Background
The Tactical Battlepod is the standard Zentraedi infantry mecha, and the most common as well. With its multiple thrusters, the Regult can also function as a space fighter, a task to which it was often assigned. Apart from the standard model, there are four variants, some common, others less common or very rare. Usually, this mecha is colored in a blue/grey/white paint scheme.
Among the strong points of the Battlepod are simplicity, firepower, speed and mobility. The mecha is relatively easy to manufacture in a conventional assembly line, and this was likely a design requirement. Additionally, the mecha was made easy to service in the field, a necessity considering the average Zentraedi soldier's lack of technical knowledge. The firepower of the two main cannons is excellent; these weapons proved capable of dealing with all Earth Destroids and Veritechs the pods encountered in the First Robotech War. The secondary armament is less hard-hitting, but still lethal against lightly armored targets. The speed and mobility of the Regult is superb; the mecha is very fast, can travel underwater, and has a large jump capacity to deal with terrain and obstacles.
The main disadvantage of the Battlepod is its vulnerability. Not only does it lack even a modest armour protection, its shape does not lend itself to deflecting incoming fire. Worst of all the battlepod has a distressing tendency to explode when its main body is pierced by even a medium caliber round.
The Medium Missile Battlepod is a variant carrying 24 medium range missiles, most often fired with a direct line of sight rather than indirect with assist from a spotter. The mecha is a quite common variant and one or more show up in nearly every tactical Battlepod team.
Original RPG stats can be found in Robotech the Roleplaying Game Book 1 Macross Page 86 and it was called the Light Artillery Pod
New Official RPG Stats can be found in Robotech The Macross Saga Sourcebook Page 157 and it is called the Gluuhaug-Regult
Model Type - Regult Light Missile Carrier
Class - Battlepod
Crew - 1 full sized Zentraedi
MDC By Location
Main Body - 180
Sensors - 60
Particle Guns (2) - 75 ea
Twin Laser - 45 ea
Missile Pod (2) - 60
Legs (2) - 100 ea
AR - 12
Armour - stops upto and including the equivalent of standard 20mm rounds
Speed
Running - 282kph
Leaping - 120m
Space - Mach 6
Deployment Range - 2000km in space due to need for reaction mass, 200 hours of continuous use on 12 protoculture cell energizers
Statistics
Height - 17.4m
Length - 8.1m
Width - 8.0m
Weight - 37 tons
PS - Effectively 40 Robotic
Cargo - minimal personal and survival equipment
Power System - 1 x 1.3 GGV class Esbeliben protoculture cell energizer
Weapons
Weapon Type - PB-10 Particle guns (2)
Primary Purpose - Anti-mecha
Range - 1800m
Damage - 3d6+2 per blast per gun, 2d4x10 per short burst, 2d6x10+20 per medium burst, 3d6x10+20 per long burst, 5d6x10 per full melee burst
Rate Of Fire - equal to pilots attacks
Payload - unlimited
Bonuses - 0
Weapon Type - AC-L 22.3mm autocanons (2)
Primary Purpose - anti-infantry
Range - 1200m
Damage - 4d6+3 per single 10 round burst, 8d6+6 per dual 10 round burst
Rate Of Fire - equal to pilots attacks
Payload - 50 bursts per gun, armour piercing
Bonuses - 0
Weapon Type - Missile Pod (2)
Primary Purpose - Anti-aircraft/armour
Range - Varies by missile type
Damage - Varies by missile type
Rate Of Fire - volleys of 1-24 missiles equal to pilots attacks
Payload - 12 Surface to Surface Missiles each (Frag, HE, HEAT, Armour Piercing) or 12 Surface to air missiles (Light HE, HE)
Bonuses - +1 strike
Bonuses and penalties
Use Robot/Vehicle Combat Elite
+5% piloting rolls
Kick - 6d6
Body Block - 2d6
Typical Combat Statistics
5 attacks per melee
+1 Initiative
+3 Ranged strike
+2 HTH strike
+3 Parry
+2 dodge
+2 autododge
+3 roll with punch/impact
Systems of Note
Combat Computer - Calculates, stores and transmits data onto a HUD (heads up display). Typically tied into the units targeting computer. Can hold hundreds of entries about various enemies and robots/power armour/aircraft/vehicles.
Ejection System - Ejects crew module out from the robot in emergency circumstances. System typically ejects the occupants about 1000 feet (300m) to parachute safely away.
Complete Environmental Pilot and Crew Compartment - A completely computer controlled life support system that includes: internal cooling and temperature control, air pruification and circulation systems (gas filtration, humidifier/dehumidifier) that engages when needed and can recirculate breathable air for upto 4 days if neccessary, computer controlled independant oxygen supply and purge system that has upto 6 hours of breathable air that automatically engages in low oxygen or contaminated air environments, insulated high temperature resistant shielding for upto 300 degrees centrigade (normal fires do no damage though nuclear, and plasma fires do full damage), radiation shielded upto several hundred rads, and polarized and light sensitive/adjusting tinted viewport.
Standard instrumentation - Speedometer, distance travelled, inertial mapping system (zeroed on your deployment location/home base), power system temperature, ammunition counters, damage assessment indicators.
Motion detector/Collision Warning System
Radar - Can track upto 72 simultaneously to a range of 50 miles (80km) for airborne targets and 15 miles (24km) for ground targets depending on terrain.
Radar Warning receiver - Informs the pilot/crew of possible radar lock. Range - 50 miles (80km) depending on terrain
Targeting Computer - Assists in the tracking and identification of enemy targets to a range of 50 miles (80km) and can target upto 18 targets at once.
Computer Targeting System - Assists in selecting and locking on to enemy targets. +2 to strike using ranged weapons. Smart Missiles are excluded from this.
Radio Communications - long-range direction communication systems out to a range of 600 miles (960km) that can be boosted if proper singal towers or relay systems are in place. Also a directional short-range radio with a range of 10 miles (16km). Both radios have full encryption capabilities. Also included is a external loudspeaker system with an output of 80 decibels.
External Audio Pick-up system - Sound amplification listening systems that can pick up a whisper at a range of 300 feet (90m) away and louder sounds at longer distances)
Retractable Periscope/Telescope with x32 magnification
Spotlights - One or two high intensity spotlights that can shine on objects upto 600 feet (180m) away.
Self destruct System - Systems that destroys the unit and all of its internal components. Blast is relatively contained however to a radius of 20 feet doing 2d6x10md to anything within the radius. Also a 89% chance the power supply is leaking radiation.
Voice Actuated locking System - Units hatch is locked by a voice actuated system that is programmed to a specific voice (upto 6 can be programmed at once) that must recite a 6 digit access code. There is a manual over-ride keypad in case of systems failure.
Limited Electronic Coutnermeasures Capability - With a Electronic Countermeasures skill roll (or Sensor operations at -20%) the pilot/crew can impose a penalty of -1 to strike and a -10% to all sensor skill rolls of any opponents within radar range depending on terrain.
References Used
Seto Kaiba
Macross Mecha Manual
Mecha HQ
Robotech.com
Robotech Reference Guide
Robotech Roleplaying Game (Both editions)