Personal Point Defense

[Gadrin]

I had thought someone here posted a Battledress version
that could shoot down projectiles it detects via it's own
Personal Point Defense system.

Could someone point me to the URL, or re-post if they have
the info handy.

I don't recall what it was called.

I'm interested at what Traveller Tech Level this becomes
practical (prolly TL9 or so).

I remember seeing a Cyberpunk story where a sniper had
some counter-radar (or sensor) to detect shots coming his way.
Sounds fairly "noisy" meaning it could give his position away.

>

 

[mike wightman]

The battle dress in T4s Emperor's Arsenal have their own point defence systems.

IMHO this should be the default for all versions of Traveller.

I would go further and have battle dress also include several remote sensor drones that can also have weapon systems inbuilt.

 

[sabredog]

Full description of the basic TL-13 Battledress from IMTU ...the boldface entry is the Scatterspray Point Defense Intercept System. For Striker I have different values, but this describes the way it workd for CT combat. For hyper-velocity AP rounds it gets a lower DM since they are deflected more often than destroyed by the laser studs, and they are moving a lot faster than a tac missile or gauss rifle does. On the other hand, the guy wearing the suit also gets a HUD display of where the rounds are coming from so he can use his variety of weapons to respond, or call in artillery support.



Battle Dress TL-13+

More advanced and powered form of combat armor. The suit incorporates electronic and servo-powered enhancements, better personal protection and medical trauma support, and on-board weapon systems. Battle Dress is also referred to as a Battlesuit.

Regardless of tech level all suits are of the same basic design and become more energy efficient, lighter in bulk, and provide better protection at higher levels. They contain all the equipment needed to provide life support for up to 72 hrs. , and the suit’s power supply is rechargeable.

Construction and Use

Battle Dress is a clamshell design and the user steps backwards into it while the suit is held in its charging/maintenance cradle. The suit then closes and performs a pre-check test for functionality. Recharging a suit requires 12 hours. Donning the suit requires 1 minute, removing it takes 1 combat round in an emergency, 1 minute under ordinary conditions. The suits are made to the wearer’s body shape and specifications and one person’s suit cannot be worn by another. “One-Size-Fits-Some” emergency suits are available, but are only used by military units for emergency evacuation if a soldier’s personal suit is nonfunctional. These suits cannot be used for combat.

Enhancements

The suit’s servo-boosted limbs effectively double the wearer’s strength, allow endurance to be ignored, but have no effect on dexterity. For purposes of wounding the user’s strength is doubled, and damage to all attributes applied is halved when the suit is removed to represent the suit’s ability to absorb damage and protect the wearer. Movement is doubled.
The helmet incorporates telescopic Image Enhancement, and a tactical HUD with datalinks for a mapbox and Smartgun HUD. The suit is also equipped with a 500 PWR radio.
The same filter/compressor system is included in the helmet as with combat armor to allow the wearer to use outside air while conserving or recharging his onboard supply.

Offensive Systems

Battle dress has several in-built systems to support or that include weapons. The primary onboard weapon is the laser finger. The laser finger is located in the right gauntlet and fires along the axis of the index finger, though it is actually built into the back of the gauntlet, hence the name. The weapon is treated as a laser carbine for attacks and damage; the weapon has unlimited shots during the 72hr operational range of a fully charged suit.
The left gauntlet/forearm has a built-in RAM grenade launcher using 3 shot magazines. The suit has slotted locations built into the waist and torso to carry 6 such magazines. The launcher fires 1 RAM grenade per round using the standard attacks and damages depending on the type.
The right and left shoulders have the standard sockets to allow the wearer to fire the P/FGMP-13, 14 and the SSG-88 support gun while using the suit itself as a recoil carriage. The datalinks in the sockets activate the suit’s recoil compensation systems and targeting displays appropriate to the weapon. Only one weapon may be used at a time.
A pull-down over the shoulder rack for 5cm tac missiles is mounted on the back of the suit and carries 2 tac missiles to be launched by the wearer. The grip is extended above the shoulder, and when pulled forward, the launcher rolls up and over the shoulder to lock in place while activating the targeting display. The target designator in the helmet (or from another soldier or RPV) is used to designate the target to the fire-and-forget missile seeker, and the missile is fired. Releasing the grip automatically causes the launcher to retract back over the shoulder and close. The soldier wearing the suit cannot load the rack when it is depleted unless he removes the suit, or someone does it for him.

Defensive Systems

Basic battle dress has automatic anti-laser aerosol dispensers which fire whenever the in-built sensors detect target designator lasers illuminating the suit. The system carries 4 activations of the aerosols. The user may replace canisters himself.
A camo film applied over the suit’s surface allows the wearer to blend the suit’s coloration and IR signature into the surrounding terrain either automatically or manually. The manual controls are in the left wrist and activated by rotating the wrist. IR chill cans are used at TL-13, but by TL-15 a nanoskin sheathing not only blends the suit’s color and IR signature automatically, but it also modifies the suit’s texture (within certain limits) to match that of the terrain around it in a manner similar to that an octopus does.
At TL-14 an active laser intercept defensive system attempts to intercept incoming projectile rounds that are targeted at the suit. The laser “studs” are mounted on the shoulders, hips, and helmet of the suit and when an incoming threat is detected, fire to destroy or deflect it.

Trauma Maintenance

Onboard medical care is incorporated to support the wounded wearer of the suit automatically or manually by the wearer or an outside medic. When the medscanner detects injury it automatically injects a combination of appropriate drugs, and may close sections of the suit limbs off with razor irises to prevent catastrophic compromise of the suit by vacuum or an NBC atmosphere. An emergency beacon activates while the wearer is sedated and kept alive while waiting for emergency crews.
The suit’s stores include:
4 doses Medical
4 doses No-Shok
2 doses Anti-Rem
2 doses HDAP
2 doses Combat Slow
1 dose MetaBrake

Any injections made form an external source are made through the ports of the chest mounted medscanner unit.



The "Scatterspray" PDIS causes an additional -4DM for all incoming projectile weapons attempting to hit the wearer. The DM is -2 for hyper-velocity AP rounds (VRF Gauss Gun and railguns count as these).

 

[Gadrin]

The battle dress in T4s Emperor's Arsenal have their own point defence systems.

IMHO this should be the default for all versions of Traveller.

Thanks I'd forgotten the individual descriptions. I'll have some good reading tonight since I have that one !

I would go further and have battle dress also include several remote sensor drones that can also have weapon systems inbuilt.

care to elaborate ? I'd be interested in hearing what you envision.

>

 

[Gadrin]

Full description of the basic TL-13 Battledress from IMTU ...the boldface entry is the Scatterspray Point Defense Intercept System. For Striker I have different values, but this describes the way it workd for CT combat. For hyper-velocity AP rounds it gets a lower DM since they are deflected more often than destroyed by the laser studs, and they are moving a lot faster than a tac missile or gauss rifle does. On the other hand, the guy wearing the suit also gets a HUD display of where the rounds are coming from so he can use his variety of weapons to respond, or call in artillery support.



Battle Dress TL-13+

[SNIP]

The "Scatterspray" PDIS causes an additional -4DM for all incoming projectile weapons attempting to hit the wearer. The DM is -2 for hyper-velocity AP rounds (VRF Gauss Gun and railguns count as these).

Very nice. I think that's the one I saw before.

Care to elaborate on your:

SSG-88
and those high-tech drugs you listed ?

And Finally:

Any sort of Minimum Range for the defensive system ? (ie, attacks within a certain range cannot be intercepted, etc).

>

 

[BlackBat242]

Sounds like some are carrying "powered version of Combat Armor" right into "Mechwarrior/anime-style personal tank suit" type tech.

 

[sabredog]

Very nice. I think that's the one I saw before.

Care to elaborate on your:

SSG-88
and those high-tech drugs you listed ?

And Finally:

Any sort of Minimum Range for the defensive system ? (ie, attacks within a certain range cannot be intercepted, etc).

>

OK, the drugs first:

No-Shok TL-9 100Cr/dose

Medical drug tailored to treat shock from sudden traumatic injury and/or blood loss with some effectiveness in treating physical shock resulting from psychological stress. Characters who have one attribute zeroed can immediately regain consciousness when the drug is administered for a number of minutes equal to 2x current endurance. If 2 attributes are zeroed then the drug must be administered with HDAP and the character will regain consciousness for a number of minutes equal to current endurance. If endurance is zeroed in either case, then the drug will allow the character to be “stabilized” for purposes of emergency medical care but he will not regain consciousness for more than 1 minute.


HDAP TL-7+ 100Cr./dose

Powerful stimulant (hyper-dexamylophet) useful for treating wounds or fatigue. One dose will double endurance for counting blows, fatigue, and adds half again to strength for lifting purposes. For damage purposes both endurance and strength have ½ their current points added to them, but when the drug wears off the added points are removed which could result in the character’s death or serious wounding.

The effects last for one hour, after which the character receives 1D6 damage to current (non-amplified, but possibly reduced by wounds) strength and endurance each. If this results in the characteristics in reaching zero then No-Shok can be applied to stabilize the character and avoid possible death by moving each characteristic zeroed back to 1 point. Effects of multiple doses are cumulative so the drug can be very dangerous to use if medical treatment is not available.


Anti-REM TL-9+ 800Cr./dose per rating level

Helps the body to resist radiation poisoning and damage. The drug is rated at levels 1-5 which each translates to a percentile reduction of radiation damage which might be received as result of high radiation weapon hits. For example, crew taking the drug have the percentile chance given by the drug’s rating as a saving throw against becoming casualties from radiation weapon hits such as from PAW’s. On the ground troops entering nuclear contaminated areas who might take damage from exposure have the damage reduced by the percentile rating of the drug.


MetaBrake TL-9+ 2000Cr./dose

MetaBrake reduces the user’s body functions and metabolism to a state similar to the cold sleep used in low-berthing. When injected with Medical (or Medical Slow) and No-Shok the drug can stabilize a character who has had his characteristics reduced to zero (dead, so long as the body is more or less intact enough to support life – use common sense here) long enough for emergency medical care to resuscitate him after surgery. The effects of the drug used in this mode last for 1 hour, after which the character cannot be resuscitated.

The other common use of the drug is to put a character in a state of suspended animation lasting for up to 4 days, or until the antidote is given. The drug is risky to use; the roll for recovery is the same as for low-berthing but with a DM of +1 added to the required roll for every dose taken. Because the drug accumulates in the endocrine system and has a risk of lasting negative effects thereby, users usually wear a medalert tag indicating the number of times the drug has been taken. Each time the drug is used there is a cumulative 10% chance of an additional +1DM added to the required roll for recovery which is permanent.

The common uses for the drug (legal ones anyway) are for combat casualties, accident victims, and it is often included in lifeboat emergency medical kits.

Combat Slow TL-10+ 5000Cr/dose

Similar to Slow drug, Combat Slow was developed by the military. While it’s effects last as long as regular Slow drug, there is no damage penalty after it wears off. The character can make 2 attacks, and can move twice the speed of others.

Unfortunately it has been found to be highly addictive and accumulates in the body over time. As a result, every time the character uses it he must throw against his endurance to avoid addiction. The first time it is 1D6 vs End or less. Next time 2D6 vs. End or less and so on. Addiction results in each time the drug wears off the character loses 1 point of endurance and strength permanently until the drug is redministered. Then ½ the lost points are temporarily restored until the drug wears off and another point is lost, and so on. Since the effects are cumulative the character can waste away until medical treatment is received to recover all but 2 of the lost points (in both strength and endurance) through therapy and treatment.

 

[sabredog]

Sounds like some are carrying "powered version of Combat Armor" right into "Mechwarrior/anime-style personal tank suit" type tech.

No, none of the things listed require the suit to be the size of a mech, but it will be bigger than mere combat armor obviously. I treat the battledress as not just a defensive suit, but also I figure it would be a dandy offensive system - and why not, with double strength and no endurance penalty you could hang a few extra weapons on the thing for the soldier to use. It'd be considered in my opinion as more of a force multiplier than just body armor.

RAM launcher? You can fit that on the rails of an ACR.

Tac missile launcher? Two 5cm short range fire&forget missiles the size of Carl Gustav rounds are something I could carry in a day pack.

Laser finger? Why let all that power in the suit go to waste just lifting stuff, add a laser to the gauntlet.

The laser finger and iris closures are right out of Haldeman's Forever War, BTW, and the rest isn't going to make the suit that much bigger than as described in the game.

This is why I am interested in discussing what others treat the suits as. Are they just passive defense body armor, or a weapon system as well? That thread is in the Ship's Locker thread, though. Maybe this ought to be moved there?

 

[sabredog]

Any sort of Minimum Range for the defensive system ? (ie, attacks within a certain range cannot be intercepted, etc).

>

The system is active and doesn't require control by the wearer. It has a minimum effective range of 200m...anything inside that to 100m has half the DM reduced by half.

The system can be overwhelmed of course, so only one fully automatic weapon at a time can be engaged by it, but it can intercept up to 4 non-automatic weapons (RAM grenades, tac missiles) per combat round. Beyond that the wearer relies on cover and the suit armor.

It can also be used in a sort of reverse group fire rule by datalinking the Scatterspray systems in a squad's suits together to cover each other so long as they are all close together. So if one guy is shot at by 2 automatic weapons then his suit intercepts one and his team mate's suit can intercept the other. So tactical formations are important when moving through hostile ground for this reason too.

So it's hardly a shield of invulnerability but it helps with fighting on lower tech worlds with lots of slugthrowers and ATGM's instead of high energy weapons and nukes.

 

[Gadrin]

This is why I am interested in discussing what others
treat the suits as. Are they just passive defense body armor, or a weapon
system as well? That thread is in the Ship's Locker thread, though. Maybe
this ought to be moved there?

I could see it going either way, maybe tailored to the players themselves as
some Traveller players will be offended by too much flash, while others might
not care.

This way it's not a cookie-cutter setting either.

I have GURPS Robots which lets you build suits as well as Robots and they
have a few that would fit right into Traveller with a a few mods.

One is the Streethawk which is equal to Traveller TL9 and is considered a
"light suit" and has built in a Plasma Faust (contact weapon) and a Razergun
(shoots monowire). It's armor is double what normal combat armor would be in
terms of armor protection, so it'd be treated as Battle in CT.

I can see changing the weapons to a laser (unless the contact plasma doesn't
bother you) and replacing the monowire Razergun with a Needler (smaller than
the gauss weapons in Traveller). It's also got a jet pack for rocket assisted
jumps, which can easily be changed to a Grav Belt/pack in CT.

I don't see that as big obstacle to being used in CT and it gives a little
flavor. I'd have these usable by non-Imperial forces who want more than
combat armor.

I might consider some of the following:
http://www.sjgames.com/gurps/Roleplayer/Roleplayer28/UltraTechArmor.html

and for general "gadgets"
http://www.sjgames.com/gurps/Roleplayer/Roleplayer24/UTOuttakes.html

as long as it doesn't stray too far from Traveller (like no braintaping or blasters).
I like the Verifier for instance, especially for well-equipped megacorp or
mercs

Just to add some flavor.

>

>

 

[Blue Ghost]

Sounds like some are carrying "powered version of Combat Armor" right into "Mechwarrior/anime-style personal tank suit" type tech.

There's a second rate anime title called "Big Wars" that shows a form of battle dress with a shoulder mounted CIWS for the wearer. I always thought it was an interesting concept, but came across it too late to impliment it in a game.

p.s. "Big Wars" itself is pretty racy, and not reccomended IMNSHO.

 

[sabredog]

Care to elaborate on your:

SSG-88

>

SSG-88 (Squad Support Gun mod.88)

A 2cm, single barrel, electric action Autocannon high velocity ammunition the SSG is manportable with Battledress and is used as an automatic support weapon, bunker buster, and tank breaker. It can also be used by a crew of two since it’s ammo sled is designed as a gun carriage. The weapon has selectable fire from 1/3/20 rounds per pull of the trigger.

The weapon has no mounted fire control and must use either the datalinked Smartgun HUD system in the firer’s Battledress or have a separate targeting system linked to it (such as a battle helmet’s HUD system). The weapon has gyostabilization and is fed either through a linkless feed or 3 round magazine inserted into the side of the receiver.

The weight of the weapon is 65 kg and each round weighs .4kg. .001kt collapsing rounds weigh .8kg each and are used in 3 round magazines fired either singly or in a 3 round burst. Collapsing rounds can be fed from their damper box into the feed belt but they are packaged at the factory in magazines so crews would have to strip them out and manually load the feed in advance.

When used with battledress the gun sockets into the same datalink/safety sockets the high energy weapons use, activating the suit’s recoil compensation systems and programming. The gun is direct fire only and the targeting info is projected onto the internal HUD in suit. While autofire is technically possible while firing in this configuration it is recommended that only the 3 round burst mode be used.

The weapon’s ammo sled measures 1.5mLx.5mWx.3mH and contains a small grav generator to reduce its weight to 10kg (loaded) and when the power is off its loaded weight is 225 kg. The rechargeable power supply lasts for 72hrs. A standard damper box stores 9 (3, 3 rd magazines) of 2cm collapsing rounds. Standard 2cm ammo storage is for 500 rounds.

The ammo sled is designed to be used as a gun carriage if the user desires to, but has no gun shield. When so used the grav generator must be off.

For Striker the ranges and penetrations are:

Ammo Effective Long Extreme Targets
HE 600m(10/1/2)+2 1km(same)+1 5.5km(same) 2
KEAP 600m(19)+2 1km(17)+1 5.5km(15) 2
KEAPER 600m(17)+2 1km(15)+1 5.5km(13) 2

.001kt collapsing rounds use the same ranges as the others do, but are fired in either 3 round bursts or single shots. There are no autofire bonuses for burst mode, but the multiple impacts on he same target or target area are more devastating.

Penetration = contact 70…burst radius 70meters…burst damage 17

For CT use the regular Autocannon stats with a -6DM for all armor and reduce the number of targets and targets allowed to 1 / 2 / 3 relative to 1, 3, or 20 round bursts. For the collapsing rounds use the PGMP-13 modifiers for armor / Autocannon for range / PGMP-13 damage.

 

[sabredog]

I had thought someone here posted a Battledress version
that could shoot down projectiles it detects via it's own
Personal Point Defense system.

Could someone point me to the URL, or re-post if they have
the info handy.

I don't recall what it was called.

I'm interested at what Traveller Tech Level this becomes
practical (prolly TL9 or so).

I remember seeing a Cyberpunk story where a sniper had
some counter-radar (or sensor) to detect shots coming his way.
Sounds fairly "noisy" meaning it could give his position away.

>

You know a similar system as I'm describing as mounting on battledress could be used by a sniper by setting it up on overwatch a short ways away from his position so it wouldn't give him away. A couple of single laser studs mounted on little tripods and linked together in several places could work even better by helping provide counter sniper information as well as protection.

Set them up in windows and plug them into the wall socket to provide not so much interception as triangulation info to tell the shooter where the shots are coming from. Then link the whole thing to an automated counter firing weapon to remotely engage the other sniper without exposing yourself.

 

[Andrew Boulton]

Consider the collateral damage caused by all those PD weapons...

 

[sabredog]

LOL...it pales when compared to all the collateral damage done by all those FGMP's and grav tanks zipping around with Rapid-pulse Fusion Y cannons!

But think of the potential as a bug-zapper for those Chamax!

 

[Gadrin]

LOL...it pales when compared to all the collateral damage done by all those FGMP's and grav tanks zipping around with Rapid-pulse Fusion Y cannons!

But think of the potential as a bug-zapper for those Chamax!

:rofl:

Yes, and I'm sure there's an OFF switch on the suit someplace

"What happened to the corporal?"

"He sneezed and that new BD-320 gave him a sun-burn."

>

 

[sabredog]

I could see it going either way, maybe tailored to the players themselves as
some Traveller players will be offended by too much flash, while others might
not care.

Funny how bugged some people get when you start adding weapons and changing the general shape or design of battledress for Traveller. "You've ruined it, now it's a mech! No mechs allowed!"

I personally think mechs in CT is ridiculous when there are grav tanks tearing around with nuclear missiles and fusion cannon, although I loved playing Battletech (I still have some minis for that game, sigh). And I must admit a guilty pleasure about watching Robotech back in the 80's.

Still, something stomping around on legs is just begging for a soft kill by getting it's leg shot off by a guy in a battlesuit zipping past it with a grav belt and an FGMP-15.

I tried to use the Fire, Fusion & Steel book to see how much variety I could get for battledress and combat armors so it would be less "cookie cutter", but I go insane doing the math. So now I stick to the canon concept of armor being worn by the trooper rather than the other way around so I keep it relatively personal. The guy wearing it still has to be able to get in and out of a lander or IFV, but isn't likely to be wearing it on a ship since he might not be able to get around all the spaces. Combat armor is better for that.

That said and done, though, I think I'll borrow your designs for one of my major races to give them something unique. They are averaging around TL-10 so I'll switch out the weapons for some 20mm autocannons and a RAM grenade autolauncher. These guys can be the armored infantry to trot alongside the hovertanks, while the rest gets regular combat armor and ACR's while riding in fast tracked APC's.

 

[sabredog]

Yes, and I'm sure there's an OFF switch on the suit someplace

"What happened to the corporal?"

"He sneezed and that new BD-320 gave him a sun-burn."

>

:rofl::rofl::rofl:

Oh Lord! I have to find an excuse to use that in a game!!!!

 

[aramis]

My most egregious FF&S design was the meson gun battle dress. damage was 1, and short range was about 1000 KM. SHould be in the TML archives from 96.

 

[Gallowglacht]

I think its on the BARD site too.