(1) activates turret. (2) activates TC RCWS. (3) activates Loader's M60D. (4) manually discharges LAHAT missile. VTOL and Trim for mobility. Pitch and Roll to lay weapons on target. FireWeapons to discharge cannon (12 shots).

One man's trash is another man's treasure, and the M28 Basilisk is a perfect example of this. In 2010, the Paternian Army felt that their M5 Victoria, the main battle tank of the Paternian Army since 1986, would not be suitable for future requirements. Concerns about crew survuvability in case of a penetration were high. A contest between Paternian Defense Industries, or PDI, and Kuat-Rodmantown Industrial Engineering Group, or KRIEG, ensured.

The PDI entry, the XM23, was a radical design, with an unmanned turret and a planned family of heavy armored vehicles, including an IFV to supplant the aging M125. The KRIEG entry, the XM28, was a less radical design, placing the engine in the front to improve crew survivability. However, the turret remained manned. A large hatch in the back allowed the XM28 to function as an IFV or APC if needed.

In the end, the XM23 was accepted as the M23 FTAFV. However, representatives of the Unity Defense Corporation were present during trials, and were impressed by the XM28. They immediately placed an order for 200 machines, and all were delivered after the trials. The tanks were very well-liked by Unity, and further orders were made. While KRIEG originally referred to it as Victoria II, Unity referred to it as Basilisk, a name that stuck.

This particular machine is a UDC M28 Basilisk that served in Algeria during the GLA uprising. Turret armor kits and NERA were acquired by trading with Paternian Army units, and were applied extensively. They were incredibly popular, but many see the addition of such armor as belated; Paternian Army Victoria tanks had similar protection kits installed long before, but supply difficulties and the prioritization of the Paternian Army in the supply chain meant that Unity M28 lacked additional armor.