Bastion Artillery Mecha

The HWM-01 Bastion was the first mecha designed and employed by the Esper Union. It was designed as an immense artillery platform, and has not followed the usual rules employed by mecha. It is of only limited use as a main battle craft, lacking in speed and mobility, though with the heaviest armor of any unit in the Web. Its cost, even with numerous upgrades over time, is immense and of only questionable practicality. In truth, the Bastion is mostly a point of pride and a combat command center.

History

Its design began in 33 WR, and the first unit was produced in 35 WR, just prior to the Leviathan War. It was designed by three different corporations, each of which was responsible for designing different aspects of the vehicle. Forge Mechanicals did the basic robotic workings of the body and the legs of the machine. Esperian Motor Works did the feet and some of the locomotion systems, as well as the turret. The Fort Locke Research Group produced the armaments of the machine. Initially, its respective components were built by Forge Mechanical and Esperian Motor Works, and then assembled by EMW. Since then, a block of Kohinglen Newpound has been dedicated to the production of the machine.

Its service record in the Leviathan War was limited to the three units completed in time to fight in the war. The units were informally named by their crews. The first produced, the Pulverizer, was stationed in Hosluftgrad and fought in the first battle. It was the centerpiece of the Esperian artillery unit. It fell with the rest of the units at Hosluftgrad, though it took down nine Dracoforms before it was ripped apart. The third, dubbed the Crusher by its crew, was stationed at Narshe and saw no action save for counterattacks on the occasional Scandian vessel to come near the main magilyte source for the Esperians. The final unit, the Iron Giant, was employed by the Returners Expeditionary Force. It successfully assisted in reclaiming Nikeah and fought in the Second Battle of Hosluftgrad.

Since the end of the war, more Bastion units have been produced. There is now one for each artillery regiment in the Esperian Ground Forces. However, only one unit has been deployed since the end of the war, to West. This unit only saw minimal action, where it helped in shelling the Federal Kingdom's forces. It took no return fire itself. The Bastion continues to serve, despite its age. Plans are underway to refit its armor and weapons, to keep them current.

Schematics

• Manufacturer: Esperian Motor Works, Forge Mechanicals, Fort Locke Research Group
• User: Esper United Soldiery
• Height: 100 feet
• Fixed Armament:
  • 16-inch gravitic cannons x 4 (2 per arm)

A single Bastion is issued to each artillery regiment in the Esper United Soldiery. It has a standard crew of five: a commander, a pilot, two gunners, and a radio operator. The Bastion is a massive thing with a blocky cabin, a massive turret mounted on top that can rotate three hundred and sixty degrees and has four cannons on hundred and eighty degree swivels. The legs are thick, but short, and end in broad, long feet. The Bastion is most often painted a dark bronze color, for all military branches. Its top speed walking is a mere twenty-five miles per hour, but each foot has tracks on it so it may move at up to fifty miles per hour. The only armaments of the Bastion are its four artillery cannons. These cannons, produced at Kohinglen Newpound, are sixteen-inch gravitic cannons similar to those mounted on battleships. The cannons can fire shells that are either high explosive, contain condensed Flare energy, or condensed Merton energy. The weapons easily pierce all armor, and all types of shells can damage large areas. The Bastion has a powerful sensors system, and is a mobile radar base and can link to satellites to provide its regiment with information on enemy position, or use very powerful telescopic, infrared, and night vision optics as a back up. The Bastion has extremely strong armor, equivalent to a battleship. Only the largest and most powerful cannons have a prayer of damaging the artillery mecha.