The AC-57 Dreadnought is the sister craft to the C-57 Monitor. The engineers at AHI decided to create an assault gunship support craft based off of the same chassis as the Monitor. This would make production much simpler and keep costs down significantly than if an entirely new design had been used. In fact, the only real visual difference from it's sister is the use of a different pod type and the addition of more tri-barrel weapon turrets.

The new pods are filled to the brim with weapons and extra engines. The weapon section is built around a massive railgun normally mounted on land-based main battle tanks. It is designed to be able to knock out hardened targets from long-range. Several missile and bomb types are also housed within the pod.

The Dreadnought has an internal troop bay in the main body large enough to hold one flight-equipped power armor squad. These troops can debark by way of special side or bottom hatches and are often used as security for landing support operations.

The Dreadnought is not sold on the open market nor exported. It is strictly an "internally" used vehicle. Only the Gabriel Defense Force and Gabriel City's authorized mercenary company use it. No craft has ever been unaccounted for so far. AHI officers have begun considering opening the market for the Dreadnought. However, they are wary of placing such a powerful weapon in potentially hostile hands. If the AC-57 were ever to go up on the open market, though, the railguns would most likely be replaced with laser pulse weapons.

Model Type: AC-57 Dreadnought
Class: Military VTOL Assault Combat Support Craft
Crew: Seven: One pilot, one co-pilot, one communications officer, four gunners. Up to two passengers can be carried comfortably.
Troop Payload: Up to seven flight-equipped power armor such as the C.S. SAMAS(^TM) or the TRIAX^(TM) Predator.
MDC by location:

[1] Rear Missile Launcher(1) - 120
[1] Missile Launchers(2) - 150
[1] Tri-barrels(3) - 150
[1] Laser Pulse Weapons(3) - 200
[1] Railgun (2) - 200
[1] Sensor Domes(5) - 110
[1] VTOL Thrusters(8) - 110
[1] Retractable Landing Gear(7) - 90
     Rear Jets(3) - 280
     Weapon Pods(2) - 850
     Wings (2) - 650
     Reinforced Crew Compartment - 200
[2] Main Body - 1200

Notes

1. Each of these items is small and/or difficult to strike. Any attacks must be called shots and are -3 to strike.

2. Depleting the MDC of the main body completely destroys the craft.

Speed

Flying: Hover stationary to a maximum speed of Mach 2.5 (roughly 1675 mph/2680 kph).
Flying Range: Effectively unlimited with occasional rest/engine cooling stops. The craft will need to rest for 2 hours after traveling at over 50% engine output for more than 20 hours.
Maximum Altitude: 50,000 feet (15,240 m)

Statistical Data

Height: 38 feet (11.5 m) tall
Width: 110 feet (33.3 m)
Length: 120 feet (36.4 m)
Pod Dimensions: Height: 22 feet (6.7 m), Width: 22 feet (6.7 m), Length: 79 feet (23.9 m)
Weight: 115 tons fully loaded.
Cargo: Normal troop complement and a storage locker that holds 8 suits of armor, 12 Assault Rifles, 12 LALWs, 6 Plasma Rifles, 6 Mini-missile Launchers, and 30 assorted grenades.
Color: Typically light grey, dark grey, dark blue, military green, camouflage, or Midnight Black.
Power System: Nuclear, average energy life is 20+ years.
Cost: Unavailable. Dreadnoughts are used exclusively by the Gabriel Defense Force and Gabriel City's authorized mercenary company. The Dreadnought has never been exported, and plans are only now being considered for it to be exported.

Special Systems

1. Laser Pulse Weapons (2): These are long range high powered assault weapons used for strafing, fire suppression and assault. The two wing-mounted cannons (one on each wing-tip) can move side to side and up and down 30 degrees. These are typically controlled by the pilot.

Range: 6000 feet (1800 m)
Damage: 1D6x10 MD (single) or 2D6x10 (double)
Rate of Fire: Single or linked
Payload: Unlimited
Note: +2 to strike

2. Tri-barrels (8): These are a new concept for vehicle weapon systems. One NG style Plasma Cannon, one WI style Automatic Grenade Launcher, and one modified Laser Pulse Weapon are mated to a bubble turret providing devastating close weapons support. Any or all of the weapons can be linked to fire together, provided that the target is within the weapon's firing arc. Each turret can rotate 360 degrees and can be raised and lowered 90 degrees, providing complete coverage. The tri-barrels are usually operated by the gunners. Eight turrets are located throughout the craft: two are located on the belly forward and aft the same as on the Monitor, two are mounted similarly on the top, one is mounted on the bottom of each weapon pod, and one is mounted on the outside section of each wing.

The tri-barrel system was originally designed as an anti-infantry defense. However, after testing it was found that it was also effective in an anti-armor role. The bottom turrets are generally used to clear out any enemy concentrations on the ground while supporting landing operations or assaults. While on the ground the firing arc is severely limited from the danger of hitting friendlies or the craft itself. The top and wing turrets are used to provide longer ranged support while on the ground and to discourage attacks from above and to the sides while both in the air and on the ground.

Barrel 1: Plasma cannon

Range: 2000 feet (606 m)
Damage: 1D6x10 MD (single)
Rate of Fire: Single or linked
Payload: Unlimited

Barrel 2: Modified Laser Pulse Weapon

Range: 3000 feet (910 m)
Damage: 1D6x10 MD (single)
Rate of Fire: Single or linked
Payload: Unlimited

Barrel 3: Automatic Grenade Launcher

Range: 3000 feet (910 m)
Damage: 1D4x10 MD (single) or 3D6x10 (burst)
Rate of Fire: Single/Burst (10 rounds) or linked
Payload: 2000 rounds each

3. Nose Weapon Turret (1): This weapon pod contains another laser pulse weapon and an Iron Heart vulcan laser system. The turret can fire independently or can be linked to fire with the wing lasers. The turret can rotate 130 degrees to each side and 45 degrees up and down. The turret is normally controlled by either the pilot or gunners.

Laser Pulse Weapon:

Range: 6000 feet (1800 m)
Damage: 1D6x10 MD (single)
Rate of Fire: Single or linked
Payload: Unlimited
Note: +2 to strike

Vulcan Laser System:

Range: 4000 feet (1212 m)
Damage: 3D4x10 MD (burst)
Rate of Fire: Burst or linked
Payload: Unlimited

4. Weapon Pods (2): The cargo pods from the C-57 Monitor have been replaced with deadly weapon pods. The rear third of each pod is devoted to secondary engines. These engines allow the Dreadnought to achieve speeds even greater than those of it's sister.

The rest of the pod space is dedicated exclusively to increased armament. Along the center-line of each pod is mounted a massive railgun. This type of cannon is normally restricted to large battle tanks because of it's size. The weapon requires so much energy that it takes several seconds for the capacitors to recharge between firings. Luckily, this also allows the rails to cool down, considerably reducing the chance of the rails melting. When fired, the weapon creates such recoil that the pilot must make a successful piloting roll or risk momentarily being knocked out of alignment with the target. (GM: if the player fails the roll, it will take one action to bring the craft back to the previous bearing.) Also, the railguns should always be fired as a pair. To do otherwise creates incredible torque and strain on the airframe and risks losing control of the craft. (GM: the player should make a piloting roll at -15% each time a railgun is fired singly. Failure means that control of the craft has been lost.)

Around the central railgun are mounted several types of missiles and a bomb bay. The Dreadnought carries short-, medium-, and long-ranged missiles. The bomb bay can house a variety of bombs, but almost all bombs will be smart bombs. Alternatively, the bomb bay can be used to house cargo (7 ft high, 12 ft wide, 20 ft long).

Range: (Use new missile/bomb tables)

Short Range Missiles: Varies with type.
Medium Range Missiles: Varies with type.
Long Range Missiles: Varies with type.
Bombs: About half a mile (0.8 km) from the drop site.
Railgun: 2.5 miles (4000 m)


Damage: (Use new missile/bomb tables)

Short Range Missiles: Varies with type.
Medium Range Missiles: Varies with type.
Long Range Missiles: Varies with type.
Bombs: Varies with type.
Railgun: 4D4x10+80 (single), 5D6x10+120 (linked)


Rate of Fire:

Short Range Missiles: 2, 4, 8, 16, 30
Medium Range Missiles: 1, 2, 4, 6, 10
Long Range Missiles: 1, 2, 4, 8, 16
Bombs: 1, 2, 4, 8, 10, 20, 40
Railgun: Once every three actions due to the recharge and cooling period.


Payload:

Short Range Missiles: 30 per pod, 60 total.
Medium Range Missiles: 14 per pod, 28 total.
Long Range Missiles: 8 per pod, 16 total.
Bombs: 20 per pod, 40 total. Or cargo.
Railgun: 40 rounds per cannon, 80 total.


Note:

Bombs: Striking depends on bomb type. Use new missile/bomb tables.
Railgun: The railgun is by no means a precision weapon, therefore it is -14 to strike other airborne targets. It is -6 to strike normally moving targets on the ground. The weapon is designed to take out fixed or very slow moving ground targets.

5. Wing Medium Range Missiles (4): 2 medium range missiles are housed in a launcher on the tip of each wing.

Range: Varies with type (Use new missile/bomb tables).
Damage: Varies with type (Use new missile/bomb tables).
Rate of Fire: 1,2,3,4
Payload: 4, 2 per wing

6. Rear Short Range Missiles (4): 4 short range missiles are housed in a launcher to protect against rear attacks. This can be a very nasty surprise to anyone trying to get into a tail position. The launcher is almost always loaded with Armor Piercing missiles.

Range: Varies with type (Use new missile/bomb tables).
Damage: Varies with type (Use new missile/bomb tables).
Rate of Fire: 1,2,3,4
Payload: 4 Armor Piercing short range missiles

7. Anti-Missile Chaff/Flare Dispenser(1): This is located in the tail of the craft. When tailed by missiles, clouds of chaff and flares are released to confuse or detonate the missiles. However, each time the system is engaged, the system fires off one chaff and 1D4 flares. (The system uses the same effects as the TRIAX^(TM) model.)

Effects: roll percentile dice to determine results.

Percentile Roll	Effect
01-50	Enemy missile or missile volley detonates due to the chaff or flare - the threat is over.
51-75	Enemy missile or missile volley loses track of real target and veers away in the wrong direction (may lock onto another nearby aircraft).
76-00	No effect! Missiles still on target!!

Payload: 20 chaff, 40 flares

8. Standard Equipment: Long-range communication, radar, and radar tracking same as robot vehicles plus the following:
1. Enhanced Radar: Can Identify and simultaneously track up to 65 different targets. Range: 500 miles (800 km).
2. Life Support and G-Force Suit: Pilots wear standard-issue GDF flight suits. These provide not only an independent air supply for the pilot, but both the upper and lower g-suit promote blood circulation even during high-G maneuvers, thus decreasing the possibility of pilot black- or brownouts.
3. Pilot Ejection System: The craft contains a standard ejection system. Each crew member is ejected individually from the craft. Each ejection seat contains a standard survival kit, a break-apart assault rifle, and five grenades.

[ TRIAX^(TM), and SAMAS^(TM) are trademarks owned by Kevin Siembieda and Palladium Books Inc. ]

Designed by Chris Curtis (curtis@thepentagon.com) and Brian Melcher (melcher@iname.com).
Original artwork generously done by Ron Nutter.