Model number: AM-004L
Code name: Landlion
Unit type: mass production ground combat armored module
Manufacturer(s): Iris Corporation, others
Operator(s): numerous
First deployment: October UC 225
Accommodation: pilot only, in standard cockpit in torso
Dimensions: overall height 19.2 meters
Armor materials: titanium-elektron nonferrous composite
Powerplant: ultracompact fusion reactor, output rated at 950 kW
Equipment and design features: sensors, range unknown; Tesla drive system
Fixed armaments: 2 x 6-tube missile launcher, 5 round magazine per tube, mounted on shoulders; 2 x 105mm machine cannon, fire-linked, mounted in shoulders; long-barrel burst railgun, mounted on right arm
Optional hand armaments: none

Technical and Historical Notes

The unfairly-maligned Iris Corporation had garnered a reputation for designing unusual mobile weapons in the post-Interregnum period, and perhaps more infamously, another for passing them off to anyone with cash on hand. One of Iris' last major inventions, the Tesla drive, proved an incredible boon to their production of mobile weapons. The Lion series of armored modules - a less-expensive alternative to typical mobile suit designs - immediately proves popular in the post-Interregnum defense market, which spurs on the development of additional Lion-type units for specialized environments.

The AM-004L Landlion appears to be something of a "devolution" of the original Lion, as its aptitude for flight has been replaced by a quartet of treads, restricting the Landlion to surface warfare. Though its mobility has suffered accordingly, the Iris Corporation has offered that an airborne unit might not always be the best choice for a given defense need - the Landlion also serves as a quiet reminder that unlike most airborne-capable mobile suits, the Lion armored module cannot meaningfully fight on the ground. The Landlion's reactor is utilized to generate electric power for the four "stick mover" caterpillars, which are magnetically driven. It maintains a relatively light weight, however, enabling it to be quite fast and maneuverable for a land-based mobile weapon. It also utilizes the torso and body of the navalized AM-004S Sealion, resulting in a modest improvement in durability and armor protection. While the Tesla drive was not removed from the design, its output is significantly reduced, making the Landlion only capable of hovering or making short "jumps", primarily to facilitate clearing obstacles.

The Landlion's primary armament is a heavier version of the standard Lion's burst railgun, chiefly differing in the form of a longer barrel with additional acceleration coils, allowing it to be fired with quantifiably more destructive capability at more distant targets. A pair of heavy machine cannons are mounted in the shoulder region in the area occupied by the Sealion's hydrojet thrusters, and a pair of missile pods (also derived from the Sealion's multijet missile system) allow the Landlion excellent suppression capability.

Given its rather conservative design nature, the Landlion was one of the few armored modules not revived after the forced shutdown of the Iris Corporation by the Earth Union - the Tesla Leicht Institute, now with certain goals more political than economical, set out developing entirely new designs instead of continuing to offer what amounted to little more than income padding. However, a great many Landlions were produced during 225-228, and surplus machines can still be found in good condition for interested buyers.

Lineart

Rear view