Techno Wizard “Lightning Knight” Light Tank:

In many ways the Lightning Knight could be considered the companion to the Iron Mark class tank. Similar to the larger tank, the Lightning Knight is quite retro looking and it looks like a tank design from the past. Techno-wizards are known for copying designs from the past includes reproducing World War Two Lightning, Mustang, and Spitfire fighters. Unlike the Iron Mark, which seems to have no specific historical sources for the design, the Lightning Knight seems to be based on the German L.K. I and L.K. 2 light tank. To show the appearance of an old tank design, the Lightning Knight appears to be riveted together. Even so, the Light Knight is internally a modern design and has techno-wizard enhancements to further increase the tank’s capabilities. In some ways, the Lightning Knight is actually more dangerous than its larger cousin but the weapons on the light tank are shorter ranged. These tanks are used by techno-wizard often in close combat while the heavier Iron Mark tanks act in support of them. Like the Iron Mark, the Lightning Knight tank is becoming popular with many techno-wizards who are not aviators or are nautically inclined.

As stated previously, the design appears crude but is actually quite advanced internally. The crude appearing iron plates are in reality high tech alloy and composite armor plates just made to look like crude iron. These plates are far easier to replace than enchanted iron plates and are in reality much less expensive. The power system is very interesting and simpler than that carried on the Iron Knight. The tank is powered by an electrical spirit which some believe to be some type of lesser air elemental. The creature appears to be close to mindless and do not appear to mind being contained within the tank. The creature constantly sheds large amounts of electricity which power all the systems on the tank. The treads on the tank are mounted externally like the treads on many World War One designs and are easier to hit than those on most advanced tank designs operating on Rifts Earth which mount the treads in a fashion to be partially protected. The tank is slightly faster than the Iron Mark but is not as fast as many of the lighter tank designs on Rifts Earth. The Lightning Knight does not mount propellers like the Iron Mark and cannot travel on the surface of the water. The Lightning Knight has a magical life support system with a virtually unlimited duration and allows the tank to operate in virtually any environment in comfort. The Lightning Knight only carries a crew of two normally but has space for one passenger. When needed, this passenger space will be used for a commander or for a communication operator. The Lightning Knight carries all the standard sensors of a Robot Vehicle and has a periscope for looking over terrain.

The Lightning Knight only carries three weapon systems. Two are technological and the first is the same Vulcan laser which is carried on the Iron Hammer Battle Tank as a secondary weapon. While relatively short ranged, the Vulcan laser inflicts large amounts of damage. The Vulcan laser is mounted on the rear of the tank in a turret and is capable of 360 degree rotation and has a 90 degree arc of fire. The second weapon is a mini-missile launcher which is mounted on the side of the turret. The final weapon, which is also the tank’s primary means of defense, is a magical ball lightning generator. When it is active, five balls of lightning can be seen orbiting the tank and an electrical field is generated around the tank. This electrical field inflicts damage on anything that tries to go through the field. This includes missiles and projectiles being fired at the tank although the tank can still be caught in the blast radius. As well, when the electrical field is active, the tank is immune to all forms of electricity including Ion weapons. The Ball Lightning can also be launched at targets although the electrical field is reduced for each ball lightning bolt fired and each ball lightning is not reproduced until the next melee. If more than two ball lightning bolts are fired, the electrical field will drop due to the field needing three pointed to be generated on. One disadvantage is that when the electrical field is being generated, the tank glows brightly and cannot hide effectively. Another is that the electrical field will intercept outgoing weapons fire. The laser can still be fired but the mini-missiles would detonate when launched if they were fired while the electrical field was active. Since this could easily destroy the tank, there is a lock out system to prevent this from occurring.

Augmenting the standard sensors are magical sensors. The tank also has the standard techno-wizard enchantments of chameleon and invisibility superior but these require magical energy from the crews.

Model Type: “Lightning Knight” Techno-Wizard Tank.

Vehicle Type: Magical Light Tank.

Crew: Two (Driver and Gunner), can carry one passenger.

M.D.C. by Location:

	[1] “Ball Lightning” Balls (5 total):	20 each.
	Rear Turret:	125.
	Vulcan Laser Cannon (1, in turret):	75.
	Mini-Missile Launcher (1, in turret):	65.
	[2] Tractor Treads (2):	70 each.
	Reinforced Crew Compartment:	150.
	[3] Main Body:	325.

Notes:

[1] These 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] Depleting the M.D.C. of a tread will immobilize the tank until it is replaced. Replacing a tread will take 1D6x10 minutes by a trained crew (2 replacements are carried on board) or three times as long by the inexperienced. Changing the tread is only advisable when the vehicle is not under attack.

[3] If all the M.D.C. of the main body is depleted, the vehicle is completely shut down and unsalvageable, but crew may survive in their reinforced compartments.

Speed:

Ground: Cruising speed on land is 60 mph (96.6 kph) on roads and 50 mph (80.5 kph) off road maximum. The vehicle is designed to traverse virtually all terrain and can climb at up to a 60% grade although at a much slower speed (About 10% of maximum road speed). It can also climb barriers and ford trenches. The vehicle can also handle side slopes of up to 30%.

Maximum Range: Effectively Unlimited (Special magical power source).

Statistical Data:

Height: 8 feet 2 inches (2.5 meters).

Width: 7 feet 2 inches (2.2 meters).

Length: 18 feet 6 inches (5.6 meters).

Weight: 16 tons (14.5 metric tons).

Power Source: Magical; Uses magical creature to generate electricity (Indefinite duration).

Cargo Capacity: Minimal storage space; about two feet (0.6 meters) for extra clothing, weapons, and personal items. Two Combat Rifles and one hand held Missile Launchers with 5 loads each are stored in a compartment behind the driver's seat.

Black Market Cost: 25 million credits.

WEAPON SYSTEMS:

One (1) IH-44L Vulcan Laser Turret: This weapon is mounted in a turret positioned at the rear of the tank. The weapon consists of six rotating laser cannons, cycling through bursts of six blasts per second! The weapon is very effective at devastating both navel ships and aircraft. The weapon is controlled by the tank’s gunner. Vulcan Laser can be fired through the lightning field.

Maximum Effective Range: 4,000 feet (1,200 meters).

Mega-Damage: 3D4 x 10 M.D. per instantaneous burst (counts as one blast/attack).

Rate of Fire: Can shoot up to six times per melee per melee.

Payload: Effectively Unlimited.
One (1) Turret Mounted Mini-Missile Launcher: Mounted on the right side of the turret near the top in a box style launcher. The launcher is designed for rapid fire use to engage heavy tanks and giant robots. The weapon is designed to be able to destroy enemy vehicles quickly. The launcher is controlled by the gunner who also controls and operates the main cannon. The Mini-missiles cannot be fired while the electrical field is activated. This is to prevent the missiles from detonating during launch.

Maximum Effective Range: Varies with mini-missile type; Usually armor piercing or fragmentation are carried (See revised bomb and missile tables for details.)

Mega Damage: Varies with mini-missile type; Usually armor piercing or fragmentation are carried (See revised bomb and missile tables for details.)

Rate of Fire: Can fire mini-missiles one at a time or in volleys of two (2), four (4), or eight (8) mini-missiles.

Payload: Launcher carries sixteen (16) mini-missiles.
Ball Lightning Bolts: The tank can generate up to five ball lightning bolts. They normally orbit around the tank and create an electrical field around the tank. While this field is active, the tank glows a bright blue and cannot be concealed using the spells of Chameleon, Invisibility, or Shadow Meld. While the field is active, the tank is immune to all forms of electrical attack including ion weapons and magical lightning. As well, any missile or projectile must pass through the electrical field before striking the tank. Assume an object will make it about half way through the energy field before detonating to calculate to see if the blast radius will still affect the tank (reduce damage by half in that case.) The electrical field may be used as a weapon to attack targets by running at the targets and attacking troops will also have damage from the electrical field inflicted on them. The ball lightning may be fired at a greater range than the electrical field but reduces the power of the electrical field for each ball lightning that is fired. If more than two ball lightning are fired in a melee (less than three remaining around the tank) then the electrical field will drop. As well, if more than two balls are destroyed (each ball has 20 M.D.C.), the electrical field is also lost. In either case, the balls will come back at the beginning of the next melee round and the field will be restored.

Maximum Effective Range: Electrical Field: 30 to 50 feet (9.1 to 15.2 meters) dome around tank. Reduce by 10 feet / 3 meters from 50 feet /15.2 meters for every ball lightning fired / destroyed. Ball Lightning Bolt: 300 feet (91.4 meters).

Mega Damage: Electrical Field: 1D6x10+20 M.D.C. to anything within the electrical field (not including the tank). Reduce field damage by 10 M.D.C. for each ball lower than five (Must maintain at least three.) Ball Lightning Bolt: 3D6+6 each.

Rate of Fire: Electrical Field: Active as long as three or more ball lightning are around tank. Ball Lightning Bolt: One per melee attack of gunner or pilot (Usually 4 or 5).

Payload: Five “Ball Lightning” Balls per melee. Balls are renewed at the start of each melee round.
Techno-Wizard Modifications: The “Lightning Knight” has the following techno-wizard modifications built into the tank. These require P.P.E. or I.S.P. from the pilot or crew.

Special Features:

Sensory Equipment:

The tank carries all standard equipment of a robot vehicle plus this special equipment:

Magical “See the Invisible” Optics: The tank has special optical systems with see the invisible on them. Same as spell and used at will. 2,000 feet (610 meters) range. Can see forces, objects, and creatures which can turn invisible, or are invisible. Can also see vaporous beings and astral bodies.

[ Altarain TM, Bandito Arms TM, Brodkil TM, Chipwell Armaments TM, Coalition States TM, Cyber-Knight TM, Federation of Magic TM, Free Quebec TM, Golden Age Weaponsmiths TM, Horune TM, Iron Heart Armaments TM, Kankoran TM, Kittani TM, Kydian TM, Larsen’s Brigade TM, M.D.C. TM, Mechanoids TM, Mega-Damage TM, Megaversal Legion TM, Millennium Tree TM, Mutants in Orbit TM, Naruni Enterprises TM, Naut’Yll, New Navy TM, New Sovietskiy TM, NGR TM, Nog Heng TM, Northern Gun TM, Phase World TM, Psyscape TM, Rifter TM, SAMAS TM, S.D.C. TM, Shemarrian TM, Splugorth TM, Stormspire TM, Sunaj TM, Tolkeen TM, Triax TM, Wellington Industries TM, Wilk’s Laser Technologies TM, Xiticix TM, and Zaayr TM are trademarks owned by Kevin Siembieda and Palladium Books Inc. ]

[ Beyond the Supernatural®, Heroes Unlimited®, Nightbane®, Ninjas & Superspies®, Palladium Fantasy®, and Rifts® are registered trademarks owned by Kevin Siembieda and Palladium Books Inc. ]

Drawing by Kitsune (E-Mail Kitsune).

Writeup by Kitsune (E-Mail Kitsune).

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