With the rising demand for a ID-SOL capable Power Armor in the ranks of NAM’s ELEMENT PA line, Melchoir and the fine gentlemen at Nepleslian Arms and Munitions designed the EARTH to fill that role, with a vengeance.
The EARTH is a heavy offensive juggernaut, built to accommodate both the normal Nepleslian soldier, as well as massive ID-SOLs frames. Currently, this is the first and only NAM powered armor that can accommodate both sizes of the species. The EARTH is unique in this respect, as well as both its astounding array of heavy weaponry and physical abilities, incredibly thick reinforced armor, and its remarkably slow speeds. The EARTH is completely outclassed in terms of agility and dexterity, relying heavily on support from other ELEMENT models in order to keep the gargantuan titan from being slowly pecked to death by quicker powered armors while it decimates anything not quick enough to escape its weapon systems. The amount of power necessary and materials used to utilize the EARTHs abilities is also a drawback; the EARTH is not a cheap armor to produce. However, you do get what you pay for.
“SOLID AS A ROCK!”
Starting from the head, it is an oval-ish with a Nerimium Mask. Bulking nanomuscles forms the neck, and then goes into the body through a thick circular collar. A triple layered breastplate covers the front, while the back is taken up by a large square horizontally inclined backpack. The shoulders are squarish and large with a transparent cross on it (Houses the monoeyes). A cluster of thrusters are under the backpack. Going down the arms are mostly thick armor plates with the occasional nanomuscle strand. After the elbow, the entire forearm takes a bulky cylindrical shape, spanning twice the width of the arm itself, and ending in a gauntlet glove. Both forearms are guarded.
Back at the main body, nanomuslces can be seen covering the waist, it ends in a heavy metal belt, a pair of straight tubes jut out at a 45* degree to horizontal here by default ending in veneer thrusters. The legs are also armored plates with the occasional Nanomuscle. The knees are squarish, housing another pair of monoeyes. A pair of thrusters are integrated into the knees and the sides of the calfs. By default this armor is painted dark brown.
NAM EARTH PA | |
---|---|
FTL Engine | 0 |
Hyperspace Drive | 0 |
Sublight Engine | 35 (Ion Arrays) |
Main Starship Super-weapon | 0 |
Main Gun Battery | 350 (Standard issue AOP-01a) |
Secondary Guns | 270 (Standard issue RRW-01a, (2)PCT-01a, (2)EAS-01a package) |
Point Defense Guns | 3 (shoulder pulse cannon) |
Main Generator | 1200 (3 UCF-3u's) |
Secondary Generators | 0 |
Environmental Systems | 1 (Pilot suite) |
Computer | 100 (Combat Savtech) |
Armor | 3000 (10 sections, 5 Andrium, 250 each, 5 Nerimium, 350 each) |
Stealth Armor | 200 (Mass Mesher System) |
Sensor System | 300 (3-Monoeye suites) |
Shield Systems | 600 (CPS-04ec) |
Nanotech systems | 0 |
Total | 6054 per 10 armors |
(1): NAM Assault Ordnance Projector AOP-01a: The intimidating EARTH sports and equally intimidating main weapon. The menacing AOP-01a is a large, heavy looking weapon, about 6 feet in length. The ordnance is loaded into the AOP-01a through a large cylindrical canister-esque clip. Ordnance is propelled out of the main weapon via mass driver, while the missile itself houses ion drives for continuous thrust. The ordnance itself is made of light materials, with a thin layer of Zanarium for stealth capabilities, and has shielding, tracking and dodging ability through on-board computer systems. The weapon itself is simple in design, yet effective none-the-less against intended targets.
Ammunition Notes:
(1): NAM Repulsion Rod Warhammer RRW-01a: After the AIR2, NAM tried to field a handheld Repulsion-type weapon similar to its armor ignoring attack. The EARTH1 with its slow speed and bad maneuverability also meant it needed a melee weapon with a good reach as well. The barbaric result is a solid nerimium warhammer with an inbuilt Repulsion Rod. The 6ft weapon can only be handled by the EARTH1 due to its sheer weight, although it is technically possible for other, non-NAM armors to use it, the size alone would be a very make use limited. Upon impact, the victim has not only to deal with the heavy blow from the mass, but also the repulsion wave from the Rod. Even if the victim survives the heavy blunt trauma, the force of the blow will often propel in within acceptable ranges for a follow-up attack from the EARTH1's weapon systems.
(2): NAM Plasma Chaingun Turret PCT-01a: For point defense, the EARTH1 borrows the PCT-01a from the FIRE1s Forearm Plasma Chaingun. Like its progenitor, the PCT-01a draws superheated plasma from the generators and magnetically accelerates and stabilizes it via a five barreled chaingun. The PCT-1a is turret mounted on the back of the EARTH1 capable of firing forward, sideways and back. The weapon is semi-automated. And requires a monoeye lock for accurate fire.
(2): NAM Extended ARROW Semi-Rack EAS-01a: The EARTH1 carries the traditional ARROW micro-missiles present in all NAM suits. ARROWs are small missiles that require little external locking solutions, hence can be released in a swarm. The extended version increases the range but it is still recommended to use it at closer ranges where the enemy is given lesser chances to react. The rack is a smaller cousin of the FIRE1, each housing only 60 ARROWs.
(1): NAM Pulse Laser Array PLA-01a: This consists of a small single high precision high power laser mounted above both sides of the chest. The Laser projector is capable of turning on an axis to fire to the front, back and above the EARTH1.
(1): NAM Observation Probe: this is released before battle and floats near the fringes all by itself. Fully automated and has a pair of Firefly Ion Arrays. Has a single Monoeye on its head and is cheap to manufacture. When un-deployed it looks like the EARTH1 is carrying a very small violin case.
Thick Durandium, reinforced with Nerimium in a Diamond Nanotube frame The inner layers of the EARTH1s frame are similar to the rest of the ELEMENT line of NAM armors, being composed out of a basic under layer with thick sectioned plates outside. The structure of the plates is designed to absorb the maximum amount of damage with the drawback that whole sections shatter immediately if hit at the same spot. The most prominent pieces of armor are the head and face which is devoid of details. In second place are the side skirt armors. They start from the waist all the way down to the middle tights, its back portion going to the knees.
This layer of Durandium armor is then covered with a reinforced layer of starship-grade Nerimium plating. This increases both the durability and the weight of the armor exponentially. Piloting of this armor is only made possible through the massive amounts of nanomuscle threads, and even with the nanomuscle support, movements must be performed with the fullest of the pilots ability in order for the armor to perform as maximum capability.
The inside of the EARTH itself is built to hold the frame of an ID-SOL. However, should a regular-sized pilot wish to use the armor, the straps and inner cushioning can be adjusted to accommodate the smaller size.
Ultra Compact Fusion Generator UCF-4a The UCF-4a is an improvement of the UCF-3 present in all previous NAM armors. It boasts a higher output and safety, capable of powering a FIRE1 single-handedly and would rarely self-destruct even when critically damaged. However the UCF-4s advent also meant that NAM was approaching the limits of Fusion technology and should branch into different methods of power generation from now onwards.
Due to the high power demand the EARTH1 requires for both basic and the multiple weapon systems, the EARTH1 carries three UCF-4a generators. Starting from the pilot’s back, all three are arranged in a straight line from the head to the tail of the backpack. The shield, weapon and propulsion (including nanomuscle) systems count on an individual generator. Thus the pilot must choose what to disable if a generator is knocked out.
MEC Type C When critical damage is recorded, the MEC automatically beheads and cyrofreezes the pilot's head and jettisons it with a JAM bottle. This is located behind the PA's helmet.
The inside of the armor is made out of cushioned material, with hard straps near jointed areas. Oxygen and Sucrose solution is provided through a mask in the helmet and a catheter is present down below. The catheter has to be manually attached by the pilot as he jumps in. Constriction bands placed above the straps, and an automatic drug applier is near the neck. Due to the positioning of the generator, a lead sheet is placed against the pilot’s back, making it harder to slouch but generally the whole suit is ambient radiation shielded. In all, it is not very comfortable.
The Power Armor can be accessed when it is kneeling by climbing up the back or using a ladder (Also applicable when standing). A password is then recognized by the Armor and then the top opens up with the head and shoulder’s tipping over to open a widening cavity for the pilot to jump in. The suit then closes itself and adjusts its structure to the pilot’s physique and clamps the straps on.
E Ion Array EIA-01a The large frame of the EARTH1 meant that a new Ion Drive arrangement must be created specifically for it. The ‘E’ type merely focuses on getting the armor from point A to B, sacrificing mobility and acceleration. Even then the EARTH1 is slower than any other NAM armor. A pair of large thrusters are integrated into the calf, another pair on the tip of the propellant tanks for turning and four more are located under the backpack. All thrusters are capable of turning on a small axis to change course.
Combined Shielding with Distortion effects, Earth Custom CPS-04ec The shields of the EARTH1 carries the standard CPS but with a new focus: distortion shielding. The distortion shields defeats transphased weaponry and attempts to dissipate energy based weapons. Stronger beams may be only partially dissipated and would impact upon the energy shields. Should the energy shields be lost, the resultant shots would impact upon the armor. The distortion shields weaken with each successive hit but at a much slower rate compared to the energy shields, typically half the armor would have been chopped away before the shields fail all together.
By itself the shields of the juggernaut EARTH1 is capable of absorbing an extreme amount of damage, due to additional power being able to be drawn from the additional generators.
Antigravity The shield projector creates a small anti-gravity field around the Armor, reducing its massive weight to a manageable level, preventing the forces of inertia and stopping scalar weapons from scoring easy kills. Generator is a small disk on the lower back.
Monoeye Suite These sensors are placed on both shoulders, both knees and both sides of the backpack. In a total of three pairs of monoeye sensors. On passive mode these sensors emit low key RADAR, LADAR and receive data on a wide spectrum. The maximum range of these monoeyes are roughly 5 AU.
On active mode, a pair of mono-directional emitters located within the sensors will glow. When activated, the Monoeye array sends out a broad range of particles towards an area in a tight stream, which then return back in a similar fashion akin to radar. It is very effective at determining the exact positioning and movement of ships caught in the stream, as well as providing detailed and instantaneous data on targets, but will instantly give away the EARTH’s position.
The con’s of this system is that each Monoeye can only lock on at one target at a time, making battlefield support integral to the EARTH. Single eyes can only detect the target itself (For firing solutions) or things leaving the target (For autododge). Pilots should also consider the implications of drawing the attention of two enemy targets at once.
Neural Probe Input The numerous weapon systems and the complexity of the armor meant that the usual Neuroprobe is not enough anymore. Now all who pilot this armor must undergo an operation to install a cerebral port on the back of their heads so that input and output may be directly send to and from the brain, making the armor an extension of one’s self. Should this system fail, only simple actions may be performed, motor activities must be exerted physically and thrusters has to be directed by voice command.
It is planned in the future to have all combat armors installed with Neural Probe systems, and their pilots to undergo installation of cerebral ports to further the capabilities of each individual soldier.
Nanomuscles Improves the reaction time and strength of the pilot by lining the insides of the suit with nanomuscles. These muscles are composed of many strands of nanochains which contract upon receiving an electric shock of the correct frequency or from pressure sensors embedded in various points. These nanomuscles contract and retract faster than organic muscles based on the signals received by the neuro probe.
Due to the massive strength required to lift the heavily armored limbs of the EARTH1, the nanomuscle density has been tripled. This results in both the ability to move the heavy armor, as well as give the EARTH1 incredible melee strengths, with the ability to lift roughly 10 tons.
Display visor HUD-03a This is merely a failsafe if the Neuroprobe suddenly stops working. The Visor displays battlefield data typical to all other NAM armors and would adjust the view if the pilot turns his head.
Combat Savtech A specialized computer system for sorting battle data received from the Monoeyes of all squad machines. Thanks to the detailed trajectories data from the Monoeye sensor system, the Savtech can perform high accuracy shots by manipulating the nanomuscles on the arms. All the pilot has to do is point the gun at the enemy and the Savtech will fine tune the aim.
Should the Savtech determine that a shot is approaching the EARTH1, it will NOT perform evasive manuvers unless it is a very slow moving projectile. By default the Savtech will try to shoot down any shoot-downable projectile headed to the Armor.
It is recommended to save your battle data in the event of machine switching or destruction.
Encrypted Radio, Laser and Monoeye Subspace Emitters Emitters are on the shoulders and a single antenna. Very traditional. The antenna has been moved farther into the folds of the armored hull of the EARTH1 for more protection, since communication with other squad-mates in quicker, more agile armors is key to surviving fights with quicker enemy armors.
The combined range of the communications suite is roughly 1,000,000 km.
Firefly Subtype Similar to the Fireflies, This is a long tube which contains the Xenon Ions for powering the Ion Drives. Except its secondary usage this time is a prop for standing up, plus it is better armored. One pair located behind the waist. Each tube lasts for a day of patrol or 2 hours of frantic fighting. There are indentations on it so that the pilot may step on it to climb up the armor. Each propellant tube has been outfitted with a thin layer of Durandium. The tip of the tube also houses an Ion Drive to make turning the armor easier.
NAM Noisemaker Device The NAM “Noisemaker” excels at jamming passive sensors by constantly emitting random signals of all types and frequencies. Although this assists friendly units nearby, the EARTH1 will be easily spotted up to 1,000 KM away when this is activated.
Mass Mesher Device MMD-01a It is easier to hide behind something than to completely disappear. The MMD is actually a reversed engineered and refined version of the NRM's Dark Demon C-1 Cloaking device. The device creates a field that filters the non-visible electromagnetic emissions of the armor to match that of the immediate surrounding area. Should the EARTH be near an object four times its size, it becomes radar/sensor invisible. The armor can successfully hide in dense foliage, near large boulders or lying flat on the ground. If near other units with the same device, they will appear as one unidentified unit on enemy radar. Firing a weapon and over boosting cancels this.