BETA related stuff

If you're reading this before reading the backstory, that's fine, but please do so first, so you get this in context. I really didn't get a good opportunity in character during the quest to explain BETA beyond they exist, are big, and apparently have classes. I'll run through them from smallest to largest. Again, in character this is what you know about the BETA.

Here's a general scale for you as well: http://vignette1.wikia.nocookie.net/muvluv/images/6/6f/Betasize.png/revision/latest?cb=20110904172810

Soldier class:
Easily the smallest of the BETA strains, they look fucking odd, but have a distinctive hammer head. Small arms fire is enough to kill them without much issue. While they have pretty good arm strength, its teeth are the how it kills, consuming its victims. They're mostly used in swarming formations, and are utterly helpless against anything with armor. They have a cylindrical torso with a fucking vagina on it for some reason, probably related to recycling whatever they consume. No real concern to an Avenger, you could crush them underfoot with ease in it.

Warrior Class:
See the Soldier class? These guys are slightly bulkier, but otherwise same shit different day. You really don't need to worry about them, as they can be killed by standard caliber ammunition. They're fast, and kind of strong, but a single fucking asshole with an assault rifle can slaughter them by the hundreds with a good firing position. They can't really do shit to TSF's or armored vehicles, but are capable of ripping limbs off of a grown man. Standing on two legs they have a 'trunk' like manipulator they use to move things around along with attack. Again, not really anything you need to worry about unless for some reason you need to bail out over BETA held territory, in which case you're already pretty fucked.

Tank Class:
This is what the A-10 was designed to counter mainly, Tank Class beta are the mainstay of most BETA formations, comprising up to 40% or more of all BETA in a typical swarm. Capable of ripping people in half with their arms, and with a jaw strength capable of crushing through even the supercarbon used in TSF construction, able to hit 60+ miles per hour over open ground, and a dangerously good ability to jump onto things and hang on until killed, the one saving grace about these things is that they're capable of being killed by small arms fire in large enough caliber or numbers. .50 BMG tears them apart with a short burst, which is why the Avenger carries them, to save weight and provide options to deal with smaller BETA like the Tanks. Shooting tanks off of another TSF is also viable with the .50 caliber machineguns. Tanks are responsible for most casualties among TSF pilots, and not just due to numbers. Don't let them get close. They look a lot like spiders with weird heads glued on, arms, and massive fucking teeth where the head would normally be on a spider

Laser-Class:
This class kills the second most pilots, and basically negated any advantage due to air superiority. Through some alien biological bullshit, they have the ability to shoot fucking LASERS from their oversized eyes. Bipedal, and looking a lot like a snail with legs and no eyestalks, they are very accurate and capable of intercepting artillery, and have an effective range of about 38 kilometers. Luckily, there's a long delay between when they can shoot, and they don't always hit whatever they're shooting at, though they've never been recorded hitting friendly BETA. They do however, need direct visual contact to be able to shoot you, so flying low and fast usually keeps pilots safe if they're in Laser range. Your 36mm chainguns are easily capable of killing them with a single shot, though short bursts are recommended to ensure they're dead.

Grappler Class:
Fucking useless wastes of BETA, despite being big, and bullet sponges. You've never seen anyone killed by one. Ever. Knocked around occasionally, sure, but killed? Not yet. The Tanks usually do that before these guys even can try. Their 'head' is actually a sensory organ put on top of their crab like body. They have claws pretty much impenetrable to 36mm fire, though 120mm at closer range can blast through it, but are pretty much unarmored otherwise. Big, obvious targets without much armor, and nowhere near fast as the Tank Class. Blasting them apart is pretty easy. Nothing really else to say.

Destroyer Class:
These fucking things are the most annoying and dangerous enemy to a TSA. TSF's have the ability to get mobile fast, and are able to run circles around Destroyer charges as long as they can either jump up to about 50 meters or so, or the Laser class have been suppressed. The front half is basically immune to fire, covered by a massive shield like carapace, and they're also capable of digging underground to an extent. They can hit 100+ miles per hour for a short distance with very little warning, but if you're lucky you might be able to sidestep them if you can accelerate faster than them, but good luck with that. It takes multiple 120mm hits to bust through that frontal armor, but from the top and sides they're about as tough as Grapplers minus the claws. They really don't look like anything that you can make a comparison to an earth animal. If one collides with you, you are dead, or missing parts of your TSF and badly shaken up. Don't get hit.

Heavy Laser Class:
Even more fucking alien bullshit. 100km range but are fucking huge. Have 'wings' and look like a ballsack with a giant fucking eye. Two legged like the smaller Laser class, they're not very mobile at least. It takes 120mm rounds to ensure kills on these things, but large amounts of 36mm can do it too. Not much more to say about them. If you're fighting these within visual range in an Avenger, you're probably already dead.

Fort Class:
Fucking. Gigantic. Have a massive tentacled stinger attached to their abdomen filled with acidic venoms, which can melt through TSF components, if it doesn't simply punch right through them and cut you in half. Can carry smaller BETA inside of them, like Tanks. Heavily resistant to fire, basically the only way to kill them is to cut through them with melee weapons or shoot their needle like legs off of them with copious amounts of 36mm and 120mm, and then riddle the corpse with even more rounds to kill whatever might be hiding inside. Stay out of close range with them if possible, if not you're pretty fucked in an Avenger.