Kalran: Tales of the four nations/Iron runner

"Ready to smash and grab!"

-An Iron runner leaving the Mustering hall

Tactical analysis

 * The juggernaut is Here: Originally designed for deep level miners, the Iron runner is a Dwarf in "light" powered armor that grants them enhanced strength and a surprising resilience to small arms fire. And a sealed design with a rebreather means that they can cross oceans by literally walking underwater
 * There was a Door: While technically an "infiltrator", the Iron runner takes that word and removes everything remotely subtle about it. While other infiltrators rely on disguise, charms, or stealth and speed to break inside buildings and steal secrets, the Iron runner simply bashes aside anything that gets between it and its objective
 * Talk to the hands: Armed with a pair of pneumatics powered fists, originally used for breaking rocks. The suit's massive fists shatters bones like toothpicks and can send even other powered armor infantry staggering back, and the Iron runner has no qualms about literally smashing apart walls ramming straight at it and flattening infantry in its path. And, when surrounded, are known to simply slam their fist to the ground, sending out a shockwave that staggers anything short of an epic unit and crumbles walls to dust
 * Subtle as a fist to the face: However, it should be repeated that the Iron runners are one of two infiltrators without cloaking, but unlike the Needle they are significantly more expensive, meaning that they will have a slightly harder time infiltrating, but their armor does make it so that they are resistant to the usual counters. And being limited to melee has its issues

History
"I'm the juggernaut, BITCH!"

-Iron runner Johann towards a group of security guards in an armory, before sending said guards through a wall and wrecking the place.

Originally used Dwarves mining in the deeper levels. The strebyd'baram'arftng mk01 (personal chariot armor mark 01) was the first powered armor the Dwarves had made, and the progenitor to the iron and steel series of powered armor, built to aid the miners, using plates upon plates of adamantine, fueled by a diesel engine, to protect them in case of cave-ins and fist enhanced with pneumatics to aid in mining, powered by a huge generator connected by large cables at the mines entrances. That was until the Elves sieged their homes. And during the long sieges many of these mining communes, wanting to help their people beyond mining the materials, began to use their suits for combat, having found out that heavy adamantine armor and a frame built to lift boulders means they can take a beating and lug around and fire vehicle class weaponry.

Most used their suits, modified with less armor and running on emergency fuel tanks, to sneak into their outposts, with the help of other miners to dig tunnels, and once inside use their fists to wreck valuable equipment's while shrugging off countless small arms fire. It was the use of these suits that soon became known as the Iron runner.

The Iron runner is, out of the other iron and steel series, the one with the least modifications to the original mining suit, with the main change being the adaptation to a more "mobile" environment, mainly a more compact generator and removal of heavier plates. Its powered exoskeleton, and lightened load, allows it to move relatively fast. Though the suit lacks any built in weapons for mobility and endurance, it has sufficient mass and strength that barricades can be easily smashed aside, and its powered fists, used to break apart rocks, are known to easily shatter bones like they were glass. And in emergencies can create a seismic blast by concentrating the shockwaves through the ground.

Despite its appearance, its main function is actually infiltration, though this may be a loose use of the word. The Dwarves aren't known for being "subtle", and are, in fact, the exact opposite. While other nations rely on stealthy men and women to sneakily infiltrate structures, the Iron runner is the embodiment of pure brute force; often enter buildings by plowing through a wall, or more rarely, smashing in through the ceiling (though it should be noted the suit is too wide to fit through most door frames).

Once inside, Iron runner agents become truly unstoppable. Their lack of ranged weapons is less of a hindrance in the closed confines of a structure, and any stationed security guards are armed with small arms, not anti-tank rocket launchers, anti-materiel rifles or any other weapons actually capable of denting a Iron runners armor. Their augmented strength allows them to throw aside personnel like ragdolls, and also means that walls and doors are merely a minor speed bump. Locked safes containing classified documents usually have their doors ripped off their hinges, and sabotage can be carried out by the simple expedient of wrecking as much of the building as possible. After getting what they need, an Iron runner agent traditionally leaves via making their own exit, often busting down another wall.

Trivia

 * This unit is based off the Garagarin X battlesuit from red alert paradox, a similarly unsubtle infiltrator.

Arkalion

 * Frumentarii
 * Iron runner
 * Courtesan
 * Demolisher

Alcradia

 * Huntsmen
 * Pawn
 * Switchblade
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Axio

 * Kunoichi
 * Scholar
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 * Youth
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Askrian

 * Saboteur
 * Trailblazer
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 * Trailblazer
 * Trailblazer