Magnus

Magnus (磁力重装甲車 マグナス Jiryoku Juu Soukousha Magunasu?, lit. "Magnetic Powered Heavily Armored Vehicle Magnus") is an enemy in the Contra series. Magnus is a large, heavily-armored tank encountered at the end of the Base Area 2. It has three gunner stations on its top from where soldiers manning rifles can attack individually. The soldiers on the side posts man miniguns, although these shoot standard single rounds. They can be killed individually in order to weaken the boss's overall firepower. The commander at the central post is actually the boss's weak spot, and once defeated, the whole tank will be destroyed.

Even though it is a tank, and as such, moves via two wheeled straight tracks on each side (according to its artwork), the vehicle can also move horizontally without problems.

The vehicle also features two retractile electrodes on its front from where a magnetic field is generated. These can be extended a certain distance in order to attack ground enemy units easier.

Since most of the tank's offensive capabilities are designed to attack enemies on the front, by quickly positioning oneself behind it will considerably reduce the threat it poses. In Contra III: The Alien Wars, it is replaced by a new model known as Magnus Mk. 2.