EcoS-K-29 Buthidid
http://i408.photobucket.com/albums/pp164/taalismn/img178copy.jpg “Let the Splugorth send MORE minions to face us! We shall build a MOUNTAIN RANGE with their mounded dead, that others shall name and still be able to see a century from now!”---Skullcrusher Buthidid Rider, during the assault on the Splugorth stronghold of Hemolus IX
“Nicknaming something like the Buthidid ‘Buthi’ is like a Kreeghor calling a Kartuhm-Terek ‘Tuhmmy’ or ‘Rekkie’; unsettling and disturbing. Clearly a gaijan affectation and a sign of addled and distracted minds. These things are death machines, deadly weapons, plain and simple, and the only fitting nicknames they deserve are things like ‘danger!’, ‘instant death!’ or ‘evacuate!’. More often than not, they’re called only by the last screams and curses of those who failed to heed martial wisdom and listen to the warnings.” ---Tontaki Ekodowa, General, Bushi Federation.
The Eco-S-K-29 Buthidid is another fearsome new Skullcrusher Warmount recently introduced as part of WarGoddess Nerys Night-Sunder’s latest efforts to restore pride to her Tribe. This heavily armored and heavily armed Warmount is meant to bolster the Skullcrushers’ ground forces with both its fearsome array of weapons and its stubborn battle-hunger, chewing away at the enemy.
Scorpion-like in configuration, the ‘Buthi’ serves like a tank, bringing massive firepower, in a heavily armored platform, to bear on the battlefield, albeit relatively slowly. The legs sport special expansion plates that allow them to provide cover for warriors clustered close to the Warmount, allowing it to serve as a most effective field fortification and defensive position. The Buthidid is a monster at all ranges; its heavy turret-mounted cannons can savage targets at long range, while close in, the mech-beast’s claws and mandibles make short work of anybody foolish enough to get within reach of the metal monster. Unusual for a Warmount, the Buthidid is one of the few that has provision for carrying its crew and passengers INSIDE itself, like a proper vehicle, providing added protection to its crew.
Like the Draxos, the Buthidid was blooded on the hellworld of Carnaphade, but was soon deployed offworld in assaults on Splugorth strongholds. It has quickly made a reputation for itself in these actions as a relentless force on the advance, and a tenacious and savage opponent in defense.
The Buthidid remains exclusive to the Skullcrushers. Though it is an extremely powerful unit, its deployment has been hampered by the complexity and expense of its production; a fully equipped and operational Buthidid takes up as much Assembler Forge time and resources to produce as four standard Monsterex warmounts. The Buthidid is also fairly slow, limiting its ability to rapidly deploy on the ground, while its size means that it cannot be easily transported aboard the same landing vehicles as smaller Warmounts. The enclosed cabin also takes some adjusting to by riders more used to riding atop their mounts, exposed to the elements. However, when available to a Skullcrusher force, the Buthidid is a major menace on the battlefield.
Type: EcoS-K-29 Buthidid
Class: Robotic Warmount
Crew: None; robot intelligence
1 rider/pilot, 1 gunner, and room for 8 passengers
MDC/Armor by Location:
Main Body 900
Reinforced Crew Compartment 200
Head 390
Savager Jaw 280
Heavy Weapons Turret(1) 300
Claws(2) 300 each
Legs(6) 250 each
Tail Tendrils(2) 120 each
Height: 14 ft (can lower itself to 9 ft); turret adds another 5 ft.
Width: 12 ft (legs can extend out another 10 ft on either side for a total span of 30 ft)
Length: 45 ft
Weight: 25 tons
Cargo: Small space inside for a few personal possessions and sidearms over each seat. A weapons rack and small (5 ftx 5ftx 8 ft) closet space is located in the back.
Physical Strength: Equivalent to Robotic P.S. of 45
Powerplant: Nuclear w/ 20 year energy life
Speed: (Running) 80 MPH
(Leaping) Not really designed with leaping in mind, but it can still manage a 20 ft high/across standing jump. A running start in excess of 60 MPH adds another 5d6 yards/meters to the distance or 10 ft higher.
(Climbing) Good climber; Climbing skill of 75%
(Flying) Not possible
(Space) Not possible
(Underwater) Limited to crawling along the bottom at 15 MPH, maximum depth 1,500 ft.
Market Cost: Exclusive to the Ecotroz-Shemar
Systems of Note:
Full optical systems, laser targeting, passive night vision, telescopic vision, thermal imaging, infrared, ultraviolet, and polarization filters. Also has motion and heat detection, built-in radar( 60 mile range) and other standard power armor-equivalent systems. Additional/special sensors may be built in by the creating Spinsters or at the behest of individual riders/owners.
*Mine Resistant Hull---The underside of the Buthidid’s main body is angled and curved to deflect the force of explosions underneath it out and to the sides, doing only HALF damage to the main body(legs still take full damage).
*Leg Panels---The sides of the legs sport folding panels that afford disembarked infantry some extra protection, offering the equivalent of partial cover(effectively Armor Rating 13) for anybody standing behind the open panels.
*Bionic Cybernanite Repair Systems---ALL Buthidid have the same bionic nanotech repair system that the Ecotroz Shemar have refitted themselves with, and which is the standard among NeShemar as well. These systems repair 4d6 MD per hour, and can repair 400 MDC before needing material stocks to convert to MD repair material.
Weapons Systems:
1) Heavy Weapons Turret---Mounted towards the rear of the Buthidid is a large heavily armored turret that can hold the following:
a) Heavy Laser Cannon---Copied from weapons salvaged off TGE Dark Slayer MBTs.
Range: 3 miles
Damage: 3d6x10 MD per blast
Rate of Fire: EGCHH
Payload: Effectively Unlimited
Note: Certain Elite units have reportedly had this weapons system modified with Silvermoon laser systems that have 25% more range and damage. What the Skullcrushers traded or did to get the Silvermoons to provide them with such weapons remains unknown.
b) Heavy Plasma Cannon---A heavy plasma projector that can fire in two modes, a direct strike narrow-focus streamer, or a bolt that expands on impact to do damage to a wider area.
Range: 4,000 ft
Damage:(Direct Stream) 5d6x10 MD per blast
(Bolt) 3d6x10 MD to a 15 ft wide area.
Rate of Fire: EGCHH
Payload: Effectively Unlimited
c) Heavy Particle Beam Cannon---Not exceptional, but powerful nevertheless.
Range: 6,000 ft
Damage: 4d6x10 MD per blast
Rate of Fire: EGCHH
Payload: Effectively Unlimited
d) 2x Disruptor Cannon----Copied from Golgan designs
Range: 4,000 ft
Damage: 1d6x10 MD per single blast, 2d6x10 MD for both cannon firing simultaneously, plus 25% damage to everything in a 6 ft radius of the point of impact.
Rate of Fire: EGCHH
Payload: Effectively Unlimited
e) Heavy Rail Gun/Gravity Cannon---A modified copy of the 200m Fletchette Gun mounted on the CAF’s Phalanx MBT, this weapon serves as an enormous ‘shotgun’, spraying a conical area with armor-ablating and flesh-shredding projectiles.
Range: 8,000 ft
Damage: Against large targets(10 ft tall/wide or larger) a single shot does 3d4x10 MD. Against human-sized targets, a shot does 1d4x10 MD to a 30 ft wide area.
+2 to shoot down missiles
Rate of Fire: EGCHH
Payload: 200 rds
f) 2x Heavy Rapid-Fire 80mm Cannon--- These are rapid-fire massdriver cannon capable of delivering a variety of munition types over impressive ranges, fed from computer-inventoried drum magazines. The gunner simply selects the ammunition type desired, the magazine rotates to the appropriate cell, the round loaded, and the weapon fired. While the average Skullcrusher warrior prefers to fight enemies they can SEE, the wiser warriors appreciate the effect on an enemy, when death is raining from the sky on them and they cannot effectively strike back.
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: 80 rds per gun
g) 3x SkullShatter Cannons---The most feared weapons configuration on the Buthidid is the so-called ‘ShatterScorp’, THREE of the feared SkullShatter cannons firing at once! Fortress walls melt like sandcastles in front of the tidal wave of shot these cannons can pump out, dragons and Metlza wisely turn tail, and even demons have been known to pause in shock when these guns start roaring on the battlefield.
Range: 6,000 ft
Damage: 2d6x10 MD per round, 6d6x10 MD for a three shot burst, 1d6MDx100 for a six shot burst(!)
Rate of Fire: ECHH
Payload: 820 shot drum per gun
h) 4x 30mm Anti-Aircraft Cannons
Range: 10,000 ft
Damage: 4d6 MD single rd, 1d6x10 MD two rd burst, 3d6x10 MD six-round burst per SINGLE gun firing. All four guns going at maximum rate of fire simultaneously do a whopping 3d6x40 MD!
Rate of Fire: EPCHH
Payload: 1,600 rds, 400 rds per cannon
Bonuses: Independent laser and radar tracking system(range: 11,000 ft). +1 strike set on automatic against aerial attack, +2 strike fired by gunner
i) Mini-Missile Launcher---240 mini-missiles, volleys of 1-20
j) Short Range Missile Launcher---120 SRMs, volleys of 1-10
k) Medium Range Missile Launcher---60 MRMs, volleys of 1-10
l) Heavy Flame Thrower---A super heavy incendiary fluid sprayer, for those BIG burn jobs.
Range: 500 ft
Damage: 4d6 MD for a short blast, 2d4x10 MD for a full melee spray
Continues to do 2d6 MD every melee round for 1d4 minutes.
Can cover a 20 ft square area in one blast, or an 80 ft area with a full melee spray.
Rate of Fire: EGCHH
Payload: 100 blasts
2) Acid Sprayers(2)---Mounted on either side of the head are two small nozzles for spraying caustic chemicals. Intended to assist in breaking through heavy armor, the acid sprayers have earned the Buthidid the moniker ‘the Dissolver’ among terrified enemy soldiers.
Range: 80 ft
Damage: 3d6 MD first round, and 2d4 MD per melee for 2d4 melees. Covers a 10 ft area.
Rate of Fire: ECHH
Payload: 50 shots per sprayer before needing refill
3)Eye Lasers(8)---Arrayed on the forehead shield like spider’s eyes are six optical nodes for light laser cannon. In addition, the two shielded eyes under the armored plate are also equipped with integral lasers. The warmount can ‘fan’ these lasers to provide an anti-projectile ‘umbrella’ ahead of itself or to take down large numbers of infantry massed in front of it.
Range: 3,000 ft
Damage: 3d6 MD per single laser blast, 18d6(or 1d6x18) MD for all six forehead lasers firing on the same target, 1d6x24 MD for all EIGHT lasers firing simultaneously(targets must be directly in front of the head for all the lower eye lasers to also be able to acquire target).
Rate of Fire: ECHH
Payload: Effectively Unlimited
4) Grinder Jaws---In addition to a fearsomely betoothed upper and lower jaw, the Buthidid’s mouth has two wicked side jaws, with the combined effect of masticating anything caught between them into very fine pieces.
Range: Melee
Damage: (Restrained Bite) 1d6 MD
(Full Strength Bite) 1d6x10 MD
(Power Bite)(2 attacks) 3d6x10 MD
5) Pincer Claws(2)---The Buthidid, like its namesake, sports two powerful pincer claws able to tear through armor or remove an armored limb in one snip.
Range: Melee
Damage:
(Restrained Punch) 2d6 MD
(Punch) 6d6 MD
(Power Punch) 7d6 MD
6) Prehensile Tails(2)---The Buthidid mounts two prehensile tentacle tails at the back, normally stowed under the fixed ‘fantail’, but able to sweep out, up, and out to the sides. The tentacle-tails end in wicked vibroblades for stabbing, but can also be swung to clothesline opponents.
Range: Melee, with 20 ft reach
Damage:(Stab) 4d6 MD
(Swipe) 2d6 MD
Bonus: Each tail has its own sensor, and is +3 to strike
Programming:
The Ecotroz have installed robotic AIs, then infected the matrix with a low-level Ecotroz sentience. Buthidids have strong-willed personalities akin to that of tigers; they can be stealthy, patient, predators willing to wait the order to pounce, but in battle they can go kill-crazy, pursuing enemies and requiring a strong hand from their riders to get them focused again on specific objectives. They will also readily devour fallen (megadamage) opponents and wreckage, even if they don’t need repair material to heal themselves, just for the pleasure of gorging themselves.
Typically has the same basic programming as for the Monstrex.
The Ecotroz entity can also pick up one Secondary skill at levels 2, 6, and 12 of experience, though the nature of the Buthidid’s intelligence and design is such that it is limited to skill selections from Technical: Language(understanding) and Lore, Espionage(Detect Ambush, Detect Concealment), Wilderness(Track Humanoids, Track Animals, Hunting, Identify Plants and Fruits)
Actions/Attacks Per Melee: 5
Initiative +1 (+1 from the Ecotroz entity for a total of +2)
Dodge +2
Strike +1 (+2 w/ ranged weaponry)
Roll +2
Restrained Bite 1d6 MD
Full Strength Bite 1d6x10 MD
Power Bite(2 attacks) 3d6x10 MD
Restrained Punch 2d6 MD
Pincer Punch 6d6 MD
Pincer Power Punch 7d6 MD
Tail Stab 4d6 MD
Tail Swipe 2d6 MD
Kick 2d4 MD
Body Block/Tackle/Ram 5d6 MD, plus knockdown(same as for the Monstrex)
Note: The Ecotroz intelligence fragment inhabiting the ‘bot gives the Buthidid an aura and behavior more befitting a sentient being than a robot.
The Ecotroz fragment does occasionally need sleep/rest...though they only need 2 hours of rest/meditation per 24 hours...they can push this, going without for as many days as they have I.Q. points, but will have to go dormant for 4d6 hours after such exertion.
Note also that the Ecotroz-possessed ‘bot can infect other bots with the Ecotroz viral-entity, by bite or sustained touch(takes 3 attacks).
Variants:
The only reported variant of the Buthidid is a briefly-glimpsed Warmount in the personal guard of WarGoddess Nerys Night-Sunder. The black and gold chromed Buthidid is said to be plated in laser-resistant armor that reduces laser damage by HALF. Since the Silvermoons are the most likely source of such exotic armor, it remains a mystery what sort of arrangements went on to acquire such a gift from that Tribe, and whether or not the option will be offered to other Buthidid units.
Field modifications have included the fitting of heat-refractory armor to the legs and undersides of Buthidids during the assault on the hellworld Ignitus, to liberate the slaves working the Splugorth mines there amongst the open lava fields and firepits of the young planet. Heat and plasma-based attacks do 1/4 damage, but it is not known if the Buthidids involved in the assault retained their thick carbon-black armor afterwards or subsequently had the appliqué removed.
Some observers have claimed to have seen Buthidids mounted paired short-range ion blasters on each leg ‘knee’ joint(characteristics similar to the She-IP30 Ion Pistol; 1,000 ft range, 4d6 MD per single shot, 8d6 MD per dual blast, possible ‘fan’ mode that reduces range to 400 ft, but does 4d6 MD to a 10 ft wide area), with 90-degree elevation/depression on the mounts, allowing for a wide area fire zone around the Warmount. However, this additional weaponry remains unconfirmed, and may arise from misidentification of floodlights mounted on the leg knee joints.
Rumors also persist of Buthidids apparently fitted with forcefield generators; survivors of the Desslyth forces defending the Arando mine complexes described the marauding Buthidids as ‘sparkling’ when taking incoming fire as they charged the walled Splugorth compound. The Skullcrushers neither confirm nor deny that the Buthidids can be fitted with forcefield generators, so most tech anaylsts take that as a ‘yes’ that such modification is possible.