Iona II ICA
Because the Iona is a completely unmitigated failure, 100% useless in almost all combat conditions due to its fragility and low power, we've reworked the design. The three-coil system and microprocessor are removed and the original five-coil system and mechanical switch setup are replaced, why the mechanical system was unusable is beyond us. It's OK if two remaining coils don't exist (and thus don't fire) so long as the system "thinks" they fired, after all. Regardless, between these alterations and the addition of more battery space along the barrel (giving the weapon less of a puny, tiny feeling), we should be able to produce a rugged and reliable firearm, even if not presently cheap enough for widespread deployment.
Difficulty: Normal
Result: [3 + 2] → 5
AverageThe five-stage mechanical switch system was re-introduced to the Iona. The original plans for the system was either lost or stolen by Phoziris Saboteurs, so the system was re-made. It’s… Much larger than what we intended, due to the configuration of salvaged parts, and takes up the vast majority of the stock, so much so that the original battery systems in the stock had to be replaced with a stick that jutted out the side or bottom. Military Commanders quickly, hastily demand that a cable system be utilized in it place. To clarify, Pre-Collapse Military designers never put electrical storage systems into their weapons if it made the weapon bulkier, and preferred to have universal Power Systems (essentially batteries designed to be attached to a limb or body by strap or webbing hook) that hooked to the weapon.
Dozens upon dozens of meetings where they basically requested the same damn thing over and over occurred over this period, and as our world enters its summer months, more than one assistant has assaulted or been assaulted by Military command personnel. Morale has plummeted.
The five-stage Interlocked Coil System and its associated mechanical switch system (to clarify, it is a system which uses several simple electronic pieces of hardware to mechanically connect the circuits to fire the weapon at /exactly/ the right time instead of a general-purpose microprocessor.) was completed within deadlines, but it does not meet the mandate of a weapon that could be delivered to every soldier on the ground.
As stated before, we do not have enough resources to create five coils for each weapon, and they are by far the most expensive part of the weapon. Production up-scaling by 66% of the coils has begun rapidly consumed both our stockpiled magnetic resonance coils as well as the vast majority of our scavenging resources: even the most conservative estimates guess that our projection will collapse in approximately 3 years barring no changes.
The weapon is dangerous. It is large enough to be considered a main-weapon of the forces. It is every bit of 4 kilograms its known for, with just enough of a power increase to penetrate most or all scavenged armor examples if it is a direct hit.. Efficiency increases are not as high as expected, but the power consumption and efficiency ratios are just enough to get an equivalent battery from the previous design and fire a full magazine down range with the effectiveness of a nominal assault rifle lovingly crafted from scrap: It fires a hose of sixty rounds down range at 700 rounds a minute, using very easy to make ammunition.
It has exactly one flaw: Soldiers are complaining that the thing is too heavy. Four whole kilograms and a cable attachment to a UPS system means that this weapon is a pox upon our soldiers endurance.
[
Expensive,
3 Minerals,
3 Energy]
It is noted that, despite their generally omnicidal tendencies, Battleframes will not attack certain others. Our limited radio capabilities have partially revealed why. A pair of "friendly" BFs are constantly emitting signals in the electromagnetic spectrum to each other, a "call" signal, and a "response" one. It is thought that this communication prevents fighting between forces that, long ago, were on the same side.
Through the courageous action of some scouts armed with scavenged radios and recording devices, we've started to collate a library of these call and response signals. To use these, we've scavenged a supply of what are thought to be pre-conflict entertainment devices, which have been carefully modified to passively listen for our registered BF "calls". If one should be received, a corresponding response will be transmitted over a short-range transmitter.
In this manner, a BF can be fooled into not shooting at a soldier, though this is dependent on the BF's particular "call" being registered.
Difficulty: Normal
Result: [2+3] → 5
Average (Not a repeat.)
A last ditch gadget, and the Best Friend of our personnel, the IFF Ping Emitter is simply a salvaged receiver radio attached to a transmitter, and programmed with the most modern variation of the IFF pings that the Battle-Frames emit. While standard Yaerian Doctrine insists that the IFF signals and digital encryptions are constantly updated by Yaerian Command Elements and later Grave-Mind Command Systems, it seems that particular structure has collapsed, and has reverted to tried and true mutating broadband call signals that propagate throughout the network about a dozen times over a period of a cycle.
In simple terms: we can mimic a “true” frequency call using our radios and a Battle-Frame will not shoot at us, provided it is not actively commiting a reprisal action on our troops or doing anything warranting an in depth scan. It’s not particularly complicated to deploy, but the difficulty of replicating \ the emissions of a Battle-Frames IFF signal is hard, and stars help you if you send a Battle-Frames own IFF ping at it. The signal division that haunts Battle-Frames to copy their IFFs hasn't come up with a name, and operations command is hounding them for one right now, which you can probably provide, seeing as you are their direct superior.
[
Expensive,
Complex]
DesignsTransportation Capacity: 2 [1 used]
Resources: 1 Minerals, 3 Energy
Weapons
Salvaged Weaponry: Most scouts and some veteran personnel managed to get their hands on hand-crafted or pre-annihilation weapons that use a variety of methods of delivery. Logistics for these variable effectiveness weapons will be a headache until a standardized loadout is made. A vast majority of these weapons are lovingly crafted by the scavengers, and as such are chemically accelerated. The few energy weapons in this mix are terrifying examples of what was our might, but we do not yet have the technological nor industrial might to recreate them, or even put them back together if we dismantle them. (N/A)
Iona II ICA
A large, boxy and rugged weapon more in line with the A-M_CA, the Iona ICA is capable of launching 60 70mmx3mm flechette needles into a target at 700 rounds a minute with a fully mechanically operated 5 coil system. It fires with enough power to directly pierce most examples of scavenged armor with a direct hit. Powered by external battery systems with a cable port in the stock that also accept stick batteries.
[Expensive, 3 Minerals, 3 Energy]
18mmx1.V(Variable) Anti-Material Coil Accelerator- Breech Loader: an Antitank Rifle with an unparalleled ruggedness. Using a coiled magnetic system to fire, it is able to be fielded with munitions prepared in the field, requires a tripod or an exoskeleton to wield. Standard loadout is 30-40 shots worth of fire. Semi-Automatic requires about 3 seconds reload the weapon unless its breech-loader fails, then it is a frustrating time to reload it.
[Expensive/Very Expensive, 2+2 Minerals, 3 Energy]
Misc. Equipment
Survivalist uniform: Our troops are issued all the equipment they need to, in theory, survive the toxic air and deadly cold of some parts of the city. Given in the form of whatever can be found, but the standard is a gas mask and a coat in our colors, a Purple-ish coloration.
IFF Ping Emitter: A system by which Battle-Frame IFF signals are captured and reproduced at the call of another Battle-Frame, sometimes tricking it into not opening fire and moving on with its bizarre programming. Sginal capture means that while every soldier has a IFF Ping Emitter, it doesnt work all the time.
[Expensive, Complex]
Infrastructure
RESU: The ultimate in standardized battery production, an evolution of the Protobattery into a scalable system from anything from handheld to logistical systems. (1 Energy + 1 Energy, requires 1 TC)
Sky-Thread Base: One of the “lesser” achievements of our species exists in our territory, the amputated space-elevator is in the center of what was once the world's largest mercantile sector. Although the miracle of the thread is long gone, it’s surrounded by dozens of armatures and cargo unloading hardware that has been jury-rigged into transportation in between the jagged buildings of the Elorious.
PressGanged Cargo Loaders: Heavy, disposable vehicles designed to move cargo to the front, these vehicles are descendants of Thread-Base hardware for moving heavy goods, and use their bulk and armor plating to make rubbled areas traversable. Sometimes deployed on the front lines as an unauthorized Armored Personnel Carrier. + 2 LAND TC
[Expensive, 3 Minerals, 2 Energy]
It is now the
Design of Cycle -0.5 Next phase will be Revision. Final results for the
Event will be posted on the Core Thread.
You have one Research Credit for [Exosuits and Robotics] which allow you to roll 4d4 for one roll, taking the two best.
Author
Topic: Desolation: Arms Race Against Extinction-Elorius R&D: 0.75 Design Phase (Read 6318 times)