Name: Hammerhead (aka “Hammer Head”)
Alignment: Helic Republic
Family: Shark (Hammerhead)
Registration Number: RZ-033
Crew: 1-4
Height: 6.6 Meters
Length: 17 Meters
Weight: 66.5 Tons
Top Speed: 130 knots/241 kph (water), Mach 1.0/1225 kph (air)
Weapons: Dual AZ30mm Pulse Laser Cannons, Twin Dual Mini-Impact Cannons, Dual AZ Torpedo Pods, Surface/Submerged-to-Air Missile Launchers Array, Twin 20mm Cannons.
Special Abilities: Swimming, Flying.
Level: 4
The Helic Republic’s most famous dedicated aquatic Zoid is probably the Hammerhead. Boasting a battery of heavy weaponry and armor, in addition to the ability to fly, this Shark-typed Zoid is one of the fiercer opponents to face under the sea. The Hammerhead also boasts one of the lowest lost/destroyed-in-action percentages of any production Zoid there is, because its heavy armor allows it to take a beating while its dual flight/swimming abilities allow it to escape from almost any situation.
Also, though it can fly, I mentioned earlier that the Hammerhead is a dedicated aquatic Zoid. I wasn’t kidding. Despite its obvious massive bulk and relatively heavy weight, the Hammerhead boasts War Shark-grade maneuverability while underwater. Also, it has a battery of powerful AZ Torpedoes, which are positively lethal in an environment where a leak can prove fatal. Also, the Hammerhead has a number of interesting and shiny other weapons, including the ability to easily dispatch aerial targets from safely underwater.
Over the years, the Hammerhead has seen alot of use and action. Given that it was once the primary transport for the President of the Helic Republic (Airforce 1), as well as the fact that it was once considered as an alternative to the Salamander, the Hammerhead really is diverse in its uses. However, many pilots make the mistake of confusing the Hammerhead for a dedicated aerial Zoid. I’m only going to say this once: it’s not. In the air, it’s more sluggish than the Pteras or Salamander, and has terrible maneuverability. It’s even bad speedwise, being roughly as fast as a Sinker, give or take a tenth of a Mach. However, its toughness doesn’t change in or out of the water, and its still the massive and reliable machine it always was. Also, thanks to its unique downward-facing jet engine construction, its capable of VTOL (vertical takeoff and landing) and can hover at low altitudes.
Weapons:
Dual AZ30mm Pulse Laser Cannons:
If you look at the Hammerhead’s head, you'll notice two finlike constructions sticking out of either side. Positioned under each of these fins is an AZ30mm Pulse Cannon. These are the Hammerhead’s primary reusable ranged armament in and out of water, and spew out 12 shots per second each. Both lasers are also capable of 30 degrees in or out, as well as up to 45 degrees downwards.
Twin Dual Mini-Impact Cannons:
Now, look about halfway down the Hammerhead’s body. There should be another set of fins, located just a bit up from the middle. Each of these has a fixed small-bore Dual Impact Cannon mounted underneath it. They’re essentially normal Dual Impact Cannons, but AZ30mm instead of AZ80mm. They can also fire both fire at a semiautomatic rates, and pierce and tear through armor like a normal impact cannon. Like their larger counterpart, their maximum range is 300 meters.
Dual AZ Torpedo Pods:
On the fins that extend out from the Hammerhead’s head, just above the to the side of the AZ30mm Pulse Laser Cannons, are a pair of odd, blocky pods. Upon closer examination, it’s rather clear that each pod has two separate sections, which probably slide back to reveal something. That’s because they do. Both pods are torpedo pods, and both pods have two separate torpedo tubes. That’s a total of four torpedo tubes. Underwater, they use active sonar to lock onto another aquatic target (which they need not do in their tubes, launch ‘em and they’ll do it on their own). Once launched, they’re slow-moving, but relatively well-armored and able to track and home in on a target for kilometers if necessary. Also, since they’re AZ, they have roughly twice the damaging potential of a standard missile. Out of water, they’re little more than glorified dumbfires, with a maximum range of 300 meters before they loose all significant forward momentum and just fall. Also, since the Hammerhead is so large, it can carry a single set of reloads for every tube, though reloading a single tube takes 3 seconds.
Surface/Submerged-to-Air Missile Launcher Array:
All the way on the back of the Hammerhead, almost on the tip of the tail, there are three pairs of discolored spots, two rows of three on either side of the body. These six discolored spots flip up to reveal six SAM sites, a great present for passing torpedo bombers. The construction of the missiles is multistage, and is similar to that of a torpedo tube, so the missile chambers need to be flooded prior to launch. (This can only be done underwater or in water. Note that the Hammerhead cannot fly with flooded missile launcher tubes, because this off-balances the Zoid, making it tail heavy.) Anyway, the missile then activates a turbine, which propels it out of the water. Once in the air, the pressure differential causes the turbine to separate and fall away. The second stage, a solid-state rocket booster, then deploys, and its a normal missile. The entire process following launch is very quick: not needing to maneuver in the water, the SAM is much faster than a torpedo. If that wasn’t enough, each tube also has a reload in internal stores, which it takes about 3 seconds to place. (The Hammerhead must re-lock after the reload.) Each missile is roughly 1.5 times as powerful as a standard Anti-Ground Missile. However, note that the SAMs are useless above water, unless the Hammerhead could somehow totally invert itself.
Twin 20mm Cannons:
Sitting on the underside of the Hammerhead’s tail and rear-facing are a pair of 20mm Cannons. They’re semiautomatic, and can pivot up to 90 degrees horizontally or 30 degrees down. Note, however, that these weapons are capable of hurting the Hammerhead itself, so take care while firing.
Special Abilities:
Swimming:
Once a shark, always a shark. Whether you’re giant or made of metal, or can fly, or both, you’re still a shark. The Hammerhead itself has a War Shark’s level maneuverability underwater, as well as the rather fast underwater speed of 130 knots. Note that the Hammerhead fully compartmentalized, and, if its hull is breached, can usually seal a nearby bulkhead and stop the breach from sinking the ship. However, the Hammerhead should not attempt to fly if any part of its body is flooded. Also note that the Hammerhead’s crush depth is roughly 800 meters, deeper than that of the War Shark.
Flying:
While its maneuverability is pitiful, the Hammerhead can fly as well. It’s technically capable of Mach 1.0 -- breaking the sound barrier if you redline the engines, its really only in a straight line. However, the Hammerhead has VTOL (vertical takeoff and landing) capabilities, thanks to its unique design. Also, it can hover at low altitudes, and its service ceiling is 500 meters. Note that under no circumstances should the Hammerhead attempt to fly with any chambers, compartments, or missile or torpedo tubes flooded.
