The ambush toad or toads, sometimes the toad is a type of minigunman vehicle used by their army in their missions of conquest. They can be classified as part of the behemoth type, but they are not often used in the direct confrontation of the enemies but instead as part of ambush, thanks to its special characteristics. It's relatively old but still there aren't any known other versions of the ambush toad.
Appearance[]
The ambush toad's command center is located in the vehicle's "head" which more than a toad's head resemble that of a worm, for its round shape (although flattened unlike the metal worm, for example). This head has only the height necessary for a minigunman (the commander) to sit there and conduct the movement of the vehicle (and providing energy). The head it's completely closed (with no green tainted glass), due to being used mostly underwater. In order for the commander to perceive its surroundings, a small protuberance emerges from the top of the head in an antenna-shape, that serves as a precarious radar. This antenna, when the vehicle is submerged keeps above the surface of the water unlike the rest of the head, in order to work properly.
Fast paint-sketch of an upper view of a ambush toad. Note the round "head" and the angle of the two machine-guns. The elements in black are those that remain above water even when self-sunk.
Next to the head there's a larger hallway, that although it's relatively wide (space for three minigunman), it's only tall enough to support a minigunman standing (a bit more than 1 mt.). The two gunners control the two heavy machine-guns that are above them, thanks to special handles that hang from the roof. The contact with these handles make them available to see the outside environment as well, allowing them to aim to their enemies. At the end of the "body" or "hallway" of this machine, the rear wall can be opened like a hatchet.[1]
When the vehicle sinks itself to hide, only three elements remain above the water. The aforementioned radar-like protuberance and the armament of the vehicle, consisting in two heavy machine-guns[2]. One points to the right side of the vehicle and its default display is on a angle of 70° respect of the horizontal of the vehicle. The other machine gun points left and its angle is of 30° more or less. Both machine-guns can be operated in a way that allows them to cover entirely their own respective side. This machine-guns usually take the form of a rotten log, for better camouflage.
Use[]
The main feature of the ambush toad is that it can sink itself down to thew point that only their
machine-.guns and radar protuberance, remain over water. This allow the vehicle to be placed in strategic positions and ambush enemy troops (in areas with water obviously, like swamps or ponds).
Besides that, the relatively fast movement of the vehicle over water (and the ability to display four small wheels to displace above land, though very slowly) makes it a kind of an all-terrain, which further increases its success rate in swampy areas.
With this information it's easy to deduce that the ambush toads were mostly used in swamps both in the Northern Lands as in the Southern. In the north they were displayed around Metropoli (more intensely after the siege and reconquest of the huge city) and in the western border swamps both of the laguna, and more specially in the north, when they make sure that nomad's armies or the troops of Ayaenaka didn't leave their fortifications. In the south they were displaced in many locations around the dunk jungle that surround their southern port.
Inspiration[]
The idea of this ambush vehicle didn't came only from the typical behavior of a toad, but also from the design of modern day war vehicles. More specifically of the M706 Commando armored car.