Chipwell/Wellington tech levels

[The Grand Poobah]

Any guesses on the general tech levels of Chipwell/Wellington? My best guess is the 2030s. Also, any guess on Iron Heart Armaments tech level? Once again I'm guessing the 2030s.

[Shark_Force]

depends on tech.

the entire rifts earth setting is probably well below where i'd expect the 2030s to be in terms of, say, computer technology and communications. probably also in sensors in some ways, oddly enough. they are, on the flip side, way further ahead in robotics, chemistry, energy storage, nanotechnology, materials science (is this just a branch of chemistry more or less? i'm really not sure), medical science (particularly in cybernetics and such) and a few other areas.

chipwell and wellington in particular might have lower general tech levels than, say, the coalition states, but are still well ahead of 2030 in a number of areas.

for example, let us consider the two specific examples you asked about: chipwell and wellington industries.

chipwell can make armoured exoskeletons that, as i recall, have about the same SDC asa modern heavy tank. in a human-sized package, comparatively extremely lightweight, and much tougher pound-for-pound. their more advanced models could probably destroy a dozen tanks provided the armour can get in range to attack, and if my GMG is right they can use that laser an unlimited number of times until the suit's battery wears out (iirc, that's around 1 day? GMG doesn't say). which is quite an impressive battery pack that thing is hauling. in addition, they can churn these things out for dirt cheap. i mean, we're talking a quarter of a million credits on the high end, and i'd be surprised if after doing the math we found that credits were more than about 4 USD each equivalent.

it is important to remember that while chipwell is a discount manufacturer, that doesn't mean they have really low tech levels. it just means they've cut a lot of corners in making their products. if we're talking in terms of what kind of tech they have integrated into their workforce's houses and such, then honestly, it might even be behind ours. truth be told, if you really look at it, there isn't a massive difference in how comfortable you live vs how comfortably your parents lived. if they had, say, 1990s-era tech for their general population, they'd be living pretty much just as comfortably as you or i live today. even with 1960s tech, it wouldn't be a huge change... quality of image and sound on TVs and music players would be better, entertainment devices would be a lot more portable, but for the most part, i don't think standard of living has really massively improved in terms of what the average home looks like.

now, on to wellington. they probably sound like they also have extremely low tech levels compared to most of the world. on the flip side, their grenade launcher packs way more of a punch than CS grenades, has an incredible range compared to most rifts weaponry, and is capable of burst firing grenades which i don't think anyone else has pulled off that i can recall. seriously, one person with a wilk's grenade launcher can probably take out a hundred or more of regular rifts infantry in the space of a few seconds if the setup is right (say, for example, the person with the grenade launcher is ambushing a densely-packed large group of people traveling on a road). something which, i hasten to add, i don't think the CS could reasonably pull off with published vehicle weapons, let alone man-portable systems (whether or not you think they *should* be able to do it, using something more like modern artillery - one type of weapon which is oddly lacking in the rifts setting material - is another matter entirely. and they probably should be able to, as should most competent military organizations).

so, 2030s tech? probably much better in terms of manufacturing and certain areas, and probably not as good in a variety of other areas (because seriously, rifts earth doesn't need a new model of iphone half as much as it needs armour that could withstand an asteroid impact).

iron heart armaments iirc has late 21st century manufacturing. or at least, they did until the CS invaded, killed them all, and took their stuff. i presume their burial arrangements are about as technologically advanced as any other mass grave, and consists of an unmarked hole in the ground that was subsequently filled with corpses and then had dirt pushed back on top to keep them from stinking up the neighbourhood; the CS don't seem like the sort of people to give the victims of their murderous acts a particularly fancy funeral.

[The Grand Poobah]

Let me rephrase it then. What's the thought on there weapons tech level.

[Riftmaker]

Let me rephrase it then. What's the thought on there weapons tech level.

Sub Northen gun level. I've had a theory for a while the plans boris chipwell found that lead to the founding of the company where just very old outdated plans for the earliest MDC stuff.

[Shark_Force]

huh. already replied to your PM on the matter, but guess I can basically repeat myself here:

WI apparently has explosives as good as or better than anyone else in the setting, with the exception of people like naruni. chipwell apparently either uses a wilk's laser in their suit, or something extremely similar to a wilk's laser (probably the former; their other suit with a built-in weapon uses a WI mini-missile launcher iirc).

and, as I noted in the PM, if I had to make a bet regarding who makes the best artillery in the setting, WI would probably be the company I'd expect it from.

iron heart armaments I'd say are probably about the same as NG was at the time they were around. that said, NG seems to have recently really upped their game afaict (two world books will do that to you).

[flatline]

iron heart armaments I'd say are probably about the same as NG was at the time they were around. that said, NG seems to have recently really upped their game afaict (two world books will do that to you).

It's too bad that Palladium can't add variety without also upping the power level or advancing the time line. Fleshing out the setting without making previous material obsolete just requires a little planning and discipline.

[The Grand Poobah]

I agree, Palladium really needs to finish one area or subject before moving on to another one.

[Warmaster40k]

Some of Iron Heart survived if I remember correctly, they fled on a flotilla of ships to Africa, and built a small factory.

[Blue_Lion]

Some of Iron Heart survived if I remember correctly, they fled on a flotilla of ships to Africa, and built a small factory.

What book says that last I saw the survivors where pirates.

If they standardize things and made them about options and not power then you can add without making them obsolete.

[The Grand Poobah]

Rifts Vampires Sourcebook pg 103 says the Iron Heart survivors made a base in Veracruz, Mexico. The CS detroyed the base and the survivors fled into the the Mexican interior.