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Zoetstraten Proving Grounds, North Schayne
Zoetstraten was a rather idyllic looking part of the countryside. Roughly 70 kilometres southeast of Lumen it used to be a rather sparsely populated area. Unfortunately for the locals, due to said sparse population and the varied landscape this area was selected for creating the largest exercise area for the military during the mid-point of the Great War. The farmers and villages in the selected area tried to lobby against the government but they were ignored and either paid off to relocate or simply forced out. Cottages gave way to barracks and farms to artillery firing ranges. A steel leg stomped on the ground as a prototype walker made it's way through a test track. MAL's "Type 1 Leichter Wandertraktor" (now designated by the military as the "Leichter Traktorläufer I") had been put through the paces since it was first passed to trials, the design having changed a fair amount since then. It was lower to the ground and the machine gunner now had a basic gunshield as protection. Still, the brass considered it too unprotected and a larger frame would be needed to make a frontline combat model but for it's role it sufficed. Leutnant Erich Ettlinger had been sent to oversee the shakedown test, with a MAL engineer with him as a representative.

"Impressive, no?" said engineer asked as they watched it climb over a steep obstacle.

Ettlinger made a noncommittal grunt. "I suppose, though it remains to be seen how well they'll do in the field. At the very least the higher ups are interested in a fully armed and armored version." The engineer was about to boast some more when they heard a thud and noticed the vehicle had accidentally tripped over.

"Not to mention the controls still need some work I see." Ettlinger said while the engineer sighed in resignation.