Name: Cannonfort
Alignment: Helic Republic
Family: Buffalo
Registration Number: RHI-12
Crew: 1-2
Height: 6.8 Meters
Length: 14.8 Meters
Weight: 55 Tons
Top Speed: 190 kph
Weapons: Dual 105mm Assault Cannons, Twin 60mm Beam Horns, Twin 30mm Beam Cannons, Quad Linked AZ20mm Cannons.
Special Abilities: ECM System.
Level: 2
Most astute observers would note that the Cannonfort appears to be a member of the exclusive Buffalo family, the same elite group as the Dibison. Those astute observers would be correct. The Cannonfort is indeed a close cousin of the Dibison, and it has many of the same attributes: heavy weapons and heavy armor (on par with the Black Rhimos) for its class. Indeed, this Zoid is merely a smaller version of the Dibison with different weapons system, making it a popular choice among novice and professional pilots alike.
The Helic Republic created the Cannonfort originally to counter and match the Black Rhimos, a task at which it excelled. Designed primarily for heavy assault operations, the Cannonfort’s combination of heavy armors, heavy weapons, and reasonable sticker price allowed it to flourish in the Republican army. However, it was also there that the ‘Fort’s major weakness was unveiled: its legs are unarmored, and vulnerable to attack. Fortunately, the leg structure is tough enough, and it doesn’t really need legs to shoot, does it?
Weapons:
Dual 105mm Assault Cannons:
On the outside, the Cannon Fort’s main guns look like standard 105mm Cannons. Standard bore, standard ammunition, and the ability to incline up to 45 degrees upwards from straight forwards. So what makes them “Assault”? The firing rate is three-round burst. Each time the trigger is tapped, three rounds exit the barrel of each cannon, dealing all of the damage in a very small area. However, afterwards, the cannons require a full 3 seconds to reload and for the barrels to cool off. Though this might not seem like an impressive ability (maintaining a 1:1 shots to seconds ratio), it’s actually great for concentrating damage and improving accuracy. The three-round burst means that recoil doesn’t interfere with aiming, like many fully automatic weapons do, and the burst firing rate also allows it to concentrate damage like a semiautomatic setting never could.
Twin 60mm Beam Horns:
Yep, you read it right. The Cannonfort’s horns are also a pair of semiautomatic 60mm Beam Cannons. No tricks, they’re just standard 60mm Beam Cannons otherwise, fixed facing forwards. While... uh, it might be possible to use them for ramming and melee, it would wreck the cannons in the process. While they look like horns, that’s strictly ornamental. Don’t be fooled: they’re weapons, but horns they’re not.
Twin 30mm Beam Cannons:
Mounted to the Cannonfort’s undercarriage, right between its front legs, sit a pair of semiautomatic 30mm Beam Cannons. Unlike the Beam Horns, though, these can pivot: up to 90 degrees in either direction on the horizontal axis. Otherwise, they’re standard weapons.
Linked AZ20mm Beam Cannons:
And... this Zoid isn’t without a little backside defense. Protecting the Cannonfort’s rear, mounted to a rotating turret base on the hindquarters, sit a grand total of 4 AZ20mm Beam Cannons. Of course, they’re chain-linked together, allowing them to fire in quick succession with every pull of the trigger, for a total of 8 shots per second. Also, thanks to the mount, these weapons can pivot up to 360 degrees horizontally. Just be careful not to shoot yourself.
Special Abilities:
ECM System:
The Cannonfort, as an assault Zoid, possesses the rarest kind of anti-missile defense. Instead of point-defense weaponry, it has an ECM System, which is mounted and run internally. This system, which uses electronic counter-measures to screw with enemy missiles, will cause guided projectiles to miss a little over half the time. The best part is that this isn’t even limited to missiles locked on the Cannonfort. It can use the system to help allies as well. Note, however, that multiple Cannonforts don’t create a cumulative ECM effect, and the ECM System only has an effective range of 200 meters. ((If the missiles don’t pass through the field, they’re unaffected. The field is only effective against standard missile tracking systems: visual and IR.))
