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Bombardier O.C.C.

The Mantis Support Cannons were first created to guard the entrance ways to the Underground Havens, but many Warlords quickly realized that these massive walking guns could also be utilized as mobile artillery pieces in the field. The problem was that these simple minded creatures had a tendency to unload their entire payload at the first robot they saw unless properly supervised. Since they were technically War Mounts, the job of leading them into battle first fell to the Outriders. Unfortunately, the Outriders deemed this as a less than glorious assignment for two major reasons. First of all, these warriors were used to fighting up close and personal with the Machine, and Mantis Cannons typically provided artillery support from a distance. The Outriders saw escort duty as a complete waste of their fighting skills, training, and courage. Second, the Mantis Cannons were not built to support the weight of a rider, so the Outriders had to escort them on foot, which is a place where they feel very uncomfortable. Their power comes from the War Mounts they ride, and these stripped down Mounts did not provide them with the sheer level of power they had grown accustomed to. Sure they could obliterate a Battle Track in a few shots, but that’s about all they could do. They did not possess the strength, speed, and versatility of other War Mounts. Mantis Cannon escort duty was seen as a punishment and an insult. Great Houses across the planet quickly created a new division of Splicers known as Bombardiers to relieve the Outriders of this burden and restore moral within their ranks.

These Splicers act as the eyes, ears, and brains of the Fire Team mobile artillery units. Each unit is issued as few as one or as many as five Mantis Support Cannons. The firepower possessed by one of these larger teams is incredible, but it takes a veteran Bombardier to keep this many cannons focused and on task. Mantis Cannons are incredibly simple minded, and they need continuous and often very literal commands in order to use them effectively. This requires a great deal of concentration and multi-tasking skills on the part of the Bombardier. Not only do they need to issue commands to their Mantis Cannons, but they also need to communicate with other Splicer teams to determine bombardment coordinates, act as spotters for other possible targets of opportunity, and cover the backs of the Mantis Cannons from any encircling enemies. They need to know everything that is going on around them at all times. Their heavy Chitinous armor is enhanced with an extra pair of eyes in the back of the head to give them a full view of their surroundings, plus most Bombardiers will further enhance their armor with radar, eye stalks, motion sensors, and any other enhancements that can help them keep constant track of everything around them.

Mantis Cannons assigned to Fire Teams are enhanced with a special Bio-Comm (in addition to the standard Bio-Comm) that allows them to track and target the transmissions given off by Squealers. Splicers can use these experimental devices to mark targets for bombardment. Once a Squealer is activated, all Mantis Cannons within a 10-mile radius are able to track this transmission to its source and can accurately target it even without line of sight. This allows them to fire over obstacles or from a concealed position without ever seeing the target. It helps the Fire Teams maintain a low profile in the field, plus not having to rely on line or sight gives them a much greater field of fire. Mantis Cannons have an innate desire to obliterate these Squealers once they hear the signal, but they will not fire until commanded to do so by their Bombardier.

Commanding their Mantis Cannons in the heat of battle may be nerve-wracking, but it is not half as bad as leading them into and out of the combat zone. The Machine owns the surface and her minions are everywhere. The ten-foot long Mantis Cannons were definitely not built for stealth, and trying to marshal several of them across the surface without being detected often seems like an impossible task. Most Bombardiers enhance their cannons with Chameleon Skin or Stealth Fields to make their job a little easier, but leading these lumbering behemoths through the field still requires a great deal of patience and skill. The Outriders may have considered this duty an insult, but the Resistance does not. Only the best candidates from Roughneck boot camp are chosen to become Bombardiers. It requires a keen tactical mind to lead these beasts into battle, and the sheer level of firepower at their command cannot be entrusted to just anyone.

Alignment: Any, but typically good or selfish.
Attribute Requirements: I.Q.: 14, M.E.: 13, and P.S.: 14 or higher.
Attribute Bonuses: +1 to I.Q., +2 to M.E., +1D6 to P.S., +1D6 to P.E., and +2D6 to Spd.
O.C.C. Bonuses: +2 on initiative, +1 to strike, parry, and dodge, +2 to save vs. insanity, and +5 to save vs. horror factor, and the Bombardier has a slight Bio-Enhancement himself, the insertion of a small Bio-Comm unit inside his skull, enabling him to communicate with both human and War Mount operatives.
Base S.D.C.: 40, plus any from Physical skills.
Common Skills: Standard.
O.C.C. Skill Programs: Basic Military (+10%), Infantryman (+15%), Support Man (+25%), Reconnaissance/Scout (+15%), and Survivalist (+15%) or Outdoorsman (+10%).
Elective Skills: Select Bio-Comm (+20%) and six Elective Skills from the following list at first level, plus one additional skill at levels 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, and 12. All new skills start at level one proficiency.
Communications: Any (+5%)
Domestic: Any (+5%)
Espionage: Any
Medical: First Aid only.
Military: Any (+10%)
Physical: Any
Rogue: Any
Science: Any
Technical: Any (+10%)
Transportation: Any
Wilderness Survival: Any (+15%)
W.P.s: Any
Secondary Skills: The character gets to select five Secondary Skills at level one and one additional skill at levels 3, 6, 9, 12, and 15. These are additional areas of knowledge that do not receive any special O.C.C. bonuses.
Mantis Support Cannons: Each Bombardier begins with one Mantis Support Cannon and receives an additional one at levels 2, 5, 9, and 14. All Mantis Cannons assigned to Fire Teams are enhanced with the Ultra upgrade to provide them with enough munitions for the field, and they also receive a second special Bio-Comm that can receive transmissions from Squealers. Each Mantis Cannon can be further Bio-Enhanced any way the character desires – he has 4D8+40 Bio-E points available for each, plus another 1D10+20 Bio-E points total per level of the character’s experience to spend on one or more of his War Mounts for additional enhancements. Slain Mantis Cannons are replaced with the basic animal with 6D6 Bio-E points for enhancements.
M.D.C. “Living” Body Armor: Bombardiers wear Chitinous Armor that is heavily modified with optical and sensory enhancements to better help them direct their Mantis Cannons. They automatically receive an additional pair of Advanced Eyes on the back of their head, plus the character gets 5D6+20 Bio-E points for selections from Eyes and Vision Enhancements and Other Sensory Enhancements and an additional 1D4x10+10 Bio-E for selections from Biological Defenses, Flight Appendages, Offensive Bio-Weapons, Ranged Bio-Weapons, and additional M.D.C. (2D6+18 M.D.C. per 10 Bio-E).
Standard Equipment: Military fatigues, a suit of non-organic body armor for back up or disguise, dress clothing, survival knife, utility belt, first aid kit, 2 Slap Patches, 3 Squealers, Face Wrap, tinted goggles, hatchet for cutting wood, one light Bio-Weapon and two heavy Bio-Weapons of choice, and one weapon for each W.P. with appropriate ammunition for heavy combat, a good Mega-Horse for transportation, tent, knapsack, backpack, two water skins, emergency food rations (two weeks supply), and some personal items.
Handheld Weapon Bio-Enhancements: Bombardiers receive 8D6 Bio-E at level one plus 10 Bio-E at each additional level of experience starting at level 2. Bio-E can be distributed between all the weapons in the character’s personal armory or applied to one favorite item.
Money: Has 1D6x100 credits in precious metals, relics or trade items, as well as 6D6x10 in available credits. Money can be spent now on additional equipment or saved for later.
The Upside: You have more firepower at your fingertips than most platoons. The Mantis Cannons under your command can wipe out squads of Steel Troopers and bring down the mightiest robot minions in just a few shots. Your role is quickly becoming pivotal to the success of the Resistance. Your comrades count on your artillery support to ensure victory or to cover their backs during a retreat. You also have more flexibility than traditional artillery units. You work more like an artillery sniper than a fixed gun emplacement. Your team can unload a powerful salvo on the enemy’s position and then displace before they can zero-in on your position.
The Downside: Your Fire Team is simply too powerful to be ignored. The devastation you unleash upon the enemy makes finding and eliminating you one of the Machine’s top priorities. Once you make your presence known with a bombardment, N.E.X.U.S. will marshal hundreds of hunter/killers to your position to find you and obliterate you. Stealth is vital to your survival, but unfortunately, the simple-minded, lumbering War Mounts under your command make this rather difficult.

You beat me to it!

I was thinking about an OCC just like this because I also wanted to build a non-HA OCC that would be a great ranged combat support. The OCC name I had chosen was Gun Runners. I envisioned the OCC doing both the long range artillery as well as anti-air defense for the troops on the ground. No sense in letting the Dreadguard Commander get whacked by an aerial missile attack from an unseen fighter.

I also thought that the walking guns and the Gun Runner needed to be very mobile because the Machines are very fast and the Mantis Cannons will need to be able to take to the high ground, fire volleys and bail from the area because they will be toast in close combat.

Is 4D8+40 (avg 58 pts) enough Bio-E to make an effective Mantis Cannon in comparison to the Gorehounds that the Packmaster gets? Am I correct that you are granting the Ultra upgrade for free? That's very cool at first level.

Another great job! I hope you are sending these into the Rifter!

To answer your question, I chose "Bombadier" as my preferred name. Fire Team Leader is more for Infantry than anything else, and the other options were what the job did, not the name of the person doing the job.

Still, this is a great read. Nice to know that someone is still thinking about this game

The Ultra upgrade is free.

I was debating on the Bio-E cost. I didn't want to make them overpowered (since that's already borderline true), and I figured that the Packmaster is dividing more Bio-E (as he gains levels) between more Gorehounds. Not to mention, the Gorehounds don't start off with a giant cannon mounted on their backs. I thought it would balance out, but it definitely needs some play testing. Any feedback would be great.

I also forgot to mention that Fire Team Leaders (now leaning towards Bombadiers) also start with 2 heavy handlheld weapons and a lot of enhancement points, so they personally can fulfill the role of heavy gunner.

I think the Behemoth is somewhat limited. It can ONLY strike targets 11,000 feet away. No closer, no farther.

This was originally posted under "Post your War Mounts." I would recommend checking out that post. There are a dozen new War Mount designs in that post alone. I built a fast attack aerial War Mount there, but you can only make them so fast. The Resistance will never have anything superior to the Sky Fighter.

Here it is again.

Mantis Support Cannon

The Mantis Support Cannon was first created to guard the entrance ways to the underground havens, but the loyal beasts have fulfilled their role so well that many Splicers have begun leading them into the field for direct combat with the Machine. This simplified War Mount is nothing more than a walking cannon. The creature is a giant eight foot long praying mantis with a nine foot long chitinous cannon that runs the entire length of its back and protrudes two feet past the head. There are various types of high powered cannons, but each Mantis War Mount can only be equipped with one. The armaments these beasts carry are larger than anything a Host Armor (or even most War Mounts) can support. In fact, some of the cannons have such tremendous recoil that the Mantis must drive its powerful scythe-like claws into the ground before hand in order to lock it in place.

The Mantis is incredibly loyal and will follow almost any order given by a human to the letter. It will stand perfectly motionless at its post until it actually starves to death, and it will even sacrifice itself if ordered to do so. The only thing it will not do is attack a human being or other Bio-Tech creature unless ordered to do so by a Fire Team Leader, Outrider or Packmaster. The Mantis is capable of slowing down its metabolism in order to help it stand at its post for extended periods of time. While in this semi-hibernative state, it is still alert and aware of everything going on around it. When the Mantis does detect a threat, it is able to snap back to combat speed in an instant. In battle, they do not display any type of tactics or judgment. They just fire everything they have at the enemy until it is either destroyed or they run out of ammunition.

Class: Artillery Support Cannon and Sentry Guard
Crew: None
M.D.C. by Location:
• Fore Limbs (2): 140 each
• Legs (4): 120 each
• Main Cannon: 150
• Head: 115*
• Main Body: 320*

Speed:
Running: 50 mph maximum. The act of running does not tire out the War Mount.
Leaping: 10 feet high our across, increase by 50% with a short running start and double when running at full speed.
Digging: Not possible.
Swimming: Not possible.
Flying: Not possible.

Statistical Data:
Height: 5-6 feet standing straight up, but 3.5 feet when it locks into firing position.
Width: 3.5 feet
Length: 8 feet, 10 feet including the barrel
Weight: 1200 lbs.
Cargo: Can carry 200 lbs. on its back are drag 600 lbs. behind it.
Physical Strength: 1D6+20
Production Cycle: 1 year gestation period plus 1 year growth cycle.
Operational Lifetime: 40 year life span.
Bio-Regeneration Rate: 4D6 per hour to the main body and 2D6 per hour to all other locations.
Horror Factor: 10
Feeding: The Mantis Support Cannon is a Carnivore. It needs to eat 10 to 20 pounds of animal matter a day, and may gorge on up to 80 pounds at one time. After gorging, the Mantis can go 2D4 days without feeding and without suffering any ill effects.
Color: The Mantis is bright green in color with yellow accents along the cannon and scythe-like fore limbs.
Sleep Requirements: To fulfill the Support Cannon’s role of mobile sentry, it was designed so that it can operate at peak efficiency for 6 days without a need for sleep or rest. After which time, the Support Cannon must sleep for 3D6 hours to completely revitalize itself. Periodic one hour rest breaks every 10 hours allows the Support Cannon to operate at peak efficiency indefinitely.

Other Data:
A Mantis Support Cannon places loyalty towards humans over its own preservation. It will sit at its post until it starves to death unless someone tells it to go eat or brings it food. It will only attack a human if commanded to do so by a Fire Team Leader, Outrider or Packmaster.
Alignment: Anarchist. The Mantis has no personality and functions more like a living machine than a sentient being.
War Mount Attributes: I.Q.: 1D4, M.E.: 1D6+10, M.A.: 2D4, P.S.: 21-26, P.P.: 1D4+10, P.E.: 1D6+15, P.B.: 1D4+1, Spd.: 50 mph on the ground
Number of Attacks per Melee: 4
Combat Bonuses: +2 on initiative, +3 to strike in hand to hand combat, +4 to strike with ranged weapons, +3 to parry, +2 to dodge, +3 to roll with punch, +3 to pull punch, +2 to disarm, and impervious to horror factor, disease, and poison.
Equivalent (Instinctive) Skills of Note: Climb 85%/80%, Land Navigation 90%, and recognizes robots and machines as enemies to be destroyed or chased away.
Combat Capabilities:
• Bite: 2D4
• Restrained Claw Strike: 1D8
• Claw Strike: 4D8
• Power Claw Strike: 8D8, but counts as two attacks
• Kick: 4D6
• Leap Kick: 6D6, but counts as two attacks
• Body Block/Ram: 3D6

Senses and Features: Standard for War Mounts plus:
• Compound Eyes: The Mantis Support Cannon has a 180 degree field of vision, which allows it to see over each shoulder without having to turn its head. The War Mount cannot be surprised by attacks from the sides or overhead.
• Bio Comm: A standard Bio Comm that allows the Mantis to alert nearby humans when the perimeter is under attack. Maximum range is 6 miles.

Bio-Weapon Systems:
1. Bio-Cannon Options: A Mantis Support Cannon can be equipped with any one of the following heavy cannons. Some cannons require that the War Mount secures itself to the ground with its massive claws before firing. If the Mantis is not secure before firing these types of armaments, the recoil will knock the beast back 10 feet. This inflicts a penalty of -5 to strike on the initial shot, plus the Mantis loses initiative and one melee attack the next round.
A. Casting Cannon: The cannon fires an enormous casting shell filled with a powerful explosive chemical. Mantis War Mounts equipped with this weapon are generally used in the field since the enormous blast inflicts too much residual damage within the underground havens.
Primary Purpose: Assault
Secondary Purpose: Bombardment
Mega-Damage: 3D4x10+30 per shell with a blast radius of 30 feet.
Rate of Fire: 4 attacks per melee.
Maximum Effective Range: 10,000 feet
Payload: 25 casting shells. The payload is completely replenished 2D10+10 minutes after a meal.
Bonus: +1 to strike on an aimed shot only.
Recoil Note: The Mantis must spend one melee attack to drive its enormous front claws into the earth before it can fire this weapon in order to counter the tremendous recoil.
B. Acid Shell Cannon: The cannon fires an enormous casting shell filled with a powerful acid. The shell explodes on impact, and showers a 20-foot radius with deadly corrosive liquid. Mantis War Mounts equipped with this weapon often do operate within the underground havens, but they are mainly used in the field in order to take advantage of the cannon’s superior range.
Primary Purpose: Assault
Secondary Purpose: Bombardment
Mega-Damage: Inflicts 3D8 per melee round to inorganic matter and only 1D4 S.D.C. damage to organic matter. The acid burns for 1D4+2 melees.
Rate of Fire: 4 attacks per melee.
Maximum Effective Range: 10,000 feet
Payload: 20 acid shells. The War Mount can produce one replacement shell every 2D6 minutes.
Bonus: +1 to strike on an aimed shot only.
Recoil Note: The Mantis must spend one melee attack to drive its enormous front claws into the earth before it can fire this weapon in order to counter the tremendous recoil.
C. Gore Cannon: The cannon fires a combination of corrosive stomach acid coughed up from the digestive tract and Bio-Energy generated by the nervous system. Mantis War Mounts equipped with this weapon are generally used in the field in order to take advantage of the cannon’s superior range.
Primary Purpose: Assault
Secondary Purpose: Bombardment
Mega-Damage: 12D8
Rate of Fire: 4 attacks per melee.
Maximum Effective Range: 8000 feet
Payload: 30 blasts per full meal over a 24 hour period (double if the War Mount was allowed to gorge before hand).
Bonus: +1 to strike on an aimed shot only.
Recoil Note: The Mantis must spend one melee attack to drive its enormous front claws into the earth before it can fire this weapon in order to counter the tremendous recoil.
D. Omega Cannon: This is an enormous version of the Omega Blaster. The tremendous energy output required by this weapon means the Mantis needs to eat twice as often. It is only used outside the underground haven since its incredible destructive power is bound to cause massive collateral damage.
Primary Purpose: Assault
Secondary Purpose: Defense
Mega-Damage: 3D8x10 with a blast radius of 10 feet.
Rate of Fire: 2 attacks per melee.
Maximum Effective Range: 6000 feet
Payload: Effectively unlimited.
Bonus: +2 to strike on an aimed shot only.
E. Acid Sprayer: The cannon can launch a 20-foot wide spray of deadly organic acid up to 200 feet away. Mantis Cannon’s armed with this weapon are the ones most often used in the underground havens.
Primary Purpose: Assault
Secondary Purpose: Defense
Mega-Damage: Inflicts 4D8 per melee round to inorganic matter and only 2D4 S.D.C. damage to organic matter. The acid burns for 2D4 melees.
Rate of Fire: 4 attacks per melee.
Maximum Effective Range: 200 feet
Payload: 25 spray attacks. The acid continuously regenerates at a rate of one spray every 1D6 minutes.
Bonus: +2 to strike on an aimed shot only.
F. Quill Storm Cannon: The enormous cannon barrel is actually a bundle of fifty smaller gun barrels. Each one of these narrow barrels is capable of firing one razor-sharp quill every second. When all fifty quill launchers fire in rapid succession, the weapon unleashes a nearly continuous stream of deadly spikes. This anti-infantry weapon will quickly mow down everything in its path, but it will also exhaust its payload just as quickly. This is another weapon primarily used within the underground havens because stray quills do little structural damage to the human’s home. Not to mention, the payload is exhausted too quickly to be used effectively in massive engagements.
Primary Purpose: Assault
Secondary Purpose: Defense
Mega-Damage: 3D4x10 to a 5 foot area per burst of 100 quills, 5D4x10 to a 10 foot area per burst of 200 quills, or 7D4x10 to a 20 foot area per burst of 400 quills.
Rate of Fire: 4 attacks per melee.
Maximum Effective Range: 1000 feet
Payload: 2000 quills. Spent quills are completely replenished after 24 hours.
Bonuses: +1 to strike.
2. Burning Vapor Sprayer: The Mantis has a chemical sprayer mounted on each side of the body and one on its back. When a robot gets too close or sneaks up behind the War Mount, it uses these glands to excrete a powerful corrosive cloud. The cloud stays in the air for 1D4+1 melee rounds before it dissipates.
Primary Purpose: Defense
Secondary Purpose: Close Combat
Mega-Damage: Inflicts 3D6 per melee round to inorganic matter for 1D4+1 melee rounds, but the cloud only inflicts 2D6 S.D.C. damage to organic matter.
Rate of Fire: 4 blasts per melee.
Effective Range: 20 feet.
Payload: 10 blasts per 24 hours.

How about tying the Mantis Cannon with a squealer? Allowing for over the horizon firing! IE.... The Machine is just over the next ridge/hill, Splicer teams have somehow got a squealer into the machine camp. Then the Mantis Cannon, similar to the Kamikazee, hones in on the squealer, realizes the squealer is beyond sight, arcs its housing upward to fire up over and down on the target!

That is an awesome idea. I forgot about Squealers to be honest. I'm not sure if I should make special modifications to cannons on Fire Teams or make it common to all Mantis Cannons in general.

Thanks for pointing that out. I changed it in my post.

slappy wrote:I think the Behemoth is somewhat limited. It can ONLY strike targets 11,000 feet away. No closer, no farther.

That's not true. Behemoths have a maximum range of 11,000 feet and a minimum range of 1,100 feet.

I stand corrected. That's still not useful at 100 feet, which is why I created the Mantis Cannons.

Personally I would go with Pig Man. You know the reference to the guy that carries all the heavy artillery?

Very nice! I missed this one! Thank you for bringing it back up!

Like, I dig it, Man! Really dig it.