Sutherland

" We pledge to the spirits of founding father And the Glory of the realm our mother That we shall be the shield which defend our homeland And the halberd which smite those who would harm us" - Sutherland start-up interface.

Designed and developed after the conquest of Japan/Area 11, the RPI-13 Sutherland is in many ways a refinement of its predecessor, the RPI-11 Glasgow. Though it's an advanced and effective design, much of the Glasgow's success comes from Britannia's overwhelming numerical and economical superiority to Japan. Further, the Glasgow is designed primarily to combat tanks and other "traditional" ground combat machines; this proves to be a liability, as its own success means that nations such as the Chinese Federation and EU began seriously pursuing Knightmare design. Thus, the Sutherland is created with the possibility of battles with other Knightmares in mind. Its design was later used as a basis for the RPI-209 Gloucester, a higher performance anti-Knightmare unit. A number of these Knightmare Frames were in the hands of the Black Knights, as well as a number of other resistance groups, during the first season, by means of theft or defection. Despite being overshadowed by the Gloucester, the Sutherland is still used in large numbers one year after the Black Rebellion.

Design and Specifications
The Sutherland features a redesigned, simplified cockpit system with improved life support and enhanced Landspinners, refined for higher speed and efficiency. Even though many of these improvements were passed back to the aging Glasgow in the form of upgrades, the Sutherland eventually replaced it as Britannia's main battle unit. It can be fit with an optional Float Unit backpack, consequentially changing the machine designation to RPI-13FA Sutherland Air. Following his defection to Zero's side, disgraced Britannian noble Jeremiah Gottwald uses a Sutherland fitted with an air glide wing unit and Black Knights weapons in service of his young lord. ==Variants== ===Cecile Croomy's Sutherland=== In a.t.b. 2017, Knightmare developer Lloyd Asplund creates an experimental "Sutherland Air" that incorporates several technologies developed for the Lancelot, including Blaze Luminous particle shields. It is distinguished from other Sutherland Airs by its light gray armor with light orange parts. Cecile Croomy makes use of this heavily modified Sutherland in a rescue operation during Black Rebellion, when the Avalon and its crew help evacuate students from an occupied Ashford Academy.