Paladin Steel PSPA-12 ‘Caliban’ Heavy Power Armor(aka ‘Heavy Enforcer’, ‘Slugger’, ‘Tortoiseback’, ‘Garshem’, ‘Huncher’, ‘Mountainback’, ‘Super-Pig’)
http://i408.photobucket.com/albums/pp164/taalismn/img394_zpsb5940b80.jpg“You can try going over the ridge or through this tunnel to get to the valley; the ridge is several hundred feet of sheer granite mountain that even goats don’t try climbing, while this tunnel will take you twenty minutes to get through in relative comfort. Take the ridge way, every airborne asset in the Alliance Army is going to be bombing you, every artillery piece is going to drop fire on you. Come through this tunnel, you’re facing me, and you can come at me only one at a time, and I don’t plan on dying easy. I’m the worst case of constipation a mobile force like yours could face.”
----Sergeant Catto Rodriguez, Caliban Pilot
“You wanna pay extra attention to servicing the rear quarter sensors on this thing; the way the head’s positioned, you can’t see directly past your own shoulders, straight up, or what’s behind you. Makes backing up, especially in formation, a rear teeth-clincher, worrying about crushing somebody behind you. So make sure the remotes are aligned and working properly, and that nothing’s hanging over them, otherwise the all-around HUD’s worthless, and you’re effectively fighting blind in this thing.”
---Corporal Minitz Chorrporal, Caliban Pilot.
“Why we call it the ‘Caliban’? Because it’s ugly, it’s awkward, it’s a misfit, it works hard in a thankless job, it takes a beating, and it’s ill-tempered. It’s a beast. But despite that, it’s built tough, and it can hand out some serious payback. There may not be many in the force, but they can do some serious damage to anything that gets in their way...yeah, like a real serious tempest, hah!”
---Tech-Sergeant Malcoli Emin, Mechanic, Greater New England Regular Army.
The PSPA-12, or PSA-12 as it sometimes appeared in PS R&D records, was the original designation given to the development of a heavy version of the PA-11 ‘Enforcer’ Power Armor. The original plan was to use the chassis of either the Glitterboy or CS ‘Mauler’ heavy armors as the basis of a heavy weapons power armor to compliment the lighter PSA-11a.
In a rare bit of accounting error(though the near-total devastation of PS’s Burlington offices during the Mechanoid Incident contributed to the confusion), the PSA-12S designation would be given to the NEMA Bull Dog/’Mongrel’ programme, which would then become officially the PSA-18 Mongrel, while the ‘Enforcer’ name would be tagged to the PA-11. Further confusion remained as the PSA-18, which has taken over the intended role of the PSA-12, continued to be referred to often as the PSA-12S.
However, in a general clean-up of paperwork, PS management reassigned the PSA-12 designation, and reactivated the original programme, although as a heavy unit in the GNE military, its role had since been taken by the PSA-18.
The PSA-12 is based on an early PS effort to copy Glitterboys, making it arguably the Paladin Steel version of the Black Market’s ‘Shadowboy’. However, in a rare concession to the western Black Markets, Paladin Steel elected not to go ahead with plans to build its own readily identifiable version of the Glitterboy, and instead adapted the basic design to other projects.
The PSA-12 has a distinctive hunchbacked look, heavily armored torso, squat legs, large, oversized arms, and a small, heavily shielded head. The back typically carries two large ammunition drums, feeding the forearm guns via armored feed conduits. The PSA-12 is heavily armored, albeit at the cost of mobility. Armament, as per the original specification, is heavy, consisting of one or two heavy weapons mounted on each arm, and a backpack missile launcher or artillery unit. In close combat, the PSA-12 is devastating, its massive arms able to delivering piledriver punches, and its large armored fingers able to pry apart lesser power armors and vehicles.
The PSA-12S hasn’t quite attained the same popularity as its cousins, the PSA-10, PSA-11, and the PSA-18, and its reliance on ammunition-dependent weapons has curtailed its wider deployment. The PSA-12S sees the most use as a defensive guardian or garrison power armor where it can remain close to ammunition supplies. Its relative slow speed also works against it, as it cannot keep up with faster units. Still, it has its share of adherents and supporters, and a number of variants have been spawned, some an effort to correct what are perceived as its shortcomings, especially with regard to armament.
Type: PSPA-12S ‘Caliban’
Class: Heavy Power Armor
Crew: One
MDC/Armor by Location:
Main Body 480
Head 290
Arms(2) 300 each
Legs(2) 300 each
Ammunition Drums(2) 55 each
Missile Launch Pack(1, back) 100
Height: 10 ft
Width: 5 ft at shoulders
Length: 6 ft
Weight: 1.6 tons
Physical Strength: P.S. of 40
Cargo: Only what can be carried externally
Powerplant: Nuclear Fusion w/ 20 year energy life
Speed: (Running) 50 MPH
(Leaping) 12 ft up/across. Add 10 ft for a running start
(Flying) Not Possible
(Underwater) Limited to running along the bottom at 5 MPH, maximum depth of 1.2 miles.
Market Cost: 19 million credits
Systems of Note:
Standard Power Armor Systems
Weapons Systems:
1) Forearm Weapons Mounts(2-4)---Each massive forearm can be fitted with several modular heavy weapons, projectile weapons being fed from large drums on the back(in early versions of the PSA-12S, the feed-belts from the drums to the forearms proved vulnerable to damage and snagging, until later versions added protective plating)
a) .50 cal Machine Guns(2 each forearm)---Called the ‘Trombone’ because of the paired .50s.
Range: 6,000 ft
Damage: (SDC) 1d6x10 SDC single shot, 1d6 x100 SDC(1d6 MD) per 10 rd burst.
(Ramjets) 1d4 MD single shot, 1d4x10 MD per 10 rd burst.
(High Explosive)3d6x10 SDC single shot, 1d6 MD per 10 rd burst.
(PSX-2) 2d6 MD per rd, 2d6x10 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
Payload: 300 rd box magazine
Cost: 8,000 credits
b) PS-M136 7.62mm caliber Minigun(2 per forearm)
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)20 mm Rapid-fire Cannon (1 per forearm)
Range:(20mm)4,000 ft
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: 1,000 rd drum
Cost: 40,000 credits.
d) Plasma Tribarrel Cannon(1 per forearm)----This mounts a Paladin Steel/Keratech PPR-9 ‘Heatwave’ Tribarrel Plasma Cannon, belt-fed with cadmium-telluride cartridges. A PSA-12S mounting TWO such weapons gets the nickname ‘Heatstroke’ or ‘Wastrel’, the latter referring to pilots who burn through the expensive ammunition.
Range: 3,000 ft...Maximum range for a six-shot burst drops to 2,500 ft with a 6-ft wide ‘spread’, and for a twelve-shot burst to 2,000 ft with an eight-foot spread.
Damage: 5d6 MD per single blast, 2d4x10+10 MD per three-shot burst, 3d6x10 MD per six-shot burst(2d6x10 MD beyond 2,500 ft out to its maximum range), and a whopping 6d6x10 MD for a twelve-shot burst(4d6x10 MD beyond 2,000 ft out to its maximum range)
Rate of Fire: Single shot, three, six, or twelve shot bursts
Payload: 600 rounds per drum
Cost: 45,000 credits. Cadmium-telluride cartridges cost 45 credits each
e) 40mm Automatic Grenade Launcher(1 per forearm)
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) PSAGL-50A 50mm Projectile Gun (1 per forearm)
Range: 800 ft
Damage: (50mm RAP)1d6x10 +40 MD to 6 ft blast radius, plus 1d4x10 SDC to anyone inside the armor(or 6d6 SDC to anyone within 10 ft of the other side of the wall). HALF that if used against composite ‘meshed’ armors designed to flex, rather than spald(most power armors are constructed to have a certain amount of ‘warp’ to their structure, but cheaper armors, like Chipwell and early Northern Gun designs, lack this protection).
More advanced modern armors, such as those used by the Coalition, Triax, and other very high tech nations(the Kittani, for instance), for their EBA, power armors, robots, some vehicles, and special purpose fortifications(such as high echelon command bunkers) are designed NOT to spald, due to multiple composite layers of megadamage fabric and netting.....for these armors, spalding/bleed-through damage may be reduced to 1/4, or may not apply at all(GMs, use your discretion). Normal blast damage still applies, though, as the outer layers of armor are blown off/vaporized.
Restraint Caster(AKA "Booger") This "safe" ammunition blasts out an expanding glop of adhesive resin and plastic fibers that entangle and immobilize targets in an instant straitjacket. The tough polymer is non-allergenic and fire-resistant.
The "Booger" suffers from atrocious range; it can only reach 150 ft before flopping to the ground. Covers an area of 4 ft, and is
air permeable, so even if a perp is covered head to foot they can still breath.
Damage: 1d4 SDC bruising damage on impact, restrains with a P.S. of 30(characters without a robotic or supernatural PS of 30 or greater
are stuck until released. Even with r/s PS 30, takes 1d4 melees to bust out/be cut out).
Note: Police carry solvents that dissolve the "Booger" within 1d4 melees.
(Black Market cost for the solvent is 500 credits per 3-use tube)
(50mm Riot Round)Riot Rd: This ammunition is an expanding ball of sponge plastic, swelling up to roughly the size of a basketball. The Riot Round has better range than the Restraint Rd, and is designed to deliver a bruising kinetic
slap to resisting perps.
Range: 300 ft
Damage: 4d6 SDC plus 80% chance of knockdown(60% chance of stunning for 1d4 melees, -10 to initiative, strike/parry/dodge/roll, and half APMs. Reduce percentiles for stun and penalties by half if wearing MDC armor)
Smoke Rd: Smoke in a 20 ft area
Foam Rd: Designed for fire-fighting. Covers a 10 ft area in fire-retardant foam.
High Explosive Rd: 6d6 MD to 10 ft area
Rate of Fire: Single shot, ECHH
Payload: 5 shots
Penalties: The shells are rather slow (250 ft per second) and is meant to be used against stationary and slow-moving targets(like vehicles)...Against faster, more agile, targets like power armors and hovercycles that actually get a dodge, the 50mm shells are -2 to strike. Only the baton and restraint caster rounds lack this problem, being sufficiently fast enough to nail a target without penalty.
Cost: 3,000 credits, 900 credits per round for the RAP shell
g)GrHW-01 ‘Flamma’ Heavy Gravitonic Rail Gun(1 per forearm)
Range: 4,000 ft
Damage: 1d4x10 MD single shot, 2d6x10+10 MD for a 10 shot burst.
Rate of Fire: Standard
Payload: 30 rd drum or 200 rd belts
Cost: 75,000 credits
Options:
-Gravitonic Counter-Buffer---The standard GrHW-01 has recoil as standard, so standard burst rules apply, However. PS engineers have learned how to fit the weapon with a gravitonic ‘counterwave’ similar to Three Galaxies weapons, that damps recoil and steadies the weapon during rapid fire---Negate the HALF bonus penalty for firing bursts due to the weapon generating a counter-gravitonic pulse to damp out recoil. This feature is made available ONLY to PS/GNE security and military units; Lord Enno would KILL to obtain this technology if he ever learned of it. Cost: 20,000 credits
h) PS-RL-210 Fragmentation Rocket Launcher(1 per forearm)---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)---Does an additional +2 MD per rd, and 1 MD of damage for 1d4 melees as the flare portion burns down.
Rate of Fire: EGCHH
Payload: 1,000 rd drum
Cost: 100,000 credits
i) Heavy Flamer(1 per forearm)---Forearm projector unit fed from backpack tank carried in place of an ammunition drum. One or units can be carried, and the fuel tanks can be ejected in an emergency.
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 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: 27,000 credits.
j)PS-RG-44 Rail Gun(1 per forearm)--A copy of an imported Russian design.
Range: 4,000 ft
Damage: 1d4x10 MD per 20 rd burst
Rate of Fire: EGCHH
Payload: 3,000 rd drum
Cost: 75,000 credits
2) Modular Backpack Weapons Pod----A modular missile or mortar pod can be mounted between the weapons drums on the back
a) Micromissile Launcher----PS McML-08 ‘BoomBox’(aka ‘Pencil Box’, ‘RacketRak’)----This consists of five disposable plastic cassette-style launch ‘boxes’ stacked on an erectable launch frame and turntable. Bringing to mind the ‘Metalstorm’ guns of the past, each box-cassette has 25 micro-missiles(5 rows of 5) for a total of 125 projectiles, and can fire them in volleys of 5 to all 125 at once. It uses Pattern 1A -1C micro-missiles, but is problematic in laser-guidance mode due to frequent inadvertent missile fratricide when all 125 micro-missiles are trying to home on the same target(volleys of 5-20 are recommended instead). The entire set-up weighs in at 120 lbs, making it barely manportable, but a trained crew can swap out expended cassettes in 3 actions(typically takes 30-45 seconds to reload the entire weapon with new magazines). Cost: 80,000 credits.
b) Mini-Missile Launcher-----10 shot pod
c) Short Range Missile Launcher----5 shot pod
d) Medium Range Missile----2 shot pod
e) PSM811 ‘Gunther’ 52mm Infantry Mortar
Range: 6,500 ft (over a mile!)
Damage: (PSX-II High Explosive) 2d4x10 MD to 20 ft blast radius. Cost per shell: 800 credits
(Fragmentation) 6d6 MD to 50 ft blast radius. Cost per shell: 600 credits
(Incendiary) 4d6 MD to 30 ft blast radius, does an additional 1d4 MD for 1d6 melees, plus 80% chance of setting combustible materials aflame. Cost per shell: 700 credits
(Armor-Piercing Self-Forging)----This is a new experimental special shell that contains a micro-sensor and dual-charge system. The disc-shaped warhead is ‘frisbeed’ to high altitude(800 ft), then scans for target-profiles with its micro-sensor. When it spots a likely target profile(thermal or optical outline)(the limited size and complexity of the micro-sensor severely limits its targeting ability to a total of 6 targets...fortunately, the profile-database can be changed easily enough by inserting a new chip into the fusing assembly before loading), the warhead fires downwards, the material of the ‘discus’ deforming into a narrow, pointed, high-penetration needle well-suited for penetrating armor. Does 3d6x10 MD; no blast radius.
Note: This ammunition does NOT suffer from the indirect fire penalty; roll to strike as normal, but without bonuses. PS is working on a micro-guidance system that would allow these munitions to home in on laser-’painted’ targets, as via a forward observer....as well as better target discrimination(the current model has a tendency to be distracted by flaming wrecks in the vicinity of the ‘live’ target. Cost per shell: 4,000 credits
(Plasma) 2d6x10 MD to 10 ft blast radius. Cost per shell: 3,000 credits
(Smoke/Chemical) Varies by chemical type. Typically covers a 20 ft area. Basic smoke shells cost 100 credits apiece
(Illumination) Fires a high altitude illumination flare that burns brightly for 1d4 minutes. The flare also has a 40% chance of decoying/confusing heat-seeking sensors/weapons systems. Cost per shell: 500 credits
(Sensor Decoys) The mortar can also fire special lightweight thermal-emission decoys for confusing sensors into thinking there are ground troops where there are none....To further the confusion, the spheroid decoy will randomly extend springloaded ‘legs’ that move the decoy about in 5-10 ft leaps, giving the impression of moving troops. Internal mini-batteries last for 30 minutes. A small acid-capsule or self-destruct anti-tampering charge may also be attached to prevent the decoy from falling into enemy hands. Cost per shell: 700 credits
Noisemaker decoys are similar, but they emit random amplified ‘soldier noises’...footfalls, clinking of weapons, gunshots, muffled voices, etc., but are otherwise similar to the thermal-decoys. Cost per shell: 400 credits
TW Warheads
One of Paladin Steel West’s refinements to TW armaments was the use of specially-treated cracked crystal quartz and quartzite in expendable TW munitions. The ability of to use lower-quality flawed crystalline materials meant that self-destructing ‘one-shot’ TW weapons could be produced much more cheaply, and thus in bulk, while reserving higher-quality materials for superior TW creations.
(TW Sandstorm)-----Creates a sudden sandstorm that lasts 5 minutes, covering a 100 ft area. People trapped inside it will find visibility cut down to 3 ft, hearing is reduced by HALF, speed by 75%, lose initiative, 2 APM, and -5 strike, parry, and dodge. The scouring sand does 1d4 SDC per melee. Even robot vehicles will find their sensors, including radar, bolluxed by the flying grit. Cost per shell: 4,000 credits
(TW Chasm)---Opens up a chasm 160 ft long, by 80 ft wide, by 80 ft deep, that remains open for up to 40 minutes. Objects falling in take 2d6 SDC per every 20 ft of depth. At the end of the spell, the chasm belches everything up to the surface as if they’d never fallen(in other words, they don’t get crushed by the closing fissure). CANNOT be used against buildings. Cost per shell: 7,000 credits
(TW Lava Pool)----Creates a pool or lane of lava 60 ft long. 10 ft wide, 10 ft deep. Objects caught in this pool take 2d6x10 MD per melee. Cost per shell: 9,000 credits
(TW Air Burst)---Sets loose a Whirlwind that does 2d6+2 MD to everything caught up in its 20 ft wide funnel. The Whirlwind tracks randomly about a 300 ft area for 2d4 melees before dissipating. Cost per shell: 8,000 credits
(TW Storm Shell)---Essentially a longer-ranged version of the TW anti-vampire Stormflare. Effects are the same. Cost per shell: 3,000 credits
(TW SunBomb)---A more powerful version of the Globe of Daylight Flare, only this version is powerful enough to inflict flash-burns on vampires! Does 6d6 HP per melee for 3d6 melees to a 50 ft radius. Cost per shell: 2,000 credits
Rate of Fire: 2 shots per melee.
Payload: 24 rds
Bonuses/Penalties:(Optional)(Rifts South America 2 has no rules for the Arkhon’s Mortar Packs’ inaccuracy, but for diehard artillery buffs, figure on 60% chance of hitting moving targets, 85% chance of hitting stationary targets within 2,200 ft range, or 50% chance out beyond that. 60% of shells will fall within a ‘footprint’ or ‘box’ 131 ft long by 70 ft wide.
Using a forward observer with direct line of sight on the target will give another +10%
Cost: 50,000 credits
3) (Optional) Use of Handheld Weapons---The Caliban can pick up and use appropriately-scaled weaponry such as combat maces and rifle pods. Its large thick fingers, however, prevent it from using infantry-scale weaponry.
4) Hand to Hand Combat
Use Standard and Elite Power Armor Combat Training, plus the following:
+1 Roll w/ Punch, Kick, or Impact
+1 Parry
Restrained Punch 1d4 MD
Punch 2d4 MD
Power Punch(2 attacks) 4d4 MD
Pry 2d6 MD
Kick 2d4 MD
Leap Kick(2 attacks) 2d6 MD
Running Leap Kick(3 attacks) 3d6 MD
Body Flip/Throw 1d6 MD
Body Block/Tackle 2d4 MD
Full Speed Running Ram(3 attacks) 3d6 MD
Variants:
*PSA-12F----An unarmed firefighting unit with high pressure sprayers for water or chemical retardants fed from large capacity liquid storage tanks in place of the ammunition drums. The PSA-12F also sported a heat resistant armor overcladding(heat and plasma do only 25% damage)
1) Water Sprayers
Range: 200 ft
Damage: None usually, but if used to throw water at vampires, does 1d4x10 H.P. per blast. Used against a human-sized being, it has a 50% chance of bowling them over from the water pressure(lose initiative and 1 APM while getting back up)
Payload: The two backpack tanks hold enough for 50 blasts each, or can be hooked up to a vehicle or municipal water supply
*PSA-12L----This version does away with the ammunition-dependent arm weapons and substitutes lasers instead. The shoulder ammunition drums have been replaced with point defense turrets.
1) Forearm-Mounted Pulse Lasers(2x2)---Based on PS’s ‘Widower’ laser rifle and capable of putting out impressive armor-vaporizing pulse bursts.
Range: 3,000 ft
Damage: 4d4 MD single shot, 1d4x10 +10 MD per triple shot burst
A single shot blast from BOTH forearm guns does 8d4 MD, a simultaneous pulse blast (counts as one attack) does 1d10x10 MD
Rate of Fire: ECHH
Payload: Effectively Unlimited
2) Backpack Turret---Taking inspiration from the NEMA Gunbuster’s overhead weapons mounting, PS engineers have refitted the two backpack hardpoints each with a powered turret similar to those available to the PSA-11, directed by either computer control or by eyeball-directed HUD. The turret can be fitted with the following:
Turret Base Cost: 25,000 credits
*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: 600 rd drum (60 bursts per gun)
Cost: 30,000 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
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: 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: 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
*PSA-12M----This version mounts a M-82D 81mm Mortar Cannon slung under one arm. The M-82D is based on a Glitterboy weapon, but isn’t shoulder-mounted, making direct fire ‘from the hip’ on the Caliban a somewhat more difficult operation. To fire in mortar mode, the power armor drops to one knee, and tilts the gun arm back, so the ‘elbow’ baseplate of the massive gun can rest on the ground. The M-82D also requires that BOTH ammo drums be taken up by a single large magazine back fed by a thick armored feed conduit.
The Caliban will mount an energy weapon in the other arm.
MDC: 100
Range:(Direct-fire) 6,000 ft
(Indirect Fire) 2.2 miles
Damage:(High Explosive) 1d6x10 MD to a 20 ft blast radius
(Fragmentation)1d4x10 +5 MD to 25 ft blast area
(Armor-Piercing High Explosive) 2d4x10 MD to 6 ft blast area
Rate of Fire: Single shot, EGCHH.
Payload: 6 rounds ready to fire, 18 in the back drum.
Special Features:
*Reinforced Baseplate
*Fold-down Forward Handhold
*Flip-out Basic Sights
*Optional Bipod
Cost: 220,000 credits
*PSA-12N---Navalized version, fitted for amphibious operations. Equipped so as to be neutrally buoyant, and able to ‘swim’ using hydrothrusters that can push it through the water. The projectile weapons
Speed: (Water) Can float, and ‘swim’ at 35 MPH on the surface of the water, and 20 MPH underwater, maximum depth of 1.2 miles.
Systems of Note:
*Sonar---5 mile range
Weapons Systems:
1) Forearm Weapons----The standard forearm projectile weapons can be fitted to fire supercavitating ammunition(in the case of the rail guns and machine guns), but the most popular configurations fit the forearms with two weapons; a projectile weapon and an energy weapon:
a) Blue-Green Pulse Laser
Range: 2,000 ft, 1,000 ft underwater
Damage: (SDC Mode) 6d6 SDC per shot
(MDC Mode) 2d6 MD per bolt, 6d6 MD per triple burst.
Rate of Fire: ECHH
Payload: Effectively unlimited
b) Ion Blaster
Range: 1,600 ft (1,000 ft underwater)
Damage: 5d6 MD single shot
Rate of Fire: ECHH
Payload: Effectively unlimited
c) Sonic Blaster---Modified ‘Strakker’
Range: 1,200 ft in water, 200 ft in air
Damage: (Variable power settings) 4d6 SDC, or 4d6 MD per blast
Area of effect ‘shotgun’ blast: Half damage to a 10 ft wide area.
Sonic weapons do HALF damage through light ‘soft’ armors like MDC barding and padded armor.
The sonic vibrations can also be used to set up a resonance in hard armor that can stun or disorient living beings. Humans(and those most like them) will find these subsonic vibrations particularly irritating, the barely audible buzzing setting up painful discordance in their eardrums and auditory apparatus. Beings with enhanced hearing are particularly vulnerable to this attack(DOUBLE penalties and duration of effects). Cyborgs and those with baffled hearing implants will NOT be affected by this.
Save versus psionic attack(12 or better) or be -1d4 to initiative, HALF all bonuses to strike/parry/dodge, and -1d4 to Maintain Balance for 1d6 melees. Roll under P.E. or fall unconscious for 1d6 melees.
Power Armor and EBA-wearers will be more susceptible to the effects of resonance, owing to their close proximity to the materials being affected. The effects are greatly diminished to occupants on a vehicle owing to the many interior structures that serve to dissipate and insulate the sound waves.
Rate of Fire: ECHH
Payload: Effectively unlimited
d) Harpoon Gun
Range: 500 ft
Damage: These weapons can be tipped with an explosive head(2d6 SDC or 5d6 MD exploding head), armor-piercing hunting point(1d6 MD), magnetic grapple, or tracking bug, and can be used to attach a 100-foot line of high strength braided mono-filament cabling.
Rate of Fire:( Volleys of 1,2, 3, or 4 (all)
Payload: 4 shots
e)Machine Gun---&.62mm or .50 cal. as above, and fed from the backpack drum.
f) Micro-Torpedo Launcher(Drum-Fed)
Range: 2500 ft underwater, 500 ft in air
(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 -T1) 6d6 MD to 3 ft radius per torpedo
(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 anywhere 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.
Rate of Fire: Standard(Yes, bursts are possible)
Payload: 125 rd drum
2) Backpack Drums---If not carrying drum-fed forearm weapons, the backpack ammunition drum slots can (one or both) be fitted into additional weapons stations.
a)Micro-Torpedoes----150
b) Mini-Torpedoes----4
c) Short Range Torpedo----1
d) Mine/Limpet----An explosive device that can be laid on the bottom and remote/sensor detonated, or can be attached(by magnetic or molecular adhesion clip) to an object(such as a wharf or ship hull).
e) Screamer/Deep Flare Decoy Pod---Holds 3 ‘screamer’ acoustic decoys or ‘deep flare’ devices.
3) Modular Backpack Weapons Pod----The backpack centerline pod can accommodate the standard weapons fitout(for surface attack) or can be outfitted with the following:
a)Micro-Torpedoes----150
b) Mini-Torpedoes----6
c) Short Range Torpedo---1
*
PSA-12P----A ‘throwback’ to the original Glitterboy inspiration, the -12P variant replaces the forearm weaponry with non-ammunition dependent lasers, and replaces the backpack missile launcher and twin ammo drums with either a pair of PS-made PS-MMLR-14 Mini-Missile Launcher Rifles or a single 105mm Recoilless Rifle
1) Forearm-Mounted Pulse Lasers(2x2)---Based on PS’s ‘Widower’ laser rifle and capable of putting out impressive armor-vaporizing pulse bursts.
Range: 3,000 ft
Damage: 4d4 MD single shot, 1d4x10 +10 MD per triple shot burst
A single shot blast from BOTH forearm guns does 8d4 MD, a simultaneous pulse blast (counts as one attack) does 1d10x10 MD
Rate of Fire: ECHH
Payload: Effectively Unlimited
2) Backpack Launcher(s)
a) PS-MMLR-14 Mini-Missile Launcher Rifle(2)
Range:(Mini-Missiles) Varies by Missile Type(usually about 1 mile)
(Laser) 2,000 ft
Damage:(Mini-Missiles)Varies by Missile Type
(Laser) 2d6 MD per blast
Rate of Fire:(Mini-Missiles) Volleys of 1, 2, or 4
(Laser) ECHH
Payload:(Mini-Missiles)20 per launcher(10 per launch tube)
(Laser) Effectively Unlimited attached to the armor’s nuclear powerplant, or 20 shots per standard E-clip/30 per long E-clip as backup.
b)105mm Recoilless Rifle(1)
Range: 6,000 ft
Damage: (Fragmentation) 5d6 MD to 40 ft blast radius
(High Explosive) 6d6 MD to 20 ft blast radius
(Armor-Piercing) 2d6x10 MD to 5 ft blast radius
(HESH)3d6x10 MD to 6 ft blast radius, plus 3d4x10 SDC to anyone inside the armor(or 1d4x10 SDC to anyone within 10 ft of the other side of the wall). HALF that if used against composite ‘meshed’ armors designed to flex, rather than spald(most power armors are constructed to have a certain amount of ‘warp’ to their structure, but cheaper armors, like Chipwell and early Northern Gun designs, lack this protection).
More advanced modern armors, such as those used by the Coalition, Triax, and other very high tech nations(the Kittani, for instance), for their EBA, power armors, robots, some vehicles, and special purpose fortifications(such as high echelon command bunkers) are designed NOT to spald, due to multiple composite layers of megadamage fabric and netting.....for these armors, spalding/bleed-through damage may be reduced to 1/4, or may not apply at all(GMs, use your discretion). Normal blast damage still applies, though, as the outer layers of armor are blown off/vaporized.
(Plasma) 1d6x10 MD to a 25 ft blast radius
Rate of Fire: ECHH
Payload: 20 rounds
*PSA-12R----An anti-supernatural variant rushed into service with the outbreak of the Minion War on Rifts Earth. The PSA-12R replaces the ammunition drums on the back with the EE-canisters for twin anti-theron blasters mounted on the arms. Each forearm mounts an anti-theron blaster and an particle beam blaster in over-and-under configuration. The PSA-12R also incorporates a PPE sensor and Kirilian optics in its helmet/head.
Systems of Note:
*PPE Sensor---This is an extra sensor package, developed with the help of Paladin Steel’s Japanese trade contacts, built into the helmet/head section. Range: 2,000 ft.
Weapons Systems:
1) Anti-Theron Projector Cannon(2, one each forearm)
Range: 2,000 ft, and affects a 20 ft wide area. In focused mode, it has a 3,000 ft range, and a 5 ft spread.
Damage: Does 5d6 HP/MDC damage(modified effects based on what the creature is). In focused mode it does 6d6 HP/MDC.
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: Standard, ECHH
Payload: 20 shots per EE-Canister
It can also use a gallon-sized EE-Drum, providing it with 300 shots.
Bonuses: +1 to strike from laser/scanner targeting system
2) Forearm Particle Beam Blasters(2, one each forearm)---Based on the rifle-mode PSPBW-7 ‘Kurang’.
Range: 3,000 ft
Damage: 1d6x10+20 MD per shot
Rate of Fire: ECHH
Payload: Effectively Unlimited
Other Options:
*Laser Ablative Armor---Laser Ablative Armor, or LAA is not standard on this mecha but is available. Laser Ablative Armor is a special ceramic composite specially created to defeat laser weapons. All laser weapons do half damage, and because it's not reflective Variable Frequency lasers may not compensate.
Cost: To have all the armor Laser Ablative costs 200,000 cr.