NG-UELX49 Silent Shadow

NG-UELX49 Silent Shadow

Gliding Stealth Power Armor
The Silent Shadow was developed by the Fillinger Team headed by Michael Reagin, Lorne Wheeler, Carl Gleba and Michael Wilson in concert with the developers of the Night Reaper. The two teams envision the two power armors working together in diverse and complementary roles of surveillance, espionage and sabotage. Whereas the Night Reaper is a light stealth power armor, the Silent Shadow is a heavier unit intended for special forces raids, surprise attacks, rescue missions and sabotage, though it too can engage in spying and theft. 
The Silent Shadow is excellent for ground and air border patrols, scouting missions, silent coastal patrols and sweeping across lake waters from one ship and onto an unsuspecting vessel to board and attack it, as well as any type of night raid. The Silent Shadow also excels at creating diversions. A favorite ploy is to send in 1-4 Silent Shadows to attack or drop grenades and Molotov cocktails on one part of an enemy compound or ship, while the Night Reaper or other forces can be quietly taking subtler action elsewhere during the confusion. The Silent Shadow is excellent for surprise attacks because it is, indeed, silent and can swoop in low to the ground or waves on the water and under most radar systems and the noses of most posted guards.
Of course there are degrees of stealth, and Northern Gun is decades away from being able to develop the camouflage armor produced by alien competitor Naruni Enterprises. Northern Gun has come up with an alternative that relies more on computer trickery than actual stealth applications: Its patented stealth RADAR package. 
This experimental, advanced sensor-deflection package intercepts and interprets incoming RADAR signals. Instead of jamming them, which still gives away one’s position, the unit absorbs the radar signals and relays them back to the source with false information. The receiving enemy unit interprets the signal as a flock of birds, large bird or some other clutter that most radar systems are programmed to filter out and ignore. This often tricks radar operators and guards until it is too late and the Silent Shadow is already in a kill position, taking aim and firing.
For additional cover and stealth, the Silent Shadow is painted black, has a reduced heat signature, and a silent hover-glide system rather than a jet propulsion system. Of course, the Silent Shadow has to sacrifice heavy weaponry and must rely on its first strike ability to take out most enemies. A few light weapon systems are built into the skin of the power armor and handheld weapons, powered by the new UEL system, are the majority of its firepower. A special housing behind the right or left shoulder stows an energy rifle, and the addition of a shoulder bag, belts and pouches can hold hand grenades that can be dropped with a fair amount of accuracy from the air as the power armor glides low and silently over its target, such as the bow of a ship, communications tower, weapon turret, guard tower, etc.
During night ops, the black power armor is difficult to spot and target against the night sky, tree line or dark waters. The large batlike wings are designed to catch and ride wind currents much like a bird of prey. A set of vents in the center plus small, concealed hover jets provide extra lift, speed and maneuverability as needed. While there are small jets in the back, they are nothing like the big thrusters of flight systems or jump jets. Again, they are designed to provide a soft blast of air to make a sharp turn, swoop upward or downward, stop or accelerate, but not rocket away high or far. The Silent Shadow is a low-altitude flyer that relies upon wind and air currents more like a kite than an aircraft. It can be dropped from an aircraft or dive from a rooftop to swoop down and through city streets and back alleys, but again, it is not built for incredible speed. 
It is a silent glider with some limited hover boosters so that it can keep going and swoop back upward to escape.
Though the Silent Shadow can handle itself in combat, its wings are vulnerable when in flight/gliding, and if destroyed, the power armor will crash to the ground and remain earthbound like a bird with a broken wing. For this reason, it is best if the Silent Shadow is used for air reconnaissance, scouting, leading surprise attacks using hit and run tactics, or to create a diversion and glide away rather than stand and fight. When the unit must land or fight, the wings fold up tight behind the back and make a difficult target to see or strike.
Purchasers must keep in mind that the Silent Shadow is not a high-speed flying power armor. Up against fast, heavily armed opponents like a Coalition SAMAS, Triax Predator or NG Red Hawk, it is in serious peril. The faster power armors can fly rings around it and shoot it out of the sky in one or two melee rounds. That said, it and the Night Reaper are becoming known as the “ninjas” of power armors, putting both in high demand. 

Silent Shadow Power Armor

Model Type: NG-UELX49
Class: Strategic Flying Espionage Assault Suit with UEL system.
Crew: One.
M.D.C. by Location:

• * Head – 80
• Arms (2) – 60 each
• * UEL Cables – 6 each
• Legs (2) – 80 each
• * Wings (2) – 32 each
• ** Hover Booster Jets (16; 4 each wing, 4 back, 2 per leg) – 10 each
• *** Main Body – 190

* A single asterisk indicates a small and difficult target to strike, requiring the attacker to make a “Called Shot,” and even then the attacker is -4 to strike. This includes the wings when folded or while flying. Destroying one wing causes the power armor to spiral out of control and plummet to the ground. Further gliding and flight is impossible until the tattered or destroyed wing is replaced.
Destroying the head/helmet eliminates all forms of optical and sensory enhancement, leaving the pilot to rely on his own human senses without any of the bonuses granted to him by the Robot Combat skill. If the helmet is destroyed underwater, the wearer suffers from exposure to deep sea pressure at depths greater than 220 feet (67 m), and takes 2D6 S.D.C./Hit Point damage per melee round and all bonuses are reduced by half.
** Hover Booster Jets are tiny, black and concealed, making them nearly impossible to see even when the Silent Shadow is stationary and close. They can only be struck when the attacker makes a “Called Shot” and even then the shooter is -7 to strike.
*** Depleting the M.D.C. of the Main Body shuts the power armor down completely, rendering it useless.

Speed

Running (with wings folded): 70 mph (112 km) maximum. The Silent Shadow can go from zero to maximum speed in one melee round (15 seconds). The act of running tires out its operator, but at 10% of the usual fatigue rate.
Leaping: The powerful robot legs can leap 15 feet (4.6 m) high and 20 feet (6.1 m) across unassisted by the thrusters or its glide wings. Double the height and distance using booster jets.
A wing-assisted gliding leap can propel the armor up to 130 feet (39.6 m) high and 300 feet (91.4 m) across without actually attaining full flight. Dropping from a height or gliding in a good wind or updraft, the power armor can glide for thousands of yards (meters), even miles; see Flying.
Flying: Limited. The wings and armor are designed for silent gliding given a boost via the various small hover jets. It is not built for speed nor can the Silent Shadow hover stationary. It functions very much like a hawk riding air currents and must circle an area to stay aloft. Flying speed is typically 40 mph (64 km) or slower; increase to as much as triple that (120 mph/192 km) in a strong wind or when diving down from a height of 100 feet (30.5 m) or greater. Increase that to 240 mph (384 km) when diving in from an aircraft at an altitude greater than 10,000 feet (3,048 m).
Flying Range: Designed for short flights seldom lasting more than 30-60 minutes. However, if pushed, the Silent Shadow can stay aloft for three hours, but needs a steady wind and air currents to do so.
Maximum Sustainable Altitude: 2,000 (610 m) feet is the best the power armor can maintain. The Silent Shadow is a low-altitude glider with booster hover jets to help keep it aloft and to regain height after swooping in low. It can ride as close to the ground or waves as two feet (0.6 m) but a more comfortable and common altitude is 20-500 feet (6.1 to 152 m).
Bird-Like Landings from Great Heights: When dropped from a great height, even from an aircraft, the Silent Shadow can glide down to Earth and land safely and quietly. There is no practical limit to the height from which it can glide and land safely.
Water: The Silent Shadow is not designed for use in the water, but can swim in water or walk along the bottom at 10 mph (16 km or 8.6 knots). Maximum depth is 1,000 feet (305 m). The act of swimming tires the wearer of the suit, but at 20% of the usual fatigue rate.

Statistical Data

Height: Man-size: 6-7.6 (1.8 to 2.3 m) depending on the size of the purchaser.
Width: Wings down: 3-4 feet (0.9 to 1.2 m) depending on the size of the purchaser. Wings at full extension: 15 feet (4.6 m).
Length: 2-3 feet (0.6-0.9 m) depending on the size of the purchaser.
Weight: 279 1bs (126 kg).
Physical Strength: Robot P.S. of 26.
Cargo: None.
Power System: Nuclear; average energy life is 10 years.
Cost: 1.4 million credits nuclear or 1 million credits for Solid Oxide. Not available as an electric battery model because the UEL draws too much power.

Weapon Systems

1. Concealed Laser (1): Concealed in the forearm of the wearer’s shooting arm (right or left) is a light laser. This is meant as a ranged weapon and can double as an infrared rangefinder out to two miles (3.2 km) for the purposes of determining distance.
Primary Purpose: Assault.
Secondary Purpose: Defense.
Range: 2,000 feet (610 m).
Mega-Damage: 2D6 M.D. per shot.
Rate of Fire: Each blast counts as one melee attack.
Payload: Unlimited, tied into the power supply.

2. Concealed Spike and Climb Cord (1, forearm): Since the Silent Shadow may have to climb, a spike and 30 foot (9.1 m) cable is concealed in the other forearm. The spike or grappling hook is fired and the cable spools out behind it. The spike can be recovered and the cable rewound back into the power armor’s arm for future use.
The spike and cable may also be used to hitch a ride to a boat, ship or aircraft, pulling the power armor along like a kite/glider.
Primary Purpose: Climbing.
Secondary Purpose: Towline.
Range: 30 feet (9.1 m).
Mega-Damage: One M.D. as a weapon.
Rate of Fire: One; then the spike needs to be recovered or cut loose.
Payload: One, but reusable.

3. Concealed Vibro-Swords (2): A concealed, extendible Vibro-Short Sword is located in each forearm.
Primary Purpose: Assault.
Secondary Purpose: Defense and Utility Tool.
Range: Close combat/arm’s reach.
Mega-Damage: 1D6 M.D. (+4 from a flying slash or stab attack).

4. Handheld Weapons: The Silent Shadow can use any handheld weapon, and there is a mounting on the back for a rifle. Energy weapons are the usual choice because they can be powered by the UEL systems. An additional side arm, Vibro-Blade and/or satchel of 6-10 hand grenades (more if several satchels or pouches contain them) may be carried on a belt around the waist. As a glider, the Silent Shadow moves fast enough and low enough to drop hand grenades, like bombs from an aircraft, and move out of the way before they go off. When flying low above the target (50 feet/15.2 m or less), accuracy is very good.
UEL – Universal Energy Link (2, one in each forearm): The Universal Energy Link is concealed under a layer of forearm plating.
When needed, the plate opens and extends enough for the E-Clip connector of the UEL and cable to be removed and plugged into the weapon. The plate armor snaps back into place and a thin cable runs from the back of the forearm, near the wrist to the weapon in hand. This provides unlimited payload when plugged into any energy weapon that takes an E-Clip and does 1D6x10 M.D. or less per attack. The Silent Shadow has one UEL in each forearm. Note: An extra or emergency UEL can be built into the thigh of one leg, but costs an additional 160,000 credits.

5. Hand to Hand Combat: Rather than use a weapon, the pilot can engage in M.D. hand to hand combat. See Basic and Flying Power Armor Combat in the Rifts® Ultimate Edition, pages 351 and 352. 
Damage is based on the Robotic P.S. of 26.

• Restrained Punch – 1D4 M.D.
• Full Strength Punch – 1D6 M.D.
• Power Punch – 2D6 M.D., but counts as two melee attacks.
• Kick – 2D4 M.D.
• Leap Kick – 2D8 M.D., but counts as two melee attacks.
• Flying Power Punch – 3D6 M.D., but counts as three melee attacks. No additional damage for a two-fisted punch.
• Flying Leap Kick – 3D8 M.D., but counts as 3 melee attacks.
• Flying Body Block/Slam – 3D8 M.D., plus there is a 01-68% likelihood that opponents under 11 feet (3.4 m) tall and one ton are knocked off their feet and lose initiative and one melee attack. Counts as two attacks.

6. Sensor Systems and Features of Note: All the features common to power armor, plus the following.

• a) Helmet Cameras: Two simple dashboard-style digital cameras are built into the helmet. They see and record whatever the wearer sees. The cameras have no special features beyond the ability to tape 96 hours of video and take 4,000 still pictures.
• b) Helmet Multi-Optics System: The Silent Shadow’s helmet contains a wide range of optical enhancements: Passive nightvision (light amplification; range 1,600 feet/488 m), infrared optics (can see in total darkness and through smoke, however, an infrared light beam is emitted which can be seen by others with the ability to see the infrared; range 1,600 feet/488 m), ultraviolet vision (can see the ultraviolet light used by some security systems; 400 foot/122 m range), binocular telescopic sight (2 miles/3.2 km range), and macro-magnification (x12 for close work).
• c) Helmet Voice Modulation: The mouthpiece of the helmet includes a built-in loudspeaker to serve as a bullhorn, language translator and voice modulator (changes/disguises the wearer’s voice; 20 different variations).
• d) Stealth RADAR System: An Advanced electronic warfare package that intercepts incoming RADAR signals and relays them back to their source with false information. This disguises the true nature of the Silent Shadow, making the sensory operator misread the signal as something benign and other than power armor. In game terms, it inflicts a -60% penalty to the Sensory Equipment skills of the RADAR operators trying to detect the Silent Shadow and other hostile flyers. If the character fails his Sensory Equipment skill, the Silent Shadow is disguised and ignored. If the skill is successful, even with the penalty, the operator recognizes it as one of the following (roll percentile dice: 01-35% No doubt about it, incoming enemy power armor and an immediate threat! May even I.D. it as a Silent Shadow. (“Scramble a team to intercept or blow it out of the sky!”) 36-70% An unidentified bogie and a potential threat. (“Yellow alert. Send someone to investigate and get a visual on this UFO.”) 71-00% Something suspicious. It might be an enemy or it might be nothing at all – ground-clutter messing with the signal. Investigate?