Rock Mamba

Specifications
Use	Mountain strike Gear
Production Code	T-XM1500
Manufacturer	Territorial Arms
Height	4.6 meters
Speed	Walker: 54 kph SMS: 82 kph

The Southern Republic is currently interested in expanding its ability to dominate the mountainous areas of Terra Nova in general and of the Badlands in particular. Since the weather on the planet is frequently violent — especially in the Badlands — an airborne insertion in many of these areas is not always possible and a specialized strike team is often required. Also, while this is somewhat unavowed, the Rock Mamba’s abilities would prove invaluable in dislodging Northern forces from their defensive locations in the mountains should a North-South conflict occur. For that very reason, a special emphasis has been placed on the Rock Mamba’s ability to travel the rough terrain native to the mountaneous areas. The Black Mamba, as one of the best Gears of the South, seemed the perfect subject to modify.

Territorial Arms has invested a great deal of time and resources in the Rock Mamba project to remove the infamous "glass back" of the standard Black Mamba. Not only was it a fatal flaw on the original design, but it was considered a problem which could prove particularly costly (and fatal) on a Gear intended to climb mountains. Such a task would regularly expose the machine’s back to sniper fire and would severely limit the longevity of the pilot-machine team.

The Rock Mamba’s movement systems have been modified to perform better in the rough terrain of the mountains than in flat areas. The designers willingly sacrificed flat land stability to greatly improve climbing and rough terrain movement. They also reinforced the legs and made the Gear airdroppable. It was deemed necessary since few pilots and vehicles would be willing to land in mountainous areas.

The sensor system is essentially the same as the Black Mamba’s, with only a few obsolete components replaced by more modern (and durable) versions. The engineers thought of increasing the sensors’ range, but that suggestion was rejected because the Gear was meant to be used in mountainous terrain. A satellite uplink was considered instead, but the proposition was quickly dropped because the power drain would have been too substantial on the engine and more energy had to be allocated to the improved off-road movement systems.