Black Adder
Overview and History

Vehicle Specifications   General Stats
Name: Black Adder   Threat Value: 537
Vehicle Type: Walker   Offensive Value: 1,123
Production Type: Limited Production   Defensive Value: 333
Cost: 1,227,428.57 dinars   Miscellaneous Value: 154
Manufacturer: Dynamic Systems   Size: 7
Use: Assault   Original Default Size: 8
Height: 4.5 meters   Indv. Lemon Dice: 2
Length: 2.7 meters   Crew: 1
Width: 3.5 meters   Bonus Actions: 0
Avg. Armor Thickness: 53mm
Armor Material: Armoplast   Armor
Standard Op. Weight: 7600 kg   Light Damage: 16
Primary Move Mode: Walker (43 kph)   Heavy Damage: 32
Secondary Move Mode: Ground (73 kph)   Overkill: 48
Deployment Range: 500 km
Sensor Range: 2 km   Vehicle Availability
Communication Range: 10 km   Availability Threshhold: 6
Powerplant: V-Engine   Max Number on Field: unlimited
Engine Output: 580hp  
    Movement
Electronics   Primary Move Mode: Walker
Sensors: 0   Combat Speed: 4
Communications: 0   Top Speed: 7
Fire Control: 0   Secondary Move Mode: Ground
    Combat Speed: 6
    Top Speed: 12
    Maneuver: 0

Weapons
Quantity Name Code Arc ACC Damage Range ROF Ammo Special
 1
 Snub Cannon
 SC
 F
 -1
 x28
 1/2/4/8
 
 10
 
 1
 Medium Rocket Pack/36
 MRP/36
 F
 -1
 x18
 2/4/8/16
 +4
 36
 IF
 1
 Anti-Personnel Grenade Launcher
 APGL
 FF
 -1
 x3
 1/2/4/8
 
 6
 AE0, AI, IF

Perks
Name Rating Game Effects AUX
 Emergency Medical
 
 Absorbs first "Crew" hit
 
 HEP: Desert
 
 -
 
 Reinforced Crew Compartment
 
 Absorbs first "Crew" hit
 
 Reinforced Location Armor
 3
 Increase base armor by 3 at Crew
 
 Manipulator Arm x2
 6
 Can punch
 
Flaws
Name Rating Game Effects
 Sensor Dependent
 
 Must rely on sensors in combat
Defects
Name Rating Game Effects
 Annoyance Flaw
 
 Cramped access hatch

Variants
There are no variants.

Designer Notes
Proclaimed "the safest Gear ever designed," the Black Adder was built with crew survivability as its prime objective. The Black Adder is a direct evolution of the Sidewinder design, another Gear built with the pilot's safety in mind. The Adder was the first Gear independently produced by Dynamic Systems, a company better known for cooperative efforts and consulation on other corporations's designs. The Sidewinder was just such a cooperative effort with Territorial Arms, but was rumored to end with bad blood between the companies. When Dynamic released the Adder, based on the shared Sidewinder chassis, TA threatened legal action. Dynamic Systems's lawyers were able to prove ownership of the basic design of the Sidewinder and Territorial Arms was forced to allow the Adder to enter production. The antagonism between the companies has never healed, however.

Dynamic Systems, despite its design expertise, could not wield the production power of Territorial Arms. While TA can produce components for many specialized model in parallel with those for more common models, keeping production costs down, the Black Adder had to bear a price tag reflective of its small production run. Its specialized mission profile also limits its versatility in combat, keeping orders limited to dedicated tank-hunting units. These factors have kept the Adder a somewhat rare, but well-liked, Gear. Pilots who have access to it are very fond of the Adder, not only because of its many layers of protection for pilots, but because of a large number of small design touches. Adder pilots can go on for hours about additional cockpit padding, more ergonomic control sticks, comfortable safety harnesses, efficient targeting displays and nearly silent cooling systems. Technicians similarly appreciate the well laid out and color-coded electronic subsystems, accessible hydraulic pumps and well-insulated systems. Although certainly not as easy to maintain as the tried-and-true Jager, Dynamic Systems's Adder is a technician's dream when compared to the TA Spitting Cobra or Black Mamba. The Gear has also performed well in combat, including against the hovertanks of the Colonial Expeditionary Force. Unlike the Sidewinder, which was phased out after the arrival of the Black Mamba, the Black Adder continues to serve as one of the premier Gear tank hunters in the southern hemisphere.