I was inspired by IGN's unit guide to make this . The IGN unit guides mention that the Sun Jaguar and Death Snake are piloted. However, I think that was based on 'old' info and that there aren't any pilots piloting those machines in the current incarnation of RoL. My reasoning for this is A: the deathsnake concept art shows a pilot, but that was changed for retail. And secondly, in the campaign mission with that rogue viscount, the crashed Fane kept producing Deathsnakes by itself...so I reckon Sun Jaguars and Deathsnakes are machines, and not piloted.

Also note how I used the date 'Ciober' from Evolved's short Cuotl story .

My Lady Lenora- as requested, here is the first of what I hope to be a long series of research notes that me and my boys in the lab have created.

I must say that the samples you provided are astounding! Never before have I encountered Cuotl technology in such a well-preserved state! Though there is still a fair bit of damage, it is far better than the wrecks I've been receiving in the past. It is fortunate that we have friends among the Cuotl now.

You know I still mourn the passing of Giacomo- he was a hero to us all, a true inventor, whose knowledge and genius helped shape all our people. I dare to say that only the Great Inventor had a bigger impact on our society than he. Giacomo was the only man who understood the mysterious technology that the Cuotl use. And now he seems to have taken this secret with him to his grave. Nevertheless, we have been hard at work studying the machine you have provided me...and while I fear my studies are not as conclusive as you would like, I hope to crack the Cuotl's mystery given more time. Were that he were here to guide me now.

Research Notes for Unit 20C: "Sun Jaguar" Page A

http://rol.heavengames.com/gallery/view_photo.php?full=1&set­ญญญ_albumName=RoL-FanArt&id=Research_Sun_Jaguar01

Though damaged in several places, I have managed to reconstruct a rough schematic of how this machine would have looked like in its undamaged form. I am highly intrigued...the build of this machine is very light, yet it is suprisingly durable and swift in battle.

In this first paper, I have taken the liberty to remove the legs in this sketch, so that you may see the unobscured profile of the machine. Note in particular, my emphasis on the tail-end of the machine. There is some device that allows the tail to 'light up' at a specific point on the back of the tail-end. I am still unsure of the purpose of this device.

These Sun Jaguars have been known to fire beams of light from their eyes....I have always been eager to see how this is achieved, but I am still confuddled, to say the least. I have included a cross-section of the 'eye' of the machine. Its workings are beyond my ken. I can only imagine what craftsmanship must be required to create such delicate-looking machinery....it is so fine...there is so much...I simply cannot comprehend how such a device can possibly operate. At a glance, it appears to be electrically powered, much like the energy generated from our Prototype Factories and Nullifiers. These coils behind what seems to be the part that emits the beam of light bear a vague resemblance to those of the Nullifier...albeit on an incredibly smaller scale. I know of no other way to say it. Clearly it is very different from a Nullifier because I do not recall Nullifiers ever shooting devastating beams of light. If I ever work out this machinery, remind me to create a device called a "Nullifryer" which fires beams of light.

As I open up this robot, I see that the interior consists largely of this....latticework (for lack of a better explanation) of angular lines. It is as though the metal itself courses with raw power.

This 'Lattice Metal' is also highly flexible. It is this alloy that allows the tail to move with incredible swiftness and allows this machine to remain balanced while being extremely fast and manueverable at the same time. Though I am loathe to admit it, our own proud clockwork creations seem so slow and cumborsome compared the sheer gracefulness of this device.

This one here in front of me is lifeless and dull now (looks nothing out of the ordinary), but I have seen this metal glow when the robot is fully functioning, and I have seen the incredible feats it can perform. I do not understand how or why this is so, but all Cuotl technology seems to be based on this.

The outer shell of the machine...I feel tempted to say it is rock....stonework......yet clearly it is not! All it takes is a swift blow with a hammer and chisel to determine that this is far stronger. How could such a lightweight machine support such strong armour?

Research Notes for Unit 20C: "Sun Jaguar" Page B

http://rol.heavengames.com/gallery/view_photo.php?full=1&set­ญญญ_albumName=RoL-FanArt&id=Research_Sun_Jaguar02

Ah yes...the legs. Notice the joints that connects them to the machine's torso. They appear so frail and flimsy! For some reason that I cannot fathom, they are capable of not only supporting the powerful legs, but also moving them with astounding speed! The mechanics behind the legs remain a puzzle to me, but once again, it seems to incorporate this strange lattice stuff. Remind me to make a wallpaper out of it someday.

Sorry about that M'lady- I've been thinking of brightening up my somewhat dull workshop lately...could use a bit of colour. Anyway, that reminds me...this lattice thing...it seems to stem from a certain location- namely, the back of the machine. There are some....well...sockets where canisters can be inserted. I happen to have one such canister, but had no idea what its purpose was until now. I have heard of a Cuotl ritual....some sacred event that the high priests would carry out. Apparently, they were charged with the 'holy task' of bestowing the essence of life into these machines....a kind of 'Divine Power', if you will. Well, the canister in my hand isn't exactly glowing with Divine Power, but I've heard that's how it should be.

As a scientist, you must understand my disbelief of such things. You know I cannot tolerate those fools who claim that this is somehow a fusion of magic and technology. Certainly, no 'magic' is involved...it is merely out of my understanding, for the time being. This particular machine has got 4 such sockets for 'life canisters'...I'm not sure if that's a lot or not....heck, I don't even know what's supposed to be inside these canisters! Steam? I highly doubt it....if our top scientists (myself included) can't find a way to compress enough steam to power a Steam Cannon into a canister that small, then NO ONE can! This has to be some other form of power that I am not aware of, but I am determined to find out how.

You keep sending those wrecks and I'll keep tearing them apart.

Yours faithfully, Chief Engineer Quintizio

EDIT: my pictures aren't working, what gives??? The image size is so small =/. I tried hosting on photobucket but it didnt work . Is there anywhere else good to host pictures besides photobucket?

KEEP POSTING STUFF, PEOPLE! :P

[This message has been edited by GRUNT (edited 06-11-2006 @ 11:02 AM).]