The Interceptor-B was developed by S-Mart technicians in response to a series of requisites laid down for a new multi-role power armor unit for Wa-Daisho's armed forces. Since time was a critical factor in the design process of this new suit, naturally S-Mart turned towards existing power armor chassis to accomplish the desired ends. The result was the highly modified Interceptor-B, an Inteceptor-A frame nearly maxed out to it's maximum capabilities. While this allowed it to fill it's desired capabilities - it's shortcoming would be it's lack of room for future development. Since Wa-Daisho needed these power armor units as soon as possible, they accepted the design after a brief evaluation period that put no weight on the "developability" issue. Following their acceptance, Wa-Daisho purchased the tooling and a license to produce the Interceptor-B under contract in Wa-Daisho under the name "Kamiken". While Wa-Daisho produces these for their own use, S-Mart also produces them for commercial distribution. Their versatile capabilities at a relatively low price makes them quite popular among mercenaries.
The Interceptor-B still looks much like the Interceptor-A. The primary differences is the lack of the bulky backfire packs and some significant modifications to the legs permitting the more powerful servos that allow for the increased running speed.
Model Type: S-Mart Interceptor-B and Republican Industries Kamiken.
Class: Medium Assault Power Armor.
Crew: 1.
M.D.C. by Location:
*Head - 90.
Arms (2) - 90 each.
Legs (2) - 180 each.
**EMT-5 Universal Turbine Pack - 175.
*LC-1A Laser Cannons (2) - 50 each.
*L & N Vibro Weapons Vibro No-Dachi - 20.
*RFFC-17/Type 13/15 RFFC - 50.
***Main Body - 300.
* 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.
** The Universal Turbine Pack is a back mounted composite unit of twin aquatic thrusters and six small turbines at the sides, permitting forward "head first" flight or water propulsion.
*** Once the M.D.C. of the main body is depleted the power armor shuts down completely, and is useless.
Performance
Maximum Running Speed: 120 mph; Note that the act of running does tire it's operator, but at 8% the usual fatigue rate.
Leaping: The powerful robot legs can leap 15' high or across without the jet thrusters. A jet 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 500' for up to 6 hours before requiring at least an hour cooling period. Decrease this flying speed by 5 mph for every 25 Lb. of the pilot's body weight and additional cargo weight over 150 Lb.
Maximum Swimming Speed: 4 mph using typical swimming type motions, or may run along the bottom of the ocean at half it's normal running speed. The unit may also propel itself at up to 65 mph underwater via use of the underwater thrusters. Reduce this speed by 5 mph for every 25 Lb. of the pilot's body weight and additional cargo weight over 150 Lb.
Maximum Safe Diving Depth: The unit is safe from the water tight seal being ruptured up to 1.2 miles in depth.
Statistical Data:
Height: 7'.
Width: 4'.
Length: 3'.
Weight: 988 Lb. fully loaded, not counting the pilot for the Interceptor-B produced by S-Mart. Those produced in Wa-Daisho, using the Type 7 VSPL over the forearms, and the Type 13/15 RFFCs weigh 990 Lb. (Can accomodate a 150 Lb. pilot without decreasing flight performance - for every 25 Lb. over this amount decrease the base speed by 25 mph, and the flight endurance by 10 minutes.)
Physical Strength: Equal to a P.S. of 30.
Power System: Nuclear; 5 year average energy life.
Cargo: A storage locker inside contains enough space for a survival kit, a side arm, a hand held radio, and a few energy clips.
Market Cost: S-Mart began marketing the Interceptor-B after completing the transaction with Wa-Daisho. Despite it's high price, the suit's versatility makes it extremely desireable to mercenaries who operate in a variety of fields of combat. Cost per fully loaded Interceptor-B is 2.7 million credits. Wa-Daisho does not sell their Republican Industries Kamiken for any reason, and are forbidden to do so by the terms of their license with S-Mart. Occasionally the black market will steal a suit or two of this type, and sell it to parties that are particularly interested in Alliance equipment, cost then is normally in the field of 3-5 million credits, but it also includes the Republican Industries Type 13/15 RFFC.
Weapon Systems
1. S-Mart RFFC-17 Rapid Fire Field Cannon: The original Kamiken, and the Interceptor-B still produced by S-Mart, are produced with an RFFC-17 as their standard issue weapon. The RFFC-17 is like all RFFCs in basic function. An RFFC is a 20 mm cannon that fires shells using conventional propellant. The difference between a 20 mm cannon and a rapid fire field cannon is the bursting nature, and electro-magnetic accelleration banks along the barrel that accellerates a burst of two shells to high supersonic speeds. The result is a heavy hit with a small armor piercing explosion at the end.
Primary Purpose: Anti-Armor.
Secondary Purpose: Anti-Personnel.
Mega-Damage: 2D4x10 M.D. per dual shell burst.
Rate of Fire: Equal to the users combined hand to hand attacks.
Maximum Effective Range: 2,000'.
Payload: The Interceptor-B & early Kamiken varieties thereof each are equipped with a built in drum, in the back, that contains 100 shells, for a total of 50 dual shell bursts. Energy needs are fed via a cable leading into the suit's power grid.
2. Republican Industries Type 13/15 Rapid Fire Field Cannon: Although the early Kamiken manufactured in Wa-Daisho were outfitted with the RFFC-17, a longer ranged weapon was desired from the start. Less than six months after licensed manufacturing of the RFFC-17 began, technicians in Wa-Daisho began working on a modified form of the weapon with the intention of developing a subvariant with a longer range. They soon discovered that with an additional twin bank of electro-magnetic accellerators they could increase the velocity of the shell, and with the addition of an additional length of barrel they could increase the range and accuracy of the shell.
Primary Purpose: Anti-Armor.
Secondary Purpose: Anti-Personnel.
Mega-Damage: 2D4x10 M.D. per dual shell burst.
Rate of Fire: Equal to the users combined hand to hand attacks.
Maximum Effective Range: 5,000'.
Payload: The Kamiken carries the same built in ammo drum that contains 100 shells, for a total of 50 dual shell bursts. Energy needs are fed via cable leading into the suit's power grid.
3. S-Mart LC-1A Forearm Laser Cannons (2): These forearm mounted laser cannons are used as secondary weapons in combat primarily for defense or for lesser priority targets. What this weapon has over other laser cannons is that it fires a blue-green spectrum laser - a frequency of laser that is unhindered by underwater actions. Only the S-Mart Interceptor-B and the early Kamiken varieties carried this weapon type.
Primary Purpose: Defense.
Secondary Purpose: Anti-Personnel.
Mega-Damage: 1D4x10 M.D.
Rate of Fire: Equal to the users combined hand to hand attacks.
Maximum Effective Range: 1,800'.
Payload: Effectively unlimited; thanks to the nuclear power supply.
4. Republican Industries Type 7 VSPL (2): As a cost saving measure, the later Republican Industries produced Kamiken adapted the Type 7 Variable Spectrum Pulse Laser Rifle to the forearm mounting on the Interceptor-B frame. The result was a much shorter range and a lesser damaging weapon - but saved the Republic of Wa-Daisho a few thousand credits for every Kamiken produced. These weapons, like the ALC-1A, use a variable spectrum feature that allows the user to switch between blue-green and red settings, depending on the theatre of operations necessary.
Primary Purpose: Defense.
Secondary Purpose: Anti-Personnel.
Mega-Damage: 1D6+4 M.D. or 2D6 M.D. for a single round pulse, 5D6 M.D. or 6D6 M.D. for a triple pulse burst. (The lesser of the damage listings is for the Blue Green frequency setting.)
Rate of Fire: Equal to the users combined hand to hand attacks.
Maximum Effective Range: 800'.
Payload: Effectively unlimited; thanks to the nuclear power supply.
5. L & N Vibro Weapons Vibro No-Dachi: This large sized, curved, Japanese style sword resembles a Katana in the hands of an Interceptor-B/Kamiken. It is retained on hand as a secondary weapon, for in the event of close quarters combat where secondary damage might be a problem.
Primary Purpose: Anti-Personnel.
Secondary Purpose: Defense.
Mega-Damage: +4D6 M.D., in addition to punch damage.
Payload: Effectively unlimited; thanks to the nuclear power supply.
6. L & N Vibro Weapons Vibro Claws: These foot long claws spring out of a concealed position on the forearms, giving the Interceptor-B/Kamiken a nasty disposition in close quarters combat.
Primary Purpose: Anti-Personnel.
Secondary Purpose: Defense.
Mega-Damage: +2D6 M.D., in addition to punch damage.
Payload: Effectively unlimited; thanks to the nuclear power supply.
7. Systems of Note: This unit incorporates all the usual environmental features found in power armor including environmental protection, environmental control, air filtration, an independant 10 hour supply of air, heat and radiation shielding.
1. H.U.D. Wideband Interface & Low Boost Control Systems: 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 "Amplified Hearing". The actual controls of the Interceptor-B are of the low boost variety that begin to read nerve impulses in limbs, and begin to react to this impulse a nanosecond before the limbs of the pilot actually begin to move. While not as sensitive as the high boost reflex control systems available, it does provide a slight advantage in reflexes.
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 Interceptor-B, 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. Military Radar & Tracking Computer: The radar system of the Interceptor-B covers a one hundred and twenty degree arc in front of the suit to detect distant objects. Unlike the more primitive types used elsewhere as well as the civilian radar type also offered by S-Mart, S-Mart's military radar system is more sensitive to changes in environment. Thus if deployed to a city scape, and a man in body armor steps out from behind a wall for a moment before ducking back, and the pilot does not notice it the radar will momentarily send out a tone and the targeting computer will indicate the spot where it was seen. The range of this model is a respectable 25 miles. The tracking computer can keep tabs on up to 50 targets, and indicate speed, course, and similar.
10. 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. A note towards the safety of I.F.F. - is that the codes are very difficult to break. As the Interceptor-B is strictly a commercial variety, all Interceptor-B I.F.F. Transponder Systems are programmed as civilian models, which allows N.O.M.A.D. Military types to automatically read their signals. In turn all that the civilian type would read about a N.O.M.A.D. Military type is; "MILITARY, HEADING XXX, ALT XXX, SPD XXX".
11. Laser Targeting System: On the exterior of the helmet, just beside the visor, is an advanced laser targeting system and range finder that provides a true point of impact for a weapon's aim, by shining a laser on the target. This provides a +1 to strike when targets are within 6,000'. (The range is reduced to 3,000' when underwater.)
12. Improvements Available: The Interceptor-B basic layout is quite close to being expended to it's fullest, with only a small amount of space remaining for additional systems to be installed. Remaining system requirement slots are as follows, the first number is internal, second is external. Head 0/17.5, Left Arm 15/0, Right Arm 15/0, Left Leg 10/30, Right Leg 10/30, and Main Body 7.5/10.
8. Hand to Hand Combat Abilities: In addition to Power Armor Basic or Elite pilot training, the Interceptor-B enjoys the following bonuses;
+1 to strike.
+1 to parry.
+3 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 is a modified image from R. Talsorian's "Cyberpunk 2020®" as seen in their source book Maximum Metal. In the source book it is seen as the Dynalar/Zetatech Grasshopper. This is by no means an attempt to steal the hard working efforts of R. Talsorian Inc's authors or artists, but merely used here as a means of utilizing interesting designs from their source materials, inside of Palladium Books' RIFTS.
