Anti-Air Cannon "Tiamat"

"Looks like a pile of rags..."

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A Side View of one of the Tiamats.

The Space Pirate Anti-Air Cannon "Tiamat" is a giant, automatic design of turret made to guard areas from aerial attacks. So far, they have only appeared on planet Bryyo in Metroid Prime 3: Corruption.

Description

Tiamat turrets are powered by Fuel Gel. Ammunition is stored in three racks around the turret. The top domed part of the turret can extend upwards to reach higher points for shooting. The dome has four main guns. A balcony area can also be extended for easy access to the Tiamat. The Turrets have four "legs" and have a retractable ammunition rack in between each. A clamp on the base can be opened by kinetic stress, which releases the ammo rounds one at a time. If all the Fuel Gel ammo is destroyed by weapon fire, the turret will ignite due to Fuel Gel's volatile properties. The Pirates had fitted an electromagnetic barrier around the clamp on one turret to engage when one of the ammo rounds was destroyed. This was likely a fail-safe to prevent the destruction of the Turret and alert Pirate forces.

A locking system can be used in conjunction with the Turret to prevent the clamp from being opened by unauthorized users. These locks are lever-like in appearance and up-to three can be placed around the Turret. These locks can be disengaged rather easily, and so require protection. If all three locks are disengaged, all three ammunition racks will open at once.

Tiamat Turrets may also be powered by Phazon, as both encountered turrets had vines and fungus of Phazon nature entwining around the structure.

Appearances

Samus arrives at the first Tiamat in the Thorn Jungle.

One Tiamat Turret was under construction by Pirate Aerotroopers at Bryyo Fire. It was protected from strikes by two Jamming beacons, but Samus was able to bring them offline and use her Ship's Missiles to destroy the turret beyond repair.

Two more were completed and in place at Bryyo Thorn Jungle, protecting the Seed Shield Generator there. Samus was met by heavy Pirate forces, but managed to destroy the first by opening the Fuel Gel-powered ammunition hatches and igniting all three. This destroyed the first Turret. The second turret was guarded by Aerotroopers who had placed three locks preventing the ammo hatches from being opened. Samus was able to use the Grapple Lasso to disengage all three locks and destroy the ammo. With the Turrets both destroyed, Samus called in her ship to destroy the final Seed Shield Generator, so that she could travel to the seed.

Scan

Temple of Bryyo

Before Ship Missile run

"Cannon base is still under construction. Unit appears to be nearing completion."

After Ship Missile run

"-No Scan-"

North Jungle Court and South Jungle Court

From Jungle Generator

"Anti-Air Cannon "Tiamat" online. All weapon systems are green. Active sensors online and scanning."

From North and South Jungle Courts before Ship Missile run

"Anti-Air Cannon "Tiamat" online. Operate the underside valve to open all of the ammunition chambers."

From North and South Jungle Courts after Ship Missile run

"Anti-Air Cannon "Tiamat" offline. Cannon is completely destroyed. Unit is beyond repair."

North Jungle Court Cannon

Clamps

"Clamps are securing the ammunition release valve. Release clamps to expose ammo."

Release valve

"Valve is used to manually open the cannon's ammunition chambers. Held in place by multiple clamps."

Lever

"Lever manually controls one of the cannon's locking mechanisms. Pull to release one of the clamps."

Fuel Gel Tanks

"Fuel Gel tanks are exposed. Destroying the tanks could short-circuit the cannon systems"

Lever (Activated)

"Lever has been pulled into position. The connected clamp is now released."

Real-world etymology

• In Babylonian mythology, Tiamat is a goddess who personifies the sea. Tiamat is considered the monstrous embodiment of primordial chaos. Although there are no early precedents for it, some sources identify her with images of a sea serpent or dragon, In the Enûma Elish, the Babylonian epic of creation, she gives birth to the first generation of deities; she later makes war upon them and is killed by the storm-god Marduk. The heavens and the earth are formed from her divided body.

Trivia

• Several Turrets also appear on the Pirate Homeworld that look similar to the Tiamats. However, they have a visor-like area, indicating that they are manually operated. They have two gun-equipped arms, and can swivel 360-degrees.
• When Samus first sees the turrets from behind a Pirate energy shield, she can use the bombing run command, but her ship will be shot at and damaged by the turrets.

Gallery

Artwork of a "Tiamat" (right), and a Seed Shield Generator.

Releasing the ammo clamp on the underside of the Turret.

Aiming at one of the Ammo racks.

The first Turret is destroyed.

Releasing one of the locks on the second Turret.

The second Turret is destroyed.

From ek2studios.com.