Technology

Internal Structure

Every 'Mech, Fighter and Ship contains a "skeleton" made up of several dozen "bones." Each "bone" is a honecombed, foamed-aluminum / magnesium core wrapped with stressed silicon-carbide monofilament and protected by a rigid titanium-tungsten shell. The amount of titanium or tungsten present in the alloy depends on the vehicle that utilizes the structure, with the greater amount of tungsten present in naval vessels, while the higher percentage of titanium is mixed in aerospace fighters. Each of these artificial "bones" has attachment points for the internal systems and outer armor. This skeletal construction helps make the vehicle less vulnerable and easier to repair.

Armor

Two separate layers of armor provide modern vehicles on battlefield with protection against energy and projectile weapons. A woven fibers of titanium and depleted uranium alloy is used for an outer layer of armor. Each strand of fiber is individually supercompressed in a microgravity chamber to achieve diamond-like density due to a hexagonal crystal allignment, providing excellent heat-conducting properties, and so it provides excellent protection against lasers and particle-beam weapons, as well as ballistic impacts from High-Explosive Armor-Piercing (HEAP) rounds and missiles. An inner layer is composed of boron-nitride impregnated with diamond monofilament and HarJel, serves as a protection against any tandem-charged weapons and fast neutrons. This second layer of armor also prevent any armor fragments from damaging internal systems.

Myomer

Myomer fibers are used most extensively on 'Mechs, controlling their actuators, weapons and sensor arrays. Large bundles of polyacetylene fibers control 'Mech's limbs and main weapons, while smaller actuators move 'Mech's hands and feet. Myomers contract when exposed to electrical current, much like human muscles, and if a 'Mech's myomers are damaged in battle, technicians can replace the fiber bundles with new ones, or "transplant" myomers from other parts of the 'Mech's skeleton. Transplanted myomer bundles cannot restore full function to a damaged limb, but they do provide limited mobility and strength.

Fusion Engine

Vehicles on current battlefield require a large, constant power supply for movement and combat. The fusion reactor which produces enormous amounts of electricty from ordinary water, is the most efficient system for providing this power. And because the fusion reaction does not release neutrons, the power plant can operate indefinitely without becoming radioactive. The fusion plant produces electricty by a process known as magnetohydrodynamics. In this process, magnetic fields are used tp channel plasma from the fusion reaction into a loop. This plasma is electrically conductive, and so the loop functions as a powerful generating coil, producing both electricity and waste heat. Heat sinks are especially important because excessively high internal temperatures can disrupt the magnetic containment fields around the reactor. And if power plant's magnetic "jar" is disrupted, and uncontrolled fusion reaction may occur, releasing neutrons and exposing internal systems and crew to damaging and lethal radiation.

Weapons

Three types of weapons are currently utilized: energy, ballistic and missile. Energy weapons include lasers and particle projection cannons. Ballistic weaponry consists of autocannons, gauss rifles and various machine guns. And finally missiles are used in a single large propelled warhead, or multiple launch system.

Current Lasers come in two flavors: Extended-Range and Pulse versions. The development of the ER laser applies to a number of techniques applied to an emmiter crystals. Large, nearly flawless emmiter crystals had been grown in microgravity chambers, combined with rapid-discharge capacitance banks and high-speed beam focusing-coils, allowing effective range up to a kilometer. Pulse lasers utilize more antique focusing mirrors, that results in shorter ranges, but machine gun effect of the beam and decreased heat generation more than make up for seemingly outdated construction.

Particle Projection Weapons utilize many design elements as ER lasers, with few noticeable exceptions. An energy collection capacitor that gathers energy straight from power source. Capacitor's containment "bubble" collapses once the charge reaches its destined amount, releasing particles through a series of magnetic coils that compact the stream prior its final discharge.

There are two current versions of autocannons: LB-X and Ultra. Lighter Ballistics Autocannons use proximity-fused rounds that explode when they get within five to ten meters, releasing a flak of smaller shells that essentially work in the same principle as a shotgun. Ultra autocannons utilize shorter smooth-bore barrell, sacrificing accuracy for raw power. Ultra rounds are equipped with depleted uranium tips that penetrate outer layer of armor before exploding, thus maximizing damage inflicted upon the target.

Gauss Rifles are relatively simple weapons that use a series of magnetic coils to propel a slug to a supersonic velocities. Damage is applied on impact alone, making Gauss Rifles a simple and inexpensive weapons.

Missiles are essentially self-propellant warheads with a guidance system to maximise the effectiveness. Capitol Ship missiles are large, with thermonuclear charges and complex guidance mechanisms, while the fighter and 'Mech launchers utilize much simpler and smaller rockets that are essentially slaved to a central onboard guidance system for target lock and aquisition. This maximizes damage potential, while minimazing loss of lock due to a countermeasure or natural terrain obstacles.

Machine Guns range from a small caliber rotary-based anti-infantry weapons, to an anti-missile systems that are utilized for defensive purposes. Machine Gun ammunition consists of generally cheap unarmed rounds, but some versions include HEAP caseless rounds that found a broad use against armored infantry and vehicles. Such rounds are twice as heavy as standard ammunition, adjusting the damage potential and weight accordingly.

Laser Heat Sinks

Standard heat sinks use radiators and heat-conductive fluids for cooling. Laser heat sinks use lasers to excite the hot exhaust gases into a higher-energy state, effectively converting the infrared (IR) energy of the gases to the visual spectrum. The light is then shunted out of the 'Mech via highly polished surfaces rather than the usual collection of pipes and tubing. Laser Heat Sinks perform as well as standard double-strength heat sinks, but because they reduce the amount of hot gas and liquid streaming around the inside, the chance of equipment failure due to a high temperatures, or ammunition explosions is reduced.