Guardian Land Vehicles
Battlesuits and Mecha
GDF Mauler The Mauler is the result of Tasnican/Guardian collaborations. It is roughly the size of a compact car, looking like something akin to a four-legged spider. It moves on four double jointed legs, allowing it to pass over any terrain. It is not very fast, but two of them can be loaded into an ATJT to increase speed. The pilot is totally enclosed, but is somewhat cramped. Each leg midsection joint mounts a Wonderflare gun. The top of the central hull mounts a Delta Force anti-tank missile system, using the same advanced image recognition guidance system as the RMC Aerospace Arm Firelance. Since the Mauler's small size means it can be easily concealed, it is highly effective in anti-armor ambushes. 2 to 3 Maulers are usually deployed with an infantry platoon to provide fire support.
GDF K Series Armor The K series is an independent Guardian effort at developing mechanized battlesuit. The K series is a man-sized suit of robotic armor designed to make Guardian infantry units tougher and more intimidating in combat situations. The K series is a fully functional piece of man-sized mech armor, completely enclosing the wearer, equipped with twin shoulder-mounted Wonderflare cannons, "Rocket-Punch" forearm-mounted projectile units, and an Enertron healing device. Limited jet propulsion systems allow K series infantry to leap great heights, though they are not capable of flight. K series armor can be used in conjunction with JetBikes, making this high tech battlesuit ideal for the Guardian JetBike Cavalry. With amplified strength and the ability to take a great deal of punishment, a dismounted K series JetBiker is an even more formidable opponent than a mounted one. K series armor has been introduced and issued as standard for GDF infantry and bikers. Knights refuse to wear the suits, instead relying on their enchanted platemail and swords.
GDF G Series Mech The G Series Mech was Guardia's first forray into the realm of giant robots. The G Series stands at about 30 feet tall, has shoulder-mounted Delta force missile racks, and is equipped with rocket propulsion systems for flight both in the atmosphere and in space. The G Series is built with an AI-based intelligent targeting computer and a simulated reflexive defense system; the rest of the robot's movements and maneuvers are provided by a pilot, who sits in a cockpit located in the robot's head. The G Series is heavily armored and incorporates energy shielding, allowing it to take a massive beating before it is incapable of combat. Should the body of the G Series become "mortally wounded," the cockpit will eject. An ejected cockpit is capable of rather high-speed flight, but is incapable of combat.
GDF G Series Model C "Cavalier" Mech Designed by Baxter and Jaxon Dermal, this mech was built to be the successor to the G Series. With Guardia being one of the least-inclined Great Powers to field a full mecha force, the GDF greeted the design with some skepticism, and finally decided not to mass produce the Cavalier after the Dermals' prototype, "Ixion", was eliminated in the second round of the first Robotics Tournament. The Cavalier was unique in that it boasted a centauroid configuration, and was capable of splitting into two separate mecha: a hovering torso section (which boasted great speed and melee capability), and a quadrupedal body section (which functioned as a walking gun platform).
GDF NORN Mech Another creation of the Dermals, the NORN is Guardia's newest mech. Forged from the sleek black Dreamtsone-based Nightmare alloy, the NORN is purported to possess defensive capabilities exceeding even Seraphim plastics. Though the NORN does have a pilot, it also boasts an expanded AI faculty over the G-Series, in particular a featured "intelligent auto-pilot." The Guardian Defense Ministry has assured the Parliament's Committee on Robotic Affairs that the NORN mecha does not reach the threshold of sentience required to gain the legal protections of Class 2 AI units, but has refused to allow investigators access to the mecha in the interest of protecting national security.
GDF G Series Heavy Assault Rifle Built in conjunction with the Esper Union as a symbol of the alliance shared between the Kingdom of Guardia and the EU, this weapon was devised for use by the Esperian Ifrit I and II class fighters and the Guardian G Series Mech. It is a large rifle scaled to the mechas' gigantic size, with a sunstone power battery to completely eliminate the need for concerns about ammunition or reloading. The rifle has a basic Luminaire cannon setting, but is also equipped with a Gravitic grenade option -- the true mark of this rifle's Esperian heritage. It is currently the hand-weapon of choice of both G-Series and NORN mecha.
Vehicles and Artillery
GDF Model C Military JetBike Guardia's military JetBike is quite different than the more common civilian model, produced by the Guardian JetBike Corporation. While the civilian JetBike can only hover 2 feet off the ground at full speed, the Model C Military JetBike is virtually a low-altitude flyer. The Bike also has a pair of forward mounted high-powered Wonderflare cannons, in addition to the personal sidearms of the pilot and/or his/her K-series suit. JetBike cavalry is a traditional frontline for Guardian ground conflict, soaring over enemy defenses and softening up the baddies for the infantry.
GDF Cyrus JetTank The Cyrus JetTank was developed in cooperation with the Guardian JetBike Corporation. The JetTank is Guardia's first attempt at a mobile artillery vehicle, developed in the wake of expanding Gate Dimension colonial interests. Previously, Guardia's main focus was on the development of air and space weapons, but eventually the time came for Guardia to have its own tank. Unlike the tanks and artillery built by other powers (norably the Scandians and the EU -- and, of course, the Grand Army itself), the Cyrus JetTank utilizes the hovering capabilities of the JetBike for truly all-terrain assault. The JetTank is also void-sealed for survival outside the atmosphere (although the JetTank is not capable of space flight), and it is designed to be dropped from space into planetary deployment areas for surprise attacks. The JetTank carries Delta Force missile batteries, as well as a long-barrel Luminaire cannon (which is the tank's main gun) and several front- and side-mounted Photon batteries. With no grounding, the Cyrus' main gun is significantly less powerful than other tanks, although the Cyrus is capable of entering a "siege mode," whereby it locks and anchors itself to the ground. The "siege mode" allows the JetTank to increase its main gun's power and range significantly, though it virtually sacrifices all of the mobility that is otherwise the Cyrus' main strength in the world of tanks.
GDF All Terrain Jet Transport (ATJT) Cousin to the Cyrus JetTank is the All Terrain Jet Transport, the ATJT. Using similar propulsion and hovering devices, the ATJT is the size of a small public subway car and can carry up to thirty troops into the field. The ATJT is lightly armed as well, able to hold its own with the aid of Photon and Wonderflare cannons once dropped from space into the combat zone. When reconfigured from transporting human and robot troops to transporting JetBike cavalry troops, the ATJT's capacity is roughly reduced by half. Unlike other APCs, the ATJT is not designed as a combat unit itself. Its primary employment is as an orbit-to-ground dropship, and then a transport vehicle for troops upon making landfall. To reach point B from point A, the ATJT typically requires an escort of JetTanks, JetBikes or G-series armor.
GDF Terasaur Anti-Aircraft Vehicle (AAV) The Terasaur is built along the same lines as the Cyrus JetTank and the ATJT. Rather than heavy Luminaire cannons and a siege mode function, the Terasaur is loaded down with missiles, missiles, missiles. Having, as standard, a line of Photons for defense against ground aggressors, the Terasaur's true strength is against airborne opponents. The Terasaur has racks of Delta Force missiles, and the smarter Luminaire 2 missile. The L2 is larger and more powerful than the GDF's mainstay Delta Force, and additionally has homing capacity like its spaceborne cousin the L1. Also hidden among the racks of skyward-pointed missiles is the Terasaur's Skyrake cannon, a special energy weapon designed to (with the aid of a special targetting computer) clip the wings of enemy flyers.
