Approved Vehicle VT-HAS, Variable-Terrain Heavy Assault Strider, the Vorghast

[Darth Carnifex]

• Intent: Create a heavy assault walker for the Kainate
• Image Source:
  
  • ChatGPT - Generated by Me
  • Headers - Teresa Zambrano | Darth Pellax
• Canon Link: N/A
• Permissions: N/A
• Primary Source:
  • All-Terrain Assault Enforcer

• Manufacturer: Malsheem Hypernautics and Manufacturing
• Affiliation: The Kainate
• Market Status: Closed-Market
• Model: VT-HAS, Variable-Terrain Heavy Assault Strider, the Vorghast
• Modularity: Yes; environmental retrofitting for arctic, desert, jungle, or urban warfare through specialized plating, terrain-adaptive limb actuators, and atmospheric sealing protocols.
• Production: Limited
• Material:
  • Sarrassian Composite Armor Plating
  • Reinforced Quadanium-Alloy Skeleton
  • Laminanium Flex-Cables
  • Shock-Absorbent Polyfibre Mesh
  • Tungsten-Tipped Talon Stabilizers
  • Refined Dolovite Joint Bearings
  • Agrinium Heat Baffles

• Classification: Mechanized Heavy Assault Walker
• Size: Very Large - 14.4m
• Weight: Very Heavy - 56.7 metric tons
• Armaments: Very High
  
  • [2] Shoulder-Mounted Heavy Linear Motor Autocannons
  • [2] Shoulder-Mounted Medium Repeating Cannons
  • [2] Cheek-Mounted Variable Micro-Missile Pods
  • [1] Chin-Mounted Light Dual Anti-Infantry Laser Cannons
  • [1] Chin-Mounted Composite-Beam Pinpoint Laser Turret
• Defenses: Very High
  
  • Sarrassian Composite Plating
  • Aegis of Shadows Shield Generator
  • Reinforced Actuator Armor & Leg Bracing
  • Netherward Lattice
• Maneuverability Rating: Low
• Speed Rating: Low
• Propulsion: Gyro-Stabilized Bipedal Configuration
• Minimum Crew: 2 (One pilot and one gunner/engineer)
• Optimal Crew: 5 (Pilot, Co-Pilot/Navigator, Systems Gunner, Spotter/Artillery Officer, and Engineer/Technician)
• Passenger Capacity: 10-12 Troopers (Accommodates a small fireteam or elite strike squad)
• Cargo Capacity: Very Small

• Rotary Chin Weapon Mount - A reinforced, motorized chin turret housing both the anti-infantry laser cannons and pinpoint beam laser. Capable of 180° traversal and vertical elevation, ideal for sweeping corridors or precise frontal suppression.
• Retractable Rear Mortar Bay - The back panel conceals a recessed automated indirect-fire mortar launcher. Capable of arcing high-explosive or smoke rounds from behind cover, coordinated via sensor lock or forward spotter input.
• Hardened Command Cockpit - A multi-tiered internal control chamber with a holographic tactical interface, redundant control rods, voice-command fallback systems, and emergency manual override for all primary functions.
• Armored Sensor Suite Dome - Integrated into the top dorsal chassis, containing advanced battlefield telemetry, thermal-optic scanners, motion trackers, and encrypted communication arrays. Includes short-range jamming capability.
• Ebon Psicom Array - An integrated metaphysical-technical comm system built around a Whisperstone Core Matrix and hybridized signal suite, the Ebon Psicom Array enables Kainate walkers to coordinate silently across vast distances through encrypted dark transmissions and emotional resonance, immune to conventional interception and Force-null zones.
• Shadowlink Omni-Resolution Array - A hyper-adaptive Sith electronic counter-countermeasure system, the Shadowlink maintains flawless signal clarity and sensor fidelity even under extreme electronic warfare by disrupting jamming signals with runic phase inversion, harmonic overloads, and predictive cognition clusters.
• Bloodlock Transponder - A self-immolating failsafe device keyed to Sith blood and presence, the Bloodlock Transponder ensures no Kainate walker or its secrets fall into enemy hands. Upon pilot death or capture, it unleashes a metaphysically corrosive detonation that erases all data, inflicts lingering dark side damage, and repels salvage or tampering through residual Sith energy.
• Trazkhaal Harmonizer - A precision convergence system empowered by Sith rituals, the Trazkhaal Harmonizer aligns all mounted weaponry in real-time with pilot intent, enemy resonance, and targeting vectors to create lethal strike nexuses. When bonded to Force-sensitive operators, it anticipates commands before they're issued, granting a supernatural edge in chaotic combat.
• Advanced Targeting Core - A modular combat computing unit capable of predictive fire solutions, multi-target tracking, friend-or-foe identification, and synchronizing with external battlefield networks or Kainate tactical nexuses.
• Combat Situational Awareness Matrix - Synthesizes data from onboard sensors, allied spotters, and surveillance drones to produce a real-time threat overlay projected into the pilot's HUD and mission holotable.
• Reactive Ablative Armor Paneling - The walker's reinforced carapace is lined with reinforced composite plates and modular reactive tiles that absorb or redirect kinetic and plasma-based impacts.
• Stability-Dampened Gyro Core - Internally mounted multi-axis gyroscopes and hydraulic regulators ensure walker stability over uneven terrain, during recoil shock, or post-impact. Prevents tipping and reduces pilot fatigue during long sieges.
• Stabilizing Gravitic Anchors - Deployed through the feet, these magnetic anchors clamp into urban surfaces or terrain for increased firing stability and anti-knockback control during siege operations.
• Crew Life-Support Capsule - Environmentally controlled pod with pressurization seal, internal atmosphere scrubbers, water reclaimer, and nutrient dispenser system. Enables survivability in vacuum or toxic environments for 72+ hours.
• Interior Combat Compartment - Carries up to 12 troops with fold-down crash harnesses, wall-mounted weapon racks, and magnetic deployment rails. Rear hatch lowers for rapid ingress/egress.
• Modular Drone Deployment Bay - Houses up to four multi-role drones for recon, electronic warfare, or aerial support, launched via retractable armored pod and synced to the walker's targeting core.
• Tactical Uplink Terminal - A collapsible workstation installed in the secondary control bay, allowing the crew's technician to remotely command drones, manage logistics, or act as an auxiliary field command post.
• Thermal Venting System - Vents located beneath the chin and on dorsal plates discharge waste heat from sustained fire and internal systems, visible as glowing exhaust plumes during combat.
• Diagnostics and Repair Core - Internal auto-monitoring subroutines scan all systems in real time, triggering alerts, rerouting power, or activating mechanical countermeasures in the event of overheating, corruption, or structural compromise.
• Redundant Power Grid - Dual-core fusion cell architecture with emergency capacitor reservoirs and regenerative charging coils. Allows for partial system functionality even after primary damage, including locomotion and communications.
• Emergency Power Core Isolation - In the event of core breach or system failure, armored bulkheads seal the primary reactor, and auxiliary power can be rerouted to leg actuators for last-stand positioning or evacuation.

• Overwhelming Firepower - With dual autocannons, repeating cannons, micro-missiles, and a chin-mounted composite laser, the Vorghast can engage infantry, armor, and fortifications with relentless precision and volume.
• Fortress-Grade Armor - Reinforced with reactive plating and ablative composites, its armor resists sustained heavy fire, while a built-in shield generator provides added survivability in prolonged sieges.
• Integrated Combat Systems - Advanced internal targeting, battlefield awareness, and redundancy systems ensure optimal internal coordination, stability, and control under pressure or partial system failure.
• Drone Support Capability - The integrated drone bay allows the Vorghast to extend its operational reach with recon and electronic warfare drones, enhancing battlefield dominance beyond line-of-sight.
• Crew Endurance Systems - Environmental sealing, life support capsules, and nutrient systems allow the crew to operate for extended duration in hostile conditions or under lockdown.
• Shock-Resistant Stability - Gyro-stabilizers and ground-anchoring systems provide exceptional recoil control and stability during heavy weapon discharge or terrain traversal.
• Command & Control Integration - Outfitted with a tactical uplink terminal and signal harmonization suite, the Vorghast can serve as a mobile command node, directing allied units, relaying encrypted orders, and coordinating multi-unit strikes with near-instantaneous battlefield synchronization.

• Low Speed - Due to its immense size and reinforced armor, the Vorghast is slow-moving and unsuitable for rapid deployment or evasion without external transport support.
• Limited Maneuverability - Its bipedal frame restricts agility in urban or dense environments, making it vulnerable to faster flanking units or overhead attacks.
• High Power Demands - Operating all systems at full capacity places heavy strain on the dual-reactor cores, increasing risk of overheating or power reroute delays during critical moments.
• Large Target Profile - Standing at 14.4 meters tall, the Vorghast is an unmissable target for orbital strikes, artillery, and anti-armor vehicles.
• Crew Dependency - While automated systems support function, optimal performance requires a full crew complement; losses among key operators can significantly reduce combat effectiveness.
• Energy Drain Under Full System Load - Activating all systems, especially when deploying mortars, shields, and targeting arrays simultaneously, can tax the internal reactor. In prolonged engagements, energy reserves must be carefully managed to avoid forced shutdown of non-essential systems.
• Ritual System Dependency - Force-null zones disable the Vorghast's key metaphysical systems, impairing battlefield coordination, targeting, and secure self-destruction protocols.

The VT-HAS, designated Vorghast, was developed as a direct response to the battlefield success of the VT-AS Valkh-Tar, expanding on its core architecture to create a siege-grade walker capable of dominating entrenched positions and mechanized battlefield zones. Unlike its smaller counterpart, the Vorghast was envisioned not as a precision instrument of assault but as a heavy hammer; imposing, indomitable, and terrifying.

Initial design schematics were drawn up by Kainate ordnance engineers during the Echnos and Sluis Van campaigns, as armored units encountered hardened enemy forces and sustained fire that the lighter Valkh-Tar units could not efficiently overwhelm. Drawing on post-engagement telemetry, recovered wreckage analysis, and Sith war doctrine, the Vorghast entered development through Project GOL'THUR, overseen by the Kainate's Artificer's Guild in conjunction with the technocrats of Shadow Mind.

Phase I testing commenced in the wastes of Dannamore, where prototype units were tested under extreme seismic conditions. With a 14.4-meter frame constructed of Sarrassian composite and Quadanium alloy, the Vorghast survived simulated bombardment, deep-crater traversal, and acid rainfall exposure. While its low speed and maneuverability were accepted trade-offs, the walker's survivability and raw firepower exceeded expectations.

Phase II field trials during the Black Tithe Campaign saw Vorghast units deployed to the manufacturing world of Indellian, where their ability to root into terrain with stabilizing gravitic anchors allowed them to serve as mobile artillery pillars, crushing resistance with shoulder-mounted autocannons while coordinating orbital strikes via the Ebon Psicom Array. Resistance crumbled under prolonged siege, giving birth to the Vorghast's grim reputation as a walking dreadnought.

By 900 ABY, Vorghasts were a common fixture on major siege battlefronts. In the Subterrel pacification campaign, Vorghast units braved subterranean chasms to deliver breach teams directly to enemy command bunkers, their leg stabilizers and internal gyros compensating for seismic instability and tunnel collapse. They were deployed in the Kerest Campaign, where, alongside VT-AS support, they held overwatch on glacial ridges against enemy armor columns for weeks, using their automated mortar bays to suppress movement and break line formations.

Though rarely deployed in large numbers due to their resource cost, Vorghasts serve as anchor units in mechanized Kainate formations, often paired with Valkh-Tars and supported by airlift drones or Sith coordination officers. Their Combat Situational Awareness Matrix and Shadowlink Arrays allow them to operate in full battlefield autonomy, making them suitable for both frontline crushing and rearward support command post duties.

 

[MANIAC]

Darth Carnifex

Very cool! I'd like to ask you to add to the weaknesses the Force suppression/Nullification weakness. After this edit, I'll accept the sub.

 

[Darth Carnifex]

Done and done, I added the requested weakness and added a strength to balance out the number of strengths and weaknesses overall.

MANIAC

 

[MANIAC]

Darth Carnifex

Thank you!

Approved.