This tread is all about different ways mecha can control the recoil of their weapons and even use it to their advantage. Different ways have their pros and cons but I feel this is something to think about as not everyone is going to be using energy weapons. Share your ideas and thoughts. And not everything has to make total sense because the rule of cool is always welcomed. I'll start which some ways I've seen it done in games and other media.
Part of the reason why I also used melee in my examples is just because I've examples of it in sci-fi and some stroies go out of their way to explain by melee works batter on some enemies over other. Like how in some sci-fi there are shields that can block ranged attacks but not melee attacks for various different reasons. Although not a mecha sci-fi Dune has one of the best examples of this type of energy shield. In Dune they wear personal energy shields that stop projectile weapons because projectile have to move fast to damage a target. So the shield blocks anything that moves fast enough to be seen as a threat. But it doesn't stop slow moving object. And that is why they fight with knives and daggers because they can still be deadly at low speeds. And so they can slowly push the blade through the shield and into person with little resistance as long as the person is not fighting back.
- Anchors and Stances - Before firing a shot from a powerful weapon some times the mecha has to get into right firing stance help them resist the force of the recoil. But some times not even that is enough so things like hooks and anchors might come out of the meaha and/or weapon attaching to ground and other objects around them just as way to keep the force of the recoil from pushing them backwards. Even some melee focused mecha might anchor themselves to the ground or something before a powerful melee attack. This because melee fighters use things like kinetic linking to add extra power to their attacks (that is right the real force behind some of those really powerful punches boxers and martial artists do all actually start in the feet and legs then works it way up through the body.).
- Counter force - These is where at the moment of each shot of a powerful weapon there is counter force to weaken or cancel out the force of the recoil. This mostly done in two ways. Venting, where part of the exhaust of the round is vented in such a way to keep the weapon stable (For example the muzzle of a tommy gun is designed to vent out some of the gas from each shot keep the gun from jumping around to much as it tends to pull to one side.). The other way is by using thrusters on the mecha and/or gun itself to fire at the same time as the weapon does using the force and acceleration of the thrusters to counter the recoil and you from moving. This also some times done with melee mecha that might have to use thrusters to after the attack to keep their balance and stop any extra momentum they might have.
- Movement - Some mecha don't try to limit the recoil of their guns all the time because they know they can use it to help them move around as if it was extra burst thruster. So can use the recoil to do things like dodging attacks, avoiding crashing into things, or even helping to get closer to the enemy. Even some melee melee use it the force of their attacks to move around (more commonly seen in mecha with weapons built into their arms and legs. Like pistons and things that make shock waves).
Part of the reason why I also used melee in my examples is just because I've examples of it in sci-fi and some stroies go out of their way to explain by melee works batter on some enemies over other. Like how in some sci-fi there are shields that can block ranged attacks but not melee attacks for various different reasons. Although not a mecha sci-fi Dune has one of the best examples of this type of energy shield. In Dune they wear personal energy shields that stop projectile weapons because projectile have to move fast to damage a target. So the shield blocks anything that moves fast enough to be seen as a threat. But it doesn't stop slow moving object. And that is why they fight with knives and daggers because they can still be deadly at low speeds. And so they can slowly push the blade through the shield and into person with little resistance as long as the person is not fighting back.
Likes:
Pandagnome and Markolis