from the Japanese Anime by Shinji Aramaki.
RIFTS® conversion by Mike Coe (mikecoe@dial.pipex.com)
Designed by the US Army for use by the Japanese Self Defence Force (SDF), MADOX was the culmination of nearly two years of research by Dr. Elly Kusumoto, the chief designer of the battlesuit. It’s primary function was as a close assault and street-based anti-tank weapon for use by quickly trained or even untrained operators. Very few of these battlesuits were completed before the project was shelved, only to be plagiarised by the Coalition scientists when they designed the SAMAS Power Armour. While not in the same league as the SAMAS or the Triax X-10, the MADOX is still a fast and powerful battlesuit that could make a SAMAS/X-10 pilot think twice before crossing barrels.
Model Type: MADOX 01
Class: Pre-Rifts Close Assault Suit
Crew: One
MDC by Location:Shoulder Wings (2) — 10 each
Main Rear Jets (2) — 20 each
Coolant Drum — 12
Ammo Drum — 12
Left HMG Arm — 20
Left Pincer — 10
Minigun — 2
Right Manipulation Arm — 20
Right Hand — 5
*Head — 35
**Main Body — 125
Optional Grenade Launcher — 15* Destroying the head will eliminate all sensors apart from the pilot’s own two eyes and ears. Any MDC that penetrates the head will automatically kill the pilot. Note: To hit the head requires a called shot at –3 to strike.
** Depleting the MDC of the main body will destroy the suit completely. The pilot can, however, initiate the eject sequence at any time before the armour is destroyed, which will push them back 2d6 metres from the rear of the MADOX.
Speed
Running: 20 mph (32 km) maximum. Note that the act of running does tire the operator, but at 50% of the usual fatigue rate due to the robot exo-skeleton.
Leaping: The robot legs can leap up to 10 ft (3.1 m) high or across without the assistance of the thrusters. Using the thrusters the MADOX can initiate 50 ft (15.2 m) high leaps, or 100 ft (30.5 m) leaps across without attaining flight.
Flying: The thrusters on the rear of the MADOX allow the armour to travel at a maximum speed of 150 mph (240 km), although the normal cruise speed is only 80 mph (128 km). Maximum altitude is limited to 50ft, although the typical flight altitude is just a couple of feet above the ground.
Range: Being powered by both gas-turbines and a linked electric generator that runs on relatively common unleaded gasolene (petrol), the range is quite limited. The MADOX burns fuel at all times that is is active, it requiring a refuelling stop every 400 miles or 18 hours of activity (whichever comes first), but as it burns gas at an alarming rate during flight, this reduces range to just 40 miles or half-hour of flight (whichever comes first).Statistical Data
Height: 9 ft (2.7 m)
Width: Wings down: 4.5 ft (1.4 m)
Wings extended: 12 ft (3.6 m)
Length: 4.5 ft (1.4 m)
Weight: 587 lbs (266 kg) without grenade launcher
Physical Strength: Equal to a PS of 35
Cargo: Operators Manual!
Power System: Gas Turbine and linked electrical generator.
Black Market Cost: 1.2 million credits for a new, undamaged, fully fueled and armed suit, complete with grenade launcher, smoke grenades and one full ammo-drum. Extremely rare.Weapon Systems
1. MADOX GR-01 Grenade Launcher (1): This is the standard heavy weapon used by the MADOX for anti-tank and heavy assault use. It fires 30 mm grenades from a 20 round reloadable magazine, and is fired by the right hand. It cannot be operated by a human being without a PS of 22 or higher.
Primary Purpose: Heavy Assault
Secondary Purpose: Anti-Armour
Weight: Gun: 45 lbs (21 kg), One Magazine: 23 lbs (11 kg).
Damage: Varies upon loading, but can range from 1D6 x 10 SDC for anti-personnel fragmentation rounds to 1D6 x 10 MDC for armour-piercing anti-tank rounds.
Rate of Fire: Equal to number of combined hand-to-hand attacks of the operator.
Maximum Effective Range: 1000 ft (300 m)
Payload: 20 round magazine. Reloading will take two melee actions (about 5 seconds) when in the armour, or 1 melee (15 seconds) if loading manually, outside the armour.2. MADOX MG-01 Minigun (1): Based on the concept of the US Armies own minigun, this light three-barrelled chaingun uses the lighter 5.56mm NATO rounds as issued to the US, UK and Japanese Self Defence Force and is contained within the right arm (it can be jettisoned by the operator). Capable of a sustained fire rate of nearly 3,500 rounds per minute, the ammo-drum located behind the right shoulder contains 1,200 rounds. The weapon can either fire short or long bursts. The right arm also contains a linked laser-designation system for targetting purposes.
Primary Purpose: Light Assault
Secondary Purpose: Anti-Personnel
Damage: Short Burst: 7D6 SDC, Long Burst: 1D4 MDC
Rate of Fire: Equal to number of combined hand-to-hand attacks of the operator.
Maximum Effective Range: 2000 ft (600 m)
Payload: 1,200 rounds. This is enough for 30 short bursts and 10 long bursts. Reloading will take 30 seconds (2 melee rounds) for a trained person in power armour or a single person with a PS of 23 or higher. An untrained person will take 2 minutes, while two normal humans will take up to five minutes to reload the drum. The ammo-drum can be jettisoned by the operator at any time with no loss of actions.3. Right Arm Pincer (1): The right arm of MADOX comes with a powerful gripping pincer that can crush steel bars and grip into reinforced concrete.
Primary Purpose: Demolition
Secondary Purpose: Anti-Personnel
Damage: Open Pincers: 2D6+20 SDC, Closed Pincers (dagger): 1D6 MDC
Attacks: Equal to number of combined hand-to-hand attacks of the operator.4. Wing Chainsaws (2): The MADOX isn’t only an offensive weapon. The MADOX was designed as a multi-role powered suit that could easily be used for emergency situations, such as forest fires, collapsed buildings, etc. The chainsaws allow MADOX to cut through wood and metal with equal ease.
Primary Purpose: Demolition
Secondary Purpose: Automobile Roof Modification (See the video..!) and Anti-Personnel (messy!)
Damage: 2D4 x 10 SDC against SDC structures, 1D3 MDC against MDC structures.
Attacks: Equal to number of combined hand-to-hand attacks of the operator.5. Energy Rifles: Rather than use the built in weaponry, the operator can easily pick up and use weapons with the left hand. The right hand cannot operate any items that require the use of fully articulate fingers, such as a gun, but can hold and strike opponents with objects such as engine blocks and broken robot limbs.
6. Hand to Hand Combat: The MADOX was designed for close combat, which is where is excels. MADOX is easily as manoeuvrable as an unarmoured human being.
7. Sensor System Note: The MADOX, much like the SAMAS Power Armour, has full optical systems, including laser targetting, telescopic, passive nightvision, thermo-imaging, infra-red, ultraviolet and polarization. It also comes with a semi-intelligent battle computer that, together with the sensors and a small ground radar, gives the operator the following bonuses:
Applicable to long range weapons only: +2 strike, +2 dodge.
Applicable to melee combat only: +1 strike, +2 parry, +3 dodge.
Unlike all other power armour, the MADOX was designed specifically for ease of use. It reacts to the operators every movement, and is very easy to figure out from the basics to advanced movement and flight. It is so easy that a character doesn’t even need to know the Robot Combat: Basic skill, although this can certainly help. Characters trained in the use of the Coalition SAMAS or Triax X-10 Predator (RIFTS Sourcebook 1) Power Armour can apply their combat bonuses to the use of the MADOX, as can anyone with Robot Combat: Basic. Characters can apply their PP and Hand to Hand bonuses when using the MADOX.
