Haruspex
01/29/08 12:18 PM
203.188.239.84
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I was wondering about battle armor, as they don't get much coverage in the novels. How common is BA in Successor State armies? Would it be 1% of infantry or less (I assume that a BA trooper comes from the normal infantry ranks)? I know that the Gray Death had a fair number of BA suits, but they seem to be the exception.
A more specific question is about the Fenrir. Now I don't have hard stats on it, but from the picture it is clearly a QUAD design.  Eh? Does the trooper go on all fours for the duration of the battle? That can't be good for the spine. Or maybe he can switch between quadruped and biped mode. I'm hoping those more familiar with BA would know.
"If we were to plot the distance between where you are RIGHT NOW and the nearest good idea it would describe a line too big to fit inside the universe."
-Black Mage
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Lafeel
01/29/08 04:58 PM
157.157.109.146
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I'll take a try at it..
First of all the percentage of un armoured infantry to battle armoured infantry is probably very poor, as in there are whole regiments of the former, to companies of the latter (remember, we are still talking about as much as whole regiments worth of ba's in some cases *cough*affc/laaf*cough*). While this is cheaper, both in training, and equipment cost, it is also hell on the troops.
As for the Fenrir, the pilot sits inside the torso, with his upper half inside the "turret" assembly. It's probably piloted more like a legged tank than a suit of normal power armor.
Hope that helps.
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Cray
01/29/08 09:19 PM
97.97.243.184
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Actually, I believe quad pilots tend to lie flat.
In any case, not all BA pilots have their limbs in the BA's limbs (especially quads, but also the Kanazuchinini - sp?).
Mike Miller, Materials Engineer
Disclaimer: Anything stated in this post is unofficial and non-canon unless directly quoted from a published book. Random internet musings of a BattleTech writer are not canon.
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Haruspex
01/29/08 09:45 PM
219.93.29.98
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Ah, that makes sense. Though the idea of a Fenrir pilot going on all fours, symbolizing a return to a more primal state, appealed to me for some odd reason.
Another question about BA. I know ' Mechs power their energy guns with power from the 'everlasting' fusion engine, but what about BA? And vehicles for that matter. Do they use power cells like in Star Wars?
"If we were to plot the distance between where you are RIGHT NOW and the nearest good idea it would describe a line too big to fit inside the universe."
-Black Mage
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Lafeel
01/30/08 06:26 AM
157.157.109.146
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Quote:
Actually, I believe quad pilots tend to lie flat.
In any case, not all BA pilots have their limbs in the BA's limbs (especially quads, but also the Kanazuchinini - sp?).
So did I, but the information in the updated tech readout 3058 (from Fanpro) contradicts this. Seems all three of them are piloted more like vehicles than conventional power armor. (Sloth, Fenrir and Rotweiler)
@Haruspex
Their power supply is limited, as is their weapons loadout. It varies considerably with what they are mounting for weapons, but it's usually around 30-40 shots, other than the missiles, most of which are one shot (the Grenadier is a notable exeption to this however)
Edited by Lafeel (01/30/08 06:29 AM)
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Christopher_Perkins
01/30/08 11:06 PM
67.166.179.76
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Lafeel...
Cray said that not all battlearmour pilots have their limbs in the BA Limbs..
Which was *not* contradicted by what you pointed out. Some vehicles are piloted from the prone position...
the Assumption (and a good one) is that BattleArmour is worn by the pilot, but this only holds true for those suits derived from the Light Industrial Exoskeleton (TR3026)... the Light Industrial Exoskeleton could carry Mass up to 1000 kg, or one Metric Ton... These Suits ae worn, and almost from the gantlets to the boots is a thin layer of armour protecting the crunchy filling inside...
These Powered Suits are:
Power Armour (Light) (up to 400 kg, inc exo)
BattleArmour (Light) (up to 750 kg, inc exo)
BattleArmour (Standard / Medium) (up to 1000 kg, inc exo)
The Heavy Suits may use a Medium Class Exoskeleton that was not depicted in TR3026, (was it shown anywhere without Armour?) and this appears to be worn and masses up to 1500 kilograms (including the Exoskeleton)
the Heavy Industial Exoskeleton (TR3026 - Picture a Kanazuchi without Armour or Weapons) is more akin to being piloted, and so are its Armoured Derivitives
The majority of Powered Armour is of the Standard or Medium BattleArmour Type, and the majority of suits are being issued to Veteran infantry that have already been trained in Anti-BattleMech Tactics. Special Forces units are more likely to be issued Standard Class Suits with SOF or ELINT / COIN capabilities (e.g. Infitrator MK II) but will be occasionally issued PowerArmour (Light)
The Second most common suits are the PowerArmor (Light) Suits that are most used in Scouting.
The Bounty Hunter is Rumored to have a PowerArmour (Light) suit that he can wear in the cockpit (what did it say in Interstellar Players?)
Christopher Robin Perkins
It is my opinion that all statements should be questioned, digested, disected, tasted, and then either spit out or adopted... RHIP is not a god given shield
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Lafeel
01/31/08 06:49 AM
157.157.109.146
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I know, I was actually answering his comment about quad pilots laying down on the job, so to speak.
Other than that I can't argue with anything either of you two have said. 
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Christopher_Perkins
01/31/08 07:41 PM
67.166.179.76
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At least one of the types of Quad Pilots lay down much like the crew of the smallest of submarines lay down. note wher I said "some vehicles are piloted from the prone position"
Others are in fetal positions similar to the protomech pilots, and at least once it is noted that the design for a certain powered armour suit became possible after the IS reverse engineered Clans Protomech Technology. ISTR that this was either a Quad or an Assault suit?
Christopher Robin Perkins
It is my opinion that all statements should be questioned, digested, disected, tasted, and then either spit out or adopted... RHIP is not a god given shield
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Cray
01/31/08 08:59 PM
97.97.243.184
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Quote:
Quote:
Actually, I believe quad pilots tend to lie flat.
In any case, not all BA pilots have their limbs in the BA's limbs (especially quads, but also the Kanazuchinini - sp?).
So did I, but the information in the updated tech readout 3058 (from Fanpro) contradicts this.
The Kanazuchi is piloted from a cockpit. The prototype ("Komodo") was so heavy that even muscular troopers could not move it (2nd paragraph, pg38 TR:3058U). As a result, the production Kanazuchi switched to a cockpit where the trooper pilots the Kanazuchi rather than wears it. ("...a forward-leaning 'head' contains the cockpit-like assembly for the trooper." Top of the 2nd column.)
Quote:
Seems all three of them are piloted more like vehicles than conventional power armor. (Sloth, Fenrir and Rotweiler)
That's correct. And quads are piloted laying down. Nothing in 3058U contradicts the position of the wearer, which was established in the (bleh) cartoon and maybe the Somerset Strikers sourcebook.
Quote:
I know, I was actually answering his comment about quad pilots laying down on the job, so to speak.
Right - but you didn't contradict me on the pilots laying down while piloting their battle armor.
Mike Miller, Materials Engineer
Disclaimer: Anything stated in this post is unofficial and non-canon unless directly quoted from a published book. Random internet musings of a BattleTech writer are not canon.
Edited by Cray (01/31/08 09:01 PM)
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Lafeel
02/01/08 07:41 AM
157.157.109.146
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I give in. Guess I was the one mistaken then. It is a interesting subject, though, battle armor, I mean.
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Cray
02/01/08 02:02 PM
147.160.136.10
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Quote:
I give in. Guess I was the one mistaken then.
Hey, if you find a hard quote on quads' cockpit arrangements, do share. I'll always concede to a good bit of canon - I don't like resting my argument on the cartoon.
Quote:
It is a interesting subject, though, battle armor, I mean.
It is indeed, and it doesn't have the depth of coverage that 'Mechs have, which is a shame.
Mike Miller, Materials Engineer
Disclaimer: Anything stated in this post is unofficial and non-canon unless directly quoted from a published book. Random internet musings of a BattleTech writer are not canon.
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Askhati
02/02/08 06:06 AM
168.209.97.42
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Something that I was wondering about - why is it that only OmniMech's have those "special" handholds that allow friendly BA units to ride on their torso? Why should any other non-Omni design not be capable of ferrying friendly BA units in the same manner?
Also, if these handholds allow friendly units to hang on, would they not also make it easier for enemy units to get a grip and plant charges?
Evolve or DIE!
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Christopher_Perkins
02/02/08 01:11 PM
67.166.179.76
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Quote:
Something that I was wondering about - why is it that only OmniMech's have those "special" handholds that allow friendly BA units to ride on their torso? Why should any other non-Omni design not be capable of ferrying friendly BA units in the same manner?
it falls under "Omnimechs are uber"
the writeups are clear in this being the main consideration,
also, there is little else that actually has any affect in a standard shoot em up to compensate for the increased cost of OmniMechs
about the only thing in the canon (or official posts) that touched on the in universe reasoning mentioned that omnimechs gyroscopes and computers are better able to deal with the weight shifts... standard battlemechs that are customized require much more time to move the pieces around than when an omnimech has it's configuraton changed and it looks to me that the difference is the time needed to reprogram the computer that controls the gyros as well as key in the parameters for the new weapons and equipment.
you could probably houserule it, but infantry suits shifting around and jumping off would probably impose a piloting roll on the Mechwarrior.
Suits that can be transported by a BattleMechs weigh up to 1000 kg each... energy sufficient to defeat or blast off 1250 kg of armour is enough to cause a Piloting Skill Roll... so the precedent exists for having standard BattleMechs make a PSR when a suit shifts location, or climbs/jumps on/off in what ever house rules that you come up with.
Christopher Robin Perkins
It is my opinion that all statements should be questioned, digested, disected, tasted, and then either spit out or adopted... RHIP is not a god given shield
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