The Prominence M2 was the forward progression of the Prominence M1 design. Komatsu L.S. originally intended for the M1 to be capable of mounting an electromagnetic launcher (railgun) but could never solve all the power routing problems until the M2 model. In order to ensure that the power waveguide system could properly buffer the extreme energies required by the launcher, the plasma torch power taps were removed from the design.

Pacific Rim Forces line commanders had long desired a VT platform which could be used as a keystone to attack formations. The Prominence M2 was designed with this criteria in mind, incorporating optional armour modules with supplementary close range missile launchers, a first in VT history. The optional armour modules enabled the M2 to survive potentially crippling damage as well as give it additional close range punch. The only negative was the weight of all the added armour and integrated EM launcher. It cut veering efficiency nearly in half and made the platform sluggish to handle and tippy. In order to try and remedy the balance issues, engineers grafted a counterbalance inertial damping wing to offset the tremendous forces generated by the railgun.

It is interesting to note that Hai Shi Dao target analysis databases did not intially recognise the M2 as a different model from the M1, which caused quite a surprise when the units were first engaged on the battlefield.



"Self-propelled railgun technology at its finest. Skill not included."

During Round 1, Turn 5 the introduction of the Prominence M2 model caused a great deal of frustration for opposing factions as neither the HSD nor Right Brothers had a VT that could mount a weapon matching the raw destructive power of the Rail Gun. Persistent players found that the Rail Gun could be dodged if the slidestep was timed correctly, but it required focusing on the attacking machine and dedicating a sub-monitor view to Lock On, a luxury which could not always be afforded. The key was timing the slidestep to start the last fraction of a second of the Rail Guns visual charging sequence (diminishing blue plasma circle). If performed correctly, the Rail Gun projectile would either miss wide (if the attacker had F.S.S. on) or miss to the inside.

After several months of experience with M2 models, I've found that the best method of dealing with them is to get behind their radius of fire as quickly as possible. The M2 suffers from a horrible turning performance and can be taken down by 1st generation VTs if they can get to its rear quarter. For this same reason, M2 pilots need to be very aware of enemies attempting to get behind them.

As with the Prominence M1, the Prominence M2 is not often encountered in Free Mission due to the greater options available. The Prominence M2 has the "optional" armour as a fixed mount weapon, along with the Rail Gun, this means that a player may only choose one additional sub-weapon from the configuration menu. Once the mission has started, the MM armour may be ejected by pressing the F1 button on the controller, doing this may bring an overloaded M2 down to STD weight and improve handling, but the ability to use the Multi Missile option is lost. M2 pilots can make the most of their Rail Gun rounds by mounting the 315-RF and using its 3 round bursts to force targetted VTs into multiple dodges. This tactic causes enemy VTs to use up their battery power and leaves them limited in their ability to dodge an incoming Rail Gun round.