ET-01 Mk II "Spider" Heavy Artillery Robot

(Version 1.0 - Last updated: 01/24/03)  

Background and RPG Statistics by Kenneth Olson

Based on a design presented in Macross Hobby Handbook

BACKGROUND

The Spider mounts two M41 80mm long range rocket launchers each holding 20 rockets apiece.  These rocket launchers are the Spider's only weaponry and as such the unit is wholly dependant on other vehicles for short range and anti-air protection.  The rockets themselves possess both an internal inertial navigation unit or it can be guided using GPS coordinates prior to firing.  The rockets are armed either with a unitary high explosive warhead, for use against fixed emplacements or with 500 M97 fragmentation submunitions for use against vehicles and personnel.  Once the Spider has expended all of its ammunition, specialized vehicles can reload the unit in under 10 minutes assuming that the unit is not currently under fire all the personnel have sufficient training.

The armor on the Spider 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 first Spider was produced in 1996, 36 months prior to the crash of the SDF-1, and ended in 2002 with a total of 250 units produced in those six years.  The first combat unit entered into service in March of 1997 and saw its first combat action later that same month in a series of battles against the Eastern Co-prosperity sphere (ECPS) forces in Manchuria where the Spiders proved to be be an effective combat unit.  The single most successful engagement for the ET-01 Mk II occurred on the night of January 21^th 2003.  Five Spiders were able to climb hill 506, impassible to conventional units, outside of the Yalu and bring indirect fire down on the ECPS forces breaking them up before they were able to launch their attack on the Western Alliance base only 10 kilometers away.

With the introduction of the Destroids in 2009, the Spider was relegated to reserve status and none were assigned to the SDF-1.  By 2010, all had been placed in storage except for 25 which were given to the Eastern Soviet Independent States as a token gift of Robotechnology to placate the marginal allies of the UEG.  These 25 units continued to see service with the EBSIS for nearly another decade. 
 

RPG STATS

Vehicle Type: ET-01 Mk II "Spider"

Class: Non-transformable Earth Trekker
Manufacturer: Vickers
Crew: One pilot wearing Tactical Life Support System

Service History: 

Western Alliance from 1995 until 2002

Robotech Defense Forces from 2002 until 2010

Eastern Soviet Independent States from 2010 until 2019

 

MDC BY LOCATION:

	 
NOTES: 

1. * Depleting the MDC of the main body will destroy the mecha. 

SPEEDS:

MAXIMUM RUNNING SPEED:

15 kph / 25 kph (fully loaded / empty)

MAXIMUM JUMPING IN EARTH NORMAL CONDITIONS:

N/A

UNDERWATER PERFORMANCE:

5 kph

STATISTICAL DATA:

HEIGHT:

11.1 m (with rocket launchers)

DEPTH:

8.5 m

BREADTH:

6.0  m

WEIGHT:

18.8 metric tons (dry)

27.2 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:  153 km

Petroleum: 127 km

WEAPON SYSTEMS:

1. 2 x M41 80MM ROCKET LAUNCHERS:  The Spider mounts two M41 80mm long range rocket launchers holding 20 rockets apiece.  The rockets themselves possess both an internal inertial navigation unit or it can be guided using GPS coordinates prior to firing.  The rockets are armed either with a unitary high explosive warhead, for use against fixed emplacements or with 500 M97 fragmentation submunitions for use against vehicles and personnel.  Once the Spider has expended all of its ammunition, specialized vehicles can reload the unit in under 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: 50 km
   • DAMAGE:  1D4*10 (High Explosive) or 2D6 (Fragmentation Submunitions) MDC per rocket
   • BLAST RADIUS:  5 m (High Explosive) or 50 m (Fragmentation Submunitions)
   • RATE OF FIRE:  Single shots
   • PAYLOAD: 20 rockets per launcher for a total of 40.

    

2. HAND TO HAND COMBAT:.  The Spider 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 SPIDER

• COMBAT COMPUTER: The Spider 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 Spider'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 SPIDER: 

• 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

SOURCES USED IN CREATION OF DOCUMENT

• Palladium's Robotech RPG: Book One Macross
• Robotech Technical Files: ADR-04 Defender
• Macross:  Hobby Handbook-1

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