Bombshell Genius
OUT OF CHARACTER INFORMATION
[*]
Color: Beige (silicate tiles)
SPECIAL FEATURES
After vehicles and starships equipped with Kreelan ERA saw battle, it became obvious that, just because the outer tiles were made of explosive, a single-layer backing assembly was not enough to properly protect vehicles equipped with the Hexheim, and also that a 7cm-thick layer of explosives is of limited use on a capital ship, especially destroyer-sized and up. However, the truth with ERA is that regardless of the backing assembly, the explosive nature of the armor makes it so that the outer tiles are dangerous to replace on the field, even though they could be replaced in as few as 15 seconds. The basic principle is that high explosives are sandwiched between two ceramic plates, with the inner plate installed against a thick backing plate that will absorb the remaining damage from the weapon fired at it once the tile takes a hit strong enough to crack the upper plate. Once the outer plate is penetrated, the explosive detonates and causes the projectile to deform, and then lose its penetration power, especially if the projectile is shattered in multiple directions. Of course, the outer ceramic plate, upon detonation of the explosive underneath, will project shrapnel-sized debris away from the vehicle, which may also cause some collateral damage nearby. This, in fact, carries several implications for the deployment of vehicles equipped with Hexheim ERA: first, they must not be deployed in tight formations, and second, support elements must be kept at a distance from the vehicle. A plate might survive a glancing blow from a blaster rifle, but a direct hit from one's standard blaster rifles (or quad-laser for the larger and thicker versions) will cause the outer plate to shatter and then cause the tile to explode. As for disruptors being fired on Hexheim ERA tiles, it would simply vaporize the outer tile but once the bolt comes into contact with the explosive lining, it would also cause the tile to explode, with much less shrapnel than if it was hit by a blaster due to the outer ceramic plate having at least partially disintegrated before the bolt makes contact with the explosive lining.
Thus there are six layers to the Hexheim ERA, three of them forming the outer tiles: silicate ceramic tiles, forming the first and third layer, detonite forming the second layer and giving the Hexheim its explosive nature. As for the backing plate, the fourth layer comprises durasteel, upon which the explosive tiles rest, with the fifth layer, a spaced layer of quantum fiber underneath it, enabling it to absorb directed-energy fire, such as blaster, laser and particle fire, but unable to absorb EMP/ion the same way. The sixth and final layer is yet another durasteel plate. With the total result that the Hexheim composite armor is a heavy armor solution. As to exactly what thicknesses imply for the weight and size of the tiles, here is the following:
- Intent: To update an old ERA sub to 5.0 standards
- Image Source: N/A
- Primary Source: Kreelan explosive reactive armor
- Name: Hexheim explosive reactive armor
- Manufacturer: Ringovinda Systems
- Affiliation: Open-Market
- Production: Mass-Produced
- Modularity: Yes
- Material: Silicate ceramic, detonite, quantum fiber, durasteel
- Classification: Compound
- Weight: Heavy
- Resistances:
Blasters (And other plasma type weapons): High
Kinetic: High
Lightsabers: Average
EMP/Ion: Very Low
[*]
Color: Beige (silicate tiles)
SPECIAL FEATURES
- Six layers: three silicate tile layers, and the intermediate layers are detonite and quantum fiber respectively
- Explosive lining
- Produced and sold in different thicknesses
- Allows greater protection against kinetic weapons such as mass drivers and hypervelocity cannons
- High resistance against blasters
- Outer tiles can be easily replaced
- Must be used in heavy tiles
- Each tile can only take a limited number of hits (depending on weapons): after the explosive lining is expended, the outer tile must be replaced
- Shrapnel will be projected from the expended tile after being hit: infantry must operate at a distance from any vehicle equipped with Hexheim explosive reactive armor in combat operations
- Cannot be repaired in combat
- Provides only very limited protection against ion/EMP weapons: ion/EMPs don't cause the tiles to detonate
- Directed-energy weapons may prematurely expend an explosive tile
- If hit by disruptors, the ability to project shrapnel will be eliminated altogether
After vehicles and starships equipped with Kreelan ERA saw battle, it became obvious that, just because the outer tiles were made of explosive, a single-layer backing assembly was not enough to properly protect vehicles equipped with the Hexheim, and also that a 7cm-thick layer of explosives is of limited use on a capital ship, especially destroyer-sized and up. However, the truth with ERA is that regardless of the backing assembly, the explosive nature of the armor makes it so that the outer tiles are dangerous to replace on the field, even though they could be replaced in as few as 15 seconds. The basic principle is that high explosives are sandwiched between two ceramic plates, with the inner plate installed against a thick backing plate that will absorb the remaining damage from the weapon fired at it once the tile takes a hit strong enough to crack the upper plate. Once the outer plate is penetrated, the explosive detonates and causes the projectile to deform, and then lose its penetration power, especially if the projectile is shattered in multiple directions. Of course, the outer ceramic plate, upon detonation of the explosive underneath, will project shrapnel-sized debris away from the vehicle, which may also cause some collateral damage nearby. This, in fact, carries several implications for the deployment of vehicles equipped with Hexheim ERA: first, they must not be deployed in tight formations, and second, support elements must be kept at a distance from the vehicle. A plate might survive a glancing blow from a blaster rifle, but a direct hit from one's standard blaster rifles (or quad-laser for the larger and thicker versions) will cause the outer plate to shatter and then cause the tile to explode. As for disruptors being fired on Hexheim ERA tiles, it would simply vaporize the outer tile but once the bolt comes into contact with the explosive lining, it would also cause the tile to explode, with much less shrapnel than if it was hit by a blaster due to the outer ceramic plate having at least partially disintegrated before the bolt makes contact with the explosive lining.
Thus there are six layers to the Hexheim ERA, three of them forming the outer tiles: silicate ceramic tiles, forming the first and third layer, detonite forming the second layer and giving the Hexheim its explosive nature. As for the backing plate, the fourth layer comprises durasteel, upon which the explosive tiles rest, with the fifth layer, a spaced layer of quantum fiber underneath it, enabling it to absorb directed-energy fire, such as blaster, laser and particle fire, but unable to absorb EMP/ion the same way. The sixth and final layer is yet another durasteel plate. With the total result that the Hexheim composite armor is a heavy armor solution. As to exactly what thicknesses imply for the weight and size of the tiles, here is the following:
- Tier 1: Suitable for use in land vehicles or sub-50m ships. The outer tiles are about 20x20cm, 7cm thick, and weigh 5 kg each, and the inner backing assembly is about 10-15cm thick
- Tier 2: Suitable for use in starships from 50-500m in size. The outer tiles are about 50x50cm, 15cm thick, and weigh 65 kg each, and the inner backing assembly is about 30cm thick
- Tier 3: Suitable for use in starships over 500m in size. The outer tiles are about 1m x 1m, 30cm thick, and weigh 500 kg each, and the inner backing assembly is about 60cm thick
