Just a quick idea that popped into my head as I was contemplating covert operatives that I am creating which are more along the lines of lightly armoured/armed data thieves than assassins of any note.
The basic idea is sort of a light suit of armour or synskin style bodysuit that has a low AV such as 2 or 3 but it is able to shift itself within the different spectrums of radiation etc. such as light, thermal and the rest.
The idea was that this cancels out all scope and such like infrascopes and range finders, as the suit is able to fluctuate its temperature to fool the infrascope and emit/absorb variable light amount which deceives the range finder giving false readings. The only one I didn't think this work against was the motion detector as I couldn't think of anyway around it.
Another benefit the suit may have is that it allows chameleonic properties making the wearer harder to spot.
Though this is an extreme piece of equipment, I have characters in mind who specifically are lightly armoured and have only low key weapons such as a poison knife and a one shot digi-weapon (I said low key not common :P), and there role is more prominent in missions with secondary objectives such as obtaining sensitive materials or a relic etc.
Anyway just sort of rattled off the contents of my head on this subject so any thoughts. modification or 'its a stupid idea' s are more than welcome.
Rob
Think that sounds good mate.
Not sure about avoiding the range finder, unless it could distort any tracker targetting the character .
but shall be watching this thread now as any conclave insight to stealthsuits could be insightful to my campaign ending [insert evil laugh here]
niall
Well the idea was that the range finder essentially works by the speed of reflected light from an object (as my interpretation, corrections always welcome,,,,I'm looking at you Marco :P) and that if the suit could distort its visual field or absorb larger amount of light than it should it would disrupt this mechanism. Just my take though!
Rob
you mean just like that broken Chinese stealth suit from fallout 3? I like the idea but just don't make it broken.
Since it seems like quite a complicated piece of kit, there should probably be some kind of test to see if it malfunctions when it takes damage, I can't imagine it being as effective with a couple holes in it.
The chameleonic effect could be a standard -30% to spot by visual tests, or maybe more, depending how amazing you want it to be, like a chameleon so the colour blends with the background roughly, or completely see through?
James
I like the idea of the malfunctioning with damage, probably roll a D6 and 3-5 it stops working for a turn as it bypasses circuits, 1 it breaks, 6 it works fine, something like that perhaps.
As to the actual capacity for chameleonic ability, I was thinking more look like the background, but obviously anybody could fiddle with this idea to suit their needs.
Thanks for the ideas :)
Rob
PS: haven't played fallout 3 but will make sure the suit isn't broken :P
I quite like the idea, but how does it fit into the 40k universe? I'm not suggesting it can't, mind; I'm genuinely curious. Stolen Tau technology? An experimental Adeptus Mechanicus device? Archeotech? Maletek? Now that could be interesting...
Any of the above? Almost all the characters I design will be working for the same Inquisitor who is an extremely radical and reclusive recongregator, i.e. he uses all the factions under his control to put his plans in motion, even if it means playing them off against each other.
However he is got to the point that he is basically a worshipper of Tzeentch (think thats the planning scheming one!) and so Archeoteh/maletek are very plausible solution to the origin of tech, and similarly he is not beyond murdering a few tau and nicking stuff :P
But as you say there is more interest if I don't pick the tau route. This is still very much a WIP in my tiny head, so questions and holes in theory like this are the best kind :)
Rob
The imperium has stealth suits ( iv taken my idears for the book Scourge the heretic ) but they have a few flaws.
The rules me and my friends make use of in our gaming group are that they have a AV 3 and - 50 to sight tests.
they do not work well when hit with a sudden light or agenst flame weapons so if a exploshion or flame weapon hit the werer aswell as taking normal damege they suffer a reevers for the sight modifier so it is + 50 to see or hit for 2 turns till the siut can start to work again
Quote from: Shannow on July 29, 2010, 06:21:51 PMWell the idea was that the range finder essentially works by the speed of reflected light from an object
Correct. As presumably this stealth suit has sufficient control over what light is actually being reflected off its surface, I would guess range finders wouldn't work too well.
Alternative answer: The range finder might help you find the distance to the target and correct your aim. Doesn't help you much if your target is vague and hard to actually aim at.
As far as the motion detector, I doubt it actually detects motion (I can't think how you'd do that). My guess would be it has some other mechanism for detecting objects (possibly radar or similar), and then analyses the data to sort between "important objects" and "unimportant objects" using a number of factors - chief among which are size and speed.
As far as Imperial stealth tech goes, you could try for a mirror shield. Yes, it's an Abnett device (as far as I can tell, the only book I've read that includes it was Malleus), but it sounds interesting. Basically when the shield is turned on the person using it appears to be nothing more than some heat haze.
I'm assuming this works by bending/reflecting light around the shield generator and, by extension, the person carrying the generator. This means it would probably fool a range finder, presuming it works the way you think it does, Shannow.
Not sure how it would affect infrascopes/radar-based tech though.
Basically a worshipper of Tzeentch you say? It'd be tricky for imperial tech, but magic could do it?
A mirror shield seems a rather difficult solution to the problem to me. If the range finder can't 'see' the target very well, I suppose it would be disrupted. A motion sensor could work by sensing minute gravitic distortions maybe?
Abnett calls that a "mirror shield"? Bah. A mirror shield is, of course, a mirrored surface or forcefield that reflects lasers (check Excession by Banks). That's clearly a Blur Suit - check Transmetropolitan, where they are much beloved by assassins, as all you have to avoid is people knowing who you are...