I was inspecting on how to armor the new model of the Skocha and had resorted in just up armoring the original design. It added additional weight to the chassis which required a more powerful engine. Normally, this wouldn't be a problem, but in order to keep a ray shield on the machine, I had to install a larger engine entirely. I was about to more or less accept that the tank would have to be far heavier than I wanted it to when I stumbled on something completely... unexpected.
A little while ago I had one of the research and development labs for Tenloss start work on using magnetics for various things. I figured it could be used for industrial purposes to pull more magnetic metals from non magnetic sources or even, perhaps, in new weapon designs. For the most part, we were just reinventing what was already invented and the project moved to newer avenues of application. When cleaning out old files and organizing various projects to prioritize the new Skocha plans, I found some of the old reports.
Out of boredom, or perhaps at the nudge of fate, I sat down and browsed the reports a bit just to pass the time. As I did so, I let my mind wander as I usually do. Between that and a few glasses of top shelf wine from Naboo, a strange concept occurred to me.
Everything was affected by magnetics. Everything. Planets, metals, ores, even gravity and some forms of life itself relied on magnetics. Most weapons in use today utilize magnetics. Rail guns and mass drivers use magnetic coils to accelerate projectiles towards enemies while all blasters use electromagnetic fields to contain the plasma they fire and project it to the enemy. Almost everything uses magnetics...
What if, I proposed, we changed the reliance on magnetics from weapons to armor? How could this be done? How could such a thing be possible? Trial after trial and test after test guided the project slowly but surely. Soon enough, after countless failures, we had a successful test.
By anchoring powerful, projected electromagnets throughout the hull a powerful magnetic field was created. By cycling the electromagnets in subtle, rapid fire sequences the field was given a sort of... movement. A movement akin to the shifting of the mantle under a planet's crust, albeit hidden. Invisible. Subtle.
The result was mesmerizing. Blaster weapons fired at the magnetic field weren't stopped or deflected. They weren't dispersed. They... arced away. They contacted the magnetic field and followed it, skimming along the surface like a boat upon the water until kinetic energy pulled it off the field and away from the target. We fired personal blasters at the target all to the same effect. Heavier weapons were employed and arced as well. Blaster cannons and even a turbolaser were fired and all arced off from the target, each shot skimming the surface of the field and slipping off the target, impacting in the areas behind the target.
I changed the ranges up and tried again. We found that the further the weapons were from the target, the more easily they arced off the target. The closer they were, the harder it was to arc the shot. At close ranges, the heavier weapons penetrated the field entirely and impacted on the target, but with a noticeable loss of accuracy each time. Intrigued, we continued testing.
We swapped out for projectile weapons and brought forth basic slugthrowers and ripper weapons. These arced far less, but at long ranges were seen to skim off the field just as the blaster weapons had done. At medium ranges, some penetrated with great loss of accuracy while some skipped off the magnetic field. At close ranges, the rounds penetrated with relative ease, but each with a noticeable loss of accuracy. Variables did exist, however, with larger projectiles having an easier time than smaller ones. This was seen as acceptable in the end.
Lastly, we tried hypervelocity rounds and anti-tank missiles. Railguns and mass drivers alongside rocket propelled grenades and armor piercing missiles. The missiles had a hard time penetrating the field at all but close range, often arcing off the field and missing entirely. The hypervelocity slugs, however, had the easiest time of all projectiles.
Ironically, it was the faster, lighter projectiles that had more issues while the slower, heavier projectiles seemed to have enough kinetic mass and speed to penetrate the magnetic field. My guess is that despite the faster trajectory, the lack of substantial mass or kinetic force is the cause for the lighter projectiles having a hard time. Either way, even at close ranges, there is a noticeable loss of accuracy. At all ranges hypervelocity slugs tend to penetrate the field, though at longer ranges this is sporadic at best.
This new system is... interesting. It's not one hundred percent protective, but it negates a great deal of incoming attacks. The vehicle will still require heavy armor, but this should allow me to negate the need of a ray shield or, perhaps, one quite as strong as the original Skocha.
Overall, I think this system shows a great deal of promise. I've ordered it to be tested and perfected for mounting on the new version of the Skocha. With luck, this will all go smoothly.
A little while ago I had one of the research and development labs for Tenloss start work on using magnetics for various things. I figured it could be used for industrial purposes to pull more magnetic metals from non magnetic sources or even, perhaps, in new weapon designs. For the most part, we were just reinventing what was already invented and the project moved to newer avenues of application. When cleaning out old files and organizing various projects to prioritize the new Skocha plans, I found some of the old reports.
Out of boredom, or perhaps at the nudge of fate, I sat down and browsed the reports a bit just to pass the time. As I did so, I let my mind wander as I usually do. Between that and a few glasses of top shelf wine from Naboo, a strange concept occurred to me.
Everything was affected by magnetics. Everything. Planets, metals, ores, even gravity and some forms of life itself relied on magnetics. Most weapons in use today utilize magnetics. Rail guns and mass drivers use magnetic coils to accelerate projectiles towards enemies while all blasters use electromagnetic fields to contain the plasma they fire and project it to the enemy. Almost everything uses magnetics...
What if, I proposed, we changed the reliance on magnetics from weapons to armor? How could this be done? How could such a thing be possible? Trial after trial and test after test guided the project slowly but surely. Soon enough, after countless failures, we had a successful test.
By anchoring powerful, projected electromagnets throughout the hull a powerful magnetic field was created. By cycling the electromagnets in subtle, rapid fire sequences the field was given a sort of... movement. A movement akin to the shifting of the mantle under a planet's crust, albeit hidden. Invisible. Subtle.
The result was mesmerizing. Blaster weapons fired at the magnetic field weren't stopped or deflected. They weren't dispersed. They... arced away. They contacted the magnetic field and followed it, skimming along the surface like a boat upon the water until kinetic energy pulled it off the field and away from the target. We fired personal blasters at the target all to the same effect. Heavier weapons were employed and arced as well. Blaster cannons and even a turbolaser were fired and all arced off from the target, each shot skimming the surface of the field and slipping off the target, impacting in the areas behind the target.
I changed the ranges up and tried again. We found that the further the weapons were from the target, the more easily they arced off the target. The closer they were, the harder it was to arc the shot. At close ranges, the heavier weapons penetrated the field entirely and impacted on the target, but with a noticeable loss of accuracy each time. Intrigued, we continued testing.
We swapped out for projectile weapons and brought forth basic slugthrowers and ripper weapons. These arced far less, but at long ranges were seen to skim off the field just as the blaster weapons had done. At medium ranges, some penetrated with great loss of accuracy while some skipped off the magnetic field. At close ranges, the rounds penetrated with relative ease, but each with a noticeable loss of accuracy. Variables did exist, however, with larger projectiles having an easier time than smaller ones. This was seen as acceptable in the end.
Lastly, we tried hypervelocity rounds and anti-tank missiles. Railguns and mass drivers alongside rocket propelled grenades and armor piercing missiles. The missiles had a hard time penetrating the field at all but close range, often arcing off the field and missing entirely. The hypervelocity slugs, however, had the easiest time of all projectiles.
Ironically, it was the faster, lighter projectiles that had more issues while the slower, heavier projectiles seemed to have enough kinetic mass and speed to penetrate the magnetic field. My guess is that despite the faster trajectory, the lack of substantial mass or kinetic force is the cause for the lighter projectiles having a hard time. Either way, even at close ranges, there is a noticeable loss of accuracy. At all ranges hypervelocity slugs tend to penetrate the field, though at longer ranges this is sporadic at best.
This new system is... interesting. It's not one hundred percent protective, but it negates a great deal of incoming attacks. The vehicle will still require heavy armor, but this should allow me to negate the need of a ray shield or, perhaps, one quite as strong as the original Skocha.
Overall, I think this system shows a great deal of promise. I've ordered it to be tested and perfected for mounting on the new version of the Skocha. With luck, this will all go smoothly.
