MORTAR HEAD TECHNOLOGY

Each of the machines in Five Star Stories has been lovingly designed to include as many details possible. For all the mecha buffs out ther we present this showcase on the working of the Mortar Head.

Head Movements: The Led Mirage's Head is controlled by the movements of the headliner via the helmet. As we can see in the illustration, it also contains the system operator cockpit where the Fatima sit.The small gunport in front of the hatch is low-powered laser, while those on the forehead are grapple launchers. The heat blade and large crest are removed for clarity.

FOREARM: The elbow of the Led Mirage permits a wide range of motion. The articulations can in fact reproduce all the movements of the human elbow. Altough mostly mechanical, the limbs are controlled by a biological nervous system. BEAM SWORD: These are the same as the Beam Sabers in Mobile Suit gundam. They are the hand to hand weapons most often used by Mortar Heads. LASER CUTTER: The big blades fixed on the head of the Mirage line of Mortar Heads. They are modified Heat Swords.

Mortar Head Cockpit: The cockpit of a Mortar Head is quiet special: the pilot does not sit in it. He (or she) is actually standing up, his legs, arms and head being encased in articulated control components. The pilot moves these and the computer/brain of the mecha interprets the machine's movements before sending them to the machine's own articulation. This type of control makes the Mortar Head a kind of giant powersuit! The cockpit is also employed in Gunbuster and is much more realistic than other cockpits. BUSTER LAUNCHER (BUSTER GUN): An extremely powerful weapon. the Buster Launcher seems to be a warp gun (throws a dimensional warp at you!) or even worse. a black hole gun! It was never mentioned by Nagano what things those guns are really firing, as opposed to Heavy-Metal L-Gairn where they definitely fire a shell of some kind. Few Mortar Heads are powerful enough to wield one. The first Mortar Head to have one was the A.K.D.'s Knight of Gold.

FLAME LAUNCHER: This is a 30 meter long gun that fires a long burst of plasma that can burn through any armor. Since it is a type of flame thrower, it needs fuel, Called Liquid R, it is held in an enormous tank fixed on the Mortar Head's back. The Led Mirage is the only mecha that uses the Flame Launcher and carries it as part of the Full Armor package. SPAUD: Human-sized Beam Sword. Only Headliners and Fatimas are allowed to wear one.

DOREY:
These are the mecha transporters. There are two types: ground transporters (likeViewlard's) and air-transporters (like Uber's). Some contain armament.

ETRIML:
These are the control system of the most primitive Mortar Heads. They are organic non-humanoid computers and are rumored to be alien life forms (there's been no official explanations so far).

EZLAZER PROCESS:
It's the technique used to create the Mortar Head's organic core and give Fatimas their extraordinary abilities (lack of aging. great speed and agility. etc,) Some humans (like Amaterasu) are suspected of having had this process applied to themselves. regardless of its extreme danger

FATIMA:
Humanoid-shaped biocomputers. Fatimas are used as control systems for the Mortar Heads. They are human in all aspects except for three things: they can live a few thousand. They cannot reproduce. and their agility and speed are incredibly high. (They can run at 150 mph.). They are beautifull and stay young as long as they live They cannot lie. Once the have chosen a master they will serve him (or Her) as long as he (or her) lives. As far as we know, there are only two male Fatimas.

HEADLINER:
The Mortar Heads pilots. They often come from royal or noble families. They have agility and speed muitiplied by 10 compared to normal humans. To be a Knight a Headliner must first impress a Fatima (be chosen by a Fatima) in a ceremony called "unveiling". Second, he needs a Mortar Head. Some Headliners are free-lancers. but most of them affiliate with a Temple or country on one of the six planets.

HEAT BLADE SWORD:
They are the same as the Heat Axes and Heat Swords of the Rick Dom Mobile Suit in gundam, but these are fancier and often resembles "katanas" (samurai sword) They come in human and Mortar Head sizes.

LASER DEFLECTORS: Consisting of plates fixed on the Mortar Head s body, they are able to deflect incoming fire to protect the pilot and the Fatima. The Mirages have these. MEIGHT: The scientists who create Fatimas. The best in the Joker star system are Dr. Chrome Ballanche (creator or the Fatima Fates). Dr. Morard Carbyte (creator of Unricul and East) Dr Prisen Corks and Dr Steel Koop.

MEISTER:
Mortal Heads qualified engineers These machines are very complex to create and require very competent engineers to do so properly. The best meisters whose Mortar Heads are renowned are Ladioss Sopp (creator of the Knight of Gold, Led Mirage line and many others) and Colus III (creator of Junchoon Symbol of Colus, the second most powerful Mortar Head).

MORTAR HEADS:
Giant humanoid machines used in the Joker star system to fight wars. They usually measure from 15 to 20 meters but can be as high as 40 meters. The first Morthar Head came to existence in the year 530 (Cluster Year) and the first real Mortar Head was the Machine Messiah in 2200. Each country and each Temple has its own style of Mortar Head. Any Mortar Head can think by itself and is capable of emotion. The most intelligent ones actually have a personality. Mortar Heads can "live' for centuries if properly maintained.

VEIL:
Also known as SHIELD, they are usually loaded with extra weaponry (spare Beam Swords. missile launchers, etc.). The Led Mirage's contains an extra generator. There are many sizes and shapes of Veils. They are used in the same manner as the shields in Mobile Suit gundam.

(Text by Martin Oullette - Mecha Press)

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