ZAFT BuCUE Tactical Reconnaissance Type

Craft: ZAFT TMF/TR-2 BuCUE Tactical Reconnaissance Type
Type: Terrestrial fighter and tactical reconnaissance mobile suit.
Scale: Walker
Dimensions:
-Height: 11.07 m (base of turret, head height)
-Mass: 69.3 metric tons (max gross weight)
Skill: Mecha Piloting (OR can use Walker Operations and/or Ground Vehicle Operations)
Crew: 1
Cargo Capacity: 10 kilograms (or less)
Consumables: 1 week (survival pack)
Cost: 77,000 ZAFT credits
Nav Computer: Yes (short-ranged, ground-based)
Maneuverability:
-Mobile Suit Mode: 4D
-Tank Mode: 2D+1
-Space (both modes): +2
Speed:
-Ground (Walking): 70; 200kmh
-Ground (Tank): 90; 260kmh
-Atmosphere (Jumping Only): 225; 650kmh
Hull: 6D
-Strength: 5D
-Armor: 1D
Shields: N/A
Sensors:
   Passive: 20/0D
   Scan: 40/1D
   Search: 60/2D
   Focus: 3/3D
Radome:
   Passive: 40/1D+2
   Scan: 80/2D+1
   Search: 120/3D
   Focus: 6/4D

WEAPONS (Fixed Armaments):
   2 High-output Laser Guns (fire-linked)
      Location: Mounted on back.
      Fire Arc: front
      Crew: 1 (pilot)
      Skill: Mecha Gunnery (OR can use Vehicle Blasters)
      Scale: Walker
      Fire Control: 3D
      Space Range: 1-3/12/24
      Atmosphere Range: 50-300/1.2/2.4km
      Damage: 7D (6D if not fire-linked)
      Ammo: Connected to Battery Power (see below)
      Rate of Fire: 1 fire-linked beam per attack.

   Double-edged Beam Saber
      Location: Mounted on mouth
      Fire Arc: Close Combat
      Crew: 1 (pilot)
      Skill: Mecha Combat
      Scale: Walker
      Fire Control: 1D
      Space Range: Close Combat
      Atmosphere Range: Close Combat
      Damage: 5D
      Ammo: connected to Power Battery (see below)
      Rate of Fire: 1 strike per attack.
      SPECIAL: Defender Hull Dice count as pips against Beam Sabers.

   4 Leg Spikes
      Location: Feet
      Fire Arc: Close Combat
      Crew: 1 (pilot)
      Skill: Mecha Combat
      Scale: Walker
      Fire Control: 1D
      Space Range: Close Combat
      Atmosphere Range: Close Combat
      Damage: Str+1D (+1D per Spike!)
      Ammo: N'A
      Rate of Fire: 1 strike per attack.
      SPECIAL: Can "MAUL" with 2 Spikes (Str+2D), or "POUNCE" with all 4 (Str+4D)

WEAPONS (Optional Fixed Armaments, 4 Wing Hardpoints)
   Machine Guns
      Location: mounted on wing hardpoints
      Fire Arc: front
      Crew: 1 (pilot)
      Skill: Mecha Gunnery (OR can use Vehicle Gunnery)
      Scale: Walker
      Fire Control: 3D
      Space Range: 1-3/10/20
      Atmosphere Range: 20-300/1/2km
      Damage: 4D (can combine several for fire-linking); OR Autofire
      Ammo: 1,000 round drum magazine per gun.
      Rate of Fire: Burst per attack per gun (1Dx10 Ammo Depletion); OR Autofire (see D6 Firearms elsewhere on the site)

   Hardpoint-Mounted Missiles
      Location: Mounted on wing hardpoints
      Fire Arc: front
      Crew: 1 (pilot)
      Skill: Mecha Gunnery (OR can use Vehicle Gunnery)
      Scale: Walker
      Fire Control: 3D
      Space Range: 1/3/6, 6 per round, max range 30
      Atmosphere Range: 30-100/300/600, 600 per round, max range 3km.
      Damage: 6D per missile
      Ammo: Can mount between 1 to 4 missiles per hardpoint (total of 1-16).
      Rate of Fire: 1 missile per attack; OR volleys up to max payload!

   Stealth System
      Location: Part of Radome
      Fire Arc: All
      Crew: 1 (pilot)
      Skill: Sensors (works against all units within sensor range)
      Scale: N/A (All?)
      Fire Control: 0D
      Space range: Sensor range
      Atmosphere Range: Sensor range
      Damage: -3D to enemy sensors and fire control against this unit.
      Ammo: connected to power battery (see below), depletes 1 point per round of use.
      Rate of Fire: Continuous use per round.

DESCRIPTION:

   ZAFT BuCUE (pronounced "Buh-KOO")

   ZAFT's TMF/TR-2 BuCUE Tactical Reconnaissance Type is a variant of their standard TMF/A-802 BuCUE ground combat mobile suit. Designed for reconnaissance missions, the BuCUE Recon Type replaces the railgun and missile launcher of the standard BuCUE with a sensor radome. The BuCUE Recon Type's head features a special optical sensor array, and the main body is also equipped with a multiband sensor cluster. The unit also features a stealth system, but unlike Mirage Colloid-equipped mobile suits, the BuCUE's stealth system is only effective against radar. Its main armament is a pair of laser guns, but it is also armed with leg spikes and can optionally be equipped with missiles and machine guns on the wing hardpoints. After ZAFT acquires beam weaponry technology, the BuCUE Recon Type is refitted to include a double-sided beam saber on the mouth. Junk Guild technician purchases the head of a destroyed BuCUE Recon Type and refits it to serve as a beam saber glove for his MBF-P02 Gundam Astray Red Frame.

-COMBAT CAPABILITIES

   Despite being designed mainly for reconnaissance missions, this BuCUE variant is nonetheless well-armed. The only weapon retained from the original TMF/A-802 BuCUE is the double-edged beam saber in the mouth. Further weaponry includes four leg spikes, with one spike mounted inside each foot, and two high-output laser guns, which are mounted on the backpack. Optionally, the BuCUE Recon type can also mount several missiles and machine guns on its wings for enhanced firepower.

-SYSTEM FEATURES

   Since the BuCUE Tactical Reconnaissance Type is designed for recon missions, it features a large amount of different sensor arrays. Its most obvious sensor is the large radome for longer-range surveillance (when Neutron Jammers didn't interfere with its use), which is mounted on the back. Further sensors included a specialized 3D ultracompact optical sensor array on the head and an enhanced multiband sensor cluster, which is mounted on the main body. Lastly an optional metaphase SQUID sensor and bi-directional quantum bitstream communication system can be used by the suit.

   Besides these sensors, the BuCUE Recon Type also mounts a stealth system, which however isn't as advanced as the Mirage Colloid stealth system. It nevertheless works well against radar detection.

-HISTORY

   During the first Bloody Valentine War, ZAFT created the BuCUE, a four-legged mobile suit for ground combat on Earth. Over time, several variations of this suit were developed, with one of them being the BuCUE Tactical Reconnaissance Type.

   One salvaged BuCUE Tactical Reconnaissance Type head was purchased, modified and briefly used by Junk Guild member Lowe Guele as a double-bladed beam saber glove for his MBF-P02 Astray Red Frame. However, while fighting a YFX-200 CGUE DEEP Arms, he forgot the head on the field.

---Stealth System: The Stealth System of the BuCUE Recon Type is not as advanced as the Mirage Colloid stealth system.  However, it is still effective.  It works much like the Enemy Targetting Jammer from the A-Wing Starfighter in Star War D6 RPG rules books.  It can jam enemy sensors and targeting systems against this BuCUE unit, but does not block visibility and can still be seen by tye naked eye.  Also, unlike the Mirage Colloid, it only draws 1 extra power point per round from the Ultracompact Energy Battery (see below), which makes it last longer in the battlefield.

---Ultracompact Energy Battery: In the Gundam SEED setting, ZAFT has dispersed many Neutron Jammers (N-Jammers) across Earth and uses them extensively in space. This means nuclear power and weapons systems are impossible to use and forces both sides to rely on various compact energy batteries to power their mobile suits and other devices, as well as non-nuclear power generation for their ships and larger vehicles and devices.

  Because of this, when using any of these machines in the Gundam SEED setting, take the unit's Hull Dice number, multiply it by 100 (add 25 per pip), and this is the amount if power in the battery system (600 for standard BuCUEs).

  When the mobile suit/mobile armor launches, it begins depleting it's battery by at least 1 per round. If it has energy weapons (I.e., beam sabers, beam rifles, etc.) or other advanced energy weapon systems directly connected to it's power supply (Phase Shift Armor, Mirage Colloid, etc.), then these will draw more power from the battery when activated. Energy weapons draw power points equal to their Damage Dice every time they are used. Equipment like Phase Shift Armor or Mirage Colloid draw power points equal to the mobile suit's Hull Dice while activated, until shot off or power is used up. All of this is per round of activation.

   Mobile Suits like most Gundams and modified models like the CGUE DEEP Arms, have weapons directly connected to their energy batteries, or can be hand-held to draw their power the same way through "hand plugs" and will deplete their energy this way.  However, because of the advantages these mobile weapons bring to the battlefield, this is seen as an acceptable trade-off, as they may bring about a swift victory for which side uses them.

   NOTE!: When Gundams or other such Mobile Weapons run out of energy, they cannot use energy weapons (beam rifles, beam sabers, etc.) or Phase Shift Armor, but can still move and fly, as these either generate ther own power or have a seperate power supply.

*Natural Pilots: If a ZAFT mobile suit is ever piloted by a Natural human, all Difficulty Levels for piloting will be increased by one Level.  If this roll is not made, the pilot will recieve no bonus dice from Maneuverability or Fire Control of Weapons.  Also, if a proper Operating System is not installed for natural pilots, then these bonuses will be -1D.

WRITE-UP NOTES:

   The ZAFT BuCUE is Walker scale, like many other mecha, because it is ground-based and not meant for flight (though it can jump very well, and could possibly be modified for use in space).  I have chosen most of the dice codes for it based on its size (which is similar to many Walkers in Star Wars D6), and the fact that it is an early model (other, more improved models follow later with improved statistics, which is why the BuCUE may still seem comparatively weak in may ways).  The BuCUE cannot fly and is not meant for such mobility, but might be light enough to be modified in such a way (unless using it in Star Wars, in which Repulsorlift technology can go a long way).

OTHER SPECS:
-Model number: TMF/TR-2
-Code Name: BuCUE Tactical Reconnaissance Type (pronounced "Buh-KOO")
-Unit Type: terrestrial fighter and tactical reconnaissance mobile suit.
-Manufacturer: ZAFT (Zodiac Alliance of Freedom Treaty)
-Operators: ZAFT
-First Deployment: C.E. 70
-Accomodation: pilot only, in standard cockpit in torso
-Armor Materials: unknown
-Powerplant: Ultracompact energy battery, power output rating unknown
-Equipmentt/Design Features: radome; 3D ultracompact optical sensor array, range unknown; enhanced multiband sensor cluster, range unknown; metaphase SQUID sensor and bi-directional quantum bitstream communication system (optional); stealth system.
-Fixed Armaments: 2 high-output laser gun (mounted on backpack); 4 leg spike (mounted inside feet); double-edged beam saber (mounted on mouth).
-OPTIONAL Fixed Armaments: many x missiles, mounted on wing hardpoints; many x machine gun, mounted on wing hardpoints.
-OPTIONAL Hand-Held Armaments: none.
-Appearances: SEED MSV (Gundam SEED Mobile Suit Variations); Mobile Suit Gundam SEED ASTRAY (OVA).