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[Sean Mirrsen]

((For cost, I'm using the original Plasma Projector as a basis. The "cheap and inobtrusive" is in relation to that 15-token, automanipulator-filled deathtube. Its ammo is ridiculously destructive, and comes in at 3 per 3 tokens. 2 per token for less destructive ammunition with far less range (although much harder to dodge if you're going melee) seems reasonable.

And it's easy to differentiate between versions - you basically punch harder the larger your robot is.

Without manipulators, the jet is focused via the magnet arrays in the weapon, about the same way a magnetoplasmadynamic thruster contains and accelerates its output. It's not even a jet in the conventional sense, it's a compressed glob of plasma being ejected, and constrained by a shaped magnetic field extending beyond the weapon's barrel. The plasma is all charged the same, so it tries to violently expand - with the magnetic field forming a tunnel, and the gauss accelerators pushing up from behind, the glob extends forward into a tapered "stake", which punches through the armor. It's effectively combining a gauss slug with all the heat and corrosive power of a plasma ball. Except of course this gauss slug slash plasma ball attempts to immediately expand into a burning cloud when released from the containing magnetic fields.

I'm not sure exactly how large it is, that would really require a lot of actual calculations. If the attack is carried out perfectly, I'd imagine the entrance hole would be at most two square inches, plus the dent where the emitter struck the target. The plasma rapidly expands as it loses containment, so at the end of the two-foot focusing field you'd have maybe four square inches of cross-section,and then it will just expand/explode into wherever it can. Assuming the plasma generated by this is about as destructive as the plasma from the Plasma Projector, this sort of damage is quite feasible.))

[Parisbre56]

gauss cannons

Remember that sods will probably need an exoskeleton to use that comfortably. At least, the heavy weapon sods we encountered in Hephaestus Defence were all wearing exoskeletons, which is why I assume that.

Does anyone know how exactly that works?

Piecewise described it as a conductive wire mesh in the battlesuit''s upper armour layer powered by a secondary battery so that it can be used even when power is low. At least that's what I remember from when I was testing powering the battlesuit by attaching power cables on its armour in tinker.

Wouldn't it be easier to say that the cable to the gloves can be disconnected and then reconnected to power stuff, rather than provide it through the gloves?

Even better, you can make a true automated universal power plug system and a true automated universal data plug system for our tech guys. You simply need a variable transformer, some capacitors and some resistors that can be easily (or better yet, automatically) modified and a system for changing the shape of the head. For the shape changing, you could just have it use something simple and mechanical (like small air bubbles that are pressurized to make the plug expand), something more complex (like small self assembling robotic parts) or something more alien and durable (like reverse engineering that shapechanging data storage device from Mission 1 to find out how it works and if it is cheap to reproduce).

@Sean: You can just change it and make it not require any magnets to make it cheaper by having the plasma focused against the suit mechanically. Something like a suction cap that attaches itself to the target and then detonates like a shaped charge but with plasma. Maybe not so good for use by battlesuits, but it would be a good man-portable anti-armour weapon that doesn't involve automanipulators.

[piecewise]

Spoiler: Re: MACS (click to show/hide)

Basic idea seems good in concept. Few things that spring to mind:
-make the base suit just powered enough it can sustain it's own weight. Unless the weight can really be kept low enough while still allowing for all the stuff you wanna do with it for it not to hamper regular people wearing it.

((I rather expect it would be doable. More importantly, the hardpoints can't be hardpoints if they aren't affixed to something hard - the exo-frame takes care of rigid and secure mounting. I expect it'd be no more encumbering than wearing a well-fitted set of medieval armor - even if the weight is there, it's spread out comfortably over the entire body, and does not limit movement.))

-making an Avatar sized mech sans synthflesh sounds doubtful to me in terms of practicality, but maybe pw will allow it with sufficiently advanced new tech and handwaving.

((Yeah, we've already determined that. However, I still hold by the idea that a much cheaper, mass-produced every-infantryman giant mech (hence the project name, ATX - Armored Trooper Experiment) will be beneficial on the battlefield. If nothing else, it will wipe the floor with enemy battlesuits. The ATX, and MACS in general, is not just for the Sword's limited use - I fully intend to make them available to the rest of ARM forces.))

-I'd focus on the person/Mk.III sized version for now, cause I don't thing the fully modular design would work as well once you get into battlesuit range. Imagine building a fully modular car, it'd be more expensive than a conventionally build counterpart, or have less quality.

((Most of a battlesuit's equipment is internal, and the different loadouts available serve the same purposes, but are not interchangeable. The purpose of a modular design is to mass-produce the basic model, and distribute the modules to be equipped according to circumstances. Saves on logistics - if X people need to fight in Y types of missions and bring battlesuits along, then they either need X*Y full suits that is each intended for the specific role, or just X modular suits, and X*Y much cheaper modules to equip.))
 

-A suit built like this will be more expensive than something made in a more focused manner. Again, flexibility and moddability come at a price, be it resources/money or quality/durability. But the lease system might help with that. But,
-I think we'll have to be careful with that lease thing, to ensure it doesn't get to complicated (and stuff will invariably get more complicated during field use and if enough time goes over it). And finding a good balance token-wise might also be non-trivial.

((What I got so far (it's not official, it was just PW's first suggestion) is that lease of an equipment piece costs half of its normal price - but it's limited to the loadout of your suit, just the MACS-specific gear. Repairs are standard cost, full replacement is full price. I don't know if changing the loadout will cost anything - my initial idea was that it shouldn't, since the whole premise of the system is that you're free to change your loadout whenever. But perhaps for balance purposes, some sort of exchange cost should be included. Perhaps a flat cost to respec - i.e. regardless of what gear you're returning, you're docked the same 1-2 token every time you do it (once per mission if you do it, for simplicity's sake), plus any repair costs. So that you don't pay more for returning several cheap modules versus one expensive one.

Thus, keeping track of it is pretty easy. You constantly owe half the price of the modules you're wearing, which you pay back if you lose them. Pay an extra token if you're changing gear, on top of repair cost for damage and the lease price difference of the modules. It's a more cost-efficient system overall, assuming one isn't always locked into the same role and circumstances - so useful for the alien can opener retrieval teams.))

Individual modules are meant to be installable and removable by the user, quickly and without hassle.

I doubt that just anyone would be able to switch out parts, seeing as how most people couldn't even replace a piece of hardware in their computer, even with all the help one can get online.

((I dunno, how many people do you know that don't know how to dress themselves? Putting on a Mk1, with the associated plumbing, would be a more complex task than installing something like a rocket pack - you literally pull it on like a rucksack, pulling on the straps till it clicks into the hardpoint, and the suit does the rest from there.))

I don't know if Miyamoto's/Aresteve's advanced exoskeletons can do it, or are basically cheaper/more powerful for the same price or maybe better protected/designed,

As soon as a science team is freed up I'm putting them on a dedicated myomer upgrade project

I asked for a very comprehensive library of different designs to be made, so whatever is needed should be obtainable from there. I'm not sure why you'd tie up a science crew to do basically the same thing again (saying "but mine uses myomers" doesn't really mean anything, unless you could explain why those should be better than whatever ARESTEVE came up with. Hell, he might even have something like it himself, you'd have to check honestly).

((Yeah, I expect PW will have questions anyway, so I'll clarify what I want done then. But basically, your research wanted to improve on existing synthetic muscle - same principle, but more efficient, capable of using more power. I want to check and see if we can't make an altogether different kind of myomer, than what UWM uses, and that we use by extension. We have the snowglobe data, and at least some examples of strange materials that we could research and use. It's not that the existing synth-muscles are bad - it's just that we could really use something much more powerful, that doesn't come with the baggage that synthflesh has, so that Avatar-class combat machines could be used by anyone, and without worrying about what will happen if someone manages to damage it in exactly the wrong way.))

and you can basically trade intact modules back and forth as you require.

In how much detail has this been worked out? Does a person has to pay some extra tokens for switching out modules if they've been used (similar to how armory stuff loses value even if it's been used, even if it isn't damaged)? I'd assume it'd be like that, otherwise it'd basically be completely free equipment changes.

I'm personally not sure if I'm a big fan of the lease system idea, because I suspect it'll just turn put to be equivalent to owning the suit, but at vastly lower prices because reasons.

((It wasn't worked out in that great detail just yet, but I outlined the preliminary idea above. Think it'll work?))

ninja edit:

Seems a simple enough thing. Powerful but short range and requiring large batteries and a powerful suit to use. Stat it up.  The council will no doubt have ideas.

((Okay, will do as soon as I have time.))

You're kinda running out of workers here, not even just specialist teams but normal human workers. This Place ran on a skeleton crew remember.

((Hmm. Do we need anything special to hire more workers?))

Alright, that could take a while, there's a significant drain on the resources coming in, but any particular armament you want for them? Anything specific or just a balanced mix?

((Balanced mix of standard weapons. Do we need/have the ability to expand out resource acquisition rate?))

(There seems to be some talk still going on about the MACS so I'll let that finish and any changes you want made before I give estimates. To save time and possible redundancy.)

((See long post in spoiler above))

You're gonna need to get recruits from off planet. You better hope the diplomacy mission goes well. That could get you some new help.

Yes, you have the ability to expand resource acquisition, though doing so is pretty resource intensive in and of itself. If you wanted it done in a reasonable timeframe you'd basically have to halt sod production and reroute a build team or two. Otherwise you can do it, it will just take a long time.

I think the basic idea is doable, I think the details of it need to be worked out. A modular powersuit would be very helpful if the parts can be rented. I'd think what you'd want is basically the MKIII with slots for attachment. Maybe even work on that first, before making something entirely new, since people already have MK IIIs. You could create modules to affix to its exoskeleton.

Hephaestus managing stuff:

1.Just so we don't question if this has happened: Order production of weapons/some armor for all of our sods.  As to exactly what that entails... ask Radio.

Quick Tinker question:

2.Why do PSL crystals explode?  Do they only explode when cracked, and they're just fragile, or do they always explode after a short duration?

Here's my actual project: I'm making a cheaper, lighter battlesuit equivalent.  It trades raw survivability for smaller size, mobility, and some cheapness.

3.First, take a basic braincase, with everything it needs to function, and make it roughly spherical.  Then coat it in two layers of battlesuit plate.  The thing should need a fairly involved process to remove the brain- not just a button press.  Also add cameras to the hull, in the same manner as a normal battlesuit

4.Attach one of the larger exoskeleton units that the scientists designed- something that can carry the entire assembly and still have the same stat bonuses as a regular exoskeleton(+1/+1).  More importantly, make sure it can fit through doors and things, even if it's slightly awkward.

5.Armor the limbs with a single layer of battlesuit plate, and put sleeves of one of the stronger ballistic clothes over the joints.  Try to design it such that movement isn't hindered, but nothing can be jammed into the joints.  Also, make sure that the cloth can survive at least one shot from common small arms.

6.Add the external electrification system that Battlesuits have, and the kinetic amps in the hands, but not the claymores.  Electrification system should have the ability to electrify just the hands, and change how much power is being pumped through them.

7.Add some flight rockets, preferably about as effective as a mobility battlesuit's.

8.If that is insufficient, or if I'm just not allowed to build a battlesuit equivalent in one turn, assign a research crew to designing the thing.  ETC?


Hey, Radio?  Gun balance committee?  I now have things for you guys to balance cost for: The above Mini BS, and the stuff in the below spoilers.

Spoiler: Shocking Graspers (click to show/hide)

A pair of specially designed gloves, which are connected by strong cables to a 4 TPU generator on the wearer's back.  The gloves, when turned on by voice command, channel electricity through conductive patches on the palms or knuckles.  They can be activated separately, and have the amount of electricity varied.  When activated, the electricity reliably shocks whatever is grasped or punched- causing death or neuromuscular incapacitation, depending on the strength of the shock.

There's several safety features- if the cable is severed, or the gloves detect degradation of the conductive patches of the glove, power is automatically turned off in the relevant arm.  The gloves are also entirely insulated from electricity.

Assuming that weapons are modified to accept power from a conductive grip, those that work on four TPU or less can use the glove's power instead of whatever is normally used.  In the case of a laser rifle, this effectively adds a token to it's cost, because removing the battery does not make the weapon cheaper.

Spoiler: Electrolaser kit (click to show/hide)

This is a kit designed to work with any laser rifle, although it's preferably to use it with one that has a generator.  It adds a sparkgap over the firing port, and a 16 TPU rechargeable battery, which is connected to the weapon's power system.

It also adds a second trigger, which control the sparkgap.  When both the main and secondary triggers are pulled, the sparkgap fires at eight TPU, forming a powerful electrolaser.  When just the secondary trigger is pulled, the sparkgap fires at 4 TPU, effectively working as a shock bayonet.

Lastly, it adds a switch which sets all shocks to a low enough power that it stuns and incapacitates a target, but does not kill.

Assuming that you use a standard laser rifle, it would have ten seconds of electrolaser firing.  If you use a generator, it would have only two, but it would recharge when not firing.

It should cost only a single token, due to being just a bunch of cheap components and a tiny battery (it holds 104 less TPU than a standard laser rifle battery).  This would mean that a generator fed electrolaser would cost four tokens- one less than a Spectr, which is capable of similar electicity tricks using microwave mode, and has many more features aside from that.

Those okay?

1.ok. RADIO!!!!
2.They explode when their crystal matrix is disrupted. You could carry one around, probably even drop it, and nothing would happen. But if you were to, say, try and bend it, then things would go poorly for you.

3. So I assume this will be for sods since battlesuits are traditionally not just braincases but full cockpits.

4-8: Major problem here is you've basically created an empty exoskeleton with a big lump of armor shoved in it. Exoskeletons don't work on their own. They need a body in them to move. You'd need to just use a robotic body. And that makes me wonder why you don't just modify an existing battlesuit. Strip down the armor, modify the cockpit, strip out stuff until you get it how you like. Or at least build off it's base mechanisms.

1.Just so we don't question if this has happened: Order production of weapons/some armor for all of our sods.  As to exactly what that entails... ask Radio.

Make weapons that fall in the small/lower tier (gauss rifles, a few crystalline projectors, a few of the prototype weapons (Spektr and Testament) for added testing) for 3/4 of our forces, robot and flesh. Give 1/4 of them weapons in the medium tier (Sibilus/rocket rifles, cutting lasers, gauss cannons, a few of the prototype weapons(raduga)). Give all of them civic defenders longcoats (or something equivalent).
((Not gonna completely supply things that are in prototype still, but we'll be building thousands more sods in the future, so giving slightly outdated tech isn't as much a problem as not giving them any.))

Hey, Radio?  Gun balance committee?  I now have things for you guys to balance cost for: The above Mini BS, and the stuff in the below spoilers.

Some of the council might be indisposed for a little while, so don't expect an answer immediately.

Also, kinda hard to balance until pw has replied to a lot of this, but core idea seems reasonable enough.

Some small things:

Try to design it such that movement isn't hindered, but nothing can be jammed into the joints.

I always find phrases like these kinda funny, since people are basically asking to have their cake and eat it to, without having to think up a way to get there themselves. If it were that easy, you'd suspect the UWM to use it (though we can always handwave that with "they're incompetent!"). Not saying it's not actually possible or that you're wrong for just asking for it, but it's the wording I find hilarious 

Also add cameras to the hull, in the same manner as a normal battlesuit

Is there a main optical cluster for extra viewing modes, or only normal cams?

Add the external electrification system that Battlesuits have,

Does anyone know how exactly that works? Cause I don't know if it'd be possible to have that feature with the current setup.

Assuming that weapons are modified to accept power from a conductive grip, those that work on four TPU or less can use the glove's power instead of whatever is normally used.  In the case of a laser rifle, this effectively adds a token to it's cost, because removing the battery does not make the weapon cheaper.

Wouldn't it be easier to say that the cable tot he gloves can be disconnected and then reconnected to power stuff, rather than provide it through the gloves?

@ Plasma Steak: not sure if 'jets of superheated plasma intended to cleanly penetrate through nearly any physical armor up to two feet thick' and 'Cheap and inobtrusive' are two things that really go together... Either way, I'd go for a single system (I doubt pw will differentiate in-game between 7 and 10 token version). 1 token for 2 shots/3 for 5 seems a little bit too cheap, but that might just be me (then again, 0,5 token a shot also isn't exactly 'for free'...). I dunno, maybe it isn't, honestly can't say for sure. Also, I'm unsure if a very short jet will be able to really penetrate thicker high-level armor well enough to one-shot kill, due to not knowing if the majority of the heat won't be lost/deflected or if the material can heat up fast enough to allow it's full damage potential to go through (in a plasma projector, capturing the plasma in an orb allows it to just keep moving through the material to deliver its energy optimally).

Hmm. Say Sean, how long is the jet created? And what's its diameter?

Thats gonna be expensive.

Hey, someone want to create an extra metatextiles mill?

[Sean Mirrsen]

@Sean: You can just change it and make it not require any magnets to make it cheaper by having the plasma focused against the suit mechanically. Something like a suction cap that attaches itself to the target and then detonates like a shaped charge but with plasma. Maybe not so good for use by battlesuits, but it would be a good man-portable anti-armour weapon that doesn't involve automanipulators.

((Won't work. The device is probably about the same size as a HEP, which on further reflection it's also a good comparison to. A man-portable weapon like this would involve the man bravely running up to a rampaging death machine and ramming the business end of the weapon right against it. And then flying back ten meters from the recoil. I guess it at least provides you with a rapid escape method.

Plus you can't exactly focus the plasma mechanically. It rapidly eats/burns/melts through pretty much all conventional materials, and those magnetic fields is the only reason it doesn't all explode outward the moment it's made. The metal slug that the plasmaball is made from cannot be plasmarized all at once in the same instant, so at most you'll get a rapidly disintegrating, but fairly powerful rocket engine.
...
Heh heh.))

ninja edit:

You're gonna need to get recruits from off planet. You better hope the diplomacy mission goes well. That could get you some new help.

((Ok, so no new helping hands for now. Can we pad the numbers with drones? We can't make a specialized crew with this, but can we supplement our workers with engineer sods?

Yes, you have the ability to expand resource acquisition, though doing so is pretty resource intensive in and of itself. If you wanted it done in a reasonable timeframe you'd basically have to halt sod production and reroute a build team or two. Otherwise you can do it, it will just take a long time.

((Hmm. Hey syvarris, what do you say to unplugging your sod farm for a season? It's for the betterment of ARM!))

I think the basic idea is doable, I think the details of it need to be worked out. A modular powersuit would be very helpful if the parts can be rented. I'd think what you'd want is basically the MKIII with slots for attachment. Maybe even work on that first, before making something entirely new, since people already have MK IIIs. You could create modules to affix to its exoskeleton.

((I'd already started with the MkIII back when I was designing the MCS. Right now we've got the new MCP suit line, and I want to build on that. People can trade their suits in if they want to get the new MACS variants.

I can still probably create the suit as a stripped-down Mk3 first, but one of the ideas behind the MACS is that it allows to use fancy gadgets without spending extra money on an exoskeleton, if you're already strong enough. Or synthflesh. Also, it's kind of no longer a Mk3 if you strip the rockets out, and a most of the mission adaptability involves sacrificing the rockets for mission- or role-specific gear. I'll get on that IC when I have time.))

[syvarris]

I always find phrases like these kinda funny, since people are basically asking to have their cake and eat it to, without having to think up a way to get there themselves. If it were that easy, you'd suspect the UWM to use it (though we can always handwave that with "they're incompetent!"). Not saying it's not actually possible or that you're wrong for just asking for it, but it's the wording I find hilarious 

I could have gone into more detail- I'd think a good way to do this is to have a fairly rigid material, with added gussets.  That would allow freedom of movement, while preventing anything from being stabbed into the joint.

Is there a main optical cluster for extra viewing modes, or only normal cams?

...The same as a battlesuit.  So an optical cluster.  If it's too expensive, I'll probably trim that.  Along with the rockets.

Wouldn't it be easier to say that the cable tot he gloves can be disconnected and then reconnected to power stuff, rather than provide it through the gloves?

Yes, but then you can't grab and release things easily.  If you have to connect or disconnect a weapon, then you can't quickly draw a different thing and fire.

Note that the fact you can grab people to shock them is a secondary benefit.

((Hmm. Hey syvarris, what do you say to unplugging your sod farm for a season? It's for the betterment of ARM!))

Sure.  If it's gonna increase our overall resource acquisition, I'd even encourage it- we're not really using too many sods ATM, and being able to produce even more extremely rapidly is a good thing.

...Although the next construction crew won't be free for another fifteen days.  Oops. :\

[Sean Mirrsen]

((Anton's MACS second-tier Mobile Armor project uses, for the joints specifically, a sleeve of thick tactical mesh similar a more rigid CD Longcoat. Prevents foreign objects from being stuck in there, and adds an extra layer of gauss round resistance.

We could probably fold that mini-battlesuit of yours into the MACS line later. The MACS Core suit will already provide a variant for robobodies, it makes sense to make a separate battlesuit for braincase'd people as well.))

[Radio Controlled]

@ electrolaser: am I correct this is exactly the same as Sean's thing, but cheaper and without tesla sabre capability? And do you really think 1 token is a balanced price for something like this?

And it's easy to differentiate between versions - you basically punch harder the larger your robot is.

PErhaps, but it seems a bit redundant to have 2 versions if there's only 3 tokens difference. Either making 1 intermediate version or making two with a larger power and cost difference seems like it'd make more sense to me.

For cost, I'm using the original Plasma Projector as a basis. The "cheap and inobtrusive" is in relation to that 15-token, automanipulator-filled deathtube. Its ammo is ridiculously destructive, and comes in at 3 per 3 tokens. 2 per token for less destructive ammunition with far less range (although much harder to dodge if you're going melee) seems reasonable.

I'll admit I don't know if it'd be balanced like this, I think we might have to discover that with prototype testing. It might be perfect, mind you, but I don't know for sure, seeing as how there are no direct comparisons to use.

Thats gonna be expensive.

Hey, someone want to create an extra metatextiles mill?

Hmm, really? I thought it'd be cheap seeing as how cheap those things are in the Armory.

Just start building their weapons then, we can look into armor later on.

Yes, but then you can't grab and release things easily.  If you have to connect or disconnect a weapon, then you can't quickly draw a different thing and fire.

Perhaps, but if dirt gets on your gloves (a very likely thing in a battlefield situation) then good luck transferring power safely and reliably. And you can have multiple cables coming from the generator and a system where a certain finger movement or a button or whatever makes it so the gloves get priority power draw.

Sure.  If it's gonna increase our overall resource acquisition, I'd even encourage it- we're not really using too many sods ATM, and being able to produce even more extremely rapidly is a good thing.

...Although the next construction crew won't be free for another fifteen days.  Oops. :\

Long live Proper Planning!


Anton, question: using the lease system, if a person buys a license and gets a certain module, what differences (that matter in-game) has it to a person buying the whole module itself? If the second person wants to switch, he could sell the current one for half price and get another one, while the first only has to pay 1 or 2 tokens for switching. If it's damaged, both of them have to pay up. Both of them can use a module for as long as they want, whether they own it or lease it. And the first gets it at half price or so. So, why would anyone want to buy a whole module ever? It seems that, aside from the idea of 'owning it', leasing has only advantages without disadvantages to compensate.

And finally, it'd be a whole new game feature, which other pieces of equipment don't benefit from. No offense, but it seems like it'd be a way to get people to prefer buying that particular piece of equipment over other stuff by way of setting up special rules for it, and I'm not sure if that's entirely 'fair'.

[Sean Mirrsen]

Anton, question: using the lease system, if a person buys a license and gets a certain module, what differences (that matter in-game) has it to a person buying the whole module itself? If the second person wants to switch, he could sell the current one for half price and get another one, while the first only has to pay 1 or 2 tokens for switching. If it's damaged, both of them have to pay up. Both of them can use a module for as long as they want, whether they own it or lease it. And the first gets it at half price or so. So, why would anyone want to buy a whole module ever? It seems that, aside from the idea of 'owning it', leasing has only advantages without disadvantages to compensate.

And finally, it'd be a whole new game feature, which other pieces of equipment don't benefit from. No offense, but it seems like it'd be a way to get people to prefer buying that particular piece of equipment over other stuff by way of setting up special rules for it, and I'm not sure if that's entirely 'fair'.

"Well, the system is intended to provide a sort of a limited interchangeability. The way I see it..."

((Ahem.))

"...you were asking the other guy, weren't you."

((Indeed. So, then. A person that leases the module pays half price initially, pays normal repair costs, and pays full cost if the module is destroyed or lost. A person that buys the module outright just pays full price up front, and pays normal repair cost. It might seem like it's unfair, but it's actually somewhat an inversion of that - it's bringing an otherwise cost-inefficient design idea into "fair" territory.

Firstly, there's a caveat. You're not leasing the module just for any purpose. You're leasing the module to have it installed on your suit and taken to the mission. Whereas you could buy a rocket pack to dismantle it and use the rocket pods elsewhere, you can only lease it as long as it stays attached to you.

And in general, here's the problem that the lease system solves. The token cost of a device does not equal the combined token costs of its components. A Mk3 combines a 5-token Mk2, a 7-token exoskeleton, and a 9-token rocket pack, with extra options on top of that, all for 13 tokens instead of 21. A modular suit system is put in an inherently unfair position by this - the price of individual components is too high to make it usable, and at the same time said components can't just be made cheaper because they'll just be bought up for cheap parts and upgrades. Enter the lease system. While the 50% lease discount is somewhat arbitrary, it does the job of making the wearer of the modular suit only pay roughly as much as they would pay for a similar suit, had it been a separate Armory item. A Mk3-equivalent under the MACS lease system costs you the same 13 token - 5 for the base suit that you buy, and half of the combined 16-token cost of the modules.

Under this system, the only reason you'd buy a MACS module permanently is if you wanted to manually customize it (which this sort of "lease license" forbids), salvage it for parts (which counts as destruction), or if you just have spare tokens and are sure enough that you won't swap out a module you like. Or perhaps if you want to avoid the respec fees, if you think you would change layouts frequently enough that you'd lose more in fees than you'd spend just buying the things outright.))

[Radio Controlled]

"Well, the system is intended to provide a sort of a limited interchangeability. The way I see it..."
((Ahem.))
"...you were asking the other guy, weren't you."

((Har har har. Cheeky.))

it's bringing an otherwise cost-inefficient design idea into "fair" territory.

One could question the base idea: if a design is cost-inefficient, should we let it be replaced by more efficient systems, or 'subsidize' it into viability by lowering price or inventing new mechanics?

Because the idea of adaptability/moddability/using distinct modules can still be obtained through a system with less 'extreme' moddability options (aka making more components standard in the base suit, or making the modules less expensive). For example, my suit idea also had some moddability upon purchase, but much less (only 3 slots for equipment, rest is standard). I personally think that everything should have its price: one wants adaptability? Then one trades that in for cost-efficiency and/or quality.

Firstly, there's a caveat. You're not leasing the module just for any purpose. You're leasing the module to have it installed on your suit and taken to the mission. Whereas you could buy a rocket pack to dismantle it and use the rocket pods elsewhere, you can only lease it as long as it stays attached to you.

And if they dismantle it anyway? They pay for the full thing, they lose their license, or what? And who's going to make them?

And in general, here's the problem that the lease system solves. The token cost of a device does not equal the combined token costs of its components. A Mk3 combines a 5-token Mk2, a 7-token exoskeleton, and a 9-token rocket pack, with extra options on top of that, all for 13 tokens instead of 21. A modular suit system is put in an inherently unfair position by this - the price of individual components is too high to make it usable, and at the same time said components can't just be made cheaper because they'll just be bought up for cheap parts and upgrades. Enter the lease system. While the 50% lease discount is somewhat arbitrary, it does the job of making the wearer of the modular suit only pay roughly as much as they would pay for a similar suit, had it been a separate Armory item. A Mk3-equivalent under the MACS lease system costs you the same 13 token - 5 for the base suit that you buy, and half of the combined 16-token cost of the modules.

Is it 'inherently unfair' though? Again, one trades of one thing for another, though perhaps individual pieces are indeed a bit too high priced. One has to weigh off getting more power now, or getting more bang for their buck later (but being less capable in the mean time).

And one way to just make modules cheaper and lose the lease system is to just forbid people from using them outside the system (so no buying a rocket pack for cheap and then use it sans base suit). We could use hard- or software blocks or something for this, in addition to just enforcing the rule ourselves (eg AM doesn't sell you modules if you don't have the base suit). A bit artificial, but it's for ensuring balance (just like how the lease system is artificial way of balancing, instead of just 'letting the markets speak').


We could perhaps fix this by, instead of licensing a piece and getting to keep it, you rent a module for individual missions. Say, 2/3 tokens for a module, but after the mission you have to give it back. So then, the incentive to buy full modules would be not 'wasting' tokens every time, but then you're 'stuck' with that module. Then again, this system would probably have it's own problems, and doesn't solve the base 'unfairness' of not letting other equipment work like this.

[Pancaek]

Hello there, people on heph. I'm sending you this message because I think I have something that might interest you lot.

I recently bought a nyars artifact. It looks like a stripped down laser rifle with some weird ass parts shoved into it. When pointing it at a target, say a hunk of space debris about 300 meters away, it emits a red laser dot when shot. Then the gun screetches into your ear and everything goes weird for an instant. Next thing you know, you're at the point you just shot at while keeping your original velocity.

Now, I personally don't have much use for this thing, but perhaps some amongst you would be interested to poke around in its innards? Might be useful to zap explosives right into UWM headquarters or something.

Now, I'd like to ask for something in exchange for this piece of tech, of course. It would be super cool if you lot could design a piece of equipment for me, or just shove some cold hard cash my way. I'd be particularely interested in some kind of exotic weapon, like the sandbag, only more useful. Or perhaps a stealth suit that could make a person invisibe to even cameyes.

Anyways, if anyone is interested we could negotiate something,

Pancaek Nilys

         

-sent from somewhere in space, using my braincase-

[Sean Mirrsen]

"Well, the system is intended to provide a sort of a limited interchangeability. The way I see it..."
((Ahem.))
"...you were asking the other guy, weren't you."

((Har har har. Cheeky.))

((Just pointing it out again would've been too boring. ))

it's bringing an otherwise cost-inefficient design idea into "fair" territory.

One could question the base idea: if a design is cost-inefficient, should we let it be replaced by more efficient systems, or 'subsidize' it into viability by lowering price or inventing new mechanics?

Because the idea of adaptability/moddability/using distinct modules can still be obtained through a system with less 'extreme' moddability options (aka making more components standard in the base suit, or making the modules less expensive). For example, my suit idea also had some moddability upon purchase, but much less (only 3 slots for equipment, rest is standard). I personally think that everything should have its price: one wants adaptability? Then one trades that in for cost-efficiency and/or quality.

((The problem is not that adaptability should come at a price. It's that said price ends up being prohibitively high. 21 token versus 13 for a Mk3-equivalent. And all you get is the ability to change the rockets to something else, but to change to a heavy laser, for instance, you'd waste 5 tokens trading in the rocket pack, and spend the return plus 6 more getting the laser, with very little change in overall "power" of the equipped suit, since you've traded mobility for firepower. 6 token for a respec of what already cost you 8 token over the norm is too much. With prices like that the whole modularity aspect can be tossed out the window - combine the 8 tokens you pay extra with the 6 tokens to respec, and the resulting 14 tokens can just as well be used to purchase a separate, non-customizable suit with a different layout. And of course the two suits will still cost you almost as much as an Avatar of War total.))

Firstly, there's a caveat. You're not leasing the module just for any purpose. You're leasing the module to have it installed on your suit and taken to the mission. Whereas you could buy a rocket pack to dismantle it and use the rocket pods elsewhere, you can only lease it as long as it stays attached to you.

And if they dismantle it anyway? They pay for the full thing, they lose their license, or what? And who's going to make them?

((They dismantle it, they can no longer respec until they pay the price. Depending on how well the integration with the rest of the economy goes, might even prevent any Armory purchases until paid, or cause any unpaid "debt" to the Armory to be docked from the mission pay by Steve. But more or less, I'd consider the prevention of access to the system proper relatively sufficient. Do a stunt like that once, lose the MACS benefits until paid off. And there certainly are some benefits.))

And in general, here's the problem that the lease system solves. The token cost of a device does not equal the combined token costs of its components. A Mk3 combines a 5-token Mk2, a 7-token exoskeleton, and a 9-token rocket pack, with extra options on top of that, all for 13 tokens instead of 21. A modular suit system is put in an inherently unfair position by this - the price of individual components is too high to make it usable, and at the same time said components can't just be made cheaper because they'll just be bought up for cheap parts and upgrades. Enter the lease system. While the 50% lease discount is somewhat arbitrary, it does the job of making the wearer of the modular suit only pay roughly as much as they would pay for a similar suit, had it been a separate Armory item. A Mk3-equivalent under the MACS lease system costs you the same 13 token - 5 for the base suit that you buy, and half of the combined 16-token cost of the modules.

Is it 'inherently unfair' though? Again, one trades of one thing for another, though perhaps individual pieces are indeed a bit too high priced. One has to weigh off getting more power now, or getting more bang for their buck later (but being less capable in the mean time).

((It's 'inherently unfair' in that a modular system like that causes any given loadout to cost as much for the end user to buy, as it would cost a tinkerer to prototype (sans grant), without much actual immediate gain. And then rapidly mounting costs for making use of that modularity, making it easier to buy whole, non-modular suits, and perhaps even hire tinkerers (or the AM's help) to get them customized. The lease system makes the character's suit more of a permanent investment, despite most costs being temporary, because more of the investment keeps staying in the equipped suit rather than hemorrhaging everywhere on changing suit tiers and trying out different directions.))

And one way to just make modules cheaper and lose the lease system is to just forbid people from using them outside the system (so no buying a rocket pack for cheap and then use it sans base suit). We could use hard- or software blocks or something for this, in addition to just enforcing the rule ourselves (eg AM doesn't sell you modules if you don't have the base suit). A bit artificial, but it's for ensuring balance (just like how the lease system is artificial way of balancing, instead of just 'letting the markets speak').

((That was kind of the intended way for it to work. You can only lease what you're going to wear. Originally I wasn't even going to involve the AM in this, there'd just be this lil' cabin attachment to the Armory, where you'd stand in the center and have a series of manipulators (the robot arm kind) attach various fiddly bits to your suit. But perhaps that one is even more open for abuse than the lease system. And doesn't work so well with Battlesuits.))

We could perhaps fix this by, instead of licensing a piece and getting to keep it, you rent a module for individual missions. Say, 2/3 tokens for a module, but after the mission you have to give it back. So then, the incentive to buy full modules would be not 'wasting' tokens every time, but then you're 'stuck' with that module. Then again, this system would probably have it's own problems, and doesn't solve the base 'unfairness' of not letting other equipment work like this.

((Like I said above, the problem isn't that the lease system is unfair to regular equipment. It's that regular equipment is unfair to modular equipment. Token cost doesn't reflect production cost, it's a measure of how dangerous a given piece of equipment is, so that a person with little experience and/or low competence, who has few tokens, doesn't get his clumsy mitts on something too powerful. The individual price of modules jacks up that cost, making a regular-powered modular loadout cost more than a regular loadout a tier above. What the lease system aims to do, at least as I envisioned it, is to make the total token cost of the worn suit be more accurately representative of its actual power in relation to the standard gear. You're not getting an unfair amount of power per what you pay with this system, and you get a higher risk overhead with it (the higher non-lease cost to be paid for replacement), so I don't see how it is at all unfair.))

[syvarris]

((Turn later))

We could probably fold that mini-battlesuit of yours into the MACS line later. The MACS Core suit will already provide a variant for robobodies, it makes sense to make a separate battlesuit for braincase'd people as well.

I'd rather not.  I'm pretty sure we're aiming for different things- you're aiming to make a battlesuit replacement, while I'm aiming to make something similar, but much smaller, lighter, and cheaper.  It really occupies a different role.

@ electrolaser: am I correct this is exactly the same as Sean's thing, but cheaper and without tesla sabre capability? And do you really think 1 token is a balanced price for something like this?

...Kinda?  The largest difference is that it has way less battery space; a standard lasrifle battery has ten seconds of tesla capability, and a generator fed lasrifle has two seconds, with a four second recharge time.  And yes, it doesn't have the capability to actually mimic a tesla saber- it's either shock prods, or electrolaser.

Yes, I do.  Mostly because it's added to a standard lasrifle, and if you want it to not be horribly battery inefficient, then you need another token for the shocking graspers.  So, all told, it costs four tokens, and has limited ability.  Contrast with the Spectr, which can do similar electricity stunts using microwave, has very precise energy tuning, different fire modes, 50% higher laser damage, overcharge, and the same generator.  All that is certainly worth an extra token, so my electrolaser is only useful for someone seeking to upgrade their beginning lasrifle.  If it costed five tokens, it would simply never be bought.


@Leasing discussion

I won't weigh in on the discussion itself, because I agree with both sides for conflicting reasons, but you guys keep mentioning 'standard repair costs'.  What does that mean?  To my knowledge, no such thing exists- I mean, seriously, when Feyri was returned from the Ice-9 mission, she was just a head with a helmet, yet she still got a full MK.III back, free of charge.  To my knowledge, all of our non-consumable equipment works like that, regardless of how badly damaged it is.


@Pancaek:

While that device sounds very interesting, our schedule are already quite busy and we have a backlog of artifacts to test, and prototypes to design.  I doubt anyone will be able to find time to design a special item just for you.

However, we may be able to pay you with something that we already have.  I believe there are already stealth suit designs that we could produce and send.  Alternatively, if you tinker a device up in VR, and send the schematics to us, we could produce that for you free of cahrge- assuming it isn't too expensive.

Failing either of those options, we could send you a single coupon for a comparable Nyartifact, with extra compensation if we discover anything useful from your device.

Choose your reward, please.

((...How does Pancaek know it screeches?  Wasn't he in vacuum when he tested it?  It must be really loud if he heard it through his arm...))

[syvarris]

((Double posting for less PW post clutter.  If anyone sees obvious things I missed, or problems of any form, please point them out.))

Okay, yeah, I'll take a different route to building the Braincase Battlesuit.

1.Open up the design for the battlesuit.  Remove the top three layers of armor from the design, and shrink the central cockpit area so it's just large enough to contain a braincase.  Also, swap the new 'top' layer with the original top layer, because apparently the latter is the super laser resistant one.

2.Remove all of the normal human interface things, like an openable door, keyboards, monitors, etc.  Just hook the braincase directly up to all the systems, much like how a robobody is done.

3.Redesign the arms and legs a bit, by removing the spaces and controls where the limbs are usually inserted, and replacing them with structural material.

4.Shrink the limbs down to a size small enough that the whole assembly can fit through a doorway, albeit awkwardly.  If they somehow don't have the +1/+1 of a normal exoskeleton, reinforce them however I can without increasing the size.  Add stronger metals, or stronger actuators or whatever.

5.Remove the claymore defense system, and emergency eject pod.  Alter the electrical defense system so that it can direct certain amounts of power to it's hands only.  Add auxiliary cameras to the back of the suit, and the crotch.  You said a regualar battlesuit has these as blindspots?

6.Add sleeves of a tough ballistic cloth over the joints, rigid enough that stuff can't be shoved into them, and with gussets so that they don't hinder movement. 

7.Remove the jump rockets, and give it flight rockets that allow it similar flight abilities to a mobility battlesuit.

8.Ask ARESTEVE to look over it and point out any problems.

Other:

9.Search for some type of stealth suit that a synthflesh body could wear without being hindered, that would allow a person good invisibility.  Try to find the best one I can for fifteen or less tokens.  Also make sure that I find one that we can actually produce.

[Sean Mirrsen]

Anton Chernozorov

Okay, barring intervention from the Council or Simus, build a prototype of the Jet Magnum. Test it to record its actual performance for simulation, then copy it to VR and put it on a VR battlesuit. Test how much damage it'll do on a perfectly connected hit to the limbs or torso of an enemy Battlesuit, and see what it can do against an Avatar. Test to see how much damage a glancing blow can inflict, and what are the best areas to aim for against either target. Test against a group of Sods, at very short range - how close would the Sods have to be for the expanding cloud of plasma to inflict any damage on them?

Start working on that MACS system. Start with a Mk3 suit redesigned to use Simus' MCP suit as a base, and work from there to make its rocket pods removable, as a first step. If EMM has to go, lose it. Make an atmospheric-flight electric turbofan pack that can fit it, and test its performance against the rocket-pack version. Use research data previously accumulated by Myamoto's and Saint's research projects to optimize the exoskeleton systems while I'm at it.

((Repeating the writeup of the Jet Magnum, for PW's benefit (and the Council's perusal):

Spoiler: "Jet Magnum" plasma stake weapon (click to show/hide)

Description: Designed to mimic the deadliness of a Plasma Projector without all the requisite physics-breaking technology, the Jet Magnum is a melee-range plasma stake weapon. Cheap and inobtrusive, the weapon fits over the forearm of a large robot such as a Battlesuit or Avatar of War, leaving the hand free for usual manipulation. Being overall larger, the Avatar-sized variant has somewhat greater maximum penetration, and deals rather more damage.
Function: The Jet Magnum uses ammunition, composed of a dedicated capacitor bank and a metal rod, to create and fire "plasma stakes" - short jets of superheated plasma intended to cleanly penetrate through nearly any physical armor up to two feet thick, and causing severe damage beyond that. It requires precise timing to properly use, as the stake's penetrating power rapidly diminishes with distance, and it must be fired at the exact moment when the robot's fist strikes the enemy for maximum damage.
Ammunition: Either single-shot reloads that fit into the weapon proper, or a five-round autoloader with dedicated battery bank, that makes the weapon slightly more obvious and vulnerable. The autoloader can be combined with a single preloaded round, giving a final capacity of 6 rounds at the cost of more time spent reloading.

Cost: 7 token for Battlesuit, 10 for Avatar.
Ammo cost: 1 token for 2 single-shot reloads. 3 token for 5-round loader.

Requirements: Requires a lot of strength and damn huge arms. Fundamentally unusable without a Battlesuit or Avatar of War, or equivalent.

Speaking of which, would an Avatar-mounted version of this weapon be more powerful? And would it be a separate weapon (i.e. more expensive), or would it just be the same thing?

[piecewise]

@Sean: You can just change it and make it not require any magnets to make it cheaper by having the plasma focused against the suit mechanically. Something like a suction cap that attaches itself to the target and then detonates like a shaped charge but with plasma. Maybe not so good for use by battlesuits, but it would be a good man-portable anti-armour weapon that doesn't involve automanipulators.

((Won't work. The device is probably about the same size as a HEP, which on further reflection it's also a good comparison to. A man-portable weapon like this would involve the man bravely running up to a rampaging death machine and ramming the business end of the weapon right against it. And then flying back ten meters from the recoil. I guess it at least provides you with a rapid escape method.

Plus you can't exactly focus the plasma mechanically. It rapidly eats/burns/melts through pretty much all conventional materials, and those magnetic fields is the only reason it doesn't all explode outward the moment it's made. The metal slug that the plasmaball is made from cannot be plasmarized all at once in the same instant, so at most you'll get a rapidly disintegrating, but fairly powerful rocket engine.
...
Heh heh.))

ninja edit:

You're gonna need to get recruits from off planet. You better hope the diplomacy mission goes well. That could get you some new help.

((Ok, so no new helping hands for now. Can we pad the numbers with drones? We can't make a specialized crew with this, but can we supplement our workers with engineer sods?

Yes, you have the ability to expand resource acquisition, though doing so is pretty resource intensive in and of itself. If you wanted it done in a reasonable timeframe you'd basically have to halt sod production and reroute a build team or two. Otherwise you can do it, it will just take a long time.

((Hmm. Hey syvarris, what do you say to unplugging your sod farm for a season? It's for the betterment of ARM!))

I think the basic idea is doable, I think the details of it need to be worked out. A modular powersuit would be very helpful if the parts can be rented. I'd think what you'd want is basically the MKIII with slots for attachment. Maybe even work on that first, before making something entirely new, since people already have MK IIIs. You could create modules to affix to its exoskeleton.

((I'd already started with the MkIII back when I was designing the MCS. Right now we've got the new MCP suit line, and I want to build on that. People can trade their suits in if they want to get the new MACS variants.

I can still probably create the suit as a stripped-down Mk3 first, but one of the ideas behind the MACS is that it allows to use fancy gadgets without spending extra money on an exoskeleton, if you're already strong enough. Or synthflesh. Also, it's kind of no longer a Mk3 if you strip the rockets out, and a most of the mission adaptability involves sacrificing the rockets for mission- or role-specific gear. I'll get on that IC when I have time.))

Simple labor isn't your problem. We've already got drones and robot stuff doing most of the unskilled labor. The problem is skilled laborers.

Unless one of you want to go up and personally help them out. That should account for a good amount of support.

((Double posting for less PW post clutter.  If anyone sees obvious things I missed, or problems of any form, please point them out.))

Okay, yeah, I'll take a different route to building the Braincase Battlesuit.

1.Open up the design for the battlesuit.  Remove the top three layers of armor from the design, and shrink the central cockpit area so it's just large enough to contain a braincase.  Also, swap the new 'top' layer with the original top layer, because apparently the latter is the super laser resistant one.

2.Remove all of the normal human interface things, like an openable door, keyboards, monitors, etc.  Just hook the braincase directly up to all the systems, much like how a robobody is done.

3.Redesign the arms and legs a bit, by removing the spaces and controls where the limbs are usually inserted, and replacing them with structural material.

4.Shrink the limbs down to a size small enough that the whole assembly can fit through a doorway, albeit awkwardly.  If they somehow don't have the +1/+1 of a normal exoskeleton, reinforce them however I can without increasing the size.  Add stronger metals, or stronger actuators or whatever.

5.Remove the claymore defense system, and emergency eject pod.  Alter the electrical defense system so that it can direct certain amounts of power to it's hands only.  Add auxiliary cameras to the back of the suit, and the crotch.  You said a regualar battlesuit has these as blindspots?

6.Add sleeves of a tough ballistic cloth over the joints, rigid enough that stuff can't be shoved into them, and with gussets so that they don't hinder movement. 

7.Remove the jump rockets, and give it flight rockets that allow it similar flight abilities to a mobility battlesuit.

8.Ask ARESTEVE to look over it and point out any problems.

Other:

9.Search for some type of stealth suit that a synthflesh body could wear without being hindered, that would allow a person good invisibility.  Try to find the best one I can for fifteen or less tokens.  Also make sure that I find one that we can actually produce.

1. Ok
2. Ok
3. Good
4. Alright, so 7 feet tall or so. This guy is gonna look rather oddly proportioned.
5.Ok, Ok,Alright,Heh crotchcam, Yeah, though it uses hand cams to over come them usually. But this works fine.
6.The first image return for Gusset is NSFW. Thanks internet. Also, heh, Gusset. Alright.
7.Alright.
8.Mechanically looks fine to me. A sort of "Heavy Prosthetic Body".

9.Hmmm. Problematic. Most of them use space magic. There are a few that use meta materials and cameras, but they're under-researched because everyone just used space magic. Hm.

Anton Chernozorov

Okay, barring intervention from the Council or Simus, build a prototype of the Jet Magnum. Test it to record its actual performance for simulation, then copy it to VR and put it on a VR battlesuit. Test how much damage it'll do on a perfectly connected hit to the limbs or torso of an enemy Battlesuit, and see what it can do against an Avatar. Test to see how much damage a glancing blow can inflict, and what are the best areas to aim for against either target. Test against a group of Sods, at very short range - how close would the Sods have to be for the expanding cloud of plasma to inflict any damage on them?

Start working on that MACS system. Start with a Mk3 suit redesigned to use Simus' MCP suit as a base, and work from there to make its rocket pods removable, as a first step. If EMM has to go, lose it. Make an atmospheric-flight electric turbofan pack that can fit it, and test its performance against the rocket-pack version. Use research data previously accumulated by Myamoto's and Saint's research projects to optimize the exoskeleton systems while I'm at it.

((Repeating the writeup of the Jet Magnum, for PW's benefit (and the Council's perusal):

Spoiler: "Jet Magnum" plasma stake weapon (click to show/hide)

Description: Designed to mimic the deadliness of a Plasma Projector without all the requisite physics-breaking technology, the Jet Magnum is a melee-range plasma stake weapon. Cheap and inobtrusive, the weapon fits over the forearm of a large robot such as a Battlesuit or Avatar of War, leaving the hand free for usual manipulation. Being overall larger, the Avatar-sized variant has somewhat greater maximum penetration, and deals rather more damage.
Function: The Jet Magnum uses ammunition, composed of a dedicated capacitor bank and a metal rod, to create and fire "plasma stakes" - short jets of superheated plasma intended to cleanly penetrate through nearly any physical armor up to two feet thick, and causing severe damage beyond that. It requires precise timing to properly use, as the stake's penetrating power rapidly diminishes with distance, and it must be fired at the exact moment when the robot's fist strikes the enemy for maximum damage.
Ammunition: Either single-shot reloads that fit into the weapon proper, or a five-round autoloader with dedicated battery bank, that makes the weapon slightly more obvious and vulnerable. The autoloader can be combined with a single preloaded round, giving a final capacity of 6 rounds at the cost of more time spent reloading.

Cost: 7 token for Battlesuit, 10 for Avatar.
Ammo cost: 1 token for 2 single-shot reloads. 3 token for 5-round loader.

Requirements: Requires a lot of strength and damn huge arms. Fundamentally unusable without a Battlesuit or Avatar of War, or equivalent.

Speaking of which, would an Avatar-mounted version of this weapon be more powerful? And would it be a separate weapon (i.e. more expensive), or would it just be the same thing?

Prototype built. Jet magnum sounds like an expensive brand of condoms. Just saying.
It does pretty good damage. Perfect hit on a limb can sever it, or at least render it extremely damaged. Against the Torso it could, with a good hit in the right place, kill the pilot in one blow. But thats a perfect hit. Still, pretty good.
Avatar is less bothered. It's bothered, don't get me wrong, but it could take the hit to any part and still keep going, albeit injured and very pissed off.
Glancing blows would probably only really damage the battle suit and even then only on more vulnerable parts. It's got enough armor to absorb the hits otherwise. imagine it as sort of a cone, about 8-10 feet long, and about 10 feet wide at it's widest before it peters out. If they're in that range, you're good.

Well, the main problem with making pods removable is there's a lot of mechanical stuff that goes with them, the stuff that lets them redirect themselves and change orientation to maneuver. Those are usually hard mounted onto the exoskeleton because of the force of the direction changes, which might otherwise tear them free. So you'd need a really heavy duty mounting system and probably some good tools and a helper to take them off and on. It's not just gonna be a snap on, snap off thing.

And rockets will always outperform fans in speed and maneuverability. They just plain have more thrust. But the fans use less energy, last longer and don't' spray fire and smoke everywhere.

As in one integrated into the avatar?