Thought Experiment: PC Cell Re-Fueling Scenerio

[ShadowLogan]

Thought Experiment.

After watching Bubblegum Crisis 2040 again recently, one of the scenes in Ep12 dealt with refueling the hardsuits (specifically when Priss's hardsuit's battery is on fumes she launches into the air, ejects the battery and Lina slaps in a new battery in mid air). This doesn't have much bearing on Macross Mecha and Southern Cross Mecha due to the method of refueling their SLMH is more conventional (pump the fuel from one tank into another on the mecha), the NG mecha adopted a system of removable canisters.

So here is the question could the NG mecha fast "eject" their exhausted Protoculture Canister(s) and have another mecha (or individual) slap in a fresh canister in place? Let us also assume that there are no "backup" engines (no regenerative braking batteries or auxiliary fusion/impulse engines) or they are exhausted. How long would this take, if you even think its possible?

From a refueling POV we only see it done on the Cyclone (ep65, Lancer does it in 3sec*) and Alpha (ep65, Lunk does x1 x4pack in 3sec*), so lets only consider them as we know where the canisters need to be inserted and can locate them in a given mode.

Cyclone-Motorcycle Mode: The PC Canister is located just above the engine. The rider's body positioning might be an issue, though the rider can likely adjust position to avoid injury/blocking new-canister.

Cyclone-Battloid Mode: The PC Canister location is moved to on the backpack, but appears to be obscured by the wheels on the side of the backpack (going by the transformation for the MPC). This means that if it was possible you would need to be able to move the position of the obscuring wheel for the VR-03x/04x/05x series, and likely holds true for the VR-01x/02x series (from Marines, along with the nt-B version of the Cyclone also in here).

Alpha-any- Mode: Each of the air-intake modules has 8x cells (2x 4packs), which can be inserted with the 4 pack carrying case. Per the RPG rules you can operate with only 1/2 the required number of cells (at penalty). In Battloid Mode and Guardian Mode the access point might be blocked by the right shoulder sensor pod.

*this time is just the action of removing 1 canister/4pack and replacing it, not getting into position or startup time (Scott takes off ~10seconds, Lancer cuts away)

[DairuggerXV]

I'm going to say it depends: The Cyclones likely could, but may not be as dramatic of flashy as BGC 2040's scene was. I suspect that unless there was some special device specifically designed for it that the Alpha and Beta would be a new mostly because that even on a half-fuel supply, quickly changing that many canisters on the battlefield is probably a bit much for your average pilot to pull off.

[NMI]

I suspect that unless there was some special device specifically designed for it that the Alpha and Beta would be a new mostly because that even on a half-fuel supply, quickly changing that many canisters on the battlefield is probably a bit much for your average pilot to pull off.

If the pilot was not in the middle of combat while needing to change the battery, he could always don the emergency Cyclone that all Alphas and Betas carry.

[rem1093]

i can see this working with the fuel stacks used by the ASC power armor. If the stacks are self contained then they could be ejected quickly replaced.