Geek Art: 100 Years of Force - Capsule Troopers
Todays Geek Art comes from Deviant Art artist ukitakumuki, who has done some amazing illustrations for Star Wars Galaxies. He's also done a ton of other really cool work.
The artist gives a detailed rundown of what you see in the piece above, which is called 100 Years of Force. It's really cool to see how much thought was actually put into designing this image and the mech suit. The piece was Inspired by sci-fi writer Robert A. Heinlein's (Starship Troopers) concept of capsule troopers.
The Feel:
Inspired by beautiful heavy duty bugs, these biometallic suits are fully adjustable due to their malleable forms and are 'free size', accomodating most human forms. They are approx max @ 10-12 ft tall [tiptoed] with pauldrons and headgear fully extended. Oh and the faceplate I like because its just retro.
Synth-wings released, the ablative entry plates break open, further assisting in slowdown. The armour unlocks itself and awakens into a ready state, sensors and musculature preparing for the shock landing. According to regulations, Pilot is still in semi-comatose state in case of panic where he/she might intefere with the landing sequence... or in case of a failed drop. Better way to go I guess?
Some veterans of the cap drop process demand full awareness, and elite companies have been known to take the drop sequence to greater heights, undulating at even greater altitude and grabbing a section of capsule armour to be used as a shield/something to slide on and/or opening fire even before their principal landing.
Upon 'crash-action', the armour awakens the pilot- head unit, pauldrons, legs and ordnance separating and moving outward from their compact 'shock-locked' postion.
Secondary systems deploy countermeasures based on situation. Anything from small flares or smoke or chemical irritants... to larger caliber munitions like those mounted on the head unit or front of thighs for some close-in action. Chest mounted armoured Forward Looking Multi Spectral cameras scour the battlefield for targets of opportunity, quickly identifying friend and foe.
In under 10 seconds from separation of capsule, according to doctrine; the mechanised infantry unit will adopt a mission-oriented defensive posture, and proceed to clear the area afterward.
The Look:
The pilot's extremities are exposed by default for mass reduction among other reasons. The combat wardrobe allows for up to 4 levels of armour 'upsizing'. Supersize the bitch! This one illustrated would be level 3. Lvl 1 would be just a pilot with a lightly armoured frame surrounding him, more like a cage of biometallic bone. Lvl 4 can't be illustrated because its just visually wrong on so many levels.
The suit is actually more frame + manipulator limbs than 'garment', if you understand. Joints and actuators extend beyond the movement capabilities of the rider, and as such allow additional degrees of movement while keeping the rider in relative comfort, in an almost constant 'seated' position.
You might imagine the riders legs up to 90 degrees from his body when the suit is upright, filling up the rather spacious thigh cavities. Synthetic force-sensitive muscle fibers play the role of motion-feedback and capture device / cushioning.
My reason for having such modular parts and coverings are to allow a multi-region deployment.. for example in the tropics you might not rely too much on internal cooling systems.. even with air conditioning or being submerged in force-compensation fluid.. a rider will still sweat, feel suffocated and stifled.. can you imagine being 'cooped up' in a tomb of metal... for up to a day on extended missions.. mental and complete physical fatigue man! Just like poor Tank crews. Hmm.. I wonder in such a dark future if stimulants and specialised drugs or some form of aural or visual stimuli are employed for such reasons. "Okay cap team Bravo, 5 mins Zen break, whose got my speed metal"
As such, just like how most image-conscious people may not take kindly to the idea of a professional soldier in the jungle with rolled up sleeves, strapless helmet and no camoflauge on.. its a very logical point to consider. I know i wasn't the first to make a "god i wish we could all just be in shorts and a singlet.. im sure i could take out so many more ppl in comfort and have enough energy and morale to hike outta here," comment during training exercises over the course of my mandatory military service. Maybe thats why they never picked me for the power armour division. hmph.