The Units are bipedal, mecha-like tanks developed by the Ptolemaic Army using data stolen from the Regular Army. There are several variants of them, with weapons ranging from miniguns to claws with fold-out cannons, but even though they were built using the most advanced materials available to the Ptolemaics (accounting for their high in-game health when using lower-level infantry weapons), heavier infantry weapons and vehicle-mounted cannons still destroy them.
When destroyed, no pilots are seen emerging from the destroyed Units, suggesting that they either die when defeated, or the Units are unmanned fighting machines.
Both the MG Unit and Armor Unit have been renamed as the HMG Mecha and Heavy Metal Mecha although the Claw Unit kept its original name. The only minor difference is that the HMG Mecha sports a bronze color scheme.
Gunner Unit: The most common type. It attacks at a distance with built-in Vulcan guns and will punch/stab with the claws at close range. There may be a missile launcher hidden in the right arm, which folds out around the claw to fire. They have a somewhat low movement speed. In the last mission of MS5 they adopt new tactics, either firing with both Vulcans while dashing, or jumping around and firing at the ground rapidly with both arm-guns.
Abyss Gunner Unit: Gunner Units from the future imbued with abyssal power and just an upgrade over the original unit. Appears in Metal Slug Attack.
Golden Gunner Unit: Gunner Units painted gold, they are much more durable than most other Units and fire even more bullets from their arm-guns. They are also capable of jumping in the air, although for a short time. Appears in Metal Slug Attack.
Sniper Unit: Gunner Units painted green, they possess a photon cannon. Appears in Metal Slug Attack.
Gold Gunner Unit: Gunner Units made of pure gold that appears only in Extra Ops events.
MG Unit[]
MG Unit: This Unit is the fastest, and is armed with a Gatling gun on each arm. It fires 3-round bursts from the right arm and uses a backpack ammo supply similar to the Gatling soldier. This is only variant that has multiple sensor eyes instead of the single eye seen on the others.
Space MG Unit: A variant of the original MG unit possessing slightly higher durability but fires a much more longer burst of machine gun fire. Appears in Metal Slug Attack.
Laser Unit: A variant capable of using laser weapons similar to those from the Unit Suit. Durability, maneuverability and attack distance were greatly improved from previous versions. Appears in Metal Slug Attack.
Claw Unit[]
Claw Unit: The heaviest and most well-armoured variant. Its only weapons are two large mechanized claws, with no guns. Most of the time they simply attempt to walk up to and punch the player, but in the last mission they also perform sliding and jump-slam attacks. It is the most mobile of the Units.
Golden Claw Unit: Claw Units painted gold, they have increased durability, speed and power over the original. Appears in Metal Slug Attack.
Sapphire Claw Unit: A blue variant of the Claw Unit. Though they are weaker than their golden variants, they can charge up energy with their claw arms before discharging it in front of them to immobilize unfortunate enemies. Appears in Metal Slug Attack.
Armor Unit[]
Armor Unit: Basically a regular Gunner Unit with extra armor on the head, which allows it to withstand more damage. In Metal Slug Defense, it can shoot energy projectiles similar to the Rebel Walker.
Abyss Armor Unit: Armor Units imbued with abyssal power and just an upgrade over the original unit. Appears in Metal Slug Attack.
Heavy Mecha: A reverse engineered Unit retrofitted for war by the Regular Army. It is equipped with a huge pair of heavy industrial pincers.
Trivia[]
Multiple variants and early designs have appeared in marketing material:
In Metal Slug 5's arcade flyer, all Units appear to have smile. One of them is an unused hybrid plane/Unit. The MG Unit had a claw instead of the Minigun. The bulkier one could be an early concept of the "Armor Unit". One of these Units with the "shark smile" can be seen under construction in Mission 3's last section and Mission 5's tower section.
On the cover of the PlayStation 2's release, a unique Unit is shown behind the heroes. It appears to have teeth and seems to have a single eye on one side of its head, rather than in the middle as the Units have in game.
In Metal Slug Defense, the Gunner Unit and Armor Unit's names were erroneously spelled as "Gunnner Unit" and "Amor Unit" respectively.
Gallery[]
The HMG Mecha in Metal Slug: Awakening.
The Armor Unit renamed as the Heavy Metal Mecha in Metal Slug: Awakening.