Offical Unit Reference Guide

The Empire of man

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Common units:

Imperial Riflemen:

The standard front-line infantry of the imperial army. Armed with muzzle-loading, single-shot flintlock rifles, they fire in large volleys for maximum effect, although a single rifleman can maintain a fairly decent rate of fire on his own. They are lightly armoured, with only a steel hemet and back-and-breast plate.

Imperial Assault Troopers:

Assault Troopers are the shock-troops of the imperial army. Their carbines are considerably shorter and lighter than those of the Imperial Riflemen, and they make use of a complex clockwork mechanism to greatly increase the rate of fire of their weapons, which have a capacity of 12 rounds. They are heavily armoured, although clever use of in-built harnesses and spring mechanisms helps to distribute the overal weight of their armour more evenly, so they are not slowed down by the weight.

Imperial Sharpshooters:

Operating in pairs or alone, Imperial Sharpshooters are deployed in a sniping role, targeting officers and playing an important reconnaissance role. The rifles they carry employ do not sport scopes. Instead, all sharpshooters wear elaborate goggles that feature a series of magnifying lenses that can be placed over either eye for accurate shooting at long range.

Special units:

Clockwork Men:

A clockwork automaton design pioneered by the Imperial army. Several specific clockwork man types are in existence, and they ususally perform either industrial or military functions. An intricate combination clockwork "wind-up" technology and gyroscopic balance, the clockwork man is also a group fighter. Its strength is augmented when among throngs of its own kind, and it can salvage the remains of other destroyed clockwork men for self-repair. However, the mechanisms are susceptible to degradation from sand, and while a single clockwork man can match the power of a sizeable battalion of foot soldiers and other infantry, it will quickly be overcome by heavier tanks and artillery

Scout Flyer:

A small, two-man autogyro designed for  reconnaissance and security detail. The pilot concentrates on flying the machine whilst the observer sits behind him and uses a handheld camera to snap pictures of the ground below. The observer also serves as the gunner if the scout is intercepted. A complicated aim-assist mechanism helps keep a gunner's aim fixed on enemy aircraft. It uses various gears, springs, levers and weights to pinpoint and indicate exactly where a gunner has to aim for the single steam-driven rear machine gun to hit its mark.

Assault Flyer:

A heavier, three-man autogyro designed to ferry troops and supplies to where they are needed, and to perform a valuable ground attack role. It uses it's three steam-powered machine-guns to strafe enemy positions, and it makes deadly use of the flechette missile: A missile that explodes just before it hits the target area, releasing hundreds of razor-sharp steel blades which tear it's victims apart. The effect has been likened to an insanely large shotgun fired at close-quarters.

Hero units:

Air Cruiser:

Air cruisers are a type of blimp or airship. Heavily armoured and carrying a large array of bombs, missile launchers and various turrets and machine-guns, they can inflict significant damage on enemy fortifications. These military  airships are very slow and cumbersome. While a group of them can lay waste to an enemy encampment, troop formation, or military base in relatively short order, they are extremely vulnerable to fighters and other types of armed aircraft.

Leviathan Land Cruiser:

The Heavy Assault Vehicle/Tracked (HAVT) A5 Leviathan measures 30 meters in height and 50 meters in length. Its interior space allows for up to three hundred soldiers and their equipment to be carried within. A combination of twelve crew members is required to pilot and control the massive vehicle, although with an automation upgrade, that requirement can be reduced to just two pilots. With thick, thermally superconducting armor (capable of absorbing enemy fire and dispersing heat over a wide area) and a heavier load, the A5 can only achieve 160 kilometers per hour, and it turns very slowly. From a small pod above the vehicle's back, a spotter can keep a lookout for enemy forces. Though this grants a good view of the surrounding area, the spotter is an easy target for hostile troops. This observation mast can be retracted when not in use.