AFCFA Armoured Fighting Suits

AFCFA units have a new item in their inventory thanks to the Guavan Defence Force - the Armoured Capability Enhancement Suit (ACES).

The Guavan Defence Force's new ACES represent a huge leap forward in their offensive capability.

Though based in part on the Neo Colonial Commonwealth's Cyclops design, the ACES is quite different in appearance. Lower tech than the Cyclops, Guavan technicians retro-engineered it from damaged Cyclops models captured on Libellula. Other elements of the Cyclops design made their way into the new mecha currently undergoing combat trials by Guavan forces. The mutual assistance pact between AFCFA and the Guavan government has led to early deployment of the armour on Charity. GDF techs are monitoring this field testing of the new suits with interest.

Hydra 1.

Hydra 1.

Hydra 1 rear detail.

Hydra 1.

Fuel tank & stowage detail.

Water can and stowage detail.

ACES is the culmination of almost 10 years of research and development. The project was set back

many months by an NCC special forces attack on the original research facility, which destroyed much

of the initial research materials. Operating with limited funding and forced to rely mainly on field notes and whatever the technical crew could remember, it was a long, slow process, but one that has finally

borne fruit.

 

The standard suit is well armoured, though with a larger and more angular appearance than the Cyclops. The primary weapon is usually a built-in arm-mounted 16.44mm RCG-16 rotary cannon.  Although this lacks the flexibility of the interchangeable rifle styled weapons carried by the Cyclops, their ammunition load usually alternates armour piercing and explosive fragmentation rounds, providing good performance against both infantry and light armoured vehicles. As deployed by AFCFA on Charity, approximately 1 in every 4 suits substitutes a Perforator ATGM launcher for the cannon, this having been the most effective anti-tank weapon so far employed against Commonwealth armoured vehicles by forces on Charity. This has an integrated laser target designator which can also be used to mark targets for aerial strikes or artillery. The other arm is equipped with an oversized armoured fist, allowing the suit to engage in limited close combat against armoured vehicles or assist infantry units in moving rubble, gaining access to buildings etc. A secondary anti-personnel machine gun is mounted on the back of the fist, providing the opportunity to suppress enemy infantry without resorting to the main gun.

 

Hydra 2.

Hydra 2.

 

Hydra 2.

Hydra 2.

Grenade launcher detail and troop leader star badge.

Rear stowage detail - water, tarpauin, equipment pod.

ID number detail.

Equipment pod detail.

Grenade launchers are attached to the shoulders of the suit.  These can fire high explosive and fragmentation rounds but are more commonly fitted with smoke rounds. 

 

Lacking the advanced adaptive camouflage system incorporated into the Cyclops armour, the ACES used by AFCFA do not need to keep their surfaces clear of clutter and are frequently festooned with stowage: water containers, tarpaulins, equipment pods, camo netting, webbing pouches, the occasional personal weapon. Much of this stowage does not survive the first few minutes of real combat but it does make the days or weeks of time beforehand much more comfortable.

 

Hydra 3.

Hydra 3.

Hydra 3.

Hydra 3.

 

Water jerry can on rear leg.

Stowage detail - tarps & equipment pod.

Equipment pod & shoulder/weapon marking detail.

 

ACES deployed on Charity have initially been designated the "Hydra Troop" and sport a stylised Hydra logo on the front of the left leg. Identification numbers are carried on the front and back of the right leg and the right shoulder. Insignia are leg-mounted to enable ease of identification for supporting infantry. The troop leader (in this instance Hydra 2) is designated by small stars either side of the main sensor window at the front of the "head".

 

ACES is somewhat cumbersome compared to the agile Cyclops and lacks the ability to use manoeuvre

packs or "jump" packs for zero-G operations and enhanced dirtside mobility respectively. Current

deployment envisages the suits being used in an infantry support role rather than operating independently.  The armoured suits could prove particularly suitable for urban operations, where their mobility will be superior to conventional vehicles.

Hydra 4.

Hydra 4.

Hydra 4.

Hydra 4.

Hydra 4.

Paint chipping/weathering & stowage detail.

Stowage detail.

 

Hydra Troop marking (Hydra transfer on top of white triangle transfer

The base models for these are EM4/Copplestone Castings 28mm power armour, which comes with a power fist and either a rotary cannon or an "ERL" (Explosive Round Launcher). The thin visor and blocky shape of the model make it easy to add a few smaller scale accessories to turn it into a convincing 15mm armoured fighting suit.

Stowage comes from Brigade Models (jerry cans, painted blue to signify drinking water, fuel tank on suit 1) and GZG (hex storage pods on suits 2 & 3, round cannister on suit 4). Tarpaulins are all hand-sculpted from milliput to make sure they drape correctly over the shape of the armour. I've included a GZG tech to give an idea of the scale of these suits.

The base colour over a Wilko grey spray undercoat is Humbrol 86 olive green with Humbrol 93 matt desert yellow camouflage patches.

I've used a mixture of decals: Antenociti's Workshop Infinity markings; leg serial numbers are from an old Matchbox tank transporter model kit; the main troop numbers & white triangles from QRF; Black Hydra badge from Veni Vidi Vici. A few other small transfers such as those on Hydra 1's fuel tank and Hydra 3's equipment pod come from various other old Matchbox and Airfix kits.  The black/white checked panels on the weapons were trimmed from a set of GW Space Ork transfers.  I used Vallejo decal medium to fix them all in place.

After the decals had dried for a few days, the whole model got a Vallejo sepia ink wash. Paint chipping was applied using Vallejo bone white paint with HB pencil metal edges.  I might have got a bit carried away with this, but these models really lend themselves to this effect!

As it stands, these 4 will be outnumbered by my NCC suits but it will be interesting to try them in action.