URC Unit Guide

Level One: Land

Grasshopper: Light ECM Mech

Capable of projecting a small scanner interference field, the Grasshopper is capable of protecting a small squadron of bots against enemy radar.

Spider: Light Plasma Mech

Sporting a four legged chassis and two light plasma weapons, the Spider is a deadly tool. Weaker, armor wise, than GD tanks, the Spider is faster and more maneuverable, capable of mounting hills and other forms of difficult terrain.

Fire Ant: Flame thrower Mech

Fast, deadly, and short ranged, the Fire Ant is a quick raider that is capable of burning down enemy bases with unprecedented speed. They're armor is weak, so getting them into the fight can be a problem, but at close ranges, the Fire Ant is a deadly mech.

Cricket: Light rocket mech

Using the Spider chassis, the Cricket has switched the plasma pods for a rocket pod capable of firing arching missiles that have a high area of effect. Use these to back up the direct fire of your Spiders.

Fly Trap: SAM mech

Using the Spider chassis, the Fly Trap has switched the plasma pods for a Surface to Air Missile pod. The Fly Trap is able to take down enemy helos with disturbing efficiency, though heavier helicopters can withstand its fire for longer, tough repeated shots can even bring down a level 3 GD heli after a while.

Stink Bug: Light Mortar Mech

The Stink Bug is not as powerful as the GD's artillery. The Spider frame is simply not big enough to handle the kick back from anything stronger than a light mortar. That, coupled with the GD's heavier armor, makes the Stink Bug seem ineffective. But they, like all URC mechs, are cheap enough to be built en mass, and their long range support is still very useful.

Lice: Stealth Plasma Mech

The Lice is nothing more than a Spider mech with a single add on. But when that add on is the Optical Camoflague Jamming System or OCJS, its an add on that can tilt the balance of battle. Completely invisible, for all intents and purposes, a few Lice can sneak through the enemy's lines and devastate and unsuspecting base.

LFC Mech: Light Field Construction

The LFC is equipped with a Field Construction Set (FCS) capable of cranking out Level 1 structures and turrets. The LFC is also capable of building the next generation of HUB, allowing the URC to move up to the next level of technology.

Tick: Scout Mech

Equipped with a specialized FCS and a OJCS, the Tick is capable of building Recon Poles, very small land mines and perimeter cameras. Use these to shore up your defenses, keep an eye on your enemy and generally be a nuisance.

Tales from the Front

September, 24, 3129. Alaskan Defense Campaign. 22 Km East of the Siberian Land Bridge.

XZ-229. The name was printed under the Spider in probably the most inconvenient place imaginable. Which made it a freaken pain for someone (like me) to find the one that wasn't working. So who had thought that up? Maybe some stupid Compy that thought that names would help the enemy identify the spiders that had improved their programming using battlefield experience.

Yeah, it had blown my mind when they had let that out. Now not only were our armies bloodless, but they also learned from every engagement. Becoming better.

I slid out from under this Spider (XZ-331) and moved to the next one in line. The report had said, “Erratic Algorithmic Behavior” but it hadn't said what or where. Maybe using too much ink for a human was a 'inefficient'

“Damn it, where are you?” I muttered. One of the Spiders stepped out of line, it's footsteps echoing loudly in the factory. I looked at it and glimpsed, under one of it's legs, the lettering “XZ-229”.

“There you are-” I started. 229 opened fire. Bolts of plasma slammed into the wall of the factory and I staggered as a wave of cold air hit me. The Alaskan night filled the room as 229 walked out of the factory wall.

It got as far as the defense perimeter of our base. I saw a plasma turret turn it's barrels on the 229 and fire. The faulty unit exploded violently and a LFC walked up. It started to spray a protective polymer over the side of the wall.

“Well...my work here is done,” I muttered, picking up my tool kit and walking out of the factory.

Level One: Air

Gnat: Sonar/Radar VTOL

Though completely unarmed and unarmored, the Gnat is still a useful asset to your aerial forces. Capable of extending your radar and sonar ranges, the Gnat is able to spot enemy forces at longer ranges than simple scouts.

Fly: Interceptor VTOL

A deadly little fighter, the Fly is capable of taking down enemy aircraft with deadly missile barrages.

Bumble Bee: Ground Attack VTOL

A small VTOL armed with two small plasma cannons, the Bumble Bee is a swift attack vehicle, capable of harassing the enemy's forces.

Tales from the Front

October 14th, 3157 AD. Indonesian Retreat. 15 Km East of the Coral Sea

I looked at the map...and wondered if this war could get any worse. If only I knew. This was what the 'book' called a 'Tri-engagement'.

Its what I called a Level A Crash Up. The computers had computed a 78% chance that our bots could drive the GD into the sea and destroy them, giving us Australia. And, for half a year, it had worked. We had pushed the GD out of Sydney, the Abo-zones and the bitox villages. Then the strangers had shown up.

Calling themselves the New Initiative, they hit both of us and the tankers...hard. I had been airlifted out of our forward base in a hurry. Now that had been frightening. When I lose a battle, normally the worst thing that happens is some of our robos get destroyed and we lose territory. Not like the barbarians...if they lost, they lose men and women. Ugh. Made me shake when I think about it.

But this time it had been scary. The VTOL had lifted into the air, fifteen or so Flies covering it. The NI's weird hover craft started to breach the outwards defenses. Plasma shots were smashing into them and I was heartened to see that yes, they did die.

Then lighting struck. The front three NI tanks opened fire and lighting arced from their weird guns. The plasma turrets exploded and the base's entire left flank was left wide open. More NI hover tanks began to fill the base and I turned away. No sense getting worked up over destroyed parts and pieces.

“Sir,” A computerized voice said. “Expect incoming turbulence.”

I looked up from the map. The VTOL shook and I wondered who was shooting at us, the GD or the NI. Did it really matter? I glanced back at the map. The radar said 'unknown aerial targets'. NI.

The craft shook some more and I glanced out the window. I caught a glimpse of something smooth, silvery and very fast. Maybe being airlifted wasn't enough. Then I saw a missile impact in the side of the silvery thing and it exploded, falling out of the air.

“Nice shot boys,” I murmured. Then a Helicopter flew past, marked with red and green.

I glanced back at the map. GD dots were falling on NI dots. I grabbed my command stylus and tapped the map a few times. URC dots started to move in as well, a few bots I had kept in reserve. The VTOL shook again and I heard a missile streak past.

A glance out the window showed a Fly blowing apart a GD helo. I grinned. The Gnat was then struck by a strange blue sphere, fired from a NI fighter.

“Now it gets interesting,” I mutter, tapping my stylus some more.