ICS and Combat Walkers



The Hecatan TS-4 suit is an
example of a standard issue
armor system configured for
the heavy assault role.



On the modern battlefield, a simple infantryman has simply become too fragile, too slow, and too vulnerable to environmental hazards to be combat effective.  In all of these areas, robotic drone soldiers are far superior.  However, independent drones remain sharply limited by the capabilities of their onboard computers to make intelligent decisions in a complex, multi-dimensional battlefield environment.  Tele-operated robotic soldiers were created as a compromise to marry the intelligence and problem-solving abilities of the human soldier, with the ruggedness of the machine.  Unfortunately this set-up is impractical in large-scale deployment due to the prevalence of ECM and smart jamming technology, if communications are disrupted or degraded even for a moment, these robotic avatars become extremely vulnerable.

The institutional reluctance to pursue unshackled AI technology meant that there was only one way to overcome this problem, to make human soldiers more like machines, rather than machines more like humans.  To that end, military research centers developed new, more compact robotic musculature systems and married them to advanced negative feedback and reinforcement control systems to create modern Infantry Combat Suits.  The advantages of these systems were immediate and obvious, it allowed a well-trained human soldier to survive in heavy combat situations in even the most extreme environments, exotic atmospheres, hard vacuum, even NBC (Nuclear, Biological, Chemical).  It also enhanced the soldiers ability to operate for extended periods of time by increasing their carrying capacity and reducing fatigue levels, while drastically increasing the intelligence gathering and target-engagement ability.  With increased strength came the ability to operate more powerful weapon systems, one notable example is the famous "Napoleon" assault shotguns of the Orion Marine Corps, named after a pre-space bronze cannon due their immense 54mm barrel aperture.

Despite the success of these ICS, they were not able to fully supplant the supporting arms or artillery and heavy armor.  It was found that the shock power of fast, heavy vehicles was still needed to break through a determined defensive line, and it was not practical to use ICS troopers to tow heavy cannons and missile systems.  Nor did the ICS units have the speed and operational range to make good forward scouts.  For these roles a new vehicle system was needed that matched to flexibility and all-terrain capability of the ICS, but provided even more power and carrying capacity, not to mention increased operational endurance.  Thus Combat Walkers were introduced as a partner project and force multiplier.

Combat Walkers generally come in one of three varieties; light and fast scout walkers, medium-sized general-purpose walkers for exploitation and search and destroy operations, and heavily armed and armored assault and support walkers to provide breakthrough power and artillery support.



This is an Apollo-Kraft "Goliath" model Heavy Combat
Walker. This capture was taken during the settler
uprising on Cassadine IV, it appears this particular unit
was captured by the rebels and used
to break through a government blockade.



Scout walkers are designed specifically to operate singly or in pairs and provide intelligence to forward command posts.  Often they have advanced communication and sensor systems and a relatively light weapons package, often optimized for close-combat in dense terrain or self-defense.  Alternately they will be given long-range direct-fire weapons and be tasked with engaging high-value targets, much like sniper teams of old. 

Medium, or Main Battle Walkers are the most varied in configuration, but are usually designed with the maxim to be able to outrun anything they can't outfight, and be able to outfight just about anything.  Each manufacturer has their own design philosophies, but usually these walkers are more heavily-armed than armored and are designed to be able to eliminate threats in a first strike before they can be targeted in a counter-attack.


Finally, Heavy Support Walkers are the giants of the battlefield, they are often the most powerful units in the combat zone and their firepower can be the difference between victory and defeat.  However, they are also expensive and difficult to manufacture, for this reason, the are often deployed far back from the front lines and are well-protected by escort forces.