Zoids: Chaotic Age Zero

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Name: Aquadon
Alignment: Helic Republic
Family: Frog
Registration Number: RMZ-05
Crew: 1
Height: 2.9 Meters
Length: 9.8 Meters
Weight: 5.9 Tons
Top Speed: 90 kph (land), 60 knots/111 kph (water)
Weapons: Dual 20mm Laser Rifles, Hardened Alloy Legs
Special Abilities: Swimming, Active Sonar System, Jet Fins
Level: 1

The Aquadon is an odd little frog-typed Zoid, originally created by the Helic Republic specifically for aquatic combat. It has the distinction of being the very first mass-production Zoid ever made for specifically that purpose, and initially led the Republic to dominate the seas and make large strides towards hindering Zenebas assaults on the Europa mainland.

The Aquadon was designed for both aquatic combat and seaborn assaults on beachheads, and for a time gave the Republic the edge it needed over the Empire. However, these victories were short-lived. The Aquadon has the dubious distinction of being the only completely unarmored Zoid. (The only exception to this is protection around the cockpit and core areas.) While the structure was and is relatively sturdy, the Zenebas Empire recognized and exploited this weakness by resurrecting torpedoes. Mounting them on the newly developed Sinker, the Zenebas quickly thinned the ranks of the Aquadons, and regained the upper hand.

However, Aquadons still have their uses: aside from being inexpensive, they’re well-armed for Zoids of their class, and are hard to hit with conventional weapons due to their size. Also, they’re distinguished as being one of the only Zoids around with wheels, used for beach landings. Lastly, the unique frog-design of the Aquadon gives it considerable jumping and kicking power.

Weapons:

Dual 20mm Laser Rifles:
The Aquadon, while unarmored, has two potent weapons for its size: two 20mm Laser Rifles. Fixed and mounted to the main body on either shoulder, each rifle boasts a fully automatic firing rate of roughly 12 shots per second (each!), making them among the most potent weapons available for a Zoid of this size.

Hardened Alloy Legs:
While scrawny-looking and unarmored, the legs of the Aquadon are actually the toughest part of the Zoid. The powerful kicking mechanism used by the Aquadon for swimming allows the Zoid to use its legs as bludgeoning weapons (though they can’t actually penetrate too well) and kick away pursuers. They’re also difficult to blow off: they’re thick and the structure is very tough.

Special Abilities:

Swimming:
The Aquadon can swim, and quite well, too. Being a dedicated aquatic combat Zoid, the Aquadon is surprisingly maneuverable for its design, sparring with even the manta ray-like Sinker in that department. It uses powerful kicks from its legs to propel itself through the water, at a comparatively slow 60 knots. However, one might want to pay more attention to its much poorer performance on land: with only wheels to rely on, maneuverability and speed are sacrificed. Also note that its not recommended that you take the Aquadon more than 250 meters below the surface, for safety reasons.

Active Sonar System:
When it developed the Aquadon, the Helic Republic was on the forefront of sonar technology. The Aquadon’s unique sonar system has been upgraded over the years, and is still more advanced than any other aquatic Zoid around. It allows the Aquadon to actively “ping” or bounce sound waves off of other Zoids underwater. This allows the Aquadon to pinpoint them, despite any stealth systems they might have (including conventional sound suppression). Also, the Aquadon can do this as frequently as it wishes: when activated, the Active Sonar System sends out several pulses per second. However, it should be noted that this effectively gives away the Aquadon’s position. Lastly, the Active Sonar System is useless out of the water, and cannot track, find, or target opponents out of the water.

Jet Fins:
Located on either side of the Aquadon, next to the 20mm Laser Rifles, are the Jet Fins. These are effectively underwater turbo boosters, allowing the Aquadon to move at speeds of up to 167 knots (309 kph) for a short period of time. However, the Jet Fins can only be used for a maximum of 6 seconds at a time, and requires a second to regenerate energy for each second it was used for. (Seconds used = Seconds cooldown)

Available Modifications:

Name: Ambient Sniper
Alignment: Helic Republic
Family: Velociraptor
Registration Number: RZ-030
Crew: 1
Height: 7.2 Meters
Length: 11.9 Meters
Weight: 41 Tons
Top Speed: 250 kph
Weapons: Dual 20mm Beam Gatling Guns, 70mm Beam Cannon, Twin 8-Shot Mortar Pods, Quad AZ144mm Cannons, Quad AZ188mm Cannons Hardened Alloy Claws, Talons, Teeth and Spikes.
Special Abilities: 3D Doppler Radar, Built-in Targeting Computer, Ion Charger, Enraged.
Level: 4

The Gun Sniper is the most well-known and almost universally recognized multipurpose long-ranged combat Zoid, originally developed by the Helic Republic. Now shortly following the formation of the Guardian Force, an organoid with the ability to modify the physical and internal workings of a zoid had created a more destructive Gun Sniper model. The Gun Sniper equipped with the Wild Weasel Unit is something to fear, it carries a massive load of weapons and a massive amount of suppressive fire. Now when the organoid bonded to that particular model of Gun Sniper, the Ambient Sniper was born.

Adorned with large protruding hardened alloy spikes, the armor, speed, mobility and even the core's abilities changed. The sniper carries a faux-sentience only thought of to be held by Zid X and Ultimate X zoids. The Ambient Sniper packs a powerful punch as well as a violent streak that would make even the most hardened serial killer cringe. The zoid doesn't learn or actually gain any experience, but it does exhibit signs of self awareness.

Glancing over the firepower of this Zoid, many pilots' first reaction is to regard the Ambient Sniper as invincible, but this simply isn't the case. With so much recoil, the Ambient Sniper can be inaccurate and generally lacks surgical precision in its attacks. However, the Zoid's main weakness is its crippling lack of armor, not being much better off than a standard Gun Sniper. Still... firepower.

Weapons:

Dual 20mm Beam Gatling Guns:
Each of the Ambient Sniper’s talons actually has a gatling gun mounted to it, giving the Ambient Sniper some medium-range weaponry. Each 20mm Beam Gatling Gun can fire fully automatic rounds at a rate of 10/second each, but even this rate of fire leaves the Ambient Sniper seriously lacking in stopping power. Even so, these gatlings can chip away at armor, one little bit at a time. Also, both weapons can pivot up to 20 degrees up on top of the arm’s own range of movement for aiming purposes.

70mm Beam Cannon:
Fixed facing forwards to the Ambient Sniper’s chest is a 70mm Beam Cannon. It’s semiautomatic and very straight forward, nothing special about it.

Twin 8-Shot Mortar Pods:
On top of each of the Ambient Sniper’s back-mounted boosters is a pod -- they’re concealed, but they’re sure as hell there. Each mortar is an indirect fire weapon with a 10-meter blast radius, so beware enemies of the Ambient Sniper. Note that maximum range for the mortars is roughly 500 meters.

Quad AZ144mm Cannons:
The upper cannons mounted to the Wild Weasel Unit on the Ambient Sniper, these carry anti-zoid shells and have a chain firing set up, so they must fire in conjunction with the Quad AZ188mm Cannons, and a single salvo from the system takes 2 seconds. The Wild Weasel Unit can only fire a total of six salvos before needing to be reloaded.

Quad AZ188mm Cannons:
The lower cannons mounted to the Wild Weasel Unit on the Ambient Sniper, these carry anti-zoid shells and have a chain firing set up so they must fire in conjunction with the Quad AZ144mm Cannons and a single salvo from the system takes 2 seconds. The Wild Weasel Unit can only fire a total of six salvos before needing to be reloaded.

Hardened Alloy Claws, Talons, Teeth, Spikes:
The Ambient Sniper is a Velociraptor, and, like any self-respecting Velociraptor, has claws and talons. The Ambient Sniper, unlike its Gun Sniper cousin, actually has Hardened Alloy teeth. On top of that, they can be charged with energy from the Ion Charger to make them do that much more damage.

Special Abilities:
3D Doppler Radar:
Just so the Ambient Sniper always knows where you are, it has 3D Doppler Radar. This sensor system allows the Ambient Sniper to map out the terrain around it and find enemy Zoids more effectively. This system is reasonably basic, and doesn’t grant a targeting bonus. The sensors are none other than the Ambient Sniper’s ears, and if they’re destroyed, the radar will cease to function.

Built-in Targeting Computer:
The Ambient Sniper has a targeting computer that comes with the modified Wild Weasel Unit. This computer gives the Sniper an increase of about 15% in accuracy. The computer must be turned on first to be effective, and the actual computer is mounted under a small layer of armor between, the mortar pods on the Ambient Sniper's back.

Ion Charger:
Mounted on the Ambient Sniper’s back, covered by armor, is a curious device called an ion charger. This siphons and converts small amounts of energy from the Zoid Core and uses it to charge the Ambient Sniper’s melee weapons. However, the charge isn’t nearly as strong or potent as the Strike Laser Claw or even the Electron Strike Claw. It usually just increases sharpness and cutting ability by about 50%, which is a reasonable boost. Swipes and continued pressure still have the potential to deal quite a bit of damage.

Enraged:
The Ambient Sniper has anger problems; the Zoid is partially self-aware and unlike most things, as it takes damage it doesn't become fearful. If it's hurt or pissed off badly enough, in fact, it actually enters an enraged state where its cannons fire at double speed for 6 seconds. However, the zoid will thenfight against the pilot when in this state, should the pilot try to force it to not shoot the opponent. An enraged Ambient Sniper is not friendly (and may not recognize allies), and caution should be taken when confronting one.

Available Modifications:

Name: Aro Saurer
Alignment: Helic Republic
Family: Allosaurus
Registration Number: RZ-067
Crew: 1
Height: 10.8 Meters
Length: 13.2 Meters
Weight: 62 Tons
Top Speed: 170 kph
Weapons: Dual Flamethrowers, Grappler Claws, Hyper Bite Fangs
Special Abilities: None.
Level: 2

The Aro Saurer is yet another Helic Zoid: a close cousin of the Godos and Gojulas, developed as an alternative to the Command Wolf as a medium-cost mass-production Zoid. Boasting literally the heaviest armor of its class, coupled with its agile biped design, even the stock Aro Saurer seems extremely dangerous.

However, the Aro Saurer wasn’t designed to be used as a stock melee Zoid. With empty weapons mounts on either shoulder, the Helic Republic made it clear that this was an easily customizable Zoid, which allowed it to adapt to changing times. As a result, it’s never quite been retired from service.

The Aro Saurer’s original designed purpose was to escort large transports and command Zoids, with the Mad Thunder specifically in mind. However, it proved so tough and reliable that it quickly graduated this role and became a mainstay for the Republican army. Used as the linebacker for Helic forces until the end of hostilities, the Aro Saurer was almost as common a Zoid as the Command Wolf. Today, many Aro Saurers have been retired from military service and are now used by police and peacekeeping forces all over Europa. Aro Saurer pilots remember: your Zoid has a long and proud tradition of service behind it. Treat it well.

Weapons:
Dual Flamethrowers:
Located at the hinge of each of the two Grappler Claws are the only ranged weapons the stock Aro Saurer: its Dual Flamethrowers. Each is essentially a high-heat cutting torch, the flame acting much like a blade to slice through armor. However, the heat is a major factor as well: these two weapons can slough and melt the metal skin of Zoid with ease. While the flamethrowers are most effective at distances under 20 meters, the flame is noticeable and present up to 50 meters.

Grappler Claws:
The Aro Saurer possesses two hardened alloy Grappler Claws, which allow it latch onto enemy Zoids and hold on. Though their own damage-dealing potential is limited, the flamethrower located in the hinge of each allows the Aro Saurer to latch onto a pesky enemy Zoid and remove anything extraneous that it might not need... like limbs. The Grappler Claws use a special hydraulic system to keep all clamping actions it makes extremely tight and hard to unclamp.

Hyper Bite Fangs:
Though the Aro Saurer wasn’t designed to be a melee demon, the stock model has just one more weapon to make it dangerous at close. This ‘Saurer has a special hydraulic system running through its jaws, much like the one used for the Grappler Claws. It allows the Aro Saurer to bite down with incredible force, comparable to that of a Barigator’s bite. Though the sharp teeth pierce and deal surface damage, the structural distortion from such a bite is incredible. A bite to the neck on less sturdy Zoids may actually disturb the ZCC and cause Command System Freeze. However, this ability may only be used once per round due to limits on the hydraulic system.

Available Modifications:

Name: Barigator
Alignment: Helic Republic
Family: Crocodile
Registration Number: RZ-003
Crew: 1
Height: 4.4 Meters
Length: 14.5 Meters
Weight: 24.3 Tons
Top Speed: 150 kph (land), 40.5 knots/75 kph (water)
Weapons: Dual 20mm ATD Beam Cannons, 4-Shot Missile Launcher, Hardened Alloy Jaws and Fangs, Hardened Alloy Tail
Special Abilities: Swimming, Barigator Bite
Cost:
Level: 1

The Barigator was the Zoid introduced by the Helic Republic to replace its the Aquadon and dominate the seas. The reasoning behind the Helic’s addition of this mass-production Zoid was that it had two things the Aquadon lacked: armor and an anti-torpedo defense. Though these additions proved fairly effective against the previously-used Sinker torpedo-bombing runs, the Barigator lacked maneuverability and could fall prey to the Zenebas Zoid despite having heavier armor.

However, the Barigator served its purpose well enough, and served alongside the Aquadon until hostilities with the Zenebas Empire ceased. Only later did the Barigator find itself completely outgunned: faced by the overwhelming combined forces of enemy Sinkers, War Sharks, and Heldigunners. However, the Barigator had the advantage of being easy to mass-produce, and is still in service (to an extent) today in the waters around Europa.

Weapons:
Dual 20mm ATD Beam Cannons:
Essentially the entirety of the Barigator’s anti-torpedo defense, these two 20mm Anti-Torpedo Defense Beam Cannons supposedly supplement the Zoid’s heavy armor to give it more staying power against the heavily-armed Sinker. At first glance, these are just semiautomatic 20mm Beam Cannons. However, there is one main difference. These weapons were the first and among the only in the history of Zi to use torpedo’s active pinging against them. Whenever a torpedo is in the water anywhere around the Barigator (it need not be actually locked onto the ‘Gator), these guns automatically move to track it. Usually one volley from the guns is sufficient to destroy an oncoming torpedo. Note also that the automatic tracking ability can be turned on or off with the flick of a switch. ((Note that the 20mm ATD Beam Cannons are fixed forward, but mounted to the neck and turn with the head. Therefore, the tracking system turns the Barigator’s neck, not pivot the guns.))

4-Shot Missile Launcher:
Of course, the Barigator isn’t all armor. It has this 4-Shot Missile Launcher to counter the Sinker -- and it does its job extremely well. What’s phenomenal about these missiles is that they can lock onto any target: land, air, or sea. (Note that the missiles work underwater too due to special design.) However, this ability comes at a cost: the lock-on time is 1.5 times as long as normal. However, to compensate for this, the launcher mount can rotate 360 degrees (and 90 degrees up or 30 degrees down), allowing it to track a target in almost any position relative to the Barigator.

Hardened Alloy Jaws and Fangs:
The Barigator has a powerful bite, and it boasts Hardened Alloy Jaws and Fangs to prove it. These are obviously used for biting, ripping, and tearing in melee combat. Note, however, that one of the greatest weaknesses of the Barigator is the bite as well -- the cockpit is exposed in the throat when the Barigator opens its mouth.

Hardened Alloy Tail:
If someone sneaks up behind the Barigator, or if the Zoid simply can’t use its jaws, the Barigator has a rather large and heft tail to use as an alternative. While the tail isn’t really as powerful as those on larger Zoids, it was designed to be a weapon, and can send lighter Zoids flying or sprawling. Be warned, though, the heavier folks won’t even falter when hit by the Barigator’s tail.

Special Abilities:
Swimming:
While not as maneuverable as the Aquadon or Sinker, the Barigator can swim. And can swim fairly well, too. While turning full circle is still something of a problem, this Zoid can swim at a slow clip of 40.5 knots (75 kph) without too much trouble. However, the Barigator has a crush depth of 150 meters, so don’t take it too deep.

Barigator Bite:
The signature attack of the Barigator is the Barigator Bite, which uses a special system of hydraulics to clamp down on an enemy. This is extremely powerful melee attack for a Zoid of the Barigator’s size, and can effectively neutralize any Zoid of the Barigator’s weight in a single fell swoop. However, there are two limitations to this attack: firstly, it can be used once every three seconds, as the Barigator reopens its mouth. Secondly, the Barigator, like a real alligator, doesn’t have much force behind the mouth-opening action, and its jaws can be held shut without too much trouble.

Available Modifications:

Name: Battle Cougar
Alignment: Helic Republic
Family: Griffin
Registration Number: RPZ-22
Crew: 1-2
Height: 9 Meters
Length: 21 Meters
Weight: 60 Tons
Top Speed: Mach 3.6 (air), 240 kph (ground)
Weapons: Dual 200mm Long-Ranged Surge Cannons, Dual Short-Range AZ70mm Beam Cannon, Dual 40mm Pulse Laser Cannons, Hardened Alloy Claws, Blade, and Beak.
Special Abilities: None.
Cost:
Level: 5

The Battle Cougar, among the first air-land hybrid Zoids ever created, was originally designed by the Helic Republic for the purpose of mounting aerial assaults against extremely tough or well-armored ground targets. However, the Battle Cougar also proved to be effective surface combat and dogfighting, due to its revolutionary hybrid Griffin design. The powerful and unique scramjet system it boasts allows it move as fast as Mach 3.6, though it sacrifices maneuverability to do so. At subsonic speeds, its maneuverability is just a notch below the Redler, on par with the Zabat.

However, maneuverability and speed aren’t what makes the Battle Cougar the legend it is today. Two other unique attributes do: firstly, the fact is the fact that the Battle Cougar armor on par with the Blade Liger, making it the toughest production aerial Zoid in existence. The other unique attribute is the Battle Cougar’s 200mm Long-Ranged Surge Cannons, the largest caliber weapons to be on any production aerial Zoid. So, as far as things in the sky go, the ‘Cougar is the toughest with the biggest guns.

If that wasn’t enough, the Battle Cougar is still a formidable opponent on the ground. It’s weaponry hasn’t gone anywhere, and neither has its armor, and it has Shield Liger-grade maneuverability on top of the both of those attributes. Furthermore, take off and landing are relatively simple -- the Battle Cougar can hover up to 50 meters in the air with flaps of its powerful wings.

All in all, I’m sure anyone can see why with the Battle Cougar on its side, the Helic Republic briefly flirted with the idea of invading the Guylos Empire. However, the Empire quickly developed its own equivalent of the ‘Cougar: the Gunguyarados, a hybrid in its own right. Note that the two have been arch-rivals ever since one-another’s conception.

Weapons:
Dual 200mm Long-Ranged Surge Cannon:
Many of the Guylos soldiers who first encountered the Helic Battle Cougar described experiencing a “horrible sinking feeling” followed by “panic and uncontrollable fear” upon seeing these weapons. Mounted to either side of the ‘Cougar’s body, just underneath each wingjoint is a 200mm Long-Ranged Surge Cannon, locked facing forwards. It’s essentially a beam cannon, but there are a series of hypercapacitors located inside the cannon that empty all of their energy into the Surge Cannons, overcharging the blast. This makes this weapon even more powerful than its caliber would suggest, and fully capable of blowing straight throw lesser Zoids. Furthermore, since it was designed to hit aerial targets from on high, the Surge Cannon was designed to be Long-Ranged, and decent accuracy to distances as far out as 2 kilometers. However, because the capacitors require time to recharge, this weapon requires 6 seconds to regenerate energy after every volley (both barrels are linked and must be fired together). Also, these are of only limited utility against other aerial Zoids, but a solid hit will down most other aircraft.

Dual Short-Range AZ70mm Beam Cannons:
To supplement the Battle Cougar’s ground-attack capabilities, one AZ70mm Short-Range Beam Cannon was mounted underneath each 200mm Surge Cannon, locked facing forwards. Put simply, these are slightly smaller, longer-ranged, beam variants of the Dual Impact Cannon, such as that found on a Blade Liger. They are completely useless at ranges above 400 meters, and are most effective at ranges under 300 meters. However, they deal damage slightly less than the aforementioned Dual Impact Cannon, and boast a semiautomatic firing rate. Unfortunately, they’re often less useful in dogfighting due to the range limit and such.

Dual 40mm Pulse Laser Cannons:
Built into the joint between the two halves of the wing, the Battle Cougar’s main dogfighting weapon is a pair of fully automatic 40mm Pulse Laser Cannons. Though these do only standard 40mm Laser Cannon damage with standard accuracy, they each put out an impressive 12 rounds per second, making the Battle Cougar no joke in a dogfight. As a last note, these are locked into the wings, and face whatever the ‘Cougar faces.

Hardened Alloy Claws, Blade, and Beak:
For the most feral and rough kinds of melee combat, the Battle Cougar possesses several melee weapons. Namely, these are hardened alloy claws, beak, and a four meter long blade extending from the top of its head. Though these are strictly ornamental in aerial combat (attempting to use them at even slow aerial speeds is suicide), they’re all very useful for ripping, biting, tearing, and stabbing your enemies on the ground. Still, these weapons are something of a last fallback, given how many other weapons the ‘Cougar has...

Available Modifications:

Name: Bear Fighter
Alignment: Helic Republic
Family: Bear
Registration Number: RHI-06
Crew: 1-2
Height: 6.8 Meters
Length: 12 Meters
Weight: 45.6 Tons
Top Speed: 200 kph (quadruped), 95 kph (biped)
Weapons: Dual Electricity Cannons, Six-Shot Missile Launcher, Sharpened Hardened Alloy Claws.
Special Abilities: IR Sensors.
Cost:
Level: 3

The Bear Fighter is a rather unique Zoid, built by the Helic Republic to specialize in combat in forested and mountainous terrains. Obviously modeled off a regular bear, the Bear Fighter possesses the unique ability to shift from bipedal to upright almost instantaneously. Though there is a significant speed gap between the two modes, each serves a distinct function: the quadrupedal mode allows use of the back-mount weaponry, while the bipedal mode allows use of the chest-mounted missile launcher and sensors, and improved melee ability.

Though the Bear Fighter has an enormous potential for modification, its attractiveness as a Zoid actually comes from its thick special composite armor: indeed, the Bear Fighter has armor on par with the Black Rhimos. Furthermore, because of its unique construction, it’s an extremely versatile machine, and can handle many different situations are terrains equally well. As a last note, the Bear Fighter is fast for its size and construction, topping out at 200 kph in bipedal mode.

Weapons:
Twin 80mm Cannons:
For its main guns, effective usable only in quadrupedal mode, the Bear Fighter boasts two 80mm Cannons, attached to a swiveling mount on the Zoid’s back. They can rotate 45 degrees to either side, or up to 30 degrees up or down, making them quite a versatile weapon. Unfortunately, when the Bear Fighter switches into quadrupedal mode, these guns are only useful against targets above the Bear Fighter.

Six-Shot Missile Launcher:
Mounted to the Bear Fighter’s chest is a multipurpose missile launcher, carrying a grand total of six missiles. Each of these six missiles have can target either land or aerial targets, giving the Bear Fighter reasonable striking power. However, the launcher can only be used while the Bear Fighter is in bipedal mode, since it faces the ground while its in quadrupedal form.

Sharpened Hardened Alloy Claws:
The Bear Fighter’s main melee weapons, the claws, are used for the most feral type of combat imaginable. However, the Bear Fighter can only use one claw at a time in quadrupedal mode (or risk loosing its balance and falling down). In bipedal mode, it can use both front claws (and sometimes one back one, as well) without fear of such occurrence.

Special Abilities:
IR Sensors:
The Bear Fighter possesses standard IR sensors, which allow it to track targets effectively in forested and mountainous environments. However, this system is just standard IR and works largely off heat-tracking principles, so it’s easy to counter.

Available Modifications:

Name: Berserk Führer
Alignment: Guylos Empire
Family: Tyrannosaurus
Registration Number: EZ-049
Crew: 1
Height: 10.0 Meters
Length: 22.7 Meters
Weight: 97 Tons
Top Speed: 280 kph
Weapons: Hardened Alloy Claws and Teeth.
Special Abilities: Super Charged Particle Gun, Organoid System.
Level: Ultimate X

The Berserk Führer is a large Tyrannosaurus-type Ultimate X, originally created by the Guylos Empire and used as both a field commander and something of a battle standard during various wars on Zi. However, as times changed for the worse, the handful of existing Berserk Führers were destroyed, decommissioned, or simply lost to the sands of time...

Now only historians remember the Führer’s imperial past, because of the far more recent struggle with the Backdraft. Ever man, woman, and child on Zi knows that the Berserk Führer was the symbol of the Backdraft Group. Usually seen and thought of in its shiny particle armor, the ‘Führer is actually far less menacing in its stock form.

Visibly lacking any armor or ranged weapons, most pilots don’t recognize the stock “naked” Führer as the same killing machine that Vega Obscura publicized and piloted. However, despite apparently being at the disadvantage, a Berserk Führer lacking weapons is still as dangerous as many large and well-armed Zoids. Using its permanent Organoid System to help guide it and supplement the skills of the pilot, the ‘Führer is capable of darting across the battle and into melee completely unscathed. This is not only the Organoid System at work, though: the Berserk Führer stock form is actually very maneuverable, possibly even moreso than the Liger Zero.

It should be noted that the Berserk Führer possesses the ability to utilize a CAS (Changeable Armor System) to equip either the Particle Armor or the Storm Armor. Though the Particle Armor is most popularized in the news-media, the Storm Armor is both very real and very powerful.

Weapons:
Hardened Alloy Claws and Teeth:
The naked Berserk Führer has one and only one conventional weapon: its own body. The sharp, pointy objects that can be found on said body are the taloned claws and teeth. As far as teeth go, the ‘Führer has two extremely shiny rows of them, supplementing the two sharpened digits found on the end of either arm. The nuttier pilots may also find a way to use the foot-talons, which are equally sharp and dangerous.

Special Abilities:
Super Charged Particle Gun:
The signature weapon of the Berserk Führer, the one it always has regardless of armor or loadout, is the Super Charged Particle Gun. The first step in the firing process is engaging the footlo-- oh. That’s right. The naked Berserk Führer doesn’t have any footlocks. But anyway, if the pilot decides to proceed anyway, vents all over the body open and begin to release steam while the Zoid collects particles and charges the weapon. The armorless charging process takes only 2-3 seconds, after which point its ready to fire. Unfortunately, chances are that it will destroy both the enemy and the Führer, since the Berserk Führer lacks every safety feature necessary for CPG firing. There its recommended that the SCPG NOT BE USED until armor is mounted on the Führer.

Organoid System:
The Organoid System bonded onto the core of the Berserk Führer allows it to learn and develop, making the Zoid more intelligent with each battle. The Organoid System can operate independently, but it usually serves to supplement a pilots own skills, increasing the Zoid’s overall performance. Note that the effects of the Organoid System increase with experience.

The other function of the Organoid System is less impressive, but still quite useful. The organoid which was originally bonded onto the core still possesses its Core Tracking sensors, which now interface with the Führer itself. Needless to say, this allows the Berserk Führer to track almost any target, regardless of how well it hides itself.

Available Modifications:

Name: Bigasaur (aka “Bigasaru”)
Alignment: Helic Republic
Family: Diplodocus
Registration Number: RBOZ-001
Crew: 1-3
Height: 16.2 Meters
Length: 33.2 Meters
Weight: 131 Tons
Top Speed: 60 kph
Weapons: Quad 30mm Machineguns, Twin 20mm Anti-Aircraft Cannons, Dual 20mm Laser Cannons, Hardened Alloy Feet.
Special Abilities: None.
Level: 2

The Bigasaur was the Helic Republic’s optimization of the old axiom “bigger is better”. The result of their taking the saying to heart was this extremely large Zoid: the Bigasaur. If nothing else can be said about it, the Bigasaur is very big for a Zoid of its class, at a whopping 131 tons and over 33 meters long. While the Bigasaur was originally considered to be the equivalent of 10 other Zoids; this was back in the day when “other Zoids” meant protozoids or other very early designs. The Bigasaur’s once great weapons now seem laughable by comparison to modern armaments.

Back in the day, the Bigasaur was the toast of the town, and was often put on the front lines to decimate or completely outclass enemies. It’s armor and armament were exceptional for the time, and indeed allowed to excel at crowd-control. It’s main flaw was its completely lack of speed and maneuverability, but it used to be that just a few of these Zoids could take a battlefield by storm. However, time left the Bigasaur behind. Later Zoids such as Gojulas and Gordos surpassed it in almost every way, but other Zoids were outstripping it years before that. The Bigasaur has fallen into obscurity and been bumped down several classes since it was originally created. However, it’s still really big.

Weapons:
Quad 30mm Machineguns:
On either either side of the Bigasaur’s face is a 30mm Machinegun, making for a total of four of the weapons all together. Each of them is fixed facing forwards, but is fully automatic and can literally spew rounds at 12 per second each. They’re also attached to the Bigasaur’s long and stalk-like neck, which give them a great range of fire.

Twin 20mm Anti-Aircraft Cannons:
There is a pair of cannons on each side of the base of the Bigasaur’ back, which point straight up, allowing them to shoot at passing aerial targets. Each shell explodes at a certain preset altitude (dialed in by the pilot from the cockpit) into a cloud of shrapnel, which can shred and tear wings. The fuses can be turned off, making them standard 20mm cannons, but why someone would want to do that is unclear. They can pivot up to 90 degrees downwards, but still can’t hit many ground targets behind or in front of the Bigasaur.

Dual 20mm Laser Cannons:
There’s a 20mm semiautomatic Laser Cannon on each side of the Bigasaur’s tail. Each can pivot 360 degrees vertically but not at all horizontally. This makes them able to hit anything that might be following the Bigasaur. However, be forewarned: the cannons are capable of hitting the Bigasaur. Caution should be used to make sure they don’t.

Hardened Alloy Feet:
The one remarkable attribute that has stayed with the Bigasaur all these years and played to its advantage is its massive size and weight. Though dated beyond belief, the Bigasaur still weighs more than a Blade Liger and is fully capable of stepping on enemy Zoids. Given the Bigasaur’s immense weight, said enemy Zoid will often be squished. Though it can’t more very quickly, this has proved to be a valuable attribute in the past. Seeing a Bigasaur stalking towards you can be an extremely intimidating experience, especially if you happen to be in a Zoid of a similar class.

Available Modifications:

Name: Black Rhimos
Alignment: Zenebas Empire
Family: Rhinoceros
Registration Number: EHI-02
Crew: 1-2
Height: 7.6 Meters
Length: 22.3 Meters
Weight: 56 Tons
Top Speed: 180 kph
Weapons: Dual 105mm Cannons, Dual 20mm Cannons, Dual Impact Cannon, Dual Guided Anti-Ground Missiles, Combat Drill Horn.
Special Abilities: Radar Tower.
Level: 3

The Black Rhimos was originally brought into service as a downscaled version of the Red Horn -- a cheap and effective linebacker. It served its task with flying colors, its impressive array of ranged and melee weaponry allowing it to smash through most opponents with ease. The irony is that the stock Black Rhimos is actually almost as -- if not more -- heavily armed than the Red Horn, its two 105mm Cannons allowing it to destroy most opponents in just a few volleys.

As on the Red Horn, one of the Black Rhimos’ main distinctions is its armor. In its size and weight category, the Black Rhimos is the standard to measure your toughness against: it can take as much or more punishment than any other Zoid in its class.

Weapons:
Dual 105mm Cannons:
Mounted above of the Black Rhimos’ main body sits one of these behemoths. Each firing a solid 105mm shell at a semiautomatic rate, the two cannons are linked together and fixed facing forward. Despite their inability to pivot, the 105mm Cannons can either stay slung above the midsection, or “dock” and drop down to the Black Rhimos’ sides, which allows them to hit lower-slung targets and to pivot up to 30 degrees upwards.

Dual 20mm Cannons:
Much like the weapons found on the Black Rhimos’ larger cousins, there are two 20mm Cannons mounted to either side of this Zoid’s chin. Each cannon only puts out two shots per second -- not much better than semiautomatic, but still a decent addition to the Black Rhimos’ firepower. Furthermore, the cannons can pivot up to 45 degrees on the vertical axis to allow it fire while charging.

Dual Impact Cannon:
Among the first Zoids ever to carry such weapons, the Black Rhimos a two-barreled semiautomatic Impact Cannon, mounted to its undercarriage. They’re essentially identical to the equivalent weapons found on the Blade Liger -- boasting an AZ80mm caliber and the ability to badly damage many Zoids in a just a few volleys. However, like the Blade Liger’s, they’ve got a maximum range of 300 meters and are highly inaccurate while the Zoid is in motion.

Dual Guided AGMs (Anti-Ground Missiles)
The Black Rhimos has two perfectly normal Guided AGMs -- standard in every way. They’re mounted to the back of the Radar Tower, though, and can thus can be rotated 360 degrees on the horizontal axis.

Combat Drill Horn:
While the Black Rhimos has a battery of extremely powerful ranged weapons, it has a potent melee one as well: the Combat Drill Horn. It’s very similar to the Crasher Horns found on its larger cousins, the Dark Horn and Red Horn, with one difference: it can spin like a power drill. With this added goring power, the Combat Drill Horn is a weapon to be feared, allowing the Black Rhimos to gain the same reputation in melee that it has at a distance.

Special Abilities:
Radar Tower:
One of the unique attributes of the Black Rhimos is that it has a full Radar Tower, mounted on a turret on its back, capable of 360 degree rotation. This ability is relevant for two reasons: 1) it allows the Black Rhimos to aim its missiles, which are attached to the back of the Radar Tower. 2) The Radar Tower only sees what’s in a 30 degree arc in front of it. Thus.... when it uses the Radar Tower, the missiles point directly away from whatever’s in the arc and can’t lock on. However, the Radar Tower also enhances the Black Rhimos’ targeting accuracy by roughly 20% against a single target in the arc, so the sacrifice of the use of the missiles may be worth it. Note that spinning the Radar Tower at high RPM allows to make the radar omnidirectional, but this sacrifices both the targeting bonus and the missile lock.

Available Modifications:

Name: Blade Liger
Alignment: Helic Republic
Family: Liger
Registration Number: RZ-028
Crew: 1-2
Height: 12.2 Meters
Length: 25.9 Meters
Weight: 124 Tons
Top Speed: 305 kph (boosters), 260 (running)
Weapons: Twin 30mm Pulse Laser Guns, Dual Impact Cannon, Twin Laser Blades.
Special Abilities: Frontal E-Shield.
Level: 4

The Blade Liger is an evolution of the earlier Helic Shield Liger with improved melee capabilities, in the form of increased speed, strength, and agility, along with the addition of two Laser Blades. Originally publicized by Van Flyheight, who piloted the very first one of these, the Blade Liger used to be considered a rare Zoid. Originally, the Helic Republic had difficulty manufacturing more due to its unique construction and Zoid Core, but still recognized the merits of having such a Zoid on their side in times of both war and peace. Despite being more expensive than the stock Shield Liger, several dozen of these Zoids were produced and filtered through the ranks of the Republican Army.

Though many have been either lost to time or destroyed in combat, each war finds new uses for the Blade Liger. A wide array of customizations and modifications available to the Blade Liger make it attractive to individual pilots and armed forces alike, and many have been produced as a result. After the Backdraft resurrection of the Charged Particle Gun, Blade Ligers were treated as invaluable resources for their potential to counter the new threat. During the war, Blade Ligers nearly poured from the factories to swell the ranks of the Zi Coalition Forces. Now, many have been sold off as army surplus, and many have found their way into the hands of private owners.

Needless to say, the reputation of Blade Liger as high performance and reliable has made it a popular choice among aspiring young pilots. At least an equal number choose it for its connection to the legendary hero Van Flyheight, or because of its involvement in an untold number of heroic victories during the war. Whatever the reason, calling the Blade Liger “rare” is now nothing less than black heresy; indeed, many nations are trying to find ways to discourage pilots from using Blade Ligers to increase variety in the competitive Zoid Battling circuits.

If we speak technically for a moment, though, the Blade Liger is still extremely attractive on stats alone. It has armor better than many of the Zoids in its class of similar speed and agility, and has a good array of weapons to begin with. If the stock form just isn’t enough, there exist an array of modifications to give it any number of other abilities, allowing it to adapt to most situations. And, lastly, the Blade Liger is a powerful melee demon, with almost unparalleled close-quarters abilities.

Weapons:
Twin 30mm Pulse Laser Guns:
Mounted to each of the Blade Liger’s infamous laser blades sits a 30mm Pulse Laser Gun. The primary ranged weapon for the ‘Liger, the Pulse Laser Guns are fully automatic, and spew out 12 rounds per second each. Also, because they’re mounted to the blades, these weapons can face and shoot at anywhere the blades can. That makes them near omnidirectional, and extremely useful.

Dual Impact Cannon:
When the Twin 30mm Pulse Laser Guns just don’t seem strong enough, the Blade Liger’s famous Dual Impact Cannons might succeed where other weapons failed. This semiautomatic, double-barreled AZ80mm Impact Cannon can take the armor off of some Zoids in a just a few volleys. Unfortunately, this weapon is fixed to the undercarriage, facing forwards, and has a maximum range of 300 meters. Something else worth noting is that Dual Impact Cannon is extremely hard to aim properly while running, because it is a fixed weapon.

Twin Laser Blades:
The Dual Impact Cannon just not destroying your opponent quick enough? Have no fear. The Blade Liger’s signature Twin Laser Blades are capable of dealing with your problem. Two chargeable blades, each conventionally mounted on the back and to either side of the midsection, are more than sufficient to cut down most enemies. Though they’re razor-sharp uncharged, the Blade Liger has the ability to charge its Laser Blades, drastically increasing their cutting power. Also, since they’re mounted on rotating hinges, each Laser Blade can be pivoted up to 180 degrees on the horizontal axis (from straight forward to straight behind) and up to 90 degrees straight upwards. The hinges themselves can even move a bit, capable of sliding from the back to “docked” position on the sides. Note that the Laser Blades are just over 7 meters long, allowing the ‘Liger to slice and dice targets with no threat to its own safety.

Special Abilities:
Frontal E-Shield:
Among the most useful holdovers from the Shield Liger that the this Zoid possesses, the Blade Liger can raise a Frontal E-Shield. Raising the E-Shield entails opening the shield panels on the top and bottom on the ‘Liger’s head. If either one is badly damaged or destroyed, the maneuver will fail. However, once the shield is up, it protects the Blade Liger from the head all the way to the rear legs. The E-Shield itself is almost as good protection as the Blade Liger’s own armor, as far as conventional weapons go. It can also be used in melee as a high-speed battering ram, allowing it to be used offensively as well. Explosives (mortars, missiles, rockets, grenades, ect.) and special shield-piercing rounds can quickly compromise the E-Shield, though, so know thine opponent before bringing the E-Shield up. It takes 18 seconds to regenerate after being downed. However, the Blade Liger’s own Dual Laser Blades have the unique ability to, when charged, pierce the shield from inside and stick out without ill effects to the shield.

Name: Brastle Tiger (Imitate)
Alignment: Zi-Arms (Neo-Zenebas Empire)
Family: Tiger (Legendary)
Registration Number: EZ-076
Crew: 1
Height: 7.7 Meters
Length: 18.4 Meters
Weight: 91 Tons
Top Speed: 300 kph
Weapons: Thermic Weapons Array, AZ208mm Artillery Cannon Array, Hyper Triple Impact Cannon, Twin Dual 20mm Beam Machineguns, Dual Thermic Sabres, Strike Thermic Claws
Special Abilities: Heat Sink System, Thermic Blast, Heart of the Tiger
Level: Ultimate X

Back in the days of yore, during a period of heightened hostilities between the ZOITEC and Zi-Arms corporations, an astounding discovery was made. The last of the three Ancient Tiger Cores was excavated by the Zi-Arms corporation, this core containing the powerful Brastle Tiger. Though the Brastle Tiger’s origins prior to its resurrection by Zi-Arms are largely unknown, it’s believed that it was created by the Ancient Zoidians as a defender of Zi and Zoidkind.

Whatever its original role, Zi-Arms used combat and technical data from the core to bring the Brastle Tiger back to life -- even more powerful than before. With revolutionary Thermic Weaponry and a number of super-advanced other weapons and armor based on Ancient Zoidian technology, the Brastle Tiger seemed like the ultimate weapon. But it wasn’t enough for Zi-Arms. Using other data from the Brastle Tiger’s core, they recreated a Deathsaurer.

This was apparent an affront which the Brastle Tiger could not abide. It rebelled. And, in the only ever observed instance of the three legendary Zoids fighting together, joined forces with the Whitz Tiger and Rayse Tiger to destroy the Deathsaurer and the Zi-Arms corporation in its entirety. The legendary Brastle Tiger then vanished, with only a handful of sightings in the last few hundred years.

The ZOITEC corporation and whatever was left Zi-Arms both took it upon themselves to save all of the data from near-annhilated Zi-Arms computer network. Years later, the newly formed Zoid Battle Commission took interest in this data, and confiscated it. Several information warfare experts, as they iterated through the massive database, came across a group of hidden, heavily encrypted files. Using old, salvaged passwords used by the Zi-Arms CEO, the specialists uncovered copies of technical and combat data of the Brastle Tiger.

Needless to say, the Zoid Battle Commission recreated the body of the beast as best they could, but only the Brastle Tiger’s Legendary Tiger Core could actually power and control the form. Therefore, the ZBC was forced to scale down the Tiger’s abilities and compensate as best they could. This Zoid was the result. Despite not being the legendary Brastle Tiger itself, these Brastle Tigers still have thermic weaponry, fiery tempers, and a general hostility towards strangers. It’s also been observed that Brastle Tigers have a general dislike for Rayse Tigers, though the reason for this is not clear.

As far as the technical details, the Brastle Tiger has average ZX/UX armor, and isn’t as maneuverable as the Liger Zero or Rayse Tiger. However, it is exceptionally well-armed, and almost as strong as the Rayse Tiger, making it well able to handle itself in any situation. Two main problem it faces, though, are that it has a disturbing tendency to overheat when overworked, and it inability to hide from IR sensors, no matter the environment.

Weapons:
Thermic Weapons Array:
The “main” part of the Brastle Tiger isn’t just ornamental. It’s armor plating for the Brastle Tiger’s main weapons, the Thermic Weapons Array. When the plate slides away (an almost instantaneous process), it reveals a battery of no fewer than 10 thermic weapons. The first eight of them are grouped into pairs, and there are two of these pairs on either side of the Brastle Tiger’s mane. Each one is a full AZ80mm Thermic Laser Cannon, boasting a semiautomatic rate of fire and the ability to be chain-linked or fire in volleys. There are, however, two more unique cannons at the very peak of the Brastle Tiger’s mane: two AZ80mm Continuous Thermic Beam, which will continue to fire in constant, continuous stream until the pilot lets up on the trigger. All 10 weapons are Thermic, meaning that they are more powerful than even their large caliber would suggest, and have a wave-particle duality. (IE: They act somewhat like both lasers and solid shells. They can pierce a field that would normally block one or the other with half power.) However, all 10 weapons are fixed facing forwards, and all (the last two in particular) will cause the Brastle Tiger to overheat extremely quickly if overused.

AZ208mm Artillery Cannon Array:
If the Thermic Weapons just aren’t cutting it, or if the Brastle Tiger is overheating and needs to take a break from the Thermics, this Zoid is equipped with no fewer than 10 208mm Artillery Cannons. They’re all concealed by armor plates: three in each front shoulder, two in each back hip, and between them enough firepower to decimate a small army. Each artillery shell from any one of these cannons deals damage comparable to one round from the Hyper Triple Impact Cannon, making them devastatingly powerful. Like other artillery shells, they rely on a parabolic arc to let them hit targets with any degree of effectiveness. Though their maximum range is over a kilometer, their minimum range is 250 meters, making them useless against targets that are eager to close ground. Also, they’ve got to be carefully aimed, and are next-to-useless if used while the Brastle Tiger moves. However, they can’t cause the Brastle Tiger to overheat, making them a valuable addition to the Zoid’s arsenal.

Hyper Triple Impact Cannon:
Mounted to the Brastle Tiger’s undercarriage, fixed facing forward, is a semiautomatic three-barreled impact cannon. Ordinary enough, with a maximum range of 250 meters before the shells drop into the ground and become ineffective. However, the word “Hyper” in the description wasn’t exactly a bluff. Each cannon boasts an AZ208mm caliber, making it fully capable of downing lesser Zoids in just one or two volleys. And ontop of that, they can’t cause the Brastle Tiger to overheat.

Twin Dual 20mm Beam Machineguns:
Mounted behind two small armor plates in the Brastle Tiger’s face are two sets of two 20mm Beam Machineguns. Though their caliber is small, each puts out rounds at a rate of 20 rounds per second, making a grand total of 80 20mm rounds each second. They only contribute a miniscule amount to the Brastle Tiger’s heat production as well, so they can be used essentially without fear of overtaxing the Zoid.

Dual Thermic Sabres:
The Brastle Tiger possesses an emitter on either side of its main body -- not an actual blade. They possess exactly one function: to bring the Dual Thermic Sabres into existence. Made from pure thermic energy, the two 2 meter blades that appear when the emitters are activated only seem small and impotent. Anything tat the blade passes through won’t simply melt or slough: it will immediately vaporize. However, the short length of the weapons makes them tricky to use, and the emitters generate a massive amount of heat, so use them carefully and sparingly. (Note that the Brastle Tiger can use one blade independently, it need not use both at once.)

Strike Thermic Claws:
The Brastle Tiger has the odd ability to superheat any of its four claws, with effects similar to the Strike Laser Claw. The Strike Thermic Claw, as its called, allows the Brastle Tiger to cut through enemy armor and structure extremely easily (because said armor and structure has been melted and softened by the heat), but only for a limited time. While not as hot or energy-guzzling as the Thermic Sabres, the Strike Thermic Claw does heavily tax the heat sync system, and there’s no telling how long it can remain active for before melting the claws themselves.

Special Abilities:
Heat Sink System:
Obviously, many of the Brastle Tiger’s systems cause it to quickly accumulate heat. To stop it from simply instantly overheating and hitting Command System Freeze, it has a series of heat sinks that allow it to vent excess heat. (The heat sinks allow the Brastle Tiger’s heat level to decrease over time if heat generation has stopped.) There are four large heat sinks -- one on the back of each leg, and six more on various places on the tail. They constantly release a superheated steam which, while not hot enough to be a weapon or thick enough to be concealment, gives the Brastle Tiger away to IR Sensors. However, even if this steam were somehow dissipated, the ‘Tiger’s skin is even hotter. Indeed, there’s even one story that IR Sensors allowed a pilot to see a Brastle Tiger through a mountain.

Thermic Blast:
Thermic Blast is, quite simply, a superweapon that only the Brastle Tiger can use. As such, be forewarned: ZBC regulations limit this attack to one use per battle, and that use can’t be in the first round. Furthermore, the Brastle Tiger must have at least one Thermic Sabre Emitter and at least 5 cannons in its Thermic Weapons Array intact to use this attack.

With that said, the Thermic Blast requires the Brastle Tiger to first open every armor panel in its body and reveal thermic weapon it has. Then, it takes four seconds and overcharges each one of them and vents pure thermal energy through its heat sinks. The result is comparable to... well, there’s little it can be compared to. Firstly, everything within a 250 meter radius will be instantly and completely engulfed by a heat field that resembles a nuclear mushroom cloud. Most Zoids will be left as dust or ash from this alone. However, secondly, the attack produces an omnidirectional shockwave that’s as strong as a CPG’s, which can easily send many lighter Zoids flying. Though the very toughest standard Zoids, such as the Gojulas, Gordos, and Dark Horn can survive both effects if relatively undamaged prior, they’ll come out barely functioning. The good news is that they’ll have a respite: after using the Thermic Blast, Brastle Tiger itself is stunned for a few seconds. For a full round after that, the ‘Tiger experiences a 50% speed, maneuverability, and overall performance loss for a full round after the attack. Even after that, it won’t recover fully. Also, the attack overloads the Thermic Sabre Emitters, rendering them totally useless.

Heart of A Tiger:
While the ZBC couldn’t recreate the powerful Legendary Tiger Core that dwells within the resurrected Brastle Tiger, they had to put some kind of core in the Zoid. The process of finding a substitute was long and difficult -- but they ultimately succeeded. The end result of their search was a mutated standard Tiger-typed Zoid Core with salvaged remnants and scraps of the Brastle Tiger’s personality and combat data uploaded into it. Even then, it simply couldn’t produce the power necessary to fuel the Brastle Tiger, so the Commission was forced to bond an Organoid onto each Brastle Tiger’s core, making -- you guessed it, an Organoid System. While only a shadow of the real Legendary Tiger Core, this core comes with 30 experience “preloaded”. Furthermore, any experience the Brastle Tiger has is effectively multiplied by 1.5 when the ‘Tiger is put into a situation using its Thermic Weaponry.

However, note that the Brastle Tiger truly does have a heart of a tiger, with powerful free will to boot. It has a fiery and destructive temper and personality to match its weapons. Also, the Brastle Tiger’s core is strangely shielded by a special armor. Though its theorized that this was meant to stop the Brastle Tiger from melting its own Zoid Core during the Thermic Blast, this armor stops anything from entering the Zoid Core: virus, power surge (electrical/shocking weapons), or an Organoid. Oddly, the armor also suppresses the Brastle Tiger’s core signature, even though any IR sensor in the world can spot it a dozen kilometers away. Funny how the world works, no?

Name: Cannon Tortoise
Alignment: Helic Republic
Family: Tortoise
Registration Number: RZ-13
Crew: 1
Height: 5.8 Meters
Length: 9.9 Meters
Weight: 33.6 Tons
Top Speed: 100 kph
Weapons: Long-Range Heavy Mortar Cannon, Quad 20mm Beam Cannons
Special Abilities: None.
Level: 2

The Cannon Tortoise is exactly what is sounds like -- a Tortoise with a giant cannon on its back. Well, technically, it’s not really a solid-shot cannon but actually a high explosive mortar that the Cannon Tortoise sports. The entire Zoid is essentially a support mechanism for the behemoth weapon, and it has little function otherwise.

Needless to say, it was originally developed by the Helic Republic as a long-range artillery and bombardment platform. It wasn’t really designed for anything that remotely approaches close-range combat, and as such isn’t particularly fast. It also has terrible maneuverability and performance, because it really wasn’t supposed to move too much during combat.

However, the one redeeming quality of the Cannon Tortoise, which it has gained notoriety for in recent years, is durability. The Cannon Tortoise boasts armor with strength per unit thickness is only a bit better than other Zoids of its size and level. However, almost the entirely of the Tortoise is covered with its shell, which is extremely thick. As a matter of fact, in the general shell region, the Cannon Tortoise’s armor is tougher than that found on a Blade Liger, making it next to invulnerable compared to its peers. The unarmored parts of the Zoids -- most the legs and head, are small targets (and, as far as the head goes, illegal in sanctioned Zoid battling).

However, be it noted that the Cannon Tortoise at a serious disadvantage in melee combat. Though its tough, its next to useless at close range, and most Zoids can wear it down. It’s just a matter of closing the distance.

Weapons:
Long-Range Heavy Mortar Cannon:
The Cannon Tortoise possess this giant Long-Range Heavy Mortar Cannon as its main weapon. With a maximum range well over two kilometers, the Mortar Cannon can pivot up to 90 degrees upwards to create a parabolic arc for the rounds it fires. (The mortar has no minimum, but fire with caution unless you’re planning to hit yourself.) And, once those rounds hit, they create a giant 25 meter explosion, more than capable of blowing apart smaller Zoids. Most of Cannon Tortoise’s peers can only stand 2 or 3 hits from this massive weapon before keeling over. Even larger, tougher Zoids can only stand 4 to 5 rounds. However, note that the Cannon Tortoise’s rate of fire is exceptionally slow: limited to one shot every three seconds.

Quad 20mm Cannons:
The Cannon Tortoise has two double-barreled 20mm Cannons, one on either side of its main body. It’s a completely standard setup: all four weapons are semiautomatic, and can pivot up to 30 degrees up.

Available Modifications:

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.))

Name: Command Wolf
Alignment: Helic Republic
Family: Wolf
Registration Number: RZ-009
Crew: 1-2
Height: 7.9 Meters
Length: 14.7 Meters
Weight: 46 Tons
Top Speed: 210 kph
Weapons: Twin AZ50mm Beam Cannons, Electron Bite Fangs, Hardened Alloy Claws.
Special Abilities: IR Sensors, Smoke Dischargers.
Level: 2

The Command Wolf was one of the first Zoids ever to come into service of the Helic Republic, and it continues to pop up throughout history again and again. Cheap, fast, and mobile, the Command Wolf can act as a scout or a member of an assault team. The multipurpose design also gives it access to a wide variety of modifications, which have kept it in service over the years.

Though the Command Wolf has been with the Helic Republic almost since the beginning, there are some flaws that time hasn’t fixed. It has sacrificed armor for performance and maneuverability, giving it exceptional agility but making it somewhat lacking in toughness. Indeed, almost none of the many variants and modification of Command Wolves have addressed the armor issue, requiring the pilot to move and dodge to say in the fight.

However, despite this one issue, the Command Wolf has remained a popular choice up until the present day. The combination of cheap price tag, high customizability, and dexterous design attracts many veterans. Conversely, amateurs are often impressed by the stories of past heroes and legends who made names for themselves alongside a Command Wolf. Many pilots both amateur and professional forgo larger or better armed Zoids to test their skills inside this cockpit.

Weapons:
Twin AZ50mm Beam Cannons:
The stock Command Wolf has two twin ranged weapons mounted to its back: a pair of AZ50mm Beam Cannons. Though the caliber may seem small, the AZ designation denotes greatly improved damage and penetration above a normal 50mm weapon. They’re only semiautomatic, but their turret mount allows them to pivot up to 90 degrees to either side and up to 20 degrees up or down. Also, they can either be fired together or chain-linked.

Electron Bite Fangs:
All too often, the Command Wolf will find that its main guns lack the stopping power to prevent an opponent from reaching melee range. That’s where these come in. The Command Wolf’s fangs -- that is, teeth -- can siphon to energy from the Zoid Core to pseudo-charge themselves, increasing their cutting power almost as much as if they’d been charged with a system similar to the Strike Laser Claw. This makes the jaws excellent for downing an opponent quickly in melee combat; attempting to bite through the enemy Zoid Control Conduit is an old favorite of soldiers.

Hardened Alloy Claws:
To supplement the Electron Bite Fangs, the Command Wolf has four sharp claws at its disposal. Though not chargeable, the claws are still excellent weapons, great for ripping and tearing through armor, structure, and internals alike.

Special Abilities:
IR Sensors:
Originally introduced out of necessity, the IR Sensors were first added to the Command Wolf to allow it to see through its own smoke. Like all IR Sensors, this system allows the Zoid to track enemies and allies alike by their heat signatures. It’s very standard stuff, no special quirks in particular.

Smoke Dischargers:
You may have noticed several large exhaust pipes sticking out of the back of the Command Wolf. Given that Zoids don’t run off of petroleum fuel, a good question would be “Why are those there?” Those actually aren’t exhaust pipes; they’re Smoke Dischargers. They allow the Command Wolf to create a smoke screen: handy for hiding itself or covering a retreat. However, they only obscure vision, doing little to stop other forms of tracking.

Available Modifications:

Name: Dark Horn
Alignment: Guylos Empire
Family: Styracosaurus
Registration Number: DPZ-10
Crew: 1-3
Height: 13.5 Meters
Length: 20.8 Meters
Weight: 115 Tons
Top Speed: 130 kph
Weapons: Hybrid Vulcan Cannon, 60mm Continuous Laser Cannon, AZ60mm Tri-Barrelled Artillery Cannon, Guided Anti-Ground Missile Launcher, Dual Twin 20mm Cannons, Crasher Horn and Tail.
Special Abilities: Composite Sensory Unit.
Level: 4

The Dark Horn has the unique status of being the standard to be measured against in both armor and firepower. Originally created as the muscleman and high-end linebacker of the Guylos Armed Forces, the Dark Horns developed the reputation of being able to mow through even the toughest opponents. Fighting side by side with its cousin, the Red Horn, the Dark Horn was often seen spearingheading charges on the front lines.

Though the Dark Horn is extremely similar in design to the Red Horn, there are a few crucial differences between the two Zoids. First and foremost is the fact that the Dark Horn has a yet heavier coat of armor, tougher than the Geno Saurer, making it the absolute toughest Zoid in its class. Second is the fact that the stock Dark Horn boasts a Hybrid Vulcan Cannon along with several other weapons, making it almost unmatched in firepower. Even the sturdiest of Zoids, like the Gojulas, must think twice before running headlong into battle with a Dark Horn.

However, one of the Dark Horn’s crucial weaknesses is that it can’t move or maneuver very quickly. The other crucial weakness is that while the Dark Horn itself is exceptionally well armored, the Hybrid Vulcan mount, to which most of its weapons are attached, is unarmored and fragile.

Weapons:
Hybrid Vulcan Cannon:
On the Dark Horn’s back sits its fiercest weapon: the Hybrid Vulcan Cannon. This four-barreled monstrosity is a “hybrid” between chaingun/vulcan and machinegun technologies, giving it an exceptional rate of fire: a full 35 rounds per second. Furthermore, since the weapon’s caliber is 60mm, it can strip stationary targets of armor with just a few seconds’ worth of fire. Also, the turret mount it sits on allows it to rotate 360 degrees horizontally or incline or decline up to 10 degrees vertically.

60mm Continuous Laser Cannon:
Though not nearly potent as the Hybrid Vulcan Cannon, the Dark Horn has a second reasonably powerful weapon at its disposal. Mounted onto the Hybrid Vulcan mount, right above the AGM launcher, sits a 60mm Continuous Laser Cannon. Because its a continuous laser beam, it can quickly slice and melt through even heavy armor. However, because of power constraints, the Continuous Laser Cannon can only be fired for 1 second at a time, and cannot be used again for another second while its energy stores regenerate. Also, it can’t pivot independently from the Hybrid Vulcan Cannon, meaning both weapons have to point at the same target.

AZ60mm Tri-Barrelled Artillery Cannon:
Mounted to one side of the Dark Horn’s Hybrid Vulcan Cannon, opposite the 60mm Continuous Laser Cannon and the Guided AGM missile pods, sits an AZ60mm Tri-Barrelled Artillery Cannon. As all artillery cannons, this weapon is very much like a ranged Triple Impact Cannon, albeit with a different range and firing rate. The Artillery Cannon fires its shells in a parabolic arc, giving itself a maximum range of over a kilometer, but a minimum range of 100 meters. Also, the cannon has a slightly less than semiautomatic firing rate, restricting to firing one shell from each barrel only once every 2 seconds. On the plus side, the Tri-Barrelled Artillery Cannon can vertically pivot independently of the Hybrid Vulcan, allowing it to adjust its trajectory and aiming without affecting any of the other weapons.

Guided Anti-Ground Missile Launcher:
Mounted on the Hybrid Vulcan Cannon mount, to one side of and below the 60mm Continuous Laser Cannon, sits a Guided Anti-Ground Missile Launcher. Technically, there are two pods of two, but the both are so close together that they might as well be one. They share the same locking system, too, so for all intents and purposes, they’re the same launcher. Anyway, there are four AGMs in all, which are standard in most respects. The launcher itself has Dark Horn-grade armor (unlike the rest of the weapons on the Hybrid Vulcan mount), but it has to turn with the other weapons on the turret.

Dual Twin 20mm Cannons:
Usually regarded as the least powerful weapon on the Dark Horn, there are two sets of two beam cannons on the Dark Horn. The first set is located underneath the Horn’s chin, while the others are located on the end of its massive tail. All four have the ability to pivot down up to 30 degrees; the tail-mounted ones can pivot up by the same amount. Also, the beam cannons have a faster firing rate than semiautomatic -- each spewing out shells in 3 round bursts per tap of the trigger. However, each of of cannons is linked together: that is, they must pivot and fire in unison.

Crasher Horn and Tail:
The Dark Horn is extremely dangerous at a range, but is even more dangerous in close-quarters. This is because it possesses a Crasher Horn specially designed for ramming and goring. A running charge and a solid hit with the Crasher Horn can send lighter Zoids flying. The Crasher Tail is designed for maximum impact and bludgeoning damage, and can be used to knock the Dark Horn’s enemies around as well. Either weapon is capable of dealing heavy damage, so don’t underestimate either.

Special Abilities:
Composite Sensory Unit:
Simply put, the Dark Horn possesses a Composite Sensory Unit that allows it use 3D Doppler Radar and IR scanning to track its opponents. The sensors themselves are spread around the body, giving the Composite Sensory Unit and excellent range of vision, and making it hard to destroy.

Available Modifications:

Name: Dark Spiner
Alignment: Guylos Empire
Family: Spinosaurus
Registration Number: EZ-060
Crew: 1
Height: 16.6 Meters
Length: 22.3 Meters
Weight: 118 Tons
Top Speed: 240 kph
Weapons: Dual 144mm Machineguns, Quad Defensive Cannons, Electron Bite Fangs, Strike Laser Claws.
Special Abilities: Communications Jamming, Spinal Array Deployment, Jamming Blade.
Level: 5

The Dark Spiner was actually originally a high-end Guylos frontline infantry Zoid, spearheading charges and rushing blindly into enemy fire. It’s extremely pricey, but many would say that its worth every penny. With armor as tough as the Geno Saurer’s, the Dark Spiner can take quite a bit of punishment and keep right on ticking. It’s weaponry is also no joke, boasting an array of melee and ranged weaponry, including two fearsome 144mm Machineguns.

While it was definitely a high-end and high performance Zoid, having plenty of firepower, speed, and even maneuverability, the Dark Spiner was really one-function. Though they had the potential to do crowd-control work, both the Red Horn and Dark Spiner could do the same just as or more effectively for less money. Really, the Dark Spiner was outfitted with and almost designed around a Jamming Blade for one purpose: to make it an assassin.

Of course, that doesn’t mean the sneaky, stealthy assassin. The kind of assassin who kicks down your front door. The Dark Sniper was designed to fight one enemy Zoid -- just one -- and destroy it. Of course, it can fight in any number of configurations, but a 1v1 is what its best at; the Dark Spiner is deadly against a single opponent in both ranged and close-quarters combat situations. This has made it less popular in the armed forces, but has also created a certain appeal in sanctioned Zoid battles, where such battles are more common.

Weapons:
Dual 144mm Machineguns:
The Dual 144mm Machineguns are the Dark Spiner’s main weapons, prominently displayed sitting on the Zoid’s shoulders. It should be noted that their caliber is 144mm and they’re fully automatic machineguns, practically the largest weapons around with their rate of fire. Spewing out a ridiculous 25 shells per second each, these are what gives the Dark Spiner most of its stopping power. Unfortunately, high rate of fire comes at a price; both cannons are ridiculously inaccurate while the ‘Spiner is moving (and not much better when its stationary). They can pivot 45 degrees up or down, but must pivot together. Also, the pilot can flip these weapons into semiautomatic mode, if he or she wants to regain accuracy while losing the massive stopping power. As a final note, the machineguns themselves are less armored than the rest of the body, but are an extremely small target to try to hit.

Quad Defensive Cannons:
This is a unique and interesting weapon, originally added to the Dark Spiner as an experiment in a new alternatives to projectile and energy cannons. Though it was only an experiment in the beginning, the weapon quickly earned its keep on the Dark Spiner, and is now standard on the stock models. Basically, these are four radiation cannons, all mounted to the backmost spine on the ‘Spiner. They’re rear-facing (when the spinal array is down, they’re forward-facing when the spinal array is up) and semiautomatic, but their real power comes from the radiation bolts they fire. Each shot that lands bypasses armor (though its power declines the more armor it has to go through) and strikes at the internals directly, frying them and affecting Zoid performance. Several solid hits on exposed internals can actually stun a Zoid, but only at close range. This weapon becomes impotent at ranges over 250 meters and is really most effective at ranges under 150 meters. Note that these cannons can pivot up to 90 degrees up no matter the position of the spinal array.

Electron Bite Fangs:
On occasion, the Dark Spiner will find its main guns insufficient to stop an enemy from reaching melee. That’s where these come in. The Dark Spiner’s fangs -- that is, teeth -- can siphon to energy from the Zoid Core to pseudo-charge themselves, increasing their cutting power almost as much as if they’d been charged with a system similar to the Strike Laser Claw. This makes the jaws excellent for downing an opponent quickly in melee combat; attempting to bite through the enemy Zoid Control Conduit is an old favorite of soldiers.

Strike Laser Claws:
The Dark Spiner’s claws look deceptively small and stumpy, but they’re actually among the most dangerous weapons it possesses. Using the same Strike Laser Claw system as the famous Shadow Fox, the Dark Spiner’s front claws can be charged with energy, drastically increasing their cutting power and allowing them to inflict massive damage with swipes and sustained pressure.

Special Abilities:
Communications Jamming:
The Dark Spiner’s spinal array isn’t just there for show. One of its main purposes is actually to jam enemy communications. And we mean all, we mean all. It disrupts not only the ability to communicate between Zoids, but also the ability to communicate between Zoid and transport, and certain sensors that rely on communications to function. Unmanned units (if any are present) will also be unable to receive commands. Above and beyond that, the radius of effect is a full 2 kilometers. However, the Dark Spiner’s teammates are completely unaffected. Nifty, no? However, if more than four out of the Dark Spiner’s eight spines have been destroyed, the jamming will cease to function.

Spinal Array Deployment:
The Dark Spiner’s spinal array is, interestingly enough, fully capable of flipping off its back and pivoting up like a blade, above its head (“deployed”). This entire process only takes a little under a second. This process is necessary for usage of the Jamming Blade attack. It also allows the Quad Defensive Cannons to face and fire forwards. Note that this process still works just fine if one or more spines have been destroyed, as long as the backbone is still intact.

Jamming Blade:
The Dark Spiner’s ultimate attack is called the Jamming Blade. The prerequisites are simple: there must be at least 4 spines intact on the Dark Spiner, and the spinal array must be deployed. Then, the Dark Spiner has to spend one second charging the attack, creating an electrostatic ion field around itself. After that, the Jamming Blade is ready. Any Zoid that ventures comes within 50 meters of the 45 degree arc in front of the Dark Spiner will be blown back with incredible force, dealing bludgeoning damage. However, this is only the start of the attack. The enemy Zoid was blown back by the Dark Spiner’s electrostatic field, and the entire force of that field has discharged itself into the intruder. This will stun the Zoid for 6 seconds, and deal 6 seconds worth of shocking damage. However, the Dark Spiner itself is stunned for 2 seconds after the attack, and can’t use its Communications Jamming or Quad Defensive Cannons for three rounds afterwards.

There are a few interesting notes about this attack, as well. The Dark Spiner, unlike other Zoids performing an attack of this magnitude, is fully capable of moving about with a charged Jamming Blade. However, after being charged, the Jamming Blade field will only hold up for a few seconds before blowing out the Spinal Array itself. Also, the Jamming Blade field will absorb and deflect bullets, mortars, grenades, missiles, and the like. (Beam and laser weapons are unaffected.) Therefore, it can sometimes be used as an impromptu shield. However, the Dark Spiner really shouldn’t fire its own weapons while the Jamming Blade field is up. As a last note, for every spine the Dark Spiner has lost, the duration of the shock to the enemy Zoid is reduced by 1 second.

Available Modifications:

Name: Deadborder
Alignment: Guylos Empire
Family: Tarbosaurus
Registration Number: PBZ-09
Crew: 1
Height: 12.8 Meters
Length: 19.6 Meters
Weight: 92 Tons
Top Speed: 140 kph
Weapons: Twin Gravity Cannons, Dual 150mm Cannons, Triple AZ50mm Beam Cannons, Twin 105mm Beam Cannons, Flamethrower, Quad Multipurpose Missiles, Hardened Alloy Claws and Fangs.
Special Abilities: Radar Transparency.
Level: 4

The Deadborder, originally designed by the Guylos Empire to counter large Helic Zoids like the Gordos, is sometimes referred to as “Zoid Destroyer” rather than a Zoid. But, be assured, by all accounts, the Deadborder is a Zoid. It’s just the two Gravity Cannons, just above the 150mms that throw some people off.

In all seriousness, the Deadborder is among the best armed and toughest Zoids in its class. However, it’s designed to fight what’s in front of it; as such, its also distinguished with the worst maneuverability of anything in its peer group. For that reason, combined with the advent of the Charged Particle Gun, the Deadborder has slowly declined in popularity over the years... but it’s still available, if you really want one.

Weapons:
Twin Gravity Cannons:
The largest two guns you will find on any Zoid of this size and weight, the Deadborder possesses two full Gravity Cannons. These cannons fire heavy planetellocite impacters, leading to their designation as “Gravity Cannons” or “Zoid Destroying” weapons. The heavy impact of the cannons, while not able to make a hyper-gravity field, will shatter even the thickest armor and send even the heaviest Zoids sprawling. Furthermore, these particular two cannons have the ability to incline up or down by a full 90 degrees. However, the cannons are limited to firing one shot every six seconds as they take an extreme length of time to reload.

Dual 150mm Cannons:
Located under each of the two Gravity Cannons is a 150mm Cannon (they share the same mount). Both weapons are semiautomatic, and not to be underestimated.

Triple AZ50mm Beam Cannons:
The Deadborder possess three AZ50mm Beam Cannons fixed onto its chest. They can be fired in sequence or all at once, and are reasonably standard equipment. They just add a little firepower to its arsenal.

Twin 105mm Beam Cannons:
Mounted to either side of the Deadborder is a 105mm Beam Cannon, each capable of pumping two shots a second. They’re fixed facing forwards, and adds that much more firepower to Deadborder’s already potent array of weapons.

Flamethrower:
And if you thought the Deadborder had enough weapons... you were wrong. For all of its close-ranged combat needs, the Deadborder has a high-power flamethrower attached to its chest. Unfortunately, although this weapon is potent, it only has a 75 meter range.

Quad Multipurpose Missiles:
The Deadborders possesses missiles located in two rows along the Deadborder’s chest. These possess the unique ability to lock onto both ground-based and aerial targets -- just in case the Deadborder needs to combat an airborne opponent or deliver that final punch to a persistent ground-based opponent. However, due to the nature of these missiles, it takes 1.5 times as long to lock on.

Hardened Alloy Claws and Fangs:
The Deadborder has, if absolutely everything else fails, the necessary equipment for down-and-dirty melee fighting. Hardened Alloy Claws and Fangs for ripping, tearing, and biting. So rarely, though, does it have to use them, given how many other weapons it has.

Special Abilities:
Radar Transparency:
Though this ability is accidental, the Deadborder is radar transparent. This means that while its not completely invisible to radar, it creates a much smaller and erratic blip which makes it harder to track. Once again, the Deadborder isn’t exactly a Stealth Zoid; the Radar Transparency is just a side-effect of the material and curvature of its armor. IR and good old vashioned visuals still work, though, so never fear not being able to find the Deadborder.

Name: Death Saurer
Alignment: Zenebas/Guylos Empire
Family: Tyrannosaurus
Registration Number: EZ-021
Crew: 0-1
Height: 63 Meters
Length: 96.4 Meters
Weight: 600 Tons
Top Speed: 90 kph
Weapons: AZ144mm Laser Machinegun, AZ205mm Equivalent Continuous Laser, Sixteen-Shot Missile Launchers, Super Hardened Alloy Claws, Teeth, and Tail, Multi-Defense Grid.
Special Abilities: Super Charged Particle Gun, Composite Sensory Unit, Pilot Absorption.
Cost: Classified
Level: Banned

The Death Saurer -- a Tyrannosaurus-typed proto-Zoid that devastated Zi since ancient Zoidian times. There were only a handful of these monstrosities that roamed the land prior to the rise of human empires, and many of these were exterminated by ancient Zoidian forces and the three Legendary Tigers. The remaining last few Death Saurers were finally rounded up and destroyed, at great cost to the Ancient Zoidian forces, all before human settlers ever even arrived on Zi.

The Death Saurer was first seen by human eyes when the Guylos Empire resurrected one -- the result was a cataclysmic battle that ended with ultimate destruction of the Death Saurer and its creator, Emperor Prozen. Several crucial facts were uncovered about this Zoid -- including that it can operate with absolutely no pilot. It has extremely thick armor -- thick enough to absorb a CPG burst with no ill effects. Conventional weapons have little effect against that same armor, but the Death Saurer has one weakness in the form of the Particle Intake Fan on its back.

Above all, the Death Saurer was almost invincible. With heavy armor and weapons (albeit low speed and maneuverability), the Death Saurer can destroy an entire armored division with few problems. Also, the Death Saurer can’t be controlled. It is a berserk Zoid, bent only on the destruction with everything its faced with. Its own intelligence overrides that of anyone foolish enough to try to pilot it.

Over the years, humanity learned the trick to producing Death Saurers. However, the Zoid is now only used in special competitions in the commercial Zoid battling circuit, being uncontrollable. It’s impractical for use in warfare, as the moment it comes on line it will rip apart the facility is is produced in. There are no known wild Death Saurers, but if by chance you ever encounter one, it would be inadvisable to try fight it. This is a Zoid that knows no fear, and shows no mercy.

Weapons:
AZ144mm Laser Machinegun:
Mounted to the Death Saurer’s chest on a turret mount is the AZ144mm Laser Machinegun. It spews out high penetration rounds at a rate of 35 per second, and can easily decimate the toughest of Zoids in a matter of seconds or so. Don’t forget, each one of those shots is as powerful as the round fired from a Gun Sniper’s main cannon. Also, the mount allows this weapon to pivot up to 90 degrees left, right, or up. Ironically, this is one of the less powerful weapons on the Death Saurer.

AZ205mm Equivalent Continuous Laser:
Though it doesn’t actually have a AZ205mm Continuous Laser, the guns on the Death Saurer’s nose all combine together into one larger beam, which is equivalent. Needless to say, this weapon can slice through lesser Zoids like a knife through butter, and the caliber of the beam contributes to the Death Saurer’s reputation of invincibility. Though the guns themselves can’t pivot, they can point wherever the Death Saurer points its head. Also, if for some reason the Death Saurer feels like pulsing the beam, it can, firing the weapon like an AZ205mm Pulse Laser Cannon. It’s not entirely clear why it would want to do this, though...

Dual Sixteen Shot Missile Launchers:
Concealed behind a thick armor plate on either side of the Death Saurer’s chest sits a Sixteen-Shot Missile Launcher. Capable of locking onto multiple opponents at once, these two missile launchers are actually among the less fearsome weapons the Death Saurer possesses. They can lock onto to any number of terrestrial, aerial, or aquatic targets.

Super Hardened Alloy Claws, Teeth, and Tail:
The Death Saurer is as tall as a skyscraper, and has equivalent sized claws, teeth, and tail. All of these are made out of the same stuff as the Death Saurer’s armor, and are therefore damned near invincible. Also note that the claws and teeth are easily strong enough to crush even the toughest Zoids almost effortlessly.

Multi-Defense Grid:
I’ve only named the larger weapons. The Death Saurer has a vast assortment of other AZ20mm, AZ30mm, and AZ50mm cannons, along with mortars and rocket pods. Rate of fire varies from weapon to weapon, as does pivoting ability, firing rate, and concealment. Many are hidden behind thick armor plating, but many others are exposed and blatantly flaunted. Just note that no matter where you are, there’s at least one of these weapons trained on you.

Special Abilities:
Super Charged Particle Gun:
There’s never been a Zoid created that the Death Saurer couldn’t bury with this weapon. (Well, there are a couple, but you get the point.) It’s the original Charged Particle Gun/Cannon design, and the Death Saurer’s massive stature makes it free-firing. While the Death Saurer should technically only be allowed to use it once per battle, who is going to stop it? If you’d like to try to go and explain the rules to a Death Saurer, feel free. Anyway, the SCPG can be used once per round by the Death Saurer, which gives this Zoid most of its notoriety. Note that the SCPG can be fired at anything the Death Saurer can point its head at, but the entire weapons system will be rendered useless if the Charged Particle Intake Fan is jammed or destroyed.

Composite Sensory Unit:
Simply put, the Death Saurer possesses a Composite Sensory Unit that allows it use 3D Doppler Radar and IR scanning to track its opponents. This can make it fairly hard to hide from this behemoth, so run while you can! The sensors themselves are spread around the body, giving the Composite Sensory Unit and excellent range of vision, and making it hard to destroy. The data can also be transmitted to teamma---.... well, the Death Saurer usually doesn’t have any allies, but it can do it if need be for some reason. It’s the same variant as the Iron Kongs, though the reason for this is unclear.

Pilot Absorption:
Want to pilot the Death Saurer? Congratulations, the Death Saurer doesn’t even have a cockpit. However, you can bond directly to the core, allowing it to use its overwhelming will to dominate you and use your intelligence to further its own gains. This process must take place before the battle and takes about a minute, but it permanently bonds the pilot and Zoid together. Having a pilot can change the Death Saurer from a berserk killing machine to a directed berserk killing machine, but the pilot can never control the Zoid. Those who are foolish enough to try end up controlled, not controllers.

Name: Death Stinger
Alignment: Guylos Empire
Family: Sea Scorpion
Registration Number: EZ-036
Crew: 1
Height: 4.6 Meters (tail completely lowered) - 10.7 Meters (tail completely raised)
Length: 28.8 Meters (tail completely lowered) - 19.4 Meters (tail completely raised)
Weight: 320 Tons
Top Speed: 185 kph (land), 72 knots/133kph (water)
Weapons: AZ930mm Mega Dual Impact Cannon, Quad AZ120mm Hyper Energy Guns, Quad AZ35mm Vulcan Guns, Dual AZ105mm Artillery Cannons, Strike Laser Pincers, Blades, and Fangs.
Special Abilities: Super Charged Particle Gun, Full-Body Hyper E-Shield, Dual Rocket Boosters, Swimming.
Level: Zoid X

The Death Stinger is one of the most powerful Zoids ever created, boasting one of the strongest arsenal of weapons and some of the thickest armor around, even for a Zoid X. Being able to take as much punishment as a Geno Breaker and still keep right on ticking, and equipped with a powerful Super Charged Particle Gun, the Death Stinger is an opponent that you won’t survive underestimating.

Until very recently more than one of these Zoids have never existed at a single time, and it has made only two appearances in recorded history. The first was back in the days of yore, when it was supposedly first created or resurrected by a man named Hiltz. The Death Stinger, combined with a personal army that Hiltz had amassed, ran amok around the globe, destroying cities and drawing the wrath of both the Helic Republic and the Guylos Empire.

After a long series of battles, the Death Stinger (which had merged with a Death Saurer) finally was destroyed by international forces. And so, the story of this awesome passed into legend and folklore, only actual geological evidence of its Super Charged Particle Gun blasts keeping the myth alive. Over the long centuries, the story of the Death Stinger was reduced to scaring small children into behaving well. Until the Backdraft somehow managed to manufacture one, that is.

Though the second Death Stinger has not yet been destroyed, the Zi Coalition Forces have managed to secure the technical specifications and manufacturing details of this powerful Zoid. They’ve produced several copies as best they can. The armor and weapons systems are weaker than the original, but this beast they’d created is almost an exact replica of the original Death Stinger that Hiltz used to devastate the world.

Though this Zoid has a powerful independent will and strong urge to destroy, it now serves the pilot, rather than the reverse. Therefore, several world militaries have taken interest in the Death Stinger, and a select few civilian and military pilots have or will receive Death Stingers to use in the sanctioned Zoid Battling circuit, and in the field. After all, the Death Stinger is no longer the mindless, merciless, legendary killing machine of old. Hopefully.

Weapons:
AZ930mm Mega Dual Impact Cannon:
As you can tell from the caliber, this weapon alone might well have classified the Death Stinger as a Zoid X, if it didn’t have any others. Unfortunately for the enemies of the Death Stinger, it has this and a plethora of other armaments ready and willing to bury them. Anyway, the AZ930mm Mega Dual Impact Cannon is nearly capable of downing an unshielded Blade Liger in a single shot from one barrel. Both barrels together can nearly down a Hyper E-Shield. Fortunately for the enemies of the Death Stinger, the AZ930mm Mega Dual Impact Cannon has a maximum range of 250 meters, is fixed facing forward, and can fire each barrel only once every 6 seconds. However, the Death Stinger can easily incline its body to aim better, and it need not fire the Mega Dual Impact Cannon barrels together.

Quad AZ120mm Hyper Energy Guns:
As it would so happen, there are four AZ120mm Hyper Energy Guns (two beam and two laser), mounted in pairs (1 beam and 1 laser) to either side of the Death Stinger’s tail-mounted Super Charged Particle Cannon. Each pair can be rotated outwards by a full 90 degrees, but each pair must rotate together. However, the tail itself is very flexible and can point almost anywhere, so they’re actually damn near omnidirectional. Note also that these four weapons are all semiautomatic, and boast improved accuracy and a much stronger impact and damage than even their large caliber suggests.

Quad AZ35mm Vulcan Guns:
There are a grand total of four AZ35mm Vulcans mounted in pairs to either side of the Death Stinger’s massive head. They spew out solid shots at a rate of 12/second each, so they’re powerful despite their small caliber. They can’t pivot at all themselves, but the Death Stinger’s flexible multi-legged construction allows them to shoot at many targets that you wouldn’t think they could manage to point at.

Dual AZ105mm Artillery Cannons:
Underneath two armor large armor plates mounted on either large claw is an AZ105mm Artillery Cannon, which can from time to time emerge from its hidey-hole and fire. Though these weapons can be used (due to their unique positioning) as direct-fire cannons, they’re really much better at long-ranged combat. Though their positioning may seem odd, they’re on independent turret mounts, capable of rotating 90 degrees on both the horizontal and vertical axises, allowing them to shoot without inhibiting the claws. They’re semiautomatic, but operate like impact cannons of the equivalent caliber, making them valuable weapons.

Strike Laser Pincers, Blades, and Fangs:
Roughly every melee weapon the Death Stinger has can be charged with energy, making it more effective at cutting. The charge improves the cutting ability roughly as much as the Strike Laser Claw does with a normal claw, given that they use the same system. Now, the Death Stinger has two large pincers which it uses to crush lesser Zoids. It can nearly snap many Zoids in two without being charged; it’s positively deadly at close range when its charged. The pincers also each have a retractable blade in them, which allows them to slice and dice as well as crush. Lastly, the Death Stinger actually does have a mouth, which are accompanied by a rather sharp set of teeth. Though they’re too larger and clumsy for precision work, the Death Stinger has never said “no” to a midday Zoid snack.

Special Abilities:
Super Charged Particle Gun:
The Death Stinger’s main weapon is the Super Charged Particle Gun, located on its tail. The Stinger’s low center of gravity makes the weapon almost free-firing, as the Death Stinger doesn’t need footlocks (and indeed, can move and walk) while using the SCPG. This scorpion most certainly has a sting in its tail.

Full-Body Hyper E-Shield:
The Death Stinger has taken omnidirectional shielding and one-upped it: full-body shielding. The Death Stinger’s Hyper E-Shield covers its entire body: underbelly, back of the kneecaps, teeth, whatever, hovering only a few centimeters above the Zoid’s surface. Note that the shield generator is located behind the Zoid’s cockpit, which makes it dangerous to attack (despite the heavily armored cockpit).

Dual Rocket Boosters:
At a mere 185 kph, the Death Stinger may seem slow. However, it does have a solution to this, but its temporary. For six seconds, the Death Stinger may increase its ground speed to 370 kph by activating two rocket boosters on its back. However, the Death Stinger cannot maneuver well while the boosters are active, nor does it have a way to shut the boosters off once they are engaged. Once expended, the boosters eject and have to be replaced in a transport during a rearming session. On the plus side, speed ramming in the Death Stinger can be great fun.

Swimming:
Though its maneuverability isn’t great, the Death Stinger can swim at a brisk pace of 72 knots. It can also go deeper than essentially any other Zoid, with a crush depth of 4 kilometers. If the Hyper E-Shield is used, it can go even deeper for short periods of time, but this will drain shield power. If I were the Death Stinger, though, I’d want to be back above 4 kilometers deep before my E-Shield ran out.

Available Modifications:

Name: Death Cat
Alignment: Guylos Empire
Family: Panther
Registration Number: DPZ-24
Crew: 1
Height: 7.2 Meters (normal) or 10.8 Meters (Gravity Cannon deployed)
Length: 18.4
Weight: 75 Tons
Top Speed: 420 kph
Weapons: Dual Impact Cannon, Electron Bite Fangs and Strike Claws.
Special Abilities: Super Gravity Bullet Cannon, Reflective Metal Ice Armor, Composite Sensory Unit, Electromagnetic Occurrence Antennas.
Level: 5

The Death Cat is a unique Zoid in that its really an assassin. The Dark Spiner is occasionally described the same way, but the Death Cat is very different in that it was built around one weapon. That weapon -- the Super Gravity Bullet Cannon -- is its purpose for existence. It’s meant to close in fast, deliver one bullet, and leave. That’s the Death Cat.

The Helic Republic built the Death Cat as a weapon to combat the King Gojulas, the idea being that several would close in on one of the ZXs and all fire their Super Gravity Bullets into it at once. To this end, the Death Cat is has highest speed of essentially any conventional Zoid, and essentially the best agility and performance as well. Most of the Death Cat’s armor is reasonably light -- just below that of the Blade Liger -- but is extra reinforced around the head, legs, and back. Also, all of its armor is Reflective Metal Ice, which greatly reduces the effectiveness of beam and laser weaponry.

Weapons:
Dual Impact Cannon:
The Death Cat has exactly one conventional ranged weapon: its Dual Impact Cannon. This is the standard deal: AZ80mm rounds at a semiautomatic rate, with a maximum range of 300 meters, just like the Blade Liger’s. Really, though, this weapon is usually only used to clear the path during a retreat.

Electron Bite Fangs and Strike Claws:
All too often, the Death Cat will find its Impact Cannons insufficient to stop an enemy from reaching melee. That’s where these come in. The Death Cat fangs -- that is, teeth -- and claws can siphon to energy from the Zoid Core to pseudo-charge themselves, increasing their cutting power almost as much as if they’d been charged with a system similar to the Strike Laser Claw. This makes the jaws excellent for downing an opponent quickly in melee combat; attempting to bite through the enemy Zoid Control Conduit is an old favorite of soldiers.

Weapons:
Super Gravity Bullet Cannon:
If the Death Cat seemed a little to weak to you thus far, that’s because we haven’t come to the superweapon yet. Remember, the Death Cat was built and deployed to combat King Gojuli, and it wasn’t about to do that with an Impact Cannon and melee weaponry. It has a Super Gravity Bullet Cannon, which is normally concealed beneath a thick armor plate in this Zoid’s back. The Cannon can pivot up to 90 degrees upwards, but not at all from side to side.

The Super Gravity Bullet Cannon contains one planetellocite bullet. Just one. ((ZBC regulations forbid use of this weapon more than once during a single battle, so reloading is useless in sanctioned battles.)) It’s free to fire it at any time, but its recommended that the Death Cat come to full and complete stop before shooting. Firing while running may topple the Death Cat. Anyway, this one round weighs a few tons, and firing it does more than just your average damage. Upon hitting a target, it creates an artificial hyper-gravity field, 50 meters in radius, which usually causes a Zoid to implode. This field persists for a full 3 seconds before dissipating. In that time period, only the toughest of Zoids, such as the Gojulas, Dibison, and Elephander, can stave off Command System Freeze. Even then, if the Zoid started out relatively damage, it will be a wreck afterwards. The put this in perspective, it only took 3-4 of these to down a King Gojulas, the toughest ZX out there. Imagine what it can do to a normal Zoid. Just make sure you hit. You’ll only get one shot.

Reflective Metal Ice Armor:
The Death Cat’s armor coating might be thin in many places for its level, but it has one special quality: energy resistance. Being made out of Reflective Metal Ice, roughly 2/3s of the power of any energy attack (beam or laser included) is harmlessly refracted or dispersed, giving the Death Cat an extra edge in toughness. Charged particles are unaffected by the Metal Ice Armor.

Composite Sensory Unit:
Simply put, the Death Cat possesses a Composite Sensory Unit that allows it use 3D Doppler Radar and IR scanning to track its prey. The sensors themselves are spread around the body, giving the Composite Sensory Unit and excellent range of vision, and making it hard to destroy.

Electromagnetic Occurrence Antennas:
To help it deliver its one bullet, the Death Cat has a pair of antennas sticking out of is mane. While these might seem harmless, they’re far from it. Simply put, they disable E-Shields. Any kind of E-Shield, including powerful Hyper E-Shields, that are within 300 meters of the Death Cat instantly drop as though they were never there. This allows the Death Cat to get a clear shot at its target with the Super Gravity Bullet Cannon. Unfortunately, this effect doesn’t differentiate between friend and foe, so allies lose their shields as well. The Death Cat can, however, turn the field off.

Name: Demantis
Alignment: Guylos Empire
Family: Praying Mantis
Registration Number: EZ-048
Crew: 1
Height: 7.2 Meters
Length: 6.5 Meters
Weight: 10 Tons
Top Speed: 370 kph (boosters), 270 kph (running)
Weapons: Quad AZ10mm Machineguns, 50mm Gatling Gun, Hardened Alloy Broadclaw.
Special Abilities: Concealed Back-Booster, Motion Detector.
Level: 1

The Demantis was originally created by the Guylos Empire for light scouting work, but the cheap and effective Zoid was quickly shunted for combat operations. Now, Demantis has been retrofitted with actual weaponry, as well as a motion detector. However, the decision of bringing the Demantis onto the combat scene has lost more than a few battles in the arena, and more than a few lives in the field. The Demantis may be cheap and mass-produceable, but its extremely poorly armored, roughly on par with the Guysack. And because its neither low-slung nor a small target, like the Guysack is, even a few instants of heavy weapons fire can cause more than just Command System Freeze.

Still, that’s why the Demantis was put into its current class. It also has its merits: its weapons are heavy enough to be attractive, and its also extremely fast. It also can use its back-mounted booster to give it excellent jumping, and in overdrive mode, limited flight capability. However, the armor is always a problem. Some pilots have actually found a way to mitigate the problem to an extent: using the Hardened Alloy Broadclaws as impromptu shields. Nothing will ever change the fact that the Demantis is just plain fragile, though.

Weapons:
Quad AZ10mm Machineguns:
Fixed into the “elbow” region of each Broadclaw is a pair of AZ10mm Machineguns. Each weapon is fully automatic, capable of spewing 12 rounds per second. This makes them fairly potent when all used together, and they have an alright range of fire, because they can point wherever the Broadclaw can.

50mm Gatling Gun:
AZ10mm repeaters are nice, but they’re not as useful when you’re running for your life. When you’re a Demantis, you tend to run for your life quite a bit, so having a backmounted weapon is handy. While the 50mm Gatling Gun is extremely heavy and accounts for most of the Demantis’ weight, it can actually do fair amounts of damage to targets even two classes up. It’s fixed in position, but positively spew out shells at a rate of 20 per second. So, pursuers of the Demantis beware, the back may be more dangerous than the front.

Hardened Alloy Broadclaws:
While the Demantis has no hands or arms to speak of, it does have two Broadclaws, each of which house two Quad AZ10mm Machineguns. In addition to this function, they allow the Demantis to rake and scoop at things, which gives it the limited ability to peaceably manipulate its environment. However, they’ve more recently found uses as shields: you see, the Broadclaws are made out of tougher stuff than the recycled aluminum cans the rest of the Zoid is fashioned from (kidding). These are near-useless in melee, having no points for piercing and being essentially useless as bludgeoning weapons.

Special Abilities:
Concealed Back-Booster:
The Demantis boasts a single large, yet hidden booster which is concealed within an armor plate in its back. Without the booster, the Scout Mantis can only achieve speeds of 270 km/h. However, with the booster, the Demantis is capable of a whopping 370 kph, and can jump better than most other Zoids.

Overdrive
The Demantis has a powerful second setting on its concealed booster called “overdrive”, which allows it to fly for a period of time not exceeding two seconds. This “flight” is extremely limited, giving the Demantis a service ceiling of 30 meters and maximum jumping range of 100 meters. The maneuverability in this mode also isn’t great, and the Demantis may find itself more vulnerable in the air than it is on land. The Overdrive setting may only be used once per round.

Available Modifications:

Name: Dibison
Alignment: Helic Republic
Family: Bison
Registration Number: RZ-031
Crew: 1-2
Height: 10.8
Length: 20.6
Weight: 230 Tons
Top Speed: 130 kph
Weapons: Mortar Cannon Array, Dual Eight-Shot Missile Pods, Improved Triple Impact Cannon, Dual AZ35mm Machineguns, Dual 60mm Pulse Beam Cannon, Crasher Horns and Hooves.
Special Abilities: Megalo-Max Blast, 3D Radar Targeting System.
Level: 5

The Dibison is one of the old and most recognized workhorses of the Helic Republic, packed with heavy weapons, but still retaining good maneuverability. At 230 tons, the Dibison is definitely a heavyweight, with the matching armor, on par with a Gojulas’. It also boasts a full 17 105mm Mortar Cannons, in addition to 16 missiles and various other armaments. Despite all this, and a relatively slow speed, the Dibison is actually high performance, allowing it enjoy a measure of maneuverability and agility that other Zoids of its class lack.

Aside from that, the Dibison is known for real rough-and-tough types, and has a little bit of spunk itself. Indeed, this Zoid has gained a little bit of notoriety for its attitude: the words “Burnout!” famously appear on the targeting console whenever the Megalo-Max or Mortar Array are about to be used.

Weapons:
Mortar Cannon Array:
The Dibison’s main weapons, a series of 17 105mm Mortar Cannons, is prominently display and flaunted on its back. This massive amount of firepower is split into three segments: a central array of 9 mortars, and two smaller 4-mortar arrays on either side. The central mortar array can pivot up to 10 degrees up or down, and the side arrays can pivot up to 10 degrees outwards. Also, all of the mortars can be either fired simultaneously, or chain-linked to fire in series. Each cannon can only fire once every two seconds, but together, the array is a massive amount of firepower. Also, its well armored, protecting by some of the Dibison’s own back armor, and thick plating around ever mortar in the array. Note that due to its unique construction, it doesn’t really have a minimum range, and maximum range is over 750 meters.

Dual Eight-Shot Missile Pods:
Though they look almost ornamental, there sits an Eight-Shot Missile Pod on either side of the Dibison’s face. They’re standard Guided Anti-Ground Missiles, and can lock onto any Zoid that the Dibison cares to point its head at. The pods themselves can’t pivot, though.

Improved Triple Impact Cannon:
The Dibison carries a Triple Impact Cannon, with standard AZ60mm shells, capable of shattering even the toughest of armor in just a few volleys. They’re semiautomatic as well, so what makes them “improved”? The answer lies in the barrel design, which gives the the edge over the standard TIC, such as that found on the Zaber Fang or Shield Liger. Be it noted, though, they’re still restricted to a 300 meter range.

Dual AZ35mm Machineguns:
There is a rear-facing AZ35mm Machinegun mounted to either side of the Dibison’s tail, allowing to ward off attackers from behind. Being fully automatic, each of these two puts out rounds at a rate of almost 25/second, making them not a weapon to underestimated. However, they can’t pivot, and limited to shooting whatever the tail is pointing at.

Dual 60mm Pulse Beam Cannons:
Mounted right underneath the Mortar Cannon Array sit two 60mm pulse beam cannons, which spew out rounds at a fully automatic 10 rounds/second each. The high rate of fire makes them potent weapons, even if they are dwarfed by the Mortar Array. They capable of pivoting 10 degrees up or down independently of the central mortars.

Crasher Horns and Hooves:
Two of the Dibison’s most prominently displayed melee weapons are the horns and the hooves. The horns are the more usable of the two, easily able to throw lighter Zoids. Though a full speed charge will send damn near anything flying, a common tactic is to lower the Dibison’s head against a enemy charge, and then buck up and send the enemy flying. Obviously, this is easier for lighter Zoids, but near-impossible for heavier ones, like the Blade Liger. If you’re particularly fancy, you might even try taking a few potshots while your enemy is in the air, but this is hard to pull off. The hooves complement the horns, but are primarily used for kicking and trampling, not head-on combat.

Special Abilities:
Megalo-Max Blast:
The Megalo-Max Blast is one of the most interesting weapons available to the Dibison. In order to use the Megalo-Max, the Dibison must have at least 1 Mortar Cannon intact, but the power of the attack will decrease with each lost barrel. If its a sanctioned Zoid Battle, this superweapon may not be used during the first round of combat. Anyway, the Megalo-Max Blast requires a single second to charge up. After that, a stream of fire errupts from all of the cannon barrels at once, intertwining and becoming a single burst. The pilot then picks some radius between 10 and 100 meters, and a location to center it around. The radius is the blast radius (power per unit area decreases with a greater radius). The most concentrated version, the 10 meter radius one, can only be survived by the very toughest of Zoids if the Dibison has all of its mortar cannons intact. The most dispersed one does far, far less damage, but is great for hitting moving targets. In either case, the Megalo-Max Blast can only be used once during a sanctioned Zoid Battle. (All’s still fair in war, though.)

3D Radar Targeting System:
The Dibison was built with a 3D Radar Targeting System to help it aim its massive Mortar Array and Megalo-Max Blast. The system is split into two armored hubs: one of the left flank of the Dibison and one on the right. It uses 3D Doppler Radar to track targets, and then can be used to auto-adjust weapons to hit said targets, giving a 20% increase in accuracy. ((Each hub gives +10%.)) Note that it can be used as a regular 3D Doppler Radar sensor as well, and the data, but not the accuracy boost, can be transmitted to teammates.

Name: Dragoon Nest
Alignment: Formerly Guylos Empire (now everyone)
Family: Lobster
Registration Number: EZ-097
Height: 40 Meters
Length: 136.0 Meters
Weight: 3650 Tons (unloaded)
Top Speed: 150 kph (land), 120 knots/222 kph (water)
Weapons: Twin Heavy AZ Torpedo Launchers, Hardened Alloy Claws.
Special Abilities: Zoid Carrying, Swimming.
Cost: $225,000
Level: Transport

Bridge Crew: 4 (Pilot, Co-Pilot, Gunnery Sergeant/Tactical Officer, Chief of Operations)
Minimum Crew Requirements: 1
Standard Crew: 14
Maximum Personnel: 32 ((That can be continuously supported and sustained by the Dragoon Nest.))

The Dragoon Nest is actually among the most recent transports to be developed, and is the biggest transport of the “small three” (the Gustav, Hover Cargo, and Dragoon Nest). It was originally developed and used by the legendary Guylos Eisen Dragoons, who fought for the Imperium before and during its collapse, and then fought to build the Neo-Zenebas Empire as the old Guylos one lay around them in ashes. Though the history of Eisen Dragoons isn’t exactly noble (the unit was originally formed by Gunther Prozen to help him execute his failed coup), the most material part of their legacy is the Dragoon Nest.

At first glance, this transport may not seem at all impressive. It’s large, bulky, and not necessarily asthetically pleasing. It does, however, have a few advantages over its terrestrial brother, the Hover Cargo. Firstly, it’s a dedicated aquatic transport (though it can scuttle on land), used by the Dragoons for covert water landings. Secondly, it has a greater capacity than the Hover Cargo, capable of carrying a full 8 Zoids. Thirdly, the Dragoon Nest is the largest transport that can be operated for long periods of time by a single person. Fourthly, the Dragoon Nest was built entirely for combat, and is covered with an extremely thick coat of armor. This armor plating is only a few notches below the stuff found on the Gustav or the Great Whale King, so the Dragoon Nest can survive almost any punishment the world decides to throw at it. There’s quite a price tag attached, but you can bet your bottom dollar that the Dragoon Nest will get you where you’re trying to go safely.

Weapons:
Twin Heavy AZ Torpedo Launchers:
As far as combat in the water goes, the Dragoon Nest is probably the only Zoid that could give the Hammer Kaiser a run for its money. The reason for that statement is a pair of tubes located right underneath the Dragoon Nest’s head. Both pods are missile/torpedo pods, and both pods have a separate missile launchers/torpedo tubes. Underwater, they use active sonar to lock onto another aquatic target (which they need not do in their tubes, launch ‘em and they’ll do it on their own). Once launched, they’re slow-moving, but relatively well-armored and able to track and home in on a target for kilometers if necessary. Also, since they’re Heavy AZ, they have roughly four times the damaging potential of a standard missile. Out of water, they lock on like any other multipurpose missiles, and are fired as normal as well. (They can lock onto both aerial and ground targets, but it takes 1.5 times as long to lock on as a standard missile.) The mechanics of the switch are very simple; they must deactivate the turbine and turn on a rocket booster. Also, they still have four times the explosive power while in the air. As a final note, the Dragoon Nest stores a nearly infinite number of reloads for this weapon, and the reloading process takes 3 seconds.

Hardened Alloy Claws:
Like any lobster, the Dragoon Nest has a pair of two powerful claws. It’s not at all wise to get too close to the Dragoon Nest, because these are more than capable of crushing any conventional or production Zoid (maybe not some of the Zoid Xs) in a single pincing action. They also happen to each contain one the Dragoon Nest’s two smaller bays, and each have magnetic launch rails as a result. This can result in some interesting and comical uses which fall outside the realm of standard melee. However, even if controlled by a by-the-book pilot, the Dragoon Nest is an exceptionally dangerous Zoid in close-quarters.

Special Abilities:
Zoid Carrying:
The Dragoon Nest can carry, maintain, and service up to 8 Zoids: two in either claw and four in the main body. The Dragoon Nest also has four entrance/exit points: one in the chest, one in the mouth, and one in each claw. Each claw and the mouth also are equipped with a magnetic launch rail. The launch rails are an interesting piece of equipment, being able to use an electromagnetic field to fire out Zoids, land or aquatic, at almost any speed they desire. However, for all its entrances and exits, the Dragoon Nest lacks a repair bay. Pilots have the right environment to take the do-it-yourself approach, but the dedicated maintenance center doesn’t include heavy-duty repair equipment.

Swimming:
Like any lobster, the Dragoon Nest can swim. The handling is actually quite good under water, roughly on par with the Hammer Kaiser, and the Dragoon Nest can keep a brisk pace of 120 knots. The Dragoon Nest also has a crush depth of 3 kilometers, as deep as that of a Whale King. Being a dedicated aquatic transport, the Dragoon Nest is fully compartmentalized, and can seal off an affected area in case of a hull breach. It’s also a fairly simple process to make beach landings in a Dragoon Nest: it just scuttles out of the water and onto the land.

Available Modifications:

Name: Elephantus
Alignment: Helic Republic
Family: Elephant
Registration Number: RMZ-03
Crew: 1
Height: 4 Meters
Length: 8.3 Meters
Weight: 17.7 Tons
Top Speed: 95 kph
Weapons:Dual 35mm Beam Cannons, Dual Guided Heavy Anti-Ground Missiles, Surface-to-Air Missile Launcher
Special Abilities: 3D Doppler Radar.
Level: 1

There was a point in time when the Elephantus was considered to be a large-scale Zoid. Obviously, no longer. That period of time was when the Helic Republic was initially formed. You see, the Elephantus is among the ranks of what are called “protozoids”, which were Zoids that were already present in the wild when Zi was originally settled by humans. The Helic Republic didn’t start out producing Zoids at all, they just took in whatever they could fine around them.

The Elephantus was considered to be large and powerful... for the time. It was definitely designed for war, and inspired the Elephander design, but its extremely dated in the modern age. It had thick armor... for the time. Now, the Elephantus’ so called “tough” plating is considered to be extremely light, and its weapons are little more than popguns compared to the modern variants. The only reason why anyone at all even uses the Elephantus is because they’re found wild and don’t need to be manufactured, making them extremely inexpensive.

Weapons:
Dual 35mm Beam Cannons:
These are the Elephantus’ natural born and bred weapons: a pair of semiautomatic 35mm Beam Cannons, located directly underneath the head. They’re capable of pivoting 30 degrees up or down, and are standard in most respects. Beam weapons haven’t changed much over the years, it seems. However, these two cannons seem to be near where the tusks would be on a normal elephant, so one wonders if these replaced the original melee weapons that might have been there.

Dual Guided Heavy Anti-Ground Missiles:
There’s a Guided Heavy AGM situation on either side of the Elephantus, possible the only semi-current weapon the Zoid has. They’re heavy AGMs, meaning they have twice the payload of a standard missile. However, because the tracking system is so old and outdated, the Elephantus takes 1.5 times the normal time to lock on, and the missile’s tracking isn’t as good. The pods themselves can only pivot up to 90 degrees up or down to track a target, not

Surface-to-Air Missile Launcher:
The Elephantus’ AA capabilities were, at the time, considered to be extremely sophisticated. The Zoid possesses a Surface-to-Air Missile Launcher on its back, capable of 360 degree horizontal rotation and up to 90 degree inclination upwards, allowing the launcher to point essentially anywhere above the Zoid. However, this was back in the good old days, when 1 missile was enough to destroy an aerial Zoid. As such, the Elephantus only carries 1 missile inside the launcher. After that, it has to reload to fire another Surface-to-Air Missile. Also, lock-on is 1.5 times the norm due to the extremely outdate tracking system.

Special Abilities:
3D Doppler Radar:
The Elephantus possessed a 3D Doppler Radar system -- at the time, a seemingly ingenious innovation in military technology. The radar, which is an integrated part of the back-mounted Surface-to-Air Missile Launcher, allows the Elephantus to map terrain and see outwards as far as 200 meters. Not exactly impressive by modern standards, but a boon nonetheless.

Available Modifications:

Name: Elephander
Alignment: Guylos Empire
Family: Elephant
Registration Number: EZ-038
Crew: 1-2
Height: 10.8 Meters
Length: 21.6 Meters
Weight: 180 Tons
Top Speed: 130 kph
Weapons: Dual AZ60mm Hyper Laser Guns, Twin 45mm Beam Guns, AZ144mm Railgun, Dual AZ105mm Laser Cannons, Twin 45mm Machineguns, 45mm Beam Cannon, AZ115mm Pulse Laser Cannon & AZ105mm Beam Cannon, 8-Shot Missile Launcher Ears, Beam Projector System, Strike Iron Claw, Twin Crasher Tusks.
Special Abilities: Variable Loadout, Frontal E-Shield, Frontal Hyper E-Shield, Communications Unit, Composite Scouting Unit, Metal Detector.
Level: 5

The mighty Elephander. We sure have come a long way since the Elephantus, eh? Anyway, the Elephander was a tough, slow, but highly customizable Zoid originally designed by the Guylos Empire. Though it was used by the empire for every kind of operation imaginable, it has been more recently popularized for its use by the Backdraft Group. With three variable loadouts, or “modes”, the Elephander can adapt to almost any situation.

Technically speaking, the Elephander has a number of other attractive features, including heavy weaponry and armor only slightly lighter than that found on the Gojulas. Also, the Elephander is surprisingly agile for its bulk. Its only weaknesses are poor turning and few rear-facing defenses, but its really meant to fight the opponent in front of it anyway. Most Zoids don’t survive long enough to make their way behind the Elephander. All in all, this is an extremely powerful and generally high-performance Zoid, but amateur pilots may find it a bit difficult to use.

Weapons:
Dual AZ60mm Hyper Laser Guns:
Available only in Assault Mode are the Elephander’s potent Dual AZ60mm Hyper Laser Guns, often referred to as this Zoid’s “signature weapons”. Mounted to either side of the tip of the trunk, these lasers feature a semiautomatic firing rate, and are several times more powerful than their caliber would suggest. (Hence the “hyper”.) Also, though the lasers themselves are fixed to the trunk, they can fire wherever the trunk can point. Since the trunk is extremely flexible, firing arcs are rarely a problem.

Twin 45mm Beam Guns:
Rear facing, and available to the Elephander in all three of its modes, is a pair of 45mm Beam Guns. They’re semiautomatic, but are among the only rear defenses the Elephander possesses, and therefore valuable parts of its arsenal. They can pivot a mere 20 degrees on the horizontal axis, but can incline upwards by up to 45 degrees.

AZ144mm Railgun:
This massive weapon is available to the Elephander only in Assault Mode. Mounted on the undercarriage where would be 45mm Beam Cannon is otherwise, this powerful railgun is fixed forward, and only fires a single shot every 3 seconds. However, the AZ144mm Railgun fires a heavier-than-standard projectile at a higher rate of speed than normal, which shatters armor and deals massive surface damage rather than usual penetration. This weapon is fixed facing forwards.

Dual AZ105mm Laser Cannons:
These two laser cannons are mounted on the Elephander only in Command Mode, located on the trunk just under the cockpit. They’re fixed facing forwards, and are designed to supplement the Missile Ears and EPS as powerful weapons. Unfortunately, their large caliber comes at a cost: they can only fire one volley every two seconds. Still, these weapons have plenty of stopping power, and are not to be taken lightly.

Twin 45mm Machineguns:
Available in both Assault and Scout Modes (the Dual AZ105mm Laser Cannons take up the mount in Command Mode), the Elephander’s twin 45mm Machineguns are top of the line. Sitting beneath the cockpit, on the trunk, these two machineguns put out shells at an impressive 20 shells/second each. This makes them great for both anti-missile defense and attack. However, they can’t pivot.

45mm Beam Cannon:
Instead of the AZ144mm Railgun, the Command and Scout modes have a 45mm Beam Cannon. Like the railgun, its fixed facing forward. However, to compensate for its low caliber, the 45mm Beam Cannon fires 4 rounds per second, a welcome change, perhaps, from the slow-firing railgun.

AZ115mm Pulse Laser Cannon & AZ105mm Beam Cannon
For the last bit of punch, the Assault Mode mounts a semiautomatic AZ115mm Pulse Laser Cannon and an AZ105mm Beam Cannon on its back, both on the same turret. Said turret has the ability to pivot up to 90 degrees upwards, 45 degrees downwards, or 45 degrees to the left or the right. Since these weapons are semiautomatic, they have considerable power and potential to deal damage, and help the Elephander to crack tough armor.

8-Shot Missile Launcher Ears:
In Command Mode, the Elephander’s shield-generator ears are replaced with two 8-shot missile pods (for a total of 16 missiles). Each pod fires standard missiles, with the exception of the fact that they can lock onto terrestrial or aerial targets.

Beam Projector System:
In Command Mode, the Elephander can do one of two things with its trunk. It has the option of erecting the powerful frontal Hyper E-Shield, or it can use the Beam Projector System. The BPS (as its abbreviated), creates a energy blade that extends several meters from the tip of the trunk. The BPS blade is pure energy, and can slice through even the thickest of armor with few or no problems. Note that the BPS draws from the power source as the Hyper E-Shield, and, as such, both systems cannot be used simultaneously.

Strike Iron Claw:
The Strike Iron Claw is the Assault Mode alternative to the BPS. Basically, there are four little grappler claws on the end of the of trunk in Assault Mode which allow the Elephander to grab onto and throw around smaller Zoids. The trunk can lift up to 50 tons on its own, but it can drag basically any weight, making the Strike Iron Claw useful for keeping an opponent still why the Assault Mode’s array of potent weapons destroy it.

Twin Crasher Tusks:
Designed to maul, pierce, and gore, the Elephander has two Crasher Tusks for all of its melee needs. They’re always there -- in all of the modes -- and are really almost unique that respect. Obviously, they’re great of knocking lesser Zoids around, and are quite good at what they were designed for.

Special Abilities:
Variable Loadout:
The Elephander, being designed as a multipurpose platform, has three “modes”, or loadouts with it can use for three very different functions. The Elephander should specify a starting mode, which can only be switched mid-battle by a transport with a CAS (Changing/Conversion Armor System). Note that maneuverability, armor, and overall performance of the Elephander are unaffected by the mode.

Assault Mode: ((Default Mode))
The Assault Mode was designed for head-on confrontation with essentially any kind of enemy ground force, and packs a real offensive punch. The Assault Mode is equipped with Dual AZ60mm Hyper Laser Cannons, Twin 45mm Beam Guns, a AZ144mm Railgun, Twin 45mm Machineguns, AZ115mm Pulse Laser Cannon & AZ105mm Beam Cannon, Strike Iron Claw, Twin Crasher Tusks, and a Frontal E-Shield.

Command Mode:
The Elephander’s Command Mode was originally designed for commanders and officers in the field, attempting to coordinate attacks and give orders. The Command Mode is equipped with Twin 45mm Beam Guns, Dual AZ105mm Laser Cannons, a 45mm Beam Cannon, 8-Shot Missile Launcher Ears, a Beam Projector System, Twin Crasher Tusks, a Hyper E-Shield, and a Communications Unit.

Scout Mode:
The Scout Mode was not intended for head-on combat, but rather for light reconnaissance and sensor support during battle. The Scout Mode is equipped with Twin 45mm Beam Guns, Twin 45mm Machineguns, a 45mm Beam Cannon, Twin Crasher Tusks, the Composite Scouting Unit, and a trunk-mounted Metal Detector.

Frontal E-Shield:
The standard Frontal E-Shield is created by special generators mounted inside the ears, and is therefore only available in Assault Mode. It’s a bit stronger than a Blade Liger’s shield, and like the ‘Liger’s shield, covers the body down to the rear legs, and gets weaker the further from the generators it is. Though it still leaves the Elephander open to attack from behind, its really quite a useful piece of equipment.

Frontal Hyper E-Shield:
The Frontal Hyper E-Shield is generated by a module at the tip of the trunk, and is therefore only available in Command Mode. It is as powerful as a standard Hyper E-Shield, meaning that it can quite literally absorb a full SCPG blast before failing. However, the Hyper E-Shield can only be erected for 6 seconds at a time, and then requires 6 seconds for the capacitors that power it to recharge. Also, it covers the Elephander’s body down to the rear legs, and gets weaker the further from the generators it is. The Hyper E-Shield cannot be used at the same time as the Beam Projector System. Lastly, if the Hyper E-Shield should fail or run out of energy, the Beam Projector System will also be inoperable.

Communications Unit:
The Elephander’s Communications Unit, usable only in Command Mode, replaces the Assault Mode turret. It heavily encrypts messages, making them extremely hard to interpret if intercepted. Also, it extends the communications range of the Elephander and its allies by dozens of kilometers, even in the worst weather imaginable. As a last note, the Communications Unit allows transmissions to breach normal communications jamming, allow the Elephander to communicate with its allies and vice-versa despite the efforts of its enemies.

Composite Scouting Unit:
Available only to Elephander in Scout Mode, the Composite Scouting Unit replaces the back-mounted turret and ears with a plethora of useful sensors and other equipment. This includes: 3D Doppler Radar, IR Sensors, Low-Light Night-Vision, Ultraviolet Sensors, Motion Detectors (out to 200 meters), and a Heartbeat Sensor (also out to 200 meters, short-ranged aboveground sonar based). Also, the Elephander can transmit all of this data to teammates. The Elephander itself gains IR Suppression, Radar Scattering/Suppression, and Footprint Scrubbers.

Metal Detectors:
The module on the end of the Elephander’s trunk in Scout Mode is a metal detector. It uses magnetic resonance to detect an amount of metal as small as a bottlecap at a distance -- but it can be set to be far less sensitive than that. Anyway, in the 30 degree arc in front of the trunk, the Elephander can see all metal for the next 500 meters, although the picture can fuzzy at times. Note that its recommended that the Elephander stand still while scanning, or the vibration from movement will confuse and disrupt the imaging. Also note that this ability is useful for finding burrowing Zoids.

Available Modifications:

Name: Energy Liger
Alignment: Neo-Zenebas Empire
Family: Liger
Registration Number: EZ-072
Crew: 1
Height: 12 Meters
Length: 28 Meters
Weight: 160 Tons
Top Speed: 330 kph (running), Mach .54/660 kph (flying)
Weapons: Charged Hybrid Vulcan, Charged Double-Barreled Energy Cannon, AZ X-Blade, Gungnir Horn, Charged Claws, Energy Wings.
Special Abilities: Energy Charger.
Level: Zoid X

The Energy Liger is a Zoid fit for an emperor. I’m not even kidding. The original Energy Liger was built an unimaginable cost for none other than one rather ambitious Neo-Zenebas Emperor. You see, this emperor wanted to be on the front lines with his generals, fighting the Helic Republic and carrying on the great Zenebas tradition of its leaders going toe-to-toe with the enemies of the Empire. And by “great” tradition, we mean “newly established”.

Anyway, this young and foolhardy Emperor wanted a Zoid fit for his piloting “skills”. He authorized the development and construction of an ultimate Zoid, something that even an Emperor would be proud to charge into battle in. The R&D costs alone of the Energy Liger were in the millions, and there was no way it could be mass produced. The Neo-Zenebas Empire could, however, produce one. One Zoid with extremely thick armor, far beyond any Zoid X, ridiculously high performance and great agility, a unique Energy Charger system, absurdly powerful weapons, and flight capability... the list went on and on...

As a finishing touch, the Neo-Zenebas techs permanently bonded an Organoid to the Zoid Core, officially making the Emperor’s Energy Liger an Ultimate X. The ‘Liger immediately developed a noble personality, assuming a strong will and sense of duty towards the Empire. It knew and understood that it was one of a kind, a Zoid designed for the Emperor alone, and no other. And the Emperor himself, hearing of the success, flew out of meet his new partner for the first time.

Now, the entire Energy Liger project had been conducted on the Eastern Continent -- far away from prying eyes -- in the utmost secrecy. However, a Helic spy had gotten wind of the plan and tipped off the Helic Republic. The Emperor managed to dodge death, somehow, as he landed and entered the base. However, as he emerged, proudly piloting the new Energy Liger, a Helic sniper opened fire, and a specially designed round pierced the ‘Liger’s cockpit, instantly killing the Emperor. The Energy Liger went somewhat berserk, returning fire, destroying the enemy Zoid, the hill behind, and the friendly base behind the hill. The Energy Liger then vanished into legend, but its said that the Ultimate X still roams the Eastern Continent.

Obviously, this is not the technical data of that Zoid. The Emperor’s successor, looking at the bill the Energy Liger project had run up and how stupidly his predecessor had died, order that the recently deceased Emperor be dishonored. His name was striken from every record, and was forbidden to be spoken (which is why I haven’t called him by name). There wasn’t even an attempt to recover his corpse, which is presumably still inside the ‘Liger’s cockpit. The designs and plans for the Energy Liger were classified, and left in various databases across the Neo-Zenebas MILNET.

The Neo-Zenebas Empire crumbled, as all empires do with time. Eventually, the Zoid Battle Commission replaced it, and the ZBC decided to root through the old bones of its predecessor. Rummaging through old military servers, a few Commission techies came across the plans for something called “Energy Liger”. Naturally, they’d never heard of it (the project having been dishonored with the dead Emperor), and passed the files onto other departments.

Eventually, ZBC engineers realized that this was a powerful but impractically built Zoid. A cheaper, easier-to-produce version could be concocted without too much trouble. So they threw out the Organoid System, the thick armor, the ridiculous performance, and powered down the charger system. The result was a Zoid with average ZX armor, flight capabilities, extremely good performance and agility, and decent ZX-grade weaponry. Now, these lesser versions of the Energy Liger have been disseminated amongst the world militaries and the private pilots.

Weapons:
Charged Hybrid Vulcan:
The Charged Hybrid Vulcan is one of the Energy Liger’s two main weapons, mounted to the Zoid’s left leg. Being a fully automatic vulcan, its perfect for drowning your opponents in a storm of fire. That’s not even a joke, given that the Charged Hybrid Vulcan releases a veritable storm of 50 AZ60mm shots every second. It’s the same “Hybrid” technology that gives the Dark Horn’s main gun such a high rate of fire, so this is nothing new. What is a little different is that each round the Vulcan fires mildly electrically charged rounds, which causes Zoids hit by one to lag imperceptibly. That’s if its hit by one. If its hit by many, the lag and shocking effect become both serious and readily apparent. While the impacts and damage will down a Zoid long before the charge, this is a useful ability for the vulcan to have. Lastly, note that the Hybrid Vulcan can pivot up to 45 degrees up.

Charged Double-Barreled Energy Cannon:
Mounted on the Energy Liger’s right leg is a odd protrusion, with what appear to be two rather large barrels. This is actually a Charged Double-Barreled Energy Cannon, which is a rather fierce-looking weapon fixed in position. Each are AZ200mm Beam Cannons, which sounds big but isn’t terribly impressive for a Zoid X. Well, the Energy Liger has one other trick up its sleeve. Each shot (from each barrel) that hits stuns the Zoid it hits for a full second. This makes it a popular trick to hit with the first barrel, then immediately shoot and hit with the second barrel. However, the cannons can only fire once every 3 seconds, so use them carefully.

AZ X-Blade:
Mounted directly behind the Gungnil Horn on the Zoid’s head, the AZ X-Blade is an extremely potent melee weapon. Uncharged, the Blade is super-sharpened and specially designed to pierce Zoid armor, making it almost twice as effective as normal. That’s uncharged. Charged with energy from the Energy Charger (I never would have guessed), its a dangerous weapon capable of slicing through a Zoid like a meat cleaver through gas. However, because of its positioning behind the Gungnil Horn, it can be tricky to use.

Gungnil Horn:
The Gungnil Horn is mounted on the Energy Liger’s head, right in front of the AZ X-Blade. The Gungnil Horn, like the AZ X-Blade is super-sharp, and can easily cut through Zoid armor when charged. However, the sides aren’t really sharpened, but the point is extremely good at stabbing and penetrating. It can also be used as a bludgeoning weapon, but is far less effective at that. Note that the AZ X-Blade is better for the slashing work, the Gungnil Horn is really for lancing.

Charged Claws:
The Energy Liger has four good claws, and any of them can siphon power from the Energy Charger to increase their cutting power, much like the Strike Laser Claw. However, these are exceptionally powerful, roughly 25% moreso than a Liger Zero’s own Strike Laser Claw.

Energy Wings:
To facilitate its flying ability, the Energy Liger has two wings on either side of its body, which are mounted on either side of its back when its not in use. When they are in use, the fold outwards, each a full 14 meters in length. Oddly, while they’re used for flight, both wings have a number of holes and various crevices in them that makes them look unsuitable for that purpose. This is because they require energy from the Energy Charger to actually form wings; unaided, they’re little more than ornaments. Also, these wings have the unique ability to double as blades when charged; they’re comparable to the Laser Blades on a Blade Liger nearer the base. Lastly, note that the Energy Wings are not at all fragile, and can absorb a great deal of fire before failing.

Special Abilities:
Energy Charger:
The Energy Liger possesses this curious device to supply special energy and charge to its weapons, both ranged and melee, and to its wings for flight purposes. While its more or less bonded to the Zoid Core, making it damn near impossible to shoot off, it can burn out under certain circumstances. ((Often involving severe shocking of the Energy Liger during a high energy consumption period.)) If the Energy Charger is somehow disabled, the Energy Liger can’t fly, nor can it supply charge to any of its weapons.

Available Modifications:

Name: Garagantula (aka “Garagantulus”)
Alignment: Helic Republic
Family: Spider
Registration Number: RMZ-04
Crew: 1
Height: 6.0 Meters
Length: 6.0 Meters
Weight: 4.6 Tons
Top Speed: 330 kph (land), 180 kph (sand), 90 kph (dirt)
Weapons: Dual 20mm Maxter Beam Cannons, Electromagnetic Beam Launcher.
Special Abilities: Burrowing, Cable Launcher.
Level: 1

One of the earliest Zoids ever to be brought into the service of the Helic Republic, the Garagantula borders on the “protozoid” classification. Many of these Zoids are now found wild, mainly because of their early development and release into the open. While they are only lightly armored and armed, these spider-typed Zoids are surprisingly fast and high performance. They’re extremely agile as well, and possess the both the ability to burrow and to use a Cable Launcher to swing from place to place.

Interestingly, the Garagantula was relatively successful up through the first and second generations of new Zoids following its introduction. Eventually, they were phased out and replaced by the Guysack, whose design they actually inspired. The ability of the Garagantula to burrow made it the very first generation of the Helic “sleeper” Zoids, popping up at opponents from nowhere and striking.

Weapons:
Dual 20mm Maxter Beam Cannons:
The Garagantula’s main weapons are a pair of semiautomatic 20mm Maxter Beam Cannons, mounted to the undercarriage, which can incline up to 30 degrees up, down, or to either side. Now, the “Maxter” designation means that use a special design to increase power and maximize damage, moderately improving both damage and penetration. They’re still not as good as AZ weapons, though. Also, they can be used while burrowed.

Electromagnetic Beam Cannon:
To add a little spice to the Garagantula’s arsenal, there’s an Electromagnetic Beam Cannon mounted on the spider’s back. This weapon is a cousin of the Dark Spiner’s defensive cannons, able to bypass armor and fry internals (the more armor, the less the effect of the cannon). If it hits exposed internals, the Electromagnetic Beam Cannon can even stun parts of an enemy Zoid. However, it has a maximum range of 250 meters, and is most effective at distances under 150 meters. Also, it can’t be used underground, as the ground nulls the blast in no time at all. On the plus side, the cannon is semiautomatic, and can pivot 90 degrees to either side or 45 degrees up.

Special Abilities:
Burrowing:
The Garagantula possesses the ability to burrow through sand and dirt, at 180 kph through the former and 90 kph through the latter. It’s a reasonably good burrowing Zoid, but lacks the sensor equipment to know what’s going on above ground. Also, recall that while the Garagantula is fully capable of staying burrowed indefinitely, sanctioned Zoid battling rules allow it to stay underground for no longer that 12 seconds total in a single match.

Cable Launcher:
The Garagantula can fire a long, sturdy, 100 meter long retractable cable from its mouth, which it can use for climbing and hanging and the like. It can use it in the same manner as a spider: hanging, slowly retracting it and ascending, or letting it out and descending. Note that the cable has several grappling prongs on the end (which allow it to latch onto things), but it can’t really be used for melee very effectively.

Available Modifications:

Name: Garius
Alignment: Helic Republic
Family: Tyrannosaurus
Registration Number: RMZ-01
Crew: 1
Height: 8.6 Meters
Length: 6.5 Meters
Weight: 25 Tons
Top Speed: 270 kph
Weapons: Dual 35mm Maxter Beam Cannons, Grenade Launcher, Crusher Vice Claws.
Special Abilities: None.
Level: 1

Wow. The Garius. The very first Zoid ever to enter service of the Helic Republic, and therefore the first Zoid to enter the service of any human armed force on Zi. This one has a history, you can be sure. It’s a protozoid, meaning that it existed wild on the planet long before humans ever arrived.

When it was introduced, the Garius revolutionized warfare. The introduction of Zoids to armed combat changed the way that humans thought about Zi. However, times have passed the Garius by, and its now seen as a lightly armed, lightly armored, and mostly harmless wild Zoid. While large and heavily armored, its seen as a museum piece, little more than a ghost of the past. However, this has the advantage of making them extremely cheap. And though the guns might not be large, the appearance of a Tyrannosaurus never hurt. Also, the Garius is extremely fast and maneuverable for its size.

Weapons:
Dual 35mm Maxter Beam Cannons:
The Garius’ main weapons are a pair of semiautomatic 35mm Maxter Beam Cannons, mounted to either side of the main body, which can incline up to 90 degrees up or down, but not at all outwards. Now, the “Maxter” designation means that use a special design to increase power and maximize damage, moderately improving both damage and penetration. They’re still not as good as AZ weapons, though.

Grenade Launcher:
Interestingly, the Garius has a reasonably powerful grenade launcher attached to its chest. While the launcher might have aged, the ammunition is still up to date, and the Garius can lob out explosives at a semiautomatic rate. Each grenade has roughly a 10-meter blast radius, making this actually something of a serious weapon. However, it has a maximum range of only 250 meters even using inclination to create a parabolic arc. The launcher itself can pivot up to 45 degrees up to help with the arcing.

Crusher Vice Claws:
The Garius was the only Zoid at the time it was inducted into the Helic Army, but it was certainly used to fighting its peers out in the open. For those times when it ended up in melee combat, the Garius has two Crusher Vice Claws, mounted on the end of each of its arms. These claws can, with constant pressure, crush and CSF extremely light Zoids, like the Garagantula. However, the Garius can only lift up to 25 tons (its own weight) and requires considerable time to crush that.

Available Modifications:

Name: Gator
Alignment: Zenebas and Guylos Empires
Family: Dimetrodon
Registration Number: EZ-022
Crew: 1
Height: 5.6 Meters
Length: 11.8 Meters
Weight: 19.9 Tons
Top Speed: 200 kph
Weapons: 10mm Gatling Beam Cannon, Hardened Alloy Tail Blade.
Special Abilities: Multifunction Spinal Array.
Level: 1

The Gator is a perfect example of a support Zoid. Originally developed by the Zenebas Empire for sensory support and electronic warfare purposes, the Gator isn’t really equipped for direct combat. However, the Gator remained in service through the collapse of the Zenebas Empire, the Guylos, the Neo-Zenebas Empire, and is stilled by many militaries today. Why? Well, sometimes its not the size of the guns that counts.

The Gator’s speed is decent, but its armor is average at best (though it was thick at the time). Maneuverability isn’t the best, either. Also, it will be a real challenge to find a worse-armed Zoid. So, why use the Gator at all? Once again, it’s an expert at electronic warfare. It’s Multifunction Spinal Array provides important sensory data and grants this little Zoid the ability to jam enemy communications. Once again, it’s a support Zoid, not a direct-combat type.

Weapons:
10mm Gatling Beam Cannon:
The Gator has one and only one ranged weapon: a 10mm Gatling Beam Cannon. Now, the caliber may be small, but as it would so happen, this weapons has an extremely high rate of fire. Nearly 60 rounds per second (it does have seven barrels for a reason). This actually makes it a fairly potent weapon, but the Hybrid Vulcan it ain’t. It can strip armor similar to its own in a matter of seconds, but the Gator is still severely lacking in stopping power.

Hardened Alloy Tail Blade:
Mounted to the Gator’s tail is a rather fierce blade. This constitutes the Gator’s only melee weapon, given that not even its claws and jaws are suited for melee combat. Unfortunately for the Gator, because the blade is mounted to the tail, it can be extremely tricky to use. The Gator really doesn’t have any business in melee anyway, so it would probably be better just to stay out of close-quarters.

Special Abilities:
Multifunction Spinal Array:
The Gator’s spinal array is more than meets the eye. It has two separate functions, which allows it have a place in combat without weapons. (Both can be used simultaneously) However, note that both functions are useless if the rather large spinal array on its back is badly damaged or destroyed.

Communications Jamming:
The Gator might not be able to destroy an enemy Zoid, but it can cripple an entire armored division with this ability. One of the Gator’s main purposes is actually to jam enemy communications. And we mean all, we mean all. It disrupts not only the ability to communicate between Zoids, but also the ability to communicate between Zoid and transport, and certain sensors that rely on communications to function. Unmanned units, such as BLOX, (if any are present) will also be unable to receive commands. Above and beyond that, the radius of effect is a full 5 kilometers. However, the Gator’s teammates are completely unaffected. Nifty, no? However, if the Gator’s spinal array is destroyed, the Communications Jamming will cease to function.

Metal Detector:
And yes, its the kind that you use to find buried treasure, but it’s also so much more than that. It uses magnetic resonance to detect an amount of metal as small as a bottlecap at a distance -- but it can be set to be far less sensitive than that. Anyway, the Gator can see all metal for the next 500 meters, although the picture can fuzzy at times. Note that its recommended that the Gator stand still while scanning, or the vibration from movement will confuse and disrupt the imaging. Also note that this ability is useful for finding burrowing Zoids. Also, if anyone in the area happens to need an MRI for some reason, this will do the trick.

Available Modifications:

Name: Geno Breaker
Alignment: Guylos Empire
Family: Tyrannosaurus
Registration Number: EZ-034
Crew: 1
Height: 13.7 Meters
Length: 23 Meters
Weight: 137.5 Tons
Top Speed: 345 kph (hovering), 170 kph (running)
Weapons: Twin AZ140mm Special Impact Cannons, Twin 80mm Special Cannons, Dual EMP Missile Pods, Laser Head Blade, Hyper Strike Claws.
Special Abilities: Super Charged Particle Gun, Frontal Hyper E-Shield, Dual X-Breaker Claws, Composite Sensory Unit.
Level: Zoid X

Nothing says “WE WILL BURY YOU!” quite like a Geno Breaker does. Probably among the first Zoids recognized as Zoid Xs, the Geno Breaker is a radical evolution of the Geno Saurer. Though essentially impossible to mass produce, they were originally discovered and manufactured by the Guylos Empire and given to top officers. It’s said that the very first Geno Breaker was created and owned by a mysterious former Guylos special forces operative, but little is known about this particular point.

Ironically, the Geno Breaker is among the least well armed ZXes out there, boasting only two missile pods, four rather normal-looking cannons, and a Super Charged Particle Gun for ranged combat. It makes up for this in melee, though. The Dual X-Breaker Claws are practically legendary, and are capable of tearing even the toughest opponents limb from limb. Also, the Geno Breaker is among the toughest Zoid Xs around, and has a powerful Hyper E-Shield to defend it. Furthermore, the Geno Breaker has a booster pack in either leg which allows it to hover and strafe. This also means it need not bother itself with its footlocks (though it has them, if it needs them).

Still, for all its strengths, the Geno Breaker’ rear is totally unprotected. All of its weapon, melee and ranged, as well its Hyper E-Shield, face forwards. However, there are few Zoids that could survive attacking a Geno Breaker of them from behind. Geno Breakers have been recorded as destroying entire armored divisions, and they didn’t gain the reputation of being nigh-on invincible because they fall down dead if shot in the back.

As one last note, the Geno Breaker’s cockpit is buried deep inside its chest, like the Geno Saurer’s. This makes it hard to take down even in warfare, as you no longer have that one “cheap shot” where you can just shoot the pilot and call it done.

Weapons:
Twin AZ140mm Special Impact Cannons:
Located on either of the Geno Breaker’s legs, near the knee joint, is an AZ140mm Impact Cannon. Now, astute observers may have by now noticed the words “twin” and “special”, whereas usually the word “dual” and no modifier such as “special” are used. This is because the Geno Breaker’s are separate from each other, which is unusual for impact cannons. As for “special”, well, that’s a longer story. You see, the Geno Breaker’s Impact Cannons have an extended maximum range of 500 meters, and deal considerably more damage than even their large caliber would suggest. Given that they’re semiautomatic, these two weapons can down most Zoids in a few seconds. Interestingly, these are also among the only Impact Cannons that can pivot, capable of inclining up to 60 degrees up or down. Still, they’re a little substandard for a ZX.

Twin 80mm Special Cannons:
Bah. What’s a Geno Breaker doing with a puny 80mm cannon? Give me a moment. The 80mm Special Cannons each are mounted on the legs, just below the Special Impact Cannons. (They’re on the same mount, in fact.) They’re semiautomatic, but boast the improved damage and hitting power comparable to a much larger round. However, they sacrificed penetration for this, meaning that the rounds deal massive surface and structural damage, but do little to actually go through armor. On the plus side, they can knock around and actually topple lighter Zoids. Lastly, note that these cannons always aim at the same place as the AZ140mm Special Impact Cannon that it shares a mount with.

Dual EMP Missile Pods:
All of the Geno Breaker’s ranged weapons are mounted on the leg joints, and the missiles are no exception to this rule. On the side of the Special Cannon’s shared mount sits a concealed missile pod. Each pod has four apparent tubes, and can fire any number from 1 to 4 from either or both pods at a single time. These missiles are standard multipurpose -- meaning that they can lock onto and hit both surface and aerial targets, with one catch: the warhead. When these missiles hit, they release a powerful EMP burst, which fries internals and circuitry in the area of impact, lagging and stalling the bodypart. While 1 or 2 missile impacts might be merely annoying, all 8 together could be lethal. If that wasn’t enough, the Geno Breaker can reload both pods once from internal stores, but this process takes 3 seconds are requires the ‘Breaker to relock.

Laser Head Blade:
You may have noticed the blade ontop of the Geno Breaker’s head. It’s not just for show (though, given the number of melee weapons the Geno Breaker has, it could be). In addition to being plenty sharp on its own, the Geno Breaker can charge it with energy, roughly to the same sharpness the Blade Liger has for its own Laser Blades. While the blade is fixed at roughly a 45 degree angle, it can still be used for goring, slashing, and piercing.

Hyper Strike Claws:
Most don’t notice the Geno Breaker’s claws, as they’re busy staring at the giant pincer claws. However, the Geno Breaker does have them, and they’re extremely sharp and pointy. The arms they’re attached to look stubby and a bit weak, but both arms are extremely tough. The Hyper Strike Claws themselves are the finest that uncharged weaponry has to offer, capable of ripping and tearing much better than your average claw.

Special Abilities:
Super Charged Particle Gun:
Need it be said? This is the Geno Breaker’s main cannon, and is extremely potent. Located in the mouth, the Super Charge Particle Gun is capable of annihilating almost anything that’s unlucky enough to be in its path. The Geno Breaker, much like the Death Stinger, is lucky in that its SCPG is free-firing. It can use its leg boosters to counteract the kickback of the weapon, allowing the ‘Breaker move and turn while firing. However, it does have footlocks if it needs ‘em.

Frontal Hyper E-Shield:
The Frontal Hyper E-Shield is generated by the Geno Breaker connecting its X-Breaker Claws and channeling its energy through them. It is as powerful as a standard Hyper E-Shield, meaning that it can quite literally absorb a full SCPG blast before failing. Also, it covers the Geno Breaker’s entire body from the front and sides (but not rear), and gets weaker the further from the generators it is.

Dual X-Breaker Claws:
The signature weapons of the Geno Breaker are two giant pincers mounted to either of its shoulders. Each claw is absolutely massive, and near invincible, capable of outright crushing some Zoids. They can also shoot out on 50 meter long steel cables, grab enemies, and drag them closer to Geno Breaker. The cables themselves aren’t nearly as invincible as the claws, and can be snapped or broken with some work. However, that might pose a problem for the Zoid being grabbed, as the entire process can be very fast. Note, however, that the X-Breaker Claws are unable to deliver an electric shock, like the Geno Saurer’s claws.

Composite Sensory Unit:
Just so you know that there’s no place to hide, the Geno Breaker possesses a Composite Sensory Unit. This unit allows it use 3D Doppler Radar and IR scanning to track its opponents. The sensors themselves are spread around the body, giving the Composite Sensory Unit and excellent range of vision, and making it hard to destroy. Only the most fortunate of Zoids can hide themselves from both the IR and Radar and make an escape.

Available Modifications:

Name: Geno Saurer
Alignment: Guylos Empire
Family: Tyrannosaurus
Registration Number: EZ-026
Crew: 1
Height: 11.7 Meters
Length: 23 Meters
Weight: 112.8 Tons
Top Speed: 260 kph (hovering), 130 kph (running)
Weapons: Twin Long-Range 120mm Pulse Laser Rifles, Long-Range 40mm Laser Cannon, Hyper Killer Claws and Teeth.
Special Abilities: Charged Particle Gun, Grappler Claws, Mutant Core.
Level: 5

The Geno Saurer is a walking, breathing legend in the world of Zoid battling. Originally developed by accident by Emperor Prozen during his quest to manufacture the Death Saurer, the Geno Saurer was produced with a unique, mutated Zoid Core. It’s rumored that the very first Geno Saurer was gifted to an elite member of the Guylos Special Forces, who used it to collect Zoid Cores for the Death Saurer. This, however, cannot be confirmed.

The Geno Saurer’s main fame came from its possession of the Charged Particle Gun. This made it among the only Guylos Zoids capable of matching the firepower of the massive Republican Super Cannons. For many years following its development, it was deployed on the front lines, matching the Gojulas and the Gordos shot for shot, kill for kill. However, over times, it became apparent that the Geno Saurer’s Charged Particle Gun was too powerful a weapon for anyone to possess. A series of Strategic Arms Limitation Treaties (SALTs) between the Empire and the Republic essentially wiped out the Geno Saurer.

The Zoid recently resurfaced when the Backdraft Group excavated three almost fully intact Geno Saurers, right alongside the Berserk Führer. This marked the resurrection of the Charged Particle Gun and the Geno Saurer. During the war, surviving engineers and technicians from the original Backdraft Group disseminated plans and designs for the Geno Saurer throughout various rebel networks. Suddenly, models of the once-extinct Zoid started suddenly appearing on the field of battle.

Now, the war is over, but the devastation caused by the Charged Particle Gun won’t be soon forgotten. The Geno Saurer, being essentially the only production Zoid with such a weapon, has been entered into the service of every world military. The Zoid the Guylos Empire and Helic Republic fought so hard to wipe out has returned.

As far as the technical details go, the Geno Saurer has armor just a step below that of the Dark Horn (around Red Horn-grade), allowing it to sustain punishment. It’s somewhat lacking in the conventional ranged weaponry department, but its Twin 120mm Pulse Laser Rifles can contend with many threats. Also, the Geno Saurer has a set of pivotable boosters on either leg, allowing it to hover and strafe. If that wasn’t enough, thanks largely in part to its mutated Zoid Core, the Geno Saurer is more intelligent than average, and is very high performance.

As a last note, the Geno Saurer’s cockpit is its chest, but the pilot sees through the optics in the head. This makes it perfectly legal to shoot the Geno Saurer’s head, but this section of the body (eyes included) are as well armored as any other.

Weapons:
Twin Long-Range 120mm Pulse Laser Rifles:
The Geno Saurer’s primary ranged armament are two Long-Range 120mm Pulse Laser Rifles located on a rotating turret mount on the Zoid’s back. They’re pretty standard weapons, but have reasonable accuracy out to as far as 2 kilometers. Otherwise, each cannon fires 2 pulse laser blasts each second, making their firing rate higher than semiautomatic. Also, the turret mount has the rare ability to rotate a full 360 degrees, and as much as 90 degrees up and as far down as their angle allows. Being nearly omnidirectional, powerful, long-ranged weapons, these Pulse Laser Rifles let the Geno Saurer contend with many threats before they ever get close.

Long-Range 40mm Laser Cannon:
Fixed to the Geno Saurer’s head is an odd-looking weapon, which is actually a 40mm Laser Cannon. Like the 120mm Pulse Laser Rifles, this weapon can fire 2 shots per second, and is reasonably accurate out as far as 2 kilometers. However, its fixed in position and isn’t particularly powerful, so its really just a supplement to the main guns.

Hyper Killer Claws and Teeth:
Most don’t notice the Geno Saurer’s claws or teeth, as they’re busy staring at the giant laser rifles or the SCPG. However, the Geno Saurer does have them, and they’re extremely sharp and pointy. The arms they’re attached to look stubby and a bit weak, but both arms are extremely tough. The Hyper Killer Claws and Teeth themselves are the finest that uncharged weaponry has to offer, capable of ripping, biting, and tearing much better than your average claw or fang. The Hyper Killer Claws also have the Grappler Claw system (see Special Abilities).

Special Abilities:
Charged Particle Gun:
The Charged Particle Gun is a slightly less powerful derivative of the Death Saurer’s full Super Charged Particle Gun. The Geno Saurer is unique in that it essentially the only production Zoid to wield such a weapon, which is more than capable of obliterating any Zoid. Production or ZX -- it really doesn’t matter, unless a Zoid has some specific anti-CPG defense, like a Hyper E-Shield, it will wiped out by this weapon. ((Those Zoids that can stand an outright hit from a Charged Particle Gun all hold the rank of “banned”.)) Standard E-Shields won’t even slow the blast down. On top of that, the CPG is accompanied by a powerful and damaging shockwave that can send lighter Zoids flying and topple heavier ones. So, even dodging the actual beam isn’t sufficient to escape damage. Fortunately for this Zoid’s enemies, the Geno Saurer has to drop its footlocks, open tail vents, and spend roughly 2 seconds charging the beam before using it. Even then, the Geno Saurer can only move its head slightly to aim the weapon -- the footlocks must remain in place or the Zoid will blow itself over with power of the CPG. Furthermore, most sanctioned Zoid Battles limit use of this weapon to once per battle, and stipulate that it can’t be used in the first 6 seconds of combat.

Grappler Claws:
One of the design points of the Geno Saurer was that it should be at least adequate at everything, long-range, medium-range, and close-range combat. To facilitate the last one, the Geno Saurer was equipped with a powerful Grappler Claw system, that allows its Hyper Killer Claws to shoot out up to 50 meters on a steel cable, grab a Zoid, and reel it in. Furthermore, the Hyper Killer Claws have the ability to shock whatever’s its latched onto, lagging the Zoid and slowly frying internals. Usually, 18 seconds of continuous shocking is enough to fry the Zoid Control Conduit and induce Command System Freeze. However, note that the cables aren’t very strong, and can be cut by charged or persistent melee attack, or adequate ranged attack. Also, as a general rule, the Geno Saurer can’t drag anything heavier than itself.

Mutant Core:
The Geno Saurer has an mutant Zoid Core, which allows it to charge and fire the Charged Particle Gun, and it helps in other areas. Now, “mutant” isn’t necessarily a bad thing, as it makes the Geno Saurer more intelligent than your average Zoid, and drastically increases performance. Now, don’t be fooled: the Geno Saurer is no Ultimate X, nor can it accumulate experience over time. It’s just helpful, and it’s part of what gives the Geno Saurer its practically unmatched performance.

Available Modifications:

Name: Geruder
Alignment: Zenebas Empire
Family: Triceratops
Registration Number: EMZ-16
Crew: 1
Height: 4.5 Meters
Length: 10.7 Meters
Weight: 25 Tons
Top Speed: 200 kph
Weapons: Triple Impact Cannon.
Special Abilities: Twin Repulsion Cannons.
Level: 2

The Geruder was one of the earlier Zoids created by the Zenebas Empire, literally to lead the charge. Ironically, the Geruder is a Triceratops-typed Zoid, of the same family as the powerful Helic Mad Thunder, one of the main obstacles the Empire was eventually forced to overcome. However, the Triceratops design is extremely useful -- the head section is heavily armored and large enough to protect the main body of the Zoid. Several of these Zoids side-by-side form an effective phalanx, protecting the other Zoids behind them. However, this was long before the advent of the E-Shield -- its introduction led to the slow phasing out of the Geruder.

While now less popular, the Geruder is still as tough and stubborn as it always was. Featuring a powerful Triple Impact Cannon and Twin Repulsion Cannons, as well as the aforementioned armored head section, the Geruder can still handle many of the enemies thrown its way. However, despite thick armor covering its general frontal region, the Zoid’s flanks and rear are nowhere near as tough, and far more vulnerable. Another weakness of the Geruder is that its weapons are primarily short-ranged, but this can fixed with modifications.

Weapons:
Triple Impact Cannon:
The Geruder features a standard Triple Impact Cannon as its main weapon, capable of firing AZ60mm shells at a semiautomatic rate at distances up to 300 meters. The Geruder is unusual in that it carries the weapon in its head region, rather than on its undercarriage. Despite being exposed, the Triple Impact Cannon is coated in the same thick armor as the rest of the front of the Zoid, making it hard to destroy. As many Impact Cannons are, the Geruder’s is fixed facing forwards.

Special Abilities:
Twin Repulsion Cannons:
Sticking out of the Geruder’s face, on either side of the Triple Impact Cannon, are two Repulsion Cannons. Now, these weapons replaced what should have been the horns, and the Geruder is primarily used for close-range work and melee, so they much important. Indeed they are. You see, after these cannons spend two seconds charging (the Geruder need not stand still while they do), they possess the ability to repel other Zoids. Now, when a Zoid comes within 50 meters of a 30 degree arc in front of the Geruder’s charged Repulsion Cannons, they’ll be repelled away. The effect obviously varies with the weight of the repelled Zoid: a Rev Raptor might be flung dozens of meters, while a Dibison would only stumble and trip. After the Zoid is repelled, the Repulsion Cannons must be recharged before their ability is used again. Bullets and other rounds are unaffected by the Repulsion Cannons, but missiles, rockets, and mortars may accidentally set off the cannons.

Overcharge:
If the Geruder spends a full 6 seconds charging the Repulsion Cannons, they enter a state called “overcharge”. After the Repulsion Cannons are overcharged, they will, for the next three seconds, continuously repel anything that enters the 30 degree arc, without losing charge. This includes solid bullets, missiles, and the like (but not charged particles, beams, or lasers). This allows the Geruder to repeated fling something, and deal a goodly amount of damage. It’s not recommended that the Geruder fire its own weapons during the overcharge period. Lastly, after the overcharge, the Repulsion Cannons burn out, and are unusable for the rest of the battle. Furthermore, the Geruder either begins the standard charging process or begins the overcharging process (ie: if something enters the 30 degree arc after 2 seconds of charging for overcharge, it won’t be flung).

Available Modifications:

Name: Gilvader (aka “Gil Vader”)
Alignment: Zenebas Empire
Family: Wyvern
Registration Number: DBOZ-17
Crew: 1
Height: 16.7 Meters
Length: 43.2 Meters
Weight: 333 Tons
Top Speed: Mach 4.0/4,900 kph (air), 80 kph (land)
Weapons: Quad Gravity Cannons, AZ100mm Needle Gun Cluster, Quad AZ200mm Machine Cannons, Dual Twin Circular Saws, Twin Crasher Horns, Hardened Alloy Claws, Teeth, and Tail Blade.
Special Abilities: Radar Transparency, Magnetic Repulsion System.
Level: Zoid X

The fastest Zoid there is. Period. At Mach 4.0, the Gilvader can fly like the Wyvern/Dragon that it resembles. However, the Gilvader isn’t actually a dogfighter. It’s a powerful aerial assault Zoid, that was originally design by the Zenebas Empire to combat Mad Thunders and the Ultrasaurus. That’s right. To combat Mad Thunders and the Ultrasaurus. With a grand total of four full Gravity Cannons and a plethora of other weapons, the Gilvader is among the most dangerous Zoids ever to be brought into existence.

As far as other statistics go, the Gilvader is rather interesting. Despite its extremely fast top speed, its incredible bulk makes it one of the least maneuverable Zoids in the air. Only some of the dedicated bombers, like the Salamander, are less agile. However, the Gilvader has some of the thickest and toughest armor of any Zoid -- just a step or two below that of the Geno Breaker. On the ground, its maneuverability is no better, but it can still swat less Zoids aside like flies.

Weapons:
Quad Gravity Cannons:
The Gilvader’s main armament is a quartet of Gravity Cannons; two mounted to either wing. These cannons fire heavy planetellocite impacters, leading to their designation as “Gravity Cannons” or “Zoid Destroying” weapons. The heavy impact of the cannons, while not able to make a hyper-gravity field, will shatter even the thickest armor and send even the heaviest Zoids sprawling. Unfortunately, the weapons are fixed in place, and limited to firing once per round. A further disadvantage is that all four cannons draw from a main magazine that can only reload each cannon once -- for a total of 8 shots. However, those 8 shots are more than enough to down any conventional opponent, and can even inflict serious damage to a Banned Zoid. Remember, these were the weapons that were used to combat Mad Thunders.

AZ100mm Needle Gun Cluster:
Grouped together on the Gilvader’s neck, right under the cockpit, are a total of 10 odd looking spikes. These are actually just the loaded spikes currently in the barrels of the 10 spike cannons that the Gilvader possesses. Each is a full AZ100mm, designed to pierce, but not deal much surface damage. The cannons are fixed and semiautomatic, but be chain-linked to fire in an almost fully automatic manner. All 10 cannons draw from of collective ammunition stockpile -- which only contains 30 rounds (including the ones already loaded). After these rounds are expended, the Needle Gun Cluster must be reloaded.

Quad AZ200mm Machine Cannons:
One of the Gilvader’s most potent weapons is a set of four Quad AZ200mm Machine Cannons -- which have a much higher rate of fire than any cannon, but lower than any machinegun. Together, the four cannons put out a total of 20 rounds per second, making them exceedingly dangerous. However, they’re fixed facing forwards, and not the most accurate weapons in the world.

Dual Twin Circular Saws:
The Gilvader has a total of four large circular saws mounted on its body -- two on wings and two on either side of the base of the neck. These four saws spin at an extreme rate of speed, and can be charged with energy to increase their cutting power, much like the Strike Laser Claw. Note that using in midair will probably end in a crash, but if its subsonic, that not may be such a big concern for the Gilvader.

Twin Crasher Horns:
Mounted to either side of the Gilvader’s head is a long, curvy horn. These are Crasher Horns -- extremely tough and great for tossing lesser Zoids about. They’re not recommended for use in aerial combat, though.

Hardened Alloy Claws, Teeth, and Tail Blade:
If absolutely all else fails, the the Gilvader still has the basics. Claws, teeth, and a V-shaped tail blade, great for feral melee combat. Biting, ripping, slashing, tearing... whatever you need.

Special Abilities:
Radar Transparency:
To give the Gilvader that extra edge, the designers purposely systems to make it transparent to radar. This way, its extremely hard to detect the Gilvader and swoops down... like an eagle swooping at rats. The transparency systems are a combination of the curvature of the armor, the paint, and various internal systems, but it can be gotten rid of if the armor is completely blasted away in any one section. But, with Gilvader’s armor, that seems unlikely.

Magnetic Repulsion System:
The Gilvader has the unique ability to create a Magnetic Repulsion System by charging and spinning all of its circular saws at a certain frequency. Basically, the system briefly creates a field around the Gilvader that is capable of deflecting any solid objects that get near it, such as bullets, missiles, and other Zoids. (Beams, lasers, and charged particles are unaffected.) The Repulsion System can last for three seconds before the hypercapacitors that power it are drained of energy. During that time frame, its not recommended that the Gilvader fire any of its weapons. Doing so could be disastrous in effect. Lastly, after the hypercapacitors are drained, they won’t be recharged for several minutes -- essentially meaning that this ability can only be used once per battle.

Available Modifications:

Name: Glidoler
Alignment: Helic Republic
Family: Duck
Registration Number: RMZ-02
Crew: 1
Height: 5.3 Meters
Length: 5.2 Meters
Weight: 3.9 Tons
Top Speed: Mach 1.0/1225 kph (air), Mach 2.3/2818 kph (air, rocket booster), 80 kph (land), 30 knots/56 kph (water)
Weapons: 20mm Beam Vulcan.
Special Abilities: Rocket Booster, Swimming.
Level: 1

Some Zoids can fly, some can run, and some can swim. The Glidoler is the only one that can do all three. While this duck-typed Zoid might seem like it has two massive feet, those are actually pontoons that allow it to float and swim. As for land travel, the pontoons have several massive wheels underneath them. The Glidoler also has two short, stubby wings, which allow it to fly. Lastly, this Zoid has an emergency rocket booster behind its back for the quick getaway.

Now, you may have noticed that the registration number of the Glidoler has the registration number RMZ-02. That seems low, doesn’t it? Yeah, it is. It was the second Zoid ever to enter the service of the Helic Republic. Which, by the way, means that its a certified, card-carrying piece of crap. Almost unarmored, and with substandard maneuverability in all three of its environments, and weapons more than a little lacking, the Glidoler has few conceivable uses. Being a Jack-of-All-Trades has its disadvantages.

Weapons:
20mm Beam Vulcan:
This is a fairly standard weapon, fixed forward on the Glidoler’s chest. It’s a 20mm Beam Vulcan, capable of putting out 20 rounds every second. It also works underwater, but that’s little solace if the Glidoler is actually unfortunate enough to encounter an enemy in the water.

Special Abilities:
Rocket Booster:
The Glidoler will, with surprising frequency, find that it need to extricate itself from various situations. This is what the Rocket Booster is for. For a full six seconds, the rocket booster propels the Glidoler to Mach 2.3, hopefully pushing it out of harm’s way. However, the rocket booster should only be used in the air. Use on the ground or in the water is almost assured instant destruction of the Zoid.

Swimming:
This duck-typed Zoid can swim at a slow pace of 30 knots, and can dive despite its pontoons. However, its speed and maneuverability are both terrible, so it had best hope that it doesn’t encounter any enemies while its taking a dip. Also, the Glidoler shouldn’t be taken below 100 meters.

Available Modifications:

Name: Godkaiser
Alignment: Helic Republic
Family: Tyrannosaurus
Registration Number: RPZ-19
Crew: 1
Height: 7.8 Meters
Length: 23.2 Meters
Weight: 85 Tons
Top Speed: 135 kph
Weapons: AZ100mm Beam Cannon, Triple 100mm Beam Cannon Cluster, Quad Defensive Cannons, Hardened Alloy Head Blade, Tail Blade, Teeth, and Claws.
Special Abilities: None.
Level: 4

The Godkaiser is a heavily armored and heavily armed Tyrannosaurus-typed Helic Republic Zoid. Oddly, most of its ranged weapons are pointing backwards, but most of its melee weapons are pointing forwards. Despite this, it’s proved itself to be fierce fighter, often used for urban combat and special operations. It’s actually a reasonably small Zoid for its armament, and the idea was it could be hard to detect in an urban environment.

It’s not particularly fast or maneuverable, but, as mentioned before, its heavily armed and armored. What it’s lacking in agility and performance is made up for in brute muscle. The Godkaiser can handle itself well at both range and melee, and is reasonably easy to modify and customize.

Weapons:
AZ100mm Beam Cannon:
The Godkaiser has one and only one forward facing ranged weapon: an AZ100mm Beam Cannon mounted to the top of its head. The weapon itself is semiautomatic and incapable of independent pivoting, but it can point anywhere the head can.

Triple 100mm Beam Cannon Cluster:
Mounted to the Godkaiser’s back is a cluster of three 100mm Beam Cannons. The three weapons can be fired all simultaneously or chain-linked, to simulate a fully automatic rate of fire. At any rate, they’re only semiautomatic independently, but boast a rather large 100mm caliber. They can even turn up to 90 degrees either right or left, but they can’t incline at all. Also, since they’re rear-facing, they don’t help the Godkaiser fight the enemy in front of it.

Quad Defensive Cannons:
Sitting on either leg of the Godkaiser, rear-facing, just above and inside the knee-joint are two Defensive Cannons, for a total of four. Basically, these are four radiation cannons, similar to ones found on the Dark Spiner. As previously stated, they’re rear-facing and semiautomatic, but their real power comes from the radiation bolts they fire. Each shot that lands bypasses armor (though its power declines the more armor it has to go through) and strikes at the internals directly, frying them and affecting Zoid performance. Several solid hits on exposed internals can actually stun a Zoid, but only at close range. This weapon becomes impotent at ranges over 250 meters and is really most effective at ranges under 150 meters. Note that these cannons can pivot up to 90 degrees up.

Hardened Alloy Head Blade, Tail Blade, Teeth, and Claws:
The Godkaiser has a diverse array of melee weapons to help it in close-quarters. Among these are a sharpened 3-meter head blade, a 5-meter tail blade, and a set of powerful teeth and claws. The blades are great for poking, slashing, and piercing, while the claws and teeth are more for ripping. The Godkaiser is a formidable opponent in melee, being extremely strong, and is known for being able to tear lesser Zoids apart.

Available Modifications:

Name: Godos
Alignment: Helic Republic
Family: Tyrannosaurus
Registration Number: RZ-014
Crew: 1
Height: 8.2 Meters
Length: 8.6 Meters
Weight: 23 Tons
Top Speed: 150 kph
Weapons: Quad 30mm Beam Cannons, Dual 20mm Anti-Aircraft Cannons, Hardened Alloy Claws.
Special Abilities: IR Sensors.
Level: 1

The Godos was the fourteenth Zoid ever to enter the service of the Helic Republic, and was meant to replace older models like the Garius. While no better armed, the Godos possessed something that the Garius lacked -- anti-aircraft capabilities. The Garius models, while quicker, were relatively lightly armored, and could easily be wiped out by enemy air power. The Godos possessed two flak cannons to stop the same from happening to it.

As far as performance goes, the Godos is a flexible and agile little machine. It’s much more maneuverable than the Garius, but its much slower as well. Furthermore, it has heavier armor, but the armor only covers the head, arms, and legs. Since the Godos is such a small target, it can be tricky hitting it in chest or back, but its far from impossible. Also, the Godos was designed to be easily customized, making for a number of interesting modifications on the market.

Lastly, it should be noted that the Godos is the younger brother of the full-sized Gojulas. So... maybe you should play nice with the Godos, lest big brother come and do the same with you.

Weapons:
Quad 30mm Beam Cannons:
The Godos has two sets of two 30mm Beam Cannons: one on either hip and one on either side of the tail. The tail-mounted two are actually easy to use to fire forwards, and can pivot up to 90 degrees upwards. The ones mounted to the hips are incapable of pivoting. All four are semiautomatic.

Dual 20mm Anti-Aircraft Cannons:
There are a pair of fixed cannons on the Godos’ back which points straight up, allowing it to shoot at passing aerial targets. Each shell explodes at a certain preset altitude (dialed in by the pilot from the cockpit) into a cloud of shrapnel, which can shred and tear wings. The fuses can be turned off, making them standard 20mm cannons, but why someone would want to do that is unclear. They can’t pivot, you see, so they’d be less effective if they weren’t flak weapons.

Special Abilities:
IR Sensors:
The Godos is equipped with standard infrared sensors, which allow it to track targets via their heat signature. The device that allows IR detection is mounted inside its head, near the cockpit -- which makes it illegal to shoot at in sanctioned Zoid battling. However, in open warfare, there’s a chance this sensor could be destroyed without destroying the Godos.

Name: Gojulas
Alignment: Helic Republic
Family: Dinosaur/Tyrannosaurus
Registration Number: RZ-001
Crew: 1
Height: 21.0 Meters
Length: 26.0 Meters
Weight: 230 Tons
Top Speed: 75 kph
Weapons: Quad 70mm Heavy Machineguns, Dual 30mm Maxter Machineguns, Dual 30mm AMD Beam Cannons, Dual AZ20mm Continuous Laser Cannons, Dual AZ20mm Beam Cannon, Dual Twin 20mm Anti-Aircraft Cannons, Hardened Alloy Claws and Fangs.
Special Abilities: None.
Level: 5

The Helic Republic produced many Zoids in its time, and there were some that were just universally recognized as symbols of Helic power. Some of these “symbols” were the Command Wolf, Shield and Blade Ligers, and the mighty Gordos. But, rising above them all, there was one Zoid that universally inspired both fear and awe -- the Gojulas. The older brother of such familiar Helic Zoids as the Aro Saurer and the Godos, the Gojulas is one of the most fearsome and heavily armed mass production Zoids to ever walk the face of Helic.

When they talk about the Gojulas, many think of a giant wielding Twin Republican Super Cannons, swinging and firing its weapons majestically but jerkily. Oddly, the Gojulas is neither of these two stereotypes. Firstly, the stock form of the Gojulas doesn’t possess Twin Republican Super Cannons, though it can buy and equip them as a modification. Secondly, while the Gojulas is a behemoth, its extremely nibble and maneuverable, because it has its giant tail to help it balance. It also need not stand upright; it can easily bend down to just a few meters above the ground, thanks again to the tail. However, the popular belief that the Gojulas is nigh-on invincible is correct: it sets the standard for armor among Zoids of its class.

Weapons:
Quad 70mm Heavy Machineguns:
The Gojulas stock-form’s main weapons, the Quad 70mm Heavy Machineguns, are mounted to either side of the stomach: two on the left and two on the right. They are fully automatic, capable of firing 15 shots per second each, and can rotate outwards 45 degrees and pivot 30 degrees on the vertical axis. The designation “heavy” means that the weapons have almost no penetrating power, but instead expend all of their energy doing surface damage and knocking the receiving Zoid around. Even a reasonably heavy Zoid, like the Blade Liger, will be toppled by a second or so of continuous fire. Also, these four guns are the best around at cracking armor, so they’re not to be taken lightly.

Dual 30mm Maxter Machineguns:
Two of the Gojulas’ secondary weapons are a pair of fully automatic 30mm Maxter Beam Cannons, one mounted to each wrist, which can incline up to 30 degrees up, down, or to either side. Being machineguns, both weapons can put out a goodly 30 rounds per second each. Now, the “Maxter” designation means that use a special design to increase power and maximize damage, moderately improving both damage and penetration. They’re still not as good as AZ weapons, though.

Dual 30mm AMD Beam Cannons:
Located on the Gojulas’ tail are a pair of 30mm AMD Beam Cannons. They’re fully automatic, capable of firing 10 rounds per second each, and have a naturally increased spread to help shoot down missiles. They’re decent as standard weapons, as well, if rather inaccurate. Furthermore, the turret mount they’re on allows them to pivot up to 90 degrees upwards, or 45 degrees to either side.

Dual AZ20mm Continuous Laser Cannons:
On either side of the tip of the Gojulas’ tail, sits an AZ20mm Continuous Laser Cannon. Because they’re continuous laser beams, they can quickly slice and melt through armor. However, because of power constraints, the Continuous Laser Cannons can only be fired for 1 second at a time, and cannot be used again for another second while its energy stores regenerate. They can also pivot up to a full 90 degrees upwards.

Dual AZ20mm Beam Cannon:
On either side of the tip of the Gojulas’ tail, below the AZ20mm Continuous Laser Cannon, sits an AZ20mm Beam Cannon. These weapons are semiautomatic, totally standard, and must pivot with the Continuous Laser Cannon.

Dual Twin 20mm Anti-Aircraft Cannons:
Inherited from the Godos, maybe? There is a pair of cannons on each side of the base of the Gojulas’ tail, which point straight up, allowing them to shoot at passing aerial targets. Each shell explodes at a certain preset altitude (dialed in by the pilot from the cockpit) into a cloud of shrapnel, which can shred and tear wings. The fuses can be turned off, making them standard 20mm cannons, but why someone would want to do that is unclear. They can pivot up to 60 degrees downwards, but still can’t hit many ground targets behind the Gojulas. Besides, there are plenty of guns on the tail already.

Hardened Alloy Claws and Fangs:
Melee isn’t something the Gojulas was built for, but it’s essentially the strongest Zoid around, so it can compensate. It has a razor sharp set of claws and an equally sharp set of teeth, so it can knash, mash, chomp, and utterly obliterate anything it feels inclined to. Note that each claw can lift 40 to 50 tons, and can lift 80 to 100 tons together. Furthermore, the Gojulas can carry in its mouth anything it can fit in there, so its perfectly plausible that it fight while snacking.

Available Modifications:

Name: Gojulas Giga (aka “Giga Gojulas” or “Giggles”)
Alignment: Helic Republic
Family: Giganotosaurus
Registration Number: RZ-064
Crew: 1
Height: 29.5 Meters
Length: 17.0 Meters
Weight: 200 Tons
Top Speed: 95 kph (battle mode), 180 kph (pursuit mode)
Weapons: Hyper Laser Tail Blades, Giga Crusher Fangs and Claws.
Special Abilities: Variable Stance, Rain of Stars, Hyper E-Shield, ECM System.
Level: Zoid X

It’s almost funny, really. Well, at least Giggles here seems to think so, but he’s always smiling. You see, the Gojulas Giga has no conventional ranged weaponry. It can be outfitted with Twin Republican Super Cannons and the like, but the stock form just doesn’t have any. The Gojulas Giga is a melee demon, relying on agility and brute force to overwhelm its opponents. To start, the Giga Gojulas is among the toughest Zoids around, with a Hyper E-Shield, an ECM System, and armor second only to the King Gojulas.

It’s not just toughness that gets the Gojulas Giga through the day, though. It has all the legendary performance of a standard Gojulas, being extremely agile and flexible despite its large size. It can move with its head down (“Pursuit Mode”) and fight with its head up (“Battle Mode”), but it’s very maneuverable in both. The tail provides the Gojulas Giga with excellent balance, and acts as a counterweight during Pursuit Mode. Furthermore, the Gojulas Giga is easily the strongest Zoid X around. The only thing that’s ever beaten it in an wresting match is the Mad Thunder.

Lastly, the lower jaw construction of the Gojulas Giga is curved such that it seems to be perpetually smiling. This has earned this Zoid X the affectionate nickname of Giggles, because it smiles all the more while mauling its enemies. Some would say that the Gojulas Giga has a temper problem, but who believe that when it’s always so happy?

Weapons:
Hyper Laser Tail Blades:
The Gojulas Giga’s chargeable tail-mounted Laser Blades are the finest Zi has to offer, easily slicing and dicing opponents. When charged, they’re much more effective and powerful than a Blade Liger’s swords. ((They can even cut through the armor of a Death Saurer, to some extent.)) Also, since both blades are almost 8 meters long and mounted to the hyper-flexible Gojulas Giga’s tail, they’re really quite effective weapons. Some good advice to the Giga’s enemies would just be to stay away from the tail.

Giga Crusher Fangs and Claws:
Of course, staying away from the tail probably leads to moving towards the front, which really isn’t much better. The Gojulas Giga is among the strongest Zoids around, and is fully capable of of tearing lesser Zoids to shreds in a frontal melee encounter. Its teeth and mouth are razor-sharp, and are capable of biting and grinding even the toughest Zoids to shreds. Each of the Giga’s two arms can lift upwards of 100 tons, and together they can lift a standard Gojulas. And can probably tear one apart, while they’re at it. They’re called “Giga Crusher” for a reason.

Special Abilities:

Variable Stance:
The Gojulas Giga can assume one of two stances, “Pursuit Mode” for running and chasing opponents, and “Battle Mode” for fighting, grappling, and using Rain of Stars. The Gojulas can change between them in under a second, even while moving.

Pursuit Mode:
To enter Pursuit Mode, the Gojulas Giga simply inclines its head downwards and raises its tail, improving the aerodynamics of the Zoid and actually increasing its speed drastically. In this mode, the Gojulas Giga can move at 180 kph, much faster than any object of this size has any right to move without boosters. The arms are tucked in to help with the streamlining, so grappling and such can be fairly hard. Likewise, the tailblade is on the raised tail and also difficult to use. The mouth is in a good position to gobble up anything it encounters, though.

Battle Mode:
In Battle Mode, the Gojulas Giga simply raises its head and lowers its tail. This frees up the arms and tailblade for use. Also, the Rain of Stars can be used, as can the footlocks.

Rain of Stars:
The Gojulas Giga has a rather large and prominent network of spines on its back, which might cause some people to ask: “why?” The answer is simple: they’re weapons. And not melee weapons, either. When the Gojulas Giga is in Battle Mode, it can lower its footlocks and accumulate charge for around 2 seconds (it need not stop moving its upper body to accumulate charge). When the Giga is finished, 32 bolts of energy are released from its spinal network. They initially fly up, but then rain back down, making it look vaguely like the sky is falling. It’s a beautiful spectacle, and those who have survived it describe as a “Rain of Stars”. The 32 bolts saturate the 250 meter area surrounding the Giga, which will probably create a small trench. The only safe place to hide is in the 20 meter radius surrounding the ZX itself, and you might not want to be there for other reasons. Anyway, the damage is severe, and anything caught within the radius is damaged roughly as though it was hit by a 600mm Beam Cannon. The damage is severe, but for many, is still survivable. The Gojulas Giga is limited to one use of this tactic per battle by energy consumption failsafes. Also, sanctioned Zoid Battling rules forbid the Gojulas Giga from using this attack during the first round.

Hyper E-Shield:
The Gojulas Giga has been blessed with one of the most potent defense mechanisms around: an omnidirectional Hyper E-Shield. When activated, an expanded bubble of blue energy surrounds and protects the Giga. This Hyper E-Shield is about 20% stronger than the standard one, being able to survive more than a Super Charged Particle Blast before failing. Note that the spines are the emitters, and if damage, the E-Shield may become inoperable. However, it is usable in both Pursuit and Battle Modes.

ECM System:
The Gojulas Giga, 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 almost 80% the time. The best part is that this isn’t even limited to missiles locked on the Gojulas Giga. It can use the system to help allies as well. Note, however, that multiple Gojuli or other ECM Systems 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.) Also, the ECM system acts as counter-electronic warfare technology, rendering the Gojulas Giga immune to communication jamming, such as that used by the Dark Spiner and Gator. (Gojulas Giga and allies can communicate despite jamming.)

Available Modifications:

Name: Gordos
Alignment: Helic Republic
Family: Stegosaurus
Registration Number: RZ-008
Crew: 1-2
Height: 15.1 Meters
Length: 30.3 Meters
Weight: 199 Tons
Top Speed: 80 kph
Weapons: Twin 105mm Heavy Railguns, Quad 80mm Heavy Cannons, Twin Dual 4-Shot Missile Pods, Twin 30mm Maxter Machineguns, Dual 20mm Anti-Aircraft Cannons, Tail Weapons Array, Hardened Alloy Teeth and Spikes.
Special Abilities: 3D Radar Targeting System.
Level: 5

The Gordos was one of the tried and true workhorses of the Helic Republic, serving the Europan government faithfully for many years. Designed to act as a Command and Control platform for a unit, the Gordos is equipped with impressive armor, only a step below that of the Gojulas. Also, to help with its original C&C purpose, the Gordos was equipped with a powerful 3D Radar Targeting System, which allowed it to aid allies in the field and coordinate attacks.

One of the original weaknesses of the Gordos was that it was forced to depend on its Twin 105mm Heavy Railguns, which had and extremely low rate of fire, allowing the Gordos to be outmaneuvered. Therefore, an early revision of the Gordos design added the Quad 80mm Heavy Cannons and Twin Dual 4-Shot Missile Pods, considerably increasing its ranged striking power. After this upgrade, firepower was very rarely an issue for the Gordos. However, the Zoid was plagued by poor maneuverability, speed, and a lack of armor around the leg joints.

Still, the Gordos eventually went from field commander to frontline infantry, being deployed en masse by the Helic Republic to combat the new Iron Kong and and Iron kong Mk. II. Later on, the Gordos design was adapted to be able to fit the massive Twin Republican Super Cannons, which it can still mount as a modification. The sheer firepower of the Gordos makes it a favorite among some members of the sanctioned Zoid Battling community, but the Zoid is not without its flaws or weaknesses.

Weapons:
Twin 105mm Heavy Railguns:
The original Gordos’ main armament, the twin 105mm Heavy Railguns are designed to combat even the strongest and heaviest enemy Zoids. Both weapons are linked together and must be fired simultaneously, so aim with care. However, they’re exceptionally powerful and great at what they do. A single hit from both barrels can topple even heavy Zoids, like the Iron Kong. In addition, they deal massive surface damage, being able to easily shatter armor and distort structure. If that wasn’t enough, both barrels can incline up and down by as much as 30 degrees. However, the weapons have an extremely low rate of fire -- 2 shots per round at the very most.

Quad 80mm Heavy Cannons:
On the current version of Gordos, there’s a set of four 80mm Heavy Cannons mounted to the Zoid’s left side. They’re lined up all in a column, and can fire either all together or chain-linked (or 2 at a time, or 3 and then 1, whatever floats your boat). Though they may not look impressive, they fire special high-speed impacter shells which can topple an object in the 20-25 ton range on its own. Therefore, all four cannons together can topple an 80-100 ton enemy. Though they’re still not as powerful as the Twin 105mm Heavy Railguns, they feature a semiautomatic firing rate, giving the Gordos a consistent defense to rely on. However, all four cannons are fixed facing forwards together.

Dual Twin 4-Shot Missile Pods:
There are two groups of two missile pods on either side of the current version of the Gordos, for a grand total of four. Each pod then contains 4 multipurpose missiles, for a total of 16. In addition to providing the Gordos with a big boost in stopping power, these four pods also gave it a much-needed anti-air defense; the missiles they carry can lock onto both ground and air targets. The pods themselves can also pivot incline up to 90 degrees, to allow them to better lock onto said air targets.

Twin 30mm Maxter Machineguns:
Two of the Gordos’ secondary weapons are a pair of fully automatic 30mm Maxter Beam Cannons, one mounted to each side of the body, which can incline up to 90 degrees outwards. Being machineguns, both weapons can put out an impressive 30 rounds per second each. Now, the “Maxter” designation means that use a special design to increase power and maximize damage, moderately improving both damage and penetration. They’re still not as good as AZ weapons, though.

Dual 20mm Anti-Aircraft Cannons:
There is a pair of cannons on each side of the Gordos’ spinal array, which point straight up, allowing them to shoot at passing aerial targets. Each shell explodes at a certain preset altitude (dialed in by the pilot from the cockpit) into a cloud of shrapnel, which can shred and tear wings. The fuses can be turned off, making them standard 20mm cannons, but why someone would want to do that is unclear. They can pivot up to 90 degrees downwards, but really lack the stopping power to contribute to the Gordos’ arsenal.

Tail Weapons Array:
Any Zoid that tries to attack the Gordos from behind is in for a shock. Its spiky tail isn’t only a melee weapon, you see. The Gordos has two pairs of semiautomatic 20mm Laser Cannons (for a total of 4) and a pair of semiautomatic 30mm Beam Cannons. That’s six weapons on the tail alone! The two pairs of 20mm Laser Cannons are fixed, but the 30mm Beam Cannons can pivot 90 degrees to either side and as much as 45 degrees up.

Hardened Alloy Teeth and Spikes:
The Gordos wasn’t designed for melee, but it can handle itself if need be. It has a set of razor-sharp teeth, great for mashing and knashing opponents, and four two-meter-long spikes on the tail. As a result, the tail packs an extra punch when its clubs an enemy that tried to sneak up from behind. Unfortunately for the Gordos, its claws are clumsy and unsharpened -- not useful in close-quarters.

Special Abilities:
3D Radar Targeting System:
The Gordos was built with a 3D Radar Targeting System to help it in its role as a field commander. The system is split into two armored hubs: one of the left flank of the Gordos and one on the right. It uses 3D Doppler Radar to track targets, and then can be used to auto-adjust weapons to hit said targets, giving a 20% increase in accuracy. ((Each hub gives +10%.)) Note that it can be used as a regular 3D Doppler Radar sensor as well, and the data, but not the accuracy boost, can be transmitted to teammates.

Available Modifications:

Name: Gorhecks
Alignment: Helic Republic
Family: Stegosaurus
Registration Number: RZ-066
Crew: 1
Height: 7.2 Meters
Length: 14.8 Meters
Weight: 58.5 Tons
Top Speed: 120 kph
Weapons: Dual AZ60mm Cannons, Dual 80mm Heavy Cannons, Dual 50mm Mortar Cannons, Quad Guided Anti-Ground Missiles, Hardened Alloy Tail Spikes.
Special Abilities: 3D Radar Targeting System.
Level: 3

Another one of the tried and true workhorses of the Helic Republic, the Gorhecks has served the Europan government faithfully for many years. The Gorhecks has the distinction of being a compacted, cheaper version of the Gordos. Just by looking at it, most can see that this isn’t a Zoid to be trifled with. It’s got three visible tiers of large guns, and rather nasty-looking tail and missile pods. Also, if you thought just from the picture that this was one tough-as-nails Zoid, then you superficial judgment was absolutely correct. The Gorhecks is covered with armor a step heavier than the Blade Liger’s allowing it to take a beating and keep on ticking. Unfortunately, its left and right flanks have some rather large plating gaps in them, but that’s a minor problem.

The Gorhecks, like the Gordos, is comparatively slow. However, this little Zoid is faster than its larger cousin, and has a greater degree of maneuverability as well. Furthermore, it has the same signature 3D Radar Targeting System, which has made it a favorite in urban combat. Indeed, the Gorhecks can commonly be seen policing Europan streets, still serving and protecting as it always has. Its synthesis of maneuverability and firepower has also made it a favorite among some pilots in the sanctioned Zoid Battling circuit, so you can sometimes see one of these in an arena.

Weapons:
Dual AZ60mm Cannons:
While the Gorhecks doesn’t have any “main guns” (all of them being powerful), these two AZ60mm Cannons are featured in its lowest tier of weaponry. Located just behind the Gorheck’s head, both cannons share a mobile turret mount and have a semiautomatic firing rate. Furthermore, their turret mount allows them to pivot all the way out 90 degrees either left or right, and up to 20 degrees up.

Dual 80mm Heavy Cannons:
Unlike the Gordos, which had its Heavy Cannons added on later, the Gorhecks’ design has two 80mm Heavy Cannons integrated into the frame. Located on the “second tier” of weapons, on either side of the Gorhecks, the 80mm Heavy Cannons are semiautomatic and fixed facing forwards. However, they’re the same kind of the weapon the Gordos has, and are far more potent than their caliber would suggest. Though they may not look impressive, each fires a special high-speed impacter shell which can topple an object in the 20-25 ton range on its own. Therefore, both cannons together can topple a 40-50 ton enemy. The guns can be fired both together, or chain-linked.

Dual 50mm Mortar Cannons:
On the “third tier” of weapons, just above the Dual 80mm Heavy Cannon, sit a visibly smaller pair of cannons. These cannons actually fire rocket-propelled mortar rounds, which explode on impact with something. They have a explosive radius of 10 meters, but really only deal surface damage effectively (no penetrating power). Also, the Mortar Canons have limited pivoting ability (up to 30 degrees upwards) to create a parabolic arc and extend the mortar. That, coupled with rocket propulsion, gives the mortars a maximum range of 500 meters. Still, despite the range restriction, they’re a valuable addition to the Gorheck’s arsenal.

Quad Guided Anti-Ground Missiles:
There are two standard Guided Anti-Ground Missiles on either side of the tip of the Gorheck’s tail. The missiles are rear-facing, the the tail can’t point all the way around to the front, so the AGMs constitute the Gorheck’s only ranged rear-facing defense.

Hardened Alloy Tail Spikes:
The Gorhecks, like the Gordos, has four two-meter-long spikes on its tail. This makes clubbing and bludgeoning from the tail especially painful, and gives the Gorhecks more melee ability than it might at first seem to have. The spikes themselves are quite sharp, and can pierce armor easily.

Special Abilities:
3D Radar Targeting System:
Like the Gordos, the Gorhecks possesses a powerful 3D Radar Targeting System. The system is split into two armored hubs: one of the left flank of the Gorhecks and one on the right. It uses 3D Doppler Radar to track targets, and then can be used to auto-adjust weapons to hit said targets, giving a 20% increase in accuracy. ((Each hub gives +10%.)) Note that it can be used as a regular 3D Doppler Radar sensor as well, and the data, but not the accuracy boost, can be transmitted to teammates.

Name: Gravity Ptera
Alignment: Guylos Empire
Family: Pterodactyl
Registration Number: EZ-108
Crew: 1
Height: 5.2 Meters
Length: 17.3 Meters
Weight: 51 Tons
Top Speed: Mach 1.0/1225 kph
Weapons: Quad 20mm Vulcan Machineguns, Dual Heavy AZ Missiles.
Special Abilities: Gravity Wheel.
Level: 3

The Gravity Ptera is an obscure and little-known Guylos medium bomber, and is the only flying Zoid among the handful of Gravity Zoids. Though slow, its Gravity Wheel gives it unparalleled maneuverability and agility, as well as VTOL (vertical takeoff and landing) capabilities. The Gravity Ptera is also one of only a few aerial Zoids that has missiles in its stock form, giving it considerable striking capability. In addition, the Gravity Ptera has a quartet of vulcan machineguns, giving it respectable continuous firepower.

It should be noted that Gravity Ptera does resemble both the Helic Pteras and the Storm Sworder, which is unusual for a Guylos Zoid. The reason for this is unclear, but the Gravity Ptera’s function more closely resembles the Pteras’. However, it should be noted that the Gravity Wheel is far superior to the Magnesser technology that the Pteras uses. Also, the Gravity Ptera has reasonably heavy armor for an aerial Zoid of its size, roughly on par with the Raynos.

Weapons:
Quad 20mm Vulcan Machineguns:
The only reusable weapons on the Gravity Ptera, four 20mm Vulcan Machineguns are mounted to the wings of the Zoid. (Two on each wing, obviously). They put out shells at the reasonably high rate of 20/second each, making them good for dogfighting. They can also peck away armor quicker than you’d think, giving them limited utility in anti-ground missions.

Dual Heavy AZ Missiles:
The Gravity Ptera has one very large guided missile under each wing. Both missiles are both Heavy and AZ, meaning that they’re roughly 4 times as strong as a standard Anti-Ground Missile. They can, unfortunately for the Ptera, only lock onto ground targets, making them next to use useless in a dogfight. However, the missiles themselves can pivot from point straight forwards to straight down, to help them track a target they’re supposed to be locking onto. While they’re the primary source of the Gravity Ptera’s striking power, after they’re used, they’ve used. The Gravity Ptera would have to rearm to get new ones.

Special Abilities:
Gravity Wheel:
The Gravity Ptera is one of only a few elite Gravity Zoids, which are some of the most advanced pieces of equipment to ever be developed. The Gravity Wheel, a disk-shaped object attached to the Gravity Ptera’s underbelly, gives it gravity manipulation powers. While it can’t be used offensively, the Gravity Wheel is a system that far outstrips Magnesser Technology, allowing the Gravity Ptera to hover at any altitude or in any orientation, and to turn in place. Furthermore, the Gravity Wheel supplements the Ptera’s normal maneuverability, ultimately giving it Redler-like agility. However, if the Gravity Wheel is destroyed or badly damaged, the Gravity Ptera is reduced to being one of the worst-handling, clunkiest Zoids in the sky, though its speed is unaffected.

Available Modifications:

Name: Gravity Saurer
Alignment: Guylos Empire
Family: Suchomimus
Registration Number: EZ-105
Crew: 1
Height: 5.2 Meters
Length: 17.3 Meters
Weight: 74 Tons
Top Speed: 260 kph
Weapons: Twin 80mm Cannons, Twin 30mm Pulse Laser Guns, Dual Impact Cannon, Twin Heavy Missiles, Hardened Alloy Claws.
Special Abilities: Gravity Wheel.
Level: 3

The Gravity Saurer is one of only a handful of Gravity Zoids, and has proven itself to be extremely capable in the past. With a fast top speed and a reasonable battery of weapons at its disposal, the Gravity Saurer has a couple of obvious uses, including hit-and-run attacks. Though its main power rests in missiles and the Dual Impact Cannon, the Gravity Saurer also has limited long-ranged and melee capabilities. In addition, it has reasonably heavy armor for its size.

The secret is the Gravity Wheel. It acts as a kind of special propulsion system for the Gravity Saurer, allowing it to be reasonably heavy without feeling the effects of the weight. It also gives it a good top speed. However, the Gravity Saurer still suffers from a lack of protection on its sides or rear, making it vulnerable to a sneak attack.

Weapons:
Twin 80mm Cannons:
The largest cannons in the Gravity Saurer’s arsenal, located right below the Twin Heavy Missiles, is a pair of 80mm Cannons. They’re fixed facing forwards, and fire at a semiautomatic rate. While the caliber isn’t particularly large, they can rack up damage over time.

Twin 30mm Pulse Laser Guns:
The only fully automatic weapons on the Gravity Saurer are located right below the 80mm Cannons. They’re a pair of 30mm Pulse Laser Guns, fixed facing forwards, capable of putting out 12 rounds per second each.

Dual Impact Cannon:
Enough with the small weapons, though. The Gravity Saurer has a Dual Impact Cannon mounted to its undercarriage. It’s essentially identical to the equivalent weapons found on the Blade Liger -- boasting an AZ80mm caliber and the ability to badly damage many Zoids in a just a few volleys. However, like the Blade Liger’s, they’ve got a maximum range of 300 meters and are highly inaccurate while the Zoid is in motion.

Twin Heavy Missiles:
The most prominent structures on the Gravity Saurer are its twin Heavy Missiles. Resembling a pair of World War II German Panzerfausts, each of these two missiles can lock onto any ground target and are each capable of dealing twice the amount of damage an Anti-Ground Missile can. They’re mounted to the very top of the Gravity Saurer’s back, and can’t pivot. Therefore, they can only lock onto targets in front of the Gravity Saurer.

Hardened Alloy Claws:
The Gravity Saurer possesses two long, powerful claws that allow it to tear away at armor and maul enemies. The ‘Saurer itself is reasonably strong, and the claws are very sharp, so a melee attack from this Zoid is something enemies might want to avoid.

Special Abilities:
Gravity Wheel:
The Gravity Saurer is one of only a few elite Gravity Zoids, which are some of the most advanced pieces of equipment to ever be developed. The Gravity Wheel, a disk-shaped object attached to the Gravity Saurer’s underbelly, gives it gravity manipulation powers. This is mainly the reason for the Gravity Saurer’s heavy armament, armor, and decent speed and maneuverability. Furthermore, the Gravity Wheel allows the Gravity Saurer to leap long distances, and gives it near-instanteous acceleration. However, if the Gravity Wheel is badly damaged or destroyed, the Gravity Saurer is suddenly one of the slowest, least maneuverable Zoids around. (Speed would drop to 80 kph). However, the Gravity Wheel can be hard to get at, given that it’s mounted to the undercarriage.

Name: Great Whale King
Alignment: Zian
Family: Whale
Registration Number: Zi-099
Height: 155.5 Meters
Length: 622 Meters
Weight: 2000 Tons (unloaded, estimate)
Top Speed: Mach .4/490 kph (air), 40 knots/74 kph (water)
Weapons: 40mm Anti-Aircraft Machinegun Array, Tri-Barrelled AZ80mm Heavy Cannon.
Special Abilities: Zoid Carrying, Swimming.
Cost: $450,000
Level: Transport

Bridge Crew: 6 (Pilot, Co-Pilot, Captain, Executive Officer, Gunnery Sergeant/Tactical Officer, Chief of Operations)
Minimum Crew Requirements: 75
Standard Crew: 350
Maximum Personnel: 800 ((That can be continuously supported and sustained by the Whale King.))

This is one huge Zoid, the largest production transport in the world. The Great Whale King, lives up to its name, as its quite literally the Great King that lords over all other Zoids. At half a kilometer long and capable of carrying 70 standard Zoids, the Great Whale King is truly a behemoth. However, the Great Whale King isn’t the absolute largest Zoid in the world; the Ultrasaurus beats it out by a few tens of thousands of cubic meters.

However, as far as production Zoids go, the Great Whale King is still the King. It’s a stretched version of the Whale King, and can provide equal or better care for every Zoid in its massive hold. It also has immensely thick armor, roughly on par with that of the Gustav. Both of these facts combined have seen the Great Whale King through years of service on all sides of every major conflict Zi has ever seen; Great Whale Kings are often used to transport entire armored divisions in and out of battles. Individuals and even teams rarely have need for such titanic machines, only in the rarest of cases will anything smaller than an large company possess one. Still, for the individual with a mind-boggling amount of money and great expectations, this is as big as you can go.

Weapons:
40mm Anti-Aircraft Machinegun Array:
The Great Whale King has a total of six Anti-Aircraft Machineguns located on various places throughout its body, which represent its main defensive firepower. There are two on either side of its head, near the base of the neck armor plate, and another two on its tail. All four can fire 12 flak rounds per second, which explode at a certain altitude (adjusted by the gunner twirling a dial) in a ball of shrapnel. This shrapnel can shred and tear the wings of aerial Zoids very effectively, hence the name “Anti-Aircraft.” The fuses can also be turned off, allowing them to act like normal 40mm Machineguns. Also, thanks to their mounts, each cannon can pivot 360 horizontally and 90 degrees up or down. Usually, each turret is manned, but any bridge officer can aim or fire the weapons. Note that the flak rounds cannot be used underwater, but the standard ones can.

Tri-Barrelled AZ80mm Heavy Cannon:
The Great Whale King has a total of three AZ80mm Heavy Cannons positioned on an omnidirectional turret mount, right on top of its back. The weapons are all semiautomatic, and the turret, being omnidirectional, can hit anything in its line of sight. Note that the weapons are extremely powerful, capable of shattering even heavy armor, and are fully capable of hitting the Great Whale King itself. Usually, the turret is manned, but any bridge officer can aim or fire the weapons. Note that this weapon can be used underwater.

Special Abilities:
Zoid Carrying:
The Great Whale King can carry up to 70 Zoids in its belly, as well as repair and service them as well as many ground stations could. There are a plethora of entrances and exits in and out of the Whale King, but the main ones are its mouth, tail, and nose. There is also a large platform near the AZ80mm Heavy Cannon where aircraft can take off and land, although it’s small, so being VTOL helps. In the air, it’s a more common practice to drop-launch.

Repair Bay:
The Great Whale King is the biggest of the big three, and a dedicated transport, so its naturally got a repair bay. The repair bay has got the equipment and the personnel to get damaged allies back on their feet quickly, an essential component for any large transport, and large the Great Whale King is. The Great Whale King is fully capable of repairing up to 10 Zoids that it’s carrying at once at full speed -- none of this do-it-yourself crap.

Swimming:
Free Willy! Okay, not really, the Great Whale King can fly. But it’s still a whale, and a damned powerful swimmer at that. It can only do 40 knots, but that’s impressive for its bulk. It also has good maneuverability in the water for its unbelievable size, a few steps below that of the standard Whale King. It’s fully compartmentalized in case of a hull breach, and has a crush depth of roughly 5 kilometers.

Available Modifications:

Name: Gul Tiger
Alignment: Guylos Empire
Family: Tiger
Registration Number: DPZ-16
Crew: 1
Height: 7.4 Meters
Length: 16.4 Meters
Weight: 75 Tons
Top Speed: 260 kph
Weapons: Heavy Particle Cannon, Twin 50mm Cannons, Hardened Alloy Claws and Teeth.
Special Abilities: 3D Doppler Radar.
Level: 3

The Gul Tiger was the result of an effort on the part of the Guylos Empire to develop a second mass production Zoid that was capable of wielding the Charged Particle Gun. Though the Geno Saurer could already use this fearsome weapon, it was extremely hard to produce due to its mutated Zoid Core. The Gul Tiger was originally designed to sport and use superweapon, but it didn’t quite work out that way. Though the Particle collection systems worked just fine, the cannon system itself proved impossible to add to a small-scale Zoid without a mutated Zoid Core.

Thus, the Geno Saurer continued to be the only non-Zoid X or Banned Zoid to boast such a superweapon. However, the Guylos Empire decided not to scrap the Gul Tiger design, and to create a second weapon based off of charged particles. The result was the Heavy Particle Cannon, which is part of the Gul Tiger’s base design. This weapon gives the Gul Tiger considerable firepower, allowing it to occasionally effectively fight Zoids much larger than itself.

Performance-wise, the Gul Tiger is among the highest-ranking in its class. It has roughly Zaber Fang grade agility and armor, giving it some assurance that it won’t be outmaneuvered easily. All in all, the Gul Tiger is an all-around decent Zoid, but it does lack ranged firepower apart from the Heavy Particle Cannon.

Weapons:
Heavy Particle Cannon:
The Gul Tiger’s main armament, mounted on its back and locked facing forwards, is the Heavy Particle Cannon. This weapon tries to inelegantly brute force the effect that the Charged Particle Gun creates (total destruction of everything in its by path) by just shooting a compressed beam of charged particles. While the underlying principle is the same, the nuances (and mechanics of firing) are very different. Firstly, the Heavy Particle Cannon doesn’t require any charge-up time at all. The Gul Tiger can just snap off a shot at any time. Secondly, the Heavy Particle Cannon is only 1/10th the strength of a full Charged Particle Gun (but still extremely potent). While not even sufficient to down a Zaber Fang, 1/10th of a CPG strength can inflict noticeable or serious damage to any Zoid. Also, because of its based on a charged particle weapon, a single burst from a Heavy Particle Cannon is sufficient to take down a normal E-Shield (but not a Hyper E-Shield). Lastly, the Heavy Particle Cannon requires a full 12 seconds to cool down and recharge after every shot, making it a very powerful but very slow-firing weapon.

Twin 50mm Cannons:
When the Gul Tiger needs a weapon other than the Heavy Particle Cannon, it has a pair of 50mm Cannons to rely on. Their mount allows them to pivot up to 360 degrees horizontally, as well as up to 20 degrees up. Otherwise, they’re just standard, semiautomatic 50mm Cannons.

Hardened Alloy Claws and Teeth:
The Gul Tiger is really almost undefended in the periods of time between Heavy Particle Cannon blasts, and its Twin 50mm Cannons may just lack the power to stave off attacks. In that period of time, its fully possible for enemies to close to melee, so the Gul Tiger is ready. It’s heavily muscled and good in a wrestling match, with several pointy claws and razor-sharp teeth to back it up.

Special Abilities:
3D Doppler Radar:
The Gul Tiger possesses 3D Doppler Radar, which allows it to map out the terrain around it and find enemy Zoids more effectively. This system is reasonably basic, and doesn’t grant a targeting bonus. The sensors themselves are spread all over the Gul Tiger’s body, though, making it extremely hard to disable.

Available Modifications:

Name: Gungyarados
Alignment: Guylos Empire
Family: Dragon
Registration Number: DPZ-23
Crew: 1
Height: 15 Meters (standing), 11 Meters (flight)
Length: 23 Meters (standing), 36 Meters (flight)
Weight: 155 Tons
Top Speed: 110 kph (land), Mach 3.7/4533 kph (air)
Weapons: Twin 100mm Pulse Laser Cannons, Hyper Triple Impact Cannon, Flamethrower, Hardened Alloy Dragon Tail, Hardened Alloy Claws, Teeth, and Wings.
Special Abilities: Hyper Charged Particle Gun, 3D Doppler Radar, Reflective Metal Ice Armor.
Level: Decomissioned (Zoid X)

When the Battle Cougar first hit the skies, the Guylos Empire found themselves at a disadvantage. The Helic Republic had the advantage in the air; the bulky Gilvader wasn’t designed for dogfighting, and were being picked off by small swarms of the nibble and heavily armed Griffon-typed Zoids. Gilvaders weren’t exactly cheap, either. It seemed that despite the power of the massive Zoid X, it wasn’t getting the job done.

The Guylos Empire slowly and surely developed a new hybrid Zoid -- one that could outmaneuver and outdogfight the Battle Cougar, but also do the job of the Gilvader. That was a tall order, given that the Gilvader was designed to combat super-large scale Zoids, like the Mad Thunder and Ultrasaurus. However, somehow, the Guylos Empire pulled the Gungyarados from the depths of hell and dragged it into existence. The dragon came into the world with a scream not its own.

The Gungyarados has the lightest armor of any Zoid X, roughly on par with that of a Gojulas. However, the armor is Reflective Metal Ice Armor, rendering energy attacks far less effective against the Gungyarados. Also, the Gungyarados features excellent aerial speed and maneuverability, just a notch below the Storm Sworder, and better than the Battle Cougar. On land, the Gungyarados is the dragon you’d expect it to be, spewing fire and bullets. However, the Gungyarados is really only a Zoid X for one reason: its Hyper Charged Particle Gun. The HCPG is the most destructive non-nuclear weapon known to humankind, designed to destroy Zoids like the Ultrasaurus. Though no Guylos Gungyarados ever got close enough to try this, rest assured, it would have worked.

The Gungyarados met its end with the end of the Charged Particle Gun, having been wiped out by the Strategic Arms Limitation Treaties (SALTs) betwen the Empire and the Helic Republic. Though the Neo Backdraft were able to recover enough data from the cores of the Geno Saurers and the Berserk Führer that they excavated to replicate the dragon's structure, the workings of the Hyper Charged Particle Gun remain unknown, preventing this legendary dragon to take to the sky once again. So, though it may be a shallow grave, the Gungyarados remains firmly buried.

As a side note, the Gungyarados is a dragon, and as such, assumes different positions in the sky and on the ground. In the sky, the Gungyarados prostrates itself into a serpent-like form; on the ground, it stands like a dinosaur or a dragon.

Weapons:
Twin 100mm Pulse Laser Cannons:
The Gungyarados isn’t a ZX because it plays around with small weapons calibers. Mounted just below the HCPG are a pair of fully automatic 100mm Pulse Laser Cannons, each capable of spewing 20 rounds per second. This also happens to be the Gungyarados’ most powerful dogfighting weapon, largely used for fighting Battle Cougars. Also, the weapon can incline up to 45 degrees up or 20 degrees down, but not at all to either side.

Hyper Triple Impact Cannon:
Mounted to the Gungyarados’s undercarriage, fixed facing forward, is a semiautomatic three-barreled impact cannon. Ordinary enough, with a maximum range of 250 meters before the shells drop into the ground and become ineffective. However, the word “Hyper” in the description wasn’t exactly a bluff. Each cannon boasts an AZ208mm caliber, making it fully capable of downing lesser Zoids in just one or two volleys.

Flamethrower:
What good dragon doesn’t breath fire? The Gungyarados has a flamethrower inside its mouth that allows it to burn and melt through armor, much like a cutting torch would. The maximum range of this potent weapon is 150 meters, and its several times more powerful than a normal flamethrower. However, it’s best used against terrestrial targets.

Hardened Alloy Dragon Tail:
The Gungyarados’ tail is just as dangerous as the rest of its body: it’s clearly a drill. As such, it can be spun at extremely high speeds to allow it drill into various things. Like unwanted limbs of the Gungyarados’ opponents. While its not chargeable, it’s extremely powerful, and can bore through armor with ease. However, its not recommended that this weapon be used in the air... attempting to do so tends to create crashes.

Hardened Alloy Claws, Teeth, and Wings:
The teeth, claws, and even the wings on the Gungyarados are sharpened and potential melee weapons. They can certainly be used for the task, slashing, tearing, knashing... whatever. Just don’t use the wings as aerial melee weapons, because they’re not tough enough to survive even high subsonic collisions.

Special Abilities:
Hyper Charged Particle Gun:
The very large gun on the back of the Gungyarados is Hyper Charged Particle Gun -- the most powerful variant of the Charged Particle Gun there is. While the Gungyarados need not be locked down, it’s forced to stand still for the entire charging and firing process. The HCPG takes a full 3 seconds to charge, and then the ensuing beam also lasts for 3 seconds. The blast, you see, is 4 standard CPG strengths. A direct hit from this weapon will destroy any Zoid except for the Mad Thunder, without fail or question. Even the shockwave is enough to down many small and medium sized Zoids, and can topple even the largest. The Gungyarados is restricted to one use of this weapon by energy constraints and sanctioned battling regulations both. If the battle is sanctioned, the Gungyarados cannot use this weapon during the first round.

3D Doppler Radar:
Just in case you were thinking of doing something silly like hiding from the Gungyarados, it has the equipment to find you. The sensory equipment that allows it to do this spread across the body, making it essentially impossible to stop.

Reflective Metal Ice Armor:
The Gungyarados is... how to put this politely... fragile, for a Zoid X. As a matter of fact, the designers were worried about several Battle Cougars simultaneously using their 200mm Surge Cannons to shoot the Zoid down. To counter this possibility, the Gungyarados’ armor is made out of Reflective Metal Ice, which reduces the effects of any energy weapon (laser and beam) used against it by 2/3 (66.6%). Charged Particle weaponry is unaffected by this armor.

Name: Gun Sniper
Alignment: Helic Republic
Family: Velociraptor
Registration Number: RZ-030
Crew: 1
Height: 7.2 Meters
Length: 11.9 Meters
Weight: 25 Tons
Top Speed: 200 kph
Weapons: AZ144mm Sniper Rifle, Dual 20mm Beam Gatling Guns, 50mm Beam Cannon, Twin 8-Shot Mortar Pods, Hardened Alloy Claws and Talons.
Special Abilities: Sniper Mode, 3D Doppler Radar, Ion Charger.
Level: 2

The Gun Sniper is the most well-known and almost universally recognized multipurpose long-ranged combat Zoid, originally developed by the Helic Republic. Though not completely dedicated to sharpshooting, like the Snipe Master is, the Gun Sniper’s primary weapon is its AZ144mm Sniper Rifle. However, contrary to popular belief, the Gun Sniper is not a sniper but more of a designated marksman, laying down powerful and precise gunfire.

As far as performance goes, the Gun Sniper is relatively good. It’s of the same family as the Rev Raptor, and has agility and maneuverability just a notch below that its aforementioned smaller cousin. It’s armor is roughly on par with that of the Command Wolf, making it relatively fragile, but not completely defenseless. In addition to the Sniper Rifle, the Gun Sniper also has an assortment of medium ranged and short ranged weaponry, which allow it to handle itself in a variety of situations.

AZ144mm Sniper Rifle:
The AZ144mm Sniper Rifle is an extremely powerful weapon built into the Gun Sniper’s tail. Though the Gun Sniper must be in Sniper Mode to use it, the Sniper Rifle fires at a semiautomatic rate and is more than capable of piercing E-Shields. A round fired by a Gun Sniper will pierce a shield in one miniscule point, penetrating and dealing damage to the Zoid as well (though the damage will be greatly reduced). The shield will then instantly recombobulate, sealing the hole. After three shots, an ordinary E-Shield will fail. The rounds, however, are incapable of piercing Hyper E-Shields, but can down one in 6-10 shots. Against regular armor, the AZ144mm round will penetrate further and deal more damage than even its large caliber suggests. All in all, this is a very powerful weapon, and not one to be taken lightly.

Dual 20mm Beam Gatling Guns:
Each of the Gun Sniper’s talons actually has a gatling gun mounted to it, giving the Gun Sniper some medium-range weaponry. Each 20mm Beam Gatling Gun can fire fully automatic rounds at a rate of 10/second each, but even this rate of fire leaves the Gun Sniper seriously lacking in stopping power. Even so, these gatlings can chip away at armor, one little bit at a time. Also, both weapons can pivot up to 20 degrees up on top of the arm’s own range of movement for aiming purposes.

50mm Beam Cannon:
Fixed facing forwards to the Gun Sniper’s chest is a 50mm Beam Cannon. It’s semiautomatic and very straight forward, nothing special about it.

Twin 8-Shot Mortar Pods:
Just in case two 20mm Beam Gatling Guns and a 50mm Beam Cannon aren’t enough stopping power, which they often aren’t, the Gun Sniper has these. Two 8-Shot Mortar Pods. On top of each of the Gun Sniper’s back mounted boosters is a pod -- they’re concealed, but they’re sure as hell there. Each mortar is an indirect fire weapon with a 10-meter blast radius, so beware enemies of the Gun Sniper. Note that maximum range for the mortars is roughly 500 meters.

Hardened Alloy Claws and Talons:
The Gun Sniper is a Velociraptor, and, like any self-respecting Velociraptor, has claws and talons. Though the Gun Sniper’s teeth aren’t much meant for combat, the claws and talons are very sharp and good for melee. On top of that, they can be charged with energy from the Ion Charger to make them do that much more damage.

Special Abilities:
Sniper Mode:
The signature ability of the Gun Sniper is Sniper Mode. Put simply, the Gun Sniper turns around, and so does the pilot’s seat. Footlocks deploy, and the AZ144mm Sniper Rifle becomes operational. Meanwhile, the pilot him or herself sinks into a Sniper’s crouch. The rest of the weapons become nonfunctional. The entire process takes about a second (as does coming out of it). The Gun Sniper itself is capable of shifting position, but has difficulty walking due to the dropped footlocks. Still, it can walk around and turn a little, if very slowly.

3D Doppler Radar:
Just so the Gun Sniper always knows where you are, it has 3D Doppler Radar. This sensor system allows the Gun Sniper to map out the terrain around it and find enemy Zoids more effectively. This system is reasonably basic, and doesn’t grant a targeting bonus. The sensors are none other than the Gun Sniper’s ears, and if they’re destroyed, the radar will cease to function. Also, this system can be used in both normal and Sniper Mode.

Ion Charger:
Mounted on the Gun Sniper’s back, covered by armor, is a curious device called and ion charger. This siphons and converts small amounts of energy from the Zoid Core and uses it to charge the Gun Sniper’s melee weapons. However, the charge isn’t nearly as strong or potent as the Strike Laser Claw or even the Electron Strike Claw. It usually just increases sharpness and cutting ability by about 50%, which is reasonable boost. Swipes and continued pressure still have the potential to deal quite a bit of damage.

Available Modifications:

Name: Gunbluster (aka “Gun Blaster”)
Alignment: Helic Republic
Family: Ankylosaurus
Registration Number: RZ-052
Crew: 1
Height: 8.1 Meters
Length: 19.0 Meters
Weight: 125 Tons
Top Speed: 120 kph
Weapons: Twenty-Two Cannon Array, Crasher Tail, Hardened Alloy Teeth, Horn, and Spikes.
Special Abilities: Megalo-Max Blast, E-Shield, 3D Radar Targeting System
Level: 5

No one knows quite what the Helic Republic was thinking when it designed the Gunbluster. Maybe it was something along the lines of: “I wonder how many guns we can put on this chassis.” Or maybe they had something more specific in mind. The world may never know. In any event, the Gun Bluster is here now, and it’s brought its 22 guns with it.

Originally used to counter heavy Guylos Zoids, like the Dark Horn, Red Horn, and Iron Kong, the Gunbluster has overwhelming firepower. As mentioned earlier, a total of 22 cannons sit on its back, giving it more firepower than most can imagine. The Gunbluster is also capable of producing a Megalo-Max Blast, a feat previously only achieved by the powerful Dibison. It’s armor is also extremely tough, greater than even that of the Gojulas, and this armor is supplemented by a full E-Shield. In melee, the Gunbluster has sheer size and weight, as well as several close-quarters weapons. The Gunbluster’s only weakness is its lack of protection on its rear and flanks, which give many attackers a point to strike without fear of retaliation. However, the Gunbluster actually has a decent rate of turn for its size, better than many of its heavyweight peers. And, of course, of its massive array of weapons is enough to give even some Zoid Xs pause if they want to go head-to-head.

Weapons:
Twenty-Two Cannon Array:
The Gunbluster has a grand total of twenty-two cannons of varying sizes and calibers mounted to its back. These make up the massive Twenty-Two Cannon Array that has made this Zoid a legend. The entire array is capable of shifting up or down 20 degrees, but no weapon in the array can shift independently.

Twin 160mm Heavy Bombardment Cannons:
These are the two cannons on the very top. They’re essentially a pair of artillery cannons, except that they use direct instead of indirect fire. The principle is the same, though. The 160mm Heavy Bombardment Cannons are semiautomatic and fixed facing into the array. However, they’re the same kind of heavy weapon the Gordos has, and are far more potent than their caliber would suggest. Though they may not look impressive, either cannon can fire special high-speed impacter shells which can topple an object in the 40-50 ton range on its own. Therefore, both cannons together can topple an 80-100 ton enemy. The guns can be fired both together, or chain-linked.

Quad 70mm Pulse Laser Cannons:
They’re in there somewhere, trust me. Okay, so there’s one set that’s in the third row from the bottom, and another in the second row from the bottom. These are four 70mm Pulse Laser Cannons, fully automatic and standard in every way. Firing 12 rounds per second each, these are reasonably powerful weapons.

250mm Heavy Cannon:
Uh... it’s the one below the very middle row, the one that’s longer than the others. Yeah... that’s it. It’s a 250mm Heavy Cannon, capable of toppling a 70-80 ton enemy in a single shot. It’s also semiautomatic, but it’s far more powerful than its caliber would suggest. It can easily shatter armor and deal massive structural damage.

150mm Cannon:
The 150mm Cannon is situated just below the 250mm Heavy Cannon. It’s semiautomatic and completely standard.

6 50mm Beam Cannons:
The very lowest row on the Gun Blaster’s array of weaponry is a set of 6 50mm Beam Cannons, all of which are semiautomatic.

Twin AZ60mm Cannons:
Right ontop of the 50mm Beam Cannon row is a pair of AZ60mm Cannons, semiautomatic and totally standard.

Large-Bore Beam Cannon:
The Large-Bore Beam Cannon is a shield-buster weapon, capable of downing a standard E-Shield in 2 shots and a Hyper E-Shield in 4-5. It only does moderate damage to normal armor and structure, but there are few weapons which can best it at tearing down E-Shields. It only fires a shot every 2 seconds, though.

80mm Beam Cannon:
Sitting right on top of the AZ60mm Cannons is an 80mm Beam Cannon, semiautomatic and standard.

Triple Impact Cannon:
You guessed it. Hidden in the bottom of the Gunbluster’s weapons array is a Triple Impact Cannon. It’s pretty much the standard thing, capable of firing AZ60mm shells at a semiautomatic rate at distances up to 300 meters.

Shotgun:
The last of the Gunbluster’s weapons (thankfully) is a rather unusual one: the shotgun. This is simply a double-barreled shotgun firing much larger buckshot, capable doing the same damage to Zoids that its smaller cousin does to animals. Needless to say, it’s best used at ranges under 100 meters, where its fairly powerful and can blow away chunks of armor better than the Impact Cannons. Note that the shotgun itself is in the third row from the top.

Crasher Tail:
The Gunbluster has a rather nasty-looking spiked tail, which it can use to club and bludgeon its enemies. Because the tail is spiked and heavy, it’s capable of doing quite a bit of damage in melee, and can knock around light Zoids like ragdolls.

Hardened Alloy Teeth, Horn, and Spikes:
If it comes down to it, the Gunbluster has hardened alloy teeth, a horn on its head, and various body spikes. All of those are useful in melee, and the Gunbluster is quite strong and heavy. Needless to say, it can make good use of them.

Special Abilities:
Megalo-Max Blast:
The Megalo-Max Blast is one of the most interesting weapons available to the Gunbluster. In order to use the Megalo-Max, the Gunbluster must have at least 1 cannon or ranged weapon intact, but the power of the attack will decrease with each lost barrel. If its a sanctioned Zoid Battle, this superweapon may not be used during the first round of combat. Anyway, the Megalo-Max Blast requires a single second to charge up. After that, a stream of fire errupts from all of the cannon barrels at once, intertwining and becoming a single burst. The pilot then picks some radius between 10 and 100 meters, and a location to center it around. The radius is the blast radius (power per unit area decreases with a greater radius). The most concentrated version, the 10 meter radius one, can only be survived by the very toughest of Zoids if the Gunbluster has all of its cannons intact. The most dispersed one does far, far less damage, but is great for hitting moving targets. In either case, the Megalo-Max Blast can only be used once during a sanctioned Zoid Battle. (All’s still fair in war, though.)

E-Shield:
The Gunbluster has an omnidirectional E-Shield, emitted by its rather numerous and sturdy spikes. As long as it has at least six of them, this shield can be erected (and since the Gunbluster has 24 and they’re no walk in the park to get off, it’s no easy task to take them out). It’s otherwise standard and as powerful as a Blade Liger’s Frontal E-Shield.

3D Radar Targeting System:
The Gunbluster was built with a 3D Radar Targeting System to help it aim its massive array of weapons. The system is split into two armored hubs: one of the left flank of the Gunbluster and one on the right. It uses 3D Doppler Radar to track targets, and then can be used to auto-adjust weapons to hit said targets, giving a 20% increase in accuracy. ((Each hub gives +10%.)) Note that it can be used as a regular 3D Doppler Radar sensor as well, and the data, but not the accuracy boost, can be transmitted to teammates.

Name: Gustav
Alignment: Formerly Helic Republic (now everyone)
Family: Insect
Registration Number: Zi-025
Crew: 1-2
Height: 9.36 Meters
Length: 14.76 Meters
Weight: 125 Tons
Top Speed: 135 kph
Weapons: None.
Special Abilities: Zoid Trailers, Composite Sensory Unit, Gustav Grade Armor.
Cost: $30,000 per unit (One is gifted to every starting pilot.)
Level: Transport

Most Zoids are built for combat, but the Gustav was built for a different purpose entirely. It’s the workhorse of every armed force and pilot on the face of the planet, and is unequaled in the job it does. Though totally unarmed, the Gustav can haul four times its weight in cargo, and is practically invincible. It has all the equipment and facilities necessary to transport and maintain Zoids, making it a favorite of low-budgeted private Zoid pilots.

In the world of the armed forces, the Gustav is easily the most common transport there is. It can move far larger quantities of cargo than anything of its size has a right to do, and is equipped with a powerful Composite Sensory Unit that allows it to support other Zoids in combat. It’s extremely thick plate of armor makes it excellent and useful in the field, and its relatively low cost and ease to produce also make it attractive.

If all that wasn’t enough, the Gustav is remarkably easy to modify (often with weapons and the like), allowing it to adapt to practically any situation. It even has an impromptu repair bay which allows pilots to work on their damaged Zoids. While the do-it-yourself approach isn’t quick, it’s far better than nothing. However, it should be noted that the Gustav and its trailers are too small to mount a Changing/Conversion Armor System. Still, it’s got enough other advantages that it’s the most popular transport on Zi, and that’s got to be worth something.

Special Abilities:
Zoid Trailers
The Gustav is the workhorse of every nation’s military and private owner all around Zi. As such, it has the ability to haul trailers. While, they can be used to haul normal cargo, such as supplies or munitions, they’re mostly for Zoids. They’re used by the Gustav to hold and haul trailers across rough terrain that they couldn’t normally traverse. The tough, armored outside of the trailer helps protect the cargo from the elements. Also, the Gustav has the equipment necessary to rearm and generally service the Zoids it carries. While the Gustav is no repair bay, a pilot with nothing but a Gustav can repair a Zoid on his own using spare parts and the like. Once again, the trailers, in the world of the military, need not contain a Zoid. They can carry enormous amounts of cargo or large numbers of passengers if modified correctly. The Gustav comes with two Zoid trailers, allowing to essentially transport and service two Zoids.

Composite Sensory Unit
To help it support its allies, the Gustav is equipped with a Composite Sensory Unit. This is a similar system to the one carried on a Dark Horn: Simply put, the Gustav can use 3D Doppler Radar and IR scanning to track its opponents. The sensors themselves are located on the Gustav’s antenna, meaning that they can be knocked out with some effort. Also, the Composite Sensory unit includes a short-ranged metal detector (50 meters at the most) which allows the Gustav to detect mines and burrowed Zoids nearby. The Gustav’s Composite Sensory Unit is similar to the Iron Kongs (and is hence unique) in that it can transmit data to teammates.

Gustav Grade Armor
While Gustav Grade Armor isn’t a “special ability”, as such, it’s a special quality that no other Zoid possesses. Gustav Armor is tougher than a Dark Horn’s armor, than a Gojulas’ armor, and is even on par or tougher than a Zoid X’s armor (it’s also, coincidentally, the toughest transport armor there is). What particularly is special about it? It covers the entirety of the Gustav except the antenna, and essentially always ensures the survival of the transport. Any weapon smaller than 50mm or AZ 25mm is completely and utterly useless against Gustav armor. It doesn’t matter if they’re physical, laser, or beam rounds: they’ll just impotently ping off. It is also probably worth noting that the Gustav’s armor is the only non E-Shield to have ever just stopped an Organoid Enhanced Charged Particle Gun from a Geno Saurer. (Though it CSFed the Gustav, it didn’t blast all the way through to the other side.) Also, the Gustav Armor most notably has the special quality of dispersing electric shocks into the ground without hurting the Zoid’s internals. All in all, this is one Zoid that will keep rolling, come hell, high water, or tactical missiles.

Available Modifications:

Name: Guysack
Alignment: Helic Republic
Family: Scorpion
Registration Number: RZ-002
Crew: 1
Height: 4.0 Meters
Length: 10.0 Meters
Weight: 22 Tons
Top Speed: 120 kph (land or sand), 80 kph (loose dirt), 40 kph (packed dirt)
Weapons: AZ30mm Beam Rifle, Hardened Alloy Pincers.
Special Abilities: Burrowing, Smoke Dischargers, Motion Detector.
Level: 1

During the long and bitter struggle between the Helic Republic and the Guylos and Zenebas Empires, both sides developed a number of small, cheap, mass production Zoids. The Guylos Empire had Zoids like the Rev Raptor and Molga, while the Helic Republic built the Gordos and... the Guysack. The Guysack is a scorpion-typed Zoid, and it’s got the lightest armor of any Zoid to actually have armor. However, that’s not where its strength lies.

Aside from a reasonably potent AZ30mm Beam Rifle on its tail, the Guysack’s greatest boon is its ability to burrow. Often, a number of Guysacks would sink beneath the sand and just wait... when an enemy force came by, they’d jump up and attack it. Also, the Guysack’s many legs allow it not only to burrow quickly, but also to turn and maneuver extremely well. Unfortunately, they’re poorly armored (like the rest of the Zoid) and easy to shoot off.

The Guysack also borders on infamous for its use as a Sleeper Zoid. You see, the Republican Guysack and the Imperial Rev Raptor were both compatible with a primitive AI called a “Sleeper System”. While not very intelligent or good at tactics, the Sleeper System allowed the Guysack to operate unpiloted. Therefore, the Helic Republic famously scattered Guysacks all over its territory. The Guysacks would then burrow, and “sleep”. They’d wait for an enemy force (anything that doesn’t identify with their IFF and shows up on their motion detectors), and then pop up and eliminate it. Then burrow again. After the war ended, the Helic Republic did its best to remove all of the Sleeper Guysacks, but a few still remain in the more remote parts of Europa and Delphoi, now attacking hapless passersby.

The only other thing the Guysack is recognized for is its remote relation to the Death Stinger, but the two Zoids don’t seem to be evolutionarily linked. Still, you never can be too careful: play nice with the Guysacks, or their big brother might just come and get you. (But probably not.)

Weapons:
AZ30mm Beam Rifle:
Like the good Scorpion it is, the Guysack’s deadliest (and only ranged weapon) is in its tail. The tail, you see, has an AZ30mm Beam Rifle, capable of firing 2 shots every second. However, it’s not capable of independent motion and is forced to point at whatever the tail points at. On the plus side, the rifle itself is sturdy, and a bit harder to damage than the rest of the Zoid. Also note that the Guysack’s AZ30mm Beam Rifle is not meant for use underground.

Hardened Alloy Pincers:
The Guysack, once again, is a scorpion, and has the pincers to prove it. They’re extremely large, and can be used for piercing, spearing, and crushing. They can also really put the squeeze on you -- even if you’re several times the Guysack’s weight, they’re dangerous. Also, they’re extremely thick and hefty, making them much harder to destroy than the rest of the Guysack. Note that the pincers are also used in the burrowing process.

Special Abilities:
Burrowing:
The Guysack was one of the first effective burrowing Zoids every created, slightly moreso than the Garantula. It can burrow through sand at top speed (120 kph) and through loose dirt at 80 kph. The Guysack can only go at 40 kph through packed, rocky dirt, and can’t easily burrow through anything else. Note that sanctioned Zoid Battling regulations prevent the Guysack from remaining burrowed for more than 2 rounds. However, in the field, the Guysack can stay underground for much longer. Hours. Days. Monthes. Years.

Smoke Dischargers:
The two tubes behind the Guysack’s head are smoke dischargers. They help the Guysack run away or cover it while it burrows, but are otherwise fairly standard equipment. Note that the Guysack itself doesn’t have the equipment to see through its own smoke, and can’t.

Motion Detector:
The Guysack has a motion detector, usable only while burrowed. This motion detector allows it to sense any movement, such as that of Zoid, within 200 meters. It uses the large dish mounted to the Guysacks tail to sense vibration (and a uses a few other tricks), meaning that if the dish is destroyed, the ability is useless. Because of the nature of this device, it’s not easy to shield against -- even walking very slowly will set off the detector. Hovering will as well, but the reading will be far more sporadic. This isn't precision equipment, exactly, so the Guysack can’t really pinpoint enemies with it. But it gives a ballpark estimate of distance and direction of the motion, usually accurate to the nearest 5 degrees and 5 meters.

Available Modifications:

Name: Hammer Rock
Alignment: Guylos Empire
Family: Gorilla
Registration Number: EZ-065
Crew: 1
Height: 6.7 Meters
Length: 5.6 Meters
Weight: 26.8 Tons
Top Speed: 180 kph
Weapons: Twin 30mm Cannons, Two-Shot Rocket Launcher, Quad Missile Array, Hardened Alloy Fists.
Special Abilities: None.
Level: 2

The Hammer Rock is a Gorilla-typed Zoid, originally developed by the Guylos Empire as an inexpensive, low-end assault platform. Needless to say, the Hammer Rock is a close relative of the Guylos Iron Kong, and similar to it in many ways. While it lacks the Kong’s powerful tactical missiles, the Hammer Rock has its own array of four multipurpose missiles, along with two rockets and a pair of 30mm Cannons.

As far as technical detail goes, the Hammer Rock has excellent armor for its size, and is designed to take a bit of a beating. It also has rather good maneuverability, thanks largely in part two its humanoid form and pair of arms. This also makes it generally easy to use, as its own body resembles a human’s. However, the Hammer Rock requires both arms to run, but that shouldn’t be a problem. (The fists are only useful in melee anyway.)

Weapons:
Twin 30mm Cannons:
As promised, the Hammer Rock has two 30mm Cannons mounted to its right shoulder. They’re semiautomatic, and can pivot up to 45 degrees out or 30 degrees up. Otherwise, they’re reasonably standard weapons.

Two-Shot Rocket Launcher:
To contrast, on the Hammer Rock’s left shoulder, there’s a Two-Shot Rocket Launcher. The Rocket Launcher is also capable of pivoting up to 45 degrees out or 30 degrees up, and can fire its payload 1 at a time or both at once. After the rockets are expended, they have to be reloaded. Otherwise, these are standard rockets.

Quad Missile Array:
The majority of the Hammer Rock’s firepower is mounted on its back. There are four multipurpose missiles back there, standard expect for the fact that they can lock onto both land and air targets. Like many such weapons, they take 1.5 times the standard time to lock onto a target. However, to compensate for this, they can lock onto targets in front of the Hammer Rock and then fly over it. Unfortunately, once these weapons are expended, they have to be reloaded to be used again.

Hardened Alloy Fists:
The Hammer Rock is also something of melee muscle man, with a pair of Hardened Alloy Fists to bludgeon, punch, and batter its opponents with. It’s reach is roughly 6 meters, and the each fist can lift roughly 25 tons, making the Hammer Rock incredibly strong for its size. Though there are still many Zoids that can trump its melee ability, the Hammer Rock shouldn’t be trifled with in close-quarters.

Available Modifications:

Name: Hammer Kaiser
Alignment: Zian (Universal)
Family: Shark (Hammerhead)
Registration Number: Zi-101
Height: 80.8 Meters
Length: 200 Meters
Weight: 895 Tons (unloaded)
Top Speed: Mach 1.0/1225 kph (air), 130 knots/241 kph (water)
Weapons: Dual AZ Heavy Missile/Torpedo Pods, Dual 16-Shot AZ Missile/Torpedo Launchers.
Special Abilities: Zoid Carrying, Swimming, Multilock.
Cost: $325,000
Level: Transport

Bridge Crew: 6 (Pilot, Co-Pilot, Captain, Executive Officer, Gunnery Sergeant/Tactical Officer, Chief of Operations)
Minimum Crew Requirements: 20
Standard Crew: 100
Maximum Personnel: 150 ((That can be continuously supported and sustained by the Hammer Kaiser.))

The Hammer Kaiser is the first and the smallest of the large flying transports, but is still quite massive. It’s really considered to be the first transport that’s too large for any individual to own (unless he’s quite an extraordinary individual), and is also essentially the most heavily armed dedicated transport there is. As odd as it sounds, the Hammer Kaiser is the much larger cousin of the Hammerhead, and some of its weapons systems are remarkably similar. Also, though the Hammer Kaiser can fly well enough, its still a shark at heart. However, you’ll only rarely see a Hammer Kaiser in the water. Strange, no?

Anyway, the Hammer Kaiser was originally developed covertly by Hiltz, the alleged creator of the Death Stinger, as a weapons platform for his monstrous creation. It needed to be a combat transport for that purpose, and needed a couple of other unique functions as well. One of these was the ability to reach LPO (low planetary orbit). Oddly, that particular function has been retained by all Hammer Kaisers, which possess the unique ability to reach orbit through a series of special engines and physics tricks. The entire process takes about two hours, and then the Hammer Kaiser is in space. Note that it can only stay up there for a few hours, though, before it runs out of oxygen.

Though the first Hammer Kaiser was shot down out of orbit by modified Guardian Force Storm Sworders, the design remains and enjoys significant use today. Militaries often use it as a combat transport, and large teams use it for a transport for all their members’ Zoids.

As for the other design specifications of the Hammer Kaiser, there are quite a few. Firstly, it can carry a whopping 25 Zoids, more than four times the capacity of a single Hover Cargo. Secondly, it has extremely thick armor, just better than the Hover Cargo’s own. Thirdly, the Hammer Kaiser has reasonably good performance for a Zoid of its size, being slightly more agile than a Hammerhead in the air. Lastly, the Hammer Kaiser, like the Hammerhead, has a unique propulsion system that makes it VTOL (vertical takeoff and landing). Aside from that, it’s like most transports: sturdy and reliable.

Weapons:
Dual AZ Heavy Missile/Torpedo Pods:
On the fins that extend out from the Hammer Kaiser’s head are a pair of odd, blocky pods. Upon closer examination, it’s rather clear that each pod has two separate sections, which probably slide back to reveal something. That’s because they do. Both pods are missile/torpedo pods, and both pods have two separate missile launchers/torpedo tubes. That’s a total of four launchers/tubes. Underwater, they use active sonar to lock onto another aquatic target (which they need not do in their tubes, launch ‘em and they’ll do it on their own). Once launched, they’re slow-moving, but relatively well-armored and able to track and home in on a target for kilometers if necessary. Also, since they’re Heavy AZ, they have roughly four times the damaging potential of a standard missile. Out of water, they lock on like any other multipurpose missiles, and are fired as normal as well. (They can lock onto both aerial and ground targets, but it takes 1.5 times as long to lock on as a standard missile.) The mechanics of the switch are very simple; they must deactivate the turbine and turn on a rocket booster. Also, they still have four times the explosive power while in the air. As a final note, the Hammer Kaiser stores a single nearby reload for each tube, and the reloading process takes 3 seconds. It has other stores otherwhere, but they can’t easily get across the fins to the pods in the heat of battle.

Dual 16-Shot AZ Missile/Torpedo Launchers:
The Hammer Kaiser was partially designed to be able to shoot down the other large transports, like the Whale Kings, and just generally hold its own in combat. To this end, there are 16 missile launchers in either side of the Hammer Kaiser’s tail. They can lock onto any target anywhere around that side of the Hammer Kaiser, and simply go and hit it. (Ground or air targets, but lockon time is 1.5 times as long. Each 180 degree arc surrounding the Hammer Kaiser is covered by one of the two missile batteries.) They’re AZ missiles, meaning that they have twice the standard explosive power. In the water, the turbines become active instead of the rocket boosters. Underwater, of course, they’re much slower but much more persistent, and will follow a target to the ends of the Zi unless they’re destroyed. They’re still twice as powerful underwater. (Note that underwater, they don’t require a lockon prior to launch. They use active sonar to track the nearest target that doesn’t respond to their IFF transponders.) Note that these can also be reloaded from the Hammer Kaiser’s essentially infinite internal stores, but the process takes a full 8 seconds to complete. Also note that the Missile/Torpedo Launchers are normally concealed behind heavy armored plates, which much slide back in order for the weapons to be used or to lock on.

Special Abilities:
Zoid Carrying:
The Hammer Kaiser is a massive, heavily armed Zoid, but very little of its internal space is devoted to helping or protecting itself. A great deal of the Hammer Kaiser (whatever’s not engines and storage) is taken up by one large Zoid bay, roughly the entirety of the Zoid’s lower decks. (The lower 30-40 meters.) This bay can hold 25 Zoids, and has three entrance/exit points, a ramp in its chest, another in its tail, and a last one in its mouth. All three of the ramps can be magnetized such that Zoids’ feet or lower extremities stick to the rail. This allows them to be used as impromptu weapons platforms, even in orbit. However, they can’t catapult launch Zoids.

Repair Bay:
The Hammer Kaiser is the smallest transport to tout a full repair bay. It’s got the equipment and the personnel to get damaged allies back on their feet quickly, an essential component for any large transport. The Hammer Kaiser is fully capable of repairing up to 2 Zoids that it’s carrying at once at full speed -- none of this do-it-yourself crap.

Swimming:
Despite its massive size, the Hammer Kaiser is capable of swimming with maneuverability only a few notches below its smaller cousin, the Hammerhead. It can also move at the reasonably brisk pace of 130 knots. Note that the Hammer Kaiser fully compartmentalized, and, if its hull is breached, can usually seal a nearby bulkhead and stop the breach from sinking the ship. However, the Hammer Kaiser should not attempt to fly if any significantly large part of its body is flooded. Also note that the Hammer Kaiser’s crush depth is roughly 2000 meters, much deeper than that of the Hammerhead.

Multilock:
The Hammer Kaiser is ridiculously well-armed for a vessel that was only designed to fight one opponent at a time. That’s because it wasn’t. The Hammer Kaiser has a unique system that allows each of its missile launcher systems to lock onto multiple targets at once, with a designated number of missiles locking onto a single target. (IE: 10 missiles on one opponent, 6 on the other. A single missile cannot lock onto two or more opponents.) This gives it some very real and relevant defenses, and helps it against swarm attacks. Note that underwater, the torpedoes lock onto the nearest or most prominently apparent sonar target that doesn’t respond to IFF. Since this isn’t part of the Hammer Kaiser’s shipwide locking system, multilock doesn’t effect the torpedoes. That’s just a downside of torpedoes not having a lock on time.

Available Modifications:

Name: Hammerhead (aka “Hammer Head”)
Alignment: Helic Republic
Family: Shark (Hammerhead)
Registration Number: RZ-033
Crew: 1-4
Height: 6.6 Meters
Length: 17 Meters
Weight: 66.5 Tons
Top Speed: 130 knots/241 kph (water), Mach 1.0/1225 kph (air)
Weapons: Dual AZ30mm Pulse Laser Cannons, Twin Dual Mini-Impact Cannons, Dual AZ Torpedo Pods, Surface/Submerged-to-Air Missile Launchers Array, Twin 20mm Cannons.
Special Abilities: Swimming, Flying.
Level: 4

The Helic Republic’s most famous dedicated aquatic Zoid is probably the Hammerhead. Boasting a battery of heavy weaponry and armor, in addition to the ability to fly, this Shark-typed Zoid is one of the fiercer opponents to face under the sea. The Hammerhead also boasts one of the lowest lost/destroyed-in-action percentages of any production Zoid there is, because its heavy armor allows it to take a beating while its dual flight/swimming abilities allow it to escape from almost any situation.

Also, though it can fly, I mentioned earlier that the Hammerhead is a dedicated aquatic Zoid. I wasn’t kidding. Despite its obvious massive bulk and relatively heavy weight, the Hammerhead boasts War Shark-grade maneuverability while underwater. Also, it has a battery of powerful AZ Torpedoes, which are positively lethal in an environment where a leak can prove fatal. Also, the Hammerhead has a number of interesting and shiny other weapons, including the ability to easily dispatch aerial targets from safely underwater.

Over the years, the Hammerhead has seen alot of use and action. Given that it was once the primary transport for the President of the Helic Republic (Airforce 1), as well as the fact that it was once considered as an alternative to the Salamander, the Hammerhead really is diverse in its uses. However, many pilots make the mistake of confusing the Hammerhead for a dedicated aerial Zoid. I’m only going to say this once: it’s not. In the air, it’s more sluggish than the Pteras or Salamander, and has terrible maneuverability. It’s even bad speedwise, being roughly as fast as a Sinker, give or take a tenth of a Mach. However, its toughness doesn’t change in or out of the water, and its still the massive and reliable machine it always was. Also, thanks to its unique downward-facing jet engine construction, its capable of VTOL (vertical takeoff and landing) and can hover at low altitudes.

Weapons:
Dual AZ30mm Pulse Laser Cannons:
If you look at the Hammerhead’s head, you'll notice two finlike constructions sticking out of either side. Positioned under each of these fins is an AZ30mm Pulse Cannon. These are the Hammerhead’s primary reusable ranged armament in and out of water, and spew out 12 shots per second each. Both lasers are also capable of 30 degrees in or out, as well as up to 45 degrees downwards.

Twin Dual Mini-Impact Cannons:
Now, look about halfway down the Hammerhead’s body. There should be another set of fins, located just a bit up from the middle. Each of these has a fixed small-bore Dual Impact Cannon mounted underneath it. They’re essentially normal Dual Impact Cannons, but AZ30mm instead of AZ80mm. They can also fire both fire at a semiautomatic rates, and pierce and tear through armor like a normal impact cannon. Like their larger counterpart, their maximum range is 300 meters.

Dual AZ Torpedo Pods:
On the fins that extend out from the Hammerhead’s head, just above the to the side of the AZ30mm Pulse Laser Cannons, are a pair of odd, blocky pods. Upon closer examination, it’s rather clear that each pod has two separate sections, which probably slide back to reveal something. That’s because they do. Both pods are torpedo pods, and both pods have two separate torpedo tubes. That’s a total of four torpedo tubes. Underwater, they use active sonar to lock onto another aquatic target (which they need not do in their tubes, launch ‘em and they’ll do it on their own). Once launched, they’re slow-moving, but relatively well-armored and able to track and home in on a target for kilometers if necessary. Also, since they’re AZ, they have roughly twice the damaging potential of a standard missile. Out of water, they’re little more than glorified dumbfires, with a maximum range of 300 meters before they loose all significant forward momentum and just fall. Also, since the Hammerhead is so large, it can carry a single set of reloads for every tube, though reloading a single tube takes 3 seconds.

Surface/Submerged-to-Air Missile Launcher Array:
All the way on the back of the Hammerhead, almost on the tip of the tail, there are three pairs of discolored spots, two rows of three on either side of the body. These six discolored spots flip up to reveal six SAM sites, a great present for passing torpedo bombers. The construction of the missiles is multistage, and is similar to that of a torpedo tube, so the missile chambers need to be flooded prior to launch. (This can only be done underwater or in water. Note that the Hammerhead cannot fly with flooded missile launcher tubes, because this off-balances the Zoid, making it tail heavy.) Anyway, the missile then activates a turbine, which propels it out of the water. Once in the air, the pressure differential causes the turbine to separate and fall away. The second stage, a solid-state rocket booster, then deploys, and its a normal missile. The entire process following launch is very quick: not needing to maneuver in the water, the SAM is much faster than a torpedo. If that wasn’t enough, each tube also has a reload in internal stores, which it takes about 3 seconds to place. (The Hammerhead must re-lock after the reload.) Each missile is roughly 1.5 times as powerful as a standard Anti-Ground Missile. However, note that the SAMs are useless above water, unless the Hammerhead could somehow totally invert itself.

Twin 20mm Cannons:
Sitting on the underside of the Hammerhead’s tail and rear-facing are a pair of 20mm Cannons. They’re semiautomatic, and can pivot up to 90 degrees horizontally or 30 degrees down. Note, however, that these weapons are capable of hurting the Hammerhead itself, so take care while firing.

Special Abilities:
Swimming:
Once a shark, always a shark. Whether you’re giant or made of metal, or can fly, or both, you’re still a shark. The Hammerhead itself has a War Shark’s level maneuverability underwater, as well as the rather fast underwater speed of 130 knots. Note that the Hammerhead fully compartmentalized, and, if its hull is breached, can usually seal a nearby bulkhead and stop the breach from sinking the ship. However, the Hammerhead should not attempt to fly if any part of its body is flooded. Also note that the Hammerhead’s crush depth is roughly 800 meters, deeper than that of the War Shark.

Flying:
While its maneuverability is pitiful, the Hammerhead can fly as well. It’s technically capable of Mach 1.0 -- breaking the sound barrier if you redline the engines, its really only in a straight line. However, the Hammerhead has VTOL (vertical takeoff and landing) capabilities, thanks to its unique design. Also, it can however at low altitudes. Note that under no circumstances should the Hammerhead attempt to fly with any chambers, compartments, or missile or torpedo tubes flooded.

Name: Heldigunner
Alignment: Guylos Empire
Family: Iguana
Registration Number: EZ-011
Crew: 1-2
Height: 5.8 Meters
Length: 24.5 Meters
Weight: 48 Tons
Top Speed: 130 kph (land, water, and sand), 80 kph (loose dirt), 40 kph (packed dirt)
Weapons: Quad AZ20mm Beam Cannons, 72mm Anti-Aircraft Cannon, 80mm Beam Cannon & 40mm Beam Cannon, Hardened Alloy Claws and Tail.
Special Abilities: Swimming, Burrowing.
Level: 3

The Heldigunner was originally developed by the Guylos Empire to specialize in assaults on beachheads, and, as such, is capable of swimming, fighting on land, and burrowing. Though not a master of combat in any of the three, the Heldigunner has a reasonably thick plate of armor to keep itself safe. It also has a decent set of weapons to fight off opponents, all of which work both above ground and underwater.

Technically speaking, the Heldigunner is somewhat lacking in the maneuverability area above ground. It actually has better maneuverability in the water, where it uses its body and massive tail to propel it through the water. It’s also capable of some reasonably impressive stunts while burrowed in sand, capable of jumping and reburrowing in the style of a War Shark. As a last note, the Heldigunner is the larger cousin of the Iguan, though you might not be able to tell it.

Weapons:
Quad AZ20mm Beam Cannons:
The Heldigunner has two cannons on either side of its face, for a total of four. All four are AZ20mm semiautomatic beam cannons, and can pivot up to 30 degrees downwards. They, like all of the Heldigunner’s weapons, function underwater but not underground. Otherwise, they’re standard.

72mm Anti-Aircraft Cannon:
The very first Heldigunners to come off the assembly line didn’t have AA defenses, and they were torn apart by Helic air power. So, later models had these (earlier ones were retrofitted) 72mm AA Cannons, which are mounted to the Zoid’s tail. Each shell fired from one of these explodes at a certain preset altitude (dialed in by the pilot from the cockpit) into a cloud of shrapnel, which can shred and tear wings. The fuses can be turned off, making them standard 72mm cannons. Also, the cannon is on a rotating turret mount that allows it to pivot 360 degrees horizontally and incline upwards up to 90 degrees, allowing it to hit targets all around the Heldigunner. Note that if the fuses are active, the cannon cannot be used underwater. The standard mode, however, can be.

80mm Beam Cannon & 40mm Beam Cannon:
Mounted to a turret on the back of the Heldigunner is a pair of semiautomatic beam cannons: one 80mm and one 40mm. Obviously the 40mm is the smaller one, just below the larger 80mm. Both weapons are long-ranged, meaning that they have reasonable accuracy out to 2 kilometers. Also, both weapons can be used in or out of water, but not while burrowed. Furthermore, the cannon mount is capable of inclining up to 20 degrees up or down, or 20 degrees to either side. However, one weakness of these two back-mounted cannons is that they receive energy through an unarmored wire that runs from the center of the back to the turret itself. Though not always exposed, a single shot from anything can sever this cord, which renders both the 80mm and 40mm beam cannons useless.

Hardened Alloy Claws and Tail:
Alright. Failing everything else, the Heldigunner does have some melee weapons, and it can use then quite effectively. The tail is first up in this arsenal, which has four blades mounted on it. Needless to say, a whack from it can both bludgeon and cut, and can be painful. The claws the Heldigunner sports are also sharpened and great for slashing and piercing. All in all though, the Heldigunner is kind of sluggish and not great in melee.

Special Abilities:
Swimming:
The Heldigunner, being designed for aquatic beachhead landings, is a powerful swimmer. It swims like a snake, using its tail to generate propulsion. Strangely, it can move at its full speed of 130 kph (70 knots) in the water, and can use any of its weapons underwater. Crush depth for the Heldigunner is 400 meters -- don’t go below unless you want to be a pancake.

Burrowing:
The Heldigunner can burrow as well, and at a fairly fast clip. Like the Guysack, the Heldigunner can burrow at full speed in sand, and is capable of War Shark-like stunts and jumps. Also like the Guysack, the Heldigunner can do 80 kph in loose dirt or 40 kph in dense dirt with rocks. It’s also not capable of the same acrobatics in denser material. Lastly, keep in mind that sanctioned Zoid Battling regulations bar the Heldigunner from staying burrowed longer than 12 seconds total in a single match. Warfare and real life have no such restrictions, however.

Available Modifications:

Name: Helcat
Alignment: Guylos Empire
Family: Panther
Registration Number: EZ-023
Crew: 1-2
Height: 5 Meters
Length: 13.2 Meters
Weight: 24 Tons
Top Speed: 190 kph
Weapons: Dual 20mm Laser Machineguns, Twin AZ20mm Beam Cannons, Hardened Alloy Claws.
Special Abilities: Optic Stealth Shield, IR Sensors, Stealth Systems.
Level: 2

The Helcat is a Panther-Typed Zoid, originally developed by the Guylos Empire for surgical strikes and stealth operations. While its the smaller cousin of the Death Cat, the two Zoids are very different. While the Death Cat uses unmatched agility and speed to effectively deliver a single shot, the Helcat has no superweapon. It does, however, have the ability to cloak or “shield” itself from plain sight. This capacity to disappear allows it to stalk and slowly whittle away enemy Zoids, often without letting them know where it is for most of that time.

As far as performance goes, though, the Helcat is pretty good. It can be handled like a Command Wolf, except just a bit slower and more sluggish. For armor, the Helcat is just a step below the Command Wolf. It’s real gripe is with weapons, or lack thereof. Both of its 20mm cannons aren’t likely to impress many.

Weapons:
Dual 20mm Laser Machineguns:
Mounted and fixed to the Helcat’s undercarriage is a pair of 20mm Laser Machineguns. They’re effectively its main gun, firing roughly 10 rounds per second each. Though the rate of fire isn’t what it could be, they can chip away at armor faster than you think.

Twin AZ20mm Beam Cannons:
Mounted to the Helcat’s back is a pair of AZ20mm Beam Cannons. They can pivot 360 degrees on the horizontal axis, and 20 degrees up or down. Otherwise, they’re just standard semiautomatic anti-zoid weaponry, for when the machineguns lack the penetration to do significant damage.

Hardened Alloy Claws:
The Helcat is a panther, and the claws of one. When it needs to make the silent takedown, these are the tools for it, plain and simple. They’re reasonably sharp, and pretty much like all the other claws out there. Great for ripping, slashing, and tearing in melee. Nothing particularly special. They are unique, however, in that their use doesn’t cause the Helcat’s Optic Stealth Shield to deactivate.

Special Abilities:
Optic Stealth Shield:
Firstly, this is not an E-Shield. The Helcat’s Optic Stealth Shield allows it to vanish at will, plain and simple. Poof. Gone. The only thing that’s left is a very slight optical blurring effect which is difficult to notice, and breaks up when the Helcat is moving. There are a few other items of note: 1) The Helcat cannot actually see visually while the Optic Stealth Shield is up. The IR Sensors automatically activate when it does bring up the Stealth Shield, however, so this shouldn’t be a problem. 2) Whenever the Helcat fires a ranged weapon, it decloaks for a fraction of a second. 3) If the Helcat is hit with enough firepower to any one spot on its body, it will decloak for a fraction of a second. However, since the Stealth Shield is a combination of internal systems and special paint, it’s difficult to outright destroy. Also note that the Stealth Shield can block some forms of radar, like basic radar, but not 3D Doppler Radar.

IR Sensors:
These sensors were originally introduced to the Helcat design out of necessity, to let it see through its own Optic Stealth Shield. Like all IR Sensors, this system allows the Zoid to track enemies and allies alike by their heat signatures. It’s very standard stuff, no special quirks in particular.

Stealth Systems:
The Helcat has a number of Stealth Systems to keep it as the undetectable stealth Panther Zoid it is. This encompasses a wide variety of various trinkets, all of which combine to make it worthy of the term “nifty”.

Stealth Paint:
The Helcat is coated with a coat of paint similar to the stuff found on the Triple S, but a little more primitive. It disperses IR waves, as good or better than IR Suppression, making it almost invisible to the heat-detecting sensors. However, it only scatters radar, preventing the Helcat from being pinpointed by any radar system. Between the Stealth Shield and the Stealth Paint, there are few forms of radar that can track the Helcat down, but 3D Doppler Radar can still give the Zoid that uses it a general idea of the Helcat’s position.

Noise Suppression:
The Helcat is coated with noise bafflers and other noise suppression equipment, which it makes it nearly silent. Even the guns on the Helcat are silenced (though by no means invisible). Essentially, you can’t hear the Helcat. However, for reasons that aren’t entirely clear, the Noise Suppression won’t stop a Heartbeat Sensor from finding the pilot.

Footprint Scrubbers:
There is, unfortunately, still one obvious way to locate the Helcat: by its footprints. No problem. It can get rid of them. The Footprint Scrubbers wipe away the indentations of the Helcat’s tracks, but don’t get everything. Generally speaking only 95% get wiped on normal ground, and only 75% get wiped in mud or snow. In long grass, the Footprint Scrubbers will --yes, you guessed it -- try to unbend the blades of grass the Helcat steps on, but only roughly 50-60% of them. Not necessarily a piece of equipment to rely on, but useful nonetheless.

Available Modifications:

Name: Hound Soldier (aka “Houndsoldier”)
Alignment: Helic Republic
Family: Shepard Dog
Registration Number: RPZ-12
Crew: 1
Height: 7.4 Meters
Length: 23 Meters
Weight: 66 Tons
Top Speed: 330 kph
Weapons: Twin 60mm Buster Cannons, Triple Impact Cannon, Quad Missile Pods, Hardened Alloy Cross Lances, Hardened Alloy Claws and Teeth.
Special Abilities: Active Radar System.
Level: 4

The Hound Soldier was manufactured by the Helic Republic as a high-end alternative to the Command Wolf. With a whopping 330 kilometers per hour behind it, faster than the average Lightning Saix, the Hound Soldier is one of the fastest boosterless Zoids ever created. However, don’t mistake the Hound Soldier for the Lightning Saix; they’re quite different machines. While the Hound Soldier can run at 330 kph, it can only do so in a straight line, and its extreme speed severely hacks away at its maneuverability. The Hound Soldier is also easily one of the best armed Zoids in its class, boasting a quartet of missile launchers, a Triple Impact Cannon, and a pair of powerful Buster Cannons. And that’s only the ranged weapons: for weapons, the Hound Soldier has a pair of long and powerful lances for melee.

As far as performance goes, the Hound Soldier is like the high end version of the Command Wolf (as was stated earlier). At lower speeds, the Hound Soldier’s agility and maneuverability is really quite good. In fact, some former Command Wolf pilots have in the past remarked that they could “pull all the old tricks” from inside this Zoid’s cockpit. So much for the saying about old dogs, eh?

All jokes aside, the Hound Soldier is quick and all-around powerful Zoid. Performance only suffers at high speeds, and the ‘Soldier has an array of powerful weapons to deal with its enemies. The Hound Soldier can also operate in many different terrains (plains, forest, jungle, swamp, urban...) without too many problems. The only catch is that its armor isn’t the greatest -- a few shavings below Blade Liger-grade. Still, the Hound Soldier is one of those machines that always seems to have another ace up its sleeve, and many pilots favor and respect it for its adept juggling of performance and firepower.

Weapons:
Twin 60mm Buster Cannons:
The Hound Soldier’s main weapon is its pair of Twin 60mm Buster Cannons, both of which mounted on the Hound Soldier’s back. They’re special for one and exactly one reason: the word “Buster”. You see, both of these cannons are actually extremely -- almost ridiculously powerful specially-made beam cannons. The shots from them hit like a pair of shells three times the size (IE: 180mm), but they can only be fired once every three seconds. Still, if you get hit by these, you’re going to feel it. It’s also worth noting that the Hound Soldier must either be traveling at low speeds or stopped to use these weapons, as the kickback can topple the Hound Soldier if its not careful.

Triple Impact Cannon:
Barrels mounted in an inverted triangle formation under the Zoid’s neck is the Hound Soldier’s Triple Impact Cannon. This is the standard deal, a replica of the weapon found on the Shield Liger or the Zaber Fang. It fires AZ60mm shells at a semiautomatic rate, and has a maximum range of 300 meters. It’s a powerful weapon, if somewhat short ranged.

Quad Missile Pods:
There’s a missile pod on each on each of the Hound Soldier’s shoulders. Each pod contains three missiles, meaning that the Hound Soldier has a grand total of 12 missiles. They’re also multipurpose missiles, meaning that they can lock onto either ground or aerial targets, but the lockon time against either is increased to 1.5 times the standard time as a result. However, the missiles are otherwise standard AGM-strength, and are a very potent group of weapons if used together properly. The missile pods may not lock onto separate targets.

Hardened Alloy Cross Lances:
Why anyone decided to call them “cross lances” is a pure mystery, but the Hound Soldier has a pair of 11-meter long lances attached to its neck. They can either stay at the ready, resting behind the Zoid’s head, or pivot out into a lancing mode, where they’re sticking straight out from the Hound Soldier. The tips of the Lances are also sharpened and pointed, giving them considerable extra piercing power. A high-speed ram from the Hound Soldier is often enough to send these lances through even heavy armor, and do quite a bit of damage to the receiving Zoid. While the mounts for the lances are less armored than they perhaps ought to be, they’re close enough to the cockpit so that firing on them with ranged weapons is an illegal offense. That’s in the sanctioned Zoid Battling circuit, anyway; all’s still fair in war.

Hardened Alloy Claws and Teeth:
Just in case the Buster Cannons, Impact Cannon, Missiles, and Lances can’t do their job well enough, the fifth option for the Hound Soldier is regular melee. It’s got the standard sharpened claws and razor-like teeth to do the job. Just be sure to note that it’s hard to use these to supplement the lances, because the lances themselves often keep a speared enemy Zoid away from the Hound Soldier.

Special Abilities:
Active Radar System:
The Hound Soldier has an Active Radar System which it can use to track down opponents. This system isn’t as fancy as the 3D Doppler Radar found in the Composite Sensory Units, but it still puts a blinking dot wherever it detects an enemy or unknown Zoid. Allies are in a different color. Nifty, and better than the basic stuff. Also, the sensor is located in the Hound Soldier’s skull, meaning that its essentially impossible to destroy without taking the cockpit with it.

Available Modifications:

Name: Hover Cargo
Alignment: Zian (Universal)
Family: Snail
Registration Number: Zi-098
Height: 49.5 Meters
Length: 94.5 Meters
Weight: 857 Tons
Top Speed: 200 kph (land), 100 kph (water)
Weapons: AZ120mm Anti-Air Cannons, Twin Dual 30mm Machineguns.
Special Abilities: Zoid Carrying, Swimming, Heavy Anchors.
Cost: $180,000
Level: Transport

Bridge Crew: 4 (Pilot, Co-Pilot, Gunnery Sergeant/Tactical Officer, Chief of Operations)
Minimum Crew Requirements: 1
Standard Crew: 10
Maximum Personnel: 24 ((That can be continuously supported and sustained by the Hover Cargo.))

The Hover Cargo is the Malder’s much, much bigger brother, no joke. However, although they’re family, they’re both very different machines. The Hover Cargo constitutes the “next step up” from the Gustav, roughly on the tier below the Dragoon’s Nest. While not often owned by individuals, it’s possible that it could be operated by a single person. They’re far more popular as transport for teams. Capable of carrying six Zoids, the Hover Cargo is often just right for a small number of people. Being rather inexpensive, they’re also deployed en masse by militaries, serving as small-sized field bases for the troops.

As far as performance goes, this really wasn’t a Zoid designed or meant for combat. It has only the bare minimum of defensive systems, whatever’s necessary to discourage attacks against itself by small forces. However, it’s really no match for a well-planned attack or a well-armed strike force, and relies on the Zoids it carries to protect it. It also handles extremely sluggishly, and it’s very top heavy, so don’t try to make any sharp turns. However, on the plus side, it has very heavy armor, just a notch or two above that of the Gojulas, covering its entire body.

The stock Hover Cargo only has a few other quirks to it. Firstly, it comes with a Conversion (Changing) Armor System or CAS, which allows it to quickly switch around parts and pieces during combat. Secondly, the Hover Cargo boasts the ability to crawl around underwater as well, allowing it operate even in the deep ocean. Thirdly, this transport also has the ability to anchor itself, making it essentially to topple over. Other than that, it’s just a cheap, sturdy, reliable transport. That’s why the Blitz Team picked it and continues to use it, as well as a plethora of other teams and military organizations.

Weapons:
Dual AZ120mm Anti-Aircraft Cannons:
On either side of the Hover Cargo’s head (remember, this thing is a snail, don’t mistake the shell for the head) is a semiautomatic AZ120mm Anti-Aircraft Cannon. These two are essentially the Hover Cargo’s main weapon, capable of shooting up even the toughest Zoids with just a few volleys. They’re also capable of firing flak rounds, which explode at a dialed-in altitude. When they explode, they form an expanded cloud of shrapnel, which pierce and shred aerial Zoid wings. Note, however, than using the flak feature is optional only, and they can be used as normal AZ120mm Cannons as well. Also, the cannons can pivot upwards by a full 120 degrees (past straight up) and downwards by 30 degrees. Though they can be manned, any one of the four bridge officers can fire the weapons from their consoles.

Twin Dual 30mm Machineguns:
Though far less fearsome than the AZ120mm Cannons, the Hover Cargo does have a pair of two-barreled rear-facing 30mm Machineguns. They’re mounted on the elevated platform behind the Zoid’s shell, and can pivot up to 180 degrees vertically and 360 degrees horizontally, making them essentially omnidirectional. They can be manned, but can also be accessed and fired via any console on the bridge. Given that the each put out 12 rounds a second, they’re fairly potent weapons. Also note that they can hit the Hover Cargo if used improperly, so beware.

Special Abilities:
Zoid Carrying:
The Hover Cargo can carry, maintain, and service up to 6 Zoids: two in the head and four in the shell. The Hover Cargo also has five entrance/exit points: the two sides of its shell (which can fold out), a door in the front of the head, a door in the back of the shell, and the magnetic launch rail (exit only). The launch rail is the most interesting of the five, being able to use an electromagnetic field to fire out Zoids, land or aerial, at almost any speed they desire. However, for all its entrances and exits, the Hover Cargo lacks a repair bay. Pilots have the right environment to take the do-it-yourself approach, but the dedicated maintenance center doesn’t include heavy-duty repair equipment.

Conversion (Changing) Armor System:
The Hover Cargo doesn’t have a repair bay, but it does have a CAS. The CAS allows the Hover Cargo to swap modifications on and off of a Zoid its servicing even in the heat of battle. It allows the infamous armor swap to occur, allowing Zoids such as the Liger Zero and Berserk Führer to change clothes, as it were. Anyway, the CAS really allows any modification swap that a Zoid cares to make to be done in six seconds flat, and is quite useful in that respect.

Swimming:
That’s an overstatement. The Hover Cargo can crawl along the ocean bottom. It can go at a reduced speed of 100 kph, which still makes it reasonably fast. Note, however, that the crush depth of the Hover Cargo is two kilometers, and it has to move along the floor to move at all. On the plus side, the Hover Cargo is compartmentalized and can close bulkheads to seal off an area in case of a hull breach.

Heavy Anchors:
The legendary immovable object. If the fact that Hover Cargo weighs more than 800 tons isn’t enough for you, it also has a set of Heavy Anchors that can be used to make this Zoid really impossible to budge. They can be used as emergency brakes as well.

Name: Ice Blazer
Alignment: Guylos Empire
Family: Doberman
Registration Number: DPZ-21
Crew: 1
Height: 9.4 Meters
Length: 14.4 Meters
Weight: 64 Tons
Top Speed: 390 kph (boosters), 290 kph (boosterless)
Weapons: Twin AZ80mm Hyper Photon Cannons, 45mm Pulse Laser Cannon, Dual 60mm Beam Cannons & 30mm Laser Cannon, 30mm Laser Machinegun, Hardened Alloy Blades, Claws, and Teeth.
Special Abilities: 3D Doppler Radar, Reflective Metal Ice Armor.
Level: 4

The Ice Blazer is equipped with all ranged laser weapons as well as Reflective Metal Ice Armor, making it probably the least effective Zoid in its class to use against itself. Well, maybe not, but it’s up there. Anyway, the Ice Blazer is often referred to as the Guylos answer to the Hound Soldier. Though that analysis is technically incorrect, both the Ice Blazer and Hound Soldier are dog-typed. The Ice Blazer, as it so happens, if of the Doberman family. It’s heavily armed but with light armor, roughly the same as that of the Lightning Saix. Still, that same armor the the aforementioned Reflective Metal Ice Armor, which is great for fighting beam-weapon wielding opponents.

The Ice Blazer is also blazing fast. It’s capable of a full 390 kph with boosters engaged, but really only in a straight line. Don’t mistake the Ice Blazer for the Lightning Saix, because it really isn’t. At any the time the boosters are engaged, or even at high speeds when they’re not, the Ice Blazer really finds itself lacking in maneuverability. Speed it has, but agility it lacks.

Weapons:
Twin AZ80mm Hyper Photon Cannons:
Sounds impressive, doesn’t it? It’s really nowhere near as powerful as the name makes it seem. The Twin AZ80mm Hyper Photon Cannons are a pair of semiautomatic weapons mounted to the Ice Blazer’s back. The cannons are photon-based energy weapons that have unmatched penetration. That’s all there is to it. They have great penetration, but little else to boast. They’re really great for going through armor, but deal next to no surface damage. All of the damage is internal. Also, the weapons can incline up to 90 degrees up or down.

45mm Pulse Laser Cannon:
The Ice Blazer has a 45mm Pulse Laser Cannon mounted to its head to supplement the main guns. It’s fixed facing forwards, but points wherever the head does. Also, the cannon is fully capable of firing 12 rounds per second, so its actually reasonably powerful.

Dual 60mm Beam Cannons & 30mm Laser Cannon:
The Ice Blazer has a weapons pod mounted to either leg, where each pod consists of two guns. Those two guns are a 60mm Beam Cannon and a 30mm Laser Cannon, both of which are semiautomatic and able to pivot up to 45 degrees upwards. Otherwise, they’re just four standard cannons.

30mm Laser Machinegun:
Used for quite literally covering the Ice Blazer’s behind, the 30mm Laser Machinegun is a rear-facing fully automatic weapon. It can pivot up to 90 degrees upwards and 10 degrees to either side, and while not large in caliber, it can fire 30 shots a second. 30 per second. That’s enough to give some pursuers pause. It’s also a weapon that’s great for covering retreats (namely your retreat), because its pivoting ability means that it doesn’t only have to hit something directly behind you.

Hardened Alloy Blades, Claws, and Teeth:
The Ice Blazer has the usual array of melee weapons if it needs them. Claws and teeth are the standard stuff, sharpened and great for ripping and tearing. The Blades are a different beast altogether, great for slashing and cutting, or high-speed strafing. When not is use, they’re mounted to the back in a “V” shape, vaguely resembling a boomerang. However, when needed, they extend out to the sides and allow the Ice Blazer to slice and dice.

Special Abilities:
3D Doppler Radar:
The Ice Blazer possesses 3D Doppler Radar, which allows it to map out the terrain around it and find enemy Zoids more effectively. This system is reasonably basic, and doesn’t grant a targeting bonus. The sensors themselves are mounted in the Ice Blazer’s head, making them impossible to deactivate with destroying the cockpit. Which is, of course, illegal in sanctioned Zoid Battling. (All’s still fair in war, though.)

Reflective Metal Ice Armor:
The Ice Blazers armor coating might be thin, but it has one special quality: energy resistance. Being made out of Reflective Metal Ice, roughly 2/3s of the power of any energy attack (beam or laser included) is harmlessly refracted or dispersed, giving the Ice Blazer an extra edge in toughness. Charged particles are unaffected by the Metal Ice Armor.

Available Modifications:

Name: Iguan
Alignment: Zenebas and Guylos Empires
Family: Iguanodon
Registration Number: EZ-017
Crew: 1
Height: 8.2 Meters
Length: 10.4 Meters
Weight: 23.6 Tons
Top Speed: 200 kph
Weapons: Quad 20mm Beam Cannons, Dual 20mm Anti-Aircraft Cannons, Quad Proto-Impact Cannon, Hardened Alloy Crusher Claw.
Special Abilities: None.
Level: 1

The Iguan, little brother of the Heldigunner, was the standard infantry type Zoid of the Zenebas Empire, back in the day. Easy to use and even easier to produce, Iguans were once churned out by the bucketful and put on the frontlines as cannon fodder. They once operated alongside other Imperial small-scale Zoids like the Molga and Malder in a bid to wipe the Godos from the field of battle. Of course, the Iguan’s creation and introduction was just one step in an extremely long chain of new Zoids and new technology that made up the Republican-Imperial War.

The Iguan is lightly armored, hovering somewhere between the Guysack and the Rev Raptor in terms of toughness. However, it makes up for this with its personal firepower contribution, which actually fairly decent. The catch is that its most powerful weapon is the Quad Proto-Impact Cannon, usable only at short range. Despite this, the Iguan is reasonably powerful for a Zoid of its size.

Weapons:
Quad 20mm Beam Cannons:
The Iguan really doesn’t have a single primary ranged weapons, but has four of the same caliber spread around its body. There’s one on its head, one on its right arm, and one on either side of the tail. The head-mounted gun can pivot up to 30 degrees up or down. The tail-mounted guns must pivot together, but can pivot up to 45 degrees up or down. The one on the arm can’t pivot independently, but it’s essentially there instead of a hand, so it’s got a good range of motion. All of these four weapons are semiautomatic, and otherwise standard.

Dual 20mm Anti-Aircraft Cannons:
The Iguan has two 20mm Anti-Aircraft Cannons, curiously attached to the top of its tail. Although they rest on the tail, they can both pivot up to 90 degrees vertically, allowing them to fire at passing aircraft. Each shell explodes at a certain preset altitude (dialed in by the pilot from the cockpit) into a cloud of shrapnel, which can shred and tear wings. The fuses can be turned off, making them standard 20mm cannons, but they face only where the tail does.

Quad Proto-Impact Cannon:
Mounted and fixed to the Hardened Alloy Crusher Claw are a set of four prototype impact cannons. They’re extremely small, only AZ15mms, but otherwise operate in the exact same way you’d expect a normal semiautomatic Impact Cannon to. They’re powerful against other Zoids of the Iguan’s class, but are limited in range to 100 meters.

Hardened Alloy Crusher Claw:
The Iguan doesn’t have the standard melee equipment. Instead, it curiously has a single Crusher Claw on its left arm. This claw can’t pierce, tear, or rip, but instead simply applies pressure and crushes whatever it’s holding. However, the Crusher Claw can only hold an object 2 meters across or under, so it’s of limited and dubious usefulness. On the plus side, the pressure the claw applies is reasonable, and can even structurally damage Zoids significantly larger than the Iguan.

Available Modifications:

Name: Iron Kong
Alignment: Zenebas/Guylos Empires
Family: Gorilla
Registration Number: EZ-015
Crew: 1-2
Height: 17.7 Meters
Length: 11.5 Meters
Weight: 187 Tons
Top Speed: 150 kph
Weapons: 70mm Wrist Cannon, AZ Anti-Ground Missile Launcher, Ten-Shot GEP Pod, Hardened Alloy Fists.
Special Abilities: TVM Tactical Missile Launcher, Composite Sensory Unit, Arm Launcher Swap.
Level: 4

The Iron Kong is one of the old Imperial Commander’s Zoids, much like the Dark Horn or the Red Horn. Along with the usual Composite Sensory Unit, the Iron Kong has the advantage of a relatively humanoid form, thick armor, and a pair of powerful Tactical Missiles which can take out even the toughest of opponents. Aside from the superweapons slung across its back, the Iron Kong is decidedly well armed otherwise, and boasts an array of powerful conventional weapons as well. If you’re familiar with the Iron Kong’s smaller cousin, the Hammer Rock, then you know that the gorilla family is known for heavy armaments. And as far as weapons go, this Zoid sets the standards.

The Iron Kong isn’t necessarily very fast, either, but it is relatively high performance. The Iron Kong boasts surprisingly agility and maneuverability for its size, mainly thanks to its humanoid form. It should be noted, however, that the Iron Kong requires both arms to run or maneuver effectively, which seriously impairs or inhibits its ability to shoot its Wrist Cannon on the move. Also, the Iron Kong’s armor is comparable to that of the Dark Horn, making it tied for the title of toughest Zoid in its class. It should also be noted that the Iron Kong is effective in long ranged, medium ranged, and close range combat, making it rather versatile. However, its use of tactical missiles at long ranges makes it better for taking down slow moving Zoids, like the Gordos.

Weapons:
70mm Wrist Cannon:
The Iron Kong only has one reusable ranged weapon: a 70mm cannon built into its right wrist. While the weapon itself is pretty much standard, it comes with a list of advantages and disadvantages thanks to its location. The Iron Kong also requires its hands to run or walk, as well as to maneuver. While the Iron Kong is using one wrist to aim and shoot, both of those two abilities: walking and maneuvering, are severely inhibited. However, thanks to its positioning, the weapon can hit almost any target around the Iron Kong, because it can face anywhere the wrist can face.

AZ Anti-Ground Missile Launcher:
The is the default weapon to be mounted in the Iron Kong’s left shoulder. When this weapon is being used, the Iron Kong’s left shoulder plate slides back to reveal a tube, pointing straight up. It’s just an AZ Missile Launcher, capable of firing a single round. This round then arcs around and downwards and hits whatever its locked onto. However, the Iron Kong carries a full five reloads internally, and the reloading process is almost instantaneous (a bit under a second). The only downside is that each newly loaded missile has to lock onto its target separately, making for a slow firing rate. Also, this weapon can’t be dumbfired effectively unless the target is straight above you. These are AZ AGMs, meaning they can lock onto ground targets only, but have twice the standard damaging potential.

Ten-Shot GEP Pod:
This weapon can be mounted for use in the Iron Kong’s left shoulder, as an alternative to the AZ Anti-Ground Missile Launcher. When its deployed, the armor plate on the left shoulder slides back, and a pods pops up and out. The pod has two rows of five GEPs, or Guided Explosive Projectiles. These basically walk the line between missiles and rockets: they’re dumbfire only, but use a weak internal guidance system to improve accuracy. Practically speaking, they only improve the chance of the round to hit by 20% to 30%, but that can still be quite alot. However, they’re as powerful as a standard Anti-Ground Missile, and can be far more useful than their Missile Launcher counterpart. Their main advantage over the AZ AGMs is that all 10 can be fired at once (or at any rate, at the pilot’s discretion) allowing them to swarm and overwhelm anti-missile and point defenses. However, the Iron Kong carries no internal reloads for this weapon. Once they’re used up, you have to rearm at a transport to use them again.

Hardened Alloy Fists:
The Iron Kong possesses two incredibly strong and powerful fists, each capable of lifting 60 to 70 tons (120 to 140 tons together). While not useful for conventional slashing and tearing, they’re great for boxing and crushing, letting the Iron Kong fight almost like a human being would.

Special Abilities:
TVM Tactical Missile Launcher:
Occupying the Iron Kong’s right shoulder is a powerful TVM Tactical Missile Launcher, the ordnace it fires being officially classified as a superweapon. The Iron Kong must spend a full six seconds locking onto a single terrestrial target (or a set of coordinates) prior to firing the missile. The Iron Kong is unable to lock onto a target or a set of coordinates within 100 meters of itself as a failsafe. Note also that the Iron Kong can lock onto any target its Composite Sensory Unit can pinpoint or that it can see. If any one of its sensory mechanisms can detect the target, it can lock on, and the lock on time is unaffected by the number of mechanisms that can detect the target.

After one full round, the Iron Kong may launch its locked Tactical Missile. Unlike most missiles, the Tactical Missile does not fly straight at its target. Rather, it fires up from the Iron Kong’s back and uses a parabolic arc like a mortar or an artillery shell. However, because it is a missile, its range is exceptionally long -- anything the Iron Kong could even potentially see, the missile is long-ranged enough to hit. Anyway, the missile’s boosters and vectored thrusters allow it to continually update its flightpath to compensate for the movement of the target for a full three seconds, when the Tactical Missile runs out of fuel. (It will already be on its way down by this point.) From this point forward, the Tactical Missile is unguided, and will fall for between 1 second (excellent conditions) and 3 seconds (worst possible conditions). When it hits the ground, the warhead will detonate and create a massive 80-meter explosion. Though the very toughest of Zoids, such as the Gojulas, can survive this blast if relatively undamage, they will do so only barely. Lesser Zoids caught in the blast radius will surely CSF -- or worse. After the first Tactical Missile is launched, the Iron Kong has a single reload, and but it takes it a full six seconds to reload after the first is launched. The Iron Kong may not refresh its supply of Tactical Missiles while rearming in a sanctioned Zoid Battle. (In warfare, it depends entirely on whether or not the transport has them on hand.)

A few notes about the Tactical Missile before I finish. Firstly, due to absolute, ridiculous, and extreme danger to the pilot of the Iron Kong, the Iron Kong’s enemies are forbidden from shooting the Tactical Missile prior to its launch. (All’s still fair in war, but its very likely that only the fuel supply will detonate. Still, that can be lethal when the explosion is right behind the cockpit.) After launch, the Tactical Missile can be shot down, but doing is so is difficult at best. The Tactical Missile is covered by a medium-grade armor plate, and it takes several good hits to destroy it. More likely is that the shots will trigger the impact sensor and prematurely detonate the missile. Next, the Tactical Missile is TVM, meaning that it is guided by the Iron Kong and not internal guidance systems. (It was quite literally the Iron Kong locking onto the target, and not the missile.) However, the second Tactical Missile launched still requires a new lock. This systems does have distinct advantages, though. Firstly, ECM is ineffective against this superweapon. Secondly, Communications Jamming fails to destroy the link between the Iron Kong and the Tactical Missile, because they use several “unorthodox” communications methods. However, if the Iron Kong is CSFed or destroyed while the Tactical Missile is in the air, the weapon will become unguided. Lastly, it is possible to dumbfire Tactical Missiles, but attempting to do so is both foolhardy and extremely dangerous. Also, it is illegal to dumbfire Tactical Missiles in the first round of combat of a sanctioned Zoid battle. (Guided launch takes a full round to lock, and would hence be second round.)

Composite Sensory Unit:
Like the Dark Horn and many other Zoids, the Iron Kong possesses a Composite Sensory Unit that allows it use 3D Doppler Radar and IR scanning to track its opponents. The sensors themselves are located in the head, making the Composite Sensory Unit impossible to destroy without taking the cockpit with it. (This is obviously illegal in sanctioned Zoid Battling. In war, people tend to care less.) Also, this unit is unique in that its data can be transmitted to teammates, making the Iron Kong great for coordinating assaults.

Arm Launcher Swap:
The Iron Kong was originally designed to carry both a AZ Anti-Ground Missile Launcher an a 10-Shot GEP Pod, with one in each shoulder. However, design changes midway through the development phase introduced the Tactical Missile Launcher, which partially occupied the Iron Kong’s right shoulder, making it impossible to mount a weapon there. Therefore, the Iron Kong can have either of the two weapons in its left shoulder. The Iron Kong pilot selects one prior to the battle’s commencement, and that’s the one that’s used. (the AZ AGM Launcher is default). Note that even with a CAS, it’s impossible to change the choice mid-battle.

Available Modifications:

Name: Iron Kong Mk. II Limited (aka “Iron Kong Mk. II” or “the Mark II”)
Alignment: Zenebas/Guylos Empires
Family: Gorilla
Registration Number: EZ-038
Crew: 1-2
Height: 21.0 Meters
Length: 19.1 Meters
Weight: 209 Tons
Top Speed: 170 kph
Weapons: Imperial Hyper Beam Cannon, 70mm Wrist Cannon, Wrist Weapons Pod, AZ Anti-Ground Missile Launcher, Ten-Shot GEP Pod, Hardened Alloy Fists.
Special Abilities: TVM Tactical Missile Launcher, Composite Sensory Unit, Arm Launcher Swap, Maneuver Thruster Pack.
Level: 5 (Level 4 Upgrade)

The older brother of the Iron Kong is this Zoid: Iron Kong Mk. II Limited, but the “Limited” is often dropped for convenience. The Iron Kong Mk. II is yet another Zoid with a long and rich history in service to the Imperial Army. While the Iron Kong was often given to field Commanders and adept pilots, the Mk. II was granted only to colonels and division commanders. It’s easy to see why. The Mk. II in an improvement over the Iron Kong in almost every way: heavier guns, faster speed, heavier armor... the list goes on and on. The only drawback is that the Iron Kong Mk. II Limited has less potential for customization than the Mk I.

Anyway, now I’m sure you’ll want to hear a summary of those advantages. Well, alright. Firstly, to protect the high ranking officers it carried, the Iron Kong Mk. II was designed with much thicker armor than its predecessor. (The Mk. II’s armor is roughly on par with the Gojulas’.) Secondly, the upgraded Kong has been equipped with a Maneuver Thruster Pack and a higher top speed to help it get around. Thirdly, the Mk. II boasts a much heavier arsenal of weapons than the standard stock Iron Kong. And, of course, it still retains zee missiles if it has occasion to use them. All in all, the Iron Kong Mk. II is a very powerful Zoid with some useful pieces of equipment. However, it also comes with quite a price tag.

Weapons:
Imperial Hyper Beam Cannon:
If you needed a weapon to counter the Gojulas, what would it be? Actually, the answer to that question is “ a TVM Long-Range Tactical Missile”, but the Iron Kong already has that. What other weapon could you give a Zoid to counter armor of the Gojulas’ grade? Well, whether or not they were right, the Imperial techs added the Imperial Hyper Beam Cannon (IHBC) to the Mk. II’s right shoulder. It’s essentially a large-bore standard beam cannon with extra penetration thrown in, comparable to an AZ200mm cannon. However, the weapon is powerful but slow-firing: once per three seconds on average. It also faces basically whatever the Iron Kong faces, but can pivot up to 10 degrees in any direction. Note that it’s recommended that the Iron Kong not jump via the Maneuver Thruster Pack while using this weapon, as the kickback might have unforeseen effects.

70mm Wrist Cannon:
Though the weapon is a holdover from the Iron Kong Mk. I, the Mk. II has a semiautomatic 70mm cannon in its left wrist. While the weapon itself is pretty much standard, it comes with a list of advantages and disadvantages thanks to its location. The Iron Kong Mk. II also requires its hands to run or walk, as well as to maneuver. While the Iron Kong is using one wrist to aim and shoot, both of those two abilities: walking and maneuvering, are severely inhibited. (Maneuverability can be salvaged to some extent by the Thruster Pack.) However, thanks to its positioning, the weapon can hit almost any target around the Iron Kong Mk. II, because it can face anywhere the wrist can face.

Wrist Weapons Pod:
On the Iron Kong Mk. II’s right wrist is a weapons pod that has been grafted into the armor plate. The Weapons Pod consists of a pair of semiautomatic 105mm Cannons and a quartet of multipurpose missiles. The missiles, like all multipurposes, can lock onto either land or aerial targets, but take 1.5 times as long as a standard anti-ground missile to do either. While the pod itself is pretty straight forward, its positioning complicates things. Like the Wrist Cannon, using the weapon impairs movement. However, the positioning of the weapon gives it a great range of motion.

AZ Anti-Ground Missile Launcher:
The is the default weapon to be mounted in the Iron Kong Mk. II’s left shoulder. When this weapon is being used, the Kong’s left shoulder plate slides back to reveal a tube, pointing straight up. It’s just an AZ Missile Launcher, capable of firing a single round. This round then arcs around and downwards and hits whatever its locked onto. However, the Iron Kong Mk. II carries a full five reloads internally, and the reloading process is almost instantaneous (a bit under a second). The only downside is that each newly loaded missile has to lock onto its target separately, making for a slow firing rate. Also, this weapon can’t be dumbfired effectively unless the target is straight above you. These are AZ AGMs, meaning they can lock onto ground targets only, but have twice the standard damaging potential.

Ten-Shot GEP Pod:
This weapon can be mounted for use in the Kong’s left shoulder, as an alternative to the AZ Anti-Ground Missile Launcher. When its deployed, the armor plate on the left shoulder slides back, and a pods pops up and out. The pod has two rows of five GEPs, or Guided Explosive Projectiles. These basically walk the line between missiles and rockets: they’re dumbfire only, but use a weak internal guidance system to improve accuracy. Practically speaking, they only improve the chance of the round to hit by 20% to 30%, but that can still be quite alot. However, they’re as powerful as a standard Anti-Ground Missile, and can be far more useful than their Missile Launcher counterpart. Their main advantage over the AZ AGMs is that all 10 can be fired at once (or at any rate, at the pilot’s discretion) allowing them to swarm and overwhelm anti-missile and point defenses. However, the Iron Kong Mk. II Limited carries no internal reloads for this weapon. Once they’re used up, you have to rearm at a transport to use them again.

Hardened Alloy Fists:
The Iron Kong Mk. II Limited possesses two incredibly strong and powerful fists, each capable of lifting 90 to 100 tons (180 to 200 tons together). As such, they’re even powerful than the standard Iron Kong’s and very dangerous tools. While not useful for conventional slashing and tearing, they’re great for boxing and crushing, letting the Iron Kong fight almost like a human being would.

Special Abilities:

TVM Tactical Missile Launcher:
Occupying the Iron Kong Mk. II Limited’s right shoulder, next to the Hyper Beam Cannon, is a powerful TVM Tactical Missile Launcher, the ordnace it fires being officially classified as a superweapon. The Iron Kong Mk. II must spend a full six seconds locking onto a single terrestrial target (or a set of coordinates) prior to firing the missile. The Iron Kong Mk. II is unable to lock onto a target or a set of coordinates within 100 meters of itself as a failsafe. Note also that the Iron Kong can lock onto any target its Composite Sensory Unit can pinpoint or that it can see. If any one of its sensory mechanisms can detect the target, it can lock on, and the lock on time is unaffected by the number of mechanisms that can detect the target.

After one full round, the Iron Kong Mk. II may launch its locked Tactical Missile. Unlike most missiles, the Tactical Missile does not fly straight at its target. Rather, it fires up from the Iron Kong Mk. II’s back and uses a parabolic arc like a mortar or an artillery shell. However, because it is a missile, its range is exceptionally long -- anything the Iron Kong Mk. II could even potentially see, the missile is long-ranged enough to hit. Anyway, the missile’s boosters and vectored thrusters allow it to continually update its flightpath to compensate for the movement of the target for a full three seconds, when the Tactical Missile runs out of fuel. (It will already be on its way down by this point.) From this point forward, the Tactical Missile is unguided, and will fall for between 1 second (excellent conditions) and 3 seconds (worst possible conditions). When it hits the ground, the warhead will detonate and create a massive 80-meter explosion. Though the very toughest of Zoids, such as the Gojulas, can survive this blast if relatively undamage, they will do so only barely. Lesser Zoids caught in the blast radius will surely CSF -- or worse. After the first Tactical Missile is launched, the Iron Kong Mk. II has a single reload, and but it takes it a full six seconds to reload after the first is launched. The Iron Kong Mk. II may not refresh its supply of Tactical Missiles while rearming in a sanctioned Zoid Battle. (In warfare, it depends entirely on whether or not the transport has them on hand.)

A few notes about the Tactical Missile before I finish. Firstly, due to absolute, ridiculous, and extreme danger to the pilot of the Iron Kong, the Mk. II’s enemies are forbidden from shooting the Tactical Missile prior to its launch. (All’s still fair in war, but its very likely that only the fuel supply will detonate. Still, that can be lethal when the explosion is right behind the cockpit.) After launch, the Tactical Missile can be shot down, but doing is so is difficult at best. The Tactical Missile is covered by a medium-grade armor plate, and it takes several good hits to destroy it. More likely is that the shots will trigger the impact sensor and prematurely detonate the missile. Next, the Tactical Missile is TVM, meaning that it is guided by the Iron Kong Mk. II and not internal guidance systems. (It was quite literally the Iron Kong Mk. II Limited locking onto the target, and not the missile.) However, the second Tactical Missile launched still requires a new lock. This systems does have distinct advantages, though. Firstly, ECM is ineffective against this superweapon. Secondly, Communications Jamming fails to destroy the link between the Iron Kong and the Tactical Missile, because they use several “unorthodox” communications methods. However, if the Mk. II is CSFed or destroyed while the Tactical Missile is in the air, the weapon will become unguided. Lastly, it is possible to dumbfire Tactical Missiles, but attempting to do so is both foolhardy and extremely dangerous. Also, it is illegal to dumbfire Tactical Missiles in the first round of combat of a sanctioned Zoid battle. (Guided launch takes a full round to lock, and would hence be second round.)

Composite Sensory Unit:
Like the Dark Horn and many other Zoids, the Iron Kong possesses a Composite Sensory Unit that allows it use 3D Doppler Radar and IR scanning to track its opponents. The sensors themselves are located in the head, making the Composite Sensory Unit impossible to destroy without taking the cockpit with it. (This is obviously illegal in sanctioned Zoid Battling. In war, people tend to care less.) Also, this unit is unique in that its data can be transmitted to teammates, making the Iron Kong great for coordinating assaults.

Arm Launcher Swap:
The Iron Kong was unable to carry both of its two available shoulder-mounted weapons because of the Tactical Missile Launcher. However, the Iron Kong Mk. II Limited was originally designed to be an improved version of the Iron Kong and carry both a AZ Anti-Ground Missile Launcher an a 10-Shot GEP Pod, with one in each shoulder. However, design changes midway through the development phase introduced the Imperial Hyper Beam Cannon, which occupied the Iron Kong’s right shoulder, making it impossible to mount a weapon there. Therefore, the Iron Kong can have either of the two weapons in its left shoulder. The Iron Kong pilot selects one prior to the battle’s commencement, and that’s the one that’s used. (the AZ AGM Launcher is default). Note that even with a CAS, it’s impossible to change the choice mid-battle.

Maneuver Thruster Pack:
The Iron Kong Mk. II comes with a Maneuver Thruster Pack built into its back, around the Tactical Missiles, which improves its top speed, agility, and jumping ability. Note that they’re omnidirectional, and able to pivot to face the Iron Kong Mk. II itself, which would damage it. Therefore, while this is a useful piece of equipment, it can also be dangerous, especially because of its positioning next to the ballistic missiles.

Available Modifications:

Name: King Baron
Alignment: Helic Republic
Family: Lion
Registration Number: RPZ-20
Crew: 1-2
Height: 8.6 Meters
Length: 19.8 Meters
Weight: 73 Tons
Top Speed: 270 kph
Weapons: Triple AMD 30mm Laser Machineguns, Twin Triple 30mm Laser Machineguns, Quad 20mm Laser Repeaters, Triple 50mm Beam Rifles, 20mm Beam Cannon, Twin 4-Shot Missile Pods, 30mm Beam Cannon, Quad Laser Blades, Hardened Alloy Claws and Teeth.
Special Abilities: E-Shield, Improved IR Sensors.
Level: 5

One thing about the King Baron you may notice is that it seems to have simply too many guns to be allowed. It’s extremely heavily armed for a Zoid of its size and speed, possessing both melee and ranged weaponry more than capable of downing most opponents. This isn’t surprising, given that it was originally built by the Helic Republic as a high-end Zoid for use in combat in multiple terrains and situations. It also happens to be a precursor to the Liger family, being a unique Lion-typed Zoid.

As such, the King Baron has many of the key attributes and signature quirks of the Liger family. Among them is a reasonably high top speed -- 270 kilometers per hour. It also features a set of four laser blades and an E-Shield, both of which are easily recognizable as Liger traits. Aside from that, the King Baron is simply an overall sturdy and high performance Zoid. It handles like a lesser Liger, and has armor as tough as that of the Red Horn.

Weapons:
Triple AMD 30mm Laser Machineguns:
While the King Baron doesn’t have any “main guns”, this seemed like a good place to start. The King Baron has three Anti-Missile Defense Laser Machineguns, all fixed facing forwards. Two of them are located on the top of the King Baron’s head, and the third is on the Zoid’s chest. They all fire at a fully automatic rate of 12 shots per second, and feature a naturally increased spread which allows them to shoot down missiles more effectively. They can be used as normal weapons as well, but not as easily.

Twin Triple 30mm Laser Machineguns:
Located on either side of the chest is a set of 3 30mm Laser Machineguns, for a total of six. They’re all fully automatic, and can each put out roughly 15 rounds per second. Given that that’s 90 rounds per second between them, these are not weapons to be underestimated. However, none of the six weapons can pivot independently.

Quad 20mm Laser Repeaters:
The King Baron has a pair of 20mm Laser Repeaters on either side of its head, for a total of four. Each of the four weapons can fire roughly 12 shots per second, and are more or less standard repeaters. They can’t pivot independently, though.

Triple 50mm Beam Rifles:
The King Baron has a grand total of three 50mm Beam Rifles: 1 on either shoulder, and 1 in the center of chest. All of the cannons can fire roughly 3 shots per second, but all are fixed facing forwards.

20mm Beam Cannon:
The King Baron has a 20mm Beam Cannon in the center of its chest, which fires roughly 5 shots every second. It’s just to complement the rest of the arsenal, and its nothing really special. It’s fixed facing forward too.

Twin 4-Shot Missile Pods:
The King Baron has a 4-Shot Missile Pod on either side of its body. The great thing about these is that each cover one hemisphere of the King Baron, meaning that between them, one can always lock onto the target. The downside is, both can never lock onto the same target at the same time, meaning that the King Baron would have to turn and relock on to fire the other 4-Shot Missile Pod. However, they can lock onto to a target not in their direct line of sight, and then arc around and hit it. They’re standard Anti-Ground Missiles otherwise.

30mm Beam Cannon:
The King Baron has a rear-facing fully automatic 30mm Beam Cannon mounted on its tail. Though its rather impotent as a gun to cover the rear flank, it’s meant to be supplemented by missile fire. The weapon itself spews out only 3 shots per second, and is relatively inaccurate while the King Baron is on the move.

Quad Laser Blades:
The King Baron is a little odd in that it has a set of four Laser Blades: one on either side of the back of the neck and one on either side of the main body. While they can be charged to drastically increase cutting power, a Blade Liger’s blades they’re not. They’re only 4 meters long, barely extending off the body enough to be used safely, much less effectively. However, in terms of cutting power, they’re only a step below the Blade Liger’s Laser Blades, and can sometimes be an effective melee weapon.

Hardened Alloy Claws and Teeth:
In the extremely likely event that the Laser Blades have failed it, the King Baron has the standard melee weapons: sharpened claws and razor-like teeth. Great for ripping and tearing, and generally for fighting an opponent in melee. Though the King Baron is a lightweight -- lighter than the Blade Liger, in fact -- its still reasonably strong and can use its melee weapons effectively.

Special Abilities:
E-Shield:
The King Baron has quite an arsenal of weapons, but most are low caliber. Its armor might be tough, but is still relatively light for a Zoid of its class. So, the King Baron was also granted the standard omnidirectional E-Shield, created by emitters on each of the Baron’s legs. The E-Shield is roughly as powerful as that of the Blade Liger, because (as we know with E-Shields) one strength tends to fit all.

Improved IR Sensors:
The King Baron has improved IR Sensors, which are better than the standard Infrared Sensors, but still work off of the same principles. They track enemies via their heat signatures, but the advantage of the King Baron’s sensors are counter-suppression equipment. Coolant systems tend not to work as well against these, though dedicated IR Suppression is still extremely effective against them. Still, even against IR Suppressed Zoids, the King Baron can sometimes find an outline or a slightly discolored spot on its scanners, allowing it to track them somewhat. Also, the sensory equipment is located in the King Baron’s head, meaning that it’s near impossible to destroy without destroying the cockpit.

Available Modifications:

Name: King Gojulas
Alignment: Helic Republic
Family: Tyrannosaurus
Registration Number: RZ-666
Crew: 1
Height: 26.6 Meters
Length: 36 Meters
Weight: 510 Tons
Top Speed: 140 kph
Weapons: King’s Vulcan, Dual 160mm Gatling Mortar Launchers, Laser Horn, Hardened Alloy Claws and Teeth.
Special Abilities: Royal Decree, 3D Doppler Radar.
Level: Zoid X

Make way for the King! King Gojulas, that is. The King Gojulas is one of the most recent ZXes to ever make its way onto the field of battle, and certainly of the fiercest. At a whopping 510 tons, the King Gojulas is easily the heaviest Zoid among the ranks of the Zoid Xs, and easily outweighs two of its smaller standard Gojulas cousins together. Alright, so you get the picture. It’s heavy. Big deal. As a matter fact, you might even be thinking that that’s a disadvantage, because it makes the King Gojulas clunky and difficult to maneuver in. You’d be absolutely correct, but don’t the King out yet.

The King Gojulas was originally developed as a synthesis of cutting edge Helic Republic technology and an ancient Zoidian design. The initial projections of its power placed it as slightly more combat effective than the Gojulas. The original Helic plan was to slowly phase out the Gojulas and slowly phase in the King Gojulas. However, the construction of the first prototype proved extremely costly, due to the King Gojulas’ large size and need for an oversized Zoid Core. In addition some of the ancient Zoidian technology the design incorporated proved extremely difficult to synthesize, and the Helic Republic sighed. Still, they continued to produce a prototype.

When the King Gojulas prototype was finished, it certainly looked worth the cost. Towering above other Zoids at a mighty 26.6 meters, and with a massive tri-barreled 200mm Vulcan Gun, the King Gojulas certainly looked more powerful than the Gojulas. During the first weapons test, the Republican techs wanted to confirm the functionality of the 200mm Vulcan Gun. It was fully automatic, but prior to live fire testing, the weapon’s rate of fire was only estimated to be 4-5 rounds a second. There was an expensive and power-consuming Ancient Zoidian device integrated with the weapon that seemed like it was designed to increase that rate of fire, but the piece of equipment had had no effect during the unloaded testing. Anyway, the King Gojulas faced the armor plate is was supposed to be shooting at, and the pilot pulled the trigger. The armor plate, the armor plate behind that, and the 700mm thick steel armor-plated wall behind that all disintegrated. The techs drooled.

As time went on, more and more advantages to the King Gojulas were uncovered, and more and more reasons to deploy them were found. For one, the King Gojulas has essentially unmatched firepower in its stock form, but it can also mount the Twin Republican Super Cannons on top of that. Second is that the Zoid’s armor stress testing revealed it to be the thickest of any Zoid, Zoid X, or even Ultimate X. It was quite plainly the best armor, fit for a King. Also, the King Gojulas was, in the utmost secret, deployed to a battlefield. It single-handedly wiped out an entire enemy armored division. The Helic Republic began secretly building up an entire force of King Gojuli -- almost two dozen.

After almost a year of blood, sweat, and tears, the Helic Republic had finally built up their elite fighting force. This time, every man and woman privy to the secret weapon of the Republic, the King Gojulas, could feel victory in their bones. The plan was to rally the Ultrasaurus, remaining Mad Thunder units, and other Zoid Xs. Then, using unmatchable firepower, Helic forces would blitz the Guylos capital, take the city, and end the war. However, before the plan could be executed, peace unexpectedly broke out across Zi. With no need for weapons such as the King Gojulas, many of the Zoids were disbanded. However, at least half of the original force has survived to this very day, and the Kings of a Republic were scattered across Zi. Some have found their way into private hands, and others have fallen to world militaries. But, whoever the owner and wherever the Zoid, the reason that for the King Gojulas’ registration number of 666 is still remembered. The King Gojulas is still universally recognized as a symbol of both power and total warfare.

Weapons:
King’s Vulcan:
Displayed prominently in the center of the King Gojulas’ chest is a three-barreled 200mm Vulcan. Though the original design of the King Gojulas called for a rather odd mix of three cannons -- each barrel having a different attack and function -- the weapon was too advanced for the Helic Republic or any modern government to replicate. Anyway, the King’s Vulcan puts out a full 60 rounds each second, thanks to the Ancient Zoidian firing-rate augmentation device. However, the device partially uses the kickback and energy from each previous shell to fire the next, so the King’s Vulcan looses 20 rounds/second firing rate for each barrel that’s destroyed. Obviously, since its a 200mm Vulcan with a ridiculously high rate of fire, the King’s Vulcan can easily destroy even the toughest of conventional opponents or production Zoids in a matter or seconds.

Dual 160mm Gatling Mortar Launcher:
Two. 160mm. Fully Automatic. Gatling Mortar Launchers. On either side of the King Gojulas’ chest is a two-barreled Gatling Mortar Launcher, fully capable of firing four 160mm mortars per second each. Each mortar has a 30 meter explosive radius, and is fully capable of badly damaging smaller Zoids. Even larger ones will begin to buckle after just a few hits.

Laser Horn:
On the top of the King Gojulas’s head is a large, dangerous-looking chargeable Laser Horn. It can cut through armor like butter, and is great for mauling, but hard to use practically because of the King Gojulas’ massive height. It can, however, be used slightly more effectively is the target is brought to it.

Hardened Alloy Claws and Teeth:
The King Gojulas boasts an array of other melee weapons which it can use to dominate the close-quarters world. Firstly, it has two positively massive claws, which are not only sharpened and pointy, but can also lift 190-200 tons each. (380-400 tons total). That’s essentially enough to lift any other Zoid, and crush many of them in one hand. The teeth are more than capable of chewing up any production Zoid and spitting it out. Just remember not to use Royal Decree with your mouth full. T’would be unbecoming of a King, and probably wreck the mouth in the process.

Special Abilities:
Royal Decree:
The King Gojulas, being royalty, can use the sound blasters in its mouth to issue a royal decree. While none of the King’s words are actually comprehensible (always coming out as an earth-shattering roar), they do create a massive shockwave that damages everything surrounding it. This strength of the Royal Decree itself is comparable to or slightly stronger than the shockwave created by a Charged Particle Gun, but has the advantage of being an omnidirectional expanding sphere. Any Zoid within 100 meters of the King Gojulas will almost certainly be toppled over or sent flying -- as a general rule, only the extremely heavy standard Gojulas and similarly weighted Zoids can stay standing during the blast. Furthermore, the sheer power of the shockwave acts vaguely like an EMP, and also quite simply scares the hell out of any Zoid that hears it. Any non-Zoid X or Ultimate X will be stunned for 2-3 seconds. Any missile or explosive projectile within the radius of decree will be prematurely detonated, and any bullets fired into the radius will be knocked from the sky. Also, the same will happen to any low-flying aircraft unfortunate enough to venture close. Burrowed Zoids nearby may experience cave-ins and/or crushing or limbs due to seismic movements. Any aquatic Zoids unfortunate enough to be submerged within the radius will experience tidal wave or tsunami-like effects as well, and may sink. Note that the King Gojulas can only give a decree while standing still, and is limited to one use of the weapon per battle by sanctioned Zoid Battling regulations. In open warfare, the ability can be used once every two rounds.

3D Doppler Radar:
The King Gojulas possesses 3D Doppler Radar, which allows it to map out the terrain around it and find and crush Zoids more effectively. This system is reasonably basic, and doesn’t grant a targeting bonus. The sensors themselves are actually the spines on the back of the King Gojulas’ back, which are almost impossible to remove.

Available Modifications:

Name: King Liger
Alignment: Helic Republic
Family: Tyrannosaurus
Registration Number: RPZ-15
Crew: 1
Height: 7.9 Meters
Length:19.8 Meters
Weight: 69 Tons
Top Speed: 280 kph
Weapons: Twin Triple 30mm Laser Machineguns, Quad Laser Blades, Hardened Alloy Claws, Teeth, and Tail Blades.
Special Abilities: Improved IR Sensors, Leg Stabilizers, Gas Dischargers.
Level: 3

The King Liger was a Zoid originally built by the Helic Republic for arctic combat in the cold environment of Nyx. While the Republic had never really visited the Dark Continent before, they created a Zoid that worked exceptionally well in the hostile climate. The King Liger, one of the results of Helic labors, can operate at full performance in mud, snow, ice, or solid ground. And, if you were wondering what that performance is like, the King Liger handles like is close cousin, the Shield Liger.

Given that it was mainly used as a force scout used in only the lightest of assault operations, the King Liger is what some might refer to as “lightly armed”. This is only somewhat the case: the Zoid boasts no fewer than six forward-facing fully automatic Laser Machineguns, as well as four powerful Laser Blades. However, the King Liger’s armor is light for its class, only a bit tougher than that found on the Command Wolf.

Weapons:
Twin Triple 30mm Laser Machineguns:
At a glance, the King Liger appears to have two large cannons on either side of its head. On closer inspection, it becomes apparent that each of the two cannons is actually a set of three -- making for a total of six 30mm Laser Machinegun. Though each weapon is fixed in place, each of the machineguns can put out a 10 shots a second, for a grand total of 60 shots/second between them. Unfortunately for the King Liger, these are its only ranged weapons, but they certainly are powerful ones.

Quad Laser Blades:
There are a two pairs of Laser Blades on the King Liger: one on either side of the neck and one on either side of the region where the back meets the neck. Though they’re a bit short compared with other Laser Blades, being only 5 meters long, they can be charged just as much as a Blade Liger’s blades. Still, they’re barely long enough to be used safely, much less effectively.

Hardened Alloy Claws, Teeth, and Tail Blades:
If and when the King Liger’s laser blades fail to down its opponent, the Zoid has an array of other weapons at its disposal. Among these are sharpened teeth and claws, which are great for ripping and shredding, and a V-shaped pair of blades on the King Liger’s tail. Those said blades are only two meters long each, but can actually also be used for limited slashing and cutting.

Special Abilities:
Improved IR Sensors:
The King Liger has improved IR Sensors, which are better than the standard Infrared Sensors, but still work off of the same principles. They track enemies via their heat signatures, but the advantage of the King Liger’s sensors are counter-suppression equipment. Coolant systems tend not to work as well against these, though dedicated IR Suppression is still extremely effective against them. Still, even against IR Suppressed Zoids, the King Liger can sometimes find an outline or a slightly discolored spot on its scanners, allowing it to track them somewhat. Also, the sensory equipment is located in the King Liger’s head, meaning that it’s near impossible to destroy without destroying the cockpit.

Leg Stabilizers:
The King Liger had a few design requirements it needed to meet before entering production and one of those was to be able to fight on snow or thick ice. Therefore, along with being able to fight at full performance at 20 degrees below, the King Liger has the ability to fight in almost any terrain, no matter how slippery. The secret is in the leg stabilizers it has mounted to each of its four appendages, which use a number of tricks to keep it adhered to the surface its standing on. While not capable of locking down, like footlocks or leg anchors, the stabilizers are always active and can be used on the run. It’s very unusual to see a King Liger trip and fall, to say the least.

Gas Dischargers:
The King Liger has a set of two pipes on either side of its rear, all of which have the primary function of being gas dischargers. Firstly, they’re able to briefly increase the King Liger’s speed to 300 kph for a period not exceeding 3 seconds. Secondly, while providing that boost, they emit a gas which can partially obscure the King Liger visually, and jam sensors and other electronics. (Missiles also loose lock.) Any Zoid caught within the gas cloud will have its sensors and other electronic tracking mechanisms jammed for as long as the dischargers are discharging. Other electronic gizmos, such as Optic Stealth Shields, also tend to be temporarily deactivated by the gas.

Available Modifications:

Name: König Wolf
Alignment: Helic Republic
Family: Wolf
Registration Number: RZ-053
Crew: 1
Height: 8.64 Meters
Length: 21.24 Meters
Weight: 90.5 Tons
Top Speed: 290 kph
Weapons: Electron Bite Fangs and Strike Claws.
Special Abilities: Multi-Discharger, König Goggles.
Level: 4

The König Wolf is a Wolf-typed Zoid based essentially entirely off of a rare formerly wild European Zoid. These unnamed wild Zoids were retrofitted only very slightly and entered into the service of the Helic Republic. Despite being apparently completely lacking ranged weapons, the König Wolf is among the most dangerous Zoids of its class because of its high performance. And when I said high, I didn’t mean some kind of around-the-Blade Liger-grade thing. The König Wolf is the only production Zoid of its or any other class to have performance comparable to that of the Liger Zero. Yes, agility and maneuverability comparable to that of the Liger Zero.

While the König Wolf is virtually unarmed in its stock form, it can still do things that other Zoids of its class can only dream of. It’s also among the most customizable Zoids around, able to mount a plethora of weapons that even the Shadow Fox can’t match. However, despite being dedicated melee in its stock form, the König Wolf has only light armor to rely on until it reaches its target. (Armor is roughly on par with the Shadow Fox.) Also, the König Wolf has a disturbing tendency to overheat if its not equipped with additional cooling mechanisms and too many of its weapons are overused.

Weapons:
Electron Bite Fangs and Strike Claws:
In its stock form, the König Wolf’s only weapons are melee weapons. They’re just a little better than standard close-quarters equipment. The König Wolf’s fangs -- that is, teeth -- and front claws can siphon to energy from the Zoid Core to pseudo-charge themselves, increasing their cutting power almost as much as if they’d been charged with a system similar to the Strike Laser Claw. This makes the jaws excellent for downing an opponent quickly in melee combat; attempting to bite through the enemy Zoid Control Conduit is an old favorite of soldiers. The claws are also excellent for ripping, tearing, and slashing. Continued pressure from either or both system can shred armor and structure effectively. However, the König Wolf generates a great deal of heat, which increases the longer its teeth or either or both of its claws remain charged. Therefore, the pilot should be cautious not to overuse the systems or risk internal damage.

Special Abilities:
Multi-Discharger:
The König Wolf has a pair of pipes on its backside, which are actually multidischargers. For somewhere between one and two seconds, the Discharger can increase the König Wolf’s top speed to 310 kph, by acting like a booster and emitting superheated gases from both pipes. This is excellent for short maneuvers, rams, jumps, and other antics. However, the Dischargers may only be used once per round. Also, this is their only stock function. While they’re called “Multi” (short for multipurpose), other functions are available only as modifications.

König Goggles:
The König Wolf literally has a set of goggles over its head, which can slide down and serve a number of different functions. This ability can be activated whenever the pilot wishes, and is unrestricted. While the König Goggles only have 2 available modes in stock König Wolf, other modes can be made available via internal upgrades and modifications. Also note that the sensory equipment used by the Goggles is located inside the Goggles, which are located on the head. This makes it extremely hard to disable them without endangering the cockpit.

Low-Light Nightvision:
The König Goggles have an available Low-Light Nightvision mode, which allows the pilot and Zoid to see clear as day in the dead of night. However, everything appears in a combination of grayscale and rather vivid neon green, which can be disorienting. Furthermore, every normal light, like a flashlight beam, appear extremely bright through nightvision goggles. These lights and brighter can appear blinding in Nightvision, making it a potential weakness.

Precision Targeting Scope:
The Precision Targeting Scope is the only mode of the König Goggles that can be used with any other mode. It simply allows the König Wolf to zoom in on any target with sniper-like precision, sometimes aiding aim and allowing it to sometimes use its weapons for surgical strikes on enemy targets. As mentioned earlier, if there’s another mode active on the König Goggles, the zooming function can and will operate in that mode. The Precision Targeting Scope can be used on its own, to zoom in using nothing but good old fashioned visuals.

Available Modifications:

Name: Liger Zero
Alignment: Helic Republic
Family: Liger
Registration Number: RZ-041
Crew: 1
Height: 8.3 Meters
Length: 22.4 Meters
Weight: 85 Tons
Top Speed: 307 kph
Weapons: Hardened Alloy Claws and Teeth.
Special Abilities: Organoid System.
Level: Ultimate X

The Liger Zero was once the pride and joy of the Helic Republic, among the first Ultimate Xs to walk onto the field of battle. Even in its unarmored or “naked” form, the Liger Zero has unmatched maneuverability, agility, and responsiveness, far outstripping any other production Zoid (except the Konig Wolf) or other Zoid X. Therefore, the Liger Zero, while not possessive of any ranged weapons or chargeable melee weapons in its stock form, is still a very dangerous opponent. Furthermore, the Liger Zero possesses a powerful Organoid System that supplements the pilot’s own abilities and grants the Liger Zero the impressive and rare title of Ultimate X.

Also, while this Liger might lack ranged and melee weapons in the beginning, it can have them aplenty if it chooses. You see, the Liger Zero is compatible with the Conversion/Changing Armor System which allows to utilize other powerful modes and armors. While the Helic Republic originally only equipped it with a standard, rather mundane white CAS armor, the brilliant (if somewhat odd) Dr. Steven Toros and other engineers have developed a plethora of other armors for the Liger Zero to use. As a result, it can adapt to almost any situation.

The Liger Zero has recently been popularized by its use by the quasi-legendary pilot Bit Cloud. However, there are several other Liger Zeroes that have been discovered, excavated, and put into service of various individuals and militaries around Zi. However, in their stock form, Liger Zeroes are only armored around the chest and head regions -- the rest is totally exposed. Its armors, including the standard armor, must be purchased separately of the the Zoid. It should also be noted that the Liger Zero is often referred to or regarded as the arch-rival of the Berserk Führer, one of the only other Ultimate X designs in existence.

Weapons:
Hardened Alloy Claws and Teeth:
All the Liger Zero starts with are the basics: claws and teeth. They’re sharp and pointy, great for slashing, tearing, ripping, and biting. Obviously, they’re only useful in melee and close quarters, but the Liger Zero is much stronger than either weight or size would imply. As such, even with only these melee weapons, the Liger Zero can be quite a dangerous opponent.

Special Abilities:
Organoid System:
The Organoid System bonded onto the core of the Liger Zero allows it to learn and develop, making the Zoid more intelligent with each battle. The Organoid System can operate independently, but it usually serves to supplement a pilots own skills, increasing the Zoid’s overall performance. Note that the effects of the Organoid System increase with experience.

The other function of the Organoid System is less impressive, but still quite useful. The organoid which was originally bonded onto the core still possesses its Core Tracking sensors, which now interface with the Liger itself. Needless to say, this allows the Liger Zero to track almost any target, regardless of how well it hides itself.

Available Modifications:

Name: Lightning Saix
Alignment: Guylos Empire
Family: Cheetah
Registration Number: EZ-035
Crew: 1
Height: 8.3 Meters
Length: 18.4 Meters
Weight: 65 Tons
Top Speed: 325 kph
Weapons: Twin Lightning Vulcan Guns, Twin 30mm Pulse Laser Rifles, Hardened Alloy Claws and Teeth.
Special Abilities: IR Suppression.
Level: 4

The Lightning Saix is one of the most famous Zoids on the face of Zi, having originally been developed and used by the Guardian Force to fight the Death Stinger and other opponents. Ever since, through the collapse of empires and the rise of worldwide government, the Lightning Saix has remained a popular choice among both pilots and soldiers. As many can tell just by looking at this Zoid, its main strength is speed and agility. The Lightning Saix design is based on the standard mammalian cheetah, and, as such, actually looks sleek.

To start by debunking a myth, the Lightning Saix is not the fastest Zoid there is. 325 kph is impressive, but still barely anything compared to the Ice Blazer’s top speed of 390 kph. However, the Lightning Saix is the most maneuverable Zoid there is at high speeds, easily topping even the Blade Liger’s agility and performance. At lower speeds, the Lightning Saix is second only to the König Wolf.

Unfortunately for the Lightning Saix, it’s armor isn’t the best: a step below that of the Shadow Fox. However, the Lightning Saix has a fair assortment or ranged and melee weaponry, and can outrun, dodge, or sidestep most things that would deal damage to it.

Weapons:
Twin Lightning Vulcan Cannons:
The Lightning Saix has a pair of large cannons mounted to its back, which serve as its main weapons. Both cannons are reasonably high caliber -- 100mm -- and fire quicker than your standard semiautomatic weapon. Each generally puts out 2-3 shells a second, giving the Lightning Saix some capacity to deal with even larger enemies. However, the weapons can only pivot 5 degrees to either side or 10 degrees up, meaning that their mobility is extremely limited.

Twin 30mm Pulse Laser Rifles:
Located more or less between the eyes on the Lightning Saix are a pair of 30mm Pulse Laser Rifles. Each of two 30mm cannons fires roughly 12 shots per second, and is incapable of independent pivoting. However, they can point wherever the head can, which gives them a much better range of motion and fire than the Twin Lightning Vulcan Cannons.

Hardened Alloy Claws and Teeth:
The Lightning Saix starts with all the basics: claws and teeth. They’re sharp and pointy, great for slashing, tearing, ripping, and biting. Obviously, they’re only useful in melee and close quarters, but the Lightning Saix is extremely muscular and much stronger than either weight or size would imply.

Special Abilities:
IR Suppression:
The Lightning Saix’s lone special ability is dedicated Infrared Suppression, which it much harder for missiles and like to lock onto it. Though the missiles still have visuals, the Lightning Saix’s fast speed and high performance also allow it to dodge and evade missiles with some fancy footwork. Also, IR Suppression makes the Lightning Saix essentially impossible to find using IR Sensors, which can be extremely helpful at times.

Available Modifications:

Name: Mad Thunder (aka “Madthunder”)
Alignment: Helic Republic
Family: Triceratops
Registration Number: RZ-055
Height: 16.6 Meters
Length: 41.8 Meters
Weight: 585 Tons
Top Speed: 100 kph
Weapons: Quad Republican Super Cannons, Triple Thunder Impact Cannons, Dual Large-Bore Beam Cannons, High-Power Shotgun Array, Hardened Alloy Horn and Feet.
Special Abilities: Particle Absorption Shield, Active Radar System, Command Center.
Cost: Classified
Level: Banned

Bridge Crew: 8 (Pilot, Co-Pilot, Captain, Executive Officer, Gunnery Sergeant/Tactical Officer, Chief Engineer, Communications Officer, Chief of Operations)
Minimum Crew Requirements: 25
Standard Crew: 125
Maximum Personnel: 300 ((That can be continuously supported and sustained by the Mad Thunder.))

The Mad Thunder is the absolute largest and heaviest combat Zoid (non-transport) to ever enter even limited production, beating the King Gojulas in the latter category by a fair 75 tons. It is also the stubbornest, most heavily armed, worst-tempered Zoid to ever walk onto the field of battle. Built by the Helic Republic as a way to defeat the Death Saurer (should another ever rear its ugly head) and the varied Guylos Zoid Xs, the Mad Thunders (Yeah, plural. The Republic once had about a dozen of these.) were originally equipped with giant Magnesser Drill Horns designed to bore through any armor, even a Death Saurer’s. This proved an extremely wise decision on the part of the Republic, as the Mad Thunder design soon proved to be just as or more effective than the Ultrasaurus in combat. They could simply lower their head and charge, lancing and ramming anything and everything that stood in their path.

However, it wasn’t only the Magnesser Drills that often appended the adjective “invincible” to the Mad Thunder’s name. The super-large scale Zoid also possessed armor to live up to its weight, only a notch below the armor of the Ultrasaurus. However, the Guylos Empire knew that no matter how tough the armor is, the Zoid isn’t invincible. They deployed a Gungyarados, Hyper Charged Particle Gun and all, with the express purpose of destroying Mad Thunders. The Zoid X pilot shot his superweapon at the first one of the massive Zoids he saw. The bulk of the Mad Thunder prevented it from effectively maneuvering out of the way in time. The HCPG burst hit it dead on. The pilot’s cackling changed to gaping as the smoke cleared, and the Mad Thunder was still standing, untouched.

The Helic Republic had predicted how the Guylos Empire would respond to the Mad Thunder, and had prepared accordingly. Earlier attempts by Helic Republic of designing or manufacturing super-large scale Zoids had been cut down in committee -- the Guylos Empire would simply wipe the Zoid out using Charged Particle Guns. So, the Helic Republic developed the infamous Particle Absorption Shield, usable only by the Mad Thunder (no smaller Zoid could ever meet the power requirements). This new piece of equipment made the Mad Thunder almost completely unstoppable, and led to the first ever Helic occupation of the Guylos capital.

Slowly, the Mad Thunder faded from the field of battle. Being nearly invincible, their design and plain old stubbornness stood the test of time for many years. However, only a few decades after the inception of the Mad Thunder, a series of Strategic Arms Limitation Treaties (SALTs) between the Empire and the Republic ended production of the Mad Thunder, along with the demolition of the only facility on Zi capable of producing them. The tradeoff was actually for the abolition of the Charged Particle Gun in all its forms, so the deal was a good one. Slowly, Mad Thunders fell into disrepair or were scuttled for reason or another. Currently, there is only one operational Mad Thunder on Zi, though there is one another which serves as a museum piece.

This lone Mad Thunder is the one this technical data details. It has long since had its Magnesser Drills replaced with a set of Quad Republican Super Cannons, giving it unmatched range firepower rather than demon-like melee ability. It has also been outfitted with a Command Center, making it one of the safest ones around. However, the armor of the Mad Thunder hasn’t thinned with age, nor has the Zoid’s temper changed even a millimeter. Zi’s last Mad Thunder is more than ready and willing to crush any opponent foolish enough to walk in its path. While aerial opponents might be a different story, the Mad Thunder also has plenty of escorts to take care of them. Besides, this is the invincible Mad Thunder; air power will probably do very little to it.

Weapons:
Quad Republican Super Cannons:
The Mad Thunder mounts four Republic Super Cannons, the only Zoid in the world to carry that caliber of conventional ranged firepower. There are two Super Cannons mounted on its faceplate, where the Magnesser Drills would have been originally, and another two mounted to the back of the main body. The two on the faceplate are fixed, whereas those on the back can pivot from facing forwards to 60 degrees up. While either pair can fired separately, the Mad Thunder is most often seen firing all four cannons at once. Because the effect of the shells is synergistic, four shells together are four times as powerful as the Twin Republic Super Cannons, and create an 80 meter blast radius. The damage from a direct hit from a single volley of all four cannons together is essentially comparable to a Charged Particle Gun, so don’t take them lightly. If you’re an enemy of the Mad Thunder, just thank your lucky stars that the Mad Thunder can only fire the cannons once per round. However, the Mad Thunder suffers no lack of ammunition for the Quad Republic Super Cannons, and will essentially never run out for as long as the battle lasts.

Triple Thunder Impact Cannons:
The Mad Thunder has a three-barreled large-bore Impact Cannon mounted to its underbelly. This cannon fires AZ416mm shells from each barrel, topping even the Hyper Triple Impact Cannon in caliber. This means that it can down even Zoid Xs in just a few volleys, and production Zoids may keel over just from looking at it. Also, while the Death Stinger trumps the Mad Thunder in caliber, boasting two AZ930mm Impact Cannons, the Mad Thunder still easily wins the battle from firing rate. The Triple Thunder Impact Cannon is semiautomatic, you see. However, it is fixed facing forwards, so its potentially avoidable if you know what you’re doing.

Dual Large-Bore Beam Cannons:
This pair of cannons was mounted to the original Mad Thunders to give them some ranged striking power. The Large-Bore Beam Cannon is a shield-buster weapon, capable of downing a standard E-Shield in 2 shots and a Hyper E-Shield in 4-5. It only does moderate damage to normal armor and structure, but there are few weapons which can best it at tearing down E-Shields. The Mad Thunder has the good fortune to have 2 of them, which are each mounted to a rotating turret mount on the Mad Thunder’s back. Both can pivot up to 90 degrees to either side or as much as 45 degrees up or down. The weapons can incline independently, but must pivot horizontally together. Each cannon can fire once every two seconds.

High-Power Shotgun Array:
The Mad Thunder was originally built for overwhelming close-quarters melee power, and was equipped with a number of close-range weapons. Among these was the Mad Thunder’s High-Power Shotgun Array, which is capable of downing even the toughest of opponents quickly. It consists of no fewer than six high-power shotguns: four mounted to a pivoting turret on the Mad Thunder’s back, and two rear-facing on the tip of the tail. At ranges under 100 meters, the shotguns can fire loads of buckshot and blow massive chunks out even heavy armor. Lighter armored Zoids may simple keel over -- these weapons are far more powerful than any of their smaller cousins. However, over 100 meters, accuracy quickly deteriorates and damage decreases. Also, the tail-mounted guns are fixed, forced to point wherever the tail does. On the plus side, the four backmounted shotguns can pivot up to 90 degrees on the horizontal axis, and 45 degrees up or down.

Hardened Alloy Horn and Feet:
Back in the day, the two Republican Super Cannons mounted to the Mad Thunder’s face plate were Magnesser Drills, which gave the Mad Thunder a great deal of its striking power. However, times change and so do weapons, and the drills gave way to cannons. The Mad Thunder is still the melee demon it always was, though, unmatched by any other Zoid in the world. Being both ridiculously heavy and ridiculously strong, the Mad Thunder has two melee weapons to help it main its opponents in close-quarters. The Horn is mounted just beneath the Republican Super Cannons, great for stabbing and lancing, but a bit tricky to use. The Mad Thunder’ feet are also toughened Hardened Alloy, near invincible and great for trampling opponents. As a general rule, though, the Mad Thunder is one Zoid you don’t want to get into melee with. Even the Gojulas Giga can’t match it up close and personal.

Special Abilities:
Particle Absorption Shield:
It’s often been said that Mass Charged Particle Bombardment isn’t something you just shrug off. The Mad Thunder begs to differ. Possibly the greatest technical triumph the Republic has ever achieved, the Particle Absorption Shield makes the massive Mad Thunder completely immune to the direct effects of Charged Particle attacks. The shield is full-body cast, always active (aka “passive”), and emitted from the Mad Thunder’s massive faceplate. (It doesn’t interfere with the Mad Thunder’s own attacks, as standard E-Shields might.) It absorbs, deflects, and otherwise negates the power of a Charged Particle Gun or other charged particle attacks. Though the shockwave still remains and could hypothetically deal damage, the Mad Thunder is so heavy that its essentially impossible to topple or hurt it with a shockwave alone. Furthermore, while it is theoretically possible to disable the shield by completely destroying the Mad Thunder’s faceplate, the entire region is nearly invincible. No such attempt has ever succeeded. Lastly, the Mad Thunder’s Particle Absorption Shield appears to be impossible to overwhelm. Attempts by the Guylos Empire to destroy Mad Thunders with multiple Hyper Charged Particle Guns at once failed to overcome the shield, and remained completely impotent in the face of the monster.

Active Radar System:
The Mad Thunder has an Active Radar System which it can use to track down opponents. This system isn’t as fancy as the 3D Doppler Radar found in the Composite Sensory Units, but it still puts a blinking dot wherever it detects an enemy or unknown Zoid. Allies are in a different color. Nifty, and better than the basic stuff. Also, the sensor is located in the Mad Thunder’s skull, meaning that its... well, essentially invincible. Also, unlike other Active Radar Systems, the Mad Thunder can transmit the data from its sensors to teammates.

Command Center:
Though it wasn’t originally supposed to be, the Mad Thunder was retrofitted as a Command and Control Zoid, much like the Ultrasaurus. However, the Mad Thunder was given some specialized equipment that even the Ultrasaurus lacks, allowing it to better encrypt and distribute communications signals. Its Command Center allows it break through enemy communications jamming, and greatly extends communications range of allied Zoids. It also lends a hand in adverse weather conditions. Good stuff. Also, the Command Center itself is buried deep within the Mad Thunder’s chest, and is even better armored than the rest of the Zoid, designed to protect the personnel inside from anything. It can also carry up to 25 people above and beyond the standard crew.

Available Modifications:

Name: Malder
Alignment: Zenebas Empire
Family: Snail
Registration Number: EMZ-19
Crew: 1-2
Height: 6.5 Meters
Length: 8.5 Meters
Weight: 34.6 Tons
Top Speed: 120 kph
Weapons: Dual 15mm Machineguns, Concealed 20mm Maxter Beam Cannon, Concealed AZ60mm Long-Ranged Artillery Cannon.
Special Abilities: Heavy Anchors.
Level: 1

The Malder is a curious little Zoid, originally developed by the Zenebas Empire as a cheap, long-ranged support Zoid. It’s a snail type, meaning that it actually has wheels, and a set of heavy anchors to keep its top-heavy self from tipping over. It also happens to be of the same family as the modern... wait for it... the modern Hover Cargo. That’s right, its the Hover Cargo at about 1/30th scale, and whether the two are evolutionarily linked is an open debate. However, the Malder is a slow Zoid, but is both heavily armed and armored for its size.

For starters, the Malder was designed for artillery support. As such, it has a long AZ60mm Long-Ranged Artillery Cannon, giving it considerable firepower. Next, the Malder is snail-type and boasts and thick and sturdy shell, capable of absorbing far more fire than any other Zoid in its class. It also has a fair set of smaller weapons which make it a formidable target. It’s essentially a smaller and cheaper version of the Cannon Tortoise, and while not quite as tough, still very potent and well-liked.

Weapons:
Dual 15mm Machineguns:
At first glance, these appear to be the Malder’s main weapons: a pair of 15mm Machineguns, one on either side of the Zoid’s head. They fire standard shells at a fully automatic rate, roughly eight per second per weapon. While not very powerful, this is often enough to keep smaller Zoids like Guysacks at bay. They can also both pivot up to 45 degrees up.

Concealed 20mm Maxter Beam Cannon:
The left side of the Malder’s shell can pop out to reveal a semiautomatic 20mm Maxter Beam Cannon. This cannon is more powerful than most 20mm weapons, able to deal improved surface damage and having improved penetration. While still not as good as an anti-Zoid weapon, the 20mm Maxter Beam Cannon is a reliable weapon. It can also pivot up to 45 degrees up or 10 degrees to either side. Using the 20mm Maxter Beam Cannon removes a piece of the shell and exposes some structure and internals, but the shell mostly still remains on one side of the 20mm Maxter Beam Cannon, and it doesn’t pop out that far, so the target is small.

Concealed AZ60mm Long-Ranged Artillery Cannon:
Underneath the top part of the Malder’s shell sits an AZ60mm Tri-Barrelled Artillery Cannon. As all artillery cannons, this weapon is very much like a ranged one-barreled Triple Impact Cannon, albeit with a different range and firing rate. The Artillery Cannon fires its shells in a parabolic arc, giving itself a maximum range of over a two kilometers, but a minimum range of 100 meters. Also, the cannon has a slightly less than semiautomatic firing rate, restricting to firing one shell only once every 1.5 seconds. The cannon can pivot nearly to a straight up, allowing it to fire in the aforementioned parabolic arc, but not at all to either side. Also, flipping up the shell to use the AZ60mm Long-Ranged Artillery Cannon exposes some internals, so it might not be wise to use it for too long at once.

Special Abilities:
Heavy Anchors:
The legendary immovable object. Well, not really. A Gojulas, for example, would have no trouble plucking the locked-down Malder right out of the ground. However, the heavy anchors allow the Malder to really hug the ground, and help to stop it from being flipped over when its engaged in melee or being hit with Heavy shells or something. They can be used as emergency brakes as well.

Available Modifications:

Name: Mammoth
Alignment: Helic Republic
Family: Mammoth
Registration Number: RBOZ-002
Crew: 1-3
Height: 12.2 Meters
Length: 21.6 Meters
Weight: 145 Tons
Top Speed: 85 kph
Weapons: 50mm Beam Cannon, Twin 30mm Beam Cannons, Triple 20mm Beam Cannons, Dual 30mm Machine Cannons, Dual 20mm Anti-Aircraft Cannons, Crasher Tusks.
Special Abilities: 3D Doppler Radar.
Level: 2

The Mammoth was one of the earliest Zoids ever created by the Helic Republic, used primarily as a general assault Zoid and a multipurpose linebacker. While incredibly slow, the Mammoth possessed thick armor for the time, and proved adept at adapting to a number of conditions thanks to its durability. It also had a rather impressive array of weapon to choose from, most of its various cannons and weapons systems being used for combating smaller Zoids at the time.

Obviously, the Mammoth lives up to its name and handles like a tank. It’s family is the same as its name, and the Mammoth looks every bit the part of its flesh-and-blood cousin. One of the most prominent features of the Mammoth are its tusks, which make it relatively powerful in melee combat. However, the Mammoth need not enter close-quarters in order to win a battle.

50mm Beam Cannon:
The Mammoth has a powerful 50mm Beam Cannon mounted to the tip of its trunk, which is can usually fire roughly 1.5 shots every second. However, the weapon isn’t capable of independent pivoting, and is limited to pointing at whatever the trunk can point at.

Twin 30mm Beam Cannon:
The Mammoth has a pair of semiautomatic 30mm Beam Cannons fixed rear-facing to the tip of its tail. They’re very much standard, and generally good for fighting off enemies who might choose to come from behind

Triple 20mm Beam Cannon:
The Mammoth has a grand total of three 20mm rear-facing semiautomatic beam cannons fixed to its tail. While not very large, there are three of them, which makes it a great supplement to the twin 30mm Beam Cannons.

Dual 30mm Machineguns:
The Mammoth has two 30mm Machineguns fixed to the rotating turret mount on its underbelly. Each can fire at a rate of 10 shells per second, though the accuracy is a bit worse than normal. The cannons themselves can pivot 90 degrees to either side, or as much as 45 degrees up or down.

Quad 20mm Anti-Aircraft Cannons:
There are a quartet of cannons, two on each side of the base of the Mammoth’s tail, which point straight up, allowing it to shoot at passing aerial targets. Each shell explodes at a certain preset altitude (dialed in by the pilot from the cockpit) into a cloud of shrapnel, which can shred and tear wings. The fuses can be turned off, making them standard 20mm cannons, but why someone would want to do that is unclear. They can pivot up to 45 degrees downwards or 45 degrees in or out, but they still can’t hit ground targets effectively.

Crasher Tusks:
The Mammoth has two rather obvious long, curved tusks which allow it to knock its enemies around. While these can be used for piercing and the like, they’re better used for bludgeoning, knocking, and flinging.

Special Abilities:
3D Doppler Radar:
The Mammoth possesses a 3D Doppler Radar system -- at the time, a seemingly ingenious innovation in military technology. The radar, which is an integrated part of the Zoid’s rather hefty ears, allows the Elephantus to map terrain and see outwards as far as 400 meters. Not exactly impressive by modern standards, but a boon nonetheless.

Available Modifications:

Name: Marder (aka “Merda”, “Marda”, or “Hellrunner”)
Alignment: Zenebas Empire
Family: Ornithomimus
Registration Number: EMZ-13
Crew: 1
Height: 12.2 Meters
Length: 16.8 Meters
Weight: 17.5 Tons
Top Speed: 450 kph
Weapons: 60mm Beam Cannon, 15-Shot Light AZ Rocket Box, Hardened Alloy Claws.
Special Abilities: Back-Mounted Weapons Swap.
Level: 2

The Marder is fastest non-boosted land Zoid there is, period, no exceptions. It’s extremely light, and can reach absolutely ludicrous speeds using powerful kicks of its legs. Though incapable of flight, the Marder is vaguely birdlike in design, resembling an ostrich. While technically an ornithomimus (and not an ostrich) its similar to both in that it can make rather incredible jumps, reaching distances that other Zoids could barely dream of. However, the Marder’s maneuverability and agility at such extremely high speeds is limited, and attempting to turn could cause it to loose its footing and trip.

Running like a bat out of hell aside, this is a reasonably high performance Zoid at lower speeds, only a notch below the Command Wolf. It’s armor is fairly light, on par with the Helcat, making it rather fragile. However, the Marder can prove and extremely hard target to hit on the field of battle, because of its high speed. While not heavily armed, the Marder has an option of one of two weapons, which can be devastating if used correctly for hit-and-run assaults.

Weapons:
60mm Beam Cannon:
The Marder has a 60mm semiautomatic Beam Cannon mounted on its back, which can pivot up to 360 degrees horizontally and up to 10 degrees up or down. They’re mounted on the Marder’s back, and if equipped, is the stock Zoid’s only ranged weapon. However, it can be powerful if used correctly.

15-Shot Light AZ Rocket Box:
The Marder has the option of mounting a 15-Shot Rocket Box on its back instead of the 60mm Beam Cannon. The rockets the box carries have the designation of “light AZ rockets” or “LAZRs” (and literally are light, so as not to weigh down the Zoid as it runs) and are each roughly half as powerful as a standard anti-ground missile. (They also happen to standard anti-Zoid infantry weapons, but that’s besides the point.) Any number of rockets can be dumbfired at once, but once all are gone, they have to be reloaded before they can be used again. The Rocket Box has the same mount as the 60mm Beam Cannon (even though both can’t be used at once) and can pivot up to 360 degrees horizontally and up to 10 degrees up or down.

Hardened Alloy Claws:
The Merda comes with the standard sharpened claws, great for melee tearing and ripping. Though the Merda itself has no business in melee combat, thanks largely in part to its stubby arms, it can theoretically fight in close-quarters.

Special Abilities:
Back-Mounted Weapons Swap:
Prior to a battle’s commencement, the Merda pilot must pick either the 60mm Beam Cannon or 15-Shot Rocket Box (60mm Beam Cannon is default) to have mounted on its back. It’s one or the other, never both. A Changing/Conversion Armor System (CAS) can swap the weapons mid-battle.

Available Modifications:

Name: Molga
Alignment: Zenebas and Guylos Empires
Family: Caterpillar
Registration Number: EZ-006
Crew: 1
Height: 2.9 Meters
Length: 11.8 Meters
Weight: 19.7 Tons
Top Speed: 200 kph
Weapons: Quad 20mm Machineguns, 2-Shot Anti-Ground Missile Pod, Hardened Alloy Tail Spikes.
Special Abilities: 3D Doppler Radar.
Level: 1

The Molga is one of the old workhorses of the Imperial Armed Forces, designed to serve as the standard infantry Zoid as well as support and complement other early designs. Other Zoids such as the Malder and Marder fought alongside the Molga -- which has been from time to time referred to as the opposite number of the Godos. Though the Caterpillar-typed Zoid is somewhat small, it’s actually reasonably heavily armored and armed for a Zoid of its class. The downside is that the Molga is a bit hard to maneuver with because of its worm-like construction. Rather than legs, the Molga actually has wheels, making piloting the Molga a bit like driving a car. The entire system of movement is a bit different, as are the tactics.

Though it might be a bit of a different system, the Molga is actually a relatively fast Zoid. One of the main problems with it is that most of its firepower is forward-facing, which can make it extremely hard to fight a faster or cunning opponent. Another slight problem is the fact that this a Zoid that really has no business in melee, and close quarters can often be a real problem for the Molga. All in all, though, it was the Molga’s relativeness toughness, heavy weaponry, and all around usefulness that made it the primary choice of infantry for the Zenebas and Guylos Empires.

Weapons:
Quad 20mm Machineguns:
The Molga has a total of four 20mm machineguns, two on either side of its head, all mounted to fixed armored bases. Each weapon fires at a rate of 10/rounds per second, meaning 40 per second all together. Although powerful, the Molga’s quartet of fully automatic weaponry tend to be less accurate than most. However, the Molga’s unique design means that the Zoid doesn’t shake while moving, meaning that it doesn’t loose too much accuracy while rolling around.

2-Shot Anti-Ground Missile Pod:
The Molga does actually have some rear and flank-facing defenses, namely a pair of missiles concealed underneath an armor plate in its tail. They can lock on like any AGMs, but they can’t target or get a lock on any target directly in front of the Molga. (The tail can’t point there.) Otherwise, they’re just completely standard missiles. Once they’re used, though, the Molga has to rearm to get more.

Hardened Alloy Tail Spikes:
The Molga usually can’t melee too well, mainly because of its gross lack of frontal or easily usable melee weapons. However, the Molga’s tail has two tail spikes coming out of it, and the Molga can often turn or charge fast enough to really do some damage with this thing. So, while small, don’t count the Molga out of melee entirely. However, it can take some real work and skill to use this weapon effectively. Also note that these spikes are vaguely related to

Special Abilities:
3D Doppler Radar:
The Molga possessed a 3D Doppler Radar system -- at the time, a seemingly ingenious innovation in military technology. The radar, which is actually an integrated part of the back-mounted tail spikes, allows the Molga to map terrain and see outwards as far as 200 meters, but only behind it. Not exactly impressive by modern standards, but a boon nonetheless. Unfortunately, this makes the Molga unable to see in front of it using the Doppler Radar, but it also makes it a bit hard to sneak up on the Molga.

Available Modifications:

Name: Orudios
Alignment: Helic Republic
Family: Pegasus
Registration Number: RPZ-18
Crew: 1
Height: 16.7 Meters
Length: 19.4 Meters
Weight: 140 Tons
Top Speed: Mach 3.6/4410 kph (air), 360 kph (land)
Weapons: Dual Great Busters, Accelerated Dual Impact Cannon, Thunder Blade, Hardened Alloy Hooves.
Special Abilities: Active Radar System.
Level: 5

The Orudios is one of the great triumphs of the Helic Republic, and one of its greatest legends as well. This Zoid was an attempt by the Republic to create a production Zoid that could fight and destroy Imperial aerial Zoid Xs, such as the Gilvader and the Gungyarados, in small swarms. The result, the Orudios, was more successful than they could have ever possibly hoped for. In addition to outstanding combat capabilities, the Orudios was Pegasus-typed, and took the form of the mythical terran alicorn -- a winged unicorn. The mere appearance of the Zoid acted as a symbol of hope to the Helic troops below, appearing like some celestial charger to save the day.

Whatever its appearance, the Orudios is extremely fast and surprisingly agile for its size, falling somewhere the Gungyarados and the Storm Sworder in aerial maneuverability. Despite this, it’s not meant to dogfight small enemies like the Redler or the Raynos. The Orudios boasts two extremely powerful Great Busters, which are designed to fire upon and damage huge, hulking targets, like the aforementioned Zoid Xs or airborne transports. These Great Busters also make the Orudios exceptionally useful in air-to-ground combat, much like the Battle Cougar, giving it considerable striking power. The Orudios’ powerful melee weapon, the Thunder Blade, also gives it some measure of close-quarters infamy. Furthermore, this Pegasus can fight on the ground, handling much like a Battle Cougar would in the equivalent situation. In the air or on the ground, the Orudios has armor roughly on par with that of the Blade Liger, giving it some staying power in any kind of combat.

Weapons:
Dual Great Busters:
Mounted ontop of each of the Orudios’ back hips is a Great Buster: a powerful, large, advanced beam cannon that gives the Pegasus considerable striking power. Each is an 80mm Beam Cannon, but each boasts unmatched penetration. The Great Busters are designed to pierce the armor on an enemy Gungyarados and deal damage to internals, which makes them exceptionally dangerous weapons. Even Gojulas-grade armor isn’t much help against these: they just go right through. Unfortunately for the Orudios and fortunately for the Orudios’ enemies, the Great Busters can only fire once per round. Also, it can take quite a bit of pounding to actually down an enemy with these, because 80mm isn’t that large against giant, hulking enemies like the Gungyarados. The Great Busters are also fixed forwards, so they can’t pivot the Orudios has to line up its shots carefully.

Accelerated Dual Impact Cannon:
Aside from the Dual Great Busters, the Orudios has only a single other ranged weapon: the Accelerated Dual Impact Cannon. It’s a semiautomatic double-barreled AZ120mm equivalent Impact Cannon, fixed facing forwards on the Orudios’ chest. Like many Impact Cannons, the Orudios’ has a maximum range of 300 meters, making them next to useless in dogfighting. However, they’re extremely effective when used against terrestrial targets, usually able to deal massive damage in just a few volleys.

Thunder Blade:
The Orudios’ Thunder Blade is a 6 -and-a-half meter chargeable blade extending out of the Pegasus’ forehead, and is debatably its most powerful weapon. You see, the Thunder Blade is capable of, as mentioned earlier, charging with energy to make itself sharper and more effective at cutting. However, the Thunder Blade can be charged and sharpened to far a greater extent than even a Blade Liger’s Laser Blades, allowing it to sheer through even a Zoid X’s armor with ease. This was supposed to be the Orudios’ weapon to use against the massive Imperial Gilvaders and Gungyarados, and it actually worked fairly effectively. The problem is that it’s difficult to use in aerial combat without endangering the Orudios itself, though the feat is by no means impossible with a horn this long.

Hardened Alloy Hooves:
On rare occasions when the Thunder Blade fails it, or when it just feels like stomping on something, the Orudios turns to its hooves. Like any horse or pegasus, the Orudios has got four legs and four hooves, all of which are hardened alloy and great for trampling. They can also be used for mule kicks and the like, and can often leave your opponent hurting. However, slashing and cutting is still best left to the Thunder Blade.

Special Abilities:
Active Radar System:
The Orudios has an Active Radar System which it can use to track down opponents. This system isn’t as fancy as the 3D Doppler Radar found in the Composite Sensory Units, but it still puts a blinking dot wherever it detects an enemy or unknown Zoid. Allies are in a different color. Nifty, better than the basic stuff, and useful in dogfights. Also, the sensor is located in the Orudios’ skull, meaning that its essentially impossible to destroy without taking the cockpit with it.

Available Modifications:

Name: Pteras
Alignment: Helic Republic
Family: Pterosaur
Registration Number: RZ-010
Crew: 1
Height: 8.2 Meters
Length: 10.3 Meters
Weight: 21.6 Tons
Top Speed: Mach 2.2/2695 kph
Weapons: 16mm Machinegun, Twin Two-Shot Guided Anti-Ground Missile Pods, Dual Air-to-Air Missiles.
Special Abilities: None.
Level: 1

The Pteras served as the Helic Republic as the mass production bomber of the armed forces, dutifully completing every task set before it for many years. The Pteras is reasonably well armed and armored for Zoid of its size and class, but also happens to be the clunkiest thing ever to hit the sky. It has the admirable designation of being dead last in aerial maneuverability, beating out even the Salamander in lack-of-performance category. It also happens to be extremely slow for a dedicated, winged aerial Zoid: only capable of Mach 2.2.

However, despite these drawbacks, the Helic Republic used the Pteras for many years for a reason. Several reasons, actually. Firstly, it’s extremely easy to learn how to use, and difficult to crash on your own, thanks largely in part to its Magnesser wings. This odd technology uses magnetic repulsion lifts to give the Pteras VTOL (vertical takeoff and landing) capabilities, and gives it the ability to stay airborne at a combination of low speed and low altitude. While this technology can theoretically be used to let the Pteras hover at extremely low altitude, it’s a crazy maneuver to try in such a low-performance Zoid. However, the Pteras combines its Magnesser wings with a battery missiles to make itself an effective bomber. While this Zoid has its drawbacks, it certainly also has its strong points.

Weapons:
16mm Machinegun:
The Pteras’ sole non-missile ranged weapon is a 16mm Machinegun, located under the Zoid’s left nostril. Needless to say, this does little to help the Pteras is any kind of combat. However, the machinegun puts out 20 shells a second, so it might be able to conceivably do some damage to extremely small or poorly armored Zoids. However, it’s more designed for point-defense and anti-missile duty. On the plus side, the weapon can pivot 30 degrees horizontally and up to 20 degrees down.

Twin Two-Shot Guided Anti-Ground Missile Pods:
The Pteras has a missile pack on either shoulder, facing what would be downwards when the Zoid is in flight. Each pack simply holds two standard AGMs, nothing special about them at all. Standard lock-on time, standard guidance, and standard power. However, keep in mind that they can only be used against ground targets and are nearly impossible to aim at anything but the ground.

Dual Air-to-Air Missiles:
The Pteras has a rear-facing missile mounted to each wingjoint. These missiles have the strength of one standard AGM, but their lockon time is a second shorter than usual, allowing them to lock onto the Pteras’ pursuer a moment before the pursuer locks onto the Pteras. However, being rear-facing, they can only lock onto or fire at a target behind the Pteras. They can also obviously only lock onto aerial targets.

Available Modifications:

Name: Raynos
Alignment: Helic Republic
Family: Pteranodon
Registration Number: RZ-039
Crew: 1
Height: 7.3 Meters
Length: 17.3 Meters
Weight: 30 Tons
Top Speed: Mach 3.3/4043 kph
Weapons: Triple 60mm Beam Cannons, Dual AMD 72mm Vulcan Cannons.
Special Abilities: 3D Eyrie Radar.
Level: 4

The Raynos is considered by many to be the first high-end aerial Zoid, and is still among the most maneuverable and best performance aircraft available. While it was originally developed by the Helic Republic for a plethora of functions: dogfighting, air-to-ground attack, and long-ranged scouting, the Raynos has become better known for its agility in the air. Capable of an impressive Mach 3.3, and able to consistently outperform the Storm Sworder, the Raynos has slowly become one of the most respected dogfighters. Though it was originally designed to escort the Mad Thunder and combat small aerial Zoids, such as the Redler, a common complaint is that the Raynos lacks striking power.

Unfortunately, this is a very real gripe, one that can only be solved through modification. However, in the air, the Raynos competes with the Storm Sworder for the title of “King of the Skies”. While this isn’t a Zoid for beginning aerial pilots, the Raynos can easily fly and fight circles around many opponents if put in capable hands. Also, one the Raynos’ main boasts is its turning circle: its short wingspan allows it to turn 180 degrees faster than almost any other Zoid. That wingspan advantage is then coupled with vectored thrusters to give it unparalleled aerial turning speed and great maneuverability. The tradeoff for is thin armor: only a few steps above the Command Wolf. Still, there are only a few Zoids that can compete with the Raynos in the air, and many of then do it by bulk and firepower, not by performance.

Weapons:
Triple 60mm Beam Cannons:
The Raynos has a set of 60mm Beam Cannons on its chest. Though fixed in place, and though the weapons are semiautomatic, the cannons can be chain-linked to fire in series, putting out about 6 rounds every second together. They’re the Raynos’ main weapons for dogfighting or air-to-ground combat.

Dual AMD 72mm Vulcan Cannons:
The Raynos has a rear-facing 72mm Vulcan Cannon mounted to either side of its tail (total of 2), which can pivot up to 30 degrees up or down. Though they fire 10 shells per second each, they have a greatly naturally increased spread, making them useful for shooting down enemy missiles. However, while they have limited use as standard weapons, their naturally increased spread makes them next to useless over long distances. However, an aerial Zoid closely tailing the Raynos may soon get a shock it won’t forget.

Special Abilities:
3D Eyrie Radar:
As you may recall, one of the Raynos’ original designed purposes was to be a long-ranged scout. It was equipped for this task. This sensor system uses 3D Doppler Radar principles and allows the Raynos to map out the terrain around it and find enemy Zoids more effectively. This system is reasonably basic, and doesn’t grant a targeting bonus. The sensors are none other than the dome on the Raynos’s back, and if it’s destroyed, the radar will cease to function. However, destroying the dome is nearly impossible unless the Raynos is attacked from above, which is unlikely. Also, while the Raynos is up in the air, it can often map and see for kilometers using the 3D Eyrie Radar. This system can also transmit data to teammates.

ECM:
The 3D Eyrie Radar also gives the Raynos some Electronic Counter Measures, or ECM, abilities against incoming missiles. While it can’t jam then as effectively as other ECM systems, it can often increase the lockon time by a second or two, and makes the missiles tracking more sluggish and less effective. However, this is a less advanced system than other ECM systems, and only works against missiles locked onto the Raynos itself.

Available Modifications:

Name: Rayse Tiger (Imitate)
Alignment: ZOITEC (Helic Republic)
Family: Tiger (Legendary)
Registration Number: RZ-07
Crew: 1
Height: 7.56 Meters
Length: 20.5 Meters
Weight: 87 Tons
Top Speed: 280 kph
Weapons: Dual Triple AZ50mm Laser Cannons, Hyper Triple Impact Cannon, Twin AZ70mm Beam Cannons, Strike Laser Claws, Hardened Alloy Teeth.
Special Abilities: Ray-Absorbing Panels, Exploding Bite, Heart of the Tiger.
Level: Ultimate X

Back in the days of yore, during a period of heightened hostilities between the ZOITEC and Zi-Arms corporations, an astounding discovery was made. The second of the three Ancient Tiger Cores was excavated by the ZOITEC corporation, this core containing the powerful Rayse Tiger. Though the Rayse Tiger’s origins prior to its resurrection by Zi-Arms are largely unknown, it’s believed that it was created by the Ancient Zoidians as a defender of Zi and Zoidkind.

Whatever its original role, ZOITEC corporation used combat and technical data from the core to bring the Rayse Tiger back to life -- even more powerful than before. Using powerful weapons, unparalleled close-quarters combat skills, and a combination of technique and raw power, the Rayse Tiger was easily a match for any other Zoid in the world. It served the ZOITEC corporation faithfully until the rival company, Zi-Arms, recreated the Death Saurer.

This was apparent an affront which the Rayse Tiger could not abide. It left the Helic ZOITEC corporation to fight the Death Saurer. And, in the only ever observed instance of the three legendary Zoids fighting together, joined forces with the Whitz Tiger and Brastle Tiger to destroy the Deathsaurer and the Zi-Arms corporation in its entirety. The legendary Rayse Tiger then vanished, with only a handful of sightings in the last few hundred years.

The ZOITEC corporation took it upon themselves to save all of the data from the Rayse Tiger’s core. Years later, the newly formed Zoid Battle Commission took interest in this data, and confiscated it. They found in the databases of the old corporations not only plans for the first Legendary Tiger, the Whitz Tiger, but also the second, the Rayse Tiger.

Needless to say, the Zoid Battle Commission recreated the body of the beast as best they could, but only the Rayse Tiger’s Legendary Tiger Core could actually power and control the form. Therefore, the ZBC was forced to scale down the Tiger’s abilities and compensate as best they could. This Zoid was the result. Despite not being the legendary Rayse Tiger itself, these Brastle Tigers still have powerful and dangerous melee skills, large and potent weapons, and a general attitude of nobility about them. It’s also been observed that Brastle Tigers have a general dislike for Rayse Tigers, though the reason for this is not clear.

As far as the technical details, the Rayse Tiger has heavier-than-average ZX/UX armor, and is easily as maneuverable as a Liger Zero. Furthermore, it is exceptionally well-armed in melee, and is only a few notches below the Gojulas Giga in close-quarters, making it well able to handle itself in any situation. The Rayse Tiger’s main problem is a general lack of ranged weaponry for an Ultimate X, exposing itself to fire from afar.

Weapons:

Dual Triple AZ50mm Laser Cannons:
The Rayse Tiger, curiously, has a set of tree AZ50mm Laser Cannons in each of its shoulder joints, which are capable of considerable independent pivoting. They’re also semiautomatic, but can be chain-linked to fire in sequence, or all at once. They also have a special set of gunsights that allows them to zoom in on a target and shoot at it with sniper-like accuracy, making these the Rayse Tiger’s deadliest ranged weapon. However, the fact remains that they aren’t extraordinarily powerful for an Ultimate X, and they leave the Rayse Tiger somewhat lacking in ranged firepower. On the plus side, each set of three is omnidirectional, and can point essentially anywhere.

Hyper Triple Impact Cannon:
Mounted to the Rayse Tiger’s undercarriage, fixed facing forward, is a semiautomatic three-barreled impact cannon. Ordinary enough, with a maximum range of 250 meters before the shells drop into the ground and become ineffective. However, the word “Hyper” in the description wasn’t exactly a bluff. Each cannon boasts an AZ208mm caliber, making it fully capable of downing lesser Zoids in just one or two volleys.

Twin AZ70mm Beam Cannons:
Possibly the most mundane weapons the Rayse Tiger possesses are the pair of rear-facing AZ70mm beam cannons mounted to its tail. They’re semiautomatic, and basically completely for the purpose of defending the Ultimate X’s rear.

Strike Laser Claws:
The Rayse Tiger possesses four Strike Laser Claws, all capable of charging with energy to rip and cut through enemy Zoids. Like those found on many of the Liger Zero armors, the Rayse Tiger’s Strike Laser Claws feature a dedicated charging system, making them much more powerful (roughly 2 times sharper) than the standard Strike Laser Claw system. Needless to say, this can be a deadly weapon even from a swipe. Continued pressure can be dangerous to any Zoid. If that wasn’t enough, the Rayse Tiger’s specialty is close quarters, and it’s among both the strongest and cleverest melee combatants around. For most Zoids, this means that never encountering this system while fighting the Rayse Tiger would be no less than a gift from the heavens. However, note that the use of the Strike Laser Claw drains the Rayse Tiger’s energy reserves (see Ray-Absorbing Panels in Special Abilities) rather quickly, so they shouldn’t be kept on unused.

Hardened Alloy Teeth:
If the Strike Laser Claws fail the Rayse Tiger, or if the legendary Zoid just feels a need to shake things up, it’s got two rows of razor-sharp teeth to do the job. These are great for tearing, ripping, and otherwise biting opponents. However, they can’t be charged with energy and they’re nowhere near as effective as the Strike Laser Claws.

Special Abilities:
Ray-Absorbing Panels:
When a Rayse Tiger starts a battle, it has a certain amount of energy stored in internal capacitors, usually enough for a bit of use from the Strike Laser Claws, but not quite enough to use the Exploding Bite. Though the Rayse Tiger’s Zoid Core will slowly increase these internal stores if left to its own devices, the Rayse Tiger has a faster way of generating energy. Any energy based attack (beams or lasers, but not charged particles) will be absorbed by a set of panels spread throughout the Rayse Tiger’s armor. This energy will then be stored by the Rayse Tiger. Simple as that. Note that the Rayse Tiger tends to glow brighter the more energy it has. (Note that the Ray-Absorbing Panels have a number of failsafes that stop them from overloading the Rayse Tiger. Excess energy will not hurt the Ultimate X.) The panels and related equipment, such as tubing, as are heavily armored as everything else on the Rayse Tiger, and are therefore nigh-on invincible. Still, they can be knocked out under some circumstance. Exposed structure and internals also aren’t protected by the Ray-Absorbing Panels.

Exploding Bite:
The Rayse Tiger doesn’t really have an Electron Bite Fang design, but has a far more potent weapon in place of a charged bite attack. The Rayse Tiger simply drains all of its collected energy into an opponent’s internals, frying them and CSFing the enemy Zoid. This works on essentially anything, but the Rayse Tiger needs enough energy to do it. There’s a baseline of energy to use the attack, which is enough power to down a Gojulas or Elephander with one fatal clamp of jaws. Note that if the Rayse Tiger attempts to use the Exploding Bite attack without meeting this baseline requirement, it will overstrain its reserves and CSF instantly, lacking the power to continue fighting. For Zoids larger and tougher than the Gojulas, more energy is often required. Theoretically, the Rayse Tiger could simply gather more and more energy until it could down any Zoid, including Banned ones such as the Mad Thunder, but there’s realistically a limit to the amount of power the ‘Tiger can store. It’s up to the pilot how much energy to dump in above the baseline, and if he or she wants to leave any for the Strike Laser Claws. However, remember the warning about overexerting the Rayse Tiger: put in more than you have, and you risk instant CSF. Also, using the Exploding Bite literally destroys the mouth structure (making it impossible to use the attack twice in one battle), as well as the Ray-Absorbing Panels. The Rayse Tiger also usually blows out some of its own internals, reducing its performance to 75% for the remainder of the battle. Sanctioned Zoid Battling regulations also forbid use of this attack during the first round of combat, but all’s still fair in war.

Heart of the Tiger:
While the ZBC couldn’t recreate the powerful Legendary Tiger Core that dwells within the resurrected Rayse Tiger, they had to put some kind of core in the Zoid. The process of finding a substitute was long and difficult -- but they ultimately succeeded. The end result of their search was a mutated standard Tiger-typed Zoid Core with salvaged remnants and scraps of the Rayse Tiger’s personality and combat data uploaded into it. Even then, it simply couldn’t produce the power necessary to fuel the Rayse Tiger, so the Commission was forced to bond an Organoid onto each Rayse Tiger’s core, making -- you guessed it, an Organoid System. While only a shadow of the real Legendary Tiger Core, this core comes with 30 experience “preloaded”. Furthermore, any experience the Rayse Tiger has is effectively multiplied by 1.5 when the ‘Tiger is put into a situation involving close-quarters combat.

However, note that the Rayse Tiger truly does have a heart of a tiger, with powerful free will to boot. It has a noble and rather just personality to contrast its harsh exterior. Also, the Rayse Tiger’s core is strangely shielded by a special armor. Though its theorized that this was meant to stop the Rayse Tiger from overloading and frying its own Zoid Core during the Exploding Bite attack, this armor stops anything from entering the Zoid Core: virus, power surge (electrical/shocking weapons), or an Organoid. This armor also suppresses the Rayse Tiger’s Zoid Core signature, making it invisible to Core Tracking sensors.

Available Modifications:

Name: Red Horn
Alignment: Zenebas and Guylos Empires
Family: Styracosaurus
Registration Number: EZ-004
Crew: 1-3
Height: 7.6 Meters
Length: 20.8 Meters
Weight: 94 Tons
Top Speed: 130 kph
Weapons: Dual 80mm Anti-Aircraft Cannons, AZ60mm Tri-Barrelled Artillery Cannon, Dual Guided Anti-Ground Missile Launchers, Dual Triple 20mm Cannons, Crasher Horn and Tail.
Special Abilities: Composite Sensory Unit.
Level: 4

The Red Horn is one of the older models in its class, having served Imperial interests for many years before reaching its status today. Originally created as the invincible tank and high-end linebacker of the Zenebas and Guylos Armed Forces, the Red Horns developed the reputation of being able to stand up to even the toughest opponents. Fighting side by side with its cousin, the Dark Horn, the Red Horn was often seen spearingheading charges on the front lines.

Though the Red Horn is extremely similar in design to the Dark Horn, there are a few crucial differences between the two Zoids. First and foremost is the fact that the Red Horn has a slighter thinner coat of armor, about as tough as the Geno Saurer, making it among the toughest Zoids in its class. (Indeed, it wasn’t until the advent of the Gojulas that anything could effectively destroy the Red Horns.) Second is the fact that the Red Horn boasts a pair of 80mm Anti-Aircraft Cannons instead of entire Hybrid Vulcan System. However, the Red Horn can be modified to carry Hybrid Vulcan Cannons, which can really boost its firepower. Even the sturdiest of Zoids, like the Gojulas, must think twice before running headlong into battle with a Red Horn.

However, one of the Red Horn’s crucial weaknesses is that it can’t move or maneuver very quickly. However, the Red Horn’s defenses are nearly omnidirectional, so it can be hard to get the jump on the massive Zoid.

Dual 80mm Anti-Aircraft Cannons:
Red Horns carry, as what are effectively their main guns, 80mm AA Cannons, which are mounted to the Zoid’s back, right behind the head. Each shell fired from one of these explodes at a certain preset altitude (dialed in by the pilot from the cockpit) into a cloud of shrapnel, which can shred and tear wings. The fuses can be turned off, making them standard 80mm cannons. Also, the cannon is on a rotating turret mount that allows it to pivot 360 degrees horizontally and incline upwards up to 90 degrees or down 10 degrees, allowing it to hit targets all around the Red Horn.

AZ60mm Tri-Barrelled Artillery Cannon:
Mounted behind the Red Horn’s Dual 80mm Anti-Aircraft Cannons, opposite the Guided AGM missile pod, sits an AZ60mm Tri-Barrelled Artillery Cannon. As all artillery cannons, this weapon is very much like a ranged Triple Impact Cannon, albeit with a different range and firing rate. The Artillery Cannon fires its shells in a parabolic arc, giving itself a maximum range of over a kilometer, but a minimum range of 100 meters. Also, the cannon has a slightly less than semiautomatic firing rate, restricting to firing one shell from each barrel only once every 2 seconds. This weapon can also pivot a full 360 degrees and incline upwards to almost 90 degrees.

Dual Guided Anti-Ground Missile Launchers:
Mounted on the Tri-Barrelled Artillery Cannon mount sits a Guided Anti-Ground Missile Launcher. That’s one pod of three missiles. The Red Horn has a second missile pod in its tail, containing four missiles. They both share the same locking system, and the the back mounted ones can arc up and over to hit targets in front of the Red Horn. Anyway, there are seven AGMs in all, which are standard in most respects. The launchers themselves has Red Horn-grade armor, but the back-mounted one has to turn with the Artillery Cannon.

Dual Triple 20mm Cannons:
Usually regarded as the least powerful weapon on the Red Horn, there are three sets of two beam cannons on the Red Horn. The first set is located underneath the Horn’s chin, the second is located on either side of the base of the tail, and the third is on the tip of the fail. All six have the ability to pivot down up to 30 degrees; the tail-mounted ones can pivot up by the same amount. Also, the beam cannons have a faster firing rate than semiautomatic -- each spewing out shells in 3 round bursts per tap of the trigger. However, each of of cannons is linked together: that is, they must pivot and fire in unison.

Crasher Horn and Tail:
The Red Horn is extremely dangerous at a range, but is even more dangerous in close-quarters. This is because it possesses a Crasher Horn specially designed for ramming and goring. A running charge and a solid hit with the Crasher Horn can send lighter Zoids flying. The Crasher Tail is designed for maximum impact and bludgeoning damage, and can be used to knock the Red Horn’s enemies around as well. Either weapon is capable of dealing heavy damage, so don’t underestimate either.

Special Abilities:
Composite Sensory Unit:
Simply put, the Red Horn possesses a Composite Sensory Unit that allows it use 3D Doppler Radar and IR scanning to track its opponents. The sensors themselves are spread around the body, giving the Composite Sensory Unit and excellent range of vision, and making it hard to destroy.

Available Modifications:

Name: Redler (aka “Reddra”)
Alignment: Zenebas and Guylos Empires
Family: Dragon
Registration Number: EZ-005
Crew: 1
Height: 6 Meters
Length: 17 Meters
Weight: 34 Tons
Top Speed: Mach 3/3675 kph
Weapons: Laser Tail Blade, Hardened Alloy Claws.
Special Abilities: None.
Level: 2

The Redler was originally the most common Imperial dedicated aerial Zoid there was, serving as a dogfighter, bomber, attack platform, scout... the list goes on and on. And why not? They had a good thing going. The Redler uses borrowed/stolen Magnesser technology, which gives it full VTOL capabilities. It’s also one of the most maneuverable machines in the sky, only about a step below the Storm Sworder. Unfortunately for aspiring Redler pilots, the stock form of the Zoid carries no ranged weaponry. However, the Redler is exceptionally easy to modify, making it fully capable of mounting any number of interesting ranged armaments.

Originally known as the “Reddra”, the Empire later decided to change the Zoid’s name to “Redler”, as they believe that was a fiercier-sounding title, and more fitting for the Dragon. Not too many people complained, and the name stuck. However, the Redler often would prove to be out of its league when trying to fight the great Helic aerial champions, like the Storm Sworder or the Orudios. Also, the Redler’s armor is only a step or so better than that of the Zabat, making it a bit fragile. Still, for its size and class, a Redler with a skilled pilot can give almost any Zoid a run for its money. Also, thanks to the Magnesser technology, the Redler has full VTOL (vertical takeoff and landing) capabilities, as well as the ability to fly and even hover at very low altitudes.

Weapons:
Laser Tail Blade:
Unfortunately, the Redler has no ranged weapons of any kind while in its stock form. However, its main weapon, the Laser Tail Blade, is a potent melee weapon. Basically, the Redler has a rather sharp-looking blade sticking out of its tail that can be charged to increase its cutting power. While not quite as powerful or effective as the Storm Sworder’s blades, the Laser Tail Blade can still be used with great success against a wide range of opponents. It can also be flipped straight up (90 degree pivoting on the vertical axis), allowing it slice and dice opponents above the Redler. However, in order to hit ground targets, the Redler must often be both flying at low altitudes and practically flipped upside-down, which can be tricky at best. (The Redler’s tail itself has only limited maneuverability.)

Hardened Alloy Claws:
If and when the Redler’s Tail Blade fails it, it also happens to be one of the few dedicated aerial Zoids with claws. However, how using these is tricky at best: they’re hard to use against ground targets and pure suicide to try to use against other aerial targets. If you can get them in melee range, though, they’re great for ripping and the like.

Available Modifications:

Name: Rev Raptor (aka “Rev Rapter”)
Alignment: Guylos Empire
Family: Velociraptor
Registration Number: EZ-005
Crew: 1
Height: 7.56 Meters
Length: 11.4 Meters
Weight: 23.5 Tons
Top Speed: 210 kph
Weapons: Hardened Alloy Scythes, Hardened Alloy Claws and Teeth.
Special Abilities: Ion Charger.
Level: 1

The Rev Raptor is a universally recognized and very common Velociraptor typed-Zoid. It has a long and proud history of being the underdog -- outmatched again and again by superior Zoids and designs with ranged weaponry. However, it’s really not the Rev Raptor’s fault; it was designed for direct assaults or long-ranged combat. The Guylos Empire originally designed the Rev Raptor as an inexpensive scout, but the design turned out to be too popular with the Imperial Commanders. Thousands of these Velociraptors were mass produced and mass deployed, often misused and thrown into assaults as cannon fodder.

However, the Rev Raptor often isn’t given enough credit. It’s a powerful meleer for a Zoid of its class and level, and is exceptionally agile for its cost. It even sets the standard for armor, literally. The standard Rev Raptor strength or “rr” is the basic unit of armor measurement in the engineering and design community. In reality, though, the Rev Raptor’s armor isn’t all that much heavier than a Guysack’s, and it can only take limited punishment. However, the Rev Raptor has never been quite retired from service in commercial or military uses, and has redeeming qualities to match its flaws. It’s also easy to modify, if you decide that you do need that extra ranged firepower.

Weapons:
Hardened Alloy Scythes:
The Rev Raptor has a Scythe, mounting on either shoulder on a folding hinge. These scythes are appropriately sharp and pointy, and great for cutting, slashing, or even lancing. They’re sharper and more able to damage than most melee weapons, putting them on par with a standard uncharged laser blade (I said “uncharged”, mind you.) Since they also happen to be the Rev Raptor’s main weapon, their mounts are hardened and reinforced. However, they can be tricky to use, and take a bit of fancy footwork to pull of a cut with them. As a side note, the scythes can both fold in behind the head when not in use. When they are in use, they can be charged slightly via the Ion Charger.

Hardened Alloy Claws and Teeth:
The Rev Raptor has a few other fascinating melee weapons when the Scythes fail it. These includes sharp claws and rather pointy-looking teeth, both of which can easily shred through light or medium armor. This is especially true because they can use the Ion Charger to make themselves that much sharper and more dangerous.

Special Abilities:
Ion Charger:
Mounted on the Rev Raptor’s back, covered by armor, is a curious device called and ion charger. This siphons and converts small amounts of energy from the Zoid Core and uses it to charge the Rev Raptor’s melee weapons. However, the charge isn’t nearly as strong or potent as the Strike Laser Claw or even the Electron Strike Claw. It usually just increases sharpness and cutting ability by about 50%, which is reasonable boost. Swipes and continued pressure still have the potential to deal quite a bit of damage.

Available Modifications:

Name: Saber Lion (aka “Saberlion”)
Alignment: Helic Republic
Family: Lion
Registration Number: RZ-062
Crew: 1
Height: 6.0 Meters
Length: 8.5 Meters
Weight: 14.5 Tons
Top Speed: 255 kph
Weapons: Triple Hardened Alloy Blades, Hardened Alloy Claws and Teeth.
Special Abilities: 3D Doppler Radar, Ion Charger, Smoke Dischargers.
Level: 2

The Saber Lion was originally a cheap, mass production urban combat and guerilla warfare Zoid developed by the Helic Republic. They were often deployed right before or during a Guylos invasion of a given city or territory, and used to fight the enemy tooth and nail. Because of their small size and rather elusive nature, Saber Lions proved exceptionally hard to find and fight in the environments they were built to fight in. However, they encountered many problems during their respective tours of duty, the first and foremost being that they lacked ranged firepower. The next was that while cheap and easy to mass produce, Saber Lions often found themselves overwhelmed by superior numbers, firepower, or simply that they didn’t have the weapons to hack it. (Figuratively or literally.)

However, those were generally only problems with extremely powerful enemy large-scale Zoids. The Saber Lion, as it so happens, is a match for any other Zoid in its class. This is largely thanks to its superior speed and agility, both of which easily exceed that of a Command Wolf. However, the Saber Lion has the rather distinct disadvantage of having very weak armor, which doesn’t give it much staying power. It has to dodge enemy fire to get close enough to use its weapons. (Alternatively, modifications can solve the ranged firepower problem.) However, despite all this, the Saber Lion is a favorite of law enforcement and occupying peacekeepers. Many Saber Lions can be seen patrolling conflicted territories in the Central Continent.

Weapons:
Triple Hardened Alloy Blades:
The Saber Lion has a grand total of 3 large blades, one larger 6-meter one that flips out of its head and neck, and two smaller 3-meter ones that flip out from its middle-back. They’re extremely sharp, sharper than a standard uncharged Laser Blade, and can often be used to strafe enemy Zoids in dozens of creative ways. Also, all three blades can be charged with energy from the Ion Charger, which drastically increases their cutting power.

Hardened Alloy Claws and Teeth:
The Saber Lion has the standard melee weapons, if the blades fail it. Those weapons are two rows of razor-sharp teeth and four good claws, great for ripping and tearing. Also, both sets of close-quarters weapons can be charged with energy from the Ion Charger, increasing their cutting power and making them more effective.

Special Abilities:
3D Doppler Radar:
The Saber Lion possesses 3D Doppler Radar, which allows it to map out the terrain around it and find enemy Zoids more effectively. This system is reasonably basic, and doesn’t grant a targeting bonus, but can be useful in urban combat. The sensors themselves are located in the Saber Lion’s skull and optics, making them hard to destroy without taking the cockpit with them.

Ion Charger:
Mounted on the Saber Lion’s back, covered by armor, is a curious device called and ion charger. This siphons and converts small amounts of energy from the Zoid Core and uses it to charge the Saber Lion’s melee weapons. However, the charge isn’t nearly as strong or potent as the Strike Laser Claw or even the Electron Strike Claw. It usually just increases sharpness and cutting ability by about 50%, which is reasonable boost. Swipes and continued pressure still have the potential to deal quite a bit of damage.

Smoke Dischargers:
There are a set of pipes coming out of the back of the Saber Lion, which is rather odd for a Zoid Those actually aren’t exhaust pipes; they’re Smoke Dischargers. They allow the Saber Lion to create a smoke screen: handy for hiding itself or covering a retreat. However, they only obscure vision, doing little to stop other forms of tracking.

Available Modifications:

Name: Salamander
Alignment: Helic Republic
Family: Pterosaur
Registration Number: RZ-045
Crew: 1-2
Height: 17.1 Meters
Length: 24.1 Meters
Weight: 100 Tons
Top Speed: Mach 2.0/2450 kph
Weapons: Dual 100mm Laser Cannons, High-Power Flamethrower, Quad 30mm Machineguns, Dual Triple 20mm AMD Machineguns, Quad 30mm Beam Cannons.
Special Abilities: Twin TVM Light Tactical Missiles, 3D Doppler Radar.
Level: 4

The Salamander was the Helic Republic’s first high-power, large-scale bomber. Having the longest range and highest service ceiling of any production aerial Zoid, the Salamander was truly infamous for striking from on high. The Salamander isn’t exactly lightly armed either, boasting a pair of powerful TWM Light Tactical Missiles on its back, giving it ridiculous striking power for an aerial Zoid. The Salamander also has Magnesser wings, but it’s performance is among the worst of any aerial Zoid. Only the Pteras is worse.

However, the Salamander doesn’t really need maneuverability. It’s got guns. It also happens to be exceptionally tough for an aerial Zoid, with armor only a notch below that of the Blade Liger. The Magnesser wings give it VTOL (vertical takeoff and landing) capabilities, and it can fly halfway around Zi before having to land for maintenance. Above and beyond that, while its slow and clunky, its firepower actually allows it to put up a halfway decent dogfight. Even Zoids like the Raynos may have trouble with the Salamander simply because of the bomber’s sheer firepower and bulk.

Weapons:
Dual 100mm Laser Cannons:
The majority of the Salamander’s conventional and dependable striking power comes from these two laser cannons, mounted on either side of the main body. They’re semiautomatic, 100mms, and can pivot up to 45 degrees downwards, allowing them to hit terrestrial targets. However, because of their semiautomatic nature, they’re of only limited utility in a dogfight. Still, if you hit something with them, it will hurt the opponent.

High-Power Flamethrower:
The Salamander can breathe fire. Well, not really. It’s got a High-Power Flamethrower in its mouth, which makes it look like it breathes fire. The maximum range of this potent weapon is 150 meters, and its twice as powerful as a normal flamethrower. It can also obviously point wherever the Salamander’s head does, and acts like a cutting torch. However, it’s best used against terrestrial targets.

Quad 30mm Machineguns:
Each of the Salamander’s wings has a pair of 30mm Machineguns, which fire at a fully automatic rate and put out an impressive 15 rounds per second each. This is Salamander’s main source of dogfighting firepower, and can easily shred enemy aircraft. They’re pretty useful against ground targets too. To that end, the cannons can each pivot up to 30 degrees downwards.

Dual Triple 20mm AMD Machineguns:
Each of the Salamanders wings also has no fewer than three fully automatic 20mm Anti-Missile Defense Machineguns, for a total of 6 such weapons. They feature a naturally increased spread, and a fully automatic rate of fire, putting out 15 rounds per second each. While this makes them great for shooting down missiles, the spread makes a bit useless at long distances. Still, anything that gets too close to the front of the Salamander is in for the surprise of its life. The six 20mm AMD Machineguns are fixed.

Quad 30mm Beam Cannons:
The Salamander has four rear-facing beam cannons, two on its back and two on the tail. Each can put out two rounds every second, and each can pivot up to 20 degrees up, down, or to either side. They’re only good for fighting enemies pursuing the Salamander, but they’re quite useful in that department.

Special Abilities:
Twin TVM Light Tactical Missiles:
Occupying the Salamander’s back is a pair of powerful TVM Light Tactical Missiles, the two weapons being officially classified as a superweapon. The Salamander must spend a full six seconds locking onto a single terrestrial target (or a set of coordinates) prior to firing the missile. Note also that the Salamander can lock onto any target its 3D Doppler Radar can pinpoint or that it can see. If any one of its sensory mechanisms can detect the target, it can lock on, and the lock on time is unaffected by the number of mechanisms that can detect the target.

After one full round, the Salamander may launch its locked Tactical Missile. Unlike most missiles, the Tactical Missile does not fly straight at its target. Rather, it fires up from the Salamander’s back and uses a parabolic arc like a mortar or an artillery shell. However, because it is a missile, its range is exceptionally long -- anything the Salamander could even potentially see, the missile is long-ranged enough to hit. Anyway, the missile’s boosters and vectored thrusters allow it to continually update its flightpath to compensate for the movement of the target for a full three seconds, when the Tactical Missile runs out of fuel. (It will already be on its way down by this point.) From this point forward, the Tactical Missile is unguided, and will fall for between 1 second (excellent conditions) and 3 seconds (worst possible conditions). When it hits the ground, the warhead will detonate and create a massive 40-meter explosion (half the power of a full Tactical Missile). Though very tough Zoids, such as the Dark Horn, can survive this blast if relatively undamage, they will do so only barely. Lesser Zoids caught in the blast radius will surely CSF -- or worse. After the first Tactical Missile is launched, the Salamander has a single spare. Interestingly, unlike the Iron Kong series’ missiles, the Salamander has no missile launcher to reload. Therefore, it may begin locking the second missile immediately after launching the first (but this still takes a full round). The Salamander may not refresh its supply of Tactical Missiles while rearming in a sanctioned Zoid Battle. (In warfare, it depends entirely on whether or not the transport has them on hand.)

A few notes about the Tactical Missile before I finish. Firstly, due to absolute, ridiculous, and extreme danger to the pilot of the Salamander, the aircraft’s enemies are forbidden from shooting the Tactical Missile prior to its launch. (All’s still fair in war, but its very likely that only the fuel supply will detonate. Still, that can be lethal when the explosion is right behind the cockpit.) After launch, the Tactical Missile can be shot down, but doing is so is difficult at best. The Tactical Missile is covered by a medium-grade armor plate, and it takes several good hits to destroy it. More likely is that the shots will trigger the impact sensor and prematurely detonate the missile. Next, the Tactical Missile is TVM, meaning that it is guided by the Salamander and not internal guidance systems. (It was quite literally the Salamander locking onto the target, and not the missile.) However, the second Tactical Missile launched still requires a new lock. This systems does have distinct advantages, though. Firstly, ECM is ineffective against this superweapon. Secondly, Communications Jamming fails to destroy the link between the Salamander and the Tactical Missile, because they use several “unorthodox” communications methods. However, if the Salamander is CSFed or destroyed while the Tactical Missile is in the air, the weapon will become unguided. Lastly, it is possible to dumbfire Tactical Missiles, but attempting to do so is both foolhardy and extremely dangerous. Also, it is illegal to dumbfire Tactical Missiles in the first round of combat of a sanctioned Zoid battle. (Guided launch takes a full round to lock, and would hence be second round.)

3D Doppler Radar:
To help it on bombing runs, the Salamander has 3D Doppler Radar. This sensor system allows the Salamander to map out the terrain around it and find enemy Zoids more effectively. This system is reasonably basic, and doesn’t grant a targeting bonus. The sensors are none other than the dome on the Salamander’s ear, and if they’re destroyed, the radar will cease to function. However, destroying the ears is nearly impossible to do without area-damage weapons because they’re such a small target. Also, while the Salamander is up in the air, it can often map and see for kilometers using the 3D Doppler Radar. This system can also transmit data to teammates.

Name: Seismosaurus
Alignment: Neo-Zenebas Empire
Family: Seismosaurus
Registration Number: RZ-055
Height: 10.9 Meters
Length: 53.5 Meters
Weight: 198 Tons
Top Speed: 70 kph
Weapons: Octo AAZ(Anti-Aerial-Zoid) 120mm Cannons, Quad AZ100mm Beam Cannons, Particle Cannon Array, Crasher Tail, Hardened Alloy Teeth.
Special Abilities: Focused Charged Particle Gun.
Cost: Classified
Level: Banned

Bridge Crew: 3 (Pilot, Co-Pilot, Gunnery Sergeant/Tactical Officer)
Minimum Crew Requirements: 0
Standard Crew: 3
Maximum Personnel: 9 ((That can be continuously supported and sustained by the Seismosaurus.))

The Seismosaurus is one of those ancient (well, not that ancient) legends, like the old story of the Death Saurer or Hiltz’s Death Saurer. Originally produced by the Neo-Zenebas Empire as an answer to the King Gojulas and Gojulas Giga, an extremely small number of large scale Zoids, called “Seismosauruses” were developed and deployed to destroy the Helic Zoid Xs. However, the Seismosaurus was developed during peacetime, and the current Imperial regime didn’t want to restart the war simply because they’d developed a new weapon. However, the Seismosauruses didn’t really understand the concept of “peace” and didn’t really care. They went berserk, attacking everything in their line of sight, be they allies or be they enemies. Some even attacked each other, happily thinning their numbers.

Ironically, the Neo-Zenebas was forced to launch a plea to the Helic Republic, which the remaining operational Mad Thunders to destroy the rampaging Seismosaurus. The Mad Thunders succeeded in a decisive victory against their opposite numbers, given that the Seismosauruses depend largely on Charged Particle weaponry to defeat opponents. When the smoke cleared and the dust settled, the Neo-Zenebas Empire was able to account for every Seismosaurus. There were none left. However, the Neo-Zenebas and Helic armed forces were able to observe the combat capabilities of the Seismosaurus firsthand, and what terrible power the Zoid wields. A series of Strategic Arms Limitation Treaties (SALTs) banned production of the Seismosaurus or a similar Zoid by any nation, and the Seismosaurus is now believed to be extinct. Whether or not all current nations still respect this is treaty is unknown, but it’s extremely likely that it is.

The Seismosaurus was based on the same technology used to create the Death Saurer, and is very similar to the terrible tyrannosaurus in more ways than one. For example, the Seismosaurus has its own independent intelligence, and can act on its own initiative. There some key differences as well. As another example, unlike the Death Saurer, the Seismosaurus’ intelligence doesn’t outright override that of the pilot. However, the Seismosaurus can and will rebel if its orders conflict with its wishes, and then the pilot will loose control of the Seismosaurus. The Seismosaurus also has a very real and very independent personality, and is usually extremely bloodthirsty.

As far as technical data goes, its easy to see why the Seismosaurus was made outright illegal by joint decision of the Neo-Zenenbas Empire and the Helic Republic. The Zoid possesses a special kind of superweapon called the Focused Charged Particle Gun, possibly the most powerful superweapon ever invented. In addition it has no fewer than sixty-two lesser charged particle based weapons lining its neck, main body, and tail, all of which can blow lesser Zoids to pieces. The Seismosaurus’ armor is also on par with the Death Saurer, and extremely hard to damage by conventional means. All that, and the Seismosaurus is only roughly the size of a Mad Thunder, and is considerably smaller than the Death Saurer. All the firepower you could ever want in a neat little package. But uncontrolled and very, very much banned.

Weapons:
Octo AAZ(Anti-Aerial-Zoid) 120mm Cannons:
Mounted in groups of four to either side of the Seismosaurus sit these mighty weapons -- making 8 in all. They’re Anti-Aerial-Zoid 120mm Cannons, meaning that they fire high-penetration shrapnel rounds (better than standard flak) which can easily tear apart enemy aircraft. Being anti-air in nature, each cannon can pivot a full 90 degrees straight up, and boast a respectable semiautomatic firing rate. Note that the fuses on the shells can also be turned off, allowing them to act like normal 120mm cannons. However, they do not have normal AZ qualities when used in that manner. (Note that the flak shells only explode on impact or at the set altitude, which can be changed by the gunner twirling a dial.)

Quad AZ100mm Beam Cannons:
Mounted to either side of the Seismosaurus’ back, two forward-facing and two rear-facing, are two pairs of AZ100mm Beam Cannons. They’re semiautomatic, and can pivot up to 90 degrees horizontally or 20 degrees vertically. They’re actually reasonably basic weapons, and there isn’t too much special about them (other than their caliber, of course).

Particle Cannon Array:
The Seismosaurus has no fewer than 31 pairs (62 total) of particle cannons placed on rotating turret mounts on the Zoid’s head, tail, and main body. Each of the calibers is extremely small, only 30mm, but each weapon has the penetration of a charged particle gun. That means that they won’t do much damage, but they’ll go straight through any conventional armor. They, of course, used charged particles to operate. However, none of these cannons can fire while the Focused Charged Particle Gun is in use, because its taking up all of the charged particles coming through the various intake fans on the Seismosaurus’ body. Also, while these weapons are extremely power, they’re also partially the reason the Seismosauruses couldn’t defeat the Mad Thunders. Because they’re based on charged particles, they’re susceptible to anything that will effect or stop charged particle weapons, such as the Mad Thunder’s Particle Absorption Shield.

Crasher Tail:
While the Seismosaurus actually isn’t particularly strong for its size, it can use its crasher tail to flick the lighter Zoids away. The tail itself also happens to have three spikes on the end, making it extremely painful to take a hit from it. However, the Seismosaurus certainly isn’t the best melee Zoid that ever walked the face of Zi, so it really ought to stick to its ranged weapons rather than its tail.

Hardened Alloy Teeth:
The Seismosaurus has a set of rather pointy, razor-sharp teeth which it can use to bite and rip at enemies. Obviously, they’re mounted in the Seismosaurus’ mouth, which is on its neck, which is long and branch-like, able to come down and bite enemy Zoids.

Special Abilities:
Focused Charged Particle Gun:
The Seismosaurus’ second reason for being banned, other than its Particle Cannon Array, is its Focused Charged Particle Gun. Located in the Seismosaurus’ mouth, this weapon requires essentially no charge-up time. It just fires. While only as strong as a normal Charged Particle Gun per unit time it fires, the FCPG fires a much smaller beam, allowing it decapitate anything almost instantly. Also, the FCPG blast lasts for a full 6 seconds, and the Seismosaurus’ superweapon is free-firing. The Seismosaurus need not stand still while firing the FCPG. The Particle Cannon Array is automatically deactivated and inoperable while the FCPG is firing. As a last note, the FCPG requires several minutes to recharge, effectively limiting it to one use per battle. IF any Seismosaurus’ still existed and were used in a sanctioned Zoid Battling special event, regulations might forbid it from using this weapon in the first six seconds of combat. But seriously, who would stop it?

Available Modifications:

Name: Shadow Fox
Alignment: Helic Republic
Family: Fox
Registration Number: RZ-046
Crew: 1
Height: 8.0 Meters
Length: 17.2 Meters
Weight: 100 Tons
Top Speed: 290 kph
Weapons: AZ30mm Laser Vulcan, AZ70mm Electromagnetic Net Cannon, Electron Bite Fangs, Strike Laser Claws.
Special Abilities: Smoke Dischargers, Stealth Systems, Leg Anchors, Multi-Sensor.
Level: 4

The Shadow Fox is one of the more popular Zoids ever to be produced by the Helic Republic. Though it was originally designed mainly to support the Liger Zero, it quickly became apparent that the Shadow Fox was useful for a variety of other purposes. Indeed, the Helic Republic quickly discovered that the Shadow Fox was one of the most customizable Zoids in existence, and can adapt to almost any any situation. It also happens to be extremely fast and agile, roughly as much so as the Blade Liger, and also among the ranks of the sneakiest Zoids every built.

Unfortunately for the Shadow Fox, it has reasonably thin armor for its class, only about halfway between the Lightning Saix and the Konig Wolf in strength. However, it makes up for its lack of ability to absorb punishment simply by avoiding it. The Shadow Fox is amazingly stealthy, almost as much so as the Panther-typed Helcat. In addition to being elusive, the Shadow Fox is reasonably well armed, boasting an AZ30mm Laser Vulcan and a powerful AZ70mm Electromagnetic Net Cannon. This vulpine Zoid has also proved itself in melee again and again, boasting powerful Strike Laser Claws and Electron Bite Fangs. If all that wasn’t enough, the Shadow Fox also has a Multi-Sensor, which allows it to find almost any Zoid anywhere. As I mentioned earlier, it’s a very versatile Zoid.

Weapons:
AZ30mm Laser Vulcan:
The Shadow Fox has a fully automatic AZ30mm Laser Vulcan on its back, placed on an omnidirectional mount. This weapon can really pump out shells, as many as 20 per second, and can strip away even heavy armor with sustained fire. It’s mount also allows it face damn near anywhere (hence the word “omnidirectional). Combined with the Shadow Fox’s maneuverability and the leg anchors, the AZ30mm Laser Vulcan has been responsible for some truly legendary shots.

AZ70mm Electromagnetic Net Cannon:
Mounted in the Shadow Fox’s tail is an AZ70mm Electromagnetic Net Cannon, which can envelop and shock a target. The net itself fires out of a concealed cannon in the Shadow Fox’s tail (as mentioned earlier). The net is initially released in a canister, but it deploys a moment before hitting a target (via some rather nifty proximity sensors, which are based off of the multisensor.) The net then envelops whatever target that’s in its path, shocking, lagging, and perhaps stalling the recipient for 2-4 seconds. Extricating oneself from the net can also take a second or so. Note that once the AZ70mm Electromagnetic Net is fired, the Shadow Fox must rearm before it can fire another one. Also, due to its positioning, the net can only hit targets behind the Shadow Fox. Lastly, the net canister is dumbfire and strictly short range. While there’s no specific effective distance of the net gun, closer is better.

Electron Bite Fangs:
Sometimes, the Shadow Fox will find that its main guns lack the stopping power to prevent an opponent from reaching melee range. That’s where these come in. The Shadow Fox’s fangs -- that is, teeth -- can siphon to energy from the Zoid Core to pseudo-charge themselves, increasing their cutting power almost as much as if they’d been charged with a system similar to the Strike Laser Claw. This makes the jaws excellent for downing an opponent quickly in melee combat; attempting to bite through the enemy Zoid Control Conduit is an old favorite of soldiers.

Strike Laser Claws:
The Shadow Fox claws certainly look dangerous, but they’re actually among the most dangerous weapons it possesses. Using the same Strike Laser Claw system as the Dark Spiner, the Shadow Fox’s claws (any of the four) can be charged with energy, drastically increasing their cutting power and allowing them to inflict massive damage with swipes and sustained pressure.

Special Abilities:
Smoke Dischargers:
The Shadow Fox’s signature piece of equipment is the series of Smoke Dischargers located throughout and around its body. They’re not rear-facing, like so many other Zoids, and simply spew out thick, black smoke to create a large cloud. This obscures vision, and is great for concealing the Shadow Fox’s real position. While the Shadow Fox can’t see through the smoke either, it has the multisensors to help it out. Also, the smoke only obscures visuals, and does nothing to stop other detection systems, such as IR Sensors. As a last note, firing the Shadow Fox’s weapons can create muzzle flashes in the smoke cloud, which may give away its position.

Stealth Systems:
The Shadow Fox has a number of Stealth Systems to keep make it the sneaky fox-typed Zoid it is. This encompasses a wide variety of various trinkets, all of which combine to make it worthy of the term “nifty”.

Optical Camouflage:
This is the big one. The Shadow Fox’s Optic Camouflage allows it to vanish at will. Well, not really vanish. Unlike the light-bending Optical Stealth Shield, the Shadow Fox’s camouflage merely work’s like a chameleon’s, changing the skin color and image to look like the image on the other side. There is a noticeable blurring effect, as well as an outline remaining, but both tend to break up when the Shadow Fox moves. There are a few other items of note: 1) Whenever the Shadow Fox fires a ranged weapon, it decloaks for a fraction of a second. 2) If the Shadow Fox is hit with any fire to any one spot on its body, it will decloak for a fraction of a second. However, since the Optical Camouflage is a combination of internal systems and special paint, it’s difficult to outright destroy.

Noise Suppression:
The Shadow Fox is coated with noise bafflers and other noise suppression equipment, which it makes it nearly silent. (The guns on the Shadow Fox are not noised suppressed.) Essentially, you can’t hear the Shadow Fox. However, for reasons that aren’t entirely clear, the Noise Suppression won’t stop a Heartbeat Sensor from finding the pilot.

Footprint Scrubbers:
There is, unfortunately, still one obvious way to locate the Shadow Fox: by its footprints. No problem. It can get rid of them. The Footprint Scrubbers wipe away the indentations of the Shadow Fox’s tracks, but don’t get everything. Generally speaking only 90% get wiped on normal ground, and only 50% get wiped in mud or snow. In long grass, the Footprint Scrubbers will --yes, you guessed it -- try to unbend the blades of grass the Shadow steps on, but only roughly gets 20% of them. Not necessarily a piece of equipment to rely on, but useful nonetheless.

Leg Anchors:
The Shadow Fox has a system of Leg Anchors in each of its legs. Each anchor can be used to moderately increase stability and reducing shaking while running, or can be locked down to provide the stability necessary to fire heavy weapons. Though not necessarily strong enough to keep the Shadow Fox planted against a charge, to keep another Zoid pinned, the Leg Anchors can allow the Shadow Fox to stay at angles that it really shouldn’t be able to. The extent of the Leg Anchors is allowing the Shadow Fox to stand on a 90 degree -- completely vertical -- incline and shoot from there. That combined with the omnidirectional nature of the AZ30mm Laser Vulcan allow shots and angles of attack that no other Zoid can achieve.

Multi-Sensor:
As far as sensors go, the Shadow Fox cheats a little. Just a little. It uplinks to (read: hacks into) various ground sensor stations and satellite systems that have the battlefield in their sensor range, and uses their resources to find its opponents. This includes any number of little “tricks” such as and triangulating an enemy’s position based on its communications chatter, or even (during a sanctioned battle) take advantage of the sanctioned Zoid Battling registration system, and leech the data the judge uses to keep track of everything. What I just listed is just from satellites, and is available anywhere in the world. If there’s a sensor station nearby, with say... 3D Doppler Radar, the Shadow Fox can leech that as well. Somehow, (there are theories that this involved several large bribes) the Multi-Sensor was approved for use in sanctioned Zoid Battling. However, this system can’t hack into other Zoids and can’t transmit data. Also, if communications are being jammed on the field of battle, the system may become useless without friendly ECM support.

Available Modifications:

Name: Shield Liger
Alignment: Helic Republic
Family: Liger
Registration Number: RZ-007
Crew: 1
Height: 9.0 Meters
Length: 21.6 Meters
Weight: 92 Tons
Top Speed: 250 kph
Weapons: Twin AZ30mm Beam Cannons, Triple Impact Cannon, Twin 30mm AMD Beam Machineguns, Hardened Alloy Claws and Teeth.
Special Abilities: Frontal E-Shield.
Level: 3

And so we come to the great grand-daddy of all the Ligers: the Shield Liger. Derived from the earlier Lion-typed Zoids like the King Baron and inspired by the Zaber Fang, the Shield Liger was the first in the series of the high performance, heavyweight, popular Zoids that we have come to know the as the Ligers. The Shield Liger was simply a breakthrough in Zoid technology, boasting the best maneuverability and agility of any Zoid its day, in addition to the revolutionary introduction of the E-Shield. The shield, for which the Zoid is named, often gave the Shield Liger the advantage over its Imperial counterparts, and made the ‘Liger exceptionally hard to easily destroy.

The Shield Liger may no longer be the absolute most maneuverable Zoid on the block, but it trumps most of its peers. It’s own agility is a sliver better than that of the Zaber Fang, and it’s speed is just a touch higher as well. The two Zoids’ armor is also comparable, though the Shield Liger has a notable lack of armor on its legs. Despite that slight disadvantage, the E-Shield can often be used to cover the unarmored appendages, and they’re reasonably sturdy on their own. As a final note, the Shield Liger is most powerful in melee combat, but does have an assortment of potent ranged weaponry as well.

Weapons:
Twin AZ30mm Beam Cannons:
Normally concealed beneath an armor plate in the Shield Liger’s back is a pair of AZ30mm Beam Cannons. When deployed, they pop up from beneath the sliding armor plate on a turret mount. They can fire at a semiautomatic rate, and can turn up to 360 degrees on the horizontal axis. On the vertical axis, these cannons can also pivot up to 20 degrees up or down. While not large in caliber, these cannons have good penetration and can strip most kinds of armor quickly if the receiver isn’t paying attention.

Triple Impact Cannon:
This weapon would almost have to be called the Shield Liger’s main weapon, next to its signature shield ram. This impact cannon is capable of firing AZ60mm shells at a semiautomatic rate at distances up to 300 meters. The Shield Liger’s, like many Impact Cannons, is mounted to the Zoid’s undercarriage, making it low slung and hard to target and destroy. As many Impact Cannons are, the Shield Liger’s is fixed facing forwards.

Twin 30mm AMD Beam Machineguns:
The Shield Liger’s tail has a rear-facing 30mm AMD Beam Machinegun on either side of it, fully automatic and great for shooting down incoming explosives coming in from behind. These weapons feature a rate of fire of 10 shells per second each, and a naturally increased spread to help them shoot down incoming missiles. While these are labeled AMD or “Anti-Missile Defense”, they can be used as standard weapons to shoot pursuers. However, due to the increased spread, the effectiveness of these machineguns quickly reduces as distance.

Hardened Alloy Claws and Teeth:
The Shield Liger has the basic weapons for melee: a set of sharp claws and razor-like teeth. These can slash, bite, rip, shred... whatever they need to in order to get the job done. While they can’t be charged with energy, its common to see them used directly following a Shield Ram.

Special Abilities:
Frontal E-Shield:
The Shield Liger is capable of raising a Frontal E-Shield, for which it is named. Raising the E-Shield entails opening the shield panels on the top, bottom, and sides of the ‘Liger’s head. If any one of them is badly damaged or destroyed, the maneuver will fail. However, once the shield is up, it protects the Shield Liger from the head all the way to the rear legs. The E-Shield itself is almost as good protection as a Blade Liger’s (not Shield Liger, but Blade Liger’s) armor, as far as conventional weapons go. It can also be used in melee as a high-speed battering ram, allowing it to be used offensively as well. (That particular attack, the Shield Ram, is sometimes referred to as the Shield Liger’s signature attack.) Explosives (mortars, missiles, rockets, grenades, ect.) and special shield-piercing rounds can quickly compromise the E-Shield, though, so know thine opponent before bringing the E-Shield up. It takes 18 seconds to regenerate after being downed.

Available Modifications:

Name: Sinker
Alignment: Zenebas and Guylos Empires
Family: Manta Ray
Registration Number: EZ-032
Crew: 1
Height: 3 Meters
Length: 10.8 Meters
Weight: 26.6 Tons
Top Speed: Mach 0.9/1103 kph (hovering/air), 120 knots/222 kph (water)
Weapons: Twin 30mm Maxter Beam Rifles, Dual AZ Torpedoes.
Special Abilities: Swimming.
Level: 1

The Sinker is one of the oldest aquatic Zoids still in service today, and one of the most effective. Originally built to combat the Helic Aquadon, way back at the beginning of the human conflict on Zi. It did its job admirably, practically wiping the less well-armored and armed Zoid from the field of battle. The Barigator later stepped up to counter the Sinker, and proved to be an even match for it. However, the Sinker, thanks largely in part to its high speed and hybrid-environment nature, remained a favorite of the Zenebas Empire through its stay as a power on Zi. The Guylos Empire saw the Sinker as a cheap and reasonably powerful aquatic defender to use in combination with a Sleeper System, a notion they acted upon. As a result, there are still former Guylos Sleeper Sinkers sitting around the oceans and waters of their former territories.

To fully understand and appreciate the extent of the Sinker’s abilities, one must first understand its mode of transportation. It has a system of jets on its underside which makes it VTOL (vertical takeoff and landing), and essentially allows it to hover at low altitudes. Once hovering, the two massive jet engines under each of its wings kick in, allowing it extremely fast, and generate lift. While the Sinker is strictly subsonic, it has limited flight capability. However, it’s restricted to no more than 1 kilometer’s altitude, and its maneuverability worsens with altitude. Also, in its more common and more maneuverable “hovering” mode, it’s recommending that the Sinker keep its speed down to stop it from crashing into things, like large rocks.

The Sinker is also a fully capable, powerful swimmer, and is hence able to operate in the ocean. In or out of the water, it has enough weapons to be dangerous, so even larger opponent’s shouldn’t make a habit of taking the Sinker lightly. The downside is that the Sinker’s armor is extremely light, falling somewhere between the Guysack and the Rev Raptor.

Weapons:
Twin 30mm Maxter Beam Rifles:
The Sinker’s two main, consistent ranged weapons are a pair of fully automatic 30mm Maxter Beam Cannons, each fixed on either side of the Zoid’s mouth. Being automatic rifles, both weapons can put out a reasonable 2-3 rounds per second each. Now, the “Maxter” designation means that use a special design to increase power and maximize damage, moderately improving both damage and penetration. They’re still not as good as AZ weapons, though.

Dual AZ Torpedoes:
The Sinker’s only other weapons are a pair of Anti-Zoid Torpedoes, each mounted under the “wing hinge” next to the jet engine. When fired underwater, or dropped from above water into water, each torpedo will use active sonar to lock onto the nearest enemy signature that doesn’t correspond to their IFF. (Once again, unlike missiles, torpedoes need not lock on before entering the water. They do it on their own.) They then active a set of turbines in their tails, and track whatever target they’re locked onto until the ends of earth. However, torpedoes are nowhere near as fast as missiles, and, while armored, can be easily dispatched. In an environment where a single hull breach could mean death, the torpedoes are a valuable asset. This is doubly-so, given that they’re AZ and have twice the standard damage potential. Note that the torpedoes are no more than glorified rockets or bombs above land, but their explosive power remained unchanged.

Special Abilities:
Swimming:
The Sinker is capable of swimming, and does it alot like a dedicated aquatic Zoid. It’s maneuverability and performance are only a step or two below that of the War Shark, making it rather agile beneath the surface. Being a Manta Ray, it can use its tail to propel itself to a maximum speed of 120 knots. However, despite its design, the Sinker’s light armor and structure limits it to 400 meter’s depth. Below that... well, pancaked Zoid for breakfast.

Available Modifications:

Name: Snipe Master
Alignment: Helic Republic
Family: Velociraptor
Registration Number: RZ-057
Crew: 1-2
Height: 7.2 Meters
Length: 12 Meters
Weight: 22 Tons
Top Speed: 195 kph
Weapons: Enhanced AZ144mm Sniper Rifle, Hardened Alloy Claws and Teeth.
Special Abilities: Sniper Mode, Stealth Systems.
Level: 2

The Snipe Master is possibly among the most dangerous Zoids is its class, with incredible long-ranged striking power unmatched by any other Zoid of its size or weight. The Snipe Master is the fraternal twin brother of the Gun Sniper, but there is an extremely big key difference. While the Gun Sniper is like a designated marksman or a combat sharpshooter, the Snipe Master is a sniper. That means better accuracy, more stealth and detection systems, and a bigger gun.

The downside is that dedicated sniping comes at a serious price. The Snipe Master’s entire body is essentially a support mechanism for its Sniper Rifle, and it lacks any other form of ranged weaponry. In melee, it’s got nothing but claws and teeth, with not even the Gun Sniper’s Ion Charger to help it along. However, the Snipe Master is every bit as well armored and agile as its good brother, so watch out. This ‘Raptor may surprise you.

Weapons:
Enhanced AZ144mm Sniper Rifle:
The AZ144mm Sniper Rifle is an extremely powerful weapon built into the Snipe Master’s tail. Though the Gun Sniper must be in Sniper Mode to use it, the Sniper Rifle can fire once every 1.5 seconds, and is more than capable of piercing E-Shields. A round fired by a Snipe Master will pierce a shield in one miniscule point, penetrating and dealing damage to the Zoid as well (though the damage will be reduced). The shield will then instantly recombobulate, sealing the hole. After only two shots, an ordinary E-Shield will fail. The rounds can be capable of piercing Hyper E-Shields at close range, but generally the Snipe Master needs to stay back and rattle off 4-6 rounds to down a shield of that power. Against regular armor, the Enhanced AZ144mm round will penetrate further and deal more damage than even its large caliber suggests, and will do even more damage than the Gun Sniper’s equivalent weapon. Note that against lightly armored opponents and against many other Zoids in the Snipe Master’s class, one or two rounds may even take off a limb. As far as range goes, coupled with the powerful back-mounted sensors and sniper gear, the Snipe Master is capable of shooting a tin can off of a fence at 10 kilometers. All in all, this is a very powerful weapon, and not one to be taken lightly.

Hardened Alloy Claws and Teeth:
The Snipe Master has the usual weapons for melee: a set of sharpened claws and razor-like teeth. Though the Snipe Master is a dedicated Sniper, its still a Velociraptor, and can surprisingly fierce in close-quarters. Though it no longer has it’s brother’s Ion Charger, the Snipe Master can still rip and tear with these things like allgetout if need be.

Special Abilities:
Sniper Mode:
The signature ability of the Snipe Master is Sniper Mode. Put simply, the Snipe Master turns around, and so does the pilot’s seat. Footlocks deploy, and the Enhanced AZ144mm Sniper Rifle becomes operational. Meanwhile, the pilot him or herself sinks into a Sniper’s crouch. The rest of the weapons become nonfunctional. The entire process takes about a second (as does coming out of it). The Snipe Master itself is capable of shifting position, but has difficulty walking due to the dropped footlocks. Still, it can walk around and turn a little, if very slowly.

3D Doppler Radar:
Just so the Snipe Master always knows where you are, it has 3D Doppler Radar. This sensor system allows the Snipe Master to map out the terrain around it and find enemy Zoids more effectively. This system is reasonably basic, and doesn’t grant a targeting bonus. The sensors are none other than the Snipe Master’s ears, and if they’re destroyed, the radar will cease to function. Also, this system can be used in both normal and Sniper Mode, but is really more commonly used in Sniper Mode.

Electromagnetic Targeting Sensor:
An extremely useful ability of the Sniper Master, the backpack unit also allows this Zoid to actively “ping” above ground by using electromagnetic resonance properties. Essentially, the Snipe Master, while in Sniper Mode only, can send out a “ping” of electromagnetic radiation. This burst saturates everything in an 45 degree arc and within 3 kilometers of the Snipe Master with said radiation (so the “ping” thing wasn’t entirely accurate, but hey). Metal objects coupled with the electromagnetic radiation appear a certain way on the Snipe Master’s sensors, so it can easily find stealthy targets. However, the radiation only lasts a few seconds before fading into the background. (No, this doesn’t increase cancer rates.) This ability can be used only once per round.

Sniping Gear:
When in Sniper Mode, the Snipe Master has all of its Sniping Gear available to it. This includes about a dozen nifty things, ranging from autotargeting to rifle stabilization to autozoom and rangefinding. With all of these gadgets together, the Snipe Master can hit a tin can off of a fence from 10 kilometers away, making it among the most powerful, accurate, and deadly snipers there are. Note, however, that the Sniping Gear is located in the backpack unit. If that’s destroyed, most of the gear goes with it.

Stealth Systems:
The Snipe Master is a specialist in the art of not being seen. Much like the Helcat or the Shadow Fox, the Snipe Master has a number of interesting and specialized Stealth Systems that allow it to keep its heiny intact on the field of battle. Combined, they make the Snipe Master the deadly assassin it is.

Optic Refraction Shield:
Firstly, this is not an E-Shield. The Snipe Master’s Optic Refraction Shield allows it to randomly defract the Snipe Master’s image to a nearby location. The only thing that’s left of the real Snipe Master is a very slight optical blurring effect which is difficult to notice. There are a few other items of note: 1) The Snipe Master cannot actually see visually while the Optic Stealth Shield is up. The 3D Doppler Radar automatically activate when it does bring up the Refraction Shield, however, so this shouldn’t be a problem. 2) If the Snipe Master is hit with enough firepower, it will decloak for a fraction of a second. 3) If the backpack unit on the Snipe Master is destroyed, the Optic Refraction Shield will cease to function. Also note that the Refraction Shield can block some forms of radar, like basic radar, but not 3D Doppler Radar. Lastly, if an enemy Zoid ventures within 200 meters or so of the Snipe Master, the light created by the defraction effect becomes visible. This makes it trivial to figure out where the Snipe Master is (where the light is coming from).

Infrared and Core Suppression:
Spread throughout the Snipe Master’s entire body is a network of scrubbers, dampeners, and other forms of suppressors. These make it invisible to both infrared and core tracking sensors, which damn near make it invisible entirely. Even Ultimate Xs can, therefore, have trouble finding the Snipe Master. However, radar still works just fine as far as the detection department goes.

Noise Suppression:
The Snipe Master is coated with noise bafflers and other noise suppression equipment, which it makes it nearly silent. (The Enhanced AZ144mm Snipe Rifle is also noise suppressed, but is by no means invisible.) Essentially, you can’t hear the Snipe Master. However, for reasons that aren’t entirely clear, the Noise Suppression won’t stop a Heartbeat Sensor from finding the pilot.

Footprint Scrubbers:
There is, unfortunately, still one obvious way to locate the Snipe Master: by its footprints. No problem. It can get rid of them. The Footprint Scrubbers wipe away the indentations of the Snipe Master’s tracks, but don’t get everything. Generally speaking only 90% get wiped on normal ground, and only 50% get wiped in mud or snow. In long grass, the Footprint Scrubbers will --yes, you guessed it -- try to unbend the blades of grass the Shadow steps on, but only roughly gets 20% of them. Not necessarily a piece of equipment to rely on, but useful nonetheless.

Available Modifications:

Name: Spinosapper (aka “Spino Sapper” or “Spino Snapper”)
Alignment: Helic Republic
Family: Spinosaurus
Registration Number: RZ-043
Crew: 1
Height: 6.8 Meters
Length: 11.5 Meters
Weight: 23 Tons
Top Speed: 105 kph
Weapons: Dual 50mm Cannons, Twin 20mm Machineguns, 80mm Beam Cannon, Dual Beam Saws, Hardened Alloy Claws and Teeth.
Special Abilities: None.
Level: 2

The Spinosapper is really the big name in toughness as far as Zoids of its class go, equipped with heavier armor than essentially any other Zoid of its size and weight. Though fairly lightweight, the Spinosapper is also one of the hulking, heavily armed Zoids in its peer group. Though it was one of those few Zoids originally designed for commercial purposes (mining, construction, demolition, and heavy industry), many were eventually converted to fit military needs. The Spinosapper is also easily one of the most intimidating-looking Zoids there is, with two powerful Beam Saws located on its back.

The Spinosapper looks like some predecessor of the Gojulas, but its actually more closely related to the Dark Spiner. Like both of the aforementioned Zoids, the Spinosapper uses its tail to give it reasonable balance and agility, a notch or two below that of the Rev Raptor. However, the Spinosapper also happens to be extremely slow. Though this is made up for in firepower and armor, speed has lost the Spinosapper class more than one battle.

Weapons:
Dual 50mm Cannons:
The Spinosapper has a pair of semiautomatic, standard 50mm cannons fixed onto its chest. Though folks used to looking at higher level Zoid’s weaponry may not jump at the caliber, these are actually of respectable size and power for the Spinosapper’s class.

Twin 20mm Machineguns:
The Spinosapper has two fixed 20mm Machineguns located inside its mouth. They can each put out a reasonable 12 rounds per second, and give the Spinosapper some measure of reliable firepower. However, they point wherever the Spinosapper’s mouth points, which is wherever its head points, and are limited by that factor.

80mm Beam Cannon:
The Spinosapper has a single 80mm Beam Cannon mounted on its tail. The weapon is fixed, semiautomatic, and rear-facing. Otherwise, it’s nothing special, just designed to help keep enemies off of the Spinosapper’s tail.

Dual Beam Saws:
There are what might be referred to as the Spinosapper’s “signature weapons.” Mounted on the back of the Spinosapper is what originally drew the various world military’s attention: two Beam Saws, one on behind each shoulder. They’re extremely high-power saws, but are also capable of charging with energy to drastically increase sawing power. Though they were originally used for things like heavy industry, these two saws can easily hack off enemy Zoid’s limbs and the like if left to apply continuous pressure.

Hardened Alloy Claws and Teeth:
The Spinosapper has the usual melee weapons: a set of sharpened claws and razor-like teeth. The claws can grab and lift up to 10 tons each, but are also great for ripping and tearing. The teeth are good for biting.

Available Modifications:

Name: Stealth Viper
Alignment: Helic Republic
Family: Snake
Registration Number: RZ-020
Crew: 1
Height: 3.2 Meters
Length: 20.8 Meters
Weight: 23.6 Tons
Top Speed: 180 kph (land), 90 kph (sand), 20 knots/37 kph (water)
Weapons: Twin 40mm Heavy Machineguns, Dual 10mm Anti-Aircraft Machineguns, Hardened Alloy Fangs.
Special Abilities: Steam Dischargers, Burrowing, Swimming.
Level: 1

The Stealth Viper is one of the stealthier Zoids of its class, as its name might well imply. Strongly reminiscent of a cobra or its namesake, the viper, the Stealth Viper can coil, curl, and sneak its way through most situations. Though its thin, the Stealth Viper is extremely long, and can use its body like boa constrictor if need be. If that doesn’t work, it’s got a rather impressive arsenal of weapons to choose from, and can effectively fight land, air, or waterborne targets.

The downside is the Stealth Viper is extremely fragile, with armor much like that of the Guysack. This essentially means that while its not the Aquadon (which the stronger gusts of wind can CSF), it can’t take any reasonable amount of punishment. However, the Stealth Viper is designed to be sneaky anyway, not take fire. Also, thanks to its snakelike design, the Stealth Viper has to move like a snake as well. This gives it serious maneuverability issues in many situations.

Weapons:
Twin 40mm Heavy Machineguns:
The Stealth Viper’s main weapons is a pair of 40mm Heavy Machineguns, one mounted on either side of is face. It’s basically also the only Zoid of its class to carry full automatic Heavy weaponry, which can do lots of surface damage and shatter armor like there’s no tomorrow. However, this isn’t quite as good as standard Heavy weaponry, like that found on the Gordos, but it’s still extremely potent for a Zoid of this class to have. Also, each machinegun is fixed, but puts out 5 rounds per second, making it able to down much tougher Zoids in a hurry. These can also fire underwater, but not while burrowed.

Dual 10mm Anti-Aircraft Machineguns:
There are a pair of cannons, on either side of the midsection of the Stealth Viper, which point straight up, allowing it to shoot at passing aerial targets. Each shell explodes at a certain preset altitude (dialed in by the pilot from the cockpit) into a cloud of shrapnel, which can shred and tear wings. The fuses can be turned off, making them standard 10mm machineguns. Since they can pivot 90 degrees down (to forward-facing only), this can be useful. They also put out 8 rounds per second each, so this really can be a useful weapon. However, these cannons cannot fire underwater or while burrowed in either mode.

Hardened Alloy Fangs:
The Stealth Viper’s mouth has some rather pointy fangs in it, which is great for biting and the like during constriction, or just in good old fashioned melee. They’re reasonably sharp, too, so they can pierce armor.

Special Abilities:
Steam Dischargers:
The Stealth Viper has a series of Steam Dischargers hidden all over its body, which open and begin to emit water vapor when needed. The effect is similar to extremely thick fog, and isn’t nearly as thick or effective as smoke. Also, it only conceals the Stealth Viper from visual sensors; other forms of detection still work just fine.

Burrowing:
The Stealth Viper can burrow through sand at roughly 90 kph, but it can’t go very far underground. (Not more than a meter, usually.) This stops it from using the ground as an effective shield, because high-power guns can still penetrate down and hit it. Substances other than sand are just too thick for it to handle, and the Stealth Viper can’t burrow in those. Lastly, recall that sanctioned Zoid Battling regulations restrict the Stealth Viper from remaining burrowed for more than a total of 12 seconds during a single match.

Swimming:
The Stealth Viper can swim too, but only at the slow pace of 20 knots. It also can dive, but only up to 50 meters below the surface (50 meters is crush depth for the Stealth Viper). None of its weapons function underwater, but water can be a good place to hide from enemies. Also, the Steam Dischargers create a bubble screen underwater, but this isn’t a terrible effective method of hiding.

Available Modifications:

Name: Storm Sworder
Alignment: Helic Republic
Family: Pteranodon
Registration Number: RZ-029
Crew: 1-2
Height: 12.9 Meters
Length: 10.1 Meters
Weight: 47 Tons
Top Speed: Mach 3.2/3920 kph
Weapons: Dual Twin 40mm Pulse Laser Cannons, Forehead Laser Blade, Dual Wing Laser Swords, Hardened Alloy Claws.
Special Abilities: None.
Level: 4

The Zoid often called “the king of dogfighting”, the Storm Sworder is one of the most widely recognized aerial Zoids there is. Used worldwide by militaries, law enforcement, and dozens of private security companies, the Storm Sworder is famous for its unequaled diversity, performance, and versatility. Really, the only Zoid that can top the Storm Sworder in maneuverability is the Raynos, the ‘Sworder outclasses it in other areas. Using only state-of-the-art technology, the Storm Sworder simply is one of the, if not the best dogfighter out there.

It was originally designed and built by the Helic Republic to replace and supplement the older Raynos models, the Storm Sworder easily exceeded expectations. It was equipped with a total of three laser blades, which were seen as a novelty unlikely to work during the design phase -- something that the engineers thought they’d have to take out later. However, a combination of capable pilots and maneuverability that exceeded expectations made these laser blades the Storm Sworder’s signature weapons and namesake. Thanks largely to them, the Storm Sworder has unparalleled firepower and largely possesses the monopoly on aerial meleeing power (though the Orudios may be to differ.)

Lastly, though the Storm Sworder still has universal aerial Zoid lack of armor, it’s tougher than most dedicated aerial Zoids, lying somewhere between the Raynos and the Salamander in terms of durability. Combine all that with its reasonably powerful main guns, incredible performance, high top speed and service ceiling, and signature aerial sword attack, and you can see why the Storm Sworder is so popular. Still, the Storm Sworder is a dedicated dogfighter, but not much of an anti-terrestrial Zoid aircraft. But that’s what modifications are for, eh?

Weapons:
Dual Twin 40mm Pulse Laser Cannons:
The Storm Sworder’s main ranged weapons are two pairs (a total of four) of 40mm Pulse Laser Cannons. Mounted in twos to the underside of each wing, near the joint, these laser cannons can each put out 12 rounds per second (for an impressive 48 all together). While they’re primarily used for dogfighting, the weapons can also pivot up to 90 degrees downward for use against terrestrial targets.

Forehead Laser Blade:
The Storm Sworder’s lesser Laser Blade is mounted to its forehead, and can flip to a straight-up position to allow it slice and dice targets above (or below, if you’re flying inverted) the Storm Sworder. Like the wing-mounted blades, the Forehead Laser Blade can charge with energy to drastically increase its cutting power. Combine that with even low aerial speeds, and this blade can cut through everything and anything like butter. The Blade itself is five meters long, which can make it tricky and dangerous to use, even in the air. However, the risk is well worth it, because the Storm Sworder does not sacrifice maneuverability or aerodynamics to flip up or use the Forehead Laser Blade.

Dual Wing Laser Swords:
Each of this Zoid’s wings contains a Laser Sword, which is the Storm Sworder’s namesake and signature weapon. Each sword can flip out of the wing, and be charged with energy to drastically increase cutting power. Couple that with aerial speeds, and the Storm Sworder can slice through anything like its was only butter. Each sword is also a whopping 8 meters long, allowing them to be used safely even in the air. However, deploy and charging the swords messes with and disturbs the Storm Sworder’s maneuverability, so agility is somewhat decreased when these are in use. Also, attempting to use these against terrestrial targets is one of the biggest risks a pilot can take, and damned near suicide.

Hardened Alloy Claws:
Strangely, the Storm Sworder has a claw behind each pair of Pulse Laser Cannons. Though they can’t be used as the same time as the guns, they can be swapped mid-flight in about a second. They’re extremely short, but sharp... though why any Storm Sworder pilot would want to use these instead of one of his or her three Laser Blades is a mystery. In fact, attempted use of these for melee at aerial speeds may be misinterpreted as a kamikaze run by your opponent (or in sanctioned battles, the judge).

Available Modifications:

Name: Storm Sworder Stealth Type “Triple S” (aka “Stealth Storm Sworder”)
Alignment: International
Family: Pteranodon
Registration Number: Zi-029
Crew: 1-2
Height: 12.9 Meters
Length: 10.1 Meters
Weight: 47 Tons
Top Speed: Mach 3.2/3920 kph
Weapons: Dual Twin 40mm Pulse Laser Cannons, Forehead Laser Blade, Dual Wing Laser Swords, Hardened Alloy Claws.
Special Abilities: Stealth Paint.
Level: 4 (Level 4 Upgrade)

At first glance, the Storm Sworder Stealth Type may just seem like a normal Storm Sworder with a new, black paintjob. That’s because it is. The Storm Sworder ST represented an international effort on the part of the Helic Republic and Guylos Empire to combine their technologies. The Storm Sworder ST combines the Helic Republic’s new and revolutionary Storm Sworder design with the Guylos Empire’s stealth technology -- namely an advanced form of the Helcat’s Stealth Paint. The result was the ultimate in air superiority: a Storm Sworder that enemies couldn’t track or easily lock onto with missiles.

The Storm Sworder Stealth Type, or Triple S, as it became known as, was gifted to the newly formed Guardian Force and associated international forces. However, both the Helic and Guylos Empires eventually collapsed into the Zoid Battle Commission, and the design was disseminated throughout the newly formed supernation. Now, all sides have access to this incredible piece of equipment. Given that only coretracking and visuals (at night, just coretracking) can effectively find it, the Storm Sworder Stealth Type is one of the most feared and deadly Zoids in the sky. In addition, the Stealth Paint hasn’t taken an inch away from its laserblades or a femtosecond away from its turning speed, and its still the fearsome dogfighter is always was. In short, this Zoid’s got a new look that’s taking the skies by... well, by Storm. Storm Sworder, that is.

Weapons:
Dual Twin 40mm Pulse Laser Cannons:
The Storm Sworder Stealth Type’s main ranged weapons are two pairs (a total of four) of 40mm Pulse Laser Cannons. Mounted in twos to the underside of each wing, near the joint, these laser cannons can each put out 12 rounds per second (for an impressive 48 all together). While they’re primarily used for dogfighting, the weapons can also pivot up to 90 degrees downward for use against terrestrial targets.

Forehead Laser Blade:
The Storm Sworder Stealth Type’s lesser Laser Blade is mounted to its forehead, and can flip to a straight-up position to allow it slice and dice targets above (or below, if you’re flying inverted) the Triple S. Like the wing-mounted blades, the Forehead Laser Blade can charge with energy to drastically increase its cutting power. Combine that with even low aerial speeds, and this blade can cut through everything and anything like butter. The Blade itself is five meters long, which can make it tricky and dangerous to use, even in the air. However, the risk is well worth it, because the Storm Sworder ST does not sacrifice maneuverability or aerodynamics to flip up or use the Forehead Laser Blade.

Dual Wing Laser Swords:
Each of this Zoid’s wings contains a Laser Sword, which is the Storm Sworder’s namesake and signature weapon. Each sword can flip out of the wing, and be charged with energy to drastically increase cutting power. Couple that with aerial speeds, and the Triple S can slice through anything like its was only butter. Each sword is also a whopping 8 meters long, allowing them to be used safely even in the air. However, deploy and charging the swords messes with and disturbs the Storm Sworder Stealth Type’s maneuverability, so agility is somewhat decreased when these are in use. Also, attempting to use these against terrestrial targets is one of the biggest risks a pilot can take, and damned near suicide.

Hardened Alloy Claws:
Strangely, the Storm Sworder ST has a claw behind each pair of Pulse Laser Cannons. Though they can’t be used as the same time as the guns, they can be swapped mid-flight in about a second. They’re extremely short, but sharp... though why any Triple S pilot would want to use these instead of one of his or her three Laser Blades is a mystery. In fact, attempted use of these for melee at aerial speeds may be misinterpreted as a kamikaze run by your opponent (or in sanctioned battles, the judge).

Special Abilities:
Stealth Paint:
The Storm Sworder Stealth Type is coated with a coat of paint similar to the stuff found on the Helcat, but a little more advanced. It disperses IR waves, better than IR Suppression, making it invisible to the heat-detecting sensors. It also absorbs and curves radar waves around it, providing it with a better anti-Radar defense than any Radar Transparency. This renders the Triple S completely invisible to most forms of detection. Missiles also have an exceptionally hard time tracking and locking onto the Storm Sworder Stealth Type, because all they have to go on is visual. And with a fast moving aerial target, like the Triple S, that’s a nightmare.

Available Modifications:

Name: Storm Sworder Stealth Type - N (SS ST-N)
Alignment: International (formerly Guardian Force Fighters)
Family:Pteradon
Registration Number: nZi-029
Crew: 1-2
Height: 12.9 Meters
Length: 10.1 Meters
Weight: 108 tons (with Rocket Boosters), 47 tons (without Rocket Boosters)
Top Speed: Mach 23.7 (with Rocket Boosters), Mach 2.2 (standard engines with Rocket Boosters equipped but not in use), Mach 3.0 (standard engines with Rocket Boosters not equipped)
Weapons: Twin Dual 40mm Pulse Laser Cannons, Twin Hardened Alloy Laser Swords, Hardened Alloy Forehead Laser Blade, Hardened Alloy Claws.
Special Abilities:Type II Rocket Boosters, One Life to Live, Aerial Sword Attack, Stealth Paint.
Cost: $1,000,000 per unit
Level: Decommissioned (Level 4 Upgrade Upgrade)

Back during the period of peace following the last Helic-Guylos war, the Storm Sworder Stealth Type was developed by a joint effort between the two former enemies, ensuring that Coalition troops and the Guardian Force Fighters maintained aerial superiority. However, like all other atmospherically bound vehicles, the ST had a service ceiling, and couldn’t pass the boundary into space. This was, in general, considered to be just fine, given that no other aerial Zoids could pass the atmospheric boundary either. The Whale Kings were always an exception to this rule, but all sides possessed these behemoths, and it literally took days of brute force and slow ascension to reach orbit.

The invention of the Hammer Kaiser by rogue third parties, neither Helic nor Guylos, caused concern amongst the Guardian Force Fighters and the international Coalition forces. Though unable to replicate the Hammer Kaiser, a contingent of top engineers, led by the infamous Doctor D, developed a variant of the ST that could shoot down an orbital transport: the Storm Sworder ST-N.

In the many centuries following their developments, on two ST-Ns were ever built and both went on exactly 1 mission: to pluck Hiltz’s Hammer Kaiser and Death Stinger from the sky. Though the original plan, a missile attack, failed, the two elite Guardian Force pilots managed to use an Aerial Sword Attack and destroy the transport. After returning to base and landing, literally hundreds of problems were pointed out in the ST-Ns, and the Storm Sworders were grounded forever. The two original models still survive today, restored and mostly intact, now only museum pieces.

The ST-N breaks into orbit using nothing but red-hot speed. For that reason, its has a dramatically improved aerodynamic design, armor on par with the Battle Cougar, and heat-resistant tiles and paint. However, the ST-N sacrifices maneuverability and conventional speed to be able to carry the massive Type II Rocket Boosters it carries on its back. Also, when it accelerates to higher velocities at lower altitudes, maneuvering will cause the ST-N to break up. At top speed, even the relatively sparse air of the upper atmosphere can restrict the Zoid’s maneuvering.

Weapons:
Twin Dual 40mm Pulse Laser Cannons:
On each of the Storm Sworder ST-N's wings, just below the "elbow" hinge, is at set of two 40mm Pulse Laser Cannons, coming to four barrels in all. They're perfect for dog fighting, and utilize quick bursts of laser energy to rack up damage. Fully automatic. They can also rotate downward a bit to strike terrestrial targets.

Twin Hardened Alloy Laser Swords:
Mounted to each of the ST-N's wings are the Storm Sworder’s trademarks, the laser swords that give it such an edge in aerial combat. They mount on the other side of the elbow hinge, but must be extended in order to be used in combat. They can also be charged like the Blade Liger's laser blades, which is extremely useful for ridding your opponent of such things as wings or other body parts. The wing-mounted blades on both of the ST-Ns are superhardened and have mounts designed to not detach or break before the wing itself does, allowing the ST-N to perform sword attacks at top speed. It’s said that these blades still have oil from the original Hammer Kaiser coating them.

Hardened Alloy Forehead Laser Blade:
This is mounted to the ST-N's head, as per the name. Much like the laser swords, it can be extended, allowing it to be utilized as a weapon. When extended, it reaches several meters above the ST-N, thus allowing it to be used without danger to the Eagle. Unlike the laser swords, the forehead blade doesn't affect the aerodynamics, and thus can be used without sacrificing speed and performance ((even at top speed!)). The forehead blade is capable of charging with laser energy, to drastically increase its cutting ability. Also, much like the wing blades, the blade is superhardened and special mount that allow it to use this weapon even at top speed.

Hardened Alloy Claws:
Simply put, a pair of short, stubby claws that are mounted to the wings of the Storm Sworder ST-N. However, they are located to the same place that the 40mm cannons go, and thus cannot be used simultaneously with those. The cannons and claws can be swapped at any time and it takes a second at most to properly exchange weapons. Though why anyone would switch the cannons for these claws is beyond us; they're not really long enough to be effective in combat, and the wings are in the way in any case. Also, even attempting to use these for anything at top speed is easily analogous to suicide. As a general rule, just don’t use ‘em.

Executing Special Abilities:

Type II Rocket Boosters:
The Storm Sworder ST-N has two 30 ton rocket boosters strapped to its back. These don’t have settings: they merely have an “on” switch. No off switch either. Once ignition starts, its suicide to try to stop it. The ST-N’s Type II-Rocket Boosters should only be activated while pointing straight or mostly straight up, as anything less would be suicide. They then burn for a full two minutes before depleting their fuel and automatically ejecting, falling back to Zi and theoretically surviving for reuse.

Blast Off:
The ST-N must be launched from a special facility designed to launch it. All personnel within a 2-kilometer radius should be either evacuated or moved to special shielded facilities. Even given these safety precautions, a ST-N should begin by taking off like a normal aircraft, climbing to 4-5 kilometer’s altitude, and then engaging the rocket boosters. For the next two minutes, the pilot experiences just over 7 gees of constant acceleration, which is dangerous without a special pressure suit. ((Even inside the already specialized cockpit.)) After the two minutes have expired, the Type II Rocket Boosters eject and fall away from the ST-N. The ST-N has already attained necessary velocity to reach LEO (low earth orbit) at a whopping Mach 23.7, and is already a full 200 kilometers up, skimming the atmosphere. From there, maneuvering (which is done in space via vectored thrusters all over the body of the ST-N) becomes much easier due to the greatly reduced air resistance. The ST-N can then complete its mission. It should be noted that while the ST-N can operate in space, it only has a 24 hour supply of oxygen from the main tank, and whatever rations the pilot decided to take with him or her.

Touch Down:
Having broken the earthly bonds of gravity and touched the face of God, the ST-N may very well wish to come down. This process takes the better part of an hour: it involves aerobraking with at least 200 kilometers of vertical clearance until the ST-N reaches its terminal velocity. From there, it turns around and uses its standard engines to slow down, then lands as normal. Despite being simple-sounding, this procedure is immensely dangerous.

One Life to Live:
Piloting the ST-N is dangerous at every step of the way. The Type II Rocket Boosters exploding, the ST-N braking up from the air resistance or acceleration, a possible leak or loose seal in the cockpit once in space, the angle of reentry being wrong: all are totally legitimate fears while piloting one of these. Though there wasn’t enough time to install appropriate safety features before their first mission, the ST-N got one last modification to its design afterwards. Anticipating another use of the special Storm Sworders, the infamous and ingenious Dr. D. and his crew installed all kinds of sensors in the cockpit and Zoid and then rigged them to a special ejection system. This “ejection system” is essentially the same as the bailing system for an Organoid. The difference is that it plucks the pilot from the cockpit and deposits him directly blow onto Zi’s surface, be it water or earth, stationary -- regardless of height or speed. This system even works from orbit -- works to save the pilot’s life. It would be insane to pilot a ST-N without it. Then again, the only people who ever actually used these things did it without.... ((The system can also be triggered manually.))

Aerial Sword Attack:
A close-quarters maneuver, adapted from the Blade Liger series, which is executed first by extending both of the Storm Sworder ST-N's laser swords and then charging them to maximum. The attack is performed by flying across an enemy Zoid to clip it in half. The reliability of this attack is not the best, considering the maneuverability of today's aerial Zoids, and this maneuver should not be used against terrestrial Zoids, unless you want to crash and burn. The ST-N also has the additional problem that during an actual dogfight, the Type II Rocket Boosters severely limit its speed and maneuverability, further compromising its ability to execute the attack. Despite this, coupled with the Stealth Paint, the Aerial Sword Attack can quickly become a deadly stealth strike, if executed properly. Furthermore, the superhardened blades and special mounts allow this attack to be used in space and at full speed, which allowed the two ST-N’s to shoot down Hiltz’s Hammer Kaiser, so many years ago...

Stealth Paint:
The ST-N, like all Stealth Types, is coated with a special type of paint that absorbs radar and scrambles infrared signatures. It is more advanced than the Helcat's radar-scattering paint, which it is based off of. Due to the paint, no sensors save core signature tracking and basic visual sensors can actually pinpoint the exact location of the ST-N, making it both a stealth device and an antimissile defense. In addition to the standard Stealth Paint regimen, the paint on these two particular Storm Sworders extend to the Rocket Boosters, and is also coupled with special ceramic tiling to make it nearly invincible to heat.

Available Modifications:

Technical Notes:

Shooting Down the ST-N
...is essentially impossible when the aircraft is moving away from the shooter at full speed. The ST-N quickly accelerates to its top speed of Mach 23.7, which is faster than any bullet, missile, rocket, and even the Finger of God. While beam and laser weapons are fast enough to hit the ST-N, it’s more or less impossible to hit just because of the sheer speed its moving at, and its probably out of range anyway. If the ST-N is moving towards the shooter, it’s probably only a matter of seconds or a fraction of a second before it passes the shooter.

When the ST-N isn’t moving at top speed or boosting away, it’s a different matter entirely. Hitting the Type-II Rocket Boosters and causing them to explode will easily destroy the Storm Sworder. Furthermore, the weight of the Boosters decreases the ST-N’s speed and maneuverability, making it easy to hit. Even when those deadweights are ejected, the ST-N still suffers in that department. Stealth Paint only protects against missiles so much....

The Bigger Boom
The ST-N moves at Mach 23.7. The sound and force generated by the Rocket Boosters, like a Sonic Boom, exceeds the theoretical maximum for volume of sound in the atmosphere, which is 194 decibels. The ST-N puts out 225 decibels of sound and pressure from the Rocket Boosters, officially classifying it as a shockwave. The average Sonic Boom is 216 decibels, and this is an exponential scale, remember. Therefore, the ST-N could theoretically scorch the ground below it from 2 kilometer’s altitude, and actually kill people from the sound from anywhere between 5 and 10 kilometer’s altitude, Zoid Cockpit or no. Obviously, flying the ST-N anything but straight up is ludicrous, and would be dangerously illegal. Fortunately, the only ST-N mission ever executed went off without a hitch, but this is just to give you an idea of what could have happened.

Name: Ultra Saurus (aka “Ultrasaurus”)
Alignment: Republican
Family: Ultrasaur
Registration Number: RZ-037
Height: 202 Meters
Length: 834 Meters
Weight: 8,000 Tons (unloaded, estimate)
Top Speed: 50 Kilometers per Hour
Weapons: Four 360mm Cannons (Two on either side of main body, mounted in between front and rear legs), 4 AAZ (Anti-Aerial-Zoid) Surface-to-Air/Surface-to-Surface Missiles, Twin 6-shot AZ Rocket Pods (Forward-facing, mounted to either front leg), Dual Twin AAZ 100mm Cannons (Forward facing, mounted to main body, inside of front legs on either side), Grenade Launcher Tubes (8 Total, mounted to chest), 6 AAZ 90mm Air-Defense Cannons, Dual Tail-Mounted AZ 120mm Cannons, 20mm and 30mm Cannon Grid
Special Abilities: Zoid Carrying, Many Hands
Cost: Unknown (Unmanufacturable)
Level: Banned

Bridge Crew: 8 (Pilot, Co-Pilot, Captain, Executive Officer, Gunnery Sergeant/Tactical Officer, Chief Engineer, Communications Officer, Chief of Operations)
Minimum Crew Requirements: 400
Standard Crew: 2000
Maximum Personnel: 5000 ((That can be continuously supported and sustained by the Ultra Saurus.))

“And we will build a Zoid so large that....” That’s probably what the ancient Zoidians were thinking. When the Ultra Saurus was discovered, it was hailed as the largest Zoid on Zi; and rightfully so -- at four times the weight of the Great Whale King and built in larger proportions than any other Zoid on the planet, the Ultra Saurus is impossible to manufacture. Only two have ever been dug out of the ground, and the one still-operational serves as High Command for the Zoid Battle Commission Armed Forces.

This behemoth was regarded as a "Last-Resort" and serves primarily as a mobile fortress; rather than a standard combat Zoid. The Ultra Saurus is capable of transporting a full 200 Zoids (more than an entire armored division), plus a ridiculous number of crew members; the Ultra Saurus is the Zian equivalent of a modern-day aircraft carrier, except on land and with thicker armor.

While its weapons aren’t pop guns, the aforementioned armor is what makes the Ultra Saurus the “mobile fortress” that the old Republic used it as. To put the thickness of this armor in perspective, the first Ultra Saurus ever excavated sustained a full-power Organoid-Enhanced Super Charged Particle blast and kept right on plugging along despite the damage. Though the Helic Republic found the Ultra Saurus impossible to maintain and eventually abandoned it, the ZBC and their unimaginably vast resources still use the second: generals, other high officials, and the Commissioner himself all feel safe inside its hull.

While the armor, guns, and 200-Zoid capacity are all impressive, the Ultra Saurus isn’t just a war machine. It’s literally a mobile city aside from repair bays and armories this mammoth also has internally-carried factories, farms, businesses, and even a “downtown” shopping mall-like center. Powered by no fewer than 7 oversized Zoid Cores, the Ultra Saurus could theoretically operate without outside help indefinitely.

The Ultra Saurus also has the extremely dubious distinction of being the slowest Zoid ever built, topping out a 50 kph. However, its speed is unaffected by how many Zoids it carries, and it will keep chugging along no matter once. Still, this shouldn’t surprise anyone. A Death Saurer isn’t all that much taller than one of the Ultra Saurus’ legs, so no one should have been expecting it to be a fast and bulky Zoid. This speed problem often nips the Ultra Saurus in behind, when its being swarmed by smaller enemies in combat. Still, that’s why it carries 200 guards of its own.

Weapons:
Quad 360mm Cannons:
While the 360mm main guns on the Ultra Saurus might be popguns compared to the Republican Super Cannons - such as those found on the Mad Thunder - there are few other weapons that can dwarf these gargantuan armaments. And, above and beyond that, there are four of them: two on either side of main body, mounted above the area in between front and rear legs. They boast a semiautomatic firing rate, and can severely damage even the toughest ZX of armor with just a few hitting volleys. Each cannon can also pivot up to 90 degrees outwards and 30 degrees up or down, giving them good coverage for a weapon of their caliber. However, despite the extremely large size, they’re not great for crowd control.

4 AAZ (Anti-Aerial-Zoid) Surface-to-Air/Surface-to-Surface Missiles:
The Ultra Saurus’ only missile armament is this four-shot missile launcher, located on the giant Zoid’s back. Like many of its fellow back-mounted weaponry, the launcher is designed to counter aerial Zoids, and the missiles loaded into the launcher will explode in a cloud of shrapnel when they hit an aerial target. Aside from the initial explosion, the shrapnel will rip through and shred lightly armored wings, and one or two of these missiles is usually sufficient to down an enemy aircraft. These missiles can also lock onto and be used against ground targets, but they’re no more effective than standard missiles. The launcher itself can also pivot up to 90 degrees on the vertical axis. Lastly, while the Ultra Saurus can carry an essentially limitless number of missiles for the launcher, the weapon can be difficult to reload in the heat of battle.

Twin 6-shot AZ Rocket Pods:
Mounted to each front leg of the Ultra Saurus is one of these: a 6-Shot AZ Rocket Pod. Just another one of the Ultra Saurus’ many front-facing weapons, each pod is as heavily armored as the Zoid itself, making the rockets nearly impossible to attack prior to arming. Furthermore, each rocket carries the AZ designation -- meaning that it’s twice as powerful as normal rocket when used against an armored target, like a Zoid. However, the pods themselves are fixed to the legs, which can often make it difficult to target efficiently with them. Furthermore, while the Ultra Saurus can carry reloads aplenty, the pods are hard to reload in the middle of a battle.

Dual Twin AAZ 100mm Cannons:
Mounted to each side of the main body of the Ultra Saurus, just behind and inside of the front legs, sit two of these -- for four in total. They’re Anti-Aerial-Zoid 100mm Cannons, meaning that they fire high-penetration shrapnel rounds (better than standard flak) which can easily tear apart enemy aircraft. Being anti-air in nature, each cannon can pivot a full 90 degrees straight up, and boast a respectable semiautomatic firing rate. Note that the fuses on the shells can also be turned off, allowing them to act like normal 100mm cannons. However, they do not have normal AZ qualities when used in that manner. (Note that the flak shells only explode on impact or at the set altitude, which can be changed by the gunner twirling a dial.)

Grenade Launcher Tubes:
One of the most prominent and fearsome crowd-control weapons the Ultra Saurus possesses, two rows of four grenade launcher tubes -- eight tubes in all. Each launcher contains Composite Explosive Grenades with a 25 meter blast radius, making for some serious surface damage-dealing potential, if penetration is a little lacking. Furthermore, each grenade has a single-stage rocket which it can use to propel itself in a parabolic arc: extending the maximum range of the launchers to 300 meters. Though each tube can only fire a little faster than once every three seconds, the launchers can easily be chain-linked, making for a total of roughly 3 grenades per second from all 8 together. Furthermore, the Ultra Saurus has an essentially limitless supply of these things. The only downside is that the tubes are fixed facing forwards.

6 AAZ 90mm Air-Defense Cannons:
Though the four AAZ 100mm Cannons are powerful anti-aerial target weapons, they’re supplemented by these 6 AAZ 90mm Air-Defense Cannons. Each of these cannons is mounted to the back of the Ultrasaurus on a dome-shaped base and can pivot 180 degrees up: any position facing the sky and all the way backwards, but can’t pivot downwards. It can also swivel 360 degrees on its mount, making this weapon hard to dodge. Furthermore, they fire special high-penetration shrapnel rounds (better than standard flak) which can easily tear enemy aerial Zoids to shreds, and can put them out at a semiautomatic firing rate. If that wasn’t enough, each Air-Defense Cannon has an independent Radar Dome, allowing it to track aerial targets and improving accuracy by 20%. However, these are dedicated air-defense weapons, and the flak fuses cannot be turned off easily, and they usually can’t pivot far enough to hit ground targets. (Note that the flak shells only explode on impact or at the set altitude, which can be changed by the gunner twirling a dial.)

Dual Tail-Mounted AZ 120mm Cannons:
Perfect for deterring anyone who might think about sneaking up on it, the Ultrasaurus possesses two AZ 120mm Cannons, mounted to either side of the tail. In case that all-famous phrase “they came from behind” ever rings out, this behemoth isn’t undefended from the rear. Though not suitable for crowd control, these two weapons are more powerful than even the Heavy Impact Cannons found on the Gustav, and without the range limitation. These two guns can obviously point anywhere that the tail can, which is almost anywhere on the Ultrasaurus’ rear flank. So, for any who were thinking of sneaking up on this giant, you’re in for quite a fight.

20mm and 30mm Cannon Grid:
The body of the Ultrasaurus is riddled with nooks and crannies: and almost every one of them has a cannon in it. Literally hundreds of 20mm and 30mm cannons coat this behemoth of the Zoid: on the back, underbelly, legs, tail, and even the neck and head... chances are, if you’re near the Ultrasaurus, there’s a 20mm or 30mm cannon that can point at you. Rates of fire differ... but most are semiautomatic, though there are fully-automatic repeaters in many places. Just remember that there’s no spot on the Ultrasaurus that’s unguarded. There’s always one of these there.

Executing Special Abilities:

Zoid Carrying:
While it’s not at all clear whether the Zoids are supporting the Ultrasaurus or the Ultrasaurus is supporting the Zoids, this Behemoth sure does carry alot of them. With four separate internal bays, each capable of carrying 50 Zoids, the Ultrasaurus has a grand capacity of 200 Zoids, larger than any other transport in the world. Furthermore, because its essentially a walking fortress-city, it can maintain and care for the Zoids is carries even better than the Great Whale King, and better than many stationary bases. It can repair... quite a number of them at once, literally having the crew to service every Zoid individually.

Many Hands:
The Ultrasaurus has a massive crew, and, as such, almost every separate function is controlled by a different person or a different group of people. Relative to combat, every gun on the Ultrasaurus is separately manned: as such, the Ultrasaurus almost never suffers from multitasking with its weaponry. Of course, any weapon can be controlled via the Gunnery Sergeant/Tactical Officer’s, Pilot’s, Co-Pilot’s, Captain’s, or Executive Officer’s computer panel, but such a rerouted is not recommended. It’s more efficient for one of the officers to simply give each battery a separate set of orders and not do the targeting him or herself.

Available Modifications:

Name: War Shark (aka “Wardick”)
Alignment: Guylos Empire
Family: Coelacanth
Registration Number: EZ-40
Crew: 1
Height: 4.3 Meters
Length: 17.0 Meters
Weight: 32.2 Tons
Top Speed: 70 kph (above ground), 80 kph (sand), 130 knots/241 kph (water)
Weapons: 40mm Pulse Laser Cannon, Dual 80mm Beam Cannons, Torpedo Launcher Array, Hardened Alloy Teeth.
Special Abilities: Swimming, Burrowing.
Level: 3

The War Shark was created by the Guylos Empire to give then decisive naval superiority over the Helic Republic. It worked, as the War Shark was one of the most advanced dedicated naval Zoids deployed at the time, and remained the top fish in the sea until the arrival of the Hammer Head. In addition to naval capabilities, the War Shark can walk on dry land and burrow in soft sand, giving it the ability to take beachheads. However, the War Shark is a shark at heart, and does its absolute best in the water.

The War Shark has good, thick armor for its level and class, but this armor only protects the tail, head, boosters, and fins of the’ Shark. The entire midsection is exposed to fire, and can easily be punctured. This can be a deadly weakness underwater, when a single breach can something sink an entire vessel. To make up for this, the War Shark has extremely good agility and maneuverability underwater and under sand, in both of which it can swim and act like a Shark. It’s not uncommon to see War Sharks jumping through sand as though they were waves.

One of the War Shark’s main disadvantage out of the water is its lack of speed. It’s actually faster burrowed in sand than it is walking, and it’s unarmored midsection becomes another easy target when it can’t maneuver quickly. However, it’s heavily armored head allows it be used as a battering ram, and it has enough weapons to compensate for its lapse in speed.

Weapons:
40mm Pulse Laser Cannon:
The War Shark has a singe 40mm Pulse Laser Cannon fixed inside its mouth. The ‘Shark’s jaws must obviously be open to use the 40mm Laser Cannon, but when they are, it really can sting. The Pulse Laser Cannon is capable of putting out a full 20 shots each second, making it reasonably powerful, and not a weapon to take lightly. Also, these weapons work underwater, but under no conditions should they be used underground.

Dual 80mm Beam Cannons:
The War Shark has two 80mm semiautomatic beam cannons, one mounted to each of the ‘Shark’s two massive boosters. They’re fixed facing forwards, but can fire underwater. Don’t fire them underground; they’re not designed to.

Torpedo Launcher Array:
The War Shark’s main weapon underwater is the array of torpedo tubes, each covered by armor plates, the Zoid has in its back. When they’re needed, each of those tubes opens up and reveals a torpedo. The torpedo tube, if flooded, can then fire its torpedo into the water, which will lock onto the nearest underwater target that doesn’t respond to its IFF signature. It will then use active sonar to chase that target to the ends of the world, until it either hits something or is destroyed. Torpedoes are relatively slow, but armored, so they can be tricky to destroy. The War Shark has no fewer than 8 torpedo tubes in total, which each capable of reloading once from the Zoid’s internal stores. (Reloading takes roughly 3 seconds.) Each torpedo also have 1.5 times the explosive power of a standard anti-ground missile, so they can be devastating against other aquatic Zoids. Using these out of the water is essentially impossible.

Hardened Alloy Teeth:
For all of its biting needs, the War Shark has two rows of very sharp and pointy teeth, very shark-like. They can bite through damned near anything... like armor, structure, ect. Underwater, where they’re good at making hull breaches, these teeth can be deadly.

Special Abilities:
Swimming:
Once a shark, always a shark. Whether you’re giant or made of metal, or can swim through sand, or both, you’re still a shark. The War Shark itself has good maneuverability underwater, as well as the rather fast underwater speed of 130 knots. Note that the War Shark is fully compartmentalized, and, if its hull is breached, can usually seal a nearby bulkhead and stop the breach from sinking the ship. Also note that the War Shark’s crush depth is roughly 600 meters, shallower than that of the Hammerhead.

Burrowing:
The War Shark has the rather odd ability to burrow through sand, if at the slow speed of 80 kph. The War Shark, despite be slowing in the sand, is known for its limited ability to treat the sand like waves, and leap out of the sand every so often in a rather acrobatic display. Sanctioned battling regulations limit the War Shark to staying burrowed for no longer than 12 seconds total in any one battle, but all’s still fair in war. Also, anything thicker than sand is simply too tough for the War Shark to breach.

Available Modifications:

Name: Whale King
Alignment: Zian
Family: Whale
Registration Number: Zi-090
Height: 54 Meters
Length: 216 Meters
Weight: 974 Tons (unloaded)
Top Speed: Mach .8/980 kph (air), 80 knots/148 kph (water)
Weapons: 40mm Anti-Aircraft Machinegun Array, Tri-Barrelled AZ80mm Heavy Cannon.
Special Abilities: Zoid Carrying, Swimming.
Cost: $350,000
Level: Transport

Bridge Crew: 6 (Pilot, Co-Pilot, Captain, Executive Officer, Gunnery Sergeant/Tactical Officer, Chief of Operations)
Minimum Crew Requirements: 30
Standard Crew: 150
Maximum Personnel: 200 ((That can be continuously supported and sustained by the Whale King.))

The Whale King is the middle brother of the big three flying transports, slightly bigger than the Hammer Kaiser and alot smaller than the bulky Great Whale King. The Whale King is often considered to be the largest Zoid that should ever be used by a team, though a few teams have from time to time decided to purchase a Great Whale King. However, for most, the Whale King is sufficient. It’s roughly the size a Hammer Kaiser, only slight larger, slower, and with only a few more unsightly tons and meters. However, while the Hammer Kaiser exchanges Zoid carrying capacity for firepower and combat effectiveness, the Whale King is devoted to simply supporting and carrying other, smaller Zoids.

The Whale King is often used by militaries as a long-ranged heavy-duty transport, able to carry 40 Zoids at a speed twice as fast as the Great Whale King. It’s also exceptionally durable, with its armor a few notches above that of the Hammer Kaiser. However, the Whale King really tends to lack firepower. Though it can rely on its Zoids for combat support, the Whale King has little place in a firefight. Because of its incredible bulk and large carrying capacity, the Whale King handles similarly to a brick, being even slower and more sluggish than a Hammer Kaiser. Many Whale Kings have been lost to high speed strafing attacks on its wings and engines by Storm Sworders and Orudioses, simply because the transports were too massive to turn out of the way in time.

Weapons:
40mm Anti-Aircraft Machinegun Array:
The Whale King has a total of six Anti-Aircraft Machineguns located on various places throughout its body, which represent its main defensive firepower. There are two on either side of its head, near the base of the neck armor plate, and another two on its tail. All four can fire 12 flak rounds per second, which explode at a certain altitude (adjusted by the gunner twirling a dial) in a ball of shrapnel. This shrapnel can shred and tear the wings of aerial Zoids very effectively, hence the name “Anti-Aircraft.” The fuses can also be turned off, allowing them to act like normal 40mm Machineguns. Also, thanks to their mounts, each cannon can pivot 360 horizontally and 90 degrees up or down. Usually, each turret is manned, but any bridge officer can aim or fire the weapons. Note that while the flak rounds cannot be used underwater, the standard ones can.

Tri-Barrelled AZ80mm Heavy Cannon:
The Whale King has a total of three AZ80mm Heavy Cannons positioned on an omnidirectional turret mount, right on top of its back. The weapons are all semiautomatic, and the turret, being omnidirectional, can hit anything in its line of sight. Note that the weapons are extremely powerful, capable of shattering even heavy armor, and are fully capable of hitting the Whale King itself. Usually, the turret is manned, but any bridge officer can aim or fire the weapons. Note that this weapon can be used underwater.

Special Abilities:
Zoid Carrying:
The Whale King can carry up to 40 Zoids in its belly, as well as repair and service them as well as many ground stations could. There are a plethora of entrances and exits in and out of the Whale King, but the main ones are its mouth, tail, and nose. There is also a large platform near the AZ80mm Heavy Cannon where aircraft can take off and land, although it’s small, so being VTOL helps. In the air, it’s a more common practice to drop-launch.

Repair Bay:
The Whale King is one of the big three, and a dedicated transport, so its got a repair bay. The repair bay has got the equipment and the personnel to get damaged allies back on their feet quickly, an essential component for any large transport, and large the Whale King is. The Whale King is fully capable of repairing up to 5 Zoids that it’s carrying at once at full speed -- none of this do-it-yourself crap.

Swimming:
Free Willy! Okay, not really, the Whale King can fly. But it’s still a whale, and a damned powerful swimmer at that. It can only do 80 knots, but that’s impressive for its bulk. It also has good maneuverability in the water for its unbelievable size, a few steps below that of the Sinker. It’s fully compartmentalized in case of a hull breach, and has a crush depth of roughly 3 kilometers.

Available Modifications:

Name: Whitz Wolf (Imitate)
Alignment: ZOITEC (Helic Republic)
Family: Wolf
Registration Number: RZ-073
Crew: 1
Height: 8.8 Meters
Length: 18.9 Meters
Weight: 87.0 Tons
Top Speed: 305 kph
Weapons: Twin Republican Hyper Beam Cannons, Hyper Dual Impact Cannons, Strike Laser Claws, Electron Bite Fangs.
Special Abilities: None.
Level: Zoid X

Back in the days of yore, during a period of heightened hostilities between the ZOITEC and Zi-Arms corporations, an astounding discovery was made. The first of the three Ancient Tiger Cores was excavated by the ZOITEC corporation, this core containing the powerful Whitz Tiger. Though the Whitz Tiger’s origins prior to its resurrection by Zi-Arms are largely unknown, it’s believed that it was created by the Ancient Zoidians as a defender of Zi and Zoidkind.

Whatever its original role, ZOITEC corporation used combat and technical data from the core to bring the Whitz Tiger back to life -- even more powerful than before. Using powerful weapons and combining two other extremely powerful Zoids: the Whitz Wolf and the Savinga, the Whitz Tiger was easily a match for any other Zoid in the world. It served the ZOITEC corporation faithfully until the rival company, Zi-Arms, recreated the Death Saurer.

This was apparent an affront which the Whitz Tiger could not abide. It left the Helic ZOITEC corporation to fight the Death Saurer. And, in the only ever observed instance of the three legendary Zoids fighting together, joined forces with the Rayse Tiger and Brastle Tiger to destroy the Deathsaurer and the Zi-Arms corporation in its entirety. The legendary Whitz Tiger and its components Zoids then vanished, with only a handful of sightings in the last few hundred years.

The ZOITEC corporation took it upon themselves to save all of the data from the Whitz Tiger’s core. Years later, the newly formed Zoid Battle Commission took interest in this data, and confiscated it. They found in the databases of the old corporations plans for the first Legendary Tiger, the Whitz Tiger.

Needless to say, the Zoid Battle Commission recreated the body of the beast as best they could, but there was a slight and extremely interesting problem. The Whitz Tiger was made up of two component Zoids: the Whitz Wolf and the Savinga. Each carried a “part” of the powerful techno-organic Legendary Tiger Core, and drew tremendous amounts of energy from the half. When brought together, the two Zoids combined to form the Legendary Whitz Tiger, which was actually a Fuzor. However, the ZBC didn’t have the Legendary Tiger Core, so they made due as best they could, substituting a mutated Wolf core. The result of their labors on the Fuzor produced the Whitz Wolf Imitate, which is usually just called the Whitz Wolf.

The Whitz Wolf is a stand-alone Zoid X, even without the half of the Legendary Tiger Core. It’s armor and agility are both comparable to the standard form of the Ultimate X-typed Liger Zero, meaning that the Whitz Wolf is not a Zoid to be taken lightly in any situation. It possesses a battery of powerful ranged and close-quarters weapons, so enemies of the Whitz Wolf beware.

Weapons:
Twin Republican Hyper Beam Cannons:
The Helic Republic usually saw itself above dirty tricks like espionage, and the Guylos Empire incessantly stole from them as a result. Innovations like the E-Shield and Magnesser Technology were constantly betrayed to Imperial Forces by spies and the like. However, the ZOITEC Corporation wasn’t above a little competitive espionage, and stole the plans to the Imperial Hyper Beam Cannon. Then, they improved its firing rate and put in on the Whitz Wolf. So, ripped off the back of the Iron Kong Mk. II Limited, tweaked, and set back down onto the shoulders of the Whitz Wolf are a pair of Twin Republican Hyper Beam Cannons (RHBCs). Each can fire an AZ200mm equivalent blast, and at a semiautomatic rate of fire. Since the Whitz Wolf happens to have two of these, this equates to absolutely colossal striking power. However, the weapons are practically fixed in place, capable of only 10 degrees of rotation in any direction.

Hyper Dual Impact Cannon:
While the Whitz Wolf might be fierce at range, it gets more dangerous the closer you get to it. Mounted to the Whitz Wolf’s undercarriage, fixed facing forward, is a semiautomatic two-barreled impact cannon. Ordinary enough, with a maximum range of 250 meters before the shells drop into the ground and become ineffective. However, the word “Hyper” in the description wasn’t exactly a bluff. Each cannon boasts an AZ208mm caliber, making it fully capable of downing lesser Zoids in just two or three volleys.

Strike Laser Claws:
The Whitz Wolf possesses four Strike Laser Claws, all capable of charging with energy to rip and cut through enemy Zoids. Like those found on many of the Liger Zero armors, the Whitz Wolf’s Strike Laser Claws feature a dedicated charging system, making them much more powerful (roughly 2 times sharper) than the standard Strike Laser Claw system. Needless to say, this can be a deadly weapon even from a swipe. Continued pressure can be dangerous to any Zoid. If that wasn’t enough, the Whitz Wolf’s psuedo-speciality is close quarters, and it’s among both the strongest and cleverest melee combatants around. For most Zoids, this means that never encountering this system while fighting the Whitz Wolf would be no less than a gift from the heavens.

Electron Bite Fang:
On extremely rare occasions, when the Whitz Wolf finds itself faced by an extremely tough or cunning opponent, it may find itself in need of its. That’s where these come in. The Command Wolf’s fangs -- that is, teeth -- can siphon to energy from the Zoid Core to pseudo-charge themselves, increasing their cutting power twice as much as a standard Electron Bite Fang, such as that found on the Command Wolf, might. This makes the jaws excellent for downing an opponent quickly in melee combat; attempting to bite through the enemy Zoid Control Conduit is an old favorite of soldiers.

Available Modifications:

Name: Zabat
Alignment: Guylos Empire
Family: Bat
Registration Number: EZ-044
Crew: 1
Height: 8.8 Meters
Length: 18.9 Meters
Weight: 87.0 Tons
Top Speed: Mach 2.8/3430 kph
Weapons: Dual 80mm Laser Cannons, Homing Bomb.
Special Abilities: None.
Level: 1

The Zabat was one of the Guylos Empire’s most common and inexpensive dedicated aerial Zoid. Heavily armed for their size and class, as well as boasting stolen Magnesser technology, the Zabat is and was an impressive machine, given its cost. It was the first aerial Sleeper Zoid ever created, though few or no Sleeper Zabats still remain deployed in the wild. The Zabat is notable as being a multipurpose Zoid, used for dogfighting, attack, and bombing, all in one platform. However, it’s good at none of them, and really best used in swarms.

Another flaw of the Zabat is that is suffers from chronic aerial Zoid light armor disorder, and is easily shot down as a result. The Magnesser wings give it full VTOL (vertical takeoff and landing) capabilities as well as the ability to fly stable and hover at low altitudes. Despite this, the Zabat is still extremely clunky and handles badly. Furthermore, while it possesses legs and arms, these are used only for landing and roosting (upside-down, of course.)

Weapons:
Dual 80mm Laser Cannons:
The Zabat features a pair of powerful 80mm Laser Cannons, fixed and built into each wing joint. They’re semiautomatic, and point at whatever the Zabat faces. They’re notably several times larger than standard weapon size for a Zoid of the Zabat’s class, and can inflict serious damage on even much larger and much more heavily armed Zoids.

Homing Bomb:
The Zabat carries a Homing Bomb, which is a bomb with limited capacity to change its course mid-drop. This weapon need not lock on, it does that by itself instantly when dropped (it just locks onto the nearest terrestrial target that gives off an IR signal and doesn’t respond properly to its IFF inquiries). It has only limited guidance capabilities, but it’s almost as good as a missile as long as it was dropped somewhere near its target. It may have trouble with fast-moving ones, but it will still try to hit them. Also, the Homing Bomb was twice the explosive power of an ordinary Anti-Ground Missile, so it can do real damage if it hits.

Available Modifications:

Name: Zaber Fang (aka “Sabre Tiger”)
Alignment: Zenebas and Guylos Empires
Family: Tiger
Registration Number: EZ-016
Crew: 1
Height: 7.8 Meters
Length: 15.6 Meters
Weight: 78 Tons
Top Speed: 240 kph
Weapons: Dual AZ30mm Beam Cannons, AZ10mm Machinegun, Triple Impact Cannon, Quad AZ20mm Beam Cannons, 3-Shot Missile Pod, Hardened Alloy Claws and Fangs.
Special Abilities: Composite Sensory Unit.
Level: 3

The Zaber Fang was among the first Zoids to be completely dedicated to the purpose of destroying other Zoids, with all of its non-missile weapons bearing the title of “Anti-Zoid”. The Zaber Fang was originally considered to be a high-end Zoid, with maneuverability and performance only a sliver below that of the Shield Liger. However, this title ended with the progression of time, as the Zaber Fang became both outdated and easy to mass produce. The Zaber Fang is still popular among militaries and individuals as a comfortable moderate between the high-end and low-end Zoids, as well as a route to take to avoid the Liger-craze.

Like the Liger series, the Zaber Fang has a long and proud history of service, but with the opposite military. The Zaber Fang was on the front lines of conflicts during the reign of both the Zenebas and Guylos Empires, the design occasionally being updated and refined to take new technologies into account. There are many war stories about old heroes and the feats they performed from inside the cockpit of the Zaber Fang, as well as more than a few about a mysterious Guylos elite Special Forces operative.

Rich history aside, the Zaber Fang has reasonably tough armor for a Zoid of its size and class, roughly on par with that of the Shield Liger. This armor toughness is often used as a reference point and measured against the armor of other Zoids of equal level. Lastly, the Zaber Fang possesses a standard Imperial Composite Sensory Unit, allowing it to effectively map out the battlefield and find its opponents.

Weapons:
Dual AZ30mm Beam Cannons:
The Zaber Fang’s main ranged weapons are a pair of AZ30mm Beam Cannons, mounted on its back and slung over its shoulders. The weapons are standard semiautomatic, great for piercing Zoid armor, and able to pivot up to 180 degrees outward horizontally (all the way around) or 45 degrees up. Other than that, there’s nothing much special about them.

AZ10mm Machinegun:
The Zaber Fang has a lone AZ10mm conventional Machinegun, mounted to the underside of its Triple Impact Cannon. The AZ10mm Machinegun can pivot up to 10 degrees up or down to keep opponents in its firing arc, but not much else. It fires roughly 12 rounds a second, so it shouldn’t be taken too lightly, either.

Triple Impact Cannon:
The Zaber Fang was among the first Zoids to carry the powerful Triple Impact Cannon (other than the Zatton and Geruder). This weapon would also almost have to be called the Zaber Fang’s main weapon, almost being a signature attack. This impact cannon is capable of firing AZ60mm shells at a semiautomatic rate at distances up to 300 meters. The Zaber Fang’s, like many Impact Cannons are, is mounted to the Zoid’s undercarriage, making it low slung and hard to target and destroy. As many Impact Cannons are, the Zaber Fang’s is fixed facing forwards.

Quad AZ20mm Beam Cannons:
The Zaber Fang has grand total of four AZ20mm semiautomatic Beam Cannons spread around its body: one on either shoulder and a pair mounted to the tail. All are standard weapons and all are fixed in place.

3-Shot Missile Pod:
The Zaber Fang has a 3-Shot Missile Pod located on the top of its AZ30mm Beam Cannon mount, which gives it some additional ranged striking power. The missile can only lock onto whatever the AZ30mm Beam Cannons are pointing at, but are multipurpose, meaning that they can lock onto either land or aerial targets. They also enjoy freedom from the normal 1.5-times-as-long rule; they can lock on just as fast as missiles dedicated to one purpose or the other. Aside from that, they’re standard, doing as much damage in a single hit as a standard Anti-Ground Missile.

Hardened Alloy Claws and Teeth:
The Zaber Fang has the basic weapons for melee: a set of sharp claws and razor-like teeth. These can slash, bite, rip, shred... whatever they need to in order to get the job done. While they can’t be charged with energy, the Zaber Fang is actually quite strong, and a dangerous opponent in melee combat.

Special Abilities:
Composite Sensory Unit:
Simply put, the Zaber Fang possesses the standard Imperial Composite Sensory Unit that allows it use 3D Doppler Radar and IR scanning to track its opponents. The sensors themselves are spread around the body, giving the Composite Sensory Unit and excellent range of vision, and making it hard to destroy.

Available Modifications:

Name: Zatton
Alignment: Zenebas Empire
Family: Brachiosaurus
Registration Number: EMZ-17
Crew: 1
Height: 8.7 Meters
Length: 10.1 Meters
Weight: 25.5 Tons
Top Speed: 150 kph
Weapons: Triple Impact Cannon, Hardened Alloy Feet.
Special Abilities: ECM System.
Level: 2

The Zatton was a created as counterpart to the Geruder, capable in close combat thanks to its Triple Impact Cannon, but designed to stay behind the frontlines and support the other Zoids on the field of battle. It is a Brachiosaurus-typed Zoid, with a long neck but no visible mouth. The entirety of the Zatton is covered with nice, thick armor, to make up for its relative slowness. While the Zatton was mainly phased out of use following the collapse of the Zenebas Empire, many still remain in service today for their support functions.

The Zatton’s ECM System allows it to support allied Zoids unobtrusively, while generally staying out of the way. As mentioned earlier, it can hold its own in close combat if need be. It’s heavy armor gives it staying power, but the Zoid is unfortunately extremely sluggish and clumsy. While the Zatton was only designed for direct combat as a peripheral, secondary function, it still holds some measure of authority over its peers thanks to its heavy weapons and armor. However, a craft enemy can easily destroy the outdated Zatton with no problems.

Weapons:
Triple Impact Cannon:
The Zatton features a standard Triple Impact Cannon as its main weapon, capable of firing AZ60mm shells at a semiautomatic rate at distances up to 300 meters. The Zatton is unusual in that it carries the weapon in its chest region, rather than on its undercarriage. Despite being exposed, the Triple Impact Cannon is coated in the same thick armor as the rest of the front of the Zoid, making it hard to destroy. As many Impact Cannons are, the Zatton’s is fixed facing forwards.

Hardened Alloy Feet:
For melee, the Zatton has to rely on its Hardened Alloy Feet to trample its opponents. Unfortunately, because the Zatton is slow, heavy, and very clunky, this isn’t always the best of ideas. Many former Zatton pilots agree that its best to just stick to the Triple Impact Cannon or risk loosing to your own overestimation of your Zoid’s abilities.

Special Abilities:
ECM System:
The Zatton, as a support 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 Zatton. It can use the system to help allies as well. Note, however, that multiple Zattons or other ECM Systems 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.) Also, the ECM system acts as counter-electronic warfare technology, rendering the Zatton immune to communication jamming, such as that used by the Dark Spiner and Gator. (Zatton and allies can communicate despite jamming.)

Name: Zeek Dober (aka “Zeekdober”)
Alignment: Guylos Empire
Family: Doberman Type
Registration Number: DPZ-13
Crew: 1
Height: 9 Meters
Length: 15.2 Meters
Weight: 61 Tons
Top Speed: 350 kph
Weapons: Twin 60mm Photon Particle Cannons, 30mm Pulse Laser Cannon, Hardened Alloy Blades, Claws, and Teeth.
Special Abilities: Active Radar System.
Level: 3

The Zeek Dober is a Doberman-typed Zoid, and is the noble predecessor to the Guylos Empire’s own Ice Blazer. While it lacks a few of the key components of the Ice Blazer, the Zeek Dober has recognizably similar weaponry, a similar high speed, and a similar design. The Zeek Dober, like the Ice Blazer, also suffers the performance-at-high-speeds problem. Once again, while the Guylos Empire has succeeded in making a Zoid that could run like a bat out of hell, they’d failed in making it run well or effectively. It can only achieve full speed in a straight line, and turning once that line has been established is terribly hard.

As far as armor goes, the Zeek Dober is fairly good about keeping itself protected, boasting ubiquitous Zaber Fang grade armor. Being designed as an assault Zoid, the Zeek Dober also has reasonably heavy weapons and armor. The Zeek Dober is often called or considered an acceptable alternative to the popular Shield Ligers and Zaber Fangs, considered to be roughly their equal in power and potential.

The Zeek Dober does distinguish itself in one other area: namely strategic alphabetic placement. The Zeek Dober has beaten out the Zabat, Zaber Fang, and Zatton for the title of “alphabetically last” Zoid around. This means that this is very last Zoid Bio I have to write, and that I will be in a good mood while writing it. But anyway, onwards to weapons!

Weapons:
Twin 60mm Photon Particle Cannons:
The Zeek Dober has, slung over each shoulder, a 60mm Photon Particle Cannon, the predecessor to the Ice Blazer’s powerful Hyper Photon Cannons. Though the name implies it, these weapons are energy based, not charged particle based, and are not as powerful or special as their name makes them sound. Simply put, each barrel can fire three 60mm rounds per second, and each round has exceptionally good penetration, much better than Anti-Zoid weaponry. Other than that, each cannon can incline up to 90 degrees upwards (straight up).

30mm Pulse Laser Gun:
The Zeek Dober has a rear-facing 30mm Pulse Laser Gun mounted to its tail, which is great for covering a retreat. Though its a bit shaky while you’re on the move, the 30mm Pulse Laser Gun can put out 20 shots a second, and can pivot 90 degrees to either side or 90 degrees up.

Hardened Alloy Blades, Claws, and Teeth:
The Zeek Dober has the usual array of melee weapons if it needs them. Claws and teeth are the standard stuff, sharpened and great for ripping and tearing. The Blades are a different beast altogether, great for slashing and cutting, or high-speed strafing. When not is use, they’re mounted to the back in a “V” shape, vaguely resembling a boomerang. However, when needed, they extend out to the sides and allow the Zeek Dober to slice and dice.

Special Abilities:
3D Doppler Radar:
The Zeek Dober possesses 3D Doppler Radar, which allows it to map out the terrain around it and find enemy Zoids more effectively. This system is reasonably basic, and doesn’t grant a targeting bonus. The sensors themselves are mounted in the Zeek Dober’s head, making them impossible to deactivate with destroying the cockpit. Which is, of course, illegal in sanctioned Zoid Battling. (All’s still fair in war, though.)

Available Modifications: