In the spring of 115PA, a series of unfortunate events took place that laid waste to a handful of city blocks in the capital city of Desert Star. The reason for the destruction was the apprehension of fugitives suspected of robbing a jewelry store, by a N.O.M.A.D. Military unit, part of which was composed of S-Mart Nemesis power armor suits. These fast suits are designed to support armored vehicles in the field with heavy duty firepower - NOT urban combat. The account of this story is told in a short story called "Solved the Crime, but...". This is where the history of the Crimestopper begins.
After the destruction wrought upon Star City during the apprehension of the fugitives that robbed the jewelry store, Colonel Wess Jackson indeed went to bat for Sergeant Paige Welleness and Captain Zeemal Toruthey, getting them both out of trouble scott free, failing even to attain that demotion in rank for Captain Toruthey. The result of the approach to the Senate indeed stirred up interest in a civil defense suit of power armor. While initially it was discussed to go with an all new design it was quickly decided that it would be cheaper and more efficient to use an already proven design for the task at hand. S-Mart proposed then an Interceptor-C model they named the "Crimestopper". The Crimestopper would carry no heavy anti-armor weapons or weapons that could lay a city block to waste, instead it would carry weapons that specialize in stunning, or in relatively light damage - such as conventional firearms and pulse lasers. Running at 150 mph, like the Nemesis was also deemed unnecessary, as driving along Desert Star streets never permitted such fast travel anyway. What the Crimestopper would possess in mobility over the Nemesis though is that it could fly or make jet assisted leaps. Such a chase as the one described in the apprehension of the jewel thieves would easily have been ended by a leaping suit that could land on a vehicle and disable it. What this resulted in was a suit that could easily provide the heavy support necessary in civil defense duties while still not providing so much firepower that it could "accidentally" lay waste to entire city blocks. The Crimestopper entered preliminary service at the beginning of March 116PA, and by May it was standard issue for inner city assignments where heavy combat was unnecessary. Three hundred suits of Crimestopper were acquired by the N.O.M.A.D. Military, and a further two hundred and fifty more were produced by S-Mart for sale. Thus far fifty have been acquired by Lazlo, Kingsdale has ordered ten, and several other independant Kingdoms are expressing an interest but have not yet submitted any orders. The Coalition States has made a note of this suit and is considering retrofitting a number of their old style SAMAS as urban ISS units.
Model Type: Interceptor-C
Class: Urban Security Power Armor.
Crew: 1.
M.D.C. by Location:
*Head - 65.
Arms (2) - 65 each.
Legs (2) - 130 each.
Lawman's Pistol - 45.
*Sensory Extention (1; Head) - 25.
**Main Body - 200.
* These designated areas of the armor are small and difficult targets to hit, so therefore may only be
struck with a penalty of -3 to strike.
** Once the M.D.C. of the unit is depleted, the armor is in tatters resulting in a total systems shut down.
Performance:
Maximum Running Speed: 75 mph; Note that the act of running does tire it's operator, but at 10% the usual fatigue rate.
Leaping: The powerful robot legs can leap 10' high or across without the jet thrusters. A leg thruster assisted leap can hurl the unit up to 100' high or across.
Maximum Flying Speed: The unit can fly at a maximum speed of 120 mph, at an altitude of up to 3,000' for up to 2 hours before requiring at least an hour cooling period.
Maximum Swimming Speed: 4 mph using typical swimming type motions. Additionally the unit may run along the bottom of a body of water at half it's normal running speed.
Maximum Safe Diving Depth: The unit is safe from the water tight seal being ruptured up to 900' in depth.
Statistical Data:
Height: 7'. (7'5" with the radio antenna.)
Width: 3'9".
Length: 4'.
Weight: 475 Lb. fully loaded, not including the weight of the pilot.
Cargo: Two small compartments are included in each leg. In the right a clip of web net grenades and a clip of flash/stun grenades are stowed. In the left a clip of tear gas and a clip of smoke grenades are stowed. Each compartment also contains three clips of 12.7 mm ramjet machine cannon ammunition.
Physical Strength: Equal to a P.S. of 25.
Power System: Nuclear, average energy life of 5 years.
Market/Black Market Cost: 800,000 credits for a new, fully loaded, Crimestopper.
Weapon Systems:
1. Lawman's Pistol: This is an over sized pistol that is a composite between a modified RMC-1 12.7 mm Ramjet Machine Cannon and an LPL-3 Light Pulse Laser, designed to provide the Crimestopper with an effective, though not too destructive, weapon for urban civil defense. The RMC-1 is outfitted with a special form of frangible ammunition that shatters upon impact with solid substances such as body armor, bone, and even wood.
Primary Purpose: Fugitive Apprehension.
Secondary Purpose: Anti-Personnel.
Damage/Mega-Damage: Pulse Laser: 6D6 M.D. per 3 round pulse burst. 12.7 mm Frangible Ramjet Rounds: 6D6 S.D.C. per shot, or 3D4x10 S.D.C. for three round burst of frangible rounds.
Rate of Fire: Standard; Aimed, Burst, or Wild.
Maximum Effective Range: 2,000' for the pulse laser, 1,200' for the ramjet machine cannon.
Payload: The pulse laser is effectively unlimited, thanks to the nuclear power supply. The ramjet machine cannon component takes clips, loaded into the top of the weapon. Each clip contains 20 rounds of frangible ramjet rounds. A total of seven clips of ammunition are carried, which must be divided between the Lawman's Pistol and the RMC-2. A back mounted ammo drum with 600 rounds of ammunition can be substituted if the mission calls for it, giving the weapon a payload of 600 rounds.
2. S-Mart RMC-2 12.7 mm Ramjet Machine Cannon: This right forearm mounted weapon is a secondary lethal capability weapon. It is outfitted with high density conventional ramjet rounds, capable of inflicting great damage.
Primary Purpose: Fugitive Apprehension.
Secondary Purpose: Defense.
Mega-Damage: 4D6 M.D. per burst of ten rounds.
Rate of Fire: Equal to the users hand to hand attacks.
Maximum Effective Range: 1,200'.
Payload: The forearm mounted RMC-2 is designed to accomodate clips of ammunition with 20 rounds in each. A back mounted ammo drum with 600 rounds of ammunition can be substituted if the mission calls for it, giving the weapon a payload of 60 bursts.
3. S-Mart SB-1 Stun Blaster: This right forearm mounted weapon fires a low intensity ion blast at a target then sends a pulse of electricity down the ionized path to strike the target. In practice it looks like a lightning bolt striking the target. While it does inflict damage it is only meant to short-circuit it's target's nervous system - knocking them out. On the low setting children or the infirm struck with this weapon MAY be killed. On it's high setting it will kill most any ordinary human, and stun supernaturals.
Primary Purpose: Fugitive Apprehension.
Secondary Purpose: Defense.
Damage/Mega-Damage: 3D6 S.D.C. on the low setting and 1D4 M.D. on high setting. In either case, if the criminal survives he/she must save against neural attack (16 or higher), or the person will be knocked unconscious for 1D4 minutes. (Note: The Mega-Damage setting WILL knock a supernatural creature unconscious, but only those with less than 150 M.D.C., all others merely find it a painful jolt.)
Rate of Fire: Equal to the users hand to hand attacks.
Maximum Effective Range: 50'.
Payload: Effectively unlimited, thanks to the nuclear power supply.
4. S-Mart GL-2 40 mm High Velocity Grenade Launcher: This weapon has been added for non-lethal applications. It is mounted in the left forearm and draws it's ammunition from a clip slipped into the inside surface of the forearm.
Primary Purpose: Urban Combat.
Secondary Purpose: Non-Lethal Subduction.
Damage/Mega-Damage: Varies with grenade type. Typically non-lethal varieties are used by the Crimestopper.
Rate of Fire: Equal to the users hand to hand attacks.
Maximum Effective Range: 1,800'.
Payload: 5 per clip. Comes standard with five clips of grenades, one in the weapon, and two stowed in each of the leg storage compartments. Market standard for these five is two clips of stun/flash grenades, two clips of tear gas grenades, and one clip of smoke grenades.
5. Systems of Note: This unit incorporates all the usual environmental features found in power armor including environmental protection, environmental control, air filtration, an independant 6 hour supply of air, heat and radiation shielding. Note however that this suit does NOT incorporate a radar system.
1. H.U.D. Wideband Interface: This system is one of the most common systems used throughout post-cataclysm Earth in power armor. Instead of relying upon human vision it operates using a wide angle lense camera to take in the scene. Built into the helmet it often sits directly in front of the pilot's face, concealed behind a curved LCD screen. With this model a full one hundred and twenty degree field of vision is attained AND it has no ill effects on the power armor operative. This system provides full integration of all systems in a comprehensive H.U.D. (Heads Up Display). Unlike the common systems found elsewhere, this type is joined with a more advanced targeting computer that allows up to two weapons to be trained on a target at once. The audio level in the H.U.D. Wideband Interface is advanced beyond normal human hearing, becoming only slightly less sensitive than the cybernetic implant called amplified hearing.
2. Anti-Dazzle Protection: This is essentially nothing more than a polarized film on the sensors that react to the ambient light. Thus if a bright flash occurs in the face of the Crimestopper, the lense turns nearly black for an instant, and then quickly changes back to normal - protecting the operator from being dazzled.
3. Infrared Optics: This system allows the user to see the heat emanating from an object. It can be set to be white hot or black hot, depending on operating status. If in combat black hot would be best to avoid being blinded by explosions and similar. While in passive mode, outside of combat, white hot would be best, so as things like body heat would better stand out. The range of this system is 2,000'.
4. Nightvision Optics: This system uses the ambient light from starlight, moonlight and similar to allow a sort of green-tinged vision beyond normal visual ranges for a human. The range of this system is 2,000'.
5. Macrovision Optics: These optics are essentially like a microscope, capable of magnifying objects hundreds of times, from a distance of 6'. This is a useful system for analyzing clues in the field, such as tracks, spent shell casings and similar.
6. Telescopic Optics: These are exactly as they sound, telescopic optics that enhance the image of far away objects. At a range of 6,000' an object appears only 100' away, as an example. The range of this system is 6,000' effectively - but it can enhance the image of objects further away yet still, they just are not quite so well detailed.
7. Thermal Imaging Optics: This is very similar to the Infrared Optics in the sense that it detects heat, but unlike the imprecise nature of the infrared optics, this measures the heat signature precisely displaying them in colorful shades of reds, yellows, greens and blues with various degrees of heat. The thermal imaging optics are also far more sensitive than the infrared optics, actually allowing them to see heat through walls of structures at certain distances. The range of this system is 2,000', but it can only see heat through an obstacle such as a brick wall from 100'.
8. Military Radio & Scrambler: This is the same radio equipment, bolt for bolt, microchip for microchip, as the system found on the USA-G10 Glitterboy. The broadcast range is a modest 50 miles. By resetting the radio transmitter inside the armor to an elevated position, however, the same transmitter can achieve a fairly consistent 500 mile range using atmospheric bounce. Atmospheric anomalys can extend this range still further or can completely disable the radio system within a set radius, it just depends on the circumstances. The scrambler system allows the radio signals to be scrambled to all those not equipped with the correct scrambling codes.
9. I.F.F. Transponder System: This system transmits data such as alpha-numeric designation code, course, mission, base of operations, and unit, via radio signal, to other similarly equipped military stations, vehicles, and power armor suits that have been programmed with the correct access codes. This allows a friendly N.O.M.A.D. soldier in an S-Mart Vulture, overflying a pair of Crimestoppers, to quickly determine who these individuals are. This also allows field commanders to keep far better track of their policemen. A further feature of this system is that it functions well as a distress beacon. A note towards the safety of I.F.F. - is that the codes are very difficult to break. Since the N.O.M.A.D. Military periodically changes their I.F.F. safety codes - attempts to crack the codes that have taken weeks of supercomputer analysis - are for naught. Those Crimestoppers that are sold DO include this system but it is programmed as a civilian system, readily read by N.O.M.A.D. Military programmed I.F.F. transponders.
10. Operational Recorder: A silent unseen partner to the officer to bare unbiased witness to all situations encountered. Up to 96 hours of rescue footage may be filmed.
11. Grapnel Launcher & Winch: In the palm of the right hand of the power armor is a pneumatic grapnel launcher and winch. This permits the officer to span large horizontal distances not appropriate for leaping, rappel from rooftops, swing down into windows, ensnare fleeing suspects, set up motorcyclist traps, etc. The maximum range is 300', due to the pneumatic launcher mechanism the grapnel is attached to. The cable is very strong, and capable of supporting a whopping one and a quarter tons.
12. Sensory Extension: On the left rear side of the Crimestopper's helmet is a telescoping periscope type device that can be used to see around corners, over ledges, and through small spaces without exposing the entire suit to danger. It has a 2' reach when extended, and any of the Crimestopper's optic systems may be used through this system.
10. Fire Extinguisher: In the palm of the left hand of the power armor is a CO/2 foam fire extinguisher used to clear doorways and small rooms for rescue operations. Each use will successfully extinguish a 6' diameter area of fire. This can be done four times before needing to be reloaded.
11. Improvements Available: The Crimestopper's basic layout is far from overextended in fact there remains a GREAT deal of room for improvement in terms of the number of systems that can be carried. Remaining system requirement slots are as follows, the first number is internal, second is external. Head 5/15, Left Arm 5/0, Right Arm 5/20, Left Leg 17.5/22.5, Right Leg 17.5/22.5, and Main Body 40/32.5.
6. Hand to Hand Combat Abilities: In addition to Power Armor Basic or Elite pilot training, the Crimestopper enjoys the following bonuses;
+2 to strike with ranged weapon systems
Punch: 1D6 M.D.
Power Punch: 2D6 M.D.
Kick: 1D6 M.D.
Leap Kick: 2D6 M.D.
Body Flip/Throw: 1D6+3 M.D.
Body Block/Tackle: 1D6+3 M.D.
The picture used above to depict the S-Mart Interceptor-C, Crimestopper, is based on a suit of power armor seen in the R. Talsorian Games, Cyberpunk 2020® sourcebook Maximum Metal, with modifications made to represent this suit type. In the source book it is seen as the Dynalar/Zetatech Grasshopper. This reproduction image was made, pixel by pixel, on Windows Paint, and converted to gif format using Print Shop Photo Pro 2.0.
