CMC Powered Combat Suit

"A true terran marine needs a big, impressive weapon. But that's not all&mdash;where's your armor, soldier?"

The Confederate Marine Corps Powered Combat Suit is a terran armored exoskeleton. Successive models continue to see widespread use by terran forces in the Koprulu sector, including the Terran Dominion and Kel-Morian Combine. The Umojan Protectorate also uses armor similar to the CMC design.

Following the Fall of the Confederacy, CMC armor retained the name. "Hardskin" is another term used to describe the armor.

Armor is commonly personalized by suit and visor art.

Suiting Up
"Strapped into powered armor, I got the ladies always looking at me. They can't believe the size of my over-engineered codpiece."

- Terran Up the Night (lyrics) The size and bulk of some types of armor before and during the Great War required frequent training to don efficiently. Depending on a suit's material state and the user's experience it could take three to twenty minutes to suit up. Constant drills allowed early members of the Sons of Korhal to complete the task in just one minute.

Easier methods were available after the, at the latest. Some suits allowed the helmet and surrounding segments to be removed and replaced, allowing a user to simply climb in through the opening. A more involved method consisted of the suit being constructed from prefabricated parts around the user, seemingly sealing the user inside.

Known Models
''Note: Multiple aesthetics exist for the same versions of the CMC suit, which at times contradict each other. Information has been kept general where possible, though distinctions have had to be made when there are specific differences.''

Pressurized Power Suit
The pressurized power suit (a.k.a. "assault armor") was issued some time before the CMC-300 and -400 series became prevalent. These models were effectively replaced by CMC Powered Combat Suits, though some were still in use during the Great War.

CMC-200 Powered Combat Suit
The CMC-200 Powered Combat Suit was used in the 25th century. By 2478 it was being phased out by its successor, the CMC-300 and was considered obsolete by the Guild Wars, only being used for training. Still, Colonial Militias and law enforcement continued to use the CMC-200 during the Great War.

The CMC-200 is known to have the following features:


 * Air conditioner (a "backpack" which channels heat away from the body)


 * Visor System: Lights flicker on the interior of the visor's rim acting as a basic guide. Green, yellow and presumably red feature, keeping the user informed of the suit's integrity.


 * Shoulder housed ammunition reloads and sensor arrays.


 * Structural support (supports the user's body, e.g. adjusts itself to fit a firing stance, improving the gunner's aim).


 * Salvage System: Should the suit's arm or leg be breached, the suit seals it off in a tourniquet.


 * Immunity to most small arms fire. A needle gun can penetrate the suit, however.


 * Seven day endurance on internal recycling alone.


 * Basic NBC (nuclear/biological/chemical) shielding.


 * Limited life support.

In addition, the suit is compatible with stimpacks, which are able to be installed under the arms.

CMC-225
The CMC-225 was the standard powered armor used by the Terran Confederacy during the Guild Wars. Its backpack released exhaust.

Thunderstrike Armor
"They say that clothes make the man. My suits make the man into a fekkin' monster."

- Hiram Feek, designer of the Thunderstrike armor.

CMC-230 XE
The CMC-230 XE "Thunderstrike" armor was a prototype jetpack equipped hardskin developed by Procyon Industries technician Hiram Feek and used by members of the "Heaven's Devils." A variation of this suit included two shoulder mounted missile launchers capable of launching four fire-and-forget missiles each. In the event of a medical emergency, the armor would burst open to allow medical personnel to access the pilot within. Unlike other sets of powered armor, it was not equipped with waste disposal.

The armor quickly fell out of use due to reliability issues.

CMC-230 XF
"That's beautiful! Can I have one?"

- Hank Harnack after seeing a CMC-230 XF in use

The CMC-230 XF was the flame trooper version of the XE, and was nicknamed the "firebat." After its cancellation, a non-jump capable version of the latter was retained for Confederate military use.

CMC-300 Powered Combat Suit
The CMC-300 Powered Combat Suit is the much improved successor to the CMC-200. It was already in service by 2478 and was standard issue to marines during the Great War. The CMC-300 weighs several hundred pounds and adds a foot to the wearer's height. Old Confederate-era CMC-300's continue to be issued to some Dominion garrisons after the. The suit is powered by cold fusion cartridges that are inserted into the suit's chest. These reactors have an operational failure rate of less than 0.5% in the field, a figure so impressive that it's regularly attributed to divine providence. The suit's motors are also located in the chest, powering the servos that allow for the suit's enhanced movement.

The upper back section of the suit houses a series of rubber tubes. These run through the jointed areas of the suit, protecting wires and distributing coolant. These tubes make up the bulk of an efficient liquid cooling system, assisted by a twin set of high-speed turbines. These "afterburners," as they are commonly known, vent the heat generated by the suit’s power supply, and the temperature buildup in harsh atmospheric conditions. Segmented plates support the arm joints and spine. Control of the suit is done through an operator interface within the gauntlets. The user's hand is located between the suit's wrist and fingers. While the user's fingers do not slip into the suit's fingers, a haptic feedback system ensures precise control (in theory). The suit's visor is made of a clear, durable material named plexithene.

CMC-300s receive serial numbers, and the armor parts also receive individual numbers.

Features

 * Advanced NBC shielding.


 * Aural Directional Enhancers: Help clarify the source of external and transmitted sounds.


 * Full life support.


 * Gravity Generation: The suit is compatible with gravity accelerators for use on space platforms. Grav-boots may provide an alternative though.


 * Enhanced protection, but can still be penetrated by a needle gun.


 * Gun compartments located in the lower leg sections.


 * HUD: A Heads-Up Display (HUD) is built into the visor. Its features include infra-red vision, a "navigation mode" which superimposes a map of surrounding terrain and pinpoints prominent features, targeting systems, is capable of displaying life support as a percentage and the amount of ammunition in a soldier's equipped weapon, the ability to detect motion to some extent, and a data system which, with the appropriate link, can let the user 'jack in' to video and data feeds, the information scrolling across the visor. The visor itself may be lowered/raised and/or (un)polarized at the user's discretion, though will automatically (un)polarize based on the intensity of light hitting it. Colors that can result include black and gold. A blast shield can be lowered over the visor.


 * Integrated communication system for field coordination.


 * Lockdown System: Used to stabilize wounded soldiers and/or prevent a shorted-out suit from misfiring. The disadvantage is that it prevents the user from moving.


 * At least some versions of the suit pump narcotics into the wounded wearer's bloodstream when its user is wounded, which can cause the wearer to fall unconscious.


 * Mufflers which reduce the amount of noise the suit makes and the user's heat signature. Difference exists as to how much sound is masked however.


 * Shoulder and/or chest mounted illuminators. The spectrum is determined via voice activation.


 * Structural Support: The amount of support that the suit provides is greatly increased from the CMC-200 model, increasing his/her strength and speed, stamina no longer becoming an issue. The servos enable a wearer to dash up steep slopes and safely land from heights of twenty feet. The legs are piston-powered, allowing the user to make long jumps.


 * The C-14 rifle may be connected to and powered by the suit.


 * A resupply unit for stimpacks.


 * Liquid cooling systems.

Overall, the suit is a marked improvement over its predecessor. However, its extensive servo-systems leave it vulnerable to immobilization should they be disrupted (e.g. a hydralisk scythe plunging into the chest). The amount of power it consumes is also extensive; the helmet is generally left off outside of combat to conserve energy.

Command Suit
The Command Suit is a variant of the CMC-300 and features an enhanced portable comm system. They are worn by ship captains during combat operations.

Unidentified Variant
Armor similar to the CMC-300 design has been observed, featuring a sleeker frame and different helmet design. They have been used by both Dominion and mercenary forces.

CMC-400 Powered Combat Suit
The CMC-400 Powered Combat Suit is an upgraded version of the CMC-300. It features NBC shielding and life support and an integrated stimpack system. The suit was in service by 2491 but was still considered new eight years later at the beginning of the Great War. The base suit costs 980,000 credits. Further protection can be added through non-flamable, impact-resistant black paint, at a cost of 10,000 credits.

The CMC-400 had an external speaker, which could be activated by a switch in the lower right side of the left gauntlet.

The CMC-400 is immune to most small arms fire and has a communications array.

CMC-600 Heavy Combat Suit
The CMC-600 Heavy Combat Suit is used by firebats. Some were still used during the Great War.

CMC-660 Heavy Combat Suit
"I'd trust a resoc more than someone who would choose to wear one of these things."

- A Dominion marine

The CMC-660 Heavy Combat Suit is the current standard issue suit of firebats. Heavier, more durable and far more heat resistant than its counterpart models, the Heavy Combat Suit provides additional protection. Possessing the same features as the CMC-300 model (albeit with stimpack compatibility), it features special systems to protect its user from the plasma and flame wielded. Plasma tanks are located on the back, presenting a hazard to the user given the chance of their detonation. The tanks are reinforced with containment fields. Nonetheless, the volatile mix of gasses carried often seep into the operator compartment.

At least two generations of the CMC-660 exist:

First Generation
"It takes a special kind of maniac to stand against hordes of Zerglings in a suit full of flammable liquid."

- Comment on the CMC-600

The first known generation of the CMC-660 was present during the Great War and at least some time after the Brood War. Its visor is apparently capable of polarizing, displaying colors such as gold and black It features wrist mounted Perdition flamethrowers.

After the Brood War, this was expanded to napalm rockets, capable of being guided by the user.

Second Generation
The current generation of CMC-660 armor possesses a few aesthetic differences to its predecessor. The visor is gone and its servo system is also more exposed. The firebat is protected by thermal-suppression lenses. The firebat variant of the 660 possesses a tank containment field generator, which is known to fail, heat resistant plating, heat seals around the joints and thermal suppression lenses in the helmet to prevent damage to the user's eyes.

A key improvement over the previous generation is the implementation of incinerator gauntlets, which channel the suit's fuel through multiple ports rather than the single port of the previous generation. This results in a much wider area of flame without any loss of intensity.

An improved of the CMC-660 was approved for voluntary field testing in the Dominion Marine Corps, and marauders who voluenteered were offered credits as compensation.

XCMC-670
A variant of the CMC-660 named the XCMC-670 was utilized by the time of the End War by specialist firebat Miles "Blaze" Lewis. This suit had the ability take bursts of heavy damage and minimize its impact.

5-4 Armored Infantry Suit
"The '5-4 suit,' as it's lovingly known by troops, is less a suit than a sleak, man-sized bipedal tank."

The 5-4 Armored Infantry Suit is a heavily remodeled version of the CMC-660 used by marauders. It is armed with two Quad K12 "Punisher" grenade launchers on each arm. The suit's autoloader is equipped to quickly manufacture and load hundreds of standard Punisher grenades. The 5-4 armor contains a stimpack resupply unit, shaped armor to abate explosive impacts, stabilization servos to provide steadier aim in combat (though their effectiveness has been questioned), and enhanced fall boots in case of drop deployment.

The suit is roughly the same weight as the CMC-660, but with a few differences&mdash;the plasma tanks were replaced with an auxiliary generator to power the manufacturing plant of the suit's autoloader. Additionally, some of the fire insulation was removed in favor of thicker neosteel plating.

The suit can take a lot of punishment, but not its wearer, and as such, marauder fatalities were common after particularly harsh impacts, even if the suit itself was undamaged. To prevent this, Wolfe Industries developed a cutting-edge shock dispersion weave (a.k.a. kinetic foam) that houses a soft gel core. When the armor takes a hit, the weave contracts and expands, redirecting impact force away from the operator. The increase in survivability has meant the difference between victory or defeat in multiple skirmishes throughout the Koprulu sector, easily justifying upgrade expenses. However the foam was known to absorb the sweat of the suit's operator, causing it to grow mold.

The Dominion Special Forces deployed an upgraded version of the 5-4 suit with the one factor that constantly came up in discussion&mdash;bigger guns. The engineers happily obliged. Similarly, improvements in CMC armor made by the Umojan Protectorate gave their marauder suits improved night vision options, as well as a heavily reinforced frame to support their weightier grenade launchers.

Other
A prototype powered armor was seen in 2495, utilized by Scutter O'Banon for use by his men in their escape from Bacchus Moon. This powered armor was outfitted with grenade launchers within its arms, and utilized a slow-fall system that allows the armor to drop great distances.