NationStates Jolt Archive

While it is the opinion of most people that bipedal mecha are not ideal for terrestial combat due to height issues...

...what about a quadruped? You'd be relatively low to the ground and if you had some sort of wheel system in the feet to allow the mecha to travel at extremely high speeds, you'd also get something quite fast and agile. It'd be able to handle different forms of terrain much better than a tracked or wheeled vehicle since it could also walk.

Also, it occured to me that I could put some sort of wing system on it (except designed in such a fashion as to hold it to the ground instead of provide lift) and attach two of Sileetris's excellent shaftless afterburning turbojets to allow even more speed. You'd get something fast enough that most guns and missiles couldn't even lock onto it at top speed :)

The only caveat is that you'd need quite a bit of processing power to have the legs automatically adjust for terrain and so forth, though I have some ideas involving synthetic diamond semiconductors...

I think you're going a bit too complex, but whatever you want. Personally, if I were to use mecha, I'd implement something along the lines of the Tachi mecha from Stand Alone Complex.

A quadrapedal mech would not work as well as a bipedal one in rough terrain, with a bipedal system you have 2 legs that can slip and cause you to fall, conversely you have half the chance of a leg slipping that a quadrapedal mech would have, a quadrapedal system has many of the same issues cavalry has had throughout the ages, with the extra caveat of being really fuckin big, although some of that is offset by heavier armors and other such equipments, it is not fully offset, on that note I'm planning on setting up a storefront based on the armored core system of mech construction and the awe inspiring combinations available, only problem is you'd have to keep track of all the mechs you had and their exact equipment, but that can be solved by putting it in a word file as you purchase the parts.

Quadraped is superior to bipedal because while one leg is moving, the other three can stay planted, proividing superior stability. Even better would be 6 legs, which only requires half it's legs on the ground at any time to stay stable. And a catapiller tread tank is better than any of them because it has less surface area to armour, lower ground pressure, and is the most stable and easiest to maintain and repair.

Tachis are six-legs. But yes, tanks are good all-around heavy fighting vehicles, except in places of poor terrain.

I honestly don't think any tanki scale mecha wiould negociate tiough terrain any better than an actual tank

I honestly don't think any tanki scale mecha wiould negociate tiough terrain any better than an actual tank

Sorry to butt in, but WOW, that spelling was horrible. But, no worries, I still think you're a great engineer (at least on Nation States..dunno in real life).

EDIT: Didn't mean to sound like an ass... your spelling is normally impeccable. It was just strange to see it like this.

OOC: My 'i' key is broken and types whenever I brush it, and I have foodpoisoning. =) And I'm dysgraphic. but yes, it was pretty terrible.

normal mecha will never be able to stand up to my Biomech units

OOC: I'll never get why people make their heavy attack units mecha. I was under the impression dedicated fighters/tanks/etc do every job better. Anyway, Verdant Achipelago is right, 4 is good, 6 is better. Tracks are the best.

What is the point of putting a wheel system in the feet when you could simply use a wheeled vehicle? After all, a wheeled vehicle doesn't have delicate joints, can't have its legs shot off, and wouldn't cost so much in research and development.

What is the point of putting a wheel system in the feet when you could simply use a wheeled vehicle? After all, a wheeled vehicle doesn't have delicate joints, can't have its legs shot off, and wouldn't cost so much in research and development.

I think you would put wheels on there to improve fuel efficiency when travelling long distances, or when travelling on level ground. The speed would be much greater because wheels are so much more efficient, and the fuel efficiency of the vehicle would most likely be better for the same reason.

Just for the record, they have four-legged sentient tanks in GITS-SAC. They're huge, though.

And yes, I think that the mechas with 4-6 legs are probably better for terrestrail combat. The multiple legs helps get better footing, it could be a better missile platform, and it would probably be widers so it could store more ammunition.