Human Faction: Jarlsheim, Weapons and Equipment

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Blackwing
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Human Faction: Jarlsheim, Weapons and Equipment

Post by Blackwing »

A Raven Feeder Quartermaster's Guide

In the years prior to the fall of the ECoH, most military units belonging to the worlds and colonies making up the current factions were remnants of armed resistance cells that had fought in the war against Ädelhart and the Bhat.

Because each cell had it's own practices and it's own preferred equipment and most importantly because the ECoH simply did not have the resources to standardize the equipment of such a large and diverse force of soldiers, the ECoH used a practice referred to as 'Se Armant' (latin for 'They arm themselves/each other'), where each world or division was responsible for arming it's own troops with a basic budget provided by the ECoH if needed.

Several decades of peace, followed by the forming of the Factions however has made it so that setting up a standardized load out for each soldier per faction is both feasible and, in the face of heavy recruitment, even essential.

Jarlsheim Protectorate:

As of the year Secession + 3, Jarlsheim was the first Faction to fully standardize military equipment for all it's units.

Varangian Arms PCAR3
Type: Electromagnetic Coil Assault Rifle (slug thrower)
Cartridge: 8mm+4TF (Thread Ferric)
Rate of Fire: 450 RPM
Grip: Straight

The Personal Coiled Assault Rifle '3 made by Varangian Arms, the main supplier of the Jarlsheim arsenal, is a result of Jarlsheimi research into viable electromagnetic weapons for the use of solid ammunition.
The main problem faced by VA designers was the fact that regular ferric (iron and steel or amalgams containing iron) ammunition simply did not keep it's shape under the forces required to penetrate modern day armour.
After several attempts at using miniaturized shaped charged or a railgun design for the purpose of delivering non-ferric bullets, it was a straightforward idea by a young lab tech that provided the perfect solution.

The PCAR3 uses a two-phase magnetic coil to fire an artificial diamond bullet, 8mm in diameter, threaded with four spirals of non-magnetized steel. The advantage of this cartridge, aside from it's high penetration potential, is that the steel spirals threaded around the bullet cause it to spin as it leaves the barrel. Rifling is generally useless in Coil guns, but the ferric thread of the 8mm+4TF produces a very similar effect, increasing accuracy.

At 450 RPM, the PCAR3 has a very low rate of fire for an assault rifle. This was a conscious decision by the designers, rather than a technical limitation, based on their conclusion that the most effective method of firing for any Assault Rifle is in short bursts. The reduced rate of fire allows for a smaller coil than was used in test models (which had an RPM of between 1500 and 2000 RPM) and also reduces energy drains on the magazine's battery.

Varangian Arms LCMG3
Type: Light Electromagnetic Coil Machine gun (slug thrower)
Cartridge: 8mm+4TF (Thread Ferric)
Rate of Fire: 2500 RPM
Grip: Straight

Born in the same project as the PCAR3, the Varangian Arms Light Coil Machine Gun '3 is a heavier version of the same design. Mounted with a bipod and fed from a 2000 round 'box slide' magazine, the LCMG3 features a longer barrel and a heavier coil than it's little brother.

This weapon can fully discharge it's magazine in less than a minute. Combined with a special magazine that is easy to replace when empty, this allows a LCMG3 equipped soldier to lay down a near-continuous hail of bullets.

Unlike the PCAR3, the LCMG3 is not meant for 'on the move' firing, due to it's cumbersome design, and as such it is not quite as useful when not deployed into a stable position. It is, however, excellent at providing suppressive fire and covering important tactical positions, such as bottlenecks and doors and windows.

Varangian Arms HRCG4
Type: Heavy Electromagnetic Rail Chain Gun (slug thrower)
Cartridge: 8mm UDF (Unthreaded Diamond Flechette)
Rate of Fire: 2x3000 RPM
Grip: Straight

Half a year after it's Coil Gun cousins were first approved, the Heavy Rail Chain Gun '4 resulted from a side-project in the Electromagnetic Armaments project.
Unlike the threaded bullets of the '3 designs, the HRCG4 uses completely non-magnetic diamond 'darts' intended for optimal penetration of heavy infantry and light vehicle armour.

The HRCG4 has two barrels, both of which use a chain of steel 'slings' to fling it's projectiles at incredible speeds and firing rates.

Unlike the Coil guns, the HRCG4 is not technically intended for infantry use and is instead used solely in a vehicle mounted or base defence role.

Varangian Arms TAPCSR 'Deathbolt'
Type: Electromagnetic Coil Anti-Personnel Sniper Rifle (slug thrower)
Cartridge: 14mm+4TF (Thread Ferric)
Rate of Fire: 150 RPM
Grip: Straight

The Deathbolt Tactical Anti-Personnel Coiled Snipe Rifle is an assassin's weapon. Snipers equipped with the Deathbolt are not meant to get into direct combat and they are not intended to waste their ammo on rank-and-file soldiers.
Jarlsheim snipers instead focus on breaking down the enemy's chain of command by taking out anyone in charge.
This weapon has a relatively low rate of fire for a Varangian Arms weapon, but since it is completely recoilless at 150 RPM, it can take out a general and anyone standing nearby in a single minute. This means that the survival rate of anyone who steps into a Jarlsheim sniper's scope is slim to none.

The Deathbolt's 14mm rounds, as opposed to the standard 8mm used by most other VA weapons means a heavier bullet, which in turn increases stopping power. The bullets use flechette style wings, while still using the standard four threads of ferric material to allow coil gun firing. This lends it stability to compensate for the larger round's susceptibility to gravity.

Varangian Arms MCAR5
Type: Electromagnetic Coil Marksman's Rifle (slug thrower)
Cartridge: 14mm+4TF (Thread Ferric)
Rate of Fire: 550 RPM
Grip: Straight

A marriage of the VA LCMG3 and the Deathbolt, the Marksman's Coiled Assault Rifle '5 features the Light Machine gun's overall build with a Deathbolt type scope and loading mechanism. This cuts down on the bulk of the LCMG3, allowing the user to fire it accurately without the bipod. Nevertheless the integrated bipod is still incorporated in the design.

The MCAR5 was created primarily to lend Jarlsheim troops defensibility against enemy snipers as well as other enemy positions.

Jarlsheim Terraforming 'Peeps'
Type: Personal Plasma Sidearm (Carbon Plasma pistol)
Cartridge: 10SCP (Ten shot Carbon Plasma)
Rate of Fire: 50 RPM
Grip: Pistol

When the weapon bids for Jarlsheim's military armament were up, Varangian Arms was not the only company to propose weapons. Jarlsheim Terraforming had years of experience working with carbon plasma, a result of the method used to reduce the amount of Carbon-Dioxide in Jarlsheim's atmosphere.

Realizing they could not compete with Varangian Arms' excellent Assault Rifle and Machine Gun prototypes, JT instead focussed on making weapons which would be able to use the significant power of plasma, without being hindered by it's main weakness: lack of range.

The 'Peeps' Personal Plasma Sidearm is intended for short range use only, which is not a problem for a sidearm, and fires a powerful 'short stream' of Plasma at the intended target. Though the plasma dissipates quite quickly against highly armoured targets, it wreaks havoc on flesh and light armour.

Jarlsheim Terraforming 'Untrencher'
Type: Plasmathrower (Carbon Plasma streamer)
Cartridge: CP10min (10 minute tank)
Rate of Fire: 100 liters/min
Grip: Pistol

Another JT close range weapon, the 'Untrencher' Tactical Plasma Streamer harkens back to one of the earliest plasma weapons known to man: The flamethrower.

Working on similar principles, the Untrencher is used to fire a wide, all consuming stream of Carbon plasma into enemy positions. With a range of only 50-100 meters, it's user needs to get close, but the intended target isn't usually moving any way.

Field testing revealed that the Untrencher has a secondary use as well: When fired for only a few seconds at, for instance, a closed door, the weapon's stream covers what's hit with a layer of a mixture of graphite and diamond (bort, specifically). This effectively seals said door against all attempts to open it from the other side, short of burning through.
For this reason, many heavily armoured victims on the Untrencher die not from plasma burns, but suffocation as the weapon coats any enemies with armour strong enough to withstand it in the same substance, causing them to remain immobile with their air filters clogged up until they run out of air, or of dehydration, if they are unlucky enough to be immobilized without having their air filters clogged.

Jarlsheim Terraforming 'Boomstick'
Type: Anti-personnel Plasma Trenchgun (Carbon Plasma Trenchgun)
Cartridge: 15SCP (fifteen shot Carbon Plasma)
Rate of Fire: 150 RPM
Grip: Pistol

The Boomstick is the last in the line of JT's plasma-based weapon. A plasma-based trenchgun, it serves a similar function as the Untrencher, but is easier to carry and does not require a designated user.

The Boomstick fires a more focussed 'stream' of plasma than the Untrencher, allowing it to burn through slightly thicker armour. It's mainly to be used as the designated weapon of the point man of a trench/position clearing operation, but has also been used as a boarding weapon in ship-to-ship action, where it excels due to a lack of heavy armour on the enemy's side.
So Einstein was wrong when he said "God does not play dice". Consideration of black holes suggests, not only that God does play dice, but that He sometimes confuses us by throwing them where they can't be seen. ~ Stephen Hawking
Blackwing
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Re: Human Faction: Jarlsheim, Weapons and Equipment

Post by Blackwing »

Varangian Arms THOOM
Type: Electromagnetic Coil Mortar (slug thrower)
Cartridge: 180mm+5FCF (Finned Cannister Ferric)
Rate of Fire: 20 RPM
Platform: Aim-assist self adjusting baseplate or Powered Armour Ordinance Mount.

The Varangian Arms Tactical Heavy Ordnance Open-frame Mortar is a clear example of one field in which the Jarlsheim factions outshines it's most direct opponent, the Wayfarer's Guild: Indirect Fire. Since the Wayfarer's Guild arms it's planetary troops primarily with Laser-based weapons, Jarlsheim commanders are able to rain down withering barrages of mortar and artillery fire from behind heavy cover without fear of their opponent returning in kind.
The THOOM was, in fact, specifically designed only recently with the Wayfarers in mind. Military analysts and researchers at the Varangian Arms armoury in Niflheim foresaw that the enemy's space superiority would translate into air superiority as well and revived the idea of infantry carried mortar platforms as a method of giving even the the least mechanised infantry units the basic capability of raining attacks from above down on the enemy in the absence of air support to perform the role for them.
As it turns out, Wayfarer pilots were far more comfortable in space than in an atmosphere and this has caused their dominance of the air to be quite a bit less than absolute.
The THOOM is nevertheless seen as a welcome addition to the Raven Feeder arsenal by most of it's commanders as it serves well as a suppression weapon.
The launcher itself is an open design, meaning the mortar is fired from a Electromagnetic Coiled 'skeleton' rig, rather than a closed tube. This reduces air friction on the mortar compared to closed tube designs and makes the weapon collapsible, decreasing encumbrance.
The mortars themselves are hard plastic cannisters fitted with ferric fins for EC launch and stabilization. These cannisters can carry a wide variety of payloads.

Varangian Arms DCG32
Type: Defensive Concussive Grenade (infantry grenade)
Shape: Stick Grenade

The DCG mark 32 is a staple of the Raven Feeders and has been for a long time. As a very basic infantry grenade it is intended for use as a Defensive grenade, meaning it has relatively high lethality in a relatively low radius, making it safe to throw at close range.
Like most concussive grenades, the DCG32 is useful against enemies in many lighter variations of powered armour as it relies on a shockwave rather than armour penetration to kill opponents. The DCG32 is fully capable of knocking down troops in powered armour not specifically stabilized to defend against it, especially within the edge of it's effective radius.
Though hardly a new innovation, the revived 'stick' shape of the grenade allows it to be deployed further away from the user than the outdated round and cylinder shaped grenades popular in ages past.

Varangian Arms/Jarlsheim Terraforming SpPG 'Fogger' MPOP 109
Type: Offensive Plasma Grenade (infantry grenade)
Shape: Sling Grenade

The Multi-Purpose Ordnance Project 109 'Spreading' Plasma grenade or 'Fogger' is an offensive grenade developed as part of a project aimed at the development of a wide range of infantry deployed ordnance, each with a specific purpose in mind.
The Fogger itself is a medium range grenade intended for use against enemies in fortifications or other semi-enclosed positions. Despite it's harmless sounding nickname, which makes it seem like a smoke grenade, the Fogger releases a cloud of highly reactive Plasma into its direct vicinity. This cloud quickly eats away at any enemy equipment, including body and even powered armour, it comes into contact with and is even more destructive to the (eventually) exposed flesh of enemy troops.
The fact that it's payload is completely inert and harmless before it is activated makes this grenade relatively safe in use. However this does mean that the grenade takes rather longer to 'cook' than most other types of grenades and impatient Jarlsheim troops who throw it right after popping the pin, rather than observing the 'ten second count' rule associated with these grenades are likely to have them thrown back at them before they detonate. Troops deploying the Fogger are also advised to pick out a target well before activating the payload and to stay well within cover while awaiting the optimal deployment time, since becoming incapacitated and unable to deploy the grenade during this time poses a significant risk to the user and nearby allies.
The 'Sling' design of the grenade (with it's durable plastic cord) allows the user to build up momentum for the throw by swinging the grenade around and releasing at the correct time to achieve the desired trajectory. This does however, take some practice and troops without the requisite training to use this method are likely better served by deploying the grenade like a regular stick grenade.

Varangian Arms/Jarlsheim Terraforming ShPG 'Pi Platter' MPOP 314
Type: Offensive Plasma Grenade (infantry grenade)
Shape: Discus Grenade

'Attempt 14', the 'Shaped' Plasma Grenade, is the accepted conclusive result of objective 3 of the Multi-Purpose Ordnance Project: to design an Offensive grenade for the specific purpose of countering enemy powered armour in the open field.
The 'Pi Platter' achieves this goal through fifteen individual 'shaped plasma charges' on it's upper surface, which spray a concentrated jet of agitated metallic plasma at the area around the grenade. This is essentially the same age old technique previously used to take out heavier variants of powered armour.
Due to it's ability to effectively incapacitate several such enemies within it's range simultaneously, it has proven effectively cheaper, quicker and safer than taking out each individual power armours with guided or unguided missiles. Specifically for guided missiles this is the case even up to such a low rate as one confirmed powered armour per ten grenades deployed.
Likewise, it's discus shape allows properly trained personnel to deploy it reliably at the intended target, even at long distance.
The Pi Platter does come with disadvantages however. Due to it's specific shape and considerable bulk for an infantry grenade any given soldier can only carry a very limited number of them in addition to their standard kit.
The grenade also relies heavily on a correct method of deployment in order to be effective; A ShPG 314 that lands on the wrong side sends its sprays harmlessly into the ground and if it lands on it's edge it's shape ensures that tends to roll well away from the intended target and land the wrong side up.
As such the Pi Platter is most effective when handled by a dedicated grenadier trained in it's use and equipped with a specially selected kit, rather than the standard infantry kit of regular soldiers.
On the bright side, some of the current batch of trained Anti-PA grenadiers have shown a knack for unconventional methods of deployment for the Pi Platter, such as throwing it upside down at long distance in order to ensure it detonates in the air, hitting the intended target from above, which allows the grenade to be effective against targets behind some types of cover.
So Einstein was wrong when he said "God does not play dice". Consideration of black holes suggests, not only that God does play dice, but that He sometimes confuses us by throwing them where they can't be seen. ~ Stephen Hawking
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Booted Vulture
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Re: Human Faction: Jarlsheim, Weapons and Equipment

Post by Booted Vulture »

Cool ordinance, Blackwing. The mortar's name is a nice acronym. Is it onomatopoeic?
Ah Brother! It's been too long!
Blackwing
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Re: Human Faction: Jarlsheim, Weapons and Equipment

Post by Blackwing »

Yup, that's what it sounds when it hits. It replaces the Tactical High Utility Mortar Projector, which just didn't have enough kick to it.

It might also amuse you to know that it's slightly heavier cousin is more commonly mounted in an array on vehicles and is thus called the Coordinated Artillery Barrage-Oriented Open Mortar System. Also quite onomatopoeic.

I imagine the guy who arranged for these acronyms is the joker who decided to nickname the plasma shotguns 'Boomsticks'.

In universe that is. In reality I'm forced to take full responsibility for that.
So Einstein was wrong when he said "God does not play dice". Consideration of black holes suggests, not only that God does play dice, but that He sometimes confuses us by throwing them where they can't be seen. ~ Stephen Hawking
Blackwing
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Re: Human Faction: Jarlsheim, Weapons and Equipment

Post by Blackwing »

(Small update this time, moving on to armour)

Svartalf Robotics Space grade Tactical Light Armour
Type: Light Infantry Armour (unpowered)
Users: Jarlsheim Space forces, Raven Feeders, Jarlsheim Navy.
Protection grade: Civilian+

The Space grade TLA is the standard armour used for all Jarlsheim military personnel who are expected to be in combat situations, but not likely to come in direct personal contact with enemy infantry.
This primarily means the crew of Jarlsheim spaceships, Raven Feeder vehicle operators and Jarlsheim naval personnel. However it is also a common armour for troops in fortifications, military police and support troops.
The TLA is an open armour consisting of a sleeved padded doublet woven from carbon fibres, covered by pressed carbon fibre cuirass, pauldrons, vambrace and rerebrace on the upper body and a similar assortment of woven pants with pressed plates on the legs. It's therefore essentially the carbon fibre equivalent of a light set of medieval plate mail, though fitted and articulated to allow better movement.
It is completely impenetrable to all known weapons legally available to Jarlsheim civilians and even provides limited protection against military grade weapons. The plates of the armour are curved, allowing it to rely partly on deflecting projectiles, rather than simply absorbing the energy of the impact.
While the plated nature of the armour does result in a very slight hindrance on free movement, this was deemed to be of little consequence as it's intended users were not expected to perform extensive feats of acrobatics while wearing it in the field.
So Einstein was wrong when he said "God does not play dice". Consideration of black holes suggests, not only that God does play dice, but that He sometimes confuses us by throwing them where they can't be seen. ~ Stephen Hawking
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Booted Vulture
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Re: Human Faction: Jarlsheim, Weapons and Equipment

Post by Booted Vulture »

I love that they basically use ye olde plate armour in the future. It is an exciting time to be saying 'forsooth' y'all.
Last edited by Booted Vulture on Mon Mar 22, 2010 12:08 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Ah Brother! It's been too long!
Blackwing
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Re: Human Faction: Jarlsheim, Weapons and Equipment

Post by Blackwing »

Woah, I was so used to not getting comments except right after posting something new that I missed that for almost two weeks :oops:

And indeed it is basically old style plate mail in the future, mainly because the new technologies and materials of the space age allow for personal armour in infantry combat again. And then it quickly becomes obvious that useless as a steel mail of plates may have been against bullets, the design itself is very efficient for protecting the body.

That... And Jarlsheim, being a 'themeworld' is officially very focused on 'recapturing the glory days' of the culture they've opted to emulate. (Though unofficially, most people in universe, including the later generations of inhabitants of these themeworlds mostly consider the whole movement one big joke and tend to be more pragmatic about it).
So Einstein was wrong when he said "God does not play dice". Consideration of black holes suggests, not only that God does play dice, but that He sometimes confuses us by throwing them where they can't be seen. ~ Stephen Hawking
Blackwing
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Re: Human Faction: Jarlsheim, Weapons and Equipment

Post by Blackwing »

Double post intentional, because, at least with the theme I'm using, the 'Blackwing's notes' don't seem to be readable on the light blue background.

Also: I promise to do another update earliest thing tomorrow if I get at least one comment, otherwise I will... Also update tomorrow, but I'll probably get a cup of coffee first.
So Einstein was wrong when he said "God does not play dice". Consideration of black holes suggests, not only that God does play dice, but that He sometimes confuses us by throwing them where they can't be seen. ~ Stephen Hawking
Blackwing
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Re: Human Faction: Jarlsheim, Weapons and Equipment

Post by Blackwing »

Holy shit an update!

Yeah, I thought 3/4 of a year was enough. More importantly I finally have the time and inspiration to do this again.

So without further ado: More armour.

Svartalf Robotics Infantry grade Self-Powered General Infantry Armour
Type: Light Infantry Armour (powered)
Users: Raven Feeders, Valkyries, Berserkers, Vikings (Jarlsheim 'Marines').
Protection grade: Military I- (for the Mark 1.4 and 2-RI versions), Military I (for the Mark 2.2-PS Retrofit)

After the success of the original TLA project (of which the modern TLA is an exact duplicate with modern materials), the mid-colonisation era Jarlsheimi government commissioned Svartalf Robotics on a second project: The design and production of a viable Self-Powered combat armour for Jarlsheim's infantry troops in order to lend the military some independence from Earth-based manufacturers.
The result was the initial Mark 1 SP-GIA or 'Clanker' and it was, by general agreement, considered a small disaster. While the Clanker was easy to mass-produce and repair, troopers were generally convinced that the things came in only two sizes: too large and too fucking large. Which was generally true.
During the early production phases, it was determined that due to the rigidity of the system, an armour that was too tight for the wearer was useless because it was too dangerous. If the armour's automatic servos were shorter than the wearer's own body, using the armour resulted in bruising and strained muscles at best and multiple-fracture broken bones at worst, while wearing one which was too larger was simply slightly uncomfortable. And so the designers decided to simply build their prototype to the size of the largest known trooper in the force at the time.
The result was that most users of the SP-GIA Mark 1 did not get nearly as much power out of the system as they could have, had it fitted properly and the project was almost scrapped.
Until the design of the Mark 1.1 upgrade kit (the Mark 1.2 being the official designation for a Mark 1 system with the kit pre-applied), which had new adjustable servo systems that could be lengthened or shortened to fit the user.
This alleviated some of the system's problems and the Mark 1.2 was put into mass-production.
Until the Themeworld Self-Governance Declaration spawned the first armed conflict in which Clanker-1.2's saw actual full-scale combat that is.
During the Theme-wars, the General Infantry, specifically 2nd Division, the 'Ravenfeeders', generally discovered that the enemy, without Powered Armours, was running circles around them. While the servo system was now completely form-fitted, the armoured plates were still the size of the original Mark 1 and this meant that for the large majority of troops, they hampered free movement greatly.
Many of the other divisions' soldiers found to their dismay that during heavy action or fast movement, the over-sized plates scraped against each other and in particularly bad cases, locked under one-another at the joints, essentially locking the soldier in question inside his heavily armoured, but now immovable shell, waiting for their comrades or if they were unlucky, the enemy, to drag them back to camp and cut them out.
When command attempted to alleviate the problem by sending each regiment a shipment of specially designed cutting tools and spare Mark 1 plates, the Ravenfeeders took the tools to their undamaged armours instead, cutting the existing plates down to a more manageable size and called it the Mark 1.3 field modification. They also managed to strong-arm the field supply office into 'mislabelling' a few shipments of TLA's, thus paving the way for modern Jarlsheim military doctrine, but that's a topic for another day.
With their Mark 1.3's, supported by 'unpowered' troops, the Ravenfeeders were the only Division able to avoid taking enough losses to lose their combat effectiveness altogether and after the peace was settled under the Pallas Artemis Accords, the Mark 1.3 modification was made official into the still existing Mark 1.4.
The Mark 1.4 has it's own weaknesses however, aside from using obsolete materials, since the cutting down of the plates also compromised the integrity of the entire system. The Mark 1.4's servos are slightly exposed at the joints, to the point that while the armour protects well enough against civilian weapons and military small-arms, it is not proof against explosives, incendiaries, plasma weapons and exposure to the environment.
The Mark 2 - Rebellion Issue, which was brought into production after the first liberation of Jarlsheim during the Imperatorial Age suffers from the same problem, since it is simply the same design with more modern materials.
And the Mark 2.2 Post Secession Retrofit is once again the same system, but with a sealed under-suit allowing the user (if not always the armour itself) to survive exposure to vacuums, toxic environments and extremes of temperature.

Nowadays Jarlsheim military doctrine has (as mentioned before) changed to the point where Command no longer holds any hope of suiting each and every infantry trooper in his own Powered Armour and as such the SP-GIA no longer meets the demands made of Powered Armours the modern battlefield. The armour, in all it's current variants, does still see use however as a training tool among the Berserkers, as armour for the Valkyries' vehicle (ground and air both) crews, as the preferred armour of the Vikings for Ship-to-Ship boarding actions (in the Mark 2.2 version only. Not even the Vikings are insane enough to board enemy spaceships in armour that isn't space-capable) and for emergency equipment among the Ravenfeeders (at least officially, more commonly it's used for fast disembarking from transport, for moving heavy loads around bases, for target practice on the range and occasionally as a combat latrine, hopefully in that order and that order only).

Herfang Armoury Infantry Battledress
Type: Standard Infantry Armour (semi-powered)
Users: Raven Feeders, Vikings, Huscarls.
Protection grade: Military I+

The Infantry Battledress (Blackwing's note: a kenning for 'Armour') has been the standard armour of every Post Secession soldier ever to foot slog his way onto a battlefield for the greater glory of the Jarlsheim Protectorate... Huzzah, by Jingo and all that. All in all, though, the Battledress (Blackwing's note: which is not actually a dress) offers more protection than the SP-GIA Powered Armour and that's quite something.
It manages this by being a modern day ALCAS-Hybrid armour. ALCAS, as we all know, is a substance which is rather useful because it disperses kinetic energy along it's surface in a sort of 'ripple', meaning that when a solid projectile hits it, the projectile stops flat and the energy is dispersed into a 'negative dent' (aka a protrusion, for those of you with a thesaurus on hand) when these ripples meet on the opposite side.
ALCAS alone, however, isn't THAT good an armour material for sustained combat, since it offers absolutely no protection against plasma or sideways slashing with a melee weapon (or from a very good or lucky kinetic shot), is liquefied by a sufficiently strong electric charge (which can't be helped, because that's how we get the stuff on the armour in the first place and how we remove those protrusions after combat), absorbs and retains heat meaning that sustained fire from laser- or incendiary weapon can easily heat the stuff up enough to melt whatever it's mounted on and burn the trooper inside and is, invariably, bright neon pink, clearish yellow or sickly green, meaning you'll have the choice between looking like a fruit, a piss-stain or puke and a clear target in any case.
Which is why the Battledress consists of four thin layers of (puke green, if you must know) ALCAS between plates of High-Density carbon fibre. The joints are likewise made of carbon fibre cloth with three layers of ALCAS each.
The plates and cloth disperse the energy of an the impact before transferring it to the ALCAS, so instead of a protrusion, the entire opposite side of the armour extends slightly.
The Battledress is semi-powered in the sense that it has gold filigree circuitry running through the layers of ALCAS, linked to pressure sensors on the plates and cloth and to a battery pack build into the back plate. This system liquefies the ALCAS between the plates after a hit in order to maintain overall integrity (otherwise a trooper who gets hit in the front a lot would start to look like a hunchback after a while) and at the same time keeps the ALCAS in the joints liquid until it's hit, allowing the trooper to keep moving (and keeping knees, elbows and other moving parts 'locked', but comfortable during and shortly after a hit, preventing buckling and dislocation).
This means that the Battledress is fully capable of taking a good number of hits from most standard infantry weapons and even, to a lesser but still significant extent, from ordinance and anti-vehicle weapons.
It's not impervious however and repeated, sustained fire will degrade the system eventually. Still, it will give troopers a chance to get out of there before that happens.
On a sidenote, the Vikings, crazy bastards that they are, use a fully sealed variant with an additional, thicker layer of ALCAS on the outside for HANO-Jumps. Yes, that's HANO, not HALO, as in 'High Altitude, NO Opening'. On account of they don't bring parachutes. Insane fuckers. Instead they intentionally train to land ass-first so that the ALCAS coating very nearly pops off their armour on it's own. Neon pink nutjobs... (Blackwing's note: Kids don't try this at home, the Vikings are trained professionals.)
So Einstein was wrong when he said "God does not play dice". Consideration of black holes suggests, not only that God does play dice, but that He sometimes confuses us by throwing them where they can't be seen. ~ Stephen Hawking
Blackwing
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Re: Human Faction: Jarlsheim, Weapons and Equipment

Post by Blackwing »

Svartalf Robotics Mechanised grade 'Were' Self-Powered Infantry Armour
Type: Light Infantry Armour (powered)
Users: Variants used across all services.
Protection grade: Military I+

The Were Infantry armour was Svartalf's chance to prove they were still a viable manufacturer for Powered Armours.
A very modular system, the Were armour takes the 'mod and kit it' approach learned with the GIA and runs with it. The basic Were model is a versatile platform used primarily to deploy weapons that would be too cumbersome or dangerous for the average unassisted trooper. As such in most Raven Feeder Platoons there is one Were Trooper with a HRCG4 for every two sections and one with an Untrencher and a standard PCAR3 for every three sections (for a total of three HRCG4's and two Untrenchers for an average full-sized Platoon). Plus four Were units regardless of Platoon size for carrying additional ammunition and ordnance.
Despite being a Powered Armour, the basic Were does not offer more protection than the basic infantry armour (which is the primary reason why we haven't stuck all our troops in them, since they're somewhat more resource and time intensive to produce than the standard Battledress), it is instead intentionally left less armoured than its servo system could manage in order to minimalise its bulk. The standard Were is intended to allow troopers to carry heavy things around and still move with and take cover along infantry in Battledress, not to stand in the open while getting shot at. It is however, the basis for models that do exactly that.

Svartalf Robotics Mechanised grade 'Werwulf' Self-Powered Shock Trooper Armour
Type: Medium Infantry Armour (powered)
Users: Raven Feeders, Berserkers, Huscarls.
Protection grade: Military I+ to AV-

The Werwulf Shock Trooper variant of the Were is one of the most numerous Powered Armours in the force (not counting a worthless piece of junk like the GIA), nevertheless, the majority of Raven Feeder Troopers are not liable see one in their own Regiment. Instead, the Werwulf is deployed only in the 1st to 3rd Platoons of the first five Regiments of the 1st Mechanised Assault Division. The Berserkers and the Huscarls have them spread more liberally among their forces.
The Werwulf is a dedicated upgrade intended for only one purpose: Getting well armoured troops into a position to pressure enemy infantry and storming entrenched enemy positions while under anti-infantry fire.
As such, the Werwulf is still fairly agile and, due to some modification to it's servos, faster than the standard Were, but it is better armoured than the standard Were.
The Werwulf has a small profile, only about 15% larger than an average human, meaning that it can dodge most slower moving anti-vehicle weapons with a bit of care, but nevertheless if the enemy is prepared for anything beyond infantry, Werwulf Troopers tend to act as support rather than as the main force.
Despite fully encasing the Troopers using them, the Werwulf model is not space-capable, due to the fact that oxygen reclaimers were considered a waste of space for its intended role and they have been replace with an 'open to atmosphere' filter system, which is still the same size as the original reclaimer system of the Wer, but considerably better armoured.

Varangian Arms/Svartalf Robotics Walker grade 'Werskjild' Self-Powered Support Armour
Type: Heavy Infantry Armour (powered)/Light Combat Walker
Users: Raven Feeders, Vikings, Huscarls.
Protection grade: Military AV

Technically speaking, Werskjild is the designation of two possible variants of the Were, rather than just one, but the upgrade kit that produces one Variant also contains all the parts needed to convert it to the other, so they share an entry.
The following is true for both variants:
The Werskjild is a fire-support Armour that deploys anti-vehicle weapons, area denial and dis-entrenching ordnance and heavier squad support weapons. The Werskjild's basic chassis is considerably larger than a regular human (about 25-30%) and heavily armoured, with thick slanted plates that are intended to shrug off not just anti-infantry, but also anti-vehicle weapons. While it does not do so with 100% reliability, anything that isn't a direct hit tends to bounce off in most cases. Most of the Werskjild's weaponry tends to be shoulder-mounted or integrated into the arms, since the thickness of the armour itself prevents pilots from effectively holding weapons themselves (and the Werskjild's role doesn't require much manual dexterity in any case).
The actual Werskjild kit contains two variants which are not interchangeable in the field (at least not under fire and not in a hurry), one two-legged Powered Armour variant and one four-legged 'Combat Walker' variant.
In the two-legged variant, the lower chassis is the same leg-configuration as most Powered Armours, though more heavily armoured of course, in which the pilot has his legs inside those of the Armour. This allows fine control over placement of the legs and thus manoeuvrability and speed, but not as much stability when firing heavier weapons. The four-legged variant on the other hand, has the same upper chassis mounted on four robotic legs, with the pilot's legs sitting in a pod with pedals for movement control. This means that movement relies more on the automated balance systems (thus reducing manoeuvrability and speed slightly on uneven terrain), but increases stability and on relatively flat terrain, the 'Walker' system allows far greater speeds than humanly possible, because their is no risk of overstraining the pilot's legs.
All in all, the Werskjild in both variants operates as a rallying point for troops, capable of punching holes in enemy lines for the troops to exploit and of taking on enemy vehicles that the troops themselves are reluctant to engage unaided.
So Einstein was wrong when he said "God does not play dice". Consideration of black holes suggests, not only that God does play dice, but that He sometimes confuses us by throwing them where they can't be seen. ~ Stephen Hawking
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