Most R.E.E.F. aircraft has hard points. Unless it states otherwise, the hard points can carry a variety of bomb, missiles, missile pods, weapons pods, and/or various electronic passages. Normally hard points will be filled in pairs. Gun pods can be linked with each other and/or with internal weapons systems to increase damage. Torpedoes are treated like missiles and can be carried on hard points in the same numbers. Because of the size of extra-heavy bombs and cruise missiles, they cannot be carried by wing hard points as a standard REEF Ordnance. If an aircraft is carrying ordnance on Hard Points, aircraft speed is reduced by 10%.

1. Missiles and Bombs: The REEF hard points can carry a variety of different ordnance types on a hard point. The only restriction is that a hard point must carry all the same type of missile or bombs. Both unguided and guided bombs can be carried. In two pilot vehicles, short range missile racks are controlled by either the pilot or the weapons officer.
   Maximum Effective Range: Varies by missile type for missile and varies by altitude bombs are dropped at (See bomb and missile tables for details).
   Mega Damage: Varies by missile or bomb type (See bomb and missile tables for details).
   Rate of Fire: Missiles can be fired and bombs can be dropped one at a time or in volleys of 2, 3, or 4 per hard point (up to payload of hard point). Multiple hard points can be linked as one attack but must be the same size (light, medium, or heavy) and style of ordnance (all missiles or bombs in a volley)
   Payload: 4 short range missile or light bombs, 2 medium range missiles or medium bombs, or 1 long range missile or heavy bomb (all ordnance on a hard point must be the same size and type of ordnance).
2. Mini-Missile Pod: Large capacity mini-missile pod. The Aircraft normally carries missile pods for ground strafing, anti-troop, and anti-emplacement attacks. Normal missile used are armor piercing, plasma, fragmentation, or concussion mini-missiles. In two pilot vehicles, mini missile pods are controlled by the pilot
   Maximum Effective Range: Varies with missile types, mini-missiles only(See bomb and missile tables for details).
   Damage: Varies with missile types, mini-missiles only(See bomb and missile tables for details).
   Rate of fire: Each pod can fire one at a time or in volleys of 2, 4, 8, or 16 and can be linked with other mini missile pods for greater number of missiles (Counts as one attack no matter how many missiles in volley)
   Payload: each pod carries 16 mini-missile.
3. Heavy Rail Wing Gun Pod: A long range and heavy damaging weapon that is designed to add to the aircrafts firepower. The weapon is also very effective against targets that are impervious to energy. It is designed using a Shemarrian Rail gun and ammo and putting it into a special weapon pod. Rail Gun pods can be fired individually or together. In two pilot vehicles, rail gun is are controlled by the pilot
   Maximum Effective Range: 6,000 ft (1,828 m)
   Mega-Damage: 2D6x10 M.D. per round, each gun pod adds an additional 2D6x10 M.D.
   Rate of Fire: Equal to number of combined hand to hand attacks (usually 4-6) fired as aimed or Wild Each gun pod can be combined with others or internal weapon systems and still costs one attack.
   Payload: 440 rounds (2 belts of 220 rounds)
   Bonuses: +2 to Strike.
4. Advanced Towed Decoys (4): Pod takes place of all ordnance on the Hard Point. The aircraft can carry a special pod that carries four advanced towed decoy drones. These drones are dragged about 328 feet (100 meters) behind the aircraft on a thin cable. Each is a specially designed radar lure that creates a radar image to mimic the aircraft. The decoy has a special jammer that is designed to decoy missiles that have been programmed to home on jamming signals. If decoys are not destroyed, they can be recovered and repaired. Rifts Earth decoy systems are assumed to not operate against Phase World weapons due to technological difference.
   M.D.C.: 5
   Effects: The decoy has an 80% chance of fooling ordinary non military radars and non smart guided missiles, the decoy has a 50% chance of fooling military level radars (like those of the Coalition), and the decoy has a 25% chance of fooling advanced military radars (Like those of the New Navy and Triax) and smart missiles. Against missiles homing on a jamming signal, jamming has an 40% chance of tricking missiles if both the aircraft and missile are jamming and an 80% chance if the jamming system on the aircraft is deactivated before the missile reaches is.
   Range: Not Applicable although decoy is deployed 328 feet (100 meters) from the aircraft
   Rate of fire: One can be deployed at a time and requires 15 seconds to deploy (Reel Out) another decoy
   Payload: 4 Decoys
5. Jamming Pods: Similar system to internal jamming equipment carried of Hurricane Alpha Fighters. Jams all radars, radio communications, and electromagnetic sensors including friendly forces and aircrafts sensors when activated. Activating jamming pods does not cost an attack.
   Range: Each pod increases range by a 20 mile (32.2 km) radius per Jamming Pod.
   Effects: When activated, radio communications, radars, and electromagnetic sensors are reduced in range by 35% for one pod and 20% for each additional pod to a maximum of 95% when within jamming area. In addition, radar systems will have a -25% penalty to detect all targets within their reduced range. Laser communications and light-based sensors are unaffected by the jamming pods. Jamming also causes -2 per jamming pod with a maximum of -8 to all radar guided weapons within Jamming area. Some missile will home on jamming and will go after aircraft carrying them.
6. Sonar Pod: Pod designed to give Veritechs better sensor ability underwater. The sensor includes a passive sonar, active sonar, and an underwater communication unit. Active sonar and an underwater communication unit when being use can be detected by any vehicle using passive sonar when within their sonar range. Sonar can track up to 280 simultaneously and identify up to 120 of them. The sonar equipment has a unit that can be lower into water while hovering or flying up to 30 mph (26 knots/ 48 km) per hour. Often for Anti Submarine Warfare (ASW) operation, this pod is carried with a MAD pod
   Range: Passive Sonar: 8 mile (12.8 km) Active Sonar: 12 miles (19.3 km) Underwater Communication: 4 miles (6.4 km)
7. M.A.D. Pod: This is special pod that has the ability to detect metal objects. M.A.D. stands for Magnetic Anomaly Detector. This is very effective at detecting submarines.
   Range: 2 miles (3.2 km) to either side of aircraft.
8. Radar Image Enhancement: This is a special pod that allows the ship to increase the vehicles radar image, allowing it to trick missiles going towards another target and deceiving someone who is using radar. This is dangerous to the aircraft using the pod but is very useful in decoying missiles away from a larger target.

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R.E.E.F. Hard Point Pods & Ordnance Loads based on Versatile Weapon Configuration system from Robotech: RPG book Eight: Strike Force by Wayne Breaux Jr.

By Kitsune (E-Mail Kitsune).

Copyright © 1998 & 2001, Kitsune. All rights reserved.