<-- Back to Military

Soldiers Integrated Protective Ensemble (SIPE)

by Adam Getchell (ez000270@yogi.ucdavis.edu)

SIPE-IV, Block III

Helmet: Fully sealed, life support and rebreather enabled. Completely armored visor with a fiber-optic sensor array on the faceplate (cameras) and an emergency armorplas visor accessible by charge detonation.

Radio: 1000km range, Comlink-XX, Scramble-X, Vision Magnification-3, Thermographics, LI (25,000x), Hearing Amplification, Lo-and High freq sonar, SQUID, Microwave Radar Receiver, laser communications system, and an orientation system with holographic display.

What the drek is all this stuff? What the heck is a Squid, anyway?
Icepick

![](/gfx/comment.gif) SQUID=Superconducting Quantum Interference Device, useful for detecting extremely tiny magnetic fields (.00001 Gauss, or a billionth of Earth’s B-field). Fiber-optic array=thousands of microscopic light pipes ducted through the armor. There’s no visor, just a slab of Chobham. The sonar’s the really bad stuff, though. Hi-freq sonar is pretty good location stuff (they use them on sights) and it doesn’t have to be active: shine an ultrasound on a soldier, and they know *exactly where you are. Odds are their gun will track on you faster than you can pull the trigger. Low-freq sonar is good for detecting large things - or noises - through solids, like buildings, the ground, etc. What they don’t list is the signal processing computer which washes away all the garbage. And even I don’t know how good that is so I can’t give you an effective range on the sonar. But watch out for the radar: it’s 5 km individually, 500 km in an array.
The Mad Physicist

An array?
Icepick

When the whole squads C-cubed-I integrates all the suits sensors together and makes one big receiver out of all of them.
The Mad Physicist

Integrated Weapon System: The IWS consists of a 3.5mm gauss rifle coaxial with a 12cm Disk Airfoil Munition launcher. The IWS is mounted on an Enhanced-Targeting robotic arm co-supported by a smart memory plastic frame. The weapon is designed to be fired one-handed, with the robotic arm decreasing target acquisition time {+4 Reaction} and added stability in single shot/burst fire mode {-4 Recoil comp} and the memory frame continuously reshaping to provide optimal bracing {-4 Recoil}. The gunnery computer provides tactical advice via holodisplay, threat warning and reaction, and enhanced aiming {System is level 3 tactical computer, effective level 13 with all sensors and orientation system included. For SRII add this to Combat Pool. The weapon is, obviously, smartgun linked.

Weapon stats:

3.5mm GR: 6S2 SS/ 5S2 base burst/ 4S2 base full auto, as the weapon velocity is reduced on full auto to help recoil, which is +1 ss, +1 burst, +1/2 shot on auto; damage code of S due to proper setting of memory plastic sheathe in flechette (which is memory plastic + uranium core), but only M if the wrong armor setting is used per “Smart ammo” rules.
The gauss rifle is backpack-fed with 1,000 rounds of ammo (they will not detonate in an explosion, being solid with no propellant).
12cm Disk Munition: Int:6 12D2/6D1 “Smart” frisbee CO2-launched for minimal signature, programmable to detonate via IR, visual, sonar, radar, or over a specified area as designated by the Gunnery computer. Detonation generates an armor-piercing self-forging fragment backed by 1,563 hexagonal pellets in a downward direction, with blast effects directed skyward (conservation of momentum & avoids IR glare). The launcher can hold 3, which are electronically armed just prior to launch. {They will not cook-off either, as the warhead is binary.}

![](/gfx/comment.gif) This is really gross, especially the ‘Death Frisbees’. How do they detonate, and why *hexagonal pellets?
Madman

They detonate depending on what conditions/waypoints the gunnery computer gives them. And you can pack hexagons onto a flat surface much better than spheres.
The Mad Physicist

Now I see what the SQUIDS are for.
Madman

Battledress: The battledress is ergonomically designed to provide maximum battlefield efficiency and protection. It has a built-in medkit which can download diagnostics to the company casualty station, full NBC protection, and life support for 20 hours. The most innovative feature, however, is the camouflage system. Twelve sensor nodes with processing are emplaced around the suit, and provide information for the visual chameleon system {Ruthenium fibers, +12 Target Number to spot} and the selective bleed IR camouflage {Passive and active IR masking, +12 Target}. Finally, the suit is Dikote treated and can utilize energy generated by the soldier’s body heat to run non-dedicated functions. {8/8 B/I}

Jesus H. Christ, how can you see these bastards?
Madman

Carry a SQUID and wait until they fire their gauss rifles (you won’t see IR or muzzleflash); set up a VERY VERY good seismic array (and hope they don’t detect it with low-freq sonars); best yet just ask your mage friends.
The Mad Physicist

![](/gfx/comment.gif) Does *everybody on this net know how to fudge time/date stamps?
Soroptimist

You’re on a military network without knowing that?!? Jack out! Jack out now! The IC’ll track you via time/date!!
Madman

Soroptomist? Did you make it okay?
Madman

Soroptomist?
Madman

Mess Kit: The mess kit contains eating and sanitation supplies, Disk Airfoil munitions, and other miscellany that soldiers from any age would recognize immediately.

Overall: The SIPE-IV, Block III is, in our opinion, simply the best integrated system for the battlefield soldier. The excellent sensor and communication suite, firepower, mobility, and protection offered by this suit ensures that it will continue to serve the UCAS Armed Forces in an exemplary fashion as its predecessors have for the past 50 years.

This, believe it or not, is just the basic model for the grunts. The officers model has a better laser communicator, gunnery computer, and comes with remote drones for remote radar targeting and communications.
The Mad Physicist

Yeah, and the AirCav’s got suits with vectored thrust, more grenades, and a laser replacing the gauss rifle.
Madman

I’ve seen Special Forces running around with cybernetic augmented strength and speed, a semi-AI combat computer, mystic runes (!) fraggin’ drawn right on the suit and a fraggin’ plasma rifle!!
Anonymous

Hey Anon, how the drek did you survive that?
Madman

Like I’m gonna tell you. I might have to do it again!
Anonymous

This stuff is admittedly very gross. BUT, at least there’s little possibility of Shadowrunners getting their hands on this stuff since the suits are microwave tagged, and the Combat computers will not activate without the correct soldier being in the suit (moreover, the suit is not likely to fit just anybody, either). Why post this stuff? Just to give an idea of military technology and debunk this myth that “Go-gangs can take on the military and win…” (Sheesh…there isn’t a go-gang that would last 2 seconds against an Armored unit of Bradleys and Abrams, unless they’re all wizzers and know how to jam thermal sights). Also, perhaps they run into some high-level corporate’s bodyguards…now you know how they’ll be outfitted, especially Fed-Boeing and Ares Macrotech.

Heh-heh…