Yukkuri

​​ ''“What the [censored] is that thing? That ain’t be possible. Can it?”''

- An anonymous Comintern soldier

Tactical Analysis

 * Yukkuri Eat Mister Human: Yukkuris, despite being made out of pastry dough and filling, can consume humans and small enough tanks whole. Anything they eat is converted into the appropriate filling for that yukkuri type. This process is anomalous in nature and doesn't obey the rules of chemistry. For example, a yukkuri could convert radioactive waste into harmless paste, effectively transmuting uranium and various isotopes into compounds of mostly carbon, oxygen, hydrogen, and nitrogen.
 * Vroom!: Yukkuris have the ability to inhale enemy troops and tanks (but not anything near the size of an Apoc supertank) at significantly longer range in case of pursuit, allowing them to kill high priority soldiers and vehicles before they can reach safety.
 * Take it Easy!: Yukkuris are made of dough, and are not exactly good at fighting in water. They traverse waters with their accessories, which are made of hardened dough and filling, with those out of the picture, yukkuris will drown and die. Eating harmful material may even kill the yukkuri before being converted to filling.
 * Yukkuri Invincible!: Many veteran Yukkuris evolved to create tougher dough materials, allowing them to survive longer despite receiving damage that can be considered fatal in most cases, practically turning them into bullet-soaking sponges that can consume men and animals a la Nintendo’s Kirby.

Overview
Renowned for their selflessness, vigilance and loyalty, the Yukkuris have been amongst Japan's closest allies since the nation first crawled from the ooze of anarchy. Although served for a mere three years of Japan’s history up until now, Yukkuris have guarded their homes, scouted their trails and bravely sacrificed themselves on our battlefields in the name of the greater good, asking in exchange for only a warm fire, a comforting word and the occasional sweets on which to sup.

Even today, the surest signifier of inbound Phoenix forces is the appearance of a Yukkuri, highly trained mutants rendered instantly recognisable by their not-so-serious face, their unique form and steely-eyed devotion to the Phoenix cause. This has in turn lead to the veneration of these elite animals as avatars of liberation amongst the downtrodden peoples of our world's less fortunate nations - as the old Russian saying goes, "where yukkuris lead, death is sure to follow", and indeed it does.

After the overwhelming success of the Mutant Combatant Research (MCR) program in Hokkaido, Japan, the government established a series of seven such campuses across the globe, devoted exclusively to the training of specially bred Yukkuris in the arts of field recon, tracking, guard duty and the various forms of unarmed combat. Upon graduation, qualified yukkuris are assigned to Phoenix companies throughout the globe, often deep within enemy territory, where their keen senses and razor-sharp teeth have thwarted countless enemy ambushes, saving innumerable lives in the process.

That is not to say that these man-sized soldiers are invulnerable, as any visitor to Hokkaido’s deeply moving Memorial to our Yukkuri Fallen will attest. No matter how fast and well trained a trained yukkuri may be, it stands little chance when faced with a fully armed enemy battalion. Despite several disastrous attempts to expand the purview of MCR programs to include armoured assault and tactical weaponry as part of their core curriculum - notably the infamous "Scent Activated Smart Bomb" incident of four years ago, which left over fifty dead and numerous others injured - the yukkuri remains at his or her best when pitted against a single opponent, whom they can render unmanned with a single, swift chomp to the vitals.

Adding to their impressive physical attributes, the yukkuris are capable of inhaling a medium tank and consuming it whole, an impressive feat considering it’s rather small size. Battle-hardened yukkuris are also known to have generated a harder skin, allowing them to survive several gunfire barrages, even tank shells, and finish their assigned job.

Behind the Scenes

 * Yukkuris are inspired by the Yukkuri Touhou comics, as well as Nintendo’s Kirby, if you haven’t known it yet.
 * Extended information on the Yukkuris