Sic transit gloria mundi
((The walker was designed by [member="HK-36"] and me, though most of the credit for the technical design goes to him. I am posting this with his permission to complete the project)).
Image Source: http://vignette1.wikia.nocookie.net/warhammer40k/images/8/8c/Ancient_Dreadnought.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20110306233737
Intent: To create a cross between an exoskeleton and a walker to function as a mobile fire support platform for Firemane and Abregado troops during boarding and urban warfare missions.
Development Thread:
Setting Up An Outpost (Completed): Whilst overseeing the creation of a joint cortosis mining outpost, HK and Siobhan first discuss forging a weapons design partnership between their companies and building the walker.
Overkill Is A Myth (Completed): Design and conceptualisation of the walker.
Manufacturer: ARGH and Firemane Índustries
Model: Mag’ladroth-class Dwarf Personal Walker Exoskeleton
Affiliation: Kaeshana Confederation, Abregado-Rae, clients who buy it on the market.
Modularity: Multiple swappable components and attachment ports for such additions as a Leovi Wings Jet Systems or whatever may be designed for the walkers in the future. There are two general variants:
Light Scout- Primarily made with thick Duraplast plating with Graphite Mesh Reinforcement, this light and quicker variant is the staple of Mag’ladroth walkers seen on the battlefield. Due to smaller size, just over 3 meters, it can maneuver during boarding actions and in urban setting much easier than Heavy Assault weapon, making it a more versatile, yet more vulnerable variant due to lighter armor plating.
Heavy Assault- These hulking walker armor suits are over 5 meters tall, towering above most organic soldiers who can witness their presence on the battlefield. Unlike the Light Scout version this machine uses Duranium as its base material, Duranium strengthened with Graphite Mesh imported from Abregado-Rae to further reinforce its structure and defensive properties. The Duranium grants a higher protection as opposed to Durasteel, but it does, however, increases the price and difficulty to shape the armor, making these Heavy Assault models powerful, yet scarce.
Production: Minor for Light Scout and Standard variants, Limited for Heavy Assault variant.
Material: Duraplast or Duranium with Graphite Mesh for Armor Plating, Electrum or Copper Electronic Components, Asbestos Insulation Layer, Inner Copper Farraday Cage, Internal Echani Graphite Protection Capsules, Transparisteel for a small Viewing Slit.
Role: Urban Warfare, Reconnaissance, Heavy Fire Support
Height: 3 meters for Light Scout variant, 5 meters for Heavy Assault variant
Length: .5 meter thickness for Light Scout, 2.2 meter for Heavy Assault (Based on Aegis Dreadnought specifications)
Width: 1 meter for Light Scout, 3.4 meters for Heavy Assault (Based on Aegis Dreadnought specifications)
Weight: 7 tons for Light Scout, 15 tons for Heavy Assault (Based on Aegis Dreadnought Specifications)
Minimum Crew: 1
Optimal Crew: 1
Propulsion: Bipedal
Top Speed: Light Scout 12 Km/H, Heavy Assault 8 Km/H (Based on Aegis Dreadnought Specifications)
Armaments: On right arm a socket on forearm piece for CBRW Flamethrower or other chemical or special ranged weaponry like the MK 3 Heavy Bolt Gun as well as large Electro-cestus, attached chainsaw sword, or some other melee weapon. The left arm has a socket for a dedicated heavy ranged weapon such as a Shattergun Rotary Cannon, a Shatterboltgun, or another Heavy Bolter. There are sockets in the shoulders for heavier artillery grade weaponry, but currently none compatible developed and so they remain unused at present.
Squadron Count: 2 in a Recon Squad, 6 in a Battle Squad
Passenger Capacity: None, 2 if they can climb on its shoulders.
Cargo Capacity: Two additional ammunition or fuel drums on their back.
Misc. Equipment: Sockets in back, boots, and arms for Leovi’s Wings jet systems. These are applicable for the Light Walker variant, if the systems scale up to their size.
High speed rotary motors at the joints of wrists
Repulsorlift attachments in feet for augmented jumping and speed,
Military grade Omega Pyre heat sensors and scanners based on HK-Masterwork Phrik Vessel droid systems (60 meters of range, 10 meters increase due to advancements in technology),
State-of-the-Art HUD with tracking and targeting systems based on HK-Masterwork Phrik Vessel droid systems (60 meters of range, 10 meters increase due to advancements in technology),
Sound dampening attachment,
Build-In Communication Systems,
Personal Deflector Shield based on the shielding used in Heavy Variant of Defense Power Armor (Deflection on about 15 shots before penetration),
Density projector and magnetic tractor boots,
Internal temperature control systems,
Redundant electronics and vital systems,
Self-destruction systems,
Asbestos insulations,
Build-in Farraday Cage,
The Droid Rod Ionization Buffer
Description:
The Mag’ladroth-class is the fruit of the long and close business relationship between Firemane Industries and Abregado-Rae Guild of Hammers. Its name is a direct homage to the 'Machine God' Siobhan Kerrigan and HK-36 fought during the last battle against the Bando Gora Reavers on Gehenna. Given the fact that Firemane also designed an MBT called the Reaver-class Assault Tank and the Keraunos missile turret was named after the Darth name of Kaelin Isandros, Siobhan's nemesis till she got her head chopped off, it can be considered the continuation of a tradition.
The walker was conceptualised while HK-36 was still Exarch of Abregado-Rae, though it took a long time before the vehicle was ready for production. For one, on the Kaeshana side many Eldorai were sceptical, since they regarded the walker design as terribly 'crude'. Thus the first prototypes left the factory after the eccentric droid had resigned as Lord Protector. While he was in office, HK made an offer to Sarge Potteiger, Lord Inquisitor and his successor as leader of the Protectorate, to make the walker available for the Inquisition. However, the Inquisition preferred to create its own design and so both projects have proceeded separately.
The intent for the Mag'ladroth-class was to serve as a walker that can provide heavy fire support for infantry, perform reconnaissance and be a support platform in urban warfare situations, using the heavy firepower at its disposal to flush out heavily entrenched enemy forces. The fact that it is heavily armored and possesses powerful weaponry such as heavy bolters and shattercannons also makes it very potent against hostile force-users and Sithspawn creatures. At the time when the vehicle was conceptualised, the One Sith had already begun their campaign of conquest through the core worlds that would see them go from strength to strength, so it seemed fitting to be armed accordingly. especially given Kerrigan's anti-Sith paranoia and HK's known stance on Sith.
In order to design and arm the walker, various new weapons were created by the two companies, such as the MK3 Heavy Bolter, which was partially made specifically for this vehicle. What emerged was a bipedal assault vehicle that sacrificed speed, mobility and transport capabilities for heavy armour and firepower. The cockpit and bipedal movement are inspired by the AT-RT, a small recon walker utilised by the Republic at the time of the Clone Wars. Since HK was around during that time and served the Republic, he had seen plenty of those in action. The walker is compact and efficient and thus has only room for one pilot. Movement is controlled via a set of pedals, but the cockpit is not open, but rather completely closed and reliant on sophisticated sensors and scanners. Likewise has state-of-the art HUD with tracking and targeting systems. Like the scanners and sensors, these are based on those used by HK's phrik droid vessel.
Regarding armaments, this where the exoskeleton part comes in. Unlike the leg movements of the walker, which as said are controlled via pedals, weapons are controlled by the pilot's arms and upper torso rotation via simulation units. In other words, if the pilot moves his arm to the right, the walker's arm moves right, he moves it left, the arm follows, turns right, the walker turns right. It was assumed that this would greatly increase its accuracy as it would feel much more natural to aim than if the weaponry would be fixed on the chassis, and again add to the maneuverability.
The walker itself comes in two variants, a light and a heavy one. Regarding material, the light variant uses duraplast and the heavy one duranium, both combined with Graphite Mesh for armor plating. Duraplast was integrated into the lighter variant because it was already used for the baseline suit of armor Firemane mercenaries wear, whereas duranium was chosen over durasteel due to its potency. Both provide potent defensive capabilities, though obviously the lighter version is more vulnerable to heavy arms fire, while the heavier one is far more expensive and thus rarely seen on the battlefield. Graphite is durable enough to resist lightsabres and high calibre weapons, which also reduces the risk of damage from stray shots and accidental explosions. A personal deflector shield based on that of the Omega Defence Power Armour provides protection for about fiften shots before penetration occurs. In order to provide protection against ion and electrical attacks, the walker possesses a built-in Faraday cage and is equipped with an ARGH-designed ionisation buffer.
However, both walker variants are very heavy. Indeed, even the lighter version is comparatively slow, which means that the original intent for a recon vehicle strongly suffered accordingly. Thus both vehicles move at a relatively slow pace, though this is compensated by the protective qualities gained in return. In theory the old 'ambush the walker and bring it down by hacking at the legs' tactic is still doable, but it's less efficient because the legs are smaller than those of the average walker, armour with Graphite Mesh has limited lightsabre resistance, not to mention anti-forcer weaponry. At the very least, this makes death charging the walker less than efficient.
As for armaments, the right and left arm each come equipped with a socket on the forearm piece for weaponry. Thus the right arm can be outfitted with a flamethrower or another chemical or special ranged weapon such as a Heavy Bolter, as well as an appropriately scaled up Electro-Cestus, a chainsaw blade or another melee weapon. By contrast, the left arm is reserved for ranged weapons such as a shattergun rotary cannon, a shatterboltgun or another Heavy Bolter. Theoretically there were shoulder sockets for heavier artillery grade weapon, but no appropriate design has been developed by either corporation, so they remain unused. The light walker variant is compatible with the Leovi Wing Jet Systems, if the system is appropriately scaled up. With weapons systems such as heavy bolters and shattercannons the walker is capable of causing large amounts of carnage, while a chainsword is ideal for smashing into infantry. Likewise a flamethrower is deal for crowd control, flushing out entrenched troops and for area denial.
Due to the sheer costs associated with the walkers themselves, their armour and weaponry, they will never see large-scale deployment on the battlefield and would be reserved for elite forces. Two would be seen in a recon squad, six in a battle squad. Thus there will never be hundreds of these walkers marching across the battlefield and carrying out a reenactment of the legendary tank battle of Kursk.
It was theorised that lightsabre-resistant materiel such as cortosis or phrik could be used, but this was rejected due to the costs involved. In regards to size and vulnerabilities, the 'dwarf walker' shares most of the traits of common walkers. It can dish out plenty of punishment and is hard to kill, but hit them with enough firepower and they die. Moreover, they are obviously vulnerable to bombardment from aerial units or long-rage artillery. Their size and the firepower that comes with them also makes them tempting targets for enemy forces once they appear on the battlefield. The light variant is a quicker vehicle but its armor is more vulnerable so it can be damanged by light and medium vehicles, and it's easier to take down by personal anti-armor weapons. Heavy variants are slower but pretty much only vulnerable nly to really advanced anti-armor weapons and heavy vehicles, and are obviously a lot rarer.
Ironically, they are quite vulnerable to the shattergun variants that the Abregado-Guild of Hammers have specialised in developing. For instance, if someone were to try to use a shattergun weapon to take out the pilot, the light variant would give in after a few shots from a shatter pistol or sniper rifle, and right away if subjected to a volley from a shattergun rotary cannon or a shatterbolter because shatterguns are mor or less anti-armor weapons. The heavy variant would be able to withstand shots fired from a shatter pistol or rifle, and it would take a few minutes before rounds fired from a shattercannon or shatterbolter could penetrate. At the same time, anti-armour missile are an efficient to make the walker keel over by targeting its legs.
Though its firepower is potent, it is best not deployed alone but in conjunction with infantry, since it's meant to act in direct support. All in all, the walker is a very potent combat platform, though not impossible to kill. Notable weaknesses include being extremely slow and thus at a disadvantage against faster craft, the large amount of recoil generated by certain weapons such as heavy bolters, meaning it cannot fire swiftly on the move. Brutal and heavily armed, it is a good summation of Firemane and ARGH combat philosophy.
Image Source: http://vignette1.wikia.nocookie.net/warhammer40k/images/8/8c/Ancient_Dreadnought.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20110306233737
Intent: To create a cross between an exoskeleton and a walker to function as a mobile fire support platform for Firemane and Abregado troops during boarding and urban warfare missions.
Development Thread:
Setting Up An Outpost (Completed): Whilst overseeing the creation of a joint cortosis mining outpost, HK and Siobhan first discuss forging a weapons design partnership between their companies and building the walker.
Overkill Is A Myth (Completed): Design and conceptualisation of the walker.
Manufacturer: ARGH and Firemane Índustries
Model: Mag’ladroth-class Dwarf Personal Walker Exoskeleton
Affiliation: Kaeshana Confederation, Abregado-Rae, clients who buy it on the market.
Modularity: Multiple swappable components and attachment ports for such additions as a Leovi Wings Jet Systems or whatever may be designed for the walkers in the future. There are two general variants:
Light Scout- Primarily made with thick Duraplast plating with Graphite Mesh Reinforcement, this light and quicker variant is the staple of Mag’ladroth walkers seen on the battlefield. Due to smaller size, just over 3 meters, it can maneuver during boarding actions and in urban setting much easier than Heavy Assault weapon, making it a more versatile, yet more vulnerable variant due to lighter armor plating.
Heavy Assault- These hulking walker armor suits are over 5 meters tall, towering above most organic soldiers who can witness their presence on the battlefield. Unlike the Light Scout version this machine uses Duranium as its base material, Duranium strengthened with Graphite Mesh imported from Abregado-Rae to further reinforce its structure and defensive properties. The Duranium grants a higher protection as opposed to Durasteel, but it does, however, increases the price and difficulty to shape the armor, making these Heavy Assault models powerful, yet scarce.
Production: Minor for Light Scout and Standard variants, Limited for Heavy Assault variant.
Material: Duraplast or Duranium with Graphite Mesh for Armor Plating, Electrum or Copper Electronic Components, Asbestos Insulation Layer, Inner Copper Farraday Cage, Internal Echani Graphite Protection Capsules, Transparisteel for a small Viewing Slit.
Role: Urban Warfare, Reconnaissance, Heavy Fire Support
Height: 3 meters for Light Scout variant, 5 meters for Heavy Assault variant
Length: .5 meter thickness for Light Scout, 2.2 meter for Heavy Assault (Based on Aegis Dreadnought specifications)
Width: 1 meter for Light Scout, 3.4 meters for Heavy Assault (Based on Aegis Dreadnought specifications)
Weight: 7 tons for Light Scout, 15 tons for Heavy Assault (Based on Aegis Dreadnought Specifications)
Minimum Crew: 1
Optimal Crew: 1
Propulsion: Bipedal
Top Speed: Light Scout 12 Km/H, Heavy Assault 8 Km/H (Based on Aegis Dreadnought Specifications)
Armaments: On right arm a socket on forearm piece for CBRW Flamethrower or other chemical or special ranged weaponry like the MK 3 Heavy Bolt Gun as well as large Electro-cestus, attached chainsaw sword, or some other melee weapon. The left arm has a socket for a dedicated heavy ranged weapon such as a Shattergun Rotary Cannon, a Shatterboltgun, or another Heavy Bolter. There are sockets in the shoulders for heavier artillery grade weaponry, but currently none compatible developed and so they remain unused at present.
Squadron Count: 2 in a Recon Squad, 6 in a Battle Squad
Passenger Capacity: None, 2 if they can climb on its shoulders.
Cargo Capacity: Two additional ammunition or fuel drums on their back.
Misc. Equipment: Sockets in back, boots, and arms for Leovi’s Wings jet systems. These are applicable for the Light Walker variant, if the systems scale up to their size.
High speed rotary motors at the joints of wrists
Repulsorlift attachments in feet for augmented jumping and speed,
Military grade Omega Pyre heat sensors and scanners based on HK-Masterwork Phrik Vessel droid systems (60 meters of range, 10 meters increase due to advancements in technology),
State-of-the-Art HUD with tracking and targeting systems based on HK-Masterwork Phrik Vessel droid systems (60 meters of range, 10 meters increase due to advancements in technology),
Sound dampening attachment,
Build-In Communication Systems,
Personal Deflector Shield based on the shielding used in Heavy Variant of Defense Power Armor (Deflection on about 15 shots before penetration),
Density projector and magnetic tractor boots,
Internal temperature control systems,
Redundant electronics and vital systems,
Self-destruction systems,
Asbestos insulations,
Build-in Farraday Cage,
The Droid Rod Ionization Buffer
Description:
The Mag’ladroth-class is the fruit of the long and close business relationship between Firemane Industries and Abregado-Rae Guild of Hammers. Its name is a direct homage to the 'Machine God' Siobhan Kerrigan and HK-36 fought during the last battle against the Bando Gora Reavers on Gehenna. Given the fact that Firemane also designed an MBT called the Reaver-class Assault Tank and the Keraunos missile turret was named after the Darth name of Kaelin Isandros, Siobhan's nemesis till she got her head chopped off, it can be considered the continuation of a tradition.
The walker was conceptualised while HK-36 was still Exarch of Abregado-Rae, though it took a long time before the vehicle was ready for production. For one, on the Kaeshana side many Eldorai were sceptical, since they regarded the walker design as terribly 'crude'. Thus the first prototypes left the factory after the eccentric droid had resigned as Lord Protector. While he was in office, HK made an offer to Sarge Potteiger, Lord Inquisitor and his successor as leader of the Protectorate, to make the walker available for the Inquisition. However, the Inquisition preferred to create its own design and so both projects have proceeded separately.
The intent for the Mag'ladroth-class was to serve as a walker that can provide heavy fire support for infantry, perform reconnaissance and be a support platform in urban warfare situations, using the heavy firepower at its disposal to flush out heavily entrenched enemy forces. The fact that it is heavily armored and possesses powerful weaponry such as heavy bolters and shattercannons also makes it very potent against hostile force-users and Sithspawn creatures. At the time when the vehicle was conceptualised, the One Sith had already begun their campaign of conquest through the core worlds that would see them go from strength to strength, so it seemed fitting to be armed accordingly. especially given Kerrigan's anti-Sith paranoia and HK's known stance on Sith.
In order to design and arm the walker, various new weapons were created by the two companies, such as the MK3 Heavy Bolter, which was partially made specifically for this vehicle. What emerged was a bipedal assault vehicle that sacrificed speed, mobility and transport capabilities for heavy armour and firepower. The cockpit and bipedal movement are inspired by the AT-RT, a small recon walker utilised by the Republic at the time of the Clone Wars. Since HK was around during that time and served the Republic, he had seen plenty of those in action. The walker is compact and efficient and thus has only room for one pilot. Movement is controlled via a set of pedals, but the cockpit is not open, but rather completely closed and reliant on sophisticated sensors and scanners. Likewise has state-of-the art HUD with tracking and targeting systems. Like the scanners and sensors, these are based on those used by HK's phrik droid vessel.
Regarding armaments, this where the exoskeleton part comes in. Unlike the leg movements of the walker, which as said are controlled via pedals, weapons are controlled by the pilot's arms and upper torso rotation via simulation units. In other words, if the pilot moves his arm to the right, the walker's arm moves right, he moves it left, the arm follows, turns right, the walker turns right. It was assumed that this would greatly increase its accuracy as it would feel much more natural to aim than if the weaponry would be fixed on the chassis, and again add to the maneuverability.
The walker itself comes in two variants, a light and a heavy one. Regarding material, the light variant uses duraplast and the heavy one duranium, both combined with Graphite Mesh for armor plating. Duraplast was integrated into the lighter variant because it was already used for the baseline suit of armor Firemane mercenaries wear, whereas duranium was chosen over durasteel due to its potency. Both provide potent defensive capabilities, though obviously the lighter version is more vulnerable to heavy arms fire, while the heavier one is far more expensive and thus rarely seen on the battlefield. Graphite is durable enough to resist lightsabres and high calibre weapons, which also reduces the risk of damage from stray shots and accidental explosions. A personal deflector shield based on that of the Omega Defence Power Armour provides protection for about fiften shots before penetration occurs. In order to provide protection against ion and electrical attacks, the walker possesses a built-in Faraday cage and is equipped with an ARGH-designed ionisation buffer.
However, both walker variants are very heavy. Indeed, even the lighter version is comparatively slow, which means that the original intent for a recon vehicle strongly suffered accordingly. Thus both vehicles move at a relatively slow pace, though this is compensated by the protective qualities gained in return. In theory the old 'ambush the walker and bring it down by hacking at the legs' tactic is still doable, but it's less efficient because the legs are smaller than those of the average walker, armour with Graphite Mesh has limited lightsabre resistance, not to mention anti-forcer weaponry. At the very least, this makes death charging the walker less than efficient.
As for armaments, the right and left arm each come equipped with a socket on the forearm piece for weaponry. Thus the right arm can be outfitted with a flamethrower or another chemical or special ranged weapon such as a Heavy Bolter, as well as an appropriately scaled up Electro-Cestus, a chainsaw blade or another melee weapon. By contrast, the left arm is reserved for ranged weapons such as a shattergun rotary cannon, a shatterboltgun or another Heavy Bolter. Theoretically there were shoulder sockets for heavier artillery grade weapon, but no appropriate design has been developed by either corporation, so they remain unused. The light walker variant is compatible with the Leovi Wing Jet Systems, if the system is appropriately scaled up. With weapons systems such as heavy bolters and shattercannons the walker is capable of causing large amounts of carnage, while a chainsword is ideal for smashing into infantry. Likewise a flamethrower is deal for crowd control, flushing out entrenched troops and for area denial.
Due to the sheer costs associated with the walkers themselves, their armour and weaponry, they will never see large-scale deployment on the battlefield and would be reserved for elite forces. Two would be seen in a recon squad, six in a battle squad. Thus there will never be hundreds of these walkers marching across the battlefield and carrying out a reenactment of the legendary tank battle of Kursk.
It was theorised that lightsabre-resistant materiel such as cortosis or phrik could be used, but this was rejected due to the costs involved. In regards to size and vulnerabilities, the 'dwarf walker' shares most of the traits of common walkers. It can dish out plenty of punishment and is hard to kill, but hit them with enough firepower and they die. Moreover, they are obviously vulnerable to bombardment from aerial units or long-rage artillery. Their size and the firepower that comes with them also makes them tempting targets for enemy forces once they appear on the battlefield. The light variant is a quicker vehicle but its armor is more vulnerable so it can be damanged by light and medium vehicles, and it's easier to take down by personal anti-armor weapons. Heavy variants are slower but pretty much only vulnerable nly to really advanced anti-armor weapons and heavy vehicles, and are obviously a lot rarer.
Ironically, they are quite vulnerable to the shattergun variants that the Abregado-Guild of Hammers have specialised in developing. For instance, if someone were to try to use a shattergun weapon to take out the pilot, the light variant would give in after a few shots from a shatter pistol or sniper rifle, and right away if subjected to a volley from a shattergun rotary cannon or a shatterbolter because shatterguns are mor or less anti-armor weapons. The heavy variant would be able to withstand shots fired from a shatter pistol or rifle, and it would take a few minutes before rounds fired from a shattercannon or shatterbolter could penetrate. At the same time, anti-armour missile are an efficient to make the walker keel over by targeting its legs.
Though its firepower is potent, it is best not deployed alone but in conjunction with infantry, since it's meant to act in direct support. All in all, the walker is a very potent combat platform, though not impossible to kill. Notable weaknesses include being extremely slow and thus at a disadvantage against faster craft, the large amount of recoil generated by certain weapons such as heavy bolters, meaning it cannot fire swiftly on the move. Brutal and heavily armed, it is a good summation of Firemane and ARGH combat philosophy.
