used
Rate of Fire: ECHH
Payload: (Drug Injector) 20 doses of up to 5 different chemicals
Cost: 80,000 credits

q)Melee Arm 4---Mounts an armored fist and integral plasma blade
Range: 10 ft
Damage: Fist adds +1d4 MD to punch damage
Plasma Saber does 1d6x10 MD on a slash
Cost: 80,000 credits

r)Melee Arm 5---Similar to the MA4, except that it carries a heavy shield that can project a rotating buzzsaw blade of energized plasma around its rim
Range: 2 ft from rim
Megadamage:(Shield) 250
Damage: +2 MD on a powered backhand or slap
Buzzsaw does 6d6 MD on a slash, 2d4x10 MD on a full melee cut
Cost: 90,000 credits

s) Melee Arm 6----This option takes advantage of technology exchanges between North America and Europe. This particular option was based on data exchanged about Gargoyle hardware, and the Melee Pack is a copy of the Retractable Energy Ball and Chain mounted on the Gargoyle G-30 Wrecker Combat Robot. The Spartoi can mount a heavy armored ball and its retractable superconductor chain in an armored housing on each arm. Though smaller than that used on the G-30, the Melee Pack version takes advantage of more advanced materials and technology to make a smaller, but no less powerful weapons.
The sight of a Spartoi flailing about with two of these things attached to its massive arms is a terrifying one. The chains can even be used to entangle and snare opponents.
Weight: 500 lbs
MDC of Ball and Chain: 50
Range: 10 ft chain
Damage: 4d6 MD per strike
Like the neural whip, the Blast Ball can release a charge on impact that temporarily shorts out nervous systems and overloads electronics.
SDC characters/beings are fried on contact. Creatures in environmental or power armor, as well as human-sized robots, stand a 40% chance of having electronic systems being knocked out for 1d4 minutes.
MDC beings must roll a 16 or higher versus non-lethal poison or be stunned for 1 melee(lose initiative, 1 melee action/attack, and -2 strike/parry/dodge.
Rate of Fire: EPCHH
Payload:Effectively unlimited
Bonuses: +2 to strike and parry
Cost: 200, 000 credits

t) “Gum Gun”----This option consists of a high-pressure sprayer/applicator and two storage bottles. The “Gum Gun” applies/squirts a super-strong epoxy adhesive that can be used to cement MDC materials together, or make temporary patches. Used in quantity, the epoxy can be used to build up an MDC barrier. As a weapon, the Gum Gun can be used to capture opponents with an entangle.
Each application covers about five square feet,. To completely cover a human-sized target, the attacker must roll a 12 or better on the strike roll, otherwise only a limb is glommed. Anyone caught in the goo must have a supernatural or robotic PS of 30 or better to break free; otherwise they are stuck until the goo is somehow removed.
The epoxy sets within seconds, and can be used underwater. However, the sprayed epoxy needs 1d4 hours to properly cure, at which point it attains its maximum strength. Once the two tanks are emptied, the twin bottles, which are sold and attached together as a pair, can be quickly exchanged for fresh ones in one melee action, like changing an e-clip. For larger jobs, the Spartoi can be fitted with a backpack tank holding additional chemicals.
Weight: 60 lbs for a single forearm sprayer, 200 lbs for the backpack tank.
Range: 100 ft
MDC : 25 for sprayer, 30 for tank.
Epoxy has 2d4 MDC per application, but hardens to 2d6 +1 MDC after curing for 1d4 hours
Damage: None
Payload: 30 applications per forearm tank. Backpack tank holds 100 applications
Cost: 50,000 credits for the forearm sprayer, 5,000 credits per 30-application cartridge, 11,000 credits per 100-application tank

u) Chemical Sprayer Arm---Features a manipulator hand and a variable aperature sprayer connected to reservoir tanks on the back.
Weight: 60 lbs for a single forearm sprayer, 200 lbs for the backpack tank.
Range: (Wide Area Mister) 50 ft to a 10 ft wide area
(High Pressure Stream) 200 ft
Damage: Varies by chemical used. If used with water to spray vampires, it does HP per wide area spray, or HP for a concentrated blast
Payload: 30 applications per forearm tank. Backpack tank holds 100 applications
Cost: 50,000 credits for the forearm sprayer, 5,000 credits per 30-application cartridge, 11,000 credits per 100-application tank


2) (Optional) Chest Weapons Pack----A mount can installed in/on the chest that allows for additional weaponry to be carried; typically an anti-personnel weapon;
a) Dual Light Machine Guns
Range: 2,000 ft
Damage:(SDC) 5d6 SDC per rd, 1d6x10 SDC per 10 shot burst
(MD)2d4 MD per 10 rd burst per single gun
4d6 MD per 30 rd burst from one gun cluster
(PSX-1)1d4 MD per single rd, 1d4x10 MD per 10 rd burst
*Can be loaded with specialized ammunition types, such as silver and wood rounds.
Rate of Fire:Standard
Payload: 200 rds
Cost: 4,500 credits

b) Light Grenade Launcher
Range:1,200 ft
Damage:(SDC)* (Fragmentation) 2d6x10 SDC to 16 ft radius
(High Explosive) 6d6x10 SDC to 4 ft radius
(Armor Piercing) 1d4x100 SDC, no blast radius
(Crowd Control rds)---Essentially an expanding plastic ‘flyswatter’ that delivers a bruising knockdown punch. Cut effective range to 200 ft. Does 2d4 SDC per rd, humans and human-sized D-Bees must roll a D20-5 to maintain their footing (must equal or surpass the attacker's roll to strike...Full rules in TNW p.174). Human-sized light power armors(500-800 lbs) also roll on a D20, but are +2 to save versus knockdown
(Wood Rounds) 7d6 SDC single shot (1d4x10+5 HP to vampires), no blast radius

*(Yes, I know, why include SDC when it just as quickly becomes MDC? You’re still being hit with a pretty hefty shell)

(MD)(HE) 2d6(12 ft blast radius)
A 5 rd burst does 1d4x10 MD to an 20 ft area
(Armor-Piercing) 4d6(3 ft blast radius)
A 5 rd burst does 1d4x10 MD to an 9 ft area
(light micro-fusion) 6d6 MD (12 ft blast radius)
A 5 rd burst does 1d6x10 MD to an 25 ft area
(HESH (High Explosive Squash Head)) - Designed to ‘spald’ off armor on the interior of power armors and vehicles. Composite ‘chobham’(layered armor and nylon mesh) armor reduces this internal damage by HALF, by holding the armor together.
HESH rounds do NOT have a blast radius.
3D6 MD plus 4D6 SDC to the person(s) inside the object.
(Incendiary) 2d4 MD to a 12 ft blast radius, plus an additional 1d6 MD per melee for 1d6 melees.

The GL can also be used to fire radio beacon adhesion heads, flare rounds, paint shells, EMP grenades, flash-bangs, and, it’s rumored, TW grenades like the feared ‘Snuffers’ and Aura of Doom curse grenades.
Rate of Fire: ECHH
Payload: 24 shot drum
Note: The Drum magazines are fully caompatible with the PS ‘Drum Mine’ system that allows large-caliber ammunition drums to be converted into boobytraps/mines.
Cost: 19,000 credits; SDC rounds cost 40-60 credits each, Crowd Control rounds cost 20 credits each, standard 30mm HE grenades cost 400 credits each, armor-piercing cost 550 credits each, micro-fusion(rarely available on the open market) cost 1,500 credits each, Incendiary cost 600 credits each.

c) Flame Thrower
Range: 250 ft for napalm gels
Damage:
(Wellington plasma napalm) 3d6 MD burst
(MD Gel)4D6 MD Upon contact, burning for 1D6 rounds doing 2D6 MD per round. Anything that the character touches also starts on fire. Any combustible materials within touching distance, clothes, brush, etc. also ignite.
Rate of Fire:Standard
Payload: Enough fuel for 25 blasts
Special Features: *Multi-Fuel Capacity
Cost: 9,000 credits

d) Directional Mines
Range: 100 ft
Damage: 5d6 MD to a cone swath roughly 50 ft long, by 10 ft wide.
Payload: Up to three packs can be mounted on the chest.
Cost: 200 credits per flechette pack

e) Pepper Gun----A multipurpose chemical sprayer
Range: 150 ft
Damage:Varies by chemical used
Rate of Fire:Standard
Payload: Enough liquid for 50 blasts
Cost: 700 credits

f)Light Pulse Laser
Range: 850 ft
Damage:(SDC Mode) 4d6 SDC per shot
(MDC Mode) 3d4 MD per shot, and 6d6 MD per 3 shot burst
(Fan-Scatter-Laser Mode)---This mode adds a beam-splitter that converts the laser into a short ranged ‘fan laser’, doing 1d6 MD to an 10 ft-wide area, at about 300 ft range, with a single shot, and 3d6 MD to a 12 ft area with a burst shot.
(Flash-Blinder)---This adds a special power-stepdown chip to the weapon’s power regulation/draw system, and a scattering optic to the barrel. allowing the weapon to produce blinding flashes of light that can temporarily blind those with unprotected optics/eyes. Effects are roughly equal to a Blinding Flash spell.
Cost: 4,000 credits
Rate of Fire: Standard
Payload: Effectively Unlimited
Cost: 24,000 credits

g)Ion ScatterGun
Range: 800 ft
Damage: 4d6 MD single shot to a 10 ft wide area
1d4x10 MD per three-shot burst
Rate of Fire: Standard
Payload: Effectively Unlimited
Cost: 18,000 credits

h) BuzzSaw ‘Blossom’---A set of rotating blades that carve into anything the robot bodyblocks up against or locks in an entangling embrace. Sometimes called the ‘meatgrinder’.
Range: Melee
Damage: 5d6 MD per melee of shredding.
Cost: 17,000 credits


3)(Optional) Handheld Weaponry---The Spartoi can pick up and use any infantry-scale or PA-scaled hand weaponry(provided it’s been fitted with hands). Most GNE models are issued a Punisher Assault Module, Reaper cannon, or 25mm Arden machine cannon.

3)Hand to Hand Combat
Actions/Attacks per Melee: 6
Strike +6
+4 Strike w/ Energy Weapons
+2 Strike w/ Projectile Cannon
+3 Strike w/ Aimed Shot
Parry +5
Dodge+7
+5 Dodge attacks from behind
Roll +4
Pull +4
Initiative +4
Critical Strike on a natural 19 or 20

Restrained Punch 1d6 MDC
Full Strength Punch 3d6 MDC
Power Punch(2 attacks) 5d6 MD
Kick 2d6 MD
Body Block/Tackle. 2d6 MD(+1d6 MD if running)

Programming:
Pilot Truck 90%
Pilot Hovercraft 80%
Pilot Jetpack 80%
Land Navigation 90%
Radio: Basic 96%
Surveillance Systems 80%
Climbing 85%/75%(Climb x2 faster than average person)
Math: Basic 96%
Language/Literacy(all at 96%)
American-English
French
Spanish
TechnoCan
Dragonese
(Prisons often secretly program other lingusitics into the robots, the better to eavesdrop on prisoners)

Hand to Hand: Expert(8th Level)
W.P. Energy(all)
W.P. Heavy Weapons
W.P. Automatic Rifle
W.P. Paired Weapons
W.P. Blunt
W.P. Sword
W.P. Chain

Other Options:
*Additional Armor---The Spartoi can be fitted with up to 300 MDC of additional main body applique armor, and up to 150 MDC to the arms and legs, although each extra 100 MDC subtracts -1 to strike/parry/dodge to the ‘bot, due to encumbrance.

*Forcefield Generator---Occasionally issued to special assault units. Surrounds the ‘bot with a 150 MDC forcefield. Regenerates at a rate of 5% per melee.
Cost: 150,000 credits

*Bio-Sensor Package---This is typically issued to Prison Guard units---It actually consists of two separate systems; a quick-scan medial scan dihilator that allows for fast, preliminary thermographic, vital sign, and ultra-sound scans of inmates to quickly determine overall heath, and a bio-monitor that checks the function, location, identity, and status of security biochips implanted in prisoners, allowing the ‘bot to constantly monitor where inmates are.
Cost: 20,000 credits

*Jumpjets--- Copied from Russian cyborg designs(see Rifts: Warlords of Russia) and powered by the ‘bot’s own nuclear powerplant, these ‘jets enable the machine to make leaps of 100 ft up/200 ft across; increase by 30% with a running start. Effectively DOUBLES running speed when leaping. Can also hover in the air, 100 ft up, up to 1d4 minutes at a time.
Cost: 150,000 credits

*Heavy Jet Pack---Gives the robot full flight capabilities. Adapted from the PSA-11 power armor line. Being heavier than the powr armor the flight pack was originally meant for, the flying Spartoi isn’t quite as fast or agile in flight.
MDC of Pack:
Wings (2) - 40 each
Thrusters (4) - 30 each
Weight: Adds 800lbs to overall weight of the ‘bot
Wingspan: 12 ft
Speed: 250 MPH. Max Altitude: 500 ft
Bonuses: +1 to dodge in flight
Cost: 120,000 credits


Variants:
*SASR-7B---Sometimes called the ‘Sergeant’ or ‘Heavy Weapons’ variant. It features an articulated hardpoint and powerlink on back for carrying a heavy infantry/cyborg weapon, such as a heavy rail gun, large pulse laser, energy cannon, or missile launcher . Gyrostablization and advanced fire control give a +1 to strike with the heavy weapon.

*SASR-7C----One out of every thirty Spartoi is a command model, with full laser-resistant armor(lasers do HALF damage). Other than a small icon badge, the Command-C is externally identical to the regular Spartoi. The command model also has additional programming(Military Etiquette 96%, Intelligence 90%, Detect Ambush 75%, Camouflage 75%, Trap/Mine Detection 85%). It can also coordinate up to thirty Spartoi line-of-sight, giving them a group bonus of +1 to initiative and +1 to strike.

*SASR-7CEng---Combat Engineering variant with special programming(General Repair and Maintenance 90%, Automotive Mechanics 80%, Basic Mechanics 90% , Basic Electronics 90%, Computer Operation 90%, Demolitions 94%, Demolitions Disposal 92%, and Salvage 75%). It typically carries an armored (60 MDC) tool pack on its back, and its forearms can be fitted with power tools similar to the Mining Cyborg’s.

*SASR-7F---Heavy-duty firefighting unit, first seen in PS’s industrial facilities. The ‘bot is covered in thermal-ablative armor(heat and fire do HALF damage to the ‘bot), and instead of combat skills and weapons, the ‘bot is programmed with basic firefighting and search and rescue protocols(including Firefighting 90%, First Aid, 80%, Salvage 80%, Demolitions Disposal 92%, NBC Warfare 80%), with spray cannon in place of the weapons. It comes standard with a molecular analyzer and radiation detection gear to detect possible chemical and radiological hazards in a crisis situation.

*SASR-7H---Sometimes called the ‘Headhunter’, this variant is meant to pursue and capture prisoners alive for interrogation/arrest, remove a prisoner’s weapons and armor, and can even conduct basic interviews/interrogations. Has special programming(Tailing 74%, Tracking(people) 80%, Detect Ambush 75%, Camouflage 75%, Intelligence 85%, Interrogation 50%). It is frequently assigned to security details, special forces units, police squads, and bountyhunter/skip-tracer teams. It is also frequently used in prisons in conjunction with the SASR-7PGN to control prisoners. +3 to Disarm, Entangle, and Pull Punch. It typically carries the Bio-Sensor Package, and frequently is fitted with Goop Guns, Loogie Launchers, taser-studs, stun projectors, and other reduced-lethality weaponry.
-Tape Gun----One of the fingers on each hand of the SASR-7H mounts a projector that shoots a tough plastic tape(based on megadamage duct-tape) reinforced with memory-metal wire that can be used to entangle and restrain a prisoner.
Range: 10 ft
Damage: None, but a single 12-inch loop of the strapping tape has 5 MDC(multiple wrappings offer cumulative MDC)
Rate of Fire: ECHH, and can cut the restraint tape to suit.
Payload: Has about 60 ft of restraint tape per arm.

*SASR-7N---Naval version, outfitted for deep-water operations. It has reinforced construction that allows it to operate as deep as 3 miles down, and has multiple variable bouyancy cells throughout its frame and hydrothrusters that allow it to swim at 20 MPH. It is typically outfitted with ion weapons, blue-green frequency lasers, and micro/mini-torpedo launchers. Has special programming as well(Swimming 60%, Underwater Navigation 80%, Demolitions: Underwater 90%)

*SASR-7PGN---Penal Guard Unit, modified for work in the GNE’s penitentary system. It features a torso-mounted chemical spray unit(identical to the cyborg system) for spraying tear gas and other incapacitation agents, padded applique armor(melee attacks do HALF damage to the first 50% of targeted part armor), and taser handgrips. Special programming is also incorporated into the ‘bot(Find Contraband 50%, Wrestling, ). Frequently fitted with neural shock melee weaponry, net launchers, foam guns, and other reduced-lethality ordnance.

*SASR-7HRP---This variant features a passenger compartment with full life support. Speed while carrying a passenger is limited to 60 MPH(and the passenger fatigues, albeit at 20% of normal, due to the movement of their limbs). This variant is typically used in hostage rescue situations. Can be equipped with a Doc-Comp(modified Juicer harness) to perform basic diagnostic, anti-shock, and sedation to injured, traumatized, or belligerent passengers.

*SASR-7DS---Deep space-enabled variant with multiple maneuvering jets and a space mobility pack(able to move through space at 300 MPH)

*SAPA-7---A fully enabled power armor unit. Speed is limited to 60 MPH (due to the articulation of the legs with respect to the housed pilot’s). Otherwise identical to the regular Spatoi units. Sometimes called the ‘Spartan’.

*SAFC-7---Full Conversion Cyborg chassis based on the Spartoi. Really the only way to tell the two apart is when the SAFC raises the optics visor to reveal the more cyborg’s more-lifelike ‘social’ face underneath.

[89er]

Nothing short of Paladin Steel's finest. I love the options for this newest drone. Forget you Northern Gun, I'm sticking with Paladin Steel.

[taalismn]

Nothing short of Paladin Steel's finest. I love the options for this newest drone. Forget you Northern Gun, I'm sticking with Paladin Steel.

Thanks. I'm building up another big lot of posts for those days I'm too busy to write.
Illo for the Spartoi will be added tomorrow...My home computer connection sucks at posting images to Photobucket.

[abtex]

Nothing short of Paladin Steel's finest. I love the options for this newest drone. Forget you Northern Gun, I'm sticking with Paladin Steel.

Thanks. I'm building up another big lot of posts for those days I'm too busy to write.
Illo for the Spartoi will be added tomorrow...My home computer connection sucks at posting images to Photobucket.

Oy....Came across this intersting looking aircraft.http://ram-home.com/ram-old/t-517.html

Now looks like this?
Good work-ski future Comrade taalismn-ski it will do the job.

I'm feeling up to it.
Running up and down stairs to the tune of 'Rocky'.
Running speed-drills on keyboard.
Drinking raw eggs*PHFFFTTTT!!!!*
Okay...maybe not drinking raw eggs. That's gross.

Cook first then deal with raw eggs.

[abtex]

That's not your Future bus as a truck is it?
http://yuripasholok.livejournal.com/655962.html

[taalismn]

Spartoi now updated with PICTURE!!!!

For those too lazy to roll back up page , here it is:http://i408.photobucket.com/albums/pp164/taalismn/img240copy.jpg

[taalismn]

That's not your Future bus as a truck is it?
http://yuripasholok.livejournal.com/655962.html

Must have been another incarnation of the same program, but that one's even uglier!

[Veritas476]

Spartoi now updated with PICTURE!!!!

For those too lazy to roll back up page , here it is:http://i408.photobucket.com/albums/pp164/taalismn/img240copy.jpg

That still makes me think, "You rang?"

[taalismn]

Spartoi now updated with PICTURE!!!!

For those too lazy to roll back up page , here it is:http://i408.photobucket.com/albums/pp164/taalismn/img240copy.jpg

That still makes me think, "You rang?"

(Grin) You really want one in a black suit and tie?

[Veritas476]

That still makes me think, "You rang?"

(Grin) You really want one in a black suit and tie?

*looks around innocently* Maybe.

[taalismn]

That still makes me think, "You rang?"

(Grin) You really want one in a black suit and tie?

*looks around innocently* Maybe.

Of course you do. We'll program the voice simulation system accordingly.

[ZINO]

Spartoi now updated with PICTURE!!!!

For those too lazy to roll back up page , here it is:http://i408.photobucket.com/albums/pp164/taalismn/img240copy.jpg

THIS IS awesome man!!!

[abtex]

Spartoi now updated with PICTURE!!!!

For those too lazy to roll back up page , here it is:http://i408.photobucket.com/albums/pp164/taalismn/img240copy.jpg

That still makes me think, "You rang?"

(Grin) You really want one in a black suit and tie?

It would beat a clown suit. Maybe.

[abtex]

Oy....Came across this intersting looking aircraft.http://ram-home.com/ram-old/t-517.html

Now looks like this?
Good work-ski future Comrade taalismn-ski it will do the job.

[taalismn]

Paladin Steel MC016(Mc) ‘Gywheel’ MicroScale Motorcycle

“Damnit! They should ban those things from the cities! Especially the sidewalks!”
-Frequent complaint about Gywheelers

“Great. Squirrel motorcycle gangs. What next, pigeon air pirates?”

The Gywheel is the latest in PS’s line of micro-scale vehicles marketed to Smallkin buyers.
The Gywheel is a unicycle motorvehicle based on the stock megadamage wheels already being manufactured for conventional motorcycles, only modified to be standalone, powered by either a small high-performance liquid-fuel or electric motor running on the inside rim. The rider sits in the center of the wheel, and a gyrostabilization system keeps the driver (relatively) upright. Braking involves reversing the direction of powered rotation of the tire.
The Gywheel doesn’t offer much in the way of protection, or range, but it does give Smallkin a relatively inexpensive and fast means of getting around on the ground.

Type: PS-MC016(Mc) Gywheel
Class: MicroScale Motorcycle, Unicycle
Crew: One Size Level 1-1 Sentient
MDC/Armor by Location:
Main Body 2
Height: 19 inches
Width: 3 inches for the tire, the saddle-seat extends out to 5 inches.
Length: 19 inches
Weight: 12 lbs
Cargo: Only what can be strapped to the saddle-seat
Powerplant: Liquid Fuel(w/ 75 mile range) or Electric (Rechargeable Battery w/ 80 mile range. In a pinch, one or two e-clips can be attached, providing an extra hour of operation per E-clip)
Speed: 75 MPH
Market Cost: 3,000 credits for liquid fuel, 3,600 credits for electric
Systems of Note:
*Dashboard Instrumentation: Power Indicator and Speedometer.
*Gyrostabilization
*LED Headlights(one on either side)
*Electric Horn(sound chip and amplifier)

Weapons Systems: None standard, but two hardpoints can be added(for 500 credits each) above and behind the rider, with firing control wired through the Gywheel’s handlebars. Each hardpoint can carry ONE of the following:
a) Any Smallkin-sized infantry weapon, such as a .22 autorifle, micro-grenade launcher, or micro-laser rifle, can be mounted, using their regular attached ammunition supply

b) Micro-Missile---2 x15mm Micromissiles or 1x 30mm MicroMissile can be mounted per hardpoint

c) PS-RL-210(Mc) Fragmentation Rocket Launcher( a copy of an imported Russian design). Note that PS has also been experimenting with an incendiary variant using a magnesium mixture.
Range: 4,000 ft
Damage: 1d6 single projectile, 1d6x10 MD per 10 rd burst/volley
at 3,500 ft, the rds go ‘grapeshot’, doing 3d6 MD(1 MD for a single shot) in a 12 ft wide area.
(Incendiary “Hot-Grape” Version)---Do an additional +2 MD per rd, and 1 MD of damage for 1d4 melees as the flare portion burns down.
Rate of Fire: EGCHH
Payload: 10 shot launcher
Cost: 7,000 credits, 30 credits per rocket, 40 credits for incendiary

d) Vibroblade---Up to bayonet-size, and hinged at the hilt to swing out perpendicular to allow for sideswipe slashing attacks.


Options:
*Plastic Weather Canopy----Aka ‘Hamster Ball’; provides a transparent plastic canopy that provides a measure of protection from the elements and an extra 2 MDC. However, some serious riders feel the plastic interferes with getting out of the Gywheel in a hurry, and under some circumstances, heats up or fogs up uncomfortably. Cost: 1,000 credits

[Gamer]

“Great. Squirrel motorcycle gangs. What next, pigeon air pirates?”

Great now I'm picturing the Hawrk race -Hawrk-Duhk,Hawrk-ka and the Kawrk-ohl pg 74-77 WB2 Atlantis dressed up as pirates wearing flying goggles and caps.

[glitterboy2098]

I'll stick to canines, thank you..

[taalismn]

I shudder to ask, but does the gywheel come in remote controlled form? I'm seeing it as a very nice toy for kids (and quite a few adults).

Could be. Rifts Earth kids learn to improvise(especially weapons) early.
Check the Home Electronics section of your local Paladin Steel retailer for parts and advice.

[abtex]

Round and round we go
http://futb-all.livejournal.com/424503.html

[taalismn]

Paladin Steel ‘Bubba’ SemiAutonomous Android Exoskeleton
(Aka ‘FatSuit’, ‘Eggbert’, ‘Muscles’)

“Ever since we learned about the Bubba suit, we’ve had to be real careful when and where, and with whom, we do our drinking and commiserating...Seems some of the ladies in the espionage division decided to field-test their new hardware by suiting up and infiltrating some of the guys’ watering holes, ‘just to see what it’s like for the other half’, and sneaking in as lumberjacks or roadhogs and listening in on the conversations. Most of the time it’s pretty innocent fun on their part, but a few times a tech got deep in his cups and unloaded about his significant other to his new male friend, then dragged himself home to catch hell from the lady, who had audio and video tape of his yakking.”
-----Captain Lan Correscan, Paladin Steel Security

“The chance to see how the other half lives aside, the ‘bar raids’ were a real, serious test of the infiltration suits. There are just some things that one gender or class wouldn’t instinctively know about the others, and because the ‘Bubba’ is essentially a second skin, those incompatible behaviors would show right through to the truly observant or paranoid, and might just tip them off that something was wrong about the new guy. That’s where careful programming of the companion A.I. is vital....not many women know how to properly spit tobacco, for instance, and some of our smaller races in the Corps don’t know how to conduct themselves as a big person in a big person’s world...it’s a matter of bellying up to the counter, rather than jumping up on it.”
----Andora Micherhone, Hardware Integrator, Paladin Steel ‘Special Executive Services’ Technical Division.

“If you’re planning on spending any real time in a Bubba, take my advice...Strip to skin, and I do mean skin....Even a mesh speedo or sport-kini gets soaked and starts itching if you’re in over eighteen hours, and odds are the moment you gotta really scratch, you’re going to be in the worst possible time and place to even contemplate popping your cover. Even with the dehumidifiers and charcoal filters, it gets pretty humid and aromatic, especially if you’re really working hard....Think ahead of time and try packing some liquid soap, the odorless variety if you’re doing any covert ops later, ....that stuff will also cut down on any chaffing you get, even with the soft suit inner lining.”
---Lana T’ssane, Paladin Steel Corporate Security(Special Operations Division)

“You know, buddy, I don’t think I’ve seen you around here before. Now normally that isn’t a problem with me liking somebody, but with you I’m willing to make an exception on account of you looking at me funny. Now the only way to prove to me you ain’t up to some funny business is the secret ritual of Bash-Tar, which I’m sure you remember, but wuz too polite to interrupt me to mention. You do know that, don’t you buddy? Lemme remind you, it’s where we alternate punching each other in the face and gut until somebody collapses. So let’s get to it!”
“...oh crap...”
-Largaah Sanston, Greot, sniffing out a ‘Bubbasuit’ infiltrator.

The PS ‘Bubba’ Exoskeleton is a fairly complex and exotic piece of recently introduced espionage hardware; a combination light power armor suit and android disguise system for special operations. The idea was inspired by both Triax ‘monster’ power armors and adapted Smallkin cyborg-to-robot frames.
The standard Bubba resembles a flesh and blood humanoid, typically male, heavyset, with thick or muscular limbs, and can either be athletically built, stoutly built, or just obesely fat, and in the tall height range(6.5-8 ft tall), as long as there is sufficient room in the torso and legs. The Bubba can be patterned after any humanoid of similar size, such as Juicers, augments, and beings like the Grackletooth or Ogres, but since disguise is the primary purpose of the suit’droid, the Bubba is typically modeled to look just like a bigger than average, but still normal, being in the crowd. To aide in the illusion, the Bubba has a full body sculpted layering of advanced biosystem synthetic skin, overlaying a layering of capillary net, carrying synthetic blood and coolant(sweat), complete with simulated aromatic secretions(BO), and even thermo- and optical-cuing, to simulate a normal being’s thermographic signature and blushing. The exoderm coating is so real, that it even bleeds, bruises, scabs, and regenerates(heals) minor cuts and abrasions. Only severe lacerations and burns will reveal the plastic layers and artificial musculature and exoframe underneath.
Despite the massive muscular or corpulent build of the Bubba, it is actually a hollow man; concealed within the thick limbs and torso is an inner cavity for a small humanoid pilot. Rather than an internal skeleton, the Bubba has a hollow framework or ‘lacework’ of rigid internal supports, connected by powerful linear-truss motors and synthetic myomer muscles. The internal cavity is screened with a combination of acoustic baffling, and ectofiber magical insulation to conceal the true nature of the internal passenger/pilot. Operating the exoframe like a regular power armor, the pilot can move about, concealed within his soft-skinned suit, and mingle with the crowd as just another big guy. A voice modulator allows the pilot to speak normally, but in a disguised voice pattern.
The inclusion of a biochip artificial intelligence, patterned after PS’s VK series androids, adds an extra dimension to the operation of the Bubba. The A.I. handles the external minutiae of appearance, such as blinking the eyes, twitching the lips, and other cues that contribute to the overall image of just another big guy(rather than a disguised power armor). Though the robot A.I. isn’t the brightest or best conversationalist around, it can be programmed with a basic personality profile; usually a gruff, hardly articulate, goon/redneck or strong, silent, protector. The Bubba can thus act independently of its pilot, acting as a companion, body guard, helper, or allowing the pilot to be elsewhere, effectively being two places at once. Though the Bubba has a standard basic combat program built in, the core A.I. can also be enhanced with other skill programs, such as basic mechanics skills or domestics, in order to better carry off its disguise function, and to better complement its operator.
Because of the exotic nature of the design, and its specialized purpose, the Bubba has many disadvantages, compared to other robots and power armors. First off, because it lacks the advanced internal bracing and actuators of a regular robot, power armor, or cyborg of equivalent size, it isn’t as strong or as fast as it could be. Because of the small size of the internal cavity, only small or slight beings can be accommodated, and it is impossible to wear the exoframe over bulky clothing or body armor(restricting the pilot/passenger to wearing only light clothing or stripping down to underwear or birthday suit). Other restrictions and sacrifices to stealth include a less sophisticated life support system(making the Bubba rather more uncomfortable for prolonged wear in anything other than bare skin than other exoframes), less overall MDC and built-in weaponry, and less powerful sensor systems.
However, Bubbas have been successfully used in a variety of roles, from infiltration to smuggling. Because the Bubba has a robotic A.I. and can move on its own, without a pilot, it has been used to smuggle contraband and heavy weapons inside itself(in lieu of a pilot). It has even been used to smuggle people(including drugged felons or Coalition personnel), walking itself past security checkpoints and out to rendezvous with pickup. One operation even moved a fully equipped Smallkin commando team inside a facility.
The Bubba is still a closely guarded secret of Paladin Steel, and only a few offices and selected individual mercenary ‘contractors’ know of the design. It is not known how many of the exoframes have been produced or their disposition, but supposedly experts in piloting the ‘suits are known in-office as ‘fleshsuiters’ or ‘Bubbajocks’.

Type: PS-CO-100 ‘Bubba’
Class: SemiAutonomous Espionage Exoframe
Crew: One humanoid(typically 1.5 feet shorter(or more) than the overall height of the exoframe).
Intelligence Type: Robot Intelligence
S.D.C./MDC by Location:
Head 85
Main Body 180
Arms 65 each
Hands 25 each
Legs 70 each
Feet 30 each
Skin Covering 15
A.R. 13

Height: Varies: 6.5-8 ft
Width: Varies: 2-4 ft wide
Length: Varies: 1.5-3 ft
Weight: 200-500 lbs, plus the weight of the crew
Cargo: None; though some especially corpulent Bubbas may feature a pair of external ‘skin-pockets’ in the hips or pecs, large enough to conceal a sidearm or small survival kit.
Physical Strength: Robotic P.S. of 20
Powerplant: Micro-Fusion Bottle w/ 3 year energy life
Speed: (Running) 30 MPH
(Leaping) 10 ft up/15 ft across, increase distance by 30% with running start.
(Flying) Not possible without a jet pack
(Underwater)---Fair swimmer; and can safely survive depths of up to 500 ft.

Market Cost: EXCLUSIVE to PS. Paladin Steel hasn’t quoted a price on these miracles, in part due to the sheer secrecy of the program, but it’s estimated that each unit costs somewhere in the area of 3-5 million credits, or more.

Systems of Note:
*Basic Robot Optics and Audio
*Passive Nightvision and Thermal-Imaging Optics
*Universal Headjack(behind one ear)
*Molecular Analyzer Olfactory Sensors
*Full Tactile/Motion Detector Sensory Net Skin(w/ pleasure/pain sensory simulation/stimulation)

*Simulated Organic Covering/Components----Like their VK cousins, the Bubbas are fitted with a form of advanced artificial skin, as well as being fitted with various cloned synthetic bio-system organs to give them a fully organic appearance, feel, and even smell....The artificial skin can blush, be cut, bruised, and even bleed, and will even regenerate and scar convincingly in some cases(heals 5 SDC or 1 MDC per hour, but only with special nutritional supplements and injections)...Only taste or detailed chemical analysis will reveal the synthetic nature of the tissues. The android does need to intake special nutrients and enzymes at least once a week to maintain the ‘aliveness’ of the artificial flesh.

*Thermal-Acoustic Baffling----This simulates the normal thermal and acoustic signature of a living being, including breathing sounds, heartbeat, and digestive tract noises, masking those of the smaller being inside. Only a really acute and close analysis of the sounds will reveal a pattern of simulation.

Weapons Systems:
The basic Bubba lacks any integral weapons systems, owing to the restrictive need to accommodate a passenger, so heavy weapons are not permissible with the design. However, light cyberimplant weapons can be added to the arms, such as taser studs, light stun blasters, laser fingers, and retractable blades. Of course, the Bubba can pick up and use available infantry-scale weapons.

Hand to Hand Combat:
Actions/Attacks per Melee: 7
Initiative+1
Strike +4
Parry +8
Dodge +6, +7 while running
Roll +3
Pull Punch +4
Disarm +2
Critical Strike on Unmodified 18-20.
Automatic Knockout Blow on a Natural 20.
Restrained Punch 2d6 SDC
Full Strength Punch 1d4 MD
Power Punch ( 2 attacks) 2d4 MD
Kick 1d4 MD
Leap Kick 2d4 MD


Programming:
-Military(Basic)
Radio: Basic 94%
Mathematics: Basic 98%
Swimming 90%
Military Etiquette 96%
Climbing 96/86%
General Repair and Maintenance 80%
Intelligence 85%
Land Navigation 94%
Pilot Automobile 86%
Pilot Hovercraft OR Hovercycle 92%
Weapons Systems 90%
W.P. Paired Weapons
W.P. Blunt
W.P. Knife
W.P. Rifles
W.P. Energy Rifle or Heavy MD Weapons

-Physical:
Gymnastics(90%)
Climb Rope 90%
Work Parallel Bars and Rings 90%
Back Flip 90%
Climbing 90%
Prowl 80%
Boxing

-Human/D-Bee Personality Emulation Program


Additional Skill Programs may be added to tailor the Bubba to its persona guise/mission profile.

Options:
Bubbas can be fitted with a variety of cybernetic enhancements, but nothing too radical that would break the lines of the disguise. This can include features like retractable claws, finger weapons, cybernetic optics(including retinal mimic optics), enhanced hearing, and the like.
Other improvements in development include mental psychic shielding, the better to prevent telepathic probes from revealing the deception. Paragon Progress scientists are also working on ways of improving the suit’s strength and protection, the better to emulate more powerful beings.

Variants:
Besides large human(oid)s, Bubba simulcra-bots have been configured to resemble Ursinoid Bearmen, N’mbyr, Greot, Larmac, Mastadonoids, and Tokanii.

*CO-100KL(TW)---Specialized model configured to resemble a Kryygorth Lesson(see RWB 21: Splynn Dimensional Market, pg. 75-76). The ‘bot/power armor has been outfitted with internal TW powerstone systems, a multiplexor amulet, and laser eye blasters to simulate the hulking slaves’ powers.
-Powerstone---PPE Capacity:(Light)----100 PPE battery capacity; recharges at 5 PPE per hour, 10 PPE/hour at a leyline, 20 PPE/hour on a nexus or in a dimensional pyramid
-Spell Amulet---Incorporates up to 4 different spells
-Eye Laser Blasters---1,000 ft range, 2d4 MD single eye, 4d4 MD both eyes, +1 to strike.

[taalismn]

Paladin Steel MegaTape
(aka ‘Silksteel’, ‘Ultra-Tape’, ‘Spider Tape’)

“Thin as tissue paper, flexible as silk, stronger than steel...what’s not to love about this stuff?”

“Double our order for megatape; we’ve got two mercenary units rotating through town next week, and they’ll be looking to restock...No, hold it, TRIPLE our order; ‘Mistress Madow’s House of Pleasure’ will ALSO be wanting to restock.”
“Wrap me up, lover.”
“Eh?”
“Just something I heard.”

MegaTape is PS’s version of megadamage duct tape, the ‘Operator’s Best Friend’. Made of skinsuit-grade Arachnofiber, MegaTape is thin but incredibly strong. As the ‘engineer’s best friend’, MegaTape sells VERY well, being used for temporary fasteners, leak plugging, insulation, armor patching, packaging, even passive restraint and fashion. Improvisation with MegaTape is virtually a sport in the GNE, with the public infonet filled with anecdotes about its applications. Even though it has been used to fabricate clothing, it’s of dubious value as adhoc body armor, as the material does NOT prevent concussive damage from penetrating, and wrapping enough around oneself to provide substantial damage would also entail movement penalties(more than 15 MDC wrapped around a normal human will impose a -1 to strike, dodge, and parry due to the material fighting normal movement), and applied to bare skin, quick removal of the tape can prove VERY painful(not to mention removing 1 SDC of skin per foot of tape applied, without the use of a special release chemical(otherwise, the material has to be worried off, taking about 10-15 minutes of patient working to get a one foot swathe off).
Megatape comes in basic or designer color, including camouflage.
MDC: 2 MDC per foot of material
The adhesive holds with a PS of 30.
Cost: 40 credits per yard of material(PS is able to make it inexpensive through mass production)
MegaTape removal spray sells for 15 credits a can(10 applications)
Variants: PS also sells an acid-proofed material that resists the corrosive effects of MD acids(does NO damage to the tape) that sells for about 50 credits per yard of material

[taalismn]

Mendabe---Mutant Moles
(aka ‘Brainmoles’)

“That’s the last of them!”
“You sure?”
“Of course we’re sure! There isn’t a mine in that field we haven’t sniffed out and either defused or subverted! Your troops should have clear sailing across that field and into the compound!”
“Convenient having sappers too small to register on the fusing, and smart enough to be creative about taking enemy ordnance apart.”
“And don’t you forget it! We get DOUBLE pay for this job!”

“We have a mole in our organization.”
“Literally or figuratively? Because Snoop’s sitting right over there in plain sight.”

The Mendabe are mutant moles who have formed their own small kingdom called collectively the Mendabeese. The organization calling itself Mendabeese has only recently surfaced. Literally surfaced, because this under-nation consists of mutant moles. They are now working to achieve recognition by the GNE and other Smallkin nations, and they have not yet acquired a seat in the State Congress.
The Mendabeese insist on being distinctly different from the Rodentia Union, and tend to be a lot more exclusive than other ‘small nations’, with only mutant moles allowed regular access to their burrows and tunnel complexes. This has led to some tensions between the Mendabeese and the Rodentia, while the Gnomocracy and the Nutkin have remained out of the developing fray.
Mendabe evolution has selected for intelligence and psionic ability, which the moles have used to good advantage. Hiding unseen underground, the moles listen in on potential threats and gather information on their movements and intentions. AS their society developed, the Mendabese used their psionic talents to remain hidden, communicating unheard(except by those sensitive to psionics) and spying on others, often tunneling under and infiltrating structures to tap into the minds of the inhabitants. The Mendabese could thus ‘piggyback’ by learning from others, all the time remaining (literally) underfoot and unseen. Generally cowardly by nature, the Mendabese avoid conflict and tend to hide when threatened, though they were not above taking offensive action if cornered or if the opportunity presented itself(such as undermining an enemy’s camp, sabotaging vehicles and equipment, and launching psionic assaults from underground). The Mendabese realized, though, that they could not go unnoticed forever(especially with the spread of ‘civilized’ Psi-Stalkers, Dog-Boys, and other psi-sensitive people), so they decided to parlay their telepathic eavesdropping into hard currency and protection, turning to those organizations that were actively consorting with the Smallkin nations, such the GNE.
The Mendabeese introduction to the GNE didn’t go off very well; the moles introduced themselves and rather heavily handedly implied that they were willing to offer their services and gathered intelligence to their potential allies for a rather hefty fee and other concessions. The representatives also implied that such concessions(such as tax-free status as citizens of the GNE) would also buy the safety of GNE secrets that the Mendabese presumably also picked up on. Though not stated explicitly, the various dropped hints and language implied blackmail, and reaction to the Mendabeese opening offers was decidedly cool, of not hostile. After the Mendabe got through slapping themselves in the head(and their diplomatic envoys upside their heads) their subsequent overtures were much more subdued and diplomatic, as well as went to great lengths to convince the GNE that the moles were not opportunistic chiselers. However, some distrust does still linger, and that distrust cost the Mendabe some clout and initiative. The Nutkin intelligence services, with which the Mendabeese hoped to compete and outstrip, have thus far continued to hold the favor of the GNE and make the squirrels a nice profit. The Mendabeese still struggle, but they are gaining ground in employment with various GNE/PS intelligence groups and operations.
Since ‘coming out’, the Mendabeese have become somewhat more open and forthcoming with outsiders, but they still are a very private and secretive people, prefering to guard their privacy and keep their culture a mystery to potential enemies. A few have joined the GNE Armed Services, serving mainly as Combat Engineers(sappers) and scouts.
It is POSSIBLE, with the subsequent ‘coming out’ of the Mendabeese, that they may be found elsewhere in the Megaverse, as part of GNE excursionary groups, or as private explorers.

Alignments: Any, but most(80%) are Unprincipled and Anarchist.
Lifespan: 70 years
Size: 3-18 inches long, 1-5 lbs
Gender: Heterosexual, with females producing a litter of 1-4 pups.
Physical Description/Appearance:
Small, pudgy-bodied humanoid moles, covered in short velvety gray fur, with a small pink conical nose ending in a fringed star-shaped procibis. Their eyes are extremely small and nearly non-functional. The legs are short, and the forearms and paw-hands large and muscular.
Disposition/Attitudes:
Tend towards either near-terminal shyness or aggressive bravado. Most Mendabese know that they’re nearly blind, weak, and fragile, and more than likely to get pulped in any exchange with other beings, so they try to come off as stronger and meaner than they really are. That means using every advantage to make themselves appear that much more powerful, as a means of exerting leverage. They can sometimes take this overboard, but most Mendabese learn to use their psionic abilities to carefully gauge when they’ve gone too far in running a threat or bluff. Faced with danger, most Mendabese shamelessly take cover and hide, preferably as far underground as fast as they can go. Mendabese still struggle with the bad rep their first public representatives created; while selfish and opportunistic, they aren’t all blackmailers and cutthroat stoolpigeons. Still, if a Mendabe is going to risk their furry behinds doing something, they expect a tangible payoff, and will collect their pay and then get back out of harm’s way as soon as possible.
Physical Attributes:
IQ: 2d6+1
ME: 3d6
MA: 3d6
PS: 2d4
PP: 3d6
PB: 2d6
PE: 2d4+2
SPD: 3d6+7
(ISP): By Psionic Class
(PPE): 3d6
Hit Points: P.E. +1d6 per level of experience
SDC: 10+ any additional from skills, training, and OCC bonuses.
MDC: By psionic power or technology only
Horror Factor:----
Natural Abilities:
Hands: Full
Biped: Full
Speech: Full
Looks: None

Large Digging Claws---3d6 damage

Excavation---Can dig at 3 ft per melee(or, if strength is boosted to 13 or better, 4 ft per melee), can tunnel at HALF that speed, and can excavate underground chambers at 5 cubic feet per minute.

Advanced Hearing---Can hear through thin earth cover. +1 to Initiative

Advanced Sense of Smell---Not as acute as a DogBoy’s perhaps, but Mendabeese still can sniff out food and other things in their environment with a sense of smell ten times more sensitive than a normal human’s. They can recognize a person by smell 85%+2% per level of experience, and pick up on faint/unusual scents in their environment 85% of the time.

Internal Compass---+30% to Land Navigation, +15% to any other Navigation skills.

Extra Intelligence---(Reflected in the stats)

Telepathic Listening---150 ft range and can listen in on surface thoughts of a single individual(No ISP cost).

Telepathic Transmission---150 ft range(No ISP cost).

Disadvantages:
-Nearsighted--- Clear (unassisted) vision is limited to 6 ft, 23 ft is the limit of vision. While this can be corrected with glasses and cyberoptics, few Mendabeese take such obvious measures to correct what they do not see as a weakness.

Psionics:
In addition to their basic psionics, about 50% of Mendabe have Minor Psionics, 30% of Mendabe are Major Psychics, and 10% are Master Psionics,
Magic: None, but they have the potential. Most likely to gravitate towards Mysticism.
Cybernetics/Bionics: None; Mendabe prefer their psionic powers
Available OCCs: Mendabe gravitate towards Wilderness, Rogue, and Scholarly professions(can use the AtB professional development tables). There are few Mendabee Men of Arms, no known Mages. Can be just about any Master Psionic class(as long as they meet minimal requirements).
RCC Skills:
Wilderness Survival +5%
Underground Sense of Direction 50%+5% per level of experience
Skills of Note:
+10% to skills involving underground work, like Mining, Prospecting, and Archaeology
+5% to Masonry
Culture:
Little is known of Mendabeese society; the few (perforce Smallkin) visitors to their communities describe large tunnel-warrens, mainly unlit, with ‘writing’ in the form of either raised braille-like reliefs, or scent-markings. Mendabeese apparently have a strong oral-telepathic tradition, assisted by the prevalence of such psionic abilities as Total Recall; only important public documents are committed to anything akin to writing; there is no such thing as written Mendabeese literature. Their greatest arts seem to be silent telepathic ones rarely shared with outsiders, even other psionic ones, but one such outside observer described an hour-long ‘mental concert’ performed entirely silently, consisting of both teelpathic and empathic sendings projected into the audience.
Mendabe society seems to be family clan-oriented, bound into a greater government structure. It also appears to be matriarchal; clan-mothers presiding over extended family warren-complexes with the men-folk attending to most of the activity ‘upstairs’. Mendabeese are governed in-clan by a psi-ocracy, in which the most powerful psychics are the government and the familial clans. Those most powerful and skilled in the powers of the mind run the clans. Though the Mendabe are reluctant to discuss details of their culture, even they admit that their system hasn’t always worked out well, and there are whispered cautionary tales of mind-mad tyrants who abused their powers and led their clans to ruin.

[abtex]

Mendabe---Mutant Moles
(aka ‘Brainmoles’)

How deep did you have to go to dig them up?
Are you sure this is not just in your mine mind?
At least they are not Naked Mole Rats with a hive mind.

Cute race.

[abtex]

Working on any other SmallKin?
SmallKin 1
"If this is a Combat vest? Move the bottle so I can reach it! Please."
SmallKin 2
SmallKin 3

[glitterboy2098]

We have a mole in our organization.”
“Literally or figuratively? Because Snoop’s sitting right over there in plain sight.”

this made me crack up laughing.

[taalismn]

Roland Heavy Combat Robot
http://i408.photobucket.com/albums/pp164/taalismn/img220.jpg

“Damn....Those Roland pilots really are military prima-donnas; one pilot I know even has his comm system broadcast a celestial trumpet fanfare whenever he comes crashing on to the battleground. If it wasn’t for the fact that the guy’s damn good at his job and it tends to freak the enemy something fierce, I’d take that ******* aside and bring him down to earth with a little knuckle ego-massage.”

The Roland is an ‘icon’ mecha designed around the idea of a giant heroic metal warrior in the classic epic model, complete with giant sword and shining shield. Although this seems to NOT a good strategy for designing a modern warmachine, the engineers of the Corianus-Typhen-Rosette League have somehow managed to get it right. Being both aesthetically pleasing and combat effective, the Roland quickly became a popular unit in command squads, honor guards, and elite combat formations. Recently, a handful of these machines have appeared in Greater New England units, suggesting that the CTRL has either given the design to their Rifts Earth allies or licensed PS to produce their own version. Paladin Steel engineers have been taking advantage of the modular nature of parts of the Roland, experimenting with various new weapons configurations using locally produced systems, some of which have been subsequently adopted by the CTRL for service.
Rolands are a good balance of armor, armament, and mobility. The design is well protected by its armor sheathing and by the option of carrying a shield(various types exist, but the most common and popular is the heavy disc shield with integral plasma cannons). Weaponry is on the light side for a robot vehicle of its size, with the usual arm slots given over to the powerful actuators for hefting the Roland’s trademark sword and shield. A large back mount allows for carriage of a heavy weapon, compensating for the lack of integral heavy armaments, and most Rolands carry a robot-sized gunpod for ranged combat. The iconic weapon of the Roland, however, is its sword, a combination vibroblade and laser blaster that can vaporize armor in a single blow or slice. For pilots who like getting in close and taking on an opponent hand to hand, the sword is their favorite weapon, the other weapons mere covering fire to allow the Roland to close in on its victim. Not all robot pilots share this attitude, however, or share the skill to make the most of the Roland’s weapons configuration, and officers are advised to take care in assigning the high performance machine.
Opponents of the Roland are horrified to discover that the giant warmachine can FLY, courtesy of a powerful integral jetpack array. This allows the machine to quickly change position, exploit weak points in an enemy’s lines, and negotiate land obstacles with ease. The extra mobility does come at a cost; the Roland requires nearly thirty percent more regular maintenance time that other machines, its high performance systems needing to be continually fine-tuned.
Roland and Naruni Death Knight pilots seem to have acquired a natural feud against each other; any battle involving Rolands and Death Knights on opposing sides always seems to eventually see a mecha-sword versus mecha- ax battle. Similarly, on the few occasions where Roland-equipped forces have squared off against ‘bandit’ forces armed with TGE Imperator Assault Robots, the ‘bots have immediately paired off to duel.
Several Rolands have appeared among the forces of the GNE, apparently undergoing trials and systems tests. They appear prominently in city defense units and honor formations, where their decoration in drab GNE khaki color schemes have led to some controversy, either about their ‘ostentatious’ design(on the part of the more practical-minded GNErs), or because of the perceived clash of the dull color scheme with the Roland’s aesthetics(especially among the ‘nobility’ of Corianus).
Type: PS/CTRL-HCR-RLND05 Roland
Class: Heavy Combat Robot
Crew: One
MDC/Armor by Location:
Main Body 850
Crew Compartment 150
Head 120
Thruster Wings(2) 280 each
Arms(2) 250 each
Hands(2) 80 each
Legs(2) 280 each
Leg Thrusters(6, 3 each leg) 30 each
Laser Blade 180
BattleShield 400
Height: 32 ft
Width: 13 ft
Length: 9 ft
Weight: 45 tons
Cargo: Small space in crew compartment for a survival pack, sidearm(s), and a few small personal possessions.
Physical Strength: Robotic P.S. of 50
Powerplant: Nuclear Fusion with 22 year energy life
Speed:
(Running) 120 MPH
(Leaping)20 ft up/across standing jump, 35 ft up/across w/ running leap. A rocket-powered leap can carry the ‘bot 280 ft up/across in a single bound.
(Flying) (Limited) Hover to 450 MPH, maximum altitude of 18,000 ft
(Underwater) Can swim on thrusters at 30 MPH, or run along the bottom at 6 MPH, maximum depth of 1,000 ft.
Market Cost: 65 million credits
Systems of Note:
Standard Basic Robot Systems, plus:

*ECCM system---A semi-automatic system that uses electronic encryption and frequency jumping to (attempt to) negate jamming systems. The system has a 25% chance of negating radar or communications jamming(non-magical) on its own, or a +5% if the operator(typically the commander) has a Read Sensory Instruments or Radio: Scramblers skill and devotes a full melee to operating the system(no other attacks/actions are possible). Having an Electronic Warfare Skill gains a +15% bonus to operating this system.
Note that this only applies to received communications(the system filters them out from the jamming clutter) and sensory data received by that unit alone(other units cannot make use of it, unless they have an unaffected datalink/info-share with the ECCM equipped unit. Magic/psychic jamming is NOT affected by this system.

*PPE Sensor(ORACLE)---Omni-diRectional Aura Classification and Locator Electronics---A TW development of the SNARLS PPE Scanner and PS’s own naval and aviation ORACLE systems, this system consists of a series of advanced Technowizardry scanner systems(TW optic mounts, static crystal PPE meters, and whatnot) mounted around the hull, feeding into a central computer system with special TW-derived interface program algorithms. The ORACLE Mrk V-C is the first of its kind mounted on a robot .
Effective Range: 4,000 ft radius of detection.

Weapons Systems:
1)Eye Lasers(2)----The sculpted facial features of the Roland, with their piercing eyes, do exactly that...the eyes are actually high-powered lasers
Range: 2,000 ft
Damage: 4d6 MD single eye blast, 8d6 MD dual blast.
Rate of Fire: ECHH
Payload: Effectively Unlimited

2)Laser Blade---The main melee weapon of the Roland is this giant-scale claymore-like battleblade, with a trio of integral pulse lasers built into the guard.
Range:(Vibroblade) Melee
(Pulse Lasers) 4,000 ft
Damage:(Vibroblade) 6d6 MD +P.S. Damage
(Pulse Lasers) 1d6x10 MD per blast
Rate of Fire: ECHH
Payload:Effectively Unlimited

3)BattleShield---Carried one-handed, this massive circular shield is more than just brute physical protection; it actually has a ring of twelve plasma projectors mounted around the central sigil. At close range, a volley of these weapons can do tremendous damage.
Shield MDC: 400
Range: 1,800 ft
Damage: 2d4x10 MD per multi-barrel blast
Rate of Fire: ECHH
Payload:Effectively Unlimited

4) Back Hardpoint(1)---On the back, between the jet thruster wings, is a single large hardpoint used to hold an oversized weapon such as a rifle pod or missile launcher, typically stylized to resemble a lance or melee weapon, and often fitted with hooks for stringing a banner or heraldic device.
The Hardpoint can hold ONE of the following:
a) Heavy Laser Lance---Actually a remounted spacecraft weapon, this fearsome long range photonic projector is sometimes given such names as the ‘Holy Light’ and ‘Celestial Sunbolt’.
Range: 8,000 ft
Damage: 1d6x100 MD per blast
Rate of Fire: ECHH
Payload:Conditionally Unlimited; has a 36 shot capacitor before needing to recharge at a rate of 1 shot per minute

b) Particle Beam Lance
Range: 5,000 ft
Damage: 2d4x100 MD per blast
Rate of Fire: Four times per melee
Payload: Conditionally Unlimited; has a 20 shot capacitor before needing to recharge at a rate of 1 shot per 3 minutes

c) Mini-Missile Pod----45 shot pod

e) Short Range Missile Pod---22 shot pod

f) Medium Range Missile Pod---8 MRMs (volleys of 1-4)

g) Long Range Missile Pod----3 LRMs in an over-and-under launch stick configuration.

h) 120mm Autocannon---This looks like an oversized Barret heavy sniper rifle with massive muzzle brake and long barrel.
Range: 6,500 ft range direct fire, 17,575 yards* in indirect fire role, 37,200 feet in anti-aircraft mode.
(RAP/Rocket-Assisted Projectile) 23,770 yards
(*Note: It would take over a minute for shot to hit the target at maximum range...est. 68 seconds)
Damage: High Explosive(HE) 1d6x10 MD w/ 20 ft blast radius
High Explosive Anti-Tank(HEAT) 2d6x10 MD w/ 10 ft blast radius.
AP: 1d4x10 MD. No blast radius
APSD: 2d4x10 MD. No blast radius
Rate of Fire: ECHH
Payload: 50 rounds

i) Heavy Flamer---A long barreled, bulbous-tipped giant flamethrower; great for burning down hordes of zombies or cleansing entire alien hives.
Range: 900 ft and can cover a swath roughly 30 ft wide
Damage: 3d6 MD per blast, 1d4x10+10 MD per concentrated burst(counts as two attacks). 2d6 MD per melee for 1d6 minutes.
Rate of Fire: ECHH
Payload: 60 blasts

j) Theron Disruptor Rifle---Paladin Steel has seen fit to fit the Roland with an oversized version of their anti-magic Anti-Theron Disruptor.
Range: 4,000 ft
Damage: Does 6d6 HP/MDC damage(based on what the creature is)
Techno-Wizardry Devices(including TW generators), enchanted objects, rune weapons, and other magically-infused(but INANIMATE) objects are NOT affected and take no damage.
Non-magical beings. psychics, and ‘mundanes’ are unaffected and experience nothing aside from a slight tingling sensation, mild sunburn-like symptoms, and a passing feeling of nausea from a Disruptor strike.
Magic Users and other beings who have ‘learned’ or artificially acquired magical abilities(including tattoos and implants), but who can otherwise survive without magic present are affected, but the effects aren’t as dramatic. They do NOT get a save versus the disruption because all of their effort has gone into OPENING themselves to the supernatural and embracing their magical potential.
Supernatural Creatures who possess some small measure of magical ability will suffer a greater degree of damage/injury. ...normal damage x1.5. Gargoyles, Brodkil, Lycanthropes, Shapeshifters(including Nightspawn), Possessees, Shifters, and Witches, are all examples of beings in this category. Note that if these beings were to possess bionics or other conditions that NEGATE their magical abilities(like Brodkil bionics) they lose this vulnerability, and are NOT affected, taking damage only as normal. These beings do NOT get a saving roll versus the PPE disruption.
‘High’ Supernatural Beings with a high level of, and reliance on, PPE will suffer greatly, taking DOUBLE damage. This includes Dragons, Angels, Demons, Splugorth, Faerie Folk, Demi-Gods. However, these beings DO get a roll to SAVE versus their own PPE backfiring on them. A successful roll to save HALVES the damage done to them.
Creatures of Pure Magic that cannot survive without magic are the most seriously affected, and take TRIPLE damage. This covers ghosts, possessing entities, Undead, Elemental Beings, Alien Intelligences, and god-beings. However, these beings DO get a roll to SAVE versus their own PPE backfiring on them. A successful roll to save HALVES the damage done to them.
Golems, Iron Juggernauts, and other magically-powered automatons/automations will be effectively STUNNED, being paralyzed for 1d4 melees per shot, and will be unable to move or defend themselves, as magical energy shorts out and storms over them.

Other Effects:
*Magic Disruption----Each blast NEUTRALIZES HALF the number of PPE points that it does damage...these points are temporarily lost to the magic user/creature until it can regain them normally(by rest or drawing on other sources).
*Magical Forcefields take 1.5 normal damage.
*Invisible beings will be revealed by an anti-theron burst and will remain visible for 2d4 melees(gradually fading) as a result of residual anti-therons causing them to flouresce and become visible to the naked eye.

Rate of Fire: EGCHH
Payload: Has a 10-gallon-sized anti-theron cartridge that’s good for 200 shots before needing replacement.

k)Sonic Cannon---Aka ‘Jericho Blaster’. Another PS-trialed weapon.
Range:(‘Deafer’): 300 ft arc or radius(area of effect can be controlled)
(‘Blaster’): 200 ft, radius
(‘Straka’); 2000 ft, narrow beam
Damage::(‘Deafer’): Shatters SDC windows within 300 ft, causes temporary deafnes in unprotected characters for 2d4 minutes, (-8 initiative, -3 parry dodge). Characters in armor or with ear protection will still be deafened for 1d4 minutes, with same penalties.
(‘Blaster’): Same penalties as above for deafness, but also 01-88% chance of knocking people down, 65% chance of stunning them. Knocked down victims lose 1 APM and initiative. Stunned victims are -10 strike, parry, dodge, roll, and at half APMs/speed for 1d4 melee rounds.
(‘Straka’); 6d6 MD per blast
Used against MDC body armor, for every 5 MDC afflicted on the armor, the character inside takes 1d6 SDC damage as they are vibrated violently inside their armor.
Rate of Fire::(‘Deafer’): ECHH
(‘Blaster’): 4 times per melee
(‘Straka’); 4 times per melee
Payload: Unlimited
Cost: 3.2 million credits

l)Tachyon Scatter Gun
Range: 1.5 miles (2,500 m) in atmosphere, 6 miles (10,000 m) in space w/ 3 mile wide arc*
(Kitsune Values: 6 miles in atmosphere, 600 miles in space)
* Scatter width is reduced to 1/4th in atmosphere
Damage: 2d4x10 MD per single cannon firing
Rate of Fire: EPCHH
Payload:Effectively Unlimited

m) Plasma Torpedo Launcher---An experimental Paladin Steel weapon, being tested on the Roland.
Range: 20,000 ft(minimum range of 7,000 ft)
Damage: 2d6x10 MD to 30 ft blast radius
Rate of Fire: ECHH
Payload: Conditionally Unlimited; has a 36 shot capacitor before needing to recharge at a rate of 1 shot per minute

n)100mm LB Massdriver Cannon (PS-MDJ100L)---Paladin Steel-made weapon, fitted to the Roland.
Weight: 14,000 lbs(7 tons)
Range:(Direct Fire) 36,000 ft (7.2 miles)
(Indirect Fire) 90,000 ft(18 miles)
Damage:High Explosive(HE)---- 1d6x10 MD to 20 ft radius
High Explosive Anti-Tank(HEAT)---- 2d6 x10 MD to 10 ft radius
Fragmentation--- 2d6x10 MD to 30 ft radius
Plasma-----3d6x10 MD to 35 ft radius
(APFSDSDU)(Armor Piercing Fin Stabilized Discarding Sabot Depleted Uranium) 4d6x10 MD out to 11,000 ft, 2d6x10 MD out to maximum range
Rate of Fire:Four per melee
Payload: 80 shells
Cost: 2.7 million credits (800,000 credits)

o) H-Ion Cannon---A heavy Rifts Earth weapon, enhanced with ‘Series-2098’ ion technology.
Range: 6,000 ft
Damage: 3d4x10 MD per shot. On a Natural 20(Critical Strike) the ion weapon does TRIPLE damage instead of the normal double damage
Rate of Fire: 4 times per melee
Payload: Effectively unlimited
Cost: 1 million credits
Options:*Ion Scatter-Shot Module---This is a barrel mod that turns the cannon into a short range shotgun with an area of effect blast. Reduce range to 3,000 ft, but does 6d6 MD to a 30 ft wide area. Cost: 20,000 credits

p) HPC-03 ‘Vesuvius’ Heavy Rapid-Fire Plasma Gatler(2)---- Another new PS weapon fitted to the Roland, the ‘Vesuvius’ is a six-barrel larger caliber version of the ‘Heatwave’ plasma machinegun, using expendable single-shot cadmium-telluride cartridges(a technology acquired form early trade ally Kera-Tech) like regular belt-fed projectiles. The Vesuvius uses a much larger 40mm cartridge with a cadmium-telluride jacket around a small cylinder of enriched deuterium-impregnated solution, however, for greater power per shot. The advantage of the cartridge system, though requiring specialized ammunition, is that the weapon doesn’t need to be hooked up to a high output powerplant to provide for the actual plasma generation and projection, allowing for a lighter (overall) weapon than if the plasma cannon were directly powered.
The weapon is belt-fed from a large magazine drum at the back of the robot’s upper torso. Though the ammunition is perfectly stable and cannot be set off except by the electrical sequencing charges in the plasma cannons’ firing chambers, the magazine can be ejected from the robot in an emergency.
Range: 8,500 ft
Damage:1d4x10 MD per single blast(4d6 MD at ranges beyond 7,000 ft out to maximum), 3d4x10 MD per three-shot burst(1d6x10 MD at ranges beyond 7,000 ft out to maximum), 4d6x10 MD per six-shot burst(2d6x10 MD at ranges beyond 7,000 ft out to maximum), and a whopping 8d6x10 MD(4d6x10 MD at ranges beyond 7,000 ft out to maximum) for a twelve-shot burst per SINGLE cannon.
Rate of Fire: EGCHH
Payload: 480 rd drum

r)PSHIW-04 Ion Calliope---The PSHIW-04 is an experiment in creating a low-cost heavy ion weapon for point defense. Harkening back in concept to early machine gun concepts like the millistrausse, the PSHIW-04 simply consists of several dozen simple ion projector rifles racked like the tubes on a ‘calliope’ rocket launcher(4 rows of 12 barrels each), wired to a capacitor and power system, and mounted on a simple pivot and tilt-table traversing gear.
The result is a weapon that delivers a MASSIVE barrage of destructive ion pulses, albeit at fairly short range, that can vaporize targets with ease. The wide area of shot effect makes the weapon ideal for wiping pre-designated ‘kill zone’ approaches free of enemy.
Range: 3,000 ft
Damage: 3d6 MD per single shot, 5d4x10 MD to a 15ft-wide area for a 12-shot ‘row burst’.
2d4x100 MD for all 48 barrels firing simultaneously, to a 20 ft-wide area
Rate of Fire: Volleys of 1-48 shots
Payload: A robot powerplant can provide enough steady power to fire up to 6 12-shot bursts per melee, or 1 full 48-shot blast per melee.
Cost: 950,000 credits


5) Shock Points(2, hands)----Because the Roland powers its main weaponry via induction grips in its hands, the engineers have incorporated the points as weapons in themselves, and modified them into melee weapons of last resort. Making an open-palm strike, the Roland can blast a target in hand to hand combat with a direct surge of power that has proven capable of overloading other robots’ power systems, and taser-stunning even supernatural beasts such as dragons.
Range: Melee
Damage: +2d4 MD from an open handed punch or slap, plus the following:
-Organic targets roll for Stun; save at 16 or better or be -8 to strike, dodge, parry, roll, and initiative, reduce APMs and Spd by HALF, for 2d4 melee rds. A successful save means lose only initiative and 1 APM for 1 melee round.
50% chance of knocking out unshielded electronics(or 1d4 subsystems like radio, electronic image amplification, cybernetic sensory implant, or the like) for 1d4 melees.
Beings susceptible to electricity take DOUBLE damage.

6) (Optional) Handheld Weaponry----The Roland can pick up and use mecha-sized weaponry in a pinch, including melee weapons and gun pods. Typically, the Roland carries a gunpod for backup, the palm power link powering it.
The typical ranged sidearm seen issued to the PS/GNE units is the HMR-12-40, a 40mm automatic cannon:
Weight: 460 lbs
MDC: 150
Range:(High Velocity Round)5,000 yards(15,000 ft)
Maximum AA altitude w/ HV shells: 13,300 ft
(Low Velocity Round) 3,800 yards(11,400 ft)
Damage:(Fragmentation) 4d6 MD to 6 ft blast radius
(High Explosive) (HV) 1d4x10+3 MD to 1.5 ft blast radius
(LV)1d4x10 MD to 1.5 ft blast radius
Rate of Fire: 120 rounds per minute(or up to 30 rds per melee)
Payload: Box magazine of 200 rounds. Each binder space on the HCR-RLND05D variant can hold an extra magazine.
Cost: 150,000 credits
High Velocity(Fragmentation) shells cost 200 credits apiece, 245 credits for HE
Low Velocity(Fragmentation) shells cost 180 credits apiece, 200 credits for HE


Hand to Hand Combat
Restrained Punch 1d6 MD
Full Strength Punch 3d6 MD
Power Punch(2 attacks) 1d6x10 MD
Tear/Pry with Hands 2d6 MD
Body Block/Tackle 5d6 MD
Stomp 2d4 MD
Kick 2d6 MD
Leap Kick(2 attacks) 4d6 MD
Flying Leap Kick(2 attacks) 2d4x10 MD
+1 extra attack at levels 1,3, 6, 9, and 12
Critical strike same as pilot’s.
+3 strike
+2 Initiative
+4 parry
+3 dodge on ground
+4 dodge while hovering or flying
+3 pull punch
+2 roll with impact
+2 disarm

Options:
*Laser Reflective Armor---Lasers do HALF damage. Cost: + 700,000 credits

Variants:
*HCR-RLND05D---Experimental ‘up-armed’ variant tried by engineers at Paladin Steel, in an effort to address the complaint by Rifts Earth-born/trained pilots about the lack of adequate secondary armaments. Adds a pair of micro-missile launchers on the chest/shoulders, and binders on each hip for up to 3(6 total) oversized ‘grenades’(equivalent to missile warheads, any type).
1) Micro-Missile Launchers(2, one each shoulder/pectoral mount)
Range:
(15mm Patterns)
Pattern-1A 5,700 ft
Pattern-1B 6,000 ft
Pattern-1C 6,000 ft
Pattern-1D 7,000 ft
Pattern-1E 7,500 ft
(20mm Patterns)
8,000 ft for all types

(30mm Patterns)
11,000 ft for all types

Damage:
(15mm Patterns)
Pattern-1A---1d4 MD to 2 ft blast radius
Pattern-1B---1d6 MD to 5 ft blast radius
Pattern-1C---4d6 MD to 4 ft blast radius, or 1d4 MD to a 10 ft blast radius in fragmentation mode
Pattern-1D----6d6 MD to a 5 ft blast radius, or 2d6 MDC out to a 18 ft blast radius in fragmentation mode
Pattern-1E---1d4x10 MD to 3 ft blast radius

(20mm Patterns)
(Pattern-2a) 4d4 MD to 2 ft blast radius
(Pattern-2b)6d6 MD to a 5 ft blast radius, or 2d6 MDC out to a 18 ft blast radius in fragmentation mode
(Pattern-2c)(Incendiary)2d4 MD to 5 ft blast radius, does an additional 1d4 burn damage for 2d4 melees

(30mm Patterns)
(Pattern-3a) 4d6 MD single rd to 5 ft blast radius
(Pattern-3b) 1d4x10 MD to a 5 ft blast radius, or 3d6 MDC out to a 20 ft blast radius in fragmentation mode
(Pattern-3c)(Incendiary)2d6 MD to 5 ft blast radius, does an additional 1d4 burn damage for 2d4 melees

Bonuses:
(15mm Patterns)
Pattern-1A (None) Spin-Stabilized
Pattern-1B (None) Gyro-Compass Chip
Pattern-1C (+1 to strike, in addition to W.P. Heavy bonuses. The Pattern-1C can also be set to be a ‘beam rider’, following a laser illuminator ‘painted’ on the target for an extra +2 to strike. However, this requires expenditure of an extra attack per melee on the part of the gunner to keep the laser illuminator on target) Gyro-Compass Chip, Laser-Sensor Microchip, Radar Trigger Chip.
Pattern-1D (+2 to strike, in addition to W.P. Heavy bonuses. Like the Pattern-1C, the Pattern-1D can ‘beam-ride’...again, this requires the gunner to maintain target-lock at the cost of an additional APM, but the -1D is better able to remain on target if the lock is broken. Furthermore, the missile can be keyed to lock on to the laser illuminator of other gunners...done with a pre-determined key-chip...allowing squadmates to ‘paint’ targets for fellow soldiers with micro-missile launchers). Gyro-Compass Chip, Laser-Sensor Microchip, Radar Trigger Chip, Image Sensing Chip.
Pattern-1E(+4 to strike, in addition to W.P. Heavy bonuses, Same ‘beamrider’ capability as with Pattern-1D. ) Gyro-Compass Chip, Laser-Sensor Microchip, Radar Trigger Chip, Image Sensing Chip, Infra-Red Sensing Chip.

(20mm Patterns)
(All Patterns)(+3 to strike airborne targets, +1 to strike ground targets) Gyro-Compass Chip, Laser-Sensor Microchip, Radar Trigger Chip, Image Sensing Chip, Infra-Red Sensing Chip.

(30mm Patterns)
(All Patterns)(+3 to strike airborne targets, +1 to strike ground targets) Gyro-Compass Chip, Laser-Sensor Microchip, Radar Trigger Chip, Image Sensing Chip, Infra-Red Sensing Chip.

Rate of Fire:
(15mm Patterns)Volleys of 1-25
(20mm Patterns) Volleys of 1-10
(30mm Patterns)Volleys of 1-6

Payload:
(15mm Patterns) 25 shot cassette
(20mm Patterns) 20 shot cassette
(30mm Patterns) 18 shot cassette

Cost:
(15mm Patterns)
Pattern-1A 25 credits per McM
Pattern-1B 32 credits per McM
Pattern-1C 60 credits per McM
Pattern-1D 95 credits per McM
Pattern-1E 220 credits per McM

(20mm Patterns)
(Pattern-2a) 90 credits each
(Pattern-2b)130 credits each
(Pattern-2c)150 credits each

(30mm Patterns)
(Pattern-3a) 90 credits each
(Pattern-3b)150 credits each
(Pattern-3c) 180 credits each

*HCR-RLND05(TW)---Experimental Technowizardry variant, also being tested on Rifts Earth. modified with a Powerstone auxiliary powerplant(Rating:Medium-----300 PPE battery capacity; recharges at 10 PPE per hour, 40 PPE/hour at a leyline, 80 PPE/hour on a nexus), chest-mounted multiplexor system(with 6 spell spellcard system), Protective Energy Field(50 MDC and 10 minutes duration per 10 PPE/20 ISP pumped into it), as well as any other spell augmentations that can be added to it at extra cost. The HCR-RLND05(TW) can also fly 50% faster on or near(within 100 ft) a ley line, and increase duration of other TW modifications by 50%. The shield has been further modified to incorporate a Blast Shield spell(see Rifts Mercenary Adventures, pg. 16) that provides 10 melees of protection and covers a 10 ft radius, for 8 PPE.

*HCR-RLND05N---Naval version, modified for deep water tolerance; can survive depths of down to 1 mile, and can swim, using thrusters, at 35 MPH. Incorporates a sonar system with 10 mile range, the laser systems are modified for blue-green frequencies, and the backpack missile systems can accommodate equivalent torpedoe types.
The RLND05N is also being tested with a ‘hoverboard’ that loses the blasters, but mounts hoverjets, allowing the elliptical-shaped shield to double as a hydrofoil/hovercraft for the Roland, allowing it to skim upright across the water at 140 MPH, +3 to dodge(use Pilot: Water Skiing/Surfing for full bonuses).

[taalismn]

We have a mole in our organization.”
“Literally or figuratively? Because Snoop’s sitting right over there in plain sight.”

this made me crack up laughing.

You're welcome. My time is well spent if I bring a little humor to other's lives.

[taalismn]

Roland entry updated with picture: http://i408.photobucket.com/albums/pp164/taalismn/img220.jpg

[89er]

Something to spike interest,

When asking citizens of the GNE about Hoyt Sparks, half say his fate was bound to happen, others say it was a damn shame, but all say he was something uncommonly welcome. Born on an alternate Rifts Earth where the Coalition States and the Federation of Magic had reduced themselves to rubble after a savage war, Hoyt grew up living amidst two fallen empires trying to pick up the pieces of their delusions, fighting over different opinions and supplies. At the age of 12, he was picked up by a dimensional exploration band of adventures, aiding in an evacuation to a PS outpost. There he received an education and graduated in Interspecies Relations and Applied Abilities. When he was 24, he was hired by Paladin Steel to reverse engineer tech from hostile species and doomsday weapons and use it for a higher purpose. His ideas were the stuff of speculation for the underground and higher ups, thankful most only existed in blueprint form. Several experts agreed that his plans were practical but costly and in the wrong hands, horrific. After an incident with a shrink ray, he was transferred to the Department of Megaversal Affairs, to avoid his constant creativity. A year later he published a paper on experimental armaments, from shrink bombs to accelerated time weapony, arguing that PS should work to give itself a way to counter such threat to prevent other hostile powers from developing first.
For a time, his madness was in check when he was dating the War-Goddess Neyrs of the SSN. But due to his obsession with become more powerful to better protect others, he volunteered for Bio augmentation. But the process was spiked, mutating his body, leaving his mind intact, only for it to be crushed with the break up with Neryrs. In several fits of madness, began work on a plan that to this remains classified but could make an alien intelligence shiver with fear. Shortly after, his body was found on one of the lower labs, an apparent death by coalition sleepers. At least that was the official story…

+ My Heart still beats, uploading specs for Experimental Arms Testing Platform, Neyrs I am so sorry+

[taalismn]

You've given me Mad Scientists!
And a Running Gag(The horrors and ever-so-tempting mad genuis of 'The Hoyt Files')!!
THank you from the bottom of my malformed twisted sociopathic heart!

[taalismn]

Working on any other SmallKin?
SmallKin 1
"If this is a Combat vest? Move the bottle so I can reach it! Please."
SmallKin 2
SmallKin 3

If we decide to invade Mexico, maybe, but I suspect all the chiuahuas are already demonically possessed and on the side of evil.

[taalismn]

Paladin Steel ‘ZombEX’ Anti-Undead Spray

“GRAAAHHHH!!!”
“Great. Zombies. NAZI zombies.”
/SPRITZZZ/
“AGGGRRRAAGGAAAHHHH-SCHWINEN!!-AAAGGHHAEEGGHHH!!!!”
#ssssssiiiiissssssssssshhhiiiilllllllllllllll#
“Ashes to ashes, dust to dust. Click your heels in hell, herr zombie.”

ZombEX is a new biotech product from Paladin Steel meant to fight the undead. This tailored mixture of corrosive enzymes, genetically-engineered bacteria, and specially bred fungus is designed to rapidly break down non-living organic materials into more benign constituent materials. Working with Cambridge Jungle biomancers, PS chemists and genetic engineers were able to design a degree of ‘smartness’ into the ZombEX bacteria, so they can discern between the PPE signatures of true living beings and PPE-animated undead(the bacteria may be related to the power-bacteria used in PS’s Anti-Theron weaponry). When sprayed on a zombie or vampire, the mixture rapidly goes to work, initiating and accelerating the decay of undead tissues, dissolving the abominations. The substance is able to do a sustained attack, eating away for several minutes before denaturing, giving the affected creature something to worry about and hopefully distracting it from doing harm to potential victims(or leaving it vulnerable to other attackers).
Besides fighting zombies, ZombEX can be used to dispose of dead bodies, rendering them less susceptible to re-animation as Undead.
ZombEX comes in Mace-style dispenser cans or fire extinguisher-style canisters. It is also available for use in cyborg and vehicular chemical dispersal systems.
Range: The standard handheld spray can has a range of 30 ft. The mid-sized bottle can reach 50 ft. The larger canister has a range of 80 ft and can cover a 6 ft wide area.
Damage: Against living beings, the spray only does 1 SDC and raises rashes and blisters(since our outermost skin layer is mostly dead skin).
Against zombies and animated corpses, ZombEX does 1d6x10 SDC/MDC(depending on the tiisue type of Undead) with the initial blast, plus an additional 5d6 damage per melee for 1d4 minutes. Repeated applications do cumulative damage. It will also impair the zombies’ normal regenerative abilities, forcing them to take 2d4 times as long to regenerate damage.
Against Wild Vampires, ZombEX does 1d4x10 HP, and does 3d6 damage for 1d8 melees. It also hinders their regenerative abilities for 3d6 minutes.
It is less effective against Secondary Vampires, doing only 5d6 HP, and 2d6 damage for 1d6 melees, hindering regeneration for 2d6 minutes.
Against Master Vampires, ZombEX does only 4d6 HP, 1d6 damage for 1d6 melees, and hinders regeneration for 1d4 minutes.
ZombEX does NO damage to animated skeletons, golems, or other non-organic ‘undead’.
Unfortunately, as a side effect, the spray also does damage to leather products; leather goods take 1d6 SDC per melee for 1d4 melees.
Payload: Available in small 5-shot spray cans, 12-shot canisters, or 50-shot fire extinguisher-sized canisters.
Cost: 6,000 credits for the spray can, 9,000 credits for the mid-size(seltzer bottle) can, and 15,000 credits for the big canister, direct from PS outlets. PS hopes to bring the price down as much as 50% as they refine the production processes(and also to make it more available to valiant undead-fighters).

[ZINO]

Roland entry updated with picture: http://i408.photobucket.com/albums/pp164/taalismn/img220.jpg

N1!!!

[89er]

:D You've given me Mad Scientists!
And a Running Gag(The horrors and ever-so-tempting mad genuis of 'The Hoyt Files')!!
THank you from the bottom of my malformed twisted sociopathic heart!

You are more than welcome, sir.

Here is one Hoyt File I had to post:

"It seems one of the native's airships was blown off course and crashed landed on this island over here, and we have been asked to rescue them. Only problem is the island is surrounded by powerful whirlpools that can tear apart boats, and since this whole area is a no-fly zone by the locals, we will need an alternate transport."
"So how are we getting through the maelstroms?"
"By going over them."
"Ah, so we are using a hover sub?"
"More like a hopping submarine."

"Sure flying a tank seems absurd, but from that, a bounding submarine is naturally the next logical step."

Project Jump Shark is an attempt to create a jumping submarine, useful in emergency escapes from hostile sealife. Using a series of gravity projectors, the sub hops in nearly any direction using bursts of repulsion. With proper reinforcement, certain submarines can use the projectors.

[taalismn]

:D You've given me Mad Scientists!
And a Running Gag(The horrors and ever-so-tempting mad genuis of 'The Hoyt Files')!!
THank you from the bottom of my malformed twisted sociopathic heart!

You are more than welcome, sir.

Here is one Hoyt File I had to post:

"It seems one of the native's airships was blown off course and crashed landed on this island over here, and we have been asked to rescue them. Only problem is the island is surrounded by powerful whirlpools that can tear apart boats, and since this whole area is a no-fly zone by the locals, we will need an alternate transport."
"So how are we getting through the maelstroms?"
"By going over them."
"Ah, so we are using a hover sub?"
"More like a hopping submarine."

"Sure flying a tank seems absurd, but from that, a bounding submarine is naturally the next logical step."

Project Jump Shark is an attempt to create a jumping submarine, useful in emergency escapes from hostile sealife. Using a series of gravity projectors, the sub hops in nearly any direction using bursts of repulsion. With proper reinforcement, certain submarines can use the projectors.

Again, you anticipate me!
Actually, I do have a giant flying manta ray submarine in the works...designed visually by my brother many, many years ago, but I've updated it...just have to finish stating it out and updating the artwork...