Mechanical Frame

In Anaxima Omega, mechanical frames are commonplace. Any people or colony that has been influenced by Terran interaction will likely understand what mecha are and roughly what they are capable of. Post-Scream, all psychic mecha frames ceased to function and were destroyed. There are none of these left and all mechanical frames used today (by the FCGF, for example) are strictly post-tech.

Classification of Mechanical Frame
Although they are all post-tech, there are vast differences between the legal and accepted “classes” of mechanical frames. The accepted classes are: Training-Type Mechanical Frames, Labor-Type Mechanical Frames, Armed Forces Basic-Type Mechanical Frame, and Armed Forces Advanced-Type Mechanical Frame. Apart from this, some outside the New Velorum Alliance have technologies unique to them.

Aside from type, mechs also are classified by hull classes. The smallest mechs are “suits”, little more than armored exoskeletons roughly three meters tall. Suits are intended to support the small teams of elite troopers who make up the tip of an attacking force’s spear. The armor and equipment loadouts on suits are very light, but they greatly enhance a soldier’s survivability in the face of heavy fire.

One step larger than suits are light mechs, most of which were six to eight meters tall. Light mechs are naturally among the most maneuverable and agile of the mech classes, while still being large enough to support the fusion cores necessary for antigrav fins or heavy weaponry. Light mechs could equip surprisingly vicious weapon loadouts, as so little power was required to move the hull.

Heavy mechs were the titans of the battlefield, ten to thirteen meters tall. None exist now. This bulk is a significant drain on fusion cores, and most heavy mechs were wired to provide sudden large surges of power to hungry fittings. Heavy mechs could mount the widest range of defensive equipment and bear the thickest armor, keeping them standing when smaller hulls would fail.

Training-Type Mechanical Frame
Training frames are used for certification purposes only. Their design is basic and they do not have any specialized functionality when they are factory standard. Training-Types are engineered with learning in mind. The knowledge a pilot gets from passing certification on these machines will carry over to many kinds of mech (bipedal, quadruped, treaded, flying).

Armed Forces Training-Types exist for Military training. These AFTT are under legislation and are highly illegal to weaponize. Armed Forces Training-Types are given the internal controls of an Armed Forces Basic-Type but do not have corresponding weaponry to those controls. They are used in battle simulations.

Famously in 3195 a rogue group of military trainees with radicalized beliefs took their AFTT’s and successfully fled the Military Operations Base with them. It is said they weaponized them through the use of the Balian black market and started forming a resistance which was quickly quelled through the use of Advanced-Type units.

Labor-Type Mechanical Frame
Labor-Type Mechanical Frames are the most widely produced type of mechanical frame in the current year. Any mecha that is specialized for a specific labor force utilization falls into this class. Mining, agriculture, shipment, production, waste management, and many other fields use Labor-Type mecha of varying importance.

AF Basic & AF Advanced
Both Armed Forces Types are used exclusively in approved Military operations. All AF mecha are weaponized, constructed with a higher baseline of materials, and are much more expensive to create and maintain. Due to the cost of operation, AF Basic-Type and Advanced-Type mecha are more of an auxiliary to a given military unit rather than the base unit. Basic-Type mecha are intended for a specific type of military application. An AFBT is limited to one type of warfare (surface or space) and generally has a specific goal as-designed (long range support fire, close quarters skirmishing, etc.). The overwhelming majority of AF units are Basic-Types. In speech, generally there is no need to distinguish between Advanced or Basic-Types and “AF frame” is commonly used. Advanced-Types are modular frames that can be used in multiple environments. Their weaponry is easily configurable and often they have “kits” that. They cost more than double the upkeep and production cost of any Basic-Type. Their overall capabilities far surpass a Basic-Type; speed, fire-power, maneuverability, and armor all exceed any regular notion of feasibility.