lurker
Hentai Master
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Oh boy, this one's gonna be a doosy.
In the existence of fiction, the giant robot unit is by far one of the most badass weapons of destruction available to any modern to high Sci-fi army. Whether it's a ponderous war machine, or darting around like a Dragonball Z character on acid, any combat with giant mechs usually results in some epic rending of steel-like metal and explosions.
However, there's predominantly three 'breeds' of mechs in popular fiction, and truely it is time for them to duke it out. WHO WILL REIGN SUPREME!
1: Anime-Style Mechsuits
2: Weapon Platform Mechs
3: Non-Human Walkers
So, which of these three contenders do you think deserve the best effectiveness, to your own opinions, or tell me if there's a specific branch I didn't cover well enough.
In the existence of fiction, the giant robot unit is by far one of the most badass weapons of destruction available to any modern to high Sci-fi army. Whether it's a ponderous war machine, or darting around like a Dragonball Z character on acid, any combat with giant mechs usually results in some epic rending of steel-like metal and explosions.
However, there's predominantly three 'breeds' of mechs in popular fiction, and truely it is time for them to duke it out. WHO WILL REIGN SUPREME!
1: Anime-Style Mechsuits
As seen in: Almost any Eastern-style anime ever, Exteel, Metal Gear, Hawken, Airmech
By far one of the most common mech types in animation, these humanoid robots tend to work mostly on 'Rule of Cool/Awesome', and act more agile then you would expect a multi-ton robot to react with real-life physics applied.
For a series based off giant fightan robots, you sure spend a lot of time staring at spandex-covered chicks.
For more reachable examples, I turn to video games I've ran into before, in this case, starting with Exteel. These half-skyscraper sized robots acted mostly on boosters, only standing still when using a cannon or locked in melee combat. For the most part though, these mechs are extremely agile, but low-equipped- only armed with two sets of weapons that are swapped out with some sort of Portable Hole system, and then sometimes with ability-based equipment loaded into the backpack.
BRB, Nostalgia Boner
Metal Gear's titular vehicles also featured primarily from the anime design, although the original REX was much closer to a weapon platform in design in the long run. RAY, however, is not only designed for aquatic travel, but is also extremely agile and combat-ready, though once again is much lighter armed then most other mechs in fiction for it's size. And also apparently REX, if MGS4 is anything to go by.
Snake! Try a somersault!
In a similar vein of Exteel, Hawken's robots are much smaller then most the others on this list, but as a result are much more agile, and much less armed then other mech types. In fact, the size of Hawken's arms and weapons is closer to a armored exo-suit, only standing about the height of several football players on each other's shoulders.
Did somebody order a dose of Boltgun Metal and Modern Warfare Brown?
Airmech's reasoning for going the anime style comes from the factor of thier mechs being part of the oft-used subtype of mechs, the Transformation Mech. All Airmechs come equiped with some form of main cannon, as well as a couple special abilities depending on their ground or air forms. For example, the Chopper can launch a salvo of slow-seeking rockets no matter what form it's in, however the Tomcat-inspired Striker uses fast seeking missiles in the air and a energy blade/shield on the ground.
As you can see, Airmechs may look a tad silly, but they sure know some good style.
By far one of the most common mech types in animation, these humanoid robots tend to work mostly on 'Rule of Cool/Awesome', and act more agile then you would expect a multi-ton robot to react with real-life physics applied.
For a series based off giant fightan robots, you sure spend a lot of time staring at spandex-covered chicks.
For more reachable examples, I turn to video games I've ran into before, in this case, starting with Exteel. These half-skyscraper sized robots acted mostly on boosters, only standing still when using a cannon or locked in melee combat. For the most part though, these mechs are extremely agile, but low-equipped- only armed with two sets of weapons that are swapped out with some sort of Portable Hole system, and then sometimes with ability-based equipment loaded into the backpack.
BRB, Nostalgia Boner
Metal Gear's titular vehicles also featured primarily from the anime design, although the original REX was much closer to a weapon platform in design in the long run. RAY, however, is not only designed for aquatic travel, but is also extremely agile and combat-ready, though once again is much lighter armed then most other mechs in fiction for it's size. And also apparently REX, if MGS4 is anything to go by.
Snake! Try a somersault!
In a similar vein of Exteel, Hawken's robots are much smaller then most the others on this list, but as a result are much more agile, and much less armed then other mech types. In fact, the size of Hawken's arms and weapons is closer to a armored exo-suit, only standing about the height of several football players on each other's shoulders.
Did somebody order a dose of Boltgun Metal and Modern Warfare Brown?
Airmech's reasoning for going the anime style comes from the factor of thier mechs being part of the oft-used subtype of mechs, the Transformation Mech. All Airmechs come equiped with some form of main cannon, as well as a couple special abilities depending on their ground or air forms. For example, the Chopper can launch a salvo of slow-seeking rockets no matter what form it's in, however the Tomcat-inspired Striker uses fast seeking missiles in the air and a energy blade/shield on the ground.
As you can see, Airmechs may look a tad silly, but they sure know some good style.
2: Weapon Platform Mechs
As seen in: Battletech franchise, Star Wars, Warhammer 40k, Starcraft
Weapon Platforms make up for combat capabilities with sheer amount of dakka. Though they can hit up to a decent pace, most mechs of this type spend most of their tonnage on stuffing as many guns, lasers, and guided missiles their series allows on these metal monsters, or compensates with enough armor to protect them from nigh-on apocalyptic explosions.
Oh, I am going to liberate the shit out of you.
The Battletech franchise is by far the king of the walking weapon platform. The biggest difference between mechs comes more from the options it has available, it's hardpoints, and it's body shape, as all mechs in this series equip the same type of armaments in one grade or another. Whereas lighter mechs in the series may reach a max speed of a brisk 110 Km/h, it's more common for heavier chassises to be carrying a Light's weight in armor and bristling with more weapons then your average trailer park.
Man, what an idiot. The radar clearly said there was two enemies and instead of waiting you ran right into the second. Dramatic tension my ass.
Another popular example comes from the forested moons of Endor, more specificly the All Terrain Scout Transport, otherwise referred to as AT ST. These things are equipped not only with turbo lasers, but with grenade launchers and rocket tubes, though it's a small wonder why they didn't use those during the invasion of Endor...
Or, yaknow, against this guy.
Warhammer's Grimdark Future of the Grimdark Grimdark also have it's share of mechs, from the clearly-anime inspired Tau to the graceful Eldar. However, for this section, we're looking at the Imperial Guard's choice of mechs, more specifically the Titans. Equipped with powerful vortex shields, these things can take shots from weapons specifically designed to take them down and still have a chance to shrug it off, and even if they do get past the shields they have to pierce armor thicker then most battleships.
Ya know what they say, there's no kill like gratuitous overkill.
Even Starcraft can get away with these. The standard-issue walker for much of the Terran Confederacy, and even a few of the pirate fleets in the second game, still use the Goliath walker, a mix of bullet hell for ground forces and a deadly anti-air phallenx against the skies. Hordes of these could rip apart air targets with ease, but they are not sturdy enough to handle a true Zerg Rush on the land unaided.
This variant of the Goliath seems more geared for ground-based encounters. As if from an abandoned project...
Fuckin cockteasing Blizzard.
Weapon Platforms make up for combat capabilities with sheer amount of dakka. Though they can hit up to a decent pace, most mechs of this type spend most of their tonnage on stuffing as many guns, lasers, and guided missiles their series allows on these metal monsters, or compensates with enough armor to protect them from nigh-on apocalyptic explosions.
Oh, I am going to liberate the shit out of you.
The Battletech franchise is by far the king of the walking weapon platform. The biggest difference between mechs comes more from the options it has available, it's hardpoints, and it's body shape, as all mechs in this series equip the same type of armaments in one grade or another. Whereas lighter mechs in the series may reach a max speed of a brisk 110 Km/h, it's more common for heavier chassises to be carrying a Light's weight in armor and bristling with more weapons then your average trailer park.
Man, what an idiot. The radar clearly said there was two enemies and instead of waiting you ran right into the second. Dramatic tension my ass.
Another popular example comes from the forested moons of Endor, more specificly the All Terrain Scout Transport, otherwise referred to as AT ST. These things are equipped not only with turbo lasers, but with grenade launchers and rocket tubes, though it's a small wonder why they didn't use those during the invasion of Endor...
Or, yaknow, against this guy.
Warhammer's Grimdark Future of the Grimdark Grimdark also have it's share of mechs, from the clearly-anime inspired Tau to the graceful Eldar. However, for this section, we're looking at the Imperial Guard's choice of mechs, more specifically the Titans. Equipped with powerful vortex shields, these things can take shots from weapons specifically designed to take them down and still have a chance to shrug it off, and even if they do get past the shields they have to pierce armor thicker then most battleships.
Ya know what they say, there's no kill like gratuitous overkill.
Even Starcraft can get away with these. The standard-issue walker for much of the Terran Confederacy, and even a few of the pirate fleets in the second game, still use the Goliath walker, a mix of bullet hell for ground forces and a deadly anti-air phallenx against the skies. Hordes of these could rip apart air targets with ease, but they are not sturdy enough to handle a true Zerg Rush on the land unaided.
This variant of the Goliath seems more geared for ground-based encounters. As if from an abandoned project...
Fuckin cockteasing Blizzard.
3: Non-Human Walkers
As seen in: Many a RTS, Zoids, Warframe, Iron Grip franchise, IRL!
Multilimbed Mechs seem to be the most physically sound of all the variants. More limbs equate to more stability, right? It also means more stress can be put on the chassis, equating to more weapons that can be heaped onto the mech in question.
For example, this one clearly screams 'Endorsed by Cobra Command'.
For an anime point of view however, these types of walkers tend to be outright ignored, or if not, only reserved for the obviously evil faction. Zoids is one of the few of my personal recollection that bucked that trend, using mostly-animal teamed mechs for both sides of the conflicts involved.
I am amazed that the lot of them aren't immediately chasing after the squirrel.
Multilimbed walkers are also a favorite for the steampunk and deiselpunk scenes, due to both the plausibility of these vehicles in real-physics as well as the designs of multilimbed mechs better fitting the world involved. Iron Grip Marauders has a specific faction almost entirely devoted to walker tech, the Confederacy of Nallum, although it's not just the Confederacy that creates these terrifying weapons.
The ST-38 'Motherfucking' Warweaver Arach. It's so awesome, but so utterly painful to run into...
These walkers don't always have to be huge, however. Sometimes, just slightly bigger then a human will do, as the Jackal from Warframe proves. This Corpus-designed defense proxie is equipped lightly in comparison to some of the other quad-walkers previewed, however it's effectiveness comes from a mix of slam attacks, the addition of several mine-laying Ospreys, and a body shield that keeps active as long as it's legs are standing.
Threat level update. Current threat level: Impotent.
I mentioned before that this was probably the most soundly logical mech design to find in the real world. Well, this is a bit old-news, but say hello to the Legged Squad Support System (or LS3) Big Dog, a robot designed to act as the next generation of pack mules, and eventually heavy weapon support. The design's going through rigorous testing, however the concept is sound, and it's a good chance that this may become the first militarized robots in the history of ever to see full production.
Today, the Metal Gear cosplaying contest. Tomorrow, the WORLD!!!
Multilimbed Mechs seem to be the most physically sound of all the variants. More limbs equate to more stability, right? It also means more stress can be put on the chassis, equating to more weapons that can be heaped onto the mech in question.
For example, this one clearly screams 'Endorsed by Cobra Command'.
For an anime point of view however, these types of walkers tend to be outright ignored, or if not, only reserved for the obviously evil faction. Zoids is one of the few of my personal recollection that bucked that trend, using mostly-animal teamed mechs for both sides of the conflicts involved.
I am amazed that the lot of them aren't immediately chasing after the squirrel.
Multilimbed walkers are also a favorite for the steampunk and deiselpunk scenes, due to both the plausibility of these vehicles in real-physics as well as the designs of multilimbed mechs better fitting the world involved. Iron Grip Marauders has a specific faction almost entirely devoted to walker tech, the Confederacy of Nallum, although it's not just the Confederacy that creates these terrifying weapons.
The ST-38 'Motherfucking' Warweaver Arach. It's so awesome, but so utterly painful to run into...
These walkers don't always have to be huge, however. Sometimes, just slightly bigger then a human will do, as the Jackal from Warframe proves. This Corpus-designed defense proxie is equipped lightly in comparison to some of the other quad-walkers previewed, however it's effectiveness comes from a mix of slam attacks, the addition of several mine-laying Ospreys, and a body shield that keeps active as long as it's legs are standing.
Threat level update. Current threat level: Impotent.
I mentioned before that this was probably the most soundly logical mech design to find in the real world. Well, this is a bit old-news, but say hello to the Legged Squad Support System (or LS3) Big Dog, a robot designed to act as the next generation of pack mules, and eventually heavy weapon support. The design's going through rigorous testing, however the concept is sound, and it's a good chance that this may become the first militarized robots in the history of ever to see full production.
Today, the Metal Gear cosplaying contest. Tomorrow, the WORLD!!!
So, which of these three contenders do you think deserve the best effectiveness, to your own opinions, or tell me if there's a specific branch I didn't cover well enough.
