Mech Armor File: MPU "Florence"
File Classification: Top Secret / ALPHA-6
Last Updated: 2031, Rebel Force Archives Department
File Number: MPU-072-01 "The Progenitor of the Vest System"
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Part One: Basic Information
Item Contents Mech Name MPU "Florence"
Model MPU-72F "All-Terrain Adaptable Type"
Category Multi-Purpose Tactical Mech (Equipped with a Vest System)
Affiliation Russian Federation Special Operations Command
Design Time 2018 (Concept) - 2020 (Prototype Completed)
Service Time 2021 - 2025 (Combat Damage Retirement)
Designer United Machine Design Bureau (UMMB) 7th Design Office
Series Positioning The first demonstrator in the "72 Demon Gods" series to feature a "cloaking system"
Name Origin
"Flauros" is named after Florence, the 64th demon in the 72 Demon Gods of Solomon. Florence is depicted as a cheetah and is adept at foresight and distinguishing truth from falsehood. The design team named it after Florence, signifying its ability to adapt to different battlefields by "changing form," much like its ability to discern the true from the false by selecting the most suitable weapon configuration.
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Part Two: Development Process and Positioning
Background
Around 2020, the Cataclysmic War had fully erupted. While conventional MPUs offer excellent performance, the ever-changing battlefield environment and evolving enemy units often necessitate rotating different specialized models, placing immense logistical pressure on the military. The Russian military urgently needed a "multi-purpose" solution, enabling a single platform to handle multiple combat scenarios and reduce logistical complexity.
Design Concept
The core design of "Florence" revolves around the "Vest System":
1. Minimized Core Body: The main body is designed to retain only the basic frame and power system, significantly reducing weight and cost.
2. Modular External Armament: All mission-required equipment is integrated into replaceable "Vest Cargo Containers."
3. Rapid Mission Switching: By changing vests, the same unit can be converted from assault type to anti-air or engineering type within hours.
4. All-Terrain and All-Battle Situation Adaptability: 25 vests cover land, sea, air, space, and special environments, theoretically capable of dealing with any known threat.
Relationship with the Seventy-Two Demon Gods Series
Florence is an important functional verification branch of the "Seventy-Two Demon Gods" series:
· Inherited the basic frame design concept of its progenitor, "Belial."
· First to realize the concept of "separation of main body and weaponry," laying the foundation for the modular weaponry of subsequent models such as "Barbatos."
· Its naming rules and management system for the vest system became the standard for all subsequent modular mechs.
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Part Three: Main Body Technical Specifications
Basic Dimensions and Weight (excluding vests)
Item Value
Overall Height 16.2 meters
Main Body Weight 38.5 tons
Skeleton Material Titanium-tungsten composite alloy
Number of Joints 36 (all quick-release design for easy maintenance)
Power System
· Main Engine: UMMB "Giant's Heart" Mark III High-Density Charged Particle Fusion Fusion Reactor
· Output Power: 5,100 kW (rated) / 7,200 kW (peak)
· Special Design:
· Power Output Interface × 8 (for powering the vests)
· Backup chemical batteries can sustain the main body for 48 hours
Operating System
· Main Control Computer: UMMB "Logic-3" Multimodal Tactical Management System
· Vest Interoperability Protocol: Standardized mechanical/energy/data interface, universal for all vests
· Pilot Seat: 1 person (pilot), optional co-pilot (tactical coordinator)
Fixed Armament (Minimally simplistic)
· Head-mounted close-in weapon system × 2 (20mm caliber, 300 rounds ammunition)
· Chest-mounted emergency smoke grenade launcher × 2
· Wrist-mounted basic combat claws (unarmed type, mainly used to assist in docking with the armor)
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Part Four: Modular Attached Combat Equipment (MACE) Explained
System Principle
The core of the "Modular Attached Combat Equipment" (MACE) system is to integrate all combat equipment into a large external cargo container. The Florence unit connects to the armor through eight docking points on its back, shoulders, and legs. The armor completely covers the unit (similar to wearing a coat) and provides weapons, armor, thrusters, and special equipment.
Key Features:
1. Larger Vest Size: Each vest container is approximately 25-40 meters long, 15-25 meters wide, and 10-20 meters high. When fully encased in Florence, its overall size is close to that of a small warship.
2. Cannot be Combined: Only one vest can be used at a time; multiple vests or combinations cannot be used simultaneously.
3. Requires Dedicated Hangar for Replacement: Vest docking/separation must be performed in a dedicated hangar equipped with large lifting equipment; field replacement is not possible.
4. Limited Energy Capacity: The vest carries some energy (primarily for weapon power), but most energy is still provided by the main body's fusion reactor.
Vest Naming Rules
To manage the 25 massive vest systems, UMMB has established a dual naming system:
1. Primary Name (First Letter of Purpose): Named according to the first letter of the English word for the vest's design purpose.
· For example: H = Heavy (Heavy Firepower), A = Aerial (Air Combat), M = Marine (Naval Combat)
· 1. **Design Sequence Number:** When a letter is already taken, a number can be added or the first letter of another related word can be used.
2. **Design Sequence Number:** Assign letter numbers according to the order in which the vest designs were completed (A-Z, skipping easily confused letters like I/O).
* For example: The first completed vest is numbered A, the second B, and so on.
3. **Final Naming Format:** Main Name (Design Sequence Number)
* Example: Vest "H(D)"—Main name H (Heavy Firepower Type), is the fourth vest (D) to be completed. However, because the main name H is already taken by another vest (for mountain warfare, the main name H is Hill), it is named H(D) to distinguish it.
* In official documents, it is usually written as "Vest H(D)" or "Vest D (H Type)".
Vest List (Some Representative Models)
1. Vest A(A) "Basic Assault Type"
* Design Sequence Number: A (First Completed)
* Main Name: A (Assault)
* Overall Length: 28 meters
* Weight: 82 tons (approximately 120 tons including the main body)
* Functions:
* General combat configuration, balancing firepower and mobility
* Equipped with two twin 125mm charged particle cannons
* Shoulder-mounted 12-cell missile pods x 2
* High-thrust propulsion system on the back (enabling short-range flight)
* Service Status: Most commonly used variant, produced in the largest quantity
2. Vest H(B) "Mountain Warfare Type"
* Design Number: B (Second completed)
* Main Name: H (Hill, mountainous terrain)
* Overall Length: 32 meters
* Weight: 105 tons
* Functions:
* Designed specifically for mountainous and hilly terrain operations
* Legs reinforced with retractable extension for steep slopes
* Equipped with 8 bunker-buster missiles (capable of striking targets behind mountains)
* Enhanced infrared/radar system for penetrating mountain structures for detection
* Note: This armored vehicle already uses the main name H, requiring a different name for subsequent heavy firepower versions.
3. Armored Vehicle H(D) "Heavy Firepower Suppression Type"
· Design Number: D (Fourth completed)
· Main Name: H (Heavy firepower)
· Overall Length: 38 meters
· Weight: 142 tons
· Functions:
· Equipped with a triple-mounted 280mm charged cannon (capable of firing nuclear-equivalent shells)
· 24-round ammunition bay on the back
· Added composite armor throughout the body, increasing protection by 300%
· Equipped with a recoil absorption system, allowing for continuous firing
· Disadvantages: Significantly reduced mobility, top speed only 35 km/h
· Note: Because the main name H is already taken, design number D is used as the primary identifier, often simply referred to as "Armored Vehicle D"
4. Armored Vehicle M(C) "Amphibious Type"
· Design Number: C (Third completed)
· Main Name: M (Marine)
· Overall Length: 26 meters
· Weight: 78 tons
· Functions:
· Fully sealed structure, capable of operating underwater at a depth of 300 meters
· Propulsion replaced with underwater jet pumps
· Armament: 4 x 533mm heavy torpedoes, depth charge launcher
· Sonar detection system
· Special Record: Sunk 3 Calamity Navy-type units in the Black Sea
5. Vest A(E) "Air Superiority Type"
· Design Number: E (Fifth completed)
· Main Name: A (Aerial superiority)
· Overall Length: 40 meters (including wingspan)
· Weight: 65 tons
· Functions:
· High aspect ratio wings, capable of sustained flight within the atmosphere
· Equipped with 16 x air-to-air missiles, 2 x 30mm cannons
· Radar detection range 200 kilometers
· Capable of supersonic cruise (Mach 1.8)
· Note: The main name A is the same as the basic assault type, but since the former is Assault and this is Aerial, they can be distinguished by context, so the main name A(E) is retained.
6. Vest S(F) "Space Combat Type"
· Design number: F (sixth completed)
· Main name: S (Space)
· Overall length: 35 meters
· Weight: 58 tons (lightweight structure due to no atmospheric drag)
· Functions:
· Equipped with high-mobility thrusters (total ΔV 5km/s)
· Particle beam weapons × 4 (suitable for vacuum environments)
· Enhanced radiation protection armor
· Can carry small satellites
· Combat experience: Used to destroy the Calamity Orbital Weapon Platform
7. Vest E(G) "Engineering Type"
· Design number: G (seventh completed)
· Main name: E (Engineering)
· Overall length: 30 meters
· Weight: 110 tons (including a large amount of engineering equipment)
* Functions:
* Equipped with a large drill bit, cutting arm, and crane
* Capable of quickly repairing fortifications and clearing obstacles
* Equipped with a small furnace for on-site metal smelting
* Non-combat use, but can be equipped with simple weapons when necessary
* Note: Commonly used for emergency repairs during fortress defense battles
8. Vest C(H) "Command and Communication Type"
* Design Number: H (Eighth completed)
* Main Name: C (Command)
* Overall Length: 32 meters
* Weight: 70 tons
* Functions:
* Equipped with a high-power communication array, capable of relaying command to units within a 500-kilometer radius
* Electronic warfare equipment: jamming, deceiving, and intercepting enemy communications
* Data processing center, capable of simultaneously coordinating 200 combat units
* Importance: A mobile command node for multiple battles in the later stages of the Cataclysmic War
9. Vest P(I) "Infiltration and Reconnaissance Type"
* Design Number: I (Ninth Completed)
· Main Name: P (Penetration)
· Overall Length: 24 meters
· Weight: 42 tons
· Functions:
· Optical/infrared stealth design (radar cross-section 0.1m²)
· Long-endurance fuel, capable of continuous patrol for 72 hours
· High-resolution reconnaissance equipment (capable of identifying ground newspaper headlines)
· Armament: Only a light machine gun for self-defense
· Combat Record: Multiple deep penetrations behind enemy lines to guide fire strikes
10. Vest D(J) "Desert Warfare Type"
· Design Number: J (Tenth Completed)
· Main Name: D (Desert)
· Overall Length: 28 meters
· Weight: 88 tons
· Functions:
· Sand-resistant filtration system, high-temperature resistant cooling
· Wide-tracked running gear (switchable)
· Equipped with thermal imaging/sand-penetrating radar
· Armament is primarily based on thermal weapons (to minimize optical interference).
(Due to high secrecy levels, only some codenames are listed for the subsequent 15 variants: J(K) Polar Type, L(M) Forest Type, N(N) Urban Warfare Type, O(P) Chemical Protection Type, Q(R) Nuclear Protection Type, S(T) Electronic Jamming Type, U(V) Medical Evacuation Type, W(X) Supply and Transport Type, Y(Z) Training Simulation Type, etc.)
Dedicated Hangar System
Each variant requires a dedicated storage and maintenance hangar, typically deployed on large bases or land-based ships:
· Hangar Dimensions: 50m (L) × 30m (W) × 25m (H)
· Main Functions:
· Vest parking, maintenance, and repair
· Dock-to-undock operation between the main body and the variant (fully automated gantry crane)
· Ammunition replenishment and fuel loading
· Tactical data loading
· Mobile Hangar: Some heavy land-based ships can carry 1-2 armored vehicles, but changing them still requires docking at a base.
· Logistical Challenges: The preparation time for a single armored vehicle's sortie is approximately 2-4 hours (from the decision to use it to the completion of docking).
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Part Five: Overview of Operational Applications
Tactical Positioning
Florent and its armored vehicle system primarily play the following roles in the Calamity War:
· Battlefield All-Rounder: Quickly switch armor according to threat type, filling gaps in specialized vehicle types.
· Core of Fortress Defense: One vehicle can rotate between multiple armored vehicles to deal with attacks at different stages.
· Backup for Expeditionary Forces: Provide diversified combat power with a single vehicle + multiple armored vehicles when multiple vehicle types cannot be carried.
Typical Operational Flow
1. Intelligence Analysis: Determine mission requirements and select appropriate armored vehicles.
2. Hangar Preparation: Dock the Florentine vehicle with the selected armored vehicle.
3. Squadron Execution: Complete the mission (usually lasting several hours to several days).
4. Return Maintenance: Recover the armored vehicles for inspection and resupply.
5. Alternate Armor: Change armor according to the next mission.
Famous Battles (Not detailed)
* 2022 "Kursk Bulge" Defense: Using armor type H(D) heavy firepower, repelled 17 attacks by the Calamity armored forces within 72 hours.
* 2023 "Black Sea Fleet Rescue Operation": Successively changed armor types M(C) naval warfare and A(E) air superiority to cover the fleet's breakout.
* 2024 "Trans-Siberian Railway Defense": Used the modified D(J) desert warfare type to maintain the railway's operation in extremely cold conditions.
* 2025 "Final Offensive": During the attack on the Calamity's core factory, Florence changed armor types five times, completing multiple phases of missions including penetration, suppression, and engineering destruction, before ultimately being decommissioned due to severe damage to its main body.
Battle Results (Summary)
* Total sorties: 214
* Number of armor changes: 189
* Destroyed Calamity Units: Approximately 450 (including 17 heavy units)
• Damage Records: 13 times (3 of which resulted in total loss of the armor)
• Pilot Casualties: 3 pilots (first killed in action, second seriously wounded and retired, third survived until the machine's retirement)
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Part Six: Technological Legacy and Impact
Impact on Subsequent Models
While Florence's armor system was not widely adopted due to its large size and inconvenient replacement, its core concepts profoundly influenced subsequent MPU design:
1. Modular Weapons: Inspired the replaceable armor of the Barbatos series
Handheld Weapon System
2. Interface Standardization: The mechanical/energy/data interface established by Florence became the common standard for Russian MPUs.
3. Tactical Management System: Its "Logic-3" computer's multi-mode switching logic was ported to all subsequent models.
4. Power Distribution Architecture: Provided a reference for the multi-weapon power supply of subsequent heavy mechs.
Derivative Technologies
• Lightweight Armor Concept: A quick-change "backpack" module was developed after the war and applied to the new generation of MPUs.
• Automated Hangar System: Florence's hangar design became the standard configuration for all MPU bases.
• Armor Database: The combat data of 25 armor sets constitutes the core training material for UMMB tactical simulation.
Current Status
• Florence Main Unit: After being damaged and decommissioned in 2025, it was restored as a static display unit and is now housed in the Central Military Museum in Moscow.
• Armor Remnants: Most armor sets were destroyed in the war; only 3 sets were preserved intact (A(A), H(B), M(C)) as technical research samples.
• Digital Archives: The design drawings and combat records for all 25 vests have been digitized and stored in the Rebel Force Archives.
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Part Seven: Appendix
Designer's Notes (Head of UMMB Design Studio 7) (Igor Sokolov)
"Florentine was our craziest gamble. When we proposed 'wrapping the aircraft in a container bigger than itself,' everyone thought we were crazy. But war drives you mad, and it also brings clarity.
25 suits, each a world unto itself. The recoil of the heavy-armor type H(D) was so great it could shatter the spine of a regular MPU, but Florence's frame held it up. The sealing technology of the naval warfare type M(C) was later used in submarine escape systems. The wing-folding mechanism of the air superiority type A(E) remains a classic example of aeronautical engineering.
Someone asked me, if I could only keep one suit, which would I choose? I would choose the command and communications type C(H). Because in war, information is more important than shells. And Florence was that communications soldier who could remain clear-headed even amidst gunfire."
Pilot Evaluation Summary (Third Pilot) (Andrei Voronov)
"Driving the Florence is like driving a train where you can change carriages at any time. You never know what kind of armor you'll be wearing next—the heavy H(D) that makes you unable to move, or the paper-light P(I). But you know that whatever you wear, it will protect you.
The most thrilling time was when our armor was severely damaged in battle, but the main body was unharmed. We gritted our teeth and flew back to base, changed into another armor, and went on another sortie that same day. It felt like changing into a brand new outfit and going back to fight.
The day it was decommissioned, I touched its skeleton. Sixteen meters tall steel, covered in scratches and patches. But it stood straight, as if saying: 'I can fight again.'"
Technical Assessment (Rebel Force Equipment Analysis Section)
The Florence's design philosophy was at least 20 years ahead of its time. Its modular concept was widely used after the war, but to this day, no system has achieved its theoretical coverage of "all-terrain, all-battle situation adaptability."
Its drawbacks are equally obvious: the logistical demands of changing armor prevent it from serving as a rapid frontline reaction force; the armor's massive size makes it an easy target; and the interface between the main unit and the armor is prone to fatigue after prolonged use.
However, in the era of the Calamity War, where "every battle is the last," Florence proved in combat that when you don't know what you'll face next, having a partner who can handle everything is more important than any single, strongest weapon.
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Endnote of the Archive
Rebel Force Archivist's Note: During the process of organizing Florence's archives, we discovered a combat report from 2024. When the unit completed its 189th armor change, the pilot wrote in the logbook:
"Today's armor is H(D). Heavy, slow, but when it fires, the entire sky trembles. I think that's the meaning of Florence—protecting the same sky in different ways."
End of record.
Archives compiled by: Historical Research Section of the Rebel Force
Reviewed by: MCD Central Archives
Archived date: December 3, 2031
Archived