Clariont Battle Ensign
Flown By Militry Bases And Ships. | REF T'sentraedi Heavy Assault Pod (ABP-Z4). |
Clariont Battle Ensign
Flown By Militry Bases And Ships. |
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This mecha was already designed at the time of the SDF-3 launch, but it wasn't until after the T'sentraedi had proved their loyalty in battle against the Invid that the finalized version entered production. A small number  | | Transport And Tank Modes. |
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 | | Battloid Mode. |
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were part of the First three assault waves to reach Earth (42 were in WOLFF'S unit, Mars and Jupiter divisions combined), while a similar number were aboard the SDF-3 at the time of its disappearance. If one is found on Invid-occupied Earth, it should be considered extremely rare, even rarer than a shadow fighter. In fact, there were so few of them that two complete sets of repair manuals and parts fabrication blueprints were stored in each one, as the repair parts would be non-existent on Earth.OutWardly, the Z4 has a strong resemblance to the old (full-sized) T'sentraedi Officer's Battle Pod. It is roughly the same height, and its hull and legs are much like the older pod's in shape. However, there are two particle beam cannons between the thrusters, not just one, and the cockpit has been fully enclosed. The forward sensor "nose" has been extended, and far more sophisticated sensors are present.But the biggest differences are in the limbs. First of all, the old, thin weapon arms have been replaced with bulky arms resembling a cross between those of the RDF Gladiator and the Female Power Armor. These arms have fully articulated hands, as well as triple-barrel Pulse Lasers on the forearms. The legs, too, are bulkier, with a new, advanced knee joint design and feet that are designed for high speeds. It is this new leg design that yields the First clues to the Z4's secrets. Upon closer examination, one finds a complex hover system built into the legs' calves. As this design would be useless in this configuration, the Z4 must be a transformable mecha. The "Pod" is but the Guardian mode of the mecha.The vehicle mode is a hover tank, which gets its forward movement from the thrusters in the main hull. In Hovertank mode, the vehicle is capable of low altitude flight, space flight, and even atmospheric reentry, with the hover engines acting as retro-rockets. The lower legs are now the bottom of the mecha, with the upper legs and the hull lying flush with the "shins" of the lower legs. The arms can be used in this mode, but only when the mecha is in space, flying or at a complete stop on the ground. The default position of the arms when not in use in this mode is paralleling the shin area of the lower legs, giving the arm lasers a clear, fixed field of fire ahead of the mecha, which also allows the pulse lasers to be volleyed with the nose lasers in this mode. When entering an atmosphere from space, the arms are placed on top of the shins as to shield them from the full force of reentry. The knee joint is the rearmost part of the mecha in this mode, and is engineered only to bend this far past vertical in this mode. The feet, with smaller hover pads built in, are now at the front, acting as an aerodynamic feature as well as an emergency braking system.Then there is the Battloid mode. The sensor arrays (with the nose lasers attached) swivel 90o forward as a unit, becoming a head capable of 180o degree left/right movement. The legs straighten, and the knee functions similar to a human one. The particle beam cannons recess into the hull, and the hull is now perpendicular to the ground, the thrusters being at the Z4's "backside". Doing this with an old Officer's Battle Pod would have been impossible, as it would have put the pilot on his back. But, in the Z4 pod, the pilot's compartment is buried deep inside the hull, and rotates during the mode change in the same manner as those found in the other Veritech mecha. Also, in Battloid mode, what had been the underbelly of the Z4 now becomes the chest. This allows the mecha to present a little-attacked (and therefore, rarely damaged) surface to the enemy, increasing survivability.While the Z4 owes much of its design to the old Officer's Battle Pod, its weapons have undergone many changes from the old mecha. This is partly because of advances in technology, and partially because of its use of a micronized pilot. The short range missile launcher of the Officer's Pod has been replaced by a similar launcher on the back of the Z4, which has triple the capacity and firing speed. The single hull particle beam cannon has been replaced by two variable-power models, and the nose auto-cannons have been replaced by medium lasers, which also function as head lasers in Battloid mode. The new arms, having hands, have allowed the use of gun pods by the Z4 as well.The The Z-4 can actually "fly" but not fight about 100 feet; It simply can't turn fast enough for practical dogfighting (you can try, but you probably won't like the results). However, it CAN fly in space in any mode (in an atmosphere it can't fly in Battloid mode only for aerodynamics).Class: Veritech Hovertank; Assault Battle Pod - T'sentraedi type FourCrew: One, with room for up to three passengers (though not really meant for it). The rear bench seat does not rotate in the change to Battloid mode, which means the passengers are placed on their back in that mode.M.D.C. by Location: |
*Torso-
Pilot's Compartment-
Arms (2)-
Forearm Pulse Lasers (2)-
Particle Beam Cannons (2)-
Hands (2)- | 450
225
250 each
63/set
94 each
75 each | GU-XX-
Engine Thrusters (2)-
**Sensor Array/Head-
Feet (2)-
Legs (2)-
| 94
225 each
94
125 each
313 each
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| * The Underside/Battloid chest has an additional 100 M.D.C. armor that must be eliminated before attacks that hit it can penetrate to the main body. Simply, when being fired on from the front in Battloid (or from underneath in the other two modes), there is an extra layer of armor (100 M.D.C. worth) that must be penetrated to reach the base M.D.C. for the main body. Depleting the base main body amount shuts down the mecha.** Destroying the sensor array affects the Z4 the same way destroying an Alpha's sensor head would (Radar is reduced to 1 mile(1.6 km), main radio and laser communications are lost [backup radio has a 60 mile(96 km) range], and laser targeting is destroyed (-1 to strike)). Vision outside of the Z4 is reduced to backup video cameras located in the top and bottom hulls.Speed And Statistical Data: |
Speed:Running: (Planetary only)Battloid Mode: 60 mph (96 kmph).Guardian/Pod Mode: 200 mph (320 kmph).Flying: (Atmospheric or vaccum).Battloid Mode: 60 mph (96 kmph).Guardian Mode: 670 mph (1072 kmph).Hovertank Mode: 670 mph (1072 kmph).Space: 2010 mph (3216 kmph).
Range:: 04 days; This is the limit of the air, water, and food supply (Beyond that, the pilot dies. But the machine still works.)
Service Ceiling: 100 feet over ground level (see discussion).
Safe Diving Limit: 200 feet.
Height:Battloid Mode: 72 feet (21.82 m).Guardian Mode: 55 feet (16.67 m).Hovertank Mode: 24 feet (7.27 m).
| Length:Battloid Mode: 24 feet (7.27 m).Guardian Mode: 38 feet (11.52 m) with arms in default position.Hovertank Mode: 45 feet (13.64 m).
Width:Battloid and Guardian Mode: 24 feet (9.09 m).Hovertank Mode: 33 feet (10 m) with arms in default position.
Weight: 54 tons without missiles & gun pod, 56 tons fully loaded.
Cargo: Instead of passengers, up to 1000 lbs. of cargo can be carried in the back seat area, secured by straps. The Cyclone storage bay is directly behind the bench seat, and if the VR-052-F (Scott Model) is removed, that area can hold an additional 250 lbs.
Powerplant: Uses an REF Protoculture cell system, but uses Protoculture at twice the rate of an Alpha. The two main thrusters of the Z4 are modified versions of the Beta's rocket thrusters.
Cost and Availability: 25.3millioncredit; Routinely available everywhere.
Black Market Cost and Availability: Not availble; no intrest (see discussion). |
| Weapons Systems: |
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1. Dual Variable Power Particle Beam Cannons: These are similar to the Particle Beam Cannon possessed by the old Officer's Pod, including that their field of fire is limited to 60 degrees inclinate/declinate and 45 degrees traverse. However, the pilot can choose the power setting he or she wants the cannons to function at, with the higher settings reducing the rate of fire. The power setting must be chosen at the weapon's First use in any specific combat round, and can only be changed at such times. The First setting is equal to the Particle Beam Cannons of the old TBP and the REF Z1 & Z2 pods, while the Third is equal to the Particle Beam Cannons found on the old Officer's Pod and the Excalibur's. The middle setting allows a compromise between firepower and rate of fire. Using setting #2 as an example, a pilot can fire a total of 8 blasts with the Particle Beam Cannons, up to his maximum number of Mecha Combat/Hand to hand combat attacks for the round. These 8 blasts could be in the form of 4 dual blasts, 8 single blasts, 2 dual and 4 single, etc. A tough foe might require a pounding with #2 dual blasts, while one with heavy firepower (like a renegade Alpha) might require going with setting #3 for a quick kill.
Primary Purpose: Assault.
Secondary Purpose: Anti-Aircraft.
MD:1: Single:4D10; Dual:8D102: Single:1D6 times 10; Dual:1D6 times 103: Single: 5D10+25; Dual: 10D10+50
Range:1: 4,000 feet (1,200m);2: 7,500 feet (2,275m);3: 10,000 feet (3030 m).
Rate of Fire:1: Per pilot's attack per melee.2: 4 per barrel.3: 2 per barrel.
Payload: Unlimited.
2. Tri-barrel Arm Pulse Lasers: These are based on those of the old Female Power Armor, but are more heavily constructed. They can be volleyed together in any mode, and have a special option to allow volleying with the nose lasers in Hovertank mode. To volley the arm and nose lasers requires a Weapon Systems roll at -30% before firing. A failed roll results in only one weapon system firing, but success means that the weapons will volley together until the arms are moved, a target in the arc of only one side's weapons is targeted, or the Z4 changes modes. As the lasers are mounted in hinged "sleeves", they have a 180 degree arc of fire, allowing their use in defending against missile attacks in Vehicle mode. While the lasers can be moved that way in the other modes, it is rare, only done when the weapons computer can't hit the target through arm movement alone.
Primary Purpose: Assault.
Secondary Purpose: Anti-missile Defense.
Range: 4000 feet (1200 m).
Modes usable in: All, with special use in Hovertank mode.
MD: 3D6(singly), 6D6(volley); Special Volley with Nose lasers does 1D6 times 10 M.D. total.
Rate of Fire: As Pilot's combined hand to hand combat attacks.
Payload: Unlimited. | 3. Short range missile launchers: Unlike the old Officer's Pod, the Z4's missile launchers are located on the top of the fuselage, forward of the thrusters near the Particle Beam Cannons. Note that the Particle Beam Cannons are linked to commands to the launchers, to allow the Particle Beam Cannons to swing back to default position when the missiles are fired, to get them clear of the missiles' flight path. (Note: The original intent was a pop-up launcher like the Beta's missile launcher, not vertical launch tubes as drawn by Breaux).
Primary Purpose: Assault.
Secondary Purpose: Anti-missile Defense.
Missile Type: Short range (medium Warhead) missiles only.MD: 1D6 times 10 each.
Range: Varies by missile type; usually 2-5 miles.
Rate of Fire: 2, 4 or 6. Each volley counts as one attack.
Payload: 9 per launcher, for a total of 18.
4. Head/Nose Lasers: These are similar to those found on some Southern Cross Battloids. They can be volleyed together in any mode, and have a special option to allow volleying with the arm lasers in Hovertank mode (see #2).
Primary Purpose: Assault.
Range: 4000 feet (1200 m).
Modes usable in: All, with special use in Hovertank mode.MD: Single: 2D6, Volley: 4D6. Special: See #2.
Rate of Fire: As Pilot's combined hand to hand combat attacks.
Payload: Unlimited.
5. Gun Pods: Any type of gun pod can be carried, though the GU-XX is most popular. Other options include the EU-11, E-20, GU-11, GU-3, even the rare WMX-171 Tronacator Sniper Gunpod and experimental RGUX- 221 Rail Gun Unit. All stats are per the gun pod.
6. Hand to Hand Combat: Choose the best type possessed from the following list: Officer's Pod (either), Veritech Hover Tank, Veritech (Basic), Destroid (Basic). The Z4 also has the following bonuses, over and above the combat type:Punch: 2D4Power Punch: 2D6+4Kick: 2D4+2Stomp: 2D4Body Block/Tackle: 2D6Hovertank Ram: 1D6 M.D. per 25 MPH.
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| Features:As the VAF-6R Veritech standard & special equipment, with the power supply modified as above. |
Combat Bonuses for T'sentraedi Heavy Assault Pod (ABP-Z4) Veritech Combat Elite:- +1 to Parry.
- +1 to Dodge.
- +1 to Roll with punch, fall or impact.
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