Sidekick Tactical Supply Depots provide support for ground infantry, allowing them to resupply, repair, and change their Loadouts. They are used by both USIF and ARM forces, and can either be placed at control points or called in as deployables.[1]
Operation[]
Supply depots contain multiple racks displaying multiple useful pieces of equipment, ammunition, weapons, replacement armor parts, and even provisions for a soldier to take at their leisure. It can even function as a repair and medical station for vehicles, structures, and infantry alike. Supply depots are powered by a much larger version of the antimatter reactor found in USIF Powered Assault Armor.
The supply depot's simple display racks belie their advanced internal systems. To enable a supply depot to replenish its own supplies and repair and heal vehicles and infantry, respectively, a supply depot houses the same advanced self-replicating, bio-organic, microscopic nanobots (nanites) as found in a repair tool. These malleable nanites are able to morph themselves into any organic or mechanical structure, and are stored in a plasma state inside the depot itself. The supply depot's advanced computer systems use these nanites to assemble everything from weapons and tools to medical supplies, field rations, water, and even oxygen canisters for a soldier's armor.
Most of the supply process is automated. When a soldier approaches a supply depot, the advanced computer systems quickly scan what sort of replenishment the soldier needs (ammo or provision replenishment, for example). The supply depot then configures the nanites to morph themselves into the appropriate form, then sends these nanites electromagnetically, via a visible green beam similar to a repair tool, to the compartments in a soldier's armor where the needed supplies would be found. When transmitted, the nanites instantly assemble themselves to their assigned form, such as ammo clips, field rations, or pure oxygen canisters. The supply depot will continue to replenish the soldier's ammo and provision stores until the computer systems determine that the soldier has reached his maximum carrying limit.
If a soldier needs to exchange weapons and equipment for his loadout, he simply takes what he needs from the depot display racks. The supply depot then uses nanites to assemble more weapons and equipment, ensuring the display racks are never empty.
The supply depot is able to heal or repair friendly units in the same way as a repair tool, wherein the computer systems identify the atoms of the valid repair target. The supply depot then configures its internal store of nanites to match the atoms and molecules of the aforementioned target. These configured nanites are sent from the supply depot to a target elecetomagnetically via a visible green beam, where the nanites align themselves to the damaged target accordingly, completely repairing any damage. This repair system is thus able to restore both mechanical and organic targets to optimal capacity in both form and function.
If an enemy attempts to access the supply depot, it initiates a lockdown sequence that denies any of its vital supplies to the enemy.
Section 8: Prejudice[]
In the story mode of Section 8: Prejudice, allied supply depots are indestructible and cannot be damaged by the enemy. However, the player can destroy enemy supply depots normally.