Armor is very important for zoids and is it's main line of defense.There are several kinds of Armor. NONE of these armors can deflect or absorb Charged Particle weapons.
Hardened Alloy- Very tough armor and is also used as a weapon. Hardened Alloy is used normally for teeth/fangs, claws and talons.
Frame- The light metal that covers the delicate circuitry on a zoid. It is also the zoid's 'muscles'.
Light Armor- Armor that is,like it says, light. Normally on fast or small zoids. The small zoids that have light armor have it built into most of it's frame. This kind is not very good against most weapons except projectile/piercing or explosive weapons.
Medium Armor- Armor that is moderatly thick. It is on a few small zoids, medium sized zoids and a few large zoids. It can take a decent amount of damage against most weapons and can hold up a little against projectile and explosive weapons, but not very good against piercing.
Condenser Panels- Panels that are built into armor. These Panels absord energy from the Sun or energy based weapons like laser and beam weapons and thus take no damage from them. Strike Laser Claws, or Laser/ion blades or scythes get the power sucked out of them and just turned into regular claws,blades and scythes. Bolts of electricity can be absorbed by the Panels but also takes impact damage from it. These panels only absorb what is aimed about a meter or so near them.
Heavy Armor- used in zoids with that are tank-like in nature, Heavy Armor is sturdy,thick, and can survive attacks from laser and beam type weapons very well unless hit in the same area alot. Piercing and explosive weapons do moderate damage to it.
Arcanite Armor- Extremely strong and lighter than Heavy Armor. Only located on a few amount of Zoids and also used in a couple Weapons. Arcanite Armor deflects shells and protects against explosives and piercing weapons. Laser weapons can wear it down as well as strong beam weapons.
Bio/Hell Armor- Armor used exclusively on Bio Zoids. This deflects beam type weaponry and takes minimal damage with laser types. Projectile/piercing and explosive weapons are most effective against it. Metal Zi weapons are most effective against it. Hardened Alloy weapons (teeth, claws etc ) do nothing to it.
Metal Zi- Heavier than Arcanite armor, this kind is used in multiple weapons. Metal Zi can NOT hold a laser or ion charge. This kind of armor can take a very good beating from most types of weapons, is a little more weak against piercing.
Crimson/Volcano Bio/Hell Armor- Exclusive to Bio Volcano, this kind of armor protects from everything regular Hell armor does to a greater extent. Crimson Hell Armor does not take as much damage from metal zi , piercing/projectile, or explosive weapons as regular Hell Armor does but still DOES take damage from them. Platinum Metal Zi is most effective against it.
Darkness Hell/Bio Armor- Exclusive to Bio Tyranno, this armor is an upgrade from Crimson Hell Armor, it is MUCH stronger than it. Darkness Hell Armor barely takes any damage from projectile/piercing weapons and explosives, completely resists laser and beam weaponry unless it is VERY powefull, and even then it doesn't do much, and also resists regular Metal Zi Armor. Platinum Metal Zi weapons can tear through it semi-easily though.
Platinum Metal Zi Armor- Upgraded from Metal Zi Armor, this armor is very heavy but very strong. It is used in a few weapons because of it's strength. Platinum Metal Zi takes minimal damage against all weapons.
Bio Crystal Spines- only used as body spikes or short blades on a few bio zoids, this kind of armor resists all weapons but CAN break if there is too much force applied to it. It resists Metal Zi and Platinum Metal Zi and is not flexible.
Energy shields are normally a oval shaped 'bubble' kind of shield that is used for a short time to absorb attacks from various weapons. Another kind of shield is the full body shield which will be mentioned below. All shields can only take so much damage and be used so much before they fade . Shields are generated by a..well E-Shield generator located somewhere on the zoid and will overload and become useless if one were to keep the shield on too long, or if the shield takes too much damage. Also make sure that the shield is down before using a weapon of your own.
Light Energy Shield (Light E-Shield)- Mostly on small zoids and small BLOX. Like most shields,the Light E-Shields cover the front of the zoid and is open in the back .This E-Shield can take quite a bit of damage from beams, laser weapons will wear it down a bit faster, It can barely stand up against much projectile type weapons and is highly weak against piercing or explosive types. SLCs and CPCs will tear right through it. It will break and be unusable if you hit another zoid with it.
Medium/Standard Energy Shield- can be equipped on most zoids that do not already have a shield, this kind is is stronger than the Light E-Shield. Most light- medium beam weapons just splatter against it, stronger beam weapons only slightly wear it down. Laser weapons wear the shield out after a little while while the shield can stand up for only a short amount of time against projectiles and explosive weaponry. Piercing weapons can take the shield out in only a few hits. Standard Energy Shields do not protect against SLCs or CPCs at all. Again, the shield will break instantly and push your zoid back/toss it if the shield impacts with another zoid causing damage to both units depending on the zoid's size and armor. It covers the front and sides of the zoid to about it's hind quaters and is open completely in the back.
Hyper Energy Shield- Considerably stronger than the Standard E-Shield, the Hyper E-Shield is equipped on only a handful of zoids. This shield boasts being able to make beam weapons virtually useless and laser types unable to weaken the shield by much unless it is very strong. This shield type can easily go against, up to the strongest of projectile and explosive-type weaponry. The Hyper Energy Shield can even protect against SLCs and CPCs for only a few seconds before shattering. This shield type can protect against impact with another zoid but will lose a lot of power depending on the other zoid itself and turn into a standard E-shield.
Anti-Particle Shield- Made from polarized particles,this is THE only shield that can completely withstand the power of a Charged Particle Cannon. This shield allows the zoid to run,stand,or walk through the CPC attack and not be harmed by it but is mainly for a frontal CPC attack, if it comes from anywhere else it will not be as effective and the CPC will go through it with only a medium drop in power of the attack. This shield was only made to go against CPCs and only has the power of a Light E-Shield against everything else.
Electromagnetic Shield- Used only by the Dark Spiner , this shield was made with safety against projectiles in mind. It deflects all but the strongest of missiles and large shells , off to the sides, meaning even sniper bullets just fly off. This shield,however, has a major drawback, it does NOT protect against beam or laser type weapons at all.
Weapons are what makes a Zoid..well a Zoid, almost all Zoids have some kind of weaponry, whether it is melee based or some kind of ranged attack. This list only has the general types of weapons ,of which, varies depending on the zoid and the actual kind of gun etc.. that it has. First let's start with Melee Weapons.
Teeth/(hyper)bite/killer fangs- A basic weapon for almost all zoids. These are mostly made from hardened alloy (unless otherwise stated) and, because of that, are normally very tough and durable. Made for biting,chomping and generally tearing at other zoids' armor. This is only usefull against light armor and the frame ,but can be used on medium armor for a bit of taking small chunks of the armor out. This puts the head, and normally cockpit as well, right up and against the other zoid, making it very risky, and they can even be broken ,but thats very hard to do. The hyper bite or hyper killer fang or sabers are usually just stated to show superior strength in the force of it.
(Hyper Killer)Strike Claws/Talons- Another hardened alloy, melee based weapon.Strike Claws and talons are put on almost all zoids and are, for the most part, used to gash,cut,and tear up light armor and the frame of the opposing zoid. These weapons CAN actually wear slightly in extremely hard terrain, such as an area with a hardened concrete floor at can withstand a zoid's weight, but the only way to wear it in that kind of place is to make the zoid skid using the claws or talons ALOT, they can use them quite a bit before the fine,sharp edges are worn though. The killer or hyper titles are normally used to state that they are stronger than normal.
Blades/Horns+Spikes/Hooves- All are sharp and durable, and made with a slightly stronger form of hardened alloy,but are pretty much the same. Blades are used to slice or cut,horns+spikes to stab, and hooves are used to cause a good sized dent or gash in the opponent's light armor or frame. All of the above weapons depend of what kind of zoid has it to decide on effectiveness and strength of the weapons, none of these kinds of weapons are effective against any sort of Bio Armor.
Crasher/strike or smash Tail- Most notably used in the Gojulas family (especially the Giga) , the crasher tail is, in most cases, the zoid that it's equipped to's large heavy tail. Most bipedal theropods can use their tail as a bludgeon to knock an opponent off it's feet (Depending on size of both zoids,armor, and weight of course). This attack is a highly effective one but has it's drawbacks. To use the tail in this way the zoid has to be walking slow or come to a complete stop unless it is airborn which is known only by ones that can hover or are able to jump well. For the Gojulas Giga, it has a set of vents in the notches of it's tail that have small boosters in them on either side, these help the tail swing to the side with even more force.
Laser/Ion/Plasma Charged Weapons- Not laser guns, these go with the above sets of weaponry. Laser Charged Weapons are the upgrade to all of those except for hooves. Laser charged talons,teeth , fangs, blades, horns and spikes become stronger and sharper, and also 'glow' from the laser energy. This weapon makes the regular weapon able to cut into or gash an enemy's armor more efficiently and can be used to easily take out light armor and frames of zoids, but also does good amount of (normally melty)damage to medium armor and cause a bit to heavy armor as well. For horns and blades, the laser energy extends the reach of the blade by a bit , depending on zoid. The only zoid that can charge it's tail with energy (not laser energy but Ions) is the rev raptor but it basically has the same concept. Laser charged weapons can only be charged with the energy for about 5 or so seconds at maximum but can shread right through light energy shields and can take out standard E-Shields, except for the teeth and fands because that would be too hard. They also barely make a mark on standard Bio Armor.
Strike Laser Claws- a step above regular Laser Weaponry, strike laser claws are charged by a stronger source of energy but are generally the same. SLCs are, in fact , so powerfull that they are known to be the melee version of a CPC. SLCs are most effective against the weaker joints and frame of almost all zoids up to ones with heavy armor. It does a bit of damage to regular Hell armor and can take out most types of shields with ease except hyper energy shield, which only lasts a few seconds against it. In order for a zoid to use an SLC to it's full potential they must charge it up and leap/jump from running,or with a large swipe of the claws , using that force to do the damage. SLCs can only stay charged for 5 seconds at max before the energy runs out and has to build up again, which takes about 8 seconds. If one misses when using a leap/jump attack- slc combo, they are left somewhat open. Some zoids can have an upgrade so that,they too can have SLCs when they normally wouldn't have one naturally.
Themal/Heat Charged Weapons- basically the same as Laser and Ion charged weapons except that the thermal energy comes from the heat from inside the zoid due to electricity's own heat, and general heat from the environment that stores in the metal as well. Most zoids that have a thermal charged weapon like teeth or claws, also have a flamethrower or another kind of gun-like thermal weapon, meaning that THAT source of the energy comes from within the complex thermal system inside that particular zoid. Prolonged use of the weapon will overheat the zoid causing it to not work as efficiently ,thus there has to be a time for the zoid to vent and cool down.
Electricity Charged Weapons- Claws,talons,teeth,and blades charged with electricty from the zoid's internal systems itself or electricity gathering turbines etc. these are extremly effective weapons that, after striking a part of the other zoid, will render it useless for a while, depending on the weapon of course and also cause a good amount of impact damage. Electron Bite Fang(EBF) is a special attack where the zoid gathers electricity to it's teeth/fangs,so much to where it is visible and the teeth glow. When a EBF using zoid bites down on the target it will pump the limb with electricity, rendering it useless, if aimed properly at a lightly armored part, this attack can CSF zoids that are a bit larger than itself, thought wearing out the other zoid before going in and using it.
Ranged Weaponry
Laser - Laser weaponry is faster than beam weaponry and is much more accurate. It travels in a linear path to the target and is commonly used for as Anti-Aircraft because of it's speed. Laser Cannons hit harder and slightly slower than Laser Guns but have greater range. Laser Ranged Weaponry can still fire slightly more rapidly than Beam Ranged Weaponry but does not do a large area of damage, instead it is more focused to the part that it is aimed at and hits.
Beam - The beams from beam guns and cannons do a good amount of impact damage around the area that is initially aimed and hits and is 'stronger' in this sense.
Charged Particle Gun/Cannon-
Missiles and Rockets-
Sniper Rifle - The sniper rifle is the most accurate and most powerful of the Ballistic weaponry. Very few zoids are equiped with this
Smoke Screen/ Smoke Dischargers- Thick black (or colored) smoke emitted from a designated vent or pipe system on the Zoid's body. The smoke is a chemical base that is heated by thermal or electric energy from the zoid itself and is then expelled from the vent or pipe on the zoid. This smoke is so thick that you can not see anything in it,however at 50 meters, you can barely make out the silhouette of another zoid. This does not muffle sound and does not jam Radar, meaning one is still able to see the position of the zoid via radar, howver they can not tell what the zoid is doing ie jumping,crouching etc.