Ultimatum
Duranium Lord
Image Source: http://clearhorizonsalvage.blogspot.jp/2013/05/clearhorizon-miniatures-sneak-peek-drop.html
Affiliation: LOOM, Ultimatum
Manufacturer: LOOM
Model: Pod
Modularity: No
Production: Mass
Material: Durasteel
Classification: Drop pod
Length: 10 meters
Height: 15 meters
Width: 10 meters
Armament: 0
Defenses: 10
Squadron Count: 12
Special Features:
Heat Shielding
Durasteel armor plating
Ray Shields
Particle Shields
Repulsor coils
Inertial Compensator
Maneuverability Rating: 20
Speed Rating:
Space: 10
Atmosphere (Given the help of gravity): 5
Hyperdrive Class: N/A
Strengths: Carries a number of troops directly the surface
Capable of absorbing the heat of reentry with little danger for the occupants
Built with shields to defend against anti-air fire
Once landed, shield will give minimal protection to ground forces as they exit the pod
Weaknesses:
Vulnerable to starship fire while in transit
While relatively armored, it can still be knocked off course by enemy fire and bad weather, causing it to possibly land in an incorrect position
Damage to the entrances, or explosive bolts, will often leave forces trapped inside
Once on the ground, the shield will not last long and those forces still within are then vulnerable to weapons fire
Continued use of this for soldiers will often leave long term damage to the legs due to the impact
Description:
The Displacer was built off of old Imperial designs of drop pods. Originally, the pods were built to simply take small vehicles on starships in orbit and drop them onto the surface of a planet to begin combat operations. The pods were built to absorb even the most intense of heats from reentry. However because of the intent of the Displacer to carry troops as well as manned vehicles, these pods are built to slow down upon reentry so that the landing does as little harm to the occupants of the pod as possible. The ship is made to carry one small armored vehicle, or about thirty standard soldiers.
These ships are built with standard shielding capabilities found on small star fighters, however they have a smaller generator to save space and thus the shields only last so long. During the entry to a planet and until it lands, the shields are oriented downwards in order to absorb fire from ground based weapons. Once it lands the shields are turned outwards in order to give the troops time to reorient themselves and begin fighting.
The vessel is made to be reusable, however damage done to the pods by weapon fire, or geographical hazards, can easily render a pod in need of repair. An artillery shell on a pod could easily destroy the entire thing without too much difficulty, however while its shields are up it is relatively safe from most weapons, excluding star fighter blasters or heavy vehicle weaponry.
The pods can be launched from a hangar thanks to their repulsor coils, which can be used to pushed them out of a hangar and towards a planet. Usually it is a better idea to use some form of launcher however, thus they were built to be adaptable to escape pod launchers in case a commander wishes to free up hangar space. The pod uses the gravity of a planet in order to draw it in and is made to withstand the forces exerted upon it by such a maneuver, the vessel is made to handle even a direct 90 degree entry should that ever occur. The various shields of the craft are oriented downwards and are meant to both absorb the heat as well as protect from potential fire from the ground. Once it has entered the planet's atmosphere, the ship begins powering the coils to slow the ascent. The Durasteel armor is capable of handling the impact at full speed, but the people in are not. When it hits the ground it is still crashing rather hard, normally this rate would hurt the people within, except the inertial compensators help keep the people inside from harm. A particularly hard landing can overcome the compensators and can still cause problems for the individuals within.
The shields are then focused outward around the ship to protect it from fire from the sides. The heat shield is shut off to allow the other shields more power and to make them last longer. The doors then open to allow soldiers, or vehicles, into the battlefield, if something malfunctions in the door then a handle beside each of the three doorways can activate explosive bolts that blow the entire door frame away from the vessel. The shields are normally timed to last two minutes once the heat shields are deactivated, however this time can be increased if an external power source is connected, such a vehicle generator. Once the shields run out of power, the vessel is then left open for any to use, to be destroyed, or to be collected at some point in the future and then reused.
Development Thread: Can make if needed.
Intent: To create an entry for forces onto planets when it is difficult if not impossible to utilize conventional transport.
Who Can Use This: Anyone given one through LOOM, by Ultimatum
Primary Source:N/A
