Mecha suit



The mecha suit is a improved version of the platinum mecha tanks built by Hiroshi Sato. To serve the military of the Earth Empire, Varrick modernized those tanks to be more sleek and humanoid in design, allowing for greater mobility.

History
Kuvira's army employed several battalions of mecha suits. In 174 AG, after the governor of the Earth Kingdom state of Yi signed Kuvira's offer, they were deployed in the state's capital to secure the protection of its citizens. Upon their arrival, the pilots allowed children to play around in the vehicles.



After Bolin and Varrick became aware of Kuvira's darker nature, the two men and Zhu Li deserted the army, each securing a mecha tank to facilitate their escape. While debating on their course of action, they were ambushed by Baatar Jr. and two army sergeants, who were also each piloting a tank. In the ensuing battle, Bolin's tank and those of the two sergeants were destroyed.

When Opal and Jinora violated the peace agreement Kuvira had set up with Korra, she ordered her army to attack the Avatar and the two airbenders. Although the infantry was blown backward by the whirlwind Opal and Jinora created, the mecha tanks managed to push through. Before they could reach the women, however, Meelo swooped down on Pepper and barraged the suits with concentrated air blasts, pushing them back. The mecha tanks tried to tie the flying bison to the ground by shooting grappling hooks at him, though the creature managed to take off in time.



The mecha tanks were also deployed to guard the border posts of the Earth Empire. When Bolin, Varrick, and several escapees from a reeducation camp attempted to pass the border, they were recognized and four mecha tanks instantly surrounded them. Being superior in firepower and endurance, the suits pressed the benders back, though Varrick managed to destroy them all with an impromptu-created electromagnetic pulse.

Kuvira led another battalion of mecha tanks to the Foggy Swamp, where she ordered them to start harvesting all the spirit vines they could find at the base of the banyan-grove tree. They ran into some trouble, however, when the vines started to fight back, though by using their chainsaws and metal cables, the mecha tanks were able to overpower the hostile vegetation.

As heavy machinery, the suits were also useful to aid Baatar Jr. in his work on assembling the spirit energy cannon. Capable of lifting heavy objects, they loaded the weapon with the power core that contained the spirit vine sample. When the Beifong family attacked the factory where the cannon was stationed, they defended it, though were toppled when Toph shifted the earth underneath their feet. A giant version of the mecha tank was developed in secret by Kuvira's army armed with the spirit energy cannon.

Design


Adapting Hiroshi Sato's design of the mecha tank, Varrick designed the mecha suits to have a more humanoid appearance, walking around on two legs and having two arms with four-fingered hands rather than claws. The legs have a build-in rod that can be shot into the ground in order to dig the suit in for extra balance and resistance. The visor was changed to a rotating ball with three windows. These changes allowed for more mobility, visibility, and precision. The new design also made them more resilient against bending attacks. The pilot boards the tank on the head instead of the body like in the old design.

Weapons


In comparison to the older mecha tanks, the mecha suits are equipped with an upgraded weapon arsenal that includes a flamethrower, electrical charges, grapple hooks, and pistons in the arms to punch other tanks. The more mobile model also allows the suit to execute more physical attacks, such as deliver punches and kicks and even utilize grappling maneuvers. The machines are also equipped with retractable chainsaws.

Weaknesses
Being electrically charged machines, the mecha suits are vulnerable to being shut down by an electromagnetic pulse. Although their armor is more resistant against bending attack, it can still be melted by a lavabender.

Known pilots

 * Baatar Jr.
 * Bolin
 * Kuvira
 * Members of the military of the Earth Empire
 * Varrick
 * Zhu Li