Arm Mounted Weapons

[auriga]

I have is the beam saber mounted in the feet/ legs is that a good thing or not? I would think it is because it lets you hold you gun and shield and defend in close combat.

I'd say such a feature would be well-suited for surprise and follow-up attacks.

In fact, I'd say limb-mounted weapons shouldn't be used as main weapons. Just as supports.

[Kuruni]

Only thing I remember to has leg-mount beam saber is Zaku 50...and everyone seem to hate it .

[Recon 5]

There have been many blade- centric MS, such as the Gyan in UC and pretty much all of Athrun's Gundams (bar one) in CE. I don't think I need to mention the Exia, but... hey, I just did .

Speaking of relying too much on a fixed weapon, Exia's gunsword blade has a fixed forward position and it has worked pretty well so far. I wonder why I didn't think of it earlier.

[Jak Crow]

There's the multi-weapons system on the Blitz's arm that has a beam saber. The whole thing is supposed integrated.

I seem to remember a couple cases where beam sabers were stored in the wrist and shot right into the hand to be ready immediately, which seems like a good idea. I think it was the Sazabi??

[Zangetsu]

I have is the beam saber mounted in the feet/ legs is that a good thing or not? I would think it is because it lets you hold you gun and shield and defend in close combat.

I'd say such a feature would be well-suited for surprise and follow-up attacks.

In fact, I'd say limb-mounted weapons shouldn't be used as main weapons. Just as supports.

I thought that they were?

[Renegade334]

There's the multi-weapons system on the Blitz's arm that has a beam saber. The whole thing is supposed integrated.

I seem to remember a couple cases where beam sabers were stored in the wrist and shot right into the hand to be ready immediately, which seems like a good idea. I think it was the Sazabi??

Errhm, Commissar Bright Noa asked for arm-mounted weapons, not hand-carried in use weapons. The emitter or gun is embedded in the limb, not merely stored there, like the Hi-Nu's beam saber.

As for the Trikeros shield, it seems it can be removed or dropped, as it still has a grip and doesn't look like it has any fixture points like bolts or whatnot. The Aegis, on the other hand, has fully integrated beam sabers on its 'toes' and its arms.

[Jak Crow]

And he's also asking about benefits and/or disadvantages compared to other designs and ways to deploy. Not merely where the beam saber is just holstered on the arm, but where the saber is shot into the hand and immediately activated. The design allows for the near-instant use of an arm mounted saber but without the disadvantages of a fixed position blade, which can be another reason why fixed sabers aren't used so much. Of course, all of this has been supposition on designs that most likely aren't created with such thoughts in mind at the time.

[auriga]

I wouldn't exactly call the Exia's GN Sword "fixed." The arm mount is only there for support, and the wrist can still be used. In fact, I'd say it's still more than useable when not mounted; pretty much the purpose of the mount is to stow away the GN Sword when not in use, thereby allowing the Exia a free right hand without having to ditch the weapon.

[Janx_Dolaris]

Don't the Tieren's and Anf's smoothbore cannons count as arm-mounted? They're detachable, but they're in no way hand-carried.

[Recon 5]

For what they lack in versatility and mobility, fixed weapons are mainly more stable and have better structural support allowing for heavier calibers- which is why many of the largest BFGs (in UC at least) are not hand- carried.

They also allow for closer proximity and more direct connections to energy supplies, cooling systems and ammo, instead of having to channel these supplies through a hand. In fact, solid ammo hand held weapons have never had ammo passed to them through the hands. Such weapons have to be loaded manually using either the MS's other hand or special sub- arms.

Finally, fixed weapons can be better protected depending on location. Weapons set into armor have no external profile which can be targeted. In addition, fixed weapons may be covered with movable armor plates or boxes, like the Heavyarms chest weapons or the Alex's gatling guns. You can't do that with handheld weapons, at least not while holding them.

[Jak Crow]

I wouldn't exactly call the Exia's GN Sword "fixed." The arm mount is only there for support, and the wrist can still be used. In fact, I'd say it's still more than useable when not mounted; pretty much the purpose of the mount is to stow away the GN Sword when not in use, thereby allowing the Exia a free right hand without having to ditch the weapon.

I think the mount is supposed to be the power interface too.

[auriga]

Ah, yes. That is a possibility (though given the Kyrios, it may not be so). Thanks for reminding me.

Don't the Tieren's and Anf's smoothbore cannons count as arm-mounted?

Yup, I'd say they count.

For what they lack in versatility and mobility, fixed weapons are mainly more stable and have better structural support allowing for heavier calibers- which is why many of the largest BFGs (in UC at least) are not hand- carried.

That is a good explanation, but as your example illustrates it pretty much only applies to projectile-based weapons...

[Blade of the Red Comet]

There's also the GM Cannon II from Gundam 0083.

Additionally, some MS would store their beam sabers in the forearms which would slide down into the arms for use. The Quebley is one of the first to use this method IIRC.

Sazabi too.

[domtropen]

But generally there is not much inner space in the arm for much ammo though, and in UC arm-mounted guns that spit loads of bullets [usually main guns and not backup guns] usually have external magazines.

[Scorchijs]

A few more forearm mounted blade advantages/disadvantages I could think of:

+ They are easier and faster to deploy. In fact they can be considered to be always ready to use, just push the button to activate them. You don't have to reach and grab them like normal swords.

+ Good in very close proximity battle. Forearm blades allow to deliver a lethal thrust even when the two Mobile Suits are practically pushing against each other.

+ More lethal. I've always considered a solid thrust to be more dangerous than a slash. Mainly because a thrust has more penetrative power. Of course this is debatable, because making slashes or thrusts depends on the skill and preferred combat style of the pilot.


- Shorter reach. In most cases forearm blades don't have the reach of a standard sword.

- Limited amount of movements. Someone already mentioned this. The lack of wrist means one less joint which to use in your attack move.

- The hand might get in the way. Simple. Every time you block the melee attack from your opponent, there is a chance that your hand can get in the way between yours and enemy's blade and then you will really loose one joint.

[Orbits]

I have is the beam saber mounted in the feet/ legs is that a good thing or not? I would think it is because it lets you hold you gun and shield and defend in close combat.

I'd say such a feature would be well-suited for surprise and follow-up attacks.

In fact, I'd say limb-mounted weapons shouldn't be used as main weapons. Just as supports.

Yeah that's one reason why I like the forearm mounted blades in Armored Core. They can be very sneaky and almost unexpecting.

http://img228.imageshack.us/img228/3290/acsl2yp4.jpg

If I was a pilot I wouldn't be out to have a saber duel with anybody. I more give them a false sense of victory and make it look like I'm running and turn around with a quick thrust or slash.

In reality, I'd more likely run from a knife fight than fight in one because both of you could end up dead or messed up pretty bad. The smartest thing for anyone to do is to run. You can ask any martial artist.

[jamnewman0056]

I just thought arm mounted weapons freed up the hands to be used in either close combat or utility work without needing to stow or release the weapon and make the MS vulnerable. Also weapon storage tends to cause some balance issue especially if it's a bazooka or heavy weapon like the zaku's Topp cannon.

[Neue Ziel]

Realistically all MS weapons should be installed on arm based hardpoints,with quick relase capabilities for maxium flexiblity.

[Orbits]

More examples from Armored Core

http://img440.imageshack.us/img440/2262/07ik2.jpg

http://img510.imageshack.us/img510/2021/18qg6.jpg

[Kuruni]

Realistically all MS weapons should be installed on arm based hardpoints,with quick relase capabilities for maxium flexiblity.

Not all, especially those lightweigth scout unit.