ACU - Copperhead

The 14 foot tall ACU-Copperhead was designed by Western bloc powers to engage in close combat support working in conjunction with human troops in urban combat zones. Soldiers pinned down by heavy enemy fire can call in Copperhead support, which is deployed via helicopter or support truck and released under its own power to engage enemies. The three energy intensive hover pads allow movement over any terrain with a flight ceiling of around 5 metres: Although expensive to operate and maintain and able to drain the on-board power cells within 30 minutes, the hover systems are almost silent, do not produce the dust clouds helicopters create, and can topple walls and crush light vehicles by applying the mass of the robot in a specific direction.

Copperheads takes orders from a designated field commander either via vocal instruction or mobile communication devices, engaging targets with a series of integrated weapons systems: Small missiles, launched from interchangeable piggybacked pods, can hammer vehicles and structures from great distances. The primary punch however comes from two arm mounted high intensity laser emitters: The robot’s battery feeds energy to large cylindrical capacitors on the lower arms, which in turn supply power to the lasers mounted above. These lasers can dispense energy at intensities ranging from harmless visible light, to enough power to punch holes through tanks.

With the battery almost depleted, the robot enters a low power mode, settling on its hover pads to conserve energy while the upper body is still able to defend its position as a stationary turret. It can then be either recharged in the field, or evacuated via land or air vehicles to a field servicing facility.