Esperian Battlesuits

The Esper United Soldiery's precursors first employed battlesuits in 28 WR. These initially functioned as one-man power armor units, which largely consisted of a bulky protective layer, mounted weaponry, and a large flight-capable thruster unit mounted on the back of the vehicle. Since then, Esperian battlesuits have evolved over time. A large portion of the Esperian Ground Forces infantry makes use of these new aged battlesuits, while the flight-capable battlesuits are used by the Aerospacy in both aerial and spatial roles.

Aerospace Battlesuits

IPA-1 Ifrit Power Armor

• Manufacturer: Fort Locke Research Group
• User: Esper United Soldiery
• Height: 9 feet
• Fixed Armament:
  • Missile hardpoints x 4 (2 per wing)
  • 4.5mm gravitic machinegun x 2 (1 per forearm)
  • 20mm magitek energy cannon (chest)
• Optional Armament:
  • 115mm bazooka (right shoulder)
• Pilots: Hannibal de'Zama, Darius Laenus

The Ifrit Power Armor is one of the original weapons of the Esper Union, and was first designed by the Fort Locke Research Group and put into production in late December of 28 WR. The machine was widely used by the Sky Riders Aerospace Navy, Nikeahan military forces, all sides of the Esper Wars, and the Esper United Soldiery until the end of the Leviathan War. It acted as a fire support and aerial interdictor during its years in the Esper United Soldiery. It has since both been passed on to foreign nations such as Toroia, Fabul, and Triangle Island, and to civil defense forces and police forces inside the Esper Union. It is rather bulky in form, especially compared to sleek modern battlesuits, but the head has the same fixed forward camera eye that is the traditional appearance of the Esperian designed mecha. It has a large set of wings and a thruster mounted on the back. EUS units were painted in tan or camouflage, and SRAN units were painted in white on dark blue. Police units are painted in white and black or dark blue. The wings have a pair of hardpoints on each that can carry Hyperion or Apollo missiles. The other built-in weapons of the Ifrit PA include a 4.5mm gravitic machinegun mounted in each forearm, and a tri-elemental 20mm magitek energy cannon in the chest. The machineguns are incapable of piercing most armor, and the cannon is fairly inefficient against modern armor, though functioned well against the armor and units of ten years ago. The Ifrit Power Armor has also carried a 115mm bazooka that is fixed on a one hundred and eighty degree swivel on the left shoulder, but this was a makeshift armament put in during the last days of the Leviathan War as an anti-Dracoform measure. It is not standard issue, and only foreign units still have this bazooka available to them. The armor of the Ifrit PA can stop most small arms, but recent weapons that were developed and heavier weapons can easily destroy it.

IPA-2A Ifrit Air Type Battlesuit

• Manufacturer: Aerospace Esper
• User: Esper Union Aerospacy
• Height: 7 feet
• Fixed Armament:
  • Missile hardpoints x 6 (3 per wing)

The Ifrit Air Type, or Ifrit AT, was designed by the Fort Locke Research Group and is manufactured by Aerospace Esper. It is used widely throughout the Esper United Soldiery, and first came into service after the Leviathan War. The Esperian Ground Forces use it as aerial fire support for their Battlesuit Regulars, and one platoon of Battlesuit Regulars in every company uses the suit. The Esper Union Aerospacy also employs the battlesuit at the platoon or company level, assigning platoons and companies to ocean and aerospace vessels akin to squadrons instead of using a regimental structure. Aerospacy Ifrit AT battlesuits typically act as fire support for Esperian Naval Marines or as combat air patrols for cities. The Ifrit AT resembles the Ifrit GT, but is considerably slimmer and has a larger thruster on the back. It is painted in tan for EGF units and crimson for Aerospacy units, or in camouflage. The most notable change from the ground type battlesuit is a slender pair of wings. These wings have three hardpoints on each, which can carry Apollo or Hyperion missiles. The machine carries no other built-in armaments, but can carry any infantry weapon, or weapons designed for battlesuits. The armor is slightly weaker than the Ifrit GT, but is not very noticeable. The battlesuit can easily stop all small arms fire.

IPA-2S Ifrit Space Type Battlesuit

• Manufacturer: Aerospace Esper
• User: Esper Union Aerospacy
• Height: 8.5 feet
• Fixed Armament:
  • Missile hardpoints x 8 (4 per wing)
  • Retractable sword x 2 (1 per forearm)
• Optional Armament:
  • 115mm bazooka (right shoulder)

The Ifrit Space Type, or Ifrit ST, was designed by the Fort Locke Research Group and is manufactured by Aerospace Esper. It has been used by the Esper Union Aerospacy since its inception after the Leviathan War, and is the preferred battlesuit of the Spatial Heavy Irregulars – Vehicular Assault Teams (SHIVAT), the Special Forces branch of the Aerospacy. The battlesuits are very similar to the Ifrit AT in design, but have a solid black paint scheme lined with crimson, and have slightly longer wings than the air type Ifrits. Each wing has four hardpoints for Apollo and Hyperion missiles. It can also mount an optional heavy bazooka on a swivel on the right shoulder. It also has a fully retractable foot and a half sword blade designed by TIA built into the armor on each forearm. The bazooka can fire Tornado anti-warship torpedoes, as a combination of a sniper cannon and a method for heavy bombardment. The Ifrit ST can also carry normal infantry and battlesuit weapons. The armor is resistant to most small arms, but most fighter, mecha, and capital ship weaponry will easily destroy the Ifrit Space Type.

Ground Battlesuits

IPA-2G Ifrit Ground Type Battlesuit

• Manufacturer: Esperian Motor Works
• User: Esperian Ground Forces
• Height: 7 feet
• Fixed Armament:
  • None
• Pilot: Charles Alford

The Ifrit Ground Type, or Ifrit GT, was designed by the Fort Locke Research Group and is manufactured by Esperian Motor Works. The battlesuit is the mainstay of the Battlesuit Regulars, part of the Esperian Ground Forces. The paint job is an olive drab or camouflage scheme. It is sleek, and includes a thruster system on the back that allows it to jump to heights up to thirty feet in the air. Its top running speed is thirty-five miles per hour. There are no built-in weapons on the battlesuit, but the faceplate includes, in addition to a forward fixed sensor eye typical of the Ifrit-series and Kohinglen Newpound mecha, a spotlight. Its sensors include built-in telescopic, night vision, and infrared optics, and a radar system built into the heads-up display of the battlesuit’s helmet. The Ifrit GT can carry a variety of infantry weaponry, and the battlesuit’s armor will stop most small arms fire.

KBS-1FS Ursus Fire Support Battlesuit

• Manufacturer: Kuat Consortium
• User: Esperian Ground Forces
• Height: 9 feet
• Fixed Armament:
  • .50 Caliber Needle Miniguns x 2 (1 per forearm)
  • Missile Launchers x 2 (1 per shoulder)

The Ursus battlesuit is a fire support weapon produced by Kuat to supplement either normal infantry or battlesuit infantry. The Esper United Soldiery employs it in a fire support role for its Battlesuit Regulars, and one member of every squad is issued an Ursus. The design is much bulkier than the Ifrit-series of battlesuits. It is painted in olive drab or camouflage colors. It can jump twenty feet into the air. The running speed of the Ursus battlesuit is thirty miles per hour, but with jumping, it can effectively move at fifty miles per hour. The arms end in .50 caliber Kuat miniguns, each of which is capable of firing needle rounds at such a rate as to mow down soft infantry easily. The miniguns can also pierce the armor of other battlesuits. Each shoulder also has a retractable rack that holds four Grizzly surface-to-surface missiles, with another reload inside. The sensors include built-in telescopic, night vision, and infrared optics systems, and a more powerful radar system than that mounted on the Ifrit GT. The armor of the Ursus can stop most small arms fire, but unlike the Ifrit GT, it cannot carry infantry weapons.