Project Knight - Mecha Design Bureau
Turn 17: Year 7 of Project Knight
[X] Plan SCC Bid
-[X] [Tonnage] Light Armour Plating (5 tons, 2 levels of armour size)
-[X] [Composition] Composite Plating (no tonnage modifier)
-[X] [Coverage] Predictive Coverage (no tonnage modifier)
-[X] [Internal] Armoured Bulkheads (2 tons)
-[X] [Internal] Reinforced Drone Dock (2 tons)
Rolls for Chosen Upgrades:
Engineering Rolls: Your team will roll dice for each factor of the design they are trying to impact. The dice roll is a simple d20 modified by their level of training and experience in a given field, versus a difficulty target that must be met or exceeded. The degree of success/failure will then modify the final result accordingly. Bonus: Well funded! Your engineers roll twice and choose the higher result.
Light Armour Plating
Armour Development (Quadrapod): Experienced (+2) vs. Extra Difficulty (+0)
[+1.0] Armour Plating increases from F+ to E+ | 18 vs. 10 - minor success
Armour Development (Quadrapod): Experienced (+2) vs. Extra Difficulty (+0)
[-1.0] Material Affordability decreases from B- to C | 13 vs. 12 - minor success
Composite Armour Plating
Materials Science (Composite Armour): Experienced (+2) vs. Extra Difficulty (+2)
[+0.66] Armour Plating increases from E+ to D- | 11 vs. 15 - minor failure
Predictive Coverage
Armour Development (Quadrapod): Experienced (+2) vs. Extra Difficulty (+1)
[Gamble] Armour Plating increases from D- to D | 17 vs. 15 - minor success
Structural Engineering (Quadrapod): Experienced (+3) vs. Extra Difficulty (+1)
[Gamble] Armour Plating increases from D to D+ | 15 vs. 15 - minor success
Armoured Bulkheads
Armour Development (Gunboat): Experienced (+2) vs. Extra Difficulty (+0)
[+0.33] Armour Plating does not increase. | 12 vs. 16 - minor failure
Structural Engineering (Gunboat): Experienced (+3) vs. Extra Difficulty (+0)
[+1.0] Component Protection increases from D+ to C. | 14 vs. 16 - minor failure
Structural Engineering (Gunboat): Experienced (+3) vs. Extra Difficulty (+0)
[+1.0] Pilot Protection increases from D to C. | 17 vs. 15 - minor success
Structural Engineering (Gunboat): Experienced (+3) vs. Extra Difficulty (+0)
[+1.0] Joint Protection increases from E+ to D+. | 20 vs. 13 - minor success
Reinforced Drone Dock
Armour Development (Casing): Experienced (+2) vs. Extra Difficulty (+5)
No issues implementing this component. | 21 vs. 14
Our Combat Potential rating increases to C-
Our Logistical Values rating decreases to C+
Your level of unused tonnage has increased your Top Speed to C- and your Acceleration to C+.
Criteria Success: Your project now meets the Basic Requirement for Combat Potential. Criteria Warning: Your project now fails the Bethnar Republic's Material Affordability requirement.
Armouring the Chassis:
Completing our protection plan for the Mech was the final piece of the puzzle.
You opted for a lighter armour shell over the chassis hull. While layering on additional plates of armour would certainly be possible, the weight required for that would end up preventing you from fitting other protection systems. In the end, you opted for a set of additional bulkheads inside the mech, along with a reinforced casing with retractable plate door for the drone dock. To compensate for the lighter tonnage of the armour, it was built with high-end composite layers that provided significant protection for its weight - your team weren't that familiar with these types of composites, but there's no question that it was an improvement over a base steel-core alloy.
The final trick you had up your sleeve was the design of each individual subsection of armour. Through a series of predictive algorithm-driven simulations, consultation of traditional tank-based armour plans, the location of your vital points, and the expected types of enemy engagements, you were able to adjust the angle and thickness of individual armour plates to ensure the thickest armour was present in the locations deemed most vulnerable to enemy fire. Although this would introduce minor weak points into the hull, your team were able to combine this with the armoured bulkheads to reduce the downsides of this to minimal levels while ensuring that a higher proportion of enemy attacks would be defeated.
The good news was that you now had a very well armoured and resilient mech, that was fairly competitive with most contemporary tank designs in armour and mobility while surpassing them in raw firepower. You had also achieved this without allowing the production or maintenance costs of the Mech to spiral out of control.
The bad news was that you still hadn't quite reached the SCC's expectations - they had hoped for armour systems that would match the top-of-the-line tank armour at minimum, and they had some concerns that your overall protection wouldn't be significant enough as is.
On the other side, the Amazon Republic simply wasn't seeing the mobility or maintainable tech levels that they had hoped you would produce - the system's capabilities were no doubt impressive, but they were concerned that it would become bogged down in the swampy jungles of their homeland and that its components would not prove rugged enough to maintain operability.
The board was delighted, though. You'd met all their hopes and more, and this Mech was shaping into something really positive. Now you just needed to run it through its first field tests and decide what to do with the remaining funding the project had available.
Initial Field Tests:
The earth trembled briefly as the project codenamed Bushfire took its first steps onto the nondescript field of the testing range. Dry scrub-grass and solid earth compressed and sunk slightly under the wide feet of the Warmech as it strode out onto the field. Although its movements were somewhat stiff, its gait was quick and snappy - once it got up to speed, it could reach a reliable cruising speed of 55kph under standard power conditions - by redirecting power to the drive system and utilizing a highly synchronized and skilled pilot's mastery of limb control, sprinting speed could be significantly improved. The fastest such sprint under full combat load was recorded at 84kph.
Straight line speed was one thing, but there were other factors to consider when determining mobility. The turning radius was acceptable - competitive with most armoured weapon systems. Individual limb control driven by the Neural Link also made it considerably more performant than tracked or wheeled vehicles over rugged, uneven ground conditions. The Warmech's four-legged base was surprisingly reactive to changes in balance. Experienced pilots were able to display instinctive control of the Mech's limb positioning and balance control through thought alone, despite only achieving semi-possession of the Mech. The Engineers were very excited and wondered what this meant if we were able to achieve a cost-effective full possession prototype.
Weapons testing also went well - especially considering all of our weapon systems were designed and engineered by our own team. Every system was operating within expected parameters. The Quadrapod's excellent stability and weapons stabilizers meant that the system was able to fire on the run without complete loss of accuracy. There were a couple of knockdown incidents from inexperienced test crews - it seemed that the kickback from the 152mm gun was sufficient to throw off the Mech's balance if the pilot wasn't prepared. On the bright side, we found that our chassis remained highly mobile even after high-speed tumbles - the exposed turret, gun barrel, and antennae connected to the drone dock and comms array were not always so lucky, depending on how and where it fell.
Of particular interest to the military observers at the testing ground was an emergent feature of our design: indirect artillery fire. While the 152mm battle cannon was built and designed as a direct fire weapon, the Quadrapod design and high stability allowed skilled pilots to selectively lower the rear legs into a squatting or sitting position, aiming the weapon up into the air. With the assistance of our advanced networked targeting computers and comms array, this allowed indirect fire with a max range of 26km with most round types; the use of Rocket-Assisted Glider (RAG) shells extend that range out to a fearsome 64km, ensuring that the presence of the Mech can be felt from anywhere on the battlefield. While it wasn't our original design intention, that combined with the relative mobility of the platform and powerful comm systems allow it to outperform traditional self-propelled artillery systems in shoot-and-scoot manoeuvres.
The Drone Dock and Turret received more mixed reviews. For the former, although the Drone Controllers embedded into the dock allowed the Comm System and Networked Targeting Computer to collect data from recon drone networks more easily, the Drones themselves were somewhat underwhelming as a combat system - a lot of weight was sacrificed in the name of the dock, and it ultimately didn't add any capabilities that couldn't be provided by the support of any contemporary combined arms unit. It would mostly be a selling point to buyers that expected their Mechs to operate independently of other units and thus needed to bring their own form of air support.
As for the turret, the 40mm and 12mm systems proved to be a potent and effective combo against infantry and light vehicles - although some concern was raised about the low number of 40mm rounds carried, this was a secondary weapon and not a serious concern. Of greater concern was the Point Defence System's position. Although the nose turret's position gave it a great deal of rotational capacity, it the system had two serious limiters: one, that being nose-mounted left the rear of the Mech vulnerable to air attacks; two, that the long-barrelled main gun extended over the turret, creating a blind spot by which approaching air threats could avoid the system's counterfire unless the crew reacted quickly enough to reorient the turret and/or gun.
[Minor Weapon Complication]
Mech's Point Defence System has suffered a minor complication, gaining the trait:
[Partial Blind Spot - Vertical] Harder to target threats in an arc above the Turret.
Customer Impressions:
As for our potential customers, they were impressed at how quickly we had managed to get a working prototype ready for consideration.
The Kingdom of Kadiri were looking for a unit that could patrol and respond to threats on their various extrasolar colonial holdings. They would've preferred something that was a little more void-ready, given how many of those holdings were on planets with exospheres or hostile environments, but the Mech could be produced in great numbers and had speed, ruggedness, and independence on its side. The drone capabilities were actually a big perk for them, since they couldn't necessarily rely on their systems to always have combined arms support available.
Of all our customers, the Bethnar Republic were probably the most delighted at first. The Quadrapod design made an immediate visual impact, and when we trotted one out in a coat of fresh glamorous paint, flanked by its own drones and gleaming in the sun, they were delighted - obviously imagining how it would look in one of their fancy parades. They balked a little more at the potential price tag, and were worried that we had over-designed the Mech when something cheaper would do just fine. They would be tough negotiators and certainly wanted to bring the price down to levels that would wipe out our profit margin almost completely.
The Sahel Alliance were reserved in their response, but Simon from Marketing was sure they were impressed. Unlike the Kadiri, they would be fighting with substantial combined arms on their side - but unlike many other powers, they had struggled for a long time dealing with the electronic warfare capabilities of the local insurgents. It was hoped that the powerful encryption of our Mech's LRCA would be able to control the drone with signals that their enemies couldn't easily intercept or jam - giving the Alliance a more reliable way of deploying drone support in addition to the impressive off-road capabilities of the Mech. They weren't too happy about the use of the 152mm gun, since their logistics were having troubles - but Simon seems to think they could be convinced to acquire the Mech and convert it to use their own domestic 148mm system thanks to the modular weapons mount - the Mech was cheap enough that that would still be a good deal for them.
The Sagittarian Colonial Coalition was more animated and excited, yet also more reserved. They were clearly impressed by the system's strengths and capabilities - and they specifically called out how glad they were that we had addressed the weak point in the drone dock system. They also felt that the Networked Computers and Twin-Seat system would address their concerns about the relatively immobility of the gun by ensuring that the Mecha could protect each other in battle and squeezing a bit more performance out of the system. On the other hand, they still had worries about the survivability of the Mech - especially against air assets. Not to mention the entire design really felt like its niche was going to be ambush and fire support operations, whereas they were really hoping to see something that could take the front line in battle. Right now, they were struggling to see what it offered in that role that a top-of-the-line tank couldn't offer for a cheaper price tag. Still, it was an impressive system in its own right, and they were still considering acquiring some - especially if you could improve the survivability.
As for the Amazon Republic, they seemed to be put off by what they saw. They admitted that it was an impressive piece of engineering, but it just wasn't quite what they were looking for. The design was falling short in both the agility required to navigate their inhospitable wilderness and in the simplicity required to endure it without needing constant maintenance. It was difficult to see how you could resolve both of these issues at the same time. Additionally, the choice of weaponry seemed to favour long-range engagements - but the Amazon Republic expected engagements to typically occur at close ranges, necessitating an agile brawler. While they would be willing to have a final look at the finished project, they made it clear that they probably wouldn't be acquiring this system unless something drastic changed before then.
We had funding and time left to invest in potential reconfigurations and improvements of the Mech, but meeting our customers' requirements wasn't the only problem we had to face.
Serious Complications:
On the third day of Field Trials, test unit PT2 suffered a sudden and catastrophic failure of the central cooling system, causing the Engine to begin literally cooking itself. Only a quick emergency shutdown saved the Engine from total self-destruction.
This was confusing and concerning, since our team had done such a remarkable job developing the heat management system on the Mech to begin with. The chemists in the lab had managed to develop an experimental cryofluid with an extremely low freezing point and skillfully engineered the pump and pipes to support every piece of the Mech. Without question, it was a complete and comprehensive solution to our Mech's heating problems.
What we hadn't accounted for was that the speed and acceleration of the Mecha at their highest levels of performance were faster than we originally anticipated. Secondly, the materials we used for the cooling pipes were extremely resistant to heat and cold, but became extremely brittle when exposed to extreme heat and cold in unison. When redirecting all spare power to the Drive Controllers to achieve top speeds, the localized heat levels around the drive shaft and joints become sufficient to heat parts of the cooling system faster than the cryofluid could cool the pipes, resulting in swings between hot and cold sections of pipe. This eventually caused a total failure of the pipe's structural integrity, spilling the cryofluid into the chassis where it promptly aerosolized. The Engine began to overheat, threatening to melt the power cells in their moorings - and to make it worse, just one spark would've set off the aerosolized cryofluid (which was itself very volatile in this state). Thankfully the pilot was able to shut down in time and vent the gas before the entire Mech was compromised.
After further testing, we could confirm that the localized heating issue only seemed to occur when the Mech was traveling at above 70kph or so. As long as the issue remained unresolved, we'd have to put in system warnings and lock the max speed of the Mech behind a manual override to avoid customers pushing it too far. Of course, there was plenty of time to revisit the cooling system - our engineers had done such a good job making it hyper-efficient, it'd be a damn waste if we didn't fix the remaining problems it had.
[Coolant Complication]
Your Mech has encountered a serious complication in Field Testing. This is a normal and expected part of field testing and Mech development - and truthfully, only having one serious complication is a pretty good result overall. If you do not resolve this Complication as part of your Funding expenditure, your Mech will end up suffering the following penalties:
[Fragile Cooling] - The Mech risks a complete engine shutdown if a single component generates high amounts of heat.
[-1] Ease of Maintenance
Well, we were almost done - now it was just time to figure out what we wanted to do with our remaining funding…
NOTE: Latest installed components are not displayed due to issues synchronizing with the Bureau Database. Please consult your local Systems Engineer if issues persist beyond one week Standard Calendar Time.
Displayed above is a Rough Draft Profile of your Heavy Fireside Crawler standing at full height (maximum line of sight for weaponry.) A slice view is used to expose the internals as you outfit it, the exterior hull will be displayed later.
Dimensions:
Max Height: 4.21m Length: 7.41m (8.46m with weapons) Breadth: ~2.96m
Tonnage:
Max Tonnage: 71 tons Chassis Weight: 41 tons (cockpit and engine included) Usable Tonnage: 1.5 tons (no subsystems, or external armour plates equipped)
Technical Specifications:
Displayed below will be essential systems, modifiers, and tags of interest.
Weapon Mounts:
Heavy Embedded Mount (Size 6, Simple Mod, ICT)
- 152mm Battle Cannon (5 tons)
– Ammo Capacity: 45 Rounds
Light Auto Turret Mount (Size 2, Simple Mod, FCT)
- Point Defence System (1.5 tons)
– Ammo Capacity: 2000 rounds
– [Point Defence] Autonomously targets and fires at drones/projectiles entering arc of fire.
– [Partial Blind Spot - Vertical] Harder to target threats in an arc above the Turret.
- 12mm Heavy Machine Gun (0.5 ton)
– [Suppression] Lays suppressive fire over a small area, damaging and pinning exposed soft targets.
– Ammo Capacity: 1000 rounds
- 40mm Grenade Launcher (0.5 ton)
– Ammo Capacity: 50 rounds
Light External Mount (Size 2, Integrated, RCT)
- Combat Drone Dock (2 tons)
– Drone Capacity: 3 Drones
Traits:
- [Quadrapod] This Mech has four legs, making it more difficult to disable its movement.
- [Protected Engine] This component is less likely to be disabled when it takes damage.
- [Second Pilot] This cockpit requires an additional pilot to gain the benefits listed, and reduces the risk of pilot injury disabling the mech.
- [Easy Access] Pilots can quickly and easily board and disembark the Mech.
- [Networked Targeting] Target Awareness and Weapons Control increased while working alongside other Networked units.
- [Fire Control] Ammunition in the same location as a Fire Suppression System is less likely to cook off when damaged by enemy fire.
Project Requirements & Ratings:
Basic Requirements:
✅ Combat Potential: average D or higher
✅ Logistical Values: average D or higher
✅ Material Affordability: C or higher
✅ Build & Repair Speeds: D or higher
✅ Ease of Maintenance: D or higher
Current Customer Requirements:
Kingdom of Kadiri:
✅ Build & Repair Speeds: C- or higher
✅ Ease of Maintenance: C- or higher
Bethnar Republic:
✅ Tech Simplicity C+ or lower
❌ Material Affordability B- or higher
✅ Ease of Maintenance C- or higher
Sahel Alliance:
✅ Skeletal Agility E- or higher
✅ Heat Management C- or higher
Sagittarian Colonial Coalition:
✅ Weapon Hardpoints C- or higher
✅ Power Control C- or higher
❌ Armour Plating C- or higher
Amazon Republic:
❌ Skeletal Agility: C- or higher
✅ Ease of Maintenance: C- or higher
✅ Build & Repair Speeds: C- or higher
❌ Tech Simplicity: C- or higher
Skeletal Functionality (E+ / D-*)
D | S-EFF Structural Efficiency
E+ | S-DUR - Skeletal Durability
E / D* | S-AGI - Skeletal Agility
C- / C+* | S-STB - Skeletal Stability
F+ | S-ACT - Actuator Precision
Combat Potential (C-)
C- | C-WPN - Weapons Hardpoints
D+ | C-ARM - Armour Plating
C | C-PTP - Pilot Protection
D+ | C-PTJ - Joint Protection
C | C-PTC - Component Protection
Weapon Effectiveness (C- / C-*)
C- | W-PEN - Armour Penetration
C- | W-DMG - Damage Output
C- | W-RNG - Effective Range
C- | W-ROF - Rate of Fire
D+ / C* | W-CTR - Weapons Control
Power and Drive Effectiveness (C)
C | P-PWC - Power Control
C- | P-LMB - Limb Drive Speed
B- | P-HTM - Heat Management
D+ / C-** | P-SPD - Top Speed
C / C+** | P-ACC - Acceleration
Logistical Values (C+)
C | L-CST - Material Affordability
D+ | L-TCH - Tech Simplicity
B | L-BNR - Build & Repair Speeds
B+ | L-EOM - Ease of Maintenance
* values marked are only valid when using two pilots
** values assume 1.5 unused tonnage
New Voting Options Plan Voting will be in effect for this due to the complexity of choices on display and the significant difference this will make to the final execution of your Mech.
A majority of our customers have unfulfilled requirements and there is an unresolved Complication - the Senior Directors are insisting that you spend all your remaining budget to improve the Mech as best as possible. In the future, you will have more control over your budget, how and when you spend funding, and whether you want to improve your Mecha as long as possible or want to prioritize getting onto the market quickly.
Plan Vote:
Usable Tonnage: 1.5 tons Total Available Funding: 2
The experimental cryofluid is impressive, but it's going to be more harm than help at this stage. Let's replace it with a cheaper, more conventional coolant - maybe we'll find a use for it in another project.
[-0.66*] Heat Management
[Complication Resolved] You do not suffer the negative effects of your Coolant Complication.
(* flat, no roll)
[Resilient Piping Materials] (costs 0.5 funding)
The Cryofluid is an impressive breakthrough and we shouldn't abandon it just because it's causing some trouble. We should look into the piping itself and come up with a more resilient solution than what we're currently using.
[-0.33] Material Affordability, [-0.33] Build & Repair Speeds
[Complication Resolved] You do not suffer the negative effects of your Coolant Complication.
[Lock the Speed Controls] (costs 0 funding)
The failure only occurs at high speeds, let's just put a limiter on how much power can flow through the Neuro-Electrical Circuits to the Drive Controller at any given time, then put a lock on speed over 65kph or so behind a manual override - if they break the system at that point, then they've modded the Mech, or overridden our safety features, at which point it's no longer our problem. Read the Terms and Conditions, customers.
[-0.66] Top Speed, [-0.33] Acceleration
[Complication Resolved] You do not suffer the negative effects of your Coolant Complication.
We have a proposed upgrade for the hip joints. Replacing the hydraulic hip and knee disks with tungsten carbide based alloy bearings would noticeably improve the legs' range of lateral motion at a slight cost in power. More importantly, the joints will be simpler, more durable, and less prone to failures. Bearings of this size won't be cheap, though - we'll have to pay a premium to source them.
[+1] Skeletal Agility, [+1] Skeletal Stability, [+1] Joint Protection, [+1] Ease of Maintenance
[-1] Limb Drive Speed, [-1] Material Affordability
[Redesign Limb Actuators] (costs 1 funding)
A complete overhaul of the Limb Actuators might be required to guarantee the kind of agility our Amazon clients are hoping for. Thankfully we've learned a lot about Skeletal Kinematics (Lv3) or we wouldn't even be able to attempt this. With a combination of Skeletal Hardening and Powerful Actuators, we were able to prioritize Mech lift capacity and endurance. Now, if we were to add additional articulations, we're certain we could squeeze out a little extra limb performance without losing its positive qualities.
WIth the Bulkheads in place and a little spare space and tonnage, we could convert the Frontal, Central and Rear Hull sections into independent components of the Mech. By allowing each section of the hull to twist, rotate and turn with the motion of the Mech, we could seriously improve stability and mobility.
Currently, the outer hull of the body section is composed of layers of thick plating that supports the weight of the Mech and distributes it through the limbs to the ground. This provides a basic level of protection to all the internal components as even exposed hull will be largely immune to small arms fire. This is an expensive and heavy solution; we can substantially reduce both the material expenditure and weight of the system if we were to reduce the outer hull to a series of interconnecting rib beams with a thin shell of structural steel. This would reduce the weight and material cost of the entire build while making it easier to access internal components once the external armour plates are removed. Sure, the internals will be a bit more vulnerable to spalling and breaching shots than before, but we'll probably be able to compensate with the additional available tonnage.
[+5 tons] Increased Usable Tonnage, [+1] Material Affordability, [+1] Ease of Maintenance
[-1] Armour Plating, [-1] Pilot Protection, [-1] Component Protection
[Cut to Snub-Nosed Hull] (costs 0.5 funding)
Currently, the hull of the Mech has leftover space, and that means the body of the Mech is also heavier than it needs to be to carry the weapons and equipment we wanted to bring. Cutting down the hull down to a more snub-nosed design would save us a lot of usable tonnage and make the Mech slightly cheaper, if also slightly harder to maintain.
[+1.5 tons] Increased Usable Tonnage, [+0.66] Material Affordability
[-0.33] Ease of Maintenance
Hardpoint Options:
-[] [Mech Iteration] (Hardpoints) Relocate Main Gun to Rear Hull (0.5 funding)
[Relocate Main Gun to Rear Hull] (costs 0.5 funding)
There's enough spare room in the Rear Hull to shift the Main Gun back somewhat. This would pull the barrel of the 152mm cannon further out of the field of view of our point defence system..
[+0.33] Weapons Control
[-0.33] Skeletal Stability
[Blind Spot Removed] - Your Mech's Point Defence System loses the [Partial Blind Spot - Vertical] trait.
We know it's possible to make better composite plating than this, our engineers are just lacking the experience. With some time and effort, they can do better.
[Reroll] Your engineers will roll again against the failed [+0.66] Composite Plating roll you made this update - if your new pair of rolls are higher, they will be used instead of the old ones, potentially causing your Armour Plating rating to increase further.
[Predictive Plating Redesign] (costs 0.5 funding)
Our armour designers aren't too experienced, so it's possible we can squeeze more gains out of our Predictive Armour plans if we spend more time on modeling and testing.
[Reroll] Your engineers will roll again against the [Gamble] Predictive Plating rolls you made this update - if your new pair of rolls are higher, they will be used instead of the old ones, potentially causing your Armour Plating rating to increase further.
[Selective Armour Addons] (costs 0.5 funding)
We have enough leftover tonnage to add on some extra plates in key locations, hardening our Mech against enemy fire. While this won't be quite as effective as spending this tonnage on a fully integrated armour design, it's better than nothing.
Our Mech is using a lot of advanced technology, which is not only expensive, but also more prone to failing. We should look to harden whatever we can to make it more rugged and resilient in the field.
[+1.0] Tech Simplicity, [+0.66] Skeletal Durability, [+0.33] Ease of Maintenance
[Material Efficiency Review] (costs 1 funding)
Building a Mech is very expensive - to make an impressive prototype we've used a lot of top of the line materials throughout, but surely we can find places to install cheaper materials and trim costs without compromising performance.
[+1.0] Material Affordability, [+1.0] Build & Repair Speeds, [+0.33] Ease of Maintenance
[-0.33] Skeletal Durability
In such a complex machine, you end up having a lot of custom-built parts. If we conduct a review of the mech aimed specifically at standardizing every component possible, we should find material gains in ease of both construction and maintenance.
[+1.0] Build & Repair Speeds, [+1.0] Ease of Maintenance
[Reallocate Tonnage for Weapons/Systems/Armour] (costs 0.5 funding)
After field testing and other changes we've made, we may want to redesign some parts of our Mech's loadouts based on what we know now.
[Redesign] You will be allowed to spend any remaining unused tonnage you have on additional loadout options, and may change a number of existing components equal to half your total unused tonnage.
Finally getting back into the swing of things - this was a long one, too! I haven't finished updating the drawing of the design yet (it's now at a stage where I need to have a version with the Armour/Hull in place!) but I'm going to plow ahead anyway, hopefully I can have the Mech art cleaned up and ready for the end of this vote.
There is a Voting Moratorium until
to give people time to read and think about what they want, then voting will last until
. I need the extra time right now to get back on track.
This will be a Plan Vote, and it is basically your last opportunity to change the Specs of your first run of Mecha in a meaningful way! There may be future opportunities to produce Variants of the design, but after this you'll be branding and selling this thing, upgrading/reorganizing your department, and thinking about what your next project might be, while I'm busy cleaning up the rules and formatting in the background.
EDIT: As usual did a bit of post-posting cleanup. This was a very long one at 5300 words, so please shout if I missed something stupid and obvious as I only had time to give it a once over.
Project Knight - Mecha Design Bureau
EXTRA CONTENT
News Report S.C.3209
Interstellar News Incorporated EXCLUSIVE
by Erin Smith
WAR!
Is it on the horizon?
Don't listen to the insistent whining of the Solar Assembly that war is meaningless! We may be on the verge of another Great War between Galactic Superpowers! Pacifists and Moralists will tell you this is a bad thing, but the wise investor knows this means BUSINESS, BUSINESS, BUSINESS!
This morning, NAF President Landon Bard denounced the Seven Conglomerates in a scathing rebuke, accusing Zaibatsu Space of crossing the line on the Outer Rim after yet another series of separatist attacks on Solar Colonies in the Cassiopeian Reach - attacks conducted with Zaibatsu weaponry and backed by Mutsuraboshi Warmecha. The Zaibatsu in turn accused the Atlanteans of ignoring the Treaty of Regulus by its continued colonization of independent space, and has demanded that the Solar Assembly sanction the rogue superpower for what it calls a gross and indefensible act of expansionism and aggression that has no place in the 4th Millennium.
What they seem to forget is that the anomalous mineral riches of the Reach would make any state rich, and that control of the Anders Gravitational Corridor would mean a monopoly on passage to the vast colonial potential that is the Andromeda Galaxy.
Following the President's speech, the NAF announced the forming of the Galactic Defence Compact (GDC), a treaty organization which already boasts a number of interstellar coalitions long accused of being colonial puppets of the Atlanteans. Meanwhile, the Seven Conglomerates sign a series of mutual defence contracts with the Free Cassiopeian Army, Rim Worlds Alliance, Gould Confederation, and the Spur Worlds - all interstellar peoples that have long suffered from current or past conflicts with the Atlanteans. Will this stay just a series of bloody proxy wars on the Rim, or is this conflict about to go very, very hot?
Our Military Correspondent with the Solar Treaty Organization (STO), Levi Yan, had this to say:
"Conflict has been brewing between the Atlanteans and Zaibatsu for some time, so this latest exchange of blows is really no surprise. The Pleiadeians know they have the military advantage since their completion of the Senshi Warmech and they plan to make good use of it to apply pressure to their rivals where they're weakest. There's every chance this Cold War is about to go very, very hot - and no one really knows if both sides will respect the Homeworld Exclusion Zone."
Other unaligned interstellar powers have called for restraint and negotiation, including the Brythonic Commonwealth, Interstellar Workers' Pact, and the Imperial Commanderies of Ning. Despite this, military expenditure has increased year on year. Prospective new weapons companies are popping up in their droves, and supposedly every notable state in the Solar Expanse is already working on their own indigenous Mech programs or looking to the Corps. Communities of so-called 'Mechwatchers' are already forming, scouring satellite data and getting as close as possible to classified military proving grounds in hopes of catching sight of these so-called metal monstrosities. But will they be the next big thing? Or just another military fad destined to fail?
Levi Yan goes undercover to investigate this in detail - tune in to watch the full report at 11pm, 12-hour early access available for Premium Newshounds!*
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[Brink of War!] The increased tension and risk of galactic conflict has combined with the advent of Warmecha to create an arms race. You will have an easier time finding Customers in the future, and Customers are more likely to spend big if they can afford to.
On the New Wave of Military Technology:
Have you heard of the newest Warmech to stomp off the assembly line? The K22 "Mlezi", also known by its STO-Designation: "Millie-class" or "MILL-22", is a 6.7 meter, 65 ton walker designed by well-known Industrial Mech producer Zanzibar Metalworks, under their new subdivision Zanzibar Mechworks. The Millie has a familiar silhouette to anyone who's worked a Spaceport Warehouse or Mining Complex before, being based on the chassis of the popular K21 Workmech which has been exported to every corner of known space. ZMech has claimed that they've completely overhauled the chassis to make it combat-ready, and insists that it is capable of going toe to toe with anything the Superpowers can build at a fraction of the price. With war on the horizon, that claim may be put to the test sooner rather than later…
[Rival Mech] Zanzibar Mechworks have completed the 'Object 22' project, and is in negotiations to sell the "Mlezi" with Second-Tier and Third-Tier states as soon as possible. Given their substantial existing industrial base and low price tags, they are likely to flood the market with cheap, disposable mecha. Market Analysts believe despite their attempts to impress proper militaries, they are most likely to gain market share with Private Security Companies and Colonial Militias, as better-funded and properly organized militaries are likely to aim for more capable platforms if possible.
A full intelligence dossier on the final specs of the K22 Mlezi is being prepared for the future...
You guys have been going around in circles on the coolant system and don't seem to be coming to a unanimous conclusion. If nothing else, a decent chunk of this argument is based on speculation about what will or won't happen - and the fact that the Quest is happening through the lens of an unreliable narrator with a QM who hasn't even fully settled on how to interpret events doesn't help with that speculation.
I will say that IMO, fears of reputation impact if people start burning up the Mech are reasonable (just because it's the pilot's fault doesn't mean it's good optics that it can't use its full speed and power), but that's not a guaranteed thing either, and I am working hard as a QM to not put any 'trap' options into the Quest.
Regardless, this argument is going nowhere and you don't seem to be convincing each other, so I recommend agreeing to disagree and moving on to voting for plans unless you have a different point of view to present from what you've argued previously - or else it's just going to be an endless cycle of butting heads!
Project Knight - Mecha Design Bureau
Turn 18 (pt1): Year 8 of Project Knight
QM's Note: I've been sick since I got back from my trip and haven't really been making any progress in writing anything. I figured I could at least roll the dice and show you how you guys did though so I don't leave you in further suspense! Proper update will come a little later this week, fingers crossed.
[X] Plan Double down on the SCC
-[X] [Mech Iteration] (Complication Resolution) Resilient Piping Materials (0.5 funding)
-[X] [Mech Iteration] (Hull) Cut to Snub-Nosed Hull (0.5 funding)
-[X] [Mech Iteration] (Armour) Composite Plating Research (0.5 funding)
-[X] [Mech Iteration] (Armour) Selective Armour Addons (costs 0.5 funding)
Rolls for Chosen Upgrades:
Engineering Rolls: Your team will roll dice for each factor of the design they are trying to impact. The dice roll is a simple d20 modified by their level of training and experience in a given field, versus a difficulty target that must be met or exceeded. The degree of success/failure will then modify the final result accordingly. Bonus: Well funded! Your engineers roll twice and choose the higher result.
Resilient Piping Materials
Materials Science (Cooling): Experienced (+2) vs. Extra Difficulty (+0)
[-0.33] Material Affordability does not decrease | 18 vs. 15 - minor success
Materials Science (Cooling): Experienced (+2) vs. Extra Difficulty (+0)
[-0.33] Build & Repair Speeds does not decrease | 16 vs. 12 - minor success
Cut to Snub-Nosed Hull
Structural Engineering (Quadrapod): Experienced (+3) vs. Extra Difficulty (+3)
[+0.66] Material Affordability increases from C to B | 23* vs. 18 - minor success (w/ crit)
Systems Engineering (Composite Armour): Experienced (+2) vs. Extra Difficulty (+3)
[-0.33] Ease of Maintenance decreases from B+ to B | 10 vs. 15 - minor failure
Composite Plating Research
Armour Development (Quadrapod): Experienced (+2) vs. Extra Difficulty (+0)
[+0.66 Reroll] Armour Plating does not increase. | 11 vs. 15 - (failed to beat reroll)
Selective Armour Addons
Armour Development (Gunboat): Experienced (+2) vs. Extra Difficulty (+0)
[+0.33] Armour Plating increases from D+ to C-. | 20 vs. 16 - minor success
Our Combat Potential rating increases to C-
Our Logistical Values rating increases to B-
The bonuses to Top Speed and Acceleration granted by our unused tonnage are no longer in effect.
Criteria Success: Your project now meets the Sagittarian Colonial Coalition's Armour Plating requirement. Criteria Success: Your project now meets the Bethnar Republic's Material Affordability requirement.
NOTE: Latest installed components are not displayed due to issues synchronizing with the Bureau Database. Please consult your local Systems Engineer if issues persist beyond one week Standard Calendar Time.
Displayed above is a Rough Draft Profile of your Heavy Fireside Crawler standing at full height (maximum line of sight for weaponry.) A slice view is used to expose the internals as you outfit it, the exterior hull will be displayed later.
Dimensions:
Max Height: 4.21m Length: 7.41m (8.46m with weapons) Breadth: ~2.96m
Tonnage:
Max Tonnage: 71 tons Chassis Weight: 41 tons Usable Tonnage: 1 ton
Technical Specifications:
Displayed below will be essential systems, modifiers, and tags of interest.
Weapon Mounts:
Heavy Embedded Mount (Size 6, Simple Mod, ICT)
- 152mm Battle Cannon (5 tons)
– Ammo Capacity: 45 Rounds
Light Auto Turret Mount (Size 2, Simple Mod, FCT)
- Point Defence System (1.5 tons)
– Ammo Capacity: 2000 rounds
– [Point Defence] Autonomously targets and fires at drones/projectiles entering arc of fire.
– [Partial Blind Spot - Vertical] Harder to target threats in an arc above the Turret.
- 12mm Heavy Machine Gun (0.5 ton)
– [Suppression] Lays suppressive fire over a small area, damaging and pinning exposed soft targets.
– Ammo Capacity: 1000 rounds
- 40mm Grenade Launcher (0.5 ton)
– Ammo Capacity: 50 rounds
Light External Mount (Size 2, Integrated, RCT)
- Combat Drone Dock (2 tons)
– Drone Capacity: 3 Drones
Traits:
- [Quadrapod] This Mech has four legs, making it more difficult to disable its movement.
- [Protected Engine] This component is less likely to be disabled when it takes damage.
- [Second Pilot] This cockpit requires an additional pilot to gain the benefits listed, and reduces the risk of pilot injury disabling the mech.
- [Easy Access] Pilots can quickly and easily board and disembark the Mech.
- [Networked Targeting] Target Awareness and Weapons Control increased while working alongside other Networked units.
- [Fire Control] Ammunition in the same location as a Fire Suppression System is less likely to cook off when damaged by enemy fire.
Project Requirements & Ratings:
Basic Requirements:
✅ Combat Potential: average D or higher
✅ Logistical Values: average D or higher
✅ Material Affordability: C or higher
✅ Build & Repair Speeds: D or higher
✅ Ease of Maintenance: D or higher
Current Customer Requirements:
Kingdom of Kadiri:
✅ Build & Repair Speeds: C- or higher
✅ Ease of Maintenance: C- or higher
Bethnar Republic:
✅ Tech Simplicity C+ or lower
✅ Material Affordability B- or higher
✅ Ease of Maintenance C- or higher
Sahel Alliance:
✅ Skeletal Agility E- or higher
✅ Heat Management C- or higher
Sagittarian Colonial Coalition:
✅ Weapon Hardpoints C- or higher
✅ Power Control C- or higher
✅ Armour Plating C- or higher
Amazon Republic:
❌ Skeletal Agility: C- or higher
✅ Ease of Maintenance: C- or higher
✅ Build & Repair Speeds: C- or higher
❌ Tech Simplicity: C- or higher
Skeletal Functionality (E+ / D-*)
D | S-EFF Structural Efficiency
E+ | S-DUR - Skeletal Durability
E / D* | S-AGI - Skeletal Agility
C- / C+* | S-STB - Skeletal Stability
F+ | S-ACT - Actuator Precision
Combat Potential (C-)
C- | C-WPN - Weapons Hardpoints
C- | C-ARM - Armour Plating
C | C-PTP - Pilot Protection
D+ | C-PTJ - Joint Protection
C | C-PTC - Component Protection
Weapon Effectiveness (C- / C-*)
C- | W-PEN - Armour Penetration
C- | W-DMG - Damage Output
C- | W-RNG - Effective Range
C- | W-ROF - Rate of Fire
D+ / C* | W-CTR - Weapons Control
Power and Drive Effectiveness (C)
C | P-PWC - Power Control
C- | P-LMB - Limb Drive Speed
B- | P-HTM - Heat Management
D+ | P-SPD - Top Speed
C | P-ACC - Acceleration
Logistical Values (B-)
B | L-CST - Material Affordability
D+ | L-TCH - Tech Simplicity
B | L-BNR - Build & Repair Speeds
B | L-EOM - Ease of Maintenance
* values marked are only valid when using two pilots
There's no new vote up yet. I'll have a new vote ready with the next Threadmark which I'll try to have ready for tomorrow or so.
