Design: Therampolus Walker PlatformWhile our mechs will be concerned with the frontline, we need to come to an essential realization: we're no longer equipped for the terrain we find ourselves in.
Our infrastructure is gone and decimated. Rebuilding it with our scattered resources and manpower along with the threat is, well,
impossible. How are we going to transport men? Equipment for battle? Our mechs can be as good as possible but it means nothing if we can't have proper boots on the ground to secure places after the mechs have had their way, and to support the mechs.
The Therampolus aims to remedy this. A multi-purpose walker platform, it offers great stability and consistent performance in any terrain. It's aimed to be reliable, rugged, and capable of getting where we want it when we want it. Four-legged and large, it's not designed for front-line combat. It can mount weapons and other equipment, but if it gets into combat with hostile mechs they should be long-range or for self-defense only. Instead, its main purpose at the moment will be troop and cargo transport as well as heavy combat support for our infantry. Infantry can be transported on it, deployed from it, supplied from it, and more. A basic field command center will come standard, to allow for proper coordination of local forces.
Another major consideration is mech maintenance and repair in the field where we don't have facilities to do so. If the right equipment and supplies are brought on board the Therampolus, then they can be used to service mechs in the field.
For expenses, we
aim to have enough Therampoluses for one in major combat areas and wherever our infantry see heavy deployment. So not cheap by any means. The frame should be armored enough to not go down with a single hit, but again, we are not building this for front-line mech combat.
Our infantry won't be alone. They'll always be able to look up and see the Therampolus supporting them. Looking over them and offering fire support. When the battle is done, they'll get back on board and resupply as the Therampolus moves to the next battlefield.
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Basically a huge troop walker that can be later fitted for other duties. Gets our troops and cargo to where it needs to go and supports them. In the future we could have it deploy mechs or perform other exciting non-combat roles!
This is akin to a rough draft, so please feel free to give feedback.
Mechanized Infantry (1): Roseheart
Therampolus Walker Platform (1): Chiefwaffles