Mecha tank



The mecha tank is a large, mechanized suit manufactured by Hiroshi Sato for use by the Equalists. Constructed out of solid platinum, it was impervious to metalbending.

History


After receiving a tip from a Future Industries worker, Korra, Tenzin, and Lin Beifong met the informant beneath the Silk Road Bridge. There, he explained that Hiroshi Sato fabricated Equalist weapons beneath his mansion and was working to create a new, more powerful weapon for the revolutionary group. Later that night, once the Metalbending Police Force had found and infiltrated Hiroshi's secret Equalist factory, they discovered that these new armaments were in the form of large, mechanized robots.

The mecha tanks, which were piloted by Equalists, attacked Korra and the other intruders. Korra, Tenzin, Lin, and the other police officers were easily incapacitated during the battle with the mechanical behemoths. The group, however, was rescued by Bolin and Mako while the Equalists were busy hauling the police officers into their trucks.

While searching for Korra and the captured officers in the tunnel network underneath Republic City, used as an underground Equalist base, Lin, Tenzin, Mako, Bolin, Asami, and the rescued officers were about to be cornered by Equalists and mecha tanks. However, Lin avoided the confrontation by using her bending to create an alternate escape route.

The Equalists utilized a number of mecha tanks during their Battle for Republic City. The tanks attacked the police headquarters and began abducting the metalbending officers using large magnets. After a short battle, the tanks were defeated by Tenzin and Team Avatar.



Numerous mecha tanks were seen surrounding the Pro-bending Arena during Amon's rally. There were also a large number of mecha tanks present at Hiroshi's secret airfield. One was utilized by Asami to destroy Equalist bi-planes. Meanwhile, while Bolin was destroying the airfield's runways, three mecha tanks attempted to stop him. However, when they fired their electric tethers, Naga caught all three ropes in her mouth and pulled them, causing the tanks to violently lose balance and became inoperable. One tank even slid extremely close to Bolin who exclaimed "wow" and then thanked Naga for her help. While destroying the biplanes, however, Asami was confronted by her father, who was also in a mecha tank. The two engaged in a brief battle, eventually prompting Hiroshi to state that there was no hope for Asami. Just as Hiroshi was about to deliver the final blow to his daughter, his mecha tank came under attack by Bolin, who was launching numerous large chunks of earth at him. He eventually abandoned his tank and attempted to escape on foot, but was captured when Asami used her mecha tank to launch an electrified rope at him.

Design


The mecha tanks are large, mechanized robots made out of platinum – a form of metal so pure that metalbending has no effect on it; fires generated by low to moderate-level firebending also seem to have little to no effect upon its armor. They are capable of movement by utilizing two tank-like treads. The mechs also have two claw-like hands with three large digits and can shoot a retractable two-pronged claw via a metal cable in the middle of their hands. Some display only one of such hands, having a giant magnet where the other would be. They are capable of producing electricity and dispersing it through their metal hands and claws to electrocute their opponents. In addition, the mechs are capable of shooting out spiraling disks, located in the holes between each digit, that contain metal cables that tangle around their victims and then electrocute them. The tanks also sport a number of green lights on their torso.

The torso and head of the machine sport a number of glass windows, which in turn provide the operator with a 360 degree view of their environment. In addition, the torso is made up of numerous metal plates that open and close to allow Equalists to enter and exit the mecha tank.

The vehicles stay upright by a third wheel behind the main body, giving it a tricycle-like method of movement.

Sato designed these vehicles with controls closely akin to forklift models his company manufactures, easing the learning curve for the controls.

Weapons
The tanks are capable of firing discs that contain cables through with a powerful electrical impulse can be delivered, capable of rendering any individual unconscious. As a disc, it can be shot away with great accuracy, and once airborne, three ropes emerge from three holes at the side; when these ropes enfold its victim, it electrifies them almost instantly.

During the attack on Republic City, it was shown that some tanks are equipped with large magnets used for capturing metalbending police officers via their metal uniforms.

Weaknesses


Although being extremely versatile pieces of machinery, the mecha tanks have been shown to have various weaknesses. If water is poured into the machine's exhaust pipes located on its back, the engine will stall, leaving it unable to move or attack. And since, platinum is not necessarily durable, sufficient force can break through the tank's defenses, as seen when Lin Beifong managed to punch several holes into the tank's cockpit using her gauntlet. The mecha tanks can also have their electrical impulses redirected back at them by firebenders capable of lightning redirection, causing an electrical malfunction. The mecha tanks can also be easily lifted and pushed by large airbending blasts, while earthbending attacks from below can knock them off balance. Mecha tanks also possess enough force exertion in their arms to inflict heavy damage to other mecha tanks. The electric tethers can be utilized to knock the tanks off balance and neutralize them.

Trivia

 * A schematic for the mecha tanks can be seen on the wall during the Lieutenant's conversation with Amon when Korra announced her arrival in Republic City.
 * Like various other mechanized modes of transportation in the World of Avatar, the mecha tanks are computer generated, as opposed to being hand-drawn.
 * In real life, pure platinum is a very malleable metal, almost as soft as gold, and would be useless as armor. In addition, platinum is very expensive, furthering its usage in armor being problematic at best. It does, however, have a very high melting point, (3214.9 °F), making it useful against firebending attacks.
 * The mecha tanks draw many parallels from the Sentinels in X-Men, the Big Daddies from the Bioshock video game series, as well as the Amplified Mobility Platforms from the James Cameron film Avatar. The "heavy" visual design and wheeled/treaded legs also draw parallels to the Scopedog from the Armored Trooper VOTOMS anime series.
 * Its reverse tricycle configuration could be compared to the Czar tank, a massive, experimental vehicle built by the Russians during the First World War.
 * According to Asami, mecha tanks are operated very similarly to Future Industries forklifts.