Killer Cyborg wrote:ShadowLogan wrote:Killer Cyborg wrote:I think you have a strangely high estimate of how often SAMAS get damaged.
I'd say that the vast majority of them are used in routine patrols in settled territory.
Now I do not dispute that Axel assumes a high number (majority), but combat damage isn't the only reason you'd send a machine to the repair bay.
Some of the SAMAS are going to be there just for routine maintenance and updates (software patches, new hardware versions, etc) if we look at real world systems. In the real world Aircraft have an expected lifetime (expressed in hours), but they still require maintenance. The SAMAS isn't going to be much different in that way.
I disagree, but let's not focus on that.
The question is what is our current rough pilot-to-vehicle ratio, and would it be a good judgment for a SAMAS-pilot-to-SAMAS ratio?The CS likely also has suits dedicated for training operations (which likely include both Friend and Foe roles), some of those suits are also likely reserve units to replace units undergoing maintenance or to cover for other losses (pilot error, desertion, black market sales, etc).
Sure.
More than 200k out of 3.2 million?
I don't think we can use the # of SAMAS to determine a pilot:unit ratio. Such a ratio is going to be arbitrary. We don't know what ratio the CS decides upon, or the factors that go into it. I don't think there is any way one can even determine it since we have to determine what qualifies as a pilot.
For example A CS Grunt by their OCC description in RMB/RUE has Robot Combat: Basic. Which technically allow them to operate the SAMAS. Though their OCC does not appear to be authorized for such use. Would they count as a "pilot" or does the Character need to have authorization and more detailed skills to be considered a pilot, can the pilot be via skill pickup OR does it have to be via OCC skills to be counted as a pilot? Not to mention how to handle some of CWC OCCs before new models came out (with them in mind, ex SF) that would reasonably be available.
Something else to consider with the 3.2 million SAMAS being stockpiled. What is their actual condition? Are all of them fully opreational? What is the status of their nuclear reactors?
Its also worth noting that the SAMAS isn't transfered to the ISS, which is a separate organization, but used by it (CWC pg113). So the CS military and CS ISS organization proper stockpile is 1.6million each, and this probably doesn't include FQ (who suceeded around this time). Which results in an easier to work with number for each organization. But it also means that "new" SAMAS models probably are closer to 1.6 million in number in total in theory, but since the unit is still available for use (per pg113), the number of new SAMAS is likely lower.