The Iron Storm, an unusual team transport

[Gnaskar]

The Iron Storm

 

Operator: Built by General Hood of the Confederate Army, Maintained by Steamjack of the ULTICORP Champions, Owned by ULTICORP Incorporated (R&D Division)

 

History: General John Hood, supporting the confederates in the civil war, was a steampunk gageteer/power-armour. During the Battle of Gettysburg he was frozen solid and teleported to the North Pole. After being freed by an old ally he built himself this train (then christened The Confederate Advance) from a stolen museum piece.

 

Special features included four hot air balloons and six steam thrusters granting limited flight capacities, as well as stealth provided by a cloud of steam surrounding it (so it appears to be a cloud). In addition, several cannons and gatling guns provided extra firepower.

 

After a run-in with the ULTICORP Champions it was clear that the train needed some counter weapon against Silverbolt (a lighting mage), the only team member capable of severely damaging it. It was retrofitted with a faraday cage to protect the crew from an electrified hull, and a Tesla coil to dissipate the built up charge.

 

When the ULTICORP Champions later raided the New Confederate headquarters they cut the balloons off and half buried the train to prevent the leadership from escaping. In a surprising turn of events they ended up using the train to knock out General Hood, after overcharging it to dangerous levels. In honor of this event they rechristened the train “The Iron Storm”.

 

GMs dilemmas:

How does the train measure to normal team transports?

Is giving them a transport that thrives on being electrified unbalanced when one of the players is a lighting mage?

Is there otherwise any obvious flaw that I’ve missed?

 

Size 10

STR 60

DEX 15

BODY 20

DEF 10

SPD 4

RUN 15"/25"

FLIGHT 15"

Characteristics Cost: 90

 

Power {Cost}:

Boiler {53}: Endurance Reserve (48 END, 48 REC) (53 Active Points)

Electrified {4}: Endurance Reserve (40 END, 0 REC) [Notes: For each 2 END over 40 in the reserve the train and it's crew takes a DC of nomal electric damage (combined into a single attack).]

Electric Utilization {40}: Absorption 6d6 (energy, Electrified END reserve's END), Absorption As A Defense (x2) (60 Active Points); Limited Special Effect Very Common SFX (Lightning; -1/4), Side Effects (Overcharge! (see the reserve); -1/4)

Steam Jet Flight {7}: Flight 15" (30 Active Points); Increased Endurance Cost (x4 END; -1 1/2), OIF Bulky (-1), Side Effects, Side Effect occurs automatically whenever Power is used (Side Effect only affects the environment near the character; 8d6 explosive cone in direction of thrust; -1/2), Costs Endurance (-1/2)

Train wheels {13}: Ground Movement +15" (15"/25" total), x4 Noncombat (35 Active Points); OIF Bulky (Steel tires; -1), Costs Endurance (-1/2), Limited Maneuverability Only 2 turns per Phase at Combat speed; only 1 turn per Phase at Noncombat speed (-1/4)

Track movement {8}: Ground Movement +10" (15"/25" total), x4 Noncombat (25 Active Points); Only on rails (-1), OIF Bulky (-1)

Steam Cloud Cover {9}: Invisibility to Sight Group (20 Active Points); Only in clouds (-1), Bright Fringe (-1/4)

Arcane Shields {10}: Power Defense (10 points)

Weapons Array {15}: Elemental Control, 60-point powers, (30 Active Points); all slots OIF Bulky (-1)

1) Cannon {10}: Energy Blast 8d6, Does x1 1/2 Knockback (+1/2) (60 Active Points); OIF Bulky (-1), 12 Charges (-1/4), Half Phase to reload (-1/4), Costs 1 END to Reload (-1/4), Limited Arc Of Fire (180 degrees; Port, Starboard or Front; -1/4)

2) Gatling Cannon {13}: Energy Blast 6d6, Autofire (5 shots; +1/2), Reduced Endurance (1/2 END; +1/2) (60 Active Points); OIF Bulky (-1), Limited Arc Of Fire (180 degrees; Port or Starboard; -1/4)

3) Steam venting {12}: Energy Blast 8d6, Explosion (Cone; -1 DC/2"; +1/2) (60 Active Points); OIF Bulky (-1), No Range (-1/2)

4) Tesla Arc {12}: Energy Blast 10d6, Area of Effect (Random; +1/2) (75 Active Points); Increased Endurance Cost (x3 END; -1), OIF Bulky (-1), Limited Arc Of Fire (60 degrees; Forward; -1/2), Reduced By Range (-1/4) [Notes: Target one opponent with normal OCV and damage. If he/she/it is hit target the closest to that target with a cummulative -1 OCV and -1 dice of damage. (Digital HERO 10) Uses Electric END reserve.]

5) Electricity Cackles over the hull {13}: Energy Blast 4d6, Reduced Endurance (1/2 END; +1/4), Damage Shield (Offensive; +3/4), Continuous (+1) (60 Active Points); OIF Bulky (-1), Always Active While END remaines in the Electric Pool (-1/4)

2 more Cannons {10}: 3 total

Another Gatling Cannon {5}: 2 total

Powers Cost: 234

 

Total Character Cost: 324

 

Disadvantage

15 Hunted: Environmental Activists 8- (As Pow, Transport has a Public ID or is otherwise very easy to find, Disable/Destroy)

10 Hunted: ULTRACORP R&D 8- (Mo Pow, NCI, Limited Geographical Area, PC has a Public ID or is otherwise very easy to find, Watching)

10 Distinctive Features: Flying Train (Concealable; Noticed and Recognizable; Detectable By Commonly-Used Senses)

Disadvantage Points: 35

Base Points: 200

Experience Required: 89

Total Experience Available: 0

Experience Unspent: 0