Bombshell Genius
OUT OF CHARACTER INFORMATION
Upon taking hits that have sufficient force to cause the outer ceramic plate to crack, the explosive lining forces the rest of the tile to explode in shrapnel and also changes the angle of attack of the projectile that caused the outer ceramic plate to crack, while also deforming the projectile in the explosion of the tile. Then the penetration of the projectile is reduced.
Strengths:
The Kreelan explosive reactive armor is borne from the need to protect vehicles, ground or space, against mass drivers or hypervelocity cannons. The basic principle is that high explosives are sandwiched between two ceramic plates, with the inner plate installed against a thick backing plate made of other materials that will absorb the remaining damage from the weapon fired at it once the tile takes a hit strong enough to crack the upper plate. Once the outer plate is penetrated, the explosive detonates and causes the projectile to deform, and then lose its penetration power, especially if the projectile is shattered in multiple directions. Of course, the outer ceramic plate, upon detonation of the explosive underneath, will project shrapnel-sized debris away from the vehicle, which may also cause some collateral damage nearby. This, in fact, carries several implications for the deployment of vehicles equipped with Kreelan ERA: first, they must not be deployed in tight formations, and second, support elements must be kept at a distance from the vehicle.
Of course, with the tiles having to be separated one another to minimize the risk of a chain reaction, the inner plate has to be held against a backing plate for the whole assembly of plates to hold together on a vehicle. In addition, if directed-energy weapons are fired at a tile of Kreelan ERA, it will likely also cause the explosives underneath the outer plate to detonate. Tiles usually come in 20x20cm formats (several sizes of tiles can be produced for different vehicles) with a thickness of 7cm, weighing about 5 kg apiece; assuming the bolts come off the backing plate without problem, a tile can be replaced in as few as 15 seconds but due to the nature of the armor, it cannot be repaired in a fight. A plate might survive a glancing blow from a blaster rifle, but a direct hit from one's standard blaster rifles will cause the outer plate to shatter and then cause the tile to explode. As for disruptors being fired on Kreelan ERA tiles, it would simply vaporize the outer tile but once the bolt comes into contact with the explosive lining, it would also cause the tile to explode, with much less shrapnel than if it was hit by a blaster due to the outer ceramic plate having at least partially disintegrated before the bolt makes contact with the explosive lining.
- Intent: To provide an explosive reactive armor plating scheme
- Image Source: N/A
- Restricted Missions: N/A
- Primary Source: Explosive reactive armor
- Name: Kreelan explosive reactive armor
- Manufacturer: Ringovinda Systems
- Homeworld (optional): N/A
- Production: Minor
- Affiliation: Open-Market
- Modularity: Yes:
- Material: Silicate ceramic, detonite
- Classification: Compound
- Weight: Heavy
- Quality: 8
- Color: Beige (silicate ceramic plates)
- Ceramic plates
- Explosive lining
Upon taking hits that have sufficient force to cause the outer ceramic plate to crack, the explosive lining forces the rest of the tile to explode in shrapnel and also changes the angle of attack of the projectile that caused the outer ceramic plate to crack, while also deforming the projectile in the explosion of the tile. Then the penetration of the projectile is reduced.
Strengths:
- Allows greater protection against mass drivers and hypervelocity cannons
- Tiles can be easily replaced
- Must be used in heavy tiles
- Each tile can only take a limited number of hits (depending on weapons): after the explosive lining is expended, the tile must be replaced
- Shrapnel will be projected from the expended tile after being hit: infantry must operate at a distance from any vehicle equipped with Kreelan explosive reactive armor in combat operations
- Cannot be repaired in combat
- Requires backing plates to prevent the assembly from falling apart
- Provides only limited protection against directed-energy weapons
- If hit by disruptors, the ability to project shrapnel will be eliminated altogether
The Kreelan explosive reactive armor is borne from the need to protect vehicles, ground or space, against mass drivers or hypervelocity cannons. The basic principle is that high explosives are sandwiched between two ceramic plates, with the inner plate installed against a thick backing plate made of other materials that will absorb the remaining damage from the weapon fired at it once the tile takes a hit strong enough to crack the upper plate. Once the outer plate is penetrated, the explosive detonates and causes the projectile to deform, and then lose its penetration power, especially if the projectile is shattered in multiple directions. Of course, the outer ceramic plate, upon detonation of the explosive underneath, will project shrapnel-sized debris away from the vehicle, which may also cause some collateral damage nearby. This, in fact, carries several implications for the deployment of vehicles equipped with Kreelan ERA: first, they must not be deployed in tight formations, and second, support elements must be kept at a distance from the vehicle.
Of course, with the tiles having to be separated one another to minimize the risk of a chain reaction, the inner plate has to be held against a backing plate for the whole assembly of plates to hold together on a vehicle. In addition, if directed-energy weapons are fired at a tile of Kreelan ERA, it will likely also cause the explosives underneath the outer plate to detonate. Tiles usually come in 20x20cm formats (several sizes of tiles can be produced for different vehicles) with a thickness of 7cm, weighing about 5 kg apiece; assuming the bolts come off the backing plate without problem, a tile can be replaced in as few as 15 seconds but due to the nature of the armor, it cannot be repaired in a fight. A plate might survive a glancing blow from a blaster rifle, but a direct hit from one's standard blaster rifles will cause the outer plate to shatter and then cause the tile to explode. As for disruptors being fired on Kreelan ERA tiles, it would simply vaporize the outer tile but once the bolt comes into contact with the explosive lining, it would also cause the tile to explode, with much less shrapnel than if it was hit by a blaster due to the outer ceramic plate having at least partially disintegrated before the bolt makes contact with the explosive lining.
