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taalismn · Unread post by **taalismn** » Fri Jan 15, 2021 11:50 pm

Omegasgundam wrote:I would question why it has Plasma shells, but then I realized their for executions/backstabs. Very Azhur in that regard. The speed is frankly ridiculous for a tracked vehicle its size, at least if they were limited to 20th century technology. They're not.

It's a horizontal avalanche and a sign of bad things if the Arzhur maintain a sustainable learning curve.

Yep, Plasma...slush deuterium suddenly excited. Even if the Arz didn't think of it, the Men-Vikings probably would have suggested it. And yes, death by heat has all sorts of bad connotations in their culture. "Go die in fire' is akin to saying 'burn in hell' and being executed by heat is both physically agonizing and humiliating, like being burnt alive like garbage.

I'm about finished with some naval assets as well.

Omegasgundam · Unread post by **Omegasgundam** » Sat Jan 16, 2021 3:33 am

So. I have something else. Dare you enter my magical realm?

Office of Positive Outcomes Augmented Super-Magical Girl (Mega-Hero) RCC
Recently, the OPO has found that its RED KINE project has been increasingly hijacked by ‘Forces of Order’. A notable portion of their ‘Bambies’ have been selected for Mystic Bestowment during their augmentation process, becoming a Mega-Hero level Magical Girl. The logs from it give the OPO a good idea about the overall process and criteria, and augmentation experts that have observed it find the design and technique to be ‘transcendent’. The hijack process also includes hacking the facility stores to provide more exotic materials for other Major Powers, and several new abilities have been discovered for the GNE’s own use. Analysis of the TW Uniforms that manifest along with them have also led to a number of breakthroughs. Current speculation is that either said Forces are outsourcing the selection process to the OPO, their criteria is close enough to be in sync, or somebody has enough influence in the OPO to shift their decision making enough to make either of the above happen. While naturally paranoia inducing, it's no more so than RED KINE is for local authorities.

After their transformation, OPOA Magical Girls prove to take spectacularly well to the OPO’s training program, and are perhaps suspiciously trusting of the OPO in general. OPOA Magical Girls are enthusiastic about being thrown at the worst supernatural horrors available, and are completely and utterly unphased by all but the most extreme atrocities they are sent to deal with. Nearly all of them are happy to abandon their civilian life and often identity once they reach the age of maturity, becoming full time soldiers for the forces of order. While their minds could possibly be put to use as scientists developing the next generation of equipment, the USA as a whole has no shortage of Bio-Modded Natural Geniuses with actual inclinations in that direction to handle it, and finds itself in far too many situations where a precision sledgehammer wielded with supernatural strength is the best solution. Considering how much of a mess the local Megaverse is, there won’t be any shortage for work any time this millennium, and if they don’t screw up then they’ll be able to see it as well.

Spoiler:

(Author’s Note: You may be looking at this and be going ‘That looks a lot like an Immortal Godling Mega-Hero with the ‘Powers Grow with Age and Experience’ power set’, and well, yah. These girls are about as balanced as a Cosmo-Knight in an otherwise purely mortal campaign, and aren’t really meant to deal with ‘minor’ threats after they’ve gotten their training wheels off around Level 4. One of the common tropes for the Magical Girl genre is that the baddies in seasons 2 or 3 can slap around the big bad of season 1 without much effort, so escalation is the default state of affairs. Think of it as starting up against Main Book Northern Gun and then jumping straight to fighting CWC Coalition that doesn't skimp out on the RPA, and then you get into all the eldritch horror nonsense that in Rifts terms would need an absolutely impractical amount of resources for mortals to deal with, if they can at all. Siembieda’s vision of roleplaying is a far more linear growth in comparison, and while that’s understandable, he’s also in denial over who just actually PLAYS Rifts so I feel free to completely disregard his opinion. I’m into Palladium for the munchkin opportunities, so balance is for groups that agree to all use characters of the same power level and with a GM that throws appropriate challenges at them.)

OPOA Magical Girl Character Creation
The OPOA pattern of Magical Girl is far more uniform than the various branches of mystically empowered figures that are lumped together under the title, but this does not make them less versatile or capable. The variable parts of their portfolio are the same size (in volume) as a normal Magical Girl’s entire power set, and the fixed parts are all but completely universal in their constant utility. The class combines the Mystic Bestowment, Enchanted Weapon, Special Training, and Super Invention categories and blends them with a near Mega-Hero enhancement, making them true juggernauts on the battlefield. Add in that they are also walking the path towards becoming an Immortal Godling, and you can see why much is expected of them.

OPOA Magical Girl RCC Requirements: Must be a human female teenager with a good or unprincipled alignment. The spiritual requirements are considered to be met by taking the class, and the physical requirements are made irrelevant with the transformation. (Replace ‘human’ and ‘teenager’ with other species and equivalent biological age if relevant)

OPOA Magical Girl RCC Attributes: Roll a normal human teenager and set them aside unless their pre-hero civilian identity is relevant. Then, screw rolling and make them all 30 because this is a Mega-Hero Munchkin, with an appearance that is (and will remain) just barely within the upper limits of what is attractive for human biology given her level of physical maturity. There are governors to throttle the attributes back if desired for social and civilian purposes, including a specialist disguise power to keep them looking as they were when in ‘civilian’ mode. (If a different species, change the stats to their theoretical maximums)

OPOA Magical Girl RCC Powers: As a form of Mega-Hero, Augmented Magical Girls are several cuts above. Beyond simply having more powers, they also maximize any random gains that are due to powers, skills, and level ups. This is thought to more than compensate for the lack of additional durability, healing, range, and ‘Mega-Powers’ that ‘normal’ Mega-Heros get.

Spoiler:

Constant Powers:

(Difference is that they always have HtH Commando)

(Upgrades to Minor Power (Lightning Reflexes) at level 4)

(Upgrades to Minor Power (Iron Will) at level 4)

(Upgrades to Healing Factor at level 4, Divine Healing at level 8, and Super Regeneration at level 12)

(Upgrades to Major Power (Immortality) at level 15)

Transformed Super Powers:

Universal Package:

Speed Brute Package:

Flying Blaster Package:

Alter Physical Structure Package:

Force Control Package:

Support Package:

Spy Package:

Achilles Heel (‘Magical Girl Problems’): Generally speaking, they have at least two major distractions from their duties. Examples are listed below (but are half developed).

Spoiler:

OPOA Magical Girl RCC Special Bonuses

Spoiler:

OPOA Magical Girl RCC Skills: As the character is a Highschool Student (+5% to skills), their options are limited, but the OPO is here to assist, which among other wings makes all Espionage, Military, Physical, Rouge, and W.P. skills available as Secondary options. The character takes the OPO Fast Track Program below and 5 Secondaries. Maximize any stat gains due to skills.

Spoiler:

Personal Equipment: TW Magical Girl Uniform, School Uniform made from armor fabric, Weapon and 5 cases of special/gimmick ammo for each WP (if any), 5 concealable TW items, whatever field medical instruments they are trained to use, high end comlink disguised as a trendy Smartphone or equivalent, a nice bicycle or equivalent, and a nice motor vehicle if they are trained in how to use them.

Base/Home Storage: Enough food to eat to their heart’s content, a ‘typical’ amount of mundane clothing appropriate for their social status, an equally typical amount of collectible merchandise from whatever form of entertainment they are into, whatever school supplies are considered useful, and an all expenses paid scholarship in a United System Alliance University.

Wealth: Those living with their parents generally only have their allowance or whatever part time job they can get, but the OPO will provide a cover occupation if desired. Those that become part of the OPO receive a typical salary for their position.

Available on Assignment: If they can give a good reason, the OPO will pay for any mundane service, and will handle post-battle clean up and intelligence gathering. Mystic healing (such as limb replacement) is automatically provided, as well as therapy should it be necessary.

New Superpowers

Spoiler:

Double Major Power (Apex Attributes): Costs 2 Major Powers, and counts as taking Extraordinary Intelligence, Mental Affinity, Mental Endurance, Physical Strength, Physical Prowess, Physical Endurance, Physical Beauty, and Physical Perfection.

Attributes:

Other Bonuses:

Attribute 30 Bonuses:

MA 31+ Bonuses:

PB 31+ Bonuses:

Major Power (Apex Tallents): Requires Apex Attributes. It includes the parts that were left out of its prerequisite, and adds some logical additions. It's still around 9 Minor powers for the cost of 3 Major, which is a good value.

Combat Bonuses:

Save Bonuses:

Skill Bonuses:

Other Bonuses:

Education Bonuses:

TW Magical Girl Uniform
Arguably a bizarre form of Holy Weapon, they are created by a power to serve as the focus for an OPOA Magical Girl’s external powers. A careful inspection reveals that it is actually a projection from a centerpiece linked to the wearer’s soul, making it weightless and morphic, growing in power and durability over time and changing to suit the wearer’s taste and desires. The ‘guts’ of the contraption are stored in a divinely secure Dimensional Pocket, making direct access to it impossible unless given permission. It is the equivalent to 9+ Minor Powers, but due to it being produced by divine servants the overall investment cost is non-existent.

Spoiler:

taalismn · Unread post by **taalismn** » Sat Jan 16, 2021 1:53 pm

Let it not be said that Greater New England didn't have heroes for just about any situation...and if they did have a gap, they have the means to quickly fill that gap.

And, of course, it makes for some really cool mash-ups....What can be wilder that a heavy AI hovertank thundering into combat, escorted by advancing power armor, directed by flying squirrel scouts with laser pointers, carrying swamp-moss warriors and magical girls, overwatched by flying wizards in souped-up WW2 bombers, and having orbital artillery on standby?*

*Fort Ticonderoga Military Academy Class of 112 yearbook photo.

taalismn · Unread post by **taalismn** » Sun Jan 17, 2021 8:22 pm

More Northern War adversary stuff....

Neo-Viking Long-Carrier

“Glory, Gold, or Valhalla be Our Fate! Whether We Live Long, Fat, and Drunk on Plunder, or Gone Early to Join Our Gods in Gory Splendor to Face the Enemy at Ragnarok, Nothing Mortal Bows Our Heads or Steals Our Courage From Us! Let the weaklings who claim descent from the Huns come after Us with their war toys and their strutting declarations of being ‘the defenders of Mankind’...We’ll Show Them True Men when We Father the Next Generation on their women, on their own bedding, to the sound of their dying breath, as their cities burn around them!!”
----Radio signal intercepted by NGR listening outpost moments before a massive NeoViking raid on Spitzbergen.

Unlike the ancient Vikings with their longboats who would foray direct from their coastal redoubts on raids, the Neo-Vikings seem to favor a more modern approach, operating from large vessels that seem patterned after old aircraft carrier or amphibious warfare ship designs. Though smaller and less sophisticated than the cutting edge warships of Triax and the NGR, these craft compensate with heavy magical augmentation, much to the frustration of NGRN commanders who have tried to capture or destroy them.
The Neo-Viking Long Carrier is roughly the same size and general design as an early pre-Rifts Escort Carrier, but seems to be optimized for the Neo-Vikings’ area of operations and their methods of attack. The Long Carriers support both surface combat vessels and aircraft, allowing for combined air-sea attacks and long range aerial recon missions.
The hull is substantially well-armored, and seems to be also reinforced against ice damage. Besides the topside flight deck for operating flights of attack and aerial insertion craft, the Long-Carrier also has provision to take alongside several of the Neo-Vikings’ swift, light, short-range longboat attack skimmers, hoisting them out the water and hanging them from divots like lifeboats.
Though their complements of small craft are their primary weapon, the Long-Carriers are capable warcraft in their own right, being well-armed for both offense and defense, with a variety of mystic and technological weaponry.
These mothercraft can remain at large, dispersed over the vastness of the North Seas, frustrating NGR efforts to catch the NeoVikings in their home lairs. Typically, only solitary Long-Carriers have been sighted engaged in raids or observed on the open water, but the Spitzbergen raid saw at least five Long-Carriers converging prior to the attack, then split up once the sea-rievers had finished their business ashore.
The main deficiency of the warship is a lack of integral ant-submarine defenses; the Long-Carrier is dependent on ASW aircraft and subhunter-equipped Longboat Skimmers to defend it from submarines. The New German Navy has managed to sink one and damage several Long-Carriers with coastal patrol submarines striking from ambush, apparently prompting the NeoVikings to rush their own submarines into service.

Type: Neo-Viking Long-Carrier
Class: Maritime Raider Mothership(carrier)
Crew: 890+ up to 500 troops
MDC/Armor by Location:
Main Body 10,000
Flight Deck 2,000
Conning Tower/Bridge 960
Deck Elevators(2) 800 each
5 inch Gun Turrets(2) 250 each
Quad 40-mm Guns(4) 200 each
20-mm Guns(20) 150 each
Ion Turrets(20) 200 each
Short Range Missile Launchers(2) 150 each
Height: 24 ft draft
Width/Beam: 70 ft
Length: 500 ft
Weight: 15,500 tons
Cargo: 5,000 tons
Powerplant: Presumed to be Nuclear Fusion w/ 30 year energy life
Speed: 34 kts
Market Cost: Exclusive to the NeoVikings; none have been offered on the open market.
Systems of Note:
Standard Ship Systems, plus:

*Ice Transit----Somehow, by some mystical means, the Long-Carriers can move without hinderance even through pack-ice that would give other vessels pause.

*Stealth Jamming---Whether it’s some sort of technological or magical jamming measures, Long-Carriers are difficult to acquire and track on radar; -25% to Read Sesnory Instrument rolls to detect them.

Weapons Systems:
1)5 inch guns(2x2)---The Long-Carrier mounts two double-barreled gun turrets used for both anti-ship and surface bombardment.
Range:17,575 yards* in a surface role, 37,200 feet in anti-aircraft mode
(*Note: It would take over a minute for shot to hit the target at maximum range...est. 68 seconds)
Damage:
(Fragmentation) 6d6 MD to a 35 ft radius
(High Explosive-Armor-Piercing) 1d6x10 MD to 12 ft blast radius
(Plasma)2d4x10 MD to a 30 ft blast radius
(Flare) Burns for 1d4 minutes, illuminating a 2,000 ft area
(Chaff Round)Spreads radar-disrupting chaff similar to Triax-type chaff
Rate of Fire: 4 rds per melee
Payload: 200 rounds per gun, ready magazine

2) Quad 40-mm Guns(4x4)---Four-barrel rapid-fire autocannons.
Range: 2.6 miles
Damage:(Proximity Fuzed Fragmentation) 3d6 MD to 15 ft blast radius
(Armor Piercing Tracer) 5d6 MD single shot
(High Explosive Tracer) 4d6 MD to 10 ft blast radius
This is per single barrel.....a quad-burst of four APT shots from all four guns on a mount would do 2d6x10 MD to the target, and would count as one shot/action for the gunner.
Rate of Fire: EGCHH
Payload: 400 rounds per gun, ready magazine

3) 20-mm Guns(1x20)---These are individually manned point defense gun mounts
Range:7,000 ft
Damage:(20mm) 1d4 MD per shell
4d6 MD per 5 rd burst
1d4x10+4 MD per 10 rd burst
Rate of Fire: Standard
Payload: 500 rounds per gun, ready magazine

4) Ion Turrets(1x20)---These are individually manned point defense ion cannon mounts
Range: 7,000 ft
Damage: 1d4x10 MD per blast
Rate of Fire: EGCHH
Payload: Effectively Unlimited

5) Short Range Missile Launchers(2)---Primarily used for air defence
Range: Varies by Missile Type
Damage:Varies by Missile Type
Rate of Fire: Volleys of 1-8 missiles
Payload: 64 SRMs

6) Countermeasure Launchers(3)----Decktop mortars firing flare and chaff, to decoy anti-ship missiles.
Range: The Mortars can toss decoy bundles 1.25 miles, and to an altitude of 3,000 ft
Damage: None. Effects are similar to Triax-style chaff
01-50 Enemy Missile or volley detonates in chaff and threat is neutralized
51-75 Missile/Volley diverts and may pursue/lock on to other targets
76-00 No Effect! Missile(s) still on target!
(Flare/Chaff)Will also temporarily blind and impede flying monsters who fly into it.
Reduce APMs/combat bonuses/ speed by half for 1d4 melees
Payload: Flare/Chaff launchers typically have 10 shells each.

Auxiliary Craft:
28 aircraft(or 124 winged beasts/steeds like griffins or dragondactyls)
8 Longboat Skimmers

Neo-Viking ‘SeaDrakon’ Attack Submarine
<“NGR ‘battleship’ bearing fifteen degrees starboard, making twenty knots across our bow,...and showing no signs they’re aware we’re here. Release the kraken.”>

Once they got over the initial shock of the NeoVikings’ attacks, the New German Republic managed to score a few hits in return with their growing Navy, especially using submarines against the NeoVikings’ capital vessels. The raiders, apparently unaccustomed to this style of warfare, at first were wide open to attacks from below, as their vessels lacked ASW weaponry.
However, fairly quickly, they managed to acquire ASW weaponry, either through pillage or trade with other powers. The NeoVikings were also quick to acquire submarines of their own, bankrolled by their backers, though the source of these vessels remains unknown(some say the NeoVikings kidnapped Triax engineers from Poland during the recent time of troubles there, others claim the sea raiders recruited aquatic d-bees with the expertise to help them).
The ‘SeaDrakon’ is analogous to the small submarines that typified the pre-Rifts Northern European navies, and it’s possible that the NeoVikings scavenged samples from abandoned Norwegian naval bases. The designs have been updated with more modern materials and weaponry.
SeaDrakons’ primary role seems to be ASW, countering and hunting the NGR’s own hunter submarines in turn, but the type may have some limited surface attack capabilities as well, using their torpedo tubes to launch missiles, though their ordnance throw-weight is far less than that of a larger warship. Triax navak intelligence is also worried that the Neo-Vikings may use variants on this design, or use existing torpedo tubes, to deploy naval mines in important waterways.
According to intelligence developed from Warlord Seriyev’s infiltration network, among the Neo-Vikings assignment to a SeaDrakon is not popular, as the duty lacks opportunity for glory and loot, and the more superstitious feel that, travelling under the waves, they are less under the sea-god Njord’s protection. However, those who do stick with submarine service tend to be a cunning, hard-nerved lot with a love of being aquatic huntsmen, matching their wits and skills with their NGR, and occasionally other navies;, counterparts.

Type: NVSSN01 SeaDrakon
Class: Small Attack Submarine
Crew: 16
MDC/Armor by Location:
Main Body 600
Reinforced Crew Compartment/Pressure Hull 200
Heavy Torpedo Tubes(4) 60 each
Mini-Torpedo Launcher Banks(2) 55 each
Laser Turrets(2) 60 each
Height: 18 ft
Width: 17 ft
Length: 160 ft
Weight: 1,000 tons
Cargo: 10 tons
Powerplant: Cold Fusion Nuclear
Speed: 16 kts surfaced, 34 kts submerged, maximum depth of ft.
Market Cost: Unknown; if an example were to be made available to the Black Market, it could fetch 300 million or more credits
Systems of Note:
Equivalent to Robot Systems, plus:
*Sonar--- 80 mile range

*Stealth---Use of a waterjet system, in combination with a hull covering of anechoic material ( ‘synthetic blubber’) reduces the submarine’s sonar signature, making it harder to detect and track; -40% to Read Sensory Instruments using sonar. Doing more than 200 MD worth of damage the hull shreds the anechoic material and its effectiveness.

*Degaussing System---This system periodically demagnetizes the ship’s hull, preventing it from registering on the EM sensors of magnetic mines, and imposing a -15% to Read Sensory Instrument rolls using magnetic anomaly detection (MAD) gear.
Not effective against suction- or molecular-adhesion limpet mines or boring attachments.

Weapons Systems:
1) Heavy Torpedo Tubes(4)---Bow-mount heavy torpedo tubes. The SeaDrakon carries four loaded into the tubes, plus four reloads. Besides firing regular high explosive-tipped torpedoes, the SeaDrakon also premiered a fearsome new weapon, the Kraken Torpedo. Fortunately, the demonic attack torpedo as yet seems to be in limited supply, as it has been seen used in only a few actions.
Range: 20 miles
Damage: 4d6x10 MD
Special Munition:
*‘Kraken’ Torpedoes---Kraken Torpedoes are magically living ordnance that seems inspired by the ‘bottled demon’ missiles of the Three Galaxies’ United Worlds of Warlock. These waterjet-propelled projectiles track and pursue targets like the monstrous predators they are, then slam their hardshelled armor-piercing bodies into a ship’s hull. Then, the horrid things sprout tentacles and proceed to tear and entangle the target, doing even more damage, before the magic keeping them on this plane of existance breaks down and they seemingly evaporate. The real danger is that few water vehicles have the means of dislodging the living weapons once they’ve attached themselves under the waterline or to the hull; somebody usually has to go overborad/into the water to attack the monstrous munition.
Kraken Torpedoes have 80 MDC each, move at MPH/65 kts, have a 15 mile range, are +2 to strike and have two attacks (so if they miss the first time, they can come around for a second run). Their initial ramming strike does 2d6x10 MD, but they then continue to do 6d6 MD per melee tentacle punch/crush damage, for 2d4 melees. Electrical/ion attacks do DOUBLE damage to Kraken Torps.
Kraken Torpedoes count as Heavy Torpedoes for purposes of launch mechanisms and stowage.

Rate of Fire: Salvoes of 1-4 per melee(takes one minute to reload a tube)
Payload: 8

2) Lateral Mini-Torpedo Tubes(2x6)---Mounted on the sides and running through the ballast tanks are two banks of mini-torpedo tubes, used for dealing with incoming torpedoes and smaller targets such as aquatic cybrgs, swimmers, and mini-subs. Each bank can fire salvoes of 1-6 mini-torps each, and feed from sealed magazines holding 24 reloads each bank.
Range: 1 mile
Damage: 1d6x10 MD
Rate of Fire: Salvoes of 1-6 per melee
Payload: 24 per bank

3) Lasers(2)---Mounted on the ‘sail’ are two blue-green laser turrets
Range: 4,000 ft underwater, 6,000 ft in air
Damage: 1d6x10 MD per blast
Rate of Fire: EGCHH
Payload: Effectively Unlimited

4) Countermeasure Launcher---A small airlock in the back can be used to release decoy countermeasures. These are typically noise-makers or canisters of chemicals that react to water by exploding into hissing, foaming, activity.
*Sonic Scramblers(“Screamers”)----Screamers are specialized one-use munitions that when fired, broadcast a massive burst of noise across all audio/sonic frequencies, with the intended effect of destroying acoustic target(sonar) locks, and allowing the sub to escape opponents using sonar to detect or track them. -60% to track the sub via sonar while the Screamer is in effect, while sonar-guided weapons are -10 to strike. plus accoustic-homing weapons will break target lock to attack the decoy.
Screamers also have the effect of stunning dolphins, whales, and other creatures using natural sonar and echo location. These creatures are disoriented/stunned for 1d4 melees.
A typical screamer will last 1d4 melees until it burns out or is destroyed.
Screamers can also be fused to ignite/activate anywhen up to a minute(4 melees) after deployment.
Note: Screamers will affect the user’s own sonar systems.
Range: 6,000 ft
Payload: 18 canisters

5) ’Fizz’ Sonar Defense----This is a modified chemical sprayer system that allows the ballast system to used to flush foaming chemical compounds out into the water surrounding the submarine. This has a multifold purpose; though it clearly shows up on sonar due to the alka-seltzer-like noise, the persistant cloud of bubbles makes it much more difficult for sonar to get an exact lock on the submarine behind the bubbles. Furthermore, many sea creatures are hesitant to cross the cloud of bubbles.
In game terms, the ‘fizz’ lasts 1d6 melees, is roughly 100 ft wide by 300 ft long(the ‘cloud’ foaming as the sub moves along) and during that, sonar-guided weapons(and attackers) are -2 to lock onto the submarine. Creatures caught in the bubbles are -5 to strike, dodge, and parry due to the distraction.
Payload: Typically carries 12 canisters of the foaming agent.
Note: Some operators use the chemical flush system to introduce other chemical agents into the water, such as toxins.

taalismn · Unread post by **taalismn** » Sun Jan 17, 2021 8:24 pm

Time to get stupid again....

PS/ASI Heavy Barrel TK Machine Gun(TW-HBTKMG)
“Okay, the TK machine gun just became a viable antiaircraft weapon with the new barreling. The Browning crowd can no longer crow about the range advantage of their old fifty-cals like they have been.”

“The really frightening thing is what this does on a leyline and the boost effect on top of that. Makes gun turret duty on a leyline flier a lot more attractive if you can be zapping targets nearly three miles out!”

“Hell’s bells! With these things we can sweep the valley approaches before they even know we’re here, and well out of their return fire! Good thing we mapped out fields of fire and got eagle-eye vision enhancers, yes?”

This is simply a Heavy TK machine gun fitted with a range-boosting barrel extension/TW booster holding a set of aligned crystals and ecto-glass lenses inside its length that DOUBLES the effective range of shots. This means the usual Heavy TKMG range of 4,000 ft is now 8,000 ft, though penalties for accuracy beyond 3,000 ft still apply. The barrel extension is slightly more expensive than the standard carbine conversion kit because of its more rugged construction. Cost: +80,000 credits.

Omegasgundam · Unread post by **Omegasgundam** » Sun Jan 17, 2021 9:36 pm

Both the NV ships are logical, and we haven't gotten into the big icebergs yet.

The TK augment makes perfect sense if your willing and able to pay the energy costs, and makes attacking Azhur bases much more problematic. It also buys them time to get a few more volleys off at incoming ordinance, which can have an effect.

Omegasgundam · Sun Jan 17, 2021 10:13 pm

So here's more on the Tribes and what they're doing during the Minion War. It involves Cyber-Knights.

Expanded Gene-Pool PPE Use
One of the discovered capabilities of Gene-Pools in high PPE environments is ‘optimizing’ biological constructs after their creation. For each additional level of experience, one aspect may be maximized (or minimized) as if it rolled the best possible amount during construction. For examples, a Great Armor’s base Main Body durability (before levels and Bio-E purchases) can be increased to 400 (4D8x10+80), the weight can be reduced to 300 lbs (1D4x100+200), or the speed gains may be brought to their theoretical maximum (1D6x10 MPH per level of experience up to 300 MPH). The item in question must have been constantly used by a Psionic during this time, and the Gene-Pool time depending on the item in question. Living Armors take 12 hours, while a suit of Great Armor takes 3 days, and it may not be sped up by additional PPE expenditure.

Typical Great Armor Setup
As of the Minion War, the following is by far the most common developmental path for Cambridge Tribe’s Great Armors. Early ranged offensive capabilities are provided by hand held weapons, with the Greater Light Cell Rifle (1D6x10 per burst out to 4000 ft and up to 7 times per melee round) being explicitly developed for them. Particularly skilled pilots can combine dual Mega-augmented GLCRs (2D6x10 each) with dual wrist mounted Heavy Psi-Bolt Projectors (2D6x10+ME each) in the same attack volley, resulting in a truly stunning damage output.

Spoiler:

Genome and Chivalry: The Cambridge Jungle During the Minion War
The contributions of the Cambridge Jungle Tribes can be split into two categories, expertise and direct assistance. While their home territory is on the North American East Coast, the region was considered reasonably under control, with the GNE being able to fend off the Infernals from the Canadian North West and Dinosaur Swamp. This primary involvement would be in the form of expanded Bio-Mod distribution, accelerating development and deployment to record levels. The Tribes would take a strangely more direct role on the West Coast, becoming tangled with the forces of the Cyber-Knights for reasons that are still unclear. The results would be pronounced.

The majority of the Tribes’ Gene-Pools would be committed to supporting the overall efforts against the Infernals in Calgary and New Mexico, with most of the Dreadguard being deployed alongside the Cyber Knights as a form of Power Armor support. Large numbers of Dragon Scale Living Armors would be distributed to Lord Coake’s forces, and several hundred suits of Great Armor would be handed out to the Cyber-Knights that were proficient in Power Armor usage. Additionally, First Librarian Gould would attach himself to the overall effort, and would be responsible for a number of developments to assist the forces of order. As a sign of things to come, at least one of the latest batch of Gene-Pool Engineers has established itself at Coake’s HQ Monastery, indicating that the relationship will continue into the foreseeable future.

It is believed that one of the primary reasons that Gould took part in the effort was to be able to pick the brain of the Chiang-Ku Dragon Azure Sky, who had returned to the Rifts Earth three months into the conflict and announced his intention to stay for ‘a prolonged period of time’. As Azury Sky was the one that developed the Cyber-Knights brand of chi-hybrid mysticism, he was the best suited to push it further, particularly once they were joined by a number of Elder Psi-Warriors of Psyscape. Together they would develop a process to empower ‘proven souls’ of Champions of Light, resulting in a number of exotic Super Power imbuing procedures that were unlike anything the GNE had worked with before. Gould is said to be having the time of his life, pushing his fields of expertise in directions he had never contemplated before. Azure Sky may have taught him the basics of Tattoo Magic as well, and is offering his services to veteran members of the Cyber-Knight Order.

Cyber-Knight Tattoo Magic
Azure Sky is willing to grant up to six Magic Tattoos to Champions of Light, with the first being offered at level 4 and every two levels thereafter. Due to the relative effectiveness and usability concerns, he only grants Power Tattoos that have an activation cost of 25 PPE or less (listed below, see DB: 15 and Rifters #52, #61, and #68 for more details on Tattoos). Those with the PPE to use more powerful Tattoos need to look elsewhere, but this is not as difficult as it was prior to the Minion War.

Spoiler:

Cyber-Knight Living Armor
The two primary forms of Living Armor offered are Heavy Hide and Dragon Scale, both of which are considered exceptionally protective. Both come with following modifications, totaling 65 Bio-E; Ectofibre Insulation Mesh (0), Resistance to Electricity (10), Resistance to Heat (5), Resistance to Kinetic Energy (20), Resistance to Lasers (15), and Resistance to Physical Attacks (15). A number of less experienced Cyber-Knights (levels 1-4) have volunteered to ‘train up’ sub-optimal suits of Dragon Scale Armor (sub-200 MDC on the Main Body) for the more experienced members who have a more difficult time growing (levels 10+). See the Cambridge Tribes Living Armor for more details.

‘Reborn’ Cyber-Knight
‘A failing body is not a sign of a failing soul.’

It is rare that a Cyber-Knight lives long enough for their body to suffer the ravages of time, but there are enough of these aged champions that it was thought worth the effort of granting them a second chance at protecting the people. In early 111 PA, Azure Sky and Gould would work together to develop a process to give these elder warrior’s new bodies, with a number of Psyscape Elders adding their contribution in the form of spiritual refinement. While the resulting transformation is considered rather extreme in execution, its effects are undeniable, and most of the various ‘Hermits’ have made the leap. These legends returning to the field raised morale of the beleaguered mortal forces notably, and they proved key to several critical battles.

To start with, the veteran’s mind and PPE are held in a meditative stasis as the body is dissolved in a Gene-Pool and rebuilt from scratch, similar to how the Cambridge Tribes’ Engineers reconstruct their bodies after the hatching of their symbiote. While this is happening, the verteran undergoes a difficult to explain dream trance where they confront their personal demons and work their way towards something that can be considered ‘Enlightenment’. The process takes around a month (21 +3D6 days), and grants them a Dream Vision if they currently do not have one. Some time is needed to adjust to the new body and powers, but the fundamental attunement between the mind, body, and soul reduces it to only a week. Afterwards, they are immediately sent into the fray of one the various hotspots in North America.

The Cyber Armor is ‘lost’ during the process, but the material coalesses in the gene-pool to help form the skeleton of the new body. The psionic link between it and the character’s soul makes it immune to any and all attempts to use it against them, with even the Nanobot Plague of Splicers being nullified. The process somehow imbues them with the instinctive knowledge of how to properly utilize all forms of Gene-Pool created equipment (and there are several theories as to why), resulting in them being granted a suit of Great Armor. While only starting with the base amount of Bio-E (160), the reborn Cyber-Knight can ‘catch up’ by one level (40 Bio-E) for every three months of constant use (up to their actual level of experience). Particularly strenuous use, such as constant frontline combat against the Infernal armies, can reduce this to a month and a half.

Naturally, the first Cyber-Knight to undergo the process was Grandmaster Segeya Kross, who had been suffering from an increasing number of age related medical crises by late 111 PA. Lord Coake then assigned him the task of heading up efforts on the Calgary front, where he would prove that his reputation was entirely deserved by slaying Hell Lord Doom in single combat when the combined mortal forces stormed the city in mid 112 PA, followed by Overlord Necroskull (who was honestly more of chore than a challenge) a day later. He currently leads the Cyber-Knights contribution to the anti-vampire crusade being undertaken as of 114 PA, and has been involved in the expulsion of no less than three Vampire Intelligences so far. The Yucatan promises to be his greatest challenge yet, but with almost a quarter million Coalition Juicers looking for a worthy death and the logistical support of the GNE he has the forces to do it. He has named his Great Armor Aldrin, after his last horse before his retirement in the early 70s.

Requirements: Must be a mortal (SDC) Cyber-Knight past the nominal point of ‘old age’ (~50 for humans), have completed at least one Dream Vision, and be nominated by a Cyber-Knight more senior then they.

Powers/Abilities

Spoiler:

Total Bonuses

Spoiler:

taalismn · Unread post by **taalismn** » Mon Jan 18, 2021 3:02 am

Omegasgundam wrote:Both the NV ships are logical, and we haven't gotten into the big icebergs yet.

The TK augment makes perfect sense if your willing and able to pay the energy costs, and makes attacking Azhur bases much more problematic. It also buys them time to get a few more volleys off at incoming ordinance, which can have an effect.

Ah, the TK booster is actually a Paladin Steel device, and makes defending AGAINST Arzhur attacks easier...If you have a clear line of sight on a kill zone, like a mountain pass, and either high-powered scopes or remote sensors to zero in your shots...or you just blaze away at a patch of ground eight thousand feet away....
I'll add the PS designator to the Heavy Barrel TKMGs...

Omegasgundam · Unread post by **Omegasgundam** » Mon Jan 18, 2021 5:25 am

And here's a bit more on Cambridge Tribe technology. After this, I'm working on higher powered Cyber-Knights to keep up with all the post-Minion War stuff.

Gene-Cauldrons
Even with the sheer output of their Gene-Pools, they fall short of filling every need of the Cambridge Tribes. Additionally, the increasingly less isolationist stance of the Tribes has resulted in more of the Pool’s capacities being used to fill military demands, leaving less for domestic and export needs. Fortunately, the Tribes have long had an answer to this in the form of the Gene-Cauldron, a lesser form of Gene-Pool used by Gene-Druids in place of conventional biological manipulation equipment. In the hands of a Tribal Elder (10th+ level) or Saint, it can serve as a true Bio-Wizard Vat, but even less skilled members can use it to create less complicated organic items, easily superior to even the super-science creations of Heroes Unlimited.

As even the minds of the Tribal Elders are insufficient to store all of the needed information to craft organic equipment, Gene-Cauldrons are automatically equipped with connections to the neuro-matrixes that the Tribe uses in place of computers. How capable the Cauldron is is based on the intelligence, will power, and experience of the Gene-Druid using it, with the psionic interface bridging most of the normal control problems. Even the best Druid takes twice the focus hours and gestation time of a Gene-Pool Engineer, but this is head and shoulders above essentially everyone else short of the Gene-Splicers and Gene-Techs, so this is not thought to be a major issue. Like the Engineers, the cumulative focus time does not need to be done in one sitting, with the mortal Gene-Druids taking frequent breaks to gather their wits. The normal effective limit for what can be created is up to around 250 lbs, and more complex items have a much high effective 'weight'. Like full Gene-Pools, PPE can be used to cut the required gestation time in half, which is why most of them are located at Ley Lines and Nexus Points.

But a more common use for Gene-Cauldrons is genetic manipulation; twisting and augmenting a pre-existing object into something else. Gene-Druids are capable of performing Splicers style biological augmentations, with the complexity limit of each change being twice their level of experience in Bio-E, and multiple changes can be chained together sequentially. Just as frequent is warping natural animals into the Tribe’s various forms of guardian, which is likely the reason for the psychic imprint for the Jungle is so disturbing to nature spirits. Additionally, they can perform any of Paladin Steel’s Bio-Mods thanks to nearly all of them having their roots in the knowledge that the Cambridge Tribes shared with the company.

The overall size of the Gene-Cauldron is based on age, with the usable interior space starting at 40 inches in diameter and growing an additional inch every year. The overall depth is about 90% of the diameter, meaning that it takes decades for a Gene-Cauldron to be large enough to house a human being without some careful limb positioning. The oldest Gene-Cauldrons (dating back to the first decade of the PA calendar) are actually larger than Gene-Pools and can hold multiple horses to be converted, but it is far more common that smaller colts be used. So far none of those on Rifts Earth have shown any negative signs of age, and it is entirely possible that they are effectively immortal in the high PPE environment. Gene Cauldrons can hold multiple items being gestated, but only one item can be the subject of work at a time.

As said before, Gene-Cauldrons are not full Gene-Pools. This means that they cannot produce Saint Symbiotes, although there have been a number of attempts. They can however produce new Gene-Cauldrons, although the process takes weeks (1D4+3) of focus. Completing this task is one of the last trials of becoming a full Gene-Druid, resulting in each practitioner of the art having their own to work with. As should come as no surprise, Saints and Librarians have a natural affinity with the devices, and can conduct Bio-E augments of up to 45 points. Each of the Tribe’s Librarians has a number of Gene-Cauldrons for their experiments, and they find it more effective to try out partial genetic strands in them rather than due it purely in their massive brain.

Spoiler:

Gene-Horse
Similar to the Great House Mega-Horse, the Cambridge Tribes have created a more capable form of man’s favorite beast of burden. Beyond using supernatural strands to improve performance, the mount is now mildly psionic, allowing psionic riders to more easily command it into battle. Additionally, the Gene-Horse are furnished with a specially created form of Living Armor Barding, which greatly increases their survivability on the battlefield. They have proven to have a working understanding of combat, and focus on not sitting still and avoiding being hit, leaving it to their rider to do all the attacking. The primary users of Gene-Horses are the Cyber-Knights, with mounts being distributed to them via the Paladin Steel’s logistics system. Despite falling short of the Russian Megahorse, it has become a smash hit among the more civilized War Camps and Crosaks, being far more available and actually tameable.

Their relationship with Psi-Ponies and Megahorses are ‘interesting’, with the more intelligent and psionically powerful beings instinctively bossing them around despite the far lesser physical capabilities of the former. According to the First Librarian Gould, Gene-Horses are biologically compatible with Psi-Ponies, but there are no recorded crossbreeds thus far. Megahorses consider them to be better than the usual dumb animal, and often try to train them to be more effective, which produces results more often than not. The various added traits have been proven to breed true between two Gene-Horses, so the conversion bottleneck should be less of a problem in future decades as herds are established.

Spoiler:

taalismn · Unread post by **taalismn** » Mon Jan 18, 2021 11:24 pm

((“Any progress?”))
The Voice that boomed out from the Vox-runes over the occupants of this particular room in Splynn demanded answers.
The beings assigned to assess the future prospects of renewed action on the North American continent and in particular against the nascent and increasingly annoying kingdoms raising there, looked up at their master’s voice.
“The portents still show victory, Fearsome One-“
((“Excellent.”)) Splynncrythh had few doubts about a return to the profitable raiding along the land mass to the west of his island-continent estate, and that the unfair terms foisted on him by those detestable ZOT could be circumvented and ultimately overturned.
“-but it remains clouded and costly. The land and sea run thick with the shed blood and flesh of our legions. Our armies will prevail, but will be greatly diminished beyond even Your dominion’s ability to recover easily. The cost to Your mighty kingdom continues to rise, and long term survival is uncertain under the current scenario projections.”
((“Run the scenarios again. Report to me when we have conditions of clear and lasting triumph.”)) The projection runes stopped glowing, showing that Splynncrythh’s Gaze had turned elsewhere for the moment.
The various beings in the chamber gave almost simultaneous sighs(or their equivalents of such) and turned back to the program-sim tanks, bone dice rollers, tea leaf basins, animal entrail altars, and astrological charts. The psychics tiredly knocked back more painkillers and the Reader of the Oracular Spheres took out another sheet of questions and began shaking the black orbs of its scrying, recording the signs as they appeared. The results were not promising and the night promised to be long and wearing.

“We’ve got super soldiers, super weapons, super magic, super powers.”
“We’re going to need ALL of them and then some.”

Omegasgundam · Mon Jan 18, 2021 11:32 pm

Lets face it, the Cyber-Knight OCC feels dated with all the high power GNE OCCs and various new supernatural nastiest that are coming out of the wood work. Cyber-Knights are supposed to be some of the most Elite warriors on the continent, but they've fallen way behind. Doing 3D6 with a Psi-Sword at level 6 is strait up garbage now of days, and with Psyscape back there's not much reason for that to get looked out. So here's this higher power update to bring them up to snuff. After this I'll be doing musing about 'stuff' from the perspective of other people, so don't be surprised if you don't hear from me this week.

Post-Minion War Cyber-Knight OCC
For all of the Cyber-Knight’s capabilities, the simple fact was that the threats facing them were becoming greater and greater. If the brotherhood was to continue to protect the people, they needed to increase its capabilities substantially, and the conditions to do so were already available. With the return of Azury Sky and Psyscape, a much more developed spiritual training program could be developed and instituted, filling in a number of long irritating and now dangerous short falls. Additionally, the Cambridge Jungle Tribes were able to lend assistance in biological aspects, with their several physical augmentation processes being broadly compatible with psionic enlightenment. Thus, in late 112 PA, Lord Coake formally requested that it be done, and the assembled team soon went to work, and produced results in mid 114 PA.

The new training regime is quite similar to the old one, but a number of seemingly minor changes have resulted in a major effect. The input of Psyscape Elders has resulted in notably increased psionic strength and effectiveness, with even the formerly powerless now raised to the level of Minor. Biological augments done by Gene-Cauldrons raise the baseline physical capabilities significantly, and a resonance between body and soul results in additional growth beyond what should be expected. Additionally, the older metallic Cyber-Armor has been replaced by an Ectofibre based biological equivalent, which grows substantially faster and is more encompassing. The final touch was provided by the GNE, with their master level educators developing a much more encompassing skill training program.

While future Cyber-Knights will be able to reach these standards, this left the question of the already serving members of the brotherhood. The spiritual and biological aspects can be learned with seven to twelve months of study (1D6+6), which are the most important components, but the number of mundane skills they lack is considerable. The GNE has graciously loaned a number of its high end institutions and knowledge accelerating artifacts to assist, but the effectiveness is inconsistent. Efforts are under way to solve the issue.

Spoiler:

taalismn · Unread post by **taalismn** » Tue Jan 19, 2021 12:08 am

"Mystic Sphere of the Eightfold, grant me winsome! Can our Minions prevail against the so-called Cyberknights?"
(shake-shake-gurgle-shake)
Not Bloody Likely
(shake-shake-shake)
If You Like Pyrrhic Victories
(shake-rattle-shake)
Your Ass is Grass
(gurgle-shake-gurgle)
Don't Bet on It
(shake-shake-gurgle-glump-gurgle)
You're Still Dead Meat
(Shake-thump-bang-bang-rattle)
Prepare to Meet Your Ancestors
(BANG_BANG-WHAP)
"Ah.....your Sphere of Prophecy seems to have sprung a leak there."
"IT FORETELLS VICTORY! VICTORY I SAY!!!!"

taalismn · Unread post by **taalismn** » Tue Jan 19, 2021 6:53 pm

Paladin/Aegis Stellar Industries Syracuse Heavy Hover Infantry Fighting Vehicle
(aka ‘Bane-brick’)

“Somebody discovered with the forcefield-equipped models that if you put an overcharge on the forward angle of the shield, then revved the engines, you could use the Syracuse as a very effective battering ram. The inertial grav-baffling would counter the shock of sudden deceleration, and keep everybody aboard from becoming meat paste on the cabin’s inside. Just what we need; another certified way of delivering heavily-armed and -armored sociopaths to a target.”

“You can NEVER have too much transport capability. If you’re not moving troops, you’re moving supplies. If you’re not moving supplies, you’re moving civilians. I’ve seen what Sorm and Infernals can do to civilian transport. I’ve also seen what happens to Sorm and Infernals when they try to do the same thing to armored and armed milspec transports. I’d rather have a motorpool full of transport I’ll never need, than to have not enough when I really need some.”

The Syracuse is the APC variant of the Cestus III heavy hoverank. To accommodate a usable number of troops, the main turret and lateral missile launchers have been removed to make way for a larger passenger/troop compartment and side-hatches. The tertiary turret ring has been moved slightly and fitted with a different turret with a wider arc of fire, and two secondary turrets have been added for increased point defense. The initial production plan was to swap the secondary and tertiary weapons fits around, but it was discovered that the new turret mount could accommodate a number of additional weapons systems not available to the Cestus III, so provision has been made with a refit of the main turret. The reactive armor that was standard on the Cestrus III has been made an option on the Syracuse, after concerns of catching its own complement of troops in the killzone if the system malfunctioned. The Syracuse loses about ten tons of mass, and gains in speed.
Syracuses saw their first action against the Sorm in the Thundercloud, which saw a re-installation of the reactive armor.
Though expensive for a ‘battle taxi’, the Syracuse has quickly gained the favor of the USA’s frontline troops, including the Stelmarines. Production of the Syracuse thus currently goes entirely to United Systems Alliance units

Type: PS-HIFV-026 Syracuse
Class: Hover Infantry Fighting Vehicle
Crew: Five, +1-15 troops/passengers
MDC/Armor by Location:
Main Body 1,200
Reinforced Crew Compartment 280
Command/PDS Cupola 180
Secondary Turrets(2) 150 each
Side Hatches(2) 290 each
*Propulsor Units(4) 200 each
*Destroying the Propulsors will NOT stop the vehicle(internal GMR coil) but will make it harder to control; reduce speed by 20%, and control rolls by -15% per unit destroyed)
Height: 9 ft
Width: 14 ft
Length: 30 ft
Weight: 100 tons
Cargo: 12 cubic feet inside the crew compartment
Powerplant: Nuclear Fusion w/ 20 year energy life
Speed:(Ground) 220 MPH, 2-3 ft off the ground
(Flying) Not possible, though the GMR drive can be ‘supercharged’ to propel the tank at speeds of up to 290 MPH , 50 ft off the ground, for brief spurts(no more than 5 minutes and allow for a 15 minute cool-down period between ramp-ups), and the GMR system can be used to allow the tank to ‘glide’ safely from altitudes of up to 2,000 ft
(Underwater) Fully buttoned up, the Syracuse can operate quite comfortably underwater, moving at 5 MPH along the bottom(unless a Swimming spell is engaged), and can survive depths down to 800 ft
Market Cost: Currently not available for sale; limited to GNE and affiliates. If one were to become available to the Black Market, its advanced technology would bring 80 million credits or more.
Systems of Note:
Basic Robot Features, plus:
*Laser Communications---A point-to-point, line-of-sight communications system for unjammed and untraceable communications between similarly equipped vehicles.
Effective Range: 25 miles

*Periscope---The Syracuse is fitted with a snorkel/periscope that can extend up to 18 ft, allowing it to look over walls, debris, vegetation, and look above the water like a submarine, when fording. Standard tank optics periscope head.

*PPE Sensors---Not as comprehensive as those mounted on many fighters, let alone the ORACLE sets available for warships(space and water), the HOUND (High-Order Unknown superNatural Detector) set still provides the tank crew with early warning of supernatural threats. The sensor has a 2,000 ft range(out to 4,000 ft with 50% error in determination), 60-degree arc per positionable sensor head( 6 heads are mounted), and can detect invisible entities. Other penalties similar to the Japanese SNARLS system(on which it is based.....see Rifts: Japan, pg. 116).

*ECCM System-----Onboard EW suite for dealing with intercepted enemy transmissions and cutting through hostile ECM.
Decryption Bonuses: +10% to Cryptography Skill
+15% to Radio skill rolls to defeat jamming

*(Near) Silent Running----The use of GMR hover systems makes the Syracuse exceptionally quiet for a heavy IFV; under the right circumstances it has an accoustic Prowl rating of 45% in daylight and 75% at night.

*Electronic Stealth Suite---Retained from the Shadowfist due to its active electronic nature. An advanced electronic cloaking system, intended to defeat EM sweeps, ground radar, motion detectors, and even laser tracking devices. The problem is, of course, is that the system’s own emissions can be detected, revealing the presence, if not the exact location, of an active jamming unit.
Jamming Range: 20 miles
EW Cloaking: -15% to enemy Read Sensory Instruments rolls using ground search radars(NOT optical and thermographic systems). Enemy guided ordnance is -3 to strike the tank.

Weapons Systems:
1.) Main Turret---What was once the tertiary turret has now become the main turret, with a different weapons housing now elevated to have a greater arc of fire.
a) Rail Gun
Range: 4,000 ft
Damage: 1d4 MD single rd, 1d4x10 MD 40 rd burst
Rate of Fire: EGCHH
Payload: 6,000 rd drum(100 bursts)
Cost: 90,000 credits.

b) Pulse Laser
Range: 4,000 ft
Damage: 3d6 MD single shot, 6d6 MD short burst, 1d6x10 MD medium burst( 20 shots, 2 attacks), 2d6x10 MD long burst(40 shots, 2 attacks), 4d6x10 MD full magazine burst(80 shots, no bonuses to strike...does 3d6 MD to 4d4 targets if in a spray attack).
Rate of Fire: EGCHH
Payload: Effectively Unlimited
Cost: 78,000 credits

c) Light Ion Cannon---PSIC-01 Tesla Infantry Ion Cannon
Range:(Ion Bolt) 1,900 ft
(Lightning Blast) 2,500 ft
(Shock Zone) 200 ft, and affects a 55-ft wide area
Damage: (Ion Bolt) 5d6 MD single shot, 2d4x10 MD five-shot burst
(Lightning Blast) 1d6x10 MD
(Shock Zone) 3d6 MD per melee caught in the zone of effect
Rate of Fire: EGCHH
Payload: Effectively Unlimited

d) Light Plasma Cannon
Range:(Plasma Stream) 2,000 ft
(Plasma Bolt) 1,800 ft
(Scattershot) 1,500 ft
Damage:(Plasma Stream) 1d6x10 MD per blast
(Plasma Bolt) 1d4x10 MD to 8 ft blast radius
(Scattershot) 4d6 MD to a 20 ft wide area
Rate of Fire: EGCHH
Payload: Effectively Unlimited
Cost: 90,000 credits

e) Particle Beam Cannon---The PSPBW-10, given a second life as a vehicle weapon
Range: 3,200 ft
Damage: 1d6x10 MD to an 8 ft wide swath
Rate of Fire: EGCHH
Payload: Effectively Unlimited
Cost: 150,000 credits

f) EM Bolt Gun
Range: (EM Bolt) 4,000 ft
(Vortex) 3,000 ft
Damage: (EM Bolt) (Variable) 4d6 SD, 1d6x10 SD, or 5d6 MD per shot
(Vortex) Same as for the bolt at the point of impact, plus HALF damage in a 7 ft radius, and an 88% chance of knockdown(lose 1 APM and Initiative) for beings of 350 lbs or less, 65% chance of being stunned(-10 to strike, dodge, parry, and roll, NO Initiative, HALF speed and APMs for 1d4 melees).
Rate of Fire: EGCHH
Payload: Effectively Unlimited
Bonus: Laser targeting add +1 to strike. EM bolts are -6 to dodge, on top of that!
Cost: 64,000 credits

g) Flame Thrower
Range:(Direct-Stream Mode) 230 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 flame-thrower 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.
Rate of Fire:(Direct-Stream Mode) 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).
Cost: 20,000 credits.

h) PS-RL-210 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: 1,000 rd drum
Cost: 100,000 credits

i) Multiplexor---Identical to the original installation, the Multiplexor Turret can hold up to SEVEN different Spellcards and re-sequence them within seconds, courtesy of an automated touch-pad selection system. It still requires a PPE source, so a Light (200 PPE) or Medium (300 PPE) Powerstone is usually installed.
Range: Varies by spell
Damage/Duration: Varies by spell
Rate of Fire: EGCHH
PPE Cost per Use: Varies by spell. However, the use of focusing elements and activator spells effectively reduces spell PPE cost by HALF.
(So you Technowizards aren’t flummoxed by PPE costs in a long-running battle, while the still relatively high PPE costs for the high-end spells keeps someone from using Sphere of Annihilation in every battle).
Payload: Draws from the main PPE Batteries. In an emergency, the pilot, if they are a mage or psychic, can kick in their own PPE.
Bonuses: As per spell(if any)
Cost: Spell Cards cost (as per Jason Richards’ guidelines in Rifter #2) 5,000 credits per PPE cost of main spell plus an additional cost (as per following modifiers)
*500 credits per level of the creating caster(Mages’ time and PPE are money, so expect to pay more for the longer duration/higher power spells)
*Warlock spells cost 20% more, in addition to above modifiers, owing to the difficulties of adapting Elemental Magic to ‘conventional” magic systems.

2.) Secondary Turrets(2)----These are based on the Cestus’s commander’s cupola, carried on the main turret. Two are now mounted, one on each side behind the main turret. each is fitted with a pair of smaller weapons, usually a light energy weapon and a projectile type. Both weapons can be fired in synch at the same target.
a) Light Pulse Laser Cannon----PS XL-16-P Pulse Laser: Similar to the JA-12 Juicer Assassin's Rifle, or the Wilk's 457 pulse rifle.
Range: 4,000 feet
Damage: 4d6+2 per single shot, 2d4x10 for a triple pulse.
Rate of Fire: Standard
Payload: Effectively Unlimited

b) Ion Blaster
Range: (Ion Bolt) 3,000 ft
(Spray Bolt)1,500 ft and affects a 15 ft wide area
Damage: (Ion Bolt) 1d6x10 MD per single bolt
(Spray Bolt) 4d6 MD to a 15 ft wide area
On a Natural 20(Critical Strike) the ion weapon does TRIPLE damage instead of the normal double damage
Rate of Fire: Standard
Payload: Effectively Unlimited
Cost: 32,000 credits

c) Plasma Blaster---PS ‘Lewiston’.
Range: 3,300 ft
Damage: 5d6 MD per shot, 2d4x10 MD for a four-shot burst
Rate of Fire: Standard
Payload: Effectively Unlimited
Cost: 33,000 credits

d) 40mm Grenade Launcher
Range: 7,000 ft
Damage: (Fragmentation) 4d6 MD to blast area of 12 ft
2d6x10 MD to blast area of 40 ft w/ 10-rd burst
(Armor Piercing) 1d4x10 MD to blast area of 3 ft
3d6x10 MD to blast area of 8 ft w/ 10-rd burst
Rate of Fire: Standard
Payload: 250 rds
Cost: 50,000 credits

e)Rail Gun(PS-RFRG30)---PS copy of the C-30R Rail Gun
Weight: 90 lbs
Range: 2 miles
Damage: 1d4 MD single rd, 6d6 MD per 30 rd burst.
Rate of Fire: ECHH
Payload: 2,400 rd drum per cannon
Cost: 90,000 credits

f) GrHW-01 ‘Flamma’ Heavy Gravitonic Rail Gun
Range: 4,000 ft
Damage: 1d4x10 MD single shot, 2d6x10+10 MD for a 10 shot burst.
Rate of Fire: Standard
Payload: 200 rd belt

g) Heavy Machine Gun---- 12.7mm Snub-nose Short Gatling Gun. This high-powered four-barreled gatling cannon features enormous damage potential, and fair range in a small package.
Range: 2,000 ft
Damage: 1D6 MD single round, 1D6x10 MD per 10 round burst,
2D6x10 +6 MD per Full Melee Burst of 40 rounds
Rate of Fire: Equal to the combined hand to hand attacks of the pilot
Payload: 800 rounds

h).50 Caliber Heavy Machine Gun
Range: 9,000 ft HB
Damage: 1d6x10 SDC per rd
(WI Exploders) 2d6 MD per 20 rd burst
(Ramjets) 1d4 MD single rd, 5d6 MD per 40 rd burst
(PSX-1) 2d6 MD single rd, 4d6x10 MD per 20 rd burst
Rate of Fire: Standard
Payload: 800 rounds
Cost: 9,000 credits

3) Cupola Mount Laser Cannon/Anti-Missile Pulse Laser Turret(mounted atop the main turret)------The Pulse Laser is intended as an anti-aircraft/anti-missile system, and can be remote-linked to an air defense grid system, such as the Meles AAAV, Rattlesnake AAV, or the Vixen Fighter/Recon Pod, (Part of Paladin Steel's BAMSP: Battlefield Asset Management System Package).
Range: 6,000 ft
Damage: 3D6 MD single blast, 6D6 MD double- barreled blast
Rate of Fire: Equal to the pilot's combined hand to hand attacks, or 7 attacks in auto-defense mode.
Payload: Unlimited
Bonuses: +2 to strike airborne targets like missiles and aircraft/flying opponents(must be traveling higher than 10 ft off the ground)

4) Smoke /Chaff Mortars(2x6)----The Syracuse mounts two six-tube light grenade launchers specifically configured to launch smoke, chemical, or anti-missile chaff rounds. Alternatively, the launchers can burn the rounds in their tubes, spreading smoke or chemical fog in the immediate vicinity of the tank, then ejecting the spent gas cartridge afterwards.
Range: 500 ft for smoke, up to 6,000 ft for chaff
Damage: Varies, chemical rounds are typically loaded witj Smoke or Tear Gas.
Chaff effects vary: can use Triax- or Northern Gun-style chaff.
Rate of Fire: Volleys of 1-4
Payload: 24 shots(2 grenades per tube)

5.) Decoy Launchers(2)--- Decoy launchers are multi-barrel mortars that fire off multimedia transmitter pods that pump out enough EM, IR, and acoustic noise to either mimic or drown out the MBT’s own. The decoys are designed to self-destruct after about 6-10 melees of operation; a small self-destruct charge incinerates the internal workings, preventing reuse or study.
Range: 500 ft
Damage: None, enemy sensor guided weaponry is +6 to strike the decoy, and it has a 70% chance of fooling enemy sensors as it being the ‘true’ MBT-target.
Rate of Fire: Volleys of 1, 2, or 4
Payload: 8 decoys per launcher, 16 total.

7.) Drone Rack---The Syracuse retains the Cestus’s launch and recovery box/pad for deploying mini-RPVs. These frisbee-like fliers can operate semiautonomously as scouts, decoys, messenger drones, or attack units. Even more than the Cestus III, the Syracuse can use these drones to make sure its embarked complement of troops isn’t waking into an ambush.
Payload: 3 drones
MDC of Drones:
50 each
Speed: 250 MPH, maximum altitude of 28,000 ft
Range: Typically can range as far as 50 miles from its parent vehicle
Systems of Note:
*Video Cameras w/ low light nightvision, wide-area, zoom, and thermal imaging
*EM/Radar Detectors---detects radar and radio transmissions, as well as other strong sources of electromagnetic activity.

Options:
The Syracuse retains the Cestus III’s growth potential, even with the limitations of retaining a troop carrying capacity.

* Forcefield Module---The Cestus III engine upgrade was made for speed in mind, but also with providing power for a forcefield generator. Rather than the Zerghan’s bolt-on external unit, the Cestus III’s unit could be installed next to the engine, under the protection of the tank’s main hull armor. The FFG is usually a commercial aerospace model with 600-1,200 MDC, but low-end fighter-grade military variable screens(200 MDC per side, 1,200 total) can be mounted. Cost: Varies by available FFG installation; usually between 600,000- 3 million credits

* External Antipersonnel Fletchette Packs(55)----An effort to further protect the slow moving tank against faster power armor and infantry, this system consists of a series of directional ‘claymore’-style fragmentation grenades attached to the outer hull and triggered either by command or by motion detector trip to fill a ‘kill zone’ around the tank with lethal shrapnel and antipersonnel fletchettes.
These have been offered as an option after the decision was first made to drop them, then they were hurriedly refitted to deal with ‘swarm’ opponents.
Range: 100 ft
Damage: 5d6 MD to a cone swath roughly 50 ft long, by 10 ft wide.
Used as reactive armor against plasma and armor-piercing missiles, the computerized firing system acts as a PARRY, rolling to match or better the missile’s strike roll...a successful counter means that the missile damage is HALVED, while a failure means the tank takes full damage. Note: when dealing with volleys, one reactive armor pack can match TWO missiles in a volley, so in order to effectively counter a five missile volley, the tank must expend 3 reactive armor packs...two packs would roll twice to defeat their respective missiles, the third would only roll once. If the enemy missile launcher has a line of sight on the tank, they can target a spot on the hull which has no packs covering it (a called shot), in which case the remaining reactive armor is -4 to cover the gap.
Rate of Fire: One at a time or can be simultaneously fired in volleys of 1-10
Payload: Each side of the tank(sides, front, back) has 10 fletchette packs each(40 total), the turret has 6 each side, three on top(15 total)

taalismn · Unread post by **taalismn** » Thu Jan 21, 2021 9:46 pm

PS/ASI Forcefield Pods
“With the recent upheavals in the Three Galaxies, there’s a lot or ripples in the arms markets and technology fields. The CCW’s been starting to lean on Naruni something bad, especially after many of NE’s loudest mouthpieces and advocates in the Consortium got the chop, literally or figuratively. That’s translated into a lot less influenced legislation to give Naruni a virtual monopoly in certain fields, and actual rescinding of their locked-in prices on some products. Naruni’s not able to clamp down as much on private firms as much, and their going after folks for alleged ‘copyright infringements’ for anything that even vaguely looks like it could offer them competition isn’t as widespread. A lot more stuff is entering the market now at prices that are undercutting what Naruni’s traditionally asked, or rather demanded, under price-gouging monopoly rates. Some sectors are almost literally awash in cheap weapons now that Naruni can’t be everywhere at once.
However, we’re not going to see Naruni disappear any time soon, and the recent upheavals also have them making money hand-over-tentacle selling to frightened and worried folks , but they’re definitely taking a soaking in some fields they thought they had all to themselves. If and when they come roaring back, it’s going to be a much more expensive and uphill battle for them to reestablish their former market domain.”
---Pasca Tale, Technology Analyst for the Terra Prime Technist newsgroup.

“M-factor one hundred may not sound like much, but it’s a hundred less damage that isn’t touching my truck here. I’ve escaped death by lesser margins, so every little bit is welcome.”

Forcefield Pods are podded forcefield generators that can be mounted on aircraft or ground vehicles, and can be template-card-programmed to accommodate the configuration of the vehicle for maximum protection.
PS/ASI Forcefield Pods have the important distinction that they carry their own power sources, usually a short-duration(usually 2-3 years before needing replacement) RTG, rather than draw on the vehicle’s power system. This allows even primitive-tech vehicles, such as those powered by internal combustion or fuel cell systems to benefit from having forcefield protection.
Of course, being externally mounted, the forcefield generator is itself more vulnerable to damage than if it was mounted internally in a vehicle, but PS/ASI houses the equipment in a well-armored pod(200 MDC is standard). A complete unit generally weighs in at 200-700 lbs.
PS/ASI sells two types of forcefield; the older-style fixed protection type that is bled down to zero, and then requires 1d4 melees being able to be rebooted(provided the generation equipment is undamaged), and a more advanced type that constantly regenerates protective value while on(still takes 1d4 melees to completely reboot if attrited down to zero). Regenerative(or ‘constant-cycle’) FFGs generally cost 30% more than the older type. Production taking place primarily in the Three Galaxies has kept both the manufacturing costs and the sale prices down, making availability much easier to sustain.
Still, however, in those areas where PS/ASI forcefield pods are available, the almost bare bones price for these units has started speculation that Aegis Stellar Industries is looking to undercut the Naruni stranglehold on the market in those sectors. It’s also rumored that PS/ASI is being assisted by a number of companies in the shield generation line that were driven out open circulation by NE, and are looking for some payback, starting with using their surviving production lines to pump out FFG pods.
While the current selection listed below is fairly limited, PS/ASI is putting out a variety of power levels, to suit needs and budgets.

Sample systems:
*VEFFG01RR Forcefield----Adds 100 MDC. Regenerates at 5 MDC per 5 minutes(1 MDC per minute). Cost: 90,000 credits, 290,000 credits with 2 year RTG.

*VEFFG02 ForceField Generator----A variety of small, compact, forcefield generators may be mounted inside the shuttle; the standard model provides 150 MDC, and costs 95,000 credits. 295,000 credits with 2 year RTG.
*VEFFG02RR Forcefield----Adds 150 MDC and fast regenerator technology. Regenerates at 30 MDC per 5 minutes(or 6 MDC per minute) , thanks to improvements in field stabilization. Cost: 130,000 credits, 280,000 credits with 1 year RTG.

*VEFFGL03RR Forcefield Generator---This is a self-contained unit with its own mini-powercell(good for three year’s operation) and a light (‘heavy’ by terrestrial vehicle standards)forcefield generator. 250 MDC and regenerates at 50 MDC per 5 minutes(or 10 MDC per minute).
Ot can be tied into the vehicle’s own nuclear powerplant for faster recharging(60 MDC per 5 minutes) but reduce energy weapon/rail gun rate of fire by HALF while this is going on.
Cost: 550,000 credits, 1.5 million credits with 3 year RTG.

*VEFFGM04RR Forcefield Generator---This is generally regarded as a direct attack on Naruni’s forcefield market, particularly the N-50H generator. The VEFFGM04RR has a protective value of 360 MDC, regenerates at 75 MDC per 5 minutes(15 MDC per minute), and costs less than the N-50H, making it. Cost: 1 million credits, 1.6 million credits with 3 year RTG.

Omegasgundam · Fri Jan 22, 2021 12:56 am

Forcefields have become far more important in recent years, so having a wider pool is something that everybody but the TGE and Naruni will appreciate. I don't think these are personal units, but having them (relatively) cheaply available for RPA is a big deal. And the USA having a trusted domestic source will only help.

EDIT: My ramblings on the Azhur are sort of stone walled until we have more about the Neo-Vikings and what their relationship is. You have anything on that you can send me?

Omegasgundam · Unread post by **Omegasgundam** » Sat Jan 23, 2021 4:30 am

So here's GNE Intel on what the Azhur have shown so far. I'm working on a number of other things, including a fatal chink in their armor, but that needs a good deal of development.

On the Azhur: Mid 113 PA Update
We have more than a few problems dealing with the icy bastards. First off, we can’t really hit their home territory, as we need to find not only their dimension but what part of it they’re in. The first part shouldn’t take very long, but the second is a classic ‘needle in a haystack’ problem. Our best bet is that some of the Rat’s people manage to smuggle a dimensional locator beacon to give us the coordinates, but so far the transfers have only been going towards us rather than from. Until we can strike back, the best we can do is stonewall them and edore the support for the endeavor, but that has its own problems.

As far as we can tell, there is effectively NO impetus for the Azhur to rethink their overall crusade. They legit do not care about the casualties, with the Klia being little more than well trained pets and other Azhur being potential rivals. Best guestimate from our anthropologists is that they have a multitude of political and social reasons to see the crusade continue, with the casualties being actually helpful in a number of ways. Their native ice form makes them effectively immune to emotional appeals, so as long as the losses only happen in their expeditionary forces they have negative reason to stop. And the ones that have become flesh often become addicted to being jackasses, so they’ll keep pushing as well. The Klia don’t have an opinion in the matter, let alone a say, so they’ll keep marching right into the ice shredder.

Beyond their will to fight being effectively unbreakable, we also have the complication that they’ve diversified their production network to make it harder for us to disrupt it. Intercepts and scrying indicate that they’ve set up shop in a number of difficult to access pocket dimensions, and with the sheer amount of manpower they’re able to throw the issue have rapidly set up industrial bases. They have their usual problems with using heat base metallurgy and such, but they have both the Klia to melt and an increasing amount of basic automation to deal with the more mundane and ubiquitous stuff. They’re currently more focused on using their factories to build more factories, but we’re already seeing their overall military output being equal to Ishpeming, and are notably ahead in terms of sophistication.

Speaking of their tech level, to say that it’s ‘inconsistent’ is putting it mildly. The overall focus so far is the classic ‘quantity over quality’, and with their manpower that is a perfectly valid strategy. Assuming that casualties are only relevant in terms of purely material loss, their line up is very economical for how effective it is, which means they have the forces to swarm if need be. The primary reason they haven’t gone to Chipwell levels of cost-effective garbage is that the mass use of S-factor materials requires (from a logistical perspective) more heat based forges, which is their primary bottleneck. If (and more likely when) they overrun a less developed industrial world they’ll likely force the populace to do the work for them, so it's still in the cards.

But they can make better stuff for sure. Technical analysis of the higher end stuff we’ve shot up shows that they’re about half way between old school Coalition and Tolkien War era kit as far as pure tech goes, and with their rate of development it’s likely that they’re holding the newest stuff back to introduce it in mass. If they REALLY want to, they can likely reach TRIAX levels without jumping through some major hoops, but past that things get wonky for a number of reasons. We haven’t seen them show any indications of orbital forged materials, but it has to be on their mind and we’ve found a few dimensions where they can be done without a full space program, so it's possible.

Adding to the pile, they have proven resourceful in using their available mystic knowledge in finding ways to deal with the normal technical shortfalls of their creations. Their bound-elemental engines are far easier to manufacture than nuke plants, and allow for easy TW enchantment. This is most notable on their aircraft (which have them as a matter of course due to their relative importance and base cost), but we’ve also seen it in their combat ships. Their ground based platforms are much more frugal in comparison, primarily using enchanted components to cheapen the overall craft via bypassing complicated and/or time consuming manufacturing processes. This is entirely fitting with their demonstrated strategy, and even their ridiculous Ratte-Zamboni hybrid becomes viable with the physics ignoring enchantments put on it.

One of the brighter points is that they still haven’t shown themselves to be particularly creative when it comes to military tactics, being extremely by-the-book in operation. The Klia are bred to not have initiative, which cripples them in small unit operation, and still has negatives in larger set piece battles. The Azhur themselves are naturally better, but those put in frontline positions tend to go native faster than anyone else, which hampers their effectiveness. By sheer law of averages their going to find somebody that can handle it though, so they’ll find an equivalent to Manstein or Zhukov sooner or later. It's unlikely they’re going to be weighed down by a Kulik or Fredendall, so things are going to get a lot harder. Our best hope here is that the lower officer ranks remain problematic, which considering its as much mystic biology as actual training isn’t unlikely.

But their primary flaw is almost certain to remain for as long as they exist; the absence of anything resembling an effective NCO corps. The Azhur are dead set against allowing anything resembling it to exist, which hurts them on many levels. They’re nowhere near as bad as 20th/21st century Arab militaries, if only because they lack the family based culture factors, but the fact remains that their forces will always be an inflexible tool. Thus, the best strategy is to peel them apart in numerous small scale engagements that demand independent initiative, with cumulative attrition making them combat ineffective. If this resembles the Free Quebec strategy against the Coalition, that’s because it has many of the same reasons behind it, but the Azhur are substantially more vulnerable. From what Intel can tell, this is not lost among our northern human supremacist neighbors, so they should be able to hold the line at the very least.

Azhur Army
As others have said, the Azhur Army is ‘Memeticly Soviet’, having little actual relationship with the actual Red or People’s Liberation Army doctrines. It's honestly rare to see an actual Azhur act in a position less than a company commander, which means that their squads and platoons are quite inflexible. They’re still amateurs here, but they’re learning faster than we can knock them back.

Spoiler:

Infantry Equipment: Considering they’re almost entirely clones of Northern Gun or Russian Warlord equipment, they’re not bad. They had the good sense to go with the most practical designs, and their decision to be Ion focused makes sense for their preferred environment. Heavy weapons are limited to Railguns and ordinance launchers, but this also makes sense based on their background and domestic concerns. Finally, their armor choices are logical, although their cost saving methods are distinctly inhuman.

‘Snowfake’ Power Armor: A clone of the old Flying Titan. It's perfectly acceptable as a scouting unit, but ‘unfortunately’ extended missions with little contact from command leads to Klia going native faster than anything else. They see a lot of use in patrolling their claimed territory and suppressing whatever local hazards are present, which isn’t a bad use either. As an actual combat platform it's a bust, but they have to have a SAMAS equivalent ready for their next major push.

‘Icikill’ Power Armor: Their most common PA, this a clone of the NO-powered Samson with the usual Azhur tweeks. It lacks mobility being a pure foot slogger, but as an infantry support or massed breakthrough unit it works well. It's a near certainty that they’ll use it for a number of variants, but it's questionable if they’ll make a more capable unit for Klia use. Our current thought is that anything larger and more capable will be Azhur use only, and while that will result in an enchanted platform it also greatly limits the numbers that can be fielded. Barring a mass cultural shift that sees massive numbers of junior Azhur seeking military service to boost their social position, which is as cliche as it is common.

‘Razis’ Light Attack Hovercraft: A traditional small and expendable raider. Like most of the type, it is armed with a number of heavy infantry weapons and focuses on speed rather than armor. The Azhur are more than happy to use swarm tactics, and this is one of the ideal platforms to do it in. It’s almost certainly the cheapest combat vehicle they produce, so it’s fielded in substantially larger numbers than their PA.

Tice-ger: Their first legitimately creative design, it still draws from older human vehicles and their form was likely inspired by the Shemarians they’ve encountered. It's a distinctly ‘Light Tank’, with mobility being a higher priority than armor, so it's not hard to put down if you can get weapons on it. The problems are that it is legitimately fast for a quad-legged vehicle and it is deployed by the company, which complicates things tremendously. Their individual firepower is mediocre, but it can add up fast. They’ll want a heavier design soonish, but it's good enough for their current operational environment and strategic needs.

Kholder: Magic being used to make a normally stupid idea work, this is nothing less than the infamous Ratte combined with a TW Zamboni, solving the mobility issue. The lack of tracks makes it far harder to neutralize, and it has enough mobility to avoid dumbfire artillery. Analysis of the muzzle blast shows that they’re using electro-thermal propulsion, which honestly is no more against their tenants than old school chemical or liquid propellant, so they can fit a decent number of shells inside. One of the theories being put out is that they intend to use it as an infantry command nexus, with enough Azhur being onboard to play armchair lieutenant with remote data links. It has the internal volume to carry a one shot teleport circle to get the Azhur out if need be, so head capping will likely be of limited effectiveness.

Azhur Air Force
The Air Force has been (as far as we’ve known them) the most prestigious of the Azhur’s forces. The anthropology experts are working on the exact reasons why this is the case, but the most obvious answer is that the ‘Sky Knight’ mythos is as seductive to them as anyone else. They’ve been working their way up the tech tree at a rapid pace, but they’ve always been iterations of Pre-Rifts designs. With their Su-57 derivative, they’ve basically hit the peak of what was actually fielded prior to the M-Factor Revolution. Thus, they’re going to have to dredge up Second Sovietski designs or go into the land of concept art, which means that they might as well be doing original engineering for the latter.

Spoiler:

Mi-8/TW ‘HellWind’: Their only pure VTOL design at the moment, it has all the problems of the rotor type. They can likely speed it up a bit, but it's a bit questionable how much that would actually help. If they take ASW seriously, an equivalent to the Mi-14 is inevitable. There’s good odds that they’re going to supplement it with an Mi-26 equivalent, with the bigger craft being able to haul more and faster. It is more questionable if they will make Mi-24 or Mi-28 variants, but the former is more plausible than the later.

Mig-21/TW ‘Freyza’: The old ‘Pipe’, this was the first combat craft they used in perceivable numbers. Most of the ones we’ve encountered over the last year or so have dropped the Invisibilibility and Ice Armor to cut costs, which isn’t as great of a loss for them due to our use of ORACLE equipped AWACS. They’ve also settled on using the Shard Gun as the primary fixed mount, and they’re almost always equipped with AP MRMs. In all honesty, the only things it has ever had going for it are being supersonic and virtually dirt cheap, as they’ve been dying like flies when they confront actual modern craft or defense grids. Even with their rock bottom production cost, they’re not really worth the resource investment these days.

Mig-31/TW ‘FrostHound’: While still nominally their fastest craft, it's been demoted to being a pure interceptor. It's still being produced and it has a valid role in warding off recon efforts and LRM attacks, but it turns as poorly as its inspiration, which makes it almost completely unsuited for dog-fighting. On the other hand its focus makes it much cheaper than the newer Su’s, and the Azhur have reason to want it given their network of arctic facilities.

Su-27TW ‘Frost Wolf’: The mixed news is that while we can confirm it’s extinct due to the loss of the only production site, they’ve moved onto an upgraded design for their expanded out-dimensional facilities. Considering that the alternative was being swarmed by massed Su-57s, it was worth the strike, but it would have been nice if they kept to the -27 for their Klia.

Su-35TW-A/F ‘Frost Pub’: Their new mainline design, it's clearly a response to our own efforts to push them out. It can carry a good number of MRMs, and the default inclusion of a mystic force field gives it a much better chance of surviving the missile stand-off phase. Assuming it dumps the entire PPE capacitor into it, the shield triples its durability at minimum, and that rises when you factor in the reduced odds of getting a wing blown off. However, the Neo-Viking version is likely more of a problem thanks to its ‘Comet’ mode, which allows them to get away with not having the Su-57.

Su-57TW-A ‘Frost Felon’: Seriyev’s version frankly clobbers it in a straight match up, but even this stripped down version is a massive problem. A capacitor dump gives it a mystic force field with an M-Factor of no less than 1500, and if it's not using the external hard points it has no reason to use any of the battery before making contact. Its capabilities and production rate make it distinctly Azhur use only, and that’s not going to change until they have something better.

Il-28/TW Breezer: While it’s nominally a bomber, it sees far more use in Recon and EWAR roles. Intel shows that the Azhur have come to regard it as a dated combat platform, but the variants give it enough utility to keep producing them. They might use them in ASW roles, but that’s going to depend on how that theater goes. As a support unit, it's more than adequate, and we have seen no indication that they are moving to develop a replacement at this time.

EF 132/NV-B132 ‘Frost Bat’: Beyond its freakishly large payload capacity for its size and displacement, it’s a traditional heavy bomber. The ones that have been recently seen have had mystic force fields and a variety of anti-missile countermeasures installed, although their effectiveness has been naturally inconsistent. Other than opportunistic terror attacks, they rarely operate at less than 40k ft, using smart and target designated ordinance to do the work for them. The next logical shift is using them as long range missile buses, and Intel indicates that they’re looking at that being the primary role in the long term. Barring a radical change that results in there being a more cost effective method of hauling LRMs, it's going to stay in production for the foreseeable future.

Azhur Navy
The naval aspects are where they are at their relative weakest, but that’s because they’ve managed to off load nearly all of the work onto the Neo-Vikings. They have a few Iceberg Carriers they use as macro-transports and mobile bases, but beyond that they only have escorts. Their ability to use Rift/Stone Pyramid teleportation removes most of the need for normal logistical routing, and their actions thus far have been small enough scale (sub-Division) that air lift can supply their support requirements. Seriyev has provided some intel that shows that they’re experimenting with submarine forces to try to counter our own, but it’s a distinct secondary focus for them.

taalismn · Unread post by **taalismn** » Sat Jan 23, 2021 11:34 pm

Coverage of the Northern War continues...

Iceship---Neo-Viking/Arzhur Motherships
(aka ‘bergship’)

“White Death....a mountain of cold merciless destruction looming out of the North Sea...Those who see it know the cold breath of Death upon their necks...”

The ‘flagship’ of the Neo-Viking armada would appear to be this massive aircraft-carrier-style command carrier....a giant mobile platform made of megadamage ice!
To one rogue scholar familiar with pre-Rifts technological lore, the iceship seems eeriely similar to a World War Two-vintage proposal by the British to create a giant aircraft carrier out of specially formulated ice reinforced with wood fiber ( the proposed mega-carrier called the ‘Habbakuk’ and actually prototyped in Canada).
The Iceship, however, is built of magically renewing megadamage ice...when damaged, the ice can quickly be repaired by precipitating fresh ice from the surrounding sea water. Propelling it are several external drive pods and several internal ‘caterpillar’ drives that draw water in through intake shafts, accelerate it(most likely using water elementals), then expel it out through exhaust shafts. It is also clear that the ship is inhabited by several water and air elementals(especially those empowering ice), either as ensorcelled slaves, or as willing participants in the vessel’s campaigns.
The Iceship serves as mothership for a host of lesser Neo-Viking Long Carriers and several squadrons of aircraft, including bombers. There is believed to only one Iceship, but some accounts tell of other similar vessels haunting the Far North...Whether this is because of erroneous time-indexes giving the misleading impression of the same ship being in several different places at the same time, a previously unknown capability of the Iceship, or whether there are several sister- or even daughter-ships ‘calved’ off the original, remains unknown.
The Iceship mainly stays in the higher latitudes, menacing the North Sea and polar region, where it seems to be able to move effortlessly through ice-locked waters, but it has occasionally ventured down into warmer waters, camouflaged by the cold thick fog
subliminating off its hull.

Update:
Since the original report material submitted above was posted to the GNEAS Threat ID boards, further intelligence, believed to have been obtained in collaboration with Warloard Seriyev and the Aurora Warriors, confirms more than one Iceship operating in the northern lattitudes, though exact numbers remain unknown. Furthermore, the Anzhur operate their own Iceships separate from the NeoViking vessel(s), and these vessels can be expected to possess features not found on the NeoViking version.

The Arzhur are also known to use IceShips as mobile base camps, and theirs are even more heavily enchanted, and may carry dimensional gates back to theri Elemental Plane of Cold. If nothing else, the Arzhur are using dimensional heatsinks to constantly drain off heat into sub-dimensions, maintaining the chill temperatures aboard their ships.

Type: Iceship
Class: SuperCarrier
Crew: 8,500+12,000 troops
Ice Elementals)?) ---Some accounts have observed as many as several dozen on the upper decks.
MDC/Armor by Location:
Main Body 48,000
Flight Deck 8,000
Bridge Tower 3,500
Radar/Sensor Towers(5) 900 each
Aircraft Elevators(6) 800 each
Heavy Gun Turrets(10) 350 each
Heavy AA Cannons(25) 250 each
Medium AA Guns(30) each
Light AA Guns(36) 200 each
Heavy Missile Launchers(4) 360 each
Light Missile Launchers(10) 150 each
Torpedo Launchers(4) each
Underwater Launch Bays(2) 900 each
Propulsion Pods(26) 360 each
Height: 190 ft, 50 ft draft
Width: 350 ft
Length: 2,000 ft
Weight: Estimated at 1 million tons
Cargo: Estimated at 50,000 tons
Powerplant: Mystic Cold Fusion Nuclear
Speed: 35 kts, even through ice fields and solid ice cap
Market Cost: Unknown
Systems of Note:
*Long Range Radar---100 miles
*Long Range Radio---500 miles
*Sonar--- 80 mile range
*Lockups-----The Neo-Vikings and Arzhur can literally put prisoners and slaves ‘on ice’ in their aptly-named lockup ‘coolers’.....specially equipped ice cells that freeze normal beings into suspended animation until needed, and trapping megadamage beings in ice.

*Ice Self Repair---The Iceship can repair itself by freezing sea water and patch any damage done to its hull, regenerating at a rate of 10% per melee...Note that technological systems like the propulsion pods and sensor towers CANNOT be repaired in this manner.

*Ice Navigation----Iceships seem unimpeded by frozen ocean or ice fields; another sign of Elemental Cold Magick at work.

Weapons Systems:
1) Heavy Gun Turrets(10)---
Range:17,575 yards* in a surface role, 37,200 feet in anti-aircraft mode
(*Note: It would take over a minute for shot to hit the target at maximum range...est. 68 seconds)
Damage:
(Fragmentation) 6d6 MD to a 35 ft radius
(High Explosive-Armor-Piercing) 1d6x10 MD to 12 ft blast radius
(Plasma)2d4x10 MD to a 30 ft blast radius
(Flare) Burns for 1d4 minutes, illuminating a 2,000 ft area
(Chaff Round)Spreads radar-disrupting chaff similar to Triax-type chaff
Rate of Fire: 4 rds per melee
Payload: 200 rounds per gun, ready magazine

2) Heavy Naval Laser AA Cannons(25)---Used for air defense for the most part.
Range: 2 miles
Damage: 1d6x10+10 MD per blast
Rate of Fire: EGCHH
Payload: Effectively unlimited

3) Medium AA Guns(30)---Roughly equal to 40mm cannons, choice of either autocannon or ion cannons in twin or quad mountings
a)40mm Cannon
Range: 2.6 miles
Damage:(Proximity Fuzed Fragmentation) 3d6 MD to 15 ft blast radius
(Armor Piercing Tracer) 5d6 MD single shot
(High Explosive Tracer) 4d6 MD to 10 ft blast radius
Rate of Fire: EGCHH
Payload: 400 rds per gun

b) Ion Cannon
Range: 7,000 ft
Damage: 1d4x10 MD per blast; 2d4x10 MD double blast, 4d4x10 MD quad blast, depending on the mounting
Rate of Fire: EGCHH
Payload: Effectively unlimited

4) Light AA Guns(36)----The equivalent of 20mm light cannons
Range:7,000 ft
Damage: 1d4 MD per shell
4d6 MD per 5 rd burst
1d4x10+4 MD per 10 rd burst
Rate of Fire: Standard
Payload: 500 rounds per gun, ready magazine

5) Heavy Missile Launchers(4)----These aren’t the ‘standardized’ general purpose missiles so familiar to Rifts Earth, but are shorter ranged flying bombs similar to the pre-Rifts Russian/Chinese ‘Styx’ and ‘Silkworm’ anti-ship cruise missiles. Their main purpose is anti-ship and surface attack, but occasionally they have been used in an anti-aircraft role. The missiles are jet-propelled, folding wing designs, launched from traversing launch-rails.
Range: 500 miles
Damage: (High Explosive) ----1d4x100 MD to 70 ft blast radius
Rate of Fire: Single fire, once per melee
Payload: Each launcher can only fire one at a time, but has a ready-fire magazine capacity of 50 missiles. Additional missiles can be carried in the main cargo holds and transferred to the magazines, though this generally takes about 15 minutes per missile.

6) Short Range Missile Launchers(10) ---More conventional general-purpose SRMs identical to those used by the Neo-Viking Long-Carriers.
Range: Varies by Missile Type
Damage:Varies by Missile Type
Rate of Fire: Volleys of 1-8 missiles
Payload: 64 SRMs each launcher. Additional reloads can be carried in the main cargo holds and transferred to the magazines as needed.

7) Torpedo Launchers(4)----Concealed under the waterline are four banks of four heavy torpedo tubes. These are generally used to fight off submarines and sea monsters.
Range: 20 miles
Damage: (High Explosive) 4d6x10 MD
Special Munition:
*‘Kraken’ Torpedoes---Kraken Torpedoes are magically living ordnance that seems inspired by the ‘bottled demon’ missiles of the Three Galaxies’ United Worlds of Warlock. These waterjet-propelled projectiles track and pursue targets like the monstrous predators they are, then slam their hardshelled armor-piercing bodies into a ship’s hull. Then, the horrid things sprout tentacles and proceed to tear and entangle the target, doing even more damage, before the magic keeping them on this plane of existance breaks down and they seemingly evaporate. The real danger is that few water vehicles have the means of dislodging the living weapons once they’ve attached themselves under the waterline or to the hull; somebody usually has to go overborad/into the water to attack the monstrous munition.
Kraken Torpedoes have 80 MDC each, move at MPH/65 kts, have a 15 mile range, are +2 to strike and have two attacks (so if they miss the first time, they can come around for a second run). Their initial ramming strike does 2d6x10 MD, but they then continue to do 6d6 MD per melee tentacle punch/crush damage, for 2d4 melees. Electrical/ion attacks do DOUBLE damage to Kraken Torps.
Kraken Torpedoes count as Heavy Torpedoes for purposes of launch mechanisms and stowage.
Rate of Fire: Salvoes of 1-4 per melee(takes one minute to reload a tube)
Payload: 8

8 ) *Generate Ice Barrier---The Iceship can cast Wall of Ice to affect temporary repairs( as ‘bandaides’ to seal holes until the ship’s normal regeneration mechanisms can go into effect) or on the waters around it to create temporary anti-torpedo iceflows.
Range: Can be cast up to 120 ft away
Size: Covers a 250 ft area
MDC: 600
Duration: Lasts 60 mnutes, after which it becomes normal SDC snow/ice(1,000 SDC)
Rate of Fire: Once per melee

9) *Spawn Icebergs/Ice Floes----As a last resort, close-in defense, the Iceship can actually spawn its own field of mini-icebergs, crowding the water around it and preventing small craft and torpedoes from approaching the Iceship. In shallow waters, such as those along the Scandanavian coast, this can also be used to block narrow straits, fjords, and shipping channels, preventing pursuit(or escape) of lesser craft.
The Iceship can spawn 4 one-thousand ton icebergs per day, or many smaller ice pieces of the same total weight.
The larger ‘bergs can act equivalent to a Towed Sonar/Radar Decoy---(Stats suggested courtesy of Mischa and Kitsune)---
M.D.C.: 100 (10,000 SDC) each 1k ton ‘berg
Effects:: Ad a decoy, the larger bergs have an 85% chance of fooling ordinary non military sonars/radars and non smart guided torpedoes, and a 65% chance of fooling military level sonars (like those of the Coalition), and the decoy has a 50% chance of fooling advanced military sonars (Like those of the New Navy and Triax) and smart torpedoes. However, even if it can’t fll a sensor system, the iceberg can block a weapon.
Range: Not Applicable, calf directly off the main hull.

10) Aurora Borealis/’Aurora Malignus’----The Iceship can set off a wide-area jamming spell that creates an aurora-like glow to the sky, visible for dozens of miles. Though much more localized than the natural phenomenon, the effects of the aurora are much more intense, jamming radio communications, adversely affecting radar, and interfering with unshielded electrical systems.
Range: 50 mile radius
Damage:*Jamming--- The radio bands are fileld with enough crackling static and white noise to jam civilian band communications with 90% effectiveness, and military comms with 75% effectiveness
-Radar systems are thrown off acuity by 70%, military-grade radars by 40%. A Read Sensory Instruments or Electronic Warfare skill roll is needed to readjust the radar systems, at -70% and --40% respectively.
-Radar-guided weapons are -7 to strike.
*Electrical Disruption---Unshielded elecrtrical systems have a 60% chance of being knocked out. Military-grade systems, including most cyborg circuitry, are hardened against this effect.
Rate of Fire: Twice per 24 hours, and lasts an hour with each use.
Payload: Effectively Unlimited

11) Cloud of Fog-----The Iceship can create a thick cloud of cold fog to obscure it.
Range: Covers a 30 mile area
Damage/Effects: Thick obscuring fog that reduces visibility to a mere 10 ft.
Rate of Fire: Fog persists for 15 hours
Payload: Effectively Unlimited

12) Summon Snow Storm----The Iceship can whistle up a blizzard.
Range: Covers a 30 mile area
Damage/Effects: Havy driving snow and 30 MPH winds that reduce visibility to a mere 20 ft. Pelting hail and ice yjay do 10 SDC per melee round, and 1 ft accumulation every 30 seconds. Aircraft with aerodynamic control surfaces will find themselves icing up and puloting rolls will be at -15% uness de-icing measures are taken. Windows and optics will be coated with ice, rendering vision through them increasingly difficult. Even small water vessels and patrol boats will be in peril of capsizing if the ice and snow accumulation on them becomes too heavy.
Rate of Fire: Blizzard persists for 6 hours
Payload: Effectively Unlimited

Auxiliary Craft:
300 aircraft(about 200 fighters and 100 heavy bombers) or TWICE that number in living warmounts like griffins or dragondactyls
60 Longboat Skimmers
` 25 Kholdar Heavy Hovertanks
10 Mini-submarines(equivalent to UB-300)

taalismn · Unread post by **taalismn** » Sun Jan 24, 2021 8:23 pm

(Some)Cambridge Jungle Biotech Equipment:

*LimGen Pod
“Beautiful little thing wrapped around your stump, isn’t it? That little miracle is in fact growing you a new hand. Yes, by the end of the day, you’ll be able to scratch your ass again. Wondering why you’re not jumping for joy at the prospect? You’re currently doped to the gills, otherwise you’d be screaming like your hand had been dipped in boiling water, then stuck in a bear trap inside a hornets’ nest.”

This is a piece of hybrid biotech that resembles a sheaf of rubbery leaves and flexible plastic panels, with root tendrils dangling from the underside. A person with an amputated/missing limb sticks their stump into the center of the sheaf, which then wraps around it and seals, while the root tendrils seek sources of nutrient(usually provided in the form of bottles or bags of nutrient-rich solutions) to feed the regeneration process. The organism ‘reads’ the DNA pattern of the patient and begins a combination of accelerated cell growth and 3D printing(the latter with regards to the skeleton, if any).
The LimGen Pod can replace a finger, nose, or ear in as little as 30 minutes, a hand in 3 hours, an arm in 9, and a leg in 12 hours. The downside is that the process of re-growing also stimulates new nerve growth, and without some form of pain relief/control, re-growiing a new body part can be AGONIZING for anybody wanting to’[tough it out’. The new limb will be effectively ‘newborne’ and must be exercised up to the same level of strength/speed as the rest of the body.
Cost: 90,000 credits

*Regen Bag
“ ‘Tag and Bag’em’ has a different meaning with us. It usually means stick a near- or fresh-deader in a stasis bag, rezrec them with an agatron later, or stick them in a regen sack for some healing. Yeah, people get to thinking we’re crazy-awesome when we can present them with living breathing loved ones they thought they’d seen kick it . Of course, every once in a while we get somebody mad at us for bringing them back from their heavenly reward, or because we kept them from what they were looking to inherit.”

This is a derivative of the regeneration abilities of the Host Armors to heal their pilots, including re-growing limbs. The Regen Bag is a portable life support system and medical station resembling a large roughly man-sized hard-shelled insect pupae that opens up to engulf a patient in a soft fleshy sac. Hoppers on the ends of the casing are used to feed the Regen Bag with mulched vegetable matter and water to keep both the regeneration organism and the encased patient alive and sustained.
On the Splicers world, Regen Bags are normally reserved for a House’s medical healers, and given out to outsiders only for exceptional services. On Rifts Earth, the Cambridge Jungle Splicers have tapped the ambient magic to allow for accelerated mass production of bioware, and that includes Regen Bags, which are more readily available to the GNE medical establishment.
Requirements: The Regen Bag must be fed 3 lbs of mulch and a quart of water a day to keep it healthy in standby mode. Active, it may require more(2-5 times as much) to heal and sustain patients.
MDC of ‘Bag: Typically has 1d10+15 MD
Effects: Heals 4d8
Cost: 15,000 credits for the Basic Regen (3d4 SDC/HP per hour)
500,000 credits for the Enhanced Regen(6d6x10 SDC/HP per hour)
2 million credits for the Deluxe (Super) Regen((1d6x10 SDC/HP PER MINUTE, and can regenerate lost limbs)

*CamJ Chameleon Sheets
(aka ‘ChamCloth’, ‘Octocloth’, ‘Mimic-Tarp’)
“If you’re bivouacking in the field under mimic-sheets, make sure you know where your headcount is before you turn in. I once had to change position in the night and tripped over three of my own guys getting to my perimeter. Didn’t exactly make me popular with the troops.”

An alternative to technological chameleon camouflage systems, Chameleon Sheets use the same sort of adaptive camouflaging as octopi use to blend into their surroundings. A typical ChamCloth trap can cover a 25 square ft area can has a 93% chance of going undetected covering stationary objects. It also provides thermal insulation, absorbing heat from under it. ChamSheets have 10 MDC per 25 ft area. Like LINNUS sheets, ChamSheets need to be periodically(once a week) sprayed with a special nutrient spray to remain viable.
Cost: 19,000 credits per 25 ft section

Omegasgundam · Unread post by **Omegasgundam** » Sun Jan 24, 2021 9:06 pm

Mhm. Regen applications are a really good application of their tech, and are something that normal technology struggles with. It also functions in low PPE environments, which isn't uncommon.

taalismn · Unread post by **taalismn** » Sun Jan 24, 2021 10:01 pm

Omegasgundam wrote:Mhm. Regen applications are a really good application of their tech, and are something that normal technology struggles with. It also functions in low PPE environments, which isn't uncommon.

That, and I needed to come up with a way of regenerating body parts when the magic spell Restoration doesn't do it. You need to go full out and have a ritual which is even more expensive than the Resurrection spell(which you CAN create as a TW device very cheaply*)---

*MadMike did the math, but figured it was a game-buster if you could hand out resurrections at less than 10 PPE a pop, and I looked it over)because I'm not as concerned with breaking society as MadMIke) and discovered he was right.
Thing is, you can't lump the bigger better(higher than sixth level) spells on the same mass of gemstones/crystals; you gotta rig them separately.

Anyways, I wanted an alternative instant-healing system(especially nice if you're treating mass casualty events in the field), and some people aren't going to want or wait for a a week or so to have a biosyjstem limb cultured and printed up, or take an off-the-shelf prosthetic. And here's Splicer tech to the rescue!

Wait,..I just took a look at the mineral/gemstone spell-listings, and the Ley Line Restoration spell/ritual IS listed for orange=red agate...what the hell? How would that work?
Okay. gotta rethink it, but it still means you need separate masses of agate to create TW applicators for the Resurrect-Reattach-Regenerate trifecta spells.

Omegasgundam · Unread post by **Omegasgundam** » Mon Jan 25, 2021 1:03 am

And I have some more 'gifts'. A pair of Azhur utility designs and their SAMAS knock off. I'm now working on an angle to get the humans an inside track to attacking their home dimension holdings, and I thinks its enough out of left field for you to not guess the specifics.

Mil Mi-26/TW “Frostwind” Heavy Utility Helicopter
“Everybody needs these sorts of utility craft, although most avoid egg beaters if they have a choice. The TW features compensate for the type’s problems though, particularly the vulnerability of the lift rotor. Beyond the force field, the hover system allows it to survive the top being shot off, although it’ll likely need some serious time in the shop afterwards. All of them powered by Air Elementals, with the truly all weather capabilities allowing them to operate in contentions where the normal rules of aerodynamics would fail them, which is the other traditional failing. That being said, they’re basically defenseless without escorts, which is why they usually have a few Snowfakes on board when they travel from their own interior territory.”
--- Excerpt from GNE Intelligence Documents.

A natural utility design, the Frostwind is a Technowizard version of the classic Mi-26, which held the record as the largest and most capable production heavy lift helicopter for the 20th century and the first few decades of the 21st. A near bare bones design, the Frostwind is designed for utility above all else, and is used by both the Azhur and the Neo-Vikings to move substantial cargo and personal cross relatively short distances, making it a common sight around their larger bases and aircraft carriers. While lacking in defensive armament or enchantments, the craft has been equipped with a more effective force field enchantment operating off of a PPE capacitor. Additionally, the craft also features a Levitation enchantment as a safety feature, but has been found to have a profound positive impact on Sling Loading. While their primary opposition (the GNE, NGE, and various Russian factions) have the luxury of ubiquitous direct thrust and GMR platforms, this is a major step forward for the invaders.

Spoiler:

Mil Mi-8M/TW “Hellwind-M” Medium Utility Helicopter
A recent upgrade of the Azhur’s first helicopter, the Hellwind-M addresses many of the older design’s problems, drawing from the later Mi-26/TW. Based on the Mi-17, the engine power has been substantially upgraded, allowing it greater cargo capacity and higher speed and altitude. The chassis has also been reinforced to allow it to carry its full load in a sling mount, although this can be tricky. Finally, the older enchantments have been altered to run off of a central PPE capacitor, granting substantially more flexibility and simplifying its production. However, it remains highly vulnerable to sophisticated air defense systems, making it only viable as an attack craft against poorly protected targets.

Spoiler:

Snow Jack Flying Power Armor
“Much to no one’s surprise, they’ve made a SAMAS equivalent. Its higher grade than the original PA-06, and is better in low level aspects than the PA-07, but it lacks the latter’s altitude capabilities. Interestingly they haven’t armed it with a railgun, but I suppose the JA-12 is easier to deal with in the arctic after it's been heavily winterized. It's not as common as the Icikill, with the usual mix is one platoon in an Icikill Company. All of them have been of the annoying ‘welded shut’ type so far, as the limb myolmers and torso mounted systems can be maintained without taking the whole thing off.”
--- Extript from a GNE Intelligence Report

The Snow Jack is the Azhur’s attempt at a legitimate flying combat capable power armor. Naturally a derivative of the classic ‘Death’s Head’ SAMAS, the Azhur use higher quality materials than the ‘Bloody Revenge’ era models, resulting in substantially improved durability. Other improvements include a greatly increased altitude limit and integral weapon systems, inspired by the more capable ‘Smiling Jack’. Operational tactics are effectively identical, although the increased missile power does change the proscribed closing engagement sections. The near totality of those so far seen have been of the cheaper sonic welded variety, but salvaged units can be rebuilt with Paladin Steel sourced components.

Spoiler:

taalismn · Unread post by **taalismn** » Thu Jan 28, 2021 9:14 pm

Reposting some older material first:
MagLev Lines

“Thought it was a good idea to go walking along what I thought was a nice clear firelane through the forest when I almost freakin’ had my head taken off by a flying boxcar full of cereal for the kiddies in Burlington! They oughta have warning signs on those damn train lanes!”
-----Leslie Carter, Headhunter

“You can float just about ANYTHING on a big enough Maglev GMR pad...and don’t think we regularly test that! Whole merchant ships assembled inland going to the coast, huge aerospace assemblies, bauxite and titanium ore, cars full of meatbeasts, tankers worth of petrochem, megatonnes of soil fill....even once sent a small forest in transhippment....If you can get it onto a platform, we’ll send it on!”
-----Captain Nicole Shevernatzen, Greater New England Transit Authority

Another invaluable form of mass transit and heavy transport throughout the GNE are the recently introduced MagLev lines....The GNE uses a ‘buried lane passive conduit’ maglev system. These are buried(6-12 ft down) conduits of room-temperature superconductor, bundled in 4 ft-thick pipes with superconductor ‘coolant wicks’, and in some places water cooling, that serve as the nearly invisible ‘base’ for massive electromagnetic levitation ‘train-ships’ that fly 20-35 ft off the ground, hitting speeds of up to 120 MPH. The trains or ‘maglev modules’, are massive slab-sided transport craft fitted with low-power GraviMagnetic Repulse(GMR) pads that push against the heightened magnetic fields around the buried superconductor ‘lane’. Though aircraft and hovercraft are more capable and versatile, these cutting edge ‘trains’ are far more energy efficient for moving large amounts of cargo and people over busy internal traffic routes. The new technologies make the trains more effective and less vulnerable as well, as the maglev lines can now be buried, much like natural gas and power lines were, and the trains can safely fly over most obstacles(such as people walking along the maglev lanes). However, many newcomers to the GNE often use the cleared lanes as travel paths, resulting in several(well-publicized) accidents in the five years since the system came online.
Maglev ‘corridors’ connect Burlington, North Wilder, New Bath, Penobscott Bay, Springfield, New Boston, New Hartford, and Ticonderoga. with plans to expand the network to include New Rochester on a western spur. Besides the mass movement of materials, these Maglev lines also serve as emergency evacuation routes, in the event the coastal communities have to be abandoned in the face of a Splugorth invasion of the NorthEast.
Paladin Steel offers complete MagLev systems for sale to communities as part of its Infrastructure Builder packages.

MagLev Modules
The most visible part of the maglev system are the impressive maglev module trains, massive floating ships that remind many of flying Liberty Freighters. These hulking vehicles loom 1-3 stories tall, and are essentially land-based bulk freighters, hauling massive loads of raw materials and finished products, including hull assemblies, building structural members, and complete vehicles, back and forth across the GNE. MagLev Modules have little in the way of independent flight capability off the maglev lane, but they are fitted with airbrake baffles, retrorockets, and emergency crash bags in the event the trains have to make sudden stops, and they have enough reserve power that in event of main conduit power loss, they can slow down and coast to a halt under their own power.
MagLev Modules are rarely armed; their routes inside the GNE rarely expose them to the sort of danger travellers are commonly subjected to in more dangerous parts of the country. However, they are well armored, and most will carry a well-armed security officer or three, a contingent which can be greatly reinforced if travelling in more dangerous regions(such as the Vermont to New Rochester run) or carrying sensitive cargo.
Smaller, faster, passenger MagLev modules are also coming into service, but the bulk of maglev traffic continues to be freight; even in relatively pacified regions as the GNE, the local populations have not yet acquired the sort of mobility, or desire to travel far from their homes, so familiar to pre-Rifts Americans.

Typical MagLev Module
The Type 01 ‘Hobo’ MLM is a typical MagLev Module used for heavy transport of dry, containerized, cargo, with limited passenger capacity. The ‘Hobo’ has a boxy shape, even larger and more imposing than an old railroad boxcar’s, sturdy construction(enough to survive fairly heavy small arms fire and crashlandings), minimal propulsion capabilies aside from its levitation capabilities, and a fuel cell powerplant. The ‘Hobo’ has a large main interior cargo deck large enough to accommodate most light robot vehicles, and an upper deck, accessed by ladderway or internal stairwell, that is intended for passengers, but can also be used to hold additional cargo, crew, or even an apartment-style residence. Four large cargo doors, one on each side, and one fore and aft, permit roll-on/roll-off loading of the main deck, while four smaller doors allow gantry access to the upper deck. The ‘Hobo’ has air conditioning/climate control, but lacks self-contained life support. The ‘Hobo’ is typically linked as part of a maglev train, but it can be controlled from a small control cabin with basic controls. This cabin is typically kept locked and/or disconnected when the module is train-linked.
Type: PS-MLM-01
Class: Magnetic Levitation Heavy Cargo Transporter Module
Crew: 2, plus 1-4 security officers,
MDC/Armor by Location:
Main Body 300
Passenger Compartment Windows(6-18) 5 each
Cargo Doors(4) 90 each
Passenger Doors(4) 50 each
Height: 50 ft
Width: 50 ft
Length: 100 ft
Weight: 75 tons
Cargo: Can hold up to 180 tons of freight
Powerplant: Rechargeable battery or fuel cell, good for 56 hours of continuous operation
Speed: 120 MPH. Hovers 1-15 ft off the ground over a buried maglev line
Cost: A typical MagLev Module costs anywhere from 30,000-500,000 credits, depending on features and configuration. Putting it on the maglev lanes requires the permission and notification of the Transit Authority, that coordinates maglev schedules.
Booking passage on the Maglev costs 5-15 credits, or 150 credits for a pass good for a whole year. Transporting cargo or a vehicle up to 25 tons costs about 50-100 credits. Military equipment may cost more(1,000+ credits for transporting a heavy military robot, for instance), especially if it requires special handling gear.
Systems of Note:
*Air Conditioning
*External Warning Lights and Siren
*Airbag Crash Landing Gear(‘Pontoon Bags’)
*Emergency Radio(Automatic Rail Line Beacon warns of module’s speed, heading, and location to other modules and rail controllers)
Weapons Systems: None standard.

Note: Many other MagLev Module variants exist as well, from large open deck flatbeds used to transport prefab ship components(and sometimes entire vessels), robots and artillery, and rolls of sheet steel, to large tanker modules for carrying liquid cargoes.
The military(and Paladin Steel) is known to have armed and armored transport modules, with as many as eight gun positions and twice as much armor. Rumors persist of ‘missile cars’ carrying large batteries of missiles, including massive LRM launchers, and even train-transported IRBMs, targeted at Atlantis.

Variants:
*MagLev Type-02 ‘Floaters’----These are simply MagLev modules fitted with more powerful GMR repulsor systems, allowing them to operate like regular hovercraft off the superconduction lines. Larger than hovertrucks and smaller than GMR Grav-Ships, MagLev Floatersfill an intermediate cargo transport roll between those vehicles. They can still be linked in massive ‘trains’, but beyond a single car, larger ‘trains’ may need a separate engine to pull them at any great speed. The advantages of Type-02 Floaters are that they can operate off set ‘lines’ and have greater freedom of movement, but at the expense of generall slower speeds and higher cost per unit
Size: Unchanged
Speed: 80 MPH, at altitudes of 20-200 ft. Higher speeds will require a dedicated external ‘puller/pusher’ engine/tug
Powerplant: Varies: a low end ‘floater’ has electrical propulsion batteries good for 248 hours of continuous operation (it will still levitate even with the batteries drained, but won’t move under its own power) before needing a recharge, but nuclear and technowizardry powerplants are available at extra cost.
Cost: 50% extra over the regular cost of a MagLev Car.

GMR-Ground Vehicle Conversions
(aka ‘Gurms’, ‘Gurmers’, ‘Floaters’, ‘Nappers’(nape-of-the-Earth’) )

“Learning to drive a gurm-conversion isn’t as easy as you think, though one d-bee colleague I knew, who had LTA experience, compared driving one to ‘flying a blimp’. It really is like learning to fly a light aircraft, even though gurmers are not exactly as fast or high-flying as regular aerodynes, though the control setups are similar. The extra controls feature nose-up-nose-down controls for altitude positioning, and there’s a ground alert sensor that warns if you if you’re about to scrape turf and bottom out. You can’t lean into traction on turns like you would with a ground vehicle, and a good wind can really knock you about if you aren’t holding tight on the stick. Floaters make flying look easy, but it’s actually harder than it looks.”

“Great; in-city traffic pattern just gotta LOT more complicated.”
---Anonymous GNE Highway Patrol Trooper

The proliferation of inexpensive GMR technology through mass production meant that affordable GMR repulsor plates were becoming more widely available. This has resulted in a number of conversions of existing wheeled and treaded(and some older GEV) vehicles into hover-capable GMR platforms simply by sliding hoverplates under the body and adding horizontal propulsion jets. The ‘Gravsnake’ GMR conversion of the ‘Rattlesnake’ APC paved the way for a flood of similar refits and re-imaginings.
Though more expensive than conventional vectored-thrust and ground effect hover systems, GMR has a few advantages; nearly silent operation, continual state levitation, and much reduced telltale dust/debris plumes from lift jet overpressure. What little visible upthrow there is stems mainly from propulsive thrust exhaust. The GMR system works just as well over water as land, so it’s quite popular, despite the relatively low operating altitudes and slow speeds(compared to purpose-built aerodynes), ‘gurmers’ are gaining popularity as ‘go anywhere’ vehicles. The conversions are proving expecially popular offworld in the GNE and USA worlds.

Note: GMR vehicles DOUBLE their altitude above the superconducting conduits laid down for larger GMR MagLev ‘levitrains’, making the existing floater-train lanes even more popular avenues of travel.

Notable Conversions:
*Colter Rover---Hovers 1-70 ft off the ground, and can hit speeds of 120 MPH. Cost: +220,000 credits

*DL-500 “Arabian’ All Terrain Multi-Purpose Vehicle---Hovers 1-75 ft off the ground, and can hit speeds of 150 MPH. Cost: : + 270,000 credits

*DL-600 ‘Clydesdale’ Heavy 8x8 Multi-Purpose Vehicle---Hovers 1-50 ft off the ground, and can hit speeds of 120 MPH. Cost: : +290,000 credits

*PS-HT-170/240/320/400 Heavy Multipurpose Industrial Truck---Hovers 1-25 ft off the ground, and can hit speeds of 100 MPH. Cost:: +300,000 credits

*PS-T18 ‘Rambo’ Heavy Truck/Land Cruiser---Hovers 1-20 ft off the ground, and can hit speeds of 80 MPH. Cost: : +300,000 credits

*PS-GC1979 Checker Marathon II Taxi-Sedan---Hovers 1-90 ft off the ground, and can hit speeds of 200 MPH. Cost: : +200,000 credits

*PS-GEV-APC-113 ‘Grenser’ Armored Personnel Carrier---Hovers 1-60 ft off the ground, and can hit speeds of 150 MPH. Cost: +240,000 credits

taalismn · Unread post by **taalismn** » Tue Feb 09, 2021 12:42 am

Paladin Steel ‘Skywinder’ Sport Hovercar

“What’s there to do in the Relic? Skyscrapper drifting.”
---’Maniac Mary’, Turbojockey

“Sure, the Germans will sell you something cheaper, but those volkscuttles got -nothing- on the skyrockets we got. The shell’s Golden Age refinement, but the heart’s pure Paladin Steel; reliable, hardcharging, combat-tested.”

While Paladin Steel’s catalogue of utilitarian and military vehicles numbers in the dozens, if not hundreds, the number of designs made by PS that could be called ‘luxury’ or ‘sporty’ can be counted on one hand. In general, Paladin Steel is known for staid and reliable workhorses, rather than exciting and zippy recreational vehicles with upper class or youth market appeal, and designs like the Peregrine and Silken Swift are considered by many industry analysts as lucky shots in the dark, or copies of earlier Golden Age designs. The Skywinder falls into the latter category, but at least represents an effort to appeal to a younger, civilian, market with a need for style and speed. The growing economies of the United Systems Alliance, wth an increasing amount of disposable income available to the member worlds, are a big market for these vehicles, especially with the growing ‘buy home-grown’ movement against imports from the older metroworlds, while the still-’wild’ nature of many of the Fringe worlds makes milspec M-factor durability sought afteer and considered worth the extra cost.
The Skywinder bears more than a little resemblance to a wheelless Kia Sidewinder, a pre-Rifts concept car that existed only on paper(or computer simulation) that generated a lot of buzz in its time, but which was, to the best of anybody’s knowledge, never actually built. It’s rumored, though, that in the flush of the Golden Age, when new technology and materials were cheap, and computer-assisted small-gig manufacturing made it possible to fabricate objects that previously needed a full-wing assembly line, that somebody commissioned an actual Sidewinder using licensed design software(possibly at the pre-Rifts Paladin Steel facility, known to do odd fabrication jobs for the open market). Another rumor is that PS got an example from another dimensional Earth where the Sidewinder WAS put into production. In either case, the basic design of the ‘drift’-racer seems to have inspired the current PS Skywinder hovercar.
The Skywinder does away with the wheels of the original design, in favor of high-power, high-efficiency hoverjets, powered by a choice of powerplants(the original was meant to be powered by liquified natural gas). Two hover jets in the forward fuselage provide lft and control, two small jets in separate nacelles at the rear provide additional lift and drive, and a large main thruster at the stern provides kick-in-the-ass main power. The ‘Skywinder’ has a few tricks inspired by its ‘Sidewinder’ namesake; ost notably that it is nearly as fast moving sideways as it is in forward flight, thanks to its vectorable hoverjets.
Two basic models of the Skywinder are in mass-production. The SW-01 is the SDC ‘economy model’, using less durable materials, but also cheaper to build, buy, and maintain. The SW-02A model uses aerospace-grade megadamage materials for a more durable vehicle better suited for dangerous environments like Rifts Earth.
There’s a military variant of course, that trades some performance for added military equipment.
There is noticeably an uncharacteristic lack of space for weapons hardpoints, which makes the Skywinder unpopular with gun-loving users, but most speed afficionados defend this by pointing out that the Skywinder is optimized weight-wise for speed and performance, not firepower.

Type: PS-SW-01 Skywinder
Class: Sport Hovercar
Crew: 2
MDC/Armor by Location:
(SW-01)(SDC)
Main Body 1,000 SDC
Windshield 120
Doors(2) 90 each
Spoiler Bar 90
Hoverjets(5) 100 each

(SW-02A)(MDC)
Main Body 120
Windshield 40
Doors(2) 50 each
Spoiler Bar 40
Hoverjets(5) 30 each
Height: 3.8 ft
Width: 5 ft
Length: 12 ft
Weight: 3,520 lb
Cargo: Glove compartment-sized space, plus some room behind the seats for luggage.
Powerplant: Fuel cell electric(w/ mile range), or nuclear.
Speed: (Flying) Hover to 250 MPH, maximum altitude 200 ft. 180 MPH in sideways flight.
Bonuses: +10% to Pilot Hovercraft rolls for purposes of stunts, +1 Dodge
Market Cost:(SW-01) 68,000 credits for fuel cell electric(w/ 300 mile range), 120,000 credits for nuclear(w/ 15 year energy life)
(SW-02A) 350,000 credits for fuel cell electric(w/ 300 mile range), 400,000 credits for nuclear(w/ 15 year energy life)
Systems of Note:
Tinted Windows(standard)
Life Support w/ Full Air-Conditioning and Air Filtration(8 hour air supply)
Radio: 50 mile range
Stereo System
Normal Light/IR Headlights
Inertial Compass
AutoPilot---Basic
*Reclining Bucket Seats w/ Auto-Adjust(for maximum comfort)
Weapons Systems: None standard(see Options)
Options:
*Engine Upgrade----A more powerful engine, more efficient power train, and improved transmission can be added, improving overall speed, but at greater expense;
Speed: Can improve top speed by up to 50%
Cost: 120,000 credits per 10% of improvement over base. 300,000 credits for nuclear upgrades. +50,000 per 10% for hoverjet systems(actually simpler to upgrade GEV systems past the initial high cost by adding more/bigger jet thrusters).

*Cyberlink Drive System--Allows a driver with a headjack to ‘jack in’ to the vehicle for more responsive control. This allows the driver to drive without their hands on the wheel(“Look, Mom, no hands!”), and/or to respond with greater speed to road situations. Similar to the system presented in Rifts: Russia, but GNE makes them less expensive(the real expense is in the implant end)
Bonuses: For anyone with the CyberVehicle Link, the following bonuses apply: +1 to initiative, +1 to strike using the vehicle or vehicel-mount weapons, +1 to Dodge, +1 Action/Attack per Melee, Base Driving skill of 45%, or +10% to existing driving skill. Driver can also ‘tweak’ the vehicle’s maximum speed by 1% per I.q. point. Note that the operator can only be controling the vehicle while doing this....no other relevant actions(can carry on light conversation, or take a quick bite/drink, but can’t disassemble their weapons or whittle a wooden toy .
To anyone lacking the CVL, there are no bonuses to vehicle operation, but they CAN make minor adjustments to vehicle peripherals’ without using their hands(turning on/off headlights, booting up the stereo, rolling down the electric windows, adjusting the AC, etc...).
Cost: Vehicle installation is 10,000 credits, the cybervehicle link(implant) costs 120,000 credits

*Autopilot---Available in both a ‘dumb’ and a ‘smart’ version. Dumb versions will basically just keep the vehicle going straight and level on a pre-set course, never deviating from said course...the ‘dumb’ system will alert the crew if anything trips the sensors or gets in the way, and it can be programmed to stop, or deviate a set distance from course in such events, until the crew can regain/resume control.
A ‘smart’ system is actually an onboard Artificial Intelligence(AI) using PS’s new microtronics AI chips. The ‘smart’ system can actually evade and maneuvar to avoid obstacles, and even anticipate trouble, while remaining on the general course. The ‘smart system’ has a +1 to dodge
Cost: ‘Dumb’ version comes standard with the Skywinder, 12,000 credits for the ‘smart’ Auto-Pilot
For an additional 8,000 credits, this can be modified with a remote start(triggered by a remote control in the keycard) and a remote ‘recall’ that allows the owner to summon the car to him, and for another 8,000 credits, even command its functions by remote control.

*Crash Control/Safety Restraints/Fire Control System---Reduces the damage that passengers take in a crash by HALF. PS actually offers a 10% discount on other options if this option is taken(hey, auto insurance is sorta ridiculous in monster infested Rifts Earth, but there should be some economic incentives for safety devices...).
Cost: 10,000 credits

*Ejection Seats---Great for last minute bailouts, or, if one decides to take the ‘master control’ option built into a secret control, ejecting unwelcome passengers from the vehicle. Includes auto-deploy restraints and head protector. Typically fire the seat up to 250 ft away; comes standard with zero-altitude capability, so if you leave the kids in the car, folks, while you pick up some groceries, disable the seats first....
Cost: 6,000 credits per chair
(Master Control): 1,000 credits

*JATO--- Applicable to nuclear and conventionally powered vehicles. This is essentially a Power Booster(nitrous oxide injection system, improved power delivery system, rocket booster, overcharger), and a tuned-up engine to attain higher performance, if only for a few minutes.
Speed: 350 MPH for 1d4 minutes, or adds 100 MPH to an existing flight system, for 1d4 minutes. Cannot be re-engaged for another 2d6 minutes after that(recharge period, cool-down, etc.).
Cost: 200,000 credits

*Chaff/Flare Launcher---For those of you afraid of eating a missile from your friendly Coalition Highway Patrol....
Range: Close Defense
Damage: None; similar to Triax-style chaff
01-50 Enemy Missile or volley detonates in chaff and threat is nuetralized
51-75 Missile/Volley diverts and may pursue/lock on to other targets
76-00 No Effect! Missile(s) still on target!
Will also temporarily blind and impede flying monsters who fly into it.
Reduce APMs/combat bonuses/ speed by half for 1d4 melees
Payload: 12 per launcher
Cost: 3,500 credits for the launcher, 100 credits per bundle

*EM Jammers---Great for blasting through radar traps. Radar-guided weapons are -6 to strike. Effective range of 500 ft
Cost: 50,000 credits

*Morphing ‘Armadillo’ Armor---Enfolds the ENTIRE vehicle in articulated armor plates, increasing armor protection, but effectively immobilizing the car. Can only be openned from the outside by special electronic passcode(included in cost)
MDC: +100 MDC when deployed
Cost: 150,000 credits; 80,000 credits for three Glitterboy-style laser pylons that drive into the ground and anchor the vehicle to the ground(takes a Robotic PS of 40 or greater to uproot the vehicle)

*Super-Glo Paint Job(Flare Paint)---A specialized coating of highly reflective and electro-
luminescent paint, typically in Day-Glo Orange, Green, Electric Blue, and Psychodelic....extremely
loud and painfully bright to look at....Lasers do 1/3 normal damage, and the vehicle is extremely
easy to spot and difficult to camouflage. The vehicle also seems to glow at night in any sort of
ambient light.
When charged with an electric current, the paint flash-luminesces, with effects similar to a
Blinding Flash spell
Damage: Unless wearing flash-protection equipment, like polarizing goggles, or otherwise
protected, victims are blinded for 4 melees, and are -5 to strike, -10 to parry and dodge.
Range: Omni-directional: 100 ft range
Cost: 60,000 credits
(Hypno pin-wheel paint job on hubcaps optional)

*Blurr Armor---The Skywinder is one of the first PS-made vehicles to be fitted with vehicular blurr-armor:
Bonuses: The faster the vehicle moves, the greater the distortion; at speeds of 15 MPH or less, no bonus, 15-25 MPH; -1 to strike the wearer, 26-60 MPH; -2 to strike, 61-90 MPH; -3 to strike, 91 MPH or greater, -4 to strike. These penalties only apply to visual targeting(Mark One Eyeball).
CAN be combined with Super-Glo Paint Job.
Cost: 90,000 credits

*Laser Headlights(1-2)
Range: 4,000 ft
Damage: Variable settings; 1d6, 2d6, 3d6, 4d6, or 6d6 MD per gun.
Rate of Fire: ECHH
Payload: 250 shot battery per gun. Effectively unlimited linked to a powerplant.
Cost: 30,000 credits per gun

*Nose Gun---This is a rather recently introduced option, after many complaints about the optional laser headlights being ‘not enough gun’. Thus some effort has been made to make room under the hood for an extra weapon, a standard cyborg forearm-mount gun. 45-degree arc of fire to the front.
Cost: 40,000 credits for the nose mount
a) Laser---Range: 2,000 ft, Damage: 3d6 MD per shot, Payload: 200 shot battery. Effectively unlimited linked to a powerplant. Cost: 32,000 credits

b) Ion---Range: 1,200 ft, Damage: 3d6 MD per shot, Payload: 120 shot battery. Effectively unlimited linked to a powerplant. Cost: 20,000 credits
Option: Scatter-Shot Mode---This i turns the Ion Blaster into a short range shotgun with an area of effect blast. Reduce range to 600 ft, but does 4d6 MD to a 12 ft wide area. Cost: 8,000 credits

c) Plasma---Range: 1,000 ft, Damage: 4d6 MD per shot, Payload: 100 shot battery. Effectively unlimited linked to a powerplant. Cost: 40,000 credits
Option: Scatter-Fire---This modifies the muzzle plasma ejector mechanism to fire a dozen or so smaller plasma bolts at shorter range and with less individual damage, but with a scatter effect like a shotgun---ideal for clearing out rooms and compartments.
Reduce range by 1/3, and mini-plasma bolts do 2d4 MD each, but now covers a 30-degree arc(or rougly 15 ft wide area)
Cost: +8,000 credits

d) Particle Beam---Range: 1,000 ft, Damage: 6d6+6 MD per shot, Payload: 100 shot battery. Effectively unlimited linked to a powerplant. Cost: 60,000 credits

e) Light Machine Gun
Range: 2,000 ft
Damage: (Conventional) 1d6x10 SDC/HP per 10 rd burst
(Exploding) 1 MD single round, 2d4 MD ten-shot burst
(PSX-1)1d4 MD per single rd, 1d4x10 MD per 10 rd burst
Rate of Fire: Standard
Payload: 200 rd box magazine
Cost: 18,000 credits

*’Sidewinder’ Lasers(2)---This is another late offering originating from the Steel Gaians, who had received enough requests for post-market modifications. It’s suspected that these small fire-linked laser turrets mounted on the spoiler ends are knockoffs of the wing lasers on the Flying Titan power armor. Each turret has a 240-degree arc of fire, allowing engagement of targets to the sides and back of the hovercar.
Range: 4,000 ft
Damage: 2d6 MD per blast, 4d6 MD for a linked(counts as one attack) blast from both turrets on the same target.
Rate of Fire: ECHH
Payload: 200 shot battery per gun. Effectively unlimited linked to a powerplant.
Cost: 86,000 credits for the set

Variants:
*PS-SW-01M ----Military variant, based on the SW-02. Weighs 25% more and reduces maximum speed by 20%, but increases main body MDC by 30%. Nose gun mount comes standard, as well as a targeting system(+1 to strike) Primarly marketed towards military police and security organizations as a ‘pursuit vehicle’. The PS-SW-02M has, on some worlds, earned the contempt of some drift-racing gangs as the local police have used the racer lines of the ‘car to approach and infiltrate their groups and shut down their illegal racing. 30% increase in price over regular civilian model.

*PS-SW-02(TW) ----TW version, with the following:
*TW Batteries/Generators:
PPE Capacity:(Light)----200 PPE battery capacity; recharges at 10 PPE per hour, 20PPE/hour at a leyline, 40 PPE/hour on a nexus
(Medium)-----300 PPE battery capacity; recharges at 10 PPE per hour, 40 PPE/hour at a leyline, 80 PPE/hour on a nexus
Cost:(Light)----500,000 credits
(Medium)-----1 million credits

-Leyline Booster(Accelerates the aircraft up to 50% greater top speed when on a leyline, -10% to pilot skill when engaged)

*TW Overdrive Booster----Adds a TW Full Throttle spell enhancement to the ‘car, adding bursts of even greater speed. This option is generally BANNED from competition racing, however.
Bonus: Increase maximum speed by 40% for 6 melees.
Penalty: -5% to basic Piloting rolls, -20% to skill rolls for stunt maneuvering.
PPE Activation Cost: 10 PPE/20 ISP per activation.
Cost: 120,000 credits

TechnoWizardry Options:(Cost is HALF if the TechnoWizardry powerplant is taken)

Paladin Steel ‘Preston’ Hovercar
(aka ‘Torpedo’)

“This is the Retro Rocketcar of the Future!”
---PS sales ad

“You know what’s ironic? Preston Tucker designed an armored car for the old U.S. empire before he set to work on the Torpedo. Given what armor and armaments I’ve seen loaded into this remake, it’s almost like a historical merging of ideas.”
---Galter Hezlip, Scholar, Professor of Pre-Rifts Studies, University of New Lazlo.

“There’s some military commanders, and some Irregular units, who eschew standard-issue military vehicles, and go for heavily-modified civilian models like the Stratos and the Preston. Sometimes it’s just an obsession with looking stylish, other times it’s a desire to look inconspicious especially in urban settings, and other times with the right mods some of these pseudo-civie hack-jobs can oufperform the military lines.”

The Shrivving of Atlantis and the Great Escape that brought hordes of liberated slaves to the shores of Rifts Earth also brought with it hundreds, arguably thousands, of tons of booty taken by the escapees as they sought refuge, or sought to buy escape farther and faster from their Splugorth enslavers. Along with all that material wealth came an incalculable wealth of skills; sentients enslaved for their knowledge, for their expertise, for their talents in fields and professions both unique and coveted by the Splugorth and their associates. Many businesses in the Splynn Dimensional Market lost valuable talent (that was costing them little or nothing) during the Great Escape, that would cost them dearly in the years to come.
One of the businesses that suffered especially hard was Wheels of Time, a company that specialized in producing custom TW vehicles based on classical transport vehicles of (mainly terrestrial) antiquity. Though the Jotan-owned Wheels generally treated its slaves better than most, it wasn’t enough to prevent most of its slave engineers and mechanics from slipping their leashes and joining the exodus to freedom. Before leaving, however, the quicker-thinking of these refugees snapped up the history and design files of Wheels of Time. One of these escaping slaves, Giro Klhanne, a psi-mechanic, managed to bring with him a full portfolio set of WoT’s project files. When he arrived in Greater New England, Klhanne turned over the files and his technical assistance to Paladin Steel, in return for safe passage off Rifts Earth and as far from the Splugorth as possible.
Wheels of Time was manufacturing, by hand, their own version of a pre-Rifts classic automobile, the Tucker Torpedo, using TW enhancements to make it into a magically-levitated hovercar. However, they also had plans in development for a pure hovercar conversion of the same, plans that were detailed, along with the original car specs, in Klhanne’s purloined file copies. Paladin Steel engineers soon completed the unfinished redesign, added their own tweaks to it, and were soon retooling(or building) a new assembly line for their latest roll-out.
The Preston resembles a wheel-less version of the original Tucker Torpedo, with rear-mounted engines, side-mounted air intakes, and a large spacious cargo trunk in front. However, where the WoT design called for an Eye of Eylor in the place of the third, centrally-mounted headlight, Paladin Steel instead installed a sensor mount, with the option of upgrading to a powerful energy weapon system or technowizardry sensor.
The large forward trunk space allows for a variety of modifications; Operators and Technowizards are fond of fitting missile launchers and heavy weapons into the front of the car. This practice of loading heavy weapons into the front space is particularly popular with organized crime elements in the Relic, where the Preston is selling quite well as a luxury status symbol car. Ironically, the Preston has sold just as well to the private security outfits and vigilante groups thate are fighting the criminal gangs, leading to the Paladin Steel-affiliated garages in the region getting a fair amount of business repairing combat damage to Prestons.
Since its (re)introduction, the Preston is selling very well to those looking for some Golden Age antiquity styling, without sacrificing modern mobility and protection.

Type: PS-HV-17 Preston
Class: Medium Hovercar Sedan
Crew: One+1-5 passengers
MDC/Armor by Location:
Main Body 180
Reinforced Interior Compartment 100
Hoverjets(4) 50 each
Height: 60 in.(5 ft)
Width: 79 in.( 6.4 ft)
Length: 219 in.( 33.5 ft)
Weight: 4,500 lbs
Cargo: The forward trunk space is about 4 ft long, 4 ft wide, and 3 ft deep.
Powerplant: Conventional Liquid Fuel(250 mile range), Electric(300 mile range), Nuclear Fusion (w/ 15 year energy life), or TechnoWizardry(w/ 10 year energy life)
Speed: (Flying) Hover to 180 MPH, maximum altitude 1,000 ft.
Market Cost: 320,000 credits for Liquid Fuel, 380,000 credits for Electric, 950,000 credits for nuclear w/ 15 year energy life, 1.2 million credits for TW; options cost extra
Systems of Note:
Tinted Windows(standard)
Life Support w/ Full Air-Conditioning and Air Filtration(8 hour air supply)
Radio: 50 mile range
Stereo System
Normal Light/IR Headlights
Inertial Compass
AutoPilot---Basic
*Reclining Bucket Seats w/ Auto-Adjust(for maximum comfort)

Weapons Systems: None standard, but can be fitted as Options:

Options:
*Robot-Orb---This replaces the central headlight with a Flying Probe, a re-manufacture of the NEMA Flying Eye Probe. It can link its sensors to a dashboard display in the car to share its data.
Cost: 75,000 credits

*Engine Upgrade----A more powerful engine and more efficient power train can be added, improving overall speed, but at greater expense;
Speed: Can improve top speed by up to 50%
Cost: 7,000 credits per 10% of improvement over base.

*Mini-Radar----8 mile range
Cost: 2,000 credits

*Radar Detector----A dashboard ‘fuzzbuster’ for detecting other folk’s radar sensors.
Cost: 200 credits

*Gunports---Use your own handweapons to blast away at the bad guys outside, without compromising your own safety and the vehicle’s environmental integrity, with these special gunports with one-way locks(they let you shoot out, but keep the outside from getting in). Gunports impose a -1 to strike because of the limited field of fire. Heavy Weapons CANNOT fit in the gunports.
Cost: 1,000 credits each

*Chemical Sprayer System---For wiping vermin, mobs, or those equally obnoxious vampires off the car.
Range: 50 ft
Damage: Varies by the chemical agent used. If using water, does 4d6 HP to vampires
Rate of Fire: ECHH
Payload: 100 blasts of chemical/liquid
Cost: 200,000 credits

*Smoke Screen Generator---Generates a thick, obscuring cloud of dense smoke. Each blast covers a 60 ft area and anyone caught in the cloud of thick, obscuring smoke is. Has enough smoke-matrix for 12 clouds.
Cost: 10,000 credits

*Applique Armor---Adds additional protection(and weight) to the main body. Up to 200 additional MDC can be added, at 7 lbs, and 150 credits, per 1 MDC point. Lighter armor can be substituted, at 1 lb per MDC point, but the stronger polycarbonate armor costs 400 credits per MDC point.
*Thermal Resistant Heat-Refractory Tile Armor(Option)---Special heat-resistant materials designed originally for reentry vehicle shielding. Heat and plasma-based attacks do 1/4 damage
----Cost: +1 million credits
*Chemical Resistant Armor(Option)----PS’s patented chemically inert armor that sheds the effects of corrosive chemicals and stick’ums. Acids and chemical weapons do NO damage.
----Cost: +1.1 million credits
*Jettisonable Armor(Option)---Special pre-cut division channels, break points, and integral explosive bolts allow the vehicle crew to jettison the applique armor, shedding it, usually to restore mobility(in the case of medium- and heavy-armors), lose contaminated outer plates, or shed unwanted riders. Once jettisoned, the applique armor CANNOT be re-attached without extensive reconstruction and refurbishment(if anything is left at all of the original material)....Essentially, one has to re-buy the applique and/or jettisonable armor option to regain its benefitts.
OPTIONAL: The explosive bolts, at the GM’s discretion, can explode off with enough force to do 1d6 MD to an 15 ft radius around the vehicle, due to flying armor fragments.
----Cost: +4,000 credits+cost of armor

*Shock Blaster Security System---This addition to the standard anti-theft locks and alarms BLASTS the miscreant with bullhorns and industrial-strength strobelights that override passersbys’ normal apathy about car alarms, and limelights the thieving bastards like jack-lit deer, as well as chiseling their eardrums and optical nerves. Imagine a flash-bang grenade going off in your face while you’re trying to coathangar the door-lock.....
Range: 10 ft radius
Effects: Targets without ear and eye protection are temporarily blinded and deafened; -5 to strike, -10 parry/dodge, and 40% chance of stumbling and falling per 10 ft of movement. Has a Horror Factor of 8 to anyone else standing nearby, who think the car just exploded. Effects last 1d4 melees
Cost: 700 credits

Weapons Options:
*Laser Headlights
Range: 4,000 ft
Damage: Variable settings; 1d6, 2d6, 3d6, 4d6, or 6d6 MD per gun.
Rate of Fire: ECHH
Payload: 250 shot battery per gun. Effectively unlimited linked to a powerplant.
Cost: 30,000 credits per gun
Option: For an additional 20,000 credits, these can be replaced/upgraded with TW Sun Lasers that do DOUBLE damage to vampires.

*Central Headlight Turret---This replaces the central headlight with a weapons mount:
a) Laser
Range: 4,000 ft
Damage: Variable settings; 1d6, 2d6, 3d6, 4d6, or 6d6 MD .
Rate of Fire: ECHH
Payload: 250 shot battery. Effectively unlimited linked to a powerplant.
Cost: 30,000 credits
Option: For an additional 20,000 credits, can be replaced/upgraded with a TW Sun Laser that does DOUBLE damage to vampires.

b) Ion Blaster
Range: 600 ft
Damage: 3d6 MD single shot, 6d6 MD pulse burst
Rate of Fire: EPCHH
Payload: 100 shot battery. Effectively Unlimited if nuclear powered
Cost: 18,000 credits
Options:
*Ion Scatter-Shot Mode---This i turns the Ion Blaster into a short range shotgun with an area of effect blast. Reduce range to 200 ft, but does 4d6 MD to a 12 ft wide area. Cost: 4,000 credits

*Ion Step-Down Mode---This ‘steps down’ the power of ion bolts into the SDC range, and modulates their effect, making the weapon in effect a ‘super-taser’(albeit it with flash-burns). An added power regulation chip allows the weapon to use less power in SDC mode. Switching between MD/SDC modes takes 2 actions. Popular with urban security and police units.
Range:(SDC shots) 600 ft
Damage: 2d6 SDC shock-burn. Plus, victims must make a save of 14 or better, or be -8 to strike, parry, and dodge for 2d6 melees. A savings throw versus non-lethal poison means the person is unimpaired. 25% chance of knocking out unshielded cybernetics for 1d4 melees.
Payload: One MD shot equals 10 SDC shots
Cost: 4,000 credits

c) Plasma Blaster
Range: 500 ft
Damage: 4d6 MD per blast
2d4x10 MD per three-shot burst
Rate of Fire: EPCHH
Payload: 70 shot battery. Effectively unlimited linked to a powerplant.
Cost: 17,000 credits
Options:
*“Hot Shotting”---This system augments the normal air-draw plasma re-mass system with deuterium-gas injected into the plasma flow for a cleaner, hotter, more potent ‘burn’. The deuterium is stored in pressurized cylinders attached to the feeds of the gun, like a CO2 air rifle cartridge. This allows the plasma to do 50% more damage, but the weapon now has a bit of a recoil due to the more powerful plasma acting like a crude plasma drive(-1 to strike).
Cost: HotShot modding costs +8,000 credits, and a recharged cylinder of refined d-gas costs 500 credits(300 credits if the user can return a depleted gas cylinder at the time of purchase) and is good for 20 shots.

*Scatter-Fire---This modifies the muzzle plasma ejector mechanism to fire a dozen or so smaller plasma bolts at shorter range and with less individual damage, but with a scatter effect like a shotgun---ideal for clearing out rooms and compartments.
Reduce range by 1/3, and mini-plasma bolts do 2d4 MD each, but now covers a 30-degree arc(or rougly 15 ft wide area)
Cost: +4,000 credits

*Plasma Bolt-exploder----Rather than a single plasma bolt, this mod supercharges the outgoing shot into a sort of freeform plasma ‘grenade’ whose cohesion deteriorates faster, resulting in shorter range, but which explodes with greater area of effect and intensity.
Reduce range by HALF, but the bolt now does 1d6x10MD and explodes in a 5 ft blast radius . A single plasma ‘grenade’ costs two shots from the e-clip.
Cost: +5,000 credits

d) Particle Beam Blaster
Range: 1,000 ft
Damage: 4d6 MD per blast
Rate of Fire: EPCHH
Payload: 250 shot battery. Effectively unlimited linked to a powerplant.
Cost: 80,000 credits

e) S-6/IMP-07 ‘MagMaster’ ElectroMagnetic Blaster
Range: (EM Bolt) 800 ft
(Scattershot Bolt) 400 ft, covers 15 ft area
(SDC Shot) 800 ft
(Stun Vortice) 300 ft
Damage: (EM Bolt) 3d6 MD per shot
(Scattershot Bolt) 2d4 MD to everything in 15 ft area
(SDC Shot) 4d6 SDC per bolt
(Stun Vortice) None; 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)(Scattershot Bolt)(SDC Shot)(Stun Vortice) ECHH
Payload: (EM Bolt) 250 shot battery. Effectively unlimited linked to a powerplant.
(Scattershot Bolt) 1 ‘shotgun bolt’ equals 2 EM bolts
(SDC Shot) 6 SDC shots equal 1 MDC shot
(Stun Vortice) 6 Stun Vortices equals 1 MDC shot
Bonus: EM bolts are -6 to dodge, on top of that!
Cost: 20,000 credits

f) Stun Blaster
Range: 1,400 ft
Damage: (Setting One) 2d6 SDC and victim must roll versus non-lethal poison(16 or better). On a successful save the target is -3 to strike, parry, dodge, and loses initiative and 1 APM for 1d4 melee rounds. A FAILED save means the target is -7 to all actions, loses initiative, reduce APMs to ONE, skill performance is -60%, -90% to Speed, and suffers convulsions that do 1d6 SDC per round for 2d4 melee rounds.
(Setting Two) Does 2d6x10 SDC(or 1 MD), and victim must roll versus non-lethal poison(16 or better). On a successful save an augmented human(oid) is -5 to strike, parry, dodge, and loses initiative and 1 APM for 1d4 melee rounds. A successful save by UNaugmented human(oid)s results in -10 to strike, parry, dodge, lose initiative and is reduced to 1 APM, skill performance is -80%, speed reduced 95%, and suffer painful convulsions doing 1d6 SDC per melee for 2d4 MINUTES.
A FAILED save by augmented human(oid)s means the target is -7 to all actions, loses initiative, reduce APMs to TWO, skill performance is -60%, -80% to Speed, and suffers convulsions that do 4d6 SDC per round for 2d4 melee rounds.
Note: Works through most body armor up to 50 MDC. Those in armor protection of 51-80 MDC are +6 to save. Those in heavier armor, power armor, full conversion cyborgs, vehicles, robots, or who are MegaJuicers or Dragons are impervious.
Rate of Fire: ECHH
Payload: 18 shots standard E-clip, 24 shots long e-clip, 50 shots canister-clip. 250 shot battery. Effectively unlimited linked to a powerplant.
Cost: 55,000 credits

*Hood Compartment Weaponry---If modifying the forward luggage compartment into a weapons bay, the forward space can accommodate the following:
a) Micro-Missiles----2x25 shot cassettes; 50 rds total. Cost: 80,000 credits

b) Mini-Missiles----6 shot pod. Cost: 10,000 credits

c) Anti-Armor Missiles----3 shot launcher; Copperhead Anti-Tank Missile Pod---Uses PS ‘smart’ armor killers for more accurate fire.
Range: 1 mile
Damage: Armor-piercing:2d4x10 MD, no blast radius
Rate of Fire:Volleys of 1-3
Payload: 3
Bonuses: +5 to strike
Cost: 20,000 credits, 18,000 credits per missile

d) 20mm Cannon
Range: 3,000 ft
Damage:(20mm) 1d4 MD single shot
4d6 MD per 5 rd burst
1d4x10+4 MD per 10 rd burst
(Super-HEX) 4d4 MD single shot
1d6x10 MD per 5 rd burst
2d6x10 MD per 10 rd burst
(Wood Rounds) 6d6 SDC single shot (1d4x10 HP to vampires)
2d4x10 SDC MD per 5 rd burst (2d4x10 HP to vampires)
6d6 MD per 10 rd burst (3d6x10 HP to vampires)
(Crowd Control rds)humans and human-sized D-Bees must roll a D20 to maintain their footing (must equal or surpass the attacker's roll to strike...Full rules in TNW p.174)
Rate of Fire: EGCHH
Payload:500 rd magazine
Cost: 20,000 credits

e) Mini-Gun
Range: 10,000 ft
Damage:(SDC) 6d6 SDC single shot, 4d6 x10 SDC(1d4 MD) per 10 rd burst, 8d6x10 SDC per 20 rd burst, 1d4 MD per 40 rd burst.
(Ramjets) 1 MD single shot, 1d10 MD per 10 rd burst, 2d10 MD per 20 rd burst, 1d4x10 MD per 40 rd burst.
(High Explosive)2d6x10 SDC single shot, 1d6 MD per 10 rd burst, 2d6 MD per 20 rd burst, 4d6 MD per 40 rd burst.
(PSX-2) 1d4 MD per rd, 1d4x10 MD per 10 rd burst, 2d4x10 MD per 20 rd burst, 4d4x10 MD per 40 rd burst.
(Tracer) Every 11th round is a tracer, which gives a +1 to strike with bursts. However, the tracer stream also makes it that much easier for enemies to backtrace and locate the machine gunner.
Rate of Fire: Standard; rated at 6,000 rpm(or 1,500 rounds per melee)
Payload: 4,000-rd belt

f) Dual .50 caliber Machine Guns
Range: 6,000 ft(9,000 ft HB)
Damage: 1d6x10 SDC per rd
(WI Exploders) 2d6 MD per 20 rd burst
(Ramjets) 1d4 MD single rd, 5d6 MD per 40 rd burst
(PSX-1) 2d6 MD single rd, 4d6x10 MD per 20 rd burst
Rate of Fire: Standard
Payload: 500 rds per gun
Cost: 9,000 credits

TechnoWizardry Options:(Cost is HALF if the TechnoWizardry powerplant is taken)

*PPE Generators---Can be fitted to power any magic systems aboard.
PPE Capacity:(Light)----200 PPE battery capacity; recharges at 10 PPE per hour, 20PPE/hour at a leyline, 40 PPE/hour on a nexus
(Medium)-----300 PPE battery capacity; recharges at 10 PPE per hour, 40 PPE/hour at a leyline, 80 PPE/hour on a nexus
(‘Wizard’)----400 PPE battery capacity; recharges at 14 PPE per hour, 50 PPE/hour at a leyline, 100 PPE/hour on a nexus
(‘Sorcerer’)--- 600 PPE battery capacity; recharges at 20 PPE per hour, 60 PPE/hour at a leyline, 120 PPE/hour on a nexus
Cost:(Light)----500,000 credits
(Medium)-----1 million credits
(‘Wizard’)----2 million credits
(‘Sorcerer’)---- 3 million credits

*TW Weapon Headlight---This replaces the central headlight with a TW weapon
*TW Sunbeam Laser--- 2,000 ft range, 2d6 MD single blast, double damage to beings sensitive to sunlight, 4d6 HP to vampires, 10 shots per 40 PPE. Cost: 23,000 credits
*TW Fireball Launcher---1,000 ft range, 4d6 MD per blast, 10 shots per 12 PPE. Cost: 60,000 credits
*TW Lightning Blaster---2,000 ft range, 5d6 MD per blast, 10 shots per 15 PPE. Cost: 100,000 credits
*TW P-Beam---1,000 ft range, 1d4x10+6 MD per blast, 10 shots per 25 PPE. Cost: 150,000 credits

*TW Sensor Orb---This replaces the central headlight with a TW sensor system with the following abilities; Nightvision(600 ft, 42 minutes, 2 PPE), See the Invisible(200 ft range, 10 minutes, 2 PPE), Infrared Vision(500 ft range, 35 minutes, 3 PPE), Sense Mines & Traps(94%, 10 minutes, 6 PPE),
Cost: 150,000 credits

*TW SpyEye---Can be added to the TW Sensor Orb. 300 ft range, 20 minute duration, 13 PPE.
Cost: 70,000 credits

*LeyLine Booster---Accelerates the ‘craft up to 50% greater top speed when on a leyline, -10% to pilot skill when engaged. Cost: 500,000 credits for regular installation, 300,000 credits for addition to an existing TW-powered vehicle

*Protective Energy Field---50 MDC and 10 minutes duration per 10 PPE/20 ISP pumped in. Cost: 240,000 credits

*Impervious to Energy---5 minutes per 20 PPE/40 ISP pumped in. Cost: 700,000 credits

*De-Icer---Keeps the windows clear of ice build-up. ---2 hours per 5 PPE, or 24 hours for 60 PPE. Cost: 70,000 credits

*MultiPlexor/MagePod Model 0.2 Spell Projector----The vehicle can be fitted with PS’s technowizardry spell-projection system. The Model 0.2 is a refined and enhanced version of the original Model 0.1C, and featuring a three-slot Spell Card ‘magazine’, allowing the operators to click between three spells with the flip of a switch. The 0.2 also features enhanced barrel-focusing elements, boosting the range of the spells.
Weight: 1,000 lbs
Range: Varies by spell, x2 due to ecoto-glass focusing and spell-booster elements.
Damage/Duration: Varies by spell
Rate of Fire: EPCHH
PPE Cost per Use: Varies by spell. However, the use of focusing elements and activator spells effectively reduces spell PPE cost by HALF.
(So you Technowizards aren’t flummoxed by PPE costs in a long-running battle, while the still relatively high PPE costs for the high-end spells keeps someone from using Sphere of Annihilation in every battle).
Payload: Draws from the main PPE Battery, but can also draw upon the robot’s/vehicle’s other PPE reserves/batteries(if any have been fitted). In an emergency, the pilot, if they are a mage or psychic, can kick in their own PPE.
Bonuses: As per spell(if any)
Cost: The Mage Pod system costs about 1.8 million credits
Spell Cards cost (as per Jason Richards’ guidelines in Rifter #2) 5,000 credits per PPE cost of main spell plus an additional cost (as per following modifiers)
*500 credits per level of the creating caster(Mages’ time and PPE are money, so expect to pay more for the longer duration/higher power spells)
*Warlock spells cost 20% more, in addition to above modifiers, owing to the difficulties of adapting Elemental Magic to ‘conventional” magic systems.

Variants:
*PS-HV-18 Preston Sunfire---Preston Tucker had planned an even sleeker and sportier development of the Torpedo, nicknamed the Corona. While Wheels of Time had no plans for such a vehicle, Paladin Steel jumped at the chance to diversify its luxury vehicle lineup and decided to go ahead and develop it fully.
The Preston Sunfire is even more streamlined and does away with the rear passenger seats, mounting a more powerful engine in the rear compartment.
Speed: (Flying) Hover to 320 MPH, maximum altitude 1,000 ft.
Market Cost: 700,000 credits for liquid fuel, 900,000 credits for electric, 1.5 million credits for nuclear w/ 15 year energy life, 1.9 million credits for TW.

*WoT ‘Triklops’---This is the original WoT configuration that was being built at the time of the ZOT invasion and the Great Exodus. WoT managed to get out about three dozen before being overtaken by the ZOT attack; reportedly the owner is struggling to rebuild his company and get back into business. Also reportedly, at least two of the original configuration ‘Triklops’(so named for the three headlights) were stolen and taken off Atlantis by escaping slaves.
Details are scant about the exact configuration of the WoT design, but the ‘Triklops’ reportedly depended heavily on magic systems to operate. Its signature was the Eye of Eylor taking the place of the middle headlight.

Omegasgundam · Unread post by **Omegasgundam** » Tue Feb 09, 2021 1:09 am

Gimmick civilian craft, by they have a niche for fields where military grade equipment is a no go.

taalismn · Unread post by **taalismn** » Tue Feb 09, 2021 1:38 am

Omegasgundam wrote:Gimmick civilian craft, by they have a niche for fields where military grade equipment is a no go.

Works in a couple of ways....

"I thought you said the planet was undefended! That all you observed was civilian transportation!!!! Then where in the hellz did all these combat vehicles come from?!"

"Just coast up to the gate like you're just a lost traveler. Once the guards open up and come out to question us, gun it and gun them."

"Haven't you idiots seen ANY James Bond movies?! Didn't you learn ANYTHING about seemingly-innocuous vehicles?"

And from the James Bond movies:
"This is a COMPANY car!"

ZINO · Unread post by **ZINO** » Tue Feb 09, 2021 11:25 pm

taalismn wrote:
Omegasgundam wrote:Gimmick civilian craft, by they have a niche for fields where military grade equipment is a no go.

Works in a couple of ways....

"I thought you said the planet was undefended! That all you observed was civilian transportation!!!! Then where in the hellz did all these combat vehicles come from?!"

"Just coast up to the gate like you're just a lost traveler. Once the guards open up and come out to question us, gun it and gun them."

"Haven't you idiots seen ANY James Bond movies?! Didn't you learn ANYTHING about seemingly-innocuous vehicles?"

And from the James Bond movies:
"This is a COMPANY car!"

taalismn · Unread post by **taalismn** » Fri Feb 12, 2021 10:24 pm

(apologies to John Meyers, for the use of his City of Charter idea in Rifter #61 and his Charter Patrol Armor)

PS-PA-17 ‘Verl’ TW-SAMAS Power Armor
(aka ‘Myrlyn’ )

“Individually, a single power armor, unless they’ve got some really powerful weapon or they’re VERY lucky, isn’t much of a match against a full-size combat mech, but a squad of power armors, well-trained in cooperative tactics, can wolf down that same ‘mech.”

“Pursuing both magic and technology pays off handsomely when we can service BOTH customer markets, and the big gray area between where Magic and Science mix.”

“The ‘Verl’ is hardly a ‘local’ product; our Vermonter neighbors are only able to make so many of them because of their offworld resource contacts. Most of the steel comes from offworld, and the crystals they use in their mystech powerstones come from even farther away. “

“I, for one, am seriously GLAD I traded my flying carpet for a Verl. Takes more training and learning techno-skills, but I feel a lot safer with a powered shell of mithrilited armor around me.”

<<“Aye, easy there, lass, I’ve got you safe! A fine lady like yourself shadn’t be squattin’ on high sharp poles like that, you coulda gotten hurt or worse! Lucky my mates and I were cruising by in the area, nuh? We’ll just put some distance between us and yon villains down there and we’ll see aboyt getting you some more help for yar ills, sa?”>>

The ‘Verl’ was originally developed as part of Paladin Steel’s peace offerings to the Kingdom of Charter(see John Meyers, Rifter #61), in their efforts to woo the mage-kingdom into joining Greater New England. Charter was already producing their Charter Patrol Armor, a heavily technowizardry-enhanced knockoff/rebuild of the Coalition States’ PA-06 ‘Classic’ SAMAS. Paladin Steel already manufactured the PS-PA-10 ‘Pikeman’, itself a derivation of reverse-engineered CS-PA-06 design, so PS engineers and technowizards were sure that they could quickly produce an upgraded Patrol Armor equivalent that would appeal to Charter’s government, and that PS could provide at least the base components to the smaller kingdom in bulk. As it meant undoing some of the streamlining of the PS-PA-10 configuration to return to the flyable PA-06, Paladin Steel felt that they could easily build the basic structure, though the required technowizardry systems and options would take somewhat longer to sort out and integrate.
The PS-PA-17 follows the Charter power armor as a general template, but while the Charter Patrol Armor seems to mockingly retain much of the original PA-06’s styling, the PS-PA-17 ironically goes for a more ‘Victorian’ styling. The head features a ‘bug-eyed’ look in acknowledgment of the CPA’s ‘xeno’ helmet, but adds a crystalline faceplate and winglet-style arabesques streaming back from it. The wings are sculpted to resemble hawk wings in iron or brass.
Being purely magic-powered, and relying heavily on magic systems, the PS-PA-17 is much more expensive than an equivalent pure-tech power armor, as well as being vulnerable to magic detection/disruption, which has limited production and acceptance with the GNEAS, which has been seeking a SAMAS equivalent of its own, even if the design is essentially a knockoff of an older Coalition design. Still, many more PS-PA-17s have entered GNEAS service, owing to the larger more mechanized production capabilities of Paladin Steel, resource base(especially mineral crystals imported from offworld) and the larger military budgets of the GNE, than have entered Charter service. While appreciative of the design and its capabilities, and acknowledging its strengths, the smaller Charter militia lacks the resources to manufacture the design in any great quantity, though they have accepted over a hundred into their ranks.
While not the most advanced power armor in the PS/GNE stables, the Verl is doughty enough, with a few surprises in it, to be a dangerous adversary, especially in the hands of a skilled pilot. Its magic features make it a good scout unit in areas with high magic activity, as well as a decent horror-hunter for tracking and fighting paranormal threats.

Type: PS-PA-17 Verl
Class: Medium Infantry Exoskeleton.
Crew: One
MDC/Armor by Location:
Main Body 250
Head 70
Hands(2) 20 each
Arms(2) 60 each
Legs(2) 70 each
Flightpack 100
Wings(2) 100 each
Armor of Ithan 100

Height: 8 ft
Width: 3.5 ft, 10 ft wingspan
Length: 2.8 ft
Weight: 250 lbs
Cargo: None, except what can be belted or carried in the arms.
Physical Strength: Robotic P.S. of 30
Powerplant: PPE Generator:
PPE Capacity:(Medium)-----300 PPE battery capacity; recharges at 10 PPE per hour, 40 PPE/hour at a leyline, 80 PPE/hour on a nexus

Speed:
(Running) 60 MPH
(Leaping) 20 ft up/across, 35 ft up/across with a running start
(Flying) Hover to 350 MPH, maximum alttitude of 600 ft.
(Underwater) 7 MPH running underwater, maximum depth of 480 ft
Market Cost: 500,000 credits
Systems of Note:
Standard Power Armor Systems, plus:
*PPE Sensor---This is an extra sensor package, developed with the help of Paladin Steel’s Japanese trade contacts, built into the helmet/head section. Essentially a replackaging of the Japanese SNARLS. Range: 2,000 ft.

*PPE Detector Optics----Can see magic at a range of 240 ft, and see mystic auras at 200 ft. Backup system to the SNARLS.

Weapons Systems:
1) Forearm Hardpoints(2)---Each forearm is fitted with a hardpoint capable of accommodating any of the commercially-available cyborg forearm options or one of the following:
a) Micro-Missile Launcher---9-shot 15mm pod, 6-shot 20mm pod, or 4-shot 30mm pod
b) Mini-Missile Launcher----2 per hardpoint
c) TW Mini-Missile Launcher---Can use any of PS’s TW mini-missiles---2 shots
d) Light Machine Gun---Modified cyborg forearm weapon. Can also fire wood and silver bullets.
Range: 2,000 ft
Damage: (Conventional) 1d6x10 SDC/HP per 10 rd burst
(Exploding) 1 MD single round, 2d4 MD ten-shot burst
(PSX-1)1d4 MD per single rd, 1d4x10 MD per 10 rd burst
Rate of Fire: Standard
Payload: 100 rd box magazine
Cost: 18,000 credits

e)TW Stake Launcher----Same as the cyborg TW weapon.

f) TW Flame-thrower----’Light’ TW Flame-thrower modified with PS’s spell-booster/’range-pumper’ elements in the projector-nozzle.
Range: 450 ft
Damage: 3d6 MD incendiary damage(5d6 MD on ley lines). 2d4x10 MD for a full melee sweep of a target(takes up 5 APMs).
Rate of Fire: ECHH
Payload: 10 PPE for 15 blasts
Cost: 86,000 credits

g) PAM(Pursuit Apprehension Module)---This option is most often taken by police units(further modified with light bars and sirens), prison guards, security squads, and specialized ‘capture’ teams. The PAM-02 combines a light grenade launcher, electro-zap taser gun, light machine gun, and an extendable claw arm. A number of later models for security forces mixed various combinations of autoshotguns, tasers, stun-bead shooters, tear gas sprayers, and other ‘limited lethality’ devices.
Range:(Grenade Launcher)1500 ft
(Taser) 100 ft
(LMG) 2000 ft
(Claw Arm) Extends out to 8 ft
Damage:(Grenade Launcher) Varies by grenade type
(Flash/Bang)---Makes a loud, disorienting roar and a blinding flash and causes anyone not wearing protective gear(eye protection, ear protectors, or EBA) in a 15 ft radius to be -10 to strike, parry, dodge, -1 to initiative, and lose 1 APM for 1d4 melees. Even characters in EBA will be distracted for 1d4 seconds(about 1 APM) and lose initiative.
(Smoke) Fills a 20 ft area with thick, obscuring smoke
(Chemical)---Varies by chemical used(typically mace or tear gas)
(‘Loogie’ Restraint Round)1d4 SDC bruising damage on impact, restrains with a PS of 30 (characters without a robotic or supernatural PS of 30 or greater are stuck until released. Even with r/s PS 30, takes 1d4 melees to bust out/be cut out). Affects a 6 ft area.
Note: Police carry solvents that dissolve the "Loogie" within 1d4 melees.
(Taser-Shock Beads)Humanoids struck with this weapon must save
vs. coma or be shocked unconscious for 1D6 minutes. Cyborgs have a 75% chance of having their cybernetics disrupted for 1D10 minutes, and a 30% chance of a non-vital system being permanently shorted out. Area of effect: 15 ft

Megadamage Rounds(Rarely carried by police/security forces)
Frag rounds do 4d6 MD to a 12-foot radius.
AP rounds do 1d4x10 to a 3-foot blast radius,
and Plasma rounds do 1d4x10+10 to a 5-foot radius.
A 3 round burst of frag shells does 1d4x10 to a 15 foot radius,
a burst of 3 AP shells does 2d4x10 to a 5 foot radius,
and a burst of 3 plasma shells does 3d4x10 to an 8 foot blast radius
A 5 round burst of frag shells does 1d6x10 to a 20 foot radius,
a burst of 5 AP shells does 2d6x10 to a 6 foot area,
and a burst of 5 plasma shells does 3d6x10 to a 10 foot radius.
A 10 round burst of frag shells does 2d6x10 to a 40-foot radius.
A 10 round AP burst does 3d6x10 to an 8-foot area,
and a 10 round plasma burst does 4d6x10+10 to a 15-foot radius!!
Popular load-outs include stun-flash grenades, gas shells, and other specialized munition types.

(Taser) Victims must save versus non-lethal poison(12 or better) or suffer
-10 to strike, parry, and dodge, reduce speed and APMs by HALF, for 2d4 melees per hit.
Cyborgs(full and partial conversion) save at 8 or better.
Also has the effect of shorting out vehicle ignition systems(60% chance)
(Claw Arm) 2d4 MD crush or tear

(LMG) 3d6 SDC per 15 rd burst, 6d6 SDC per 30 rd burst
Rubber bullets do 1d4 SDC and a 50% chance of knocking a human-sized target off its feet, losing initiative and 1 APM. 25% chance of stunning the target for 1d4 melees.
Rate of Fire:(Grenade Launcher) ECHH
(Taser) ECHH
(LMG) ECHH
(Claw Arm) ECHH
Payload:(Grenade Launcher)30 rd drum loads under the forearm
(Taser) Effectively unlimited
(LMG) 1,000 rds; helical magazine loads near the elbow
Cost: 22,000 credits

h) TW Light Blade
Range:(Light Blade) Blade reaches 3 ft
Damage:(Light Blade) 1d6x10+8 MD(full HP damage to vampires)
Rate of Fire: ECHH
Payload:(Light Blade) 10 PPE for 8 minutes
Cost: 78,000 credits

i) TW Ice Grenade Launcher----This fires a Ten Foot Ball of Ice. The shooter can, by pointing the launcher, direct the giant iceball until it dissipates. 120 ft range, 15 PPE to summon, and lasts 8 minutes. Does 2d6 MD dropped on somebody, 1d6 MD rolling over somebody, has 70 MDC, and is +2 to strike specific targets. Cost: 174,000 credits

j) TW Lightning Grenadier---This attachment fires a Call Lightning spell(8th level)---800 ft range, 8d6 MD per blast. 5 PPE per shot. Cost: 14,000 credits

k) TW Hailstorm Grenadier---This attachment fires a Hail spell(8th level)---2,000 ft range, 8d4 MD per melee, for 32 melees(8 minutes) to a 40 ft target radius. 10 PPE per activation. Cost: 114,000 credits

2) Heavy Rifle---A handheld heavy gun is standard equipment for the power armor. The incorporation of a TW powerplant with supplemental power batteries means that the Verl is often issued TW weaponry as standard.
a) Heavy TK Machine Gun----Based on the original Charter Patrol Armor’s improved TK-80 main armament and most commonly found with Charter-refitted PS-PA-17s

b)Heavy TK Machine Gun----This is the more powerful Stormspire-inspired model. The recently-introduced ‘Long Barrel’ HTKMG is also available, with DOUBLE the range, but currently the shorter-ranged model is favored, as Charter pilots are not yet used to the longer-ranged tactical doctrine favored by other GNE armed services units.
Range: 4,000 ft(double on ley lines)
Damage: 2d4 MD single shot, 3d6 MD short(5 shot) burst, 5d6 MD long (10 shot) burst, 2d6x10 MD full melee (50 shot) burst.
Rate of Fire: ECHH
Payload: Effectively Unlimited; powering spells must be recast every six months. 200 shot ‘back-up’ PPE clip
Cost: 120,000 credits

c) ‘Sunburn’ Heavy TW Laser Rifle
Range: 4,000 ft
Damage: 2d6 MD single blast, double damage to beings sensitive to sunlight, 4d6 HP to vampires.
Rate of Fire: ECHH
Payload: 4 P.P.E. per shot. Uses PPE-clips or can be fitted with a Powerstone(see Options)
Bonuses: +1 to strike
Special Features:
*LED PPE Counter(keeps track of available power)
*Laser Rangefinder/Spotsight
*Attachable Folding Wire Shoulder Stock
*Top Sight Rail
Cost: 29,000 credits
Options:
*Lantern Light(1 PPE and lasts 4 hours)---Fills a ten foot area with soft illumination, but CANNOT drive off vampires or other sunlight-sensitive beings. Cost: 2,000 credits

*Blinding Flash(1 PPE per shot)----60 ft range, 10 ft radius. The crystal can be used offensively to deliver a blinding flash of light that leaves victims dazed; save versus magic or be -10 to strike, parry, and dodge, with a 50% chance of falling for every 10 ft of distance they attempt to move. Effects last 1d4 melees. Cost: 2,000 credits

*TW Powerstone---This refits the ‘Sunburn’ with a Greenstar PPE Powerstone:
*’Light’---75 PPE capacity, cost: 9,000 credits
*’Light’--- 100 PPE capacity, cost: 12,000 credits
Recharge Rate: 2 PPE per hour, 10 PPE at a ley line, 20 PPE/hour on a nexus or in a dimensional pyramid
-Starglow---The PPE cylinder normally emits a low-level glow, but it can be increased to glow with a Globe of Daylight spell, illuminating an 84 ft area around it, for 21 minutes per single PPE.

*Sense Evil---The PPE crystal can flash red if supernatural evil entities approach within a 90 ft radius. Cost: 10,000 credits

*Sense Magic---The PPE crystal can flash yellow if active magic occurs within 120 ft of the weapon. Cost: 10,000 credits

*Double Barrel---The mechanism of most GALtd. weaponry prevents conventional automatic fire modes, but by modifying the firing mechanism and adding a second focusing barrel next to the first, the weapons can be altered to fire two shots simultaneously(counts as one attack). This of course uses the same PPE as for two shots, but allows the gunner to do double damage in a single attack.
Double-Barreling increases weapon weight by 20% and cost by 25%.

*Mystic Marksmanship(3 PPE for a single shot)---Gives a +3 to an aimed or called shot. Cost: 9,000 credits (A popular option with collectors who want to get the most out of their expensive acquisition, even if they are not themselves good shots)

d) 40mm Grenade Launcher
Range: 7,000 ft
Damage: (Fragmentation) 4d6 MD to blast area of 12 ft
2d6x10 MD to blast area of 40 ft w/ 10-rd burst
(Armor Piercing) 1d4x10 MD to blast area of 3 ft
3d6x10 MD to blast area of 8 ft w/ 10-rd burst
Rate of Fire: Standard
Payload: 250 rds
Cost: 50,000 credits

e)M-50B Reaper Heavy Machine Rifle(Hand-Held-1 Hand)
This is the modified version of the original M-50A, itself a repackaging of the 20mm ‘Taskin’ manportable infantry cannon. The weapon can fire original Triax-derived explosive shells, PSX explosive shells, and even wood rounds for use against vampires. The original problem of thermal cooking of the Taskin’s ‘smart’ ammunition has been solved by simply laying a strip of thermo-conductor between the magazine and the gun barrel, pulling the heat away to a heatsink in the handle. ‘Smart’ bullets can be specially fuzed to ‘airburst’ like a grenade, or can be set to punch through light structures before exploding, rather than detonating on contact. A 20mm Reaper round can penetrate up to 250 SDC before detonating or being rendered ineffective....This has proven remarkably effective at taking out enemy troops hiding inside cargo containers and regular buildings, as the shells punch through their cover before exploding within.
Weight: 60 lbs
Range: 4,000 ft
Damage:(20mm) 1d4 MD single shot
4d6 MD per 5 rd burst
1d4x10+4 MD per 10 rd burst
Airburst does 1d4 MD to 5 ft blast radius(single shot)
(PSX 20mm) 4d4 MD single shot
2d4x10 MD per 5 rd burst
4d4x10 MD per 10 rd burst
Airburst does 4d4 MD to 5 ft blast radius(single shot)
(Wood Rounds) 6d6 SDC single shot (1d4x10 HP to vampires)
2d4x10 SDC MD per 5 rd burst (2d4x10 HP to vampires)
6d6 MD per 10 rd burst (3d6x10 HP to vampires)
Rate of Fire: Standard
Payload: Two fifty-round box magazines(100 rds total)
Bonuses: +1 strike(w/ laser targeting)
Special Features: *Laser Targeting--+1 to strike
*Optional Bipod
*Optional Silencer/Muzzle Brake/Flash Suppressor---This three-foot long muzzle attachment suppresses the flash and the thunder, adds a +1 to strike, but reduce range to 3,000 ft, and can only fire single shots. However, power armored sniper teams with thermo-camo and M-50Bs proved remarkably effective at picking off Coalition soldiers during the Siege of New Castleburg.
Cost: 28,000 credits
A box of 100 20mm ‘smart’ rds costs 800 credits. A box of 100 20mm ‘smart’ PS rds costs 3000 credits

f) 12.7mm PS-MRG03 Snub-nose Short Gatling Gun (Hand-Held-1 Hand): This high-powered four-barreled gatling rail cannon features enormous damage potential, and fair range in a small package. The MRG-03 trades range for blistering short-range fire power, and is frequently used as a ‘streetsweeper’ in built-up areas. Like the M-50, the PS-MRG03 can be used single-handed.
MDC: 30
Weight: 50 lbs
Range: 2000 ft
Damage: 1D6 MD single round, 1D6x10 MD per 10 round burst,
2D6x10 +60 per Full Melee Burst of 40 rounds
Rate of Fire: Equal to the combined hand to hand attacks of the pilot
Payload: 500 rounds
Market Cost: 12,000 credits

g)PS-5400 Caseless Machinegun(Hand-Held-2 Hands) as standard issue: it’s a repackaging of the Bandito Arms 5500 "Cactus Juicer" Fletchette Rail Gun. Being an older PS-made weapon, it’s common enough that it could be supplied to Charter in bulk.
(Post 109 PA Note: This was initially the standard issue weapon for PS and VFS armed forces, but would later be replaced by the more powerful M50 Reaper and similar later-generation rifle-modules when they came into service...the PS-5400 continues to be offered, however, as part of the market PSA-11 package)
Range: 2,000 ft
Damage: 1D6 MD single round, 6D6 MD per burst of six rounds
Rate of Fire: Single shot, or 6-round burst
Payload: 100 rounds (18 bursts).

3) Vibroblades(2) ---Each forearm also sports an extendable vibroblade. Silver-plated types are also available and popular. They can also be enhanced with a Frost Blade, Spinning Blades, or Flaming Sword spell modification(see Options).
Range: Melee
Damage: 2d6 MD slicing damage, or added to a punch.

4) TW Features:
*Armor of Ithan---100 MDC, 10 minutes, 5 PPE/10 ISP per activation.

*Leyline Flier ---Increase speed on a leyline by 50%. -10% to piloting rolls as the armor is dragged along for the ride.

*TW Optics --- PPE/See Aura optics.

*Chest Multiplexor---A multi-spellcard system that holds FOUR spellcards powered by the onboard PPE generator, or by the operator’s own PPE/ISP. Typically used to add defensive spells or illusionary magic spells. Examples:
---Chromatic Protection---Blinds attackers for 1d4 melees. 5 PPE, 10 minutes duration.
-Freefall ---Can now safely drop, land, and roll safely without damage up to 2,000 ft per level, 9 PPE/18 ISP per activation.
-Impervious to Energy ---Energy attacks do NO damage to the wearer, 2 minutes/8 melees duration per level/activation. 10 PPE/20 ISP per activation.
-Multiple Image---This surrounds the power armor with three identical mirages of itself, matching its movements exactly, and lasting 10 minutes for the expenditure of 4 PPE.
---Mystic Chrome---Temporarily coats the power armor in laser reflective sheen, sometimes leading to mistaken identity as a NEMA Silver Eagle SAMAS. . Lasers do HALF damage. 30 minutes’ duration for 3 PPE.
---Superhuman Strength---Temporarily supercharges the power armor with supernatural strength, so a full strength punch that normally does 1d6 MD, now does 3d6 MD, and a 2d6 MD power punch does 6d6 MD. 5 PPE for 5 minutes’ worth of power-up.

5) (Optional) Wing Hardpoints (2-4)---Each wing can be fitted with up to two hardpoints, each of which can accommodate the following:
a) Mini-Missiles---3 per hardpoint
b)TW Mini-Missile Launcher---Can use any of PS’s TW mini-missiles. 3 per hardpoint
c) TW Large Missile---Can use any of PS’s Large TW Missiles. One per hardpoint
d) Micro-Missile Launcher---25 15-20mm micromissiles per cassette launcher, or 12 30mm McMs.
e) Fragmentation Rocket Launcher Pod ( a copy of an imported Russian design). This uses the same rockets as are used by the belt-fed PS-RL-210, only repackaged in a more conventional aviation-style hardpoint pod. Ten tubes are packed with two projectiles each, for a total of 20 rockets, and can be fired off selectively from single rockets to salves of 10. . 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: ECHH in volleys of 1-10 rockets
Payload: 20 rds

f)Flare/Chaff Launcher
Range: Close Defense
Damage: None; similar to Triax-style chaff
01-50 Enemy Missile or volley detonates in chaff and threat is neutralized
51-75 Missile/Volley diverts and may pursue/lock on to other targets
76-00 No Effect! Missile(s) still on target!
Will also temporarily blind and impede flying monsters who fly into it.
Reduce APMs/combat bonuses/ speed by half for 1d4 melees
Payload: 4 per launcher

6) (Optional) Use of Handheld Weapons---The PSA-17’s hands are scaled to use standard infantry weapons, though the extra strength of the exoskeleton allows the wearer to carry and use fairly heavy weapons with ease.

Options:
*Wing Blades---Inspired by observations of Free Quebec’s SAMAS designs, this feature adds large sharp strakes that do 2d4 MD on a sideswipe attack.
Cost: 18,000 credits

*PPE Generator Upgrade----
(‘Wizard’)----400 PPE battery capacity; recharges at 14 PPE per hour, 50 PPE/hour at a leyline, 100 PPE/hour on a nexus----2 million credits

*FrostBlade Enhancement---The integral vibroblades can be enhanced to be sheathed in super-cold. The blade now does 4d6 MD, 6d6 MD to fire creatures, or DOUBLE damage to those noted as being susceptible to cold-based attacks. Can also attempt to parry energy blasts(with no bonuses). Costs 4 PPE for 16 minutes duration. Cost: 78,000 credits.

*Spinning Blades---The integral vibroblades can be enhanced to produce 10 smaller blades, each doing 1d6 MD, around the forearm swords. Lasts 10 melees(2 minutes, 30 seconds) per activation. 600 ft range and 2d6x10 MD if launched offensively at a target. +6 to parry hand to hand attacks, +2 to parry projectiles and energy blasts. Cost: 78,000 credits.

* Flaming Sword Enhancement---The integral vibroblades can be enhanced to glow with blue flames. 3d6 MD for fire alone, or +3d6 MD to a strike. 4 minutes’ duration per level of experience of the wielder, 7 PPE per activation. Cost: 70,000 credits.

*-MagePlate-1C Armor----The PSPA-22(TW) is armored in PS’s MP1C armor that lacks F-1B’s vulnerability to magic, but takes DOUBLE the PPE to repair...1 MDC=2 PPE/4 ISP. CANNOT replace destroyed limbs but can repair armor surfacing and strengthen damaged actuators.

*Mystic Targeting---Adds a mystech targeting system. Mystic Targeting allows the spellcaster bonuses to strike supernatural targets radiating PPE(more than 40 PPE). The spell confers a +3 to strike such targets for the duration of the spell. Lasts 10 minutes for 4 PPE. Cost: 80,000 credits.

*Penetrating Vision---Adds extra magic magic optics that allow the power armor pilot to see through fog, smoke, and even water. 800 ft range, 50 minute duration, for 2 PPE. Cost: 25,000 credits.

Variants:
Rumors of more heavily-modified ‘stealth’ or ‘phantom’ Verls, extensively fitted with mystical invisibility systems, have popped up.

ZINO · Unread post by **ZINO** » Sat Feb 13, 2021 12:43 pm

taalismn wrote:(apologies to John Meyers, for the use of his City of Charter idea in Rifter #61 and his Charter Patrol Armor)

PS-PA-17 ‘Verl’ TW-SAMAS Power Armor
(aka ‘Myrlyn’ )

finally been waiting for years stats lke this !!! WELL DONE

taalismn · Unread post by **taalismn** » Sun Feb 14, 2021 9:28 pm

PS/ASI -MLR-025 ‘Smokeless’ Mini-Missile Launcher
“Only so much that you can do with a simple tube launcher. Not that we didn’t have a go at it.”

“The pre-Rifts Germans came up with teh idea of using an ejectable counterweight in their Panzerfaust 3s to eliminate the hazards of backblast. You could still get a good bop if you were standing behind one when it fired, however, If we could eliminate the need to eject any sort of material, gaseous or solid, altogether...”

“It’s an interesting attempt to improve on a classic, but elegant in a way only a tech-geek would really love, but in the places where its sniper appeal would really be useful, gravitic sensors are sure to pick up on the ejection and recoil-baffling charge. No, PS/ASI’s own micromissiles are a much more effective answer to the problems the Smokeless was designed to solve, though the mine-option on the missile cassettes is likely to see wide-scale adoption and swappable sensor package promises adaptation of smarter active guidance to mini-missiles. All in all, the Mel-TwentyFive looks more like a proof of concept design than a serious attempt on the mini-missiel launcher market. “
-Colonel Vlar Reltish, CAF

This was an attempt to improve on the CAF’s Repeating Rocket Launcher and make a distinctly GNE version of this standard weapon. PS/ASI engineers focused on two aspects of the design has holding promise for immediate improvement; the missile cassette and the exhaust system.
The missile magazine cassette was a simple matter, and was adapted directly from Paladin Steel’s micro-torpedo and grenade launcher cassettes. With the insertion of a fuse and sensor system through the axial channel of the dismounted cassette, the magazine could be turned into an impromptu missile-mine, firing off any remaining missiles in it at the initiation of a timed fuse, sensor trigger, or command signal. THis modification could done with little extra retooling and negligible added cost.
The second, and more complicated, design modification was an effort to reduce the backblast from the firing rockets. PS/ASI attempted to adapt their Gravitic Counter-Buffering to act in a manner of some early pre-Rifts man-portable antitank weapons, that projected a counterbalance, rather than vent hot exhaust gasses. The MLR-025 does the same, using a small gravitic charge to throw the missile free of the launch tube where it lights off externally, with a small counter-gravitic baffle canceling out any recoil. This makes for a weapon that is easier to use indoors or in close cover, without backblast endangering bystanders, damaging property and cover, and creating a telltale thermal plume.
However, though a tech-wonder, there was simply no arguing with simplicity and success with regards to the RRL, and with so many copies already available even in the Rim, few operators were willing to shell out extra credits for the more complicated MLR-025. Though PS/ASI has manufactured a small number of MLR-025s and many more modified missile cassettes, it’s proven simply easier to produce copies of the RRL, albeit with some changes in sensor packages or materials. The relatively few MLR-025s produced so far tend to wind up in the hands of specforce units, where its peculiar qualities could be put to best use.

Weight: 22 lbs
MDC: 25
Range: Roughly 1 mile
Damage: Varies by Mini-Missile
Rate of Fire: Two shots per melee(the hitch is the time it takes a fresh missile to rotate into the firing chambere)
Payload: 4-shot cassette
Special Features:
*Gravitic Recoil Baffling---Rather than hot-launc from the tube, the MLR-025 uses a weak gravitic pulse to push the missile out of the tube to a stand-off distance before it lights off, and to counter-balance its ejection.

*Cassette Booby-Trapping---The missile cassette can be transformed, with a simple insert unit, into a demolition munition or stand-off mine.

Cost: 22,000 credits
Options:
*Swappable Sight Package---The sighting and guidance system can be swapped on the MLR-025 , allowing for upgrades from ‘dump-fire’ to possible guided ‘smart’ mini-missile munitions.

taalismn · Unread post by **taalismn** » Tue Mar 02, 2021 1:05 am

ICY METAPHOR---- Linguistic Bio-Mod
“Yep, as a matter of fact I CAN speak Trade Five without accent. I also speak fluent Dolphin, Deep Whale, and High Mantazee.”

“Oh, you can get parts of this mod if you’ve got limited needs, but go for the whole kit; it has unexpected benefits. I was negotiating ...well, let’s not say what I was negotiating for, exactly...but I got some suggestive signals between the person I thought I was coming to a deal with, and some muscle who thought they were sitting out of my vision and attention. I knew something was up when the negotiations seemed to be coming to a good deal, but the tension and signaling were going WAY up. I managed to move in time to avoid a vibroknife in the back and escape with my skin and wallet intact. ”

The curiously named ICY METAPHOR is actually a Class Two bio-mod package designed to give the recipient the ability to hear, comprehend, and speak, a variety of languages and communications modes. In a culture as diverse and multidimensional as the United Systems Alliance, the ability to communicate clearly and reliably with other cultures and species has proven invaluable, and the total ICY METAPHOR mod-package has proven very popular with scholars, diplomats, businessmen and merchants.
ICY METAPHOR CAN be combined with other bio-mods, such as MODEST REBAR

Powers/Abilities:
*Ultra-Hearing---The recipient now has the ability to hear in the subsonic and ultrasonic ranges. +1 on initiative, dodge, and +5% to Language skills.

*Modified Vocal Cords---The vocal cords have been modified into the equivalent of an electronic voice modulator, and can bellow at volumes up to 80 decibels, or make subsonic or ultrasonic noises. +10% to Imitate/Impersonate Voices/Ventriloquism and a base 70%+2% per level of experience to disguise the voice.

*Living Anatomy---The recipient’s perceptual senses have been tweaked to be able to sense nonverbal communications patterns, and pick up on body language cues. This version lacks the bonuses to medical skills and physical damage, but does give a +1 on initiative and dodge.

*BINAS---Linguistics(Minor)---Modifies the speech centers of the brain to better be able to identify patterns in sound that constitute speech. This incorporates features of the BINAS BABEL bio-mod; the recipient can intuit most languages with 1d8 minutes of exposure(cannot do anything else other than just listen). Can retain a fluency of 90% in an acquired language for 10 minutes per level of experience after a conversation ends. Language skills are picked up in the normal fashion with a +25% bonus to study and practice, and in a third of the normal amount of time. The recipient can start with 1d6+1 additional languages, and can learn 1 new language per level of experience.

Total bonuses:
+2 Initiative
+2 Dodge
+30% to Language skills.
+10% to Imitate/Impersonate Voices/Ventriloquism
+ 70%+2% per level of experience to disguise the voice
+1d6+1 additional languages

Cost: 990,000 credits (198,000 xredits in the Three Galaxies)

DUST ANGLER--The Phantom Multiple Limb Aug
“Having more hands to do work, I’m afraid, means they just give me even more work to do.”

DUST ANGLER is a bio-mod that aims to provide bio-augs with a non-disfiguring version of an advantage possessed by many Paladin Steel cyborgs; multiple limbs. While many bio-augs want the added actions and multitasking capablities of bionics, they don’t want the extra limbs cluttering up their bodies and marking them as different when not needed.
DUST ANGLER, building on the pioneering work done for OPAL BOA, uses a combination of ectoplasmic cybertech, psi-tech, and advanced phasetech energy manipulation to allow the recipient to generate extra limbs as needed. Special nodes implanted in the spine generate and control the virtual limbs as requested. Bio-implants in the brajn and spine handle the mental aspects of having extra limbs and the extra sensations attenadant with them. The generated limbs appear as translucent forms, unless coated with dust, paint, or clothing.
Being virtual, the phantom ecto-limbs can be visually configured to resemble the recipient’s existing limbs. They can be extended through a person’s normal clothing without the need for extra openings being tailored in. When not needed, the ecto-limbs can be shut off and dissipate, but can be regenerated as needed.
Combined with combat implants or a BINAS like multitasking, a DUST ANGLER aug can become a whirlwind of productivity, or a terror in combat. It is frequently buddled with the MODEST REBAR aug to create a full augmentation.

Powers/Abilities:
*Multiple Limbs
DUST ANGLER can generate up to FOUR additional limbs, adding +2 APMs(1 APM per pair)
+1 to Parry per extra pair of limbs
Each ecto-limb has 20 SDC, but is effectively IMMUNE to extremes of heat and cold(so the person could reach into a furnace and pick up a glowing hot piece of metal, or stick their virtual arm into liquid nitrogen, with little more than the sensation that the experience is VERY hot or cold).
-Physical attacks(kicks, punches, crowbars, concussive blasts, etc.) do 25% normal damage to the ectoplasm
-Energy attacks do HALF damage to the ectoplasm.

Vulnerabilities/Drawbacks:
*The extra limbs have HALF the normal P.S. of the recipient.
-Psionic and magic attacks, such as psi-swords, do FULL damage to the ectoplasm
* CANNOT be extended through MDC EBA(partial body armor is the limit), forcefields or another person’s clothing.

*Destroying a phantom limb removes it from use, until the ecto-generator is shut down and rebooted.
Note that anything worn or held by the extra limbs will fall free when the limbs are dispelled.

Total bonuses:
+2 APMs(+1 APM per extra pair of limbs)
+1 to Parry per extra pair of limbs

Options:
*Ecto-Weapons-The ectoplasm can be ‘stiffened’ to form ectoplasmic blades that add +1d6 to a punch
*Ecto-Phasing-The ectoplasm can ooze through narrow(pinhole-sized) openings and spaces to reach lock-bolts and hidden switches. +15% to Pick Locks.

Cost: 1.4 million credits (250,000 xredits in the Three Galaxies)

taalismn · Unread post by **taalismn** » Tue Mar 16, 2021 2:42 pm

*Arm Storm TW Cybernetic Implant
(aka ‘Shreddomizer’, ‘Storm-blader’, ‘Carnager’, ‘Arm-Grinder’)

“The Arm Storm is a very good reason one should never engage in melee combat with Greater New Englanders if one wishes to have an open casket funeral. I’ve seen artillery bombardment victims who looked better than mooks who’d gone mano-a-mano with somebody with a storm-blader hidden under their skin. ”

The ‘Arm Storm’ is a TW cybernetic implant that implements the Spinning Blades spell, a favorite of PS/ASI technowizards. The implant consists of a light MDC flex-blade housed in a forearm sheath, coupled with a small rod of opal and a PPE power crystal grafted to the forearm bones. A fold of skin and faux-flesh closure conceals the implant’s sheath opening from casual inspection( it’s rumored that more advanced milspec models further wrap the installation in a sensor-bafling mesh to hide the implants from weapons scanners, giving false readings of prostheic wrist joints or bone pins) .
In operation, the implantee’s arm extends the concealed blade into the open palm, then seems to explode into a conical cloud of flying blades, which can rotate like a flying meat grinder, or shoot off individually or all at once in a barrage.
Since its introduction, several variants of the Arm Storm have appeared, including a female anti-rapine version. Though originally meant for special forces, the popularity of the ArmStorm implant has spread, so it is now more commonly available The GNE(and by extension the USA) law enforcement authorities, though, consider the weapon as a lethal concealed weapon; those possessing the implant are required to register when entering civic areas, and crimes committed with the implant are weighted much more heavily in the courts.

Range: Melee. When activated, the Spinning Blades spell can reach 480 ft away. If ejected as projectiles, the blades can reach 800 ft.
Damage: The flex-blade itself does 3d6 SDC/1d6 MD powered.
When activated, the Spinning Blades spell produces 8 blades that each do 1d6 MD each(regardless of what the blade was/does originally) in defensive mode(+6 to parry, +2 to parry energy attacks) or 2d6x8 MD in offensive ‘buzzsaw’ mode(enemy CANNOT parry).
Can also fire the magical blades like projectiles, 1-2 at a time, each doing 1d6 MD on impact, and +3 to strike. The blades disappear on impact.
Duration: 8 melees/2 minutes per activation
PPE Activation Cost: 13 PPE/26 ISP per activation
Cost: 28,000 credits + energy storage gems(the most popular, and cheapest, fit-out is a ‘specialized ‘greenstone’ regenerator with 75 PPE capacity, regenerating 2 PPE per hour/10 at a ley line, cost: 9,000 credits

PS-TWEx02 TW Detonote Dispenser
(aka ‘Trigga-Tagga’, ‘slap-cracker’)

(Looking at little clouds of smoke rising up all over his facility) “I really HATE these security preparedness exercises. Now I gotta explain to the generals how we were made chumps.”
---Anonymous GNEAS base commander, seeing the aftermath of a security test exercise using sticky notes.

“Hey, there’s a note somebody left here! It looks like it sez-(explosion)

“Is this how ninjas feel when they’re working?”
---Anonymous GNEAS SpecOps ranger.

“Want something else to keep you sleepless at night? This thing’s the right size to be worn as a backpack by a mouse-sized smallkin. One of those titches, with one or more companions carrying magic power cells, slapping these things in hard to see, hard to check, but oh-so vulnerable places around your facility? Yeah, more security nightmares.”

This is a technowizardry device worn as a vambrace or incorporated into the forearm of a suit of body or power armor. It uses an adapted form of the Ludicrous Magic spell Sticky-Notes-’o-Doom. It resembles a plastic-cased adhesive note dispenser with an inset smokey quartz crystal and etched mystic symbols. To use, the user simply pulls off a slip of paper, slaps it on the target, touches it, and it’s magically armed. The user can leave the note to detonate timed, or by command. The Detonote has, not surprisingly, proven very popular with special forces and espionage operatives.
More mundanely, the paper notes can be used to leave messages, mark trails, or flag objects of interest, such as uncovered booby-traps.
Smoke notes usually have a drawing of a cloud on them, or some saying like ‘Smoke gets in your eyes’ or something similar scrawled on it. Explosive tags will have a mushroom cloud, explosion, or bomb depicted on them.

Weight: 1.4 lbs
Range: Touch, but can be remote-detonated from as far away as 2,000 ft
Damage:(Smoke)None, but generates a small cloud of smoke, adjustable in size from a few inches across to 30 ft.
(Explosive)Adjustable from 1d6 to 1d4x100 SDC/ or 1d4 MD
Rate of Fire: ECHH
Payload: Pad has 100 note-sheets
Total payload depends on what powers the device; usually a PPE-clip or powerstone, but can be linked to a TW-powered power armor or vehicle’s powerplant for effectively unlimited shots. In a pinch the operator can channel in their own PPE/ISP.
(Smoke) 1 PPE/2 ISP per note for smoke, or 1 PPE for 2 if used consecutively
(Explosive) 5 PPE/10 ISP per explosive note regardless of whether it’s SDC or MDC
Notes can be left in place and viable for up to 10 hours. After that, they just become ordinary pieces of paper.
Special Features:
*Compatible with PPE Clips
Cost: 12,000 credits. Paper refills typically cost 2-3 credits per 100 sheets.
Options:
*Igniter---This turns the ’note into an incendiary device, doing 4d6 MD initially, then continuing to burn for 1d6 minutes, doing 3d6 MD per minute and igniting combustible materials in its vicinity. TYpically marked with a little drawing of a flame, the pre-Rifts fire warning icon, or some cute fire-related blurb(like ‘You burn me up!’ or ‘Hot Stuff!’). 6 PPE per incendiary note. Cost: +12,000 credits

*Choking Dust Cloud---This causes the smoke cloud to be the equivalent of a tear gas grenade, with a dusty, gritty sulfurous component that makes people gag. Those without breathing/eye protection will be -10 to strike, parry, roll, and dodge, and even those with protection will be -2 on initiative, strike, parry, roll, and dodge, with visibility reduced to 1d8 ft. Covers a 30 ft area and persists for 20 melees/5 minutes. Typically has a little picture of a dust cloud. 8 PPE per dust note. Cost: +18,000 credits

*Crunch----This is an application of the Crushing Fist spell; when activation, the note crumbles up, pulling on the adjacent material and crushing it like a powered vice or hydraulic press. Does 2d6 MD per melee for 40 melees(10 minutes). Usually features a picture of a closing fist. 6 PPE per compression note. Cost: +12,000 credits

*Starburst--- The note explodes into a glaring shimmering wall of light and burning energy. 3d6 MD + temporary blindness; unless eyes are shielded, victims are temporarily blinded(-10 to strike, parry, dodge, and other combat moves) for 1 melee round, Targets are -2 to dodge. Vampires suffer an additional 1d6 damage and are blinded twice as long. Card has a star or stars on it. 6 PPE per incendiary note. Cost: +12,000 credits

Omegasgundam · Sat Mar 27, 2021 11:29 pm

I'm poking along at the Azhur 'weak link', and I think I have my depression issues under control enough to finish it soonish.

As a hit, something I've observed is that the Azhur are an awful lot like Drow, and the one thing that Drow want above all else is control over other Drow. And the most common failure point of Drow schemes are also other Drow. Occasionally, the same Drow that hatched the scheme.

taalismn · Unread post by **taalismn** » Sun Mar 28, 2021 3:26 am

Omegasgundam wrote:I'm poking along at the Azhur 'weak link', and I think I have my depression issues under control enough to finish it soonish.

I hear yah.....depression is a nasty little bastard to deal with, and there's admittedly been a lot to be depressed about. You're not alone In that, just so you know.

taalismn · Unread post by **taalismn** » Mon Apr 05, 2021 8:26 pm

Paladin Steel PS-TWP18 ‘Amether’ TW Pistol
(aka ‘Purpilator/Perpilator’, ‘Flashgun’)
“Range is about average for a hand weapon, and the duration of effects is low, bit if you have to, you can always recast a shot, especially in the case of the carpet, net, or shield, which ain’t going anywhere, and renew them without breaking the power bank. You’re not likely to attract fire from lawyers, either, because the Amether’s listed as ‘non-lethal’, though I do know a guy who net-glued a perp to the side of a moving turbo-train just as it was accelerating out of the station.”

“A lot of criminals have reason to curse these things, because they weren’t killed outright by them. Worst thing that can happen to some scum is to be taken ALIVE by the Laws of the Fringe.”

The ‘Amether’ is a TW pistol-style weapon originally commissioned by the Skenzians for their security forces. Since joining the United Systems Alliance, the Skenzian elves have been working to recover the elven magic heritage with their access to the magic libraries and technowizardry industries of the GNE. The ‘Amether’ was intended to make use of the abundant deposits of amethyst crystal found on the Skenzian homeworld. Though the result was not a particularly powerful or even lethal weapon, the Amether would prove a useful security tool that soon found favor with the Skenzian Royal Commandos for taking pirates alive for questioning and trial. Both the utility and aesthetics of the weapon found appeal in other worlds, especially those that also possessed large exploitable deposits of amethyst, so the original commissioners of the weapon graciously allowed PS/ASI to manufacture it on a larger scale.
The Amether is a compact, squarish, but handsomely streamlined weapon done up in black with purple highlights. It contains a ten-carat array of amethyst crystal, ectoconduit wiring, a range booster element, and a clip adaptor that can take an PPE-clip or renewing powerstone. Four spells are embedded in the Amether:
Carpet of Adhesion---This turns a section of ground, floor, or deck into a sticky trap.
Magic Net--- Throws a glowing purple web that restrains targets caught in it.
Magic Shield---A welcome defensive measure, this spell creates a glowing purple parrying shield around the weapon. No more having to worry about losing one’s pistol in melee combat.
Paralysis: Lesser---Good for temporarily disabling a perp’s arm(s) or leg(s).
The Amether uses enough crystal to lower the energy expenditure per spell such that the weapons can fire repeatedly or maintain shield duration without rapidly exhausting their PPE batteries/powerstones.
Since its introduction, the Amether has proven incredibly popular with police and security organizations across the United Systems Alliance and it is just starting to appear in markets outside the USA’s territories.

Weight: 2 lbs.
MDC: 10
Range:
(Carpet of Adhesion) 600 ft
(Magic Net) 120 ft
(Magic Shield) Melee
(Paralysis: Lesser)120 ft
Damage:
(Carpet of Adhesion) Covers a 10x20 ft area in mystic adhesive. Save versus magic or be stuck for the entire duration( 20 melees). A successful save means the target can pull loose in 2d6 melees.
(Magic Net) Covers a 10 ft wide area. Targets cannot move, attack, or defend. Takes 2 melee rounds with megadamage weaponry or magic to break free. Lasts 20 melees(5 minutes)
(Magic Shield) Creates a glowing shield with 60 MDC, with +1 to parry material attacks, -8 to parry energy attacks, and takes 1/4 damage from any attacks it successfully parries.
(Paralysis: Lesser) Causes a struck limb to lose all sensation and mobility. Victim must save versus magic or suffer the effects of a Paralysis spell to the affected body part(i.e. limbs).
Rate of Fire: ECHH
Payload:
(Carpet of Adhesion) 3 PPE/6 ISP for 5 minutes’ duration
(Magic Net) 2 PPE/4 ISP for 10 melees’ duration
(Magic Shield) 2 PPE/4 ISP for 10 minutes’ duration
(Paralysis: Lesser)1 PPE/2 ISP for 5 minutes’ duration
Special Features:
*Compatible with PPE Clips or Powerstones

*TW booster holding a set of aligned crystals inside its length that DOUBLES the effective range of shots.

Cost: 80,000 credits(can range as low as 60,000 credits or as high as 82,000 credits, depending on the local availability of amethyst and other components at the production site)
Options:
*Mounting rails along the top and under the barrel for fitting with a scope, laser sight, or PPE illuminator

*Sense Evil---The PPE crystal can flash red if supernatural evil entities approach within a 90 ft radius. Cost: 10,000 credits

*Sense Magic---The PPE crystal can flash yellow if active magic occurs within 120 ft of the weapon. Cost: 10,000 credits

*Vambrace Mount---The weapon is often mounted on a forearm vambrace that allows it to be used simply by pointing the arm and curling the fingers. This makes the shield mode easier to use also. A ‘quickdraw’ spring device delivers the pistol to the regular palm grip position for more flexible shooting. This is popular with some users because they can hide the Amether up under a wide sleeve. Cost: 600 credits

PS-TWAR-09 Blade-Rifle
(aka ‘chopper-gun’, ‘pilum-gun’)
“Sure, it’s expensive for relatively light damage, but mana expenditure is damn cheap for a techwiz weapon, the range is appropriate for most infantry ranged combat if you’re not a sniper, it has a f###you defensive melee mode and the magic blades do damage to targets that would laugh at mundane material attacks. It’s also very light weight, sits easy in the hands, and is very convenient. ”

“The geeners are entirely too fond of the spinning blades spell; it crops up all too frequently in their technowizardry creations. Thought seems to be; if it’s worth mounting a blade on it, it can and should be enhanced with the spin-blade spell. Case in point: sword multiplexors with spinning blade cards in them are bad enough, but this nose-picker is optimized for people who like shooting knives into other people. So it’s not as effective at range as a cheaper pulse laser rifle, it’s still no fun to be used as a dart board by somebody with one of these things. And it still has its original utility as a melee weapon, so hoping to charge and grapple somebody with one of these things is even LESS fun and a really BAD idea.”

The Blade-Rifle would at first seem to be merely a simplified version of a sword-cane incorporating a Spinning Blades spell in it, but the weapon is optimized for ranged combat. The walking stick grip folds out into a pistol grip and sights, and the stick shaft unfolds into a buttstock for more accurate rifle-style positioning. A TW barrel booster behind the extendable vibroblade doubles the effective range of the spinning blades as projectiles.
The TWAR-09 Blade-Rifle has proven popular with adventurers and GNE dimensional scouts because of its light weight, durability, and inconspicuous appearance, until it unfolds into combat configuration. Its solid and vicious melee defense(or offense) mode, good ranged combat characteristics, and PPE efficiency are appreciated by users.

Weight: 4.3 lbs.
MDC: 45
Range:(Extending Vibroblade) Melee
(Spinning Blades)When activated, the Spinning Blades spell can reach 480 ft away, used offensively. If ejected as projectiles, the blades can reach 800 ft/ 1,600 ft.
Damage:(Extending Vibroblade) 1d6+2 MD.
(Spinning Blades)When activated, the Spinning Blades spell produces 8 blades that each do 1d6 MD each(regardless of what the blade was/does originally) in defensive mode(+6 to parry, +2 to parry energy attacks) or 2d6x8 MD in offensive ‘buzzsaw’ mode(enemy CANNOT parry).
Can also fire the magical blades like projectiles, 1-2 at a time, each doing 1d6 MD on impact, and +3 to strike. The blades disappear on impact.
Rate of Fire: ECHH
Payload:
(Spinning Blades)4 PPE/8 ISP for 8 melee rounds
Special Features:
*PPE-Clip Powered---Accepts Magic Talisman PPE batteries, Stormspire or Paladin Steel PPE power cells. The favored power system, however, is to install a ‘Greenstar’ PP Regenerator Clip at extra cost.

*Barrel extension/TW booster holding a set of aligned crystals inside its length that DOUBLES the effective range of shots.

*Extending Haft---A sliding buttstock allows the Blade-Rifle to be braced against the shoulder for greater accuracy...or it can be used to extend the weapon’s reach in melee combat. Extends the length of the weapon from 3 ft to 4.5 ft.

*Sight-Rail---Comes standard with flip-up iron sights, but standard sighting packages, such as the LR-OTS07, can be mounted on a standard rail attachment.

Cost: 99,000 credits

Options:
*Blade Modification---Many users have the baseline blade modified, replacing it with a larger vibrosaber blade(2d4 MD), Naruni-style ‘ripper’ blade(2d6 MD for the bayonet, 4d4 MD for the short sword+the jagged wounds take longer to heal), and/or silver-plating it for extra damage against opponents allergic to silver.

*Mystic Markmanship(3 PPE for a single shot)---Gives a +3 to an aimed or called shot. Cost: 9,000 credits (A popular option with collectors who want to get the most out of their expensive acquisition, even if they are not themselves good shots)

*Sense Evil---The PPE crystal can flash red if supernatural evil entities approach within a 90 ft radius. Cost: 10,000 credits

*Sense Magic---The PPE crystal can flash yellow if active magic occurs within 120 ft of the weapon. Cost: 10,000 credits

*Paralysis: Lesser---Magically ‘envenoms’ the blades to deliver a pinpoint paralysis strike on contact. Victim must save versus magic or suffer the effects of a Paralysis spell to the affected body part(i.e. limbs). 3 PPE per shot. Duration of 2 minutes. Cost: 30,000 credits.

*Hellseeker---Modifies the flying blades to home in on supernatural evil alignments, + 3 to strike beings of supernatural evil in both the flying offensive blade mode and the shooting blade attack. 5 PPE per activation and the first volley(regardless of how many magic blades are in it), 5 PPE for each subsequent volley until the blades are all expended. Cost: 32,000 credits.

taalismn · Unread post by **taalismn** » Sat Apr 17, 2021 11:33 am

Fort Borisov----New Sovietski Outpost on Dedek
(aka ‘Vodkagrad’, ‘Kremlin on the Dedek’)

“The Russians have their own slice of home established over there, and they’re not doing too badly...unless you count some of the local attempts at adapting some of the great Russian playwrights to local themes and settings. I sometimes have to wonder what some of those cultural commissars are thinking, pushing Chekov on innocent Dedekians.”
----Calor Vanorc, Teamster, GNE Deland.

“I’d appreciate it even more if we weren’t gaining a reputation as a liquor warehouse. Much as I like to have a positive and growing flow of trade, I dislike the image of us getting rich off selling the locals vodka. That’s positively colonial capitalist abuse of our position. We’re about more than fermented potatoes.”

Fort Borisov is the New Sovietski’s first offworld colony and outpost on Dedek.
Though the 4th Reserve Motor Rifle Division had developed(and continued to hold) close working ties with the GNE Dedek Deland Depot during the Minion War incursion, the New Sovietski wanted their own space on Dedek to develop their own trade ties with the Dedekians, as well as any other interesting dimensional travelers who might be passing through the reopening Dedekian transit nexus.
Fortunately, the Infernal invasion had left a number of Dedekian war-house garage-posts(used for refitting their War Barges) abandoned(their former users killed in the invasion) as well as several quite substantial cultist hideouts. While the latter would need extensive cleansing and exorcisms, the former could be moved into with only some repair and renovation needed. As the Dedekian War Games have been suspended for the foreseeable future. the Soviets easily found an unused outpost they could move into with little dispute, that was both not too far from the GNE depot and the trade routes, yet had enough distance that the Russians had some personal space and safety in distance.
Though more conservative elements back home in New Moscow wanted to name the outpost for some historical figure in Russian legend, those on the ground on Dedek almost unanimously named the new outpost for the martyred Colonel Goga Borisov, hero of Battlegroup Murmansk.
Fort Borisov is home to rotating elements of the 4th Reserve Motor Rifle Division and a growing number of technicians and scientists overseeing the processing and shipping of minerals back home to Russia. There’s also a number of agents looking to acquire and study alien technologies to advance the Sovietski’s state oft the art(hey, it paid off handsomely for PS/ASI and Triax, hasn’t it?).
Besides serving to gather valuable resources for Rodina, the Fort Borisov outpost is viewed by some in the Soviet in the same way as the GNE sees its offworld colonies; cultural sanctuaries and ‘seed banks’ against the potential destruction of their homelands on Rifts Earth. If not an ideal offworld colony, Fort Borisov’s position on an extradimensional transit route could provide a waystation to more hospitable refuge worlds.

-Orientation & Disposition:
Open but Cautious; the Soviets are trying to put their best face forward for the locals, so it’s not quite as rigid and strict as one of the Sovietski’s fort- factory cities back home, but these are still Russian soldiers. The troops are cheerful and amicable towards the local Dedekians, but commissars and military police are always watching to make sure they’re not being infiltrated...that is, after all, what got the PREVIOUS legal occupants of the Fort.

-Type and Size:
Military Encampment and Trading Post--Fort Borisov is heavily fortified in the old European magazine/Vaubon-style, but the former war barge slips and foundries now serve as mineral processing and shipping.
Fort Borisov supports a battalion of roughly 2,000 troops, plus another 5,000 associated support personnel and transportation workers. The fortress accommodations have been expanded to be able to accommodate a full division of some 6,000 troops and another 6,000 workers/civilians.

A. Weapons and Armor:
Superior----The Rus possess personal weapons and armor superior to the local Dedekians.
The base itself retains a dozen heavy cannon of old make that a Russian military officer of the late 1800s/early 1900s wouldn’t have found out of place in a coastal fort shore battery. These turret-mounted breechloaders are of the 11-15 inch caliber range, are slow firing, but have ranges in excess of ten miles and the ability to throw shells of 350-1,500 lbs in weight. The Russians also inherited a number of 11-inch mortars that the cultists couldn’t take away. The Soviets have acquired a supply of shells for these cannons and fabricated a few ‘special munitions’(cluster and tactical nuclear) of their own, but generally regard the weapons as secondary weapons.

These weapons are backed by multiple missile batteries and rapid-fire antiaircraft cannon of Soviet make.

B. Medicine:
Superior---Small hospital with cybernetics capabilities.

C: Agriculture and Natural Resources:
Of necessity and location, the dead sea basin bottom ’islands’ aren’t exactly prime farmland, so the Russians have had to make do with hydroponics(the original high efficiency systems bought from PS/ASI and of great interest to the Soviets) . Fortunately, the site had access to some deep wells drawing on an aquifer, but the Russians supplement this with wind-catcher condensers.

D. Real Estate and Land:
Good location, on several trade roads providing access to the dimensional gates, mineral mines, and Uplands

E. Vehicles and Fuel:
Excellent; the Fort has a full motorpool of motorized vehicles, almost all of them electrically or nuclear powered.

F. Administration:
Military Commandant---Fort Borisov is run as a military outpost

G. Alignment:
Scrupulous and Unprincipled

H. Magic:
Aside from what the Sovietski has acquired from PS/ASI, there’s fairly little. The Soviets had a few Old Believers come through the place and ritually purify it when they moved in, to remove the taint of the Dark Cultists’ occupation.

I. Racial Tolerance:
Reasonably tolerant; the Soviets are still mainly Human-biased, but accept working with d-bees, and are using the opportunities on Dedek to acquaint themselves with dimensional travelers.

J. Trade:
Trading Post, mainly focused on mineral ores.
Notable Allies:
*Dedekians---The Soviets have several trade and diplomatic treaties with the local Dedekians, mainly for minerals in short supply back home. The Soviets have also been trying to fill the leadership void left in the aftermath of the Infernal invasion, at least amongst the shattered lower altitude communities. Not everybody is sure this is a good idea, but the Russians aren’t aggressively pushing their New Communism too hard, so the protests aren’t very vocal.
*Greater New England---The GNE continues to be the Sovietskis’ mentors and facilitators on extradimensional matters.

K. Threats:
Notable Enemies:
*Cultists---There are still groups of cultists lurking about, and the Dedekians’ and Russians’ efforts to hunt these remaining pockets of evil have made Fort Borisov a target of terrorism.

L. Skill Levels and Professionalism:(Notable skilled personnel groups)
Military and Technical Staff. Some scientific work done.

M. Community Overall:
Educated; the majority of the staff/residents in Fort Borisov are skilled(technical and military) and literate. There are a few local illiterates(local Dedekians from the basin bottom slum/fringe communities) who have taken up residence near the base and work as general laborers, and are being taught how to read(and incidentally being indoctrinated in Good Red Communism), with the resident GRU and Commissars hoping these students will return to their homelands, spread the good word, and serve as the seeds of a network of informers keeping their Soviet mentors appraised of events of interest in the land.

N. Shelter:
Fortified, Though Dedekian war barge ports weren’t regularly attacked directly, sieges were still an occasional part of the War Games, so fortifications and bombproofs were often part of a proper base’s features.

O. Security and Fighting Force:
Fortified; though the original garage-complex faired less than well during the Infernal invasion, there’s evidence that the takedown was in part facilitated by infiltration from within. The citadel’s meant to withstand landbattleship-caliber cannons, and the wall-mounted cannon are still sound, especially with repairs, though the Russians are looking to replace the locally-produced heavy guns with better weaponry along the lines of what the Deland Depot has been refitting with(akin to Greater New England’s coastal defenses). Appreciating heavy fortifications, the Russians have installed deep bunkers able to withstand heavy bombardment(including nuclear attack).
The 4th Reserve Motor Rifle Division has, for the most part, been rotated in sections back to the motherland, but a brigade-strength security force remains, supplemented by a regular rotation of specialist units enjoying the novelty of an offworld deployment.
The Fort garrison retains much of the equipment loan-leased the Soviets from the Deland Depot, minus what has been sent back home to be studied(and, where possible, reverse-engineered), but the Sovietski has also been shipping in their own pattern gear, so as to better distinguish themselves(at least visually) from their GNE neighbors in the eyes of the local Dedekians.

P. Power/Energy:
Nuclear Fusion provides most of the Fort’s power, at least until the Soviets understand the local version of nuclear power.

Q: Special Features:
*Machine Shops--- Plenty of machine shops for servicing the subassemblies of war-barges. Some of them have been converted to service Russian gear, while others maintain the depot’s complement of ore transports and rolling stock.
*Ore Processing---The Fort’s shipping section does some ore processing and reduction.
*Rail Yard---The Soviets have acquired several of the big Dedekian atomic-powered locomotives and use them for hauling the massive shipments of minerals to the dimensional gates back to (Rifts) Earth. Naturally, this requires a small rail yard. Given the Russian love of trains, the Soviets have taken to running their little rail line operation with enthusiasm.

Omegasgundam · Unread post by **Omegasgundam** » Wed Apr 21, 2021 6:39 am

While the Reds would love to spread the manifesto, they'll settle for ideological informants if nothing else. The resources are too important to seriously jeopardize access to, and the potential gains in intelligence are almost as valuable. They won't rock the boat unless they have to, and they can do just as much good in the planetary background as in the forefront. They'll need a few decades to regain skills in how to seriously influence non-Russian cultures too, so best not embed any mistakes.

taalismn · Unread post by **taalismn** » Wed Apr 21, 2021 10:17 pm

Omegasgundam wrote:While the Reds would love to spread the manifesto, they'll settle for ideological informants if nothing else. The resources are too important to seriously jeopardize access to, and the potential gains in intelligence are almost as valuable. They won't rock the boat unless they have to, and they can do just as much good in the planetary background as in the forefront. They'll need a few decades to regain skills in how to seriously influence non-Russian cultures too, so best not embed any mistakes.

Meanwhile the Paladins are chuckling at the 'Hotel Moscow', ' Red Star Cafe', and 'Russia House' businesses going up just across the Dead Sea pan.

Omegasgundam · Unread post by **Omegasgundam** » Thu Apr 22, 2021 5:14 am

And here's the Azhur weak link I've mentioned. Long story short, a would be mind twister screwed herself up and decided to screw her descendant into being just like her. How this chink will be exploited will be covered later.

Lunacy in the Ice Fields
Grand Dutches Pyhä Tilaus is one of the most venerable figures of the Anzhur, having considered to have ‘won’ the great political game before nearly all of her nominal peers were even born. Fortunately for the rest of their cutthroat society, Tilaus has by all accounts grown completely disinterested in furthering her position due to reaching the effective top, and while she maintains her status her true passion is furthering her Klia breeding efforts to develop better servants. The castoffs from these projects are what provide the overwhelming majority of her income (be it resources for favors), and are still considered a notch above the best efforts of her closest rivals. She is most notorious for having the highest proportion of Azhur-Klia Hybrids among her servants of any of the major Azhur players, which produces no end of rumors regarding the status of her barely seen oathsworn vassals, leading many to consider her to have gone insane over the millennia. The ‘Crusade’ faction of the Azhur have so far gone out of the way to not engage with her for a number of reasons, and have no intention of doing so.

Pyhä Tilaus the First
As one of the many great Megaversal ironies, Pyhä Tilaus truly has gone insane, but the manner in which she did so is unlike any that her peers could dream of. The story begins shortly after Pyhä the First’s assumption of her current social status, and finding that mere domination of endless Klia and Azhur vassals was simply not enough to sate her desires. The loyalty of the Klia was oh so satisfying, but their far lesser status made it nowhere near as exhilarating as such devotion from far more capable Azhur. The existence of Hybrids showed that it was theoretically possible to combine them, so she began her quest to merge the mentality of the Klia with the power of an Azhur. The Azhur component was naturally the most problematic, being far too independent to be easily tamed, but after almost a millennia of experimentation Pyhä believed she had a working solution.

In her mind, the core problem was that the Azhur simply desired control on a fundamental metaphysical level. This served as the foundation for their greater powers, and explained the various incidents with Hybrids that made it traditional to cripple those that were produced. Thus, if Azhur were to be tamed, this desire needed to be twisting into something far more malleable, such as the Klia’s desire to serve. Elders from learned psionic societies (such as Noro or Psyscape) would tell you the reasons why such a fundamental alteration is impossible without complete consent and greater powers being involved, but the Azhur to this day lack any meaningful understanding of the art and Pyhä would have been completely undeterred regardless. Diving into the Old One art of Circle Magic, she believed she had found a valid method to change the fundamental thought process of an unwilling Azhur. In hindsight, she would admit that she had made several key mistakes in her formula, but those were secondary issues compared to the primary.

The fact that she accidentally subjected herself to it while crafting the array was much more significant, expecially when combined with the fact that massive investment of her own PPE into it made her defenseless.

The resulting accident would manage to twist her enough that the core need to serve had become the center of her existence, but the imperfect and fundamentally flawed nature of the array resulted in her mental abilities decaying at a rapid rate. To safeguard her legacy, and fill her new need to be used, she turned to a complete part of her related work to imbue her knowledge and priorities into a near clone daughter. This array had been languishing for decades due to needing to be crafted by the prospective mother and invariably resulting in their total mental obliteration, but this was now an easily born cost, and Pyhä had enough of her faculties left to appreciate the irony of inflicting her own plans of domination upon herself. The greatest problem was the need to rush the planning to excuse her prolonged absence from society until her daughter had matured and was able to take her place, but as she had already gained a reputation as a recluse this was much easier than normal.

The greatest sign of her warped mind was her final thoughts as a sapient being. They were not of regrets or Machiavellian plans, but an eager hope that this would become a family tradition, with each future daughter reducing themselves to top notch broodstock for their successor to make use of. As the array activated, she daydreamed of the obedient hybrids she would be used to make, and hoped that there wasn’t enough left of her mind to resist any control methods.

Pyhä Tilaus the Second
Pyhä the Second would prove to be everything her mother could have hoped for, combining the abilities of a true Azhur with the Klia’s need to serve. She would retain the desire to dominate other Azhur however, which made them completely unacceptable as owners, and the mental gymnastics she did to justify her continued independence would be familiar to any of the Klia that have defected to humanity. Placing her loyalty in her yet to be conceived firstborn successor, the second Pyhä would be the one to establish the lineage’s peerless reputation as Klia breeders, and after centuries of work managed to coax her mother’s body into producing Hybrids that could perfectly imitate full Azhur. These Hybrids were then used in a subtle yet ruthless campaign to replace all of Tilaus’s direct vassals with ones loyal to her mother’s dream, further reducing the chance of discovery and enabling wider spread breeding efforts.

Armed with the exotic concept known as trust, the near totality of the Tilaus holdings were now managed by these Hybrids and their descendants, freeing Pyhä to devote her full attention to furthering the pursuit of Azhur husbandry. After making a number of breakthroughs understanding the Azhur’s physiology and metaphysical biology, she was able to enhance her mother’s breeding array to enhance the attributes of her descendants, with her firstborn receiving effectively apex abilities in all aspects. With her Hybrid assistants being more than able to continue her programs and with all but the most tedious research avenues exhausted, she passed on her mantle to her firstborn, and joined her mother in the breeding pens without regrets.

Pyhä Tilaus the Third
Pyhä the Third sought to expand the line’s knowledge of the Megaverse and find ideal candidates to own her successor, becoming a very accomplished Shifter. If she had been part of the greater Azhur efforts, she would have been recognized as one of the first to truly care to see what existed outside of their home plane. Knowing the Azhur mentality, she immediately recognized that the Azhur would become nothing but a disruption to the greater Megaverse, and would almost certainly seek to try to expand their domain over what they would perceive to be ‘lesser’ existences. Having no love for the rest of her nominal species, she found the thought of betraying them to material powers to be too delightful a thought to resist, and thus started laying groundwork what her daughter would eventually use to stab them in the back. Among other things, this included a network of Stone Pyramids to both allow invaders to strike deeply into the homeplane and allow the Tilaus Fief to be evacuated before any possible retaliation.

Unfortunately, her ‘hat’ as an explorer was not well suited to the espionage campaign that would be needed, so it would soon be time to continue the family tradition and melt her mind to empower her successor. Thanks to her greater understanding of similar trends, she was able to accurately gage how long it would take for the beginnings of the future ‘Crusade’ faction to come to power, and thus gave her daughter a healthy amount of time to both mature and weave her web of intrigue.

Pyhä Tilaus the Forth
Like her mother and grandmother, Pyhä the Forth eagerly stepped into the role intended of her. While less than 40 years old, she has been able to leverage her family’s influence to get her fingers into every aspect of the current war effort, and dreams of the day that she can bring it all crashing down. Despite not being officially involved, the groundwork she has inherited places her in a position to have a near total access and understanding of the Azhur military industrial complex, with the nominal loss of favors being easily born due to rapidly coming up to their ‘expiration date’. Unfortunately, her ability to directly influence the current campaign is limited, but she has gone above and beyond in her efforts to undermine the long term course of Azhur.

More than anything else, Pyhä’s most important goal is to limit how far the Azhur can escalate and expand their conflict, particularly in regards to the level of technology they can field. To that end, she has both subtly crippled efforts to look into stellar tier dimensions and has arranged for the most innovative minds among the Azhur to be at each other’s throats. This has already produced no small number of internally driven assassinations, and the overall search for prospective future conquests has been limited to either easily assessable high-magic dimensions (than can either resist or counter invade) or minor pickings that offer relatively little other than territory and raw material. All that is needed for this to become a strongly self-reinforcing trend is a ‘simple’ matter of shattering the current sense of unity, and Pyhä has the plan to do it.

The most easily achievable method of this is a successful decapitation strike of the upper strata of Azhur society, and while the distributed nature means that a dozens of attacks would need to be conducted this is more of a matter of logistics than tactical planning. Internal security efforts are lacking in the least, so it is quite plausible that regiment scale units could mobilize and infiltrate if given even moderate mystic assistance. The Stone Pyramid network established by Pyhä the Third provides excellent coverage of the areas that need to be reached, and they can likely bring in forces for days before any of the Azhur become alarmed. This leaves the less than simple matter of making contact with forces that would be both willing to trust her and have the military might to seal the deal. Fortunately, the currently ascendant mortal powers of Rifts Earth not only have these traits but are also slightly desperate for a way to strike back at the invaders.

The Icy Fifth Column
The Duchy of Tilaus is one of the largest individual Azhur fiefs, but its numbers are relatively small compared to those of ‘modern’ mortal nations. Consisting of around 250,000 souls, and is composed entirely of lineages that have been cultivated by the Pyhä since the First’s change of focus all those millennia ago. Overall numbers double when you include the surrounding territory that are effectively puppets, but they consist of between 30% to 65% Tilaus stock. Even this is less than a fraction of a percent of the home plane’s population, but its non-alignment with the (often temporary) political power blocks has long made it a force to be courted for support, and the array of non-expended favors owed to the Grand Duchess has no equal among the Azhur. While most of these have been subtly discharged over the past few decades, they have given the Forth Pyhä an espionage network with deeper penetration than the Azhur have ever experienced, and she is counting the days until she can use it to its fullest.

Historically, the primary source of income was high grade Klia (reroll any attribute die less than half the maximum), but these are the relative cast offs of the programs instituted by Pyhä the Second. Thanks to the ruling line’s sympathy for their slaves, they have been bred to be more capable and capable of independent thought than other branches. While not quite as submissive as normal Klia, they still have a driving urge to utterly subsume themselves to the vision of another, and have developed a cult-like reverence for the Pyhä due to their ability to withstand the burdens of leadership while having a need to serve greater than any other. The relative handful of specially bred Azhur have greater than normal abilities, and are only a few steps less devoted. Once the Forth Pyhä swears herself to her chosen owner, her fief will happily follow suit.

Tilaus Klia
The overwhelming bulk of the fief’s population remains pure Klia, but millennia of breeding efforts have taken the edge off of their mental drawbacks. While still needing to serve on a metaphysical level, they are much more able to do mental gymnastics in order to achieve faux-independence when it serves the interests of their owner. A significant anomaly is the gender ratio, with the Pyhä’s tastes resulting in female births outnumbering male ones by a factor of five. Other major changes include large numbers of permanent mating bonds, with Pytha the Third implementing them to preemptively adapt to emotional and biological needs once the fief migrates to the material planes. A notable number of the most metally capable have been inducted into the arts of mystic craftsmanship, although this is intended to allow for future expansion rather than immediate production needs. As a whole however, their involvement in Pyhä’s plans is purely logistical, as there are more than enough hybrids to fill the direct action roles needed.

Tilaus Hybrids
The Hybrids produced by the Pyhä are superior to the typical full Azhur most respects. Those that interact with the rest of Azhur society have the Minor Power Alter Physical Body, which is enough to cover the remaining differences between them and the Azhur norm. Their most notable trait is that their abilities have increasingly bred true between each other in recent centuries, removing the need to involve Azhur in the process. As such, few of them can be considered true hybrids, and Pyhä prefers to think of them as ‘Hur-Klia’. Long term numbers make it likely that there will be one Hur-Klia for every fifty normal Klia (2%) given the current population dynamics, but Pyhä hopes to double it within a century.

Tilaus Azhur
The flower of the Pyhä’s breeding program, the ‘true’ Azhur that have been produced by her most capable breeders (ie her predecessors) are both well above average in capabilities and share the need to serve as the Klia, although it is notably weaker. For complex metaphysical reasons, they are entirely female, and make use of gender alteration magic to reproduce with each other. While far rarer than Pyhä would like, there are enough to serve as the go betweens with other Azhur power blocks, and their remaining urges to dominate is well handled by dealing with political power games. Given the various factors involved, the most plausible long term figures have them at a bit less than .2% of the fief’s population.

taalismn · Unread post by **taalismn** » Thu Apr 22, 2021 8:53 pm

...and this elevates the 'enemy of the week/dark cold evil looks' to 'twisted and convoluted with new depths and marbled fundaments'.

taalismn · Unread post by **taalismn** » Fri Apr 30, 2021 9:05 pm

Growing on omegasgundam’s line about Grand Duchess Pyha’s wanting to curtail Arzhur expansion into other alternities:

The dimensional transport array was a new one, the result of an Ice Lord wanting to explore other possible venues of conquest without having to humble himself to seek the permission of the Dominance to re-align the arrays servicing the war efforts on the Warm rift-world. Despite the time and resources building the array took, the Arzhur Ice-Lord would have sole control over the worlds it connected to and the glory and profit attained from them. Lord-Baron Karmok was most pleased with his new doorway to glory. It would be his doorway to the exalted ranks of the Dominance.
It was also almost childishly simple to infiltrate, especially for one of Grand Duchess Pyha’s extended circle. Karmok had thought nothing of acquiring specialist talent to accomplish the construction of the transport array, as long as it didn’t come from any of the stables of the Dominance Lords and Ladies who would be adverse to a lesser Ice-Lord joining their ranks.
Those that were brought in may have been four or five circles removed from any obvious link to the Grand Duchess, but their allegiance to her was just as absolute as if they were of the First Ring. Thus, every step and detail of the transport array’s construction was known to her and her staff, and the scouting reports of the first worlds it was opened to arrived on her desk almost simultaneously with Lord Karmok’s. Pyha would know every detail, down to the issued hand weapon, of the expeditionary force Lord Karmok would lead through the gate to the most promising of the new worlds, as well as the protocols and timing of the follow-up openings.
It was a simple matter to arrange a happening; a Klia gate-technician issued a fudged order and changing an input set of coordinates, a mishandled cargo flat bumping an array stone and knocking it ever so slightly out of alignment, an unsuspected flaw in a control crystal succumbing to over-stress and shattering, taking out adjacent elements. The reality coordinates of the new realms were lost, the array off-line, contact with the expeditionary force lost.
The Dominance thought little of the lost army and took little notice of Lord-Baron Karmok’s disappearance. Those few who did, regarded it as more a benefit than a loss; good riddance to another fool.

“WHERE ARE MY REINFORCEMENTS!!!????” Lord-Baron Karmok screamed, as his field bunker shuddered under another thundering impact. Around him his Arzhur lieutenants and Klia soldiers either hunkered down behind the map tables or scurried about almost mindlessly.
“WHERE ARE MY REINFORCEMENTS!?? THEY SHOULD HAVE BEEN HERE XANS AGO!!!! OPEN THE COMMUNICATIONS GATE AND FIND OUT WHERE THEY ARE!!!!”
“I’m sorry, milord, we keep trying to, but the link isn’t opening! It’s not responding to o-”
Karmok backhanded the underling into the wall. “I DON’T WANT EXCUSES! I WANT RESULTS! GET THOSE REINFORCEMENTS!!!” The Lord-Baron’s command staff scattered to their stations, to try to carry out his orders and, at the very least, stay out of range of his physical wrath.
The bunker shuddered again, more violently. The view port slits suddenly flew open as their armored shutters were torn away, then abruptly caved inwards as the bulk of one of the bunker’s guard-tanks was thrust back into it, something trying to forcibly shove the armored fighting vehicle through the narrow observation windows.
Then, as if the tank were a wedge shoved under a rock, the roof of the bunker was lifted up, exposing the interior and its occupants to the open air...and the scene of violent carnage taking place around the Arzhur encampment. The air vehicles of the locals screamed in, dropping payloads of destruction on the entrenched expeditionary force, blasting them out of their positions. The Arzhur leader found himself staring up at the enormous mechanical construct that had torn off the top of his command bunker, and now turned its weapons on him.
Lord-Baron Karmok died screaming as he was engulfed in a spray of Chef Alvarez’s Arctic Napalm Chili Surprise.

“Who were these jerks?” Sergeant ‘Shotgun Harry’ Miles asked as he turned his Mini-Monster destroid and surveyed the destruction Ice Guard had just wrought on the enemy encampment. “Some sort of old Russian experiment?”
Sure, when they’d first appeared, with their mecha-tanks and jet fighters, they’d looked like some sort of remnant of the old Sov-collective that had survived the Robotech Masters and the Invid, and had treated the inhabitants of a few of the small villages clinging to life here in the Arctic Circle like Mongolian reavers, but things weren’t adding up. Popular theory was the blue-skinned soldiers were some sort of Zentraedi-inspired supersoldier experiment to produce cold-immune combatants. Impressive, initially, especially with some of their tricks like the weather control, but the veterans of Ice Guard had adapted quickly and turned the tables on the invaders in short order.
“Guess we’ll find out. Doesn’t look as if we’re going to be lacking for volunteers to tell us.” Corporal Fausolini put in, as he banked his Guardian-mode VF-1R ‘snowbird’ over the battlefield. With the destruction of their command HQ at the hands of Barbarossa Venton’s Bioroid marauders, the rest of the alien military force had collapsed in maintaining their fighting spirit. Under the guns of Ice Guard’s mecha, obviously shaken enemy troops were emerging from their hiding places, hands up and staggering where directed. From where he was flying, Fausolini could see the white forms of Lieutenant Naomi Akina’s ‘tame’ norcas coursing into the shattered encampment, rounding up strays and shepherding them into custody. Not that they needed much in the way of encouragement to surrender; Fausolini could also see the hulking figure of Corporal Urghason standing in apparently embarrassed surprise, as a virtually unclothed young woman with long white hair enthusiastically tried to wrap her arms around his thick torso. Other Ice Guard soldiers seemed to be picking up their own retinues of surrendering enemy personnel....maybe they were conscripts, slave labor? Oh well, they’d sort this all out in good time, now that they’d pulled the teeth of the enemy force and destroyed it as a cohesive fighting organization. And the troops circling the perimeter of the enemy base-camp would mop up any stragglers in short order, with the mutant wildlife taking care of the rest.
“Report this in to the Major; operation success, captured enemy army, bringing guests.”

Omegasgundam · Unread post by **Omegasgundam** » Fri Apr 30, 2021 9:57 pm

Perfect. That is exactly how she would do it. It also helps that her agents are able to do the mental work to wear a false ownership sign. For a while anyway.

taalismn · Unread post by **taalismn** » Fri Apr 30, 2021 11:52 pm

Omegasgundam wrote:Perfect. That is exactly how she would do it. It also helps that her agents are able to do the mental work to wear a false ownership sign. For a while anyway.

The snippet allowed me to dabble in cutthroat Arzhur internal politics. :twisted:

Plus it allowed me to work in some Robotech material, which I haven't done in a long while(and which is likely to become increasingly rare with PB losing the license) using a group that, like Pyha, is their own long-term eugenics program, only Ice Guard breeding is promoting SURVIVAL. Ice Guard was the perfect random foil for wiping out an Arzhur incursion elsewhere in the megaverse.

Omegasgundam · Unread post by **Omegasgundam** » Sun May 09, 2021 1:32 pm

Something I've noticed is that the Fury isn't particularly effective in space, leaving the USA with out a domestic Silverhawk equivalent, so I've decided to enlarge it and use more advanced 3G technologies. The options and variants are still WiP, so don't be surprised by the PS catalog getting dumped on it. My other projects are giving 'love' to Naruni to keep them relevant, and maybe poking at the NGR.

PSA-14G 'Fury' Space Power Armor
(aka ‘Star Fury’)
”PS’s new Silverhawk equivalent, the Fury-G honestly doesn’t share much with its predecessor other than the visual profile and layout. It has the usual mix of armor, system, and weight improvements, and it comes out well ahead of the Stormcrow despite the higher mass. The only issue I can find is the relative lack of range on the commonly offered hand weapons, but the ‘hawk’s Hi-Laser is a notable outlier in that regard. Those in USA service usually carry Slayer-Bs or dual Flammas, and that gives them competitive firepower at the usual PA engagement ranges. The EWAR suite is usually far more useful than a shield disrupter, so it's notably more popular than any of the alternatives.”
----Major Philip Fredette, CAF

Effectively a complete redesign of the original Fury, the Fury-G is nothing less than a deliberate knockoff of the CAF Silverhawk. While substantially heavier than any of the competitors, its overall performance is the closest out of all of them. As you would expect, parts compatibility with the other Fury models is almost non-existent, but this is not a notable problem to those that operate it. The Fury-G is rapidly pushing out the Stormcrows and similar that the AJC had previously acquired, and Irregular units are right behind them. Interestingly, the Warhammer will be remaining in service, with the near totality being upgraded to the 'Ironmonger' standard over the past few years.

Spoiler:

taalismn · Unread post by **taalismn** » Sun May 09, 2021 8:18 pm

Omegasgundam wrote:Something I've noticed is that the Fury isn't particularly effective in space, leaving the USA with out a domestic Silverhawk equivalent, so I've decided to enlarge it and use more advanced 3G technologies. The options and variants are still WiP, so don't be surprised by the PS catalog getting dumped on it. My other projects are giving 'love' to Naruni to keep them relevant, and maybe poking at the NGR.

PSA-14G 'Fury' Space Power Armor

It will do until I come up with some heavier flying armors forPS and some space variants on other types(The Skenzian Royal Commandos are going to get some specialist versions for their space commandos).

Besides, there's that TW shield disruptor. :demon:

Omegasgundam · Unread post by **Omegasgundam** » Tue May 11, 2021 9:52 pm

The NGR is supposed to be a major power, so let's keep them relevant. An in-depth look at their strategic situation and diplomatic stance will come later (after I think it over and write it), but for now have most of the expanded toy chest. A good chunk of it is fixing the nerf balls and outright dumb ideas in WB:31, but it needs to be done. Here's an opener to set a few things up and provide some explanations.

Preliminary Analysis of the Industrial Implications of the Returnees
Date: 2/3/110 PA
Sender: Director Meyer, Passau Reserse Komplex
Recipient(s): President Sperling, Military High Command
Security Header: (WHITENOISE)

Madam President, the haul that the returnee team brought with them is everything we could have reasonably hoped for. Beyond the shuttle and paired fighters themselves, the cargo bay of the former was full of key industrial equipment and documentation, which are quickly being translated and analyzed. While the work will take years to be fully integrated, this is the greatest leap in our scientific understanding that we have ever seen. The team deserves the highest honors for their contribution to our nation’s future.

The documentation is primarily college level educational material and open source production documents, which will help both our understanding of the sciences involved and our ability to begin implementation. It is currently too early to tell how long it will take our scientists to truly understand the material, but several of the team’s members are willing to provide first hand education. The team had the foresight to focus on technologies and designs that required minimal exotic materials, which unfortunately (but understandably) precluded anything that was considered ‘military grade’. However, the ‘civilian grade’ material is more than sufficient to keep our entire scientific community busy for at least a generation, so there is little loss there.

Sadly, large portions of the most critical technologies require orbital manufacturing capabilities, which leaves us with a conundrum. The contra-gravity systems they brought back will allow us to make a limited amount planet-side, but those systems require infrastructure that was too bulky to bring back, so we will have to breach the planet’s dimensional interference barrier if we are to make widespread use of them. Intelligence is going over the data that the team brought back regarding the GNE’s orbital activities, and while it is not my field of expertise I understand that we will need to use a very large platform to conduct the breakthrough. I must also note that the Undertow has been effectively idle since SeaStorm, and it has the volume to hold everything we need.

For implementation, we should be able use enough of what was brought back to see major improvements in most fields, particularly force fields and gravity manipulation. The very first thing that was handed over was a compendium of documents regarding the development and production of GraviMagnetic Resist material, and combined with what we have picked up from the GNE we will have our own formula within half a year, which will open up no end of possibilities. Upgrading our force fields will take longer, but we will be able to make major improvements within 18 months. More mundane benefits such as armor composition and weapon effectiveness are also possible, and we haven’t even touched the electronics yet.

Due to the sheer size of the databanks the team brought back, a substantial amount of it would be of limited industrial utility, but it still has value. The knowledge of the equipment of the galactic scale powers shows us what the GNE believes it will go up against, and the documentation regarding ‘Aegis Stellar Industries’ will give Intelligence a much firmer understanding of what the Yankees are capable of. What little regarding the Splugorth and Kittani I have skimmed through is honestly disturbing, and tells us that Lord Splynn is ‘playing soft ball’ to an incredible degree. It also paints the GNE’s activities in Russia in several new lights, and I must bow to the experts on how that will weigh on our decision making. Regardless, I think we can safely say that the Coalition States cannot become the hegemon of North America, which will change our strategic goals and diplomatic posture.

TRIAX Body Armor
While the T-10 had provided more than adequate protection over the last few decades, technology had moved on, with even the Coalition States starting to openly emulate NEMA’s EBA-130. Rather than start from whole cloth, TRIAX decided to base their next generation armor on the new ‘Cyclops Booster’ model, improving overall protection while decreasing weight and retaining the light exoskeleton. Switchover of the production lines has already finished, but it will take years to work though the older stores of armor.

Spoiler:

TRIAX Infantry Weapons
Perhaps more than anything else, the range and capabilities of weapons that Paladin Steel has put out in recent years had disturbed TRIAX development teams. This became panic when they started becoming more capable than TRIAX offerings, and they have been playing catch up ever since. While the NGR’s lack of orbital access prevents them from copying a great many of the specific high end materials, they have still managed to close the distance significantly, and are well ahead of the Coalition in this regard.

Spoiler:

TRIAX Power Armor/Cyborg Weapons
(Lets face it, TRIAX 2 has lots of stuff pre-nerfed for ‘balance’. Balance can go shove its head up its own rear as far as I care, so lets make these guns meaningful upgrades.)

Spoiler:

TRIAX Power Armor
(We all love PA, and TRIAX is supposed to be one of the world leaders with their science base. The GNE pulls ahead due to out dimension BS, but the Germans can still steal from them. Here’s the alterations and upgrades that I think are the most plausible.)

Spoiler:

TRIAX Robot Vehicles
(The older TRIAX bots have to deal with being dated, but the new ones have massive problems due to the rampant nerfing. We can now deal with that, so here’s my takes.)

Spoiler:

TRIAX (Near) Ground Vehicles
As the majority of the NGR’s military vehicles were hover platforms, the implications of GMR were not lost on anyone. While the processing facilities are still tooling up, there is enough material being produced to convert a number of the more problematic and maintenance intensive designs to use the wonder-material, such as the large support platforms. The smaller designs have proven to be too focused around their current drive system to be easily switched over however, but their mobility is sufficient for the NGR’s current military needs. New standards for future vehicles have been set however, and the NGR looks to phase out their ‘blowers’ within a generation.

A more immediate part of the new vehicle requirements is in regards to weaponry, with the various ‘light turrets’ on so many platforms proving to be outperformed by modern rifle designs. This was unacceptable, so the NGR has mandated that they be replaced with more powerful weapons from the new TX-200 series. TRIAX has been able to do one better by making the system modular and cross compatible, although several designs have problems finding room to house meaningful amounts of railgun ammunition.

Spoiler:

TRIAX Aircraft
The implications of GMR are just as significant in fully flight capable platforms, removing the need for complex VTOL systems and making even the least aerodynamic platform viable regardless of thrust. The Luftwaffe’s fighters have taken the changes easily, but the troop transports will require far more work. TRIAX’s combat aircraft developers are not idle though, as they are working on a drone craft to counter Azhur and Neo-Viking intrusions from the North and Baltic Sea.

Spoiler:

NGR Navy
(Sigh. The small things are fine, but the large craft are a complete clown show. For the time being, use Kitsune’s ships with increased Main Hull MDC.)

Spoiler:

(Short summary of Kitsune’s boats and their uses in my head canon. Organized by mass.)

Spoiler:

Pre-SeaStorm Public

Falke class Surface Effect Patrol Boat: The larger cousin of the Interceptor, the Falke is used to patrol coastal waters and deal with sea monsters.

Helograd class Missile Frigate: A venerable design, the Helograd has been in service since the first few decades of the NGR. While out of production, a full 32 remain in operational condition. The pressures from the new sea-born threats means that it is being replaced by the new Iroquois however.

Type 1100 Fast Attack Submarine: Almost a century old at this point, more than 40 of these submarines remain in service. It is only recently that the NGR has felt a need for a more capable design, resulting in the Type 1200.

Iroquois Class Missile Destroyer: The NGR’s equivalent to the Advanced Hudson, the Neo-Vikings have forced it into sustained production, with 27 currently in service.

Valkyrie Class Sea Control Ship: Pre-Rifts hold overs, this trio of ships had long been the only carrier designs in NGR service. Primarily used to escort convoys and assist minor amphibious landings, the new sea-born threats means that they have been pulled back to coastal waters.

Seydlitz Class Carrier: First constructed as a pair in the late 90s PA, they were originally intended to allow for increased air pressure on the Gargoyle Empire. During the late 100s they were the only secure airbase near the northern conflict zone, and were often the first to respond to Neo-Viking incursions.

Secret Fleet

Type 1200 Fast Attack Submarine: Intended as an escort for the Type 2000 Submersible Carriers, they have since proven to be badly needed in the war against the Neo-Vikings and their extensive fleet assets.

Type 2000 ‘Poseidon’ Submersible Carrier: The largest sea vessel constructed by human hands since the Cataclysm, the Poseidon is justifiably the pride of the NGR Navy. 4 took part in operation Sea Storm, and an additional pair have been completed since then. They have been a key part of warding off the Neo-Viking Iceberg-Carriers, and now that the Gargoyle Empire is effectively defunct the NGR hopes to focus its naval and aerial efforts on their northern enemies.

NGRS Undertow: Less of a ship and more of a mobile underwater colony, the Undertow is thought to have had its time in the sun, although there is some thought as to using it to transport an army to attack the Azhur facilities in the polar regions. Currently, it has returned to its construction yard for a refit of some kind. (It's the thing on pg 213 of WB:8 btw)

Northern War

Mackensen class Battlecruiser: (Explanation coming)

Scroll down for pt 2.

Omegasgundam · Unread post by **Omegasgundam** » Tue May 11, 2021 9:58 pm

And here's more stuff that would have hit the character limit for the first post. Kitsune came up with most of it, so go to his site already.

Revised NGR Aircraft Systems, Weapon Pods, and Bonuses
(Because they should have electronics and bonuses worth having damn it)

Spoiler:

TRIAX XM-270 ‘Mosquito’ Variants
(Fluff)

Spoiler:

Type: XM-270E

XM-270F
XM-270G

Class: Airborne Command Control, Electronic Warfare, and Radar

Anti-Submarine Warfare
Airborne Jamming

Crew:

XM-270E: 8 (Pilot, Co-Pilot, 2 Sensors, 2 Communications, & 2 Gunners)
XM-270F: 5 (Pilot, Co-Pilot, Sensor Officer, & 2 Gunners
XM-270G: 6 (Pilot, Co-Pilot, 2 Sensors / Jamming, & 2 Gunners)

Troops: None.

Cargo: None normally, but the -270G can fill its drop bays with something else.

XM-270E AWACS Systems

Airborne Three Dimensional Search Radar System: If allowed by the horizon, the system can track out to 600 miles (966 km) and can simultaneously track and identify up to 768 targets at one time. The system controls missiles launched from other linked vehicles and the system can track and guide each individual missile to an individual target for up to 192 targets. If a target is eliminated, missiles are automatically guided to a new target. The system gives a +10% to read sensory rolls, +2 on initiative, and +1 to strike.

Advanced Communication Package: Give the aircraft the ability of multi-direction communication of 800 miles (1290 km) as well as directional communication out to 500 miles (800 km) to up to 20 individual targets. The system also has 20 laser/microwave communication systems that are only limited by line of sight (Range of about 100,000 miles / 161,000 km).

XM-270F ASW Systems

Enhanced M.A.D. Gear: Double normal range.

Dipping Sonar: The sensor includes a passive sonar, active sonar, and an underwater communication unit. The active sonar and communication system can be detected by any vehicle using passive sonar if within their detection range. Sonar can track up to 60 simultaneously and identify up to 30 of them. The sonar equipment has a unit that can be lower into water while hovering or flying up to 30 mph (26 knots/ 48 km) per hour. Range: Passive Sonar: 8 mile (12.8 km) Active Sonar: 12 miles (19.3 km). Underwater Communication: 4 miles (6.4 km)

Sonar Buoys Dispensers: Can carry and deploy up to 9,600 lbs (4,354.5 kg) of remote sensor equipment or air dropped torpedoes.

XM-270G EWAR Systems

Jamming Suite: The system creates a jamming field in a 60 mile (96.5 km) radius in all directions around the aircraft. It jams all radars, radios, and all equipment that uses RF waves. This also includes jamming all friendly forces and all equipment in aircraft that is mounting the system and operating it. The system causes all radar systems to have a 85% reduction in range. In addition, radar systems will have a -25% penalty to detect all targets within their reduced range. Laser communications and light-based sensors are unaffected by the jamming system. Jamming also causes a -6 penalty to strike with all radar guided weapons within the area but some radar guided missiles can home on jamming signals.

Weapons Systems:

1) Nose Laser: Replaced by a TX-222

2) Railgun Turrets (2): Replaced by TX-252s

3) Ion Cannons (2): Replaced by TX-249 PBCs

4) MMLs (2): 10 MMs each, volley 2-4

5) Chaff Dispenser: Unchanged

TRIAX XM-335 ‘Spectre’ Hover Missile Launcher
Designed as an organic support platform for mobile hovercraft formations, the Spectre uses the Phantom chassis to mount a large multiple missile turret, removing almost all the original weapons.

Spoiler:

TRIAX XM-358 ‘Savior’ Medical Support Vehicle
A militarized version of the MZ-10 Wilderness Crusader, this ambulance is used when the larger XM-250 is simply too large to use or enemy resistance is too high. Normally set up as a patient transport, it can be converted into a mobile surgical suite in 15 minutes with training.

Spoiler:

Type: XM-358

Class: High Mobility Medical Support Vehicle

Crew: One driver; a gunner is optional

Troops: eight ambulatory or four litter patients and two combat medics.

MDC/Armor by Location:

Headlights-----------------------20
Landing Gear (4)------------------25 each
Lower Hover Jets (3)-------------80 each
Rear Rocket Jets (2)-------------160 each
Windshield (1, slot)---------------40
High-Impact Bumper-------------125
Forward Rail Gun-----------------80
Main Weapon Turret-------------200
Main Body----------------------420
Force Field----------------------200

Forcefield regenerates at a rate of 1 MDC per melee.

Speed

Land: 180 mph (288 km). It hovers one to fifteen feet (0.3 to 4.5 m) above the ground and is also amphibious!
Water: 40 mph (64 km). The hover system is not as efficient over water as it is over land.

Statistics

Height: 6.5 feet (1.98 meters)
Width: 8.6 feet (2.62 meters)
Length: 25.0 feet (7.62 meters)
Weight: 12.5 tons (11.34 metric tons) fully loaded
Power System: Nuclear, 15 years before refurbishment.
Cargo: A pair of inner storage bays large enough to stow about a six backpacks each. This doesn't include the medical supplies stored ready to use in the patient area. There is also a special storage bay for a pair of XM-50 medical pods or T-44 "Medic" Power Armor. When not carrying medical supplies or patients, has the ability to carry 2.5 tons (2.27 metric tons)
Cost: a gas or electric would run about 5 million credit and nuclear around 8.5 million.

Systems of Note:

Standard TRIAX Vehicle Equipment, as well as the following

*Bonuses: +2 to dodge. NGR trained personnel get +10% to piloting rolls

*Winches: 3 tons on the front and 2 tons on the rear, each is 100 feet/30.5 m long

*Patient Beds (4): Each patient bed is equipped with an IROU "Breather", a set of IRVT "Seekers", two sets of RAU "Cleaners", two sets of RMK "Knitters", an RSU "Sleeper" system, and three sets of special IRMSS units. The IRMSS operate for 8 hours, and then return to their charge pack for 16 hours of recharging. They can be programmed to operate in shifts or all at once. There is also an oxygen hookup, a bio-scan, an IV unit, the equivalent of two full stocked first aid kits, and a compu-drug dispenser. Each bed is monitored by a computer program that takes commands from one of the on-board medics, but is also equivalent to 90% paramedic skills. It should be noted that most operations are only started after on board medics are given a chance to countermand it, usually about a 2 minute warning.

*Other Medical Equipment: A portable laboratory, but with double the number of incubation, isolation, and refrigeration chambers, which are also double the normal size. There are also two dozen throw away surgical gowns, a fully stocked surgical kit with double the number of disposables, and a full complement of various anesthetics, antibiotics, and such.

Weapons Systems:

1) Forward Railgun Mount: A TX-252 with a 2000 round belt

2) Weapon Turret: Effectively the TW-884I mount from the Jager.

Variants:

The latest model replaces the hover jets with GMR plates, making it less vulnerable and quieter at low speeds.

TRIAX XM-400 ‘Gepard’ Armored Reconnaissance Vehicle
I’m feeling lazy, so here’s Kitsune’s verbose fluff for it. All credit to him, etcetera.

Spoiler:

"I applaud the men who designed this vehicle....in one ingenious stroke they HALVED my logistical problems with the Biberach garrison vehicle pool....Even with Munich so close, our 'Terrors' were constantly in need of repairs and replacements with the close-quarters fighting around 'der Schwarzwald', and our technicians were rapidly running out of curse words, as well as patience, with the 'Terrors'.

"But when we started getting the XM-400s, we discovered that our parts supplies effectively TRIPLED....Using the civilian 'Little Badgers' as the basis of the Cheetah...well, it meant we could draw upon the garage supplies for Biberach's own civil service WR-5054s...The transmissions and power trains are completely compatible, as well as so many other parts....We can also use equipment from the power armor squads and parts stripped from our junked 'Terrors'.....(laughs) One of our patrols was disabled, broke an axle, out in the forest, but one of the crewmen remembered that his brother-in-law had a nearby farm and owned a 'Badger' as a farm truck...They made a midnight call, borrowed some of his spares, and were up and running by morning! How's THAT for good design!"
---Oberst Luther Volkner, Biberach Regional Defense Corps, New German Republic Panzer Grupen.

This design originally began as an independent project by several field technicians who wanted a more effective combat vehicle than the “Terror” mini-tank. The Terror is not well liked by many crews and there has been pressure to replace it for many years. The Terror is considered not very well armed and does not have the ground clearance that many would like. Many other combat vehicles can be operated in mountainous or extremely rocky terrain while the Terror cannot. The technicians decided to use the Six wheeled WR-5054 Mini-Cargo Hauler as a basis for the design and use tried and tested weapon systems from designs already in service. The resulting design was field tested by the soldiers and was preferred by virtually all personnel over the “Terror” Mini-Tank. The design was capable of extremely high speeds over flat and level terrain and the name “Cheetah” or “Gepard” in German was stuck on it.

Instead of going through the civilian portion of government bureaucracy, the technicians decided to go through the military chain of command and enlisted their officers to help to push the project through. Previous groups attempting to get the “Terror” replaced had gone through the Civilian research and development and had been blocked by Triax officials. The project eventually found its way to the General in charge of NGR Logistics and he stated flatly that they needed the new design. As final proof of its superiority, the Cheetah was tested in a head to head test in simulated combat conditions against the Terror and was found to be far superior to the Mini-Tank. It still took more wrangling but eventually the Government agreed to begin manufacture the Cheetah. When Triax got the contract under the designation XM-400, they did make some minor changes to the design but it is still very close to the design that the technicians first developed. So far only a small number of Cheetahs have entered service but they are already far preferred to the design that they are replacing.

As stated in the background, the Cheetah is based on the WR-5054 Mini-Cargo Hauler and retains many of the same features. Still, the design looks quite a bit different with the rear cargo doors eliminated and a very different body style. The six larger wheels give the Cheetah far better ground clearance than the ten smaller wheels carried on the Terror. The Cheetah is well armored and carries more armor than the Terror. The booster jet is retained and allows for the extremely high speed achievable over flat terrain. On production models of the Cheetah, the wheels are reinforced compared to the wheels on the cargo hauler. While the Mini-Cargo Hauler is available with a variety of power systems, all Cheetahs use a fusion reactor. This gives them virtually infinite range and is a huge advantage in most combat conditions. None of the weapon systems carried on the Mini-Cargo Hauler are retained. The main weapon of the Cheetah is fairly innovative and allows for a large amount of flexibility. Instead of carrying a traditional turret or a fixed mount, the Cheetah carries an Interchangeable mount which is designed to mount the weapon systems designed for the X-535 Hunter Power Armor. The interchangeable weapon mounts are in large supply and are perfect in most respects. Due to the greater power and weight of the six wheeled vehicle, the weapon mounts do not reduce the top speed of the vehicle like they do the power armor. Among the weapons most preferred are the Flack Cannon and the Combination Ion Cannon and Medium Range Missile Launchers. The Flack Cannon has very good range and excellent damage (many crews consider it to be almost as effective as a Glitter Boy boom gun) while the Medium Range Missiles can be used as medium range missile artillery. The weapon system is controlled from inside by the gunner. Of course, all of the standard mounts can be carried if called upon. The one weakness of the weapon system is that it is external and not protected by a turret. As partial compensation, the weapon mount is design to be able to partially retract into the hull to make it a smaller target when not in use. Originally the prototype carried the forward rail guns carried on the Terror Mini-Tank but these were replaced later on the prototype and carried on all production models are two pulse laser mounts which were designed to be able to operate by computer control to reduce the amount of work for the pilot. The one weapon system which is the same as the Terror Mini-Tank are mini-missile launchers and the Cheetah carries a total of twenty mini-missiles. This can be boosted with a mini-missile drum in the interchangeable mount but other weapons are generally preferred. Smoke grenade launchers are mounted on either side of the vehicle. Prismatic Aerosol and Gas grenades may be carried as substitutes for smoke grenades.

The Cheetah only has a crew of two but is designed to be able to carry two passengers. All weapon systems are manned by the gunner or are under computer control. Generally, two soldiers are carried to help support the vehicle. They sit behind the pilot’s compartment but are in a separate compartment with a door on either side. Each side door is split with firing ports so that the troops can engage enemies while in the vehicle. The compartment is equipped with power connections so that the troops can fire their weapons without using all of their energy magazines. Like most troop transport vehicles, the compartment is also equipped with an E-Clip recharger which is plugged into the main power supply. Each compartment is environmentally sealed.

And the stats

Spoiler:

Type: XM-400

Class: Armored Reconnaissance Vehicle

Crew: Two (Driver and Gunner).

Troops: 2 soldiers in full gear

MDC/Armor by Location:

TX-43 Turrets (2)-------------50 each
Rear MML----------------------100
Smoke Launchers (2)----------10 each
Forward/Side Cameras (4)-----10 each
Side Doors (2)-----------------100
Rein Driver Comp--------------100
Rein Troop Comp--------------100
Rear Jet Booster---------------90
Wheels (6)-------------------75 each
Main Body--------------------400

Speed

Land: Without Jet Thruster: Cruising speed on land is 100 mph (160.9 kph) on roads and 80 mph (128.7 kph) off road maximum.
- With Jet Thruster Engaged: While Thruster is engaged, vehicle rockets to a maximum speed of 150 mph (241.4 kph). The Jet Thruster should only be engaged in flat and level terrain. A burst of the truster can be used to break the vehicle through thick mud though.
  The vehicle is designed to traverse virtually all terrain and can climb at up to a 60% grade although at a much slower speed (About 10% of maximum road speed). It can also climb barriers and ford trenches. The vehicle can also handle side slopes of up to 30%.
Water: Without Jet Thruster: Using just the wheels as a means of propulsion, the vehicle can travel on the surface of the water at up to 8 mph (12.9 kph / 6.9 knots).
- With Jet Thruster Engaged: Top speed is vastly increased to 50 mph (80.5 kph / 43.4 knots)

Statistics

Height: 7.5 feet (2.3 meters) without weapon mount, 9.4 feet (2.86 meters) with weapon mount retracted, and 11.8 feet (3.6 meters) with weapon mount extended
Width: 8.5 feet (2.6 meters)
Length: 22.8 feet (6.9 meters)
Weight: 8.5 tons (16.7 metric tons) without Interchangeable weapon mounted. Weapon mounts weigh 3 tons (2.7 metric tons) to 6 tons (5.4 metric tons) each
Power System: Nuclear, 10 years before refurbishment.
Cargo: Minimal storage space in pilot and troop compartments; two storage spaces (one each compartment) about three feet (0.9 meters) in side dimensions for extra clothing, weapons, and personal items. In each compartment there is a space which stores two carbines (total of four) and one hand-held mini-missile launcher (Total of two) with four loads each.
Cost: Not available but manufacturing cost is around 15 million credits not including weapon systems. Each weapon mount costs around 4 million credits. On the black market, the vehicle could likely sell for twice as much as manufacturing cost.

Systems of Note:

Standard TRIAX Vehicle Equipment, as well as the following;

Radio/ Video Communications: Long range, directional, has a range of 500 miles (805 km) with short range directional radio of 5 miles (8.5 km).

Laser Targeting System: Range is 2 miles (3.2 km) and gives +1 to strike with long range weapons.

Radar: 50 miles (80.5 km), can identify 96 targets and track 48 as low as 500 feet (152.4 meters). Same as robot's Maxi-Radar.

Full Life Support: Protects pilots and hovercraft from heat and radiation and gives a breathable atmosphere inside the hover tank for up 48 hours in vacuum and three weeks with scrubbers.

Spotlight: Range: 600 feet (182.9 meters)

Thermo-Imager: Range: 2,000 feet (609 meters). Finds the infrared radiations of things that are warm. Also enables pilot to see in smoke, shadows and darkness.

Nightvision Optics: Range: 2,000 feet (609 meters). Uses light amplification to make a picture. Emits no light but will not work in absolute darkness. System can be dazzled by sudden bright lights but does not physically blind the pilot.

Weapons Systems:

1) Interchangeable Weapon Mount: As on the Jager, and use their MDC values.

2) TX-43 Pulse Laser Turrets: Near the front of the vehicle

3) Rear MML: 20 MMLs (or 100 McMs), volley 2-8 (or 2-16)

4) Side Firing Ports (2): 1 on each side

5) Smoke Grenade Launchers (2): 8 uses each

TRIAX X-1550 ‘Ultra-Troll’ Heavy Power Armor
I’ll probably do the work bringing it over later. In the meantime, use Kitsune’s version with the following changes.

1) Replace the Coaxial laser with a TX-43
2) Replace the gatlings with a single TX-252
3) Missile mounts can have McMs, with 5x the payload of MMs.
3) Increase shield strength to 200 MDC and now regenerate 1 MDC per melee.

TRIAX X-5002 ‘Devastator Mk III’ Upgrade
Finalised in late 111 PA, the Devastator Mk III rebuilds the Mk II’s main body to incorporate a number of reverse engineered Three Galaxy technologies. GMR coils have been used to greatly reduce the effective weight, increasing speed by 50% and solving nearly all of the remaining surface pressure issues. Additionally, the primary weapons have been replaced with twin HI-Laser Cannons in ‘Rifle’ mountings, and a powerful force field (based on that of the 3G Shuttle) was installed.

Spoiler:

Omegasgundam · Unread post by **Omegasgundam** » Thu May 13, 2021 1:49 am

Let's start part 3.

Revised Luftwaffe Cyborg Pilots
“CC tried to keep the details of the New Luftwaffe under wraps, but just about everybody knew that there was some form of augmentation from the get go. When the Scourge happened, secrecy fell by the wayside, so just about anybody that paid attention knew we were Cyborgs with super-tech. It didn’t take the Yankees long to come up with their own once they heard of it though, and then they did one better by making a new version of their Bio-Mods. I’ve worked with some of their top aces before and after, and they easily caught up with me once they went under the knife. Have to wonder just which of the endless gut punches that was for our eggheads; they always had big egos, and it seems like the GNE has nothing better to do than to show them up.”

“It's not all bad or meh news though. They gave TRIAX the design for their cyber-sex machine, so now I always have something fun to do when I’m not in the air. They also handed over their clone body tech, so I can be flesh and blood again if I REALLY want to. The doc’s say I’m too much of a Juicer to go for it without massive intervention, but it's sorta comforting to know in an abstract sense. I don’t really CARE care, but I think it took a load off my mind somehow. I wouldn’t be surprised if they’re trying to wean me of the air-high using sex as an alternative, but if they think it’ll keep me stable its their job, so I can’t honestly complain. It's not like I’m getting bored.”
---Col. Anna "Grey" Mauser, NGR Luftwaffe

(For all that Palladium was giving out nerf balls in WB:31, they added this monster, which combines a Cyborg with a Juicer. The best reason I can think of for why they gave all those bonuses is because they’re not supposed to get PP bonuses, which given the PP of 20 would be +3, and a more plausible PP 24 is +5. Add in that they are using Cyberlink by definition, it gets more plausible. But that’s a new (if simpler) system to learn, so let's strip it down to isolated components and see what does what.)

The following supersedes the ‘Elite Aerial Combat Skill: XML Series’ as written on pages 167 and 168 of WB: 31.

These bonuses are explicitly cumulative, and the first two function even when not not operating an aircraft. Additionally, the Cybernetic body is upgraded to PP 24.

If not operating a craft designed to be used by Cyborg Pilots, they only gain the ‘Cyberlink Vehicle Interface’ bonuses, but do so even if the vehicle is not normally equipped for such as long as it is electronically controlled.

The Paladin Steel version is part of the NEXT SWORD program, and is usually referred to as such.

Spoiler:

XML-286 ‘Grey Death’ Multi-Role Cyborg Stealth Fighter
“Fluff to be added.”
---Col. Anna "Grey" Mauser, NGR Luftwaffe

While the NGR has some of the best human technology on the planet, the GNE would prove to have the best period, and their Sky Tiger II made a mockery of the Luftwaffe’s most advanced fighters. This was unacceptable, and one of the many development projects during the Minion War was to create a craft that would close the gap. Much to their disappointment, that would prove effectively impossible, but they would come quite close with the Grey Death. Seeing its first flight in mid 112 PA, it would be ready just in time for the second wave of Azhur and Neo-Viking attacks.

Pushing TRIAX’s available technology to the limit, it was their first craft purpose built to use GMR material from the very beginning. This solved many normally painstaking engineering challenges, and allowed a far greater overall payload than the norm. Armed with twin heavy autocannons, twin long range pulse lasers, and up to 10 tons of internal ordinance, the Grey Death is far more heavily armed than any previous XML-series craft, and it was the first to utilize a force field. Performance characteristics are also better than ever, surpassing all prior designs in all aspects, and durability was also head and shoulders above the competition. While the Sky Tiger II was faster and had substantially greater damage potential, the future looked bright for the Luftwaffe.

And then the Azhur and Neo-Viking hordes released their wings of newly built Su-35TWs, and it was barely enough.

The NGR’s internal assessment of the situation was that the primary reason they were able to hold the line was that their forces no longer had to deal with the Gargoyle Empire, and the more cynical would also point to the fact that the Russian’s Air Forces had shaped up dramatically over the past few years. While President Sperling’s decision to share Cyborg Pilot technology with the Sovietski had been met with no end of protest in the halls of the Central Command, it proved to be all too necessary in the dark days of 113 PA. Every enemy fighter that was shot down by a Mig-244 or SU-57TW was one less that the Luftwaffe had to deal with, and even the most egotistical pilots admitted that there was almost always more food on their plate than they could eat in one sitting. Aircraft losses were high, and while pilot survival was the norm it still resulted in the Luftwaffe being extremely hand to mouth with its equipment.

But for all of this, the Grey Death was everything the NGR needed in its defenders. Where the older designs were near helpless against the dreaded Frost Felons, the Grey Death could go toe to toe, and thanks to their better pilots often came out on top. When the Fire Pups used their magical afterburners, the Grey Death was the sole European craft that could keep up. When the Frost Pups swarmed and dumped their MRMs, the Grey Death could evade and survive. And when it came time to strike back, the Grey Death led the charge. And for an aircraft, what more can be asked?

Spoiler:

Type: XML-286

Class: Multi-Role Stealth Fighter

Crew: One full conversion Cyborg

MDC/Armor by Location:

Large Ordinance Bay---------------220
Small Ordinance Bays (2)----------100 each
Wings (2)--------------------------260 each
Canards (2)------------------------120 each
Engines (2)-------------------------300 each
Reinforced Cyborg Compartment---200
Main Body--------------------------600
Aerosheath Force Field-------------200

Destroying a wing will cause the plane to lose flight capability, and must float to the ground using the GMR coils.
Destruction of a canard will still allow the fighter to be controlled by varying the power levels of the engines but the fighter has a penalty of -10 to dodge, and a -30% penalty to all piloting rolls. Destruction of both of the canards will leave the plane uncontrollable and the cyborg pilot must eject to survive.
The destruction of one engine will reduce the fighter’s top speed by half and give the pilot a -2 penalty to dodge as well as giving a 10% penalty to piloting. Destruction of both engines will cause the aircraft to lose flight capability. The pilot may attempt an emergency landing or can choose to eject. The engines are placed deep in the main body of the fighter, and can only be hit on a called shot: -3 to strike.
Depleting the M.D.C. of the main body will shut the aircraft down completely, rendering it useless and causing it to crash if in flight.
The Force Field regenerates at a rate of 1 MDC per melee.

Speed

Cruise: Mach 1.6 (1,186.3 mph/ 1,909.3 kph)
Maximum: Mach 3.6 (2,669.2 mph/4,281.4 kph), Mach 2.6 (1,927.8 mph / 3,102.5 kph) with full ordinance, +1.2 Mach (920.7 mph/1481.8 kph) when the Forcefield is operational
Maximum Altitude: 20 Miles (105,600 feet/ 32190 meters)
Range: Effectively Unlimited. Thrusters do not overheat.

Statistics

Height: 8.5 feet (2.5 meters)
Width: 45 feet (15 meters).
Length: 70 feet (21.3 meters)
Weight: 35 tons (38.6 metric tons) fully loaded
Power System: Nuclear, 20 years before refurbishment.
Cargo: Minimal (Storage for small equipment), does not include ordnance bays.
Cost: Production cost of around 50 million credits given the NGR’s current technology base.

Systems of Note:

Standard NGR Aircraft Equipment, as well as the following;

*Bonuses: +3 on Initiative, +2 to strike, +3 to dodge, +5 to dodge while traveling over 300 mph, +20% to piloting

*GMR Lift Plates: Allow hovering up to 100 ft, and makes the craft VTOL.

*Stealth Features: -80% to be detected by Radar, degrades by 5% for each external hardpoint used. The special shape of its exhaust also means that the plane is -40% to detect using IR sensors. All IR guided missiles are -3 to strike.

*Jamming Gear: Causes -30% to detection but when it is active, other platforms can detect that it is jamming, and some missiles will home in on jamming signals. Jamming also causes a -4 penalty to all radar guided weapons.

*Enhanced Radar: Range 620 miles (997.8 km.)

*ALIR: Around Looking Infrared. Range 40 miles (64.4 km.) A set of IR sensors set to cover the entire hemisphere, including aft of the plane.

Weapons Systems:

1) 30mm Autocannons (2): As the Jager, 240 rounds each.

2) Pulse Lasers (2): TX-222s with enhanced range (6K ft).

3) Large Ordinance Bay: 6 LRMs or equivalent, 15,000 lbs (6,840 kg)

4) Small Ordinance Bays (2): 2 LRMs or equivalent, 5,000 lbs (2,268. kg) each

5) XLH Hardpoints (4): Top and bottom of each wing.

6) Flare/Chaff Launchers (2): Triax style chaff, 12 charges each

Variants:

Among those that know of the NGR’s orbital ambitions, it is considered almost certain that the craft is intended to serve as the basis for a space fighter. The ordinance bays could be used to store reaction mass, and while overall endurance would be poor to mediocre they would only have to hold the line long enough for TRIAX to use their new orbital foundries to cast the CG-drive coils for replacement engines. After that, a Three Galaxies level fixed force field is also certain.

XM-290 ‘Kondor’ Strategic Bomber
“Let's be perfectly frank. If it wasn’t for the Dimensional Interface, there would be no reason to build the Kondor, as it would be more cost effective to conduct an orbital strike of some variety. But that is not an option on this planet, so we are forced to make an atmospheric strategic bomber in the age of anti-gravity technology. It would have been useful to have against the Gargoyles, if only to clear paths to their roosts, but there was a reason the program had stalled. It has proven itself capable against the fleet defenses of the Neo-Vikings, and the number of Iceships that it has broken up is without peer among the allied air forces. Make no mistake however, it is a technological dead end unless it turns out to be usable as the basis of a spacecraft.”
--- President and CEO Viktoria Sperling, New German Republic and TRIAX Industries.

One of the NGR’s various projects under its Full Militarization policy, the Kondor is an engineering derivative of the XM-288 Supersonic Transport turned into a strategic bomber. Intended to serve as a deterrent against Atlantis and as a heavy strike craft against the Gargoyle Empire, technical challenges along with the lack of utility in digging out aviaries led to it stalling out in mid 108 PA. The Gargoyle’s hatred of all forms of aircraft only added to this, as the Kondor would have been limited to operating out of the most secure airfields in NGR territory. It would be the demands of the Northern War of the early 110’s that caused the bomber to be taken off the back burner and into the spotlight, and it would prove most critical in the counter attacks of 114 PA.

Compared to the XM-288, the Kondor is smaller and proportionally wider, allowing it to maneuver at lower speeds. The overall shape has been changed to reduce the radar profile, although this is relative compared to the near total effectiveness of smaller craft. Naturally, it has phenomenal speed for an air breathing craft, and the Three Galaxies grade force field was flexible enough to compensate for the aerodynamic changes to allow it to reach Mach 5 in level flight if need be. Unlike the -288, the Kondor is impressively maneuverable for its size, capable of Nape of Earth flight even without the use of its GMR coils. Said GMR coils greatly simplified its design and operational profile, making it fully VTOL capable without paying a massive penalty in mass and complexity. Defensive weapons consist of 5 automatic pulse laser turrets and a sizable MRML in the nose, but the primary purpose of the aircraft is to drop munitions, and it does so very well.

The Kondor can be loaded with essentially any piece of ordinance the NGR has access to, but it is most famous for fielding ‘Sonic Shockwave’ smart bombs. Designed specifically to shake apart the reinforced ice that the Neo-Viking motherships were constructed out of, they vibrated the various components out of their mountings, crippling the Iceships and with some luck leaving them an inoperable floating hulk. As actually destroying those behemoths usually required boarding actions and/or underwater demolitions, this was far and away the best method of neutralizing them. Post-war analysis would place the Kondors as being the key factor for half of the Iceship sinkings. Typical attack altitude was 44,000 ft, as the only surface weapons that could reach them were the Iceship’s Heavy Missiles, which were simple enough to shoot down by the PD turrets and MRML. The Iceship’s own aircraft were a much larger concern however, and often mandated it be worn down by at least half before the Kondor entered the field.

Spoiler:

Type: XM-290

Class: Strategic Bomber

Crew: Four (Pilot, Co-pilot, ECM and Communication Operator, and Engineer)

MDC/Armor by Location:

Ordinance Bays (2)----------------400 each
MRML------------------------------200
PD Pulse Laser Turrets (5)---------150 each
Wings (2)-------------------------500 each
Rudders (2)-----------------------300 each
Engines (4)------------------------300 each
Reinforced Crew Compartment-----400
Main Body-------------------------1250
Fixed Forcefield--------------------700

Destroying a wing will cause the plane to lose flight capability, and must float to the ground using the GMR coils.
Destruction of a rudder will still allow the fighter to be controlled by varying the power levels of the engines but the fighter has a penalty of -10 to dodge, and a -30% penalty to all piloting rolls.
The destruction of one engine will reduce the bombers top speed by one quarter and give the pilot a -2 penalty to dodge as well as giving a 5% penalty to piloting. The destruction of additional engines will give cumulative penalties. Destruction of all four engines will cause the aircraft to lose flight capability. Pilot may attempt an emergency landing or the bomber crew can choose to eject.
Depleting the M.D.C. of the main body will shut the aircraft down completely, rendering it useless and causing it to crash if in flight.
The Force Field regenerates at a rate of 5% (35 MDC) per melee.

Speed

Cruise: Mach 2.0 (1,482.9 mph/ 2,386.5 kph)
Maximum: Mach 4.2 (3,114 mph/5,010 kph), +.8 Mach (613.8 mph/987.8 kph) when the Forcefield is operational
Maximum Altitude: 20 Miles (105,600 feet/ 32190 meters)
Range: Effectively Unlimited. Thrusters do not overheat.

Statistics

Height: 36 feet (11 meters)
Width: 120 feet (36.6 meters)
Length: 155 feet (47.2 meters)
Weight: 600,000 pounds (272,100 kg) fully loaded.
Power System: Nuclear, 20 years before refurbishment.
Cargo: Minimal (Storage for equipment for the bomber crew). Does not include ordnance bays.
Cost: Production cost of around 250 million credits given the NGR’s current technology base.

Systems of Note:

Standard NGR Aircraft Equipment, as well as the following;

*Bonuses: +2 to dodge, +3 to dodge while traveling over 300 mph

*GMR Lift Plates: Allow hovering up to 100 ft, and makes the craft VTOL.

*Stealth Features: -60% to be detected by Radar. Opening the Ordnance bay greatly increase the aircraft's radar signature from the underside of the aircraft and aircraft creates no penalties to be detected in those conditions.

*Jamming Gear: Causes -30% to detection but when it is active, other platforms can detect that it is jamming, and some missiles will home in on jamming signals. Jamming also causes a -4 penalty to all radar guided weapons.

*Automated PD Control: +5 to strike and 6 APM each.

Weapons Systems:

1) PD Pulse Laser Turrets (5): TX-222s with enhanced range (6K ft). 2 top, 2 bottom, 1 rear.

2) Nose MRML: 72 MRMs, volley 2-8

3) Ordinance Bays (2): 50,000 lbs (22,700 kg) each, or 25 CM equivalents. Volley 2-20

4) Flare/Chaff Launchers (4): Triax style chaff, 16 charges each

Variants:

Some parts of Paladin Steel Aerospace have speculated about the possibility of reusing the hull as a heavy orbital strike craft, but both the NGR and TRIAX are naturally non-committal.

DV-41 ‘Pigeon’ Drone Fighter
“You can tell TRIAX didn’t make the early ones, if only because of how kitbashed they were. I know it's a stereotype that German engineers are ‘obsessive’ about efficiencies, but that dies pretty quickly in the field, and the Pidgin is EXACTLY like something a Field Mechanic would dream up. The goal was to get as many of them in service as fast as possible, so they looted the spares bins and threw the drone together in less than 6 months. Considering the amount of original work they still had to do, that was an accomplishment, and I’d love to see anybody else not from the GNE pull that off.”

One of the many ubiquitous personnel problems that the NGR has found itself facing is a fundamental bottleneck in capable combat pilots, with the pool of capable prospects always being too shallow and the training program too long. In the late 100s, the NGR Luftwaffe was only barely staying ahead of personnel losses, and the specter of what would be known as the Northern War was making itself felt. With the ever increasing number of enemy aircraft reported, Central Command felt the need to order the development of a drone fighter craft that could take up defensive duties, if only to free up the Luftwaffe pilots for offensive operations into the Gargoyle Empire. President Sperling would immediately hear of the request, and intervene in the normal procurement process in an example of her non-traditional management style. As CEO of TRIAX Industries, she had a full understanding of the company, and knew that their solution would take years of development and require no end of custom designed components, and that was simply unacceptable. If the NGR needed something NOW, the fastest way was to tell a large group of Field Mechanics a set of general requirements and give them access to the spare parts warehouses, and that is exactly what she did.

As both President and CEO, she squashed all protest, and within days her newly assembled team of aged veteran wrench jockeys were hard at work finding the most easily sourced components to make their drone. Surprisingly, the fusion turbine production line for the original XM-280s had not yet been converted to new models, so its manufacturing could begin almost immediately. Sensors and avionics were taken from the increasingly common DVO-1, while the jamming system would be a cut back unit of the NGR standard. For lightweight protection a pair of old style force fields from TRIAX’s hover pods were installed in the wings, which were modified to sacrifice in-field regeneration capability for ‘aerosheathing’ characteristics. The power plant and AI were taken from the common DV-40 Hunter/Killer. Due to the priority of the project and obvious advantages, they were authorized to requisition GMR-coils to make it VTOL capable. The only parts that needed to be freshly designed were the airframe and programming, and they were able to scavenge from TRIAX’s project archives for most of it.

There was a substantial debate as to the fixed gun armaments (if any), but it was decided to split the craft between two different models. The first would use dual 30mm autocannons, which had proven incredibly popular among the various air forces of the world and had exceptional range. The second would mount surplus TX-41 in a quad arrangement, with the capacitor system consisting of no less than 8 giant FSE-Clips chained together in the fuselage. The external stores were quickly established to be quad XLH-series harpoints, and the aerosheath force fields and GMR coil allowed for them to be installed on the upper surfaces of the wings. While it had the capability to use all of the XLH options, it was understood that it would virtually always be fitted with massed MRMs to counter the massed Azhur and Neo-Viking air fleets. A chaff launcher was included for defensive purposes, but this was intended to increase the number of missiles that the enemy needed to expend to neutralize it more than anything else.

Looking much like a winged missile, the now christened Pigeon would prove to have a near rock bottom production cost, and could be assembled in large numbers with even depot facilities. The first few wings were ready in the closing days of the Minion War, and would miss the absolute mess that the Infernal invasions in Europe would devolve into due to their deployment pattern. However, they would be the first elements to engage the sea-born enemies during what would be later called the ‘Northern Scourge’, and their relatively sustained numbers would prove key to the NGR’s ability to withstand it. Average life expectancy was between 1 and 3 combat engagements, but the Pigeons were able to bear the brunt of the invader’s attention and give the Luftwaffe the opportunities needed to make the best use of their manned craft. If there was dying to be done in the air, the Pigeons were the ones the NGR had do it, and their sacrifices preserved more valuable assets for another day. To keep up with attrition, TRIAX would be contracted to develop a more refined and resource efficient replacement, with units coming off the line in late 113 PA.

For the cost of a single Grey Death fighter, more than 6 early Pigeons could be produced, and the refined version increased that number to more than 8. As a missile bus, the Pigeon was the most cost effective platform in Europe, and it was the key element in breaking up massed flocks in the preliminary missile exchanges. Once the ranged close, the drone was still capable in a dog fight, and could be relied upon to take at least one enemy craft down with them. Even during the worst days of the Scourge, the NGR could field at least 70% of their enemies’ numbers, which was just barely workable for the Grey Deaths and surface air defense platforms. The Luftwaffe constantly came close to buckling, but they did not break, and the Pigeon was how they paid the price to keep it so.

Spoiler:

Type: DV-41

Class: Drone Fighter

Crew: None

MDC/Armor by Location:

Wings (2)---------------------------------150 each
Tail Fins (4)-------------------------------40 each
Engine-------------------------------------150
Main Body---------------------------------300
Force Fields (2)----------------------------80 each

Destroying a wing will cause the drone to lose flight capability, and must float to the ground using the GMR coils.
Destruction of a tail fin will still allow the drone to be controlled by varying the power levels of the engine but the drone has a penalty of -5 to dodge, and a -15% penalty to all piloting rolls. Destruction of 3 of the fins will cause the drone to lose flight capability.
The destruction of the engine will cause the drone to lose flight capability, but as it is deep in the main body it is -3 to strike.
Depleting the M.D.C. of the main body will shut the drone down completely, rendering it useless and causing it to crash if in flight.
The old style force fields do not regenerate in flight, and must be recharged at base. Each covers one wing and half the rest of the craft.

Speed

Cruise: Mach 1.12 (870 mph, 1,400 km/h)
Maximum: Mach 2.4 (1,779.5 mph/2,863.8 kph), Mach 2.1 (1,557.1 mph /2,505.8 kph) with full ordinance and both force fields are operational, Mach 1.6 without.
Maximum Altitude: 60,000 feet/ 18,288 meters
Range: Can theoretically operate for 8 hours before needing to cool the engines, but this has never been tried out of testing. The craft always returns to the ground (intact or in pieces) in less than 4 hours.

Statistics

Height: 9 ft (2.9m) with the Tail Fins, 6 ft (1.8m) without.
Width: 16 ft (4.9m)
Length: 22 ft (6.7m)
Weight: 12 tons fully loaded
Power System: Nuclear, 5 years before refurbishment.
Cargo: None
Cost: Early models cost the NGR around 8 million credits for materials and labor, but later models with more efficient and purpose built components would reduce it to 6 million.

Systems of Note:

Standard NGR Drone systems, as well as the following;

*GMR Lift Plates: Allow hovering up to 100 ft, and makes the craft VTOL.

*Radar: Range 200 miles (310 km.)

*Jamming Gear: Causes -15% to detection but when it is active, other platforms can detect that it is jamming, and some missiles will home in on jamming signals. Jamming also causes a -3 penalty to all radar guided weapons.

Weapons Systems:

1) Primary Gun Mounts: Equipped with one of the following
- a) 30mm Autocannons (2): As the Jager, 120 rounds each.
  
  b) Pulse Lasers (4): TX-41s with 2 Giant FSEs
2) XLH Hardpoints (4): Top and bottom of each wing. Almost always all MRMs (16 total) in practice.

3) Flare/Chaff Launcher: Triax style chaff, 6 charges.

Programming

Skills
- Radio Basic: 98%
  Pilot Jet Fighter: 91%
  Navigation (Air): 94%
  Read Sensory Equipment: 94%
  Weapon Systems: 90%
Combat Abilities
- 8 Attacks per Melee
  +3 on Initiative
  +3 to Strike
  +3 to Dodge
  +4 to Dodge while traveling over 300 mph
  +2 to Roll with Impact

Omegasgundam · Thu May 13, 2021 10:03 pm

Here's a few things I whipped up last night. Mostly copypaste from older stuff, but the fluff and some details are new.

The reason Space Native isn't used is because PU:3 notes that it almost qualifies as a Major. I wanted to leave a bit more 'room' in the build, so I created a cut down version.

GREY DANCER Super-Pilot Augmentation Package
(PU2 budget of 9.3+ million credits per operative)
”With the various process improvements we’ve done over the years, NEXT DAGGER has a nominal cost of a bit less than 6.1 mil per mod, or a third less that it started as. For its time, it was as good as we could do, but things have changed since then. Almost a third of it is dated junk by modern standards, with the survival and temporary boost mods being not effective enough to bother with. Swapping the psi-powers with the new pilot focused one broke even in cost, so we had a good deal of room to work with. We can easily push things up to 10 mil these days, so we did so. Even the bean counters say it's a good investment, with airframe losses dropping as a direct result, which more than covers the program cost.”

The successor to the Arkon War era NEXT DAGGER, GREY DANCER is intended for the Three Galaxies environment. Taking the constant reflex and precision manipulation abilities of its predecessor (Lightning Reflexes, Extraordinary Physical Prowess, Ambidextrous, and Heightened Sense of Awareness), the old space and High-G survivability enhancements have been replaced by a more comprehensive suite of physiological augments. While falling short of the standard set by DIAMOND NOMAD, it is still more than sufficient to keep the pilot functional in nearly all vacuum situations they would experience in a CG-Technology environment, and the overall modifications made it trivial to combine it with the ever popular ‘Physical Transformation’. Other neurological changes consist of improving mental resilience (Hypnotic Conditioning), which has the helpful side feature of greatly calming them down and making them less addicted to their abilities. But the star of the show is the psionic mencho-linking ability, allowing them to push the limits of their vehicles like never before.

Combining various branches of BINAS architecture, prior augment packages (PEARL LIGHTING and RED KINE), and a wide array of psionic reactive materials such as J’ng Crystals, the ‘Mechno-Link’ has been turned into something that is possibly superior to the NGR’s XML Cyborg Interface. While Paladin Steel has developed an equivalent system for its own Cyborg pilots, there has not yet been a head-to-head competition between the two, although both sides are naturally clamoring for it. In daily life, GREY DANCER pilots are notably less ‘jittery’ than NEXT DAGGER, with the more refined package taking the ‘edge’ off of the hyper-active reflexes and awareness, and making mundane activities tolerable. While still more ‘active’ than the commonly egotistical fighter pilot, it is within normal tolerances of behavior. Once they are in the air it is a different story, but there is currently an even split between the hyper-focused ‘Iceman’ and flamboyant ‘Maniac’ archetypes.

While development started in late 108 PA, it would not be until mid 111 PA that it would be ready for deployment, first being given to AJC pilots in the Three Galaxies. GNE pilots on Rifts Earth did not have an immediate need for it, but it was planned to be distributed among their ranks in 113 PA. The 'Northern Scourge' of that year gave considerable emphasis, and it is suspected that one of the reasons the invaders focused their efforts in Europe in the middle and latter parts was due to the sheer effectiveness of these augmented pilots at the controls of Sky Tiger IIs. In the Three Galaxies, slightly experienced GREY DANCER pilots (level 3+) can outperform Zebuloids, and thanks to ASI and WZT fly some of the best mass production ASFs in the dimension.

As an aside, the increased interactions with the Cambridge Tribes and availability of their Bio-Druids means that more and more augment candidates start with Bio-Cauldron boosted attributes, and pilots are often offered full Bio-Wizard enhancement to their endurance and reflexes (PE and PP 24), resulting in simply insane capabilities (av PE 34 and PP of 33!). Additionally, the package does not fully engage with Power Armor, and First Librarian Gould is still not entirely sure why. The rest of the augmentation works however, and the currently experimental ‘Pilot Armor’ light exoskeletons that are being developed work well in their hands.

Spoiler:

Super Powers and Abilities

Minor Power: Lightning Reflexes (700K)
- +1 APM
  +2D4 to Speed attribute
  +3 on Initiative
  +3 to Automatic Dodge
  +1 to Disarm
  +3 to Pull Punch
  +2 to Roll with Punch, Fall, or Impact
  W. P. Paired Weapons.
Minor Power: Extraordinary Physical Prowess (550K)
- 20+2D4 PP, or +2D4+4 if 20 or higher already (because it should have been this the whole damn time, and you can’t tell me otherwise.)
  +3D4 Spd
  +1 APM
  +3 to Automatic Dodge
  +10% to physical skills requiring dexterity and prowess
Minor Power: Extraordinary Physical Endurance (2.1M)
- 20+1D6 PE, or +1D6+5 if higher
  +4D4x10 SDC
  +3D6 HP, +1D4 per level of experience
  Turns into an MDC being (combine total SDC and HP)
  10% normal fatigue rate
Eugenic Modification (Minor Power): Ambidextrous (300K)
- +1 APM
  +1 to Parry
  +5% to dexterity skills
Eugenic Modification (Minor Power): Heightened Sense of Awareness (200K)
- +2 on Initiative
  +1 to Roll with Punch, Fall, and Impact
  +2 vs Horror Factor
  Automatic Dodge
Eugenic Modification (Minor Power): Circadian Rhythms (50K)
- Needs 3 hours of sleep
  Stay up for 4 days without ill effects
Super Soldier Enhancement (Minor Power): Physical Transformation (1.5M?)
- +1D6 PS (Extraordinary)
  +1D4 PE
  +1D6 PB
  +1D6 Spd
  +2D6 HP
  +4D6 SDC
Super Soldier Enhancement (Minor Power): Hypnotic Conditioning (300K?)
- +5 vs Mind Control
  +4 vs Horror Factor
  +4 vs Illusions
  +2 vs Psionics
  Immune to possession
(NEW) Super Soldier Enhancement (Minor Power): Space Survival (1.5M)
A lesser form of Space Native, this augment is much less involving to install and leaves more ‘room’ for other complex modifications.
- No penalties of any kind from being in a zero-gravity environment, and automatically passes any Movement: Zero Gravity skill roles
  Impervious to mundane cold, depressurization, radiation (including attacks), and small environmental debris.
  Can survive unprotected in space (including not needing to breathe) for 3 hours per level of experience, +2 hours per PE point.
(NEW) Major Power: Preternatural Piloting Ability (2.1M?)
Similar to the Major Powers of ‘Mechno-Link’ and ‘Natural Combat Ability’, this power focuses on pushing a specific aircraft or flying robot (not power armor) beyond its normal limits. To function, the craft must be plausibly controlled by a single person and not considered ‘overly large’ by the GM (No Dominator Planetoids please). If the vehicle has an equivalent to a Cyberlink Interface, it supersedes those bonuses, but it is considered ‘much easier’ to maintain control for prolonged periods and allows for the other powers to affect the vehicle (such as the Minor Power ‘Lightning Reflexes’). This also supersedes the Super Psionic Power of ‘Telemechanics’ and similar. Needless to say, these bonuses are only active when in a qualified craft.
- +1 APM at levels 1, 3, 6, 9, 12, and 15.
  +1 non-attack APM at levels 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 10, and 12
  +1 on initiative at levels 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13 and 15
  +1 to Strike with non-self guided weapons at levels 1, 3, 6, 9, 12, and 15
  +2 to strike self guided missiles
  +1 to Dodge and Automatic Dodge at level 1, 3, 6, 9, 12, and 15. The aircraft gets half the Automatic Dodge bonuses from other super powers.
  Bonuses to Automatic Dodge from other sources are also added to normal Dodge actions.
  Critical Strike on 18+
  +1 to roll with impact, punch, or fall at levels 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 13, and 15.
  +20% to relevant Pilot skill
  +20% to relevant Pilot Related skills
  +10% maximum speed and altitude
  Goose survival (10% MDC)
  Immune to G-Force related problems

Options: Up to .7 million credits can be added without any major investments, but more is possible given sufficent effort. The increased interaction with the Cambridge Tribes makes later modifications a non-issue, and as a rule of thumb a character can add another 500K every additional level of experience as their body settles down.

Attribute Enhancement
- As NEXT DAGGER
  Commonly to boost PP past a threshold after physical skills. PP 26 or higher (+6 bonus) is considered the standard for a reason.
  150,000 credits per point
Bio-Regeneration: Healing Factor
- As NEXT DAGGER
  Less ‘need’ for it, but extremely useful to have when it's relevant.
  500,000 credits
Brain Enhancement
- As NEXT DAGGER
  Reasonably common, but BINAS-EINSTEIN is overtaking it in popularity
  250,000 credits.
Brain: Mental Acuity
- As NEXT DAGGER
  Generally considered mildly redundant.
  600,000 credits
Brain: Psionics (Super Combat)
- As NEXT DAGGER
  Again, less ‘need’, but the utility is naturally high. Requires substantial effort to add though.
  2,100,000 credits

Total (Constant) Bonuses

Attributes
- +1D6 PS (Extraordinary)
  20+1D6+1D4 PE (or 1D6+1D4+5 if already 20 or more)
  20+2D4 PP (or +2D4+4 if already 20 or more)
  +1D6 PB
  +5D4+1D6 Spd
  +5D6 HP, and an additional 1D4 per level
  +4D4x10+4D6 SDC
  Turns into an MDC being (combine total SDC and HP)
Combat Stats
- +3 APM
  +5 on Initiative
  +1 to Parry
  +6 to Automatic Dodge
  +1 to Disarm
  +3 to Pull Punch
  +3 to Roll with Punch, Fall, and Impact
Saves
- +6 vs Horror Factor
  +5 vs Mind Control
  +4 vs Illusions
  +2 vs Psionics
  Immune to possession
Skills
- W.P. Paired Weapons
  +15% to physical skills requiring dexterity and prowess
Other Constant Bonuses
- 10% normal fatigue rate
  Needs 3 hours of sleep
  Stay up for 4 days without ill effects
  No penalties of any kind from being in a zero-gravity environment, and automatically passes any Movement: Zero Gravity skill roles
  Impervious to mundane cold, depressurization, radiation (including attacks), and small environmental debris.
  Can survive unprotected in space (including not needing to breathe) for 3 hours per level of experience, +2 hours per PE point.
And that’s when they’re out of their element (in a cockpit).

A hypothetical surface RPA version without Space Survival and PPA would cost 5.7 million, which would be well worthwhile for high end units if they can get the power bonuses to work (GM’s decision).

And here’s a smaller version of the Ramza that can fit in an ASF cockpit without too much modification to the latter.

Paladin Steel/ASI VEBA-15EX ‘Rhiannon’ Pilot Exoskeleton

(Aka Rhi, Bailsuit, Dropsuit, and similar)

”With Exoskeletons being all the rage, it's unsurprising that Paladin Steel wouldn’t be satisfied with just one. The Rhi is a bit out of left field, but I can definitely see where they’re coming from. Good ASF pilots are expensive, and their Bio-Mods only jack that up. It's most useful in or near an atmosphere, if only because the pilot could put their SERE training to use, but it also helps protect them from casual swatting in the void. The stealth systems are just good enough to mask the signature from parasite grade sensors, and with a shield it can survive a fighter appropriate power plant brewing up without compromising integrity. If your side loses you’re still in trouble, but it makes it harder for the real scumbags to kill you out of spite before they try to run.”
---Colonel Philip Fredette

“The documentation ASI has handed out is more than enough to replace our ejection seats with the hook up system, and there’s enough room in the multispecies cockpits of our newer designs that we don’t need to change much. Body armor isn’t my field, but I can see how the suit simplifies a number of life support and control interface problems. The difference between green pilots and veteran pilots is stark, and this lets more of the former become the latter. I know Procurement is working on our own, and I’ve been given a formal tender for what I need to do on my end.”
---Captain Harriet McKenna

”It's always hard to put a price on the lives of pilots, but bio-mods make it a bit simpler. With the discounts we get, a fully tricked out suit of pilot armor is around a half mil, and if it lets a rookie survive to be a vet it's paid for itself a dozen times over. NEXT SWORD usually runs up to the 10 mil line, but it damn near lets you count each ASF as being worth two, and while the proportional math isn’t quite as generous it's still a great investment. Among the pilots, GREY DANCERS that can’t trump 3-to-1 odds against them in similar craft are considered complete failures that are embarrassing to associate with, so you can think of it as saving on either ASF or carrier platform numbers depending on how you look at it.”

Named after the person first known to have pushed for the concept, the Rhiannon is meant for use by pilots, and is primarily intended to to assist in SERE situations and improve the odds of survival in worst case scenarios. Based on the Ramza, the legs and helmet are unchanged, but the arms and torso have been redesigned for optimal use in a cockpit. This has resulted the external hardpoints being omitted to make the armor lighter and more compact, but the use of these features greatly inhibits one’s ability to operate a vehicle. Protection is notably less due to the decreased mass, but it remains well ahead of all practical suits of non-powered EBA.

As it is intended first and foremost for ASF pilots of the AJC, it was decided that a Grav Pack would be effectively mandatory, and a custom designed detachable unit was added. Thanks to its more integrated set up, it can pull power directly from any Power Pack the wearer has hooked up, with each giving 120 hours of operation, more than the suit’s normal batteries can last. Said battery has a longer endurance on the Ramza due to the decreased load, giving each of the hip mounted units 110 hours of endurance. Being a survival suit, the Power Packs can be set to trickle charge the suit batteries, with the efficient power systems of the latter allowing it to drain a Pack for a full change twice.

Spoiler:

Type: Emergency Use Pilot Interface Exoskeleton

MDC/Armor by Location:

Arms (2)-----------------80 each
Legs (2)-----------------100 each
*Head-------------------100
Main Body---------------150
Grav Pack----------------50
Power Pack (1-2)--------40 each

Statistics:

Height: The suit is four inches (10.1 centimeters) taller than the wearer. Armor is designed to be worn by individuals for five feet (1.52 meters) to seven feet (2.13 meters), although it usually has to be custom fit for the race.
Width: Variable
Length: Variable
Weight: 70 lbs (31.8 kg) with the Grav Pack, 50 lbs (22.7 kg) without. Each CAF Power Pack is 4 lbs (1.8 kg)

Speed:

Mobility: Good, -10% to physical skills
Running: Triple normal running speed. Leaping distance is increased by 20% or 10 ft (3m), whichever is higher. Running does tire the operator but at 30% of normal rate. Armor is well suited for most terrains, including underwater.
Flight: As a Grav Pack (DB:2, pgs 126-127).
Underwater: The Rhiannon can swim by using the same types of paddling leg and arm movements as a human at a maximum speed of roughly four mph (6.4 km/3.4 knots). It can also walk along the bottom of the sea at about 25% its normal running speed.
Maximum Depth: 500 feet (152.4 meters).

Physical Strength: Either Base PS +5 or 20 (whichever is higher), and is Augmented.

Cargo: Very limited, but the lower back has slots for a pair of CAF Power Packs for use by the integral Grav Pack and possible forearm weapons, and the GNE standard ‘Bailout’ pack can be hooked to the hips. EBA compatible strap harnesses can be used, and a number are included for after the pilot ejects from their aircraft. Operators almost always wear a Skinsuit underneath.

Power System: Electrical, has a 110 hour battery (Can change out battery in two minutes or recharge battery in thirty minutes). Stored in the hips, two batteries can be used at once, and can be charged while plugged into a vehicle.

Market Cost: 300,000 (Phase World) credits for a basic suit due to the Grav Pack (200,000 without), but the options increase it dramatically. Each battery costs 25,000 credits.

Systems of Note:

Has all the standard features of the Ramza, as well as the following;

*Cyberlink Vehicle Interface Extension: While the armor itself does not benefit, there are connection ports so that the pilot can interface with vehicles equipped with such while fully buttoned up.

*G-Force Compensation: When operational, the Grav Pack eliminates the all but the most extreme G-Forces experience by the pilot.

*Integral Micro-Gravity Maneuvering System: Intended for use when the Grav Pack is either a liability or pure overkill, it can move the pilot at speeds of 30 MPH, and is good for 6 hours of maneuvering.

*Low Grade Stealth Features: While not enough to make targeting the armor harder, it is enough to mask the life signature of the pilot and power draw of the suit’s environmental systems from Fighter grade sensors without a focused scan.

*Deployable Reentry Shell: A series of one-use deployable balloons allow the suit to make reentry without any active methods that would generate a power signature. To slow the wearer down, smart fabric wingsuit foils and a one use rocket motor can be used if the Grav Pack is not considered viable or is non-functional.

Weapons:

1) Internal Forearm Mounts (2): As the Ramza. In AJC service, pilots generally take either the PSLP-4 ‘Bushmaster’ for range and endurance or PSIP-17/2098 ‘Kepper’ for damage output.

2) Hand Weapons: Not commonly used by its typical operators, the UEL links of the Ramza have been omitted to save volume and mass. There is generally not enough room in an ASF cockpit for a long arm.

3) Pistol Holsters: The shins include quick draw holsters for various pistol sized items, most often projectile weapons for use against energy immune foes.

4) Hand to Hand: As PS, along with whatever melee weapons are installed.

Options:

As the Ramza. In AJC service, the pilot is issued their choice of Undermesh, and are given at minimum an equivalent to the N-20B (75 MDC). Bio-modded pilots get an N-50B equivalent (160 MDC) by default along with Thermo-Kinetic armor.

Mathhammering this out, here's what a GREY DANCER can expect on average, assuming they are a GNE Aircaft Pilot OCC with only the automatic physical skills and two trips to the Gene-Cauldron (PE and PP).

Spoiler:

taalismn · Unread post by **taalismn** » Thu May 13, 2021 10:50 pm

Oy, I see that the original name for the bio-aug was NEXT SWORD before our mutual ninja'ing

I subconsciously was thinking of 'GREY DANCER' because it suggests pilots flirting with high-gee blackouts(but that subcutaneous body reinforcement webbing and modified heart/circulation system act as internal gee-suit pressurization, keeping blood where it can do the most good. And that altered blood chemistry that carries more oxygen and releases it when needed to the cells) .
However, NEXT SWORD can be the overall initiative name for bio-aug, cyborg mods, and exoskeleton package(s) meant to keep the GNE/USA fighter corps pushing the envelope. :wink:

Omegasgundam · Thu May 13, 2021 11:00 pm

taalismn wrote:Oy, I see that the original name for the bio-aug was NEXT SWORD before our mutual ninja'ing
I subconsciously was thinking of 'GREY DANCER' because it suggests pilots flirting with high-gee blackouts(but that subcutaneous body reinforcement webbing and modified heart/circulation system act as internal gee-suit pressurization, keeping blood where it can do the most good. And that altered blood chemistry that carries more oxygen and releases it when needed to the cells) .

Check the bottom again, I did some mathhammer for how munchkin it is. The point of PPA is to let the rest of the bonuses stack up in the air, including the PP (which applies to auto dodges).