Paladin Steel Storefront

[taalismn]

Paladin Steel PS-IGP-1 Infantry Grav-Pack
(Original KT-IBP-1 and stats courtesy of the Raven)
(aka ‘Hoplite Pack’, ‘Jumper-Humper’)
“The autofire sentry mode on this thing’s a godsend; it’s personal automatic point defense like the bigger ships and vehicles have. It allows you to concentrate on other things in a hot combat zone, and it’s especially good if you’re facing swarm opponents of missile-heavy opposition.”

“-Whether it’s hit and run on the offensive or bleed and hop on the defensive, these packs allow our infantry to get places fast and do some damage when they get there. The battlelines are lot more fluid with jump-infantry on the scene.”

The -IGP-1 is the definitive Paladin Steel version of the Keratech KT-IBP-1. Though it shares the same general specifications and configuration as the KT-IBP-1, the PS-IGP shows what years of refinement have wrought on the original design.
The grav-pack resembles a half-egg strapped to the back of the wearer’s body armor(It is designed to interface with standard PS/ASI/GNE/USA-issue EBA), with two small weapons turrets on the back, one over each shoulder. A sensor mast can extend between the two of them and over the head of the wearer. Two folding arm rests/control arms bracket the wearer and can serve as roll bars in event of a less-then-controlled landing. A ‘force multiplier’ AI manages the sensory systems and can fire the energy weapon mini-turret in ‘autofire’ mode on predesignated targets. allowing the wearer to engage multiple targets while on the move. Control interface extensions plug into the wearer’s EBA and share data with GNE-made ‘smart helms’ and kinetic movement skinsuit operation or can plug into a headjack for direct operator neural control.
The -IGP-1 is the standard infantry grav-pack of the GNEAS/RA and has become increasingly standard issue to the United System Alliance Joint Command’s standard-equipped services.

Type: PS-IGP-1
Class: Infantry CG Pack(Uses Pilot CG Pack/Jetpack to for flight)
Crew: One
MDC/Armor by Location
Pack 60
Sensor Turret 30
Mini-Turrets(2) 40 each
Main Body---Body Armor of the wearer
Height: 35.5 inches
Width: 18 inches
Length: 10.6 inches
Weight: 90 lbs
Cargo: In addition to the weight of the wearer, the pack can support up to 100kg(220 lbs) in flight. Note that the user can still use handheld weapons with ease. There is also a large pocket mounted on the bottom of the pack for storage, and knapsacks, ammo boxes, or sidearms can be slung under the control arms.
Powerplant: Nuclear Power Cell w/ one year energy lifespan
Speed: 150 MPH with a maximum altitude of 500m(1,640 ft). Can be dropped from 5km(3.2 miles) with complete control over the descent.
Cost:800,000 credits
Systems of Note:
*Mini-Radar -------6 mile range, track/ID 25 targets, can backtrack artillery and projectile fire.
*Lidar---Laser Scanner---A laser ‘radar’ that is unaffected by ECM jamming, but is limited by smoke and atmospheric conditions. 7 mile range
*Laser Rangefinder and Illuminator---’Paints’ or designates targets for assault with laser-guided weapons. 7 mile range
*Optics---InfraRed, Thermographic, Image-Enhance, Telescopic, Low-Light---2 mile range
*Optics Mast-3 ft extension
*Motion Detector---3,000 ft; can work through thin wood or plastic walls.

*Combat Recorder---Records everything the sensors pick up; can be erased with the flip of a concealed switch(if destruction of the pack is not an option to keep information from falling into the wrong hands)

*Onboard Artificial Intelligence---The operator’s ‘second head’)and sometimes called the ‘guardian angel’ system), this expert system is constant sifting through all the information flowing in, looking for patterns, so the ‘pack operator doesn’t become overwhelmed by data overload. This gives the ‘pack operator an extra 4 APMs for the nergy weapon mini-turret in autofire mode, and a +1 to initiative, and a +1 to dodge, for the first melee, if ambushed.

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

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

Weapons Systems:
1) Mini-Weapons Turrets(2)---The grav-pack sports two mini-turrets, one over each shoulder. Typically one is a hardpoint for small missiles, while the other is dedicated energy weapon. Paladin Steel’s obsession with modularity shows in the fact that both turrets can be swapped for a variety of different weapons types. The energy weapon turret is mounted on an extendable armature that can raise the weapon above the operator’s head to maximize arc of fire. Furthermore, the energy weapon is linked to a ‘force multiplier’ AI that can be preprogrammed to track and target pre-profiled targets(database or designated on an HUD)
-Missile Launcher
a) Micro-Missiles--9-shot 15mm pod, 6-shot 20mm pod, or 4-shot 30mm pod

b)Mini-Missiles---2

c) TW Mini-Missile Launcher---Can use any of PS’s TW mini-missiles---2 shots

d) Razor Launcher---This uses the same projectiles as the PS-DL-110 Razor-Frizzer( a copy of an imported Russian design).
Range: 2,000 ft
Damage: 1d6 single projectile, 1d6x10 MD per 10 rd burst/volley
Rate of Fire: EGCHH
Payload: 100 disc cassette
Cost: 40,000 credits

e)’Pencil-Rocket’ Launcher---This uses the same projectiles as the PS-RL-210 Fragmentation Rocket Launcher( a copy of an imported Russian design).
Range: 4,000 ft
Damage: 1d6 single projectile, 1d6x10 MD per 10 rd burst/volley
at 3,500 ft, the rds go ‘grapeshot’, doing 3d6 MD(1 MD for a single shot) in a 12 ft wide area.
(Incendiary “Hot-Grape” Version)---Do an additional +2 MD per rd, and 1 MD of damage for 1d4 melees as the flare portion burns down.
Rate of Fire: EGCHH
Payload: 100 rd cassette
Cost: 40,000 credits

-Energy Weapon:
a) Laser---The prefered option is a single-barrel laser of the same type as fitted to the PSA-11 Pulse-Laser backpack turret.
Range: 6,000 ft
Mega-Damage: 3D6 MD single blast
Rate of Fire: Equal to the pilot's combined hand to hand attacks, or 4 attacks in auto-defense mode.
Payload: Unlimited
Bonuses: +1 to strike airborne targets like missiles and aircraft/flying opponents(must be traveling higher than 10 ft off the ground)
Cost: 22,000 credits

b) Ion Blaster---Cheap, but effective.
Range: 1,600 ft
Damage: 3d6 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: 15,000 credits

c) Plasma Ejector---PS is an expert at plasma engineering, hence this weapon.
Range: 1,000 ft
Damage: 4d6 MD single blast
Rate of Fire: Equal to the pilot's combined hand to hand attacks, or 4 attacks in auto-defense mode.
Payload: Effectively Unlimited
Cost: 45,000 credits
Options:
*SprayFire Barrel Modification Kit--- This mod mounts a ‘watering can’ of multiple short projection coils on the barrel, splitting the plasma discharge into a dozen smaller plasma mini-bolts. Range drops to 500 ft, but the bolts do 3d6 MD to a 20 ft wide area.
Cost: +18,000 credits

*Plasma Bolt-exploder----Rather than a single plasma bolt, this mod supercharges the outgoing shot into a sort of freeform plasma ‘grenade’ whose cohesion deteriorates faster, resulting in shorter range, but which explodes with greater area of effect and intensity.
Reduce range by HALF, but the bolt now does 1d4x10 MD and explodes in a 5 ft blast radius . A single plasma ‘grenade’ costs two APMs .
Cost: +10,000 credits

d) Particle Beam--Powerful, but short-ranged.
Range: 1,500 ft
Damage: 5d6 MD single shot, 1d6x10+20 MD per triple shot burst
Rate of Fire: Single shot of three-shot burst, Equal to the pilot's combined hand to hand attacks, or 4 attacks in auto-defense mode.
Payload: Effectively Unlimited
Cost: 21,000 credits

e) Mag-Bolt--Variable-mode magnetic ‘puncher’.
Range: (EM Bolt) 3,000 ft
(Vortice) 2,000 ft
Damage: (EM Bolt) (Variable) 4d6 SD, 1d4x10 SD, or 3d6 MD per shot
(Vortice) Same as for the bolt at the point of impact, plus HALF damage in a 7 ft radius, and an 88% chance of knock-down(lose 1 APM and Initiative) for beings of 350 lbs or less, 65% chance of being stunned(-10 to strike, dodge, parry, and roll, NO Initiative, HALF speed and APMs for 1d4 melees).
Rate of Fire: Equal to the pilot's combined hand to hand attacks, or 4 attacks in auto-defense mode.
Payload: Effectively Unlimited
Bonus: Laser targeting adds +1 to strike. EM bolts are -6 to dodge, on top of that!
Cost: 29,000 credits

[taalismn]

PS-GMRCT-AT-05 ‘Grathant’ Heavy Combat Support Hover Vehicle
(aka ‘Grat’, ‘Balrog Deployer’, ‘Mini-Foss’, ‘Continental Beseiger’)
“It’s a great big bloody TANK, is what it is, They call it an ‘artillery support vehicle’ in part to discourage crews from driving up to the front lines and drawing every bit of heavy fire when they appear. Well, even when the Grat crews behave themselves, they wind up more often than not on the front lines anyway. Fortunately they’re built damn tough.”

“Technically, you can use this thing as a dropship’ it can maneuver in space and make reentry on its own, plus its antipersonnel mounts can act as point defense cannon, but I wouldn’t risk it. It’s not really designed for space travel and even making low orbit drops, you’ll want to have it covered by escorting support like heavy EW jamming, chaff clouds and air patrols. Once on the ground, though, you’re good to go.”

“The Usans take air defense VERY seriously. Out on the Rim, few of the smaller kingdoms have the numbers or resources to cover both ground force projection AND aerospace control. Usually the side that’s scraped up enough aerospace assets can control the high ground and dictate battle terms. I’ve seen dirtside communities conquered by a handful of starfighters. or even shuttle-bomber conversions. Groundside militias just got bombed flat. Usan regular army, thought, hits the ground with enough surface-to-air so that if their air cover can’t deploy over them or a few leakers get through, the groundpounders can still throw up a wall of fire before the sky starts raining on them. Having ground-mobile starship weapons like the Grat helps immensely in covering their heads or securing their landing zones. ”

“Get four or five of these things laagered up, and you got a pretty damn tough field fortification with heavy weapons. Pretty much resistant to anything short of a tac-nuke or orbital bombardment.”

The ‘Grathant’ is a heavy combat support vehicle based on a heavily-modiied PS-HACU-05 Alpaca Hover Transport frame. The structure of the transport has been built up, so the vehicle us more heavily armored than the similar PS-GMRD-VTOL-CT-25 ‘Slepnir’. The conventional airbreather hoverjet system has been replaced with a combination GMR/low-powered contragravity system for redundancy, and the ability to skim over most terranes, in most environments. .
The Grathant is meant as a combination troop transport and artillery carrier. Its main selling point, armament-wise, is its ability to mount a sub-capital starship weapon, powered by its oversized fusion powerplant. Backing this fearsome weapon are four side-mounted modular missile launchers and multiple close-in defense turrets.
Though heavier than the Slepnir and mounting better overall systems, the Grathant is also more expensive, slower, less agile, and harder to deploy from transports(with the capacity to accommodate the huge vehicles). It is frequently used as part of heavy artillery units, its troops used to secure battery positions.
Some tacticians want to classify the Grathant as a GMR ‘ship’ rather than a ‘vehicle’; the Regular Army staunchly defends the latter position.

Type: PS-GMRCT-AT-05 Grathant
Class: Heavy Combat Support Hover Vehicle
Crew: 16+100 troops
MDC/Armor by Location:
Main Body 1,000
Bridge 220
Reinforced Crew Compartment 200
Main Cannon 450
Missile Launchers/Weapons Modules(4) 300 each
Weapons Turrets(5) 180 each
Troop Hatches(2, sides) 250 each
*Forcefield 800
*Shield Refresh Rate is 15% per melee

Height: 25 ft
Width: 46 ft
Length: 100 ft
Weight: 450 tons
Cargo: 150 tons(cargo deck is 40 ft x35 ftx22 ft )
Powerplant: Nuclear with 20-year energy life
Speed: (Flying)Hover to 350 MPH, maximum altitude of 3,000 ft. Can make reentry landings from altitudes as high up as 75 miles.
(Water) The Grathant can move quite effectively over water, provided wave height doesn’t go above six feet and winds above 30 MPH; cut speed and maximum altitude by HALF.
Underwater, the Grathant can safely submerge to 3,000 ft and motor along at 20 MPH.
(Space) Limited; can maneuver at Mach 1.7.
Market Cost: 210 million credits
Systems of Note:
Standard Robot/Ship Systems, plus:
*Radar--Mast-mounted radar with a 50 mile range
*Directional IR/Normal Light Spotlights
* ECCM system: A semiautomatic system that uses electronic encryption and frequency jumping to (attempt to) negate jamming systems. The system has a 25% chance of negating radar or communications jamming (non-magical) when operating on automatic.
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.

*EW Jamming Systems: Affects a 25 mile radius and are 75% effective at jamming radar and radio. Radar-guided weapons are -6 to strike the jammer-protected vehicle.

*ORACLE---Omni-diRectional Aura Classification and Locator Electronics--- Since the Minion War, magitech sensors are being more common issue to PS/GNE/USA field units and the Grathant makes a good platform for them, though the current model is of an earlier, shorter-ranged model A TW development of the SNARLS PPE Scanner, this system consists of a series of advanced Technowizardry scanner systems(TW optic mounts, static crystal PPE meters, and whatnot) stationed around the ship, feeding into a central computer system with special TW-derived interface program algorithms.
Effective Range: 4,000 ft radius of detection.

Weapons Systems:
1)Main Cannon(1)---The main direct-fire weapon of the Grathant is a low-end Medium-class starship energy cannon or heavy massdriver of a type familiar to the early PS/ASI warship designs. Rate of fire is somewhat slower than a ship installation, due to the smaller powerplant, but damage and range remain unchanged.
a) Laser Cannon
• Range: (Palladium) 6 miles in atmosphere, 12 miles in space
? (Kitsune Values) 12 miles in atmosphere, 1200 miles in space
(LR Model) 8 miles in atmosphere, 16 miles in space
• Damage: 1d4x100 MD per shot
• Rate of Fire: Three shots per melee
• Payload: Effectively unlimited

b) Particle Beam Cannon
• Range:(Palladium) 4 miles in atmosphere/ 8 miles in space
? (Kitsune) 8 miles in atmosphere/ 8,000 miles in space
(LR Model) 6 miles in atmosphere/ 12 miles in space
• Damage: 2d4x100 MD per blast
• Rate of Fire: Two times per melee
• Payload: Effectively Unlimited

c) Plasma Torpedo Launcher:
• Range: (Palladium) 6 miles in atmosphere, 12 miles in space
? (Kitsune Values) 12 miles in atmosphere, 1200 miles in space
(LR Model) 8 miles in atmosphere, 16 miles in space
• Damage: 1d4x100 MD per shot to a 15 ft blast radius
• Rate of Fire: Three shots per melee
• Payload: Effectively unlimited

d) KK Rail Cannon: Though based on an early model PS KEWC, these can also throw proximity-fused fragmentation rounds, allowing them to ‘sandblast’ missiles and fighter swarms.
• Range: 10 miles in atmosphere, 30 miles in space
? (Kitsune Values: 20 miles in atmosphere, 20,000 miles in space)
• Damage: 1d4x100 MD per 80 rd burst
• (Frag) 4d6 x10 MD to a 100 ft area, +2d6x10 +50 ft per barrel
• Rate of Fire: EGCHH
• Payload: 32,000 rds (400 bursts) per cannon

e) Heavy Tachyon ScatterGun
• Range: 5 miles in atmosphere, 10 miles in space w/ 6 mile wide arc*
? (Kitsune Values: 5 miles in atmosphere, 5,000 miles in space)
? *Width are reduced to 1/4th in atmosphere
• Damage: 1d6x100 MD per blast
• Rate of Fire: EGCHH
• Payload: Effectively Unlimited

2) Missile Launchers(4)---Mounted along the dorsal sides of the Grathant are four long box-like missile launch modules. The ‘swap and lock’ mounting of these systems allows the vehicle to be quickly customized for various fire support mission roles.
a) Short Range Missiles---Payload of 60, volley strength of 1-12
b) Medium Range Missiles---Payload of 24, volley strength of 1-6
c) Long Range Missiles---Payload of 12 , volley strength of 1-2
d) Air Defense Missiles(typically Shrike III or IVs)---Payload of 16, volley strength of 1-8.
III:
Range: 75 miles
Damage: 3d4x10 MD
Bonus: +7 to strike

IV:
Range: 75 miles
Damage: 6d6x10 MD
Bonus: +7 to strike

e) Drones--Instead of missiles, the launch boxes hold launch and recovery cells, and support electronics, for UAVs. Each ‘box’ can hold 360 PS-RPX-2001 ‘FlyBots’ OR 60 PS-LUCV-37 Cypher IIIs OR 50 PS-UAV-RPV-07 ‘Midges’/PS-MS-SARDS-06B Mini-Mules/PS-CQ-100A ParaMules OR 20 R-BS5-0 Security Drones OR 3 PS-UAV-27 Skykes, or their equivalents.

f) Mine Mortars---PSMS40-MLS 40mm ‘Chewer’ Mortar-Launcher System. Can also be used to air-scatter 40mm grenade-mines. The array-boxes on the Grathant sport 108 vertical launch tubes, slightly tilted to the sides.
Range: 6 miles
Damage:(Fragmentation) 4d6 MD to 6 ft blast radius
(High Explosive) 1d4x10+3 MD to 1.5 ft blast radius
Rate of Fire: Volleys of 1-18
Payload: Each barrel holds 5 40-mm projectiles for a total of 530 rds(108 tubes)

g) Mine Mortars---Launcher----Similar to the ‘Chewer’ but launches 100mm 100mm land mines up to 3,000 ft to the sides from up to ten dispenser launchers, each launcher
holding five tubes with twenty mines each(100 mines per launcher unit), for a total of 1,000 mines.
-PS-MATS/20 Anti-Armor Mine
Weight: 8 lbs
Damage: 5d6 MD to 20 ft area
Cost: 800 credits
-PS-TS/250 Anti-Personnel Mine
Weight: 8 lbs
Damage: 4d6 MD to 40 ft area
Cost: 700 credits

3) Weapons Turrets(5)--Mounted around the sides and top of the Grathant are several smaller manned point defense and antipersonnel weapons.
a) Twin 20mm Cannon ----Light, but very effective, automatic cannon, especially when mounted in a fire-linked pair.
Range:(20mm)4,000 ft, 7,200 ft for the Model 2N
Damage:(20mm) 1d4 MD per shell
4d6 MD per 5 rd burst
1d4x10+4 MD per 10 rd burst
Airburst does 1d4 MD to 2 ft blast radius(single shot)
(20mm PSX-1) 4d4 MD single rd
1d6x10 MD per 5 rd burst
Airburst does 4d4 MD to 2 ft blast radius
Rate of Fire: Standard
Payload: 2,000 rd ammunition supply per gun

b)Twin 30mm Cannon ---- Heavier and very effective automatic cannon, especially when mounted in a fire-linked pair.
Range: 10,000 ft
Damage: 4d6 MD single rd, 1d6x10 MD two rd burst, 3d6x10 MD six-round burst per single gun.
Rate of Fire: EGCHH
Payload: :2,000 rd ammunition supply per gun

c) 40mm Cannon --Single-barrel light autocannon.
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: 500 rds per gun

d) PS-RC12 Rail Gun--Adapted naval weapon.
Range: 11,000 ft
Damage: 3d4x10 MD per 40 rd burst; can only fire bursts.
Rate of Fire: EGCHH
Payload: 8000 rd drum(200 bursts)

e) G-Cannon ---Three Galaxies weapon
• Range: 2.5 miles in atmosphere, 5 miles in space
? (Kitsune Values: 5 miles in atmosphere, 500 miles in space)
• Damage: 1d6x10 MD per burst
• Rate of Fire: EGCHH
• Payload: 200 bursts per cannon

f)CCW-pattern Dual Laser/MM Launcher: May use Space Stinger Missiles
• Range: (Lasers) 4,000 ft in atmosphere/2 miles in space
? (Kitsune Values: 2 miles in atmosphere /200 miles in space)
? (Mini-Missiles) 1 mile in atmosphere/2 miles in space
? (Kitsune Values: 2 miles in atmosphere/ 100 miles in space)
• Damage:(Lasers) 1d6x10 MD per blast
? (Mini-Missiles) Varies by Missile Type
• Rate of Fire:(Lasers) EGCHH, or auto-fire; 6 attacks per melee
? (Mini-Missiles) Volleys of 1-8
• Payload: (Lasers) Effectively Unlimited
? (Mini-Missiles) 32 mini-missiles per turret

g) Pulse Laser PDS
• Range: 6,000 ft in atmosphere, 2 miles in space
? (Kitsune Values: 2 miles in atmosphere/ 200 miles in space)
• Damage: 2d4x10 MD per blast
• Rate of Fire: EGCHH
• Payload: Effectively unlimited

h) Particle Beam PDS
• Range: (Palladium)1 mile in atmosphere, 2 miles in space
? (Kitsune Values: 2 miles in atmosphere, 200 miles in space)
• Damage: 2d6x10 MD per blast
• Rate of Fire: ECHH (auto-fire is six times per melee)
• Payload: Effectively unlimited

i) Ion Cannon PDS
• Range: 6,000 ft in atmosphere, 2 miles in space
? (Kitsune Values: 2 miles in atmosphere/ 200 miles in space)
• Damage: 3d4x10 MD per shot
• Rate of Fire: 4 times per melee
• Payload: Effectively unlimited

j) Rail Gun PDS
• Range: 6,000 ft in atmosphere, 2 miles in space
? (Kitsune Values: 2 miles in atmosphere/ 200 miles in space)
• Damage: 2d4x10 MD per 60 rd burst
• Rate of Fire: 6 attacks per melee
• Payload: 12,000 rds per gun (200 bursts each)
• Radar Targeting Bonus: +3 to strike


Variants:
Variants of the Grathant, especially technowizardry-enhanced versions, would seem inevitable and are likely in development. Improvements to armor and forcefield generation would also seem likely. as well as additional deck modules.

[taalismn]

Squires/Batmen/Orderlies MOS
“Farnum? He’s been with me since I served with the Regiments.....got me out of quite a few sticky situations both on and off the battlefield! No, I can’t go into detail about them....a gentlemen just does not kiss and tell!”

Some of the constituent cultures of the United Systems Alliance have feudal or aristocratic societies that allow the upper classes, even in military service, to be accompanied by dedicated servant personnel to attend to the former’s personal needs. This custom has been taken up by many high-rank officers, allowing them to focus on more important tasks, and the USA social services has also used the role to employ ex-slaves and retrainees. Rather than expect a civilian-trained domestic to pass military basic requirements, the militaries of the aforementioned cultures often created pools of enlisted personnel willing to undertake the training to become orderlies, and are assigned to service with another person on who they attend. This system has been adapted to the GNE/USAJC MOS system, trialed in such places as the Mistress Aba/Azimuth Point Military Academy.
The dedicated Squire/Batman/Orderly starts out training in one of the general military OCCs, but chooses the Squire/Batman/Orderly domestic services occupational specialty rather than a military specialization.
Despite rude jokes, the Squire/Batman/Orderly, at least in the GNE/USA, is NOT a cushy position for those wanting to avoid combat. A dedicated batman/valet/orderly accompanies their charge in their travels, sees to their needs, and acts as backup and bodyguard, Most in this position must be vetted for high level security clearances and trained in security protocols, especially if their charge operates in sensitive areas or works with security-sensitive materials. As terrorists and commandos targeting a person often go through the domestic staff surrounding their targets, the proper Orderly must be situationally aware and ready to assume a defensive posture. On the side, the Orderly must be able to provide often hard to get items(such as coffee, cigars, alcohol) for their charge on short notice, or, in extreme cases, be prepared to do tasks that their employer must be able to deny, or is unable to take care of because of their position(usually dealing with some sort of potential scandal or mishap) . The Orderly/Batman, depending on their employer, can be to varying degree the prime schlepper, caretaker, assistant secretary and accomplice.
While most Orderlies asssigned from personnel pools may work with their assignees for a few weeks or months, many stay with a single person for most of their military careers, and often follow their charges into civilian life.

*Squire/Batman(can be taken in place of an OCC MOS for GNE Grunt, GNE Technical Specialist, GNE Special Forces, GNE Military Specialist, or GNE Naval Specialist or it can be taken by the canon in place of the OCC’s ‘other’ skill selections.
-Wardrobe & Grooming(+20%)
-Social Etiquette(+15%)
-Two Domestic skills at +15%
-Contacts---The Batman learns to cultivate contacts in both the military(usually the quartermaster or motorpool) and civilian(usually the Black Market) arenas. As such, the batman can ID or least know how to contact. Base skill of 30% +5% per level of experience
-Two Technical skills at +15% or two Rogue skills at +10%
-Talent---The Batman can choose ONE of the following Black Market talents: B&E Man, Friends in Low Places, Game Player, Sincere, Slippery, Steady Nerves, and Wheelman.

Combat Servitor OCC
(aka ‘Battle-Maid’, ‘Battle-Butler’, ‘Alfreds’, ‘Robertas’ )
“By what scant accounts we’ve been able to get, your Level-A assssination team didn’t even get past the cloak room before they were all brutually dispatched. You may want to rethnk your next move against Miss Bonaventure, preferably -before- she testifies against you.”

“That sound, Master Jans? On, that was nothing, just some silly ninja assassins leaving the house....(muttering)in pieces, via the garbage disposal....nothing to be concerned about! Certainly nothing for you to get excited about, especially nothing for you to leave your chair about! Now have you considered adding a few bastards to your bloodline? I hear they can help keep the trueborn heirs on their figurative toes! I would be perfectly honored to help you produce a few....”

“Those bustle skirts may look clumsy and antiquated, but I stil don’t know how Miss Mali manages to hide a repeating bazooka under them.”

“Stala’s one of our BONE JACKAL graduates. She took persona-modding as part of her plea bargain arrangement to get off the piracy charge. We relocate her family where the Ordel Cartel can’t touch them, and she agrees to maid for the Skenzian Assistant Foreign Minister. She’s already fingered an infiltrator we didn’t previously know about, and she knows how to remove bloodstains from silk.”

“I’m your new servant, live-in maid and personal adjutant, sir, “ the severe-mannered young woman in the jetblack and scandalously-cut servant’s uniform introduced herself. “My expenses are already paid for by your home office’s special personnel funding.”
“...but you’re Warlord Dishudo’s daughter!”
“I’m one of his SEVEN daughters he had, out of thirteen -acknowledged- children. No two of us shared a common mother. Of his six sons, he had four killed on suspicion of gunning for his position, of his daughters, he sold off four into slavery when he needed cash, and married off two into marriages that may as well be slavery. He hadn’t made up his mind what to do with me when you arrested him....so if you think I’m looking for revenge for that, have no fears. I shed any paternal loyalty years ago. I’m here out of pure gratitude, a ridiculously generous bonus package, and the chance to help put the ax-drop on any of dear old daddy’s associates you run across.”

“Funny, I don’t recall the guns in the gun room ever being so well-maintained, or there being so MANY of them before. And what is THIS here? I don’t recall ever getting it?”
“It’s a multi-barrel devastator infantry cannon. Sorry, milord, that’s mine. I hope you don’t mind my storing it in here. It’s too big for my quarters.”

Another product of the Mistress Aba/Azimuth Point Military Academy fusion training, the Combat Servitor is often trained in parallel with the Squire/Batman/Orderly.
While the Squire/Batman/Orderly starts out in a military profession and turns to domestic attendant to an assigned senior officer or VIP, the Combat Servitor is a civilian domestic that has received extra training in security and counter-espionage. They serve as an inner circle of household security, protecting the person and property of their employers.
Combat Servitors can be of either gender. Many come from origins in the underprivileged classes, shatterworlds, or labor castes. A few, it is rumored once knowledge of the GNE’s BONE JACKAL programs leaked out, are psychologically reformatted criminals offered a second chance at serving society in some constructive capacity. For most Combat Servitors, their service is a lifetime commitment to an individual or household, while others may only serve a limited time on contract before moving on to other assignments.
Large mansions and employers may have multiple Combat Servitors with different skill sets on call to cover a variety of security needs. Even when only one is employed alongside regular civilian domestics, the Combat Servitor may be asked to handle coordinating the staff in emergencies.
Though some polities and particularly wealthy individuals send their won people to the MA/APA to be trained as Combat Servitors, many more are recruited and trained from the USA worlds and affiliates, and hire out. While the USA governing bodies and societies employ most, protecting families and individuals of interest to them, others are employed out of the USA worlds in places such as the Altess Dynasty, Human Alliance, Consortium of Civilized Worlds, and United Worlds of Warlock. They are particularly popular in societies that lack the ability to construct AIs, or have restrictions against robotic servants. The distribution of MA/APA graduates has led to some rumors that the USA has covertly placed a network of informants and operatives in the high social circles of a good number of other cultures.
While the Azimuth Point Academy is the main training school for Combat Servitors, satellite campuses have sprung up on Paloii, Skenzia, Tetrak, Vanderlund and New Vita.

Combat Servitor O.C.C.
Alignment: Principled and Scrupulous; attention to protocol and loyalty to employer are strongly encouraged, if not outright required.
Attribute Requirements/Prerequisites: P.S. and P.E. of 8 or better, M.E. of 11 or better. A high MA and/or PB is also ideal, but not mandatory.
Bonuses: +1 on Initiative at levels 3, 6, 9, and 12, +1 Disarm, +1d4 P.P., +10 SDC,
Special Abilities:
*Servant Invisibility----The Mistress Aba Academy cultivates in its trainees the ability to blend into the background of social settings; being unobtrusive or effectively invisible until their services are needed. As in servant-heavy cultures, where the upper classes tend to overlook the lower class underlings, this is often a career survival skill. However, when professional assassins overlook the ‘furniture’, being perceptually invisible can prove a critical edge.
Servant Invisibility acts like Inpo; a Combat Servitor can, by remaining stock still and behind the action(and ideally next to a wall or large object like a statute or piece of furniture), remain effectively invisible to the social perceptions of most people. Only if they are standing out in the open, in a well-trafficked area, or are being actively searched for by a well-trained eye, are they likely to be perceived by other people(and even then they get a skill chance of 48%+3% per level of experience to go unnoticed).

O.C.C. Skills:
Language/Literacy: Two of choice(+15%)
Math: Basic(+10%)
Wardrobe & Grooming(+20%)
Social Etiquette(+15%)
General Maintenance(+20%)
Domestic(two of choice at +20%)
Athletics
Boxing or Wrestling(choose one)
W.P. Blunt or Knife
Two W.P.s of choice
Hand to Hand: Expert or Martial Arts*, may upgrade to Assassin (if formerly anarchist or evil) for 1 other skill, or Commando for 2 other skills.
*If the GM allows, the Combat Servitor may select a martial arts style such as Moo Gi Gong. Ch’in-Na, Te or Aikido.

O.C.C. Related Skills: Select 8 skills from the following categories, but one MUST be from Physical and two from either Espionage or Military, plus an additional 1 at levels 3,6, 9 and 12.
Communications: Any(+10%)
Domestic: Any(+15%)
Electrical: Basic only
Espionage: Any(+6%)
Mechanical: Basic and Automotive only
Medical: Brewing, Holistic Medicine, First Aid or Paramedic( that latter counts as two skill selections)
Military: Any
Physical: Any
Pilot: Any, except robots and spacecraft
Pilot Related: Any
Rogue: Any(+5%)
Science: Mathematics only(+10%)
Technical: Any(+5%)
Wilderness: None
Weapons Proficiencies(W.P.): Any

Secondary Skills: The character also gets to select 3 secondary skills from those listed, plus an additional 3 each at levels 3, 6, 9 and 13. These are additional areas of knowledge that do not get the advantage of the bonuses listed in parentheses. All secondary skills start at the base skill level.

Experience Tables:
Use the Headhunter OCC exp. tables.

Standard Equipment:
Several changes of work uniform, personal offwork clothes, a small concealable wireless communicator, white gloves. Personal environmental sensor(smoke/gas detector). Multi-Tool and utility knife.
Plainclothes armor, Air Mask Filter, and Weapons to match WPs.
Can request/receive additional equipment upon assignment.

Starting Money:
Starts with 4,000 credits in savings. Average wage is 2,000 credits per month or more, depending on the specific employer/assignment.
A Combat Servitor will typically receive room and board from their employer, and a small budget for uniforms, in addition to wages.

Augmentation:
Depending on the employing organization and budget, the Combat Servitor may be offered some form of augmentation.
Cybernetics:
If obvious cybernetics/bionics are allowed/necessary, they will generally be of an artistic/aesthetically-pleasing design, concealing any weapons features.
Similarly, bio-modification will preferably be inconspicuous, or at least socially acceptable and not likely to draw too much attention(if catgirl mods are common in the social setting, then okay, but if not, then the conspicuous biomod will likely draw unwelcome attention). The USA offers a variety of useful bio-mod packages, including some superpowered ones that were originally developed with high-class domestics in mind(JOYOUS MARATHON, SLATE FOUR, MANILA ADJUTANT, HOT EMERALD, CORAL SNOW, ).
Mystic Tattoos are also possible, but most employers would like them small, concealed, and, if possible, at least artistically pleasing and disguising of their mystic nature.

Note: Other OCCs are possible employees in the domestic servant field; Vagabond Scouts, Manhunter Floaters, New West Saloon Girls , and Black Market Expediters are good basis for domestics with extra talent. Just about any OCC with a few handy domestic skills can moonlight as a helper, servant, or handyman, if only on a temporary basis.

[taalismn]

PS-LGEMV01 ‘Thunderchild’ Ground Effect Marine Vehicle.
(aka “Turba”, “Chugamuga”,”Toratora”m ‘Rumper-Car’)

“Depending on who you ask, the Turba’s either a two-man armored patrol boat, or an open-cabin light hovertank. It’s got the firepower of a pair or power armors, but is a lot easier to maintain.”

“-seeing one of those Harbor Police thug-tugs coming up the canal at me? I was running for the high ground when it came up off the water after me. I thought my Northern Gun powersuit would afford me enough protection against anything hovercycle-cops would be packing, but this thing was more like a light TANK. Three heavy machine guns opened up and sandblasted the back of my armor before I put an embankment between me and it, but then the rear turret on the thing started arcing grenades on top of me! Pinned me down long enough for me to miss hooking up with the rest of my squad at the locks! And I wasn’t the only one having trouble! Whole raid timing went to hell and we were forced to pull back. I got lucky; the water militia got too busy chopping up our Shadowboys to finish off a zooter like me, and I was able to hobble off to fight another day. But next time I take a raiding contract on a hickville? I want second and third wave intel; not initial impressions. Our employers missed the tradetowners had upgraded their defenses and we paid heavy for the balls-up. ”

“Steers like a walrus, punches like a tank, rams like a bull. I kid you not.”

The ‘Thunderchild’ is an unusual maritime vehicle that has been variously described as a ‘ground effect steam launch’, a ‘two man motor-torpedo craft’, a ‘light combat car’, and a ‘heavy hovercycle’, though none of them precisely describe the craft. The PS-LGEMV01 was designed in part by the same d-bee Dwarves who designed the G’Nasaw/Gnasher battleships and the derivative PS-BB-18 Connecticut Battleships
the LGEMV01 resembles a short, rather beamy steam launch made up to look like a turn of the century 1900’s armored warship(or very large model battleship) with a protruding lower bow, two turrets(one forward and one aft), armored fore and aft structures, and a trunk of antennaes and a cooling tower-stack in the center. The rather tubby main body conceals a protected powerplant, powerful air compressors, and concealed plenum chambers; the craft actually hovers above land and water on compressed air). The two man crew sit back to back, partially concealed behind armored paneling resembling a warship’s superstructure, though the mast and stack between them makes easy communication and access to each others’ stations rather problematic(most crews rely on intercom systems to talk to each other). The Dwarves’ newfound acquantaince with high-tech shows in the vehicle’s main armament; the two turrets are slaved to HUDs or neural links worn by the two-man crew. The cockpits are open, so crewmembers are advised to wear heavy body armor(though full conversion cyborgs love the Turba).
The Dwarven designers call the PS-LGEMV01 the ‘Turba’ after a large and aggressive tuna-like predator native to their original homeland, but the vehicle has been more commonly refered to as the ‘Thunderchild’, after a famous preRifts warship)though this has led to some confusion with a larger ‘Thunderchild’-class GMR gunship). As big as a cargo truck, the Turba lacks the agility of smaller hovercycles, but carries more armor and heavy weaponry to give its crew arguably the firepower of a Glitterboy(or several!) on the waves.
The Turba is typically used as a light coastal patrol vessel, harbor security, and as a picket craft.

Type: PS-LGEMV01 Turba
Class: Marine Hovercraft, Motor Torpedo Launch
Crew: Two; 1-2 passengers can squeeze in behind the main seats
MDC/Armor by Location:
Main Body 300
Turrets(2) 60 each
Crew Cockpits(2)* 60 each
Mast/Exhaust Stack 60

* The surrounding heavy coaming affords the crew partial cover; -5 to strike, even on an aimed shot.

Height: 7.6 ft
Width: 7 ft
Length: 19 ft
Weight: 5.6 tons
Cargo: 4 ftx4 ft compartment
Powerplant: Liquid Fuel(650 mile range), Nuclear(w/5 year energy life) or TW Steam(w/ 100 PPE battery)
Speed:(Land) On flat and level ground, the Turba can make 75 MPH, hovering 1-2 ft off the ground, but it fairly wallows.
(Water) Can motor like a regular powercraft at 25 MPH. With hover systems on, it can race at 90 MPH over sea-state 1-3 conditions.
TW versions can increase speed 50% on a ley line.
Market Cost: 1,5 million credits for gas turbine liquid fuel, 2.8 million credits for nuclear, 3 million credits for TW.
Systems of Note:
*Radio----50 mile range
*IR/Normal Light Headlights
*Headlight---The emblazoned bowpiece has a high-intensity headlight in its center.
*Radar---5 mile range
Weapons Systems:
1) Gun Turrets(2, fore and aft)---Looking like miniature warship turrets on the foredeck and aft deck of the Thunderchild, these weapons mounts are slaved to optical targeting headsets or cyberoptic links. Some respectably heavy weapons can be mounted, giving the Thunderchild a serious bite against other small craft and even small warships.
a).50-caliber Heavy Machine Guns(x3)---Od-fashioned, but still hard-hitting,
Range: 10,000 ft
Damage:(SDC) 7d6 SDC single shot, 4d6 x10 SDC(1d4 MD) per 10 rd burst, 8d6x10 SDC per 20 rd burst, 1d4 MD per 40 rd burst.
(Ramjets) 1d4 MD single shot, 5d6 MD per 40 rd burst.
(High Explosive)2d6x10 SDC single shot, 1d6 MD per 10 rd burst, 2d6 MD per 20 rd burst, 4d6 MD per 40 rd burst.
(PSX-2) 1d6 MD per rd, 1d6x10 MD per 10 rd burst, 2d6x10 MD per 20 rd burst, 4d6x10 MD per 40 rd burst.
(Tracer) Every 11th round is a tracer, which gives a +1 to strike with bursts. However, the tracer stream also makes it that much easier for enemies to backtrace and locate the machine gunner.
Rate of Fire: Standard; rated at 6,000 rpm(or 1,500 rounds per melee)
Payload: 2,000-rd belt per gun
Cost: 8,000 credits per gun

b) 20mm Autocannon(x2)
Range:(20mm) 4,000 ft, 7,200 ft for the Model 2N
Damage:(20mm) 1d4 MD per shell
4d6 MD per 5 rd burst
1d4x10+4 MD per 10 rd burst
Airburst does 1d4 MD to 2 ft blast radius(single shot)
(20mm PSX-1) 4d4 MD single rd
1d6x10 MD per 5 rd burst
Airburst does 4d4 MD to 2 ft blast radius
Rate of Fire: Standard
Payload: 1,000 rd drum per gun
Cost: 40,000 credits. 50,000 credits for the Model 2N

c) PS-M136 Minigun(1)----A vicious gatling-style weapon that compensates for its relatively low damage per individual round with a high rate of fire and excellent long range. On the minus side, it also possesses a massive appetite for ammunition and can quickly burn through its ammo supply in short order.
Range: 10,000 ft
Damage:(SDC) 6d6 SDC single shot, 4d6 x10 SDC(1d4 MD) per 10 rd burst, 8d6x10 SDC per 20 rd burst, 1d4 MD per 40 rd burst.
(Ramjets) 1 MD single shot, 1d10 MD per 10 rd burst, 2d10 MD per 20 rd burst, 1d4x10 MD per 40 rd burst.
(High Explosive)2d6x10 SDC single shot, 1d6 MD per 10 rd burst, 2d6 MD per 20 rd burst, 4d6 MD per 40 rd burst.
(PSX-2) 1d4 MD per rd, 1d4x10 MD per 10 rd burst, 2d4x10 MD per 20 rd burst, 4d4x10 MD per 40 rd burst.
(Tracer) Every 11th round is a tracer, which gives a +1 to strike with bursts. However, the tracer stream also makes it that much easier for enemies to backtrace and locate the machine gunner.
Rate of Fire: Standard; rated at 6,000 rpm(or 1,500 rounds per melee)
Payload: 4,000-rd belt
Cost: 27,000 credits

d) *PS-862 AC Anti-Aircraft Flak Cannon(1)---Paladin Steel knockoff of the TriaxTX-862FC
Range:10,000 ft
Damage:4d6 MD single rd, 1d6x10 MD two rd burst, 3d6x10 MD six-round burst
Rate of Fire:EPCHH
Payload:800 rds, 400 rds per cannon
Bonuses:Independent laser and radar tracking system(range: 11,000 ft). +1 strike set on automatic against aerial attack, +2 strike fired by gunner
Cost: 500,000 credits

e) 40mm Automatic Grenade Launchers(x2)--Belt-fed grenade launchers.
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 per launcher
Cost: 50,000 credits

f) PS-L-CIWS Vulcan Chain Gun(aka “Button Gun”)---This installation, introduced on the Type 9 Weapons Carrier, then adapted as an air defense weapon option for the VW Camper Gunship, has been adapted for shipboard use as PS’s standard light maritime weapons system, but is often mounted on other vehciles as well. 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)
Cost: 30,000 credits

g)PS-MMLR-14 Mini-Missile Launcher ---A knock-off of the Coalition’s CCT-M20 Missile Rifle, complete down to the light laser, but modified to take advantage of PS’s advancements in lighter weight composites and ceramics. Has the advantage of having a light laser for additional firepower. Can be mounted singly or in two-gun mounts.
Range:(Mini-Missiles) Varies by Missile Type(usually about 1 mile)
(Laser) 2,000 ft
Damage:(Mini-Missiles)Varies by Missile Type
(Laser) 2d6 MD per blast
Rate of Fire:(Mini-Missiles) Volleys of 1, 2, or 4
(Laser) ECHH
Payload:(Mini-Missiles)20 per launcher(10 per launch tube)
(Laser) Effectively Unlimited attached to an external generator, or 20 shots per standard E-clip/30 per long E-clip as backup.
Cost: 36,000 credits per launcher

h) 60mm Mass Driver Cannon---The old 60mm Snapfire artillery weapon.
Range:(Direct Fire Mode): 6,000 ft
(Artillery Mode) 2 .5 miles
Damage:(Direct Fire Mode) 3d6x10 MD, no blast radius
(Artillery Mode) Everything within the 30 ft blast radius takes 2D6x10 M.D. and has a 75% chance of being knocked flat.
Rate of Fire:(Direct Fire Mode) EGCHH
(Artillery Mode) Three times per melee
Payload: 50 rds
Bonuses/Penalties: +1 strike in direct fire mode. -2 to strike in Artillery mode.
Cost: 250,000 credits

I) Rail Gun(PS-RFRG30)(x2)---PS copy of the C-30R Rail Gun
Weight: 90 lbs
Range: 2 miles
Damage: 1d4 MD single rd, 6d6 MD per 30 rd burst.
Rate of Fire: ECHH
Payload: 2,400 rd drum per cannon
Cost: 90,000 credits

j) 40mm Marine Grenade Launcher(x2)----Belt-fed version of the PSMAGL-40DMs ‘Dhunker’ . It effectively fires small depth charges.
Range: 2,000 ft. Grenade charges are typically fused effective to a depth of 120 ft.
Note: CANNOT operate underwater.
Damage: Frag rounds do 4d6 MD to a 12-foot radius.
AP rounds do 1d4x10 to a 3-foot blast radius,
High Explosive/Concussion rounds do 5d6 MD to a 32 -foot radius.
Plasma rounds do 1d4x10+10 to a 5-foot radius.

(Sonic) 3d6 MD per blast to an 16 ft blast radius, 1d6x10 SDC to another 20 ft beyond that, Does only 1d6 MD to a 6 ft radius in air
Sonic weapons do HALF damage through light ‘soft’ armors like MDC barding and padded armor(such as wetsuits).

(ElectroShock)--Unleashes a powerful electrical surge that stuns against a saving roll of 17 or less. Does 3d6 SDC to a 25 ft radius, and stuns for 1d4 minutes. Also has a 60% chance of temporarily knocking out unshielded bionics and cybernetics for 1d6 melees.

(Chemical) Varies by specific chemical used. Generally covers a 20 ft area, and persists for about 1d4 minutes before being broken up by water currents.
(Dye Pack) Dyes the water a bright color. Generally covers a 30 ft area, and persists for about 1d4 minutes before being broken up by water currents. May last longer if it coats solid objects passing through it.
(Floating Flare) Burns for 50 seconds floating on the water
(Screamer) Screamers are specialized one-use munitions that when fired, broadcast a massive burst of noise across all audio/sonic frequencies, with the intended effect of destroying acoustic target(sonar) locks, and allowing the sub/diver to escape opponents using sonar to detect or track them. -60% to track the sub via sonar while the Screamer is in effect, while sonar-guided weapons are -10 to strike .
Screamers also have the effect of stunning dolphins, whales, and other creatures using natural sonar and echo location. These creatures are disoriented/stunned for 1d4 melees.
A typical screamer will last 1d4 melees until it burns out or is destroyed.
Screamers can also be fused to ignite/activate anywhen up to a minute(4 melees) after deployment.
Effective radius of effect of the 40mm screamers is aproximately 2,500 ft

(MicroTorp)---Drops two micro-torpedoes into the water. Typically homing variety.

(TW TangleBomb)----Explodes into a twitching, twining, expanding mass of green-black unearthly vegetation with 25 MDC per 20 ft area(covers a 40 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

(TW Blackwater Bomb)---Covers a 50 ft area in ominous darkness, Effects identical to the Ocean Magic spell Black Water. Effects last 8 minutes.

Rate of Fire: Standard
Payload: 250 rds per launcher
Cost: 30,000 credits for the weapon, 60,000 for the pair.

k) PS-RL-210 Fragmentation Rocket Launcher(x2)( a copy of an imported Russian design). Note that PS has also been experimenting with an incendiary variant using a magnesium mixture.
Range: 4,000 ft
Damage: 1d6 single projectile, 1d6x10 MD per 10 rd burst/volley
at 3,500 ft, the rds go ‘grapeshot’, doing 3d6 MD(1 MD for a single shot) in a 12 ft wide area.
(Incendiary “Hot-Grape” Version)---Do an additional +2 MD per rd, and 1 MD of damage for 1d4 melees as the flare portion burns down.
Rate of Fire: EGCHH
Payload: 1,000 rd drum
Cost: 100,000 credits for a singe weapon, 200,000 for the pair.

l) Pulse Lasers(x2)---Lasers; good clean photonic fun.
Range: 4,000 ft
Damage: 4d6 MD single shot, 1d6x10+10 MD triple pulse blast
Rate of Fire: EGCHH
Payload: 100 shot battery. Effectively unlimited if attached to a nuclear powerplant.
Cost: 65,000 credits

m) Pulse Laser Lances(x2)---Adapted from the Kittani Energy Lance; modest damage, but good range, and excellent accuracy.
Range: 6,000 ft in hi-mode, 3,000 ft in lo-mode
Damage: 3d6 MD single shot in hi-mode, 6d6 MD per blast in lo-mode
Rate of Fire: EGCHH
Payload: 100 shot battery. Effectively unlimited if attached to a nuclear powerplant.
Bonus: +2 to strike
Cost: 75,000 credits

n) L-Ion Cannon(x3)--A lightweight weapon derived from the ‘Beach Stormer’ power armor rifle. It does more damage, but more importantly, is small enough to be mounted as a light weapon, and coupled in twin mounts on light gun positions, or in batteries of four on large gun-mounts.
Range: 4,000 ft
Damage: 1d6x10+10 MD per blast, 3d6x10+30 MD per triple blast
Rate of Fire: EGCHH
Payload:200 shot battery. Effectively unlimited if attached to a nuclear powerplant.
Cost:230,000 credits

o) 45mm PS-HRG05 'Hellshot' Rail Cannons: (x1) An attempt to equal the power of the infamous "Boom Gun" carried by the Glitterboy, these fearsome handheld weapons fire a much larger heavy metal kinetic energy penetrator with a massive punch. Unfortunately, the engineers were unable to equal the Boom Gun's long range or build the projectiles any smaller, limiting the payload. They were originally issued as power armor hanndheld weaponry, but can also be vehicle-mounted with the advantage of larger attached magazines.
Range: 3,300 ft
Damage: 3D6x10 MD per projectile
Rate of Fire: Single shot ECHH; bursts are not possible
Payload: 20 shots per cannon
Market Cost: 120,000 credits per cannon(240,000 credits for the pair), 800 credits per penetrator round

p) Plasma Cannons(x2)-----Dual mounting of the old PPR-3 Serap’ Heavy Plasma Projector
Range:(Plasma Stream) 2,000 ft
(Plasma Bolt) 1,500 ft
Damage:(Plasma Stream) 1d6x10 MD per blast
(Plasma Bolt) 1d4x10 MD to 8 ft blast radius
Rate of Fire: Single shot, ECHH
Payload: 100 shot battery. Effectively unlimited if attached to a nuclear powerplant.
Cost: 80,000 credits per gun, 160,000 credits for the pair.
Options:
“Hot Shotting”---This systen augments the normal air-draw plasma re-mass system with deuterium-gas injected into the plasma flow for a cleaner, hotter, more potent ‘burn’. The deuterium is stored in pressurized cylinders attached to the feeds of the Serap, like a CO2 air rifle cartridge. This allows the plasma to do 50% more damage, but the weapon now has a bit of a recoil due to the more powerful plasma acting like a crude plasma drive(-1 to strike). HotShot modding costs 8,000 credits, and a recharged vehicle-grade cylinder of refined d-gas costs 1,400 credits( 900 credits if the user can return a depleted gas cylinder at the time of purchase) and is good for 60 shots.

q) Micro-Missile Launcher----A dual drum-roller mounting taken from the PSA-11.
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) per drum. 126 total!
Market Cost: 120,000 credits, (Pattern-1a) 120 credits per missile
(Pattern-1b) 150 credits per missile
(Pattern-1c)250 credits per missile

r) EMVC-09 ‘MagWind’ ElectroMagnetic Vortex Cannon(1)
Range: (EM Bolt) 4,000 ft
(Vortice) 3,000 ft
Damage: (EM Bolt) (Variable) 4d6 SD, 1d6x10 SD, or 5d6 MD per shot
(Vortice) Same as for the bolt at the point of impact, plus HALF damage in a 7 ft radius, and an 88% chance of knock-down(lose 1 APM and Initiative) for beings of 350 lbs or less, 65% chance of being stunned(-10 to strike, dodge, parry, and roll, NO Initiative, HALF speed and APMs for 1d4 melees).
Rate of Fire: EGCHH
Payload: Effectively Unlimited
Bonus: Laser targeting add +1 to strike. EM bolts are -6 to dodge, on top of that!
Cost: 64,000 credits

s) Heavy TK Machine Guns(2)---Requires a TW powerplant.
Range: 8,000 ft(double on ley lines)
Damage: 2d4 MD single shot, 3d6 MD short(5 shot) burst, 5d6 MD long (10 shot) burst, 2d6x10 MD full melee (50 shot) burst.
Rate of Fire: ECHH
Payload: Effectively Unlimited; powering spells must be re-cast every six months. 200 shot ‘back-up’ PPE clip
Cost: 200,000 credits


2)(Optional) Torpedo/Missile Hardpoints(2)---Two lateral mounting brackets can be used to hold expendable ordnance launchers.
a) Torpedoes---6 shot mini-torpedo pod, OR 2 light torpedoes, OR 1 medium or heavy torpedo per each side

b) Depth Charges--- 2 each side

c) Mini-Missiles----6 shot pod

d)Anti-Armor Missiles----3 shot launcher; Copperhead Anti-Tank Missile Pod---Uses PS ‘smart’ armor killers for more accurate fire.
Range: 1 mile
Damage: Armor-piercing:2d4x10 MD, no blast radius
Rate of Fire:Volleys of 1-3
Payload: 3
Bonuses: +5 to strike
Cost: 100,000 credits, 18,000 credits per missile

e) Chemical Spray Tank--- Can hold and dispense 50 gallons of chemicals into the water, such as emolients(for capturing oil spills), dyes, repellents, or poisons(such as gill-clog agents).

3) Flare/Chaff Launchers(x2)---Mounted on either side of the ‘stack’ are two mortar-clusters for firing flares or counter-measure bundles.
Range: Close Defense
Damage: None; similar to Triax-style chaff
01-50 Enemy Missile or volley detonates in chaff and threat is neutralized
51-75 Missile/Volley diverts and may pursue/lock on to other targets
76-00 No Effect! Missile(s) still on target!
Will also temporarily blind and impede flying monsters who fly into it.
Reduce APMs/combat bonuses/ speed by half for 1d4 melees
Payload: 12 per launcher
Cost: 3,000 credits per launcher; additional flare/chaff bundles cost 200 credits each


4) Ram Prow---The prow is reinforced and the cockpits buffered for ramming; does 3d6 MD on a high speed(in excess of 25 MPH) ram.

Options:
*Lance Scanner--- 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. It can detect powered-up rail guns and EM containment fields(such as fusion generator) at TWICE that range.
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 ordnance.
Cost: 40,000 credits

* Aura Scanner---For detecting and identifying PPE concentrations
Range: 2,000 ft
Cost: 35,000 credits

*Bio-Scanner---Has a molecular analyzer, enhanced radiation detector, high-powered acoustic ‘shotgun mike’(3,000 ft range), and thermo-imager optics.
Cost: 10,000 credits

*Smoke Screen Generator---Generates a thick, obscuring cloud of dense smoke. Each blast covers a 100 ft area and anyone caught in the cloud of thick, obscuring smoke is -5 to strike, dodge, parry, disarm and entangle. Has enough smoke-matrix for 12 clouds.
Cost: 10,000 credits

*Magic Smoke(available only to TW powerplant versions)
*Smoke/Fog-----Cove’s a 1,000 ft radius in thick fog that lasts 50 minutes or until dispelled. Costs 5 PPE
Cost: 17,000 credits

*TW Enhancements---TW-powered versions can benefit from the full range of TW enhancements, powered from the powerplant’s PPE accumulator/battery. PS offers a discount of 10% on TW enhancements on a TW-powered vehicle.

Variants:
Already there’s been some experimentation with alternate configurations, such as replacing the rear weapons turret with a launch box for multiple drones(such as 24 ‘Switcheblade’ missiles), and refitting the rear cockpit into a drone control chair. Other variants are sure to follow.

[taalismn]

TWDRCD-02 ‘D-Stopper’ Rift Closer
(aka’Black-stop’, ‘Super-sealer’, ‘Door-Slammer’)
“While it may not be as versatile as other Paladin Steel techwiz devices, the d-stopper’s invaluable to rapid-response teams in areas where d-gating’s a problem. I can’t tell you how many infiltrations and outright invasions we’ve managed to bottleneck and choke off altogether thanks to these handy gizmos.”

“We barely closed that gate in time; a few seconds later and we would have lost invaluable witnesses to what we later learned was a systematic effort to infiltrate and eventually take over our colony. The defectors we rescued that day sang like birds about an enemy we hadn’t known was in our midst, and we wouldn’t have heard about thanks to their former employers seeking to silence any would-be turncoats. But thanks to some advanced orbital scanners and some paranoid foresight in equipping the planetside militia with gear that other people might dismiss as a needless expense, we got the whole story in time to put in place defensive measures.”

The D-Stopper is a technowizardry application of the Close Rift spell, allowing field teams to close off dimensional rifts without having to sacrifice personal PPE from a mage.
The core of the system is twenty carats of spell-imprinted onyx linked to a swappable PPE-clip, housed in the furniture of a standard laser rifle(though distinguishable by the jet black blocky muzzle end). A stabilized ectoplasm and crystal focal booster gives the D-stopper extra range(especially handy when if one is facing a dimensional rift spewing dangerous fumes, radiations, pathogens, or deadly defenders). The idea, as one Greater New England soldier put it, is ‘to make it cheaper to close a rift than it is to open one from the other end’, as well as to buy time to set up a more effective Close Rift ritual or bring in additional resources to deal with whatever problem the rift is responsible for(hazmat contamination, pest infestation, or invasion beachhead).
There’s a similar spell-card cartridge, called the ‘D-Wedge’, for the standard multiplexor, costs less, but that has less range(original spell range of 100 ft). Still, both devices are popular with field units, law enforcement, and operatives dealing with dimensional travel crimes and incursions. Many GNE/USA police units operating in areas where dimensional porting is common or possible like to keep a D-Stopper or D-Wedge in the cruiser trunk just in case. It is VERY popular on Rifts Earth, especially around the borders of the Magic Zone.

Weight: 6 lbs
MDC: 25
Range: 200 ft
Damage: Closes dimensional rifts instantaneously(equivalent to a +2 spell strength), although the magic dimensional rift gets a saving throw.
Rate of Fire: ECHH
Payload: 35 PPE per activation
Can accept a standard PPE clip(usually hold 50-75 PPE each) or heavier Powerstone/Regenerator Cylinder.
Special Features:
*Top Rail---Can mount a sensor scope, spotlight, or secondary weapon such as a grenade launcher.
Cost: 95,000 credits

Note: The ‘D-Wedge’ spellcard for the standard multiplexor costs 22,000 credits( no range amplification or spell strength level-up).

[taalismn]

Paladin Steel UTR-17 Industrial Robot
(aka ‘Octowrench’)

“Leave one of these things in a garage with enough parts, tell it what you want, let it run overnight, and the next morning you’ll find it standing next to your brand new sports car or utility vehicle that you didn’t have last night.”

The UTR-17 is a heavy industrial robot developed by Paladin Steel for use in garages and factory floors. A descendent of static-position assembly line servo-mechanisms of the past, the UTR-17 is meant for quick deployment to field repair facilities or outpost factories.
The ‘bot is large(roughly the size of a small car) and consists of a lower chassis with articulated wheels. Mounted atop it is a swivel-mounted torso with multiple sensors and tool arms. Not designed for mobility, the UTR-17 uses its wheels to taxi slowly to a workstation, then lock itself in position. For faster transportation, the UTR must be towed or carried by another vehicle to its new worksite.
UTRs are programmed for assembly and repair and can be networked so that several can work on a larger project. They are often used in field factories as part of assembly lines. They can aslso be used to tear down and recycle equipment, or diagnose and rebuild damaged vehicles and machinery. Despite its size, the UTR is lightly armored to deal with the hazards of industrial facilities, such as collisions, fires, chemical spills, and even climatic extremes. Though not meant as combat units, the UTRs’ service history includes several anecdotes where defenders have turned the ‘bots into impromptu chokepoint guardians or booby-traps.
UTRs are lacking in any sort of personality; they are automated drones programmed to carry out rote production tasks or repair jobs. They can verbally interact with an overseer or manager, but their speech tends to be brisk, to the point, and often full of technical terms regarding a project. Most of their communication is with regards to ongoing work(“Assignment Completed”, “Work Delayed; Require Additional Specific Components, B23434 Axle, DK23412 Transmission Coupling-”).
UTRs are considered to be too large and cumbersome to be of use to the average adventurer or mercenary group looking for a conveniently mobile robot technical unit, but for larger concerns looking to establish a permanent base or start-up industrial facility, UTRs are a good investment in support infratructure plant. Some larger nomadic merc units and mining concerns, or companies use UTRs to establish temporary field factories, workshops, and recycling facilities.

Type: PS-UTR-17
Class: Industrial Robot Drone
Crew: None; robot intelligence(drone)
MDC/Armor by Location:
Main Body 80
Sensor Mounts(2) 6 each
Arms(8) 10 each
Legs/Wheel Mounts(4) 15 each
Height: 7 ft
Width: 5 ft
Length: 11 ft
Weight: 1.6 tons
Cargo: Tool racks on the front and back of the lower chassis
Physical Strength: Equivalent to Robotic P.S. of 30
Powerplant: Battery (56 hour power life) or grid-powered. Field versions can be fitted with Nuclear w/ 10 year energy life.
Speed: (Running/taxiing) 5 MPH
(Flying) Not possible
(Space) Not possible
(Underwater) Not possible unless specially modified for underwater labor
Market Cost: 8 million credits
Systems of Note:
Heavy Duty Frames(often coated with fire/heat-resistant, water-sealed or chemically-inert protective paint).
Fire Control Systems---Built-in fire extinguisher system
Full optical systems(w/ UV/IR spectral analysis, magnifying zoom)
Overhead Hoist Crane(2 ton lifting capability)
Laser Scanner/3D Imager
Weapons Systems: None standard, but many of the tools can be used as melee weapons.
Cutting blades, torches, drills, hammers and metal punches typically do from 1d6 SD to 4d6 MD. Range is typically 1-3 ft.
Rivet/Nail Guns do 1 SDC to 1 MD
Molecular Fusors glue materials together at the molecular level. This can be quite painful if, for example, skin is attached to steel, with the resulting tearing.
Spray Guns have a range of up to 10 ft, and are typically filled with chemicals that obscure(such as paints or fire extinguishers), sufficants, irritants, or corrosives.

Programming:
Basic Mechanics 90%
General Repair and Maintenance 90%
Automotive Mechanics 85%
Aircraft Mechanics(especially hover systems) 75%
Basic Electronics 96%
Computer Repair 92%
Electricity Generation 86%
Electrical Engineer 90%
Salvage 90%

Actions/Attacks Per Melee: 5
Initiative +1
Parry +3
Strike +1 (+2 w/ ranged weaponry)

Options:
Most options applicable to UTR-17s are with regards to specialized tools, such as 3D printer heads, plasma spray depositors, nanotech builders, molecular fusors, magnetic resonance scanners, cryosprayers, vac-welders, microwave projectors, fingob transformation inversers and the like.

Variants:
*UTR-17S---A space-hardened version deployed on a space station or spacecraft hull via a rail-system, and used as a mobile gantry-bot for spacecraft repair and assembly. These units are typically programmed with Satellite Systems, Drive Mechanics, and Spacecraft Mechanics.

*UTR-17M---Military field garage model Customized/Military programmed with Robot Electronics(90%), Robot Mechanics(90%) and Weapons Engineer(90%) to service power armors.

[taalismn]

Razor Ridge(GNE Outpost)
“Dunno why the place is called ‘Razor Ridge’, ‘cept maybe because it cuts through the Plow Wall like a razor, but some Charter egghead told me it dates back to the Golden Age and for some reason the place back then was named for some popular shaving instrument brand...Crazy old-timers, I say.”

Razor Ridge is a fortified outpost several dozen miles south of the City of Charter(formerly Hartford). The fortification was established during the time of the Connecticut Baronies, who built on the ruined site of a former castle that once stood atop a rocky ridge on the east bank of the Connecticut River. The City of Charter subsequently took the site over and expanded it as a n early warning post against Spligirth raids from the Atlantic.. When Charter joined Greater New England, the GNE Armed Services moved in and added to the works already in place.
The site sits amidst the Plow Wall thrown up the coastline by the rising of the Atlamtic Ocean. Why the ridge wasn’t simply swept clean by the tidal wave of debris is a puzzle, but some sages speculate that the ridge may sit atop magic-rich rock connected to the nearby Moodus leyline, and was somehow protected from the geological upheavals. The same magical phenomena may have partially shielded the east bank of the Connecticut River and weakened the density of the debris in the region, allowing the river to continue to flow more or less freely(other rivers behind the Plow Wall have , despite the porous nature of the debris thrown up by tidal waves, backed up, causing swamps and flood lakes to form in many areas) to Long Island Sound.
The outpost has a commanding view of the lower Connecticut River, and large parts of the east bank of the river. The City of Charter meant to use it as a forward warning post, part of a series of defenses, later fully implemented by the GNEAS, along the river, including mine-booms that could be raised and riverine gunboats that could sally forth from various coves.
The centerpiece of the outpost is the Castle; Charter engineers tried to reconstruct the structure that once stood there in the Golden Age, but the needs of military fortification meant there had to be some necessary changes. The structures have been expanded, with underground facilities dug into the ridge underneath the castle. The keep itself looks even more jagged and forboding than its original form, with craggy crenelations and defensive works atop the reinforced tower. Both technological and magical defenses are worked into its structure, and its weapons batteries can lay down a punishing rain of fire on anything coming up the river, while its contingent of troops defend the fort from landside invaders.

Razor Ridge is a favorite landmark for aerial patrols to turn around at, so flying power armor are frequent sights in the air above the castle.

As Greater New England has grown and its defenses have advanced, Razor Ridge has lost some of its importance as the ‘front line’. However, it still continues to be useful as a regional strongpoint and auxiliary communications post.

A. Purpose: Private Residence---Later becomes a Warning Post
B. Size: Small Keep---Later expanded(mostly downwards) into an Estate-sized complex with room for 250 personnel.
C. Location: High Ground---Above a river
D. History: Pre-Rifts---Private Residence and museum
E. Primary Construction Materials: Stone---Later reinforced with rebar-concrete and enchanted stone. Effectively upgraded to 11 MDC per 10 ft section
F. Builders: Private Owner---Later, post-Rifts , the site was rebuilt in rapid succession by a Barony Warlord, the City of Charter, and Greater New England Armed Services.
G. Original Builders’ Species: Humans
H. Current Occupants: Government Troops---GNEAS garrison
I. Supplies:
The bunkers under the castle hold enough supplies to hold out for 5 years, though few believe that the outpost would have to hold out that long before either being reinforced or utterly destroyed, and the large stockpiles are ascribed to paranoid caution or anticipation of random rifting. Hidden intake pipes can draw water from the river.
J. Passive Defenses:
-High Ground---Occupies a raised ridge above a river bank.
K. Active Defenses:
-Autocannon---Rapid-fire weapons in the 20-40mm calibre range.
-Forcefield---Razor Ridge was the first large structure to see deployment of a large-scale magic forcefield; 2,500 MDC
-Short Range Missile Launchers; average volley strength of 20 missiles at a time.
L. Internal Defenses:
-Gun Mounts---Concealed weapons
M. Special Features:
-Sensory Advantage---High ground, Razor Ridge’s positioning on a ridge above the Connecticut River gives it a good view of river traffic.

[taalismn]

‘Hipe’ Bars
(aka ‘Hypbars’, ‘Hipros’, ‘Solid Body Fuel’, ‘Pro-Brick’)
“This man’s just been through a back-from-the-dead regeneration event! Anybody got any hipe-bars on them? If not, anybody know where the galley and larder on this tub is?!”

Hipe-Bars are rations of concentrated high protein and other nutrients. As many GNE personnel have super-regenerative abilities, high-performing metabolisms on a level equal to a Juicer’s, or are auged to possess such abilities, hipe-bars are meant to supply such physiologies with the necessary energy and materials to keep them firing at top performance. Hipe bars are meant to supplement a regular diet or tide a person over until they can eat regular(if big) meals. Hipe bars are a regular(if not outright standard) part of GNE Armed Services field rations. A typical hipe-bar is 50-60 grams, of which 70-80% by weight is concentrated protein. Military-issue rations are described as having a consistency and taste akin to a very chewy brick(GNEAS mess officer-specializations consider making the bars tasty in the field to be a ritual challenge), though ‘gourmet’ bars with much more flavor are available(and often a requested part of family care-packages to members in the service), costing 3-8 credits each.
(Optional) Some of the higher-end concentrates carry the risk of protein poisoning for those who don’t have superhuman metabolisms or who try subsisting on a diet of hipros. This causes the following symptoms, until a more balanced diet is substituted; HALF P.E., -5% to save versus poison and disease, -2 to strike, parry, and dodge, and -1d4 on initiative . Symptoms include weak heartbeat, headaches, and incontinence/bowel disorders. Fortunately, a successful Cooking skill roll can render these higher-end rations safe for others to eat.
Outside the GNE, hipe-bars tend to cost 6-15 credits a bar.

[taalismn]

TW Curse-Buster Amulet
“The Greater New England military’s been around long enough to have earned its share of curses...mostly nuisance ones like irritating rashes or excessive body odor...but occasionally some ******** digs up what they think is an ultimate malady-weapon worse than death to inflict on our people. So it’s good to have something ready at hand to purge off the dark magic, or at least hold it at bay until the specialists can arrive to take care of the crud for good. But for most garden variety curses and a surprising number of the bigger badder ones, this handy little device reduces them to the equivalent of a bad cold or touch of flu. Once a curse is identified, this think busts it down to size.“

“Jumpin’ Belogordo on a Blork! How many curses does this poor kid HAVE?! Gimme another powerstone, willya? This may take a while.”

The TW Curse-Buster is a spellcard-style device for sweeping an afflicted person free of magic curses. Built around an array of rose quartz, the Curse-Buster resembles a small amulet, typically decorated in holy symbols of a Light-oriented temple and worn on a neck chain. To use, the amulet is placed in bodily contact with the accursed, and PPE fed into the device, activating the embedded spell. A secondary array of fire-agate detects the presence of curse magic in the subject, and indicates the success of the dispellment.
Since its introduction, the Curse-Buster has become wildly popular with healers and field personnel. It’s also made it clear that attempting to curse GNE and USA personnel is very much not effective and only angers them, much to the detriment of those who cursed them, when the cursing party is found out.

Note: The Curse-Buster does not repair any previous damage done by a curse, but prevents it from doing any more damage. Thus the Curse-Buster is best used in conjunction with other healing means to repair and rehabilitate. The Curse-Buster does not work against vampire-conversion, transmitted lycanthropy, or form-change magic, but does work against curse-induced magic maladies and insanities.

Weight: 4 ounces.
MDC: 5
Range: Contact
Damage: Save vs magic at +5 to remove a curse.
Duration: Instant, and the curse-removal is successful, effects are permanent.
Rate of Fire: 7 PPE or 14 ISP per activation
Payload: Can be powered by a regular PPE clip/powerstone, personal PPE or ISP(14 ISP)
Special Features:
* ISP/Psionics Compatible
*Detect Magic/Evil----The centerpiece jewel lights up in the presence of malicious magic, such as an active curse.
Cost: 3,800 credits
Options:
Curse-Busters are frequently decorated and embellished post-assembly with holy symbols, silver- or gold-plating, and often an inscribed blessing by Light clergy(GM’s option; this can add an additional +1 to the magic save).

[taalismn]

Greater New England Freebot Units
(aka ‘Legions of Steel’)

“Headquarters started getting concerned when several of my unit ‘tripped the line’ during routine performance reviews. They pulled my entire production batch off the line for evaluation and ended up revising our ratings and offering us the choice of reassignment. Effectively we were being emanicipated, offered citizenship and the choice of staying or going in the military. With only two exceptions, my entire production batch decided to re-enlist. Of the two who didn’t, Brother 343223 decided to become a big game hunter on Crosyar and Brother 828447 became a florist. This unit? I was built to serve and proud of it.”
---Sergeant ’Brother Seven’, Awakened Magnus Infantry Freebot, 781st ‘Lightning Bolts’ Battalion, Greater New England Regular Army

<<“Given the choice between continuing with the Regular Army or going civilian and having to pay taxes and risk jury duty? I stuck with the military because it was safer.>>
--LGZ(‘Lizzie’)-853, Sophant Assembled Intelligence, Greater New England Regular Army

“How can I expend robot drones, even those sharing the same general chassis as myself, on the battlefield? Do you hesitate to expend bullets or shells when doing battle? Do you worry about the limited intelligences in guided missiles, though they exhibit some behaviors similar to your own thought processes in seeking targets? That is what the drones are to us, bullets and shells, not possessing the spark of true cognition and self-awareness. In using them we defend and extend the agendas of true thinking beings, and indeed often their survival, including our own.”

While having good cause since the Mechanoid Incident on their own homeworld to be extremely cautious of militarized artifical intelligence, the GNE has long embraced AI as a force multiplier for the continually manpower-strapped nation. This has led to a number of all-AI formations that operated semi-autonomously on the battlefield.
However, as the GNE has moved into producing increasingly sophisticated AI systems, especially simulated neural networks, they’ve anticipated that their technology might reach a ‘critical mass’ resulting in the creation of true sophancy. Thus, when that did occur, the GNE was ready with programs to take emergent sophont AIs out of active duty, evaluate them, and offer them free choice of assignment.
Another emerging issue has been the awareness that many of the GNE’s higher-end robot AIs have been inhabited by psychic entities that have embedded themselves in the systemry(and the EShemarrians have been implicated as responsible for most of these ‘inhabitations’). While some, such as tectonic entities, have proven unequivocably hostile, rquiring them to be aggressively put down, others have been far more cooperative and even benign in behavior. The GNE has had to deal with these reprogrammed/possessed AIs on a case-by-case basis, guided by their experiences with a number of previous ‘sleeper residents’ in their territory.
Finally, the interdimensional nature of the extended GNE and its larger offspring, the United Systems Alliance, has meant that contact with free AIs, even AI cultures, has meant an acceptance of free AIs as equals. With a number of free AIs seeking asylum in the USA, extension of the civil rights normally associated only with organic beings became an inevitable issue and amendment to the USA charters. This has also led to a number of free-willed(usually transferred intelligence-stye) GOLEMs coming out of hiding and applying for GNE citizenship, citing the amnesty extended to AIs(on GNE official has already wondered aloud when they’ll have liberated rune weapons applying for citizenship).

All of this has led to evolving GNE(and by extension the USA) policies recognizing and accepting AIs as potential citizens with all the civil rights, opportunities, and responsibilties of organic beings, including military service.

In general, free AIs, especially those embodied in mobile robotic avatars, are known as ‘Freebots’. Rifts Earth as yet does not support enough of a global computer network to support many true free-range software entities as yet, but resident ‘freebot’ AIs are possible in regional systems in the more advanced technological enclaves, though they run the risk of detection(and possible deletion) if not already approved by the sysop authorities. Th GNE’s Boston Arcology has several such AIs on their payroll as part of their infrastructure security. However, the majority of free-willed AIs in the GNE are non-networked mobile robots. Freebots have been accorded all the same rights as organic citizens, as well as having the ability to to apply for various employment opportunities. This includes military service.

This has led to a number of military units consisting largely, or entirely, of AIs and directed by recognized sophant AI officers.
Interestingly enough, the higher-end sophont freebots have shown no hesitation in ordering ‘dumb’ drone-level robots to their destruction on the battlefield.
Notably, few of the more humanoid-sim freebot types, such as the CILAs and MARIs, have enlisted in the freebot military units, instead prefering to remain in their jobs with largely organic formations and working with their organic colleagues(and often with their original ‘owners’).

Ground Forces
The largest number of freebot units are in the ground forces, mainly infantry and mechanized infantry units.
The most common freebot types in such units are sophant PS-Rb-02 Magnus, PS-TAA02 ‘CyberSpinne’, *PS-TAA03G ‘Gunnar’, PS-SASR-7 Spartoi ‘Sergeant’ models, PS-VK-2 ‘Vikky’ Special Operations Vampire Killer Androids, PS-CCX-4 Artificial Intelligences, and PS/KS-UHMWP-018 ‘ GRANITE AX’ heavy weapons carriers, that act as an officer corps, directing legions of non-sophant drones.
Freebot units in the GNE Regular Army have so far not individually exceeded battalion strength.
A typical formation will consist of a headquarters unit directing infantry lines of drone PS-R08 Quickdraws, PS-R-10 Danbots, PS-Rb-02s and heavy infantry PS-SASR-7s, fronted by scout and raider units of PS-R-SOG-04 Shadowbots, and backed by heavy artillery/armor formations of PS-SASR-11SynW Wrektor Heavy Weapons Drone, , PS-SAADR-12 Sharktooth Air Defense Robota and PS-AT-LABT-07 ‘Damnthing’ Light Semi-Autonomous Autotanks(or similar). Support units of various drone vehicles and worker ‘bots provide logistical support.

Naval Forces
The GNENavy has long used marine drones, such as Sea Mantis seafloor crawlers, Roboats, heavily-automated warships and drone warships such as patrol hydrofoils and wave-skimmers. The first full purpose-built in-hull AIs with recognized sophant potential to go to sea were navalized versions of the PS/KS-UHMWP-018 ‘ GRANITE AX’ Heavy Autonomous Mobile Weapons Platform. Since then, there have been several flotilla-stength units of light warships and submersibles manned entirely by freebots. Perhaps, arguably the largest and most prominent of the GNE’s naval freebot units is the alien AI-reconstructed battleship Massachussetts(BB-59).

Aerospace
Freebot units are noticably absent as yet from the GNE’s aerospace forces. While the GNEAS uses aerial combat drones, none are sufficiently advanced to have acquired sophancy, nor has the GNE built any AI space warships. That having been said, a small number of USA starships have ended up crewed by non-GNE/USA-produced free AIs(such as Machine People) forming Irregular units.

The United Systems Alliance and A.I.

“Many in the CCW, especially in the Human-settled worlds. have had to go through considerable contortions not to see and acknowledge that the United Systems Alliance freely consorts with artificial intelligence, and that they even produce and naturalize as citizens their own AIs. Fortunately, they don’t seem to have embraced the idea of massive AI networking, and they encourage individuality in their free AIs, such that they either are resistant to network viruses, or don’t seek that deep level of networking in the first place.
Given the USA’s growing trade ties with the Contoonese sensoid-makers and their protectorate over Verannan, there’s an increasing number of assembled intelligence ‘wards’ and citizens that are virtually indistinguishable, at a glance, from the naturally evolved ones. That means that at some time dealing with the USA, it’s inevitable that one will encounter an AI and not know it. Worse, many recognized sophont AIs get adopted into organic families. There’s even talk of hybrids of one kind or another; they’re apparently still experimenting.
This all must be of great concern to the anti-AI types in the CCW, as well as the sept-purists. Especially with the growing economic importance of the Rim; too many polities have intertwined economic ties to give in to prejudice and break off relations with the amounts of revenue involved at stake. The recent disgrace of the hardline Human Alliance has only added to the cracks and weakening of the anti-AI coalitions and lobbies.
More disturbing from a tactical point of view are growing rumors that increasing numbers of Silver Shrike starfighters have been seen in the general vicinity of the USA’s Veranan protectorate. As the TGE supposedly destroyed the last known source of the Machine Peoples’ premiere starfighter, these occurances suggest that either a well-armed number of Machine People with legacy tech are currently operating near Veranan, or they have already established relations with the Veranan AIs and have a factory(possibly built with USA help) to produce new starfighters. Having a new source of weapons, especially an iconic type that they can rally behind, is sure to give a leg up to Machine People militancy. Though the CAF currently seem to regard it as simply a welcome new thorn in the side of the TGE, it may spell long term trouble with the more prejudiced elements of the CCW.
While the USA has not wholly fallen into the Chromite camp, and indeed has fought extremist Chromite factions in the past, the United Systems Alliance’s close relationship with AI should be of concern.
We should step up our efforts to observe the USA and their AI developments, with special attention paid to the possible long-term ramifications of their ‘experiments’.”
----Private memo circulated within several deep Consortum organizations

The United Systems Alliance, initiated in large part by Rifts Earth Greater New England, has largely followed the GNE’s lead in accepting free AIs into their ranks, given their stance on refugees and their close working relationship with the heavily cyberized EShemarrians. It has also come to light that more than a few freebots had previously found refuge in the Central Alliance, an ally of the USA, by posing as full conversion cyborgs.

While not all USA members are onboard with accepting free AIs, the majority treat freebots as no more than another group of interesting new species applying for membership. Many non-human members of the USA assume that the many humaniform androids and gynoids in the GNE, such as the CILA and MARI series, and the increasingly common Contoonese Sensoids, are already natural-born citizens and treat them accordingly.

Most allies of the USA accept their stance on AI, or at least are polite enough not to rabidly raise objections to it. The general attitude is that the USA is diverse and crazy enough to handle it on their own turf. Indeed, the sheer diversity of the USA’s membership and technologies is often consciously voiced as a means of insuring that no one single technology or technological platform can be decisively turned against the polity. Many of the freebot AIs, in fact, voice their own concerns about AI security and have established their own protocols against subversive computer viruses or ‘corruption calls’ that malafactors might attempt to spread through the USA’s citizenry. And that diversity and inclusiveness seems to be the USA’s best defense against rogue AI.

[taalismn]

TW Solarplex Sun-Tower
(aka ‘Sunflower Tower’)
“There’s four traditional kingdoms of materials used through history; organics, stone, metal and manmade, but now there’s a fifth kingdom...the metaphysical materials, such as ectoplasm. We’ve barely scratched the possible applications of the new materials, but they’re proving to be as much a game-changer as the plastics.”

“Pre-Rifts Paris used to known as the ‘City of Lights’. Now it’s Mexico City after the vampires were driven out. There’s virtually a forest of these solar collectors sprung up around the old city to make liquid sunshine and they’re even talking about pumping it to houses like tap water.”

“With so many solar liquification apparatus operating in the Mexico region, it’s predicted that the new Republic and its satellite states may be the largest producers of aqua-sol, sun-water, in the world. Once they perfect economical means of producing enough stabilized ectoplasm containers to store and transport the stuff, they could well be the biggest exporter of liquified sunshine. The stuff’s being used in so many things these days; from chemical laser fuel and lighting lamps to medical infusions and cocktail mixers. There’s a lot of experimentation going on, and some of it’s proving intriguing and oh so very useful. With the large quantities already on the local market, it’s a miracle there’s any vampire activity in Mexico anymore, and that’s leading to some speculation as to what they might do with the surplus they’ll likely accumulate. Maybe flood the Shadow Dimension?”

“It’s a bad time to be a creature of darkness in Mexico these days.”

Paladin Steel may have lost the arms contract to supply the new Mexican Republic’s armed services to Wellington Industries, but they made up for it with supplying Mexico with anti-vampire equipment, and in particular the new liquid sunshine gear. So much so that Paladin Steel started a new sub-subdivision, Paladin Steel SolarFluidics(PSSolF)(a more ‘civilian’ outgrowth of the PS Vampire Slayer Laboratories taskforce) to keep up with the demand, newly-liberated Mexico being the first and biggest customer.
So important has magically-liquified sunlight(MLSol, sometimes called ‘sun’s milk’, ‘sun-water’, or ‘aqua-sol’) become to vampire-wary Mexico that virtualy every community has TW solar collectors producing it. So great has been the demand that PS designed a modular community-level solar collection, liquification, and storage system that can be erected in a town or village, providing it with a ready supply of the magical fluid.
The Solarplex resembles a pillared community watertower with a large satellite dish or multi-vaned windmill atop it, connected to sun-tracking motors. Conventional solar cells power the mechanicals, but the Solarplex’s real purpose is to collect sunlight and render it into a usable liquid form, stored in a large stabilised-ectoplasm-lined storage tank. A TW PPE powerstone integrated into the heart of the system powers up the collection spells and automation does the rest. Additional collectors can be added and linked via StabEct-lined piping to increase production.
The high tower allows the collection apparatus to have an unobstructed arc of sky to collect sunlight from. It’s also not uncommon, especially in more lawless regions, for the collection tower to double as an observation platform, with provision for armed guards and a mounted heavy weapon or two.
Sun-towers are popping up all over the Mexico/Latin America region. The Mexican Republic government underwrites many installations as ‘vital public utilities’.

Size: 50-90 ft tall and 15 ft in diameter
MDC: Typically 150-300
Power System: Solar-Electric (runs pumps and solar tracking) and TW PPE Powerstone
Capabilities:
*7,000 gallon capacity in a stabilized ectoplasma-lined storage tank.
*TW Solar Liquifier---Converts gathered sunlight into a liquid form. The expenditure of 30 PPE allows for empowering a collection system to gather sunlight for 10 hours, and 10 gallons of fluid per hour.
*Multiple additional collectors can be patched into the storage system.
* Electronic Photo-Electric Tracking keeps the main colector(s) aimed at an optimal angle to catch the dun’s rays.
Cost: 1 million credits(not including installment labor costs)