Paladin Steel Storefront

[taalismn]

(My thanks to Iczer and Senator Cybus for creating the powers at the heart of this particular bio-mod)

CLOSE ALPHA Medical Bio-Mod
(Exact cost of conversion is CLASSIFIED, but some sources quote the offered cost as 9 million credits, while PS has been known to offer the bio-mod without monetary cost to humanitarian groups)

“It can argued that a century of living with the Rifts has forced evolution to produce generations of individuals better geared mentally and physically towards survival at all cost. It can also be argued that our environment of near-constant violence has generated in the population a higher than normal percentage of individuals who especially adept at applying their own violence to the matters of existence.
However, it has been overlooked that the same conditions have produced a small, but very distinct, minority of individuals in whom ALTRUISM is more profoundly expressed. These people live to be of service, selflessly and without reservation, to their fellow beings. Like a cyberknight’s psi-sword being a bright and burning expression of their boundless courage and inner strength, then these people’s vitality and altruism give them a near-infinite well of life to bestow upon others.”
---Professor Herman Chant, University of New Lazlo

“Moanisha’s of one of the Orders of Aloia, and she and her colleagues practically live at the medical center. They do shifts at the ER helping stabilize incoming cases and providing transplant material for the surgeries. In their off-time when they’re recovering, they usually sit in on the wards promoting healing just by being there, or in the technical services, helping sterilize equipment. Our positive outcome patient stats have been astronomical since they moved in! She’s an incredible person, they’re all incredible people.”
---Doctor Denush Savali, Head of Surgery, Our Sentient Universal Pan-Religious Patroness of Charity Medical Center, The Relic.

“I know they mean well, and I can’t dispute that they save lives, but I still find it rather disconcerting, watching them come to a patient and exude that pink goo---nanites, or ectoplasm, or universal stem cells, or whatever---or walk into the surgery and open up their shirts and tell us to take what we need, like we were mechanics popping the hood on a groundcar and taking out parts to fix another car. Just kinda freaky, and I’ve seen enough blood, shattered flesh, and strung-out guts to spook hardened combat vets.”
---Doctor Pieter Mentas, New Bath(Maine) Emergency Medical Services

“What matters the cost of this augmentation? If one is so narrowly focused to attempt to itemize such things and assign monetary values, then consider the return on the investment, in terms of discomfort eased, injuries healed, lives improved, and lives saved. Assign a monetary value to THOSE, and even the most miserly accountant will see that our converts pay for themselves in very short order.”
---Matron-Superior Invoya C’Haan, Order of Aloia

Not everybody in the PS/GNE network bio-mod program wants to be a super-soldier or megaversal tramper. There are those who, despite the apparent apathy, if not outright hostility, of the megaverse towards ordinary folk, still hew to ideals of nonaggression and altruism. Yet these people will not shy away from the hostile universe , and seek to hide, but will bravely face it head-on, and do what they can to alleviate the sufferings of other, with whatever tools and technologies they can acquire.
Going beyond SCHEDULE OSAMU’s altruism-oriented array of medical psionics, CLOSE ALPHAns are universal donors, able to give life energy, flesh, and blood. Their immune systems are also particularly aggressive, obliterating diseases and toxins before they can take hold and do damage. They also radiate a form of life energy and ethereal ‘antibodies’ that destroy/neutralize pathogens in an area of effect centered on them. CLOSE ALPHAns are effectively disease-free oasises in the population.
To insure that they actually survive their own selflessness and the attentions of a hostile universe, PS biotechs have tweaked CLOSE ALPHAns’ physiologies with a few ‘selfish’ modifications to make them tougher and hardier. These tweaks include tuned-up physiques and a substantially improved regenerative capability, allowing them to quickly recover from their donating of tissue and lifeforce.
CLOSE ALPHAns typically come from the ranks of the more pacifistic portions of the population, Light-aligned religious sects, and service-cults, such as the House of Renenet and the Aloian Orders, who promote charity and service as aspects of holiness (Some meta-Megaversal travelers see parallels between CLOSE ALPHA volunteers and the ‘Givers’ of the Good Splugorth continua). CLOSE ALPHAns are found employed as nurses, first responders, medical assistants, healers, and as workers in professions where sterile conditions are required(including site cleanup, water and food preparation/purification, food services, and laboratory safety oversight). Many are very physically active, both in work and play(the latter as much to increase their reserves of available vitality as to maintain their own good health), and meditation is a common practice among their ranks.
The CLOSE ALPHAn imperative to HELP ironically led to many casualties during the Minion War, when many responded to assist victims of the Demon Plagues and fell victim to Metabolic Degeneration Syndrome, many first-version CLOSE ALPHAns bleeding out after selflessly giving their lifeforce to others and having nothing left for themselves. This tragic state claimed a number of altruistic bio-mod volunteers until Paladin Steel biotechs managed to find a genetic patch that countered MDS, could be applied as booster treatments to existing CLOSE ALPHAns and could be integrated into new bio-mods(stated below) during conversion.


Powers/Abilities:
-Donor [Major] (by Iczer)----The character is capable of implanting his own flesh into others, healing and repairing damage and supplementing them with new body parts.
1) Transfer HP. By touch, the character can transfer his flesh and blood to a target at a rate of 1D4 per melee round of continuous contact. HP lost by the character are gained by the target.
2) Repair grievous damage. The character can transfer his own flesh and blood to repair broken and missing body parts. Organs cost 20 HP to re-grow, a swath of skin costs 5 HP per square foot. Fingers cost 5, a hand or foot 10, a limb 20. Re-growing up to half a person's body requires 50 or more HP to be transferred. Re-growing a body for a head to be grafted on will cost 75, while taking a (living) brain and growing a whole body around it will cost 100 HP.
3) Caveats: The character literally gives his own flesh away for this power. Aside from being gross, it has all the problems that sharing blood has, and without care a healed patient may get suddenly ill further down the track. Gradually, the borrowed flesh is absorbed into the target's body and becomes his own. Track any loaned HP as 'damage' and record it. This damage heals at the normal rate. Once healed, the flesh is now the target’s own.
4) Other benefits:
+1D4x10+10 HP
Heals at 2x normal rate(this is superseded by the Healing Factor described below)
+2D4 PE

-Ambient Immune System(Major)(by Senator Cybus)---The super being is utterly unaffected by disease or poisons of any kind, due to a hyper-aggressive immune system that actually attacks contaminants before they can even enter the body. The character is constantly pumping out swarms of continually evolving phage colonies and free-floating attack-enzymes: harmless (and invisible) to humans, but devastating to any germ or toxin.
The CLOSE ALPHA bio-mod also enhances this via the inclusion of a strong radiating bio-energy field that fuels the antibodies(some technology analysts have compared it to the broadcast power arrangements used by some systems to power drones and other remote units).

1. Immune to Disease and Poison. The super being has the minor powers of Impervious to Disease & Illness and Impervious to Poison & Toxins (Powers Unlimited 1, Page 32), which in this case also provides total immunity to non-lethal drugs.

2. Sterile Field. The character’s external antibodies are constantly attacking any pollutants in the vicinity, rendering the area germ-free. Airborne diseases are destroyed upon contact with the field, protecting everyone within range from infection. Additionally, any objects contaminated with harmful microorganisms will be sterilized by one minute of uninterrupted contact with the field. Poisons or toxins will be neutralized by two minutes of uninterrupted contact. Diseases or poisons that are already in someone’s system are not destroyed by the field (but see Boost Immunity below).

Range: 5 feet (1.5 m) radius, plus an additional 1 foot (0.3 m) per level of experience.
Duration: Instantly destroys airborne disease. One/two minutes to destroy non-airborne disease/poison.
Damage: None. Unless you’re a virus.
Attacks per Melee: None. An automatic ability.

3. Boost Immunity. People already infected or poisoned still benefit from the super being’s presence; the damage, duration and effects of any contaminants in their systems are reduced by half, as the hero’s microscopic defenders will infiltrate their bodies in the quest to destroy sickness wherever it exists. Even normally fatal diseases/toxins can be neutralized in this way, but those affected would have to remain within the range of this power for a period equal to half of the time it would usually take for the infection to run its course: this could be months or even years!

Range: 5 feet (1.5 m) radius, plus an additional 1 foot (0.3 m) per level of experience.
Duration: Indefinite. Constantly active.
Damage: None. Unless you’re a virus.
Attacks per Melee: None. An automatic ability.

4. Bonuses: The super being and anybody within his Sterile Field are immune to the effects of the superpower of Pestilence(Note: this is also effective against Metabolic Degeneration Syndrome).

-Healing Factor----CLOSE ALPHAns possess powerful regenerative abilities, allowing them to bounce back quickly from donating life force and bio-material, and keep working. +2d4 P.E., +2d6+6 Hit Points, +25 SDC, +20% save versus Coma/Death, +3 save versus magic, poison, and toxins, +3 save versus psionic attacks. Recovers 3 SDC every 10 minutes, 1 Hit Point every 15 minutes, twice per 24 hours can instantly speed-heal 4d6 HP, does NOT fatigue, fire and cold do HALF damage, and the bio-mod doesn’t scar when healed. Even broken bones heal 10 times faster than normal.

-Physical Transformation---The recipient of a CLOSE ALPHA aug is physically optimized; they are icons of glowing good health. +1d4 P.E., +1d6 P.B., +1d6 SPD, +2d6 Hit Points, +4d6 SDC, and +1d6 to P.S., plus it is considered to be Extraordinary.

Total bonuses:
+1D4x10+4d6+16 Hit Points
+4d6 SDC +25 SDC
+5D4 PE
+1d6 P.B.
+1d6 SPD
+1d6 to P.S., plus it is considered to be Extraordinary
+20% save versus Coma/Death
+3 save versus magic
IMMUNE to lethal toxins and non-lethal drugs (Penalty: BENEFICIAL drugs and medicine only does HALF effect/duration)
IMMUNE to Disease (including magically/psionically induced illnesses)and Bio-Manipulation
+3 save versus psionic attacks.
Fire and cold do HALF damage
IGNORE fatigue penalties(the bio-mod still requires sleep, but can go without for their P.E./2, and even then require only 6 hours to catch up).
Recovers 3 SDC every 10 minutes, 1 Hit Point every 15 minutes, twice per 24 hours can instantly speed-heal 4d6 HP

Options:
Some CLOSE ALPHAns decide to push the limits of PS gene-tech by taking the risky(and expensive) option of adding even MORE capability to their immune systems, making them even tougher and more capable:
-Extraordinary Physical Endurance(Minor)---This amp-up makes the CLOSE ALPHA Class IV by making the recipient a minor megadamage being, via an intermesh through the person’s body, supporting them, reinforcing joints and muscles, and creating a damage-resistant energy armor. This option-aug is very popular with those anticipating going into the battlefield or other hostile environs as field-medics or first responders.
*+1d6+5 P.E.
*Effectively becomes a megadamage being with 4d4x10 MD +2d4 per level of experience.
Cost: WOULD cost 16 million credits if offered on the open market, but PS has been known to grant the upgrade at a healthy discount, or gratis, to approved groups)

[taalismn]

Neat mods of Bio and TW sections.

Will some of the GNE's citizens become sympathetic to the CS after the minion war?

Not likely; it's understood that the CS is working with others only ultimately to protect themselves. It would take some major openness and changes in social policy out of Chitown for the GNE to trust the CS.
Times may be desperate, and 'we either hang together or we will all hang', but there's also "we're not CS cannon fodder' and 'we're not baring our back to you."
Frankly, PS and the GNE are more open with their long-time business and corporate espionage rivals at Northern Gun, because it's understood that it's 'business, not personal'.

[abtex]

Punt Guns
(PS models: ‘NuRemington Ripper’, ‘Maussberg Massdriver’, ‘Maussberg Mauler’)

They may need to be updated or a new line of weapon/ammo.
Dino hunters wanting to know. Thank you.

Wall guns
'Chinese “Jingal” Wall Gun' - a single-shot bolt action in .60 caliber (others were also made in .75 caliber). [read reply at bottom]
one
two
British Fairies using a Wall gun

Maybe.

[taalismn]

[
British Fairies using a Wall gun

Maybe.

The Sidhe Liberation Army gets scarier...

But yeah, large caliber guns are likely a new rage on Rifts Earth, what with superhumanly strong Juicers, cyborgs, and d-bees. The downside is the slow rate of fire as opposed to the greater chance of a hit with 'spray and pray' automatic/pulse weaponry.

Doesn't stop small subcontracting shops from turning out the 'long rifles' though.

[taalismn]

KNIFE BEACON Radiation Worker Augmentation Package
(PU2 budget of 5.5 million per operative)
(aka ‘Rad Troopers’)

“Sure, there’s no profit to the Company going into rad-zones like fresh-nuked cities; everything coming out needs to be decontaminated and hard, and a lot of material has to just be written off. But profit isn’t everything; there’s people to be rescued, cultural treasures to be saved, recovery to be commenced. Sometimes it’s hard radiation, poisoned air, rampaging mutants, or sentient vultures preying on the helpless. When we get called in, it’s because something terrible’s just happened, and the locals can’t cope. We’re the ray of sunshine breaking through the mushroom clouds, the helping hands out of the terrible darkness, the first sign that while everything may not be all right, there’s more than scant hope that things can get better. I’ve seen enough hopelessness to kill entire generations, but my body is armored against corrupting radiation, my back is protected by my brother and sister soldiers, and I am watched over by the Company; I will not give up hope that I may do good in the midst of hopelessness.“

“Hardhat worker on pulsar planets; that’s a serious specialty. Ordinarily, sane people avoid going anywhere near planets orbiting pulsars. Who wants to visit a world that gets kissed with a blast of hard radiation every hour every day near-infinitum? But sometimes that energetic blasting creates exploitable byproducts, and sometimes people hide stuff on hellworlds like that. Stuff my own people would like. Robots can’t always do the trick, and even shielded AIs can run into trouble. So we suit up for the job. Oh, my bio-mod won’t let me sunbathe in a solar flare, but it DOES extend the time I can work in the shadowzone without having to worry about my blood cells curdling. Working smart and together with other folks who know how to work smart, we can get jobs done that others would avoid altogether. That’s why they call us grunts ‘extremadores’.”

KNIFE BEACON can be considered an expansion of the LATE OMEGA concept of developing a soldier or a worker able to handle environmental conditions that would outright slay an ordinary mortal. Specifically, KNIFE BEACON operatives are bio-modded to handle extremes of radiation and toxicity as might be expected in nuclear strike zones, around reactor meltdowns, and on certain planets orbiting energetic stars.
KNIFE BEACON bio-mods can be distinguished by their dark skins and shiny, almost featureless eyes. Their DNA has been modified to be more resistant to radiation damage, their skin impregnated with shielding elements. Other improvements include the ability to work around the clock without need of regular sleep, food, or water. KNIFE BEACON troops are also given high resistance to poisons as might accidentally get into their air, water, and food.
KNIFE BEACON is popular with Nuclear-Biological-Chemical Warfare Specialists such as the ‘Tin-Soldiers’, specialist peacekeepers, nuclear emergency technicians, salvage experts, and rescue workers. In combat, KNIFE BEACON troops are particularly feared because they can carry and use U-Rounds and other radiological weapons with near-impunity(though they often have to clean up the battlefield afterwards and police up the radioactive ammunition). Some Exploration Corps specialists and Contact diplomats, especially those who have regular contact with naturally radioactive species like the Catyr, Silisons, Vrusk, Drakan and Pantherans, have invested in the bio-mod. The downside of getting the KNIFE BEACON mod is that people tend to give the bio-mods a wide berth, fearing any lingering contamination from their last job.


Powers/Abilities:
-Impervious to Energy, Radiation, and Electricity----The bio-mod’s skin is thick and impregnated with hardened tissues and materials that block radiation and other damaging energies; the bio-mod takes NO damage from radiation, SDC lasers, ion, and stun weapons. Magic energy attacks do HALF damage. Unless the bio-mod upgrades to a Class IV, however, they are still vulnerable to MD energy attacks. (2 mil)

-See Radiation---The bio-mod can actually SEE radiation activity, typically as a sparkling effect. The more intense the sparkle, the greater the radiation. (400,000)

-Toxin-Resistance---The bio-mod especially has a resistance to heavy metal poisoning, and could safely eat powdered lead without side effects. (300,000)2.7

-SDC Augmentation---+240 SDC(240,000)2.94

-Energy Reserve:(Fatty Bladder)---An extra energy-storage organ that stores water and nutrients, allowing the person to last one day per P.E. point without food or water. (120,000)3.06

-Damage Resistance---Takes HALF damage from blunt force strikes, due to the shock-disipating ‘mesh’ in their muscle tissues. (180,000)3,2

-Lungs: Filtration---The recipient can now breath tainted air, while fibers in the sinuses and tissues in the airway filter out fine grit; +5 save versus gases(200,000)3.4

-Improved Heart---+2d6 SDC, +2d6 Hit Points, +1 save versus disease, +4 save versus heart and blood diseases, +14% save versus coma/death, and fatigues at 1/3 normal rate.(800,000) 4.2

-Increased Physical Endurance---+1 P.E. (200,000)4.4

-Enhanced Physical Strength----+1d6+1 P.S.(300,000) 4.7

-Enhanced Immune System----Effectively impervious to disease, and +1 save vs poisons and toxins(1 million)(4,900,000)

-Modified Appendix---+5 save versus poisons, +3 save versus drugs and other toxins. Damage and penalties from toxins are HALVED, and duration is only 25% of normal. (400,000) 5.3

-Reinforced Skeleton---The bones are lined with special laminates and reinforced with special fibers that make them tough to break, as well as provide radiation shielding for the bone marrow.

-Purge Fugue---The bio-mod can, by entering a meditative trance(takes 1d4 minutes), force his body to flush his body of contaminants, similar to a Purge spell. The meditatie trance is followed by convulsive and rapid urination, execretion, and possible vomiting of tainted body fluids and ingested material, and the bone marrow reserves will go into overdrive replacing lost blood cells. The bio-mod will be weak from fluid loss immediately afterwards(-1d4 to initiative, dodge, strike, and parry, and Speed is HALVED) unless provided with replacement fluids and nourishment(takes 1d4 minutes to restore the person), but any damaging poisons or microparasites will be removed from the body, preventing any further harm.

Total bonuses:
+250 SDC+4d6 SDC
+2d6 Hit Points
+3 Roll with punch
+1 P.E.
+1d6+1 P.S.
Effectively impervious to disease
+14% save versus coma/death
+5 save versus gases
+6 save vs poisons and toxins
Effectively impervious to heavy metal poisoning
+3 save versus drugs and other toxins. Damage and penalties from toxins are HALVED, and duration is only 25% of normal.
Fatigues at 1/3 normal rate
+2d6 (SDC) to a running ram/body block, +2 damage to punches and kicks.

[taalismn]

(With 37 bio-mods and 37 cyborgs posted, I feel obliged to prove that I haven’t given up on hard-tech augs just yet)


Paladin Steel Halley Space Operations Full Conversion Cyborg


“Wow..what a rush...one minute I’m sitting down in Construction Shack One with my bodies, taking a squeeze-tube of my favorite, orange slushie, and the next...phoom!...blowing vacuum....never saw the laser that sliced our inflatable open like an orange...but the next thing I know, I’m hurdling away on a wild spin. Never saw my buddies, but I figured them for goners because they didn’t have their helmets with ‘em.... Anyways, I manage to cut my acceleration with some quick computations, take a look-see to get a locator lock on the ‘shack, and plot a quick orbit to take me back, ‘cause I don’t have enough fuel to decelerate myself and get me back the way I came...So I take the long way around the world, praying that I don’t fetch up against a killsat or a debris cloud...or that whoever sliced my ‘shack doesn’t come looking for survivors...took me a more than a coupla hours at orbital velocity...and after the first two, it got kinda boring.... next I came up over the horizon, I tried a long range laser blink...no response...come I get close enough, I see half the ‘shack all busted up, and all sorts of ships buzzin’ around looking angry.... fortunately, one of them challenged me, and tagged me as friendly; pretty soon a big ol’ Valk is matching altitude and velocity with me, talkin’ up how some nasty bunch of spaceborne Glitterboys snuck in, got lucky finding the one vulnerable point in the ‘yards, and wacked a whole wing of our construction project...I was the only survivor of my dorm...
Wanna know something irrelevant?.. I still had my orange slushie in my hand, figured that it was lousy reaction mass, and I needed something to calm my nerves, so I locked demon locks and drank it down...heck of a long distance between drinks, but if I hadn’t been wearing an around-the-clock spacesuit for a body, I’d be red ice right now...lucky break, being a cyborg, no? I was back rebuilding the ‘shack within hours and putting in the new defense generators the next day...”
----Benny “High Steel” Hanshuk, Halley Full Conversion Space Construction Worker, Paladin Steel Contract Engineering.

Anticipating the need for space combat and (even more important to the Alliance corporations) space construction, Paladin Steel had sunk a fair amount of time and money into space bionics research. One of their first successes was based on studies of a Laika Station cyborg design, the Gagarin(aka ‘Iron Gari’), with a distillation and streamlining of those concepts resulting in the Halley, a cyborg specifically designed for deep space/zero-gee work. While Paladin Steel had acquired the design early on in its cyborg research, it wasn’t until the GNE space effort really got off the ground(literally), that the Halley saw serious attention paid to it.
The Halley is short and slender compared to many other full-conversion jobs, the better to fit into the cramped confines of spacecraft, with a sleek look that contrasts with its stated purpose as a deep-space cyborg. The head has a narrow, heavily-tinted faceshield and visor, and a cranial sensor array. The legs can bend forwards at the knee, and the feet can form rudimentary hands. The waist can rotate a full three hundred sixty degrees. The body is covered with small maneuvering verniers, allowing full three-dimensional movement, and special comtrol systems allow the ‘borg to calculate burn-times, trajectories, and delta-g factors, so the ‘borg can fairly dance in zero-gee, without wasting its onboard reaction mass. A detachable modular backpack can be outfitted with a variety of mission-specific tools and supplies. Extra thermal insulation, EM shielding, and a special lightweight Magtech field generator, provide additional protection from the hazards of space.
The Halley is configured as a deep-space utility worker and technician, and comes without any built-in weaponry. It CAN be fitted with weaponry like any other cyborg, though, and it’s anticipated that at least half of the Halley conversions taken with the various space missions will be fitted with weaponry and possess combat training. At the current time, Halleys are being produced by Paladin Steel in anticipation of the expected work/combat generated by the space program. Conversion is only done with GNE approval, but a number of Halley conversions have been offered to private groups outside GNE in hopes of generating additional interest and investment in the space effort.
(Update: The Halley does indeed become one of PS’s spearhead deep space workers, and is a common sight amongst full-con workers at any of PS’s deep space facilities.)

Type: PS-FC-EVA/SpOp-01/14 Halley
Class: Full conversion Borg - Light Machine. Space Operations
Crew: One volunteer
M.D.C. By Location:
Hands(2) 25 each
Arms(2) 60 each
Legs(2) 65 each
Feet (& Foot Pads)(2) 25 each .
*Head 80 .
**Main Body 250 .
*Destroying the head of a Cyborg will kill the character!
However, the head is a small and difficult target to hit. The attacker
must make a called shot and even then he is -3 to strike. The hands, and
forearms are also difficult targets to hit and are -4 to strike on a
called shot.
**Depleting the M.D.C. of the main body will effectively
destroy the artificial body, but emergency systems will keep the brain and
vital organs alive for 36 hours. Recovery of the severely damaged body
will enable doctors to place the character on life support systems that
will keep him alive until a new bionic body (same style or other) is
available, for full conversion. Failure to find the damaged Borg within 36
hours means the character dies.

Note: The Halley can wear additional 'borg armor, specially balanced for deep space use, but the usual penalties apply when in a gravity field. Add 20% to normal armor cost.

Speed:
Running: 60 mph max . However the act of running does
not tire the operator out and the maximum speed can be maintained indefinitely.
Jumping: The powerful robotic legs are strong and capable of leaping 18 feet high or 24 ft lengthwise. A running leap adds 50% to distance/height.
Flying: Not possible without a jet pack
Space: The maneuvering verniers can reach speeds of 20 MPH in space, while the booster allows accelerations of up to 5m/sec(2), with enough fuel for 20 seconds of burn-time(can reach speeds of up to 200 MPH).
Underwater: The Halley sinks like a stone, but can handle depths of 5,000 ft.

Statistical Data:
Average Height: 7 feet
Width: 2.5 feet
Length: 2 feet
Weight: 700 lbs.
Power System: Nuclear
Physical Attributes: Equal to Robotic PS. 35, PP. 24,.
Bonuses: Standard cyborg bonuses of +3 save vs magic, impervious to
bio-manipulation
+4 initiative
+5 strike/parry
+6 dodge (+8 to dodge in zero-gee)
+3 Pull Punch
Penalties: Touch/tactile sense is 60% of human norm.
Prowl penalty: -20%

Special Skills/Training---Use standard 'Borg, Spacer, or Headhunter OCC.
Training includes Movement: Zero Gravity, EVA, and Navigation: Orbital, all at +15%
Black Market Cost: Not currently available outside GNE, but if it were sold to the Orbitals or Earthside investors, it would cost 9 million credits with all standard features, weapons, and sensors.

Standard Bionic Features
Note: These features are all found in the bionic and
cybernetic section of the Rifts RPG.
1. Bionic lung with gas filter & storage cell
2. Built-in language translator
3. Built-in radio receiver & transmitter
4. Clock calendar
5. Gyro-compass
6. Modulated voice synthesizer
7. Multi-optic eyes
8. Built-in loudspeaker
9. Universal headjack with amplified hearing and
sound filtration systems.

Special Features:
a) Extended Radar Sensor----Range: 5 miles in atmosphere, 50 miles in space

b) Long Range Radio----Range: 100 miles

c) Laser Communicator----Range: 500 miles

d) Gyroscopic Stabilization(+1 to dodge in zero-g. +20% to maintain balance)

e) Robotic Strength Enhancement---Super strong servos for heavy work and combat.

f)Enhanced Electromagnetic Radiation Shielding---Both passive insulation and an active Magtech field protect the ‘borg from radiation. Incidentally, particle and ion beam weapons do HALF damage when this system is up.

g) Enhanced Life Support---The ‘borg can go without life support recharge(oxygen) for 48 hours(Most ‘borgs will carry an extender tank or two).

h) Recycler Implants---Can go without food or water for a week before needing nourishment.

i) Dual Purpose Lower Limbs----The lower legs can swivel forward at the knees, and the feet reconfigure, to form hands. They aren’t as dextrous as normal hands , and are -15% to perform delicate skills like pick locks or repair electronics.

j) Electromagnetic Pads---Mounted in the hands and feet, these allow the cyborg to anchor to metal ship hulls.

k)Integral Maneuvering Verniers---36 small verniers distributed about the body for zero-gee maneuvaring. The maneuvaring verniers can reach speeds of 20 MPH in space, and have enough fuel/power for up to 18 hours of maneuvering.

l)Backpack Booster---Mounted on the small of the back, the booster allows accelerations of up to 5m/sec(2), 10 MPH/second, with enough fuel for 20 seconds of burn-time(can reach speeds of up to 200 MPH).

m) Tool Hand---One hand is a ‘Swiss army knife’ with the following tools; power-screwdriver, soldering iron, micro-probe(temperature, radiation, EM activity), wire-cutter, and laser-utility finger(1d4 MD, 200 ft range, 4 times per melee, unlimited shots)

n) Goop-Ball Launcher---Built into one forearm. Intended for temporarily patching holes in the hull. this launcher fires ‘slugs’ of quick-setting megadamage epoxy. They can also be used to incapacitate people with a lucky entangling shot.
Range: 50 ft
Damage: None; each application covers 5 square ft, and has 2d4 MD per application. If treated with a binder solution, it hardens after 1d4 hours to 2d6+1 MDC. Has a strength of 1,000 lbs per cubic foot
Rate of Fire: ECHH
Payload: 10 bursts; can be attached to an external tank for 30-100 applications

o) Grapple Launcher---Built into one forearm, this small device fires a 60 ft line with magnetic grappling hook, for attaching to ships and other objects.

p) Shoulder Spotlights---Each shoulder mounts a directable high-powered spotlight w/ 1500 ft range. At maximum intensity, the spotlights can be used to blind unprotected opponents similar to a Blinding Flash spell.

q) Radiation Detector

r) Astrogation Computer---A special cyberlinked flight control system that allows the cyborg to more efficiently use its thrusters, and calculate flight for work pods and EVA platforms. Adds a +10% to all Navigation: Space rolls.

s) Waist Rotation---The upper and lower torsos can rotate a full 360 degrees.


Weapons Systems:
None standard, but standard cyborg forearm weapons can be mounted in place of the goop/grapple launchers, or mounted externally.

Hand to Hand Combat
Restrained Punch 1d4 MD
Full Strength Punch 1d6 MD
Power Punch( 2 attacks) 3d4 MD
Kick 1d6 MD
Leap Kick(2 Attacks) 2d6 MD
Judo-Style Throw/Flip 1d4 MD
Body Block/Ram: (2 attacks) 1d6 MD

Options:
The Halley can be fitted with any of the standard cybernetic and bionic features in the Rifts books. Favorite options include fitting the 'borg with extra appendages, sensor hands, modular forelimbs, weapons, and extra sensors.

Special Options unique to the Halley:
a) Reaction Mass Tank(s)----Extend the range and burn time of the main thruster. The Halley can carry up to three tanks(one on the shoulders, two on the hips). Each tank extends the burn duration for 3 minutes. Tanks are lightweight, disposable glass-fiber and composite construction, specially insulated for cryogen storage.
Cost: 600 credits each

b) Reflective Armor--For some extra cost, the entire ‘borg can be fitted with reflective armor that cuts down on heating due to unfiltered sunlight. Incidently, this armor also reduces laser damage by HALF
Cost: 500,000 credits

c) Hibernation Protocols----This allows the cyborg to go into a state of suspended animation, dropping its bionic systems activity to what amounts to ‘stand by’ mode, and put its organic components into a state of deep sleep. This can extend the cybirg’s life support by as much as 1d6 YEARS, albeit in what amounts to a medically-induced coma.
Cost: 900,000 credits

d) Gravitic Gaunts---This is an adaptation of the PS IMPG-11 ‘G-Gauntlet’’ which is a localized gravitonic projector built into the palm of a gauntlet, or, in this case, the hands and foot-hands of the cyborg. Very useful for pushing objects in zero-gee. G-counter cancellers in the wrists/ankles prevent the cyborg from flying off in the opposite direction when this system is used.
Range:(Repulsor Field) 10 ft
(G-Blast) 100 ft
Damage: (Repulsor Field) None, but the repulsor affect pushes/lifts with a P.S. equivalent of 30. This means that the person can effectively levitate or throw back/over up to 1,200 lbs with the gauntlet, and effectively CARRY up to 600 lbs. The field can also bat away arrows, grenades, bullets, and hypervelocity projectiles doing up to 1d6 MD each. Kinetic projectiles doing more than 1d6 MD each, passing through the field, do 1d6 MD LESS damage. It CANNOT parry energy blasts such as lasers and plasma.
(G-Blast) The G-Gauntlet can throw back/over targets up to 1,200 ft. The G-blast itself does no damage, but using it to propel objects held in the hand, it can do 1d6 MD(no bonuses to strike unless the character has W.P. Small,Thrown).
Rate of Fire: ECHH
Payload: Effectively unlimited linked to the cyborg’s power supply.
Bonus: +1 to Parry
Cost: 25,000 credits each hand so equipped.

[taalismn]

PS-FC- 41 ‘Ika’ Full Conversion Borg---Aquatic Operations
(aka ‘Kraken’)
http://i408.photobucket.com/albums/pp164/taalismn/img576_zps40k4ste1.jpg

“I don’t like being around the Squid-boys. All those tentacles near to me makes me feel...twitchy.”
“Actually, they’re pretty good with those things. I had one who knew some basics of Tickle-Fu and he made me feel GO-”
“-Do not continue this line of conversation. I do NOT want to know.”

“Say it again for me.”
“Oh come on...”
“Please, say it. I LOVE the way you say it.”
“Oh...alright....Release the Kraken!”
“...perfect...”

It is believed that the PS-FC-41 originally started out as a PS copy of the Northern Gun HG-JK1 Anti-Juicer Power Armor, but the project was made over into a cyborg project instead, starting with swapping out the semiautonomous weapons turrets mounted on the armor’s ‘mantle’-shoulders for extra limbs instead. The project ultimately evolved into the FC-41 Aquatic Operations Cyborg, nicknamed the ‘Ika’, to avoid being confused with the existing ‘Kraken’ underwater robot vehicle, but called the ‘Kraken’ anyway.
The FC-41 still bears some resemblance to the HG-JK1 in its top-heavy main body, and its wide, oversized shoulders, but overall the cyborg is much more streamlined. PS engineers focused much of their attention on providing the new cyborg with improved versions of the standard cyborg tentacles, using more advanced linear truss motors and artificial myomers to make the tentacles stronger and more durable. An overcoat of anechoic sheathing on the cyborg’s skin reduces acoustic returns, making the ‘borg stealthy in the water. The head also has the elongated look of the HG-JK1, only the head looks more like a squid, with the two high-mounted flukes acting as light mounts and sensor platforms.
Another NG knockoff incorporated into the PS-FC-41 is a dual air-water turbothruster, allowing the cyborg to swim at high speed, and fly(albeit in limited fashion) above the waves(a similar system is being offered as an option to the existing PS-FC-23 SeaCobra cyborg).
The signature feature of the Ika is the six semiautonomous tentacles. The onboard AI system controlling the six additional limbs is much more sophisticated than the HG-JK1’s auto-shoot system, given that the tentacles are not only used in combat, but in work activities, requiring a greater degree of finesse in control. After their work in creating nano-AIs like the implantable BITMIND(Biotech Integrated Tactical Managerial Intelligence, Neural Device), programming a hard-tech system like the Ika’s proved a fairly simple matter for PS’s AI-architects. While not capable of manipulating fine controls(including weapons triggers), the tentacles are still agile and tactile enough to pick up and hold objects, or can become megadamage-hard stabbing and slashing weapons, or crush with machine-press pressure. The tentacles also give the Ika an all-around melee defense, especially against entangling attacks.
Armaments-wise, the Ika is rather light on integral weaponry. Modular forearm weapons allow for a variety of different fit-outs, while back-mount hardpoints allow for the carriage of multiple torpedo or missile weapons, or heavy hand weaponry. The tentacles too, can be fitted with small tip weapons, increasing their versatility in combat.
The PS-FC-41, owing to its slightly more humanoid looks, is proving somewhat more popular than the SeaCobra chassis among diehard aquatic cyborgs.

Type: PS-FC-41’Ika’
Class: Full Conversion Borg, Aquatic Operations
Crew: One volunteer
Minimal Requirements: None
M.D.C. By Location:
Hands(2) 25 each
Arms(2) 70 each
Tentacles(6) 45 each
Legs(2) 100 each
Thruster Pack 100
*Head 90
Head Sensor Fin 80
**Main Body 200
*Destroying the head of a Cyborg will kill the character!
However, the head is a small and difficult target to hit. The attacker
must make a called shot and even then he is -3 to strike. The hands, and
forearms are also difficult targets to hit and are -4 to strike on a
called shot.
**Depleting the M.D.C. of the main body will effectively
destroy the artificial body, but emergency systems will keep the brain and
vital organs alive for 36 hours. Recovery of the severely damaged body
will enable doctors to place the character on life support systems that
will keep him alive until a new bionic body (same style or other) is
available, for full conversion. Failure to find the damaged Borg within 36
hours means the character dies.

Note: The Ika can be fitted with any additional armor up to MEDIUM Cyborg Armor

Speed:
Running: 100 mph max. However the act of running does not tire the operator out and the maximum speed can be maintained indefinitely.
Jumping: The powerful robotic legs are strong and capable of leaping 10 feet high or 18 ft lengthwise. A running leap adds 50% to distance/height.
Flying: Hover to 150 MPH. maximum altitude of 200 ft.
Underwater: 50 MPH using thrusters. Maximum depth of 2 miles.

Statistical Data:
Average Height: 7 feet
Width: 4 feet at shoulders
Length: 2 feet
Weight: 600 lbs.
Power System: Nuclear
Physical Attributes: Equal to Robotic PS. 30, PP. 24.
Bonuses: Standard cyborg bonuses of +3 save vs magic, impervious to
bio-manipulation
+3 initiative
+5 strike/parry
+6 dodge
+3 Pull Punch
(tentacles)
+3 APMs
+1 strike
+3 parry
+2 dodge
+3 entangle
+10% to Climb skill
+5% to Maintain Balance
Penalties: Touch/tactile sense is 60% of human norm.
Prowl penalty: -20%

Special Skills/Training---Use standard 'Borg, Salvage Expert, or Naval Commando
Black Market Cost: 9 million credits with all standard features, weapons, and sensors.

Standard Bionic Features
Note: These features are all found in the bionic and
cybernetic section of the Rifts RPG.
1. Bionic lung with gas filter & storage cell
2. Built-in language translator
3. Built-in radio receiver & transmitter
4. Clock calendar
5. Gyrocompass
6. Modulated voice synthesizer
7. Multi-optic eyes
8. Built-in loudspeaker
9. Universal headjack with amplified hearing and sound filtration systems.

Special Features:
*Enhanced Sonar----5 mile range. Can track 24 targets simultaneously.
*Fin-Mounted Mini-Spotlights---The top fins have four small mini-spotlights. Range: 500 ft.
*Mast-Mounted Periscope---The top of the head fin mounts a third cyberoptic mount, allowing the cyborg to remain submerged and concealed with only the fin above water.
*Gills---Allows the cyborg to extend its live support by taking oxygen directly from the water.
* Tentacles----Six computer-controled tentacles sprout from the Ika’s shoulders. Each has a PS and PP of 18, are +1 to strike, +3 parry, +2 dodge, +3 entangle. They have a reach of 7 ft.
*Anechoic Sheathing ----Composite construction, and muffled internals minimize sensor returns; -65% chance of detection by sonar or radar at ranges over 3,000 ft, drops to -30% at ranges over 500 ft.


Weapons Systems:
1) Forearm Weapons(2)---The two conventional arms can be fitted with any standard cyborg forearm weapon, but blue-green lasers, ion blasters, and micro/mini-torpedo launchers are the most common.

2) Forearm Vibroblades(2)---The Ika sports two retractable vibroblades, one in each forearm, for melee combat.
Range: Melee
Damage: 4d6 MD per strike

3) Tentacle Weapons(6)---Each tentacle can conceal a small weapon in its end;
a) Retractable Vibroblade
Range: Melee
Damage: 1d6 MD
b) Mini-Laser
Range: 300 ft
Damage: 1d4 MD per blast
Rate of Fire: ECHH
Payload: Effectively Unlimited
c) Hypodermic Injector
Range: Melee
Damage: Varies by chemical; typically a sedative or nerve toxin
Rate of Fire: ECHH
Payload: 4 doses of up to 5 chemicals, 20 doses total
d) Electro-Stunner
Range: Melee
Damage: 2d4 SDC, and victim must save at 16 or higher is -8 to strike, parry, and dodge, plus speed and actions/attacks per melee are reduced by half, for 2d4 melees, plus 2d4 melees per additional strike. After being struck four times, the victim may be stunned unconscious(42% chance) for 2d4 melees. Upon waking up, the victim continues to suffer the stun penalties for 1d4 minutes
Rate of Fire: ECHH
Payload: Effectively Unlimited
e) Zap-Stinger
Range: Melee
Damage: Varies; 2d6, 6d6, or 1d4x10 SDC, 1d4 or 1d6 MD.
Rate of Fire: ECHH
Payload: Effectively Unlimited

4) Backpack Torpedo Launchers(2)----Torpedo rack modules can be mounted on the back.
a) Micro-Torpedoes---20 each
b)Mini-Torpedoes---6 each
c) Short Range Torpedoes---2
d) Medium Range Torpedo---1
e) Missile Launchers---Substitute the appropriate missile type for Micro-, Mini-, and Short-Range Torpedoes
f) Weapon Clamp---In the alternative, the backpack attachment points can be used for clipping on a heavy weapon(such as a sonic cannon or torpedo/laser combi-rifle) when not in use.


5)Hand to Hand Combat
Restrained Punch 1d4 MD
Full Strength Punch 1d6 MD
Power Punch( 2 attacks) 2d6 MD
Kick 2d4 MD
Leap Kick(2 Attacks) 2d8 MD
Judo-Style Throw/Flip 3d6 SDC
Body Block/Ram: (2 attacks) 1d6 MD
Tentacle Restrained Slap 1d6 SDC
Tentacle Punch/Lash 1d4 MD
Tentacle Crush/Squeeze 2d4 MD

Options:
The Ika can be fitted with any of the standard cybernetic and bionic features in the Rifts books. Favorite options include fitting the 'borg with additional concealed weaponry. Unless the cyborg is a non-human, extra limbs are rarely ever added.
-Wide-Angle Vision---Some converts replace/supplement the smooth faceplate with these obvious bulging ‘fish’- or ‘squid’-eyes that protrude from the face and head, giving a full 180 degrees of peripheral vision. +1 on Initiative, and +1 to Dodge. Cost: 60,000 credits

[abtex]

(With 37 bio-mods and 37 cyborgs posted, I feel obliged to prove that I haven’t given up on hard-tech augs just yet)

We may let you stop after a 100!!! of each.
Oh Posting 'Priest' of the forum.
Nice work.

Do you encounter any of this snow storm gap between clear skies and safe roads?

[taalismn]

TEAL TWISTER Augmentation Package----Super telekinetic force manipulation
(Aka ‘Crusher-combo’, ‘Rattler’, ‘Twistergeist’)
(Cost is CLASSIFIED, but rumor cites the potential asking price for this bio-mod to be in the 10 million + credit range)

“You think equipping a few soldiers with multi-million credit super-boosts is a boondoggle when for the same price you can equip a whole platoon of grunts with decent conventional armor and weapons? Lemme tell you; when the bad guys get hammered enough by the super-ups, they tend to give the regular ‘pounders a wide berth. I got assigned to peacekeeping duty once, and we had a mixed bag of super-mods mixed in among the regulars. After a few incidents where the local troublemakers saw us crush their tanks with just a gesture, read their minds from a distance, or walk out of a big IED explosion looking nothing but MAD AS HELL, they began worrying that EVERY grunt of ours they saw had some sort of serious super-edge ready to unleash on their asses. The rep we got was a SERIOUS force multiplier well worth the investment; we had no problems pacifying the territory and completing the mission.”

“Yeah, I kinda dismissed her as a wispy little girl, too...until she picked up that APC and freakin’ CRUSHED it with a gesture.”

TEAL TWISTER seeks to give the bio-mod powerful extrakinetic abilities, including force fields and ranged force constructs, using powerful field manipulation arrays implanted in the body. In many ways, TEAL TWISTER is a biological version of PS’s PS-FC-30 Shield Warrior Full Conversion Cyborg, with its ability to project protective forcefields.
TEAL TWISTERs can create multiple fields of force, including area-protection fields, layered barriers, or staged shields. They can also create a body-conformal forcefield that fits them like a second skin, although the concentration this takes to achieve distracts them and slows down their reaction time somewhat. They can also switch from a defensive posture to an offensive one, by taking their energy reserves and wrapping the forcefields into dense projectable bolts that hit like high speed hammer-shots.
Furthermore, the aug allows the recipient to manipulate mass remotely, picking up, hauling, and even throwing substantial weights and masses. Initially this is rather rough control, but with experience the biomoddie can perform increasingly delicate tasks with their new abilities. The emphasis still remains on bulk movement, however, as anybody who’s seen a tanker truck tossed caber-style at them can attest.
Because of the great risk of such a powerful biomod being psionically subverted against their colleagues, TEAL TWISTER converts are given deep training against mind control, panic, and horror factor. Bystanders appreciate having a levelheaded telekinetic when the latter is juggling several thousand kilograms of mass overhead.
Other perks of the bio-mod include tweaked nervous systems for faster response time and finer control, and general overall optimization of the recipient’s health(especially important given the strain that both forcefield generation and matter manipulation puts on the person).
Though better known as SpecOps ‘talents’, TEAL TWISTERs are also in great demand amongst PS and the GNEAS’s engineering units, for their abilities to act as ‘telekinetic bulldozers’ and debris removal/clearance experts. TEAL TWISTERs are thus often assigned to salvage, construction, and disaster response teams where both their ability to shield workers from on-site hazards, and move heavy materials, are especially useful.

Powers/Abilities:
-Create Force Fields---The bio-mod can generate and project powerful forcefields from an energy/damage-point reserve. They can also draw on this point reserve to throw forcebolts with considerable damage potential.
*Range: Self and/or others at 40 ft per level of experience
*+2 block/parry with forcefields
* Shield Creation counts as 2 APMs
*Multiple Forcefields---Can generate multiple forcefields, as long as their sum damage points do not exceed the available point reserve pool.
*Regenerates point reserve at 3 SDC/MDC per minute or 200 per hour.
*Maximum Shield SDC/MDC----P.E. x100
*Shield Size----40 ft area+10 ft per level of experience
*Shield Duration----Duration is 10 minutes +2 minutes per level of experience
*Conformal Body Field---200 SDC/MDC maximum, and lose 1 APM, -2 on initiative while body field is engaged
*Bolts of Force---40 ft +10 ft per level of experience, 2d6 SDC/MDC per bolt, +2 to strike, and opponents are -4 to parry/dodge. However, each bolt burns 5 SDC/MDC from the point reserve(cost is the same, regardless of whether the bio-mod chooses to throw lower- or higher-powered bolts; one of the control issues that PS Biotech hopes to address in later iterations or with a hopefully retrofittable patch).

-Force Manipulation---TEAL TWISTERs can remotely project invisible ‘hands’ or ‘cranes’ that can lift and carry substantial amounts of mass.
* Lift and Hold Objects---500 lbs +100 lbs per level of experience, range is 200 ft +20 ft per level of experience, +2 strike when bashing them into other objects.
Note: Yes, TEAL TWISTERs CAN use this ability to lift and levitate THEMSELVES; altitude limitation same as for lifting other objects. They can also cushion falls from drops equal to 10x their lift altitude.
* Crush Objects----500 lbs +100 lbs per level of experience, range is 200 ft +20 ft per level of experience, 6d6 SDC/MDC per melee of crushing, takes 3 APMs.
* Pull Heavy Objects---Maximum 3,000 lbs +1,000 lbs per level of experience, 20 ft per level of experience,
* Hurl Heavy Objects----Maximum 3,000 lbs +1,000 lbs per level of experience, 20 ft per level of experience, damage is 1d4x10 SDC per 100 lbs(or 1d4 MD per 1,000 lbs), takes 3 APMs, and is +2 to strike

-Physical Transformation---The recipient of a TEAL TWISTER aug is physically optimized; they are icons of glowing good health. +1d4 P.E., +1d6 P.B., +1d6 SPD, +2d6 Hit Points, +4d6 SDC, and +1d6 to P.S., plus it is considered to be Extraordinary.

-Mind/Body Attunement---The recipient’s nervous system is amped to be more in tune with themselves; +1 APM, +2 on initiative, +4 save versus Horror Factor, +1 save versus poison and disease, and +2 save versus possession.

-Increased Physical Agility and Dexterity---Paladin Steel’s biotechs seem to believe that the easiest way to survive damage is to not be hit; that, and lay down hurt on the OTHER guy faster than he can lay down hurt on YOU. Thus, physical agility and responses have been stepped up. It’s also been found to help the bio-mods in more careful manipulation of their force ‘limbs’. Increase P.P. to 22, +1 APM, +2 on initiative, automatic dodge, paired weapons, and +5% to physical skills requiring physical dexterity. The character is also ambidextrous.

- Hypnotic Brain Conditioning----Because of the potential for abuse if these powerful extrakinetics were mind-controled, TEAL TWISTERs receive special deep resistance indoctrination and mental shielding; +5 save vs mind control, +4 save vs illusions and Horror Factor, +2 save vs all other psionic attacks. Impervious to Possession.

Total bonuses:
+2 APM
+4 on initiative
+1d4 P.E.
+1d6 P.B.
+1d6 SPD
+2d6 Hit Points
+4d6 SDC
+1d6 to P.S., plus it is considered to be Extraordinary
Increase P.P. to 22
Automatic Dodge
W.P. Paired Weapons
+5% to physical skills requiring physical dexterity.
The character is also ambidextrous
+5 save vs mind control
+4 save vs illusions
+2 save vs all other psionic attacks.
Impervious to Possession
+8 save versus Horror Factor
+1 save versus poison and disease

[taalismn]

(With 37 bio-mods and 37 cyborgs posted, I feel obliged to prove that I haven’t given up on hard-tech augs just yet)

We may let you stop after a 100!!! of each.
Oh Posting 'Priest' of the forum.
Nice work.

Do you encounter any of this snow storm gap between clear skies and safe roads?

Had to switch work shifts because of the threat of icing just as I was supposed to be commuting home...just two days previously I'd almost gone ski-jumping my car off a hillside...instead I did a slow speed ram into a guardrail...no damage done, but hell scared out of. So I'm enjoying a few days of no snow, no ice.

[taalismn]

Ghawdeen---Paladin Steel Industrial Outpost/Colonial Protectorate

“We might want to reserve some of our laser production for our own security. That last refugee ship reported being shadowed by several other vessels on the edge of detecion range. They couldn’t get a clear ID on any of them, but they acted military. Odds are we’ve got company out there. Hopefully they’re just pirates in military surplus gear and not some larger organization with an unhealthy interest in us.”

Ghawdeen is a borderline terrestrial-habitable world, akin to a wet Mars, in the Anvil Galaxy.
Ghawdeen was of little interest to most of the powers in that corner of the galaxy until the breakup of the Golgan Republik. As former client states broke away from the Republik, the political stability that typified the ‘us against the common enemy’ mentallity of the client states towards the Republik has collapsed. This has meant that in several cases of former provinces declaring independence, they’ve almost immediately begun arguing with their neighbors over possession of other former Golgan territories, or have gone at former and traditional rivals with a renewed vengeance, now that the Republik is no longer keeping them apart. Two former Golgan territories in particular, the newly-declared T’ghari Domain and the Brualli Alignment, have opened up on each other, regardless of the several non-allied colony worlds in between, in all-out interstellar war. Though a generation or two behind the Republik in technology and short on numbers, the Domain and Alignment have made up for their relative shortcomings in sheer bloodymindedness and brutality against each other and anybody standing in their way. The result has been a large number of refugees, from non-aligned settlements, and both the Domain and Alignment, fleeing the warzone and seeking new sanctuaries. Ghawdeen is one of those worlds, and a growing number of refugees have settled on the planet.
Paladin Steel/Aegis Stellar Industries had already staked a claim to the planet(pointed at by N’R’Mar scouts) and was developing several mining and industrial efforts on the world, with an eye towards eventual open colonization, when the refugees started arriving in numbers. Unwilling to start shooting down refugee ships entering the system, Paladin Steel has tried to accommodate them in their development plans.
Paladin Steel’s presence in the region has helped curb some of the excesses of the unsettled and unnerved refugee camps. Several efforts to introduce piracy on the planet have been thwarted by PS Security, and PS-led construction teams have helped create support infrastructure to support the refugee camps. More importantly, the company has been providing employment for the refugees, getting them active in creating their own infrastructure(and incidentally defusing the demands of the more vocal newcomers that as the hosts on planet, the company isn’t doing enough to help the refugees). PS/ASI has also been employing displaced persons in their own field operations, and has been able to expand their operations three-fold since the refugees started arriving. This has raised some catcalls that PS is exploiting the refugees by employing them as cut-rate wage-slave labor, but the company has countered that the added manpower and profit has helped defray the costs of the refugee-support efforts and given the listless refugees something constructive to do.
Ghawdeen, however, may be the victim of its own success. As more refugees are drawn to the world by the prospect of safe haven and the corporate establishment there grows and becomes more profitable, more powerful pirate bands, and the eyes of both the Domain and the Alignment are being drawn to the planet as well, forcing PS/ASI to increase its security garrison and armed presence to deter attacks and annexation attempts. This in turn is drawing the attention of the resurgent Republik, who are concerned by growing foreign presences along its borders, especially ARMED foreign presences. Furthermore, the existence of large industrial plants on a formerly unused world, in a sector that the Republik once effectively owned and would like to control again, has some in the Golgan Argosy considering the long term benefits if they could take those industrial facilities intact.

Solar System
Number of Stars: 1
Types of Stars: Orange Dwarf
Number of Planets: 3
- Gas Giant---Nicknamed Great Robin. (Small Gas Giant)
Uranus-sized Great Robin, with its blue coloration, is beautiful, but currently of little significance to PS/ASI. Its 16 small moons are in the process of grinding each other into a new ring system.
PS had few plans to explore/develop Great Robin, but the threat of piracy in the region made establishing at the very least early warning outposts has prompted PS to establish a presence there, if only to deny any pirates a local base. Typically 2-3 corvette-class vessels make regular patrols of the planet’s moon system, and several automated sensor and assistance facilities have been established on the larger moons.
- Terrestrial(Ghawdeen)---The system’s life world and site of its inhabitants.
-Terrestrial---Nicknamed Paltor.(Tiny)
Icy Paltor is a dwarf planet of little significance. Again, given the rise in pirate activity in the region, PS/ASI have planted an early warning sensor array on the planet, just in case.

Planet
Type: Terrestrial
Diameter: Average
Gravity: High; 1.7 g. The GNE’s Chaichuks find the planet’s gravity comfortable, but others find the high gravity fatiguing.
Temperature: Warm(ish), akin to terrestrial tropics.
Unusual/Special Features:
-Moons---3 small Deimos-sized moons; Sori, Mezos, and Adi.
-Craters----Ghawdeen is littered with large craters, many of them forming large circular lakes and even small seas.
Atmosphere: Breathable, though oxygen content is on the thin side, and many residents take to carrying assist-masks and supplemental O2. The atmosphere around the refugee and corporate enclaves is richer, thanks to water-cracking atmospheric modification works.
Terrain: 3
Notable Mineral Concentrations:
-Molybdenite
-Zinc
-Pitch Blend
-Copper
-Sulfur
-Gypsum
-Diamond
-Emerald
Hydrosphere: Moist
Biosphere: Sparse. There were already a few forms of algae(especially in the crater lakes) and photosynthetic mosses on the planet. Any higher lifeforms have been recently imported, including vermin. There’s been some trial and error with imported species brought by refugees to create agricultural areas. PS has debated planting fast-growth terraforming species, like grasses, in order to further improve the air quality.
Civilization: Refugee/Colonial
Population: Roughly 1 million people
Technology: Roughly equal to Rifts Earth, with some disparity between the less well-off refugees and the GNE/PS/ASI enclave.
Economy:
Can be considered to be Mining and Manufacturing
Wealth:
Can be considered to be Prosperous in terms of the corporate activity. The refugee quarters can be generally considered to be Poor(Squalor/Impoverished has been avoided by corporate-sponsored civil works).
Government: Between PS/ASI and the refugees, a rough representative government has been cobbled together to address both the needs of the refugees and the concerns of the company.
The arrangement is far from perfect, and a great many issues need to be hammered out, including overall supervision of planetary affairs. Many in both the refugee communities and the corporate enclave want PS/ASI to be in supreme charge as the landlords and defacto government, while others want as little corporate involvement in civil affairs as possible. Both arguments vary as to how much the company is expected to support the refugee economy, and how much it can ‘profit’ from them(a recent issue is that of who has salvage rights to the many decrepit starships the refugees arrive in).
Law Level: Moderate. There’s some crime between the refugees, and some feuding between former Domain and Alignment citizens that flares into open violence, but most people on Ghawdeen are too busy trying to survive and put their lives back together to particularly care.
Popularity: Ambivalent; there’s grousing about shortages and lack of particular services. More medical aide could be forthcoming, better wages, and better living conditions, but there’s the acknowledgement that things could be FAR worse.
Stability: Stable, with protracted argument and debate balancing out any flare-ups of unrest.

PS/ASI Outpost Presence:
Size: Massive; PS/ASI has some 22,000 employees on planet, in addition to 15% employment amongst the refugees.
Type: Industrial/Mining
Security: Strike Force
PS/ASI maintains a small army(7,000) security militia on the ground, in addition to deputized citizen watches among the refugees.
PS/ASI has also begun putting up several dozen battle-ring satellites in orbit of the planet to provide early warning, scan incoming refugee ships, and provide some protective cover in event of an attack.
Contact: Weekly
Products:
-Processed Metals---Mainly copper and molybdenite, as well as refined fissionables(‘yellowcake’).
-Vehicular Weapons Assemblies----The Ghawdeen works in particular turn out laser weapons. This is another factor that makes the PS industrial facilities on Ghawdeen an attractive target for outsiders.
-Crystal Components---Ghawdeen’s mines produce valuable diamond and emerald components for TW systems.

[abtex]

Cutie using her TEAL TWISTER Augmentation Package to 'carry' some weapons. Are maybe just control them.

[taalismn]

Cutie using her TEAL TWISTER Augmentation Package to 'carry' some weapons. Are maybe just control them.

Or a cyber-psi with telepathically controlled drone units.

[taalismn]

Reposting and updating an older design:

Paladin Steel M65 Skorpion III Light Tank (2.0)

“Heh...done right, little buggers like ‘Davie’ here can be real murder to armor...We once dropped four of these with drogues and landing cradles from a tree-skimming C-130 and maneuvered them into position in one of the Kentucky valleys...Had word that the Dharma Boys...that bunch of kill-krazy mercs that killed Wilton-Town, remember?...were making a run back towards CS territory in the area...We went to ground, stealthed and camou’ed, and laid down for a wait, hoping to catch’em before the local wildlife began sniffing around us...
Sure enough, here came the Dharmas with their ATVs and their old CS-surplus Mark V, runnin’ from what we learned later was a Fed of Mage posse tracking them...They were in a hurry, so that might explain their sloppiness, but I’d rather think it was our skill that done the trick, but we got maybe twelve-fifteen rounds into them before they figured out they’d been bushwacked...Broke their column apart and all their heavies drilled through and through...
I wouldn’t wanna go up against fast-movers like gargoyles or SAMAS with a Skorp, but against regular armor and even big slow uglies like dinos and ‘bots, with the right planning, light armor like ‘Davie’ can lay down some real pinpoint hypervelocity icepick-stabbin’ hurt. ”

The PS-M65 Skorpion III is a Paladin Steel experiment in developing a light-weight low-cost artillery support vehicle small enough to be deployed with Marine units, airborne merc units, rapid response security forces, and paratrooper companies. The Skorpion III is based loosely on descriptions of a pre-Rifts American Empire vehicle, the M-56 Scorpion, that was used briefly in the same role.
The M65 uses hull and drivetrain components from PS’s discontinued PS-LBT-01 Jeb-Stuart Light Tank, adds an upgraded powerplant system, bolts on some additional plate, and completely replaces the turret. The crew now remains entirely in the main hull, the turret being replaced with a remote-operated gun-mount and a long-barreled 80mm massdriver cannon. The Skorpion III was the first vehicle to test the new PS-MDJ80L, a longer-ranged version of the venerable 80mm massdriver cannon popular on other PS light AFVs. The longer-barreled weapon with its greater number of stator rings for accelerating the ordnance, has longer range in both direct and indirect fire modes. For backup, the M65 carries a co-axial laser rifle alongside the main gun, and a smaller ball-mount energy weapon in the forward glacis plate. Some additional armor has been added, and a more durable tread has been mounted.
Automation replaces the need for the two extra crewmen of the original, though a single passenger can squeeze inside the hull if necessary.
The PS-M56 saw about fifty units produced before Paladin Steel and the Greater New England military both decided that the successes of the PSPA-11 and PSPA-12 power armors both gave the airborne forces a more versatile and mobile heavy weapons capability. The Skorpion III was dropped from consideration as a mainline battle unit and existing examples were transferred to the Reserves and State Militia. From there a few examples have made their way into the hands of mercenary units, and subcontracting firms within the GNE continue to produce a handful of examples every year for buyers on a contractual basis. This accounts for the limited number of options available to the Skorpion III, as it is considered already to be a variant/derivation of an existing design.
Type: PS-M65 Skorpion III
Class: Light Tank/Self-Propelled Gun
Crew: 2+1 passenger
MDC/Armor by Location:
Main Body 250
Reinforced Crew Compartment 100
Treads(2) 80 each
Ion Pulse Gun(1, forward glacis plate) 40
Turret 110
Height: 6.7 ft
Width: 8 ft
Length: 19 ft
Weight: 7 tons
Cargo: Small space behind the crew for survival packs, sidearms, and a few small personal possessions.
Powerplant: Fuel Cell Electric (300 mile range) or Nuclear w/ 15-year energy life.
Speed: 55 MPH; could cross trenches as wide as 8 ft, and climb grades of 35 degrees.
If the treads are destroyed, the tank can move, albeit slowly, on its road wheels at 20 MPH.
Market Cost: 480,000 credits for the electric, and 1.2 million credits for the nuclear
Systems of Note:
Standard Power Armor Systems, plus:

*Gun Periscope---A retractable sensor mast with optics and a laser sight(+1 to strike). Can extend up about 6 ft, allowing the AFV’s crew to observe from behind cover/concealment.

Weapons Systems:
1) 80mm LB Gauss Cannon(PS-MDJ80L)---This is a longer-barreled, and longer-ranged, version of the 80mm massdriver. The weapon is mounted in a large remote controlled turret atop the tank, and is fed from two rotary magazines straddling the back of the weapon. A special dial-selection system allows the gunner to select the desired ammunition from the rotary drums, and the weapon loaded for firing by an autoloader. The turret has 360-degree rotation and 50-degree elevation.
Weight: 5,800 lbs (2.9 tons)
Range: (Direct Fire)25,000 ft (6 miles)
(Indirect Fire) 62,500 ft (14.5 miles)
Damage: High Explosive(HE)----1d4x10 MD to 15 ft radius
High Explosive Anti-Tank(HEAT)---- 3d4x10 MD to 5 ft radius
Fragmentation--- 5d6 MD to 30 ft radius
Plasma----- 1d6x10 MD to 20 ft radius
(APFSDSDU)(Armor Piercing Fin Stabilized Discarding Sabot Depleted Uranium) 3d6x10 MD out to 6,600 ft, 2d4x10 MD out to maximum range
Rate of Fire: 5 shots per melee
Payload: 44 rounds(22 rounds per ammo cassette). With the right equipment( two man reloading team with a truck, or a power armor) an ammunition cassette can be replaced/reloaded in 1 melee from an external resupply source.

2) Co-Axial Laser Cannon---An adapted JA-12-style laser rifle is mounted to fire alongside the main gun.
Range: 4,000 ft
Damage: 4d6 MD single shot, 1d6x10+10 MD triple burst
Rate of Fire: Standard
Payload: 100 shot battery for fuel cell models, effectively unlimited for nuclear-powered models

3) Forward Ion Pulse-Gun---Mounted in a ball-mount in the forward glacis plate and operated by the driver is an ion pulse-weapon, a variant of the popular PSIP-2 ‘Smasher’ series. Mount has a 45-degree arc of fire.
Range: 800 ft
Damage: 4d6 MD single shot
1d4x10 MD per three-shot burst
Rate of Fire: Standard
Payload: 100 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) Smoke Mortars(2)---Mounted on the sides of the turret are two gas grenade launchers for providing covering smoke.
Range: 500 ft
Damage: None, smoke(chemical agents such as tear gas can be substituted) in 10 ft radius.
Rate of Fire: Volleys of 1,2,3, 4, or 6
Payload: 6 smoke grenades per launcher, 12 total

Options:
*Amphibious----The Skorpion III can be watersealed and equipped with flotation units and a propeller drive, allowing it to cross relatively calm/still bodies of water at a leisurely 12 MPH.
Cost: 7,000 credits

*IR Baffling---A passive stealth system that uses special exhausts for the engine and crew compartment, as well as insulation and heatsink systems, to alter and lower the tank’s thermal signature. -20% to detect/target the tank using thermal imaging. Cost: 18,000 credits

*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-shaped igloo roughly 7 ft tall by 20 ft in diameter. The pod then deploys a cover sheet of special plastics, with a camouflage print, and integral sensor-baffling elements.
The Camouflage pattern sheet can be chemo-switched to any one of seven different configurations. 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 disipates the infra-red and thermal emissions and signatures of the occupants, rendering tjose 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 60 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.
*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: 80,000 credits; currently unavailable outside GNE military forces and approved affiliates.


Variants:
*PS-M65C Skorpion IIIC---Though the PS-M65 Skorpion III was dropped from major terrestrial production by Paladin Steel, aside from small batches produced on an individual contract basis, the design continues to see interest on the part of clients, especially those looking for relatively inexpensive, air/space-transportable conventional armor and light artillery support. Recently, PS announced that it was resuming full production of an upgraded M65 variant at an offworld plant(believed to be on the ChaiChuk homeworld, which would make good sense, given the smaller physical stature of the natives being more amenable to the smaller LBT design), with the new model to be shortly available for open sale(after fulfilling local defense force contracts). The new model is expected to garner new interest in the Skorpion, as well as bolster the economy of the offworld site producing the M65C. Furthermore, the M65C may see a return of the Skorpion III to PS/GNE National Guard and militia units, especially in the colonial services.
The “2.0 version” M56C has a more streamlined look, with a slightly redesigned hull and turret and features an additional remote control cupola-mounted gun with air defense capability; the extra mounting mini-turret can be manned, or can be installed with a . The hull expands ammunition storage to 80 rounds(nearly double the original 44 rounds carried). The improved hull design is also more easily fitted with additional armored plate, affording greater protection to the light artillery asset.
In all other regards, the M65C is identical to the baseline model.
Changes/Modifications:
MDC/Armor By Location:
Secondary Gun Cupola
Weapons Systems:
1) Main Gun----The 80mm massdriver cannon now has provision for 80 rounds, stowed internally. The main gun also has the option of being replaced with a direct fire energy weapon powered by battery, or by direct powerplant link, though this option is currently rarely sought by potential buyers, who prefer the ranged ballistic fire support capability of the original weapons configuration.
Alternate Main Gun Fits:
a)*PS-AWD-MTL-1 Tri-Laser-----Based on the Mechanoid Brute
Weight: 2,200 lbs
Range: 6,000 ft
Damage: 4d6 MD single blast
1d4x10 +6 MD double blast
1d6x10 +10 MD triple blast
Rate of Fire: EPCHH
Payload: 200 shot battery or Effectively Unlimited linked to nuclear power source
Cost: 3.6 million credits

b)M-Ion Cannon----A PS copy of the Triax TX-8841 Ion Cannon(sans MRM launchers, though some buyers have them fitted for installation in large gun mounts). PS has also managed to adapt its ion-weapons modification technology to further augment the M-Ion weapon
Range: 4,000 ft
Damage: 1d6x10 MD per blast
Rate of Fire: EGCHH
Payload: 200 shot battery. Effectively unlimited if attached to a nuclear powerplant.
Cost: 200,000 credits
Options:*Ion Scatter-Shot Module---This is a barrel mod that turns the cannon into a short range shotgun with an area of effect blast. Reduce range to 2,000 ft, but does 5d6 MD to a 30 ft wide area. Cost: 10,000 credits
*Ion Booster Module---Another mod that boosts the range of the ion bolts, albeit with a small reduction in damage capability. Reduce damage to 1d4x10 MD, but boost range to 7,000 ft. Cost: 12,000 credits


2)Secondary Gun Turret---a second light weapons turret is added to the other side of the main turret, with air defense elevation/traverse. The secondary turret can be manned and fitted with a weapon identical to the first cupola and co-axial secondary guns, or it can be fitted with an automated light point defense system, identical to that first carried by the PSA-11 Enforcer Power Armor, and since available to vehicles:
*Backpack Point Defense System---Taking inspiration from the NEMA Gunbuster’s overhead weapons mounting, PS engineers have developed a light powered turret, directed by either computer control or by eyeball-directed HUD. The turret can be fitted with up to two (similar) weapons, such as 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: 1,200 rd drum feeding both weapons(60 bursts per gun)
Cost: 35,000 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
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: +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

Options:
*Applique Armor---The redesigned hull is more amenable to the mounting of additional protective armor plates: Up to 180 additional MDC can be added, at 7 lbs, and 150 credits, per 1 MDC point. Lighter armor can be substituted, at 1 lb per MDC point, but the stronger polycarbonate armor costs 400 credits per MDC point.

*Grousers---Grousers are simply track extensions that widen the treads(by 2-3x) and allow the treadlayer to reduce its ground pressure and better traverse soft surfaces such as mud and snow, and reduce penalties for travelling over such surfaces by HALF. Cost: 8,000 credits per set of treads.

[taalismn]

Paladin Steel ‘Quadamental’ TW Rifle
(aka ‘Quad-E’)

“I got ten possible modes of attack I can try on that bastard; four straight-quills and six combos. Let’s see what sticks to that Infernal monster!”

“Now supposedly there’s a kit patch to the Quad-E drifting around that will allow you to fire all four barrels simultaneously...depending on who you ask, it either causes the elemental effects to cancel each other out, or a really SPECTACULAR and really dangerous combined blast that tends to kill the weapon user too.”

The ‘Quadamental’ is a four-barreled heavy TW rifle meant to give the user the option of any of four ranged Elemental attacks. The Quadramental looks like a four-barreled shotgun or carbine, with each barrel bearing the sigil of a separate mystic Element. Paladin Steel chose to go with a four-barrel design over a revolver-style configuration, despite the expense of the former, owing to some studies that suggested a better performance using individual barrels for each Element, over that having a shared barrel-projector. Two versions exist; one with the barrels arranged in a diamond pattern, with the Air barrel on the top, the Earth barrel on the bottom, and the Fire and Water barrels on the sides, or a version with the four barrels configured in a box, Water and Earth on the Bottom, Fire and Air on the top. The ‘box’ makes it easier to sling a grenade launcher or laser designator from the underside of the barrels, but diehard technomages swear the ‘diamond; arrangement allows the magic to flow ’naturally’(GM’s prerogative: can add a +1 to damage of each barrel). A top-mounted holo-sight compensates for the different characteristics of each barrel, allowing for accurate marksmanship. The weapon can be powered by a standard PPE clip or a ‘regenerator’ matrix crystal.
The four Elements incorporated are as follows:
-(Lightning Arc)---The Air barrel projects a nearly inescapable arc of lightning that does very respectable damage at good range.
(Throwing Stones)---The Earth barrel produces high velocity pebbles that strike like bullets. The long range and low PPE expenditure make this the selection of choice for sniping.
(Fire Ball)---The Fire barrel throws incendiary fireballs that do brutal damage, albeit at short range.
(Hail)---The Water barrel can throw a spray of high velocity, metal-hard ice. This selection also has the advantage of being able to ‘park’ its effect over a target, such as an entrenched enemy position, and let continuous damage accumulate. Especially nasty in enclosed spaces where the enemy can’t easily dodge out of the area of effect.
In addition to firing single shots from individual barrels, the Quadamental can be set to fire two barrels simultaneously(counts as one attack, though the dual PPE cost for the spells remains the same) for a synergistic effect. Though the combined effect of such attacks may be less efficient, range and PPE-expenditure-wise, than that of the straight-out spells they emulate, the versatility the combined effects give the Quadamental add extra tactical value to the weapon. Currently, though, only two barrels can be fired simultaneously; efforts to ‘triple’ or ‘quad-’ fire all barrels simultaneously have proven impossible thus far(though trooper grapevine claims it HAS been done, resulting in either spectacular damage effects or spectacular catastrophe.
Like PS’s many other TW weapons, the Quadamental came into heavy demand, despite its cost per unit, during the Minion War for fighting the Infernals, and a number of upgrades specifically aimed at combating Infernals, were introduced.

Weight: 8.6 lbs
MDC: 55
Range:(Lightning Arc)1,600 ft
(Throwing Stones)2,000 ft
(Fire Ball) 500 ft
(Hail) 800 ft and affects an 80 ft area
Damage:(Lightning Arc) 4d6+16 MD per shot
(Throwing Stones) 1d6+8 MD per shot
(Fire Ball)8d6 MD per shot
(Hail) 8d4 MD for 8 minutes(32 melees)

(Combined Attacks)
By flipping a switch/dial, any two Elemental barrels can be fired simultaneously(counts as one attack) resulting in a synergistic attack. The possible combos and their effects are as follows:
(Air/Water)---Creates an Orb of Cold; +1 to strike, range of 300 ft, does 3d6 MD and targets must save versus magic or be NUMBED, -2 on imitative, -1 strike, parry, dodge, and reduce speed by 10% for 1d4 melees.
(Air/Fire)---Creates a roaring Wall of Flame at 180 ft range, that lasts 12 minutes, and is roughly 30 ft high, 30 ft wide, and up to 20 ft deep. Anything caught in the wall, or attempting to run through it will take 4d6 SDC or 2d6 MD per 5 ft of thickness. 70% chance of setting combustibles on fire.
(Fire/Earth)---Creates a cloud of hot ash; 180 ft range, lasts 4 minutes, and covers a 30 ft area. Anybody caught in the cloud takes 2d6 SDC per melee, and is temporarily blinded for 1d6 melees(-10 to strike, parry, and dodge) unless wearing appropriate protection. 67% chance of setting combustibles afire.
(Fire/Water)---Generates a jet of superheated steam; 240 ft range, lasts 4 minutes, and covers a 30 ft area. Anybody caught in the cloud takes 2d6 SDC per melee, and is temporarily blinded for 1d6 melees(-10 to strike, parry, and dodge) unless wearing appropriate protection.
(Water/Earth)----Causes an area of earth, rock, or pavement to turn to (thick, sticky) mud. 320 ft range, affects either a 20 ft wide area or 240 lbs of mass. Does 2d6 MD to Stone/Iron Golems.
(Earth/Air)---Produces a sandstorm-like effect; 320 ft range, 20 ft area, lasts 4 minutes, and those caught in it lose initiative, 2 APMs, and are -5 to strike, parry, and dodge. Speed is reduced by 75%, hearing reduced by HALF, motion detectors are rendered effectively useless for the duration, and SDC structures and beings take 1d4 SDC per melee.
Rate of Fire: ECHH
Payload:(Lightning Arc)8 PPE per 8 melees of firing, and allows for firing other attacks during the duration.
(Throwing Stones) 2 PPE per shot
(Fire Ball) 5 PPE per shot
(Hail) 10 PPE per shot
Note: The device accepts PPE clips or the user can pump his or her own PPE or ISP into the weapon to recharge it an emergency, but at DOUBLE the above listed PPE cost(x4 if ISP; so 10 PPE battery shot takes 20 PPE/40 ISP to manually recharge)
Special Features:
*LED PPE Charge Indicator
Cost: 560,000 credits(for both the ‘diamond’ and ‘box’ configurations) + PPE battery/energizer cost
Options:
*(Spell)Electromagnetic Attack---Modifies the Air barrel to project a short range EMP blast that can short out non-hardened circuitry. Hardened and TW systems get to save on a 14 or higher; a failed save means the system/device is off-line for 1d6x10 minutes. An Electrical Engineering roll can get the system back up and running in 4d6 minutes.
250 ft range, 15 ft radius of effect, 15 PPE per blast. Cost: 150,000 credits.

*(Spell)Choking Blast & Dust Cloud---Modifies the Earth barrel to project a() Raises a cloud of dust and grit 30x30x30 ft, Those without eye and respiratory protection will be -10 to all combat moves, lose initiative and 1 APM, and are unable to speak in the thick, choking, irritating airborne silt(double penalties for those with advanced senses such acute smell, sight, or hearing as the dust gets in where it shouldn’t). Those with environmental protection will find visibility drops to 1d8 ft, and will be -2 on initiative and -2 to combat moves. Radar, thermal imaging, and motion detection systems are similarly knocked out for the duration.
200 ft range, 8 PPE for 16 melee rounds(4 minutes) duration. Cost: 79,000 credits.

*(Spell)Hellfire---Modifies the Fire barrel to project a fireball that does 2d6 MD to mundane beings and Elementals, but does 1d6x10 MD to demons, Deevils, Mummies, Immortals, and Scarecrows. Even Infernals normally resistant/impervious to Fire will take HALF damage from this attack. 480 ft range, 33 PPE for 8 melee rounds(2 minutes) of attacks. Cost: 325,000 credits.

*(Spell)Mystic Water Blast---Modifies the Water barrel to project a stream of meltwater. 360 ft range, does 2d6+6 damage to vampires, Fire Elementals, and other water-sensitive beings, -1 to dodge. 5 PPE per blast. Cost: 14,000 credits.

(and no, nobody’s yet figured out what happens if you use the add-on spells in combination with any of the other spells)

[abtex]

What other vehicles do you plan to Update?

[taalismn]

What other vehicles do you plan to Update?

Nothing comes to mind right now, but I imagine tha upgrading is a continual process with older PS vehicles...Aircraft like the C-130-II getting constant tweaks to avionics, powerplant efficiency, navigation aides, AFVs getting refits for improving armor and armaments, electronics systems getting software patches.
The Minion War alone would see clients wanting TW protections added, PPE sensors installed, anti-supernatural weapons installed. Wartime overhauls would lead to subcontracting garages being called in to help.

[abtex]

What are the Techies at PS doing with this concept. MAA. Camou-Shroud and other camping tents.

Do you also know that you are on Page 104!!!

Also

Remember as days get colder animals are attracted to the warmth of cars so check wheel arches or other hiding places

[abtex]

SmallKin using PS ‘Quad-E’ to fight fires. When not using it for other purposes.

[taalismn]

Paladin Steel 'Argus' Surveillance Cyborg
http://i408.photobucket.com/albums/pp164/taalismn/Argusborg_zpspvvw5w5o.jpg

“You want me to get a peek at whatever the Coalition’s got brewing down at Lone Star? Rumor tells you that they’re testing a new robot drone? And you want me to confirm it? You do know Lone Star’s a tough place to get into, don’t you? SAMAS, Skelebots, Dogboys, passive sensors, active ground sweeps....Do you want glossies or matte-finish on the eight by twelves?”
-”Mr. Adventure”, Argus FC

The Argus is the result of a joint Paladin Steel-Tundra Rangers technological recovery and research effort initiated after Tundra Ranger scouts found an old abandoned Canadian bionics research lab in the far north. Among the projects under study at the laboratory were various hostile environment scout and survey robots and cyborgs(possibly in response to rumors of Russian work along similar lines). The discovery team was able to recover schematics for at least one cyborg in an advanced state of development. Shared with Paladin Steel, these schematics would form the basis of a new full conversion cyborg frame Paladin Steel would name the Argus, after the multi-eyed guardian beast of Greek myth.
The Argus is a specialist, crammed to the gills with advanced electronic intelligence and surveillance gear. Its also incredibly agile and sneaky. The Argus is a roughly human-sized cyborg design, with a smooth, streamlined appearance, light armor plates, and fabric-covered joints. The head is bowl-like, with a protruding optics visor and forehead studded with multiple sensor eyes; in fact, the brain and upper spine are relocated into the upper torso, leaving the whole head as a dedicated sensory mount. On the shoulders are two swivel-mounted sensor booms that can be directed at separate targets, or can track in synch with each other.
The original design belongs to an age when full-conversion cyborgs were relatively rare, regarded as highly valuable specialist units. In that time before the Rifts, full-conversion cyborgs were highly trained specialists, sparingly used in the sort of high-power firefights and conflicts that most post-Rifts people associate with mechanized combat. For those sorts of battles, the pre-Rifts governments had robots and power armor. Now. though, with the larger pool of maimed bodies and desperate people willing to undergo full-conversion in order to survive, the role of the cyborg has swung over to heavy combat and fire support. While Paladin Steel does turn out its fair share of such cyborgs, it also is designing and recruiting with the old philosophy in mind as well.
Unfortunately, because of all the space and power dedicated to electronics and sensors, the Argus isn’t as tough, well-armed, or strong as other cyborgs. This has resulted in many criticisms of the design as cramming too many high-tech goodies in a substandard frame that can’t take a lot of punishment. To compensate, PS has fine-tuned the design to be fast, and incorporated several stealth systems, including reverse-engineered Naruni-style holo-camouflage, allowing the cyborg to avoid(with some skill) being easily detected.
Another consideration of the Argus is that in order to deal with the many complex systems, the possible information overload, and the strain of the Argus’ intended mission role, volunteers for the conversion have to have a certain high mental endurance requirement. Paladin Steel also provides extensive training and psychological counseling to make the most of their bodies and deal with the stress of having so many new senses. Many Argus FCs develop nosy, inquisitive attitudes, and may become virtually incurable gossips and snoopers, while also being very laid-back and non-confrontational(like to kick back when not working, and listen in on what’s going on around them).
Much as their pre-Rifts predecessors, Argus FCs are trained to avoid combat whenever possible, relying on their speed and stealth to avoid trouble. Fighting is an option only if cornered and there are no alternatives.
Argus cyborgs are found deployed throughout the GNEAS as rangers and scouts. The Exploration Corps also uses them extensively for mapping and exploration. They occasionally are also used as secure couriers, message runners, security watchmen, and envoys.
Rumors of an even more specialized variant of the Argus, designed for electronic hacking, have begun circulating of late. Paladin Steel neither confirms nor denies the rumor, or what else the Tundra Rangers found at the abandoned laboratory.

Minimum Requirements: IQ 12, ME 12
Type: PS-FC-39 Argus
Class: Full conversion Borg -Surveillance
Crew: One volunteer
M.D.C. By Location:
  Hands (2)25 each.
  Arms(2) 60 each.
  Legs(2) 65 each.
Feet (& Foot Pads)(2) 45 each.
*Shoulder Sensor Booms(2) 40 each
  *Head 80 .
Relocated Brain Case 50
  **Main Body 180 .
  *Unlike with more conventional configuration cyborgs, destroying the head of a Cyborg will NOT automatically kill the character! The brain is actually located lower in the area of the neck. Destroying the head will destroy most of the cyborg’s advanced sensors, and the cyborg subsequently loses any bonuses from the head optical systems to strike, parry, and dodge(can still use any remaining torso or boom-mounted systems). However, the head is a small and difficult target to hit. The attacker must make a called shot and even then he is -3 to strike. The hands, and forearms are also difficult targets to hit and are -4 to strike on a called shot.
  **Depleting the M.D.C. of the main body will effectively destroy the artificial body, but emergency systems will keep the brain and vital organs alive for 36 hours. Recovery of the severely damaged body will enable doctors to place the character on life support systems that will keep him alive until a new bionic body (same style or other) is available, for full conversion. Failure to find the damaged Borg within 36 hours means the character dies.

Note: Use of armor interferes and negates the advantages of the holo-camouflage system. Typically, Argus ‘borgs will only don cyborg armor if subterfuge is useless and open combat is a last resort.
Speed:
Running: 140 mph max . However the act of running does not tire the operator out and the maximum speed can be maintained indefinitely.
  Jumping: The powerful robotic legs are strong and capable of leaping 15 feet high or 25 ft lengthwise. A running leap adds 50% to distance/height.
  Flying: Only possible with a jet pack
Underwater: The Argus is weighted and constructed to be neutrally buoyant; it can actually manage a slow paddle of 5 mph and survive depths of 500 ft.
   
  Statistical Data:
Average Height: 6 feet, 6 inches
Width: 3 feet at shoulders
Length: 2 feet ,  
Weight: 400 lbs
Power System: Nuclear
Physical Attributes: Equal to a PS. 24, PP. 24.
Bonuses: Standard cyborg bonuses of +3 save vs magic, impervious to bio-manipulation
+6 initiative
+5 strike/parry
+6 dodge
+3 Pull Punch
Penalties: Touch/tactile sense is 70 % of human norm.
Prowl penalty: -40%(When cloaking systems are down)
Special Skills/Training---Use standard ‘Borg, Cyborg Soldier, or Headhunter OCC, but three of the ‘other’ skills must be from Espionage.
Plus, the Argus gets Radio: Scramblers, Electronic Counter Measures, and Military Intelligence at +10%

Black Market Cost: 12 million credits with all standard features and sensors.  
Standard Bionic Features
  Note: These features are all found in the bionic and
  cybernetic section of the Rifts RPG.
  1. Bionic lung with gas filter & storage cell
  2. Built-in language translator
3. Built-in radio receiver & transmitter
  4. Clock calendar
  5. Gyro-compass
6. Modulated voice synthesizer
  7. Multi-optic eyes
  8. Built-in loudspeaker
  9. Universal headjack with amplified hearing and
sound filtration systems.
10. Inertial Compass
11. Climb Cord and Grapple Launcher(arm/back)

Special Features:
a)IV Sustainer/Nutrient Recycler---Most ‘borgs can miss a meal or two(or six....), and go without food for days at a time, but given the possible situations in which an Argus might have to go without a chance to refuel the organic portion of their bodies, say out in the wilds, or on a particularly grueling stakeout, Paladin Steel has an enhanced nutrient delivery system that allows the ‘borg to go without food or water for up to two weeks, if necessary.

b) Hardened Circuitry---The cyborg’s systems are shielded against EMP and other power-surge disruptions.

c)Normal Light/IR Headlamp(Forehead-mount)---Note that the IR beam can be seen by anyone with IR vision or viewing devices. 500 ft range.

d) Grappling/Rappelling Cable In addition to the arm/torso-mounted cable launcher, the Argus also carries 300 ft of tough, lightweight trifilament line, with a quiet-running electrical winch, in the torso/solar plexus. The cord ends in a grappling claw, and must be thrown; it has no launcher.

e)Laser Microphone---This device requires some setup and preparation, but it allows the ‘borg to listen in on conversations in buildings by bouncing a low power laser off convenient windows and deciphering vibrations in the reflected beam. Unfortunately, this can be easily defeated by white noise generators and heavy curtains.

f)Parabolic Microphone--A shotgun mike, mounted in the left shoulder sensor boom, that can pick up on sounds/conversations up to 3,000 ft away.

g)Sound Editing/Filtration---Edits out extraneous noise and static, allowing the ‘borg to eavesdrop on conversations as far away as 500 ft with 60% clarity, but works best at ranges of 79 ft or less.

h)Communications Scrambler---Scrambles/encrypts all outgoing signals for secure transmission.

i)Tight-Beam Radio/Video Communications-----Narrow beam communications to cut down on signal ‘leakage’ that could be detected. Typically used to relay messages to a known relay vehicle/outpost in line of sight.

j)Communications Laser---Line of Sight----Perfect for covert communications between units(vehicles, other ‘borgs) because there is little risk of signal interception.

k)Audio/Video Recording System---Concealed in the legs are recording banks, each capable of holding up to 12 hours each of audio and video.

l)180-Degree Vision---The ‘borg’s visor-like vision optics effectively give it 180-degree vision. In terms of game stats, this translates into +1 to initiative, +1 to dodge.

m)Optic Extension Boom---This simple device mounts a multi-optic on the end of an extensor, allowing the ‘borg to peer around corners, into confined spaces, and even look behind itself. MDC: 5, Length: 3 ft

n)Advanced Tele-optics---This shoulder-mounted optical array features high-powered lenses that can focus in on a 20 ft area up to 18,000 ft away

o)Spectral Analysis System---Provides information on reflected light from objects and provides analysis on their general makeup. This is useful for spotting concealed objects by their return spectrum; surrounding foliage will reflect a different spectrum of light, due to chlorophyll content, as opposed to the plastic camouflage tarp hiding the APC snugged in the trees, Particularly useful for photo-analysis. Adds a +2 to Perception, +5% to Detect Ambush/Detect Concealment rolls.

p)Laser Range Finder---Determines range of designated objects. 10,000 ft.

q)Laser Target Illumination System---Paints the target for laser-guided weaponry. Range: 10,000 ft.

r)Remote Targeting Link---Allows any appropriately equipped units within communications range to use the Argus as a ‘spotter’ for ranged attacks. Use the Argus’ bonuses to strike.

s)Laser Detector----Detects lock-ons by targeting and range finding lasers. Gives a +1 to dodge laser-sighted weaponry.

t)Radiation Detector----Detects and identifies nuclear radiation

u)EM(Electromagnetic) Radiation Detector---Allows the Argus to detect and identify EM activity(90%), including tracking/backtracking radar and radio transmissions back to their source(60%). Can also determine if there are live electrical lines in a room or area, by their trace EM activity. Its not sensitive enough to detect passive listening bugs, but may detect transmitting bugs.

v)Mini-Radar---5 mile range. Note that when in operation the Mini-Radar can be detected by EM radiation detectors.

w)Motion Detector----Will detect approaching objects by their vibration/echo return at ranges of up to 200 ft. When moving in total darkness, this system permits navigation without penalty. However, characters with augmented hearing may hear a low hum or staccato clicking from the ‘borg.

x)Magnetometer---Mounted in the left arm, this device allows the Argus to detect large metal objects within 300 ft, or firing railguns within 1,000 ft, by their EM firing’ spike’. Similarly, the EM containment bottles of active nuclear powerplants can be detected within 1,000 ft.

y)Sensor Hands---To give the cyborg greater ability and tactile sensitivity, especially when fumbling in the dark, the Argus is fitted with Sensor Hands with full sensors(See RMB, pg.)

z)Advanced Molecular Analyzer---This ”Super Sniffer” actually gives the ‘borg some limited ability to track by smell (80%), as well as recognize people by scent(85%) provided they have smelled them before.

a1)Seismic Sensors---Mounted in the feet(actually miniature spikes/geophones that stick into the ground), these useful devices are another piece of Russian technology copied by Yankee Paladin Steel. Can determine the direction of disturbances with 80% accuracy. Can pick up heavy vehicles/armored formations at 4 miles, cavalry/animal herds at 3 miles, infantry formations(company or greater strength) at 2 miles, heavy machinery at 1 mile, volcanic activity at 12 miles, and earthquakes at 100 miles.

b2) Thermal Stealth---The Argus is shielded and insulated against detection with thermal imaging; 20% chance of showing up on thermal sensors.

c3) Sound Suppression System---The same noise control technology that would be used in Japanese cyborgs, was also being codeveloped on the West Coast. Consisting of a combination of special white noise generators, cushioning foot pads, and muffled joints, this system allows the cyborg to prowl quietly, without penalty! However, the cyborg cannot be moving faster than SPD 10; any sudden movements will bring back the full -40% Prowl penalty!

d4) Expert System---The Expert System is a small advanced microcomputer. However, the Expert System isn’t sentient, but instead is an onboard analysis and rapid-calculation system that can be used to process raw data and detect patterns in a fraction of the time that a normal human being could. Adds +5% to Cryptography and Pick Locks(Electronics/Combination types).

e5) Relocated Brain---The cyborg’s brain is not housed in the head, but in a skull casing in the upper torso, where it can benefit from the protective armor of the main body. The brain has a special housing that can be removed from the remains of the cyborg in an emergency, provided the torso hasn’t been totally vaporized. If the head is destroyed, the cyborg can attempt to use any remaining boom sensors or a set of very basic optical and audio sensors mounted around the torso, but loses any cyborg bonuses for using this more limited suite of systems.

f6) Psionic Electro-Magnetic Dampener Implants---Standard issue for specfors; +1 to save versus all psionic attacks, +2 save versus possession, and +1 to save versus magic illusions and mind control.



Weapons Systems:
1) Modular Weapons Forearm----One of the arms of the Argus is fitted with a modular quick-change mount that can be fitted with a rifle module, turning the rifle into a forearm blaster, smart-linked to the cyborg’s targeting systems.
A) Paladin Steel Waybur---Essentially a PS Waybur Assault Rifle mounted as a cyborg weapon. The Waybur OICW is actually based on another pre-Rifts weapon for the US Army, and was a competing design for the M31A1 listed above.
Range:(9mm) 1,000 ft
(20mm) 3,000 ft
Damage:(9mm) 4d6 SDC or 2d6x10 SDC per 5 rd burst
Can use any standard 9mm-format specialized munitions, including explosive rounds and megadamage armor-piercers.
(20mm) 1d4 MD single shot or 3d4 MD per 3 shot burst
Airburst does 1d4 MD to 2 ft blast radius
(20mm PSX-I) 4d4 MD single rd or 1d4x10 MD per 3 shot burst
Airburst does 4d4 MD to 2 ft blast radius
Rate of Fire:(9mm) Standard
(20mm) Single shot or 3 shot burst
Payload:(9mm) 30 rds
(20mm) 12 rds
Cost: 11,000 credits
A box of 100 20 mm ‘smart’ rds costs 800 credits
A box of 100 20 mm ‘smart’ PSX-1 rds costs 3,000 credits(after 110 PA, this drops to 2,000 credits)
Bonuses: Smart-linked to the ‘borg for a +2 to strike

B) Light Pulse Laser
Range: 1,500 ft
Damage: 2d6 MD single shot, or 6d6 three-shot burst
Rate of Fire: ECHH
Payload: Effectively unlimited
Bonuses: Smart-linked to the ‘borg for a +2 to strike

C)Projectile Module---Adapted from the bracer armaments of the PSEEBA body armor. Combines a 15mm micro-missile launcher with a 5.56mm machine pistol. The micro-missiles are 15mm PSMM-2s; the PM can accept any of the standard micro-missiles in event the special munitions aren’t available) The machine pistol can fire either SDC or megadamage bullets.
Weight: 5 lbs
Range:(5.56 mm) 1,000 ft
(MIcro-Missile Launcher) Varies by micro-missile type
Pattern-1A 5,700 ft
Pattern-1B 6,000 ft
Pattern-1C 6,000 ft
Pattern-1D 7,000 ft
Pattern-1E 7,500 ft

Damage:(5.56 mm) 3d6 SDC for standard SDC rounds
2d4x10 SDC for Wellington-style explosive rounds
1 MD for ramjet rounds
1d4 MD for PSX-1 explosive rounds
(MIcro-Missile Launcher) Varies by micro-missile type
Pattern-1A---1d4 MD to 2 ft blast radius
Pattern-1B---1d6 MD to 5 ft blast radius
Pattern-1C---4d6 MD to 4 ft blast radius, or 1d4 MD to a 10 ft blast radius in fragmentation mode
Pattern-1D----6d6 MD to a 5 ft blast radius, or 2d6 MDC out to a 18 ft blast radius in fragmentation mode
Pattern-1E---1d4x10 MD to 3 ft blast radius

Rate of Fire: (5.56 mm) Standard
(MIcro-Missile Launcher) Volleys of 1,2,3, 4, or all 5!
Payload:(5.56 mm): 15 shot clip
(MIcro-Missile Launcher): 5
Bonuses: +2 to strike for the 5.56 mm thanks to the integral targeting laser and laser rangefinder/smartgun link!.
Pattern-1A (None) Spin-Stabilized
Pattern-1B (None) Gyro-Compass Chip
Pattern-1C (+1 to strike, in addition to W.P. Heavy bonuses. The Pattern-1C can also be set to be a ‘beam rider’, following a laser illuminator ‘painted’ on the target for an extra +2 to strike. However, this requires expenditure of an extra attack per melee on the part of the gunner to keep the laser illuminator on target) Gyro-Compass Chip, Laser-Sensor Microchip, Radar Trigger Chip.
Pattern-1D (+2 to strike, in addition to W.P. Heavy bonuses. Like the Pattern-1C, the Pattern-1D can ‘beam-ride’...again, this requires the gunner to maintain target-lock at the cost of an additional APM, but the -1D is better able to remain on target if the lock is broken. Furthermore, the missile can be keyed to lock on to the laser illuminator of other gunners...done with a predetermined key-chip...allowing squadmates to ‘paint’ targets for fellow soldiers with micro-missile launchers). Gyro-Compass Chip, Laser-Sensor Microchip, Radar Trigger Chip, Image Sensing Chip.
Pattern-1E(+4 to strike, in addition to W.P. Heavy bonuses, Same ‘beam rider’ capability as with Pattern-1D. ) Gyro-Compass Chip, Laser-Sensor Microchip, Radar Trigger Chip, Image Sensing Chip, Infra-Red Sensing Chip.
The PSEEBA carries the latest and most advanced guidance software and hardware package for the Pattern-1E micromissiles; so the following bonuses ALSO apply:
The Micro-Missile Launcher is +3 to strike on a called shot at distances of less than 1000 ft, +2 to strike at distances of 1000-2000 ft, and +1 to strike up to 3,000 ft. That’s in addition to WP and skill bonuses(that’s +6 to strike on a called shot!)
Plus, the missile can be ‘wriggled’ in its flight course up to 270 degrees(so you can’t shoot yourself) so if the gunner has enough information on the flight path, they can fire the missile, direct it to make a 90-degree turn around a corner, then make another 30 degree turn to clear a wall, then angle 80 degrees down to nail its target from above!
It can also follow a moving target, once it’s been locked on target, so dodging one of these is that much more difficult.
D)Retractable Vibroblade---Typically the arm not carrying a firearm will be fitted with a vibroblade. Does 2d4 MD
E) E-Mag Magtech Bolter---This is adapted from the PS S-6 MagMaster ElectroMag Pistol, integrated into a wrist pack so as to leave the hands free
Weight: 4 lbs
Range: (EM Bolt) 800 ft
(Scattershot Bolt) 400 ft, covers 15 ft area
(SDC Shot) 800 ft
(Stun Vortices) 300 ft
(Cable Gun) 90 ft
(Dart Launcher) 800 ft
Damage: (EM Bolt) 3d6 MD per shot
(Scattershot Bolt) 2d4 MD to everything in 15 ft area
(SDC Shot) 4d6 SDC per bolt
(Stun Vortices) None; has 80% chance of knocking down human-sized targets(lose initiative and 1 action/attack getting up), plus 60% chance of knocking them out, stunning them with concussion effects(-10 to strike, parry, roll, and dodge, lose initiative, lose HALF speed and actions/attacks for 1d4 melees!)
(Cable Gun) None, cable has tensile strength equivalent to P.S. 50
(Dart Launcher) 1 SDC + possible drug/toxin effects
Rate of Fire:(EM Bolt)(Scattershot Bolt)(SDC Shot)(Stun Vortices) ECHH
(Cable Gun) Single shot
(Dart Launcher) Single shot
Payload: (EM Bolt)30 shot battery, plus recharges off the main belt generator at 1 blast every 15 minutes. Or an e-clip can be inserted into the side of the module. Effectively unlimited linked to the cyborg’s powerplant.
(Scattershot Bolt) 1 ‘shotgun bolt’ equals 2 EM bolts
(SDC Shot) 6 SDC shots equal 1 MDC shot
(Stun Vortices) 6 Stun Vortices equals 1 MDC shot
(Cable Gun) Single dart w/ 90 ft line
(Dart Launcher) 6 shot magazine, effectively infinite propellant charge(negligible power drainage from main weapon)
Bonus: Laser targeting add +1 to strike. EM bolts are -6 to dodge, on top of that!


F) Lockpick Master Module---Holds an automatic lock release gun that throws all the pins in a standard physical key lock, several small microprobes, and a special microcomputer that has a 30% chance of discerning the proper combination on combination locks and electronic passcode locks, or adds a +15% to the appropriate lockpicking skills of the wearer.

G) Any Standard Cyborg Forearm Weapon.



2) Climbing Claws---The hands and feet are fitted with retractable claws that provide additional grip in climbing(+15% to Climbing skill), but which can also deliver a nasty slash in hand to hand combat.
Range: Melee
Damage: +1d6 SDC to a punch or kick

Hand to Hand Combat
Restrained Punch 1d6+9 SDC
Full Strength Punch 3d6+9 SDC
Power Punch( 2 attacks) 1d4 MD
Kick 3d6+9 SDC
Leap Kick(2 Attacks) 1d6 MD
Judo-style Body Flip/Throw: 2d6 SDC

Options:
Argus cyborgs like to load up on extra sensors and detection gear, but they’ve also been known to seek more advanced countermeasure/sneak options, and even some weapons systems such as laser-eyes. Occasionally, extra limbs such as prehensile tails may be added, but Arguses like to ‘run lean’ and avoid extra encumbrances and heavy options like weapons.

*360-Degree Panoramic Optics----The stronger-willed converts often go ‘full bug-head’ and have their head optics modified to give them all-around vision. Just as in the description in Bionics Sourcebook(pg 103-104), this system carries a risk of insanity. Cost: 470,000 credits

*Alarm Eye---A favorite option for Arguses, and one that many wish was standard equipment. Linked to the Expert System, it will alert the cyborg if anything enters the visual field. Especially useful when the cyborg is napping in the wild. Cost: 3,500 credits(less expensive than the canonical system due to already-existing compatible hardware).

*Eye Laser---150 ft range, 1d6 MD per shot, +1 to strike, and effectively unlimited shots hooked up to the cyborg’s power systems. Up to four can be fitted. Cost: 4,000 credits.

*Holo-Camera System---This system uses optics on both booms, as well as low-power, high-speed, scanning lasers, to produce high-quality topographical mapping of objects, that can be translated into 3-D holographic images. This system works best if the ‘borg has the opportunity and time to view the photographed object(s) from all angles, so a comprehensive image-model can be built up. Range: 2000 ft. Cost: 20,000 credits

*PPE Sensor---Recent advances by Paladin Steel, working off prototypes provided by OTAR, have resulted in a cyborg-scale PPE sensor system similar to the Japanese SNARLS system. Can be used to detect abnormal auras, supernatural energy, even detect shapechangers( though only 25% chance of success) Range: 200 ft. Up to 500 ft(but w/ 50% error) Cost: 80,000 credits

*Drone Controller---This system allows the Argus to take control of any Paladin Steel RPV drones within communications range and upload his perspective to them, effectively making them extensions of his own senses. The cyborg can only control ONE drone at a time actively(can order other drones to go about particular semiautonomous tasks, like ”Run away!””Hover over this location”, etc.), and has NO bonuses to dodge, strike, roll, or parry with the drone. Note that while controlling drones, the ‘borg must continually divide his concentration between himself and the drones, and may become particularly vulnerable when distracted. Also the system is susceptible to possible time lags, jamming, and environmental interference.
Cost: 50,000 credits

* Thermal-Optical Camouflage--- Paladin Steel worked hard to reverse-engineer several different flavors of Naruni stealth technology, and it’s paid off with this iteration of TOC.
Visually, the cyborg is -20% for others to Detect Ambush/Detect Concealment, +5% to prowl, and has a 40% chance of remaining undetected if standing still(60% if standing in dim/indirect light). Has only a 20% chance of showing up on radar/motion detection systems, and is, combined with the existing thermal shielding, only 10% likely to show up on thermal sensors.
Cost: 28,000 credits

* Blurr Camou
MDC: 10 before being rendered inoperable
Bonuses: The faster the wearer moves, the greater the distortion; at speeds of 3 or less, no bonus, 4-10; -1 to strike the wearer, 10-16; -2 to strike, 16-22; -3 to strike, 23 or greater, -4 to strike.
Cost: 10,000 credits

* HardLight Projection Field---This is a copy of an alien system acquired through cross-dimensional trade and espionage. The HardLight projection field produces a light electromagnetic forcefield around the wearer, that acts as a holo-’canvas’ for a powerful holographic system. The holographic field can be preprogrammed to emulate up to six different humanoid-sized holographic ‘disguises’ in full three-dimensional glory. The forcefield also gives the illusion some physical substance, at least as far as casual brushing contact is concerned, The holofield provides about 5 MDC, but is easily distorted/disrupted by strong magnetic fields, and is also energy-expensive; the generator can only maintain the holo-disguise for 45 minutes at a time, before needing 5 minutes to recharge before re-initialization.
Cost: Available ONLY to PS/GNE operatives.

*Parasail---This lightweight plastic auto-deploying/refolding parasail is carried in a small backpack container, and can be used for parachuting from airborne vehicles, or gliding from tall structures(200 ft or more). The glider, fully extended, has a wingspan of 15 ft, and 5 MD.
Cost: 6,000 credits


Variants:
*PS-FC-39N---Amphibious operations version with waterproofed frame(good for depths down to 1 mile), integral floatation units, slightly redesigned legs(can only run at 90 MPH, but can swim at 20 MPH), and added sensors(sonar, range of 15 miles, depth gauge and alarm). Intended for SEAL operations.

[abtex]

Paladin Steel 'Argus' Surveillance Cyborg

The Argus is a specialist, crammed to the gills with advanced electronic intelligence and surveillance gear.

Are you sure there's a Brain in there or even room for one?
Nice tech-ed out 'Borg.

Next, I think you are working for a 100 of them? May be.

[taalismn]

Paladin Steel 'Argus' Surveillance Cyborg

The Argus is a specialist, crammed to the gills with advanced electronic intelligence and surveillance gear.

Are you sure there's a Brain in there or even room for one?
.

Advanced electronics...and we use shoehorns. And hydraulic compaction hammers. Possibly even dimensional pockets.
Although a line comes to me from when my mother was buying ice cream at a farm stand/summer cafe and remarked about how expensive the stuff was.
The counter help's answer? Straight-faced: "We can get a lot into a quart."

[taalismn]

PS-FC-22 ‘Centrus’ Full Conversion Cyborg
(aka ‘RingMaster’)
http://i408.photobucket.com/albums/pp164/taalismn/centrus_zpsgvcx2p17.jpg


“Maybe I’m not a one-man army, but I’m a one-cyborg intelligence network. I got eyes on, over, and in the street of this ‘burgh, and I can tell you what’s going on outside the town hall, atop the steel mill, in the cathedral, by the waterfront, just off the strip-mall-, hold on a moment, gotta report that to Dispatch, assault and battery taking place behind the Munchies’-.”
---Durner Voss, Chief Mechanized Security Officer, Town of New Arcadia

“I don’t care how many dinky robots you’re hiding behind, I’m going to find you, you little tin pipsqueak, and when I find you, I’m going to pull you out of your little hidey-hole, I’m going to crush you, I’m going to break you, I’m going to cut you open and haul your cowardly little brain out of your drain-gutter body and-whatthefu-?”
#”I don’t just control ‘little’ robots, Calhoun. Say hello to my ‘Squeezers’.“#
“...ohboy...”
---’Crusher’ Calhoun, FX-340C Slasher, and ‘Electric Eddy’, FC-22 Centrus, in another of their neighborhood-destroying ‘spats’ in the Relic.

The Centrus is a specialized full conversion cyborg meant as a communications nexus and drone controller. As remote operations systems become more available to the various services of the GNE and to the open market in general, adequate control of the drones is becoming a major concern for many users. Probing into pre-Rifts ruins, alien structures, and dimensional rifts, as well as handling the force-multiplier aspects of military drones, is becoming a full-time occupation for many users. Paladin Steel and other manufacturers have twigged to the idea of using the existing man-machine interfaces of cyborgs to allow them to interface with teleoperation ‘proxy’ systems such as drones.
Because it is not meant to engage in direct and heavy combat, the Centrus is built light. Its main weapons are its drones, and its primary defense is its speed. Emphasis is on supporting its large and powerful communications array, the antennas for which sprout from its head and shoulders.
Centrus cyborgs occasionally manifest the psychological problem of ‘body disconnect’ in which they spend so much time sensing through their remote operation proxies that they sometimes forget to look after their own true body needs, and sometimes suffer fatal slacking of attention to what’s going on in their immediate vicinity. For that reason, many Centruses keep ‘stables’ of preprogrammed and dedicated caretaker robots to look after and protect their bodies while they’re tele-linked, or make sure that they have plenty of friends around to keep watch over them.
Another weakness that Centrus cyborgs have discovered is their transmissions links. Even with their sophisticated command link encryption, their communications are vulnerable to blanket-jamming, and a particularly active Centrus juggling several dozen drone links is a VERY active EM source, prime for being targeted by HARM(Hostile Anti-Radiation Missile) systems. Veteran Centruses have learned to ‘lay low and talk little’, trusting in preprogrammed routines in their drones, when operating in battlefields against high-tech opponents with the savvy to monitor the airwaves.
Compared to other cyborgs, Centruses tend to be shy and retiring sorts, avoiding being in the line of fire, often finding a good place to hunker down, camouflage themselves, and run their squadrons of drones to secure and patrol an area.
Centruses often find themselves working in conjunction with a related design, the FC-43 ‘ Torvald ‘ Computer Network Operations Administration/Infiltration Full Conversion Borg, especially in urban areas, where the two electronics cyborgs can often take advantage of local wireless networks. Rumors that such GNE intelligence agent pairs have been hacking into the datalink feeds of the Coalition States’ own air- and ground-drones, and possibly even taking control of them, has CS comm-techs constantly scrambling to reinforce their operational security protocols.

Type: PS-FC-22 Centrus
Class: Full conversion Borg, Teleoperations Coordinator
Crew: One volunteer
Minimal Requirements: Because of the strain placed on the recipient’s psyche, the conversion is available ONLY to those with a demonstrated M.E. rating of 14 or better

M.D.C. By Location:
Hands(2) 25 each
Arms(2) 60 each
Legs(2) 85 each
Telecommunications Arrays(2) 25 each
*Head 85 .
**Main Body 170
*Destroying the head of a Cyborg will kill the character!
However, the head is a small and difficult target to hit. The attacker
must make a called shot and even then he is -3 to strike. The hands, and
forearms are also difficult targets to hit and are -4 to strike on a
called shot.
**Depleting the M.D.C. of the main body will effectively
destroy the artificial body, but emergency systems will keep the brain and
vital organs alive for 36 hours. Recovery of the severely damaged body
will enable doctors to place the character on life support systems that
will keep him alive until a new bionic body (same style or other) is
available, for full conversion. Failure to find the damaged Borg within 36
hours means the character dies.

Note: The Centrus can be fitted with any additional armor up to MEDIUM Cyborg Armor

Speed:
Running: 120 mph max . However the act of running does not tire the operator out and the maximum speed can be maintained indefinitely.
Jumping: The powerful robotic legs are strong and capable of leaping 10 feet high or 18 ft lengthwise. A running leap adds 50% to distance/height.
Flying: Not possible without a jet pack
Underwater: The Centrus CANNOT swim, but sinks like a rock . Limited to running along the bottom at 20 MPH, and has a depth tolerance of 500 ft.

Statistical Data:
Average Height: 6.7 feet
Width: 2 feet
Length: 1.2 feet
Weight: 380 lbs.
Power System: Nuclear
Physical Attributes: Equal to Robotic PS. 35, PP. 24,.
Bonuses: Standard cyborg bonuses of +3 save vs magic, impervious to
bio-manipulation
+3 initiative
+5 strike/parry
+6 dodge
+3 Pull Punch
Penalties: Touch/tactile sense is 60% of human norm.
Prowl penalty: -20%

Special Skills/Training---Use standard 'Borg, CommTech/Technical Officer(Equivalent), Hacker.
Mandatory Skills:
Navigation:(All) (+10%)
Radio: Basic (+15%)
Surveillance Systems(+10%)
Read Sensory Instruments(+10%)
Pilot Aircraft(Drone)(+10%)
Pilot Helicopter(Drone) (+10%)
(Optional) The Centrus conversion comes with training in the following skill:
Pilot: Drones(Specific Types)(Piloting)
This skill refers to the ability to proficiently operate a remote-operated vehicle; not the home remote-control type, but the larger and more sophisticated military and scientific units(although admittedly newer models of commercially-available drones are approaching the more specialized types in sophistication).
Any person skilled in a specific piloting skill can pilot a drone version of it, so a person with Pilot: Submersibles would be capable of piloting an underwater drone like JASON Jr. and a pilot with Pilot: Airplane would be able to handle a Predator or Reaper RPV. However, most Piloting skills are statted with MANNED vehicles in mind, with the operator able to use their own senses to detect changes in attitude, acceleration, and general positioning of the vehicle. Operating a drone version is akin to flying on instruments, without the accompanying ‘body sense’, and thus the vehicle is not as responsive as it would be if it was fully manned. In general, a pilot operating a drone version of their accustomed vehicle, without the specialized drone skill, will be -15% to their skill rolls.
Starting from scratch and learning a specific drone type(airplane, jet aircraft, submersible, tank, etc.) avoids most of this problem, as the operator doesn’t have to ‘unlearn’ the habits of listening to their body-sense and inner ear. Note, however, that a drone operator will be have only the most rudimentary knowledge of how to pilot a MANNED version of the same vehicle, and while they may be able to recognize some basic instruments and controls, they will be -25% to operate it, unless they take training and experience in the manned version(your occasional five-year-old who learns how to drive a car or truck from playing video games is surviving out of sheer luck, rather than expertise).
Base Skill: 50% for ground vehicles, 40% for water vehicles, 30% for air/space vehicles, + 5% per level of experience, +10% if the respective Piloting skill appropriate to the drone-type is also taken. The Centrus starts with a bonus of +10%.
Factors in Drone Piloting:
-Time Lag---Depending on how far away the pilot is operating the drone from, signal turnaround can be an issue. Most RPVs have a ‘loiter’ capability that allows them to fly on autopilot, or station-keep if and when signal is lost, until they receive fresh commands, but signal lags of 10-20 seconds(or more) can be the inability to respond quickly enough to attacks or catastrophes to dodge in time. General rule of thumb: -3% to Piloting skill for every 5 seconds of time lag.
-Line of Sight----If the operator has a clear, unobstructed line of sight on their RPV, they can combine their sight with their instrument readings to better maneuver the vehicle; +5% to Piloting

Advanced piloting assistance systems specific to certain drone systems also alleviate the problems of piloting them; VR immersion systems(like the CAN Republic’s VRRDS), gyrostabilization, autopilots, and onboard AIs help tighten control. However, at a certain point of automation, the piloting skill proficiency becomes not the skill of the drone pilot but the programming of the onboard robot systems. Specific bonuses for these systems vary by the specific system employed.

Classic examples of Drone Piloting types include Pilot Aircraft, Pilot Helicopter, Pilot Submersibles, Pilot Automobile, and Pilot Tank/Construction Vehicle, but other examples can include Power Armor(human-sized robotic ‘avatar’ or ‘proxy’ systems), Robots(similar to the VRRDS), Hovercraft, and Pilot Spacecraft(Small/EVA Pods).

Black Market Cost: 9 million credits with all standard features, weapons, and sensors.

Standard Bionic Features
Note: These features are all found in the bionic and
cybernetic section of the Rifts RPG.
1. Bionic lung with gas filter & storage cell
2. Built-in language translator
3. Built-in radio receiver & transmitter
4. Clock calendar
5. Gyro-compass
6. Modulated voice synthesizer
7. Multi-optic eyes
8. Built-in loudspeaker
9. Universal headjack with amplified hearing and sound filtration systems.

Special Features:
*Communications Booster---The more powerful radio system built into the Centrus has an effective range of 60 miles. This can be boosted to potentially hundreds of miles if the Centrus relays its signals through specialized high-flying drone platforms.

*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.


*Drone Control---The Centrus can effectively network the activities of a number of linked drones into an effective ‘hive mind’. A Centrus can simultaneously juggle as many linked drones as they do M.E. points, giving each drone in the network a +1 on initiative. The Centrus can DOUBLE this number, or boost the bonus to +2 on initiative, but this is taxing on the cyborg’s psyche; the cyborg will be -1 to initiative, -1 APM, and at HALF hand to hand bonuses for 1d4 melees after disengaging from the cyberlink(in order, for example, to deal with an attack on their person).
Larger numbers of drones can be managed, but without bonuses, as the coordinator has to switch attention between drones, leaving others ‘up in the air’ and operating on their own autopilot protocols.
Smaller (HALF the cyborg’s ME number) squadrons get a +1 to Initiative, +2 to strike, and +2 to Perception as long as they are in line of sight of each other.

*Remote Targeting---If two or more of the Centrus’s slaved units have line of sight on a target within range of the Centrus’s own weaponry, the cyborg gets a +1 to strike, in addition to any W.P. and sensory bonuses.

*Memory Stacks---The compartment in one of the Centrus’s legs holds a removable hard drive recording the sensor intake from the cyborg’s networked drones. In general, the Centrus’s high capacity recording systems can store up to 48 hours each of up to 12 channels of drone link(that’s 576 hours total of sensor log memory!).

*Recharge Ports--The Centrus has finger/arm USB ports that can be used to recharge the battery cells of small drones. Generally takes 5 minutes to recharge a light ‘copter-drone#(with an average energy life of 45 minutes).

*IV Sustainer/Nutrient Recycler---Most ‘borgs can miss a meal or two(or six....), and go without food for days at a time, but given that Centruses spend a LARGE amount of time linked in and phased-out to their immediate reality, Paladin Steel has an enhanced nutrient delivery system that allows the ‘borg to go without food or water for up to two weeks, if necessary.

*Hardened Circuitry---The cyborg’s systems are shielded against EMP and other power-surge disruptions. This is pretty much standard for PS-manufactured military and administration cyborgs.


Weapons Systems:
1)Forearm Slots(2)---The Centrus has two standard cyborg forearm slots, one in each forearm, compatible with a standard forearm blaster.
Many Centruses who take a more than casual interest in the mechanical and electrical workings of their ‘flock, however, forgo firepower in favor of installing a tool hand and arm(similar to the Russian Tool Mechanic’s Arm and Schematic Sensor Hand, or the Mining Borg’s Micro-Manipulation Hand, in order to allow them to do field repairs to their drones.

2) Forearm Vibroblade---One or both forearms will feature a retractable vibroblade for utility work or self-defense.
Range: Melee
Damage: 1d6 MD

3)Leg Weapon Rod(1)---Carried in the leg NOT fitted with an electronics and tool compartment is a cyborg weapon rod hooked to the cyborg’s powerplant for recharging between uses.

4)Hand to Hand Combat
Restrained Punch 1d6+9 SDC
Full Strength Punch 3d6+9 SDC
Power Punch( 2 attacks) 1d4 MD
Kick 3d6+9 SDC
Leap Kick(2 Attacks) 1d6 MD
Judo-Style Throw/Flip 2d6 SDC
Body Block/Ram: (2 attacks) 1d6 MD

Options:
The Centrus can be fitted with any of the standard cybernetic and bionic features in the Rifts books. Favorite options include fitting the 'borg with additional mobility options or countermeasure systems designed to improve the cyborg’s communications security and personal survivability. Unless the cyborg is a non-human, extra limbs are rarely ever added.
*Alarm Eye---A favorite option for Centruses, and one that many wish was standard equipment. Linked to the Expert System, it will alert the cyborg if anything enters the visual field. Especially useful when the cyborg is napping or otherwise distracted by their drone-links. Cost: 3,500 credits(less expensive than the canonical system due to already-existing compatible hardware).

* Thermal-Optical Camouflage--- Paladin Steel worked hard to reverse-engineer several different flavors of Naruni stealth technology, and it’s paid off with this iteration of TOC.
Visually, the cyborg is -20% for others to Detect Ambush/Detect Concealment, +5% to prowl, and has a 40% chance of remaining undetected if standing still(60% if standing in dim/indirect light). Has only a 20% chance of showing up on radar/motion detection systems, and is, combined with the existing thermal shielding, only 10% likely to show up on thermal sensors.
Cost: 28,000 credits

* Blurr Camou
MDC: 10 before being rendered inoperable
Bonuses: The faster the wearer moves, the greater the distortion; at speeds of 3 or less, no bonus, 4-10; -1 to strike the wearer, 10-16; -2 to strike, 16-22; -3 to strike, 23 or greater, -4 to strike.
Cost: 10,000 credits
*Cyberlink Interface(Vehicle)---A copy of the Russian system, that allows advanced vehicular linkage. Bonuses and penalties the same as described in Rifts: Russia (pg. 100) and Rifts Bionics Sourcebook(pgs. 54-55). Many Centruses will get this system fitted t themselves and a personal vehicle like a van or truck. allowing them to carry a drone squad, and operate the vehicle like a drone, especially if combined with PS’s DRIVER system. Cost: 125,000 credits


Variants:
*PS-FC-22N----A rumored in-development navalized variant with better deep-diving characteristics and advanced underwater communications systems, allowing the cyborg to control ‘schools’ of underwater drones. Details are scant, but supposedly PS is developing the FC-22N in conjunction with the GNEN.


#(Mc)VTOL/RPV-04RC---A remote-control mini-drone similar to the original pre-Rifts ParrotAD drone is available for use as a surveillance drone, carrying aloft the equivalent of a cybernetic eyeball. It can also carry the equivalent of a grenade if used as an explosives delivery device. Typical remote control operation(usually from a handset) is about a mile(longer with more powerful transmitters/repeater stations).
It’s used as the basis of the Smallkin MicroSkimmer, but is also used widely in the civilian and military spheres.
Centruses often use these micro-drones as training, and as tactical observation platforms, usually carrying one or two on hand.

Type: (Mc)VTOL/RPV-04RC
Class: MicroScale Vertical Takeoff and Landing Remote Piloted Vehicle
MDC/Armor by Location:
Main Body 3
Rotors(4) 1 each
Height: 5 inches
Width: 20 inches
Length: 20 inches
Weight: 1 lb
Cargo: Can carry up to 1 lb of sensors
Powerplant: Electric; rechargeable/replaceable battery(, good for 1 hour’s worth of flight operations) or e-clip(a standard e-clip is good for 12 hours’ worth of charge)
Speed: (Flying) Hover to 11 MPH(SPD: 12), maximum altitude of 60 ft
Market Cost: 550 credits
Systems of Note:
*Gyrostabilization---+15% to Pilot Helicopter/Hovercraft skill
*Autopilot---This allows the MicroSkimmer to follow a simple, preprogrammed course, or hold steady in flight, interrupted only by predetermined response from its motion detectors.
*Failsafe Mode---If the pilot takes their hands off the controls, and the autopilot is not engaged, the MicroSkimmer will automatically go into Safety Mode after three seconds and will commence a descent to perform a soft landing.
*Rotor Contact Mode---Because of the exposed nature of the rotors, the individual rotors will automatically stop if an obstacle(like an arm or leg) is thrust into the rotors.
*Motion Detection Chip---Can be programmed to stop the MicroSkimmer in midair or cause it to veer away from obstacles. Range of 10 ft.
*Altimeter---Monitors altitude.
*Mini-Running Lights
*Silent Operation---Has an effective Prowl roll of 60%
*Sensors---Has a basic optical sensor equivalent to a cellphone camera but can be fitted with a cybernetic eye and/or audio-sensor at extra cost.

Weapons Systems: None, though the RPV can be fitted to carry micro-grenades, and single-shot micro-missile launchers, or a single hand grenade.

[taalismn]

Centrus 'borg updated with image: http://i408.photobucket.com/albums/pp164/taalismn/centrus_zpsgvcx2p17.jpg

[taalismn]

CORAL SNOW Adjutant, Sidekick and Servant Bio-Mod
(PU2 budget of 10 million per operative)

“Yeah, my servant girl’s a bit of a ditz, but she’s proven more loyal to me than over a dozen business partners I’ve had over the past three years. Problem is, that loyalty’s starting to prove a liability. She’s been kidnapped a dozen times, been held hostage, been threatened with being a sacrifice, possessed and turned against me, and so on, to the point where I spend more time watching her back than my own. I’ve tried teaching her self-defense, but it really doesn’t take with her, I’ve tried protective enchantments, but they wear off, and I really don’t want to break in a new servant who might be even worse, like a covert assassin slipped me by my enemies. I’m willing to put up some hard money or an exchange of services if you can do something like these super-soldier tune-ups I hear you people do. So, you got anything like that, or do I make a deal with the Splugorth biowizards in South America-?”
“-we’d be honored to be of service to you, Magus KaSingh, and to have your favor. Let us show you some prospectuses of available options, and then we can discuss scheduling an evaluation for the young lady in question and arrange for the procedures.”
---Shhabar KaSingh, High Mage, and a Paladin Steel Advanced Genetic Designs Division representative.

“Haven’t you read ANY pre-Rifts picture-sheets, Ripper?! You NEVER take your eyes off the butlers or the maids! Forget the master of the house, it’s the servants who really run the show, and they’re the ones who will kick your ass!!!”
---Hoodou Manson, Black Market ‘Acquisitions Specialist’.

“It was bad enough when the Paladins were employing ex-soldiers as retreads in the domestic services, then they started hiring out bioborgs as bodyguards, and selling killer robot furniture home security systems...now they’re super-empowering the valets and house-fraus. You wanna pull a break-in anyplace in the GNE above chicken-stealing level, you gotta bring a reinforced platoon to get you in and out.”

CORAL SNOW is a bio-mod package that grew out of an unusual request from Paladin Steel’s business partner in the Azimuth Point Academy, Mistress Abas School for Domestics. After becoming aware of a number of eugenically, gene-modded, and super-amped supersoldiers training at Azimuth Point, Mistress Abas approached Paladin Steel/Aegis Interstellar Industries representatives on whether the company could make available gene-mods(ideally at discount) to the domestics also being trained at the Juxtapa XXII campus. Ideally, Mistress Aba wanted a ‘super-butler/maid’ bio-mod that could be granted to high-access servants and domestics serving in households considered ‘at risk’, or swearing service to superiors in high-danger professions. As PS/ASI was already finalizing its ‘Sidekicks and Adjutants Service’ program(a training regimen meant to increase the versatility and survivability of immediate support personnel), Mistress Aba’s request was slotted into the planning. PS’s biotechs soon came up with an enhancement package that met Mistress Aba’s requirements quite satisfactorily.
CORAL SNOW focuses on defensive and durability enhancements, especially mental defenses. Natural reflexes to AVOID danger and damage are enhanced, and particular care is given to armoring the recipient’s psyche against mind control, possession, and shock. Given as the sort of employers who’d apply this sort of enhancement to their adjutants and servitors tend to be in professions where stress is commonplace and intense, and often follows them home, a strong will and immunity to strain is arguably a GOOD thing in a supporting staff member.
Though some of the features of CORAL SNOW, plus its cost, would seem to be rather extravagant for outfitting mere servants, those with the money(and the eccentricities) have proven perfectly willing to cough up the expense to amp their staff. Of course, it’s also been noted that in many respects CORAL SNOW is much like the seemingly frivolous and equally vanity-serving JOYOUS MARATHON bio-mod...until one realizes that the bio-mod enhancements make for a very effective spy or bodyguard. Some conspiracy-buffs have claimed that CORAL SNOW is really a thinly-disguised honeytrap to slip deep-indoctrinated super-sleeper agents into the households of unsuspecting wealthy dupes. Indeed, though CORAL SNOW is getting attention from many of the same clientele as for JOYOUS MARATHON, such as the services and entertainment industries, the aug is also reportedly being eyed by celebrities, combat athletes, high-end bodyguard services, industrial espionage groups and domestic security agencies.
One early complaint, however, has emerged from employers who have ‘gifted’ this enhancement package to subordinate servitors; they’ve found that the enhancement has led to headstrong and very stubborn employees who are more likely to put up resistance to their employers’ orders if they feel they are wrong.
` If combined with a comprehensive and balanced skill education, CORAL SNOW has proven to be devastatingly effective in protecting the lives, well-beings, and peace of mind of a number of affluent and influential households, sidekick operations, and service groups.

(Unbeknownst to PS/ASI, some of the interest has come from the Altess, who think this is a keen way to ‘pump up’ some of their indentured servants. The Altess are thus looking at ways to acquire the process for their own use, by either buying it outright or copying it).

“I hired an arachnoid freak like you to go in, grab the brat, and bring her to me! Maybe kill some of the hired help to prove a point to her parents! Instead, you come crawling to me with half your limbs broken or missing, a fireplace poker up your ass, a lamp stuck in your eye, and pencils stuck in your other eyes! Scythe told me you were supposed to be GOOD at this sort of thing-”
#grak#“-the baby-sitter was better---”

Powers/Abilities:
-Extraordinary Physical Endurance(Minor)---The CORAL SNOW mod qualifies as Class IV by making the recipient a minor megadamage being, via an intermesh through the person’s body, supporting them, reinforcing joints and muscles, and creating a damage-resistant energy armor.
*Fatigues at 1/10th normal rate
*+1d6+5 P.E.
*Effectively becomes a megadamage being with 4d4x10 MD +2d4 per level of experience.

-Defensive Will---Heightened senses and defensive reflexes that kick in when attacked/on the defensive. The CORAL SNOW bio-mod induces a sort of low-order fugue state in which the person is focused on defense, of themselves or others. The recipient cannot attack and inflict damage while this fugue is active. Lasts 30 seconds per level of experience, +3 on initiative, +2 parry, +3 roll, +4 entangle/pin, +3 automatic dodge, +5 pull punch, +5 disarm, +6 Spd, +10 SDC/MDC, can dodge bullets and energy blasts without penalty,, and can parry thrown objects at half usual parry bonuses and without injury to arms or hands.
Penalty: The fugue is taxing on the person; bonuses and Speed are reduced by HALF for 1d6+1 melee rounds after an feat of Defensive Will.

- Heightened Sense of Awareness(Minor)---This is CONSTANT heightened awareness of surroundings, allowing for anticipation of actions, and appropriate planning in response. Those dealing with CORAL SNOW bio-mods find they have a tendency to anticipate others’ needs, appear as if ny magic with a requested item or service, and often finish other people’s sentences.
*+2 initiative
*+1 Roll
*+2 save vs Horror Factor
*Automatic Dodge(+1 when in conjunction with the other automatic dodge-enabling enhancements)

-Multi-Tasking(Minor)---Besides reinforcing the ambidexterity of the recipient, this enhancement compartmentalizes the mind so as to be able to perform two tasks simultaneously without penalty, as long as they are not interfering with each other. Thus, the recipient can mending a dress while doing tax tables in their head, fixing a stove while juggling a hot pan of food over another burner, or doing an exotic dance while designing clothing or laying out an architectural security arrangement in their minds.
*W.P. Paired Weapons
*+1 APM

-Physical Transformation---The recipient of a CORAL SNOW aug is physically optimized; they are icons of glowing good health. Some might claim this makes them more appealing eyecandy, and some vigilantes may complain that their sidekicks or servants are now better looking than they are, but the bonuses to looks, health, and endurance make this aspect of CORAL SNOW most appealing to the recipients. +1d4 P.E., +1d6 P.B., +1d6 SPD, +2d6 Hit Points, +4d6 SDC, and +1d6 to P.S., plus it is considered to be Extraordinary.

-Mind/Body Attunement---The recipient’s nervous system is amped to be more in tune with themselves; +1 APM, +2 on initiative, +4 save versus Horror Factor, +1 save versus poison and disease, and +2 save versus possession.

-Increased Physical Agility and Dexterity---Paladin Steel’s biotechs seem to believe that the easiest way to survive damage is to not be hit; that, and lay down hurt on the OTHER guy faster than he can lay down hurt on YOU. Thus, physical agility and responses have been stepped up. Of course, domestics will tell you that a good steady hand and balance are both much appreciated for safely traversing freshly waxed floors, juggling multiple dishes, and manhandling cumbersome objects, while entertainers and servants will appreciate the ability to more effectively dodge drunken gropes and grabs. Increase P.P. to 22, +1 APM, +2 on initiative, automatic dodge, paired weapons, and +5% to physical skills requiring physical dexterity. The character is also ambidextrous.

- Hypnotic Brain Conditioning----Because sidekicks and servants are in positions to know sensitive information about their employers, not to mention having easy access to them, and thus become tempting targets for interrogation, torture, and mind control, CORAL SNOWs receive special deep resistance indoctrination and mental shielding; +5 save vs mind control, +4 save vs illusions and Horror Factor, +2 save vs all other psionic attacks. Impervious to Possession.

Total bonuses:
Stats in () apply only when in Defensive Will ‘fugue’ state.

*Effectively becomes a megadamage being with 4d4x10 MD +2d4 per level of experience. (+10 SDC/MDC)
+2d6 Hit Points(becomes MDC in MDC realms)
+4d6 SDC(becomes MDC in MDC realms)
+3 APM
+6 initiative(+3 on initiative)
Increase P.P. to 22 (*Baseline from PP 22)
Strike +4*
+1 Automatic dodge (+4 automatic dodge)
+1 Roll(+3 roll)
Parry +4*(+2 parry)(Can parry thrown objects at half usual parry bonuses and without injury to arms or hands)
Dodge +4*(Can dodge bullets and energy blasts without penalty)
(+4 entangle/pin)
(+5 pull punch)
(+5 disarm)
+1d6 to P.S., plus it is considered to be Extraordinary.
+1d6+1d4+5 P.E.
Fatigues at 1/10th normal rate
+1d6 P.B.
+1d6 SPD (+6 Spd)
+1 save versus poison and disease
+5% to physical skills requiring physical dexterity.
Ambidextrous.
W.P. Paired Weapons
+5 save vs mind control
+4 save vs illusions
+10 save vs Horror Factor
+2 save vs all other psionic attacks.
Impervious to Possession

Options:
*Substitution---Heightened Awareness can be substituted, without added cost, with one of the following: Danger Sense, Iron Will, or Sidestep.

*Hyper-enhancement---This pushes the limits of the enhancement; for an extra 1 million credits, one of the following (Minor) super-abilities can be added:
-Danger Sense(Minor)
+1d4 ME,
+1 initiative
+1 parry
+2 dodge
Cannot be attacked by surprise

-Iron Will(Minor)
+3 vs insanity, magic, and disease
+5 vs illusions and Horror Factor
Save vs psionics at a 12 of better
+6 vs mind control
+7 vs possession
Skill bonuses when dazed. drugged, or confused are HALF.
+20% save versus coma/death

-Sidestep(Minor)
+8 automatic dodge(but only +3 to dodge bullets and energy blasts).

[taalismn]

WHITE FAFNIR---Medical Bio-Mod
(Exact cost of conversion is CLASSIFIED, but some sources quote the offered cost as 8 million credits, while PS has been known to offer the bio-mod without monetary cost to humanitarian groups)
http://i408.photobucket.com/albums/pp164/taalismn/Fieldsurgery_zps0k1ucnix.jpg

“We’re the supersoldiers of healing, the thin white line holding against death, the life line in the middle of crisis.”

“Hmmm, deep gut wounds, embedded shrapnel, all I’ve got for resources is a basic tent for shelter, my basic field surgery kit, a field kitchen corporal with paramedic training, a motorpool mechanic, and a grunt with some healing psionics, including deaden pain and suppress fear. All in all, patient’s prognosis is already looking good!”

“Hey, no dying on MY watch!”

“Now, between the two of you and myself, let’s go save some lives today!”
---A WHITE FAFNIR operative greets a CLOSE ALPHA convert and a Giver d-bee outside a surgical clinic.

Building on the controversial success of their RED KINE ‘sleeper’ operative bio-mod, Paladin Steel biotechs attempted to apply the lessons learned to a more socially-acceptable and daily-useful bio-mod, by adapting the BITMIND(Biotech Integrated Tactical Managerial Intelligence, Neural Device) system to medical care.
WHITE FAFNIR implants a BITMIND optimized for medical skills into the recipient, giving them a seemingly instinctual grasp of surgical techniques and procedures. The original source and programming of the implant remain a closely-guarded company secret. Backing the BITMIND is a nanite-laid network of supporting fibers and energy conduits(again, based on RED KINE’s combat augmentation) that radiates a form of life energy that sterilizes the immediate vicinity of the bio-mod of dangerous pathogens, while at the same time promoting beneficial healing energies.
Furthermore, the bio-mod incorporates innate sensory abilities geared towards instant diagnosis of patients in a fashion akin to telemechanics; this ability is especially important in a multi-species society like the GNE or Lazlo(a potential market for this bio-mod). WHITE FAFNIR also includes the innovative ability to project protective stasis fields and heal damage with a touch.
When details of WHITE FAFNIR were released to the public, the bio-mod surprisingly ran into resistance from an unexpected quarter; the very physicians it was meant to compliment. WHITE FAFNIR has proven as arguably controversial as RED KINE is; many physicians trained in the more conventional manner object to the WHITE FAFNIR BITMIND being regarded as a ‘doctor’. Their main objections are that the BITMIND programming effectively renders the recipient a medical waldo or robot, lacking the experience, empathy, and insight that more traditional training and certification brings to a caregiver. While SCHEDULE OSAMU merely provides additional tools to a physician’s existing skill set, WHITE FAFNIR ‘installs’ skill sets, instantly remaking a person into a surgeon, with, the critics contend, little consideration to insuring that the underlying personal foundation of dedication to the profession of healing is really at the core of the bio-mod recipient. By giving the impression that becoming a brain surgeon is simply a procedure away, the critics further argue, Paladin Steel is setting a dangerous precedent, encouraging a culture of potentially negligent ‘McSpecialists’, and setting the stage for future healthcare disaster by flooding the market with pretenders.
In its defense, Paladin Steel’s Heart Division contends that the purpose of WHITE FAFNIR is not to REPLACE primary care physicians, but to increase the number of skilled assistants and proficient first responders available to serve in crisis situations(frequent reference is made to the situation immediately following the Coming of the Rifts*). PSHD also contends that they are hardly ‘handing out’ the bio-mod, but carefully screening, training, and orienting recipients to make maximum use of the bio-mod, and indeed many WHITE FAFNIR recipients come to the program already possessing substantial medical training and experience in the field.
Beyond the controversy over the BITMIND implants, the most frequent complaints about the WHITE FAFNIR package is the lack of overall bonuses compared to more ‘passive’ bio-mods like CLOSE ALPHA or CORAL SNOW with regards to increased durability, endurance, and speed. This has tended, in the minds of many, to overshadow the other benefits and innovations incorporated into WHITE FAFNIR.
By ‘optimizing’ their healthcare workers through such programs as WHITE FAFNIR, SCHEDULE OSAMU, and CLOSE ALPHA, Greater New England is giving its citizens an ever-increasing quality of health care.

(*This argument would be brought up again with the mounting crisis of the Minion War coming to Rifts Earth)


Powers/Abilities:
-Supersurgeon (by Iczer)
The character is a master surgeon with the ability to rapidly diagnose and treat patients. While the character may have no formal training in the medical arts, he will still be able to act as a surgeon of the highest calibre. 1) Steady hands: the character’s hands are steady and reliable, granting the bonuses from the minor power : heightened sense of touch.
2) Innate medical knowledge: the character can operate as if he had the Paramedic, biology and MD skills at 75% or +25% to these skills if they are already existent. He enjoys a +10% bonus to all other medical skills possessed. If the character has no medical training, he will infuriate those who do. (‘I’m about to stitch the thingo shut, give me the tong things and the cotton balls’)
3) Auto sterilization: the character sterilizes all areas he touches. No instrument or area can be considered unclean or infectious while he is in it. People within 30 feet of the character become immune to disease and infection (does not cure current infections or disease)
4) Superior treatment: The character’s presence is enough to double the rate of recovery for anybody he tends to. In addition, people suffering from disease or poison and is treated by this character, enjoy a +4 to resist disease or illness, suffer half the symptoms and recover in half the time. For diseases that are chronic or severe (aids, cancer) there is a flat 10+ the characters MA percent chance of remission every week.
5) Instant diagnosis: For purely normal illnesses, disease, injury or poisons the character can diagnose accurately within 1 minute of examining a target. Strange illnesses, exotic or magical diseases, or injuries (nanotech infiltration, has had a pencil phased with his spleen, is transforming into a mutant) the chance is merely 40%.
6) Surgery: where medical treatment requires ‘going in’ the character works at 4 times the normal speed and surgical incisions and treatments heal at a whopping 6 times normal rate. The character is also a dab hand with knives. With any bladed instrument under 10 inches in length, the character inflicts +4 damage and has +1 to strike and +2 to throw.

-Stasis(Minor)----Another innovative power, based on field projection abilities pioneered in bio-mods like HOT EMERALD and TEAL TWISTER. With a touch, the WHIITE FAFNIR mod can enclose a person in a protective low-power forcefield and a state of suspended animation. This is very useful for triage and for helping disaster victims who can be placed in suspended animation until more appropriate help reaches them.
The stasis field has 20 SDC(MDC in MD realms)per level of the bio-mod, an Armor Rating of 8+1 per level of the bio-mod(ignore in MD realms) and lasts 24 hours per level of the bio-mod. 2 stasis fields, plus self-encapsulation/hibernation, are possible per level of experience. It also provides warmth, dry surroundings, and clean air for the suspendee to breath in their lowered metabolic state.
Those inside the stasis field are placed into a restful state of sleep, during which they regain IPS/PPE as if they were in a deep meditative state, and recover SDC and Hit Points at TWICE their normal rate.
Combined with the Healing Power, those in the field heal 4d6 Hit Points AND SDC per every 12 hours in stasis, poisons and drugs are purged from their system, and the duration of disease is HALVED . However, both the field protective values(SDC/MDC and Armor Rating) and Duration of the field are reduced by HALF.

-Healing Power(Minor)---WHITE FAFNIRs can heal with a touch, restoring 3d6 Hit Points or SDC, and stops poisons and toxins, including minor diseases from doing further damage.
The enhancement also gives the bio-mod some increased resilience; +2d4 P.E., +2 save versus nonlethal poisons and disease, +5 save versus poisons and toxins, and +20% save vs coma/death.
This power is not without a toll on the bio-mod’s body, however; every time they use it the power temporarily drains them of 1 point of P.E. and 1d4 Hit Points.

-Immune System Boost---A modified hybrid system of several lines of development. This boost renders the WHITE FAFNIR effectively IMMUNE to disease, and +1 to save versus toxins and disease.

- Internal Robotic Medical System---The same BITMIND that gives the WHITE FAFNIR their superior surgical skills, is also responsible for directing an internal IRMSS-style system of nanobots that give the bio-mod excellent recuperative abilities. The internal surgeon has a skill proficiency of 75%, and can heal damage at a rate of 1d4 Hit Points/SDC per minute, or 2d4x10 HP/SDC per hour.

-Mind/Body Attunement---The recipient’s nervous system is amped to be more in tune with themselves; +1 APM, +2 on initiative, +4 save versus Horror Factor, +1 save versus poison and disease, and +2 save versus possession.

-Increased Physical Agility and Dexterity---Paladin Steel’s biotechs seem to believe that the easiest way to survive damage is to not be hit; that, and lay down hurt on the OTHER guy faster than he can lay down hurt on YOU. In the case of WHITE FAFNIRs, the ability to adeptly wield surgical instruments is also of paramount importance. Thus, physical agility and responses have been stepped up. Increase P.P. to 22, +1 APM, +2 on initiative, automatic dodge, paired weapons, and +5% to physical skills requiring physical dexterity. The character is also ambidextrous.

Total bonuses:
+2 APM
+4 on initiative
Increase P.P. to 22
Automatic Dodge
+2d4 P.E.
+20% save vs coma/death
+4 save versus Horror Factor
+7 save versus poison
+4 save versus nonlethal poisons
Immune to Disease(this supersedes any save bonuses)
+2 save versus possession
W.P. Paired Weapons
+5% to physical skills requiring physical dexterity.
The character is also ambidextrous.

[taalismn]

PS-FC-40 Reaper Full Conversion Borg - Combat
(aka ‘Switch-Scythe’, ‘Blade-Wing’)
http://i408.photobucket.com/albums/pp164/taalismn/reaperborg_zpsxofbryvv.jpg

“I thought the whole idea of us adapting the ‘skeleton look’ was to strike fear into the hearts...or whatevers...of our inhuman enemies. Why then, are those GNEr mooks so much better at carrying the look off while we’re derided as ‘deadboys’?!”
---Corporal Tomas Strand, Coalition States Military, on the Reaper cyborg

“I dice, I slice, I even make julianne fries! And I cook too! School of Plasma Cookery!”

“Honestly, Dirge, if you were any more into the whole skull and bones iconography, I’d suspect you were a secret Coalition States sympathizer or a death-cultist. Seriously, you’re freaking me out!”
“Then I have succeeded!”
”...okay, the whole reverb vocalizer’s a tad over the top...”

The FC-40 ‘Reaper’ is another heavy combat cyborg to come from Paladin Steel’s Heavy Machinery(Bionics) Division. Both mobility and close combat capability were specified in drawing up the design parameters, with heavy protection also a consideration.
The Reaper has a humanoid configuration, with an armored carapace on the back. The carapace conceals a set of powerful lift and drive thrusters, but it also conceals a second set of armatures that end in long scythes, the arms and blades emerging from the sides of the carapace like wings or switchblades. The secondary arms can reach over the cyborg’s regular shoulders, and be positioned mantis-style in front of the cyborg for striking and parrying. Backing the scythes are plasma blast studs on the cyborg’s powerful fists, and a pair of plasma projectors along the top of the scythe blades, plus possible forearm blasters, gives the cyborg integral ranged combat capabilities. Together with the erectable cowl protecting the head, the overall look suggested an iconic Grim Reaper, and so the name stuck. Subsequent converts adapting a skeletal- or monstrous-looking faceplate and head features have only furthered the image of the cyborg as a somehow paranormal destroyer of opponents and reaper of life.
‘Reapers’ tend to get along well with PS’s other ‘cyberbladesmen’, such as the Montoya, Mavelli, and Tarantula, all specialists in close and sharp combat. Not quite as radical as the Montoya or the Tarantula, but still packed with unexpected tricks, the Reaper appeals to many who like the ‘big, bad, and brawler’ look to the cyborg’s humanoid frame. The FC-40 became a popular full conversion cyborg chassis during the Minion War, when large numbers of the people who fell victim to Minion attacks and plagues and survived, albeit badly crippled, opted for bionic conversion to carry the fight back to the Infernals.

Type: PS-FC-40 ‘Reaper’
Class: Full conversion Borg - Heavy Combat
Crew: One volunteer
M.D.C. By Location:
Hands(2) 30 each
Arms(2) 100 each
Scythe Arms(2) 100 each
Legs(2) 125 each
Feet (& Foot Pads)(2) 50 each .
*Head 100
Cowl Hood 45
**Main Body 270
***Jet Pack Carapace 150
*Destroying the head of a Cyborg will kill the character!
However, the head is a small and difficult target to hit. The attacker
must make a called shot and even then he is -3 to strike. The hands, and
forearms are also difficult targets to hit and are -4 to strike on a
called shot.
**Depleting the M.D.C. of the main body will effectively
destroy the artificial body, but emergency systems will keep the brain and
vital organs alive for 36 hours. Recovery of the severely damaged body
will enable doctors to place the character on life support systems that
will keep him alive until a new bionic body (same style or other) is
available, for full conversion. Failure to find the damaged Borg within 36
hours means the character dies.
***The jetpack carapace takes damage to the main body from behind. The entire pack can be jettisoned in an emergency, but exposes the cyborg’s main body to attack from behind.

Speed:
Running: 100 mph max, 125 MPH if the carapace pod and scyth arms are jettisoned(rarely done; it’s like amputating one’s own body parts) . However the act of running does not tire the operator out and the maximum speed can be maintained
indefinitely.
Jumping: The powerful robotic legs are strong and capable
of leaping 12 feet high or 22 ft lengthwise. A running leap adds 50% to
distance/height. A thruster-assisted leap allows for leaps of 100 ft up/200 ft across.
Flying: Hover to 250 MPH, maximum altitude of 2,000 ft.
Underwater: Sinks like a rock. Limited to running along the bottom at 6 MPH, maximum depth tolerance of 600 ft.

Statistical Data:
Average Height: 7 feet
Width: 2.5 feet
Length: 2 feet
Weight: 1,000 lbs.
Power System: Nuclear
Physical Attributes: Equal to Robotic PS. 35, PP. 24,.
Bonuses: Standard cyborg bonuses of +3 save vs magic, impervious to
bio-manipulation
+4 initiative
+6 strike
+7 parry
+6 dodge
+3 Pull Punch
+2 APM
Penalties: Touch/tactile sense is 60% of human norm.
Prowl penalty: -20%

Special Skills/Training---Use standard 'Borg, or Headhunter OCC.
Black Market Cost: 7 million credits with all standard features, weapons, and sensors.

Standard Bionic Features
Note: These features are all found in the bionic and
cybernetic section of the Rifts RPG.
1. Bionic lung with gas filter & storage cell
2. Built-in language translator
3. Built-in radio receiver & transmitter
4. Clock calendar
5. Gyro-compass
6. Modulated voice synthesizer
7. Multi-optic eyes
8. Built-in loudspeaker
9. Universal headjack with amplified hearing and sound filtration systems.

Special Features:
a) Robotic Strength Enhancement---Super strong servos for heavy work and combat.

b) Additional Pair of Limbs---+1 APM and +1 to strike/parry.

c) Ambidexterity Boost---If the character doesn’t already possess the Ambidexterity advantage, a combination of neural interface boosting and gene-therapy gives the cyborg the ability to use all their hands with equal proficiency. +1 APM, +1 parry, and automatically gets W.P. Paired Weapons.

d) Integral TW Interface---Allows the cyborg to interface with modified TW devices like Magebolt Multiplexors, and more effectively use them.

e) Hardened Circuitry---The cyborg’s systems are shielded against EMP and other power-surge disruptions. This is pretty much standard for PS-manufactured military and administration cyborgs.

Weapons Systems:
1)Plasma Scythes(2)---These appear to be knockoffs of a Manhunter design, possibly acquired through trade with extradimensional bounty/tech-hunters(the Shemarrians are also suspected), or Kittani technology(here, ex-slaves formerly employed in Splugorth factories are suspected of providing examples and data to reverse-engineer). The blades can be energized with a surrounding plasma field, while an emitter system built into the top of the blade allows for projection of plasma blasts. PS plasma engineering has further modified the plasma blasters with a ‘spray’ mode that allows for area of effect attacks at close range.
Range:(Blade) Melee
(Plasma Blast) 500 ft
(Plasma Spray) 350 ft
Damage:(Blade) 2d6 MD unenergized, 6d6 MD fully energized
(Plasma Blast) 4d6 MD
(Plasma Spray) 2d6 MD to a 30-degree arc(or roughly 15 ft wide area)
Rate of Fire: ECHH
Payload: Effctively Unlimited

2) Forearm Blasters(2)----The Reaper’s two regular arms are fitted with modular option slots for standardized forearm blasters.

3) Shock-Knuckles----The heavy battlefists of the Reaper sport blast-studs on the knuckles that unleash a vaporizing plasma blast on contact.
Range: Melee
Damage: +2d4 MD to a punch
Rate of Fire: ECHH
Payload: Effectively unlimited (hooked to the cyborg’s powerplant)


4)(Optional)Handheld Weaponry---The Reaper can pick up and use handheld weaponry. Many Reapers prefer TWizard weaponry to add to the image of being supernatural warriors.


Hand to Hand Combat
Restrained Punch 1d4 MD
Full Strength Punch 1d6 MD
Power Punch( 2 attacks) 3d4 MD
‘Mantis Punch’( 2 attacks) 4d4 MD
Kick 1d6 MD
Leap Kick(2 Attacks) 2d6 MD
Judo-Style Throw/Flip 1d4 MD
Body Block/Ram: (2 attacks) 1d6 MD

Options:
The Reaper can be fitted with any of the standard cybernetic and bionic features in the Rifts books. Favorite options include fitting the 'borg with extra sensors and cosmetic flourishes.

*Stealth-Sheathing---This skins the Reaper in a layering of PS’s copy of Naruni Enterprise’s Thermal-Kinetic armor:
*Kinetic attacks(explosions, bullets, rail guns, grenades) do HALF damage.
*Plasma and megadamage fire do HALF damage.
*Only 25% chance of showing up on IR/thermal sensors.
Cost: 300,000 credits

*Shock-Kick----The Reaper was the first cyborg to be offered with toe-cap blast-studs that could be fitted to the feet or knee that unleash a vaporizing plasma blast on contact.
Range: Melee
Damage: +2d4 MD to a kick/knee strike
Rate of Fire: ECHH
Payload: Effectively unlimited (hooked to the cyborg’s powerplant)
Cost: 80,000 credits per foot or knee.


*“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.
Cost: HotShot modding on the Reaper’s plasma scythes 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.

*Eye Lasers---Whether it’s a mounting in the regular eyes or a third eye in the forehead, these optical lasers are proving very popular with those who like the ‘burning gaze’.
Range: 1,000 ft
Damage: 2d6 MD single eye, 4d6 MD both eyes, 6d6 MD for three eyes
Rate of Fire: ECHH
Payload: Effectively Unlimited
Bonus: +1 to strike.
Cost: 120,000 credits per eye

*Chemical Spray---Many Reapers like to add a chemical sprayer system, particularly in their throats/mouths, allowing them to project ‘breath of death’, especially in close combat situations.
Cost: 40,000 credits

*Contragravity Propulsion Pack---This replaces the jet pack with a CG drive system that is much more quiet. The option is popular with Reapers who like the dramatic effect of silently floating over opponents without the telltale roar and downblast of conventional thrusters. Many who take this option also add megadamage fabric (+30 MDC) ‘robes’ or ‘skirts’ to billow dramatically around them.
Flying: Hover to 300 MPH, maximum altitude of 8,000 ft.
Cost: 290,000 credits

*Alternative Backpack Carapaces---The entire rear carapace module can be replaced with a different configuration, such as replacing the jetpack with some other system, the most popular being either a light breech-loading mortar or a mini-missile launcher. Few such reconfigurations replace the extra arms and blades, and frankly many Reapers don’t bother with the modularity aspect, not wanting to replace either the signature scythe-arms OR the mobility of a jet pack.
a) 52mm Breech-loading 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 munition 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 munnitions to home in on laser-’painted’ targets, as via a forward observer....as well as better target discrimination(the current model has a tendancy 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 blightly for. 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 emitt 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 disipating. Cost per shell: 8,000 credits
(TW Storm Shell)---Essentially a longer-ranged version of the TW anti-vampireStormflare. 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 flashburns on vampires! Does 6d6 HP per melee for 3d6 melees to a 50 ft radius. Cost per shell: 2,000 credits

Rate of Fire: 4 shots per melee
Bonuses/Penalties:(Optional)(Rifts South America 2 has no rules for the Arkhon’s Mortar Packs’ inaccuracy, but for diehard artillery buffs, figure on 50% chance of hitting moving targets, 75% chance of hitting stationary targets withing 2,200 ft range, or 50% chance out beyond that. 50% of shells will fall within a ‘footprint’ or ‘box’ 131 ft long by 70 ft wide.
Payload: 16 shot cylinder
Cost: 60,000 credits

b) 82mm Breech-loading Mortar ---This configuration sacrifices mobility for firepower. The scythe-arms in this case are often used to brace the cyborg during firing. 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
Cost: 120,000 credits

c) Mini-Missile Launcher----18 shot pod
Cost: 60,000 credits

d) Hydropack---This replaces the jetpack with an underwater propulsion system and floatation units.
Underwater: 55 MPH
Cost: 80,000 credits

e) Dual Mode Air/Water Propulsion Unit----An attempt to have the best of the both worlds; it falls somewhat short with reduced performance in both realms compared to environ-specific propulsion units.
Flying: Hover to 60 MPH, maximum altitude of 1,000 ft.
Underwater: 30 MPH
Cost: 120,000 credits


*TW Enhancement---Especially when facing supernatural foes such as the Infernals, many Reapers like to get ‘magicked up’ with the installation of TW systems.
-‘Greenstar’ PPE Regenerator Powerstones
*’Light’---75 PPE capacity, cost: 9,000 credits
*’Light’--- 100 PPE capacity, cost: 12,000 credits
*’Heavy’---200 PPE capacity, cost: 24,000 credits
*’Max’---300 PPE capacity, cost: 36,000 credits
Recharge Rate: 2 PPE per hour, 10 PPE at a ley line, 20 PPE/hour on a nexus or in a dimensional pyramid

*TW Silverization----A popular option chosen during the Minion War was to outfit the scythe blades with this TW spell, making the unenergized scythes more lethal to Infernal beings susceptible to magic and silver poisoning.
PPE Cost: 10 PPE/20 ISP per activation
Duration: Baseline 5 minutes per activation
Damage: Treat the weapon now as silver-plated; does DOUBLE damage to those vulnerable to silver.
Cost: +12,000 credits +500 credits per 5 minutes duration

*TW Spinning Blades---A favorite enhancement, because it turns the cyborg into a ‘grim reaping machine’. Also known as ‘food processor mode’.
Range: 600 ft in ‘buzzsaw’ mode, 1,000 ft if used as projectiles
Damage: When activated, the Spinning Blades spell produces 10 blades that each do 1d6 MD each(regardless of what the blade was/does originally) in defensive mode(+6 to parry, +2 to parry energy attacks) or 2d6x7 MD in offensive ‘buzzsaw’ mode(enemy CANNOT parry).
Can also fire the magical blades like projectiles, 1-2 at a time, each doing 1d6 MD on impact, and +3 to strike. The blades disappear on impact.
Duration: 10 melee rounds( 2.5 minutes per activation)
PPE Activation Cost: 10 PPE per activation
Cost: 120,000 credits per sycth modified

*(Spell) Frostblade----One or both of the blades can be transformed/enhanced by the Frostblade spell. The blade now does 4d6 MD, 6d6 MD to fire creatures, or DOUBLE damage to those noted as being susceptible to cold-based attacks. Can also attempt to parry energy blasts(with no bonuses). Costs 4 PPE for 8 minutes duration. Cost: 79,000 credits.

*(Spell)Light Blade---Causes the blades to glow with intense light, and now does 1d4x10+7 MD per strike, with a duration of 7 minutes. 10 PPE per use. Cost: 50,000 credits.

*(Spell)Agony---Inflicts the Agony spell on contact, with a failed save versus magic rendering the victim unable to move or do anything for a duration of 1 minute, and the next minute being at HALF APMs, Speed, and -1 to strike, parry, and dodge. 10 PPE per use. Cost: 100,000 credits.

*(Spell)Mystic Water Blast---Great for fire extinguishing and simultaneously maiming and humiliating targets. 100 ft range, no damage(aside from a thorough drenching) to normal people, 2d6+6 HP to vampires, 2d6+6 MD to fire elementals and other beings vulnerable to water. -1 to dodge. 5 PPE per use. Cost: 50,000 credits.

*Cyborg TW Amulet---This is actually a highly specialized mini-Multiplexor/Amulet wired directly into the cyborg’s central nervous system, so their minds can trigger the TW device. The ‘Borg Amulet is powered by its own separate, replaceable, PPE Battery. The Amulet cannot be used to cast offensive, combat-oriented spells, but can be used to activate defensive/self-effect spells. Reaper ‘borgs particularly like spells like Horror Factor, Cloak of Darkness, Wave of Frost, and Shadowmeld and make themselves even more terrifying than they already are.
Note, however, that when in action, the ‘Borg Amulet can be detected by PPE-sensitive beings, like Dogboys.
A ‘Borg Amulet can hold up to one spell, and a Multiplexor Amulet can hold up to FOUR.
PPE Battery: 100 PPE
Cost: 50,000 for the amulet itself,;60 credits for the Multiplexor model. Spellcards cost extra(500 credits x creating caster’s level +(5,000 credits x spell PPE)). Warlock spells cost 20% more.

[taalismn]

GOLD SMOKE Psionic Augmentation Package:
(PU2 budget of 11.35 million per operative)

‘Esp-Rapture’ is what we call it when a newcomer to psionic abilities gets so caught up in using their new abilities that they forget how to do anything else. They forget to use deductive reasoning in favor of using telepathic scans, forgo commonsense and safety protocols if their danger sense isn’t tingling, and reach for their teekay instead of their sidearm or a tool in a situation. We see it in new Gold Smoke initiates all the time; becoming a psychic superman can be addicting, and that’s dangerous. Focus and proper use of their new abilities is one thing, but forgetting to do things in the mundane fashion is another. Mind you, the natural-born psychics can be just as full of themselves as the gene-mods, and that leads to a lot of cases of megalomania in the psi-community more often than not. A psychic has to walk a fine line in applying their powers and not overly relying on them. We try to pound that into the new psi-mods all the time without scaring them off using their new powers altogether.”
---- Psi-Adept Trevor Hannes, New West Point Psi-Academy

GOLD SMOKE is an effort by the Cambridge Jungle gene-wizards, using their growing expertise in the field of gene-mod psionic endowment, to create a psionic warrior on a par with natural psychics such as the Burster and Mindmelter. The growing demand for combat-trained/oriented psychics has fuelled the research and development effort.
Besides boosting the psionic potentials of recipients, GOLD SMOKE also amps the physical peripherals, making the recipient tougher, faster, and stronger, able to keep up with other bio-modded warriors.
Of course, natural-born psychics scoff at the idea that these ‘bottle-psis’ can in any way equal those born with the abilities, citing the experience gap between the two groups and the fumbling, often insanity-inducing, efforts of others to acquaint ‘mundanes’ with a whole new range of mental abilities unfamiliar to them. The gene-mod psi-soldiers contend that while they may not be as adept at using their new mental powers, neither are they hidebound-reliant on them. Still, relations between natural-born master psychics and the ‘neo-psychics’ remain contentious.
During the Minion War, GOLD SMOKE recipients were particularly hard-hit by the Mind Scream plague, and the entire psionic-endowment program was almost shut down completely as newly-minted psychics fell to the effects of the parasites. Once treatment means have been found and distributed, the surviving GOLD SMOKE bio-mods and other psychics return to duty with a vengeance, seeking to thwart the Infernals’ schemes.

Powers/Abilities:
-Psionics: Illusionary---Adds the psionic powers of Empathic Transmission(10), Invisible Haze(30), Mental Illusion(20), Hypnotic Suggestion(6), Ectoplasmic Disguise(12), and two Physical powers of choice.

-Brain: Psionics(Physical)---Psychic Body Field OR Psi-Sword, plus 1d4+3 physical powers of choice.

-Brain: Psionics(Super Combat)---Gets Hydrokinesis and either Electrokinesis or Telekinesis: Super, plus 2 Super Psionic powers and 1d4+ 1 Physical powers of choice. ISP: 2d6x10 +M.E.

-Brain: Psionics(Sensitive) ---Adds 1 Super psionic power of choice, Telepathy(4), and 1d4+3 Sensitive psionic powers of choice.

-Brain: Psionics(Third Eye)---Adds Detect Psionics(6), Psychic Diagnosis(4), See Aura(6), See the Invisible(4) and two ‘sense’ powers of choice.

-Brain: Psi-Booster----+6d6+12 ISP.

-Mental Acuity---Adds psionic powers Total Recall, Sense Time, Mind Block, and Sixth Sense. ISP: 1d6+10+M.E.

-Brain Enhancement---+1 IQ, +1 initiative, +2% all skills. +1 save versus Horror Factor and Possession, +1d4 additional Secondary Skills

-Increased Mental Endurance---+1 M.E.

-Ambidextrous---+1 APM, +1 parry, +5% to Climbing, Pick Locks, Palming, Concealment, and Mechanical/Electrical repair.

--Lightning Reflexes---+3 initiative, +1 disarm, +3 pull punch, +2 roll, +2d4 Speed, +1 APM, automatic dodge(+3), and W.P. Paired Weapons

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

-SDC Augmentation---+100 SDC

-Enhanced Endurance---+1 P.E., +2d6 SDC

-Extraordinary Physical Strength----Strength is automatically 20 +2d6, or if already 20, +2d6+6, and is classed as EXTRAORDINARY for lifting(P.S. x200), carrying(P.S. x100), and damage purposes.

Total bonuses:
2d6x10 +7d6+22 +M.E. ISP
+100+2d6 SDC
+2 APM
+6 initiative
automatic dodge(+3)
+1 parry
+1 roll
+1 disarm
+3 pull punch
+2 roll
+1 I.Q.
+1 M.E.
+1 P.E.
Strength is automatically 20 +2d6, or if already 20, +2d6+6, and is classed as EXTRAORDINARY
+2d4 Speed
+2% all skills
+1 save versus Horror Factor and Possession
+1d4 additional Secondary Skills
+5% to Climbing, Pick Locks, Palming, Concealment, and Mechanical/Electrical repair.
W.P. Paired Weapons
+2 save vs Horror Factor.

[taalismn]

Mulray---Mining Outpost
“You can see the mining and smelting sites from orbit; it looks like the planet’s broken out in fire...well, there are the lava fields and thermal geysers, but most of the conflagration you see is artificial....big laser burns and refineries, and sometimes a firestorm when planetary outgasing gets touched off by contact with any of the more energetic industrial operations. And occasionally you can see some fighting too; currently Sout Polar Minerals is wrestling an adhoc consortium of smaller companies over the recently discovered Dragon Ridge deposits...it’s no secret Sout’s old rival, Nort Consolidated’s behind Great Ridge Metallurgic Combine and is using them as proxies. Our operation’s on the other side of the planet from that, so we’re not going to get caught up in that, but we’ve had some incursions from Anlis Minerals; I hear some of their survey rovers have been crossing the line into our territory and have even tried moving our claim markers, all by ‘accident’ of course...“
----Captain Dvor Hanakis, Aegis Stellar Industries Transport Vessel Party Favors, on approach to ASI Mulray Base.

Mulray is a lifeless, but extremely mineral-rich, planetoid in the Schomer system, home to the one-system Schomerate star-nation. Laced with valuable and exotic minerals, Mulray has attracted the attention of numerous industrial concerns, especially after several fortunes were already made from just the initial test mines.
Rather than develop Mulray’s riches on its own or give a single company title to develop Mulray’s natural resources, the Schomerate government instead leases parcels of territory out to multiple companies, all of whom pay a percentage to the Schomerate in return for the opportunity to chew into mineral-rich Mulray.
Work on Mulray is dangerous, onerous, labor; the planetoid’s trace atmosphere is thin and poisonous, and the terrain treacherous. Not helping matters is the fact that aside from collecting their percentage, the Schomerate does little to vet applying companies or police their activities on the surface. This has led to an increasing amount of sabotage and, in some cases, outright fighting by companies jockeying to control the richest mineral deposits. Already, several of the more timid companies, facing paying more in equipment replacement, employee compensation, and security costs than they were able to make from mining operations, have withdrawn, their land parcels snapped up by more aggressive neighbors. Rumors that one, of not several, of the companies mining Mulray are fronts for Naruni Enterprises abound, along with tales of even more unsavory corporate entities are maneuvering for a foothold on the planet.
Paladin Steel/Aegis Stellar Industries has a moderately-sized presence on Mulray, mainly to feed much-needed exotic materials to their Amberjin Yards. The PS/ASI contingent is perhaps better prepared mentally and logistically for combat than many other companies, but if the situation on Mulray were to escalate to an all-out open shooting war, PS/ASI would be among those to pull out(they do, however, have contingency plans to approach the Schomerate and offer their advice and equipment on government intervention).
Size: Modest; about 380 workers manage the site through a small army of robotic units.
Type: Mining Outpost
Security: Heavy; PS maintains a 75-man security taskforce and associated drone units, given the lawless nature of Mulray. Most of the outpost’s vehicles are heavily armored and sport weapons hardpoints. So far, they haven’t seen much action aside from dealing with a few bandits and ‘rogue robotic equipment’, but they’re watchful of neighboring corporate lease-grants.
Contact: Weekly; about once a week a heavily armored freighter(or small convoy) drops in from the Amberjin system to deliver mail, supplies, and new workers, and take off accumulated ores and rotating workers.
Products:
*Minerals; mainly rare earths, but also exotic minerals like dysinium-146, kindlite(a material related to kisenite), and eckerium.

[taalismn]

Paladin Steel Merlin Hoverjeep
(Aka ‘Air Pucks’. Particularly heavily armored versions are sometimes called ‘Front End UNloaders’, ‘Blunderbuses’, and ‘Gun Taxis’)

“I can’t remember; are we in the Mechanized Infantry or the Airborne? My shoulder patches say the former, but driving one of these things makes me feel like I’m in the latter!”

“Damn it, but the geeners love their hovers! Seems every twist and turn in the countryside is hiding a squad of them, eager to pop out and throw fire at you, before flying back out of sight to wait and make another run at you later! Rather than stand and fight, they cut and run until you’re on the move again, then they show up again to slow you down! Worse than mosquitos, they are!”

The Merlin GMR Hoverjeep originally started out as a knockoff copy of the Free Quebec ‘Cougar’ Hovercar, with development starting at the time when Paladin Steel still had close economic ties to Free Quebec. That relationship ended when PS began agitating for greater autonomy in marketing its products, culminating with the formation of the the Vermont Free State and the germination of Greater New England. In an effort to further distance itself from the Quebecois in developing their own unique vehicles, Paladin Steel elected to terminate production, take the knockoff, and completely rework the design to use materials and technologies unique to the emerging GNE.
Paladin Steel’s expertise with its Gravi-Magnetic Resist superconductor system had gotten proficient enough that lighter lower-cost vehicles could now be economically equipped with the technology. By using the room-temperature superconductor systems’ natural levitation qualities against the Earth’s magnetic field at reduced lower energy cost(in other words, one didn’t always have to engage the hoverjets to keep the GMR-equipped vehicle hovering), a more energy-economical and quieter hover system was developed. In the case of the Merlin, the result was a faster, more efficient, and quieter hovervehicle that could outlast and outmaneuver most of its contemporaries. The Merlin has no obvious hoverjets to target, though it does have distinctive stabilization flanges on its sides(these can be folded up for transiting narrow passages like urban streets or tunnels).
Other emerging differences between the new GMR-LHUV05 and the old QV-119 is a more HMMWVE-styling to the Paladin Steel vehicle over the more streamlined sport coupe design of the Cougar. The Merlin is slightly larger in width, and heavier, but arguably more versatile. While the PS vehicle retains the nose turret as standard, the integral forward lasers and mini-missile launchers of the Cougar were dropped, as PS already planned on multiple modular hardpoints to make up for the loss of standard armament. Add-on armor and powerplant modifications also addressed any deficits in protection and mobility.
The Merlin(named for the bird of prey, not the British master-mage), has proven a success, both technologically and commercially. It has already proven itself in frontline service with the GNE Regular Army, especially with Long Range Recon Patrols (LRRPs) and ‘Rat Pack’ scout/raider units. It can be found throughout the GNE Armed Services and corporate security units.

Type: PS-GMR-LHUV05 Merlin
Class: Gravi-Magnetic Resist Hover Vehicle, Light, Utility.
Crew: One, plus 1-5 passengers
MDC/Armor by Location:
Main Body 220
Windshield 25
Headlights(4, small) 5 each
Nose Turret 50
Retractable Canopy 30
Height: 5 ft
Width: 7 ft
Length: 14 ft
Weight: 7,000 lbs
Cargo: Glove compartment and a small trunk space. If not carrying passengers, the rear seats can hold cargo instead.
Powerplant: Fuel Cell Battery(460 miles) or Nuclear Fusion Mini-Cell
Speed: (Hover) Hover stationary to 220 MPH, maximum altitude of 900 ft.
(Water) Can fly over calm waters at 120 MPH, and can also travel underwater at 42 MPH, maximum depth of 200 ft.
Market Cost: 1.2 million credits for fuel cell, 1.6 million credits for nuclear.
Systems of Note:
*Basic Dashboard Instrumentation; Speed, Altitude, Power Indicator, Repulsion Field Strength Gauge
*Headlights

Weapons Systems:
1) Nose Turret---Paladin Steel replaces the single turreted laser of the Cougar with a modular turret system based on that of the PSPA-11 Enforcer Power Armor:

*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: 34,000 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 antiaircraft/antimissile system(but can engage ground targets), 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: 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

2) Hood Hardpoints(2)---Mounted on the sides of the front hood are two hardpoints that can accept a variety of weapons pods and modules(many adapted from the PSPA-11), such as the following. The hardpoints are also compatible with any of the Northern Gun hoverbike accessory weapons pods(a fact that irked NG when they found out that little factoid).
a) Micro-Missile Launcher---25 shot ‘cassette’ launcher.

b)Mini-Missile Rocket Pack: Basic mini-missile launcher, intended to make use of common standard mini-missile types. A six-shot and a ten-shot pack are available.
Cost: 50,000 credits for the launcher. Missiles cost extra.

c) PAM(Pursuit Apprehension Module)--- Adapted from the PSPA-11’s ‘PAM’ claw-arm. The PAM-02 combines a light grenade launcher, electro-zap taser gun, light machine gun, but removes the original’s extendable claw arm. A number of later models for security forces mix various combinations of autoshotguns, tasers, stun-bead shooters, tear gas sprayers, and other ‘limited lethality’ devices.
Range:(Grenade Launcher)1500ft
(Taser) 100 ft
(LMG) 2000 ft
Damage:(Grenade Launcher) Varies by grenade type
(Flash/Bang)---Makes a loud, disorienting roar and a blinding flash and causes anyone not wearing protective gear(eye protection, ear protectors, or EBA) in a 15 ft radius to be -10 to strike, parry, dodge, -1 to initiative, and lose 1 APM for 1d4 melees. Even characters in EBA will be distracted for 1d4 seconds(about 1 APM) and lose initiative.
(Smoke) Fills a 20 ft area with thick, obscuring smoke
(Chemical)---Varies by chemical used(typically mace or tear gas)
(‘Loogie’ Restraint Round)1d4 SDC bruising damage on impact, restrains with a PS of 30 (characters without a robotic or supernatural PS of 30 or greater are stuck until released. Even with r/s PS 30, takes 1d4 melees to bust out/be cut out). Affects a 6 ft area.
Note: Police carry solvents that dissolve the "Loogie" within 1d4 melees.
(Taser-Shock Beads)Humanoids struck with this weapon must save
vs. coma or be shocked unconscious for 1D6 minutes. Cyborgs have a 75% chance of having their cybernetics disrupted for 1D10 minutes, and a 30% chance of a non-vital system being permanently shorted out. Area of effect: 15 ft

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

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

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

d)Flamethrower Torch Pod---Another power armor derivative; this is a standard ‘Firewaller’ Flamethrower mounted in a hardpoint module. Has a straight stream sprayer and an incendiary pellet launcher mounted underneath. Slightly more power to the fluid pumps means an improvement in range.
Range:(Direct-Stream Mode) 280 ft
(Pellet Launcher): 1000 ft
Damage:(Direct-Stream Mode)
(Gasoline/Alcohol) 1d4x10 SDC
(Napalm) 1d6x10 SDC, plus does 5d6 SDC per melee for 1d4 minutes
(MD Fluid) 1d4 MD per blast, 1d4 MD per melee for 2d4 minutes
(Incendi-Gel)2d6 MD, 2d6 MD per melee for 1d6 minutes
(WI Napalm-P) 3d6 MD per blast, 1d4x10+10 MD per concentrated burst(counts as two attacks). 2d6 MD per melee for 1d4 minutes.
Note: The flamethrower can also be used to cover an area with fluid: up to 10 ft per attack used. Used with Super-Napalm, this does 1d4 MD, Incendi-Gel does 1d6 MD, and with Napalm-P, this does 2d6 MD.
(Pellet Launcher)(SDC) 1d4x10 SDC to 10 ft area
(MD) 3d6 MD to 5 ft radius(Regardless of fuel-type)
Rate of Fire:(Direct-Stream Mode) Standard
(Pellet Launcher) Standard
Payload:(Direct-Stream Mode
(Gasoline/Alcohol) 20 blasts
(Napalm) 60 blasts
(MD Fluid) 100 blasts
(Incendi-Gel) 120 blasts
(WI Napalm-P) 200 blasts per tank(much more concentrated than the regular gasoline/alcohol).
(Pellet Launcher) 25 pellets in the chamber
Cost: 80,000 credits
(Gasoline/Alcohol) Typically 5-30 credits(depending on availability)
(Napalm) 50 credits per tank
(MD Fluid) 800 credits per tank
(Incendi-Gel) 1000 credits per tank
(WI Napalm-P) 2000 credits per tank
Pellets cost 5 credits apiece

e)Ion Lightning Claw---This is another adapted PA weapon consisting of a dual-mode specialized ion weapon, minus the battle claw of the original, with extra-heavy power cables running along the outside from the engine, and extra insulation wrapped around the pod. In standard mode, it works similarly to the C1 Pulsar Claw, only it incorporates an ion weapon instead of a pulse laser. However, the real threat is ‘Stormer’ Mode. In ‘Stormer’ Mode, the pod end opens up to three times its original width and extending rods become much larger lightning rod prongs, crackling with energy. The opened prongs serve to generate and gather power for a massive electro-plasma strike that hits like a real lightning bolt. The downsides of the Lightning Claw are its slow rate of fire and high power demands; having two C6s and attempting a double Stormer Shot means the vehicle is effectively immobilized and incapable of other actions, while the capacitors charge up.
Range: (Ion Cannon) 1,700 ft
(Stormer Shot) 4,000 ft
Damage: (Ion Cannon)3D6 MD single shot, 1D6x10 MD per triple pulse burst,
(Stormer Shot) 2d4x10 MD, plus the following against machine targets:
01-15 No additional effects
16-30 Momentary instrument blink; lose 1 APM and
initiative
31-45 Weapons Systems offline. Only one returns to
operation after 1d4 melees
46-60 All systems offline, but come back after 1d4
melees. In the meantime, target is -30% to pilot
61-75 Communications, radar, and targeting are offline.
-3 to strike, and no initiative
76-90 No radar, targeting, communications, or any
instruments. One weapons system is offline.
Pilot must fly manually; -25% at 1/3 maximum
speed, -50% at half maximum speed, -75%
at full speed. No initiative to strike, -3 dodge and strike, and lose 1 APM.
91-00 All systems fried!Crash imminent in 2d4 minutes!
Megadamage creatures lose 1 APM and initiative that
melee round. Creatures susceptible to electricity take
DOUBLE damage.

Rate of Fire: Equal to the combined hand to hand attacks of the pilot
(Stormer Shot) One shot per melee and takes 4 APMs
Also, powering up the Stormer Shot causes the Merlin’s power systems to dim; radio is temporarily taken offline for the melee round of charge-up, radar range drops by 2/3, and speed drops by 30%(if TWO Lightning Claws are powering up, speed drops by 80%). Furthermore, no other energy weapons or vehicle-powered rail guns can be used during this time.
Payload: Unlimited (linked to Merlin's nuclear powerplant)
(Stormer Shot) Conditionally Unlimited
Market Cost: 180,000 credits

f)Pulsar Laser
Range: 3,000 ft
Damage: 3D6 MD single shot, 1D6x10 MD per triple pulse burst,
Rate of Fire: EPCHH
Payload: Effectively Unlimited (linked to Merlin's nuclear powerplant)
Market Cost: 20,000 credits

g) Plasma Cannon
Range: 1,300 ft
Damage: 5d6 MD per shot
Rate of Fire: ECHH
Payload: Effectively Unlimited (linked to Merlin's nuclear powerplant)
Cost: 18,000 Credits

h) Particle Beam
Range: 2,600 ft
Damage: Two fire modes; 6d6 MD low power and 1d4x10 MD high power mode
Rate of Fire: ECHH
Payload: Effectively Unlimited (linked to Merlin's nuclear powerplant)
Cost: 32,000 credits


i)Multiplexor Module---PS’s modular spellcasting apparatus system. Holds 3 Spellcards.
Range: Varies by Spell Used
Damage: Varies by Spell Used
Rate of Fire: ECHH
Payload: Limited by its 200 PPE Battery Pack(replaceable if a fresh one is available) or can be linked to an onboard PPE Powerstone Generator.
Cost: 180,000 credits
PPE clips cost 6,000 credits for 50 PPE capacity
12,000 Credits for 100 PPE capacity
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.


Options:
You didn’t think we’d shirk the options, did you?
Of course, depending on what options you select, your accessorization may cost you more than the baseline vehicle.

*Applique Armor---Adds additional protection(and weight) to the main body. Up to 100 additional MDC can be added, at 7 lbs, and 150 credits, per 1 MDC point. Lighter armor can be substituted, at 1 lb per MDC point, but the stronger polycarbonate armor costs 400 credits per MDC point.


*Armored Cabin----Adds a 60 MDC hardshell sheath around the passengers, including armored doors and windshield. Costs about 10,000 credits. Can be made air conditioned and air-sealed with its own independent life support, similar to EBA(2 hour air supply, and 12 hour filtration/recycling) for an additional 30,000 credits.

*Engine Upgrade----A more powerful engine and more efficient power train can be added, improving overall speed, but at greater expense;
Speed: Can improve top speed by up to 50%
Cost: 5,000 credits per 10% of improvement over base.

*Altitude Upgrade---The repulsor efficiency can be improved for greater altitude.
Maximum Operating Height: Can improve the altitude by as much as 200%
Cost: 7,000 credits per 10% of improvement over base.

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

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

*Motion Detector----In addition to alerting the driver of approaching objects, it can also tell them from what direction a projectile attack came from. 50 ft range
Cost: 500 credits

*Smoke/Grenade Launcher Clusters---These mini-multi-tube grenade/smoke launcher clusters can be added outboard. Up to 4 can be added...two forward and two aft.
Range: (light) 1,200 ft (heavy) 2,000 ft.
Damage: Varies by Grenade Type (heavy)
Rate of Fire: Volleys of 1-3
Payload: Each launcher has 12 light or 6 heavy grenades each, for a total of 36 light grenades or 18 heavy grenades.
Cost: 2,000 credits for both light and heavy varieties(grenades cost extra)

*Light Pintle----The Merlin can be fitted with a light manually-operated weapon on a roller-bar pintle, typically a light machine gun(up to .50 caliber), rail gun, grenade launcher, or energy weapon.
Cost: 500 credits for basic pintle, weapon is extra

*Heavy Pintle---The Merlin can accommodate a large weapons pintle on the rear deck(this removes any rear seat passenger or cargo capacity) that can be fitted with a heavy weapon, manned by a standing gunner in the back or remotely controlled from the passenger seat in front. This feature is most commonly seen on military variants.
If the Merlin is fitted with a hardtop cover, the Heavy Pintle can be mounted in a light turret(60 MDC for 12,000 credits).
The Heavy Pintle can accommodate ONE of the following:
a) Twin 20mm Automatic Cannon
Range: 3,000 ft
Damage:(20 mm) 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 per shell
1d6x10 MD per 5 rd burst
2d6x10+4 MD per 10 rd burst
Airburst does 4d4 MD to 2 ft blast radius(single shot)
(Wood rds) 6d6 SDC per shell(1d6x10 HP to vampires)
2d4x10 SDC per 5 rd burst(2d4x10 HP to vampires)
2d4 MD per 10 rd burst (3d6x10 HP to vampires)
(Crowd Control rds) humans and human-sized D-Bees must roll a D20 to maintain their footing (must equal or surpass the attacker's roll to strike...Full rules in TNW p.174)
DOUBLE for both cannons firing in synch; fire-linked and counts as one attack.
Rate of Fire: ECHH
Payload: 400 rds
Cost: 22,000 credits
A box of 100 20mm ‘smart’ rds costs 800 credits. A box of 100 20mm ‘smart’ PSX-1 rds costs 3000 credits

b) Mini-Missile Rifle Pod----PS-MMLR-14 Mini-Missile Launcher
Range: Usually about a mile for the missiles, 2000 feet for the laser
Damage: Depends by missile type. The Laser does 2d6 MDC
Rate of Fire: Volleys of 1, 2, or 4 for the missiles, Single shots with laser.
Payload: 20 missiles total (10 per tube), laser has 20 blasts on a short clip, 30 on a long.
Bonuses: +1 to strike from laser targeting
Cost: 70,000 Cr

c) Heavy Anti-Armor Missile Launcher
Range: 1 mile,
Damage: High Explosive 2d4x10 MD,
Rate of Fire: Volleys of 1-4
Payload: 4
Bonuses: +5 to strike
Cost: 60,000 Cr, missiles cost 600 credits each

d) Air-Defense Missiles-----Can mount a quad-rail pivoted launcher for Black Talon L-SAMs. The missiles have their own attached target-acquisition sensor...all the operator does is move a toggle to fix the target in the attached spotter-scope optical, wait for the alarm buzz to tell them the missile has acquired the target, and fire.
Range: 3 miles
Damage: 3d4x10 MD to 40 ft blast radius
Rate of Fire: Volleys of 1-4(all)
Payload: 4
Bonus: +5 to strike, and gets TWO attempts to strike the target(agile enough to loop back on a target and try again)
Cost: 50,000 Cr, missiles cost 1,000 credits each

e) Medium Range Missiles---3 MRMs on a triple mount.
Cost: 60,000 Cr, missiles cost extra

f) Twin Pulse Laser Mount
Range: 4000 ft
Damage: 6d6 MD per dual blast
Rate of Fire: six times per melee
Payload: 1000 blasts battery, unlimited nuclear
Cost: 20,000 credits

g)Ion Cannon---A copy of the ion weapon in the M-90 “Beach Stormer”, samples of which were acquired by Paladin Steel West, though with slightly less damage due to differing production methods.
Range: 4,000 ft
Damage: 1d6x10 +7 MD per energy burst
Rate of Fire: EGCHH
Payload: 200 shot battery. Effectively Unlimited if nuclear powered.
Cost: 60,000 credits

h)45mm PS-HRG05 'Hellshot' Rail Cannons: An early attempt to equal the power of the infamous "Boom Gun" carried by the Glitterboy, these fearsome handheld weapons fire a much larger heavy metal kinetic energy penetrator with a massive punch. Unfortunately, the engineers were unable to equal the Boom Gun's long range or build the projectiles any smaller, limiting the payload.
MDC: 50
Weight: 500 lbs
Range: 3,300 ft
Damage: 3D6x10 MD
Rate of Fire: Single shot only; EGCHH
Payload: 12 shots
Market Cost: 120,000 credits per cannon, 800 credits per penetrator round

i)PS-DL-110 Razor-Frizzer( a 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: 2,000 ft
Damage: 1d6 single projectile, 1d6x10 MD per 10 rd burst/volley
Rate of Fire: EGCHH
Payload: 2,000 rd drum
Cost: 80,000 credits

j) ’Pepper Sprayer’---A high pressure fan and vapor dispersal system, perfect for delivering antiriot CS (tearing) agents, smoke screens, or pesticides
Range: 100 ft(typically covers a 25 area per 5 second burst)
Damage: Varies by chemical agent used
Rate of Fire: ECHH
Payload: 50 gallon tank; good for 40 melees(10 minutes) of continuos operation. A 200 gallon wheeled trailer(20 MDC and reduce top speed by 25%) can be hitched up to add additional payload.
Cost: 9,000 credits, tanker trailer costs an additional 9,000 credits

k) PS-RL-210 Fragmentation Rocket Launcher( a copy of an imported Russian design). Note that PS has also been experimenting with an incendiary variant using a magnesium mixture.
Range: 4,000 ft
Damage: 1d6 single projectile, 1d6x10 MD per 10 rd burst/volley
at 3,500 ft, the rds go ‘grapeshot’, doing 3d6 MD(1 MD for a single shot) in a 12 ft wide area.
(Incendiary “Hot-Grape” Version)---Do an additional +2 MD per rd, and 1 MD of damage for 1d4 melees as the flare portion burns down.
Rate of Fire: EGCHH
Payload: 1,000 rd drum
Cost: 100,000 credits



*Hood Mount Weapons Rack----Again, for extra cost, a reinforced weapons rack can be added to the hood top of the Merlin, crowded between the lateral hardpoints and straddling the front turret. It protrudes up somewhat giving the hovercar a ‘crowded look’, interfering with forward vision(-10% to Piloting rolls), but adds even more forward-firing fire power. Among some of the favorites mounted on the rack, and controlled by a dashboard firing control are:
a) Light 20mm Autocannon
Range: 3,000 ft
Damage:(20 mm) 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 TX-1)4d4 MD per shell
1d6x10 MD per 5 rd burst
2d6x10+4 MD per 10 rd burst
Airburst does 4d4 MD to 2 ft blast radius(single shot)
(Wood rds) 6d6 SDC per shell(1d6x10 HP to vampires)
2d4x10 SDC per 5 rd burst(2d4x10 HP to vampires)
2d4 MD per 10 rd burst (3d6x10 HP to vampires)
(Crowd Control rds) humans and human-sized D-Bees must roll a D20 to maintain their footing (must equal or surpass the attacker's roll to strike...Full rules in TNW p.174)
Rate of Fire: ECHH
Payload: 400 rds
Cost: 20,000 credits

b) Machine Guns(2)---Twin-Mount cyborg-standard MGs
Range: 2,000 ft
Damage: 1d6x10 SDC per 10 rd burst, or 1 MD per explosive round, 2d4 MD per burst of 10 rds, per single gun. Can also fire silver and wood rounds, and rubber riot bullets.
Rate of Fire: Standard
Payload: 600 round box magazine per gun
Cost: 16,000 credits

c) Flamethrower------400 ft range, does 3d6 MD per burst, plus does an Additional 2d6 MD per melee for 1d6 melees, 10 shots, 30,000 credits

d)Grenade Launcher---Modified rifle-grenade launcher firing larger(and more destructive) projectiles than those associated with underbarrel ‘shotgun’ or pump-action launchers...This is basically a four-shot ‘spigot mortar’ assembly allowing up to four rifle-grenades to be mounted on the forward hood and fired by an electronic switch attached to the dashboard. The launchers can be angled up to a 45-degree angle. Can sometimes be mistaken for a mini-missile launcher.
Range: Typically 1,800 ft
Damage:
(Riot)---Combination flash-bang and rubber pellet charge---Victims are -10 to strike, parry, and dodge, -1 to initiative, and lose 1 APM for 1d4 melees. Rubber pellets do 1d4 SDC damage, but have a 60% chance of knockdown for any human-sized, or smaller, beings, caught in a 10 ft blast radius.....lose initiative and 1 APM for that melee(cost: 80 credits)
(Fragmentation-SDC) 2d4x10 SDC to 20 ft blast radius(cost: 100 credits)
(Fragmentation-MD) 3d6 MD to 25 ft blast radius(cost: 280 credits)
(High Explosive) 6d6 MD to 10 ft blast radius(cost: 360 credits)
(Anti-Armor HEAT) Very heavy projectile(range drops to 120 ft) Does 2d4x10 MD to a 1 ft diameter area(shaped charge)(cost: 800 credits)
(Plasma/Micro-Fusion) 1d6x10 MD to 8 ft blast radius (cost: 800 credits)
(Incendiary) 2d6 MD flash damage to 12 ft blast radius, plus does 1d4 MD per melee for 2d4 melees(cost: 350 credits)
(Acid)---4d6 MD to a 5 ft radius, then diminishes in strength by 1d6 each melee(lasts about 4 melees)(cost: credits)
(Chemical) Effects vary, but contains enough chemical agent to cover a 15 ft radius
(Illumination) Can loft to an altitude of 600 ft, and illuminate a 500 ft radius for 4d4 melees. (cost: 15 credits)
Note: Additional grenade types, including TW munitions, are constantly in development.

Rate of Fire: Volley of 1-4
Payload: 4. Must be externally hand-reloaded. Typically takes 2 APMs to reload a single round
Cost: The firing assembly costs 8,000 credits. Rifle grenades cost extra.

e) Mini-Missile Launcher----Holds up to 4 mini-missiles(fires volleys of 1-4). Cost: The firing assembly costs 9,500 credits. Mini-missiles cost extra.

f) Micro-Missile Launcher---The advent of PS micro-missiles has led to a variety of different new mountings being tried. The JW/Merlin has been tested with a large, wide, multi-tube ‘xylophone’ box launcher that fires the earlier Pattern-1A and -1B missiles. Though damage per individual missile is low, their range is quite good, and their small size means that many missiles can be carried, and fired, to devastating effect, in a volley. The actual launcher consists of four launcher boxes arrayed across the front of the vehicle. Bringing to mind the ‘Metalstorm’ guns of the past, each box-cassette has 25 micro-mssiles(5 rows of 5) for a total of 100 projectiles, and can fire them in volleys of 5 to all 100 at once. The entire setup weighs in at 80 lbs.
Range:
Pattern-1A 5,700 ft
Pattern-1B 6,000 ft
Damage/Bonuses:
Pattern-1A---1d4 MD to 2 ft blast radius
Pattern-1B---1d6 MD to 5 ft blast radius
Bonuses:
Pattern-1A (None) Spin-Stabilized
Pattern-1B (None) Gyro-Compass Chip
Rate of Fire: Volleys of 5-100
Payload: 25 missiles per box, 100 total
Cost: 40,000 credits for the launcher
Pattern-1A 25 credits per McM
Pattern-1B 32 credits per McM

Variants:
*GMR-LHUV05MEDVAC----Hard-topped medevac ambulance version. Has the ability to carry up to three stretchers under a hardshell cover, and monitor them using automed systems. The LHUV05MEDVAC is crewed by a driver and and an attendant corpsman/EMT.

*GMR-LHUV05N---Navalized version operated by the Greater New England Navy. The -N model has a more rounded and streamlined appearance, both for better underwater maneuvering and to accommodate emergency flotation units in the hull. The -N variant also features a fully-sealed cabin, mini-sonar(3 mile range) unit as standard, extra fins for stability over open water, and is typically fitted with blue-green laser armaments and torpedo-equivalents for any missile weaponry.

[taalismn]

Paladin Steel ‘Auriga’ Light Interstellar Transport
http://i408.photobucket.com/albums/pp164/taalismn/Auriga%20lifting_zpszfhu3gzx.jpg

“This is GNEASS Ines de Suarez, responding to your distress call...You sent no distress call? Sounded like it. Oh, that’s your regular locator beacon? Well, then, how about we come down and do some business instead?”

“These small trader ships can be rather cramped and claustrophobic if you’re making long duration voyages on long-hauls, but quite cozy if you don’t need a lot of life support. I’m a Halley-fullcon, and my life-companion’s a cyberhumanoid android in body, so we get along just fine without a lot of open cubic to stretch out in, even on long jumps, but I realize not everybody’s like me and Saiko. Other folks I know who are looking to use ships like the Auriga as a long-jumper typically invest in hibercapsules to pass the time between ports. Me and Saiko? We like looking at the stars as they pass by. ”

The ‘Auriga’-class LIT is yet another in Paladin Steel/Aegis Stellar Industries’ line of small, inexpensive, multi-role starships and aerospace transports. It was developed as a scaled-down version of the transport conversion-builds of the Falx/Masakari Space Destroyer series, and shares a similar configuration, albeit on a smaller scale.
The Auriga resembles what one observer called a ‘cross between the Seattle Space Needle and a Cold War Soviet space launcher”, with a cylindrical core body, large bulbous habitat module, and four large ‘strap on’ booster engines. Like many ASI commercial designs, the Auriga is a ‘tail-sitter’, landing and taking off in an upright position. This may take some getting used to for pilots more used to aerodyne designs, and tail-sitters have always been criticized on concerns about stability, but the design is sturdy and stable. For added stability during in-atmo flying, aerodynamic vanes can be deployed, and an ‘aerobrake shroud’ can be extended to provide further passive braking.
Cargo is held in the lower hull and is loaded/unloaded through cargo doors between the engine pods, facilitated by extendable cranes. The upper decks also have several extendable ‘balconies’ for use as observation platforms, small vehicle landing platforms, and cargo crane gantries. The Auriga doesn’t have a large amount of cargo, making it a poor choice for heavy trading, but it suits a short-range excursion ship, courier, and piece-work trader just fine.
The decentralization of the engine block may cause some problems with centralized engineering and maintenance, but the design also allows for a great degree of redundancy; the Auriga can fly on just two engines if it has to.
The Auriga is very well armored for its size, and features a basic monoplanar commercial forceshield as standard. It can be fitted with basic self-defense armaments, such as point defense turrets, but cannot accommodate heavier weaponry without substantially reworking the ship’s configuration(such as cutting into the already tight crew accommodations).
Like many PS/ASI craft, the design is tolerant of modification, and a number of commissioned and post-market modifications are available. Most such focus on upgrading the ship’s defensive capabilities or propulsion, but Aurigas have been seen sporting a variety of improved sensors, extendable solar array ‘wings’, cargo manipulators, and even expanded accommodation quarters.
The Auriga is not recommended for use as a combat vehicle, but it has proven popular as a light scout craft, courier, and planetary exploration lander. It is sometimes purchased as a large long-range pinnace or auxiliary craft for larger vessels. There have been some cases of buyers fitting the ships as customs/police corvettes, or pressing them into service as defense ships.
Aurigas are marketed as in-system vessels, short-hop general purpose light transports, inter-system couriers, personal yachts, and as auxiliary craft for larger starships and spacestations. Paladin Steel/Aegis Stellar Industries has also been developing larger free-space ‘barges’(based on the WZTechyard WZ-MCF-100 ‘Behemoth’ and WZ-MCF-500 ‘Immense’ heavy transports, also manufactured under license by ASI) that the Aurigas can link to, to serve as command modules, addressing the issue of cargo capacity.

Type: PS/ASI LInstel-SC027 Auriga
Class: Light Interstellar Transport
Crew: 2, with provision fof 1-20 passengers/crew
MDC/Armor by Location:
Main Body 3,200
Cockpit 700
Escape Pod Bay 200
Hangar Bays(2) 200 each
Communications Array 300
Sensor Arrays(2) 300 each
*Engine Thrusters(4) 700 each
**Forcefield 500

*The Auriga can fly in atmosphere on as few as two engines
**The standard forcefield is upgradeable

Height/Length: 270 ft
Width: 84 ft
Weight: 3,000 tons
Cargo: Up to 800 tons of cargo/consumables/supplies carried internally.
Up to eight Class III(‘Giant’) Cargo Cans can be externally strapped on, adding 160 tons of additional cargo capacity, but this will impose a 25% reduction in atmospheric speed and a -15% to piloting roles in atmosphere/gravity well operations.
Powerplant: Nuclear Fusion. estimated energy life of 30 years
(Can be supplemented/extended thru use of solar cells and alternate power sources)
Speed:
(Atmosphere): Hover to 300 mph, plus Mach 7 transatmospheric boost mode.
(Sublight) Mach 8
(Kitsune Values: 50% of light speed; Accelerates/decelerates at 0.8% of light speed per melee)
(FTL) 3 light years per hour
(Underwater) Not possible. The vessel can land and take off in shallow water, landing on the beach bottom, but cannot operate completely submerged.

Market Cost: 35 million credits in the Three Galaxies, 2-5 times that in the Rifts Earth solar system.

Systems of Note:
Standard Starship Systems, plus:

*Aerobrakes---Passive atmospheric braking system; the ship will lose 10% of its speed per hour of skimming through the upper reaches of a planetary atmosphere.

*Life Pods: Carries 4 6-man lifeboats.

Weapons Systems: None, but has provision for being fitted with up to six PDS/light weapons stations. Can also be fitted with up to eight countermeasure launchers/systems such as chaff pods or scrambler field generators.
Some users have adapted the external cargo clamps to carry additional weaponry, typically various missile launchers, countermeasure launchers, mine dispensers, or gun pods.

Auxiliary Vehicles:
2 Light Aerospace Fighters or Light Shuttles
2 Cargo Porter Hoverjets(or equivalent)
2 Hoverjet Transports
Plus has room for 4-12 other vehicles( Nothing larger than 15 ft tall/long)

Options:
Most modifications to the Auriga focus on adding weapons systems, extra crew comforts, additional forcefield protection, or beefing up the engines for greater speed and endurance, but there are also the popular following options:

*Manipulator Arms---The Auriga can be outfitted with extendable robotic manipulator armatures. *Robotic Utility Arm----20 MDC, Robotic P.S. of 24, 25 ft reach. Up to four arms can be mounted. Cost: 250,000 credits per arm.

*Solar Sail----A giant solar sail can be deployed for slow in-system cruising(accelerates at roughly 1% of light speed per MONTH, and can only hit a maximum speed of 10% of light). This system is sometimes added as an emrgency drive system, leisurely cruising, or low-energy expenditure, high economy, ‘slow’ runs. Cost: 5 million credits

*Booster Pods(2)---Two large booster pods can be added to the lower hull, on the sides of the hull not serviced by cargo bay doors. These additional engines have their own powerplants and fuel supply, and can boost maximum space speed to Mach 11. Cost: 58 million credits.

*Expanded Accommodations---This hull modification takes advantage of the modular hull design to ‘chop and graft’ a new section of hull module into the forward section. This adds an additional 15 ft of height and 80 tons of weight to the ship, but also adds 500 MDC to the main body and room for an additional 15 passengers, or 25 tons of cargo. Cost: 500,000 credits.

*Amphibious Operation----This option allows the Auriga to land in open water and float upright like a freefloating lighthouse or FLIPship, though typically the vessel is then anchored with several anchor lines. The ship can lift off from the water(often in a spectacular cloud of steam) as normal. Cost: 300,000 credits.

*Forcefield Enhancement---The standard forcefield can be replaced with more powerful generators for added protection.
*Forcefield Generator --- Generates a more powerful single field force shield of 900 MDC. Cost: 480,000 credits

* Forcefield Generator Pod--A more powerful forcefield generator that produces a military-grade battlescreen of 3,000 per side (18,000 total) MDC strength(regenerates at 5% per melee)
Cost: 9 million credits


*PPE Generator---Crystal Matrix PPE Generator, for those wanting to add and power TW systems.
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
Cost:(Light)----500,000 credits
(Medium)-----1 million credits
(‘Wizard’)----2 million credits


***Sensor Refits---The central sensor ‘well’ was designed for quick swap-outs of different systems, allowing different(presumably upgraded) systems to be quickly added.
A basic list of available different upgradeable sensors can be quickly reflected/represented by Eric Fackler’s Rifter article on Galactic Tracer Starship Creation Rules(Rifter # 34, pg. 47-57) with prices as follows:
-Premium SoroCom Sensor System(or equivalent)---- Normal Space Detection: 210,000 miles, FTL Detection: 1.1 light years. Cost: 7 million credits.
-Military Grade Sensor System--- Normal Space Detection: 240,000 miles, FTL Detection: 10 light years. Cost:10 million credits.
-CAF Deployable Listening Array(available only as a Main Pod option)---Normal Space Detection: 9 million miles, FTL Detection: 25 light years. Cost: 30 million credits.

*Tug Module(typically 500 MDC)---This replaces the nose pod with a reinforced rig that opens up into an array of electro-mechanical gripping pads, shock absorbers, and bumper trunions, for nosing up to, and latching onto oversized payloads in zero-gravity, allowing the ship to act as a pusher tug. Special reinforcing rods and pins stretch back to better distribute stevedoring stress and strain over the ship’s structure. However, its weight and awkward positioning make it very hard to pilot the ship in an atmosphere, making takeoffs and landings nearly impossible(-15% to pilot rolls while in atmosphere). This pod is commonly found with salvagers and space rescue units.
Cost: 800,000 credits

[abtex]

Is PS going to back engineer the designs of UFOs?

[taalismn]

Is PS going to back engineer the designs of UFOs?

We already have the PS/ASI-LAT026 ‘Roswell’ Light Aerospace Transport, the smaller PS/CA-L-VTOL-2c ‘Super Jetson’ Light VTOL, and the PS-GMRHV-355 ‘Vader’ Light Hover Vehicle representing saucer-shapes, but we';; see if there's room for more in the line-up if the market can carry t.

[abtex]

Paladin Steel ‘Auriga’ Light Interstellar Transport

“This is GNEASSInes de Suarez, responding to your distress call... You sent no distress call? Sounded like it. Oh, that’s your regular locator beacon? Well, then, how about we come down and do some business instead?”

What kind of business does the 'conquistadora ' want to do?

[taalismn]

Paladin Steel ‘Auriga’ Light Interstellar Transport

“This is GNEASSInes de Suarez, responding to your distress call... You sent no distress call? Sounded like it. Oh, that’s your regular locator beacon? Well, then, how about we come down and do some business instead?”

What kind of business does the 'conquistadora ' want to do?

A little trading. Depending on who you ask, Ines de Suarez supposedly made a tidy profit trading in the New World, when she wasn't rallying troops against native uprisings. Maybe the whole 'kill the prisoners' isn't the sort of image PS wants to convey, but then again, regulating the names of ships privately owned(albeit flagged under the GNE banner) isn't always possible.
The size of the ship, though, precludes trading in mass quantities of bulk goods, but smaller, high-value cargoes, knowledge, or samples of goods to elicit larger later orders(carried in by the mentioned 'barges' or other craft) is entirely possible.

[abtex]

I wonder how many other hidden name 'game' ones I missed. But don't tell me. Please don't!!

[taalismn]

I wonder how many other hidden name 'game' ones I missed. But don't tell me. Please don't!!

Well, I like to mine the internet for novel and interesting names...forgotten heroes, odd juxtapositions...just to get away from conventional naming conventions. The whole codenames for bio-mods, for example, or corrupting the latin names for animals to apply to animal-like robots. Adds a bit of zing and individuality to a creation, even if you're assembling them from stock parts.

[taalismn]

Auriga LInstelT upgraded with image:
http://i408.photobucket.com/albums/pp164/taalismn/Auriga%20lifting_zpszfhu3gzx.jpg

[taalismn]

Paladin Steel ‘Victoria’ PDAX-03 Personal Defense Apparel
(aka ‘bullet bra’, ‘nipple-fire’)
“Okay, I’ve heard of padding bras, but this is ridiculous-”

“Well, that’s the last feel he’ll ever cop.”

“The thinking seems to be that the way to enforce chastity is to establish a ‘no touching’ zone greater than arms’ reach.”

“When the three inch barrels extend...that ain’t arousal, that’s fair warning to take cover.”

“I’m really hoping nobody comes up with a male codpiece-mounted version. There’s just something not right about the possibility of being maimed by militarized underwear.”

“Actually, with the right muscle exercises, one can accurately fire this garment, and even bring BOTH-”
“-please don’t complete that sentence. I already need a cold shower thinking about it.”

A particularly absurd device that PS officials are almost ashamed to have associated with the Paladin Steel name(it was developed by a subcontracting shop operating under the PS aegis). The PDAX-03 takes advantage of the availability of the Smallkin .22 caliber automatic weaponry to mount two of them in the cups of a reinforced support garment(or built into a breastplate). The two XLLMGs are belt-fed from magazines slung under the armpits or sling over the shoulderblades. Hard to accurately aim(one must turn one’s torso) and not particularly powerful, the PDAX-03’s main goal seems to surprise the hell out of opponents with a double bosom burst of submachine gun fire at close range. Though a few females have reported success in wearing the device as personal protection, concealed under more modest covering blouses, shirts, and jackets, the PDAX’s main appeal seems to be extroverted (and often bio-boosted, such as Crazies, bio-borgs, or bio-mod) action-girls looking for some novelty weaponry to boggle the $#!+ out of male/more conservative opponents.
The same shop that produced the PDAX is also alledgedly looking at designing a laser-bra model, using laser-chips or utility fingers as the basis.

Weight: 1 lb total fitout
Range: 100 ft
Damage: (.22)1d6 SD per rd or 3d6 SD per 3-rd burst, 6d6 SDC for a six-round burst.
(Wellington/PS Exploders) 3d6 SD per rd or 9d6 SD per 3-rd burst, 1d4x10 SDC for a six-round burst.
(PSX-2) 1d4 MD per rd, a three round burst does 2d4 MD, a six-round burst does 4d4 MD.
Rate of Fire: Single shot, 3-shot burst, or 6-shot burst
Payload: 60 round underarm magazine, 200 rd back magazine, per cup.
Special Features:
*Reinforced straps
*Composite construction (30% chance of going undetected by most weapons scanners).
Cost: 2,000 credits dual mounting+5,000 credits for an armored breastplate mounting with 30 MDC(Armor Rating 10).

[Veritas476]

All I can say to that is:

That's not right.

[taalismn]

All I can say to that is:

That's not right.

I actually saw somebody's depiction of a 'gatling bra'....that, combined with sleeplessness....and since I already had the TW 'Spinning Blades' Chastity Device and MonoWire Bra to my credit...
Hell, every catalogue has a few questionable items...

I also refer you to Poul Anderson's short story 'Pugilist', where the main character, infiltrating a rebel band in a post Soviet conquest America, has himself emasculated in order to carry a concealed blaster weapon THERE. The rebel leader gets what has to be the most undignified betrayal in sci-fi....THAT's just plain wrong.

[abtex]

Paladin Steel ‘Victoria’ PDAX-03 Personal Defense Apparel
(aka ‘bullet bra’, ‘nipple-fire’)

there are days really think one of us are looking over the other shoulder
Saw these this morning, "SAF-T-BRA. WW2 all plastic protection bra for women working in the war industry." and
"Modeling a hard plastic 'safety bra' to protect female workers at war plants. USA 1943."

The same shop that produced the PDAX is also alledgedly looking at designing a laser-bra model, using laser-chips or utility fingers as the basis.

So she not using to laser to 'Tag' 'mark' some poor guy so her boy friend can work him over.
Are worst so her girl friends can chase some guy she saw that was really cute.

[taalismn]

[

The same shop that produced the PDAX is also alledgedly looking at designing a laser-bra model, using laser-chips or utility fingers as the basis.

So she not using to laser to 'Tag' 'mark' some poor guy so her boy friend can work him over.
Are worst so her girl friends can chase some guy she saw that was really cute.

Ouch...forgot about laser-designated laser-guided weaponry...especially since I introduced beam-rider micromissiles.
Yah, having the local ladies' club paint you for tactical removal by every fraulein packing laser-guided ordnance in the area would ruin your day seriously. It's why people are POLITE in the GNE.

[taalismn]

Paladin Steel ‘SkyTek’ GMR Hover Engineering Vehicle
(Aka ‘Armored Sky-Jelly(fish), ‘Dangler’, ‘Work-Floater’, ‘Flying Stone’, ‘Grippy-pod’)

“Note that if the floater drive gets zeked, you’re not going to auto-rotate to the ground as you would with a ‘copter , or have time to parachute out; you’re going to hit and hit HARD. PS has promised to fit new models with zero-zero ejection seats, and is working to refit the older ones, but you should be aware you’re riding a brick.”

“Quit grumbling about being assigned a ‘boring window-washing job’! You should be glade when the job’s boring! One trip I went up in a SkyTek to service some paneling atop the New Whitney Building, I found a roost of Gargoyle spies eyeballing us for Atlantis! Just me and my little grav-pod up against three Minion agents who were going to kill me before I could sqwauk about their presence! Obviously I survived, but only by the skin of my teeth, generous application of window-washing fluid, and a full clip of hot rivets! Ever since then, I don’t go aloft without a mounted rifle and full ammo clips! So check the gunmount again and don’t whine to me about your job being ‘do nothing, go nowhere’!”

The ‘SkyTek’ is a small anti-gravity vehicle designed to take advantage of recent PS advances in anti-gravity technology, and apply them to PS’s growing stable of engineering support vehicles.
The SkyTek combines both cutting-edge high-tech and off-the-shelf low-tech; a high-output A-G generator mounted under a refitted turret from PS’s MBT-07 ‘Black Bear’ Heavy Tank. Four large articulated robot armatures are attached to the underside of the hull, as well as two large tentacles from PS’s ‘Kraken’ DSV utility vehicle, and several tool mountings. The armored cab holds up to 3 people, allowing for work trade-offs on particularly long work details, or observers can be carried during inspections.
The SkyTek typically goes unarmed, but CAN be fitted with light armament, usually a light pintle-mount. It is not meant for frontline combat, but as is all too often the case with PS products, it has found itself in firefights and close combat situations. Fortunately, the SkyTek’s hull retains the armor of the Black Bear, though the underside and the A-G generator remain vulnerable to weapons fire.
Since its introduction, the SkyTek has become a common sight among the high rises of GNE communities, especially along the flanks of the New Boston Arcology. It has also become common with work crews, structural inspection teams, and contractors. Several have also been acquired by fishing and hunting concerns and pest control agencies. Though not intended as a combat vehicle, it is rumored that modified SkyTeks have been used by Paladin Steel’s corporate ‘black ops’ department in several industrial espionage actions, including at least one extraction from a high-security high-rise complex.

Type: PS-GMR-Ut17 SkyTek
Class: Armored Gravi-Magnetic Resist Utility Vehicle
Crew: One, plus 2 passenger/additional crewmembers
MDC/Armor by Location:
Main Body 250
Reinforced Crew Compartment in turret 50
A-G Generator(underside)* 90
Robot Arms(4) 12 each
Utility Tentacles(2) 90 each
Spotlights(6) 3 each
Turret Mounted Searchlight 20

*Destroying the AG-generator will cause the SkyTek to drop like a stone. However, it is a relatively small target, being partially shielded by the robot arms and tentacles, and is -3 to strike.
Height: 7 ft. The tentacles add 25 ft dangling underneath
Width: 12 ft diameter
Length: 12 ft diameter
Weight: 6 tons
Cargo:
Can lift up to 3 tons slung underneath
Powerplant: Nuclear Fusion w/ 10 year energy life
Speed: (Ground) Can ‘walk’ on its arms at a tottering 5 MPH.
(Flying) Hover to 80 MPH, maximum altitude of 10,000 ft
Market Cost: 1.5 million credits
Systems of Note:
Standard Robot Vehicle Systems, plus:
*Spotlights---800 ft
*Radio--500 mile long range, 5 mile short range.
*External Loudspeaker---90 decibels
*Low-Light Optics(Passive night vision and InfraRed)
*Thermo-Imaging Optics
*Short Range Radar-----(7 mile range)
*Collision Warning/Motion Detector system---600 ft range.
*Extendable Utility Arms(4) Each arm has a reach of 10 ft and a PS of 20. Each can be outfitted with a tool fixture(see Mining Cyborg Tool Hands)
(Damage: 6d6 SDC punch, 3d6 SDC snip/nip with pincer)
*Molecular Grippers---The four utility and tool arms are fitted with special molecular adhesion grippers for latching onto ship hulls(be they wood or metal), debris, and wreckage.
*Tool Pods(2)---Two of the elongated tentacle-arms end in a large paddle-like swelling that holds a variety of special purpose tools.
a) Power Drill w/ Variable Heads----1d6 SDC to 4d6 MD
b) Laser Welder---(Contact, 1d4/1d6/4d6 MD)
c) Vibro-Cutter---4d6 MD
d) Power Wrench---High speed bolting/unscrewing.
e) Plasma Saw---6d6 MD
f) Mini-Optic---For looking into small opennings, and ‘periscoping’; identical
to standard optics
*Crash Protection---Internal padding, air bags, and active shock-resistance systems reduce injury/damage to passengers in a crash by HALF.

Weapons Systems: None standard

Hand to Hand Combat
Punch 6d6 SDC
Snip/nip with pincer 3d6 SDC
Or by Cyborg Tool Hand
Entangle---Using the two tentacles, the SkyTek can Entangle an opponent, effectively
preventing them from moving...Beings with a Supernatural or Robotic Strength of 45 or better can
attempt to break loose, rolling against the SkyTek’s rolls to keep them entangled.

Options:
*Applique Armor---Additional protective plating can be mounted on the SkyTek, though this is rarely done on utility models. Adds 10-100 MDC main body, + 1-2 tons, without movement penalties
----Cost: 15,000 credits per 10 MDC

*Gun Pintle/Mini-Turret(1-2)---One or two weapons turrets can be fitted to the SkyTek. Can be directly manned or remotely controlled from inside the cab. Just about any infantry weapon(including heavy weapons) can be mounted, but the following are the most popular/common: ONE of the following can be fitted to a turret.
a) 7.62mm Machine Gun
Range: 3,000 ft
Damage: 6d6 SDC single round, 4d6x10 SDC per 10 round burst.
Can also use MD ammunition:
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: 100 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

e) MicroMissile Launcher----50 shots

f) Mini-Missile Launcher----6 shots

g) Mini-Missile Launcher/PS-MMLR-14 Mini-Missile Launcher ---One of Paladin Steel’s minor triumphs of reverse-engineering has been the knock-off of the Coalition’s CCT-M20 Missile Rifle,complete down to the light laser, but modified to take advantage of PS’s advancements in lighter weight composites and ceramics. Has the advantage of having a light laser for additional firepower.
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 an external generator, or 20 shots per standard E-clip/30 per long E-clip as backup.
Cost: 36,000 credits per launcher

h) 90mm Recoilless Rifle
Range: 1,200 ft
Damage:(SDC) 1d4x10 SD to 20 ft area
(MDC) 2d6 MD to 40 ft area
Rate of Fire: Single Shot
Payload: Single Shot. Additional rounds can be carried in the cabin, but must be externally reloaded.
Cost: 23,000 credits

i) Harpoon Gun and Line
Range: 500 ft
Damage:: 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: Single Shot, ECHH
Payload: 4 shots
Cost: 7,000 credits

j) Chemical Sprayer
Range: 300 ft
Damage:Varies by chemical carried; Some examples:
(Water)None, if carrying water, but human-sized beings struck with the stream but roll versus the ‘cannon’s To Strike roll, or be bowled off their feet. Does 2d6x10 HP to vampires per blast

(Gloop) PS’s sticky goop---This material is used in constuction, as well as to firm up the walls of tunnels and damaged structures. It is also used to cocoon valuable and delicate objects for moving. Each half-gallon application of this quick-set plastic covers about 5 cubic feet, and to cover a human sized target completely, the attacker must roll a 12 or better on the Strike roll. Anyone caught in the goo must have a supernatural or robotic P.S. of 30 or better to escape; otherwise, the target is stuck until released by an outside agency. Gloop has 2d4 MDC per application, and breaks down after 1d4 days of exposure, unless treated with a special binder chemical, and allowed to cure for 1d4 hours, in which case it stabilizes and has an MDC of 2d6+1. Gloop costs 70 credits per half gallon(single application)
A variant of this gunk, ‘Boro-Slime’, is a quick-setting slurry of lead-powder and boro-silicate glass suspension, which is sprayed on leaking radiation sources, forming a thick crust to simultaneously trap radioactive materials and seal it inside a crusting shell for later safe removal. Best used to contain small (power armor and vehicle) reactor breaches and water leaks; larger reactor leaks will require more drastic measures. ‘Boro-Slime’ is otherwise identical to standard Gloop, and costs 120 credits per half gallon(single application)

(Kera-Tech Riot Foam) Alternatively, the cannon can be filled with Kera-Tech’s patented KTX-17 Riot Foam, which is stronger, but more expensive, than the Gloop. This stuff takes a robotic or supernatural PS of 40 or greater to break free. Creatures with a greater strength can break free in 1d4 melees. The foam hardens in less than 2 seconds, and can take 30 MDC per cubic meter(a humanoid typically needs at least two meters to be totally enveloped). A special enyzme spray will dissolve the foam in 1d4 melees. This stuff costs about 800 credits per pound of the stuff, which is enough to fill a 4m( roughly 12 square ft) area to a height of 1.8 m(6 ft)

(Slip Spray)---rather than trap, this makes it impossible for people and many vehicles to gain purchase. A single application(a tablespoon) will cover nearly four square feet. Slipspray is very nearly water-resistant----it takes ALOT of water, roughly 6-10 gallons, to wash away an ounce of slipspray---or regular industrial solvents will do the trick. Slipspray breaks down after 1d4 hours of exposure to air.
Effects: Anyone trying to move across slipspray must make a roll under their Physical Prowess at -8 or go out of control at full speed. Vehicles, power armors, and light robot vehicles travelling in ground contact across sufficently large patches of slipspray will be at -15% to their piloting rolls..failure means the vehicel goes out of control and takes on the chaarcteristics of a giant hockey puck. Depending on the hardness of the surface(must be a hard surface, not a permeable surface like dirt or gravel), certain heavy vehicles and robots(like the MAC II) will be unaffected, as they simply stomp the effected surface into the subterrean. Hovercraft are NOT affected either. Cost: 40 credits per ounce(covers 8 square ft...so a gallon’s worth will cover 1,024 ft! Instant ice rink anyone?)

Rate of Fire: ECHH
Payload: 200 gallon internal tank, or can be attached to a cargo pod holding up to 400 gallons
Cost: 10,000 credits

k)Flamer
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: 20,000 credits.


l) Point Defense Turret---This is the modular PDS turret first introduced on the PSA-11 Power Armor, then adopted for use as a light point defense weapons system on vehicles such as the Merlin Hovercar and other AFVs. Come with a choice of being fitted with pulse lasers, ion, plasma, or light rail guns.
-L1) Pulse Laser
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)
Cost: 45,000 credits

-L2) 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

-L3) 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

-L4)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: 28,000 credits

m) Stun Blaster----Copied from the Japanese AT-23 Stun Rifle:
Range: 800 ft
Damage:(Setting One) ‘Soft’ setting; used against children, eak, elderly, sickly. 1d6 SDC.
(Setting Two) Moderate: 2d6 SDC. Teens, adult in poor to average condition, small to medium-sized animals.
(Setting Three) Heavy; 3d6 SDC. Adults in good condition
(Setting Four) Extreme; 6d6 SDC, recommended against Juicers, Crazies, large animals.
(Setting Five) Maximum power, anti-Juicer: 1d6 MD, crazies, partial/full-con cyborgs, amd non-humans
Each setting, the target must save versus non-lethal poison(16 or better; children and small animals need an 18 or better). On a successful save, the target is
-1 APM from the jolt, plus takes damage. On an UNsuccesful save, they are -9 to initiative,
-7 strike/parry/dodge, and reduce Speed, APMs, and skill performance by HALF. Duration of stun is 2d4 melee rounds, and duration is cumulative with succcessive hits. There is also a 15% cumulative chance per additional strike of being rendered unconscious for 1d4 minutes.
Being struck by a too low setting for one’s body type means the character suffers little or no effect(+4 to save per level below the appropriate setting). Being struck with a HIGHER setting runs the risk of a +15% chance per level above one’s recommended tolerance setting of being rendered unconscious, provided the target isn’t fatally electrocuted already.
Rate of Fire: Single shot, ECHH
Payload: 20 shots standard E-clip. Effectively Unlimited linked to the robot’s power supply
Cost: 25,000 credits


n) 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: 18 shots standard E-clip, 24 shots long e-clip, 50 shots canister-clip. Effectively unlimited hitched up to a nuclear power plant.
Cost: 55,000 credits



Variants:
*PS-GMR-UtS17---Space-modified work pod with extra radiation shielding, maneuvering verniers, and space-maneuvering controls. Can hit speeds of 300 MPH.

*PS-GMR-UtUv17N---Navalized version capable of both airborne and submersible operations. Can dive as deep as 12,000 ft and can move underwater at 7 MPH. Comes equiped with sonar(5 mile range), depth gauge, emergency flotation bags, and blue-green laser communications.

*PS-GMR-UtF17---Firefighting variant, equipped with thermal-imaging sensors, molecular analyzers, a slightly more powerful engine(can hit speeds of 130 MPH), and heat-resistant armor plating(heat/flane does only 25% nornal damage).

*PS-GMR-UtLEX17--- Experimental police/law enforcement variant undergoing testing in GNE cities. The UtLEX mounts flasher bars, a more powerful CG drive system(can fly at 200 MPH), and dispenses with the tool options on the arms and tentacles in favor of tazers, shock prods, and other non/reduced-lethality weaponry.

[89er]

Paladin Steel hold message:

I'm sorry for the delay, all of our other representatives are fighting for their lives and home against demons. We will be with you as soon as possible but there are other options. For exorcising our products press 1, for need of an evac press two, to report any demon or infernal activity press three. Thank you for your patience and enjoy some soothing music that wards off infernal.

[taalismn]

Paladin Steel hold message:

I'm sorry for the delay, all of our other representatives are fighting for their lives and home against demons. We will be with you as soon as possible but there are other options. For exorcising our products press 1, for need of an evac press two, to report any demon or infernal activity press three. Thank you for your patience and enjoy some soothing music that wards off infernal.

Thank you. I've been busy in RL of late, which cuts into my writing and refit time, but we're still working away, ironing out the development kinks and hurdles in our upcoming products. Our existing(and expanding) product production lines and troubleshooting services are still available, however, so service contracts and warranties are still good and honored.

[taalismn]

Paladin Steel ‘Helmuth’ Heavy Assault Cyborg
(aka ‘Boomborg’, ‘Panzer-Dancer’, ‘Tanker-trot’)
http://i408.photobucket.com/albums/pp164/taalismn/img613_zpsusxhsa2m.jpg


“Tanks may be cheaper, but I have yet to see a tank crew that will fight to the bitter end like a ‘borg. A ‘borg will fight you with guns and missiles, and when they run out of guns and missiles to throw at you, they’ll fight you with their hands and feet, teeth if they got’em. A ‘borg will f###ing CRAWL after you given half the chance, and murder you when your guard is down. You have to put many more times the same effort you’d put into killing a tank into killing a ‘borg before they go down for good. That’s where the cost balances out.”

“Things must be pretty bad if you’re calling out us heavies for a neighborhood bug hunt. Not afraid of overkill?”
“No, we just want to make sure this thing is really REALLY dead.”

“We Helmuths often get to arguing with the Zhus over who’s the bigger bionic badass. The ‘dongies like to tell you artillery rules the battlefield, and therefore those grenade- and missile-boaters are the kings and queens of combat. But really, all they need to be built strong enough to carry the missiles and grenades to the edge of effective range, fire them off, and then all they can really do is run for cover. No, hitting an enemy from long range, over hill and over dale, is all very fine and good, but you really want to put the enemy down for GOOD, you gotta close to where you can SEE ‘em, close enough to put a plasma blast between their eyeballs, or a railgun burst down their throats. And in order to do that you gotta be tough enough to take a whippin’ in the process, because waltzing up to an enemy bunker or trench isn’t a walk through the flowers. And that makes us the toughest, hands down.”

“I thought we’d burned all resistance when we nuked that town! Someone please tell me why our left flank is now in rout after coming under heavy assault from the supposedly ‘neutralized’ ruins?!”

If the ‘Aries’ is the GNE military’s airborne infantry cyborg, the ‘Helmuth’ is its tank cyborg. Unashamedly bedecked with firepower and armor, the Helmuth is meant to take a place and hold it against all comers.
The Helmuth is sometimes confused with the later FC-35 Zhu-Rong chassis, as both emphasize firepower. But whereas the Zhu-Rong focuses on ranged ballistic projectile fire, the Helmuth uses more direct line of sight weaponry(though it can carry missiles as well), and thus requires a heavier frame and heavier armor. Modular forearm and shoulder-mount weapons are among the heaviest available, and give the cyborg a deadly serious firepower rampage ability. The weight of armor on the Helmuth weighs more than many power armors, but affords excellent overall protection.
All that staying and slaying power comes at the expense of mobility; the blocky, slab-armored Helmuth is among the slower of Paladin Steel’s cyborgs, its powerful actuators just about carrying its weight around, with little to spare for speed. This is not to say the Helmuth isn’t mobile; it is far more agile than an equivalently-armed conventional vehicle. However, FC-24s are typically deployed in dangerous environs where staying power over speed is prefered. They often appear in assault squads and garrison units.
Helmuths have proven themselves especially in combat against the Splugorth and the Infernals, the cyborgs often facing incredible odds to hold their ground. In th Minion War, Helmuths have stiffened resistance at a number of key locations and tactical positions when the Infernals have tried to attack GNE and Allied territories.
The only real complaint voiced by Helmuth ‘wearers’ is that, for all its power, the Helmuth doesn’t look aesthetically “awesome” enough in comparison to comparable Russian and Japanese designs.

Type:PS-FC-24 Helmuth
Class: Full Conversion Borg - Assault
Crew: One volunteer
M.D.C. By Location:
Hands(2) 55 each
Arms(2) 130 each(220 w/ attached guns)
Shoulder Weapon Mounts(2) 100 each
Legs(2) 220 each
Feet (& Foot Pads)(2) 130 each .
*Head 180.
**Main Body 660 .
*Destroying the head of a Cyborg will take out the primary sensor systems.
However, the head is a small and difficult target to hit. The attacker must make a called shot and even then he is -3 to strike. The hands, and forearms are also difficult targets to hit and are -4 to strike on a called shot.
**Depleting the M.D.C. of the main body will effectively
destroy the artificial body, but emergency systems will keep the brain and
vital organs alive for 36 hours. Recovery of the severely damaged body
will enable doctors to place the character on life support systems that
will keep him alive until a new bionic body (same style or other) is
available, for full conversion. Failure to find the damaged Borg within 36
hours means the character dies.

Note: The Helmuth CANNOT be fitted with additional armor, it’s already maxed out(see Options for special cases).

Speed:
Running: 70 mph max . However the act of running does not tire the operator out and the maximum speed can be maintained indefinitely.
Jumping: The powerful robotic legs are strong and capable of leaping 10 feet high or 18 ft lengthwise. A running leap adds 50% to distance/height.
Flying: Not possible without a jet pack
Underwater: The Helmuth CANNOT swim, but sinks like a rock. It is limited to running on the bottom at 6 MPH, maximum depth tolerance of 1 mile.

Statistical Data:
Average Height: 12 feet
Width: 6 feet
Length: 4 feet
Weight: 3.9 tons (6.8 tons fully loaded)
Power System: Nuclear
Physical Attributes: Equal to Robotic PS. 40, PP. 24,.
Bonuses:Standard cyborg bonuses of +3 save vs magic, +5 vs possession, impervious to Bio-Manipulation, Telemechanics(all), See Aura, and any attacks that do damage directly to Hit Points.
+4 initiative
+5 strike/parry
+6 dodge
+3 Pull Punch
Penalties: Touch/tactile sense is 60% of human norm.
Prowl penalty: -20%

Special Skills/Training---Use standard 'Borg, or Headhunter OCC.
Black Market Cost: 7 million credits with all standard features, weapons, and sensors.

Standard Bionic Features
Note: These features are all found in the bionic and
cybernetic section of the Rifts RPG.
1. Bionic lung with gas filter & storage cell
2. Built-in language translator
3. Built-in radio receiver & transmitter
4. Clock calendar
5. Gyro-compass
6. Modulated voice synthesizer
7. Multi-optic eyes
8. Built-in loudspeaker
9. Universal headjack with amplified hearing and
sound filtration systems.

Special Features:

* Ambidexterity Boost---If the character doesn’t already possess the Ambidexterity advantage, a combination of neural interface boosting and gene-therapy gives the cyborg the ability to use all their hands with equal proficiency. +1 APM, +1 parry, and automatically gets W.P. Paired Weapons.

*Shoulder Turrets---The back hardpoints are mounted on fully powered swivel turrets that effectively count as a pair of extra limbs. +1 APM/attack.

*360-degree Waist Rotation---Allows the cyborg to swivel its upper body completely around to engage targets behind itself.

*Rear-View Optics---An adaptation of the ‘Third Eye’ option, only it is only selectively on. Allows the cyborg to check its ‘six’ without having to swivel its torso or entire body. Important since the Helmuth’s head cannot turn around to look over its shoulder. Additional optical scanners can be mounted atop the shoulder weapons, for sighting purposes, but the added height of the gun mounts makes them effective periscopes as well, for peering out of water and over obstacles/cover.

*Motion Detector---Another added sensory system meant to compensate for the Helmuth’s bulky design. Uses a combination of short-range radar and sonar to cover a 60-500 ft radius and alert the cyborg of imminent collision or close approach. Can also be used to backtrack the general direction of incoming projectile fire. +1 initiative and +1 dodge/parry within 60 ft. Larger motion and activity can be detected out to 500 ft.

*Relocated Brain/Life Support---The Helmuth’s organic brain and life support is not centered in the head, as is typical of cyborgs, but relocated underneath the heavy armor of the torso for added protection. This makes recovering the organic portions of the cyborg more difficult in recovery efforts, but protects the cyborg from being killed by critical head shots. The ‘bod-pod’ is also modular, allowing it to be swapped out and the cyborg-proper installed in another body(typically for quick repair or social reasons).

*Hardened Circuitry---The cyborg’s systems are shielded against EMP and other power-surge disruptions. This is pretty much standard for PS-manufactured military and administration cyborgs.

*Stabilization Jacks---Tired of being knocked over by concussion blasts, or being rolled over by a giant’s kick? This interesting little system uses Glitterboy-style pylon technology to las and hydraulically drive two stabilizer jacks up to 5 ft into the ground, even through concrete and metal gratings, within 5 seconds, affixing you like a barnacle, and able to stay upright in even hurricane-force winds. System can disengage in 2 seconds, for that speedy getaway.

Weapons Systems:
1)Forearm Heavy Weapons Mount----One or both(typically only one heavy weapon will be carried, however) forearms can mount an underslung heavy weapon, with a hand-manipulator on the upper side of the arm. Ammunition-dependent weaponry will be fed by armored linkage to a drum (or drums) attached on the lower back.
In the alternative, a standard cyborg forearm weapon can be mounted, but Helmuths favor maxing out on heavy weaponry.
The following are just a few of the more popular fitouts, but Helmuths have also been seen sporting standard NG-pattern rail guns, among other weapons. ONE of the following can be fitted per hardpoint.
a) 20mm Autocannon
Range:(20mm)3,000 ft (1,500 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: 2,500 rd backpack drum
Cost: 20,000 credits

b) 25mm Grenade Launcher
Range: 3,300 ft
Damage: (SDC)* (Fragmentation) 2d6x10 SDC to 10 ft radius**
4d6x10 SDC per 5 rd burst, 8 ft blast radius
(High Explosive) 6d6x10 SDC to 4 ft radius
1d4 MD per 5 rd burst, 8 ft blast radius
(Armor Piercing) 1d4x100 SDC, no blast radius
1d6 MD per 5 rd burst, 1 ft 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)
**(Note that SDC weapons enjoy a slightly larger blast radius than that of MDC weapons, owing to the lower damage potential)

(MD)(Fragmentation)1d6 MD to 7 ft radius
4d6 MD per 5 rd burst, 10 ft blast radius

(High Explosive) 3d6 MD single shot, 5 ft blast radius
1d4x10 per 5 rd burst, 8 ft blast radius

(Armor Piercing)4d6 MD single shot, no blast radius
2d4x10 per 5 rd burst, 1 ft blast radius

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.
1d4x10 per 5 rd burst,4 ft blast radius----plus 4D6+2 SDC to the person(s) inside the object


(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
2d4x10+10 SDC per 5 rd burst (2d4x10+10 HP to vampires), 2 ft blast radius

Other ammunition types, including incendiary and plasma rounds, are also being developed.

Rate of Fire: Single shot or 5-shot burst
Payload: 360 rd backpack drum
Cost: 14,000 credits


c) 30mm ‘Banger’ 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: 12 shot magazine, 18 shot ‘saddle drum’, 24 shot drum, or 300 rd backpack 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.

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

e)GrHW-01 ‘Flamma’ Heavy Gravitonic Rail Gun
Range: 4,000 ft
Damage: 1d4x10 MD single shot, 2d6x10+10 MD for a 10 shot burst.
Rate of Fire: Standard
Payload: 30 rd drum or 200 rd backpack drum
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

f) Micro-Missile Launcher---25 shot cassette

g) OCSW-2 ‘Arden’ 25mm Heavy Machine Gun
Range: (Effective Range)2,000 meters (6,000 ft)
(Maximum Range)(-3 to strike)3,600 meters
Damage:(SDC)* (Fragmentation) 2d6x10 SDC to 10 ft radius**
4d6x10 SDC per 5 rd burst, 8 ft blast radius
1d4 MD per 10 rd burst, 14 ft blast radius
4d6 MD per 60 rd burst! 25 ft blast radius(takes ALL attacks that melee and is -2 to strike)
(High Explosive) 6d6x10 SDC to 4 ft radius
1d4 MD per 5 rd burst, 8 ft blast radius
2d4 MD per 10 rd burst, 12 ft blast radius
6d6 MD per 60 rd burst! 20 ft blast radius(takes ALL attacks that melee and is -2 to strike)
(Armor Piercing) 1d4x100 SDC, no blast radius
1d6 MD per 5 rd burst, 1 ft blast radius
2d6 MD per 10 rd burst, 2 ft blast radius
1d6x10 MD per 60 rd burst! 4 ft blast radius(takes ALL attacks that melee and is -2 to strike)
*Note that beyond the accurate range of 6,000 ft, AP rounds lose some of their effective penetrating power due to diminishing velocity; reduce damage by 20%

*(Yes, I know, why include SDC when it just as quickly becomes MDC? You’re still being hit with a pretty hefty shell)
**(Note that SDC weapons enjoy a slightly larger blast radius than that of MDC weapons, owing to the lower damage potential)

(MD)(Fragmentation)1d6 MD to 7 ft radius
4d6 MD per 5 rd burst, 10 ft blast radius
2d4 x10 per 10 rd burst, 14 ft blast radius
4d6x10 per 60 rd burst! 22 ft blast radius(takes ALL attacks that melee and is -2 to strike)
(High Explosive) 3d6 MD single shot, 5 ft blast radius
1d4x10 per 5 rd burst, 8 ft blast radius
2d4 x10 per 10 rd burst, 12 ft blast radius
5d6x10 per 60 rd burst! 20 ft blast radius(takes ALL attacks that melee and is -2 to strike)
(Armor Piercing)4d6 MD single shot, no blast radius
2d4x10 per 5 rd burst, 1 ft blast radius
3d4 x10 per 10 rd burst, 2 ft blast radius
6d6x10 per 60 rd burst!, 3 ft blast radius(takes ALL attacks that melee and is -2 to strike)
*Note that beyond the accurate range of 6,000 ft, AP rounds lose some of their effective penetrating power due to diminishing velocity; reduce damage by 20%

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.
1d4x10 per 5 rd burst,4 ft blast radius----plus 4D6+2 SDC to the person(s) inside the object
2d4 x10 per 10 rd burst, 6 ft blast radius----plus 5d6 SDC to the person(s) inside the object
5d6x10 per 60 rd burst! 10 ft blast radius----plus 1d4x10 SDC to the person(s) inside the object(takes ALL attacks that melee and is -2 to strike)



(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
2d4x10+10 SDC per 5 rd burst (2d4x10+10 HP to vampires), 2 ft blast radius
6d6 MD per 10 rd burst (3d6x10+10 HP to vampires), 3 ft blast radius

Rate of Fire: Rated at 260 Rounds per minute...Can fire single shot, or in bursts of 3-60 rounds per melee
Payload: The OCSW typically comes with two 37 round box-magazines(total of 74 rounds) or can be 150 rd belt- or drum-fed.
Bonuses: From any sensor package fitted

Cost: 8,000 credits

h) 7.62mm ‘Mag’ General Purpose Machine Gun
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 600 rpm
Payload: 250-rd belt or 75-rd saddle drum, or a 500 rd backpack drum
Cost: 8,000 credits

i)PSAGL-50A ‘Sneezer’ 50mm Projectile Gun
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 contructed to have a certain amount of ‘warp’ to their structure, but cheaper armors, like Chipwell and early Northern Gun designs, lack this protection).
More advanced modern armors, such as those used by the Coalition, Triax, and other very high tech nations(the Kittani, for instance), for their EBA, power armors, robots, some vehicles, and special purpose fortifications(such as high echelon command bunkers) are designed NOT to spald, due to multiple composite layers of megadamage fabric and netting.....for these armors, spalding/bleed-through damage may be reduced to 1/4, or may not apply at all(GMs, use your discretion). Normal blast damage still applies, though, as the outer layers of armor are blown off/vaporized.

Restraint Caster(AKA "Booger") This "safe" munition 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 munition 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, or a 30 rd backpack drum
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

j)12.7mm PS-MRG03 Snub-nose Short Gatling Gun
Range: 2,000 ft
Damage: 1D6 MD single round, 1D6x10 MD per 10 round burst,
2D6x10 +60 per Full Melee Burst of 40 rounds
Rate of Fire: EGCHH
Payload: 1,000 rounds backpack drum
Cost: 36,000 credits

k) 7.62mm Gatling Gun
Range: 10,000 ft
Damage:(SDC) 6d6 SDC single shot, 4d6 x10 SDC(1d4 MD) per 10 rd burst, 8d6x10 SDC per 20 rd burst, 1d4 MD per 40 rd burst.
(Ramjets) 1 MD single shot, 1d10 MD per 10 rd burst, 2d10 MD per 20 rd burst, 1d4x10 MD per 40 rd burst.
(High Explosive)2d6x10 SDC single shot, 1d6 MD per 10 rd burst, 2d6 MD per 20 rd burst, 4d6 MD per 40 rd burst.
(PSX-2) 1d4 MD per rd, 1d4x10 MD per 10 rd burst, 2d4x10 MD per 20 rd burst, 4d4x10 MD per 40 rd burst.
(Tracer) Every 11th round is a tracer, which gives a +1 to strike with bursts. However, the tracer stream also makes it that much easier for enemies to backtrace and locate the machine gunner.
Rate of Fire: Standard; rated at 6,000 rpm(or 1,500 rounds per melee)
Payload: 4,000-rd belt/backpack drum
Cost: 27,000 credits

l).50 Caliber Machine Gun(M806 pattern)----Another effort to make the .50 lighter and easier to use/maintain, this too failed to gain government approval and adoption due to development delays. The design has since been rediscovered and revived by Paladin Steel. Like the M312, the M806 has a slower rate of fire than it is intended to replace, but is still sufficient to do serious damage to its targets. The main attraction of the design, besides the light weight, is the reduced recoil; the weapon has a nearly 60% reduction in recoil over the standard M2HB.
Weight: 40 lbs
Range: 9,000 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: 3,000 rd backpack drum

Special Features:
-Low Recoil: The M806 has only a -2 to strike with bursts because of its low recoil(further tinkering and fine tuning can reduce this to as much as -1 on a burst, but a successful Gunsmith or Weapons Engineer skill must be made every 500 shots to readjust the weapon).
Cost: 9,500 credits


m) PS-RFL2-33 ‘Blazer’ Rapid-Fire Infantry Laser
Range: 4,000 ft
Damage: 3d6 MD single shot, 6d6 MD short burst, 1d6x10 MD medium burst( 20 shots, 2 attacks), 2d6x10 MD long burst(40 shots, 2 attacks), 4d6x10 MD full magazine burst(80 shots, no bonuses to strike...does 3d6 MD to 4d4 targets if in a spray attack).
Rate of Fire: Standard
Payload: Effectively Unlimited
Cost: 78,000 credits

n) PPR-3 Serap’ Heavy Plasma Projector
Range:(Plasma Stream) 2000 ft
(Plasma Bolt) 1500 ft
Damage:(Plasma Stream) 1d6x10 MD per blast*
*Can be increased by 50% with a ‘hot shot’ injection of deuterium gas
(Plasma Bolt) 1d4x10 MD to 8 ft blast radius
Rate of Fire: Single shot, ECHH
Payload: 120 shot battery. Effectively Unlimited if attached to a nuclear powerplant.
Deuterium Gas Reservoir has enough gas under pressure for 45 shots.
Cost: 100,000 credits, plus 1,200 credits per deuterium ‘hotshot’ cartridge.

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

p) PSPPR-9 TriBarrel ‘HeatWave’ Gatling Plasma Cannon
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: 200 round box standard
Cost: 45,000 credits. Cadmium-telluride cartridges cost 45 credits each(but the price is expected to come down as production ramps up to meet demand)

q) PSIC-03 “Scheffer’ Ion Cannon
Range: (Ion Bolt) 3,000 ft
(Spray Bolt)1,500 ft and affects a 15 ft wide area
Damage: (Ion Bolt) 1d6x10 MD per single bolt
(Spray Bolt) 4d6 MD to a 15 ft wide area
On a Natural 20(Critical Strike) the ion weapon does TRIPLE damage instead of the normal double damage
Rate of Fire: Standard
Payload: Effectively Unlimited
Cost: 32,000 credits

r)PSPBW-8 ‘BlueBolt’ Heavy Particle Beam Rifle
Range: 4,000 ft
Damage: 1d6x10 MD per blast, but on a strike roll of 18 or more, the weapon does 2d4x10+10 MD!
Rate of Fire: Single shot, ECHH
Payload: Effectively Unlimited
Bonuses: +1 to strike from the laser spot sight.
Cost: 180,000 credits

s) PSPBW-10 ‘Fanblaster’ Particle Beam Weapon
Range: 3,200 ft
Damage: 1d6x10 MD to an 8 ft wide swath
Rate of Fire: ECHH
Payload: Effectively Unlimited
Cost: 150,000 credits


t) PS-RL-210 Fragmentation Rocket Launcher( a copy of an imported Russian design). Note that PS has also been experimenting with an incendiary variant using a magnesium mixture.
Range: 4,000 ft
Damage: 1d6 single projectile, 1d6x10 MD per 10 rd burst/volley
at 3,500 ft, the rds go ‘grapeshot’, doing 3d6 MD(1 MD for a single shot) in a 12 ft wide area.
(Incendiary “Hot-Grape” Version)---Do an additional +2 MD per rd, and 1 MD of damage for 1d4 melees as the flare portion burns down.
Rate of Fire: EGCHH
Payload: 500 rd drum per weapon
Cost: 100,000 credits

u) PS-DL-110 Razor-Frizzer( a 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: 2,000 ft
Damage: 1d6 single projectile, 1d6x10 MD per 10 rd burst/volley
Rate of Fire: EGCHH
Payload: 500 rd drum per weapon
Cost: 80,000 credits

v) Ripper Chainsaw w/ Laser---A knockoff of the Wellington Industries WI-CL8 Multi-Purpose Weapon System, grafted to the cyborg’s forearm and linked to its powerplant.
Range:(Chainsaw) Melee
(Laser) 2,000 ft
Damage:(Chainsaw) 5d6 MD
(Laser) 3d6 MD per blast
Rate of Fire:(Chainsaw) ECHH
(Laser) ECHH
Payload:(Chainsaw)Effectively Unlimited(linked to cyborg’s powerplant)
(Laser) Effectively Unlimited(linked to cyborg’s powerplant)
Cost: 44,000 credits

w)Circular Saws-----This option consists of a large(3ft diameter) circular saw studded with teeth of superhard ceramic, a swivel mount, and a blade guard. Normally stowed swivelled backwards across the forearm, the saw assembly swings forward when in use, extending past the hand, with the blade guard/hood preventing the spinning blade from slamming back into the armor. The Circular Saw is primarily intended for those jobs where tearing with the hands is not precise enough, and where plasma torches might do unacceptable thermal damage, like felling trees, cutting asphalt and concrete, and carving up debris.
MDC per Blade:45
Damage: 6d6 MD per slash, 1d6x10+10 MD per full melee cut
Cost: 55,000 credits

x)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
Cost: Exclusive to GNE forces.

y) Flame-thrower
Range: 280 ft
Damage:(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: Standard
Payload:(Gasoline/Alcohol) 10 blasts
(Napalm) 30 blasts
(MD Fluid) 50 blasts
(Incendi-Gel) 60 blasts
(WI Napalm-P) 100 blasts per tank(much more concentrated than the regular gasoline/alcohol).
Cost: 80,000 credits
(Gasoline/Alcohol) Typically 5-30 credits(depending on availability)
(Napalm) 25 credits per tank
(MD Fluid) 400 credits per tank
(Incendi-Gel) 500 credits per tank
(WI Napalm-P) 1000 credits per tank


2) Backpack Hardpoints(2)---The Helmuth mounts two powered swivel hardpoints on the upper back for mounting heavy weapons. Each hardpoint can hold ONE of the following:
a) Micro-Missiles---- 50-shot box

b) Mini-Missiles---- 19 shot pod

c) Short Range Missiles---4 shot pod

d) PS-FIM100A ‘Black Talon’ LSAM
Range: 3 miles
Damage: 3d4x10 MD to 40 ft blast radius
Rate of Fire: Single shot
Payload: One missile
Bonuses: +5 to strike airborne targets, and gets TWO attempts to strike the target(agile enough to loop back on a target for a second try).

e) ‘Copperhead’ Anti-Armor Missiles
Range: 1 mile
Damage: High Explosive 2d4x10 MD
Rate of Fire: Volleys of 1, 2, or 4
Payload: 4
Bonuses: +5 to strike
Cost: 50,000 credits for the launcher, 10, 000 credits per missile

f) Medium Range ‘Slammer’ Missiles; 10 miles, 2d6x10 MD, 20,000 credits, 1 per hardpoint.

g) PS-MMLR-14 Mini-Missile Launcher ---One of Paladin Steel’s minor triumphs of reverse-engineering has been the knock-off of the Coalition’s CCT-M20 Missile Rifle,complete down to the light laser, but modified to take advantage of PS’s advancements in lighter weight composites and ceramics.
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 an external generator, or 20 shots per standard E-clip/30 per long E-clip as backup.
Cost: 36,000 credits per launcher

h) KTH-65 32mm Assault Rail Gun (Raven)----Designed with the needs of a heavy infantry squad in mind, Kera-Tech Industries developed the KTH-65 for long range combat in both atmosphere and in space. Firing on full auto mode, the KTH-65 can penetrate virtually any known armour with ease. With the enhanced capability of variable rounds, numerous different combat roles can be filled by the KTH-65. The weapon is manufactured under license by Paladin Steel.
Mega-Damage: Varies by shell type
Shell Types:
APFS-DU (Armour Piercing Fin Stabilized, Depleted Uranium) - 5D6x10, no
blast radius
HESH (High Explosive Squash Head) - 5D6 MD plus 5D6 SDC to the person(s)
inside the object.
HE (High Explosive) 1D6x10 to a 5 (16ft) radius
HEG (High Explosive, Guided) - 2D6x10 to a 2m (7ft) radius
Rate of Fire: single shots
Maxium Effective Range: 1600m (1 mile) in atmosphere
Payload: 40 rds per drum, 80 rds total

i) PS-M-82D ‘Townshend’ 81mm Mortar Cannon
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
Cost: 220,000 credits

j)M-64 60mm ‘Snapdragon’ Gun-Mortar System
Range:(Direct Fire Mode): 6,000 ft
(Artillery Mode) 12,700 ft
Damage:
(Riot)---Combination flash-bang and rubber pellet charge---Victims are -10 to strike, parry, and dodge, -1 to initiative, and lose 1 APM for 1d4 melees. Rubber pellets do 1d4 SDC damage, but have a 60% chance of knockdown for any human-sized, or smaller, beings, caught in a 20 ft blast radius.....lose initiative and 1 APM for that melee(cost: 160 credits)
(Fragmentation-SDC) 2d4x10 SDC to 40 ft blast radius(cost: 200 credits)
(Fragmentation-MD) 3d6 MD to 50 ft blast radius(cost: 560 credits)
(High Explosive) 6d6 MD to 20 ft blast radius(cost: 720 credits)
(Anti-Armor HEAT) Very heavy projectile( Does 3d6x10 MD to a 2 ft diameter area(shaped charge)(cost: 900 credits)
(Plasma/Micro-Fusion) 1d6x10 MD to 8 ft blast radius (cost: 800 credits)
(Incendiary) 2d6 MD flash damage to 24 ft blast radius, plus does 1d4 MD per melee for 2d6 melees(cost: 710 credits)
(Acid)---4d6 MD to a 5 ft radius, then diminishes in strength by 1d6 each melee(lasts about 4 melees)(cost: credits)
(Chemical) Effects vary, but contains enough chemical agent to cover a 15 ft radius
(Illumination) Can loft to an altitude of 600 ft, and illuminate a 500 ft radius for 4d4 melees. (cost: 15 credits)
Note: Additional grenade types, including TW munitions, are constantly in development.

Rate of Fire: ECHH. Hand-loading and firing rounds takes 2 actions each shot.
Payload: Varies by vehicle- and cyborg- ammunition-storage capacity. As a rifle/pod-style weapon, it has a clip-on magazine with 5 shots
Cost: 250,000 credits

k)Point Defense Turret---This is the modular PDS turret first introduced on the PSA-11 Power Armor, then adopted for use as a light point defense weapons system on vehicles such as the Merlin Hovercar and other AFVs. Come with a choice of being fitted with pulse lasers, ion, plasma, or light rail guns. Its strength is that it can be automated, acting to automatically attack predetermined targets(such as incoming missiles), allowing the cyborg to focus on other tasks.
-k1) Pulse Laser
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)
Cost: 45,000 credits

-k2) 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

-k3) 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

-L4)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: 28,000 credits

l) Pulse Laser (PSMBL-5000B)---PS copy of the Japanese M-BiLar AT-5000.
Range: 6,000 ft
Damage: 4d6 MD double blast, 1d4x10+8 MD quad blast, 1d6x10 MD full 5-shot blast
Rate of Fire: ECHH
Payload: Effectively Unlimited
Cost: 100,000 credits

m) Heavy Laser Blast Cannon(PSHL-7)---PS copy of the ATL-7; does massive damage, but rate of fire is limited, owing to the need to recharge the capacitors between shots.
Range: 3,000 ft
Damage: 3d6x10+20 MD per shot
Rate of Fire: Three shots per melee maximum
Payload: Effectively Unlimited
Cost: 100,000 credits

n) PSIC-01 Tesla Infantry Ion Cannon
Range:(Ion Bolt) 1,900 ft
(Lightning Blast) 2,500 ft
(Shock Zone) 200 ft, and affects a 55-ft wide area
Damage: (Ion Bolt) 5d6 MD single shot, 2d4x10 MD five-shot burst
(Lightning Blast) 1d6x10 MD
(Shock Zone) 3d6 MD per melee caught in the zone of effect
Rate of Fire: ECHH
Payload:(Ion Bolt/Burst Shot) Effectively Unlimited
(Lightning Blast) Each blast takes 2 shots
(Shock Zone) The shock zone uses up 1 shot per minute of operation
Cost: 28,000 credits

o) PSIC-02 Infantry Ion Cannon
Range: 2,000 ft
Damage: 1d6x10 MD per bolt to primary target.
Furthermore, a secondary bolt will jump to 1d6 targets in the vicinity of the main target, starting with the nearest target(or the nearest metallic target) as long as they are within 6 ft(10 ft for metal targets) of the initial target/point of impact, then jumping to the next one until the ball lightning disipates. Secondary targets can attempt to dodge the energy ball as standard.
Secondary targets will take HALF damage(4d6 MD).
Does only 1/4 of the original damage if the secondary targets are non-metallic or grounded
Organic targets roll for Stun; save at 16 or better or be -8 to strike, dodge, parry, roll, and initiative, reduce APMs and Spd by HALF, for 2d4 melee rds. A successful save means lose only initiative and 1 APM for 1 melee round.
50% chance of knocking out unshielded electronics(or 1d4 subsystems like radio, electronic image amplification, cybernetic sensory implant, or the like) for 1d4 melees.
Beings susceptible to electricity take DOUBLE damage.
Rate of Fire: Standard
Payload: Effectively Unlimited
Bonuses: +2 to strike metallic targets
Cost: 27,000 credits

p) PSPPR-20 ‘Supernova’ Heavy Plasma Rifle
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) ECHH
(Plasma Scattershot) ECHH
(Plasma Mini-Torpedo) Twice per melee
Payload:(Plasma Shot) 5 shots per standard e-clip, 10 shots per long e-clip, 21 shots per e-canister, 36 shots per backpack battery-pack, and can also be hooked directly to a cyborg , robot, or vehicular powerplant.
(Plasma Scattershot) Same as for regular plasma bolts
(Plasma Mini-Torpedo) Takes 2 shots each
Bonuses:----
Special Features:
*“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: A recharged cylinder of refined d-gas costs 800 credits(300 credits if the user can return a depleted gas cylinder at the time of purchase) and is good for 20 shots.

3) (Optional) Hand-held Weaponry---It’s rare for a fully-loaded Helmuth to carry an accessory handheld weapon like a heavy rifle pod or rocket launcher, but many Helmuths do like to carry a backup weapon, such as a vibroblade, neural mace, stungun or SDC weapon(shotguns are a favorite) for utility work, or for ‘soft’ targets that don’t require complete obliteration. Their fully articulated hands allow them to use infantry-scale equipment.

Hand to Hand Combat
Restrained Punch 1d4 MD
Full Strength Punch 3d6 MD
Power Punch( 2 attacks) 1d6x10 MD
Kick 3d6 MD
Leap Kick(2 Attacks) 6d6 MD
Judo-Style Throw/Flip 1d8 MD
Body Block/Ram: (2 attacks) 5d6 MD

Options:
The Helmuth can be fitted with any of the standard cybernetic and bionic features in the Rifts books. Favorite options include fitting the 'borg with improvements to their firepower or their armor.

*BattleCloak(aka ‘Shellcloak’)---This is essentially a heavy portable MDC shelter-igloo(based on PA vehicular ‘morph armor’) that is worn like a stiff cape, but which fully unfolds out to form a rigid shell around the cyborg. Openings in the top allow the cyborg to see out and around, and to use back-mounted weaponry(such as mortars) while under heavy protection. Mini-pylons drive deep into the ground to anchor the shelter-shell against being blown over by shockwaves. Though heavy and encumbering, the BattleCloak is a popular accessory when facing artillery is anticipated.
MDC: +200 MDC when deployed
Cost: 300,000 credits

*Thermal-Kinetic Armor---An expensive knockoff of Naruni Enterprise’s TKarmor.
Only a 25% chance of showing up on IR/thermal scans, MD heat attacks do HALF damage, and explosions, falls, high-speed impacts, and projectiles do HALF damage.
----Cost: +1 million credits

*Laser-Reflective---Reduces laser damage done to your vehicle by HALF. VFLs can NOT adjust to compensate. As an added bonus, Arkhon triphase weapons do 1/10 less damage.
----Cost:+500,000 credits

*Thermal Resistant Heat-Refractory Tile Armor---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----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

*Smoke Mortars(2x3 tubes)
Range: 500 ft
Damage: None, smoke(chemical agents such as tear gas can be substituted) in 10 ft radius.
Rate of Fire: Volleys of 1,2,3, 4, or 6
Payload: 6 smoke grenades per launcher, 36 total
----Cost: 18,000 credits per launcher

*PPS/PP-LMT01 Land Micro Torpedo Launcher---Each leg can mount two LMT01s, firing at an angle downward. Helmuths have used this option to great advantage in urban fighting, using the burrowing missiles totake out basement bunkers, attack behind walls, and lay booby-traps for enemy vehicles.

[kronos]

Paladin Steel ‘Helmuth’ Heavy Assault Cyborg
(aka ‘Boomborg’, ‘Panzer-Dancer’, ‘Tanker-trot’)

Nice! Walking tanks a-hoy!
Oh.. you're missing the MDC of the back missile launchers.

[taalismn]

Paladin Steel ‘Helmuth’ Heavy Assault Cyborg
(aka ‘Boomborg’, ‘Panzer-Dancer’, ‘Tanker-trot’)

Nice! Walking tanks a-hoy!
Oh.. you're missing the MDC of the back missile launchers.

Changed them to shoulder weapons mounts and updated with picture:

http://i408.photobucket.com/albums/pp164/taalismn/img613_zpsusxhsa2m.jpg

[kronos]

Paladin Steel ‘Helmuth’ Heavy Assault Cyborg
(aka ‘Boomborg’, ‘Panzer-Dancer’, ‘Tanker-trot’)

Nice! Walking tanks a-hoy!
Oh.. you're missing the MDC of the back missile launchers.

Changed them to shoulder weapons mounts and updated with picture:

http://i408.photobucket.com/albums/pp164/taalismn/img613_zpsusxhsa2m.jpg

Looking good.