HawkMoth

‘Locusts I can handle. You can eat grasshoppers. But these damn Shemarrian bugs, they ain’t right! They blacken the sky and they bring misery to you if you ain’t with the ‘Nation.”

“It’s serious bad luck to have one of those cloudowls squatting over your position like a stormcloud. They pour down fire until they’ve burned holes in your cover, then they rain down birds and insects to finish the job. I’ve known men to go mad when swarmed like that.”

“Need quick armor? Stand over there and I’ll call down one of our ‘mothras to dust you with a fresh batch. No, not mothfrust, this is genuine beetle-dust; the serious protective stuff faeries only WISH they could make, so call me your Shemarrian godmother and hold out your arms for your armor make-over!“

## EcoS-K-111 HawkMoth Aerial Warmount

aka ‘Owlator’, ‘MonMothra’, ‘MotherMoth’, ‘Cloudowl’

The introduction and success of force multiplier ‘manufactory’ warmounts such as the EcoS-K-35 Monstriark and EcoS-K-109 Stormapod, intrigued the Hawkmoon Tribe. Eager to maintain their Tribe’s technological prowess, Hawkmoon Tinkers proceeded to develop a ‘flying factory’ able to produce swarms of flying drones and munitions.

The resulting HawkMoth resembles a giant hybrid of a fat-bodied moth and an owl (the ‘hawk’ in its name is said to refer more to its Tribal affiliation). A combination of antigravity systems and hoverjets keeps the giant warmount in the air. Like the Stormapod, the HawkMoth features a fully-enclosed cockpit pod with room for several passengers, such as a Tinker team. The fully enclosed saddle-pod affords a supervising Tinker or other technician extra production from weapons fire, environmental hazards, and distractions while working. The round and thick body conceals an onboard nanofactory that can produce small drone robots or munitions; an extra-large powerplant feeds the ravenous power needs of this system, and requires a unique laser-cooling system (that also doubles as a point defense array). Fed with a steady supply of the right materials, the HawkMoth can ‘birth’ a seemingly endless stream of insect-bot swarms and flocks of avian ‘bots. Units on long duration patrols and raids can now keep themselves supplied with ammunition and expendable drones, and operate well away from the Shemarrian logistical infrastructure.

The HawkMoth has proven a mixed success; necessary compromises necessitated by power and mass demands imposed by both the onboard factory systems and the flight systems, mean the HawkMoth is fairly slow and not as agile as other aerial Warmounts. Compared to the number of aquatic drones, the number of aerial drone units is less, so currently the HawkMoth has a smaller range of drones it can produce, compared to other ‘mother’ warmounts like the Monstriark and Stormapod. However, the HawkMoth has superior communications and coordination links to its ‘children’, making it a powerful command and control Warmount in the field.

HawkMoths are typically deployed to oversee and support long range air patrols and raids by producing force multiplier units that can help cover wide areas of territory with surveillance. They are also used as ‘swarm bombers’, producing hordes of aerial drone bombs that can saturate an enemy’s defenses and wear them down.

Though it’s claimed that Clan Vespa helped the Hawkmoons with the design of the HawkMoth, the truth is that the Hawkmoons designed it completely on their own. That having been said, the Vespas are very much interested in acquiring the design for their own tribal forces.

## Abilities

### Sensor Systems

#### Magnetometer

The HawkMoth has an acute sensing ability when it comes to ambient and active magnetic fields, both as a means of finding metallic ores and scrap to devour for production material, and as passive detection of targets. Less effective at detecting nonmetallic vessels/vehicles and organics.

Range: 5 miles, and has a 70% chance of detecting camouflaged vehicles (-20% for nonmetallic artificial objects, and no chance of detecting organics). Can detect active rail guns and nuclear fusion containment fields at TWICE that range.

### Special Systems

#### Drone Link

The HawkMoth is an expert multitasking coordination nexus with microwave radio links. ALL Shemarrian aerial drones within a 5 mile radius of the HawkMoth, provided that radio communications are unjammed, enjoy a +1 to initiative, and +1 to strike. If jamming (environmental or deliberate) interferes and severs the link, the drones fall back on their own programming (and bonuses).

#### ECCM System

A semiautomatic system that uses electronic encryption and frequency jumping to (attempt to) negate jamming systems. The system has a 40% chance of negating radar or communications jamming (non-magical) on its own, or a +5% if the pilot has a Read Sensory Instruments or Radio: Scramblers skill and devotes a full melee to operating the system (no other attacks/actions are possible).

#### Radar-Absorbent Skinning

The HawkMoth is skinned in a scaled or ‘downy’ surfacing that increases aerodynamic drag, but which also helps absorb or scatter radar signals; radar systems are only 25% likely to be able to detect the HawkMoth.

#### Drone Assembly

The onboard manufactory can produce EcoS-DUW01 and EcoS-DUW02 drones (or can be programmed to produce other, similar ‘bots) from scratch.

Typical rate of assembly:

##### AA-03 Avian Spy/’Avyet’

Up to 2 can be produced an hour. Typically it takes about 70 MDC of consumed materials to produce 1 drone. Up to 10 can be carried, concealed in the pleats and folds of the abdomen and wings.

##### Eco-KRP01 EcoS-AAR-01 Chirt

Up to 40 can be produced an hour. Typically it takes about 200 SDC of consumed materials to produce 10 drones. Up to 80 can be carried, concealed in the pleats and folds of the abdomen and wings.

===== EcoS-D64Hm
Aviar/Aviarmor =====
Up to 10 can be produced an hour. Typically it takes about 25 MDC of consumed materials to produce 1 drone. Up to 80 can be carried, concealed in the pleats and folds of the abdomen and wings.

##### EcoS-D61cv Carrian Fly MicroRobot

Up to 100 can be produced an hour. Typically it takes about 4 MD or 4,000 SDC of consumed materials to produce 100 drones. Up to 600 can be carried, concealed in the pleats and folds of the abdomen and wings.

##### EcoS-D62cv Carapace Beetle MicroRobot

Up to 100 can be produced an hour. Typically it takes about 5 MD or 5,000 SDC of consumed materials to produce 100 drones. Up to 600 can be carried, concealed in the pleats and folds of the abdomen and wings.

##### Eshe-R63Cvp Fiery Wing MicroRobot

Up to 100 can be produced an hour. Typically it takes about 5 MD or 5,000 SDC of consumed materials to produce 100 drones. Up to 600 can be carried, concealed in the pleats and folds of the abdomen and wings.

##### Flit-Striker

Up to 120 can be produced an hour. Typically it takes about 1 MD or 200 SDC of consumed materials to produce 10 drones. Up to 200 can be carried, concealed in the pleats and folds of the abdomen and wings.

##### Ammunition

If not producing drones, the nanofactory has a secondary role of producing ammunition; it can produce 10 fragmentation/high explosive mini-missiles (OR 5 plasma), or 50 high explosive (OR 30 incendiary/ acid OR 5 malnano) grenades/shells/limpet mines or 100 rounds of solid rail gun ammunition per hour, if properly fed with the right materials.

#### Flare/Chaff Dispenser

 Damage
 Payload

Mounted in the empennage is a countermeasure launcher:

* 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.

Can generate new chaff bundles at 6 per hour.

### Weapons Systems

#### Eye Lasers (2)

 Range2
 Damage
 Damage2
 Damage3
 Rate of Fire
 Payload

High-end aerospace-grade lasers with extended range. The HawkMoth also has special eyelids that can split the laser beams into a ‘spray’ attack.

#### Wing Lasers (12, 3 per wing)

 Damage
 Damage2
 Rate of Fire
 Payload

Hidden in amongst the many feathers of the HawkMoth’s wings are multiple light lasers, copied from the Titan Works’ Flying Titan Power Armor. The multiple lasers are individually fairly weak, but can be combined to create a powerful barrage. Against ground and other targets underneath the HawkMoth, the combined onslaught of focused light can create a ‘laser rain’.

The lasers can also serve more benign purposes; they can be set to radiate in visible spectrum as laser illumination. They can also be used to radiate waste heat away from the Warmount. If stealth is not an issue, a HawkMoth hard at work producing new drones can seem to ‘glitter’ with heat radiated away as laser energy.

#### Quill Flechettes

 Damage
 Rate of Fire
 Payload

Copied from the Harpy caste, but with some differences, the HawkMoth carries special ‘quills’ that are hidden on the wings. These dense composite darts can be fired by contractions of the same synthetic myomer muscles that power the wings, like crossbows. The HawkMoth carries many more of these darts per wing, can fire them in bursts, and can regenerate them.

Can generate new ones at a rate of 20 per hour. 25 MDC is required to make 25 darts.

Moth Dust

Moth Dust is the byproduct of drone/munition production; waste material from MDC material processing (the warmount’s assembly systems are rather less efficient than larger Assembly Forge systems, so a certain amount of waste is produced during production). Normally this waste is saved for return to a larger and more efficient Assembly Forge to recycle (the collected dust often carried in external sacks attached to the HawkMoth’s rear legs, like a bee’s pollen collectors), but if necessary it can be ejected to form a small cloud of suspended material. If inhaled, Moth Dust acts as a painful irritant, the small fibers and crystals cutting up soft tissues. Drawn into a high pressure air intake, such as a jetpack or SAMAS jet turbine, the material can cause jets to temporarily choke, and damage bearings and blades.

##### Range

A sack’s worth typically covers a 15 ft area. Depending on local air currents, the dust can remain suspended and concentrated for 1d4 melees.

##### Damage

Those breathing in the dust will take 2d6 SDC per melee, and will be -10 to strike, parry, and dodge, and must roll versus non-lethal poison afterwards or contract a respiratory condition (reduce P.E. by -1d4, fatigues twice as fast) due to lung damage. A thorough lung cleaning or Purge spell will negate the effects. Those with unprotected eyes will be temporarily blinded for 1d6 melees. The dust will also create a red rash if worked into the skin.

35% chance of jetpack and power armor airbreather turbines seizing up and losing power for 1d4 melees. There is also a 25% chance of permanent damage to the turbines, resulting in a -1d6x10% reduction in maximum speed, until the turbines are replaced/repaired.

Megadamage vehicle turbines tend to be more robust; only a 10% chance of seizing up. Lose power for 1d4 melees. There is also a 15% chance of permanent damage to the turbines, resulting in a -1d4x10% reduction in maximum speed, until the turbines are replaced/repaired.

Contragravity and plasma jets are UNaffected by mothdust ingestion.

Rate of Fire: ECHH

##### Payload

Typically carries enough dust for 4-8 clouds. Generation of new dust depends on production schedules; it typically takes 700-800 MDC worth of production to generate enough waste material for 1 sack.

Optional Pod-Mounted Weaponry

The passenger pod can be fitted with two Monstrex-style hardpoints (usually missile launchers) and a dorsal weapons turret for an energy weapon or rail gun manned by one of the passengers.

### Programming

The Ecotroz have installed robotic AIs, then infected the matrix with a low-level Ecotroz sentience. The HawkMoth is a patient hunter that works well in pack-flocks. It is a particularly deadly night hunter, especially when using its ‘minion-bots’ to detect and pinpoint targets at night.

Has the same basic programming as the Monstrex, plus has the equivalent of the following (for aerial maneuvering purposes):

* Pilot Helicopter 70% (+5% per level of experience).

The Ecotroz entity can also pick up one Secondary skill at levels 2, 6, and 12 of experience, though the nature of the HawkMoth 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).

Note: The Ecotroz intelligence fragment inhabiting the ‘bot gives the HawkMoth 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 (most Warmounts, unless otherwise noted, have an effective IQ rating of 8; the HawkMoth has an I.Q. of 11), 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).

#### Psionics

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

* Sixth Sense
* See Aura
* Presence Sense
* Sense Evil

### Combat

 Dodge
 Parry
 Roll
 Pull Punch
 Power Strike w/Beak
 Wing Slap/Buffet
 Body Block/Ram/Tackle
 Flying Pounce

HawkMoth's are not front line combatants, acting as resupply units and drone control. With their wing lasers, they can be used in an artillery support role.

#### Flying Pounce

Lands with all six claw-feet in strike position (3 attacks) 1d6x10 MD, +80% chance of knockdown (lose 1 APM and Initiative) on targets weighing 25 tons or less.

### Drone Types Producible by the HawkMoth

#### Flit-Striker

Winged munition based on the Shemarrian version of the Northern Gun NMX-18 Stinger Anti-Flyer Mine (see Rifts Merc Ops, pg. 97-98 )

Range: 5,000 ft. The projectile flies at 300 MPH.

##### Incendiary

The Blood Riders have an incendiary version that does 4d6 MD to a 15 ft blast radius, but continues to burn, doing 1d6 MD per melee for 1d4 melees, with an 88% chance of setting any combustibles in the immediate area aflame.

##### Sonic

DarkWater sonic munition, based on a design they acquired from a trade ally: High Power Mode 4d6 MD to an 11 ft radius. Low Power Mode 2d4 MD to an 8 ft radius, for 3+1d4 melees.

The vibrofield will do 1/2 SDC damage through most body armors (100 MDC or less), 1/3 through heavier armors and power armor (250 MDC or less), and 1/4 through small robots and vehicles (400 MDC or less)

###### Sonic Shock

25 ft radius, DOUBLE underwater. Beings with Enhanced Hearing or Sense Vibration abilities will be overcome and disoriented; Make a save versus Psionic Attack or lose initiative and be -8 to strike, parry, and dodge, and lose 2 APMs for 1d4 melees (continues even after the sound has been cut off). Beings who navigate by echolocation or motion detection will be effectively blinded. Even a successful save will leave the victim -2 to strike, parry and dodge for 1d4 melees, with a ringing in their heads. Beings without enhanced sonic senses will only suffer HALF penalties in either case.

##### Bonuses

+3 to strike, +1 to dodge interception attempts, and gets FOUR APMs until the projectile hits (or is destroyed en route).

## Variants

### EcoS-K-111f

’Feral’ version. The only real difference is a lack of a passenger pod, which can be quickly fitted.