Chapter 199: Equipment Shouldn't Be Too Advanced
Having resolved the core operational issues, the remaining design work for Joric had a clear direction, but the specific implementation path still required careful trade-offs.
"Old friend, the blueprint framework is built, but we must first define the performance boundaries." Joric pulled up a preliminary structural stress simulation and said to the Servo-skull, "The linear frame's strength can theoretically support a dash speed of fifteen meters per second, but..."
The Servo-skull emitted a short, warning tone, simultaneously projecting a set of data into his vision regarding the physiological tolerance limits of a mortal pilot under overload acceleration.
"Yes, I understand." Joric's synthesized voice carried a sense of deliberation. "We cannot demand Astartes standards from mortals. Adjust the structural strength and transmission ratios to the optimal range, not the theoretical limit.
"Maximum speed... set at sixty kilometers per hour. This should be a reasonable balance point between mobility and pilot endurance."
He continued constructing the design.
An extremely sturdy linear frame served as the skeleton, covered with high-toughness electro-muscles to provide powerful yet relatively gentle power output. Critical areas were protected by classic ceramite composite armor.
"The shield system, old friend. This is the biggest difference between us and the tin cans of this world." Joric integrated the model of the simplified individual kinetic shield generator into the design. "I initially envisioned a more powerful deflection field, but the volume and energy consumption would increase exponentially."
The Servo-skull quickly simulated the relationship between energy consumption and sustained combat time. Results showed that adopting a higher-grade shield would drastically shrink the power armor's operational endurance.
"Compromise is necessary." Joric finally confirmed. "This system doesn't need to withstand direct hits from plasma cannons. As long as it can effectively deflect small-caliber solid rounds and shrapnel, providing the pilot a few more seconds of survival time during a charge, the investment in weight and volume is worth it.
"It is precisely because of this that our 'lad' here has reached a height of four meters."
The entire design process was not smooth sailing. He constantly had to make choices between ideal performance and realistic constraints.
Life support systems, communication arrays, battlefield situational awareness suites, and a crucial full-spectrum environmental adaptation system were efficiently integrated into the frame.
Joric knew well that the Imperium's domain spanned a million worlds. From death worlds filled with toxicity to volcanic worlds flowing with lava, from ice wastes near absolute zero to realms with gravity anomalies or bizarre atmospheric compositions, this system must provide a reliable sanctuary for mortal soldiers to survive.
Every integration decision was accompanied by repeated considerations of extreme reliability, frontline maintainability, and mass deployment costs.
"Old friend, we cannot only consider conventional battlefields." Joric pulled up a series of extreme planetary environmental parameters, explaining his design logic to the Servo-skull. "Our power armor needs to deal with the malice of the entire galaxy—corrosive atmospheres, psychic dust, reality distortions caused by Warp whispers... and even worse."
The Servo-skull projected simulation data of several major threats, marking the corresponding required protection technologies and energy consumption.
"Yes, the cost will soar," Joric's synthesized voice carried pragmatic calm. "But we don't need to pursue long-term survival on the surface of a Death World; that belongs to more specialized exploration equipment.
"Our goal is to guarantee survival and combat effectiveness—ensuring the wearer can maintain combat capability for at least dozens of hours in most extreme environments, buying time for evacuation or rescue."
Therefore, the core of the system he designed lay in basic sealing, internal circulation maintenance, and adaptive environmental regulation.
The ceramite shell and composite joints provided basic protection; reinforced filtration and air synthesis modules could handle various toxic or inert atmospheres; built-in temperature control units could resist extreme temperatures; the system even possessed certain resistance capabilities against energy fields and psychic interference.
"It might not allow the user to move freely in a vacuum environment for days, but it is enough to support them fighting their way from the wreckage of a destroyed transport ship to the nearest airlock." Joric concluded. "For the Imperial Guard, this is enough. Every veteran who returns alive to the line is a precious asset."
This yet-unnamed power armor ultimately adopted a classic humanoid design.
Due to being packed internally with various equipment, its size reached an astonishing height of four meters. Even in the giant-filled Warhammer world, it would be a significant brute not to be ignored.
The arms maintained a basic humanoid structure for wielding melee weapons or large firearms, but the forearms were designed as quick-detach modules to swap for fixed heavy weapons such as heavy bolters, meltaguns, or lascannons.
For the power core, a plasma reactor of the same class as the Imperial Sentinel walker was chosen.
"A Space Marine's power pack has lower output; pushing a four-meter-heavy unit like this would be very straining." Joric explained his choice to the Servo-skull. "This reactor must provide abundant and stable energy for all systems, especially that 'energy hog' of a shield generator."
The cockpit utilized a seated posture, but the space was compressed very tightly.
Essentially, the humanoid torso and part of the thigh area were hollowed out to form a space just large enough to accommodate a standard-sized human sitting inside.
Of course, if changed to a smaller Ratling, this space would appear spacious, but Joric designed the control interface based on standard human body types; Ratlings likely couldn't pilot it effectively.
The final design product weighed nearly two tons. In humanoid arm mode, the basic output was set at five tons.
"This is enough to complete most battlefield engineering tasks, or give a stuck Leman Russ a push out of the mud." Joric commented, abandoning some more aggressive melee output indicators to protect the mechanical structure and the pilot.
Considering specific tactical needs, Joric reserved standardized hardpoints on the back of the power armor for adapting flight kits.
Whether it was a grav-chute for slowing descent or a jump pack providing short-range assault capability, they could be quickly mounted via this interface to meet the needs of special missions like orbital drops or complex terrain assaults.
However, out of consideration for cost and controlling equipment complexity, these functions were defined as optional modules rather than standard configuration.
Regarding weapon systems, Joric chose a pragmatic and efficient compatibility strategy. This power armor was designed to directly use most heavy individual weapons in the Space Marine armory. This ensured it could rapidly form combat effectiveness in the initial stages of deployment without waiting for the establishment of a dedicated logistical system.
Naturally, he also planned to tailor a dedicated arsenal more suited to its role based on combat feedback in the future.
(End of Chapter)