The Axon Research Corporation is one of the four known major corporations in the Unreal universe. While Liandri is primarily concerned with mining and its Tournament, Izanagi with whatever makes money, and Phayder's motives are unknown, Axon is heavily invested in much scientific and technological research. While generally presented as the "good" corporation (or, perhaps, the least "bad"), Axon is not above direct assault and theft of competing corporations' research and developments such as the Ion Tank on AS-Glacier. They are a large weapons supplier for the NEG for some time and later Liandri's Tournament. However, in the years following UT2004, Liandri has apparently intimidated Axon to the point of being capable of running them out of some facilities like DM-AxonCompressor.
Axon Research Corporation is the only major corporation which has no known military or mercenary force under its direct control. Axon seems to rely on the NEG and its child organization, the TCA, for defense, apparently in return for the research and weaponry they supply. The closest thing to a military team Axon has is its Juggernaut program.
Contents
Military units
Axon is not known to have its own military or mercenary forces, but it does sponsor several teams in Liandri's events.
Teams Juggernauts and Goliath
Axon Corporation sponsors both geneboosted teams in Liandri's Tournament, the Juggernauts and Goliath. Axon first started with the former team; after winning a Tournament championship with its captain Gorge, Axon fielded the second team in hopes of an all-Juggernaut final round. It is not clear if Axon itself is responsible for the existence of the genetically modified Juggernauts or not, even though they sponsor the teams in Liandri's events.
Team Marauders
Axon fielded Gorge with a new team of Juggernauts, the Marauders, in Liandri's Nakhti Ascension Rites Championship. The Corporation designed new armor for the team in return for a percentage of their winnings.
Vehicles
Axon created the original nine vehicles in Liandri's Onslaught gametype. In Onslaught, both teams fielded the same array of vehicles. However, in UT3, a full complement Necris-built vehicles will be available.
Axon's vehicles are:
Involvement
Unreal 2
In Unreal 2, Axon is among the four factions competing for the Artifacts, fighting against Liandri, Izanagi, and the Skaarj. Before the conflict over their possession began, Axon had recovered three of the seven artifacts, which were being researched on two separate worlds.
Hell
On Hell, Axon had been studying the effects of the unique radiation and other physical properties of one of the Artifacts on various unintelligent creatures at the Elysium Weapons Research Facility. An accident allowed a massive number of Araknids to enter the radiation, causing a mutation which increased their size, aggressiveness, and lethalness. The entire facility was overran by the araknids, killing every scientist in the lab. The situation was brought under control by John Dalton, who infiltrated the facility, destroyed the araknid queen, and recovered the artifact.
Janus
Scientists on Janus' Polaris research base, led by Dr. Meyer, were performing similar experiments and testing on two artifacts. However, the facility was ambushed by Izanagi Ghost Warriors, who were looking to steal the two artifacts. Dalton arrived soon enough to save Meyer from the torture he was enduring and cleanse the facility of the Izanagi invaders. Before the two could escape with the two Artifacts, Liandri Angels assaulted the facility and destroyed the exit. Dalton led Meyer to the roof, clearing the way of Angels, and then defended against several Liandri assaults with NEG Marine help while Meyer established communications with the orbiting TCA Atlantis.
After the incident, Dr. Meyer was secretly smuggled off-world by Dalton due to orders to terminate non-military personnel and gave the two artifacts to his crew.
UT2004
AS-Glacier
AS-Glacier is an example of Axon's willingness to do whatever is necessary to further their research, even assault and theft. In 2260, during the Corporation Wars, Axon staged an assault against the Izanagi facility on Lamdon 3 to steal the prototype Ion Tank and destroy the base. Curiously enough, though Axon had sided with the NEG merely 10 years before against the Izanagi, the base was defended not by Ghost Warriors but by the NEG's elite ThunderCrash squad. The Axon assault was a huge success on their part.
Teams Juggernaut and Goliath
Axon Corporation sponsors both geneboosted teams in Liandri's Tournament, the Juggernauts and Goliath.
Vehicles
Axon supplied Liandri's Onslaught vehicular combat event with six (later expanded to nine) vehicles ranging from a gigantic mobile assault station to a nimble fighter aircraft. The vehicles continued to be used in the follower of the Onslaught event, Warfare.
UT3
Team Juggernaut
Early on it was reported that Axon's primary team, the Juggernauts, will once again make an appearance in Liandri's Tournament. However, recent news indicates the possibility that the Juggernauts have been dropped from the Tournament.
Vehicles
Axon again supplies the vehicles for Liandri's Tournament, this time for its Warfare event. While the same roster of nine vehicles is used, most of the vehicles have received upgrades in suspension, steering, weaponry, and in some cases, seating arrangements.
UC2
Team Marauders
Axon fielded Gorge with a new team of Juggernauts, the Marauders, in Liandri's Nakhti Ascension Rites Championship.
DM-AxonCompressor
The Deathmatch map DM-AxonCompressor used in the Championship was an Axon energy facility. The facility was abandoned when Liandri forces arrived, and while it is not made clear whether or not this occured because Liandri arrived, it is strongly implied.
DM-Morbias3
Axon's painstaking remake of the DM-Morbias arena required changes after its review by Liandri's legal department.
Quotes
Unreal 2
They're a private company who works hand-in-hand with our military to research and develop new weapons.