Type 18

Row of Type 18 Garde Mechs

The Type 18 (一八式 Ichihachi-shiki) is a current generation Garde Mech used aboard the Sidonia for offense and defense against the Gauna.

History

The Type 18 Mech was designed by Kunato Developments to replace the Type 17 as the Type 17 required more training to use, and highly trained pilots aboard the Sidonia were running low. The Type 18 uses more automated systems to allow less seasoned pilots to fly into combat, and most pilots were newly promoted out of the Academy. The automation actually works against pilots used to exerting more manual control, as Nagate discovered when he attempted to pilot one in a flight simulator, achieving the lowest score in the history of the Garde pilot academy. Most of the Sidonia's Garde force is made up of the Type 18 model, the Defense squads are comprised of 256 18's.

Armaments

The Type 18's highly automated systems allow more pilots to be fielded quicker, and each mech comes heavily armed no matter what the mission. The armanents are similar to the Type 17's. 

Heigus Particle Cannon

Norio's Type 18 desperately fires it's Heigus Cannon to fend off Gauna 487

Fires a concentrated beam of Heigus Particles to desintegrate a Gauna's ena, thus exposing the Core for a Kabizashi. This weapon has no recoil and excellent range, but drains the Garde's Heigus reserves. The Garde's "head" serves as the firing port.

High Vibration Blades

The Type 18's HV Blades ready for action

A set of metal blades edged with pure energy, capable of easily slicing through a Gauna's primary weapon, the tentacles. Each arm of the Garde has an HVB. The primary use for the weapon is to fend off incoming Gauna tentacle attacks.

Guided Missiles

Norio's missiles covering Tanikaze and Hoshijiro's retreat.

Guided missiles. When fired they fly to the target, sink into the Gauna's ena, and then explode. Norio Kunato fired two of his Type 18's missiles to cover Nagate's retreat from Gauna 487. They are mounted under the right arm, and use computer targeting.

Gauna Lethal

So far only two weapons can actually kill the Gauna, and both make use of the mysterious Kabi elements to penetrate the Gauna's core, thus killing the whole creature.

Kabizashi

Like all Gardes, the Type 18's gauntlet can grasp the handle of a Kabizashi spear.

Ballistic Acceleration Device

A high powered railgun designed to fire Kabi/Heavy Mass rounds. This weapon was a prototype made by Toha Heavy Industries, but Nagate claims to have used one in his simulations. This weapon allows the Gardes to attack and destroy Gauna at a safe distance with incredible accuracy, like a sniper rifle. However, the weapon has immense kick, so much it throws the Garde backwards with a jerk, and gives a loud BANG like a rifle.

Knights of Sidonia
Anime	Season 1 (S1 compilation film) | Season 2 | Love Woven in the Stars
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Key Subjects	Sidonia | Gauna | Gardes | Technology of Sidonia | Characters of Sidonia