Troop exposure calculation for high temperatures

[V4ndall]

Much to my own surprise, I recently noticed that, as per manual 5.2.3.1. Exposure Calculation for your Units (p.158), only negative temperatures are included in exposure calculations for troop readiness. At the same time 5.5.2.1. Environmental Modifiers (p. 197) farming actually takes high temperature (35-60'C & +60'C) into account. This effectively means, infantry can run around lava planets in plain uniform. Given it's as the manual says, I guess it's not a bug but a design decision, but wouldn't it be worthwhile to consider high temperatures for troops as well? I mean, Thermosuits seem like Dune stillsuits and all.

[GodwinW]

Agree.

[Vhalor]

There already are thermosuits, negate 40 degrees of temperature. Though envirosuits or higher armor negate 100+ degrees anyway.

[zgrssd]

Dealing with cold is relatvely easy. The average heat Pump going that direction reaches a efficiency of 400%*

Dealing with heat? May well be impossible! Cooling something down requires the environment to be not too much above what your target temperature is. The hottest I got was 65°C, on a Lava Planet. Beyond that, colonisaiton is not even in question.


*The reason for low efficiency is usually waste heat, but here is no waste heat with a heat pump. One reason efficiency should not be used when talking about them. "Coefficient of Performance" is a closer thing. It is still > 1, however.

[V4ndall]

It's fairly easy to generate even a Siwa class planet with no atmospheric hazards, which has a desert belt with temperatures over 80'C. Essentially impossible for humans to survive, yet it requires no specialized equipment in-game.

Crude cooling suits exist already, and we're talking about a SciFi setting 8000 years into the future.

[zgrssd]

ORIGINAL: V4ndall

It's fairly easy to generate even a Siwa class planet with no atmospheric hazards, which has a desert belt with temperatures over 80'C. Essentially impossible for humans to survive, yet it requires no specialized equipment in-game.

Crude cooling suits exist already, and we're talking about a SciFi setting 8000 years into the future.

This desert can not be impassible for the same reason we have so little water - it could literally cut the map in 2.

Also, only 6000 years into the future. Also also, that civilisation then got the fallout treatment and literally "nuked itself into the 1900's".

[Malevolence]

I've experienced mid-30's °C, with 80-85% relative humidity, and it is unbearable to do any but sit.

Both values should be considered.

Agreed, with OP.

[GodwinW]

The human body cools itself. It's quite interesting, I've been in 45 degrees C, and when you go sit on a bench you actually cool the bench down. Shifting moves you to a warmer spot and moving back you notice it's way cooler where you sat.

Of course, this only works above 37 degrees. Otherwise your body heats up the surroundings.

[zgrssd]

ORIGINAL: GodwinW

The human body cools itself. It's quite interesting, I've been in 45 degrees C, and when you go sit on a bench you actually cool the bench down. Shifting moves you to a warmer spot and moving back you notice it's way cooler where you sat.

Of course, this only works above 37 degrees. Otherwise your body heats up the surroundings.

The specifics of evaporation cooling actually allow the body to shed heat even in at body temperature.
And skin temperature can be raised up to 36.9 °C for better heat shedding.
Of course, in both cases the cooling has to outpace the waste heat production of literally every other part of the body.

And that does not adress the issues of having to deal with extreme temepratures. Again, heating is basically unlimited. At worst you need something like +273°C heating (wich working Assets provide, btw.)
But with cooling your run into limits. Limits of Thermodynamics, not just current day technology!
And the Shadow Empires work more on current day technology anyway. Even vehicles could have issues keeping cool over the days it takes them to get through.

[V4ndall]

Human body proteins coagulate if their temperature goes above 42'C. The organism is capable of dissipating them to some degree of course, 45'C temperatures are fairly common on Earth after all, but in scenarios I'm writing about, humans either get temperature shielding equipment (be it made up or not) or they die. It's really that simple. That's why I think the need for Thermosuits should be included in game rules, especially to illustrate the increased cost to field infantry capable of fighting in such conditions, just like it does in arctic.