Perimeter Pod

Deployment: Perimeter Pods can typically be carried as external weapons, and can be deployed by dropships (the most common method) aerospace fighters, cargo craft, helocraft, and suitably large mecha. Perimeter Pods come in three sizes, small, medium, and large. Small pods can be carried by most all vehicles and are approximately 500 lbs in weight. Medium pods are a ton, and can only be carried by larger military and most cargo craft. The large perimeter pod is five tons, and can only be deployed by dropships, assault mecha, bombers, and large cargo craft.

Perimeter Pods have a system to slow their drop, parachutes and retrorockets for targets with atmospheres, and more robust landing engines for space drops. In transit, pods are defenseless, and must rely on their relatively light armor shell to protect them from anti-aircraft fire. As automated systems, they lack vulnerable crew, and are relatively tough. On the ground, the pod opens, and leveling legs bring the perimeter pod online. Perimeter Pods rely on a primitive friend or foe synthetic intelligence system, which makes leaving them alone the best plan for even the side that dropped them. The pods can be tied into defense networks, but this makes them vulnerable to being hacked and being used against friendly troops.

Usage

The perimeter pod is a common tool in first world Cosmic Era military arsenals and provides for creating impromptu static defenses and support for airborne and other rapid mobility troops. Fitting with a fast paced highly mobile mode of warfare, pods are inexpensive, and are relatively light in terms of ammo, and power endurance. This reduces cost, but also limits the value of the pod if it is captured, or when it expends it's payload and fuel supply.

The Automatic Rifle Pod

The Automatic Rifle Perimeter Pod is a small pod that is armed with a pair of heavy machine guns, typically conventional operation in atmosphere, but magnetic in space operations. The pod is designed for anti-personnel operations and are relatively common. In instances of Dimensional Fatigue Events, gun pods will be peppered down to form a defensive quarantine around the afflicted area, set to shoot anything that moves.

Missile Pod

The Missile Pod is a medium Perimeter Pod designed for anti-armor or anti-air operations, and has a number of guided missiles that it can fire. These pods are not multi-role, anti-air missiles are not the same as anti-armor, but the only thing that changes is the targeting profile of the pod, and the missiles it is armed with. Anti-air pods are dropped to support ground forces, while anti-armor pods are more commonly used to set ambushes and create military perimeters.

The Cannon Pod

A large unit, the cannon pod is a small bore (less than 100mm) cannon with a robotic loader and internal ammo supply. The gun can used for light artillery support, or anti-armor and anti-power armor operations in contested areas. The entire weapon is automated, and almost always tied into a defensive network, where it fires on targets as requested.

The CIWS Pod

A medium pod, the CIWS is dropped in areas where rocket and missile attacks are expected, and used to provide an umbrella for ground troops. In urban areas, these pods are dropped on top of buildings to afford them a greater field of fire.