Kroando
25-12-2006, 06:25
Helicon Battle Control
http://img294.imageshack.us/img294/9398/armspic001no5.jpg
For centuries battles had been lost and won not due to the quality of soldiers, nor the calibre of artillery pieces, but due to the incompetance of commanders and generals. Since the dawn of man, war had advanced century after another. In the begining man hurled rocks. Then they hurled arrows. Eventually they 'hurled' small cast iron balls. As time wore on, steel-cased explosives were 'hurled'. And finally, nuclear explosives were thrown back and forth. The armor of the individual soldier changed. From steel male, to Kevlar vests to Kraven Battlesuites (no idea what that is, but ive heard good things). And vehicles, they too have been touched by the motion of time. From horses, to chariots, to armored cars, and finally the time of the Super Heavy Battle Tank. But never did the system of command change. Sure minor advances were made, going from chosing nobility as commanders to expirienced military men... but there was an inherant weakness in all warfare. Men still controlled it's operation. Men were flawed. And as long as men commanded armies, warfare would be flawed.
The Helicon Corporation was a powerful force, controlling the economy of Kroando, and that of many other nations. Their main income was in the oil and raw arms markets, but something else had been in the works. The replacement for the long outdated General. The Helicon Battle Control System. A super-computer, highly advanced passed all realms of standard software, the computer was capable of managing everything from a small skirmish to large scale national war. It could do from thirteen feet away, or a million miles away. The computer was to be something new... something revolutionary.
The System - Part I
The Super-System was just that, a system in the form of a computer. It is easiest explained first in the realm a typical battle... from there it can be further explained. The system first takes intelligence information gathered on the enemy, information in the form of troop positions and movements, and redeploys it's forces to best counter them. It analyzes the best places to dig trenches, to square off a fox hole, to drop an artillery piece, to re-fuel a tank. The begining of the encounter was arguably the most important, as most wars are won or lost before the first shots were fired. The best place to position a fuel dump. The key location for a medic tent. The spot from which a machine gun nest would have the perfect range of fire on an advancing enemy. The very spot at which an Anti-Tank gun should be placed in accordance with the most likely advance pattern of enemy armored forces. Even the number of soldiers to be placed in each trench, in each reserve force. The specifics were astounding. The entire ordeal of positioning and deployment had been simplified into a matter of percentages and decimals. It was math... no, an art! Data was now perfectly organized and categorized so as to counter the enemy at any possible venue of attack. It was like a pre-determined chess game, one in which it was over before it began. The system had already calculated every possible attack, and already had the perfect defence laid.
It went both ways. The computer, through intell., knew the enemies true weaknesses, and knew how to exploit them. It knew which trench lines were only three feet deep, and which ones were lined with concrete. It knew which SAM's had resupply, and which were simply too isolated from an ammo drop. Attack sucess probabilities, casualty expectations... all were included.
But was much more in depth. It was linked to not only every unit, but every soldier. The system was broken down into multiple sectors, one which deployed regiments, one which deployed units, and one that deployed single soldiers. The computers sub-divisions could position an individual soldier to the precise coordinate as which he would be most likely to suceed. The soldier himself was not improved... but he was put into a position from which he was most likely to suceed. Every Artillery Piece was firing at something... something determined by the system, targetted by the system, and marked for destruction... by the system. It went so far as to ration fire based off of logged ammunition supplies... a science... it was a science.]
Best of all, it provided for unmatched coordination. While in other wars units may wait for minutes, hours or even days for orders, the system immidiately relays what must be done, and accounts for if it is done or not. If the system is told through it's various data collectors that a unit has broken order and fallen back, new units are instantaneously repositioned.
The System - Part II
Battles were only the begining. Large scale troop movements, armies were moved, entire fronts and offensives were assembled. The system was able to move everything from the largest army to the smallest man. Logistics were redistributed based off of commander inputs, and necessity reports, not innacurate computations. Large scale offenses were no longer called by politicians, it was to be done in the computer brain that was war incarnate.
The Nuts and Bolts
The System requires massive amounts of data and intell. in order to function. Satellite images account for a massive portion of this data, as do spy plane pictures, first hand accounts and spy records. During combat, officers and NCO's are equipped with laptop's and data filers, from which they can log data into the system. Of course there was always the fear of the enemy getting ahold of part of the system, and logging in incorrect data to throw it off. There were precautions. First and foremost, there was a password to log in. Then there was a second password, carried by a second man. Then there was a catacomb of entrance pages and detailed formats which needed to be bypassed. But these were simply not enough. No. If the enemy ever managed to get ahold of one of these systems and entered data contrary to the truth, it would be picked up. Abnormalities and unaccounted for sudden changes would be marked by percautionary levels of the system, and would need to be affirmed by several other applicant systems. Ah, and of course the soldier manning the data entry system simply has to enter a code to shut down the system... a process that can be completed at a moments notice. Finally, the system mainframe can at any time lodge messages to the individual data logging systems, requiring a list of memorized codes... which if not immidiately relayed, would shut down the system.
But It Cant Work...
Oh no? Many may say, 'Well eventually man will be able to predict it's moves... after all, it is a systematic computer.' The computer learns. It changes. It adapts. It takes what it sees, and alters it's own strategy to counter it. Actually the more a certain Human General or Commander faces the system, the less likely he is to defeat it. The system creates profiles on generals, adjusting positions and attack plans based off of that specific man. It is anything but predictable. It is ever changing. It is adapting. It is evolving. Mans time in command of the military has ended.
Hackers. But of course some computer virus or hacker could infiltrate and destroy the system. This was taken into account time and again. Scores of firewalls, anti-virus systems, scanners, detectors, sub-systems, labyrinths of channels and anti-virus funnels. To date, no virus had been able to crack it... and you can bet Helicon hired every hacker known to man to try. The experts had been snatched from across the globe to defend this piece of software.
One may ask, 'What if the system fought itself?' Now that is the true question. The system immidiately begins calculating the opposing systems most likely attack strategy... and ends up in a never ending calculating 'war' so to speak. In the meantime... attacks are launched that are not perfectly assured of victory. Making it once again 'interesting'.
EMP
Helicon Technicians have today announced they have perfected the EMP Hardening technique needed to defend the system from EMP Strikes. Much like the process fulfilled in hardening power plants, submarines, ships and software, the system and all of it's crucial parts have been tailored in copper-steel mesh. Finely woven into one another, it is again held together by microscopic threads tied into the metal 'skin'. Very thin and flexible, it is to be layered over all crucial portions. However there is a problem, as all anteni naturally provide a weakness to EMP Hardened objects. Special made slips are created which can be slid over the antena at a moments notice. Of course this will momentarily shut down the system's recepitcles and transmitters, however it will also ensure it's endurance. It is expected to be quite costly, but necessary... as opponents are naturally expected to use this 'tactic' in their own pointless defenses.
The System Today
Still under work, being tested by the Helicon Corporation in Siberia on slaves armed with AK-47's against highly trained mercenaries... The System has been commanding the slaves... and winning...
[Comments welcome.]
http://img294.imageshack.us/img294/9398/armspic001no5.jpg
For centuries battles had been lost and won not due to the quality of soldiers, nor the calibre of artillery pieces, but due to the incompetance of commanders and generals. Since the dawn of man, war had advanced century after another. In the begining man hurled rocks. Then they hurled arrows. Eventually they 'hurled' small cast iron balls. As time wore on, steel-cased explosives were 'hurled'. And finally, nuclear explosives were thrown back and forth. The armor of the individual soldier changed. From steel male, to Kevlar vests to Kraven Battlesuites (no idea what that is, but ive heard good things). And vehicles, they too have been touched by the motion of time. From horses, to chariots, to armored cars, and finally the time of the Super Heavy Battle Tank. But never did the system of command change. Sure minor advances were made, going from chosing nobility as commanders to expirienced military men... but there was an inherant weakness in all warfare. Men still controlled it's operation. Men were flawed. And as long as men commanded armies, warfare would be flawed.
The Helicon Corporation was a powerful force, controlling the economy of Kroando, and that of many other nations. Their main income was in the oil and raw arms markets, but something else had been in the works. The replacement for the long outdated General. The Helicon Battle Control System. A super-computer, highly advanced passed all realms of standard software, the computer was capable of managing everything from a small skirmish to large scale national war. It could do from thirteen feet away, or a million miles away. The computer was to be something new... something revolutionary.
The System - Part I
The Super-System was just that, a system in the form of a computer. It is easiest explained first in the realm a typical battle... from there it can be further explained. The system first takes intelligence information gathered on the enemy, information in the form of troop positions and movements, and redeploys it's forces to best counter them. It analyzes the best places to dig trenches, to square off a fox hole, to drop an artillery piece, to re-fuel a tank. The begining of the encounter was arguably the most important, as most wars are won or lost before the first shots were fired. The best place to position a fuel dump. The key location for a medic tent. The spot from which a machine gun nest would have the perfect range of fire on an advancing enemy. The very spot at which an Anti-Tank gun should be placed in accordance with the most likely advance pattern of enemy armored forces. Even the number of soldiers to be placed in each trench, in each reserve force. The specifics were astounding. The entire ordeal of positioning and deployment had been simplified into a matter of percentages and decimals. It was math... no, an art! Data was now perfectly organized and categorized so as to counter the enemy at any possible venue of attack. It was like a pre-determined chess game, one in which it was over before it began. The system had already calculated every possible attack, and already had the perfect defence laid.
It went both ways. The computer, through intell., knew the enemies true weaknesses, and knew how to exploit them. It knew which trench lines were only three feet deep, and which ones were lined with concrete. It knew which SAM's had resupply, and which were simply too isolated from an ammo drop. Attack sucess probabilities, casualty expectations... all were included.
But was much more in depth. It was linked to not only every unit, but every soldier. The system was broken down into multiple sectors, one which deployed regiments, one which deployed units, and one that deployed single soldiers. The computers sub-divisions could position an individual soldier to the precise coordinate as which he would be most likely to suceed. The soldier himself was not improved... but he was put into a position from which he was most likely to suceed. Every Artillery Piece was firing at something... something determined by the system, targetted by the system, and marked for destruction... by the system. It went so far as to ration fire based off of logged ammunition supplies... a science... it was a science.]
Best of all, it provided for unmatched coordination. While in other wars units may wait for minutes, hours or even days for orders, the system immidiately relays what must be done, and accounts for if it is done or not. If the system is told through it's various data collectors that a unit has broken order and fallen back, new units are instantaneously repositioned.
The System - Part II
Battles were only the begining. Large scale troop movements, armies were moved, entire fronts and offensives were assembled. The system was able to move everything from the largest army to the smallest man. Logistics were redistributed based off of commander inputs, and necessity reports, not innacurate computations. Large scale offenses were no longer called by politicians, it was to be done in the computer brain that was war incarnate.
The Nuts and Bolts
The System requires massive amounts of data and intell. in order to function. Satellite images account for a massive portion of this data, as do spy plane pictures, first hand accounts and spy records. During combat, officers and NCO's are equipped with laptop's and data filers, from which they can log data into the system. Of course there was always the fear of the enemy getting ahold of part of the system, and logging in incorrect data to throw it off. There were precautions. First and foremost, there was a password to log in. Then there was a second password, carried by a second man. Then there was a catacomb of entrance pages and detailed formats which needed to be bypassed. But these were simply not enough. No. If the enemy ever managed to get ahold of one of these systems and entered data contrary to the truth, it would be picked up. Abnormalities and unaccounted for sudden changes would be marked by percautionary levels of the system, and would need to be affirmed by several other applicant systems. Ah, and of course the soldier manning the data entry system simply has to enter a code to shut down the system... a process that can be completed at a moments notice. Finally, the system mainframe can at any time lodge messages to the individual data logging systems, requiring a list of memorized codes... which if not immidiately relayed, would shut down the system.
But It Cant Work...
Oh no? Many may say, 'Well eventually man will be able to predict it's moves... after all, it is a systematic computer.' The computer learns. It changes. It adapts. It takes what it sees, and alters it's own strategy to counter it. Actually the more a certain Human General or Commander faces the system, the less likely he is to defeat it. The system creates profiles on generals, adjusting positions and attack plans based off of that specific man. It is anything but predictable. It is ever changing. It is adapting. It is evolving. Mans time in command of the military has ended.
Hackers. But of course some computer virus or hacker could infiltrate and destroy the system. This was taken into account time and again. Scores of firewalls, anti-virus systems, scanners, detectors, sub-systems, labyrinths of channels and anti-virus funnels. To date, no virus had been able to crack it... and you can bet Helicon hired every hacker known to man to try. The experts had been snatched from across the globe to defend this piece of software.
One may ask, 'What if the system fought itself?' Now that is the true question. The system immidiately begins calculating the opposing systems most likely attack strategy... and ends up in a never ending calculating 'war' so to speak. In the meantime... attacks are launched that are not perfectly assured of victory. Making it once again 'interesting'.
EMP
Helicon Technicians have today announced they have perfected the EMP Hardening technique needed to defend the system from EMP Strikes. Much like the process fulfilled in hardening power plants, submarines, ships and software, the system and all of it's crucial parts have been tailored in copper-steel mesh. Finely woven into one another, it is again held together by microscopic threads tied into the metal 'skin'. Very thin and flexible, it is to be layered over all crucial portions. However there is a problem, as all anteni naturally provide a weakness to EMP Hardened objects. Special made slips are created which can be slid over the antena at a moments notice. Of course this will momentarily shut down the system's recepitcles and transmitters, however it will also ensure it's endurance. It is expected to be quite costly, but necessary... as opponents are naturally expected to use this 'tactic' in their own pointless defenses.
The System Today
Still under work, being tested by the Helicon Corporation in Siberia on slaves armed with AK-47's against highly trained mercenaries... The System has been commanding the slaves... and winning...
[Comments welcome.]