Sphyrn

*“Welcome to demolition derby, Shemarrian style! Looks like the Dodgerammers are dominating the field already, because they’re doing more ramming than dodging! AND there goes another Pecos Raider off the course and down that ravine! That looked like a Rolling Thunder that just got the Sphyrn Swipe if I know my cars! OUCH! And that looked like a RumbleWagon that just got broadsided! That did more than scratch the paint! The Bloody Unlucky Gang’s not doing so well today, are they?”*

## EcoS-K-88 Sphyrn Cavalry Warmount

aka ‘Hammercar’, ‘Ramwagon’

The Sphyrn is another in a recent slew of fringe Tribe Clan Motron designs that have appeared as a result of the tribe being forced into the open during the Minion War. The next step up, weight-wise, from the Willey Warmount, the Sphyrn looks like the offspring of a Monstrex and an oversized classic Dodge Ram pickup truck, with a massive dollop of hammerhead shark thrown in for good feature.

### Description

The Sphyrn, like many Clan Motron designs, is a frankensteed, the original models thrown together from parts of other vehicles, robots, and warmounts. The main body of the Sphyrn is that of an up-armored NG-AT26 Road Buster ATV, carried on the legs of a Monstrex or robo-Rhino-Buffalo. The head, jutting ahead of the armored enclosed cab, is broad, flat, and shaped like that of the hammerhead sharks that give the Warmount its name. The cab is actually mounted atop a flexible pivot, the forelegs being moved to a jointing below the cab itself, so the head can move side to side. The legs feature the dual leg-and-wheel configuration signature to Clan Motron designs, allowing the warmount to gallop over rough ground, or drive on flat, firm, level surfaces. Armor is modest for a Warmount, and armament is relatively light, the main weaponry consisting of integral eye lasers, teeth, claws, and an impressive ramming ability. The rear open cargo bed is available to play host to embarked troops, pintle-mounted manned
weapons, or rocket launchers.

Being more robust than the Willey, and able to carry more passengers and cargo than either the Monstrex or the Edselator, the Sphyrn is quickly becoming the jack-of-all-trades warmount of choice among the Motrons. The Sphyrn is typically used by Clan Motron as a light transport, but it also fills a role as a ‘technical’, especially when carrying heavy weapons in its cargo bed, as a light fire support carrier.

Sphyrns first showed up in numbers with Clan Motron, large enough in the area of Michigan, that Northern Gun even investigated rumors that the Motrons had established a major camp at the ruins of pre-Rifts Warren, Michigan, site of the Dodge assembly plant (The NG efforts were inconclusive, owing to the Minion War cropping up in the region and making the area virtually unapproachable). The design has also appeared in the ranks of another fringe tribe, the Radiant Edge, and the Steel Gaians have either acquired the design as well, or developed a similar/identical warmount using locally available components as the basis.

## Abilities

### Cargo

Small space inside/beside the cab for a few personal possessions, backpacks, kits, and sidearms. The rear open cargo bed is roughly 9 ft long by 5 ft wide, with 2 ft high side walls and rear tail gate.

### Swimming

Amphibious; can swim on the surface at 30 MPH. Some observers swear they’ve seen the Sphyrn deploy twin tail fins from the tailgate to act as rudders or swimmer propulsion in the water.

### Sensor Systems

#### Mine Detector

A detection coil integrated into the ram prow/nose, and uses a variety of magnetic, chemical, and ground sonar detection systems to sniff out mines and buried ordnance. 85% accuracy.

#### EM Scanners

The Sphyrn emulates its shark inspiration by having particularly acute senses, such as a magnetometer and a short-range microwave radar for groundsearching minefields (in theory, the ground radar sound be able to detect even nonmetallic mines, but takes twice as long).

Range: The magnetometer has a range of 4,000 ft and can detect vehicles and other metallic structures with 80% accuracy. Active EM sources such as charged-up rail guns and the magnetic bottles of fusion powerplants can be detected at TWICE the normal range.

The ground radar has a range of 3,000 ft, and has a 90% chance of detecting metal-cased mines, 60% chance of detecting nonmetallic ordnance.

### Special Systems

#### Rear Winch/Trailer Hitch Connector

The rear of the Sphyrn features easy-connect hitch points for powered winches and trailers.

### Weapons Systems

#### Laser Headlight Eyes (2)

 Range2
 Damage
 Rate of Fire
 Payload

Standard robotic eye lasers, common in the Shemarrian arsenal. In this case, the lasers are mounted on the ends of the hammerhead, and protected by snap-activation armored covers when the warmount swings its head to bludgeon targets.

##### Option Extra Eyes

For additional firepower and redundancy, an additional pair of laser eyes can be added to the underside of the head, flanking the mouth.

#### Smog Dispenser

The Sphyrn can spew a dense, choking, corrosive vapor from its rear tail pipe(s) to inconvenience pursuers and cover its retreat.

Range: Each blast covers a 100 ft area.

Damage: Anyone caught in the cloud of thick, obscuring smoke is unable to see, except with thermal optics. Inhaling, or exposure through unprotected soft tissues like the eyes, the vapor does 1d6 SDC/Hit Points per melee of exposure, and victims are -4 to dodge, strike, and parry, even for 1d4 melees after being removed from the cloud.

Smoke persists for 1d4+3 melee rounds.

Rate of Fire: ECHH

Payload: Has enough smoke-matrix for 12 clouds. Regenerates them at a rate of 1 every six hours (1 hour if fed petrochemicals).

#### Ram Head

 Damage
 Damage2
 Damage3

The hammerhead of the Sphynn is specially reinforced for ramming and hitting. Even a sidelong sweep can cave in armor, while a straight-on high-speed collision will take down walls and other barriers. 01-85% chance that targets under 20 ft tall will be knocked down and back (1d4x10 yards) and lose initiative and 2 APMs recovering.

#### Power Jaw

 Damage

The Sphyrn sports a large and powerful set of jaws for biting into opponents.

#### Retractable VibroClaws

 Damage

Each foot sports an array of three vibroblades that are used in slashing and pouncing attacks, or to help traction when scrambling over debris.

Optional Modular Weapons (2)

The Sphyrn has provision for torso-mounting TWO weapons similar to those standard to the Monstrex.

#### Optional Weapons Pintle

A manned weapons pintle, typically holding a Shemarrian rail gun, heavy machine gun, or light missile launcher, and manned by a standing gunner, can be mounted in the cargo bed without affecting cargo- or passenger-carrying capacity.

#### Optional ‘Technical’ Heavy Weapons Mount

If not carrying troops or cargo, the cargo bed can be used to mount a swivel-mounted manned heavy weapon, such as an AA-mounted heavy rail gun, or rocket/missile launchers. The open gun turrets are manned by a gunner who has only the weapon itself for any protection (typical weapons mount ranges from 50 MDC for missile pods to 170 MDC for heavy gun mounts).

##### Mini-Missiles

Clan Motron has adopted the ‘pepperbox’ launchers common to Northern Gun designs: 7- or 12-shot box launchers. Up to FOUR such launchers can be mounted on the back.

##### Short Range Missiles

10 shot module, copied off the NG-V50 Bigfoot robot’s pattern. ONE can be mounted.

##### Katyushas

 Range2
 Damage
 Rate of Fire
 Payload

Range:(Short) 7

miles

(Long) 13 miles

Damage: Both missile types use a 122mm warhead, typically the following warhead types (damage may vary as much as 50% by the quality of warhead manufacture):

* (Fragmentation) 1d6x10 MD to a 60 ft blast radius

* (Incendiary) 1d4x10 MD to a 50 ft blast radius, plus 01-75% chance of setting combustible materials aflame

* (High Explosive) 2d6x10 MD to a 20 ft blast radius

* (Plasma) 3d4x10 MD to a 40 ft blast radius

* (Smoke) Covers a 100 ft area in thick obscuring smoke. Typically disperses within 1d6 melees, depending on local wind and humidity conditions.

* (Chemical) Varies, but typically used to dispense CS or nerve agents (currently only the Sovietskii uses chemical munitions, though it is rumored that Warlord Sokolov has been seeking to acquire such weapons). Typically covers a 100 ft area. Like the smoke, local weather conditions determine the dispersal rate.

* (Submunition) Detonates airburst style over the target and scatters a small cloud of grenade-like sub-mines, that can be used to saturate an area with contact explosives or delayed-fuze mines. Carries over 18 submunitions, scattering over a 100 ft area, and doing 5d6 MD to a 10 ft blast radius each.

Penalties: Katyushas use the standard rules for unguided artillery with regard to deviation from target. Best fired in salvoes of 4 or more rockets.

##### Flare/Chaff Launchers

Northern Gun-pattern countermeasure launchers, sometimes called ‘fireworks wagons’ when mounted on the Sphyrn, which are used to screen other Warmounts in formation or convoy.

Range: 6,000 ft, creates a 30 ft cloud, +10 ft per each additional chaff/flare launched in the volley. Cloud lasts 2 melees before dissipating(or less in a very strong wind).

Damage: None

(Triax Style)

* 01-50 Enemy Missile or volley detonates in chaff and threat is neutralized

* 51-75 Missile/Volley diverts and may pursue/lock on to other targets

* 76-00 No Effect! Missile(s) still on target!

Will also temporarily blind and impede flying monsters who fly into it. Reduce APMs/combat bonuses/ speed by half for 1d4 melees

(Northern Gun Style)

* 10% chance per chaff cloud deployed of decoying missiles, up to maximum of 60%

Aircraft, power armor, and beings flying through the chaff will be -6 on perception, -3 on initiative, -5 to strike, -2 to parry, -2 dodge, and lose 1 melee attack that round (or the next). Sensory and Piloting rolls are at -20% for as long as the characters are caught in the cloud, and the next as they recover.

Payload: 60 shot launcher array

##### 30mm Anti-Aircraft Flak Cannon

 Damage
 Damage2
 Damage3
 Rate of Fire
 Payload

A knockoff of the TriaxTX-862FC, can be mounted singly or in two-gun mounts.

Bonuses: Independent laser and radar tracking system (range: 11,000 ft). +1 strike set on automatic against aerial attack, +2 strike fired by gunner

##### Particle Beam Cannon

 Damage
 Rate of Fire
 Payload

A knockoff of Triax’s TX-843P (apparently Clan Motron got them confused with Volkswagen).

Payload: Effectively Unlimited; the cannon mount comes with its own 5-year power supply.

##### Heavy Grenade Launcher

 Damage
 Rate of Fire
 Payload

Field-scavenged or knockoff copy of Northern Gun’s NG-GL1030A Grenade Launcher

* Fragmentation: 3d6 MD to 12 ft area, 1d4x10+3 MD for a 3 rd burst.

* HE/Armor-Piercing: 4d6 MD to 3 ft area, 1d6x10+6 MD for a 3 rd burst.

* Plasma: 4d6 MD to 3

ft area, 1d6x10+6 MD for a 3 rd burst.

* Can also fire smoke (covers a 40 ft area per single rd, or 120 ft area for 3 shot burst), chemical, or concussion grenades.

##### Flamer

 Damage
 Rate of Fire
 Payload

A heavy-duty flame projector. The Motrons have been known to use this to set backfires, clear heavy brush, or do drive-by ‘burn-outs’ of enemy vehicles and supplies.

* (Gasoline/Alcohol) 1d4x10 SDC

* (Napalm) 1d6x10 SDC, plus does 5d6 SDC per melee for 1d4 minutes

* (MD Fluid) 1d4 MD per blast, 1d4 MD per melee for 2d4 minutes

* (Incendi-Gel)2d6 MD, 2d6 MD per melee for 1d6 minutes

* (WI Napalm-P) 3d6 MD per blast, 1d4x10+10 MD per concentrated burst (counts as two attacks). 2d6 MD per melee for 1d4 minutes.

Note: The flamethrower can also be used to cover an area with fluid: up to 10 ft per attack used. Used with Super-Napalm, this does 1d4 MD, Incendi-Gel does 1d6 MD, and with Napalm-P, this does 2d6 MD.

Payload:

* (Gasoline/Alcohol) 20 blasts

* (Napalm) 60 blasts

* (MD Fluid) 100 blasts

* (Incendi-Gel) 120 blasts

* (WI Napalm-P) 200 blasts per tank(much more concentrated than the regular gasoline/alcohol).

##### Plasma Cannon

 Range2
 Damage
 Damage2
 Rate of Fire
 Payload

Based on an ARCHIE-3 knockoff of a Mechanoid weapon. Rumored to have been acquired through trade with the Blood Riders.

### Programming

The Ecotroz have installed robotic AIs, then infected the matrix with a low-level Ecotroz sentience.

Has the basic Monstrex programming,

The Ecotroz entity can also pick up one Secondary skill at levels 2, 6, and 12 of experience, though the nature of the Sphyrn 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
 Roll
 Pull Punch
 Disarm
 Claw
 Stomp

Sphyrn's love melee combat, working in packs to take down virtually anything that comes in their territory or their riders deem and enemy. Their signature attacks are head-on charges and ramming foes, crushing larger targets between multiple Sphyrns from different directions.

## Ecotroz Fragment

The Ecotroz intelligence fragment inhabiting the ‘bot gives the Sphyrn an aura and behavior more befitting a sentient being than a robot. Sphyrn are cooperative pack hunters, patient and compliant working in groups, but almost competitive when it comes to trials of endurance and strength. Extremely aggressive and fearless on the hunt or unleashed for combat (it’s not unknown for the Motrons to have riderless ‘ferals’ running alongside attack groups). They show absolutely no fear of charging an opponent in a full-on ramming attack, and have a bloodlust similar to that of a rhino-buffalo.

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

### Anti-Monster Growl

Trade with the Wolf’s Path gained Clan Motron data on Northern Gun’s ‘Wolf’s Howl’ Anti-Monster System (see Northern Gun Book One, pgs 133-34).

Range: 900 ft

Damage: 1d6 MD, plus targets are struck by painful sonic sidebands. Reduce speed by 10%. -1 attack per melee, -3 to perception rolls, -2 on initiative, -1 to parry/dodge/pull punch, and -15% on performance of ALL skills for 1d4 melees. The attack also has an EM aspect to it, so ELECTRONIC systems will be temporarily fazed; -15% to Sensory Equipment and ALL Radio communications rolls/attempts for 1d4 melees while the targets struggle to reset or readjust their equipment.

Rate of Fire: ECHH

Payload: Effectively Unlimited

### Forcefield

Naruni knockoff, providing the Sphyrn with additional protection (160 MDC) and adds +10 MD to ramming/bashing attacks (reinforces the head).

### Blast Studs

 Damage
 Damage2

This lines the hammerhead with a pebbly surfacing of contact blast nodes that let off a powerful contact plasma blast when triggered.

## Variants

’Shovelhead’

A variant first observed in the service of Ne’R’Mar presumably working for the Motrons in mining, the ‘Shovelhead’ has a more scoop-shaped head and a ramp/spillway on its cab, allowing shoveled-up material to be sloped into a dump-bin in the cargo bed, or on into an attached conveyor belt or hitched-up dump cart.