Metalworks Incorporated is a company that is about 250 miles to the west and slightly to the north of the city of Tolkeen that constructed various ground vehicles, robots, and aircraft. Most of their designs are copies of other companies or nations. They have permission from Triax to produce under licence several Triax designs and sell them in North America.
The Icarus flight system is very popular and there has been much interest in the manufacture of it by a variety of companies including Northern Gun and there is a very similar flight system built by the Coalition named the Death Wing. Seeing the popularity of the flight system and already not on good terms, the owner of Metalworks decided to produce its own version of the flight system. So far, four prototypes have been produced. Two are designed to be linked to Terrain Hopper power armors, one designed to be used by a cyborg, and a final one for use by a Juicer. The prototypes are being subject to extensively testing but so far they have passed all tests. During testing, a Terrain Hopper using the system ended up fighting CS power armors which the test power armor did surprisingly well but had to use its superior speed to escape before being overwhelmed. The Hawkwing is faster than any Coalition Flying power armors including the Super SAMAS. It is thought that the Hawkwing will also be quite effective against sky cycles although its abilities against jet fighters is questionable. Tests have also indicated that any light power armor fitted to the system can likely use it. The largest power armor the flight pack is designed to work on is the Triax Super Trooper power armor. This would seem to have been the case with the Icarus Flight System as well. It seems likely that CS propaganda has been the source for rumors that the Icarus Flight System could not be used with light power armors. At the same time, the company has been doing marketing research to find out what interest in it is. It is planned that production will begin within six months if it is found that there are interested parties. One market that Metalworks is considering is overseas to the New German Republic.
The appearance of the Hawkwing is closer to that of the Coalition Death Wing than it is to the Icarus Flight System but has a wingspan narrower than that of the Death Wing. Like both the Coalition flight systems and the Icarus, it is copied from, the Hawkwing can be flown by itself via remote control. Each system has a unique code that designates itself to prevent the loss of control of a Hawkwing flight system. This allows the pilot to drop the flight system and then have the flight system fly away while the power armor engages in ground combat. The flight system can be disassembled into three pieces and fit into the bed of a small truck or jeep.
In abilities the flight system is quite comparable to the Death Wing but is considered by its designers to be more flexible than the Coalition System. It carries lighter armor but the designers are experimenting with a Naruni Force Field. The power system is a powerful fusion reactor that can propel the fligh pack up to 500 mph. The engineers considered creation a version using electrical systems or fuel cells but the output expected was too high for easy adaption. In the main section of the flight pack there is a miniature aircraft style search radar system. As well, the flight pack has a powerful neural link and has a head jack link as well. It is armed with two powerful and long range lasers based on the JA-12 Assault rifle. Many of Metalwork Industries other fighters use this weapon system and adaption was very simple. These are mounted on the sides of the power armor. The flight pack is also armed with missiles. The flight pack has an eight shot mini-missile pod on each wingtip. As well, it can carry one medium range missiles, two short range, four mini-missiles, or special pods on each wing although it reduces performance. The ability to carry medium range missiles is to attempt to deal with jet fighters. Rear mounted weapons, such as the missile launchers on Combat Terrain Hopper, must be extended onto the shoulder before attaching the flight so they may be used.
The skill Flight Pack Combat is needed to use the Hawkwing effectively in combat.
Model Type: HWFS-1
Class: Combat Flight System
Crew: Light Power Armor (Terrain Hopper is most common), Juicer,
Cyborg, or Supernatural Creature. Maximum weight of 650 lbs (295 kg) including
both power armor and pilot.
M.D.C. by Location:
| Laser Cannon Mounts (2 - Inner Wing): | 25 each | |
| Mini-Missile Launchers (2 - Outer Wings): | 80 each | |
| [1] Main Thrusters (2 - Inner Wings): | 80 each | |
| [1] Maneuvering Thrusters (8, 4 per wing): | 20 each | |
| [2] Wings (2): | 150 each | |
| [3] Main Body of Wing (2): | 200 each | |
| [4] Force Field (N-50 Robot): | 320 |
Notes:
[1] Destroying one main thruster reduces top speed by 30% and the destruction
of both thrusters reduces speed by 60%. The destruction of a maneuvering
thrusters reduces top speed by 5% per thruster destroyed. Destruction of
two or more maneuvering thrusters gives a penalty of -2 to dodge and initiative
for every two thrusters destroyed. As well, the destruction of four or
more maneuvering thrusters will make hovering impossible.
[2] Destroying a Wing will cause the flight pack to crash.
[3] Depleting the M.D.C. of the main body will shut the flight pack
down completely, rendering it useless and causing it to crash if in flight.
[4] The force field will stop energy attacks and fast moving objects.
The shield protects both the flight pack and the power armor/creature using
it. Slow moving objects can pass through. It Regenerates 1 MDC per melee
unless overloaded and then cannot be activated for 12 hours if overloaded.
The force field pulls its power off of the power plant.
Speed:
Running: Any power armor, cyborg, juicer, or supernatural creature
will have its ground speed reduced by 25% to do the weight of the flight
pack.
Flying: The Hawkwing can hover and can go up to a maximum speed
of 600 mph (965.6 kph / 521.4 knots). Cruising speed is normally 250 and
350 mph (402.3 to 563.3 kph). Carrying missiles on wings hard points reduces
speeds by 10%. Maximum altitude is 16,000 feet (4876.8 meters). Higher
than this, high winds and rough weather make flight both erratic and dangerous.
Flying Range: The nuclear power system gives the flight pack
decades of life, but the rocket jets get hot and need to cool after a maximum
of six hours of flight when traveling at speeds above cruising, and twelve
hours of cruising speed, indefinite with rest stops.
Underwater Capabilities: Using the jet thrusters, the flight
pack can travel on the surface of water at 50 mph (80 km/42.5 knots), underwater
at 40 mph (64 km/34 knots) or fly above the water surface an normal speeds.
Maximum Ocean Depth: 600 feet (180 meters).
Statistical Data:
Height: 5 feet (1.5 meters).
Width /Wingspan: 16 feet (4.8 meters)
Length: 4 feet (1.2 meter)
Weight: 1800 lbs (816.5 kg) without missiles.
Cargo: None
Power System: Nuclear; average life is 20 years.
Black Market Cost: Will likely cost 4.5 million when put into
production without force field but popularity and demand might make it
sell for 50% more than normal. The force field costs an additional 4 million.
Weapon Systems:
Special Equipment:
The flight pack has all the standard features of a standard power armor
plus these special features listed.
Combat Bonuses:
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By Kitsune (E-Mail Kitsune ).
Copyright © 2000, Kitsune. All rights reserved.