Tecta

Tecta is a Merui-line mech unit that fires homing plasma missiles and projects a frontal arc shield. It functions as a high-damage, highly mobile skirmisher with a forward shield that absorbs and—uniquely among units—reflects incoming bullets. Tecta appears as a Tier-4 Merui unit and can traverse most terrain like other mechs; its design and name derive from the beetle species Aspidimorpha tecta.

Tecta's primary armament fires rapid volleys of homing plasma projectiles. The weapon fires in salvo patterns (three shots per round, with two rounds per second rhythmically), has modest inaccuracy (about 3°), and deals single-shot damage in the mid-40s with area splash that affects nearby targets to roughly 3.7 tiles. The leg/step damage affects roughly the same radius. Projectiles have homing strength and break into fragments on impact, giving Tecta strong sustained output against clustered and moving targets, and its rate of fire helps overwhelm low-health unit missiles.

The Shield Arc is Tecta's defining ability. It projects a forward arc that absorbs area damage and neutralizes pierce-style bullets; after Build 152 the shield also reflects bullets with 100% chance. The shield pushes non-core units it contacts, can protect allies positioned behind Tecta, and is constantly deployed (since Build 144.2) rather than only appearing when firing. Shield parameters reported across sources show the shield radius or internal size increasing over several builds (internal size listed as 36 in Build 144.2 and 45 in Build 152), and shield hitpoints were raised multiple times: from 1500 → 2000 in Build 144.2, then further increased in later builds (sources report 2200 or 2300 depending on build notes). Shield repair speed was also increased over time and the shield now has a wide angular arc and an offset forward of the unit.

Notable mechanical and historical points: Tecta was added in Build 136. Mech assembly cost was lowered from six Merui to five in Build 141. Size increases in later builds (notably Build 147 and Build 152) raised its hitSize so it can no longer be carried by Quell units. Health has fluctuated across updates (examples: 6700 → 7300 in Build 144.2, later reduced to 6500 in Build 152). Build 152 also adjusted drown time scaling with hitSize and enhanced the shield’s repair and deflection features.

Practical usage and combat notes:

• Use Tecta as a mobile damage platform that screens allies: position it forward so its arc can absorb area and piercing shots while teammates exploit openings.
• The shield negates area effects entirely when it absorbs an attack, so it is effective against splash-heavy weapons and against many tank projectiles; it also neutralizes pierce bullets.
• Despite the shield, Tecta has relatively lower raw survivability versus heavy single-target fire; weapons that bypass or pierce shields (Afflict, Lustre) rapidly reduce its effectiveness once the shield is down.
• The shield reflects bullets, which can be used offensively to turn enemy fire back at them; careful angling and timing maximize reflected damage.
• Tecta’s weaponry and shield make it strong versus swarms and missile units, but it can be countered by flanking to attack from outside the shield arc, by hard-pierce weapons, or by concentrated single-target damage. Shockwave towers and Afflicts are effective base defenses against Tecta.
• Tactically, pairing Tecta with tanks that can soak long-range heavy shots has tradeoffs: while tanks can draw fire, some long-range shots (Titan-class) that would otherwise be absorbed by a tank may instead bypass and hit units behind if positioning places Tecta behind them.
• Tecta benefits from micromanagement: maintaining shield-facing orientation, exploiting its homing salvo against clustered foes, and avoiding prolonged exposure to dedicated anti-shield units.

Trivia: Tecta shares its weapon firing sound with Malign, and along with Collaris it appears as a guardian on certain Erekir sectors. Its unit name and Merui-line siblings are beetle-themed.