PNUT

The four PNUT variants

PNUT (PNeumatic Unmanned Turret) is a minor stage enemy from the 2014 Strider, inspired by the original's Flying Mosqueman.

A mass-produced aerial scout robot employed by Meio's Army, PNUTs can be found all throughout Kazakh City monitoring the populace. This small robot is outfitted with a sensor orb (which makes it appear to have one large eye), dual rotors and a modular weapon system which allows them to be installed with a variety of different weaponry. Thanks to this they are capable of handling a variety of situations including scouting, monitoring, crowd-suppression and even light anti-armor operations.

They pose little threat against Hiryu when alone, and so are mostly found taking advantage of their force in numbers, becoming a much more dangerous enemy due to their variety of weapons.

Variants

There are three different variants of PNUT, each created specifically for one of Kazakh City's main districts, plus a fourth special form.

City PNUT

The city model is the basic and most recurring of the three variants, found all throughout Kazakh City's civilian districts. This model is brown in color and sports a small, onion-shaped dome on top of its rotor blades. Its sensor orb is blue when patrolling, and turns red once it attacks a target. Weapon variants include:

• Machine gun: Officially known as the PNUT KZ-1, this is the most basic and recurring weapon type. Equipped with a fully rotating machine gun, they can aim at Hiryu from any position and direction and shoot a high-speed barrage of bullets at him from the sky. Being the basic model, however, they are easily destroyed.
• Missile Launcher: A PNUT model equipped with a four-pod missile launcher on its carriage. This PNUT shoots a single missile at Hiryu, which tracks and follows him around.

PNUT KZ-1 (Machine gun)

Missile Launcher

Military PNUT

A military variant of the standard PNUT, specialized in combat and deployed all across the Military Ring. This PNUT is designed with a smaller, round-shaped body and bright red armor. Boasting more strength than the basic model, this PNUT unit possess stronger armor, enhanced evasive technique and more powerful weaponry. Weapon variants include:

• Machine Gun: Acts identical to the City variant.
• Missile Launcher: Unlike the city variant, the Military PNUT version of this type can shoot all four of its missiles together, making it harder to defeat as they can't be deflected by the Cypher.
• Explosives: Known as the PNUT Mx-E, or Military Explosive Unit (軍用強襲型, lit. Military Assault Type), this unit is equipped with deadly time-delayed explosive canisters which it can shoot at any direction and angle. When shot, the canisters stick to any surface or to Hiryu, exploding seconds after. Much like the Explosive Kunai, they generate a yellow glow around them which turns red just before they go off.
• Napalm Bomb: A rare variant found flying around Underground areas and the Flying Battleship Balrog, this PNUT unit carries a big napalm bomb below it. They tend to fly around until they are right above Hiryu, after which they drop their bomb on him. The bomb leaves a blaze after exploding, which can also damage Hiryu.

Machine gun

Missile launcher

PNUT Mx-E (Explosives)

Napalm bomb

Research PNUT

Next-Generation PNUT unit deployed throughout the Research Facility. They have a more squarish, angular appearance due to their plated armor and a purple sensor orb. With the latest advancements in technology, this PNUT unit possess an enhanced chassis armor that allows for higher speed movement and more durability, and the most advanced nanotechnology provides it with better targeting and evasion techniques. It has two exclusive weapon types:

• Electro-Magnetic Pulse (EMP): The EM-PNUT, or Close-Range Aggressive Unit (近距離強襲型, lit. Short-range Assault Type), is a quick and agressive unit equipped with an EMP weapon. Once it locates Hiryu, it locks on and quickly performs a dive towards him. When struck by the EMP weapon at high-speed, the EM-PNUT can temporarily stun its target in place, paralyzing them so other Troopers can attack.
• Laser Gun: The Laser PNUT is equipped with a large laser emitter weapon. When confronting Hiryu, these PNUTs aim at him and shoot powerful laser blasts constantly. Their shots are marked by a laser sight indicating the shot's path, which makes them easier to avoid.

EM-PNUT (EM-Pulse)

Laser gun

Insect PNUT

The Insect PNUT (インセクトPNUT) is an unique version only found in the Underground areas. The Insect PNUT is simply the carcass of a city-model PNUT possessed by a multi-species parasitic insect colony that have been mutated in the Underground's toxic environment, controlling the broken robot in unison as they roam the Underground in search of a new body to parasite. The insect's body segregates a toxic acid which they use as a ranged hunting tool, capturing preys by spitting on them. When facing Hiryu, they tend to fly toward him and spit acid at him from a distance.

The Insect PNUT has also a symbiotic relationship with Insect Troopers, and can revive and take control of fallen Troopers by approaching them and injecting a number of their insects inside their bodies.

Gallery

Hiryu dodging a PNUT KZ-1

Hiryu facing a group of city PNUT

PNUT weapons concept art