Loaders are a line of militarised robots manufactured by the Hyperion Corporation to serve as the mainstay of their military during the occupation of the planet Pandora.
A Hyperion GUN Loader.
Available in a wide variety of models, Loaders are coated in durable armour, although the optic sensor and limb joints are vulnerable to enemy gunfire, and can be deployed from orbit or rapidly assembled on the field. Although they are programmed with unquestioning loyalty to Hyperion, Loaders have evidently been shown to be capable of developing personalities. For example, Loader 1340 demonstrated a sadistic enjoyment of attempting murder, while Mal demonstrated a desire to become human by strapping junk and human body parts to his chassis in the hopes of becoming human in doing so.
Variants
GUN Loader - the most common model of Loader, GUN Loaders are equipped with assault rifles and grenades. If they are unable to use their rifles (such as from losing their arm), GUN Loaders are able to fire electric bolts from their optic sensor.
ARR Loader - Essentially a GUN Loader modified with a pirate-like aesthetic.
EXP Loader - Loaders functioning as suicide bombers, EXP Loaders rush towards their target before self-detonating. They are also lightly armoured in comparison to other Loaders.
SGT Loader - Similar to the GUN Loader, the SGT Loader is more heavily armoured and dual-wields two identical weapons which could range from pistols to sniper rifles. Their limb joints are also reinforced, preventing enemies from removing them.
PWR Loader - Loaders designed for construction rather than combat, PWR Loaders are capable of spinning their 'hands' to deflect enemy fire and close in for a melee strike.
HOT Loader - Loaders armed with flamethrowers, HOT Loaders will explode when disabled in combat, potentially igniting nearby foes. The fuel canisters mounted on its back also serve as a viable weak point.
BUL Loader - Loaders armed with a bulldozer blade mounted on their arm, BUL Loaders are capable of shifting into a miniature bulldozer-like form in order to charge into their target.
ION Loader - Loaders with what appears to be Tesla coils for arms, ION Loaders are capable of firing electric blasts at their foes and projecting impenetrable energy shields.
JET Loader - Loaders designed to provide air support, JET Loaders are capable of shifting into a jet-like form to quickly navigate the air above the battlefield while firing missiles at enemy targets. These missiles may also be fired while in their standard Loader form in addition to an assault rifle, sniper rifle or rocket launcher.
RPG Loader - Loaders armed with rocket launchers and shoulder-mounted missile packs, RPG Loaders are capable of inflicting extreme damage in a short time unless destroyed immediately upon detection.
WAR Loader - Loaders designed for front-line dominance, WAR Loaders are larger than other Loaders and have a pair of incendiary cannons in place of arms. WAR Loaders can also produce a close-range shockwave through stomping.
LWT Loader - Essentially a walking locker, LWT Loaders are designed to retrieve weapons and other equipment abandoned on the battlefield in order to resupply Hyperion forces. Disabling a LWT Loader will release its contents.
JNK Loader - Piecemeal Loaders haphazardly assembled from junk, JNK Loaders Primarily serve as ambush specialists due to their ability to blend in with discarded junk, although their patchwork designs render them inferior to their professionally assembled counterparts.
Angelic Guard - Specialised Loaders designed to guard the Guardian Angel, Angelic Guards are built similarly to SGT Loaders, although they share the ION Loaders' ability to produce impenetrable shields, and their optic shock blast is replaced with an incendiary beam.
Badass Loader - Essentially a combination of the WAR, SGT and RPG models of Loader, Badass Loaders are equipped with incendiary cannons, back-mounted missile packs and the armaments of the SGT Loader.
Super Badass Loader - The largest and most heavily armoured standard model of Loader, Super Badass Loaders are rarely deployed and are armed with six autocannons in place of arms.