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Triax apparently built the T-550 (And later the T-700 Fat Boy and T-710 Hell Angel) based on the original Chromium Guardsman plans. I find it odd that none of the Triax GB's have a reinforced pilot's compartment like the original. Was this an oversight? (And if so was errata ever released or a new printing corrected it?). In my local campaign we used these figures.

T-550 RPC: 120 MDC
T-700 RPC: 200 MDC (It's close to being a sphere on legs)
T-710 RPC: 90 MDC (Due to the flight systems)

What do people think of this?

I don't think it was an oversight on the part of the authors. If you look at the stats such as the Fat Boy, it has a higher MDC on various parts of its body, especially the main body. The Hells Angel has addition al benefits such as flight and the ability to fire the boom gun in mid air. You can think of it as they had to cut down on the MDC plate (less MDC than the OG) to compensate for all the gear needed to fly and stabilize when firing the boom gun.

oni no won wrote: ↑Tue Apr 23, 2024 2:27 pm I don't think it was an oversight on the part of the authors. If you look at the stats such as the Fat Boy, it has a higher MDC on various parts of its body, especially the main body. The Hells Angel has addition al benefits such as flight and the ability to fire the boom gun in mid air. You can think of it as they had to cut down on the MDC plate (less MDC than the OG) to compensate for all the gear needed to fly and stabilize when firing the boom gun.

That makes sense.

Anyway, the original Guardsman may have operated at a distance requiring the pilot to be protected until recovered where the suit is compromised. The constant state of war that NGR/Triax has endured may mean that the capability to withdraw units in distress well before the suit is compromised may be much more sophisticated in order to preserve human life, retain experienced pilots, and reflect the different philosophies of how mobile armor is deployed in the Golden Age vs the Post-Post-Apocalypse.

Or they could be running low on resources. Or it could simply be the fashion. Or shrinkflation on the part of Triax.

triax seems to have a different design approach to giant robots than the original glitterboys had, the reinforced internal frame might have been discarded as a design choice to streamline production to facilitate their current rescue team's tactics.

also, it is possible that Triax simplified the design some for their own production. the Pilot's compartment probably added complexity, given that a GB is more of a power armor (which usually lack pilot compartments) than a robot. presumably adding an extra layer or armor under the normal armor would add a lot of complexity. especially given that the "compartment" would have to be articulated to cover the limbs and head (and the attendant joints) while still being flexible enough to allow movement. (where a normal robot pilot compartment would be much closer to the "armored bathtub" see on IRL attack planes, just plates or armor around the cockpit seat.)

Free Quebec had an automated GB factory, and most of their home grown GB designs seem to be fairly minor variations on the stock chassis. probably enough so that they could just tweak the standard plans for the pilot compartment to include it. Triax on the otherhand would have had to set up an entirely new factory, or more probably, repurpose the factory from an existing powered armor design. so they might have removed the pilot compartment to make it easier to build using their own factory hardware.

glitterboy2098 wrote: ↑Wed Apr 24, 2024 5:20 pm also, it is possible that Triax simplified the design some for their own production.

Maybe those vaunted German engineers aren't all they're cracked up to be.....

glitterboy2098 wrote: ↑Wed Apr 24, 2024 5:20 pmFree Quebec had an automated GB factory, and most of their home grown GB designs seem to be fairly minor variations on the stock chassis. probably enough so that they could just tweak the standard plans for the pilot compartment to include it. Triax on the otherhand would have had to set up an entirely new factory, or more probably, repurpose the factory from an existing powered armor design. so they might have removed the pilot compartment to make it easier to build using their own factory hardware.

..... but I have it on "very good authority" it's very much likely this.