Basilisk

Specifications
Use	General purpose Gear
Production Code	OACS-03M/SU
Manufacturer	Territorial Arms
Height	4.2 meters
Speed	Walker: 43 kph SMS: 75 kph

Although it was most often used as a scout vehicle, the Basilisk was conceived as a light general purpose Gear. The Basilisk appeared in TN 1838 in response to a request by the Southern military for a Gear that could lighten the burden the general purpose Desert Viper and Jäger Gears had to shoulder.

These two machines, at the time the heart of Southern Gear units, were forced into an increasing variety of roles by the progressive retirement of the Copperhead and Rattlesnake and the notoriously bad performances of the Anolis scout Gear, reputed to be one of the worst machines ever designed. Conceived in TN 1796, the Anolis design was interesting but suffered from dangerous technical difficulties (most notably a tendency to shut down in combat) that forced it into second-line roles very quickly after its introduction.

Very good as front-line Gears, the Desert Viper and Jäger were too big and costly to accomplish a task better suited to a smaller and less costly machine. The Rattlesnake, faster and lighter than either of the other machines, was nonetheless showing its age and a new design was needed.

The Basilisk was conceived very simply, with a basic, but powerful sensor array, straightforward controls and a low grade neural net. Basilisk pilots often complain that their machine is quite a challenge to use. On the good side, however, the Basilisk had relatively good armor (especially when compared to Northern machines of similar size and class) and a high performance engine, giving it both excellent speed and deployment range.

Large secondary movement system wheels in the toes of the Gear helped to propel the Gear along at a speed slightly above that of other machines in its class. Offensive capabilities were provided by a weapon load copied quite simply from the Jäger and consisting of a PR-25 autocannon and Vogel-6 rocket pod. Tried and true, these arms gave the Basilisk a versatile set of options in combat. The Basilisk was never designed as a high-technology Gear and in general is only a simpler version of the Jäger. Several internal subsystems are distinctive, however, and the Basilisk would eventually inspire the Iguana.

Usage

The Basilisk left a very good impression on both pilots and high command. Certainly not technically complex or sophisticated, it gained reputation as a solid and dependable general purpose Gear that could be pressed into a variety of roles if need be. Territorial Arms never intended the chassis to be long-serving, having rushed it into production to make sure none of its competitors would beat it to a definite hole in the Gear market. Relatively few investments were made into the improvement of the model until the TN 1850s when Territorial Arms, still unable to produce a viable scout model started using the Basilisk to produce specialized variants. This move was largely inspired by field modifications being made throughout the military forces of the South.

The “in the trenches” support for the model made Territorial Arms reconsider and begin investing large sums into the development of the Gear. The Silverscale variant (equipped with powerful electronics and a laser target designator) was successful enough to inspire other variants along the same lines, including the Elint and Jammer Silverscales.

The Basilisk saw most of its action during the low-level warfare that characterized the middle of the nineteenth century. The Basilisk is almost invariably associated with the Badlands, because the MILICIA purchased a large number of the Gears. Regiments made up of large numbers of Basilisks clashed repeatedly with their Northern counterparts in this period, often fighting over nearly meaningless trade routes. Local Badlanders paid the greatest price for this constant conflict, seeing their livelihoods (and lives) crushed between the conflicting egos of the polar powers. In the Antarctic itself, the Basilisk was in slightly less extensive distribution, but it did participate in a several long pacification campaigns around Saragossa and in the vassal states of the Allied Southern Territories. With the introduction of viable scout models like the Iguana and the next generation of soldier Gears like the Jäger Alpha, Sidewinder and Black Mamba, the Basilisk was pushed into retirement. Most models that are still functional can be found in the Badlands. Many were sold to local militias and principalities; over the decades a great number have found there way to rovers.

Variants

• Nash Basilisk

Gallery

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