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Paladin Steel SeaCobra Full Conversion Marine Assault Cyborg
(based on the ‘Flame Cloud’ Attack ‘Borg in Rifts Japan)

“Used to be you couldn’t go ANYWHERE near the water without a full suit of armor, a plasma rifle, and a heavy armored vehicle, but now that the SeaCobras are patrolling the Bay, I don’t think twice about going on the water ‘au naturale’!”
---’Bunny’, Enigma Bay resident

“Thanks...I really needed to hear that from a fan...WHERE did you say you go swimming?”
---’ Iron Snake’, Sea Cobra convertee and Coast Guardsman

‘Sorry to bust your bubble, man, but didja know ‘Bunny’’s a TROLL?”
----’Eagle Eyes’, Paladin Steel West Lifeguard and Shore Patrolman

“Expect to spend alot of time crawling through shipwrecks, engineering spaces, and torpedo tubes, all in pitch darkness, with the Service. The SeaCobra programme is NOT for claustrophobics.”
---Captain Venia Mullredos, Greater New England Navy

Little has been made of the infrequent trade contacts between Paladin Steel and the nations of Japan.....occasionally Paladin Steel will release a small arms design or an electronics system that has the marks of Japanese design, but most of the time, the technological exchanges seem to be small potatoes. The recent introduction of the Sea Cobra Marine Assault Cyborg suggests that the relationship may be deeper than either PS or the Japanese are letting on....
The Sea Cobra would appear to be an adaptation of the Japanese ‘Flame Cloud’ Full Conversion Cyborg, though whether PS traded with the Republic or Ichto for the design, and what they traded for it, remains unknown.
While the Flame Cloud was designed with a fire-breathing dragon motif in mind, the Sea Cobra was designed with underwater work in mind. Its sleek, streamlined, serpentine body can cut through the water with all the agility and grace of a porpoise, as well as twine around and through obstacles and tight spaces. The sharp angles and protruding spikes of the Flame Cloud have been largely faired away and streamlined on the Sea Cobra, and its new megadamage woven glasstic and ceramic armor has a shiny, almost oily, iridescent smoothness to it. In contrast to the crimson and gold paint motifs favored by many Flame Clouds, most Sea Cobras favor dark greens, grays, and blues, often in ocean camouflage patterns.
Paladin Steel’s trade contracts introduced the original Flame Cloud to North America, and it was Paladin Steel’s CyberBionics Division that did most of the conversion work as part of its Augmentation Technologies Development Initiative(part of the massive rearmament aimed at defending the East Coast from the threat of renewed Splugorth aggression). The basic design remains unchanged, but the body is water sealed, even more streamlined, and fitted with specially webbed limbs. Underwater propulsion packs replace the original turbojets, and special modular pods allow the backpack weapons to be quickly swapped out and replaced.
The Sea Cobra was too late to see anything more than limited service during the closing stages of the Pacific War, but since then, as PSW and West Coast nations struggle to rebuild their coastal defense forces, the Sea Cobra has seen extensive service. The design has also caught on with the GNE Navy, who offers the conversion package to critically injured sailors and SEALs.

Type:PS-FC-23
Class: Full Conversion Borg - Amphibious Operations
Date of Introduction: 111 PA
Crew: One volunteer
Minimal Requirements: Because of the strain placed on the recipient’s psyche, the conversion is available ONLY to those with a demonstrated M.E. rating of 14 or better

M.D.C. By Location:
Hands/Feet(4) 20 each
Forelegs/Arms(2) 60 each
Hind Legs(2) 60 each
Prehensile Tail 50 per 6ft of length.
Shoulder Pods/Jet Thrusters(2) 120 each
*Head 100 .
**Main Body 320 .
*Destroying the head of a Cyborg will kill the character!
However, the head is a small and difficult target to hit. The attacker
must make a called shot and even then he is -3 to strike. The hands, and
forearms are also difficult targets to hit and are -4 to strike on a
called shot.
**Depleting the M.D.C. of the main body will effectively
destroy the artificial body, but emergency systems will keep the brain and
vital organs alive for 36 hours. Recovery of the severely damaged body
will enable doctors to place the character on life support systems that
will keep him alive until a new bionic body (same style or other) is
available, for full conversion. Failure to find the damaged Borg within 36
hours means the character dies.

Note: The Sea Cobra CANNOT be fitted with additional armor

Speed:
Running: 120 mph max running on all fours . However the act of running does
not tire the operator out and the maximum speed can be maintained indefinitely.
Jumping: The powerful robotic legs are strong and capable of leaping 10 feet high or 18 ft lengthwise. A running leap adds 50% to distance/height.
Flying: Unlike its Flame Cloud cousin, the Sea Cobra CANNOT fly, but it still manage some pretty impressive jet-propelled leaps, being able to perform a jet-assisted ‘porpoise leap’ of 40 ft straight up from the water.
Underwater: The Sea Cobra is in its element here and can hit speeds of 50 MPH, and survive depths of up to 1.5 miles

Statistical Data:
Average Height: 5 feet when on all fours, 9 ft rearing up on the rear legs
Width: 2.5 ft at shoulders, +5 ft for the shoulder pods
Length: 24 feet , head to tail
Weight: 1500 lbs.
Power System: Nuclear
Physical Attributes: Equal to PS. 25, PP. 23, SPD 176.
Bonuses: Standard cyborg bonuses of +3 save vs magic, impervious to
bio-manipulation
+1 initiative(+2 underwater)
+4 strike/parry
+5 dodge
+3 Pull Punch
Penalties: Touch/tactile sense is 60% of human norm.
Prowl penalty: -20%

Special Skills/Training---Use standard 'Borg, Salvage Expert, or Headhunter OCC.
Black Market Cost: 7 million credits with all standard features, weapons, and sensors.

Standard Bionic Features
Note: These features are all found in the bionic and
cybernetic section of the Rifts RPG.
1. Bionic lung with gas filter & storage cell
2. Built-in language translator
3. Built-in radio receiver & transmitter
4. Clock calendar
5. Gyro-compass
6. Modulated voice synthesizer
7. Multi-optic eyes
8. Built-in loudspeaker
9. Universal headjack with amplified hearing and sound filtration systems.
10. Prehensile Tail(with vibro-blades)

Special Features:
a)Sonar---15 mile range
b)Depth Gauge
c) Spotlight---200 ft range
d) Interchangeable BioPod----Most SeaCobras stay with a single body, but when VR-Sim or conversation just aren’t enough, the brain, spinal cord, and remaining organics of the convertee are housed in a special self-contained ‘biopod’ that can be removed from the hulking cyborg body and hooked up into another cyborg mody modified to accept it. This allows the Sea Cobra to exchange his or her hulking combat body for a smaller, more humanoid, more socially-acceptable, cyborg frame for special missions or a ‘night on the town’.
e) Extended Underwater Life Support---Enhanced recycler lungs allow the ‘borg to stay underwater up to 8 hours.
f) Reinforced Joints and Body Hull---The cyborg’s body is specially reinforced to withstand the crushing pressure of the depths, and when diving deep, the cyborg can flood its own internal spaces with a special inert gel that resists the push of the water. When the cyborg surfaces, a special venting system squeezes out any air pockets that might explode upon decompression, and special nanites in the biosystem bloodstream scavenge any trace nitrogen before it cna form dangerous bubbles. Of course, if the ‘borg has to be opened up on the surface for repairs, the gel(referred to by frustrated cyberdocs as ‘sea gunk’) has to flushed away first, hampering repair work.

*Climbing Spurs---The arms and legs are fitted with small retractable spurs for assisting in climbing rocky sea cliffs and clinging to ship hulls(+5% to Climbing skills). Some Sea Cobra convertees replace these with molecular climbing pads.

Weapons Systems:
1)HindquartersTail Particle Beam Cannon---Retained from the original design, but modified to take advantage of improvements in GNE particle beam projection technology.
Range: 4,000 ft
Damage: 6d6 MD per blast
Rate of Fire: Three times per melee
Payload:Effectively Unlimited

2)Mouth Sonic Blaster ---Built into the lower jaw and throat is a powerful sonic projector
Range: 80 ft in air, 300 ft underwater
Damage: 4d6 MD per blast
Can also be used to momentarily stun opponents; Save versus Psionic Attack or be -6 to strike, parry, and dodge, lose one attack per melee, and -20% to all skill rolls, for 1d6 melees(double to sea creatures or beings with acute hearing). HALF effectiveness through sealed EBA and power armor with hearing protection(robots, vehicles, and heavy power armors like Glitterboys)
Rate of Fire: ECHH
Payload: Effectively Unlimited

3)Wrist Ion Cannon(2)---What look like vestigial thumbs on the cyborg’s forepaws are really short range ion blasters, based on the New Navy’s M-2011 Energy Pistol
Range: 600 ft
Damage: 1d4x10 SDC or 3d6 MD per blast
Rate of Fire: ECHH
Payload: Effectively unlimited

4) Shoulder Pods--The original plasma cannon pods have now been replaced with more versatile modular pods that can be changed to give the ‘borg a greater variety of weapons choices...or the cyborg can carry a more powerful underwater propulsion pack, instead.
a) Blue-Green Pulse Lasers
Range: 2,000 ft both in air and underwater
Damage: 3d6 MD single shot, 1d6x10+10 MD per six-shot pulse blast
Rate of Fire: ECHH
Payload:Effectively Unlimited

b) Ion Cannon---based on the M-90 ‘Beach Stormer” Cannon
Range: 4,000 ft
Damage: 1d6x10+10 MD per pulse blast
Rate of Fire: ECHH
Payload: Effectively Unlimited

c) Sonic Cannon---A heavier model sonic assault cannon---the PS-SVHFW-2 Sonic Cannon----similar to that mounted on the PSA-11N ‘Dog Fish’ power armor, but slightly less powerful.
Range: 500 ft(1,000 ft underwater)
Damage: Wide Beam: 3d6 MD to a 30 ft area
Concentrated Beam: 5d6 MD per blast
Unprotected personnel must save versus non-lethal poison (16 or higher) or be stunned for 1d4 melee rds. People in sealed power armor save at an 8 or higher for the wide area blast, but make a standard save for the concentrated blast.
Sonar Blast----This is an enormous ‘belch’ of sonic cacophony that can blind sonar systems within range with a mass of ‘white noise’, knocking them out for 1d4 melees. Sonar and acoustic homing systems will lose target lock, and sonar-using creatures will be stunned and ‘blind’ for 1d4 minutes.
Vibration Blast---This takes up ALL attacks per melee to initiate and maintain, and consists of focusing a low powered beam on a sealed ship(submarines are ideal), and gradually inducing an ultra-low frequency vibration throughout its structure. While this doesn’t do any damage per se, it does affect the hearing and inner ears of crewmembers, causing creeping disorientation and increasing unsettledness, leading up to nausea. After one melee people with unprotected hearing(or uninsulated contact with the ship’s hull structure) will be -1 to strike, parry, and dodge, and -5% to skills(they become easily distracted). After two melees they are -2 to strike, parry, and dodge, -10% to skills, and are -10% to their sense of balance...and so on...People with protected hearing are immune to the effect, but beings with enhanced hearing are TWICE as susceptible to the effects.
This setting is most effective against vessels 60 ft long or smaller...larger vessels will take an extra full melee per 50 ft of length for this to work...or several cannon working in concert, to be effective.
Rate of Fire: ECHH
Payload: Effectively unlimited

d) EM Torpedo Launcher---Fires a ‘bolt’ of electromagnetic force that hits like an invisible hammer.
Range: 3000 ft in air or water
Damage- 5d6 MD per blast
Effects-Being unseen, and very fast, the force bullet imposes dodge penalties. A target is at -8 to dodge the single projectile.
Rate of Fire: EPCHH
Payload: Effectively unlimited

e) Torpedo Launcher---Can carry/fire a variety of standard torpedo types.
Range: Varies by Torpedo Type
Damage: Varies by Torpedo Type
Rate of Fire: Volleys of 1-6
Payload: 18 Micro-Torpedoes, OR 9 Mini-Torpedoes, OR 4 Short Range Torpedoes, OR 1 Medium Range Torpedo per launcher

f) Mini-Missile Launchers----Great for clearing off ships. Basically a more streamlined version of the PS-CM22 Missile Cannon
Range: Varies by Missile Type
Damage: Varies by Missile Type
Rate of Fire: Volleys of 1-4
Payload: 20

g) Super Cavitation Drive System---This completely replaces the weapons pod with a new propulsion system(NO shoulder weapons can be carried) that can slam the ‘borg up to speeds of 200 MPH! It accomplishes this by generating a sonic ‘fold’ around the cyborg that holds water off the skin by several millimeters, creating an ultrastreamlining ‘airskin’ that allows the cyborg to speed through the water like a missile. Ufortunately, this system is also extremely noisy when in use, negating any stealth attempts, and the cyborg can only maintain this top speed for 15 minutes before needing to slow down and cool off/recharge the system for 30 minutes. This is an experimental system, the result of PS research into various forms of energy fields, and is available ONLY to select PS/GNE units.

5)Blaster Tail---The razor-sharp, armor piercing tail can deliver a powerful electro-shock charge as well----Taken/copied directly from Free Quebec’s own Sea Dragon Power Armor, this does 2d4 SDC when used as a club, 3d6 MD on a jab,
Range: Melee
Damage: 2d6 MD per electrical charge to an impaled victim, or it can fire a long distance electrical bolt that does 1d6 MD at a range of 20 ft on dry land/in air, 1d6+6 MD to targets 50 ft away underwater, plus 1 MD to everything in a 50 ft radius of the ‘borg underwater in an omni-directional blast.
Rate of Fire: ECHH
Payload: Effectively Unlimited


Hand to Hand Combat
Restrained Punch 1d6+13 SDC
Full Strength Punch 3d6+13 SDC
Power Punch( 2 attacks) 1d4 MD
Kick 4d6+13 SDC
Leap Kick(2 Attacks) 2d4 MD
Judo-Style Throw/Flip 3d6 SDC
Body Block/Ram: (2 attacks) 1d6 MD
Tail Lash 6d6
Blade Tail Lash 3d6 MD
Options:
The Sea Cobra can be fitted with any of the standard cybernetic and bionic features in the Rifts books. Favorite options include fitting the 'borg with gill breathers, additional sensors, and robotic strength actuators. Additional limbs are NOT possible.

Paladin Steel ‘Midas’ Full Conversion Combat Cyborg
( Aka ‘Glitterborg’)

“There is nothing like a solid wall of gleaming armor rushing at one to strike fear into an enemy’s heart...and to see one’s laser fire harmlessly deflected away, only increases the terror....I have seen men inurred to the sight of demons break and flee before a flying charge of assault cyborgs...for despite knowing that we are but men, they know we are unstoppable!”
---’Turbo Silver’, German Mercenary

“The Midas is a helluva alot lighter and more agile(ZIP!)...watch yourself, those are live!.... than those hulka assault units the company’s now putting out....which means this glitterbody can do alot of things(GADANG!GADANG!) they can’t! Like, take this for instance...(SSSSHHHHSSSSSZAP!ZAP!)flip-stop-and-fire-in-midair, followed by a (WHOOSHBANG!)stukadive, low-alt flying barrel roll death spin(SCRREEEECCCHHHHDLAMSLAM), followed by a landing (SMASH) power mosh and limb-crunching (CRACK!CRACK!AIYEEE!!!THUMP!) dismount!”
---Chetter ‘Metal Nuts” Natelli, Vermont Free State Cyborg Marine, Third Army, in a ‘battlefield interview’ for “Live Wire!” vidzine.

“Damn, Carl, but this new body of yours is SO convenient!”
“Glad you think so, Evelyn, now for the last time, WILL YOU QUIT STARING AT YOUR REFLECTION IN MY ARMOR!?”
“Hey, a girl needs to look her best...”
“THIS IS THE EIGHTH TIME YOU’VE REDONE YOUR MAKEUP TODAY!!!!”
---Evelyn M’zar(Elven Mage) and Carl Gunderac(Cyborg Special Ops)

When the ‘Midas’ was first introduced in 109 PA , it was assumed that this gold-hued cyborg was PS’s knockoff of the well-known Triax VX-340 ‘Slasher’. Closer scrutiny, however, reveals that the ‘Midas’ is a wholly PS design, closer in size and performance to the VX-500 ‘Manhunter’, incorporating advanced materials and weaponry.
The Midas has a fairly standard humanoid design, in contrast to some of the recent, more radical, cyborg designs that have emerged from PS. The Midas has a decidedly baroque design, streamlined edges and flowiing, rounded curves dominating its appearance. The head is remarkable small, low-set, and squat; a heavily-armored dome set on the shoulders. In reality, the cyborg’s brain and skull are housed in the upper torso, protected by the heavier armor.
The Midas mounts a full flight system as standard---the back of the legs open up to reveal powerful thrusters, while the back houses a mini-GMR unit, giving the Midas superior mobility without affecting its ability to carry backpack- and shoulder-mounted gear.
The Midas is best known for its gold and silver metallic paint scheme, but it can be customized in any color scheme, though metallic hues seem to predominate among those who elect a Midas conversion. The selected color scheme makes NO difference to the laser ablative material.

Only small numbers of Midas have been produced so far, but the few that have , have made quite a splash...units made predominately of Midas full conversions have turned in rather spectacular displays, even when their overall combat performance hasn’t been that good....units such as the ‘Turbo Legion’ and the ‘Golden Avengers’ have caught the eye of the popular press. Since the more exotic systems of the Midas are predominately accessory units, and the basic workings of the Midas compatible with more conventional cyborg designs, however, production and distribution of the ‘frame is expected to be stepped up as the Midas becomes as common as the PS ‘Aries’ already is in GNE service.

Type:PS--FC-A17
Class: Full Conversion Borg - Assault
Date of Introduction: 109 PA
Crew: One volunteer
M.D.C. By Location:
Hands(2) 40 each
Arms(2) 100 each
Legs(2) 120 each
Feet (& Foot Pads)(2) 50 each .
*Head 90 .
**Main Body 450 .
*Destroying the head of a Cyborg will kill the character!
However, the head is a small and difficult target to hit. The attacker
must make a called shot and even then he is -3 to strike. The hands, and
forearms are also difficult targets to hit and are -4 to strike on a
called shot.
**Depleting the M.D.C. of the main body will effectively
destroy the artificial body, but emergency systems will keep the brain and
vital organs alive for 36 hours. Recovery of the severely damaged body
will enable doctors to place the character on life support systems that
will keep him alive until a new bionic body (same style or other) is
available, for full conversion. Failure to find the damaged Borg within 36
hours means the character dies.

Note: The Midas CAN be fitted with additional armor, up to HEAVY Cyborg Armor, which may not share the same laser-ablative characteristics unless specifically designed/purchased(DOUBLE cost of armor).

Speed:
Running: 100 mph max(80 MPH w/ heavy arnor) . However the act of running does not tire the operator out and the maximum speed can be maintained indefinitely.
Jumping: The powerful robotic legs are strong and capable
of leaping 10 feet high or 18 ft lengthwise. A running leap adds 50% to
distance/height. A GMR- or jet-thruster-assisted leap increases leap distance by 500%
Flying: With its combination GMR-Jetpack, the Midas can hover or hit speeds of 250 MPH, maximum altitude of 2000 ft. It can maintain full speed for about four hours, before requiring 40 minutes to cool down.
Underwater: The Midas CAN swim using its thrusters, but sinks like a rock otherwise. Maximum Speed of 20 MPH, maximum depth of 1/2 mile.

Statistical Data:
Height: 8.5 feet ,
Width: 3.5 feet
Length: 2.5 feet ,
Weight: 1000 lbs.
Power System: Nuclear
Physical Attributes: Equal to Robotic PS. 35, PP. 24,.
Bonuses: Standard cyborg bonuses of +3 save vs magic, impervious to
bio-manipulation
+4 initiative
+5 strike/parry
+6 dodge
+3 Pull Punch
Penalties: Touch/tactile sense is 60% of human norm.
Prowl penalty: -20%

Special Skills/Training---Use standard 'Borg or Headhunter OCC.
Black Market Cost: 9 million credits with all standard features, weapons, and sensors.

Standard Bionic Features
Note: These features are all found in the bionic and
cybernetic section of the Rifts RPG.
1. Bionic lung with gas filter & storage cell
2. Built-in language translator
3. Built-in radio receiver & transmitter
4. Clock calendar
5. Gyro-compass
6. Modulated voice synthesizer
7. Multi-optic eyes
8. Built-in loudspeaker
9. Universal headjack with amplified hearing and
sound filtration systems.

Special Features:
*Laser Ablative Armor---The Midas is the first cyborg to come standard with laser ablative armor that resists and reduces laser damage by HALF. Unlike Glitterboy Chrome, variable frequency lasers CANNOT adjust to do full damage to the ceramic ablative armor. It can be any color, including camouflage, but metallic hues are the most popular for some reason.

*Multi-System Eye Socket---The squat, turret-like head and sensor visor of the Midas features an option socket that allows the ‘borg to be fitted with special-purpose optional optics as needed.

*Integral Gravi-Magnetic Resist (GMR) coil and leg jet-thrusters for superior mobility---This enables the cyborg to fly, or at low power, it can be used to negate the cyborg’s heavy weight, and allow it to prowl without penalty(+10% to Prowl)!

Weapons Systems:
1)Eye Laser---One of the glowing optics in the sensor visor is really a high-powered laser. This weapon is rather more powerful than other similar head-mounted weapons, on account of the brain being moved into the torso, freeing up more space for a more powerful laser emitter.
Range: 1,800 ft
Damage: 4d6 MD per shot
Rate of Fire: ECHH
Payload: Effectively Unlimited

2)EP-70G ‘Golden Eye’ Handheld Particle Beam Cannon---The EP-70G is an ultra-compact high-powered particle beam cannon specifically designed to interface with the special power boosters in the Midas’ forearms, similar to the rifle stock power boosters of the Kang Particle Beam Weapon(on which the Golden Eye was based). The handheld component of the system is a solidly built, surprisingly compact, and streamlined hand unit that can be one-handed by the Midas. A ‘supersmart’ targeting scope folds up out of the top of the weapon.
The hand-component CAN be used separately, powered by a replaceable e-clip, but without the power boosters built into the Midas, its performance as a separate weapon is greatly reduced.
Weight: 22 lbs
Range: 3,500 ft(2,100 ft as a separate weapon)
Damage: 1d6x10 MD per blast
(6d6 MD as a separate weapon)
Rate of Fire: ECHH
Payload: 40 shot battery, recharges 10 shots per hour(one every six minutes)
A standard E-clip has 12 shots, while a long E-clip has 24 shots
Special Features:
*Sensor Integration Algorithim Computer---A ‘peewee’-sized ‘wonderchip’ that integrates all the sensor data and displays it, along with handy ‘pointers’, on the gunscope, or via a feed to wired HUDs or headjack optic displays. Also can be programmed with a clip-on modie for ‘virtual target practice’, allowing the shooter to be able to dry-fire practice target-shooting.
*Laser Targeting
*Passive Nightvision---2,000-6,000 ft
*Thermo-Imaging System---3000 ft
*Motion Tracking System---120-degree arc in front of the weapon. Range: 500 ft
Bonuses: +2 to strike with normal shots, +3 to strike with called shots,, with integrated weapon, and is only -2 to strike invisible targets caught in the motion detector arc.
Cost: 40,000 credits---The sighting system is integrated into the weapon and CANNOT be removed.

3)Plasma Bracer (1 or 2)---Developed from studies of Kittani plasma weaponry, this add-on is considered to be a standard accessory. The Plasma Bracer resembles a large curved half-cylinder of alloy wrapped around the forearm of one, or both, of the Midas’ forearms, and is heavily armoed enough to act as a traditional parrying shield. Tapping into the power amplifiers in the Midas’ arms, however, the Bracers can be used to generate a powerful Magtech Pinpoint Barrier Shield. In addition, the MagTech fields are used to generate and contain a powerful plasma saber.
MDC of Shield: 180
MDC of Forcefield: 100(regenerates 10% per melee)
Range:(Forcefield) 4 ft wide shield centered around the forearm
(Plasma Sword) Melee, 5 ft long
Damage:(Forcefield) None
(Plasma Sword) 1d6x10 MD per strike
Rate of Fire:(Forcefield) can be sustained up to 5 minutes before needing 3 minutes to cycle and recharge.
(Plasma Sword) Plasma blade can be sustained for 5 minutes, before needing 10 minutes to recharge
Payload:(Forcefield) Conditionally Unlimited
(Plasma Sword) Conditionally Unlimited
Bonuses:(Forcefield) +3 to Parry, +6 to Parry rail gun projectiles and bullets/metallic projectiles
Cost: 50,000 credits for a replacement bracer

4) Shock Knife---Another handheld accessory that is standard issue to the Midas is the Shock Knife, a combination of a vibro-blade and a high-powered neuro-baton. The Shock Knife has a curious ‘double basket’ hilt, with two hand guards encircling the hilt, allowing the knife to be used most effectively as a pair of ‘brass knuckles’ in punching attacks, enlarged prong-like blade-guards similar to a Sai’s, that can be used to trap another’s sword or entangle a limb, while the blade itself has special inlays of superconductive material. When linked to the power amplifiers in the Midas’ forearm, the inlays can be used to convey a disabling charge of electricity to a victim, stunning(or killing) them, and even disabling electronics and cybernetics/bionics. A special circuit breaker in the hilt prevents feedback from travelling back into the Midas and destroying ITS electronics.
When not in use, the Shock Knife can be maglocked to the back of the ‘borg, out of the way, but near at hand.
Range: Melee
Damage: 4d6 MD stabbing damage
On a Critical Strike, the Blade delivers a charge of electricity past the armor to the target’s electrical system -----+1d4 MDC, plus MDC beings must roll versus non-lethal poison(16 or better) or be stunned /knocked out for 1d4 melees. Cyborgs have a 60% chance of having their systems overloaded and being immobilized for 1d4 melees, plus a 40% chance of electrical systems/accessories such as sensors or weapons knocked out for 1d4+2 melees. Robots and Power Armor fare somewhat better, having only a 40% chance of losing electrical systems or peripherals for 1d4 melees.
Does DOUBLE damage to beings susceptible to electrical attacks

(Knuckle Guard)Adds +2 MDC to punch damage
(Blade Guards) The large prong-like blade guards are wide enough to trap and entangle a handheld weapon against the blade(possibly rendering sophisticated weapons useless by shocking their systems---30% chance) or trapping a limb in similar fashion
Rate of Fire: ECHH
Payload: Effectively Unlimited
Cost: A replacement ShockBlade costs 30,000 credits

5) Hand to Hand Combat
Restrained Punch 1d4 MD
Full Strength Punch 1d6 MD
Power Punch( 2 attacks) 3d4 MD
Kick 1d6 MD
Leap Kick(2 Attacks) 2d6 MD
Judo-Style Throw/Flip 1d4 MD
Body Block/Ram: (2 attacks) 1d6 MD

Options:
The Midas can be fitted with any of the standard cybernetic and bionic features in the Rifts books. Favorite options include fitting the 'borg with additional forearm weaponry, hiddden compartments, and additional sensors.

*Forcefield Generator ---Replaces the GMR Drive pack and replaces the jet thrusters in the legs with Jet Jump Nodes, instead installing a full-body forcefield generator in the back, sacrificing mobility for additional protection.
Leaping: 250 ft across/ 60 ft up (effectively can move at 50 MPH with sustained leaping)
MDC of Forcefield: 250(regenerates 10% per melee)
Cost: 300,000 credits

*Backpack Cannon Pod---This is essentially a five-barrelled, long-length, version of the 20mm Taskin Infantry Cannon, with attached targeter and box magazine, scaled for mounting and bracing on a cyborg’s shoulders.
Weight: 400 lbs
MDC of Weapon: 150
Range: 4,000 ft
Damage:4d4 MD single shot (2 ft blast radius)
1d6x10 MD per 5 rd burst
2d6x10 MD per 10 rd burst(but -1 to strike)
Rate of Fire:EPCHH
Payload:200 rd drum(20 bursts)
Special Features: *Separate Laser Targeter
Cost: 200,000 credits

*Backpack Missile Launcher Tubes----Similar to the launchers carried by Triax ‘borgs, and no doubt part of the confusion between the two designs, this system consists of a series of launcher tubes sprouting from the ‘borg’s back.
MDC of Weapon(6 tubes): 25 each
Range: Varies by Missile Type
Damage:Varies by Missile Type
Rate of Fire: Volleys of 1, 2, 3, 4, or 6
Payload: 2 mini-missiles per tube(12 total)
Cost: 50,000 credits

Paladin Steel Ganton Full Conversion(Dwarven) Cyborg
(Aka ‘Boom-boom Junior’, ‘Mini-Glit’, ‘Little Glitter’)

“Do you see them?”
“Lemme just check...My eyesight’s better as a Xeroth...I thought I saw something on that mountain over there, just before we went dow...”
(*THOM*)
(SLARP)
“GELGO---”
(*BAM*)(ZOWEEEEEEEEeeeeeee)
“Where the HELL are those snipers!?”
“How the hell should I know? Stick my head out and check? That’s how they killed Culla!”
“That’s rank insubordination, soldier!”
(*BLANG*BLANG*BLANG*)
“Damn, Captain, that almost took your head off! And you were still under cover!”
“Why don’t we all just transform? We’re superior in our Monsror forms!”
“After seeing what happened to Gelgof there, the only thing we’re superior as in that form is a bigger TARGET!! So just shut up and get DOWN!”
“Any chance of getting this bird airborne again?”
(SLAMSLAMSLAM)
“Well, even if we could repair the engine, re-attaching the wings under these conditions is going to be a mite tricky...”
(*ZAM*ARGH!*TTATOW*)
“(groan)Sonuvabitch winged me!”
“Get Doctor Bilcus on the radio and tell him that if he wants the damn genetic samples so bad, he sends us reinforcements RIGHT NOW before we get overrun!”
“Tried already, sir...we keep getting static, like they’re jamming us! On all channels!”
“Even psi!?”
“Even the psi bands!”
“Delvak, can you ‘morph and fly out? We gotta get word out somehow!”
“With pleasure! TRANSFORM!!!” (squelchsquelchsquirmmorph)ROOOOOOWWWWWRRRRRR!(FWOOSHHH!!!)
(*FOOM*FOOM*FOOM*FOOM*FOOM*)
(KERBLAMKERBLAMPTOW!)
(FLUMP)(PATTERPATTERPATTERPATTER)
“So much for that idea...but at least we know they got something besides rail guns...”
“Yeah, a missile tank? Who the hell are these guys?!”
(WHAMWHAMWHAM)
(*SKITOOWWWW!!!**SKREEK***)
(*POW*)”Eey-(glarg)”
“They’re getting our range!”
“Hell no, they ALREADY got our range! Alright! We can’t spot them, but they must know who we are! I say we take those ‘genetic samples’ and use them for hostages while we get out of here and await pickup!”
“(pantpuffpant)Sir! We just lost the prisoners!”
“WHAT!? How!? They were still in the plane’s hold! Tied up!”
“That last barrage cut a hole in the side of the ship and two something-or-others just flew up and grabbed them! They blasted Zull and Borschak!”
“Without those prisoners, our whole mission’s a bust!”
“****, ****, ****! Some fraudin’ Biomorph Warriors we turned out to be!This whole mission’s gone sour from the moment we started back! Even if we get out of this, Doctor Bilcus will dip us in acid! What else can possibly go wrong at this point!”
(growing rumble, earth beneath them begins to shake)
“I had to f***in’ say that, didn’t I?...”

The Ganton is another Uberburrough-Paladin Steel West design. It surprises many to learn that the Ganton is actually inspired by a giant robot design, the PS-RP04 Sniper, a prototype artillery support robot design that failed to catch on with the military. The mechanics and designers from Uberburrough managed to catch a good look at the design during routine technology and training exchanges, and they decided to apply the basic principles and ideas of the giant robot vehicle to a smaller cyborg frame.
The Ganton looks very much like the Sniper, albeit a hundred times smaller. The Ganton has the rotund main body, ape-like forearms, stubby legs, and the backmounted folding heavy cannon and turret. Where the offset cockpit bubble would be in the original’s chest, the Ganton mounts a large glowing crystal Multiplexor TW amulet. The arms can further be reinforced by the addition of large shoulder plates(often adorned with spikes).
The Ganton is formidably armed for its size class. Each box-like arm opens up length-wise to reveal ranked rows of mini-missiles, fourteen per arm, twenty-eight in all. The head mounts a pair of swivelling pulse lasers for the ‘glare of death’, and the arms are long and powerful for close melee combat. The Multiplexor adds the prospect of magical attacks as well.
The most formidable weapon, though, is the long range rail gun. Mounted in the hemispherical turret normally carried lowered across the back, this weapon is so large it is carried partially disassembled, the accelerator barrel broken in half. The Ganton, with its rail gun fully deployed and assembled, looks like a Dwarven version of the Glitterboy, leading to the nickname of ‘Little Glitter’ from some wags.
The Ganton is thus ideally fitted for keeping an opponent under fire from long range, with a withering barrage of missiles, lasers, and projectiles, offsetting the Ganton’s slow speed and lack of agility. However, with its long arms and crushing grip, the Ganton is an excellent melee fighter as well, able to slug, kick, and tear through anyone foolish enough to close with the cyborg.
The Ganton takes its name from an ancient Dwarfish word for ‘cast iron’, thus its nickname of ‘the iron man’.

Type:PS-UB-FC-02
Class: Full Conversion Borg - Assault
Date of Introduction: 109 PA
Crew: One Dwarf volunteer(Later made available to other humanoid convertees)
M.D.C. By Location:
Hands(2) 40 each
Arms(2) 100 each
Forearm Mini-Missile Launchers(2) 80 each
#Arm Shields(1-2, Optional) 120 each
Legs(2) 120 each
Feet (& Foot Pads)(2) 90 each
*Head 120
**Main Body 320
Backpack Turret 150
Long Range Rail Gun 100
Targeting Sensor Cluster 50

#Shoulder Arm Shields can be used to parry in place of the forearms, taking damage in their place(no bonuses to parry, owing to their positioning)
*Destroying the head of a Cyborg will kill the character!
However, the head is a small and difficult target to hit. The attacker
must make a called shot and even then he is -3 to strike. The hands, and
forearms are also difficult targets to hit and are -4 to strike on a
called shot.
**Depleting the M.D.C. of the main body will effectively
destroy the artificial body, but emergency systems will keep the brain and
vital organs alive for 36 hours. Recovery of the severely damaged body
will enable doctors to place the character on life support systems that
will keep him alive until a new bionic body (same style or other) is
available, for full conversion. Failure to find the damaged Borg within 36
hours means the character dies.

Note: The Ganton CANNOT be fitted with any additional armor aside from the upper arm/shoulder shields.

Speed:
Running: 60 mph max . However the act of running does
not tire the operator out and the maximum speed can be maintained
indefinitely.
Jumping: The powerful robotic legs are strong and capable
of leaping 8 feet high or 10 ft lengthwise. A running leap adds 50% to
distance/height. With the jets engaged, the ‘borg can leap 100 ft up and 200 ft across
Flying: Not possible without a jet pack. However, the Jet nodes allow it to hover for 1d4 minutes at altitudes of up to 20 ft, but the main rail gun CANNOT be fired while hovering.
Underwater: The Ganton CANNOT swim, but sinks like a rock

Statistical Data:
Average Height: 6 feet ,
Width: 4 feet
Length: 4 feet ,
Weight: 700 lbs.
Power System: Nuclear
Physical Attributes: Equal to Robotic PS. 35, PP. 24,.
Bonuses: Standard cyborg bonuses of +3 save vs magic, impervious to
bio-manipulation
+4 initiative
+5 strike/parry
+6 dodge
+3 Pull Punch
Penalties: Touch/tactile sense is 60% of human norm.
Prowl penalty: -20%

Special Skills/Training---Use standard 'Borg, Salvage Expert, or Headhunter OCC.
Black Market Cost: 7 million credits with all standard features, weapons, and sensors.

Standard Bionic Features
Note: These features are all found in the bionic and
cybernetic section of the Rifts RPG.
1. Bionic lung with gas filter & storage cell
2. Built-in language translator
3. Built-in radio receiver & transmitter
4. Clock calendar
5. Gyro-compass
6. Modulated voice synthesizer
7. Multi-optic eyes
8. Built-in loudspeaker
9. Universal headjack with amplified hearing and sound filtration systems.

Special Features:
a) Head Searchlight---The fin-like appendage on top of the head is a high-powered spotlight; range 200 ft

b) Molecular Analyzer---Great for detecting mine gases

c) Jet Nodes--Built into the feet and back are a series of jet thruster venturis that allow the ‘borg to make boosted leaps and even hover for brief periods of time. The ‘borg can leap 100 ft high/200 ft across, and can hover in the air at 100 ft for up to 1d4 minutes. On the Ganton, these jet nodes also aid in recoil control for the long range rail gun when it fires.

e) Robotic Strength Enhancement---Super strong servos for heavy work and combat.

f)Wide Angle Optics---The bulging, rotating eyes of the Ganton mean that the cyborg has 180-degree vision, range 1,000 ft, +1 to Initiative and +1 to dodge

g)Passive Nightvision Optics---2,000 ft

Weapons Systems:
1) PS-RGC-15 Long Range Rail Gun---The PS-RGC-15 is an attempt to combine the phenomenal long range of the PS ‘Ripkiller’ Gatling Cannon with the damage potential of the infamous ‘Boom Gun’.Mounted in the large dome-like backpack pod, this powerful long range gauss rifle is normally stowed folded in two. When raised for firing, the dome-pack rises up behind and above the head, and the rifle accelerator levels open to stretch over one shoulder(the barrel unfolds out to eight feet long). On the other side of the dome is an optical laser targeting package, insuring that the hypersonic round is delivered accurately on target.
Range: 15,000 ft
Damage: 2d6x10 MD per shot out to 11,000 ft
1d6x10 MD out to 15,000 ft
Rate of Fire: Once per melee
Payload: 50 rd drum
Bonuses: +2 to strike from laser targeting cluster

2)Forearm Mini-Missile Launchers(2)---The massive, drum-like forearms conceal two large mini-missile launchers.
Range: Varies by Missile Type
Damage:Varies by Missile Type
Rate of Fire: Volleys of 1,2, 3, 6, 7, or 14(all)
Payload: 14 mini-missiles each forearm, 28 total

3) Head Lasers(2)--The head mounts two small pulse lasers in rotating mini-turrets behind the eyes.
Range:1,000 ft
Damage: 3d6 MD per single shot, or 6d6 MD for a double simultaneous shot(counts as one attack)
Rate of Fire: ECHH
Payload: Effectively Unlimited

4)Multiplexor TW Magebolt Projector---Mounted in the left upper chest is the service port for the internal Magebolt Multiplexor System, powered by internal PPE batteries. This system isn’t as large or as powerful as some other cyborg Multiplexor systems, but it provides an added degree of versatility, and most opponents don’t expect a ‘borg to attack them with magic. Most Dwarf Ganton conversions equip this system with earth-elemental magic spellcards.
Range: Depends on Spell Type and Level
Damage:Depends on Spell Type and Level
Rate of Fire: ECHH
Payload: 3 Spellcards, and a 500 PPE replaceable Battery Pack

Hand to Hand Combat
Restrained Punch 1d4 MD
Full Strength Punch 1d6 MD
Power Punch( 2 attacks) 3d4 MD
Kick 1d6 MD
Leap Kick(2 Attacks) 2d6 MD
Judo-Style Throw/Flip 1d4 MD
Body Block/Ram: (2 attacks) 1d6 MD
Options:
The Ganton can be fitted with any of the standard cybernetic and bionic features in the Rifts books. Favorite options include fitting the 'borg with concealed vibroblades in the forearms, tool hands and fingers, and additional armor. The entire backpack weapons turret can be removed and replaced with another weapons pack or jetpack, but most Gantons prefer to retain the long range firepower. The forearm mini-missile launchers can also be swapped out for PS micro-missiles; each forearm can hold 40 micro-missiles. Another experiment fitted the forearms with short-range missiles; 4 per forearm. This proved less successful, as the limited ammunition supply limited the effectiveness of barrage fire(though it proved welcome for anti-aircraft work).

Paladin Steel CWAP-01 ‘Shaver’Cyborg Machine Gun System
(aka ‘Gatling Bra’, ‘Norel-kill’, ‘**** of Death’, ‘Metal Grinder’, ‘Money Grinder’, ‘SupaShava’, ‘Shake Frame’, ‘Double-Dee Buzz Cutters’)

“It looks like a real dumb concept at first, but bear with me...With all six bullet sprayers going at once, you’re throwing a godawful amount of metal in the air at once...Sure, rail guns do just the same rate and damage of fire, but the ‘Shaver’ does it with a larger spread of fire...those machine guns CAN be slightly angled a few degrees from true so you’re spraying a larger area...makes dodging the fire that much harder...You start firing in tight quarters with a few tracer rounds...Man...the ricos just add to the fun! Just keep your hands from in front of you....otherwise you’re going to replacing your forearms awfully soon...”
----Ira ‘GunNut’ Grabowski, Full Conversion Cyborg Mercenary

“Yeah, if you’re addicted to flushing your credits away on ammo that comes nowhere near the target, buy one of these....you’ll burn through your account or your inheritance in no time...This thing will work maybe if you’re surrounded by lots of soft targets, but under those circumstances, if you can carry one of these packs, a good length of steel pipe will do you just as well and won’t weigh you down any in the situation...”
---Iron-Captain Gernar Lozman, Full Conversion Cyborg

The CWAP-01 Cyborg Weapons Augmentation Pack is a donnable set of chest and shoulder plates meant for full conversion cyborgs, but it can also be worn by other exceptionally strong beings who can handle the weight and bulk. The CWAP-01’s primary purpose is to mount two pectoral clusters of three (six total) standard market light cyborg machineguns(firing 7.62mm caseless rounds), arranged like the triple shaving heads of a regular handheld electric shaver, with accompanying ammunition bins in the shoulders and back drums. The six machine guns are fired singly or in barrage by either a headjacked fire linkage or by handheld control stick. The machine guns’ rotary electric drive motors can either be powered by a linkage to the cyborg’s own powerplant, or by replaceable battery packs. Special strips of thermal conductive material interwoven between the clustered machineguns wick away heat build-up, and keep the weapons from seizing up from their combined heat at full rate of fire. The concept was to produce a low-cost, but effective, weapons system using a readily known and available Black Market weapon, increasing damage potential by increasing the number of weapons firing in concert.
The CWAP-01 has met with mixed success; the added weight of the pack is an encumberance to all but the strongest cyborgs, the positioning of the weapons makes them hard to aim accurately(one aims one’s torso to bring the gun clusters to bear, with sighting through either a headjacked sight or an external sight on an armature attached to a pectoral plate), the range and damage of the guns is negligible, and with all six rotary machineguns going at once, the vibration is something horrible(one tester described it as being like ‘riding in a rotating washing machine through the gauntlet of a hammer mill’) despite shock-absorbing backing incorporated into the pack. Under certain circumstances, however, the CWAP-01 can lay down blistering short-range fire before it runs its ammunition bins dry. With the right types of ammunition, the CWAP-01 can be extremely effective in riot control or in bringing down large numbers of attackers and specific opponent types(using wood or silver rounds on a mob of werebeasts or wild vampires, for instance)...The roar of six machineguns going off all at once can also be extremely intimidating, and some cyborgs have reportedly become addicted to the heavy metal noise of the packs on full auto-fire.
Paladin Steel doesn’t sell many of these weapons packs, but there’s just enough interest that the CWAP-01 remains on its catalogue.
Weight: 180 lbs
MDC: +90 MDC
Range: 2,000 ft
Damage: (SDC Rounds) 1d6x10 SDC per 10 rd burst
6d6x10 SDC for all six MGs going simultaneously
(MDC Rounds) 1 MD per single shot, 2d4 MD per 10 rd burst
8d6 MD for all six MGs going simultaneously
(PSX-1)1d4 MD per single rd, 1d4x10 MD per 10 rd burst
4d6x10 MD for all six MGs going simultaneously
*Can also use wood, silver, rubber, or other specialized rounds
Rate of Fire: Standard
Payload: 400 rds per gun; 2,400 rds total
Special Features:
*Shoulder and back ammunition bins
*Optional Applique Armor Plates---Additional armor plates can be slung on the chest and sides, increasing the armor protection
*Optional Headjack Sight and Triggering, or Manual Pectoral Armature Iron Sights and Hand Control
*Optional Cyborg Power Linkage or Battery Pack(batteries good for powering all six gun clusters for 500 bursts)
Cost: 180,000 credits

Paladin Steel 'Wolfman" Scout/Wilderness Cyborg


“I can’t believe this guy! He wants chrome plating on his entire set of teeth! Doesn’t he know the first time he uses his choppers to chew armor plate, the stuff will just wear right off and he’ll lose the whole expensive job!?”
“If he doesn’t know it already, don’t bother telling him that; maybe we can get him for repeat business.”
---Heard inside the Nu-U cybershop, Burlington, Vermont Free State.

The Wolfman is Paladin Steel’s design for a wilderness scout/guerrilla cyborg; fast. light, and durable. The Wolfman has a relatively slender and flexible build for a cyborg, but its biggest design difference is its ability to perform a limited transformation from a biped to a quadruped; the ‘borg drops to all fours, the shoulders shift slightly to a new mounting configuration for greater power, the hips re-site themselves to better handle quadruped movement, and the legs ratchet into a new ‘retrodigigrade’ configuration for greater speed.
Furthering the image of a wolf or other predator is the head design. Most Wolfmen have what appears to be two heads: the normal human(oid) head, and a second helmet-like one with an animalistic appearance and powerful bionic jaws and secondary optics/sensors. This second head, as it were, is normally carried swung over the back like a backpack when in humanoid(biped) configuration, but swings up over the more human head and locks into place in quad-mode.
Of course, some buyers do away with the double-headed design, and opt for a permanently mounted animalistic head design, at no extra cost, forgoing any effort to appear human.
The Wolfman also attempts to amplify and enhance the ‘conversion’s combat reflexes through the use of advanced neural subprocessors and hardwired reflexdrivers, using modified MOM technology. This has resulted in greatly enhanced combat abilities in the Wolfman, but is somewhat of a disappointment to PS, owing to uncorrectable long term side-effects. It’s been observed in long-term Wolfman conversions that the accelerated reflexes tend to contribute to aggressive behavior, pack mentality, and a self-assertive “Alpha Male” complex, in which the the ‘borg will seek to assume dominance in whatever group they’re in, constantly challenging what they perceive as the group’s leader or champion for the number one position. There is also some chance of developing obsessive behaviors over time. PS would eventually perfect the MOM-derived systemry, merging it with psycho-organic matrices and technowizardry in its recent ‘Mental Warrior’ program, but the earlier faults in the earlier model Wolfman have proven uncorrectable. However, this hasn’t hurt sales of the ‘borg any; in fact many buyers seek out Wolfman conversion for that “extra edge” of aggression.
The Wolfman is available from Paladin Steel. Customization also allows buyers to adopt a high-tech predator appearance.
Type:PS-Esp/Recon-FC-1
Class: Full conversion Borg - Wilderness Recon
Crew: One human volunteer
M.D.C. By Location:
  Hands(2) 25 each
  Arms(2) 60 each
  Legs(2) 65 each
Feet (& Foot Pads)(2) 25 each .
***Jaw/Wolfhead Assembly(1) 80
  *Head 80 .
  **Main Body 250 .
  *Destroying the head of a Cyborg will kill the character! However, the head is a small and difficult target to hit. The attacker must make a called shot and even then he is -3 to strike. The hands, and forearms are also difficult targets to hit and are -4 to strike on a called shot.
  **Depleting the M.D.C. of the main body will effectively destroy the artificial body, but emergency systems will keep the brain and vital organs alive for 36 hours. Recovery of the severely damaged body will enable doctors to place the character on life support systems that will keep him alive until a new bionic body (same style or other) is available, for full conversion. Failure to find the damaged Borg within 36 hours means the character dies.
*** Destroying the secondary head/jaw assembly will deprive the cyborg of its bite attack, but it can still see with its primary sensors and its main head/skull casing is still intact.


Note: Wolfman FCs CANNOT wear any sort of conventional ‘borg armor because it interferes with their transformation abilities. Espionage and ‘light ‘borg armor IS available(equivalent to horse barding in styling) for the Wolfman from PS, but costs 20% more than conventional suits.

Speed:
Running: 100 mph max . 150 mph in quadruped mode! However the act of running does not tire the operator out and the maximum speed can be maintained indefinitely.
  Jumping: The powerful robotic legs are strong and capable of leaping 10 feet high or 18 ft lengthwise. A running leap adds 50% to distance/height. A quaduaped leap is 30 ft up/60 ft across, increased by 30% with a running start.
  Flying: Not possible without a jet pack
Underwater: The Wolfman is weighted and constructed to be neutrally buoyant; it can actually manage a slow dog paddle of 5 mph and survive depths of 500 ft.
   
  Statistical Data:
Average Height: 6.5 feet , 3.2 ft in quadruped mode.
Width: 1.5 feet at shoulders in both biped and quadruped mode
Length: 1.1 feet , 7 ft in quadruped mode  
Weight: 400 lbs. ( kg.)
Power System: Nuclear
Physical Attributes: Equal to PS. 27, PP. 24,.
Bonuses: Standard cyborg bonuses of +3 save vs magic, impervious to bio-manipulation
+1 Action/Attack per melee
+4 initiative
+5 strike/parry
+6 dodge
+3 Pull Punch
Penalties: Touch/tactile sense is 60% of human norm.
Prowl penalty: -15%
15% chance of developing an obsession(roll on appropriate table); also tends to become more aggressive, self-assertive, and behave more wolf-like in manner. Some ‘borgs may even begin having delusions of being wolves or werewolves(5%). These ‘borgs actually get a +1 to Initiative and +1 to Strike, but are also -2d10 % to skills requiring more sophisticated thought, such as Computer Operation and other high-tech skills.

Special Skills/Training---Use standard ‘Borg or Headhunter OCC.
Black Market Cost: 7 million credits with all standard features, weapons, and sensors.  

Standard Bionic Features
  Note: These features are all found in the bionic and
  cybernetic section of the Rifts RPG.
  1. Bionic lung with gas filter & storage cell
  2. Built-in language translator
3. Built-in radio receiver & transmitter
  4. Clock calendar
  5. Gyro-compass
6. Modulated voice synthesizer
  7. Multi-optic eyes
  8. Built-in loudspeaker
  9. Universal headjack with amplified hearing and
sound filtration systems.

Special Features:
a)Vocal Modifier---This can alter the ‘borg’s voice to give it an animalistic tone or growl.

b)Quadruped Mode---described above

c)Parabolic Hearing---Advanced, directable ‘shotgun’ microphones in the ears can be used to pick up on and hear conversations up to 800 ft away.

d)Enhanced Molecular Analyzer--- This ”Super Sniffer” actually gives the ‘borg some limited ability to track by smell (80%), as well as recognize people by scent(85%) provided they have smelled them before. .

Weapons Systems:
1) Vibroclaws---Each of the Wolfman’s four limbs has four retractable vibro-claws, for a vicious claw/kick/punch.
Range: Melee
Damage: 1d4 MD per claw, that’s 4d4 MD for a punch, 1d6x10 MD for a leap attack(2 attacks)

2)Power Jaw---The ‘Wolfhead’ mounts a set of powerful hydraulic jaws that can snip off an armored limb in one bite.
Range: Melee
Damage:6d6 MD

Hand to Hand Combat
Restrained Punch 1d6+12 SDC
Full Strength Punch 3d6+12 SDC
Power Punch( 2 attacks) 1d4 MD
Kick 4d6+12 SDC
Leap Kick(2 Attacks) 2d4 MD
Judo-Style Throw/Flip 3d6 SDC
Body Block/Ram: 3d6 SDC or 1d4 MD(2 attacks)
Options:
The Wolfman can be fitted with any other standard cyborg options; though some systems, like forearm blasters may be of only limited use in quadraped mode. Favorite options include extra limbs or prehensile tentacles or tails, especially when they allow the ‘borg to carry and use regular weapons in quadraped mode.

*Mouth Blaster---If so desired, the Wolfman can mount a modified forearm-blaster-type weapon in a mouth position. Just open the jaws, and let fire. Costs 20% more than a standard forearm installation, and feeds off a 30-shot battery(recharges 1 shot every 5 minutes) or can be powered by an e-clip port in the neck.

*Wolf Coat---A synthetic fur overcoat with internal heating elements, designed to simulate the thermal profile of a large wolf. Under appropriately bad visibility conditions, the character could pass as a wolf or other large animal. One known variation was that ordered by Len “Stinky” Burlow, who ordered his conversion with a black and white-striped Wolfcoat, and more powerful chemical sprayer systems.
Cost: 100,000 credits

Those are some awesome borgs and equipment for borgs. We here at the Federated States would love to purchase some of these. Of course we'd love to get some of the parts too.



I hope you don't mind if I use some for retrofitting some of the existing borgs in my game.

that is awsome for palying man , you have to get an artist for this !!!!! it would be a crime if you didnt thats my two cents ........wow i will enjoy these cybors man

taalismn, is an artist. Go here to see his self portrait(s). Which is yours? How many are Library staff?

It is nice that he was bored and did some borgs for us to use.
Here I will save you the trouble, taalismn

abtex wrote:taalismn, is an artist. Go here to see his self portrait(s). Which is yours? How many are Library staff?
:

None of them are, but I did try to get inspiration for the project from local Windsor to give the group a 'local' feel...

Yeah, that was a fun little project...and we did quite well raising money for international relief...

But if really pressed, I'd say the Swiveller is closest in overall attitude(and moribund physical shape)

As for 'bored'? No...I was just pressed for time...coming up with new stuff is hard, especially when I'm not trying to do something somebody else has done elsewhere, and come up with all-new hardware and concepts to maintain that 'bleeding edge'...

It's a great poster. And I know I'm happy it was succesful in it's collection.

It is nice that he was bored and did some borgs for us to use.

Bad joke.

abtex wrote:

It is nice that he was bored and did some borgs for us to use.

Bad joke.

I'll overlook it...

Have you seen the Combat Droid Daily Sketchs?

abtex wrote:Have you seen the Combat Droid Daily Sketchs?

Nice site if I can get it to load properly...

Paladin Steel RoBoats

“Captain Dang! My magic ain’t working on those coasties! Either they got mighty powerful mental shields or...they’re robots! Either goose the engines or start shooting to sink’em, ‘cause they ain’t fooled by my ‘jedi mind magic’ as you calls it!”

‘RoBoats’ are the slang term given to PS’s new series of robotic surface watercraft. Intended to fill the need for inexpensive littoral combat force-multiplier systems, Roboats were developed using as many common off-the-shelf components as possible, to speed development, streamline logistics, and keep the overall cost down. These robotic craft, operating either by remote control or autonomously under the direction of an onboard robotic A.I., can be used for policing waterways, intercepting suspicious craft, and decoying threats, without risking living personnel.
Paladin Steel currently produces and sells two general models of RoBoat system; the Mark 1 ‘Newcomb’, and the smaller ‘Siebert’ craft.
The Newcomb(sometimes called the ‘Nuk’em’ by seahands) is based on an eighteen-foot motorboat, a design already produced inexpensively for the commercial market by Paladin Steel, using a single piece injection molding process to produce the lightweight megadamage glass-composite hull. Militarization includes adding additional armor to the hull in the form of megadamage plastic inserts. The Newcomb retains the boat hood of the manned model, but also adds several sensor clusters and an extendable antennae tower for communications. Armament consists of a forward weapons turret, but can be supplemented by additional remote control guns, torpedoes, and missile launchers. The Newcomb is typically used for harbor/waterway patrol, customs intercept, picket duty around larger vessels, and as a countermeasures platform/decoy, sweeping sea lanes for mines or shadowing naval task groups to attract enemy fire. They have also been used as SAR vessels for hostile waters. Another common mission has been trawling for sea monsters, especially in Long Island Sound, hauling tails of ‘chum-buckets’ filled with animal parts and blood, rigged with MD explosives, in hopes of enticing the more aggressive sea creatures to bite and be blown up(or at least seriously wounded).
The Siebert( nicknamed the ‘Sea-bert’), in contrast, is based on the hull of a one-man jet-ski. Though not as large, robust, and heavily outfitted as the larger Newcomb, the Siebert is much more agile and a smaller target, able to enter shallow waters with impunity, dodge in between boats and piers, and sneak up on targets far more easily. The Siebert’s weapons fitout is much lighter, typically consisting of one or two light guns, missile launchers, or light torpedo launch rails.
Both types are shallow-draft vehicles, ideal for close in-shore work, and are fitted with hydrojet propulsion that is less prone to fouling.
Both types can be remotely controlled from another location, or can be run by an onboard AI programmed with basic naval ettiquette, interception and identification protocols, and naval tactics. Both roboats are equipped to scan ships, and can hail intruders with loudspeakers(the robots’ voices being obvious mechanical sythesis).

Type: PS-USPV-1 Newcomb
Class: Unmanned Surface Patrol Vehicle
Crew:None; Robot AI
Have cabin provision for 1-3 passengers
MDC/Armor by Location:
Main Body 190
Antennae Tower 60
Forward Weapons Turret 90
Height: 4.8 ft
Draft: 2 ft
Width: 6 ft
Length: 18 ft
Weight: 7,000 lbs
Cargo: It’s rarely done, but up to 1,000 lbs can be carried on the after-deck.
Powerplant: Liquid Fuel( 800 mile range), Electric Battery(1,00 mile range), or Nuclear w/ 5 year energy life
Speed: 75 MPH
Market Cost: 800,000 credits for liquid fuel, 1.8 million credits for electric, and 3 million credits for nuclear
Systems of Note:
*Mini-Radar---10 miles
*Sonar---5 miles
*Motion Detector---100 ft range
*Radio Communications---50 mile range
*Basic Robot Optics, plus Low-Lite, Infrared, Thermographic Vision
*Robot Audio w/ Parabolic Microphone
*Loudspeaker
*Radiation Detector
*Laser Range Finder---6,000 ft range
*Normal and IR Spotlights(trainable)
*IFF Transponder
Weapons Systems:
1) Forward Turret(1)---The Newcomb comes standard with a forward weapons turret
a) PS-L-CIWS Vulcan Chain Gun(aka “Button Gun”)---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 a +2 to strike, and four attacks per melee.
Payload:8,000 rd drum(200 bursts)

b) 40mm Grenade Launcher/Pulse Laser Turret
Range:(Laser)4,000 ft
(Grenade Launcher) 7,000 ft
Damage:(Laser) 4d6 MD single shot, 1d6x10+10 MD triple shot burst
(Grenade Launcher) (Fragmentation) 4d6 MD to blast area of 12 ft
2d6x10 MD to blast area of 40 ft w/ 10-rd burst
(Armor Piercing) 1d4x10 MD to blast area of 3 ft
3d6x10 MD to blast area of 8 ft w/ 10-rd burst
Rate of Fire: EGCHH
Payload:(Laser) 200 shot battery for conventionally powered versions, effectively unlimited for nuclear.
(Grenade Launcher)400 rds
Cost: 22,000 credits

c)20mm Rail Gun/Automatic Cannon
Range: 7,200 ft
Damage: 3d6 MD per single shot, 1d6x10 MD per 5 shot burst, 2d6x10 MD per 10 shot burst.
Rate of Fire: EGCHH
Payload: 1,000 rd drum per cannon
Cost: 32,000 credits

2)(Optional) Rear Turret---For 90,000 credits, a turret identical to that in the forward hull can be added to the rear deck

3) (Optional) Lateral Missile/Torpedo Launchers(1-2)
a)Mini-Missiles---19 shot pod
b) Short Range Missiles---6 shot pod
c) Medium Range Missiles----3 shot rack
d) Mini-Torpedoes----12 shot pod
e) Short Range Torpedoes----4 shot rack
f) Medium Range Torpedoes----2 shot rack

4) (Optional) Ramming---As a weapon of last resort, the Newcomb can sideswipe or kamikaze-ram a target, though the latter is likely to severely damage/destroy the USV.
Damage: 1d4 MD on a sideswipe(does 1 MD to the boat) or 4d6 MD for a full speed ram(does HALF damage to the boat)
Programming:
Pilot Motorboat: 95%
Navigation: Water 85%
Radio: Basic 90%
Read Sensory Instruments 85%
Can recognize over 2,000 various national symbols, equipment, vessel types, weapons, and monsters
Actions/Attacks Per Melee: 6
Initiative +1
Strike w/ Ranged Weapons +3
Dodge +1

Option Systems:
*Engine Upgrade---For additional cost, a more powerful propulsion system can be mounted for increased speed; Increase maximum speed to 140 MPH, but reduce the maximum range of liquid fuel by 50% and electric versions by 30%, when going flat-out for extended periods of time.
Cost: +100,000 credits for liquid fuel, +200,000 credits for electric and nuclear

*Flare/Chaff Launchers(2)---Two racks on the fantail fire illumination flares and anti-missile chaff. Some buyers modify these launchers to fire TW Globe of Daylight flares or other types.
Range: Roughly 500-1,000 ft altitude
Damage: Varies; Typically none
(Flares)Flares burn for about 1d6 melees, illuminating a 300 ft diameter area as they drift down
(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!
(Flare/Chaff)Will also temporarily blind and impede flying monsters who fly into it.
Reduce APMs/combat bonuses/ speed by half for 1d4 melees

Rate of Fire: Volleys of 1-4
Payload: 10 flares/chaff bundles each; reloading each launcher takes about a minute per flare.

*Depth Charge Rack---The rear deck can be fitted with a depth charge rack.
Range: Can be set for down to 2 miles deep
Damage: 2d4x10 MD to 100 ft radius, and 4d6 MD to an additional 30 ft radius
Rate of Fire: Drops one a time
Payload: 12 depth charges
Cost: 25,000 credits. PS sells depth charges for about 4,200 credits each

*ASW Projectors--- Rocket-propelled light depth charge launchers. The forward hull can typically accomodate the LASRW-5 and -8, while the rear deck can accommodate an LASRW-16.
Range: 4,000 ft, 1,000 ft maximum depth
Damage: 7d6x5 MD to 50 ft radius
Rate of Fire: Volleys of 1,2,4, 5, 8, or 16
Payload: LASRW-5: 5 rounds
LASRW-8: 8 rounds
LASRW-16: 16 rounds
Cost: 80,000 credits for the launcher(81,000 credits for the LASRW-8 , 84,000 credits for the LASRW-16; price covers installation) 3,000 credits per shell

*Countermeasures:------Paladin Steel has adopted a series of standard countermeasure packages for use aboard their vessels. Notably they have adapted the US Navy Mk 38 Rapid Bloom Off-Board Countermeasures(RBOC-2) launcher system and the Replica radar signature decoy system. The RBOC-2 fires rocket-mortar shells of flares and chaff up to 1.25 miles away, to heights of 3,000 ft(the better to fool missiles coming in over the horizon), and fires clouds of chaff from deck mortars at closer ranges to confuse other guided weapons).
The Replica system resembles a folded-liferaft capsule when in its launcher, but can be fired off up to 300 ft, and rapidly unfolds to become two linked floating radar and sonar reflectors that give the appearance of a much larger object, and hopefully divert enemy fire and attention away from the targeted vessel.
A variant on this system includes attaching active sonar decoys or “Screamers” to attract or confuse acoustic sensors and homing torpedoes.
Range: The RBOC can toss decoy bundles 1.25 miles, and to an altitude of 3,000 ft
Damage: None. The RBOC is too inaccurate to be used as an effective weapon(oh, it could probably blow a person off the deck if they were standing too close, but that goes without saying) Effects are 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!
(Flare/Chaff)Will also temporarily blind and impede flying monsters who fly into it.
Reduce APMs/combat bonuses/ speed by half for 1d4 melees
Payload: Flare/Chaff launchers typically have 10 shells each. A Replica launcher will have 2 decoys per launcher.


Type: PS-USPV-2 Siebert
Class: Unmanned Surface Patrol Vehicle
Crew:None; Robot AI
A single passenger(or two, if they’re small enough) can hang onto the top of the hull.
MDC/Armor by Location:
Main Body 140
Height: 3 ft
Width: 3 ft
Length: 6 ft
Weight: 600 lbs
Cargo: None; can pull 300 lbs
Powerplant: Liquid Fuel (500 miles range), Electric Battery(600 mile range), or Nuclear w/5 year energy life
Speed: 110 MPH
Market Cost: 40,000 credits liquid fuel, 75,000 credits for electric, and 1 million for nuclear
Systems of Note:
*Sonar---3 miles
*Motion Detector---100 ft range
*Radio Communications---20 mile range
*Basic Robot Optics, plus Low-Lite, Infrared, Thermographic Vision
*Robot Audio w/ Parabolic Microphone
*Loudspeaker
*Radiation Detector
*Laser Range Finder---4,000 ft range
*IFF Transponder
Weapons Systems:
1) Hardpoints(2)---The Siebert has provision for up to two weapons, mounted semi-internally
a)Machine Gun---Can also fire supercavitating ammunition
Range: 2,000 ft
Damage:(SDC) 5d6 SDC per rd, 1d6x10 SDC per 10 shot burst
(MD)2d4 MD per 10 rd burst per single gun
4d6 MD per 30 rd burst from one gun cluster
(PSX-1)1d4 MD per single rd, 1d4x10 MD per 10 rd burst
*Can be loaded with specialized ammunition types,
Rate of Fire:Standard
Payload: 200 rds
Cost: 4,500 credits

b)20mm Light Cannon
Range: 4,000 ft
Damage:(20mm) 1d4 MD single shot
4d6 MD per 5 rd burst
1d4x10+4 MD per 10 rd burst
Airburst does 1d4 MD to 5 ft blast radius(single shot)
(PSX 20mm) 4d4 MD single shot
2d4x10 MD per 5 rd burst
4d4x10 MD per 10 rd burst
Airburst does 4d4 MD to 5 ft blast radius(single shot)
(Wood Rounds) 6d6 SDC single shot (1d4x10 HP to vampires)
2d4x10 SDC MD per 5 rd burst (2d4x10 HP to vampires)
6d6 MD per 10 rd burst (3d6x10 HP to vampires)
Rate of Fire: Standard
Payload: 100 rds per gun
Cost: 28,000 credits

c) Light Grenade Launcher
Range: 1,200 ft
Damage: (Light Fragmentation) 2d6 MD to blast radius of 6 ft
(High Explosive) 4d6 MD to 12 ft blast radius
(Plasma) 6d6 MD to 6 ft blast radius
(Flare) Burns for 1d6 minutes, illuminating an 80 ft radius area
Rate of Fire: Standard
Payload: 30 grenades
Cost: 20,000 credits

d)Laser
Range: 2,000 ft
Damage: 2d6 MD per bolt, 6d6 MD per triple burst.
Rate of Fire: Standard
Payload: 150 shot battery-canister
Cost: 19,000 credits

e)Ion Blaster
Range: 800 ft
Damage: 4d6 MD single shot
1d4x10 MD per three-shot burst
Rate of Fire: Standard
Payload: 100 shot battery-canister
Cost:13,000 credits

f) Particle Beam Cannon
Range: 1,400 ft
Damage: 1d6x10 MD per blast
Rate of Fire: Standard
Payload: 80 shot battery-canister
Cost:13,000 credits

g) Spear Gun
Range: 500 ft in air, 380 ft underwater
Damage: Standard steelhead does 2d6+4 SDC/Hit Points, High Explosive does 4d6 MD, flare, transmitter, and cable-hook as usual.
Rate of Fire: 1-3
Payload: 18 per gun
Cost: 5,000 credits

h) Micro-Missiles---25 shot box launcher
i)Mini-Missiles---4 per hardpoint
j)Short Range Missiles---1 per hardpoint
k)Micro-Torpedoes ----Range: 2500 ft underwater, 500 ft in air
Damage: 6d6 MD per torpedo---30 shot rotary launcher
l)Mini-Torpedoes---1 per hardpoint
m) Short Range Torpedoes---1 per hardpoint

(Optional) Ramming---As a weapon of last resort, the Siebert can sideswipe or kamikaze-ram a target, though the latter is likely to severely damage/destroy the USV.
Damage: 1d4 MD on a sideswipe(does 1 MD to the boat) or 2d6 MD for a full speed ram(does HALF damage to the boat)

Programming:
Pilot Jet-ski: 95%
Navigation: Water 85%
Radio: Basic 90%
Read Sensory Instruments 85%
Prowl: 70% (exceptionally quiet)
Can recognize over 2,000 various national symbols, equipment, vessel types, weapons, and monsters
Actions/Attacks Per Melee: 6
Initiative +1
Strike w/ Ranged Weapons +3
Dodge+2

Option Systems:

*Self-Destruct Munition---When ramming just isn’t enough. An MRM(or MRT) warhead, wired into the body.
Damage: Varies by MRM/MRT warhead type

*Stealthing---Enhances the RPV’s already stealthy features with radar absorbant surfacing and faceting.
Bonus: -20% to enemy sensors to detect
Cost: 10,000 credits

*Radar Targets---This consists of mounting multiple flat-paned surfaces and other radar-reflective materials that amplify the RPV’s radar signature and make it look larger than it really is on a radar screen, with an eye towards using the tiny RPV as a decoy against long range scanners and cruise missile targetting.
Bonus: +2 for enemy radar-guided weapons to strike, +10% to enemy radar to spot
Cost: 800 credits

A little background...

What is Paladin Steel?
Paladin Steel claims to be a small, but diverse, corporate industrial nation-state based in the humble little Vermont Free State, nestled in the wilds of western New England. They are primarily concerned with producing advanced materials such as megadamage building materials and armor, but also produce vehicles and weapons. However, an overall view of the technologies markets in Rifts North America will reveal a selection and quantity of goods and services that would be apparently beyond the ability of the known actual company to produce!
Indeed, there is a small grouping of townships in the region of Old Vermont, New York, and New Hampshire, and there are high-tech works in these communities turning out PS-pattern hardware...Except that, taken in total, the facilities in those towns could nowhere near match the amounts and diverse types of equipment and goods that Paladin Steel regularly and routinely offers...and delivers...to customers at cut-rate prices. Furthermore, the humble and periodically endangered townships of the area should lack the ability to defend themselves from all comers, but security around them seems curiously tight. And the size and organization of the town ‘militias’ is in excess of what the local populace should be able to support.
What little Coalition and Free Quebec scouts have managed to learn has gotten some officials to brand PS as similar to Naruni Enterprises; a d-bee corporation seeking to gain a foothold on Rifts Earth and North America by insinuating itself into the marketplace, and that the ‘Vermont Free State’ is a fascade through which the true alien masters are funneling their illegal goods and sucking in their misbegotten profits.
However, this seems at odds with the fact that most PS technology and hardware seems to be of TERRESTRIAL design and origin, with a distinct stamp of Earthly manufacture or at least Earth-adapted technologies. Their agents are familiar with terrestrial culture and local languages, though they seem much more open-minded, easy-going, and what could be termed ‘cosmopolitan’ than the average suspicious and paranoid Rifts Earth denizen. They are also curiously better educated with regards to many threats only now being discovered, than the average Rifts Earth citizen.
The truth is that PS is both....Paladin Steel and the true Vermont Free State originate in an ALTERNATE Rifts Earth*, one of the few with a steady connection to another mirror-Rifts Earth.
In this alternity, events have taken a slight change: civilization has re-emerged faster , harder, and more diverse, with a larger number of powerful independent nation-states arising in North America. The post-Tolkeen Coalition States have found themselves increasingly contained by reactionary alliances of these nation-states and counter-coalitions of corporate states. Northern Gun, Mantisque, and even Triax are finding themselves in competition with a more diverse and arguably more vigorous market of organized Operators, companies, and corporations that are coming out with technologies with near-Golden Age speed and sophistication. Contact with organized extraterrestrial powers has also been made; one of these organizations, the mysterious ZOT, has trounced the Splugorth of Atlantis and at least temporarily curbed their depredations in the Atlantic and liberated several million slaves. Among other changes, Paladin Steel is one of a number of powerful corporate nation-states that have emerged to carve out global trade empires on their world and now seek to expand their mercantile network offworld using the Rifts. And PS has discovered one such portal into what amounts to their own backyard. This ‘other’ Rifts Earth they’ve discovered has given them a unique opportunity; to expand again into an Earthly market and essentially roleplay themselves as a small, humble, and growing power. Accordingly, they’re favoring their traditional seats of power, the New England and American Northwest regions, as the places to ‘grow’ their presence on Earth. That means setting up local production facilities that produce several of their more easily-produced products(such as e-clips, basic weapons and vehicles, armor, and construction materials), with the option of expanding them with newer tech and hardware as the PS foothold is consolidated in their ‘old digs’. Larger orders of goods, and more advanced technology, are brought in via Rifts from their home factories or satellite dimensional facilities(PS is known, extradimensionally, to have orbital factories and several outpost factory/mines in other dimensions). In their home dimension, Paladin Steel has been associated with continental alliances going by such names as the Five Star Alliance(sometimes the ‘Eight Star Alliance’), the Congress of Civilized Nations, Solar Alliance, and the Albatross Mercantile League. To a lesser extent, they are attempting the same thing in ‘this’ Rifts Earth, making alliances and trade pacts with smaller companies and bringing them under its wing, to promote a ‘New Yankee’ trading network.
Since in their home universe, the greater expansion and stabilization of civilization has led to a greater knowledge of various ‘new’ threats, and a greater desimination of information about them to the field-hands, the PS staff are slightly more confident and cautious. And having run into the problem of encountering multi-dimensional ‘avatars’ of other people, they’re not perturbed about the possibility of running into ‘themselves’ in the second Rifts Earth...On the other hand, they’re aware that there could be subtle and dangerous differences between universes, so they’re easing cautiously into the role of themselves, and not blindly rushing to put out potential fires thsat might not exist...or may be immune to the methods the PSers are familiar with.

*What little has been made known to centers of learning such as Lazlo, has megacosmologists in fits and tics...The existance of other alternate worlds is bad enough, but the proven existance of ANOTHER Rifts Earth causes some serious headaches. This beggars the question; is Rifts Earth a SINGULAR megaversal event, as many have supposed, or a PLURALITY?
The current model(in over-simplified form) being postulated by scholars at Lazlo and the University of Burlington is that Rifts Earth is analogous to a set of stacked and nested firecrackers...initially identical and homongenous as one whole, but with a single event, the Coming of the Rifts, the individual realms have ignited and blown apart...Like several firecrackers going off simultaneously, the combined energies of the multiple Rifts events are greater than a single event, and thus the impact on the greater megaverse even more profound...
Naturally, this is going to cause some serious brain-pain for those who contemplate the phenomenon and all its implications too hard.....The thought of one Splynncryth, for instance, is bad enough, but two? Or more? Which is the real and true one? Should Splynncryth ever learn of the truth behind PS, and its alternate history, his first question might well be if the Splynncrythh of the PS home-dimension is REALLY him, or a pretender taking his name? And what of the mysterious alien force that trounced him? Do they exist in his frame of reference as well?

There ARE differences between the two Rifts Earths, though.....In the Paladin Steel home dimension, the NorthEast is more densely populated....the former states of Connecticut and Massachussetts support substantial industrial populations, whereas in the ‘local’ Rifts Earth, those same regions are sparsely populated. Some GNErs have been known to speak of ‘New Boston Arcology’, a fortress city established in the area of pre-Rifts Lexington....There IS a ‘New Boston’ in the ‘local’ Rifts Earth line, but it is more of a fortified trading post than anything else...And then there is the MIT Forest, a region of twisted trees, thick unearthly vegetation, and monsters that nobody dares approach...save for the GNE traders from New Boston...No mention of THAT is made in the ‘homeland’ of PS.
Regardless of the differences, or perhaps BECAUSE of them, Paladin Steel seems dedicated to establishing an extension of its commercial and territorial empire on Rifts Earth; part social uplift, part military crusade, and part market encroachment, openning up yet another commercial vista.

A little on my 'borrowing' of the idea of the MIT Forest clans...

Cambridge Jungle

“I swear the stuff was growing back faster than I could plasma-blast it! Nearly didn’t hear the Splugorth slaver barge until it was almost on top of me, and then I got lost in the veg trying to avoid the damn thing! Good thing too...the Splugs were as confused as I was in the undergrowth and from what I could see when I got back to my campsite a few days later, they’d gone back to wait me out...but something else got them first...Either way, when I found a trail, I followed it OUT!
Next time I’ll not try to shortcut through that tangle...took me longer to try hacking my way through than it would have taken me to pick my way around.”
---Account of travelling through the Cambridge Jungle.

The region inland of the half-sunken ruins of Old Boston is a sprawl of dense vegetation; so dense and gnarled that even modern armies with modern equipment have problems cutting through it. Even the Splugorth have trouble getting through the thick vegetation. This mass of vegetation covers much of the western region of Greater Boston, stretching up to Woburn, down through Newton, and as far west as Framingham and even Marlborough in a carpet of rampant growth. So thick and prolific is the growth that even the harsh New England winters do little to kill back the plant growth, and popular myth holds that even in the worst winter storms, deep under the tangle there are areas of green that never know cold or snow. It’s assumed that the ‘Cambridge Jungle’ is the result of alien vegetation, or out-of-control mutation of local plants by pre-Rifts pollutants, scrambled nuclear power plants, or a leyline nexus deep in the heart of the tangle. It is almost certainly inhabited by monsters; most adventurers who journey into the Jungle do not return, and those who do tell of alien predators that stalk and hound strangers in the deep green. Most travellers give the Jungle a wide berth, and even the Splugorth Slavers tend to avoid the place(although it’s rumored that the Splugorth actually ARE the monsters inhabiting the tangle, and are shamming otherwise to keep the curious away from what they’re really doing in the region).

But the truth is even more fantastic....

Most people assume that Lone Star was the only facility in the old U.S. Empire that worked with advanced genetic engineering at the time of the Coming of the Rifts. This is wrong. Lone Star was the LARGEST facility, but not the only one. While Lone Star was geared for industrial-level mass-production of genetically-engineered lifeforms, there were dozens, if not hundreds of smaller facilities around the country, doing research and smaller batch production of genetically engineered organisms. Although there was strict regulation of what was being produced, with Golden Age technology providing fusion power, megadamage containment structures, energy-based security systems, near-sentient laboratory AIs with number-crunching capabilities that put old Cray supercomputers to shame, and nanofactories able to manipulate matter on the molecular level, even a well-funded small-sized college laboratory could do incredible things. Many of these facilities often did original research, generated ideas, and trained the talent that would be headhunted by the government to work at Lone Star. Much of what was produced at Lone Star was previously ‘handcrafted’ at smaller facilities around the country and tested, before being templated for mass-replication at the sprawling Texas site.

The region around Boston, Massachussetts, in particular, had more than its share of high-tech industries and research institutes. The infamous Massachussetts Institute of Technology, known for being ‘Nerd Central’ and ‘Blood and Concrete’ in engineering circles, was the flagship of this concentration, but there were other firms and institutions in the region as well. Local government tax incentives encouraged the establishment and settlement of high-tech industries in the region, including various bio-tech firms, to balance the drain of large industry to the southern states.
By 2070(Pre-Rifts), the Boston Tech-Constellation had only grown larger, due to continued state and federal investment in growing high-tech. The peace dividends and early returns from the dawning Golden Age, led to an influx of revenue that could be spent less on servicing the National Debt, and more on local investment. Dozens of advance-tech firms ringed Greater Boston, rivaling Silicon Valley in sophistication and creativity. MIT had branched out, creating several more satellite campuses, and new programs to study and develop promising new technologies, and others followed their lead.
Many of these firms qualified for NEMA Homeland Security grants that provided them with megadamage containment and security structures, hardened data backup systems, and independent power sources. Even small robotic assembly lines to rapid-prototype new designs. As the Golden Age began to tarnish, security for these facilities was beefed up, and physical plant reinforced against possible crisis conditions.
Even so, the Coming of the Rifts dealt the region a fatal blow....Reinforced office buildings meant to hold out for only a few days while NEMA rushed in aid in an isolated crisis, were ill-suited for holding out for weeks, months, and ultimately years of attack and privation. The works of Man, however mighty, could not hold out when heaven and earth themselves groaned in agony, and the sea rose to scourge the land. Millions died in the disaster, either by the traditional natural forces whipped up by dimensional turmoil, or by the demons that spewed from the Rifts, gleefully hunting humans in the chaos.

However, not all the locals died, nor did they leave afterwards. A few diehards hung on, using what resources they had, and the genius they possessed, to survive. Taking shelter in the few uncompromised underground bunkers, warmed by emergency power supplies and waning fusion reactors, these few continued their work, fired by the conviction that they COULD survive, and that the key lay in preserving, continuing, and applying their zealously-pursued work. Perhaps it was sheer terror of the world gone mad outside, the barrier between genuis and madness broken irrevocably, or mental powers heightened by the sudden flux of raw PPE throughout the land, or maybe some of the most incredible luck ever enjoyed in the Megaverse, but those otherwise pathetic few survivors hidden in their techno-caves survived...and even managed to prosper in a fashion.
Bio-tech became the key to survival...When food supplies ran short, the bio-engineers synthesized nutrient stocks....then created molds and fungi from experimental ‘world-feeder’ foodstuffs under development...organisms that could grow in the dark, and provide nourishment....Failing lights? Bioluminescent organisms to glow in the dark...Alien disease? Tailored gene-treatments or drug-producing microganisms to the rescue. Computers failing? The bioengineers coaxed the last important secrets out of the hard drives into newly fashioned vegetable nuero-nets, or into their own brains, enhanced by treatments painstakingly tried on themselves.....Alien predators? A host of bio-weapons were created; repellents at first, later poisons and plagues, then carefully engineered guard animals, then hunter-killers sent out to secure the surface. Want to hold out to the territory won by the guard-beasts? Living fencing. It was mad genuis against the supernatural in do-or-die conflict that made the old MIT jokes about ‘blood and concrete’ pale in comparison. It was a hard, gruelling, uphill battle, with more setbacks than advances, hard-felt losses, and victory was not assured, but utimately balance was achieved.
The result has been a secretive, tribal culture that mixes advanced science with cultish religious fervor....The ‘hard’ sciences of robotics and electronics have given way to biotechnology; easier to grow and maintain, and arguably less resource-intensive in the long run than conventional technologies. In contrast to the shining mass-production facilities of Lone Star, the biocrafting facilities of the Cambridge Jungle tribes are crude, their methods bordering on witchcraft and steeped in a unique form of techno-mysticism, and their creations virtually handcrafted.
These tribes are still centered around the buried ruins of MIT, but they have also expanded throughout the old system of service tunnels, building basements, and sewage ways. The tribes have also forayed into Old Boston, scavenging for supplies and resources. While some of the Jungle IS deliberate seeding by the tribes with tailored organisms, most of it is the result of alien vegetation or MIT experiments gone feral...Hybrids of native scrub-oak and alien kudzu, everreds, glassian conifers, wirebush, and tangleweed choke the area and make passage difficult, if not impossible...save for those hidden paths and drainages carefully maintained by the MITribes and the Cambrachiators...
These tribes have for the most part shunned the outside world, with the occasional neo-barbarian youngster haring off into the world for adventure, sworn to secrecy, or a trade expedition to pick up news and goods impossible to obtain by other means. Some of the unfortunates who venture into the Cambridge Jungle never to be seen again are not victims of the many predators(engineered or otherwise) in the region, but are prisoners of the tribes....enslaved for transgressions against the Cambridgites(the transgression sometimes simply being discovering them) or used as fresh blood for the tribal genepool. Other travellers allowed to go unharmed, save for an encounter with some pathetic neobarb family huddled in the tangle. Only very recently have the tribes of the MIT Forest made their true nature known to a very few outsiders; scholars from Lazlo and the encroaching GNE/VFS, but such contacts are on the tribes’ terms.

Very nice background Taalismn! You know what's funny is I remember the old Five Star stuff. I'm glad to see some of it back. Whatever happened to the other members?

Paladin Steel RoBoats

Nice and simple.

Unmanned jet-skis or Other ones

taalismn, you can not hunt mermaids with those! You need to equip them differently

(Optional) Ramming---As a weapon of last resort, the Siebert can sideswipe or kamikaze-ram a target, though the latter is likely to severely damage/destroy the USV.

Not equpped with TapZap ramming Plates?

Your post this when I was watching James Bond "The World is Not Enough" that had Q's Fishing boat in it.
Now all we need is a wet version of the ONTOS family Or maybe Kerkat just needs a different movement system and other weapon set.
SeaPhantom, not what I was searching for but.....Pleasssseeeee!!!!!

Aramanthus wrote:Very nice background Taalismn! You know what's funny is I remember the old Five Star stuff. I'm glad to see some of it back. Whatever happened to the other members?

Raven's still kicking around(say, Hi, Raven! just so we know) and whispers ideas in my ears(as well as threatens to kick my lazy *** for not doing anything new)...the rest drifted off, grew up, or lost interest.....I'm rather leery, though, of using some of their material because it is their intellectual kiddies after all...

But at least this way, I can hint at those long ago glory days while (re)developing PS in new directions...

abtex wrote:Now all we need is a wet version of the ONTOS family Or maybe Kerkat just needs a different movement system and other weapon set.
SeaPhantom, not what I was searching for but.....Pleasssseeeee!!!!!

Got a number of similar motorpatrol and semi-submersible attack craft in the works...and of course, there's the Stealth Skimmer I posted awhile ago that fits the SeaPhantom role quite nicely....

OK...

taalismn wrote:

Aramanthus wrote:Very nice background Taalismn! You know what's funny is I remember the old Five Star stuff. I'm glad to see some of it back. Whatever happened to the other members?

Raven's still kicking around(say, Hi, Raven! just so we know) and whispers ideas in my ears(as well as threatens to kick my lazy *** for not doing anything new)...the rest drifted off, grew up, or lost interest.....I'm rather leery, though, of using some of their material because it is their intellectual kiddies after all...

But at least this way, I can hint at those long ago glory days while (re)developing PS in new directions...

Hi Raven!

And I don't threaten to kick your ass. I threaten you with things much more dire.

And Talis pretty much has been given free reign to play with the old Kera-Tech stuff from 5ST. Perhaps if I ever get over writer's block, I might move back over to doing stuff for Kera-Tech. But instead, what little writing I can do anymore ends up focusing on the CS and the dirty tricks that a military, industrial complex that size can make.

If anyone wants, I will post some teasers of it elsewhere.... Since Project Revenant arose from 5ST....

It was a heady experience, even with the limited e-mail of the time...we were exchanging ideas on an almost hourly basis and cranking out stuff that worked from and off of each others' materials...A lot of original PS stuff would have been sorely lacking for heavy guns had it not been for Raven's input...

Hi Raven!

The Raven wrote:If anyone wants, I will post some teasers of it elsewhere.... Since Project Revenant arose from 5ST....

So when can you start?

HI Raven! Nice to meet you! I remember your site. I used to go to it at least once a week in hopes of new material. I hope you will post your material here on PB forum. I'm interested in seeing it again. Hopefully interacting actively with us will shatter your writters block. Good to meet you!

Aramanthus wrote:HI Raven! Nice to meet you! I remember your site. I used to go to it at least once a week in hopes of new material. I hope you will post your material here on PB forum. I'm interested in seeing it again. Hopefully interacting actively with us will shatter your writters block. Good to meet you!

And if not
(Hoists a 40mm version of the 20mm nine-tube German Fleigerfaust rocket launcher to firing position)
...we have tools to shatter writer's block...

Ya! We have ways of making you write. Mock Snail!!

abtex wrote:Ya! We have ways of making you write. Mock Snail!!

..."Mock Snail'?!

If you have to ask do you really want to know?
Do not write Germany. What is "Do it now." or "Hurry up."?

Waiting to read it Raven.
.......
So, what's wrong with my Germany?

LOL Nice pic! I forwarded that to a lazy friend of mine.

Wouldn't that have been more like this..........

Yah! Ve have ways of making you write. Mock Snail!!

I just need to figure out what to post... If anything it will be a teaser for Project Revenant. Since I am reworking PR into something I may try to get into the Rifter, if I ever get to writing again. Even writing a teaser for Project Revenant is proving to be a pain in the hind end...

The Raven wrote:I just need to figure out what to post... If anything it will be a teaser for Project Revenant. Since I am reworking PR into something I may try to get into the Rifter, if I ever get to writing again. Even writing a teaser for Project Revenant is proving to be a pain in the hind end...

Headache...It's a HEADACHE writing up material...
Unless you've got hemmorhoids, in which case sitting in front of a computer for several hours waiting for inspiration really is a pain in the seat cushions...

Right now my problem is timing....my work schedule has me away from my home files...difficult decision..>Make money of stuff to give away for free? mmm...tough call...

taalismn wrote:Headache...It's a HEADACHE writing up material...
Unless you've got hemmorhoids, in which case sitting in front of a computer for several hours waiting for inspiration really is a pain in the seat cushions...

Unless it implies my head is up my hind end... which many members of 5ST accused me of at times...

The Raven wrote:

taalismn wrote:Headache...It's a HEADACHE writing up material...
Unless you've got hemmorhoids, in which case sitting in front of a computer for several hours waiting for inspiration really is a pain in the seat cushions...

Unless it implies my head is up my hind end... which many members of 5ST accused me of at times...

...Hoop snakes....Remember...hoop snakes were said to swallow their own tails...so they could come rolling up to you and bite you before you could get out of their way...

Aramanthus wrote:LOL Nice pic! I forwarded that to a lazy friend of mine.

Wouldn't that have been more like this..........

Found the pictures here near the bottom of page, He links them to here. But I do not know where they are on the blog. If you find them post the link, please.

Why PS does research on old vehicles.
A Wired site that has links to sites.
Another different research site. Hope they help.

Has anyone compiled all of these wonderful toys into one large document?

Mr. Deific NMI wrote:Has anyone compiled all of these wonderful toys into one large document?

rat_bastard wrote:I've just compiled a list of all the Paladin steel products in this thread into a single word file, its over 400 pages long...

This is gonna live on my desktop.

He does.

Paladin Steel McMAALR-18 ‘Fire Orchid’ 20mm Anti-Aircraft Micro-Missile Launcher
(aka ‘Mini-Talon’, ‘Firefly Gun’, ‘Firefly Thrower’)

“#%&&!!! Are those tracers or missiles!?”
“They just got missile lock on our jets! Pump flares! Chaff! Chaff!”
-----Lifted from the flight recorder of a CS attack jet downed over the disputed Eastern Territories.

“In theory, with the all-aspect targeting of this weapon, one should be able to hit incoming tactical missiles, like ASMs or CS rocket artillery, with this thing...but doing that requires a steady hand, quick reflexes to spot the incoming missile, and serious balls to stand out where every natural instinct is screaming you don’t belong, in order to hit such a small incoming target with a shotgun spread of even smaller rockets before the former gets within lethal detination range. Personally I wouldn’t advise it...but sometimes a grunt doesn’t have a choice in the matter...
Of such choices are heroes...or widows...made.”
----Ordnance Sergeant Cal Gombers, Larsen’s Brigade, in a article for ‘Blasters’ e-magazine.

This weapon appears inspired by the WW2 ‘Fleigerfaust’ weapon, an experimental infantry anti-aircraft rocket launcher, using 20mm rockets based on existing supplies of cannon shells. PS has resurrected the concept and improved on it using their micro-missile technology. The slightly larger size of the projectile has allowed PS chemists to coerce more propulsive energy and range out of the rocket, and their growing expertise with micro-chip guidance and sensor systems has allowed for more accurate control-on-target.
The Fire Orchid is a bazooka-like weapon consisting of nine bundled 20mm tube launchers, mounted with fore-and-back pistol grips and a side-mount sighting package. The tubes are lightweight carbon-fiber winding with light alloy bands. A clip-bundled ‘speed-loader’ of nine micro-missiles is slid into the back of the launcher, firing contacts engaged, and the weapon ready to fire. A side-selector allows for the launcher to fire salvos of one, three, or all nine rockets at once. A side-mounted electronic sighting package is clipped on, and can be recycled for attachment to other launchers when the original becomes too damaged to be re-used.
The Fire Orchid is an all-aspect weapon, being able to be fired at aircraft both incoming and from behind. The salvo-launch increases the chance of a hit, as well as distributes damage across the target, enhancing the effects of damage on various systems/organs. The weapon can also be used against static and surface targets, but it is less accurate in ground-attack mode, due to ground clutter confusing the small missile sensors(the launcher comes with fixed sights for manual aiming). The ‘smart’ guidance of the micro-missiles is vulnerable to jamming and decoying by thermal flares.
The Pattern-2as originally issued used the standard 20mm exploding round used by Paladin Steel in so many of its weapons, but subsequent 20mm Patterns used the same enhanced warhead technology used in the smaller 15mm format projectiles. The Pattern-2c saw the introduction of an incendiary warhead using a variant of white phosphorus; the continuous-burning effect was designed with Xiticix in mind.
The resulting weapon has been nicknamed the ‘mini-Talon’ by troops in the field; the Fire Orchid is often deployed next to the larger Black Talon L-SAM in army anti-aircraft units. The extra level of firepower now available to GNE troops has made air attacks on them that much more unhealthy for the SAMAS, Minion, or Xiticix assigned the task. The weapon is beginning to see distribution with Army and Navy units, and a few have begun appearing in the hands of affiliated mercenary and Irregular units.
PS is reportedly also experimenting with a six-tube 30mm version of this ‘sub-mini-missile caliber’ family of projectiles.

Weight: 13 lbs. A speedloader of 9 rounds weighs 1.8 lbs
Range: 8,000 ft for all types
Damage: (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
Rate of Fire: Volleys of 1, 3, or 9
Payload: 9-shot clip
Bonuses:(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.
Special Features:
*Sensor Package---The sensor package includes an IR/Thermal sight, laser rangefinder(2 mile range) and directional mini-radar(2 mile range) with audio-alarm to notify the gunner of target-lock.
Cost: 28,000 credits (3,000 for the launcher assembly, 25,000 for the sighting package)
(Pattern-2a) 90 credits each
(Pattern-2b)130 credits each
(Pattern-2c)150 credits each

Paladin Steel Anti-Submarine Weapons Systems

“What the hell are people thinking nowadays? That a depth charge is just a big can of explosives you toss overboard and hope it hits something on the way down? I’ve seen nor read little mention of depth charge throwers or pattern layers in modern warships. Oh, the CS has them, and probably Triax as well, but the rest of the people think that a 10 yard toss is enough! Hell, its like people are asking to have their hulls reamed out by whatever they’re hoping to hit! . The ancients, as far back as their WWII, had spigot launchers and anti-sub rockets! Surely we can do better!?”
Vernon Boch, in a session with Wanda Indira of AWD.

*Rocket Propelled Depth Charge Systems/Light Anti-Submarine Rocket Weapons(LASRW)----Vernon Boch was extremely dissatisfied with the common deployment systems and mentallity associated with depth charges. Observing footage of other companies’ vessels, he saw little evidence of advanced depth-charge launch systems. Having a keen interest in naval architecture, and having reviewed much surviving historical film footage and material of pre-Rifts navies in operation, Boch wanted to develop what he felt were more advanced and realistic depth charge delivery systems, as well as some special systems for PS’s production and sale.
The standard light ASW system(LASRW), as it is emerging, is a 45mm rocket launcher mount based on a pre-Rifts Russian design. The rocket-charges are based on the PS 45mm MultiLauncher shell, scaled up, fitted with a variable setting depth trigger-fuse, and rocket booster that lobs the rocket in a low arc(can’t be used effectively as a direct fire weapon). The rocket-charges can be fired up to 4,000 ft away, and are effective to depths of 1,000 ft, making them rather ineffective against deep-diving targets, but a good defense against swimmers and small monsters. The standard LASRW-5 is a five-shot launcher that can be set up on any stretch of open deck and wired up with a simple command control system and fire direction. Reloading can be done by hand(a power-armored loader or person with a PS of 22 or better can reload the entire launcher in 5 minutes), making it suitable for deployment on smaller vessels. Larger versions exist; and the LASRW-8 and -16 mount 8 and 16 rockets respectively, and often have special automated relaoding equipment built in, allowing reloads to be brought up from below deck stowage and locked in in a matter of minutes. Fired in volley, LASRWs are extremely effective at laying down depth charge patterns, increasing the probability of a hit.
Range: 4,000 ft, 1,000 ft maximum depth
Damage: 7d6x5 MD to 50 ft radius
Rate of Fire: Volleys of 1,2,4, 5, 8, or 16
Payload: LASRW-5: 5 rounds
LASRW-8: 8 rounds
LASRW-16: 16 rounds
Cost: 80,000 credits for the launcher(81,000 credits for the LASRW-8 , 84,000 credits for the LASRW-16; price covers installation) 3,000 credits per shell

Captor Mines
Captor Mines are a joint project by Paladin Steel and Wellington Industries to product an aquatic form of WI’s SAWS mines. Captors are identical to the SAWS(see Rifts: Mercenaries) in every respect except that they fire torpedoes, not missiles, and generally cost 20% more over the cost of the specific SAWS type, plus the cost of the torpedoes.
Light Captor(1-6 mini-torpedoes): 36,000 credits
Medium Captor(2 medium torpedoes): 59,000 credits
Heavy Captor(2 heavy torpedoes): 70,000 credits

Wire-Guided Torpedoes
Paladin Steel has experimented with wire-guided torpedoes that are directed by means of commands relayed through an ultra-fine cable of hardened plastic and fiber optic spooled out behind the torpedo from a specially modified torpedo tube. This means the weapon can use its operators’ strike bonuses rather than onboard sensors to keep target lock on its objective, and can more effectively respond to the target dodging and firing off countermeasures.
Unfortunately, wire-guidance means that the tube cannot be reloaded while the wire is still spooling out, the guidance range of the torpedo is limited by the length of the cable(limited to 5 miles; ultra-fine), the hair-fine fiber optic cable is vulnerable to being cut/snagged, and the movements of the torp pilot and the firing vessel’s crew must be properly coordinated; evasive maneuvars while a torp is running may sever the cable and lose the torpedo. If that happens, the torp can automatically go to its own onboard guidance systems, but any bonuses are lost.
It is these vulnerabilities that have made PS turn from wire-guidance, but PS has decided to offer the option to prospective buyers.
Range:Cable Guidance range is 5 miles
Damage: Varies by torpedo type
Bonuses: Use torp operator’s own hand to hand bonuses(must have Weapons Systems skill) instead of +3 to strike(for conventional torpedoes)
Cost: Modifying the torpedo and supplying the reel costs 30,000 credits per torpedo; modifying the tube costs 50,000 credits

ASROC---(Anti-submarine Rocket)
The Paladin Steel Asroc is the post-Rifts adaptation of the rocket-propelled torpedo commonly used by old U.S. Empire warships. It consists of a short-range torpedo mounted atop a short-range missile booster, and is compatible with most short- and medium-range missile launchers. The chief advantages of the Asroc over conventional depth charge and torpedo launch systems, are response time, stand-off range, and the fact that the sudden arrival of the torpedo from above gives the enemy little advance warning.
Range:(Booster) 5 miles(Torpedo) 5 miles
Damage:2d4x10 MD (HE) or 1d6x10 MD(Plasma)
Bonuses:+3 to strike within 1000 ft
Cost:10,000 credits per rocket

SUBROC
Subroc is merely the Asroc concept applied to submarines; an encapsulated Asroc is launched from a heavy torpedo tube, allowed to ascend to the surface, and there the rocket motor lights off to deliver the torpedo. Aiming is more difficult, as it relies on the launch platform’s sonar systems to determine the approximate location of the target, but it can give a great element of surprise to an attack(GM’s call), as the target is usually unable to watch the sky while submerged, giving the weapon a better chance of closing to within the lethal range before being detected.
Range:(Rocket) 5 miles(Torpedo) 5 miles
Damage: 1d6x10 MD(Plasma) or 2d4x10 MD(HE)
Bonuses:+3 to strike within 1000 ft
Cost:11,000 credits

Harpoon III Missiles
Paladin Steel has also (re)perfected the torpedo-tube launch capsule method to bring back the submarine-launched Harpoon medium-range anti-ship missile. Thanks to PSW’s salvage efforts in Pudget Sound, PS can now fit submarines with missile-launch capability, without the need of hideously expensive special launch tubes. Harpoon IIIs are medium-range, plasma-explosive, wave-skimming, “smart” missiles designed to close with an enemy vessel under effective radar coverage, then jink up and dive, so as to penetrate the thinner upper works armor, or else can be set to penetrate below the waterline armor belt.
Range: 40 miles
Damage: 2d6x10 MD to 40 ft blast radius
Bonuses: +5 to strike
Cost:(Surface/air launched): 18,000 credits(Sub-launched) 20,000 credits

Countermeasures:
Paladin Steel has adopted a series of standard countermeasure packages for use aboard their vessels. Notably they have adapted the US Navy Mk 38 Rapid Bloom Off-Board Countermeasures(RBOC-2) launcher system and the Replica radar signature decoy system. The RBOC-2 fires rocket-mortar shells of flares and chaff up to 1.25 miles away, to heights of 3,000 ft(the better to fool missiles coming in over the horizon), and fires clouds of chaff from deck mortars at closer ranges to confuse other guided weapons).
The Replica system resembles a folded-liferaft capsule when in its launcher, but can be fired off up to 300 ft, and rapidly unfolds to become two linked floating radar and sonar reflectors that give the appearance of a much larger object, and hopefully divert enemy fire and attention away from the targetted vessel.
A variant on this system includes attaching active sonar decoys or “Screamers” to attract or confuse accoustic sensors and homing torpedoes.
Range: The RBOC can toss decoy bundles 1.25 miles, and to an altitude of 3,000 ft
Damage: None. The RBOC is too inaccurate to be used as an effective weapon(oh, it could probably blow a person off the deck if they were standing too close, but that goes without saying) Effects are similar to Triax-style chaff
01-50 Enemy Missile or volley detonates in chaff and threat is nuetralized
51-75 Missile/Volley diverts and may pursue/lock on to other targets
76-00 No Effect! Missile(s) still on target!
(Flare/Chaff)Will also temporarily blind and impede flying monsters who fly into it.
Reduce APMs/combat bonuses/ speed by half for 1d4 melees
Payload: Flare/Chaff lauchers typically have 10 shells each. A Replica launcher will have 2 decoys per launcher.
Cost:50,000 credits per three-barrel launcher assembly. Decoy bundles cost 200 credits each

Degaussing System---
Most PS vessels have hulls of composite or concrete, but may have enough metal in their structures to attract and trigger magnetic mines. PS developed this system to counter magnetic mines and has made it available to other shipowners as well. The system was actually developed from a similar system found in the ruins of a pre-Rifts Russian corvette found near the ruins of New York(it was part of the Intrepid museum).
Not effective against suction- or molecular-adhesion limpet mines or boring attachments.
Cost: 11,000 credits

Hull Electrification System(i.e. “Hull Zapper”, “Saint Elmo’s Hotfoot”))
An exotic close-in defense system that uses special coils and contact points to run a high-power electrical current across the hull, electrocuting anyone in contact with the hull. Originally developed for post-Rifts military vessels, but now made available to commercial craft.
The Hull Zapper is problematic in many ways, and care must be taken in its use. First, it can only be fitted to ships with metal or artificial(synthetic) hulls---wooden hulls cannot be fitted with this system. Second, special insulation must be installed to buffer the rest of the ship from conducting the hull charge into the interior throiugh the frame(otherwise all sorts of nasty things could happen). Only the hull outside bottom and sides are affected. Third, the act of bleeding off massive amounts of electrical current into the water takes a lot out of the batteries or powerplant. Typically, the ship must wait several minutes after turning this system on, waiting for the batteries to recharge. The smaller, specially-constructed/fitted military subs and vessels for which this was originally developed, have no such problems, as they come already specially insulated against backshock, and have special buffers and capacitators to handle the power demands.
Other points to be taken into consideration; using this system on a poorly insulated metal hull can result in the hull becoming briefly magnetized, throwing compasses off and lighting up the ship on magnetic anomaly detectors(and magnetic mines!). Another is that constant use can result in mineralization plating out on the contact points, requiring cleaning and maintenance.
Used properly, however, this system is great for dissuading boarders and critters crawling up the hull.
Range: Contact+ 1-2 ft from the hull in the water.
Damage: 1d4 MD per contact with the hull
Rate of Fire: Once per melee
Cost: 3.2 million credits

*Sonic Scramblers(“Screamers”)----Screamers are specialized one-use munnitions that when fired, broadcast a massive burst of noise across all audio/sonic frequencies, with the intended effect of destroying acoustic target(sonar) locks, and allowing the sub to escape opponents using sonar to detect or track them. -60% to track the sub via sonar while the Screamer is in effect, while sonar-guided weapons are -10 to strike. plus accoustic-homing weapons will break target lock to attack the decoy.
Screamers also have the effect of stunning dolphins, whales, and other creatures using natural sonar and echo location. These creatures are disoriented/stunned for 1d4 melees.
A typical screamer will last 1d4 melees until it burns out or is destroyed.
Screamers can also be fused to ignite/activate anywhen up to a minute(4 melees) after deployment.
Note: Screamers will affect the user’s own sonar systems.
Range: 6,000 ft
Damage: None
Cost:500 credits per shot


*Deep Flares---Deep Flares are fast-burning underwater illumination sources used as distractions in deep sea operations. Though fairly useless as weapons, Deep Flares are effective at night and against deep-sea creatures sensitive to bright light.
Deep Flares will blind surprised targets for 1d4 melees(half all combat bonuses and skill rolls while trying to overcome temporary blindness). Useless against targets using sonar, or without eyes.
Range: 1000 ft
Damage: 1d4 MD if it scores a direct hit on a target; Otherwise, no damage, aside from possible flash disorientation. :
Area of effect: 100 ft area in diameter(suspended silt/debris in the water may limit this).
Cost: 200 credits per flare


Other Common Nautical Systems Available from Paladin Steel
*MDC Netting---Going fishing? Want to protect your aquaculture assets safe from predators, or your harbor facilities protected from frogmen and other aquatic invaders? PS’s new heavy-weight MDC-plastic fiber fish nets are just the ticket then! Most manufacturers would balk at the thought of tossing good MDC material into the water as netting, but recent breakthroughs in hot-proccess fiber-spinning, as well as growing demand, have allowed PS to spin out its new Carbond-Chitin-Plus fibers cheaper than any comparable material by those others.... Though MDC netting is still much more expensive than regular SDC materials, its longer lasting and incredibly tough per strand. MDC netting comes in a variety of weaves and mesh densities, for everything from keeping large subs out to anchovy-fishing.
MDC:5 per 10 square ft
Cost: 20 credits per square yard of net.

*Recovery Balloons---These are essentially giant plastic balloons/flotation units that are attached to an object, then inflated from a gas cartridge, to help move them or bring them to the surface. Each Balloon can lift up to 500 lbs of weight.
A single hardpoint can hold 2 Recovery Ballons and inflation cartridge.
Cost: 20 credits per balloon

*Desalination equipment---Water, water, everywhere, but not a drop to drink? Not anymore. Most large ships nowadays have their own desalination systems to produce distilled water for cooling, or desalinated water for drinking. Triax and the Republic of Japan have developed advanced molecular filters that filter out dissolved contaminants with a minimum of energy usage, but the Coalition and Paladin Steel(and most other kingdoms) use far bulkier steam collection/evaporator systems that use large amounts of power to boil the fresh water off seawater as steam, and discard the concentrated brine. These systems require constant cleaning of the boilers to remove corrosive concentrations of clotting salt and mineral encrustations, but produce potable drinking water(typically takes a few more trips through a charcoal filter to remove the taint of machine oil and piping to taste really good).
PS tends to make its desalination systems cheap because there’s no point in charging for basic requirements
Cost: 80 credits per gallon per hour capacity, but most “small” systems can proccess up 200 gallons an hour.

in defense of the depth charge launchers on RIFTS ships, the system is a valuable detterant to large hostile sealife and enemy subfighters. sealife will generally get scared away by the noise and pressure wave, and it would be like flak against subfighters.

but yeah, they seem to not get the point when it comes to real anti-submarine weapons.

glitterboy2098 wrote:in defense of the depth charge launchers on RIFTS ships, the system is a valuable detterant to large hostile sealife and enemy subfighters. sealife will generally get scared away by the noise and pressure wave, and it would be like flak against subfighters.

but yeah, they seem to not get the point when it comes to real anti-submarine weapons.

Watching the massive surface 'belch' of some depth charges...I like to put some more distance between me and directly above them when they blow...

I've always liked those russian devices for killing subs. Of course if you could add an active sonar system on one . Even if it could be a tiny one. Too bad you can't make them smart. That way they would know about thermal layers and other aquatic phenomenon.

Aramanthus wrote:I've always liked those russian devices for killing subs. Of course if you could add an active sonar system on one . Even if it could be a tiny one. Too bad you can't make them smart. That way they would know about thermal layers and other aquatic phenomenon.

That will be the next generation of micro-projectiles...'smart' micro-torps...which can then be applied to a variety of uses, such of 'cluster' depth charges that release swarms of homing micro-torpedoes....

Paladin Steel/Free QuebecHudson Class Destroyer

“Gentlemen, I agree that Free Quebec is hardly any better than the Coalition proper with respect to their racial policies..if anything they are even more rabid in their obsession with their ‘cultural identity’..but unfortunately they are also on our borders, and represent a most sizable military threat if they so choose to be, and they are steady customers...if not for finished products, then for raw materials and bulk equipment...so I’m approving the Hudson DD project..if anything it will buy us time in the long run to build up our defenses if they decide to ‘New Kenora‘ us, and give our people experience with working with their systems and developing our own....I know, Vernon, you’ve wanted some big marine projects to sink your teeth into, so here’s your chance...
And besides, this will give us the opportunity to milk off some of the FQs’ expertise...and we don’t have to give them ALL our secrets...just enough to keep the tech transfer going in OUR direction!”
---Elijah Vanderbilt, PS Executive Board Meeting, November, 104 PA.

The Hudson class Destroyer is another one of Paladin Steel’s designs, for a large warship class. The Hudson class was directly commissioned by Free Quebec, who has strongly, and increasingly, hinted that they wanted to cultivate a relationship with PS similar to that enjoyed by GAW with its Coalition contracts, with respect to maritime contracts. Having no great love for their techno-fascist neighbors, but aware that sucking up to Free Quebec was a wiser and more profitable proposition than a potential shooting war along their borders, PS and the Vermont Free State agreed.
The Hudson class is based on a pre-Rifts French design for a destroyer with enhanced ‘stealth’ features. While not as stealthy as more dedicated designs like the Whisper Wave, the Hudson is no barn-sized radar target; features include a lack of a stepped back walkaround deck along most of the sides, retractable covers for potential radar reflecting features like lifeboats and equipment racks, and angled “Stealth Fighter-style” turrets. The Hudson is much more heavily armored than its Coalition counterparts, and its armament is roughly comparable.
Currently, three Hudson class destroyers are being constructed(much to Vernon Boch’s great joy) at the Isle of Orleans , using imported Paladin Steel technicians and materials. Paladin Steel hopes to use this facility until they can complete preparations to retake and consolidate the Bath Maine site. Whether or not PS will be allowed to continue producing the design, especially for sale to other customers, remains to be seen(though its taken as a given that PS has full construction plans copied out in their own archives), but already many of the subsystems developed for the Hudson are being applied to other vessel types produced by PS.
(Post-110 P.A. Update: The breakup of relations between Free Quebec and GNE/Paladin Steel led to problems concerning the completion of the Hudsons, already delayed by mounting tensions between the two nations. Ultimately, Paladin Steel personnel were ordered from the Isle of Orleans, but were not allowed to remove any of their equipment, and FQ moved in to complete the three ships...The outbreak of hostilities between Free Quebec and Chi-Town led to a rush to complete the ships and rush them into service, but a massive industrial accident ---Free Quebec calls it sabotage, and has, depending on the time and state of their foreign relations, alternately blamed Paladin Steel or the Coalition States for the deed---damaged one of the nearly-finished ships beyond repair. The remaining two vessels have been finished and have entered service as the FQNS LeClerke and FQNS Rombard. It is not known if FQ will(or CAN) construct any more Hudsons given reports of the damage at Isle of Orleans, and the knowledge that ‘their’ design has been compromised by PS.
Meanwhile, PS, which managed to smuggle out its plans for the ships, is now constructing the vessels at the New Bath and New Seattle shipyards, and has offered the ship design for sale.)
Type:PS-NFQ-DD-30
Class: Destroyer
Crew:220, plus 1-60 troops
MDC/Armor by Location:
(Note: In keeping with Rifts: Undersea, these MDC values reflect a modern high-tech destroyer)
Main Body 8,000
Bridge 400
Forward Gun Turret 200
Medium Range Missile Launchers(2) 150 each
Short Range Missile Launcher 100
CIWS Turrets(2) 80 each
Heli-pad 120
Height:30 ft
(Draught): 18 ft
Width: 45 ft
Length: 455 ft
Weight:4,200 tons
Cargo: Can carry up to 200 tons of extraneous cargo
Powerplant: Nuclear. w/ 20 year energy life
Speed:40.6 MPH, (35 knots)
Market Cost: None of the Free Quebec vessels are for sale, but if PS were to manufacture this ship for the general market, it would cost about 80 million credits
Systems/Features:
*Long Range Radio---500 miles
*Long Range Radar--500 miles
*Sonar---Depth gauge and detection; 500 mile range
*Towed Sonar Array
*Hull Degausser---This system can be used to periodically de-magnetize the hull, loosening the grip of magnetic-attachment limpet mines, and reducing the effectiveness of magnetically-triggered ocean mines in detecting the vessel and detonating.
*Stealth Features---The use of radar-absorbant materials, thermal-signature-reducing technologies, and hull-shaping, do not render the vessel invisible to radar, but do reduce the vessel’s chances of being detected; -30% chance of detecting the vessel with radar. Radar-guided missiles are -3 to strike the ship, and IR/thermal-homing weapons are -2 to strike.
*Closed-environment Life Support System---If necessary, the Hudson destroyers can seal up, and recycle their air for up to a week.
*Desalination Gear---The destroyers, in addition to having their own onboard fresh water supply, have a desalinator for producing fresh water from salt water.

Weapons Systems:
1)Rapid Fire 100mm Cannon---Based loosely off schematics for the pre-Rifts French Creusot-Loire 100mm Compact gun system. PS has developed an electro-magnetic rail cannon version of this weapon, replacing volatile propellant bags with a mass-driver system that can lob explosive projectiles on a semi-ballistic fire path, or accelerate long-rod armor-penetrator projectiles on hypervelocity direct fire trajectories. All just by varying the power, frequency, and timing of the ‘spikes’ produced in the acceleration stator ring-elements. This also means that the weapon has a lower barrel fatigue rate(the shells do not come into physical contact with any rifling), the cannon has a higher rate of fire(no residual propellants to clean out between firings or powder bags to load), and the weapon is even capable of firing bursts! Because of the power demand that this weapon has, many buyers have a seperate power cell or nuclear powerpack reactor installed with the cannon installation.
Weight: 15 tons
Range: 5 miles indirect fire. 2 miles direct fire mode.
Damage:(High Explosive) 2d6x10 MD to 80 ft blast radius
(Armor Piercing) 2d4x10 MD to 20 ft radius
(Plasma) 2d6x10 MD to 40 ft radius
(Hellfire Napalm)1d4x10 MD, plus does an additional 2d4 MD per melee, burning for 1d4 minutes
Rate of Fire: Six times per melee!(The original Creusot-Loire 100mm could fire up to 90 rds per minute)
Payload:200 rds in storage

2) Medium Range Missile Launchers(2)---These multi-tube MRM launcher groups are hidden behind sliding panels when not in use. They are typically used to fire anti-shipping missiles, though surface-attack weapons may also be used.
Range: Varies By Missile Type
Damage:Varies By Missile Type
Rate of Fire: Volleys of 1,2, or 4
Payload: 160 missiles total; 80 per launcher

3) Short Range Missile Launcher(1)---The Hudsons have a single vertical-cell SRM launcher, typically used for anti-aircraft/anti-missile work. They are also used to deliver ASROC-style short-range ASW torpedoes.
Range:Varies By Missile Type
Damage:Varies By Missile Type
Rate of Fire: Volleys of 1,2, 4, 6, or 8
Payload: 160 missiles

4)Point Defense Cannon(2)---The Hudsons mount two PS-L-CIWS “Button Guns” for anti-missile defense.
Range: 4,000 ft
Damage: 1d4x10 MD per 20 rd burst(can only fire bursts)
Rate of Fire: EGCHH, as an automated defense system linked to a radar/sensor system, the “Button Gun” has a +2 to strike, and four attacks per melee.
Payload:8,000 rd drum(200 bursts)

5) Depth Charge Launchers(2)---The Hudsons use a special ASW depth charge mortar for lobbing the cans of explosive up to 2000 ft from the ship before sinking to their preset depth.
Range:2000 ft; 2000 ft depth
Damage: 2d4x10 MD
Rate of Fire:Volleys of 1 or 2, up to three times per melee
Payload:100 total, 50 per launcher

6) Torpedoes---Located behind sliding hatches are two twin-tube torpedo launchers; mainly intended for ASW work.
Range:10 miles
Damage: 3d4x10 MD(HE) or 2d6x10MD (Plasma)
Rate of Fire: Volleys of 1 or 2
Payload: 12 torpedoes, 6 per launcher. An additional 48 torpedoes in storage

7) Countermeasure Mortars(4)---If targeted by missiles or torpedoes, the Hudsons can trigger their countermeasure lauchers to decoy aerial and submarine guided weapons.
Range: The RBOC can toss decoy bundles 1.25 miles, and to an altitude of 3,000 ft
Damage: None. The RBOC is too inaccurate to be used as an effective weapon(oh, it could probably blow a person off the deck if they were standing too close, but that goes without saying) Effects are similar to Triax-style chaff
01-50 Enemy Missile or volley detonates in chaff and threat is nuetralized
51-75 Missile/Volley diverts and may pursue/lock on to other targets
76-00 No Effect! Missile(s) still on target!
(Flare/Chaff)Will also temporarily blind and impede flying monsters who fly into it.
Reduce APMs/combat bonuses/ speed by half for 1d4 melees
Payload: Flare/Chaff lauchers typically have 10 shells each. A Replica launcher will have 2 decoys per launcher.

8 ) Auxiliary Craft: The Hudson class destroyers also have a helipad and enclosed hangar on the rear deck, large enough to accommodate two ASW helicopters(The Navy of Free Quebec currently uses Iron Tridents; Paladin Steel is currently debating whether they should permit Free Quebec to purchase Super-Seasprites from them)(Post-110 P.A. Update: This deal is DEFINITELY nixed), or one helicopter and a mini-sub can be carried.
The Hudson DDs also are expected to have a small force of 10 power armors available

Variants:
*PS-DD-30 Advanced Hudson---The PS version of the Hudson differs in a number of details; the main armament has been replaced with a slower-firing, but longer-ranged, PS massdriver cannon firing more powerful shells. An additional laser PDS system has been added, backing up the rail guns. The original FQ-supplied electronics have been replaced with, in some cases superior, PS-developed/acquired systems. A more efficient hydrojet system has been added for propulsion, with a small increase in speed. More advanced hull armor material has been subsituted for that used in the original Hudsons, offering the same protection, but at lighter weight. Advanced Hudsons carry the Super-Seasprites originally slated for the FQ Hudson DDs, and carry four long range recon drones as well.
Paladin Steel has already constructed four Advanced Hudsons at its Paladin Steel West yards, and the vessels are deloyed on the West Coast; making it unlikely as yet that the PS versions will encounter their Free Quebec-built ‘cousins’. Two more Adv. Hudsons are under construction at the New Bath Works.
Changes/Modifications:
MDC/Armor By Location:
Main Body 9,000
Bridge 500
Forward Gun Turret 300
Medium Range Missile Launchers(2) 200 each
L-CIWS Turrets(4) 80 each
Speed:45 MPH
Systems of Note:
*EW Jamming Systems: Affects a 25 mile radius and are 75% effective at jamming radar and radio. Radar-guided weapons are -6 to strike the jammer-protected vessel.
*ECCM system: A semi-automatic system that uses electronic encryption and frequency jumping to (attempt to) negate jamming systems. The system has a 35% chance of negating radar or communications jamming (non-magical) on its own, or a +5% if the pilot has a Read Sensory Instruments or Radio: Scramblers skill and devotes a full melee to operating the system(no other attacks/actions are possible).
Having an Electronic warfare Skill gains a +15% bonus to operating this system.
Note that this only applies to received communications (the system filters them out from the jamming clutter) and sensory data received by that unit alone (other units cannot make use of it, unless they have an unaffected datalink/info-share with the ECCM equipped unit. Magic/psychic jamming is NOT affected by this system.

*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/GNEN.
Effective Range: 4,000 ft radius of detection.

Weapons Systems:
1) 100mm Long Barrel Massdriver Cannon (PS-MDJ100L)
Range:(Direct Fire) 36,000 ft (7.2 miles)
(Indirect Fire) 90,000 ft(18 miles)
Damage:High Explosive(HE)---- 1d6x10 MD to 20 ft radius
High Explosive Anti-Tank(HEAT)---- 2d6 x10 MD to 10 ft radius
Fragmentation--- 2d6x10 MD to 30 ft radius
Plasma-----3d6x10 MD to 35 ft radius
(APFSDSDU)(Armor Piercing Fin Stabilized Discarding Sabot Depleted Uranium) 4d6x10 MD out to 11,000 ft, 2d6x10 MD out to maximum range
(Hellfire Napalm)2d4x10 MD to a 40 ft radius, plus does an additional 2d4 MD per melee, burning for 1d4 minutes
Rate of Fire:Four per melee
Payload: 320 rounds
100 mm AP shell weighs 25 lbs( 80 shots per ton)

*Laser Point Defense Systems(4)---Paladin Steel figured that in any conflict with Free Quebec, their own Hudsons would become prime targets for FQN anti-shipping missile attacks, so point defense has been beefed up. PS added four more PDS turrets, these ones being laser weapons mounts based on the PSA-11 Power Armors’ backpack pod option, but tied into the more powerful ship’s radar/sensor system.
Range: 6,000 ft
Mega-Damage: 3D6 MD single blast, 6D6 MD double- barreled blast
Rate of Fire: Equal to the pilot's combined hand to hand attacks, or 4 attacks in auto-defense mode.
Payload: Effectively Unlimited
Bonuses: +2 to strike airborne targets like missiles and aircraft/flying opponents(must be traveling higher than 10 ft off the ground) when on its own sensor systems; +4 to strike tied into the ship’s main sensor grid.

Nice addition. I see that Free Quebec paid you guys too. So when did you guys slip some dry docks in up there?

Aramanthus wrote:Nice addition. I see that Free Quebec paid you guys too. So when did you guys slip some dry docks in up there?

I leave that as one of the great (or not-so-great) mysteries of Rifts...

Still looking for someone who has all of these creations compiled into one big arse file.

Mr. Deific NMI wrote:Still looking for someone who has all of these creations compiled into one big arse file.

Don't look at me...I have them distributed on my machine among a dozen(or more) different files(so I don't have to go scrolling up/down 500+ pages of material to get to my project of the day......