The specialist Class 1Z armor is the successor to the Class 1K Advanced Cybernetic Exoskeleton. It is a specialized armor deployed exclusively to STMC units due to its unique nature. Using the armor is extremely taxing on the body and requires extensive training to properly utilize and interface with the wearer's cybernetic implants. The armor is designed to be a seamless extension of an active and well-trained Solas Tempus Marine.
Construction
The primary material used in the armor is a reinforced tritanium composite. This material forms the reinforced frame and primary armor layer, which are fused together at a subatomic level using advanced subspace field manipulation. The tritanium exterior is then coated with a covalent network of rodinium, with each layer reinforced by carbon nanotube fibers throughout. This composite construction grants the armor exceptional resistance to extreme kinetic forces and directed energy exposure.
Additionally, the carbon nanotube fibers are internally cored with nano-plasma filaments primarily composed of gold. This configuration enables high rates of data and energy transmission through the armor. The charged nano-plasma filaments can modify the shape and properties of the carbon nanotubes, augmenting the armor with various subspace field modifications to enhance tensile strength and the overall composite's capabilities.
Onboard Control
The armor utilizes an encapsulated computer core, powered by a Spacial Variance Reactor dedicated to the onboard computer. The computer system includes a fully functional HAL Computer System hub, specifically dedicated to the marine occupant. The onboard computer directly interfaces with the marine's cybernetics, translating motor cortex impulses into the armor's actions. This integration provides a fluid and intuitive motor-assisted system. In addition to motor assistance, the computer controls other functions of the armor, linked to the occupant's cybernetic interface.
Power Source
The armor incorporates two micro-fusion reactors powered by deuterium as its primary power supply. The reactors operate in tandem and automatically cycle to generate only the necessary power output. In the event of a reactor breach, the reactors can be jettisoned, activating the armor's failsafe mode while ensuring the occupant's safety.
Capabilities
Due to its composite construction, the armor can withstand direct impacts, effectively distributing kinetic forces around the occupant and absorbing or deflecting directed energy. Even without power, the armor's material provides significant resistance. When powered, the filament-cored nanotubes contribute to internal energy dampening and kinetic deflection.
Movement Assistance
The movement assistance system augments the wearer's strength, endurance, and control over movements. Operating the armor without motor assistance is nearly impossible due to its heavy construction. Each articulated joint features a complete set of servo-controlled motors, along with backup sets, capable of operating at a magnitude higher than the wearer's capabilities. The control mechanisms operate in two modes: primary and secondary.
Primary Mode
In primary control mode, the system interfaces directly with the onboard computer, which translates the wearer's motor control impulses into commands for the armor. This includes muscle tightening, preparatory movements, and even anticipatory tensing of tendons. Power is allocated from the primary power source to the impacted areas, while the movement assistance systems remain on standby. The systems activate as soon as the wearer initiates movement, with the computer translating the commands into the desired armor movements.
Secondary Mode
Secondary mode, also known as backup or reserve operation mode, is engaged when primary computer control or primary power is unavailable. Each major set of movement assistance systems, primarily the major joints, contains its own Spacial Variance Reactor kept inactive until needed. These reactors provide temporary power for movement in situations when primary power is offline. In the absence of primary computer control, the armor's sensors interpret attempted movement and relay commands to the servo controls. Secondary mode is slower compared to primary mode and requires extensive training to effectively utilize.
Flight
The armor is equipped with a fully functional anti-gravity flight system, enabling flight speeds of approximately Mach 1 within the atmosphere. The flight system is disabled in unsafe environments, such as enclosed spaces, and the onboard computer limits speeds based on the surrounding conditions.
Defensive Systems
The armor incorporates multiple layers of defensive systems to ensure the occupant's safety beyond its basic construction.
Passive Shields
The armor generates deflector shields around its entire surface, capable of withstanding significant energy blasts multiple times before showing signs of weakening. The passive shield reduces kinetic energy impact by 80% and exhibits a 20% bleed-through, diminishing in effectiveness as power levels decrease. The central computer controls the adaptive passive system, coupling the shield emitter grid with sensors that detect and measure energy frequencies and force dynamics. This allows the shield to adapt and counter incoming fire.
Mobile Energy Shield
The armor incorporates protective energy shield technology inspired by shields used in the universe of Imperial and Rebel forces. The energy shield is effective against various energy types. However, it has the drawback of preventing phased energy from passing through, acting more like a physical shield. Roughly the size of a kite-shield, it covers the main body and extends partially over the legs and shoulders, depending on placement. The shield is generated on the wearer's off-hand at the forearm, allowing them to continue wielding their main hand.
Active Deflectors
The armor can generate an active deflector beam from its shield grid, derived from technology used to provide ships with active deflector beams during space travel. The emitters utilize the armor's sensors, as well as externally linked sensors with low latency, to generate and aim the deflector beam. The beam can be adjusted and has a maximum cone arc of 26 degrees around its central axis (52 degrees total from edge to edge along the arc's diameter). It can absorb 95% of opposed kinetic force, but it is short-lived and ineffective against direct pressure on the armor.
Phasing Cloak
Although still a prototype, stable versions have been included in this armor system. The phasing cloak is extremely hazardous to use without proper training, and the occupant must be specifically trained and certified in its usage. The phasing cloak consumes a considerable amount of power and has a maximum lifespan of 6.5 minutes before depleting its energy reserve. For safety reasons, the system has its own power reserve, which can keep the occupant phased inside a solid object for an additional 4 minutes. This buffer exhausts all remaining power reserves, requiring a recharge period of approximately 2 hours using the reactors.
Adaptive Camouflage
The armor's deflector system can manipulate incoming energy to achieve a high degree of concealment, though it does not provide true invisibility. The adaptive camouflage bends radiation around the wearer, resulting in a generalized rough distortion of light. When stationary, the armor can appear virtually invisible. Moreover, by augmenting the energy signature to match the ambient energy in the surrounding environment, the armor can become invisible to standard sensor sweeps.
Offensive Systems
Most offensive capabilities of the armor rely on the gear carried by the wearer. However, the armor's gloves feature a matter disruption field along the fingers, knuckles, and palm. This field destabilizes matter upon impact, while the hand itself has a kinetic force amplifier that intensifies kinetic impact using localized Higgs field distortion. The gloves significantly increase punching power and cause destructive effects on both kinetic and atomic levels. A punch disrupts atomic and molecular bond strength, inflicting heightened kinetic impact.
Structural Integrity
Utilizing carbon-fiber with plasma filaments, the armor generates a highly focused inertial dampening field and functions as a structural integrity field system. When fully powered, the armor can reduce inertial forces to near-zero. However, this disorients the wearer, and the onboard computer manages the inertial dampening field to provide an optimal balance between dampening and velocity feedback from the wearer's movements. The field significantly reduces the armor's structural load, particularly during high-speed maneuvers and hand-to-hand combat.
Operation in Extreme Environments
To facilitate operation in extreme environments, the armor incorporates a complete life support system. It can provide oxygen through a reserve system with approximately 8 hours of oxygen as a backup to a micro-replication system. The micro-replication system utilizes the wearer's own waste (carbon dioxide), deconstructing the compound and processing ionic oxygen into molecular oxygen. The released carbon is dematerialized and stored for the production of other compounds as needed. This replication-assisted rebreathing technology enables the armor to operate for extended periods until the reactor's fuel is depleted.
The same micro-replication system is also employed to restructure captured carbon into medications required during operations. It can even materialize complex compounds directly into the wearer's bloodstream.
Hyper-Deceleration
While the armor cannot withstand transitioning to warp velocities without assistance, it can protect the wearer during extreme deceleration when exiting warp velocities naturally. The armor may require some degree of structural repair following such deceleration, with the intensity of repairs proportional to the deceleration force experienced upon exiting the warp field.
Medical Assistance
The armor provides medical assistance to the wearer through the deployment of medical nanites. These nanites are designed and programmed to repair living tissue and can bind together in groups to accelerate tissue growth through focused tissue regeneration fields. In extreme cases, the nanites can be released into the bloodstream to counteract dangerous compounds or repair radiation damage temporarily. They operate at a microscopic level, entering living cells to conduct repairs rapidly. The nanites excel in repairing tissue damage, especially when focused on specific areas of the body, with smaller areas allowing for faster repairs.