FC7 "Branicki" Battlesuit

*"Perfect to stop strong enemy counter-attacks and make openings in their defences, mech units are one of the most useful tools in the arsenal of any Commonwealth commander. Use them wisely, for they might be the difference between victory and defeat"*

-Fragment of a lecture by General Branicki in the Military Academy of Ortus-

   Built in the factories and forges of Curacao, the FC7 "Branicki" Battlesuit is the most advanced mech unit to be deployed by the Commonwealth's  armed forces. It mounts a deadly array of fearsome ranged weaponry, as well as a complement of different support systems which allow the walker to fight in nearly all of the galaxy's battlefields.

Unlike previous mech units which focused more on speed, heavy weaponry or thick armor plating, the FC7 strikes a perfect balance between all of them. Easily standing three times as tall as a full grown human, this mech is considered a marvel of engineering and one of the best examples of cooperation between the Commonwealth's industrial sector and armed forces.

General Branicki, considered in the Commonwealth as the father of mech warfare, was one of the main designers of the FC7 (one of the main reasons why this mech currently bears his name). Using the experience earned in all manner of battlefields with different kinds of mech units, Branicki provided the engineers of Curacao with a long list of possible modifications and improvements to be made on their mech units. During times of peace, the general even visited the planet's factories to personally inspect the building of the new mechs, a process full of trial and error which lasted nearly two decades. By the end of this process however, both the engineers and Branicki himself were content with the final result.

## Tactical role

The FC7's greatest strenght lies in heavy weaponry and armor, two factors which make it a perfect front line unit. These mechs are extremelly veratily in that they can be equiped with a wide selection of weaponry suited for many different roles. This allows the FC7 to face almost any foe and win, with the possible exception of air units.

Unlike older designs, the energy cells contained under the shell of the FC7 are efficient and large enough to allow the mech an outstanding operational range. Thanks to this, mech formations consisting of FC7's do not require as many support units to refuel them, giving their pilots far more independence than they previously had. Nevertheless, these mechs are never seen to far away from infantry formations as they support them during attack and defence operations.

The FC7 will often be found where the fighting is the thickest, hunting down for the enemy's best troops or exploiting weakenesses in their combat lines. Due to their reinforced layers of armor and powerful shielding systems, taking down a FC7 is a daunting task for any foe, which requires either large amounts of firepower or advanced, anti-armor weaponry.

## Technical specifications

**Designation**FC7

**Crew**1 pilot

**Height**5 M

**Weight**3,5 tonnes plus weaponry and extra equipment

**Width**2,3 M

'*Armour'*Up to120 mm

**Max recorded speed**40 km per hour without weaponry

**Main armament**Variable

**Operational range** 400 km

## Combat use

The FC7 has seen action across dozens of planets and ten times as many battlefields, taking part in wars against the Yaanari league, Kingdom of Yadra and Biluan Mind. This mech has taken part of many planetary invasions and seen some of the bloodiest battles in Commonwealth history. During the battle in Voice, several squads of FC7s reinforced those positions weakened by constant Biluan  assaults, obliterating dozens of drones in a matter of seconds while the drills tried to reach the planet core.