Pt.1: What are Titan Classes?
No two titans are exactly the same, though some fall into similar tasks. Titans vary in a wide range of sizes, shapes, and combat roles. These roles are how titans receive their classification. One would not send something small, and lightly armed and armored to singlehandedly destroy a
Mechrion Battlesuit. Likewise, one would not send something heavy and slow to scout ahead, and report their findings. Since there are titans with specific combat roles, there are
Titanmasters trained to their titan's specifications. There are five titan classes to choose from each one has its own set of specialties, and deficiencies. Strengths, and weaknesses.
Pt.2: Command Titans
Command Titans are titans piloted by titanmaster lance leaders. They are the most versatile class of titan, made to fit the most versatile of titanmasters. Generally speaking, Command Titans are the second heaviest class of titan, but are often the tallest. Their greatest characteristic is the fact that all Command Titans are modular, making even two of the same make, and model of titan completely different. This modularity allows each lance leader to customize their titan to their own unique combat style. Command Titans can equip weapons from any of the three main manufacturers being Nathan Armories, Holland and Anderson Mechanization (H&A) or Johnson Mechanized Warfare (JMW).
Lance commanders are generalists. They may have had a specific combat role before they became their lance's commander, and the way they structure the modifications on their titan may reflect this. However, to be a lance commander, one must be expert in all combat roles. Because lance commanders are required to be generalists, most can fight with great effectiveness in any titan handed to them in any given combat situation.
Pt.3: Heavy Titans
As the name suggests, Heavy Titans are the heaviest of all other titan classes. Their immense weight comes from their heavy armor, and weapons. Unlike the Command Titans, very rarely is a heavy titan modular. There are drawbacks to this near indestructability, and the immense firepower. A Heavy Titan's speed is often lacking, with the fastest Heavy Titan only able to run at twenty-five miles per hour in a sprint. More often than not, the Heavy Titans are used to form a sort of wall of metal, and guns to secure a slow, but steady ground advance. The armaments of a Heavy Titan could depend on the manufacturer. Nathan Armories often equips their Heavy Titan models with numerous missile pods, or railguns. H&A will often equip multiple autocannons, or other slug-throwing weapons on their Heavy Titans. JMW will equip their Heavy Titans with beam weapons of all sorts. Their size means they are the single most expensive titan class to manufacture, repair, and maintain.
Another drawback to the Heavy Titans is the strain they put on the titanmaster's mind. A Heavy Titan's operator must have among the strongest of minds to pilot a Heavy Titan without long-term consequences. If one can train their minds to withstand the strain of piloting a Heavy Titan, they become one of the most dangerous fighters on the battlefield against the aliens, and hostile outsiders alike.
Pt.4: CQ Titans
Close Quarters Titans exploit one of the
Mechrion's few, but fatal weaknesses. They are vulnerable in melee combat. Even the massive Battlesuits frequently fall to a CQ titan. A Battlesuit's only defense is their energy shielding. Even that falls to a CQ Titan rather quickly, as CQ titans are often equipped with one large weapon capable of disabling these shields in a single volley. This heavy weapon depends on the manufacturer. Nathan Armories will often equip their newer CQ models with a railgun, or even a coil gun. H&A will equip their CQ models with Heavy flack cannons, or scatter cannons. JMW often equips their CQ models with heavy laser cannons, or experimental particle accelerators. Just like the cannons used to disable a battlesuit's shields, the melee weapon could depend on your chosen manufacturer. Both H&A, and Nathan Armories will equip their heavy titans with hammers, axes, and swords, while JMW prefers precise claw blades replacing the fingers on one of the titan's hands. To use their close-quarters capabilities, a CQ titan must first get within close, or even melee range. As such, they are the second fastest of the titan classes. In order to reach, and maintain such speeds, CQ titans must be relatively lightly armored.
A CQ Titanmaster must be able to think on his, or her feet, and must have lightning-fast reflexes, even when considering the ever so brief delay between the pilot's mental commands, and the titan actually carrying them out. Because of the combat role they adopt, and the ancient arts they must study, CQ titans are often looked at as knights, which is their official nickname.
Pt.5: Sniper Titans
As the name suggests, these titans specialize in eliminating hostile targets from afar. Their armor is light, and they aren't terribly fast. All their spare weight is poured into a single massive weapon designed to hit something with devastating force from extreme ranges. Like most other titan classes, most Sniper Titans are not modular in any way. The specific weapon may vary based on the titan's manufacturer. Nathan Armories will often equip their Sniper Titan models with an ER (Extended Range) Railgun, or coil gun, characterized by their much longer rail, or coils. H&A will often equip their sniper models with heavy cannons with much larger calibers, and much longer barrels than most other titan mounted cannons. JMW will often equip their sniper models with ER particle accelerators.
I sniper titanmaster must be clear minded, and methodical. Only a few titanmasters have the skillset necessary to claim this combat role, and perform it well. While there are few, they are most often deployed with another to serve as a secondary shooter. While snipers rarely miss, giving them a secondary shooter all but removes the possibility of a target surviving.
Scout Titans
Simultaneously the safest, and most risky combat role a titan or titanmaster can assume. They are easily the fastest titans, with the slowest scout titan reaching speed of forty miles per hour. However, this speed is accomplished, and maintained through small size and weight. They achieve this light weight through the use of extremely light armor, with some Scout Titans donning no protective plating whatsoever. Their armaments are often as light as their armor, with the largest weapon ever mounted on a Scout Titan being a single medium beam cannon. More commonly, they are mounted with small anti-infantry weapons at best. JMW manufactures some of the best Scout Titans, arming them with an anti-infantry repeating laser cannon. Nathan Armories will often arm their Scout Titans with small missile pods. To thios day, H&A has yet to make a single Scout Titan.
To pilot a Scout Titan requires minimal mental strain, but some of the fastest reflexes in the entire Archangels Mechanized Infantry Corps. A Scout Titan's relatively small profile, and quick movement makes them a difficult target to hit. But all it takes is one hit to cripple, or potentially destroy it.
Comments