POWER ARMOR | The different types of power armor in Sci-Fi

[@fredkelly6953]

If you wear it it's armour. If you drive it it's a mech. If you wear it and drive it it's a mini-mech.

[@motherreaper7287]

Under rated comment. I suppose the walker suits in Avatar are mini mechs? Where do we stand on the power suits from Matrix 3?

[@disoreinted2015]

I would say if it fits in a standard doorway it's Power armor. If not it's a mini mec.

[@Alpostpone]

​@@motherreaper7287 Matrix 3 "Armored Personnel Units" are definitely mechs just like Avatar's "Amplified Mobility Platforms" (I love that acronym pun). The operator sits in a cockpit and controls limbs remotely. It just happens to be an open design. They're absolutely vehicles and not suits. This is really all the distinction we need. Does the operator use their own limbs to move and manipulate things? Then there's the "hybrid" category for things that are somewhat ambiguous, like Starcraft marine.

[@AnonD38]

@@disoreinted2015Space Marines don’t fit in a standard doorway and they still wear power armor.

[@JainZar1]

Why call it Mini-Mech, when you can use it's proper name: "Babycarrier".

[@toddkes5890]

For me the differences are: - Exoskeleton = used to carry more weapons/equipment, but still a person and vulnerable, environmental protection is provided by the person rather than the exoskeleton - Power Armor = wearer's limbs are inside the unit's limbs, environmental protection is provided by the unit - Mecha = wearer's limbs are not inside the limbs of the unit - - Mini-Mecha = some of the user's limbs are in the unit's limbs, or the user has to use their own sense of balance to replace the Mech's balance (i.e. Battletech Protomech) - - Full-size Mecha = the user is entirely within one section of the Mecha (i.e. Starship Troopers' Chickenhawk)

[@trevorle7382]

Your def of minimech would make it quite uncomfortable for the driver

[@toddkes5890]

@@trevorle7382 Had to go from a scale of "all user's limbs inside the armor's limbs" to "user only sits in the head or torso". There needed to be a spot in between.

[@AFeralTrout420]

Good classification, imma use that from now on

[@angelobrewster6293]

5:36 Edge of Tomorrow is the Americanised version of the original Japanese Novel and Manga All You Need is Kill which Edge of Tomorrow is based on The Combat Jacket in the original Japanese version are a fully encased armored armor suit and Rita Vrataski armor is pink and carries a huge battle axe.

[@dutch_asocialite]

It's red.

[@GiRR007]

There exist modern exoskeletons that work pretty well, the only problem is that it takes a lot of power to run them so you cant exactly have them just being able to walk around everywhere without being plugged in.

[@andrewjansen1012]

Yet...the word is yet. Micro Fusion Generators is what we need. Like Master Chiefs armor.

[@jacobanderson8219]

That's on the verge of changing. Check out the Guardian XO suit, it's modern configurations ditch power cables in favor of battery packs. It has a fairly short operational charge so far, but it does look promising.

[@immikeurnot]

@@jacobanderson8219 I remember seeing some untethered exo tests that were powered by small two stroke engines. Loud, but something that can run and provide power all day.

[@gmradio2436]

The Cyberdyne medical assistant exo skeleton? That has a 4 to 6 hour lithium battery pack. I think you can can get them for 12,000 US.

[@calebbarnhouse496]

​@@jacobanderson8219on the verge is a VERY strong statement, unless we discover a new amazing battery source we won't have a chance of powering a mobile system, and we have absolutely no idea how long that will take, could be next weak, could be never, though very limited use could at this time, really only be practically for either a light armor unit or a industrial usage

[@mill2712]

1:45 Exoskeletons 7:03 Power armor proper 11:01 Mini-mechs

[@donnadoriggins5236]

I'm in agreement with this ranking.

[@mill2712]

@@donnadoriggins5236 This isn't a rating. These are timestamps.

[@Friendlygiant666]

My usual way of determining the difference between mech and power armor, even the mini mech as you've described is that mechs use controls like a pilot (mech warrior, Gundam) whereas power armor follows the body's movement (even centurions do this in a sense)

[@TheZombiemofo]

If you have to sit/stand in a specialised cockpit it's a mech. If you have some direct control over arms or legs then it's a mini-mech and if you have even more direct control over limbs it's fully power armour

[@TheT7770ify]

That definition is a little loose. Because by it a Jaeger from Pacific Rim counts as power armor

[@Adams4000]

@@TheT7770ify Not really, they are definitely in a cockpit. Gundam G Fighter was the same way and you would not call those Power Armor or mini Mechs.

[@TheT7770ify]

@@Adams4000 You wouldn't by looking at them. But following the definition as presented it could be considered one. Which is where I find it ill fitting

[@hectorluciano8019]

I'm not sure the Centurion is power armorin the traditional sense. As the Space Marine is described as piloting it. Not to mention that he is still wearing standard PA underneath.

[@vi6ddarkking]

A good example of the bleeding of power armor to mini mechs are the terran infantry from starcraft. As we saw in the wings of liberty trailer although it would seem like power armor at a glance. The weapons including the "hands" of the basic marine suits use controllers to operate.

[@TheZombiemofo]

So does the power armour in fo4. I would still argue that it's power armour rather than a mini-mech due to the scale between wearer and suit.

[@nestorgamer9746]

​@@TheZombiemofoyou don't use controllers in the FO4 power armor Your hands are inside the gauntlets

[@TheZombiemofo]

@@nestorgamer9746 nope, your hands don't go into the gauntlets. They stop just short, the hands are mechanical and have a controller in the forearm. Google it.

[@allenbettis8558]

​@nestorgamer9746, no, they're not. They're not even in the wrists of the suit.

[@calebbarnhouse496]

Starcraft Definitely is a power armor, while they use a controller, they are fundamentally just enhancing the marine inside them they are not ultimately completely changing how everything about the user's battlefield role, now if you look at vikings or golliaths, those are mechs

[@earnestbrown6524]

Speaking of the "Prototype" I love the MiniMech that the Mecha Designer (Shinji Aramaki) did for the anime "Metal Skin Panic MADOX-01" from 1987. You can see the evolution of the suit over the nearly 30 years between them.

[@Sagebreaker]

Underrated OVA, It also looks like the Marauder suits from the Starship Troopers OVA.

[@dr_claw_v341]

One mini-Mech I feel doesn’t get enough love is the Armored Silverback from Gears of War. It has a very easy entry and exit and is very clearly heavily armored (from the front)

[@MonteKowalsky]

The Stalker games used exoskeletons as a late game armor. At the end of the day, it was just high quality body armor/NBC gear with the exoskeleton on top with no pretense of being some advanced sci-fi anything. It let you carry a bunch more stuff, but also slowed you down and made it really hard to, well, stalk things. It legitimately made it a reasonable choice to go without it. Except for Call of Pripyat; that end game gave you little reason to not deck yourself out with an RPG-7 and every rocket you could carry.

[@Groza_Dallocort]

RPG-7 a ton of rockets, a PKM as a secondary weapon and the gauss rifle as your third weapon

[@Toskin]

SCI: Talking about exos. Me: "TIL STALKER is actually sensible one."

[@Tigersight0]

I'm going to agree with some other comments I see here. Power armor is when the person is physically moving, and the armor is around them, moving with them. Their meaty limbs are functionally their limbs, even if the metal parts are kinda bigger and doing the actual punching and stuff. They are still being directly driven by the human parts within them. Once the person is operating controls which move all the mechanical stuff, that's when you're looking at a mech. Because if it's primarily the person, then the metal bits can be seen as armor covering them. If it's just the metal moving, with that layer of indirect control interpretation between it and the person sitting in the center, then it's just a vehicle like any other.

[@LeeCarlson]

The power-armor worn by the Force Recon units of The Expanse's Martian Marines, in the books, was primarily Titan armor, with only Gunnery-Sergent Roberta Draper wearing the older style Goliath armor, and that was because even after three generations in Martian gravity, the Draper families Samoan ancestry needed the extra size.

[@imeize]

“The Prototype” is favorite animated Halo story. It just perfectly encapsulates what humanity is going through. The sacrifices that need to be made just to keep a sliver of hope alive. Be Human

[@mcchuggernaut9378]

I would say: Power ARMOR is...well, armored. If it isn't armored, it's an exo-frame. Fallout makes the distinction between the frame the armor plates are mounted on, and a full suit of power armor - the frame is just the base, the armor makes the suit. And to be power armor instead of a mech, your limbs have to be fully articulated and encased in it like a suit, read: it's like a suit of medieval armor in that your limbs are articulated in it and bend in all the right places. A mech would be more like a vehicle, where you are driving parts of it beyond your limbs, i.e. a Gundam or a Battletech mech, which has massive limbs your body isn't actually in, and you sit in a cockpit. Limbs can be blown off without you losing an actual body part inside it. When put like that, it's pretty clear where the delineations between an exo-frame, power armor, and a mech are. The final point of separation I would make between a mech and an ordinary armored vehicle is that mechs are bipedal, or otherwise "humanesque" - having limbs, be they arms even with a tracked base, legs, a "head", etc. Otherwise a bloody CAR could be called a mech. And it's pretty clear an armored vehicle and a mech are different, even though they are both armored, and have your whole body inside a dedicated cockpit. Where this becomes a grey area is those in-between things that only have parts of your limbs in them, like the Astartes Centurion you mentioned, where the occupant's limbs are "half" in the limbs of the armor: everything beyond the elbow and knee joints is fully mechanical. I would say that is what you would call a "mech suit" - it isn't fully a mech, and it isn't a power armor either, by my own definition. In fact, Astartes armor is called "power armor", where the Centurion is called a "War Suit" - they know the difference. I would say it's a mech, because it isn't fully body-articulated, but it's also a suit, because everything but the lower limbs IS. I think I checked all the boxes here, and it all makes logical sense. Sure I missed something, be we know there is usually a logical definition for most things. ;)

[@Alpostpone]

This is a good categorization. You can distinguish things by controls scheme (worn - piloted - cybernetic) or size. I'll argue that battle mechs are still a subcategory of vehicles, just walking instead of wheeled or tracked. Mechs by convention are big stompy things - bipedal and 8 -15 m tall in the fiction they originate from. You might include walkers with more limbs among them, but the defining feature of them is that they walk. Also original mechs are always piloted by human. "Drone mechs" might be well categorized as "giant walking robots" instead. One should account that naming is always context sensitive. As in your WH40k example, the specific setting makes its own naming conventions by its own needs and history. This gives more depth to fictional world. There's the separate naming convention for more "universal" categories, which comes about when discussing different fictional worlds - common definitions make discussions easier. That said, from this video I've received the confusion of how exactly WH40k's terminator, aggressor and centurion relate to each other. I'm familiar with the terminator, others not so much.

[@SpiritWolf1966]

I enjoy all of SCIENCE INSANITY videos

[@stuartwald2395]

If people want to use their imaginations and take descriptive writing and create images from that in their minds, the best power armor is from Starship Troopers, the book, NOT THE MOVIE! Heinlein describes how the mobile infantry make orbital drops in individual pods, carry lots of interesting weapons, and can still use the powered feedback to rip things apart with their two hands (covered in metal). They are the real army!

[@Joshua_N-A]

A well trained personnel can hold an egg without breaking it.

[@qwefg3]

EX armor in most sci-fi is akin to having a fantasy knight wear steel armor... only forgetting to wear any of the parts that are actually metal.

[@Echowhiskeyone]

Any permanently attached suit or frame is more like a cyborg. At least I think so.

[@Alpostpone]

This is the right answer. Fixed neural link automatically qualifies as a cyborg, so there's a distinction between wearable exoskeletons and fixed (bionic / cyborg) exoskeletons.

[@KillerOrca]

The HRUNTING/YGDRISAL MK I is codified, by the Halo community and by 343 themselves, as "power armor". Its very big, but was still operated by the motions of the meat inside just like you said. It can also actually move its legs, its just that during the fight, Ghost kept the engine on the thrusters running because walking in that kind of situation wasnt fast enough. Man was buying time for his men to get out and the suits reactor to go critical, running to the fight wasnt an option. Meanwhile, stuff like the Mantis are driven using standard command controls (IE; stick and pedals and is therefor very much a mech)...unless your a Spartan in which case the MJLONIR integrates seamlessly and they can pilot it as if it were their own skin. Thats one of the major benefits of Spartans actually; MJLONIR think-react systems are fully compatible with basically every UNSC vehicle, down to stuff like Warthogs, meaning a single Spartan can do the job of an entire crew if needed, or operate a vehicle far more efficiently and lethally than an unaugmented pilot. Interestingly theres also the side-grade that is the Cyclops, which, while technically considered a mech, is actually piloted similar to an exoframe, with the operator suffering body paralysis to drive it....but is classified as an exoskeleton in most of the lore.

[@John2r1]

All UNSC personnel are issued a Neural Lace Implant. Which allows pilots to be neural linked to their vehicles. Tank commanders have one , Pilots use one. And we can assume that Mech pilots would use one regardless of if a civilian without a neural implant can drive a mech. Or someone who is simply not a pilot or driver. It appears there are different types of neural implants issued.

[@spinetanium3296]

We not talking about Iron Man's Armors at all? He's gone through pretty much all the different types. He didn't drill anchor points into his bones, but some he stored inside them. Astartes Centurion armor is essentially a suit over a suit like the Hulkbuster armor. Under it is still a fully suited guy who just wanted more firepower. Ditching the outer suit just drops you down a tier.

[@EGRJ]

Iron Man also has multiple suits that are designed to be worn over small suits.

[@Mechpilot0790]

I would say any suit that goes over doubling you in size, especially if worn over body armor, qualifies as minimech, because at that point you have to climb in and out, which seems like a good distinction vs putting on a suit

[@deusvult4084]

I suppose Centurion is kinda like a mini-mech, since it needs to be piloted, not worn. Granted, the 'controls' are exclusively a brain interface, but it kinda blurs the line.

[@SonsOfLorgar]

As a long time 40k player, a Dreadnaught is neither power armor or a mech, it's a life support Cyborg.

[@Bombasticboi-ot4qr]

Iron man laughing in the corner while having a reactor in his chest while wearing his suit inside the hulkbuster😂

[@sim.frischh9781]

I like to think of the Power Loader from Alien as a "Heavy Duty Exo-Skeleton", if that makes any sense. A tool, basically a forklift suit. Just cooler.

[@KillerOrca]

Its basically an exo-frame but big enough to climb into. Operates the same. Kinda even looks the same.

[@blackc1479]

Form fitting forklift, basically. And to be one of the all time best on screen "power-ups". And helped create one of the most badass lines ever.

[@GiRR007]

I think my favorite power armor is the nanosuit from the crisis series because its partially alive and can grow and change not just itself but the person inside.

[@Alpostpone]

That's crossing into bionic implant territory, so no longer just a power armor.

[@GiRR007]

@@Alpostpone Yeah. But it does start off as just power armor. In the books the people wearing the suit are wearing and under suit that sort of separates their skin from the suit so that the suit won't start trying to change them.

[@RageDuck0]

​@@GiRR007wait....BOOKS???. what are they called if not crysis

[@GiRR007]

@@RageDuck0 crysis legion and crysis escalation.

[@mateuseliascassiano8811]

More a power suit the crises one

[@sl06bhytmar]

If you don it, it's armour. If you ride it, its a mech. If you don it and ride it, it is a mini-mech.

[@be-noble3393]

The Exo-Frames from Exosquad are definitely an in between Power Armor and Mini Mech. An aside: The Exo-Suits that attach surgically to people are really just for gross out reasons.

[@johnsmithfakename8422]

Technically for most E-Frames the only surgery was the neuro interface that allowed the pilot's thoughts to control the suit. I though the "Cyber-Jack" was common technology but after reading the wiki it was a modification with military use in mind. I would have liked it if the "cyber-Jack" technology was common technology.

[@calebbarnhouse496]

Not necessarily, being forced to attach them surgically means it is justified to have them be a more elite part of the military because that obviously makes them more difficult to have around, meaning they get to be fewer in numbers and thus stronger for how many you have

[@elenorefangirl3389]

My favorite mini-mechs are the proto-mechs from Battletech. Clan scientists had a hard time dealing with pilots who literary saw the mechs as their new bodies due to the suit they wore.

[@parkermaisterra8532]

Probably my favorite mini-mech would be Landmates from Appleseed. Sure the series tries to call it power armor but that thing has more in common with a Tau Battlesuit then actual power armor

[@Joshua_N-A]

It operates like the Powerloader from Aliens?

[@andrewlenfest7548]

I searched the comments just to see if someone else said this

[@andrewlenfest7548]

​@@Joshua_N-Asort of. It has 2 sets of arms. One has the users arms inside like power armor while the other set mimics the movements and are much larger. Your legs fit into the top half of its legs so its noticably bigger. It carrys a rifle like power armor but the rifle is larger then the average human (not a humans rifle but an actual human).

[@madskillz808]

​@@andrewlenfest7548same

[@madskillz808]

​@@andrewlenfest7548Yeah, it's like a fully clad exoskeleton controlling a carapace around it.

[@The_Viscount]

My personal rule of thumb: If it has a cockpit, it's a mech. If not, it's an exoskeleton. If it has armor plates and you wear it, it's power armor.

[@kindasupersonic7114]

For the armored suits that people can step in and pilot, they called them power armor in the 80s. A lot of inspiration from 80s sci-fi anime, there was also this pen and paper game called Rifts. They had a suit that looked a lot like the Halo prototype suit, but with the stylings of Space marines, and it was called power armor. Honestly, I think if it is close to human size, its power armor, and once you go past a certain size threshold, it becomes a mech.

[@thomascarpenter8177]

Gears from heavy gear...you need to do a breakdown of that universe

[@harrythompson-heap9754]

I’d personally call the power-loader suit from Aliens an exo-mech, a machine large enough to be considered a mini mech but with no real armour to speak of and does little more than enhance the user’s physical abilities

[@wilburearp903]

I would add a subcatigory within 'power armor proper' for light and heavy suits. the main deference being their size and the types of weapons they use. If they are small enough to use existing infantry weapons, transportation, and fit through doors easily, then they would be 'light power armor' (ie: HALO, Expanse, Doom, Half life) However if they require dedicated infrastructure to move around, use oversized weapons, and cannot fit through a door easily they would be 'Heavy power armor' (ie: 40K, Starcraft, Battletech, Fallout)

[@sir_ridley388]

Loved that fleeting moment of praise for my boy, The Mantis.

[@samuelansin8307]

From what I have seen PA proper as you put it can be broken down into two additional types. Boost suits: Armored suits whose primary purpose is to increase the wearer's physical capabilities but still has some armor. IE Master Chief's Armor Powered Armor: Suits where most of the physical boosts go into supporting and moving the weight of the armor on the user, can still provide a physical enhancement but not to the same degree as a boost suit. IE Space Marine armor in 40k or SC.

[@dragonturtle2703]

I see two massive advantages to exoskeletons: 1.) mobility. The armored plates would limit their speed. Or just use it for more firepower. 2.) armor plates are expensive, and sometimes humans are expendable, not only would you save money mass producing exos, but they would be more likely to survive in usable or salvageable condition than the wearer. Also, one could argue the dreadknoght is a cyborg, it’s limbs replaced with a mini-mech.

[@AnonD38]

Cyborg implies that the implants were integrated into the person. I guess it could be classified as a cyborg mech, but not just a cyborg.

[@dragonturtle2703]

@@AnonD38 good point.

[@cjadams7434]

one of my favorite ones which you didn’t mention are 1 Bubblegum Crisis (hardsuits) i would consider powerarmor and same would go for the 2nd one which is the “Cyclone” ride armor (robotech) or mospeda. Those were one of my favorite..

[@RaptorRed79]

the Proto-type from the Halo Legends series was very cool, and I wish it was available in game. LOL!! "Nothing says Scary. Like a man running at you with 6 Dewalt Drills taped to his arm." I love that description.

[@whyjnot420]

Did we just forget about the term "mech suit" for those things inbetween power armor and full up mechs?

[@fallentitan9811]

Man I don’t know where you found that armor concept art for the power armor at 0:45 but damn do those look nice. And so does whatever is shown on 13:14.

[@dvd1098]

Things that I think of when talking about: Exoskeleton - CoD: Advanced Warfare Power Armor - Starcraft Marine Mini-mech - Appleseed Landmate

[@jaromswenson7541]

A good example of the concept of minimech that blurs the line between power armor and mecha is the landmates from the "appleseed" franchise. You can see what they are like with basic Google and KZbin search. The pilots legs are in the thighs of the mech (thighs are big enough to allow the pilot leg to bend and direct the control of the rest of the leg), think of it like an advanced stilt. The pilots pelvis is in the pelvis of the mech, and thus the mech can only twist its torso to the limits of the wearer. The pilots torso and head are in the lower abdomen of the mech. The pilot sees outside through cameras and sensors in the head of the mini mech itself. And the most iconic part is the pilots arms are in a set of small armored braces that jut from the mechs abdomen. The mechs massive arms are slaved to the motion of thess braces, making the mech look liek it has two sets of arms (although the smaller arms the pilots is using are only for control, and do not have a secondary purpose (the big arms are meant for carrying stuff and weapons). The artist of this suit is also known for his other franchise, ghost in the shell. Hes got a good sense of mechanical design with his variety of cyborgs and spider tanks and of course mini mechs like the landmate.

[@furrystarcat]

That brings up an interesting point... How would you classify a Ghost in the Shell prosthetic body? Does the body frame make a difference? (They come in both humanoid and "tiny robot limbs stuck to a little metal box where your brain goes") I suppose that's one of the main themes... Where do you draw the line between person and equipment?

[@liamspruce6776]

I’m into the whole EDF universes Fencer PA, 2 GAU8 ‘s no problem, giant hammers, drills, MLRS pods and body pillows are all viable options too. And now to be a EDF patriot: To save our mother Earth from any alien attacks. From vicsous giant insects who have one again come back. We’ll unleash all our forces, we won’t cut them any slack. The EDF deploys!

[@supsup335]

Personal favourites: guyver bioarmor, type 303 armored suit from ghost in tge shell sac, space cavalery heavy suit from space battleship yamato 2202, and as an honorable mention: the ironman mark 3.

[@williamvickers6197]

It makes sense that the surge rig isnt armoured since its meant for industrial use rather than combat use, from the point of the company making them, theres no real benefit to them paying more for armour plating when they really dont care if you die. As for mini mech vs powered armour I think battletech has some good examples, I would argue the elementals and the inner sphere standard armours and such are power armour, but then things like the kanazuchi and the sloth are more like mini mechs as they are piloted more than worn

[@Average_GDI_Disk_Thrower]

While I am not the biggest fan of the direction the Command and conquer Tiberian Wars games took that universes' lore in, I do absolutely LOVE the GDI Zone Trooper Armour. More specifically, there is an artist rendition of it somewhere on the internet of how it would look if it wasn't made by game engine artists using comic book logic, where the artist portrays the armour as more an Environmental Suit that was then upgraded with heavy armour specs, as Function followed by Form. Its massive and bulky, but you can very much tell that its primary job is to protect the user against the environment first and foremost, with the armour slabs being there to help against bullets and whatever else. Genuinely my favourite depiction of power armour in fiction simply because of that artist.

[@jjkrayenhagen]

One of the things that really bugs me about larger power armors/smaller mini mechs is when the pilot/ wearer’s legs are in the larger legs of the suit but have the same proportions as a regular human. Lex Luther’s larger suits are this way as well as the Sisters of Battle Paragon Warsuits. Either you foot is past the suit’s knee and as soon as it bends it’s knee it breaks your shins or your foot is above it’s knee and you can’t bend your knees every time it picks up it’s legs.

[@blackc1479]

Yeah, I totally get it. I've just gotten into 40k in the last few years. I really dig most of it, but cant help mentally visualizing what the marines bodies would have to look like to fit in the armor. Their proportions would have to be hilarious based on some of the artwork.

[@SpartanOli]

11:50 A thing to note for the prototype armor. Ghost (the marine piloting it in the episode), has his *full marine armor* underneath the prototype.

[@RelativelyBest]

Regarding the exoskeletons in Edge of Tomorrow, I always kinda assumed they weren't fitted with armor because that would make them more expensive and therefore harder to produce and field _en masse,_ plus more armor would mean less guns and ammo, and it's questionable if armor would even be effective enough against the mimics to be worth it. At least, that's how I would justify it. I've spent a lot of time thinking about how I want power armor to work in my own sci-fi setting. What I ended up with is basically a bodysuit that enhances the strength and toughness of the wearer, and it's actually used by most space-faring individuals since it adjusts to gravity and pressure differences while also doubling as a space suit when equipped with a helmet, oxygen supply and kinetic thrusters. Military grade versions tend to provide even greater strength and have shielded armor plating attached on top of it. There are also what you call mini-mechs: 4-5 meter tall humanoid vehicles sorta similar to the MCU hulkbuster armor or the armor of Davoth from Doom Eternal. They operate more like something between tanks and fighter craft rather than infantry units.

[@kubouscz8677]

I remember seeing something like a centurion in 40k which was an exoskeleton for power armour

[@deforesttappan6478]

I always saw the exo suit as a proto PA. Or at least the bones of one.

[@zacharygurney3402]

My personal type of power armor (and I don't remember where I read this) is a exo-skelton like armor but it has an extra set of robotic arms on the back that a entirely different soldier is controlling remotely

[@madskillz808]

"Matt Damon with a bunch of tubes stuck to his face" is the scifi equivalent of "just glue some gears on it and call it steampunk."

[@Sparten7F4]

Armor in Edge of Tomorrow exists. Some have large plates. But the Mimics punch through vehicle armor so they probably didn’t see any merit in it

[@Autobotmech]

Glitter boy from Palladiums Rifts, is my fav "mini mech" design

[@bismarkeugen6881]

This is perfect timing, I was working on exo-skeletons and power armour for a story i am writing.

[@Alpostpone]

Just a question, do military exo-skeletons feature in your work and if so, how?

[@bismarkeugen6881]

@@Alpostpone Still early stages but the basic idea is infantry portable heavy weapons(missile pods, railguns, energy weapons, tank sized cannons, etc), movement assist(grappling hooks, jet packs, that sort of thing), and defense using energy shields. Armour is minimal, mainly just aesthetic or mounting points, as anything that can break the shields isn't going to be stopped by a small enough amount of armour that it doesn't reduce speed to a detrimental level. Sizes of nominally humanoid mechs(piloted and unmanned) range from 2-4m and the environment is a canal city of skyscrapers resulting in lots of verticality and indoor combat with no roads or flat open ground leading to Frames, as the exo-skeletons and mini-mechs are called, small boats/jetskis and VTOL gunships being the primary combat vehicles.

[@nicktechnubyte1184]

Excellent follow-up video to the mech video

[@RazorToaster]

RIFTS RPG has some really cool power armours of all kinds. It's full of PA with integrated weapons. My favourite is the samson.

[@Jacen32272]

I'm not sure which side of the line it's on, but the M.A.D.O.X. from M.A.D.O.X. 01 (an '80's era OVA) is either a very chunky suit of Power armor, or a very small Mini Mech. It's three barreled .50 BMG cannon and stated anti-tank function implies the later, but while bulky it's not THAT big. Frankly, it's what I envision a first gen power armor design might be like. (Fun fact, in the original Bubblegum Crisis OVA series, M.A.D.O.X. style power armor suits are in use, and supplemental material state M.A.D.O.X. 01 is a prequel of that series.) Exoskeletons are in development IRL, but are a ways off from being ready to have extra armor be bolted on top of it. Mostly due to maintenance requirements and weight limit for now, I expect. Still I would not be surprised if a standard issue military exosuit is produced in my lifetime...

[@XaviusNight]

My usual line for the difference between a Mech and Power Armor is whether you are controlling it by moving as if it's an extension of your body, it's Powered Armor with the exception of if it is an open design, at which point it's just an Exoskeleton. Mechs are when you are driving it from a seat using a control system that is symbolic, not representative - and yes, I *am* aware this means that the Pacific Rim Jaegers would be classified as a really gigantic suit of Powered Armor. They are. Fight me on this, I draw power from conflict.

[@anthonyplough556]

Powered armor from starship troopers is among my favorites.

[@zachlong5427]

At the 6:39 mark, that is a cool picture. Looking at it inspired me to think 'hmm, yeah. Just combine an EOD bombsuit with the exoskeleton and that would be effective!" (Exoskeleton helping with the weight of 80lb bomb suit, EOD providing its own protection, but still the best defense against bullets is 'don't get shot'. Ooo! And making sure the guy in the EODEXO doesn't pass out from overheating.)

[@josefstalin9678]

I feel like the exoskeletons in edge of tomorrow make sense because they're used to carry the heavier weapons needed to kill one of the aliens and the armor needed to protect you from one of the aliens would need to be significantly beefier and they already arent very quick or nimble. Some of them have larger shoulder and chest protection but even the more lacking ones have a small plate on the upper chest in addition to the regular ballistic vest worn by the soldier under the exoskeleton. Now taking your helmet off... yeah that's just an actor thing

[@kingdipshiz]

Mechs have cockpits that the user is in and drives the mech Power armor is armor you wear that is assisted by whatever technology of the setting.

[@LeeCarlson]

I believe that the primary dividing line between an exoskeleton and what you call "power-armor proper" is whether or not it functions as an environmental support system allowing you to function in a theater contaminated by chemical, biological, or radiological agents, or just being in a vacuum.

[@Alpostpone]

Not really, you can well have a power armor that doesn't come with full sealed env suit features. Exoskeleton with plates bolted on it is still a power armor, it has both "power" and "armor". Contrast with the many exoskeletons that clearly carry no armor, which is kind of silly.

[@34avejoe]

John Steakley wrote a great book simply called Armor he described his powered armor this way " Two meters tall, they weighed six times their norm. Their armorer powered hands could crush steel, stone, bone. Armored legs could propel the fastest around 100 kilometers per standard hour. The suit protected them as well, automatically and instantly distributing most concussions in an evenly expanding pattern from the point of impact to the entire surface of the armor. Standard warrior armor carried blaze-rifles on each sleeve. Hold the arm out, palm down, drop the wrist: blazerfire . Even plassteel would boil before it. The blaze-bombs clipped on racks on their backs provided not only an explosion, but spherical delivery of blazerfire in a single heartbeat." Great book, the powered armor is almost a character of it's own and I can't recommend it enough. Steakley's second book was made into a bad movie Vampire$, the book so much better.

[@DE0.01]

mjolnir mk.IV and up is pretty much really streamlined fallout power armor.

[@rhodes3983]

My favourite mini-mech is probably the "Mongoose" powersuit from Brigador. The Mog can carry two weapons from the "light" category (ranging from machine guns to recoilless rifles) and can mount one piece of equipment (smoke dispensers and active camo to EMP launchers and the audiokinetic pulse AKA the "kill everything in a 90° cone" button). Plus it has hardshields, greatly enhancing it's survivability and allowing it to actually stand a chance against much larger vehicles when piloted by a good strategist. It is very clearly not power armor as there is an armored compartment in which the pilot sits and controls the Mog via a cranial jack and regular old joysticks, but it is also small enough to be distinct from the true mechs in the game (which are up to building sized and capable of mounting warship grade weaponry). So I think the term mini-mech is applicable to the Mog and I really like the in-game lore text for it.

[@scienceinsanity6927]

Bro, brigador is a criminaly under rated game. Love to see others who are aware of it. Updoot

[@frodo7287]

Starship Troopers literally had mini nukes on their combat suits (zoots). That is and always will be freaking awesome. It is also OG powered armor.

[@Mario_Angel_Medina]

The barebones (pun not intended) _Elysium-style_ exoskeleton would be more logical for civilian use, to lift heavy things in docks or contruction sites and the like... I could believe a guerrilla group with limited access to military gear repurposing a bunch of them for combat; but as a tool for actual soldiers it wouldn't work

[@HiiroRocker101]

I wanna point out, the exoskeletons in The Surge are actually a pretty good antithesis to the problem you have with exos not having armor. They're first and foremost a form of strength enhancement for blue collar workers, but the security forces have additional combat armor that attach to the skeletons, and workers who are involved in hazardous jobs typically have some sort of specialized gear added onto their skeletons, such as hazmat or vacuum protection. Most of the time, it's not even armor in the strictest sense, it's just utility gear for specialized jobs, but at least it's extra chunks of metal between the wearer and the chainsaw swords. But it makes sense that if heavy machinery can be used as weapons, the gear they wore to "safely" use that machinery can be used as armor.

[@geophrie8272]

There was medieval spindle armour used as a lighter cheaper extension to gabersons and mail. Helped resist slashing and crushing attacks. They could just be light armour that focused more enhanced strength and mobility

[@Rawkit_Surgeon]

When in doubt If you wear it, power armor. If you pilot it, its a mech.

[@stillunsure7630]

You missed out starship Troopers Marauder armour split between the books, films and cartoons!

[@ernstbergerbrent]

The gravis armor astartes are not primaris terminators. Garvis armor is T6 3+ armor save and no invulnerable save. Terminator armor is T5 2+ armor and 4+ invulnerable save. It also can teleport.

[@Alpostpone]

Thanks for spelling it out, I've been confused.

[@tau-5794]

Or basically, Gravis is just extra layers over normal power armor, Terminator is a different suit with bulked up parts and different construction.

[@Kitkat-986]

I'm a huge fan of Battletech, and they have all three types of power armor, along with full sized mechs of both the walking tank and humanoid war machine variety, often bluring the lines between the two.

[@lukasz88888888]

The worst thing about Edge of Tomorrow is that it's modeled after the manga where they have armor that has armor.

[@genxtinct6207]

My favorite is the Marine Arm-Suit from Ghost in the Shell SAC; such an awesome piece of hardware!

[@apollyonshost]

I find it hilarious that Halo's Mjolnir armor was talked about as well as the Mantis *and* that weird prototype from Legends, but the best example of a 'mini-mech', the Cyclops, was left out entirely

[@dragonturtle2703]

An idea for a future topic (if interested of course): bio mechanical tech. Like something out of a bio punk setting, or what a Tyranid/Zerg would use.

[@Crescent-gh9sg]

I love the Edge of Tomorrow's source material All You Need Is Kill, but don't know where the Jackets from the manga fit.

[@KillerOrca]

They're closer to being mechs based on the descriptions I would say.

[@preachymink9468]

​@@KillerOrcathey're more comparable to true power armor proportionally. They work almost exactly like Fallout 4s power armor they just give you absolutely crazy physical capabilities.

[@wilemelliott]

One of the other ones that comes to mind that is more of a suit and less than a minimech...maybe... is the Mobile Infantry PA suits from Starship Troopers [the book, animated, and anime version not the Verhooven movie]

[@deadknight1402]

The power armours from RIFTS tend to be cartoonishly tall. The prime example would be the most popularly well-known power armour in the setting, the Glitter Boy suit, standing at 11 feet tall. It even has some funny diagrams of what the wearer/pilot looks like inside of the suit.

[@greg-qc4iy]

I have been looking forwards to this one

[@johnsmithfakename8422]

The power loader is Industrial equipment BUT it was evolved from the Powered Exoskeleton. I consider it to be a powered exoskeleton. The Javelin's from Anthem are probably my favorite militarized powered armor (It is too small for a mini-mech and too large for powered armor). It offers protection, gives flight, is intimidating, and more. All the while it fits you like a glove. Minimechs ... Exo Squad's E-Frame is my favorite and nothing can change that.

[@MonteKowalsky]

Oh man, Exo Squad

[@geoffreyentwistle8176]

My own favorite blurring between powered armor and mechs is in the TTRPG Lancer - a mech combat TTRPG. They classify the mechs in size from size 1 (1 hex, basically 2-3 times the size of a human) to size 4 (a medium-sized office building with legs, guns, and a pilot). But there are also size 1/2 mechs - vehicles that are too heavy to be considered armor (which is worn by the pilots even when inside of the mechs), but that aren't all that much larger than a human, given that they're able to fit through doors with some modification. Despite their size, they're still capable of mounting mech-scale weapons and systems, and are able to absorb damage before their pilot would. One of the licenses includes an upscaled double-barrel shotgun with an aggressive shell ejection system - so aggressive that it's capable of fatally harming humans, and even damaging other mechs that are too close. I suppose THAT is where I draw the line: a mech includes two things. First, it needs to be able to take and shrug off hits without necessarily causing harm to the driver. And second, it needs an additional level of interface with the wearer in an indirect sense.

[@Cylindryk]

@12:45 - Centurion Warsuit is exo-skeleton, but for people already in Power Armor. ;)

[@demonic_myst4503]

Third option dreadnought is a large cyborg

[@callsignsaint1377]

One power armor I never hear mention of and in my opinion can put nearly every other to shame is the book version of the Mobile Infantry Suits in Star Ship Troopers. Atomic weapons, speed, about every sensor you can imagine, and tanky.

[@igncom1]

The Mark 1 Wolverine from Tiberian Sun. It's a mech.... but also an infantry. But certainly a mech! But the game treats it like an infantry.

[@Average_GDI_Disk_Thrower]

Hey, someone else who mentioned the Tiberian universe! Cheers. My love for Wolverines grew even more when I saw that first person Firestorm game being developed, and saw some gameplay footage of them being used. Coolest mini-mech ever imho, even if that model has chicken legs for no good reason.

[@amstrad00]

While I personally think of the titular VOTOMS as being mecha, I could see it being argued that they're some form of mini-mech. They're much smaller than the mecha in other franchises, but it's defiantly a 'piloting' situation rather than a 'wearing' one.

[@vorgar2997]

I love tex, but I don't have to wait a year per video. You guys are funny and way more accessible. Keep up the good work.

[@mezarisage6055]

shoutout to the MEC troopers from XCOM enemy within, I'd say they probably class as mini mechs, especially since regular powered armour is a thing in that game and isn't as large.

[@sebastiang.5032]

Favorite Mini-Mech: The Protomechs of Battletech.

[@LordCrate-du8zm]

“Aggressors are just Primaris Terminators change my mind.” With pleasure. 1. Terminators LACK a lot of integrated weapons, the most you’d get are powerfists/chainfists. Instead they rely on handheld stuff, which is fine for the most part. 2. Gravis armor is an EXPLICITLY DIFFERENT pattern of armor from Terminator battleplate. It’s like comparing an armored transport to a Humvee. 3. Their battlefield roles are different. Terminators are veteran Astartes equipped with the best armor and guns the chapter can field, oftentimes REQUIRING Terminator armor depending on the guns used. Aggressors are basically battleline beat sticks equipped with twin Power Fists and wrist mounted guns.

[@zackarieneifert7014]

Ah, the centurioun, for when your power armor has power armor

[@Alpostpone]

Centurion? Hah, lightweight! Try dreadknight on for size!

[@cp1cupcake]

@@Alpostpone A dreadknight is when the powered armor has an exoskeleton.

[@bennuredjedi]

Best representations of powered exoskeletons can be found in COD Advance Warfare and Infinite Warfare, other PA systems that are worth mentioning are Patton Armor/Section 8, Mobile Suit/Starship Troopers Invasion Universe, CMC Armor/Starcraft, Augmented Reaction Suit/Vanquished, Nanosuit/Crysis and Accelerator Suit/GI Joe, there others Guyver Bio booster Armor, Tekka Man Tekka Armor, Ironman PA, Obsolete PA and the Powered Hard suits of Mass Effect.

[@corywilliams2255]

In the CGI animated series ROUGHNECKS: THE STARSHIP TROOPERS CHRONICLES, and in the two CGI animated movies STARSHIP TROOPERS: INVASION and STARSHIP TROOPERS: TRAITOR OF MARS, the Mobile Infantry soldiers were definitely wearing power armor, in keeping with the original novel by Robert A. Heinlein. And let us not forget Marvel's Iron Man and War Machine.

[@LeeCarlson]

Two big problems with your preferred power-armor are that if you have ever worn full plate armor, or (more importantly) had to engineer full plate, you learn very quickly the (limited) tolerances and just how quickly an impact can foul up an articulation to the point where the joint being protected is now useless. and even if you are using 2-gauge steel, that is not going to prevent that hail of machine-gun fire from hammering you with blunt trauma that will bruise (if not break) many of your squishy bits. My apologies for the rant. Sometimes lighter armor providing quicker reactions is superior to heavy steel.

[@Alpostpone]

That partly boils down to how expensive you consider your personnel. Changing a piece of armor and a quick visit to sick bay is much preferable to a hero's funeral. Of course, one should engineer an armor to retain individual soldier's mobility, otherwise you might be better off with an armored vehicle.