TDF Heavy Exokeleton

From Egs Mayhem

The TDF Heavy Exoskeleton is used by the Terran Defense Fleet to provide heavy fire support for the standard infantry. One heavy exoskeleton is assigned per team (similar to the deployment of the M-249 Squad Automatic Weapon among United States military fire-teams.)

Mk. I

The Heavy Exoskeleton is designed to be worn as a suit of armor. An armored, load-bearing structure surrounds the occupant, providing protection from all weapons smaller than anti-tank munitions. An artificial-musculature system provides power to the frame, following the wearers motions almost perfectly. While wearing this suit, an average human could lift a medium-sized car over their head, and flip a bus onto its side. The heavy exoskeleton once had a large, armored 'helmet', but pilots would often refuse to wear it due to the extremely limited field of view it offered. This has since been replaced with a complex, yet effective, series of armored panels that will extend to protect the pilots head, and retract when unneeded.

The armor has a number of weapons configurations, but the configuration that is most common is this:

• Right Arm: .50BMG machine-gun, 150 rounds
• Left Arm: .50BMG machine-gun, 150 rounds
• Right Shoulder: rapid-fire railgun, 90 rounds
• Left Shoulder: micro-rocket pod, 5 rockets

The .50BMG machine guns are rarely replaced with other weapons, but can each be replaced with a dual 5.56mm machine-gun mount. The shoulder weapons are fully modular, and other options include:

• Dual .50BMG machine-gun mount
• 7.62mm minigun, 500 rounds
• 25mm chaingun, 50 rounds (discontinued, replaced with railgun)
• TOW missile launcher, 1 missile, HEAT warhead

Mk. II

The Mk. II is the result of a near-total redesign of the exoskeleton, and provides better protection, greater strength, and more firepower. The unit is fully enclosed, using a camera turret with periscope backup for pilot visibility. This design fixes the major flaw in the previous version of the exoskeleton, which was limited visibility while head protection was in place. The Mk. II has a higher reactor output than even the Mk. Ib, allowing it to mount a loadout comprised mainly of railguns. The weapons configuration on the Mk. II is as follows:

• 1 variable-rate-of-fire .20 caliber railgun in each arm. 80 rounds internal in each arm.
• 1 hardpoint on each arm. Can be used to mount the following accessories:
  • ammo container for internal railgun. 250 rounds.
  • Flamethrower
  • Rocket Pod
• 2 shoulder hardpoints that can mount the following accessories:
  • Railgun, anti-tank. 80 rounds.
  • Dual VROF railgun pod. 500 rounds.
  • 5-tube micro-rocket pod.
  • Single LOS missile rail.
• 1 back hardpoint that can mount the following accessories:
  • Ammunition pods for shoulder-mount railgun(s).
  • Cargo parachute for 'hot-drop' deployment.
  • Triple vertical-launch missile rail.

Battle Usage

The Heavy Exoskeleton is used in a similar method to a tank. It will spearhead charges against enemy lines, offer heavy fire support, and provide movable cover. The Heavy Exo's usefulness in shipboard combat and other close-quarters engagements is limited due to its bulk, but it can still be useful in holding larger, open spaces, such as hangars and barracks.