Artemis

“Do not anger the gods or they will send forth unnatural creatures to deal retribution!”

-Last words a Golden Homogeny pilot would hear over his radio before he was killed by an unknown warsuit.

Speed: Mach 35 (prowl mode), Mach 5 (Equalizer mode)

Length: 10 meters (prowl mode)

Height: 6 meters (Equalizer mode)

Armour: Duratanium

Shielding: Subject Gaia derived energy sync shield

Reactor: Compact cold fusion reactor x 6

Fixed armaments:

Prowl mode

2 x Powered crusher claw/ hidden plasma cannon (mounted on upper CLAW unit)

1 x Heavy induction plasma cannon/ heavy induction plasma blade (lower CLAW unit)

2 x 60 mm auto cannon (mounted in front)

2 x Mega pulse laser (mounted in front)

32 x micro missiles (mounted in two 8-tube missile launchers in front)

Equalizer mode

2 x Powered crusher claw/ hidden plasma cannon (mounted on upper CLAW unit)

1 x Heavy induction plasma cannon/ heavy induction plasma blade (lower CLAW unit)

Plasma blade/ power grasper x 2

Due to a quirk in the Gaia sync shield, only a certain sized craft could be properly protected fully by the shield. This meant that all warsuits would be smaller then most conventional Grand Alliance mecha. The Grand Alliance scientist would therefore have to use the most cutting edges of technologies to enable warsuits to stay competitive against much larger mechs. Most Grand Alliance technological breakthroughs would be put into these compact warsuits giving them an unprecedented power and lethality.

The Artemis class warsuit was a much larger beast then a Valkriye. The slightly larger size and newer technology (CLAW unit technology taken from the Hercules class mecha) meant that it could dish out more damage as well as be more versatile. The one draw back was that shielding wise it was only as durable as a Valkriye, the sync ratio didn’t get any better nor did the amount of hits increase (though the armouring was thicker and the pilot was not so exposed). The key reason for the Artemis production was to give Gaia shield equipped forces a mecha capable of mounting bigger guns and more staying power in battles.

Prowl form, also nicknamed Cancer form made the Artemis into a heavily armed space fighter. Unlike regular space fighters the CLAW units could extend (up to 6 meters) and grapple opponents. The upper CLAW units mounted crusher claws that could snap most light and medium fighters in half. Hidden between the claws were a “Fryer” class plasma cannon. Being powered by multiple reactors meant that they had a rapid .5-second fire rate. The lower CLAW unit mounted a massive plasma cannon that could nearly destroy a capital ship with one shot. The downside was that this cannon needed 5 seconds to gather enough energy to do so. Its secondary function was a massive plasma blade capable of slicing thru a capital ships hull. The blade was not large (4 meters) and the CLAW unit was not as manuverable as the upper CLAW units. Still taken altogether the potential destructive capability of these CLAW units made the Artemis an excellent strike fighter. Rounding out the armaments were 2 mega pulse lasers, 2 60 mm autocannons and 32 micro missiles.

Equalizer form also known as Scorpio form lost the space fighter armaments but gained 2 powerful power graspers. The Artemis was fairly decent in close in combat in Prowl form, turning into Equalizer form made it into an unstoppable dervish. With the 3 CLAW units fully articulated to extend out to their fullest and with the power graspers engaged the Artemis could potentially take out 4 opponents at the same time. The power graspers could form a plasma blade for slicing or it could grip and tear or rend most mecha’s limbs. The graspers were finely tuned to be able to rip the limb off even a heavy mecha.

The Artemis was a welcome addition to the Grand Alliance arsenal. Like most warsuits it was easy to produce, fast, manuverable, and mounted surprising weapons for a craft of its size. Despite being only as durable as a Valkriye the heavy weapons, and the fearsome close combat capability would see the Artemis used as the preferred strike fighter for most Gaia equipped squadrons.