SciFu/ItemsOfWonder

War Machines

Warstriders
The warstrider is the centerpiece of the Empire's land warfare strategy, and is as much a vehicle as it is armor. Within the bulging, barrel chests of these vaguely humanoid machines there is a space for a pilot to sit, strapped in and surrounded by a set of levers, knobs, and buttons. When manned, the complex arrangement of gears, pulleys, and pistons within the limbs of the vehicle amplify the pilot's strength, while the heavy steel plating surrounds her in a seemingly-invulnerable cocoon. There are a few different versions, and myriad modification kits meant to adjust the vehicles to suit specific mission requirements. Warstriders require no Essence to operate, but are quite maintenance-intensive, requiring twelve man-hours of maintenance for every hour of operation. On the upside, the armors can usually withstand about twelve hours of strenuous use before any ill effects show.

Type-1 "Tiger"

The Type-1 is the base model, with moderate defensive and offensive capabilities, and serves as the basis of comparison for nearly every warstrider variant since. It stands twelve feet tall, and has a fairly humanoid profile, with shoulders a full nine feet wide. The cockpit consists of a padded seat, and the vehicle is operated in the standard method, via two articulated control arms and a pair of foot pedals.

Soak 18L/18B, Hardness 10, Mobility -4, Fatigue 4, Strength 10

Type-2 "King Tiger"

The Type-2 is a great deal heavier and larger than the Tiger, fully five yards tall with shoulders spanning almost twelve feet. The controls are common to warstriders of most every type, but the King Tiger is the one most often converted into a squad attack vehicle, with the torso and arms of the vehicle into an enlarged cabin to house heavy infantry or skilled gunners, along with medium artillery.

Soak 22L/22B, Hardness 14, Mobility -8, Fatigue 6, Strength 14

Type-3 "Leopard"

The Type-3 is more nimble than the Tiger, but has less armor and strength. The Leopard stands a mere nine feet tall, is about six feet wide at the shoulders, and is more akin to an actual suit than a vehicle, unlike other 'striders. While operated in a manner similar to other versions, the Leopard tends to feel alien to pilots accustomed to the heavier units, as the complicated series of pistons that make the Leopard so nimble and swift make the controls feel a bit mushy.

Soak 13L/13B, Hardness 8, Mobility +3, Fatigue 4, Strength 7

Warstrider Armament & Modifications

An unmodified warstrider is an excellent weapon for very few purposes. However, they fall dramatically short in many of the circumstances faced by the military of the Scarlet Empire. To this end, a wide variety of attachments, weaponry, and major modification kits have been developed, making the three base warstrider types capable of tackling nearly any situation a modern military unit might encounter. The attachments, modifications, and weapons listed here are by no means the only ones in existance, but are the most common, usually carried by a warstrider unit's support team, or kept onboard skyships that feature a compliment of warstriders.

(Fun fluff and such forthcoming. Jump units for parastriders, amphibious assault kits, deep-sea kits, artillery packs, armor improvements, troop-carrier refits, powerful weaponry. It'll be fun. I promise.)

(more mechanics to come)