Type-7B Brocken

The Military Labor Type-7B "Brocken" is a series of military labors designed for the West German military and NATO by Schaft Enterprises Europe (SEE). Schaft Enterprises Japan also made use of Brocken labors for security before acquiring the services of Holly Security Services.

Type-7B Brocken

You run the job,

But I run the show

Design and Development[]

Rationale[]

The advent of the labor as a viable construction machine in the 1990s led many military organizations to desire armed versions to bolster their ground forces. West Germany was one such nation, and, with NATO backing, had SEE develop such a machine for their border guard. The resulting machine was the Type-7B/1A "Brocken" (Brocken being the German word for "Hunk", but also the Name of the highest peak in the Harz mountain range in Central Germany),

a heavy military labor.

Mechanical Systems[]

The model 1A Brocken made use of the most advanced materials and propulsion mechanisms of the time, resulting in a top-of-the-line labor with high performance. Its lightweight armor coupled with powerful drive systems allow the machine to have high agility in spite of its size and general bulkiness. Equipped with a purpose-built 40mm Rapid-Fire Cannon, the Brocken has little difficulty standing up to other labors and can even take on light armored vehicles.

A NATO-use model, the Type-7B/1B, would be introduced shortly after the introduction of the 1A model. The model 1B is equipped with a mechanism that allows its arms and legs to retract slightly, allowing it to contort into a shape that allows it to fit into a standard shipping container for ease of logistics.

Brocken Border — Type-7B Brocken labors stand guard at the Berlin Wall, wearing Iron Crosses and the insignia of the German Border Guard

In 1998, SEE used test data and mechanical components from the Type-5Q/2C Grau Bear to release a new model of the Brocken. The Type-7B/2B Brocken, while sharing many components and a general overall shape with the 1-series Brocken, further improved the type's overall performance. . A glimpse of this technology can be seen in the hip joints, which have ball joints mounted diagonally from the pelvic frame, and the high-output mechanical joints in the knees and elbows. Furthermore, movable rails corresponding to the shoulder blades are placed in the shoulder area, extending to the very edge of the cockpit/cabin, allowing it to behave much more human-like in terms of appearance and drive. Although none of them can be called as advanced as Shinohara Precision.

The revised model is perhaps the most well-known Brocken, and is widely believed to outclass the AV-98 Ingram in terms of raw physical power. The 2B model incorporates a modular hardpoint system, allowing various mission-specific equipment and weaponry, such as smoke dischargers, to be equipped. Additionally, the 2B model has waterproof joint coverings and vents allowing it to operate underwater for ambush attacks and landing operations. An export model of the 2B Brocken, the Desert Type, would be developed, with modified armor and ventilation systems that provide improved protection in harsh desert conditions.

The model 2B Brocken would be further modified into the Type-7B/2B Modified, The Modified 2B model, more commonly known as the GSG-9 type, incorporates modified armor that offers greater protection from small-arms fire and explosive weapons. The GSG-9 Brocken equips the optional smoke discharger system of the base 2B model as standard equipment, and makes use of a modified 40mm Rapid-Fire Cannon fitted with a magnifying scope and a barrel silencer. As its nickname implies, the Modified Brocken was equipped to GSG-9, Germany's counter-terrorism police force, in 1999. A total of 20 were built.

The final Brocken variant would be the Type-7B "G-Type". Rolled out in February 2000, this model was developed exclusively for GSG-9. The "G-Type" nickname is unofficial, but is commonly used to differentiate it from the basic Type-7B. The G-Type Brocken incorporates a wholly new armor design, based around a more advanced composite material than that of the basic Brocken. There are also more vents on the model to improve cooling capabilities, which accommodate the vastly increased power output. The head of the G-Type is also modified with improved optics housed in a goggle-like casing, compared to the slits seen on the base model. For weapons, the G-Type uses the same modified 40mm cannon of the regular GSG-9 model. A total of 18 were built.

Variants[]

Brocken Type-7B/1A: The initial mass-production variant, deployed by the German Border Guard.
Brocken Type-7B/1B: Mass-produced model for the German army and NATO.
Brocken Type-7B/2B: The most iconic Brocken type. Redesigned from the ground up, the 2B model is a general improvement over the 1-series.
Brocken Desert Type: Limited-production export model with redesigned armor and ventilation systems.
Brocken Type-7B (GSG-9 Type): Limited-production model designed for GSG-9, Germany's anti-terrorism police force.
Brocken Type-7B "G-Type": Limited-production model custom-made for GSG-9 commanders.

Specifications (Type 7B/2B)[]

Manufacturer: Schaft Enterprises Europe (SEE)
Rollout: February 1998
Crew: 1 Pilot
Height: 8.68 m
Width: 4.69 m
Dry Weight: 8.23 t
Maximum Operating Weight: 8.92 t
Armor Material: Carbon Fiber Reinforced Plastic (CFRP)

Performance

Lifting Capacity: 4.00 t
Minimum Revolving Radius: 6.20 m

Standard Armaments

40mm Rapid-Fire Cannon

Optional Armaments

105mm Cannon
6x Smoke Discharger
Modified 40mm Rapid-Fire Cannon (Equipped by GSG-9 type, but compatible with base model 2B as well)

Operational History[]

An iconic image in the Patlabor series is the appearance of Brocken labors standing guard at the Berlin Wall, adorned with Iron Crosses and carrying 40mm Cannons.

In 1999, terrorists affiliated with the Earth Defense Force, an ecoterrorist group, hijacked a Type-7B/2B Brocken en route to a labor show, and were intercepted by the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department's Special Vehicles Unit, Section 2, Division 2.

During the 1999 Phantom Labor crisis, Schaft Enterprises Japan (SEJ) made extensive use of Type-7B/2B Brockens to keep prying eyes away from clandestine tests of the Type-R13EX Phantom experimental labor. On several occasions, Brocken labors did combat with the patlabors of both SV2's Division 1 and Division 2.