Tianlei

The Tianlei (Chinese: 天雷, "Heavenly Thunder") is a mobile weapon that appeared in Front Mission 3. It is said to be created by Shanghai Steel of the Da Han Zhong (D.H.Z.) and serves as a mobile fortress to launch operations. It uses treads to move, but due to its size, it is slow, uses a lot of power, and is limited in routes it can travel by. It has the firepower of a cruiser, but it is not deployed directly to the front lines.

Front Mission 3
The Tianlei is used by the Rapid Reaction Force as a mobile supply base and they both are commanded by Lie Yin Jiu. It is shown to be armed with two Yunsheng 42 missile launchers and six 100mm cannons. During the game, the Tianlei is being used on a campaign against the Hua Lian rebels. The main protagonist and his company will inevitably encounter the Tianlei during their journey.

Emma's Storyline
During Emma's route, the player would help the U.C.S. backed Hua Lian rebels assault and destroy the Tianlei so that the Hua Lian rebels can ultimately invade Shanghai. However, the Tianlei is heavily armored against outside attacks and was also protected by both the Rapid Reaction Force and the Imaginary Numbers. The main protagonist and his company would need to infiltrate the Tianlei and destroy it from the inside.

Alisa's Storyline
During Alisa's storyline, the Tianlei was used to get closer to Shanghai safely. However, it was ambushed by the Hua Lian rebels, and the main protagonist's group would assist Liu in protecting it. Once the Hua Lian rebel base was discovered, it would be subsequently crushed by the Tianlei's and Imaginary Numbers' onslaught. Later on, the main protagonist's group would also launch an operation within the Tianlei to help the Hua Lian affiliated minor escape from execution. The plot would end up involving a Rapid Reaction Force soldier (being detained for insubordination) who would later join the main protagonist's party.

Trivia

 * During Emma's storyline, the main protagonist would learn from Zhun Xi Liang that in order to keep information about Tianlei's design a secret, the people involved were executed after Tianlei's completion. Zhun managed to be the sole survivor.
 * According to the D.H.Z. military website, the Tianlei has a dimension of 100x70x45 meters (L/W/H) and houses 70 crew members. It is listed as being armed with six 105-millimeter guns, two cruise missile launchers, and eight short range Surface-to-Air-Missile launchers. In addition, it hosts a Vertical-Take-Off-and-Landing pad and a heliport.