Post by Richter on Sept 28, 2013 2:43:43 GMT -6
MS
DCMS-01X Nochero $2000
Prototype Land-use Mobile Suit
Limited Production Unit
Fusion powered, auxiliary triple batteries
Titanium/ceramic Composite Armor
Running Speed of 42 mph
Maximum Thruster Acceleration of 0.55 G
Weapons:
1x Carried 130mm rifled cannon
1x Carried 75mm pistol (Clips to backpack when not in use)
1x Left arm mounted MS knuckle shield (Heavy titanium/ceramic, can be detached)
- 1x 2-tube grenade launcher(Inside shield)
1x MS heat bolo (Titanium, sheath on left waist armor)
2x Head-mounted 50mm vulcan guns
1x 4-tube disruption pods (On backpack's right flank)
More a proof of concept and test bed than a true military unit, the Nochero is the the first full sized mobile suit to be designed by the El Dorado Compact. The machine's impressive stature has proven quite difficult to manage because, while many of them have dealt with MS before, never had they had to do so in Earth's gravity. As any spacenoid or lunarian would tell you, MS are much more efficient on the moon or open space than on land. Getting around that roadblock is proving to be a troubling, and it took many months of designing and redesigning before the first models could even walk correctly. Suffice to say, the Nochero is quite the advancement and proof the nation has come a long way.
Being an intermediary unit while they consider other designs, the machine isn't heavily equipped nor expected to work on the front line. Instead it was given a powerful cannon off one of their tanks to provide long range artillery support, with several other guns alongside it to shore up close range vulnerability. Only a handful are expected to be produced, and they will likely only be put on garrison duty as much to hold the line as intimidate would be aggressors. The Compact still takes a dim view of 'traditional' ms, whose bulk they find ill suited to the jungles, mountains, and deserts of which their land has money. It may be some time before it gets a true successor suited for heavy combat duty.
DCMS-02 Bucanero $3500
All-terrain Amphibious Mobile Suit
Mass Production Unit
Fusion powered, auxiliary triple batteries
Heavy Titanium/ceramic Composite Armor
Running Speed of 60 mph
Swimming Speed in MS Mode: 90 MPH
Swimming Speed in MA Mode: 140 MPH
Weapons:
1x 2-barrel head-mounted 45mm vulcan pod
2x Pairs of titanium claws (On hands)
- Integrated 80mm gyrojet guns (Usable in MS form only)
4x Chest-mounted medium missile launchers
2x 4-tube Forearm-integrated micro missile launchers
2x Leg-integrated 250mm torpedo launchers (Usable in MA form only)
Special:
360 Degree Mono-eye sensor
Enhanced Communications System
Escape Pod
Considering themselves masters of the ocean, it should be no surprise that the EDC's first 'real' mobile suit is an aquatic unit - one that closely resembles MSM of the past era, or more so than prior designs, at any rate. Foregoing the humanoid appearances of earlier models, such as the Pirata, the Bucanero is designed entirely with maximized function in mind. The main body of the unit is tear-drop shaped like a submarine for greater hydrodynamics, smoothed and convex at the front and narrowing towards the back, wherein the usual backpack unit is kept. While possessing 'shoulders', unlike Zeonic MSM, they're much thinner than the norm, jut out a little further, and are purposefully shaped like a submarine's fins for stabilization when cruising underwater. The arms each end in a set of razor sharp claws, with three 'fingers' and one 'thumb' to act as crude manipulators in situations where dexterity is required. Housed within the arms are micro missile tubes, and a gryojet gun in the hand's palms. Essentially tiny rocket launchers, these guns are low on recoil and just as useful on land as at sea - without the short range out of water the flechette guns of past models have experienced. Said guns are fed by a pair of high-capacity helical magazines within the arms themselves. The legs of this design were also used to hold weapons, in this case a couple of torpedo launchers that fire from the feet in certain circumstances. Another oddity in the design is that the legs are reverse jointed; however, the unit walks upright and without a slouch as one would expect of avians with which it shares the feature.
Unlike most aquatic suits, the Bucanero doesn't move horizontally for LD mode, but remains 'up right'. The arms press in against the waist and then clasp together around front, the legs fold up underneath the machine as if it were sitting on them, and the head sinks down several inches to lock into a stationary position. In short, it has a crude transformation feature. While in MA mode, it's able to cruise extremely fast, even though it loses the use of its gyrojets in favor of torpedoes - making it act more like a small submarine than a mobile suit. While the Bucanero possesses a 360 degree mono eye, the head is able to swivel freely when in MS mode for better ability to survey its surroundings. To maintain the hydrodynamic shape, the head unit is football shaped as opposed to more conventional, humanoid looks. On the left side of the head is a vulcan gun pod, counterbalancing a fairly advanced communications system on the right - which also retracts into the head's casing for long distance movement.
Middle MS
DCMMS-04 Gaucho $850
All Terrain Amphibious Middle MS
Mass Production Unit
Fusion powered, auxiliary twin batteries
Titanium/ceramic Composite Armor
Running Speed of 54 mph
Aquatic Movement Speed of 65 mph
Weapons:
1x Carried 60mm Flechette Rifle w/ underslung grenade launcher
1x Left arm mounted MMS knuckle shield (Titanium/ceramic, can be detached)
- 1x 2-barrel 40mm gast gun (Inside shield)
1x MMS heat facón (Titanium, held on rear waist armor)
2x Head-mounted 20mm vulcan guns
2x 3-tube SubRoc launchers (Attached to shoulders, can be detached.)
1x 3x MMS sized grenades (Held in rack on left waist armor)
2x 2-tube disruption pods (On backpack's flanks)
Optional:
1x Carried 150mm bazooka (Replaces rifle)
1x Carried 75mm sniper rifle (Replaces rifle)
Special:
Camouflaged Poncho
After field testing in the Reconquista it was determined that the Cougar, the EDC's first attempt at a real mobile suit, was a failure. The were still thinking in terms of JMS when it was designed, and because of that, it ended up with numerous faults in the blueprint. Its weapons were much smaller than what a mobile suit of its class could easily use, putting its combat effectiveness below competitors. Secondly its armor was quite poor. And third, it suffered from several other design flaws such as the hard to aim shoulder vulcans and even more difficult back mounted rockets. Finally the unit's heavy use of rockets were deemed too dangerous for use in their own territory, or in sensitive operations where collateral wasn't acceptable. All of these poorly chosen components were scrapped.
The new mainline EDC MS, the Gaucho, uses a new and much safer assault rifle that fires darts instead of bullets, allowing it to work both above and below water. This rifle mounts an underbarrel grenade launcher and is designed to be compact. The backpack SubRocs were taken out, and it was instead given two snub-nosed launchers that come up over the shoulders akin to those used by the Guerrillero. The difference being these are reusable, and are fed from a small magazine near the back held in the machine's backpack. These are mounted on a track that allows them to fold up onto the back out of the way when not in use, or when moving high speed underwater is required; in the latter case they can still be fired in this mode. Anyone familiar with the guncannon series would quickly recognize the similarity in how these launchers operate, very much akin to the big guns on those units. The point defense guns were moved to the head for easier use in shooting down incoming projectiles and smaller foes, much like older Federation MS had. Indeed, the entire suit bears striking resemblance in look and design to the old GM, which El DC had dug up, studied, and subsequently incorporated concepts from into this unit. The armor uses new titanium/ceramic composites for a balance of protection, weight, and cost efficiency. The knuckle shield used by Zedarri was copied and put into mass production since its slim form was of better use in tight areas such as the mountains or thick jungle; the integrated machine guns were kept as well.
Internally it is the first unit of the EDC to use a fusion reactor, allowing it to move faster and operate in the field much longer. However, it retains a pair of batteries in case of emergencies or for use when hiding in ambush in non-minovsky saturated areas; in which case it would help it greatly to hide from thermal sensors. These batteries allow it to operate in a low powered state from which it can kick-start its main powerplant after an opening volley.
As always, the unit can operate on both land and sea. Compared to the Cougar, the default Gaucho is more geared for combat on land or shallow waters. Taking another piece of advice from the GM, this machine is meant to be very multipurpose and easily adapted to other roles by swapping or adding new equipment. Several more specialized variants are planned to tackle specific tasks, including a dedicated deep sea unit for use with the navy.
The name itself comes from the class of men whom wandered the plains of Southern South America and oftentimes made up sizable chunks of those nation's armies. This was chosen since the Gaucho isn't usually planned to be used on long term defenses, leaving that role to tanks and JMS while squads of these patrol their lands or go on the offensive. Owing back to their namesakes the units are given camouflaged ponchos to wear over top of their armor to blend into the environment around them. When not in use, or when needing to move through water, these can be stored in an internal compartment in the left thigh.
DCMMS-04C Gaucho Cannon $900
All Terrain Fire Support Middle MS
Mass Production Unit
Fusion powered, auxiliary twin batteries
Titanium/ceramic Composite Armor
Running Speed of 50 mph
Aquatic Movement Speed of 60 mph
Weapons:
1x Carried 60mm Flechette Rifle w/ underslung grenade launcher
1x Left arm mounted MMS knuckle shield (Titanium/ceramic, can be detached)
- 1x 2-barrel 40mm gast gun (Inside shield)
1x MMS heat facón (Titanium, held on rear waist armor)
2x Head-mounted 20mm vulcan guns
2x 130mm Recoilless Cannons (Attached to shoulders, backpack fed)
1x 3x MMS sized grenades (Held in rack on left waist armor)
2x 2-tube disruption pods (On backpack's flanks)
Optional:
1x Carried 75mm sniper rifle (Replaces rifle)
Special:
Camouflaged Poncho
Designed to provide mid-range fire support, the Gaucho C variant sports a pair of 130mm cannons mounted on its shoulders in place of rocket launchers. These guns are backpack fed and capable of both direct and indirect firing, and are also of recoilless design to not destabilize the unit on firing.
DCMMS-05 Pirata $850
Naval Use Middle MS
Mass Production Unit
Fusion powered, auxiliary twin batteries
Titanium/ceramic Composite Armor
Running Speed of 42 mph
Aquatic Movement Speed of 90 mph
Weapons:
1x Carried 40mm SubRoc gun
1x MMS heat facón (Titanium, held on rear waist armor)
2x Head-mounted 20mm vulcan guns
1x 8-tube micro missile launcher (Inside left arm)
1x Hand Anchor (Attached to right arm)
2x 3-tube SubRoc launchers (Built into shoulders)
2x 2-tube disruption pods (On backpack's flanks)
Optional:
1x Carried 60mm Flechette Rifle w/ underslung grenade launcher (Replaces SubRoc gun)
The first of the mentioned variants on the versatile MMS-04 chassis is the Pirata, or pirate. Aptly named because it is designed with use in the ocean, and in tandem with ships, in mind. The shield was removed since it would be extremely unwieldy to use underwater, and it would increase drag overall and thus reduce top speed. Evasion would be the better choice compared to more weight. Instead the armor plating on that arm was shored up and space made inside to house a battery of small missiles - too small to damage a ship, they instead are primarily intended to shoot down aircraft or other MS. The rocket launchers on the Gaucho were taken out and instead 3 SubRoc tubes were placed in each shoulder to serve a similar roll as the Cougar's backpack launchers, albeit, these much easier to aim both above and below the surface.
The only other differences are that the Pirata is pressure sealed to withstand depths down to the sea floor, and a wire hand anchor on the spare wrist to steady itself or entangle foes in a fight. It also keeps the concept of the SubRoc gun alive, being explosives are more useful for breaching ship hulls than bullets. Considering it is expected to fight in cities much less often, the risk of collateral damage is reduced to the point of being worth the loss in close quarters versatility.
DCMMS-06 Cangaço $1200
Special Operations Use Middle MS
Limited Production Unit
Fusion powered, auxiliary twin batteries
Titanium/ceramic Composite Armor
Running Speed of 62 mph
Aquatic Movement Speed of 74 mph
Weapons:
1x Carried 60mm Compact Shotgun (Can use a variety of shells)
1x Carried 45mm Flechette Pistol (Clips to backpack when not in use)
1x Left arm mounted MMS knuckle shield (Titanium/ceramic, can be detached)
- 1x 2-tube grenade launcher (Inside shield, each tube can shoot twice)
- 2x Backup MMS heat blades (Held in racks on shield's interior)
1x Right wrist mounted laser spot gun (Folds into armor when not in use)
1x MMS heat bolo (Titanium, held on left waist armor)
2x Head-mounted 20mm vulcan guns
2x 2-tube missile launchers (Built into chest, 2 per side)
1x 3x MMS sized stick grenades (Held in rack on right shoulder)
1x 4-tube disruption pods (On backpack's right flank)
Optional:
1x Carried 75mm sniper rifle (Replaces shotgun)
1x Extra Carried 45mm Flechette Pistol (Replaces Shotgun)
Special:
Camouflaged Poncho
Hybrid Dual-sensor System
Radar Absorbing Paint
The Cangaço is a new unit produced with usage by SpecOps forces in mind, particularly in jungle, marsh, and swamp environments. Higher quality parts and equipment were added to the highly modular Gaucho's frame to produce a newer machine with higher specifications overall - with marked improvements to reaction time and speeds in both land and water; although as with the Gaucho, its aquatic capabilities are considered supplementary. To fit its envisioned role the base frame had to be slimmed down as much as possible for a number of reasons, from general stealth, to moving through the jungle and water easier, and having a smaller radar signature on top of everything else. This meant the unit would have to go without most long arms and auxiliary armaments; shoulder mounted rockets were a definite out. For that reason many of its weapons were internalized, and the joke passed around between the development team when drawing up its design was 'how many guns can we cram into one unit?'. As it would turn out, quite a few.
Advances in the unit's frame inspired by Lunarian Javelin MS freed up significant internal space that was used to install a small array of SubRoc launchers in the chest. The machineguns in the shield were taken out and replaced with a twin grenade launcher with a small cache of ammunition to add to its armor piercing capabilities, since the suit wouldn't be able to bring bazookas to most fights it will be involved in. Its primary melee weapon is a machete to be used as much for clearing enemies as the jungle to allow for easy passage, but two small, deadly backup blades are kept in holsters inside the shield for closer engagements. Replacing the grenades on the left, a style used by most Compact machines, the explosives were instead moved to the right shoulder, and a new model of stick grenade was chosen instead of the usual canister variant. These new models are primed when pulled from the rack, allowing them to be grabbed and thrown with one hand in a single fluid motion - and the potato masher design also allows for further lobs than traditional shapes do. Its main arm is a shotgun that can use a wide variety of shells depending on the situation: with buckshot, slugs, and dragon's breath being the most common examples. Since this gun is fairly short ranged and can't work under water, a pistol version of the Gaucho's longarm was designed to go with it in those situations. This pistol has a holster on the backpack's left side to allow for quickdrawing, so the disruption pods were all moved to the opposite side to clear the room necessary. As a final surprise an attempt was made to reverse engineer the gelgoog jager's beam spot guns for more close range defenses, which failed, as El DC is still unable to produced miniaturized beam weaponry. Instead a laser gun was put in its place hidden in the right forearm, while not as powerful, it is still quite deadly against opponents too close for comfort - or when it comes to point defense.
Equipment wise the unit makes use of hybridized sensors, the usual dual GM sensor suite was taken and augmented by a pair of goggle-like lenses fitted overtop that compound and enhance the pilot's vision and sensors beyond most mass production model's ranges. It is particularly effective in 3D environments such as space or, more usefully, underwater. This combined with the twin hoses that hook up to the machine's face give it the odd appearance of a GM-derivative wearing a gas mask. The entire unit is painted with a radar-absorbing coating to help it stay hidden without spreading m-particles, and its camouflaged poncho is further adapted to reflect heat.
Junior Mobile Suits
DCJMS-06 Guerrillero $550
Home Guard Use JMS
Mass Production
Hybridized, Double Battery Powered Unit
Super-Hard Steel Alloy Armor
Running Speed of 41 mph
Aquatic Movement Speed of 52 mph
Weapons:
1x 2-Barrel right arm mounted 30mm gast gun
1x Left arm mounted medium JMS shield (Titanium/ceramic)
1x JMS sized heat blade (Titanium, on waist.)
2x 10mm vulcan guns (Mounted inside chest)
1x 2-tube Single-use SubRoc launcher (Attached to shoulders, can be detached.)
Optional:
1x Right arm mounted 105mm heavy rifle (Replaces gast gun)
An improvement on the older Ocelot, the Guerrillero is the first design rolled out by El DC to meet the requirements set up by their new Unified Parts Plan. It's designed to be highly modular, allowing the JMS to swap out parts, weapons, and equipment with other units to be rolled out after, it including the mainline MMS slated to replace the Cougar. The optional cannon, for instance, is the same model as that used by lanza squads and defensive emplacements to allow for easy swapping on the fly and easier acquisition of ammunition in tight situations. This idea was partially inspired by the Federation MS they uncovered that were able to be easily changed to fit a wide number of roles. Indeed, the Gurrillero and the Ocelot before it were based in part on the Plutocracy JMS that the Compact brought with them from the moon; those in turn being built upon older EFF designs. A civilian model is produced alongside the army's version for work in construction and labor, with the only differences being the lack of military grade computer systems, armor, and weaponry. Even so that was done on purpose, so that in the event of a shortage or unexpected attack, personnel can easily retrofit their worker units into equipment to fight back. Keeping in line with the harsh and demanding nature of their home environment, all Guerrilleros are made of non-corroding materials that are able to hold up in the humid jungles.
Beyond being modular, the Guerrillero was created to boast a longer operating time with the inclusion of a hybridized powerplant that allows it to run off fuel or a new dual battery system when recharging is an option. The unit was given new super-hard steel armor that proved to be more efficient and lighter than older alloys used by El DC, allowing for superior protection without as much armor plating being required. This, combined with the enhancements to its powerplant, allows it to move much faster than its predecessor overland. The aquatic speed of unit suffered as an overall result of all these upgrades, some of its underwater thrust being taken out to conserve space for the additional battery. Even so that was deemed a worthy sacrifice since it isn't designed with actually fighting in the water in mind, so much as just being able to move through it. Despite that the two rocket launchers it can mount are built to be able to fire from under the surface for surprise attacks where that option is available for consideration.
Beyond the standardized components that make it up, the other innovation the Guerrillero hosts is the inclusion of a 'gast gun' as its primary weapon. A gast weapon is a two barreled system where the recoil of one barrel firing loads and charges the second. The firing rate is impressive, yet well below that of a gatling gun, but the mechanism is extremely robust and resistant to adverse environmental conditions. The appeal of this to Compact military goes without saying, and this is merely the first unit to make use of it. Ultimately it was decided to integrate the gun into the arm akin to how the Ocelot's functioned, because it made maintenance much easier after the initial installation. Both barrels are fed by a drum magazine to allow for sustained fire. The gast principle can apply to machineguns, cannons, and autocannons, but in the case of this unit it uses a machinegun.
The proposed roll of the Guerrillero is to act as a guerrilla unit that fights from ambush or cover of either the environment or a fortification to match heavier foes. While able to work alone the JMS was designed to work optimally alongside infantry or tanks, whom could breaker heavier armor that it wasn't well suited to dealing with on its own. While a big improvement on the JMS-05, junior suits can only carry so much armor and still be mobile on a feasible level. They rely more on their surroundings, speed, and size to remain unhit; thus there is a trend of JMS pilots being taken to wearing flak jackets in their units as added protection beyond what protection the suit affords.
DCJMS-06B Guerrillero Airborne Type $600
Light Paratrooper Use JMS
Limited Production
Triple Battery Powered Unit
Titanium/ceramic Composite Armor
Running Speed of 44 mph
Aquatic Movement Speed of 20 mph
Weapons:
1x 2-Barrel right arm mounted 30mm gast gun
1x Left arm mounted medium JMS shield (Titanium/ceramic)
1x JMS sized heat blade (Titanium, on waist.)
2x 10mm vulcan guns (Mounted inside chest)
1x 2-tube missile launcher (Built into right shoulder, 2 spare missiles per tube. Wire guided)
Optional:
1x Right arm mounted 105mm heavy rifle (Replaces gast gun)
The Guerrillero B is a modified JMS made to be dropped from planes and used for infiltrations and operations behind enemy lines. While based on the same frame, the usual steel armor was stripped off and replaced with lighter titanium. The default's backpack was removed, taking its amphibious thrusters with it, in their place a more conventional backpack with land-only use boosters was put in to allow it to break a fall when dropped from the sky. While still waterproof, it more or less is resigned to needing to walk along the bottom when in those situations. The optional SubRoc launchers were scrapped and instead a single, double-tubed missile launcher was fit into the chassis inside the right shoulder, these hold two missiles at a time and have a separate internal magazine holding a handful of spare shots. Based on the Regina anti-ms weapon, these missiles can easily destroy a fullsized MS and are wire guided. Another battery was put in to increase time spent in the field, and the backup fuel engine was removed entirely to cut back on size and weight. Overall the unit appears to be a lot more sleek and slimmed down, and its top running speed is a little faster thanks to the titanium armor. The real purpose of the respecialization isn't for speed, however, but to make it capable of fitting inside a plane; where a few tons of weight or few feet of space saved can make a world of difference.
DCMS-01X Nochero $2000
Prototype Land-use Mobile Suit
Limited Production Unit
Fusion powered, auxiliary triple batteries
Titanium/ceramic Composite Armor
Running Speed of 42 mph
Maximum Thruster Acceleration of 0.55 G
Weapons:
1x Carried 130mm rifled cannon
1x Carried 75mm pistol (Clips to backpack when not in use)
1x Left arm mounted MS knuckle shield (Heavy titanium/ceramic, can be detached)
- 1x 2-tube grenade launcher(Inside shield)
1x MS heat bolo (Titanium, sheath on left waist armor)
2x Head-mounted 50mm vulcan guns
1x 4-tube disruption pods (On backpack's right flank)
More a proof of concept and test bed than a true military unit, the Nochero is the the first full sized mobile suit to be designed by the El Dorado Compact. The machine's impressive stature has proven quite difficult to manage because, while many of them have dealt with MS before, never had they had to do so in Earth's gravity. As any spacenoid or lunarian would tell you, MS are much more efficient on the moon or open space than on land. Getting around that roadblock is proving to be a troubling, and it took many months of designing and redesigning before the first models could even walk correctly. Suffice to say, the Nochero is quite the advancement and proof the nation has come a long way.
Being an intermediary unit while they consider other designs, the machine isn't heavily equipped nor expected to work on the front line. Instead it was given a powerful cannon off one of their tanks to provide long range artillery support, with several other guns alongside it to shore up close range vulnerability. Only a handful are expected to be produced, and they will likely only be put on garrison duty as much to hold the line as intimidate would be aggressors. The Compact still takes a dim view of 'traditional' ms, whose bulk they find ill suited to the jungles, mountains, and deserts of which their land has money. It may be some time before it gets a true successor suited for heavy combat duty.
DCMS-02 Bucanero $3500
All-terrain Amphibious Mobile Suit
Mass Production Unit
Fusion powered, auxiliary triple batteries
Heavy Titanium/ceramic Composite Armor
Running Speed of 60 mph
Swimming Speed in MS Mode: 90 MPH
Swimming Speed in MA Mode: 140 MPH
Weapons:
1x 2-barrel head-mounted 45mm vulcan pod
2x Pairs of titanium claws (On hands)
- Integrated 80mm gyrojet guns (Usable in MS form only)
4x Chest-mounted medium missile launchers
2x 4-tube Forearm-integrated micro missile launchers
2x Leg-integrated 250mm torpedo launchers (Usable in MA form only)
Special:
360 Degree Mono-eye sensor
Enhanced Communications System
Escape Pod
Considering themselves masters of the ocean, it should be no surprise that the EDC's first 'real' mobile suit is an aquatic unit - one that closely resembles MSM of the past era, or more so than prior designs, at any rate. Foregoing the humanoid appearances of earlier models, such as the Pirata, the Bucanero is designed entirely with maximized function in mind. The main body of the unit is tear-drop shaped like a submarine for greater hydrodynamics, smoothed and convex at the front and narrowing towards the back, wherein the usual backpack unit is kept. While possessing 'shoulders', unlike Zeonic MSM, they're much thinner than the norm, jut out a little further, and are purposefully shaped like a submarine's fins for stabilization when cruising underwater. The arms each end in a set of razor sharp claws, with three 'fingers' and one 'thumb' to act as crude manipulators in situations where dexterity is required. Housed within the arms are micro missile tubes, and a gryojet gun in the hand's palms. Essentially tiny rocket launchers, these guns are low on recoil and just as useful on land as at sea - without the short range out of water the flechette guns of past models have experienced. Said guns are fed by a pair of high-capacity helical magazines within the arms themselves. The legs of this design were also used to hold weapons, in this case a couple of torpedo launchers that fire from the feet in certain circumstances. Another oddity in the design is that the legs are reverse jointed; however, the unit walks upright and without a slouch as one would expect of avians with which it shares the feature.
Unlike most aquatic suits, the Bucanero doesn't move horizontally for LD mode, but remains 'up right'. The arms press in against the waist and then clasp together around front, the legs fold up underneath the machine as if it were sitting on them, and the head sinks down several inches to lock into a stationary position. In short, it has a crude transformation feature. While in MA mode, it's able to cruise extremely fast, even though it loses the use of its gyrojets in favor of torpedoes - making it act more like a small submarine than a mobile suit. While the Bucanero possesses a 360 degree mono eye, the head is able to swivel freely when in MS mode for better ability to survey its surroundings. To maintain the hydrodynamic shape, the head unit is football shaped as opposed to more conventional, humanoid looks. On the left side of the head is a vulcan gun pod, counterbalancing a fairly advanced communications system on the right - which also retracts into the head's casing for long distance movement.
Middle MS
DCMMS-04 Gaucho $850
All Terrain Amphibious Middle MS
Mass Production Unit
Fusion powered, auxiliary twin batteries
Titanium/ceramic Composite Armor
Running Speed of 54 mph
Aquatic Movement Speed of 65 mph
Weapons:
1x Carried 60mm Flechette Rifle w/ underslung grenade launcher
1x Left arm mounted MMS knuckle shield (Titanium/ceramic, can be detached)
- 1x 2-barrel 40mm gast gun (Inside shield)
1x MMS heat facón (Titanium, held on rear waist armor)
2x Head-mounted 20mm vulcan guns
2x 3-tube SubRoc launchers (Attached to shoulders, can be detached.)
1x 3x MMS sized grenades (Held in rack on left waist armor)
2x 2-tube disruption pods (On backpack's flanks)
Optional:
1x Carried 150mm bazooka (Replaces rifle)
1x Carried 75mm sniper rifle (Replaces rifle)
Special:
Camouflaged Poncho
After field testing in the Reconquista it was determined that the Cougar, the EDC's first attempt at a real mobile suit, was a failure. The were still thinking in terms of JMS when it was designed, and because of that, it ended up with numerous faults in the blueprint. Its weapons were much smaller than what a mobile suit of its class could easily use, putting its combat effectiveness below competitors. Secondly its armor was quite poor. And third, it suffered from several other design flaws such as the hard to aim shoulder vulcans and even more difficult back mounted rockets. Finally the unit's heavy use of rockets were deemed too dangerous for use in their own territory, or in sensitive operations where collateral wasn't acceptable. All of these poorly chosen components were scrapped.
The new mainline EDC MS, the Gaucho, uses a new and much safer assault rifle that fires darts instead of bullets, allowing it to work both above and below water. This rifle mounts an underbarrel grenade launcher and is designed to be compact. The backpack SubRocs were taken out, and it was instead given two snub-nosed launchers that come up over the shoulders akin to those used by the Guerrillero. The difference being these are reusable, and are fed from a small magazine near the back held in the machine's backpack. These are mounted on a track that allows them to fold up onto the back out of the way when not in use, or when moving high speed underwater is required; in the latter case they can still be fired in this mode. Anyone familiar with the guncannon series would quickly recognize the similarity in how these launchers operate, very much akin to the big guns on those units. The point defense guns were moved to the head for easier use in shooting down incoming projectiles and smaller foes, much like older Federation MS had. Indeed, the entire suit bears striking resemblance in look and design to the old GM, which El DC had dug up, studied, and subsequently incorporated concepts from into this unit. The armor uses new titanium/ceramic composites for a balance of protection, weight, and cost efficiency. The knuckle shield used by Zedarri was copied and put into mass production since its slim form was of better use in tight areas such as the mountains or thick jungle; the integrated machine guns were kept as well.
Internally it is the first unit of the EDC to use a fusion reactor, allowing it to move faster and operate in the field much longer. However, it retains a pair of batteries in case of emergencies or for use when hiding in ambush in non-minovsky saturated areas; in which case it would help it greatly to hide from thermal sensors. These batteries allow it to operate in a low powered state from which it can kick-start its main powerplant after an opening volley.
As always, the unit can operate on both land and sea. Compared to the Cougar, the default Gaucho is more geared for combat on land or shallow waters. Taking another piece of advice from the GM, this machine is meant to be very multipurpose and easily adapted to other roles by swapping or adding new equipment. Several more specialized variants are planned to tackle specific tasks, including a dedicated deep sea unit for use with the navy.
The name itself comes from the class of men whom wandered the plains of Southern South America and oftentimes made up sizable chunks of those nation's armies. This was chosen since the Gaucho isn't usually planned to be used on long term defenses, leaving that role to tanks and JMS while squads of these patrol their lands or go on the offensive. Owing back to their namesakes the units are given camouflaged ponchos to wear over top of their armor to blend into the environment around them. When not in use, or when needing to move through water, these can be stored in an internal compartment in the left thigh.
DCMMS-04C Gaucho Cannon $900
All Terrain Fire Support Middle MS
Mass Production Unit
Fusion powered, auxiliary twin batteries
Titanium/ceramic Composite Armor
Running Speed of 50 mph
Aquatic Movement Speed of 60 mph
Weapons:
1x Carried 60mm Flechette Rifle w/ underslung grenade launcher
1x Left arm mounted MMS knuckle shield (Titanium/ceramic, can be detached)
- 1x 2-barrel 40mm gast gun (Inside shield)
1x MMS heat facón (Titanium, held on rear waist armor)
2x Head-mounted 20mm vulcan guns
2x 130mm Recoilless Cannons (Attached to shoulders, backpack fed)
1x 3x MMS sized grenades (Held in rack on left waist armor)
2x 2-tube disruption pods (On backpack's flanks)
Optional:
1x Carried 75mm sniper rifle (Replaces rifle)
Special:
Camouflaged Poncho
Designed to provide mid-range fire support, the Gaucho C variant sports a pair of 130mm cannons mounted on its shoulders in place of rocket launchers. These guns are backpack fed and capable of both direct and indirect firing, and are also of recoilless design to not destabilize the unit on firing.
DCMMS-05 Pirata $850
Naval Use Middle MS
Mass Production Unit
Fusion powered, auxiliary twin batteries
Titanium/ceramic Composite Armor
Running Speed of 42 mph
Aquatic Movement Speed of 90 mph
Weapons:
1x Carried 40mm SubRoc gun
1x MMS heat facón (Titanium, held on rear waist armor)
2x Head-mounted 20mm vulcan guns
1x 8-tube micro missile launcher (Inside left arm)
1x Hand Anchor (Attached to right arm)
2x 3-tube SubRoc launchers (Built into shoulders)
2x 2-tube disruption pods (On backpack's flanks)
Optional:
1x Carried 60mm Flechette Rifle w/ underslung grenade launcher (Replaces SubRoc gun)
The first of the mentioned variants on the versatile MMS-04 chassis is the Pirata, or pirate. Aptly named because it is designed with use in the ocean, and in tandem with ships, in mind. The shield was removed since it would be extremely unwieldy to use underwater, and it would increase drag overall and thus reduce top speed. Evasion would be the better choice compared to more weight. Instead the armor plating on that arm was shored up and space made inside to house a battery of small missiles - too small to damage a ship, they instead are primarily intended to shoot down aircraft or other MS. The rocket launchers on the Gaucho were taken out and instead 3 SubRoc tubes were placed in each shoulder to serve a similar roll as the Cougar's backpack launchers, albeit, these much easier to aim both above and below the surface.
The only other differences are that the Pirata is pressure sealed to withstand depths down to the sea floor, and a wire hand anchor on the spare wrist to steady itself or entangle foes in a fight. It also keeps the concept of the SubRoc gun alive, being explosives are more useful for breaching ship hulls than bullets. Considering it is expected to fight in cities much less often, the risk of collateral damage is reduced to the point of being worth the loss in close quarters versatility.
DCMMS-06 Cangaço $1200
Special Operations Use Middle MS
Limited Production Unit
Fusion powered, auxiliary twin batteries
Titanium/ceramic Composite Armor
Running Speed of 62 mph
Aquatic Movement Speed of 74 mph
Weapons:
1x Carried 60mm Compact Shotgun (Can use a variety of shells)
1x Carried 45mm Flechette Pistol (Clips to backpack when not in use)
1x Left arm mounted MMS knuckle shield (Titanium/ceramic, can be detached)
- 1x 2-tube grenade launcher (Inside shield, each tube can shoot twice)
- 2x Backup MMS heat blades (Held in racks on shield's interior)
1x Right wrist mounted laser spot gun (Folds into armor when not in use)
1x MMS heat bolo (Titanium, held on left waist armor)
2x Head-mounted 20mm vulcan guns
2x 2-tube missile launchers (Built into chest, 2 per side)
1x 3x MMS sized stick grenades (Held in rack on right shoulder)
1x 4-tube disruption pods (On backpack's right flank)
Optional:
1x Carried 75mm sniper rifle (Replaces shotgun)
1x Extra Carried 45mm Flechette Pistol (Replaces Shotgun)
Special:
Camouflaged Poncho
Hybrid Dual-sensor System
Radar Absorbing Paint
The Cangaço is a new unit produced with usage by SpecOps forces in mind, particularly in jungle, marsh, and swamp environments. Higher quality parts and equipment were added to the highly modular Gaucho's frame to produce a newer machine with higher specifications overall - with marked improvements to reaction time and speeds in both land and water; although as with the Gaucho, its aquatic capabilities are considered supplementary. To fit its envisioned role the base frame had to be slimmed down as much as possible for a number of reasons, from general stealth, to moving through the jungle and water easier, and having a smaller radar signature on top of everything else. This meant the unit would have to go without most long arms and auxiliary armaments; shoulder mounted rockets were a definite out. For that reason many of its weapons were internalized, and the joke passed around between the development team when drawing up its design was 'how many guns can we cram into one unit?'. As it would turn out, quite a few.
Advances in the unit's frame inspired by Lunarian Javelin MS freed up significant internal space that was used to install a small array of SubRoc launchers in the chest. The machineguns in the shield were taken out and replaced with a twin grenade launcher with a small cache of ammunition to add to its armor piercing capabilities, since the suit wouldn't be able to bring bazookas to most fights it will be involved in. Its primary melee weapon is a machete to be used as much for clearing enemies as the jungle to allow for easy passage, but two small, deadly backup blades are kept in holsters inside the shield for closer engagements. Replacing the grenades on the left, a style used by most Compact machines, the explosives were instead moved to the right shoulder, and a new model of stick grenade was chosen instead of the usual canister variant. These new models are primed when pulled from the rack, allowing them to be grabbed and thrown with one hand in a single fluid motion - and the potato masher design also allows for further lobs than traditional shapes do. Its main arm is a shotgun that can use a wide variety of shells depending on the situation: with buckshot, slugs, and dragon's breath being the most common examples. Since this gun is fairly short ranged and can't work under water, a pistol version of the Gaucho's longarm was designed to go with it in those situations. This pistol has a holster on the backpack's left side to allow for quickdrawing, so the disruption pods were all moved to the opposite side to clear the room necessary. As a final surprise an attempt was made to reverse engineer the gelgoog jager's beam spot guns for more close range defenses, which failed, as El DC is still unable to produced miniaturized beam weaponry. Instead a laser gun was put in its place hidden in the right forearm, while not as powerful, it is still quite deadly against opponents too close for comfort - or when it comes to point defense.
Equipment wise the unit makes use of hybridized sensors, the usual dual GM sensor suite was taken and augmented by a pair of goggle-like lenses fitted overtop that compound and enhance the pilot's vision and sensors beyond most mass production model's ranges. It is particularly effective in 3D environments such as space or, more usefully, underwater. This combined with the twin hoses that hook up to the machine's face give it the odd appearance of a GM-derivative wearing a gas mask. The entire unit is painted with a radar-absorbing coating to help it stay hidden without spreading m-particles, and its camouflaged poncho is further adapted to reflect heat.
Junior Mobile Suits
DCJMS-06 Guerrillero $550
Home Guard Use JMS
Mass Production
Hybridized, Double Battery Powered Unit
Super-Hard Steel Alloy Armor
Running Speed of 41 mph
Aquatic Movement Speed of 52 mph
Weapons:
1x 2-Barrel right arm mounted 30mm gast gun
1x Left arm mounted medium JMS shield (Titanium/ceramic)
1x JMS sized heat blade (Titanium, on waist.)
2x 10mm vulcan guns (Mounted inside chest)
1x 2-tube Single-use SubRoc launcher (Attached to shoulders, can be detached.)
Optional:
1x Right arm mounted 105mm heavy rifle (Replaces gast gun)
An improvement on the older Ocelot, the Guerrillero is the first design rolled out by El DC to meet the requirements set up by their new Unified Parts Plan. It's designed to be highly modular, allowing the JMS to swap out parts, weapons, and equipment with other units to be rolled out after, it including the mainline MMS slated to replace the Cougar. The optional cannon, for instance, is the same model as that used by lanza squads and defensive emplacements to allow for easy swapping on the fly and easier acquisition of ammunition in tight situations. This idea was partially inspired by the Federation MS they uncovered that were able to be easily changed to fit a wide number of roles. Indeed, the Gurrillero and the Ocelot before it were based in part on the Plutocracy JMS that the Compact brought with them from the moon; those in turn being built upon older EFF designs. A civilian model is produced alongside the army's version for work in construction and labor, with the only differences being the lack of military grade computer systems, armor, and weaponry. Even so that was done on purpose, so that in the event of a shortage or unexpected attack, personnel can easily retrofit their worker units into equipment to fight back. Keeping in line with the harsh and demanding nature of their home environment, all Guerrilleros are made of non-corroding materials that are able to hold up in the humid jungles.
Beyond being modular, the Guerrillero was created to boast a longer operating time with the inclusion of a hybridized powerplant that allows it to run off fuel or a new dual battery system when recharging is an option. The unit was given new super-hard steel armor that proved to be more efficient and lighter than older alloys used by El DC, allowing for superior protection without as much armor plating being required. This, combined with the enhancements to its powerplant, allows it to move much faster than its predecessor overland. The aquatic speed of unit suffered as an overall result of all these upgrades, some of its underwater thrust being taken out to conserve space for the additional battery. Even so that was deemed a worthy sacrifice since it isn't designed with actually fighting in the water in mind, so much as just being able to move through it. Despite that the two rocket launchers it can mount are built to be able to fire from under the surface for surprise attacks where that option is available for consideration.
Beyond the standardized components that make it up, the other innovation the Guerrillero hosts is the inclusion of a 'gast gun' as its primary weapon. A gast weapon is a two barreled system where the recoil of one barrel firing loads and charges the second. The firing rate is impressive, yet well below that of a gatling gun, but the mechanism is extremely robust and resistant to adverse environmental conditions. The appeal of this to Compact military goes without saying, and this is merely the first unit to make use of it. Ultimately it was decided to integrate the gun into the arm akin to how the Ocelot's functioned, because it made maintenance much easier after the initial installation. Both barrels are fed by a drum magazine to allow for sustained fire. The gast principle can apply to machineguns, cannons, and autocannons, but in the case of this unit it uses a machinegun.
The proposed roll of the Guerrillero is to act as a guerrilla unit that fights from ambush or cover of either the environment or a fortification to match heavier foes. While able to work alone the JMS was designed to work optimally alongside infantry or tanks, whom could breaker heavier armor that it wasn't well suited to dealing with on its own. While a big improvement on the JMS-05, junior suits can only carry so much armor and still be mobile on a feasible level. They rely more on their surroundings, speed, and size to remain unhit; thus there is a trend of JMS pilots being taken to wearing flak jackets in their units as added protection beyond what protection the suit affords.
DCJMS-06B Guerrillero Airborne Type $600
Light Paratrooper Use JMS
Limited Production
Triple Battery Powered Unit
Titanium/ceramic Composite Armor
Running Speed of 44 mph
Aquatic Movement Speed of 20 mph
Weapons:
1x 2-Barrel right arm mounted 30mm gast gun
1x Left arm mounted medium JMS shield (Titanium/ceramic)
1x JMS sized heat blade (Titanium, on waist.)
2x 10mm vulcan guns (Mounted inside chest)
1x 2-tube missile launcher (Built into right shoulder, 2 spare missiles per tube. Wire guided)
Optional:
1x Right arm mounted 105mm heavy rifle (Replaces gast gun)
The Guerrillero B is a modified JMS made to be dropped from planes and used for infiltrations and operations behind enemy lines. While based on the same frame, the usual steel armor was stripped off and replaced with lighter titanium. The default's backpack was removed, taking its amphibious thrusters with it, in their place a more conventional backpack with land-only use boosters was put in to allow it to break a fall when dropped from the sky. While still waterproof, it more or less is resigned to needing to walk along the bottom when in those situations. The optional SubRoc launchers were scrapped and instead a single, double-tubed missile launcher was fit into the chassis inside the right shoulder, these hold two missiles at a time and have a separate internal magazine holding a handful of spare shots. Based on the Regina anti-ms weapon, these missiles can easily destroy a fullsized MS and are wire guided. Another battery was put in to increase time spent in the field, and the backup fuel engine was removed entirely to cut back on size and weight. Overall the unit appears to be a lot more sleek and slimmed down, and its top running speed is a little faster thanks to the titanium armor. The real purpose of the respecialization isn't for speed, however, but to make it capable of fitting inside a plane; where a few tons of weight or few feet of space saved can make a world of difference.