Isha Vector Jet Tank

**Key Features** | »» Kinetic-burst cannon»» Vector jet (x8)»» *"Kagamin"* Nano-deflection armour»» *"Onbashira"* Vector engine (x2)»» *"DoubleDrive"* system

## Tactical Analysis

* **Fragile Speedster**: A kind of anti-tank interceptor, the Isha Vector Jet Tank is an amphibious and extremely fast flanker unit designed to attack the enemy, then rush back.

* **Shogun's Legacy**: The Isha is armed with a rapid-fire kinetic burst cannon that is useful against armour and infantry alike. A squadron of them is a serious danger to any foe. Unfortunately, ammunition is limited, so an Isha has to retreat and needs a few seconds to reload.

* **Doubled Driver**: In emergencies, the tank commander can be ordered to activate the DoubleDrive system, which accelerates the Isha to inhuman speeds, useful for fleeing from the opposition. Due to the extremely high G-forces posing a threat to the crew, the system is used sparingly.

* **Shinobi’s Blessing**: Tank crews who’ve shown both honor and courage are entrusted with experimental holographic projectors, concealing them when not firing.

## Background

During the close of the third war, the Shogunate had noted the lack of a high-speed unit capable of intercepting enemy tanks that fled from battle, or cutting through the flanks of enemy armour advances. The Tankbusters were more than capable of ambush, but they hardly live to escape before the main engaging Imperial armour arrived. King Oni were more than capable of killing anything that moved, but they were too slow to hunt down any tanks that chose to flee without using their Bullrush ability. Chopper-VXes were too frail, and Tsunami Tanks were the ones who began the engagement, leaving them no role for flanking.

After the war, the Shogunate shifted the need of an "anti-tank interceptor" up the priority list. Mishaguji Vectors, a civilian corporation located by Lake Suwa of the Nagano prefecture, that had been developing vector jet technology for high-speed applications for years before the war, was the first and indeed, the only contractor to respond.

Shirada Shipworks obviously, was not interested in something for the Imperial Army. Tenzai Robotics had their hands full working on the Samehada and Ikiryo, both at once. Kanegawa Industries were already fulfilling the other roles in the Imperial Army with the Izanagi and the Nezumi, while Mitsubishi Hoverworks was still in full development of the Tanuki Vector Assault.

After being questioned by the Shogunate of *"why does a civilian firm wish to respond to a military request?"*, the co-founder of Mishaguji Vectors, Moriya Suwako responded: *"My friend is a god of war."* This somewhat confused the Shogunate, but Emperor Kamina realized the true meaning of her response. With the contract in hand, Mishaguji Vectors turned to Tenzai Robotics for assistance, since they had no tank models to use as a base for. It was rumoured that Kenji himself met with the co-founder of Mishaguji Vectors to personally pass to her a physical copy of his Tsunami Tank's blueprints.

Mishaguji Vectors modified the Tsunami blueprints, and the resulting design was dubbed *Faith*, an unofficial name for the tank while still in prototype stage. Mishaguji Vectors then required a weapon for the Faith, which their manager Kochiya Sanae, personally took it up to herself to visit Shirada Shipworks in Tokyo. Several engineers back in Mishaguji Vectors were dumbfounded: *"Why ask a naval zaibatsu to assist in a tank's creation?"* They had not thought far enough, but that was not the case for their manager.

Sitting down in Takara Sato's office, Kochiya Sanae immediately answered Takara Sato's question of *"Why would a naval zaibatsu assist in the creation of a tank?"*, before Takara Sato could even ask the questions. The answer was simple: The Shirada 400mm gun they used on Battleships was effective against everything the Allies and Soviets fielded. The superheated slugs *overkilled* Peacekeepers, melted Apocalypse Tanks and collapsed structures without much difficulty. Takara Sato was astounded: *"Mounting a 400mm gun on a tank? The Nezumi from Kanegawa is one, but a Tsunami from Tenzai is another!"* Kochiya Sanae explained why, otherwise. Mainly that the kinetic-burst cannon the Faith was going to use was not going to be 400mm.

As construction of the prototype frame that somewhat resembled the Tsunami tank was going on inside Mishaguji Vectors, a visitor appeared on the front door of the corporation. The founder of the Mishaguji Vectors, Yasaka Kanako, met the visitor herself. Her first words were strange: *"Why did you withdraw from the Fleet Defense Fighter program and let Go Raikou Arms Inc. clinch the deal?"*

The founder of Yakumo said no words, only leaving a *Kagamin* Nano-deflection armour system behind as she left. Mishaguji Vectors was unlike any other corporation: They only used one prototype frame. After months of grueling work integrating eight vector jets into the hull of the Faith, creating a new kinetic-burst cannon from scratch, and laying nano-relays all over the Faith, it was ready for its primary test trials. During the Faith's first maiden *"flight"* on Lake Suwa, the Faith performed beyond expectations.

It was blindingly fast over both earth and sea, having extreme manoeuvrability equivalent to that of a fighter aircraft. However the two *Onbashira* vector engines were locked, not to be used. The *Onbashira* was an experimental version of the vector jets Mishaguji Vectors developed, and put on the Faith for convenience. The vector engine was an extremely powerful version of the vector jet, but only configured to be used as propulsion and not manoeuvring, since it would likely flip the Faith no matter which vector engine was used, if it was mounted as vector jets and not vector engines.

However its speed and manoeuvrability meant it was only slightly more armoured than a Tsunami tank. This was because the *Kagamin* Nano-deflective armour was always active, even when the Faith was firing. The *Kagamin* was a modified *Kagami* Nano-deflective armour system, but the *Kagamin* only drew a third of the nanites normally used by the *Kagami* from the main gun. This allowed the Faith to fire and move at a high speed while being protected and repaired by the *Kagamin*.

During the weapons trial a few weeks after the test trials, Yasaka Kanako noted something. The Faith needed to fire faster. *Fly* faster. Moriya Suwako reminded her that doing so would expose the Faith's relatively thin armour plating to more damage than it would already receive compared to when the *Kagamin* system was active.

Yasaka Kanako decided that it was a fair tradeoff. If Faiths were deployed in larger numbers, the tradeoff would be practically nonexistent since the enemy tanks would have been completely destroyed. Returning the Faith to its hangar in Mishaguji Vectors, the engineers created the *DoubleDrive* system for the Faith in just a few days.

The *DoubleDrive* system unlocked the two extremely powerful *Onbashira* vector engines for use in barreling straight through or past enemy armour formations, and deactivated the *Kagamin* system so the main gun has 100% of the nanites to operate its main gun, allowing it to fire at an extremely high rate of fire that was shocking to the engineers, but just as expected by the founder, co-founder and the manager of Mishaguji Vectors. The day had arrived, for the Faith to prove itself to the Shogunate.

When the Faith glided over Lake Suwa mercilessly slaying the AI-piloted Tsunami tanks relentlessly, melting and tearing through the Tsunami tanks with the kinetic-burst cannon, the Shogunate was surprised beyond relief. They had not expected something this graceful, yet powerful. When last few remaining Tsunami tanks fled Lake Suwa according to its AI's orders, the Faith activated its *DoubleDrive* system.

As the *Onbashira* vector engines roared and the Faith literally soared across Lake Suwa, the Faith closed in on the fleeing Tsunami tanks at a speed which was simply unbelievable. When the Faith entered weapons range, the kinetic-burst cannon fired at an extremely high rate of fire which was nicknamed *bullet hell*. The relentless and extremely fast barrage of superheated slugs obliterated the fleeing Tsunami tanks, as the Faith would slow to a stop, the *Kagamin* reactivating.

The Shogunate was genuinely impressed. Meeting with the founder, co-founder and manager of Mishaguji Vectors on the sunset shores of Lake Suwa, the Faith was officially inducted into mainline Imperial service, formally named the **Model 01, Isha Vector Jet Tank**. The Isha Vector Jet Tank had a place near the Incredible Mobile Fortress Tatsu as well, since it is capable of reloading Isha tanks when they return from missions, or serving as a stopover point from raiding and the like.