A massive all-terrain multirole heavy weapons artilliary platform, the OUREX was a weapon of the old war: a surface to orbit 30 light-second defensive anti-invader cannon. It features a multitude of specialist warheads, a defensive tactical nuclear arsenal and a wide assortment of conventional weapons with which to defend itself.

Like the Amelia, the OUREX tightly integrated what would later become known as maidenhand into its very design as a long-term siege platform to be dropped on a planet, occupying it for months or years at a time with a near hostage-policy.

Issued in BA-240 and finally retired at the end of the Old War, the OUREX was legally declared a “platform for peace” as part of the Albion occupation by the Greater Cluster, tied into the DTA treaty and non-aggression pacts. It is designed fundamentally to be used either as a defensive platform to relay satellite guided non-line-of-sight parabolic weapons fire or to strike targets in orbit as a sort of defensive turret against starships to break an enemy foothold.

The OUREX can also be used as part of the first-stage of a planetary all-out offensive strike, dropped into a highly populated high-value area which the enemy is unlikely to strike due to collateral damage (using the high value asset as a shield) and then striking domestic assets to punch a hole through enemy defenses (eg: dismantling satellite communications networks, striking specialist targets world-wide on the planet) allowing invasion forces to pour through.

It is designed for use either in orbital drop bombardments surrounding itself with high value targets the enemy would not fire upon or is used domestically as a surface to orbit defense weapon to prevent invasion. Its most remarkable capabilities are its Mercury defense system which can survive a main-weapon starship strike and its rail-cannon which it uses to return fire with.

More dangerous than its primary weapon is its capacity to launch a nuclear weapon into the upper atmsophere of a radiation-belt of a planet's magnetosphere and using a nuclear detonation, trigger a massive electromagnetic pulse and enormous light radiance across the spectrum making fine targetting of a planetoid impossible and destroying almost all telecommunications capabilities around it that aren't sufficiently shielded makin git a more frightening weapon in practice than a conventional detonation.

Later in the war, the OUREX was repurposed to protect against Polygon attack by the Greater Cluster and later still, repurposed by the Albion Rebellion as a defensive platform with its nuclear arsenal all but removed in favor of a greater ammunition capacity and improved mobility – allowing the OUREX to skirt the surface of the planet quickly on thrusters rather than fry an atmosphere to conceal itself.

Later, Poylgons produced their own replica of the OUREX – the Walk – which was brutally effective in its attempts to take Aleph territories and worlds.

The original version of the OUREX, the unit was constructed at enormous cost to Aleph to fight a conflict located elsewhere in the cluster. Its 'abusive' use of Thunderhead and Albion's resources at the cost of the people were one of the factors involved with the birth of the rebellion – almost starving the populations of Lennox and Banquo which at this point were military factories due to their proximity to Thunderhead's sheoul - so named at the time simply “Industrial One” and “Industrial Two” dispassionately and dehumanizingly.

It is notable for its positron corrected space compression rail cannon and its use of nuclear weapons and potentially dangerous drone systems to defend itself – the electromagnetic discharge of which is known to cause serious burns and disrupt telecommunications.

With the first generation badly damaged, a refit was issued, replacing many parts of the original – repurposed for the purposes of the Albion rebellion. In this form, the unit has a quadrapedal leg assembly, a compact tank form for reduced footfall and damage in occupied spaces, shock-absorbers to deal with the sonic shockwave of the round being launched through the use of sprayed water to dampen the sound (similar to rocket launches) and a networked intelligence system to better function with Albion's own internal defenses. The design is also 14% smaller.

Initially, two prototypes were made: One loaded with the R-88 railcannon system and another with a prototype aether weapon and a different loadout and powerplant. Both were tested in concert in wargames and live exercises in order to determine which of the two fit the role better. The R-88 won out in spite of its ostensibly inferior destructive capacity and range, due to its ability to mount a subspace accelerator for extended range and its variety of usable ammunition types including self-guided, second-stage accelerator, clustershot, spread-missile, proximity detonation, a wide variety of yields and yield classes and combinations of therein.

While the aetheric variant was conventionally better as a weapon during attacks due to its long staying power, infinite ammunition of its main weapon and the destructive potential of its all energy weapon loadout, it was found severely lacking in its tactical capabilities – unable to fire parabolic strikes, continental missiles, issue supplies or in the versatility of its armament.

Offensive-attack equipment was also designed: ablative detatchable armor designed to withstand common surface to orbit and interorbital defensive weapons as the OUREX is dumped via carrier subspace catapult into the atmosphere of a planet. These tests along with those of the Sourcian countermeasures are, however, classified.

With the preperations complete, 600 OUREX were slated for initial production, to be distributed across 10 worlds. Their deployment specifically would be in clustered formations at six equadistant positions across a given planet's surface at operational bases with advanced orbital scanning systems, communications equipment, ECM capabilities, power exchange and of course a means of concealing the location from orbit for a 200 kilometer area. There would be 10 units to a base for maximum coverage with six bases, making a total of 60 per planet to protect Lorath worlds.

How many were built as of current year? How many are slated for production? Teething problems? How are they deployed? Where are they deployed?

Numbers, numbers

A sample of typical engagement ranges. Movement and mobility. Deployment capabilities. What specific scenario was it especially designed for? What other capabilities does it also have?

A sample of usage scenario.

Based on the ‘R-88 Acesulfulzel’ 88mm Subspace Enhanced Railgun, the R-305 surface to orbit cannon is designed specifically to have a variable diameter depending on its operational configuration – allowing it to launch medium, large and extra large Lorath Missiles and warheads. The system loads three rounds from the volumetric compression armory before requiring a reload.

Designer: Lorath Matriarchy, united_manufacturing_cooperative, support components designed by lazarus
Manufacturer: Lorath Matriarchy, united_manufacturing_cooperative, nepleslian_arms_and_munitions.
Name: LM-LRA-09-37¹⁾ This weapon is also known as R-305 ‘Super-Acesulfulzel’, with ‘R’ officially standing for ‘Railgun’, unofficially, standing for a variety of words that would be less than reputable. Officially, the development name of the weapon has been documented as ‘Super-Acesulfulzel²⁾’.
Type: Railgun Artillery.
Role: Anti-Power Armor/Frame, Anti-Tank, Anti-Starship.
Length: 3.64 Meters
Weight: 2154.56 Kg
Rate of Fire: 625 RPM (Exterior Loader Assist Required)

DR/Power Self-Powered: ADR 5/SDR 1 Kinetic Damage³⁾
DR/Power Exterior-Power: SDR 3 ⁴⁾
DR/Power Exterior-Power With Starship Mount & Barrel Extension: SDR 5⁵⁾
Caliber: 88x855mm
Damage Description: Varies by ammunition, however, impact damage and molecular destabilization remain constant so long as weapon is fired at optimal power levels.
Effective Range: Usually limited to five light seconds for targeting purposes.
Maximum Range: Theoretically unlimited
Muzzle Velocity Range - Self Powered: 1116 FPS to 119,916.88 Km/s
Muzzle Velocity Maximum - Exterior Power Supply: 299,762.47 Km/s
Muzzle Blast: Light distortion, destructive gaseous burst and shock-wave in atmosphere.
Firing Modes: Single Shot, Three Round Burst.
Recoil: Heavy, requires gravitic stabilization and recoil dampening equipment when used by power armor.
Energy Source: Ammunition cylinder contained capacitor or vehicle mount.
Ammunition Capacity: 5

Surface To Orbit Mode has the entire OUREX assume a stable stance for recoil absorbsion and begin its cooling cycle in order to keep the R-305 at an ideal operating temperature. For pulsed fire in this mode, the OUREX requires a water supply to cool itself.

Non-Line-Of-Sight Parabolic firing mode uses complex computer control and global positioning data to determine the location of a target and the parabolic firing arc, angle and power needed to strike it. In this way, NLOS firing mode can hit almost any point on a given planet, allowing the OUREX to serve as a tactical support launch platform for friendly assets, replacing air-support bombings where available.

Sitting inside the OUREX within a volumetric compression of space is a hanger bay larger on the inside than the outside. It contains an armory of missile equipment and warheads. Used to effect, the assembler – a sort of simplified production line can create a bespoke missile from the components and then pass it onto the loader which in turn either sends the round to the R-305 (ideal for ranged striking) or the VLTNMS (ideal for multiple launch).

The beauty of this is that the volumetric compression is only connected to conventional space when a round is passed, meaning very dangerous types of ammunition can be kept without putting them at risk provided the OUREX is not struck while reloading.

http://stararmy.com/wiki/doku.php?id=lazarus:frozeneye

Defensive networked drone

Offensive drone system

Located on front arms.

Name: Multi-Role Ranged Gatling System – Large – Mark II (), or simply referred to as the L-Mark-Two
Type: Multiple barrel antimatter shell launcher
Model: MRRGSL-MKII
Role: Anti-starship, anti-emplacement
Length: 15 Meters.
Weight: Gatling Unit – 850 lbs, Ammunition Pack – 600 lbs unloaded, 70,600 lbs loaded without gravitational control device.

Projection/ammo type: Slug
Firing Mechanism: Slugs are fed from the ammunition pack through the use of a link less belt system into the chamber of the weapon. When a shell is in the chamber and the weapon is activated, magnetic rails which run down the barrel and chamber are then powered, which results in the shell being propelled. As the round is propelled down one of three barrels, a subspace field coil then decreases the mass of the shell, which allows the shell to approach speeds near FTL as the shell leaves the barrel.
Caliber: 40mm.
Effective Range: 2500 – 5000 Meters depending on atmospheric density.
Maximum Range: 7500 Meters in atmosphere, unlimited in deep space with minimal gravitational effects.
Minimum Range: 0.
Muzzle Velocity: .90c declining to .25c over the range of 2000 meters
Muzzle Blast: In atmosphere, there is a distortion of air and a sonic boom. In space, there would be a minor distortion in visible light due to subspace and magnetic field effects.
Firing Mode(s): semi-automatic, burst fire, fully automatic
Recoil: Must be vehicle or starship mounted.
Rounds Per Minute: 1200

• More information

Slaved to fore-arms can fire at independent targets to the arms.

Hardened armor, siege-plating unfolds away from over joints to provide physical protection. Its primary purpose however is as an external scalar projector designed to prematurely detonate conventional rounds where possible before they come near the joints of the OUREX - compensating for its large size and unwieldiness as well its reliance on its legs for locomotion. Siege-plating doubles as a heat-sink during firing-mode and can be seen venting superheated steam.

Vertical Launch Tactical Nuclear Missile System or VLTNMS is designed for the purpose of tactical support, it is a vertical launch system, firing a small doped boosted-fision nuclear payload across intercontinental ranges of up to 3000 miles. The VLTNMS is guided either by Global Positioning Data supplied either from friendly assets, recon drones dumped prior to landing in orbit or the enemy's own information networks.

Unusually, the determinate yield of the nuclear payload warhead is variable – that the fission-ratio and thus the blast-power can be controlled electronically. Unlike a large nuclear warhead which is used as a deterrence weapon, the VLTNMS can vary between a minimum yield of 0.072 kilotons (72 tons of TNT) and a maximum yield of 40 kilotons – either in surface or airburst configurations. This allows it to be used directly to strike ground forces, structures or use high intensity radiation fallout to interfere with the consistent operation of high energy weapons and communications equipment.

The missiles are stored in the rear pod beneath armored hatches, which must first open in order to fire. When fired, electromagnetic induction throws the missile into the air and then its rockets guide it away. Only when the missile is at a safe range from the OUREX and friendly assets is the warhead armed.

• Fireball radius: 350 m (0.38 km²)
  • Maximum size of the nuclear fireball; relevance to lived effects depends on height of detonation. If it touches the ground, the amount of radioactive fallout is significantly increased.

• Primary Air blast radius (@ 20 psi): over 0.74 km (1.74 km²)
  • At 20 psi overpressure, heavily built concrete buildings are severely damaged or demolished; fatalities approach 100%.
• Secondary Air blast radius (@ 5 psi): over 1.57 km (7.7 km²)
  • At 5 psi overpressure, most residential buildings collapse, injuries are universal, fatalities are widespread.
• Radiation radius (500 rem): 1.58 km (7.82 km²)
  • 500 rem radiation dose; without medical treatment, there can be expected between 50% and 90% mortality from acute effects alone. Dying takes between several hours and several weeks.
• Thermal radiation radius (3rd degree burns): 2.6 km (21.3 km²)
  • Third degree burns extend throughout the layers of skin, and are often painless because they destroy the pain nerves. They can cause severe scarring or disablement, and can require amputation. 100% probability for 3rd degree burns at this yield is 9.3 cal/cm2.

Nuclear Effect Software Simulation & Strike Optimization System or NESSSOS is a live simulation of nuclear payload and configuration in software designed to estimate the effects of a detonation; The system can list outcome effects can be determined to achieve or destroy a set target and also list the consequences (both physical and humanitarian damage) of a given strike including overpressure, fallout, thermal radiation, fireball, crater and other information to determine the effects on populations in a given strike area. In this way, all decisions to use VLTNMS are informed.

Peak Nuclear Electro-Magnetic Pulse Estimation & Control System or PNEMPECS for short has NESSSOS calculate the factors of nuclear detonation in order to optimize for EMP production. A well optimized EMP strike can interfere with complex energetic systems including fields and weapons of more sophisticated platforms as well as sensors and communications by inducing power-surges in the components of these units, especially over areas which are not as effectively shielded (namely those lightened or made portable, miniaturized equipment and external energy fields).

Factors affected in simulation include the peak electrical field of ground zero, the fission yield verses the detonation field, artificial magnetic fields created by the VLTNMS warhead itself and an assortment of other effects. The E1, E2 and E3 characteristics of a nuclear electromagnetic pulse can all be calculated and the output electromagnetic amplitude and wavelength determined prior to launch.

PNEMPECS was created especially in the knowledge that Sourcian subjects when tested on are 'blinded' and 'deafened' by intense electromagnetic interference – though the outputs in question have to be tremendous for optimal effect.

Pre-loaded before launch, FLMS is stacked with rounds inside the thigh which sit beneath armored hatches. Typically, each tube is loaded for a differing purpose. There are six tubes in total.

1. Medium-range anti-bunker missile
2. Medium-range multi-target scatter missile
3. Drone-launcher
4. Surface to water torpedoes (anti-ship, anti-submarine)
5. Orbit to surface firing designator missile
6. Drone launcher

Located in the rear abdomen pod, the TSCL usually contains a form of automated anti power armor drone, a large scatter-missile system or contains supplies and tactical equipment in order to aid whatever taskforce it serves alongside.

Primary mobility is provided to the OUREX via its large legs. In order to absorb shock and provide a longer stride-length, the lower leg can extend up to 40% on a rail-joint while the thigh contains a second walking joint normally housed inside the thigh in order to extend the thigh a further 35%. This improves walking and climbing speeds greatly.

Within the legs are housed omnidirectional treads; a form of tread which cannot only roll forwards or rearwards but each individual tread's outer-surface can be rolled side to side like a second wheel against the inner-surface like a second-tread, providing not only additional mobility but greatly enhanced traction and a variable surface-area.

The feet of the OUREX are prehensile and can either be hardened into a variable solid structure or made loose, able to act like a talon or as a variable shape foot, similar to the body of a slug or snail. Both the feet and treads of the OUREX are made of a picojelly/stone-thread chain material which can be changed in shape, surface-area, traction and friction – including an ultra low-friction mode in which the machine is able to skim over reasonably flat terrain like an omni-directional tank or ice-skater at high speeds through the use of fusion-driven thrusters and highly sophisticated balancing systems.

Up front, the leg features a pair of “pile-bunker” style locking-talons, used to secure against severe terrain for additional traction or when climbing, by digging into a surface and then expanding inside it in all directions using pico-jelly similar to the way the roots of a tree secure it in place. These double as a close-range weapon.

Specialist shock-absorbers formed of quasi-crystals can transform the immense force of a physical drop into thermal energy, superheating stores of water which then leave the machine as evaporated steam: combined with a core structural skeleton of zesuaium acting as the primary shock-absorbance surface, this allows the Ourex to perform hard terminal-velocity landings without the need to decelerate.

Excess thermal energy from the main cannon can be fed through the same ultra-compressed water-stores which cool the OUREX's shock-absorbers during landings, allowing the weapon to fire repeatedly in a “pulsed firing mode” similar to a rifle firing automatically.

Located on the thighs as side-skirt blocks, the VTOL-Lift system uses a pair of NTR-3318 fusion propulsion drives. These can be used to lift the OUREX, to aid its movement (when running or skimming) and allow it to gain altitude when performing a short-range defensive CCD-Hop.

While the OUREX can depend on target designation and GPS information to strike targets domestically, it requires accurate sighting information for striking objects in orbit. It uses an FE-Type APQSA (Active/Passive Quantalogically Scanned Array), codenamed the 'Frozen-eye' to determine target position, gravitational interactions, air-flow, currents, magnetic field of a planet and other information to take the shot.

The device works by combining a super-cooled electromagnetic receptor assembly of an AURA-type powerplant (used to determine the machine's internal state and recover aetheric energies) and large robust computing systems (provided via offshore quantum modem either hidden underground or offworld). It works by flipping the function of the receptor assembly and monitoring its output, similar to the way a light-emitting diode becomes an optical receptor – with identical hardware in a different configuration.

The remote software (codenamed SPINEES – Spacial Position Inferred by Notable Events, Energies and Status) runs this raw information through post-input neural filters (similar to those of the optic nerve) and sophisticated simulations in order to determine quantum and physical phenomena of a low probability of natural origin. By doing so, it can spot objects light-minutes away with accuracy not conventionally possible and forms quantum predictive models, similar to the way the human brain learns to anticipate locations and object positions in order to lead targets before they make their next evasive step – slowly improving this model over time. Its use has been described as “instinctive”.

The device itself was originally designed to allow detection and navigation inside gas-giants. Used as a sensor for the Ourex, it allows for a long-range AWACS-like functionality from the ground or can serve as a long-range sighting system, allowing the Ourex to strike targets up to 30 light-seconds away with an accurate range of 10-meters (more than enough for any area-of-effect warhead to be effective).

Unfortunately it has very high energy demands and is 100% dependent on an uplink to remote computers in order to perform its targeting simulations. It is located on the left rear mount, opposite the rail-cannon.

• If the quantum modem of the dome (located in the abdomin is destroyed), the Ourex' main cannon becomes dependent on shared information services of allied units and target designation systems and its accuracy drops enormously.
• If the dome itself is destroyed, the range of the cannon is reduced to 50 kilometers
• See Frozen-Eye

Located throughout the unit's pico-jelly laminate, these microscopic sensors provide situational, optical and status report information about the unit and its local surroundings.

Ejected through a specialist topside missile-tube system, drones can be used to scout areas which the

The OUREX is powered redundantly, using a combination systems.

An enlarged version of the aura-powerplant designed for use in starships, the Aura breaks down matter to create carrier particles for the production and recovery of aetheric energy. Useful products include the production of positrons and gamma radiation which is conventionally turned into electricity.

• Should the G-1118 fail, the Ourex cannot fire its main-cannon in pulsed-mode.
• See LA/AN063 G-Series Aura aetheric powerplant

Derived from the fusion propulsion systems used on the Eagle-Class battle-carrier, the NTR-3318 is a heavy-grade nuclear fusion powerplant incorporating a combination of propulsion, matter capture and reaction systems. It provides thrust to the maneuvering systems of the Ourex and doubles as a backup power-supply in the event aetheric-jamming, cancelling or disruption is in effect.

• Should the NTR-3318 fail, the Ourex' propulsion systems also fail.

A heavy duty version of the quantum nucleonic cell, the DCC-1109 is a special backup power system designed to allow the Ourex to continue conventional movement in the event its primary power systems fail. Able to ramp up output far faster than the G-1118 or the NTR-3318, it is also the primary power-system for the rail-cannon, allowing the Ourex to charge and fire its main weapon while in silent-running mode. It is especially fortified for this reason.

• Should the DCC-1109 fail as well as the G-1118, the Ourex cannot fire its main cannon.
• See Quantum Nucleonic Cell

For information about wiki formatting, click the Formatting Syntax link above this edit area.

• Remember to use the Preview button to preview your page before saving.
• This helps avoid making useless saved versions of the page.
• Also remember the wiki automatically saves your work every so often.

Drive died, RIP.

Bolos are “hyper untouchable”. I hate that: Its bad (very bad) for roleplay.

I don't ever design anything without a weakness. A wise man once said everything needs a character flaw or its incomplete.

To really succeed, it needs a combined arms doctrine. Likewise, to beat one, you also need a combined arms doctrine. Any single approach falls flat on its face but a pronged approach attacking on multiple fronts of classification can bring one down reliably, even if the process is slow.

A good example of a weakness might be any missile launchers which are tucked inside the body (topside in the back), rather than outside. If they're prematurely detonated with well placed frame-grade gunfire, the insides are unprotected - but to convince it to fire them, it has to be engaging something quite far away – usually an NLOS target. That's actually a weakness many starships have.

When firing its main cannon, it has to momentarily disengage whatever system it uses to hide itself. While its very very very difficult to spot from orbit (exploiting some atmospheric phenomenon maybe) from beneath whatever its hiding behind, it can be scouted out.

To fire pulsed, it may require an external power-supply and almost certainly requires a water supply: sucking it up and spitting out steam to cool itself because conventional cooling methods risk revealing its position. For repeated high end fire, it requires a stable hardened surface. In a defensive role, this would be a manufactured location like a circular airbase with a big sensor dish in the middle.

Either way it usually has to keep moving once the enemy begins a direct attack. The armor is designed so a direct strike from a heavy anti-starship weapon is required to hurt it. But this also makes it very very slow. Because we emphasize speed so much in the SARP, I think bulky, angry and heavy like a giant wall of furious metal would be kind of cool.

Another flaw might be if it needs to relocate and its picking up thrust to get height before other fieldic propulsion systems kick in, if it doesn't get enough altitude before the systems activate and it makes it 1km hop, its feet might strike the ground rolling it across the ground like a snow-skiier during transit. It also doesn't change direction quickly once in the air: A smart attacker can put rounds down where its going to land and make the ground less stable and thus its primary weapon less reliable.

While its high-end orbit defense shield is designed to recognize high energy discharges over massive distances, it has to be operated manually to defend against a low-end strike from up close because the energy threshold of automatic activation is not met, meaning it might either come late or not at all.

While very big and very mean, it lacks a lot of the secondary capabilities of a starship.

Exploitation's of these flaws require planning from a group using different weapons-types and coordinating – and that there is an IC precedent to know the flaws even exist at all: classified as far as is possible.

Loadout:

• Main cannon
• Left arm barrier
• Left arm sensor pod

• Body shoulder mount
• Arm shoulder mount
• fore-arm L-Mark II
• Inline Arm
• Outer Arm
• Rear Launcher

• Left arm drone launcher
• Leg mounted Mercurial weapons-pods (52)

Major functions:

• Treads
• Dynamic Polymer talon feet
• Hip thrusters
• Shock absorber assembly
• Locking Talon
• Thermal Exchangers

“Sineutnes”

osakanone created this article on 2015/03/11 13:29.

Large primarily automated hexagonal base, 70% hexagonal, the remaining 30% round – 99% of it underground, giving the appearance of a large “plate”. Mostly containing empty space.

1) Provides “hop” capability to the OUREX using an underground under water network of specialist equipment.

2) Uses drill-like probes and hops to provide OUREX with power supply-lines and coolant if they're forced to hold an approximate position

3) Masks itself using a massive slow gravitic ring which doubles as a sensor.

4) Doubles as a supply depot for use in emergency.

5) Doubles again as a fallout shelter which has sufficient decontamination measures to protect a population from Sourcian attack while OUREX and automated weapons do their best on the surface.