Artist's commentary
M004 Setting
Re-release of M004’s profile!
M004 is a fourth-generation battle automaton, manufactured to suit the battlefields of the year 3■■■.
F&R Corporation, a private military company, achieved success as a military robot manufacturer by developing the M003, which, thanks to its humanoid form, boasted all-terrain capability, operational versatility, and a wide range of armament options. Riding on this success, F&R moved on to develop the next-generation model.
By the year 3■■■, battlefields had become quieter, shifting focus to assassinations and limited conflicts. As a result, the sturdy yet large, conspicuous, and intimidating M003 was deemed outdated. Instead, stealth became a priority, and the design focused on an appearance that wouldn’t arouse suspicion and would make it difficult for opponents to quickly assess its armament.
Thus, M004 was given a female appearance, standing at 168cm (excluding equipment) and weighing 80kg—compact for a military robot. This also improved compatibility with various transport vehicles and storage facilities.
Despite being designed for stealth, M004 was also made beautifully as a means of promoting the company and was equipped with unique, specialized equipment to compensate for the durability and firepower of M003.
The motif for M004 is a dragon. Its specialized equipment resembles a dragon’s features, and this design choice was also made to reinforce its image as a powerful weapon. A powerful laser cannon is installed in the head, providing precise interception of projectiles and allowing M004 to handle partial air defense.
The tail functions as an auxiliary arm and can connect to a variety of devices; it is also equipped with reconnaissance sensors and a main laser cannon. In fact, the laser cannon in the tail is even more powerful than the head-mounted ones, due to considerations for space and cooling. To compensate for the lack of power in the head, two laser cannons are installed there.
The internal structure uses artificial muscles, with a corrosion-resistant, ceramic-coated skeleton, and skin with self-repair functions thanks to protein-based artificial nanomachines. Externally, M004 is nearly indistinguishable from a human, with natural movements that make it hard to tell at a glance that it’s a robot. This extremely high level of anatomical replication means that M004 is often used as a testbed for medical prosthetics, artificial limbs, and internal organs.
Although M004 was created as a high-performance next-generation military robot, it is mostly a technology demonstrator, and no plans for mass production—other than for spare parts—have been made.
Even so, it will likely continue to be an important asset for F&R Corporation.
From “Main Battle Automaton 004” by F&R Corporation, featured in the military magazine “World Military Robots”