Tripod

The Triple-Legged Advanced Weapon System (TLAWS), otherwise simply known as the Tripod, is a type of vehicle and war machine designed by ClawTech by the orders of the Arcturan Law Enforcement Organisation and the Government of Arcturus Magna. They are used by the Arcturan Law Enforcement Organisation as highly-advanced war machines and vehicles with which to defuse lethal situations and fight against not only vehicles on the ground but also in the air.

Design
The TLAWS were designed as triple-legged, mechanical vehicles and war-machines intended for usage as heavy armoury for the Arcturan Law Enforcement Organisation. They are approximately 30 metres tall, and have extremely large, flexible legs with flexible, large clawed "feet". Their legs are attached to a main body, while, on top of a "neck", is the "head", housing the cockpit and other machinery, which can rotate a full 360 degrees independently of the body.

Legs
The legs are made of a reinforced Protodermis Steel, impenetrable to all but energy cannons. The legs are retractable, allowing the tripod to come closer to the surface when it needs to do so. The "feet" are heavily-armoured and clawed, and feature sensors to scan the surface.

On top of the legs, a small hatch is located, through which one can enter the main body of the tripod itself.

Main Body
The main body is a large structure featuring a connection to the "head", informally referred to as the "neck", as well as the housing of the tripod's tentacles. It also houses the small prison compartment of the tripod in its back.

The Head
The cockpit, informally referred to as the "head", is a structure on top of the "neck", which can rotate 360 degrees. It houses the cockpit, the computer machinery and sensor operators, as well as the High-Powered Energy Ray. The machine can be operated from the cockpit, but can also be operated from a remote location or even by itself.

Operation
Tripods are primarily operated in the cockpit by up to three crewmembers. Due to their nature as a triple-legged machine, they are often hard to operate and steer correctly, but they are very swift and agile in their movements. The High-Powered Energy Ray is controlled through the cockpit as well.

Besides being operated through the cockpit, a tripod can also be programmed to be operated by its own sensors to destroy anything it sees as an immediate threat to its existence, as well as being operated from a remote location. This enabled the Arcturan Law Enforcement Organisation to effectively utilise the tripod machines in a variety of situations without risking loss of personnell in the process.

Equipment
Being a war machine, the tripods are heavily armoured and equipped with an array of high-powered weaponry to be used against personnell, ground targets and aerial targets. Their primary equipment is found below.

Tentacles
The tripods are equipped with a series of extendable and retractable tentacles, which feature sensors and camera's to analyse the situation not only around them, but also the situation directly underneath the tripod's main body. They are made of a semi-organic, flexible version of reinforced Protodermis Steel, and can be used as sensors, camera's, and even to pick up beings to capture them and put them into the prison hold.

High-Powered Energy Ray (HPER)
The High-Powered Energy Ray (HPER) is a weapon featured on all tripods, and is their signature weapon. It is, as its name says, a highly powerful energy ray that can effectively be used against equipment, aerial vehicles, ground vehicles and even beings. On impact with beings, it is likely to disintegrate the beings in an instant.

Due to the high amounts of energy stored within the HPER at any given time, it has been theorised that they are the most vulnerable spot of the tripods. If it explodes, the extremely high energy it releases is likely to destroy not only the gun itself, but also the tripod's cockpit, effectively rendering the tripod inoperable.

The HPER is situated on the back side of the tripod's "head", on an arm above it. The arm is flexible enough to provide a full 360-degree operation radius for the HPER.

Cannons
On both sides of the tripod's "head", a single large cannon is situated. It fires explosive projectiles, and is typically used as an auxiliary weapon for longer ranges. The bombs it fires are typically explosives, though it also is able to fire specialised smoke bombs that release a special smoke to either kill its targets or temporarily incapacitate them, allowing the tripod to move closer and attack or capture its targets.

EMP Cannon
On the head of a tripod, it has a set of "teeth" and a "mouth", with which it is able to release a powerful blast that can temporarily render technology in its area disabled and also disable radio communications. This has made it especially notorious during Arcturan operations on other planets where the tripods were required to incapacitate enemy forces.

Trivia

 * The tripod and its MOC were inspired by the Fighting Machine from The War of the Worlds by H.G. Wells.