42 replies to this topic

[Evex]

Yup another one of my more interesting topics. I was wondering does any of the lore go into what each faction wears, essentially uniforms, civilian clothes, or what mech pilots wear when there piloting a battlemech? I'm just curious about this, and thought it might make a fun discussion topic.

[Motionless]

You'll be wearing one of these
http://www.sarna.net/wiki/Neurohelmet

You can also see a pic of a mechwarrior here:
http://www.sarna.net...ior_%28pilot%29
(warning: it's not pretty)

The battletech cartoon shows mech pilots in military style uniforms, jumpsuits and vests -- not that the cartoon is canon, but there you have that.

[Krubarax]

Well, that might be true, but remember. it is a huge galaxy and a very long time-line, we are talking about.
I would much more like to think our gear looks like this:

[Adridos]

You can also check out the "Need help for a nice community picture" thread. The "project" is stalled due to the bad luck finding someone to paint it, but there are many Battletech uniforms and if you want to know the fashion of mechwarriors, it should be the right place to visit.

[Strum Wealh]

There is also the "Rewards Suggestion" thread, where the opening post included a picture of each IS faction's dress uniforms:


Also, a typical FedSuns Mechwarrior's uniform (sans neurohelmet) circa 3025:


More FedSuns uniforms (circa 3025) can be seen here.

[BarHaid]

Nope, nope, sorry. It's undies and a coolant vest. That's all you get. Those full-body suits are for elites only.

[Coralld]

BarHaid, on 18 April 2012 - 07:46 AM, said:

Nope, nope, sorry. It's undies and a coolant vest. That's all you get. Those full-body suits are for elites only.

Then the very important question one must ask them selves... Boxers or briefs?

[Vulpesveritas]

Coralld, on 18 April 2012 - 08:25 AM, said:

Then the very important question one must ask them selves... Boxers or briefs?

Why not just boxer-briefs?

[Coralld]

Touche' good sir.

[Insidious Johnson]

Why wear the underwear at all? Go commando. After a mission just have the techs hose you off along with the whole cockpit when they open the canopy. Given all bodily fluids melted from a mechwarrior during a fight, those cockpits have to be the stankiest places in the universe. Nothing is considered salvagable unless you can get the stink out of a dropped mech first. Just think, if it wasn't for airfresheners, there'd be peace!

[Strum Wealh]

BarHaid, on 18 April 2012 - 07:46 AM, said:

Nope, nope, sorry. It's undies and a coolant vest. That's all you get. Those full-body suits are for elites only.

Except that's not a full-body suit - it's a 3025 FedSuns MechWarrior uniform with shorts, Cooling Vest, and Cooling Undershirt (the latter-most having been developed in ~3015 by the NAIS).
From the old House Davion sourcebook (which is available for download through Sarna):

Quote

Keeping the ‘Mech pilot cool enough is the basic function of the MechWarrior’s uniform. In a constant search to help its warriors be more comfortable in the hell of a ‘Mech in combat, the AFFS introduced the Cooling Undershirt about ten years ago. Developed by the scientists of Team Banzai and the NAIS, this short-sleeved red undershirt is basically a miniature version of the MechWarrior’s cooling vest. Each strand of the undershirt is actually an extremely small but tough tube that carries water or similar fluid around the wearer’s torso. Though it cannot cool as much as a regular cooling vest, the cumulative effect of the shirt and the vest allows the ‘Mech pilot to withstand even the hottest cockpit in relative comfort.

-----

Because the bulky cooling vest covers the shoulders, the epaulettes denoting the wearer’s rank are worn over the upper arm instead.

Of course, the implication is that the "upper arm" refers to the sleeve of the Cooling Undershirt.

So... let's contrast this with, say, a CapCon MechWarrior of the same era (see here for other CapCon uniforms):

And a description from the old House Liao sourcebook (also available through Sarna):

Quote

The typical battledress worn by Capellan MechWarriors is not unlike those used in other Houses in the Inner Sphere. The hot environment of a ‘Mech’s interior during combat has prompted MechWarriors to adopt an armless body shell composed of three separate pieces, covering shoulders, torso, and waist. Hand and leg protectors protect against constant chafing and irritation while moving within a ‘Mech cockpit. In some small Capellan BattleMechs, MechWarriors forego wearing the center torso shell in favor of layers of silk or cotton to provide additional freedom of movement.

Biosensors are worn along the warrior’s arms and legs, providing constant information to the ‘Mech’s environmental control computers. As Capellan technology lags behind that of other Houses, it has produced a larger then average-sized neurohelmet. An emergency air sup-ply/filtration system is built into the helmet to provide 30 minutes of oxygen if the ‘Mech’s circulation system shuts down. A personal med-pack is situated on the wearer’s left shoulder, containing an assortment of stimulants and pain depressants administered by disposable, compressed air-hypos.

The "Ablative/Flak Cooling Suit and Vest" is apparently described in The BattleTechTactical Handbook, which is set in ~3055.

So, those guys running around in briefs and speedos rather than proper shorts? Who knows - maybe some people are just into that...

[Coralld]

I'd much rather dawn a full body cooling suit for three reasons, 1) is because I am not into running around in my skibbies nor do I want to see other people in theirs (Unless they are female mech warriors then they can wear as little as they want... Just saying what every guy here is thinking.) 2) A full body cooling suit would be far more effective, and 3) because I would look snazzy in a full body cooling suit.

[Sal Trebov]

Short-shorts and cooling vests. Those mechs get really REALLY hot.

[EDMW CSN]

Sweating men and women in their undies would do fine.
Not like you will be seeing your own avatar's anytime soon.

I hope ?

[Solis Obscuri]

Sal Trebov, on 18 April 2012 - 10:03 AM, said:

Short-shorts and cooling vests. Those mechs get really REALLY hot.

Yep. Pants totally gimp your 'mech combat abilities...

http://www.sarna.net...MechWarrior.jpg

Gotta say, though, I feel for the poor tech who has to scrub down the command couches of an heavy company after an intense firefight...

Edited by Solis Obscuri, 18 April 2012 - 03:59 PM.

[Orzorn]

I would argue that wearing less clothing is a bad idea. The best choice would be a skin tight rather thin cooling jump suit with tubes of ice cold water running all through it.


NASA uses them in space, and they have to keep NASA astronauts cool from hundreds of degrees of blasting sunlight. I think its definitely a better alternative to running about in one's skivvies.

[pursang]

Orzorn, on 18 April 2012 - 04:07 PM, said:

NASA uses them in space, and they have to keep NASA astronauts cool from hundreds of degrees of blasting sunlight. I think its definitely a better alternative to running about in one's skivvies.

That would be the smart, logical thing to do - but c'mon now this is BattleTech.

[ice trey]

Orzorn, on 18 April 2012 - 04:07 PM, said:

I would argue that wearing less clothing is a bad idea. The best choice would be a skin tight rather thin cooling jump suit with tubes of ice cold water running all through it.

True. I think they have something like that in-universe, too.

However, it's rare and prohibitively expensive. Mechwarriors generally wear something similar - a coolant vest - over their spandex shorts, but it's considerably less high-tech, looking like someone made a vest out of black rubber tubes.

Remember, this is not supposed to be a super-high-tech universe. This is the universe where giant overheating robots held together with little more than duct tape and a prayer duke it out, and have been wearing each other down constantly for 300 years, stopping only to swap out armor plate and ammo bins. Heck, many worlds have been reduced to very low technologies. One such story in print involves a troupe of actors going to a border world to act out one of shakespeare's plays, and when a ghost appeared (Brought to you by a battletech Hologram Projector), the crowd ran out in terror, thinking they'd seen a real ghost.

Battletech, and thereby Mechwarrior - is an alternate universe that has evolved from what folks knew from the 80s. That doesn't mean that it has to be guys with 80s hair and tight leather jeans all the time, but it does mean that it's not based on what's available *Now*. It's a common mistake to think of Battletech as being hard science fiction, and that modern technologies will exist therein.

[HeIIequin]

ice trey, on 18 April 2012 - 04:29 PM, said:

Battletech, and thereby Mechwarrior - is an alternate universe that has evolved from what folks knew from the 80s. That doesn't mean that it has to be guys with 80s hair and tight leather jeans all the time, but it does mean that it's not based on what's available *Now*. It's a common mistake to think of Battletech as being hard science fiction, and that modern technologies will exist therein.

I'll gladly ignore 80's mech fashion for this. I'll take the full body coolant suit. And a COOL looking suit at that. It's fiction, I can picture what I want!

[chiXnhawk]

Doesn't matter. They all look the same under the merc's KaoS Legion's jump jets.You worry about how you look , we'll worry about shooting you in the face. ok laterz