Lancer Smash or Pass

IMI Coromuel

Most frames created for the Modern Industrial project are created by teams of dozens if not hundreds of their respective counties’ best engineers; the Coromuel, as effective as it is, does not share this common link with its peers. Created in its entirety by a human engineer and the first of what would become the NEMESIS-Class line of NHPs, the Coromuel is purpose-made for either protection or harassment of allied or hostile high-value targets, respectively.

IMI Squamish

Boasting the title of being the second-most advanced frame in the Modern Industrial lineup after the Zephyros, the Squamish was developed in joint between, primarily, the JANUS Company and Quinn Research, with CK-I Power and the Harrier Tech Conglomerate heavily involved in the fringes of its design. While much, much more grounded than its sister frame, its utilization of abandoned “printer” technologies that Harrison left on Ilea after the first invasion give it a previously unheard of level of freedom from logistical lines, outside of pure raw material for it to process. While combat trials did not initially favor the design, its competitors faced endless setbacks after unforeseen complications with their built-in printer schema; this, combined with improvements to the Squamish’s design that overcame its initial difficulties, allowed it to glide nearly uncontested into the seat it now has in the Modern Industrial program’s arsenal.

IMI Cierzo

The Cierzo, designed in a surprising cooperation between Crow Mechanical and Raven Aero Corp., is a frame purpose-built to resolve a serious tactical shortcoming Ilean forces suffered during the first invasion. Harrison forces, equipped with Shermans and Barbarossas, were able to bombard Ilean positions and counties from continental mountain ridges with little fear of counterattack. While air strikes against these positions were taken out, the casualty rate of such sorties was high, and effect was low; seismic and gravitaic activity was thought to have destroyed or disrupted more of these positions than Ilean militia forces. Built with the idea of being able to fly while firing long rifles accurately and expediently, the Cierzo was selected by the Modern Industrial Design Commission over a slew of other options jockeying for the role, partly due to the existing support the frame had gained from other boutiques and partly due to its design being robustly futureproof. Current production schedules are just seeing the first few combat prototypes made, and, once its shakedown period is complete and production lines in Central Manufacturing finish setting up, will be rolled out in a few variants as Ilea’s main battle line frame.

IMI Zephyros

“Now, I want you to understand why me and mine are so… Hesitant to accept this into the IMI project. Obviously, you’ve seen previously one-off mechs like the Coromuel get accepted, but that was because it could prove it worth. This… Thing, is a lot harder to try and justify manufacturing, though. You know that flight capability is a design requirement, but I don’t see anything on this that’ll let it.” “That’s… Complicated.” “It’s not flight capable?” “It is. However, the technology is private-- I’m sure you’ve run into similar situations before, what with some of our competitor’s blueprints.” “Not to this extent. Sure, the rumor mill loves to bitch and moan about Harrier’s Icarus Core--which was explained, in full, to IMI--but you can’t just not explain your tech and expect to get a pass.” “That’s the thing-- This frame’s flight engine is based entirely on non-causal technologies scavenged from former Union Omninet contacts and artifacts from cascade events that took place during the first invasion; it’s not just blackbox to you, it’s blackbox to us as well.” “That’s… Okay, so it can fly, but only because of bullshit you can’t explain.” “Most of this mech’s equipment works the same way, to be frank.” “… Please tell me you can at least control how it works.” “We can. In fact, once we’re done with the last of the frame showcase, I’m trained and equipped to take it through its paces and show off other systems we’ve managed to put together for it.” “Something tells me that I’m not going to like any of this.”

IMI Ostria

Usually found piloted by only those with something to prove or with nothing left to lose, the Ostria presents itself as one of the poster boys of IMI. The first of the new generation of mechs produced in preparation of the coming second invasion, the Ostria was initially designed to replace the Sumatra in close ranged operations. Partway through development, however, it was deemed that the Ostria instead be utilized alongside the Sumatra, the latter keeping its iconic Air Superiority Enforcement Battery and the former instead being reassigned for longer-duration close-range engagements where other Ilean frames such as the Coromuel would otherwise be ill-suited. Current designs of the chassis now include the now-infamous Icarus Core; its exact design and functionality is a closely-guarded secret by the Ostria’s designer, Harrier, to the point that rumors abound that not even maintenance crews know anything past whichever small area of the mech Harrier deemed fit to instruct them on. Likewise, pilots’ control documentation is often half-redacted, with sticky notes paraphrasing what looked to be originally paragraphs of instruction. If anything, what makes this notable is just how strict it is; some claim that either Harrier is getting itchy over the idea of having proprietary data stolen or if, somehow, the frame uses esoteric techniques to produce the very obviously mundane results. Despite this, the Ostria still seems to be a forerunner in Ilean Modern Industrial combat trials, as its speed, less demanding flight systems, and more robust internals give it a leg up over its current competitors.

IMI Sumatra

Easily one of the fastest frames in Ilea’s skies, the Sumatra has found itself an invaluable force against Harrison’s airborne forces in the first invasion. Utilizing some of Harrier Tech’s highest-end inertial damping systems paired with Kazekawa’s and Hansen’s combined turbine jet knowledge, it is designed to get into and out of combat faster than its enemies can react.

IMI Foehn

The Foehn’s lumbering frame may spark jokes about its airworthiness, but no veteran will be found cracking them. Originally created back during the first days of Ilea’s mech fad, the Foehn was a combination air freighter and mech that could traverse between counties solo. Several thousands were made in its heyday, and despite not always being practical, it set a benchmark for all future Ilean air-ground mechs in both performance and technical requirements; while not always advertised as such, many airframes and mechs are backwards-compatible with the ubiquitous parts that junkyard Foehns provide. Nearly all Foehn frames were bought up by the Modern Industrial project at the start of the first invasion and assigned to transport material between cooperating county boutiques in what were then common air transport convoys. Some effort was made to refurbish a number of them into armored and combat-capable models, and results were promising-- despite its age, the Foehn’s size and power allowed it to field more armor and heavier ordinance than most other transitory frames of the time. Re-modernizing them in the face of the impending second invasion has proven an easy choice; while no longer in any real competition with other frames, some boutiques--CK-I and Harrier, in particular--are looking into using it as a bed for more experimental technologies that prove hard to micronize or mount on a smaller chassis.

Alright, everyone, sorry for the long delay! I'll be kicking off the homebrew mech polls with Ilean Modern Industrial, created by our very own @asdfjasklfjdkla!

The Ilean Modern Industrial project is a disastrous and unfortunately necessary confederation of county boutique manufacturers from all across Ilea; it was established during the final months of Harrison Armory’s first disastrous attempt to establish a colonial government on the planet after Ilean diplomats rejected peaceful advances. The IMI project was successful in its defense--if only by the skin of its teeth--and, in preparation for the secondary waves of Harrison forces now confirmed to be en-route, it has been tasked to prepare a more robust fighting force to ensure Ilea's continued freedom.

HORUS Lich

HA Genghis Mk. 2

SSC Dusk Wing

HA Napoleon

HA Tokugawa