APC for Hades?

[GhostKnight]

I'm looking to take a group of 8 to Hades. What would make an ideal APC for that environment?

[taalismn]

Kreeghor Dreadnought...bring plenty of red shirts/ablative meat...

[KLM]

I have to confess that I do not have Hades yet, but I think
unless one blends in (like masquarading themselves as property
of a major nasty) or turn invisible (considering the natives, not
a trivial task) no APC is good enough.

Period.

Adios
KLM

[taalismn]

...niccccccceeeeee ride....

[GhostKnight]

I've almost been thinking of a 3G small runner ship without FTL but full tech and TW stealth. The variable force fields are incredibly useful. So is gaining enough height to cross lava. Otherwise several automated 2d6x10md lasers and such.

OTOH, there are several spider/bug type robot vehicles in various books that may "blend in" better.

[runebeo]

Galapagos Submersible Robot in South America 2. In that book it tells of the Larhold tribe stole a damaged one. My group took it away from them and took it into Hades and many other places. It can transport three small APCs, a dozen plus Glitter boys and 80 plus troops. Can run on a small skeleton of under seven and the main body has nearly 1500 M.D.C. It's the largest robot built in South America standing 70 feet tall and has limited flight capabilities. Why have such a cool vehicle just sitting in a book, let the your group have powerful mobile base which can also double as a hospital.

[KLM]

Galapagos Submersible Robot in South America 2.

And bunch of Lasae to chew on the wirings and run amok in the
air conditioning system.

Adios
KLM

[GhostKnight]

Galapagos Submersible Robot in South America 2.

And bunch of Lasae to chew on the wirings and run amok in the
air conditioning system.

Adios
KLM

I've been wondering about that. What about some kind of TW or magic circle to keep them away?

[AzathothXy]

I would say the SDF-3.

[Chad]

Hey, you're in Hades.

get the hell out!!!!

[KLM]

I've been wondering about that. What about some kind of TW or magic circle to keep them away?

If used on such a TW souped-up runner ship you mentioned, it is OK.

If used on such lumbering monstrosity, like a Galapagos or an SDF - it will attract attention, and
sooner than you can say "we are in trouble", there will be some "native" casting something pleasant
on your vehicle, like anti-magic cloud. You know, some of the locals can and do pose as
omnipotent gods - and while we know that they aren't, it is very hard to prove them wrong.
(Superhuman intellect, vast magical and psionic knowledge including Clairvoyance...)

"Stealth", the ability to move FAST, being a small target and of course enough firepower
to vaporise a single or maybe a few demons who still notices you.

Pretty much in that order.

Adios
KLM

[Aramanthus]

That is a cool APC Gadrin! I like it. Excellent for fast assembly!

[GhostKnight]

I think I've settled on the Snow Leppard from the Canada world book.
Replace the side lasers with Wilks 1000 laser cannons.
Add TW: 80 mdc Armor Ithan, Illusion (better than invisibility), and permanent circle of protection (demons can't touch it but can still use weapons and ranged attacks).

[Daniel Stoker]

A handbasket maybe?


Daniel Stoker

[Aramanthus]

I suppose those who are in it could count as a lunch! They'd just need to bring a blanket for the picnic.

[GhostKnight]

Cowards.

[Aramanthus]

Sorry I was being silly! Please forgive us!


That APC is a reasonable choice. Just one thing. Why not try and get more powerful Armor of Ithan for the APC? Or a layered defense for attempting that sort of trip. It will almost certainly be near suicidal.

[GhostKnight]

Sorry I was being silly! Please forgive us!

That APC is a reasonable choice. Just one thing. Why not try and get more powerful Armor of Ithan for the APC? Or a layered defense for attempting that sort of trip. It will almost certainly be near suicidal.

Isn't Armor of Ithan just 10 mdc per level? How can I get better shields?

[Aramanthus]

There has to be a way. Does your group have access to center? could see about getting a magic generator and then get an inpenetratable Wall of force. It doesn't actually give a shape. A GM allowed me to shape it the way I wanted. I made it into a funnel and caught several very fast moving jets. It doesn't say it can't be shaped to the players will. So You could hspae it to the overall shape of the APC. I'd say say say five sides. But that is just me.

You could always add an OP field.

[KLM]

You could always add an OP field.

Which is more or less useless against magic.

Adios
KLM

[Aramanthus]

Oh well, it was at least a suggestion. And it's not that bad of one.

[KLM]

On the second thought, having an OP field installed does not hurt...

After all, one might need to get out from under an avalanche, get
through fortifications, etc.

--
But the bottom line is: if you draw attention in Hades as something
not a demon, you are dead. Period.

Adios
KLM

[GhostKnight]

I ended up going with a custom job:

WI 30-06 Main Battle Tank and Armored Personnel Carrier (MBT/APC)

After seeing the success of Iron Heart's tank sales and spies reporting that NG was trying to duplicate the items, Wellington knew that they had to find a way to compete. The CS take over of Iron Heart delayed the project, but through perseverance and working with both Wilks (provide lasers, computer, and communications) and GAW (frame and flex fuel engine). Wellington eventually brought to market a main battle tank. Named after a rifle caliber used in ancient Earth wars and still popular, the WI 30-06 Tank/APC has been a hit and putting serious pressure on NG’s 45-70 MBT.

Model Type: WI 30-06 MBT/APC
Class: Main Battle Tank and Armored Personnel Carrier
Crew: 6: 1 driver, 4 gunners, 1 communication/officer. Also carries 12 infantry, 8 armored exoskeletons, 4 full conversion borgs, or 4 power armor.
MDC By Location: Note: uses cheaper and heavier armor that is also cheaper to repair - only 300 credits per 1 mdc!
Cupola and mini turrets – 90
WI-1000 – 100
Main Turret: 230 mdc
Main Artillery Gun: 150
*Main Body: 460 mdc
Front blade/shield: 180 mdc
Pilots Compartment: 80 mdc
**Wheels ( 8 ): 42 each

* Depleting the MDC of the main body will shut down the tank.
** Depleting the MDC of 1 tire will reduce speed by 10%. Destroying all wheels on an entire side will immobilize the tank.

Speed: 90 mph. Either the flex fuel or battery system alone can keep the tank moving at 50 mph. Buttoned up, it can travel under water at 10 mph on the electrical battery (reduces mileage by 80%).
Range: 600 miles (300 for gas, 300 for electric. Gas can be used to recharge the electrical battery. The tank can sit in ambush with all electronics on and not moving for 10 days just on the electric battery.
Statistical Data:
Height: 12 feet (4 m)
Width: 14 feet (3.6 m)
Length: 35 feet (10 m)
Weight: 45 tons empty, 50 tons loaded
Cargo: Minimal. Enough storage space for the crew, spare parts for personal armor and weapons, and 4 weeks of consumables.
Power System: Hybrid. Includes both a battery (extremely quiet) and a flex fuel rotary engine that can burn diesel, gasoline, alcohol, and even vegetable oil efficiently. The flex fuel can recharge the battery, e-clips, and the internal batteries for the Wilks lasers. 150 gallon tank.
Cost: 8 million credits.

Weapon Systems
1. WI-GL200 Grenade Cannon: Can rotate 360 degrees and 80 degrees up, underside is a heavily modified WI-1000 laser cannon (double range – 6k ft, 3d4x10md).
Primary Purpose: Assault; anti-tank, anti-robot, and anti-dragon.
Secondary Purpose: Defense, anti-GlitterBoy, anti-magic due to it’s high damage and is not affected by the spell Invulnerability to Energy.
Weight: 2 tons
Mega-Damage: 2d6x10 md with 40 ft radius (fragmentary), or 3d6x10 md with an 8 ft radius (armor piercing). Can fire individual rounds (smoke) or bursts of 10 (see damage above).
Rate of Fire: By gunner
Effective Range: 1 mile (1.6 km, 5,000 feet) direct fire, 3 miles (4.8 km, 15,000 feet) indirect fire
Payload: 1000 grenades (100 bursts) of each time (fragmentary and armor piercing), plus 100 smoke grenades. These are slightly longer and fin stabilized grenades with simple laser sensors compared to those used in hand held weapons. 300 credits per grenade for armor piercing, 250 credits for fragmentation, 50 credits for smoke.
Penalties: Indirect fire penalties: direct line of site is -2 to hit. No line of site but using an infantry carried laser sitting system: -4 to hit. Preplanned area designations that have been proved out with individual smoke grenade shots (fire smoke grenades and walk toward target): -6 to hit. Called in by radio: -8 to hit. Those penalties apply to armor piercing grenades, fragmentary penalties are half.

2. Cuppola (1) and front mini turrets (2): Modified WI-1000 laser cannons combined with 15 mm machine guns using silver bullets or WI-20 Ram Jets.
Primary Purpose: Anti-missile, anti-tank, anti-infantry
Secondary Purpose: Anti-aircraft, anti-vampire, anti-demon
Weight: 250 pounds each
Mega-Damage: 3d4x10 md for the laser pulse cannon, and 2d8x100 sdc for the 15mm silver bullet machine gun or 2d4x10 md per burst of 20 WI-20 Ram Jet rounds (each gun cannot be loaded with both, but individual guns can be either one depending on the mission).
Rate of Fire: By gunner
Effective Range: 3000 feet for the laser pulse cannon, 4000 feet for the 15mm machine gun.
Payload: 80 bursts for each laser cannon (independent energy supplies). 100 bursts (2000 bullets) for each machine gun (independent magazines). 15mm silver bullets and WI-20 ram jets cost 10 credits each, standard and rubber ammo cost 2 credits each.

3. VLS Medium Missiles
Primary Purpose: Anti-aircraft, anti-gargoyle
Secondary Purpose: Anti-missile
Weight: Medium Missiles weigh 120 pounds each
Mega-Damage: per missile
Rate of Fire: Volleys of 1 to 8.
Effective Range: per missile
Payload: 8

Note: Includes radar (12 miles), advanced laser targeting (+2 to strike), advanced combat computer (+2 to strike), laser based communication (up to 30 miles), encrypted long and short range radio, loudspeaker, radiation detector, radiation shielding, environmental control.

Sales Note: Buy the WI 30-06 to replace or complement your NG 45/70’s!

TW enhancements (1m credits package):
• Invincible Armor: 30 ppe, 200 MDC, 3 hours, regen 1d6 mdc/r
• Illusion (of a Maggot): 15 ppe, 1 hour
• Magic Circle versus Supernatural Evil (Undead, Demons, Deevils, etc). They cannot touch or enter the vehicle, though can still use hand held and ranged weapons against it.

[Aramanthus]

It looks like a great vehicle. It would make a nice addition to any merc company enmass. Just one thing since you have weapons that have ammo attached to a dimensional pocket spell. That way you could have expanded ammo for each weapon.

[Aramanthus]

Any further details Ghostknight?

[GhostKnight]

Any further details Ghostknight?

Yes. Demons are cowards but ammo is hard to find.

[Aramanthus]

LOL!!! Especially in hades! That is when you have extra dimensional spaces for each ammo using weapon. That helps out with ammo load outs.

[Aramanthus]

Very nice material Gadrin! Thank you for sharing them with us! I like how that command car had flags that looked to me like "Red Chinese".

[Aramanthus]

No. I didn't have time to last night. I'll do that in just a second. After I post this!

[GhostKnight]

Learned a couple more things.

Illusion is better than invisibility.

Wilks 1000 self-regenerating laser cannons are awesome.

You can't hit what you can't see. TW see invisibility is a must.

[runebeo]

The Sky Hawk Glitter Boy transport from Free Quebec is one of the best air transports in all the books and Free Quebec cost to produce them is very low. After the Tolkeen war there must be some rebuilt ones floating around. Check theses laser resistant APC out.

[Aramanthus]

I always liked that vehicle! And Kitsune came up with a nice variant of it. http://www.kitsune.addr.com/Rifts/Rifts-Pre-Rifts-Vehicles/United_States/US_V-42_Wyvern_Air_Transport.htm
http://www.kitsune.addr.com/Rifts/Rifts-Pre-Rifts-Vehicles/United_States/USA-M-15_Longworth_Hover_Transport.htm

Actually two GB transports.