Direct physical violence. My original plan for the war crabs was as boarding units, they are teleported in large numbers by a third party. If any get on board they broadcast the location and the next wave overwhelms the target and disables whatever is controlling it, typically by incapacitating the crew or severing the control networks. If none get on board, say the enemy has teleportation blockers, then those that are close to something try to fly towards it, latch on, use their beacon to allow others to teleport closer, then try to get inside. As awesome as a teleporting assault squad is, mounting a teleportation generator onto them defeats the purpose of a very cheap and compact weapon.
So...
Lets modify a Jellymind to have a number of factory organs and teleportation organs but reduced mental faculties. It will also mount sensory apparatus on its tentacles to better assess cloaked objects.
The factory organs will manufacture Storm Scuttlers, although this is a secondary purpose.
The teleportation organs should be able to teleport a large number, let's say 125, Storm Scuttlers in a loose cloud at a destination or in a more concentrated cloud around a teleport beacon.
The defences will mostly be a matter of redundancy, hopefully it will continue to function even if it is bisected or suffers explosions within its body.
Each should hold about 3000 Storm Scuttlers and launch about 1000 at once.
The Storm Scuttlers should be about a metre long, half a metre wide and half a metre tall. They will have a tail section consisting of a teleportation beacon and an engine, the engine will consist of focusing channels for steering and a reservoir of massively pressurised gas intended for high acceleration but limited fuel and will also function as a backup air supply after the majority of the pressure has been released.
Solid-surface locomotion will be provided by 3 pairs of legs protruding from behind the forward mass, these will have claws that can be projected out at high velocities to puncture surfaces as they walk to improve grip. On land the legs will alternate their steps. In a fluid environment the legs will kick in unison and be stream-lined to maximise forward propulsion.
Projecting from the front will be three claws, each designed for puncturing and cutting.
Between each claw will be a pressurised growth that can explode to project armour-piercing needles coated in a chemical-inhibiting solution that should act as a sedative or toxin to most forms of life.
In the centre will be a 'mouth' with a number of tentacles, the tip of each tentacle secretes a powerful adhesive and can be projected up to 20 metres and then retracted with sufficient force to pull the Storm Scuttler at a respectable pace. The mouth will secrete a solvent for the adhesive so that a tongue can be cut free of an object then retracted into the mouth to be liberated. The mouth will be surrounded by 4 teeth designed to cut through just about anything.
Armour will probably need to be relatively light, but should be heaviest around an internal air supply and should include vacuums for low-mass pressure-wave inhibition.
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Topic: Evolution: Jethro is back!?!?! [SPACE] (Read 123688 times)