M10 Raider Light Armor

Originally built around the iconic Super Phalanx design, the M10 Raider is a light armor built in mid YE 34 to fill the lighter power armor roles of planetary and starship combat. It is not intended as a replacement of any existing designs, only to complement them as a cheaper, more versatile asset.

Originally built long ago by now defunct companies, the Super Phalanx design is considered ancient and obsolete. Following the acquisition of certain power armor replicators by the 4th Fleet, Nepleslia gained the ability to produce these outmoded weapons of war. Following the Fleet's tradition of acquiring cutting edge weaponry, Dominic Valken ordered NAM to make use of the smaller frame to create a light armor usable for 4th Fleet's sailors and Marines. This was expanded, to a limited degree, when other units began to take an interest. The result after much experimentation was the M10 Raider Light Armor.

Raider units were first deployed in YE 34 as part of the Rok'Veru Offensive. These armors were given to Nepleslian reconnaissance and jiyuuian volunteer front-line units.

Other Raiders, painted in darker colors, were deployed to the IPG's Military Police and Commando branches. These were employed in internal security or special forces operations.

In YE 35, following feedback from the Marines and IPG, improvements to the armor were made. Most notable was the addition of a Pulse Laser Array to the shoulder and a VBCS knife to each hip. Small adjustments were made to allow the option of an arm-mounted 12.7mm Medium Chain Gun. The same year, it entered limited mass production for the NSMC and IPG.

The Raider is essentially the result of NAM taking an old M1 Super Phalanx armor frame, ripping out all of its outdated hardware and software and replacing it with their own products. However, even the frame has been modified with more modern materials. In the end, all that remains of the old Super Phalanx are simply its looks.

As a light power armor, the Raider is not intended for heavy front-line service. Its intended uses include stealth reconnaissance, hit-and-run strikes, and boarding actions. For missions requiring stealth, special models have been made that are not as effective as a NIGHT Stealth Armor but are cheaper and easier to maintain. These special models are nicknamed “Night Raiders,” after the infamous NIGHT armors. However, the armor's primary mission, as the name implies, is to raid enemy supply lines and cause havoc before retreating back to friendly territory. This doctrine was inspired by the work of several Jiyuuian power armor aces who joined the SMDIoN. The Raider's usefulness in boarding actions is due to its smaller frame. Sailors who have tested it in simulated boarding actions say that, when properly outfitted, it is extremely useful in the close quarters of interior ship combat.

Finally, as a cheaper armor, it has found use as a second-line armor in garrison and guard duties. This allows heavier armors like the NAM Terratech General Combat Armorsuit – “Hostile” and Aggressor Heavy Assault Armor, which had been fulfilling these roles, to be sent to the front. The only issue amongst all of the armed forces has been that users must be 6'4“ (193cm) or shorter to wear the armor, excluding taller Nepleslians and ID-SOLs. A larger version of the Raider can be made for these soldiers but the SMDIoN is delaying this until it receives feedback from the initial production batch.

The Raider is a light power armor that fits to the contours of the user's body. It is similar in size to its Star Army of Yamatai counterparts but where those armors have rounded curves, the Raider is more blocky and squarish. Its helmet is more rounded, like a biker's helmet, but features a single visor running the length of the face plate instead of eye slits. This cyclopian image is completed by the presence of a single Monoeye within the helmet which occasionally flashes, though this function can be shut off. The helmet's cheeks protrude out, allowing it house the necessary communication and Monoeye systems. The back of the helmet tapers out slightly to a point, forming a curved surface to increase the chance of a ricochet.

The Raider mounts a heavily armored chest plate, similar in appearance to an athletic male torso. The standard colors are grey and green but these can be easily replaced with other patterns. Stealth models are normally painted in black and coated with special materials.

• Government: Democratic Imperium of Nepleslia
• Organization: Nepleslian Space Marine Corps, NSN
• Type: Light power armor, stealth recon armor
• Class: Na-M10-01a
• Designer: NAM
• Manufacturer: NAM
• Production: mass production

• Crew: 1 Nepleslian or 1 Jiyuuian
• Maximum Capacity: 1 Nepleslian or 1 Jiyuuian

• Width: 100cm (39.4in)
• Height: 203 cm (80in) when worn by a 6'4” user
• Mass: (Empty) 257.55 lbs/116.82 kg (Loaded) 300-350lbs/136-158kg

• Ground speed: Mach 2
• Air speed: Mach 2.5
• Zero Atmosphere: 3600 km/h maximum
• Range: 24-48 hours, depending on energy use and hydrogen refueling
• Lifespan: 2 years, refit every third year

See Damage Rating (Version 3) for an explanation of the damage system.

• Hull: Tier 5, Medium Armor
• Shields: Tier 5, Medium Shields (Threshold 3)

The LCA was modified in YE 34 to fit the Raider as its primary rifle. With a reduced recoil, the smaller LCA was more suitable to the Raider than the heavier HPAR.

• Location: Handheld
• Primary Purpose: Anti-armor
• Secondary Purpose: Anti-personnel
• Damage: T5-6
• Range: 5 KM in atmosphere, 500m effective; unlimited in space
• Rate of Fire: 600 RPM
• Payload: 50 in a box magazine

The 12.7mm Medium Chain Gun was another Nepleslian weapon that was modified for power armor use in the mid YE 30s. On the Raider, it is an arm-mounted weapon, belt-fed from an ammunition drum mounted on the back. The MCG replaces the LCA. A Raider cannot use both weapons simultaneously.

• Location: Handheld
• Primary Purpose: Anti-armor
• Secondary Purpose: Anti-personnel
• Damage: T4
• Effective Range: 2 KM in Atmosphere, Nearly Unlimited in Space
• Maximum Range: 4 KM in Atmosphere, Nearly Unlimited in Space
• Rate of Fire: 750 RPM
• Recoil: Recoil is moderate when fired in bursts, heavy on fully automatic.
• Payload: 500 in a drum magazine

The standard PLA-02a is a tried and tested CIWS that was requested to be added to later production models of the Raider. Early production models had these retrofitted on as and when they could be.

• Location: In the area between the neck and right shoulder
• Purpose: Point Defense
• Secondary: Anti-Infantry
• Damage: T2-Medium Anti Personnel
• Range: ~1,000m
• Rate of Fire: Continuous Rate of Fire
• Area of Effect: Single Effect
• Muzzle Velocity: 1c
• Ammunition: Effectively unlimited

These weapons are the legacy from the original Phalanx unit. Located in the wrists of the armor, the plasma projectors allow the wearer to manipulate plasma generated by its power system. The wearer can direct potent plasma bursts at his or her foes. The plasma can be used as a projectile weapon or, if really desperate, a melee weapon. On impact, the kinetic energy of the plasma bolt is disrupted into a massive explosion, covering several meters. This makes it a potent but dangerous melee weapon since it can damage the user as well as the intended victim. The plasma projectors are intended as weapons of a last resort, when no other weapons are available. Each plasma blast uses up a fraction of the Raider's hydrogen fuel supply, emphasizing the need for conservation if one is running low on fuel.

• Location: Wrist mounted weapon system
• Purpose: Anti-armor/anti-personnel
• Effect: Tier 4, Light Anti-Armor
• Secondary Effect: Plasma explosion with a radius of 5-10m
• Range: 125 meters (in an atmosphere); indefinite in space
• Rate of Fire:Varies
• Payload: Effectively unlimited as long as armor has power and fuel.

The RDL-03a is Nepleslia's standard DART launcher for power armors. DARTs are Nepleslia's classic anti-shielding and anti-electronics mini-missiles, making their use in the Raider a must. For hardier opponents, these launchers may be replaced with the RAL-02a, which mounts the high-explosive tipped ARROWs.

• Location: Right & Left Calf
• Primary Purpose: Anti-Shields, Anti-Sensors
• Secondary Purpose: Disabling small-grade electronics
• Damage: T1-6 to armor-class shields ONLY
• Range: 500m in atmosphere, 1,000m in space
• Payload: 70 per launcher pod
• Rate of Fire: 10 per second
• Notes: These may be replaced with ARROW launchers.

Two knives were installed into hip holsters after reports than the Raider lacked a viable anti-power melee weapon. While it was always able to use the NAM VBCS weaponry, the Raider now features the compartments required to carry these weapons. Prior to the installation of these side holsters, Marines were duct-taping their knives to the sides of their armor.

Layered Armored Frame

The armor for the Raider is created similarly to the Hostile's, though without the extensive structural reinforcements. It is made of durandium, its relatively light weight and remarkable hardness for such weight making it a mainstay in armor construction. Underneath this initial layer of durandium, there is a layer of mixed durandium and nerimium. Nerimium plates cover important areas such as the chest, torso, back, and thighs. All other areas are covered by a second layer of durandium. Because of the Raider's function as a fast, light and maneuverable machine used in lightning raids or covert missions, heavier armor is not suitable.

On stealth models, a third layer, composed ofzanarium,is applied on top of the existing two armored layers. It is the thinnest of all three and applied only for its stealth qualities.

To protect the user from hard kinetic impacts, a layer of impact gel coats the interior of the armor and helmet. While it will not stop incoming fire, the impact gel does significantly lessen the kinetic force of an impact felt by the wearer by absorbing the force over a large area. This cushioning decreases the likelihood and severity of any injuries. It also makes the armor more comfortable for the user.

Ultra Compact Fusion Generator UCF-4a

Utilizing the same generators used in other Nepleslian power armors, the Raider houses a fusion generator in its frame. This provides it with ample energy to carry out combat operations. However, without a backup, damage to the generator may result in reduced or zero power output.

Medical Nano Injector In the event of severe injury, the armor has a one-time use medical nano injector with enough medical nano to stabilize most wounds and traumatic injuries. After this use, injured or wounded personnel are advised to find a medic.

The Raider's life support is extremely minimal, reflective of its cheaper status. Air is fed to the user from a tank mounted in the backpack. The interior is lined with impact gel lined with cotton, which is the only comfort available to the wearer. To keep the pilot comfortable in extreme environments, such as airless voids or blazing deserts, the Raider is equipped with an environmental suite that is adjusted by the armor's AI to suit the wearer's vital signs. These automated adjustments can be manually overridden by the user by accessing a control panel located on the back of the armor.

The Raider accessed by climbing into the armor when the front end is opened and exposed. The suit then closes itself and adjusts its structure to the user’s physique and clamps the straps on.

Compact Gravimetric Drive CGD-01a

The gravitic propulsion system is best used for short bursts of acceleration. Due to its heavy fuel usage, the system is not recommended for long periods of flight.

Variable Impulse Drive System PID-01a

This system is best used for periods of sustained flight due to its economic fuel efficiency.

There are two pairs of thrusters present on the Raider: two larger nozzles, located on the backpack, and two smaller-grade ones integrated into the calves.

Combined Shield System CPS-05h

The CPS package consists of the standard Electrostatic Shielding, Distortion Shielding, Scalar "Lightning" Shielding, Damper Shielding.

Monoeye Suite A Monoeye is present in the armor's helmet, behind the visor. It allows the user to toggle between various visual modes including infrared and night vision.

In stealth models, the Monoeye's glow and flashes can be shut off.

Non-invasive Neural Probe

The neural probe scans the user's brainwave, allowing them to control the armor more effectively with their thoughts. As a Marine or sailor uses the armor more often, the AI is able to synch better with him or her.

Nanomuscles

Nanomuscles give the Raider's wearer the ability to exert strength greater than their own. Without it, they would not be able to utilize the Raider's full potential. These muscles generally double the weight that can be lifted by the average Nepleslian.

Display Visor HUD-03a

These are the exact same systems as those mounted on the Hostile. It feeds tactical information to the user and adjusts the brightness as necessary. It can also toggle between various visual spectrums, including infrared and nightvision. The HUD can also digitally zoom the user's view.

”ACE” Combat

This is the standard AI mounted on Nepleslian power armors. It is not known for its personality or social skills but the Precipice system is an excellent combat AI, able to collect and analyze data for the user. Field commanders can make use of its networking systems to coordinate troop movements more effectively.

Encrypted Radio, Laser and Monoeye Subspace Emitters

These communication systems are much like those mounted on the Hostile and function in much the same way. It allows the Raider's user to send message via radio, tight-beam laser or subspace transmissions.

The combined range of the communications suite is roughly 100 km.

Ionized Hydrogen Tanks

These specialized fuel tanks house the hydrogen necessary for the Plasma Impulse Drive system. They are located on the underside of the backpack. To extend fuel supplies, it is possible to absorb the natural hydrogen found in space and atmospheres for use as fuel. These tanks can hold up to 24 hours worth of fuel.

NAM Noisemaker Device

The NAM “Noisemaker” system is Nepleslia standard jamming device. It is effective for 100km but its use will alert everyone to its presence.

NAM “Snakeskin” Pigmentation Coat

The standard configuration of the Raider utilizes the Snakeskin system as the basic visual stealth system. There is usually a shimmering effect when one looks at the active Snakeskin system. While this is a visual giveaway, it is often difficult for enemies using unaided optics, like eyes, to accurately place the cloaked power armor, let alone hit it.

Mass Mesher Device

More advanced stealth models replace the Snakeskin with the Mass Mesher Device which makes the Raider all but invisible to the visual spectrum. This makes it ideal for stealth missions where detection could result in dangerous situations with little or no back up.

Re-created by Charmaylarg on 7/11/19. All rights to this page are left to Wes as site manager.