Battle armor

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A Clan Elemental Battle Armor cut-away

Battle Armor, or their lighter Power Armor variety, are armored infantry, seen on the battlefields of the Human Sphere mainly since the mid-29th Century. Battle Armor vary in mass between 80. and 2,000. kg, including the mass of the occupant. These armored suits utilize Exoskeletal frames and armor, which, in combination with varying amounts of Myomer, can augment the strength of the soldier. Classes of Battle Armor also mount varying amount anti-'Mech and anti-personnel weaponry, motive systems, and specialized equipement. Clan Battle Armor also possesses HarJel-based environmental sealing equipment.[1][2] Battle Armor are deployed in a variety of roles depending upon their mobility, armor, and available weaponry. Units of Battle Armor infantry are most often deployed in units of four (Inner Sphere), five (Clan), or six (Com Guards and Word of Blake Militia).[3][4][5][6]

History

Elementals

Modern Battle Armor was developed by Clan Wolf during the mid-29th Century. In order to utilize the resource-rich deep-seas of Dagda, Clan Goliath Scorpion introduced titanium-encased diving Exoskeletons, nicknamed "Water Elementals", in 2842. Impressed with their neighbor's new technology, Wolf scientists had their merchants trade 20 years of resources rites to their Dagdan ocean enclaves for the technology to produce the exoskeletons. Secretly, Wolf scientists then weaponized the system in order to improve upon Star League-era Nighthawk Power Armor (Light). By 2867, "Elementals" were ready.[7][8][9][10] In 2868, two stars of these new Battle Armor suits were first used as defenders in a Trial of Possession against a light star of Clan Nova Cat's Delta Galaxy. The Battle Armor won in a stunning victory, and forecast a new era in which infantry would once again be capable of offensive military action.[11][12][13]

Shortly after the Wolf-Nova Cat Trial, Clan Hell's Horses new super soldiers became the standard Battle Armor infantry. Clan Wolf's new Elementals attracted the attention of Clan Hell's Horses, despite their semi-isolation early in the Golden Century. While left alone, the Horses had developed their own novel breeding protocols and genetic legacies, creating super-human infantry, the soon-to-be-called "Elemental" phenotype. With their initial super-human sibkos just years from their majority the Horses acted swiftly to ensure their infantry would be supplied with Battle Armor. Hell's Horses' Khan Eric Amirault preemptively batchalled Clan Wolf's Khan Alexis Ward, intending to use Trials of Possession as a means to exchange their technological advances. After a series of counter-offers, the two Khans settled on a set of three Trials, conducted on the Northern-most continent of the jointly owned world Tiber later in 2868. Clan Wolf won two of the three Trials, while Clan Hell's Horses won one. Both Clans were satisfied they had obtained either "Elemental" bloodlines or their signature Battle Armor. Unfortunately for both parties, Clan Jade Falcon raided just after the Tiber Trials and took both the armor and "Elemental" phenotypes from Clan Wolf, ultimately resulting in the spread of both technologies.[14][15][16] As with the OmniMech before, subsequent Trials of Possession over coveted Elemental technology were adjudicated by ilKhan Zenos Danforth until his death in 2870.[17][18] Despite the rapid spread of Elemental Battle Armor and Elemental warrior phenotypes, the Horses enjoyed an advantage for some time; the first of their Elemental Infantry reached adulthood in 2870.[17]

That same year, Clan Hell's Horses also pioneered 'Mech-based Mechanized Battle Armor tactics. Relative to other types of Infantry, Elementals have significantly more armor and firepower, but are only modestly more mobile. Without a significant improvement in mobility or range of weaponry, Elementals would be constrained to either offensives in extreme environments, or defensive duties on land. Combat Vehicles could provide some much needed mobility for Elementals, but vehicles lack in durability and maneuverability on difficult terrain. Clan Hell's Horses scientists provided another solution. As the first Elemental sibkos reached the field in 2870, Clan Hell's Horses introduced their first home-grown OmniMech, the Nova. The Nova featured handholds, communications ports, and power outlets for their Elemental passengers. Deployed in units also called "Novas", the Nova OmniMech could operate concertedly with its Elementals, a revolutionary change in 29th Century infantry combat doctrines. Mechanized Battle Armor capability through the Nova's modifications became standard on all subsequent OmniMech design.[19][20][21][22][23][24][25]

Modern Inner Sphere Battle Armor

Battle armor was introduced, or rather reintroduced, to the collective consciousness of the Inner Sphere by the Clans during their Operation REVIVAL in 3050. The Invading Clans used Elementals in their attacks, which confounded and caused great damage to Inner Sphere defenders. In response Spheroids attempted to reverse engineer the technology.[26]

Fortunately for the Inner Sphere, the military-industrial complex had several factors in favor of quickly bridging this steep technological gap. ComStar's access to Terran records, though largely purged before Aleksandr Kerensky's Exodus, hinted at secret Nighthawk Power Armor units used sparingly in special operations.[9] Inspired, ComStar attempted unsuccessfully to replicate Nighthawk armor in secret before the Clan Invasion, based the small amount of data remaining. Their efforts lowered the learning curve for post-Invasion attempts. Additionally, Inner Sphere realms are rich in resources like raw materials, laborers, or capable design teams.[27]

With so much effort devoted to Battle Armor development, the first examples of Inner Sphere Battle Armor were successfully deployed with just one year of the beginning of the Clan Invasion. Two designs from the New Avalon Institute of Science deployed simultaneously in 3050, Infiltrator Mk. I[28][29] and Sloth[30][31] Battle Armors. Salvage and capture of Clan Elemental Armor also led to Inner Sphere-tech clones, Inner Sphere Standard Battle Armors. Oddly, despite small differences, functionally identical Battle Armors appeared throughout the Inner Sphere, perhaps due to rampant corporate espionage during the desperate years of Operation REVIVAL. Precursors to Inner Sphere Standard Battle Armor were ready for the Battle of Luthien in 3051, and further refinement improved performance in time for deployment by the Com Guards during the Battle of Tukayyid in May, 3052.[32][33]

With a surplus of materials and time available after the Tukayyid was decided, Battle Armor designers revisited began tinkering in order to adapt their armor for specific missions. Infiltrator Mk. I's small sensor profile, and easy of infiltration, may have inspired this trend. By 3062 each House had adapted Battle Armor to their preferred battle field role.[34]

Types and Usage

Various types of battle armor exist, such as the famous Elemental armor, Inner Sphere Standard, Gray Death, Cavalier, Fenrir, and Raiden, but all are basically powered armor. This means that in addition to offering protection the suits can enhance the speed and/or strength of the wearer. In some cases this is just enough for the infantryman within to carry the weight of the armor itself, a load which can reach a ton or more. Some suits offer jump capability, increasing the maneuverability of the wearer. Integrated weapon systems, life support, and sensory equipment are common, though the exact capabilities depend on the armor in question. Elemental armor, for example, is known for its drug injectors, which increase the durability of the already superhuman Elementals.

Used correctly, battle armored troops can easily outmatch their conventional brethren and even take out vehicles and 'Mechs. Their superior armor and weaponry, coupled with their roughly human size, make them good forces for fighting in built up areas where 'Mechs and vehicles have trouble maneuvering.

In addition to their use by military units, suits of battle armor are also utilized by private security and police forces.

See Also

References

  1. ↑ Technical Readout: 3050, p. 8
  2. ↑ LosTech: The MechWarrior Equipment Guide, pp. 57-58
  3. ↑ Technical Readout: 3050, pp. 224-225
  4. ↑ Field Manual: Crusader Clans, p. 9
  5. ↑ Field Manual: Warden Clans, p. 11
  6. ↑ Field Manual: ComStar, p. 8
  7. ↑ Technical Readout: 3058 Upgrade, p. 44 Clan Elemental Battle Armor - Wolves originally developed their combat exoskeletons from deep sea diving gear.
  8. ↑ Field Manual: Warden Clans, p. 104
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 Era Report: 2750, pp. 103-104
  10. ↑ The Clans: Warriors of Kerensky, pp. 16, 68
  11. ↑ Field Manual: ComStar, p. 117
  12. ↑ Field Manual: Crusader Clans, p. 135
  13. ↑ The Clans: Warriors of Kerensky, p. 31
  14. ↑ Field Manual: Crusader Clans, p., 54, "Golden Century" - the Clan Hell's Horses and Clan Wolf takes part of in technology-exchange trials that lead to formulation of the modern Clan Elemental Battle Armor squads.
  15. ↑ Field Manual: Crusader Clans, p. 135
  16. ↑ Field Manual: Crusader Clans, p. 35
  17. ↑ 17.0 17.1 Era Digest: Golden Century, p. 10
  18. ↑ Field Manual: Warden Clans, p. 41
  19. ↑ Technical Readout: 3050 Upgrade, p. 126
  20. ↑ Technical Readout: 3050, p. 225
  21. ↑ Technical Readout: 3050 Upgrade, p. 112
  22. ↑ Existing OmniMechs could have been refitted and retrofitted, but this has not been explicitly stated[1]
  23. ↑ Total Warfare, p. 226, "Mechanized Battle Armor"
  24. ↑ Field Manual: Warden Clans, p. 12
  25. ↑ Field Manual: Crusader Clans, p. 10
  26. ↑ Technical Readout: 3050, p. 225
  27. ↑ Technical Readout: 3058 Upgrade, p. 8
  28. ↑ Technical Readout: 3058 Upgrade, p. 14
  29. ↑ MUL online dates for Infiltrator Mk. I Battle Armor [2]
  30. ↑ Technical Readout: 3058 Upgrade, p. 34
  31. ↑ MUL online dates for Sloth Battle Armor [3]
  32. ↑ Technical Readout: 3058 Upgrade, p. 26
  33. ↑ Technical Readout:3058 Upgrade, p. 6
  34. ↑ Technical Readout: 3058 Upgrade, pp. 6-8

Bibliography

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