Paladin Steel Storefront

[abe]

A burp gun!(either bullets or Alka-seltzer)

[taalismn]

Made the mistake of buying the ACME Catalogue....whuuuwhooowhooo!

[89er]

Made the mistake of buying the ACME Catalogue....whuuuwhooowhooo!

Hey taalismn, did you get my PM?

And yes, this month's issue has a great selection of giant slingshots.

[taalismn]

Made the mistake of buying the ACME Catalogue....whuuuwhooowhooo!

Hey taalismn, did you get my PM?

And yes, this month's issue has a great selection of giant slingshots.

Yes I did, didn't you get my reply?
IN any event...post with my blessing...
Got any ideas for what you want to call this division/subcontractor? Got a Ne England location you want the factory works/workshop in?

[89er]

My bad, I forgot PMs Go into a separate inbox.

And now straight from Paragon Products, a division of Paladin Steel that researches Superpowers based in Martha's Vineyard off the coast of Massachusetts, is our first two products:

Gecko Grips
Superpower: Adhesion
Gecko Grips are gloves and socks that are specially tailored to allow the wearer to climb surfaces effortlessly, in short, walk on walls. Just slide on and start climbing. The bottom of each finger, hand, foot and toe is covered in millions of tiny hair-like fibers that allows for maximum attachment capability. Speed climbing and crawling along walls and ceilings is equal to half their running speed
Attempting to carry a heavy load than his/her P.S.x10 in pounds will cause the character to immediately fall off. The only catch is that you can’t climb on loose or slippery surfaces, like loose rocks, ice, and oil, etch.
Bonuses:
Automatic climbing skill equal to 90% proficiency
Add +10% to the prowl skill, but only when climbing on a wall, ceiling, or other high place.
+15% to palming pick pockets, and concealment
+5% to acrobatics and gymnastics
+1 point to P.P. attribute

Doorman
Superpower: Doorway
This handy little device is shaped, ironically as a doorknob. By touching any wall or floor with an open space on the other side with the knob, the user can create a momentary passage to the opposite side. The doorway is roughly four feet wide by eight feet tall and leads to the room/open area on the other side. It cannot be used on the ground, unless there is a basement or tunnel no less than five feet deep below. When the door closes, the wall or whatever returns completely back to normal. Great for quick getaways and surprise attacks.
Range: Touch
Damage: None
Duration: One melee round
Attacks per Melee: Each opening of a doorway counts as one melee attack.
Note: A doorway cannot be made through magical barriers or enchanted walls, force fields or energy barriers.

Comments are welcome

[taalismn]

Paladin Steel ‘Exastar’ Transatmospheric Long Range Exploration Aerodyne
(aka ‘Cutter’, ‘Clipper’)

“I’m rather grateful for the escape pod feature; that one flight we took that got too close to the upper boundary of low-space, the -Orville- apparently attracted the attention of a killsat, because we got hit by an x-ray laser that burned halfway through our ship before the escape pod auto-ejected....Next thing we knew, the ship was gone and we were sailing into the blue solo...
Fortunately, we were still within ‘friendly’ territory...not that that means anything, and one of our surface ships trading with the Incas managed to pick up our distress beacon...we were only floating for a couple of days before that fast merchanter came up alongside and pulled us aboard, which was damn lucky...I saw some things in the water already that had me almost ready to blow my own head off if they got too close, and we STILL don’t know what spent an hour scraping along the bottom of the lifepod...Not that we were much safer aboard that ship, but then again, safety and security ain’t in the job description for the Exploration Corps.
Still, if there’s another ship offered me, I’d take it in a heartbeat....There’s parts of Australia that have yet to be seen, and nobody yet’s gotten a good look at Antarctica in over three centuries...I hear the engineers are fitting laser-resistant armor and maybe forcefields on the next high-ballistic fliers, so catching laser-fire isn’t such a problem. I hope that’s true; -Orville II- shouldn’t have to worry about hair-trigger Orbitals.”

“See the New Earth Again---For the First Time.”
---Recruiting slogan for the Corps of Exploration

The Exastar is a long range large lifting-body hypersonic aircraft intended for reconnaisance and exploration of the post-Rifts Earth. PS has developed the design as part of the Global Trade Initiative, meant to find promising new trade opportunities, recover/acquire new technologies of interest, locate new resources, and explore the world.
The ‘Exastar’ is based, in part, on recovered data on American hypersonic lifting body aircraft and speculative descriptions of pre-Rifts Russian long range bombers. The Exastar is meant to improve on the perfomance and capabilities of the earlier ‘Swift ‘High Speed Light Transport, with similar design specifications of a supersonic aircraft capable of long range operations, multi-terrain rough field landing and takeoff, and ability to carry a smaller exploration robot or aircraft.
The Exastar is a large flattened delta, with rear-mounted engines and ramjet intakes, and slightly-cranked wings at the base of the triangular body. Unlike the ‘Swift’, which followed a ‘tail-sitter’ design similar to single stage-to-orbit aerospace craft, the Exastar follows a more conventional horizontal posture. The Exastar is designed to be able to land and take off in a conventional manner on runways, but it is also designed to be able to operationally belly land on, and take off from, ice, snow, and water. The Exastar can also deploy a series of eight concealed VTOL thruster ducts along the length of its body for vertical take off and landing operations, giving it all-around land-on-virtually-anything capabilities. The Exastar is propelled in forward flight by 6 laser-ignited fusion-plasma thrusters that use water as reaction mass; the ship can tank itself up using intake and filter scoops in the lower hull; thus water landing sites are preferred, allowing the vehicle to refuel on-site.
The Exastar has a forward cockpit that can eject in an emergency as a life pod. Immediately aft of it is a small, but surprisingly well-equipped, crew compartment with a restroom, bunks, small food preparation area, medical cabinet, and science gear cabinets. Abaft of the crew accommodations is a small cargo bay, compartmentalized specimen bays, and a lower ordnance bay.
Mounted atop the main fuselage is a mounting point for a Pathfinder light exploration ‘bot(carried in a prone position so its cockpit can be accessed from inside the Exastar when in flight) or specially modified light aircraft/fighter with ventral crew access. Other aircraft/vehicles can also be carried on the external point, but unless they are specially modified, they cannot be serviced/accessed from the carrier mothership while in flight.
Because of its intended mission, and the sheer complexity and expense of the design, the Exastar has seen only limited production...not more than a dozen aircraft have been produced, and most of those are in service with Paladin Steel’s Corps of Exploration. However, as the Paladin Steel/GNE Global Trade Initiative expands with an eye towards finding overseas trading partners, the number of Exastars is likely to grow.
Exastar aerospace planes have already been involved in a number of monumental long range voyages of exploration; Paladin Steel West-based Exastars have made several dozen trips to Australia, Tritonia, Japan, and coastal Asia. East Coast-based flights are less common, owing to maritime clashes with the Splugorth, but several flights have been made to Africa, South America, the Eastern Mediterranean region, and Central Russia.

Type: PS-TAV09 Exastar
Class: Long Range Transatmospheric Hypersonic Recon Aircraft
Crew: 3 crewmen, + 8-10 passengers(typically a scientific team)
MDC/Armor by Location:
Main Body 1,000*
Reinforced Crew Compartment 200
Laser Turrets(3) 80 each
Wings(2) 400 each
Vertical Stabilizers(2) 200 each

*Note: The underside and leading edges of the main body are sheathed in thermal-resistant material designed to shed the heat of hypersonic flight and lower atmospheric re-entry; takes HALF damage from lasers, plasma, and heat-based attacks.

Height: 21 ft
Width: 125 ft
Length: 240 ft
Weight: 860,000 lbs
Cargo: 20 tons internally
Powerplant: Nuclear Fusion w/ 20 year energy life
Speed: (Flying)Hover to Mach 6, maximum altitude of 23,000 m
(Water) Can float perfectly fine on the surface, and taxi at 5-10 MPH.
Cost: 67 million credits; currently exclusive to PS and the GNE
Systems of Note:
Standard Robot Systems, plus;
*Ejectable Cockpit/Lifepod---The cockpit is configured for high altitude/hypersonic punchouts, and can float quite servicably in an emergency. Comes with a ‘steerable’ Rogallo para-sail.

*High Altitude Wide-Area Photo-Reconnaisance Pallet---Sensor systems allow for wide area photography of the planet below in normal light, infrared, and ultra-violet spectrums; the footage digitally encoded and stored to the ship’s computer systems, and/or routed to special ejectable photo-canisters.

*Long Range Radio and Laser Communications---Radio range:100,000 miles, Laser range; 200,000 miles, Scrambler/Signal Decryption standard

*Long Range Radar---Includes EM detectors, terrain-following, IFF, low-altitude discrimination. Range: 120 miles

*Sonar---Extendable sonar dome/pod for use when the ship is waterborne; 10 mile range.

*Magnetic Anomaly Detector(MAD)---Not only used for detecting enemy craft, the sensitivity of this system can be tuned to perform geophysical survey. Less effective at detecting non-metallic vessels and organics. Range: 5 miles, and has a 70% chance of detecting submerged vessels( -20% for non-metallic artificial objects, and no chance of detecting organics).

*EW Suite---Basic frequency jumping and radar/IR jamming. Radar-guided weapons are -2 to strike the craft

*EMP Shielding---Extensive use of non-conductive materials, shock barriers, capacitator-sponges, redundant systems, and energy-disipation technology protects the aircraft from the damaging effects of electro-magnetic pulse, Triax Lightning Cannon, and other anti-electronics directed energy weaponry.

*Automated Mini-Lab---The standard Exastar exploration ship carries a heavily automated mini-lab with computerized analysis systems, and sealed ‘hot box’ containers for studying samples and artifacts. Scan systems include 3-D X-ray/CATscan, tunneling electron microscope, mini-MRI, spectrographic analysis, and Kirallian/PPE scanners. The automated systems give a +5% to skills such as Chemistry, Chemistry: Analytical, Identify Plants & Fruits, Botany, Biology, and Xenobiology.

Weapons Systems:
1) Forward Laser Turret---The nose sports a retractable laser turret
Range: 6,000 ft
Damage:2d4x10 MD per blast
Rate of Fire: EGCHH
Payload: Effectively Unlimited
Bonus: Advanced Targeting systems give these weapons a +2 to strike

2) Rear Laser Turrets(2)---Similar to those carried on the SkyTiger, these weapons protect the tail of the aircraft from dogtailing enemies and incoming missiles.
Range: 6,000 ft
Damage:2d4x10 MD per blast
Rate of Fire: EGCHH
Payload: Effectively Unlimited
Bonus: Advanced Targeting systems give these weapons a +2 to strike

3) Ordnance Bay---Ventral rotary ordnance bay. It can be used for carrying additional cargo, but it is typically used to carry an array of self-defense missiles and surface attack weapons.
a) Mini-Missiles---64
b) Short Range Missiles---32
c) Medium Range Missiles---16
d) Long Range Missiles---8
e) Bombs-------Can carry ‘iron’ or ‘smart’ bombs; either take the equivalent missile warhead and DOUBLE the blast radius, or can carry TWICE the number of warhead equivalents as missiles

4) Wing Pylon Bays(2)---Two modular weapons/avionics bays are built into extendable stablizer float-pods in the wings. These smaller bays can be fitted with additional avionics or weaponry.
a) Recon Pod---Additional sensor pallets can be added in modular pods, depending on the intended mission. The most common are ELINT detection pods and photorecon modules with wide-scan multi-spectral stereo-optic cameras and Kirallian imaging.
b) Mini-Missiles---16
c) Short Range Missiles---8
d) Medium Range Missiles---4
e) Long Range Missiles---2
f) Drones---1 drone RPV per hardpoint--typically some type like the DS-21
g) Laser Pod-----This is the 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: ECHH
Payload: 200 shot battery if conventionally powered. Effectively Unlimited if nuclear powered

5) Flare/Chaff Launchers(2)---Standard countermeasure system common to most PS aircraft.
Range: Close Defense
Damage: None; similar to Triax-style chaff
01-50 Enemy Missile or volley detonates in chaff and threat is neutralized
51-75 Missile/Volley diverts and may pursue/lock on to other targets
76-00 No Effect! Missile(s) still on target!
Will also temporarily blind and impede flying monsters who fly into it.
Reduce APMs/combat bonuses/ speed by half for 1d4 melees
Payload: 18 per launcher, 36 total

[taalismn]

My bad, I forgot PMs Go into a separate inbox.

And now straight from Paragon Products, a division of Paladin Steel that researches Superpowers based in Martha's Vineyard off the coast of Massachusetts, is our first two products:
Comments are welcome

Interesting choice...I've written up Martha's Vineyard as a Fade Island, giving it an extra edge of security; I'll have to forward you my notes on it...
You familiar with Martha's Vineyard?

[89er]

My bad, I forgot PMs Go into a separate inbox.

And now straight from Paragon Products, a division of Paladin Steel that researches Superpowers based in Martha's Vineyard off the coast of Massachusetts, is our first two products:
Comments are welcome

Interesting choice...I've written up Martha's Vineyard as a Fade Island, giving it an extra edge of security; I'll have to forward you my notes on it...
You familiar with Martha's Vineyard?

Oh yeah, I go there every end of summer.

Oh, forgot to add the prices.

Gecko Grips: 1,400 credits
Doorman: 6,000 credits

Nice idea with the Exastar

[taalismn]

Oh yeah, I go there every end of summer.

Oh, forgot to add the prices.



Nice idea with the Exastar

Thanks...
Yeah, my folks have a cottage in Oak BLuffs, and a brother who works at the local bookstore...I try to get out there for a 5-days-week each year, sit on a porch, and not deal with any sort of electronic connections for awhile*sigh*...peace and quiet...so a lot of my fantasy and magic inspiration comes from wandering among the old houses and trees....My first mental image of 'infinity' came from walking the bike paths/fire lanes in the middle of the island, and my only two aircraft rides were from VIneyard airfields....So it's got good memories for me...

Now, apparently, it has a local high tech firm


But here's what I had on a backburner on Martha's Vineyard....use it if you wish, or substitute your own version...with a 'Fade Island', there's no reason why there can't be 'stacked' versions of the same island co-existing, like in the Yucatan Dimensonal zone...and we all know about the temporal pecularities around what used to be Nantucket, don't we?

Martha’s Vineyard

“It’s a pleasant place to visit...almost like stepping back to the Golden Age when prosperity was taken for granted, and places like this catered to the wealthy citizens of American Empire New England, the summer residents, and the ‘daytrippers’ who came over for a day or so of relaxation. Architecture dating back to the late 1800’s(pre-Rifts calendar) can be found, with structures running the centuries since, to the Rebuilds of the Golden Age, necessitated by the rising sea levels prior to the Coming of the Rifts.
I’ve noticed a higher incidence of ghosts, however....not of the malicious entity type, but more of the ‘neighbor’ type.....Most of the locals are oblivious, or willingly blasé, about their presence, but it took some getting used to....seeing translucent forms standing next to shop doorways, walking down a scenic street, or lounging on the many porches here....as I suspect they did as flesh and blood so long ago...”

On the few navigation charts of the post-Rifts era, little remains of the pre-Rifts Cape Cod island of Martha’s Vineyard except a large and treacherous sandscrape and series of shipwrecking shoals...at least most of the time....The fact of the matter is, the ORIGINAL Martha’s Vineyard, coastline and all, is outside normal space/time in a pocket of folded continua...a micro-universe....of its own. At the time of the Coming of the Rifts (December 22nd, 2098), the island became enshrouded by a thick blanket of glowing fog that became only denser and more impenetrable the further one moved out from the shore of the island, out to a distance of 1,000 ft. All communications with the outside world were cut, including the submarine phone and power cables.
The island population, not very populous in the off-season for tourism, were struck by panic...At first, many believed the glowing fog to be a chemical accident or terrorist attack, or, as the loss of communications became evident, radioactive fallout from the destroyed mainland....Only when a few on-island scientists(attached to Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute and various fish and game bureaus) failed to detect gamma radiation and its products in the clouds, did that particular wild rumor fizzle. An initial wave of attempts to reach the mainland proved futile or disasterous...the fog either forced boaters to turn about and return or it swallowed them without a trace...Aircraft attempting to take off faced a similar fate....either being forced to circle and return to the runways or they disappeared into the clouds forever.
As time progressed, times turned hard for the Island...with no more food and material support coming from the mainland, and only limited means of growing their own food(and no real industry of their own; the island long having become a summer retreat tourist-based economy), the Islanders saw grim times of belt-tightening ahead. Many, especially visitors, became especially depressed, and suicides were common. However, for those who hung on. some progress was being made, and hope was kindled in the discovery that the climate within the bubble was becoming more temperate, as if, despite the unusual fog barrier still in place, the climatic clock of the seasons still remained in place, if somewhat accelerated(though some feared that the temperature would continue to rise until the entire island cooked), and ultimately stabilized. Rain continued to fall on a regular basis, fish could still be caught in the offshore waters(though a few rather unusual specimens were being hauled in, much to the fishermen’s consternation and the biologists’ delight), and truck gardens were sprouting all over the island, so the food situation might just stabilize as well, though rationing would be necessary. Solar and wind power, supplemented by fuel cells and a handful of small micronuclear power packs (brought by either wealthy residents to power their summer homes or attached to Coast Guard craft) provided some electrical power as well. The local hospital soldiered on, though advanced medicines and surgical spares were quickly becoming things of the past. The people might survive, but the standard of living was deteriorating quickly.
Over the months that followed, a few strangers made their way to the Island, and upon discovery by the locals, were greeted either with great fanfare or great suspicion....the latter dispelled only by the fact that these strangers seemed as perplexed by the discovery of the island and its inhabitants as the locals were by the odd appearance and fragmentary tales told by the strangers of worlds turned upside down. Many of these strangers turned and disappeared as quickly as they arrived, leaving in their wake more questions than answers, and a few of the more ‘normal’ types settled to join the native population.
Then the ZOT arrived...An alien organization of multidimensional, intergalactic nonconformists and misfits, the ZOT were many and well-organized, and they had all the answers...and they were willing to explain to the locals what had happened. It was the ZOT that gave the local Islanders their first comprehensive history of the Coming of the Rifts, the explanation of a Fadetown, and what it all meant for them.
Time, it seemed, flowed at a far slower rate within the dimensional pocket, so that few of those trapped within would be able to recognize what lay beyond the bubble...and, as the ZOT agents explained, it would be dangerous indeed what with all the dangers that lay in the waters and on the mainland....Despite their emotional distress and material privation, the Islanders had what might be considered a sanctuary of sorts, the ZOT were careful to explain, and with that in mind, the ZOT wanted to make the locals a deal.
In return for guaranteed resumption of supplies and power to the island, the ZOT would buy or rent the majority of the old summer houses(and pay to restore those torn down for materials) that were now considered available property(by dint of their off-Island owners having passed away with the Coming of the Rifts and subsequent years of turmoil), as resort facilities for their employees, retirement homes for officers of the organization, and rest therapy centers for clients of the ZOT.
The third-generation islanders since the Coming of the Rifts are now completely acclimated to being, once again, a resort community ...albeit for alien beings and off-worlders. Though some local folks resent the fact that much of the local government has been turned over to the ZOT establishment, there’s enough knowledge of the outside world by this point that they realize that such management is necessary, for the island’s continued survival.
A traveler from the early 21st century would still recognize much of the Island and its communities; historical neighborhoods like Oak Bluffs and Edgartown having been painstakingly restored, and in many cases, the buildings reinforced by the liberal use of megadamage enchantments. The introduction of magic and alien technology has done little to mare the old-fashioned feel of much of the island community(indeed, that same magic and technology had done much to restore and maintain much of the island’s historic grandeur), though many quaint old souvenir and craft shops are now owned and operated by a new generation of magic users and technowizards(where else can one pick up a leyline storm-detecting weather vane or a genuine magic fish lure?).
Of course the discerningly paranoid dimensional traveler will spot the changes; a modern magic energy distribution system underlies much of the island, paralleling the modern power grid fed by fusion generators. The hospital has been upgraded to provide magica healing and full body regeneration treatments. An offshore forcefield barrier provides protection against the encroachment of the sea, and the ZOT-reinforced police are ready to handle anything else that slips through.
Still, being a resort and refuge community for superpowered beings and crossdimensional corporate types, the sense of the island is not so much of productivity as in relaxation and serenity.
Population: 8,000 original residents; transient population of 7,000
Military: For a ‘resort’ community in a phase-space bubble, ZOT Martha’s Vineyard is surprisingly well protected... The police are all equipped with EBA and modern weaponry, and a contingent of Coast Guard maintain both a flotilla of patrol boats and shore defenses....All lighthouses have been refitted with wider arcs of illumination...for the heavy lasers inside the reinforced megadamage towers...and a few of the more affluent/powerful residents have their own security forces and bodyguards.
Of course, on a moment’s notice, within a few minutes, the ZOT can d-gate in hundreds, if not thousands, of its troops in the event of a major threat.
Points of Interest:
*Vineyard Haven---Considered the industrial center of MV, it boasts several small boatyards, an energy plant, and modern chemosynthesis mini-fac.
*Oak Bluffs---The ‘Party Town’ pre-Rifts, Oak Bluffs is somewhat quieter these days, but still attracts a goodly share of rowdiness in its bars and eateries. It’s also well-known for its celebrations. It has the second-highest level of ghost activity on the island.
*Edgartown---Former whaling town known for its whaling captain manors, Edgartown is rather upscale and quiet(but it has the highest ghost population of the island).
*West Tisbury/Aquinah---The regions known as Aquina and West Tisbury are now wholly controlled by Native Americans, and are off limits to Causcasians and those not of Native American descent. Only ‘bespoken’ visitors and friends of the tribe may enter the area. Rumors that a giant Indian spirit known as ‘Moshup’ frequents the area also keeps most potential troublemakers away.

[abtex]

Heck...even a frame of enchanted oak might make for a good carry-all, provided the being had the P.S.(enhanced to supernatural levels) to lift the loaded weight...Backpack frames of the stuff?

GRM for the non magic side of the coin.

[taalismn]

Heck...even a frame of enchanted oak might make for a good carry-all, provided the being had the P.S.(enhanced to supernatural levels) to lift the loaded weight...Backpack frames of the stuff?

GRM for the non magic side of the coin.

GRM?...Gravity-Resistant Material?

[abtex]

Heck...even a frame of enchanted oak might make for a good carry-all, provided the being had the P.S.(enhanced to supernatural levels) to lift the loaded weight...Backpack frames of the stuff?

GRM for the non magic side of the coin.

GRM?...Gravity-Resistant Material?

Right on the money.
now how much with it cost? For the average, good and the better stuff.

[taalismn]

Hmmm...the upper end GMR unit would be indistinguishable from the KeraTech grav-pack, the low-end would pretty much limited in certain environments....hmmm...lemme think this one over...

[Aramanthus]

Excellent material. I like the new company/ partners! I'm looking forward to procuring their new material. We here in the Federated States will be purchasing some of their material as sson as it becomes available.

Nice write up on Martha's Vineyard!

[taalismn]

Yeah, well...couldn't have the old stomping grounds disappear beneath the waves like that...

[Aramanthus]

LOL I can understand that. Especially when it plays into your life that much!

[taalismn]

PLus the local legends of giant Indian nature gods mucking around the area make for a good blend of traditionalism and colonial superstition....The island was once used as a 'retreat' for the Methodists...all that's gotta leave a psychic mark too...

[89er]

All good reasons why its the location for the main factory.

And to celebrate, here's an new product you all might enjoy:

Warrior Sleeves
Superpower: Body Weapon
Tired of never having a weapon on you when it really counts? Want to be armed to the teeth but don’t want to invest your time and money into learning how to fight? Then slide on your Warrior Sleeves!
Resembling a semi-clear fingerless glove-sleeve, this item enables the wearer to alter the shape and structure of his extremities into S.D.C. melee weapons. You can turn your fingers into scythe-like claws; grow spikes from your knuckles, have hatchets for hands, even turn your entire forearm into an axe. The weapons formed can range from a variety of blades and blunt objects to tools like screwdrivers and picks. Putting it on has never been easier, just slide the sleeve over your entire arm, make a fist and the sleeve integrates with your body, clean and without pain. To remove, just wiggle your thumb and peel off.
Damage: Damage is 1D4 for a single knife-like blade made from a finger-each finger can be turned into a blade, creating claws that do 4D4 damage. The same applies to knuckle blades, horns/hooks or spikes, each doing 1D4 damage (one per knuckle).
An arm can be molded into a club, mace, hammer, or similar blunt weapon that does 2D6 damage +P.S. and hand to hand combat bonuses.
A sword, axe, glaive or similar blade weapon inflicts 3D6 damage +P.S. and hand to hand combat bonuses.
All P.P., P.S., and W.P. skill bonuses to strike, parry and damage are applicable. The weapon arm is as hard as steel and has a base S.D.C. of 4D4x10. The Body Weapon cannot be removed from the body.
Special Bonus: +1 on the initiative and +2 to disarm. Automatically has the fighting ability of paired weapons.
Range: Limited to reach
Price: 4,800 credits

[taalismn]

Just remember to change your extremity back into a normal limb before scratching behind your ear or swatting tha mosquito on your forehead...

"Krul, this is, what?, the eighth time you've mace-brained yourself trying to rub your eyes?"

[abtex]

Swiss Super Coupe – the 858 bhp Sportec SPR1 4WD Super Coupe
http://www.gizmag.com/swiss-super-coupe ... upe/11772/

May 22, 2009 Start with a Porsche, throw away all the bits and reengineer or replace everything, then slot in an 858 bhp twin turbo engine – that's the Swiss-made Sportec SPR1. It's one of the few production cars in the world capable of more than 380 km/h. Using exotic materials of all kinds, weight has been pared down to just 1345 kg, enabling the beastie to hit 100kmh in three seconds and 200 kmh in 8.7 seconds. The electrically adjustable chassis adapts itself to any requirements at the push of a button and those massive, ultra-light forged rims enable gigantic brakes capable of stopping from 100 km/h in just 36 metres More than half of Sportec’s limited SPR1 production run has already been sold and the UKP600,000 car will be seen outside Switzerland for the first time at the hyper exclusive Salon Privé at London's Hurlingham Club in July so prospective British customers can appreciate it in the flesh.

Boasting over 850bhp from its twin turbo power plant, the four wheel drive SPR1 has been clocked at over 235mph at the Nardo high speed circuit in Italy and it's ability to adapt apparently sees it as quite gentle, compliant and easy-to-drive around town as it is rigid and roadholding at speed on the Autobahn.

While the car's Porsche heritage is obvious from the shape, very little of the original remains. One of the advantages of the complete rebuild is the customization available – almost any design, functionality, trim or feature is available and specially trained consultants are available to assist and advise in selecting one's choice guaranteeing the highest degree of exclusiveness.

Based at the Hurlingham Club, Salon Privé features the cream of classic and contemporary high performance cars, running from the 22nd-24th July 2009.

Salon Privé

Does Paladin Steel still use primitive 21sin tech in making it's vehicle construction [like above]?

[abtex]

Paladin Steel ‘Classic Movers’ Series

* PS-M4 Tractor-Crawler
Weight: weightless

Uses GRM frame?

If you can PS P.75 ’Beep’, the Jeep-GI.
Could you Sahariana, the PS/VWA ‘Thing’
Image results for Sahariana

AS-42 Camionette Saharan the top half on vehicle and weapons, the bottom on building the model but may cause future projects.

[taalismn]

Paladin Steel ‘Classic Movers’ Series

* PS-M4 Tractor-Crawler
Weight: weightless

Uses GRM frame?

If you can PS P.75 ’Beep’, the Jeep-GI.
Could you Sahariana, the PS/VWA ‘Thing’
Image results for Sahariana

AS-42 Camionette Saharan the top half on vehicle and weapons, the bottom on building the model but may cause future projects.

I'm going to have to correct that
But don't worry..once we perfect the GMR tech, you'll be seeing all manner of pimped vehicles...up to the imposing and impressive GMRShips..(Think flying Victory Ship freighters)...

[abe]

Just a thought,how about a archimedes screw?

[taalismn]

[
Does Paladin Steel still use primitive 21sin tech in making it's vehicle construction [like above]?

Yeah, we do, especially in our affiliates and developing territories..but we update with even more efficient fuel engine technology, lighter, stronger materials, and options, options, options....Outdimension, that means stuff you can't find locally, like grigleaper-hide upholstery, TW collision protection, and low-military grade cellphone area jammers...

[taalismn]

Just a thought,how about a archimedes screw?

As a propulsion device, you mean?
Or for general agricultural pumping?(sure, PS can provide the latter, as part of our agricultural development package specials, along with water filtration gear, solar-powered fridges, and ergometric energy harvester gear...leg pads and bicycle gearing for charging batteries...)

[abe]

as a water-gathering device.

[abtex]

If you can PS P.75 ’Beep’, the Jeep-GI.
Could you Sahariana, the PS/VWA ‘Thing’

I'm going to have to correct that
But don't worry..once we perfect the GMR tech, you'll be seeing all manner of pimped vehicles...up to the imposing and impressive GMR Ships..(Think flying Victory Ship freighters)...

Ok. Always thought Ekranoplans crossed with Victory and Liberty Ships, oversized flyers made a nice combo of suchs.

Has marketing or development taken a look at Saharan as LR patrol vehicles or oversize crew [cyborg or DBee folk] yet?

[abtex]

as part of our agricultural development package specials

How far does PS take their "agricultural development package specials"?

Formula 3 racing car powered by chocolate and steered by carrots - seriously
The WorldFirst Formula 3 racing car after a trip to the farmer's market for some spare parts
http://www.gizmag.com/formula-3-racing- ... sly/11625/

May 7, 2009 Environmentally friendly vehicles conjure up thoughts of a Toyota Prius hybrid or maybe a vehicle powered by hydrogen fuel cells, but a Formula 3 racing car generally wouldn’t be the first thing to come to mind. This "WorldFirst Formula 3 car" unveiled by researchers at the University of Warwick might just change that impression - and it's eco-friendliness goes way beyond the bio diesel engine that drives it. The racer is powered by chocolate, steered by carrots, has bodywork made from potatoes and can still do 125mph around corners.

The WorldFirst Formula 3 car is constructed from a veritable farmer's market of plants and vegetables. This includes a race specification steering wheel derived from carrots and other root vegetables, a flax fiber and soybean oil foam racing seat, a woven flax fiber bib, mirrors made from potato starch, brake pads made from ground cashew nut shells, plant oil based lubricants and a bio diesel engine configured to run on fuel derived from waste chocolate and vegetable oil (any chocoholics complaining that there’s no such thing as waste chocolate should know the term refers to waste from chocolate factories, not the remainder of a chocolate bar that someone couldn’t finish). The car also incorporates a radiator coated in an emission destroying catalyst and meets all the Formula 3 racing standards with the exception of its bio diesel engine, as Formula 3 cars currently cannot use bio diesel.

The team has tested the car to around 60mph, (96kmh), and are making final adjustments to the engine in hopes of reaching speeds of over 144mph, (232kmh), when they hit the racetrack in a few weeks time. They also claim the 2.0-liter BMW turbo diesel engine can propel the car from 0-62mph, (100kmh) in under four seconds, proving it is possible to build a competitive racing car using technologies that are friendlier towards the environment.

It was this desire to show the industry just how much is possible such technologies that drove the team to build the car. While the main focus of car manufacturers has been decreasing engine emissions, the University of Warwick team broadened their vision to include the raw materials used to build the car, as well considering its final disposal. The result was a car that is 95% biodegradable and demonstrates that automotive environmentalism can and should be about the whole package.

The WorldFirst Formula 3 racing car took the University of Warwick team more than nine months to develop and cost around £150,000, (approx. USD$227,000 at time of publication). It will go on display at several races including the European Grand Prix and Britain's Goodwood Festival of Speed.

Anyone still doubting the existence of the chocolate powered Formula 3 car can check out the vid of the car in action below.

Darren Quick

Win or lost there will be a dinner at the end of the race.

[abtex]

Just a thought,how about a archimedes screw?

As a propulsion device, you mean?

The archimedes screw replacing tracks on a tracked vehicle looks strange, but having a vehicle that can go in any direction even sideways. makes even a stranger scent. If used in the right terrain or job, like minefield clearing.

part of our agricultural development package specials,

Does PS make Agri vehicles as part of thier "Classic Movers" we're moving in vehicle projects?
Or at least refit kits for the CM vehicles?

Any more CM vehicles coming?

[abe]

Don't forget the mega-bellows!(basically bellows that are so large that when they blow air they can knock down man-sized objects that aren't part of or securely attached to the ground!)

[taalismn]

Paladin Steel ‘Crusader’ Heavy Aerospace Fighter

“Damn manned sounding rocket, that’s what the thing is....”
“It’s a ROCKETplane, you jerk......and I bet a guy like you wouldn’t have climbed into the old X-15 unless you got a money-back-guarantee that you wouldn’t spill your beer while flying combat....’Right Stuff’ my ass!”
(brawl ensues)

“Not all of us were happy with the Crusader when it came out...for one thing, they overbuilt the thing, anticipating all sorts of trouble getting through and back with the Interface....so we had large reserves of ammunition and large amounts of fuel onboard to tide us over until we had the opportunity to get back down. But that meant that our fast movers _sloshed_ and were damn heavy on the stick when we launched...Ship’s performance actually got BETTER the more reaction mass we burned...
And all that extra mass had to be stowed somewhere....the way the Crusader was designed, we had the cockpit perched over the internal missile magazine, with a big LOx tank ahead of it in the main body, insulated and shielded from the bay by a honey-combed armor baffle-plate bulkhead deal...but the piping ran through the missile bay under the cockpit...supposedly it helped keep the pilot cool, but we tended to sweat....if a missile went spare and pierced the tank, the thing could flash in your face and you’d be dead before you knew it, or if the pipes got nicked or developed a leak, it would spray liquid oxygen all over the munitions...lock the rotary loader, and spritz the missiles, maybe even ignite...either way you were screwed.
Engineers said it wouldn’t happen, and there was no definite evidence that it did, but I knew a few wingmates who flashed out suddenly....and I just KNOW that’s what went bad...”
----Captain(retired) Peter Naylor, Vermont Free State Space Force, former commander, 1st Aerospace Fighter Wing, in his memoirs; ‘Starlight, Starflight, Starfighter’, Eternity Press, New Boston, 175 PA

“Yet despite all that, we managed to whip Orbital ass!”
-----Captain(retired) Amil Yefhag, 1st Aerospace Wing, when asked his opinion of Naylor’s book on VFSPTV’s “We Were There’ series, aired 175 PA.

“The Crusader was the ship of the time, and for the time...despite all its design flaws, the Crusader did its job, did it well, and paved new paths for subsequent generations of native designed Earth spacecraft that followed. That’s alot better than many designs can claim...”
---Dale Redding, Curator, New Montpelier Colony Historical Society, 150 PA.

The Paladin Steel Crusader was an early design for an advanced aerospace vehicle capable of performing in both atmosphere and deep space, as part of PS’s space programme, to assist in the Second Breakout into Earth orbit.
The Crusader has a long, slender, conical main body, with the cockpit module located far back on the back of the main fuselage. Two short, slim, sweptback wings, with two smaller ‘winglets’ branching from their ends, project from the rear sides of the craft, a large tail plane rises from the dorsal side, and a pair of retractable ‘keel board’ strake fins dropfrom the ventral side. The rear end sports two side-by-side thruster nacelles, with two jet engine thrusters mounted above.
Because PS had only a limited knowledge of what sort of conditions to expect on either side of the atmospheric dimensional interface, they overbuilt the craft....the Crusader weighs in at over thirty tons fully loaded, much heavier than contemporary atmospheric fightercraft and many bombers. Part of the weight comes from the fact that the Crusader carries three different engines, a tri-hybrid system designed to provide multiple levels of performance and redundancy. The main body mounts a conventional ‘hot jet’ plasma drive system, an early-model high-efficiency GMR/contra-gravity drive system(allowing it to breach the Interface without the assistance of a carrier craft), and two high-power turbojets(their retractable air intakes opening from either side of the main body behind the cockpit blister). The Crusader carries five tons of liquid deuterium reaction mass, estimated to be more than sufficient for extended operations. Multiple maneuvering verniers were faired into the main body and wings to give the craft full freedom of movement in zero-gee.
Armament was relatively light , but abundant, compared to other aerospace fighter craft in service with other companies. The main armament was a pair of long-range laser cannon mounted in the nose, backed by two smaller pulse lasers in the main body just forward of the cockpit module. A second pair of pulse lasers were mounted in the tail of the craft, to discourage tail-end attacks. Two smaller, wide-aperature, pulse-lasers were mounted in the wings, at the fork of the main wing and winglets. Backing up the laser weaponry were two retractable short-range missile launchers, supplied from a common magazine, just under the cockpit and opening up on the ventral sides. Two hardpoints on the slender wings, for carrying additional optional weaponry, round out the Crusader’s firepower.
The Crusader mounts a respectable amount of armor protection, as well, as it was expected to deal with both high orbit, high-speed debris collisions, and weapons fire, as hinted at by the early probes through the Interface.
Operationally, the first Crusaders launched in escort of the PS/GNE penetration of the Orbital Containment Zone, from a tail-sitting position, assisted by two disposable solid-rocket booster rockets, or else were borne aloft and launched at high altitude from heavy aircraft(such as the SkyMaster III) that piggybacked them. Later models and missions were carried aloft on capital spacecraft, or took off conventionally.
The Crusader was a fine machine for its time, and for a time held several records as the fastest and highest flying craft of its time among the companies of the GNE corporate alliance, but it was still very much an experimental machine, built by engineers who lacked much practical experience in aerospace design(at least as it had evolved since the Coming of the Rifts). As mentioned before, the Crusader was quite large and heavy, and though incredibly fast(hypersonic) in atmosphere, it proved disappointingly slow and unresponsive in the in-atmo theatre of operations. It proved a much better dogfighter in space, where it had the reaction mass to burn in zero-gee maneuvering, but its sluggish atmospheric performance and limited utility quashed the hopes of many Free Vermont military planners to use the craft as a multi-service fighter-bomber. This, and other design considerations, led to only a dozen or so squadrons being produced for the Second Breakout before PS began looking at more advanced replacement designs, such as the StarTiger and the Tercel. Though the design saw extensive use during the early days of PS’s space programme, as well as some use with Earthside long-range recon units, the Crusader began to fall out of favor with the military. The Dreadnought Crisis is generally regarded as the last hurrah of the Crusader, when PS lost over half of its space-based Crusader wings in their courageous defense of the space facilities against the Splugorth monster-starship. After that, the Vermont State Space Forces began withdrawing the ship from active service as other craft became available, and currently only a few reserve units, both Earthside and in space, operate the Crusader. A number of Crusaders have also been transferred to the service of GNE allies and affiliates.
A later SF-2R variant also entered service, dropping the forward heavy lasers in favor of a new optical window nose and sensor pallet. This model was used largely for recon work and scientific surveillance, though sometimes it was used as a pathfinder for bombing missions. As the Crusader fleet grew older and smaller, the majority of these vessels were converted to the SF-2R configuration.
Type:PS-TAV-SF-2
Class: Aerospace Fighter
Date of Introduction: 104 PA
Crew: One
MDC/Armor by Location:
Main Body 550
Reinforced Pilot’s Compartment 120
Wings(2) 100 each
Tail Plane 100
Ventral Strake Fins(2) 30 each
Turbo-Jet Nacelles(2) 100 each
Short Range Missile Launchers(2) 50 each
Height: 18 ft. 25 ft w/ lower tail plane extended
Width: 32 ft wingspan
Length: 56 ft
Weight: 30 tons fully loaded, 20 tons empty
Cargo:Minimal; small glove-compartment-sized space in crew compartment, in addition to ejection seat survival packs
Powerplant:Nuclear-Fusion w/ 10 year energy life
Speed:(Atmosphere---Turbojets) Mach 3
(Atmosphere---Fusion Drive) Mach 7
(Atmosphere---GMR Drive) Hover to Mach
(Space---Fusion Drive) .01 LS
Acceleration: 7 gs
Burns fuel at a rate of 1 ton of fuel per hour of constant acceleration
(Space---GMR Drive).02 LS, but accelerates/decelerates at 1/8 the rate of the fusion drive
Cost:NOT FOR SALE!
(After 122 PA, PS allowed limited sales of older machines to approved affiliates----a reconditioned Crusader cost about 12 million credits)

Bonuses:+1 to Strike and +1 Dodge, in addition to pilot’s training bonuses and targeting system bonuses

Systems of Note:
*Radar: Range(effective) 250 miles in atmosphere/3,000 miles in space and can track up to 60 targets at once.
*Radar/EM/Laser Radiation Detection
*Radiation Detector
*Standard Video Optics plus:
Thermo-Imaging
IR/UV Optics
Telescopic/Image Enhancement Optics
Low-Light/Nightvision system
*Combat Computer: The Crusader is equipped with an advanced
combat computer that can store and analyze data during combat with hostile forces. Data collected by the combat computer can be fed directly to the pilot via Head Up Display or cyberlink (see below), which allows the system to display large amounts of data to the pilot and even highlight enemies and missile attacks with overlaid graphics. The combat computer tracks and identifies specific enemy targets, and has a database of over 10,000 images stored in memory. The computer can identify and track up to 250 targets simultaneously, and gives the pilot the following bonuses (in addition to any others): +1 to Strike and +2 Dodge. (+1 to initiative if using a Cyberlink)
*Motion Detector/Collision Warning System: (particularly useful for
maneuvering in close quarters) 500 foot warning alarm.
*Radio/Video Communications: Wide band and directional, radio and video transmission capabilities with a 500,00 mile range.
*Laser Communications--- 100,000 mile range
*Laser Targeting: +1 to strike with ranged weapons.
*Audio/Visual Flight Recorder
*Forward Landing Gear Spotlight: 300 foot range.
*Heat & Radiation Shields
*Independent Oxygen & Circulatory System - Sufficient for 6 days, and
includes full radiation and environmental shielding.

*Cyberlink(optional): An advanced cybernetic control system allows the
pilot 'jack in', if so equipped(or a dedicated pilot ‘Borg), to the plane, linking him with the plane as if by telemechanics. The pilot is so in tune with the plane and their environment that he instantly knows everything involving their plane and its operations. A series of tiny external cameras normally used for Virtual Environment Cockpits is tied into the cyberlink, giving them an uncanny 360 degree view around the craft. providing them a +1 to init and dodge, in addition to the normal cyberlink bonuses.

*Electromagnetic Radiation Shielding----The fighter sports an EM radiation deflection field generator to protect the crew from background radiation and solar flares.

*Ejection Module---Rather than an ejection seat mechanism, the Crusader’s entire RPC can detach and eject from the rest of the ‘fighter in an emergency. The escape module has limited attitude control, the two jet engines with about an hour’s worth of fuel for control in atmosphere(and some duration to allow the pilot to find a safe place to land), parasail wing, emergency life support(good for a week), survival kit, distress beacons, heatshield, and flotation bags(given the speed and range of the Crusader, PS engineers anticipated that any bailout under the Interface in semi-ballistic transit could put the downed pilot on the other side of the world from the VFS coastal rescue patrols).

*ECM Suite----- The Crusader has a standard ECM suite for confusing sensor-guided weapons; -3 to strike

Weapons Systems:
1) Heavy Lasers(2)---Two large laser cannons are housed in the nose, firing forward.
Range: 2 miles in atmosphere, 20 miles in space
Damage: 1d6x10+10 MD per blast, 2d6x10+20 MD for a dual blast(counts as one attack)
Rate of Fire: ECHH
Payload: Effectively unlimited

2) Medium Pulse Lasers(4)---Mounted just in front of the cockpit, with a second pair in the tail, these weapons give the pilot something else to shoot with. Not as powerful or as long-ranged as the main lasers, the medium pulse lasers nevertheless do an admirable job of tearing up targets at closer ranges.
Range: 4,000 ft(16,000 ft in space)
Damage: 6d6 MD per laser
Rate of Fire: ECHH
Payload: Effectively unlimited

3) Light Pulse Lasers(2)---These are mounted in the wings, where the two wingtip ‘winglets’ join the rest of the wing. The weapons are patterned after a pre-Rifts anti-missile laser system uncovered by PS researchers(a variant of the same system would become the SLAS system used on the Cordoba Puma-class MBT---see Rifts South America Two, pg 181 for details). In atmosphere, these weapons supplement the other energy weapons at extremely lose ranges. In space, the focusing end elements of these lasers can be extended out of the wings on the end of eight-foot long ‘light poles’, and the lenses re-oriented to produce a hemispherical arc of fire protecting one side of the fighter from missile and small debris strikes. Pilots call this the ‘disco light defense’, and PS intended it to help clear the space around the lifting fighter of dangerous debris as the fighter cleared the Debris Belt that sensor probes had told told them would be encountered on the other side of the Interface.
Range: 2,000 ft(20,000 ft in space)
Damage: 2d6 MD per beam
Rate of Fire: ECHH, or Eight attacks per melee if in automated anti-missile mode(CANNOT be used for anything BUT anti-missile duty....disengaging the laser system for any other purpose takes a melee action.
Bonuses: +3 to strike missiles.
The laser can shoot down up to five missiles in a volley at a time; any more than five missiles, and there is a 40% chance that the system will freeze up and can only hit one missile(no bonuses to strike) in the volley!
Payload: Effectively unlimited

4) Short-Range Missile Launchers(2)---Built into the lower ventral sides of the main fuselage, these open-out launchers are supplied from a common rotary magazine.
Range: Varies by missile type(range and speed x 4 in space)
Damage:Varies by missile type
Rate of Fire: Volleys of 1, 2, 3, 4, or 6
Payload: 6 SRMs per launcher, with 48 in the central rotary magazine(reloads in one melee)

5) Wing Hardpoints(2)---Each wing mounts a single midpoint hardpoint that can accommodate ONE of the following:
a) Mini-Missile Pod----each hardpoint can accommodate a 10-shot MM pod
b) Short Range Missile Launcher----each hardpoint can accommodate a 5-shot SRM launch box
c) Medium Range Missile Launcher---each hardpoint can accommodate 2 MRMs
or hyper-accurate HV missiles( 75 miles/300 miles, 2d6x10 MD, +7 to
strike)
d) Long Range Missile---each hardpoint can accommodate 1 LRM

e)Light Gunpod-----one gunpod per hardpoint
Range: 3,000 ft(12,000 ft in space)
Damage: 5d6 MD per 10 rd burst(can only fire bursts)
Rate of Fire: EPCHH
Payload: 1,000 rds(100 bursts)

f) Light Autocannon----This is actually an attempt to adapt the 20mm ‘Taskin’ Infantry Cannon and ‘Waybur’ OICW’s twenty-millimeter high-explosive proximity-fuzed ‘smart’ munition to use in space. One of the theories PS weapons engineers were itching to test is whether or not the bullets can be be set to fragment a set distance from a target, trading the narrowly confined damage of a single hit for the lesser, but more widespread ‘sandblasting’ damage that is supposedly equally as effective against delicate optical and electronic sensors. In practice, this turned out to be less effective than imagined, as the Orbitals had been armoring their equipment against micro-debris strikes for generations.
Range: 7,000 ft(21,000 ft in space)
Damage: 4d4 MD single rd, 1d6x10 MD per 5 shot burst, 2d6x10 MD per 10 rd burst
Fragmentation burst does 4d4 MD to 16 ft blast radius in vacuum.
Rate of Fire: ECHH
Payload: 500 rds

g)Flare/Chaff Launcher Pod--Identical to the system listed below; 18 flares/chaff bundles carried.

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

Options:
*Medium Laser Replacement---Some units replaced the limited-range pulse lasers near the cockpit with 20mm cannons, adding variety to the Crusader’s armaments.
Range: 21,000 ft(8 miles in space)
Damage:(20 mm) 1d4 MD per shell at 7,500 ft or less, 1 MD per shell up to 21,000 ft
4d6 MD per 5 rd burst(1d6 MD at maximum range)
Airburst does 1d4 MD to 2 ft blast radius(single shot)
(20mm PSX-1)4d4 MD per shell(1d4 MD per shell up to 21,000 ft)
1d6x10 MD per 5 rd burst
Airburst does 4d4 MD to 3.5 ft blast radius(single shot)
(Ramjet) 4d6 MD per shell at 4,500 ft or less, 1d4 MD per shell up to 21,000 ft. Bursts not possible
Rate of Fire: ECHH
Payload: 300 rds

Variants:
*SF-2R---Recon variant that replaced the nose lasers with optical sensor windows panning underside and laterally, for a recon pallet installed internally. Some versions of this, the SF-2RC-D, even replaced the missile bays with extra ELINT and other sensory gear.

[taalismn]

Paladin Steel/Valiant Station ‘Thunderchief II’/’’Jal’Wan’ Aerospace Fighter


“We used eight squadrons of refitted Jal’Wans...what the (Terrans) keep calling the Thunderchief...in Operation HatTrick, going after the Arkhons out by the sixth planet....Sent the fighter-bombers into the rings, while the StarTigers went sweeping overhead to pick a fight with the Arkies...The Jal’Wans were the only ships tough enough to take any damage from particle collisions, and the stealthing matting on them meant there was less of a chance of radar picking them up, even in all the garbage..even after they began unloading their missiles on whatever the ‘Tigers lured over their way...Shouldn’t have worked, but it did...at least until the Arkhons got the same idea, and started hiding their Spikefish in the ring-debris...those things looked even more like broken rock than our ships did, and of course by that time everyone had a nice coating of ice and rock dust...screwed up our sensors big-time.
Ever try creeping through a ring of orbital debris looking for a bad guy, aware that if you try popping up over the stuff for a looksee, some dogface is going to pop a missile or stab a beam into you from above-below? Well, it was sorta like house-to-house fighting...and the Arkies had the advantage because their main armament was beam cannons that they could shoot off pretty much forever..while our missiles were limited, and if we fired them at somebody a mile away, we risked getting hit in the backshock of our own ordnance...
Fortunately, though, the Arkies got tired of playing hide-and-seek, and decided to cut their losses and pull back, but not before we shot the hell out of three of their carriers, and half their escort force. The Martian Salient didn’t get cookies from home that year, nor did the Mother Fleet get any fast-track goodies from Mars, because the Saturn Force was supposed to back up their Trojan base, which we broke the next month. “
----Halbert D’Galwan, Captain, Valiant Station Aerospace Militia, in an interview for_Outbound! The Battle for the Outer Solar System!_

The Jal’Wan(‘Strong Striking Arm’) aerospace fighter was one of several aerospace craft designs that the survivors of Valiant Station brought with them to Rifts Earthspace. A large aerospace plane of Ka’pel (Ekatar)Dwarven design, the Jal’Wan was designed as a flying, high-speed missile platform for both long range anti-spacecraft/anti-satellite work, and ground attack. The Valiant Station Rift Exploration Group was equipped with several squadrons of Jal’Wans to provide cover fire support for the transdimensional exploration teams, as well as to provide interdiction fire should anything come back through the dimensional rift to threaten the station. Most of the squadrons were still in their hangars when the subsequent mutinies erupted, and the station was drawn through the Rift. These craft proved invaluable in securing the station’s survival after its transition into Rifts Earth trans-lunar orbit, as their heavy armor and large missile armaments allowed them, at least initially, to survive large amounts of punishment and mete out the same in return to marauding Orbitals and paranoid CAN patrols. When Valiant Station joined Paladin Steel and GNE, the surviving Jal’Wans were among the craft slated for modification and refurbishment by the engineering committees assigned to reconstructing Valiant Station into a proper outpost of GNE. PS also authorized a limited production run of new Jal’Wan’s, now called the ‘Thunderchief II’, after a pre-Rifts Vietnam-era heavy fighter bomber, to replace losses, beef up the armed forces, and give the newly openned Valiant Shipyard practice. Over the following years, Valiant has continued to turn out new Thunderchiefs and spare parts, and examples of the craft are now found throughout PS’s space operations.
In overall design, the Jal’Wan/Thunderchief II resembles a larger, more rounded F-117 Stealth Fighter-Bomber, with two large bulges in the wings, concealing the large missile pods. A small laser turret is perched in the nose, and a second turret between the fins of the vee-tail. The Thunderchief II is propelled by a hybrid high-efficiency plasma drive and GMR/Contra-Gravity coil similar to that used on the Crusader. Though acceleration rates for the plasma and GMR systems are higher than for earlier PS models, the Thunderchief is still fairly sluggish compared to later PS machines, like the StarTiger II and Tercel. On the plus side, the Thunderchief’s fuel economy and low maintenance drives mean that the fighter-bomber can be trusted to long range patrols and long-endurance overwatch duties. The armor has been replaced with more advanced radar-absorbant materials, giving the ‘fighter a grey-and-black low contrast color-scheme.
Unfortunately, the Thunderchief’s biggest asset, its large missile payload, is also its biggest drawback. Aside from its two small laser cannon, the Thunderchief is virtually toothless; once its missile armament has been expended, the rather sluggish Thud attempts to retreat from the fray. One of the variants, the -L variant(detailed below), attempts to remedy this shortcoming, but the replacement of the missile pods with limited range lasers, has met with only limited success with pilots who prefer the massive damage potential in a volley of missiles. Other variants, using various other laser and particle beam systems, are also being tested to see if they can overcome the L-variant’s problems.

Type: PSVS-TAV-SF-6
Class: Aerospace Fighter-Bomber, Missile
Date of Introduction:(PS edition) 115 PA
Crew: One
MDC/Armor by Location:
Main Body 500
Reinforced Pilot’s Compartment 150
Wings(2) 220 each
Tail 90
Engines(2) 80 each
Missile Launcher Pods(2, wings) 110 each
Pulse Lasers(2) 60 each
Height: 12 ft
Width: 45 ft
Length: 35 ft
Weight: 40 tons
Cargo:Minimal; small trunk-compartment-sized space in crew compartment, in addition to ejection seat survival packs
Powerplant:Nuclear-Fusion w/ 10 year energy life(the Jal’Wan uses a less sophisticated power system than those fitted to more modern PS types)

Speed:(Atmosphere---Turbojets) Mach 3
(Atmosphere---Fusion Drive) Mach 7
(Atmosphere---GMR Drive) Hover to Mach 3
(Space---Fusion Drive) .02 LS
Acceleration: 7 gs
Carries 5 tons of fuel, and consumes fuel at a rate of 1/4 ton per hour of constant acceleration.
(Space---GMR Drive).04 LS, but accelerates/decelerates at 1/4 the rate of the fusion drive( 1.3 gs)
Cost: None have been offered for sale by PS, but several damaged early model Jal’Wans were captured by various Orbital concerns before Valiant joined GNE, and have been subsequently repaired and offered for sale. These craft typically cost 80 million credits, lack the advanced radar-absorbant armor(may be added later), and may have varying hardware(ion cannon in place of the laser cannons, different-make missile launchers, different drive configuration, etc,)
Systems of Note:
*Radar: Range(effective) 250 miles in atmosphere/3,000 miles in space and can track up to 60 targets at once. A special ‘smart’ verbal interface menu allows the pilot to selectively view the respective targets by preset criteria(‘highlight friendly targets’, ‘highlight known enemy targets’, ‘highlight objects on intercept or near-intercept courses’, etc....) to avoid ‘signal jumble’.
*Radar/EM/Laser Radiation Detection
*Radiation Detector
*Standard Video Optics plus:
Thermo-Imaging
IR/UV Optics
Telescopic/Image Enhancement Optics
Low-Light/Nightvision system
*Combat Computer: The Thunderchief II is equipped with an advanced
combat computer, that can store and analyze data during combat with hostile forces. Data collected by the combat computer can be fed directly to the pilot via Head Up Display or cyberlink (see below), which allows the system to display large amounts of data to the pilot and even highlight enemies and missile attacks with overlaid graphics. The combat computer tracks and identifies specific enemy targets, and has a database of over 10,000 images stored in memory. The computer can identify and track up to 250 targets simultaneously, and gives the pilot the following bonuses (in addition to any others): +1 to Strike and +2 Dodge. (+1 to initiative if using a Cyberlink)
*Motion Detector/Collision Warning System: (particularly useful for
maneuvering in close quarters) 500 foot warning alarm.
*Radio/Video Communications: Wide band and directional, radio and video transmission capabilities with a 500,00 mile range.
*Laser Communications--- 700,000 mile range
*Laser Targeting: +2 to strike with ranged weapons.
*Audio/Visual Flight Recorder
*Forward Landing Gear Spotlight: 300 foot range.
*Heat & Radiation Shields
*Independent Oxygen & Circulatory System - Sufficient for 6 days, and
includes full radiation and environmental shielding.

*Cyberlink(optional): A late retrofit is this advanced cybernetic control system that allows the pilot 'jack in', if so equipped, to the plane, linking him with the plane as if by telemechanics. The pilot is so in tune with the plane and their environment that he instantly knows everything involving their plane and its operations. A series of tiny external cameras normally used for Virtual Environment Cockpits is tied into the cyberlink, giving them an uncanny 360 degree view around the craft, providing them a +1 to init and dodge, in addition to the normal cyberlink bonuses .

*Electromagnetic Radiation Shielding----The fighter sports a less powerful version of the Pandora Arms EM radiation field generator to protect the crew from background radiation and solar flares.

*Ejection Seat--The ejection seat comes complete with survival kit, inflatable teflon-coated fabric heatshield(useless when entering the Interface, but useful on other worlds/earths with an atmosphere), locator beacon, and inflatable space survival bubble.

*Stealth Design---The special angular shape of the Thunderchief II, as well as the use of special radar-absorbant materials in the fuselage skin, give the ‘fighter a greater chance of going undetected by enemy early warning radars. -15% to enemy Read Sensory Instrument rolls to detect the Thunderchief

*ECM Suite----- The Thunderchief has a standard ECM suite for confusing sensor-guided weapons; -5 to strike

Weapons Systems:
1) Pulse Lasers(2, one nose mounted, one tail mounted)---The only energy weapons the Thunderchief mounts in its ‘standard’ configuration are these two high-powered pulse lasers. However, most pilots consider them insufficient to justify taking the ‘fighter into combat with, once the main missile armament has been expended, and the lasers are typically used only as defensive weapons.
Range: 4,000 ft(16,000 ft in space)
Damage: 6d6 MD single shot, 1d6x10 MD per double blast(1 attack)
Rate of Fire: ECHH
Payload: Effectively unlimited

2) Heavy Missile Launchers(2, wing-mounted)---The main teeth of the Thunderchief are these two heavy missile launcher modules buried in the wings.
Range: Varies by Missile Type
Damage:Varies by Missile Type
Rate of Fire: Volleys of 1, 2, 3, 5, 10, or 15
Payload: 15 Long Range Missiles per launcher(30 total) OR 30 Medium Range Missiles(60 total), OR 60 Short Range Missiles(120 total)

3)Chaff/Flare Launchers(4)---Mounted on either side of the tail, and under each wing, are decoy countermeasure launchers.
Flare/Chaff Launcher
Range: Close Defense
Damage: None; similar to Triax-style chaff
01-50 Enemy Missile or volley detonates in chaff and threat is neutralized
51-75 Missile/Volley diverts and may pursue/lock on to other targets
76-00 No Effect! Missile(s) still on target!
Will also temporarily blind and impede flying monsters who fly into it.
Reduce APMs/combat bonuses/ speed by half for 1d4 melees
Payload: 12 per launcher (48 total)

Variants:
SF-6L---This model strips out the missile launchers and replaces them with two large laser cannon. A straightout remount of the reliable PS-AWD-MTL-1D Tri-Laser.
Range: 6,000 ft(60,000 ft in space)
Damage: 4d6 MD single shot
1d4x10 +6 MD double blast
1d6x10+10 MD triple blast
Rate of Fire: EGCHH
Payload: Effectively Unlimited

SF-6L2---An experimental variant using the new RFL-40 for a close range, high-powered photonic assault. SF-6L2s were only issued to a handful of dedicated fighter-bomber units engaged in ground support operations, and met with mixed reviews, as the limited range in atmosphere required the fighter to be nearly on top of its targets to be effective, exposing it to enemy anti-aircraft fire.
a)Slayer Quad-Laser Cannon(4, 2 each pod)---The powerful PS-RFL-40, a new PS laser weapons system with better range and a redesigned coolant jacket.
Range: 3,000 ft(30,000 ft in space)
Damage: 4d6 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) per pod.
A full melee burst from BOTH pods, all four cannon going at maximum power output, would do 1d10x100 MD, but would take up all the attacks that melee.
Rate of Fire: EPCHH
Payload: Effectively unlimited

SF-6L3--Probably the best compromise to the laser weaponry dilemma/debate, this version swaps out the original fore and aft lasers with the Pulse Laser(PS-RFL-25), the so-called “Prosek’s Gift’ thanks to its being derived from a reverse-engineered Coalition weapon! This modification retains the missile armament in the wings, while increasing the laser firepower. The SF-6L3 also features slightly better sensors(improve range by 10%) and uses an improved EM scatter field(ion and particle beam weapons do HALF damage) for radiation protection. The -6L3 is emerging as the new primary production version of the Jal’Wan in GNE service.
Range: 6,000 ft(60,000 ft in space)
Damage:2d4x10 MD per blast
Rate of Fire: EGCHH

SF-6G---An experiment in fitting the Jal’Wan as a ‘gunfighter’ swapping out the missile launchers with two large gatling-style autocannons in each wing pod. Most pilots disliked the idea of losing the long range missile capability for the dubious accuracy of short range direct cannon fire, but two squadrons of the -G variant were produced and deployed. One of the squadrons, the 87th ‘ShadowKnives’ Tactical Air Support Squadron, became quite adept at using its stealthed Jal’Wans to sneak through enemy air defense nets and strike rear area command and control centers and even officer living quarters.
*PS-XMG 20mm Gatling Cannon--An imposing six-barrelled weapon, based on the pre-Rifts XM-214 ‘Six-Pak’ Mini-Gun. Excellent range, but a tendency to empty the ammo drum, and wear out the barrels, too quickly in heated combat. The Jal’Wan -6G model carries TWO in each refitted missile pod, for a total of four....with all four gatlings going simultaneusly, the swath of destruction these vehicles can carve is impressive. The -6G is also known as the ‘Chatterbox’ for the loud ratcheting noise it makes flying overhead with all cannons blazing.
Range:13,000 ft(52,000 ft in space)
Damage: 4d4 MD single shot
1d6x10 MD per 6 rd burst
2d6x10 MD per 12 rd burst
6d6x10 MD for a 30 rd burst(takes 2 attacks)
(a full thirty-round burst by both cannons in a pod does 1d6x120 MD; all FOUR cannons firing simultaneously does 2d6x120 MD!!!---but takes ALL attacks that melee)
Rate of Fire: ECHH
Payload: 1,500 rd drum each gun(total 6,000 rds)

SF-6P---Another prototype that replaces the missile pods with two particle beam cannons, based on technology swapped from Orbital sources. This variant has power and range, but the slow rate of fire limits its effectiveness. Likewise, the lack of standoff weaponry unbalances the design in the OTHER direction that the modification was supposed to address.
Range: 10 miles in atmosphere(40 miles in space)
Damage: 4d6x10 MD per blast
Rate of Fire: Twice per melee
Payload: Effectively unlimited

SF-6R---A recon version, fitted with recon sensor instruments in the wing pods; combined with its stealth, the SF-6R is a steady and effective recon platform. Sensor types vary, but a standard loadout includes a wide-angle panoramic optical camera in each pod, EW sensors, and EM samplers.

[taalismn]

Paladin Steel Tercel Light Aerospace Fighter
“I feel like I’m flying a phone booth!”
“Hey, if it worked for Superman...”

“Don’t let those little ^#@&ers close with us! I don’t know what they’re packing, but that last pass just decompressed three whole sections!”
-----Combat Action Recorder Transcript, Laika Station Destroyer ‘Velikov’, during the ‘Ten-Orbit War’.

The ‘Tercel’ is another in Paladin Steel’s line of lightweight fighters, similar in concept to the ancient Northrop F-20 ‘Tigershark’-series of light strike aircraft. The Tercel project was initiated as part of an effort to upgrade PS’s long-neglected ‘Vixen’ Fighter-Pod, PS’s first major GMR-vehicle program, which had fallen by the wayside in favor of heavier designs such as the Dragonfly. While work on a newer, improved Vixen has not been given up, the ‘Tercel’ has been developed in the interim as a lightweight aerospace fighter.
The Tercel is roughly triangular, flattened and streamlined with more of a lifting body shape to the hull, and three engines at the rear. The lateral missile arrays have been retained, but reconfigured to fire new-generation ‘smart’ missiles. The aircraft’s appearance has been compared, by historically-minded aviation experts, to a ‘long-nosed Martin-Marietta lifting body’.
The Tercel is only lightly armored, mounts a small, but powerful, array of weaponry, but is incredibly fast and agile thanks to its light weight and high-efficiency drive systems. In order to further facilitate maintenance, and give pilots the greater range of options they’re used to in PS aircraft, on the smaller-framed Tercel, the entire nose weapons assembly is modular, for quicker swap-out and replacement. Smaller and slightly less expensive than the larger StarTiger, the Tercel can be carried more easily aboard larger spacecraft, where hangar space is at a premium. However, the Tercel lacks the durability and the endurance for deep space work and prolonged dogfighting.
The Tercel is currently the smallest vessel able to breach the transatmospheric Interface in either direction. As such, it has already spawned two variants....the one-person AeroPreserver lifepod for the PS Orbital Facilities(unarmed, but able to successfully breach the Interface with its GMR-Drive coils), and the ‘Pouter’, an unmanned high-speed transatmospheric probe vehicle, distinguishable by its enlarged ovoid main hull/instrumentation pod(giving it its nickname, because of its resemblance to a puffed-up blowfish).
Another variant, the ‘Tercel-G”, is also currently being tested. This atmosphere-only variant replaces the GMR-drives with a conventional turbo-fan system(reduce top speed to Mach 1), replaces the modular nose weapon with a conventional pulse laser, adds two small canard wings, and removes the scrambler system. It is being toted as a commercially-available export model being targeted at the overseas markets, notably New Spain and the New Roman Republic.
A fourth variant rumored to be under development, is the SeaSparrow, fitted with a more sophisticated C-G drive, and enhanced armor(+15% to all locations). The more advanced propulsion system and beefed-up protection would suggest an enhanced space combat model, possibly for sale to the Orbitals, but the SeaSparrow is reportedly intended as a naval aircraft, being able to move in and out of the water(or extraterrestrial hydrospheres?) with ease. Exact performance specs are unknown, but industry sources report underwater speeds of 100 MPH, at depths of up to 1.2 miles being reported/sought. Testing of underwater warfare modules has not yet been reported, but would only be expected if the SeaSparrow were to become a reality. However, the pursuit of ‘supercavitaion’ and ‘transducer’ technology currently being undertaken, as well as its projected application to new designs such as the Super Logan, may result in the cancellation of the SeaSparrow before it gets anywhere.
Yet another variant under consideration is the rumored ‘Black Tercel’, a lightly armed ‘stealth sled’ , with a slight edge in range and speed over the ‘stealth Vixen’ being developed in parallel with it. Details on the ‘Black Tercel’, as with the the SeaSparrow, are scant, and could be easily confused with other ‘black’ projects currently underway.
The Tercel has yet to see serious combat, but it has done well in the few combat situations it’s been involved in since deployment, mainly against hostile Orbitals and Arkhons. The Tercel is the favored fighter of PS’s Space Merchant Marine, as a small defensive fighter that can be carried aboard space freighters and escort craft, but it has also seen deployment aboard PS/GNE’s flying aircraft carrier platforms, GMRships, and some surface naval vessels.

Type: PS-TAV-SF-5
Class: Light Aerospace Fighter
Crew: One
MDC/Armor by Location:
Main Body 200
Reinforced Cockpit 100
Weapons Prow 60
Engines(3) 60 each
Height: 8 ft(30 ft with wings extended)
Width: 10 ft (30 ft with wings extended)
Length: 30 ft
Weight: 10 tons
Cargo: Small glove-compartment-sized space in pilot’s compartment
Powerplant: Nuclear Fusion w/ 10 year energy life
Speed:(Atmosphere)Hover to Mach 4
(Space).02 LS
Acceleration: 7 gs
Cost: 20 million credits
Systems of Note:
*Radar: Range(effective) 100 miles in atmosphere/1,000 miles in space and can track up to 30 targets at once. A special ‘smart’ verbal interface menu allows the pilot to selectively view the respective targets by preset criteria(‘highlight friendly targets’, ‘highlight known enemy targets’, ‘highlight objects on intercept or near-intercept courses’, etc....) to avoid ‘signal jumble’.
*Radar/EM/Laser Radiation Detection
*Radiation Detector
*Standard Video Optics plus:
Thermo-Imaging
IR/UV Optics
Telescopic/Image Enhancement Optics
Low-Light/Nightvision system
*Combat Computer: The Tercel is equipped with an advanced combat computer. Data collected by the combat computer can be fed directly to the pilot via Head Up Display or cyberlink (see below), which allows the system to display large amounts of data to the pilot and even highlight enemies and missile attacks with overlaid graphics. The combat computer tracks and identifies specific enemy targets, and has a database of over 10,000 images stored in memory. The computer can identify and track up to 100 targets simultaneously, and gives the pilot the following bonuses (in addition to any others): +1 to Strike and +2 Dodge. (+1 to initiative if using a Cyberlink)
*Motion Detector/Collision Warning System: (particularly useful for
maneuvering in close quarters) 500 foot warning alarm.
*Radio/Video Communications: Wide band and directional, radio and video transmission capabilities with a 500,00 mile range.
*Laser Communications--- 700,000 mile range
*Laser Targeting: +2 to strike with ranged weapons.
*Audio/Visual Flight Recorder
*Heat & Radiation Shields
*Independent Oxygen & Circulatory System - Sufficient for 6 days, and
includes full radiation and environmental shielding.

Weapons Systems:
1) Nose Weapons Mount---The main weapon of the Tercel is a large modular weapons mount that protrudes just below the nose of the aerospacecraft (Pilots complain that even with the standard cockpit fittings and ejection seat, they feel as if they’re nearly straddling the rear part of the nose weapon’s internal housing). The nose can mount ONE of the following
a) Laser Cluster---Standard, high-powered, tri-barrelled pulse weapon.
Range: 6,000 ft(24,000 ft in space)
Damage: 2d6x10 MD per triple blast
Rate of Fire:ECHH
Payload:Effectively unlimited
Note: This is the ONLY nose weapon available on the Tercel-G variant

b) Plasma Cannon---Short range, but good damage
Range: 3,000 ft (12,000 ft in space)
Damage: 4d4x10 MD per blast
Rate of Fire: ECHH
Payload: Effectively unlimited

c) Ion Cannon---Relatively low powered, but excellent effects against electronics
(ionization rules courtesy of Henning Rogge)
Range: 4,000 ft(16,000 ft in space)
Damage: 2d4x10 MD per blast,
In addition to physical damage, the cannon does EM damage. Percentage of EM damage is determined in relation to target’s main body((damage/main body)x100=percentage). For every 10% of damage from main body in ion damage, target will be -1 to strike, parry. and dodge. In space target acceleration will be reduced by 15%, in atmosphere top speed will be reduced by 15%. Roll once on critical hit charts in Phazeworld or Conversion book as appropriate.
If target takes 60% of main body in ion damage, ship or vehicle will be disabled completely. All weapon, navigation, and other systems will shut down and need to be repaired/replaced to work again/reboot.
Does NO damage against non-mechanical/electronic targets.
The ion cannon is equally effective against bionics
Rate of Fire: Five times per melee
Payload: Effectively unlimited

d) Particle Beam Cannon---Heavy damage, excellent range, low rate of fire. Distinguished by the elongated weapons barrel that adds an additional 6 ft to the length of the ‘fighter.
Range: 12,000 ft(24,000 ft in space)
Damage: 4d6x10 MD per blast
Rate of Fire: Three times per melee
Payload:Effectively unlimited

e)Rail Gun---Rapid fire projectile weapon
Range: 4,000 ft (8,000 ft in space)
Damage: 2d4x10 MD per 40 rd burst; only fires bursts
Rate of Fire: EPCHH
Payload: 2,000 rd drum

f) Heavy Rail Gun--A heavier, longer-ranged gauss weapon, based on the PA-handheld Hellshot cannon, with a slower rate of fire, but comparable damage. Distinguished by the elongated weapons barrels that add an additional 8 ft to the length of the ‘fighter.
Range: 8,000 ft(32,000 ft in space)
Damage: 2d6x10 MD per projectile
Rate of Fire: 4 times per melee
Payload: 120 rd drum

g) PlasMag Projector---A weapon based on Paladin Steel plasma weaponry; it fires bolts of magnetically-packaged plasma that explode like mini-missiles.
Range: 8,000 ft(32,000 ft in space)
Damage:1d6x10 MD per blast(15 ft blast radius)
Rate of Fire: Four times per melee
Payload: Effectively Unlimited

h) Missile Launcher---Adds a larger missile launcher nose cone to the front of the ‘fighter.
Range: Varies by missile type(range and speed x 4 in space)
Damage:Varies by missile type
Rate of Fire: Volleys of 1, 2, 5, or 10
Payload: 12 mini-missiles OR 6 short-range missiles, OR 4 medium-range missiles, OR 1 long range missile

i)PS-XMG 20mm Gatling Cannon--A new six-barrelled weapon, based on the pre-Rifts XM-214 ‘Six-Pak’ Mini-Gun. Excellent range, but a tendency to empty the ammo drum, and wear out the barrels, too quickly in heated combat.
Range:13,000 ft(52,000 ft in space)
Damage: 4d4 MD single shot
1d6x10 MD per 6 rd burst
2d6x10 MD per 12 rd burst
6d6x10 MD for a 30 rd burst(takes 2 attacks)
Rate of Fire: ECHH
Payload: 1,000 rd drum

j)PS-XGECAL 50 “Ripkiller” ---A new weapon, based on the pre-Rifts .50 caliber GECAL 50 Six Barrel Machine Gun. This weapon fires high explosive shells(based on the Wellington Industries Heavy 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 , and even that can shoot the magazines dry in one melee! 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 weapon also tears out its meter-long barrel linings faster than any other weapon in PS service(a cannon barrel is estimated to have a standard combat life of 4,000 shots).
Range: 19,000 ft!(76,000 ft in space)
Damage: 1d4 MD single shot, 1d4x10 MD per 12 shot burst(1 attack), 2d4x10 MD per 24 rd burst(2 attacks), 4d4x10 MD per 60 rd burst(3 attacks), 1d4x100 MD per 120 shot burst(takes ALL attacks that melee)
Rate of Fire: ECHH
Payload: 2,400 round drum (20 full-melee bursts)
Cost: 90,000 credits

k) Shipkiller Missile----This is an attempt to make the tiny Tercel a ‘giant-killer’ by fitting the nose with a single large multi-warhead plasma missile, using nuclear cluster munition technology. When the independently targetted tactical nuclear charges disperse just short of the target vessel, then surround it before detonating, their multi-vector plasma jets can peel open a small warship. This massive missile, when fitted to the diminutive Tercel, has led to such nicknames as ‘Snozz’ or the ‘Mouse that Roared’. This weapon has been approved for use ONLY in space.
Range: 800 miles in space
Damage: Swarmhead--A Swarmhead is a new type of munition that fires a cluster of twenty plasma-nuclear warhead ‘skeets’. These ‘skeets’ deploy airburst fashion about 60 ft up off the ground(or 6,000 ft in space), then deploy short range fast-scan targeting sensors. If a target is detected in the limited scope of the sensors, the warhead orients itself, and fires like a shaped charge, sending a powerful jet of superheated plasma lancing into, and through the target. A Swarmhead plasma jet does 2d6x10 MD to a 3 ft blast radius(so all 20 shells firing on a single target would do 2d6x200 MD!)
The initial focusing explosion also does a fair amount of concussion damage to the surrounding area, though this is considerably less than the critical damage inflicted by the plasma jet. The concussion does 6d6 MD to an 80 ft blast radius
Rate of Fire: Single shot
Payload: One missile with 20 submunitions

L) Recon Pod----Rather than carry a nose-mount weapon, the Tercel can instead carry a recon pod with internal sensor pallets. Typically this is a photo-recon pod with panoramic optics, but radiation sensors, PPE probes, EW sensors, and other specialized types are available.


2) Light Pulse Lasers---Mounted above the main nose armaments, clustered around the foward sensor fairing, are three small fixed-mount pulse lasers, giving the pilot something to shoot with if the main armament gets knocked out, and the missiles are expended.
Range: 4,000 ft(16,000 ft in space)
Damage:2d6 MD single laser, 4d6 MD dual-cannon pulse shot, 6d6 MD triple shot burst
Rate of Fire: ECHH
Payload:Effectively unlimited

3) Short-Range Missile Launchers(3)---Mounted equidistant, on the sides and top, of the ‘fighter. PS ‘Black Talon’ LSAMs are the preferred missile for these launchers, but they will accept any standardized SRM.
Range:Varies by missile type(range and speed x 4 in space)
Damage:Varies by missile type
Rate of Fire:Volleys of 1, 2, 4, or 6
Payload: 6 per launcher, 18 total

b) ‘Black Talon’ LAAMs---These are light ‘smart’ anti-aircraft missiles with enhanced warheads, similar in concept to the pre-Rifts ‘Stinger’ SAMs, and excellent ‘dogfight’ weapons.
Range: 3 miles
Damage: 3d4x10 MD to 40 ft blast radius
Bonus: +5 to strike, and gets TWO attempts to strike the target(agile enough to loop back on a target and try again)
Cost: 60 ,000 credits per launcher, 10,000 credits per missile

4)Chaff/Flare Launchers(2)---Mounted on either side of the three engine venturis, at the base of each wing, are decoy countermeasure launchers, standard design for PS aircraft.
Flare/Chaff Launcher
Range: Close Defense
Damage: None; similar to Triax-style chaff
01-50 Enemy Missile or volley detonates in chaff and threat is neutralized
51-75 Missile/Volley diverts and may pursue/lock on to other targets
76-00 No Effect! Missile(s) still on target!
Will also temporarily blind and impede flying monsters who fly into it.
Reduce APMs/combat bonuses/ speed by half for 1d4 melees
Payload: 12 per launcher (24 total)

[taalismn]

Paladin Steel ‘Classic Movers’ Series

* PS-M4 Tractor-Crawler
Weight: weightless

Uses GRM frame?.

the weight on the M4 is 31,000 lbs, for records completeness..

[abtex]

Thanks for the weight.

Three more planes to help keep the wastelands in their needed shape.
Thank you again.

Side note: Can anyone place Ads (for new, recycled and such stuff) on the Storefront?

[taalismn]

Thanks for the weight.

Three more planes to help keep the wastelands in their needed shape.
Thank you again.

Side note: Can anyone place Ads (for new, recycled and such stuff) on the Storefront?

Feel free; we support a vibrant economy...including recycling...and yard sales are a New England tradition....

[taalismn]

Paladin Steel PSPPR-20 ‘Supernova’ Heavy Plasma Rifle

“Thing looks like a cross between a grenade launcher and an old radial engine,...if things get REALLY hairy, you can probably hide behind the front of this galoot...”

This is Paladin Steel’s rebuild of the Northern Gun NG-E12 Heavy Plasma Ejector, upgraded using most of PS’s advances in plasma technology. Magnetic ‘wrapping’ increases range, ‘hotshotting’ increases damage, a multi-mode muzzle choke gives the gunner a choice between regular bolts, a shotgun blast of smaller bolts, or a plasma ’mini-torpedo’, and a regenerating powercell gives vastly expanded payload. Needless to say, even with more advanced Paladin Steel production methods and weight-saving materials, the PSPPR-20 is both expensive and heavy, but the Supernova has begun to gain a following among combat cyborgs.
Weight: 36 lbs
Range: (Plasma Shot)2,500 ft
(Plasma Scattershot) 900 ft
(Plasma Mini-Torpedo) 3,200 ft
Damage:(Plasma Shot) 1d6x10 MD
(Plasma Scattershot) 6d6 MD to 20 ft wide area
(Plasma Mini-Torpedo) 1d4x10 MD to 18 ft blast radius
Rate of Fire:(Plasma Shot) ECHH
(Plasma Scattershot) ECHH
(Plasma Mini-Torpedo) Twice per melee
Payload:(Plasma Shot) 5 shots per standard e-clip, 10 shots per long e-clip, 21 shots per e-canister, 36 shots per backpack battery-pack, and can also be hooked directly to a cyborg , robot, or vehicular powerplant.
(Plasma Scattershot) Same as for regular plasma bolts
(Plasma Mini-Torpedo) Takes 2 shots each
Bonuses:----
Special Features:
*“Hot Shotting”---This system augments the normal air-draw plasma re-mass system with deuterium-gas injected into the plasma flow for a cleaner, hotter, more potent ‘burn’. The deuterium is stored in pressurized cylinders attached to the feeds of the gun, like a CO2 air rifle cartridge. This allows the plasma to do 50% more damage, but the weapon now has a bit of a recoil due to the more powerful plasma acting like a crude plasma drive(-1 to strike).
Cost: A recharged cylinder of refined d-gas costs 800 credits(300 credits if the user can return a depleted gas cylinder at the time of purchase) and is good for 20 shots.

Cost: 92,000 credits
Options:

*Self-Destruct---Some troopers have realized that sometimes you can’t take it with you, but you can take some of the enemy with you/it. In the event that the chips are down or you have to abandon your heavy plasma cannon in your haste to get to safety, several field engineers figured out a way to supercharge the PSPPR-20 to make it die like its namesake. Though PS would rather your success lay through superior firepower, we also acknowledge that we’re rather have you satisfied by having you alive at the expense of material things...or allowed to accomplish your mission in the end...so we’ve standardized the self-destruct process. By keying in a short numerical sequence and sliding a few switches, the muzzle-choke can be closed completely and the plasma chambers supercharged with the remaining available power to release catastrophically. Does damage equivalent to remaining payload, to a 10 ft blast radius.
Cost: 3,000 credits

[abe]

A superman suit that acturally allows you to fly!

[taalismn]

Paladin Steel T-210 and T310 15mm Missile Guns
T410 20mm Missile Gun

“What do you make of that over there?” The flayed elf asked.
“One hell of a dogfight, but supposedly not our problem.” The woman with the stitched-shut eye sockets replied.
“-Supposedly- being the imperatve word here.” Captain Trann Alovern of the 28th Volunteer Air Defense Company, Fifth Army Group, grimaced, his brutally scarred flesh, legacy of a visit to a City of Brass torturium, stretching horribly as he did so. “How is it -supposedly NOT our problem? Those are slavers, attacking a community, abducting people, and the defenders the people over there brought in are failing badly...I see just as many of THEM being taken prisoner as the civilians on the ground.”
“-Because we’re supposed to be here on exercises, and not getting into anybody else’s fights that we’re not getting paid for, as per our contracts.” Lieutenant Carol Gettz half-heartedly and unconvincingly argued, the two brain-cored Zembhak symbiotes sprouting from her temples, a souvenir of her involuntary tour of Splugorth Atlantis, not breaking their gaze on the distant scene of contrails and flitting black shapes.
“Well, we’re here on live fire exercises....and I can honestly say the electronic simulations and remote control drones we’ve been skeeting haven’t really given the men a workout...I can tell the troops are feeling antsy and unsatisfied.” The Captain looked over his shoulder at the 28th’s gathered vehicles. The arrayed Triple-A tracks and wheels stood at general stations, their missile, gun, and energy weapons raised, but not quite aimed, their crews standing beside their vehicles, or perched atop them, in their body armor, their eyes anxiously looking at the hairball taking place in the distance. They were air defense troops, and flying things more often than not were the enemy; air combat made them anxious unless they were shooting at it...”Intel said those slavers were robots?”
“Totally unmanned, according to the latest....Those small fast movers and the bigger jets are all robots....”
“Then they won’t mind if we engage in some target practice, no?”
“No sir...They can complain later, of course.”
“Of course, We have enough tac-dat for positive targeting ID?”
“We have, sir!”
“Download it to all fire control systems, and make sure we got enough IFF on the friendlies in that furball that we don’t shoot too many of the live ones over there. Arm and charge the systems, and move out! I want outgoing barrages as soon as we got positive target locks! 28Th! We’re moving the air defense perimeter OVER THERE!” The Captain waved his armored arm to point the way, as he backed towards his command vehicle.
Already, hatches were closing, sensor ariels spinning and locking. The three foremost vehicles of the 28th, three M-3000 half-tracks with open gun turrets on their backs, started rumbling from the bivouac site, the triple cluster of two fifty-cal machine guns and a single T-410 missile gun already tracking as the ack-tracks moved over the rough ground.
Moments later, they roared to life, spitting the first barrage of anti-aircraft micromissiles into the fray. The distant enemy might not know it yet, but their destruction was already on the way.....

---While researching the Northrop NF-89, Paladin Steel engineers came across tantalizing mention of a ‘T-110 rocket gun’, also mentioned as part of project designate MX-2014...The weapon was mentioned as a possible armament of the NF-89, with four being mounted in each wing-pod. However, little additional data was found, aside from the mention that it was to fire 70mm rockets. The best that PS engineers could guess was that the T-110 was an automatic-feed single-tube rocket launcher using a low-powered cartridge to blow rockets out of the weapon, whence the projectile would develop the bulk of its thrust and speed outside the barrel as its rocket propulsion ignited, similar to the short-lived ‘gyrojet’ weaponry experiments of the time. Having no suitable 70mm projectiles yet available to them for experimenting with a similar system, PS engineers instead attempted to develop a system using their existing 15mm micromissiles. Fitting the MiniMs with a propulsive cartridge, PS created a launcher gun that blasts the micromissile out through the barrel where the projectile lights off like a ramjet bullet, and streaks off to its target. The gun-launch system extends the range of the rocketprojectiles to those of conventional gun systems.
The micromissile ammunition for the PS-McMPG110 system are modified versions of the standard PS Pattern McMs; aside from the propulsive cartridge, the missiles have also been strengthened systems-wise for the more severe acceleration they get, over the relatively low-velocity launch speeds of the infantry models.
One of the advantages of the McMPG110 system is that with their internal guidance and onboard propulsion, the micromissiles tend to be more accurate. Also, with laser-homing guidance, one of the tactics currently under evaluation and field-testing is to use air- or ground-based laser illuminators to guide a burst of rocket-shells onto a target similar to larger missiles and bombs.
Originally meant solely for deployment on the F-89 ‘Super Scorpion’, PS has adapted this weapon for deployment on ships and vehicles as well, as an alternative to conventional ‘box’-style launchers, trading volume of fire for the added range from the rocket boost.

T-310 System
Paladin Steel would take this concept a step literally further with the replacement of the conventional chemical propellant launching charge with a RAIL GUN systems instead, using an electromagnetic massdriver system to lob the missiles further out before ignition. This system has been designated the T-310 Gun System.
Used as an anti-missile or anti-aircraft system, the T-series launchers are typically used to launch a burst of projectiles at an incoming target, ‘seeding’ the area around and ahead of the target with preprogrammed L-SAMs that have their own terminal approacj target acquisition sensors. Though the damage of each individual micromissile substantially less than that of a larger missile or proximity fuzed projectile, the multiple micro-SAMs have a lesser chance, as a group, of being sidetracked by countermeasures(increasing the chances that at least ONE missile will hit the target), while the multitude of incoming threat tracks helps overwhelm more active anti-missile defenses(like point defense guns).

T-410 System
This is simply a scale up to the 20mm projectiles used in the McMAALR-18 ‘Fire Orchid’ 20mm Anti-Aircraft Micro-Missile Launcher. It uses the electromagnetic massdriver system of the previous T-310 System. With a slightly heavier missile and slightly larger stator-ring system, the T-410 has improved range, punch, and accuracy.

Weight: (T-210) 400 lbs
(T-310) 500 lbs
(T-410) 675 lbs
Range:
(T-210)Gun launcher fires the micromissile out to about 4,000 ft, whereafter the rocket propulsion takes over.
(T-310)Gun launcher fires the micromissile out to about 8,000 ft, whereafter the rocket propulsion takes over.
(T-210/310)
Pattern-1A 5,700 ft
Pattern-1B 6,000 ft
Pattern-1C 6,000 ft
Pattern-1D 7,000 ft

(T-410)Gun launcher fires the micromissile out to about 8,200 ft, whereafter the rocket propulsion takes over.
(Micromissiles)8,000 ft for all types

Damage/Bonuses:
(T-210/310)
Pattern-1A---1d4 MD to 2 ft blast radius
Pattern-1B---1d6 MD to 5 ft blast radius
Pattern-1C---4d6 MD to 4 ft blast radius, or 1d4 MD to a 10 ft blast radius in fragmentation mode
Pattern-1D----6d6 MD to a 5 ft blast radius, or 2d6 MDC out to a 18 ft blast radius in fragmentation mode

(T-410)
Pattern-2a---4d4 MD to 2 ft blast radius
Pattern-2b----6d6 MD to a 5 ft blast radius, or 2d6 MDC out to a 18 ft blast radius in fragmentation mode
Pattern-2c----(Incendiary)2d4 MD to 5 ft blast radius, does an additional 1d4 burn damage for 2d4 melees

Bonuses:
(T-210/310)
Pattern-1A (None) Spin-Stabilized
Pattern-1B (None) Gyro-Compass Chip
Pattern-1C (+1 to strike. The Pattern-1C can also be set to be a ‘beam rider’, following a laser illuminator ‘painted’ on the target for an extra +2 to strike. However, this requires expediture of an extra attack per melee on the part of the gunner to keep the laser illuminator on target) Gyro-Compass Chip, Laser-Sensor Microchip, Radar Trigger Chip.
Pattern-1D (+2 to strike. Like the Pattern-1C, the Pattern-1D can ‘beam-ride’...again, this requires the gunner to maintain target-lock at the cost of an additional APM, but the -1D is better able to remain on target if the lock is broken. Furthermore, the missile can be keyed to lock on to the laser illuminator of other gunners...done with a pre-determined key-chip...allowing squadmates to ‘paint’ targets for fellow soldiers with micro-missile launchers). Gyro-Compass Chip, Laser-Sensor Microchip, Radar Trigger Chip, Image Sensing Chip.

(T-410)
(All Patterns)(+3 to strike airborne targets, +1 to strike ground targets) Gyro-Compass Chip, Laser-Sensor Microchip, Radar Trigger Chip, Image Sensing Chip, Infra-Red Sensing Chip.

Rate of Fire: Bursts of 3-40 rds per melee
PS is rumored to be experimenting witb versions that can fire as many as 100 missiles in a melee round(or 400 mimis in a minute!) or more!
Payload: Varies; tyoically feeds from a 10 missile clip, or 180 rd ammunition box or drum, though 200 and 300 rd bins are also available.

Cost: 50,000 credits for basic T-210 Gun System
120,000 credits for the T-310 Gun System
150,000 credits for the T-410 Gun System

(T-210/310)
Pattern-1A 65 credits per RG-enabled McM
Pattern-1B 72 credits per RG-enabled McM
Pattern-1C 100 credits per RG-enabled McM
Pattern-1D 135 credits per RG-enabled McM
(T-410)
(Pattern-2a) 90 credits each
(Pattern-2b)130 credits each
(Pattern-2c)150 credits each

[taalismn]

A superman suit that acturally allows you to fly!

Ectofiber clothing with Levitation and Fly like an Eagle spells built in.

[Aramanthus]

That is quite a lot of new material. We are going to have make sure we buy these various products.

[taalismn]

Use them in good health to smite your enemies...
Give us feedback on their performance so we can continue to upgrade and refine them...

[Aramanthus]

We're looking forward to trying out the last two especially.

[taalismn]

Looking at the last Rifter, and realizing that the new Human Mutants for After the Bomb would be PERFECT inhabitants for the Cambridge Jungle...deformed mutants, moss-men, and tree-men...

[Aramanthus]

Now you just need a genetic facility to create those beings. Now we here at the Federated States would be happy to finance that new company if PS would start it.

[taalismn]

Paladin Steel Cavorite GMR Light Transport
(Aka ‘BattleGlobe’, ‘WizardGlobe’, ‘Battle Floater’, ‘Floater’)

“What’s not to love about it? It’s big, it’s spherical, it’s nearly featureless! It’s a blank canvas just begging us to do something with it! Paint a big smiley face on it, paint it up to look like a basketball, cover it in gold paint! The sky’s the limit on this baby!!!”
----Logan Vasquez, TechnoWizard

“Thing handles like a helicopter, only much smoother...the big problem, however, is the lack of visibility from the control cabin....if you decide to take the option of a lower hemisphere control position, the curve of the main hull keeps you from seeing what’s above you, and if you take the upper control pod position, you can’t see your own feet, so to speak...either way, you’re going to have to put your trust in the cameras to tell you what’s up or not...”
---- Warrior 2nd Class Adley Hutchins, Pilot, LaMontage’s Air Cavalry(Bonded Mercenary Company, New Wilson Sector)

“I just have this horrible image of a bunch of Crazies painting a fleet of Cavorites up in stripes and solid colors and numbers, and playing aerial billards over the whole of Free Vermont!”
-----Daniel Ashgrad, Radar Operations Technician, Vermont Free State Civil Air Patrol Regional Air Traffic Control

“It’s a SPHERE...it’s a natural shape...it’s so simple...so ELEGANT!”
----Professor Amagicus Harriman Dyson, Mathemancer

“So long as people have places to go, we’ll keep making the means to get there!”
---Paladin Steel Heavy Machinery Division(Transport Department)

The Cavorite is a strange new air/space vehicle that has been recently introduced by Paladin Steel as a possible replacement for the GMR ‘Moth’ Grav-Copter, or rather as a continuation of PS’s popular series of multipurpose transports, such as the Osprey III Tilt-Rotor, Hercules C-130-2 VTOL, GMR ‘Moth’(known variously as the ‘Legless Fly’ or the ‘Luna Moth’), Condor Aeroapce Transport, and the massive Foss Flier. The Cavorite is designed to take advantage of the new generation of reliable and powerful GMR/Contra-Gravity drive systems to attain quiet, steady, lift and drive, for close-quarters maneuvering and VTOL operations. The Cavorite was actually inspired by a Pre-Rifts Lighter Than Air airship design, but seeing as a gasbag would be a sitting target in the hostile post-Rifts environment, but intrigued by the design, PS decided to adapt it’s general configuration using GMR technology instead of LTA gas cells.
In appearance, the Cavorite couldn’t be simpler: a fifty foot sphere with four retractable maneuvering engines extending from its ‘equator’. The bottom third of the sphere is a spacious cabin and cargo hold....frequently equipped with a wraparound ‘glass floor’ windshield/viewport bank. The central portion of the sphere holds several small closet-sized cargo holds(that can be converted into small ‘cubicle’ cabins) and the main lift-drive systems. The top deck is much smaller, and houses the control deck and a small amenities cabinette. All three decks are accessed by a central elevator/ladder-way.
Thanks to the GMR Drive and the manuevering jets, tied into an advanced ‘fly-by-wire’ computerized pilot-assist system, the Cavorite is remarkably stable, even in bad weather. The flight has been described variously as ‘walking on a cloud’ or ‘floating like a soap bubble”.
Armor is modest, but resilient. The production model mounts only modest self-defense weaponry(a single laser), but gunship models can mount up to nine separate weapons turrets, fairly bristling with weapon bulges. Gunners on Cavorites so equipped report it to be a remarkably stable firing platform, but complain about the lack of a topside weapons turret, limiting the Cavorite’s effectiveness as a ‘below the horizon’ weapons platform(referring to the ability to hide below the horizon or skyline and engage the enemy with its main weaponry in an indirect fire role). As this fitting would require redesigning or relocating the main control cabin from its topside position, PS engineers are considering a variant that places the control deck in the passenger deck, and a few trial models have been produced to test the effectiveness of this arrangement.
The Cavorite caught on almost immediately after its commercial introduction. It has become popular with both the private and commercial sectors, and several aerial tour companies already advertise ‘floating cabin’ experiences for well-heeled vacationers to the region. The Cavorite ‘s eccentric appearance and stable performance have made it a favorite with TechnoWizards, who love fitting the craft with all manner of magical defenses and weaponry. The Hospitallers out of Lazlo have purchased five of these craft, in white and red cross livery, to aid in refugee relief out west.
The Cavorite is considered by many to be PS’s first ‘true’ contra-gravity propulsion vehicle, taking full advantage of the possibilities offered by the new technology, rather than simply adapting existing airframes to GMR technology.
Type: PS-GMR-C200
Class: Gravi-Magnetic Resist Drive Multipurpose Transport Aircraft
Date of Introduction: 110 PA
Crew: 1 pilot plus 1-14 passengers
Or up to 30 passengers in ‘bus’ mode
MDC/Armor by Location:
Main Body 400
Reinforced Control Cabin 150
VNLS Point Defense Laser Array(1) 120
*Manuevering Engines(4) 60 each
(Optional) Weapons Turrets(1-8) 60 each
*Destroying pairs of maneuvering engines means that the Cavorite is -1 to dodge and maneuver, but is still airborne and able to fly, albeit it at -20% of top speed, per each pair of thrusters destroyed/removed from service, on its GMR coils.
Height: 56 ft in diameter
Width: 56 ft in diameter
Length: 56 ft in diameter
Weight: 85 tons
Cargo: If configured for cargo, can carry up to 35 tons
If configured for passengers, can still carry 2 tons of cargo(dedicated space)
Can carry/lift up to 55 tons slung underneath by winches, but reduce top speed by HALF.
Powerplant: Nuclear Fusion w/ 15 year energy life
Speed:(Atmosphere) Hover to 500 MPH, typically cruises at 250-300 MPH
(Space)---The Cavorite can be modified for space travel, for an extra 17 million credits. This adds an airlock, radiation shielding, and enhanced GMR Drive coils specially for space mobility. Mach 12 maximum speed
(Underwater)---The Cavorite CAN be equipped to travel underwater, for an extra 4 million credits. Underwater speed of 15 MPH, maximum depth of 4,000 ft
Bonuses: The stable flying characteristics of this vehicle make it +10% to Pilot Jet Aircraft or Helicopter skill rolls.
Cost: 12 million credits.
Systems of Note:
*Life Support---Robot vehicle standard
*Sensor Turret(s)---Include long range optics, thermo-imaging, low-lite, image enhance capabilities
*Long Range Radio Communications---Radio range:500 miles,
*Standard Radar---50 miles
Weapons Systems:
1)VNLS Point Defense Lasers(1)----The Cavorite saw the operational introduction of a new system; the Variable Node Lasing System. PS uses a ‘modular strip’ system, developed with the input of its allies, that uses high-power room temperature superconductor conduit systems to feed power into linear ‘las-strips’ that run along the ship’s hull. Each strip, which looks like a swath of auto reflector, consists of a series of Orbitally-grown flat lasing lenses(720 in the case of the system installed on the Cavorites) that are aimed by an electronically warped diaphragm around each one. The fire control system selects the lasing lense ‘cell’ that is closest and in the best position to fire on the desired target, feeds power to it, aims the ‘cell’, and fires. Though more difficult and expensive to produce, the las-strip PDLs are far less obvious and less susceptible to damage than conventional turreted weapons(they don’t jam as easily, and the small size of the strips mean they offer greater coverage and fire-arc). The computer and power system can currently only energize and fire one ‘cell’ at a time, but with a sufficiently large and encompassing las-strip array of cells, the system can fire near instantaneously on any target in its arc, without having to slew around a mechanically actuated turret or pintle mount.
The sole standard weapon built into the Cavorite is a single wraparound VNLS-strip girdling the ‘equator’ of the sphere.
Range: 5,000 ft
Damage: 2d6x10 MD per blast
Rate of Fire: 4 times per melee
Payload: Effectively unlimited


(Optional)----The Cavorite can be equipped with up to nine weapons turrets...a heavy turret mounted axially at the lower ‘pole’ of the sphere, and four smaller turrets mounted on each hemisphere of the main body.
What follows is just a sampling of the many different available configurations available; many Cavorites get customized to customer special orders before even leaving the factory, while others have been extensively ‘kitbashed’ by enterprising mechanics and TWizards after purchase.
Polar Turret(Lower hull, retractable)---This turret deploys out of a central well at the bottom of the ship(CANNOT be used when the ship is grounded), and has a full 360-degree arc of fire. Can accommodate ONE of the following:
a) Mini-Missile Launcher---24 MMs
b) Short Range Missile Pod----12 SRMs
c) Medium Range Missile Pod---6 MRMs
d) Long Range Missiles---3 LRMs may be carried
e) Heavy Rail Gun Pod----KTH-65 32mm Assault Rail Gun Pod
Mega-Damage: Varies by shell type
Shell Types:
APFS-DU (Armour Piercing Fin Stabilized, Depleted Uranium) - 5D6x10 MD , no blast radius
HESH (High Explosive Squash Head) - 5D6 MD plus 5D6 SDC to the person(s) inside the object.
HE (High Explosive) 1D6x10 MD to a 5 (16ft) radius
HEG (High Explosive, Guided) - 2D6x10 MD to a 2m (7ft) radius
Rate of Fire: single shots
Maximum Effective Range: 1600m (1 mile) in atmosphere
Payload: 100 rds
Cost: 500,000 credits

f) Heavy Gatling Cannon------ This oversized weapon, actually a six-barrelled ‘Taskin’ Rifle, spews high explosive shells at a rate that would melt a lesser weapon’s barrel.
Range: 4,000 ft(16,000 ft in space)
Damage: 4d4 MD single shot (2 ft blast radius)
1d4x10 MD per 5 rd burst (2.5 feet blast radius)
2d4x10 MD(3 feet blast radius) per 10 rd burst(but -1 to strike)
4d6x10 MD(6 feet blast radius) for a 40 rd burst ( -2 to strike)
Rate of Fire: EPCHH
Payload: 2,000 rd drum
Cost: 200,000 credits

g)PS-XGECAL 50 “Ripkiller-C” ---A new weapon, based on the pre-Rifts .50 caliber GECAL 50 Six Barrel Machine Gun. This weapon fires high explosive shells(based on the Wellington Industries Heavy 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 , and even that can shoot the magazines dry in one melee! 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 weapon also tears out its meter-long barrel linings faster than any other weapon in PS service(a cannon barrel is estimated to have a standard combat life of 4,000 shots).
Range: 19,000 ft!
Damage: 1d4 MD single shot, 4d6 MD per 12 shot burst(1 attack), 1d4x10+10 MD per 24 rd burst(2 attacks), 2d6x10 MD per 60 rd burst(3 attacks), 4d6x10 MD per 120 shot burst(takes ALL attacks that melee)
Rate of Fire: ECHH
Payload: 1,200 round drum (10 full-melee bursts)
Cost: 600,000 credits

h) Laser Pod-----This is the 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: ECHH
Payload: Effectively Unlimited
Cost: 200,000 credits

i) Particle Beam Cannon Pod-----Same range as the laser pod, same damage potential, but slightly higher damage curve.
Range: 6,000 ft
Damage: 1d6x10+20 MD per blast
Rate of Fire: ECHH
Payload:Effectively unlimited
Cost: 200,000 credits

k)*PS-B 200 mm Autocannon--The classic IH-B tank cannon
Weight: 3 tons
Range: 6000 ft
Damage:High Explosive(HE): 2d6x10 MD to 30 ft blast radius
High Explosive Anti-Tank(HEAT): 3d6x10 Md to 12 ft blast radius
Armor Piercing(AP) 1d6x10 MD, no blast radius
APSD: 2d6x10 MD, no blast radius
Rate of Fire:Twice per melee
Payload: 80 rds
Cost: 400,000 credits

l)*PS-B 120 mm Autocannon
Weight: 2 tons
Range: 6000 ft
Damage:High Explosive(HE): 1d6x10 MD to 20 ft blast radius
High Explosive Anti-Tank(HEAT): 2d6x10 Md to 10 ft blast radius
Armor Piercing(AP) 1d4x10 MD, no blast radius
APSD: 2d4x10 MD, no blast radius
Rate of Fire: 3 times per melee
Payload: 120 rds
Cost: 380,000 credits

m)*IH-100 Rail Gun (PS-100)---The same weapon as that fitted to the Triton Patrol Boat
Weight: 300 lbs
Range: 4000 ft
Damage: 1d4 MD single rd, 1d6x10 MD 60 rd burst
Rate of Fire:EPCHH
Payload:24,000 rd drum(400 bursts)
Cost: 250,000 credits

n)*IH-10RJ 30mm Ramjet Autocannon (PS-10RJ)---This weapon is typically fitted to the side mount sponson positions.
Weight: 2 tons
Range: 3000 ft
Damage: 3d6 MD single rd, 2d6x10 MD per 20 rd burst
Rate of Fire:EPCHH
Payload:4000 rd drum (200 bursts)
Cost: 150,000 credits

o)*Multiplexor Cannon---PS’s famous ‘SpellCard’ and ‘Magebolt/Pod’ system. This weapon can be powered by PPE Batteries or by an integral PPE TW Generator. The technology(magick?) has been considerably refined, through the use of higher quality natural crystals(acquired from the deep space mining operations), improved microchip manufacturing techniques, metal refining methods, and the use of such exotic materials as EctoFiber low-loss magic-conductive cabling.
The Multiplexor Cannon has the capacity for 4 SpellCards
Range: Varies by spell
Damage/Duration: Varies by spell
Rate of Fire: EPCHH
PPE Cost per Use: Varies by spell. However, the use of focusing elements and activator spells effectively reduces spell PPE cost by HALF.
OR...retain the original PPE costs, but increase range and damage by 20-40%(Use your discretion)...While radius of effect spells may cost an additional 5-20% more PPE for teh larger area affected(agian, use your discretion)
(So you Technowizards aren’t flummoxed by PPE costs in a long-running battle, while the still relatively high PPE costs for the high-end spells keeps someone from using Sphere of Annihilation in every battle).
Payload: Draws from the main PPE Battery, but can also draw upon supplementary PPE reserves. In an emergency, the pilot, if they are a mage or psychic, can kick in their own PPE.
Bonuses: As per spell(if any)
Cost: The basic mage Pod system costs about 800,000 credits
If not using a PPE Generator, PPE Batteries are available; The PPE of these units can vary(according to Galahad’s charts) from Light(50 PPE, 5,000 cr), Regular(100 PPE, 10,000 cr), Extra-Strength(250 PPE, 25,000 cr), and Maximum(500 PPE, 50,000 cr)

Spell Cards cost (as per Jason Richards’ guidelines in Rifter #2) 5,000 credits per PPE cost of main spell plus an additional cost (as per following modifiers)
*500 credits per level of the creating caster(Mages’ time and PPE are money, so expect to pay more for the longer duration/higher power spells)
*Warlock spells cost 20% more, in addition to above modifiers, owing to the difficulties of adapting Elemental Magic to ‘conventional” magic systems.

p)Ion Cannon Pod--(ionization rules courtesy of Henning Rogge)---Some buyers love using a combination of stealth and the ion cannon to play ‘UFO Abduction’...hovering over a motor vehicle, knocking it out with the ion weapon, then swooping down and grabbing the confused passengers!
Range: 3,000 ft
Damage: 1d6x10 MD per blast,
In addition to physical damage, the cannon does EM damage. Percentage of EM damage is determined in relation to target’s main body((damage/main body)x100=percentage). For every 10% of damage from main body in ion damage, target will be -1 to strike, parry. and dodge. In space target acceleration will be reduced by 15%, in atmosphere top speed will be reduced by 15%. Roll once on critical hit charts in Phazeworld or Conversion book as appropriate.
If target takes 60% of main body in ion damage, ship or vehicle will be disabled completely. All weapon, navigation, and other systems will shut down and need to be repaired/replaced to work again/reboot.
Does NO damage against non-mechanical/electronic targets.
The ion cannon is equally effective against bionics
Rate of Fire: Four times per melee
Payload: Effectively unlimited
Cost: 250,000 credits

q) 80mm SB Massdriver Cannon(PS-MDJ80S)
Weight: 3,500 lbs (1.75 tons)
Range: (Direct Fire) 19,000 ft (3.8 miles)
(Indirect Fire) 47,500 ft (9.3 miles)
Damage: High Explosive(HE)----1d4x10 MD to 15 ft radius
High Explosive Anti-Tank(HEAT)---- 3d4x10 MD to 5 ft radius
Fragmentation--- 5d6 MD to 30 ft radius
Plasma----- 1d6x10 MD to 20 ft radius
(APFSDSDU)(Armor Piercing Fin Stabilized Discarding Sabot Depleted Uranium) 3d6x10 MD out to 6,600 ft, 2d4x10 MD out to maximum range
Rate of Fire: 5 shots per melee
Payload: Varies:
80mm AP shell weighs 12 lbs( 166 shots per ton)
Cost: 730,000 credits

r) 80mm MB Gauss Cannon(PS-MDJ80M)
Weight: 5,800 lbs (2.9 tons)
Range: (Direct Fire)25,000 ft (5 miles)
(Indirect Fire) 62,500 ft (12.5 miles)
Damage: High Explosive(HE)----1d4x10 MD to 15 ft radius
High Explosive Anti-Tank(HEAT)---- 3d4x10 MD to 5 ft radius
Fragmentation--- 5d6 MD to 30 ft radius
Plasma----- 1d6x10 MD to 20 ft radius
(APFSDSDU)(Armor Piercing Fin Stabilized Discarding Sabot Depleted Uranium) 3d6x10 MD out to 6,600 ft, 2d4x10 MD out to maximum range
Rate of Fire: 5 shots per melee
Payload: Varies:
80mm AP shell weighs 12 lbs( 166 shots per ton)
Cost: 1.1 million credits


Light Turrets(1-8)--- These are smaller weapons turrets, each with 60 MDC, and costing about 6,000 credits each. Can accommodate ONE of the following:
a) Mini-Missile Launcher---18 MMs
b) SRM Launcher----9 SRMs
c) MRM Launcher---4 MRMs
d) Grenade Launcher--PS’s standard 40mm AGL
Range:7,000 ft
Damage: Frag rounds do 4d6 MD to a 12-foot radius.
AP rounds do 1d4x10 to a 3-foot blast radius,
and Plasma rounds do 1d4x10+10 to a 5-foot radius.
A 3 round burst of frag shells does 1d4x10 to a 15 foot radius,
a burst of 3 AP shells does 2d4x10 to a 5 foot radius,
and a burst of 3 plasma shells does 3d4x10 to an 8 foot blast radius
A 5 round burst of frag shells does 1d6x10 to a 20 foot radius,
a burst of 5 AP shells does 2d6x10 to a 6 foot area,
and a burst of 5 plasma shells does 3d6x10 to a 10 foot radius.
A 10 round burst of frag shells does 2d6x10 to a 40-foot radius.
A 10 round AP burst does 3d6x10 to an 8-foot area,
and a 10 round plasma burst does 4d6x10+10 to a 15-foot radius!!
Rate of Fire: Standard
Payload: Belt or box magazine
Special Features: None
Cost: Black Market examples cost 180,000 credits, but PS would/will ideally market the weapon for 50,000 credits for the launcher; the cost is in the larger projectiles

e) Light Gatling Gun/PS-L-CIWS Vulcan Chain Gun(aka “Button Guns”)---This installation, introduced on the Type 9 Battlemover, then adapted as an air defense weapon option for the VW Camper Gunship, has been adapted for shipboard use as PS’s standard light maritime weapons system. The system is a very compact and neat installation that takes up little space, and has been compared to the pre-Rifts Russian ADMG-630 30mm Gatling CIWS that saw extensive service aboard Russian warships. The PS-L-CIWS is often called the “Button Gun” because of its squat, flattened dome-like turret.
Range: 4,000 ft
Damage: 1d4x10 MD per 20 rd burst(can only fire bursts)
Rate of Fire: EGCHH, as an automated defense system linked to a radar/sensor system, the “Button Gun” has 3 attacks per melee
Payload:8,000 rd drum(200 bursts)
Cost: 100,000 credits

f) Light Rail Gun---Copies of the Coalition’s own C-200 ‘Dead Man’ rail gun.
Range: 4,000 ft
Damage: 1d4 MD single rd, 4d6 MD per 20 rd burst
Rate of Fire: ECHH
Payload:6,000 rd drum(300 bursts) per gun
Cost: 60,000 credits

g) Pulse Laser
Range: 4,000 ft
Damage: 2d6 MD single shot, 6d6 MD triple pulse burst
Rate of Fire: EPCHH
Payload: Unlimited
Cost: 24,000 credits

h) Ion Cannon
Range:4000 ft
Damage: 1d6x10+10 MD per shot
Rate of Fire: ECHH
Payload:Effectively unlimited
Cost: 40,000 credits per cannon

i) Plasma ProjectorPlasma Cannon---A modified, heavier, version of the Paladin Steel/ Pandora Armaments ‘Nimro’ Plasma Rifle with variable settings. The Nimro-B has less range, but it can be set to fire an area of effect plasma ‘bomb’.
Range:(Standard)2,000 ft
(Nimro-B)(Stream) 1,500 ft
(Popper) 1,000 ft
Damage:(Standard)1d6x10 MD per blast
(Nimro-B)(Stream) 1d6x10 MD per blast
(Popper) 5d6 MD to 10 ft blast radius
Rate of Fire: EPCHH
Payload:(Standard) 100 shot batteryUnlimited if nuclear powered
(Nimro-B) 100 shot battery,Unlimited if nuclear powered
Cost:(Standard) 80,000 credits
(Nimro-B) 35,000 credits

j) Particle Beam Cannon
Range: 4,000 ft
Damage: 1d4x10 MD per single blast
2d4x10 MD double blast
Rate of Fire: ECHH
Payload: Effectively Unlimited
Cost: 200,000 credits

k) FlamethrowerFlamethrower Pod---Modified from the pod used on the Mongol Light Tank, with multi-fuel capability technology developed with the ‘Firewaller”.
Range:(Direct-Stream Mode) 230 ft
(Pellet Launcher): 1000 ft
Damage:(Direct-Stream Mode)
(Gasoline/Alcohol) 1d4x10 SDC
(Napalm) 1d6x10 SDC, plus does 5d6 SDC per melee for 1d4 minutes
(MD Fluid) 1d4 MD per blast, 1d4 MD per melee for 2d4 minutes
(Flame-Gel)2d6 MD, 2d6 MD per melee for 1d6 minutes
(HyperNapalm) 3d6 MD per blast, 1d4x10+10 MD per concentrated burst(counts as two attacks). 2d6 MD per melee for 1d4 minutes.
Note: The flamethrower can also be used to cover an area with fluid: up to 10 ft per attack used. Used with Super-Napalm, this does 1d4 MD, Flame-Gel does 1d6 MD, and with HyerNapalm, this does 2d6 MD.
(Pellet Launcher)(SDC) 1d4x10 SDC to 10 ft area
(MD) 3d6 MD to 5 ft radius(Regardless of fuel-type)
Rate of Fire:(Direct-Stream Mode) Standard
(Pellet Launcher) Standard
Payload:(Direct-Stream Mode
(Gasoline/Alcohol) 20 blasts
(Napalm) 60 blasts
(MD Fluid) 100 blasts
(Flame-Gel) 120 blasts
(HyperNapalm) 200 blasts per tank(much more concentrated than the regular gasoline/alcohol).
(Pellet Launcher) 25 pellets in the chamber
Cost: 50,000 credits
(Gasoline/Alcohol) Typically 5-30 credits(depending on availability)
(Napalm) 50 credits per tank
(MD Fluid) 800 credits per tank
(Flame-Gel) 1000 credits per tank
(HyperNapalm) 2000 credits per tank
Pellets cost 5 credits apiece

l)Flare/Chaff Launcher Pod--Standard countermeaures launcher
Range: Close Defense
Damage: None; similar to Triax-style chaff
01-50 Enemy Missile or volley detonates in chaff and threat is neutralized
51-75 Missile/Volley diverts and may pursue/lock on to other targets
76-00 No Effect! Missile(s) still on target!
Will also temporarily blind and impede flying monsters who fly into it.
Reduce APMs/combat bonuses/ speed by half for 1d4 melees
Payload: 18 per launcher
Cost: 50,000 credits

m) Chemical Sprayer/Hydro-Cannon---Spray cannon and liquid ammo reservoir for firefighting, chemical neutralization, agricultural spraying, or anti-vampire work.
Range: 500 ft
Damage: Varies by chemical used; if using water a blast does 1d4x10 HP damage to vampires.
Rate of Fire: ECHH
Payload: Each turret has a reserve tank with 20 blasts of chemical/water, or all of them can be linked to a central tank in the main cargo hold that holds enough for 1,000 blasts of liquid(or subdivided to hold separate chemical agents)
Cost: 7,000 credits per cannon
100,000 credits for the main tank fitting

Options:
*Additional Armor--Up to 400 MDC of additional armor can be added; 10,000 credits per 10 MDC
Laser Ablative armor is also available at TWICE normal armor cost. This material is ceramic-based, and lasers do HALF damage; variable-frequency lasers do NOT readjust to compensate on this stuff.

*Forcefield Generator---Standard Naruni-style knockoff Forcefields:
a)Light Forcefield---- 100 MDC--- 800 credits
b) Medium Forcefield---- 150 MDC--- 1.2 million credits
c) Heavy Forcefield---- 240 MDC--- 2.4 million credits
d) Superheavy Forcefield---- 320 MDC--- 3 million credits
Note: All forcefields regenerate at 5% per melee

*Dual Controls---A frequent complaint about the Cavorite is the lack of direct eyeball visibility the top-mount cockpit has of the terrain directly under it, especially during precision maneuvering close to the ground. To compensate, PS is offering a dual control rig setup, installing a second control seat, similar to a helicopter’s, with maneuvering controls and basic instrumentation, in the lowermost cabin. The second set of controls can be locked out by remote control from the upper ‘master’ cockpit.
Cost: 1 million credits

*ECM Suite---Fairly basic jamming equipment ECM Module---electronic jamming system that gives radar-guided weaponry a -4 to strike the drone. Or it can be used offensively, to foil ALL radar-guided weaponry in a 15 mile radius(-2 to strike)
Cost: 700,000 credits

* Jammer-----A mini-radio jammer, that can pump out enough multi-wavelength white noise to jam civilian band communications with 90% effectiveness, and military comms with 70% effectiveness, over a 20 mile radius.
Cost: 400,000 credits

*Enhanced Sensors---The sensor range can be beefed up to 50% in terms of range and effectiveness for 100,000 credits

*Heavy Sensor Array---This adds a large two- or four-vaned radar array to the upper end of the Cavorite. This improved system, originally tested as part of the PS Starfire Light VTOL ‘Hawkeye’ AWACS conversion, has a range of 200 miles, can track up to 100 targets simultaneously, Auto-ID 40 of them, and has radar detection capability(98%) as well as backtrack locating of shell and projectile trajectories(80%). Radome has 120 MDC.
Alternatively, this can be fitted into the lower weapons bay, as a retractable sensory array, but this removes any main armament carriage capacity.
Cost: 3 million credits

*ORACLE---Omni-diRectional Aura Classification and Locator Electronics---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. The system is designed to detect incoming magical/paranormal attacks and alert the crew to them(hopefully in time to allow them to take defensive measures). PS hopes to upgrade the system to allow for over-the-horizon and remote-viewing advanced early warning capabilities. The ORACLE Mrk II is currently being retrofitted to most ships-of-the-line of the VFSN.
Effective Range: 4,000 ft radius of detection.
Note: This system is available ONLY to GNE and their closest allies and NEVER sold!

TW Options
As noted previously, the Cavorite has caught the affection of the Techno-Wizardry community, who have suggested a variety of different modifications for it.
In addition to the features below, I suggest looking at Coalition Wars One: Seige on Tolkeen, pgs 68-72, for other systems that can be added. Stealth features are particularly popular, as well as LeyLine Engines(wizards love to ‘float’ these things along ley-lines).
*PPE Battery and Generator---Stores and recovers PPE from the environment, and keeps all your TW gadgetry powered up!
PPE Capacity:(Light)----200 PPE battery capacity; recharges at 10 PPE per hour, 20PPE/hour at a leyline, 40 PPE/hour on a nexus
(Medium)-----300 PPE battery capacity; recharges at 10 PPE per hour, 40 PPE/hour at a leyline, 80 PPE/hour on a nexus
(‘Wizard’)----400 PPE battery capacity; recharges at 14 PPE per hour, 50 PPE/hour at a leyline, 100 PPE/hour on a nexus
(‘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

*Spell Shield---This weaves a network of PS’s new EctoFiber Magic Superconductor in and around the Cavorite’s hull, producing a sort of magic ‘Faraday Cage’ that shields it from most magic attacks. This is ALWAYS on; a permament feature of the craft.
Effects: Effectively INVULNERABLE to Magic energy attacks and mind control spells. All crew are +6 to save versus possession, and magic sensors are -2 to spot/detect/discern the craft
The Cavorite can, however, still be affected by indirect attacks like magically summoned wind to blow it around, meteorites, and other natural forces that are summoned, then directed at or near the protected vessel.
Cost: Currently available ONLY to 5ST and its allies; costs 5 million credits to produce.

*Sun Globe-----A more powerful variant on the ‘Globe of Daylight’ spell, this modification causes the craft’s entire hull to glow softly with a silver or gold light that looks downright beautiful....and incidentally does damage to vampires, causing them to flee in terror!
Range: 300ft radius
Damage: None; the area of effect is lit bright as day. Vampires, however, will take 2d4 HP of damage per melee of exposure
Rate of Fire/Duration: 45 minutes per activation
PPE Usage: 10 PPE per activation
Cost: 25,000 credits

*Reflection---Turns the hull of the Cavorite mirror-shiny, and incidentally reflects enemy fire back to its point of origin! The system has been improved to handle BOTH energy and projectile fire, but cannot parry explosive projectiles or magic. The pilot of the Cavorite rolls to PARRY(+3) any incoming energy or projectile blast; 1-4 means that the attack does FULL damage to the vessel, a 5-13 means the attack is simply deflected off in a random direction, while a 13 or better means that the attack is reflected back at the attacker, who must DODGE(without bonuses) or be hit by their own attack!
Note: This system will NOT work if a forcefield is up and active.
Range: 2,000 ft--- Can attempt to return fire at targets beyond this range, but is -1 to strike per every additional 100 ft
Damage: Varies by the attack reflected.
Rate of Fire/Duration: 10 melees per activation
PPE Usage: 20 PPE per activation
Cost: 100,000 credits

*Shockwave----Great for knocking off/away enemies who get too close
Range: 100 ft radius
Damage: 1d4x10 MD plus 01-88% chance of knocking down objects and creatures weighing less than 500 lbs, 50% chance of knocking over things 500-1,000 lbs, and only a 20% chance of knocking over anything up to 1 ton.
Rate of Fire/Duration: ECHH
PPE Usage: 30 PPE per activation
Cost: 300,000 credits

*TK Tractor Beam----This allows a skilled operator to remotely pick up and carry objects(and people) with a directed beam of mystical telekinetic energy. Uses a combination of Telekinesis, Levitation, Wind Rush, and Featherlight spells. Great for light cargo handling and rescue work, but energy intensive and short-ranged.
Range: 200 ft
Damage: None, but can lift up to 1,000 lbs
Rate of Fire/Duration: 2 minutes per activation; can be extended by 2 minutes by pumping in additional PPE(see usage)
PPE Usage: 25 PPE. +5 PPE per every 100 lbs over 500
Cost: 800,000 credits

*Mass Healing---”Yep, we once got a humanitarian group out of Lazlo that wanted a gizmo capable of healing a crowd of people all at once from the air, and once we knew why they wanted it, we were glad to oblige---They’ve been using it to control the spread of disease in the refugee camps out west. Not as powerful as individualized healing spells, but it’s still very effective for controlling the spread of diseases like cholera and typhus, as well as for tending to open sores and infected wounds. Just fly this baby over the crowd with a low pass, while shining the healing light on them....Heckuva concept, but it works!”
---Solomen Short, PS Heavy Machinery Division, New Barre Labs
Range: 100 ft radius
Damage: None---Cures ordinary illnesses and repairs 1d6 SDC OR 1d4 Hit Points per person.
Can also temporarily ‘immunize’ people against diseases; immune to bacterial infections, +4 to save versus viral illnesses, and +1 to save versus toxins and poisons!
Rate of Fire/Duration: Instant and permanent
Disease Fortification lasts about 24 hours
PPE Usage:50 per activation
Cost: 400,000 credits---PS gives a healthy(30-40%) discount to known humanitarian/altruistic organizations).

*Flicker-Dodge Drive----Adapted from technology recently exchanged with Farnborough Air in the British Isles, this allows the vehicle to ‘skip’ temporary out of this plane of existance into a pocket universe and pop back out a few seconds later, dodging enemy fire. A special capability, and one of FA’s signature creations: an application of the Astral Hole spell. This allows the aircraft to quickly dodge out of sight/reality, for a few seconds, or move up to 2000 ft sideways, up, down, or backwards , with a +2 to dodge while doing so. Typically, an aircraft can engage this system 10 times before needing to recharge the system on a Ley Line(takes about 24 hours), or the pilot can pump in 80 PPE per “flicker-dodge”.
Range: Self; can dodge up to 2,000 ft
Damage: None
Rate of Fire/Duration: 5 seconds
PPE Usage: 80 per dodge
Cost: 3 million credits

[taalismn]

Now you just need a genetic facility to create those beings. Now we here at the Federated States would be happy to finance that new company if PS would start it.

Why? THat would be using somebody else's work as one of my products...
I figure they'd be locals, reproducing as normal....Southern states and lower Appalachia have their red-necks and inbred backhills folk, why shouldn't New England have, if not the Innsmouth Look, then transgenetic chimera-folk?

[abtex]

That, and variants on the Solar Stove...

or the solar smoker!

Plasma-lighted, hickory smoked....How you like your Thunderbeetle Jerky?

PS makes plasma grenades and weapon rounds with different favors of BBQ sauce?
Just in time for the 4th of July. Oh Boy!!!
Slow cooked meat is better tasting than quick cooked.
Do you have favored napalm ?
My browser's spell checker had napalm in it?!?! Is that a good thing?

[abtex]

Hmmm.....Slime of Fire (no, wait, that's napalm...if it's cooler, it's a medical rub)...Hydro-Slime? Forms static walls of what looks like jello, but if you try going through it, it lets go in a torrent of water? Air-Slime---That's Aerogel....looks like mist, feels like mist, cushions like an airbag, and traps you like transparent concrete...

The board's Rocket Scientists did not like my idea of using hydrogen embedded Aerogel as the lifting agent for airships. But an Air-Slime that stores or releases a lifting gas could work out for the same purpose.

Hmmm...maybe VitraSlime...sprayed on open ground, it quickly spreads and hardens into instant pavement...flat and level...perfect for runways or roads.... Make sure to feed it some PPE every week or so, or the stuff quickly breaks down into a nutrient-rich mulch to renew the vegetation it choked off when it was laid down... Lay it under a leyline, and you don't need to PPE-ping it (unless somebody uses an aggressive spell like Accelerate Growth or the like to uber-green it...)

They just use "Road Kill" in some necks of the woods to keep the roadways alive and well.
An Elem.Critter like a snail(s), fist to truck size, that eats veggie or rock, bulldozers and produces it own slime trail would be helpful for building paths to multi lane highways, if they got out of control.

Fire based Elem.Slime can help stop over growth by the local vegetation. In some cases you might want the plants to keep the path or roadway hidden. Have they found any Slime that that acts as 'Accelerate Growth or the like to uber-green it...'? Farmers, outlaws and other PS equipment users want to know.

You could use an old style housing with a quick change module for Elem.Slime weapons or tools. The gallery of pictures says it best. But misusing the text can have some possibles of 'tools' using the design. Might not even need to loaded with Elem.Slime

X Sting Wish

The X Sting Wish is proposed in three models - CO2, Powder and H20 – all color coded for their specific function and to aid with identification of the various functional components like grip, trigger and canister. The extinguishers are ergonomically designed, lightweight (4kg full and 2kg empty for the H20 extinguisher), have a dual trigger for more accurate and safe use (as with a chainsaw) and side LED’s to light up the area in heavy smoke or in dim lighting. The design is engineered to be structurally strong and the unit can even be used as a butt ram to knock down doors in a burning building if required. The materials are also durable and non conductive which is important in certain fire fighting conditions (e.g., to avoid heat transfer and electrical conductivity). The part carbon fiber shell also has the advantage of opening slightly under extreme heat to release pressure, which alleviates the possibility of the container exploding.

The H20 extinguisher uses a water mist technology that takes 10% of the water a conventional extinguisher. This enables the design to have a maximum carrying capacity of 2 litres of water versus the normal 20 liters with the conventional extinguisher. Another advantage to the mist technology is that it is non conductive and therefore can be used in more fire types.

Could just be used as a conventional fire extinguisher but what would be the fun in that.
Would the Mist spray have any effort of vampires, if a little added pressure was available to the task?

..Miss reads start here...
-) have a dual trigger for accurate and safe use as a chainsaw
-) side LED’s to light up the area with "heavy smoke" or dim lighting, thats what black light does in Rifts right?
-) side LED’s to light up targets in the area
-) mist technology is non conductive and therefore can be used to more fire types of projectiles
-) is important so in certain fire fight conditions allows heat transfer and electrical conductivity attacks
-) part carbon fiber shell also has the advantage of opening slightly releasing extreme explosive pressure for area effect attacks
-) is engineered to be structurally strong and the unit can even be used as a butt ram or melee weapon at close quarters if required
-) when combined with the LED targeting technology and the right payload the Sting can act like the lightweight XM-25 "smart weapon" producing High Explosive Air-Burst (HEAB) munitions that can be programmed to detonate at a precise point in the air without the need to impact, spelling trouble for elusive targets, be they behind a wall, inside a building or in a foxhole.

[taalismn]

That, and variants on the Solar Stove...

or the solar smoker!

Plasma-lighted, hickory smoked....How you like your Thunderbeetle Jerky?

PS makes plasma grenades and weapon rounds with different favors of BBQ sauce?
Just in time for the 4th of July. Oh Boy!!!
Slow cooked meat is better tasting than quick cooked.
Do you have favored napalm ?
My browser's spell checker had napalm in it?!?! Is that a good thing?

Hmmm..."Hunter's Choice Munitions'? KIll your prey, section it, season it, and cook it in one go/throw?
"Try Our New Beer Blast Fuel Air Munition...Imparts Just the Right Amount of Beer-Fried Goodness to that Dinosaur Your Just Bomb-Broiled!"
Of course, somebody will demand Organic and Low-Cal brands....

...And yes, it IS a good thing when your spell checker can spell 'Napalm'....