The so-called 'drop suits' of the early 22nd century were the result of not so much advances in surface tactics or materials engineering as applied biology. While the idea of inserting surface-mobile combat assets from orbit had been attractive for some time, the limits of either pilot physiology or telepresence made this difficult in practice. Manned units were subject to deceleration limits that increased approach time and made them vulnerable to ground defenses, while remote units were vulnerable to control lag as well as link spoofing. Autonomous AIs were also not suitable, for both technical as well as political reasons.
However, with the passage of the Sapiency Acts in 2206 the modification of human genetics became a matter of practical concern once again. It was revealed later that many of the Ninth Wave programs had never actually been terminated, but rather moved offworld. Theoretical fears aside, it meant (among other things) that it would be possible to modify pilots to withstand the g-forces involved without jeopardizing their legal status. Typically the suits were carried externally below unmanned booster and weapon packs, but many configurations were possible.
Here we see the 'Daisy Pusher' a Block 10 'Mephisto' suit being used in operations against Trans-C Separatists on Titan. The terraforming of that moon served as a sort of mirror for the strange civil war that wracked the settlements there. The conflict was noted for both questions of sapiency, humanity, and the moral weight of aesthetics.
Naturally, none of these questions were decided to the satisfaction of anyone involved.
`anmari has been spreading her infectious positivity throughout our community for over 6 years. Throughout this time Ana has been at the core of all things devious, passionately developing an eclectic gallery, helping organise devmeets, participating in chat events and also recently completed dedicating her time as a Community Volunteer. We are absolutely delighted to bestow the Deviousness Award for May 2013 to `anmari, congratulations! Read More
Sta.sh
Thanks. I found myself wondering about a mech/suit that could be deployed from some sort of bomb bay or external hardpoint. I really should work out a walk cycle for those accordion legs.
That's why I like the Hornet and Super Hornet (even though it's pretty big), they're built to work on a carrier.
Vipers in BSG are built to work on a BattleStar.
I think the same goes for mechs. They're always flashy and good looking but never designed with practicality in mind.
Even something flashy would be a little better if there were hints of the handling equipment it would need to be launched, recovered, and serviced in some sort of non-magic facility. I kind of like what Giant Robo did here.