The following material is from THE THIRD INVID WAR, a fan supplement by Dave Deitrich and Chris Meadows. Please feel free to use, copy, and distribute it as you see fit. All we ask is that you give proper credit to us and do not claim that it is your own work. Comments and suggestions are welcome.

SPECIAL EQUIPMENT FOR CYCLONES

During the Cyclone Redesign Project of 2039 REF engineers and REF Intelligence took a close look at the capabilities of the Cyclones versus the missions they were being assigned to. Although the Cyclone was a marvelous mecha for reconnaissance, hit-and-run, infiltration, and extraction missions, it tended to be underpowered and underequipped for front-line confrontations with enemy main battle mecha. Often times 40-70% of a cyclone squadron would be destroyed while accomplishing mission objectives, simply because their armament and equipment was not sufficient to the tasks they were faced with. To combat this, the REF designed several different auxiliary units for use with Cyclones to augment their capabilities. The most common of these units are listed below.
CONTENTS:
  • CA-101 Cyclone Re-entry Shield.
  • Cyclone Weapons Systems.
  • CA-102 Cyclone Heavy Weapon System: Particle Beam Cannon.
  • CA-103 Cyclone Heavy Weapon System: Tri-Barrel Laser.
  • CA-104 Cyclone Heavy Weapon System: Disruptor Cannon.
  • CA-105 Cyclone High-density Battery Pack.
  • CA-106 Cyclone Medical Sidecar.
  • GR-117 Rescue Hook

    CA-101 CYCLONE RE-ENTRY SHIELD

    The CA-101 was conceived and developed for the Icarus Mission by REF Intelligence, who wanted a quick and quiet way to land cyclone-clad agents on Earth to spy on Invid fortifications and troop movements. The result of their research was an external device that could allow a cyclone pilot to deploy high in the atmosphere (or even in orbit) and reach the ground without burning up in reentry. The CA-101 initially looks like a large box with thrusters that attaches to the back of any model cyclone like a backpack. In use, the cyclone rider is deployed at high altitudes and uses the cyclone’s thrusters to begin descent towards the Earth. Then the pilot turns around so his back is facing the ground, and activates the CA-101. The pack immediately deploys a series of canvas balloons that form an umbrella-shaped disk on the back of the cyclone. This umbrella is made of heat resistant materials and shields the cyclone pilot, his mecha, and his equipment from damage during reentry. The thrusters on the CA-101 are used to slow the cyclone’s descent. Once the cyclone is low enough in the atmosphere, the CA-101 automatically jettisons the balloons and deploys a parachute to safely land the cyclone on the ground. The CA-101 contains chemical fuel and high-power batteries to power both its onboard computer and the cyclone’s life support systems, so the entire procedure can be done while the cyclone’s protoculture engine is turned off, making the cyclone essentially invisible to Invid scanners.
    The CA-101 was a tremendous success, and was used extensively during the Third Invid War once the REF discovered that it was virtually impossible to penetrate the Invid space defenses with their starships. During the war Beta fighters would be loaded with Cyclone troopers and then fly close enough to the Earth to deploy the troopers, and then rocket away from earth before the Invid Space Troopers could catch them. Thousands of cyclone riders managed to land on Earth this way during the war. The CA-101 can be used by any cyclone, old or new, without penalty.

    NOTE: ¡The CA-101 can be used only in battloid mode! Should the cyclone switch to motorcycle mode then the CA-101 will automatically pop off the back of the mecha.
    Model Type: CA-101 Cyclone Re-Entry Shield.
    Class: Disposable Re-Entry Shield.
    Crew: One fully-clad Cyclone Rider.
    M.D.C. BY LOCATION
    Main Unit
    Thruster    		25
    10    		Heat Balloon
    Parachute    		2
    1
    NOTE: Destroying any part of the CA-101 will render the entire unit useless.

    CYCLONE HEAVY WEAPONS SYSTEMS

    CA-102 CYCLONE HEAVY WEAPONS SYSTEM (PARTICLE CANNON).
    CA-103 CYCLONE HEAVY WEAPONS SYSTEM (TRI-BARREL LASER).
    CA-104 CYCLONE HEAVY WEAPONS SYSTEM (DISRUPTOR CANNON)

    .

    As the mobile infantry forces for the REF, Cyclone riders were often ordered on rapid strike missions to help take out enemy fortifications and defenses in advance of heavier forces (such as Veritechs and Destroids). The cyclone’s incredible mobility made it ideal for these types of missions, but the light armament of the mecha sometimes hindered the success of the mission. To combat this, REF engineers came up with a series of external heavy weapon modules for use by cyclone forces during the Cyclone Redesign Project of 2039. In motorcycle mode these heavy weapons would be mounted on sidecars that could travel fairly quickly along with the cyclone, and in battloid mode the weapon would convert to an over-the-shoulder unit that increased the offensive capabilities of the cyclone.
    All HWS units have their own internal power supplies so as not to cause any unnecessary drain on the cyclone’s own engine system. There are three different HWS units; a particle cannon similar to the one used by the Excalibur Destroid, a tri-barrel rapid-fire laser cannon similar to the one used by the Raidar X, and a disruptor cannon similar to the one used by Shadow Fighters. Unfortunately due to size considerations, the HWS units use an unshielded protoculture power system that can be easily detected by Invid sensors when active. Furthermore, because of their size and placement, the ground and flight speeds of a cyclone were decreased by 15% while the HWS was attached. The units can be instantly detached from the cyclone mecha after they have served their purpose. Often one HWS of each type was assigned to a cyclone infantry platoon (12 Cyclone riders) and the three cyclone riders who used them became the heavy weapons squad of the platoon.

    CA-102 CYCLONE HEAVY WEAPONS SYSTEM (PARTICLE CANNON)
    Model Type: CA-102 Cyclone Heavy Weapons System (Particle Cannon).
    Class: External Cyclone Heavy Weapon System.
    Crew: None.
    M.D.C. BY LOCATION
    Main Body50Wheel (1)5
    Note: Depleting the M.D.C. of the main body destroys the unit.

    Purpose: Heavy Assault/Anti-Aircraft and -Mecha.
    Mega-Damage: 3D4×10 M.D. per blast.
    Rate of Fire: Can only fire once every 60 seconds (4 melee rounds).
    Range: 2 miles.
    Payload: Effectively unlimited.
    Power Requirements: 4 Protoculture Cells.
    NOTE: ¡Protoculture emissions can be detected by Invid sensors! .

    CA-103 CYCLONE HEAVY WEAPONS SYSTEM (TRI-BARREL LASER)
    Model Type: CA-103 Cyclone Heavy Weapons System (Tri-Barrel Laser).
    Class: External Cyclone Heavy Weapon System.
    Crew: None.

    M.D.C. BY LOCATION
    Main Body50Wheel (1)5

    Note: Depleting the M.D.C. of the main body destroys the unit.

    Purpose: Anti-Aircraft/Assault.
    MD: 2D4 M.D. for a single shot, 4D4 M.D. for dual shots, 1D4×10 M.D. for triple shots.
    Rate of Fire: Equal to the pilot’s total number of attacks per melee. The unit can fire one, two, or three shots at a time. Simultaneous firing counts as a volley regardless of how many cannons are shooting, and counts as one melee attack.
    Attack Bonus: The CA-103 has a built-in radar and advanced tracking system that provides a +2 bonus to strike any aircraft.
    Range: 1 mile.
    Payload: Effectively unlimited.
    Power Requirements: 2 Protoculture Cells.
    NOTE: ¡Protoculture emissions can be detected by Invid sensors!

    CA-104 CYCLONE HEAVY WEAPONS SYSTEM (DISRUPTOR CANNON)
    The CA-104 is technologically the most advanced of the Cyclone HWS systems, and is also the most costly to produce and maintain. Because of these factors very few CA-104 systems made it to Earth with the forces of the Icarus Mission, and thus the HWS is VERY rare among resistance fighters. Only the largest and most organized of resistance groups (or the luckiest) even have a chance of ever seeing one of these units.
    Model Type: CA-104 Cyclone Heavy Weapons System (Destabilizer Cannon).
    Class: External Cyclone Heavy Weapon System.
    Crew: None.

    M.D.C. BY LOCATION
    Main Body50Wheel (1)5

    Note: Depleting the M.D.C. of the main body destroys the unit.

    Purpose: Assault.
    Mega-Damage: 1D4×10 M.D. per blast.
    Rate of Fire: Can only fire once every 60 seconds (4 melee rounds).
    Special Bonus: When used against Invid Hive Shields, the Destabilizer will create a 10+2D6 ft hole in the force field, allowing troops to enter.
    Range: 4000 ft (1200 m).
    Payload: Effectively unlimited.
    Power Requirements: 4 Protoculture Cells.
    NOTE: ¡Protoculture emissions can be detected by Invid sensors!

    CA-105 CYCLONE HIGH-DENSITY BATTERY PACK

    Another invention of REF Intelligence, the CA-105 is an external battery pack that allows a cyclone to operate at full capabilities without using the protoculture engine for a short period of time. This allows intelligence agents to operate inside invid hives without fear of being spotted by their protoculture emissions. The CA-105 is a high-density heavy metal battery that can store and supply a tremendous amount of electricity, enough to power a cyclone for up to 1 hours by itself. When used in conjunction with a cyclone’s fusion engine, it allows the mecha to operate at full capabilities for 2 hours without using its protoculture engine.
    The only disadvantage of the CA-105 is that the chemicals and metals used in the battery are highly corrosive and explosive, and tend to explode if the casing is breached. The unit can supply enough energy to run a cyclone for 1 hour by itself, or 2 hours with help from the FF-600 fusion reactor. Once depleted it takes 36 hours to completely recharge the battery, which can only be done using a cyclone fusion reactor or equivalent power source. The cyclone can NOT be used while it is recharging the battery. The CA-105 is the same size as a cyclone saddlebag and can be stored in place of either saddlebag on the back of the mecha. Two CA-105 battery packs can be used on one cyclone to double the duration, at the price of sacrificing both saddlebags. ONLY second generation cyclones can use the CA-105 for stealth purposes, though anyone can tap the battery as a source of energy.
    Note: It is possible to significantly extend the life of the battery by switching between fusion/battery power and fusion power only when full power is not needed. Using this technique the battery can typically supply power for normal cyclone operation for up to 4 hours (8 hours with two batteries) provided prolonged combat is avoided. Switching between fusion only and fusion/battery power (or activating the cyclone’s protoculture generator) takes one melee action.
    Model Type: CA-105 Cyclone Battery.
    Class: Auxilary Energy Supply.
    Size: 18 inches tall by 20 inches wide by 18 inches deep.
    MDC: 30.
    Note: Destruction of the CA-105 will result in an explosion that does 1D6×10 M.D. to all objects in a 10 foot radius. The cyclone the CA-105 is attached to is automatically considered destroyed (engine system is wrecked), though the pilot will usually be protected by the Cyclone’s armor.

    .

    CA-106 “HOS-BOX” CYCLONE MEDICAL SIDECAR

    The CA-106 was designed to provide good facilities for medical field work, in cases where the victim cannot be moved, or even reached by normal ambulances. When used in conjunction with the VR-117 Firefly Rescue Cyclone, the CA-106 can provide superb emergency field care to victims in even the worst of conditions. The Medical Sidecar contains diagnostic, surgical, and medical equipment, all of it microminiaturized and packed compactly in place so that no space is wasted. Because of its amazing facilities (equal to those of a fair clinic--save vs. coma/death at 1-56%), it has been nicknamed the “Hospital in a Box,” or more simply, the “Hos-Box.”
    The Hos-Box sidecar is air-tight, shock resistant, and has mega-damage armor. When the Cyclone it is attached to converts to power armor mode, the sidecar’s single wheel retracts and a handle pops out of the top, so the armored Cyclone Rider may carry the sidecar with him. Though commonly issued only to the VR-117 Firefly Cyclone, the Hos-Box is compatible with any model of Cyclone. The CA-106 can be used with other Cyclones and motorcycles/hovercycles with minimal effort but were not originally designed for them (requires about 20 minutes to move the hardware around; Must be reconfigured specifically for the particular platform).
    History:
    This piece of equipment was developed specifically for the Firefly, and is really nothing more than a hard-shell version of Life Bags (bodybags that had been modified to keep wounded troops warm and protected from most debris during the Global Civil War), and would, in turn, lend itself to the development of the Life Pods used in the M/G-8 Phantom Guardian.
    Model Type: CA-106 Cyclone Medical Sidecar.
    Class: Medical Accessory Kit.
    Crew: A qualified doctor/Cyclone rider.
    M.D.C. BY LOCATION
    Main Body
    Wheel (1)    		50
    5    		Handle

    		5

    Note: Depleting the M.D.C. of the main body destroys the sidecar. There is a 75% chance that whatever it was carrying is ruined (takes 2D6 MD). Items that aren’t ruined will be scattered over a 40-foot area by the blast.

    Height: 3 feet, 6 inches.
    Width: 4 feet.
    Length: 5 feet, 4 inches.
    Weight: 50 lbs. empty, 250 lbs packed with medical equipment.
    Cargo: If the medical supplies are removed, the Hos-Box can carry approximately 16 cubic feet of material (4×2×2 foot storage compartment) and up to 400 lbs. It is not uncommon to see a Hos-Box doing duty in the wastelands as a cargo carrier.

    Outfitting Gear.
    Medical Supplies, including:

  • Anaesthesiological equipment.
  • Diagnostic and monitoring equipment, including EKGs, portable ultra-sound scanner, etc.
  • Fluorescent examining light, magnifying lenses, etc.
  • Medical supplies (more common drugs including pain-killers, stimulants, adrenalin, other types of medicines).
  • Sterilization equipment (anti-bacteriological sprays, etc.).
  • Surgical gowns and accoutrements.
  • Surgical scalpels, forceps, etc.
  • Other miscellaneous medical equipment that makes it equivalent to a clinic (fair facilities)--save vs. coma/death at 01-56%.

    GR-117 RESCUE HOOK

    GR-117 RESCUE HOOKThe GR-117 is a rather unique weapon system originally designed for the VR-117 Firefly rescue cyclone. The primary “weapon” of the GR-117 is a grappling hook launcher with an extremely strong cable and hook. The grappling hook can be used in a variety of purposes, such as a makeshift crane, cable for pulling, or even for securing loose and crumbling fixtures. It can be used for it’s original purpose of scaling buildings and walls as well, of course. In addition to the grappling hook, a welding laser is mounted on the module to allow the user to cut through bulkheads and rubble. The GR-117 unit is NOT designed with combat purposes in mind.
    Purpose: Rescue.
    Effect:
    Grappling Hook: 5D6 S.D. (not designed to be used as a weapon).
    Welding Laser: 1D6 S.D., 3D6 S.D., 6D6 S.D., 1D6×10 S.D., 1D6 M.D., or 3D6 M.D. per round (the laser has multiple settings for different materials).
    Rate of Fire: Equal to pilot’s number of attacks.
    Range:
    Grappling Hook: 500 ft (150 m) of high-strength wire; 10 M.D.C. per 50 feet.
    Payload: The welding laser draws power directly from the on-board fusion reactor, so it is effectively unlimited as long as it remains attached to the cyclone. The laser is useless if detatched.