USA Update: Machine Age news

Good evening everybody!

We hope you've all had a great week. Before we start, we would first like to say that on behalf of the SWR Productions team, we wish you a very happy Mother's Day for those celebrating it today. So if you haven't, go send a message to your Mum and wish her the best 😄
Anyway, lets get on with the real meat-and-potatoes of this weeks update...

This week we are showcasing some of our new US support units. Some of these units have actually been in the game for a few years now - but as with many of the units from that period - have only now got focused unit descriptions. As we have mentioned before, 1.9 has had a serious focus on improving the mod's performance and one of the biggest ways we have been able to do this is to start phasing out units that used the so-called Bike Logic, a feature of code originally used in the GLA Combat Bike, but widely used in an invisible manner to make many other units "work" the way you know them. This is now being replaced with a new Kit Logic, using instantaneous upgrades to modify the features of a unit, which will help us cut down on code bloat and reduce the risk of mismatches when playing against the AI, an issue previously exacerbated by widespread of use of the old Bike Logic.

This is where Kit Logic comes in.

It is a little bit more limited than Bike Logic, but the performance and code savings it allows us to use are greatly appreciated, as are the decrease in PvE mismatches as well. We are really excited to be exploring the capabilities of what Kit Logic allows us to do, and we can't wait to show you guys more of how we have been appropriating it throughout the faction's unit rosters.

The CQ-31 ARES (Aerial Reconfigurable Embedded System), or Drone Lifter as it is commonly called, was designed to deliver supplies and personnel to areas unsuitable for larger manned aircraft or ground transport. For that reason, it is often employed as a medevac for injured troops on the battlefield or as a resupply and reconnaissance drone for ships at sea. It is powered by four ducted fans, giving it the speed of an aircraft and the VTOL capabilities of a helicopter, with a carrying capacity of to 2500 kg of men and cargo. The low noise signature of the fans, coupled with advanced stealth coatings, also allows the drone to mask itself on approach. Commanders who choose to emphasise Air Mobility tactics can authorise any infantry unit to request immediate pick-up by a Drone Lifter at their current location while vehicle commanders can call upon the heavy Starlifter transport.

Besides its use by the US armed forces and a number of other militaries, the Drone Lifter also proved useful in a number of civilian roles. During a particularly devastating wildfire season in California, it was used for aerial evacuations, insertion of fire fighters and as a highly effective water bomber against the fires themselves. This later prompted the development of a dedicated fire-fighting variant that sees frequent use in the US, Canada, Australia and several other countries affected by yearly wildfires. Other variants have been developed for use by air ambulance services, law enforcement and commercial cargo and taxi firms.

Unit Description by Torquatus



The Supply Drone is the latest variant of a robotic vehicle originally developed by a team of Carnegie Mellon University's National Robotics Engineering Center as a ground-based alternative to the MV-22 Osprey tiltrotor and CH-47 Chinook transport helicopter, particularly for distances where it would be uneconomical to utilize aircraft or in environments where there is a significant hostile SAM/AAA presence. It is a fully autonomous six-wheeled vehicle capable of travel over rough terrain and a maximum speed of 42 km/h. The drone can carry up to 3,600 kg of cargo and features a hybrid electric-hydrogen fuel cell engine, an electronic suspension, and a hull made of an aluminium-titanium alloy. Widely used throughout the US military and a particular favourite with special forces, airborne and Marine units, the Supply Drone has not only distinguished itself as a key logistical asset during counter-guerrilla operations in Africa and Latin America, but also played a role in a number of disaster relief and humanitarian missions.

Unit Description by Torquatus

Even in the high-tech warfare environment of the mid-21st century, the foundational building block of every military remains the squad - the small, tight-knit combat-survival community. After the experience of the War on Terror, most nations sought to extract various lessons to inform their future infantry doctrine, from the Chinese PLA emphasising social cohesion and group zeal, to the reformed Russian Army mending its historic deficiencies with a new culture of camaraderie and low-level leadership, to the Europeans educating a new generation of soldiers in multiple languages and common history.

The new American doctrine was marked by two discernible trends: The introduction of skills previously associated with special forces into the rank-and-file infantry formations and the implementation of military robotics right down to the lowest level. One result of the latter development is the Multi Drone, an unmanned companion vehicle that is now found in every infantry squad of the US Army and Marine Corps. Controlled by an autonomous AI and powered by a hybrid hydrogen-electric drive, the Multi can accompany American troops on extended manoeuvres without the need for a dedicated operator, as it is capable of interpreting spoken commands and hand signals directly from fellow soldiers.

By default, every Multi Drone is armed with an M134 Minigun to provide additional fire support to the squad, but its true utility is in the versatility suggested by its name: Individual drones can be equipped with medical supplies and stretchers to act as a light ambulance, engineering equipment to serve in a repair role, or extra ammunition to bolster the firepower of nearby friendlies. In the latter configuration, the drone also receives a grenade launcher loaded with flashbangs to assist in crowd control and live capture missions.

Emphasising its central function in US doctrine, rapid air delivery of Multi Drones can be requested by all non-drone ground forces.

Unit Description by MARS2588

Here we can see the Multi-Drone with its ammunition kit, providing additional firepower to any surrounding infantry.

This is the Multi-Drone with its medical kit, providing healing to surrounding infantry units.



Finally, the Multi-Drone with its Repair Kit. With its trusty crane and supplies of spare parts, this kit repairs surrounding vehicles.

That is all for this week!

If you missed MaelstromX103's live stream last night and want to see some more of the new 1.9 units in action, the recording of the stream has been uploaded here. Thank you to all who joined in for the fun, silliness, and salt. We hope you enjoyed and we can't wait to see you again soon for another one.

Till next time, and call your Mum's ya lazy bums'