Speed: 150 mph maximum on land. Maximum speed climbing and under
water is one third. Cruising speed is typically between 40-60 mph.
Jumping: The unit can jump up to 10 ft. high or lengthwise for a
standing position. With a running start increase height or length by 35%.
Or, the unit may also perform thrust assisted jumps, increasing the range
by 150 ft in either direction.
Flying: This unit is incapable of flight.
Range: A battery powered unit can run for up to 5 hours of extreme
combat. This time may be stretched up to 17 hours if not under extreme
situations (like not in continuous combat and/or by traveling at speeds
below cruising).
A nuclear powered unit will last for 5 years.
Statistical Data:
Height: Stands up to 6 ft. tall, crouching is about 4 ft.
Width: 4 ft. 8 in.
Length: 7 ft. 6 in.
Weight: 1000 lbs fully loaded (plus that of the pilot)
Cargo: None
Power System: Batteries (3), equivalent to 12 standard E-clips. Or Unit can
have a 5 year nuclear cell.
Black Market Cost: Not normally available on the market. This unit has
just come under production during the last year from a wandering mercenary
company. If ever found on the market, it would cost around 4+ million
depending on the condition and weapon system included.
Weapon Systems:
1. Weapon Arms: Rapid Energy Pulse Blasters (2). These are the main guns of
the Spider Unit. They fire a variety of non-lethal to lethal energy.
pulses. These are well noted weapons for their quiet, anti-flash suppression
system which allows the unit to continue prowling even while firing barely
visible light streams in the dark. Each weapon arm also has a small,
retractable hand used for grasping, holding, etc. Each small hand has 9
M.D.C. and is -4 to strike on a called shot.
Primary Purpose: Assault
Secondary Purpose: Defense
Damage: Two S.D.C. settings: one does 2D8, setting two does 4D6
Mega Damage: Three settings: one does 1D6 M.D., two does 2D6 M.D., three is
a 3 shot burst that inflicts 1D6x5 M.D.
Note: All damages are doubled if both weapon arms are fired at a single
target at the same time (but only if both arms arm using the same setting),
this only counts as one action too.
2. Optional Weapon Systems: Up to two additional weapons may be mounted on
the back or sides of the Spider. These may include light rail-guns, laser
blasters, plasma ejectors, or small mini-missile launchers (that hold 4 or
less missiles). Each additional weapon system costs extra. Costs range
typically 1,000 to 10,000 cr. for mounting and linking the weapon to the
power supply plus the individual weapon's cost.
Non-Weapon Combat: Instead of using weapons the pilot can engage in Hand to
Hand combat with an opponent(s).
Restrained punch from weapon arm: 3D6 S.D.C.
Normal Punch from weapon arm: 1D6 M.D.
Power Punch from weapon arm: 2D4 M.D.
Kick from front leg: 1D6 M.D.
Kick from rear leg: 1D8 M.D.
Ram/Tackle: 1D4 M.D. per 30 mph
Combat Bonuses:
+1 to Initiative, +4 to Dodge, and +6 to Roll.
Plus has all standard feature and sensors of a robot vehicle found on page
214 of the RIFTS main book, with exceptions toward #1 (see above) and #12
because the unit only seats one, the pilot.
Additional Bonuses and Systems of the Spider:
Located at the rear of the main body are two nozzles that fire thin
high tension cords (a.k.a.: Spider Web). Each cord has a hook or spike
attachment to secure or hold it on/in a wall or other structure. Nozzle
A fires a stronger M.D.C. cord (2 M.D.C. per foot) that is used in hostile
areas, like a gun fight. Nozzle B fires a lighter S.D.C. cord (20 S.D.C.
per foot) that can be used in the other situations. The reason behind the
different types of cord is because of their cost to produce and the amounts
of cord that can be held by the Spider unit. The heavier M.D.C. cord is
thicker and costs 10 cr. per foot to replace. While the lighter S.D.C.
cord is thin and costs 20 cr. per 10 feet to replace. Nozzle A is fed by
an internal spindle that holds up to 100 feet of the M.D.C. cord, nozzle B
is fed by a spindle that holds up to 800 feet. Both cords are more than
capable to hold the weight of the Spider. Powerful motors connected to the
spindles allow each cord can be reeled in at a rate of 10 feet per melee,
and spun out at 100 feet per melee. Though situations sometimes
arise where there is not enough time to reel in the cord(s) so they must
be cut. Like say you were using cord a to lower yourself from the ceiling,
when some guard looks up for no reason and sees you hanging there.
Obviously you're not suppose to be there so he pulls out his laser rifle
and calls his buddies. What are you going to do... Just hang there and
let him (and his buddies) take shots at you like some sort of piņata? One
would hope the answer to be, "HELL NO!! I AIN'T LET'N MY NICE, NEW, CLEAN,
SHINY, SPIDER TO BE SHOT UP AND SCRATCHED BY NO REJECT OF A WANNA BE
SECURITY GUARD." So what do you do, use the built in cutters to cut the cord
and then land on the ground and kick all their "wanna be security guard"
asses! It cost one action to cut the cord, and the cost to replace lost cord
was stated previously. Also the cord can be used for other purposes
(besides climbing, hang out, and repelling), it makes a nice handy-dandy
rope for tying up those who you just hate too much to waste the bullet on,
and what ever else a sick mind can think of. The pilot receives a bonus
of +15% to climb in the Spider (even if he's not using the web cords). If the pilot of the Spider has psionic or magic casting ability, both
cord units may be replaced by a "TW-Web Launcher" device.
Climbing abilities of the Spider: Another marvel of the Spider unit is that,
located on the bottoms of each foot are retractable spikes, claws, hooks,
and magnetic pads which are used to increase the Spider's stability on the
ground, as well as, to allow the Spider to walk up walls and on ceilings.
Though there is a draw back to this, if both optional weapon systems are
added, the Spider becomes unbalanced and compromises the weight capability
of this feature. Thus rendering the ability to walk up or hold onto any
surface that is more than 90 degrees in slope, including ceilings.
Due to sound filters and suppression systems strategically placed throughout
the Spider unit, this vehicle benefits from it's pilot's skill to prowl!
In areas where the pilot wishes to prowl, he receives a +7% in addition to
his prowl skill. This ability of the Spider cannot be used at speeds above
40 mph, it simply makes too much noise beyond that speed for the filters to
work. If the pilot does not have the prowl skill, he cannot utilize this
ability of the Spider :_(