Author Topic: Rūaumoko - a Toad 2.0??  (Read 1371 times)

AngryButler with a KNIFE!

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Rūaumoko - a Toad 2.0??
« on: 08 December 2017, 20:37:19 »
Historical Background:

While the Clan 'Standard' Battle Armor has long since taken up the bulk of the load in the various Clan Toumans, it is by no means well liked within them by and large. In many ways, the original 'Toad' Elemental suit is still considered to be a superior unit in the minds of the Elemental phenotype warriors, even in the face of somewhat conflicting reports to the opposite. Whether this is true or not, the original model is invariably viewed as a 'step up' from many modern standards. Feeling external pressure from the Ghost Bear's ever increasing stream of new alternative Battle Armors, and internal pressure from restless and loudly opinionated infantry, Clan Hell's Horses finally moved forward to address the issue with what can effectively be viewed as an Elemental 2.0 in design, the Rūaumoko.

Going back to the original chassis that worked so well that it virtually epitomizes Battle Armor even today, a hundred years after the initial Clan Invasion, the Horses took to utilizing as many minor miniaturization tweaks and work-arounds that have developed over the past hundred years. In some cases, even taking cues from Inner Sphere Battle Armor, albeit with more compact Clantech composites, alloys, and better quality controls. The result is a Battle Armor that has virtually identical movement, jump, and armor strength characteristics as the original Elemental, but with a vastly enhanced armaments loadout. The new unit would be named in honor of a Maori earth god who holds domain over volcanoes and earthquakes, which is fitting for the older 'elemental' naming tradition.

Capabilities:

One of the first major changes noticeable is that the Rūaumoko is incapable of swapping out its primary weapon on its left arm. But with an integrated micro pulse laser which shares the same range and firepower of the original's standard small laser, now with the rapid machinegun-like accuracy of a pulse emitter, rare is the Elemental that grumbles about the issue. The other noticeable change is one appealed directly to the Horse's in a traditional sense, in that the Rūaumoko shares a virtually identical missile equipped backpack as the older Golem Battle Armor, also originally created by the Horses back in 3056. While not nearly as flexible in the ammunition types available to the standard Battle Armor SRM launchers, the additional range and accuracy were deemed to be more than worth the additional volume and mass taken up. The upgrade from the older style claw to a vibro-blade coated one, and the addition of a second anti-personnel hardpoint - while the original Elemental could only mount one - below the pulse laser, go nearly unnoticed compared to the other two external changes. Internally though is the largest change, in that the Rūaumoko has what may be the first upgrade to the classic battle armor scale Harjel system, having taken cues from the 'Mech mounted Harjel II and Harjel III systems, if more to squeeze out every drop of efficiency possible with limited harjel supplies, than the armor 'regeneration' possible with the larger system.

As for now, the only issues with the Rūaumoko is that it is still so new that no major maintenance stockpiles of components for it exists as yet. That and in reverting to the original Elemental chassis, however tweaked, means that many modern techs need to be re-familiarized with the older technologies, especially the harjel systems. Partially offsetting this is that Hell's Horses took the time to make sure that their newest Battle Armor could be rapidly re-armed in the field, with 'hot' swap in/swap out SRM cartridges, AP grade power-pack & box magazine hardpoints, and numerous well disguised charging ports for both the suit itself and the laser. Complete reloading of a Rūaumoko can done in as little as a minute, or just SRM reloads alone in thirty seconds. A full top out of its power-packs from a fusion generator, refilling/flushing of its life support systems, and a complete reloading of its entire loadout, can be achieved in just in five minutes even in the field. Just about the only downside to this is that the Rūaumoko is simply unable to mount additional power packs, nor any extensions to the life support functions of the suit without heavily compromising its structural integrity.

Quirks:
Difficult to Maintain
Easy to Reload

Optional:
No Rūaumoko Battle Armor variant can mount either the 'Power Pack' and/or the 'Extended Life Support' pieces of equipment. They are completely incompatible due to its internal layout, and if either are mounted, that variant immediately gains the negative 'Poor Sealing' design quirk.

Code: [Select]
Rūaumoko (Clan general Medium) BattleArmor
Clan experimental

BV: 570
Cost: 3,632,500 C-bills

Movement: 1/1/3

Internal: 5
Armor: 50
                     Internal    Armor
--------------------------------------
Trooper 1                   1       10
Trooper 2                   1       10
Trooper 3                   1       10
Trooper 4                   1       10
Trooper 5                   1       10

Weapon                         Loc  Heat
----------------------------------------
Micro Pulse Laser (Left arm)   Point     1
Swarm Mek                      Point     0
Attack Swarmed Mek             Point     0
Stop Swarm Attack              Point     0
Leg Attack                     Point     0
Advanced SRM 2 (Body)          Point     0

Ammo                           Loc Shots
----------------------------------------
Advanced SRM 2 Ammo            Point     2

Equipment                      Loc
----------------------------------
Anti Personnel Weapon Mount (Right arm) Point
Anti Personnel Weapon Mount (Left arm) Point
BA Standard                    None
Battle Vibro Claw (Right arm)  Point

I love my Wiesel XII. Yes, yes I do.

 

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