"Based on the design of the Prominence M1, this second-generation VT is fortified with more armour than its predecessor and features a built-in Railgun. However, its increased weight drastically hampers the balancer's performance."
- Steel Battalion: Line of Contact in-game description
Overview
The Prominence M2 was the forward progression of the Prominence M1 design. Komatsu L.S. originally intended for the M1 to be capable of mounting an electromagnetic launcher (rail gun) but could never solve all the power routing problems until the M2 model. In order to ensure that the power wave guide system could properly buffer the extreme energies required by the launcher, the plasma torch power taps were removed from the design.
Pacific Rim Forces line commanders had long desired a VT platform which could be used as a keystone to attack formations. The Prominence M2 was designed with this criteria in mind, incorporating optional armor modules with supplementary close range missile launchers, a first in VT history. The optional armor modules enabled the M2 to survive potentially crippling damage as well as give it additional close range punch. The only negative was the weight of all the added armor and integrated EM launcher. It cut veering efficiency nearly in half and made the platform sluggish to handle and tippy. In order to try and remedy the balance issues, engineers grafted a counterbalance inertial damping wing to offset the tremendous forces generated by the rail gun.
It is interesting to note that Hai Shi Dao target analysis databases did not initially recognize the M2 as a different model from the M1, which caused quite a surprise when the units were first engaged on the battlefield.
- Macross Missile Massacre: Come attached with a fixed armor module that can be equipped optionally. The players can also detach it mid-battle in exchange for lighter VT weight.
- Magnetic Weapon: One of the first VT to mount one. During round 1, turn 5 in real gameplay it brought many frustration to opposing players as other factions did not have railgun-capable machines yet.
LoC Field Notes
"Self-propelled rail gun technology at its finest. Skill not included."
During Round 1, Turn 5 the introduction of the Prominence M2 model caused a great deal of frustration for opposing factions as neither the HSD nor Right Brothers had a VT that could mount a weapon matching the raw destructive power of the Rail Gun. Persistent players found that the Rail Gun could be dodged if the slide step was timed correctly, but it required focusing on the attacking machine and dedicating a sub-monitor view to Lock On, a luxury which could not always be afforded. The key was timing the slide step to start the last fraction of a second of the Rail Guns visual charging sequence (diminishing blue plasma circle). If performed correctly, the Rail Gun projectile would either miss wide (if the attacker had F.S.S. on) or miss to the inside.
After several months of experience with M2 models, I've found that the best method of dealing with them is to get behind their radius of fire as quickly as possible. The M2 suffers from a horrible turning performance and can be taken down by 1st generation VTs if they can get to its rear quarter. For this same reason, M2 pilots need to be very aware of enemies attempting to get behind them.
As with the Prominence M1, the Prominence M2 is not often encountered in Free Mission due to the greater options available. The Prominence M2 has the "optional" armor as a fixed mount weapon, along with the Rail Gun, this means that a player may only choose one additional sub-weapon from the configuration menu. Once the mission has started, the MM armor may be ejected by pressing the F1 button on the controller, doing this may bring an overloaded M2 down to STD weight and improve handling, but the ability to use the Multi Missile option is lost. M2 pilots can make the most of their Rail Gun rounds by mounting the 315-RF and using its 3 round bursts to force targeted VTs into multiple dodges. This tactic causes enemy VTs to use up their battery power and leaves them limited in their ability to dodge an incoming Rail Gun round.
Tekki Official Guidebook 2080-2082 Excerpt
The Prominence M1 refurbishment machine, which was urgently developed at the head office and was premised on railguns and increased armor equipment, and the Komatsu upper management, who took good care of the success of the Prominence M1, relied solely on the base aircraft performance to prepare and adjust. It was made in a short period of time by suppressing the engine. From the results, the production of this aircraft has ended in a failure unlike Komatsu. The reason for this was that by prioritizing the M1-B refurbishment work for the 7th Armored Division, most of the reliable and talented engineers were developed in the absence. Therefore, the adjustment of the balancer system, which can be said to be a specialty, failed. It must be said that the aircraft has become a half-finished aircraft with extremely poor manoeuvrability and turning performance. In actual battle, only 12 prototypes were deployed to the 8th Division of the Pacific Rim Army, and production was discontinued thereafter.
Taking advantage of the versatility of our masterpiece Prominence, the Prominence M2 is equipped with a new weapon, the railgun. This machine is based on Prominence M1 and the balancer system and armament mount are readjusted. Like the M1, the main engine uses a highly reliable 95ZF air-cooled gas turbine. Due to the overweight of the overall aircraft, it lost some mobility, but it will influence the battlefield by gaining a powerful weapon called a railgun and by equipping it with a multi-missile pod for increased armor as standard equipment. It was reborn as a heavy fire support machine.
VT Details:
- Aircraft Name Prominence M2
- Aircraft Durability 4000
- Optional Armor
- Maximum Load 10
- Standard Load 6
- Monitor Color
- Additional Fuel Tank 2
- MAX Speed unknown
- Balancer 85.009
- Torque Power 22.00
- Turning Acceleration Speed 0.0060
- Maximum Turning Speed 0.0100
- Fuel Load Quantity 15000
- Deployment Request pts 5000
- Required Class Claimable Conditions: Unavailable
- Main Weapons: 315-SB | 355-sb | 315-RF | 225-hw | AS-MIS | 315-TR
- Secondary Weapons: 80-CG | 205-PT | 22b-PT | Rail-G-a | Smoke | MM
