Now I had to REALLY stretch my conversion guidelines from the previous installment. Palladium both has massive stats inflation (much of it to make it competitive with Rifts, a game infamous for making its already stupidly overpowered machinery in the core rules inferior to the neverending supplement mill..) and is presumably trying to fit into what hard info actually exists for Robotech. Except when you have the Glaug Officer's Battlepod (what you BT fans know of as the Marauder) running close to 300 kph its just ridiculous and has to be eased up to fit into Battletech's closer to hard sci fi setting and tech levels.
Savvy BT mech designers will also take issue to my designs as most are NOT optimized. This is both as in the campaign I will use these in the Invid are merely getting used to the idea of not only warfare, but mechanical warfare and my attempts to keep the designs as close to what is written down in the Palladium RPG without making them completely useless designs.
Invid Armored Scout (First appearance: 3041)
Mass: 25 tons
Tech Base: Clan
Chassis Config: Biped
Rules Level: Tournament Legal
Era: Dark Ages
Tech Rating/Era Availability: X/X-X-D
Production Year: 3132
Cost: 2,619,583 C-Bills
Battle Value: 712
Chassis: Unknown Endo-Steel
Power Plant: Unknown 100 Fusion XL Engine
Walking Speed: 43.2 km/h
Maximum Speed: 64.8 km/h
Jump Jets: Unknown
Jump Capacity: 180 meters
Armor: Unknown Ferro-Fibrous
Armament:
2 Medium Pulse Lasers
2 Retractable Blades
Manufacturer: Unknown
Primary Factory: Unknown
Communications System: Unknown
Targeting and Tracking System: Unknown
================================================================================
Equipment Type Rating Mass
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Internal Structure: Endo-Steel 43 points 1.50
Internal Locations: 1 HD, 1 LT, 1 RT, 2 LA, 2 RA
Engine: XL Fusion Engine 100 1.50
Walking MP: 4
Running MP: 6
Jumping MP: 6 Improved
Jump Jet Locations: 3 LT, 3 RT 6.00
Heat Sinks: Single Heat Sink 10 0.00
Heat Sink Locations: 2 CT, 1 LT, 1 RT, 1 LL, 1 RL
Gyro: Standard 1.00
Cockpit: Standard 3.00
Actuators: L: SH+UA+LA+H R: SH+UA+LA+H
Armor: Ferro-Fibrous AV - 76 4.00
Armor Locations: 1 LT, 1 RT, 2 LA, 1 RA, 1 LL, 1 RL
Internal Armor
Structure Factor
Head 3 9
Center Torso 8 12
Center Torso (rear) 3
L/R Torso 6 9
L/R Torso (rear) 3
L/R Arm 4 7
L/R Leg 6 7
================================================================================
Equipment Location Heat Critical Mass
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Retractable Blade RA - 3 2.00
Retractable Blade LA - 3 2.00
Medium Pulse Laser RT 4 1 2.00
Medium Pulse Laser LT 4 1 2.00
Free Critical Slots: 3
BattleForce Statistics
MV S (+0) M (+2) L (+4) E (+6) Wt. Ov Armor: 3 Points: 7
4/6j 2 2 0 0 1 0 Structure: 1
Special Abilities: MEL, SAW, ENE, SRCH, ES, SEAL, SOA
The Armored Scout is the primary combat unit of the Invid Mechanized Forces. Seeing action in both Clan Space and the Inner Sphere this was the first Invid mech with ranged weapons. Like the Scout, it uses Clan technology recovered during their initial "Invinid" combat forms. While their bioweapon units had some success against the Clans, their mechs continued to push the Invid back in spite of the Lictor and Genestealer infiltration units. The Armored Scout was the Invid's first unit to attempt to fight back.
Invid Trooper (First Appearance: 3041)
Mass: 40 tons
Tech Base: Clan
Chassis Config: Biped
Rules Level: Tournament Legal
Era: Dark Ages
Tech Rating/Era Availability: X/X-X-D
Production Year: 3132
Cost: 8,000,160 C-Bills
Battle Value: 729
Chassis: Unknown Standard
Power Plant: Unknown 240 Fusion XL Engine
Walking Speed: 64.8 km/h
Maximum Speed: 97.2 km/h
Jump Jets: Unknown
Jump Capacity: 270 meters
Armor: Unknown Standard Armor
Armament:
2 Retractable Blades
Manufacturer: Unknown
Primary Factory: Unknown
Communications System: Unknown
Targeting and Tracking System: Unknown
================================================================================
Equipment Type Rating Mass
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Internal Structure: Standard 67 points 4.00
Engine: XL Fusion Engine 240 6.00
Walking MP: 6
Running MP: 9
Jumping MP: 9 Improved
Jump Jet Locations: 1 CT, 3 LT, 3 RT, 1 LL, 1 RL 9.00
Heat Sinks: Single Heat Sink 11 1.00
Heat Sink Locations: 1 LT, 1 RT
Gyro: Standard 3.00
Cockpit: Standard 3.00
Actuators: L: SH+UA+LA+H R: SH+UA+LA+H
Armor: Standard Armor AV - 137 9.00
Internal Armor
Structure Factor
Head 3 9
Center Torso 12 18
Center Torso (rear) 6
L/R Torso 10 15
L/R Torso (rear) 5
L/R Arm 6 12
L/R Leg 10 20
================================================================================
Equipment Location Heat Critical Mass
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Retractable Blade RA - 3 2.50
Retractable Blade LA - 3 2.50
Free Critical Slots: 17
BattleForce Statistics
MV S (+0) M (+2) L (+4) E (+6) Wt. Ov Armor: 5 Points: 7
6/9j 0 0 0 0 2 0 Structure: 2
Special Abilities: MEL, SAW, ENE, SRCH, ES, SEAL, SOA
The second Invid mech after the Scout, the Trooper was designed to be heavier and faster as to be more survivable than the Scout unit. However much like the Scout, the lack of ranged weapons made the Trooper little more than a fast support unit to their Invinid conventional forces.
Invid Shock Trooper (First Appearance: 3042)
Mass: 45 tons
Tech Base: Clan
Chassis Config: Biped
Rules Level: Tournament Legal
Era: Dark Ages
Tech Rating/Era Availability: X/X-X-D
Production Year: 3132
Cost: 9,242,590 C-Bills
Battle Value: 1,842
Chassis: Unknown Endo-Steel
Power Plant: Unknown 225 Fusion XL Engine
Walking Speed: 54.0 km/h
Maximum Speed: 86.4 km/h
Jump Jets: Unknown
Jump Capacity: 240 meters
Armor: Unknown Ferro-Fibrous
Armament:
2 ER Large Lasers
1 ER Medium Laser
2 Retractable Blades
Manufacturer: Unknown
Primary Factory: Unknown
Communications System: Unknown
Targeting and Tracking System: Unknown
================================================================================
Equipment Type Rating Mass
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Internal Structure: Endo-Steel 75 points 2.50
Internal Locations: 2 LT, 1 RT, 2 LA, 2 RA
Engine: XL Fusion Engine 225 5.00
Walking MP: 5
Running MP: 8
Jumping MP: 8 Improved
Jump Jet Locations: 1 CT, 3 LT, 2 RT, 1 LL, 1 RL 8.00
Heat Sinks: Double Heat Sink 10(20) 0.00
Heat Sink Locations: 1 RT
Gyro: Standard 3.00
Cockpit: Standard 3.00
Actuators: L: SH+UA+LA+H R: SH+UA+LA+H
Armor: Ferro-Fibrous AV - 153 8.00
Armor Locations: 1 LT, 2 RT, 2 LA, 2 RA
Internal Armor
Structure Factor
Head 3 9
Center Torso 14 20
Center Torso (rear) 8
L/R Torso 11 16
L/R Torso (rear) 6
L/R Arm 7 14
L/R Leg 11 22
================================================================================
Equipment Location Heat Critical Mass
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Retractable Blade RA - 4 3.00
Retractable Blade LA - 4 3.00
ER Large Laser RT 12 1 4.00
ER Large Laser LT 12 1 4.00
ER Medium Laser HD 5 1 1.00
Free Critical Slots: 0
BattleForce Statistics
MV S (+0) M (+2) L (+4) E (+6) Wt. Ov Armor: 5 Points: 18
5/8j 2 2 2 0 2 1 Structure: 2
Special Abilities: MEL, SAW, ENE, SRCH, ES, SEAL, SOA
The first effective combat mecha of the Invid forces, the Shock Trooper was able to effectively support the Invinid troops with its long range weapons. Taking what they had learned from the Armored Scout, the Shock Trooper was heavier than its prototype Trooper, and had a more evolved pilot. However it is also the first Invid unit to suffer from severe heat issues in spite of being slower than the Trooper. In early actions Clan mechwarriors were able to pick off the Shock Troopers whenever they would overheat. Later on the Shock Troopers managed to learn from early mistakes and had a rhythmic firing system to stay cool.
Invid Pincer (First Appearance: 3048)
Mass: 60 tons
Tech Base: Clan
Chassis Config: Biped
Rules Level: Tournament Legal
Era: Dark Ages
Tech Rating/Era Availability: F/X-X-D
Production Year: 3132
Cost: 14,677,760 C-Bills
Battle Value: 2,550
Chassis: Unknown Endo-Steel
Power Plant: Unknown 300 Fusion XL Engine
Walking Speed: 54.0 km/h
Maximum Speed: 86.4 km/h
Jump Jets: Unknown
Jump Capacity: 240 meters
Armor: Unknown Ferro-Fibrous
Armament:
2 ER PPCs
2 ER Micro Lasers
Manufacturer: Unknown
Primary Factory: Unknown
Communications System: Unknown
Targeting and Tracking System: Unknown
================================================================================
Equipment Type Rating Mass
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Internal Structure: Endo-Steel 99 points 3.00
Internal Locations: 2 RT, 2 LA, 3 RA
Engine: XL Fusion Engine 300 9.50
Walking MP: 5
Running MP: 8
Jumping MP: 8 Improved
Jump Jet Locations: 3 LT, 3 RT, 1 LL, 1 RL 16.00
Heat Sinks: Double Heat Sink 13(26) 3.00
Heat Sink Locations: 1 LT
Gyro: Standard 3.00
Cockpit: Standard 3.00
Actuators: L: SH+UA+LA+H R: SH+UA+LA+H
Armor: Ferro-Fibrous AV - 191 10.00
Armor Locations: 4 LA, 3 RA
Internal Armor
Structure Factor
Head 3 9
Center Torso 20 28
Center Torso (rear) 10
L/R Torso 14 20
L/R Torso (rear) 8
L/R Arm 10 18
L/R Leg 14 26
================================================================================
Equipment Location Heat Critical Mass
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ER PPC RT 15 2 6.00
ER PPC LT 15 2 6.00
2 ER Micro Lasers CT 2 2 0.50
Free Critical Slots: 5
BattleForce Statistics
MV S (+0) M (+2) L (+4) E (+6) Wt. Ov Armor: 6 Points: 26
5/8j 3 3 3 0 3 0 Structure: 3
Special Abilities: ENE, SRCH, ES, SEAL, SOA
An evolution of the Shock Trooper, the Pincer was both a smarter combatant and more effective at its primary role of infantry support. With 2 ER PPCs it was seemingly an upgraded Shock Trooper, albeit one that removed the close combat equipment entirely, merely having a pair of ER Micro Lasers to fend off close attacks. These units are still rare in the Inner Sphere and have not been sighted in Clan Space at all, being the first evidence that the Invid Regent and Regess both had different opinions of how to deal with humanity, but how they treated their own children.
Invid Royal Commander Prototype (First Appearance: 3050)
Mass: 55 tons
Tech Base: Clan
Chassis Config: Biped
Rules Level: Tournament Legal
Era: Dark Ages
Tech Rating/Era Availability: F/X-D-D
Production Year: 3132
Cost: 13,303,211 C-Bills
Battle Value: 2,382
Chassis: Unknown Endo-Steel
Power Plant: Unknown 385 Fusion XL Engine
Walking Speed: 75.6 km/h
Maximum Speed: 118.8 km/h
Jump Jets: Unknown
Jump Capacity: 150 meters
Armor: Unknown Ferro-Fibrous
Armament:
6 ER Medium Lasers
2 LRM-5s
1 ER Small Laser
Manufacturer: Unknown
Primary Factory: Unknown
Communications System: Unknown
Targeting and Tracking System: Unknown
================================================================================
Equipment Type Rating Mass
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Internal Structure: Endo-Steel 91 points 3.00
Internal Locations: 1 CT, 1 LT, 1 RT, 1 LA, 1 RA, 1 LL, 1 RL
Engine: XL Fusion Engine 385 22.00
Walking MP: 7
Running MP: 11
Jumping MP: 5 Standard
Jump Jet Locations: 2 LT, 1 RT, 1 LL, 1 RL 2.50
Heat Sinks: Double Heat Sink 13(26) 3.00
Gyro: Standard 4.00
Cockpit: Standard 3.00
Actuators: L: SH+UA+LA+H R: SH+UA+LA+H
Armor: Ferro-Fibrous AV - 153 8.00
Armor Locations: 2 LT, 2 RT, 2 LA, 1 RA
CASE Locations: CT 0.00
Internal Armor
Structure Factor
Head 3 9
Center Torso 18 20
Center Torso (rear) 8
L/R Torso 13 18
L/R Torso (rear) 8
L/R Arm 9 15
L/R Leg 13 17
================================================================================
Equipment Location Heat Critical Mass
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3 ER Medium Lasers RA 15 3 3.00
3 ER Medium Lasers LA 15 3 3.00
LRM-5 RT 2 1 1.00
LRM-5 LT 2 1 1.00
ER Small Laser HD 2 1 0.50
@LRM-5 (24) CT - 1 1.00
Free Critical Slots: 14
BattleForce Statistics
MV S (+0) M (+2) L (+4) E (+6) Wt. Ov Armor: 5 Points: 24
7/3j 4 4 1 0 2 0 Structure: 3
Special Abilities: CASE, SRCH, ES, SEAL, SOA, IF 1
Another of the Regess only units, the Royal Commander Prototypes continued to eschew close combat weaponry. This was also the first unit to use missile weapons, this time a pair of LRM 5s with the ammunition in the main body. Most surprising to the few units recovered mostly intact, the cockpit was no longer a biological soup with a sluglike Invid creature inside, but a proper cockpit with what looked like biological equivalents of proper Battlemech controls. No pilots have ever been recovered however. Given that previous Invid mecha had a creature that seemed to live in the cockpit and would die within minutes of removal, this became worrisome to intelligence units throughout the Inner Sphere. The Invid showed repeated adaptation and evolution. What were they evolving INTO?
Invid Royal Commander (First Appearance: 3051)
Mass: 55 tons
Tech Base: Clan
Chassis Config: Biped
Rules Level: Tournament Legal
Era: Dark Ages
Tech Rating/Era Availability: F/X-D-D
Production Year: 3132
Cost: 12,980,811 C-Bills
Battle Value: 2,128
Chassis: Unknown Endo-Steel
Power Plant: Unknown 385 Fusion XL Engine
Walking Speed: 75.6 km/h
Maximum Speed: 118.8 km/h
Jump Jets: Unknown
Jump Capacity: 150 meters
Armor: Unknown Ferro-Fibrous
Armament:
3 Medium Pulse Lasers
4 LRM-5s
1 ER Small Laser
Manufacturer: Unknown
Primary Factory: Unknown
Communications System: Unknown
Targeting and Tracking System: Unknown
================================================================================
Equipment Type Rating Mass
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Internal Structure: Endo-Steel 91 points 3.00
Internal Locations: 1 LT, 1 RT, 1 LA, 2 RA, 1 LL, 1 RL
Engine: XL Fusion Engine 385 22.00
Walking MP: 7
Running MP: 11
Jumping MP: 5 Standard
Jump Jet Locations: 2 LT, 1 RT, 1 LL, 1 RL 2.50
Heat Sinks: Double Heat Sink 10(20) 0.00
Gyro: Standard 4.00
Cockpit: Standard 3.00
Actuators: L: SH+UA+LA+H R: SH+UA+LA+H
Armor: Ferro-Fibrous AV - 153 8.00
Armor Locations: 2 LT, 2 RT, 2 LA, 1 RA
CASE Locations: LT, RT 0.00
Internal Armor
Structure Factor
Head 3 9
Center Torso 18 20
Center Torso (rear) 8
L/R Torso 13 18
L/R Torso (rear) 8
L/R Arm 9 15
L/R Leg 13 17
================================================================================
Equipment Location Heat Critical Mass
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3 Medium Pulse Lasers RA 12 3 6.00
2 LRM-5s RT 4 2 2.00
2 LRM-5s LT 4 2 2.00
ER Small Laser HD 2 1 0.50
@LRM-5 (24) RT - 1 1.00
@LRM-5 (24) LT - 1 1.00
Free Critical Slots: 14
BattleForce Statistics
MV S (+0) M (+2) L (+4) E (+6) Wt. Ov Armor: 5 Points: 21
7/3j 3 3 0 0 2 0 Structure: 3
Special Abilities: CASE, SRCH, ES, SEAL, SOA, LRM 1/1/1, IF 1
Exceedingly rare compared to the blue and white prototypes, these Royal Commanders removed one of the suites of arm Medium Lasers to turn the other's into a trio of Pulse Mediums. The missile racks were doubled, and the ammunition was increased and put into the side torsos increasing the unit's pilot safety and durability. Reports are still sporadic, but some (unreliable) eyewitness reports state these units are piloted by Humans with what looks like a normal cockpit with mechanical controls. None of these units have ever been recovered, the machines either being removed from the battlefield by other Invid mecha, or self destructing.
Invid Overlord (First Appearance: 3053)
Mass: 65 tons
Tech Base: Clan
Chassis Config: Biped
Rules Level: Tournament Legal
Era: Dark Ages
Tech Rating/Era Availability: F/X-D-D
Production Year: 3132
Cost: 14,806,660 C-Bills
Battle Value: 2,403
Chassis: Unknown Endo-Steel
Power Plant: Unknown 325 Fusion XL Engine
Walking Speed: 54.0 km/h
Maximum Speed: 86.4 km/h
Jump Jets: Unknown
Jump Capacity: 150 meters
Armor: Unknown Ferro-Fibrous
Armament:
2 ER Large Lasers
2 ER Medium Lasers
2 SRM-4s
Manufacturer: Unknown
Primary Factory: Unknown
Communications System: Unknown
Targeting and Tracking System: Unknown
================================================================================
Equipment Type Rating Mass
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Internal Structure: Endo-Steel 104 points 3.50
Internal Locations: 1 HD, 1 CT, 1 LT, 1 RT, 2 LA, 1 RA
Engine: XL Fusion Engine 325 12.00
Walking MP: 5
Running MP: 8
Jumping MP: 5 Standard
Jump Jet Locations: 1 CT, 2 LL, 2 RL 5.00
Heat Sinks: Double Heat Sink 21(42) 11.00
Heat Sink Locations: 3 LT, 3 RT, 1 LA, 1 RA
Gyro: Standard 4.00
Cockpit: Standard 3.00
Actuators: L: SH+UA+LA+H R: SH+UA+LA+H
Armor: Ferro-Fibrous AV - 211 11.00
Armor Locations: 3 LA, 4 RA
CASE Locations: LT, RT 0.00
Internal Armor
Structure Factor
Head 3 9
Center Torso 21 28
Center Torso (rear) 14
L/R Torso 15 20
L/R Torso (rear) 10
L/R Arm 10 20
L/R Leg 15 30
================================================================================
Equipment Location Heat Critical Mass
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ER Medium Laser RA 5 1 1.00
ER Medium Laser LA 5 1 1.00
ER Large Laser RT 12 1 4.00
SRM-4 RT 3 1 1.00
ER Large Laser LT 12 1 4.00
SRM-4 LT 3 1 1.00
@SRM-4 (25) RT - 1 1.00
@SRM-4 (25) LT - 1 1.00
Free Critical Slots: 0
BattleForce Statistics
MV S (+0) M (+2) L (+4) E (+6) Wt. Ov Armor: 7 Points: 24
5j 4 4 2 0 3 0 Structure: 4
Special Abilities: CASE, SRCH, ES, SEAL, SOA, SRM 1/1/0
The current final evolution of Invid mech forces, the Overlord seems to be a unit that fights in tandem with the Royal Command mechs and like that unit seems more designed to fight mech on mech than to merely support the biological ground forces. Much like the Royal Command mechs, no pilots have ever been recovered from these mecha, dead or alive. In 3055 and later there were rumors of a LAM version of this mech weighing 5 tons more but if they do exist they are exceedingly rare.
For folks with the Palladium Robotech RPG books you will note I had to seriously ignore listed ground speeds to even remotely make for useful mecha at all. But as this is bringing the Invid into Battletech and not the other way around, some fudging was required. While the Invid are canonically supposed to have Plasma weaponry I really don't like the BT Plasma rules and went with Laser weapons primarily. I used Dark Ages tech levels so they could have some legal form of close combat weaponry in the earlier models to keep it as close to their anime designs as possible. I wanted to give all beam weapon mechs Pulse but the weight restrictions would not always allow it if I wanted to keep the same number of weapon mounts as their originals.
I am not getting into deep explanations of the Invid and how they could fit into Battletech as my play group knows of my blog and I don't want to give away too much too soon. But should we keep playing I will update with more background information and those mysterious Invinid biotrooper units...
1 comment:
Clan, Invid AND Tyranids?
What the christ?
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