Hover Sled

## Hover Sled (Yer'kimi Hava Karsi)

A key part of the Bioroid weapon system, the **Hover Sled** (**Yer'kimi Hava Karsi**) was a comparatively simple flight platform that offered greatly expanded capabilities to its mecha.

## Background

In developing the Bioroid series, the Robotech Masters had created a potent infantry combat mecha, one that boasted unmatched technologies and mobility. However, the Bioroid was also strictly ground-based, as the Masters had felt that including flight capabilities would compromise the design while increasing complexity and making it harder to mass-produce. Furthermore, the need for such capabilities was seen as being situational at best. Instead, the Scientist Triumverates developed a separate Hover Sled that could be used to give the Bioroids air and space mobility as needed.

The Hover Sled was a remarkably simple design that none the less was a potent force multiplier. When equipped with a Hover Sled, Bioroids could fulfil a number of roles beyond simple infantry combat, such as fast cavalry, air support, space superiority and even dogfighting, albeit at low speeds. The Hover Sled was simple and easy to produce, and quickly proliferated across the Tirolian Empire alongside the Bioroid forces. The success of the design prompted the development of a heavier model which, while originally intended for transport and support roles, proved to be just as capable.

While the Hover Sled underwent a few small upgrades over the course of its service life, the basic design remained unchanged. Hover Sleds were used by Bioroids in every conflict in which they fought, proving to be a highly effective combination. However, during the later years of the Tirolian Empire, many Bioroid garrisons were left with a shortage of Hover Sleds due to the depletion of their Protoculture reserves. Bioroids fighting entirely on foot became a common sight as the Empire collapsed.

The Hover Sled contributed greatly to the Bioroids' effectiveness against the Army of the Southern Cross and the high kill rate that they maintained throughout the Second Robotech War. Most were destroyed along with their Bioroid operators, or succumbed to Protoculture depletion.

## Capabilities

At the most basic level, the Hover Sled was a simple platform that was designed to transport a single Bioroid into combat. Propulsion was provided by a combination of anti-gravity drive and conventional ion thrusters powered by a Protoculture engine, giving the Hover Sled a high acceleration and level of manoeuvrability. The Hover Sled was able to stop in place and hover indefinitely, but could also fly like a fighter jet under atmospheric conditions; an impressive feat when one considers that it was carrying a Bioroid that not only weighed more than the sled did, but also was a decidedly un-aerodynamic shape. The Hover Sled used an advanced magnetic clamp system to secure the Bioroid in place; the craft could roll, loop or fly inverted with the Bioroid remaining secure in its position.

While agile, the Hover Sled was also still limited to subsonic speeds. As a dogfighter, it was most effective in low-speed, low-altitude situations, but was comparatively weak against fast-moving opponents. However, this was not seen as a flaw, given how closely the Bioroids were expected to operate with their Assault Dropships. The latter acted as air superiority craft, clearing the way for Bioroid assaults.

The Hover Sled had no crew of its own, nor any capacity for such. Typically the Hover Sled was controlled directly by the Bioroid through a surprisingly manual control interface mounted on the central control column. (One odd side-effect of this system was that any appropriately sized mecha with functional hands could theoretically operate a Hover Sled. During the Second Robotech War, the 15th ATAC used this to their advantage, with their Spartas Hovertanks operating salvaged Hoversleds to escape a critically damaged Mothership) When the Bioroid was detached, the Hover Sled reverted to an autopilot system, and could be recalled by remote control. Likewise, the Hover Sled could also be remotely controlled from an Assault Dropship.

As it was not designed to operate independently of the Boiroid, the Hover Sled possessed only a minimal electronics fit, comprised mostly of navigational systems. Weapons targeting was tied directly into the Bioroid's own sensors and controlled by the Bioroid pilot.

## Weapons and Equipment

* 2 **Heavy Particle Cannons:** Mounted in the front of the Hover Sled. Fires ion discs at 4000 m/s. Can fire for up to 120 seconds in automatic mode, after that limited to one burst/3 seconds, unless sub- maximum rate of fire allows replenishment of the ion supply.

In addition, the Bioroid operating the Hover Sled could use its own gun pod, provided that it kept a single hand free to operate the controls.

## Notes

* Design Notes
* Image Gallery
* Bioroid Main File