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Old November 3, 2004, 11:24 PM   #1
gifted
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Power armor weapons

I was looking at what to put on a suit of power armor. You're looking at about eight hundred to three thousand pounds depending on the equipment given(additional armor, how much ammo, sensors, etc.).

The cooler idea was a minigun like a GAU-19. It would just be cool. From the mounts here I'm thinking the suit itself could handle the weight and recoil. Ammo would be a problem, but the site also mentions five hundred pounds of recoil. Would a suit that weight be able to absorb the recoil and be able to keep the gun stabilized enough for accurate fire?

It's a relatively academic question. I was thinking an M2HB variant would work better. The shear strenth present in a suit of powered armor would be a ver yeffective melee weapon. In addition, a shoulder pod would be present. For this, I was thinking of one or two anti-tank missiles, such as the Javelin for one load. 2.75" rockets, or Metalstorm type 40mm grenade launcher tubes would be attached in similar pods. The 40mm would provide more ammo and less colateral damage for urban environments.

What do you guys think? You got anything I didn't think of?
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Old November 4, 2004, 01:04 AM   #2
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If you're talking about armored, strength amplifying exoskeletal suits that we probably won't see on the battlefield for decades if ever...

A Boffors 40 would be cool!!!
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Old November 4, 2004, 01:43 AM   #3
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You have to be able to shoot it without knocking yourself on your butt. And I can see partial-augmentation within the decade if people put the money and such to it. Though I was thinking of a 25-40mm using a full power cannon cartridge for a sniper.

Four levels are available:

1. Uniform, gun. Not much else.

2. Add light body armor to #1, maybe more sense enhancement.

3. Heavier body armor, bigger gun, a more extensive set of sensors.

3. The armor contains partial augmentation to various degrees. Things such as "twenty-league boots," extensive sensors and information networking systems, perhaps a simple mechanism to allow a fairly large gun to be carried and used. Most of it would extend endurance, increase firepower, and threat detection. It's nowhere near the level of full power armor. Neural tie-on or another high-capacity interface may be used with this armor class.

4. Full augmentation. This includes armor that pretty much makes the person the equivalent of a light armored fighting vehicle, firepower to match, and sensors that make field conditions irrelavent. You might get as much as 1:10 strenth augmentation on top of carrying around your armor and such, a sealed suit, with self-contained air filtration and supply systems. Minor injuries would be taken care of by a special layer near the skin, plumbing included would allow an operator to be in the field in the armor for several weeks if he wanted to, with no need to get out to use the facilities or eat. The power supply could convievably last this long as well. Control would be achieved most likely with some sort of neural tie-in.

Beyond this, you get into true vehicles, not infantry.
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Old November 4, 2004, 09:54 PM   #4
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Beam me up Scotty! "Boffors 40 would be cool!!" Having fired these across the Ashau valley I assure you you need at least a 2 1/2 ton truck to fire one (and hold the ammo!) The tracers are cool arcing away 2-3 miles and the 40 is the minimum size cannon where you can see the impact explosion at such distances!
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Old November 5, 2004, 04:28 PM   #5
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To be realistic (uh, is that applicable here? maybe practical), you would need two weapon systems and MAYBE three.

First would be anti-personnel / sensitive area weapon. A high velocity small caliber weapon that does not over penetrate. Looking over the arguments made about the P90 - the 5.7 could fit the bill. Lots of ammo capacity for little weight is bonus.

Secondary/tertiary weapon could be combined. One weapon that can penetrate light armor and one that fires high explosive shells for area effect. Ideally the 25mm Bushmaster the Bradley uses would work. Uses API rounds and HE rounds from same gun, I believe may be as simple as toggling a switch to change ammo (chainfed). With proper pneumatics, less powder charge and science fiction gadgetry, this may be possible.

Oh, and dont forget the scaled-up 1911A1 sidearm that would be standard - I believe that something on the order of .90 caliber would be appropriate. WHEEEE!
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Old November 6, 2004, 11:28 PM   #6
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pulse phaser in the 40 watt range, carry battries not ammo
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Old November 6, 2004, 11:44 PM   #7
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Quote:
pulse phaser in the 40 watt range, carry battries not ammo
I'm not that far yet. The smallest energy weapons available at the time are the fasers on the mechas(figures I'd have some of those, right? ). Energy isn't efficient enough for personnel weapons, even with power armor. Though a plasma torch, as a multipurpose tool, may be practical.

Something like the P90 would make sense, strapped to the off-side forearm. Something the size of an M60 would be practical for independent carry, though with something like an M2, it would be mounted on a pivot on the arm. Locked in place, it can be fired independently, or you can use both hands for better accuracy.

GeorgeF, how's the loadout I suggested:
Possible sensitive weapon: 5.7mm
GP weapon: M2HB(possibly dual feed with regular ball and SLAP)
Heavy: 2 Javelin AT missiles, 12 2.75in rockets, or a MetalStorm cluster of 40mm barrels, probably about 70 rounds.

The way I'm seeing the armor, it has several hardpoints. The forearms each have one, the off-side one being much lighter. Each shoulder would have one, the off-side one being the heavier and most used one, giving more flexibility with the primary weapon. There would be a backpack type assembly for various equipment, possibly a jump-jet pack or some such. The thighs would each have one, for thrown grenades and such, as well as the upper arms. You can also do such things as strap on extra armor.
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Old November 7, 2004, 06:31 PM   #8
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this whole thing is getting pretty far off topic.

Postings regarding, "Wouldn't it be nice if someone would make a . . . " are okay.

Ideas for inventions of your own are super. I kinda like the idea of thinking to myself, "HEY! I saw the first conjecture about THAT nifty item on TFL!"

But, really, fantasy gaming and the latest Transformers and Battle-Bots are beyond the scope of this forum.

Closed.

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