Kodiak Industries EXW-02A Sabertooth Assault Walker

If there is a complete opposite to the speed, agility, grace and beauty of the Puma Recon Exo it is the Sabertooth Walker. The Sabertooth is the Alliances only Walker class Exo. The Walker Class is the equivalent of a walking super tank, bringing devastating firepower to the battlefield in a humanoid form. While the Sabertooth is dreadfully slow and ungainly compared to the speed of the average Exo, its armor and weaponry outmatch anything in the Exo Class.

The Sabertooth was proposed in the beginning days of the gulf War, when the American Government and its Coalition allies had softened up the ground targets with long aerial bombardments. The Sabertooth was commissioned as a super Exo; carry more firepower then a squad of M1A1 Abrams Main Battle Tanks. In only 4 short years the first Sabertooth’s rolled, or rather sauntered, off the assembly line. Too late to see action in the Gulf War the Sabertooth was re-commissioned as a command unit for “Peace Keeping” duties. A mission that could be accomplished with the look of the Sabertooth alone, not even counting its multiple weapon systems.

The Sabertooth is a monstrous hunchback Exo. Its tandem command cabin is flanked on both sides by enormous missile batteries that also contain the main hydraulics of the Walker. The roughly diamond shaped missile pods are then connected to a pair of giant shoulder actuators that hold the primary weapons of the unit. The Sabertooth was envisioned as an all-in-one weapons platform, and so its weapons payload is configured to reflect that. The right arm of the unit ends with a 30mm 6 barrel Gatling Anti-Aircraft Cannon. The left arm possesses a 60mm Ultra Light Field Gun with enlarged ammunition supply. Rounding out the Sabertooth's weapons is a belly mounted turret 20mm Light Assault Cannon for use against infantry and Exo’s. As a combined weapons systems there is very little the Sabertooth cannot handle.

However the bulk of all these weapon systems meant that the Sabertooth would require several extremely heavy legs to provide support and locomotion. To accommodate the weight of the weapons and upper torso the Sabertooth walks very slowly with an odd gait similar to a Elephant. Moving one leg forward at a time and pivoting at the waist. When the Sabertooth has found a comfortable spot to attack or defend from it settles in, assuming a crouching position. Located on its knees is a support pad that is used like a second foot. When in the lowered positions the Sabertooth is ready for battle. In this stance it is nearly impossible to move, even with tractors and earthmovers.

The command cabin of the Sabertooth is a two-seated tandem cockpit with the Walker Commander sitting in back and the gunner/communications officer in front. The rear seat of the pilot affords him or her a better view of the terrain, while the forward position can scan the horizon for enemy troop movements. When the Sabertooth enters battle an armored venire extends over the command cabin covering the Plexiglas canopy. The enclosed compartment is then complete sealed from the outside environment, and the pilot and gunner must rely on computers and sensors for all outside observations and target acquisitions.

Since the Sabertooth saw production after the Gulf War it has had limited field experience in real combat. Although it has seen action in a few theaters, it operational lifespan is still in its infancy. What has been learned about the Sabertooth is that its one great drawback is its speed. However its reliability, survivability and firepower have earned it favorable reviews from those that pilot them. In one particular instance an escort squad of Puma Recon Exo’s and one Sabertooth came across a convoy of 12 enemy tanks (heavy main battle tanks). The tanks themselves could hopelessly outmatch the Puma’s in both armor and firepower. The only advantage the Puma’s had was their speed. The commander of the Sabertooth ordered the Puma’s to circle the enemies and harass them. He then orders one Puma to stay back and act as a target designator and relay. The Sabertooth hide behind a small hill, as the Puma’s began harassing the Tanks the last Puma acting as designator and relayed fire coordinates to the Sabertooth. While the tanks chaises the Puma’s the Sabertooth rained down swift death with a coordinated volley of rockets and field gun fire. By the time the convoy realized what was going on 7 of the tanks had been destroyed, 2 severely cripples and 3 managed to retreat with at least moderate damage to each.

Now with the Axis acting up the Sabertooth has been put into limited production, with the first few units being sent overseas to act as mobile artillery, command and anti-aircraft platforms for the field commanders. A few commanders have managed to pull a few strings and had a Sabertooth assigned to their base. The units in the field are currently being used to defend key cities and bases from enemy attack. Once the Sabertooth reached Europe in numbers they will be sent on the offensive to create a moving wedge between the Axis’s battle lines. Opening up paths for faster attack Exo’s to follow and creating a new front for the Axis to have to fight on.

Statistical Data

S.D.C. By Location

Speed:

2000 feet (610 m) .

Weapon Systems:

ECM Systems: The ECM/ECCM (Electronic Counter Measures/Electronic Counter-Counter Measures) and Sensor Suite consists of a variety of communications, scrambling, jamming, radar, and targeting gear that allows the Sabertooth to act as a very advanced and deadly field commander with the ability to tracking, targeting and communication with other units in the field. The jamming and communications equipment has been specially designed to play havoc with the targeting and control systems of a wide range of enemy threats.

Primary Purpose: Electronic Counter Measures

Secondary Purpose: Air Defense and Anti-Missile

Range: 100 miles 9160 km) radius.

Mega-Damage: Not Applicable.

ECM & Sensor Capabilities:

Radar & Computer Tracking Systems: Range of 10 miles (16.0 km) radius and can identify and track up to 48 different targets simultaneously. Sonar for underwater use is limited to a 3.0 miles (4.8 km) range.

Directional Radio & Laser Communications Systems: Can send and receive messages on broad or narrow band frequencies and send precision laser beam communication signals.

Radio Encryption & Decryption Systems: Scrambles and unscrambles incoming and outgoing messages, decodes encrypted messages, as well as records and stores all transmissions on other channels/frequencies and unscrambles them (and responds or transmits) at a later time.

Targeting Uplink: The Sabertooth can uplink data to as many as 24 other Exo’s or combat vehicles (Land, Sea or Air) or ground troops within 5.0 miles (8.0 km). In this capacity the Sabertooth can be used as a command or communication data rely unit. All units receiving this data are +1 on initiative and +1 to strike and dodge.

Jamming Suite: The jammers on the Sabertooth can interfere and garble any enemy transmissions with a very high (01-65%) success rate. Successful jamming means the enemy transmission is little more then electronic snow, completely unintelligible. A failed roll (66-00%) means the transmission successfully escaped the interference field, but while it is discernible, it is not the cleanest of messages and is still filled with interference.

  In order to jam incoming missiles, the Exo must roll under their Weapon Systems skill or Electronic Countermeasures skill, which ever he/she has. A successful roll means the targeting systems (and/or radio control signals and scanners) of all missiles directed at him/her, or in his/her flight path, are scrambled, causing the missile to veer off target, effectively -7 to strike. Roll for each missile in the volley. In the alternative, the Sabertooth can send a direct laser signal to one or two missiles within a 2000 foot (610 m) radius, whether directed at him/her or another target entirely, and scramble its targeting systems to make them veer off course, effectively -9 to strike its intended target(s).

Note: The jammer effect applies to ‘smart-bombs & missiles’ as well as other guided ordinance. The jamming defense disables the missiles tracking, guidance and motor systems, it does not allow the pilot to seize control of the missile and alter/modify its course, simply disable it and cause it to avoid its intended target(s).

Chaff-Pod: The Sabertooth can also fire flares with packets that release clouds of smoke and floating particles to lure missiles to them, and away from the pilot and armor.

Payload: 24 Chaff flares per dispenser, 1 dispenser standard per Sabertooth.

Note: Each Chaff-Flare has a 15% chance (per packet fired) to distract or confuse incoming missiles, with a cumulative effects. I.E. 3 Chaff-flares is equal to a 45% chance of decoying the missile, 6 = 90% change.

Special Sabertooth Bonuses: +3 to initiative, +1 to strike and parry, +2 to dodge, +1 to roll with punch/fall/impact, and +1 to pull punch. All are in addition to the normal hand to hand bonuses and skills of the pilot.