African Defense

Faction: Martian Sympathizer
Nationality: German
First Colorway Appearance: Armstrong
Figures in Colorway: Armstrong (1/12), Heavy Bramble (1/6, 1/12)

Africa was the most violent and intense theater of the Great War. Africa was divided nearly in half (vertically) between the Earth Coalition and Martian forces. Germany and its African Defense force were originally part of the EC but that all changed when Germany and its military became the first Martian Sympathizers.

African Defense force doesn't have any direct ties to the real world. The closest would be the Afrika Korps.

The bots (all two of them) that make up the African Defense don't share similar color schemes. They share similar decals but both take on different looks based around animal stripes and spots. This gives African Defense a more haphazard and non-uniform look. Its also a definite theme with the bots using animal like camouflage.

The Heavy Bramble sports red, yellow, and grey as it's primary colors. It also has tiger like stripes covering sections of its body. The Armstrong's main colors are brown and black and has hyena like spots covering its main body. Decals for both come in white and black.

Decals

Note the AD09 on the arm

Note the AD on the body and the 09 on the right shoulder (our left)

Found on both the Armstrong and Heavy Bramble is an AD09 decal. A variation of this can be found on the Armstrong with AD and the 09 being separated on the front of the bot (AD on the body and 09 on the right shoulder). The 09 without the AD can be seen on the Heavy Bramble as well. The AD stands for African Defense and the 09 might refer to the specific unit the bots are apart of in the African Defense as a whole.

Note the black cross on the launcher

Note the black cross on the body

Balkenkreuz

Another common decal on both African Defense bots is the balkenkreuz (black cross with white border or just the flanks themselves). The balkenkreuz (English: Balkan's Cross) came about in WW1 when it was used on German aircraft and was further refined in WW2 when it became a common symbol across German forces.

There are two different balkenkreuzs on the Armstrong. They are both the standard balkenkreuz with a black cross surrounded by a white borders. The first is a balkenkreuz with thick white borders on the front of the Armstrong. On the Armstrong's jump pack their is a balkenkreuz with a thin white border. Luftwaffe aircraft from WW2 also sported these same balkenkreuz seen on the Armstrong (fitting for the bot that rocket jumps across the battlefield).

The Heavy Bramble is sporting a variation of the balkenkreuz. It has the black cross but thick white border is absent and the cross flanks are white instead of black.

Note the four lines on top of the jump pack

Note the four lines on the right shoulder

Both the Armstrong and Heavy Bramble sport four lines on multiple areas on their bodies. This might look familiar as they are the hooks of the swastika with the main cross missing.

This raises a number of questions for the WWR universe. Is the Nazi party still around? WW2 must of gone a lot differently then (it already kind of has if Germany has forces working outside of its borders like the AD). Does this similar but different symbol refer to a change of some sorts? Questions like this are a little too big answer with a colorway breakdown (might be a future article talking about specific and interesting aspects of difference from the WWR world and ours).

Note the skull spitting bullets

Note the white hand on the main body armor

Both bots have one very distinct and very different decals on them.

The Heavy Bramble has a white severed hand with its fingers slightly flexed (like its trying to grip something. In a way it bears similarities to a zombie hand (you know the one coming out of the grave or is cut off). This might be a symbol of defiance against the EC.

The Armstrong sports a skull that is spitting bullets out its mouth. This might be in reference to death from above (the Armstrong is a semi-flyable bot). It could also be connected to Totenkopf and the use of death's head symbols in the German military in WW2 (are we the bad guys?).

 Sayings

Note freiheit on the launcher

Note the saying on the chest plate

On the launcher and on the left chest plate of the Heavy Bramble is the word freiheit. This is German for freedom.

Also on the chest plate below freiheit: um jeden preis. When put together with freiheit this translates into: Freedom at any price.

With the African Defense being a Martian Sympathizer force this is probably in reference to freedom for the EC. For the African Defense it seems they are more then willing to lay down their lives to help the Martians win or stop the fighting.

Names

Armstrong: Fridel - No real world connections

7th Division

 

Faction: Earth Coalition
Nationality: New United Kingdom
First Colorway Appearance: Harold
Figures in Colorway: Harold (1/6, 1/12)

The 7th Division of the New United Kingdom is a desert based group. Their decals are steeped in real world history (which we'll explore in a second).

The main colors of the 7th Division is orange. Weathering is brown and black. Decals are either black or white.

Decals

Note the ghost looking thing in the center of the body

The first decal to really catch the eye is the ghost maker. Based around a simple image of a ghost with the words ghost maker written onto it. This seems to be the divisions mascot and possibly nickname. It is also quite a morbid mascot/nickname with it basically referring to killing their enemies (nothing new though for military forces).

Note... everything!

The 7th Division have marked their bots with their division number as well as spelling it out from time to time on them as well.

The 7th Division is based on the 7th Armored Division of the UK from World War 2. Most will know this group by their nickname: The Desert Rats. The majority of decals relate to the 7th Armored Division.

The TRBK decals (column four, row one) is a shortening of Torbuk which is a city in Libya and is known for the Seige of Tobruk during World War 2. The 7th Battalion was at Tobruk during Operation Battleaxe. There is a battleaxe decal located on the back of the Harold's head (second column, last row, on the image above).

The set of initial: SMC (seen in column one, row one; column four, row one; column three, row three) are for Sir Micheal O'Moore Creagh who was the 7th Armored Division's commander from 1939 to 1941.

Type A.2 Roundel (RAF)

A variant of the British roundel (Type A.2) can be spotted all over the 7th Division Harold. This clearly marks the division as being British.

11th Division. Not the 2 and the spade.

The most interesting set of decals on the 7th Division is the spade (column 2, row four) and a large 2 (column three, row four; column four, row three). These are interesting as they have a connection to another colorway... the 11th Division. The 11th is another desert based unit and shares the spade and the large 2 along with the 7th Division. The 2 might refer to the larger corps they might serve together under. The spade might be this corps symbol as well.

Names

Harold: Harry - Unknown real world connection but might be a connection to Prince Harry.

PRU (Bromwich)

Photo Credit: Samuel K.

Faction: Earth Coalition
Nationality: New United Kingdom
First Colorway Appearance: RPG Bramble
Figures in Colorway: RPG Bramble (1/12), Bertie Mk3.5 (1/12), Heavy Bramble (1/6, 1/12), Caesar (1/6, 1/12), Harold (1/6, 1/12), Square Mk2 (1/8), Mighty Square (1/6)

PRU (photo recon unit) has history with the Royal Air Force's photographic reconnaissance units. These units would fly over Europe and capture images or enemy positions, movements, and were also used to see how much damage was done after bombings. In WWR it seems the PRU has switched places from the skies to the ground. That or they continue as an aerial unit and their bots guard their aircraft and personnel at airbases.

The PRU's main color is pink and white. Decals show up as pink, white, or black.

Decals

Note the decal on the lower abdomen armor

The most prominent decal found on PRU bots is the half bullseye. These decal can also been seen as eye with the eyelid drawn halfway down over it (giving it that annoyed look). The decal being an eye would tie into what the PRU does. They are the eyes of a combat force providing them with vital information and intelligence before combat even begins.

Note the two circles on the cloth

The two circles decal retain the same bullseye like image of the eye decal. However, there is a line either pointing from the small circle to the center of the big one or vice versa. These two circles look like the Earth and the Moon. Now is it the EC keeping an eye on Rothchild? Or is Rothchild keeping an eye on the EC?

Note the PD on the shield. Photo Credit: Yee

A initials PD can be spotted on all PRU bots. The most logical words coming from this acronym would be Photo Department or Detachment.

Note bullseye on left shoulder (our right) and the ZW on the right shoulder (our left).

Another initial found on PRU bots is ZW. This might be the initials of their unit commander.

A full bullseye can also be spotted on PRU bots. This ties back in with the PRU providing intelligence and information on what needs to be hit... putting a bullseye on them so to speak.

Note the Type G on the Bramble's arm in the left most image.

Type A or Type G (as seen on the Mighty Square) is quite the mystery decal. It might possibly refer to a bots personality type.

Note the 4748X on the head. Photo Credit: Yee

Lastly their is the 4748X decal. I've scoured high and low for a real world reference but I've come up dry. This might be just be a unit designation.

Sayings 

Note Bromwich on the launcher

Bromwich could be referring to a couple of things. First is West Bromwich which is a town located in Great Britain. Then there's Castle Bromwich which is a suburb (both West and Castle Bromwich are located in West Midlands). Castle Bromwich was home to the Castle Bromwich aerodrome which leads credence that this might be the home of this military unit.

The other saying on PRU bots is PRU with it's acronym being laid below it: photo recon unit.

Names

Harold: Regi - Unknown real world connection.

Dam Buster

Faction: Martian
Nationality: Noachis
First Colorway Appearance: Damn Large Martin
Figures in Colorway: Damn Large Martin (1/12)

Dam Buster was one of the first martian bots introduced into World War Robot.  Before the majority of bots had come from Terran or Rothchild groups.

Dam Busters were used all over in Europe by the Martains destroying dams. It was one of the ways the Martians sent a message back to the Terrans for messing with them.

The Dam Buster DLM is heavily rooted in real world history as the decals will show.

Like other Martian bots Dam Buster is sporting camouflage that consists of brown, grey, and olive green. Areas not covered in this camouflage are in grey, brown, or yellow.

Decals

Note... everything.

The number 617 appears on the front face plate, the meat tenderizer hands, and on the rear of the DLMs head.

This number has a direct connection to the No. 617 Squadron of the Royal Air Force. This squadron were known as the "Dam Busters" after the actions of Operation Chastise which saw this squadron targeting German dams in World War 2.

Another prominent decals on the Dam Buster DLM is the word Noachis. Noachis is a martian city, probably based in Noachis Terra (Land of Noah) on Mars. Noachis was a flashpoint before the Great War between Mars and Earth. Noachis was assaulted by the Earth Defense Force and was a turning point for Mars that saw the Mars Alone edict passed. This edict announced Mars' separation and independence from Earth.

So, the Noachis decal has two meanings behind. First for the battle of Noachis and secondly connecting to Noachis Terra. The Land of Noah makes sense for a unit that releases vast amounts of water (like the great flood). In a sense it's using the Terrans own religious mythology against them.

The biggest decal that can found on Dam Buster is the letters DB. These obviously standing for Dam Buster.

The last and most intriguing decal is a hexagon. What connection this has I do not know nor do I have a good guess.

Sayings

There is an unknown Arabic saying inscribed onto the right shoulder (front and back) of the Dam Buster DLM. This goes to show how diverse Mars has become and also where non-Christians fled to with the rise of the Earth Coalition.

On the cannons of the DLM there is the saying: Take Their Breath Away. This has two meanings. The most literal being when a dam is destroyed a flood is created. Floods are known to take unsuspecting victims who drown (taking their breath away). The other meaning comes from the idea that dams are used for hydro-electrical purposes. This was the mission of the 617 Squadron during Operation Chastise taking out German dams and hurting their military production facilities. The Martians might have the same idea when combating the EC.