Nemesis
60mm Beam Rifle x 1: A low-cost alternative to the Alliance's experimental impact beam rifles, this weapon fires lighter yield blasts. However, it is still a very effective anti-mobile suit weapon, more powerful than most standard Grand Cross rifles. A heavy energy cap allows for thirty shots. The measurements refer to the size of the energy weapon's internal lens.
Grav Hammer x 1: A variation of the Grand Cross' heat hammer. This weapon is still made up of a weighted chain with a cylinder-shaped block at one end. However, rather than carry a thermal charge, this weapon's head uses an artificial gravity generator to generate a crushing "impact field" around it, increasing its damage potential. When not in use, this weapon is stored in one of the lower storage racks of the Nemesis' thruster pods.
Heat Sabre x 1: The Alliance version of the Grand Cross' Blaze Schneider heat sword. This weapon has been included to minimize the energy drain on the mobile suit's battery. While it is no substitute for a beam sabre, it is still as reliable as the weapon it imitates. When not in use, this weapon is stored in one of the lower storage racks of the Nemesis' thruster pods.
Torso Vulcan x 2: Mounted just below the sensor head, these weapons fire light armor piercing bullets in high-velocity bursts. While not always effective against heavier targets, they are ideal for light craft, and even shooting down incoming missiles.
The Nemesis was commissioned as part of an experiment to create a mobile weapon that could be totally invulnerable to beam weapons. With the increased leaning towards energy based armaments, which have proven to be more powerful and reliable than many ballistic weapons, engineers have been scrambling to find ways to counter them. In the past, tougher armor would have been the answer to better shells, warheads, or heat blades. However, this strategy hasn't been nearly effective when dealing with more recent beam cannons and sabres.
Granted, the beam weapon defense problem is not a new issue. Since the first mobile walkers and armors began to carry these next-generation armaments, there has been a race to find ways to nullify their destructive effect. The most obvious, and commonplace, measure has been the addition of magnetic coating to armor. The Nemesis takes advantage of this feature, though it is still not enough to be totally effective. The coating is often used only on shields because it has a history of hampering maintenance when applied to moving parts. Also, it can only muffle an incoming shot's damage, not absorb it. Luckily, advancing technology has offered a solution.
The Nemesis' defensive shroud solves the beam dilemma, building on the failures of magnetic coating and early beam shields. As mentioned above, the mobile suit's large shoulder generators create a transparent "bubble" that splits and scatters beams before they can impact. However, there are drawbacks to the device, such as an accelerated energy drain and a total ineffectiveness against non-energy attacks.
Designers have offset the first problem by arming the mobile suit with either low-energy or cap-using weapons. In addition, the mobile suit's increased bulk, caused by its armor and generators, has been accounted for with the inclusion of heavy verniers. While not as large as those used by the Shuivan, they do enable the Nemesis to maintain a standard Soldati's speed and agility and still have some atmospheric flight capabilities. Its balanced performance in other areas make it one of the easiest units for Alliance pilots to adapt to.