N7-STA Armor

[Macharius Solaire]

Spoiler

Image Source: Source

Intent: Light Armor for Republic Infantry
Development Thread: None
Manufacturer: Denon Stahl Arms
Model: N7-STA Armor
Affiliation: The Republic
Modularity: Minimal / Upgrade Packages
Production: Mass-Produced
Material: Graphine / Carbon Nanotube weave, Ablative Ceramic Composite , Durasteel, Duranex, glass-clear Polycarbonate

Classification: Multipurpose
Weight: 9 kg
Quality:

Slugs / Blunt Force: 8
Blasters: 6

Special Features: Slug Resistant

Description: Facilitating the needs of Republic rearmament. Denon Stahl Arms probed for what was needed, and a light, highly mobile armor was top of the pile. Nine models were designed and tested. And the seventh proved better than the rest in most fields. After further refinement it was deemed suitable for production by President and CEO Macharius Solaire, and approved by The Republic Militaries Acquisitions Department, manufacturing began of the companies first product, the N7-Sta Armor.

The armor diverges from the norm by utilizing layered sheets of graphine woven together, stronger than durasteels stopping power and a fraction the weight. Especially at the thickness used in the armor. The materials excellent thermal conductivity also helps to absorb and dissipate a blaster bolts energy, and may survive a glancing lightsaber blow. To further reinforce things Ablative Ceramic Composite plates are the outer shell of the armor. These are sacrificial by purpose but can withstand many many blows or shots. They are made in sections and are easily replaceable if damaged, with the exception of the helmets. Being a critical piece they are to be replaced, and the broken returned if possible to salvage parts. Lastly Durasteel is used for the sole plate in the boot and toe cap, reinforcing the forearms, crotchplate, and neck guard. A Duranex bodyglove worn underneath everything provides chemical and biological protection along with the helmet, but it not rated for void use.

Several other features are present as well. An under forearm command console computer that can be used for communications, linked to many useful functions like opening doors or detonating remote explosives if linked. And it can wire in to other computers to obtain such functions, download data or input it.

4 front and 7 back LED's on the helmet, and 7 on the back plate of the wearer indicate the current vitals and overall well being of a soldier by an on board vitals monitor. These can be dimmed or turned off for night or stealth operations as necessary by the forearm computer.

A jetpack can be fixed to the wearers back to facilitate flight and high mobility. Comparability issues with non Stahl Arms jetpack models is likely. Or a field pack can be carried.

Aditional Features:

- Instant Polarizing Lens
- Bio / Chem Filtration System
- Comms System
- Auditory Relay Sensors (Sonic Protection and lets you hear)
- IFF Circuitry
- Painted Rank Identifier

As always armors come with their disadvantages that can be exploited. And the N7 is no different. Such weaknesses exploitable are:

- Helmet Lens, made of a glass-clear Polycarbonate, will only stop shrapnel or with luck something worse. It is the weakest point of the armor.
- Electrical Currents
- Fire
- High powered blaster weaponry
- Exceptionally large slugs or purpose made high penetration ammunition
- LED's may be spotted if they're on, more so at night
- Electronics damageable by EMP or ion blasts

Uncovered areas which only the graphene weave itself protects is more susceptible to damage than where there is plating. This armor was designed more for the light maneuverable role than something to soak damage like a Mandalorian's.The areas are as you can see in the image are:

- Between the neckguard and shoulderplate
- Between the shoulderplace and the backplate
- Between the shoulderplace and upper armguard
- Inner elbow
- Rib sections
- Between the upper leg armor and crotchplate
- Inner thighs
- Back of the knees
- Most of the hands

These gaps will vary in size as the user will move about and take different positions. In combat situations, the wearer is likely to be crouched lower, drawn in tighter, and using cover that will mitigate exploitation of these areas.

Primary Source: None

 

[Netherworld]

Under review.

 

[Netherworld]

[member="Macharius Solaire"]

First off, let me say I love the originality of the idea.
It's a nice sub all around, but there is a number of matters that I'll have to address before I can let this one through.

If we work together, I'm sure we can get this armor approved. So without further ado;

Graphine / Carbon Nanotube weave

Since there's no sub linked in there, I'm going to go forward with the assumption that you meant real-world graphene as the material in question.
Graphene and carbon nanotubes are certainly valid materials, but there is a number of issues with them being used in armor.

• Both the graphene and the carbon nanotubes are extremely stiff materials, and would thus only be usable as "sheets". Armor plates are always bent to shape to a certain extent, which would be nearly impossible with said materials
• Graphene would theoretically be usable in monolayer form (so without the multiple interwoven layers your submission mentions presently), but its properties would be significantly lesser in said form
• Another issue with multiple layers of graphene is this; "Likewise, polymeric residue can contribute to a similar decrease in the thermal conductivity of suspended graphene to approximately 500 – 600 W⋅m−1⋅K−1for bilayer graphene." It would effectively decrease the graphene's heat-sink capabilities until they would become negligible
• I'd also like to note that graphene has a very low burning point (350°) which would effectively set the wearer on fire as soon as they came in contact with such temperatures (not unusual on the battlefield)

A bodyglove worn underneath everything provides chemical and biological protection

I will need you to specify exactly what this bodyglove is made of.

Helmet Lens

I would like you to elaborate on how exactly the helmet lens are a weakness, because as it stands it's not very clear.

And there are quite a few areas both large and small that are 'open

I'm not comfortable with these gaps being so vaguely described, so if you could please flesh out this part a bit more, I'd be grateful.

All in all, the concept for this armor is an excellent one, but the materials used present an extreme potential for abuse. The only graphene variant submitted to the factory to date is echani graphite, which is clearly stated to be unusable in the creation of armor.

If you want this submission as-is, I need to know what sort of tensile strength and resistance you're expecting from the materials used above. I realize I'm probably coming across as a hardass right now (if I'm frustrating you, rest your eyes on the cute baby cthulhu ) but both graphene and CNTs are tricky as materials due to certain properties, which is why I need to make absolutely sure.

Tag me with answers/edits.

 

[Macharius Solaire]

[member="Netherworld"]

I'll fix / elaborate further on the 3 concerns below our largest problem.

I knew I'd hit snags. I looked into several articles and science literature material. Obviously not enough and I'll continue my readings further.

I probably shouldn't have used the word sheet. I was originally just going to use stacked sheets of it simply to a thickness that would render its problems with cracking a non issue. But read it can be made into fibers. The brilliant idea of a Kevlar like material the came to mind (Which I got from here), and I looked at what there is written on the potential as armor, which there is little out there as proof cause it hasn't been tested much let alone made. But seems plausible.

Didn't know the thermal abilities would be rendered useless on stacking. Which is it due entirely to this polymeric residue? Or is it just helping things along. Pass along where you read this if you can.

And I hadn't seen anything yet about this, but I know diamonds can go at about 900 degrees. Still that's low. I suppose incorporating a fire retardant would be the problem solver. Entirely doable.

You're not frustrating me, you're doing your job. And you wouldn't have if you were compared to me trying to fix my internet yesterday. I wanted to respond way earlier but that held me up. I think doing a Dev thread to make a stronger than Kevlar material would be the way to go then? Set a precedent for a new material then horde it like any good business should, lol. What length of a thread would you like if I were to do this?

 

[Netherworld]

[member="Macharius Solaire"]

In regards to where I read about the issue with its function as a heat sink, please refer to the wikipedia link.

I skimmed the article you linked (I won't read the whole thing, sorry), and the stuff mentioned seems completely feasible.

Most of the info I quoted is from the wikipedia article on graphene, so if you want to do further reading, feel free.
Incorporating a fire retardant would help to a certain degree, but making it wholly immune to being set on fire (which is the main weakness of this armor) would make it utterly overpowered.

All in all, this is based on science, and I love science, but a material like this is... well, it has a massive potential for abuse. The tensile strength of graphene is 130 GPa. In comparison, the strongest steel known has a tensile strength of 5.2 GPa. I hope this illustrates why I'm so hesitant to pass this without any dev. Before we move on to that option, however, I'll still need you to deal with the rest of the edits I asked for.

Macharius Solaire, on 29 Apr 2015 - 09:26 AM, said: A bodyglove worn underneath everything provides chemical and biological protection

• I will need you to specify exactly what this bodyglove is made of.

Macharius Solaire, on 29 Apr 2015 - 09:26 AM, said: Helmet Lens

• I would like you to elaborate on how exactly the helmet lens are a weakness, because as it stands it's not very clear.

Macharius Solaire, on 29 Apr 2015 - 09:26 AM, said: And there are quite a few areas both large and small that are 'open

• I'm not comfortable with these gaps being so vaguely described, so if you could please flesh out this part a bit more, I'd be grateful.

Tag me when you have made the changes required.

 

[Macharius Solaire]

[member="Netherworld"]

Made the requisite changes. Added the new materials to the list. You should be happy with things there.

Now lets talk the meat of the issue. You want a dev thread for the armor. The material is the issue though. So we have a few options as I see it on the table.

The most positive, and work. Is to make the material and get factory approval. Not only solving the issue, but we can set a precedent for future use.

The other is just setting how the armor would hold up in a combat test.

I think the first option is best. But uhh, your turn now.

 

[Netherworld]

[member="Macharius Solaire"]

Alright, I looked stuff over again and talked a bit with the other judges, and we've got two options here.

• Either you do a dev thread for the material and submit said material separately from the armor, but that dev thread will be a lengthy one (we're talking 70-80 quality posts)
• OR you can do a shorter dev thread only for this armor. I'd say... 10-15 quality posts and you're golden

Now, if you decide to dev the material, I'll require it to have a significant weakness (like the low burning point, for example) since it's a very resistant material.
If you dev the armor, I'd say the sub can stay as it is now, just expand on the quality rating. I'd say 8 for slugs and blunt trauma and such, and 6 for blasters (since it would still retain some heat sink capabilities).

And I almost forgot; are the electronics susceptible to EMPs and Ion blasts, and if so, could you make a note of that in the description?

 

[Macharius Solaire]

[member="Netherworld"]

Well then, what I'll do for now is Dev thread for the armor. Get it out the door quicker so I can focus on other projects. And we'll call the material used a prototype if that can be fair.

I'll save the material for my companies jump from tier 3 to 4 for its sizable project. Should be able to start that this month. It'd make an awesome project and I already have ideas swimming in my mind.

And I have no issue making it so on that last bit. I'll edit it in and increase the armor rating as you suggested.

Then all that's left is to do the thread.

 

[Netherworld]

[member="Macharius Solaire"]

Excellent.

Tag me when you complete the dev thread.

 

[Alric Kuhn]

[member="Macharius Solaire"]

What is the Status on your dev thread?

 

[Macharius Solaire]

[member="Alric Kuhn"]

Haven't been able to start it. Real life is taking a turn for the bad. And it takes priority. Maybe this weekend I can start it. I really can't say though.

 

[Alric Kuhn]

[member="Macharius Solaire"]

Okay. In that case I'll archive this sub for now. When the dev thread is done you can pm me and ill pull it back out.