These highly versatile and customizable, bipedal machines form the core of both your own Brigade and the Occupying Forces. Each is composed of four key parts - the Upper Body, Lower Body, Left Arm, and Right Arm. The Upper Body houses the primary reactor and pilot control pod, the Lower Body is responsible for movement, and the Arms are used to carry weapons and equipment. Each part can be further customized with the addition of subsystems if they have the appropriate slots.
As noted before, the Upper Body houses the primary reactor and pilot control pod. It's also where the thrusters are installed. In most models, both the reactor and thrusters can be switched out for different types. Loss of the upper body before the pilot can eject is certain to result in the pilot's death.
Next, the Lower Body is responsible for the vast majority of movement. If the legs are destroyed the mech will immediately lose control, and after recovering will only be able to limp around at reduced speeds.
Finally, the Arms handle weaponry and similar equipment. Whilst weapons can't be damaged directly (except Shields), destroying the associated arm will disable if not destroy the weapon it is holding. The right arm is used to hold primary and secondary weapons, whilst the left arm can carry shields and certain backup weapons.
Every unit type (be it a mech or a tank) has a fixed layout consisting of a number of sockets. Parts are installed into these sockets, making up a functional unit. Every part contains subsystems installed into hardpoints.
- Unit layout is a shape of a unit. In the case of mechs, that shape consists of the following sockets:
- Upper body
- Lower body
- Left arm
- Right arm
- Left equipment
- Right equipment
- Sockets are slots for installing parts. Some of the sockets are considered critical - a unit can't be deployed into combat unless a part installed into them. In the case of mechs, the 4 body sockets are critical - a mech must have both an upper and lower body and both arms in order to be deployable, along with a Core and a Pilot. Without a Core, the mech has no power, and without a Pilot… well, it's basically just a big metal statue.
- Parts are large pieces of equipment making up a unit. Instances of parts are the logical elements used in combat: each part can have a health pool, can receive damage, perform actions, generate heat etc. However, it's important to stress that part blueprints, just like unit blueprints, merely define a shape or a container - parts do not provide any stats or behavior on their own. Parts define which hardpoints they contain and whether these hardpoints are visible and editable (parts also define which sockets they can be mounted to). Most common part instances spawn with all their hardpoints filled (by subsystems) and fused (non-editable), so most of them can be thought of as traditional stat and behavior bearing items, but it's important to understand this distinction to get how deeper customization works.
- Hardpoints are slots for installing subsystems. Only some hardpoints are visible to the player: for example, core weapon subsystem hardpoint housing a subsystem that makes sniper rifles behave like sniper rifles is never exposed, while a perk subsystem hardpoint making a particular instance of a sniper rifle unique is usually exposed (allowing you to see what's installed there). Only some visible hardpoints are customizable: for example, randomly filled perk hardpoints are non-customizable, while content of auxiliary hardpoints commonly encountered on rare parts can be changed: for instance, you might be able to swap the reactor and helmet armor on a rare upper torso. Some of the hardpoints are considered critical - a unit can't be deployed into combat unless a subsystem is installed into them. In case of mechs, core reactor is one such subsystem.
- Subsystems are lowest level components of units. Every single stat and behavior arises from subsystems. Lower rarity parts hide most of the subsystems they consist of, but the subsystems are still there. Subsystems can be roughly split into 4 types:
- Core internal subsystems: always present on every instance of every part, on non-editable, hidden hardpoints. They provide baseline stats and behavior - baseline stats of average mech torso, baseline stats and behavior of average assault rifle etc.
- Perk internal subsystems: present on most parts, more numerous on rarer parts, always on non-editable, visible hardpoints. These subsystems give unique character to a particular instance of a part - a new instance of a particular rifle might be slightly different from the last by virtue of having different perks (e.g. increased range, increased damage or reduced heat output). These subsystems typically multiply stats of a host part.
- Auxiliary internal subsystems: present on rarer parts, typically encountered on editable, visible hardpoints or looted separately (even from units like tanks). These subsystems provide options for deeper customization: for example, trading weight for integrity. The more rare a part is, the more auxiliary hardpoints it would have unlocked for editing. These subsystems typically multiply stats of a host part or a part in some other socket (for instance, you can encounter auxiliary reactor subsystems boosting core reactor output).
- External subsystems: armor sections present on all body parts. Hardpoints they are installed to are unlocked for customization on higher rarity parts. These subsystems usually simply increment mass and integrity with particular tradeoffs.
There are several distinct models of mech chassis and component, split across three weight classes; not all models are available in all weight classes. Light classes are more fragile but have lower mass and thus move faster, whilst heavy classes tend to be tougher but proportionally slower. Medium units thus fall somewhere in the middle, and are the most common type.
- Elbrus (Medium) - Primarily a civilian agricultural/industrial mech, the obsolete Elbrus line isn't really suited for modern combat, but is a passable all-rounder if need be.
- Bein (Medium) - The workhorse unit of the Occupying Forces, the ‘rounded cube’ Bein is a little on the lighter side and quite reliant on regenerating Barrier.
- Blackbird (Medium) - Sleek and angular, the Blackbird line is as distinctive as it is rare; don't expect to see many of these on the field.
- Knox (Light/Medium/Heavy) - Immediately identifiable at a distance, the blocky Knox line is a sturdy and reliable mass-production model, if not particularly flashy.
- Arrow (Light/Medium/Heavy) - Visually similar to the Knox, the Arrow set trades some Integrity for regenerating Barrier, and thus theoretically has better long-term survivability.
- Tsubasa (Light) - An ultra-lightweight set, the fragile Tsubasa is almost entirely reliant on Barrier for defense, and cannot stand drawn-out combat. Ideal for hit and run units.
- Vidar (Heavy) - The heavyweight of heavyweights, the angular Vidar set is cousin of the Tsubasa - but all-Integrity.
- Asgard (Heavy) - Posslbly the most common pure heavy-class, the Asgard is accordingly simple, but also reliable.
- Helge (Heavy) - A more modern heavy model, the Helge is a distinctive, highly-detailed set, with a good balance of Integrity and Barrier. It is also featured heavily in promotional art.
There are many different kinds of weapon available to both the Brigade and the Occupying Forces. This list covers the basic archetypes for each; for more detailed information on each model visit the Mech Weapons page.
- Primary (Right Arm) - your main weapons, what else?
- Assault Rifles - middle of the road, assault rifles are good all-round weapons that are accurate on the move, don't generate too much heat, or take too long to fire.
- Shotguns - exceptionally short ranged, shotguns can inflict massive damage up close. There are three distinct subtypes; heavy, semi, and auto.
- Marksman Rifles - bridging the gap between assault and sniper rifles, marksman rifles cover the 60-80 meter range bracket. Like snipers, they are inaccurate on the move.
- Sniper Rifles - exceptionally long-ranged (80-120+ meters), sniper rifles can pick off targets before they ever get close. They are very inaccurate on the move though.
- Machine Guns - capable of putting out terrifying amounts of firepower in a short amount of time, machineguns are most effective when stationary.
- Flak Cannons - difficult to use but effective against clustered units, flak cannons fire explosive shells that detonate on impact or close proximity, dealing damage in an area.
- Primary Melee - melee weapons are the perhaps most difficult to use of all, but their per-strike damage is matched only by the heaviest shotguns. They can cleave limbs clean off in a single strike.
- Either (Left/Right Arm) - these weapons can be wielded in either hand, and typically complement another weapon, such as pairing a close-range SMG with a long-range Sniper Rifle.
- Handguns - nothing special, but they are quite lightweight; this makes them an option for sniper units when an SMG might be too heavy.
- Submachineguns - lightweight submachineguns fill the range gap between shotguns and assault rifles, though some models have ranges more like assault rifles.
- Secondary (Left Arm) - equipped in the left arm only, this equipment is generally more utility-focused.
- Shields - not truly a ‘weapon’ (though they can be used for ramming maneuvers), shields instead let the wielder defend themselves against incoming fire.
- Offhand Melee - rare and not as powerful or long-reaching as primary melee, but perhaps useful in a pinch.
Certain mech parts can be customized with the installation of additional subsystems, which fit into three categories; Offense, Defense, and Mobility. Offensive subsystems typically improve the performance of one arm's weapon, whilst defense subsystems increase the unit's defenses. Finally, mobility subsystems enhance mobility.
- Targeting (Offense) - Targeting systems apply the effects of both Sensors and Stabilizers, but are not as effective as a single unit of either.
- Sensors (Offense) - Sensors increase the effective range of the weapon they apply to.
- Stabilizer (Offense) - Stabilizers reduce the stationary and moving scatter of the weapon they're applied to, increasing accuracy.
- Capacitor (Offense) - Capacitors increase the mech's total heat capacity, giving it more time before hits the overheat threshold.
- Heatsync (Offense) - Heatsyncs increase the mech's cooling rate, but more advanced models require Power to operate and will reduce Speed.
- Plating (Defense) - Platings alter the part's mass, integrity, and barrier values; some exchange lower integrity and barrier for reduced mass, whilst others grant more integrity but increase mass.
- Regenerator (Defense) - Regenerators enhance barrier regeneration rate, making them useful for mechs that are reliant on barriers for defense.
- Reactor (Mobility) - Reactors provide additional Power, directly increasing Speed.
- Gyro (Mobility) - Gyros reduce the part's effective mass, indirectly increasing Speed.
- Hydraulics (Mobility) - Like Gyros, Hydraulics offset the part's effective mass - but they do so at the cost of cooling rate.