Wumbology
Actually a sentient CRT
I think that if power armor that that in Fallout were developed, it would lead to a basic restructuring of modern warfare- everything would change, to suit and take best advantage of the abilities of powered armor.
I think small arms would begin to become bigger and higher caliber, because the problems of carrying so much heavy ammunition would be negated. Guns like the FN FAL and calibers like the 7.62 would see mass adoption again. The reasons for using smaller bullets (enables soldiers to carry more ammunition at the cost of stopping power) would no longer exist. Furthermore, specialty guns specifically designed for PA users might be developed, that non-PA users would have difficulty using- or cannot use at all. To give some leverage to non-armored soldiers, weapons would also have to be specifically designed to pierce armor. Since plasma is generally the only thing in the Fo universe that has consistent success with this, but is also really expensive, I think Panzerfaust-esque launchers might be used, or HE grenades and mines, as well as pulse weaponry- which apparently Chinese forces used to great success at Anchorage. In the end, though, unarmored infantry loses to PA almost always.
Fallout canon tells us that the T-51b made tanks irrelevant, but I have my doubts. I still feel that tanks would keep a purpose in open field warfare, where the range and power of a tank gun is needed to successfully counter other tanks. Tanks are also quicker than men, and even though they are bigger targets, I have troubles imagining the open-steppe warfare like Operation Barbarossa without tanks. Furthermore, the Ghobi campaign, being in similar large, open spaces, would probably also necessitate the use of tanks.
This is of course unless personal anti-tank weapons were developed with sufficient range to take on a tank were developed- but that'd have to be a miracle of engineering. In the tech level of Fallout, even tanks couldn't be totally irrelevant.
Now, PA-on-PA fighting would probably be most interesting. Small arms are useless, and large guns would be too cumbersome at close ranges- so armored fighting would be up close and personal, like armored wrestling of European knights of old- such as this.
(as a side note, Japan also had equivalent armored wrestling styles during the Warring States period).
Specialized knifes to break through weak unarmored segments of the suit, and new wrestling styles- tense, awkward. Augmented strength would add a new dimension however- and as gory sounding as it is, I can only assume it would take advantage of the weak points of joints and limbs. If two forces of PA soldiers were to square off, the battle might turn into a vicious combination of melee/WWE match.
So yeah. Warfare, modern and historical, has been limited by the strength and physical resilience of human beings. Something that could so fundamentally change that would lead to dramatic changes in warfare. The structure of armies may even be changed to accommodate for power armor.
Thoughts? Am I wrong? Am I right?
I think small arms would begin to become bigger and higher caliber, because the problems of carrying so much heavy ammunition would be negated. Guns like the FN FAL and calibers like the 7.62 would see mass adoption again. The reasons for using smaller bullets (enables soldiers to carry more ammunition at the cost of stopping power) would no longer exist. Furthermore, specialty guns specifically designed for PA users might be developed, that non-PA users would have difficulty using- or cannot use at all. To give some leverage to non-armored soldiers, weapons would also have to be specifically designed to pierce armor. Since plasma is generally the only thing in the Fo universe that has consistent success with this, but is also really expensive, I think Panzerfaust-esque launchers might be used, or HE grenades and mines, as well as pulse weaponry- which apparently Chinese forces used to great success at Anchorage. In the end, though, unarmored infantry loses to PA almost always.
Fallout canon tells us that the T-51b made tanks irrelevant, but I have my doubts. I still feel that tanks would keep a purpose in open field warfare, where the range and power of a tank gun is needed to successfully counter other tanks. Tanks are also quicker than men, and even though they are bigger targets, I have troubles imagining the open-steppe warfare like Operation Barbarossa without tanks. Furthermore, the Ghobi campaign, being in similar large, open spaces, would probably also necessitate the use of tanks.
This is of course unless personal anti-tank weapons were developed with sufficient range to take on a tank were developed- but that'd have to be a miracle of engineering. In the tech level of Fallout, even tanks couldn't be totally irrelevant.
Now, PA-on-PA fighting would probably be most interesting. Small arms are useless, and large guns would be too cumbersome at close ranges- so armored fighting would be up close and personal, like armored wrestling of European knights of old- such as this.
(as a side note, Japan also had equivalent armored wrestling styles during the Warring States period).
Specialized knifes to break through weak unarmored segments of the suit, and new wrestling styles- tense, awkward. Augmented strength would add a new dimension however- and as gory sounding as it is, I can only assume it would take advantage of the weak points of joints and limbs. If two forces of PA soldiers were to square off, the battle might turn into a vicious combination of melee/WWE match.
So yeah. Warfare, modern and historical, has been limited by the strength and physical resilience of human beings. Something that could so fundamentally change that would lead to dramatic changes in warfare. The structure of armies may even be changed to accommodate for power armor.
Thoughts? Am I wrong? Am I right?
