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Guide to the Lore of Hawken


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#1 Neverm0re

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Posted January 26 2013 - 12:36 PM

The story behind hawken is rather...vague, to say the least. We are given bits and pieces, but never the full picture. This leaves a lot of room for interpretation, but that is not what this guide is for. This guide is here to tell you the cold hard truths that hawken and the creators of its various media have given us, and have them compiled in one, convienient spot. Being a free-to-play online first-person shooter, story obviously wasn't their first concern, but it is there, and it has potential.

OVERVIEW:

Hawken takes place on a planet known as Illal, a once verdant, utopian planet now ruined by industrialization, war, and the Giga-Structure. Originally colonized to take advantage of its enourmous reserves of natural resources, three corporations finally came out on top of the financial dogpile: Prosk, Sentium, and Crion. These corporate entities were allowed to conduct their business seemingly without checks, far from the eyes of many of their competitors and all government balances. Through a thus-far unrevealed event Crion collapsed, and in doing so released the Giga-Structure (also known as the Hawken Virus). As the virus spread across the surface of the planet and the planets once-endless stock of resources began to deplete, the riches citizens evacuated en masse', leaving the Illalians unable to afford evacuation to fend for themselves. As the two remaining corporations compete for the dwindling resources and the Giga-structure spreads farther and farther, bipedal mechs and their pilots become the go-to tool for furthering the various agendas that threaten to tear Illal apart.

Illal:

Illal is the planet on which the entirety of the hawken experience takes place. Not much has been revealed about the planet beyond some rather basic information. Illal is boasts a breathable, non-toxic atmosphere and hosts large quantites of precious materials (one given example being a mineral called Cavorite), which was what drew the companies and fortune seekers who eventually settled the planet. We can extrapolate that, due to the similar gravitational effects we see on objects like grenades and on the mechs themselves, Illal is close to earth-size (or is larger/smaller and less/more dense, but this is less likely), and thanks to Operation Frostburn we know that the planet experiences seasons. The UTA, or the United Terran Authority, has put into place a planet wide quarantine, effectively cutting the planet off from outside interference from the government and other corporations.

The Giga-Structure:

The Giga-Structure, also known as the Hawken Virus, is a self-replicating nano-virus released by the event which caused the collapse of Crion. Visible as metallic patches (most likely due to a mechanical, nano-bot nature), the Giga-Structure covers approximately one-third of the planet's surface. While not harmful to mechs, slower moving objects like buildings and highways, and even biological entities such as trees and cattle, have all been shown to be susceptible to the virus' spread. So far, no known method of combating the spread of the Giga-Structure has been shown, forcing a mad scramble by both citizens and corporations to the unaffected areas of the planet.

The Corporations:

Very little is known about the three coporations that control the happenings on Illal. These corporations, Sentium, Prosk, and Crion, came to Illal as part of the massive boom caused by the terraforming and inhabitation of the planet. Through the resulting corporate in-fighting, these three entities came out on top. Goverment oversight was more-or-less non-existant, so these three were able to design, test and produce various technologies uninhibited, which eventually led to the collapse of Crion and the release of the Giga-Structure. The event that cause Crion's collapse was never revealed, though in the Hawken: Genesis comic series, it is hinted that all three corporations were involved in attempting to contain the accident. In a recent development, a new fuel source has been developed (its creator remains unnamed) known as Vitrolium. Created by refining vermin (most likely referring to rodents) droppings that contain giga-structure particles using an unknown chemical process, Vitrolium is an amazingly potent fuel that has caused renewed fighting between Sentium and Prosk and promises to be a central focus of many future conflicts.

The Mechs:

Since the war for resources and territory began, the weapon of choice have been bipedal mechs piloted by humans. These mechs take many different shapes and perform many varied functions, but they all share one attribute: Weaponry. Designed as machines of war and taking the place of vulnerable infantrymen, mechs have become synonomous with the constant struggles that take place daily across Illal.

A-CLASSES:

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Berserker:

Using the Prosk L3 Piston Body Type, the berserker is a nightmare for those who face it. Fast, agile and sporting several highly effective weapons such as TOW Rockets and the Point-D Vulcan, these mechs are often spotted scavanging the wreckage of heavier M-and H-class mechs (Known as B- and C-Class to the Hawken Community). This platform's designer, Professor Arnoff, based his core concept on insects from his home world stating, "I am not a god, I can only hope to mimic their creations."

Infiltrator:


The L5 Boot, frequently found on Infiltrators, was the first prototype light walker ever created. Outfitted with clusters of oxygen tanks and a hermetically sealed shell, it was able to withstand the extreme conditions of Illal better than anything before it. Very early versions of the Boot were built from organic materials, but as the design changed with each layer of development new mods quickly replaced such outdated systems. In many ways this first creation was a herald of the battlefield to come; modern parts were swapped out, rebuilt, swapped out, and rebuilt again. What you see before you was made to survive in the worst climates the universe has to offer, and bring death.

Reaper:

The L2 Spree is common among Reapers not only for its rouge-like style, but also for its surprising flexibility. Mobile, yet offering tremendous stability, it is ideal for assignments which require venturing alone outside friendly territory. The reaper is a mid-long range sniper, sporting weapons based on those used by the longer range Sharpshooter.

Scout:

The L2 Moke was first produced to help offset the heavy cost of war. Knowing that Scouts rarely returned from reconnaissance missions, the design recycled parts from salvaged shuttle wreckage scavenged from the dead zone. This model was eventually updated to a more streamlined version, but the iconic cylindrical fuel canister style cockpit was preserved and is often outfitted as tribute to the brave Scouts who gave their lives during the course of battle.

B-CLASSES:

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Assault:

The M4 Brommens, now found on Assault mechs, was originally created to excavate Illal's hazardous mines. After the cost of tunnel collapses began to rise the corporations found they could frequently save their equipment (and the pilot) if they outfitted them in a walker. The Brommens offered both physical protection and a way to dig the pilot out, although the psychological ramifications of being buried alive often lingered with the pilots long after. Even after it was pressed into combat service much of the design of this mech
remained the same; you can still notice semi-obsolete features throughout the mech, such as the flood lamps located just to the left of the cockpit.

Bruiser:

The M2 Hiefram, often found on Bruisers, is frequently known as the cheese grater - not because of the optical grill over the cockpit, but because the Hiefram has a tendency to grind enemies into thin strips of metal and flesh. Hiefram are often seen in frontline service, and are cheap enough to manufacture that they are usually just left on the battlefield instead of repaired.

CR-T Recruit:

Known lovingly as 'Screen-Head', 'TV-Mech', or 'Microwave', the M-D Fred was one of the first mechs deployed post Nano-Virus. Although Fred is made efficiently to minimize cost of valuable components, it is surprisingly versatile and powerful. Those who underestimate what a trained pilot can do with this mech may find themselves whispering the words 'Fuzzy Bunny' just before death.

Sharpshooter:

The M4 Res, frequently found on Sharpshooters, was originally conceived to be a fast-moving foot soldier. The chassis was created with the concept of offering pilots a variety of front shield attachments to allow the Res to change roles almost on the fly. It was quickly discovered that Type-C Heavy mechs were significantly more suited to this type of work, so over time the Res got moved further and further from the battlefield's front lines, eventually finding itself as the Sharpshooter's mech of choice.

C-CLASSES:

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Brawler:

The H1 Heppten, a.k.a. The Brawler, is nothing short of a walking tank. It is easily identified by its reactive armor plates and turret based gun-cam, but most often remembered for being near indestructible. Standard S deployment includes these walkers near middle and rear of the combat formation. Heppten engines are highly complex, which makes them extremely difficult to clean and maintain. It has been stated that it is "Easier to rebuild a new bot from scratch than make these beasts work."

Grenadier:

Inspired by long dead insects, the Brass H1 was highly effective in the early days of the war. Originally the entire frame was fully plated, but it was found that enemy ordnance rarely hit the only weak point on the walker - the neck. To save on weight the Brass now relies on a network of tightly woven fibers make up the mech's central coupling. This engineering change has saved countless lives - just pray you're piloting one of the new versions.

Rocketeer:

The H2 Domoff, also known as 'The Dog', is the oldest Type-C Heavy model currently in production. The Dog is an absolute nightmare to maintenance crews; mud and grime frequently clog the leg shields, and mud and grime are frequent on Illal. Well-conditioned Domoff mechs, however, are some of the fastest Type-C Heavy mechs available, which is why they aren't fully taken out of production. The war always continues, and all we can do is live, learn, and keep rolling. 'Engineering flaw if I dare say' - Lt. K.

Vanguard "Cupcake":

Historically, Sentium ground forces were advised to keep a look out for the signature heart shaped cockpit and iconic wedge of the H3 Cupcake. Unyielding and relentless, only the royal guard of Prosk high command made use of these monstrosities. All transmissions involving 'Cupcake' were considered to be wild speculation. That all changed after a leaked communication regarding the existence of the Cupcake caused riots among the pilots - they all wanted the Cupcake for their own. Special versions of the H3 Cupcake, known as The Vanguard, were created for rapid, close-range riot control. When the angry mobs start picketing, call out the Vanguard.


For now this is all we are given concerning the world of Hawken. If I missed something, don't hesitate to tell me and I will include it as soon as I possibly can. As more information is brought to light, this lore guide can and will be updated to best reflect what we know about the game and the world of Illal.

EDIT (2/13/2013): Included information from the fourth installment of Hawken: Genesis, "The Cost of Doing Business"

Edited by Neverm0re, February 13 2013 - 11:30 AM.

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#2 Coldbound

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Posted January 26 2013 - 12:41 PM

Thank you for this. :)
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#3 Kotetsu

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Posted January 26 2013 - 01:23 PM

This is great, thank you. It fills in most of the gaps in the lore that I had. And you are right, there is a lot of potential for story here, but I guess that's what the graphic novels are going to be for.

#4 Neverm0re

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Posted January 26 2013 - 06:31 PM

View PostColdbound, on January 26 2013 - 12:41 PM, said:

Thank you for this. :)

I for one like to know the story behind the game that I am playing so I can more deeply enjoy the experience, and when I first started playing Hawken there was pretty much nothing telling me what was going on. I would have loved to have something like this around when I was new and just poking around to see what this was all about, and since there still wasn't anything like this around a month later I thought I would bite the bullet and be the one to put it out there.

Plus, the contest incentive wasn't too shabby ;)

Edited by Neverm0re, January 26 2013 - 06:34 PM.

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#5 ArnieF4440

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Posted January 26 2013 - 06:49 PM

Nice, added to my useful threads list, its good to know a bit of the back story :)
http://community.pla...-tricks-thread/
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#6 tman7919

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Posted January 26 2013 - 06:54 PM

I have a question. In comic 3 it talks about a rebreather. what does it do to help someone?
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#7 Neverm0re

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Posted January 26 2013 - 07:01 PM

View Posttman7919, on January 26 2013 - 06:54 PM, said:

I have a question. In comic 3 it talks about a rebreather. what does it do to help someone?

I would think that it has something to do with the over-industrialization of some area of the planet causing the air to be more-or-less unbreathable due to the thick pollution and toxic materials floating about, but I can't confirm that as the cause.

Edited by Neverm0re, January 26 2013 - 07:03 PM.

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#8 tman7919

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Posted January 26 2013 - 07:03 PM

View PostNeverm0re, on January 26 2013 - 07:01 PM, said:

View Posttman7919, on January 26 2013 - 06:54 PM, said:

I have a question. In comic 3 it talks about a rebreather. what does it do to help someone?

I would think that it has something to do with the over-industrialization of some area of the planet causing the air to be more-or-less unbreathable due to the thick pollution, but I can't confirm that as the cause.
Dammit I need information on it...
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#9 Neverm0re

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Posted January 26 2013 - 07:06 PM

View Posttman7919, on January 26 2013 - 07:03 PM, said:

View PostNeverm0re, on January 26 2013 - 07:01 PM, said:

View Posttman7919, on January 26 2013 - 06:54 PM, said:

I have a question. In comic 3 it talks about a rebreather. what does it do to help someone?

I would think that it has something to do with the over-industrialization of some area of the planet causing the air to be more-or-less unbreathable due to the thick pollution, but I can't confirm that as the cause.
Dammit I need information on it...

Unfortunately you will probably have to wait on more issues of the comic series to be released before that is answered, or you could try to ask the dev team and see what they have to say about it.

I assume you want it for your fan fic, in which case you should just write in whatever fits best with your story. Fan fics usually differ a bit from the source material (I know, I've written plenty), and a minor thing like what a rebreather is used for isn't going to kill your setting.
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#10 tman7919

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Posted January 26 2013 - 07:20 PM

View PostNeverm0re, on January 26 2013 - 07:06 PM, said:

View Posttman7919, on January 26 2013 - 07:03 PM, said:

View PostNeverm0re, on January 26 2013 - 07:01 PM, said:

View Posttman7919, on January 26 2013 - 06:54 PM, said:

I have a question. In comic 3 it talks about a rebreather. what does it do to help someone?

I would think that it has something to do with the over-industrialization of some area of the planet causing the air to be more-or-less unbreathable due to the thick pollution, but I can't confirm that as the cause.
Dammit I need information on it...

Unfortunately you will probably have to wait on more issues of the comic series to be released before that is answered, or you could try to ask the dev team and see what they have to say about it.

I assume you want it for your fan fic, in which case you should just write in whatever fits best with your story. Fan fics usually differ a bit from the source material (I know, I've written plenty), and a minor thing like what a rebreather is used for isn't going to kill your setting.
You know what I am doing then... Well I want to keep this story as tied to what Hawken is. A bit of info mistaken and that could lead to big differences later on. I am trying to keep it close without adding anything that really already exist. (ex. Laila)
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#11 Teljaxx

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Posted January 26 2013 - 11:07 PM

I have been quite impressed with how much has been done to flesh-out the Hawken universe so far, and this has just been previews so far! I always love having a nice, in depth background to add flavor to a good game. I am excited to see where the story will go once the graphic novel and web series start up.

View Posttman7919, on January 26 2013 - 06:54 PM, said:

I have a question. In comic 3 it talks about a rebreather. what does it do to help someone?

From what I could tell, it was to filter out the nano-virus that was in the air. It sounded like the event that caused the release of the virus was an explosion that spread it into the atmosphere. I would assume that in the heavily infected areas, the atmosphere would contain nanobots that you would very much NOT want to breath in, unless you want your lungs converted into metal blocks.
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#12 Neverm0re

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Posted January 27 2013 - 09:12 AM

View PostTeljaxx, on January 26 2013 - 11:07 PM, said:

View Posttman7919, on January 26 2013 - 06:54 PM, said:

I have a question. In comic 3 it talks about a rebreather. what does it do to help someone?

From what I could tell, it was to filter out the nano-virus that was in the air. It sounded like the event that caused the release of the virus was an explosion that spread it into the atmosphere. I would assume that in the heavily infected areas, the atmosphere would contain nanobots that you would very much NOT want to breath in, unless you want your lungs converted into metal blocks.

Thats an interesting theory. I'm looking forward to actually getting some real information on how the nano-virus spreads, being air-borne, spreading on the ground like kudzu vines, ect.
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#13 Majic12

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Posted January 30 2013 - 02:03 AM

Thanks for this. I'm not thhrough with the graphic novels yet, but I hope they'll expand the fuzzy bunny out of this universe.
Love the story and atmosphere they created.
Let's see what's to come.
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#14 Calaban619

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Posted January 31 2013 - 08:14 PM

Looking about a bit in game, also with a bit of hunger for the "fluff" (warhammer 40k term), I think I figured out a thing or two to add to the OP:

In the Bazaar map, one day the other team Rage quitted, and we were left just looking around, then I looked UP. My! there is a BIG skyscraper off in the distance on the horizon... one could call it "arcology" sized... one of the/The Gigastructure? Its green and seems to just go up and up and up till my mech tilt maxes out. So apparently the Bazaar is out in a desert wasteland, nearby the Gigastructure.

Origin appears to be a battle occuring ON the Gigastructure.. like maybe "Origin" means "the Origin site of the NanoVirus". Notice the TR0N like textures of its surfaces, and blocky "procedural fractal" (like how Minecraft terrain is generated) sort of building-like protrusions?

And the power-up orbs you get when you kill a mech bothered me a little (power up coins left behind?!).. until I rationalized it as "tamed" nanovirus- whose job it is literally to patch and repair machinery- if each Mech has a little swarm of them (that it sprays with the repair drone), then when a mech dies, the nanovirus is left floating- looking for a new thing to repair...

These are all "maybe's" and just my impressions. They may be old news to those who have played longer than I have (11 days)

#15 Neverm0re

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Posted February 01 2013 - 08:05 AM

View PostCalaban619, on January 31 2013 - 08:14 PM, said:

Looking about a bit in game, also with a bit of hunger for the "fluff" (warhammer 40k term), I think I figured out a thing or two to add to the OP:

In the Bazaar map, one day the other team Rage quitted, and we were left just looking around, then I looked UP. My! there is a BIG skyscraper off in the distance on the horizon... one could call it "arcology" sized... one of the/The Gigastructure? Its green and seems to just go up and up and up till my mech tilt maxes out. So apparently the Bazaar is out in a desert wasteland, nearby the Gigastructure.

Origin appears to be a battle occuring ON the Gigastructure.. like maybe "Origin" means "the Origin site of the NanoVirus". Notice the TR0N like textures of its surfaces, and blocky "procedural fractal" (like how Minecraft terrain is generated) sort of building-like protrusions?

And the power-up orbs you get when you kill a mech bothered me a little (power up coins left behind?!).. until I rationalized it as "tamed" nanovirus- whose job it is literally to patch and repair machinery- if each Mech has a little swarm of them (that it sprays with the repair drone), then when a mech dies, the nanovirus is left floating- looking for a new thing to repair...

These are all "maybe's" and just my impressions. They may be old news to those who have played longer than I have (11 days)

All interesting ideas, but I only want to add information that is verifiable to the guide. Speculation is perfectly fine down here though!
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#16 Teljaxx

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Posted February 02 2013 - 01:00 AM

I love the Giga-Structure towers outside of Bazaar and Prosk, barely being kept out by those blue forcefields. It really makes it feel like such a hopeless struggle against the virus to see how hard it is to keep even the small areas that are left uncontaminated. And then of course seeing what happens as the nanovirus takes over on Uptown, and once it has full taken over on Origin. I love the impossibly huge Giga-Structure blocks that are visible through the purple haze on Origin, it really make the map atmospheric.
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#17 Owngasm

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Posted February 08 2013 - 11:11 AM

Just a quick edit for you, Never. You say in the beginning that the Giga-Structure is also called Hawken Virus but I don't think they're the same, which sounds like what you're saying with that wording.

Hawken virus is a strain of self-replicating nano-bots that terraform land/buildings/cows (comic #3) into metallic plates. These things seems to be connected together. When viewing these vast connections as one entity, it is called the "Giga-Structure." Or at least thats what I gathered in my searches.

Also, context clues in comic 3 lead you to believe the rebreathers purpose is to allow someone some sort of safety in contaminated areas, hence Rouser getting freaked out when seeing the crazy dude without one. Furthermore, you are told that, pre-Hawken, the air was perfectly safe. Thus, a rebreather is only useful in situations post-Hawken, and can be assumed its to deal with the virus itself. Not saying this is fact though, just concurring with the general idea here.
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#18 Neverm0re

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Posted February 08 2013 - 12:18 PM

View PostOwngasm, on February 08 2013 - 11:11 AM, said:

Just a quick edit for you, Never. You say in the beginning that the Giga-Structure is also called Hawken Virus but I don't think they're the same, which sounds like what you're saying with that wording.

Hawken virus is a strain of self-replicating nano-bots that terraform land/buildings/cows (comic #3) into metallic plates. These things seems to be connected together. When viewing these vast connections as one entity, it is called the "Giga-Structure." Or at least thats what I gathered in my searches.

Also, context clues in comic 3 lead you to believe the rebreathers purpose is to allow someone some sort of safety in contaminated areas, hence Rouser getting freaked out when seeing the crazy dude without one. Furthermore, you are told that, pre-Hawken, the air was perfectly safe. Thus, a rebreather is only useful in situations post-Hawken, and can be assumed its to deal with the virus itself. Not saying this is fact though, just concurring with the general idea here.

My information came from my own reading and the hawken wiki: http://hawken.wikia..../Giga-Structure
If the wiki article is wrong, then I will revise the guide to better suit the reality of the situation.
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#19 Pyrophile

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Posted May 07 2013 - 09:28 AM

View PostNeverm0re, on January 26 2013 - 12:36 PM, said:

large quantites of precious materials (one given example being a mineral called Cavorite)

Wait, seriously?

H.G. Wells' anti-gravity metal?

That's what makes my repair drone float?
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#20 Teljaxx

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Posted May 07 2013 - 09:35 AM

View PostPyrophile, on May 07 2013 - 09:28 AM, said:

View PostNeverm0re, on January 26 2013 - 12:36 PM, said:

large quantites of precious materials (one given example being a mineral called Cavorite)

Wait, seriously?

H.G. Wells' anti-gravity metal?

That's what makes my repair drone float?

Yup, along with being built into the chassis of the mechs themselves to make them light enough to be as maneuverable as they are.
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