Zilkia Industries "Sand Spider" Spider Transport:

Zilkia Industries "Sand Spider" Spider Transport:

Zilkia Industries is a comparative new comer with regards to builders of military hardware. The company was founded by a Kittani weapon engineer named Ki-Tarn Zilkia. The company headquarters are in the city of Tolkeen with most its manufacturing facilities in the same city. The first designs manufactured by the company were copies of Kittani designs, mostly weaponry and power armors. Ki-Tarn originally escaped from Atlantis with as many designs as he could manage. As time went on, the company began to both construct its own designs and make close copies of several Triax designs. The company mostly employs humans but there is a solid core of Kittani working in the company including several family members including his wife and several of his children. While they compete in several markets, Kittani Industries also seems to work heavily with another newcomer, Metalworks Industries. Zilkia Industries produces several spider based designs with the first design developed being a modified version of the Spider Defense System. The "Sand Spider" is a transport design which is designed to operate alongside troops or power armors. It is a medium size design, larger than the Spider Defense System but smaller than the Spider Steed design.

The "Sand Spider" is around two meters in length. It has eight legs for extraordinary ability to operate over rough terrain. The legs also make for an incredibly stable platform with the ability to still operate even with several legs damaged or destroyed. Even though the design does use gyros to increase stability, it does not require them like most humanoid designs. The eight legs makes the design much wider than a wheeled or treaded design of similar mass would be. Because it operates with power armors in many cases, the Sand Spider is fairly fast with a top speed of around one hundred and twenty kilometers per hour. Has a small thruster to enable the design to make longer range leaps than would otherwise be possible. This is especially useful when operating with power armors with long range leaping abilities. Some versions are powered by a fusion power pack similar to what is mounted in most power armors. This gives the Sand Spider virtually unlimited range. Other versions use a high capacity battery. While it has a fraction of the endurance of the fusion powered model but it has the advantage of being far cheaper. Range for battery powered model is around 1600 kilometers.

The computer system controlling the Sand Spider is relatively simple and is designed mostly for terrain navigation purposes. It is not designed for any real combat abilities not even close combat. The vehicle has a pair of forward mounted compound sensor eyes. They have night vision and thermograph but otherwise sensor systems are extremely limited. There is no ability to carry a passenger but has a cargo compartment with the ability to carry around two hundred kilograms. It can also tow up to two metric tons of cargo. A winch system is provided for pulling with a capacity up to four metric tons. No weapons are mounted on the Sand Spider although it is reasonably well armored. Any weapon systems a user might attempt to mount would be strictly jury-rigged. Fusion powered models are designs with an outlet for recharging E-Clips carried by the troops supported by the Sand Spider.

Model Type: ZI-SPD-08 "Sand Spider"
Class: All Terrain Robotic Transport
Crew: None

M.D.C. by Location:

Compound Type Eyes 20 each

[1] Spider Legs (8): 40 each

Under Belly Thruster: 80

Rear Thrusters (2): 50 each

[2] Main Body: 200

Notes:
[1] The destruction of a up to two legs on a side will not cause the design to be unbalanced and the Sand Spider will still be able to move. Speed is reduced by 10% per leg destroyed.
[2] Depleting the M.D.C. of the main body will shut the robot down completely, rendering it useless.

Speed:
Running: 74.6 mph (120 kph) maximum.
Leaping: Powerful legs allow robot to leap without using thrusters 20 feet (6.1 m) up and 30 feet (9.1) across from a standing position, 25 feet (7.6 m) up and 50 feet (15.4 m) across with a short running start. Using thrusters, the Sand Spider can greatly extend leaping distance to 60 feet (18.3 m) up and 90 feet (27.4 m) across from a standing position, 75 feet (22.9 m) up and 150 feet (45.7 m) across with a short running start.
Flying: Not possible! The rear thruster and under belly thruster are provided to add stability, balance, and minimal thrust in space or underwater.
Underwater: It can walk along the bottom of the sea floor at 25% of maximum speed. With thrusters, can travel at speeds up to 34.5 mph (30 knots / 55.6 kph) underwater. Has a maximum ocean depth of 2 miles (3.2 km).
Range: Fusion Powered Versions: Effectively Unlimited. Battery Powered Versions: 994.2 miles (1,600 km) before needing to recharge.

Statistical Data:
Height: 2.8 feet (0.85 meters)
Width: 2.8 feet (0.85 meters) for main body with legs extending out for 6.1 feet (1.86 meters) on either side
Length: 6.2 feet (1.90 meters)
Weight: 771.6 lbs (350 kilograms)
Physical Strength: P.S. 30
Cargo: Small cargo area in rear which allows up to 440.9 lbs (200 kg) to be carried. Also can tow up to 2.2 tons (2 metric tons).
Power System: Fusion Powered Versions: Nuclear; average life is 5 years. Battery Powered Versions: Electrical, has a small high capacity battery
Black Market Cost: Fusion Powered Versions: 2.25 million credits for a new, undamaged basic unit (unarmed.) Battery Powered Versions: 500,000 credits for a new, undamaged basic unit (unarmed.)

Weapon Systems:
None Standard

[ Rifts® is a registered trademark owned by Kevin Siembieda and Palladium Books Inc.]
[Kittani, Triax and Naruni Enterprises are registered trademarks owned by Kevin Siembieda and Palladium Books Inc.]

Original company idea by Ki-Tarn Zilkia (Kitarn@netscape.net)

	Compound Type Eyes	20 each
	[1] Spider Legs (8):	40 each
	Under Belly Thruster:	80
	Rear Thrusters (2):	50 each
	[2] Main Body:	200