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[CUP] Type-91 Testudo Mobile Fortress

The Type-91 Testudo-Class Mobile Fortress is a colossal, multi-role military vehicle used by the Congressional Union of Planets (CUP) as a mobile base, construction platform, and offensive weapon. Resembling an aircraft carrier mounted on heavy, reinforced tank treads, the Testudo-Class is designed to be deployed directly from orbit to hostile or uncharted planetary surfaces, where it serves as a self-contained fortress capable of establishing permanent bases, coordinating military operations, and providing construction and logistical support. With a highly adaptable design, it also serves as a launching platform for ground-based assaults and a logistical command hub for CUP forces across entire star systems.

The Type-91 Testudo-Class is one of the most iconic and powerful vehicles in the CUP's military arsenal, playing a central role in the nation's expansionist strategies. Traditional base-building methods, which often required months or even years of preparation, were deemed insufficient to meet the CUP’s expanding strategic needs; especially in light of the limitations of current FTL travel. What the CUP needed was a highly mobile, heavily armored, and self-sustaining platform that could transport military forces and infrastructure, land on a planet, and establish a full-fledged base with minimal outside support.

The Type-91 Testudo-Class became an essential tool in the Congressional Union of Planets’ military expansion across known space. During the early wars near the end of the Sundering, the Testudo was instrumental in establishing forward bases and supply lines on contested worlds. Its ability to rapidly deploy and construct bases directly on the surface of hostile planets gave the CUP a strategic advantage, as they could launch operations from secure and fortified positions, while also providing long-term logistical support for ongoing military campaigns.

The Testudo-Class was also utilized in large-scale planetary sieges, such as the Battle of Corthius Prime, where it was used to construct a massive defensive fortification network around the planet’s surface to prevent Alliance forces from launching orbital bombardments. The fortress provided a secure base for CUP forces to regroup, fortify, and prepare for counterattacks.

In the years following the Last Great War, the Testudo-Class was deployed on several frontier worlds to solidify CUP control over newly discovered systems. It served as both a military installation and a long-term base for the construction of civilian infrastructure, including schools, hospitals, and research centers. Current deployments of these craft are mainly for ensuring the stability of the various alliances among the border nations wedged between the Union and the Alliance.

Inspiration drawn heavily from the land carriers from Deserts of Kharak.