BA-56 power armor is a model of power armor that was produced and fielded by the European Commonwealth, its former member states, and their survivors in the aftermath of the Great War. It was developed as part of a pan-European program started in during the Euro-Middle Eastern War.
Background[]
Following the outbreak of the Euro-Middle Eastern War in 2052, the European Commonwealth’s combined military forces sought to produce suit of armor capable of turning a single soldier into a force multiplier capable of effectively engaging both soft and armored targets while also operating in urban environments. Initial prototypes were developed, however, it was soon realized that the greatest problem facing the program was the development of a viable power source. With the involvement of the French Atomic Authority beginning in 2055, it was decided that small fission reactors were the only power candidate worth development.
With this decision, the design was pushed towards finalization and production. The burden of production was split between the member nations based on industrial capacity with Germany taking on the majority of the machining and France taking on the majority of the reactor production. By 2056, suits were in full production with initial deployments being made to the Middle East. At home in Europe, the member states played a game of political posturing to arm their own units and home defense forces with as many suits as possible. Although this siphoned away from the Middle East campaign, it proved invaluable in the chaotic aftermath of the limited nuclear exchange in 2060 and the dissolution of the European Commonwealth.
After the end of the war and the Commonwealth, the former member states acted more brazenly in acquiring suits and the equipment to produce them. However, by this point production of the BA-56 was essentially over in all nations except Germany.
Characteristics[]
BA-56 power armor is powered by a micro-fission reactor located in the back of the suit, held in an internal casing. The suit's armor is made of layers of composite materials and hardened steel, similar to the kind of armor found on tanks. With the reactor located inside the suit, the armor is made more effective, although failure in the radiation shielding poses a much greater safety hazard. In general, the armor provides exceptional protection against high-velocity projectiles like those used in gauss weapons. However, the suit's protection is less effective against energy weapons as the composite layers are prone to igniting. Unlike AR-3 Tercio power armor, which fits a similar doctrinal role, the lighter weight of BA-56 allows for greater mobility. Despite this, the armor is not built ergonomically with restrictive close-fitted plates limiting overall dexterity.
Variants[]
- BA-56 P3 - Based on the third prototype model, BA-56 P3 possesses a large battery array affixed to the back of the suit. This allows for the micro-fission reactor to be used more sparingly, reducing the risk to the wearer. It was only produced in limited numbers with most being later converted to the standard model. However, these modified suits possess ports for attaching batteries located under panels on the backs of the suits.
- BA-56 II - Produced concurrently with standard BA-56, BA-56 II features an all-steel armor construction in order to reduce cost. These suits less mobile and less protective but are ultimately more common.
Locations[]
- Hyde City - Several members of the King’s Guard can be seen wearing heavily modified BA-56 II suits.