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Re: Paladin Steel Storefront

Posted: Sat Jan 24, 2009 6:35 pm
by glitterboy2098
taalismn wrote:Ah, the ever growing 'To Do' list...like rolling a boulder uphill in Hades... :P


i know the feeling. finish up writing my worldbook, start writing the CS update worldbook, finish up SkyKnight industries rifter article, start the article on the Aurora islands undersea community, new naut'yll warmachine, and the new navy's new ships, and the 3rd Falklands war, revise my deep frontier and oregon protectorate articles, and somewhere i have a list of spells i invented for a new magic type, Biblomancy..

and thats not counting the ideas for landships, airships, and new creatures i have stewing in my head.

Re: Paladin Steel Storefront

Posted: Sat Jan 24, 2009 10:40 pm
by taalismn
Bibliomancy!...ahhhh....you had to remind me of my stalled Librarian Martial Arts and Mystic librarianship.....waahhhhhh...

Re: Paladin Steel Storefront

Posted: Sun Jan 25, 2009 12:26 am
by Veritas476
Poor Taalismn. :-D

I've still got noted personalities, a couple new vehicles, and a lot of text revision for my Wildstorm Industries material to do before I move on to some of my other ideas.

Getting back on track though... Does Paladin Steel have anything resembling a rugged land-based motorcycle design?

Re: Paladin Steel Storefront

Posted: Sun Jan 25, 2009 12:39 am
by abtex
taalismn wrote:Ah, the ever growing 'To Do' list...like rolling a boulder uphill in Hades... :P

As long I can help. I oiled the path, did maintenance on the Mag Traction generator. :D
It's OK now, I just forgot to plug it in. The Generator does go on the boulder, Right?
taalismn wrote:Sunshine seems to have been deleted...

She was there now she is HERE She is riding what I think a New West Hovercycle should look like. It just feels right. I never know she worked as a Sheriff before. I did not know that PS West did BodySuit. :eek:

from Paladin Steel Jeep Warrior ATV-40V wrote:*Mag Traction System --- The ‘economy’ version of Pandora’s Virtual Tread Traction System, that allows a vehicle superior handling on wet ground and sloping surfaces. The downside of it is that in anything less than a nuclear-powered vehicle, the energy expenditure can quickly drain the car’s batteries.
Bonuses:+15% to control rolls
Penalties: If driving with a liquid fuel or electric engine, reduce baseline gas mileage/range by 10% per hour of activation that the MagTrac system is engaged.

taalismn wrote:
abtex wrote:What is Pandora and a Virtual Tread Traction System?
It's on the 'To Do' list...

Re: Paladin Steel Storefront

Posted: Sun Jan 25, 2009 3:14 pm
by taalismn
Well, I did have on the drawing boards/engineering templates a series of TW-enhanced lingerie called 'Power Nothings'...nothing like soaking a vampire in a tsunami from mid-air from that blue lace wave-pattern camisole...that would qualify for what she's wearing...
Now I gotta put THAT stuff on the list to revisit and rework....

"Good god, she's wearing it..."
"What?"
"The Panty of Power High-Kicking...practically allows you to dislocate your leg to perform a straight-up superhuman strength ram-his-family-jewels-into-his-sinus-cavity kick..."

Re: Paladin Steel Storefront

Posted: Sun Jan 25, 2009 6:15 pm
by abtex
Skin suit + Cyborg muscle fibers + fanny power pack or Footware power generator = Power underware

Footware power generator keep the power cells charged do not need to be the power source.
That was something Gizmag about a system for military and hikers I think.

Re: Paladin Steel Storefront

Posted: Sun Jan 25, 2009 6:28 pm
by abtex
glitterboy2098 wrote:
taalismn wrote:Ah, the ever growing 'To Do' list...like rolling a boulder uphill in Hades... :P
Something like this


i know the feeling. finish up writing my worldbook, start writing the CS update worldbook, finish up SkyKnight industries rifter article, start the article on the Aurora islands undersea community, new naut'yll warmachine, and the new navy's new ships, and the 3rd Falklands war, revise my deep frontier and oregon protectorate articles, and somewhere i have a list of spells i invented for a new magic type, Biblomancy..

and thats not counting the ideas for landships, airships, and new creatures i have stewing in my head.

What's in the Rifter article?

A 'To Do' list? I just have pile(s) of random notepads and clipboards full brain farts and such. You guys are lucky just a list?

Re: Paladin Steel Storefront

Posted: Sun Jan 25, 2009 6:44 pm
by glitterboy2098
abtex wrote:
glitterboy2098 wrote:
taalismn wrote:Ah, the ever growing 'To Do' list...like rolling a boulder uphill in Hades... :P


i know the feeling. finish up writing my worldbook, start writing the CS update worldbook, finish up SkyKnight industries rifter article, start the article on the Aurora islands undersea community, new naut'yll warmachine, and the new navy's new ships, and the 3rd Falklands war, revise my deep frontier and oregon protectorate articles, and somewhere i have a list of spells i invented for a new magic type, Biblomancy..

and thats not counting the ideas for landships, airships, and new creatures i have stewing in my head.

What's in the Rifter article?

A 'To Do' list? I just have pile(s) of random notepads and clipboards full brain farts and such. You guys are lucky just a list?


well, not a physical list. more of a "whoah, i just remembered i had this to work on" kind of thing.

as for the article, it describes SkyKnight industries, a group of operators who build updated MDC replica's of classic aircraft (WW1 to Korea, at the moment). their main facilities are located north of arzno. i've intentionally avoided making dedicated combat aircraft, though two of the planes (the Sopwith camel and the P-40 warhawk) could probably be used for such against monsters and other weaker opponents. they main produce cargo and passenger planes, with a sideline in cheap MDC biplanes.

the article includes their big sellers, their history, and i'm debating stating up the bignames of the company (owner, main developers, ect), and including a map and description of their assembly complex/research museum.

to be honest, it's not a huge priority, since i have worldbook stuff to write.

Re: Paladin Steel Storefront

Posted: Sun Jan 25, 2009 7:18 pm
by taalismn
Tough being Master of Your Own Universe when the the UNiverse we all live in won't acknowledge your greatness and grant you means and time to CREATE, no?

Although to be perfectly honest, when I DO get a day off, I find myself goofing off to do other things I'd like to do...read, draw, sleep... :-D

Re: Paladin Steel Storefront

Posted: Mon Jan 26, 2009 7:01 pm
by taalismn
An excellent treatment of the history, development, and specifics of the B-36 can be found in Dennis R. Jenkins’ Magnesium Overcast(Specialty Press, 2001, 2005)

B-36 Peacemaker Heavy Long Range Bomber
-----B-36(S) Techno-Wizard Haven

“I’ve been close enough to that thing to see it bare eyeball...shining metal, glowing with the light, but painted in the damnest collection of insignia I’ve ever seen...Everything from old U.S. Empire Air Force markings, orange radiation warning colors, runes, and ward symbols all over it...they’re glowing too....Just before that thing openned up on my squadron...clear blue sky one second, the next I’m bucking a hurricane at high altitude....twisters reaching UP from the clouds below me to grab my wings, rain washing across my canopy, lightning blasting at me...then those guns started blasting at me from all over the thing, and a whole set of blazing big hell-spitting fireflies came screaming out of nowhere at me.....Lost track of the target after that...I was too busy trying not to die at that point.
I never want to get that close to that thing ever again...”
----Captain Edgar Hackett, Coalition Air Force

The B-36 was an American ‘superheavy’ design for a long range bomber, conceived of during World War 2 against the possibility that, denied forward air bases in England, the United States Air Force might have to attack contintental Europe from air bases on American soil. Fortunately, however, Great Britain held, and the bombing campaign againt Nazi Germany proceeded with shorter ranged B-24s and B-17s, but design work continued on the intercontinental bomber program, ultimately producing a working prototype in 1946.
A true giant of aviation, the B-36 had a relatively straightforward conventional planeform design, with thick widespread fixed wings(albeit with a slight sweep backwards), tubular fuselage, and a high fixed tail assembly with the distinctive shape of its B-17 and B-29 cousins. Multiple remote control gun blisters studded the aircraft’s surface, against the decreasing threat of manned gun-equipped fighters(as opposed to the growing threat of SAMs and AAMs). The cockpit had a distinctive protruding blister canopy, and lattice-work bombardier’s nose station. The aircraft sported no less than six prop-engines in a ‘pusher’ configuration, and in some models were supplemented by four jet engines in two underwing nacelles outboard of the conventional props. As the B-36 was expected to fly long range at high altitude, the aircraft sported two internal pressurized compartments on either end of the two main ordnance bays, connected by a personnel tunnel through which crew members could pull themselves on a small wheeled cart and overhead line from the two cabins. The sheer scale of the aircraft was daunting; the main wings were seven feet thick at the roots; a man could crawl quite easily through the dead spaces in the wings well outboard of the engines. The rear tail plane stood so high that special accommodations had to be made to allow the giant bomber to safely slot into its hangars.
The massive B-36 would see limited deployment in a variety of makes and variants, as the backbone of SAC’s manned bomber leg of the strategic nuclear force, until it was replaced by the development of the faster and more advanced B-52 Stratofortress. However, the B-36 would retire a legacy of being one of the largest military aircraft to fly in the United States arsenal.
No B-36s survived in any recognizable state through the Coming of the Rifts, having long been dismantled or broken up for museum displays, but a few aviation-minded Technowizards did know of the design from records they had zealously dug up and preserved. There was some discussion of building one bandied about various TW ‘clubs’, especially in the West, but little came of these dream-sessions. With one exception.
Enter the Technowizard known only as the ‘Weatheman’, a powerful master of his craft who had made a reputation for himself specializing in environmental control magic of the high end sort. Powerful and eccentric(even more so than the average Technowizards), the ‘Weatherman’ had also accumulated considerably wealth hiring out his skills and creative talents to various small kingdoms, as well as larger nations such as Tolkeen and Lazlo, and made an appearance during the Gathering of Champions to fight the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. He is rumored to have had a hand in the creation of Paladin Steel’s Elemental Munitions program, and reportedly Stormspire offered him a high-paying deal for his exclusive services. Before the all-out battle for Tolkeen, the ‘Weatherman’ had decided to look into acquiring a mobile base of operations, something fancy and impressive, that appealed to his rather grandiose tastes, something along the lines of a ‘flying fortress of solitude’. The ‘Weatherman’ had originally wanted to purchase and convert an Iron Heart Armory SkyCastle, but with the fall of the weapons manufacturer to the Coalition and its allies, that plan was nixed, and those who already had the prized bombers, were reluctant to sell, at any price. Instead, the infuriated master-mage went to another renegade arms manufacturer, Paladin Steel West, and commissioned the incredulous engineers there to build him a replica B-36, which he would then outfit to his exacting specs.
The B-36 S ‘Storm Master’ has a superficial resemblance to the original B-36, but is very much different, courtesy of modern megadamage technologies and post-Rifts developments in Techno-Wizardry. The Weatherman conceived of the massive aircraft as his own private flying hideaway. With his massive fortune, he could afford to have his dream machine created to order.
Powering the giant aircraft by a combination of nuclear and ley line energy, the aircraft can remain aloft effectively indefinitely. Indeed, the Weatherman and his minions rarely land the massive bird, but instead use teleport spells and other mystic transport forms to get to and from their airborne lair. The removal of any need to carry liquid fuel has allowed the TWizards to convert space originally intended for fuel tankage, especially in the wings, to space for other equipment and weaponry. The rear pressurized compartment has been extended into one of the converted bomb bays(the weapons complement moved to the wings), allowing the Weatherman sufficient space for a small, but comfortable, set of living quarters. The few outsiders actually allowed to visit this flying home have noted its eccentric decor and close, but comfortable, quartering.
The B-36S retains the full complement of weapons turrets, utilizing a combination of magical and conventional megadamage weapons mounts. Modern megadamage materials, backed by various protection spells, provide more than adequate physical protection, including against the higher radiation levels found at high altitude.
Since the completion of his ‘flying fortress’, the ‘Weatherman’ has rarely left it. Since the fall of Tolkeen, he appears to have studiously avoided going anywhere near Coalition airspace, but the massive flying machine has been seen orbiting about the American NorthWest, and some Pecos Raiders claim he has ventured further south to weather-bomb the vampire hordes in support of Reid’s Rangers.
So far, only one B-36S has been built, and cannot (easily) be duplicated, as the Weatherman did most of the major magical conversion work AFTER accepting the basic hull from PSW. However, PS still has the basic plans in their engineering database, and could, if asked by someone with enough interest and cash, build additional B-36s to spec, but so far there haven’t been any new orders placed.
Type: TW-B-36(S)
Class: Techno-Wizardry-Enhanced Long Range Heavy Strategic Bomber
Date of Introduction: PA
Crew: 12-15(the Weatherman reportedly also later bought four FALSTAFF robots forinflight maintenance)
MDC/Armor by Location:
Main Body 1,000
Reinforced Crew Compartments(2, fore and aft) 200 each
Tail Assembly 400
Wings(2) 450 each
Tornado Turboprops(6) 250 each
Jet Boosters(2) 200 each
Gun Turrets(9) 80 each

Height: 46 ft, 9 in.
Width/Beam/Span: 230 ft
Length: 162 ft
Weight: 410,000 lbs
Cargo: 85,000 lbs
Powerplant: Combination Nuclear Fusion w/ 25 year energy life and PPE Generator/Ley Line Propulsion System(Effectively indefinite range on a ley line)
PPE Capacitor with PPE Capacity: 600 PPE battery capacity; recharges at 20 PPE per hour, 60 PPE/hour at a leyline, 120 PPE/hour on a nexus
Speed: 450 MPH , maximum altitude 45,000 ft
Market Cost: Presumed to be 100 million+ credits
Systems of Note:
All standard robot systems, plus:

*Radiation Shielding---Because the aircraft flies above most of the protection afforded by the atmosphere from cosmic radiation, the aircraft has extra radiation shielding around the crew cabin.

*Long Range Radar---150 mile range

*Radar/radiation Detection---Detects laser and radar detection system emissions and warns the crew of the need to deploy countermeasures.

*Electronic Warfare Suite---A modern add-on; a powerful sensor radiation jamming system meant to obscure the aircraft from long range sensors and jam targetting systems at closer ranges. Sensor Jamming---An active, manned system that gives a 30%+operator’s ECM bonus chance of jamming enemy radar, including radar guided munitions and missiles. Effective range of 50 miles

*ECCM system: A semi-automatic system that uses electronic encryption and frequency jumping to (attempt to) negate jamming systems. The system has a 30% 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.

Weapons Systems:
1) Weapons Turrets(8)----The B-36S mounts a battery of close-in defensive weapons in eight weapons turrets, in the tail, nose, and in three locations along the length of the main fuselage( 3x2 bays, two on the dorsal side of the fuselage, at opposite ends of the wing box, and one bay on the ventral side, behind the bomb bays, and normally hidden behind sliding panels). Each turret mounts a dual TW weapon and a technological one (The Weatherman felt redundancy was a prudent move). A robotic gunnery system gives each turret 5 attacks per melee and +3 to strike, or they can be manually operated.
a) Heavy Rapid-Fire Rail Guns(1 per turret)
Range: 4,000 ft
Damage: 2d4x10 MD per 30 rd burst
Rate of Fire: ECHH
Payload: 500 bursts per gun
b) TW Lightning Blaster(1 per turret)---Added to give the turrets something more effective against magic-vulnerable beings.
Range: 3,000 ft
Damage: 1d6x10 MD per blast
Rate of Fire: ECHH
Payload: Effectively Unlimited; spells powering the weapon must be renewed once a month.


Alternate Weapons Fit: PS suggested fitting the weapons turrets with its 20-mm cannon, with better range and damage. The Weatherman demurred, on the basis that PS-manufactured twenty-millimeter ammunition would be harder to come by than the metal-lexan rail gun ammunition he was already using...However, he did acquire a set of the offered weapons. Where they are being stored and to what use they may eventually be put to, remains uncertain at the time of this posting.
Range:7,200 ft
Damage:(20mm) 1d4 MD per shell
4d6 MD per 5 rd burst
1d4x10+4 MD per 10 rd burst
Airburst does 1d4 MD to 2 ft blast radius(single shot)
(20mm PSX-1) 4d4 MD single rd
1d6x10 MD per 5 rd burst
Airburst does 4d4 MD to 2 ft blast radius
Rate of Fire: Standard
Payload: 1000 rd drum
Cost:50,000 credits

2) Wing-Mount Missile Bays(2)----Most of the conventional ordnance has been moved from the main fuselage to a set of new missile bays in the hollowed-out wings. Each bay can hold 21,000(10 tons) lbs of munitions amd their launching gear, typically arranged as one the following(or any combination there of):
a) Mini-Missiles---100 missiles in rotary bay-pods(up to 7). Volleys of 1-25

b) Short Range Missiles----- 400 SRMs, Volleys of 1-20

c) Medium Range Missiles-----200 MRMs, Volleys of 1-10

d) Long Range MIssiles----- 80 LRMs

d) ‘Iron’ or ‘Smart’ Bombs-----Can carry warhead equivalents of missiles, but DOUBLE the respective number, or retain the same number, and DOUBLE the damage.

e) Decoys---The bays can also deploy a variety of freefall, glide, and rocket/turbojet propelled decoy projectiles, meant to simulate the radar and sensor signature of the aircraft and divert attention away from it. The Tacit Rainbow drone that follows is a PS-produced system of this type, though it is not known if the Weatherman has acquired any of these from PS.
* ‘Tacit Rainbow’ Drone----These are LRM-sized mini-cruise missiles/reentry vehicles configured as ‘smart’ decoys that can be deployed from the craft, then fly off on their own power, emitting false sensor signatures, and their own ECM. Adding to the confusion, the drones can be programmed to behave in appropriately evasive ‘stealthy’ fashion, to give the impression that they are in reality a real target attempting to evade detection...only to pop up again later to confuse enemy observers.
When their fuel/power is exhausted, the drones then activate a self-destruct device that destroys them completely( destroys drone and does 3d6x10 MD to everything in a 10 ft radius)
MDC of Drone: 50
Size: 15 ft long, 3 ft wide, w/ 13 ft wingspan w/ wings deployed
Speed: Mach 1.4
Range: 1,000 miles
Damage: None, aside from self-destruct
ECM: Jams enemy sensors and radio transmissions with 50% effectiveness (range: 25 mile radius). Can also be programmed to pump out misleading radar signatures conforming to other craft, including larger aircraft. In an emergency, the drone can pump out so much signature that enemy missiles and sensor guided weapons targetted on the mothership(must be within 10 miles of each other to be effective) will be +4 to strike the drone, and will lose target lock on the SR-100.
Bonuses: Drones are +4 to dodge attacks


3) Forward Bomb Bay---The forward bomb bay has been retained for ordnance, but it is mainly used to deploy the Weatherman’s signature magical assault weapons such as Meteor Bombs, Air Elemental Charges, and Magic Storms(or other special ordnance as he devises them). The following is a sampling of the more common ‘specials’ the Weatherman has used to date.
A) Meteor Bombs---A more powerful version of the TW-augmented ‘iron bombs’ now being used by many TW aviators, the Weatherman’s variant is much more destructive and accurate. The basic unactivated weapon resembles a shaped ball of stone, wrapped in mystically-inscribed bands of cold iron, which transforms into a flaming ball of glowing red-hot metal and rock when fired. Works as an air-to-surface bombardment missile.
Range: 5 miles
Damage: 1d6x10+20 MD to an 80 ft blast radius
Payload: Can hold up to 40

b) Air Elemental Charge----This munition seems to be a crystalline cage held together by wires, that shatters on impact(or by an internal charge...the Weatherman has been known to parachute-retard this weapon into formations of low-flying aircraft or flyers), unleashing a pack of lesser Elemental ‘splinter-essences’(identical to a Phantom Footman) that can do massive amounts of damage in their rampages before retreating back to their elemental plane. Each weapon carries 6 ‘splinters’.
Range: Each essence can move at 35 MPH and lasts about 40 minutes(most stick around for 1d4x10 minutes before dissipating/returning to their native Plane)
Damage: Each essence can rampage for up to 40 minutes, each with 4 actions per melee, doing 1d6 MD on a punch, and 2d6 MD for a two-atatck power strike, have supernatural P.S. of 20, P.P. of 8, +1 to initiative and parry, +4 to dodge, and is naturally invisible. Unlike the obediant Footman, these essences have been ‘programmed’ to rampage upon hitting the ground, attacking targets of opportunity, punching ground troops, tossing over vehicles, smashing in buildings, and the like.
Payload:Can hold up to 40 cages

c) Magic Storm---Rather than use crystal-based Warlock munitions, the Weatherman seems to have perfected a different process, wherein he simply ‘seeds’ the air/clouds with msytically-charged crystal dust that catalyzes the atmosphere into vicious storm activity. The storm can be left to run its course(for up to ten hours) or controlled/disipated by the warlock bombardiers(as long as the aircraft remains within ten miles of the storm...typically flying over the clouds)
Range:Affects a ten-mile area
Damage: Same as for the spell Summon and Control Storm
Payload:Can hold up to 40 canisters

d) Mini-Missiles---100 missiles in rotary bay-pods(up to 8 pods). Volleys of 1-25

e) Short Range Missiles----- 400 SRMs, Volleys of 1-20

f) Medium Range Missiles-----200 MRMs, Volleys of 1-10

g) Long Range MIssiles----- 80 LRMs

h) ‘Iron’ or ‘Smart’ Bombs-----Can carry warhead equivalents of missiles, but DOUBLE the respective number, or retain the same number, and DOUBLE the damage.

4)Mystic Foo Fighter Defense System----An advanced TW defense system, applying enhanced aspects of the Magic Warrior spells. This system, when activated, each time produces a pair of phantom flying escort fighters(scholars of pre-Rifts aviation claim the ‘foo fighters’ created by the B-36 resemble McDonnell XF-85 Goblin Parasite Fighters)
Foo-Fighters attack by ramming or by firing short range bolts of eldritch lightning at their targets. Foo Fighters can be targetted and destroyed by conventional means, but Dispel Magic and Anti-Magic Cloud spells stop them dead. Multiple Foo-Fighters are also possible, though each materialized ‘escort’ costs an additional 60 PPE
Range: Typically the Foo-Fighter will stray no more than 6,000 ft from the creating aircraft.
MDC of Foo Fighter: 110
Speed: 400 MPH
Damage: Does 3d6+10MD per electrical bolt(1,500 ft range, effectively limitless payload)
Duration: 10 melees (roughly 5 minutes) per activation
PPE Activation Cost: Costs 60 PPE per fighter per activation(typically 120 for two at once). Can produce and maintain up to 6 fighters at one time.
Bonuses: Each Foo-Fighter has 5 actions/attacks per melee, +5 to strike, roll, and dodge, and +4 on initiative

5) Captive Tornadoes(6)----Each of the six pusher props is actually a captive mystical tornado(actually believed to be a minor Air Elemental or fragment of a Greater one). Besides propelling the aicraft, the whirlwinds can be individually detached to touch down and strike ground targets. Up to four can be detached at anyone time without adversely affecting the aircraft’s ability to fly(must otherwise fall back on reserve PPE engine and jet thrusters to remain aloft and in powered flight).
As defensive weapons, the whirlwinds can be used to create a zone of highly turbulent air around the aircraft. These winds are powerful enough to toss flying monsters, power armor, light aircraft, and some missiles off course and out of control.
Range: Can be controlled/directed up to 10 miles away
Damage: Same as for the spell Tornado
Rate of Fire: 1-4 can be deployed at a time(two must be retained as propulsion)
Payload: 6 tornadoes(1-4 can be deployed as ground attack weapons)

6)Flare/Chaff Launchers(4)---Standard countermeasure launchers
Range: Close Defense
Damage: None; similar to Triax-style chaff
01-50 Enemy Missile or volley detonates in chaff and threat is nuetralized
51-75 Missile/Volley diverts and may pursue/lock on to other targets
76-00 No Effect! Missile(s) still on target!
Will aslo temporarily blind and impede flying monsters who fly into it.
Reduce APMs/combat bonuses/ speed by half for 1d4 melees
Payload: 48 chaff clusters(12 per launcher)


TW Features
*Ley Line Flier---Can fly effectively indefinitely on a ley line.

*Levitation----A low-powered Levitation spell allows the aircraft to make STOL takeoffs and landings, especially important when using unimproved fields or when heavily laden. Can also be used by ground crews to taxi and move landed aircraft for servicing and repair. 30 minutes per 5 PPE.

*Breath Without Air----Enables the aircraft to fly at high altitude without standard pressurization reinforcement----10 minutes per 10 PPE.

*TW Fire Control System----Supplements the regular fire extinguisher system, and is often more effective at controling electrical and chemical fires. Costs 4 PPE per minute/activation.

*Mystical Stealth System----Renders the aircraft silent and invisible, even during the day. Great for evading detection, surveillance, and tailing, but the moment the aircraft takes any sort of aggressive manuever, the stealth drops and the aircraft can be readily detected. Costs 20 PPE per 3 minutes of activation.

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

Re: Paladin Steel Storefront

Posted: Tue Jan 27, 2009 5:17 am
by Aramanthus
I remember seeing this plane in real life! It was an awesome thing to behold. Thank you for the memory!

I can see the Federated States procuring some of these for their distant bases.

Re: Paladin Steel Storefront

Posted: Tue Jan 27, 2009 6:45 pm
by taalismn
It was one of those aircraft that looks just so freakin' insane, with its pusher engines and bulging latticed cockpit...I HAD to do it...

Re: Paladin Steel Storefront

Posted: Wed Jan 28, 2009 5:07 am
by Aramanthus
It is a very cool aircraft. And don't forget the early versions they were trying out parasite fighters. They had something called the goblin. Maybe with Rift's tech they could have done that.

Re: Paladin Steel Storefront

Posted: Wed Jan 28, 2009 12:37 pm
by abtex
Aramanthus wrote:It is a very cool aircraft. And don't forget the early versions they were trying out parasite fighters. They had something called the goblin. Maybe with Rift's tech they could have done that.


from above wrote:4)Mystic Foo Fighter Defense System----An advanced TW defense system, applying enhanced aspects of the Magic Warrior spells. This system, when activated, each time produces a pair of phantom flying escort fighters(scholars of pre-Rifts aviation claim the ‘foo fighters’ created by the B-36 resemble McDonnell XF-85 Goblin Parasite Fighters)
Foo-Fighters attack by ramming or by firing short range bolts of eldritch lightning at their targets. Foo Fighters can be targetted and destroyed by conventional means, but Dispel Magic and Anti-Magic Cloud spells stop them dead. Multiple Foo-Fighters are also possible, though each materialized ‘escort’ costs an additional 60 PPE
Range: Typically the Foo-Fighter will stray no more than 6,000 ft from the creating aircraft.
MDC of Foo Fighter: 110
Speed: 400 MPH
Damage: Does 3d6+10MD per electrical bolt(1,500 ft range, effectively limitless payload)
Duration: 10 melees (roughly 5 minutes) per activation
PPE Activation Cost: Costs 60 PPE per fighter per activation(typically 120 for two at once). Can produce and maintain up to 6 fighters at one time.
Bonuses: Each Foo-Fighter has 5 actions/attacks per melee, +5 to strike, roll, and dodge, and +4 on initiative

"The Big Stick" the name for the B36, from one of books listed in the Wikipedia article, looks like one.

Mail call to everywhere
Long skinny plane with 2 to 5 little planes on its back and inside it body or under it's wings. Plane could also be a Convair XC-99 flying hanger.

Re: Paladin Steel Storefront

Posted: Wed Jan 28, 2009 3:01 pm
by taalismn
Aramanthus wrote:It is a very cool aircraft. And don't forget the early versions they were trying out parasite fighters. They had something called the goblin. Maybe with Rift's tech they could have done that.


That's why I mentioned the Foo fighters looking like them...And I based the Skreeka Dwarf fighters on the Goblin...Overall, though, hte Goblin is considered one of the Worst Aircraft of history; questionable performance, limited range, and little provision for pilot recovery....It was, however, the product of a time that saw a lot of experimentation to overcome the problems of range...it was also a time that gives the impression that folks either thought a nuclear war would be akin to an exchange of conventional explosives, and that the conventions of war would be adhered to(such as the Geneva POW guidelines) or that it would be all-or-nothing, with the fate of everybody concerned pretty much snuffed....

Re: Paladin Steel Storefront

Posted: Wed Jan 28, 2009 3:11 pm
by taalismn
Thanks to Raven, again, for his Keratech weapons....

Paladin Steel ‘Firedrake’ HoverTank


(Cut in to ANNOUNCER, wearing Huntsman demi-armor and camous. Behind him we can see a cliff edge, a small low-lying shack near the edge. On the ground at the foot of the cliff , we can just see a dust cloud coming closer.)
Announcer: “Good evenings folks! Because of recent rumors that Paladin Steel’s recently released Firedrake Hovertank is a second-rate combat vehicle and a high budget deathtrap, we’ve decided to lay those loose tongues to rest, showing how tough and reliable the Firedrake really is, by driving one(gestures to the side) through THAT Coalition outpost(points at the shack) , off THAT cliff, and down on top of THOSE oncoming Deadboy reinforcements!”
(Camera pans right to focus as we see a Firedrake suddenly come flying from offcamera, fans screaming, rapidly accelerating towards the shack, with no indications of slowing down, despite several glowing hotspots that appear on its hull, indicative of some serious laser weaponry being deployed against it. As the speeding tank nears the shack, we see a sidedoor that suddenly bangs open and several figures in black armor come pelting out, running pelll-mell for cover, moments before the tank crashes into the shack.
Half of the shack, along with several Deadboys who were late out of the gates, goes flipping up into the air, as the other half gets plowed ahead of the tank as it continues racing for the edge of the cliff...and off...
Camera continues to track as the obscured tank, still entangled in shack, falls and flips several times before slamming into the ground, raising an enormous cloud of dust....then bounces free, flying forward into the approaching Coalition forces, plowing into them like a runaway rail car. The lead DeathTrooper happens to get hit first, exploding like an egg as the tumbling tank rolls over it, scattering arms, legs, and a bouncing head over the landscape. The second DeathTrooper gets bisected as an armored wedge comes blowing out of the dust, pins it up against the side of one of the APCs, then THROUGH it as the hovertank staves in the side of the Coalition vehicle. Then the APC is flipped over onto its back. The second APC applies its brakes and comes to a screeching halt, begins backing up, its main rail gun turret swinging in to bear on the tangled mess of tank and APC, but the tank’s turret gun beats it to the punch....

We finally see the Firedrake whine to a stop, blasted, busted, bent, sending out smoke and sparks, but obviously still functional...A hatch opens in the top and an arm emerges,..as the camera comes in for a close-up, we see the hand flash a weary thumbs up, before falling back inside...

Announcer: “And there you have it! Proof positive that the Firedrake is NOT a piece of crap!”(behind him we see a wheel, smoking slightly, from one of the APCs come crashing down, then wobble away, before konking into one of the remaining Coalition soldiers, hands over their heads, being herded back away from the edge of the cliff by several mercs in battle armor)
“Back to you, Bob!”
---Paladin Steel Promo Spot for the Firedrake

“I hear a lot of folks consider the Firedrake to be second-line design that you only buy when there ain’t the money for something like a Cestus or a Bandersnatch...but the Firedrake isn’t second-rate hardware. Most of the design is lifted straight off the Lynx, including most of the controls, which has the benefit that alot of city militia boys who cut their teeth on the security garrison Lynxes, can more easily make the transition to the Firedrake. Most of the components are readily available as well, and there’s enough tolerance in the design specs that the hover turbines can even be replaced with salvaged parts from Coalition and Northern Gun designs...a quick fix, mind you, not a permanent solution..and you better be careful of the power transfer linkages.....most of the weapons are GNE general market designs, and the rest can be found in any good outfitter’s. That means that pretty much every part of the Firedrake’s been thouroughly tested in the field and your mechanic isn’t going to be flummoxed by some new, hard to get, and nearly impossible to repair system. That’s what I want in a front line unit!“
----Captain Daniel Hasbro, Black Horse Guards

The Firedrake is another concept for a main line hovertank for the GNE armed forces. The designers of the Firedrake, the same people responsible for the Megabago, were under pressure to come up with a vehicle that was simpler, less technologically complex, and less expensive to produce and operate than the Cestus and Bandersnatch hovertanks, while still being cutting edge and hard hitting. Another consideration had to be future commercial sales, so easy adaptability for open market distribution had to be built in. The resulting compromise design was the Firedrake, a conservative design that appealed to both the conservative pennypinchers and the cutting-edge innovators.
The Firedrake takes much of its design from the Lynx Medium Tank, but instead of multidirectional wheel-legs, the Firedrake has four powerful hoverturbines embedded in the greatly uparmored and reinforced main hull. A substantially larger main engine adds nearly three tons of extra weight, but provides more than adequate power to lift the added mass of armor and push it at high speed., though only a few feet off the ground. The turret, also based on the Lynx, has also been uparmored. On top of the beefed up structure, the entire tank has a sheathing of heavy armor that can be upgraded with laser-ablative ceramic armor, allowing it to shrug off laser strikes. Close-in proximity-triggered fletchette packs and strategically-placed directional-charge reactive armor plates offer a welcome measure of protection from shaped charge explosives, projectile weapons, and infantry demolition sappers.
In order to speed the Firedrake’s introduction, PS decided to forgo developing a whole new range of weapons specific to the tank, and instead retained the Lynx’s range of weaponry. Later on in production, however, PS added several new weapons systems , the better to upgrade the Firedrake to a ‘heavy’ unit, as opposed to the Lynx’s ‘medium’ standing.
Most of the Lynx’s security-duty-specific sensor systems have been stripped out to make way for additional targeting sensors and backtrack fire control radars. The Firedrake is meant as an open field front line assault unit---not an urban defense vehicle.
Most users of the Firedrake describe it as a ‘vanilla’ tank....solid, reliable, but not exceptional, and on a par with contemporary GAW and Northern Gun efforts. In the recent Battle of the Saint Francis Basin, which saw a number of tank-on-tank actions, the Firedrake proved it could beat the Coalition’s Linebacker tanks, but PS felt that the margin of victory(7 Firedrakes lost to 12 Linebackers) was too thin to advertise the Firedrake as a ‘Linebacker-killer’. (Incidently, advocates of the Firedrake claim that the Battle of Saint Francis Basin reports are skewed by reports that not all the Firedrakes lost were taken out by enemy tanks, citing the Coalition’s introduction of their new SAMAS units as being really responsible for the upset).
The Firedrake for a time served as the new standard HBT of the GNE Regular Army, until the Bandersnatch and the Cestus were introduced, and the Firedrake was dropped in classification to a medium MBT. The Firedrake continues to serve with Regular Army armored brigades as a line AFV, supplementing or replacing older Black Bear MBTs in service. A large number of Firedrakes have also been sold or transferred to Irregular units and GNE affiliates.

Type:PS-GEV-MBT-15
Class: Heavy Hover Tank
Date of Introduction: 108 PA
Crew: Three
MDC/Armor by Location:
Main Body 550
Reinforced Crew Compartment(main body) 100
Reinforced Crew Compartment(turret) 50
Turret 300
Main Gun 120
Anti-Missile System 50
Glacis Plate Laser 20
Smoke/Gas Dispensers(2) 15 each
*Hover Turbines(4) 120 each
*The hover turbine intakes are heavily shielded and hard to hit; -4 to strike. Destroying 1 turbine lowers the speed by 25% , but otherwise the tank can continue to move. The Firedrake can maneuver on as few as two working jets, but reduce speed by HALF and impose a skill penalty of -15% to the Pilot Hovercraft skill.
Height: 10 ft
Length: 35 ft
Width: 12 ft
Weight: 36 tons
Cargo:Mimimal Cargo Space; about four feet of space for survival gear, supplies, and some personal possessions.
Powerplant: Internal Combustion(600 mile range), electric(600 mile range), or nuclear with 15 year energy life
Speed: 200 MPH, 2-4 ft off the ground
(Water) The Firedrake CAN skim over the surface of small bodies of water, such as lakes and streams, but must revv its engines to maximum; and even then it fairly wallows in a cloud of spray at a clumsy 50 MPH. The best it can manage is Sea State 4; anything greater, and the tank flounders.
(Underwater) Buttoned up, the Firedrake CAN operate underwater, but it flounders along at 7 MPH and kicks up a racket as its turbines suck water. It can remain underwater for 48 hours, and can only survive depths of 100 ft.
Market Cost: 9 million credits for conventionally powered (liquid fuel), 10 million for electric, and 24 million for nuclear w/ 15 year energy life
Systems of Note:
All basic Robot features.
Weapons Systems:
1)Main Turret Gun
a)120mm Main Gun---Taken directly from the old Iron Fist, the IH/FC-B AutoCannon is a proven and reliable design, and was the first choice for the Firedrake because of its familiarity and availability.
Range: 6000 ft
Damage:High Explosive(HE) 1d6x10 MD to 20 ft blast radius
High Explosive Anti-Tank(HEAT) 2d6x10 MD to 10 ft blast radius
Armor Piercing(AP) 1d4x10 MD
APSD: 2d4x10 MD
Rate of Fire: 3 attacks per melee
Payload: 80 rds

b)100mm LB Massdriver Cannon (PS-MDJ100L)--- This is a massive and powerful gauss cannon that would quickly become the favored weapon of choice, replacing the older PS-FC-120B. This powerful linear accelerator cannon is capable of firing in both the direct and indirect fire mode, and currently is equipped to fire in two modes, a direct-fire, flat trajectory(especially armor-piercing APFSDSDU(Armor Piercing Fletchette Discarding Sabot Depleted Uranium) rounds), and indirect ballistic fire.
The PS-MDJ100L would become STANDARD equipment for all new-production GNE-based FireDrakes after 110 P.A., replacing the 120mm cannon, but would NOT be offered as an option to Black Market production models(hence it is presented here, and not in the Options section).
Weight: 14,000 lbs(7 tons)
Range:(Direct Fire) 36,000 ft (7.2 miles)
(Indirect Fire) 90,000 ft(18 miles)
Damage:High Explosive(HE)---- 1d6x10 MD to 20 ft radius
High Explosive Anti-Tank(HEAT)---- 2d6 x10 MD to 10 ft radius
Fragmentation--- 2d6x10 MD to 30 ft radius
Plasma-----3d6x10 MD to 35 ft radius
(APFSDSDU)(Armor Piercing Fin Stabilized Discarding Sabot Depleted Uranium) 4d6x10 MD out to 11,000 ft, 2d6x10 MD out to maximum range
Rate of Fire:Four per melee
Payload: 1 ton ammunition stowage
100 mm AP shell weighs 25 lbs( 80 shots per ton)
Cost: 2.7 million credits

2)IH/FC-100 Rail Gun---Mounted co-axially to the main cannon is another IHA favorite, this high-powered rail cannon. Some users and GNE units replace it with a light pulse laser or other energy weapon.
Range: 4000 ft
Damage: 1d4 MD single rd, 1d6x10 MD per 60 rd burst
Rate of Fire:EGCHH
Payload: 12,000 rd drum

3)Cupola-Mount Gun----Controlled from inside the command cupola, this can either be an IH/FC-105 Rail Gun(4000 ft, 1d4 MD single rd/1d4x10 MD per 40 rd burst, 8,000 rd drum), a grenade launcher, light micro/mini-missile launcher, or energy weapon.

4)Lateral Anti-Missile System---Given that PS relies heavily on vehicles for battlefield support, and the growing use of stand-off missile-launching anti-armor weapons like the Wellington Arms SAW Mine among PS’s enemies, it has become a trend to refit older vehicles with anti-missile systems such as the ‘Button Gun; gatling cannon, and newer vehicles are designed with provision for similar systems. The FireDrake’s turret has been designed to accommmodate wither a ‘Button Gun’ or any of PS’s other point defense systems.
a)PS-L-CIWS Vulcan Chain Guns(aka “Button Guns”)---This installation, introduced on the Minotaur Battler, then adapted as an air defense weapon option for the VW Camper Gunship, has been adapted for shipboard use as PS’s standard light maritime weapons system. The system is a very compact and neat installation that takes up little space, and has been compared to the pre-Rifts Russian ADMG-630 30mm Gatling CIWS that saw extensive service aboard Russian warships. The PS-L-CIWS is often called the “Button Gun” because of its squat, flattened dome-like turret.
Range: 4,000 ft
Damage: 1d4x10 MD per 20 rd burst(can only fire bursts)
Rate of Fire: EGCHH, as an automated defense system linked to a radar/sensor system, the “Button Gun” has a +2 to strike, and four attacks per melee.
Payload: 4,000 rd drum(100 bursts)

Alternately, the following can be mounted:

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

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

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

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

5)Smoke Mortars(2)---Mounted on the turret are two smoke grenade launchers
Range: 500 ft
Damage: Smoke or chemical to 15 ft radius
Rate of Fire: Volleys of 1, 2, 3, or 4
Payload: 4 shells per launcher

6)Turret Hardpoints(2)---The turret has two hardpoints for additional cargo racks or armament modules. See below for options.

7) Fletchette Packs----Located around the hull and turret are special ‘reactive armor’ panels that can be also be triggered as anti-personnel grenades.This is one of several similar systems currently in service/under development by PS.
Range: 100 ft
Damage: 5d6 MD to a cone swath roughly 50 ft long, by 10 ft wide.
Used as reactive arnor against plasma and armor-piercing missiles, the computerized firing system acts as a PARRY, rolling to match or better the missile’s strike roll...a successful counter means that the missile damage is HALVED, while a failure means the tank takes full damage. Note: when dealing with volleys, one reactive armor pack can match TWO missiles in a volley, so in order to effectively counter a five missile volley, the tank must expend 3 reactive armor packs...two packs would roll twice to defeat their respective missiles, the third would only roll once. If the enemy missile launcher has a line of sight on the tank, they can target a spot on the hull which has no packs covering it (a called shot), in which case the remaining reactive armor is -4 to cover the gap.
Rate of Fire: One at a time or can be simultaneously fired in volleys of 1-10
Payload: Each side of the tank(sides, front, back) has 10 fletchette packs each(40 total), the turret has 6 each side, three on top(15 total)

8) Glacis Plate Laser Cannon---A holdover from the old Iron Heart Armaments designs, this is a twin-barrel pulse laser operated by the driver.
Range: 4000 ft
Damage: 6d6 MD per blast
Rate of Fire: EPCHH
Payload: 1000 dual blasts. Unlimited if nuclear powered

Options:

*******Ram Prow---Adds an angled reinforced armored ‘snowplow’ to the front of the tank for clearing debris and ramming targets. However, cut top speed by 15%, as the heavy plow tends to unbalance the air cushion vehicle and drag slightly at the front(shooting up some rather spectacular sparks). Still, some units(especially FreeWah Rocky Mountain armored units) carry these as standard for snow clearing(using a combination of the plow and the hoverjets’ slipstream to clear the road).
MDC of Plow: 150
Damage:1d6x10 MD from a half-speed ram,
2d6x10 MD from a full speed ram.
Cost: 80,000 credits

*Chaff/Flare Launchers(2-4)---These are most effective against heat seeking and radar-guided missiles, and tend to be less effective(or not effective at all) against shoulder-launched mini-missiles and optically-sighted laser-rider ordnance.
Range: Close Defense
Damage: None; similar to Triax-style chaff
01-50 Enemy Missile or volley detonates in chaff and threat is nuetralized
51-75 Missile/Volley diverts and may pursue/lock on to other targets
76-00 No Effect! Missile(s) still on target!
Will also temporarily blind and impede flying monsters who fly into it.
Reduce APMs/combat bonuses/ speed by half for 1d4 melees
Payload: 12 per launcher
Cost: 3,500 credits for the launchers, 300 per flare/chaff bundle

*Laser Ablative Ceramic Armor----Orbital-grade anti-laser protection can be applied to the whole tank for a modest additional cost. Unlike Glitterboy Chrome, variable-frequency lasers CANNOT be adjusted to overcome the effectiveness of the ceramic-based multi-layer armor.
Effects: Lasers do HALF damage
Cost: 3 million credits

*******Swap out the 120mm Cannon for:
a) KTH-65 32mm Assault Rail Gun--Trades the range for rate of fire and damage. PS LOVES this Kera-Tech designed weapon, and has been mounting it on any available platforms they can, despite howls from the Kera-Tech engineers that the weapon currently in PS production is only an alpha-model.
Range: 5,000 ft (1 mile)
Damage: 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 shot, ECHH
Payload: 300 rounds. APFS-DU round take up TWICE as much space as a regular shell, and count as 2 shots for space purposes.
Cost:NOT AVAILABLE TO THE MARKET;EXCLUSIVE TO GNE/KT.

b) Heavy Laser Cannon---A straightout remount of the reliable PS-AWD-MTL-1D Tri-Laser weapon.
Range: 6,000 ft
Damage: 4d6 MD single shot
1d4x10 +6 MD double blast
1d6x10+10 MD triple blast
Rate of Fire: EGCHH
Payload: 200 shot battery (if conventionally powered). Effectively Unlimited w/ nuclear powerplant
Cost: 300,000 Credits

c) Particle Beam Cannon---Adapted from Kera-Tech’s own ‘Storm Lance’ Hovertank, the KTPB-40 has earned the nickname ‘Supershooter’ from PS engineers, who like its low-maintenance design, and superb range. This mounting is actually the first time this weapon has been seen on Rifts Earth outside Kera-Tech’s forces, and, as such, is NOT available to the general market(exclusive to PS and its affiliates)
Range: 9,800 ft(nearly 2 miles!)
Damage: 2d6x10 MD per blast
Rate of Fire: ECHH
Payload: 150 shot battery (if conventionally powered).Effectively Unlimited w/ nuclear powerplant
Cost:NOT AVAILABLE TO THE MARKET;EXCLUSIVE TO GNE.

d)KTPPB-2150 ‘Howler’ Plasma Cannon---Competition was fierce between this Kera-Tech model using an energy cartridge system and a Paladin Steel plasma projector of more conventional design, but less range and damage. The cadmium-telluride cartridge system has a finite ammunition supply, but is quite compact, without the need for heavy coolant systems and power transmission gear for the battery packs...and is a helluva lot safer and easier on the nerves than the other plasma cannon Kera-Tech wanted to mount!.
Range: 4,000 ft
Damage: 2d6x10 MD per blast
Rate of Fire: EGCHH
Payload: 400 shot drum
Cost: 250,000 credits, Each shell costs 100 credits

e) Magbolt Plasma Launcher---Yet another fine weapon in the Magbolt series of weapons. Capable of firing a magnetically-cocooned plasma ‘shell’, or of firing seperate magnetic vortices. It can fire a particularly devastating ‘shotgun blast’ of invisible mini-vortices that can barrel through infantry and cut down a squad like hay.
Range:(Plasma Shell) 4,000 ft
(Vortice) 3,000 ft
(‘Shotgun Storm’) 1,800 ft
Damage:(Plasma Shell) 2d4x10 MD to 15 ft blast radius
(Vortice) 1d6x10 MD, plus concussive knockdown:
(‘Shotgun Storm’) 6d6 MD to 50 ft area
Rate of Fire:(Plasma Shell) 4 times per melee
(Vortice) Six times per melee
(‘Shotgun Storm’) Twice pe melee
Bonuses: Magnetic vortices, being invisible, are -8 to dodge
Payload: 300 shot battery (if conventionally powered).
1 Plasma shot equals 2 charges
1 EM Vortice equals 1 charge
1 Shotgun Storm equals 3 charges
Effectively Unlimited w/ nuclear powerplant
Cost:NOT AVAILABLE TO THE MARKET;EXCLUSIVE TO GNE.

f)Twin Rapid Fire Flak Cannon------Adds an advanced fire control system and targeting radar to convert the tank into an anti-aircraft AAA vehicle. Copied from the Triax TX-862FC system, modified with a Paladin Steel ‘Skywatcher’ radar system, and sporting a larger ammunition payload.
Range: 10,000 ft
Damage: 4d6 MD single rd, 1d6x10 MD two rd burst, 3d6x10 MD per six-shot rapid fire burst
Rate of Fire: EGCHH
Payload: Two(2) 600-rd drums, total of 1,200 rds
Sensor Bonuses: +2 to strike on automatic(5 attacks per melee)
+3 to strike if operated manually
Target Acquisition/Fire Control Radar: 50 mile range
Cost: 5 million credits(expect to pay for all that automation and fire control!)

*******Swap out the Co-Axial Cannon for;
a)75mm Snub-nosed Low Velocity Gun-
Range: 6,000 ft
Damage:Smoke Rd: Smoke in a 30 ft area
High Explosive: 8d6 MD to 10 ft blast radius
Armor Piercing: 1d6x10 MD to 3 ft area
Plasma: 2d4x10 MD to 6 ft blast radius
Hellfire: 1d4x10 MD on impact, 4d6 MD per melee for 1d4 melees
Rate of Fire:ECHH
Payload: 25 rds
Cost: 125,000 credits

b) Pulse Laser--Standard PS pulse laser
Range: 4,000 ft
Damage: 6d6 MD per pulse blast
Rate of Fire: EGCHH
Payload: 1,000 shot battery (if conventionally powered).Effectively Unlimited w/ nuclear powerplant
Cost:12,000 credits

c) Light Autocannon---The 20mm Taskin Rifle, mounted in a vehicle
Range: 3,000 ft
Damage:(20mm) 1d4 MD single shot
4d6 MD per 5 rd burst
1d4x10+4 MD per 10 rd burst
(PSX-II) 4d4 MD single shot
1d6x10 MD per 5 rd burst
2d6x10 MD per 10 rd burst
(Wood Rounds) 6d6 SDC single shot (1d4x10 HP to vampires)
2d4x10 SDC MD per 5 rd burst (2d4x10 HP to vampires)
6d6 MD per 10 rd burst (3d6x10 HP to vampires)
Rate of Fire: EGCHH
Payload:500 rd box
Cost: 20,000 credits

d) Flamethrower----Your standard, high-powered flamethrower for torching infantry, forests, buildings, and small vehicles. Similarly, the bow-mounted weapon can be replaced with this weapon.
Range: 500 ft
Damage:3d6 MD per burst, plus does an additional 2d6 MD per melee for 1d6 melees
Rate of Fire: EGCHH
Payload:100 bursts
Cost: 10,000 credits

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

*******Turret hardpoints(2):
a) Micro-Missile Launcher(25 shot micro-missile launcher )
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

b) Mini-Missile Launcher(5-shot missile pod)
Cost: 10,000 Credits(Missiles cost extra)

c) Short Range Missile Launcher(2 per hardpoint)
Cost: 10,000 Credits(Missiles cost extra)

d) Medium Range Missile Launcher(1 per hardpoint)
Cost:20,000 Credits(Missiles cost extra)

e) Shrike III Launcher---A ‘brilliant’ high-accuracy anti-aircraft missile.
Range: 75 miles
Damage: 3d4x10 MD
Rate of Fire: Volley of 1
Payload: 1 per hardpoint
Bonus: +6 to strike
Cost:NOT AVAILABLE TO THE MARKET;EXCLUSIVE TO 5ST.

f) Heavy Hitter Anti-Armor Missiles---Laser-guided anti-armor missiles
Range: 1 mile(5,000 ft)
Damage: 2d4x10 MD
Rate of Fire: Volleys of 1,2,3,or 4
Payload: 4 shot pod per hardpoint
Bonus: +5 to strike ground targets(Aircraft are only +2 to strike)
Cost: 20,000 credits. 6,000 credits per missile

g) PS/FC ‘Black Talon’ Light SAMs---PS and Free Canada’s ‘brilliant’ mini-missile.
Range: 3 miles
Damage: 3d4x10 MD to 40 ft blast radius
Rate of Fire: Volleys of 1,2,3, or 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: 60 ,000 credits per launcher, 10,000 credits per missile

h) Sensory Cluster----MDC 80---Has the following sensors:
*Motion Detector--200 ft range
*Laser Illuminator-----6,000 ft range, Designates targets for laser-guided munnitions/weapons
*Laser targeting System(+1 to strike)
*Lance Scanner---Looks like a long lance protruding from the front of the craft. The Lance Scanner contains a magnetometer() and a short-range microwave radar for groundsearching minefields(in theory, the ground radar sound be able to detect even non-metallic mines, but takes twice as long). Range: The magnetometer has a range of 4,000 ft and can detect vehicles and other metallic structures with 80% accuracy
The ground radar has a range of 3,000 ft, and has a 90% chance of detecting metal-cased mines, 60% chance of detecting non-metallic ordinance.
*Aura Scanner---For detecting and identifying PPE concentrations
Range: 2000 ft
*Bio-Scanner---Has a molecular analyzer, enhanced radiation detector, high-powered accoustic ‘shotgun mike’(3,000 ft range), and thermo-imager optics.
* Optical Cluster--- Telescopic,IR/UV, Thermo-Imaging, Audio-Video-Survellance System
Cost: 80,000 credits

i) Radar Cluster---MDC 100, Range: 80 miles
Cost: 100,000 credits

******Replace the Main Turret with:

a) Command Model---This replaces the standard turret with a slightly larger one(the added size disguised as ‘equipment racks’ on the outside) able to accommodate extra electronics and an additional crewmember.
Features of the Command Variant:
*Fire-Linking---The C-tank serves as the switchboard and command node of an interlinked network of vehicles, allowing them to share targeting data via short range comm-links(or directional laser or hardline fiber optics). In operation, this allows up to 10 vehicles to use the highest ‘To Strike’ bonuses among them to strike a target within mutual range of their weapons. The system also grants a +1 to Initiative to all units firelinked.
The shortcomings of the system are a susceptibility to jamming for radio-linked units(laser comm and fiber optic-linked units are not so vulnerable, but laser-linked units must be in line of sight of each other and can fall afoul of anti-laser aerosols, while hardline-linked units are essentially stationary batteries).

*ECM----Effective range of 5,000 ft. Enemy radar-guided and EM-guided weapons are -4 to strike anything in that area as well.

*ECCM----The C-Tank carries more sophisticated frequency-jumping, scrambling, and directed burst-packeting to defeat enemy jamming. 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 recieved by that unit alone(other units cannot make use of it, unless they have an unaffected datalink/info-share with the ECCM equiped unit. Magic/psychic jamming is NOT affected by this system.

*Enhanced Communications---Includes more sophisticated en/decryption systems, and switchboard management for handling the flood of communications a command vehicle is expected to handle. Radio range is DOUBLED.

*Internal Holographic Display Panels----Not quite the equivalent of a full-blown Situation Room, these expanded holographic display consoles never theless do an excellent job of displaying terrain and sensory data. Includes a combat computer with data-shifting, looking for pre-determined sensory criteria , and highlighting them for the attention of the crew. This gives the Command Model a +2 to Perception Rolls(if you use them), or else a +1 to initiative, +10% to Detect Concealment and Detect Ambush rolls. The Pointman III system available to the FireDrake is cruder and less sophisticated than that installed in the more advanced PS Cestus and other high-end vehicles, but the system is more than adequate for most mercenary units and well within their often limited technical resources to repair and maintain.

Command Variant Cost: +2.2 million credits

Variants:
*PS-GEV-APC-15C ‘Bankshot’
The ‘Bankshot’ is the APC variant of the ‘Firedrake’, requested by the Vermont Free State Regular Army to replace the wheeled Timber Wolf and Rattlesnake APCs that clearly could not keep up with the power armors so common to the GNE’s mechanized infantry. The larger Firedrake, it was felt, could make a good GEV APC conversion, being well-armored, fast, and dependable. So a quick-and-dirty conversion was laid out and rushed into production shortly thereafter.
The ‘Bankshot’ replaces the main turret and rotation gear with a casemated personnel compartment with two side-drop-down ramp-doors and a ‘skylight’ roof hatch(enabling troops to fire from the comfort and protection of the vehicle, or jetpack/power-armored troops to rapidly exit). The ‘Bankshot’ retains a single small turret, the bow plate gun, anti-missile system, smoke mortars, and AP fletchette packs, as well as all the armor protection.
Like the Firedrake, the Bankshot has met with mixed acceptance by the Vermont Free State(and later Greater New England) military. While happy to get it and replace their slower-moving wheeled and treaded APCs, most experienced units regard it as a stopgap, until more sophisticated vehicles like the Moth GMR APC, or the promised Maximillan-class large APC become more available. Auxiliary and merc units affiliated with the GNE love the Bankshot, however, and have placed large orders for it, reasoning that the shared logistics and parts compatibility between it and the Firedrake MBT ease logistical overhead in mixed Bankshot-Firedrake cavalry units. The most frequent complaints about the vehicle are the side hatches(the placement of the tank engine at the rear of the main body make the installation of a rear hatch problematic), the close quarters, and noise level, but the Bankshot gets high marks for speed, armor protection, and the ability to keep up with its debarked power armors.
The Bankshot’s orginal name was the ‘Pulaski’, after a pre-Rifts regional war hero, but ‘Bankshot’ entered popular usage with the troops after the rough ride inexperienced drivers gave the much faster APC, bouncing off obstacles. Rather than constantly correct its troops as to the proper name, the GNERA elected to call it the ‘Bankshot’ as well, but insisting that it was a reference to the indirect ‘flanking’ attacks its embarked infantry were able to make on the enemy.
Changes:
Type:PS-GEV-APC-15C
Class: Ground Effect Armored Personnel Carrier
Crew:Three, plus 1- 12 infantry, or 1-6 power armors
MDC/Armor by Location:
Remove the Main Turret and replace with:
Reinforced Troop Compartment 200
Side Hatches(2) 100 each
Top Hatch 120
Main Turret 200
Mini-Missile Launcher 80
Market Cost:7 million credits for conventionally powered (liquid fuel), 9 million for electric, and 20 million for nuclear w/ 15 year energy life
Weapons Systems:
1)Main Weapons Turret---Mounted slightly more forward than the Firedrake’s main gun turret, and smaller, mounting lighter weapons.
a) Heavy Rail Gun/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. the KTH-65 can penetrate most any known armour with ease with a high-velocity burst. 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 on the East Coast
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, ECHH
Maxium Effective Range: 1600m (1 mile) in atmosphere
Payload: 100 rds

b) Co-Axial Pulse Laser---(Note: This can be replaced by any of the options for the Co-Axial Cannon described above)
Range: 4000 feet
Mega Damage: 4d6+2 per single shot, 2d4x10 for a triple pulse.
Rate of Fire: EGCHH
Payload: Unlimited

c) Mini-missile Launcher---Box launcher for mini-missiles, mounted to one side of the turret. Holds 12 shots
d) Hardpoint---The smaller APC turret retains one hardpoint on the side opposite the mini-missile launcher---Otherwise, identical to the turret hardpoint described above

2) Glacis Plate Laser Cannon---As above
3)Cupola-Mount Machine-Gun---As above
4)Lateral Anti-Missile System------As above
5)Smoke Mortars(2)---As above
6) Fletchette Packs---As above

*PS-GEV-SPML-15M Missile Tank
This was an attempt to use the Firedrake as a common chassis for a missile fire support vehicle, and was designed by Iron Heart Armaments expatriates. The missile box launcher from the old IH-15 Iron Bolt missile tank was mounted on the Firedrake hull, giving the vehicle 12 LRMs and 120 mini-missiles. The result was the long range firepower of the Iron Bolt and greater speed(and survivability).
The SPML-15M had its share of enthusiasts and detractors; the design’s advocates loved its ability to ‘shoot and scoot’ with its 125 MPH top speed(as opposed to the old IH-15’s 55 MPH). The biggest complaint about it was its top-heavy center of gravity that made the tank tend to ‘drift’ on high speed turns.
The SPML-15M was produced in limited numbers as a stopgap while PS tooled up to produce the SPML-9 Brabant variant of the Megabago, whereafter the units were shifted to second-echelon garrison and reserve artillery regiments. A second major production run of SPML-15Ms, combined with conversion of older Firedrake hulls, was produced for equipping GNE allies (including the New Roman Republic) and affiliated mercenary units.

Other Variants in Development:
PS-GEV-SPG-15(X)---This is little more than the main hull of the FireDrake, stripped open, and mounting a 200mm MassDriver Cannon. The as-yet-unnamed SPG-15(X) is intended as a high speed self propelled gun and fire support vehicle, and currently three are undergoing trials at Mount Defiance. Early reports show that the massive cannon cannot be fired on the move, however, requiring the SPG to land first, deploy shock baffles, then fire, before it can move again. No other details are known about the vehicle, though as a support vehicle, it is likely to be carrying only light armor and light secondary armaments.

Re: Paladin Steel Storefront

Posted: Thu Jan 29, 2009 1:14 am
by Aramanthus
Nice vehicle. We here at the Federated Stated Plan on purchasing enough to allow us to fill at least a division and a half. And I know we'd like every option we can get. We luckily have managed to purchase several of Kera-Techs vehicles at their location in Phase World.

Re: Paladin Steel Storefront

Posted: Thu Jan 29, 2009 8:09 pm
by taalismn
Well, the state of the art's progressing...you just have to be careful the GEV intakes don't ingest grenades or megadamage groundhogs...

Hopefully, I'll have more heavy vehicles to come in the weeks ahead...

Re: Paladin Steel Storefront

Posted: Fri Jan 30, 2009 2:10 am
by Aramanthus
Very nice! We here at the Federated States are always happy to be present for watching a weapon or equipment testing. And PS always have great gear for sale.

Re: Paladin Steel Storefront

Posted: Sun Feb 01, 2009 7:07 pm
by taalismn
Paladin Steel S-9 ‘Sandman’ Automatic Shock Pistol
“Heeheee...’Sandman’ alright....with one of these babies in your hand you can make a whole squad go nighty-night and they never know what hit them....
-Roger ‘Ambush Boy’ McKenner, Headhunter

“Unfortunately, I saw one of these things fall into the wrong hands....street punk by the name of ‘Sticker...liked to autofire the thing while his ammo held out....at people in moving vehicles, on scaffolding....nailed some poor old guy.....veteran’s pacemaker overloaded from the multiple shocks and he went cardiac on the spot....I didn’t really want to nail ‘Sticker on a manslaughter charge, just felonious assault and endangerment, but that’s the one that stuck him in the cooler when we caught up with him...”
----Sargeant Rosco Kleiger, Doberman New Burlington Police Officer.

“What the hell?What’s the big screwin’ idea, Malcolm!!!??? Taking half our dough and buyin’ freakin’ AIRGUNS?! What the fraudin’ hell were you thinking!!!!???”
<<<<<<<ZIK>>>>>>>>>>>>
“That I could get the other half of our dough, maybe?”

With the growth of large urbanized areas in many post-Rifts nations, the need for nonlethal weapons to replace the megadamage weaponry more commonly used in ‘frontier justice’, as well as for casually settling disputes, has assumed new priority for Paladin Steel. Being a major arms dealer has had its drawback in that the citizens of the regions where it sells its wares have potential access to TREMENDOUS amounts of firepower. To curb the growth of violent crime excerbated by the casual use of readily available megadamage weaponry, PS has put much effort into coming up with nonlethal/reduced lethality weaponry with which to equip law enforcement agencies, and ultimately to provide the civilian consumer with less dangerous, but equally effective, hardware for self-defense. Weaponry that has all the built-in confidence, and little of the messy clean-up, of the megadamage weapons.
The S-9 ‘Sandman’ is a slim, sleek, light-weight gas-powered air-pistol, with a matte-black plastic construction, and a distinctive large muzzle brake. The S-9 fires BB-sized superconductive ‘micro-bat’ beads of orbitally fast-grown piezio-electric crystal, held in a spiral arrangement in a cylindrical magazine that screws into the back end of the gun. The pellets are propelled by a compressed gas cylinder in the handgrip of the pistol. The weapon’s light weight construction makes it remarkably easy to aim and handle(it has often been compared to an ‘Olympic target pistol’ in operation), while the large muzzle brake cuts down on noise and recoil.
Each crystalline ‘bead’ holds a potent electrical charge that acts as a taser on impact with an unarmored target, when the bead shatters into dust as it delivers its charge. The suden zap is usually enough to stun, even knock unconscious, an unarmored SDC target, but it is less efffective against cyborgs, and armored, or MDC targets. This makes the S-9 best suited against ‘soft’ targets. The S-9 can also fire drug-pellets or paint/tracer pellets if so desired.
Another interesting feature is that both the magazine and propellant gas-cylinder can be removed from the gun, the gas cylinder screwed into the end of the magazine, and the whole used as an impromptu stun grenade. Obviously, this is most effective with a full magazine, but it is still a potent and unexpected weapon in a close situation.
The S-9 was originally intended for security forces, but it has also caught on with spaceborne security, businessmen(for self-defense), bounty hunters, and espionage operatives, who claim the plastic construction makes the weapon less detectable by weapons scanners.
Date of Introduction: 108 PA
Weight: .5 kg
Range: 200 ft
Damage: Nil. Humanoids struck with this weapon must save vs. coma or be shocked unconscious for 1D6 minutes. EBA defeats it, but partial body armor and heavy clothing provide only partial cover against a taser bead strike.
Partial Cyborgs have a 50% chance of having their cybernetics disrupted for 1D10 minutes, and a 20% chance of a non-vital system being permanently shorted out. Full conversion cyborgs have only a 25%/5% chance, and Assault Cyborgs and those with hardened systems aren’t affected at all.
(Taser Grenade) Roll percentile dice---10% chance of a successful strike per bead remaining in the magazine. Does normal taser damage to targets in a 20 ft radius
Rate of Fire: ECHH
Payload: 20 taser ‘beads’ in a screw-on magazine. The gas cylinder has enough inert gas propellant for 40 shots.
Bonuses: Lightweight construction and superior ergonomic design give this weapon a +2 to strike
Special Features: Composite plastic construction(able to pass through metal detectors undiscovered), low recoil, low acoustic signature, no thermal emissions, laser spot-sight.
Cost: 3,000 credits. 300 credits per magazine. 25 credits per gas cartridge
Options:
*Extra-Large Magazine---A larger magazine with 50 rds(and a correspondingly larger gas cartridge as standard). Great for auto-spraying crowds. 500 credits per magazine. 40 credits per gas cartridge

Re: Paladin Steel Storefront

Posted: Mon Feb 02, 2009 5:43 am
by abtex
Paladin Steel S-9 ‘Sandman’ Automatic Shock Pistol
orbitally fast-grown piezio-electric crystal,

Nice new toy.
So many possibles for the crystals. and the weapon concept.
FlashLauncher
GunKnifes, Swords, Maces, Whips - http://s2ka.deviantart.com/art/Blade2whip-40688562 -
with multi lashes with crystal tips or self feeding crystals to replace one's used.
Shotgun style single crystal center web shell, ...
SemiAuto Shock weapon - pump action air gun.
Crystal quick discharge ReCharger, crystal Pellet powered EmergencyEscape Jet Pack - heats water to power steam for thrust,

more later.

Re: Paladin Steel Storefront

Posted: Mon Feb 02, 2009 1:49 pm
by abtex
Wheel-less Cycle using something like your Virtual Tread Traction System [what ever that is]?

Or is more like a Rim-less tire or Hoop Snake wheel - http://www.osmoswheel.com/index.asp?lang=en

Re: Paladin Steel Storefront

Posted: Mon Feb 02, 2009 2:12 pm
by taalismn
The virtual tread system is essentially a kinetic forcefield generator mounted in a wheel that generates a virtual solid surface between the wheel and the ground...not enough to allow the vehicle to drive across water, mind you, but enough that the vehicle doesn't bog down in mud or snow because it effectively 'floats' on a plane of force that distributes the vehicle's weight over a wider area...In theory, this system could also be used to keep giant robots from simply punching deep footprints in the ground...The system also prevents the vehicle from sliding on slick surfaces and improves traction...'roadsucker mode', so you can get your vehicle driving easily along those steep embankments like professional racing cars...Again, in theory, one should be able to use it to drive up the side of buildings, or upside down, given enough speed and power, but current state of the art doesn't allow that...because the field doesn't renew, moment to moment, fast enough, and because it would also have to fight to keep the vehicle attached(fight the weight of the vehicle falling away, in addition to distributing its weight along the target surface)...

Re: Paladin Steel Storefront

Posted: Tue Feb 03, 2009 4:15 am
by Aramanthus
So when can we expect this system to be developed into a usable form from PS? Nice links Abtex! Thank you for sharing them. The new weapon has a name the reminds me of red crystals, and floating people.

We at the Federated States would like to procure several cases if possible. They could fill a niche. Hopefully that willbe possible?

Re: Paladin Steel Storefront

Posted: Tue Feb 03, 2009 11:33 am
by taalismn
Liquid WhupAss
“Liquid WhupAss...NOT for WIMPS!”

“Drinking down that bastard was like swallowing a block of ice frozen around a rerservoir of liquid vodka.....the bastard leaving was like getting an enema with a high pressure fire hose....I can’t remember much about what happened in between, except that it was bright and loud...”

This exotic magical concoction looks innocuous enough: a simple eight-ounce can of soda pop...except for the large red warning labels and the elaborate twist-top and pull-tab openning mechanism. Inside, seething under pressure, is a confined Water Elemental, or part of one, waiting to be released. Upon the openning of the can seal, the Elemental will emerge, scan its immediate vicinity and the person who released it. If the holder of the can is of incompatible alignment, and the Elemental takes a dislike of them, the Elemental will manifest in all its glory and attack them, fighting until the enemy is destroyed or until the entity is down to 10% of its damage capacity, at which point it will retreat back to the Elemental Planes, likely never to return.
If the Elemental should find the releaser to be a likely friend and takes a shine to them, then the Elemental will seek to enter the person’s body, forcing its way in via the body opennings, and taking partial control of the person. From that point on, the possessed person effectively becomes a supernatural being, with the megadamage capacity, strength, agility, and magical abilities of the Elemental. As before, the Elemental will only stick around until the immediate enemy is destroyed, or its host is down to 10% of total damage capacity, before leaving(the host will return to their pre-ingestion SDC/MDC levels).
This process is very taxing and disorienting for a host; being invaded and taken over by a supernatural being, and being elevated to demigod levels of power, before being pushed into a frenzy of activity pretty much wipes out your average person.
If a magic user should ingest the Elemental, it is somewhat different. Magic users imbibing Liquid WhupAss become seized in the throes of Sorcerous Fury. However, while the mage may lose control, physical aftereffects are somewhat diminished; the mage recovers PPE as normal, and healing time is HALVED. Water Elemental Warlocks will suffer NO ill effects.
Liqiuid WhupAss currently comes only in Water flavor...The Zot has reported some success with Air, except for a marked tendency on the part of imbibers to belch excessively, and none at all with Fire(extreme sore throats and digestive problems have been reported) or Earth(test drinkers complained of the dirt-like consistancy and flavor). However, the Zot is also working on a granola-based solution to the latter.
Cost: Currently available only to The Zot, and occasionally made available to allies. A one-shot can of Liquid WhupAss would bring upwards of 2 million credits on the Black market if it were made available.

Re: Paladin Steel Storefront

Posted: Wed Feb 04, 2009 4:01 am
by Aramanthus
That is one very interesting creation! We here at the Federated States are not supporting this sort of activity. We won't be purchasing this product.

Re: Paladin Steel Storefront

Posted: Wed Feb 04, 2009 7:26 pm
by taalismn
Aramanthus wrote:That is one very interesting creation! We here at the Federated States are not supporting this sort of activity. We won't be purchasing this product.


"Too bad...Your (**UURRRPPP*) loss...sorry about that..."
(looks at the pile of annihilated Kydians laying in piles around him)
"Yeah, who's your daddy now, huh, punks!?"

Re: Paladin Steel Storefront

Posted: Wed Feb 04, 2009 8:21 pm
by Veritas476
taalismn wrote:Liquid WhupAss
“Liquid WhupAss...NOT for WIMPS!”

“Drinking down that bastard was like swallowing a block of ice frozen around a rerservoir of liquid vodka.....the bastard leaving was like getting an enema with a high pressure fire hose....I can’t remember much about what happened in between, except that it was bright and loud...”


"Man the people over at Paladin Steel come up with the strangest stuff. Liquid WhupAss kinda reminds me of a Pan-Galactic Gargleblaster. Both really mess with you something fierce."
- random overheard comment

Re: Paladin Steel Storefront

Posted: Thu Feb 05, 2009 7:27 pm
by taalismn
Well, we also use our marketing network to make available a number of 'novelty' items developed by our subcontractors and affiliates, as part of our 'commerce plus' initiative...After all, in our experience, you never know when today's 'novelty' can become tomorrow's mainstream hot seller...

Re: Paladin Steel Storefront

Posted: Thu Feb 05, 2009 7:56 pm
by ZINO
taalismn wrote:Thanks to Raven, again, for his Keratech weapons....

Paladin Steel ‘Firedrake’ HoverTank


(Cut in to ANNOUNCER, wearing Huntsman demi-armor and camous. Behind him we can see a cliff edge, a small low-lying shack near the edge. On the ground at the foot of the cliff , we can just see a dust cloud coming closer.)
Announcer: “Good evenings folks! Because of recent rumors that Paladin Steel’s recently released Firedrake Hovertank is a second-rate combat vehicle and a high budget deathtrap, we’ve decided to lay those loose tongues to rest, showing how tough and reliable the Firedrake really is, by driving one(gestures to the side) through THAT Coalition outpost(points at the shack) , off THAT cliff, and down on top of THOSE oncoming Deadboy reinforcements!”
(Camera pans right to focus as we see a Firedrake suddenly come flying from offcamera, fans screaming, rapidly accelerating towards the shack, with no indications of slowing down, despite several glowing hotspots that appear on its hull, indicative of some serious laser weaponry being deployed against it. As the speeding tank nears the shack, we see a sidedoor that suddenly bangs open and several figures in black armor come pelting out, running pelll-mell for cover, moments before the tank crashes into the shack.
Half of the shack, along with several Deadboys who were late out of the gates, goes flipping up into the air, as the other half gets plowed ahead of the tank as it continues racing for the edge of the cliff...and off...
Camera continues to track as the obscured tank, still entangled in shack, falls and flips several times before slamming into the ground, raising an enormous cloud of dust....then bounces free, flying forward into the approaching Coalition forces, plowing into them like a runaway rail car. The lead DeathTrooper happens to get hit first, exploding like an egg as the tumbling tank rolls over it, scattering arms, legs, and a bouncing head over the landscape. The second DeathTrooper gets bisected as an armored wedge comes blowing out of the dust, pins it up against the side of one of the APCs, then THROUGH it as the hovertank staves in the side of the Coalition vehicle. Then the APC is flipped over onto its back. The second APC applies its brakes and comes to a screeching halt, begins backing up, its main rail gun turret swinging in to bear on the tangled mess of tank and APC, but the tank’s turret gun beats it to the punch....

We finally see the Firedrake whine to a stop, blasted, busted, bent, sending out smoke and sparks, but obviously still functional...A hatch opens in the top and an arm emerges,..as the camera comes in for a close-up, we see the hand flash a weary thumbs up, before falling back inside...

Announcer: “And there you have it! Proof positive that the Firedrake is NOT a piece of crap!”(behind him we see a wheel, smoking slightly, from one of the APCs come crashing down, then wobble away, before konking into one of the remaining Coalition soldiers, hands over their heads, being herded back away from the edge of the cliff by several mercs in battle armor)
“Back to you, Bob!”
---Paladin Steel Promo Spot for the Firedrake

“I hear a lot of folks consider the Firedrake to be second-line design that you only buy when there ain’t the money for something like a Cestus or a Bandersnatch...but the Firedrake isn’t second-rate hardware. Most of the design is lifted straight off the Lynx, including most of the controls, which has the benefit that alot of city militia boys who cut their teeth on the security garrison Lynxes, can more easily make the transition to the Firedrake. Most of the components are readily available as well, and there’s enough tolerance in the design specs that the hover turbines can even be replaced with salvaged parts from Coalition and Northern Gun designs...a quick fix, mind you, not a permanent solution..and you better be careful of the power transfer linkages.....most of the weapons are GNE general market designs, and the rest can be found in any good outfitter’s. That means that pretty much every part of the Firedrake’s been thouroughly tested in the field and your mechanic isn’t going to be flummoxed by some new, hard to get, and nearly impossible to repair system. That’s what I want in a front line unit!“
----Captain Daniel Hasbro, Black Horse Guards

The Firedrake is another concept for a main line hovertank for the GNE armed forces. The designers of the Firedrake, the same people responsible for the Megabago, were under pressure to come up with a vehicle that was simpler, less technologically complex, and less expensive to produce and operate than the Cestus and Bandersnatch hovertanks, while still being cutting edge and hard hitting. Another consideration had to be future commercial sales, so easy adaptability for open market distribution had to be built in. The resulting compromise design was the Firedrake, a conservative design that appealed to both the conservative pennypinchers and the cutting-edge innovators.
The Firedrake takes much of its design from the Lynx Medium Tank, but instead of multidirectional wheel-legs, the Firedrake has four powerful hoverturbines embedded in the greatly uparmored and reinforced main hull. A substantially larger main engine adds nearly three tons of extra weight, but provides more than adequate power to lift the added mass of armor and push it at high speed., though only a few feet off the ground. The turret, also based on the Lynx, has also been uparmored. On top of the beefed up structure, the entire tank has a sheathing of heavy armor that can be upgraded with laser-ablative ceramic armor, allowing it to shrug off laser strikes. Close-in proximity-triggered fletchette packs and strategically-placed directional-charge reactive armor plates offer a welcome measure of protection from shaped charge explosives, projectile weapons, and infantry demolition sappers.
In order to speed the Firedrake’s introduction, PS decided to forgo developing a whole new range of weapons specific to the tank, and instead retained the Lynx’s range of weaponry. Later on in production, however, PS added several new weapons systems , the better to upgrade the Firedrake to a ‘heavy’ unit, as opposed to the Lynx’s ‘medium’ standing.
Most of the Lynx’s security-duty-specific sensor systems have been stripped out to make way for additional targeting sensors and backtrack fire control radars. The Firedrake is meant as an open field front line assault unit---not an urban defense vehicle.
Most users of the Firedrake describe it as a ‘vanilla’ tank....solid, reliable, but not exceptional, and on a par with contemporary GAW and Northern Gun efforts. In the recent Battle of the Saint Francis Basin, which saw a number of tank-on-tank actions, the Firedrake proved it could beat the Coalition’s Linebacker tanks, but PS felt that the margin of victory(7 Firedrakes lost to 12 Linebackers) was too thin to advertise the Firedrake as a ‘Linebacker-killer’. (Incidently, advocates of the Firedrake claim that the Battle of Saint Francis Basin reports are skewed by reports that not all the Firedrakes lost were taken out by enemy tanks, citing the Coalition’s introduction of their new SAMAS units as being really responsible for the upset).
The Firedrake for a time served as the new standard HBT of the GNE Regular Army, until the Bandersnatch and the Cestus were introduced, and the Firedrake was dropped in classification to a medium MBT. The Firedrake continues to serve with Regular Army armored brigades as a line AFV, supplementing or replacing older Black Bear MBTs in service. A large number of Firedrakes have also been sold or transferred to Irregular units and GNE affiliates.

Type:PS-GEV-MBT-15
Class: Heavy Hover Tank
Date of Introduction: 108 PA
Crew: Three
MDC/Armor by Location:
Main Body 550
Reinforced Crew Compartment(main body) 100
Reinforced Crew Compartment(turret) 50
Turret 300
Main Gun 120
Anti-Missile System 50
Glacis Plate Laser 20
Smoke/Gas Dispensers(2) 15 each
*Hover Turbines(4) 120 each
*The hover turbine intakes are heavily shielded and hard to hit; -4 to strike. Destroying 1 turbine lowers the speed by 25% , but otherwise the tank can continue to move. The Firedrake can maneuver on as few as two working jets, but reduce speed by HALF and impose a skill penalty of -15% to the Pilot Hovercraft skill.
Height: 10 ft
Length: 35 ft
Width: 12 ft
Weight: 36 tons
Cargo:Mimimal Cargo Space; about four feet of space for survival gear, supplies, and some personal possessions.
Powerplant: Internal Combustion(600 mile range), electric(600 mile range), or nuclear with 15 year energy life
Speed: 200 MPH, 2-4 ft off the ground
(Water) The Firedrake CAN skim over the surface of small bodies of water, such as lakes and streams, but must revv its engines to maximum; and even then it fairly wallows in a cloud of spray at a clumsy 50 MPH. The best it can manage is Sea State 4; anything greater, and the tank flounders.
(Underwater) Buttoned up, the Firedrake CAN operate underwater, but it flounders along at 7 MPH and kicks up a racket as its turbines suck water. It can remain underwater for 48 hours, and can only survive depths of 100 ft.
Market Cost: 9 million credits for conventionally powered (liquid fuel), 10 million for electric, and 24 million for nuclear w/ 15 year energy life
Systems of Note:
All basic Robot features.
Weapons Systems:
1)Main Turret Gun
a)120mm Main Gun---Taken directly from the old Iron Fist, the IH/FC-B AutoCannon is a proven and reliable design, and was the first choice for the Firedrake because of its familiarity and availability.
Range: 6000 ft
Damage:High Explosive(HE) 1d6x10 MD to 20 ft blast radius
High Explosive Anti-Tank(HEAT) 2d6x10 MD to 10 ft blast radius
Armor Piercing(AP) 1d4x10 MD
APSD: 2d4x10 MD
Rate of Fire: 3 attacks per melee
Payload: 80 rds

b)100mm LB Massdriver Cannon (PS-MDJ100L)--- This is a massive and powerful gauss cannon that would quickly become the favored weapon of choice, replacing the older PS-FC-120B. This powerful linear accelerator cannon is capable of firing in both the direct and indirect fire mode, and currently is equipped to fire in two modes, a direct-fire, flat trajectory(especially armor-piercing APFSDSDU(Armor Piercing Fletchette Discarding Sabot Depleted Uranium) rounds), and indirect ballistic fire.
The PS-MDJ100L would become STANDARD equipment for all new-production GNE-based FireDrakes after 110 P.A., replacing the 120mm cannon, but would NOT be offered as an option to Black Market production models(hence it is presented here, and not in the Options section).
Weight: 14,000 lbs(7 tons)
Range:(Direct Fire) 36,000 ft (7.2 miles)
(Indirect Fire) 90,000 ft(18 miles)
Damage:High Explosive(HE)---- 1d6x10 MD to 20 ft radius
High Explosive Anti-Tank(HEAT)---- 2d6 x10 MD to 10 ft radius
Fragmentation--- 2d6x10 MD to 30 ft radius
Plasma-----3d6x10 MD to 35 ft radius
(APFSDSDU)(Armor Piercing Fin Stabilized Discarding Sabot Depleted Uranium) 4d6x10 MD out to 11,000 ft, 2d6x10 MD out to maximum range
Rate of Fire:Four per melee
Payload: 1 ton ammunition stowage
100 mm AP shell weighs 25 lbs( 80 shots per ton)
Cost: 2.7 million credits

2)IH/FC-100 Rail Gun---Mounted co-axially to the main cannon is another IHA favorite, this high-powered rail cannon. Some users and GNE units replace it with a light pulse laser or other energy weapon.
Range: 4000 ft
Damage: 1d4 MD single rd, 1d6x10 MD per 60 rd burst
Rate of Fire:EGCHH
Payload: 12,000 rd drum

3)Cupola-Mount Gun----Controlled from inside the command cupola, this can either be an IH/FC-105 Rail Gun(4000 ft, 1d4 MD single rd/1d4x10 MD per 40 rd burst, 8,000 rd drum), a grenade launcher, light micro/mini-missile launcher, or energy weapon.

4)Lateral Anti-Missile System---Given that PS relies heavily on vehicles for battlefield support, and the growing use of stand-off missile-launching anti-armor weapons like the Wellington Arms SAW Mine among PS’s enemies, it has become a trend to refit older vehicles with anti-missile systems such as the ‘Button Gun; gatling cannon, and newer vehicles are designed with provision for similar systems. The FireDrake’s turret has been designed to accommmodate wither a ‘Button Gun’ or any of PS’s other point defense systems.
a)PS-L-CIWS Vulcan Chain Guns(aka “Button Guns”)---This installation, introduced on the Minotaur Battler, then adapted as an air defense weapon option for the VW Camper Gunship, has been adapted for shipboard use as PS’s standard light maritime weapons system. The system is a very compact and neat installation that takes up little space, and has been compared to the pre-Rifts Russian ADMG-630 30mm Gatling CIWS that saw extensive service aboard Russian warships. The PS-L-CIWS is often called the “Button Gun” because of its squat, flattened dome-like turret.
Range: 4,000 ft
Damage: 1d4x10 MD per 20 rd burst(can only fire bursts)
Rate of Fire: EGCHH, as an automated defense system linked to a radar/sensor system, the “Button Gun” has a +2 to strike, and four attacks per melee.
Payload: 4,000 rd drum(100 bursts)

Alternately, the following can be mounted:

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

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

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

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

5)Smoke Mortars(2)---Mounted on the turret are two smoke grenade launchers
Range: 500 ft
Damage: Smoke or chemical to 15 ft radius
Rate of Fire: Volleys of 1, 2, 3, or 4
Payload: 4 shells per launcher

6)Turret Hardpoints(2)---The turret has two hardpoints for additional cargo racks or armament modules. See below for options.

7) Fletchette Packs----Located around the hull and turret are special ‘reactive armor’ panels that can be also be triggered as anti-personnel grenades.This is one of several similar systems currently in service/under development by PS.
Range: 100 ft
Damage: 5d6 MD to a cone swath roughly 50 ft long, by 10 ft wide.
Used as reactive arnor against plasma and armor-piercing missiles, the computerized firing system acts as a PARRY, rolling to match or better the missile’s strike roll...a successful counter means that the missile damage is HALVED, while a failure means the tank takes full damage. Note: when dealing with volleys, one reactive armor pack can match TWO missiles in a volley, so in order to effectively counter a five missile volley, the tank must expend 3 reactive armor packs...two packs would roll twice to defeat their respective missiles, the third would only roll once. If the enemy missile launcher has a line of sight on the tank, they can target a spot on the hull which has no packs covering it (a called shot), in which case the remaining reactive armor is -4 to cover the gap.
Rate of Fire: One at a time or can be simultaneously fired in volleys of 1-10
Payload: Each side of the tank(sides, front, back) has 10 fletchette packs each(40 total), the turret has 6 each side, three on top(15 total)

8) Glacis Plate Laser Cannon---A holdover from the old Iron Heart Armaments designs, this is a twin-barrel pulse laser operated by the driver.
Range: 4000 ft
Damage: 6d6 MD per blast
Rate of Fire: EPCHH
Payload: 1000 dual blasts. Unlimited if nuclear powered

Options:

*******Ram Prow---Adds an angled reinforced armored ‘snowplow’ to the front of the tank for clearing debris and ramming targets. However, cut top speed by 15%, as the heavy plow tends to unbalance the air cushion vehicle and drag slightly at the front(shooting up some rather spectacular sparks). Still, some units(especially FreeWah Rocky Mountain armored units) carry these as standard for snow clearing(using a combination of the plow and the hoverjets’ slipstream to clear the road).
MDC of Plow: 150
Damage:1d6x10 MD from a half-speed ram,
2d6x10 MD from a full speed ram.
Cost: 80,000 credits

*Chaff/Flare Launchers(2-4)---These are most effective against heat seeking and radar-guided missiles, and tend to be less effective(or not effective at all) against shoulder-launched mini-missiles and optically-sighted laser-rider ordnance.
Range: Close Defense
Damage: None; similar to Triax-style chaff
01-50 Enemy Missile or volley detonates in chaff and threat is nuetralized
51-75 Missile/Volley diverts and may pursue/lock on to other targets
76-00 No Effect! Missile(s) still on target!
Will also temporarily blind and impede flying monsters who fly into it.
Reduce APMs/combat bonuses/ speed by half for 1d4 melees
Payload: 12 per launcher
Cost: 3,500 credits for the launchers, 300 per flare/chaff bundle

*Laser Ablative Ceramic Armor----Orbital-grade anti-laser protection can be applied to the whole tank for a modest additional cost. Unlike Glitterboy Chrome, variable-frequency lasers CANNOT be adjusted to overcome the effectiveness of the ceramic-based multi-layer armor.
Effects: Lasers do HALF damage
Cost: 3 million credits

*******Swap out the 120mm Cannon for:
a) KTH-65 32mm Assault Rail Gun--Trades the range for rate of fire and damage. PS LOVES this Kera-Tech designed weapon, and has been mounting it on any available platforms they can, despite howls from the Kera-Tech engineers that the weapon currently in PS production is only an alpha-model.
Range: 5,000 ft (1 mile)
Damage: 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 shot, ECHH
Payload: 300 rounds. APFS-DU round take up TWICE as much space as a regular shell, and count as 2 shots for space purposes.
Cost:NOT AVAILABLE TO THE MARKET;EXCLUSIVE TO GNE/KT.

b) Heavy Laser Cannon---A straightout remount of the reliable PS-AWD-MTL-1D Tri-Laser weapon.
Range: 6,000 ft
Damage: 4d6 MD single shot
1d4x10 +6 MD double blast
1d6x10+10 MD triple blast
Rate of Fire: EGCHH
Payload: 200 shot battery (if conventionally powered). Effectively Unlimited w/ nuclear powerplant
Cost: 300,000 Credits

c) Particle Beam Cannon---Adapted from Kera-Tech’s own ‘Storm Lance’ Hovertank, the KTPB-40 has earned the nickname ‘Supershooter’ from PS engineers, who like its low-maintenance design, and superb range. This mounting is actually the first time this weapon has been seen on Rifts Earth outside Kera-Tech’s forces, and, as such, is NOT available to the general market(exclusive to PS and its affiliates)
Range: 9,800 ft(nearly 2 miles!)
Damage: 2d6x10 MD per blast
Rate of Fire: ECHH
Payload: 150 shot battery (if conventionally powered).Effectively Unlimited w/ nuclear powerplant
Cost:NOT AVAILABLE TO THE MARKET;EXCLUSIVE TO GNE.

d)KTPPB-2150 ‘Howler’ Plasma Cannon---Competition was fierce between this Kera-Tech model using an energy cartridge system and a Paladin Steel plasma projector of more conventional design, but less range and damage. The cadmium-telluride cartridge system has a finite ammunition supply, but is quite compact, without the need for heavy coolant systems and power transmission gear for the battery packs...and is a helluva lot safer and easier on the nerves than the other plasma cannon Kera-Tech wanted to mount!.
Range: 4,000 ft
Damage: 2d6x10 MD per blast
Rate of Fire: EGCHH
Payload: 400 shot drum
Cost: 250,000 credits, Each shell costs 100 credits

e) Magbolt Plasma Launcher---Yet another fine weapon in the Magbolt series of weapons. Capable of firing a magnetically-cocooned plasma ‘shell’, or of firing seperate magnetic vortices. It can fire a particularly devastating ‘shotgun blast’ of invisible mini-vortices that can barrel through infantry and cut down a squad like hay.
Range:(Plasma Shell) 4,000 ft
(Vortice) 3,000 ft
(‘Shotgun Storm’) 1,800 ft
Damage:(Plasma Shell) 2d4x10 MD to 15 ft blast radius
(Vortice) 1d6x10 MD, plus concussive knockdown:
(‘Shotgun Storm’) 6d6 MD to 50 ft area
Rate of Fire:(Plasma Shell) 4 times per melee
(Vortice) Six times per melee
(‘Shotgun Storm’) Twice pe melee
Bonuses: Magnetic vortices, being invisible, are -8 to dodge
Payload: 300 shot battery (if conventionally powered).
1 Plasma shot equals 2 charges
1 EM Vortice equals 1 charge
1 Shotgun Storm equals 3 charges
Effectively Unlimited w/ nuclear powerplant
Cost:NOT AVAILABLE TO THE MARKET;EXCLUSIVE TO GNE.

f)Twin Rapid Fire Flak Cannon------Adds an advanced fire control system and targeting radar to convert the tank into an anti-aircraft AAA vehicle. Copied from the Triax TX-862FC system, modified with a Paladin Steel ‘Skywatcher’ radar system, and sporting a larger ammunition payload.
Range: 10,000 ft
Damage: 4d6 MD single rd, 1d6x10 MD two rd burst, 3d6x10 MD per six-shot rapid fire burst
Rate of Fire: EGCHH
Payload: Two(2) 600-rd drums, total of 1,200 rds
Sensor Bonuses: +2 to strike on automatic(5 attacks per melee)
+3 to strike if operated manually
Target Acquisition/Fire Control Radar: 50 mile range
Cost: 5 million credits(expect to pay for all that automation and fire control!)

*******Swap out the Co-Axial Cannon for;
a)75mm Snub-nosed Low Velocity Gun-
Range: 6,000 ft
Damage:Smoke Rd: Smoke in a 30 ft area
High Explosive: 8d6 MD to 10 ft blast radius
Armor Piercing: 1d6x10 MD to 3 ft area
Plasma: 2d4x10 MD to 6 ft blast radius
Hellfire: 1d4x10 MD on impact, 4d6 MD per melee for 1d4 melees
Rate of Fire:ECHH
Payload: 25 rds
Cost: 125,000 credits

b) Pulse Laser--Standard PS pulse laser
Range: 4,000 ft
Damage: 6d6 MD per pulse blast
Rate of Fire: EGCHH
Payload: 1,000 shot battery (if conventionally powered).Effectively Unlimited w/ nuclear powerplant
Cost:12,000 credits

c) Light Autocannon---The 20mm Taskin Rifle, mounted in a vehicle
Range: 3,000 ft
Damage:(20mm) 1d4 MD single shot
4d6 MD per 5 rd burst
1d4x10+4 MD per 10 rd burst
(PSX-II) 4d4 MD single shot
1d6x10 MD per 5 rd burst
2d6x10 MD per 10 rd burst
(Wood Rounds) 6d6 SDC single shot (1d4x10 HP to vampires)
2d4x10 SDC MD per 5 rd burst (2d4x10 HP to vampires)
6d6 MD per 10 rd burst (3d6x10 HP to vampires)
Rate of Fire: EGCHH
Payload:500 rd box
Cost: 20,000 credits

d) Flamethrower----Your standard, high-powered flamethrower for torching infantry, forests, buildings, and small vehicles. Similarly, the bow-mounted weapon can be replaced with this weapon.
Range: 500 ft
Damage:3d6 MD per burst, plus does an additional 2d6 MD per melee for 1d6 melees
Rate of Fire: EGCHH
Payload:100 bursts
Cost: 10,000 credits

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

*******Turret hardpoints(2):
a) Micro-Missile Launcher(25 shot micro-missile launcher )
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

b) Mini-Missile Launcher(5-shot missile pod)
Cost: 10,000 Credits(Missiles cost extra)

c) Short Range Missile Launcher(2 per hardpoint)
Cost: 10,000 Credits(Missiles cost extra)

d) Medium Range Missile Launcher(1 per hardpoint)
Cost:20,000 Credits(Missiles cost extra)

e) Shrike III Launcher---A ‘brilliant’ high-accuracy anti-aircraft missile.
Range: 75 miles
Damage: 3d4x10 MD
Rate of Fire: Volley of 1
Payload: 1 per hardpoint
Bonus: +6 to strike
Cost:NOT AVAILABLE TO THE MARKET;EXCLUSIVE TO 5ST.

f) Heavy Hitter Anti-Armor Missiles---Laser-guided anti-armor missiles
Range: 1 mile(5,000 ft)
Damage: 2d4x10 MD
Rate of Fire: Volleys of 1,2,3,or 4
Payload: 4 shot pod per hardpoint
Bonus: +5 to strike ground targets(Aircraft are only +2 to strike)
Cost: 20,000 credits. 6,000 credits per missile

g) PS/FC ‘Black Talon’ Light SAMs---PS and Free Canada’s ‘brilliant’ mini-missile.
Range: 3 miles
Damage: 3d4x10 MD to 40 ft blast radius
Rate of Fire: Volleys of 1,2,3, or 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: 60 ,000 credits per launcher, 10,000 credits per missile

h) Sensory Cluster----MDC 80---Has the following sensors:
*Motion Detector--200 ft range
*Laser Illuminator-----6,000 ft range, Designates targets for laser-guided munnitions/weapons
*Laser targeting System(+1 to strike)
*Lance Scanner---Looks like a long lance protruding from the front of the craft. The Lance Scanner contains a magnetometer() and a short-range microwave radar for groundsearching minefields(in theory, the ground radar sound be able to detect even non-metallic mines, but takes twice as long). Range: The magnetometer has a range of 4,000 ft and can detect vehicles and other metallic structures with 80% accuracy
The ground radar has a range of 3,000 ft, and has a 90% chance of detecting metal-cased mines, 60% chance of detecting non-metallic ordinance.
*Aura Scanner---For detecting and identifying PPE concentrations
Range: 2000 ft
*Bio-Scanner---Has a molecular analyzer, enhanced radiation detector, high-powered accoustic ‘shotgun mike’(3,000 ft range), and thermo-imager optics.
* Optical Cluster--- Telescopic,IR/UV, Thermo-Imaging, Audio-Video-Survellance System
Cost: 80,000 credits

i) Radar Cluster---MDC 100, Range: 80 miles
Cost: 100,000 credits

******Replace the Main Turret with:

a) Command Model---This replaces the standard turret with a slightly larger one(the added size disguised as ‘equipment racks’ on the outside) able to accommodate extra electronics and an additional crewmember.
Features of the Command Variant:
*Fire-Linking---The C-tank serves as the switchboard and command node of an interlinked network of vehicles, allowing them to share targeting data via short range comm-links(or directional laser or hardline fiber optics). In operation, this allows up to 10 vehicles to use the highest ‘To Strike’ bonuses among them to strike a target within mutual range of their weapons. The system also grants a +1 to Initiative to all units firelinked.
The shortcomings of the system are a susceptibility to jamming for radio-linked units(laser comm and fiber optic-linked units are not so vulnerable, but laser-linked units must be in line of sight of each other and can fall afoul of anti-laser aerosols, while hardline-linked units are essentially stationary batteries).

*ECM----Effective range of 5,000 ft. Enemy radar-guided and EM-guided weapons are -4 to strike anything in that area as well.

*ECCM----The C-Tank carries more sophisticated frequency-jumping, scrambling, and directed burst-packeting to defeat enemy jamming. 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 recieved by that unit alone(other units cannot make use of it, unless they have an unaffected datalink/info-share with the ECCM equiped unit. Magic/psychic jamming is NOT affected by this system.

*Enhanced Communications---Includes more sophisticated en/decryption systems, and switchboard management for handling the flood of communications a command vehicle is expected to handle. Radio range is DOUBLED.

*Internal Holographic Display Panels----Not quite the equivalent of a full-blown Situation Room, these expanded holographic display consoles never theless do an excellent job of displaying terrain and sensory data. Includes a combat computer with data-shifting, looking for pre-determined sensory criteria , and highlighting them for the attention of the crew. This gives the Command Model a +2 to Perception Rolls(if you use them), or else a +1 to initiative, +10% to Detect Concealment and Detect Ambush rolls. The Pointman III system available to the FireDrake is cruder and less sophisticated than that installed in the more advanced PS Cestus and other high-end vehicles, but the system is more than adequate for most mercenary units and well within their often limited technical resources to repair and maintain.

Command Variant Cost: +2.2 million credits

Variants:
*PS-GEV-APC-15C ‘Bankshot’
The ‘Bankshot’ is the APC variant of the ‘Firedrake’, requested by the Vermont Free State Regular Army to replace the wheeled Timber Wolf and Rattlesnake APCs that clearly could not keep up with the power armors so common to the GNE’s mechanized infantry. The larger Firedrake, it was felt, could make a good GEV APC conversion, being well-armored, fast, and dependable. So a quick-and-dirty conversion was laid out and rushed into production shortly thereafter.
The ‘Bankshot’ replaces the main turret and rotation gear with a casemated personnel compartment with two side-drop-down ramp-doors and a ‘skylight’ roof hatch(enabling troops to fire from the comfort and protection of the vehicle, or jetpack/power-armored troops to rapidly exit). The ‘Bankshot’ retains a single small turret, the bow plate gun, anti-missile system, smoke mortars, and AP fletchette packs, as well as all the armor protection.
Like the Firedrake, the Bankshot has met with mixed acceptance by the Vermont Free State(and later Greater New England) military. While happy to get it and replace their slower-moving wheeled and treaded APCs, most experienced units regard it as a stopgap, until more sophisticated vehicles like the Moth GMR APC, or the promised Maximillan-class large APC become more available. Auxiliary and merc units affiliated with the GNE love the Bankshot, however, and have placed large orders for it, reasoning that the shared logistics and parts compatibility between it and the Firedrake MBT ease logistical overhead in mixed Bankshot-Firedrake cavalry units. The most frequent complaints about the vehicle are the side hatches(the placement of the tank engine at the rear of the main body make the installation of a rear hatch problematic), the close quarters, and noise level, but the Bankshot gets high marks for speed, armor protection, and the ability to keep up with its debarked power armors.
The Bankshot’s orginal name was the ‘Pulaski’, after a pre-Rifts regional war hero, but ‘Bankshot’ entered popular usage with the troops after the rough ride inexperienced drivers gave the much faster APC, bouncing off obstacles. Rather than constantly correct its troops as to the proper name, the GNERA elected to call it the ‘Bankshot’ as well, but insisting that it was a reference to the indirect ‘flanking’ attacks its embarked infantry were able to make on the enemy.
Changes:
Type:PS-GEV-APC-15C
Class: Ground Effect Armored Personnel Carrier
Crew:Three, plus 1- 12 infantry, or 1-6 power armors
MDC/Armor by Location:
Remove the Main Turret and replace with:
Reinforced Troop Compartment 200
Side Hatches(2) 100 each
Top Hatch 120
Main Turret 200
Mini-Missile Launcher 80
Market Cost:7 million credits for conventionally powered (liquid fuel), 9 million for electric, and 20 million for nuclear w/ 15 year energy life
Weapons Systems:
1)Main Weapons Turret---Mounted slightly more forward than the Firedrake’s main gun turret, and smaller, mounting lighter weapons.
a) Heavy Rail Gun/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. the KTH-65 can penetrate most any known armour with ease with a high-velocity burst. 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 on the East Coast
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, ECHH
Maxium Effective Range: 1600m (1 mile) in atmosphere
Payload: 100 rds

b) Co-Axial Pulse Laser---(Note: This can be replaced by any of the options for the Co-Axial Cannon described above)
Range: 4000 feet
Mega Damage: 4d6+2 per single shot, 2d4x10 for a triple pulse.
Rate of Fire: EGCHH
Payload: Unlimited

c) Mini-missile Launcher---Box launcher for mini-missiles, mounted to one side of the turret. Holds 12 shots
d) Hardpoint---The smaller APC turret retains one hardpoint on the side opposite the mini-missile launcher---Otherwise, identical to the turret hardpoint described above

2) Glacis Plate Laser Cannon---As above
3)Cupola-Mount Machine-Gun---As above
4)Lateral Anti-Missile System------As above
5)Smoke Mortars(2)---As above
6) Fletchette Packs---As above

*PS-GEV-SPML-15M Missile Tank
This was an attempt to use the Firedrake as a common chassis for a missile fire support vehicle, and was designed by Iron Heart Armaments expatriates. The missile box launcher from the old IH-15 Iron Bolt missile tank was mounted on the Firedrake hull, giving the vehicle 12 LRMs and 120 mini-missiles. The result was the long range firepower of the Iron Bolt and greater speed(and survivability).
The SPML-15M had its share of enthusiasts and detractors; the design’s advocates loved its ability to ‘shoot and scoot’ with its 125 MPH top speed(as opposed to the old IH-15’s 55 MPH). The biggest complaint about it was its top-heavy center of gravity that made the tank tend to ‘drift’ on high speed turns.
The SPML-15M was produced in limited numbers as a stopgap while PS tooled up to produce the SPML-9 Brabant variant of the Megabago, whereafter the units were shifted to second-echelon garrison and reserve artillery regiments. A second major production run of SPML-15Ms, combined with conversion of older Firedrake hulls, was produced for equipping GNE allies (including the New Roman Republic) and affiliated mercenary units.

Other Variants in Development:
PS-GEV-SPG-15(X)---This is little more than the main hull of the FireDrake, stripped open, and mounting a 200mm MassDriver Cannon. The as-yet-unnamed SPG-15(X) is intended as a high speed self propelled gun and fire support vehicle, and currently three are undergoing trials at Mount Defiance. Early reports show that the massive cannon cannot be fired on the move, however, requiring the SPG to land first, deploy shock baffles, then fire, before it can move again. No other details are known about the vehicle, though as a support vehicle, it is likely to be carrying only light armor and light secondary armaments.



i love but how would it look like ? :D

Re: Paladin Steel Storefront

Posted: Thu Feb 05, 2009 10:50 pm
by Aramanthus
We do like novelties here in the Federated States! Also we are looking forward to the new heavy vehicles you are promising.

Re: Paladin Steel Storefront

Posted: Sat Feb 07, 2009 1:36 pm
by abtex
taalismn wrote:
abtex wrote:Is it true that a Jeb Stuart Light Tank was used as the test bed at PS for Hanger 18B's Earth Elemental based track system? The new tracks and it's brother the Earth Rollers, (that is the right name?) can really climb up the side of cliffs and normally enpassable earthen obstacles. The only power you need is for onboard systems and weapons? How soon will they be available?

Air Elemental powered BiPhibi Hover Wheels a new meaning to stealth.


If I can figure out what spells to use for the track system... :D :D :D

Fairy Fall to reduce the weight and Carpet of A to stick. Maybe. :( :D3

Place for funny new and different Toys.
Tracked Jeeps. Ever a little invasion of M-3 Stuarts.

Re: Paladin Steel Storefront

Posted: Sat Feb 07, 2009 3:52 pm
by taalismn
Thanks for the website...If I ever feel the need to blow my life savings on decommissioned military hardware...

But yeah, I'm working at Earth Elemental-related apps for ground vehicles, and the big Caterpillar trucks and draglines... :D

Re: Paladin Steel Storefront

Posted: Mon Feb 09, 2009 6:04 pm
by taalismn
TangleTorp Warhead

“GAAHHH!!!GAAAHHH!!!! GET IT OFFA ME!!!GETITOFFAME!!!!IT’S EATING ME ALLLIIIVVVEE!!!HEEELLLPPMMMEEE!!!”
“You fool! Close the hatch! Don’t let that stuff insiGLARGHHH!!!!!”
“The **&*&( turret’s jammed! I can’t bring the guns about!”
“**** the gun turret, man! Grab an ax and start hacking!”
“AGHHH!! THat was my arm!!! The WEED! KILL THE WEED!!!”
-----
“Should we move in yet?”
“Nah, give them another minute, then you can start shrinking the stuff back...We want this bunch too spooked to put up any resistance, but not so bad we have folks dying of heartattacks or suffocating in their own hysteria...Serves ‘em right for raiding our commerce along the coast.”

TangleTorp Warheads are marine munitions that use a combination of spells such as Weed Snare, Animate Plants, Wall of Thorns, Magic Net, and Armor Bizarre, cast and embedded in a warhead packed with dried seweed and crystal.
When activated, the TangleTorp explodes into a rapidly-spreading explosive growth of plant growth that engulfs an expanding area of the target in writhing, twining, twitching, slimy dark green growth. Though relatively harmless and short-lived, the weed growth is distracting, obstructing sight and movement, tangling up weapons turrets and sensor mounts, and trapping people in its grip. It can also foul air and water intakes, propulsion systems, and other machinery. If doors and hatches are left open, the squirming mass will make its way into them, filling up interior spaces. To those unfamiliar with it, the motile alien-looking vegetable growth can be terrifying to behold, and even scarier to be trapped in, not knowing if it’s carnivorous or not, leading to further debilitating panic and hysteria.
TangleTorp warheads are typically fitted into small (200-lb)bombs and short or medium-range missile/torpedo warheads(though rarely anything with any sort of long range, as it’s typically used to stun/preoccupy targets for immediate capture).
TangleTorp weapons are typically used by the GNE Coast Guard for apprehending ships without unduly damaging them or their crews. They’re also useful for distractions and sabotage
Range: Can be fitted into a light(short-range)torpedo or bomb warhead
The expanded mass covers a 120 ft x120 ft area for light TTs, 200 ft x 200 ft for medium weapons, and a whopping 500 ft x500 ft area for the heaviest tangle torps, growing to maximum expansion within 1d4 melees!
Effects: *Explodes into a twitching, twining, expanding mass of green-black unearthly vegetation with 25 MDC per 20 ft area. Has an effective Horror Factor of 14, and victims have to Dodge at 16 or better to avoid getting tangled up in its fronds/tentacles. Victims trapped in the weed are -1 to initiative, -2 to strike, -4 to parry, and -6 to dodge, and will have to inflict 25 MDC or more to move more than 10 ft. Unprotected beings take 3d6 SDC per melee of thrashing against the weed, from its thorns and whipping around; those in MDC armor(or who remain calm and don’t fight it) take no damage.
Duration: Lasts up to 50 minutes
Cost: 20,000 credits for light TangleTorps(100 lbs), 35,000 credits for Medium(150 lbs), and 500,000 credits for heavy(250 lbs)

Re: Paladin Steel Storefront

Posted: Tue Feb 10, 2009 4:17 am
by abtex
taalismn wrote:
abtex wrote:Now I know why you created the "Security Blankets" :D

Actually, it's for those late nights after driving home for 45 minutes on the highway...you know, those nights when it seems that EVERY truck, sportscar, SUV, and teen driver seems to thing that you're the sole obstacle between them and utter total mastery of the road?
That's when you just want to curl up in bed, once(IF) you reach home and fall into a safe, warm, place...

taalismn wrote:Thanks for the website...If I ever feel the need to blow my life savings on decommissioned military hardware...

Here I found you a site to purchase something safe to drive home and to work in ... :-(
...Help police make traffic stops, drug raids..but :(

But it has other military stuff on it as well. Like...
Features with nice stories on stuff.
several Galley(s) of military vehicles and events like
Military Mayhem
War & Peace Photo Gallery
Event diary that links to other sites and shows.

The ulitimate Harley Davidson WLA - in wood!
Might be pushing it a little... but Druids or backwood folk/races might build wooden vehicles or weapons. Made from special woods, spare parts, and such. Powered by user, elementals, fairy - free and might want to be helpful. Warning: Let Fairy(s) help you at your own risk!

Wooden Luger. Homemake weapons. An Other one.

Do not have to too add todo list . Just some sick thoughts.

taalismn wrote:But yeah, I'm working at Earth Elemental-related apps for ground vehicles, and the big Caterpillar trucks and draglines... :D

OK. Draglines or Fishing equipment, no that's Drag nets? Things to hunt Vampires with ore would that be Bucket-wheel excavators?
Real working vehicles with combat options? For salvagers to use?

Re: Paladin Steel Storefront

Posted: Tue Feb 10, 2009 4:18 am
by Aramanthus
That is one cool non-lethal weapon. I can see a lot of people who aren't trying to kill people using it. Of course we hear at the Federated States will procure these weapons to test them out on various targets with our own contacts including some naval ones.

Re: Paladin Steel Storefront

Posted: Tue Feb 10, 2009 1:01 pm
by ZINO
taalismn wrote:Thanks to Raven, again, for his Keratech weapons....

Paladin Steel ‘Firedrake’ HoverTank


(Cut in to ANNOUNCER, wearing Huntsman demi-armor and camous. Behind him we can see a cliff edge, a small low-lying shack near the edge. On the ground at the foot of the cliff , we can just see a dust cloud coming closer.)
Announcer: “Good evenings folks! Because of recent rumors that Paladin Steel’s recently released Firedrake Hovertank is a second-rate combat vehicle and a high budget deathtrap, we’ve decided to lay those loose tongues to rest, showing how tough and reliable the Firedrake really is, by driving one(gestures to the side) through THAT Coalition outpost(points at the shack) , off THAT cliff, and down on top of THOSE oncoming Deadboy reinforcements!”
(Camera pans right to focus as we see a Firedrake suddenly come flying from offcamera, fans screaming, rapidly accelerating towards the shack, with no indications of slowing down, despite several glowing hotspots that appear on its hull, indicative of some serious laser weaponry being deployed against it. As the speeding tank nears the shack, we see a sidedoor that suddenly bangs open and several figures in black armor come pelting out, running pelll-mell for cover, moments before the tank crashes into the shack.
Half of the shack, along with several Deadboys who were late out of the gates, goes flipping up into the air, as the other half gets plowed ahead of the tank as it continues racing for the edge of the cliff...and off...
Camera continues to track as the obscured tank, still entangled in shack, falls and flips several times before slamming into the ground, raising an enormous cloud of dust....then bounces free, flying forward into the approaching Coalition forces, plowing into them like a runaway rail car. The lead DeathTrooper happens to get hit first, exploding like an egg as the tumbling tank rolls over it, scattering arms, legs, and a bouncing head over the landscape. The second DeathTrooper gets bisected as an armored wedge comes blowing out of the dust, pins it up against the side of one of the APCs, then THROUGH it as the hovertank staves in the side of the Coalition vehicle. Then the APC is flipped over onto its back. The second APC applies its brakes and comes to a screeching halt, begins backing up, its main rail gun turret swinging in to bear on the tangled mess of tank and APC, but the tank’s turret gun beats it to the punch....

We finally see the Firedrake whine to a stop, blasted, busted, bent, sending out smoke and sparks, but obviously still functional...A hatch opens in the top and an arm emerges,..as the camera comes in for a close-up, we see the hand flash a weary thumbs up, before falling back inside...

Announcer: “And there you have it! Proof positive that the Firedrake is NOT a piece of crap!”(behind him we see a wheel, smoking slightly, from one of the APCs come crashing down, then wobble away, before konking into one of the remaining Coalition soldiers, hands over their heads, being herded back away from the edge of the cliff by several mercs in battle armor)
“Back to you, Bob!”
---Paladin Steel Promo Spot for the Firedrake

“I hear a lot of folks consider the Firedrake to be second-line design that you only buy when there ain’t the money for something like a Cestus or a Bandersnatch...but the Firedrake isn’t second-rate hardware. Most of the design is lifted straight off the Lynx, including most of the controls, which has the benefit that alot of city militia boys who cut their teeth on the security garrison Lynxes, can more easily make the transition to the Firedrake. Most of the components are readily available as well, and there’s enough tolerance in the design specs that the hover turbines can even be replaced with salvaged parts from Coalition and Northern Gun designs...a quick fix, mind you, not a permanent solution..and you better be careful of the power transfer linkages.....most of the weapons are GNE general market designs, and the rest can be found in any good outfitter’s. That means that pretty much every part of the Firedrake’s been thouroughly tested in the field and your mechanic isn’t going to be flummoxed by some new, hard to get, and nearly impossible to repair system. That’s what I want in a front line unit!“
----Captain Daniel Hasbro, Black Horse Guards

The Firedrake is another concept for a main line hovertank for the GNE armed forces. The designers of the Firedrake, the same people responsible for the Megabago, were under pressure to come up with a vehicle that was simpler, less technologically complex, and less expensive to produce and operate than the Cestus and Bandersnatch hovertanks, while still being cutting edge and hard hitting. Another consideration had to be future commercial sales, so easy adaptability for open market distribution had to be built in. The resulting compromise design was the Firedrake, a conservative design that appealed to both the conservative pennypinchers and the cutting-edge innovators.
The Firedrake takes much of its design from the Lynx Medium Tank, but instead of multidirectional wheel-legs, the Firedrake has four powerful hoverturbines embedded in the greatly uparmored and reinforced main hull. A substantially larger main engine adds nearly three tons of extra weight, but provides more than adequate power to lift the added mass of armor and push it at high speed., though only a few feet off the ground. The turret, also based on the Lynx, has also been uparmored. On top of the beefed up structure, the entire tank has a sheathing of heavy armor that can be upgraded with laser-ablative ceramic armor, allowing it to shrug off laser strikes. Close-in proximity-triggered fletchette packs and strategically-placed directional-charge reactive armor plates offer a welcome measure of protection from shaped charge explosives, projectile weapons, and infantry demolition sappers.
In order to speed the Firedrake’s introduction, PS decided to forgo developing a whole new range of weapons specific to the tank, and instead retained the Lynx’s range of weaponry. Later on in production, however, PS added several new weapons systems , the better to upgrade the Firedrake to a ‘heavy’ unit, as opposed to the Lynx’s ‘medium’ standing.
Most of the Lynx’s security-duty-specific sensor systems have been stripped out to make way for additional targeting sensors and backtrack fire control radars. The Firedrake is meant as an open field front line assault unit---not an urban defense vehicle.
Most users of the Firedrake describe it as a ‘vanilla’ tank....solid, reliable, but not exceptional, and on a par with contemporary GAW and Northern Gun efforts. In the recent Battle of the Saint Francis Basin, which saw a number of tank-on-tank actions, the Firedrake proved it could beat the Coalition’s Linebacker tanks, but PS felt that the margin of victory(7 Firedrakes lost to 12 Linebackers) was too thin to advertise the Firedrake as a ‘Linebacker-killer’. (Incidently, advocates of the Firedrake claim that the Battle of Saint Francis Basin reports are skewed by reports that not all the Firedrakes lost were taken out by enemy tanks, citing the Coalition’s introduction of their new SAMAS units as being really responsible for the upset).
The Firedrake for a time served as the new standard HBT of the GNE Regular Army, until the Bandersnatch and the Cestus were introduced, and the Firedrake was dropped in classification to a medium MBT. The Firedrake continues to serve with Regular Army armored brigades as a line AFV, supplementing or replacing older Black Bear MBTs in service. A large number of Firedrakes have also been sold or transferred to Irregular units and GNE affiliates.

Type:PS-GEV-MBT-15
Class: Heavy Hover Tank
Date of Introduction: 108 PA
Crew: Three
MDC/Armor by Location:
Main Body 550
Reinforced Crew Compartment(main body) 100
Reinforced Crew Compartment(turret) 50
Turret 300
Main Gun 120
Anti-Missile System 50
Glacis Plate Laser 20
Smoke/Gas Dispensers(2) 15 each
*Hover Turbines(4) 120 each
*The hover turbine intakes are heavily shielded and hard to hit; -4 to strike. Destroying 1 turbine lowers the speed by 25% , but otherwise the tank can continue to move. The Firedrake can maneuver on as few as two working jets, but reduce speed by HALF and impose a skill penalty of -15% to the Pilot Hovercraft skill.
Height: 10 ft
Length: 35 ft
Width: 12 ft
Weight: 36 tons
Cargo:Mimimal Cargo Space; about four feet of space for survival gear, supplies, and some personal possessions.
Powerplant: Internal Combustion(600 mile range), electric(600 mile range), or nuclear with 15 year energy life
Speed: 200 MPH, 2-4 ft off the ground
(Water) The Firedrake CAN skim over the surface of small bodies of water, such as lakes and streams, but must revv its engines to maximum; and even then it fairly wallows in a cloud of spray at a clumsy 50 MPH. The best it can manage is Sea State 4; anything greater, and the tank flounders.
(Underwater) Buttoned up, the Firedrake CAN operate underwater, but it flounders along at 7 MPH and kicks up a racket as its turbines suck water. It can remain underwater for 48 hours, and can only survive depths of 100 ft.
Market Cost: 9 million credits for conventionally powered (liquid fuel), 10 million for electric, and 24 million for nuclear w/ 15 year energy life
Systems of Note:
All basic Robot features.
Weapons Systems:
1)Main Turret Gun
a)120mm Main Gun---Taken directly from the old Iron Fist, the IH/FC-B AutoCannon is a proven and reliable design, and was the first choice for the Firedrake because of its familiarity and availability.
Range: 6000 ft
Damage:High Explosive(HE) 1d6x10 MD to 20 ft blast radius
High Explosive Anti-Tank(HEAT) 2d6x10 MD to 10 ft blast radius
Armor Piercing(AP) 1d4x10 MD
APSD: 2d4x10 MD
Rate of Fire: 3 attacks per melee
Payload: 80 rds

b)100mm LB Massdriver Cannon (PS-MDJ100L)--- This is a massive and powerful gauss cannon that would quickly become the favored weapon of choice, replacing the older PS-FC-120B. This powerful linear accelerator cannon is capable of firing in both the direct and indirect fire mode, and currently is equipped to fire in two modes, a direct-fire, flat trajectory(especially armor-piercing APFSDSDU(Armor Piercing Fletchette Discarding Sabot Depleted Uranium) rounds), and indirect ballistic fire.
The PS-MDJ100L would become STANDARD equipment for all new-production GNE-based FireDrakes after 110 P.A., replacing the 120mm cannon, but would NOT be offered as an option to Black Market production models(hence it is presented here, and not in the Options section).
Weight: 14,000 lbs(7 tons)
Range:(Direct Fire) 36,000 ft (7.2 miles)
(Indirect Fire) 90,000 ft(18 miles)
Damage:High Explosive(HE)---- 1d6x10 MD to 20 ft radius
High Explosive Anti-Tank(HEAT)---- 2d6 x10 MD to 10 ft radius
Fragmentation--- 2d6x10 MD to 30 ft radius
Plasma-----3d6x10 MD to 35 ft radius
(APFSDSDU)(Armor Piercing Fin Stabilized Discarding Sabot Depleted Uranium) 4d6x10 MD out to 11,000 ft, 2d6x10 MD out to maximum range
Rate of Fire:Four per melee
Payload: 1 ton ammunition stowage
100 mm AP shell weighs 25 lbs( 80 shots per ton)
Cost: 2.7 million credits

2)IH/FC-100 Rail Gun---Mounted co-axially to the main cannon is another IHA favorite, this high-powered rail cannon. Some users and GNE units replace it with a light pulse laser or other energy weapon.
Range: 4000 ft
Damage: 1d4 MD single rd, 1d6x10 MD per 60 rd burst
Rate of Fire:EGCHH
Payload: 12,000 rd drum

3)Cupola-Mount Gun----Controlled from inside the command cupola, this can either be an IH/FC-105 Rail Gun(4000 ft, 1d4 MD single rd/1d4x10 MD per 40 rd burst, 8,000 rd drum), a grenade launcher, light micro/mini-missile launcher, or energy weapon.

4)Lateral Anti-Missile System---Given that PS relies heavily on vehicles for battlefield support, and the growing use of stand-off missile-launching anti-armor weapons like the Wellington Arms SAW Mine among PS’s enemies, it has become a trend to refit older vehicles with anti-missile systems such as the ‘Button Gun; gatling cannon, and newer vehicles are designed with provision for similar systems. The FireDrake’s turret has been designed to accommmodate wither a ‘Button Gun’ or any of PS’s other point defense systems.
a)PS-L-CIWS Vulcan Chain Guns(aka “Button Guns”)---This installation, introduced on the Minotaur Battler, then adapted as an air defense weapon option for the VW Camper Gunship, has been adapted for shipboard use as PS’s standard light maritime weapons system. The system is a very compact and neat installation that takes up little space, and has been compared to the pre-Rifts Russian ADMG-630 30mm Gatling CIWS that saw extensive service aboard Russian warships. The PS-L-CIWS is often called the “Button Gun” because of its squat, flattened dome-like turret.
Range: 4,000 ft
Damage: 1d4x10 MD per 20 rd burst(can only fire bursts)
Rate of Fire: EGCHH, as an automated defense system linked to a radar/sensor system, the “Button Gun” has a +2 to strike, and four attacks per melee.
Payload: 4,000 rd drum(100 bursts)

Alternately, the following can be mounted:

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

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

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

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

5)Smoke Mortars(2)---Mounted on the turret are two smoke grenade launchers
Range: 500 ft
Damage: Smoke or chemical to 15 ft radius
Rate of Fire: Volleys of 1, 2, 3, or 4
Payload: 4 shells per launcher

6)Turret Hardpoints(2)---The turret has two hardpoints for additional cargo racks or armament modules. See below for options.

7) Fletchette Packs----Located around the hull and turret are special ‘reactive armor’ panels that can be also be triggered as anti-personnel grenades.This is one of several similar systems currently in service/under development by PS.
Range: 100 ft
Damage: 5d6 MD to a cone swath roughly 50 ft long, by 10 ft wide.
Used as reactive arnor against plasma and armor-piercing missiles, the computerized firing system acts as a PARRY, rolling to match or better the missile’s strike roll...a successful counter means that the missile damage is HALVED, while a failure means the tank takes full damage. Note: when dealing with volleys, one reactive armor pack can match TWO missiles in a volley, so in order to effectively counter a five missile volley, the tank must expend 3 reactive armor packs...two packs would roll twice to defeat their respective missiles, the third would only roll once. If the enemy missile launcher has a line of sight on the tank, they can target a spot on the hull which has no packs covering it (a called shot), in which case the remaining reactive armor is -4 to cover the gap.
Rate of Fire: One at a time or can be simultaneously fired in volleys of 1-10
Payload: Each side of the tank(sides, front, back) has 10 fletchette packs each(40 total), the turret has 6 each side, three on top(15 total)

8) Glacis Plate Laser Cannon---A holdover from the old Iron Heart Armaments designs, this is a twin-barrel pulse laser operated by the driver.
Range: 4000 ft
Damage: 6d6 MD per blast
Rate of Fire: EPCHH
Payload: 1000 dual blasts. Unlimited if nuclear powered

Options:

*******Ram Prow---Adds an angled reinforced armored ‘snowplow’ to the front of the tank for clearing debris and ramming targets. However, cut top speed by 15%, as the heavy plow tends to unbalance the air cushion vehicle and drag slightly at the front(shooting up some rather spectacular sparks). Still, some units(especially FreeWah Rocky Mountain armored units) carry these as standard for snow clearing(using a combination of the plow and the hoverjets’ slipstream to clear the road).
MDC of Plow: 150
Damage:1d6x10 MD from a half-speed ram,
2d6x10 MD from a full speed ram.
Cost: 80,000 credits

*Chaff/Flare Launchers(2-4)---These are most effective against heat seeking and radar-guided missiles, and tend to be less effective(or not effective at all) against shoulder-launched mini-missiles and optically-sighted laser-rider ordnance.
Range: Close Defense
Damage: None; similar to Triax-style chaff
01-50 Enemy Missile or volley detonates in chaff and threat is nuetralized
51-75 Missile/Volley diverts and may pursue/lock on to other targets
76-00 No Effect! Missile(s) still on target!
Will also temporarily blind and impede flying monsters who fly into it.
Reduce APMs/combat bonuses/ speed by half for 1d4 melees
Payload: 12 per launcher
Cost: 3,500 credits for the launchers, 300 per flare/chaff bundle

*Laser Ablative Ceramic Armor----Orbital-grade anti-laser protection can be applied to the whole tank for a modest additional cost. Unlike Glitterboy Chrome, variable-frequency lasers CANNOT be adjusted to overcome the effectiveness of the ceramic-based multi-layer armor.
Effects: Lasers do HALF damage
Cost: 3 million credits

*******Swap out the 120mm Cannon for:
a) KTH-65 32mm Assault Rail Gun--Trades the range for rate of fire and damage. PS LOVES this Kera-Tech designed weapon, and has been mounting it on any available platforms they can, despite howls from the Kera-Tech engineers that the weapon currently in PS production is only an alpha-model.
Range: 5,000 ft (1 mile)
Damage: 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 shot, ECHH
Payload: 300 rounds. APFS-DU round take up TWICE as much space as a regular shell, and count as 2 shots for space purposes.
Cost:NOT AVAILABLE TO THE MARKET;EXCLUSIVE TO GNE/KT.

b) Heavy Laser Cannon---A straightout remount of the reliable PS-AWD-MTL-1D Tri-Laser weapon.
Range: 6,000 ft
Damage: 4d6 MD single shot
1d4x10 +6 MD double blast
1d6x10+10 MD triple blast
Rate of Fire: EGCHH
Payload: 200 shot battery (if conventionally powered). Effectively Unlimited w/ nuclear powerplant
Cost: 300,000 Credits

c) Particle Beam Cannon---Adapted from Kera-Tech’s own ‘Storm Lance’ Hovertank, the KTPB-40 has earned the nickname ‘Supershooter’ from PS engineers, who like its low-maintenance design, and superb range. This mounting is actually the first time this weapon has been seen on Rifts Earth outside Kera-Tech’s forces, and, as such, is NOT available to the general market(exclusive to PS and its affiliates)
Range: 9,800 ft(nearly 2 miles!)
Damage: 2d6x10 MD per blast
Rate of Fire: ECHH
Payload: 150 shot battery (if conventionally powered).Effectively Unlimited w/ nuclear powerplant
Cost:NOT AVAILABLE TO THE MARKET;EXCLUSIVE TO GNE.

d)KTPPB-2150 ‘Howler’ Plasma Cannon---Competition was fierce between this Kera-Tech model using an energy cartridge system and a Paladin Steel plasma projector of more conventional design, but less range and damage. The cadmium-telluride cartridge system has a finite ammunition supply, but is quite compact, without the need for heavy coolant systems and power transmission gear for the battery packs...and is a helluva lot safer and easier on the nerves than the other plasma cannon Kera-Tech wanted to mount!.
Range: 4,000 ft
Damage: 2d6x10 MD per blast
Rate of Fire: EGCHH
Payload: 400 shot drum
Cost: 250,000 credits, Each shell costs 100 credits

e) Magbolt Plasma Launcher---Yet another fine weapon in the Magbolt series of weapons. Capable of firing a magnetically-cocooned plasma ‘shell’, or of firing seperate magnetic vortices. It can fire a particularly devastating ‘shotgun blast’ of invisible mini-vortices that can barrel through infantry and cut down a squad like hay.
Range:(Plasma Shell) 4,000 ft
(Vortice) 3,000 ft
(‘Shotgun Storm’) 1,800 ft
Damage:(Plasma Shell) 2d4x10 MD to 15 ft blast radius
(Vortice) 1d6x10 MD, plus concussive knockdown:
(‘Shotgun Storm’) 6d6 MD to 50 ft area
Rate of Fire:(Plasma Shell) 4 times per melee
(Vortice) Six times per melee
(‘Shotgun Storm’) Twice pe melee
Bonuses: Magnetic vortices, being invisible, are -8 to dodge
Payload: 300 shot battery (if conventionally powered).
1 Plasma shot equals 2 charges
1 EM Vortice equals 1 charge
1 Shotgun Storm equals 3 charges
Effectively Unlimited w/ nuclear powerplant
Cost:NOT AVAILABLE TO THE MARKET;EXCLUSIVE TO GNE.

f)Twin Rapid Fire Flak Cannon------Adds an advanced fire control system and targeting radar to convert the tank into an anti-aircraft AAA vehicle. Copied from the Triax TX-862FC system, modified with a Paladin Steel ‘Skywatcher’ radar system, and sporting a larger ammunition payload.
Range: 10,000 ft
Damage: 4d6 MD single rd, 1d6x10 MD two rd burst, 3d6x10 MD per six-shot rapid fire burst
Rate of Fire: EGCHH
Payload: Two(2) 600-rd drums, total of 1,200 rds
Sensor Bonuses: +2 to strike on automatic(5 attacks per melee)
+3 to strike if operated manually
Target Acquisition/Fire Control Radar: 50 mile range
Cost: 5 million credits(expect to pay for all that automation and fire control!)

*******Swap out the Co-Axial Cannon for;
a)75mm Snub-nosed Low Velocity Gun-
Range: 6,000 ft
Damage:Smoke Rd: Smoke in a 30 ft area
High Explosive: 8d6 MD to 10 ft blast radius
Armor Piercing: 1d6x10 MD to 3 ft area
Plasma: 2d4x10 MD to 6 ft blast radius
Hellfire: 1d4x10 MD on impact, 4d6 MD per melee for 1d4 melees
Rate of Fire:ECHH
Payload: 25 rds
Cost: 125,000 credits

b) Pulse Laser--Standard PS pulse laser
Range: 4,000 ft
Damage: 6d6 MD per pulse blast
Rate of Fire: EGCHH
Payload: 1,000 shot battery (if conventionally powered).Effectively Unlimited w/ nuclear powerplant
Cost:12,000 credits

c) Light Autocannon---The 20mm Taskin Rifle, mounted in a vehicle
Range: 3,000 ft
Damage:(20mm) 1d4 MD single shot
4d6 MD per 5 rd burst
1d4x10+4 MD per 10 rd burst
(PSX-II) 4d4 MD single shot
1d6x10 MD per 5 rd burst
2d6x10 MD per 10 rd burst
(Wood Rounds) 6d6 SDC single shot (1d4x10 HP to vampires)
2d4x10 SDC MD per 5 rd burst (2d4x10 HP to vampires)
6d6 MD per 10 rd burst (3d6x10 HP to vampires)
Rate of Fire: EGCHH
Payload:500 rd box
Cost: 20,000 credits

d) Flamethrower----Your standard, high-powered flamethrower for torching infantry, forests, buildings, and small vehicles. Similarly, the bow-mounted weapon can be replaced with this weapon.
Range: 500 ft
Damage:3d6 MD per burst, plus does an additional 2d6 MD per melee for 1d6 melees
Rate of Fire: EGCHH
Payload:100 bursts
Cost: 10,000 credits

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

*******Turret hardpoints(2):
a) Micro-Missile Launcher(25 shot micro-missile launcher )
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

b) Mini-Missile Launcher(5-shot missile pod)
Cost: 10,000 Credits(Missiles cost extra)

c) Short Range Missile Launcher(2 per hardpoint)
Cost: 10,000 Credits(Missiles cost extra)

d) Medium Range Missile Launcher(1 per hardpoint)
Cost:20,000 Credits(Missiles cost extra)

e) Shrike III Launcher---A ‘brilliant’ high-accuracy anti-aircraft missile.
Range: 75 miles
Damage: 3d4x10 MD
Rate of Fire: Volley of 1
Payload: 1 per hardpoint
Bonus: +6 to strike
Cost:NOT AVAILABLE TO THE MARKET;EXCLUSIVE TO 5ST.

f) Heavy Hitter Anti-Armor Missiles---Laser-guided anti-armor missiles
Range: 1 mile(5,000 ft)
Damage: 2d4x10 MD
Rate of Fire: Volleys of 1,2,3,or 4
Payload: 4 shot pod per hardpoint
Bonus: +5 to strike ground targets(Aircraft are only +2 to strike)
Cost: 20,000 credits. 6,000 credits per missile

g) PS/FC ‘Black Talon’ Light SAMs---PS and Free Canada’s ‘brilliant’ mini-missile.
Range: 3 miles
Damage: 3d4x10 MD to 40 ft blast radius
Rate of Fire: Volleys of 1,2,3, or 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: 60 ,000 credits per launcher, 10,000 credits per missile

h) Sensory Cluster----MDC 80---Has the following sensors:
*Motion Detector--200 ft range
*Laser Illuminator-----6,000 ft range, Designates targets for laser-guided munnitions/weapons
*Laser targeting System(+1 to strike)
*Lance Scanner---Looks like a long lance protruding from the front of the craft. The Lance Scanner contains a magnetometer() and a short-range microwave radar for groundsearching minefields(in theory, the ground radar sound be able to detect even non-metallic mines, but takes twice as long). Range: The magnetometer has a range of 4,000 ft and can detect vehicles and other metallic structures with 80% accuracy
The ground radar has a range of 3,000 ft, and has a 90% chance of detecting metal-cased mines, 60% chance of detecting non-metallic ordinance.
*Aura Scanner---For detecting and identifying PPE concentrations
Range: 2000 ft
*Bio-Scanner---Has a molecular analyzer, enhanced radiation detector, high-powered accoustic ‘shotgun mike’(3,000 ft range), and thermo-imager optics.
* Optical Cluster--- Telescopic,IR/UV, Thermo-Imaging, Audio-Video-Survellance System
Cost: 80,000 credits

i) Radar Cluster---MDC 100, Range: 80 miles
Cost: 100,000 credits

******Replace the Main Turret with:

a) Command Model---This replaces the standard turret with a slightly larger one(the added size disguised as ‘equipment racks’ on the outside) able to accommodate extra electronics and an additional crewmember.
Features of the Command Variant:
*Fire-Linking---The C-tank serves as the switchboard and command node of an interlinked network of vehicles, allowing them to share targeting data via short range comm-links(or directional laser or hardline fiber optics). In operation, this allows up to 10 vehicles to use the highest ‘To Strike’ bonuses among them to strike a target within mutual range of their weapons. The system also grants a +1 to Initiative to all units firelinked.
The shortcomings of the system are a susceptibility to jamming for radio-linked units(laser comm and fiber optic-linked units are not so vulnerable, but laser-linked units must be in line of sight of each other and can fall afoul of anti-laser aerosols, while hardline-linked units are essentially stationary batteries).

*ECM----Effective range of 5,000 ft. Enemy radar-guided and EM-guided weapons are -4 to strike anything in that area as well.

*ECCM----The C-Tank carries more sophisticated frequency-jumping, scrambling, and directed burst-packeting to defeat enemy jamming. 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 recieved by that unit alone(other units cannot make use of it, unless they have an unaffected datalink/info-share with the ECCM equiped unit. Magic/psychic jamming is NOT affected by this system.

*Enhanced Communications---Includes more sophisticated en/decryption systems, and switchboard management for handling the flood of communications a command vehicle is expected to handle. Radio range is DOUBLED.

*Internal Holographic Display Panels----Not quite the equivalent of a full-blown Situation Room, these expanded holographic display consoles never theless do an excellent job of displaying terrain and sensory data. Includes a combat computer with data-shifting, looking for pre-determined sensory criteria , and highlighting them for the attention of the crew. This gives the Command Model a +2 to Perception Rolls(if you use them), or else a +1 to initiative, +10% to Detect Concealment and Detect Ambush rolls. The Pointman III system available to the FireDrake is cruder and less sophisticated than that installed in the more advanced PS Cestus and other high-end vehicles, but the system is more than adequate for most mercenary units and well within their often limited technical resources to repair and maintain.

Command Variant Cost: +2.2 million credits

Variants:
*PS-GEV-APC-15C ‘Bankshot’
The ‘Bankshot’ is the APC variant of the ‘Firedrake’, requested by the Vermont Free State Regular Army to replace the wheeled Timber Wolf and Rattlesnake APCs that clearly could not keep up with the power armors so common to the GNE’s mechanized infantry. The larger Firedrake, it was felt, could make a good GEV APC conversion, being well-armored, fast, and dependable. So a quick-and-dirty conversion was laid out and rushed into production shortly thereafter.
The ‘Bankshot’ replaces the main turret and rotation gear with a casemated personnel compartment with two side-drop-down ramp-doors and a ‘skylight’ roof hatch(enabling troops to fire from the comfort and protection of the vehicle, or jetpack/power-armored troops to rapidly exit). The ‘Bankshot’ retains a single small turret, the bow plate gun, anti-missile system, smoke mortars, and AP fletchette packs, as well as all the armor protection.
Like the Firedrake, the Bankshot has met with mixed acceptance by the Vermont Free State(and later Greater New England) military. While happy to get it and replace their slower-moving wheeled and treaded APCs, most experienced units regard it as a stopgap, until more sophisticated vehicles like the Moth GMR APC, or the promised Maximillan-class large APC become more available. Auxiliary and merc units affiliated with the GNE love the Bankshot, however, and have placed large orders for it, reasoning that the shared logistics and parts compatibility between it and the Firedrake MBT ease logistical overhead in mixed Bankshot-Firedrake cavalry units. The most frequent complaints about the vehicle are the side hatches(the placement of the tank engine at the rear of the main body make the installation of a rear hatch problematic), the close quarters, and noise level, but the Bankshot gets high marks for speed, armor protection, and the ability to keep up with its debarked power armors.
The Bankshot’s orginal name was the ‘Pulaski’, after a pre-Rifts regional war hero, but ‘Bankshot’ entered popular usage with the troops after the rough ride inexperienced drivers gave the much faster APC, bouncing off obstacles. Rather than constantly correct its troops as to the proper name, the GNERA elected to call it the ‘Bankshot’ as well, but insisting that it was a reference to the indirect ‘flanking’ attacks its embarked infantry were able to make on the enemy.
Changes:
Type:PS-GEV-APC-15C
Class: Ground Effect Armored Personnel Carrier
Crew:Three, plus 1- 12 infantry, or 1-6 power armors
MDC/Armor by Location:
Remove the Main Turret and replace with:
Reinforced Troop Compartment 200
Side Hatches(2) 100 each
Top Hatch 120
Main Turret 200
Mini-Missile Launcher 80
Market Cost:7 million credits for conventionally powered (liquid fuel), 9 million for electric, and 20 million for nuclear w/ 15 year energy life
Weapons Systems:
1)Main Weapons Turret---Mounted slightly more forward than the Firedrake’s main gun turret, and smaller, mounting lighter weapons.
a) Heavy Rail Gun/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. the KTH-65 can penetrate most any known armour with ease with a high-velocity burst. 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 on the East Coast
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, ECHH
Maxium Effective Range: 1600m (1 mile) in atmosphere
Payload: 100 rds

b) Co-Axial Pulse Laser---(Note: This can be replaced by any of the options for the Co-Axial Cannon described above)
Range: 4000 feet
Mega Damage: 4d6+2 per single shot, 2d4x10 for a triple pulse.
Rate of Fire: EGCHH
Payload: Unlimited

c) Mini-missile Launcher---Box launcher for mini-missiles, mounted to one side of the turret. Holds 12 shots
d) Hardpoint---The smaller APC turret retains one hardpoint on the side opposite the mini-missile launcher---Otherwise, identical to the turret hardpoint described above

2) Glacis Plate Laser Cannon---As above
3)Cupola-Mount Machine-Gun---As above
4)Lateral Anti-Missile System------As above
5)Smoke Mortars(2)---As above
6) Fletchette Packs---As above

*PS-GEV-SPML-15M Missile Tank
This was an attempt to use the Firedrake as a common chassis for a missile fire support vehicle, and was designed by Iron Heart Armaments expatriates. The missile box launcher from the old IH-15 Iron Bolt missile tank was mounted on the Firedrake hull, giving the vehicle 12 LRMs and 120 mini-missiles. The result was the long range firepower of the Iron Bolt and greater speed(and survivability).
The SPML-15M had its share of enthusiasts and detractors; the design’s advocates loved its ability to ‘shoot and scoot’ with its 125 MPH top speed(as opposed to the old IH-15’s 55 MPH). The biggest complaint about it was its top-heavy center of gravity that made the tank tend to ‘drift’ on high speed turns.
The SPML-15M was produced in limited numbers as a stopgap while PS tooled up to produce the SPML-9 Brabant variant of the Megabago, whereafter the units were shifted to second-echelon garrison and reserve artillery regiments. A second major production run of SPML-15Ms, combined with conversion of older Firedrake hulls, was produced for equipping GNE allies (including the New Roman Republic) and affiliated mercenary units.

Other Variants in Development:
PS-GEV-SPG-15(X)---This is little more than the main hull of the FireDrake, stripped open, and mounting a 200mm MassDriver Cannon. The as-yet-unnamed SPG-15(X) is intended as a high speed self propelled gun and fire support vehicle, and currently three are undergoing trials at Mount Defiance. Early reports show that the massive cannon cannot be fired on the move, however, requiring the SPG to land first, deploy shock baffles, then fire, before it can move again. No other details are known about the vehicle, though as a support vehicle, it is likely to be carrying only light armor and light secondary armaments.



How would this look like?any picture love this tank

Re: Paladin Steel Storefront

Posted: Tue Feb 10, 2009 3:00 pm
by The Raven
ZINO wrote:How would this look like?any picture love this tank


I don't mean to sound like an ass, but ya don't need to quote the entire post when asking for a pic. Doing so twice is even worse...

Re: Paladin Steel Storefront

Posted: Tue Feb 10, 2009 6:27 pm
by taalismn
I'll try to come up with a quick pic or two for the FireDrake, and yes, I agree, please use the 'select' and 'delete' functions to parse down replies...
As fond of seeing my own writing up in lights(as it were), I'm not THAT fond.... :D

Re: Paladin Steel Storefront

Posted: Tue Feb 10, 2009 6:34 pm
by taalismn
abtex wrote:The ulitimate Harley Davidson WLA - in wood!
Might be pushing it a little... but Druids or backwood folk/races might build wooden vehicles or weapons. Made from special woods, spare parts, and such. Powered by user, elementals, fairy - free and might want to be helpful. Warning: Let Fairy(s) help you at your own risk!

Wooden Luger. Homemake weapons. An Other one.

Do not have to too add todo list . Just some sick thoughts.

taalismn wrote:But yeah, I'm working at Earth Elemental-related apps for ground vehicles, and the big Caterpillar trucks and draglines... :D

OK. Draglines or Fishing equipment, no that's Drag nets? Things to hunt Vampires with ore would that be Bucket-wheel excavators?
Real working vehicles with combat options? For salvagers to use?


Ohhhhh....the idea of being able to make wooden machines would drive the Biomancers NUTS!!! You could make a new (super)Power Class or fringe Mage class along those lines, with the ability to manipulate superhard woods....
"Behold my wooden submachine gun! Feared by security monitors and vampires alike!"

And yes, I'd already started with utility conversions of a lot of older PS vehicles, and you cna safely assume we build MDC versions of stuff like bulldozers, excavators, road graders, and the like...I'm even tempted to dig(literally) up the grade-school pictures I made of armed road construction gear(BEWARE THE ROAD CUTTER!!!!!)....

Re: Paladin Steel Storefront

Posted: Thu Feb 12, 2009 3:50 am
by Aramanthus
Those are some very cool links Abtex. Sorry I was posting at the same time you did. Now all PS needs is an alchemist to make those wood construction weither MDC or indestructible. Looking forward to seeing new material.

Re: Paladin Steel Storefront

Posted: Thu Feb 12, 2009 7:49 pm
by taalismn
Or a good carpenter...
Geppetto's out back building a cruise missile...let's see the neighbor complain about the noise after he sees THIS coming at him!

Re: Paladin Steel Storefront

Posted: Fri Feb 13, 2009 4:01 am
by Aramanthus
LOL I can see that. Just have an alchemist around to make it indestructible. No, wait you want it to destroy things. Wait a secont. What if you turned it into a bottle demon missile?

Re: Paladin Steel Storefront

Posted: Fri Feb 13, 2009 7:50 pm
by taalismn
Aramanthus wrote:LOL I can see that. Just have an alchemist around to make it indestructible. No, wait you want it to destroy things. Wait a secont. What if you turned it into a bottle demon missile?


Or an Earth Elemental tree-berserker---when that sucker lands, the fun is just beginning, when the wooden missile sprouts, grows to demonic tree maturity, then pulls up its roots and starts laying on pain around it...

Re: Paladin Steel Storefront

Posted: Sat Feb 14, 2009 6:35 pm
by taalismn
Paladin Steel ‘Damnthing’ AutoTank

“I wouldn’t complain about being in charge of a company of auto-tanks; the way I see it, they’re not that much dumber than the average can-jockey, they don’t talk back, don’t get drunk before the big battle, they do as you tell’em, and if some some of them don’t make it back, you write to the quartermaster for replacements, not to their families.”

“ARGH!!! Is there no end to these soulless pests?! Where are your brave warriors, whose souls I might eat to quench my hunger!?! GRRRAHHHHH!!!Have you no pride, no dignity, no courage, that you seek to drown me in these abominations!? Where are the heroes of your vaunted past?! Come out and face me noOOOOOOWWWWWwworthless toys!!!You’ll suffer all the mmorMYAKKHH!!! for this insult! SCCCRRAAAAAGGHHHH!!!! I fight on! I fight on! I’ll see an end to your NNNGHHHH!!!---”
----Last words of the self-declared “Gorage, Soul-Eater”, at the ‘battle’ of Daniel Valley.

The ‘Damnthing’ is part of Paladin Steel’s initiative to develop ‘force multiplier’ Unmanned Vehicles, after the Mechanoid Incident, when PS saw how effective robot drones were in tying down military forces. Because, at the time, PS hadn’t mastered the mechanical or software technology for an effective humanoid-robot similar to Triax’s Dynabots, vehicular robot drones were considered to be an effective intermediary step.
The Damnthing is a short, squat, tread-borne AFV with a broad rectangular, slope-sided turret that’s nearly as long and wide as the chassis it’s mounted on. The turret top mounts a sensor mast and optics package with spotlight.
The Damnthing has two weapons stations in the turret, one portside and one starboard; the portside station is typically reserved for direct-fire weaponry, while the starboard station is typically given over to indirect-fire and missile weaponry.
Behind the starboard weapon, on the backside of the turret, is a locked panel that can be pulled out to reveal a folding seat and piloting station. This seat is usually used by maintenance personnel to test and adjust the systems aboard the autotank, but it can also be used to manually control the tank in the field. Though the piloting seat, when occupied, slides slightly forward into the turret, providing some protection to the driver from the sides and front, and an erectable armored windshield can be raised to provide additional shielding from the front, most human-sized beings will be exposed from the shoulders up to enemy fire (effectively -3 to strike).
The Damnthing is intended for security perimeter patrols, urban security, and as a skirmisher for armored formations, but its small size has endeared it to Airborne units that need some easily transported heavy fire support.
Damnthings are a common sight around PS facilities, typically armed with reduced lethality weapons like water cannons, chemical sprayers, heavy stunners, and machine guns, as perimeter security patrollers, while the GNE Regular Army uses fully armed units as camp security patrollers, expendable recon-in-force units, minesweepers, and assault units. Massed formations of Damnthings are often deployed as picket lines or defensive formations, protecting manned units behind them, and are often sent in ahead of troops to soften up particularly nasty opposition like Xiticix and other pests.
Type:PS-AT-LABT-07
Class:Light Semi-Autonomous Autotank
Crew:None, Robot Intelligence
MDC/Armor by Location:
Main Body 200
Main Turret/Cannon 100
Sensor Turret 80
Armored Winshield /Protective Plates(3) 40 each
Treads(2) 80 each
Height: 6.8 ft
Width:7 ft
Length:12 ft
Weight: 8.3 tons
Cargo:None
Powerplant: Liquid Fuel, Electric, or Nuclear
Speed: 50 MPH
Black Market Cost: Liquid Fuel(200 mile range); 400,000 credits, Electric( 300 mile range), 500,000 credits or Nuclear w/ 5 year energy life, 1.5 million credits
Features:
Short-range Radio---80 mile range
Combat Computer
Laser Targeting(+1 strike w/ ranged attacks)
Gyro-stabilized Main Gun Mount (+1 to strike w/ranged attack)
Short Range Radar---10 mile range
External Audio/Video Surveillance System
Passive Nightvision
Thermo-Imager
Motion Detector---200 ft
Normal Light/IR Headlights---500 ft
*Winch---w/ 30-ft of cable
*Trailer Hitch
Weapons Systems:
1)Indirect Fire Weapon Station(1)---The following is a list of the more common/powerful systems fitted.
a)Micro-Missile Launcher
Range:
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:
Pattern-1A---1d4 MD to 2 ft blast radius
Pattern-1B---1d4 MD to 5 ft blast radius
Pattern-1C---3d6 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: Volleys of 1, 3, 7, or 14
Payload: 63 (9 rows of 7 missiles each). 126 total!

b)Mini-Missile Launcher----18 Mini-missiles(3x3 rows, with a set of reloads behind them)

c)Anti-Armor Launcher
Range:1 mile
Damage:2d4x10 MD
Rate of Fire:Volleys of 1, 2, or 3
Payload: 6 total
Bonus: +5 to strike

d)Short-Range Missile Launcher---6 SRMs

e)Medium-Range Missiles----3 MRMs

f)Mortar---60mm Breech-loading Mortar
Range: 2 miles
Damage: 6d6 MD to 20 ft radius for Fragmentation
1d6x10 MD to 10 ft radius for High Explosive
20 ft radius for Smoke/chemical rds.
Rate of Fire: Up to six times per melee
Payload: 40 rds

2)Direct Fire Weapon Station(1)---This is typically a flat-trajectory weapon like a rail gun or energy cannon---The following is a list of the more common/powerful systems fitted.
a)Twin 20mm Autocannon(2)---These are the larger anti-aircraft versions of PS’s 20mm cannon line, and serve quite ably in the anti-personel and anti-aircraft roles.
Range:(20mm)7,000 ft (2,000 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: 500 rds per gun

b)30mm AutoCannon(1)
Range: 9,500 ft
Damage:4d6 MD single rd, 1d6x10 MD two rd burst
Rate of Fire: Single shot or two-round burst
Payload: 200 rds

c)40mm ‘2-Pounder’ Autocannon(1)
Range:(High Velocity Round)5,000 yards(15,000 ft)
Maximum AA altitude w/ HV shells: 13,300 ft
(Low Velocity Round) 3,800 yards(11,400 ft)
Damage:(Fragmentation) 4d6 MD to 6 ft blast radius
(High Explosive) (HV) 1d4x10+3 MD to 1.5 ft blast radius
(LV)1d4x10 MD to 1.5 ft blast radius
Rate of Fire: 120 rounds per minute(or up to 30 rds per melee)
Payload: 60 rds
Cost: (Basic Weapon) 70,000 credits for a single-barrel model, 800,000 credits for an eight-barrel mounting.
High Velocity(Fragmentation) shells cost 200 credits apiece, 245 credits for HE
Low Velocity(Fragmentation) shells cost 180 credits apiece, 200 credits for HE

d)45mm Rail Gun---A modified, longer-ranged version of the PS-HRG05 'Hellshot' Rail Cannon.
Range: 5,300 ft
Damage: 3D6x10 MD
Rate of Fire: Single shot only; equal to the combined hand to hand attacks of the pilot
Payload:25 shots
Market Cost: 300,000 credits, 800 credits per penetrator round

e)Pulse Laser(1)---The PSMBL-5000B
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: 300 shot battery for conventionally-powered models, effectively unlimited for nuclear-powered
Cost: 400,000 credits

f)Ion Cannon(1)
Range: 4,000 ft
Damage: 1d6x10 MD per blast
Rate of Fire: ECHH
Payload: 200 shot battery for conventionally-powered models, effectively unlimited for nuclear-powered
Cost: 240,000 credits
*Options: For additional credits, the ion cannon can be modified for a scatter-shot mode; Reduce range to 2,000 ft, but does 5d6 MD to a 15 ft wide area. Cost: 9,000 credits


g)Plasma Cannon(1)
Range: 2000 ft
Damage: 1d6x10 MD per blast*
*Can be increased by 50% with a ‘hot shot’ injection of deuterium gas
Rate of Fire: ECHH
Payload:200 shot battery for conventionally-powered models, effectively unlimited for nuclear-powered
Deuterium Gas Reservoir has enough gas under pressure for 200 shots.
Cost: 100,000 credits, plus 3,500 credits per deuterium ‘hotshot’ cartridge.

h)Particle Beam Cannon(1)
Range: 2,000 ft
Damage:1d4x 10 MD single blast
2d4x10 MD double blast
Rate of Fire: ECHH
Payload:80 shot battery for conventionally-powered models, effectively unlimited for nuclear-powered
Cost: 190,000 credits

i)Flame Thrower(1)---This replaces the main cannon with a flame projector and armored fuel tanks(100 MDC for the tanks). The fuel tanks have an ejection features that catapults the tanks up to 25 ft away from the AFV in the event of a leak or fire(this doiesn’t exactly endear the tank to accompanying infantry and many garages and motorpools insist on having a fully fueled-up fire-tank parked in its own revetment or away from other vehicles).
Range:(Direct-Stream Mode) 230 ft
Damage:(Direct-Stream Mode)
(Gasoline/Alcohol) 1d4x10 SDC
(Napalm) 1d6x10 SDC, plus does 5d6 SDC per melee for 1d4 minutes
(MD Fluid) 1d4 MD per blast, 1d4 MD per melee for 2d4 minutes
(Incendi-Gel)2d6 MD, 2d6 MD per melee for 1d6 minutes
(WI Napalm-P) 3d6 MD per blast, 1d4x10+10 MD per concentrated burst(counts as two attacks). 2d6 MD per melee for 1d4 minutes.
Note: The flamethrower can also be used to cover an area with fluid: up to 10 ft per attack used. Used with Super-Napalm, this does 1d4 MD, Incendi-Gel does 1d6 MD, and with Napalm-P, this does 2d6 MD.
Rate of Fire:(Direct-Stream Mode) Standard
Payload:(Direct-Stream Mode
(Gasoline/Alcohol) 20 blasts
(Napalm) 60 blasts
(MD Fluid) 100 blasts
(Incendi-Gel) 120 blasts
(WI Napalm-P) 200 blasts per tank(much more concentrated than the regular gasoline/alcohol).
Cost: 30,000 credits

j) Heavy Stunner----A powerful sonic cannon
Range: 800 ft in air
Damage::Wide Beam: 4d6 MD to a 30 ft area
Concentrated Beam: 1d4x10 MD per blast
Sonic weapons do HALF damage through light ‘soft’ armors like MDC barding and padded armor.
Unprotected personnel must save versus non-lethal poison (16 or higher) or be stunned for 1d4 melee rds. People in sealed power armor save at an 8 or higher for the wide area blast, but make a standard save for the concentrated blast.
Sonar Blast----This is an enormous ‘belch’ of sonic cacophony that can blind sonar systems within range with a mass of ‘white noise’, knocking them out for 1d4 melees. Sonar and acoustic homing systems will lose target lock, and sonar-using creatures will be stunned and ‘blind’ for 1d4 minutes.
Vibration Blast---This takes up ALL attacks per melee to initiate and maintain, and consists of focusing a low powered beam on a sealed ship(aircraft and tanks are ideal), and gradually inducing an ultra-low frequency vibration throughout its structure. While this doesn’t do any damage per se, it does affect the hearing and inner ears of crewmembers, causing creeping disorientation and increasing unsettledness, leading up to nausea. After one melee people with unprotected hearing(or uninsulated contact with the ship’s hull structure) will be -1 to strike, parry, and dodge, and -5% to skills(they become easily distracted). After two melees they are -2 to strike, parry, and dodge, -10% to skills, and are -10% to their sense of balance...and so on...People with protected hearing are immune to the effect, but beings with enhanced hearing are TWICE as susceptible to the effects.
Rate of Fire:(Sonic Blast) ECHH
Payload:(Sonic Blast) 100 shots convemtional battery, effectively unlimited linked to a nuclear power source
Cost: 200,000 credits

k) Gum Sprayer “Gum Gun”----This option takes up two forearm spaces and consists of a high-pressure sprayer/applicator and two storage bottles. The “Gum Gun” applies/squirts a super-strong epoxy adhesive that can be used to cement MDC materials together, or make temporary patches. Used in quantity, the epoxy can be used to build up an MDC barrier. As a weapon, the Gum Gun can be used to capture opponents with an entangle.
Each application covers about five square feet,. To completely cover a human-sized target, the attacker must roll a 12 or better on the strike roll, otherwise only a limb is glommed. Anyone caught in the goo must have a supernatural or robotic PS of 30 or better to break free; otherwise they are stuck until the goo is somehow removed.
The epoxy sets within seconds, and can be used underwater. However, the sprayed epoxy needs 1d4 hours to properly cure, at which point it attains its maximum strength. Once the two tanks are emptied, the twin bottles, which are sold and attached together as a pair, can be quickly exchanged for fresh ones in one melee action, like changing an e-clip. For larger jobs, the system can be fitted with a backpack tank holding additional chemicals.
Note: This is the same system used on the PS-11E and is interchangable
Range: 150 ft
MDC : Epoxy has 2d4 MDC per application, but hardens to 2d6 +1 MDC after curing for 1d4 hours
Damage: None
Payload: 100 applications
Cost: 50,000 credits

l)Spray Cannon---High powered water cannon for spreading a steady stream of liquid agent, or can be modified to spray an aersol mist for wide area applications.
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(lose 1 APM and initaive that melee for getting back up). Does 2d6x10 HP to vampires per blast

(Gloop) PS’s sticky goop---This quick-setting polymer 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 per cubic foot. 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)


(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 subterrane. 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: 100 gallon internal tank, or can be attached to a trailer holding up to 400 gallons
Cost: 6,000 credits

m) Net Launcher
Range: 800 ft. Net covers a 50 ft area
Damage:(Standard Net) Heavy high-tensile strength megadmage steel cable net; takes melee actions/attacks to untangle self(half that for creatures with supernatural PS of 50 or higher)...in the meantime, the victim CANNOT strike or parry, is -2 to dodge, and reduce speed by 90%

(Slicer Net) As above, except that every melee the target spends struggling and trying to get out, they take 2d4 MD from the various hooks and razor-lines. In addition to usual penalties, takes an additional -2 to dodge from the pain.

(Shock Net)As above, except that each melee entangled, the target takes electrical shock damage. At mild current levels, this can be annoying and distracting, but can also stun the victim...higher levels of voltage can toast the entrapped target and damage them severely, if not kill them outright....
2d4 MD per melee/shock pulse, plus MDC beings must roll versus non-lethal poison(16 or better) or be stunned /knocked out for 1d4 melees. Cyborgs have a 60% chance of having their systems overloaded and being immobilized for 1d4 melees, plus a 40% chance of electrical systems/accessories such as sensors or weapons knocked out for 1d4+2 melees. Robots and Power Armor fare somewhat better, having only a 40% chance of losing electrical systems or peripherals for 1d4 melees.

(Drug Net)As above, except that the net has microcapsules that break with any struggle, releasing a skin-contact/aerosol drug--Unless the victim has complete environmental protection(sealed off from contamination), they must roll each melee they are entangled against non-lethal toxin, or find themselves succumbing to chemical lethargy; cumulative -20% chance of falling unconscious(for 2d4 minutes), -1 to initiative, -2 Dodge, Strike, Parry, and Roll, -1 APM (in addition to entanglement penalties).

(Thermite Net) A nasty variant, based on designs brought back from South America(See Rifts South America 2). Same as above, but bursts into flame, doing 4d6 MD for 1d6 melees
Rate of Fire:ECHH
Payload: 6 nets

3) Smoke/Gas Mortars(2)(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

4) Hand to Hand Attacks---The Autotank is limited in its attacks to a ram/crush with its treads(1d4 MD), and a possible swat with its main gun(1d4 MD)

Actions/Attacks per Melee: 4
+2 strike to w/ all ranged attacks
+3 to strike w/ main cannon/direct fire weapon

Options:
*Mine Flail
MDC of Assembly:80
Size: The flail assemby adds ten feet to the length of the tank
Range: 8 ft range
Damage: 1d6 MD per chain strike(Roll 1d6 to determine number of chains hitting)
Penalties: Reduce speed of tank by 20%, and -10% to Pilot Tank skill
Cost: 20,000 credits

*Laser Spotlight---A sensor-directed high-intensity spotlight that can blind with its powerful beam.
MDC: 20
Range: 1,000 ft, can illuminate a 50-ft wide area
Damage: Effects equivalent to Blinding Flash spell
Cost: 18,000 credits

Variants:
*Damnthing-L---A four-legged full-robot version. Each of its four legs has 100 MDC, and the machine can scuttle along at 45 MPH, but can also scamper up a 45-degree slope. Also enjoys an additional +1 to Dodge due to improved agility. Cost: 1 million credits base unit

Re: Paladin Steel Storefront

Posted: Sun Feb 15, 2009 12:26 am
by ZINO
taalismn wrote:Paladin Steel ‘Damnthing’ AutoTank

“I wouldn’t complain about being in charge of a company of auto-tanks; the way I see it, they’re not that much dumber than the average can-jockey, they don’t talk back, don’t get drunk before the big battle, they do as you tell’em, and if some some of them don’t make it back, you write to the quartermaster for replacements, not to their families.”

“ARGH!!! Is there no end to these soulless pests?! Where are your brave warriors, whose souls I might eat to quench my hunger!?! GRRRAHHHHH!!!Have you no pride, no dignity, no courage, that you seek to drown me in these abominations!? Where are the heroes of your vaunted past?! Come out and face me noOOOOOOWWWWWwworthless toys!!!You’ll suffer all the mmorMYAKKHH!!! for this insult! SCCCRRAAAAAGGHHHH!!!! I fight on! I fight on! I’ll see an end to your NNNGHHHH!!!---”
----Last words of the self-declared “Gorage, Soul-Eater”, at the ‘battle’ of Daniel Valley.

The ‘Damnthing’ is part of Paladin Steel’s initiative to develop ‘force multiplier’ Unmanned Vehicles, after the Mechanoid Incident, when PS saw how effective robot drones were in tying down military forces. Because, at the time, PS hadn’t mastered the mechanical or software technology for an effective humanoid-robot similar to Triax’s Dynabots, vehicular robot drones were considered to be an effective intermediary step.
The Damnthing is a short, squat, tread-borne AFV with a broad rectangular, slope-sided turret that’s nearly as long and wide as the chassis it’s mounted on. The turret top mounts a sensor mast and optics package with spotlight.
The Damnthing has two weapons stations in the turret, one portside and one starboard; the portside station is typically reserved for direct-fire weaponry, while the starboard station is typically given over to indirect-fire and missile weaponry.
Behind the starboard weapon, on the backside of the turret, is a locked panel that can be pulled out to reveal a folding seat and piloting station. This seat is usually used by maintenance personnel to test and adjust the systems aboard the autotank, but it can also be used to manually control the tank in the field. Though the piloting seat, when occupied, slides slightly forward into the turret, providing some protection to the driver from the sides and front, and an erectable armored windshield can be raised to provide additional shielding from the front, most human-sized beings will be exposed from the shoulders up to enemy fire (effectively -3 to strike).
The Damnthing is intended for security perimeter patrols, urban security, and as a skirmisher for armored formations, but its small size has endeared it to Airborne units that need some easily transported heavy fire support.
Damnthings are a common sight around PS facilities, typically armed with reduced lethality weapons like water cannons, chemical sprayers, heavy stunners, and machine guns, as perimeter security patrollers, while the GNE Regular Army uses fully armed units as camp security patrollers, expendable recon-in-force units, minesweepers, and assault units. Massed formations of Damnthings are often deployed as picket lines or defensive formations, protecting manned units behind them, and are often sent in ahead of troops to soften up particularly nasty opposition like Xiticix and other pests.
Type:PS-AT-LABT-07
Class:Light Semi-Autonomous Autotank
Crew:None, Robot Intelligence
MDC/Armor by Location:
Main Body 200
Main Turret/Cannon 100
Sensor Turret 80
Armored Winshield /Protective Plates(3) 40 each
Treads(2) 80 each
Height: 6.8 ft
Width:7 ft
Length:12 ft
Weight: 8.3 tons
Cargo:None
Powerplant: Liquid Fuel, Electric, or Nuclear
Speed: 50 MPH
Black Market Cost: Liquid Fuel(200 mile range); 400,000 credits, Electric( 300 mile range), 500,000 credits or Nuclear w/ 5 year energy life, 1.5 million credits
Features:
Short-range Radio---80 mile range
Combat Computer
Laser Targeting(+1 strike w/ ranged attacks)
Gyro-stabilized Main Gun Mount (+1 to strike w/ranged attack)
Short Range Radar---10 mile range
External Audio/Video Surveillance System
Passive Nightvision
Thermo-Imager
Motion Detector---200 ft
Normal Light/IR Headlights---500 ft
*Winch---w/ 30-ft of cable
*Trailer Hitch
Weapons Systems:
1)Indirect Fire Weapon Station(1)---The following is a list of the more common/powerful systems fitted.
a)Micro-Missile Launcher
Range:
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:
Pattern-1A---1d4 MD to 2 ft blast radius
Pattern-1B---1d4 MD to 5 ft blast radius
Pattern-1C---3d6 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: Volleys of 1, 3, 7, or 14
Payload: 63 (9 rows of 7 missiles each). 126 total!

b)Mini-Missile Launcher----18 Mini-missiles(3x3 rows, with a set of reloads behind them)

c)Anti-Armor Launcher
Range:1 mile
Damage:2d4x10 MD
Rate of Fire:Volleys of 1, 2, or 3
Payload: 6 total
Bonus: +5 to strike

d)Short-Range Missile Launcher---6 SRMs

e)Medium-Range Missiles----3 MRMs

f)Mortar---60mm Breech-loading Mortar
Range: 2 miles
Damage: 6d6 MD to 20 ft radius for Fragmentation
1d6x10 MD to 10 ft radius for High Explosive
20 ft radius for Smoke/chemical rds.
Rate of Fire: Up to six times per melee
Payload: 40 rds

2)Direct Fire Weapon Station(1)---This is typically a flat-trajectory weapon like a rail gun or energy cannon---The following is a list of the more common/powerful systems fitted.
a)Twin 20mm Autocannon(2)---These are the larger anti-aircraft versions of PS’s 20mm cannon line, and serve quite ably in the anti-personel and anti-aircraft roles.
Range:(20mm)7,000 ft (2,000 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: 500 rds per gun

b)30mm AutoCannon(1)
Range: 9,500 ft
Damage:4d6 MD single rd, 1d6x10 MD two rd burst
Rate of Fire: Single shot or two-round burst
Payload: 200 rds

c)40mm ‘2-Pounder’ Autocannon(1)
Range:(High Velocity Round)5,000 yards(15,000 ft)
Maximum AA altitude w/ HV shells: 13,300 ft
(Low Velocity Round) 3,800 yards(11,400 ft)
Damage:(Fragmentation) 4d6 MD to 6 ft blast radius
(High Explosive) (HV) 1d4x10+3 MD to 1.5 ft blast radius
(LV)1d4x10 MD to 1.5 ft blast radius
Rate of Fire: 120 rounds per minute(or up to 30 rds per melee)
Payload: 60 rds
Cost: (Basic Weapon) 70,000 credits for a single-barrel model, 800,000 credits for an eight-barrel mounting.
High Velocity(Fragmentation) shells cost 200 credits apiece, 245 credits for HE
Low Velocity(Fragmentation) shells cost 180 credits apiece, 200 credits for HE

d)45mm Rail Gun---A modified, longer-ranged version of the PS-HRG05 'Hellshot' Rail Cannon.
Range: 5,300 ft
Damage: 3D6x10 MD
Rate of Fire: Single shot only; equal to the combined hand to hand attacks of the pilot
Payload:25 shots
Market Cost: 300,000 credits, 800 credits per penetrator round

e)Pulse Laser(1)---The PSMBL-5000B
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: 300 shot battery for conventionally-powered models, effectively unlimited for nuclear-powered
Cost: 400,000 credits

f)Ion Cannon(1)
Range: 4,000 ft
Damage: 1d6x10 MD per blast
Rate of Fire: ECHH
Payload: 200 shot battery for conventionally-powered models, effectively unlimited for nuclear-powered
Cost: 240,000 credits
*Options: For additional credits, the ion cannon can be modified for a scatter-shot mode; Reduce range to 2,000 ft, but does 5d6 MD to a 15 ft wide area. Cost: 9,000 credits


g)Plasma Cannon(1)
Range: 2000 ft
Damage: 1d6x10 MD per blast*
*Can be increased by 50% with a ‘hot shot’ injection of deuterium gas
Rate of Fire: ECHH
Payload:200 shot battery for conventionally-powered models, effectively unlimited for nuclear-powered
Deuterium Gas Reservoir has enough gas under pressure for 200 shots.
Cost: 100,000 credits, plus 3,500 credits per deuterium ‘hotshot’ cartridge.

h)Particle Beam Cannon(1)
Range: 2,000 ft
Damage:1d4x 10 MD single blast
2d4x10 MD double blast
Rate of Fire: ECHH
Payload:80 shot battery for conventionally-powered models, effectively unlimited for nuclear-powered
Cost: 190,000 credits

i)Flame Thrower(1)---This replaces the main cannon with a flame projector and armored fuel tanks(100 MDC for the tanks). The fuel tanks have an ejection features that catapults the tanks up to 25 ft away from the AFV in the event of a leak or fire(this doiesn’t exactly endear the tank to accompanying infantry and many garages and motorpools insist on having a fully fueled-up fire-tank parked in its own revetment or away from other vehicles).
Range:(Direct-Stream Mode) 230 ft
Damage:(Direct-Stream Mode)
(Gasoline/Alcohol) 1d4x10 SDC
(Napalm) 1d6x10 SDC, plus does 5d6 SDC per melee for 1d4 minutes
(MD Fluid) 1d4 MD per blast, 1d4 MD per melee for 2d4 minutes
(Incendi-Gel)2d6 MD, 2d6 MD per melee for 1d6 minutes
(WI Napalm-P) 3d6 MD per blast, 1d4x10+10 MD per concentrated burst(counts as two attacks). 2d6 MD per melee for 1d4 minutes.
Note: The flamethrower can also be used to cover an area with fluid: up to 10 ft per attack used. Used with Super-Napalm, this does 1d4 MD, Incendi-Gel does 1d6 MD, and with Napalm-P, this does 2d6 MD.
Rate of Fire:(Direct-Stream Mode) Standard
Payload:(Direct-Stream Mode
(Gasoline/Alcohol) 20 blasts
(Napalm) 60 blasts
(MD Fluid) 100 blasts
(Incendi-Gel) 120 blasts
(WI Napalm-P) 200 blasts per tank(much more concentrated than the regular gasoline/alcohol).
Cost: 30,000 credits

j) Heavy Stunner----A powerful sonic cannon
Range: 800 ft in air
Damage::Wide Beam: 4d6 MD to a 30 ft area
Concentrated Beam: 1d4x10 MD per blast
Sonic weapons do HALF damage through light ‘soft’ armors like MDC barding and padded armor.
Unprotected personnel must save versus non-lethal poison (16 or higher) or be stunned for 1d4 melee rds. People in sealed power armor save at an 8 or higher for the wide area blast, but make a standard save for the concentrated blast.
Sonar Blast----This is an enormous ‘belch’ of sonic cacophony that can blind sonar systems within range with a mass of ‘white noise’, knocking them out for 1d4 melees. Sonar and acoustic homing systems will lose target lock, and sonar-using creatures will be stunned and ‘blind’ for 1d4 minutes.
Vibration Blast---This takes up ALL attacks per melee to initiate and maintain, and consists of focusing a low powered beam on a sealed ship(aircraft and tanks are ideal), and gradually inducing an ultra-low frequency vibration throughout its structure. While this doesn’t do any damage per se, it does affect the hearing and inner ears of crewmembers, causing creeping disorientation and increasing unsettledness, leading up to nausea. After one melee people with unprotected hearing(or uninsulated contact with the ship’s hull structure) will be -1 to strike, parry, and dodge, and -5% to skills(they become easily distracted). After two melees they are -2 to strike, parry, and dodge, -10% to skills, and are -10% to their sense of balance...and so on...People with protected hearing are immune to the effect, but beings with enhanced hearing are TWICE as susceptible to the effects.
Rate of Fire:(Sonic Blast) ECHH
Payload:(Sonic Blast) 100 shots convemtional battery, effectively unlimited linked to a nuclear power source
Cost: 200,000 credits

k) Gum Sprayer “Gum Gun”----This option takes up two forearm spaces and consists of a high-pressure sprayer/applicator and two storage bottles. The “Gum Gun” applies/squirts a super-strong epoxy adhesive that can be used to cement MDC materials together, or make temporary patches. Used in quantity, the epoxy can be used to build up an MDC barrier. As a weapon, the Gum Gun can be used to capture opponents with an entangle.
Each application covers about five square feet,. To completely cover a human-sized target, the attacker must roll a 12 or better on the strike roll, otherwise only a limb is glommed. Anyone caught in the goo must have a supernatural or robotic PS of 30 or better to break free; otherwise they are stuck until the goo is somehow removed.
The epoxy sets within seconds, and can be used underwater. However, the sprayed epoxy needs 1d4 hours to properly cure, at which point it attains its maximum strength. Once the two tanks are emptied, the twin bottles, which are sold and attached together as a pair, can be quickly exchanged for fresh ones in one melee action, like changing an e-clip. For larger jobs, the system can be fitted with a backpack tank holding additional chemicals.
Note: This is the same system used on the PS-11E and is interchangable
Range: 150 ft
MDC : Epoxy has 2d4 MDC per application, but hardens to 2d6 +1 MDC after curing for 1d4 hours
Damage: None
Payload: 100 applications
Cost: 50,000 credits

l)Spray Cannon---High powered water cannon for spreading a steady stream of liquid agent, or can be modified to spray an aersol mist for wide area applications.
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(lose 1 APM and initaive that melee for getting back up). Does 2d6x10 HP to vampires per blast

(Gloop) PS’s sticky goop---This quick-setting polymer 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 per cubic foot. 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)


(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 subterrane. 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: 100 gallon internal tank, or can be attached to a trailer holding up to 400 gallons
Cost: 6,000 credits

m) Net Launcher
Range: 800 ft. Net covers a 50 ft area
Damage:(Standard Net) Heavy high-tensile strength megadmage steel cable net; takes melee actions/attacks to untangle self(half that for creatures with supernatural PS of 50 or higher)...in the meantime, the victim CANNOT strike or parry, is -2 to dodge, and reduce speed by 90%

(Slicer Net) As above, except that every melee the target spends struggling and trying to get out, they take 2d4 MD from the various hooks and razor-lines. In addition to usual penalties, takes an additional -2 to dodge from the pain.

(Shock Net)As above, except that each melee entangled, the target takes electrical shock damage. At mild current levels, this can be annoying and distracting, but can also stun the victim...higher levels of voltage can toast the entrapped target and damage them severely, if not kill them outright....
2d4 MD per melee/shock pulse, plus MDC beings must roll versus non-lethal poison(16 or better) or be stunned /knocked out for 1d4 melees. Cyborgs have a 60% chance of having their systems overloaded and being immobilized for 1d4 melees, plus a 40% chance of electrical systems/accessories such as sensors or weapons knocked out for 1d4+2 melees. Robots and Power Armor fare somewhat better, having only a 40% chance of losing electrical systems or peripherals for 1d4 melees.

(Drug Net)As above, except that the net has microcapsules that break with any struggle, releasing a skin-contact/aerosol drug--Unless the victim has complete environmental protection(sealed off from contamination), they must roll each melee they are entangled against non-lethal toxin, or find themselves succumbing to chemical lethargy; cumulative -20% chance of falling unconscious(for 2d4 minutes), -1 to initiative, -2 Dodge, Strike, Parry, and Roll, -1 APM (in addition to entanglement penalties).

(Thermite Net) A nasty variant, based on designs brought back from South America(See Rifts South America 2). Same as above, but bursts into flame, doing 4d6 MD for 1d6 melees
Rate of Fire:ECHH
Payload: 6 nets

3) Smoke/Gas Mortars(2)(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

4) Hand to Hand Attacks---The Autotank is limited in its attacks to a ram/crush with its treads(1d4 MD), and a possible swat with its main gun(1d4 MD)

Actions/Attacks per Melee: 4
+2 strike to w/ all ranged attacks
+3 to strike w/ main cannon/direct fire weapon

Options:
*Mine Flail
MDC of Assembly:80
Size: The flail assemby adds ten feet to the length of the tank
Range: 8 ft range
Damage: 1d6 MD per chain strike(Roll 1d6 to determine number of chains hitting)
Penalties: Reduce speed of tank by 20%, and -10% to Pilot Tank skill
Cost: 20,000 credits

*Laser Spotlight---A sensor-directed high-intensity spotlight that can blind with its powerful beam.
MDC: 20
Range: 1,000 ft, can illuminate a 50-ft wide area
Damage: Effects equivalent to Blinding Flash spell
Cost: 18,000 credits

Variants:
*Damnthing-L---A four-legged full-robot version. Each of its four legs has 100 MDC, and the machine can scuttle along at 45 MPH, but can also scamper up a 45-degree slope. Also enjoys an additional +1 to Dodge due to improved agility. Cost: 1 million credits base unit


any pictures ?

Re: Paladin Steel Storefront

Posted: Sun Feb 15, 2009 12:28 am
by ZINO
The Raven wrote:
ZINO wrote:How would this look like?any picture love this tank


I don't mean to sound like an ass, but ya don't need to quote the entire post when asking for a pic. Doing so twice is even worse...


sorry :(

Re: Paladin Steel Storefront

Posted: Sun Feb 15, 2009 3:37 pm
by taalismn
Well, you should be able to go back and edit your older posts, if you really want to clean up the big chunks of redundancy...or use the Redundancy Hound(*SLOBBER*GROWL*DROOL*).

Re: Paladin Steel Storefront

Posted: Mon Feb 16, 2009 12:50 am
by abtex
taalismn wrote:Well, you should be able to go back and edit your older posts, if you really want to clean up the big chunks of redundancy...or use the Redundancy Hound (*SLOBBER*GROWL*DROOL*).

What i think he means. Is that you can go back to any of your postings, use the edit button [lower right next to the quote button], remove anything that you do not want between the quote and \quote blocks. Like most of the text just keeping the title of the vehicle or any other text. Then re-submit it. Like this...

taalismn wrote:Well, you should be able to go back and edit your older posts, if you really want to clean up the big chunks of redundancy...or use the Redundancy Hound (*SLOBBER*GROWL*DROOL*).

taalismn wrote:Well, you should be able to go back and edit your older posts, OR he will (*SLOBBER*GROWL*DROOL*).

You can check what you did by using the 'preview' button beside 'Submit'

That way he will not need to convert his new ‘Damnthing’ into a Redundancy Hound so people can use it as pack mule or such. Like a Gun Caddy for his PSA-11. Ontos want-to-be with 2-4 rifles fixed to it's sides. Field Medic with robot arms to provide recovery injured and return them for MedAVac. Or something else.

Re: Paladin Steel Storefront

Posted: Mon Feb 16, 2009 6:36 pm
by taalismn
Paladin Steel ‘Moth’ Anti-Grav Transport
(Aka ‘Grav-Copter’)

“Almost completely quiet operation, no telltale blast of thrust to disturb trees and rooftops....you can just drift in on the wind...and steady doesn’t begin to describe how she flies...you can be carrying a full belly of cargo, and full warload on the pylons, and you hardly need touch the stick to keep her flying level...vibration’s almost zilch and that’s from the wind...This GMR propulsion....it takes flying to a whole new altitude of aviation....”

The Paladin Steel ‘Moth’ GMR Transport was the first Paladin Steel production design to use a revolutionary new material that had been developed pre-Rifts, but believed lost...until Paladin Steel corporate archivists, digging through the company’s data-dump vaults, were able to decrypt and reconstruct data files long-thought corrupted and lost. One of the long-lost corporate research secrets that came to light was a new material which had almost anti-gravity properties.
GMR-1(Gravi-Magnetic Resistor) is a room-temperature superconductor which can be used to react against the Earth’s electro-magnetic field as a sort of antigrav repulsor. The further one gets from the Earth’s magnetic field, however, the less effective a GMR-drive system becomes, limiting its usefulness in high altitude and orbital operations. Still in development, the full range of applications for GMR, and derivatives, has only now begun to be fully realized. The development of this material by PS from early, pre-Rifts research records, was one of PS’ great triumphs, and signalled the company’s entry to more advanced tech fields and possible product lines. Originally intended as a mere testbed, a ‘floating boxcar’ packed with instruments and test-weights to test energy-use and endurance, the prototype ‘Moth’ proved such a success that Paladin Steel decided to refine the original testbed into a production transport design.
The ‘Moth’ has an elongated shape not unlike a set of flattened dumbbells or a fat ‘eight’ on its side. The top of the forward ‘bell’ mounts a top dome and two stubby control/stabilizer appendages(actually gravitic-resist-field modifiers), and a pair of jet engines lie along the length of the aircraft just behind the stub-appendages. The forward edge of the hull mounts a thick trans-plas slit-view port for the crew(who must rely on HUD feeds from cameras mounted on other parts of the hull for all-around vision) that can be further protected by a closable shutter(requiring flying on instruments). On either side of the wide flight deck are two light/sensor bays, that are further flanked by pylon-mounts for optional weapons-wings. On the underside of the forward half of the fuselage is a large flat weapons turret, while two smaller turrets may be fitted to the rear quarters of the craft.
The ‘Moth’, despite its delicate-sounding name, is extremely well armored with layered megadamage composite, a cladding so tough that the ‘Moth’ has earned the nicknames ‘flying tank’ and ‘brick-cloud’. Especially heavily-armed Moths are sometimes called ‘TigerMoths’ in the GNE.
(Post-110 PA Update: Since its introduction, the ‘Moth’ GMR Transport has become one of Paladin Steel’s/Greater New England’s most popular air vehicles, competing in the hearts of GNE pilots with the Hercules II VTOL Transport and Condor Assault Shuttle. While Paladin Steel has gone on to perfect and expand upon the technology, creating the massive Foss Flier craft, the company continues to produce and modify the ‘Moth’ for a wide variety of roles, from civil transport and weather research aircraft, to military gunship and aerospace shuttle. Paladin Steel has NOT made this technology/vehicle available to the open market, reserving it for its own use and the GNE’s.)


Type: PS-GMRD-VTOL-CT-1
Class: Medium VTOLTransport, Gravi-Magnetic Resist Drive
Crew: Two, pilot and co-pilot, plus up to 25 passengers
A standard security-force configuration GC will have 10 troopers in power armor and 2 hovercycles

Pilot Skill Required: Pilot Jet Aircraft or Pilot Helicopter

MDC/Armor by Location:
Main Body 800
Reinforced Cre Compartment 200
Control Flanges(2)** 200 each
Forward Ventral Turret 120
Rear Turrets(1-2) 50 each

** Destroying a Control-Flange reduces the pilot rolls by -20%, while destroying both flanges reduces the skill profficiency by -50%. The Grav-Copter can still hover, but maneuvaring and fine control is extremely difficult.
Height: 18 ft + 3 ft for the Grav Foil
Width: 28 ft
Length: 65 ft
Weight: 60 tons
Cargo: Can carry up to 25 tons of cargo
Powerplant: Nuclear Fusion, 15 year energy life
Speed: Hover to 650 MPH (Just shy of Mach 1)
Maximum Performance Altitude: 30,000 ft. For each additional 1,000 ft of altitude beyond this, the Grav-Copter suffers a 10% decrease in speed and -10% to piloting skill as the efficiency of the (still-experimental) GMR-drive system decreases with altitude.

Market Cost: NOT available for sale, but would cost upwards of 18 million credits if one were.
Systems/Features:
All standard Robot features, plus:
Close-Range Motion Detector and Collision Warning System---Particularly useful for maneuvaring in close quarters. Range: 200 ft.
Radio: 500 mile range
Radar: 100 mile range; track and identify 48 targets simultaneously
External Spotlights: 600 ft range
Full independant life support and air filtration system---The Grav Copter is fully equiped with air filtration systems, heating and insulation, and NBC(Nuclear-Biological-Chemical ) warfare-grade environmental sealing. 72 hour air supply; ten week recirculation capability.
External Cargo Winch w/ 15 ton lift/pull capability, 200 ft line.


Piloting Computer---Advanced ‘fly-by-wire’ pilot-assist computer helps control the exotic GMR-1 drive system and coordinates the sequencing of the drive jets. Provides bonuses for stunt-piloting and maneuvaring.

Bonuses: +10% to pilot skill, +1 to dodge

Weapons Systems:
1) Turret-mounted Weapons System(1)---A single chin-mount turret is available for weapons. Paladin Steel mounts a heavy grenade launcher with a 600 rd payload drum on its security units, but has reportedly also been fitting its new modular energy weapons in as well. The turret can handle anything up to a heavy rail gun(ie. Shemarrian Railgun-scale) or energy weapon(linked to the Grav-Copter’s powerplant for limitless shot capability), or two lighter weapons.
Sample Weapons Configurations:
a) Pulse Laser---
Range: 6,000 ft range,
Damage: 3d6 MD single shot, 2d4x10 MD pulse burst
Rate of Fire: EGCHH
Payload: Effectively Unlimited

b) Ion Cannon---
Range: 4,000 ft
Damage: 1d6x10+10 MD per blast
Rate of Fire: EPCHH
Payload: Effectively Unlimited

c) Plasma Cannon---
Range:(Plasma Stream) 3,000 ft
(Plasma Bolt) 2,500 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, EGCHH
Payload: Effectively Unlimited
Deuterium Gas Reservoir has enough gas under pressure for 45 shots.


d) Particle Beam Cannon---
Range: 4,000 ft
Damage: 1d4x10 MD per single blast, 2d4x10 MD per dual blast
Rate of Fire: EGCHH
Payload: Effectively Unlimited

e) 32mm Rotary Chain Gun---(only one can be fitted)
Range: 10,000 ft
Damage: 4d6 MD single round, 1d6x10 MD for a two-round burst, 3d6x10 MD for a six-round burst, per single cannon.
Rate of Fire: ECHH
Payload: 400 rds

f) Heavy Rail Gun
Range: 4,000 ft
Damage: 1d6x10 MD per 40 rd burst; can only fire bursts
Rate of Fire: ECHH
Payload: 2,000 rd drum

g) Heavy Grenade Launcher
Range:7,000 ft
Damage: Identical to the WI-GL20; (Fragmentation) 4d6 MD to 12 ft blast area single shot, 1d6x10 MD to blast area of 20 ft per 5 shot burst
(Armor Piercing)1d4x10 MD to 3 ft blast area single shot, 2d6x10 MD to blast area of 6 ft per 5 shot burst
Rate of Fire: Standard
Payload: 400 rd drum

h) 20mm Quad Turret---This arrangement mounts four twenty-millimeter automatic cannon firing in synch.
Range:(Maximum) 7,000 yards(21,000 ft)
(Effective) 2,500 yards(7,500 ft)
Damage:(20 mm) 1d4 MD per shell at 7,500 ft or less, 1 MD per shell up to 21,000 ft
4d6 MD per 5 rd burst(1d6 MD at maximum range)
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(1d4 MD per shell up to 21,000 ft)
2d4x10 MD per 5 rd burst
4d4x10 MD per 10 rd burst
Airburst does 4d4 MD to 3.5 ft blast radius(single shot)

x2 and x4 damage for respective number of guns firing at once(always fire in pairs)...so a full quad gun burst firing standard 20mm rounds does 4d4x10+16 MD at ranges of 7,500 ft or less, and a quad ten-burst of PSX-1 does a whopping 16d4x10 MD!(or 1d6x100 MD for convenience)
Rate of Fire: EGCHH
Payload: 200 rounds per gun(800 rds total)

2)(Optional) Rear Turret(s)(1-2)-----One or two auxiliary weapons turrets can be added. These are similar to the Forward Ventral Turret, but are typically fitted with lighter point-defense weapons(lasers, light railguns, or 1-2 20mm cannon), but gunship and close support units will fit heavier weapons(especially plasma cannons, chain guns, and grenade launchers).

3)(Optional) Weapons Pylons(2)---Two large weapons pylons can be mounted on the forward end of the ‘Moth’, turning it into a most effective gunship, bristling with firepower. Each pylon can accommodate TWO of the following weapons:
a) Heavy Rail Gun---
Range: 4,000 ft
Damage: 1d6x10 MD per 40 rd burst; can only fire bursts
Rate of Fire: ECHH
Payload: 2,000 rd drum

b) Heavy Laser---
Range: 8,000 ft
Damage:2d4x10 MD per blast
Rate of Fire: EGCHH
Payload: Effectively Unlimited

c) Gatling Laser---
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

d) Plasma Cannon---
Range: 3,000 ft
Damage: 1d4x10 MD per single blast, 2d4x10 MD per dual blast
Rate of Fire: EGCHH
Payload: Effectively Unlimited

e) Particle Beam Cannon---
Range: 4,000 ft
Damage: 1d4x10 MD per single blast, 2d4x10 MD per dual blast
Rate of Fire: EGCHH
Payload: Effectively Unlimited

f) Ion Cannon---
Range: 4,000 ft
Damage: 1d4x10 MD per single blast, 2d4x10 MD per dual blast
Rate of Fire: EGCHH
Payload: Effectively Unlimited

g)Mini-Missiles-----20-tube launch box, with 4 missiles in each tube(total of 80 MMs)

h) Short Range Missiles-----12-tube launch box, with 3 missiles in each tube(total of 36 SRMs)

i) Medium Range Missiles-----6-tube launch box, with 2 missiles in each tube(total of 12 MRMs)

j) Long Range Missiles----2 LRMs per hardpoint

k)Flare/Chaff Launcher
Range: Close Defense
Damage: None; similar to Triax-style chaff
01-50 Enemy Missile or volley detonates in chaff and threat is neutralized
51-75 Missile/Volley diverts and may pursue/lock on to other targets
76-00 No Effect! Missile(s) still on target!
Will also temporarily blind and impede flying monsters who fly into it.
Reduce APMs/combat bonuses/ speed by half for 1d4 melees
Payload: 18 per launcher

Options:
*Robotic Manipulator Arms(2-4)---- Someone at PS thought that even a crude AG system would render traditional land robots obsolete, by replacing vulnerable and unstable legs with a constant hover system. The fitting of robotic arms to the Moth was a test of the theory. It hasn’t proven out yet, but the inclusion of the arms does give the vehicle additional utility in picking up loads and affecting rescues. These massive arms have a reach of 25 ft and a PS of 40. A pair can be fitted forward and a second pair aft.
MDC of Arms: 100 MD each
Hand to Hand Combat:
The Grav-Copter can engage in limited hand-to-hand combat with its oversized manipulator arms.
Punch 3d6 MD
Tear/Pry 2d6 MD
Crush 1d6x10 MD
Cost: 2 million credits each pair


Variants:
*PS-GMRD-VTOL-CT-02B Mega-Moth/Tarhe II---The ‘Skycrane’ version of the Moth, this model is slightly larger and wider(78 ft long and 35 ft wide), with large side engine pods, a larger AG-coil array on top, an extra set of control flanges, and a more rounded tail containing an auxiliary power plant, rather than the rear cargo door. The Mega-Moth lacks an internal passenger/cargo bay; instead, the aerodyne is a dedicated heavy lift skycrane, using four powerful robot gantry-arms and three powered winches to haul oversized payloads (up to 60 tons!) up against its open underside. This version retains the fore and aft turrets, but rarely carries any sort of heavy weaponry(though the aerodyne has occasionally been used by combat engineers to drop massive forest-clearing ‘daisy cutter’ or rock-blasting ‘smasher’ explosive devices).
The Mega-Moth is most commonly used to deploy large modular pre-fab housing and industrial units, such as fusion reactor power stations and gravel crushers(for road construction). Pods are 50 ft long and roughly 20 ft wide. A standard passenger/cargo pod has 150 MDC. It can also carry a tank, such as a Lynx or FireDrake, underslung.
PS is also reportedly working on an ‘AstroTarhe II’ capable of transatmospheric operation and space operations.
Changes/Modifications:
Main Body MDC 850
Size: 78 ft long, 35 ft wide
Weight: 68 tons
Cargo: Up to 60 tons slung externally; cargo pallets can be up to 50 ft long, 20-25 ft wide.
Speed: Hover to 600 MPH
Cost: 20 million credits

*PS-GMRD-VTOL-CT-03D TigerMoth---The TigerMoth mounts two broad triangular wings where the weapons pylons would normally be mounted(the wings now mount THREE hardpoints each, and can accommodate bombs/weapons dispensers). The wings also sport two pulse lasers near the ends. More powerful jet thrusters have been added(and the ship can now make Mach 1.4). The TigerMoth is meant as a high-speed attack ship.
Changes/Modifications:
Main Body MDC 860
Width: 50 ft
Weight: 63 tons
Speed: Hover to Mach 1.4 (supersonic)
Weapons Systems:
Add the following:
1)Wing Pylons(6, 3 each wing)---Identical to the standard pylons, but can now accommodate bombs and weapons dispensers:
a)Bombs----Can carry ‘iron’ or ‘smart’ bombs; either take the equivalent missile warhead and DOUBLE the blast radius, or can carry TWICE the number of warhead equivalents as missiles
b)Mine/Bomblet Dispenser---ONE can be carried per wing
*SAW---Stand-off Attack Weapon , for ground attack. Basically, this is a large LRM-sized pod with maneuvering thrusters, rudimentary guidance system, and fold-out glide wings, that is designed to overfly a target zone and launch cluster munitions over it, in a bombing pattern. These submunitions can range from golf-ball-sized antipersonnel grenades, runway crater shells, area denial mines, chemical shells, or even carbon-fiber ‘angel hair’ electrical disruption spools.
Range: SAW has an effective range of 20 miles in atmosphere Submunnitions can be launched up to 300 ft out to either side of the SAW’s flight path.
Damage: (AP Grenade) 4d6 MD to 8 ft area
(Chemical Grenade) Varies by chemical type and atmospheric conditions. A chemical grenade will generally generate a cloud of aerosol 15 ft in radius.
(HE Shell) 5d6 MD to 20 ft area
(Fragmentation Mine) 4d6 MD to 12 ft area
(Incendiary Bomb) Does 4d6 MD to 40 ft area, does an additional 2d6 MD for 1d6 melees, and 1d6 MD per melee for an additional 2d4 melees
(Angel Hair)---Does NO damage, but against conventional power generators and uncovered power lines and distribution systems, it can short out power grids, clog generator air intakes(80% effectiveness against industrial generators and internal combustion engines), and be a general nuisance to clean up.
Rate of Fire: A SAW can volley its submunitions in any combination
Payload:(Typical loadouts)
400 AP/Chemical grenades
OR
100 HE/anti-vehicle grenades
OR
100 Fragmentation Mines
OR
50 Incendiary Bombs
OR
500 spools of wire, each spool holding up to 4,000 ft of aluminum-coated filament


2) Wing Pulse Lasers(2)
Range: 6,000 ft range,
Damage: 3d6 MD single shot, 2d4x10 MD pulse burst
Rate of Fire: EGCHH
Payload: Effectively Unlimited

3)(Optional) Cargo-Bombs---The rear-openning cargo bay can be used to drag-deploy heavy bombs through the rear cargo door, though the TigerMoth cannot be going at Mach 1 or faster when doing this(not without incuring a sudden -20% to piloting skill rolls due to the drag)

*PS-GMRD-VTOL-CT/TAV-1E Luna Moth---The Luna Moth is a space-capable surface-to-space shuttle version of the Moth. The Luna Moth is slightly more streamlined, mounts a set of more powerful scramjet engines and reaction mass/oxidizer tanks, has been fitted with additional thermal insulation and radiation shielding, and has thermal refractory tile on the lower half of the fuselage. Airlock fittings to the hull doors and rear cargo compartment allow the craft to dock to other ships/structures in space, and also deploy cargo into space. A forcefield generator, reverse-engineered from studies of Naruni and Triax technology, provides additional protection(180 MDC), as well as provides additional streamlining against atmospheric heating and turbulence.
In operation, the Luna Moth uses its GMR drives to take it to altitude, then lights off its thrusters to get into orbit. It is fully capable of maneuvering in space, and of limited deep space operations, though anything beyond circum-lunar orbital range is not recommended without extensive modifications to the life support systems.
The Luna Moth is used by Paladin Steel to help service its space-orbital assets. It is also carried aboard larger PS/GNE spacecraft as a shuttle and exploration craft.
Changes/Modifications:
MDC/Armor by Location:
Main Body 950
Aerodynamic Forcefield 180
Speed: (Flying) Mach 3 with Scramjet-boosted mode of Mach 6 to escape velocity.
(Space) Mach 5
*Thermal Insulation---Heat-based attacks, including plasma, on the lower surface of the ship, do HALF damage. The UPPER hull armor is laser-ablative(lasers do HALF damage).
*EM Field Screen---An electromagnetic barrier that turns away cosmic radiation, and incidentally reduces the damage done by ion and particle beam weapons by HALF.
Cost: 40 million credits