RE: Thinking of aspects of PA in urban fighting [FMAS] [General]

Good points all, but with a couple of exceptions I can see..

>PAs shortcomings:
>- heavy (will tend to fall through weaker floors which also leads to
the
>thought of punji pits to dispose of PA)
>- not quiet (maybe you can build a light PA exoskeleton for commandos
that
>uses silent servos etc, but it definitely won't be full normal PA) so
can be
>easily detected by sound (probably by emissions and whatnot too)
>- immobilized by some EMP charges

I don't see why they couldn't be shielded like other systems.  Of course
there is always a bigger bomb/gun/beam/charge so I understand the
<some>.

>- hard to get out if you have a collapse

Explosive bolts, or mechanical back-ups with a quick-release handle. 
The guy who did Akira had a cool short called "A fairwell to weapons"
that had a great set of realistic PA encounter with an automated
opponent.

A guy in there survives an attack, but finds the attack has shorted out
his armor.  To add insult to injury, the missile's explosion glassed a
lot of the sand and made quick release difficult so he had to blow the
suit.

>- not dexterous

True, but you could install micro-manipulators to specific suits (techs,
RTO's, etc.)

>- problems fitting through doors and into warrens or rooms with low
ceilings

Without damaging the structure and making tons of noise, yup.

>- not so great at negotiating stairs, ropes or ladders (does fine on
ramps
>for the handicapped, elevators, and cargo lifts)

Ladders might be bypassed by climbing the verticals rather than messing
with the slats but still not so great

>
>Anyone think of anything else to add? I'm trying to fit together some
sort
>of conjectural doctrine for joint infantry-PA operations in urban
terrain...
>along with appropriate rules to handle various situations.
>
>Tomb. 

------------------------------------------------------------
Get Your Free Star Wars Email at http://www.wattosjunkyard.com