Battle suit fun- Issue 9?

umungus's picture
umungus
July 16, 2008 - 11:07am
I am concerened about the state of things with the Starfrontiersman. I hope that issue 9 is just around the corner.
I have finished and submitted an article and art for powered armor battle suits.

Here is a preview.
I hope this inspires others to finish their projects and gets them submitted.

Standard powered armor battle suit for humans, Yazarians and Dralasites

Vrusk Powered Scout armor. with two heavy lasers and two missile pods in black

At least I got to scare an alien rabbit thingy......

Comments:

TerlObar's picture
TerlObar
July 16, 2008 - 11:34am
Nice pictures.  I can't wait for the writeup.  If you've submitted that, I did the Jump Tug, and Shadow Shack had two or three things he submitted (hoverbike article, Planetary report and I believe one other), that alone should be enough for an issue, even if it is a small one.  The original StarFrontiersman only had 18 pages including the cover, table of contents and the classifieds on the back.  No reason it has to be a huge issue every time.
Ad Astra Per Ardua!
My blog - Expanding Frontier
Webmaster - The Star Frontiers Network & this site
Founding Editor - The Frontier Explorer Magazine
Managing Editor - The Star Frontiersman Magazine

umungus's picture
umungus
July 16, 2008 - 12:45pm
Thanks Terl Smile
The article is about 12 pages with the character sheets and art. With your stuff and Shadow's there should be plenty for an issue.
Not sure why the editors are saying there isn't enough material?

At least I got to scare an alien rabbit thingy......


TerlObar's picture
TerlObar
July 16, 2008 - 1:36pm
Yeah, mine should be good for at least 5-6 pages with all the descriptions of the ship and decks as well as the deck plans themselves.
Ad Astra Per Ardua!
My blog - Expanding Frontier
Webmaster - The Star Frontiers Network & this site
Founding Editor - The Frontier Explorer Magazine
Managing Editor - The Star Frontiersman Magazine

umungus's picture
umungus
July 16, 2008 - 2:47pm
Very cool...I would like to see it. I always like space ships and deck plans. I always thought Star Frontiers was a light on that stuff. So, I look forward to reading your article. 

I recently submitted the article. It has rules on using powered armor. I included a little history, movement rules, operations, modifications. Some new weapons. There is a new hit location table. PDFs of record sheets with ablative damage, etc.

At least I got to scare an alien rabbit thingy......


TerlObar's picture
TerlObar
July 16, 2008 - 3:10pm
Actually, the full text is posted in the Ships of the Frontier Project if you want a sneak peak.  It's in the documents section under Civilian vessels.
Ad Astra Per Ardua!
My blog - Expanding Frontier
Webmaster - The Star Frontiers Network & this site
Founding Editor - The Frontier Explorer Magazine
Managing Editor - The Star Frontiersman Magazine

umungus's picture
umungus
July 17, 2008 - 7:27am
TerlObar wrote:
Actually, the full text is posted in the Ships of the Frontier Project if you want a sneak peak.  It's in the documents section under Civilian vessels.





I'll take a look...

Thanks

At least I got to scare an alien rabbit thingy......


AZ_GAMER's picture
AZ_GAMER
July 17, 2008 - 5:53pm

love the artwork umungus, are you using a vector program? your designs are very cool, it really keeps the colors vibrant and rich. My software doesnt support the proprietary characters shuch as vrusks and yaz so I'm gonna have to pen to paper here soon if i'm gonna create any art featuring them.

And lets not forget about when the battle suit goes bad or doesn't work right, lol.


umungus's picture
umungus
July 18, 2008 - 11:23am

Thanks AZ!
I like that pic. very cool visual.

The characters approach a derelict hulk. I'd show them a picture of that guy.

Both the pics are hand drawn. Then I ink them and scan them. I color them with photoshop using a tablet. Still learning how to do it. I have some more power armor stuff I am working on right now.

At least I got to scare an alien rabbit thingy......


Cliff's picture
Cliff
July 19, 2008 - 8:20am
"Power Armor, hmmm"

umungus's picture
umungus
July 19, 2008 - 9:43am
Oh yeah power armor. I figured that the Star Frontiers Universe has all the tech needed. I just put it all together. I tried to make the rules mesh with the system. Kept it simple so they would be easy to add into anyones game.

At least I got to scare an alien rabbit thingy......


Cliff's picture
Cliff
July 19, 2008 - 12:44pm
Sounds good, can't wait to see the article.

MrJupiter's picture
MrJupiter
July 19, 2008 - 7:51pm

Hey, umungus.  That's a great pick for the standard battlesuit!  I'm really looking forward to your article for the Frontiersman.  I love the concept of the powered armor.  I'm interested in seeing how you handle the protection aspect of armor.  Will it be similar to how the Skeinsuit protects or have you taken a new approach?

Also, AZ_GAMER, you have fantastic ability with photoshop!


umungus's picture
umungus
July 20, 2008 - 10:54am

Thanks AZ.

I deliberated a lot on that protection of the armor.

I imagine skeinsuits like modern day bullet proof vests that cover the whole body. They are flexible and provide some protection. So some of the energy still gets through as half the damage. I think solid armor would be different.

I don't really like the idea of just using structural points. (That sysytem was used for the tank in Sundown on Starmist) I wanted all the damage to be the same in combat. Didn't want to switch from doing D10's of damage to straight structural points.


I didn't think the percentage to protect the wearer was appropriate, because I beleive the wearer of the battle suit would be thoroughly covered. In the AD optional rules polyplate armor doesn't completely cover the wearer, so there is a chance a shot can get past.
 
In the end I went with a straight stamina value for the armor to protect the wearer. You have to punch through the suit stamina before the wearer takes damage. The suit can also employ defense screens. In the case of ablative damage (I made up two sheets for that) You need to punch through the armor in one location. Then all kinds of bad things can happen. Once you get through the suit STA/ armor you get a roll on the Battle suit damage table. Then you get blown strenghth amplifiers, detsroyed weapons, exploding ammo, suit system malfunctions, etc.

I am anxious to have people play it and ghet some feedback.

At least I got to scare an alien rabbit thingy......


MrJupiter's picture
MrJupiter
July 20, 2008 - 2:57pm
I'm glad that you addressed the optional 'Ablative Damage' system with your article (I plan on using those alternate rules).  I get a kick out of random results tables; does yours include the possibility of a full power shut-down?  That could be a nasty result to have to deal with; especially while still in the thick of a firefight or when the unfortunate PC is going solo.  ("Does anyone out there have a can openner?  Dang, but its getting hot in here!")

umungus's picture
umungus
July 21, 2008 - 8:01am

On the damage table there is a parabattery hit. Which would effectively shut-down the suit.

At least I got to scare an alien rabbit thingy......


Anonymous's picture
w00t (not verified)
July 21, 2008 - 9:08am
umungus wrote:

On the damage table there is a parabattery hit. Which would effectively shut-down the suit.



Unless you had a backup, correct?

umungus's picture
umungus
July 21, 2008 - 11:09am
Yes,
There are three compartments. One for the main parabattery, this operates the suit. One for personal items, and one for ammo. The ammo compartment can have bullets and/ or an SEU pack. This is primarily used for weapons, but can be used as backup for the suit systems.

At least I got to scare an alien rabbit thingy......


MrJupiter's picture
MrJupiter
July 21, 2008 - 7:22pm
The more I hear about your powered armor ideas, the more I wan to get my hands on issue 9!

umungus's picture
umungus
July 21, 2008 - 7:51pm
MrJupiter wrote:
The more I hear about your powered armor ideas, the more I wan to get my hands on issue 9!


Cool! Glad to hear it. I'm not sure when issue 9 will happen. I'd like to get some feedback on the rules. Maybe we could expand on them in further issues.

At least I got to scare an alien rabbit thingy......


umungus's picture
umungus
July 23, 2008 - 9:29am

The dropship swung on the gantry away from the aussalt carrier. Schafer hated drops.
The ground pounders where safely inside the dropship; strapped in with an inertia field to absorb the buffeting and G's. The power suits get strapped to the outside with a bird's eye view of the planet below. Schafer would have thought the view was beautiful except for  the fact that he could see the UPF frigates in the distance holding off a Sathar heavy cruiser. He could see orbs of light silently bloom. Intermittent flashes from heavy lasers would momentarily dazzle.
 
The gantry stopped. The battle suits jarred. T'rting ,a Vrusk, cursed over the 'com.
T'rting was in his suit next to Schafer. A Vrusk had to be folded up to be mounted to the side of the dropship. Schafer knew that T'rting would be getting irritable after being in such an unnatural position for so long.

A low vibration rosonated through the suit as the dropship's engine spooled up.
The idea was for the fleet to screen the assault ship. The aussalt ship gets as close to atmosphere as possible and launches all dropships. The dropships want to get out of space and make atmosphere as soon as possible, or they get picked off by Sathar rockets and lasers. The dropships hit full thrust pointed at the atmosphere. At the last moment they go belly down and reduce speed. If they get the angle and speed just right re- entry won't kill you.

The UPF engineers and astrogaters worked all this out a long time ago. They failed to ask a battle suit marine strapped to the outside of a dropship how it all works out...
 
The dropship, well...  drops. For a few seconds the ship maneuvers clear. Then you feel the atomic drives push. Not gradual, like an interface shuttle, more like a hover transport hitting you.

The near blackout G's push you into your suit. Then the planet gets a hold of the ship and starts pulling it to higher velocities. Which is OK, for a few seconds the G's start to balance out. Then the ship goes belly down and reverses thrust. Your blood is not sure whether to pool in your feet or in your skull. Oh yeah, don't lose you breakfast in the suit.

Then your suit heats up, alarms go off. The suit warns you about external temperatures.
You should be OK though, the suit can handle a little heat. You reassure yourself as the atmosphere your violating starts to friction ignite on all the edges of your suit. Usually starts at your boots. About now your not in vacuum anymore. The mute turns off on the world. Sometimes you hear a howling or whisting or maybe just a ripping. The supersonic wind starts to claw and test and rip at every corner. You get to hear all this with or without external 'mics.

Not quite done. If there is a planetary defense, things get interesting. The dropship noses down again, Heads to an altitude that should give the planetary defenses less of a chance. Kind of like a Mach 3 express elevator.

Deployment is never the same way twice. The terrain is never good. Most of the time the dropship hovers to a landing we unlatch and hop off. The back drops down and the grunts charge out. The ships blasts off. Done.

Sometimes things are too hot for the dropship to land, so we do a rapid deploy. I'd like to meet the genious that thought up the Rapid Power Suit deploy. Or as UPF fleet calls it, "bowling." You'll see why in a minute. The dropship gets down to about 10 meters, The safe jump height for a standard suit. I say 'about' because some pilots are more skilled, or polite, than others. The dropship turns sideways and we drop off both sides. The guys on the lead side have it a little easier than the trailing side. Because the dropship is still moving forward. Something about needing some forward momentum to get out fast. Well if the forward momentum is bit too fast and the terrain trips you up, you go tumbling. So, your going head over heels in your battle suit, "bowling." Sometimes the trailing guys tumble into the leads and you get a pile up. Like a bunch of bowling pins.Usually don't get seriously hurt if you tumble. You just feel stupid all piled up.

Now your on planet, nauseous, weak kneed, banged up. You just need to remember your mission and get moving, fast.

That is all there is to a ship drop. All things considered I much prefer it to a pod drop. I'll tell you about those later........
 

At least I got to scare an alien rabbit thingy......


MrJupiter's picture
MrJupiter
July 27, 2008 - 2:04pm
This is a great bit of narrative.  It adds a good deal of atmosphere and information.  I hope someone takes this and the rest of your powered armor material and uses it to flesh out Spacefleet and Landfleet a bit further (Landfleet in particular as I haven't seen much written about it.)

And what's this about the pod drop?  It sounds quite interesting... 

umungus's picture
umungus
July 28, 2008 - 7:59am
Glad you like it.

I am working on the particulars for a dropship and drop pods. I have some concept art and some deck plans worked out.

I want to get feedback on the Powered armor stuff before submitting anything else. I think that the Landfleet is wide open. I would like to adapt the Powered armor rules to armored vehicles.

At least I got to scare an alien rabbit thingy......


AZ_GAMER's picture
AZ_GAMER
August 5, 2008 - 7:00am
Assault Pod Powered Battle Suit, Atmospheric & Space, Multi-Role Support Unit Capable Of Functioning As A Mirco Work Pod As Well. (Transparent View) Cross Reference With UPF Night Shade Project.


AZ_GAMER's picture
AZ_GAMER
August 5, 2008 - 8:08am
The Assault Pod Can also be delivered into a combat zone via transport ship or drop ship ferry. Pictured here is two pods in a six pack configuration ferried by a HS2 (more like HS 1 1/2) system ship


AZ_GAMER's picture
AZ_GAMER
August 5, 2008 - 8:15am

Closer look at a Pod in the Rack ready for deployment