ET-01 Mk V "Black Widow" Heavy Artillery Robot
(Version 1.0 - Last updated:
02/10/03)
- Background and RPG Statistics by
Kenneth
Olson
- Based on a design presented in
Macross Hobby Handbook
BACKGROUND
The ET-01 Mk V "Black
Widow" was the final
Earth Trekker designed for the Western
Coalition forces to supplement their long range mobile artillery forces.
Like the previous designs, the Black Widow is based of a common chassis and then
modified with additional weaponry and armor. Walking machines, devoid of
wheels or tracks, were truly all-terrain and could place themselves in firing
locations unavailable to older models.
The Black Widow's primary weapons are two massive M21 180mm recoilless rifles
mounted on top of the unit. The cannons can fire armor piercing,
high-explosive, or nuclear shells at a rate of one shot every three seconds out
to a maximum range of 35 kilometers. The cannons are fed from single
ammunition bin located on top of the mecha between the two cannons with a total
capacity of 25 rounds. For close in defense, the Black Widow mounts two
three-barrel 60mm rocket launchers on either arm. Each launcher contains
five rockets which are armed with a unitary high explosive warhead. Once
the Black Widow has expended all of its rockets, the launchers
can be reloaded in less than 10 minutes assuming that the unit is not currently under fire and all the personnel have
sufficient training.
The armor on the Black Widow is typical
of the Chobham armor found on tanks during the global civil war of the late
1990's and is adequate for all small arms fire and light anti-vehicle
weaponry (up to 25mm autocannons). However, the unit can be disabled by only a
couple of direct strikes from medium or heavy anti-mecha weaponry. The pilot's
compartment in particular is quite vulnerable to strikes and a single hit by a
120mm tank round would pierce the thin armor and kill the pilot.
The Black Widow was produced from 1997 until 1999 after a total of 115 units
were built. Although the Black Widow was the final Earth Trekker produced
for Western Collation forces and thus designed with the experience of
the two prior models, the mecha did not have as an illustrious history.
While the Black widow did have moderate short and long range weaponry, the unit
did not master at either. At short range many contemporary tanks with
their direct fire smooth bore 120mm cannons could easily destroy any Black Widow
encountered and the unit was out gunned in the long range fire support role by
the ET-01 Mk II Spider and other long range missile systems. After several
inconclusive battles with Eastern Co-Prosperity forces throughout the end of the
global civil war, production stopped in February 1999 and the surviving 63 Black
Widows were placed in reserve.
With the introduction of the
Destroids in 2009, there was no longer any place for the Black Widow as the
newly introduced MAC II design completely outclassed it. Fifty of the
Black Widows were given to the Eastern Block Soviet Independent States (EBSIS)
as a token gift of "Robotechnology" to placate the marginal allies of the UEG.
These fifty units continued to serve with the EBSIS until the early 2030's and
there were continued intelligence reports that several resistance fighters
during the Invid occupation used Black Widows which by then were nearly four
decades old.
RPG STATS
- Vehicle Type: ET-01 Mk V "Black Widow"
- Class: Non-transformable Earth Trekker
Manufacturer: Vickers
Crew: One pilot wearing Tactical Life Support System
- Service History:
-
Western Alliance from 1996 until
2002
-
Robotech Defense Forces from 2002 until 2010
-
MDC BY LOCATION:
Location |
Black Widow |
Rocket Launchers (2) |
20 each |
Arms (2) |
20 each |
180mm Cannons |
50 |
Legs (2) |
40 each |
Reinforced Pilot's Compartment |
30 |
* Main Body |
50 |
NOTES:
- * Depleting the MDC of the main body will destroy the mecha.
SPEEDS:
- MAXIMUM RUNNING SPEED:
- 20 kph / 30 kph (fully loaded / empty)
- MAXIMUM JUMPING IN EARTH NORMAL CONDITIONS:
- N/A
- UNDERWATER PERFORMANCE:
- 5 kph
STATISTICAL DATA:
- HEIGHT:
- 9.2 m (with rocket launchers)
- DEPTH:
- 8.8 m
- BREADTH:
- 6.0 m
- WEIGHT:
- 21.2 metric tons (dry)
- 26.2 metric tons (fully loaded)
- PHYSICAL STRENGTH:
- Equal to a P.S. of 40
- CARGO:
- None
- POWER PLANT:
- Avco-Lycoming AGT-2500 2-spool free-shaft,
multi-fuel turbine power plant hydro-kinetic transmission; 4 fwd/2
reverse gears.
- MAX POWER:
- 2,500 hp
- POWER-TO-WEIGHT RATIO:
- 25.00 hp/metric ton
- FUEL CAPACITY:
- 1,500 liters of diesel or petroleum fuel
- MAXIMUM RANGE:
- Diesel: 168 km
- Petroleum: 187 km
WEAPON SYSTEMS:
- 2 x M21 DAHLGREN 180MM RECOILLESS RIFLES: The Black Widow
mounts two M21 180mm recoilless rifles mounted on top of the mecha. The
cannons can elevate up to 40 degrees which allows the weapon to fire shells
out to a maximum range of 35 kilometers although accuracy at this range is
greatly diminished. The M21 can fire 357 kg high-explosive (HE), 451 kg
armor-piercing (AP) or 523 kg twenty kilotons nuclear (SPN) shells at a rate
of one shot every three seconds. The cannons are fed from single
ammunition bin located on top of the mecha between the two cannons with a
total capacity of 25 rounds.
- PRIMARY PURPOSE: Artillery
- SECONDARY PURPOSE: Anti-personnel
- RANGE: 35 km
- DAMAGE: 4D4*10 MDC (High Explosive), 4D6*10 MDC (Armor
Piercing) or
see nuclear tables for SPN shells
- BLAST RADIUS: 20 m (High Explosive), 2 m (Armor Piercing)
or
see nuclear tables for SPN shells
- RATE OF FIRE: Single shots up to 5 per cannon per melee
(15 seconds)
- PAYLOAD: 25 rounds
- NOTES: The M21 is somewhat unwieldy and will have
difficulty hitting small maneuverable targets (-5 to strike targets moving
at greater than 10 kph)
- 2 x M39 THREE BARREL 60MM ROCKET LAUNCHERS: For close in
defense, the Black Widow mounts two three barrel 60mm rocket launchers on
either arm. Each launcher contains five rockets armed with a
unitary high explosive warhead. Once the Black Widow has expended all of
its rockets, a total of 30, the launchers can be reloaded in less than 10
minutes assuming that the unit is not currently under fire and all the personnel have
sufficient training.
- PRIMARY PURPOSE: Artillery
- SECONDARY PURPOSE: Anti-personnel
- RANGE: 3.0 km
- DAMAGE: 4D6 MDC per rocket
- BLAST RADIUS: 5 m
- RATE OF FIRE: Single shots or volleys up to 5 rockets
- PAYLOAD: 5 rockets per barrel, 15 rockets per launcher,
or 30 rockets total
- HAND TO HAND COMBAT:. The Black Widow's lack of arms and hands give
the unit only limited hand to hand capabilities.
- Kick: 2D6 MDC
- Body Block/Tackle: 1D6 MDC
- Stomp: 3D4 MDC (only effective against small (less than 2 meter) objects)
STANDARD EQUIPMENT FOR BLACK WIDOW
-
COMBAT
COMPUTER: The Black Widow is equipped with a combat computer which calculates,
stores, and transmits data onto the cockpit computer screen or head-up display (HUD) of
the pilot's helmet. Patches in with the targeting computer
- EXTERNAL AUDIO PICKUP: Range: 300 ft (91.5 m). A sound amplification system that
can pick up normal conversation up to 300 feet away.
- INFRA-RED WARNING RECEIVER: Selenia Ground Warrior IRWR
providing rear aspect protection from IR guided missiles
- HEAT AND RADIATION SHIELDS: Special shielding prevents the penetration of life
threatening head and radiation. A radiation detection and alarm system are linked with the
shields and will sound an alarm if there is a rupture in the shields and what the levels
of radiation are.
- HOMING SIGNAL: Range of the signal is 100 miles (320 km). Most RDF, Southern
Cross, and REF ships and veritechs can locate and track a homing signal. The onboard
computers will automatically notify their pilots if such a signal is detected.
- LASER COMMUNICATIONS: Long range, directional communication system. Effective
range: 100,000 miles
- LASER TARGETING SYSTEM: Range: 50 miles (160 km). Used for increased accuracy in
the striking of enemy targets and is partly responsible for the mecha's strike bonus.
- LOUDSPEAKER: A loudspeaker system is built into the craft, which can be used to
amplify the pilot's voice up to 90 decibels.
- OPTICS (INFRARED): Range 2500 m. This optical system projects a beam
of infrared light that is invisible to the normal eye, but detectable by the mecha's
sensors. The system allows the pilot to detect hidden/concealed objects by their IR
reflectiveness. The beam will be visible to anyone with IR sensitive optics, however.
- OPTICS (NIGHTVISION): Range 1000 m. A passive light image intensifier
that emits no light of its own, but relies on ambient light which is electronically
amplified to produce a visible picture.
- OPTICS (THERMAL IMAGER): Range 650 m. A passive optical heat sensor
that detects infrared radiation projected by warm objects and converts that data into a
false-color visible image. The system enables the pilot to see in the dark, in shadows,
and through smoke, and also adds a +10% bonus to pilots using a tracking skill.
- RADAR JAMMER ALQ-54: On board self-protection jammer
providing broadband protection. Estimated system effective radiative
power 30 dBW.
- RADAR (TARGETING): Westinghouse TPG-144 X band pulse Doppler phased array medium range radar
with battlefield surveillance mode. Estimated range against 0 dBsm
target 40 km.
- RADIO/VIDEO COMMUNICATION: Long range, directional communications system with
satellite relay capabilities. Range: 600 miles (960 km) or can be boosted indefinitely via
satellite relay.
- RADAR WARNING RECEIVER: Selenia Ground Warrior IRWR
providing all aspect broadband protection from RF guided missiles.
- SELF-DESTRUCT: To prevent capture by the enemy,
the pilot can activate the self-destruct system, which will cause the
mecha to explode after a delay of up to 60 minutes (time is set by the pilot).
The explosive damage is contained within a 20 foot (6 m) area and inflicts
1D6x10 M.D. to everything within the radius of the explosion. All internal
systems are obliterated.
- STANDARD SURVIVAL KIT: All UEDF vehicles come equipped with a
portable survival kit. Inside the small reinforced box is a medium-sized flashlight, two
hand flares, one rocket flare, a compass, infrared distancing binoculars, a small mirror,
a pocket knife, dehydrated and concentrated food (can be stretched into a five day supply
for one person) and basic first aid items (aspirin, bandages, disinfectants, etc.)
- TACTICAL LIFE SUPPORT SYSTEM: The Black Widow's cockpit is
pressurized, and also provides additional air feeds to the pilot's flight suit
that provides him with pressurized breathing.
COMBAT BONUSES FOR BLACK WIDOW:
- Zero melee attacks (plus those of the pilot)
- +0 to roll with punch
- +1 to strike
- +0 to parry
- -2 to dodge
- One additional attack at levels six and eleven
RANDOM HIT LOCATIONS
When there is an equal chance of hitting both sides from 1D6
- 1-3 hits the right side
- 4-6 hits the left
When there is a preferred side, roll 1D10
- 1-8 hits the preferred side
- 9-10 hits the opposite side
Black Widow |
FRONT |
BACK |
SIDES |
TOP |
BOTTOM |
Rocket Launcher (Arms) |
01-15 |
01-10 |
01-15 |
01-15 |
01-15 |
Arms (Main Body) |
16-20 |
11-15 |
16-18 |
16-20 |
16-20 |
180mm Cannons (Main Body) |
21-40 |
16-45 |
19-50 |
21-65 |
21-30 |
Legs (Main Body) |
41-60 |
46-65 |
51-65 |
66-70 |
31-70 |
Pilot's Compartment |
61-80 |
- |
66-75 |
71-80 |
71-85 |
Main Body |
81-00 |
66-00 |
76-00 |
81-00 |
86-00 |
SOURCES USED IN CREATION OF DOCUMENT
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