GPEX-002 Powered Exoskeleton

The GPEX-002 General Purpose Exoskeleton, commonly known as the Bullet Ant is a /armored fighting vehicle. With the advent of such vehicles in and , the private sector had found itself without vehicles of similar capabilities for its security and mercenary forces. With little experience in developing combat exoskeletons, a joint research team of engineers from , , and had taken to refitting civilian work exoskeletons for combat usage. While early results were less than promising, nearly a decade of research and development had resulted in the GPEX-002. Like its Insurrection and UNSC counterparts, the Bullet Ant is intended to serve an infantry support role, providing fire support to squads in close quarters.
== Design Details ==
Impressed with the performance of the PS-001 "Freehander" Militarized Exoskeleton and the HRUNTING/YGGDRASIL Mark X Armor Defense System Funnelweb, the arms manufacturers and mercenary companies of humanity had clamored for a powered exoskeleton vehicle of their own. Both sides of the Insurrection had jealously guarded the engineering details of their exoskeletons, making it exceptionally difficult for the corporations to acquire one to examine. With neither the resources of the UNSC nor the Insurrection, the various corporations of the ’s military-industrial complex had pooled their resources to create one of their own. Taking after the Freehander, the joint development team had looked to work exoskeletons to form the basis of their combat exoskeleton. While the design team was ostensibly unified in their goals for the exoskeleton, there was much contention on how their objectives would be reached. Hannibal Weapons Systems had insisted on the implementation of complex energy weapons and shielding, while Acheron Security’s engineers believed this would make the exoskeleton too difficult to maintain and refused to compromise. The IMC’s team had attempted to serve as a mediator, with some measure of success. 
The joint design team had agreed that their exoskeleton needed to have manipulators, a , and a flexible joint system. While work exoskeletons had provided an ideal body plan for these goals, their reactor infrastructure was lacking and unable to support advanced energy shielding. While the joints of these civilian exoskeletons were capable of a wide range of movements, the addition of armor plating had made them sluggish and somewhat unresponsive. To make matters worse, these refitted civilian machines were slower than their counterparts before being equipped with offensive and defensive systems. Much of the GPEX-002’s early development cycle was spent attempting to force a civilian machine into a military role, and it wasn’t until the second year of work on the project that the prospect of abandoning the civilian worksuit frame altogether.
Instead a novel chassis would be designed from the ground up, incorporating the flexibility of a civil exoskeleton with the endurance and resilience of a military vehicle. While this had proven to be more time consuming, it had also resulted in a more robust and effective machine. A high performance engine and miniaturized reactor combined with a complex armor weave system had alleviated problems of weight and even allowed a rudimentary shield generator to be installed, while a proprietary myomer network married to a state-of-the-art system provided the new prototype with an even greater range of movement and flexibility. 
Field tests involving this prototype had proven promising, and soon the GPEX-002 was slated for a full roll out.
=== Design Details ===
Much like its Insurrectionist and UNSC counterparts, the GPEX-002 was designed with only one integrated weapon. Upon seeing the versatility the Funnelweb’s manipulator operated weaponry offered it, the joint engineering team sought to replicate it for the Bullet Ant. A single is mounted in the Bullet Ant’s left armature, typically used against heavily armored infantry or vehicles. Among the first weapons designed for the Bullet Ant include an ‘assault rifle’ style version of the which has been adapted for planetary usage. HWS engineers had also designed a manipulator compatible version of the , linking the weapon directly into the Bullet Ant’s reactor to boost rate of fire and effect on target. A number of other weapon hardpoints are included on the Bullet Ant’s shoulders and right armature. 
The question of whether the Bullet Ant should be able to support operations was hotly debated among the joint design team. The combat performance of the Funnelweb was drastically improved when pilots were assisted by dumb AI, and even more so when partnered with Smart AI. However, the costs and processes of developing AI and the physical systems infrastructure had proven too costly for a mass production vehicle. Only unit leaders or special operations teams are equipped with AI integration, who typically operate electronic warfare systems, assist in target acquisition and fire control, and help in bridging the gap between man and machine in neural interfaces. Stock Bullet Ants instead have an optional co-pilot compartment, which is typically responsible for operator secondary weaponry or electronic warfare systems. 
=== Service History ===
Presentations by the design team had wowed potential mercenary company clients. The Bullet Ant had proven to be just as agile as the Funnelweb, able to negotiate complex and difficult terrain as easily as its UNSC counterpart. While it boasted a more robust shield generator than the Funnelweb, it had lighter armor plating. The Bullet Ant had proven to be more of a skirmisher unit compared to its UNSC counterpart. While it was more vulnerable to sustained fire, the GPEX-002 was able to avoid incoming fire more easily, returning fire only when energy shields had fully regenerated. 
The first combat outing the GPEX-002 was deployed on was under Acheron Security, a squadron of Bullet Ants supported by an Acheron private security force was hired to defend a mining outpost from potential attack. The world of New Chennai had mined rhodium, cadmium, praseodymium, and ytterbium and the vast mineral wealth had attracted unsavory attention to the world. New Chennai’s mining concern had suspected foul play after a number of industrial sabotage incidents and they had expected things to only worsen. A month after the Acheron Security’s deployment, these managers were proven correct when a number of led pirate bands had arrived in the system, at first only capturing and looting automated transit barges but later deciding to mount a direct assault on New Chennai proper. 
While New Chennai’s only city was heavily fortified in preparation of the coming assault, only half of the Bullet Ants had remained in the city limits with the other half taking positions among the crags and valleys of the outskirts of the colonies. These pilots had laid in wait for days, observing the disposition of the raider forces.In small teams of two to three exoskeletons, the Bullet Ant pilots had tracked the Covenant forces as they traveled through the rough terrain. The raiders had been forced to land several dozen kilometers away from New Chennai’s city limits, as the anti-air grid surrounding it was far too thick to mount a direct assault. The uneven landscape and natural features had also proven difficult for the Covenant’s vehicles and infantry to navigate and this had further delayed their assault on the town. The Bullet Ants had harassed the raiders during their advance, destroying their lightly armored vehicles and troop transports while evading their heavier armor. These teams had also inflicted casualties on the dismounted infantry elements of the raiders, striking from unexpected angles while their armor was either out of position or already destroyed. Despite the best efforts of the Bullet Ant pilots to avoid engagement with the and , several mercenary teams were forced into direct confrontation against these heavier armed vehicles. The heavier plasma weapons mounted on these vehicles could easily overload Bullet Ant shielding and penetrate their armor, leading to several casualties among the skirmishing mercenary unit. They had eventually regrouped and fled into the crags of New Chennai, once again aiming to evade detection by the Covenant. The survivors out these skirmishers had followed the Covenant from a distance until they had reached the city’s limits. As the Covenant had engaged the mercenary defenders, these Bullet Ants had struck their rearguard units, throwing raider support units into chaos. 
The developed urban cityscape had provided an ideal environment for the Bullet Ants, the robustly built and durable buildings made for good cover and concealment for the exoskeletons. In comparison, the Covenant vehicles had proven exceptionally clumsy as they had attempted to navigate the narrow streets of New Chennai’s city. The tables were turned on the Covenant heavy armor and they had become easy prey for infantry anti-tank teams or Bullet Ant ambushes. There is at least one instance of a Bullet Ant destroying a trio of Wraiths after scaling to the top of a refinery building.
The battle within New Chennai’s city resulted in moderate casualties among both the attackers and defenders, while the raiders had outnumbered the defenders by a noticeable margin, they had not expected resistance to be as fierce as it was. After securing a number of storehouses containing raw minerals, the raiders had moved to retreat from the city. They had made no attempt to engage in an organized withdrawal, and many raiders were simply left to their fates as their commanders prioritized the minerals over their own troops. A notable portion of the city was destroyed in the battle, and rather than pursuing their aggressors, the people of New Chennai had set to rebuilding their home as best they could. The Bullet Ants had proven useful even in this task, and the efforts of the Bullet Ant pilots had drastically improved the rate of reconstruction. During the advent of the , the GPEX-002 was rushed to fill in gaps in UNSC armored and mechanized units following the decimation of the UNSC’s military by forces, often times forced into roles that it was unsuited for, such as replacing or even makeshift troop transports in place of and . The Bullet Ant was decidedly no match for the armored vehicles and constructs of the Created in a stand-up fight, and many were lost fighting in desperate defensive actions. The Bullet Ant had also seen much success in the fight against the Created too, excelling in ambushes in heavily wooded or urban areas, using their exceptional maneuverability to fire at enemy convoys before escaping into difficult or dangerous terrain. Bullet Ants had also served on various UNSC ships in both shipboard security and boarding detachment roles. The Bullet Ant was too large to move effectively within the bulkheads of smaller ships like and , and as such they were deployed in specially designed boarding barges which are launched towards enemy craft, carrying a half dozen Bullet Ants. With few dedicated armor units being able to fight effectively on the decks of a starship and able to resist man portable anti-armor systems, Bullet Ants were able to inflict serious casualties on enemy defenders. On larger ships such as the and the , Bullet Ants had also served as formidable force multipliers for shipboard troops, defending the larger cargo compartments and hangar bays from incoming borders. Bullet Ants have also seen action walking on the outer hulls of these ships, magnetically secured to their hulls and serving as makeshift point defense guns or close-in weapons systems. 
Notably, the Bullet Ant has seen service as a convoy escort for various civilian concerns, ranging from the corporations it was designed by to humanitarian aid vessels. Many such freighters were the frequent target of Created, , and piratical raids and often woefully unprepared to fight off hostiles, resulting in many fatalities and hundreds of tonnes of supplies lost. The Bullet Ant had proven to be highly effective in this role, being small enough to comfortably operate in the cavernous halls and bays of cargo ships while also being able to overpower most  boarding parties, which tended to be more lightly equipped compared to main line combat units. 
The Bullet Ant’s interstellar marine service record was not limited to combat purposes, and on many occasions these frames were also put to work repairing their motherships after combat. Installing thruster modules was a relatively simple task, and when combined with the exoskeleton’s robust energy shielding system it made for an exceptional vacuum operation platform. The Bullet Ant’s dexterous manipulators had also made it ideal for the delicate work of repair, able to manipulate materials with far greater accuracy than standard armatures on traditional drones. In addition to repair work, the Bullet Ant had also seen usage as a rudimentary search and rescue unit, being equipped with a bulky life support capsule on its back. Its manipulators had also proven delicate enough to recover wounded vac-suited personnel from space while not significantly disturbing their injuries. The Bullet Ant had quickly become a symbol of safety and security for fringe colonists living far from any major power.The Bullet Ant was also exceptionally valuable for terrestrial colonial security tasks, being relatively cheap and accessible for even frontier colonists. As it shared many similarities to standard work exoskeleton’s control schemes, training could be quickly and easily conducted as most colonists would at least have a passing familiarity with exoskeletons of this nature. Similarly, the internals of work exoskeletons had borne a great similarity to the internals of the Bullet Ant, allowing for parts common to civilian motor pools to be used to repair the Bullet Ants, this combined with the relative simplicity of the Bullet Ant’s internal mechanisms makes it easy for civilian mechanics to maintain and repair. In many cases, the presence of a squadron of Bullet Ants was enough to dissuade many pirate bands from launching their attacks. Like their spaceborne counterparts, Bullet Ants had also served in civilian roles during periods of relative peace. Bullet Ants were capable of carrying and manipulating construction materials with far greater ease and dexterity than most construction vehicles, including many civilian worksuits. Reconstruction efforts across numerous worlds were greatly accelerated by the efforts of these machines and their pilots.
One notable defense the Bullet Ant had participated against during the Created conflict was the defense of the colonial world of Palatine, a frigid world that was only lightly populated and far from any strategically significant worlds. While this would have made Palatine relatively unremarkable, prospectors had uncovered significant deposits of deuterium in underground lakes and frozen in glaciers across the world. With the devastation of the conflict, the UNSC and its allies had lost many critical starship refueling points, making formerly secondary or tertiary worlds much more important in their war effort. Palatine was also host to numerous veins of tellurium, lithium, and tungsten, all minerals necessary to keep the UNSC military in fighting condition. 
The Created had dispatched transports full of warriors of various classifications to the world, aiming to overpower its meager defenses and take the mining facilities for themselves, or failing that, deny them to the UNSC. With the UNSC fleet still reeling from the conflict, assistance could not be promised to the distant colony, and the defenders of Palatine would have to stand in its defense alone for several weeks. While the colonial defense militia had outnumbered the Promethean attack force by a noticeable margin, they were severely outmatched by their advanced weaponry. The militia were also equipped with several Bullet Ants, configured primarily for assistance in mining operations, but could be easily refitted for combat in a small amount of time. 
The Prometheans had advanced towards the primary complex by air, dropping close to the town of Mashhad, far from the current garrison of militia forces who made the best possible speed to intercept them before they could capture the mining facilities. Led by the Bullet Ants, the militia had managed to halt their advance from the town with a stream of autocannon fire, suppressing their constructs.
The colonial militia had taken several casualties as they had advanced into the town, engaging the Promethean constructs in house-to-house fighting. The Bullet Ants had provided heavy weapons support to the outmatched infantry, destroying Promethean constructs with ease before they could threaten the militia troops. After hours of fighting and several more militia fatalities, the Created troops were driven from the town but not defeated, and the militia struggled to defend themselves against Created raids as they await reinforcement from UNSC troops.
=== Variants and Alternative Designs ===
Like both its UNSC and Insurrectionist counterparts, the GPEX-002 was eventually refitted to suit a wider variety of roles. A number of the GPEX-002’s buyers had also made their own adjustments and refits to the stock GPEX-002 model. The joint design team has provided a number of ‘alternative loadouts’ derived from improved versions of previous GPEX-002 prototypes.
The GPEX-002H, also known as the Heavy Bullet Ant is one such offering provided by the joint design team. Derived from an older version of the Bullet Ant designed for durability and less reliance on shield generators, the Heavy Bullet Ant is intended to be a frontline engagement unit, sacrificing the stock model’s speed and agility in exchange for battlefield endurance. This model is equipped with a less robust shield generator unit, but boasts a proprietary armor system that layers titanium-A alloy between packets of shear thickening fluid. The Heavy Bullet Ant is also equipped with a number of anti-laser aerosol launchers, automatically firing when a targeting laser is detected. The Heavy Bullet Ant’s extra power allows for a heavier weapons load, typically these exoskeletons replace the M370 autocannon with two mounted under the arms. 
A design developed by the Imbrium Machine Complex’s team, the GPEX-002C or the Command Bullet Ant and colloquially known as the Chatterbox is designed to support advanced communications systems along with an electronic warfare suite. To facilitate this, the integrated M370 and its ammunition load has been removed and replaced with a complex radio and radar jamming system, able to disrupt communications and sensor equipment in a twenty kilometer radius. Similarly, the Chatterbox is also equipped with a number of advanced redundant encrypted transmitters, ensuring clear and secure transmissions between upper echelon units and local ones. The extra electronic warfare equipment necessitates a co-pilot, who typically also serves as the commander of the exoskeleton unit. Chatterboxes are equipped with input slots for smart AI , greatly bolstering the electronic attack capabilities of the Chatterbox.
Based on a scrapped prototype of the GPEX-002, the GPEX-002S or the Stealth Bullet Ant is intended for stealth. Sensor baffles and signals absorbent paint make it exceptionally difficult to detect through electronic means. The GPEX-002S exchanges the stock model’s shield generator for a weaker one to support a cloaking system. The bulk of the Bullet Ant stresses any cloaking generator’s capacity to the limits, resulting in only short bursts of optical invisibility while the Bullet Ant remains stationary. These frames are often used by Acheron Security’s more covert assault teams when a need for firepower arises. A manipulator operated version of the was developed for the Stealth Bullet Ant, with an elongated barrel and several more magnetic accelerator assemblies to improve range and armor penetration capabilities. 
A dedicated artillery version of the GPEX-002, the GPEX-002M or the Bombard Bullet Ant is a popular choice for many colonial militia and mercenary groups in need of a mobile, middleweight indirect fire platform. The GPEX-002M deviates little from the stock GPEX-002’s body plan, apart from the bulkier head unit which houses additional communications systems and sensors. The primary manipulator operated weapon of the Bombard Bullet Ant is a four tube missile launch system typically loaded with , though these can easily be swapped to different payloads to better suit mission needs. A larger shoulder mounted missile tube is mounted on the GPEX-002M’s shoulder, able to accept heavier anti-surface or anti-air munitions.  The M370 autocannon was replaced with a pair of . GPEX-002Ms require a co-pilot to operate the long range missile systems and coordinate fire missions effectively.