Knightmare

[Yukio]

Knightmare Frames are humanoid war machines developed by the Holy Britannian Empire. Unveiled during the invasion of Japan, Knightmare Frames are almost exclusively used in place, and sometimes on par with the practically obsolete main battle tanks. The name "Knightmare Frame" is a play on the word nightmare and a knight's mare. There also exists a derivative type of war machine based on the Knightmare Frames called Knight Giga Fortress.

Knightmare Frames often have a humanoid shape and are usually between four and five meters tall. In addition to the standard range of bipedal movement, Knightmare Frames are equipped with Landspinners, self-propelled roller skates attached to the ankles of the machines, which allow them to achieve high mobility and speeds on most terrain. Visual data is gathered through Factsphere sensors, which have thermographic capability and an array of other data-collection functions which are collated in real-time. Factspheres are commonly protected under a layer of armor which can be retracted to improve system sensitivity. 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.

Knightmare Frames are typically armed with rocket-propelled anchors called Slash Harkens (スラッシュハーケン, Surasshuhāken) and a number of other weapons. Mass-production models usually carry handheld rifles, which are able to fire micro ordinance as well, and a number of Chaos Mines, cylindrical air burst grenades that spray deadly shrapnel over a small area. Less common equipment, though more widespread as the series progresses, are Maser Vibration Swords (MVS), a form of vibroblade which oscillates at a high rate to cut through almost anything, and Hadron Cannons, powerful energy cannons which can obliterate almost anything in their path. Late in 2017, Float Systems (フロートシステム, Furōto Shisutemu), devices which allow Knighmares to fly, are introduced, and by 2018 also fall into common use.

Knightmare Frames are powered by the Yggdrasil Drive (ユグドラシルドライブ, Yugudorashiru Doraivu), a fictional energy source. Its centerpiece is a Sakuradite device called the Core Luminous (コアルミナス, Koaru Ruminasu), wherein a cube of unknown composition is weightlessly suspended. The cube revolves at high speeds during a state of drive activation known as Yggdrasil Resonance (ユグドラシル共鳴), apparently involved in the conduction of electricity. The technology is named after the Yggdrasil Tree of Norse Mythology. The drive is recharged through a Sakuradite energy filler (エナジーフィラー, enajii firā).

Inside a standard knightmare frames cockpit block some of the mainstream features are the three panoramic display monitors, the dual control joysticks, and instrument panels. The panoramic monitors are linked to outside sensors and cameras, and can be switched to display other information such as status or even as a video communication system.