Pyrolyte

*Borne on a fiery tail, the giant insectile Warmount came to a hover over the structures where scout drones had found another major concentration of the alien invaders growing more of their number. From her saddle, the Blood Rider pilot casually shot the handful of attendants who came out to point at the newcomer and screech warblingly. The incendiary rail gun rounds splashed the ineffectual guards, and quickly rendered them into miniature pyres of burning vegetation. Several trucks loaded with pod-forms were added to the tally, becoming bonfires that burned most satisfactorily, especially when the trucks’ fuel tanks went up. Then the Blood Rider directed her steed to take position over the main buildings, angling its jets downward and assuming a pose not unlike a diver, slightly head down.*

*Plasma exhaust played over the greenhouse structure, superheating the air trapped inside to explosive temperatures, incinerating wood, melting glass and metal, and in the process cremating the bulbous alien growths festering inside.*
Vermin extermination, nothing more. An alien agricultural pest running unchecked in an environment not its own. No threat to the Shemarrians who had appointed themselves protectors of the planet and its inhabitants, save that of the tedious necessity of uprooting the infestation and burning it out. No real glory for a Tribe who lived for challenge and one-on-one combat. The vegetable invaders were no better than zombies when it came to battle-glory.

*Suddenly her sensorium began ringing alerts as radar detected several fast incoming targets. Native infantry-launched anti-aircraft missiles, aimed and converging on her, doubtlessly drawn by the heat of her Warmount’s plasma drives.*
The firefly immediately threw itself into evasive maneuvers, countermeasure flares launching off its flanks as several vapor fingers reached out from the ground at the Shemarrian.

*“So you DO know how to assimilate more than your victims’ appearances....” the Blood Rider grudgingly conceded as she plotted how best to eliminate the enemy positions. The enemy surely had more missiles and weapons looted from their unwilling hosts’ arsenals, and seemed now inclined to use them, once a new and effective open resistance to their infiltration had appeared.*

*The Blood Rider grinned viciously as she sent her Warmount screaming along behind a copse of trees, as missiles arced overhead, seeking targets. Perhaps there WAS glory to be had fighting these weeds after all!*

## EcoS-K-41 Pyrolyte Aerial Warmount

aka ‘Firefly’, ‘BurnBug’

Eager to add more immediate air support assets to their stables, but unwilling to go humbly to the Hawkmoons, the Blood Rider Tribe turned to the Horrorwoods, who had achieved considerable success with their Shredwing Warmount. Despite much begging, pleading and challenge duels, the Horrorwoods refused to trade the Assembly Forge templates for the Shredwing with the Blood Riders, though they did concede to meet them halfway and gave them assistance in developing their own aerial combat unit.

### Description

The result has been what some have called ‘half Shredwing, half flying furnace’. The Pyrolyte resembles a giant mosquito or damselfly, with bulging eyes, long insect legs, four wings, a high abdomen, and multiple thrusters, including a large one in the tail. The rider sits in a saddle-niche behind the head, shielded from behind by the high-arched rear abdomen. Despite its fragile-looking, pipestem-legged, appearance, the Pyrolyte is actually quite tough, its advanced composite-armored body both resilient and flexible.

The Pyrolyte relies on high power plasma thrusters to give it serious speed and braking ability. At close range, these thrusters can also be used as weapons, spraying targets with scorching plasma. The Pyrolyte runs ‘hot’ and thus is more vulnerable to heat-seeking weapons, so the Warmount mounts considerable countermeasures to decoy missiles and confuse enemy sensors. Besides working as aerodynamic surfaces, the wings also serve as large radiators, helping to bring down the Pyrolyte’s considerable IR/thermal signature.

The Pyrolyte is an extremely agile flier and is quick to respond to danger or to its rider’s slightest proddings. The Warmounts fairly quiver with anticipation and eagerness to take wing. This translates into an almost supernatural ability to dodge, quickly jumping aside, up, or back, propelled by its thin, but powerful, legs, and liberal use of its plasma jets. Opponents of Blood Rider airborne units have commented that Pyrolytes are ‘everywhere to be seen, nowhere to be hit’.
Since their introduction, the Pyrolytes have caught on with the Blood Riders like a house on fire. The Blood Riders are EXTREMELY enthusiastic about their new aerial warmounts, using them as airborne cavalry. Swarms of rider-less Pyrolytes are often set loose over Blood Rider ground forces, providing a ‘burning cloud’ air cover attacking any enemy air units or ordnance entering the immediate airspace.

## Abilities

Pyrolytes are able to go under water, though, are VERY unhappy to be wet, let alone submerged.

### Sensors

Also has motion and heat detection, built-in radar( 60 mile range) and other standard power armor-equivalent systems.

#### Laser Target Illuminator

Paints targets for ‘smart’ bombing and target designation. Range: 6 miles

### Special Systems

#### Flare/Chaff Launchers (2)

Standard countermeasure launchers mounted on the sides of the body.

Range: Close Defense

Damage: None; similar to Triax-style chaff

* 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

Payload: 24 chaff clusters(12 per launcher)

### Weapons Systems

#### Eye Lasers (2)

 Damage
 Damage2
 Rate of Fire
 Payload

The massive bulging black bug eyes of the Pyrolyte conceal powerful lasers.  Can be fired individually, or paired together.

It is possible the Pyrolyte could target two different targets at the same time, one with each eye.

#### Mouth Weapon

Mounted between the four pincer jaws of the mouth is a four-barrel rapid-fire weapon. The Pyrolyte can carry a light ion sprayer, pulse laser, light machine gun, or flame-thrower, depending in the rider’s preference. Other weapons have appeared in this slot, such as blinding lasers, light plasma cannon, or directed EMP blasters, but these are individual request-customizations.

##### Ion Pulse Cannon

 Damage
 Damage2
 Rate of Fire

This is a pulse ion cannon based on Shemarrian ion weaponry, can be fired single shot or with a 4 shot pulse burst. A common alternative to the laser for use against laser resistant targets.

##### Pulse Laser

 Damage
 Damage2
 Rate of Fire

A pulse laser based on Shemarrian laser weapons. This is one of the more common weapons loaded. Can fire a single shot, or a four shot pulse burst.

##### Machine Gun (7.62mm caliber)

 Damage
 Rate of Fire
 Payload

Typically loaded with incendiary tracer rounds, although other ammunition types can be loaded.

Damage varies by the type of ammunition loaded.

* (SDC) 6d6 SDC single shot, 4d6 x10 SDC (1d4 MD) per 10 rd burst, 8d6x10 SDC per 20 rd burst, 1d4 MD per 40 rd burst.
* Ramjets 1 MD single shot, 1d10 MD per 10 rd burst, 2d10 MD per 20 rd burst, 1d4x10 MD per 40 rd burst.
* High Explosive 2d6x10 SDC single shot, 1d6 MD per 10 rd burst, 2d6 MD per 20 rd burst, 4d6 MD per 40 rd burst.
* Advanced High Explosive 1d4 MD per rd, 1d4x10 MD per 10 rd burst, 2d4x10 MD per 20 rd burst, 4d4x10 MD per 40 rd burst.
* Tracer Every 11th round is a tracer, which gives a +1 to strike with bursts. However, the tracer stream also makes it that much easier for enemies to backtrace and locate the machine gunner.

##### Flame-thrower

 Range2
 Damage
 Rate of Fire
 Payload

A variable fuel flame-thrower can be mounted, similar to the fire-drake conversion kit.

Damage varies by the type of fuel loaded.

* Regular liquid fuels 5d10 SDC, plus ignition of combustible materials.
* Plasma napalm 3d6 MD burst. A four-shot sustained burst/spray covers an area of 40 ft, doing 2d6 MD to everything caught in the area of effect.
* MD Gel 4D6 MD Upon contact, burning for 1D6 rounds doing 2D6 MD per round. Anything that the character touches also starts on fire. Any combustible materials within touching distance, clothes, brush, etc. also ignite.

#### Plasma Whip-Stingers (2)

 Damage
 Damage2
 Damage3
 Rate of Fire
 Payload

Looking like two long thin ovipositors, these are tentacular ‘pipes’ emerging from the rear of the Warmount, and can be used like whips to slash at targets in melee combat. However, their nastiest attack is to pierce a target in a weak spot such as a joint or chink (ideally bypassing armor), and channel drive plasma directly from the engine chambers into the target’s vulnerable parts.

#### Plasma Blast

 Range2
 Damage
 Damage2
 Rate of Fire
 Payload

The ‘choke’ on the various plasma thrusters mounted on the Pyrolyte can be adjusted to project thruster efflux, allowing the Warmount to ‘spray’ an area at short range with hot plasma. Used most effectively as an anti-infantry, zombie or area denial weapon.

#### VibroClaws (6)

 Damage

Each of the deceptively fragile-looking legs ends in an array of sharp vibroclaws, typically used for anchoring the Pyrolyte to hulls, mountainsides, and other surfaces, but more than capable of being used in an eviscerating kick or armor-piercing spear-punch.

#### VibroPincers

 Damage
 Damage2

The mouth features four wicked vibroblade-edged pincers, for tearing into prey.

### Programming

The Ecotroz have installed robotic AIs, then infected the matrix with a low-level Ecotroz sentience, giving the Warmount a more ‘living’ presence and personality. Pyrolytes tend to have frenetic, anxious, personalities, fairly quivering with energy and buzzing with barely-reined-in energy. In combat, they are vicious quick-moving predators well-suited for hit-and-run attacks.

Typically has the same basic programming as for the Monstrex, plus the following:
Pilot Jet Fighter 70% (+5% per level of experience)(for maneuvering purposes).

The Ecotroz entity can also pick up one Secondary skill at levels 2, 6, and 12 of experience, though the nature of the Pyrolyte intelligence and design is such that it is limited to skill selections from Technical: Language(understanding) and Lore, Espionage(Detect Ambush, Detect Concealment), Wilderness (Track Humanoids, Track Animals, Hunting, Identify Plants and Fruits)

### Combat

 Dodge
 Parry
 Strike
 Roll
 Pull Punch
 Bite
 Power Bite/Chew
 Tail Whip
 Tail Whip Energized
 Leap/Flying Pounce

Bite 2d6 MD

Power Bite/Chew (2 attacks) 6d6 MD

Tail Whip 1d6 MD (4d6 MD energized strike)

Leap/Flying Pounce (2 attacks) 6d8 MD

## Ecotroz Fragment

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

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, 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

### Modular Weapons (2)

The Pyrolyte has provision for torso-mounting two weapons similar to those standard to the Monstrex.

In the alternative, these hardpoints can be used to mount aircraft-style jamming pods that gives radar-guided weaponry a -4 to strike the Warmount. Or it can be used offensively, to foil ALL radar-guided weaponry in a 15 mile radius(-2 to strike).

Alternatively, they can be used to mount a mini-radio jammer, that can pump out enough multi-wavelength white noise to jam civilian band communications with 90% effectiveness, and military comms with 70% effectiveness, over a 20 mile radius.

Mounting TWO similar pods does not increase bonuses, but provides system redundancy.

### Missiles (2 hardpoints)

The Pyrolyte can mount additional heavy weaponry in the form of two missile hardpoints in the side of the back/rear torso. These give additional firepower, but also reduce maximum speed by 20% and impose a -1 to dodge and roll until the missiles are all fired. Each hardpoint can accommodate the following:

* Mini-Missiles 20 shot pod per hardpoint
* Short Range Missiles 4 per hardpoint
* Medium Range Missiles 3 per hardpoint