Drakken Siege Tank

"You've come to the right person."

Tychus's deep, magnetic voice rose slightly, and his eyes gleamed with smugness as he looked at Rory Swann.

Putting aside his rotten personality and numerous bad habits, Tychus was by no means a muscle-bound big oaf. On the contrary, Tychus was a quick-witted and pragmatic man.

From the private hovercars of Confederacy nobles to the T-280 SCV, Goliath, Arclite Siege Tank, and even spaceships like shuttles, there's nothing Tychus can't drive.

As long as Augustus doesn't interfere, Tychus dares to sail his warship.

However, that could never have been done with the intention of upholding justice.

"I'm sorry, boss, he just ruined my new invention in 2 standard days and 4 hours." Swann pushed his dark green welding goggles up to his wet forehead.

"That scoundrel is a total destroyer! The best things fall into his hands and are ruined in the blink of an eye. I've never seen anything like it. You can't let this scoundrel run rampant any longer."

"It's better to break down during the experimental phase than to have something go wrong on the battlefield," Tychus said, his tone both unreasonable and confident. "You should thank me."

It must be said that clothes make the man, Tychus did look quite presentable in this gold and red guard uniform. The uniform was, of course, tailor-made; otherwise, all the uniforms in the army would have been too small for this Giant.

Tychus happily accepted the uniform because he could use it to seduce the girls who admired the Revolutionary Army.

"I swear by the beard of the Swann Family ancestor, there will never be a next time." Swann looked disgusted.

"Now is not the time for endless arguments. I know you have some conflicts with Tychus, but we can deal with that later." Augustus frowned. It wasn't that he wanted to mediate the conflict between Tychus and Swann. It was almost impossible for the "annoying" Tychus and the "hot-tempered" Swann to get along.

"Oh, right, it's all your money anyway." Swann wasn't always willing to give his boss any face.

"Tychus, I'll settle this score with you later." Augustus had said this to Tychus more than once, and it certainly wouldn't be the last time.

"This is a chance to make amends. Introduce him to this new tank, Swann."

"Simply put, we found some Zeus Tank chassis using the method of the Moria Guild engineers—the base is actually still the Arclite Siege Tank. Of course, we then added a better steel frame, engine, transmission tracks, and shock absorption equipment." Swann was much more talkative when talking about his new invention, always going on and on.

"Of course, as a key part of this ingenious idea," Swann's voice suddenly rose, startling everyone around him, fully demonstrating Meinhoff's pride in her masterpiece.

"Drakken Laser Drill - so cool!"

"I've heard there's nothing it can't drill through." Augustus had high hopes for this new weapon.

Generally speaking, the 120mm Thor's Thor's Hammer Shock Cannon of the Arclite Siege Tank is already quite powerful, but it still falls short when dealing with enemies like the Ultralisk.

As the war escalated, the Arclite Siege Tank, which had been in service for many years, could no longer meet the Terrans' demand for powerful firepower suppression, so larger and more powerful new weapons came into being.

"You're right." Swann whistled happily, and seeing his joy, Augustus and Kerrigan also smiled.

"The Drakken Drill is mainly used for drilling in mining operations. It doesn't require changing the drill bit, and the laser drill can go all the way down until it penetrates the earth's crust. Whether it's Terrans or Kel-Morian mine, such equipment is indispensable." A Revolutionary Army engineer beside him explained the function of this equipment to Augustus.

Augustus recognized him as Viktor Kaczynski, from a technological family within Moria. He was also a rare talent, currently the undisputed second-in-command of the Revolutionary Army's engineering corps.

Viktor is currently developing a new project called the Widow Mine, based on the Spider Mine. It is reported that the weapon will be equipped with a miniature fusion reactor and fragmentation missiles to further enhance its power.

Although the Terrans regard the Kel-Morian people as nouveau riche, their technology and strength have historically been on par with the Confederacy, only their weapon designs are much more crude and haphazard.

"During the Guild Wars, the Kel-Morian Combine's mines used these kinds of drilling rigs directly against the Terrans —not only were they highly accurate, but they were also extremely effective; even battlecruisers suffered losses from them."

While it resembles a scene from Kel-Morian Combine film series about fighting the Terrans, there is indeed precedent for this. Desperate Kel-Morian miners aimed their laser drills at the sky and struck a Confederacy Leviathan -class battlecruiser anchored above the mining area, forcing the ship, which was later proven to have only suffered minor scratches, to flee in disarray.

"To install this equipment on a tank while maintaining its original power and firepower without resorting to a smaller, lighter, and stripped-down version is inherently a very difficult task. Therefore, we designed this tank to be quite large, comparable to a mobile mini-fortress," Viktor continued.

"We can't produce too many of these types of weapons, but they're enough to penetrate the Confederacy's steel fortresses, Zerg hives, or Protoss building shields, playing a devastating and decisive role on the battlefield."

In the past two years, the Revolutionary Army's weapons and equipment have been designed with the Protoss and Zerg as their hypothetical enemies. Among the many scientists who have joined Augustus for various reasons, some extremely amazing designs have emerged.

Mounting laser drills on tanks wasn't Swann's idea; in fact, miners in Kel-Morian had already installed various weapons on their bizarre tanks nine years earlier. During the Guild Wars, the Kel-Morian Combine produced many such tanks, and some of their unique designs received high praise from Confederacy soldiers.

Augustus ordered the development of heavy tanks primarily to counter the emerging Hybrid. Secondly, having such strategic weapons would make dealing with alien threats much easier.

"Well, let's see how it goes before deciding how much to produce," Augustus nodded to Tychus.

"Just you wait, boss. When has old Tychus ever let you down? This is a powerful machine, a good horse needs a good saddle." The smug old rogue said as he jumped over the grille and onto the platform below Drakken Siege Tank were parked. He pushed aside a few mechanics and jumped into the imposing tank.

"Oh my god, I absolutely love this girl! Can I take her home?"

This tank boasts imposing curves, superior armor, and a terrifyingly thick laser cannon. It is at least four times the size of a regular Arclite Siege Tank, making it a true steel behemoth. The tank's curved front armor plates are also equipped with long-bladed bayonets and spikes for ramming, specifically designed to charge Zergling of Zerglings.

The designers drew inspiration from the large combine harvesters in the Edge World, focusing more on armor and the damage from impacts.

The tank's paint scheme is also the classic Revolutionary Army red and Mengsk gold, making it look quite imposing and extraordinary.

The biggest difference between the Drakeng tank and other tank models lies in the exaggerated ratio of its enormous laser cannon to its width, which thrilled the Revolutionary Army tank drivers and commanders who came to visit.

Some tank crewmen who enjoy making dirty jokes refer to it as "the enormous root," which naturally spread further than its original name.

"Is one driver enough? This is much bigger than the Arclite Siege Tank, can you control it?" Augustus asked Viktor.

"Modern tank operating systems are highly integrated, with advanced AI systems helping tank drivers handle trivial matters." Viktor simply smiled, "Once the driver has been a skilled Arclite Siege Tank driver, all that's left is to press a few control buttons and fire."

When Tychus started the engine, the Drakens tank immediately roared like a tiger howling through the mountains, charging forward with great force, which terrified the tank technicians.

"That's getting to the point," Swann said.

"He's a real bull," Augustus remarked.

"How does this tank's armor compare to the Ultralisk? We need weapons that can counter it on the battlefield."

"The armor of the Drakens tank is designed based on the Ultralisk Beast exoskeleton armor, using a new type of biomimetic alloy steel that is lighter and stronger," Viktor replied.

"Alright, Tychus, save your energy." Augustus sure if Tychus inside the tank could hear him, since the guy was too caught up in the action to understand human speech.

"Load this car onto the ship." He glanced at his mechanical watch. "We'll be landing in half an hour. If you want to go for a drive, head to the Great Plains of Brontes Prime."

As Tychus poked his head out of the tank, amidst the roar of chains and the hydraulic equipment of the lifting platform, the imposing tank quickly sank into the dock deck below.

Meanwhile, the armory was still a hive of activity, with engineers only occasionally putting down their work to drink some water. The oldest among them could be Augustus's grandfather, while the youngest was only seventeen or eighteen years old.

To wage a war, simply having an army is far from enough; the total number of people in all departments of the Revolutionary Army is more than the number of soldiers on the front lines.

At this moment, Augustus, standing in the armory, could clearly feel the Hyperion closing its shields, making final preparations before deploying ground troops.

"Tell that big guy it might be a little hot in the driver's cab." Swann suddenly remembered something. "I've got it! This new tank has some minor design flaws. The air compressor and temperature control system still use technology from the old Arclite Siege Tank."

"Fine, that's settled then. He'd better drive in just his underwear, that's my final suggestion. Hmm~"

"Boss, the main control room is on fire again." At that moment, an engineer rushed over.

Before long, the cables in the armory started to arc brightly due to overload, meaning that equipment in certain areas had to be replaced immediately, or it would soon cause a fire or a bigger accident.

"What have you done now!" Just as Swann was about to grab Augustus by the collar and berate him, Kerrigan reached out and stopped him.

"Well, when dealing with the UED warships in the Brontes System, I only ordered the main guns to be activated." Augustus knew he had better choose his words carefully, otherwise Swann might really fight his boss.

Swann and Augustus were good friends, and he was one of the few who dared to speak out against the Marshal.

As it turned out, while installing the Protoss Ark's miniature solar engines on the Hyperion did indeed boost its combat capabilities to an incredible level, the excessive energy output significantly shortened the lifespan of the battlecruiser's facilities.

Even operating at minimum power, without restrictions, the energy released from the Solar Core would be enough to scorch the Hyperion. The Hyperion's energy transmission equipment was constantly on the verge of overload; any increase in energy output would cause it to malfunction, and major overhauls were a regular occurrence.

After the Daelaam recalled the Khalai phase engineers who had accompanied the Revolutionary Army Fleets, the Revolutionary Army engineers' workload increased many times over.

"Even the wealthiest family can be ruined by a spendthrift son, and engineers aren't omnipotent; no matter how many good things they create, they can't withstand being squandered." Swann quickly regained his composure, after all, this wasn't the first time this had happened.

"I must say, we must replace it with a larger ship that can withstand this solar-powered engine as soon as possible."

"Did you understand, you spendthrift?"

"Among human warships, the Hyperion is already considered large," Augustus sighed.

"What about that Xel'Naga transport ship that was dug up from Aiur? Although that ship may be older than human history, it shouldn't have any problem with handling the energy from the Solar Core."

"You said it yourself, it's a transport ship. If possible, I'd prefer a Xel'Naga attack craft or some other ridiculously large contraption. Alternatively, you could temporarily store it in the basement of your palace as an energy source for your defense system." Swann shrugged.

"Although it's a waste of its potential, it can currently only power a massive city. My people have calculated that this Solar Core could continuously supply energy to a city the size of Tarsonis. My God, is that reasonable? Do you know what that means?"

"If you detonate it, it might actually produce a supernova-like effect," he said. "If you encounter an enemy you can't handle, you can just throw this thing out."

"A good suggestion." Augustus smiled, but quickly composed himself. "But I never said I wanted to build any palace."

"Your troublemaking brother doesn't see it that way. That guy's clan mentality is even stronger than the Kel-Morian people's. His father, Angus, wants to establish a republic, Arcturus is going to slap him in the face." Swann shook his head.

"In truth, there's not much difference between the Empire and the Republic; the people of Kel-Morian don't care about that."

Although Augustus never voiced any opinion on this, his Arcturus always wanted him to become emperor and establish a parliamentary monarchy—of course, the monarch, as the head of state, had the absolute right to appoint the Imperial Council. After all, that's what Arcturus did in the original timeline.

Arcturus has already begun to build momentum within the Revolutionary Army. A republic having a ruler for life isn't a problem, is it? If there's a ruler for life, then why not just crown him emperor? Anyway, the Terrans aren't reacting much; an emperor is actually more likely to keep the people on the Edge World in check.

"Alright, I need to go fix the main control panel. Forgive my outburst earlier, but some people here have been working for 20 hours straight, and there's really no one else to mess with." Swann picked up his wrench again.

"Once the war is over, I will give you all a long vacation," Augustus.

"Forget it, you said the same thing last time, I don't expect you to do it this time. For a leader, breaking a promise is a terrible thing." Swann quickly left with Viktor Kaczynski.

"Just show us what the world you promised looks like, and these old men, young men, and young women will be satisfied."

"How are the troops preparing for the landing mission?" Augustus asked Kerrigan after a moment of silence.

"All landing forces have boarded the ships; we're just waiting for the Fleets to clear a landing zone." Kerrigan tossed her dry, brittle red hair.

"According to reports from our agents in the city on the Brontes Prime, they have discovered some strange phenomena: strange noises are being heard from many UED military camps, many citizens claim to have seen similar monsters in their nightmares, and the number of people suffering from mental illness is hundreds of times higher than usual."

"I suspect that Hybrid may also exist on this planet."