Name: Mad Thunder (aka “Madthunder”)
Alignment: Helic Republic
Family: Triceratops
Registration Number: RZ-055
Height: 16.6 Meters
Length: 41.8 Meters
Weight: 585 Tons
Top Speed: 100 kph
Weapons: Quad Republican Super Cannons, Triple Thunder Impact Cannons, Dual Large-Bore Beam Cannons, High-Power Shotgun Array, Hardened Alloy Horn and Feet.
Special Abilities: Particle Absorption Shield, Active Radar System, Command Center.
Cost: Classified
Level: Banned
Bridge Crew: 8 (Pilot, Co-Pilot, Captain, Executive Officer, Gunnery Sergeant/Tactical Officer, Chief Engineer, Communications Officer, Chief of Operations)
Minimum Crew Requirements: 25
Standard Crew: 125
Maximum Personnel: 300 ((That can be continuously supported and sustained by the Mad Thunder.))
The Mad Thunder is the absolute largest and heaviest combat Zoid (non-transport) to ever enter even limited production, beating the King Gojulas in the latter category by a fair 75 tons. It is also the stubbornest, most heavily armed, worst-tempered Zoid to ever walk onto the field of battle. Built by the Helic Republic as a way to defeat the Death Saurer (should another ever rear its ugly head) and the varied Guylos Zoid Xs, the Mad Thunders (Yeah, plural. The Republic once had about a dozen of these.) were originally equipped with giant Magnesser Drill Horns designed to bore through any armor, even a Death Saurer’s. This proved an extremely wise decision on the part of the Republic, as the Mad Thunder design soon proved to be just as or more effective than the Ultrasaurus in combat. They could simply lower their head and charge, lancing and ramming anything and everything that stood in their path.
However, it wasn’t only the Magnesser Drills that often appended the adjective “invincible” to the Mad Thunder’s name. The super-large scale Zoid also possessed armor to live up to its weight, only a notch below the armor of the Ultrasaurus. However, the Guylos Empire knew that no matter how tough the armor is, the Zoid isn’t invincible. They deployed a Gungyarados, Hyper Charged Particle Gun and all, with the express purpose of destroying Mad Thunders. The Zoid X pilot shot his superweapon at the first one of the massive Zoids he saw. The bulk of the Mad Thunder prevented it from effectively maneuvering out of the way in time. The HCPG burst hit it dead on. The pilot’s cackling changed to gaping as the smoke cleared, and the Mad Thunder was still standing, untouched.
The Helic Republic had predicted how the Guylos Empire would respond to the Mad Thunder, and had prepared accordingly. Earlier attempts by Helic Republic of designing or manufacturing super-large scale Zoids had been cut down in committee -- the Guylos Empire would simply wipe the Zoid out using Charged Particle Guns. So, the Helic Republic developed the infamous Particle Absorption Shield, usable only by the Mad Thunder (no smaller Zoid could ever meet the power requirements). This new piece of equipment made the Mad Thunder almost completely unstoppable, and led to the first ever Helic occupation of the Guylos capital.
Slowly, the Mad Thunder faded from the field of battle. Being nearly invincible, their design and plain old stubbornness stood the test of time for many years. However, only a few decades after the inception of the Mad Thunder, a series of Strategic Arms Limitation Treaties (SALTs) between the Empire and the Republic ended production of the Mad Thunder, along with the demolition of the only facility on Zi capable of producing them. The tradeoff was actually for the abolition of the Charged Particle Gun in all its forms, so the deal was a good one. Slowly, Mad Thunders fell into disrepair or were scuttled for reason or another. Currently, there is only one operational Mad Thunder on Zi, though there is one another which serves as a museum piece.
This lone Mad Thunder is the one this technical data details. It has long since had its Magnesser Drills replaced with a set of Quad Republican Super Cannons, giving it unmatched range firepower rather than demon-like melee ability. It has also been outfitted with a Command Center, making it one of the safest ones around. However, the armor of the Mad Thunder hasn’t thinned with age, nor has the Zoid’s temper changed even a millimeter. Zi’s last Mad Thunder is more than ready and willing to crush any opponent foolish enough to walk in its path. While aerial opponents might be a different story, the Mad Thunder also has plenty of escorts to take care of them. Besides, this is the invincible Mad Thunder; air power will probably do very little to it.
Weapons:
Quad Republican Super Cannons:
The Mad Thunder mounts four Republic Super Cannons, the only Zoid in the world to carry that caliber of conventional ranged firepower. There are two Super Cannons mounted on its faceplate, where the Magnesser Drills would have been originally, and another two mounted to the back of the main body. The two on the faceplate are fixed, whereas those on the back can pivot from facing forwards to 60 degrees up. While either pair can fired separately, the Mad Thunder is most often seen firing all four cannons at once. Because the effect of the shells is synergistic, four shells together are four times as powerful as the Twin Republic Super Cannons, and create an 80 meter blast radius. The damage from a direct hit from a single volley of all four cannons together is essentially comparable to a Charged Particle Gun, so don’t take them lightly. If you’re an enemy of the Mad Thunder, just thank your lucky stars that the Mad Thunder can only fire the cannons once per round. However, the Mad Thunder suffers no lack of ammunition for the Quad Republic Super Cannons, and will essentially never run out for as long as the battle lasts.
Triple Thunder Impact Cannons:
The Mad Thunder has a three-barreled large-bore Impact Cannon mounted to its underbelly. This cannon fires AZ416mm shells from each barrel, topping even the Hyper Triple Impact Cannon in caliber. This means that it can down even Zoid Xs in just a few volleys, and production Zoids may keel over just from looking at it. Also, while the Death Stinger trumps the Mad Thunder in caliber, boasting two AZ930mm Impact Cannons, the Mad Thunder still easily wins the battle from firing rate. The Triple Thunder Impact Cannon is semiautomatic, you see. However, it is fixed facing forwards, so its potentially avoidable if you know what you’re doing.
Dual Large-Bore Beam Cannons:
This pair of cannons was mounted to the original Mad Thunders to give them some ranged striking power. The Large-Bore Beam Cannon is a shield-buster weapon, capable of downing a standard E-Shield in 2 shots and a Hyper E-Shield in 4-5. It only does moderate damage to normal armor and structure, but there are few weapons which can best it at tearing down E-Shields. The Mad Thunder has the good fortune to have 2 of them, which are each mounted to a rotating turret mount on the Mad Thunder’s back. Both can pivot up to 90 degrees to either side or as much as 45 degrees up or down. The weapons can incline independently, but must pivot horizontally together. Each cannon can fire once every two seconds.
High-Power Shotgun Array:
The Mad Thunder was originally built for overwhelming close-quarters melee power, and was equipped with a number of close-range weapons. Among these was the Mad Thunder’s High-Power Shotgun Array, which is capable of downing even the toughest of opponents quickly. It consists of no fewer than six high-power shotguns: four mounted to a pivoting turret on the Mad Thunder’s back, and two rear-facing on the tip of the tail. At ranges under 100 meters, the shotguns can fire loads of buckshot and blow massive chunks out even heavy armor. Lighter armored Zoids may simple keel over -- these weapons are far more powerful than any of their smaller cousins. However, over 100 meters, accuracy quickly deteriorates and damage decreases. Also, the tail-mounted guns are fixed, forced to point wherever the tail does. On the plus side, the four backmounted shotguns can pivot up to 90 degrees on the horizontal axis, and 45 degrees up or down.
Hardened Alloy Horn and Feet:
Back in the day, the two Republican Super Cannons mounted to the Mad Thunder’s face plate were Magnesser Drills, which gave the Mad Thunder a great deal of its striking power. However, times change and so do weapons, and the drills gave way to cannons. The Mad Thunder is still the melee demon it always was, though, unmatched by any other Zoid in the world. Being both ridiculously heavy and ridiculously strong, the Mad Thunder has two melee weapons to help it main its opponents in close-quarters. The Horn is mounted just beneath the Republican Super Cannons, great for stabbing and lancing, but a bit tricky to use. The Mad Thunder’ feet are also toughened Hardened Alloy, near invincible and great for trampling opponents. As a general rule, though, the Mad Thunder is one Zoid you don’t want to get into melee with. Even the Gojulas Giga can’t match it up close and personal.
Special Abilities:
Particle Absorption Shield:
It’s often been said that Mass Charged Particle Bombardment isn’t something you just shrug off. The Mad Thunder begs to differ. Possibly the greatest technical triumph the Republic has ever achieved, the Particle Absorption Shield makes the massive Mad Thunder completely immune to the direct effects of Charged Particle attacks. The shield is full-body cast, always active (aka “passive”), and emitted from the Mad Thunder’s massive faceplate. (It doesn’t interfere with the Mad Thunder’s own attacks, as standard E-Shields might.) It absorbs, deflects, and otherwise negates the power of a Charged Particle Gun or other charged particle attacks. Though the shockwave still remains and could hypothetically deal damage, the Mad Thunder is so heavy that its essentially impossible to topple or hurt it with a shockwave alone. Furthermore, while it is theoretically possible to disable the shield by completely destroying the Mad Thunder’s faceplate, the entire region is nearly invincible. No such attempt has ever succeeded. Lastly, the Mad Thunder’s Particle Absorption Shield appears to be impossible to overwhelm. Attempts by the Guylos Empire to destroy Mad Thunders with multiple Hyper Charged Particle Guns at once failed to overcome the shield, and remained completely impotent in the face of the monster.
Active Radar System:
The Mad Thunder has an Active Radar System which it can use to track down opponents. This system isn’t as fancy as the 3D Doppler Radar found in the Composite Sensory Units, but it still puts a blinking dot wherever it detects an enemy or unknown Zoid. Allies are in a different color. Nifty, and better than the basic stuff. Also, the sensor is located in the Mad Thunder’s skull, meaning that its... well, essentially invincible. Also, unlike other Active Radar Systems, the Mad Thunder can transmit the data from its sensors to teammates.
Command Center:
Though it wasn’t originally supposed to be, the Mad Thunder was retrofitted as a Command and Control Zoid, much like the Ultrasaurus. However, the Mad Thunder was given some specialized equipment that even the Ultrasaurus lacks, allowing it to better encrypt and distribute communications signals. Its Command Center allows it break through enemy communications jamming, and greatly extends communications range of allied Zoids. It also lends a hand in adverse weather conditions. Good stuff. Also, the Command Center itself is buried deep within the Mad Thunder’s chest, and is even better armored than the rest of the Zoid, designed to protect the personnel inside from anything. It can also carry up to 25 people above and beyond the standard crew.
Available Modifications:
