Name: Hover Cargo
Alignment: Zian (Universal)
Family: Snail
Registration Number: Zi-098
Height: 49.5 Meters
Length: 94.5 Meters
Weight: 857 Tons
Top Speed: 200 kph (land), 100 kph (water)
Weapons: AZ120mm Anti-Air Cannons, Twin Dual 30mm Machineguns.
Special Abilities: Zoid Carrying, Swimming, Heavy Anchors.
Cost: $180,000
Level: Transport
Bridge Crew: 4 (Pilot, Co-Pilot, Gunnery Sergeant/Tactical Officer, Chief of Operations)
Minimum Crew Requirements: 1
Standard Crew: 10
Maximum Personnel: 24 ((That can be continuously supported and sustained by the Hover Cargo.))
The Hover Cargo is the Malder’s much, much bigger brother, no joke. However, although they’re family, they’re both very different machines. The Hover Cargo constitutes the “next step up” from the Gustav, roughly on the tier below the Dragoon’s Nest. While not often owned by individuals, it’s possible that it could be operated by a single person. They’re far more popular as transport for teams. Capable of carrying six Zoids, the Hover Cargo is often just right for a small number of people. Being rather inexpensive, they’re also deployed en masse by militaries, serving as small-sized field bases for the troops.
As far as performance goes, this really wasn’t a Zoid designed or meant for combat. It has only the bare minimum of defensive systems, whatever’s necessary to discourage attacks against itself by small forces. However, it’s really no match for a well-planned attack or a well-armed strike force, and relies on the Zoids it carries to protect it. It also handles extremely sluggishly, and it’s very top heavy, so don’t try to make any sharp turns. However, on the plus side, it has very heavy armor, just a notch or two above that of the Gojulas, covering its entire body.
The stock Hover Cargo only has a few other quirks to it. Firstly, it comes with a Conversion (Changing) Armor System or CAS, which allows it to quickly switch around parts and pieces during combat. Secondly, the Hover Cargo boasts the ability to crawl around underwater as well, allowing it operate even in the deep ocean. Thirdly, this transport also has the ability to anchor itself, making it essentially impossible to topple over. Other than that, it’s just a cheap, sturdy, reliable transport. That’s why the Blitz Team picked it and continues to use it, as well as a plethora of other teams and military organizations.
Weapons:
Dual AZ120mm Anti-Aircraft Cannons:
On either side of the Hover Cargo’s head (remember, this thing is a snail, don’t mistake the shell for the head) is a semiautomatic AZ120mm Anti-Aircraft Cannon. These two are essentially the Hover Cargo’s main weapon, capable of shooting up even the toughest Zoids with just a few volleys. They’re also capable of firing flak rounds, which explode at a dialed-in altitude. When they explode, they form an expanded cloud of shrapnel, which pierce and shred aerial Zoid wings. Note, however, than using the flak feature is optional only, and they can be used as normal AZ120mm Cannons as well. Also, the cannons can pivot upwards by a full 120 degrees (past straight up) and downwards by 30 degrees. Though they can be manned, any one of the four bridge officers can fire the weapons from their consoles.
Twin Dual 30mm Machineguns:
Though far less fearsome than the AZ120mm Cannons, the Hover Cargo does have a pair of two-barreled rear-facing 30mm Machineguns. They’re mounted on the elevated platform behind the Zoid’s shell, and can pivot up to 180 degrees vertically and 360 degrees horizontally, making them essentially omnidirectional. They can be manned, but can also be accessed and fired via any console on the bridge. Given that the each put out 12 rounds a second, they’re fairly potent weapons. Also note that they can hit the Hover Cargo if used improperly, so beware.
Special Abilities:
Zoid Carrying:
The Hover Cargo can carry, maintain, and service up to 6 Zoids: two in the head and four in the shell. The Hover Cargo also has five entrance/exit points: the two sides of its shell (which can fold out), a door in the front of the head, a door in the back of the shell, and the magnetic launch rail (exit only). The launch rail is the most interesting of the five, being able to use an electromagnetic field to fire out Zoids, land or aerial, at almost any speed they desire. However, for all its entrances and exits, the Hover Cargo lacks a repair bay. Pilots have the right environment to take the do-it-yourself approach, but the dedicated maintenance center doesn’t include heavy-duty repair equipment. The Hover Cargo in its stock form is restricted to Zoids of Levels 1-4, but can be upgraded with more advanced facilities for more advanced Zoids.
Conversion (Changing) Armor System:
The Hover Cargo doesn’t have a repair bay, but it does have a CAS. The CAS allows the Hover Cargo to swap modifications on and off of a Zoid its servicing even in the heat of battle. It allows the infamous armor swap to occur, allowing Zoids such as the Liger Zero and Berserk Führer to change clothes, as it were. Anyway, the CAS really allows any modification swap that a Zoid cares to make to be done in six seconds flat, and is quite useful in that respect.
Swimming:
That’s an overstatement. The Hover Cargo can crawl along the ocean bottom. It can go at a reduced speed of 100 kph, which still makes it reasonably fast. Note, however, that the crush depth of the Hover Cargo is two kilometers, and it has to move along the floor to move at all. On the plus side, the Hover Cargo is compartmentalized and can close bulkheads to seal off an area in case of a hull breach.
Heavy Anchors:
The legendary immovable object. If the fact that Hover Cargo weighs more than 800 tons isn’t enough for you, it also has a set of Heavy Anchors that can be used to make this Zoid really impossible to budge. They can be used as emergency brakes as well.
