Chipwell “War Troll” Heavy Power Armor:
Another quality product from Chipwell Armaments Inc., the War Troll is the perfect power armor for those with a limited budget. Chipwell is known for high quality products such as the CAS-30 Assault Suit and CAI-100 Warmonger Combat Suit. The War Troll only uses the best field tested weapon systems but is still quite affordable when compared to the competition. It is perfect for both large militaries and small self defense forces. The War Troll is one of the heaviest armed power armors available in North America with a 90-mm anti-armor cannon as the main weapon supported with missile launchers and fully automatic anti-personnel weapons. It has super heavy armor which is able to withstand several direct hits from missiles or heavy rail guns. Pilots have evaluated the War Troll and have described it as a flying tank. The War Troll can perform many roles including that of flying infantry, infantry support aircraft, and even heavy armor. Order yours today. Chipwell Armaments Inc. is taking orders for the power armor now.
"I'd feel a lot better about this thing if they could explain what that throbbing and rattling noise is that starts up whenever you try goosing this thing up to max airborne speed...I tried asking about it when I took it in for regular servicing, and I swear the salesperson started sweating..."
"Got a flash from our intelligence sources inside Oklahoma...word is several supply convoys came in at Whykin with nothing but crates from Chipwell Armaments...Crates big and heavy enough to hold two or three War Trolls apiece...Add that to the reports that the local Deadboys have been supervising construction of expanded barracks outside their regular bases there, and building a new rail depot on the maglev spur...Given the shellacking the Coalition Army took at Tolkeen and the official communications traffic out of the 'Burbs around the CS, MilEval thinks the Coalition's 'Loyalty Brigades' are going to become a reality...and guess who gets to be the first big concept test?"
Contrary to ads produced by Chipwell Armaments Inc., Chipwell is known to produce some of the cheapest robot vehicle designs available on Rift's Earth. The War Troll is no exception although it is among the best products actually produced by the company. It is based on a pre-rifts Chinese power armor design which was named 'Troll' by the American power armor pilots who had to fight it. The Chipwell version is definitely inferior to the Chinese design and have a reduced sensor suite and less powerful weapon in general. The War Troll, contrary to the suggestions of the manufacture, is barely equal in firepower to the SAMAS and other power armors. All of the advanced equipment on the War Troll are actually weapon systems purchased from other companies. This includes the fusion reactor, flight thrusters, sensor systems, and missile launchers. Chipwell used a damaged “Troll” power armor as the basis for their design. Many of the systems were missing from the armor and so common systems were substituted. Chipwell has produced several prototypes but was delayed with many problems with the first few prototypes. Most of the problems have been worked out and Chipwell is planning to begin manufacturing the armor within a few months. Even with its weaknesses, the War Troll will likely still be far cheaper than SAMAS power armors sold on the black market. Chipwell is also trying to interest the Coalition in purchasing the heavy power armor for 'Disposable' troops.
Chipwell was able to cut costs on the design in several ways. Even though the armor carried on the Chinese Troll is primitive, the armor carried on the War Troll is actually of lower quality and does not give as much protection. The fusion reactor is identical to the CAS-30 Assault Suit and has only a five year lifespan. Like the original Troll power armor, the War Troll does not produce enough power to power energy weapons and the War Troll is slower in flight than the original Troll. The cooling system is actually superior on the Chipwell armor and can fly longer without needed to cool down the system. The War Troll power armor is only partially environmental and a smart pilot will wear a light suit of environmental body armor. The power armor does have a gas and toxin filtration system but does not have independent life support system. Sensor systems are reduced compared to most power armors and system is mainly limited to a radar tracking system and laser targeting. Communication systems are also short range only systems.
The main weapon of the “War Troll” is a 90-mm recoilless cannon. The weapon was originally designed in the second half of the Twentieth Century and is truly ancient. The problem is that the weapon can only be fired infrequently although the weapon on the War Troll is improved compared to the original weapon. Several prototype recoilless cannons cracked in testing and one even exploded when fired. In the improved model, one shot every five seconds can be fired up to ten shots in rapid fire succession. After then, the recoilless rifle must cool down for ten minutes. A sustained rate of fire of one round every thirty seconds can be maintained. The secondary weapon is an old Browning M2HB .50 Machine-gun. As Chipwell suggests, this weapon is very well field tested and was the standard American heavy machine-gun for around one hundred years and was not replaced until powerful liquid propellant machine-guns entered service. The problem is that the machine-gun is underpowered compared to rail guns even though it uses Wellington Ramjet ammunition. Chipwell does plan to offer the Wellington WI-GL20 Automatic Grenade Launcher instead of the heavy machine-gun but increases the power armors cost. The grenade launcher is also magazine fed and has a much smaller payload than the machine-gun. The War Troll also is designed to mount two mini-missile launchers although they are actually optional. The launchers are modified WI-23 Missile Launchers and are mounted in the same fashion as the missile launchers in the Warmonger Combat Suit.
Model Type: CAHPA-200
Class: Heavy Armored Flying Power Armor
Crew: One
M.D.C. by Location:
| Shoulder Mounted WI-23 Mini-Missile Launchers (2): | 10 each | |
| M67 90 mm Recoilless Cannon (1, Right Arm): | 40 | |
| Browning 12.7 mm M2HB Heavy Machine Gun (1, Left Arm): | 12 | |
| WI-GL 21 Automatic Grenade Launcher (1, Optional, Left Arm): | 50 | |
| [2] Shoulder Wings (2) | 40 each | |
| Twin Air-Intake Jets (2; Sides of Cockpit) | 40 each | |
| Main Rear Jets (4) | 50 each | |
| [1] Hands (2): | 25 each | |
| Arms (2): | 80 each | |
| Legs (2): | 120 each | |
| Reinforced Pilot’s Compartment: | 80 | |
| [3] Main Body | 320 |
Notes:
[1] These locations are small and difficult targets to strike, requiring
the attacker to make a “called shot,” but even then the attacker is -4
to strike.
[2] Destroying one wing will make flight impossible. However, even
with no wing(s) the War Troll Power Armor can make jet powered leaps and
hover stationary above the ground.
[3] Depleting the M.D.C. of the main body will shut the unit down completely,
rendering it useless.
Speed:
Running: 40 mph (64.4 kph) maximum. Note that the act of running
does NOT tire out its operator. Cruising speed is a more cautious 30 mph(48.3
kph). Well suited for most terrains, including underwater.
Leaping: The heavy power armor cannot leap without thruster
assistance. With jet assistance, the War Troll can leap up to 30 feet (9.1
meters) high and can 60 feet (18.3 meters) across without actually attaining
flight.
Flying: The wings and thrusters enable the War Troll heavy power
armor to hover stationary in mid-air or fly. Maximum flying speed is 124.3
mph (200 kph), but cruising speed is considered to be 74.6 mph (120 kph).
Maximum altitude is limited to about 656.2 feet (200 meters).
Maximum Effective Range: Conditionally unlimited. The fusion reactor gives power
for years of service, but the jet thrusters get hot and need to cool for
an hour after a maximum of four hours of flight when traveling at speeds
above cruising, and eight hours at or below cruising speed.
Underwater Capabilities: Due to the fact that the cockpit is
not fully environmentally sealed, the Chipwell armor cannot operate underwater.
Water would leak into the cockpit and destroy the electronics.
Statistical Data
Height: 16.1 feet (4.9 meters)
Width: 14.8 feet (4.5 meters) with wings folded, 32.2 feet (9.8
meters) with wings extended.
Length: 12.8 feet (3.9 meters)
Weight: 7.4 tons (6.7 metric tons) fully loaded
Physical Strength: Equal to a P.S. 32
Cargo: A small 2.3 foot (0.7 meter) on a side storage compartment
behind pilot seat for extra clothing, weapons, and personal items
Power System: Nuclear Fusion with average life span of 5 years
Black Market Cost: Chipwell is advertising the Power Armor for
800,000 Credits without the Mini-Missile launchers and 850,000 Credits
with the two mini-missile launchers. The automatic grenade launcher costs
an additional 150,000 credits.
Weapon Systems:
- Improved M67 90-mm Recoilless Rifle (1): This weapon is mounted
on the right arm of the heavy power and is the main gun of the power armor.
While nominally considered to be a very powerful weapon, a smaller electro-thermal
cannon is considered to be more powerful. The biggest problem is that the
weapon gets very hot and must cool down or risk cracking or exploding.
The War Troll does not have an interrupt system to prevent this and pilots
must be very careful to count their shots. If safety margins are exceeded,
there is a 10% chance per shot that the cannon will crack and a 1% chance
that the cannon will explode. The sound the cannon makes will change when
the barrel cracks but there will be no actual warning systems. There is
also no safety system that prevents fire if the cannon is cracked and the
cannon will explode in the next shot. If the cannon explodes, the arm carrying
the gun will have 2D6x10 M.D.C. inflicted on it and the main body will have
1D6x10 M.D.C. inflicted on it.
Maximum Effective Range: 2624.7 feet (800 meters) but can be fired at up to 6889.8 feet (2100 meters) with a -2 penalty to strike
Mega Damage: High Explosive: 5D6 with a 15 foot (4.6 meter) blast radius, Armor Piercing Anti-Tank: 1D6x10
Rate of Fire:High speed rate of fire of three rounds per melee (one every five seconds) for up to ten rounds. Recoilless Rifle must then cool down for ten minutes. Can fire a sustained rate of fire of two rounds per minute (one round every thirty seconds) without needing to cool down.
Payload: 30 Round Internal Magazines. - Left Arm Weapon Mount (1): The primary weapon designed for
the War Troll is a .50 Caliber machine-gun but an automatic grenade launcher
is also available for the power armor. A technician could theoretically
mount other weapon systems but due to power requirements, no energy weapons
could draw power from the fusion reactor powering the armor. The mount
is not a quick change style and requires several hours to switch the weapon
system carried.
- 12.7 millimeter Browning M2HB Machine-gun: Standard issue
weapon for the War Troll power armor. The machine-gun uses special Wellington
Ram-Jet ammunition to increase damage but is still underpowered when compared
to most rail guns. The weapon was originally designed in the early part
of the Twentieth Century and extremely effective until the invention of
high strength body armors.
Weight: 128 lbs (58 kg)
Maximum Effective Range: 3,000 feet (914.4 meters)
Mega Damage: Single shot does 1D4 and 40 round burst does 5D6.
Rate of Fire: Equal to pilot’s hand to hand (usually 5 or 6).
Payload: 800 rounds (20 bursts). - WI-GL 21 Automatic Grenade Launcher: This weapon is not standard
issue but is an optional weapon system. Still, the extra firepower the
weapon gives is well worth the cost increase. The major weakness of the
weapon is that it has a limited payload and is magazine fed. The War Troll
does carry two additional magazine but due to limited dexterity of the
power armor, it requires a full melee to reload.
Weight: 130 lbs (59 kg)
Maximum Effective Range: 3,000 feet (914 meters)
Mega-Damage: 4D6 for Fragmentation with a blast area of 12 feet (3.7 meters) and 1D4x10 for Armor Piercing with a blast area of 3 feet (0.9 meters), burst of 10 rounds does 2D6x10 for Fragmentation with a blast area of 40 feet (12.2 meters) and 3D6x10 for Armor Piercing with a blast area of 8 feet (2.4 meters).
Rate of Fire: Equal to pilot’s hand to hand (usually 5 or 6).
Payload: 40 round magazines (carries 2 additional magazines but require one melee (15 seconds) to reload.)
- 12.7 millimeter Browning M2HB Machine-gun: Standard issue
weapon for the War Troll power armor. The machine-gun uses special Wellington
Ram-Jet ammunition to increase damage but is still underpowered when compared
to most rail guns. The weapon was originally designed in the early part
of the Twentieth Century and extremely effective until the invention of
high strength body armors.
- Shoulder Mounted WI-23 Mini-Missile Launchers (2): Mini-missile
launchers are simply two Wellington Mini-Missile launchers which are mounted
on the shoulders and are tied into the power armor's fire control system.
The box launchers can be quickly reloaded by crews outside the power armor
but the war troll does not carry an additional mini-missiles.
Maximum Effective Range: Varies by Mini-Missile Type - Usually one mile / 1.6 km (See revised bomb and missile tables for details.)
Mega-Damage: By Mini-Missile Type - 1D4x10 Armor Piercing / 1D6x10 Plasma (See revised bomb and missile tables for details.)
Rate of Fire: Can fire mini-mssiles one at a time or in volleys of two (2 - One per launcher) mini-missiles.
Payload: 12 Mini-Missiles (6 per launcher) - Energy Rifles or Light Rail Gun and other hand-held weapons can be substituted in an emergency or used as a back-up weapon. Space limitations and the bulk of the armor limit additional weapons to one and weapons cannot draw from power armors power supply. Due to low manual dexterity, power armor has a -1 to strike with hand held weapons (does not apply to hard mounted weapons)
- Hand to Hand Combat: Rather than use a weapon, The pilot can engage in mega-damage hand to hand combat. See Basic and Elite Power Armor Combat Training in the Robot Combat section of Rifts, page 45. All abilities are the same except has a penalty of -2 to dodge penalty and -1 to initiative.
Special Equipment:
The Chipwell power armor does not have all the standard equipment of
most power armors.
- Short Range Radar: Power Armor is equipped with a short range radar. Radar system has a range of 10 miles (16 km) and can identify and track up to 24 targets.
- Combat / Targeting Computer: System calculates, stores, and transmits data onto the display of the power armor. Computer assists in the tracking of targets. The system also has a data base of targets and has the ability to identify most common targets.
- Laser Targeting System: The system is designed to assist in the selection and focusing on a specific target. System gives a bonus of +1 to strike using long range weapons but must have line of sight. As well, most mini-missiles are designed to follow the laser beam to the target.
- Infra-Red / Laser Detector: The system is designed to detect any infrared or laser beams which paint or target the power armor. Power armor has special sensors built into the exterior every few inches. Sensors gives strength of the signal and the person can often determine if they have been detected from signal strength.
- Radar Detector: System is designed to passively detect other radars being operated. System give information such as relative strength and number of signals. Sensors gives strength of the signal and the person can often determine if they have been detected from signal strength.
- Short Range Radio: Directional, Short Range radio is built into the power armor. Radio range is 20 miles (32 km). Also fitted with a radio scrambler to prevent others from easily listening in on communications.
- High Temperature Insulation: Power armors are more from high temperature materials that is designed to resist temperatures up to 400 degrees centigrade. Normal fires inflict no damage but extremely high temperature fire such as plasma and magic fire inflicts full damage.
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Drawing by Talis D. Merrill (taalismn@pop.tiac.net).
Second and Third Introductory Quotes by Talis D. Merrill (taalismn@pop.tiac.net).
Writeup by Kitsune (E-Mail Kitsune).
Copyright © 2002, Kitsune. All rights reserved.