AS-03B Goblin
Technical Data
Model Number: AS-03B
Code Name: Goblin
Classification: Mass production armored combat suit
Manufacturer: Colonial Defense License Design
Operator: Extrasolar Colony Defense
First Deployment: CY 81
Crew: 1 Pilot, 1 Goblin Combat AI
Height: 3.5 meters tall
Weight: Dry weight 6.8 metric tons, full weight 7.4 metric tons
Armor Type: palladium glass microalloy/carbon-titanium composite
Powerplant: cold fusion reactor, maximum output 880 KW
Propulsion: 2x rocket thrusters, 12,000 kg; top speed 340 kph; legs, top ground speed 120 kph
Sensors: radar, thermal, optical array mounted in head
Hand armaments: nanite rifle, 15 rounds per magazine; x1 monatomic edge gladius, blade length 0.8 meters
Optional ranged armaments: missile launcher, fires x1 Multiple Target Class Combat Frame Based Missile; Microwave Amplification via Stimulated Emission of Radiation (maser) cannon, output rated at 10 MW, graphene capacitor-fed (must be reloaded after each shot)
Special Equipment: ion field generator, radius 2 meters. Active camouflage cloak: conceals from visual and thermal sensors, impairs electrical-optical visual systems and gravitic sensors.
General Notes
The AS-03B Goblin was a highly mobile 3-meter-tall armored suit equipped with jump jets for increased maneuverability. Its primary armament was a rifle firing projectiles which dispersed into a nanite swarm on impact. The nanite swarm converted all metallic and carbon-molecule material into replicas of itself. Every nanite in the swarm self-destructed after five seconds to avoid a “grey goo” scenario of eternally self-replicating nanites.
In addition to their normal weapons, six of the forty Goblins organized into a standard Wild Hunt would be equipped with homing missile launchers, while another twelve were equipped with 10 MW maser cannons. The MTCCFB missiles provided added armor-penetration capability, while the masers proved extremely useful for disrupting the Ynzu control systems.
The typical Goblin also came equipped with an active camouflage cloak which masked all signatures, gravitic included, to allow it to close in with the enemy. Each AS-03B Goblin possessed an integral Goblin A.I. which would either assist a human pilot or pilot the suit itself under the direction of an Erlkoenig A.I.
The Goblin A.I., while relatively weak and unintelligent on its own, was a cunning adversary that knew how to coordinate with its comrades and work as a team. An individual Goblin was surprisingly strong for its size and armament; working in concert, any number could hold the line against an equivalent number of top-of-the-line CY40-era combat frames.
Every nanite in the swarm self-destructed after five seconds to avoid a “grey goo” scenario of eternally self-replicating nanites.
This doesn't help if the nanites have hit the ground of a planet, or large structure in general. As long as they keep finding matter to convert, they will. So this is horrific and frightening.
All of the nanites–both in the original projectile and those converted from the target's mass–self-destruct at the same time five seconds after initial impact.
Still frightening, though 😉
They must work at truly frightening speeds if they convert enough mass in 5 seconds to damage their targets before they all self-destruct.
Poor nanites. "I'm alive! There's food! I have friends! Let's make more!"
Then, half a second later, BOOM.
The Grey Goo fail-safe is a very good idea, though.
Keep in mind that it's like a 60mm round, and the explosion does a fair bit of damage, too.
Got it. Just on a first reading, I thought the nanites replicated the initial version of themselves. As it is, they copy the current version of themselves instead, with either a hardware or software time-limiter.
If you could change the time limit as an option, that would be even more horrific. And you just know that someone's going to take that limiter out entirely and use it when they figure the risk of grey goo is better than what they're dealing with.
I have been outdone in weirdness! Love it!
Most gracious of you, sir.
Stay tuned. The weirdness is just getting started!