Zaku
04/09/22 05:16 PM
82.40.9.192
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So for a while now I have been messing around with battle armour, and have been doing some homebrew ideas. I wanted to write them down and share them and see what people thought, though I get homebrew is very case by case basis in the BT community.
These area few ideas I had for tech for Battle Armour. Feel free to comment or come up with your own crazy designs.
Weapons
Name: Small X-Pulse laser (Battle Armour)
Tech Base: Inner Sphere
Suggested Year of Availability: 3082
RnD: 3063
Tech Rating: Advanced
Damage: 3 + 2d6 vs infantry
Minimum Range: 0
Short Range: 2
Medium Range: 4
Long Range: 6
Mass: 600kg
Critical Space: 2 Critical
Cost: 31,000
BV: 21
Lore: A late comer and a rarity to the world of battle armour, the Battle Armour Small X-Pulse Laser has the same range as a clan pulse laser. However, the increase in energy flow created through the X-Pulse Laser upgrade greatly stressed IS technicians of the time who struggled to find materials that could endure the heat feedback. The solution came to add power amplifiers found on combat vehicles to take waste energy from the rest of the suit to help power the X-Pulse, this helped to reduce heat to safe levels for combat testing.
Still trying to make this weapon system work led to a longer than expected development time, with the first combat prototypes being finished in 3067, but were promptly destroyed during a Word of Blake raid on the New Avalon Institute of Science. Several units were fielded on a set of stripped-down Cavalier units, which were promptly gunned down in the defence of the facility.
Following the Jihad, the project was resumed, but the peace bought on by the disarmament of the Inner Sphere powers saw the project being quietly shelved, especially with the open trade with the Diamond Sharks securing access to clan technology and small pulse lasers.
It was not till the Dark Age that domestic production began following the difficulty to secure regular deliveries of Clan spec pulse lasers without the HPG. Even then their weight left them a rarity.
Name: Small Chemical Laser (Battle Armour)
Tech Base: Clan
Suggested Year of Availability: 3088
Tech Rating: Experimental
Damage: 3
Minimum Range: 0
Short Range: 1
Medium Range: 2
Long Range: 3
Mass: 125 kg
Critical Space: 1
Cost: 10,000
Ammo Cost: 100
BV: 7
Ammo: 1 per stack
Rules: Unlike most direct dire weapons the Battle Armour Chemical laser requires ammo which takes up additional space, for 1 crit per stack. For Small Chem lasers the ammo weights 10kg per shot and can stack 8 shots per 1 critical space.
Lore: With the Jihad ending the new generation of Hell’s Horses scientists who picked up the work of the now heavily purged scientist caste decided to build upon existing tech that had been made by their predecessors, rather than risk the ire of the clans leadership through any over ambitious ventures.
The Result was the Chemical laser Battle Armour series, thanks to the stripping down of equipment and the use of clan spec forging techniques they were able to reduce the weight of their laser weapons by 25 to 30%, while having them fall in line with the ranges and damage potential of the chemical laser weaponry developed in the late 3050s.
This resulted in a lighter weapon system which while no bulkier in of itself, could use spare space on a battle armour to hold its chemical-based ammo.
Still misgivings over the reliability of battery powered weapon systems over the chemical process raged for decades afterwards with the weapon seeing limited use.
Name: Medium Chemical Laser (Battle Armour)
Tech Base: Clan
Suggested Year of Availability: 3088
Tech Rating: Experimental
Damage: 5
Minimum Range: 0
Short Range: 3
Medium Range: 6
Long Range: 9
Mass: 300 kg
Critical Space: 3
Cost: 30,000
Ammo Cost: 300
BV: 37
Ammo: 4 per stack
Rules: Unlike most direct dire weapons the Battle Armour Chemical laser requires ammo which takes up additional space, for 1 crit per stack. For Small Chem lasers the ammo weights 30kg per shot and can stack 5 shots per 1 critical space.
Name: RAG (Rapid Assault Gauss)
Tech Base: Inner Sphere
Suggested Year of Availability: 3149
Tech Rating: Advanced
Damage 2/per shot
Minimum Range: 0
Short Range: 3
Medium Range: 6
Long Range: 8
Mass: 300 kg
Critical Space: 3
Cost: 35,000
BV: 15
Rules: The Rapid Assault Gauss functions as a ultra auto cannon, having the option to fire twice a turn as a group. As with a ultra auto cannon the weapon incurs +1 to hit modifier on its second shot, and if it roles a double 1 on its second shot the weapon jams and becomes unusable for the rest of the combat encounter.
Lore: With the fall of new Avalon in 3146 the call went out for anything that could help with the development of new Weapons to fight the combine. However centuries of RnD priority to the New Avalon Institute of Science led to a lack of technical expertise across the rest of the Federated Suns to develop new weapon systems.
One of the few new technologies to manifest following the fall of New Avalon was the so-called RAG from Jefferson University on New Syrtis after it was liberated by Julian Davion in 3147. The science team on New Syrtis had been working of particle accelerator physics, and were used to overstressing their tech in the name of scientific findings. A group of researchers took this expertise and began developing a new battle armour weapon based around the Federated Suns considerable understanding of gauss tech.
This resulted in the Rapid Assault Gauss or RAG, a fast-firing gauss rifle like that of the clans Anti Personal Rifle, but without any reduction in projectile size. This resulted in similar kinetic impact of a magshot gauss rifle but one which could be fired faster and deal more damage.
Name: Re-Engineered Laser (Battle Armour)
Tech Base: Inner Sphere
Suggested Year of Availability: 3148
Tech Rating: Advanced
Damage: 4
Minimum Range: 0
Short Range: 2
Medium Range: 3
Long Range: 4
Mass: 650
Critical Space: 2
Cost 25,000
BV: 18
Rules: Functioning as a Re-engineered laser, the Re-Engineered Laser for Battle Armour ignores protective bonuses afforded to by Hardened Armour, Reflective Armour or Ferrp-Lamanor. It Also receives a -1 to hit.
Lore: Like all re-engineered lasers, the tech behined it came from research by the Federated Suns into clan tech lasers and a desire to reproduce them. The result of mapping a pulse system to the already powerful clan heavy laser system led to the bizarre technology manifesting in the 3130s.
The creation of the Battle Armour version came about from a puzzled question by one battle armour student, as to how armoured infantry would counter mechs with new protective systems which could effectively halve a battle armours already limited firepower.
Unsatisfied with the answer the student and several class mates took to tinkering with a small re-engineered laser they acquired through less than reputable means. The resulting weapon was later submitted to the same professor and tested at the college, before being submitted to the FSAF for use.
In a thanks to the young design team the manufacturing firms who were to first build the weapon asked them what to name it. They requested it be called the Yori, after the coordinator of the Federated Suns. When asked why the lead designer stated “Because there is a weapon out there with someone’s name on it.” Thus, the first model is called the Yori-Kill R-Laser
Suggested Tech
Name: Combat Shield (Battle Armour)
Tech Base: IS/Clan
Suggested Year of Availability: 3152
Tech Rating: Standard
Mass: 100kg
Critical Space: 2
Cost 10,000
BV: 50
Rules: A combat shield must be mounted in an arm with either a basic manipulator, armoured glove or a magnetic clamp. The Basic Manipulators and armoured gloves may not be used for anti mech attacks, or used to mount a omni mech, though the other arm may do so if it has an appropriate limb. A magnetic limb may make a normal anti mech attack due to mounting the shield on the forearm.
When a unit is hit the shield will reduce incoming damage by 2 points to a minimum of 0. It has a damage threshold of 4, and can take a total of 4 hits from a weapon system before breaking, and being no longer being effective.
A shield may be jettisoned at the end of turn allowing the limb to be used normally.
Mounting two shields has no bonus, as the effect is not accumulative.
Lore: Designed independently of each other by the Draconis Combine, Clan Ghost Bear and the Republic of the Sphere. The Combat Shield was a solution to the desire of battle armour engineers to mount hardened armour on a power armoured frame, but being unable to do so due to its ridged structure making it poorly suited to the high mobility and small size of even assault armours. The solution made independently of each other was to mount a sheet of hardened armour and composite materials to a battle armours hand actuator (or in the case of magnetic claws, the fore arms).
This new protective layer allowed the shield to absorb incoming fire and reduce damage to the user of the suit, improving its survivability.
The tech would begin to spread across the Inner Sphere early on in the IlClan era, through Republic Scientists fleeing to Inner Sphere states, trade from the Ghost bears, with Hell’s horses and Sea Foxes. And the Jade Falcon, Wolves and Smoke Jaguar capture of RnD facilities on Terra.
Name: Heavy Combat Shield
Tech Base: IS/Clan
Suggested Year of Availability: 3153
Tech Rating: Advanced
Mass: 200kg
Critical Space: 2
Cost: 25,000
BV: 80
Rules: A combat shield must be mounted in an arm with either a basic manipulator, armoured glove or a magnetic clamp. The Basic Manipulators and armoured gloves may not be used for anti mech attacks, or used to mount a omni mech, though the other arm may do so if it has an appropriate limb. A magnetic limb may make a normal anti mech attack due to mounting the shield on the forearm. However, the bulk and heft of the heavy combat shield allows it to be used as brute force bludgeoning instrument allowing users to make a anti mech attack or leg attack with a +1 to its TN. If the shield is destroyed it may not be used for this.
When a unit is hit a heavy shield, it will reduce incoming damage by 4 points to a minimum of 0. It has a damage threshold of 5, and can take a total of 5 hits from a weapon system before breaking, and being no longer being effective.
A shield may be jettisoned at the end of turn allowing the limb to be used normally.
Mounting two shields has no bonus, as the effect is not accumulative.
Heavy Combat Shields however reduce a unit’s ground and jump movement by 1 MP to a minimum of 1 and can only be mounted on Medium, heavy and assault suits.
Lore: A offshoot of developments into combat shield technology. The heavy combat shield for battle armour was simply an increase of hardened armour and in many cases combat spikes, to solve the issue of the loss of melee options bought upon its incompatibility with combat claws.
While heavy and bulky the shields ability to almost nullify a hit from a Inner Sphere Medium laser makes it a excellent aid in reducing incoming enemy fire.
Name: Micro Lithium Power Pack (MLP2)
Tech Base: IS
Suggested Year of Availability: 3145
Tech Rating: Advanced
Mass: 40kg
Critical Space: 1
Cost 5,000
BV: 0
Rules: Increases the suits operational time from 12 hours to 48 hours.
Lore: Developed by the Draconis Combine by 3145, the Lithium Power Pack was a solution to DEST Commando’s operating deep behined with Kage Suits without easy access to power supplies to keep their suits recharged. The MLP2 or Micro lithium power Pack utilises a enhanced Lithium battery to hold a larger charge, allowing the suit to operate longer without a need for logistical support or salvaging that DEST teams needed to do while operating in rural or devastated aeras.
However, by 3150 dozens of MLP2 equipped Kage suits were captured in the rush for New Avalon leading to the tech being captured by the Federated Suns. In addition a surprisingly successful mission by SAFE managed to steal the blue prints for the Micro Lithium Power pack which the newly created Free Worlds League exported to the Spirit Cats, Sea Foxes and Lyran Commonwealth for financial gain.
Name: Defensor ECM
Tech Base: IS
Suggested Year of Availability: 3148
Tech Rating: Experimental
Mass: 250kg
Critical Space: 2
Cost: 200,000
BV: 31
Rules: The Defensor ECM generates an ECM field 3 hexes wide and has an ECM rating of 1 for the whole squad. When the unit is reduced to 2 units reduce its range to 1.
Lore: The result of a sixty-year long research project by the Capellan Confederation, the Defensor ECM is a composite ECM system which uses the other suits in the unit to boost its range out to 90 meters in all directions around the suit. Thanks to this the Defensor ECM is able to protect a wide area and friendly omni mechs that carry them into battle. As well as jamming units they are attacking at close range, further confounding the enemy unit.
Thanks to Capellan secrecy this technology has yet to fall into the hands of any other Inner Sphere Powers and remains a proud achievement of the Capellan Armed Forces.
Name: MARS
Tech Base: IS
Suggested Year of Availability: 3126
Tech Rating: Advanced
Mass: 20kg for PAL, 35kg for Light Battle Armours, 50kg for Medium Battle Armour, 75kg for Heavy battle Armour, 100kg for assault Battle Armour
Critical Space: 1 Critical space on PAL, Light and Medium Armours, 2 on Heavy and Assault
Cost: 2000
BV: 5
Rules: Units using the MARS system increase the carry capacity of the suit by x3, and increase any melee damage from leg attacks or anti mech attacks by 1 in PAL, Light and Medium Suits, and 2 in heavy and assault Battle Armours.
Lore: Developed in the Lyran Commonwealth by various Industrial Concerns. The Myomer and Actuator Reinforced System, or MARS, was developed initially to aid in the cargo lifting ability of exoskeletons. However after hitting a 5 year long delay in research and development the concerns managed to reach out to Luthian Armour Works after hearing of the impressive strength and lifting capabilities of their Raiden Design. Purchasing several suits and the rights to several technologies used in the Raiden the team managed to develop the MARS system by 2126 and implemented it in several civilian designs.
In repayment the Lyran companies sold the MARS system to Luthian Armour Works who ten years later weaponised the technology in a new upgraded Raiden model. This sudden weaponization of what had been a purely civilian enterprise quickly saw a mass investigation by Loki, who seized the plans and began their own research into the technology.
Type: Warden Assault Armour
Manufacturer: Federated Suns
Primary Factory: Unknown
Tech Base: Inner Sphere (Standard)
Chassis Type: Biped
Weight Class: Medium
Maximum Weight: 1,000 kg
Battle Value: 250
Swarm/Leg Attack/Mechanized/AP: Yes/Yes/Yes/No
Equipment Slots Mass
Chassis: 175 kg
Motive System:
Ground MP: 3(2) 80 kg
Jump MP: 0 0 kg
Manipulators:
Left Arm: None 0 kg
Right Arm: None 0 kg
Armor: Stealth (Basic) 495 kg
Armor Value: 10 (Trooper)
Slots
Weapons and Equipment Location (Capacity) Mass
Right Arm
Vibro Claw 50kg
Left Arm
Heavy Shield 200kg
BV: 292
Cost: 1,712,000 C-Bills
Suit Cost: 428,000
Design Quirks: Easy to Pilot
Hope you had fun reading these, tell me what ideas you have for Battle Armour Tech.
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