GL-5000 MKIII

Designation: GL-5000 Series
Type: Heavy Nontransformable Strike-Assault Mecha
Original Production Company: Grylos Technologies – Combat Systems Development Branch
Current Production Company: Grylos Technologies – Combat Systems Development Branch
Current Model: MK III
Height: 12.75 Meters
Weight: 65 Tons

The GL-5000 Series Combat Mecha was designed and developed by Grylos Technologies in an attempt to break the monopoly of Combat Mecha systems held by Xenotech Heavy Industries (this is because almost all Mecha in the Alliance forces were initially developed by Xenotech Heavy Industries and sold to the Alliance for exclusive production). This was an interesting break from what Grylos Technologies normally works on; sensors and communication systems. Grylos Technologies normally produces a lot of the sensory, targeting and communications systems that is in use in much of the Alliance Mecha as well as across numerous star systems.

The initial purpose of the GL-5000 was to provide a similar supporting role as the X-8000 series was designed to fill. With its superior mobility, targeting systems and slightly smaller chassis, the GL-5000 provided stiff competition for the X-8000, a significant accomplishment considering the extensive experience that Xenotech Heavy Industries has with designing and building Mecha and that this was the first full Mecha that Grylos Technologies had ever attempted to produce.

During the testing phases of both Mecha, many design features of the GL-5000 that allowed for the superior maneuverability were, unfortunately, viewed as inconsolable flaws. For example, power plants are built around a certain design specific that ensures reliability and stability of the system as a whole. The GL-5000 instead went with what many considered to be an unstable, hazardous and primitive power core. While Alliance Mecha operate on a stable quantum-fusion mass-drive generator system, the GL-5000 has matter-anti-matter reactor that while not only is unstable (the distinct possibility of a matter-anti-matter reaction gone awry), but it also requires a constant supply of specially crafted matter and anti-matter for the reaction. The advantages to this system were obvious: the GL-5000 ended up with superior speed and maneuverability for a Mecha of its class. In an attempt to ease the troubles of keeping such unstable materials in small quantities and in a, more or less, stable environment, the material drums must be replaced every 30 hours of use. Should power run out, the GL-5000 will become completely inoperable with only rudimentary life support which operates off of an internal long-term battery.

In addition to the power system, the GL-5000, at the time, possessed lighter and less durable armor. Unfortunately, the combination to the lack of superior long-range firepower, armor and frame durability and the design aspects of its power core, the GL-5000 was refused by the Alliance.Despite this rejection, Grylos Technologies was undeterred, however. Many races, militaries and mercenary groups wanted the GL-5000. It was superior in many ways to the AL-680 Series, especially the much older generations of the Mecha that militaries outside of the Alliance were using. The superior firepower, targeting and maneuverability far outweighed many design deficiencies that plagued the GL-5000. Because of this, the GL-5000 MK II went into rapid mass-production and quickly became a favorite of medium and high-end mercenaries, pirates and pretty much anybody willing to afford the Mecha…much to the chagrin of the Alliance.