MK. VII Electrochromic Light Combat Suit

[Vaedra Indrasil]

MK. VII Electrochromic Light Combat Suit

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Affiliation: N/A

Ownership: Vaedra Indrasil

Intent: To create a unique and non-OP stealth-oriented suit for my merc/smuggler.

Model: MK. VII Electrochromic Light Combat Suit

Weight: 7 kg

Composition: Flex-armor, armorweave, scatterweave, plastoid, and electrochromic fiber

Rating:​

• Bodysuit: Light (flex-armor/armorweave blend, 3% scatterweave threading).​
  • Resistant against light blaster fire (can withstand 2 direct hits before being severely compromised)​
  • Mildly resistant against vibroblades, medium blaster fire, and slugthrowers (will hold for 1 direct hit or 2-3 glancing blows)​
  • Entirely vulnerable to any contact from a lightsaber. The bodysuit is designed to allow for great mobility and flexibility, rather than to provide a great deal of defense.​

• Plating Armor: Light-to-Medium (plastoid plating, coated with electrochromic fibers)​
  • Effective against light blaster fire, vibroblades, slugthrowers (will hold for up to 3 direct hits)​
  • Resistant against medium blaster fire (the plastoid will hold for 1-2 direct hits)​
  • Entirely vulnerable to any contact from a lightsaber. Repeated assault to a particular component will, of course, result in failure. This suit was not designed to defend against heavy blaster fire; a single shot will render the suit ineffective, though the user will likely survive. The same cannot be said about a second shot.​

Description:

The suit's plastoid plating is coated with electrochromic fibers. Dozens of microsensors within the suit monitor and analyze the user's surroundings, providing atmospheric readings to the helmet's HUD and analyzing the immediate environment around the wearer.

This environmental data is processed through the suit's central OS, which sends a small electrical pulse to the electrochromic components of the suit, causing the suit to shift to a color dominant in the user's environment. The fibers themselves are not photoreactive, but require an electrical signal to change color. As such, all fibers respond to a single signal and - so long as the suit is operating properly - will all be uniform in color, with only slight variations in shade.

This electrochromism provides the wearer with camouflage in any environment, though nowhere comparable to that of a photo-optic replicator, since the suit cannot adopt more than a single color at a time. The electrochromism is not passive: the user must deliberately activate the electrochromic functionality.

The suit's helmet is primarily composed of flex-armor, though the faceplate is fitted with the same plastoid plating that coats the body of the suit. When activated, a mechanism located at the base of the skull causes the helmet to connect with the rest of the suit and fit to the wearers skull; this also activates the HUD. The HUD provides the wearer with his or her vitals as well as environmental and atmospheric readings. It also displays the suit’s battery life and provides the wearer with enhanced nightvision and a comm-link.

When the helmet is not equipped, the electrochromic capabilities of the suit cannot be activated. When inactive, the electrochromic fibers adopt a white/grey hue.

The suit does not feature a hermetic seal or any sort of rebreather system, though the base layer is fairly waterproof.

The suit is powered by a pair of easily replacable energy cells. They are mounted within a small mechanism at the base of the spine, guarded with plastoid plating. The suit draws from a single cell until it is depleted before switching to the second. The design is such that these energy cells can easily be replaced in the field. Battery levels are displayed on the HUD, so when one is low or depleted, the wearer can release one of the cells and simply insert a new, charged one.

The HUD alone draws enough power to drain one energy cell in about one hour. Each application of the electrochromic functionality reduces the total battery life by approximately 5 minutes.

Further, if subjected to an EMP or a large enough electrical shock, the suit’s systems will fry and require servicing. If the electrochromic fibers are exposed to a smaller shock, the fibers will react and shift color in accordance with the voltage to which they are subjected. Also, in the case that the plastoid plating is struck – particularly by blaster fire – the fibers will disintegrate, exposing the plastoid and preventing that portion of the armor from changing color.
​

 

[Kiro]

I'm not going to approve this suit as it stands. It's way too advanced for this timeline, and features brand new features for Star Wars.

Also, that's not how armour works on SWRP. Medium/heavy armour is good for 3 blaster shots. Not "short period of sustained fire". Three shots, it's toast. End of story.

To put it like this: Electrochromic fiber will never be approved, because it's too overpowered and too advanced for this timeline.

 

[Intratec]

If I'm reading this right, the colors are all one uniform color? This actually is reminiscent of fish color camouflage but in a more rudimentary format. When you think about it, I wouldn't be surprised if the Mon Cal on Dac didn't conceptualize something along these lines given living aquatic equivalents only on a far lesser degree. Old Snake's OctoCamo is more advanced than this.

This could honestly be an analog to 'modern' (depending on holographics of this timeline don't hit me Kiro!) camouflage. Though as soon as this thing is hit, those fibers would be toast and could probably cause fluctuations, or feedback and not work entirely or where it was shot. Stuff like this would likely be fairly sensitive to damage.

Or is it the input method (OS, and Micro-Computer which I assume this has) to achieve the camouflage result that's OP?

 

[Vaedra Indrasil]

(1) I'm going to scale back and better specify the physical specs on the suit. I made it stronger than I meant to, so I'll fix that soon.

(2) You're correct Intratec. Electrochromic glass is actually used in some cars/windows today. And electrochromism can, in theory, be applied to textiles (I think this research article touches on some of these applications). The idea behind this armor is really just an expansion on real-world, modern tech; it doesn't render the user invisible by any standards and can only change to a single, uniform color. It's similar to the OctoCamo, though it cannot replicate texture and is entirely uniform, chromatically - though Snake is in an entirely different universe than this.

Electrochromism relies on small electrical signals to change the color so - and I actually meant to include this in the description - an EMP or anything that would otherwise damage/disrupt the suit's OS would prevent the suit from shifting color again. If the wearer is subject to external shocks, I guess the suit would change color in accordance to the voltage it is being subjected to; it would fry if such a voltage was high enough. I can do a little research and come up with numbers that make sense. Plus, the nature of the fibrous coating is that a blaster shot or vibroblade would easily damage the fibers and reveal the plastoid plating beneath, so Intratec, again, makes a sound point.

The suit will always have the black base layer and the plastoid would always be a uniform color. The effectiveness of this suit, in practical terms, is actually quite limited, as far as I can imagine. Like it would be useful in a forested environment (it would act as camouflage), but not so much in an urban one.

All of this said, if you're going to stand by a hard no to the electrochromic fiber, Kiro, then I'll just scrap the whole concept, considering that was the primary point of the suit and without it, its a super standard piece of tech.

 

[Vaedra Indrasil]

I've updated the description accordingly. And if anyone else has input, it's more than welcome; thanks @Intratec for yours.

But, again, if you're still standing by your hard "no" to the electrochromism, I'll just scrap it. I completely disagree that it's overpowered or too advanced for this timeline, but then it's also not my job to make those assessments. I'll respect whatever you decide and can make some more adjustments if you'd like.

Just let me know, @Kiro.

 

[Kiro]

It's too advanced. I'm sorry. But as you're not interested in working with it without it...