Oxybeles

Introduced during the "mecha craze" following the Leviathan War, the Oxybeles is a fire-support mecha. Described by its detractors as "a missile turret with legs," which is not inaccurate. The mecha has no arms, just two giant missile bays on either side of the cockpit. It has no machine guns, vulcans, or other support weapons; the mecha was intended as long-range artillery. It also doesn't have a great deal of armor. Understandably, pilots were somewhat reluctant to climb into the machine and sit in a cockpit between several tons of explosive missiles.

On paper, a legged platform had a few advantages for fire support. The legs offered good all-terrain mobility, and the high weapon mounts made it easier for to fire over intervening obstacles and friendly troops.

Upon seeing the design, Celiose Cole cried, "You took a perfectly good Nebelwerfer and ruined it by giving it legs!" This pretty much condemned the Oxybeles. Though no one picked up the design en masse, some militaries and mercenary units acquired them at a discount and they still show up from time to time.

Lofwyr is known to have said the design was ahead of its time, and people will be all about mecha in a hundred years.

[category: Mecha]]