Bunnibopper

*“Perimeter check....Foxtrot Alpha leading off...”*

*<“Foxtrot Beta....all quiet.”>*

*<“Foxtrot Ceti...all quiet. No activity.”>*

*<“Foxtrot Delta...all quiet...wait..picking up noise off our perimeter...”*

*((“...Here comes Bunny Fu-fu...”))*

*“RUN! ALL POSTS!!! RUN FOR YOUR LIVES!!!”*

*“Got another second-hand POW from the juvie-Shemar refusing repatriation and requesting sanctuary with us, or whatever. Her excuse is that she can’t return to her superiors and report that her multi-million-credit combat mecha got KICKED apart around her by giant robot rabbits, before she was hypno-stunned and wrapped up in cotton candy. Once you get past the screaming and crying, she claims they’d laugh at her too much and she’d be driven to commit ritual suicide to save face. She’d rather take her chances with us. She also insists that she be kept ‘locked in steel’ rather than the humiliation of being stuck in ‘demonic candy ecchiness’. ”*

*“ANOTHER one?”*

## EcoS-K-110 Bunnibopper Warmount

aka ‘Thumpkin’, ‘Thumper-Jumper’, ‘Poppy-Pouncer’, ‘Bouncy, Kicky, Leapy, Stompy Thingie’

While the Brightmare seemed tailor-made for the perpetual children of the Lollipop Tribe, kids must have new toys, and thus it seemed inevitable that enough Lollipoppers would focus their attention long enough to design a new Warmount, the Bunnibopper. Though some claim the Lollis simply modified the existing EcoS-K 65 Audiocity, enough differences exist between the two designs to quickly discount that theory; the Bunnibopper appears to be wholly original mayhem.

This abominably cute Warmount resembles a giant hypercephalic bunnyrabbit (or giant wallaby) with an idiot gaze built into its face, chromed buckteeth, oversized feet, mesh-cotton lace tail, and a covering of soft fuzz. However, it is still a WARmount, and being one designed by a bunch of deadly-dangerous permanently-adolescent combat AIs, that should give those who are tempted to not take this thing SERIOUSLY pause.

Bunniboppers show the signs of being designed and programmed by adolescent artificial intelligences hyped up on Saturday-morning cartoon fare, and too much access to a hyper-advanced military research and development database. How else can one explain the fact that the Bunnibopper apparently uses kick-boxing as the basis of its movement programming? Indeed, Bunniboppers are ‘frenzy fighters’, lashing out in sudden explosions of leaping and kicking, that are sometimes called ‘March mecha madness’ or ‘martial hare mayhem’. Amusing bumbling stumblebunny one moment and raging warbeast the next. The long distance, high-bouncing leaping ability of the Bunnibopper even allows it to surprise low-flying aircraft, power armors, and monsters. Small wonder the Bunnibopper has quickly earned a fearsome reputation amongst the Shemarrians’ enemies.

Bunniboppers are very agile, and riding one can prove an ordeal for anybody unaccustomed to their rough, bouncing, ride. Of course, Lollipoppers love the wild ride, frequently whooping and hollering with manic glee as their warmounts bounce over hill and dale. The same oversized legs that give them their kangaroo-like bouncing ability also give them the ability to perform signature piledriver kicks. Wise (and surviving) opponents learn to avoid coming inside range of a Bunnibopper crescent kick, leg sweep, or bounce-punch. Powerful eye lasers and a sonic stunner give the warmount good ranged combat capabilities as well.

The Bunnibopper remains an exclusive ride of the Lollipoppers; much as the Lost Eclipse respects the manic energy and traumatizing effect of the Bunnibopper, the Nightmares just can’t see it fitting into their own organization (even though they already deploy the Brightmare) and so have conceded it to their delinquent Kildren offshoot. No other Tribe has expressed an interest in these distinct and arguably insane Warmounts.

## Abilities

The ears afford the rider some additional protection; -2 to strike/target the rider.

### Sensor Systems

#### Ground Radar

The Bunnibopper’s ears contain a powerful radar set that has both an air-search mode and a ground-penetrating mode (effective range: 5,000 ft) that can ‘see’ up to 6 ft underground, and can spot buried artificial objects down to a foot wide in size. This allows it to spot, with enough time and consideration, minefields and other traps, before it lands on them (Detect Ambush 80%, Detect Concealment 80%). The Bunnibopper’s ‘bobbling’ gait, in fact, allows it time to scan the ground ahead of itself.

### Special Systems

#### ’Marshmallow Armor’

Really a tough spongy synthetic polymer with an internal ‘circulatory system’ that bleeds a fast-setting ‘goo’.

##### Damage Resistance

Takes HALF damage from physical kicks, punches, concussive blows, cuts, slashes, and non-explosive projectile weapons.

##### Color/Texture Camouflage ‘Morphing

This system changes color in 1d4 melees and gives the 'bot a limited stealth ability (-30% to Detect Ambush and Detect Concealment roles to find the thing). Also masks the ‘bot's thermal and infrared emissions, making heat sensors useless.

#### Goo Blood

If cut with anything other than a vibroblade or energy cutter, the thick, viscous ‘blood’ that the material bleeds will gum up claws and jaws as it hardens (reduce subsequent damage and strike bonuses using melee attacks by HALF for 1d4 melees).

#### Cottontail Shield

The fuzzy, fluffy tail of the Bunnibopper can expand to become an attached cloud of fiberous strands (‘steel-cotton’) that actually acts as a form of stand-off armor (similar to vehicular ‘slat’ armor), helping protect from attacks from the rear.

Th cottontail offers only modest protection against conventional attacks; a typical screen has only 90 MDC. However, it still has some effectiveness as defeating missile attacks; on a ‘To Strike’ roll of 6-7, Armor-Piercing missiles bash themselves on the fibers, doing only 1d4 MD, and on a 8-10, do only HALF damage due to premature detonation or re-direct of their kinetic force.

One advantage the steel cotton has is that it can be regenerated faster than main body armor; fresh fibers can be exuded at a rate of 1d6x10 MD per hour, although this still comes from the 100 MDC reservoir the warmount has available for repairs.

### Weapons Systems

#### Laser Eyes (2)

 Damage
 Damage2
 Rate of Fire
 Payload

The Bunnibopper uses the more powerful aerospace model eye lasers for maximum range and damage. Those big moe eyes can do SERIOUS damage with just a look.

#### Eye Flashers (2)

 Range2
 Damage
 Damage2
 Rate of Fire
 Payload

’Bunniflash attack’ strobe-glow that can temporarily blind, or even mesmerize, prey.

Victims are -8 to strike, parry, and dodge, -1 on initiative, and lose 1 APM for 1d4 melees. Even those in armor or eye protection will be -1 on initiative for 1 melee.

A more subtle mesmerize attack is also possible; victims must roll under their ME or be entranced by the pretty pulsing light patterns in the Bunnibopper’s eyes. Those so entranced lose all initiative, 2 APMs, and are -10 to parry and dodge while looking raptly at those pretty lights. Video camera systems, cybernetic/bionic eyes, and even good flash-blindness goggles will defeat this effect.

#### Squee Cannon

 Damage
 Rate of Fire
 Payload

A sonic weapon used to stun prey long enough for the BunniBopper to lay all sorts of mayhem on them. The audible sideband component of this attack manifests itself as a shrill pipping ‘squee’ or ‘yip’ sound.

##### Stun

1 SDC, plus victims must save versus non-lethal poison or be rendered unconscious for 1d6 melee rounds. Even on a successful save, the victim is -2 to strike, parry, and dodge for 1d6 melee rounds. Multiple blasts are cumulative for duration.

##### Lethal

4d6 SDC, or 4d6 MDper blast, Area of effect ‘shotgun’ blast: Half damage to a 10 ft wide area.

##### Note

Sonic weapons do HALF damage through light ‘soft’ armors like MDC barding and padded armor. The sonic vibrations can also be used to set up a resonance in hard armor that can stun or disorient living beings. Humans (and those most like them) will find these subsonic vibrations particularly irritating, the barely audible buzzing setting up painful discordance in their eardrums and auditory apparatus. Beings with enhanced hearing are particularly vulnerable to this attack (DOUBLE penalties and duration of effects). Cyborgs and those with baffled hearing implants will NOT be affected by this.

Save versus psionic attack (12 or better) or be -1d4 to initiative, HALF all bonuses to strike/parry/dodge, and -1d4 to Maintain Balance for 1d6 melees. Roll under P.E. or fall unconscious for 1d6 melees.

Power Armor and EBA-wearers will be more susceptible to the effects of resonance, owing to their close proximity to the materials being affected. The effects are greatly diminished to occupants on a vehicle owing to the many interior structures that serve to dissipate and insulate the sound waves.

#### ‘Hot Fuzzy’ Static Blast

 Damage
 Payload

This electroshock mechanism built into the Bunnibopper’s short fur is intended to discourage grappling attempts on both the warmount and its rider.

Humanoids struck with this weapon must save vs. coma or be shocked unconscious for 1D6 minutes.

Recharges 1 charge every 5 minutes.

### Programming

The Ecotroz have installed robotic AIs, then infected the matrix with a low-level Ecotroz sentience. Bunniboppers tend to act goofy and easily distracted, bobbling across the landscape and investigating this, that, and the other thing, and generally acting punch-drunk. If engaged in combat, though, they turn all vicious, and will savage an opponent in quick bursts of violence, before leaping back out of retaliation range, then circling back to pounce again and again until the threat is neutralized.

Typically has the same programming as the Monst-Crane, plus the following:

* Dancing 60% (+5% per level of experience for Ecotroz entity)
* Begging 55% (+5% per level of experience for Ecotroz entity)

The Ecotroz entity can also pick up one Secondary skill at levels 2, 6, and 12 of experience, though the nature of the Bunnibopper intelligence and design is such that it is limited to skill selections from Technical: Language (understanding) and Lore (Cattle & Animals, Indians, Juicers, Magic, Demons & Monsters, D-Bees, Faerie---at least with regards to identifying their relative threat level), and Wilderness (Hunting).

### Combat

 Dodge
 Parry
 Auto Dodge
 Strike
 Roll
 Pull Punch
 Critical Strike
 Paw Claw/Punch
 Leaping Stomp Kick
 Stomp/Kick
 Piledriver Stomp
 Lightning Strike

The Bunnibopper is an excellent melee combatant, bouncing around and kicking with its powerful legs.

Maintain Balance +6

#### Lightning Strike

Takes ALL attacks that melee (and must be the first of that melee and has first initiative), but the Bunnibopper can deliver a massive power kick that does 7d6x10 MD. Immediately afterwards, the Bunnibopper CANNOT dodge and has NO bonuses to parry for the rest of that melee round.

### Ecotroz Fragment

The Ecotroz intelligence fragment inhabiting the ‘bot gives the Bunnibopper an aura and behavior more befitting a sentient being than a robot.

Has the following Natural Psionic Abilities (no ISP Cost), all equivalent to 6th level with regards to range and proficiency.

* Presence Sense
* Sixth Sense/Danger Sense

The Ecotroz fragment does occasionally need sleep/rest...though they only need 2 hours of rest/meditation per 24 hours...they can push this, going without for as many days as they have I.Q. points (most Warmounts, unless otherwise noted, have an effective IQ rating of 8), but will have to go dormant for 4d6 hours after such exertion.

Note also that the Ecotroz-possessed ‘bot can infect other bots with the Ecotroz viral-entity, by bite or sustained touch (takes 3 attacks).

## Options

### Saber-Jaws

Increases the size and the power pf the jaws to include armour-piercing fangs and a rottweiler-like lockjaw. 2d8 MD bite.

### Carrot-Missiles

Derived from Vine munitions, Carrot Missiles are orange projectiles that deliver a rapid-growth nanite solution that can quickly permeate a target with fast-growing tendrils of bucky-plastic.

The Carrot Missile is equivalent to a medium-range armor-piercing warhead on a short range booster. That gives it a baseline damage potential of 3d6x10 MD and a range of 1 mile. Special optical targeting system (because carrots are good for your eyesight, duh!) give the missiles a +6 to strike.

On an unmodified ‘to strike’ roll of 18-20, the carrot strikes fast in a target, and begins to send out roots into the target, doing 2d4 MD per melee for 2d4 melees. Supernatural regeneration abilities will be HALVED for the duration, fighting the growing tendril growth. If the target is standing on the ground or against a wall, there’s a 30% chance of extruding roots catching on the ground, and sticking the victim in place (NO dodge, and a combined P.S. of 35 or more is required to uproot the tendrils).

Supposedly the Lollipoppers, with rare forethought for their childish mindsets, have evinced an interest in cellulose-based Carrot Missiles, with a thought to staking vampires more effectively with them.

The Bunnibopper can carry a saddlepack launcher pod carrying 6 carrot missiles.

### Silver Armor

Some Bunniboppers sacrifice the Marshmallow Armor for laser-reflective chroming. Lasers do HALF damage, but the sight of lasers bouncing off the leaping killer-bunny, and the distorted reflections, have been enough to throw many opponents off their cool.

### Grav Stomp

Some Bunniboppers in the Shemarrian Star Nation have modified contragravity generator coils in their oversized feet. These can be used to increase leaping distance by 50% in all modes, and can also be used to generate a ground shock wave when on the ground. This is a stomp attack that sends a ripple of gravitic force ripping through the ground, with effects similar to a magic Shockwave spell attack. A 100 ft radius is affected, and those people, animals, and objects under 500 lbs in weight are 88% likely to be knocked over and flung 3d4 yards/meters. Targets 500-1,000 lbs have a 50% chance of being bowled over, and getting tossed 1d4 yards/meters. Those 1,000-2,000 lbs in weight only have a 20% chance of being knocked back a few ft. Anything heavier will be immune to being knocked over. Fliers and hoverers will NOT be affected by the ground shock.

A grav-stomp attack takes TWO APMs.

### “Splitting Hares” Flight Capabilities

This radical Upgrade modifies the ears into a pair of intermeshing rotors that split into two blades each, and allow the Warmount to fly like a helicopter: can hover or fly at 105 MPH, maximum altitude of 25,000 ft. Also known as ‘whirlybeagle mode’ for some reason.