Inspiration and Conception
[dcs_p]The Stark Light Battle Armor was based on a simple concept by its designer, Samuel Stark.
Samuel theorized that crossing a jump-trooper exoskeleton with standard PAL armor would
improve the wearer’s options in terms of maneuverability, but also be large enough to carry a
compact array of experimental weaponry. Much of this weaponry would be from his own
collection, which had been upgraded and miniaturized thanks to technical aid from those within
the Nova Cat Clan’s Technician Caste. With freedom in project planning, it took only months to
come up with the first weapons platform for the new, extra-light battle armor suit.[/dcs_p]
Preproduction and the Mark I
[dcs_p]Though the suit had originally been based around a shoulder-mounted, miniaturized Gauss rifle
weapon, Samuel soon discovered numerous problems related to this particularly unbalanced
armament. Aiming for maneuverability and having access to several other weapon concepts, it
seemed only natural that the Mark I be re-engineered without testing a fully functional prototype.
The weapon was produced and fitted to the prototype suit anyways, but was later redesigned
as a portable man-pack Gauss that could be carried by the Mark II version of the suit.[/dcs_p]
Mark II Concept
[dcs_p]Reworking several design flaws with the armor and opting for a variety of light, flexible
weapons systems, the Mark II succeeded where the previous had tanked. Samuel designed the
new version of the battle armor so that it depended less on a single armament but instead a
combination of smaller systems. Though each was limited in their own right, the combination
packed anti-battle armor firepower while making use of new improved stealth armor. The new
version would also sport the finished experimental jump pack, allowing the wearer to instantly
jump the suit forward with exceptional speed.[/dcs_p]
Maneuverability
[dcs_p]The Mark II is built to be both agile and flexible in an attempt to give it an edge over its heavier
PAL counterparts. At 350 kilograms, it is lighter than all major battle armors in the field today.
Its weapons systems suffer as a result, but Samuel feels the suit’s ability to sensitively gauge
and enhance its wearer’s movements far outweighs the offensive drawbacks.[/dcs_p]
[dcs_p]The jump pack is made up of five separate exhaust ports. The largest of these in the center of
the back is the primary means of propulsion, while two lower-mounted ports regularly aid in
flight stability. The remaining two ports are located on the back of either shoulder, and are used
solely for horizontal thrust. The main port can be closed to redirect power to each of the smaller
ports, resulting in dramatic bursts of forward speed. These are difficult to control however, and
usually only used during defensive countermeasures or last resort close-quarters offenses.[/dcs_p]
Weaponry
[dcs_p]The Mark II’s main weapon is a light grenade launcher – which is mounted in the right shoulder
and heavily armored. This launcher carries two types of grenades, standard and flammable.
Though the flammable grenades – which do not actually ignite – can be used against targets that
are already burning, they are normally used to douse an enemy battle armor with fuel. This form
of attack is particularly effective against opponents armed with laser weaponry who are already
prone to overheating, or those that might use jump-jets regularly when fighting.[/dcs_p]
[dcs_p]For anti-infantry armament, the Mark II carries an experimental light machine gun in the left arm.
This automatic weapon can fire two types of bullets: standard or special incendiary ammunition
– the latter is used in tandem with the flammable grenades to ignite enemy suits. The light
machine gun is also specially built so that it can launch small, high explosive rockets from the
base of its barrel. The rocket ammunition – which is housed in the legs and must be manually
loaded one shot at a time – is extremely limited however and only to be used sparingly.
Finally an armor-piercing spike launcher on the right arm is powered by compressed air. It fires
sharpened, steel-tipped spent-uranium rods at extreme short range and is intended as a last
resort. Since keeping a pressurized tank normally requires bulky motorization for constant air
intake, Samuel designed the tank around a controlled chemical reaction that is balanced via
computer-monitors. The volatile reaction produces enough pressure to fire five one-kg rounds.[/dcs_p]