Mechs are machines of war piloted by humans through a neural interface, made possible through a metaphysical connection created through the variant element synchronium.

Mechs typically range from 10-15 meters tall:

As a general rule, scout mechs are smaller than ranged mechs, which are smaller than melee mechs.
Light mechs are smaller than medium mechs, which are smaller than heavy mechs.
Then there's the super-heavy class.

Example:

Light scout mechs are typically around 10 meters tall.
Medium ranged mechs are one weight class heavier and ranged, so they're around 12 meters tall.
Heavy melee mechs are one weight class heavier and melee, so they're around 14 meters tall.
Super-heavy melee mechs are 15 meters tall.

Mech Pilots

Mech pilots are humans who have demonstrated an aptitude for piloting mechs through being especially sensitive to io-silica or synchronium compared to the rest of the population. Piloting aptitude are currently limited to 5 percent of the total population, disproportionately favoring people who have pilot blood. Aptitude can be tested for from an age as young as 10 years old.

Expert Pilots

Expert pilots are those capable of breaking past the limits of perfect synchronance, achieving oversynchronance. Expert pilots and candidates are considered to have Grade S neural aptitude.

Theory says that regular pilots can break through into the ranks of expert pilots when they experience great trauma, stress, or resolve themselves to do something. Advancement is theoretically possible even if the pilot's original aptitude is as low as Grade E.

A pilot that has managed to achieve oversynchronance is called an expert candidate. Only when they are capable of oversynchronance at will are they considered a full fledged expert pilot.

Note: The term expert pilot and candidate is taken from the novel the Mech Touch, but aside from how both are considered special, the two are unrelated.

Neural Aptitude Summary

Aptitude represents the overall ability for pilots to interface with their mechs, merging and becoming one with the machine. The ability to interface is made possible through the exotic synchronium, so named for allowed pilots to synchronize with their mechs.

If a pilot puts in enough work, they may be able to raise their aptitude.

Additionally, as a pilot becomes more familiar with a mech (such as piloting it for a long period of time), their effective aptitude increases for that mech, even if their base aptitude remains the same.

In this way, a Grade E pilot may theoretically effectively pilot a humanoid mech in combat. However, they will require a ridiculous amount of training to do so, and every repair and modification will drastically impact their effectiveness.

Neural Aptitude Rank

Aptitude ranges from Grade F to Grade A. Grade A pilots are almost as comfortable in their mech of choice, while Grade F are people unable to synchronize with mechs.

While 100 percent synchronance is the theoretical maximum, there are certain people who can do the impossible and exceed 100 percent synchronance, drawing out better performance from their mechs than should be possible given the sum of its parts. These people are, called expert pilots, are all considered Grade S, regardless of their actual aptitude, for it does not really matter.

Grade F:

Incapable of synchronizing with any mechs.

Grade E

Clumsy movements with half-mechs. Unable to battle.
Incapable of synchronizing with humanoid mechs.

Grade D

Acceptable level of movements with half-mechs. Combat capable.
Unable to move with humanoid mechs. Unable to battle.

Grade C

Fine motor control with half-mechs. Combat Capable.
Acceptable level of movements with humanoid mechs. Combat capable.

Grade B

Fine motor control with humanoid mechs. Combat capable.

Grade A

Capable of achieving perfect synchronance for a limited amount of time.

Grade S

Capable of indefinite perfect synchronance.
Capable of achieving oversynchronance for a limited amount of time.

Variant (Exotic) Elements

The discovery of variant elements by man marked the start of a new age. The age of mankind. Variant elements are formed when basic elements of purely protons, neutrons, and electrons somehow captured and retained exotic particles in its structure.

These new elements defied reality and conventional physics. Negative mass. Perfect conduction of electricity. Pairing that allowed for true faster-than-light communication. Such lists of miraculous properties scratched only the surface of what these variant elements were capable of.

Only their relative scarcity kept their power in check.

These elements could not be created by any known method, only found in small quantities in asteroids and planets—with the exception of one.

Synchronium, formally called io-silica, made by bombarding silicon with iota particles.

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