Anyone remember Vermont Free State/Project Revenant?

[basara549]

This was a multi-contributor thing going on around the time of the SoT, dealing with what were felt to be incongruities/inaccuracies with some stuff, revolving around one of the members' personal independent kingdom (That was heavily influenced by anime)

I'm going to post a couple of designs I contributed when asked, as replies.

[basara549]

A design from Project Revenant. Thanks to the Talis D. Merrill for the two liner that sums up how GBKs fare against Glitter Boys.


PA-315 Eviscerator
Concept, raw stats and final revisions by Stan Bundy
Edited & tested by Raven

" 'Glitter Boy Killer?' What a joke! More like 'Glitter Boy Kibble'; the thing was a deathtrap. I was the only survivor of my platoon of PA-300s, after we got ordered up against a small garrison of Glitters on the Quebec front. They weren't even the new ones, either. I only hope I get the chance to kill the bastards who designed the fool things. What did they do? Only test them against mercs with only one or two glitters in their entire arsenal?"
- Roger Denton, ex-CS (Chi-Town) RPA pilot, to Vermont Free State Intelligence, debriefing from his request for political asylum in exchange for CS RPA technological information.

"Doug! That one was MINE!!!"
"Geez, Elroy, you already got seven...can't you leave me some?"
- Radio communication intercepted between two Glitter Boy pilots on the Free Quebec front lines from unit facing a platoon of standard GBKs. (Thanks Talis for this comment)


This derivative of the PA-300 "Glitter Boy Killer" came about from the earlier design's abject failure on the Quebec front. In all, it was discovered that, test data to the contrary, the GBK was a very poorly conceived design for the real battlefield, with too many appendages for easy control or stealth (especially in woods and close quarters), and especially vulnerable to units made up mostly or entirely of Glitter Boys, of any type. As Sergeant Denton theorized, the CS tests against Glitters were attacks on small groups with only one or two GBs, sometimes using captured pilots and armors under (too) controlled conditions. In actual battlefield conditions, the only successes they GBK had were against isolated Glitters, or in ambush conditions - both rare, given that the Quebec forces were defense-focused, and rarely sent out land patrols beyond their borders.

In the case of Sergeant Denton, his force was made up of 16 GBKs, sent after a group of 8 USA-G10 Glitter Boys. They were detected on approach, more than 1000 meters out, effectively out of the range of all the GBK's weapons, except the mini-missiles. On recognizing the foe, the Quebec commander ordered his units to work in teams of 4, each concentrating on 1 GBK, and dropping it before moving on to another. After 15 seconds, 11 of the PA-300s were destroyed, and the other 5 in retreat, with only minor damage to 2 of the Glitters, and moderate damage to a third. Four of the remaining five were destroyed as they retreated, with Denton alone making it safely out of the range of the Glitter positions as his power armor started to shut down from engine damage (had 30 MDC left, and had taken a critical strike that damaged the engine). He managed to flee on foot, and wandered around the St. Lawrence valley for 4 months before being caught trying to steal chickens from a farm on the fringe of VFS territory.

The Quebec strategy, developed after only a few encounters with the walking monsters were simple - destroy them before they could get into range. Concentrated RG-14 fire will, on average, destroy a GBK in 4 hits, allowing a group of 4 GB pilots working together to destroy a GBK in one volley 50% of the time, 95% in two volleys. The record for futility was one team of 12 GBKs sent after a small outpost, home to 4 "Descended Glitter Boy Pilot" brothers who had managed to each get a Glitter of their own by the start of the war. A neighbor spotted the attackers, radioed a warning, and the brothers were suited up and waiting for them, on a hilltop that gave them full range to their attackers. All 12 GBKs were destroyed in less than 25 seconds, caught in no-man's land 2000-3000 meters from their target. Even cover such as trees really offered no protection from the railguns, as they were easily blown through, and would have to be planted so close to inhibit the movement of the PA-300 to cause appreciable sensor clutter on the otherwise flat terrain surrounding the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence valley. If the glitters held the high ground, it was even worse.

These reports slowly filtered back to Chi-Town - initially, the field commanders, and even their superiors safely back in Chi-Town proper, were unwilling to accept that the vaunted Glitter Boy Killer were actually the preferred opposition for Glitter Boys, as they were so easily taken care of at range, or that such small groups were able to so totally destroy much larger forces. But, finally, they were able to recover enough of the data from destroyed units to confirm the worst. The PA-300 was totally unsuited for what its designers claimed was its true calling.

After the head designers were dealt with appropriately, the remainder of the PA-300 team was given new orders - transform the PA-300 into a useful design, or join the war against Tolkeen as RPA maintenance teams for a front-line unit. The revised design, the PA-315, was the Eviscerator, dropping the totally inappropriate "GBK" name, and mission. The new design was meant as ground PA support for IAR-5 Hellfire units, and shared some of that robot vehicle's weapon systems. These replaced the mini-missile launchers of the PA-300, as well as the additional weapon arms. In addition, the four vibro-blades were reduced to two, and highly modified in their placement, to allow use of a rail gun or other PA hand weapon. Most of the spikes were removed as well.

The Eviscerator "A" is equipped with mini-missile launchers mounted on each shoulder. Each launcher holds eight missiles. The "B" model is equipped with rotary railguns nearly identical to those mounted on the IAR-5, but with a smaller payload. The "C" model is a compromise between the "A" and "B" models, mounting a mini-missile launcher and rotary railgun. The “C” model is becoming the most commonly accepted by front line forces due to the wide range of firepower available to the pilot.

Model Type: PA-315A/B/C
Vehicle Type: Heavy Assault Combat Power Armor
Crew: One

M.D.C. by Location:
*Hands (2) - 25 each
Lower Arms (2) - 110 each
*Upper Arms (2, thin) - 55 each
*Plasma Gun (1; left forearm) - 35
*Ion Gun (1; left forearm) - 15
*Grenade Launcher (1; right forearm) - 20
Small Vibro-Blades (2, 1 per arm) - 50 eachShoulder Weapons (1 per) - 100 each
Triple Barrel Laser Turret (back) - 80
Legs (2) - 230 each
Feet (2) - 100 each
Secondary Sensors (2; chest) - 45 each
**Head (Main Sensors) - 90
***Main Body - 440
* A single asterisk indicates a small or difficult target to strike, requiring the attack to make a "called shot", but even then the attacker is -4 to strike.
** Destroying the head of the power armor will eliminate the main sensory systems and optics, but will not impair the pilot. Two secondary sensor clusters located in the chest and shoulder areas on either side of the head compensate for the lose of the head sensors. Only if all three are destroyed must the pilot rely on his own human vision and senses, losing any power armor bonuses to strike, parry, and dodge. The head is a small and difficult target to hit, tucked into the chest, between two heavily plated shoulders. Thus, it can only be hit when an enemy makes a "called shot," and even then the attacker is -3 to strike.
*** Depleting the M.D.C. of the main body will shut the armor down completely, making it useless.


Speed:
Running: 100mph (160kph) maximum; can go from zero to 60mph (96kph) in 11 seconds. Note that the act of running does not tire the pilot.
Leaping: The robotic legs can propel the heavy power armor 20 feet (6m) high or lengthwise with a short running start.
Swimming: The Eviscerator has no thruster system, so its mobility underwater is comparatively poor and slow. Basically, the pilot can swim using the same types paddling leg and arm movements as a human, but since the armor is slightly negatively buoyant, the swimming moves are required just to stay at the surface. Maximum speed is roughly 4mph (6.4kph/3.4knots). It can also walk along the bottom of the body of water at about 15 MPH maximum. Maximum Underwater Depth: 4000 ft

Statistical Data:
Height: 14ft (4.3m) from head to toe.
Width: 7ft (2.1m)
Length: 5ft (1.5m)
Weight: 2 tons without shoulder weapons.
Physical Strength: Equal to a robotic P.S. of 30
Cargo: None
Power System: Nuclear, with an average energy life of 20 years.
Cost to the Coalition: 14 million credits new, 250,000 credits to rebuild a PA-300

Weapons Systems:

1. Forearm Plasma Gun: Built into the left forearm is a plasma gun. The Eviscerator points and fires, so rarely gets bonuses to strike, unless in melee (takes two attacks to fire at range and receive bonuses, but does get P.P. bonuses when used at ranges normally associated with melee).
Primary Purpose: Anti-Armor
Secondary Purpose: Anti-Personnel and Defense
Mega-Damage: 6D6 per single plasma blast or 1D6x10 if both the plasma and ion guns are fired at the same target simultaneously, counts as one melee action.
Maximum Effective Range: 1600ft (488m)
Rate of Fire: Equal to the combined hand to hand attacks of the pilot
Payload: Effectively unlimited, linked to power supply of the power armor.

2. Forearm Ion Gun: Built into the left forearm beneath the plasma gun is an ion gun. Like the plasma weapon, it is rare that it is used at ranges longer than point blank (same conditions as the plasma weapon for bonuses). The ion gun does slightly more damage then the model mounted on the standard GBK due to refinements in the gun (modifications that can be easily retrofitted to existing PA-300 weapons when the PA is modified into a PA-315).
Primary Purpose: Anti-Armor
Secondary Purpose: Anti-Personnel and Defense
Mega-Damage: 4D6 per single ion blast or 1D6x10 if both the plasma and ion guns are fired at the same target simultaneously, counts as one melee action.
Maximum Effective Range: 1200ft (366m)
Rate of Fire: Equal to the combined hand to hand attacks of the pilot
Payload: Effectively unlimited, linked to power supply of the power armor.

3. Forearm Grenade Launcher: In the right forearm is a quad-barreled grenade launcher.
Primary Purpose: Anti-Armor
Secondary Purpose: Anti-Personnel and Defense
Mega-Damage: The launcher can fire conventional M.D. rifle grenades doing 2D6 M.D. to a blast area of 12ft (3.6m)/6ft (1.8m) radius or new micro-fusion grenades that inflict 6D6 M.D. to a 12ft (3.6m) blast area/6ft (1.8m) radius.
Maximum Effective Range: 1200ft (366m) - double if used in an indirect fire role, but uses rules like that for mortars (whatever rules are used in your campaign for such attacks).
Rate of Fire: Equal to the combined hand to hand attacks of the pilot. Can be fired singly or in volleys of two grenades (counts as one melee attack).
Payload: 40 grenades, can be a mix of conventional and micro-fusion grenades.
4. Triple Laser Turret: This is an anti-missile and anti-aircraft/flying power armor weapon. The three barrels are synchronized to all move and fire as once and can rotate up and down in a 180-degree arc of fire from front to back.
Primary Purpose: Anti-Aircraft
Secondary Purpose: Anti-Missile
Mega-Damage: 2D6 per single laser blast or 6D6 if three lasers are fired at the same target, counts as one melee action.
Maximum Effective Range: 200ft (610m)
Rate of Fire: Equal to the combined hand to hand attacks of the pilot
Payload: Effectively unlimited, linked to power supply of the power armor.

5. Retractable Forearm Blades (1 per arm): The original "small blades" of the PA-300, they replace the large blades, and are mounted in a "reversed switchblade" fashion along the outside of the forearms. As such, they can be used in their "storage" positions to parry (possibly inflicting damage, as the blade is facing outward, along the arm) or bash/slash, or be deployed in order to be used normally. Damage is as the smaller blades listing for the PA-300.
Mega-Damage: 2D6 per blade

6. Use of Rifles or Railguns: As long as the Forearm blades are not deployed on the trigger hand, a weapon can be held and fired. Standard is the CTT-P40, though the CR-200, CTT-M20 and other similar weapons are common.

7. Shoulder Weapons: Depending on the specific sub-model (A, B or C), the PA-315 has two of one of the items below, or one of each. Description of the weapon systems can be found under the Rifts Book 11 description of the IAR-5 Hellfire, which itself isn't much larger than the PA-315 in terms of height (mass is a different story).
The PA-315A has one mini-missile launcher on each shoulder.
The PA-315B has one HF-36B rotary rail gun on each shoulder.
The PA-315C has one min-missile launcher and one HF-36B rotary rail gun (usually, the HF-36 is on the Right shoulder, but some copies have it on the left - often versions made by rebuilding PA-300s into PA-315s in the field, or by replacing a damaged weapon on an A or B model with the other type of weapon.)
These weapons also have other limitation - firing both weapons on an -A or -B model in a volley (any launch of 8 or 16 missiles, for a PA-315A) requires the pilot to make a piloting roll at -30%. Failure means that the recoil knocks the power armor off its feet (as per knockdown rules for MDC creatures and RPA in Rifts Conversion Book). As a result, the C model is slowly replacing the other two, but only in that damaged A and B models are rebuilt as Cs when damage requires it.
A. Mini-Missile Launcher: This is a box style missile launcher, nearly identical to those mounted on the IAR-5 Hellfire.
Primary Purpose: Anti-Armor
Secondary Purpose: Anti-Personnel
Missile Type: Any mini-missile can be used
Mega-Damage: Varies with missile type
Range: Usually about one mile (1.6km)
Rate of Fire: One at a time or in volleys of two, four or eight.
Payload: Eight (8) mini-missiles per launcher
B. HF-36B Rotary Rail Gun: This is a modified version of the rotary rail gun mounted on the IAR-5 Hellfire, with a reduced payload.
Primary Purpose: Assault
Secondary Purpose: Defense
Mega-Damage: A burst is 40 rounds and inflicts 1D4x10 M.D.
Maximum Effective Range: 4000ft (1200m)
Rate of Fire: Equal to the combined hand to hand attacks of the pilot
Payload: 50 bursts (2000 rounds) ammo drum. It requires special machinery or another power armor to reload the ammo drum. It will take about 4 minutes for those untrained, but a mere 1 minute by someone trained in robot mechanics (or is the Operator O.C.C.).

8. Optional use of hand to hand combat: as the PA-300, except as modified for the reduced number of blades and spikes.

[basara549]

Another twisted little Project Revenant design.

Coalition "Mutilator" Mauler (PA-105)
By Stan Bundy & Raven

One of the major drawbacks of the Mauler is its choice of primary armament. Plasma weapons are all but useless in water, except at point-blank range, are ineffective against things immune to M.D. fire attacks or energy attacks, and suffers from a severe lack of range. These drawbacks combine to render the Mauler nearly useless as a front line combat unit, especially when you consider it was supposedly designed initially as an aquatic armor.

Numerous defeats during the early months of the campaign against Tolkeen showed losses in units equipped with Mauler power armors were averaging 40%-60% higher then units equipped with the PA-200 Terror Trooper and other ground units (other than, of course, the bad joke that was the PA-300). The Mutilator variant of the Mauler is meant to answer some of these shortfalls, using off-the-shelf technology (for the most part).

The shoulder-mounted plasma guns have been removed, as are the ball-shaped shoulder guards that protect the shoulder and thruster units from frontal attacks. In their place, mounted on the shoulders, are modified versions of the CTT-M20, hinge mounted to allow them to be stored on the back when not in use (similar to how some Glitter Boy variants store their shoulder weapons).

The majority of the "Mutilator" series Maulers that are currently in the field have been assigned to normal CS Army units and thus rarely see underwater combat. These troops, for the most part, have received minimal training in underwater combat and maintenance of the power armor for use in water, and thus performance underwater has suffered.

Model Type: PA-105
Vehicle Type: Heavy All-Purpose Combat Power Armor
Crew: One

M.D.C. by Location:
*Hands (2) - 25 each
Arms (2) - 100 each
Legs (2) - 150 each
CTT-M32 Shoulder Launchers (2) - 120 each
*Concealed Forearm Lasers (2) - 50 each
*Retractable Vibro-Sabers (2) - 50 eachShoulder Thrusters (2) - 20 each
*Maneuvering Jets (8) - 15 each
*Mini-Lights (6) - 2 each
**Head - 90
***Main Body - 320

* A single asterisk indicates a small or difficult target to strike, requiring the attack to make a "called shot", but even then the attacker is -4 to strike.
** Destroying the head of the power armour will eliminate all forms of optical enhancements and sensor systems. The pilot must then rely on his own human vision and senses. No power armour combat bonuses to strike, parry, or dodge apply. The head is a small and difficult target to hit, tucked into the chest, between the two heavily plated shoulders. Thus, it can only be hit when the attacker makes a "called shot" and even then the attacker is -4 to strike.
*** Depleting the M.D.C. of the main body will shut the armor down completely, making it useless.

Speed:
Running: 40mph (64kph) maximum. Note that the act of running does tire the pilot, but only at 10% of the usual fatigue rate.
Leaping: The powerful robotic legs can leap up to 10 feet (3m) high or across.
Underwater Capabilities: The thruster system provides excellent mobility and control underwater but at a sluggish speed of 15mph (24kph/12.75knots); roughly the same surface speed. The "Mutilator" Mauler can also swim using the same types of paddling leg and arm movements as a human at a maximum speed of roughly four-mph (6.4kph/3.4knots). It can also walk along the bottom of the sea/river at about 25% of its normal running speed. Being initially designed as an aquatic power armor (mostly for riverine assault), it can be adjusted with pilot controls from a negative buoyancy for bottom walking, up to a positive one for surface swimming.
Maximum Ocean Depth: One mile (1.6km)

Statistical Data:
Height: 8ft (2.4m) from head to toe.
Width: 4.5ft (1.4m)
Length: 4ft (1.2m)
Weight: 1750 lbs without shoulder weapons.
Physical Strength: Equal to a P.S. of 36
Cargo: None
Power System: Nuclear, with an average energy life of 20 years.
CS Cost: 4.1 million credits.

Weapon Systems:

1. CTT-M32 Mutilator Missile Launcher: The CTT-M32 is nearly identical in many ways to the CTT-M20. The guns are mounted on the Power Armor itself and are not rifles like the CTT-M20. The launchers are linked directly into the fire control system of the Mutilator, though the targeting bonuses of only one gun apply(they retain the M20 targeting systems, and either can serve as backup for the other, or even for the targeting system of the power armor itself). The guns have been strengthened both in barrel durability and in ability to withstand damage. When in use, they fire forward, with up to 45 degree movement vertically from the horizontal, and 30 degree (+/- 15 degrees from forward) movement laterally when aimed together (plus another 45 degrees for a single gun, firing at a target to its side). The launchers can fire mini-torpedoes as well as mini-missiles, with amphibious missions often having one of the magazine tubes (half the payload for one gun) per armor loaded with torpedoes. For purely aquatic missions, the load situation is usually reversed (2 tubes torpedoes, 1 tube missiles), and obvious land-only operations using only missiles.
As this weapon is now as much for short range as for long range, a new round was developed for it. This new round is incompatible with all other launchers. The round is a flechette round, of composition similar to that of an RG-14 "Boom Gun" round. It technically fires as a "missile", but any semblance to a missile disappears as it exits the barrel, as it comes apart within 1 meter (3.3 feet) of the barrel. However, its low speed means that it has a very short range, making it more like a M.D. shotgun effect.
Primary Purpose: Assault
Secondary Purpose: Defense
Missile/Ammo Type: Any mini-missile, mini-torpedo, can be used along with the flechette round.

Mega-Damage:
- Mini-missile/torpedo: Varies by type
- Flechette Round: 2D4x10 M.D. Subtract 2 M.D. for every 5 feet past 50 feet, but double damage at ranges under 10 feet (3m). This is after factoring in critical strike modifiers, when applicable.
Maximum Effective Range -
Mini-missile/torpedo rounds: Standard
Flechette Round: 100 feet (cannot be used underwater).
Rate of Fire: One at a time or in volleys of two or four per launcher.
Payload: 32 missiles/rounds per launcher, for a total of 64 missiles/rounds.

2. Concealed Forearm Lasers (2): Concealed in the heavy forearm plates of each arm is a small laser. The pilot simply points and shoots.
Primary Purpose: Anti-Personnel
Secondary Purpose: Defense
Mega-Damage: 2D6 per blast
Maximum Effective Range: 1200ft (365.7m)
Rate of Fire: Equal to the number of hand to hand attacks per melee round.
Payload: Effectively unlimited; tied to the armor's power supply.

3. Retractable Forearm Vibro-Sabers (2): Each arm can release a short vibro-sword from a housing in the underarm. The weapons can be used in close combat and to parry M.D. attacks, including energy blasts (-6 to parry), arrows and missiles (-4 to parry).
Mega-Damage: 2D4 M.D. each
Bonuses: +1 to strike and parry

4. Energy Rifles, Rail Guns or other hand weapons can be used instead or in addition to the standard armaments.

5. Hand to Hand Combat: Rather then use a weapon, the pilot can engage in mega-damage hand to hand combat. The "Mutilator" Mauler is more nimble then the standard Mauler. See both Basic and Elite Power Armor Combat Training in the Rifts RPG for combat bonuses.

6. C-72R Heavy Rail Gun (1 or 2, Optional): Designed as an optional replacement for the CTT-M32 missile launchers that are standard on the "Mutilator" Mauler, the C-72R is a large caliber rail gun. Useful mostly for anti-armor operations, the C-72R has seen limited use in anti-personnel operations also. Rather then firing the standard burst of shells, the C-72R fires a single round, increasing the cannon's accuracy dramatically. One or both CTT-M32 cannons can be replaced
with C-72R heavy rail guns.
Primary Purpose: Anti-Armor
Secondary Purpose: Assault
Mega-Damage: 6D6 per round
Rate of Fire: Single shots only; equal to the number of hand to hand attacks per melee round.
Maximum Effective Range: 5000ft (1524m)
Payload: 50 rounds per cannon. Reloading a drum requires specialized machinery and will take about ten minutes for those not trained, but only five minutes by somebody trained in the use of the machinery.
M.D.C.: 90 for the cannon, 40 for the ammo drum mounted on the back below the cannon.