Gaiaterra: Elysea's Conflict/Mecha Kitsune/Quad Kitsune

"Kitsune, on set!"

-...

The Mecha/Quad Kitsune is a Katsuragi Protectorate combat mech. Planned to be voiced by Anne Yatco.

Tactical analysis

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History
"In the Emperor we trust, for the sword of Veran we bear!"

-Motto of the Kitsune Corps

As part of the effort to integrate women into the woefully depleted ranks of the Protectorate Army's Phoenix King Project, the Kitsune was created as a mecha specifically for female units. This was disputed by the Protectorate public as just another blatant attempt to take away women and girls and force them into combat, with outcries going as far as saying things like: "First the Rocket Angels, now total conscription?" or "We were not good enough as Archers, now they beg us again?"

Several such outcries resumed over the entire land, and especially the corps of women who actually wanted to serve in the military as the Archer Maidens now completely felt betrayed by the government. They were not good enough for and against everything at first, and now they should join in another way they never wanted to join, instead of defending the homeland, risk everything in foreign countries? Many of them resigned and just ignored the call to arms totally.

And they were not alone! Outraged citizens, claiming on how the Protectorate vision of supreme might over the globe failed badly after both Emperor Yoshiro and Prince Tatsu died in the attempt to claim the world, signed petitions against any attempt to even remotely force more and more women into the military to risk their lives for a failed dream that burst like a bubble.

This bold move by the government earned such hard critics, it even surpassed the fire against the Rocket Angels a decade ago. And yet, the government stood united. In a flood of propaganda containing material, ranging from manga and anime (like how the massively popular weekly manga series "Flying Girl Azami" and its accompanying television series made way to the rise of the Rocket Angels) to cinema films and video games, the new Kitsune corps was hailed as a revolution and the bringer of justice to all foreign foes and the ultimate supporter for the Rocket Angels, the only female group actually supporting the idea.

And yet! The whole attempt, going so far as to even integrate speeches of Tacitus-affilated Nations which were friendly towards the Protectorate in the post-war world, bit on steel in the public opinion. Month after month, one of the most important thoughts of the public, among building up the devastated cities, was on how to fend off the idea of sending even more people into the military, especially women.

The people were tired of the war-mongering and sabre-rattling the over-zealous government officials tried. The shift came late. It took several months to get the public into the mood and patriotic feeling from the pre-war time. Countless speeches by the new Emperor Kamina took their toll, and finally, the public accepted the need.

This marks the true start of the Kitsune corps. The Honda Mecha Company in Hamamatsu, which has proven itself countless times with the Hanzo Z police mecha, was given the chance for a female mecha design, and they succeeded. The new Model 120 Mecha/Quad Kitsune surpassed all expectations for its supposed role. And just like a Kitsune, it can shift its form to either traveling or firing mode. And was one of the stepping stones, the next was reintegrating the Archer Maidens with a public apology, which eventually led to the Protectorate dissolving its traditional (and extremely outdated) gender roles altogether.

In a bright move, the government called upon Honda to call the weapon of the Kitsune under all circumstances Veran, to symbolize the connection to Saint Veran Miyukishima, a priestess and swordswoman from an old Shinto legend who was said to be friends with a Kitsune.

The Kitsune was designed to be a light unit, extremely fast and amphibious. It is armed with the XC-13 Veran, an anti-materiel sniper rifle created just for it, and its propulsion system is made from scratch, giving it all the maneuverability necessary to get in, take the shot, and escape before anyone else notices.

Due to the height of the Kitsune itself, it can fire over walls without problems, marking it a choice unit to defend bases or destroy enemies over ranges other units can only dream of. The Kitsune has two heavy downsides nonetheless, which are an inability to shoot at aerial targets, and the fact that being a light unit makes it inappropriate against larger enemies. The armor on the Kitsune is very, very, thin, designed to protect against small arms fire only.