TL 12 HiVee Defense Belt

[BwapTED]

This concept has very likely already been done in Traveller, though I have not seen an example.


TL 12 HiVee Defense Belt


This device uses inertial damper technology to deflect fast moving, small projectiles such as slug thrower rounds and grenade fragments.

It provides no protection against hand to hand attacks.

The HiVee Defense Belt produces force ripples that can cause malfunctions in the highly complex, finely tuned mechanical systems of battle-dress.
The HVDB isn’t compatible with the grav belt.

Game mechanics and other notes--

I'm undecided, but it should probably just make you harder to hit.
It should not be as potent as the shields in Dune.
I might come up with a different reason it doesn't work too well with battle-dress.

 

[mike wightman]

Not a bad idea for an ATU/MTU or a very high TL OTU device.

Can acceleration compensation/inertial damper technology be used in this way?

Within the technology paradigm of the 3I setting and the extended OTU timeline such a device is likely impossible until a very high TL due to the need to miniaturise inertial damper or repulsor technology.

Consider the laws of energy conservation and momentum conservation - your defence 'shield' will have to spend the same energy to reduce the momentum of the projectile as the weapon that fired the projectile.

I have dabbled with Dune belt screen IMTU in the past.

 

[Condottiere]

Localized repulsor field, whatever technological level that would be.

Would think that anything that slows down electrons is likely to kill the operator.

 

[mike wightman]

Don't shipboard acceleration compensators already slow down all the electrons in every atom of everything within the ship?

 

[Xerxeskingofking]

This concept has very likely already been done in Traveller, though I have not seen an example.


TL 12 HiVee Defense Belt


This device uses inertial damper technology to deflect fast moving, small projectiles such as slug thrower rounds and grenade fragments.

It provides no protection against hand to hand attacks.

The HiVee Defense Belt produces force ripples that can cause malfunctions in the highly complex, finely tuned mechanical systems of battle-dress.
The HVDB isn’t compatible with the grav belt.

Game mechanics and other notes--

I'm undecided, but it should probably just make you harder to hit.
It should not be as potent as the shields in Dune.
I might come up with a different reason it doesn't work too well with battle-dress.

do you need a reason?

the belt is simply not as effective as battle dress, and so its just not worth the cost of installing it. anything that could hurt a man in battle dress would just blow though the shield without much change.

 

[coliver988]

In the Adventure Gaming magazine (Dec 81) there was the Stranded On Arden Adventure (why I bought it but never used) as well as the Zentag Shield Belt:


"Very rare. All projectile weapons except the low velocity snub and body pistols incur a -8 to hit; ram grenades, snub and body pistols -5; arrows and cross bolts -4; hand-held missile weapons -2; any melee weapon -1. All energy weapons effect the belt as above. Other facts about the belt: weighs 2 kg and cannot be duplicated or manufactured until TL 16+. Only discernable controls are an on/off switch. It has one other function: if the switch is rotated and pressed in, the belt will stop being a repulsor and act as an antigravity device allowing up and down but no horizontal motion."

Now the downside: "The power unit on the belt acts as a capacitor and attempt to absorb the energy of the weapons. At 30 points of damage it will implode. It does discharge 3 points of damage every 2 rounds when it is not absorbing energy."

Edit: also it has character generation for RIPs: Rebels, Insurgents and Partisans. In case you want to generate a terrorist or freedom fighter depending on perspective.

 

[BwapTED]

Thanks for all the feedback, guys.

I'll respond without quote boxes.

TL:
True, it should be several TLs higher. It's not just a sort of repulsor, but one that's micronized.


Zentag Shield Belt:

Sounds cool. I'm not sure if I have ever even seen as issue of Adventure Gaming, though it sounds vaguely familiar.

 

[willtron3030]

I'm undecided, but it should probably just make you harder to hit.
It should not be as potent as the shields in Dune.
I might come up with a different reason it doesn't work too well with battle-dress.

I'm not sure about the battle dress specifically, but unless the damper system is 100% effective at absorbing kinetic energy, the belt might transfer some 'shove' on the wearer (think vehicular passenger restraints). It'll save your life, but a sufficient amount of judiciously applied kinetic energy could still knock you on your aft. And limit your zero-G combat skill when combatants realize that they may not be able to shot you, but they can add unwanted delta-V.

Perhaps the effect doesn't provide full coverage. Holtzmann Shields in Dune weren't omnidirectional, but the coverage could be changed to accommodate fighting style and threat.