The new forums will be named Coin Return (based on the most recent vote)! You can check on the status and timeline of the transition to the new forums here.
The Guiding Principles and New Rules document is now in effect.
War in the future: are mechs viable weapons?
Zombiemambo
Registered User regular
Registered User regular
I've been interested in BattleTech the last few days, and a question that gets raised in my head a lot sprung to mind once more: will we actually see these things one day? The question is not can we make them, but will we make them. The biggest question of mine is:
What are the advantages of a mech over other weapons platforms, such as tanks? My biggest concern is movement:
Bipedal movement is an incredibly complicated process that, to my knowledge, we haven't been able to reproduce in robotics effectively. Assuming we will one day master this technology, what will it offer? It will no doubt be more expensive than using other forms of movement like wheels or tracks. It could be more useful in rough terrain, but balance is an issue. With such a high center of gravity it couldn't be too hard to knock one down (ala Star Wars' AT-ATs and AT-STs), and you have to factor in costs vs. effectiveness. In BattleTech, 'Mechs are propelled by large, synthetic muscles. This technology is discovered during the 24th century and isn't employed in war until the 25th century. If possible, it sounds like an effective way to move a bipedal machine.
What are the advantages of a mech over other weapons platforms, such as tanks? My biggest concern is movement:
Bipedal movement is an incredibly complicated process that, to my knowledge, we haven't been able to reproduce in robotics effectively. Assuming we will one day master this technology, what will it offer? It will no doubt be more expensive than using other forms of movement like wheels or tracks. It could be more useful in rough terrain, but balance is an issue. With such a high center of gravity it couldn't be too hard to knock one down (ala Star Wars' AT-ATs and AT-STs), and you have to factor in costs vs. effectiveness. In BattleTech, 'Mechs are propelled by large, synthetic muscles. This technology is discovered during the 24th century and isn't employed in war until the 25th century. If possible, it sounds like an effective way to move a bipedal machine.
Zombiemambo on
0
Posts
It would be much more efficient just to put all the same weapons on a big tank.
Just from a physics perspective, as well. Something so big placing its weight on such a small area (its feet)? You think tanks have problems crossing bridges? A mech would be lucky not to get stuck in mud.
Plus, it's pointlessly tall, making it an easy target.
To be honest, I imagine something like powered armor for infantry would be far more likely and practical. I just don't see the need or use for mechs.
Although I don't suspect it would be more efficient than tracks.
but they're listening to every word I say
I thought people walked on their feet so our hands would be free to hurl spears and whatnot?
Yeah, remote stuff is going to be interesting. Still though, technology is fragile and limited in many ways. Signals can be jammed, stuff like that. We'll still need humans involved on the front lines in some capacity.
I thought we walked on our feet because our spine is at an angle from the base of our skulls that allows us to?
And that is another theory. No one is really sure.
Hur hur! No seriously, I hope that was a joke.
but they're listening to every word I say
Powered infantry suits. How far off do you think these sort of things are? Are they practical? We have technology that lets people carry backpacks of incredible weight with ease.
The upside would be added protection. The downside would be bulk, speed, and probably a battery life.
Compare people on foot to people on bicycles.
I can only imagine what a person will become when they enter a mech.
Some kind of metal uberdouche.
Anyway it seems to me that bipedal movement on a tank is nearly impossible to do right now and would only be useful in very specific circumstances, almost none of which are likely to be seen in a ground war in this day and age
Now, if we're talking about mechs in the context of fully mechanized vehicles then yes, I would say that those will be very viable in the future at some point
Not soon, but someday
PSN ID : DetectiveOlivaw | TWITTER | STEAM ID | NEVER FORGET
I had a feeling as much. It's interesting to see what advances we have made in body armor, such as that dragonskin stuff.
Also, the new metal storm stuff for guns is interesting. 1,000,000 rounds per minute you say?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d8hlj4EbdsE
I think they'll have uses elsewhere though, like the construction industry
I mean we've all seen that prototype exoskeleton video floatin' around on the net, that shit may be expensive and clunky but it works
PSN ID : DetectiveOlivaw | TWITTER | STEAM ID | NEVER FORGET
I have no idea why but this video just made me laugh uncontrollably.
How could speed be a downside? A powered armor soldier would have extra movement added to each move, they would go faster and tire less. The last exoskeleton model I saw was surprisingly light and not bulky.
Battery life is probably the biggest problem. It could only be used for short term, short distance engagements.
but they're listening to every word I say
I think he meant speed as in "It'll be slower walking around with tons of extra shit on your back" not "Moar speed!"
1 mil rounds a minute sounds good, till you shoot them all and have no ammo left. Besides they are individually packed sabot rounds, that are pretty specialised. Seems impractical for wide distribution.
but they're listening to every word I say
The only sort of mech I could see being used would be those akin to what is found in Heavy Gear.
They aren't very large. You sit in the chest and your head is in the actual head of the mech. You pretty much take up the entire chest. The legs can lock down and have treads/wheels which lets them move like tanks. They can switch to bi-pedal mode to navigate terrain a tank couldn't.
Still, it seems like a very, very niche vehicle.
Well, they have a metal storm mortar, and other sort of artillery. I think the application there is probably more useful if you need intense saturation of a target area in explosives.
Especially an amphibious tank.
Maybe deployment would be slower. But actually walking would be faster. One of the points of powered armor is to add strength to muscle movement. More powerful muscle movement would be more speed and less fatigue.
The only problem is what if you get shot in the battery somehow. Now you have 100+ pounds of extra dead weight on you.
but they're listening to every word I say
That sounds like a really expensive approach to doing a cruise-missile's job.
Bipedal mechs are impractical for any number of reasons, but the biggest one I've heard is that joints are so complex - we have difficulty reproducing the human leg and balance mechanisms, but imagine such a complex piece of the machine taking any damage. It would be irreparable. Its joints would be incredibly vulnerable.
Ah, that is pretty much a straight up upgrade compared to the current under slung grenade launchers, which can only hold one shot at a time. That's probably the best real world application of the metal storm tech that I've heard of so far.
Bridge-laying vehicles?
But now you are 200 + pounds of weight. Gonna need a tow truck to get you to the back. Or make it easy to take off.
but they're listening to every word I say
I understand that some SWAT type organizations do similar things, the people first in sometimes wear some ridiculously heavy kevlar gear.
It's not a continuous fire weapon. You're not shooting continuously for a minute at 1000 000 shots per minute. It shoots one single burst of 180 bullets, at the speed of 1 000 000 per minute, meaning really goddamn fast. That one burst will tear through all sorts of shit, apparently, and there's room for plenty of bursts.
More on topic, reposting the exoskeleton video that was going around a while ago:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nhj3Z9o6t0g
Yeah anything Batman uses isn't going to be real, dude.