XMU Project

**XMU** (short for **eXperimental Master Unit**) was a project started in V.C.0070 by the DN Corp. to develop a humanoid combat machine suitable for the Limited Wars, with the creation of 13 models of XMU robots. However, due to technical difficulties, the project was aborted in V.C.0080. It was not until the invention of the V-Converter that the XMU project was brought back, when the XMU-04 and XMU-05 were retrofitted with V-Converters, thus creating the very first Virtuaroids.

## Development History

### Limited War

The war that progresses under the meaning of the collision of physical destructive forces has already become considered as nonsense in the post-industrial society of the Virtual Century. Knowing the limits of their possibilities, is a humanity destined to live in conflict within the limited global territory, they abandoned the conventional style of warfare. The so-called information-based military revolution never assembled in an ideal form, even though it had never progressed in that way. However, the kind of battle involving the physical conflict of weapons and similar acts surrendered most of its essential functions and roles to the highly systematized information war.

That being said, physical warfare as a style, the deep-rooted desire and demand for struggle, people demanded a price for what they had abandoned. As a result, the concept of the "Limited War", which was a struggle of co-existance, was submitted. People applied this into a system and incorporated it into society, so that it could be established without political, economic, and cultural bankruptcy. Before long, a variety of functions in Limited Wars, namely economic revitalization, cultural stimulus, political propaganda performance, and the decision of fate, means to leave to chance (essentially play), and others are hard to substitute. It began evaluation.

### Weapons as commodities

Under such circumstances, weapons were not allowed to remain in the presence of combat measures that pursued only the efficiency of physical warfare. The greatest element required for weapons of this age was the capability of expressing the dynamism of the "People's battle" as a tool, a function of existence. Under such circumstances, the DN Corp. was putting resources and effort into the development of a "weapon as a commodity" based on a completely new concept that would be appropriate for the Virtual Century. After years of steady marketing surveys and analysis work, they began work on a very bold idea in late V.C.0070. It was called the XMU Project, and it was also aimed at putting a "giant humanoid robot weapon" into practical use.

In general, a very high level of balance was demanded of any weapon that is required under the Limited Wars. And the elements that constitute this balance were extremely diverse. Especially since at the time, the Limited Wars had already formed a certain share as a visual entertainment business, in addition to factors such as high combat efficiency as a weapon, cost, maintainability, etc. The visual effect of the combat needed to be combined with the maximization of performance ability. However, the Limited Wars' aspect as a show business has brought numerous, mysterious regulatory items. Meanwhile, fierce combative content is required, and combat by human beings is recommended. However, excessive brutality with outright bloodshed was denied as a violation of the general code of ethics of the image information.

If combat with a high-quality humanoid robot becomes a possibility, then visual cruelty would be diluted thought it has the same degree of force as that by a human being. Especially if it is a huge one, the visual impact it gives to people would be substantial. There was a possibility that the gigantic fighting robot could become a commodity of the expectations that decided the nature of a Limited War. In other words, the DN Corp. had a potential strategy towards developing high-mobility humanoid robot weapons as one product before developing battle Virtuaroids for practical use.

### XMU Project Planning

The XMU Project had very advanced content for its time. The Master Unit (M.U.) of the manned fuselage was controlled via M.S.B.S., and various attempts were made to establish it as a high-mobility force. The M.U. was positioned as a high-mobility weapon for rapidly expansion of the ground base, and the general requirements for the initial performance demanded for this hand is set. Among them, the following three points are regarded as particularly important.

1. Development of a fire control system that is capable of responding to ranged warfare at mid to close range
2. The ability to acquire the maneuverability that can respond to the shooting match at mid to close range also\*
3. Response of the control system that can fully demonstrate the above mobility performance

These are almost the same as the basic concept of battle Virtuaroids that were later developed. The XMU Project had developed three types of experimental machines to create a practical application and devised ten M.U. as tactical weapons capable of responding to all the anticipated situations.

\*=The mid to short range distance refers to the battle distance of 1000 to 2000 m. The most frequent battle distance was supposed to be 400 to 700 m. When the actual VRs were put into practical use and the encounter battles between VRs became frequent, the battle distance was equal to or greater than 1200 m, hit probability is slim due to both sides having too-high mobility. Therefore, it was certain that the battle distance did not exceed 1000 m. However, with regard to the most frequent battle distance, betraying expectations, the 70 to 400 m band was mainstream. For this reason, the VR's unique structure was redesigned specifically for the skeleton system.

## Project Setback

However, the XMU Project would be shut down in V.C.0080. The biggest reason was technical difficulties. After all, at the technical level of the time, it was impossible to fit all the high functions required of the XMU within the set skeleton.

The biggest drawback in terms of technology in the XMU Project is the visceral problem of the output system and energy storage system. Powerful output and enormous amounts of energy are necessary to maintain the required high mobility performance for a long period of time, and it was impossible to feet these in a 10-meter tall machine. The activity energy of the battle VR that was later developed was supplied by the V-Converter. Because the V-Converter was very compact for its performance, the ideal form of the XMU Project could be realized in this case.

In regard to the M.S.B.S., while theoretically possible to construct, was not completed so easily.

Anything that worked properly wasn't completed until V.C.007e. However, M.S.B.S. ver.1.00, which had finally been completed, did not reach the required level in terms of its operational efficiency.

As the project stalled, it would succumb to the pressure of the conservative upper part of the company while doing so.

## List of XMUs and stats

* **XMU-01**
	+ A-Potential: N/A
	+ M-Potential: 50.00
	+ F.C.S. (Fire Control System): None
	+ M.M.C. Interface: OF-01
	+ Primary Weapon: None
	+ Secondary Weapon: None
	+ P-Converter: None
	+ T-Type: TEX-01
	+ Skeleton System: Tm-01
	+ S. Performance: 50.00

* **XMU-02**
	+ A-Potential: 24.09
	+ M-Potential: 56.33
	+ F.C.S.: PV-16
	+ M.M.C. Interface: OF-01
	+ Primary Weapon: BB-26
	+ Secondary Weapon: None
	+ P-Converter: None
	+ T-Type: TEX-02
	+ Skeleton System: Tm-01
	+ S. Performance: 64.22

* **XMU-03**
	+ A-Potential: 32.64
	+ M-Potential: 48.96
	+ F.C.S.: PV-24
	+ M.M.C. Interface: OF-02
	+ Primary Weapon: BB-26
	+ Secondary Weapon: None
	+ P-Converter: None
	+ T-Type: TEX-03
	+ Skeleton System: Tm-02
	+ S. Performance: 49.61

* **XMU-04**
	+ A-Potential: 52.63
	+ M-Potential: 75.48
	+ F.C.S.: PV-16
	+ M.M.C. Interface: M.S.B.S.
	+ Primary Weapon: M.P.B.L.-7 Mk. 1-a
	+ Secondary Weapon: None
	+ P-Converter: Mk. 1-b
	+ T-Type: G.U.W.
	+ Skeleton System: Tf-04
	+ S. Performance: 72.03

* **XMU-05**
	+ A-Potential: 88.56
	+ M-Potential: 47.61
	+ F.C.S.: PV-16
	+ M.M.C. Interface: M.S.B.S.
	+ Primary Weapon: Bl-a03
	+ Secondary Weapon: None
	+ P-Converter: Mk. 1-b
	+ T-Type: S.U.W.
	+ Skeleton System: Rd-01
	+ S. Performance: 70.39

* **XMU-06**
	+ A-Potential: 23.69
	+ M-Potential: 85.36
	+ F.C.S.: PV-18
	+ M.M.C. Interface: M.S.B.S.
	+ Primary Weapon: Revenant
	+ Secondary Weapon: None
	+ P-Converter: Mk. 1-b
	+ T-Type: R.U.W.
	+ Skeleton System: Tm-04
	+ S. Performance: 45.5

* **XMU-07**
	+ A-Potential: 64.33
	+ M-Potential: 60.49
	+ F.C.S.: PV-16
	+ M.M.C. Interface: M.S.B.S.
	+ Primary Weapon: Bl-a04
	+ Secondary Weapon: Z.B.H.
	+ P-Converter: Mk. 1-c
	+ T-Type: S.U.W.
	+ Skeleton System: Rd-01
	+ S. Performance: 68.5

* **XMU-08**
	+ A-Potential: 58.97
	+ M-Potential: 57.68
	+ F.C.S.: PV-18
	+ M.M.C. Interface: OF-02
	+ Primary Weapon: Zig-01
	+ Secondary Weapon: R-09
	+ P-Converter: Mk. 2
	+ T-Type: G.U.W.
	+ Skeleton System: Tf-04
	+ S. Performance: 75.59

* **XMU-09**
	+ A-Potential: 35.72
	+ M-Potential: 76.02
	+ F.C.S.: PV-21
	+ M.M.C. Interface: M.S.B.S.
	+ Primary Weapon: M.P.B.L.-6
	+ Secondary Weapon: None
	+ P-Converter: Mk. 2
	+ T-Type: G.U.W.
	+ Skeleton System: Tf-04
	+ S. Performance: 74.68

* **XMU-10**
	+ A-Potential: 75.71
	+ M-Potential: 56.37
	+ F.C.S.: PV-22
	+ M.M.C. Interface: M.S.B.S.
	+ Primary Weapon: Bl-b01
	+ Secondary Weapon: Zig-06
	+ P-Converter: Mk. 2
	+ T-Type: S.U.W.
	+ Skeleton System: Rd-01
	+ S. Performance: 69.35

* **XMU-11**
	+ A-Potential: 48.15
	+ M-Potential: 94.61
	+ F.C.S.: PV-24
	+ M.M.C. Interface: M.S.B.S.
	+ Primary Weapon: U.R.L.
	+ Secondary Weapon: None
	+ P-Converter: Mk. 3
	+ T-Type: TEX-04
	+ Skeleton System: SSt-m1
	+ S. Performance: 32.67

* **XMU-12**
	+ A-Potential: 52.44
	+ M-Potential: 39.27
	+ F.C.S.: S.U.O.S.
	+ M.M.C. Interface: M.S.B.S.
	+ Primary Weapon: E.R.L.
	+ Secondary Weapon: None
	+ P-Converter: Mk. 4
	+ T-Type: TEX-05
	+ Skeleton System: SSt-m1
	+ S. Performance: 45.44

* **XMU-13**
	+ A-Potential: 32.29
	+ M-Potential: 48.53
	+ F.C.S.: S.U.O.S.
	+ M.M.C. Interface: M.S.B.S.
	+ Primary Weapon: E.R.L.
	+ Secondary Weapon: F.M.713
	+ P-Converter: Mk. 4
	+ T-Type: G.U.W.
	+ Skeleton: SSt-m2
	+ S. Performance: 128.2

The project code granted at the time of development was based on the two-node structure. In one section, there is the project code, and on the other is the serial number planned at the planning stage. For example, referring to the XMU-04, it means that the machine was developed under the XMU Project, and its plan was made the fourth. These development codes were scheduled to change to different codes when it was formally adopted. The XMU Project itself was abandoned, but in the V-Project that inherited the concept, replacement has been carried out by the classification on the tactics with respect to the previous section. However, the serial number of the following section was diverted as it was.

Of the above 13, for XMU-01 through XMU-03, it was developed as a test body for basic data collection. The one that was put into practical use is the subsequent model number. Regarding the 8th, 11th, and 12th machines, they were never manufactured after the V-Project. Unit 13 does not match the later XBV-13. Especially for the machine known as the XBV-13-t11, there was no official development record within DN.

## External Link

* XMU page at Virtual Century (Wayback Machine)