Assault Biomeck
Carrier
The
Overlords had a fleet of mammoth Homeships, but little in the way of support
vessels. They had a handful of what
might be considered cruisers (consider them equivalent to a Zee small cruiser,
even though they’re much smaller), but lacked the Proto-Fuel to keep them in
constant operation. (Their sole
“battleship” equivalent only saw action in one battle and was irreplaceably
lost.) Their fleet compliment included
some transports (perhaps equivalent to a Zee Scout-transport version), but they
were only meant for cargo and passengers and not for combat. The Overlords only real support ships were
their Biomeck Carriers.
As
per the name, their main task was to simply transport mecka. Like the Biomecks, the Carriers were designed
for security situations, not full-on combat.
Their initial armament was only a rotating riot cannon beneath the
craft. For warfare purposes, two large
cannons were added to the nose to make it more powerful.
However,
the craft was nearly as agile as a fighter and could engage in air-to-air
combat. The nose guns at least gave the
craft a distance weapon, though it lacked missiles. In small scale combat against mecka or
shuttles, it excelled. Against larger
North Star capital ships later in the war, it was completely outclassed.
The
North Star really had nothing to counter the Carriers with in dogfights. Thankfully, these craft were so valuable to
the Overlords that they couldn’t risk their unnecessary destruction. While they had many of them in their forces,
they were nearly irreplaceable (like almost everything else in their
inventory).
Moreover,
the Carriers were the tactical con of any battle. An Overlord military triad was present in
each to direct their clone warriors.
They were the “brains” of their troops.
Without them, the Biomecks would be almost directionless and ripe for
slaughter (stunned 1 rd and they will normally retreat). Any critical threat to the Carrier pilot
dome, where they presided over the battle, often caused an immediate recall and
retreat. That’s a hard way to fight a
war.
Mecka HP: 200, Called Shots:
Pilot Dome 50, any hit will immobilize craft 1 rd, likely forcing retreat, its
destruction will crash the craft, 2x Engine Block 20 (losing an engine will
reduce its speed to S, but it will still fly), Nose gun or bottom turret 10, 2x
Hatches 10
Mecka Armor Class: 12 (Base 10 +2 ½
level)
Speed: M
Sensors: L Range Radar
Crew: 3 Overlord Field
Commanders directing troops monitoring coms and radar. 3 fourth level Clones acting as pilots and
gunners, all are inside the Pilot Dome. Capacity: 6 Biomecks and Hoversleds or
150 Troops
Clone Warrior Pilots/Gunners
(fourth level)
Ranged to hit: +7 (+4 level, +3
Dex)
Pilot Check: +4 (+2 ½ level, +2
(+3 Dex, +1 Wis)/2)
Nose Laser Cannons M2d12, M
Bottom Laser Turret M2d8, M
Homeship Defenses
The
Overlord Homeship fleet was comprised of six massive seven-mile long
ships. These ships were ancient and
pre-dated the Overlords altogether.
Before settling on Zirol, their predecessors had been a race of nomadic
space-farers. Their origins are lost do
to the Overlords’ purge of and rewriting of their own history. Likely, they were part of an exodus of a
technologically advanced world. The
ships were sent out in different directions to find a suitable replacement
candidate and converged when one was found.
The
world of Zirol was barely habitable, but it orbited a gold mine. Its immense shepherd world of Phantomae was
rich, filthy rich, in minerals and even magnetic monopoles. This may have been like their original home,
which accounts for the materials necessary for the creation of these
Homeships. The heavy gravity made mining
difficult until the advent of Proto-fuel and the creation of the Zee, who could
tolerate those conditions. They would
mine out materials for their own massive fleets from there.
Perhaps
because of their ancestral memories of flight, these colony ships were kept
operational. Some were landed planetside
and still acted as homes for much of the population. Others were in orbit to act as platforms for
commerce. When the time came to flee,
the Overlords’ civilization was well-prepared to do so. Unfortunately, the Proto-furnaces that had been
retro-fitted aboard were not sufficiently fueled enough to fold such massive
craft. They had to rely on their ancient
super-spatial drives.
The
armaments of the Homeships were added during their voyage to earth, as these
were originally unarmed colony craft.
Again, the Overlords were not inherently warriors, so their choices were
poor. Patches of the ships were
clustered with AA guns, but the tops and bottoms were left nearly
undefended. A massive energy shield and
a capital ship-killing cannon were constructed onboard, but both predictably
turned useless when the Proto-fuel ran out.
The
Overlords weren’t expecting a long campaign.
When their big guns and energy barrier ran out, they still thought just
the sheer size of their vessels would allow them to ride out any earth attacks,
not dreaming the humans could really hurt them.
Seemingly, the Homeships should have been able to simply bear down on
the ANS from the beginning and devastate them, but these weren’t truly warships
and the Overlords knew it. It’s also
easy to second-guess them from planetside, but remember these Homeships were
their actual homes and their entire civilization. Putting them at the front of a battle,
especially against a foe that had somehow destroyed their mighty Zee forces,
was a terrifying thought.
AA Laser Cannons M2d10, L, +5 to hit
(+3 level, +2 Dex), 20 MHP, MAC 12
These
cannons are usually clustered together in scary groups of six or more. As the name implies, they used against enemy
craft flying craft. They were not
positioned to attack ground assaults on the surface of the ship. Green Biomecks were usually used to repel
invaders.
Energy Barrier
This
shield could be brought down or punctured if sufficient firepower was brought
against it. (Mass combat is beyond these
rules.) Figure it as a plot device. The Characters will have to accomplish
something to shut it down or make a hole in it or hold out for a certain number
of rds until it is disrupted. While the
barrier is up, no craft can land on the Homeship. Contact with the barrier is instant
destruction, perhaps requiring a Pilot Check to avoid if flying close to it.
Overlord Clone
Guards
Overlord
society was completely gentrified when the end of their empire came. The Proto-fuel had allowed them a sort of
immortality through cloning and limitless energy. Their empire-building and planetary defense
had been turned over to their Zee warriors.
At best, the Overlords only kept a small security mecka force available
for domestic disturbances (you know, ANTIFA-in-space types).
During
their 20-year flight to earth, the Overlords had to build up a military from
scratch. They made a few stops for raw
materials, water, and organics, but never for long. The Overlords were convinced the Hive were on
their heels the whole way. (Their use of
super-spatial drives, actually shielded them from Hive detection. The Hive would later have their own issues
with an expeditionary fleet from earth.)
Their only path to salvation lay in recovering the Proto-Loom.
As
already stated, the Overlords were too many generations removed from war to
know how to effectively fight one. Their
most pressing issue was a lack of troops.
While they would have preferred mechanized automated troops, they had no
such craft that were combat-capable.
Their only option was to cull the clone population of the most promising
warrior-types. The Overlords’ last use
of their clone banks was to replicate as many the best of them as they could
given their Proto-fuel reserves.
Your
average warrior clone was a decent physical specimen, but, in honesty, they
were more “pretty” than intimidating.
What makes them dangerous is, in fact, their programming. The warrior clones were hypno-trained with
fanatical loyalty first, next came fearlessness. Properly conditioned to obey orders and fight
to the death, they were then trained in martial combat and mecka
operations. Advanced training in
leadership was given to the best clones, but it was the field commander
Overlords who did all the thinking towards advanced tactics and strategy.
The
examples below are first and second level internal guard units. They are always deployed in groups of
three. These troops were usually left to
autonomous operation once given their orders.
While ruthlessly efficient, they were not terribly bright.
Note:
For game purposes, consider any actual Overlords encountered as being
equivalent to a first level Clone Guards.
Realistically, personal combat will be the last option for any Overlord. (Encounters should be more of a narrative
nature, with parley and negotiation, rather than fighting.) You can also consider any normal Zirolian
citizen as being first level as well.
They will typically not fight at all, as they have not had the combat
programming. They’ll call for help at
most. Certainly they could interesting
to interact with. They’ll find human
culture and manners completely alien, but not necessarily unattractive.
Level: 1/2
HP: 8/12 (d8)
(With
Anti-Pain serum they gain 3 MHP, but will be rendered incapacitated after 1
turn and will be dead if they received any M-level damage in combat. They will absorb up to 10 hp of regular
gunfire damage/rd, anything over that go to their hp.)
Armor Class: 13 (Base 10 +2 Dex
+1 ½ level)
Melee to hit: +2 (+1 level, +1
Str)/ +3 (+2 level, +1 Str)
Ranged to hit: +3 (+1 level, +2
Dex)/+4 (+2 level, + 2 Dex)
Saves: Fort 0, Ref +4,
Will 0/ Fort 0, Ref +5, Will 0
Special (optional
rule):
Outside of combat, Zirolian clones are vulnerable to being stunned by emotional
and passionate displays. It is a DC 12
Will Sv or they are stunned for 1 rd.
Those succeeding are unaffected.
Those failing will then be extremely confused for 1 turn and are perhaps
susceptible to further manipulation (Social Interaction rolls).
Melee:
HTH
Trained 1d2 +1 Str Bonus, possible KO on 18 and up attack
roll
Shock
Wand
DC 12 Fort Sv or KO 1 turn, 10 charges
Ranged:
Assault
Energy Rifle
(not M level damage) 30 shots before needing recharge, M
2d8
single shot
2d8
x 1d2 burst (DC 12 Ref Sv ½ damage), 3 charges
2d8
x 1d2 spray (+0 to hit), up to 3 adjacent targets (DC 12 Ref Sv ½ damage), 6
charages
Clone Exterminator
These
were the elite of the Overlord internal guard forces. They were the bodyguards for the Overlords
themselves. Their other main mission was
to “retire” misbehaving clones. Being in
a state of war, the Overlords could no longer brook any dissent against their
rule. The general populace feared these
armored troopers perhaps more than any enemy forces.
Level: 3
HP: 16 (d8)
Body Armor MHP 1, this armor
will absorb up to 10 hp of regular gunfire damage/rd, anything over that go to
the wearer’s hp. The armor has a sensor
package with IR, UV, motion detection, telescopic sight connected to rifle.
Armor Class: 16 (Base 10 +2 Dex
+2 ½ level +2 Armor)
Melee to hit: +4 (+3 level, +1
Str)
Ranged to hit: +5 (+3 level, +2
Dex)
Saves: Fort +1, Ref +6,
Will 0
Melee:
HTH
Trained 1d2 +1 Str Bonus, possible KO on 18 and up attack
roll
Shock
Wand
DC 12 Fort Sv or KO 1 turn, 10 charges
Ranged:
Assault Blaster
Rifle
M1d2, L, 10 rds/clip (See Sniping rules if attempting that)
Overlord Vehicles
The
Overlords used Proto-fueled hovercraft.
Hovercar/Truck
MHP: 5/10
MAC: Base 10 + Dex Bonus
+ ½ level/Base 11+ ½ level
Speed: F/M
Capacity: 4/20 occupants
Hover Platform
These
were used by guards and the Overlords themselves to literally put themselves
above the clone population. These were
meant more for intimidation and prestige than as an actual combat vehicle. Flight and weapons were controlled by foot
pedals. The user has to be trained to
use them. Figure a DC 12 Pilot Check and
1 turn to use untrained.
MHP: 2 (Called Shot to
hit Platform)
Armor Class: Base 10 + Dex
Bonus + ½ level
Speed: S
Capacity: 3 passengers
Underside Blaster M1d2, S
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