((Ah, woops, I hadn't updated the Heph page since the first. I actually assigned that Science crew to researching a MMI back on the second, although headless is also a good project. We do have a construction crew, so that part's fine. I updated the wiki page, so it's now up to date and accurate.))
Just to make sure, we actually don't have a free science crew- I'd just forgotten to update the wiki page. Turn will come later.
Medium armor design (Badgerplate?):
1.Okay, so we've determined with the Battlesuit thing that a layer of either of the hex armors is equivalent in cost to a layer of BS plate. Now, I want to make a really thin variant of that BS's armor, basically medium armor for infantry, like Milnoplate.
2.To do this, I want to take the inch thick layer of hexbug and make it a third as thick. Before I commit to this, test how tough it is against impact. Before, you said this is thick enough to resist a gauss cannon, but shatter in the process. I assume that means it can resist standard gauss rifle rounds?
3.Now, test the weight of it. Full milnoplate would cancel out the strength of an exoskeleton, but what percentage of that weight would a chestplate and helmet of this weigh?
4.Test a 1/6 inch layer of hexsand against a cutting laser. This is a third the thickness that can resist a plasma projector, so I guess it does fine?
5.Test the weight of a full suit (which uses plates to cover most of the body, but not joints) made of this, as compared to full Milnoplate.
6.Lastly, test a half-thickness layer of battlesuit plate, for completeness. It resists gauss rifles and laser rifles fine, right?
7.I'm just gonna assume a full suit of this weighs half as much as full Milnoplate.
Back to the Battlesuits
8.I wanna replace the Battlesuit's endo/exo/whateverskeleton system with one of the improved skeleton's from Radio's research project. Can we get any benefit from this, and if so, to what degree? +1/3 to str/end?
9.Same for the heavy robobody, which I'll assume is to the same degree unless you say otherwise.
((Did I forget anything?))