Knightmare Frame

The Knightmare Frames are humanoid war machines (mecha) developed by the Holy Empire of Britannia. Unveiled during the invasion of Japan, the Knightmare Frames are almost exclusively used in place of the practically obsolete main battle tanks. The name "Knightmare Frame" is a play on the word "nightmare" and a knight's mare.

The Knightmare Frames achieve dominance in combat through the use of 'Landspinners', self-propelled roller skates attached to the ankles of the machines which allowst them to achieve high mobility and speeds on most terrain. Sophisticated 'Factsphere' open sensor cameras on the head or torso gather visual data. The Knightmare Frames are powered by the Yggdrasil Drive, a fictional energy source. Later models also incorporate Sakuradite, a superconductive material. Typical Knightmare Frame armament includes handheld rifles and shoulder or wrist-mounted rocket anchors called Slash Hakens. Knightmare Frames are piloted from a cockpit set in the protruding 'hump back' in the unit. The cockpit is a self-contained control center which can be ejected in case of emergency.

History
The creation of Knightmare Frames is roughly divided in four Ages, which mark the birth of a new kind of weapon platform and its evolution into a full-fledged combat system.[1]

First Age: Infancy
The beginnings of the Knightmare Frame came from the creation of 'emergency survival cockpits' for conventional vehicles. Equipped with rocket engines to fly the crew away from the wreck, the contraptions were soon equipped with artificial legs to allow greater mobility. Limited room inside said vehicles restricted the number of legs to two. Though not a weapon in any sense of the word, the 'walking cockpits' provided the base form for their successors.

Second Age: Turning Point
Several years later, the creation of several common Knightmare Frame technologies, such as the Factspheres and Landspinners, lead to the funding for Knightmare Frame prototypes. However, the new technologies performed erratically, and the research was outsourced to military-based robotics projects and social-oriented programs. The former was assigned to a Britannian Army Special Division, the 'Special Dispatch Guidance System Division', while the latter went in the hands of a private group, the Ashford Foundation. The foundation implemented technologies related to training and education, enabling the entire Knightmare Frame program to make progress fluidly.

The bipedal weapon was nicknamed 'Knightmare' by the Army but its non-offensive equipment was referred to as 'Frame' by civilians. The union of those two terms gave birth to the name 'Knightmare Frame'.

Third Age: Archetype
With the results gained from the two separate programs, Knightmare Frames were developed in combat-effective platforms. Use of Sakuradite became paramount in making the Knightmare Frames perform to expectations, resulting in the mineral's value increasing greatly, turning it into resource as important as fossil fuel in international politics.

The Third Age also marked the creation of the Ganymede prototype, manufactured and designed by the Ashford Foundation. Its test pilot, Marianne, quickly became famous and was granted knighthood, before eventually getting married to the Britannian Emperor. However, the company suffered great loss when Marianne was assassinated. The Ashford Foundation eventually retired from its business and its employees were disbanded. The truth on the Empress' death was never truly elucidated but rumors suggest that her downfall was caused by a political feud meant to keep the rising Ashford Foundation in check.

Fourth Age: Implementation
The Fourth Age saw the introduction of the RPI-11 Glasgow, the first mass-production weapons platform. Its abilities allowed the Britannian Empire to easily dominate Japan during the invasion in 2010 A.T.B. The Glasgow moved on to become the baseline unit for the Britannian Army, though it is eventually made obsolete. Some Glasgow units are still used by the Knightpolice for law enforcement, and other countries have used it as a base in the creation of their own Knightmare Frames.

Fifth Age: Evolution
Following the success of the Knightmare Frames against conventional weapons of war, attention was turned to creating Knightmare Frames intended to destroy similar weapons, including other Knightmare Frames. The Sutherland is the result of this. The Sutherland feature improvements to cockpit comfort and function, better mobility, and increased close-combat capabilities to emphasize its role as an anti-robot weapon. The Second Princess Cornelia and her bodyguards make use of the Gloucester, a Sutherland variant designed specifically to combat other Knightmare Frames, reflecting the Chinese Federation and the EU's development of their own Knightmare Frames.

Sixth Age: Missing and Continuation
The sixth age features almost no improvements in Knightmare Frame technology, earning it the moniker "Missing Generation". The creation of the Seventh Generation Lancelot marked the first significant innovation. Sakuradite is not only used in the Yggdrasil Drive, but is also scattered throughout the frame, increasing performance dramatically in all areas. This allows the Lancelot to effectively employ the MVS (Maser Vibration Sword) and electromagnetic shielding. In addition to the frame, Sakuradite is also used in the VARIS (Variable Ammunition Repulsion Impact Spitfire), with the intent of giving it the strength to survive a direct hit. This kind of rapid development completely defies the notion of general purpose and mass production units, resulting in the Lancelot being a unique machine.

Holy Empire of Britannia

 * Galahad
 * Gareth
 * Gawain
 * Glascow
 * Gloucester
 * Knight Police
 * Lancelot
 * Mordred
 * Percival
 * Portman
 * Siegfried
 * Sutherland
 * Tristan
 * Vincent
 * Ward

United Federation of Nations

 * Akatsuki
 * Akatsuki Jikisanshiyō
 * Burai
 * Burai Kai
 * Gekka
 * Gun-Ru
 * Guren
 * Shenhu
 * Shinkirō
 * Sutherland Sieg
 * Zangetsu

Miscellaneous

 * Aquila
 * Bamides
 * Equus
 * Ganymede
 * Gekka Pre-Production Test Type
 * Lancelot Club
 * Mark Nemo
 * MR-1
 * Panzer-Hummel
 * Regalia