MEC Trooper

The MEC Trooper is a specialised class trained to pilot MECs.

Overview
The product of combining human tissue with a mechanical interface using Meld, MEC Troopers have undergone heavy surgery to be fitted with cybernetics, allowing them to operate massive cyersuits. Often MEC Troopers have a number of specialisations available to them, making them surprisingly versatile. Each soldier who has undergone the procedure is fitted with base augmentations for day-to-day activities.

Weapons
By themselves MEC Troopers do not have a large arsenal at their disposal as the base augmentations normally lack the same level of fine control which most trained soldiers have. However, they can make use of large cybersuits several times their size, directly interfacing with them as if they were extensions of their bodies. By using a full size MEC suit MEC Troopers can bring a massive amount of firepower to the battlefield while withstanding more damage than other troops.

Equipment
Each trooper is fitted with base augmentations, which let them interface with MECs. The base augmentations were fairly spartan when they were first created in 2015, by 2035 the base augmentations have been upgraded considerably; most notably they no longer retain the basic appearance and have a layer of synthetic skin grafted over them. Unfortunately they're considered too delicate and inflexible for combat usage, thus MEC Troopers can only be used in conjunction with Cybersuits on the battlefield. Unlike the older MECs, the newer generation ones feature a number of new features such as improved tactical feeds, armor and sensors and no longer require pilots to have the limbs of their base augmentations removed when using a MEC.