Battlesuits

The battlesuit is the universal assault vehicle of humankind. Coming in all shapes and sizes, a properly equipped battlesuit can be effective in any battlefield, both on planets and beyond.

Control: Standard battlesuits are piloted much like someone would pilot a fighter jet. Automated features of the machine’s primitive onboard AI allow the user a high-degree of performance and accuracy given the complex control scheme. Cockpits have panoramic monitors that can switch feed between cameras mounted all over the frame. Some talented pilots have discarded the traditional control scheme in exchange for an advanced motion and brainwave sensor system. These allow the pilot to manoeuvre the machine using his own body and thoughts, giving him direct control over the suit’s movements instead of relying on buttons, pedals, and joysticks. This system takes more skill and training to master than the standard controls and is not without risks. ‘Ghost injuries’ can occur when a battlesuit losses a limb, after which the pilot may temporary feel as if he has lost such limb on his own body.

Sensors: The battlesuit’s sensor array includes electromagnetic, radar, sonar, biometric, and even dark matter and energy detectors. The systems are capable of doing analysis of metallic and biological compounds, as well as providing the pilot with the capabilities of infrared and heat sensors. All battlesuits have an intelligent IFF (Identification Friend or Foe) system, which outlines friendly units in green, enemies in red, and unknown’s in blue, and can suggest target priority. The very rare Total Battlefield Information Awareness System (ToBIAS) includes not only an advanced sensor array, but also networks with friendly and unprotected enemy sensors to give detailed information about the entire battlefield. Its detailed analysis of an area is currently the easiest way to control effective networked weapon pods.

Movement: Battlesuits, being humanoid in shape, can move much in the same way a human does. A system of synthetic muscles gives the craft incredible strength and speed. Unlike humans though, battlesuits are equipped with a series of Ion thrusters located on various places on the body, which increases its mobility further and gives it manoeuvrability in space. While light and medium battlesuits may use their thrusters to hover above the ground on a planet, in order to fly, battlesuits are commonly equipped with a MAJE. A MAJE is a Magnetically Assisted Jet Engine (Note that while it says Jet Engine, it is actually a Magnetoplasmadynamic Thruster, which replaced the traditional jet engine in the 2060’s), which uses traditional propulsion along with magnetic repulsion to create lift. The IMAJE (Impulse and Magnetically Assisted Jet Engine) is a less common flight unit equipped with a pair of wings featuring a series of Impulse Thrusters (Pulsed Plasma Thrusters) for increased manouverability. The LIFT (Laser Induced Fusion Thruster) is a currently undergoeing experimentation by the Confederation of Worlds. The system sends a high-powered laser into a parabolic mirrior, causing it to reflect in on itself infinitely and explode the air in the mirror at temperatures hotter than the sun. While these can provide a boost which nearly doubles the battlesuit’s speed. The downside of this system is that it takes large amounts of power from the battlesuit’s reactor, and has to be fairly large.

Structure: Until 2383, almost all battlesuits used a ‘skeletal’ frame, which was based on a human body. The skeleton-like frame was surrounded by the synthetic muscles, which were then incased in metal. This had the downside of the muscles being damaged by small pieces of shrapnel that managed to pierce the armour. The structure was left the way it was for centuries because it was still very reliable. The Judicator and Requiem still use these frames to high effectiveness. Note that the Beowulf also uses this frame. The Variable Frame is a newer-model frame which has emerged as the dominant frame type as of 2384. The technology began development on the Emperor II, though was not properly developed until the Vanguard was created during the Trinium Wars. YHI, and later Tanaka Manufacturing, would fully utilize the system’s capabilities in their own mass-production type Vanguards. From there both the UNSC and the CCF would adapt the technology for their own battlesuits. The Variable Frame is based on insects instead of humanoids. The muscles are protected by both the frame itself and the armour around it. The armour around the frame also has a modular design, allowing pieces to easily be removed and replaced, allowing the battlesuit to change its armour and hardpoint layout. The Tau E uses this frame.

Power: Except for those used by the Apollo Fleet, battlesuits run on Naquida Fusion reactors. Their operational time is counted in years, and run on only a small amount of Naquida. Naquida is a substance that is very rare on earth, only found thousands of kilometers underground. Naquida is common on vulcanic worlds such as Crematory. Naquida is a compound very rich in hydrogen, the key component for fusion. The fusion reactors extract these hydrogren molecules from the substance and collide them at high velocities, creating a fusion reaction.

Battlesuits and ships of the Apollo Fleet are powered by energy batteries charged by the Elysium’s Infinity Engine. Power is stored in a battery consisting of numerous Nanowires. A battlesuit’s operational time is measured at about 5 days, while the larger ones used by the ships can last up to two weeks.