"All that armor and weaponry isn't worth squat if it can't be where you need it most...the U.S. Army discovered that early on, earlier than I'd have given them credit for, but not before we had to run a few exercises where we had to load our new Glitterboys into the back of commandeered transport....multi-million dollar wundermachine and the battle mightuva been lost but for the hotwiring of a ten-k dumptruck!!! The Army caught on quick after that, though I suspect part of their speed was to save some face after seeing their new pride and joy riding onto the field in rear-echelon trucks!"

"The thing's a hovercraft, so fully loaded it lumbers like a bull moose, and corners like a hocky puck, but once you start losing your troops, the craft lightens up and becomes more responsive, but it also becomes shy on the stick....especially when troops disembark while still on the move...the whole GEV wants to buck and take flight! Not surprisingly, pilots with some helicopter experience make better GEV pilots because compensating for lost weight comes nearly automatic for them..and that's what the Longworth really is...a big, overpowered, low-altitude, tank-carrying ground-copter! So treat this baby like an aircraft, and not a tank, and you'll make out far better..."

With the introduction of the Glitterboy, the United States acquired an incredibly powerful weapon but it was limited by its speed and the pilots endurance. While the running speed of the Glitterboy is greatly augmented by the exoskeleton as is in fact as fast as many older tanks, the pilot still has to run to make the power armor run. For that reason, it was decided that a special heavy transport would be developed as a transport. In many ways, the concept was similar to old style Armored Personnel Carriers. It was decided that a high speed hover transport would have many advantages over tracked or wheeled transports. It could deploy over many terrains that would impede most other vehicles including mud, soft ash, and water. An incredible speed would also be possible and the design criteria called for the vehicle being able to reach speeds in excess of 120 miles per hour. In the woods, any tracked transport would be limited to a speed far below that of the Glitterboy, so the loss of effectiveness on a Hover Transport in forest would not be a serious concern. As a final feature, it was to be designed to be able to give the Glitterboys some longer range fire support in the form of medium range missiles.

The actual vehicle met or exceeded virtually all of the initial design criteria. The vehicle can carry eight Glitterboys in special individual side compartments that are designed for quick deployment. The Glitterboys face to the side in each of their compartments. The transport has some limited support facilities and carries 800 extra rounds for the Glitterboys it carried. The top speed exceeded original specifications and could travel at 150 miles per hour. Even so, the vehicle is well armed and armored. The Longworth carries 24 medium range missiles which could be used for both support roles and to protect the transport. The vehicle does carry a light laser turret on the front of the transport. The weapon is designed to be used against infantry primarily but is also effective against missiles. The transport was designed with a low silhouette and radar cross signature and the missile launchers are designed to be able to be retracted into the vehicle.

Brigadier General Grant Longworth was one of the most important people in the development of the of the transport but he was killed in an accident during development. After this occurred, the vehicle was renamed in his honor.

When the United States Army deployed theses vehicles, they would generally drop the Glitterboys and then drop back and if possible, find concealing cover. It was also expected that the transports, along with the Glitterboys once they were deployed, would be supported by flying power armors such as SAMAS. While never used in major engagements, the Longworth was used in several minor engagement and was quite effective. The transport allows for a very effective force multiplication for the Glitterboys. In addition to the Longworth transport, there were developed special airborne transports for Glitterboys which operated in a similar fashion to the Triax Dragonfly power armor transport.

A number of these vehicles survived the coming of the Rifts and some are still being used by mercenaries and there are a couple of them operated by Free Quebec. It is rumored that Free Quebec is constructing a copy of the Longworth and the vehicles should enter combat within a few months. If the rumors are correct, the mobility of their Glitterboy forces could be greatly augmented. There are several other companies that have shown an interest in constructing these transport vehicles. These companies include Metalworks Inc. and Northern Gun, and While designed to carry Glitterboys, the transports can carry most similar sized power armors. In most cases, winged power armors cannot be carried without removing the wings first. Many mercenaries use them to carry the Northern Gun Samson power armor.

Model Type: USA-M-15 Longworth
Vehicle Type: Hover Glitterboy Transport
Crew: Two (Pilot and Gunner - can be piloted by one) and has an extra position for a communication/sensor operator
Troops: Eight (Glitterboy Pilots)

Robots, Power Armors, and Vehicles:

8

USA-G10 Glitterboys (Similar sized Power Armors can be Substituted)

M.D.C. By Location:

	[1] Forward Pulse Laser Mount:	50 each
	Top Medium Range Missile Launchers (2, 4 cells each):	50 each
	[1] Headlights (4):	8 each
	Side Doors (8):	120 each
	Pilots Compartment	200
	[2] Hover Thruster Units:	225
	[3] Main Body:	650

Notes:
[1] These are small and difficult targets to strike, requiring the attacker to make a "called shot;' but even then the attacker is -4 to strike.
[2] Destruction of the hover unit will cause the vehicle to be no longer under the pilots control.
[3] Destruction of the main body will cause the vehicle to crash. All systems will not function.

Speed:
Hover Speed: Can hover at ground level at from a hover to up to 150 mph (241.4 kph) over both land and water. Minimum hover height is 2 feet (0.6 meters) and a maximum altitude is 20 feet (6.1 meters).
Maximum Range: Effectively unlimited.

Statistical Data:
Height: 14.5 feet (4.42 meters)
Width: 19.5 feet (5.94 meters)
Length: 36.3 feet (11.06 meters)
Weight: 52 tons (47.2 metric tons) not including glitterboys.
Power Source: Nuclear with 25 year fusion reactor.
Cargo Capacity: Carries 800 rounds of ammunition for the Glitterboys in addition to normal compliment of Glitterboys. Can carry 18 tons of supplies if carrying no power armors. The transport also has a small storage space for crew. This includes weapons, armors, and emergency supplies.
Market / Black Market Cost: 22.5 million credits for a new or fully operational USA-M-15 Longworth Glitterboy Transport.

Weapon Systems:

1. Pulse Laser Turret (1): This weapon is mounted on the front of the transport and can he fired by either the driver or the transport's gunner as a secondary weapon. The weapons primary purpose is use against infantry but is effective against missiles and to a lesser extent both aircraft and other armored vehicles.
   Effective Range: 4,000 feet (1,200 meters)
   Mega-Damage: 1D6x10 per pulse.
   Rate of Fire: Equal to gunners hand to hand
   Payload: Effectively Unlimited.
2. Medium-Range Missile Launchers (2): Two top-mounted retractable missile launchers are the primary weapon system of the Transport. Each mount has four actual missile launch tubes. Both launchers are usually controlled by a gunner, but can be fired by the driver or sensor operator if the gunner is injured. They are usually outfitted with High-Explosive, Fragmentary or Plasma missiles. The launchers can engage air and ground targets. This tank uses an automatic loading system and additional missiles for reloads.
   Range: Varies with missile types, medium range missiles only (Go to Revised bomb and missile table).
   Damage: Varies with missile types, medium range missiles only (Go to Revised bomb and missile table).
   Rate of Fire: One at a time, or in volleys of 2, 4, 6, or 8.
   Payload: 24 missiles, 12 in each launcher.

Sensory Equipment

• Radio/ Video Communications: Long range, directional, has a range of 500 miles with short range directional radio of 5 miles.
• Laser Targeting System: Range is 2 miles and gives +1 to strike with long range weapons.
• Combat Computer/ Targeting Computer: Assist in the tracking of targets.
• Radar: 50 miles, can identify 96 targets and track 48 as low as 500 ft. Same as robot's Maxi-Radar.
• Full Life Support: Protects pilots and hovercraft from heat and radiation and gives a breathable atmosphere inside the transport for up 48 hours in vacuum and three weeks with scrubbers.
• Spotlight: Range: 600 feet (182.9 meters)
• Thermo-Imager: Range: 2,000 ft (609 m). Finds the infrared radiations of things that are warm. Also enables pilot to see in smoke, shadows and darkness.
• Nightvision Optics: Range: 2,000 ft (609 m). Uses light amplification to make a picture. Emits no light but will not work in absolute darkness. System can be dazzled by sudden bright lights but does not physically blind the pilot.
• Radar Defeating Profile & Radar Absorbing Materials: The vehicle is designed so that the radar profile of the transport is reduced and the vehicle is covered with radar absorbing materials. Because of this, attempts to detect the transport using radar are made with a -30% penalty to read sensor rolls when attempting to detect it. Go to General Detection Penalties for more information on penalties and bonuses to use with stealth.

Bonuses:

+10% to Piloting Rolls when unloaded
+3 to Dodge when unloaded.

[Coalition TM, Northern Gun TM, Golden Age Weaponsmiths TM, and Triax TM are trademarks owned by Kevin Siembieda and Palladium Books Inc.]
[ Rifts® is a registered trademark owned by Kevin Siembieda and Palladium Books Inc.]

Writeup by Kitsune (E-Mail Kitsune ).

Introductory Quotes by Talis D. Merrill (taalismn@pop.tiac.net).

Copyright © 2000, Kitsune. All rights reserved.