Zaku
10/09/21 11:07 AM
82.40.9.192
|
Boomer (Custom) B0M3
Type: Boomer (Custom)
Manufacturer: Unknown
Primary Factory: Unknown
Tech Base: Inner Sphere (Standard)
Chassis Type: Biped
Weight Class: Heavy
Maximum Weight: 1,500 kg
Battle Value: 400
Swarm/Leg Attack/Mechanized/AP: No/No/No/No
</p>
Equipment Slots Mass
Chassis: 300 kg
Motive System:
Ground MP: 2 80 kg
Jump MP: 0 0 kg
Manipulators:
Left Arm: Armored Gloves 0 kg
Right Arm: Armored Gloves 0 kg
Armor: Stealth (Basic) 3 440 kg
Armor Value: 9 (Trooper)
Slots
Weapons and Equipment Location (Capacity) Mass
LRM 4 Body 3 240 kg
LRM 4 Body 3 240 kg
LRM 4 Ammo (3) Left Arm 1 100.2 kg
LRM 4 Ammo (3) Right Arm 1 100.2 kg
Lore
The 'Boomer' was the result of the 'Pan League' research initiative: a research team put together by the Great houses to pool collective knowledge, to help develop new weapons to use against the Clans. The idea was for the initiative to share information and technological developments, but suspicion and a concern that any serious investment could lead to a loss of military secrets led the program to become bogged down with sub par scientists and a reluctance to 'push the technological curve.' Still it is from this fickle and reluctant work environment that the 'Boomer' was born.
Built from incredibly 'basic' technologies by Battle Armour standard, the suit was made to fulfil a design niche which no other suit had really been made to fill. Most Battle Armour were front line short range fighters, scout units or ambushers: the Boomer was made to fulfil the role of fire support. With the Federated Suns offering input on the LRM technologies, and the Draconis Combine helping to upscale a Inner Sphere standard Chassis to a heavy frame, and the Capellen's offering input into stealth technologies the Boomer's haphazard origin began. Made to stand in the rear lines with plenty of support, a Lance of Boomer's could be very quickly bought into a combat zone by any heavy APC, park in a protected zone, fire its LRM's and move back to rearm. The suit could also hold up in urban settings and with its fast running speed keep up with infantry and other battle armour pushes: offering support in hard to reach places that conventional armour could not go. It was a niche suit, but one thanks to no faction really putting much faith in the design, one which was kept at a affordable price.
A notable contribution by free Worlds League Engineers was the suggestion to have a special backpack which could carry the ammo for the missiles, and be easily popped on and off. This helped solve the suits one major issue, of ammo consumption. In addition in tests it was shown the suit could be reloaded by its own operators in the span of 2 minutes, giving it a excellent turn around in the field when compared to many other Battle Armours.
The Suit saw first combat during Operation Bird Dog, helping Star league forces keep clan forces pinned down by surprise LRM barrages. It served as the only real notable product from the think tank that created it, and was distributed too all the Great Houses, and saw limited production by all parties. Still the suit saw respectable if less than serious use over the next few decades, plugging up holes and serving a cheap LRM support in difficult terrain and in Mercenary units. It could be seen that it fulfilled a niche too well, or maybe was unappreciated in its time, as Battle Armour research pushed front line combat units, rather than support suits. All that can be said was that the Artillery and Support Battle Armour concept saw a stagnation in terms of research until the Centaur was invited over half a century later.
Weapons and Equipment
Armed with a pair of back mounted LRM 4's and 440kg of first Generation Stealth Armour, the Boomer was a limited or as the designers would say 'focused suit.' With arm mounted tracking for targets the suit could bombard enemies long outside of effective range, as well as could mount enough ammo for 3 salvos of its 2 LRM 4 launchers. While this meant the Boomer lacked endurance in a missile exchange, it had a larger LRM capacity than most other LRM capable suits, and in a Lance could put as many missiles down range as a CPLT-C1 Catapult, which was worth almost 3 times the cost, and used up 10 times the resources. While not a suitable replacement for dedicated fire support platforms like the Catapult, with its Stealth Armour and small size it proved difficult to target, especially when positioned inside buildings. A notable design defect in the Battle Armour however was its choice to use Armoured Gloves over powered servos for the Boomer. While some powers addressed this in later models, the choice was made to keep the cost at exactly 500,000 C-Bills for each suit, and also to allow the Boomer to reload itself in the field if necessary.
Design Quirks
Fast Reload
Design Scheme
Okay so, the basic idea of this battle armour is just something I stumbled on while trying to build a new combat suit for all ranges. And that there are no actual dedicated long range battle armour suits developed prior to the Dark Age with the Centaur. And yes we can point to some quad battle armour which have modular turrets, but as far as I can find, there are no suits that have been made to do this job.
I will admit I ran the numbers and you could make a few vehicles which could do this better, and yes its expensive (like all battle armour on a weight ratio level), but BV wise a squad of 4 are very cheap, can dish out some good long range damage for at least 3 turns.
Now I will admit these suits also do depart from a lot of battle armour doctrine, which seems to support allies, annoy enemy mechs and make life for infantry hell. This suit is in a sense a support item, where it is wield up to the front by omni mechs or APC's, fires its LRM's then bug out. Yes its a limited design and needs support, but it has some utility when on a budget.
Also while I know Fast Reload does not normally get used on Battle Armour, it should help it reload in the field and cut down the logistics of getting it back in the field.
https://www.deviantart.com/the-pbg/art/Boomer-Battle-Armour-869907402 - also a link to my art
Edited by Zaku (10/09/21 11:37 AM)
|
AmaroqStarwind
10/09/21 12:32 PM
172.58.99.242
|
From the name, I initially thought you were trying to do a reference to Bubblegum Crisis.
I would provide some gameplay/design feedback, but I'm afraid that I don't know too much about Battle Armor. The art isn't bad, though.
|
ghostrider
10/09/21 02:01 PM
45.51.181.83
|
The issue with vehicles comes with loading and deploying them. 4 biped suits are far easier to deploy, even from a HALO jump then a single vehicle. Same thing would be true to retrieving them from the field. A small shuttle could do so, without the long wait time on a world to load up and secure the vehicle.
Also, the suits are far better for use in things like forests where vehicles can't go. With this, the suits seem to be better for infiltration and just ambush from locations vehicles can't get into, and mechs are just too big. The LRMs are a problem for infiltration, so a variant might be needed for this. The stealth armor makes it suited for this.
The ambush concept definitely works with the stealth armor. Back shots are especially nasty. I can see head hunting as a specialty these units would be called in for.
How maneuverable are they? Could they ride a motorcycle? If so, transport becomes even easier then having to get a normal APC. Even stealing a normal vehicle, like a pick up truck could work, depending on the weight limit of the pick up.
I would suggest making a vehicle, that can transport these units, and carry some ammo reloads as well.
|
Zaku
10/09/21 06:20 PM
82.40.9.192
|
To Starwind, actually no I was not referencing Bubble gum Crisis, though that is a fun comparison and not one I thought about ^^
Also thank you for liking my art 
To Ghostrider, wow that is a lot of very good feedback, and it makes a good point on the ability to deploy 4 dudes in battle armour weighing a combined 6 tons, (each suit weighs 1.5 tons as a heavy suit). Also you did give a good analysis of their ability to deploy in woods and in cover.
As for how far they can move, they can move 2 hexs at walk speed, and sadly lack a jump speed. As a heavy suit they max out their speed at 2 hexes making them sitting ducks (though I think all battle armour has a innate +1 to hit, which is improved by the stealth armour). Battle armour can also jump on a omni mech or omni vehicle which gives them improved manuverbility. Hell a number could just hitch a ride and drop a short ways into the combat zone, fire their weapons off and then call for pick up: especially if that omni is a stealth mech.
Huh there is a concept I am not sure has been explored, a stealth omni mech. It may be a thing but its not one I am fully aware of.
Edited by Zaku (10/09/21 06:20 PM)
|
ghostrider
10/09/21 10:50 PM
45.51.181.83
|
Last I knew of, stealth armor was not used by the clans. That may have changed.
The movement was suggested as they could use something other then a standard APC to move the unit. The APC running around would draw attention, but even a pair of normal vehicles would not. So it might help them keep undercover.
The deployment concept is why mechs are better then tanks in most cases. Elementals would have even more places they can go that even mechs can't. Man sized caves being one of them.
One benefit the suits should get is being able to hide in bunkers. Even using underground tunnels to move about. This would make a defensive unit even more dangerous, as they could move without too much concern of being detected, and they would have caches of ammo ready for them.
If you deal with weight of units, you can have far more of the suits then a single light mech. So putting up an ambush on a bridge that can not support even 5 tons, means you have 2 troopers bait the enemy to attack them. Same with a vibromine field or even roadway on a cliff. Or being even more subtle, artillery spotters.
Had some thoughts after I posted this.
Weapons loads could really be helpful with this unit. Incendiary loads to mark a target, as well as smoke rounds to help cover your allies, or obscure the enemies LOS comes to mind as well.
Edited by ghostrider (10/09/21 10:55 PM)
|
Zaku
10/10/21 05:37 AM
82.40.9.192
|
You know the more I see people talking about this suit, it makes me realise that this suit has a LOT of utility potential.
Which is great because that is what it is for.
It can run defensive missions, it can support a advance, its cheap, easy to field and hard 'ish' to hit. Yes it won't take a beating like some suits or act as hard to hit nightmares like Elementals but, but if used in a support role it has a lot of possibilities
|
ghostrider
10/10/21 01:34 PM
45.51.181.83
|
I know you made it use LRMs to fill a niche, but you might want to look at an SRM variant as well. Maybe just an 'upgrade' version. That would allow it to have some short range firepower. Also, maybe even an anti infantry version, so it can be used to infiltrate facilities, such as a research lab to steal tech.
Not sure if you can use normal weapons with the armor or not, as the elemental armor specifies they have a hard point to connect to. This would be an idea, as it would allow the warrior to defend themselves if stumbled upon. Yes, it might already have them, just not listed.
The Stealth armor gives it more uses outside of general combat.
But that does not mean you can't use them as a sniper unit. Set up where the enemy DOES have guards, as they slip by the guards and present a nasty surprise for the enemy.
|
|
|
Extra information
|
0 registered and 110 anonymous users are browsing this forum.
Moderator: Nic Jansma, Cray, Frabby, BobTheZombie
Print Topic
|
Forum Permissions
You cannot start new topics
You cannot reply to topics
HTML is disabled
UBBCode is enabled
|
Topic views: 2798
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
