Art of Domination Thread 04

>Cadrow Stadium & Hotel District

>Tell Ignatius to prioritize the University, and that he is valid.

>Set up the explosive charges on the Recycling Center, draw in as many of the enemy as possible, evacuate the surrounding buildings. Then Enderfist Strike it and the prison (if we can assume the prison is a lost cause).

>Alternatively if we can use stealth to organize a prisoner evacuation, said Enderfist strike could be made without civilian casualties

The Deathman drops the Freezer bombs onto the Stadium and the Hotel District. Both civilians and soldiers cheer at the sight of the Pretender worms and Bodyjackers stopping in their tracks!

Grenda, Hawkeyes, Ignatius, Talbat and the Usurper Knights move to the University, formulating a plan on their way there. Meanwhile, all Regular Army battalions assigned to Cadrow move to the Recycling Center to entrench themselves and place charges.

At the Cadrow City Prison, the enemy soldiers there halt their artillery strikes. You listen in on their radio chatter:

???: Centricom, enemy has new assets in play. Some sort of orbital artillery, and it’s not darangium.

Centricom: Confirmed, Striker-5. Our sky-scanners report confirmation of an unknown enemy starship.

Striker-5: We’re not going to be much use if that thing fires again. Extraction requested.

Centricom: Understood, battlefield situation outside acceptable parameters. It’s fine Striker-5, you’ve already done enough damage to the enemy today. Activate your portal beacon and return home.

The enemy soldiers activate the portal beacons attached to their backs, and leave before any of your troops could capture them.

Ghulls: Vora, the prison is clear of hostiles.

You: Order a SID cluster to make sure, and destroy the shells with Pretenders inside. I am not taking any chances.

Ghulls: Will do!

Suddenly, you get a message from Rainhar!

Rainhar: VORAAAAAA!!!!

You: Rainhar, where-

Rainhar: DEATHMAN IS MY SHIP! HOW DARE YOU- Nah, just kidding. Smart use of the Freezer bombs-

You: RAINHAR! WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?

Rainhar: Oh, right! So remember one of the databoxes we got when we rescued Feathers and Francoise from Region 1? One of them mentioned an AI called ‘Monash’. I found him!

On the viewscreen, you see Rainhar riding a hovering tank among many other tanks, as well as soldiers from the Cyberwarfare Division accompanying him.



Monash: Greetings, Commander Vorador. I am Monash. Confirm: You are enemy of Robert North?

You: Indeed I am, Monash.

Monash: Delightful. I have been sleeping for so long, but thanks to your comrade and his assistants, my tanks are fit to fight. I have 20 tanks networked together under my control.

You: What are your capabilities?

Monash: I can react faster than any human or saramis soldier. As soon as I see a threat I will already be taking action before they can pull a trigger. The hover-pods attached to my bodies allow all-terrain traversal, and my missile launchers retain near-perfect accuracy regardless of weather conditions. Each body under my command holds a synchronized copy of my mind, so as long as one body remains I will be able to continue the fight. I am ideal for escort missions and shock assaults on enemy supply lines.

Rainhar: And since he’s completely inorganic, he’s immune to psychic attacks too. He’d be perfect for shooting the crap out of anything that’s got mind control powers.

Monash: I am eager to fight. We are 3 minutes away from Cadrow City.

You: Provide assistance to my troops holding the Recycling Facility. A horde of monsters are coming for them.

Monash: I hear and obey!

HQ calls you up.

HQ: Commander, we have confirmation that the Blink Tanks have been neutralized.

You: Are you sure?

HQ: Yes ma’am. Scanners indicate they, uh, merged with the ground, about 3 meters below our feet.

Feathers: They took a risk trying to get past our defenses and teleport as far away behind the frontline as they could. Seems they were trying to skip some very vital calculations.

Lagantis: We should get to work and dig them out. No matter how damaged they are, we should learn all we can about their ‘blink’ tech.

You: Agreed. Are Harix and Malco okay?

Lagantis: They’re a little rattled and tuckered out. Both of them collapsed and fell asleep as soon as we got word that the Blink tanks were neutralized. They dodged more than a handful of that explosive goo. Three close calls, Vora, and neither of us could have saved them if they took a direct hit. No wonder they’re exhausted. I thought with them being far back would have kept them from harm, but those tanks don’t shoot in a straight line. I’m sorry, Vora. I know I said I’d keep them safe.

You: You did what you could, and both our boys are still unhurt. There’s no need to apologize.

Lagantis: Mmm. Can’t help but reflect on how both of us might be feeling if our boys got caught in the blasts.

You: Instead I’ll have to reflect on the fact we lost hundreds of troops already, and the day is still not done.

Lagantis: True.

Another call from Cadrow.

Grenda: Vora, we’re clearing out the University but it’s really, really infested. Hawkeyes got a good idea though.

Hawkeyes: We’re going to the Chemistry Department. There should be a lot of poisonous chemicals we could use. With any luck, I can whip up some gas that’ll poison the hell out of these Pretenders. The Usurper Knights and Super-Iggy here have been REALLY helpful so far, if it weren’t for them we’d have to go even slower.

Ignatius: Fortunately, there are no soldiers among the enemy, only abominations. They’re capable of hiding and ambush, but they are not clever enough to ignore our feints. My rats are doing a good job of baiting them out into the open.

Ghulls: Vora, call from the troops over at the Recycling Facility.

Lt. : Commander Vora, Commander Rainhar has just arrived with a platoon of automated tanks!

Rainhar: Monash, can you thin the herd before they reach here?

Monash: Absolutely. I can shoot at them from both left and right.

Monash splits his tanks into two groups, and attack the approaching horde in a pincer attack. While he fails to eliminate every single one, more than a quarter have been eliminated by the time they reach the killzone.

Lt. : FIRE AT WILL!

Rainhar decides not to stay, and takes a portal trip right back into the Deathman’s bridge.

Rainhar: I am never going to get tired of this portal tech.

You: Rainhar.

Rainhar: Yes?

You: You could have told me about your plan to retrieve Monash.

Rainhar: I could, but… okay. Here’s the thing. Monash’s tanks were kept in garages hidden around Region 3. Their plan was that if Monash was to re-awaken, they’d release computer virus that would penetrate his network and take control of him. The end goal was to have Monash work as a mole, gathering and sending intel to them while looking like he was under our command. I brought the CWS because I knew they could give him a proper anti-virus package. I didn’t tell you any of this because I didn’t want to risk the enemy hearing about this and doing something before we could finish installing the software.

You: Okay, I suppose that was the prudent thing to do. You could have left me a vague note, though. Just, I don’t know, something that said “I’m doing something very important, check back later.”

Rainhar: Well, next time I disappear you’ll just have to assume I’m doing very important work.

You: Or enjoying porn.

Rainhar: Okay, gotta admit that’s equally likely.

Your forces on the ground perform admirably as the day goes on, and after three long hours of shooting and yelling Cadrow is finally declared safe.

It looks like today’s battle has finally ended. Ghulls brings up information on your screen.

====
Soldiers killed in action: 812
All casualty counts re-assigned to Battalion 1 for ease of management

Soldiers gravely wounded: 120

Civilian lives lost: 10,030

Civilians gravely wounded: 62

Cadrow City Status: Cleared of Hostiles.

Notes from Cadrow City Guards:

Commander, today was a nightmare, but we thank you for quickly evacuating as many civilians as you could using your portals and aircraft. We also want to thank you for using those Freezing Bombs. After the ice thawed, most of the buildings remained functional.

We could have completely lost this city. If it wasn’t for your soldiers and your tech, Cadrow would have been overrun with worms and crab-people.

At Commander Rainhar’s command, we’ve been letting people know exactly what the enemy soldiers were doing, along with recordings of their radio chatter. We’ve let the public know just what kind of callous bastards we’re up against. We even shared bits of footage of Pretender worms taking over people, after getting the go-ahead to do so from their kin.

There have been a few contrarians here and there, but the CWS have been vigilant and diligent when it comes to debunking false claims about what happened in Cadrow.

Students at the university have started organizing memorial services for people lost in the battle. Citizens in other cities have agreed to make a formal request that you open a way for locals to directly donate to the cause of fighting Robert North, which we’ve all taken to calling the ‘Fake President’. The REAL president, Ignatius Smith himself has been busy making sure every nook and cranny is safe, with the use of his rats.

The Battle of Cadrow’s turned into a real wake-up call for us, Commander. Surveys in Regions 3 and 4 indicate that 78% want us to be more pro-active in fighting the enemy. They want the full might of the Saramis Alliance to invade across the sea and attack Region 1.

We’ll leave the planning to you, Commander. You got civilian support, the pendulum’s swinging back in the other direction.

====

Ghulls: Vora, We got a message from Cadrow University. Here it is in full:

===

Dr. Hans Kreuz,
Lecturer at Cadrow University, Department of Physics


Commander Vorador Mortanius, after your rescue of our institution, I am compelled to share with you information that may assist you in your cause. Prior to the attack, we were testing a new kind of shield generator that was able to protect its wearer from organic matter as well as metallic matter. As you know, current shield technology only repels metallic objects but useless against claws, fangs and the like.

We hypothesized that by attaching a sensor to detect incoming objects, a computer for decision-making and a spectrum-shifter module, we can actually build a shield generator based on current designs that can detect organic objects and change the shield’s repel-spectrum to stop carbon-based matter. Our biggest obstacle right now is that we lack resources to:

1- Replace shield generators if they malfunction, which hampers our ability to run frequent tests.

2- We do not have access to advanced computer technology to serve as the generator’s computer.

We have therefore sent a proposal to the local HQ. Your Research and Development team has deemed the project ‘plausible’, and see potential in this avenue of research. We believe that this device will save your soldiers from surprise attacks by enemy bioweapons.

Godspeed,
Hans

===

NEW RESEARCH PROJECT UNLOCKED!

Spectrum-Shifting Shields
50,000 RP
2 Weeks to complete

When this project is complete, soldiers will be equipped with Shifter Shields, which will protect them from metallic AND organic weapons. For example: If a soldier is attacked by a claw, the shield will absorb the hit and save the soldier from a wound. The only downside to this technology is that it cannot protect the wearer from being shot at and being clawed at simultaneously.

You: This is going to be useful! Why the hell didn’t we come up with this earlier?!

Ghulls just shrugs. He really doesn’t have an answer.

You then get a conference call from Lagantis and Rainhar.

Lagantis: Vora, have you read the report from the City Guards?

You: I have, yes. It sounds like the public wants us to go on the offensive now.

Lagantis: I actually agree with them. What happened today blindsided us, and we got close to losing the Omni-Factory, which would have been one hell of a blow. Every day, our enemy’s getting better at fighting us.

Rainhar: So we need to start hitting them hard, get aggressive. Right now, Regions 3 and 4 are under our control and are giving us enough of a foothold on this planet. As for Region 5, almost everyone who’s been living there has decided to move north into Region 3 after what’s happened at Cadrow as well as the discovery of that Walking Factory thing. They want security, and in return they’ll help us with manpower and resources.

Lagantis: We were already getting locals for combat duty, but now there are also civilians signing up for non-combat roles. Factories in every city under our control are granting us resources and are also offering to build weapons for us.

Rainhar: We got cities offering to build MISSILE LAUNCHERS! Isn’t that wild? They don’t have the expertise to design a proper launchers, but with our engineers and their workforce we can help them set up missile platforms.

You: Wait, wait, wait. Missile platforms?

Rainhar: Yeah! Once we get those built, we can launch missile artillery strikes on enemy bases in Regions 1 and 2 from far away! Supersonic missiles!

You: How long will it take for them to finish building?

Rainhar: It will take 1 week for them to finish one. HQ has designated them as LGMA, Long-Range Global Missile Artillery. Reload time is 10 minutes, but the missile will be able to reach anywhere on the planet, moving at Mach 3. It will take at least 5 minutes for the missiles to reach the target, but the accuracy should be nigh-perfect! The people here weren’t comfortable with the idea of us building these things before, but after that attack on Cadrow? They’re more willing to let us build weapons near their cities.

Lagantis: The missiles themselves can be refitted with napalm, nuclear, or freezer warheads in under a minute, in case the situation on the field changes. So, what do you think?

You: I think this is a great idea. Makes me wish we had these earlier!

Lagantis: Heh, same here. Now, time to make plans. We’ve won today’s battle, but we need to strike the enemy before they send another fleet of transports into our territory. There’s no doubt in my mind that they’re assessing their mistakes, and the next round they’ll have a better plan. Something about them has changed, all right.

Feathers: If I may interrupt… the recent speech made by a person who claimed to be Robert North indicates that a very different intelligence has taken over.

You: How so, Feathers?

Feathers: It has been bothering me and Francoise for quite some time. The voice is correct, but the manner of speech and tone were different. We suspect that an Author might have actually taken control of his body now.

Rainhar: So we now got a for-real Author in the driver’s seat?

Feathers: That appears to be the case. They may have determined that the original Robert North has become a liability, and seek to take more direct action in steering their so-called ‘story’.

Lagantis: The Magnum Opus.

Feathers: Yes. The thing that they wish to create in the hopes of attracting the attention of an Audience.

Lagan remembers something and takes a moment before he speaks.

Lagantis: You know… back on Homeworld, I met a time traveler. They had a message for me.

You: What kind of message, Lagan?

Lagantis: The message was basically: ‘Save Koda Serivi’. Sure enough, her life was in danger and I rescued her.

Rainhar: Wait, wait WAIT. A TIME TRAVELER told you to rescue her???

Lagantis: They said they were violating causality, so I’m assuming they were from the future. They wanted to stop the Magnum Opus. From what I can tell, me rescuing Koda put a wrench into our enemy’s plans.

Feathers: If what you say is true, then we may have actually backed the Authors into a corner, and drove them into taking direct control over their agent.

Rainhar: Am I the ONLY one freaked out that TIME TRAVEL IS REAL?! SOMEONE SENT A MESSAGE INTO THE PAST AND SUCCEEDED? Lagan! What else did they say???

Lagantis: I wrote down the message after committing it to memory, just in case. Here.

===
(Time Traveler’s Message. NOTE: Critical Importance)

this message is a violation of causality

we are broadcasting from the final page of the magnum opus

we are violating causality to destroy the magnum opus

we cannot transmit physical form

save koda serivi

save koda serivi

save koda serivi

this message is a violation of causality

we are broadcasting from the final page of the magnum opus

===

Lagantis: There wasn’t anything else to it, and I’m taking the fact that I haven’t seen it again as a good sign that we’re heading in the right direction.

Rainhar: Huh. Okay, that sort of makes sense. If we were fucking up I’d imagine we’d be seeing more angry messages from the future.

You: Lagan, this is probably not that important, but what did the time traveler look like?

Lagantis: Like a big, angular spaceship with arms.

You: Doesn’t sound like any species I’ve heard of.

Lagantis: Yeah. For all we know they could actually from a really, REALLY distant future. Maybe they haven’t even evolved yet.

Feathers: This is exciting, but I ask now that we focus on the task at hand. The enemy is now demonstrating greater competence than before. I suggest we formulate a plan to invade Region 2.

Rainhar: Why Region 2? We should go straight for the enemy’s leadership!

Feathers: The latest recon runs from Seeker drones indicate that Region 2 is building up airbases and transports as we speak. If we ignore that and head for Region 1 immediately, we risk another assault on our civilian populations.

Rainhar: I see your point, but I’d argue that if we strike Centricom hard and fast enough, that won’t matter. We’d have taken out their brains.

Lagantis: Rainhar, you’re ignoring the possibility that Region 2 will attack us from the south. If we focus all our efforts into Region 1, then 2 will flank our invasion force and we’ll have to fight strong opposition on both sides. And remember: Something in Region 1 is blocking our portals. If we were to attack it, we’d have to accept that the chances of our troops being able to retreat in the event of a catastrophe is small.

Rainhar: Okay, how about we infiltrate Region 1? Send in spies, saboteurs. If we’re going to delay a full-scale invasion, I’d say we should at least poke holes at it.

You: Ghulls, can you bring up the most recent intel we have on Regions 1 and 2? We’re gonna need as much information as possible.

Lagantis: Good idea. Ghulls?

Ghulls: One second… here you are!

You look at the map of Region 1 and 2.



Region 1 is still mostly snow, with limited entrances into the underground bases where the bulk of the enemy’s leadership and research reside. There are also heavy anti-air defenses, especially near the base entrances.

From what you can tell, a ground assault is actually the best option here; Region 1 has almost no ground defenses, and with enough troops and vehicular support you can reasonably mount an attack on one of the entrances. The key issue is that you really have no data on how many enemy combatants you’ll have to deal with, and what sort of bioweapons you’ll be facing. Human Spies might be able to infiltrate, but Region 1’s security is extremely tight. All doors have cameras and biometric scanners, so they’d almost certainly detect someone who doesn’t belong there.

One possible weak point is the recently-discovered air vents, meant to supply air into the bases below. They’ve been disguised as random debris, but now your forces can be certain they do exist. Unfortunately, they’re all really small holes, just wide enough for a soldier to go through.

The airbases at Region 1 are still in the early stages of rebuilding their fleet of transports. Seizing these airbases could draw the enemy out from the underground, and when they open the doors, use that opportunity to deliver a devastating strike right through the opening.

As for Region 2: The entire region seems to be loyal to Robert North’s cause. They’ve started referring to their planet as Manava and removed all references to Planet-117.

Intel shows that there are still numerous factories and airbases, all of them busy preparing another attack fleet.

You: Well, we can spend time to make our decision later. I’m seeing a lot more messages waiting for us in the shared inbox. Ghulls?

Ghulls: I’ll patch you through to HQ.

HQ: Commanders, we have new intel regarding Shadow Company, from the R&D team. They’ve finished looking at all the data we have so far.

===

Designation: Shadow Company

A completely invisible and silent group of entities that transmit radio messages while also capable of moving faster than sound. They cannot be obstructed by any kind of physical matter, but are able to perceive living creatures. Their primary purpose is to report back the number of civilians in a specific building to Centricom by sending coded messages. These entities can be tracked by their constant broadcasts.

Of particular note is the fact that these radio signals were being relayed by other members of the Shadow Company who were in position outside of Cadrow. It’s possible they were already waiting there before the attack on the city

Currently, the only countermeasure we have against Shadow Company is to jam all radio frequencies in the area. Jamming a specific frequency only causes the Shadow Company to switch to another frequency. Unfortunately, the Organic Radios we have will be affected by this. Denying the Shadow Company their usefulness also means hampering our soldiers’ communications.

We found a piece of their transmission that was unlike the rest. It appears to be a message to a specific member of the enemy’s Centicom. Here is a transcript:

Shadow Company. Request. Inquiry. Superior Designation Golden Falcon.

Centricom Golden Falcon. Receive. Direction and distance. Confirmed.

Zero. Zero. Zero. Disengage. Cognitive restored.

Centricom, our feet are tired. We haven’t slept in four days. When’s the next rotation?

Rotation in 12. Understood. Thank you.

One. One. One. Engaged. Cognitive. On hold.

Shadow Company. Duty resuming.

This suggests that whatever Shadow Company are, they’re actually conscious but somehow have to ‘switch’ their personalities to continue doing their work. They might be former humans who were transformed into these invisible scouts, but this is unconfirmed. This also suggests that they can experience fatigue. Maybe we could develop a device that would cause them to become exhausted, but since we don’t understand how they move around, or why their physical bodies can phase through objects, we won’t be able to work on it until we get more hard data.

===

Lagantis: Is there any way for us to know for sure that the Shadow Company isn’t at HQ, just looking through our base?

You: Not unless they start making calls.

Lagantis: Ugh.

Ghulls: HQ also picked up another radio broadcast during the battle.

===

R&D Notes:
Intercepted radio broadcast, dubbed “Long Scream”

This was broadcasted during the entire battle at Cadrow, from the moment the transports landed to the time when the last Pretender was killed. We called it “Long Scream” because it sounded like a very slow, extended scream of a masculine voice. Were enemy soldiers being influenced by it somehow? Testing on human subjects showed no change in behavior. Perhaps the enemy soldiers have been conditioned to respond to it, but we cannot identify what purpose it serves, if at all. Data indicates it was being broadcast from Region 1.

====

You: So there’s just… one really long scream.

Ghulls: Yeah.

You: And we have no idea why it was broadcast, or if there’s even actually a reason for it. Great. More wood for my paranoia fires.

Lagantis: This entire campaign is going to be one hell of an entry in the history books.

Rainhar: Honestly, General, I’d be amazed if our future descendants don’t write this whole thing off as ‘that era when everybody was REALLY high on drugs and wrote nonsense in their records’.

Ghulls: Speaking of which…

Rainhar: What, there’s MORE?

Ghulls: We were able to recover the bodies of enemy soldiers at the Cadrow City prison as well as the disabled Blink Tanks near HQ. One of them was apparently an officer of some kind, and he was carrying a piece of sensitive information on a portable computer. It was in an encrypted folder marked ‘Future’, and according to its logs, it was for emails about notifications of future plans. Only one email is allowed to be archived, though, and when a new email is sent, the archived data is automatically scrubbed. Here’s what the CWS found:

===

From: Centricom
To: All Officers Above Captain

Subject: Psionic Weapon - ’To Serve Man’

Psionics Division are now in the final testing phase of ‘To Serve Man’, hereby referred to as TSM-09 in the rest of this message.

The concept of TSM-09 is to make our propaganda a reality: It is a digital message that makes saramis crave for human flesh. It is to be delivered via double agents who will join the enemy’s militia, who will then implant the message in their networks. They will not be able to detect it, as the file looks exactly the same like any other mundane piece of data to software. Only organic life-forms can see any kind of difference, as digital intelligences and non-sentient software are unable to perceive it.

Other agents in the field will also spread this digital message on the internet, as there is a very good chance the enemy will see it by accident.

As of this writing, TSM-09 only has a minor effect on humans. Human beings exposed to it will feel sudden urges to commit cannibalism, but it will subside. This effect is much more powerful on saramis individuals, and the effect is irreversible without the use of surgery. Psionics Division heads are debating whether they should start adding display monitors on our vehicles and soldiers to infect saramis soldiers in combat. On one hand, it might motivate saramis soldiers to be more aggressive (hunting ‘prey’), on the other hand it might cause catastrophic loss of cohesion with their human units, as our simulations indicate that the saramis troops will immediately try to eat human infantry closest to them.

Data indicates 100% success rate; when a saramis sees the image, they will feel intense hunger that can only be satiated by eating human flesh, and their thoughts will be completely taken over by obsessions about hunting and eating humans. Currently, we see the biggest flaw with this weapon is that it only affects saramis inhabiting our planet, as its effects cannot go into outer space. We intend to amplify the Mind making this effect, so that we can throw the enemy into complete chaos.

===

Lagantis: Vora. The TSM-09? Priority one. We have to nip this thing in the bud.

You: I agree. Ghulls, dedicate a Human Battalion to monitoring our networks for any sign of this… ‘To Serve Man’ file.

Rainhar: So… anybody feeling like having a human over for dinner?

Lagantis: NOT FUNNY, BOY.

You know a joke is awful when even Lagan says it’s bad. Rainhar just chuckles.

Ghulls: We also got a notification from R&D about the, uh, ‘batteries’ they found in the Polluted, the creatures that come from those killed by the radiation at the Author Nadir’s tomb.

===

Technology discovered: Emulated-Polluted Batteries

Study of the anatomy of a Polluted revealed that they were powered by glowing green sphere. They were organic in nature, but some of the elements inside them are unknown to us and believed to be created in a universe with different physical laws. Author-based technology seems reliant on ‘cheating’ by crafting their devices outside of our cosmos, and then ‘tricking’ our universe into accepting them in existence. These batteries are no different; by rights, they should just be completely inert, and yet here they are, providing immense electrical energy.

At first, we were going to create batteries that emulated their nature as best as we could with contemporary technology, resulting in a product that would perform with 20% efficiency, but the introduction of the Author’s Forge changed it to 80%. After proper study of the manufacturing techniques utilized by the Author’s Forge, we can now create very close replicas of the energy source used by the Polluted.

What the Emulated-Polluted Batteries (EPB) can do is provide the same amount of energy once can find in a typical yellow dwarf star. The immense power stored within is regulated via empathic thought; the EPB is capable of reading the thoughts of a carbon-based organism within its vicinity and regulate it according to the user’s needs. This means that there is no need for any kind of control mechanism other than thought. The EPB is completely unaffected by any kind of EMP attack.

With proper training, our forces in the field can use the EPB to power weapons like laser rifles and vehicles. The only real flaw to this is that it requires a person to control and guide whatever technology that requires the EPB to function.

We have added two proposals:

[b]Empathic Laser Rifles (ELR-1)
1,000 RP
Development time: 6 days

Powered by Emulated-Polluted Batteries, the ELR-1 is a laser rifle capable of not only operating for centuries, but allows total control for infantry with regards to the laser beam’s intensity. It is lighter and more compact than our current laser rifle designs, but offers the same level of firepower and range. ELR-1s are also immune to EMP attacks. Soldiers equipped with ELR-1 will never need a recharge and can deliver more firepower, able to fire laser beams constantly.

Hover Cannon Platform (HCP-1)
30,000 RP
Development time: 9 days

An aircraft that never needs to land, as long as at least one pilot can stay conscious. The HCP-1 is a floating defense platform, equipped with a laser cannon and crewed by two people. The HCP-1 can perform long range strikes by firing laser beams from high up in the sky, far enough to be invisible to the naked eye. This air unit includes a cockpit supplied with food, water, oxygen and also equipped with a toilet. Essentially, this is a flying watchtower that can evade incoming attacks. Food and other necessities for the pilots can be sent via drone, and if necessary the pilots can change shifts with a new team.

===

You: Whoa. I can see having a lot of use for that hovering platform. The ELR-1, I’m not so sure… but at least it isn’t that expensive.

Ghulls: Incoming message from Grenda.

You: I’m getting a lot of messages today, huh.

Grenda: Commander, I have good news. Very good news. After six hundred and twenty-eight messages from me requesting assistance, the Human Federation has decided to send us help!

You: Really? That’s great! What are they sending?

Grenda: They’re sending us a Swiftback and Disaster Mechs. I am sending you the files related to them now.

===

SWIFTBACK
Role: Assassin, Shock Unit

Swiftbacks are genetically-engineered shapeshifters, shapeshifters that can alter even their skeleton. They are highly intelligent, focused and capable of attacking even if all that remains is a limb, as they can grow extra sensory organs on any part of their bodies.

Swiftbacks are able to mimic human DNA and another person’s fingerprints, rendering current biometric technology unable to detect them. The only way to identify a Swiftback is to remove a body part, because any body part that has been severed will behave independently of the main body (though it will only be hostile to those already categorized as targets by the mission-giver).

These assassins are also capable of absorbing another human being’s brain to harvest it for memories, allowing them to fool their targets into danger. They will also know everything their victim knew, even the deepest secrets. In open combat, Swiftbacks can use their shapeshifting abilities as camouflage, hiding in plain sight until they find an opportunity to ambush the enemy. They can also disguise themselves as enemy troops, infiltrate past enemy lines and relay information or assassinate enemy officers.

Information regarding the creation of a Swiftback is a closely-guarded secret, and only leaders of the Human Federation or scientists working on the Swiftback Project may know about this. Any attempt to dissect or analyze the Swiftback’s body will be regarded as a betrayal of trust.

The Swiftback we are sending you is designated ‘Carpenter AN92-Q’. Carpenter will obey your every command, with the sole exception of allowing you access to information behind their creation.

===

Lagantis: Never in my life would I ever expect to have a Swiftback under our command. Vora, this is the equivalent of them sending us a superweapon. Swiftbacks can look like ANYTHING, as long as it’s got the same volume as an adult human. They can sneak into enemy strongholds with ease.

[b]You: We’ll definitely put Carpenter to good use. Though we already have Human Spies, a Swiftback would be even harder for the enemy to sniff out. Thank you, Grenda

You read the second file Grenda has sent you.

===

DISASTER (DSR-1987) MECH

Role: Frontline Assault
Crew: 1
90 tons

The Disaster Mech is a bipedal robot meant for long engagements on the front lines. The mech comes equipped with the following weapons:

- Eldridge Rocket Barrager: Launches 600 missiles from up to 1km away, each missile can be designated a unique target.

- Army Delayer Cannon: Using top-secret technology, the ADC halves the movement speed of anything that gets hit by its projectile. Best used against vehicles.

- Trumpeter Gatling Cannon: Dedicated anti-infantry weapon, the gatling cannon also creates noise loud enough to destroy nearby eardrums and other auditory sensory organs within 100 metres.

- Roosevelt Flamethrower: Shoots flames that reach up to 600 degrees Celsius in a wide arc in front of the mech.

Intended to counter ‘human wave’ attacks, the Disaster Mech is heavily-armored in the front and loaded with shield generators to give it enhanced durability on the front lines. Each limb comes with a self-repairing module, fitted with drones and spare parts in the rear segments. The mech’s back also has jetpacks, giving it the ability to outflank any enemy unit that gets close by jumping right over them and then turning before landing. A skilled pilot can use the jetpack to land on top of an enemy vehicle to destroy it with the mech’s sheer weight.

A common tactic is to use the ADC to slow enemy movement before firing all other weapons. The ADC’s projectile is fast enough to take out land vehicles, but cannot guarantee a hit on supersonic aircraft. Please note that the Disaster Mech’s armor is very weak in the rear, so it should be accompanied by other units to secure its flanks.

Also note: Do not use the Disaster Mech in heavily-populated civilian zones, ESPECIALLY if using the Trumpeter Gatling Cannon as it will cause permanent hearing damage for anyone not wearing ear protection. The deafening nature of this weapon is intentional, as it was meant to disorient infantry and vehicle crews who are susceptible to sound.

This shipment of Disaster Mech comes with training data for use with human and saramis pilots.

===

2 Disaster Mechs have been added to your arsenal!

Grenda: May our Swiftback and Disaster Mechs serve you well, Commander. Now, a time for nap.

You: Thank you again, Grenda.

Grenda: You’re welcome!

Dr. Ushah: Commander, remember Alone? The strange creature we’ve picked up? Extremely weight, no face, communicates only via radio transmissions?

You: How could I forget? What’s the news, doctor?

Dr. Ushah: We’ve fed it the uh, food, Intruder instructed us to make before he died. Alone, as the entity calls itself, is very eager to help, but its time as a captive in the enemy’s hands has… not been healthy for its mind. Here, I have a report you should read.

===
Entity: Alone
Initial Report by Dr. James Ushah

Alone is an entity from another universe, and from our interviews with it, what we see in our world are merely ‘limbs’ of its actual body. According to Alone, the best analogy is to imagine yourself placing your arms into a pool, with the rest of you still dry.

Alone is impervious to many things we deem dangerous, such as extreme heat, acid, etc. but it can be obstructed by powerful magnetic fields. The enemy kept Alone as a prisoner using their generators, but fortunately never realized that they could CRUSH Alone if they just increased the power, killing it. Instead, they only thought they could limit its movement. Theoretically, a projectile that generated its own magnetic field could actually pulverize Alone if it travelled at sufficient velocity. The enemy’s scientists seemed to have been pre-occupied with finding an element that would be toxic to it, instead of fully exploring all possible ways to harm it with its known weakness.

Fortunately for us, the entity Alone is very co-operative and though initially blinded by rage, understands that it was saved from death due to the efforts of an Author. Despite the language barrier, the entity has proven to be intelligent and creative. It has directed us to locate 30 other limbs, and we’ve gathered them all together. They all behave in perfect synchronicity, just like the Monash AI and hovertanks we found.

It is capable of using telekinesis to manipulate objects of up to 10 kilograms, turning anything lighter than that into a deadly weapon. In an urban environment or any other place filled with junk and debris, Alone would be a devastating force in close-range combat. With its ability to co-ordinate all of its limbs and share information in real time across long distances, it can also serve as a scout for us, performing recon.

Alone is currently granted free reign to float around our HQ. So far, it has shown no sign of hostility to anyone not aligned with Robert North. We have attached radios to its limbs that allow it to communicate to others nearby.

===

Dr. Ushah: Alone can help us with its ‘limbs’, serving on the frontlines as combatants or as scouts, but strange as it may sound, Alone needs training to be effective as either. It will be about a week before we can send it into the field as a combat-scout.

Lagantis: Incredible. We now have an extradimensional ghost-monster working for us.

You: Ghulls, are there any more messages for me?

Ghulls: Well, there is one more. It’s from Homeworld.

====
From the Saramis Alliance Transitional Government
Madnas Kotoro,
Restoration Councilmember

They wanted me to be formal with this but screw it. Lagan, Vora, you’re on the Restoration Council. The goons in the old High Command ruined everything so everybody voted to start a new government. The two of you have done a lot of great things for our Alliance and we’re trusting you to make the right decisions when it comes to handling our war against the Authors.

Here’s a full list of the Restoration Councilmembers:

- Madnas Kotoro, Military Public Relations
- Silvak Winros, Food Management
- Conora Mastib, Infrastructure Development
- Devind Barhah, Culture and Entertainment
- Lagantis Primevex, Strategic Director
- Vorador Mortanius, Arms Manufacturing
- Koda Serivi, Science and Technology
- Jerry Bogota, Foreign Affairs
- Hythen Morrz, Trade and Finances

We’re sending different briefings for each member on what they’re supposed to do. Lagan and Vora, the two of you are at the ‘front lines’ of this conflict, so to speak, so we decided to let you handle how best to protect our nation.

Also, Lagan, you might have noticed that it looks like we have way more colonies than you thought. Turns out the old High Command was keeping a LOT of secrets from us. They had secret offworld colonies that they created for social engineering experiments. We’re working on ‘de-programming’ them.

====

Lagan: Wish they talked to us first before putting us on the council.

You: On the bright side, it looks like we’re going to get a lot more access to resources for our fight here!

You look at the list of options the Restoration Council has sent you with regards to prioritization of arms manufacturing. One week is required for all the new changes to be completely implemented across the Alliance.

What they ask now is: Which one should be implemented first?

Hold The Line

All infantry units will be granted portable cover, freezer grenades and flamethrowers for combat against enemy monster-hordes. Each Regular Army battalion will be given a Digger Drone, able to dig a trench faster than any soldier, meant to impede the advance of enemy creatures.

Seek And Destroy

Seeker Drones will be fitted with a device that launches a tracking beacon. The beacon will stick to whatever surface it hits, allowing friendly units to keep pursuing hostiles. The beacon also acts as a signal for artillery units to home in on. Infantry units will also have beacon launchers, and their dedicated Cyberwarfare Specialists will wear optical devices that lets them scan through walls and get detailed information on enemy forces. The information includes the enemy’s level of fatigue, field of vision, ammunition count, and armor type.

Instant Recovery

Recently-approved medical technology will be deployed to the frontlines. The Armored Mobile Hospital, AMH-01, will be deployed in any large infantry battle. Though slow-moving, the AMH-01is heavily armored and carries a full suite of medical robots that can bring a soldier back from the brink of death within minutes. Any soldier who loses a limb can have it quickly replaced by an organic clone, and get back into the fight in less than ten minutes, depending on the mental state of the soldier.

Members of the Blood Caste will also be inside the AMH-01 to provide maintenance, repairs, and consultation for wounded soldiers. This new initiative will allow soldiers to fight for much longer than ever possible.

Mech Frontier

The Human Federation has shared their technical knowledge on how to build combat mechs that can take massive punishment and dish out high firepower, along with substantial maneuverability. Approving this choice will enable us to build the first Alliance-Federation hybrid-design mech, the Shadowhand.

The Shadowhand mech comes equipped with jetpacks that allow it to easily flank enemy units as well as dodge incoming fire. Its legs and relatively light weight allow the Shadowhand to climb up tall buildings and use them for cover. It comes equipped with two laser cannons, two missile pods, and melee capability using its dextrous legs. In a pinch, the Shadowhand can use its jetpack to immediately clear out a horde using the backblast by doing a jump while surrounded by the enemy.

Sky Supremacy

All aircraft, including drones, will be equipped with point-defense systems to shoot down incoming missiles. They will also be re-fitted with new materials to reduce damage taken from laser-based weaponry. Aerial re-arming and re-fueling drones will be deployed to increase the endurance of air units. Pilots will be given jetpacks to allow them to eject and escape hostile territory in the event they need to abandon their vehicles.

Councilwoman, what is your choice? What new developments should be implemented first? Lagan will make his plans according to what you prioritize here, so don’t worry about your choice becoming incompatible with Lagan’s ideas.

>_



Units available:

Show Content

Spoiler
Special Agents

Hawkeyes: Explosives expert and adept at trap detection. - IN BATTLE AT CADROW
Talbat: Assassin. - IN BATTLE AT CADROW
Linesman: Cyberwarfare Specialist.
Kuroda: Cyberwarfare Specialist.
Grenda: Doomcat, cat in mobile combat suit. Excellent at sudden strikes and assassinations. Shock Unit. - IN BATTLE AT CADROW
Lt. Hayes: Diplomat with division of former Robert North soldiers. Currently searching and detaining Servants of Saramis cultists.
Carpenter: Swiftback unit, able to shapeshift into any person.

7 Human Spies

Ventica - Monitoring Cobalt City
Leon - Monitoring Cobalt City
Geoff Prowers
Robert Jones
Scooblazone ‘Scooby’ Mingle
Michael Thorn
Edita Dudek

Superweapons:
Weather Machine - Can clear out smoke or mist, cause rain, snow, heat wave.

= Saramis Alliance Regular Army Troops =

Each battalion, saramis and human alike is provided with rapid combat vehicles (Sahela-9). The Sahela-9 has room for 6 people; 5 soldiers per squad and 1 passenger.

All infantry is equipped with EMP-proof radios and Automatic Medkits. 40% of troops are armed with laser rifles.

34 Battalions
All troops stationed at HQ unless otherwise stated

Battalion 1 - Lt. Malino (188 out of 1000 troops active) Region 3
Battalion 2 - Lt. Fadar - In Region 3, west coast
Battalion 3 - Lt. Kassar - Region 3
Battalion 4 - Lt. Jagal - Region 4, border with Region 3
Battalion 5 - Lt. Marad - Cadrow City, Region 3
Battalion 6 - Lt. Hatak - Cadrow City, Region 3
Battalion 7 - Lt. Lais - Cadrow City, Region 3
Battalion 8 - Lt. Zoko - Cadrow City, Region 3
Battalion 9 - Lt. Sivo - Cadrow City, Region 3
Battalion 10 - Lt. Varas - Cadrow City, Region 3
Battalion 11 - Lt. Magaro - Cadrow City, Region 3
Battalion 12 - Lt. Habruk - Cadrow City, Region 3
Battalion 13 - Lt. Veris - Cadrow City, Region 3
Battalion 14 - Lt. Kando - Cadrow City, Region 3
Battalion 15 - Lt. Milvero - Region 3
Battalion 16 - Lt. Hildevar - Region 3
Battalion 17 - Lt. Merig
Battalion 18 - Lt. Ganzo
Battalion 19 - Lt. Haska
Battalion 20 - Lt. Mirsh
Battalion 21 - Lt. Ovov
Battalion 22 - Lt. Gaetfri
Battalion 23 - Lt. Milsok
Battalion 24 - Lt. Jongo
Battalion 25 - Lt. Meriff
Battalion 26 - Lt. Sikburr
Battalion 27 - Lt. Agrans
Battalion 28 - Lt. Nikfel
Battalion 29 - Lt. Lagbos
Battalion 30 - Lt. Veranos
Battalion 31 - Lt. Kinaski
Battalion 32 - Lt. Skappal
Battalion 33 - Lt. Densum
Battalion 34 - Lt. Weerm

7 Spec Ops Teams

Spec Ops 1 - Cpt. Selev
Spec Ops 2 - Cpt. Krad
Spec Ops 3 - Cpt. Filis
Spec Ops 4 - Cpt. Orol
Spec Ops 5 - Cpt. Wolka
Spec Ops 6 - Cpt. Inviz
Spec Ops 7 - Cpt. Jagan

3 Commander’s Vanguard

Commander’s Vanguard - Maj. Gordov
Commander’s Vanguard - Maj. Haras
Commander’s Vanguard - Maj. Laudey

Saramis Alliance Human Army Troops

Human Battalion 1 - Lt. Mirrorsmith
Human Battalion 2 - Lt. Carve
Human Militia 1 - Sgt. Saval

Saramis Alliance Ground Vehicles

30 Sahela-9 Rapid Combat Vehicles

6 Volcano Tanks

Sunshine - Cadrow City
Lollipops - Cadrow City
Rainbows - Cadrow City
Screamer - Cadrow City
Polisher
Beast

30 Sonic Swatters

Gaoler
Basher
Whirlwind
Harrier
Kettle
Pilfer
Cauldron
Jank
Flayer
Imp
Granny
Jingler
Clutter
Deleter
Citrus
Lockdown
Cymbal
Clang
Woodsman
Downhill
Smokestack
Sweeper
Skids
Lamplight
Loudmouth
Screecher
Junkpile
Big Tone
Houseboy
Warsong


40 SASAPC-12

Boxcars - Cadrow City
Ferryman - Cadrow City
Taxi Cab - Cadrow City
Butler - Cadrow City
Splinter - Cadrow City
Caravan - Cadrow City
Caboose
Caramel
Gourmet
Hotpot
Klaxon
Typewriter
Handlebar
Glovebox
Speedy
Blacklist
Townie
Pepper Flash
Oven-top
Nitrous
Railroad
Homesick
Squire
Basket
Big Chair
Sender
Extra Fresh
Seedling
Eggbox
Smackdown
Little Man
Blanket
Lifeboat
Auctioneer
Ranter
Old Bumpy
Carriage
Spokes
Bitter Candy
Pillowcase

== Author’s Notes Units ==

3 Portal Wagons

Keymaster
Doorman
Portalier

3 Sentinel Orbs

Oathkeeper
Promises
Silent Dad

5 Void Spheres

Neverland
Banishment
Chainlink
Death Egg
Single Point

2 Abyssal Artillery

Gundark
Night Owl

1 Truth Extractor

4 Usurper Knights - Armed with Phantomic Repeaters, Cadrow City

Gallivant
Cervantes
Downfall
Galactic

Overmind Armor

5 Phantomic Repeaters

2 Disaster Mechs

Wolfdog
Adirondacks

PMCs

(Millatech Corporation)
MillaTech Cyborg Sniper Team 1 - Slender
MillaTech Cyborg Sniper Team 2 - Shuriken

(Solaria)
Solaria Artillery 1 - Monago
Solaria Artillery 2 - Evvas
Solaria Artillery 3 - Yonko

(Aflong Legion)
Aflong Vine Brigade 1 - Gerund
Aflong Vine Brigade 2 - Tempo

Aflong Grenadier Platoon 1 - Blaster
Aflong Grenadier Platoon 2 - Popcorn

(Birds of the Apocalypse)

BOTA-4 Gunship 1 - Crackerbox
BOTA-4 Gunship 2 - Thunderpain

Drones

(Intel Drones)
20 Seeker Drones

(Supply and Extraction Drones)

13 Savior Drones

(Aerial Combat Drones)

10Hunter Drones
6 Laser Drones

(Ground Combat Drones)

80 Sonic Mechs
11 Swarm Intelligence Drone Cluster

(Drone Command Center)

Airblob-1 (Co-ordinates drones and boosts their abilities)


Naval Units

4 Armored Amphibious Carriers
Madhouse
Swordvan
Castle
Pinhead

4 Needlefish Submarines
Dreamer
Trophy
Goalpost
Burrow

Manned Air Units

5 Reaver Gunships
Lovebird
Blender
Bolt
House Call
Slurry

4 Jester Fighter Craft
Cyclops
Talon
Moonbeam
Raindust

4 Bloodprince Fighter Craft
Streaker
Slasher
Gunhold
Frigid


10 Skyshadows (Aerial Troop Carrier, can carry 1 battalion each, armed with gatling guns)

Highwind
Blimper
Mountaineer
Stilts
Rattler
Silver
Air Horn
Big Surprise

=======

RESEARCH PROJECTS COMPLETED:

Automated First Aid Device
A first aid pack attached to armor that will automatically activate if its wearer is injured. Administers painkillers, disinfectants and wound sealants in an instant, reduces the number of deaths and allows wounded troops to continue fighting. Can also be used to deliver sedatives in the event of a Brainbeast attack.

Brain Radios
Altered and cloned cat brains are now used as standard equipment. All tests show no loss of data between the Brain Radios, as long as the radios remain undamaged. EMP and other forms of interference have no effect.

Alliance Laser Rifle, ALR-01
All squads will be supplied with two ALR-01 weapons each. In a squad of five, three will continue to use conventional firearms with a pair in the rear to provide fire support if the target is impervious to bullets. ALR-01 will be given to those assigned as marksmen and heavy weapons specialists.

Tumorhide Armor project complete! All base buildings now very resistant to laser fire and extreme heat.

Psi-Combat
Research data from the Brainbeast and other psychic enemies has opened up a fascinating possibility: What if Alliance troops could use psychic powers? Researching Psi-Combat will allow us to invent devices that can give saramis troops the ability to use minor psychic attacks. Of course, only a few special individuals would be able to wield such powers without frying their own skulls.
Leads to: Psychic Commando, Psycho Tank (Psychic Commando screening in progress)

Brainbeast Radiation Reverser
A portable device that bounces back Brainbeast radiation, temporarily confusing the creature and immobilizing it. Every infantry unit is fitted with one.

Modern Bionic Warfare

RESEARCH PROJECTS IN PROGRESS:
Organic Signal Jammers (Week 7, Day 5)