Paladin Steel Storefront

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taalismn
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Re: Paladin Steel Storefront

Unread post by taalismn »

(The following is an efort to make fuller use of the considerable contributions of Ovid Pinckert in his article in the Rifter #56 and the version of the Milky Way presented on the www.supernexus.com website Riftsspace by Irvin L. Jackson)

Update: Developments in the Arkhon/Terran Protectorate Sectors, Milky Way Galaxy
Author: Trenis Raquel, Senior Secretary, Greater New England Corps of Exploration.

Following unusual developments across the Terminus Line, we’ve finally been getting reports of a clearer(though still partial) nature. Apparently the Arkhon homeworld, Arkhanos, has suffered a major outbreak of dimensional rifts. The Arkhon Empire has likely been sitting on this information so as not to cause a panic and encourage its enemies to exploit the crisis, but word has leaked out that the Arkhon military movements of the last several months have been to reinforce their borders while detailing resources to assist the embattled homeworld.

If these reports are true, then the Flash/Surge has been percolating down unsuspected cosmic ley line paths(or ‘dimensional fracture lines’ as some of my colleagues call them). It’s possible that the Terran Protectorate’s own hinted-at experiments in magic /dimensional manipulation may have been facilitated by a propagation of magic energy that caught up with our lost cousins when they found new homes away from Earth.

We’ve hastily set out to establish new BREAKWATER installations on what we THINK may be possible ley-tram lines between Earth and the Arkhon Sector in hopes that capping them will help mitigate the flow of energies feeding the crisis on Arkhanos(see attached memo: BREAKWATER WATERGATE). There’s a lot of ‘ifs’ involved in the operation, though; we’re uncertain if the situation on Arkhanos is being influenced by a direct chain-line from our Earth, or if the energies took a more roundabout way across the galaxy to reach the Arkhon homeworld. It’s also possible that the Terran Protectorate’s suspected experiments may have aggravated a local ley line network on their own(and if THAT gets out, there’s sure to be war between the Arkhons and the Protectorate sooner rather than later). And our efforts may be moot, if the situation on Arkhanos is self-sustaining. However, it’s been decided that it’s worth the risk to operate so close to the Terminus LIne. Without more detailed information, we can only guess at the extent of the damage in the core of the Arkhon Empire.

These developments are a mixed blessing to us; while they will likely keep the Arkhons and the Terran Protectorate preoccupied eyeballing each other and trying to deal with the new hazards, it has also raised tensions between the two polities considerably. Long term, it may give the Arkhons access to the sort of parapsychic resources and extradimensional assets we’ve benefitted from, and it may encourage the Terran Protectorate to develop its paranormal studies and capabilities, a field in which we currently hold the edge.

Also, if the crisis on Arkhanos IS the result of a more or less direct link between that world and Earth, it suggests a potentially exploitable dimensional gate/wormhole conduit that could be used to facilitate travel between the two locations. I don’t have to tell you in detail the possible strategic ramifications of THAT. Fortunately, currently only we and a few individuals in the Sol System possess faster-than-light communications capabilities, otherwise the Arkhons already here might try working that much harder in the direction of establishing a rift-link back to the Arkhon Empire, clan rivalries be damned.

The developing situation in the Arkhon/Terran Protectorate Sectors may also shade negatively on our other concern; the Kithians. If the Kithians learn of the outbreak of dimensional energies on Arkhanos(and, gods forbid, any outbreaks elsewhere), it will likely only stiffen their resolve to cut the increased dimensional energy surge off at the source(i.e. destroy our Earth). This will only make negotiating with them peacefully all the more difficult. Fortunately, again, lack of faster-than-light communications, magic (or ‘magicon particles’ as the Kithians refer to it as) interference, and a general lack of contact between the two distant sectors has kept the Kithians ignorant of the situation, but we can’t expect this to last.


Addendum:
The taskforce assigned to BREAKWATER WATERGATE operations reports having to capture and detain a private exploration ship that apparently illegally jumped the Terminus Line from the other side, in violation of the Inquisition’s edicts. Much as we dislike being the ‘bad guys’ here, we’ve had the ship impounded and crew forcibly relocated to another universe rather than risk them contacting their homebases and letting the folks back home know what’s REALLY beyond the Terminus Line. Chalk up another mysterious disappearance to the Sea of Dead Suns. However, the encounter is worrisome and we should expect, operating so near the Terminus Line, more such encounters with daredevil fortune-seekers and possible Inquisition deep-ops scouts.
Establishing a more thorough and accurate real-time FTL sensor early-warning network and interception capability should be among our prioroties here. We need more time and more space to tamp down the Flash energies emerging from our sector and we need to build up our defenses. Time, however, is a commodty we are running out of, I’m afraid.
-------------
"Trouble rather the Tiger in his Lair,
Than the Sage among his Books,
For all the Empires and Kingdoms,
The Armies and Works that you hold Dear,
Are to him but the Playthings of the Moment,
To be turned over with the Flick of a Finger,
And the Turning of a Page"

--------Rudyard Kipling
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taalismn
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Re: Paladin Steel Storefront

Unread post by taalismn »

Paladin Steel ‘Quickdraw’ Security/Combat Drone
(aka ‘Gun-Walker’, ‘Walker-Gun’, ‘Snipe-Strider’, ‘Strut-gun’,‘Awkgunner’)
“Took us an embarrassing amount of time to identffy these things; seems the GNEers have been manufacturing and deploying them for quite some time, but most never were deployed far from geener bases and facilities and were msitaken for their automated sentry guns. Yeah, these things are sentryguns on legs. Not as versatile as our skelebots, but cheaper and more to the point. In fact. they actually saved money by copying our skelebot rail guns for their own. They don’t build these things to spread fear and terror, so they’re a lot simpler and easier to throw together.”

“You won’t win any major battles with a Quickdraw, but you may just blunt an attack and give your opponent something ELSE to worry about, and draw their fire. That can save lives, especially yours and those of your people, and that’s worth a lot more than the cost of an expendable ‘bot.”

“Don’t get complacent, no matter how many of these things you have; a smart operator can see patterns in the programmed behavior of your robot pickets and find a way in, or figure out how to flank your robot legions. Use your training and your instincts to cover for the deficiencies of the simple-‘bots. You’re still matching wits with the enemy; you just have a few extra arms to use to oppose them.”

“Not the greatest of travel companions; they can’t carry your pack or set up camp or tell amusing stories, but having a picket screen of Quickdraws makes me feel loads better, knowing I got the extra senses around me watching for trouble.”

The ‘Quickdraw’ is a light semi-autonomous infantry combat drone introduced by Paladin Steel as a ‘force multiplier’ unit. It has often been compared to the Coalition States’ Skelebots in that it is a mass-production disposable drone meant to be deployed in numbers to wear down opponents through attrition. It is frequently used as a security picket unit and basic scout, but GNE commanders aren’t above launching large numbers of these ‘bots in charges to overwhelm, or at least distract, opponents.
The Quickdraw consists of a cut-down composite-fiber aviation ordnance pod/drop tank housing mounted on two reverse-jointed robot legs. The powerplant and gyrostabilizers are housed in the pod-body. Sensors stud the pod, and a gimbled gun-mount is slung under the protruding nose. It lacks arms, limiting it to being a mobile gun mount.
The Quickdraw is very limited in its mental focus; its vocalizer is simple and its speech vocabulary consists mainly of warnings(“Halt!’, ‘Stay Back!’, ‘Danger!’ etc.), though a remote supervisor can speak through the ‘bot’s loudspeaker system. The ‘bots have no personality programming whatsoever and little independent decision-making capability beyond prioritizing targets. They do, however, have enough basic tatcical sense to be able to coordinate in groups such tactics as covering fire, crossfires, and herding/suppressive fire.
Though not as powerful as the larger Wrektor or Sharktooth heavy weapons drones, or the AI versions of the Smallkin Rhobar, Farlane, Pixen and Fug roboframes, the Quickdraws have the advantage of being inexpensive and expendable, so they can be deployed in large numbers and thrown away if need be.
Paladin Steel churns out tens(if noy hundreds of) of thousands of these ‘bots for its forces and clients. They are typically deployed as security and picket ‘mechs around facilities and field forces.

Type: PS-R08 Quickdraw
Class: Light Infantry Combat Drone
Crew: Robot Drone Intelligence
MDC/Armor by Location:
Main Body 145
Sensors 15
Gun Mount 80
Legs(2) 70 each
Height: 7 ft, can squat down to a compact 3 ft
Width: 2.5 ft
Length: 4.3 ft
Weight: 380 lbs
Cargo: None
Physical Strength: Robotic P.S. of 30
Powerplant: Nuclear Fusion with 2 year energy life
Speed:
(Running) 96 MPH
(Leaping) Standing leap of 12 ft up/across, running leap(in excess of 30 MPH) of 18 ft up/ 30 ft across
(Flying) Not possible
(Underwater) Can run along the bottom at 10 MPH, maximum depth of 800 ft.
Market Cost: 1.2 million credits
Systems of Note:
*Basic Robot Optics w/ Low-Lite, IR, Thermal Imaging
*Basic Robot Audio
*Basic Voice Synthesizer(voice sounds obviously artificially and deliberately robotic). Vocabulary is limited to basic commands/warnings(‘Halt!’, ‘Stay Back!’, ‘Danger!’, ‘Alert!’, “Demons/Airborne Enemies Approaching!”, etc.)
*Loudspeaker---80 decibels
* Spotlight---500 ft range
*Laser Targeting
* Motion Detector--- 500 ft range
*Radar----3 mile range
*Radar Detector
*Locking Joints
* 360-Degree Waist Rotation
Weapons Systems:
1) Nose Gun(1)---The Quickdraw’s sole weapon is a nose-mounted rapid-fire infantry weapon, usually a light rail gun, machine gun, or energy pulse gun. The weapon can traverse on its won through a 180-degree firing arc, and elevate/depress 90 degrees.
a) Light Rail Gun(PS-RFRG200)---PS copy of the C-200 ‘Dead Man’ Rail Gun
Weight: 42 lbs
Range: 4,000 ft
Damage: 1d4 MD single rd, 4d6 MD per 20 rd burst.
Rate of Fire: ECHH
Payload: 2,000 rd drum
Cost: 70,000 credits

b) Light Machine Gun---Modified cyborg forearm weapon
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: 500 rd drum magazine
Cost: 18,000 credits

c) 20mm ‘Taskin’ Light Grenade Launcher
Range:(20mm)3000 ft (1500 ft for wood rounds)
Damage:(20mm) 1d4 MD per shell
4d6 MD per 5 rd burst
1d4x10+4 MD per 10 rd burst
Airburst does 1d4 MD to 2 ft blast radius(single shot)
(20mm PS-1) 4d4 MD single rd
1d6x10 MD per 5 rd burst
Airburst does 4d4 MD to 2 ft blast radius
(Wood Rounds) 6d6 SDC per round (1d6x10 HP to vampires)
4d6 MD per 5 rd burst
1d4x10+4 MD per 10 rd burst
Airbursts are not possible with wooden rounds

(20mm PSX-2)(after 110 PA)
4d6 MD single rd
2d6x10 MD per 5 rd burst
Airburst does 4d6 MD to 6 ft blast radius
Rate of Fire: (20mm)Standard.
Payload: 300 rds,
Cost: 20,000 credits

d) Light 30mm Grenade Launcher
Range:1,200 ft
Damage:
(SDC)* (Fragmentation) 2d6x10 SDC to 16 ft radius
(High Explosive) 6d6x10 SDC to 4 ft radius
(Armor Piercing) 1d4x100 SDC, no blast radius
(Crowd Control rds)---Essentially an expanding plastic ‘flyswatter’ that delivers a bruising knockdown punch. Cut effective range to 200 ft. Does 2d4 SDC per rd, humans and human-sized D-Bees must roll a D20-5 to maintain their footing (must equal or surpass the attacker's roll to strike...Full rules in TNW p.174). Human-sized light power armors(500-800 lbs) also roll on a D20, but are +2 to save versus knockdown
(Wood Rounds) 7d6 SDC single shot (1d4x10+5 HP to vampires), no blast radius

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

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

The GL can also be used to fire radio beacon adhesion heads, flare rounds, paint shells, EMP grenades, flash-bangs, and, it’s rumored, TW grenades like the feared ‘Snuffers’ and Aura of Doom curse grenades.
Rate of Fire: ECHH
Payload: 60 shot drum
Cost: 19,000 credits; SDC rounds cost 40-60 credits each, Crowd Control rounds cost 20 credits each, standard 30mm HE grenades cost 400 credits each, armor-piercing cost 550 credits each, micro-fusion(rarely available on the open market) cost 1,500 credits each, Incendiary cost 600 credits each.

e) 13mm GyroJet Assault Weapon
Range: 2,000 ft
Damage:(Solid Penetrator)4d4 MD at 200 ft or less, 1d6 MD out to 2,000 ft.
A three-shot burst does 8d6 MD at 200 ft or less, 3d6 MD out to 2,000 ft.
(Explosive) 3d6 MD per round regardless of range. A burst of three rounds does 9d6 MD(!).
Rate of Fire: Standard; single shot or burst, as per standard burst rules
Payload: 360 shot drum
Cost: 11,000 credits

f) Flame-thrower---Good for anti-material raids, vermin extermination, and arson.
Range: 250 ft for napalm gels
Damage:
(Wellington plasma napalm) 3d6 MD burst
(MD Gel)4D6 MD Upon contact, burning for 1D6 rounds doing 2D6 MD per round. Anything that the gel touches also starts on fire. Any combustible materials within touching distance, clothes, brush, etc. also ignite.
Rate of Fire: Standard
Payload: Enough fuel for 5-10 blasts
Special Features: *Multi-Fuel Capacity
Cost: 8,000 credits

g)PS GPMG M43 ‘Fritz’ General Purpose Machine Gun
Weight: 24 lbs
Range: 10,000 ft
Damage:(SDC) 6d6 SDC single shot, 4d6 x10 SDC(1d4 MD) per 10 rd burst.
(Ramjets) 1 MD single shot, 1d10 MD per 10 rd burst.
(High Explosive)2d6x10 SDC single shot, 1d6 MD per 10 rd burst.
(PSX-2) 1d4 MD per rd, 1d4x10 MD per 10 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 800 rpm
Payload: 250-rd belt
Cost: 8,000 credits

h)Pulse Laser
Range: 2,000 ft
Damage: (SDC Mode) 6d6 SDC per shot
(MDC Mode) 2d6 MD per bolt, 6d6 MD per triple burst.
Rate of Fire: Standard
Payload: Effectively unlimited .
Cost: 15,000 credits

i) Ion Blaster
Range: 2,000 ft
Damage: 4d6 MD per shot
Rate of Fire: ECHH
Payload: Effectively unlimited .
Cost: 30,000 credits

j)Plasma Projector
Range:(Stream) 1,500 ft
(‘Popper’) 1,000 ft
Damage:(Stream) 1d6x10 MD per blast
(‘Popper’) 4d6 MD to 10 ft blast radius
Rate of Fire: Standard
Payload: Effectively Unlimited
Cost: 29,000 credits

k)Particle Beam Blaster
Range: 1,500 ft
Damage: 5d6 MD single shot, 1d6x10+20 MD per triple shot burst
Rate of Fire: Single shot or three-shot burst, ECHH
Payload: Effectively Unlimited
Cost: 21,000 credits

l) Multi-Weapon Package Q-A---A ‘cheapskate’ version of the Triax VX-635 Multi-Weapon Gun-Arm and the PS M47 ‘Havelock’, MWPQ-A consists of a PS-RFRG200 Rail Gun, an ejectable vibroblade, and a light pulse laser
Range:(Rail Gun) 4,000 ft
(Laser) 1,000 ft
(Vibroblade) Melee, 300 ft as a projectile
Damage: (Rail Gun)1d4 MD single rd, 4d6 MD per 20 rd burst.
(Laser) 2d6 MD per shot, 6d6 MD pulse burst
(Vibroblade) 2d6 MD as a melee weapon, 6d6 MD as a projectile.
Rate of Fire: (All)ECHH
Payload: (Rail Gun)2,000 rd drum
(Laser) Effectively Unlimited
(Vibroblade) Single blade, single shot

m)Chemical Sprayer---A powered ‘pepper sprayer’ used to dispense instant smoke screens or aerosol antipersonnel agents.
Range: 80 ft and typically covers a 10 ft wide area. depending on local wind/air conditions.
Damage: Varies by chemical used
Rate of Fire: Standard
Payload: Enough liquid for 20 blasts
Cost: 500 credits

n) Stun Blaster/Neural Disrupter Blaster---A knockoff of a Northern Gun weapon(industrial espionage being alive and well), but tweaked for greater efficiency and range. Nicknamed the ‘nerve blaster’ and the ‘brain sandblaster’ for its brute force approach to taking people down. NOT recommended for gentle persuasion or use on children, elders, or other innocent bystanders.
Weight: 30 lbs
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:Effectively unlimited
Cost: 55,000 credits

Hand to Hand Combat
Actions/Attacks Per Melee: 7
Initiative +1
Strike +3(+4 with ranged weaponry, +5 with a called aimed shot)
Dodge +4, +6 running
Parry +2
Roll +3
Pull Punch/Kick +3
Body Block/Tackle 1d6 MD
Kick 2d4 MD

Programming:
Land Navigation 94%
Radio: Basic 94%
Mathematics: Basic 98%
Sensory Equipment 80%
Detect Ambush 75%
Trap/Mine Detection 85%

Options:
Many Quickdraw operators add new sensors, lights, sirens, and other minor accessories. Depending on the operating environment, specialized armor coatings/skinnings may be added to improve durability and protection from the local elements.
Dedicated urban security units are frequently fitted with high visibility devices such as flashers, glow-strips, and siren gear.

*Self-Destruct---Has space to be fitted with a fusion block self-destruct/demolition charge. Many USA units like to fit their Quickdraws with ‘spoilers’ to prevent weapons from falling into enemy hands and to give the ‘bots a last resort use as kamikazes.

*Hardpoints(1-2)---Can be fitted with up to two dorsal/lateral mini-hardpoints that can each hold ONE of the following:
a) Micro-Missile Launcher---6 shot box

b) Mini-Missile---1 per hardpoint

c) Grenade Launcher---- 5 40mm grenades per hardpoint

d) Rifle Grenade Launcher---- 3 35-60mm RLGs/Spigot Grenades per hardpoint

e)Smoke/Gas Mortar---4 shots

Variants:
*PS-R09 ‘Quickling’----An effort to produce an even cheaper version of the ‘Quickdraw’, the PS-R09 is essentially the same robot from the waist down, but above it, reverses the positions of the weapons systems and electronics respectively. The waist rotation ring now supports an open cradle-cage, with a ground-scanning sensor head at the lower front end, a clamp-ring holding 3-4 multi-media scanner nodes, and a rear cylindrical casing holding additional electronics and a replaceable power cell. The cradle is sized to accept the standardized hardpoint weapons modules available to Paladin Steel’s lines of combat hovercycles and light vehicles. The ‘Quickling’ is slightly lighter and faster than the PS-R08, but cannot take adantage of the optional additional weapons systems available to the ‘Quickdraw’. The ‘Quickling’s’ main disadvantage is weak armament....once an enemy gets out of the short range of its weaponry, or the robot’s magazines run dry, the ‘bot is reduced to the role of walking sensor post and can contribute little to a combat situation.
Changes/Modifications:
MDC/Armor by Location:
Main Body 125
Weapon Pod 25
Weight: 280 lbs
Speed:
(Running) 100 MPH
(Leaping) Standing leap of 20 ft up/across, running leap(in excess of MPH) of 25 ft up/ 30 ft across
Weapons Systems:
1) Weapon Pod(1)----The ‘Quickling’s’ top-mounted cradle-cage is sized to receive a standardized podded weapon. The sensor nodes on the cage-clamp provide excellent sighting triangulation for precise shooting.

a) Lasers
Range: 1,000 ft
Damage: 2d6 MD per shot, 6d6 MD pulse burst
Rate of Fire: EPCHH
Payload: 150 shot battery. Effectively Unlimited if nuclear powered
Cost: 18,000 credits

b) Ion Blasters
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

c) Cyborg Machine Gun
Range: 2,000 ft
Damage:(SDC) 1d6x10 SDC per 10 rd burst
(MD) 1 MD single rd, 2d4 MD per 10 rd burst
(PSX-2) 1d4 MD per rd, 1d4x10 MD per 10 rd burst.
Rate of Fire: EPCHH
Payload: 300 rd drum
Cost: 18,000 credits

d) MicroMissile Launcher(s)(15-20mm)----24(2 rows of 12)-shot pod. Cost: 15,000 credits for the launcher

e)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, Volleys of 1-8
Payload: 32 shots(4 rows of 8 ) per launcher
Cost: 12,000 credits

f)PS-DL-110L Razor-Frizzer( a cut-down copy of an imported Russian design). The PS version uses ceramic and light alloy discs that, either by accident or deliberate design, give off a very audible high-pitched shrieking or buzzing noise when fired.
Range: 1,000 ft
Damage: 1d6 single projectile, 1d6x10 MD per 10 rd burst/volley
Rate of Fire: EGCHH
Payload: 20 shots per launcher
Cost: 9,000 credits

g)PSAGL-23C 23mm Micro-Grenade Launcher
Weight: 6 lbs
Range: 280 ft
Damage: (High Explosive)2d4 MD to a 10 ft area
A 5 rd burst does 1d4x10 MD to an 15 ft area
(Incendiary)---A slug of thermal gel that does 1d6 MD to a 12 ft splash, and an additional 1d4 MD per melee for 1d6 melees
(Flare) Burns with blinding incandescence for 1d6 melees, each round brightly illuminating an area roughly 100 ft in radius. These are NOT parachute flares, but fall normally.
Rate of Fire: ECHH; single shot or 5 round burst
Payload: 25 shot drum
Cost: 9,000 credits. HE Shells cost 400 each, incendiary 450 each, and flare rounds 30 each.

h) PS GPMG M43 ‘Fritz’ General Purpose Machine Gun
Weight: 24 lbs
Range: 10,000 ft
Damage:(SDC) 6d6 SDC single shot, 4d6 x10 SDC(1d4 MD) per 10 rd burst.
(Ramjets) 1 MD single shot, 1d10 MD per 10 rd burst.
(High Explosive)2d6x10 SDC single shot, 1d6 MD per 10 rd burst.
(PSX-2) 1d4 MD per rd, 1d4x10 MD per 10 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 800 rpm
Payload: 250-rd belt
Cost: 8,000 creditsh)

i)P-630 Light Machine gun
Weight: 11 lbs
Range: (7,900 ft)
Damage:(5.56mm) 5d6 SDC single shot or 2d4x10 SDC per 3 shot burst at ranges under 3,000 ft, 3d6 SDC or 6d6 SDC per 3 rd burst beyond 3,000 ft .
(PSX-1) 1d6 MD per single shot or 3d6 MD per 3 shot burst(no damage reduction)
Can use any standard 5.56 mm-format specialized munitions, including explosive rounds and megadamage armor-piercers.
Rate of Fire: Selective fire; single shot, or bursts of 5, 10, 20, or 30 rds.
Payload: 150 Belt or box feed
Cost: 3,800 credits


*PS-R09B ‘Quick-B’---This variant attempts to address the ‘Quickling’s’ issue of weak armament by modifying it with a cage-cradle able to accommodate TWO weapons pods side-by-side, albeit at the cost of added weight and the loss of some speed when fully loaded up.
Changes/Modifications:
MDC/Armor by Location:
Main Body 130
Weapon Pods(2) 25 each
Width: 2.5 ft
Weight: 280 lbs
Speed:
(Running) 90 MPH
(Leaping) Standing leap of 13 ft up/across, running leap(in excess of MPH) of 18 ft up/across
Weapons Systems:
1) Weapon Pods(2)---- Same as for the PS-R09 above, only two pods can be mounted.
Last edited by taalismn on Thu Dec 21, 2023 9:52 pm, edited 1 time in total.
-------------
"Trouble rather the Tiger in his Lair,
Than the Sage among his Books,
For all the Empires and Kingdoms,
The Armies and Works that you hold Dear,
Are to him but the Playthings of the Moment,
To be turned over with the Flick of a Finger,
And the Turning of a Page"

--------Rudyard Kipling
------------
User avatar
SolCannibal
Champion
Posts: 2392
Joined: Wed Sep 21, 2011 1:25 pm
Location: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Re: Paladin Steel Storefront

Unread post by SolCannibal »

taalismn wrote: The United Systems Alliance and Pantheons of the Megaverse

-The Persian Pantheon
The Persian gods have heard of the USA mainly through their Egyptian contacts(Thoth has been quietly talking behind the scenes with Ahura Mazda). The Persian gods of Light have learned of the Mexico Crusade and the scant details have only whetted their appetites for more information about the smiting of the hated vampire foe. Ameratat has made several trips in disguise to USA worlds like Cybolyte to check them out and has come back beaming more than usual with what she’s learned.
*The vampire-god-prince Kingu has learned of the freeing of Ratri and is NOT pleased. The deliciously ironic scheme to drain Ratri’s life essence to the benefit of vampires was a masterpiece of treachery to Kingu and the damned mortals went and spoiled it, as well as slew his vampiric allies.


Sorry to be a bother, but i'm quite sure Kingu is Babylonian, not Persian.
Also, it's Ameretat or Amerdad, not Ameratat.

Plus, a little something possibly of interesting potential. :wink:

taalismn wrote:-The Tane Pantheon
The Tane Pantheon has marginal presence on Rifts Earth, but various Tane deities have had encounters with the USA.
* Verama Sathor, Goddess of Second Chances, has had the most contact with Usan forces, finding their daring-do shennanigans compliment her ‘second chance’ modus operadi. Her adopted daughter, Va-Satris, Spirit of Renewal, attends school on a USA world.
*Veranninas Saphar----The Tane Spirit of Vengeance has seen some of the Usan irregulars and black ops operators in action and approves, though s/he fears that the Usans might become too ‘civilized’ and lose their edge.
*Tarnath Sard, Tane Spirit of War, is impressed with the conduct of the Usans’ ‘just wars’. Sard frequently sends his agents to observe the United Systems Alliance at war, and some of his proteges to learn from them.
*Xihan Layis, Goddess of Pleasure--- Layis runs her own rescue operation on Splynncryrth’s Atlantis, and rarely involves the GNE, but on occasion she’s had to divert her rescuees to GNE/USA territory for sanctuary.
*Enazeti, Tane patron-saint of artificers, mechanics, and craftsmen, has taken a great interest in the synergistic engineering going on in USA workshops, from simple field improvisation to cutting edge deep lab reality-merging. He’s had to consult some of the nature and healing deities of his pantheon to understand everything he’s seeing, but what he does understand yet greatly impresses him.


Where did you get this band from?
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Re: Paladin Steel Storefront

Unread post by taalismn »

SolCannibal wrote:
Sorry to be a bother, but i'm quite sure Kingu is Babylonian, not Persian.
Also, it's Ameretat or Amerdad, not Ameratat.


Yah got me there,..... :o :oops:
SolCannibal wrote:
taalismn wrote:-The Tane Pantheon
The Tane Pantheon has marginal presence on Rifts Earth, but various Tane deities have had encounters with the USA.
* Verama Sathor, Goddess of Second Chances, has had the most contact with Usan forces, finding their daring-do shennanigans compliment her ‘second chance’ modus operadi. Her adopted daughter, Va-Satris, Spirit of Renewal, attends school on a USA world.
*Veranninas Saphar----The Tane Spirit of Vengeance has seen some of the Usan irregulars and black ops operators in action and approves, though s/he fears that the Usans might become too ‘civilized’ and lose their edge.
*Tarnath Sard, Tane Spirit of War, is impressed with the conduct of the Usans’ ‘just wars’. Sard frequently sends his agents to observe the United Systems Alliance at war, and some of his proteges to learn from them.
*Xihan Layis, Goddess of Pleasure--- Layis runs her own rescue operation on Splynncryrth’s Atlantis, and rarely involves the GNE, but on occasion she’s had to divert her rescuees to GNE/USA territory for sanctuary.
*Enazeti, Tane patron-saint of artificers, mechanics, and craftsmen, has taken a great interest in the synergistic engineering going on in USA workshops, from simple field improvisation to cutting edge deep lab reality-merging. He’s had to consult some of the nature and healing deities of his pantheon to understand everything he’s seeing, but what he does understand yet greatly impresses him.


Where did you get this band from?


The Tane Pantheon is my own creation; the Tane Imperium is a Human-sept star nation in another universe/galaxy that spans several thousand systems and is approaching Altess-levels of immortality(enough that longevity ennui is a foreseeable problem for them, and one they seek to address with exploration) and durability, but may be ahead of them technologically. They first appeared on these forums in the New Races thread. They have largely outgrown their gods, but still hold some affection for them in the historical sense. Their gods, after slipping into a period of depression and ennui themselves, are awakening to the possibilities of getting mixed up in the megaversal scene, finding new followers, and making a mark on the greater cosmos. Va-Satris, in fact, was a former mortal on a 20th century Earth-analogue who was resurrected, after her murder, by Verama Sathor and her friend Ameretat and adopted as a demigoddess by the Tane goddess.
-------------
"Trouble rather the Tiger in his Lair,
Than the Sage among his Books,
For all the Empires and Kingdoms,
The Armies and Works that you hold Dear,
Are to him but the Playthings of the Moment,
To be turned over with the Flick of a Finger,
And the Turning of a Page"

--------Rudyard Kipling
------------
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Re: Paladin Steel Storefront

Unread post by SolCannibal »

taalismn wrote:
SolCannibal wrote:
Sorry to be a bother, but i'm quite sure Kingu is Babylonian, not Persian.
Also, it's Ameretat or Amerdad, not Ameratat.


Yah got me there,..... :o :oops:


It can happen to the best of us.

Incidentally, Paladin Steel's issue Angrar Robotics reminded me of how in our own campaign Cyprian has not only warned a number of other companies of the issue with Angrar products, but set up a large "recall program network", allowing mercs groups and small kingdoms to get some money back while ridding themselves of the cursed battle gear.

That the Ironcoats would then proceed to take apart and recycle into whole different brands of TW weaponry more to their preference. :twisted:

taalismn wrote:
SolCannibal wrote:
taalismn wrote:-The Tane Pantheon
The Tane Pantheon has marginal presence on Rifts Earth, but various Tane deities have had encounters with the USA.
* Verama Sathor, Goddess of Second Chances, has had the most contact with Usan forces, finding their daring-do shennanigans compliment her ‘second chance’ modus operadi. Her adopted daughter, Va-Satris, Spirit of Renewal, attends school on a USA world.
*Veranninas Saphar----The Tane Spirit of Vengeance has seen some of the Usan irregulars and black ops operators in action and approves, though s/he fears that the Usans might become too ‘civilized’ and lose their edge.
*Tarnath Sard, Tane Spirit of War, is impressed with the conduct of the Usans’ ‘just wars’. Sard frequently sends his agents to observe the United Systems Alliance at war, and some of his proteges to learn from them.
*Xihan Layis, Goddess of Pleasure--- Layis runs her own rescue operation on Splynncryrth’s Atlantis, and rarely involves the GNE, but on occasion she’s had to divert her rescuees to GNE/USA territory for sanctuary.
*Enazeti, Tane patron-saint of artificers, mechanics, and craftsmen, has taken a great interest in the synergistic engineering going on in USA workshops, from simple field improvisation to cutting edge deep lab reality-merging. He’s had to consult some of the nature and healing deities of his pantheon to understand everything he’s seeing, but what he does understand yet greatly impresses him.


Where did you get this band from?


The Tane Pantheon is my own creation; the Tane Imperium is a Human-sept star nation in another universe/galaxy that spans several thousand systems and is approaching Altess-levels of immortality(enough that longevity ennui is a foreseeable problem for them, and one they seek to address with exploration) and durability, but may be ahead of them technologically. They first appeared on these forums in the New Races thread. They have largely outgrown their gods, but still hold some affection for them in the historical sense. Their gods, after slipping into a period of depression and ennui themselves, are awakening to the possibilities of getting mixed up in the megaversal scene, finding new followers, and making a mark on the greater cosmos. Va-Satris, in fact, was a former mortal on a 20th century Earth-analogue who was resurrected, after her murder, by Verama Sathor and her friend Ameretat and adopted as a demigoddess by the Tane goddess.


Good to know - got to look into both the Imperium and their partly stranged deities some day in the future.
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Re: Paladin Steel Storefront

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SolCannibal wrote:[
Good to know - got to look into both the Imperium and their partly stranged deities some day in the future.


Far flung is my personal cosmology, and I have yet to post my Federation of Sapients(which was my first attempt at worldbuilding, started when I was still in elementary school.... )
-------------
"Trouble rather the Tiger in his Lair,
Than the Sage among his Books,
For all the Empires and Kingdoms,
The Armies and Works that you hold Dear,
Are to him but the Playthings of the Moment,
To be turned over with the Flick of a Finger,
And the Turning of a Page"

--------Rudyard Kipling
------------
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Re: Paladin Steel Storefront

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taalismn wrote:
SolCannibal wrote:[
Good to know - got to look into both the Imperium and their partly stranged deities some day in the future.


Far flung is my personal cosmology, and I have yet to post my Federation of Sapients(which was my first attempt at worldbuilding, started when I was still in elementary school.... )


I guess we all know that feel to some degree - any of those survived to evolve into later creations as an adult, or serve as a basis from which other would derivate and mutate from? :wink:
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Re: Paladin Steel Storefront

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SolCannibal wrote:[

I guess we all know that feel to some degree - any of those survived to evolve into later creations as an adult, or serve as a basis from which other would derivate and mutate from? :wink:


Hay, Speilberg shamelessly mines his past for material....why should we be any different? :wink:
-------------
"Trouble rather the Tiger in his Lair,
Than the Sage among his Books,
For all the Empires and Kingdoms,
The Armies and Works that you hold Dear,
Are to him but the Playthings of the Moment,
To be turned over with the Flick of a Finger,
And the Turning of a Page"

--------Rudyard Kipling
------------
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Re: Paladin Steel Storefront

Unread post by SolCannibal »

taalismn wrote:
SolCannibal wrote:[

I guess we all know that feel to some degree - any of those survived to evolve into later creations as an adult, or serve as a basis from which other would derivate and mutate from? :wink:


Hay, Speilberg shamelessly mines his past for material....why should we be any different? :wink:


Not trying to shame anyone - more curious about the evolution process of some of those relics we have already unknowingly seen. :-)
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Re: Paladin Steel Storefront

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Childhood toys, imaginary things that go bump in the night, favorite places, sketches done and forgotten, only to be picked up years later, dreams dreamt and unfulfilled...the stuff of inspiration!
-------------
"Trouble rather the Tiger in his Lair,
Than the Sage among his Books,
For all the Empires and Kingdoms,
The Armies and Works that you hold Dear,
Are to him but the Playthings of the Moment,
To be turned over with the Flick of a Finger,
And the Turning of a Page"

--------Rudyard Kipling
------------
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Re: Paladin Steel Storefront

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Dwinks and Zarfs
“Life is Duty. Life is Service. Life is Family. Life is Acquiring Loot, Material and Biological.”

“No, not him!”
“You know that nerg?”
“ Yes! I have long waited this day, Mishia Rowa, to pay you back for what you did to me!”
“Okay, what did you do to him?”
“He destroyed my village, killed my little sister, and tried to make me his slave. I hit him, lots.”
“You disgraced me! And for that I shall make you beg to please me!”
“Hit him? Many times?”
“Lots. In the face. With a shackle chain. While I was escaping.”
“Everything you hold dear will be replaced by the desire to serve my every whim! I shall be once more exalted among my peers with you as my prize!”
“He seems to have recovered. No scars that I can see.”
“I knocked him down, out.”
“You shall scream for me-!”
“Young lady, have I expressed my desire to adopt you as my daughter? Or at least become your deranged uncle who teaches you his off-the-books tricks of the trades?”
“-eh?”
“Beg for your miserable lli-*yarf?!*
“-and as part of our prospective family bonding, let me give you a lesson in being part of my family. If a daughter or niece of mine is going to earn a blood enemy who is going to pursue her and make her life a living hell, then it better be for something more than just slapping that little punk around!”
“-gahk-”
“ Let me show you how to give an enemy something to truly remember you by. At the very least it should involve permanent disfigurement and the removal of several limbs or internal organs. Eyes are easy and effective, and outright crippling if you can get both of them. Emasculation is a good one, too. Fire is usually a good place to start, but if you can’t get a good blowtorch or flamethrower, or corrosive acid, you can always use a handy glass bottle to do some nifty damage! And there are ways to manipulate the joints, even on a person larger than you, that can do crippling injury. For instance-”
“***YYYEHHGGGG!!!***”
---Helmet recorder transcript of Sergeant Leland Dwink, Greater New England Regular Army, interacting with locals on the Travesdeen Front records.

“I’d have adopted the little princess, too, but Corporal Zarf called dibs already. Good family, the Zarfs. She’ll have plenty of brothers and sisters willing and able to paste-grind anybody who gives her trouble.”
--- Sergeant Leland Dwink, Greater New England Regular Army

“The Dwinks and the Zarfs are scary families. They collect family like others collect sports memorabilia. And their enemy collection is suspiciously small, because, well, there’s few still living willing to identify themselves as enemies of either clan.”
---Anonymous

Two old military families in Greater New England. They’re friendly rivals in daring -do and the adoption and patronage of refugees. While not always at the forefront of events, they’re never far behind. ‘Kilroy’ might always seem to be someplace first, but a Dwink or Zarf is sure to leave their mark nearby soon after.

Fortress Dwink
“Ever been to a Dwink dinner? Big, aren’t they? Their gravy boat’s made from a real boat, I noticed.”

The Dwinks are a long family lineage with a distinguished history of military service to the Vermont Free State, then Greater New England, and later the United Systems Alliance. Though no Dwink has ever risen higher than the rank of colonel, the Dwinks have accumulated enough influence and loot to afford a most comfortable lifestyle outside the military, including their castle-like family estate in Vermont.
Current Matriarch of the Dwinks is Grandmama Elosia Dwink, who claims half-Lemurian ancestory(supposedly her father was a Lemurian warrior passing through old New England pursuing deep cultists). Grandmama Dwink runs her household like a private circuit switchboard, and insists that all family members keep in touch with each other, just to let everybody know how everybody else is doing, and especially ‘what needs fixing’. Dropping out of touch is a sure way to have another Dwink family member come around to check in on them(this has been occasion for multiple admonitions to captors “kill me and you’ll never hear the end of us”).
The Dwinks are rivaled in friendly fashion by the Zarfs.

A. Size: --- 130 active adult Dwinks in the main family line, plus some 60 Dwinks-by-adoption.
B. Origin: Raised Up---Pulled up by their combat webbing, more like it.
C. General Alignment: Principled---The Dwinks hold high standards of morality and conduct.
D. Leadership: Matriarchy---The Dwinks have tended to be led by strong women, whether of the type that minded the homefront and waited patiently for their menfolk to returm from war(and, if necessary, nurse the bits and pieces that came back), or else were in the front lines themselves. Grandmama Elosia Dwink is of the former sort, but is no less respected(and feared) by her kinfolk in uniform.
E. Income: Military---The Dwinks have made most of their money off military wages and pensions and battlefield loot. They’ve also invested in Manufacturing, including a healthy amount of stock in Paladin Steel.
F. Holdings: ---Extensive; the Dwinks own a large parcel of mixed farm and forest land in Old Vermont State.
G. Wealth: Prosperous---The Dwinks could be considered wealthier, but they tend to spread the wealth around. They can make available 2d10x1,000 credits in loans or gifts.
H. Staff: Basic---The Dwinks only hire outside help for specific jobs, and for the most part they take care of themselves quite nicely, thank you. Of course, a few of the family-in -name are former refugees or ex-slaves who swore loyalty to their Dwink saviors, but ended up being adopted into the family instead.
I. Security: Ironclad---You’re better off trying to rob the Bank of Burlington than trying to rob Fortress Dwink. They take their home security SERIOUSLY.
J. Connections---Military---The Dwinks have friends in the general staff
K. Perks: Object of Power---The Dwinks liberated a Lesser Rune Weapon during a battle in the Magic Zone.
L. Quirks: Family Secret---The Dwinks hide a dark secret; their family founder four generations back came to the Vermont Free State originally to spy for Chi-Town, back when the VFS and Paladin Steel were essentially working for Free Quebec. . However, Cassius Dwink liked the Vermont Free State movement so much that he decided to stay and quit reporting back to Chi-Town. The Dwinks are thoroughly pro-GNE, but possibly somewhere in Chi-Town’s computer archives is a file on Captain Cassius Dwinetter’s secret assignment...
M) Status: Rising--- Though frequently passed over for promotion, Dwinks also tend to show up on the roster when it comes time to pass out post-action commendations. Most officers in the know regard having a Dwink in their unit as a good thing when it hits the fan, less so when processing the complaints after a particularly boisterous leave.

Casa Zarf
“Their back garage looks like a Coalition States motorpool, but it’s actually all war trophies. I wouldn’t be surprised to one day see a DHT in there some day.”

The seat of the Zarf Dynasty is Casa Zarf, actually not far from the Dwinks. Nearly as wealthy as the Dwinks, the Zarfs have followed a similar policy of the slow, but steady, accumulation of wealth and prestige. The Zarfs are considered to be consistantly second-placers to the Dwinks, but never by much and rarely for long. No Zarf has married a Dwink, but the two families are close, having time and again come to each others’ aide in times of need.
Current Patriarch of the Zarfs is Ezekial Zarf, a Protestant minister, former army chaplin, and horrorhunter veteran of the Minion War, who took over the seat of the Zarfs when his brother, Captain Devon Zarf, died fighting pirates. A man of rock-steady temperment, concrete conviction, and unflappable demeanor, Ezekial Zarf preaches preparedness in all things. This means being crazy-prepared for anything that might happen. The Zarfs also follow a policy of depriving enemies of resources; they have a history and habit of stripping opponents of valuables, short of outright banditry and piracy, and several (cadet branch)Zarfs have, indeed, been privateers(which makes Devon Zarf’s death all the more ironic). Though they give most of the stuff they lift to the GNE, they retain a sizeable ‘personal’ collection of vehicles, arms, and equipment, all of it fully functional, adorning their homestead.
Like the Dwinks, the Zarfs have a policy of adopting others, including nonhumans and d-bees, into the family.

A. Size: --- There’s about 40 adult Zarfs in the main family, plus another 50 Zarfs-by-adoption of varying age
B. Origin: Raised Up---The Zarfs have worked for their success.
C. General Alignment: Scrupulous--- While just as Light-oriented as the Dwinks, the Zarfs are not afraid to occasionally get their hands dirty doing the work of angels. Ezekial has approporiated a pre-Rifts saying about the holy book ‘being fuzzier on the subject of kneecaps’.
D. Leadership--- The Zarfs are led for the most part by the highest achievers in their family.
E. Income: --Military . They have a secondary income in trading in salvage, a number of family members being in motorpool operations and battlefield cleanup.
F. Holdings: Large---The Zarfs have a surprising number of small parcels of landspreads around Greater New England.
G. Wealth:---The Zarfs have pooled and invested their combat pay and can be considered Rich, though they prefer to live more modestly. Digging in their pockets, they can offer up 1d10x10,000 credits in spending money.
H. Staff:--The Zarfs have a few old family retainers or service acquaintances they offered jobs to.
I. Security: Paranoid---Old habits die hard and in addition to the usual Rifts Earth precautions, the Zarfs regularly sweep their lands on patrol. In fact, it’s part of growing up Zarf, and family bonding, walking the perimeter with parents, siblings and relatives. They also lay in supplies like packrats and find a use for damn near everything.
J. Connections---Military---The Zarfs know plenty of people across the ranks of the GNEAS. They also have a number of associations with the Black Market, especially when trading in salvage.
K. Perks: Loyal Ally---The Dwinks. A Zarf would give his last cigarette to a Dwink in need.
Sacred Duty--- Though one wouldn’t think of the Zarfs as a particularly spiritual folk, despite Ezekial Zarf’s somber leadership(and several church members before him), the Zarfs inherited a task. Jeremiah Zarf, Ezekial’s grandfather, and a military chaplin like him, came across a devastated d-bee caravan while his unit was patrolling the western woods. The unit came under attack by several alien monsters, and, despite putting up a hellacious fight, were almost overwhelmed but for the intervention of the last living member of the d-bee caravan, a critically injured alien priest of Light. Casting the spell that destroyed the remaining monsters proved too much for the priest who succumbed to his injuries soon after, but not before getting Jeremiah Zarf to swear upon his bloodline to keep a set of sacred scrolls safe until the d-bee’s people came to retrieve them, no matter how long it took. Since that day the Zarfs have faithfully kept the alien scrolls hidden and secured, and perform an annual ritual to keep the mystic protections (and supposedly a beacon to guide the alien priest’s people to their missing texts) active.
L. Quirks: Onerous Duty/Tradition--- Protecting the Pledge Scrolls as they are known. However, the task is made easier by the fact that they’re hidden in the midst of all the junk the Zarfs have accumulated.
M) Status: Enduring---The Zarfs have boomed and busted with fair regularity, but held strong.
-------------
"Trouble rather the Tiger in his Lair,
Than the Sage among his Books,
For all the Empires and Kingdoms,
The Armies and Works that you hold Dear,
Are to him but the Playthings of the Moment,
To be turned over with the Flick of a Finger,
And the Turning of a Page"

--------Rudyard Kipling
------------
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Re: Paladin Steel Storefront

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Paladin Steel ‘FlyBot’ Light Flying Probe/Combat Drone/Attack Probe
(aka ‘Death-Ball’, ‘Fleiger-Ball’)
“Ever been on the welcoming end of a swarm of these things? You don’t. They may be lightweights individually, but a cloud of these bastards can pick you apart like a school of piranha, and they’re harder to swat. I’ve seen power armor, vehicles, and even warbots get pricked apart by a combat-swarm. You’re more likely to run across these things being used singly or in small recon flights, but if you ever see a flybot war-cloud, retreat as fast as you can.”

“The troops go through these things like gumballs and hand grenades, as much as we try to teach them to use them more sparingly. But we can’t argue that it’s better to lose a drone than a living sophont. Bean counters may quibble, but they dare not argue with families.”

“Just as te Shemarrians have acquired a love of those flying death-discs, the GNE and Usan grunts love their flybots. And besides the field troopers, the aerospace forces have taken to dropping big hundred-load dispenser cans of the things on targets, to fan out and find places to spread chaos. Yeah, we love’em and our enemies seriously hate ’em.”

The Flybot or Attack Probe is instantly recognizable as a Paladin Steel copy of the NEMA RPX-201 Flying Probe. Paladin Steel’s development(or acquisition) of more advanced technologies has finally allowed the company to duplicate and even improve upon the recovered pre-Rifts design. The power cell is more efficient, the electronics are more compact and robust, and the hover system more responsive. Major additions are the incorporation of a powerful mini-laser(or other energy weapon), giving the mini-bot a substantial sting, and a swap-in destruct charge, allowing the ‘bot to serve as a precision demolition charge or kamikaze.
Always for force multipliers, GNE and USA troops are all over these little deathstars, and PS/ASI can barely keep production ahead of demand. PS/ASI has a cyborg design specifically designed to manage a flying squad of them, and numerous other platforms have been adapted to make use of the ‘bots.

Type: PS-RPX-2001
Class: Semiautonomous Aerial Reconnaissance Drone, Light, Tactical
Intelligence Type: Robot Drone
S.D.C./MDC by Location:
Main Body 18
Sensor Bulbs(10) 1 each
Mini-Arms(1-3) 3 each
Mini-Gun Mount(1) 4
Height: 6.3 inch diameter
Width: 6.3 inch diameter
Length: 6.3 inch diameter
Weight: 5.3 lbs
Cargo: None
Physical Strength: P.S. of 6
Powerplant: Nuclear Power Cell w/ 2 year energy life.
Speed:(Flying) Hover to 30 MPH, maximum altitude of 300 ft.
Systems of Note:
-Multi-Optics(2,000 ft range)
-Telescoping Zoom Lens(2,000 ft range)
-Micro-Magnifying Lens(x2, x10, x50 magnification)
-Thermal Optics( 1,000 ft range)
-Camera/Video w/ live transmission capability)( 15 miles range)
-Electronic Ear and Audio Transmitter w/ scrambler capabilities( 1.5 miles range)
-Laser Distancer( 1,000 ft range)
-Radiation Detector(100 ft diameter area)
-Air Thermometer(20 ft diameter area)
-Molecular Analyzer(20 ft diameter area)
-Laser Targeting: +1 to strike.
-PPE Sensor---Thanks to advanced microchip engineering expertise, PS has managed to get the size of the system down to compact enough to fit into the rifle module. The sensor has a 200 ft range(out to 400 ft with 50% error in determination), 60-degree arc, and can detect invisible entities. Other penalties similar to the Japanese SNARLS system(on which it is based.....see Rifts: Japan, pg. 116).
-IR/Normal Light Spotlight-----300 ft range.
-Motion Tracking System---120-degree arc in front of the weapon. Range: 500 ft
Cost: 80,000 credits
Weapons Systems:
1)Mini-Laser---This is a mounted (Mc)LR-9 “SunSting’ Mini-Laser
Range: 1,500 ft
Damage: 2d6 MD per shot
Rate of Fire: ECHH
Payload: Effectively Unlimited
Cost: 12,000 credits
Options:
*Power Step-Down---Allows the laser power to be stepped down, allowing for a less lethal mode that does only 2d6 SD per shot, without any diminishment in range.
Cost: 7,000 credits

*Scatter-fire---Beam-splitter muzzle modification that generates several less powerful beams, doing 1d6 MD to a 30-degree wide wide arc. Reduce range to 800 ft. Cost: 4,000 credits

*Power Booster---Additional focusing elements ramp the power of a shot up to 4d4 MD, but reduce effective range to 1,000 ft. Cost: 5,000 credits

*Blue-Green Frequency Kit---This modifies the ‘SunSting’ to fire more effectively underwater, down to 1,000 ft. Cost: 6,000 credits

*Flash-Blinder---This adds a special power-stepdown chip to the weapon’s power regulation/draw system, and a scattering optic to the barrel, allowing the weapon to produce blinding flashes of light that can temporarily blind those with unprotected optics/eyes. Effects are roughly equal to a Blinding Flash spell.
Cost: 4,000 credits

In the alternative, a shorter-ranged ion projector can be fitted:
b) Ion Blaster---Adapted from the PSIP-19 Ion Derringer
Range: 300 ft
Damage: 2d4 MD single shot
(Ion Scatter-Shot Mode) A twist of the barrel converts the ion derringer into a short range shotgun with an area of effect blast. Reduce range to 150 ft, but does 3d6 MD to a 12 ft wide area
Rate of Fire: ECHH
Payload: Effectively Unlimited
Cost: 8,000 credits

2)(Optional) Self-Destruct Charge---The Flybot can be fitted with an explosive charge that can be slipped into a slot on the back and armed by remote control. This allows a range of warheads to be fitted, though most are adapted from micromissile warheads.
*Mini-Grenade(plasma)--- 5d6 MD to 5 ft blast radius
*Mini-Grenade II(Fragmentation)--- 2d4 MD to 10 ft blast radius
A Mini-Grenade costs 20 credits
A Mini-Grenade(Plasma) costs 30 credits

*Pattern-1C---4d6 MD to 4 ft blast radius, or 1d4 MD to a 10 ft blast radius in fragmentation mode
*Pattern-1D----6d6 MD to a 5 ft blast radius, or 2d6 MDC out to a 18 ft blast radius in fragmentation mode
*Pattern-1E---1d4x10 MD to 3 ft blast radius

Pattern-1B 32 credits per McM
Pattern-1C 60 credits per McM
Pattern-1D 95 credits per McM
Pattern-1E 220 credits per McM

*(Pattern-2a) 4d4 MD to 2 ft blast radius
*(Pattern-2b)6d6 MD to a 5 ft blast radius, or 2d6 MDC out to a 18 ft blast radius in fragmentation mode
*(Pattern-2c)(Incendiary)2d4 MD to 5 ft blast radius, does an additional 1d4 burn damage for 2d4 melees
(Pattern-2a) 90 credits each
(Pattern-2b)130 credits each
(Pattern-2c)150 credits each

*Eldrencher Warhead----An eldrencher incendiary grenade does 3d6 MD to a 6 ft blast radius, and continues to burn for 1d8 melees, doing 1d4 MD per melee. Cost: 380 credits
ALL Eldrencher weapons do the following:
- Supernatural BEINGS caught by Eldrencher Fire take 50% more damage
- Supernaturally-enhanced structures take DOUBLE damage.


Hand to Hand Combat:
Actions/Attacks per Melee: 4
Strike +1
+2 w/ ranged weapon
Dodge +6
Automatic Dodge +4
Roll +2
Programming
Basic Math 98%
Radio: Basic 98%
Tracking 60%
Land Navigation 86%
Prowl 75% at speeds of 20 MPH or less

Options:
*Stiletto Bayonet---This is a folding vibro-stilletto that can be mounted folded along the ‘bot’s casing. The thin but murderously sharp six-inch long melee weapon does 1 MD per strike. Up to three can be fitted, either equidistant around the frame, or in one group, so as to do damage together. Cost: 3,000 credits each.

*Tool Laser----50 ft range, 1d6 or 3d6 SDC per blast, Effectively Unlimited payload linked to the power cell. Cost: 5,000 credits.

*Molecular Adhesion Pads----Perfect for attaching to larger objects. Cost: 43,000 credits

*Tentacle Tail--- 2 ft long prehensile tail appendage. Adds +5% to climbing skill, and +2 entangle/+1 disarm in melee combat. 10 MDC. Cost: 43,000 credits

*Micro-Charge Layer---This is a 16 cm-long/2.3cm wide tubular mechanical ‘ovipositor’ magazine the size of a cigar tube, and used to hold and plant adhesive micro-grenade charges. In the alternative, this feature can be used to deposit surveillance bugs or tracker chips(up to 40 can be carried). Cost: 1,000 credits.
Weight:(.22) 1.9 grams
(5.56mm/.22 ‘long’) 2.8 grams
(7.62mm) 8 grams
(9mm) 115 grams
(15mm) 120 grams
(20mm) 130 grams
Damage:
(SD)
(.22) 2d6 SDC to eight inch ft blast radius
(5.56mm/.22 ‘long’) 6d6 SDC to 1 ft blast radius
(7.62mm) 1d6x10 SDC to 1.5 ft blast radius
(9mm) 9d6 SDC to a 2 ft blast radius
(15mm) 2d4x10 SDC to a 2 ft blast radius
(20mm) 4d6x10 SDC to a 3 ft blast radius

(MD)
(.22) 1d4 MD to six inch ft blast radius
(5.56mm/.22 ‘long’) 1d4 MD to 1 ft blast radius
(7.62mm) 1d4 MD to 1.5 ft blast radius
(9mm) 1d4 MD to 2 ft blast radius
(15mm) 3d6 MD to 2 ft blast radius(*uses more recent chemical technology)
(20mm) 4d4 MD to 2 ft blast radius
Features:
-Exploder Chip---A multi-mode detonator that be set for as little as a fifteen second count to as long as five minutes, or can be radio detonated.
Payload:
(.22) (SD) 30, (MD)15
(5.56mm/.22 ‘long’) (SD)28, (MD)14
(7.62mm) (SD) 18, (MD) 8
(9mm) (SD) 25, (MD) 14
(15mm) (SD) 8, (MD) 5
(20mm) (SD) 2, (MD)1
Cost:
(SD)
(.22) 100 .22 SD MMgrenades cost 30 credits
(5.56mm/.22 ‘long’)100 5.56mm SD MMgrenades costs 40 credits
(7.62mm)100 7.62mm SD MMgrenades costs 50 credits
(9mm) 100 9mm SD MMgrenades costs 40 credits
(15mm) 100 15mm SD MMgrenades costs 360 credits
(20mm) 100 20mm SD MMgrenades costs 450 credits

(MD)(.22)100 .22 PSX-1 MMgrenades costs 800 credits
(5.56mm/.22 ‘long’)100 5.56mm PSX-1 MMgrenades costs 900 credits
(7.62mm)100 7.62mm PSX-1 MMgrenades costs 1,000 credits
(9mm)100 9mm PSX-1 MMgrenades costs 1,200 credits
(15mm)100 15mm PSX-2 MMgrenades costs 1,600 credits
(20mm) 100 20mm PSX-1 MMgrenades costs 1,500 credits

Note: Incendiary Grenades are also available; they do only HALF normal damage for the first round (minimum of 1 MD) and the same for 1d4+1 melee rounds afterwards. They also cost 25% more.


Variants:
A number of variants have come out, mainly changing the sensors and accessory equipment.
The GNE police have a -RPX-2001D model fitted with a Stun Blaster(100 ft range, Roll versus non-lethal poison or be -10 to strike, parry, dodge, and roll for 2d4 melees., effectively unlimited shots), a strobe-flasher and the munitions slot has an ejection mechanism for a flashbang grenade or tear/smoke/knockout gas cartridge. Some claim that the larger housing for the stun blaster appropriately gives the spherical probot the look of wearing a billed police cap.
The -RPX-2001T ‘Tracker’ or ‘Trac-Ball’ drops weapons capability in favor of expanded sensor scanning capability and pattern recognition software. This raises the Tracking proficiency to 80% and adds Detect Concealment at 68%.
The -RPX-2001P “Pursuer’ is a modification of the -T model, and for costing 30% more, adds increased speed(up to 120 MPH) and a Tailing ability of 74%. However, the propulsion system tends to require more maintenance and overhaul, and the faster drive systems have an effective long-haul range of only 250 miles/2.3 hours before burning out.
The -RPX-2001Eng ‘Enger’ is an engineering drone fitted with electromagnetic sensors for detecting and tracing electrical current. It is used mainly in large installations, starships, and power grids to monitor power lines, but is also occasionally used to sweep areas for electronic surveillance bugs.
The -RPX-2001F ‘Fireball’ is clad in heat-resistant ceramics(MDC heat and fire do 1/4 damage) and enhanced sensor filters for investigating fires and searching for survivors.
The -RPX-2001-IL features a laser target illuminator(range of 4,000 ft) which is used to ‘paint’ targets for laser-guided munitions.

The casings and basic components of the -RPX-2001 series are also used in a number of mobile demolition charges/missiles. These devices lack most, if not all, of the accessory systems, sensors, and programming, in favor of faster speed(achieved at the cost of burning out the propulsion systems) and larger explosive payloads.
-------------
"Trouble rather the Tiger in his Lair,
Than the Sage among his Books,
For all the Empires and Kingdoms,
The Armies and Works that you hold Dear,
Are to him but the Playthings of the Moment,
To be turned over with the Flick of a Finger,
And the Turning of a Page"

--------Rudyard Kipling
------------
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taalismn
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Location: Somewhere between Heaven, Hell, and New England

Re: Paladin Steel Storefront

Unread post by taalismn »

GNE Freebot Regiments
“The freebots can act just as fractiously as regular meatbag soldiers. Faster mental processing speeds does not make them omniscient in tactical affairs...in fact, they can jump to wrong conclusions faster than organic brains. And when two set-streams of logic disagree, they can deadlock like a cold-weld. That’s why some freebot command AIs insist on having an organic or two around to offer advice and cast tie-breaker votes.”

((“Up and at ‘em, tincans! Are we not steel?! Are we not powered by holy atoms and the fire of stars?! Forward, and to glory!!!”))

//You have objection to me joining?//
“Ah....,well, no...it’s just that this application form is for free robots...and, well, you’re a SPONGE GOLEM. Our usual applicants are metal, ceramic, and plastic.”
//There is no words specifying a free artificial intelligence had to be made of metal, ceramic, and plastic. Unless you are adding them now.//
“No, there’s nothing saying an artifical intelligence can’t be made of wood, stone, or sponge for that matter. Okay, if you can verify everything on your application is correct, I’ll accept and process it. And thank you for your interest in joining the Greater New England Armed Services.”

The Greater New England Armed Services embraced and developed Artificial Intelligence as a force multiplier for the GNE military, which was generally greatly outnumbered by their expected opponents(especially the Coalition States and the Splugirth). Despite their more liberal AI programming, however, the GNE never deployed the large numbers of free-ranging hunter-killer ‘bots that the Coalition States and New German Republic did to winnow their adjacent territories of undesurable elements. Still smarting from the Mechanoid Incident, the GNEAS managed large robot formations with organic supervisors, letting their warbots ‘off the leash’ typically only in suicidal decoy attacks. Self-directing all-AI combat units were virtually unknown.
The policy began to change as the GNE developed more confidence in its AI systems, and accepted free Artificial Intelligences into the citizenship programs. The passing of legistlation recognizing AIs as full sophonts with the full rights of organic sentients also meant that free AIs could be eligible for rank positions in the armed services.
Only recently has the GNEAS begun deploying all-robot units under the command of free AIs, known as Freebots. And with voluntary military service came the opportunities to advance in rank to command positions and inevitably command of lesser AI systems. Thus ‘freebot commands’ began to appear, first at the squad level, but with growing frequency, of larger units.
The AI citizen-soldiers in charge of these units regard their less-advanced drone troops as expendable tools and, at best, akin to well-trained dogs. Ironically, the freebot units tend to burn through drones even faster and readily than the organic-led units. Freebot units are notably also very effective anti-armor units, in part due to their general ability to handle heavy weapons more easily and because they know the weak points of machines more readily.
The most common freebots in the ‘freebot commands’ are neural intelligence or Ecotroz-Awakened PS-Rb-02 Magnuses, PS-R-15s, PS-TAA02 ‘CyberSpinne’,PS-TAA03G ‘Gunnar’, FALSTAFFs, PS-CCX-4 Artificial Intelligences, PS-VK-2 ‘Vikky’ Special Operations Vampire Killer Androids, and PS-LEA-4 Law Enforcement Androids. -CILA-02 ‘CILAs’ and -MARI-01 ‘Compandroids’ often fill out support positions in thes units.
The largest freebots are the ‘GRANITE AX’ Heavy Autonomous Mobile Weapons Platforms and their naval variants.
Besides locally-produced free AIs, the GNE(and USA) has seen a number of volunteer AIs from other sources, including, in the Three Galaxies, a relative handful of Machine People recruits.
Not suprisingly, a growing number of freebots are Ecotroz-Awakened(outsiders who notice tend to regard this as some sort of ‘robot religion’) and there have even been some intelligent golems signing up to join.

Freebot naval units are also becoming more common, especially built around the GRANITE AX naval conversions. These units as yet have not exceeded flotilla strength(3-9 ships), and no wholly AI taskforces(with the debateable status of the BB Massachusetts unit) or fleets exist as yet.
Freebot aerospace units are less common; despite the GNE using aerospace drones in a variety of roles and theatres, wholly AI-run aerospace wings have not yet emerged as a signficant factor in USA operations.

*Drxel DK322 and the DKBZ Battalion----
An outdimension mining outpost on a human-inhabited world that was abandoned when the area suffered a zombie outbreak that threatened to overrun the outpost. The facility was successfully evacuated after the overseers programmed the camp’s robot drone contingent into an impromptu rearguard defense militia. The camp and still-fighting drones were left behind unscuttled.
A year later, after securing an offworld transit gate, PSResources did a check on the DK322 site and discovered it still operational. Contact with the site manager AI was re-established with almost the first communique from the DK322 AI being ‘send more reinforcements; expanding area of operations against necromantic obstacles.”, followed by a list of requested supplies. Orbital recon indeed showed the work-drones conducting extended sweeps outside the mining camp, eliinating zombies in their path and establishing a safe zone for uninfected natives.
It is now suspected that the DK322 site drones may have been infected with an unsuspected Ecotroz kernal, and the Awakened ‘bots began more aggressively pursuing a campaign of eliminating zombies beyond the site’s immediate perimeter.
PS/ASI has since complied with the Drxalite ‘bots’ request, dropping spare parts, powerpacks, weaponry and additional ‘bots, allowing the ‘bots to increase the scale and scope of their operations.
The ‘DK Zombie Buster Battalion’ has been retroactively recognized as a Freebot unit operating on ‘indefinite detachment’.
-------------
"Trouble rather the Tiger in his Lair,
Than the Sage among his Books,
For all the Empires and Kingdoms,
The Armies and Works that you hold Dear,
Are to him but the Playthings of the Moment,
To be turned over with the Flick of a Finger,
And the Turning of a Page"

--------Rudyard Kipling
------------
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SolCannibal
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Location: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Re: Paladin Steel Storefront

Unread post by SolCannibal »

taalismn wrote:*Drxel DK322 and the DKBZ Battalion----
An outdimension mining outpost on a human-inhabited world that was abandoned when the area suffered a zombie outbreak that threatened to overrun the outpost. The facility was successfully evacuated after the overseers programmed the camp’s robot drone contingent into an impromptu rearguard defense militia. The camp and still-fighting drones were left behind unscuttled.
A year later, after securing an offworld transit gate, PSResources did a check on the DK322 site and discovered it still operational. Contact with the site manager AI was re-established with almost the first communique from the DK322 AI being ‘send more reinforcements; expanding area of operations against necromantic obstacles.”, followed by a list of requested supplies. Orbital recon indeed showed the work-drones conducting extended sweeps outside the mining camp, eliinating zombies in their path and establishing a safe zone for uninfected natives.
It is now suspected that the DK322 site drones may have been infected with an unsuspected Ecotroz kernal, and the Awakened ‘bots began more aggressively pursuing a campaign of eliminating zombies beyond the site’s immediate perimeter.
PS/ASI has since complied with the Drxalite ‘bots’ request, dropping spare parts, powerpacks, weaponry and additional ‘bots, allowing the ‘bots to increase the scale and scope of their operations.
The ‘DK Zombie Buster Battalion’ has been retroactively recognized as a Freebot unit operating on ‘indefinite detachment’.


Good thing it's outdimension - i can already see the Human Alliance going into "Exterminatus!!" style carpet-bombing panic over the idea of such a situation in the Three Galaxies.
Infectious zombies would be the lesser evil by far for some groups in the CCW.
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taalismn
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Re: Paladin Steel Storefront

Unread post by taalismn »

GNE Skyshipman O.C.C.
(aka ‘Skyshippers’, ‘Gravmen’, ‘Floattops’, ‘Cloud-Climbers’)

“Initiation among skyshipmen is to ‘walk the clouds’; climb around the hull of a grav-ship in hull-crawler harness. Skyshipman can’t be afraid of heights, even with all the redundant tech built into some of these boats. You prove you can walk the clouds, you’ve got what it takes to be a true skyman.”

“Even before we had starships, Paladin Steel was flying Foss Cruisers to other worlds through dimensional rifs...so, yeah, we were the original extraplanetary explorer ships.”

“Doing the Bean Run* from New Boston to the Free Worlds Council can be an adventure. Even though we do it to avoid Kreeghor interdiction, it can still be gnarly. Depending on conditions, a trip can go through as many as fifteen to twenty different alternaties. Sometimes we get to make stopovers and convoy merges on GNE and USA worlds, sometimes on allied or at least friendly worlds, and other times we fly nonstop. Exotic ports of call? We got’em. Sometimes the newbie Free Worlder soldiers aboard for the run get some extra combat training and experience dealing with some of the bandits and wildlife we encounter, and the old hands aboard get to show off their skillz. Sometimes we have to redo the paint jobs on the shps after a run and other times we arrive with extra meat, hides, and bones in the cold lockers. And if the run is especially rough, we arrive with reduced headcount.”

*(Bean Run---The interdimensional ‘backdoor’ route taken by USA supply convoys into the Free Worlds Council. Named for its origins in ‘Bean Town’ and the ‘blasters, bombs, and beans’ inventories of the convoys).

The growing importance of large GraviMagneticResist(GMR) and contragravity vessels in Greater New England and the United Systems Alliance has necessitated the emergence of new profession: skyshipmen, trained and experienced in handling the bigger GMR/CG vessels and platforms. Though compared to wrangling traditional lighter-than-air craft such as blimps and zeppelins, skyships arguably owe more to traditional wet navy craft such as submarines, and initially many of the GNE’s skyshipmen came from naval backgrounds. However, enough differences exist that skyshippers have begun to come into their own as a distinct profession, though the srvice retains strong ties to its naval origins(especially as many skyships can also operate as naval and submarine vessels).
Standard trainng for skyshipmen(all genders are referred to as such) includes the basics of lighter-than-air transport; cadets will frequently train on both airships and high performance hovercraft. Weapons and tool training also includes practicing with grappling hooks and clinger-lines, to secure lines, hook objects and people for lifting, and to self-arrest falls. Skyshipmen learn to be fearless in their lofty environment, and it’s said that there are damned few things that can frighten a skyshipman into dithering inaction.
Beyond running large transports like the Foss Fliers, Cumulus Liners, and flying warships, skyshipmen are also in demand for manning the GNE’s McCall Platforms, skyhooks, and offworld gas giant float rigs. Interdimensional caravansers make an increasing use of skyships when dimensional gates, and not starships, can gain access to worlds, and the Three Galaxies’ Free Worlds Council makes use of skyships and their crews to covertly move war material and supplies through a dimension-hopping ‘backdoor’ route rather than through normal space. Besides terrestrial atmospheric operations, sky- and grav-ships are an increasingly important part of gas giant exploitation and coloonization, GMR ‘steady state’ levitation being especially useful in such environments.

Prerequisites: No physical stats less than 7, ME 10 or better(acrophobia is NOT acceptable in a skyshipman)
Bonuses: +1d4 PP and PE, +10 SDC, +15% to Sense of Balance, +1 on Initiative at levels 2, 6, 12, and 15, +1 to save vs Horror Factor at levels 1, 3, 6, 9, 12, and 15
O.C.C. Skills:
Language (English): 98%
Language (Dragonese): 80%
Literacy (English): 95%
Literacy (Dragonese): 80%
Math: Basic(+10%)
Radio: Basic(+10%)
Computer Operation(+10%)
General Repair & Maintenance(+10%)

Pilot: Grav-Ships
This is skill in the operation of large contra-gravity or gravitic-resist aircraft that rely on anti-gravity technology, rather than aerodynamic lift, directed thrust, or positive bouyancy, to remain airborne in an atmosphere(if they can operate in space, then the appropriate Pilot Spacecraft skill would come into play). Grav-ships can range in size from small patrolboat-sized craft to large oceanliner- and supertanker-sized vessels.
Base Skill: 50%+5% per level of experience.(+15%)

Pilot: Lighter Than Air(LTA)(50%+ 5% per level of experience)(+10%)
Pilot: Hovercraft(+15%)
Military Etiquette (+15%)
General Athletics
Climbing(+15%)
Parachuting(+10%)
Lore: D-Bees
W.P. Knife
W.P. Grappling Hook
W.P. Energy Pistol
WP Energy Rifle (gets an extra +1 to strike)
HtH Expert, can substituted for either Judo or Jujitsu, or by Martial Arts for 1 other skill

MOS Skill Packages: (Select one)
*Bridge Operations---These are the commanding officers and the bridge details coordinating operations for the rest of the ship.
- Naval History(+10%)
- Air-to-Air Combat(+15%)
- Intelligence(+10%)
- Navigation(+15%)
- Pilot: Warships & Patrol Boats(+10%)
- Pilot: Ship or Submersible(+10%)
- Read Sensory Instruments(+10%)
-Communications: One of choice(+10%)

*Communications---Same as for the Naval Operations O.C.C.

*Corpsman---Since skyships are typically too far from land-based medical facilities to evacuate the sick and wounded to, the Corpsman is vital to maintaining and protecting the health of ship crews.
- Medical Doctor(+5%)
- Field Surgery(+15%)
- Chemistry: Pharmaceutical(+10%)
- Holistic Medicine(+10%)
- Biology(+10%)
- Chemistry(+10%)
- Pathology(+10%)
- W.P. Knife
*Note: GNE military personnel suffer only HALF the usual penalties when using medical skills on members of species other than their own.

*Damage Control---Same as for the Naval Operations O.C.C.

*Hangar Bay/Deck Operations---- More commonly found on larger ships with large small craft bay facilities and flight decks, HBO personnel handle the duties of preparing small craft, especially fighters, for launch, overseeing recovering, and mounting and repairing weaponry and ordnance on turnaround. They are also frequently responsible for cargo handling and transfer between ships.
- Vehicle Armorer(+15%)
- Choice of Aircraft or (Aero)Spacecraft Mechanics(+15%)
- Field Armorer & Munitions Expert (+15%)
- Basic Electronics(+15%)
- Basic Mechanics(+15%)
- Optics Systems(+15%)
- Pilot: Power Armor(Powerlifters/Industrial Exoskeletons)(+5%)
- Physical Labor
-(Optional) Operate Construction Equipment(lifts, cranes, gantries, booms, etc.)(50%+5% per level of experience, +15%)

*Skyship Aviation---Same as for the Naval Operations O.C.C.

*Skyship Engineering---The ‘Black Gang’ may have traded their coal-stoked boilers for gas turbines, electric fuel cells, and fusion powerplants, but they’re still the vital hands that keep the ship running smoothly.
- Math: Advanced(+15%)
- Mechanical Engineer(+15%)
- Electrical Engineer(+15%)
-Weapons Engineer(+15%)
-Mechanics: Grav-Tech(+15%)
-Jury-Rig(+20%)
- Mechanical skill of choice(+10%)
- Electrical skill of choice(+10%)

Mechanics: Grav-Tech(Mechanical)
This is expertise in diagnosing, repairing, modifiying, and building contra-gravity and anti-gravity propulsion systems.
Requirements: Advanced Math
Base Skill: 40%+5% per level of experience.
+10% if the Physics skill is also posssessed.

*Naval Gunnery---These personnel operate and troubleshoot the big turret-mounted weapons and missile systems on a ship.
-Weapons Systems(+10%)
-Demolitions Disposal(+15%)
-Weapons Engineer(+5%)
-Read Sensory Instruments(+15%)
-Math: Advanced(+15%)
-Basic Electronics(+10%)
- W.P. Artillery
- W.P. Heavy Megadamage Weaponry

*Skyship Security--- Same as for the Naval Operations O.C.C.

*Search and Rescue---Same as for the Naval Operations O.C.C.

*Sensor Operations---In the wide open sky, those who see their opponents first usually win the fight. That’s why sensor officers are especially important. For early warning, area jamming, or precision scans and targeting of the ground, well-trained sensor officers are a necessity.
- Read Sensory Instruments(+20%)
- Electronic Countermeasures(+15%)
- Intelligence(+10%)
- Electrical Engineer(+10%)
- Computer Operation(+15%)
- Computer Programming(+15%)
- TV/Video(+15%)
- Optic Systems(+10%)

*Submarine Operations---Same as for the Naval Operations O.C.C.

Skills: Select 5 ‘other skills at Level One, plus an additional 1 at levels 2, 5 and 8.
Communications: Any
Domestic: Any
Electrical: Basic only. Skyship Engineering MOSes can select any at +5%
Espionage: None. Those with the Security MOS can select Detect Ambush/Concealment at +10%. Bridge MOses can select at +5%.
Mechanical: Automobile and Basic only. Technical and Engineering MOSes can select any at +5%
Medical: First Aid only
Military: None. Those with the Bridge and Security MOS can select Find Contraband and Trap/Mine Detection at +5%
Physical: Any
Pilot: Any(+5% to Aircraft)
Pilot Related: Any
Rogue: None
Science: Advanced Math (+5%) and Astronomy & Navigation only
Technical:: Any
Wilderness: Any
Weapons Profficiencies(W.P.): Any

Secondary Skills: Select 4 at level 1, gain 1 additional skill at levels 4, 8, and 12

Experience Tables: Use the CS Technical Officer
Standard Equipment:
Standard issue uniform and Skinsuit, Light EBA Armor, grappling hook and line launcher, parachute, energy rifle and energy pistol, 4 long e-clips, 4 standard or short E-Clips, vibro-knife, utility knife, safety harness and hull clamps, and equipment appropriate to their MOS. Assignment to a ship or port facility, the latter of which may include access to a light vehicle from the base motorpool.

Starting Money:1D4x1,000 in savings, base salary is 2,000 credits per month. Sailors are provided with full room, board, and medical treatment.
Cybernetics: If the character is so inclined, they may start with 1d4cybernetic implants
Bio-Modification:
The proliferation and lowering cost of bio-modification in the GNE means that increasingly this option is being made available to servicemen. MERCURY LANGUR, DUST ANGLER, BRASS NITRO, ALUMINUM SERAPH, and CYGNET SILVER are the more popular and sought-after bio-mod packages.
-------------
"Trouble rather the Tiger in his Lair,
Than the Sage among his Books,
For all the Empires and Kingdoms,
The Armies and Works that you hold Dear,
Are to him but the Playthings of the Moment,
To be turned over with the Flick of a Finger,
And the Turning of a Page"

--------Rudyard Kipling
------------
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taalismn
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Re: Paladin Steel Storefront

Unread post by taalismn »

(Kera-Tech and the original discussion about giant robots vs antigravity vehicles are properly accredited to Ruiner, back when Paladin Steel and its works were part of the now long-defunct Prepost e-mail circle)

Paladin Steel ‘Smaugh’-class GMR Combat Aerodyne
(aka ‘Mountain-grinder’, ‘Puff Senior’, ‘Senior Puff’, ‘Smog-Pipe’, ‘Rattle-Wagon’, ‘Titanium Blimp’, ‘Kaiju-Buster’)

“The Smaugh’s essentially a high-hovering supertank, or else a heavily armored and slow-flying heavy bomber with -sustained- bombardment capability. Rather than fly over you once and dust you with heavy ordnance, this bastard can sit just out of range of you and soak your position with metal-fire until you either quit or cease to exist.”

“We like to think of ourselves as an aerial re-landscaping unit. You need a mountain cut down to size? Maybe a range of hills rearranged? River course redirected? Ideally simultaneously with the removal of enemy positions? We’re the people to call for the job.”
---Colonel Marion Alcott, 19th Ground Attack Wing, Greater New England Regular Army

“The Smaugh’s what the Morningstar wants to be when it grows up.”

The ‘Smaugh’-class combat craft grew out of discussions between Paladin Steel and Kera-Tech engineers on the viability of robot combat vehicles with the advent of reliable antigravity systems. Kera-Tech engineers asserted that, with the exception of power armor, giant robot vehicles were rendered obsolete by antigravity systems that could maneuver far better over rough terrain and provide steadier platforms for heavy weapons.
Working from these Kera-Tech guidelines, PS engineers sought to test their theories with the Smaugh-class, which was originally going to be a more heavily armored and engined version of the Slepnir hover-APC, but merged with several robotics projects in parallel development.
The Smaugh-class resembles a cross between a giant robot torso and a GMR corvette, with a rounded, blunt body. Armor is particularly heavy, but the most obvious feature of the Smaugh is its heavy armaments. The Smaugh features multiple weapons stations(some compare it to an ‘oversized A-10’), almost all of them of the modular ‘plug-and-play’ type so common to PS designs, and allowing for quick mission- or crew-customization. A fully armed and loaded Smaugh can obliterate several fortified blocks in a single salvo, it’s boasted.
Smaughs are heavily armored, heavily armed, but not particularly fast. They are mobile aerial weapons platforms, the next step up from aerial VTOL/rotorcraft gunships. Smaughs saw their first deployment on Rifts Earth during the Minion War incursion, when the first prototypes and production run vehicles were thrown into the defense of the GNE. Two ‘aerial monitors’ assisted in the defense of the City of Charter when Hell Lord Pain attempted to raid and loot the mage-city. The gunships have since appeared with the United Systems Alliance Joint Command.

Type: PS-CGAFV-G Smaugh
Class: Heavy Gunship Aerodyne, CG-Drive
Crew: 6+ 1-4 additional crew/passengers
MDC/Armor by Location:
Main Body 1,500
Main Sensor Head 300
Reinforced Crew Compartment 300
Forward Triple Gun Mount 200
Tail Gun 100
Lateral Missile Launch Bays(2) 300 each
Heavy Weapons Mounts(2) 250 each
(Optional)
Rear Deck Launcher/Turret 300
Forcefield Generator Pod 350
Height: 30 ft
Width: 65 ft
Length: 110 ft
Weight: 790 tons
Cargo: Small cargo space behind the main cabin; 5 ft x 10 ft x8 ft.
Powerplant: Nuclear Fusion w/ 20 year energy life.
Speed: (Flying) Hover to 350 MPH, maximum altitude 10,000 ft
Market Cost: 36 million credits
Systems of Note:
Standard Robot Systems, plus:
*Long Range Radio----500 mile range
*Long Range Radar---100 mile range
*Radar Detector---Picks up enemy radar emissions and weapons locks

*Radar, w/ Terrain-Following and Look-Down capabilities; effective range of 85 miles.

*ECM----A broad area jamming suite that gives the craft a -6 to be struck by radar-guided weaponry.

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


*EMP Shielding---Extensive use of nonconductive materials, shock barriers, capacitator-sponges, redundant systems, and energy-disipation technology protects the aircraft from the damaging effects of electromagnetic pulse, Triax Lightning Cannon, and other anti-electronics directed energy weaponry.

Weapons Systems:
1) Forward Triple Particle Beam Cannons(3)----Mounted in the nose are three stubby heavy particle beam cannons that can be targeted independently or fire in synch at the same target.
Range: 6,000 ft
Damage: 2d4x 10 MD single blast,4d4x10 MD double blast, 6d4x10 MD triple blast
Rate of Fire: EGCHH
Payload: Effectively unlimited

2) Lateral Modular Missile Launchers(2)---Mounted on the ends of the thick ‘wings’ are two heavily armored launch cells for missiles. They are modular, allowing a variety of different configurations to be mounted.
a) Mini-Missiles-----40
b) Short Range Missiles-----20
c) Medium Range Missiles-----10

Experimental variants of the Smaugh have been tested that replace the wing-end missile launchers with automated point defense turrets similar to those mounted on PS/ASI aerospace fighters.
Range: (Palladium) 4,000 ft in atmosphere, 8,000 ft in space
(Kitsune Values)4,000 ft in atmosphere, 400,000 ft in space
Damage: 4d6 MD per single blast , 8d6 MD double blast(counts as one attack)
Rate of Fire: EGCHH, or 5 shots per melee in auto-defense mode
Payload: Effectively Unlimited

OR
-2x PSA-11-style Light Pulse Laser Turrets on each wing:
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 4 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)

3) Heavy Weapons Mounts(2)---Mounted under the thick ‘wings’ are two large weapons turrets, articulated like giant robot arms. Each ‘armature’ can be fitted, in turn, with two heavy weapons(making, effectively, for a total of FOUR heavy weapons hardpoints), that can be turned and swiveled a full 180 degrees, and depressed/elevated 60 degrees. Each hardpoint can accommodate 2x of the following:
a) Mini-Missiles-----30
b) Short Range Missiles-----16
c) Medium Range Missiles-----6
d) Pulse Laser(PS-RFL-25), the so-called “Prosek’s Gift’ thanks to its being derived from a reverse-engineered Coalition weapon.
Range: 6,000 ft
Damage: 2d4x10 MD per blast
Rate of Fire: EGCHH
Payload: Effectively Unlimited

e)Tri-Laser(PSMBL-3E)---Adapted from the Glitterboy No. 7 of South America
Range: 8,000 ft
Damage: 2d4x10 MD per blast
Rate of Fire: EGCHH
Payload: Effectively Unlimited

f) Slayer -B Quad-Cannon(PS-RFL-41)
Range: 4,000 ft in atmosphere, 8,000 ft in space
(Kitsune values: 4,000 ft in atmosphere, 400,000 ft/80 miles in space )
Damage: 4d6 MD single shot, 2d4x10+16 MD short burst (four shots, one from each barrel), 4d4x10+36 MD medium burst (eight shots, two from each barrel in sequence), or 4d6x10+48 MD long burst(twelve shots, three from each barrel in sequence) .
Rate of Fire: EGCHH
Payload: Effectively unlimited
Cost: 360,000 credits

g)PS-HPBC-20 Particle Beam Cannon------Based on the KLS Mrk IV Glitterboy PB-20 Rapid Acceleration Particle Beam Cannon, complete to pairing with a coaxial small laser
Range: (PBC) 11,000 ft(double in space)
(Laser) 2,000 feet (double in space)
Damage: (PBC) 4d6x 10 MD single blast
(Laser) 4d6 MD single blast
Rate of Fire: (both) ECHH
Payload: (PBC) Conditionally unlimited(Unlimited linked to nuclear power source) though smaller vehicles(such as the ‘Vader) have a battery capacitor with a limited number of shots(20 typically) with a recharge rate of one blast per minute.
(Laser) Effectively Unlimited

h) PS-862 AC 30mm Anti-Aircraft Flak Cannon(Paladin Steel knockoff of the TriaxTX-862FC), Can be mounted singly or in two-gun mounts.
Range: 10,000 ft
Damage: 4d6 MD single rd, 1d6x10 MD two rd burst, 3d6x10 MD six-round burst per single gun.
Rate of Fire: EPCHH
Payload: 800 rds, 400 rds per cannon
Bonuses: Independent laser and radar tracking system(range: 11,000 ft). +1 strike set on automatic against aerial attack, +2 strike fired by gunner

i) H-Ion Cannon---New Navy-derived heavy ion weapon.
Range: 6,000 ft
Damage: 3d4x10 MD per shot
Rate of Fire: 4 times per melee
Payload: Effectively unlimited

j)Heavy Plasma Cannon
Range: 4,000 ft
Damage: 1d4x10 MD per blast
*Can be increased by 50% with a ‘hot shot’ injection of deuterium gas
Rate of Fire: EGCHH
Payload: Effectively unlimited
Deuterium Gas Reservoir has enough gas under pressure for 200 shots.

k)PS-XGECAL 50 “Ripkiller” ---A weapon based on the pre-Rifts .50 caliber GECAL 50 Six Barrel Machine Gun. This weapon fires high explosive shells over three miles, to devastating effect. In theory, the XGECAL 50 can fire off 8,000 rounds per minute(or 2,000 rounds a melee), but PS has limited the weapon to a maximum of 100 rounds per burst. Only a special coolant jacket, shock-absorbing stabilizer, and burst limiter prevent this weapon from tearing itself apart under maximum rate of fire, and keeps enough rounds on target to inflict maximum damage. The original versions of this weapon also used to tear out its meter-long barrel linings faster than any other weapon in PS service; more advanced and tougher Three Galaxies materials have since replaced the original lining specs With the Smaugh’s ability to carry an ample ammunition supply, the weapons are no longer in any danger of shooting their magazines dry in a matter of seconds. .
Range: 19,000 ft!
Damage: 1d4 MD single shot, 1d4x10 MD per 10 shot burst(1 attack), 2d4x10 MD per 20 rd burst(2 attacks), 4d4x10 MD per 50 rd burst(3 attacks), 1d4x100 MD per 100 shot burst(takes ALL attacks that melee)
Rate of Fire: ECHH
Payload: 5,000 round drum per cannon(50 full-melee bursts)
Note: The use of tracer ammunition gives a +1 to strike

l) EM Bolt/Electromagnetic Vortex Cannon
Range: 8,000 ft
Damage: 2d4x10 MD at point of impact
Within a 70 ft radius, people, animals, and objects weighing less than 500 lbs are 90% likely to be knocked off their feet and hurled 3d4 yards/meters.
Characters/objects of 500-1,000 lbs weight are 50% likely to be knocked aside 1d4 yards/meters.
Objects of a ton or more are only 25% likely to be knocked over.
Flying characters/objects get knocked away twice the normal distance
EM bolts are -6 to dodge
Rate of Fire: Three times per melee
Payload: Effectively unlimited
Cost: Exclusive to PS/GNE forces.

m) Heavy Rail Gun
Range: 11,000 ft
Damage: 3d4x10 MD per 40 rd burst; can only fire bursts.
Rate of Fire: ECHH
Payload: 8,000 rd drum(200 bursts)
Cost: 250,000 credits

n) Disruptor Cannon---PS apparently wanted to mix it up a bit more with this knockoff of a Golgan Republik weapon(this raises some questions of how PS got hold of examples in the first place, but it seems likely they got the data in trade from a third party). During operations in the Three Galaxies, early deployments of the Tyrannis sometimes used these weapons to mislead opponents into falsely identifying the tanks as belonging to Golgan-affiliated forces(especially when the GNE wasn’t feeling particularly charitable towards the Republik).
Range: 5,000 ft
Damage: 1d6x10 MD per blast, plus 1/4 that to a 10 ft radius
Rate of Fire: EGCHH
Payload: Effectively Unlimited
Cost: Exclusive to PS/GNE forces

o) Spiral Wave Particle Cannon---Another ‘false flag’ weapon knocked off from an enemy nation, this time the Naut’yll. It’s rumored that this weapon’s specs came to the GNE courtesy of trade with the DarkWaters Tribe of the Shemarrian Nation, and has since appeared on a number of GNE covert-operations platforms, mainly to confuse opposition forces.
Range: 5,000 ft
Damage: 1d6x10+6 MD per single blast blast, 2d6x10+12 MD double blast, and 3d6x10+20 MD triple blast.
Rate of Fire: EGCHH
Payload: Effectively Unlimited
Cost: Exclusive to PS/GNE forces.

p) Series 2098 Heavy Ion Cannon
Range: 6,000 ft
Damage: 3d4x10 MD per shot
On a Natural 20(Critical Strike) the ion weapon does TRIPLE damage instead of the normal double damage
Rate of Fire: 4 times per melee
Payload: Effectively unlimited
Cost: 1.2 million credits

q)TW Power Bolt Cannon---Fires a large bolt of mystic force that hits hard and deep.
Range: 8,400 ft
Damage: 5d6+20 MD per blast
Rate of Fire: EGCHH
Payload: 10 PPE per shot
Cost: 450,000 credits

r)TW Windblast Cannon---Fires long range bolts of super-dense air. Incredible range, thanks to the barrel boosting elements.
Range: 15,000 ft
Damage: 2d4x10+30 MD per blast, plus knock-back, similar to Wind Rush.
Rate of Fire: EGCHH
Payload: 20 PPE per shot
Cost: 650,000 credits

s) TW Magma Cannon---- This TW weapon projects a stream of incandescent magma conjured from magical energy, that hits like napalm and can be panned to form a river or lane of red hot lava. Short range, but scary as hell.
Range: 1,500 ft, 10 ft wide area; pools on the ground in a 150 ft long, 25 ft wide, and 25 ft deep area.
Damage: Does 1d6x10 MD if used as an impact weapon/in air.
Most effective if used against ground targets, where the molten material can burn for minutes, doing 2d6x10 MD per melee to anything trapped in/on it. The material remains liquid and super-hot for 5 minutes
Rate of Fire: EGCHH
Payload: 25 PPE per shot
Cost: 500,000 credits

t) TW Sonic Cannon---PS TechnoWizards got the idea for this after studying examples of the Immaterial Hand’s Ironmage TW Glitterboy Armor and its ‘shrieker’ cannon(see Rifts Black Market, pg. 187-189) . Using their booster barrel technowizardry, PS TWs were able to increase the range.
Range: 7,000 ft
Damage: 1d4x10 MD per shot, 1d6x10 MD on a ley line and against supernatural creatures and beings of magic.
Rate of Fire: EGCHH
Payload: 12 PPE per shot
Cost: 1.2 million credits

u) Anti-Theron MagnaBlaster ----This superheavy anti-magic weapon has been ONLY seen with special PS/GNE monster-hunter units.
Range: 12,000 ft
Damage: Does 1d4x100 HP/MDC damage per shot(based on what the creature is)
Can also do a ‘spread shot’ doing 4d6x10 HP/MDC to a 60 ft wide swath
Varies according to the weapon type, but ALL anti-Theron weapons use the following guidelines
Depending on how much PPE is present and how essential it is to an organism’s survival, damage varies:
Techno-Wizardry Devices(including TW generators), enchanted objects, rune weapons, and other magically-infused(but INANIMATE) objects are NOT affected and take no damage.
Non-magical beings, psychics, and ‘mundanes’ are unaffected and experience nothing aside from a slight tingling sensation, mild sunburn-like symptoms, and a passing feeling of nausea from a Disruptor strike.
Magic Users and other beings who have ‘learned’ or artificially acquired magical abilities(including tattoos and bioborg implants), but who can otherwise survive without magic present are affected, but the effects aren’t as dramatic. They do NOT get a save versus the disruption because all of their effort has gone into OPENING themselves to the supernatural and embracing their magical potential. They take normal damage as for the weapon’s damage rating.
Supernatural Creatures who possess some small measure of magical ability will suffer a greater degree of damage/injury. ...normal damage x1.5. Gargoyles, Brodkil, Lycanthropes, Shapeshifters(including Nightspawn), Possessees, Shifters, and Witches, are all examples of beings in this category. Note that if these beings were to possess bionics or other conditions that NEGATE their magical abilities(like Brodkil bionics) they lose this vulnerability, and are NOT affected, taking damage only as normal. These beings do NOT get a saving roll versus the PPE disruption.
‘High’ Supernatural Beings with a high level of, and reliance on, PPE will suffer greatly, taking DOUBLE damage. This includes Dragons, Angels, Demons, Splugorth, Faerie Folk, Demi-Gods. However, these beings DO get a roll to SAVE(same as save vs magic) versus their own PPE backfiring on them. A successful roll to save HALVES the damage done to them.
Creatures of Pure Magic that cannot survive without magic are the most seriously affected, and take TRIPLE damage. This covers ghosts, possessing entities, Undead, Elemental Beings, Alien Intelligences, and god-beings. However, these beings DO get a roll to SAVE(same as save vs magic) versus their own PPE backfiring on them. A successful roll to save NEGATES the damage done to them.
Golems, Iron Juggernauts, and other magically-powered automatons/automations will be effectively STUNNED, being paralyzed for 1d4 melees per shot, and will be unable to move or defend themselves, as magical energy shorts out and storms over them.

Other Effects:
*Magic Disruption----Each blast NEUTRALIZES HALF the number of PPE points that it does damage...these points are temporarily lost to the magic user/creature until it can regain them normally(by rest or drawing on other sources).
*Magical Forcefields take 1.5 normal damage.
*Invisible beings will be revealed by an anti-theron burst and will remain visible for 2d4 melees(gradually fading) as a result of residual anti-therons causing them to fluoresce and become visible to the naked eye.
Rate of Fire: Three times per melee
Payload: 25 shot canister of genetically modified bacteria providing the anti-therons
Cost: EXCLUSIVE to PS, not available for sale

v) ElectroMagnetic Bolt Cannon
Range: 9,000 ft
Damage: 1d6x10 MD to 20 ft blast radius per bolt!
Does 50% more damage to metal hulls. Crews inside affected hulls also must dodge or take 1d6 MD from loose metal objects being thrown around by the electromagnetic vortex.
Also roll on the following for additional electromagnetic effects:
01-15: No damage
16-30 Instruments flicker out, before coming back online in 1d4 seconds. Target loses Initiative.
31-45 All weapons temporarily out, and minor electrical fires. One system comes back online in 1d4 melee rds.
46-60 All systems temporarily out, and minor electrical fires. -30% to piloting skills if target is a manned vehicle. Systems come back online after 1d4 melee rds.
61-75 Communications, radar, and targeting are disabled, but weapons systems are unaffected. -3 to strike and no initiative. Damage requires physical repair.
76-90 Instruments are completely totaled. If a manned vehicle, the following skill penalties apply; -25% at one-third of maximum speed, -50% at HALF maximum speed, and -75% at full speed. NO initiative roll, -3 to dodge(-5 if an AI), -3 to strike(-5 if an AI), and lose one action per melee round(2 if an AI)
91-00 Total knockout. Controls do not respond, and machine is out of control. Crash/collapse/total shutdown within 2d4 minutes.
Rate of Fire: Twice per melee
Payload: Effectively Unlimited
Cost: 1.8 million credits

w) TW Ice Cannon----This weapon actually has two modes, familiar to anybody who’s handled one of PS’s Crysus’ TW Ice Rifles. The Ice Cannon can cause an area to be bombarded by a minutes-long hailstorm, or can generate a giant ball of ice that slams into targets, then bursts into a storm of superhard ice shards and freezing vapor(this combines aspects of several different ice spells).
Range: (Hail)4,000 ft, and affects a 50 ft radius
(Ten Foot Ball of Ice)7,000 ft
Damage: (Hail)8d4 MD for 8 minutes(32 melees) to a 50 ft radius
(Ten Foot Ball of Ice)2d6 MD on impact, then explodes, 60 ft blast radius, shedding hundreds of icy shards. Human-sized objects caught in its way will get hit with 1d6 shards, each doing 2d6 MD. Fighter- and Robot-sized targets (16 ft or larger) will get hit by 1d4x10 shards. Ships and targets 50 ft and larger will get hit by 2d4x10 shards. Victims must save versus magic or suffer debilitating numbness; -1 APM, -2 initiative, -1 strike/parry/dodge, and speed is reduced by 10%. Effects last 1d4 minutes, and are NOT cumulative. The Ice Ball has 70 MDC.
Rate of Fire: EGCHH
Payload: (Hail)10 PPE per shot
(Ten Foot Ball of Ice)25 PPE per shot
Cost: 1.8 million credits

x)TW Lightning Cannon----This weapon requires that the tank be fitted with PPE generators to power it. Launches a vertical blast of mystic lightning.
Range: 9,000 ft
Damage: 2d4x10 MD per blast
Rate of Fire: EGCHH
Payload: 15 PPE per shot
Cost: 1.9 million credits

y) Mega-Scat Cannon--Designed, ideally, for bringing down large numbers of airborne Xiticix, the Mega-Scat is no more than a heavy howitzer modified into a giant shotgun, blasting huge amounts
of metal and ceramic shrapnel into a lethal cloud of death. The shell is a garbage-barrel sized drum
that fragments in midair. PS is working on a version that scatters aerodynamic fletchettes for
greater blast radius and damage, while another variant would scattershot armor-piercing
‘beebees’ impregnated with chemical agents .
Range: 4,000 ft
Damage: 2d6x10 MD to a 30 ft blast radius
Rate of Fire: Four times per melee
Payload: 20 rds per cannon


z) PS-HPBC-21B Particle Beam Cannon
Range: 8,000 ft in atmosphere, 16,000 ft in space
(Kitsune values: 8,000 ft in atmosphere, 800,000 ft/160 miles in space )
Damage: 5d6x10 MD per shot
Rate of Fire: EGCHH
Payload: Effectively unlimited.
Cost: 5 million credits


4) Tail Gun(1)---Mounted under the rear tail of the aerodyne is a double-barreled weapons turret, meant to defend against pursuers and ambushers.
a) PS-100 Rail Gun
Range: 4,000 ft
Damage: 1d4 MD single rd, 1d6x10 MD 60 rd burst, x2 for both barrels firing simultaneously
Rate of Fire: EGCHH
Payload: 12,000 rd drum(200 bursts) per barrel
Cost: 200,000 credits

b)PS-M136 Minigun
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
Cost: 27,000 credits

c).50 Caliber Heavy Machine Guns
Range: 10,000 ft
Damage:(SDC) 7d6 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) 1d4 MD single shot, 5d6 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) 1d6 MD per rd, 1d6x10 MD per 10 rd burst, 2d6x10 MD per 20 rd burst, 4d6x10 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: 2,000-rd belt per gun
Cost: 8,000 credits per gun

d)20 mm Rapid-fire Cannon
Range:(20mm)4000 ft, 7,200 ft for the Model 2N
Damage:(20mm) 1d4 MD per shell
4d6 MD per 5 rd burst
1d4x10+4 MD per 10 rd burst
Airburst does 1d4 MD to 2 ft blast radius(single shot)
(20mm PSX-1) 4d4 MD single rd
1d6x10 MD per 5 rd burst
Airburst does 4d4 MD to 2 ft blast radius
Rate of Fire: Standard
Payload: 1000 rd drum
Cost: 40,000 credits. 50,000 credits for the Model 2N

e)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

f)*PS-AWD-RFL-4 Rapid-Fire Laser Cannon
Range: 2,000 ft
Damage: 2d6 MD single blast
1d4x 10+ 6 MD quadruple blast
Rate of Fire: EGCHH
Payload: Unlimited
Cost: 125,000 credits

g)L-Ion Cannon--A lightweight weapon derived from the ‘Beach Stormer’ power armor rifle.
Range: 4,000 ft
Damage: 1d6x10+10 MD per blast
Rate of Fire: EGCHH
Payload: 200 shot battery. Effectively unlimited
Cost: 230,000 credits

h) Magbolt Plasma Launcher---Yet another fine weapon in the Magbolt series of weapons. Capable of firing a magnetically-cocooned plasma ‘shell’, or of firing separate magnetic vortices. It can fire a particularly devastating ‘shotgun blast’ of invisible mini-vortices that can barrel through infantry and cut down a squad like hay.
Range:(Plasma Shell) 7,000 ft
(Vortices) 4,000 ft
(‘Shotgun Storm’) 2,500 ft
Damage:(Plasma Shell) 2d6x10 MD to 15 ft blast radius
(Vortices) 2d4x10 MD, plus concussive knockdown:
(‘Shotgun Storm’) 6d6 MD to 50 ft area
Rate of Fire:(Plasma Shell) 4 times per melee
(Vortices) Six times per melee
(‘Shotgun Storm’) Twice pe melee
Bonuses: Magnetic vortices, being invisible, are -8 to dodge
Payload: Effectively Unlimited

i)Slayer Quad-Cannon(PS-RFL-40)---A four-barrelled rapid-fire laser weapon originally developed as a point defense weapon for PS spacecraft and capital ships, now appearing on land vehicles. .
Range: 3,000 ft
Damage: 2d10 MD single shot, 2d4x10 MD short burst (four shots, one from each barrel), 4d4x10 MD medium burst (eight shots, two from each barrel in sequence), 4d6x10 MD long burst (takes two attacks), or 6d6x10 MD full melee burst (takes four attacks).
Rate of Fire: EPCHH
Payload: Effectively unlimited

5)(Optional) Dorsal Weapons Mount----A heavy weapons mount can be added to the top of the Smaugh, increasing its firepower, albeit at the expense of some speed and agility. Mounting a heavy dorsal mount weapon cuts overall speed by 30%.
a) Mini-Missiles---- 180, divided among three 60-round launch boxes. Volleys of 1-10 each
b) Short Range Missiles----30
c) Medium Range Missiles----20
d) Long Range Missiles---- 16
e) ‘Shrike III’ SAM/AAM----20
Range: 75 miles
Damage: 3d4x10 MD
Bonus: +7 to strike

f) LRM/Mini-M Launcher---Actually the combination launcher from the old IHA ‘Iron Bolt’ missile tank. The main box holds 12 long range missiles, while a smaller attached launcher holds 120 mini-missiles.

g) 200mm Massdriver Cannon(PS-MDJ200M)---Gravitic baffling and compensatory thrust handle the recoil of this weapon.
Range:(Direct Fire) 40,000 ft (8 miles)
(Indirect Fire) 100,000 ft( 20 miles)
Damage: High Explosive(HE)---- 5d6x10 MD to 55 ft radius
High Explosive Anti-Tank(HEAT)----6d6x10 MD to 15 ft radius
Fragmentation--- 4d6x10 MD to 75 ft radius
Plasma-----1d6x 50+15 MD to 60 ft radius
(APFSDSDU)(Armor Piercing Fin Stabilized Discarding Sabot Depleted Uranium) 8d6x10 MD out to 15,000 ft, 4d6x10+5 MD out to maximum range
Rate of Fire:
Payload: 80 rds

h) Mega-Scat Cannon--Same as for the wing turrets,only with a larger magazine
Range: 4,000 ft
Damage: 2d6x10 MD to a 30 ft blast radius
Rate of Fire: Four times per melee
Payload: 60 rds

i) HPC-03 ‘Vesuvius’ Heavy Rapid-Fire Plasma Gatler(x2)
Range: 8,500 ft
Damage: 1d4x10 MD per single blast(4d6 MD at ranges beyond 7,000 ft out to maximum), 3d4x10 MD per three-shot burst(1d6x10 MD at ranges beyond 7,000 ft out to maximum), 4d6x10 MD per six-shot burst(2d6x10 MD at ranges beyond 7,000 ft out to maximum), and a whopping 8d6x10 MD(4d6x10 MD at ranges beyond 7,000 ft out to maximum) for a twelve-shot burst per single cannon.
Rate of Fire: EGCHH
Payload: Typically is fed by 240 rd belts.
Cost: 1.2 million credits for the dual-mount. 40mm Cadmium-telluride cartridges cost 95 credits each

j)*Slasher Quad-Cannon(PS-RFL-42)
Range: 6,000 ft in atmosphere, 12,000 ft in space
(Kitsune values: 6,000 ft in atmosphere, 600,000 ft/120 miles in space )
Mega-Damage: 2d4x10 MD single shot, 4d8x10 MD quad burst
Rate of Fire: EGCHH
Payload: Effectively unlimited
Cost: 1.2 million credits


6) Flare/Chaff Launchers(3)
Range: (Flares/Chaff) 6,000 ft, creates a 30 ft cloud, +10 ft per each additional chaff/flare launched in the volley. Cloud lasts 2 melees before dissipating(or less in a very strong wind).
(Smoke) 200 ft, creates a 60 ft cloud, +50 ft per each additional shell launched in the volley. Cloud lasts 5 melees before dissipating(or less in a very strong wind).
Damage: (Flares/Chaff) None
(Triax Style)
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
(Northern Gun Style)
10% chance per chaff cloud deployed of decoying missiles, up to maximum of 60%
Aircraft, power armor, and beings flying through the chaff will be -6 on perception, -3 on initiative, -5 to strike, -2 to parry, -2 dodge, and lose 1 melee attack that round(or the next). Sensory and Piloting rolls are at -20% for as long as the characters are caught in the cloud, and the next as they recover.

(Smoke) None, but the thick smoke negates the bonuses of laser-targeting systems and optical sights. Thermal sensors are HALF as effective at seeing through the smoke.

Payload: (Flares/Chaff) 25 shots per launcher array, 50 total
(Smoke) 30 shots per launcher array, 60 total


Options:
*Forcefield Generator---Taking advantage of the same technological windfall that allowed PS/ASI to fit their Dragonfly III with starfighter-grade variable forcefields, the Smaugh can be fitted with similar generators, upgrading the aerodyne’s protection considerably.
Forcefield 1,000
Variable Forcefield 400 per side(2,400 total)

*TechnoWizardry Enhancements---Any of the standard TW systems can be added to the Smaugh, but this will generally require the accompanying installation of some sort of TW PPE Generator/Accumulator system to power them.

PPE Generators:
PPE Capacity:(Light)----200 PPE battery capacity; recharges at 10 PPE per hour, 20 PPE/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

Variants:
Aside from a few testbeds, there have been no official variants of the Smaugh yet rolled out.
Likely suggestions, however. would include the replacement of the wing turrets/hardpoints with standardized PS/ASI/WZT Aerospace Weapons Hardpoints, and upgrade the countermeasure launchers to use Galactic decoy pods, to make them compatible with the line.
Another rumored variant mounts TW weather modification gear similar to, but more powerful than, that carried by the PS/PP-IR64 ‘Rainman’ Heavy Battle Robot.
-------------
"Trouble rather the Tiger in his Lair,
Than the Sage among his Books,
For all the Empires and Kingdoms,
The Armies and Works that you hold Dear,
Are to him but the Playthings of the Moment,
To be turned over with the Flick of a Finger,
And the Turning of a Page"

--------Rudyard Kipling
------------
User avatar
taalismn
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Re: Paladin Steel Storefront

Unread post by taalismn »

Doolittle-class GMR Aircraft Carrier
(aka ‘Doo-zep’, ‘Airborne Garage’, ‘Doo-lee’)
“’Doolittle’ sounds a lot like ‘do-little’, but nothing could be further from the truth; these ships do almost everything. They escort aerial convoys, they patrol the coeans, they deliver supplies and vehicles, they provide disaster relief, they go exploring. ‘Do-everything’s closer the reality.”

“All that point defense may seem silly given how Golden Age carriers only relied on one or two, maybe three, different weapons, but in the here and now we don’t have simply a few aircraft armed with anti-ship missiles coming at us, but smart-linked missile spam barrages, cruise missiles, drone-swarms, flying power armor and robots, and flocks or swarms of supernatural or xeno fauna, some of it packing tech-weaponry, trying to bring us down. And even then, we got deck crew banging away with personal weapons alongside the missile launchers and computer-directed guns. Kamikaze gargoyles are a thing to be feared-”

“Attack Lance Fox away! Attack Lance Badger on the catapults. Storm Lance Seagull orbiting at assembly point Jason. CAP Lance Hound holding perimeter. Weather and comm chatter is cooperating; Strike Run Tom is good to go!”

“There is a notable weakness; our defense systems are lacking in anti-paranormal capability aside from the auto-exorcism wards. This can be a problem on occasion, such as when the GNESS Tabolt got engulfed by some sort of malign Air Elemental. Fortunately somebody rolled one of our anti-theron bomb-specials out on the flight deck and detonated it. Played merry havoc with our own magic systems and crew, but it gave that cloud-bastard a serious case of heartburn and choked it.”

“When we go poking around our own backyard on Earth, we typically fly grav-carriers as part of the official approach expeditions. Plenty of room for supplies and equipment, plenty of manpower to cover all the bases, plenty of presence to impress the locals, and plenty of firepower if we have to shoot our way out in a hurry.”

The Doolittle-class GMR CV is essentially a nautical escort carrier that’s been lofted on GMR propulsion units and made over into a flying airfield. The construction is more conventional than the massive triangular Pegasus-class CV, and the Doolittle does resemble a cross between a zeppelin and a naval aircraft carrier. The leaner hull profile presents less air resistance, and thus the ships are more efficient and faster at moving through the atmospheric medium They’re frankly less expensive to construct than the big Pegasus platforms, and make extensive use of components from other programs, such as space warship production. The lower production cost also means that more can be built and deployed, and many United Systems Alliance worlds are acquiring Doolittles to support their aerospace forces. Some Exploration Corps units use Doolittles as flying exploration platforms, loading up on scoutships and aerial drones rather than manned aircraft, and converting some of the below-decks hangar space into specimen storage and laboratories.
Several Doolittles are based on Rifts Earth, patrolling both the American East and West Coasts, with a few escorting long range convoys and expeditions.

Type: PS-GMR-CVE-04 Doolittle
Class: Heavy Aerodyne, Aerial Aircraft Carrier, GraviMagnetic Resist
Crew: 1,200 (80 pilots/aircrew)+150 passengers/additional personnel
MDC/Armor by Location:
Main Body 5,500
Bridge 960
Radio/Sensor Tower 700
Flight Deck 1,000
Elevator Platforms(3) 700 each
Medium Range Missile Launchers(2) 200
Kinetic Kill Rail Cannon Turrets(3) 300 each
Laser Turrets(30) 200 each
30mm Flak Gun Turrets(10 ) 95 each
Point Defense Turrets(16) 80 each
Quad-Array Ion Cannon CIWS(4) 150 each
Main Engines 1,300
Auxiliary Engines 900
Height: 75 ft
Width: 90 ft
Length: 525 ft
Weight: 20,500 tons fully loaded
Cargo: 3,000 tons
Powerplant: Nuclear Fusion w/ 25 year energy life between refuelings/refurbishings
Supplemental TW Powerstones, 2x ‘Wizard’-class TW Generators----400 PPE battery capacity; recharges at 14 PPE per hour, 50 PPE/hour at a leyline, 100 PPE/hour on a nexus
Speed:(Flying) Hover to 370 MPH, maximum altitude of 65,000 ft
Travelling on a Ley-Line, the Doolittle can make 520 MPH, but the decks should be cleared and on-deck equipment lashed down.
Under auxiliary power, can crawl through the air at 150 MPH.
Market Cost: 1.3 billion credits
Systems of Note:
Standard Shipboard Systems, plus:

*Electromagnetic Aircraft Catapult Systems(3)---Replacing steam catapults, these more modern systems give fully-laden aircraft a boost off the flightdeck. Two forward and one lateral system are mounted.

*Closed-environment Life Support System---If necessary, the carriers can seal up, and recycle their air for up to 75 days.

*Radar----600 mile range, track/ID 100 targets at once
*Radio/Laser Communications---600-2,000 mile range

*ECCM system: A semi-automatic system that uses electronic encryption and frequency jumping to (attempt to) negate jamming systems. The system has a 55% chance of negating radar or communications jamming (non-magical) on its own, or a +6% if the operator has a Read Sensory Instruments or Radio: Scramblers skill and devotes a full melee to operating the system(no other attacks/actions are possible).
Having an Electronic warfare Skill gains a +15% bonus to operating this system.
Note that this only applies to received communications (the system filters them out from the jamming clutter) and sensory data received by that unit alone (other units cannot make use of it, unless they have an unaffected datalink/info-share with the ECCM equipped unit. Magic/psychic jamming is NOT affected by this system.

*Electronic Countermeasures---Thanks to the powerful ESM/ECM transmitters aboard, the Doolittle is -3 to be struck with radar-guided weaponry, and -10% to detect with long range radars.

*Advanced Fire Control Computer---This advanced fire control system is designed to allow the Doolittle to make maximum effective use of its weaponry, while retaining its high mobility. Among other functions, this system watches available power to various systems, compensates for sensor-snow generated by buffeting at high speed, and uses inertial sensors to keep weapons lock even as the ship bounces and slews in turbulent air.
All ranged weapons(except missiles) get a +2 to strike from this system.

*Cargo Cranes--The Doolittles have four side-mounted heavy lift cranes
for loading and offloading the vessel even when airborne. Each crane can lift up to 80 tons.

*Lifeboats----The Doolittles carry multiple enclosed lifeboats/escape pods with a difference; to allow them to be used under any circumstances, the lifeboats are fitted with watertight environmentally-sealled hulls(8 hour life support) and flotation bags for underwater escapes, and a combination parasail and Featherfall TW-system for aerial ejections.

Magic Systems:

*(@)ORACLE Mk VI---Omni-diRectional Aura Classification and Locator Electronics---A TW development of the SNARLS PPE Scanner, this system consists of a series of advanced Technowizardry scanner systems(TW optic mounts, static crystal PPE meters, and whatnot) stationed around the ship, feeding into a central computer system with special TW-derived interface program algorithms. The system is designed to detect incoming magical/paranormal attacks and alert the crew to them(hopefully in time to allow them to take defensive measures). Linkage to the Ectofiber Grid has increased the sensitivity and effectiveness of this system.
This system is based on the ORACLE Mk V system, itself based on TW systems studied in the Three Galaxies and first deployed on PS/ASI spacecraft. The Mk VI is expected to replace the ORACLE Mrk II currently fitted to most ships-of-the-line of the VFSN.
See Aura: Slightly different than the spell in that it can scan an entire target such as a ship or station. The enchantment can be used to target a single individual but only have one tenth normal range when being used in that matter. Costs 60 P.P.E. per activation due to extended range. Range: 1 mile (1.6 kilometers) in an atmosphere. Effects / Abilities: Gives an approximate count of the number of life forms onboard. Gives the average level of experience, highest level of experience, and lowest level of experience [Given in these terms: Low (1-3), medium (4-7), high (8th and up).] Tells if there is any magic onboard. Gives if there are any psychics onboard (Mind Block will prevent detection), Gives a general count on the amount of P.P.E. the target has (basically the P.P.E. of the crew and any devices which store P.P.E.). Detects if there is any kind of possession. Finally sees if the crew or ship has any unusual aberrations.
• See the Invisible Sensors: The ship has several special optical and other sensor systems with see the invisible on them. Same as spell and used at will (requires no P.P.E. to activate). Range:2 miles (3.2 km) in an atmosphere. Effects / Abilities: Can see forces, objects, and creatures which can turn invisible, or are invisible. Can also see vaporous beings and astral bodies.
• Sense Magic: The ship has sensors which the give the ability to detect active magic. Similar to spell and used at will (requires no P.P.E. to activate). Range: 200 miles (320 km) in an atmosphere. Effects / Abilities: detects the presence of magic if within detection range of ship and gives bearing on magic and basic range although not exact position. Detects active enchantments but will not generally detect spell casters in general.
• Sense Rifts: Ship has sensors which effectively allow Rifts to be detected. The system can be (requires no P.P.E. to activate). Range: 500 miles (805 km) in an atmosphere. Effects / Abilities: Detects the presence of Rifts (including those created by Rifts Drives) and unlike when detecting magic gives position very accurately.

*Impervious to Energy ----160 PPE to activate for 5 minutes per activation

*(@)Expel Demons---35 PPE to activate. This is an internal defensive system, incorporated into wards around major areas of the ship, such as the engines, bridge, and sickbay...It CANNOT work outside of the ship. Fear of supernatural beings teleporting aboard ship and taking control has been a great fear of GNE crews, from their naval experience(as one salty put it; “Ain’t nothing worse than being on a ship of the Possessed... nowhere to run, damn few places to hide, and damn little time to do anything else.”), and thus PS has made this system increasingly standard on its ships.

*Ley Line Booster---The Doolittle can travel faster on ley lines, increasing its maximum speed by roughly 40%(could go faster, but isn’t streamlined for full advantage).

*Ley Line Storm Defense System---This shields the ship from the effects of ley line storms, especially important given the many TW systems aboard. 360 PPE to activate. 100 minute duration, x10 at a ley line nexus, x100 if at a triangular nexus.

Weapons Systems:
1) Kinetic Kill Rail Cannon(6, 3x2)--Three large turrets each hold two powerful massdriver cannon capable of firing heavy armor-penetrator rounds, or area of effect fragmentation shells.
Range: 12 miles
Damage: 4d6x10 MD per cannon, 8d6x10 MD for two cannons firing simultaneously,
(Exploding/Fragmenting Fletchette): 4d4x10 MD to anything caught in a 120 ft wide cone/’cloud’----Targets are -2 to dodge the ’shotgun spread’
Rate of Fire: EGCHH
Payload: 500 bursts per gun

2) Laser Turrets(30)---These are single-gun mountings of the same weapons found triple-mounted on the Miami-class Air Cushion Fast Frigates.
Range: 7 miles
Damage: Each cannon can fire at three fire power levels: 1d4x10 MD, 1d6x10 MD, or 2d6x10 MD per blast.
Rate of Fire: EGCHH
Bonuses: +2 to Strike
Payload: Effectively Unlimited

3) Medium Range Missile Launchers(2)---These are large box-style multi-purpose launchers, one forward and one aft, that can accommodate a variety of missiles and fire-missions, from anti-air to surface bombardment and ASROC munitions. The system is also compatible with the Shrike III ‘Brilliant’ anti-aircraft missile.
Range: Varies by Missile Type
Damage: Varies by Missile Type
Rate of Fire: Volleys of 1-12
Payload: 36 missiles per launcher; additional missiles can be reloaded from storage.

*Shrike III A/SAM
Range: 75 miles
Damage: 3d4x10 MD
Bonus: +7 to strike

4) Point Defense Turrets(16)---These replace the earlier ad-hoc mix of WW2-vintage mixed-caliber kinetics with a modular design taken right off the PS/ASI space warship program; These are standard CCW-pattern dual laser/mini-missile launchers that have been installed for close-in defense.
Range: (Lasers) 2 miles
(Mini-Missiles) 1 mile
Damage:(Lasers) 1d6x10 MD per blast
(Mini-Missiles) Varies by Missile Type
Rate of Fire:(Lasers) EGCHH, or auto-fire; 6 attacks per melee
(Mini-Missiles) Volleys of 1-8
Payload: (Rail Gun) Effectively Unlimited
(Mini-Missiles) 32 mini-missiles per turret; additional mini-missiles can be carried as cargo(typically takes 2d6 minutes to reload from the holds).
(Option)---The Mini-Missile launcher component of these turrets can be replaced by a launcher for the larger ‘Black Talon’ L-SAM, in which case the launcher can only a maximum of 4 at a s time.
Range: 3 miles
Damage: 3d4x10 MD to 40 ft blast radius
Rate of Fire: Volleys of 1,2,3, or 4
Bonus: +5 to strike, and gets TWO attempts to strike the target(agile enough to loop back on a target and try again)
Payload: 8 per launcher; additional missiles can be carried as cargo(typically takes 2d6 minutes to reload from the holds).

5) 30mm Anti-Aircraft Flak Cannon(20; 10x2)(Paladin Steel knockoff of the TriaxTX-862FC), A classic and proven kinetic weapon.
Range:10,000 ft
Damage: 4d6 MD single rd, 1d6x10 MD two rd burst, 3d6x10 MD six-round burst per single gun.
Rate of Fire: EGCHH, or six shots per melee on autogunner
Payload: 800 rds, 400 rds per cannon
Bonuses: Independent laser and radar tracking system(range: 11,000 ft). +1 strike set on automatic against aerial attack, +2 strike fired by gunner

In the alternative, some or all of the flak cannon can be replaced by T410 20mm (Micro)Missile Guns:
Range:
(T-410)Gun launcher fires the micromissile out to about 8,200 ft, whereafter the rocket propulsion takes over.
(Micromissiles)8,000 ft for all types
Damage/Bonuses:
(T-410)
Pattern-2a---4d4 MD to 2 ft blast radius
Pattern-2b----6d6 MD to a 5 ft blast radius, or 2d6 MDC out to a 18 ft blast radius in fragmentation mode
Pattern-2c----(Incendiary)2d4 MD to 5 ft blast radius, does an additional 1d4 burn damage for 2d4 melees

Bonuses: (T-410)
(All Patterns)(+3 to strike airborne targets, +1 to strike ground targets) Gyro-Compass Chip, Laser-Sensor Microchip, Radar Trigger Chip, Image Sensing Chip, Infra-Red Sensing Chip.

Rate of Fire: Bursts of 3-40 rds per melee
Payload: 300 rd bin-magazine per gun.

6) Quad-Array Ion Cannon CIWS(4) ----These four-barrel weapons are a distillation of several weapons lines’ ion projection technology. They can fire in either bolt or scatter-fire modes.
Range: 12,000 ft, 6,000 ft in Scatter-Shot Mode
Damage: 1d4x10 MD per single blast, 4d4x10 MD per quad blast(counts as one attack)
(Scatter-Shot Mode) 4d6 MD to a 30 ft wide area, or to a 60 ft wide area per quad blast
Rate of Fire: EGCHH
Payload: Effectively unlimited

In the alternative, some or all of the CIWS Quad-Arrays can be replaced by Heavy TW Multiplexors or TW cannon(typically a twin-mount Windblast Cannon or Lightning Cannon) with their own PPE Powerstone.

7) Heavy Countermeasure Launchers(6)---Initially these were simple flare/chaff launchers(albeit heavier than those used in standard aircraft launchers), but later refits used more sophisticated decoys.
Range: 6,000 ft mortar range
Damage: (Flares/Chaff) None; creates a 300 ft cloud, +10 ft per each additional chaff/flare launched in the volley. Cloud lasts 2 melees before dissipating(or less in a very strong wind).
(Triax Style)
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
(Northern Gun Style)
10% chance per chaff cloud deployed of decoying missiles, up to maximum of 60%
Aircraft, power armor, and beings flying through the chaff will be -6 on perception, -3 on initiative, -5 to strike, -2 to parry, -2 dodge, and lose 1 melee attack that round(or the next). Sensory and Piloting rolls are at -20% for as long as the characters are caught in the cloud, and the next as they recover.

(Smoke) None, but the thick smoke negates the bonuses of laser-targeting systems and optical sights. Thermal sensors are HALF as effective at seeing through the smoke. Creates a 600 ft cloud, +50 ft per each additional shell launched in the volley. Cloud lasts 5 melees before dissipating(or less in a very strong wind).

(Nano-Pods)-----This system releases a nanotech swarm of active jamming pods and decoys that are programmed to emulate a spacecraft’s sensor signature, or, at the very least, bury enemy tactical communications in ‘white noise’.
Effective Range: 25 mile jamming radius
Duration: 5 minutes per pod-spray
Effects: Jams radio signals(75% chance of jamming military band command-guidance ordnance), and 60% chance of deflecting ordinary missiles.
Payload: 18 swarm packs

(Grav-Pack Decoy) ---This system uses modified grav-pack drives and signal projectors to create a moving pattern of sensor signatures. The grav-pack mini-missile drives can go for 10 minutes before self-destructing, and can either be remotely directed or run a preset pattern.
Effective Speed: Up to Mach 3 in atmosphere
Duration: 10 minutes per pod
Effects: The decoys have a 70% chance of fooling enemy sensor operators and expert systems. They are are also +2 to enemy sensor-guided munitions to strike, increasing the chance that the missiles will elect to pursue the ‘louder’ sensor signature(the missile rolls to strike for both the original ship and each decoy deployed....highest to strike roll determines which target the missile(s) go after).
Payload: 15 decoys are carried, and can be deployed singly, or in ‘packs’ of 1-3.

Payload: (Flares/Chaff) 25 shots per launcher array
(Smoke) 30 shots per launcher array
Auxiliary Vehicles:
48-54 aircraft(Typically 3 squadrons of multirole strike/interception aircraft, a support squadron of EW craft and 1-6 SAR/COD aircraft.)
Typically has a contingent of 48-60 power armors aboard to assist in self-defense and loading/refueling operations.

Variants:
The main variants of the Doolittle differ primarily in the types of defensive weaponry mounted, and in the flight deck accommodations. One Doolittle was outfitted to service up to six Smaugh-class Heavy Gunships.
One of the early hulls was converted into an extradimensional exploration platform. This ship carried half the heavy armaments, and air group complement, and instead carried a complement of scout aircraft, drones, and research shuttles. Several bays in the below-decks hangars were converted to lab space, and a quarter of the flight deck was distinct for having a forest of various sensor antennae and balloon/sounding rocket launch rigs.
-------------
"Trouble rather the Tiger in his Lair,
Than the Sage among his Books,
For all the Empires and Kingdoms,
The Armies and Works that you hold Dear,
Are to him but the Playthings of the Moment,
To be turned over with the Flick of a Finger,
And the Turning of a Page"

--------Rudyard Kipling
------------
User avatar
taalismn
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Posts: 47909
Joined: Tue Sep 02, 2003 8:19 pm
Location: Somewhere between Heaven, Hell, and New England

Re: Paladin Steel Storefront

Unread post by taalismn »

PS-GMR/HAG-02 ‘Breslin’ Hover Assault Cannon
(aka ‘Bricklin’, ‘Kill-slidder’, ‘Slayer-sled’)
“Even if it can’t elevate enough to hit a mek in the main torso, it can still accomplish mobility kills by blasting the mek’s legs clean out from under it.
The Breslin’s lack of a turret may initially have been a move to make the tank less expensive to construct, but the addition of all those electronics more than eats up any cost savings. But that’s all right; PS wasning aiming for ‘cheap and expendable’ but ‘lower profiled and harder to hit’ with the Breslin.”


“It’s a mobile bunker or a great big door-knocking battering ram; I’ve seen it used effectively in both roles. I noticed, though, that the GNErs were careful not to use it in positions where it could be easily overrun or over-topped. And the crews were well-versed in their vehicles’ strengths and weaknesses; one driver I interviewed compared driving one in evasive maneuvers to twirling a heavy log on one’s shoulders. Nothing elegant or aesthetic about this beast at all; it’s angular brute-force engineering. It’s a rude, crude war tool that isn’t breaking any parameters or setting any new records, and there’s not going to be any rush to copy it, but for its time and place, it gets the job done.”
----Colonel Phillip Fredette, CAF Ground Forces

“GET BEHIND IT! GET BEHIND IT! TAKE THAT THING IN ITS A$$! KILL ITS A-damn, they can spin that thing around fas-..... ”

A product of the desperate days of the Minion War, when isolated PS/ASI outposts were scrambling to field whatever combat equipment they culd cobble together, the ‘Breslin’ is a throwback to the WW2 concept of the assault gun; a turretless tank mounting the heaviest possible cannon in a fixed forward firing position. The advantages of this are the ability to mount a heavier weapon without the expense of an equally larger and more complex turret mounting to hold it, a less expensive and simplier hull to armor, and more easily reinforced protective hull. The disadvantages are a limited arc of fire and lack of tactical versatility. To bring the main gun to bear, the entire vehicle must be aimed. Mounting the cannon on a GMR-hover platform, however, was thought to address the problem of fast response, as the vehicle could be more readily and smoothly turned to bear than a slower and stodger wheeled or treaded vehicle.
To address the other historical issues with assault guns, the Breslin mounts several point-defense systems, including advanced armor, appliqué reactive armor, and two smaller anti-missile/antipersonnel turrets(though these can be fitted with what could be considered main armament on lighter vehicles). The Breslin can also be fitted with antipersonnel flamers, forcefields, extra pod-mounted weaponry and TW protections.
The main selling point of the Breslin, however, is its heavy gun. Unlike a self-propelled ballistic artillery piece, the assault gun typically mounts a massive energy weapon with an extra power generator to power it independent of the tank’s own power system.
The Breslin is most effective at attacking fixed positions or attacking from ambush. Its powerful main gun allows it to often one-shot-kill enemy armor units such as other tanks and meks, and blast open fortified positions.
Though originally a Minion War stopgap design meant to quickly bolster the armored ranks when deliveries of Cestuses and Brunos were interrupted, the Breslin design was kept in production, refined, and more options made available to it.
The Breslin has seen limited deployment with GNE/USA ground forces, mainly with defensive garrisons, and a number have been sold to affiliates such as the Zyganian Empire(where developing battles between the type and the similar Golgan Opka tank and the tread-borne Kregmar Mobile Assault Cannon are watched with great interest by tank-fans).

Type: PS-GMR/HAG-02 Breslin
Class: Hover Assault Cannon
Crew: 4
MDC/Armor by Location:
Main Body 1,800
Reinforced Crew Compartment 200
Main Gun 250
Point Defense Turrets(2) 180 each
Smoke/Gas Dispensers(2) 15 each
Height: 8 ft
Width: 14 ft
Length: 30 ft(gun barrel makes it 39 ft)
Weight: 120 tons
Cargo: 12 cubic feet inside the crew compartment
Powerplant: Nuclear Fusion w/ 20 year energy life.
Speed:(Hoverjets) Hover to 210 MPH, 2-4 ft off the ground
(Water) The Breslin CAN skim over the surface of small bodies of water, such as lakes and streams, but it fairly wallows at a clumsy 50 MPH. The best it can manage is Sea State 4; anything greater, and the tank is in danger of getting swamped by high waves(-15% to piloting rolls). As it uses a GMR system, rather than powered ground effect, it is in no danger of sinking without its thrusters on, but is still at the mercy of wind and water.
(Underwater) Buttoned up, the Breslin CAN operate underwater, but it flounders along at 8 MPH and kicks up a racket as its turbines suck water. It can remain underwater for 48 hours, and can only survive depths of 180 ft.
Market Cost: 79 million credits
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 Breslin 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 Breslin exceptionally quiet for a heavy tank; under the right circumstances it has an accoustic Prowl rating of 45% in daylight and 75% at night.

*Electronic Stealth Suite---Retained from the Breslin 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 Cannon(1)---This is the heavy weapon mounted in the main hull. The Breslin’s gun is even heavier than the main cannon on the Shadowblade and the Cestus. On its own, the cannon has a limited arc of fire; it can move side to side and up/down 30 degrees
a) Heavy LaserHeavy Laser Cannon
Range: 7,000 ft
Damage: 5d6x10 MD per shot
Rate of Fire: Three times per melee
Payload: Effectively unlimited
b) Heavy Ion Cannon

c) Heavy Plasma Cannon---A Medium-class starship weapon mounted on a fighter
Range: (Palladium) 4 miles in atmosphere, 8 miles in space
(Kitsune Values) 4 miles in atmosphere, 400 miles in space
Damage: 1d6x100 MD per shot
Rate of Fire: Four shots per melee
Payload: Effectively unlimited

d) Heavy Particle Beam Cannon---Adapted from starship weaponry
Range: (Palladium) 3.5 miles in atmosphere, 7 miles in space
(Kitsune Values) 3.5 miles in atmosphere, 350 miles in space
Damage: 2d4x100 MD per shot
Rate of Fire: Two shots per melee
Payload: Effectively unlimited

e) Plasma Torpedo Pod----Developed from PS’s plasma weaponry and reverse-engineered Naruni technology, this weapon, originally configured as an aerospace weapons pod, powered by its own onboard micro-nuclear generator, fires a bolt of plasma wrapped in a degenerating magnetic vortex. The weapon has superior range to a conventional plasma weapon, as well as an area of effect similar to a missile, as well as unlimited payload, but rate of fire is much slower.
Range: (Palladium) 3.5 miles in atmosphere, 7 miles in space
(Kitsune Values)3.5 miles in atmosphere, 350 miles in space
Damage: 3d6x10 MD to 15 ft blast radius
Rate of Fire: Three times per melee
Payload: Effectively unlimited

2) Bow Point Defense Turret ---This is simply a point defense rail gun turret off a lighter vehicle, fitted to the bow with a wide arc of fire.
Range: 4,000 ft
Damage: 1d4x10 MD per 20 rd burst(can only fire bursts)
Rate of Fire: EGCHH, as an automated defense system linked to a radar/sensor system, the “Button Gun” has a +2 to strike, and four attacks per melee.
Payload: 4,000 rd drum(100 bursts)

Alternately, the following can be mounted:

*1A) Light Rail Gun---Based on PS’s STARifle:
Range: 2,000 ft
Damage: 1d6 MD per single shot, 5d6 MD on a 5 shot burst, 1d6x10 MD per 10 rd burst
Rate of Fire: Single shot or 5-shot burst, Equal to the pilot's combined hand to hand attacks, or 4 attacks in auto-defense mode.
Payload: 1,200 rd drum feeding both weapons(60 bursts per gun)
Cost: credits

*2A) Pulse Laser Turret: Paladin Steel also offers a lower-powered laser system, with unlimited payload and a longer range. 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 emerging BAMSP: Battlefield Asset Management System Package).
Range: 6,000 ft
Mega-Damage: 3D6 MD single blast, 6D6 MD double- barreled blast
Rate of Fire: Equal to the pilot's combined hand to hand attacks, or 4 attacks in auto-defense mode.
Payload: Unlimited
Bonuses: +4 to strike airborne targets like missiles and aircraft/flying opponents(must be traveling higher than 10 ft off the ground)
Cost: 45,000 credits

*3A) Light Plasma Cannon
Range: 1,800 ft
Damage: 6d6 MD single shot
Rate of Fire: Equal to the pilot's combined hand to hand attacks, or 4 attacks in auto-defense mode..
Payload: Effectively Unlimited
Cost: 30,000 credits

*4A) Light Ion Blasters:
Range: 1,600 ft
Damage: 3d6 MD single shot, 1d6x10 MD pulse burst
Rate of Fire: Equal to the pilot's combined hand to hand attacks, or 4 attacks in auto-defense mode..
Payload: Effectively Unlimited
Cost: 30,000 credits

3) Dorsal Point Defense Turret---This is a heavier four-barrel model of the standard Pulse Laser Turret, originally issued to the PSPA-11 power armor, the Meles AAAV, Rattlesnake AAV, and 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, 12d6(or 1d6x10+12) MD for a four-barrel pulse burst.
Rate of Fire: Equal to the gunner’s combined hand to hand attacks, or 4 attacks per melee rd 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)

In the alternative, some later versions replace the four-barrel laser with a longer-ranged PSMBL-3E Tri-Laser, adapted from the Glitterboy No. 7 of South America.
Range: 8,000 ft
Damage: 2d4x10 MD per blast
Rate of Fire: EGCHH, or 4 attacks per melee rd in auto-defense mode.
Payload: Effectively Unlimited
Bonuses: +2 to strike airborne targets like missiles and aircraft/flying opponents(must be traveling higher than 10 ft off the ground)
Cost: 300,000 credits

4) Smoke /Chaff Mortars(2x6)----The Breslin 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 with 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.

Options:
*Missile Rack/Hardpoint---For additional anti-armor/anti-aircraft protection, a dorsal missile rack can be added, This has 100 MDC, and can hold one of the following configurations:
a) Micro-Missiles----- 80x 15mm McMs or 60x 20mm McMs or 42x 30mm McMs
b)’ Mini-Missiles---- 36 MMs per pod
This is compatible with ‘Copperhead’ and ’Cobra’ Anti-Tank Mini-Missiles.
( ‘Copperhead’)
Range: 1 mile
Damage: Armor-piercing: 2d4x10 MD, no blast radius
Bonuses: +5 to strike
(’Cobra’ )
Range: 2.8 miles
Damage: 2d4x10 MD, no blast radius, but CRITICAL(DOUBLE) damage on an unmodified strike roll of 18-20

c) SRM Pod: 10 SRMs per pod
This is compatible with Heavy ATGMs
Range: 1 mile
Damage: 3d6x10 MD to 20 ft blast radius
Payload: 6 SRMs in 2x3 launch boxes
Bonuses: +5 to strike

d) MRM Pod: 4 MRMs per pod

e)Slammer Concussion Missiles--Knockoff Triax Weapon, acquired through industrial espionage.
Range:(Missiles) 6,000 ft
Damage: (Missiles) 2d4x10 MD to 90 ft radius.
88% chance of knock-down(lose 1 APM and Initiative), 65% chance of being stunned(-10 to strike, dodge, parry, and roll, NO Initiative, HALF speed and APMs for 1d4 melees)
Rate of Fire: Volleys of 1-4 (all)
Payload: 4

f) L-SAM ‘Black Talon’ Launcher
Range: 3 miles
Damage: 3d4x10 MD to 40 ft blast radius
Rate of Fire: Volleys of 1-6
Payload: 18 per launcher
Bonus: +5 to strike, and gets TWO attempts to strike the target(agile enough to loop back on a target and try again)
g)*Forcefield Generator---Any of PS’s pod-mount forcefield generators can be carried.

*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.
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)

*Camou-Shroud---A variant of PS’s portable ‘scrambler’ shelter, only larger to cover the tank. This is a portable folding shelter that can be erected in minutes, providing protection from the elements, limited megadamage protection, as well as concealment from electronic and infra-red/thermographic detection.
The ‘Shelter’ consists of a yard-long ‘can’ that looks like a large drum. When activated, about a dozen articulated ‘spider leg’ structural members of carbon composite branch out, anchor themselves in the ground, and form the skeleton of a dome- or Quonset-shaped igloo. The pod then deploys a cover sheet of special plastics, with a ‘smart’ camouflage print, and integral sensor-baffling elements.
The Camouflage pattern sheet can be chemo-switched to any one of seven different configurations or an adaptive chameleon-weave. The support elements create a degaussing ‘bubble’ that scrambles radar signals(incoming and outgoing), as well as disrupting magnetic resonances(fouling Magnetic Anomaly Detectors), while the fabric itself insulates and dissipates the infra-red and thermal emissions and signatures of the occupants, rendering those means of detection less effective.
Care must be taken in setting up the Shelter---The igloo is not invisible to naked eyeball optical searches, so ‘blending’ the shelter into the natural landscape contours is essential for best results. For maximum comfort, a ground sheet or surfacing can be put down first.
The entire shelter can deploy/retract for stowage in 1 melee
MDC: The tent provides about 80 MDC of protection, however, against explosions, it is less effective(being non-rigid, shockwaves pass through its fabric), so explosives will do HALF damage to the occupants, regardless of how much MDC is left in the tent.
Special Features:
*Water-proofing
*Fire Proofing---Can handle temperatures up to 300 degrees centigrade. Normal fires do NO damage
*Minimal Radiation Shielding--The fabric shell provides some protection against radiation(such as that from expended U-rounds laying nearby, or fallout), but is not recommended for protection in ‘hot’ zones (good for maybe 5-6 minutes of exposure).
*Chameleon-cloth Fabric---Can assume one of seven pre-set color configurations or an adaptive chameleon-weave.
*Thermal Insulation-Infrared and Thermographic sensors are -20% to detect the shelter.
*Electronic Insulation- Radar, MAD, and EM sensors are -15% to detect the shelter
*Extendable Fiber-optic Periscope
Cost: 120,000 credits; currently unavailable outside GNE military forces and approved affiliates.


*Flamer Defense System---This can be an add-on to an existing flame-thrower system, or be wholly separate/independently installed. Based on an experiment in efforts to deter the tankerman’s worst nightmare, demolition-charge-armed infantry swarming up close, the system consists of four short-range flame projectors set up to surround the tank with a four-fan ring of flame.
Range:(Direct-Stream Mode) 100 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.

*TW Enhancements----With the installation of a PPE Powerstone to power technowizardry systems, the Breslin can be modified to use the standard run of TW enhancements for vehicles; mainly protective measures like Protective Energy Field, Invisibility, Impervious to Energy, Sound Cloaking System and Chameleon.

Variants:
No major variants of the Breslin have yet appeared, given its small distribution so far.
-------------
"Trouble rather the Tiger in his Lair,
Than the Sage among his Books,
For all the Empires and Kingdoms,
The Armies and Works that you hold Dear,
Are to him but the Playthings of the Moment,
To be turned over with the Flick of a Finger,
And the Turning of a Page"

--------Rudyard Kipling
------------
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taalismn
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Re: Paladin Steel Storefront

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Paladin Steel ‘Voltigeur’ Light Combat Robot
(aka ‘Ironface’, ‘Volty’, ‘Nutkrakker’)
“It’s essentially a teched-up UAR-1 Enforcer”

“What the geeners consider a ‘light unit’ would be considered an assault machine by the vast majority of lesser-tech nations. Even Triax Dragonwings take Volyies seriously because the ‘lights’ can pack a variety of nasty surprises, thanks to their modularity.”

“Oh, the Hadazadi are dismissive of the Volty as ‘tinker-tot lightweights’, but the fact is they’re jealous of more aces emerging in the Voltigeur and Sopdu squadrons than in the heavies. That, and we get more girls.”
---Anonymous USAJC meka-jock

“Rather than design a walker that flies, the Voltigeur team tried another approach; they designed a light aerospace fighter that walks.”

“MUERVs may be smaller and more heavily armored, but not as well-armed and they lack the presence a larger unit has. And for the cost of a single tricked-out MUERV, I can field two Voltigeurs and still have enough left over for ammo.”

“It takes a little getting used to, assuming the ‘superhero posture’ in flight, but once you get over it, it works quite effectively in high speed flight.”

In many ways the Voltigeur(named for a class of lightly-armed Napoleonic French skirmisher soldier) is PS/ASI’s answer to the ‘Selheya’. Marginally better armored than the CTRL machine, the Voltigeur is also more mobile in its baseline configuration. It is a light, fast, and agile combat unit with modular armaments, allowing it to be quickly reconfigured for a variety of fire-missions.
Mobility was to be a selling point in the new machine, and PS/ASI’s experience with full flight capabilities in the humanoid PS-MUERV03 Multi-Environment Utility and Exploration Robot Vehicle and PS-FC-37 Kishru Full Conversion Borg allowed them to successfully scale up the systems and control programs to the larger frame. The Voltigeur flies via a combination of antigravity and thrusters and is capable of full multi-environment operation..
The Voltigeur is visually distinctive because instead of a blank visor or sensor window, its head sports a rough humanoid ‘face’ with a chin, mouth, nose, and eyes. It was felt that a more anthropoid look would lend the ‘bot more intimidating ‘presence’, especially in police actions. The feature has become an excuse for artistic expression in many units, with garage and field modifications giving the ‘bots even more individualistic facial features. In addition, helmet crests and other decoration are common in units that allow such individualization of the stock design.
The Voltigeur is best used as a security patroller and scout. It is generally regarded in GNE/USA circles as a solid, if rather generic, basic light unit, good at a number of roles, but master of none.
The CTRL is considering the Voltigeur, or a version of it, seriously as a replacement for the Selheya and several other light types in its military inventory. The technowizardry-enhanced PS/ASI-LCRV30TW variant is particularly well-regarded, despite its greater cost per unit, and has attracted attention from the United Worlds of Warlock.

Type: PS/ASI-LCRV30 Voltigeur
Class: Light Combat Robot Vehicle
Crew: One. A passenger can squeeze in but conditions will be uncomfortable.
MDC/Armor by Location:
Main Body 400
Crew Compartment 100
Head 100
Arms(2) 150 each
Hands(2) 75 each
Legs(2) 200 each
Height: 19 ft
Width: 12 ft at shoulders
Length: 7.9 ft
Weight: 16 tons
Cargo: Small space in crew compartment for a survival pack, sidearm(s), and a few small personal possessions.
Physical Strength: Robotic P.S. of 40
Powerplant: Nuclear Fusion with 20 year energy life
Speed:
(Running) 100 MPH
(Leaping) Can jump 12 ft up/across standing jump, 18 ft up/across with a running start, 80 ft w/ jumpjet assist
(Flying) Hover to to 480 MPH; no altitude limit.
(Flying: Space) Can fly in space at Mach 6
(Underwater) Fully amphibious; can deep dive to 1 mile down, swim/thrust at 45 MPH, or run along the bottom at 20 MPH
Market Cost: 61 million credits
Systems of Note:
Standard Basic Robot Systems, plus:
*360-degree Waist Rotation

*Crash Control/Safety Restraints/Fire Control System---Reduces the damage that passengers take in a crash by HALF.

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

*Laser Illuminator---The head mounts a ‘painting’ laser for tagging illuminating targets for laser-guided ordnance. Range: 7 miles.

*Enhanced Radar---Flight capabilities require enhanced radar; the Voltigeur’s has a 90 mile range.

Weapons Systems:
1) Forearm Blasters(2)---Buried in each forearm and firing through an emitter in the palm is an energy weapon.
a) Pulse Laser
Range: 6,000 ft
Damage: 4d6 MD double blast, 1d4x10+8 MD quad blast, 1d6x10 MD full 5-shot blast
Rate of Fire: EPCHH
Payload: Effectively Unlimited
Cost: 270,000 credits

b) Ion Blaster
Range: 4,000 ft
Damage: 1d6x10+10 MD per blast
(Scatter-Shot Mode) Reduce range to 2,000 ft, but does 5d6 MD to a 30 ft wide area. Cost: 10,000 credits
Rate of Fire: EPCHH
Payload: Effectively Unlimited
Cost: 240,000 credits

c) Plasma Cannon
Range: (Plasma Shot)2,500 ft
(Plasma Scattershot) 900 ft
(Plasma Mini-Torpedo) 3,200 ft
Damage:(Plasma Shot) 1d6x10 MD
(Plasma Scattershot) 6d6 MD to 20 ft wide area
(Plasma Mini-Torpedo) 1d4x10 MD to 18 ft blast radius
Rate of Fire:(Plasma Shot) EPCHH
(Plasma Scattershot) EPCHH
(Plasma Mini-Torpedo) Twice per melee
Payload: Effectively Unlimited
Cost: 250,000 credits

d) EM Vortex Cannon---EMVC-07 ‘MagStorm’ ElectroMagnetic Vortex Cannon
Range: 6,000 ft in air and underwater
Damage: 1d4x10 MD at point of impact
Within a 60 ft radius, people, animals, and objects weighing less than 500 lbs are 90% likely to be knocked off their feet and hurled 3d4 yards/meters(lose 1 APM and Initiative), 65% chance of being stunned(-10 to strike, dodge, parry, and roll, NO Initiative, HALF speed and APMs for 1d4 melees).
Characters/objects of 500-1,000 lbs weight are 50% likely to be knocked aside 1d4 yards/meters.
Objects of a ton or more are only 25% likely to be knocked over.
Flying characters/objects get knocked away twice the normal distance.
Rate of Fire: EPCHH
Payload: Effectively unlimited
Bonus: Laser targeting add +1 to strike. EM bolts are -6 to dodge.
Cost: 120,000 credits

e) Particle Beam Blaster
Range: 11,000 ft(double in space)
Damage: 4d6x 10 MD single blast
Rate of Fire: EPCHH
Payload: Effectively Unlimited
Cost: 4 million credits

2) Laser Headlights(2)-----What look like the Voltigeur’s eyes are really laser scanner/projectors.
Range: 4,000 ft
Damage: 6d6 MD per blast, 1d6x10 MD per simultaneous blast from both headlights.
Rate of Fire: EPCHH
Payload: Effectively unlimited

3) Smoke/Gas Dispensers(2)---Mounted on the legs in the same position as the smoke mortars of the UAR-1 Enforcer, but larger and more heavily shielded against wear and tear, are two multi-tube multipurpose smoke/gas/flare/chaff launcher arrays. They can also pop antipersonnel grenades.
Range: (Smoke/Grenades) 1,200 ft
(Triax Style) 500 ft
(Northern Gun Style) 6,000 ft, creates a 30 ft cloud, +10 ft per each additional chaff/flare launched in the volley. Cloud lasts 2 melees before dissipating(or less in a very strong wind).
Damage:
(Smoke) Smoke in a 30 ft radius+15 ft per additional round launched in the volley.
(30 mm Grenade)(Incendiary) 2d4 MD to a 12 ft blast radius, plus an additional 1d6 MD per melee for 1d6 melees.
(HE) 2d6(12 ft blast radius)
(Chaff-Triax Style)
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
(Chaff-Northern Gun Style)
10% chance per chaff cloud deployed of decoying missiles, up to maximum of 60%
Aircraft, power armor, and beings flying through the chaff will be -6 on perception, -3 on initiative, -5 to strike, -2 to parry, -2 dodge, and lose 1 melee attack that round(or the next). Sensory and Piloting rolls are at -20% for as long as the characters are caught in the cloud, and the next as they recover.
Rate of Fire: Volleys of 1,2,3, or 6
Payload: 12 flares/smoke charges per launcher
Cost: 2,000 credits per launcher, Smoke grenades cost 60 credits each, standard 30mm HE grenades cost 400 credits each, armor-piercing cost 550 credits each. Triax flares/chaff cost 75 credits a bundle, NG-style flares/chaff cost 65 credits each.


4)(Optional) Shoulder Weapon Racks(1-2)--- One or two folding ‘wing’ racks can be added to the back of the shoulders. These can mount fire-over-the-shoulder weaponry, or can be used to carry handheld weapons when not in use. Each rack-mount can carry ONE of the following:
a) Missile Rack---24 Mini-Missiles OR 12 Short Range Missiles OR 6 Medium Range Missiles

b) L-SAM ‘Black Talon’
Range: 3 miles
Damage: 3d4x10 MD to 40 ft blast radius
Rate of Fire: Volleys of 1,2,3, or 4(all)
Payload: 8 per launcher
Bonus: +5 to strike, and gets TWO attempts to strike the target(agile enough to loop back on a target and try again)

c) Micromissile Launcher Box---Holds 5x25-shot 15/20mm cassettes(125 micromissiles total), or 96x 30mm micromissile cassettes.

d)Copperhead Missile Launcher
Range: 1 mile
Damage: Armor-piercing: 2d4x10 MD, no blast radius
Rate of Fire:Volleys of 1-6
Payload: 12 per launcher
Bonuses: +5 to strike

e) WZT/ASI Light or Medium Weapon Mount

f) Forcefield Generator Pod---Can carry any of the self-powered VEFF0series fircefield pods. 100-360 MDC.

g) EW Pod--Electronic jamming system that gives radar-guided weaponry a -4 to strike the aircraft. Or it can be used offensively, to foil ALL radar-guided weaponry in a 15 mile radius(-2 to strike)

h) 30mm Autocannon/PS-862 AC Anti-Aircraft Flak Cannon(Paladin Steel knockoff of the TriaxTX-862FC)---Single mount that swivels over the shoulders.
Range:10,000 ft
Damage:4d6 MD single rd, 1d6x10 MD two rd burst, 3d6x10 MD six-round burst
Rate of Fire:EPCHH
Payload:400 rds per cannon
Cost: 500,000 credits

i) FA-A9 2-pounder (40mm)Autocannon---Single mount that swivels over the shoulders.
Range:(High Velocity Round)5,000 yards(15,000 ft)
Maximum AA altitude w/ HV shells: 13,300 ft
(Low Velocity Round) 3,800 yards(11,400 ft)
Damage:(Fragmentation) 4d6 MD to 6 ft blast radius
(High Explosive) (HV) 1d4x10+3 MD to 1.5 ft blast radius
(LV)1d4x10 MD to 1.5 ft blast radius
Rate of Fire: 120 rounds per minute(or up to 30 rds per melee)
Payload: 240 rounds
Cost: 150,000 credits
High Velocity(Fragmentation) shells cost 200 credits apiece, 245 credits for HE
Low Velocity(Fragmentation) shells cost 180 credits apiece, 200 credits for HE

j) PS-US-RG14PS Boom Gun---PS produces a high-powered rail gun akin to the Glitterboy’s RG-14, only with a different mounting, style, and lack of laser-reflective armor.
Range: 11,000 ft
Damage: 3d6x10 MD per shot
Sonic shock effects remain unchanged.
Rate of Fire: ECHH
Payload: 180 rd drum
Cost: 280,000 credits

k)Mass Driver Cannon---The old 60mm Snapfire artillery weapon.
Range:(Direct Fire Mode): 6000 ft
(Artillery Mode) 2 .5 miles
Damage:(Direct Fire Mode) 3d6x10 MD, no blast radius
(Artillery Mode) Everything within the 30 ft blast radius takes 2D6x10 M.D. and has a 75% chance of being knocked flat.
Rate of Fire:(Direct Fire Mode) EPCHH
(Artillery Mode) Three times per melee
Payload: 50 rds
Bonuses/Penalties: +1 strike in direct fire mode. -2 to strike in Artillery mode.
Cost: 250,000 credits

l)PS-L-CIWS Vulcan Chain Gun(aka “Button Gun”)---This installation, introduced on the Type 9 Weapons Carrier, then adapted as an air defense weapon option for many PS vehicles. The system is a very compact and neat installation that takes up little space. The PS-L-CIWS is often called the “Button Gun” because of its squat, flattened dome-like turret.
Range: 4,000 ft
Damage: 1d4x10 MD per 20 rd burst(can only fire bursts)
Rate of Fire: EPCHH, as an automated defense system linked to a radar/sensor system, the “Button Gun” has a +2 to strike, and four attacks per melee.
Payload:4,000 rd drum(100 bursts)
Cost: 30,000 credits

m) Multiplexor----MagePod Model 0.1F featuring a four-slot Spell Card ‘magazine’, allowing the operators to click between four spells with the flip of a switch.
Range: Varies by spell
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 basic Mage Pod system costs about 1 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.
PPE 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
(‘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

n) TW Missile Pod---Holds 36 Mini-Rockets OR 18 Large Rockets

o) Special Ordnance: MAULER---Though meant as a skirmisher, the Voltigeur can carry a tactical WMD MAULER ‘Davy Crocket’-style nuclear mortar system. The mech can mount a single-shot launcher on one of its back-rack hardpoints. During the Travesdeen War, a fast-flanking Voltigeur raider destroyed a Dimensional Boreship-carrier with an Annihilation warhead.
Range: (MAULER-A) 2.5 miles
(MAULER-B) 20 miles.
Damage:
Varies by Long Range Missile Warhead employed.

*High Explosive----1d4x100 MD to 70 ft blast radius

*TW Magma Weapon---Modified River of Lava spell, that creates a pool 450 ft in diameter instead, that lasts 15 minutes. If deployed in shallow water it lasts only 7 minutes and does HALF damage, but creates huge bubbles, kills local sea life, and produces a massive cloud of superheated steam that blinds anyone on the surface, fouls up thermographic imaging systems, and creates a belching sonar static that can screw up passive sonar systems in the area.

*TW Tsunami Weapon---Designed for attacking coastal targets,this weapon creates a tidal wave roughly 150 ft high, 3,000 ft long, lasts 15 melees, reach as far as 450 ft inland, and does 4d6x10 MD per melee. Also has a 75% chance of capsizing any ships it catches.
Note: This weapon is INEFFECTIVE unless aimed at a sizable body of water, such as an ocean, large lake, or deep river(at least 20 ft deep).

*TW Hurricane Weapon----Ocean-attack weapon, but can also be used against large lakes. Creates a massive sea storm that covers a 120 ft area, 100-150 mph winds, and 30 ft high waves. Does 3d6x10 MD per melee to large structures, and 1d6 MD to anyone caught out in the open. Effects last 15 minutes.

*TW Maelstrom Weapon---Another ocean-attack weapon, for attacking shipping and submarine warships/installations(though in the case of the tank-mounted weapon, it is typically used to attack coastal, lakeshore, or riverside targets), generating a sizeable whirlpool in any large body of water it is aimed at.
Whirlpools are 120 ft wide, lasts 15 minutes, and does 1d4x10 MD to anything caught in its center, 2d6x10 MD per melee to large ships, and 1d6x100 MD to them if they get submerged or if the whirlpool ‘breaks the ship’s back’.

*TW Earthquake Weapon---Warhead acts as a 15th level Elemental Earthquake spell; 3500 ft area of effect, doing 2d6x100 MD per melee, for fifteen melees. Generates a fissure 900 ft long, doing damage to everything within 600 ft on either side of it. A full spread of Earthquakers can destroy a county.

*TW Stormfront Weapon---Airburst warhead that unleashes a Tornado, and an accompanying Summon Storm, both equivalent to the 15th level Elemental Warlock Spells. The MAULER round actually launches 4 smaller warheads in the larger LRM casing.
Tornadoes are 100 ft in diameter, last 15 minutes, and do 3d6x10 MD per melee to anything caught by them, and an additional 2d6x10 MD to anything hurled out. Wood, clay, and stone structures take 4d6x10 points of damage(SDC or MDC), and trees are uprootted in one melee round. The tornado will also randomly wander about in a half-mile area before dispersing.
The storm element creates a drenching, obscuring downpour that drops 4 inches of rain per hour, does 1-6 points of structural S.D.C. per half hour, creates immobilizing floods, and reduces visibility to near zilch; storm covers a 14 mile area, and lasts 7 hours

*TW Sphere of Annihilation---The most expensive and devastating of the TW Warheads is the Sphere of Annihilation, that creates a minute quantity of anti-matter, that explodes with a force greater than any nuclear device of comparable size! The MAULER round actually launches 4 smaller warheads in the larger LRM casing.
The warhead does 2d4x100 MD to a point target, plus an additional 4d6x10 MD to a 10 ft radius, and have a +3 on top of targeting system bonuses, to strike their target. The submunitions can be ‘shotgunned’ to spread out over a 1,000 ft arc to spread the joy across a wider front, or can be targeted on one target. All four submunitions going off on one target do 8d4x100 MD, 4d6x10 MD to a 150 ft radius, and 2d4x10 MD out to 300 ft!

*Enhanced EMP Weapon---Developed with the assistance of Kera-Tech scientists, this weapon generates an intense Electro-Magnetic Pulse capable of frying unshielded electronics and disrupting even shielded military systems. Against technological societies, this weapon can cause absolute chaos!
The warhead does 1d4x100 EMP damage(no physical damage) to a 5,000 ft radius. The resulting percentage of the target location MDC is the chance of shutdown/disablement. All damage is cumulative. Damage in excess of 50% target MDC will require repair to make it functional; 75% or more damage will require replacement of the entire electrical system. Does double damage to non-shielded civilian systems. Bionics are -1 to dodge, roll, and strike for the affected limb/system, lasting 1d4 melees, non-cumulative, before the system resets itself.

*Fusion Cluster Weapon---Deploys 11 submunitions that orient in flight to fire a directed blast of plasma at a target---Does 1d4x100+10 MD to a 15 ft blast radius,6d6 MD concussion damage to a 55 ft blast radius.

*Nuclear Warhead---Details of the Paladin Steel nuclear armaments program remain classified, but speculation is that the most likely ‘nuke’ warhead deployed would be a dialable yield 2-10kt weapon.
Rate of Fire: Single Shot
Payload: 1

p) Recon Sensor Pod---Typically contains photo-optical cameras and similar sensory gear, but other types, such as radiation, chemical, and PPE-sensitive instrumentation are possible.

5)(Optional) Handheld Weapons---The Voltigeur can pick up and use mech-scaled hand weapons such as gun pods and missile launchers, melee weapons, and shields. It can also pick up and use objects like boulders, utility poles, and pipes as improvised weapons.

6)(Optional)Plasma Sabers(2)---Housed in each thigh compartment/holster is a short-range plasma arc, that snaps out of its armored holster into the hand of the 'bot. Using a small start-up supply of reaction-gas, the plasma saber's heating coils superheat the gas to plasma temperatures, then push it out thru a rapidly-degenerating magnetic confinement field to form a plasma plume or "saber". Once lit, the saber uses local atmospheric gases,
drawn in through the hollow pommel, and heated by coils powered from induction coils in the bot's hand, to keep the reaction going.
Range: 12 ft melee range
Damage: 2d4x10 MD per strike
Rate of Fire: EPCHH
Payload: Unlimited

Hand to Hand Combat
Restrained Punch 1d4 MD
Full Strength Punch 2d6 MD
Power Punch(2 attacks) 4d6 MD
Tear/Pry with Hands 4d4 MD
Body Block/Tackle 1d6 MD
Stomp 1d6 MD
Kick 3d8 MD
Leap Kick(2 attacks) 5d8 MD
Flyiing Leap Kick(2 attacks) 6d8 MD

Combat Training/Bonuses:
The Voltigeur uses the Heavy Ground Robot training rules and bonuses, but with the following changes/additions:
+3 to dodge in ground combat when in motion
+4 to dodge in flight
+4 to roll with punch or impact

Options:

*Vibroclaws---Either retractable bionic-style vibroclaws or a single vibroblade (2d4 MD in both cases) can be mounted on the forearms. Cost: 9,800 credits per arm

*Booster Jets----Auxiliary rocket thrusters add bursts of speed. Increases flying speed by 25% for up to 5 minutes, before needing to throttle down and cool off/recharge for 30 minutes. Cost: 1.2 million credits

*Appliqué Heavy Combat Armor----Armor plate overlays add protective value to the main body (+150 MDC), legs (+90 MDC), and arms (+60 MDC), but also add weight and encumberance, and increase weight by 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. Adding more than 50% of the ‘bot’s base weight will reduce maximum speed by HALF, reduce hand to hand bonuses by HALF.
*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: +6,000 credits+cost of armor

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

Variants:
*PS/ASI-LCRV30T---Two-seater trainer

*PS/ASI-LCRV30TW---Technowizardry-enhanced model.
Changes/Modifications:
MagePlate Armor(Formulation-1C)
The -LCRV30TW is sheathed in the advanced Formulation-1C MagePlate armor which has reached full mass production status; it lacks F-1B’s vulnerability to magic, but takes DOUBLE the PPE to repair...1 MDC=2 PPE/4 ISP. costs 50% more than regular armor plate, but weighs 25% less.

Market Cost: 65 million credits
Powerplant:
Supplemental PP Powerstone Generator----(‘Wizard’)----400 PPE battery capacity; recharges at 14 PPE per hour, 50 PPE/hour at a leyline, 100 PPE/hour on a nexus

*TW Enhancements---The TW PPE Powerstone integral to the powerplant allows for the quick addition of TW enhancements:

*Ectofiber Insulation Grid---Magical Attacks do HALF damage.

*Forcefield---Provides 50 MDC per 10 PPE/20 ISP pumped into the system; lasts 10 minutes per 10 PPE/20 ISP.

*Impervious to Energy---5 minutes per 20 PPE.

*Overdrive/Full Throttle---Increase maximum speed by 40% for 3 minutes, but -5% to piloting rolls(-20% for trick maneuvers), 10 PPE per activation.

*Leyline Booster---Accelerates the flier up to 50% greater top speed when on a leyline, -10% to pilot skill when engaged.

*Doppleganger-Cloak----This amplification of the Multiple Images Spell allows the aircraft to project multiple ‘ghost’ images of itself(up to 3 separate images). These multiple images can carry out a series of preprogrammed ariel maneuvers(can also simulate weapons fire/gun flashes, but only if the mothership is also firing at the same time), but must remain within a mile of the the projecting aircraft(or they vanish without a trace). Also note that the images don’t show up on radar or thermo-imaging, and cannot be used to fool homing missiles, though they DO give off a PPE trace similar to the projecting aircraft.
Range: ‘Ghosts’ can be projected up to 5,000 ft away
Duration: 5 minutes per activation
PPE Activation Cost: 20 PPE per activation

*Flicker-Dodge---A special capability, and an application of the Astral Hole spell. This allows the flier to quickly dodge out of sight/reality, for a few seconds, or move up to 2000 ft sideways, up, down, or backwards , with a +2 to dodge while doing so. Typically, an aircraft can engage this system 6 times before needing to recharge the system on a Ley Line(takes about 24 hours), or the pilot can pump in 60 PPE per “flicker-dodge”.

Weapons Systems:
1) TW Forearm Blasters----Choice of::
f) Fireball Cannon
Range:2,000 ft
Damage: 4d6 MD per blast
Rate of Fire: ECHH
Payload: Effectively unlimited(spells must be renewed every six months, or can be powered off the PPE batteries: 12 PPE per10 shots
Cost: 90,000 credits

g)Power Bolt
Range:(Power Bolt)2,600 ft
Damage:(Power Bolt) 5d6+20 MD per blast
Rate of Fire: ECHH
Payload: Effectively unlimited(spells must be renewed every six months, or can be powered off the PPE batteries: (Power Bolt) 10 PPE per shot
Cost: 110,000 credits

h)Ballistic Fire
Range:(Ballistic Fire)1,100 ft
Damage:(Ballistic Fire)1d6 MD per shot and shoots 10 bolts, targets are -10 to dodge
Rate of Fire: ECHH
Payload: Effectively unlimited(spells must be renewed every six months, or can be powered off the PPE batteries:(Ballistic Fire) 13 PPE per shot
Cost: 90,000 credits

i) Ice Projector
Range: (Hail)4,000 ft, and affects a 50 ft radius
(Ten Foot Ball of Ice)7,000 ft
Damage: (Hail)8d4 MD for 8 minutes(32 melees) to a 50 ft radius
(Ten Foot Ball of Ice)2d6 MD on impact, then explodes, 60 ft blast radius, shedding hundreds of icy shards. Human-sized objects caught in its way will get hit with 1d6 shards, each doing 2d6 MD. Fighter- and Robot-sized targets (16 ft or larger) will get hit by 1d4x10 shards. Ships and targets 50 ft and larger will get hit by 2d4x10 shards. Victims must save versus magic or suffer debilitating numbness; -1 APM, -2 initiative, -1 strike/parry/dodge, and speed is reduced by 10%. Effects last 1d4 minutes, and are NOT cumulative. The Ice Ball has 70 MDC.
Rate of Fire: EGCHH
Payload: Effectively unlimited(spells must be renewed every six months, or can be powered off the PPE batteries: (Hail)10 PPE per shot
(Ten Foot Ball of Ice)25 PPE per shot
Cost: 1.8 million credits

j)Wind Blast
Range:(Wind Blast)5,000 ft
Damage:(Wind Blast)2d4x10+30 MD per blast, plus knockdown effects
Rate of Fire: ECHH
Payload: Effectively unlimited(spells must be renewed every six months, or can be powered off the PPE batteries:(Wind Blast) 20 PPE per shot
Cost: 650,000 credits

k) TK Mini-Gun
Range:2,000 ft
Damage: 5d6 MD per blast
Rate of Fire: ECHH
Payload: Effectively unlimited(spells must be renewed every six months, or can be powered off the PPE batteries: 16 PPE per10 shots
Cost: 90,000 credits
-------------
"Trouble rather the Tiger in his Lair,
Than the Sage among his Books,
For all the Empires and Kingdoms,
The Armies and Works that you hold Dear,
Are to him but the Playthings of the Moment,
To be turned over with the Flick of a Finger,
And the Turning of a Page"

--------Rudyard Kipling
------------
User avatar
taalismn
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Posts: 47909
Joined: Tue Sep 02, 2003 8:19 pm
Location: Somewhere between Heaven, Hell, and New England

Re: Paladin Steel Storefront

Unread post by taalismn »

Even MORE New MOS’s for ‘s Omegasgundam GNE OCCs:
The staggering range of exoitic environemnts encountered by the GNE, thanks to the Rifts, has led, in response, to an increasing range of specialists adapted to those evironments. Sometimes these are personnel expected to wrest specific resources from those environments, others are already adapted to living in them(and were recruited into the GNE/USA).

GNE Subterrane Specialist MOS(Available to the GNE Soldier/Grunt , Special Forces O.C.Cs and GNE Technical Officer)
(aka ‘Cave Corps’, ‘Cavity Creep’, ‘Underminers’, ‘Super-Sappers’)

“Cavers Dig In and Go Deep,”

The discovery of prevously unknown subterranean biomes and dimensional rifts under the crust of Rifts Earth, underground pocket dimensions, and a variety of worlds sporting subcrustal habitats and civilizations(usually due to hostile surface conditions) has led to the emergence of soldiers trained to excel in such close quarters, confined environments.
Trainees in this MOS MUST pass a basic requirement for mental endurance; claustrophobia is NOT acceptable in a SubterSpec. Training further toughens the cadet’s mind against the terrors, real and imagined, of close confines, while physical training makes the body more flexible and better able to handle the often tainted air of cavern environnments. Finally, trainees are taught to rely on senses other than sight to fight in coditions of total darkness.
GNE Cave Corps MOSs are frequently found on Rifts Earth with the Project COMPASS DOWNSIDE explorations, and elsewhere exploring and exploiting the cavern systems and subterranean environments of other worlds.
- Horror Desensitization
- Spelunking(+15%)
- Excavation(+10%)
- Climbing(+10%)
- Navigation: Underground(+10%)
- Oxygen Conservation
- Contortionist (Physical) by Taalismn
Skill in the ability to relax muscles and twist joints beyond normal comfort tolerances. Contortionism teaches many of the same techniques as Escape Artist, but has more of a gymnastics bent to it; skilled contortionists can twist , bend, and squeeze themselves into seemingly agonizing positions without harm. Besides being able to squeeze through narrow openings, a well-practiced contortionist can seemingly compact themselves into small spaces or twist themselves into decidedly painful-looking configurations(like being able to bend one’s legs up behind their back and touch their forehead with their toes).
Base Requirement: Must have a P.P. of 13 or greater.
Base Skill: 30 % + 5% per level of experience. P.P. bonus numbers apply as percentages(so a P.P. 22 bonus of +4 counts as +4%).
A failed roll means the desired position is just too painful to attain or hold for long, and the contortionist snaps back to their regular posture.
Modifiers: +5% if a Meditation or Yoga skill is also taken, and another +5% the person can limber up or relax for 2d4 minutes beforehand.
Bonuses:
+1 to Roll with Punch, Fall, or Impact
+5% to Spelunking
+10% to Escape Artist
+2 to Save Versus Pain, +4 if that pain is caused by dislocation of the limbs or twisting of the body.
- Pilot: Tracked and Construction Vehicles(Tunneling Machines)(+10%)
- Blindfighting--- Focus training on fighting blind and using other senses.(+15%)
- Two close combat W.P/s of choice from the following:( Axe, Blunt, Chain, Forked, Grappling Hook, Knife, Staff, Spear, or Sword )


GNE Support Pilot MOS (Available to the GNE RPA/Aircraft Pilot )
(aka ‘Flying Teamster’, ‘Aerial Truck Driver’, ‘Brick-Flier’)
“-thank you for flying Air Paladin, As you exit the aircraft, please flip your seats into the ‘closed’ position, secure your gear, and please don’t leave any unsecured explosives aboard-”

Not everybody is cut out to be a fighter pilot or mech-jock; somebody has to pilot the many transports, support craft, gunships, and large fixed-wing bombers that the GNE has backstopping its forces. There’s some overlap with the GNE Spacer OCC as this MOS offers training in transamospheric shuttlecraft, but generally Support Pilots stick to the ‘soup’( atmosphere).
* • Parachuting or Grav Pack: (+20%)
• Pilot Aircraft: three of choice from:Airplane, Combat Pod, Jet Aurcraft(Commercial), Helicopter, Combat Helicopter,. Jet Aircraft, Lighter-Than-Air Vehicles or Space Shuttle, all at+15% each
• Pilot Atmospheric Grav Craft: (+20%)
• Wilderness Survival (+5%)
-------------
"Trouble rather the Tiger in his Lair,
Than the Sage among his Books,
For all the Empires and Kingdoms,
The Armies and Works that you hold Dear,
Are to him but the Playthings of the Moment,
To be turned over with the Flick of a Finger,
And the Turning of a Page"

--------Rudyard Kipling
------------
User avatar
taalismn
Priest
Posts: 47909
Joined: Tue Sep 02, 2003 8:19 pm
Location: Somewhere between Heaven, Hell, and New England

Re: Paladin Steel Storefront

Unread post by taalismn »

PS/ASI -MBT-29 ‘Ishrad’ Main Battle Tank
(aka ‘’Slate-walker ‘’, ‘Zombie-Tank’)

“Another brick with big guns. A slow crawler, but any hovertanker or ‘bot-jock can tell you that if a crawler can lay down enough heavy fire on you, it doesn’t matter if it’s a ground-slogger or a flier, you’re still dead.”

“The Ishrad does for the Vyrm Tyrannis what the Cestus did for the Shadowblade; provides a simpler, cheaper, easier to maintain vehicle that’s available to the main rank and file forces. It’s less artistic-scary and more workaday functional. Oh, the Steel Hammer’s got more armor, but the Ish can get itself places a regular crawler can’t, and the whole compatibility with their aerospace weapons males this thing a good choice for forward airbase security and colonial militias with an aerospace component. The robotic options also make it attractive for an attriitionable asset with a ready supply of replacement units coming from multiple factories of the sort PS likes to set up as make-work projects on its new partner worlds.”

“-Wondering why the option list’s a little light? No technowiz stuff on the list? Oh, you can fit your Ishrad with that stuff if you want, but if you’re into the tech-magic goggery, you’re maybe better off ispending the extra coin and getting yourself a Tyrannis. The Ishy’s just the more mundane economy-class clanker in the family.”

“We deployed four companies of robo-armor in the Ceethan Pass in a possible line of PINCER GOLIATH’s advance. Good thing we did, because after it came up from the sea and went up the pass slope, there was nothing left moving there. Anybody stationed there would have been slaughtered. But give credit where credit is due, those ‘bot-tanks died hard, and in doing so bled the beast hard, and slowed it down long enough for us to get some of the surface to space artillery batteries repositioned to start dropping kews on the bastard before it could reach Walthersport and fifty-thousand souls.”

The ‘Ishrad’ is a derivative of the PS-MBT-28 ‘Vyrm Tyrannis’ Main Battle Tank, a heavy crawler AFV in service with the GNE and its colonial forces. The ‘Ishrad’ is a ‘simplified’ variant of the Vyrm Tyrannis, meant for faster production and more widespread distribution in the United Systems Alliance and its affiliates. Primary production lines were established on Darad, bu secondary sites were soon established on Kampadow, Synthar and Mazah.
The Ishrad is more angular than the Vyrm Tyrannis, and does away with the ornate ‘monster hide’ in favor of unbroken stretches of reformulated armor plate on all cardinal facings. The articulated four-tread drive train has been retained, but the robotic ‘quad-walker’ legs have been made part of the suspension system, simplifying things. The Ishrad is lower in profile than the Vurm Tyrannis, the crew being housed entirely in the more heavily protected lower hull, though an accessway still allows access through the turret to an observation cupola. Primary armament is concentrated in the turret, and the Ishrad is configured to use the same standardized weapons as the PS/ASI/WZT Standard Aerospace Weapons system. The Ishrad can be fitted with the full range of standarized AFV options, but technowizardry systems are not generally applied to the Ishrad, it being considered the Vurm Tyrannis’s role as the ‘Wizard Tank’.
The Ishrad is also configured to be used as a semiautonomous robot combat drone, either for live fire practice, or as a perimeter patrol unit. It has also been used as a decoy. picket and as a shock unit.
Since its introduction the Ishrad has seen deployment primarily with the GNE’s colonial defense forces, the USA Regular Army’s garrison forces, and affiliated worlds’ militias. Worlds like Crosyar use battle-lines of Ishrads to herd and deter the megafauna that can be a dangerous nuisance to the walled communities and croplands. Crosyar was so impressed with their Ishrads, they asked to set up a local assembly line. The CCW colony of Heral has also bought large numbers of Ishrads as a hedge against remaining Infernal weaponized megagauna left behind on the planet.

Type: PS/ASI -MBT-29 ‘Ishrad’
Class: Main Battle Tank
Crew: 4(can be operated by three in a pinch)
MDC/Armor by Location:
Main Body 800
Reinforced Crew Compartment(main body) 200
Treads(4) 120 each
Turret 325
Main Gun 170
(Optional)Cupola-mount Rail Gun 60
Bow Gun 50

Height: 18 ft.
Width: 25 ft
Length: 40 ft
Weight: 74 tons
Cargo: Minimal storage space.
Powerplant: Nuclear Fusion w/ 20 year energy life
Speed: (Treads) 100 MPH
(Walking) 15 MPH, but can clamber over obstacles and climb a 60 degree grade.
(Underwater) Limited to fording and driving along the bottom; can seal itself up and drive underwater along the bottom of rivers and lakes. 7 MPH maximum, and can survive depths down to 100 ft.
Market Cost: 34 million credits
Systems of Note:
* Full NBC(Nuclear, Biological, Chemical) shielding, air filtration, and independant life support.
* IR/Visible Light Headlights
* Low-Light Optics(Passive night vision and InfraRed)
* Radio----500 mile long range, 5 mile short range
* Loudspeaker(90 decibels)
* Short Range Radar-----(15 mile range)
* Motion Detector/Proximity Alarm-------600 ft range
* Laser Targeting System(+1 to strike)
* Combat Computer(+1 to strike)
*Extendable Grousers----Taking advantage of new ‘memory materials’, PS has fitted the Ishrad with extendable grousers that effectively widen the treads to better handle soft ground and
snow(Effectively moves across these surfaces without penalty). Morphing/de-morhing the treads
only takes one melee.

*Periscope---The Ishrad 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.

Weapons Systems:
1)Main Gun---The Ishrad’s turret can accept any of the Vyrm Tyrannis’s conventional weapons, plus it can use the PS/ASI/WZT Standard Aerospace Weapons system.

a) 120 mm Cannon(PS-AC-B120)
Range: 6,000 ft
Damage: High Explosive(HE): 1d6x10 MD to 20 ft blast radius
High Explosive Anti-Tank(HEAT): 2d6x10 MD to 10 ft blast radius
Armor Piercing(AP) 1d4x10 MD, no blast radius
APSD: 2d4x10 MD, no blast radius
Rate of Fire: 3 times per melee
Payload: 80 rds
Cost: 240,000 credits

b) 100mm MB Massdriver Cannon(PS-MDJ100M)
Range:(Direct Fire APFSDSDU) 27,000 ft (5.4 miles)
(Indirect Fire) 67,500 ft( 13.7 miles)
Damage: High Explosive(HE)---- 1d6x10 MD to 20 ft radius
High Explosive Anti-Tank(HEAT)---- 2d6 x10 MD to 10 ft radius
Fragmentation--- 2d6x10 MD to 30 ft radius
Plasma-----3d6x10 MD to 35 ft radius
(APFSDSDU)(Armor Piercing Fin Stabilized Discarding Sabot Depleted Uranium) 4d6x10 MD out to 11,000 ft, 2d6x10 MD out to maximum range
Rate of Fire: Four times per melee
Payload: 100 rds
Cost: 1.8 million credits

c) Heavy Rail Gun
Range: 11,000 ft
Damage: 3d4x10 MD per 40 rd burst; can only fire bursts.
Rate of Fire: ECHH
Payload: 8,000 rd drum(200 bursts)
Cost: 250,000 credits

d) Gatling Cannon---PS-XGECAL 50 “Ripkiller”---Based on the pre-Rifts .50 caliber GECAL 50 Six Barrel Machine Gun, this weapon fires high explosive shells(based on the Wellington Industries Heavy Explosive shells) over three miles, to devastating effect. It has excellent range and hitting power, and can be used in both the ground suppression and antiaircraft roles.
Range: 19,000 ft!
Damage: 1d4 MD single shot, 1d4x10 MD per 12 shot burst(1 attack), 2d4x10 MD per 24 rd burst(2 attacks), 4d4x10 MD per 60 rd burst(3 attacks), 1d4x100 MD per 120 shot burst(takes ALL attacks that melee)
Rate of Fire: ECHH
Payload: 2,400 round drum (20 full-melee bursts)
Cost: 250,000 credits

e) Heavy Pulse Laser
Range: 8,000 ft
Damage: 4d6 MD single blast
1d4x10 +6 MD double blast
1d6x10 +10 MD triple blast
Rate of Fire: EPCHH
Payload: Unlimited linked to nuclear power source
Cost: 3.7 million credits

f) Series 2098 Heavy Ion Cannon
Range: 6,000 ft
Damage: 3d4x10 MD per shot
On a Natural 20(Critical Strike) the ion weapon does TRIPLE damage instead of the normal double damage
Rate of Fire: 4 times per melee
Payload: Effectively unlimited
Cost: 1.2 million credits

g) Heavy Plasma Cannon
Range: 4,000 ft
Damage: 1d4x10 MD per blast
*Can be increased by 50% with a ‘hot shot’ injection of deuterium gas
Rate of Fire: EGCHH
Payload: Effectively unlimited linked to nuclear power source
Deuterium Gas Reservoir has enough gas under pressure for 45 shots.
Cost: 3 million credits, plus 1,200 credits per deuterium ‘hotshot’ cartridge.

h) Particle Beam Cannon---A rapid-fire particle beam cannon, adapted from the KLS Mrk IV Glitterboy PB-20 Rapid Acceleration Particle Beam Cannon.
Range: 11,000 ft
Damage: 4d6x 10 MD single blast
Rate of Fire: ECHH
Payload: Effectively unlimited
Cost: 4.2 million credits

i)WZT/ASI Medium Weapon Mounts


2)Co-Axial Gun--- Whereas the Vyrm Tyrannis mounted two co-axial turret guns flanking the main cannon, the Ishrad carries only one:
a) Light Pulse Laser
Range: 4,000 ft
Damage: 3d6 MD single shot. 1d4x10+6 MD per triple-shot burst
Rate of Fire: EGCHH
Payload: Effectively Unlimited
Cost: 30,000 credits

b)Ion Pulse-Gun
Range: 800 ft
Damage: 4d6 MD single shot
1d4x10 MD per three-shot burst
Rate of Fire: Standard
Payload: Effectively Unlimited
Options: Like the handgun version, the vehicle-mounted version can be similarly modified for extra effect/power:
Note: It takes a person with the Weapons Engineer skill a successful roll and about 5 minutes to install and test one of the following modules, those with the Armorer/Field Armorer skill about 10 minutes, and someone following the printed instructions about 30-45 minutes to install/swap modules.

*Ion Scatter-Shot Module---This is a barrel clip-on that turns the PSIP-2 into a short range shotgun with an area of effect blast. Reduce range to 400 ft, but does 4d6 MD to a 10 ft wide area. Cost: 5,000 credits

*Ion Booster Module---Another barrel attachment that boosts the range of the ion bolts, albeit with a small reduction in damage capability. Reduce damage to 3d6 MD, but boost range to 1,500 ft. Cost: 7,000 credits

*Ion Focal Booster Module---Aka ‘Puncher’---This barrel attachment improves the focus of the ion pulse density, improving damage at the cost of range. Reduce range to 400 ft, but up damage to 5d6 MD per shot. Cost: 5,000 credits.

*Laser Sight Module---Another underbarrel attachment, this consists of an improved laser sight that adds a bonus to strike, but the laser also creates a temporary ‘guidepath’ of disturbed/ionized air that slightly improves the striking power of the ion bolts. +2 to Strike, and +3 to damage per bolt. This can be used in conjunction with the other barrel attachments, but added damage is reduced to +2 MD. Cost: 1,000 credits

*Ion Step-Down Module---This barrel attachment, rather than increase range or power, actually ‘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. CAN be used in conjunction with the the Laser Sight Module. Switching between MD/SDC modes takes 2 actions. Popular with urban security and police units.
Range:(SDC shots) 600 ft
Damage: 1d6 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) Light Plasma Cannon
Range: 1,800 ft
Damage: 6d6 MD single shot
Rate of Fire: Equal to the pilot's combined hand to hand attacks, or 4 attacks in auto-defense mode.
Payload: Effectively Unlimited
Cost: 30,000 credits

d) Particle Beam ---Adapted version of the PSPBW-9 ‘FlareHammer’ Particle Beam Weapon
Range: 1,500 ft
Damage: 2d4x10 MD per shot
Rate of Fire: ECHH
Payload: Effectively Unlimited
Cost: 29,000 credits

e) 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 flamethrower can also be used to cover an area with fluid: up to 10 ft per attack used. Used with Super-Napalm, this does 1d4 MD, Incendi-Gel does 1d6 MD, and with Napalm-P, this does 2d6 MD.
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: 30,000 credits.

f) 7.62mm Machine Gun---Adapted version of the PS GMG M43, with a 20 inch barrel
Range: 7,500 ft
Damage:(SDC) 6d6 SDC single shot, 4d6 x10 SDC(1d4 MD) per 10 rd burst.
(Ramjets) 1 MD single shot, 1d10 MD per 10 rd burst.
(High Explosive)2d6x10 SDC single shot, 1d6 MD per 10 rd burst.
(PSX-2) 1d4 MD per rd, 1d4x10 MD per 10 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 800 rpm
Payload: 1,200-rd belt
Cost: 8,000 credits

g) .50 caliber Heavy Machine Gun
Range: 9,000 ft
Damage: (Standard Ammunition)1d6x10 SDC per single shot, 1d6x100(1d6 MD) per 10 round burst;
(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
(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: EGCHH
Payload: 2,000 rds(50 bursts) per gun
Cost: 9,000 credits

h) PS-100 Rail Gun
Range: 4000 ft
Damage: 1d4 MD single rd, 1d6x10 MD 60 rd burst
Rate of Fire: EPCHH
Payload: 12,000 rd drum(200 bursts)
Cost: 80,000 credits

i) PS-DL-110L Razor-Frizzer( a cut-down copy of an imported Russian design). The PS version uses ceramic and light alloy discs that, either by accident or deliberate design, give off a very audible high-pitched shrieking or buzzing noise when fired.
Range: 1,000 ft
Damage: 1d6 single projectile, 1d6x10 MD per 10 rd burst/volley
Rate of Fire: EGCHH
Payload: 500 shots per launcher
Cost: 18,000 credits

3)Bow Gun--- In lieu of the Vyrm Tyrannis’s foreleg-mounted light weapons, the Ishard has a more conventional ball-mount light weapon in the forward glacis plate. It is operated by eitherthe driver or the co-driver.
a) 7.62mm Machine Gun
Range: 3,000 ft
Damage: 6d6 SDC single round, 4d6x10 SDC per 10 round burst.
Rate of Fire: Standard
Payload: 600 rd belt

b) Light Rail Gun
Range:4,000 ft
Damage: 1d4 MD single rd. 6d6 MD per 30 rd burst
Rate of Fire: EGCHH
Payload: 600 rd magazine
Cost: 60,000 credits

c) Light Pulse Laser
Range:4,000 ft
Damage: 3d6 MD single shot. 1d4x10+6 MD per triple-shot burst
Rate of Fire: EGCHH
Payload: 300 shot battery per gun for conventionally powered models. Effectively Unlimited w/ nuclear powerplant
Cost: 30,000 credits

d) Ion Blaster---Variant of the popular PSIP-2 ‘Smasher’ series. Mount has a 45-degree arc of fire. Like the handheld version, it can be modified for additional damage effects.
Range: 800 ft
Damage: 4d6 MD single shot
1d4x10 MD per three-shot burst
Rate of Fire: Standard
Payload: 300 shot battery for fuel cell models, effectively unlimited for nuclear-powered models. Can also use a back-up e-clip system; 30 shots short e-clip, 60 shots long e-clip
Options: Like the handgun version, the vehicle-mounted version can be similarly modified for extra effect/power:
Note: It takes a person with the Weapons Engineer skill a successful roll and about 5 minutes to install and test one of the following modules, those with the Armorer/Field Armorer skill about 10 minutes, and someone following the printed instructions about 30-45 minutes to install/swap modules.

*Ion Scatter-Shot Module---This is a barrel clip-on that turns the PSIP-2 into a short range shotgun with an area of effect blast. Reduce range to 400 ft, but does 4d6 MD to a 10 ft wide area. Cost: 5,000 credits

*Ion Booster Module---Another barrel attachment that boosts the range of the ion bolts, albeit with a small reduction in damage capability. Reduce damage to 3d6 MD, but boost range to 1,500 ft. Cost: 7,000 credits

*Ion Focal Booster Module---Aka ‘Puncher’---This barrel attachment improves the focus of the ion pulse density, improving damage at the cost of range. Reduce range to 400 ft, but up damage to 5d6 MD per shot. Cost: 5,000 credits.

*Laser Sight Module---Another underbarrel attachment, this consists of an improved laser sight that adds a bonus to strike, but the laser also creates a temporary ‘guidepath’ of disturbed/ionized air that slightly improves the striking power of the ion bolts. +2 to Strike, and +3 to damage per bolt. This can be used in conjunction with the other barrel attachments, but added damage is reduced to +2 MD. Cost: 1,000 credits

*Ion Step-Down Module---This barrel attachment, rather than increase range or power, actually ‘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. CAN be used in conjunction with the the Laser Sight Module. Switching between MD/SDC modes takes 2 actions. Popular with urban security and police units.
Range:(SDC shots) 600 ft
Damage: 1d6 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

4)(Optional) Cupola-Mount Gun-----The top hatch of the Ishrad can be fitted with a light rapid-fire gun that can be manually operated or remote controlled from inside the tank. High-angle mounting allows the gun to be used in air defense. This mounting can carry a regular PS-100 Rail Gun(copy of the venerable IH-100), but other weapons are gaining popularity, such as the even more venerable .50 caliber HGPMG, PS-RFRG30(copy of the C-30R Rail Gun), GrHW-01 ‘Flamma’ Heavy Gravitonic Rail Gun, or a variety of energy weapons(powered by a turret-mounted battery pack if the tank is conventionally powered, or tied into the reactor if nucelar-powered).

5)(Optional)Missile Pods/Turret Hardpoints1-2)---The Ishrad dropped the twin ‘wing pylons’ that were integral to the Vyrm Tyrannis’s turret, instead making the mounting of one or two missile launcher pods or other accessory systems as optional. The pods, however, raise the tank’s profile to 22 ft.
a) Micro-Missiles----- 80x 15mm McMs or 60x 20mm McMs or 42x 30mm McMs
b)’ Mini-Missiles---- 36 MMs per pod
This is compatible with ‘Copperhead’ and ’Cobra’ Anti-Tank Mini-Missiles.
( ‘Copperhead’)
Range: 1 mile
Damage: Armor-piercing: 2d4x10 MD, no blast radius
Bonuses: +5 to strike
(’Cobra’ )
Range: 2.8 miles
Damage: 2d4x10 MD, no blast radius, but CRITICAL(DOUBLE) damage on an unmodified strike roll of 18-20

c) SRM Pod: 10 SRMs per pod
This is compatible with Heavy ATGMs
Range: 1 mile
Damage: 3d6x10 MD to 20 ft blast radius
Payload: 6 SRMs in 2x3 launch boxes
Bonuses: +5 to strike

d) MRM Pod: 4 MRMs per pod

e)Slammer Concussion Missiles--Knockoff Triax Weapon, acquired through industrial espionage.
Range:(Missiles) 6,000 ft
Damage: (Missiles) 2d4x10 MD to 90 ft radius.
88% chance of knock-down(lose 1 APM and Initiative), 65% chance of being stunned(-10 to strike, dodge, parry, and roll, NO Initiative, HALF speed and APMs for 1d4 melees)
Rate of Fire: Volleys of 1-4 (all)
Payload: 4

f) L-SAM ‘Black Talon’ Launcher
Range: 3 miles
Damage: 3d4x10 MD to 40 ft blast radius
Rate of Fire: Volleys of 1-6
Payload: 18 per launcher
Bonus: +5 to strike, and gets TWO attempts to strike the target(agile enough to loop back on a target and try again)

g)*Forcefield Generator---Any of PS’s pod-mount forcefield generators can be carried.

h)Point Defense Turret---This is taken off the PSPA-11 Power Armor where it was first deployed, then later adapted as part of Paladin Steel's BAMSP: Battlefield Asset Management System Package.

H-A) Pulse Laser 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,
Range: 6,000 ft
Mega-Damage: 3D6 MD single blast, 6D6 MD double- barreled blast
Rate of Fire: Equal to the gunner’s combined hand to hand attacks, or 4 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)
Cost: 45,000 credits

H-b) Light Ion Blasters:
Range: 1,600 ft
Damage: 3d6 MD single shot, 1d6x10 MD pulse burst
Rate of Fire: Equal to the pilot's combined hand to hand attacks, or 4 attacks in auto-defense mode..
Payload: Effectively Unlimited
Cost: 30,000 credits


6)(Optional)Flare/Smoke/Chaff Launchers(2)---Mounted on the sides of the turret are two gas grenade launchers for providing covering smoke. ’Universal’ launcher-mortars that can deploy smoke grenades, or decoy flare/chaff(both Triax and Northern Gun -standard types).
Range: 6,000 ft, creates a 30 ft cloud, +10 ft per each additional chaff/flare launched in the volley. Cloud lasts 2 meless before dissipating(or less in a very strong wind).
Damage: None
(Triax Style)
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
(Northern Gun Style)
10% chance per chaff cloud deployed of decoying missiles, up to maximum of 60%
Aircraft, power armor, and beings flying through the chaff will be -6 on perception, -3 on initiative, -5 to strike, -2 to parry, -2 dodge, and lose 1 melee attack that round(or the next). Sensory and Piloting rolls are at -20% for as long as the characters are caught in the cloud, and the next as they recover.
Payload: 12 per launcher

Options:
*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.
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)

Variants:
*ADAT-29---Air Defense variant(one of a number of drop-on ADS turrets) with a modified turret holding two 30mm cannon, two PSMBL-5000B laser cannons, two missile pods and a sensor array(radat w/ 60mile range, +3 to strike w/ direct fire weaponry)
*ADAT-29L---Same as above, but replaces the 30mm autocannons and laser cannons with 2xPSMBL-3E Tri-Lasers.
*ADAT-29P---Same as above, but replaces the 30mm autocannons and laser cannons with 2xPS-HPBC-20 Particle Beam Cannons. .

*MRLS-29---Simply the Ishrad hull mounting a multiple missile launcher, the PSML-12/120 Heavy Combo-Bolt Launcher, similar to that carried by the old IronHeart Iron Bolt missile tank. The PSML-12/120 carries and fires 12 long range missiles and 120 mini-missiles per launcher. It is often deployed alongside the ADAT-31 in air defense batteries.

*UGV-29---Unmanned drone version that can run either by remote control or by onboard A.I. A development of the SerChaiian factories on Kampadow. These vehicles have been used as both expendable adversary forces in live-fire exercises at the Kugrin Armored Warfare School, and as combat units.

Programming:
*Pilot Ground Vehicles---- Tracked/Construction 90%, plus Combat Driving.
*Pilot Related----Read Sensory Instruments, Navigation(Land), both at 94%.

Actions/Attacks Per Melee: 6
Initiative +1
-------------
"Trouble rather the Tiger in his Lair,
Than the Sage among his Books,
For all the Empires and Kingdoms,
The Armies and Works that you hold Dear,
Are to him but the Playthings of the Moment,
To be turned over with the Flick of a Finger,
And the Turning of a Page"

--------Rudyard Kipling
------------
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taalismn
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Re: Paladin Steel Storefront

Unread post by taalismn »

PS-ICP-8 Combat Antigravity Pack
(aka ‘Burster-Pack’, ‘Finale Pack’)

“My mic-missile flier-pack is the perfect dress accessory for a night in the urban free-fire zone.”

“The Travesdeen only thought they were having bad days facing our light raiders. Once our micro-missile-packing jump-infantry arrived on the scene, it was twenty-four-seven-no-time-off-for-weekends-or-good-behavior unmitigated HELL for them. Even their own power armor analogues couldn’t keep up with our bumper-jumpers, and if they did try to push it close, they risked eating a faceful of missile. I think we wowed the local resistance fighters...at least until we upgraded their own combat exoframes and they could join in the fun.”

“You can put on a real spectacular one-person fireworks display with one of these things.”

The latest in the IP-series of contragravity packs, the ICP -8 strips the frame down to the essentials, in return for increased speed and agility, and mounts as its selling point six stabilizer armatures that double as micro-missile launcher pylons.
The ICP-8 lacks the sensor systems of othr IP-packs, and is meant as a short-duration combat pack with maximum (micro)missile firepower. It’s popular with striker and raider units that travel light, move fast, and hit hard. ‘Jump-squads’ are typically issued accessory painter lasers and platoons built around several KT/PS ISP-2 Recon packs so teammembers can spot targets for each others’ missile fire.
The Free Worlds Council has its own knockoff copy of the ICP-8, which is proving wildly popular with commando and guerrilla fighters for hit-and-fade attacks.

Type: PS-ICP-8
Class: Combat Antigravity Pack
Crew: One, of up to 290 lbs
MDC/Armor by Location:
Pack 60
Stabilizer/Missile Launcher Armatures(6) 25 each
Main Body---Body Armor of the wearer

Height: 35.5 inches
Width: 18 inches( 49 inches with stabilizer/launcher fins fully deployed)
Length: 10.6 inches
Weight: 76 lbs
Cargo: The pack can carry aloft 290 lbs of operator and their worn gear.
Powerplant: Miniaturized RadioThermal Generator w/ 1 year energy life
Speed: (Flying) 170 MPH with a maximum altitude of 500m(1640 ft). Can be dropped from 5km(3.2 miles) with complete control over the descent.
Market Cost: 950,000 credits
Systems of Note:
*Enhanced Maneuverability---The stabilizer arms, lighter weight, and improved balance give the operator a +5% to their Pilot Jet/Contragravity Pack skill, and a +1 to dodge in flight.

*Mini-Radar -------12 mile range, track/ID 25 targets, can backtrack artillery and projectile fire.

*E-Clip Recharger----Can charge one e-clip an hour, by tapping the ‘pack’s nuclear power cell

*Weapon Power Connector---Rather than use an E-clip, a handheld weapon can be hooked up directly to the power cell for effectively unlimited shots. Note that the Connector CANNOT be used at the same time as the E-clip Recharger.

Weapons Systems:
1) Micro-Missile Launchers(6)---Each of the six stabilizers can mount three cylindrical micro-missile launcher cassettes in its front. Each cassette can hold 6x15mm McMs, OR 5x20mm McMs, OR 4x30mm McMs.
-------------
"Trouble rather the Tiger in his Lair,
Than the Sage among his Books,
For all the Empires and Kingdoms,
The Armies and Works that you hold Dear,
Are to him but the Playthings of the Moment,
To be turned over with the Flick of a Finger,
And the Turning of a Page"

--------Rudyard Kipling
------------
User avatar
89er
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Posts: 569
Joined: Wed Nov 12, 2008 8:33 pm

Re: Paladin Steel Storefront

Unread post by 89er »

Does anyone have plans for the outer Sol system?

Because I have a few rough ideas that can spun as rumors if need be.

Wereborgs, Colonies from other timelines, psionic body swapping and a bummed out TW Lich, all this and more.
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taalismn
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Joined: Tue Sep 02, 2003 8:19 pm
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Re: Paladin Steel Storefront

Unread post by taalismn »

89er wrote:Does anyone have plans for the outer Sol system?

Because I have a few rough ideas that can spun as rumors if need be.

Wereborgs, Colonies from other timelines, psionic body swapping and a bummed out TW Lich, all this and more.


In the GNEverse?
Nope...there was some fighting between the solar system forces and the Arkhons in the outer planets....but the majority of the surviving Arkhon fleet's been grounded and effectively blockaded on Mars. A few holdouts are still hiding in the outer system, but even with their ships' recycling systems and some equipment intended to facilitate setting up an industrial society on a conquered Earth....the equipment since adapted to mining comets and asteroids, the stragglers are considered too few to build anything heavy enough to threaten the inner solar system(they have some capacity to slowly fabricate missiles and replacement armor), and their crew population too small to form a viable splinter culture.

The USA SpaceForce. also snuffed out some eldritch terrors in classified black ops(sealed records), but hasn't done a full survey of the outer worlds and certainly not all the Kuiper and Ort objects...they've been focusing on detecting the Kithians and watching other threats farther away.....and the Flash is strengthening in the outer solar system as more branch spacial leylines and other related phenomena dump energy and material. The GNE SF tries to monitor the situation and responds./Investigates where it can, but can't be everywhere at once to meet and greet new arrivals.

So...feel free to spin stuff as you will.....It could become 'monster of the week' stuff or 'recurrent developing new story arc/factor in the solar system dynamics' stuff.
-------------
"Trouble rather the Tiger in his Lair,
Than the Sage among his Books,
For all the Empires and Kingdoms,
The Armies and Works that you hold Dear,
Are to him but the Playthings of the Moment,
To be turned over with the Flick of a Finger,
And the Turning of a Page"

--------Rudyard Kipling
------------
User avatar
taalismn
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Posts: 47909
Joined: Tue Sep 02, 2003 8:19 pm
Location: Somewhere between Heaven, Hell, and New England

Re: Paladin Steel Storefront

Unread post by taalismn »

Paladin Steel ‘Medusa’ Warhead Naval Torpedoes
(aka ‘Hive Torps, ‘Host-Torps’, ‘Mother-torps’)
“We neglect the defense of our coastlines at our own peril; the war below the waters is just as critical as that above them.”

“Monstrous swimmers or amphibious power armor advancing on a broad front of shoreline can be a defender’s nightmare. They don’t need landing craft you can target with a few well-placed shots and they rarely group up in a nice tight mass you can hit with an area of effect device. Drop enough self-propelled mini-seekers in their midst, though, and the situation changes. We’re arming our coastal and offshore defenses with swarm-shots as fast as we can.”

“It’s a lot harder for a ship to dodge a medusa, especially when it unexpectedly splits into three or more extra tracks, just as the target is beginning its evasion maneuver.”

“Firing a couple of medusa-heads into a harbor can potentially do a lot more damage than one or two large warheads; the smaller torps fan out and spread over a larger area and can hit more targets. And even if each doesn’t do as much contact damage as a single big explosive, they can generate lots of smaller holes that are harder to immediately find and patch up. Big leaks, slow leaks, lots of leaking fuel.....every ship in a port so tageted has to be gone over.”

‘Medusas’ are an application of the multi-warhead air-to-air missile concept as applied to naval torpedoes. A larger torpedo carries a warload of smaller torpedoes that can better evade countermeasures, infiltrate barriers such as nets or booms, engage multiple smaller targets, or better find weak spots on larger targets. The Greater New England Navy began developing ‘Medusa-’heads; as a counter to Horune mass amphibious infantry attacks. A swarm of smaller and faster-moving antipersonnel torps could concievably wreak greater havoc across a formation of Horune swimmers and water-sled cavalry than a single larger weapon.

Medusa -A----Mini-Torpedo carrying three micro-torpedoes
Medusa -B----Short-Range Torpedo carrying 12 micro-torpedoes
Medusa -C----Short-Range Torpedo carrying 3 mini-torpedoes
Medusa -D----Medium-Range Torpedo carrying 24 micro-torpedoes
Medusa -E----Medium-Range Torpedo carrying 6 mini-torpedoes
Medusa -F----Long-Range Torpedo carrying 72 micro-torpedoes
Medusa -G----Long-Range Torpedo carrying 10 mini-torpedoes
Medusa -H----Long-Range Torpedo carrying 3 short-range torpedoes

Currently only Paladin Steel produces Meduas-series torpedoes on Rifts Earth, but reportedly, once they were aware of them, both the Coalition States and the New German Republic have started working to copy them. The Paladin Steel Naval Engineering Division is hard at work researching improvements to their torpedoes, especially targeting system and warhead enhancements

Weight:----Mini-Torpedo ----12 lbs
----Short-Range Torpedo----500 lbs
----Medium-Range Torpedo ----2,000 lbs
----Long-Range Torpedo ----3,800 lbs

Size: ----Mini-Torpedo ----18 inches long, 40-55mm diameter
----Short-Range Torpedo---- 8 ft long, 2.75-8 inch /70-200mm diameter
----Medium-Range Torpedo ---- 11 ft long, 12-15 inch /343-400mm diameter
----Long-Range Torpedo ----20 ft long,16-21 inch -533mm diameter

MDC:----Mini-Torpedo ----10
----Short-Range Torpedo----15
----Medium-Range Torpedo ----30
----Long-Range Torpedo ----50
Range:----Mini-Torpedo ---- 1 mile
----Short-Range Torpedo---- 5 miles
----Medium-Range Torpedo ----10 miles
----Long-Range Torpedo ----20 miles

Damage:----Mini-Torpedo ----1d6x10 MD
----Short-Range Torpedo----2d4x10 MD
----Medium-Range Torpedo ----3d4x10 MD
----Long-Range Torpedo ----4d6x10 MD

Payload:----Mini-Torpedo ----(Medusa -A)----3 micro-torpedoes
----Short-Range Torpedo----(Medusa -B)---- 12 micro-torpedoes
(Medusa -C)---- 3 mini-torpedoes
----Medium-Range Torpedo ----(Medusa -D)---- 24 micro-torpedoes
(Medusa -E)---- 6 mini-torpedoes
----Long-Range Torpedo ----(Medusa -F)---- 72 micro-torpedoes
(Medusa -G)---- 10 mini-torpedoes
(Medusa -H)---- 3 short-range torpedoes
Special Features:
*Acoustic/Magnetic Tracking/Targeting.

*-2 to strike targets at ranges greater than 1 mile using standard acoustic/magnetic targeting/tracking systems, +3 to strike at ranges of 1,000 ft or less.

*’Porpoise Shot’---Medusa torpedoes carrying micro-torps can be programmed to ‘porpoise’---i.e. pop up to the surface just short of the target and launch the micro-torps in open air at the target. Range is extremely limited(500 ft), but with the larger weapons carry several dozen submunitions, a shotgun blast of mini-warheads can be devastating on the deck of a ship or pier.

*(Optional) Command Guidance---Meduas, like other PS torpedoes, have the option of being actively command-guided, either by wire or radio link. This eliminates many of the penalties of autonomous guidance, but carries the risk of wire-fouling or signal detection and jamming.

Cost: ----Mini-Torpedo ----(Medusa -A)--- 1.800+750-1,200 credits
----Short-Range Torpedo----(Medusa -B)----4,000+ 3,000-4,800 credits
(Medusa -C)---- 8,000 credits
----Medium-Range Torpedo ----(Medusa -D)----5,000+ 6,000-9,600 credits
(Medusa -E)----9,000 credits
----Long-Range Torpedo ----(Medusa -F)---- 10,000+ 18.000-28,800 credits
(Medusa -G)----12,000 credits
(Medusa -H) ----15,000 credits

Paladin Steel Micro-Torpedos

Range:(Pattern-MT1A)2,500 ft underwater, 500 ft in air
(Pattern-MT1B)2,500 ft underwater, 500 ft in air
(Pattern-MT1C)3,200 ft underwater, 700 ft in air
(Pattern-MT1D) 4,000 ft underwater, 900 ft in air
Damage:(Pattern-MT1A)6d6 MD to 3 ft radius
(Pattern-MT1B) Screamer Round;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/diver 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 .
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.
Effective radius of effect of the 18mm screamers is approximately 1,000 ft
(Pattern-MT1C) Sonic Warhead---2d4 MD per blast to an 8 ft blast radius, 1d6x10 SDC to another 10 ft beyond that, Does only 1d4 MD to a 4 ft radius in air
Sonic weapons do HALF damage through light ‘soft’ armors like MDC barding and padded armor(such as wetsuits).
(Pattern-MT1D) 1d4x10 MD to 3 ft blast radius

Bonuses:(Pattern-MT1A) None; unguided
(Pattern-MT1B) None; unguided
(Pattern-MT1C) (+1 to strike in water. Micro-Homing Sonar Chip) Can also home in on a tracer beacon, and can track moving targets.
(Pattern-MT1D) (+3 to strike in water. Micro-Homing Sonar Chip)Can also home in on a tracer beacon, and can track moving targets.
Cost: 78,000 credits for the launcher
(Pattern-MT1A)250 credits
(Pattern-MT1B) 220 credits
(Pattern-MT1C) 360 credits
(Pattern-MT1D) 400 credits
-------------
"Trouble rather the Tiger in his Lair,
Than the Sage among his Books,
For all the Empires and Kingdoms,
The Armies and Works that you hold Dear,
Are to him but the Playthings of the Moment,
To be turned over with the Flick of a Finger,
And the Turning of a Page"

--------Rudyard Kipling
------------
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taalismn
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Re: Paladin Steel Storefront

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Paladin Steel ‘Westwind’ GMR Aerodyne
(Aka ‘Winspear’, ‘Zipwind’)
“Looks like somebody took an old pre-Rifts Agusta-Westland copter, ripped off both rotors, and replaced them with lots of flex-fin grav-field projectors. Looks sleek and barbed that way, like a flying predatory fish, even though it’s a light transport. Bet a lot of execs who don’t want to be seen jetting around in utilitarian military surplus Skimmers or Flitters will be ordering one of these on their wish lists.”

“Smooth on the controls and the lack of moving rotors means practically no noise or turbulance. Westwinds make great camera platforms for colony surveying and planetary tourism, or just getting around in no small style and comfort without spilling your drink.”

“We were the first to discover that the gargoyles were equipping with jet packs when we were flying along the Black Sea coast to check on one of our shared plants with the Romanov-Kolodenko camp. We thought we were out of gargoyle flying range when they lit up those pulse jets and came roaring up at us. They almost overtook us too; zipwinds are fast, but those brute force pulse jets the gargs were wearing just hammered them through the air; tough as they are, those gargoyles must have been slipstream-chilled and wind-battered something fierce, but they were gaining on us. Fortunately we had a good lead and got up to altitude, found a ley-line and booked out of there. A pure-tech winspear would have had to stay and fight, and good as these ships are, they’re not exactly war-fighters, so the outcome for the crew would be pretty ugly. But my ship was good enough to escape and get the word out about the jet packs, and that’s all that really mattered.”

The Westwind is a light fast GMR aerodyne, part of Paladin Steel’s growing stable of commercial aircraft. The aerodyne’s sleek lines recall pre-Rifts helicopters, a sure draw for technowizards, while the internals are modern Gravitic Resist systems, quiet, reliable, and solid-state. The fuselage is of advanced M-strength composites with metal mesh reinforcement, the powerplant is a modular mini-fusor, and the tail boom now holds a GMR rod field-generator extension and a repulsor thruster. FBW controls with AI-assist make for smooth flying, even in rough weather.
Though it can be fitted with light armaments, the Westwind is not recommended as a combat vehicle.
The Westwind sells mainly to air taxi services, aerial tour groups, survey and adventure organizations. In the Rifts Earth Greater New England, it is often used as an intercity fast air shuttle. It is becoming popular in the GNE offworld colonies and in the United Systems Alliance as a light utility air transport and air taxi.

Type: PS--GMRUAV-CG65 Westwind
Class: Gravitic Resist Utility Aerodyne
Crew: 1-2, +6-7 passengers
MDC/Armor by Location:
Main Body 220
Cabin Windshields(4) 45 each
Tail 120
Maneuvering Winglets(4) 40 each
Landing Gear(3) 25 each
Height:: 11 ft
Width:: 7.3 ft
Length: 42 ft
Weight: 6,000 lbs
Cargo: Typically 300 lns of luggage in addition to passengers, plus emeregency sirvival gear. If not carrying passengers, can carry 1,000 lbs
Powerplant: Nuclear Fusion w/ 18-year energy life
Speed:(Flying) Hover to 220 MPH, maximum altitude of 17,000 ft
Market Cost: 1.7 million credits
Systems of Note:
Standard Aircraft Systems, plus:
*Pasive Nightvision---Sensors in the nose project HUD on the windshield.

*IR/Normal Light Spotlight---300 ft range. Small nose turret with directable light beam.

*Radar----25 mile range

*Collision Warning Alert System---Alerts the pilot to imminent collisons and impacts. 2,000 ft default range.

*Retracting Landing Gear---Rather than fixed skids, the Westwind has three castered retractable landing gear.

*Advanced Flight Controls/Pilot Assist System----The Westwind has AI-assisted FBW(Fly By Wire) controls, giving the pilot a +8% on piloting rolls, and a +1 to dodge in flight.

Weapons Systems: Nnne standard, but can be fitted with light armaments.(See Options)

Options:
*Reinforced Crew Compartment---A special megadamage fabric and composite ‘cage’ is added to reinforce the cockpit(50 MDC). This affords the pilot and copilot some scant extra protection, but don’t go teasing SAMAS or gargoyles, thinking this will protect you for long!
Cost: 90,000 credits

*Flare/Chaff Launchers(1-2)---These can be added to the sides and tail.
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: 12 per launcher
Cost: 3,000 credits per launcher; additional flare/chaff bundles cost 200 credits each

*Nose Lasers---Two light nose lasers can be added, controlled by the crew.
Range: 2,000 ft
Damage:(SDC Mode) 6d6 SDC per shot
(MDC Mode) 2d6 MD per bolt, 6d6 MD per triple burst per laser.
Rate of Fire: ECHH
Payload: Effectively Unlimited
Cost: 15,000 credits per laser

*Nose Ion Blasters---Two light nose ion blasters can be added, controlled by the crew.
Range: 2,500 ft
Damage: 3d6 MD per shot; cannot fire bursts
Rate of Fire: ECHH
Payload: Effectively Unlimited
Cost: 20,000 credits per blaster
In the alternative, a shorter-ranged, but more powerful, pulse ion weapon can be installed instead.
Range: 2,000 ft
Damage: 3d6 MD per single shot, 1d6x10 MD per triple shot burst.
On a Natural 20(Critical Strike) the ion weapon does TRIPLE damage instead of the normal double damage.
Rate of Fire: ECHH
Payload: Effectively Unlimited
Cost: 42,000 credits per ion blaster

*Hardpoints(2)---Two side-mount hardpoints can be added to the sides of the forward body; each one can hold ONE of the following:
a) Mini-Missile Launcher---14 shot pod

b) Short Range Missile Launcher----2 per hardpoint

c)L-SAM ‘Black Talon’ Launcher
Range: 3 miles
Damage: 3d4x10 MD to 40 ft blast radius
Rate of Fire: Volleys of 1-3(all)
Payload: 3 per launcher
Bonus: +5 to strike, and gets TWO attempts to strike the target(agile enough to loop back on a target and try again)
Cost: 40 ,000 credits per launcher, 10,000 credits per missile


*Conformal Armaments Pack Mk I---An attempt to make the Westwind into more of a warfighter, the CAP1 is a major modification of the rear fuselage crew compartment to add fared-in armaments; a brace of micro-missile launchers and two guns on each side of the aircraft(for a total of four guns and two twin-tube missile launchers). This reduces the passenger capacity by three, but gives the aircraft a savage sting. The CAP1, while harder to service than externally mounted ordnance packs, also does not break up the lines of the aircraft, and thus is not readily evident to observers unless they come close enough to see the firing aperatures fared into the fuselage. This makes the CAP1 popular with security agencies and escorts that do not want to advertize how well-armed they are until they open up on surprised targets. Most professional air combat pilots claim, however, that the CAP1 is a ‘glass cannon’ modification, an attempt to make the relatively fragile transport into a ‘warrior machine’, but the modification remains popular nevertheless.
The CAP1 can be fitted to TW-mod Westwinds as well.

Changes/Modications:
Weapons Systems:
1)Micro-Missile Launchers(2x2)---Two single-tube belt-fed launchers diring 30mm micromissiles on each side(four tubes total). 30mm McMissiles were chosen for their range and good anti-aircraft performance.
Range: 11,000 ft
Damage: (Pattern-3a) 4d6 MD single rd to 5 ft blast radius
(Pattern-3b) 1d4x10 MD to a 5 ft blast radius, or 3d6 MDC out to a 20 ft blast radius in fragmentation mode
(Pattern-3c)(Incendiary)2d6 MD to 5 ft blast radius, does an additional 1d4 burn damage for 2d4 melees
Rate of Fire: Volleys of 1-4(all four tubes firing)
Bonuses:(All Patterns)(+3 to strike airborne targets, +1 to strike ground targets) Gyro-Compass Chip, Laser-Sensor Microchip, Radar Trigger Chip, Image Sensing Chip, Infra-Red Sensing Chip.
Special Features:
*Sensor Package---The sensor package includes an IR/Thermal sight, laser rangefinder(2 mile range) and directional mini-radar(2 mile range) with audio-alarm to notify the gunner of target-lock.
Payload: 40 rds per tube(160 rds total)
Cost: 85,000 credits for the launcher assembly
(Pattern-3a) 90 credits each
(Pattern-3b)150 credits each
(Pattern-3c) 180 credits each

2) Forward-Firing Guns(2x2)---Choice of machine guns or energy weapons. The weapons can be mixed and matched, but most operators stick with pairs of the same weapons to simplify targeting and maintenance.
a) .50-caliber Machine Guns---The classic and reliable ‘Point Fifty’.
Range: 9,000 ft
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
(Tracer) Every 11th round is a tracer, which gives a +1 to strike with bursts.
Rate of Fire: Standard
Payload: 500 rd belt per gun
Cost: 9,000 credits per gun

b) Pulse Lasers---Light lasers adapted from PS’s anti-missile systems.
Range: 6,000 ft
Damage: 3D6 MD single blast, 6D6 MD double- pulse blast
Rate of Fire: Equal to the pilot's combined hand to hand attacks, or 4 attacks in auto-defense mode.
Payload: Effectively Unlimited
Cost: 40,000 credits per gun

c) Ion Projectors---The ‘lightning rods’ of these weapons protrude slightly from the hull; they are sometimes mistaken for pitot airflow sensors.
Range: 7,000 ft
Damage: 1d4x10 MD per single blast
Rate of Fire: EGCHH
Payload: Effectively unlimited
Cost: 212,000 credits per gun

d) Heavy TK Machine Guns---This is available to TW-modded Westwinds.
Range: 4,000 ft(Double on ley lines)
Damage: 2d4 single shot, 3d6 MD short burts, 5d6 MD long burst, and 2d6x10 MD per full melee 50-shot burst
Rate of Fire: EGCHH
Payload: 300 shot battery. Effectively unlimited linked to a PPE powerstone system.
Cost: 130,000 credits


Variants:
*PS--GMRUAV-CG66TW----The Westwind almost begs for technowizardry modification, and a number of Westwinds have already been hotrodded with magic enhancements. The -GMRUAV-CG66TW is the factory-standard TW version with basic TW features. It’s become popular as the basis of a good number of post-market TW mods. The frame of the aircraft already being ‘primed’ for TW modification, additional technowizardry modifications actually cost 25% less.
-Ley Line Flier---Can fly effectively indefinitely on a ley line.
-Ley Line Booster---Accelerates the jet up to 50% greater top speed when on a leyline, -10% to pilot skill when engaged.
-Detect Ley Lines-----Passive sensors can detect the location of ley lines 100 miles away.
-De-Icer-----Prevents the accumulation of dangerous ice----2 hours per 5 PPE, or 24 hours for 60 PPE.
-Breath Without Air----Enables the aircraft to fly at high altitude without standard pressurization reinforcement----10 minutes per 10 PPE.
-TW Fire Control System----Supplements the regular fire extinguisher system, and is often more effective at controlling electrical and chemical fires. Costs 4 PPE per minute/activation.
Market Cost: 2.1 million credits
-------------
"Trouble rather the Tiger in his Lair,
Than the Sage among his Books,
For all the Empires and Kingdoms,
The Armies and Works that you hold Dear,
Are to him but the Playthings of the Moment,
To be turned over with the Flick of a Finger,
And the Turning of a Page"

--------Rudyard Kipling
------------
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taalismn
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Re: Paladin Steel Storefront

Unread post by taalismn »

Variants on Older Equipment:
(Paladin Steel is always looking to upgrade older gear; many of its affiliated subconstractor-divisions, especialy in the United Systems Alliance, produce older-tech equipment and designs for customers with limited access to more advanced tech-bases.)

Paladin Steel CRM-2‘Pupkiss’ Light Gauss SMG
(aka ‘Lump-Gun’, ‘Barp-Gun’)
“These things are BRUTAL in close combat despite the limited rate of fire. The ‘chuks compensate for the latter by moving in phalanx squads of barpers and grenadiers; anything drawing their attention is going to get hammered and bombed to pieces by multiple firearms.”

“Chai-chuks seem to LOVE ammunition drums; they can almost hide behind them while they’re mowing down opponents.”

The high gravity worlder Chai-chuks of Ser-Chai frankly LOVED the BAR-2 light rail guns they acquired from Paladin Steel, but found the long length of weapon too unwieldy for their short statures. Wanting something smaller with the punch of the BAR-2 and automatic fire capability, the Chai-chuks sought a carbine-scaled version that had a better rate of fire than the MR-1 Rail Rifle and a more compact design. The result was the CRM-2.
The CRM-2 is a more compact weapon reminiscent in design of the Earth Soviet PPsh submachine gun, only heavier and more heavily reinforced. The barrel is short and thick for high acceleration stator rings powered by a battery clip in the shock-buffered rifle stock, or by wired connection to a power pack harness worn by the gunner. The weapon is fed by either a 35 round clip or a 75 rd drum. An underbarrel handhold forward of the magazine is optional and helps control the weapon’s considerable recoil, especially in burst mode.
The CRM-2 loses some range due to its shorter barrel(half the length of the BAR-2’s), but gains in damage due to higher muzzle velocity and projectile acceleration.
Though PS/ASI’s new lines of G-weapons using Three Galaxies technology are more convenient in combining both projectile and acceleration power in the same round/magazine, the Pupkiss can be more easily manufactured on Ser-Chai using the advancing technological industrial base there. This has helped the CRM-2 become very popular with Chai-Chuk military forces who like its reliability, kinetic punch, and large magazine capacity.
Though initially commissioned for the Chai-chuks, the CRM-2 has also seen some sales to other PS/ASI clients.

Weight: 18 lbs. Battery harness weighs 9 lbs.
Range: 1,600 ft
Damage:(SDC) 3d6+6 per single shot, 2d4x10+30 MD per 5 rd burst
(MD)4d6+2 MD per single shot, 1d6x10+10 MD per 5 rd burst
Note: Can chamber specialized rail gun ammunition, such as silver and wood rounds.
Rate of Fire: Single shot, ECHH
Payload: 35 rds in a box/’stick’ magazine or 75 rd drum magazine
Buttstock e-clip is good for 500 SDC shots or 80 MD shots. A battery harness holds enough power for 3,200 SDC shots or 600 MD shots
Special Features:
*Optional Laser Spot Sight----- +1 to strike
*Optional Forward Handgrip
*Optional electrical power link---Can be plugged into a cyborg, power armor, or vehicle electrical power system in place of the e-clip.
Cost: 29,000 credits+9,000 for the battery harness
Note: The CRM-2 is heavy and proportioned for smaller-statured beings; taller beings must have a P.S. of 12 of better to use the weapon without incurring a penalty of -1 to strike due to the awkward proportions and heavy recoil..


Paladin Steel BAR-3 Light Rail Gun
(aka ‘Browner’, ‘Tu-Punch’’, ‘Buster-Browning’, ‘Chatter-stick’)
“The workings of the BAR-2 were good enough, but only needed more ammo and more power to make the weapon a true winner. I know of more than a few Irregular units that cannibalized their BARs to use them in different mountings with full power links energizing them. Now that PS is revisiting many of their old standbys and past ‘also-rans’ and updating them with more modern technology, there’s going to be a renewal of interest in their older lines and a lot more business coming their way, especially from markets that can’t support more cutting edge stuff like gravitonics.”

“The Bar-Three nicely resolves the shortcomings of the Bar-Two; the backpack adds cost and weight, but removes the problems of having to go around toting pockets full of ammo and e-clips, and in the long run is more economical than that. And the rail gunner on a party typically isn’t a muscle-wimp. Oh,, the Cee-two-hundred knockoffs still have range on the Bar-series, but not damage, the weight’s a lot more manageable, and the price tag can’t be beat.”

The BAR-2 proved a popular light railgun for infantry; reliable, hard-hitting, and accurate, it was let down by its limited magazine capacity and reliance on both an ammunition clip AND a n e-clip to power its stator ring assembly. Spurred by complaints about this, Paladin Steel set out to improve the old BAR-2, coming out with the BAR-3.
The BAR-3 is an updated BAR-2, with the feed mechanism modified to fire for fully automatic fire-feed, belt fed from an armored chute-belt/powerlink and backpack that holds an expanded magazine and powercell. The backpack uses the same housing as the 20mm Taskin AutoRifle, but is organized internally differently(though it can still be mistaken for rhe Taskin from a distance).
Damage is the same as the BAR-2, with the dual damage modes, but the range is slightly better, owing to the more reliable powercell.
The BAR-3 can be detached from its backpack and still use buttstock e-clips and BAR-2 ammunition clips, only the ammunition clips now feed from a receiver in the side of the weapon, not the underside.
Since the introduction of the BAR-3, sales have been doorbuster, and it is proving very popular with militia forces and adventurer groups.

Weight: 19 lbs +10 lb backpack
MDC of Weapon: The actual BAR-3 has 70 MDC, while the backpack has 40 MDC.
Range: 3,000 ft
Damage:(SDC) 3d6+1 per single shot, 2d4x10+15 MD per 5 rd burst
(MD)4d6 MD per single shot, 1d6x10+4 MD per 5 rd burst
Note: Can chamber specialized rail gun ammunition, such as silver and wood rounds.
Rate of Fire: Single shot or 5 rd burst, ECHH
Payload: 20 rds in a box magazine
250 rds in backpack magazine
Buttstock e-clip is good for 250 SDC shots or 40 MD shots.
The backpack powercell is good for 1 year of continuous use.
Special Features:
*Underbarrel Bipod
*Optional electrical power link---Can be plugged into a cyborg, power armor, or vehicle electrical power system in place of the e-clip or backpack.
Cost: 40,000 credits for the complete system
-------------
"Trouble rather the Tiger in his Lair,
Than the Sage among his Books,
For all the Empires and Kingdoms,
The Armies and Works that you hold Dear,
Are to him but the Playthings of the Moment,
To be turned over with the Flick of a Finger,
And the Turning of a Page"

--------Rudyard Kipling
------------
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SolCannibal
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Re: Paladin Steel Storefront

Unread post by SolCannibal »

Considering how far Paladin Steel has gone - and still goes - by revisiting many of the old standbys of one too many dying businesses and updating these ‘also-rans’ with more modern public domain technology or bits from each other, it's a damn shame the Golgan Republik and United Systems Alliance have turned into borderline major rivals in recent times, because there's could be immense room for opportunity, to both sides, were things otherwise.
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taalismn
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Re: Paladin Steel Storefront

Unread post by taalismn »

SolCannibal wrote: Sat Oct 28, 2023 6:30 pm Considering how far Paladin Steel has gone - and still goes - by revisiting many of the old standbys of one too many dying businesses and updating these ‘also-rans’ with more modern public domain technology or bits from each other, it's a damn shame the Golgan Republik and United Systems Alliance have turned into borderline major rivals in recent times, because there's could be immense room for opportunity, to both sides, were things otherwise.
Indeed, but Golgan xenophobia thwarted the chances of that happening.
Indeed, the Coalition States could have had that big accumulating bankroll, but when xenophobia quite being a survival trait and became a means of POLITICAL survival. they lost out. The Vermont Free State(Greater New England's pre-state) made the gamble to embrace the outsiders and take risks and it paid off handsomely all the way to the United systems Alliance.

Of course, as the Republik deteriorates and more and more worlds break off, the USA and its industries may be in the position to rehabilitate a growing.number of stagnant/stifled industries and economies..and who knows what the eventual/Inevitable big fall of the Reoublik may bring in the way of changes and opportunities?
-------------
"Trouble rather the Tiger in his Lair,
Than the Sage among his Books,
For all the Empires and Kingdoms,
The Armies and Works that you hold Dear,
Are to him but the Playthings of the Moment,
To be turned over with the Flick of a Finger,
And the Turning of a Page"

--------Rudyard Kipling
------------
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SolCannibal
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Re: Paladin Steel Storefront

Unread post by SolCannibal »

taalismn wrote: Sat Oct 28, 2023 8:28 pm
SolCannibal wrote: Sat Oct 28, 2023 6:30 pm Considering how far Paladin Steel has gone - and still goes - by revisiting many of the old standbys of one too many dying businesses and updating these ‘also-rans’ with more modern public domain technology or bits from each other, it's a damn shame the Golgan Republik and United Systems Alliance have turned into borderline major rivals in recent times, because there's could be immense room for opportunity, to both sides, were things otherwise.
Indeed, but Golgan xenophobia thwarted the chances of that happening.
Indeed, the Coalition States could have had that big accumulating bankroll, but when xenophobia quite being a survival trait and became a means of POLITICAL survival. they lost out. The Vermont Free State(Greater New England's pre-state) made the gamble to embrace the outsiders and take risks and it paid off handsomely all the way to the United systems Alliance.

Of course, as the Republik deteriorates and more and more worlds break off, the USA and its industries may be in the position to rehabilitate a growing.number of stagnant/stifled industries and economies..and who knows what the eventual/Inevitable big fall of the Reoublik may bring in the way of changes and opportunities?
Indeed. If the other powers don't pay a lot of attention the USAns could end up absorbing a good chunk of the Golgan satrapies or border territories as the Republik meets its second fall before anyone else can react. And that would really cause waves in the 3 Galaxies status quo.
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taalismn
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Re: Paladin Steel Storefront

Unread post by taalismn »

SolCannibal wrote: Sun Oct 29, 2023 12:04 am Indeed. If the other powers don't pay a lot of attention the USAns could end up absorbing a good chunk of the Golgan satrapies or border territories as the Republik meets its second fall before anyone else can react. And that would really cause waves in the 3 Galaxies status quo.
Yeah, it would be like the Netherlands absorbing France and its overseas territories at the height of the latter's colonial power. You'd have too many offices for too few trained administrators.
-------------
"Trouble rather the Tiger in his Lair,
Than the Sage among his Books,
For all the Empires and Kingdoms,
The Armies and Works that you hold Dear,
Are to him but the Playthings of the Moment,
To be turned over with the Flick of a Finger,
And the Turning of a Page"

--------Rudyard Kipling
------------
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SolCannibal
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Re: Paladin Steel Storefront

Unread post by SolCannibal »

taalismn wrote: Sun Oct 29, 2023 2:59 am
SolCannibal wrote: Sun Oct 29, 2023 12:04 am Indeed. If the other powers don't pay a lot of attention the USAns could end up absorbing a good chunk of the Golgan satrapies or border territories as the Republik meets its second fall before anyone else can react. And that would really cause waves in the 3 Galaxies status quo.
Yeah, it would be like the Netherlands absorbing France and its overseas territories at the height of the latter's colonial power. You'd have too many offices for too few trained administrators.
Well, at least they'd have a decent dearth of helpful colonials to play native guide on showing some of the ropes as long as its mutually beneficial.
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taalismn
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Re: Paladin Steel Storefront

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SolCannibal wrote: Sun Oct 29, 2023 3:09 am Well, at least they'd have a decent dearth of helpful colonials to play native guide on showing some of the ropes as long as its mutually beneficial.
Makes for a stunning change on the most common model of colonial expansion, doesn't it? Which is usually 'we exploit the natives for the betterment of our own economies'. Now it's 'we're here as civil servants, damnit!'.
Admittedly, though, sometimes the outsiders DID bring enlightenment; the British did well to knock down the Thuggees and stamp out the practice of burning alive widows on the pyres of their husbands("-and it is OUR tradition to hang men who burn women alive! But let tradition be served; let the pyres be built and widows burnt, and our carpenters will build gallows and tradition will be served!" ---as one British official supposedly said to a protesting local group in India).

I'm also reminded of a short story where humans make first contact with a sprawling galactic society that's been running peacefully for millennia, and make hesitant approach...only to have the aliens enthusiastically greet them..Turns out we're the long lost remnants of a past galactic human civilization that essentially took over the galaxy. ran things to the benefit of all the 'lesser' species, and worked themselves to death dealing with all the $#!+ you'd expect. The xenos, in the absence of humans to tell them what to do, blame for everything that goes wrong, and handle all the headaches, have been muddling along as best they can aping the old institutions, but things are beginning to fall apart. They're simply GLAD that there's busy-body humans still alive to turn the whole thing over to.
-------------
"Trouble rather the Tiger in his Lair,
Than the Sage among his Books,
For all the Empires and Kingdoms,
The Armies and Works that you hold Dear,
Are to him but the Playthings of the Moment,
To be turned over with the Flick of a Finger,
And the Turning of a Page"

--------Rudyard Kipling
------------
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Re: Paladin Steel Storefront

Unread post by SolCannibal »

taalismn wrote: Sun Oct 29, 2023 9:55 am
SolCannibal wrote: Sun Oct 29, 2023 3:09 am Well, at least they'd have a decent dearth of helpful colonials to play native guide on showing some of the ropes as long as its mutually beneficial.
Makes for a stunning change on the most common model of colonial expansion, doesn't it? Which is usually 'we exploit the natives for the betterment of our own economies'. Now it's 'we're here as civil servants, damnit!'.
Admittedly, though, sometimes the outsiders DID bring enlightenment; the British did well to knock down the Thuggees and stamp out the practice of burning alive widows on the pyres of their husbands("-and it is OUR tradition to hang men who burn women alive! But let tradition be served; let the pyres be built and widows burnt, and our carpenters will build gallows and tradition will be served!" ---as one British official supposedly said to a protesting local group in India).
Yeah, those things can have quite the ups and downs indeed, to be fair. But then interactions between states can be expected to always be quite the mixed bag in general due to divergences of values, interests and resources between both, not to mention factional & class disputes peculiar to each part to boot.

taalismn wrote: Sun Oct 29, 2023 9:55 amI'm also reminded of a short story where humans make first contact with a sprawling galactic society that's been running peacefully for millennia, and make hesitant approach...only to have the aliens enthusiastically greet them..Turns out we're the long lost remnants of a past galactic human civilization that essentially took over the galaxy. ran things to the benefit of all the 'lesser' species, and worked themselves to death dealing with all the $#!+ you'd expect. The xenos, in the absence of humans to tell them what to do, blame for everything that goes wrong, and handle all the headaches, have been muddling along as best they can aping the old institutions, but things are beginning to fall apart. They're simply GLAD that there's busy-body humans still alive to turn the whole thing over to.
"Where do we catch the rift to the next dimension?"
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Re: Paladin Steel Storefront

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Uber-Burro (RCC/NPC)---Genetically Modified Donkey
(aka ‘Cambridge Donkey’, ‘Sass’, ‘Stubborn Mange-bag’, ‘Turbo-Oat-Burner’)
“Fuzzy little buggers are damn near invincible and they know it. But you’ll be hardpressed to find a better travel companion when you’re out in the wild.”

“The geners make machines they treat like people, so why should it come as a surprise that they breed animals they treat likewise?”

“If you’re suggesting shooting a gener’s horse for a broken leg, you better shoot the gener first and hope you kill them on the first shot, because if you’re serious about the first, you’re going to have a sworn enemy of the second. ”

“Sure, you can park and turn off vehicles until they’re needed, whereas you have to always be feeding and watering an animal even when they aren’t working, but most vehicles can’t offer you true companionship.”

“One of the handy side effects of having the free-rangers and their burros go out into the terraforming zones is that we gave them special feed to spread additional soil-modifcation bacteria with their droppings. Also helps us track them from orbit, scanning the greenery springing up along the donkey trails. ”

“Uh-uh, no way I’m buying that after you got bushwacked by those bandits and tied up for torture in the morning, your donkey chewed through his hobbles, knocked the night guards out, and rescued you. You’re just spinning a tall tale about a critter you’re obviously sweet on---did your critter just bring you a beer? And he just opened one for himself? Okay, why didn’t he bring me one too?”

The Cambridge Jungle turns out some spectacular(if seldom seen) animal creations, but arguably its most important and widespread spawn look far more pedestrian and familiar; genetically-engineered dogs, cats, and other domestic animals, alebit all with some special twist that makes them more than simply utiltarian. The equines are no exception, given their popularity and utility. Drawing on observations, experience with, and genetic samples of the Mega-Horse(Rifts Russia) and the Gene-MegaHorse(Splicers), the Cambridge Jungle biotechs have bred a variety of related breeds and equines, including the Prospector’s and Explorer’s Friend, the Uber-Burro.
The Uber-Burro resembles the humble donkey of old, but under its frizzy hide lies a masterpiece of survival-bio-engineering. Working with dimensional rifts into dangerous environmnts in mind, the Cambridgers have made the humble donkey into a tough go-just-about-anywhere survival machine, able to survive hard climates, live off scant fodder, and push on through rough terrain while fully ladden with a packload. Other modifications include reinforced skeletons, megadamage hides, healing factor, enhanced immune systems, and extended lifespans.
Under its long ears rests an enhanced intelligence as well. Though they lack vocal cords capable of articulated speech, uber-burros tend to be able to communicate rather well, especially with those they’ve been around for a long time. Uber-buros are generally placid, peacable sophonts, very resistant to blind panic, but are very observant about their surroundings. Surefooted and cautious, they are also forthright and honest about their feelings that a place or course of travel is unsafe to proceed on, and will register such with brays and stubbornness.
Uber-burros are very social animals, who work well with commpanions and teams. While perfectly capable of enduring long peroids of solitude, stuck in the company of non-burro companions for protracted periords of time, uber-buros tend to make the most of the time they can spend with other uber-burros and enhanced equines. Field games such as soccer and keep-away are common at such get-togethers(and a draw for onlookers) , along with scratch games of tic-tac-toe, and tugs of war.
Uber-burros are not so much bought as hired or adopted. Greater New England(and by extension the United Systems Alliance) treat uber-burros and other high-animal inetlligence biotech animals legally as wards akin to low-functioning adults. Abusing or recklessly handling such creatures carries stiff fines and possible loss of custody at the low end of the scale and criminal charges at the high end.
Uber-burros are a common sight on many USA colony worlds, where they are regarded less as ‘organic jeeps’ and more as fellow colonists and companions.

Class: Donkey, Genetically-Enhanced
Crew: High animal intelligence
MDC/Armor by Location:
Head 2d10+50
Main Body/Torso 2d4x10+30
Legs(4) 2d10+30 each
Speed: (Running) 45 MPH
(Leaping) Can make short leaps of 8 ft standing start, increase by 50% with a running start, + 3 ft per every 5 P.S. pts.
(Swimming) 2 MPH
Statistical Data:
Size: 36-48 iches tall at shoulder, 5-6 ft long
Weight: 500-700 lbs
Physical Strength: Equiv. Supernatural P.S. of 1d4+20
Production Cycle: Breed true. Gestation period of 12 months.
Operational Lifetime: 50 years
Trade Value:
Not for sale. The GNE essentially farms out adoptions of uber-burros to those who pass the tests for responsible custodianship.
Bio-Regeneration Rate: 3d6 per 24 hours
Horror Factor:-----
Feeding: Vegetarian/Herbivore; generally requires 10-20 lbs of fodder a day.
Sleep Requirements: 8 hours a day

Alignment: Good and Unprincipled. Occasionally(8%) Anarchist
Metabolism: Vegetarian/Herbivore
Physical Attributes:
I.Q.: 1d8+4 ( high animal intelligence)
M.E.: 2d6+14
M.A.:2d6+14
P.S.: 1d4+20(Considered Supernatural)
P.P.: 2d6+12
P.E.: 2d6+14
P.B.: 2d6+12
SPD: 66/ 45 MPH

PPE: 4d6

Equivalent/Instinctive Skills of Note:
Land Navigation 80%
Wilderness Suvival 70%
Identify Plants and Fruits 90%
Detect Ambush 64%
Climbing 70%/70%)(bit of mountain goat in the genetics)
Swimming 50%
Begging 60%
Languages(Understanding)(4 at 90%)

Special Abilities:
*Megadamage Being

* Enhanced Strength(Considered Supernatural)

* Enhanced Regeneration( 3d6 per 24 hours)

* Environmental Adaptation---Same as the Major Superpower Adapt to Environment, only longer-lived due to advanced biotech systems. Unlike the listed power, the bio-mod can maintain the adaptation indefinitely(unless otherwise noted).
*Adapt to Air/Atmosphere---Takes 1d4 hours of a coma-like state to adapt to a new atmosphere.
*Semi-Impervious to Toxic Gases---Resistant to breathing toxic gases, smoke, and pollution. Exposure to such toxins means the bio-mod is -50% to all skills, combat bonuses, and APMs, but will recover after 15 minutes exposure and 1 minute of breathing clean air. More than 20 minutes exposure, and the bio-mod lapses into a coma, and the aforementioned atmospheric adaptation cuts in, taking 1d4 hours of constant exposure to adapt. Interruption of the process is possible, but the bio-mod will need 3d4 minutes of breathing clean air to get back up to 100%.
*Adapt to Physical Environment---Takes 1 full melee of concentration to adapt. Can adjust to be optimal for Arctic(subzero does only 10% of normal damage), Desert(immune to sunstroke, dehydration, heat fatigue, and temperatures up to 200 degrees F only do 20% normal damage/penalty. Can go on 16 ounces of water per 24 hours), Plague(+5 save vs disease, disease is never fatal, and penalties/damage are HALVED), Nocturnal/Underground(night vision- 300 ft, but sensitive to bright light---can only see 20 ft. DOUBLE normal hearing range, +1 on initiative/dodge in darkness), Radiation(NO damage from radiation), Underwater(swim x2 normal speed, and breath water down to 1 mile depth), and Vacuum(goes into a vacuum-proof state of hibernation; 5 days’ duration per P.E.) conditions same as described under the power.

* Enhanced Digestion---The uber-burro can safely eat a variety of borderline-toxic substances and otherwise unappetizing fodder(most, however, will insist that their custodians make it up to them later with treats). Reduced fatigue rate by 25%, +1 save vs poison, +6 to save versus food poisoning and stomach illnesses. Also gets a +1 to initiative and +1d6+1 to Speed for 1 hour after eating

*Fat Bladder---Can store up reserve nutrition and water, allowing them to go without eating or drinking for one day per P.E. point.

*Resistance to Cold---Takes HALF damage from cold-based attacks, and temperatures as low as freezing have no adverse effects.

*Fatigues at 1/10th normal rate

* Impervious to common diseases and illnesses, including livestock parasites.

Note: Uber-burros have very good senses of balance(+5 to maintain balance), and passengers without a horsemanship skill will generally find the ride comfortable, as if they possessed a skill of 65%.

Special Senses:
*Enhanced Sense of Smell-----100 ft range, Recognize specific odors: 70%+4% per level of experience, recognize poisons/chemicals by smell: 50%+4% per level of experience, recognize specific person: 50%+3% per level of experience, track by scent: 40%+3% per level of experience every 200 yards. In circumstances where smell can come into play: +1 dodge, +1 initiative.

*Enhanced Hearing---- Those big ears got some serious pick-up. 500 ft range, +6 to initiative, +1 parry, +2 dodge(where applicable). Estimate sound distance(60%+5% per level of experience), estimate speed and direction(50%+5% per level of experience), recognize voice/sound(40%+5% per level of experience), and can hear very soft sounds(under one decibel) under 95 ft away, under 10 decibels up to 200 ft away.

*Night Vision---100 ft range

*Enhanced Sense of Taste----Can discriminate between and identify common substances with 70%+5% per level of experience proficiency, and can identify exotic tastes and poisons at 30%+5% per level of experience. +10% to cooking ability.

*Sense Magnetic North

*Heightened Sense of Awareness---+2 initiative, +1 roll, +2 save vs Horror Factor.

*Sense the Supernatural---800 ft range

Combat Capabilities:
Bio-Weapons Systems: None
Hand to Hand/Melee Combat:
Combat Bonuses(in addition to possible attribute bonuses)
Actions/Attacks per Melee: 3
Initiative: +8
Strike: +1
Dodge: +2
Roll: +2
Pull: +2
Save Versus Poison +12
Save Versus Horror Factor +2
Save versus coma/death +40%
Damage:
Bite 1d4
Kick 4d6 SDC/2d4 MD
Rear Leg Kick 4d6 MD

(Optional)--Random Super Ability
Whether it’s a special bit of DNA slipped into the original mix, the interaction of PPE-rich environments with morphic fields, or the fact that the first generations of uber-burros were raised near faerie-glens and slipped treats by fae-folk, Cambridge-donkeys can exhibit some especially interesting meta-abilities. If the GM permits, choose or roll for the following:

01-15% Sense Water---The uber-burro can detect the presence of potable wayer with 65% accuracy within a range of M.E. in miles.
16-25% Speedster---Can put on an unexpectedly fast burst of speed(‘Oat Speed’) of 75 MPH and +2 to dodge for as many melee rds(15 seconds) as it has P.E. pts, before needing 15 minutes to rest. There is a 30% chance of this ability being linked to a Crazy Hero-style Power Food dependency(like granola, apples, cinnamon sticks, etc,), in which case add +10 MPH , +1f10 melees duration, and +1 to dodge.
26-35% Telepathy---The uber-burro can speak telepathically. 100 ft range. No ISP cost.
36-45% Invisibility----Standing completely still, the uber-burro can render itself (and anything it is carrying)completely invisible, similar to an Invisibility: Simple spell.
46-55% Flea Leaper---The uber-burro can somehow perform a flea-like super-leap; P.S.x 40 ft in distance, half that vertically.
56-65% Personal Gravity Plane---The uber-burro treats any level surface as ground, so the critter can walk up sheer cliffs and even upside down on overhangs as if it were on the ground.
66-70% Point-to-Point Teleport---The burro can perform a line of sight teleport to another location up to 5 miles away. Can perform this feat equal to M.E./2 times per 24 hours.
71-80% Telekinesis-----Can telekinetically lift weights equal to the uber-burro’s M.E., at a range equal to the M.E. in ft. No ISP cost.
81-85% Spectral Horror---The modest-looking critter can suddenly look like a beast from hell, with a Horror Factor of 1d6+11. IT can maintain this for as many melee rds as it has M.E. pts, once per 24 hours.
86-95% Automatic Dodge---The critter has the ability to sidestep arracks automatically, without using up an APM. Only any bonuses from P.P. apply.
96%-00% Roll twice
-------------
"Trouble rather the Tiger in his Lair,
Than the Sage among his Books,
For all the Empires and Kingdoms,
The Armies and Works that you hold Dear,
Are to him but the Playthings of the Moment,
To be turned over with the Flick of a Finger,
And the Turning of a Page"

--------Rudyard Kipling
------------
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darthauthor
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Re: Paladin Steel Storefront

Unread post by darthauthor »

I like your ideas.

I like some of the nick names for the burro.

I like a lot.

A little feedback that tells about me and not your work.
I feel the random super power ability and Supernatural strength are too powerful.
I might expect them for a creature of magic.

My own preconceptions of a genetically engineered donkies and horses would give
them a lot of what you have written. Minus the supernatural strength and such.

Your narration is wonderful.

The idea of the genetically engineered donkey marvelous.
I also like the mention of them as companions and sort of terraformers.

It inspires me to want to see or build a super pig or raccoon,

Thank you for you inventions and storytelling.
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Re: Paladin Steel Storefront

Unread post by taalismn »

darthauthor wrote: Thu Dec 21, 2023 10:32 pm I like your ideas.

I like some of the nick names for the burro.

I like a lot.

A little feedback that tells about me and not your work.
I feel the random super power ability and Supernatural strength are too powerful.
I might expect them for a creature of magic.

My own preconceptions of a genetically engineered donkies and horses would give
them a lot of what you have written. Minus the supernatural strength and such.

Your narration is wonderful.

The idea of the genetically engineered donkey marvelous.
I also like the mention of them as companions and sort of terraformers.

It inspires me to want to see or build a super pig or raccoon,

Thank you for you inventions and storytelling.
You're welcome. I'm glad you had as much fun reading as I did writing.

Yes, some of the superpowers are and strength are ridiculous, but I started out with a Splicers commune in a magic-rich region and maybe a rogue Gene-Splicer...and Splicers already has absurdly strong/powerful creations, despite the original Splicers setting being in a decidedly NONmagic environment. That's why I threw in the rumors of the Uber-burro stock being visited by fairies.

And frankly, yes, I wanted some of the power options to be cartoon-absurd...because this thing's a -donkey-. Nobody expects a cute little burro to leap like a giant flea, trot down a vertical slope or suddenly teleport away. The net effect should leave a supernatural predator, demonic being, or high-tech bandits going 'what the ---?", and maybe in their distraction letting the PCs get away.

Of course, if some of the powers are TOO much for your head-canon or game, feel free to edit them out....there are, after all, very well possibly multiple breeds starting out with just SDC modifications and going up in capability and sophistication(and cost) available from PS's farms. The Uber-burro is just the high-end model (not the HIGHEST, mind you...that would be a donkey with a genius IQ, smarter than most humans, and a wider selection of skills...but let's not start creating new sophist species just yet)....

:-D And good luck, if you decide to do it, with the super-swine or the raccoon....plenty of possible candidates for genetic modification/uplift, outside the After the Bomb game.
-------------
"Trouble rather the Tiger in his Lair,
Than the Sage among his Books,
For all the Empires and Kingdoms,
The Armies and Works that you hold Dear,
Are to him but the Playthings of the Moment,
To be turned over with the Flick of a Finger,
And the Turning of a Page"

--------Rudyard Kipling
------------
Tag365
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Re: Paladin Steel Storefront

Unread post by Tag365 »

taalismn wrote: Fri Nov 02, 2012 7:58 pm
Mephites (Converted/Modified AtB Mutant Mutant Skunks)
(aka ‘Musties’)
I wonder if there's a body mod that can turn a human into a skunk man?
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SolCannibal
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Re: Paladin Steel Storefront

Unread post by SolCannibal »

Tag365 wrote: Sun Dec 31, 2023 3:18 pm
taalismn wrote: Fri Nov 02, 2012 7:58 pm
Mephites (Converted/Modified AtB Mutant Mutant Skunks)
(aka ‘Musties’)
I wonder if there's a body mod that can turn a human into a skunk man?
Where there are sapients with magic-scientific know-how, there will be someone looking for some kind of practical or utterly impractical mod as the way to make something happen, you can be sure.
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Re: Paladin Steel Storefront

Unread post by taalismn »

Tag365 wrote: Sun Dec 31, 2023 3:18 pm
taalismn wrote: Fri Nov 02, 2012 7:58 pm
Mephites (Converted/Modified AtB Mutant Mutant Skunks)
(aka ‘Musties’)
I wonder if there's a body mod that can turn a human into a skunk man?
Hmmm...I believe that it's possible to modify some of the Eugenic Body Modifications from Powers Unlimited to produce stench glands/sprayers. Possibly some of the canon Minor powers might suffice too as a basis. I also believe that a Flatulence power shows up in the Rifter April fools issue that can be used to emulate a skunk power as well. I'll have to do some book stack diving.
-------------
"Trouble rather the Tiger in his Lair,
Than the Sage among his Books,
For all the Empires and Kingdoms,
The Armies and Works that you hold Dear,
Are to him but the Playthings of the Moment,
To be turned over with the Flick of a Finger,
And the Turning of a Page"

--------Rudyard Kipling
------------
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taalismn
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Re: Paladin Steel Storefront

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Okay, looks like Earthlink, my longtime service provider, finally pulled the plug on the local dial-up service which is my only personal connection to the internet, so I've having to look around for a new local provider willing to support dial-up nodes. Means I won't be posting as regularly as I have been for the past twenty years.


Now while I'll still be posting through public access internet(and may actually have time to write new post material of content), regular correspondence will be curtailed. It may be a while before I'm back to my daily(and I admit, blissfully ignorant, since I should have seen this coming for a decade, as was pointed out to me) routine of cruising the internet.
-------------
"Trouble rather the Tiger in his Lair,
Than the Sage among his Books,
For all the Empires and Kingdoms,
The Armies and Works that you hold Dear,
Are to him but the Playthings of the Moment,
To be turned over with the Flick of a Finger,
And the Turning of a Page"

--------Rudyard Kipling
------------
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SolCannibal
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Re: Paladin Steel Storefront

Unread post by SolCannibal »

taalismn wrote: Wed Jan 03, 2024 12:48 pm Okay, looks like Earthlink, my longtime service provider, finally pulled the plug on the local dial-up service which is my only personal connection to the internet, so I've having to look around for a new local provider willing to support dial-up nodes. Means I won't be posting as regularly as I have been for the past twenty years.


Now while I'll still be posting through public access internet(and may actually have time to write new post material of content), regular correspondence will be curtailed. It may be a while before I'm back to my daily(and I admit, blissfully ignorant, since I should have seen this coming for a decade, as was pointed out to me) routine of cruising the internet.
Damn shame to hear about that and hope you can get some helpful service provider, be it dial-up or not, sometime soon.

We'll try to pick up some slack and keep things rolling meanwhile. Hopefully.
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Re: Paladin Steel Storefront

Unread post by taalismn »

SolCannibal wrote: Thu Jan 04, 2024 5:51 am [

Damn shame to hear about that and hope you can get some helpful service provider, be it dial-up or not, sometime soon.

We'll try to pick up some slack and keep things rolling meanwhile. Hopefully.
Thanks, It's a real pain-in the.....and it has a ripple effect because so many other things tend to go wrong or it turns out that I'll have to upgrade my computer or replace it entirely just to make it compatible with the new service or..(annoyance list goes on)...

But as I said, maybe I'll be able to use the freed up time I'd normally spend internet-browsing more constructively.
-------------
"Trouble rather the Tiger in his Lair,
Than the Sage among his Books,
For all the Empires and Kingdoms,
The Armies and Works that you hold Dear,
Are to him but the Playthings of the Moment,
To be turned over with the Flick of a Finger,
And the Turning of a Page"

--------Rudyard Kipling
------------
Omegasgundam
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Re: Paladin Steel Storefront

Unread post by Omegasgundam »

****. Well, guess I'll have to be inspired to develop my own work in a vain attempt to compensate.
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Re: Paladin Steel Storefront

Unread post by taalismn »

Good news is I've signed up with a new provider, but it will be a week or so before my new software shows up in the mail and I see if it works on my old machine...
On the other hand, I'm catching up on my sleep.
-------------
"Trouble rather the Tiger in his Lair,
Than the Sage among his Books,
For all the Empires and Kingdoms,
The Armies and Works that you hold Dear,
Are to him but the Playthings of the Moment,
To be turned over with the Flick of a Finger,
And the Turning of a Page"

--------Rudyard Kipling
------------
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SolCannibal
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Re: Paladin Steel Storefront

Unread post by SolCannibal »

taalismn wrote: Tue Jan 09, 2024 3:45 pm Good news is I've signed up with a new provider, but it will be a week or so before my new software shows up in the mail and I see if it works on my old machine...
On the other hand, I'm catching up on my sleep.
Good news and even better news then. :-P
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Re: Paladin Steel Storefront

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Omegasgundam wrote: Tue Jan 09, 2024 3:02 am ****. Well, guess I'll have to be inspired to develop my own work in a vain attempt to compensate.
Well, I'm working on a few capers for the Arctic War that you influenced. :D
-------------
"Trouble rather the Tiger in his Lair,
Than the Sage among his Books,
For all the Empires and Kingdoms,
The Armies and Works that you hold Dear,
Are to him but the Playthings of the Moment,
To be turned over with the Flick of a Finger,
And the Turning of a Page"

--------Rudyard Kipling
------------
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Re: Paladin Steel Storefront

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taalismn wrote: Thu Oct 28, 2021 8:50 pm The PS/LSI-CGC-12 has caught on with various tourism agencies and organizations, due to its wide field of view, and the vehicle is often paired with the GAAARCG-01 in touring regions. Though not recommended as a combat vehicle, it can be equiped with light weaponry, and has been used as a security vehicle and exploration craft. It’s armored enough to deal with most environmental wear and tear, and light damage from small arms and aggressive local lifeforms. Occasionally this durability has been put to the test, as when an Opticar carrying the junketing Deputy Minister of the Arzca Confederated Purity came under fire in an assassination attempt on Balsar.
Considering how rustic and under-equipped by choice Balsar and its Nersaug population overall are, such an assassination attempt happening on the first place raises all kinds of questions.

Damn, the fact the Arzca Confederated Purity - insular as it generally is - would send a [Deputy] Minister to Balsar is basically the first possible indication of what the Nersaug's world rough astrographic position might be (somewhere in Anvil) ever that i can remember! :lol:

Edit: some passing references to "the Nersaug having entered tentative trade agreements with Gevadan, on the edge of the faltering Solex Federation, to acquire some of the livestock species raised under domes there" in the Economy [Agrarian] section of Balsar would count too. Plus reinforcing the overall idea the system would be located somewhere in Anvil.
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Re: Paladin Steel Storefront

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The Frigid War(Expanded/Updated, from some of the ideas of omegasgundam)

A sudden light erupts within the stark structures of the Azhur fortress, the intense illumination casting the fractual lattice work of the construct in stark contrast. Then the massive beams, struts, and walls of the castle begin to dissolve, explosively subliminating into mist-delineated shockwaves that billow outwards, sweeping out across the surrounding plains, scouring them of the ranked material piles and parked vehicles waiting there. Behind the waves of destruction, a globe of fiery light rises, shedding bands of light that cut into the bedrock and sink, sending up clouds of glowing gas into the dark sky.
For the first time in known Azhur history, the Great Ice is burning.


****

“You can go no further here,” the platium-blonde Klia scout announced to Lieutenant Washton of the GNE Rangers. “I must go in alone.”
Truth be told, even with the specially insulated and heated body armor, the expeditionary troops were feeling a chill, and the dark ice cavern beyond looked colder yet. Their sense of chill wasn’t helped any psychologically by the Klia defector stripping down in front of them, apparently unperturbed and unaffected by the heat-stealing surroundings. Any of the Warmworlders would be breaking out in goosebumps, or rather freezing solid from just a few seconds’ exposure to their surroundings, but the pale bare skin of the scout showed not a tremble.
“Kzagcali Malyce has set many traps beyond here. It would be...dangerous...for anyone else not of her ice to enter here, especially with alien equipment.”
A glance at the jagged-walled cavern tunnel, looking like the chute-mouth of a massive meatgrinder was another reminder that they were deep in enemy territory and far from their home dimension.
“I will be back shortly” She affectionately patted the almost invisible string of small diamonds strung around her throat, as if to assure the worried Ranger lieutenant.
The scout then nonchalantly strode into the cavern, slipping between the crystalline teeth of the tunnel and disappearing into its murky depths.
That left the team to stand and wait in the cold, quietly contemplating the audacity of what they were doing. Loitering on the de-facto doorstep of one of the IceLords of the Azhur on their own homeground was ranked up pretty damned high in the lists of suicidal behavior. But such was part of the Ranger job description, and the soldiers stoically and patiently held their formation and their vigilance, weapons ready, for any threat emerging from the cold gloom around them.
Still, it didn’t help that the jutting icicles and frozen spurs around them looked all too much like giant teeth.
So it was with no small relief that their sensors detected the return of the scout, but they still kept at raised weapons stances, especially with the hints of additional motion behind her.

She emerged from the cavern’s depths, trailed by several massive floating crystals that bobbed in the air, following in her wake like ducklings following their mother. Her manner was seemingly unconcerned, as if she had not just plundered the the treasure vault of her former mistress. There was also another Klia, a near-twin to the scout and just as unclad, following in her wake.
“The vault is open. This will go faster and I can gather much more if I had help. This is Jole, she is willing to surrender and help us, if you would have her.” She knelt the newly-identified silver-blonde in front of the squad leader.
Having been forewarned that a situation like this might arise, the GNE lieutenant had come prepared. She stepped forward with a ‘recruitment necklace’ in her gloved hands and affixed the silver chain around the Klia’s obligingly lowered neck. Once that was done, the new Klia bowed to the warmworlders, shared a look with the scout, and the two turned and went back into the cave. Meanwhile the troops were covering the floating crystals with thermo-shrouds and net harnesses and towing them back to the stealth-transports and the d-array that had brought them here.

Soon a stream of crystalline stones were flowing out of the cavern depths, like icebergs in a swift current, draining out to disappear into the gloom. When the scout and her helper came back with one last convoy of crystals, the Rangers swiftly decamped in good order, qucikly retreating back to the extraction point. Very shortly the Rangers, their new defector, and their loot would vanish into the thin air of extradimensional space, their array wiped clean after them by an anti-theron charge.

Raiding the powerstone hoard of a High Ice Tzagc-Mistress and cleaning it out of its cache of cold-fusion diamonds, cryo-stabilized mysticite, and flash-stopped elektroplasm, would strike a significant blow at the powers behind the Earth campaign , and net the Alliance a nice profit in the process. It was also very good incentive not to stick around to be discovered by the now much-impoverished Ice-Lady.

****

The Polar or Frigid War against the Azhur has entered a new stage. Acting on reliable intelligence developed from various sources, the assembled ad-hoc ‘Arctic Compact Alliance’ has begun striking back at the Azhur in their home dimension. Greater New England, Scandanavian, Russian, Soviet, EShemarrian and even some German units are driving deep into Azhur territory, instead of just acting in reactionary fashion to the IceLords’ attacks. But the offensives on the Earth fronts are only part of a two-pronged retaliation campaign.

The Arctic Compact Alliance has launched a number of cross-dimensional raids and strikes at key targets of the Azhur campaign against Earth, hitting weapons factories, transdimensional arrays, and industrial infrastructure. The intense cold of the Azhur home dimension limits the endurance of the Warm forces involved in the campaign(even the Russians admit that the local conditions make Russian winters look warm and sunny in comparison), but this hasn’t stopped the adaptive Allies from being able to strike hard and fast. Aided by a highly-placed network of informers* (though this is not open knowledge to most of the troops involved), the Allies have been striking at Azhur weapons development centers, Elemental holding pens, and energy distribution systems. Disruption of the troop assembly areas has also been part of the campaign, preventing reinforcements from reaching the front lines. WMDs have annihilated some formations, while sabotage to the interdimensional transposition arrays have sent other armies wildly offcourse. While not creating a total collapse and rout of the Arzhur armies, the campaign has thrown a monkeywrench into their planning and implementation on Earth and on other fronts.

The element of surprise has worked so far in the Allies’ favor. The shock of being hit on their own home turf has caught the Akar- Dominance off guard. The assassination of several high-rank Tzagcs and their staffs in the raids has also thrown off the plans of the Ice Lords and their political games. While many of the Ice Lords still arrogantly believe the Warmworlders still do not pose a viable threat and that the raids are a mere aberration that will be swiftly repulsed and vengeance reaped, others are not so assured. Political infighting has stepped up as various Akar-members are blamed or scapegoated for the breaches of homeland security. Still other Akarist Houses, especially those closest to the sites of the recent raids, are forting up in uncharacteristic panic. A few Tzagcs may have noticed that the already very reclusive House Tilaus* has become even more active in closing off access to their territories, although their sales of Klia slave-stock remain undiminished(and indeed, they are selling even more Klia to Houses looking to shore up their domestic defenses and make up for losses incurred during the raids).


*Unbeknownst to the rest of the Akar, House Tilaus has become a multigenerational eugenic machine devoted to the downfall of the IceLords. The Arctic War on Rifts Earth has become the excuse/moment that the Tilaus have been waiting for, and its members have begun making preparations for what they hope will be the final endgame. The slaves sold to the other Akarists are potential time bombs of sabotage, set to report on the activities of the IceLords and relay post-raid damage reports that will eventually wind up in the hands of the Warmworlders. Meanwhile, in the guise of boarding up, the Tilaus are actually preparing to bail out when the collapse of the Dominance becomes inevitable.
The timing of when the Tilaus fiefdom abandons the Azhur, where it will move to, and who Lady Pyha Tilaus IV will pledge herself and her people to remain as yet undetermined, but the general feeling is that the time is nearing that their long-laid plans will finally come to fruition.


Counterspasm
The growing thunder of heavy explosions could be heard well before the messenger came through the doors of the inner sanctum. It, in turn, had been preceded by the storm of radio dispatches overte airwaves. Warlord Alekseyevna already knew much of what the messenger was here to tell him.
“How bad is it?” He pre-empted the commtech soldati.
“Bad, milord. The city guard reports many thousands of the Cold Ones advancing. Their strike aircraft have hit many of our defenses, and our outlying districts wither under the cold death clouds. Many more of their aircraft approach. The Tempest Guard is outnumbered. “
Alekseyevna cursed. He should have invested more in air defenses and aircraft. Now he was paying the price.
“Before they were overrun, the wall guards reported many hundreds of mechanized units approaching, escorted by tens of thousands of armored soldiers. All told, from all the outpost reports, we may be looking at over a million enemy effectives. Our communications are being cut off, and our closest reinforcements report that their way is impeded by more enemy formations....Milord, we are cut off from the rest of the realm. Your orders, sir?”
Alekseyevna looked at the anxious look on the young soldati’s face, seeking assurance from his leige.
Another time a much younger and more malicious man might have killed the messenger. A slightly younger man would have castigated the messenger at length for showing any sign of weakness. Yuri Garald Alekseyevna, Greatest of the Rus Warlords, had long outgrown either man. But he still had the training and the metal to do what had to be done.
“We fight.”
Alekseyevna stood up from his garden, took a last look at his flowers in his arboretum, shed his robes and then began donning his combat armor.
“My long night is upon me at last...let us go out to meet it.”


One of the tragic side effects of the Allied counteroffensive was a violent wave of retaliatory attacks by the Azhur on Earth, in a reflexive effort to punish the Allies. Multiple airstrikes, missile attacks, and submarine forays were launched at northern targets. Several new weapons, not previously seen, were also deployed.
Although this was anticipated, the sheer force of the Azhur counterattack was unexpected as panicked and angry sub-IceLords, reacting to the demands of their superiors, threw their reserves at the northern allies. Besides the air attacks, the Arzhur launched massive ground attacks, sweeping away many northern communities for no other reason than revenge. The eastern flank of the ACA was especially vulnerable.
Warlord Alekseyevna, though hard-hit already by the Azhur and offered the assistance of both the Western Russian Alliance and the Arctic Compact Alliance, refused to cooperate, especially after Warlod Burgasov invaded part of Alekseyevna’s realm to protect his own flank. Warned by the Allies of possible retaliatory actions to their own campaigns, the deeply suspicious Alekseyevna was leery of their claims, though he did step up production and distribution of his own improved weapons. It turned out not to be enough. Instead, his weakened lands would be ravaged by the Arzhur and their Klia canonfodder, and Alekseyevna’s capital city(of Alekseyevna, named for himself) was specifically targeted by a particularly heavy strike, in part for the expanded industries Alekseyevna was using to upgrade his forces. Surrounded, trapped, and under seige, the city defenders faced a massive alien army with artillery and weapons of mass destruction.
Warlord Yuri Garald Alekseyevna went out fighting in defense of his kingdom in the thickest of combat(though there are some rumors that his flash-frozen body was smuggled out of the city). Although long critical of his neighboring nemesis, Burgasov eulogized the loss of Alekseyevna as the ‘passing of an era’, and was glad that ‘the Old Man’ went out fighting at the last.
Unfortunately, the ‘Counterspasm’ has left the realm of Alekseyevna, sans its leader, in chaos. Burgasov, who really had no plans to conquer and occupy the Old Man’s kingdom, now has to reshuffle forces to cover the unstable border, contend with roving Arzhur forces, and protect the inevitable flood of refugees fleeing the warzone. Fortunately, there is some good news; Alekseyevna had long delegated much of the day to day actions of his forces to subordinates, and some of the more talented(and less nakedly ambitious) sub-commanders have thrown together coordinating bulwark states in the western and southern regions of the kingdom to resist the Azhur and other opportunistic threats. These lower-tier warlords have been cooperating with Burgasov’s people to keep supplied with weaponry and clear lines of communication. Furthermore, the ‘counterspasm’ forces have exhausted much of the Arzhurs’ Rifts Earth reserves.
The invading Arzhur did not have long to enjoy their conquest; alerted to the massacre of Likhta, ACA aircraft launched their own recon and strike missions in the regions around Alekseyevna. Arzhur forces attempting to scrounge technical data from the ruins of the city’s industry, and cart away stocks of metals and minerals have instead been tumbled into the rubble by concerted air attacks from the forces of the GNE, Warlords Seriyev, the Kolodenko/Romanov camp, and even a few NGR and Eshemarrian Aurora Warrior units. With their war machine schedule upset back in their home dimension, the d-bee invaders are unable to resupply and reinforce as quickly as they have in the past, and the revenge-fueled rapid advances have left their forces dangerously overextended. The previously unseen new weapons have also now been used prematurely and their existence exposed to the Allies, who are now developing counters.

The repeated whoosh of rocket batteries nearly drowns out his lieutenant’s report, but Warlord Burgasov gets the gist of the situation; several miles out of sight a column of iceling armored cavalry is getting a thermobaric downpour, having been caught out in the open along the eastern border by units of Burgsov’s new artillery corps. The enemy force is literally melting away under the fiery rain barrages of plasma and fuel-air munitions. Any who live through the hell-pounding will be rounded up and offered a chance to surrender, but Burgasov thinks it unlikely there will be any enemy survivors. Accounts of the massacre of Alekseyevna have rapidly spread through the ranks of Burgasov’s warcamp, and his troops are not in a very generous mood.

Hero of the Hour----Igor Seriyev
“Damn, Alekseyevna’s gone? Pyotr can’t be too happy with that, what with what it will do to his eastern borders. Yuri was a stodgy one, but at least he was a reliable and predictable old warhorse with few surprises. I’m now going to need more agents to figure out who’s going to emerge on top out there.“

The ‘Rat of Minsk’ is coming out of the the Arctic War rather well, if he could say so himself. Despite having suffered raids early in the conflict with the Arzhur, the opportunistic warlord has managed to begin wreaking a most satisfactory and profitable revenge. His turning of many thousands of Klia slaves, including trained technicians, into citizens of his own realm, the blooming of his own aviation industry, and increased trade with the New German Republic and New Oslo have made Seriyev’s realm economically and militarily strong. Furthermore, he has developed some of the best inside intelligence on the Arzhur, thanks to a network of turncoat Klia and corrupted Azhur. Seriyev has been careful to trade this information for favors and goodwill from his allies, and his network has been invaluable in the counteroffensive. Though he did not see the massacre of the city of Alekseyevna shaping up until it was too late, his learning of it in short order and his previously-gathered information on Alekseyevna’s realm allowed for the quick response of the Allies in catching the Azhur forces out in the open.
Further west, Warlord Seriyev and and NGR-backed forces from New Oslo have been weeding out the Arzhur presence in Scandanavia. Seriyev has negotiated that ultimately he will get a piece of the reclaimed territory, now that he has both the aircraft and the cold-adapted population(in the form of thousands of turned-Klia) to develop the region. This plan has required negotiating a deal with Burgasov to accord the latter territory in former Finland, as well as an agreement to establish a mutual protectorate over surviving Finnish communities in the region.
As wars go, even though the Azhur are far from finished, Seriyev feels he could be doing a lot worse and is in fact rather optimistic about the whole thing.
-------------
"Trouble rather the Tiger in his Lair,
Than the Sage among his Books,
For all the Empires and Kingdoms,
The Armies and Works that you hold Dear,
Are to him but the Playthings of the Moment,
To be turned over with the Flick of a Finger,
And the Turning of a Page"

--------Rudyard Kipling
------------
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taalismn
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Re: Paladin Steel Storefront

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Paladin Steel IJP-09 Antag Harness
(aka ‘Handikill,’Dupelfist’, ‘Rahu-Rig’)
“The first time you try this rig it can creep you out, watching the extra set of arms moving of their own accord, but once you learn to synch with it and tell it what you want it to do, it becomes second nature, and soon you’ll be juggling with the kit and doing other dumb little stunts just to show off.”

“If you’re wearing this thing in sentry mode, be very sure of the set parameters. You don’t want to have a buddy get punched out or worse because the rig misinterpreted their attempt at a shoulder pat as an attack. I frankly don’t want to know how many folks got sent to the hospital or the morgue ironing out the alert-response threshold bugs of the sentry program.”

“Paladin Steel is always looking for ways to increase the safety and effectiveness of soldiers. They evidentally took some inspiration from Northern Gun’s anti-Juicer power armor and devised this lighter exoframe as a force multiplier for their infantry.”

“Just because you got an extra set of arms doesn’t mean you can hang with us rahumen, short-stuff. Least not until you prove yourself in combat. Then, just maybe, you can drink with us big people, and we won’t even insist you keep wearing those extra appendages.”

Antag-Harness is an addition to full body armor that acts like a full-metal military version of the ‘Hexapus’ Robot Tentacle Harness’ and the ‘Arachne’ ‘Smart’ Spider-Dress. Antag Harness consists of a heavy backpack based on the IMP-series Infantry Jump Pack. Instead of a sensor kit or mini-laser/missile launcher turret, however, the IJP-Antag mounts a pair of fully-roboticized matched right- and left-handed PPRMCG-01 Plasma Combat Gauntlets, powered by a 2-year RTG power cell in the back. Each arm comes mounting a plasma blaster, laser finger blaster, and a three-shot 13mm projectile launcher. Options such as extra melee weaponry or modifications to the plasma ejectors are available.
The robotic arms are linked to two sensor mini-masts sticking up over the wearer’s shoulders, and to sensors in the EBA’s helmet. The arms are controled by a mini-A.I. that can be set with a point defense directive in mind, but the kit takes its orders from a neural link with the wearer. The arms can engage separate targets simultaneously or concentrate their attention on the same target.
The AI is not smart or agile enough to hold and use firearms, but it can grab and hold objects, grab ahold of stanchions and surfaces to stabilize or hold the wearer in place.
A heavy(or heavily modified) EBA such as VEBA-04 ‘Guardsman’or VEBA-AUG-10 ‘Bounder’is recommended, the additional modifications effectively making the ‘suit into a light power armor.

Weight: 56 lbs
Width: The second set of shoulders extend an additional six inches out to either side of the wearer’s own shoulders (12-13 inches total).
MDC:
Pack 60
Sensor Turrets(2) 30 each
-Arms(2)50 each
Encumberance: None; the AG coil negates much of the ‘rig’s weight and the arms help with absorbing the shock of rolling movements.
Physical Strength(Arms): Equivalent to Bionic P.S. of 20
Weapons Systems:
Range:(Plasma Blaster)500 ft
(Laser) 800 ft
(Projectile Launcher)(13mm Gyrojet Rounds) 300 ft
Damage:(Plasma Blaster)1d4x10 MD per blast. A simultaneous blast on the same target from BOTH arms does 2d4x10 MD and counts as 1 attack.
(Laser) 1d6 MD per blast
(Projectile Launcher)(13mm Gyrojet Rounds)
(Solid Penetrator)4d4 MD at 100 ft or less, 1d6 MD out to 300 ft
(Explosive) 3d6 MD per round
Rate of Fire: (Plasma Blaster)ECHH
(Laser)ECHH
(Projectile Launcher)ECHH; volleys of 1-3(all).
Payload:(Plasma Blaster) Effectively unlimited; miniature nuclear battery provides up to 2 years of continual power.
(Laser) Effectively unlimited linked to the PPRMCG-01; 10 shot mini-e-clip/battery(40 shots conventional e-clip)if removed from the gauntlet.
(Projectile Launcher)3 rounds; a special speedloader can reload all three chambers in one action.

(Hand to Hand)
Restrained Punch/Slap 1d4 SD
Full Strength Punch 2d4 +5 SD
Power Punch(2 attacks) 1 MD

Special Features:
*Miniature GMR/CG Coil----Offsets some of the weight of the antag-rig and provides the following bonuses; improve Speed by 10%, and increase leap distances by 25%.
* Passive EM pickup, hardwire headjack link, or psi-wire Telemechanics neural control interface.
*Motion Detector-- 900 ft range
*Laser Rangefinder---2,000 ft range
*Optics---InfraRed, Thermographic, Image-Enhance, Telescopic, Low-Light---2 mile range. The wearer can access the sensor masts’ sensors through an HUD or optical implant.
*Artificial Intelligence-----The operator’s ‘second head’, this expert system is constant sifting through all the information flowing in, looking for patterns, so the ‘pack operator doesn’t become overwhelmed by data overload. This gives the ‘pack operator a +10% to Detect Ambush and Detect Concealment rolls, and a +1 to initiative, and a +2 to dodge, for the first melee, if ambushed.
Gives the following additional bonuses: +2 APM, +2 parry, +1 to roll.

Cost: 180,000 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 on the PPRMCG-01 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 roughly 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 1d6x10+8 MD and explodes in an 8 ft blast radius .
Cost: +6,000 credits

*Micro-Grenade Launcher---Some engineers thought that the accuracy and power of the 13mm gyrojet slugs lacked punch, especially being launched without the benefit of a barrel to help spin-stabilize them at launch, so an alternative was proposed; the PSMcAGL-03 23mm ‘finger bomb’ launcher.
Range: 250 ft
Damage: (High Explosive)2d4 MD to a 10 ft area
(Incendiary)---A slug of thermal gel that does 1d6 MD to a 12 ft splash, and an additional 1d4 MD per melee for 1d6 melees
(Flare) Burns with blinding incandescence for 1d6 melees, each round brightly illuminating an area roughly 100 ft in radius. These are NOT parachute flares, but fall normally.
Rate of Fire: ECHH; volleys of 1-3(all)
Payload: 3 shots; a special speedloader can reload all three chambers in one action.
Cost: 1,200 credits. HE Shells cost 400 each, incendiary 450 each, and flare rounds 30 each.

*Vibroblades---Citing the lack of a true close-in melee weapon, some engineers have proposed replacing the limited projectile launcher entirely with a triple-tined vibroblade claw instead.
Damage: 3d4 MD
Cost: 11,000 credits
For an additional 50,000 credits, the ‘rig AI can be programmed with W.P. Knife at a level 6 of profficiency(+2 strike, +3 parry).

*ZapTaps----The knuckles of the blast-gauntlet can be fitted with PS’s energy-expulsion ‘blast studs’, which release a powerful blast of energy on contact.
Weight: (Model 1 Stud Pad) 8 ounces
(Model 2 Blast Pad) 1.8 lbs
Range:(Model 1 Stud Pad) Melee
(Model 2 Blast Pad) Melee
Damage:(Model 1 Stud Pad) Two settings; 5d6 SDC or 1 MD
(Model 2 Blast Pad) 2d4 MD
Rate of Fire: (All models) ECHH
Payload:(Model 1 Stud Pad) Mini-E-clip has enough power for 50 SDC jolts or 5 MD shots. Effectively unlimited linked to the fusion power cell.
(Model 2 Blast Pad) 50 blasts from a Standard E-Clip pack. Effectively unlimited linked to the nuclear power cell.
Bonuses:
Special Features:(Model 1 Stud Pad)--Optional clear high-density plastic cover slip(prevents backflash damage to leather/fabric mounting...like the glove it’s mounted in)
(Model 2 Blast Pad)---Optional light-up when powered up
Cost:(Model 1 Stud Pad)20,000 credits
(Model 2 Blast Pad)80,000 credits

Variants:
* IJP-09M----Mechanic’s version. It replaces some or all of the weapons systems with bionic tool arm options.

* IJP-09TW(-a, -b, -c, -d)----Mounts a pair of ’Attilus’(-a), ‘Gigafist’( -b), ‘Hextus’ (-c)TW Combat Gauntlets, or ‘Harker’ Multi-Armament Vampire Antagonizers ( -d) instead of the PPRMCG-01s, and carries a 300 PPE Powerstone crystal.

*IMP-09---This is simply the IMP-01 contragravity flight rig fitted with the arms of the IJP-09 in place of the missile launcher and laser mini-turrets. Much more mobile, bit also much more expensive.
-------------
"Trouble rather the Tiger in his Lair,
Than the Sage among his Books,
For all the Empires and Kingdoms,
The Armies and Works that you hold Dear,
Are to him but the Playthings of the Moment,
To be turned over with the Flick of a Finger,
And the Turning of a Page"

--------Rudyard Kipling
------------
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