So, a little backstory... Serenesis campaign doesn't take place until a good 15-20 years post-FE, so technology has advanced a fair bit, and Titan has 2/3's of its surface covered with the AAN's central research facility,bio-metal stores, testing plains and HQ. A lot of resources and man-power comes the AAN's way post-FE in the Serenesis timeline, hence the expansion of the AAN build tree and fancy new technology like this. The AAN are something of a power-race by the time you play, especially with their allegience to the growing Scion collective and the Hadean Crown. The only damaging factor is that its assets are spread out far and wide while aiding with the colonisation acts, searching for the Cerberi, defending civilians, trying to enforce law and order over separatist pirate/mercenary groups etc.
Anyway. This bad boy doesn't come into play until late campaign, although you oversee a prototype test on Titan before you leave. Its not neccesarily designed to replace the Attila, as the Attilla still retains its heavy armour and weapons. But its definitely a more agile fight-capable machine. Its lighter, and the 4-legs give it better agility and speed, especially with the ball-pivot hip joints under the hull and the double-jointed legs. It's designed primarily as a counter to combat craft, with its *unlimited* turret rotation and twin assault guns, but the rockets on its back give it a fair punch against assault units as well, and a decent range. Like the Scion Mauler, it can also sprint when you gain enough speed.
Hardpoints are/will be:
- 2x Assault Guns
- 2x Assault Rockets
- 1x IRE Booster
Rather than a game-controlled 'jump', the IRE booster will be an animated jetpack class that drops out from under the hull and gives the craft a quick vertical boost, enabling it to climb terrain, or do other crazy stunts, similar to the Panther which gets a forward boost.
I wouldn't be too concerned about the idea of the AAN being a 'power-race'. Its nothing next to the Serenese... The focus of Serenesis is realism and polish. If you pick Serenese in a strat, expect to win easily, unless you go up against two foes, who both have to work together to bring you down. Theres three 'tiers' of balance in Serenesis between the planned races, which you pick and choose and your own discretion. I'll be putting a lot of time and effort into balance testing, don't worry about that...
A fella I know as 'Don Diablo' laid out the original leg 'shape'. I did some major major MAJOR hand-done optimizations to get them down to an acceptable poly count. Can't take all the credit!
