Guylos Dynasty - Status
Through the last 300 years, Guylos has remained a quiet and withdrawn realm. It was confirmed that the Dynasty still lives, but its interests have been focused on survival in the desolate north. Politically, Guylos is staunchly neutral. The other nations can kill each other and squabble over land and water if they wish, but are warned not to infringe on the Dynasty's ancient borders. The current regime is rebuilding its infrastructure, as it seems all nations of Zi must. Agriculture, industry and patriotism have all waned through the recent disasters that have rocked Planet Zi. Guylos is still viewed from the outside as a sleeping giant, however.
Guylos Units
Leadership
The baton of the family name has been passed to Saurane Dracius Guylos. She has been groomed since birth for the role of Empress. Her parents and two older brothers were slain during an inspection of a new Deochalcum mining and refinement facility; a reaction of some kind all but vaporized a portion of the mine and the royal Whale King that delivered the family to it. Saurane was at academy at the time and was suspect for years as the sole survivor bearing Guylos blood. Clearly the incident only intensified her resolve to rebuild her nation and her people. She is known to have a compassionate side but is also praised by her military advisors and instructors as having a singular grasp of complex tactics and dynamics. Though young, Saurane offers what could be the best opportunity for a lasting peace with Guylos. She could also represent a wild-card that could spell disaster for the free world.
Territory
As in the days of old, Guylos remains entirely within the confines of Nyx, the Dark Continent. However, since the comet collided with Planet Zi and the oceans have receded, the Dynasty has a substantial increase in land. Guarded by the Daras and Andor Seas, as well as the Sheed Ocean, and surrounded by razor-like mountains, the Dynasty is in an excellent defensive position. It has chosen not to expand but, rather, to establish itself more fully. The newly exposed terrain is currently being explored, including new shores and a large series of silicate-laced lava tubes that revealed an underground cave network. The comet impact also gouged out the Daras Sea, cracking the depths across the world from there and creating terribly deep coastlines about Nyx. At the moment, Nyx is also the only major land mass that has no independent tribal settlements.
Strategy
The Dynasty needs to survive, and they are accepting of the brightest and bravest of both Zoidians and humans, though the latter is far fewer in number. The inclusion of humans in their number has lead to strive with Zenevas, as the Emperor continues to seethe in his hatred of the human race. Primarily, Guylos is working to build as impenetrable a border as possible. Most of the Zoids in commission now are designed to be exceptionally durable, with standoff range capability, stealth suites and other technologies for outlasting an attack. Defense bases are built to endure first strike tactics, be they in the mountains, beneath the waves, or underground. At this stage, Guylos has very limited airpower and, instead, seeks to prevent an enemy from dominating airspace by using hidden direct fire gun emplacements and guided missile batteries.
Far more vital, however, are the efforts placed into denying an enemy the chance to even close on Nyx. Zenevas would have to bypass a screen of Angstmorders and Darkurtis, make it past pinpoint sniper fire from Blackbolts, then thread deep forests and chasms defended by Power Mantises, blast through swaths of Gravity Saurers led by Descats, and finally defeat the Dark Emperors that defend the inner realm. All this under a hail of fire from soaring Dreadwings, hidden artillery bases, and missile platforms.
The concern of Helic, Zenevas and the more local tribes to Nyx, however, is the possibility of a revived Guylos expansion campaign. With the resurgence of Dark Zoids, some fear that feelings of power, vengence and imperialism could result. If this does happen, Guylos will need far more resources than they have to take and hold extensive territories. They could, on the other hand, deliver some horriffic damage to all comers, then settle back to watch the twisted ruin smolder.
Forces
The Bluefire Contingency was a major factor in the return of the Dark Force. Guylos lost almost its entire arsenal when the Contingency was put into affect. To defend itself, the Dynasty was forced to revive its stores of deactivated Dark Zoids. After hundreds of years, Dark Horns led battleherds of Deadborders and Heldigunners into battle. The sight was enough to force the remaining Zenebas troops to withdraw and to keep Helic from approaching Nyx again.
Guylos still has a stranglehold on the rare element, Deochalcum, which was instrumental in the creation of Dark Zoids. It was thought lost to the depths until the comet impact opened new veins. Further, by using Angstmorders to perform deep dives, mining could continue kilometers beneath the seas. In addition to the new deposits, it seems that the comet has brought about a reaction with trace minerals and metals all about the impact site, and these have formed an emerald-like crystal with unique properties. One of the uses for this new mineral is in the refinement of Deochalcum in such a manner as the ill effects of radiation have been curtailed. It has also led to a process that has profoundly improved the famed Guylosian Dark Armor. This new, "Reactionary Dark Armor" dissipates concentrated energy attacks and actually hardens with kinetic force... in other words, attacking it makes it stronger. Slowly, all Guylos Zoids are having the old armors replaced with the new material. This has the potential of making old Guylos units as effective against the newest Zoids on the field as their original Dark Force kin were in the wars of old.
Despite the fearful endurance and power represented by the new breed of Dark Zoids, Guylos still maintains by far the smallest force of operational combat units between the three realms. Military production has always been a matter of quality over quantity with Guylos, and Saurane is meticulous about wringing every ounce of potential out of her resources. Guylos uses few conventional vehicles such as tanks, aircraft and ships, as the materials and processes to build them can be better suited to creating better Zoids. By the same token, there are very few non-military Zoids on Nyx.
Guylos unit designation are an extension of the original system, though some interpretations have been made to incorporate the identification of new technologies:
DHI - Dynasty Hyper-Infusion core Zoid: Originally there was only one unit with this designation; the Heldigunner. It has since become the mantle for all light engine Zoids, regardless of tonnage. Because there are some wide variances in ability, the numeric designators are also used to classify the approximate field strengths of individual chassis; 00x being the lightest, x00 being the heaviest.DPZ - Dynasty Power Zoid; the designation for the original heavy units of the Dark Force; Deadborder and Dark Horn. Now these units are joined by the new Gravity Drive Zoids such as Blackbolt and Gravity Saurer.DBOZ - The first Zoid has been given this designation was the Dark Emperor; the super scorpion used by high officers at the forefront of the Dynasty's forces. Now the Gil Kaiserin, the Empress' personal Zoid, shares the designation.
A New Age Dawning
In a show of terrible force, Empress Saurane Guylos commanded the launch of the DFZ-1000 Daidalos; the legendary Zoid/Deochalcum recovery and refinery facility, the world knew the final tide had turned. Guylos, too, was aware that neutrality would be a position hard fought, should Zenevas determine they could no longer abide the Dynasty's growth. Helic also looked upon the nation with an almost paranoid fear; history had not been kind between the two nations. And yet this mighty machine only opened the door for something far more fierce and daunting.
Intended as the personal Zoid of the Empress, Gil Kaiserin was intended to be the epitome of defensive structure, offensive firepower, technological prowess, and AI2 evolution. Instead, Guylos seemed to inadvertently have created a completely sentient life form. Gil Kaiserin serves the Dynasty, but should the time come when it is forced into the position of using its ultimate weapon, the Tynon Cannon, there may come a change of heart. Upon seeing the slaughter of thousands of Zoids at her own talons, Gil Kaiserin may opt to leave the nation of her birth and rally the now living Zoids to her call for their own survival. She may become an empress in her own right; a protector of a new nation of the sentient AI2 Zoids... the progeny of generations of ever evolving machines.
