(Kera-Tech and the original discussion about giant robots vs antigravity vehicles are properly accredited to Ruiner, back when Paladin Steel and its works were part of the now long-defunct Prepost e-mail circle)
Paladin Steel ‘Smaugh’-class GMR Combat Aerodyne
(aka ‘Mountain-grinder’, ‘Puff Senior’, ‘Senior Puff’, ‘Smog-Pipe’, ‘Rattle-Wagon’, ‘Titanium Blimp’, ‘Kaiju-Buster’)
“The Smaugh’s essentially a high-hovering supertank, or else a heavily armored and slow-flying heavy bomber with -sustained- bombardment capability. Rather than fly over you once and dust you with heavy ordnance, this bastard can sit just out of range of you and soak your position with metal-fire until you either quit or cease to exist.”
“We like to think of ourselves as an aerial re-landscaping unit. You need a mountain cut down to size? Maybe a range of hills rearranged? River course redirected? Ideally simultaneously with the removal of enemy positions? We’re the people to call for the job.”
---Colonel Marion Alcott, 19th Ground Attack Wing, Greater New England Regular Army
“The Smaugh’s what the Morningstar wants to be when it grows up.”
The ‘Smaugh’-class combat craft grew out of discussions between Paladin Steel and Kera-Tech engineers on the viability of robot combat vehicles with the advent of reliable antigravity systems. Kera-Tech engineers asserted that, with the exception of power armor, giant robot vehicles were rendered obsolete by antigravity systems that could maneuver far better over rough terrain and provide steadier platforms for heavy weapons.
Working from these Kera-Tech guidelines, PS engineers sought to test their theories with the Smaugh-class, which was originally going to be a more heavily armored and engined version of the Slepnir hover-APC, but merged with several robotics projects in parallel development.
The Smaugh-class resembles a cross between a giant robot torso and a GMR corvette, with a rounded, blunt body. Armor is particularly heavy, but the most obvious feature of the Smaugh is its heavy armaments. The Smaugh features multiple weapons stations(some compare it to an ‘oversized A-10’), almost all of them of the modular ‘plug-and-play’ type so common to PS designs, and allowing for quick mission- or crew-customization. A fully armed and loaded Smaugh can obliterate several fortified blocks in a single salvo, it’s boasted.
Smaughs are heavily armored, heavily armed, but not particularly fast. They are mobile aerial weapons platforms, the next step up from aerial VTOL/rotorcraft gunships. Smaughs saw their first deployment on Rifts Earth during the Minion War incursion, when the first prototypes and production run vehicles were thrown into the defense of the GNE. Two ‘aerial monitors’ assisted in the defense of the City of Charter when Hell Lord Pain attempted to raid and loot the mage-city. The gunships have since appeared with the United Systems Alliance Joint Command.
Type: PS-CGAFV-G Smaugh
Class: Heavy Gunship Aerodyne, CG-Drive
Crew: 6+ 1-4 additional crew/passengers
MDC/Armor by Location:
Main Body 1,500
Main Sensor Head 300
Reinforced Crew Compartment 300
Forward Triple Gun Mount 200
Tail Gun 100
Lateral Missile Launch Bays(2) 300 each
Heavy Weapons Mounts(2) 250 each
(Optional)
Rear Deck Launcher/Turret 300
Forcefield Generator Pod 350
Height: 30 ft
Width: 65 ft
Length: 110 ft
Weight: 790 tons
Cargo: Small cargo space behind the main cabin; 5 ft x 10 ft x8 ft.
Powerplant: Nuclear Fusion w/ 20 year energy life.
Speed: (Flying) Hover to 350 MPH, maximum altitude 10,000 ft
Market Cost: 36 million credits
Systems of Note:
Standard Robot Systems, plus:
*Long Range Radio----500 mile range
*Long Range Radar---100 mile range
*Radar Detector---Picks up enemy radar emissions and weapons locks
*Radar, w/ Terrain-Following and Look-Down capabilities; effective range of 85 miles.
*ECM----A broad area jamming suite that gives the craft a -6 to be struck by radar-guided weaponry.
*ECCM system: A semiautomatic system that uses electronic encryption and frequency jumping to (attempt to) negate jamming systems. The system has a 25% chance of negating radar or communications jamming (non-magical) on its own, or a +5% if the pilot has a Read Sensory Instruments or Radio: Scramblers skill and devotes a full melee to operating the system(no other attacks/actions are possible).
Having an Electronic warfare Skill gains a +15% bonus to operating this system.
Note that this only applies to received communications (the system filters them out from the jamming clutter) and sensory data received by that unit alone (other units cannot make use of it, unless they have an unaffected datalink/info-share with the ECCM equipped unit. Magic/psychic jamming is NOT affected by this system.
*EMP Shielding---Extensive use of nonconductive materials, shock barriers, capacitator-sponges, redundant systems, and energy-disipation technology protects the aircraft from the damaging effects of electromagnetic pulse, Triax Lightning Cannon, and other anti-electronics directed energy weaponry.
Weapons Systems:
1) Forward Triple Particle Beam Cannons(3)----Mounted in the nose are three stubby heavy particle beam cannons that can be targeted independently or fire in synch at the same target.
Range: 6,000 ft
Damage: 2d4x 10 MD single blast,4d4x10 MD double blast, 6d4x10 MD triple blast
Rate of Fire: EGCHH
Payload: Effectively unlimited
2) Lateral Modular Missile Launchers(2)---Mounted on the ends of the thick ‘wings’ are two heavily armored launch cells for missiles. They are modular, allowing a variety of different configurations to be mounted.
a) Mini-Missiles-----40
b) Short Range Missiles-----20
c) Medium Range Missiles-----10
Experimental variants of the Smaugh have been tested that replace the wing-end missile launchers with automated point defense turrets similar to those mounted on PS/ASI aerospace fighters.
Range: (Palladium) 4,000 ft in atmosphere, 8,000 ft in space
(Kitsune Values)4,000 ft in atmosphere, 400,000 ft in space
Damage: 4d6 MD per single blast , 8d6 MD double blast(counts as one attack)
Rate of Fire: EGCHH, or 5 shots per melee in auto-defense mode
Payload: Effectively Unlimited
OR
-2x PSA-11-style Light Pulse Laser Turrets on each wing:
Range: 6,000 ft
Damage: 3D6 MD single blast, 6D6 MD double- barreled blast
Rate of Fire: Equal to the pilot's combined hand to hand attacks, or 4 attacks in auto-defense mode.
Payload: Unlimited
Bonuses: +2 to strike airborne targets like missiles and aircraft/flying opponents(must be traveling higher than 10 ft off the ground)
3) Heavy Weapons Mounts(2)---Mounted under the thick ‘wings’ are two large weapons turrets, articulated like giant robot arms. Each ‘armature’ can be fitted, in turn, with two heavy weapons(making, effectively, for a total of FOUR heavy weapons hardpoints), that can be turned and swiveled a full 180 degrees, and depressed/elevated 60 degrees. Each hardpoint can accommodate 2x of the following:
a) Mini-Missiles-----30
b) Short Range Missiles-----16
c) Medium Range Missiles-----6
d) Pulse Laser(PS-RFL-25), the so-called “Prosek’s Gift’ thanks to its being derived from a reverse-engineered Coalition weapon.
Range: 6,000 ft
Damage: 2d4x10 MD per blast
Rate of Fire: EGCHH
Payload: Effectively Unlimited
e)Tri-Laser(PSMBL-3E)---Adapted from the Glitterboy No. 7 of South America
Range: 8,000 ft
Damage: 2d4x10 MD per blast
Rate of Fire: EGCHH
Payload: Effectively Unlimited
f) Slayer -B Quad-Cannon(PS-RFL-41)
Range: 4,000 ft in atmosphere, 8,000 ft in space
(Kitsune values: 4,000 ft in atmosphere, 400,000 ft/80 miles in space )
Damage: 4d6 MD single shot, 2d4x10+16 MD short burst (four shots, one from each barrel), 4d4x10+36 MD medium burst (eight shots, two from each barrel in sequence), or 4d6x10+48 MD long burst(twelve shots, three from each barrel in sequence) .
Rate of Fire: EGCHH
Payload: Effectively unlimited
Cost: 360,000 credits
g)PS-HPBC-20 Particle Beam Cannon------Based on the KLS Mrk IV Glitterboy PB-20 Rapid Acceleration Particle Beam Cannon, complete to pairing with a coaxial small laser
Range: (PBC) 11,000 ft(double in space)
(Laser) 2,000 feet (double in space)
Damage: (PBC) 4d6x 10 MD single blast
(Laser) 4d6 MD single blast
Rate of Fire: (both) ECHH
Payload: (PBC) Conditionally unlimited(Unlimited linked to nuclear power source) though smaller vehicles(such as the ‘Vader) have a battery capacitor with a limited number of shots(20 typically) with a recharge rate of one blast per minute.
(Laser) Effectively Unlimited
h) PS-862 AC 30mm Anti-Aircraft Flak Cannon(Paladin Steel knockoff of the TriaxTX-862FC), Can be mounted singly or in two-gun mounts.
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: 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
i) H-Ion Cannon---New Navy-derived heavy ion weapon.
Range: 6,000 ft
Damage: 3d4x10 MD per shot
Rate of Fire: 4 times per melee
Payload: Effectively unlimited
j)Heavy Plasma Cannon
Range: 4,000 ft
Damage: 1d4x10 MD per blast
*Can be increased by 50% with a ‘hot shot’ injection of deuterium gas
Rate of Fire: EGCHH
Payload: Effectively unlimited
Deuterium Gas Reservoir has enough gas under pressure for 200 shots.
k)PS-XGECAL 50 “Ripkiller” ---A weapon based on the pre-Rifts .50 caliber GECAL 50 Six Barrel Machine Gun. This weapon fires high explosive shells over three miles, to devastating effect. In theory, the XGECAL 50 can fire off 8,000 rounds per minute(or 2,000 rounds a melee), but PS has limited the weapon to a maximum of 100 rounds per burst. Only a special coolant jacket, shock-absorbing stabilizer, and burst limiter prevent this weapon from tearing itself apart under maximum rate of fire, and keeps enough rounds on target to inflict maximum damage. The original versions of this weapon also used to tear out its meter-long barrel linings faster than any other weapon in PS service; more advanced and tougher Three Galaxies materials have since replaced the original lining specs With the Smaugh’s ability to carry an ample ammunition supply, the weapons are no longer in any danger of shooting their magazines dry in a matter of seconds. .
Range: 19,000 ft!
Damage: 1d4 MD single shot, 1d4x10 MD per 10 shot burst(1 attack), 2d4x10 MD per 20 rd burst(2 attacks), 4d4x10 MD per 50 rd burst(3 attacks), 1d4x100 MD per 100 shot burst(takes ALL attacks that melee)
Rate of Fire: ECHH
Payload: 5,000 round drum per cannon(50 full-melee bursts)
Note: The use of tracer ammunition gives a +1 to strike
l) EM Bolt/Electromagnetic Vortex Cannon
Range: 8,000 ft
Damage: 2d4x10 MD at point of impact
Within a 70 ft radius, people, animals, and objects weighing less than 500 lbs are 90% likely to be knocked off their feet and hurled 3d4 yards/meters.
Characters/objects of 500-1,000 lbs weight are 50% likely to be knocked aside 1d4 yards/meters.
Objects of a ton or more are only 25% likely to be knocked over.
Flying characters/objects get knocked away twice the normal distance
EM bolts are -6 to dodge
Rate of Fire: Three times per melee
Payload: Effectively unlimited
Cost: Exclusive to PS/GNE forces.
m) Heavy Rail Gun
Range: 11,000 ft
Damage: 3d4x10 MD per 40 rd burst; can only fire bursts.
Rate of Fire: ECHH
Payload: 8,000 rd drum(200 bursts)
Cost: 250,000 credits
n) Disruptor Cannon---PS apparently wanted to mix it up a bit more with this knockoff of a Golgan Republik weapon(this raises some questions of how PS got hold of examples in the first place, but it seems likely they got the data in trade from a third party). During operations in the Three Galaxies, early deployments of the Tyrannis sometimes used these weapons to mislead opponents into falsely identifying the tanks as belonging to Golgan-affiliated forces(especially when the GNE wasn’t feeling particularly charitable towards the Republik).
Range: 5,000 ft
Damage: 1d6x10 MD per blast, plus 1/4 that to a 10 ft radius
Rate of Fire: EGCHH
Payload: Effectively Unlimited
Cost: Exclusive to PS/GNE forces
o) Spiral Wave Particle Cannon---Another ‘false flag’ weapon knocked off from an enemy nation, this time the Naut’yll. It’s rumored that this weapon’s specs came to the GNE courtesy of trade with the DarkWaters Tribe of the Shemarrian Nation, and has since appeared on a number of GNE covert-operations platforms, mainly to confuse opposition forces.
Range: 5,000 ft
Damage: 1d6x10+6 MD per single blast blast, 2d6x10+12 MD double blast, and 3d6x10+20 MD triple blast.
Rate of Fire: EGCHH
Payload: Effectively Unlimited
Cost: Exclusive to PS/GNE forces.
p) Series 2098 Heavy Ion Cannon
Range: 6,000 ft
Damage: 3d4x10 MD per shot
On a Natural 20(Critical Strike) the ion weapon does TRIPLE damage instead of the normal double damage
Rate of Fire: 4 times per melee
Payload: Effectively unlimited
Cost: 1.2 million credits
q)TW Power Bolt Cannon---Fires a large bolt of mystic force that hits hard and deep.
Range: 8,400 ft
Damage: 5d6+20 MD per blast
Rate of Fire: EGCHH
Payload: 10 PPE per shot
Cost: 450,000 credits
r)TW Windblast Cannon---Fires long range bolts of super-dense air. Incredible range, thanks to the barrel boosting elements.
Range: 15,000 ft
Damage: 2d4x10+30 MD per blast, plus knock-back, similar to Wind Rush.
Rate of Fire: EGCHH
Payload: 20 PPE per shot
Cost: 650,000 credits
s) TW Magma Cannon---- This TW weapon projects a stream of incandescent magma conjured from magical energy, that hits like napalm and can be panned to form a river or lane of red hot lava. Short range, but scary as hell.
Range: 1,500 ft, 10 ft wide area; pools on the ground in a 150 ft long, 25 ft wide, and 25 ft deep area.
Damage: Does 1d6x10 MD if used as an impact weapon/in air.
Most effective if used against ground targets, where the molten material can burn for minutes, doing 2d6x10 MD per melee to anything trapped in/on it. The material remains liquid and super-hot for 5 minutes
Rate of Fire: EGCHH
Payload: 25 PPE per shot
Cost: 500,000 credits
t) TW Sonic Cannon---PS TechnoWizards got the idea for this after studying examples of the Immaterial Hand’s Ironmage TW Glitterboy Armor and its ‘shrieker’ cannon(see Rifts Black Market, pg. 187-189) . Using their booster barrel technowizardry, PS TWs were able to increase the range.
Range: 7,000 ft
Damage: 1d4x10 MD per shot, 1d6x10 MD on a ley line and against supernatural creatures and beings of magic.
Rate of Fire: EGCHH
Payload: 12 PPE per shot
Cost: 1.2 million credits
u) Anti-Theron MagnaBlaster ----This superheavy anti-magic weapon has been ONLY seen with special PS/GNE monster-hunter units.
Range: 12,000 ft
Damage: Does 1d4x100 HP/MDC damage per shot(based on what the creature is)
Can also do a ‘spread shot’ doing 4d6x10 HP/MDC to a 60 ft wide swath
Varies according to the weapon type, but ALL anti-Theron weapons use the following guidelines
Depending on how much PPE is present and how essential it is to an organism’s survival, damage varies:
Techno-Wizardry Devices(including TW generators), enchanted objects, rune weapons, and other magically-infused(but INANIMATE) objects are NOT affected and take no damage.
Non-magical beings, psychics, and ‘mundanes’ are unaffected and experience nothing aside from a slight tingling sensation, mild sunburn-like symptoms, and a passing feeling of nausea from a Disruptor strike.
Magic Users and other beings who have ‘learned’ or artificially acquired magical abilities(including tattoos and bioborg implants), but who can otherwise survive without magic present are affected, but the effects aren’t as dramatic. They do NOT get a save versus the disruption because all of their effort has gone into OPENING themselves to the supernatural and embracing their magical potential. They take normal damage as for the weapon’s damage rating.
Supernatural Creatures who possess some small measure of magical ability will suffer a greater degree of damage/injury. ...normal damage x1.5. Gargoyles, Brodkil, Lycanthropes, Shapeshifters(including Nightspawn), Possessees, Shifters, and Witches, are all examples of beings in this category. Note that if these beings were to possess bionics or other conditions that NEGATE their magical abilities(like Brodkil bionics) they lose this vulnerability, and are NOT affected, taking damage only as normal. These beings do NOT get a saving roll versus the PPE disruption.
‘High’ Supernatural Beings with a high level of, and reliance on, PPE will suffer greatly, taking DOUBLE damage. This includes Dragons, Angels, Demons, Splugorth, Faerie Folk, Demi-Gods. However, these beings DO get a roll to SAVE(same as save vs magic) versus their own PPE backfiring on them. A successful roll to save HALVES the damage done to them.
Creatures of Pure Magic that cannot survive without magic are the most seriously affected, and take TRIPLE damage. This covers ghosts, possessing entities, Undead, Elemental Beings, Alien Intelligences, and god-beings. However, these beings DO get a roll to SAVE(same as save vs magic) versus their own PPE backfiring on them. A successful roll to save NEGATES the damage done to them.
Golems, Iron Juggernauts, and other magically-powered automatons/automations will be effectively STUNNED, being paralyzed for 1d4 melees per shot, and will be unable to move or defend themselves, as magical energy shorts out and storms over them.
Other Effects:
*Magic Disruption----Each blast NEUTRALIZES HALF the number of PPE points that it does damage...these points are temporarily lost to the magic user/creature until it can regain them normally(by rest or drawing on other sources).
*Magical Forcefields take 1.5 normal damage.
*Invisible beings will be revealed by an anti-theron burst and will remain visible for 2d4 melees(gradually fading) as a result of residual anti-therons causing them to fluoresce and become visible to the naked eye.
Rate of Fire: Three times per melee
Payload: 25 shot canister of genetically modified bacteria providing the anti-therons
Cost: EXCLUSIVE to PS, not available for sale
v) ElectroMagnetic Bolt Cannon
Range: 9,000 ft
Damage: 1d6x10 MD to 20 ft blast radius per bolt!
Does 50% more damage to metal hulls. Crews inside affected hulls also must dodge or take 1d6 MD from loose metal objects being thrown around by the electromagnetic vortex.
Also roll on the following for additional electromagnetic effects:
01-15: No damage
16-30 Instruments flicker out, before coming back online in 1d4 seconds. Target loses Initiative.
31-45 All weapons temporarily out, and minor electrical fires. One system comes back online in 1d4 melee rds.
46-60 All systems temporarily out, and minor electrical fires. -30% to piloting skills if target is a manned vehicle. Systems come back online after 1d4 melee rds.
61-75 Communications, radar, and targeting are disabled, but weapons systems are unaffected. -3 to strike and no initiative. Damage requires physical repair.
76-90 Instruments are completely totaled. If a manned vehicle, the following skill penalties apply; -25% at one-third of maximum speed, -50% at HALF maximum speed, and -75% at full speed. NO initiative roll, -3 to dodge(-5 if an AI), -3 to strike(-5 if an AI), and lose one action per melee round(2 if an AI)
91-00 Total knockout. Controls do not respond, and machine is out of control. Crash/collapse/total shutdown within 2d4 minutes.
Rate of Fire: Twice per melee
Payload: Effectively Unlimited
Cost: 1.8 million credits
w) TW Ice Cannon----This weapon actually has two modes, familiar to anybody who’s handled one of PS’s Crysus’ TW Ice Rifles. The Ice Cannon can cause an area to be bombarded by a minutes-long hailstorm, or can generate a giant ball of ice that slams into targets, then bursts into a storm of superhard ice shards and freezing vapor(this combines aspects of several different ice spells).
Range: (Hail)4,000 ft, and affects a 50 ft radius
(Ten Foot Ball of Ice)7,000 ft
Damage: (Hail)8d4 MD for 8 minutes(32 melees) to a 50 ft radius
(Ten Foot Ball of Ice)2d6 MD on impact, then explodes, 60 ft blast radius, shedding hundreds of icy shards. Human-sized objects caught in its way will get hit with 1d6 shards, each doing 2d6 MD. Fighter- and Robot-sized targets (16 ft or larger) will get hit by 1d4x10 shards. Ships and targets 50 ft and larger will get hit by 2d4x10 shards. Victims must save versus magic or suffer debilitating numbness; -1 APM, -2 initiative, -1 strike/parry/dodge, and speed is reduced by 10%. Effects last 1d4 minutes, and are NOT cumulative. The Ice Ball has 70 MDC.
Rate of Fire: EGCHH
Payload: (Hail)10 PPE per shot
(Ten Foot Ball of Ice)25 PPE per shot
Cost: 1.8 million credits
x)TW Lightning Cannon----This weapon requires that the tank be fitted with PPE generators to power it. Launches a vertical blast of mystic lightning.
Range: 9,000 ft
Damage: 2d4x10 MD per blast
Rate of Fire: EGCHH
Payload: 15 PPE per shot
Cost: 1.9 million credits
y) Mega-Scat Cannon--Designed, ideally, for bringing down large numbers of airborne Xiticix, the Mega-Scat is no more than a heavy howitzer modified into a giant shotgun, blasting huge amounts
of metal and ceramic shrapnel into a lethal cloud of death. The shell is a garbage-barrel sized drum
that fragments in midair. PS is working on a version that scatters aerodynamic fletchettes for
greater blast radius and damage, while another variant would scattershot armor-piercing
‘beebees’ impregnated with chemical agents .
Range: 4,000 ft
Damage: 2d6x10 MD to a 30 ft blast radius
Rate of Fire: Four times per melee
Payload: 20 rds per cannon
z) PS-HPBC-21B Particle Beam Cannon
Range: 8,000 ft in atmosphere, 16,000 ft in space
(Kitsune values: 8,000 ft in atmosphere, 800,000 ft/160 miles in space )
Damage: 5d6x10 MD per shot
Rate of Fire: EGCHH
Payload: Effectively unlimited.
Cost: 5 million credits
4) Tail Gun(1)---Mounted under the rear tail of the aerodyne is a double-barreled weapons turret, meant to defend against pursuers and ambushers.
a) PS-100 Rail Gun
Range: 4,000 ft
Damage: 1d4 MD single rd, 1d6x10 MD 60 rd burst, x2 for both barrels firing simultaneously
Rate of Fire: EGCHH
Payload: 12,000 rd drum(200 bursts) per barrel
Cost: 200,000 credits
b)PS-M136 Minigun
Range: 10,000 ft
Damage:(SDC) 6d6 SDC single shot, 4d6 x10 SDC(1d4 MD) per 10 rd burst, 8d6x10 SDC per 20 rd burst, 1d4 MD per 40 rd burst.
(Ramjets) 1 MD single shot, 1d10 MD per 10 rd burst, 2d10 MD per 20 rd burst, 1d4x10 MD per 40 rd burst.
(High Explosive)2d6x10 SDC single shot, 1d6 MD per 10 rd burst, 2d6 MD per 20 rd burst, 4d6 MD per 40 rd burst.
(PSX-2) 1d4 MD per rd, 1d4x10 MD per 10 rd burst, 2d4x10 MD per 20 rd burst, 4d4x10 MD per 40 rd burst.
(Tracer) Every 11th round is a tracer, which gives a +1 to strike with bursts. However, the tracer stream also makes it that much easier for enemies to backtrace and locate the machine gunner.
Rate of Fire: Standard; rated at 6,000 rpm(or 1,500 rounds per melee)
Payload: 4,000-rd belt
Cost: 27,000 credits
c).50 Caliber Heavy Machine Guns
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
d)20 mm Rapid-fire Cannon
Range:(20mm)4000 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: 1000 rd drum
Cost: 40,000 credits. 50,000 credits for the Model 2N
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
f)*PS-AWD-RFL-4 Rapid-Fire Laser Cannon
Range: 2,000 ft
Damage: 2d6 MD single blast
1d4x 10+ 6 MD quadruple blast
Rate of Fire: EGCHH
Payload: Unlimited
Cost: 125,000 credits
g)L-Ion Cannon--A lightweight weapon derived from the ‘Beach Stormer’ power armor rifle.
Range: 4,000 ft
Damage: 1d6x10+10 MD per blast
Rate of Fire: EGCHH
Payload: 200 shot battery. Effectively unlimited
Cost: 230,000 credits
h) Magbolt Plasma Launcher---Yet another fine weapon in the Magbolt series of weapons. Capable of firing a magnetically-cocooned plasma ‘shell’, or of firing separate 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) 7,000 ft
(Vortices) 4,000 ft
(‘Shotgun Storm’) 2,500 ft
Damage:(Plasma Shell) 2d6x10 MD to 15 ft blast radius
(Vortices) 2d4x10 MD, plus concussive knockdown:
(‘Shotgun Storm’) 6d6 MD to 50 ft area
Rate of Fire:(Plasma Shell) 4 times per melee
(Vortices) Six times per melee
(‘Shotgun Storm’) Twice pe melee
Bonuses: Magnetic vortices, being invisible, are -8 to dodge
Payload: Effectively Unlimited
i)Slayer Quad-Cannon(PS-RFL-40)---A four-barrelled rapid-fire laser weapon originally developed as a point defense weapon for PS spacecraft and capital ships, now appearing on land vehicles. .
Range: 3,000 ft
Damage: 2d10 MD single shot, 2d4x10 MD short burst (four shots, one from each barrel), 4d4x10 MD medium burst (eight shots, two from each barrel in sequence), 4d6x10 MD long burst (takes two attacks), or 6d6x10 MD full melee burst (takes four attacks).
Rate of Fire: EPCHH
Payload: Effectively unlimited
5)(Optional) Dorsal Weapons Mount----A heavy weapons mount can be added to the top of the Smaugh, increasing its firepower, albeit at the expense of some speed and agility. Mounting a heavy dorsal mount weapon cuts overall speed by 30%.
a) Mini-Missiles---- 180, divided among three 60-round launch boxes. Volleys of 1-10 each
b) Short Range Missiles----30
c) Medium Range Missiles----20
d) Long Range Missiles---- 16
e) ‘Shrike III’ SAM/AAM----20
Range: 75 miles
Damage: 3d4x10 MD
Bonus: +7 to strike
f) LRM/Mini-M Launcher---Actually the combination launcher from the old IHA ‘Iron Bolt’ missile tank. The main box holds 12 long range missiles, while a smaller attached launcher holds 120 mini-missiles.
g) 200mm Massdriver Cannon(PS-MDJ200M)---Gravitic baffling and compensatory thrust handle the recoil of this weapon.
Range:(Direct Fire) 40,000 ft (8 miles)
(Indirect Fire) 100,000 ft( 20 miles)
Damage: High Explosive(HE)---- 5d6x10 MD to 55 ft radius
High Explosive Anti-Tank(HEAT)----6d6x10 MD to 15 ft radius
Fragmentation--- 4d6x10 MD to 75 ft radius
Plasma-----1d6x 50+15 MD to 60 ft radius
(APFSDSDU)(Armor Piercing Fin Stabilized Discarding Sabot Depleted Uranium) 8d6x10 MD out to 15,000 ft, 4d6x10+5 MD out to maximum range
Rate of Fire:
Payload: 80 rds
h) Mega-Scat Cannon--Same as for the wing turrets,only with a larger magazine
Range: 4,000 ft
Damage: 2d6x10 MD to a 30 ft blast radius
Rate of Fire: Four times per melee
Payload: 60 rds
i) HPC-03 ‘Vesuvius’ Heavy Rapid-Fire Plasma Gatler(x2)
Range: 8,500 ft
Damage: 1d4x10 MD per single blast(4d6 MD at ranges beyond 7,000 ft out to maximum), 3d4x10 MD per three-shot burst(1d6x10 MD at ranges beyond 7,000 ft out to maximum), 4d6x10 MD per six-shot burst(2d6x10 MD at ranges beyond 7,000 ft out to maximum), and a whopping 8d6x10 MD(4d6x10 MD at ranges beyond 7,000 ft out to maximum) for a twelve-shot burst per single cannon.
Rate of Fire: EGCHH
Payload: Typically is fed by 240 rd belts.
Cost: 1.2 million credits for the dual-mount. 40mm Cadmium-telluride cartridges cost 95 credits each
j)*Slasher Quad-Cannon(PS-RFL-42)
Range: 6,000 ft in atmosphere, 12,000 ft in space
(Kitsune values: 6,000 ft in atmosphere, 600,000 ft/120 miles in space )
Mega-Damage: 2d4x10 MD single shot, 4d8x10 MD quad burst
Rate of Fire: EGCHH
Payload: Effectively unlimited
Cost: 1.2 million credits
6) Flare/Chaff Launchers(3)
Range: (Flares/Chaff) 6,000 ft, creates a 30 ft cloud, +10 ft per each additional chaff/flare launched in the volley. Cloud lasts 2 melees before dissipating(or less in a very strong wind).
(Smoke) 200 ft, creates a 60 ft cloud, +50 ft per each additional shell launched in the volley. Cloud lasts 5 melees before dissipating(or less in a very strong wind).
Damage: (Flares/Chaff) None
(Triax Style)
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
(Northern Gun Style)
10% chance per chaff cloud deployed of decoying missiles, up to maximum of 60%
Aircraft, power armor, and beings flying through the chaff will be -6 on perception, -3 on initiative, -5 to strike, -2 to parry, -2 dodge, and lose 1 melee attack that round(or the next). Sensory and Piloting rolls are at -20% for as long as the characters are caught in the cloud, and the next as they recover.
(Smoke) None, but the thick smoke negates the bonuses of laser-targeting systems and optical sights. Thermal sensors are HALF as effective at seeing through the smoke.
Payload: (Flares/Chaff) 25 shots per launcher array, 50 total
(Smoke) 30 shots per launcher array, 60 total
Options:
*Forcefield Generator---Taking advantage of the same technological windfall that allowed PS/ASI to fit their Dragonfly III with starfighter-grade variable forcefields, the Smaugh can be fitted with similar generators, upgrading the aerodyne’s protection considerably.
Forcefield 1,000
Variable Forcefield 400 per side(2,400 total)
*TechnoWizardry Enhancements---Any of the standard TW systems can be added to the Smaugh, but this will generally require the accompanying installation of some sort of TW PPE Generator/Accumulator system to power them.
PPE Generators:
PPE Capacity:(Light)----200 PPE battery capacity; recharges at 10 PPE per hour, 20 PPE/hour at a leyline, 40 PPE/hour on a nexus
(Medium)-----300 PPE battery capacity; recharges at 10 PPE per hour, 40 PPE/hour at a leyline, 80 PPE/hour on a nexus
(‘Wizard’)----400 PPE battery capacity; recharges at 14 PPE per hour, 50 PPE/hour at a leyline, 100 PPE/hour on a nexus
(‘Sorcerer’)--- 600 PPE battery capacity; recharges at 20 PPE per hour, 60 PPE/hour at a leyline, 120 PPE/hour on a nexus
Cost:(Light)----500,000 credits
(Medium)-----1 million credits
(‘Wizard’)----2 million credits
(‘Sorcerer’)---- 3 million credits
Variants:
Aside from a few testbeds, there have been no official variants of the Smaugh yet rolled out.
Likely suggestions, however. would include the replacement of the wing turrets/hardpoints with standardized PS/ASI/WZT Aerospace Weapons Hardpoints, and upgrade the countermeasure launchers to use Galactic decoy pods, to make them compatible with the line.
Another rumored variant mounts TW weather modification gear similar to, but more powerful than, that carried by the PS/PP-IR64 ‘Rainman’ Heavy Battle Robot.
