Harold Schmidt

Harold Schmidt is a pilot in Into the Breach.

Location
Harold Schmidt can be acquired by perfectly completing the objectives for Archive, Inc. or by recovering a Time Pod.

Background
Harold Schmidt [Archive]

Harold is as close as they come to an engineering "sociopath" (this is not the clinical term - co-workers in previous timelines used to call him a "technopath," but even that's not an accurate term for his lack of empathy and social skills). He finds humans uncomfortable and confusing, and takes solace in tinkering with robotics and machines who have clear rulesets and reasons for what they do. In his original timeline, he served a brief term at Detritus (where he seemed bored and uncommunicative), then was rejected from Pinnacle due to his psychological exam, then found a home in Archive, studying and doing restoration work on Old Earth robotics.

He initially applied to Archive's open-call for pilot training so it could get him closer to the Mech technology, then it was discovered he did well on the pilot exam (better than most Archive volunteers), and he agreed to serve as a soldier as a way of giving him access to the cutting edge of Mech technology. (Note that Harold doesn't bear any ill-will toward Detritus and Pinnacle, nor do they bear him any ill-will... however, both Singh's predecessor and Zenith saw Harold's lack of empathy, and were worried it could lead to accidents or disregard for human life while he was carrying out his duties.)

Personality
Inquisitive; Focused on learning more than just fighting. Easily distracted. Somewhat disinterested and uncaring. Not very empathic.

Strategy
Harold's passive may seem more of an afterthought at first, however being that Repairs can be activated even when undamaged effectively grants an entirely free extra form of attack or defense all its own. Paired well with highly maneuverable Mechs for superior battlefield control, as well as those that can safely intercept incoming damage, being that you're encouraged to Repair more frequently.

This versatility allows a skilled player to focus on outfitting other Mechs with greater power and equipment much more quickly.