Mecha

Related Topics:
Mecha :: Mechanics :: Mechanical_Design :: Mechanical_Engineering :: Mechanical_Violator_Hakaider :: Mecha_Combat_Simulation :: MechAssault :: Mechanicsburg :: Mechanicstown :: Mechanic_Falls

This article is about the term used in science fiction, anime, and manga. For other uses, see mecha (disambiguation).

In some works of science fiction, mecha (singular or plural, less frequently meka, mechs (singular: mech) or giant robots) are piloted or remote-controlled limbed vehicles. They are generally, though not necessarily, bipedal.

The term "mecha" is derived from the Japanese abbreviation for the English word "Mechanical" In Japanese, "mecha" encompasses all mechanical objects, including cars, guns, computers, and other devices. English speakers have repurposed the term to mean only the vehicles described above.

In most science fiction stories in which they appear, mecha are war machines: essentially armored fighting vehicles with legs instead of treads or wheels. Some stories, such as the Japanese manga Patlabor, also encompass mecha used for civilian purposes such as heavy construction work, police functions, or firefighting.

Some sci-fi universes posit that mecha are the primary means of combat, with conflicts sometimes being decided through gladiatorial matches. Others represent mecha as one component of an integrated military force, supported by and fighting alongside tanks, fighter aircraft, and infantry.

The distinction between smaller mecha and their smaller cousins (and likely progenitors), the powered armor suits, is blurred; according to one definition, a mecha is piloted while a powered armor is worn. Anything large enough to have a cockpit where the pilot is seated is generally considered a mecha.

The first occurrence of mecha in fiction is thought to be the novel The War of the Worlds by H. G. Wells where the Martians use tripod walkers very similar to mecha.

Rarely, mecha has been used in a fantasy convention, most notably in the anime series The Vision of Escaflowne and Maze anime. In those cases, the mecha designs are usually based on some alternative or 'lost' science-fiction technology from ancient times.

East and West

Mecha are quite popular in Japanese manga, and by extension anime. In Western entertainment, they are occasionally seen in video games, especially the action, strategy and simulation genres, but the most well-known Western context for mecha is BattleTech. The original BattleTech - a tabletop strategy game - has been the basis of numerous MechWarrior computer games and a role-playing game and is the origin of the related term "mech" ('Mech). Other products bearing the BattleTech name include a collectible card game, books, comics and an animated TV series. FASA, the company that produced BattleTech, was sued for copyright infringement for using several mecha designs from Macross and other anime series without the proper copyright licenses¹ (the first edition of BattleTech, then named BattleDroids, actually included two Japanese 1/144 model kits from the Fang of Sun Dougram anime series). After FASA closed its doors the BattleTech line was sold to WizKids, who now produce Classic Battletech and MechWarrior: Age of Destruction, a collectable miniatures game.

Though designs vary widely in both eastern and western mecha, there is a general difference in style. Japanese mechs tend to be anthropomorphic as opposed to the more vehicular western types, and it is not unusual for Japanese mecha to perform difficult acrobatic maneuvers while some western machines are designed to simply plod forward. Fingered hands are much more common on eastern mecha; western designs often just have upper limbs with permanent weapon emplacements.

However, these observances are hardly a rule. The comparison probably comes up due to the humanoid Gundams being the most iconic of Japanese mecha, versus BattleMechs being one of the most well known American. With a number of the original series of BattleMechs being based off of Macross mecha, it hardly makes gun arms a uniquely American feature. Neither are humanoid types with hands exclusively Japanese (a great amount of Battletech mechs from the Inner Sphere faction have hands), the iconic Sentinels from the X-Men being one such example. The inverse of this rule applies as well, as Eastern mechs in the Battletech style do exist, mainly in the GunGriffon universe.

The word 'mech' is used to describe such vehicles considerably more often in western entertainment than in Asian entertainment. "Mech" as a term originated from BattleTech (where it is often written as 'Mech, short for BattleMech or OmniMech), and is not used in Japan in other contexts except as an unintentional misspelling of 'mecha' (With the exception of the Japanese version of BattleTech, which attempts to retain the English word.) In Japanese, 'mecha' is the more frequent term (see 'Other meanings' below), though in the series themselves they are seldom known as such.

The mecha genre of anime

In anime, 'mecha' is a genre that features the vehicles and their pilots as the central characters. Here, the average mecha are usually twenty feet tall at the smallest, outfitted with a wide variety of weapons, and quite frequently have tie-ins with toy manufacturers. The Gundam franchise is an excellent example: Gundam toys and model kits (produced by the Japanese toymaker Bandai) are ubiquitous in Japan.

Mecha anime and manga differ vastly in storytelling and animation quality from title to title, and content ranges all the way from children's shows to ones intended for an older teen or adult audience.

Some mecha are capable of transformation (Macross to name but one) or combining to form even bigger ones (see Voltron). Go Nagai is also often credited with inventing this in 1974 with the television series Getter Robo.

History

The genre started with Mitsuteru Yokoyama's 1956 manga Tetsujin 28-go (which was later animated in 1963 and also released abroad as Gigantor). Its inclusion is debatable however, as the robot was controlled by remote instead of a cockpit in the machine. Not long after that the genre was largely defined by author Go Nagai, into something considerably more fantastical. Mazinger Z, his most famous creation, was not only the first successful Super Robot anime series, but also the pioneer of the genre staples like weapons that were activated by the hero calling out their names ("Rocket Punch!"). It was also a pioneer in die-cast metal toys such as the Chogokin series in Japan and the Shogun Warriors in the U.S., that were (and still are) very popular with children and collectors. Getter Robo, for its part, was the first combining robot, something that became a frequent design theme and was aggressively imitated in similar mecha shows. The appearance of Gundam in 1979 is considered to have broken the mecha genre into two subsets: the super robot show, which focused on ultratech mecha that often had elements of mysticism and tend to use a "monster of the week" format; and the real robot show, in which the mecha are shown as tools rather than semi-mystical creations, and the focus is less on the machines and more on the pilots. The introduction of Mobile Suit Gundam in 1979 introduced a sort of paradox: a war show about giant war machines that was in fact anti-war at heart.

Other notable series include but are by no means limited to The Super Dimension Fortress Macross, which in its modified Robotech form led to the breakthrough of anime in the USA, Hideaki Anno's Gunbuster, which along with Macross is considered the pinnacle of anime in the 1980s, the police-focused Patlabor, and as examples of older shows, Go Lion (Voltron) and Giant Robo. Macross was especially noteworthy as it showed mecha fighting under combined arms tactics, ranging from the infantry Spartan MBR-07-II to the jet fighter VF-1 Valkyrie and artillery Monster HWR-00-II as well as Full Metal Panic.

One anime series that drew from the tradition of both super robot and real robot genres while being completely unique was Hideaki Anno's Neon Genesis Evangelion. Considered by many to be the spiritual successor to Space Runaway Ideon, Evangelion was highly successful and quite controversial, similar to its would-be predecessor.

The mecha genre in anime is still alive and well as the new millennium came, with revival OVAs like Getter Robo: the Last Day and Mazinkaiser from the Super Robot tradition, the new Gundam Seed series from the Real Robot side, and RahXephon, a successful sci-fi anime series in the vein of Evangelion.

Arguably, the concept of piloted mecha goes back decades before Tetsujin-28. The tripods featured in The War of the Worlds, with advanced weaponry and dedicated piloting stations, are perhaps the forerunners of modern mecha.

Games

Because of their size and power, and the resultant potential for massive property damage demonstrating that size and power, mecha are quite popular subjects for games, both tabletop and electronic.

Tabletop games centered around mecha include Dougram, Metal Gear, BattleTech, Mekton, Heavy Gear, Jovian Chronicles, Gear Krieg, Mecha!, OHMU and many others, and they appear regularly in other epic-scaled games such as Rifts. Mecha are also major elements in some fantasy games, such as DragonMech and Iron Kingdoms, and although they appear in Exalted, they are not a major element of the game's setting.

Mecha are often featured in computer and console games. One notable console title that focuses on the mecha anime genre is Banpresto's Super Robot Wars series (also known as Super Robot Taisen), which in each installment of its games depict an elaborate crossover of popular and less-known mecha anime series. Also popular is Zone of the Enders, an action game, and the various Armored Core titles. Many game adaptations have been made of various popular mecha franchises, including Encounters in Space, many Macross games, and even American titles like the MechWarrior and MechCommander series, the Earthsiege and Starsiege series, Battlecry and Invasion. Also, there are the Front Mission, Xenogears and Xenosaga" games by Japanese developer Square Enix (who are also responsible for an homage to Super Robot'' anime with Robot Alchemic Drive), which are seeing increased popularity in America, especially with the third and fourth installments for PlayStation and PlayStation 2. Some non mecha-oriented games also feature some mecha-like machines, like Tiberian Sun and StarCraft and Sonic CD 's Metal Sonic. In addition, the up coming Battlefield 2142 game is set to feature biped mechs as an addition to tanks. The role they are set to play is in anti-infantry and anti-tank warfare.

Scale Models

Assembling and painting mecha scale model kits is a popular pastime among mecha enthusiasts. While many model kits are not produced for distribution to the West, foreign fans can acquire them through comic book shops or online retailers that cater to imports. Like other models such as cars or airplanes, more advanced kits require much more intricate assembly.

Others enjoy building Lego mecha, whether to reproduce existing designs or create their very own. Lego mecha construction can present unique engineering challenges; the balancing act between a high range of motion, good structural stability, and aesthetic appeal can be difficult to manage. In 2006, the Lego Group released their own somewhat manga-inspired mecha line with the Exo-Force series.

Grammar

The word "mecha" is both singular and plural, it specifically covers the Japanese aspect of the genre (because they refer to it as "meka"). The word "mech" or "mechs," singular and plural forms respectively, can refer to American mechanical design (such as BattleTech, though many of that game's early graphical designs were actually Japanese in origin). However, while it is grammatically incorrect to refer to all such machines as "mechas," only the most pretentious of anime fans have issues with "mech/mechs".

Word Origins and Usage

In Japanese, the word mecha (or meka) is an abbreviation of the English "mechanical" and used to refer to all mechanical objects, real-world or fictional. In this sense, it is extended to humanoid, human-sized robots and such things as the boomers from Bubblegum Crisis, the similar replicants of Blade Runner, and cyborgs can be referred to as mecha, as well as mundane real-life objects such as industrial robots, cars and even toasters. In Japanese, the term "giant robots" is used in the similar context that English speakers have repurposed the term "mecha."

This is far less frequent among English speakers. There are exceptions; in the film Artificial Intelligence, the word is used to describe 'mechanicals' (robotic humanoids), as opposed to 'orga' for 'organics' (humans).

The Life Model Decoys from the Marvel miniseries Livewires refer to themselves as mecha.

Mecha as Practical War Machines

The question of whether mecha could ever be used in the real world as practical war machines is a widely debated topic on many mecha forums (usually among mecha enthusiasts vs. utilitarians). Due to their intended purpose, mecha are usually compared to tanks (or, in the case of Gundam or Macross, fighters).

Mecha as a Replacement for Tanks

Mobility

One of the arguments in favor of the viability of antropomorphic mecha over tanks is its use of bipedal 'legs' system for locomotion instead of a tank's 'caterpillar' track system. Mecha's proponents believe that its mobility would be superior to a tank because, using humans as the model, a mecha would be a able to traverse a variety of terrain where a tracked vehicle would be rendered immobile or be forced to seek an alternative (and potentially more dangerous) route. For example, a mecha could conceivably negotiate relatively steep, hilly terrain that would cause a tracked vehicle to lose traction — of course, if the slope is sufficiently steep, even the mecha would lose traction, or worse, could fall backwards. The counter argument against this centers around balance. The biped mecha would need sophisticated stabilizing systems to maintain balance (even when not in motion); one false step could cause the mecha to topple. The likelihood of this occurring is greater if the center of gravity (CoG) is high off the ground. High CoG appears to be the case based on the way mecha are depicted in various anime, games, etc. Generally most, if not all, of the weapons are mounted on arms/hands, on the shoulders, or on the back; the propulsion systems in or around the torso/trunk; the pilot(s) in the head or trunk; and all of the associated armor. All of these elements suggest a CoG at, or above, the level of the 'abdomen'. To lower the CoG, the legs would have to be very heavy and/or the above-noted elements would have to be very light. Note: in zero/near zero gravity conditions or on low-gravity planets/moons, the CoG would be less of an issue. But, high mass would still be an issue and would have to be addressed (see the agility discussion below).

Similarly, a biped mecha could cross relatively uneven terrain. Assuming that the mecha's legs have a range of motion and articulation similar to human legs, the legs and feet could be positioned a varying distances apart so that greater flexibility in moving is offered in contrast to tracked vehicles where the alignment, orientation, and physical separation between the left and right tracks cannot be adjusted. It could be argued, however, against mecha, and for that matter tanks, that if the terrain was extremely difficult to navigate, why not fly over it? Also, the use of legs means that all of the machine's weight is focused on two relatively small points. Considering that most mecha are depicted as very large and heavy, this could cause severe problems if the mecha were to traverse any kind of soft terrain where its feet or legs could sink into the ground, or get stuck in heavy foliage, and inhibit movement. This is in contrast to a tank's treads which allow the weight to be distibuted over a larger surface area. In addition, the tank's treads emulate the method a caterpiller uses to move, which gives it excellent all terrain movement.

Agility

Another argument is superior agility. Proponents state that a biped mecha should be able to alter its course faster and more unpredictably. Assuming human-levels of leg articulation, the mecha could 'shift' horizontally (to its left or right), vertically (jump up or crouch down), diagonally, or a combination thereof. In order to accomplish this, a mecha would need to have a range of motion very similar to a human being. This range of motion precludes the battlefield use of the vast majority of mecha depictions, which tend to be limited in range of movement (like BattleTech mechs) or which have mechanical control systems that limit the range of movement by limiting the range of controls. Also, in order to be agile, the mecha would have to be of sufficiently low mass employing lightweight materials in its construction AND the weapons carried would also have to be light in mass. Otherwise, the inertia of a heavy machine will require more energy to accellerate, decellerate, and accomplish any changes in direction. Analogies can be found in observing lightweight boxers, racehorses, sprinters, or gymnasts. Mechanical analogies can be observed in motorcycles, race cars, combat aircraft, and spacecraft. In all instances, low mass allows for more efficient use of energy.

Theoretically, a mecha can move in an unpredictable manner to present a more difficult target and/or dodge incoming fire. In the context of 21st century projectile weapons, dodging such attacks would be just as absurd as any human being able to do so, unless the distances involved were large AND the target was aware of the incoming fire AND the projectile or missile was moving especially slow. Also, if the incoming fire was a sophisticated guided missile, the guidance system of the missile would be able to compensate for any motion of the target. Lastly, for many explosive weapons, it is NOT necessary to actually hit the target — explosive weapons destroy the target via concussive effects, shrapnel/flying debris, and heat. It is possible, however, for mechas to reduce their targetability through agility.

Height

Another argument, and perhaps the weakest argument, is the greater height of the mecha compared to a tank. Cited as a superior trait to tanks, the belief held is that a higher vantage point (i.e. with the appropriate sensors on the mecha's 'head') would allow more opportunities for detecting and attacking a target (because you can see it a target even if its hidden behind an object) and the ability to project firepower greater distances or more favorable angles. One of the counter-arguments is a taller mecha is in fact an easier target to detect and hit because its bulk would be much higher above the ground than that of a tank. There is, after all, a reason why soldiers, when under fire, crouch down; being taller is NOT an advantage in this case. The stance of a mecha also means that the use of armour for protection-by-deflection would not be of use, as armour plates are more likely to be perpendicular to the direction of incoming fire from the ground. As another example, modern day tanks are more 'low-profile' than their predecessors for this reason (compare an M1A1 Abram MBT at 2.42 meters in height or Israeli Merkava MBT at 2.66 meters in height with an M4 Sherman MBT at 2.74 meters in height).

Additionally, it is not unusual for a target to be 'beyond visual range' (BVR) - thus, being able to 'see' the target from a higher vantage point is moot. A modern example is one of the methods that a vehicle such as an US AH-64 Apache helicopter attacks its target. It can do so by launching a missile (such as the Hellfire) from behind a hill without the crew precisely knowing the location of the target because the target is identified and 'illuminated' using a laser operated by a soldier on the ground — the missile launched by the helicopter is guided to the target by the sensors onboard the missile that detect (and therefore, 'home-in' on) the laser energy bouncing off of the target vehicle. Another example is the BGM-109 Tomahawk cruise missile — the sea- or airborne crew that launch it never actually 'see' the target.

Also, most modern armies will not operate in isolation. Instead, there will be a network of intelligence-gathering devices, methods, and vehicles. These assets include space-borne spy satellites, aircraft, or recce soldiers that will alert ground assets such as tanks to the presence of enemy vehicles, troops, or installations. Lastly, the 'higher vantage point' argument is not applicable when addressing airborne targets — a plane flying at 500 miles per hour (such as an A-10 Thunderbolt II, Warthog) at a tactical combat altitude of 1000 feet or less does not become more visible simply because you are 30 feet higher above the vantage point of a tank. Detection of the enemy may occur sooner, but the time advantage would be negligible. Similarly, the enemy most likely detected the 30-foot tall mecha just as quickly.

Method of Motion

Maximum velocity is another restriction upon mechas, as they would be limited both in how quickly their legs could cycle while running, and by the amount of stress the legs could take from impacts on the ground while doing so (to say nothing of how the ground would react!). Note that in order for the legs to cycle quickly, they would have to be sufficiently low in mass (observe a sprinter whose legs are very lean). However, this has to balance against the weight of the vehicle that it supports and the problem, as mentioned previously, with maintaining a low center of gravity.

It is also pointed out that a mech's leg drive system would be far too complex and costly to be practical on the battlefield. Articulating the leg via various motors, electric circuits, etc. mean that every part of the leg must be protected with armor (with the corresponding increase in mass, increase in physical size, and loss in agility). Without sufficient armor, even modest damage would render the mecha immobile. Also, it should be noted that the more complicated a system or device, the more time and skill necessary to repair damage - in battlefield conditions, extensive 'downtime' would not be acceptable (assuming that the skilled mechanics and time were even available). Conversely, a tank's tread is relatively simple and easy to repair or replace should the need arise. Lastly, if a leg were damaged or destroyed, the mecha could topple uncontrollably leading to extensive damage to the mecha and injury or death for its pilot(s). Damage to a tank's tread merely renders it immobile.

These restriction could be mitigated by the use of an alternate mode of travel, but the frequent depiction of flying as this secondary mode would likely turn a battlefield into a trap shoot for opposing units. Also, adding the capacity to fly requires more powerful engines and fuel tanks which results in a heavier upper body. And, since the mecha would not have wings, whatever flying capacity it did have would be limited to very short movements with limited maneuverability (this itself would make the mecha an easy target because a slow-moving, lumbering airborne target would be easy to hit even with relatively unsophisticated weapons). Also this feature would beg the question that if such equipment can be mounted on a mecha, why not a tank?

Another solution would be the use of a secondary means of locomotion (in addition to walking), such as feet mounted wheels or treads, as seen in Front Mission and Stand Alone Complex, or the SMS, or Secondary Movement System of Heavy Gear. Utilitarians counter this by posing the question of why not revert to a tank chassis if this is how the vehicle is moving around? And wouldn't this negate all of the 'advantages' over tanks that were stated above?

Weapon Systems

The available weapons that a mecha could carry/operate are subject to debate. In stark contrast to mecha depicted in fiction where their arsenals are usually more varied and powerful than their tank counterparts, it is more likely that the weapons would be limited to lightweight missiles.

A tank, being low and having a low center of gravity, is a stable platform from which to fire weapons, especially any weapon such as a large gun that has a significant recoil. A mecha, on the other hand, would likely suffer from the recoil effects. To counter this, the mecha would need to have arms that articulate when firing a recoiling weapon to dissipate the energy; otherwise, the recoil energy would likely shift the mecha backward (literally lean backward). Another solution would be to have the weapon's longitudinal axis (the bore axis) at the same vertical height as the center of gravity. Firing the weapon would shift the entire mecha backwards. In both cases, however, the weapon would have to still be held firmly to ensure accurate aiming. Depending on how weapons on a mecha are mounted, the mech could adapt leg and body posture and body weight distribution to absorb the recoil energy progressively and dynamically (ie. laying down prone or bracing the recoil with a wide stance) - assuming that the mecha has this level of flexibility to begin with. However this solution means the mecha typically can not move while bracing for recoil, unlike a tank which can shoot and move at the same time, putting the mecha in a severe tactical disadvantage.

These problems with recoil effectively remove the possibility of mounting large caliber weapons on a mecha, resulting in the mecha being unable to 'outgun' a main battle tank. In the event that none of these solutions could be achieved, the only non-guided/non-self-propelled projectile weapons a mecha could mount are small caliber armor piercing weapons such as a 20-40mm (approx .66 caliber -1.30 inch) cannon. However, these weapons are typically reserved for light armored vehicles or troops and are ineffective against tanks or similarly heavy-armored vehicles and installations. Perhaps the development of powerful lasers or electromagnetic rail guns could address this deficiency in mecha armament.

Mecha, as generally depicted, also could carry missiles. This is perhaps the single advantage that the mecha enjoys without question as no modern tank carries missiles (although other tracked vehicles do). Furthermore, a missile does not generate recoil or, if it did, the missile could be launched verticaly so that the mecha could use the ground to 'brace' itself. The missile need not be fired directly at its target, i.e. the missile could alter its vector once airborne.

Mecha as Aerospace Combat Vehicles

Another use for mecha, as opposed to replacing tanks would be for them to function in a similar manner to aerospace or conventional fighters, as is depicted in various Gundam shows or Macross. The notion of a "flying robot" is sometimes considered absurd, until mecha enthusiasts point out the Mecha's ability to take advantage of reactionless maneuvering accomplished through a mecha's use of its arms and legs (known as AMBAC in the Gundam UC universe). However the ability to properly debate how such a machine would function in the real world is currently impossible due to an inability to test it. Mecha enthusiasts argue that freeflying, (a derivative of parachuting) is a very similar real world application of humanoid maneuvering in mid air. Using their arms and legs, freeflyers are able to have full control over the three flying axes (roll, pitch, and yaw). While planes are able to do this, it is possible that the movable arms and legs of a mech might be able to perform the maneuvers faster. This is ideal for close ranged air combat where the positioning of forward arc of the machine could mean victory or defeat. This idea of reactionless maneuvering is also useful in space combat where there is no air for an aerodynamic plane to use flaps for maneuvering. In such an environment, changing facing is only possible through thrust vectoring or AMBAC. Despite that, some point out that even if AMBAC were to work, its concept would be better utilized in non-mecha designs.

In addition, these advantages are mostly useful at close range which is rare in modern air combat, which utilize lots of radars; while it is possible to make a fighter or mecha very fast and maneuverable, it is easier to make a missile even faster and more maneuverable. Utilitarians also argue that creating an atmospheric flying robot is impossible in the first place. Mecha would have to possess fictional technology that allows continuous lift without wings or rotors, which makes debating the points previously mentioned completely irrelevant. On the other hand, common appearance of AMBAC is in a battlefield involving heavy electronic warfare (sometimes disabling powerful generators altogether, such as N-Jammers from Gundam SEED), which jammed not only radars but all form of lower band freuqnecy (sub-infared), making only visual sensor usable, which encourage dogfights and swarmfiring—conditions that encourages agility. Furthermore, most of the concepts for aerospace mecha is designed for usage in space (where air resistance is non existent).

Other Proposed Uses For Mecha

It is also speculated that, rather than replacing tanks, a mech could be used for urban combat scenarios in an infantry support role. Such a mecha would probably only be 5-7 meters tall and would be verging on power armor. The size of such a mecha would enable it to carry heavy weapons such as a chaingun that would otherwise be unavailable to an infantry squad, yet its legs would allow it to maneuver more freely than a tank in the close confines of an urban environment. Furthermore the presence of actuated arms would allow a mecha to deal with infantry that manage to get into direct physical contact with the mech, something that tanks are currently unable to do. In addition it would grant several enhanced prehensile attributes unavailable to vehicles and improved over infantry capabilities. The paved roads of an urban environment would also negate the problems of weight distribution. Despite this, a mecha in an urban environment faces the difficulty of maneuvering; the sheer amount of clutter that can be present in urban terrain might prove too much for a mech's gyroscopes to handle. And also due to its much smaller size, an urban combat mecha could be blocked by tank traps, and other kinds of barricades.

Another consideration for military use of mecha would be for non-combat support functions. The example in the movie Aliens is one such depiction, where the vaguely humanoid shape allows for an unmatched versatility in manual labour tasks. Under these circumstances, where development of such a mecha was undertaken for other reasons, it might be worthwhile for a military service to arm them after the fact. Indeed this is already seen in existing militaries as evidenced by the IDF Caterpillar D9. All of the above issues would be mitigated by the fact that combat would not be the mecha's primary role, but would instead be a secondary function only used when circumstances are dire. This would naturally point us towards the development of mecha for purposes other than military (heavy police action, industrial firefighting, mining, etc.). If this were to take place, no doubt some military service would apply the concept of mechas to a fighting force, were some other sector to take the cost of development upon themselves.

In light of all these disadvantages, many consider the price of even developing a working prototype would be far too costly for something not even practical today.

Notes

The related lawsuits were settled out of court, and later products of BattleTech do not use the designs under contention.

External links

Real-life attempts at building mechs

Mechanized Propulsion Systems Incorporated

Anime and manga terminology | Science fiction themes | Science fiction weapons | Mecha

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