Mecha Suits

Mecha Suits

Mecha suits (also referred to as mecha armor, mecha units, steam mech armor, steam mechs, giant mechanical suits of armor, mechanical armor suits, and mechs) are large steam-powered mechanized combat units originally developed under a classified Wyranth-contracted initiative. They were designated internally as Project Mechanical (also referred to as Project Mecha in earlier records), and were described as a sizable investment for the Wyranth Empire. The suits were considered experimental and were regarded as a significant military asset—described as worth at least ten men, sometimes a hundred, when activated, and as one of the most deadly pieces of weaponry available.

Description

Each mecha unit was a large man-shaped mechanical construct, approximately five men high and three wide, with metal arms and legs mounted on joints. The suits featured copper and silver plating, long arms with gear rotators, and pipes attached to the arms. The back of each unit contained compartments for a motor and fuel lines, with two smokestacks angled toward the rear in earlier descriptions. Each unit also possessed a head with a scope protruding from it for distance viewing; the cockpit was separate from the mech's head, with binocular viewers set in the head and long tubes running to the pilot's eyes.

In The Iron Wedding, the suits were described as: "Two bulbous contraptions loomed over everything, as big as five men with metal arms and legs on their joints."

Spoiler: The Steam Knight 2Click to reveal

Specifications

• Size: Approximately five men high and three wide
• Exterior: Copper and silver plating; long arms with gear rotators over a stocky body; arms have pipes attached; bullet-resistant plating
• Cockpit: Open cockpit in the center of the unit (chest compartment); pilot secured by a harness; cockpit seals with a lever; accessed via a chest plate that opens, with a boarding ladder; has a handle on the inside of the chest plate; has a small compartment for a bag; aether-fuel engine whirs just behind the pilot's back, making the interior very hot
• Head: Decoy head with viewers; scope protruding for distance viewing; binocular viewers with long tubes running to the pilot's eyes; limited field of vision

• Power: Aether-fuel engine (also described as a steam engine in earlier sources; see Conflicts)
• Controls: Pedals for legs; levers for arms that activate different gears; appendages move on two gear axes held together by belts; shifting controls take a physical toll on the pilot over time
• Capabilities: Can leap at least fifteen feet high using a combination of pistons and springs; can sweep aside groups of soldiers with its metal arm; can trounce through tents and encampments; can move quickly through town and traverse terrain, though not as fast as a horseless carriage over dirt; can blast a hole in enemy lines with brute force; can fire projectiles from its arms
• Durability: Bullet-resistant plating; metal strong enough to absorb explosive bag blasts; Nightmen muskets and melee weapons cannot stop it

Spoiler: The Crystal ConspiracyClick to reveal

• Venting: Vents steam out a port in its hind leg
• Startup: Makes loud bangs on startup; footfalls pound like miniature earthquakes

Limitations

• Extremely hot inside the cockpit due to the aether-fuel engine
• Limited field of vision
• Bulky and difficult to maneuver in tight spaces; "the mechs didn't have the best dexterity"
• Move slowly despite great strength; not as fast as a horseless carriage over dirt
• Weigh an incredible amount; each footfall produced a significant impact ("Each footfall was like its own mini-earthquake.")
• Taxing on the pilot's system after extended use; makes the pilot wobbly after spending all day inside
• Vulnerable to being toppled by sustained attacks
• Require aether to fuel the engines; needed serious maintenance after heavy action
• Engine can sputter
• Knights of the Crystal Spire were not specifically trained to operate them

Development and Origin

On the novel-based account on this page, the project was referred to as Project Mecha, described as a classified initiative of Ivan, the Iron Emperor; the project name appeared on a sheet on Ivan's desk that he did not show Zaira von Monocle. These designations may refer to the same initiative under different names at different stages, or to related but distinct records (see Conflicts).

History and Acquisition

Role in The Iron Wedding

In The Iron Wedding, James offered to use the mecha armor to help Zaira von Monocle escape before the wedding, stating: "I can get you away in the mecha armor." He also suggested using it to help fend off the Nightmen.

Two mecha units were deployed at Carnait Cove, piloted by Ethan von Lantern and James Gentry. The units fired cylindrical pointed exploding shells from their projectile arms and blasted flames from their flamethrower arms. They wreaked havoc on the automaton brigade during the engagement. However, both units were eventually toppled by the Nightmen; one lost its footing and fell over as a result of explosive bag attacks, and both were ultimately brought down.

In A History of Rislandia

A History of Rislandia treats mecha suits as a notable element of Rislandia's military technology, describing them under the heading "Nyanzi Design" and referring to their operators as "mech pilots."

Origin and Design

According to A History of Rislandia, mecha suits were developed by Nyanzi and produced at Dr. Findlay's Factory. The sourcebook's physical description is broadly consistent with the novels: the suits stand five men high and three wide, feature an open center cockpit with a scope for viewing, are armed with automatic guns and flamethrowers in their arms, and are powered by a steam engine housed in a back compartment. Controls consist of pedals for the legs and levers for the arms, and the suits can jump fifteen or more feet using pistons. The sourcebook also notes the suits' characteristic limitations: they are hot inside, offer a limited field of vision, and are bulky.

Acquisition