LoS: Mechanized Armor
- This is an article related to the science fiction role play setting Legacy of Sol.
Designation : Mechanized armor
- Abbreviations : MA, mech, armor
Types : General purpose, assault, fast attack, support, high performance, industrial
Conceived By : Jason Serget, Julianne la Place, Su Yu, Seok Kwan, Kazuki Imahara, Ralf Shröder
In Service : 2190 - present
Weight : 80 - 150 metric tons
Length : 2 - 6 meters
Width : 4 - 10 meters
Height : 8 - 16 meters
Crew : 1 (pilot)
Power Plant : Deuterium fusion reactor, Isamov reactor
Operational Range : 400 - 800 kilometers
Speed : 40 km/h - 80 km/h (walking), 80 km/h - 500 km/h (boosting), 800 km/h - 1500 km/h (overdrive boosting)
Primary Manufacturers : Akana Motors, Exeros Labs, Jagd Steelyards, Justina, Kaiser, Natosan Mechanics, Neo Han Industrial, Opal Industries, Orion Manufacturing, Savant Galactic Arms
A mechanized armor, or MA as it is officially abbreviated as, is an eight to sixteen meter high, bipedal and bimanual machine housing a single pilot in its internal cockpit. MAs are no longer relatively new technology in the 23rd century, but they continue to evolve at a rapid and noticeable pace, with machines decades apart in fact being leagues apart in efficiency, reliability and overall performance. MAs are primarily designed with a single intent in mind, which was also the condition that sparked research into them, and that is that they be adaptable and tremendously versatile. With the spreading of mankind into outer space, and conflicts taking place on terrain of an immense variety, military units needed to be able to be deployed anywhere in a moment's notice. While conventional tanks and armored vehicles were capable of fulfilling that function to a certain degree, many times, the old technology fell short. Mechanized armors were designed to fill the gap. With two legs and incredibly intricate software and mechanics governing its balance, MAs can theoretically walk on any terrain capable of holding their weight. With two arms and fully articulated hands, with at least three digits, these impressive machines are also able to change their load-out in a moment's notice, giving officers out in the field a whole new breadth of options to use against their opponents.
Since their conception and development, MAs have taken center stage in all interplanetary military organizations. From the armed forces of the UDN, CIC and Triton Empire to the private security personnel of wealthy corporations and mercenary outfits, MAs see widespread use and always compensate for their significant price tag through their performance. While mechanized infantry companies still play a major role on the ground, they have long since been dethroned and almost always play a supporting role in any battle featuring their replacements. Imperator Corvinus Lars of the Triton Empire was the first to truly prove the concept of MAs in large scale warfare, correctly pointing out how their steep cost would be offset by the durability and versatility of the machines in question. Since then, they have been adopted across the Solar System and have even been adapted to function in space as well as in a given atmosphere.
These machines truly possess few limitations, but the research into their possible applications continues to be an ongoing effort, with innovations constantly leaving the company of some of mankind's most brilliant minds. Only time will tell what mechanized armors will be capable of in the not-so-distant future.
History
Conception
The idea of the mechanized armor is a relatively old one, with the first experiments and short-lived projects going back as far as the mid 2000s. However, the required materials and computational complexity had not yet been reached by that point, leaving many of these endeavors stranded or branded failures. While humanity lingered on Earth, conventional machines served their purpose better than anything promising immense versatility in exchange for a steep, financial cost, be they military or otherwise. This persisted into the colonization drives that ferried humanity as far as Neptune, where state-of-the-art mechanized infantry platoons could provide all the security a given location could ever need. The ideals of an everlasting, golden age of peace were still firmly ingrained into the minds of people high and low.
However, in the late 2100s, certain colonies had been crafted on such remote locations, with such inhospitable environments to contend with, that conventional vehicles were no longer meeting the demands of the industry, or security, and a fully-funded, properly supported project was launched to attempt to revolutionize how humanity viewed mechanical locomotion. Dubbed "Project: Iron Giant", several teams of some of the UDN's most brilliant minds were formed to tackle the issue, each handling a different problem involving the final equation. Some of the research teams did not pan out and were often replaced with others as there was no shortage of scientists willing to work on one of the most prestigious projects since the development of the modern fusion thruster.
After a few years of intense work, one team had begun to distinguish itself over the others with the groundbreaking progress they were making towards a viable solution in the form of a prototype mechanized armor that was slowly taking shape. While almost unrecognizable to the shape the technology has taken on today, it was the exact predecessor of the modern MA and especially the high-ranking officers of the UDNAF took note. The team consisted of names that are both universally praised and reviled in a way similar, though less potent, as those responsible for the creation of the atomic bomb. The military potential of the MA was recognized before it even finished development and the public, and historical, image of these men and women paid the price.
The first MA prototype rolled off the assembly line in 2188, with initial testing proving tremendously promising. The scientists were kept on the project until its completion with a first, viable mechanized armor that could be used in several industrial branches near the end of 2190.
Early days
The early days of the mechanized armor were rocky, to say the least. Full production of larger quantities of the expensive machines was hampered by the small number of companies with the infrastructure and drive to accomplish it. Many construction companies were extremely interested in the design and had become enamored with the possibilities after some exceptionally successful test runs in front of a corporate audience. With the economical environment ready and willing, it was only a matter of getting the assembly lines moving and churning out the machines as soon as possible. This proved less than viable, and long waiting lists spawned that began to put the MAs usefulness into question. Many started to believe that it had been a pleasant dream to entertain, and even realize, but it had been a pipe dream nonetheless. This played a very large role in why it took up until the onset of the Second Independence War for the mechanized armor to see proper military use.
When production did finally catch up around 2195, industrial MAs began to be employed all throughout the Solar System and quickly made a difference in the speed with which a given project's heavy lifting could be completed. However, highly specialized MA designs proved that more than a mere bulldozer could be replaced with the versatility of an MA for companies who had the funds to spend on a fleet of the machines. Cranes and long hauls were among the functionality that was incorporated into industrial MAs and these first appearances continue to affect the designs of modern, civilian armors.
Military MAs continued to jam in developmental stages for another three years as they had a whole slew of additional problems to contend with. Among them was how to scale weaponry to fit the frames, as well as be meaningful on the battlefield. If the MA was to be nothing more than a more expensive and slightly more destructive form of a regular tank, the pursuit would prove to be rather pointless. By mid-2198, this changed with the successful test runs of the first military MA on the moon of Phobos, where the addition of thrusters, weapon systems, advanced targeting systems and other upgrades to the machine's CPU, generator and radiator allowed it to leave onlookers in awe of what it was capable of in the right hands. However, the price of the machine, and the extensive training of its pilots, was still deemed too steep a price to pay for a general application. This left MAs delegated into the role of single-unit support craft that offered a versatile solution to a number of problems that could hypothetically be encountered by a given platoon.
First Independence War
At the dawn of the First Independence War, MA were still far from being universally implemented in the modern military. Because of their supportive nature and the fact that transport vessels had not yet been adapted to carry a larger number of MAs to a given theater, many MAs were delegated to guarding distant outposts and refueling stations across the Solar System in small groups of up to eight. The UDNAF had incorporated MAs as an optional addition to the established platoon structure of the bulk of its ground forces, meaning the concepts of a "wing" and entire platoons of nothing but MAs had not yet come to be. At the beginning of the conflict, the UDN had roughly one-hundred of the high-tech machines in service and barely a dozen of those ever saw actual, frontline action. The CIC, then still referred to as dissidents, only possessed a dozen MAs and followed the same train of thinking as their union opponents. With little to no experience in their proper use and having had no time to run proper battlefield tests, the high-stakes conflict was believed to be too much of a trial by fire for the expensive weapons. The CIC, as well, relegated MA units to the smaller colonies to bolster the local militia and small detachments of dissident platoons.
Because of this, MAs barely saw any real action during the course of the war, but that did not mean that their performance was anything less but indicative of how valuable they could be if properly applied. Some of the colonies where they had been stationed still have records and stories on how a single MA was able to ward of multiple attacks of entire platoons of tanks, despite the technology not having been refined as much as it has been today. The main reasons were its supreme maneuverability and ability to retreat and quickly resupply using hydrogen refueling and pre-prepared rifles and other MA weaponry. Many of these tales failed to reach the upper brass of either military organizations, who instead focused on fine-tuning the organization of their fleets and adapting the training of new officers to make better use of space vessels, who were also shown to have become nothing short of pivotal in warfare across the Solar System.
This would not remain so for long. Corvinus Lars, then still an admiral in the UDNAF, had seen mechanized armors in action with his own hands, both facing them, and using them. He had been one of the few proponents of using the war as a chance for MAs to prove what they were capable of, but was usually denied permission to transfer MA units that were stationed far from the frontlines to his command. After the war, he was convinced they were the future of battle, able to work more precisely and faster, thus sparing civilian lives and important infrastructure, than conventional mechanized infantry. This would lead to one of the staples of the Second Independence War: the stepping to the forefront of the now-ubiquitous MA.
Second Independence War
The Second Independence War provided Imperator Corvinus Lars with the opportunity to field test his new military doctrine. Having spent the few years after the declaration of independence of the Triton Empire bolstering his already powerful military, the grand admiral had placed MAs as the fighting force around which everything else was centered. Like his rivals, he believed any engagement required the support of a powerful fleet, and control of a given, contested orbital region. However, he altered this common conclusion of the First Independence War to place the vessels in a position where they were a means to get MAs to their target destination, whereas his opponents believed mere air supremacy would be enough to topple a surface stronghold. While the results of this reorganization are a heavy point of debate among historians and military academia, there was no denying that this altered dogma allowed for Triton forces to gain a tremendous headstart over their opponents in their blitz rush through the Solar System and beyond Jupiter.
After the initial, tremendously heavy losses, the UDNAF realized that the only real enemy an MA had, was another mechanized armor, and hastily began to mass-produce their far less advanced armors. While this tipped the scales somewhat more in their favor, it was quickly shown that experienced pilots were just as important to the operation of the machines as the computers supposedly controlling them. The Triton forces were also the first to allow ace pilots the option to temporarily disable certain failsafes that were normally put into place to prevent a machine from losing balance. They believed the pilots were able to "feel" what the limitations of their personal craft were, far better than a computer that operated purely out of mathematical constants. They were right.
The war allowed mechanized armors to shine on almost every battlefield they appeared on. Even the CIC was revealed to have been preparing platoons of highly-trained armors when it became clear that they may be drawn into the war after all, despite their policy of neutrality earlier in the conflict. The war also saw the creation of various terms and doctrines that are now inseparable from warfare. MAs were divided into types to signify their roles and while general-purpose MAs remained the norm, so as not to remove their element of versatility, heavier assault and lighter fast attack MAs proved to be just as effective if used by experienced tacticians and strategists. While every military adopted its own structure, the one used by Corvinus Lars throughout the war was generally used as the template upon which to build. Even the Triton Empire itself, found plenty of mistakes from which to learn and continued the reorganization in the years to follow.
There is no denying that the Second Independence War revolutionized warfare even more than the first, and mechanized armors were the primary beneficiaries of that change.
Present day
Today, the militaries of the UDN, CIC and Triton Empire make heavy use of MAs in the bulk of their work. Be that offensive, defensive, supporting fleets or simply patrolling dangerous terrain, mechanized armors have become the primary trademark of any force with the size and funds to field them. Countless companies have sprung up that base their entire portfolio on what they can supply for the manufacturing, R&D and support of wings of mechanized armors. Because of this, a plethora of models have flooded the market, many of which are used exclusively by the military organizations of the interplanetary states. However, others, sometimes older, phased out models, see frequent use in the hands of mercenaries, private and corporate security forces, pirates and rebel elements. Most other conventional, ground troops and even aircraft have been relegated to a purely supportive role as most battles are almost entirely decided by how well the MAs fare on the frontlines. Harsh and necessary lessons were learned during both Independence Wars and this has created separate doctrines with regards to how to effectively use the machines, but they are always the complete focus, or at the very least share that stage with space fleets.
Mechanized armors themselves, on a technological level, are far superior from their earlier counterparts, with a wide range of weapons that allow them to fulfill just about any tactical role. Different types for different purposes have been firmly established and transport vehicles are tailored to be able to carry a maximum amount of armors, as safely as possible, to a given battlefield. The destructive and defensive capabilities have also increased with the arrival of several forms of "heat" weaponry, which fire projectiles usually based upon chemicals or lasers. This has created a new arm's race to either find better protection against these weapons, or increase their potency to where heavily armored targets are no longer an issue.
Organizationally, MAs are now organized into wings of anywhere between two to eight armors, which are in turn added to larger platoons of other wings or tanks, armored vehicles and infantry. Pilots are highly trained individuals who almost always hold a junior officer rank, much in the same way airforce pilots do. While they do not always have direct authority over other branches of the military, they usually are able to pull rank on the troops directly supporting their wing. Because of this, pilots are held to high standards and tested rigorously to make sure they are ready for the responsibilities beyond controlling their craft effectively. Usually, only wing commanders of the rank of captain or higher tend to use this authority, however.
With the creation of the Isamov drive, the militaries of the Solar System have a new point of interest. A myriad of theories are already abound on how the immense amount of power generated by the drive, for a relatively small input, could be used to develop new weapons, energy shields and other technology to benefit MAs as much as space vessels. The drive is young, however, and very much a proprietary piece of equipment owned by a single company, but lobbying has always been a noble craft exercised by humanity when they smell a good deal...
Design
Mechanized armors were designed entirely with adaptability and versatility in mind. With research into human anatomy having yielded the tremendous understanding of balance, motion and evolution it has up to this point, it seemed the logical choice during the initial challenges to start working on a mechanical emulation of the human body. The inner workings of an MA are extremely complex and drew knowledge from most known fields of theoretical and applied natural sciences and several specific alloys and compounds were created specifically to accommodate the stressful design of the prototype MAs. The end result is a miraculous piece of machinery that is - considering the intricate appearance - surprisingly intuitive to control and easy to mold to fit a specific need.
Mechanized armors generally consist of a set of modules built onto what is called a frame. Essentially, the modules are the specifics of each limb, head and torso of the machine, while the frame consists of its bone and muscle structure. Frames are often reused for different models and designs, whereas the modules are usually created specifically for the model in question. The frame and modules together make up the machine's body, but within it are housed a whole plethora of other essential parts, such as the electronics guiding the body (its brain), the fusion reactor supplying power to it (its heart) and more. Like weaponry and armor, these can be exchanged and replaced with later or, if the need arises, earlier iterations, but generally, these machines are extremely sensitive and switching a power plant is not as simple as having it pick up a different rifle to fire. Limit the output of a stronger power plant too poorly, and it can very easily, and quickly, fry every active system in the cockpit.
Frame
A mechanized armor's frame is essentially its bone and muscle structure. It is the basic construction that allows it to move with both strength and a required level of precision. While the specifics of the legs module govern just how much weight an MA can effectively carry without become encumbered or even collapsing under the strain, its frame is still a vital baseline. As such, there are significant differences between the frames of types of MAs. Assault MAs generally have bulkier sub-armor structures capable of handling the recoil of heavy weapons, while fast attack MAs will be lightweight and nimble in their structure, so they can move as swiftly as their name implies. However, within a specific type, the frame doesn't differ overly much between models, with only a handful in service at any given time. Alterations are sometimes made to suit the needs of a specific pilot, if their level of skill warrants such attention to detail, but otherwise, the baseline is more than sufficient to support the MA.
A frame generally consists of two parts, each taking care of one half of the locomotive, balance and structural problems of building a machine like a mechanized armor.
Alloy bone structure
To craft its general bone structure, rigid, powerful and heavy metal alloys are used. These alloys are some of the toughest materials currently in production and can take the heavy strain of all of the mechanics moving inside of an active MA. Moreover, they can also deal with the intense heat that is generated by a mechanized armor in action. The instant thrusters flare and weapons start firing, the internal radiator can no longer dissipate all of the excess heat. Internals must be able to resist expanding or warping under the pressure of that heat and, in general, these alloys do the job well. When an MA is destroyed through whatever means, its frame is usually intact, with these very heavy-weight metals being the very last thing that would be unsalvageable. This part of the frame also governs the larger, less fine movements of the body by using powerful hydraulic systems and other complex mechanisms installed all along the joints and other articulate parts. These motions include the basics of walking, running, jumping, moving the arms, head or the flexible parts of the torso, and more.
However, the maneuverability provided by the heavy aspect of the frame is grossly inadequate for any kind of fine movement, which is absolutely essential for the machine to keep its balance.
Actuators
For a significant amount of time during design, this proved to be a major obstacle, but a synthetic substance was eventually developed that managed to solve the problem. The second part of the frame essentially makes up the muscle structure of the body, commonly referred to as its actuators. Crafted from a specific kind of polymer fiber, these "muscles" contract under an electrical current. The stronger the current, the stronger the contraction. Using this to emulate biological musculature, an MA is capable of extremely fine movement under a properly balanced and measured electrical feed. This property is essential to allow an MA to balance itself under the instructions of the CPU that calculates optimal weight distribution during whatever motion is being ordered by the pilot. The system is naturally imperfect as any number of things can occur that upsets the delicate balance. Damage to either the polymer fiber actuators or the electrical feed can only be offset with a predetermined accuracy by internal systems, and the algorithms used by the CPU to determine balance are also finitely accurate. However, in most situations and in the hands of a trained or experienced pilot, these actuators allow an MA to operate reliably and walk on surfaces that would sometimes trip up a human being. In the hands of an ace, truly breakneck stunts can be performed as well.
Damage and maintenance
As can be expected, any damage to an MAs frame can seriously hamper its performance. Damaged actuators in any limb, for example, will force the machine to rely on the brute force motions of the hydraulics. For arms, the head and torso, this means very brusque maneuvering and poor aim and response times compared to its fully functional counterpart. For the legs, this would mean that the MA can lose its balance and fall extremely easily. For all of its endurance, falling can still seriously damage the craft and injure the pilot. As such, a safety is built into most modern MAs that force an affected leg to cease up and become not unlike a crutch. While further reducing maneuverability, it does drastically reduce the chances of the machine toppling over and becoming useless (an MA can get back up, but not when one or more of its legs or arms have been shredded by damage or the actual fall).
Cost
The frame is not the most expensive part of an MA, though the polymer fiber actuators do have quite the price tag attached to them if a complete refit is necessary. Installing them usually means ripping the machine apart, only to have to put it back together, and when a machine reaches a certain age, having to replace one set of actuators usually means having to replace the rest. This is to prevent wear and tear on old actuators from constantly sending the machine back to the shop, but also to remove the need for very complex calibrations to get the fresh fibers to get the lower electrical feed they need to do their job compared to the old ones, who are atrophied enough to need more than the norm. Extensive damage to the hydraulics and alloy bone structure usually means the entire module needs to come off and be replaced; also to keep post-repair calibrations simple and quick.
Modules
The specifics of the head, torso and limbs of a mechanized armor are referred to as its modules primarily because their exact specifications are independent of the frame they are attached to. If not for issues with balance and efficiency, it would be possible to attach any combination of modules over a given frame, with minimal adaptations. Each module fulfills a different set of roles, some more obvious and intuitive than others, but they are all vital to the proper functioning of an MA. Modules most often make up all the circuitry, fine-tuning, additional mechanisms, weapons, armor and anything else not encompassed by a frame. However, the exact descriptions depend entirely on the module in question.
Every model of MA has its own set of modules that have been designed specifically for it. More so than with the frame, a body's modules can be fine-tuned for a specific task relatively easily and many ace pilots make a whole slew of modifications to them to fit their needs.
Head
The head module of an MA primarily serves as its sensor suite. Usually perched atop a pivoting, neck joint on the torso of the frame, it tends to be the most difficult part of the MA to hit, but also the most vulnerable to damage. A lot of the electronic systems that govern balance, aim and data processing are housed in the torso, meaning the loss of the head module is nowhere near as catastrophic as it would be for a human being. However, while the torso has some limited sensors and view cameras, most of the higher quality gear is installed into the head to give it a high perch, far from the primary heat generation of the MA and away from constricting armor and weapons.
The head contains the MA's eyes and ears, in a sense, with sophisticated cameras continually providing visual feedback for the pilot to use during operation of the craft. The head also contains various different vision modes such as night vision, heat vision and other spectrums, radar, target recognition and acquisition functionality, more precise GPS tracking and much, much more. However, not all models have all of these at their disposal, primarily because of the cost of some of this equipment, as well as the power drain they could impose upon a model's already taxed generator. The head module is extremely important for any MA that relies on a potent sensor suite to do its job well. Long-range support MAs are among the primary beneficiaries and tend to have a whole slew of visual and radar systems installed into the head. Sniper rifles, missile launchers and cannons are among the weapons that become severely crippled in their usefulness should the head sustain any kind of damage that compromises useful sensors.
As a rule of thumb, the more advanced the sensors of a given head, the less armor and protection it will have. This is primarily due to room being required for more ventilation, as well as the delicate and complex electronics that wire the entire module. Some head modules also feature expensive EMP countermeasures or other technology that resists radar and guidance interference. Some are even installed with electronic devices that inflict the aforementioned system plagues upon enemy craft within range, effectively serving as mobile and armed jamming devices.
While not vital to MA operation, there isn't a single pilot alive worth their salt that believes the module to be superfluous. If given the chance, many will aim for the head first, before tackling the heavily armored torso or legs, simply because it guarantees a dangerous disadvantage for their prey and sometimes forces them to retreat before a battle drags on any longer.
Torso
The torso is the most important module of an MA's body, primarily because it houses its cockpit, CPU, generator, radiator and primary thrusters, as well as various optional functions such as a shield generator or overdrive thruster. By far the most heavily armored and compact module, the torso is usually designed as a solid chunk with one or more attachment "hooks" where the connection to the other modules on the frame can be made. Intricate circuitry runs through the heart of the module to connect the cockpit housing the MA's pilot to the rest of the machine, and thick wiring transports the power generated by the power plant to any system that requires it. Because of this vital nature, it goes without saying that the torso is the most armored and heavy part of an MA. While it is never a bad idea to try to take out an enemy by opening fire at the chest of an armor, pilots are always well-aware of the fact that they may require heavier weapons to effectively punch a hole through to the cockpit or generator.
The generator of an MA is usually located low in the chest, covered by just about everything else contained within the body of an armor. It runs at a constant pace, generating a baseline of power that will keep the systems of an MA at rest running smoothly. However, when the machine begins a more intensive operation, it will generate more of the necessary electrical energy, which in turn creates more heat that needs to be dissipated somehow. This is performed by the radiator, which is often located at the top of the torso module, or right behind the generator, depending on the shape and form of the craft. While some models are equipped with very potent radiators to reduce heat build-up, every model in active service to date has never had one that can effectively dismiss all heat that is generated while in combat. This is why heat is often one of the pilot's worst enemies when out in the field as the unwary can quickly build it up to levels where it permeates the cockpit and injures or even kills them.
The cockpit itself is usually located in the center of the torso, opening outward to the front, to allow pilots to enter and exit at their own leisure. Shielded by heavy armor, as well as layers of specialized thermal paste, pilots are able to control their craft in relative comfort, though the compact nature of the seat itself does still make for a cramped feeling that would make claustrophobics cringe. The cockpit is a separate module in and of itself, as it can dislodge itself from the torso as a whole and eject upward, pushing the head clean off, and opening up the top half of the torso to make room for its trajectory. This is exactly what happens in emergencies, either manually at the pilot's behest, or automatically in case the MA finds itself in a critical situation and the pilot is unable to perform a manual ejection for one reason or another. The cockpit also contains all the supplies a pilot might need to survive for up to two weeks in just about any environment while waiting for rescue, even zero-g or adrift in deep space.
Another important component to an MA's maneuverability are its main thrusters, which are most often located on the back of the torso. Essentially miniaturized fusion thrusters along the same lines as those that propel space vessels, these allow an MA to perform a maneuver commonly referred to as "boosting". Adding several multiples of speed, the main thrusters drive forward, backward and side momentum, but can also be used on most models to propel the MA up into the air and fly for certain periods of time. Ambushes will very often attempt to take away an MA's mobility by performing back attacks and opening fire on a target's main thrusters, which always severely hampers their ability to dodge and seek cover.
The torso is the beating heart and thinking mind of the MA and any severe damage to it will always cripple most MA models. There have been variations where the cockpit is located in the head module, or where other functions commonly associated with the torso have been moved around, but these have been rare and proven to be far less effective than the norm.
Arms
One of the MA's most distinguishing features is its set of fully-functional, highly maneuverable set of manipulators. The arms module is one of the greatest assets of the MA as they are capable of replicating the degrees of freedom the arms of a human being have. Beyond merely improving range of motion and how weaponry can be aimed, they also allow for an MA to perform somewhat more complicated tasks should the need arise. While no one will be writing a book with perfect penmanship using these machines anytime soon, MAs can use their arms, and attached hands, to remove rubble much more carefully than other machinery of similar strength, or lift and hold just about anything that isn't too heavy or unbalancing.
Benefiting as much from the delicate movements of the frame's actuators as the legs, the arms of an MA can strike with impressive speed and strength, but can also be subjected to the most minute of motions in skilled hands. With a minimum of three digits, but usually possessing the standard five, an MA can grip and manipulate weapons in ways very similar to human beings. While still more limited, this has given rise to the concept that any weapon used by an infantryman on the ground, can be scaled up to fit the needs of an MA. In many ways, this is true.
The arms are generally sufficiently armored, but usually do not need as much protection as the rest of the MA because they are usually in constant motion and have a long, slender profile that doesn't have the bulk of the torso or legs. The addition of a wide range of internal actuators and hydraulics, on top of those present in the frame, also allow for them to adapt to a battlefield situation where more than the regular ranges of motion are required, as these are usually forcibly limited to the range of a forward camera. Some machines are able to aim for to the left and right, behind the field of vision that is easy to hold for a pilot, forcing them to aim on instinct and using other senses, much like a human being sometimes has to.
Perhaps the most intricate part of the arms, which is also one of the few problems that have yet to be solved when it comes to the battlefield-swapping of weapons, is the internal reloading mechanism. Many firearms have limited magazines of ammo, but can be reloaded very swiftly by switching these out. Ammo and magazines follow relatively standardized dimensions, allowing for them to be stored in the arms and torso until required. However, the act of actually switching out a magazine is still too delicate for an MA to do using its arms and fingers. Instead, the magazine is fed towards the wrist, where actuator-driven, articulated, small limbs remove the spent magazine from the weapon, and ferry and insert its replacement. A lot of calibration is required to have this mechanism work as intended, with a confident degree of reliability. This means it is perfectly possible for a machine gun-wielding MA to pick up a sniper rifle, but it may not be possible to have it easily reload the weapon using this automated system, without a trip to engineering for the necessary adaptations first.
Many arm modules can also be outfitted with what is commonly referred to as an armature. Attaching to the sides of the shoulders and folding up towards the back without obstructing most types of shoulder-mounted weapons, armatures are a means for an MA to equip more than two hand-held weapons (not counting melee arms that are often stored on the legs). These intricate, mechanical systems are able to store any firearm that is able to collapse to a somewhat smaller size (most handguns, shotguns and assault rifles, for example, can be fitted to an armature frame). All the MA needs to do is reach back to slot its current firearm into the armature, wait for it to rotate and bring its secondary weapon in reach, and subsequently free it from the holder. Just as with the automatic, internal reloading mechanism, this technology is not foolproof and while it is somewhat protected from harm when tucked away into the upper back and shoulder, even minor damage can cause it to malfunction. Smaller and lighter armatures exist if the model is only ever going to store a single handgun as an emergency backup weapon, for example, while larger frames also exist that allow an MA to switch out bigger weapons on the fly.
Legs
An MAs legs are, naturally, its primary source of locomotion and balance. Keeping an MA upright on the myriad of surfaces it will have to move across was one of the most important, but also troublesome, design aspects of the original project. Before the arrival of the polymer fiber actuators now pervasive in MA design and construction, only the software that could calculate exactly how weight should be distributed existed. This software was used for a given, calibrated MA to keep itself up on its two feet in a manner that would also allow it to feel the recoil of its weapons' fire and not tip over. However, with the arrival of actuators, the problem was largely solved and became a long - and still arduous - task of fine-tuning the algorithms to fit as many use cases as possible.
The operation of the legs of an MA are now relatively standardized and while the calculations remain tremendously complex, most armors are able to stay upright so long as the pilot does not shut off the software-imposed limitations on his freedom of movement, and subsequently make a mistake in moving over terrain. Especially when boosting at high speeds, falling can cause tremendous damage to an MA, if not outright destroy it. Even if the armor is able to survive impact, a whole range of sensitive, internal systems could be damaged from the impact and hamper the performance of the machine (as well as be difficult for engineers to diagnose). As such, it has become a constant struggle for designers to keep legs as maneuverable and responsive as possible, as per pilots' requests, yet also protect them sufficiently against damage that could cripple an MA instantly.
Just like the arms module, the legs provide several additional actuators on top of those installed onto the base frame, which are primarily intended to aid in fine movements specific to a given model. These actuators are also common among models that have more than two legs (quadrupeds) or reverse-knee legs (short-range, melee MAs often have these). While not vital to an armor's performance, they still govern important functionality for an MA.
Legs also very often house additional thrusters for boosting or flying. They are generally less powerful and energy-consuming than their main counterparts mounted on the torso module, but add additional thrust, as well as maneuverability by being easier to angle in a given direction. Some legs modules even have spots upon which certain types of weapons can be attached. However, these are rare as the weapons attached in this way often have to be specifically designed to function like that.
Shooting for the legs continues to be a rather low blow, but is by no means a stupid strategy. While MAs with damaged legs will still have the use of their main thrusters on the torso, the removal of simple, confident walking and the additional freedom given by leg-mounted thrusters could be enough to make a given craft a sitting duck.
Power generation and supply
An MAs generator is its beating heart; without it, the flow of power throughout its body would cease and all functions would terminate. As such, the generator is surpassed in importance only by the cockpit, and only because a human life is involved. Almost always located in center of the torso module, an MAs generator continually runs at a comfortable baseline once it is turned on, which generates sufficient power for regular function and doesn't generate more heat than the craft's radiator can handle. This baseline does not just differ from model to model, but also among specific machines as anything from wear and tear to temporary damage can change the power management and requirements of an armor. Power wires run all throughout an MA that ferry the generated energy to its intended destination as quickly and efficiently as possible, with minimal loss along the way. These wires are usually surge-protected and also highly heat-resistant, but can still fail under the strains of damage or excess warmth. As such, it is not uncommon for pilots to experience limbs beginning to react sluggishly, or cockpit HUD elements flickering when heat reaches certain points; this due to the wires being affected by it.
Most generators have large batteries attached to them which can store a certain amount of energy that usually consists of the excess a power plant potentially creates at any given time. Certain generators are more proficient at this, being able to shave off some excess even during heated battle. These batteries are very heavy and bulky, however, meaning lightweight MAs usually prefer to install high-output, low-reserve generators for their fast-paced needs.
Most MAs run a variation of a deuterium fusion reactor, though a significantly smaller type than those used on-board space vessels. Using refined hydrogen as fuel, the reactor is more than capable of meeting the energy demands of industrial mechanized armors, but military models impose requirements that far exceed those consumer models. The more work the CPU, sensors, FCS and other electronics need to do, the more energy is consumed. The harder the radiator needs to work to dissipate heat, the more power needs to be generated (this is one of the reasons why at high levels of heat, radiators sometimes no longer attempt to increase their cooling output, simply because it would strain the generator more, which in turn creates even more heat; making the effort pointless). The further thrusters are pushed, or the longer their flares are maintained, the more the fusion reactor needs to work. Even certain weapon systems (most notably energy weapons and anything with advanced targeting requirements) require additional feed from the core. When all of these variables begin to meet and mesh, an MA's energy balance is put to the test.
One of the major challenges any pilot faces is managing how much strain he places on his energy supply and whether or not the risk of causing an overload is worth the bonus of moving faster those few split seconds longer. There are protections in place to prevent a fusion reactor from going critical, most common of which is an emergency shutdown that allows a variety of systems to reboot, and the radiator to catch up. If all goes well, this shutdown lasts no more than five to ten seconds, but damage could already be extensive enough to prevent the MA from starting up at all. And, during this mode, the pilot and his craft are completely defenseless and potentially out in the open.
Generators come in all manner of sizes, flavors and capacities. Some favor a very high output over very low reserves, while others prefer spending more time building up reserves of power during lulls in the fighting, in exchange for poor output during engagements. These differences are all weighed against one another when considering the specifics of an MA model and everyone differs in their opinions on the matter.
Damage to the generator can cause severe malfunctions across the entire MA, but can be mitigated somewhat by reducing the demands of the system. For example, a long-range combat MA might switch off one of its missile packs and turn to a basic radar instead of the advanced one running in its head module, all to conserve power and not tax a now-frail reactor. Fatal damage, however, will cause an MA to shut down until repaired, or could even result in an explosive instability that may blow the entire machine apart. The latter it relatively rare, however, due to the myriad of failsafes and containment measures installed into any generator worth its price tag.
Electronics and sensors
A mechanized armor is host to a whole slew of advanced electronic systems that govern every aspect of its function, as well as a complex suite of sensors that allow it to be its pilot's eyes and ears. By far the most sensitive and delicate parts of an MA, most of the electronic hardware is located in either the head module, or the cockpit. The head module will most often features the sensors that offer a pilot the selection of different vision modes that they require to operate in various environments. These sensors can also include devices that can measure a variety of conditions such as temperature, pressure, radioactivity, the quality of any potential oxygen and much more. However, the head module also contains the radar and communications systems that pilots need to be able to contact other units or whatever base they hail from. Radar usually comes in the form of either a standard model that gives pilots basic information about their global position and dangers in the near-vicinity, or a more advanced model. The more advanced radars sometimes require a mechanical array be installed on one or both shoulders of an armor. the trade-off is a veritable wealth of detailed information that is often vital for any commanding officer out on the field of battle, scouts or long-range combatants that need this intel for coordination efforts.
The electronics in the cockpit are mostly defined by the CPU and FCS. The CPU, or central processing unit, is essentially the brain of the craft and runs all of the software necessary to allow an MA to react to the commands of a pilot. While the basics are no different from a CPU installed in a computer, it is vastly superior in terms of speed and can also run a significant multiple of programs, concurrently, more than its consumer counterpart. The CPU also runs the algorithms that constantly receive feedback from the actuators of the armor and subsequently calculate all of the corrections and/or limitations necessary to keep the craft in balance and upright. The FCS, or fire-control system, houses the software required to allow an MA to be as precise as possible. It takes input from a variety of sources to attempt to assist a pilot in their aim, but also acts as the guidance system for any missiles fired from the MA.
Both the CPU and FCS are vulnerable pieces of hardware that are absolutely vital to proper MA combat performance and are also often tailored to suit the needs of a specific MA. Some mechanized armors do not require an FCS that can handle the guidance of a plethora of missiles and instead prefer a type that is more resistant to jamming or other electronic interference. The same applies to any other electronic system installed onto an MA.
Another vital piece of electronic hardware found in the cockpit is the 180 degree viewscreen located directly in front of a pilot, upon which all of the data gathered by sensors and cameras is projected. The HUD, or heads-up display, translates the plethora of information the CPU receives into a format that offers the pilot everything they may need at a glance. The radar is converted into an overhead map with icons that represent anything relevant to the pilot's efforts and current settings. Likewise, targeting information, the status of the pilot's MA as well as potential targets are all displayed in a manner as unintrusive and intuitive as possible, so as not to distract the pilot from combat.
Attacking the wealth of hard- and software installed into the cockpit is a viable strategy that has proven useful against MAs that rely on that data countless times in the past. Electronic countermeasures against jamming has been lagging behind on the options pilots have to actually interfere with normal armor operation. Pilots are always advised to keep an eye out for support craft that can render long-range missile support, for example, utterly useless. Nothing is more daunting than having to fight "blind", after all.
Locomotion and propulsion
One of the primary advantages of a mechanized armor over conventional armored vehicles such as tanks and personnel carriers, is its supreme maneuverability. Even the slower and more sluggish MAs built to entrench or wield heavy weapons have several degrees of freedom more than anything else that can be fielded by a modern military. Bipedal and with its balance fine-tuned by the trained tandem of pilot and CPU, an MA can theoretically cross any terrain that can support its weight with little to no difficulty. Rock, soil, sand or snow; flat, hilly or mountainous; it matters very little to the MA and while its speed could be decreased by a number of factors, it will very rarely struggle. And on terrain that presents a whole slew of problems for any traditional mechanized platoon, the MA can fall back on powerful thrusters that propel it further and/or higher than its legs can carry it.
The first and standard mode of locomotion available to an MA is simple walking or running. While the actual speed of the motion depends on how heavily packed an MA is, or what it has been designed to do, the principles remain the same. Both limbs are articulated exactly as they would be on any human being and mimic the balance and stability that evolution provided mankind with. Some MAs do have legs that differ from the norm, but these come in two main flavors. Some MAs have reverse jointed legs that increase speed and stability, but tend to be more frail and more difficult to armor probably. They are a favored feature for pilots that get up close and personal with their targets. Quadrupeds are exceedingly rare, but not non-existent and plans have even been floating about for hexapeds for many years. With four or more legs supporting the weight of the body, these limbs offer extremely high stability and balance, even when mounting and firing heavy weapons, but they tend to suffer from high maintenance demands and costs, as well as a much lower tolerance for damage and intrusive environments (fine dust and sand have been known to clog the complex mechanisms guiding the limbs).
The second mode of transportation involves the use of the main thrusters located on the back of an MA's body, as well as any additional thrusters commonly found on the legs, but also sometimes installed elsewhere. Thrusters allow MAs to perform a maneuver commonly referred to as "boosting", which involves the craft gaining a significant increase to speed by using the fusion thruster's power to guide its motions. Usually, the legs remain still and shift to distribute the weight of the machine properly, while it seemingly "skates" across terrain. However, these thrusters can also be powered up enough to boost the MA up into the air, with subsequent flares even able to keep it airborne for prolonged periods of time. Naturally, how high an MA can reach, how long it can stay there, and how much weight its thrusters can lift, depends entirely on how the machine has been designed, balanced and what thrusters it fits. The stronger the lift, the more energy they draw from the machine's internal power plant, the more heat is generated and the faster they may impose a cooldown period upon its user. Thrusters are no substitute for actually have flight packs installed and do not guarantee that an MA will be able to stay airborne indefinitely and engage in dogfights, although the lightest armors have been known to be able to dance around their foes in truly impressive displays of maneuverability and speed.
It is not uncommon for pilots to actually push their thrusters to their limits through short bursts, which typically yields a very fast, though energy inefficient, boost in one direction or another. Pilots will often use such a strafing boost to dodge incoming fire or change their direction of movement on a dime, to force opponents to reassess their aim after they've gotten a feel for the rhythm of their opponent. Proper use of thrusters is very much something that pilots learn with experience and after using a specific MA for prolonged periods of time. Stronger thrusters or heavier armor is an eternal discussion with no answer.
How pilots control an MA is both complicated and intuitive. Strapped into an ergonomic seat in the cockpit, they are securely fastened and wear protective gear that will also help withstand any heat build-up that seeps into the control center. Both hands grip joysticks that control the aim of arms and shoulders, while the angle of their body and how they press against the back of the seat controls the direction the MA faces. Both feet are able to reach a set of pedals that control the momentum of walking, boosting or other functionality, but which can also be unlocked into ball-jointed movement that simulates the MA's ankle freedom. Normally, the latter is automatically calculated by the algorithms that govern the armor's balance, but experienced pilots may sometimes override these failsafes and really put the limits of their craft to the test. A plethora of controls dot a dashboard within easy arm's reach, as well as the joysticks themselves, allowing for fine-tuned control over even the individual digits of the armor.
Controlling an MA is something that takes time, practice, talent and diligence. Skilled pilots are often extremely good multi-taskers due to all the factors they need to keep in the back of their heads. Triggers need to be pulled, legs moved, thrusters activated, heat and energy supply managed and arms moved to keep targets in sight. Their craft is not an easy one, but ace pilots are truly wondrous individuals for what they can do once they are strapped into those extremely expensive seats.
Heat generation and cooling
The radiator is the part of the MA that manages cooling when natural heat generation occurs within an active armor. During regular, non-combat operation, MAs usually have a certain baseline level of internal activity that still generates heat, especially as its generator warms up to generate power necessary for the bare minimum of active systems in the armor. This excess heat is effortlessly dissipated by the radiator, which forces air that has been cooled through a process that varies from model to model (usually chemical) through parts of the armor that could suffer from heat build-up.
However, additional heat can begin building up from a wide variety of sources. These include the generator increasing its output, the environment outside the MA being naturally hot, the impact of projectiles or melee weapons designed to impart or harm through heat, continuous use of thrusters, and so on. Radiators are incredibly efficient and potent machines that can handle a lot of pressure on their systems, are extremely reliable and surprisingly difficult to damage to the point of non-functioning, but they still have their limits. After a while, heat will reach a point where the radiator can no longer keep up and, depending on the specific model and the sources involved, this can happen rather quickly.
This build-up can have dire ramifications to an MA's performance. Its maneuverability can become impaired as the incredibly high temperatures begin to wear on the materials making up the frame that governs most of an armor's movements. Electronics can become glitchy, faulty or even irreparably damaged. The generator can become unstable as the excess heat begins to interfere with the internal fusion reaction. Weapons that draw on power or other systems on the inside of an armor can malfunction or stop working altogether. These are but a few of the concerns the pilot will have for the integrity of his craft, and do not include the concerns for their own safety yet.
While the cockpit is shielding by layers of synthetic, thermal paste which is highly heat-resistant, the temperature will begin to rise inside the cockpit. Pilot suits themselves also contain cooling materials but these cannot hope to protect indefinitely against how hot it can get inside a cockpit. When temperatures reach critical, the pilot could pass out, be severely injured or even die before the craft even begins to shut down. There are protections in place to prevent critical levels from being reached, but these are not always sufficient, or may become faulty because of the heat itself. Usually, the MA will shutdown for a set period of time, and deploy reservoirs of an engineered, super-cooled gas, which spreads through the machine. Damage may occur after this deployment - even though this is mitigated by shutting the machine down - which could prevent it from starting up again.
There are many other ways available for inventive pilots to try and cool their craft. A lot of the heat generation affects the armored plating on the outside of the machine itself, or the powerful hydraulics at the joints, which can all be cooled, for example, by submerging at least partially in water. This has made terrain elements such as rivers and lakes extremely important in modern warfare. Other MAs come equipped with smaller canister of emergency coolants which can be released for a brief boost to the radiator's efforts. However, they are always in limited supply and any MA that relies on them constantly has been poorly designed and should be overhauled.
Offensive capabilities
- Main article: Mechanized Armor Weaponry
One of the mechanized armor's most useful features is its ability to wield a wide variety of weapons with minimal or no changes made to its frame. Some limitations do exist, such as some MAs not being able to carry heavy weapons or not being able to have their balance corrected sufficiently to handle the recoil. Most handheld weapons are easily switched, with only modifications necessary where automatic reloading is concerned. As long as the weapon's weight doesn't prove to be too high for the MA in question, its manipulators (commonly the hands) will be able to grip and wield it. Shoulder-mounted weapons are trickier as they must be installed and powered properly. However, the process is simple enough that it the adaptations and refitting can be done on the battlefield, provided some heavy machinery is available to lift it into place. Connectors are nearly universal when regarding specific types and most weapons come with the software required by the CPU and FCS to operate them appropriately.
This versatility, coupled with the sheer destructive power of many of the weapons designed for MAs, make the already formidably armored MA a potential engine of destruction. Naturally, some MAs are geared more towards precise strikes than widespread mayhem, but assault and heavy support armors tend to wield a number of missiles, rockets, cannons or newer arms that can effortlessly lay waste to entire towns. Considering this, it is no longer surprising that other ground forces have been relegated to a supporting role and that battles are mostly decided by the successes and failures of mechanized armors.
The weapons an MA can wield are divided among various categories as their number increases constantly as the technology evolves. Many weapons have been based on smaller, infantry-held counterparts, though the process of making them appropriate for MA use was not as straightforward as scaling them up to size. Most types see common use, though every military force has its preferences. After all, for any given situation, there are multiple options to explore. Tackling an enemy fortress can be done using explosives, but also weaponry such as cannons and railguns.
Below is a small comprehensive list, sorted by category, of the various weapon types commonly used by MAs.
Kinetic
- Main article: Kinetic weapons
Kinetic weapons are the various types of arms that use the kinetic energy of solid matter (either in the form of a projectile or a bludgeon) to inflict damage upon impact. Firearms in this category are usually powered by explosive force, but a few exceptions do exist. Melee weapons also tend to rely on impact to shred or tear their intended targets apart, but a range of bladed armaments are available that have a cutting edge potent enough to slice or dismember.
- Handgun: Handguns are typically small caliber firearms used as backup weapons when other weapons have been depleted, damaged or prove ineffective in a given circumstance. While they do not have the stopping power of other weapons in this category, they can still deal a significant amount of damage in the right hands.
- Shotgun: Loaded with a shell filled with hard, inflexible but sharp metal shards, a shotgun's ammunition is violently burst open upon pulling the trigger and sends out a spread of shrapnel that, at close range, shreds a target to pieces. Extremely popular with close-quarters assault MAs, but relatively useless for any MA that needs accuracy at range.
- Assault Rifle: The staple type of long gun used by most general purpose MAs, the assault rifle is a versatile weapon capable of firing armor-piercing rounds in several modes. Assault rifles have a semi-automatic and automatic setting and are extremely reliable, durable and easy to use. They come in a variety of weight classes, making it suitable as the primary weapon for just about any type of MA and load-out.
- Machine Gun: Machine guns come in various flavors, though the light and medium machine guns are the most common variations. They are weapons with a very a high rate of fire that only have an automatic burst mode available. Ideal for suppressive fire, medium machine guns can also rip apart any target that is inadequately armored or immobile within seconds. Mechanically, they are much less sturdy than rifles or cannons.
- Sniper Rifle: A variation of a single-shot rifle, the sniper rifle is primarily used in long-range combat by MAs designed to take out specific targets quickly and precisely. Very high caliber rounds allow the sniper rifle to drill its way through all but the heaviest armors and in the hands of a skilled marksman, they can prove to be deadlier than even large explosives.
- Cannon: The cannon is either arm or shoulder mounted and is a heavy weapon that fires very large shells capable of serving the role of bunker buster. Primarily a long-range weapon, its shells can be explosive upon impact and some variations exist that essentially turn an MA into a mobile piece of artillery.
- Minigun: The minigun is a rotary, multi-barreled, heavy machine gun that is capable of reaching an extremely high rate of fire. While individual rounds do not always hit with a great deal of force, the sheer number of bullets being fired at a target is enough to either intimidate and demoralize them, or shred their craft apart. Even more so than the machine gun, the minigun is vulnerable to mechanical damage, flaws and imperfections and is a very heavy piece of equipment.
- Grenade Rifle: The grenade rifle is the primary method for MAs to fire specialized explosives over larger distances. Targeting systems paired with air pressure forces the loaded grenade through the barrel towards its intended target, often in a small arc. A wide variety of grenades that can be loaded onto a rifle exist.
- Mortar: A mortar is a shoulder-mounted MA weapon that fires an explosive shell high into the air, in an arc that will have it crash down vertically onto its intended target. The most common type is a cluster shell that breaks apart into smaller explosives capable of carpet bombing a large area. Mortars are relatively rare, but have proven their worth in some engagements.
- Rocket Launcher: Rocket-propelled grenades, which are stabilized in flight by fins, are launched from these weapons in a relatively straight path towards their target. These grenades explode on impact with tremendous force and easily destroy lightly armored MAs or even softer targets. The most common form of these launchers is an automatically reloading, rectangular pack with a single barrel.
- Missile Launcher: Missile launchers differ from their rocket counterparts in that the payloads are, in general, less potent but are equipped with guidance systems that allow each missile fired in a single volley (usually four to up to sixteen missiles simultaneously) to home in on their target. As with rocket launchers, missiles are almost always shoulder-mounted.
- Grenade Launcher: The heavier, shoulder-exclusive counterpart of the grenade rifle, the grenade launcher fires powerful, high explosives over a relatively short distance, detonating them upon impact. These explosives generally have a large area of effect and are ideal for clearing entrenched enemies.
- Scram Cannon: The scram cannon is a powerful, shoulder-mounted weapon that uses supersonic combustion ramjet technology to propel its loaded projectile at a destructive velocity that far exceeds that of conventional firearms. Scram cannons can be devastating on impact, but the recoil is quite considerable and the weapon prone to heat expansion.
- Railgun: The railgun is one of the newer innovations in MA weaponry, as it has only recently become possible to miniaturize the weapon enough to fit it onto an MA frame. Always shoulder-mounted, these weapons use a sequence of alternating magnetic fields along two or more metallic bars (or rails) to propel a solid, armor-piercing projectile with a muzzle speed far greater than that attainable using conventional firearms.
- Knuckle Shield: The knuckle shield is essentially a set of brass knuckles for an MA. Mechanized armors are able to exert terrifying amounts of force using their limbs, allowing for spectacular damage to be inflicted by swinging a punch. The knuckle shield is designed to overlap an MA's fist and forearm and spreads out the reactive force of the impact on the attacker's own limbs. This allows them to swing a punch without necessarily destroying their own hand.
- Hydraulic Spike: Essentially a jackhammer installed onto an MA, the hydraulic spike is a single spike, usually crafted from a tungsten-based superalloy, that is propelled of a very short distance using hydraulics, before being retracted into its seat again. With a range equivalent to a punch, it is able to cause tremendous damage to an enemy frame through its sheer force of localized impact.
- Blade: Some MA's come equipped with blades manufactured from superalloys with a cutting edge that, given a skilled swing, can slice through an enemy target's armor and frame. To add to their potency, blades are often connected with an MA's generator, which supplies power to the mechanisms that apply micro-vibrations to the cutting edge.
Thermal
- Main article: Thermal weapons
Thermal weapons differ from kinetic ones in that they primarily use the generation of heat as a means to inflict damage. Most of the weapons in this category utilize concentrated, high-power lasers or plasma (superheated, ionized air or gas) to melt whatever their projectiles come into contact with. They usually demand a great deal of power from an MA's generator, are expensive and more sensitive to external factors than kinetic weapons. However, the fact that they generate internal heat along with any damage imparted upon hitting a target and that it has proven to be far more difficult to adequately protect MAs against thermal weapons, gives them a clear purpose on the battlefield.
- Flamethrower: While called a flamethrower, the MA variation does not spew jets of burning fuel, but instead expels a continuous, bursting stream of a specific type of superheated metal. A container of tiny chips serves as its ammo and while these chips are highly resistant to deformation due to heat, they do retain high temperatures for a prolonged period of time. After being chased through the plasma stored in the weapon, these fragments come out in a blazing stream that can melt the armor right off an MA and cause catastrophic damage to anything standing in its way.
- Laser Carbine: While never having seen a lot of use, as carbines were quickly replaced by rifles, the laser carbine is still potent weapon. Using a thick, curved focusing lens, laser carbines project their beam over a somewhat more conic shape than laser rifles. This allows them to damage larger surfaces with a single pull of the trigger, but they lose a lot of range and armor-piercing compared to rifles.
- Laser Rifle: The most pervasive of all thermal weapons, the laser rifle has become old enough to have proven its worth and sees relatively frequent use. Laser rifles use a carefully crafted lens to focus a beam of light into a deadly ray that can burn its way through armor very quickly. Very precise and traveling at near instantaneous speed compared to solid, kinetic weaponry, these rifles can cause a lot of piercing damage in the right hands. They are incapable of a rapid rate of fire, however, which means every shot has to count.
- Laser Cannon: The larger, bulkier counterpart to the laser rifle, cannons are often mounted on an MA's shoulders and draw gluttonous amounts of power from the internal generator. However, the beams laser cannons unleash devastate targets and also have a far greater range than rifles.
- Plasma Rifle: The plasma rifle uses a specific, ionized gas to produce a projectile of superheated plasma, which is then expelled violently out of the muzzle of the weapon. The plasma is forced to keep a rough elliptical shape through the use of a residual, magnetospheric field, which dissipates upon impact and releases the energy. Plasma rifles are slow-firing, are known to have overheating issues and are very expensive, but are capable of incinerating enemy armors.
- Plasma Cannon: As with the laser cannon, the plasma cannon is the larger variant of its rifle counterpart. While mechanically, there are significant differences between the two, the principle remains the same. The cannon does not have much better range, but fires massive projectiles that can easily engulf targets and melt them down.
- Pylon: A weapon that is still very much in its experimental phase, the pylon is a set of two, coiled spires installed on both shoulders of an MA. Between them, a very strong electrical current is generated, which can then be projected at a given target. The impact lacks any and all kinetic potency, but will hit with the shocking strength of a lightning bolt. The energy demands, slow charging speed and high manufacturing cost are what is keeping the Pylon from breaking out more than prototypes.
- Plasma Blade: The plasma blade is a wrist-mounted or hilt-based melee weapon that consists of a stream of plasma that remains contained within a magnetic field. This field molds it into the rough shape of a blade. The plasma is heated to such levels that these blades are capable of melting their way through enemy MAs.
- Plasma Lance: A variation of the plasma blade that is sufficiently different to warrant its own type. The plasma lance is an intricate module installed on one or both of an MA's arms which projects a plasma field in the shape of a spike. Commonly used by MAs that sport powerful thrusters and essentially joust using these weapons.
Chemical
- Main article: Chemical weapons
Chemical weapons are characterized by their ability to damage their targets on a molecular level by forcing corrosive chemical reactions upon impact. A very small category, chemical weapons are a relatively new field of research but some of the developments that have come from it have garnered them some attention from the established military. Chemical weapons tend to form the middle road between kinetic and thermal in terms of usability and versatility. They are not quite as lethal as some thermal weapons, nor are they are reliable as kinetic ones. However, they are able to attain good rates of fire at a dependable level, as well as potentially inflict greater damage upon targets than solid slugs.
- Pulse Gun: The pulse gun uses the unique properties of a Xenian-based, synthetic compound to corrode and dismantle a target on a molecular level. This frightening effect is achieved by guiding the light blue, crystallized liquid along a pulse generated by the chemical reaction within the weapon, through the air or a vacuum (though the weapon is much more potent within an atmosphere). Pulse weapons can still be directly countered by more and heavier armor, which gives them another trait shared with kinetic weapons.
- Pulse Blade: The pulse blade uses the same compound as the pulse gun to energize the very edge of the cutting weapon. Upon hitting a target after a swing, the edge will cause the same corrosion that the impact of a pulse gun charge does. A very rare weapon, it is being held back by its steep cost and high maintenance requirements as corrosion affects the blade's handle and heft while the weapon is active.
Defensive capabilities
For all the offensive power mechanized armors possess, they can be equally heavily armored. Depending on the type of MA and their function on the battlefield, their endurance can range from being a walking fortress to a nimble glass hammer, and everything in between. While even the lightest of MAs are outfitted with a certain degree of armored plating, sacrifices are made to ensure mobility. Armor is heavy, bulky and tends to prove detrimental to accuracy as slower-moving limbs and higher heat generation in the joints during movement are all issues that prohibit a smooth aim. However, when a specific model is to serve a purely defensive role, or is intended to be a ponderous, but sturdy weapons platform, those sacrifices are willingly made. The plating itself tends to be model-specific as aerodynamics must not be compromised, which calls for the armor to fit snugly around the MA's frame, as well conform to its general shape and balancing. The plating itself is deceptively simple. More than merely slabs of metal welded together, MA plating can come in many forms and each has its own distinct qualities and advantages.
An MA's plating is usually slanted, with sharp edges of compact material to maximize the amount of armor that a projectile must attempt to pierce. The most common forms of armor usually consist of composite layers formed from a variety of specialized alloys. Because of the significantly different requirements that protection against thermal weapons requires, there is no one solution against all eventualities. Most types of plating in use by modern military MAs still tend to focus on protecting against kinetic impacts caused by projectiles and explosives, neglecting the overwhelming damage that can be caused by laser and plasma weapons. Countermeasures do exist, as do combinations of types that attempt to offer a more evenly spread protection. It depends entirely on the military's doctrine whether they prefer to go all out against a specific offensive type, or try to defend against everything as best they can. Highly customized MAs used by ace pilots or mercenaries tend to go to greater lengths in balancing the two.
Below is a small comprehensive list, sorted by category, of the various armor types commonly used by MAs.
AluSteel Composite
Aluminium is the primary component in the lightest form of armored plating commonly installed on MAs. Usually used for fast attack and general purpose mechanized armors that require as much speed as possible, without compromising armor entirely. The composite consists of surrounding a special steel alloy with a layer of military-grade aluminium. The steel provides the rigidity required to shatter armor-piercing rounds and other kinetic penetrators, while the aluminium attempts to reduce and spread impact speed over as large a surface as possible. This type of plating is the least protective, but also the most lightweight, by far. It is commonly combined with an ablative layer to increase protection against thermal weapons, which generally makes lightweight MAs more suitable for hunting down armors with a loadout focused on thermal weaponry.
Alannar Armor
Named after its inventor, Alannar Armor is one of the most widely used and common types of plating found on MAs. Consisting of a titanium-based alloy, it is on the heavy side, but tends to take up little space and offers excellent protection from kinetic impact, as well as decent protection from thermal weaponry. Simple and elegant in design, it is also one of the cheapest alternatives and can be combined with ablative armor to try and further increase its defensive potential against thermal damage. Commonly installed on general purpose, assault and bulkier fast attack MAs, Alannar Armor does suffer from perhaps being too much of a jack-of-all-trades and thus being ineffective against heavier weapons of either type.
Titamic Composite
The strongest form of armored plating available, this composite is composed of ceramic tiles surrounded by layers of thick titanium armor. While it eliminates some of the weight problems of Alannar Armor, it does suffer from a greater weakness against thermal weapons, as the inner ceramic layer, normally intended to shatter and deflect projectiles that pierce the titanium layers, has a very low resistance against heat and subsequent creeping. It is also bulkier than Alannar Armor and, while not weighing as much, it tends to restrict maneuverability and boosting. However, this type is still an extremely popular choice for any MA that is sure to draw a great deal of fire while utilizing ponderous, heavy weapons. It is almost never seen installed on general purpose MAs and is favored by assault or heavy support MAs. Due to the way it functions, it is rarely combined with ablative armor, as their properties tend to clash and offer a poor yield compared to the cost-ineffective trade-off.
Ablative
Ablative armor is the primary defense against thermal weapons available to MAs. In common use by armors of all types, ablative plating consists of a thin layer of an aluminium-based alloy treated to resist high temperatures, which is then coated in a synthetic, brittle plastic which refracts and spread heat over the bulk of its surface, allowing it to cool significantly. While both compounds have an incredibly high melting point, they are very inflexible and tend to shatter under the strain of significant kinetic impact. As such, ablative plating is largely ineffective against such projectiles, but provides excellent protection against thermal weapons. While precious few MAs exist that have been outfitted exclusively with ablative armor, there are quite a few models that protect vital parts of the armor's body with a layer of the plating in addition to whatever armor it uses across the rest of the surface. Ablative armor is also quite expensive and involves a very complicated manufacturing process, which further prohibits a wider spread use. Research is ongoing in making the technology more accessible, however, and results are to be expected in the near future.
Tetra Reactive Armor
The only type of reactive armor used on MAs, it attempts to solve the major issue that has always plagued reactive armor since the very beginning. Due to the way it works, essentially using carefully measured, internal explosions to expand the amount of fresh material a projectile has to pierce before penetrating the layer, reactive armor can be too violent around the sensitive and carefully calibrated frame of an MA. Early attempts at applying the technique to mechanized armors resulted in them doing as much damage as the actual projectile being protected against. However, tetra-reactive armor surrounds two different explosive compounds with two plates of a titanium alloy. The innermost compound is significantly less powerful than the outermost and actually serves to counteract the shock of the armor's reaction to a piercing impact. The armor is very effective against kinetic, armor piercing and chemical weapons, the latter of which often find their corrosive qualities rendered inert by the compounds inside the plating. It isn't used very often, as it reacts violently to intense heat build-up caused by thermal weapons. However, it does mesh well with ablative plating, making for extremely effective, all-round protection, but at a very high cost.
Shields
- Main article: Energy Shield
Shields are the catch-all term for a group of protective measures that MAs can make use of. They are different from plating because they either function entirely differently, as is the case with energy shields, or they can be equipped and removed in a manner analogous to weapons.
The first among these are shields that can either be attached to the forearms of MAs or gripped by an armor's hands. The former are usually light or medium-sized shields crafted from Alannar or Titamic Composite that are large enough to protect either the torso or the entire upper body. They are commonly found on MAs used by local security forces and sometimes on assault types that need staying power instead of firepower. Their large counterparts are only ever found in a form that must be gripped by a hand. They are unwieldy and reminiscent of riot shields or tower shields. These protect the majority of an MA's body from the front and are popular among close quarters combatants in combination with shotguns or other weapons that need to be used from very short distances to be effective. All types tend to restrict movement and vision, though some come with viewport slots if they reach a size where they may obstruct the head module's cameras and sensors. In the right hands, these shields can drastically increase the endurance of an MA out in the field as, while they are heavy, they have an optimized shape and tightly packed plating that is normally impossible to achieve directly on an MA's frame.
The above also have energy variants that are also commonly referred to as energy shields, but actually use technology more akin to plasma blades than adaptive magnetospheric shields. While weighing significantly less than their solid counterparts, these energy shields drain the generator of an MA while active and while they are generally more effective against thermal weapons, a sturdy tower shield will be the better option when facing heavy kinetic impacts. Coming in all three size variations, the emitters themselves are somewhat vulnerable and delicate, and have been prone to damage. Less common than solid shields, this type is still used by certain types of MAs to great effect. Especially fast attack craft that need as much mobility as possible love using them to add some protection to the front, where their plating may prove insufficient.
On top of the shields above, MAs also have the option to have adaptive magnetospheric shields projected around them as a thin sheath. Fundamentally the same technology as the shields protecting space vessels and domed surface colonies, these shields manifest in a very thin, layer of honeycombed tiles that discolor a light purple when they absorb an impact, and otherwise remain barely visible. The shields are intended to adapt their density to an incoming projectile and protect the MA accordingly. However, they require a great deal of power from the internal generator while active and the emitters that generate the magnetosphere that keeps the sheath conforming roughly to the outline of the MA can add an undesirable amount of weight. While still relatively rare, many high performance MAs are equipped with emitters of varying quality and especially against thermal weapons, they provide an astonishing amount of protection.
Crew
A mechanized armor is commonly crewed by a single, highly trained pilot. Selected from a large pool of applicants, MA pilots are the cream of the crop, but are subjected to different requirements and conditions than, for example, fighter pilots. They must also be able to handle the g-forces involved when using thrusters to change directions of momentum on a dime, but it is a much smaller concern than when regarding pilots of air- or spacecraft. Most important for any successful pilot is that they can multi-task with minimal loss of performance. They must be able to move their craft, while also aim one or more weapon systems, with or without CPU-guided assistance, and react to the plethora of dangers going on around them. They have to know the ins and outs of a mechanized armor to be able to diagnose a problem on the fly, and react according to a massive set of optimized guidelines. On top of all of that, they could be dealing with personal injury, the stresses of combat that any frontline soldier experiences, heat build-up in the cockpit and the management of available energy from the power plant as it gets sapped by the machine, its thrusters and one or more of its weapons. Needless to say, MA pilots are anything but average people in these fields.
The training to graduate as an MA pilot is one that can be started right out of high school in most states. However, the first year is often spent entirely on the theory and physically preparing applicants for the rigorous tasks ahead of them. Only when they pass these vital basics are they given a chance to control an MA for themselves. A lot of material is condensed into a small number of years, leaving more time afterwards for extended periods of evaluation and testing, which will trim away anyone who may have grasped the material, but simply doesn't have what it takes to apply it out in the field. There is always conflict and battle somewhere and few wings go without at least one rookie every year. Most pilots graduate roughly around the age of 24, with the youngest recorded graduate having been 22 and the eldest 27.
Pilots need to remain in peak physical and mental condition, with the latter often being more important than the former. Some underestimate the toll piloting an MA on a chaotic battlefield has on the human body. Beyond mere injury, the forces at work can easily cripple someone who is not prepared. Armor and shock dampeners can only reduce the strain by so much before it is all up to the person and their reflexes. Despite this, MA pilots tend to stay in active service at least until their late thirties, with many serving up to their fifties if promotion to a higher rank, or death, does not occur before. The average age of MA pilots is relatively low, settling at a comfortable 29, as there is a steady stream of new recruits to replace veterans that retire or get taken out of active rotation around the age of 40.
Part pilot, part soldier, part engineer and part tactician, MA pilots are definitely a versatile group with a great deal of expectations heaped upon them. It is -not- a role to be underestimated.
Some mechanized armors do exist that require more than a single pilot to control, though these models are old prototypes or special projects that are very much still in an experimental phase. Most MA's will remain single-pilot craft for the foreseeable future as dividing the workload will break some of the design parameters that have always been part of the machines' modus operandi.
Command, control and communications
The way MAs are used on the field of battle has changed significantly since their introduction just prior to the First Independence War. Originally underestimated due to a very slow start, MAs were used to patrol and protect distant colonies and outposts where conventional forces were removed for more important tasks. Only when imperator Corvinus Lars utilized them to startlingly brutal effect during his initial blitz at the start of the Second Independence War, did the massive machines convince their owners of their worth. Since then, they have started playing a central role in most larger engagements, but are also frequently used in small groups of three to five MAs as heavier security force in remote locations by governments, mercenary groups and corporations. While logic would dictate that it would be horribly illegal for anyone beyond the military of an interplanetary state to own and field MAs, the underworld always finds ways to hide their activities and private military groups have the money to buy their way into the list of exceptions. As such, it is anything but uncommon for large companies to employ state-of-the-art MAs to secure their interests, while pirates hide their jury-rigged or dangerously customized machines until they are required.
Organization
On the field of battle, MAs are organized according to their own, specific system. While every pilot holds at least a junior officer rank, the commanding role almost always falls upon their direct superior, who also leads one or more units into the fray. While terms differ from military to military, as do the actual numbers involved, the general composition of a mechanized armor platoon is outlined in the table below.
| Symbol | Name | Nature | Constituent Units | Commander or Leader |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| XXX | Force | Command | All the Commands in a given region | General or General of the Army |
| XX | Command | Command | 2 - 4 Divisions | Major General, Lieutenant General or General |
| X | Division | Command | 2 - 6 Brigades | Colonel, Division General or Major General |
| II | Brigade | Formation | 4 Battalions | Lieutenant Colonel or Colonel |
| I | Battalion | Formation | 1 - 2 MA Squadrons, 2 - 4 Support Companies | Captain, Major or Lieutenant Colonel |
| ••• | Squadron | Unit | 4 - 8 Wings | Captain, Major or Lieutenant Colonel |
| •• | Wing | Unit | 2 - 4 Talons | First Lieutenant or Captain |
| • | Talon | Sub Unit | 2 - 4 mechanized armors | Second Lieutenant or First Lieutenant |
Types
MA models are always designed for a specific role on the field of battle. These roles have been categorized into a number of types over the years. These types are broad generalizations but typically describe quite aptly what to expect of a specific model. What classifies as one type, however, is up to the manufacturer and commissioner to decide, which has caused some discrepancies over the broad range of MAs in use.
The most common type is the general purpose mechanized armor. As the name implies, they have been designed to handle just about any task adequately and are intended to have at least a partial answer for any situation. They are the mainstay of any potent army and are among the most reliable and steadfast craft made. Their armor and weapon load-outs generally range from medium to lower heavy in terms of weight, size and potency. They are often armed with assault rifles and rocket or missile launchers to make them effect at mid- to short-range combat. In terms of armor, there are models in existence that utilize solid or energy shields, but most primarily rely on Alannar plating to do the trick.
Fast attack MAs are the lightest and fastest craft to be found in a specific armed force, outdone only by high performance models that are also geared for speed. Lightly armored, but not necessarily lightly armed, the usual goal of these MAs is to attack from the air or hit specific targets from undefended angles. They can be regarded as both the hunter-killers of a military presence, or their interceptors. Commonly wielding a mix of light thermal weapons and a good load-out of reliable kinetic weapons, such as assault rifles, fast attack MAs are tremendously dangerous if used where their strengths can be fully exploited. They are the quintessential glass hammers, however, and even though they are still leagues ahead of conventional armored vehicles in terms of endurance, they cannot take a whole lot of punishment from weapons geared to take on MAs.
Assault MAs are generally well-armored, but especially well-armed craft that bridge the gap between general purpose and heavy support MAs. They sport much of the same in terms of protection as general purpose machines, but they tend to focus more heavily on close quarters engagements and blitz tactics. With pumped up thrusters, short-range weapons such as shotguns, knuckle shields and plasma blades, they rely on closing the gap between them and their target, before engaging in dogfights in which they will usually have the advantage. Extremely well-balanced, they are not as speedy as their fast attack siblings, but tend to be more maneuverable and able to turn and boost on a dime. Their main drawback is the fact that they cannot rely on their armor to last through an extended engagement and they are very much intended to punch a hole in an enemy formation to allow other troops to flood in.
Support MAs usually come in two flavors, a light and heavy variant. The former makes up the long-range support craft that use sniper rifles, heavy missile launcher load-outs and other weapon systems that can pick out singular targets or larger swaths at a distance. Unlike their heavier counterparts, they are usually poorly armored, but very maneuverable and are able to change their position constantly, while laying down suppressive fire. The heavier variant are the ponderous weapon platforms that tend to need to stay still and "deploy" before they can open fire. Essentially pieces of artillery, they are among the heaviest models in use, sporting tons of armored plating and massive, usually shoulder-mounted weapons that shred opponents to pieces. Despite their armor, they are still vulnerably to attack as anything that gets up close and personal will usually outmaneuver them.
Last, but not least, are the high performance MAs. While a separate category, they are capable of fulfilling any of the above roles, provided they were designed with that goal in mind. High performance armors are extremely expensive machines, sometimes of an experimental nature, that are impractical to deploy in large numbers, but have proven tremendously effective in the hands of ace pilots. Sometimes they are also platforms for testing out new hard- or software and based on the success of the project, they could determine whether or not a specific system or model enters common use. Many of the more powerful weapon systems were first used exclusively by high performance MAs, with notable examples being the railgun and plasma cannon. Likewise, newer developments such as the splinter gun and particle cannon are being used by high performance MAs to test them out.
A final category exists, but that one is not used in any military formation. The industrial type encompasses any MA that has been designed for use in heavy industry and construction. The versatility of an MA has them being utilized extensively in every branch imaginable, which has yielded a whole plethora of unique developments, all on their own. However, in general, industrial MAs are smaller, naturally unarmed and usually only have sufficient plating to protect them when doing whatever they are intended to do.
Recent developments
Mechanized armors are very much a work in progress. Their status as the premier cog in any military machine, alongside space vessels, ensures that a significant amount of funds are set aside annually to research new ways to improve their performance. Electronically and mechanically, newer MA models continue to push the limits set by their predecessors, while new materials are being crafted in the hopes of yielding both better weapons and better armor for the machines in service. On an industrial level, advances are being made as well and it is not uncommon for these to bleed into military interest if high command believes there may be merit in applying them to combat models. With the continuing discovery of the mysterious properties of Xenian, a whole range of new developments are also being made. One of the most recent of these is the pulse gun and its melee variant, which are based directly on a compound derived from Xenian.
Below is a small list of several ongoing research projects that may, or may not, yield viable results in the near future.
Splinter Gun
Many military minds believe that the future of MA warfare lies in the use of laser and plasma technology for both offense and defense, but there are still quite a few that beg to differ. The splinter gun is an attempt at reducing the battlefield effectiveness of heavily armed and armored support MAs. While countering them with heavy weapons or snipers is always a viable option, battlefield commanders often find themselves forced to entrench and wait for air support in the form of bombardments to take care of the problem for them. The splinter gun will consists of a specially crafted, tungsten-titanium kinetic penetrator that is fired through the use of explosive force. As it passes the front of the barrel, a small energy shield is generated around the tip of the shell, which persists up until the weapon's maximum range is reached. This energy shield will absorb the initial counter force of reactive armor of very heavy plating upon impact, while denting and weakening the material it hits. After dissipation, the front part of the actual projectile will shatter violently (hence the name) and further pry open armored plating to eventually make way for the internal rod to hopefully pierce through to its intended target. Several prototypes are in existence and the results are promising as the weapon proves to be relatively reliable, not too expensive and has a surprisingly good rate of fire considering its potency.
Refraction Rifle
The primary issue with laser rifles in current use is their general low rate of fire. Oftentimes, it makes them inappropriate as assault weapons where accuracy during tight maneuvers may become an issue. Some models exist that are able to discharge a focused beam roughly as fast as the trigger can be pulled and released, but they tend to absorb gluttonous amount of energy from the MA's power plant, wear out their focusing lenses very quickly, and experience troublesome amounts of creeping from the heat generation. The refraction rifle is an attempt at mitigating this by changing the clear focusing lens to a fractured one, and using a reflective layer along the barrel to refocus and strengthen a beam on the way out. The beam gets refracted into several smaller ones, reducing the localized strain on the center of the lens, while being recomposed further down the barrel. Despite this recomposition returning a degree of power to the laser, it will still yield a less potent beam than in conventional laser rifles. Theoretically, this will yield the thermal equivalent of an assault rifle firing fully automatically. This project is close to delivering workable prototypes.
Particle Cannon
Particle accelerators have been a field of interest for military minds for centuries, but have only recently started gaining actual clout. The largest difficulties in practically applying these weapons have usually been their energy demands, significant cost and the rate at which they wear away and require renewal. They have simply never been viable on a battlefield, given the circumstances of those situations. With the arrival of the Isamov Drive and the compound used in the pulse gun, it may however find a niche for itself in chemical weaponry. The particle cannon is theorized to use a small Isamov Drive to internally power magnetic fields that propel particles up to almost the speed of light. These are then focused into a single beam and fired at its intended target. The particles themselves are made of an ionized gas engineered from a solution of xenian and a number of liquids. Upon impact, the beam hits with significant kinetic power, but its deadliest attribute comes from the fact that it strips away the target layer by layer, on a molecular level. A terrifying weapon that has the potential to also be miniaturized to a lighter, more reliable, but also less effective version. The project is headed by Bahel-Isamov in one of their first forays into weapon technology, but they keep any results and progress top secret.
Xebrous Plating
Named after an alloy based on steel, tin and xenian, xebrous plating is an attempt at crafting a type of armor that is adequately resilient to both, prevalent types of weaponry currently in service. The unique properties of the xenian in the mix allows the deceptively simple armor from absorbing and conducting heat away, while still retaining the rigidity required to stop kinetic impacts. The plating is on the heavy side, however, and initial tests show it is very ineffective against chemical weapons, which may prove fatal to the project in the long run. This project has delivered a few prototypes that are undergoing rigorous testing.
Overdrive Boost Module
The concept of overdrive boosting has existed since the days of bulky main thrusters installed on some of the first MA models. Several situations in the past have called for MA's to cross terrain at very high speeds to avoid incoming fire that would otherwise shred them apart. Early attempts as upgrading main thrusters to allow for such a massive increase in speed yielded extremely heavy and energy insufficient modules attached to the back and shoulders of MAs. Essentially large rocket jets, they were able to propel MAs up to the desired speeds, but usually ended up draining the power plant's reserves extremely quickly, rendering the MA in near- or actual cooldown upon deactivation. This left them sitting ducks. The arrival of the Isamov Drive may improve these circumstances as the project is attempting to incorporate a miniature version of the drive into a much smaller module. While it will still add weight, the parameters will become manageable and the module will draw most of its power from the Isamov Drive, instead of the power plant of the craft itself. Initial theories look promising but the sole researcher of this technology, Bahel-Isamov, is keeping its lips tightly sealed on progress.
Mechanized Fortress
The mechanized fortress is an idea that was first introduced during the Second Independence War by a Triton officer. Primarily intended to serve as both an extremely potent, frontline combat machine, as well as a command center, the mechanized fortress attempts to make headquarters mobile and involved. Essentially a gigantic MA, often quadrupedal in design, a fortress has never been built to date, but plans have been made that put its size to five or more times that of the average MA. The manufacturing costs of a fortress are not the only obstacle holding these projects back, as it is not so simple to just scale an MA up and expect it to work. Energy, heat dissipation and maintenance demands go up exponentially and some of these issues may very well be impossible to solve at this time. But, the idea continues to return time and again as its strategic value may be estimated appropriately high.
Disadvantages
Mechanized armors are naturally not without flaws and while the advantages have been proven to outweigh their negative counterparts, it is important to take note of them. Chief among the disadvantages are the high manufacturing and maintenance costs involved in even the cheapest of mechanized armors used for military purposes. Usually, constructing a fully functioning MA involves using expensive materials that requires specialized infrastructure. If not for the low number of them required as compared to conventional forces, the costs of fielding MAs would be insurmountable. On top of this, they also require highly trained individuals to manufacture and, during a long tour of duty, maintain. Educated and skilled engineers are always on hand to repair any damage the machines have suffered. Reliable as they are, MAs are able to function even when having sustained tremendous damage, but it takes an exponential amount of complex work to get them back above that 90% peak performance.
Another disadvantage comes in the form of transportation and storage. MA's require a large amount of spare parts, as well as ammunition and other supplies to function properly, which warrants the need for a large support network consisting of more than just a few warehouses. Specialized craft are required to safely drop wings of MAs to a battlefield from orbit or elsewhere removed and these transports are rarely adaptable to carry anything but MAs to and from a given location. This is one of the primary reasons MAs have been adapted to function in the vacuum of space as well as in an atmosphere, but they still lack the speed of space fighters to do more than boarding and strafing runs along the outer shell of a space vessel. Essentially, dropping them from a ship in orbit down to a target on the surface below, unaided, is impossible at this time.
Last, but certainly not least, is the amount of training involved with getting a pilot ready to effectively use the complicated craft. Training a recruit to graduation is a long and arduous process, with a high risk of failure. Not only do many trainees drop out due to stress and physical concerns, but they are also likely to do so even after a few years of training has already passed. This is a significant drain on a military's budget, but not one that can be helped at this time.
See also
- List of Mechanized Armors for a list of Mechanized Armors, past and present
