Masai Walker

BARD PAPER: VERA4001

Masai Walker

The Masai is the most popular model from a revival of walker technology in the Alpha Crucis and Spica sectors. Designed in 1086 as a multi-purpose military and exploration vehicle, the Masai became well known through several large mercenary purchases and a popular tri-V show featuring the walkers prominently. Almost 12,000 units were made, spread throughout three sectors.

The Masai sports an unusual spherical frame and it quickly earned such clever nicknames as �Egg-On-Legs� or �Turb-Chicken�. Despite it's long limbs, grav compensation gives the Masai a smooth, comfortable ride at any speed.

The Masai can also be adopted for limited flight abilities with the addition of a flight conversion kit available. This addition proved to be very popular and became standard issue on later models. The stats below are listed with the kit. The following version has no additional features beyond the flight kit.

Masai Walker

General Data

Tech Level: 13

Price: 2.28 MCr

Size: 70 m³ (5 tons)

Mass (Unloaded/Loaded): 65.52 / 89.254

Engineering Data

Power Plant: 22 Mw Fusion Reactor w/1 year's fuel

Maint: 15

Electronics

Controls: TL13 controls, TL-10 nav aids,

Computer: TL13 flight computer

Avionics: Flight Avionics, and TL13 Terrain following. NOE=170

Commo: 3000km radio, 30,000km maser

Sensors: 300km fixed PEMS

ECM/ECCM: None

Life Support Basic

Cargo: 23.3 m³

Crew: 2 (driver, sensors/commo)

Passengers: None

Armament

Offensive None

Defensive: None

Ammo: None

Fire Control: None

Stablization: None

Movement

Max Speed: 127kph over all terrain (flight pack allows 400kph airborne)

Travel Move: 260 (800 in flight)

Combat Move: 60 (185 in flight)

Endurance: 20 hours flight

Fuel Capacity: 4.2 m³

Armor

Config: Standard

Suspension: Walker (Grav)

HF:	20
HS:	14
HR:	14
Deck:	14	Belly:	14

Notes

The Masai's hull is a spherical design. As such, all armor facings require 17% of the MVM for each cm of armor added. The Masai has a power surplus of 2.043 Mw which can be used to power additional equipment. The flight kit includes high efficiency contra grav lifters, a TL13 St flight computer, flight avionics, terrain following sensors, HEPlaR thruster (providing 16.8 tonnes thrust), a reaction mass tank and fuel scoops along 5% of it's body. The entire package uses 1.505 Mw of power and costs MCr .42. It weighs 1.432 tonnes and uses 6.785 cubic meters of space. The Masai has fuel scoops for refueling its flight tanks. As it has limited uses in a gas giant, the Masai typically refuels by dipping it's belly intakes into a nearby water source. The Masai has no capacity for refining the fuel.

Optional Rule:Masai to 23 tonnes. At this weight, the walker can theoretically reach speeds up to 490 kph. In actuality, the transmission cannot go much over half that. While running at this rate cross-country, the pilot must make a difficult piloting check every combat turn or the walker will trip and spin out of control. Running the walker at this rate will add five maintenance points for that week due to the stress placed on the suspension and transmission. GM Note: This grav-sprinting can develop into walker racing: a fast and very dangerous sport. Skilled pilots can push their modified machines over 300kph but more than few lose control and �do the Humpty-Dumpty.� As such, walker racing commands a large following of sports fans across several systems.