Designed in YE 43 and completed later in YE 44, the Sun Scorpion is a specialized mech built by Shasta No Sekai corporation as a stealth-oriented combat mech platform for use in the subjugation of Freehold Factory and mercenary operations. The mech uses its sleek profile and specialized tools to dig and obscure itself in most terrains.

🦂Sun Scorpion🦂
Class:	Medium
Role:	Stealth-ambush
Faction:
Tier:	Medium Mecha
Nomenclature:	Sw-Tw-1m
Price:	Not For Sale1)
Contract Price:	10,000 DA2) per week3)

The Sun Scorpion is a take on a different class of mecha often fielded by the Terror Wolves of Shasta's World. Straying somewhat from bipedal weapons platforms the sun scorpion takes a page out of a literal children's encyclopedia on animal and plant genera that was used to bludgeon a particularly large and almost rat sized scorpion that once snuck into a Cantina at the Rincinus factory and stung an employee in the leg who later needed amputation…

The overall gist is that inspiration was taken from the course of nature and natural selection alike and the Sun Scorpion was designed!

Trading the bipedal nature of most of the other corporation's mechs for a lower profile and many smaller legs the Sun Scorpion trades most of the elevated weapons capability for better armor and survivability. Its smaller profile is uparmored on the back, chitin-like fuselage with overlapping plates of armor that like the terrifying bug it was designed after puts all its protection on the outside to mimic an exoskeleton.

Furthermore, two weapon arms were added for the first time in SnS mecha in for form of an industrial trencher on one arm and a sharpened claw-like shovel scoop on the other. These mixed with the spade-like leg segments of the mecha allow it to quickly and easily burrow its frame down into the ground and obscure itself while leaving nothing but its turret-like weapon tail shallowly covered and ready to spring up and ambush targets while only its armored carapace is even remotely exposed to danger offering protection second to only what a shield⁴⁾ may provide.

The concept of the sun scorpion came about in YE 44 from a need to repurpose existing assets for multifunctional roles. like the Sumeria Class Mecha before it the Sun Scorpion began its inception as a multi-purpose on-site excavator platform that fell into the nefarious clutches of the R&D team after a night of too much drinking and hijacking of random equipment for joyriding.

In a single night of alcohol and drug-fueled debauchery that no screwdriver or capacitor should ever be subject to Shasta No Sekai's engineers reconfigured the excavator arms into platforms for potent weaponry by removing safeties, effectively converting tools of construction into instruments of destruction. As their excavation treads evolved into nimble multi-jointed legs (Because it was cool), the mech gained newfound agility, enabling them to traverse diverse terrains. By the time the last few techs had collapsed or succumed to fatal alcohol poisoning the excavator arm had already been retrofitted for a weapon mount and upon the survivors waking the next day in their own sick with headaches fit to crack open their skulls they had embezzled enough of the corporations funds for the part to need to justify an excuse.

Hence, the new secret project mech was put forward later that week and a working prototype concept had conveniently already been half-finished and was on hand…

The sun scorpion is a unique platform fielded by the Terror Wolves of Freehold but is just one of many of the arrows in its quiver. With considerable armor and a sleek profile, it matches the best of both worlds of the firepower of a tank with the maneuverability and handling of a mech all with the added cost-effective bonus of being made completely out of melted-down scrap and plated thorium compared to heavier and more expensive materials!

• Smaller profile than most mecha but with similar firepower
• Stealth-oriented armor and functions for added survivability
• As terrifying as a mecha spider, mecha wasp, and mecha lobster sounds like it should.

The Sun Scorpion is shaped very much… Like a scorpion. Like a friend-shaped scorpion.

A sleek and chitinous armored frame reminiscent of a flat, elongated body makes up the fuselage with six large mechadendrite legs with spade-tipped digging implements for feet has replaced the usual chicken walker design. The mech also has two large weapon arm pedipalps near its cockpit-head comprising of a massive trencher-chainsword for digging and dismembering, and a sharpened shovel-scoop-claw which is also used for digging and dismembering. The mecha also has a long, slender tail that is curved over the top of its frame with a Glass Maker built in.

The sun scorpion can be painted in many colors depending on the environment but is usually found in the corporation's tan-mustard color configuration.

The Sun Scorpion is manufactured by Shastas' World corporation and is explicitly manufactured for use by the Terror Wolves of Freehold. Any actual purchase requests should be made via correspondence with the corporation.

• Organization: Shasta No Sekai
• Type: Stealth-Ambusher
• Class: Medium
• Designer: Terror Wolf Project
• Manufacturer: Shasta No Sekai
• Contract Price: 10,000 DA per week.⁵⁾

• Crew: One pilot
• Maximum Capacity: One
• Passenger Capacity: Zero

• Width: 3.3m (10 feet at the width of the fuselage not including the legs)
• Height: 2.9m (9 feet tall excluding the height of the tail)

The Sun Scorpion is a ground-based hexapedal platform. It can walk, stride, and even jog to a degree and is culpable in most uneven terrains. The frame has several jump-jet style thrusters that allow it to momentarily boost itself over obstacles or terrain which is a terrifying thought to consider for such a frame.

• Ground speed: 70 km/h.
• Airspeed: 10m/s

• Range: 360 km
• Lifespan: One deployment before refit/repair.

See Damage Rating (Version 3)

• Body: T-8 Medium Mecha⁶⁾
• Shields: Zero, no Shields.

The Mech contains a standard Shastas' World Mech Cockpit with everything it entails from terminals to the in-house Fairy AI assistant. The rest of the interior of the mech is practically non-existent for its size. Because of this the entry and exit of the mech are fairly simple.

Like a fighter cockpit the armored Transparent Durandium can be opened from either side of the mech after first scaling the mechs default crouch when inactive through readily available steps and handholds built into the armored legs and fuselage. From there the process simply involves sealing the usually airtight seals of the cockpit and securing oneself into the pilot's seat. Exiting is just as simple with the added option of an ejection system that blows the transparent durrandium away from the fuselage with exploding bolts before ejecting the seat skyward.

The startup process is also fairly simple requiring only the company-issued Fairy to be inserted into the electronics of the cockpit much like a simple key-fob where it will then manually startup the mech remotely and begin diagnostic procedures and simulated testing before she gives the all-clear or advising of any detected issues. In which case the mechs navigation, controls, and weapons will unlock and be released to the pilot.

Shutting down is just the same as requiring the mech to be in a stationary position where the AI can safely stop all systems and cut power from the battery banks and weapons until the mech is safely inset and will usually not allow the remote unlocking of the fuselage until the AI has been removed to ensure the mech can not be too easily stolen.

The Sun Scorpions' weaponry makes it somewhat of a glass canon, strapped to a bull, while in a china shop. While the glassmaker is incredibly powerful and its secondaries offer incredible damage to both infantry and lighter vehicles/powered armor the mech has very little mid-range utility and excels better in close range than at longer distances compared to specialized platforms like the Pathfinder Class Mech.

The Sun Scorpion has a single Heavy hardpoint on its tail, two Light hardpoints on either side of its cockpit, a single Medium Launcher with eight 'Mega' Macro Missiles, as well as two weapon arms which are not replaceable.

The mech boasts a standard Durandium Alloy armored frame that protects the mech's main armor in its entirety with the exception of the cockpits Transparent Durandium which is significantly more vulnerable than the rest of the armor and the interior joins semi-exposed under the thigh and shin armor. The exposed joint, however, is still reinforced to significant small arms damage and fire and is complemented by not only these segments of armor but the entire mech being coated in an anti-beam coating to give it limited defense under fire against beam, laser, energy, and even aetheric damage until the coating is worn off by damage in those areas.

The mech is, however, still susceptible to high damage kinetic and explosive-based damage that penetrates its armor and still lacks any form of shielding.

Several plates of Thorium are laid over the armored fuselage to not only obscure it from sensors but also add increased armor and suvivability.

The mech contains a Fairy Ai artificial intelligence assistant.

The Mech contains a Shastas' World born and raised Fairy AI. The AI itself is housed deep within the core of the mech and draws negligible power from its batteries. The fairy itself controls many of the sub-systems of the mech while also helping its pilot with:

• minute adjustments to the aim of the weapons
• reading of digital maps
• monitoring of radio signals and communications
• monitoring the position of the mech
• communicating with other fairies in other mechs
• controlling swift drones
• deploying and controlling the mirage system

A simple, if not effective jump jet system is installed on the mech to help it move up or along difficult terrain. While not capable of true flight they are more than enough to lift the mech off the ground for a few seconds at a time and enough for them to clear obstacles or scale terrain. They are also good for clearing around the feet of the mech of hostile infantry or pesky shrubs. The idea of putting jump jets on a giant scorpion is one that will haunt many a dream amongst the R&D of the SnS corporation to this day.

The jets are activated by the pilot but flown directionally by the AI to ensure the mech doesn't end up landing sideways or on its own cockpit.

Deep within the mech and under the cockpit seat houses a massive battery bank of Hyper Cells that power the mech without the need for combustion-based fuels. These batteries, linked to alternators to keep them holding their charge through the movement of the mech itself only power the mech and its most basic systems by default but can be drawn from to power weaponry on-demand in an emergency at the risk of cutting operation time from the mech through their usage or by powering related energy-dependent systems.

The mech has a backup rack of hyper cells that come online and can power the mech for its final hour of operation time. But have a secondary use that they can be ejected from the mech above and behind it and detonated to create a kind of dangerous flashbang effect around it with a massive and bright explosion that can also severely damage or kill individuals or armor near the mech but risks damage to the mech as well.

Basic scanning is capable by the mech with a built-in package for discovering distant signatures of vehicles, armor, aircraft, powered armor, starships, aether signatures, etc. at a significant range and detail and can be viewed on any of the mech's cockpit screens.

An inline GPS system is also installed coupled with the radar and ladar and the mechs optics can easily mark enemies and landmarks alike and keep them tracked. But is also capable of expanding even further when paired with the mechs drones to create an incredibly detailed area map.

Likewise for electronic defense, an electronic defense system is installed that contains passive Radar Warning Receivers, Laser Warning Receivers, and infrared warning sensors to alert the pilot to incoming threats. Active defenses include two Laser Dazzlers, anti-radar chaff, thermal flares, as well as radar-jamming equipment to complement the sensor suite to allow the fairy or pilot to deploy active countermeasures on demand.

When in less-than-ideal conditions the mech has basic heating and cooling systems as well as recyclable air exceeding twelve hours of reserved oxygen. Fire extinguishing systems are included with a small personal scale Fire Extinguisher 🧯 in the cockpit that is sometimes even fully charged.

An emergency escape system is also linked to the cockpit in the form of the cockpit bolts exploding outwards and ejecting the pilot's seat much like a standard aircraft ejection seat. This system also saves the fairy which is housed in the pilot's seat but may not save the pilot from hazardous conditions such as a lack of air or extreme heat.

The Mech contains a Shastas' world Mirage camouflage System. This system, much like the Fairy Ai's nanites that make up its avatar and clothing the Mirage is a camouflage system of the very same AI-controlled nanites in six large twenty-gallon tanks. Each tank, when deployed, ejects all of its nanites to create a cloud of optical camouflage around the mech that mimics closely to Yamatais' common volumetric capabilities. When stationary it can mimic things such as scenery, bushes, flora, debris, etc. And even more advanced projections such as fire, plasma, light, and so forth and can project from the inside of the cloud an outside perspective or holes in it to allow optics to see through.

The Mirage system can also be used semi-offensively as a faux weapon by mimicking things such as fire, projectiles, and even people like infantry or weapons. The system is controlled by the AI and can be used within 100 feet of the mech for other vehicles or actions as well. The short life of the nanites, however, means when they aren't linked together with others to create optical camouflage they will quickly die within less than a minute.

Due to the quality of materials and labor shortages on assemblies from high fatalities, the mech is often subject to a constant need for repair and maintenance after each engagement and without such is liable to break down from minor system failure to a catastrophic machine and weapons failure. It is recommended to never run the mech past its detailed operations time and never to avoid pre-flighting the mech or performing the necessary preventative maintenance on it to avoid unnecessary loss of life.

Charmaylarg created this article on 2023/01/09 11:32.

Approved by Wes here