Kodiak

Specifications
Use	Heavy assault Gear
Production Code	HACS-10HG-AST
Manufacturer	Northco Shaian Mechanics
Height	5.2 meters (6.2 m w/ AGM)
Speed	Walker: 37 kph SMS: 65 kph

The War of the Alliance proved to be a test of ingenuity for many Terra novan engineers. They had to make do with the machines they had on hand, though sometimes they managed to come up with the unexpected. While most machines developed to take on the columns of hovertanks fielded by the Colonial Expeditionary Force were relatively simple variants of existing machines — such as the Assault Grizzly — the Kodiak was a completely reworked design. Introduced in the final two cycles of the war, the Kodiak was the sum of Northern engineering, concentrating massive firepower in a mobile package.

The armor was considerably thickened, especially on the front, and the armor skirts were extended for additional protection. The engine and transmission were upgraded to help the Kodiak carry the nearly one and a half tons more of weapons and armor plating. The communication system was also upgraded, giving it more range, and a new laser sensor system was installed in a lengthened head housing. The new Gear was a massive beast, standing 5.2 meters tall and weighing in at a over ten tons.

The armament, which was already heavy on the standard Grizzly, became truly monstrous on the Kodiak. The experimental Northco XPA-001 8.2 mW Particle Accelerator, a weapon very similar to that carried by the Southern King Cobra assault Gear and in the same class as the main weaponry of light Terran hovertanks, is hand carried in a rifle mount. Power is provided directly from the Kodiak’s generator, though the internal capacitors can only handle the energy for twelve shots before requiring a lengthy recharge. The XPA-001 did not become available until the last seasons of the war and the original configuration of the Kodiak featured the Grizzly’s Riley M225 autocannon.

The Kodiak’s other main weapon is the proven Hammerstrike-II guided missile launcher. Originally a light Anti-Gear Missile and still carried in that capacity by the Rabid Badger armored fighting vehicle, the Hammerstrike-II proved extremely efficient against the lighter classes of CEF hovertanks.

Usage

The Kodiak was first introduced in Spring of TN 1916, when it was used to good effect against CEF incursions into Northern territories. Its success against hovertanks quickly became a morale-boosting military legend and the rare Kodiaks were wrapped in a mystique of invulnerability they only partially deserved. Colonial Expeditionary Force commanders came to realize the power of this mystique and in the final stages of the war began targeting Kodiaks for “special attention” in order to break Terranovan morale. Although this strategy worked in some cases, it also proved difficult to implement since the morale of Terranovan forces fighting with a Kodiak in their midst was significantly higher than that of other defenders.

The Kodiak did not have a perfect record, however, and many were lost or unaccounted for after skirmishes in the Badlands with CEF marauders. The machines massive operational weight of ten tons reportedly made it difficult to operate in loose sand conditions and several were lost in sink holes during the drive toward the CEF’s Barrington Basin staging area at the end of the war.

Since the signing of the Treaty of Westphalia the Kodiak has remained in service as a prestige unit. Still quite rare because of its elevated production cost and high maintenance requirements, it is sought after to add a mystique of power to a regiment. Several Kodiaks lost during the Barrington offensive have apparently been salvaged by local Badlanders, because a few of the frightening machines have found themselves on the underground Gear dueling circuit.

Nevertheless, Kodiaks are most commonly seen guarding critical and public installations, such as the Chambers of Valeria or the high command of the Northern Guard. It is more efficient and easier to invest in several more traditional Grizzly variants than in Kodiaks for standard heavy assault duties. Only truly influential Colonels and Brigadiers can pull enough strings to get a significant number of Kodiaks onto the field as part of their standard forces. These units, although rare, are often frighteningly deadly in action and many have gained a legendary status both among the Northern forces they fight along side and the MILICIA troops who must face their firepower.

Media

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  Kodiak profile

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