"Man, O' Man, those Trolls are some tough customers and their name certainly fits. I don't know who wrote are briefing but inferior technology or not, we lost too many good men and women. We can in to attack the rebel stronghold and we expected there to be some trolls in defense but none of our superiors told us that the armors would be that deadly. If we had not outnumbered them by over three to one, we would likely have lost. They may be slow but they are incredibly tough and heavier armed than anything except maybe a Glitter Boy. The armor withstood our M31 Rail Guns like nothing I had ever seen and their inferior liquid propellant gun is nothing to scoff at. It almost penetrated my armor in two places. That is not the worst though, one of them managed to destroy two SAMAS using missiles before we could even get in range with our rail guns. Each one had eight times as many mini-missiles as our SAMAS. While most of the Trolls advanced to close the distance between us, a few stayed in the rear and snipered at us with those long range rifles from some high hills. It was only our superior numbers that allowed us to win. If we go against them again, we need some type of heavy air support like a few Steel Tigers. Next politician I meet that wants to sell technology to China, I plan to stick my rail gun up where the sun don't shine.

While the US constructed SAMAS power armor was one of the most advanced power armor designs in the world, several other nations constructed power armors as well. One of these nations was China who produced the KRS-12 Power Armor. The name "Troll" is not the official name but got the name from soldiers who fought it in the field. The heavy power armor has no official name. While not as advanced as many other power designs, the KRS-12 power armor was heavily armed and designed to take incredible abuse. The design incorporated components from the old United States USA-GPA-01 Ground Power Armor which the US sold design for the weapon systems to the Chinese. The armor was less expensive and the Chinese did not restrict sales like the United States. As a result, the armor found its way into a great many hands including various groups within the American Continents. Many of these suits have been found by post-Rifts mercenary groups and still serve in large numbers in the post-Rifts world. Several manufacturing companies have acquired copies of the armor with an interest in producing the heavy power armor. Chipwell Armaments is chief among these companies and would give them a product that could be produced easily yet would be of great interest to mercenary companies and would likely sell quite well. There are also rumors that Northern Gun might be considering putting an upgraded version of this power armor on the market. Triax manufactures upgrade packages for the Troll heavy power armor which replaces the power supply and thrusters with more powerful units, adds additional armor, replaces the machine-gun with a rail gun, and replaces the long range cannon with a laser. There is rumor that Northern Gun may be planning a similar upgrade and even manufacturing an upgraded model.

Appearance of the Troll is far different than most power armors. Strictly speaking, the design is not a power armor at all but is a robot vehicle similar in the basic concept to the Ulti-Max produced by Triax. The pilot sits in a cockpit similar in appear to that of some one man attack helicopters. The cockpit style body has two legs and an arm on both sides of the body. The hand can be used to pick up items but have a fairly low manual dexterity. Behind the main body is a massive thruster assembly with vents to feed the main engines on the front on either side of the cockpit. The armor is huge and is about sixteen feet tall with a width of twelve feet for just the main body. With the wings extended, the armor is about thirty two feet wide. The large size of the armor is actually its main weakness, about six sets of normal sized power armors and even several glitter boys can be stored in the space needed for one Troll. There are many places where a lighter power armor can go where the Troll simply cannot operate.

One of the most amazing features of this armor is the fact that it can fly even with its huge size. While most power armors do not fly through aerodynamics, the Troll is definite proof that if you put large enough engines on anything, it will fly. The Troll is relatively slow and has a top speed of only around 160 miles per hour with a preferred cruise speed of just under 100 miles per hour. The cooling system on the thrusters is also not as efficient as the systems on the more advanced SAMAS armor. The thrusters can operate for only a maximum duration of two hours at maximum power and only five hours at cruising speeds or lower. A final limitation is that the fusion reactor produces just enough power for the flight system. Because of this, true rail guns or energy weapon cannot be connected to the armor's power supply and heavy power armor normally will land before firing its electro-thermal cannon due to the fact that the engines cut out for a moment when the cannon is fired. Some pilots have learned to compensate but most still prefer to land. A final limitation is that the heavy power armor lacks maneuverability compared to smaller power armors. Mobility on the ground is fairly limited and the armor has a top speed on the ground of about 40 miles per hour.

One of the reasons for the armor's initial popularity was its extremely heavy firepower. The standard SAMAS power armor carried two mini-missiles while the Troll carries sixteen mini-missiles on the shoulders of the armor. This was one of the reasons behind the Heavy Assault SAMAS being designed with extra mini-missiles. The main gun of the Troll is an 8 mm liquid propellant Gatling weapon which bursts can inflict as much damage as the USA-M31 Rail gun from the SAMAS although it does have a slightly shorter effective range. It is mounted on the left arm of the power armor and appears to be similar to the weapon carried on the USA-GPA-01 power armor. The final weapon is an electro-thermal cannon used mostly for sniper style shooting. It is also similar to the electro-thermal weapon carried on the USA-GPA-01 power armor. The cannon fires a comparatively large discarding sabot penetration projectile which can inflict huge damage at long range.

Model Type: KRS-12
Class: Heavy Armored Flying Power Armor
Crew: One

M.D.C. by Location:

	[1] Shoulder Mounted Mini-Missile Launchers (16):	20 each
	NORINCO NTG-40 Electro-Thermal Cannon (Right Arm):	90
	NORINCO LPG-8 Liquid Propellant Gatling Gun (Left Arm):	60
	[2] Shoulder Wings (2)	60 each
	Twin Air-Intake Jets (2; Sides of Cockpit)	60 each
	Main Rear Jets (4)	80 each
	[1] Hands (2):	40 each
	Arms (2):	140 each
	Legs (2):	200 each
	Reinforced Pilot's Compartment:	100
	[3] Main Body	380

Notes:
[1] These locations 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] Destroying one wing will make flight impossible. However, even with no wing(s) the KRS-12 Troll Power Armor can make jet powered leaps and hover stationary above the ground.
[3] Depleting the MDC of the main body will shut the unit down completely, rendering it useless.

Speed:
Running: 40 mph (64.4 kph) maximum. Note that the act of running does NOT tire out its operator. Cruising speed is a more cautious 30 mph(48.3 kph). Well suited for most terrains, including underwater.
Leaping: The heavy power armor cannot leap without thruster assistance. With jet assistance, the Troll can leap up to 40 feet (12.2 meters) high and can 80 feet (24.4 meters) across without actually attaining flight.
Flying: The wings and thrusters enable the Troll heavy power armor to hover stationary in mid-air or fly. Maximum flying speed is 161.6 mph (260 kph), but cruising speed is considered to be 99.4 mph (160 kph). Maximum altitude is limited to about 820.2 feet (250 meters).
Range: Conditionally unlimited. The fusion reactor gives power for years of service, but the jet thrusters get hot and need to cool for an hour after a maximum of two hours of flight when traveling at speeds above cruising, and five hours at or below cruising speed.
Underwater Capabilities: Although not designed for underwater use, it can walk along the bottom of the sea at about 25% of its normal running speed. Using the jet thrusters, the Troll can travel on the surface of water at 35 mph (56 kph/30 knots), underwater at 25 mph (40 kph/22 knots) or fly above the water surface at normal speeds.
Maximum Ocean Depth: 1,312 feet (400 meters).

Statistical Data
Height: 16.1 feet (4.9 meters)
Width: 14.8 feet (4.5 meters) with wings folded, 32.2 feet (9.8 meters) with wings extended.
Length: 12.5 feet (3.8 meters)
Weight: 6.9 tons (6.3 metric tons) fully loaded
Physical Strength: Equal to a P.S. 38
Cargo: A small 2.3 foot (0.7 meter) on a side storage compartment behind pilot seat for extra clothing, weapons, and personal items
Power System: Nuclear Fusion with average life span of 8 years
Black Market Cost: Normally sells for 1.4 million credits but can sell for up to 2.5 million credits depending on situation.

Weapon Systems:

1. NORINCO NTG-40 Electro-Thermal Cannon (1): This weapon is mounted on the right arm of the heavy power and even though old, is extremely powerful. The weapon is usually used to sniper against other power armors and against heavy vehicles. Weapon sticks out about four feet forward from the right arm . The projectile is loaded into the barrel, behind which there is a "propellant", which is a dot of light metal. A powerful electromagnetic force is applied to the metal, which causes its atoms to "switch" directions. This happens so violently that the metal turns to plasma, and this expanding gas then drives the projectile forward. The weapon has a direct power feed from the Armor to power the weapon. The actual projectile is a 33 mm discarding sabot penetration round. If weapon is fired while the armor is flying, power to thrusters is cut. The heavy power armor will lose 10 mph (16.1) for every shot fired in the air and the pilot must make a piloting roll at -10% to keep control of the flying armor.
   Maximum Effective Range: 8,000 feet (2438.4 meters)
   Mega Damage: 2D4x10
   Rate of Fire: Maximum of four per melee.
   Payload: 40 Round Internal Magazines.
2. NORINCO LPG-8 Liquid Propellant Gatling Gun: This weapon is a Gatling style weapon and is mounted on the left arm of the power armor. The weapon is considered multi-purpose and can inflict heavy damage on well armored targets and well as being able to spray targets. The weapon can fire all types of burst available to machine guns except extended bursts. The weapon uses a special liquid propellant which delivers about four times the force of nitro-cellulose propellant and the weapon fires an 8 mm round.
   Maximum Effective Range: 3,000 ft (914 meters)
   Mega-Damage:
   Single Shot (Costs 1 attack): 1D6
   Ten Round Burst on One Target (Costs 1 attack): 5D6
   Ten Round Burst on 1D4 Target (Costs 1 attack): 1D6
   Thirty Round Burst on One Target (Costs 1 attack): 1D6x10
   Thirty Round Burst on 1D8 Target (Costs 1 attack): 2D6
   Rate of Fire: Equal to combined hand to hand attacks of pilot
   Payload: 1500 rounds
3. Shoulder Mini-Missile Launchers (16): The power armor has sixteen tubes to fire mini-missiles on the shoulder. Weapon is extremely powerful and all mini-missiles can be fired on one target in a single volley. Most common mini-missiles are plasma and armor piercing.
   Maximum Effective Range: Varies by Mini-Missile Type - Usually one mile / 1.6 km (Go to Revised bomb and missile table.)
   Mega-Damage: By Mini-Missile Type - 1D4x10 Armor Piercing / 1D6x10 Plasma (Go to Revised bomb and missile table.)
   Rate of fire: On at a time or in volley of two, four, eight, or all (16).
   Payload: Sixteen mini-missiles.
4. Energy Rifles or Light Rail Gun and other hand-held weapons can be substituted in an emergency or used as a back-up weapon. Space limitations and the bulk of the armor limit additional weapons to one and weapons cannot draw from power armors power supply. Due to low manual dexterity, power armor has a -1 to strike with hand held weapons (does not apply to hard mounted weapons)
5. Hand to Hand Combat: Rather than use a weapon, The pilot can engage in mega-damage hand to hand combat. See Basic and Elite Power Armor Combat Training in the Robot Combat section of Rifts, page 45. All abilities are the same except has a penalty of -2 to dodge penalty and -1 to initiative.

[Coalition TM, Phase World 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.]

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

By Kitsune (E-Mail Kitsune).

Copyright © 2002, Kitsune. All rights reserved.