Shuklaar Kyrdol
CEO of Breshig War Forge Consolidated
OUT OF CHARACTER INFORMATION
- Intent: Make the infantry, ground vehicle and static version of the 'Manda' tactical battlenet.
- Image Source: Here.
- Canon Link: N/A.
- Permissions: N/A.
- Primary Source: ARENA-7580, 'Manda' Tactical Battlenet.
PRODUCTION INFORMATION
- Manufacturer: Breshig War Forge Consolidated.
- Affiliation: Breshig War Forge Consolidated and Strill Securities.
- Market Status: Closed-Market.
- Model: 'Manda' Tactical Battlenet - Ground Variant.
- Modularity: Yes, the other systems that the system can interface with can be changed.
- Production: Minor.
- Material:
- Housing:
- Agrimium mesh
- Reinforced Duraplast plating
- Duranium frame
- Combat de-ionizer
- Software:
- Code
- Hardware Components
- Housing:
SPECIAL FEATURES
- Failsafe: Given that the system's database of information could do great harm if it fell into enemy hands, the system includes a ion explosive failsafe that will wipe it clean of all data.
STRENGTHS
- Closed System: Given that the system isn't connected into the regular communications suite of the user's armor, vehicle or command structure, it is extremely difficult for slicers to attempt to gain access to the system.
- Sensors: The system enhances the capabilities of whatever sensors systems its connected to. Powerful, advanced sensors become better, and absolutely worthless low end bargain bin pieces of trash, presuming they don't fry, are now somewhat usable.
- Optimized Firing: The system's predictions and targeting adjustments take a lot of the guesswork out of long-range marksmanship.
- Multiple Targets: The system makes it far easier to engage multiple targets by tracking said targets with a high degree of precision.
- I've Got You Figured Out: The system can analyze enemy tactics so that the user can potentially gain the advantage against them. Particularly advanced or complicated tactics will definitely take far longer to analyze to the point that the analysis may not arrive in time to be useful.
- No-Blindspot: In an ideal battlefield situation with no jamming affecting connectivity between units or all units in laser comm range of each other, the system all but eliminates sensor blind spots. In addition, units become less susceptible to sensor masking technology, especially if their individual Manda modules have dealt with said technology, vehicle or armor set before and on multiple occasions.
- Multiple Eyes: Each soldier and every vehicle becomes part of the wider networked sensor grid. As such, scouts and other detached assets potentially increase the range of the sensors dramatically.
- Additional Head and Pair of Hands: The Manda can aid with or take over the operation of compatible vehicle/armor subsystems, reducing operator stress and increasing efficiency.
WEAKNESSES
- Data: To be truly useful the Manda needs to be loaded with informations on friendly assets, the host platform as well as potential hostiles. Without said data, target identification takes longer and could cause delays in the predictive algorithms as the system has to analyze the target.
- From the Inside: While a closed system, should a slicer gain access to a command vehicle or to an intact Manda module attached to a soldier's armor whose failsafe has not been activated, the could potentially wreak all manner of havoc given time.
- EMP/Ion: While sufficiently protected against EMP/Ion weapons, a powerful enough pulse or surge through the host platform can overwhelm its protection and fry the system entirely.
- Sensors: The system is entirely dependant on sensors. If the host platform and the others in the unit are not sufficiently powerful and/or advanced, then the system is severely bottlenecked by this limitation.
- Overwhelmed: While extremely difficult, it is possible to overwhelm the system with data. If the input filter buffers overflow, the system will experience significant processing delays and in a worst case scenario, might even crash and need to be rebooted. Such a procedure takes a long time, time that most units in the midst of a ground engagement wouldn't have.
- Quirks: One of the more problematic quirks the system can develop is its hatred of certain targets it might routinely engage. A sudden cease fire will not go over entirely well with the system, and there have been cases where Manda modules needed to be rebooted because of this very issue.
- I Know What I'm Doing: Receiving constant advice from a computer is something that many seasoned warriors hate. Unfortunately because the system is a learning computer, it will learn to give advice less if the user frequently disregards it, whether for good or for bad.
- The Force: The system has no inherent defence against force powers that might affect or manipulate it.
DESCRIPTION
The 'Manda' tactical battlenet is one of Breshig War Forge Consolidated's most successful projects, and it wasn't before long that Strill Securities was asking for a version that could be used with their ground forces. With a strong feeling that this might be a product that would also see interest from their usual customers, Shuklaar got the team that worked on the original 'Manda' battlenet to begin work on the modified version. The original team was all too happy to get back to work, and before long, they'd come up with a prototype.
Like with the Manda, at the core of the ground variant was a highly advanced battle analysis computer. Two different separate processing nodes are employed to spread the load. One node interfaces with the host platform's sensor suite and sorts through the data, preparing it for processing by the main system. The main system then processes the data, checking it against its data stores of atmospheric conditions, known jamming and signals interference patterns, weapon and armor systems, vehicle and atmosphere capable craft and various other pertinent databases to create a complete 'map of the battlefield that is constantly updated by fresh sensor data. This map is then used as the vehicle crew/soldier's main map.
The computer's predictive algorithm then analyzes enemy tactics, and provides the user with the system's best analysis of such, which takes into account enemy positioning, aggression, capabilities, known tactics, fighting styles and current status to the best of its own understanding. The system also makes recommendations regarding positioning, weapon use and targeting prioritization. The main system then transfers all targeting related data to the second node, which creates an accurate and adaptive firing matrix, making real-time adjustments for movement, battlefield debris, atmospheric conditions and other factors. The system can allow accurate tracking and target identification through thick cloud cover, storms and heavy rain, fog, as well as other conditions that might otherwise impair targeting to a severe degree. In the case of vehicles, it directly interfaces with the vehicle's targeting system, and in the case of infantry, it directly interfaces with a compatible HUD system.
Because of its heuristic processor, the system will update its own databases based on information it 'learned' during battles just like the space based variant that it is based on. As with the space based variant, this tends to endear it to the organic crew. Of course, this does mean that some systems tend to develop quirks, and do indeed genuinely grow to 'hate' certain groups, or even those who use equipment made by the same manufacturer. Which can be a problem if the operator finds themselves in the middle of a sudden ceasefire and the system very much would like nothing more than to render all non-friendly targets into dust.
The mesh networking capabilities from the space based Manda are also carried to the ground based variant. Where they differ, however, is the ground based Manda suite makes use of laser comms at shorter ranges, but at longer ranges is forced to use heavily encrypted, frequency hopping comms instead, which are indeed susceptible to interception and jamming. However, rather than affect the whole network, this will only affect the units who are outside laser comm range, and even then, they will only lose the networking functions of the system rather than lose the benefits of the entire system altogether.
To complement the system, the team developed a squad leader/vehicle commander's version. This module performs the same predictive analysis as it does for individual units, but on a unit wide level rather than for the individual alone, providing positioning, weapon use and targeting prioritization recommendation for the whole unit. This module also streamlines the process of giving orders to other members of the unit by giving the commander the ability to issue orders via the Manda's mesh network, at which point the order would be reflected by the individual user's display and system.
Where the ship based Manda system has an emphasis on non-verbal communication, the ground based Manda system features both a Mando'a and Basic language module, and additional modules can be installed for export customers. Additionally, as in the case of the ship based system, the 'Manda' module can aid with or take over entirely the operation of compatible vehicle and armor subsystems, reducing crew/operator stress and improving efficiency.
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