Scraped from here.
The last thing you remember? That's easy. You, Colonel Steele, UEF...
The last thing you remember? That's easy. You, Colonel Steele, UEF...
Luv and Hate [Quest] (Muv-Luv Alternative, Supreme Commander)
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Cpl_Facehugger
^The reason I'm here.
Scraped from here.
The last thing you remember? That's easy. You, Colonel Steele, UEF commander, stepping into the quantum rift on Earth with a great big bomb 'liberated' from the Seraphim strapped to your ACU's back. The Aeon princess was right – the rift had to be closed. She was definitely right about that. But you and her had a disagreement over who exactly had to do the closing. It being a very one way trip and all.
The calculus was simple. The Aeon Illuminate's foremost political leader, a pacifist who could maybe convince the Aeon to not go on another murderlicious rampage after everyone was battered from the aliens' assault, or you, just another UEF commander? You, the one who's ultimately responsible for the aliens' invasion in the first place, for the purge of Earth? Even if General Hall's coverup of that little tidbit didn't blow wide open after the war, it's a pretty simple concept. Your fault. Your responsibility to fix. Earth is a dead world because of you. You fired the Black Sun superweapon. You opened rift those monsters used to come through. Even if you didn't mean to, it all comes back to one push of a button, with your finger doing the pushing.
So when Dr. Gustav Brackman, bless his disembodied cybernetic genius brain, told you that a sufficiently powerful quantum explosive detonated on the other side of the rift would close it, you leaped at the opportunity. You went through the rift and set those aliens up their own bomb. It was to be your heroic sacrifice, like all the old stories.
You were never supposed to survive.
You don't even know how. Because none of that, none of your memories explain how you got here. Wherever here is. Your ACU's critically damaged; armor integrity's down to 40% and her left leg actuator is trashed. The ACU's autorepair systems are already working on the damage. An easy fix for an ACU, she'll be like new before your base is even finished building.
But for what it was supposed to be, it's damn good. Her last action reports show successful release and detonation of the Seraphim experimental supernuke you'd pilfered. A 98.21% chance that the rift would be permanently destabilized. And a flat 100% chance that you'd be utterly destroyed in every way it's possible to be destroyed. And a few that defy human understanding. Because being at ground zero of a strategic nuke, much less an ungodly huge Seraphim uberbomb taken from an experimental launch site that uses strange and malicious physics in ways not even the Aeon really understand is a one way ticket to hell.
Given how close you were to the detonation point, you should be so much free-floating energy. ACUs are tough, but not that tough.
But then, discontinuity. Bam. Press the button, not die with no suitable explanation for what happened in between.
Your head hurts too; your vision swims in front of you, and you feel the urge to retch. Traveling via quantum gate leaves everyone a little nauseous, especially to destinations without a gate on the receiving end to buffer the transport, but you've never felt it like this before.
"Wake up, Commander." Your ACU's computer helpfully repeats. You get the impression she's been saying that for quite some time, going by your parched throat and general grogginess.
"Blue?" You ask. You have to remind yourself that she's not intelligent. Given how much trouble QAI got up to when it decided the Seraphim were gods, nobody sane would allow it. Still it helps you to humanize your unit, keeps your morale up just a little bit even if she's physically incapable of responding in real intelligent manner. Nothing but canned responses and some very clever scripting. And some heavy duty hardware shackles, just in case. "How long have I been out? Scratch that, how are we alive?"
"Unknown," Blue's monotone voice replies. "I have no suitable explanation."
You shake your head.
"The bomb. Did the bomb go off?" Desperation clouds your voice. "Did the rift close? Did it work?"
"Last records indicate the bomb was successfully deployed. Probability dictates that the rift is closed," Blue replies. "This unit is currently in an unknown location. Would you like me to activate passive and omnisensors?"
You rub your temples, trying to bash through your confusion and headache with sheer will. "Do it."
"Activating sensors. Omnisensor online. Environmental factors within human physiological preferences. Atmospheric salt content indicates we are near to a large body of salt water. Two midrange mass deposits detected nearby. Alert. Unknown light assault bots detected within twenty kilometers. Configuration unknown. No quantum IFF detected. Possibility of Seraphim ownership: Four percent."
"No IFF?" You blink. Even backwater colonies with homegrown militias use Q-IFF to coordinate and almost eliminate friendly fire. Still, at least they weren't Seraphim. You've seen enough goddamn aliens to last a lifetime. "What are they doing?"
"They are approaching at flank speed."
"Recon elements then, probably here to confirm our location for heavier forces," You shake your head again, still trying to clear it. "Give me a visual."
The holomap, the throbbing nerve-center of every commander's strategic operations, lights up. It flickers for a few moments, the colors inverting and reverting before it all settles down and shows you the feed from Blue's head-mounted cameras. Suitably magnified. They're still kilometers off; the fine details are fuzzy, but you've got enough to get some idea of what they are.
You also see that you're on either an island or a peninsula, and that these LABs are approaching you from the other end of it.
There's seven of them. Each one's colored blue and white, and despite yourself, you feel a little more at ease because of it. At first glance you'd almost think they're flying UEF colors just like you are, but you're utterly familiar with UEF military equipment and you're certain there's no weapons like that in your arsenal. These look far more humanoid than the hulking, boxy mech marines that you field in the light assault bot role. They're almost deceptively slender compared to what you're used to, though they've got just the right amount of boxiness in the form of armor plate to make them feel familiar. They also have actual hands rather than dual autocannon.
And that's doubly strange. While hands are certainly technologically feasible, the only 'bots with hands you've seen are search and rescue models. Perhaps these are converted civilian variants? Certainly it would fit with the notion of a backwater milita scrounging for resources.
"...Configuration unknown is right." You mutter. "Never seen a design like that. Doesn't look alien, but it's not one of ours either. It's got just the right amount of blue though."
"I am detecting low energy levels, consistent with LAB power sources. They are unlikely to carry sufficient firepower to breach my hull armor even in its damaged state," Blue adds. "No evidence of quantum communications technology detected."
"Right," You nod. "Well. First order of business-"
"Alert. I am also detecting a single squad-size formation of light infantry within one kilometer. They are on a ridge overlooking our position."
"Focus the image on them," You watch the image switch. "Enhance. Magnify."
Blue does so, the image resolving into clarity.
"They're just kids," You mutter. The soldiers in question appear somewhere between the ages of eighteen and twenty two, though one oddity is that there's only two boys; the rest are girls. They appear to be mostly unarmed, only one of them has a rifle; your unit's omni-sensors aren't picking up any radiological or electromagnetic signatures consistent with anti-ACU weapons either. No tac nukes or anything big. They aren't wearing any appreciable armor, just cloth uniforms – sleeveless tops and camouflaged leggings suited for tropical operations.
They're also looking down at your unit with no small amount of nervous awe, and some of them glance towards where the LABs are coming from, reminding you of twitchy rabbits.
One of them is speaking into a large box-like communicator, though, while another, a particularly small girl with oddly styled hair has a large rifle, probably a long range marksman model going by the optics, trained on your unit. Though from the way she's trembling, you suspect she knows as well as you do that her gun won't even scratch the paint.
They're probably the ones who found you and are calling in reinforcements.
You tap your chin. No quantum comms, but they're clearly talking somehow. "Blue, scan the electromagnetic spectrum for signals."
"Signals detected. Breaking encryption. Decoding. Analyzing. The language they are using is an eighty percent match for ancient Japanese, circa late twentieth century. I can upload a language package to your command chip. Accuracy is not guaranteed."
You blink. A dead language? Sometimes colonies got isolated, but the late twentieth century was well before even Mankind's first diaspora. If these people really had been isolated from the galaxy at large even as it burned around them, you'd still think the language would've diverged much further than that.
This whole situation makes no sense to you. You've got a man that shouldn't be alive listening to a language that shouldn't exist watching LABs without q-comms on approach. "Do it. And give me a feed of what they're saying."
"Would you like me to selectively jam their signals?" Blue asks.
You shake your head. "Not quite yet. Let's hear what they say when they think nobody's listening first."
"Affirmative. Replaying recorded transmissions."
A tinny but distinctly young and female voice bounces around your command cabin. "-Instructor, this is cadet leader Sakaki, we think the thing just moved."
A more mature and womanly voice calls out from the other end. "Are you sure? We didn't see anything on our end."
"Tamase's looking at it through a scope right now. She's sure she saw something moving in the head. She says-"
You hear muffled words, ones too low to make out. The girl talking to her comrade, perhaps? "-She says it feels like we're being watched. Could you tell those reinforcements to hurry up? We'd all feel a lot better with some TSFs to keep an eye on this thing."
TSFs? Is that what they're calling the bots? Rather sterile; even a hardass military like the UEF had fun naming their war machines. Then again, maybe it's just a role designation like LABs. And new fish probably don't know the slang anyway. It's odd though, you think they'd know your ACU for what it is given how many thousands of years the technology's been in use. But they almost seem confused. Surely they'd know of ACUs even if they're so backwater that they've never seen one.
Though you're still not sure how that's possible. The infinite war wasn't kind on groups who thought they could hide from one of the big three factions. And then after that, the Seraphim were too good at ferreting out human colonies to burn.
Mysteries aside, you figure the incoming light bots are the reinforcements these cadets are waiting for.
Of course, that still leaves you with a conundrum. What are you going to do about it? These people could be hostile, or they could be friendly.
Three options occur to you immediately:
The first is to build a base. ACUs are incredibly powerful war machines in their own right, but their true strength is their ability to construct a self-sustaining base and assault force within minutes of deployment. It might spook the strangers, but right now you're in the black ten; the ten minutes after deployment when an ACU is at its most vulnerable to attack. Once you've got yourself set up, you'll be able to approach these strangers from a position of strength and to give them your full attention.
Alternatively, though it goes against your instincts as a commander, you can forego building a base at the moment and instead focus on opening communications with these strange people. It's a gamble, but it's probably less likely to provoke a hostile response. On the other hand, if they are hostile, or if there's another hostile force nearby, losing time on diplomacy might be the difference between survival and your ACU cooking off like a hundred megaton thermonuke.
Another option occurs to you; you can play possum; nobody's going to take jittery cadets seriously you hope, so they probably won't realize your ACU's active unless you do something or send out more active scans. You can continue to eavesdrop on their communications and generally see what they do when they think you're still disabled. Your weapons are fully functional; you can destroy them at any time, assuming Blue's analysis is accurate. As with talking, though, you're losing time you could be spending building.
So with that in mind, you elect to:
[]Build a base first, talk later.
-Pro: Less time spent vulnerable. Con: Unpredictable natives.
[]Attempt communications first, build later.
-Pro: Potentially open dialog with the natives. Con: More time spent vulnerable.
[]Play Possum, see what these people do.
-Pros: More opportunities to examine the natives without them being aware. More time to figure out what the hell's going on here. Con: More time spent vulnerable.
[]Something else entirely [write in]
-Pro: SB's plans can be very good. Con: SB's plans can be very bad.
Also, you have the opportunity to customize your character before the game begins in earnest. Choose wisely, commander, as these options may shape your character just as much as the actions you take in the future.
What is your first name?
[]Roland
[]Michael
[]William
[]Write in (Subject to GM approval.)
What is your quest?
[]Kill all aliens.
[]Save Earth.
[]Protect Mankind.
When you stepped into the rift and detonated that bomb, what did you feel?
[]Tired.
[]Scared.
[]Regretful.
[]Relieved.
[]All of the above.
In the Infinite War and the Seraphim War that followed, you were most known for:
[]Your compassion.
[]Your will.
[]Your friends.
[]Your hate.
Story Only Thread
The last thing you remember? That's easy. You, Colonel Steele, UEF commander, stepping into the quantum rift on Earth with a great big bomb 'liberated' from the Seraphim strapped to your ACU's back. The Aeon princess was right – the rift had to be closed. She was definitely right about that. But you and her had a disagreement over who exactly had to do the closing. It being a very one way trip and all.
The calculus was simple. The Aeon Illuminate's foremost political leader, a pacifist who could maybe convince the Aeon to not go on another murderlicious rampage after everyone was battered from the aliens' assault, or you, just another UEF commander? You, the one who's ultimately responsible for the aliens' invasion in the first place, for the purge of Earth? Even if General Hall's coverup of that little tidbit didn't blow wide open after the war, it's a pretty simple concept. Your fault. Your responsibility to fix. Earth is a dead world because of you. You fired the Black Sun superweapon. You opened rift those monsters used to come through. Even if you didn't mean to, it all comes back to one push of a button, with your finger doing the pushing.
So when Dr. Gustav Brackman, bless his disembodied cybernetic genius brain, told you that a sufficiently powerful quantum explosive detonated on the other side of the rift would close it, you leaped at the opportunity. You went through the rift and set those aliens up their own bomb. It was to be your heroic sacrifice, like all the old stories.
You were never supposed to survive.
You don't even know how. Because none of that, none of your memories explain how you got here. Wherever here is. Your ACU's critically damaged; armor integrity's down to 40% and her left leg actuator is trashed. The ACU's autorepair systems are already working on the damage. An easy fix for an ACU, she'll be like new before your base is even finished building.
But for what it was supposed to be, it's damn good. Her last action reports show successful release and detonation of the Seraphim experimental supernuke you'd pilfered. A 98.21% chance that the rift would be permanently destabilized. And a flat 100% chance that you'd be utterly destroyed in every way it's possible to be destroyed. And a few that defy human understanding. Because being at ground zero of a strategic nuke, much less an ungodly huge Seraphim uberbomb taken from an experimental launch site that uses strange and malicious physics in ways not even the Aeon really understand is a one way ticket to hell.
Given how close you were to the detonation point, you should be so much free-floating energy. ACUs are tough, but not that tough.
But then, discontinuity. Bam. Press the button, not die with no suitable explanation for what happened in between.
Your head hurts too; your vision swims in front of you, and you feel the urge to retch. Traveling via quantum gate leaves everyone a little nauseous, especially to destinations without a gate on the receiving end to buffer the transport, but you've never felt it like this before.
"Wake up, Commander." Your ACU's computer helpfully repeats. You get the impression she's been saying that for quite some time, going by your parched throat and general grogginess.
"Blue?" You ask. You have to remind yourself that she's not intelligent. Given how much trouble QAI got up to when it decided the Seraphim were gods, nobody sane would allow it. Still it helps you to humanize your unit, keeps your morale up just a little bit even if she's physically incapable of responding in real intelligent manner. Nothing but canned responses and some very clever scripting. And some heavy duty hardware shackles, just in case. "How long have I been out? Scratch that, how are we alive?"
"Unknown," Blue's monotone voice replies. "I have no suitable explanation."
You shake your head.
"The bomb. Did the bomb go off?" Desperation clouds your voice. "Did the rift close? Did it work?"
"Last records indicate the bomb was successfully deployed. Probability dictates that the rift is closed," Blue replies. "This unit is currently in an unknown location. Would you like me to activate passive and omnisensors?"
You rub your temples, trying to bash through your confusion and headache with sheer will. "Do it."
"Activating sensors. Omnisensor online. Environmental factors within human physiological preferences. Atmospheric salt content indicates we are near to a large body of salt water. Two midrange mass deposits detected nearby. Alert. Unknown light assault bots detected within twenty kilometers. Configuration unknown. No quantum IFF detected. Possibility of Seraphim ownership: Four percent."
"No IFF?" You blink. Even backwater colonies with homegrown militias use Q-IFF to coordinate and almost eliminate friendly fire. Still, at least they weren't Seraphim. You've seen enough goddamn aliens to last a lifetime. "What are they doing?"
"They are approaching at flank speed."
"Recon elements then, probably here to confirm our location for heavier forces," You shake your head again, still trying to clear it. "Give me a visual."
The holomap, the throbbing nerve-center of every commander's strategic operations, lights up. It flickers for a few moments, the colors inverting and reverting before it all settles down and shows you the feed from Blue's head-mounted cameras. Suitably magnified. They're still kilometers off; the fine details are fuzzy, but you've got enough to get some idea of what they are.
You also see that you're on either an island or a peninsula, and that these LABs are approaching you from the other end of it.
There's seven of them. Each one's colored blue and white, and despite yourself, you feel a little more at ease because of it. At first glance you'd almost think they're flying UEF colors just like you are, but you're utterly familiar with UEF military equipment and you're certain there's no weapons like that in your arsenal. These look far more humanoid than the hulking, boxy mech marines that you field in the light assault bot role. They're almost deceptively slender compared to what you're used to, though they've got just the right amount of boxiness in the form of armor plate to make them feel familiar. They also have actual hands rather than dual autocannon.
And that's doubly strange. While hands are certainly technologically feasible, the only 'bots with hands you've seen are search and rescue models. Perhaps these are converted civilian variants? Certainly it would fit with the notion of a backwater milita scrounging for resources.
"...Configuration unknown is right." You mutter. "Never seen a design like that. Doesn't look alien, but it's not one of ours either. It's got just the right amount of blue though."
"I am detecting low energy levels, consistent with LAB power sources. They are unlikely to carry sufficient firepower to breach my hull armor even in its damaged state," Blue adds. "No evidence of quantum communications technology detected."
"Right," You nod. "Well. First order of business-"
"Alert. I am also detecting a single squad-size formation of light infantry within one kilometer. They are on a ridge overlooking our position."
"Focus the image on them," You watch the image switch. "Enhance. Magnify."
Blue does so, the image resolving into clarity.
"They're just kids," You mutter. The soldiers in question appear somewhere between the ages of eighteen and twenty two, though one oddity is that there's only two boys; the rest are girls. They appear to be mostly unarmed, only one of them has a rifle; your unit's omni-sensors aren't picking up any radiological or electromagnetic signatures consistent with anti-ACU weapons either. No tac nukes or anything big. They aren't wearing any appreciable armor, just cloth uniforms – sleeveless tops and camouflaged leggings suited for tropical operations.
They're also looking down at your unit with no small amount of nervous awe, and some of them glance towards where the LABs are coming from, reminding you of twitchy rabbits.
One of them is speaking into a large box-like communicator, though, while another, a particularly small girl with oddly styled hair has a large rifle, probably a long range marksman model going by the optics, trained on your unit. Though from the way she's trembling, you suspect she knows as well as you do that her gun won't even scratch the paint.
They're probably the ones who found you and are calling in reinforcements.
You tap your chin. No quantum comms, but they're clearly talking somehow. "Blue, scan the electromagnetic spectrum for signals."
"Signals detected. Breaking encryption. Decoding. Analyzing. The language they are using is an eighty percent match for ancient Japanese, circa late twentieth century. I can upload a language package to your command chip. Accuracy is not guaranteed."
You blink. A dead language? Sometimes colonies got isolated, but the late twentieth century was well before even Mankind's first diaspora. If these people really had been isolated from the galaxy at large even as it burned around them, you'd still think the language would've diverged much further than that.
This whole situation makes no sense to you. You've got a man that shouldn't be alive listening to a language that shouldn't exist watching LABs without q-comms on approach. "Do it. And give me a feed of what they're saying."
"Would you like me to selectively jam their signals?" Blue asks.
You shake your head. "Not quite yet. Let's hear what they say when they think nobody's listening first."
"Affirmative. Replaying recorded transmissions."
A tinny but distinctly young and female voice bounces around your command cabin. "-Instructor, this is cadet leader Sakaki, we think the thing just moved."
A more mature and womanly voice calls out from the other end. "Are you sure? We didn't see anything on our end."
"Tamase's looking at it through a scope right now. She's sure she saw something moving in the head. She says-"
You hear muffled words, ones too low to make out. The girl talking to her comrade, perhaps? "-She says it feels like we're being watched. Could you tell those reinforcements to hurry up? We'd all feel a lot better with some TSFs to keep an eye on this thing."
TSFs? Is that what they're calling the bots? Rather sterile; even a hardass military like the UEF had fun naming their war machines. Then again, maybe it's just a role designation like LABs. And new fish probably don't know the slang anyway. It's odd though, you think they'd know your ACU for what it is given how many thousands of years the technology's been in use. But they almost seem confused. Surely they'd know of ACUs even if they're so backwater that they've never seen one.
Though you're still not sure how that's possible. The infinite war wasn't kind on groups who thought they could hide from one of the big three factions. And then after that, the Seraphim were too good at ferreting out human colonies to burn.
Mysteries aside, you figure the incoming light bots are the reinforcements these cadets are waiting for.
Of course, that still leaves you with a conundrum. What are you going to do about it? These people could be hostile, or they could be friendly.
Three options occur to you immediately:
The first is to build a base. ACUs are incredibly powerful war machines in their own right, but their true strength is their ability to construct a self-sustaining base and assault force within minutes of deployment. It might spook the strangers, but right now you're in the black ten; the ten minutes after deployment when an ACU is at its most vulnerable to attack. Once you've got yourself set up, you'll be able to approach these strangers from a position of strength and to give them your full attention.
Alternatively, though it goes against your instincts as a commander, you can forego building a base at the moment and instead focus on opening communications with these strange people. It's a gamble, but it's probably less likely to provoke a hostile response. On the other hand, if they are hostile, or if there's another hostile force nearby, losing time on diplomacy might be the difference between survival and your ACU cooking off like a hundred megaton thermonuke.
Another option occurs to you; you can play possum; nobody's going to take jittery cadets seriously you hope, so they probably won't realize your ACU's active unless you do something or send out more active scans. You can continue to eavesdrop on their communications and generally see what they do when they think you're still disabled. Your weapons are fully functional; you can destroy them at any time, assuming Blue's analysis is accurate. As with talking, though, you're losing time you could be spending building.
So with that in mind, you elect to:
[]Build a base first, talk later.
-Pro: Less time spent vulnerable. Con: Unpredictable natives.
[]Attempt communications first, build later.
-Pro: Potentially open dialog with the natives. Con: More time spent vulnerable.
[]Play Possum, see what these people do.
-Pros: More opportunities to examine the natives without them being aware. More time to figure out what the hell's going on here. Con: More time spent vulnerable.
[]Something else entirely [write in]
-Pro: SB's plans can be very good. Con: SB's plans can be very bad.
Also, you have the opportunity to customize your character before the game begins in earnest. Choose wisely, commander, as these options may shape your character just as much as the actions you take in the future.
What is your first name?
[]Roland
[]Michael
[]William
[]Write in (Subject to GM approval.)
What is your quest?
[]Kill all aliens.
[]Save Earth.
[]Protect Mankind.
When you stepped into the rift and detonated that bomb, what did you feel?
[]Tired.
[]Scared.
[]Regretful.
[]Relieved.
[]All of the above.
In the Infinite War and the Seraphim War that followed, you were most known for:
[]Your compassion.
[]Your will.
[]Your friends.
[]Your hate.
Story Only Thread
Cpl_Facehugger
^The reason I'm here.
Current Assets:
1x UEF Armored Command Unit, "Blue", currently at 100% hull integrity. Paint slightly marred. All other systems functional. Blue possesses no upgrade modules at the present time.
Blue is currently in lojack mode. Attempts to steal her will involve megaton-scale explosions.
1x UEF Commander, 'Colonel Steele', feeling confused but healthy. Currently wearing UEF low profile power armor – ACU variant. Equipped with P-7 plasma carbine.
Current Allies:
None. You feel so alone.
Unit roster:
Special:
ACU: Your Armored Command unit is the center of your entire operation. If your ACU is destroyed, you will most likely die as well once it cooks off like a nuclear bomb. Possessed of an antimatter cannon and the ability to produce units almost anywhere, the ACU is a force to be reckoned with.
Your ACU possesses the following special abilities:
Build. (Can build structures. Upgrade to access higher tier structures)
Repair. (The ACU's protocrafter can be used to repair damaged structures and units.)
Capture. (The ACU floods the target with attack nanotech designed to subvert the target's computer systems. Safety interlocks prevent it from being used on organic targets.)
Reclaim. (The ACU can convert anything into mass and energy, including wrecked units, trees, and even dirt.)
Overcharge. (The ACU can channel almost all of its stored energy into overcharging its antimatter cannon, giving it the firepower of a midsize tactical nuclear weapon. Note: Using this without a strong T3 energy generation economy will likely slow down your growth significantly, as energy going into boom is energy not going into build.)
Your ACU is also possessed of its own internal radar suite and omnisensor, allowing it to detect nearby enemies no matter how they try to hide.
Also, your ACU is amphibious, and may be upgraded with several add on modules that increase its functionality. Only one module is possible per slot.
Current modular options are:
-Engineering drones (speed up construction, shoulder slots)
-Personal shield generator (confers shield, back slot)
-Personal bubble shield generator (stronger than normal shield, requires personal shield gen)
-'Billy' Tactical nuclear cruise missile launcher (launches light or heavy tactical nukes, back slot)
-Personal Teleport Unit (allows the unit to teleport around the battlefield for a large energy cost, back slot)
-RAS system (increases ACU's native resource generation, right arm slot.)
-Zephyr Amplifier (doubles your ACU's non-overcharge firepower, right arm slot.)
-Improved engineering suite (increases construction speed, allows ACU to produce higher tier structures directly. Left arm slot.)
-Improved Nanorepair system (improves ACU's standard repair system, allowing it to repair damage almost as soon as it happens. Left arm slot.)
SCU: Support command units are T3 manned units connected to an ACU's economy designed to allow a commander to delegate parts of a battle to subordinates. Equipped with heavy plasma cannons and several modular upgrades. More data will be available when/if you have pilots to man them.
Land
Engineer: (T1-T3). Engineering units are small tank-like units that can build, repair, and reclaim just as an ACU can, albeit less effectively. They are amphibious, and one is available for every tier.
Snoop: T1 Land Scout. The Snoop is a fast, lightly armored scout unit equipped with radar and a 50mm autocannon. Cheap, but not suited for direct combat.
Mech Marine: T1 Light Assault Bot. The Mech Marine is a weak raiding unit most notable for its blinding speed. Equipped with dual autocannons, its weapons are optimized primarily for striking light targets and demolishing unarmored structures as befits its raiding role.
MA12 Striker: T1 tank. The MA12 is a workhorse of early-deployment UEF operations. Equipped with a high velocity 120mm gauss cannon and armor capable of resisting repeated hits from its own weapon, the MA12 is most suited for dealing with armored targets.
Archer: T1 AA. The Archer is a light antiair vehicle equipped with dual railguns.
Lobo: T1 artillery. The Lobo is equipped with a large artillery cannon and fires shells which split into multiple submunitions. It has trouble dealing with particularly fast targets, so it is best used with other units as support to keep enemies from closing to point blank range.
Pillar: T2 tank. The Pillar is a 200 ton heavy tank equipped with thick armor and twin 200mm high velocity gauss guns, making it excellent for destroying other armored targets. Cheap and versatile, it lacks the durability of some of its contemporaries like the Aeon Obsidian heavy tank. but it makes up for this in cheapness and simplicity.
Mongoose: T2 gatling bot. The Mongoose is a special case in the UEF arsenal. Roughly twice the size of a mech marine, the Mongoose is about half as durable as a Pillar. However, in terms of firepower it's unparalleled amongst T2 combatants. Its plasma gatling cannon can fire off highly damaging bursts at long range, while its fragmentation-submunition mortar allows it to clear the field of lighter units effectively. The Mongoose is best classified as a support unit, providing heavy firepower from behind a line of more durable frontline units.
Flapjack: T2 mobile missile launcher. The Flapjack fires guided tactical cruise missiles, and is most suitable for bombarding fixed targets at range. It possesses no direct fire capability and must be protected by other units if attacked.
Riptide: T2 amphibious tank. The Riptide is a fast, well armored hovertank that can cross water. It is equipped with a hell's fury 'riot gun', essentially a vehicle-scale shotgun firing high explosive armor piercing flechettes in a fully automatic fashion.
Sky Boxer: T2 mobile AA flak artillery. The Sky Boxer is the UEF's answer to the question of air assault away from the base. Firing fragmentation shells laced with explosive submunitions, the Sky Boxer is effective at shooting down aerial attackers. It cannot fire at ground units, however.
Parashield: T2 shield generator. The Parashield is a mobile shield generator, able to project a shield bubble to protect other units from ranged attack. Enemy units can pass through the shield if they move slowly, rendering it less effective vs fast close range attackers. The Parashield uses large amounts of energy, almost requiring a T2 economy or better to support. If you lose your power generators, expect your parashields to run out of energy. They are also unarmed and vulnerable to attack.
Sparky: T2 Combat Engineer. The Sparky is a response to the UEF's need for a front line engineering unit that can defend itself. It is equipped with a small riot gun, radar, a jamming device, and all the standard engineer functions.
Titan: T3 Heavy Assault Bot. The Titan is a 50 meter tall fast assault bot, and is essentially the Mech Marine on steroids. Equipped with dual rapid fire plasma cannons and a personal shield generator, the Titan excels at hit and run attacks and clearing smaller units efficiently. It is not amphibious.
Percival: T3 Armored Assault Bot. The Percival is an incredibly durable 60 meter tall assault bot designed for destroying large targets; it is equipped with a large long range plasma cannon capable of destroying most units in a single shot. However, its weapon has a lengthy recycle time before it can fire again. The Percival itself is also expensive. However, it is amphibious.
Spearhead: T3 mobile missile launcher. The Spearhead is a heavier version of the Flapjack, capable of firing three light tactical nuclear cruise missiles in a single salvo. Like the Flapjack, it requires protection from enemy combatants, and it also excels in battering down shields and enemy defenses with an unending tide of missiles.
Demolisher: T3 mobile artillery system. The Demolisher is a long range artillery piece firing anti-matter equipped shells. Due to its powerful gun, it must deploy stabilizers to fire, but it's a very effective siege unit.
Fatboy: T4 land battleship. The Fatboy is one of the most powerful land units in the galaxy. A 300 meter long mobile fortress equipped with 4 rapid fire triple-barreled battleship-scale turrets, two hell's fury riot guns for CIWS, two anti-air railcannons, and its own bubble shield generator. The Fatboy is also amphibious and equipped with a torpedo launcher for naval combat. It can refuel and repair aircraft that land on its surface. Most importantly, however, it can produce new land units at a rate exceeding a T3 land factory any time it's not moving.
Air:
Hummingbird: T1 air scout. The Hummingbird is a fast light air unit equipped with radar and used for scouting purposes. It is also equipped with sonar, for detecting submerged enemy units.
Cyclone: T1 interceptor. The Cyclone is the basic UEF aircraft. Equipped with two anti-air railguns, the Cyclone is cheap, fast, and durable as far as T1 units goes. (Nearly as much so as an MA12 Striker). It cannot effectively target land units due to software limitations.
Scorcher: T1 attack bomber. A light T1 bomber equipped with plasma-napalm bombs, enabling it to burn through even armored vehicles. It is completely unable to engage other aerial units.
C-6 Courier: T1 light air transport. The C-6 courier is a light transport aircraft able to carry six T1 units externally. Mech Marines are able to fire from the Courier while in flight.
Janus: T2 multirole fighter/bomber. The Janus is a dual purpose aircraft equipped with both anti-air railcannons and large plasma-napalm bombs, making it very versatile. It is approximately four times as durable as a Cyclone.
C-14 Star Lifter: T2 air transport. The C14 is a larger transport able to carry heavier units, including ACUs. It is equipped with two anti-air railcannons and two riot guns for clearing a hot LZ. Can carry 12 units.
Stork: T2 torpedo bomber. The Stork is a plane designed for destroying naval units, dive bombing them with torpedoes. Not effective vs land units at all.
Stinger: T2 gunship. The Stinger is a light gunship optimized for close air support. Equipped with a riot gun as well as a magnetic hook for carrying a single T1 or T2 unit.
SR90 Blackbird: T3 spy plane. The SR90 is a very fast aircraft equipped with radar, sonar, and omni-sensors, used for reconnaissance. It is completely unarmed.
Wasp: T3 air superiority fighter. The Wasp is an advanced UEF fighter aircraft, equipped with dual plasma cannons, heavy armor, and excellent speed. Designed to clear the skies, no aerial enemy is safe from a large swarm of wasps. Like the Cyclone, it cannot effectively target ground units.
Ambassador: T3 strategic bomber. A long range bomber equipped with tactical nuclear bombs and an anti-air railgun to fend off air attack.
Broadsword: T3 heavy gunship. The Broadsword is the pride of the UEF air force. It's not as fast as other aircraft, but its immense armor allows it to survive things that would leave other aircraft crashing. It is equipped with a rapid fire plasma cannon and a light anti-air railcannon for air defense. It also has a long loiter time.
Continental: T3 heavy air transport. The Continental is a heavy aerial transport designed to carry large numbers of advanced units into hot landing zones and to support them once deployed. It is equipped with heavy armor, a bubble shield generator to protect its cargo, heavy plasma cannons, as well as anti-air missile launchers. It can carry up to 24 units.
Sea:
Thunderhead: T1 frigate. The Thunderhead is a light frigate equipped with a light bombardment railcannon and an anti-air railcannon. It is used primarily as a picket. Equipped with radar, sonar, and a jamming unit.
Tigershark: T1 submarine. The Tigershark is a UEF attack sub, equipped with a torpedo launcher. It also has a deck gun in form of a plasma cannon, which it can use against land targets when surfaced.
Valiant: T2 destroyer. The Valiant is a versatile destroyer-class combatant equipped with two bombardment railcannon turrets, torpedos, counter-torpedos, an anti-air railcannon, radar, and sonar. Excels at shore bombardment.
Governor: T2 cruiser. The Governor is a vessel equipped primarily for anti-air and long range bombardment duties. It is equipped with surface to air missiles, a long range cruise missile system, and CIWS systems to destroy tactical cruise missiles. Also a light bombardment railgun and radar. Vulnerable to close in attacks.
Cooper: T2 torpedo boat. The Cooper is a small fast vessel equipped with torpedoes and anti-torpedo defenses designed to swarm and destroy larger naval combatants at point blank range.
Bulwark: T2 shield boat. Essentially a Parashield for naval vessels, the Bulwark suffers from the same issues that the Parashield does.
Summit: T3 Battleship. The Summit is a heavy surface naval combatant. Equipped with three battleship-grade railcannon turrets (three guns per turret), four anti-air railcannons, and CIWS automatic railcannons for point defense, the Summit is a veritable floating fortress, and was widely considered the best bombardment platform at sea during the infinite war.
Ace: T3 Strategic Missile Sub. The Ace is a sub equipped with tactical and strategic thermonuclear missiles.
Neptune: T3 battlecruiser. The Neptune is a heavy surface combatant optimized for hunting other ships. It is equipped with a heavy direct fire plasma beam cannon designed with Aeon assistance, as well as CIWS, torpedoes, and anti-torpedo countermeasures. Also has radar and sonar systems, so that not even enemy subs can hide.
Atlantis: T4 submersible aircraft carrier. The Atlantis is a 400 meter long supersub able to build, launch, repair, and recover aircraft. It is also equipped with heavy AA missiles and multiple torpedo launchers, making it an effective naval combatant as well.
Structures:
Calcicrete: T1 wall. A 20 meter tall barrier of hardened material, cheap and durable, ideal for funneling enemies into killzones. Larger units can step right over it.
DM1: T1 point defense turret. The DM1 is a 30 meter tall tower equipped with a rapid fire plasma cannon ideal for sweeping the field of light units.
DA1: T1 anti-air turret. The DA1 is an anti-air railcannon emplacement built on the DM1 chassis.
DN1: T1 torpedo launcher. The DN1 is a light floating torpedo launcher for coastal defense.
Aloha: T2 tactical cruise missile launcher. The Aloha missile silo fires medium range ballistic missiles fitted with small nuclear warheads.
Klink Hammer: T2 artillery gun. A large long range artillery emplacement equipped with anti-armor shells.
Air Cleaner: T2 flak turret. A larger version of the Sky Boxer system, the Air Cleaner fires bigger submunition-laden shells at a longer range.
Triad: T2 point defense turret. The Triad is a large direct fire defensive turret equipped with three 250mm railcannons, for dealing with hardened targets.
Tsunami: T2 torpedo launcher. The Tsunami is a large torpedo turret that fires multiple torpedos per salvo. Ideal for coastal defense.
SD Pulse: T2 shield generator. The Pulse is a bubble shield generator that can be used to protect bases from artillery and other ranged attacks. Uses energy, will shut down if a reliable supply of energy cannot be maintained.
Scattershield: T2 stealth generator. The Scattershield generates a radar absorbing field that renders all units within its area of effect invisible to radar. Uses energy just like a shield, with all that implies.
Buzzkill: T2 missile defense. A naval CIWS system adapted for use on the ground, the Buzzkill is a light rotary railcannon able to track and destroy low flying missiles.
Ravager: T3 heavy gatling cannon. The Ravager is a large point defense turret equipped with a heavy gatling plasma cannon, ideal for destroying both light units and heavy ones at ranges more consistent with fixed artillery pieces than point defense. The Ravager is the pride of the UEF combat engineering corps, and a few ravagers are enough to hold against even T4 units.
Flayer: T3 anti-air SAM emplacement. The Flayer is an anti-air turret equipped with heavy AA missiles.
Nuke Eliminator: T3 strategic missile defense. What the name implies, the NE is the UEF's. Using anti-ICBM missiles, this structure can protect a base or commander from being nuked. Fires one anti-nuke at a time, so can be swamped with many nukes.
Stonager: T3 strategic missile launcher. The Stonager fires heavy ICBMs equipped with large thermonuclear warheads, for when you're tired of this fight and just want to end it all in a sea of nuclear fire.
HSD Pulse: T3 shield generator. A larger version of the SD Pulse, the HSD is stronger and larger, suited for protecting whole bases from bombardment.
Duke: T3 heavy artillery installation. The Duke is an enormous long range artillery piece used to bombard targets a hundred miles away. It is equipped with anti-matter shells.
Novax Center: T4 satellite center. The Novax is a facility which produces and launches orbital killsats equipped with large plasma beam cannons developed in conjunction with loyalists of the Aeon Illuminate.
Mavor: T4 intercontinental artillery emplacement. The Mavor is a three hundred meter tall gun able to shell targets thousands of miles away with pinpoint accuracy. It uses heavy anti-matter shells, and is widely considered the pinnacle of UEF strategic weaponry. Once a Mavor goes up, the battle is usually considered over.
A few notes on game mechanics:
For those who have not played Supreme Commander (or more particularly, Forged Alliance, its standalone expansion), ACUs are ~90 meter tall mecha with enormous firepower and the ability to construct a base to produce robotic war machines in a matter of minutes anywhere they deploy using direct mass-energy conversion and local resources.
Ingame, ACUs are limited to a certain number of units even though theoretically they possess the capability to produce an exponentially growing army of robotic death. Since the universe of Supreme Commander would look much different if they could actually do this, there's a limit. For purposes of this quest, each ACU possesses a 'quantum core' which can service 1000 units, providing communications, sensor networking, and immediate resupply from a two way connection to the ACU's mass and energy generation economy. Consider this a hard limit on the number of units that you, personally, can control. Controlling more units will require more ACUs and commanders, or will require the units themselves to be manned, coordinated, and resupplied in a normal manner with all that entails.
Colonel Steele is an experienced commander. You do not generally need to micromanage him in combat; merely giving him broad directives will be sufficient unless you want to do something particularly brilliant and/or unexpected. "Build a base" "upgrade to tech tier 2" and so on. He will generally manage his own economy and forces optimally* provided that you give him generalized goals.
*Optimally in terms of what he knows. He's not omniscient.
Research of new unit types and technology is possible, but you will need access to a lab and at least one scientist to help. Reconfigurations of existing technology (ie slapping a flamethrower on a mech marine) are easier than completely redesigning new units or weapons systems.
Overall, this is going to be a more narrative heavy game than ones I've done in the past.
For votes, please put them in the following format:
[X]Vote
-[X]Subvote (if applicable)
So that Firn's voting script can count them properly. Votes in another format won't be counted unless I notice them and remember to include them.
1x UEF Armored Command Unit, "Blue", currently at 100% hull integrity. Paint slightly marred. All other systems functional. Blue possesses no upgrade modules at the present time.
Blue is currently in lojack mode. Attempts to steal her will involve megaton-scale explosions.
1x UEF Commander, 'Colonel Steele', feeling confused but healthy. Currently wearing UEF low profile power armor – ACU variant. Equipped with P-7 plasma carbine.
Current Allies:
None. You feel so alone.
Unit roster:
Special:
ACU: Your Armored Command unit is the center of your entire operation. If your ACU is destroyed, you will most likely die as well once it cooks off like a nuclear bomb. Possessed of an antimatter cannon and the ability to produce units almost anywhere, the ACU is a force to be reckoned with.
Your ACU possesses the following special abilities:
Build. (Can build structures. Upgrade to access higher tier structures)
Repair. (The ACU's protocrafter can be used to repair damaged structures and units.)
Capture. (The ACU floods the target with attack nanotech designed to subvert the target's computer systems. Safety interlocks prevent it from being used on organic targets.)
Reclaim. (The ACU can convert anything into mass and energy, including wrecked units, trees, and even dirt.)
Overcharge. (The ACU can channel almost all of its stored energy into overcharging its antimatter cannon, giving it the firepower of a midsize tactical nuclear weapon. Note: Using this without a strong T3 energy generation economy will likely slow down your growth significantly, as energy going into boom is energy not going into build.)
Your ACU is also possessed of its own internal radar suite and omnisensor, allowing it to detect nearby enemies no matter how they try to hide.
Also, your ACU is amphibious, and may be upgraded with several add on modules that increase its functionality. Only one module is possible per slot.
Current modular options are:
-Engineering drones (speed up construction, shoulder slots)
-Personal shield generator (confers shield, back slot)
-Personal bubble shield generator (stronger than normal shield, requires personal shield gen)
-'Billy' Tactical nuclear cruise missile launcher (launches light or heavy tactical nukes, back slot)
-Personal Teleport Unit (allows the unit to teleport around the battlefield for a large energy cost, back slot)
-RAS system (increases ACU's native resource generation, right arm slot.)
-Zephyr Amplifier (doubles your ACU's non-overcharge firepower, right arm slot.)
-Improved engineering suite (increases construction speed, allows ACU to produce higher tier structures directly. Left arm slot.)
-Improved Nanorepair system (improves ACU's standard repair system, allowing it to repair damage almost as soon as it happens. Left arm slot.)
SCU: Support command units are T3 manned units connected to an ACU's economy designed to allow a commander to delegate parts of a battle to subordinates. Equipped with heavy plasma cannons and several modular upgrades. More data will be available when/if you have pilots to man them.
Land
Engineer: (T1-T3). Engineering units are small tank-like units that can build, repair, and reclaim just as an ACU can, albeit less effectively. They are amphibious, and one is available for every tier.
Snoop: T1 Land Scout. The Snoop is a fast, lightly armored scout unit equipped with radar and a 50mm autocannon. Cheap, but not suited for direct combat.
Mech Marine: T1 Light Assault Bot. The Mech Marine is a weak raiding unit most notable for its blinding speed. Equipped with dual autocannons, its weapons are optimized primarily for striking light targets and demolishing unarmored structures as befits its raiding role.
MA12 Striker: T1 tank. The MA12 is a workhorse of early-deployment UEF operations. Equipped with a high velocity 120mm gauss cannon and armor capable of resisting repeated hits from its own weapon, the MA12 is most suited for dealing with armored targets.
Archer: T1 AA. The Archer is a light antiair vehicle equipped with dual railguns.
Lobo: T1 artillery. The Lobo is equipped with a large artillery cannon and fires shells which split into multiple submunitions. It has trouble dealing with particularly fast targets, so it is best used with other units as support to keep enemies from closing to point blank range.
Pillar: T2 tank. The Pillar is a 200 ton heavy tank equipped with thick armor and twin 200mm high velocity gauss guns, making it excellent for destroying other armored targets. Cheap and versatile, it lacks the durability of some of its contemporaries like the Aeon Obsidian heavy tank. but it makes up for this in cheapness and simplicity.
Mongoose: T2 gatling bot. The Mongoose is a special case in the UEF arsenal. Roughly twice the size of a mech marine, the Mongoose is about half as durable as a Pillar. However, in terms of firepower it's unparalleled amongst T2 combatants. Its plasma gatling cannon can fire off highly damaging bursts at long range, while its fragmentation-submunition mortar allows it to clear the field of lighter units effectively. The Mongoose is best classified as a support unit, providing heavy firepower from behind a line of more durable frontline units.
Flapjack: T2 mobile missile launcher. The Flapjack fires guided tactical cruise missiles, and is most suitable for bombarding fixed targets at range. It possesses no direct fire capability and must be protected by other units if attacked.
Riptide: T2 amphibious tank. The Riptide is a fast, well armored hovertank that can cross water. It is equipped with a hell's fury 'riot gun', essentially a vehicle-scale shotgun firing high explosive armor piercing flechettes in a fully automatic fashion.
Sky Boxer: T2 mobile AA flak artillery. The Sky Boxer is the UEF's answer to the question of air assault away from the base. Firing fragmentation shells laced with explosive submunitions, the Sky Boxer is effective at shooting down aerial attackers. It cannot fire at ground units, however.
Parashield: T2 shield generator. The Parashield is a mobile shield generator, able to project a shield bubble to protect other units from ranged attack. Enemy units can pass through the shield if they move slowly, rendering it less effective vs fast close range attackers. The Parashield uses large amounts of energy, almost requiring a T2 economy or better to support. If you lose your power generators, expect your parashields to run out of energy. They are also unarmed and vulnerable to attack.
Sparky: T2 Combat Engineer. The Sparky is a response to the UEF's need for a front line engineering unit that can defend itself. It is equipped with a small riot gun, radar, a jamming device, and all the standard engineer functions.
Titan: T3 Heavy Assault Bot. The Titan is a 50 meter tall fast assault bot, and is essentially the Mech Marine on steroids. Equipped with dual rapid fire plasma cannons and a personal shield generator, the Titan excels at hit and run attacks and clearing smaller units efficiently. It is not amphibious.
Percival: T3 Armored Assault Bot. The Percival is an incredibly durable 60 meter tall assault bot designed for destroying large targets; it is equipped with a large long range plasma cannon capable of destroying most units in a single shot. However, its weapon has a lengthy recycle time before it can fire again. The Percival itself is also expensive. However, it is amphibious.
Spearhead: T3 mobile missile launcher. The Spearhead is a heavier version of the Flapjack, capable of firing three light tactical nuclear cruise missiles in a single salvo. Like the Flapjack, it requires protection from enemy combatants, and it also excels in battering down shields and enemy defenses with an unending tide of missiles.
Demolisher: T3 mobile artillery system. The Demolisher is a long range artillery piece firing anti-matter equipped shells. Due to its powerful gun, it must deploy stabilizers to fire, but it's a very effective siege unit.
Fatboy: T4 land battleship. The Fatboy is one of the most powerful land units in the galaxy. A 300 meter long mobile fortress equipped with 4 rapid fire triple-barreled battleship-scale turrets, two hell's fury riot guns for CIWS, two anti-air railcannons, and its own bubble shield generator. The Fatboy is also amphibious and equipped with a torpedo launcher for naval combat. It can refuel and repair aircraft that land on its surface. Most importantly, however, it can produce new land units at a rate exceeding a T3 land factory any time it's not moving.
Air:
Hummingbird: T1 air scout. The Hummingbird is a fast light air unit equipped with radar and used for scouting purposes. It is also equipped with sonar, for detecting submerged enemy units.
Cyclone: T1 interceptor. The Cyclone is the basic UEF aircraft. Equipped with two anti-air railguns, the Cyclone is cheap, fast, and durable as far as T1 units goes. (Nearly as much so as an MA12 Striker). It cannot effectively target land units due to software limitations.
Scorcher: T1 attack bomber. A light T1 bomber equipped with plasma-napalm bombs, enabling it to burn through even armored vehicles. It is completely unable to engage other aerial units.
C-6 Courier: T1 light air transport. The C-6 courier is a light transport aircraft able to carry six T1 units externally. Mech Marines are able to fire from the Courier while in flight.
Janus: T2 multirole fighter/bomber. The Janus is a dual purpose aircraft equipped with both anti-air railcannons and large plasma-napalm bombs, making it very versatile. It is approximately four times as durable as a Cyclone.
C-14 Star Lifter: T2 air transport. The C14 is a larger transport able to carry heavier units, including ACUs. It is equipped with two anti-air railcannons and two riot guns for clearing a hot LZ. Can carry 12 units.
Stork: T2 torpedo bomber. The Stork is a plane designed for destroying naval units, dive bombing them with torpedoes. Not effective vs land units at all.
Stinger: T2 gunship. The Stinger is a light gunship optimized for close air support. Equipped with a riot gun as well as a magnetic hook for carrying a single T1 or T2 unit.
SR90 Blackbird: T3 spy plane. The SR90 is a very fast aircraft equipped with radar, sonar, and omni-sensors, used for reconnaissance. It is completely unarmed.
Wasp: T3 air superiority fighter. The Wasp is an advanced UEF fighter aircraft, equipped with dual plasma cannons, heavy armor, and excellent speed. Designed to clear the skies, no aerial enemy is safe from a large swarm of wasps. Like the Cyclone, it cannot effectively target ground units.
Ambassador: T3 strategic bomber. A long range bomber equipped with tactical nuclear bombs and an anti-air railgun to fend off air attack.
Broadsword: T3 heavy gunship. The Broadsword is the pride of the UEF air force. It's not as fast as other aircraft, but its immense armor allows it to survive things that would leave other aircraft crashing. It is equipped with a rapid fire plasma cannon and a light anti-air railcannon for air defense. It also has a long loiter time.
Continental: T3 heavy air transport. The Continental is a heavy aerial transport designed to carry large numbers of advanced units into hot landing zones and to support them once deployed. It is equipped with heavy armor, a bubble shield generator to protect its cargo, heavy plasma cannons, as well as anti-air missile launchers. It can carry up to 24 units.
Sea:
Thunderhead: T1 frigate. The Thunderhead is a light frigate equipped with a light bombardment railcannon and an anti-air railcannon. It is used primarily as a picket. Equipped with radar, sonar, and a jamming unit.
Tigershark: T1 submarine. The Tigershark is a UEF attack sub, equipped with a torpedo launcher. It also has a deck gun in form of a plasma cannon, which it can use against land targets when surfaced.
Valiant: T2 destroyer. The Valiant is a versatile destroyer-class combatant equipped with two bombardment railcannon turrets, torpedos, counter-torpedos, an anti-air railcannon, radar, and sonar. Excels at shore bombardment.
Governor: T2 cruiser. The Governor is a vessel equipped primarily for anti-air and long range bombardment duties. It is equipped with surface to air missiles, a long range cruise missile system, and CIWS systems to destroy tactical cruise missiles. Also a light bombardment railgun and radar. Vulnerable to close in attacks.
Cooper: T2 torpedo boat. The Cooper is a small fast vessel equipped with torpedoes and anti-torpedo defenses designed to swarm and destroy larger naval combatants at point blank range.
Bulwark: T2 shield boat. Essentially a Parashield for naval vessels, the Bulwark suffers from the same issues that the Parashield does.
Summit: T3 Battleship. The Summit is a heavy surface naval combatant. Equipped with three battleship-grade railcannon turrets (three guns per turret), four anti-air railcannons, and CIWS automatic railcannons for point defense, the Summit is a veritable floating fortress, and was widely considered the best bombardment platform at sea during the infinite war.
Ace: T3 Strategic Missile Sub. The Ace is a sub equipped with tactical and strategic thermonuclear missiles.
Neptune: T3 battlecruiser. The Neptune is a heavy surface combatant optimized for hunting other ships. It is equipped with a heavy direct fire plasma beam cannon designed with Aeon assistance, as well as CIWS, torpedoes, and anti-torpedo countermeasures. Also has radar and sonar systems, so that not even enemy subs can hide.
Atlantis: T4 submersible aircraft carrier. The Atlantis is a 400 meter long supersub able to build, launch, repair, and recover aircraft. It is also equipped with heavy AA missiles and multiple torpedo launchers, making it an effective naval combatant as well.
Structures:
Calcicrete: T1 wall. A 20 meter tall barrier of hardened material, cheap and durable, ideal for funneling enemies into killzones. Larger units can step right over it.
DM1: T1 point defense turret. The DM1 is a 30 meter tall tower equipped with a rapid fire plasma cannon ideal for sweeping the field of light units.
DA1: T1 anti-air turret. The DA1 is an anti-air railcannon emplacement built on the DM1 chassis.
DN1: T1 torpedo launcher. The DN1 is a light floating torpedo launcher for coastal defense.
Aloha: T2 tactical cruise missile launcher. The Aloha missile silo fires medium range ballistic missiles fitted with small nuclear warheads.
Klink Hammer: T2 artillery gun. A large long range artillery emplacement equipped with anti-armor shells.
Air Cleaner: T2 flak turret. A larger version of the Sky Boxer system, the Air Cleaner fires bigger submunition-laden shells at a longer range.
Triad: T2 point defense turret. The Triad is a large direct fire defensive turret equipped with three 250mm railcannons, for dealing with hardened targets.
Tsunami: T2 torpedo launcher. The Tsunami is a large torpedo turret that fires multiple torpedos per salvo. Ideal for coastal defense.
SD Pulse: T2 shield generator. The Pulse is a bubble shield generator that can be used to protect bases from artillery and other ranged attacks. Uses energy, will shut down if a reliable supply of energy cannot be maintained.
Scattershield: T2 stealth generator. The Scattershield generates a radar absorbing field that renders all units within its area of effect invisible to radar. Uses energy just like a shield, with all that implies.
Buzzkill: T2 missile defense. A naval CIWS system adapted for use on the ground, the Buzzkill is a light rotary railcannon able to track and destroy low flying missiles.
Ravager: T3 heavy gatling cannon. The Ravager is a large point defense turret equipped with a heavy gatling plasma cannon, ideal for destroying both light units and heavy ones at ranges more consistent with fixed artillery pieces than point defense. The Ravager is the pride of the UEF combat engineering corps, and a few ravagers are enough to hold against even T4 units.
Flayer: T3 anti-air SAM emplacement. The Flayer is an anti-air turret equipped with heavy AA missiles.
Nuke Eliminator: T3 strategic missile defense. What the name implies, the NE is the UEF's. Using anti-ICBM missiles, this structure can protect a base or commander from being nuked. Fires one anti-nuke at a time, so can be swamped with many nukes.
Stonager: T3 strategic missile launcher. The Stonager fires heavy ICBMs equipped with large thermonuclear warheads, for when you're tired of this fight and just want to end it all in a sea of nuclear fire.
HSD Pulse: T3 shield generator. A larger version of the SD Pulse, the HSD is stronger and larger, suited for protecting whole bases from bombardment.
Duke: T3 heavy artillery installation. The Duke is an enormous long range artillery piece used to bombard targets a hundred miles away. It is equipped with anti-matter shells.
Novax Center: T4 satellite center. The Novax is a facility which produces and launches orbital killsats equipped with large plasma beam cannons developed in conjunction with loyalists of the Aeon Illuminate.
Mavor: T4 intercontinental artillery emplacement. The Mavor is a three hundred meter tall gun able to shell targets thousands of miles away with pinpoint accuracy. It uses heavy anti-matter shells, and is widely considered the pinnacle of UEF strategic weaponry. Once a Mavor goes up, the battle is usually considered over.
A few notes on game mechanics:
For those who have not played Supreme Commander (or more particularly, Forged Alliance, its standalone expansion), ACUs are ~90 meter tall mecha with enormous firepower and the ability to construct a base to produce robotic war machines in a matter of minutes anywhere they deploy using direct mass-energy conversion and local resources.
Ingame, ACUs are limited to a certain number of units even though theoretically they possess the capability to produce an exponentially growing army of robotic death. Since the universe of Supreme Commander would look much different if they could actually do this, there's a limit. For purposes of this quest, each ACU possesses a 'quantum core' which can service 1000 units, providing communications, sensor networking, and immediate resupply from a two way connection to the ACU's mass and energy generation economy. Consider this a hard limit on the number of units that you, personally, can control. Controlling more units will require more ACUs and commanders, or will require the units themselves to be manned, coordinated, and resupplied in a normal manner with all that entails.
Colonel Steele is an experienced commander. You do not generally need to micromanage him in combat; merely giving him broad directives will be sufficient unless you want to do something particularly brilliant and/or unexpected. "Build a base" "upgrade to tech tier 2" and so on. He will generally manage his own economy and forces optimally* provided that you give him generalized goals.
*Optimally in terms of what he knows. He's not omniscient.
Research of new unit types and technology is possible, but you will need access to a lab and at least one scientist to help. Reconfigurations of existing technology (ie slapping a flamethrower on a mech marine) are easier than completely redesigning new units or weapons systems.
Overall, this is going to be a more narrative heavy game than ones I've done in the past.
For votes, please put them in the following format:
[X]Vote
-[X]Subvote (if applicable)
So that Firn's voting script can count them properly. Votes in another format won't be counted unless I notice them and remember to include them.
Deadly Snark
Tryhard As Fuck
[X]Attempt communications first, build later.
[X]William
[X]Protect Mankind.
[X]All of the above.
[X]Your will.
[X]William
[X]Protect Mankind.
[X]All of the above.
[X]Your will.
OkayishGatsby
This Titan is Fine
[X]Attempt communications first, build later.
[X]William
[X]Protect Mankind.
[X]All of the above.
[X]Your will.
[X]William
[X]Protect Mankind.
[X]All of the above.
[X]Your will.
So this is during the Eishi test? Also, energy to mass conversion...if Yuuko could figure out how to replicate or emulate it, there may yet be hope for humanity after all.
How strong are the 1000 units anyway? is it to the point where it can mow down the mook BETA easily? Can it withstand the laser types?
[x]Attempt communications first, build later.
There may be more strategic locations we can start building from once we get information.
What is your first name?
[x]Michael
What is your quest?
[x]Protect Mankind.
[x]Ensure that best girl lives happily instead of dying horribly after noble-confidant-zoned
When you stepped into the rift and detonated that bomb, what did you feel?
[x]Relieved.
In the Infinite War and the Seraphim War that followed, you were most known for:
[x]Your will.
How strong are the 1000 units anyway? is it to the point where it can mow down the mook BETA easily? Can it withstand the laser types?
[x]Attempt communications first, build later.
There may be more strategic locations we can start building from once we get information.
What is your first name?
[x]Michael
What is your quest?
[x]Protect Mankind.
[x]Ensure that best girl lives happily instead of dying horribly after noble-confidant-zoned
When you stepped into the rift and detonated that bomb, what did you feel?
[x]Relieved.
In the Infinite War and the Seraphim War that followed, you were most known for:
[x]Your will.
Delta Green
Big Boss
- Location
- Classified
Oh hell the fuck yes.
Though you might want to add a zero or 2 to that hard limit, otherwise ACUs wouldn't be able to take over worlds on their own. Or maybe have supplementary Quantum Cores be build able to augment our control limit.
[X] Build base AND attempt communications. Any Commander unable to multi-task under any circumstances is a dead Commander. Establishing communications with local forces is paramount to estimate potential threat, but ignoring the hard taught instincts of the Infinite War is impossible.
[X]William
[X]Protect Mankind.
--[x] But you will forever regret being unable to save Earth.
[X]All of the above.
[X]Your will.
Though you might want to add a zero or 2 to that hard limit, otherwise ACUs wouldn't be able to take over worlds on their own. Or maybe have supplementary Quantum Cores be build able to augment our control limit.
[X] Build base AND attempt communications. Any Commander unable to multi-task under any circumstances is a dead Commander. Establishing communications with local forces is paramount to estimate potential threat, but ignoring the hard taught instincts of the Infinite War is impossible.
[X]William
[X]Protect Mankind.
--[x] But you will forever regret being unable to save Earth.
[X]All of the above.
[X]Your will.
doorcf the first and only
I'm gonna cut you down
- Location
- Lost in a BROB
[X]Attempt communications first, build later.
[X]William
[X]Save Earth.
[X]Regretful.
[X]Your will.
[X]William
[X]Save Earth.
[X]Regretful.
[X]Your will.
Cpl_Facehugger
^The reason I'm here.
You fatally interrupted Takeru's comprehensive skill evaluation, yes. Cancelled due to unforseen circumstances. Fortunately, those circumstances are not BETA related.arsdraconis said:
Let's just say you have an incredible wealth of technological secrets that can improve the chances of humanity in this setting if you decide to share them.
Might also improve the chances of humanity wiping itself out too, of course, since this is Muv-Luv, where you develop weapons to kill your neighbors instead of the unstoppable horde of alien eating machines rampaging across the globe.
You have a very wide array of land, air, and sea units. You'll see what specifically you have once you build a base and unlock the unit roster, but right now you've got all the UEF units from the game. Or you would... If you build a base.
So what this means is you've got unit designs ranging from space-abrams type tanks with gauss guns and TSF-size mechs with autocannons on the low end, to three hundred meter long shielded land battleships with fully automatic cannons and the ability to crap out units on command on the high end. Each of these units takes one point from your unit limit regardless of what it is.
Direct comparisons to BETA will require you to know that the BETA exist, as will knowing whether your units can survive prolonged laser fire. So, wait until you meet them.
Currently, your ACU considers TSFs to be roughly equivalent to light assault bots; weak fast units suited primarily for reconnaissance and raiding.
Of course, Blue is basing that purely on comparisons to other similarly-sized units in her warbook. She hasn't actually seen TSFs in action, so her conclusions are not 100% accurate. (Freebie: 3rd gen TSFs going all out are much faster than any LAB you've ever seen. The TSFs approaching your position are not going at flank speed as Blue presumes.)
I like the cut of your jib, sirrah.
It's entirely possible that you'll greatly improve the lives of many characters.
It's also entirely possible that things will go even more chompingly if you guys screw up.
Cpl_Facehugger
^The reason I'm here.
I considered it, but I ultimately felt that there was more narrative weight to a UEF commander than an Aeon one or a Cybran one in this specific story idea.
Delta Green
Big Boss
- Location
- Classified
I think we can call it for "attempt communications".
William has a slight lead over Roland, one or two votes, if I'm not mistaken.
Protect Mankind has a lead so overwhelming as to make it the certain winner bar anything other than an eleven hour turn of the tide.
And Will is so far the only vote given for what Steele was known for.
And Steele reminds me of TIE Fighter.
The UEF, I feel, was the only possible choice for maximum narrative weight. Cybrans and Aeon can toss aside Earth without more than a few second thoughts. The UEF is all about Earth as a symbol of unification.
William has a slight lead over Roland, one or two votes, if I'm not mistaken.
Protect Mankind has a lead so overwhelming as to make it the certain winner bar anything other than an eleven hour turn of the tide.
And Will is so far the only vote given for what Steele was known for.
And Steele reminds me of TIE Fighter.
The UEF, I feel, was the only possible choice for maximum narrative weight. Cybrans and Aeon can toss aside Earth without more than a few second thoughts. The UEF is all about Earth as a symbol of unification.
Alectai
Speaks Words of Wisdom... On occasion
[X]Attempt communications first, build later.
[X]William
[X]Protect Mankind.
[X]Relieved.
[X]Your will.
In on the ground floor, let's see if the "Best described in scientific notation" BETA can stand up to the bullshit manufacturing of Supreme Commander.
That said, even their mooks are pretty serious business, isn't one of the most common BETA forms something that sports a massive, bullshit hard crest that covers their entire front side? And they move in stampedes? And they're covered by aimbotting laser-firing giant eye monsters that shoot down anything that rises above a really low flight ceiling?
[X]William
[X]Protect Mankind.
[X]Relieved.
[X]Your will.
In on the ground floor, let's see if the "Best described in scientific notation" BETA can stand up to the bullshit manufacturing of Supreme Commander.
That said, even their mooks are pretty serious business, isn't one of the most common BETA forms something that sports a massive, bullshit hard crest that covers their entire front side? And they move in stampedes? And they're covered by aimbotting laser-firing giant eye monsters that shoot down anything that rises above a really low flight ceiling?
Delta Green
Big Boss
- Location
- Classified
While the 1000 units limit is constraining...Alectai said:
Please remember that we can still queue up units indefinitely. We can quite possibly smother BETA under a rain of crashing planes and make their giant eye monsters overheat by sheer continuous production capacity.
And then, there's the Mavor. And the Lazy Boy. And the Titans.
1000 units limit is little and losses are liable to pile up… But even at 20 to 1 exchanges, a properly set up ACUs wins the battle of attrition.
Deadly Snark
Tryhard As Fuck
And remember, those aren't even their actual military units. Humanity has been basically getting owned by mining bots.Alectai said:
Delta Green
Big Boss
- Location
- Classified
SupCom is Total Annihilation light. The Infinite War has wrecked up entire planets before too.Deadly snark said:
Once we get an economy going, we can take it. Hell, we might be able to build up Support Commanders or entire ACUs given enough time.
We might want to… convince the nations of the world to unify/form the UEF under our leadership beforehand, though. No telling what greedy nationalists would do with technology meant to protect Mankind as a whole.
Cpl_Facehugger
^The reason I'm here.
I'm fluffing warfare in the SupCom universe as revolving almost entirely around ACUs because of how ridiculously strategically mobile they are. Conventional defenses, units, and facilities are generally considered worthless in-universe against ACU-equipped forces even in massive numbers because an ACU-force can get inside their OODA loop in a way that's completely insurmountable. This is also the reason why the Seraphim stopped using their giant doomfleet and instead adopted ACUs of their own. (What? The BETA ignore conventional logic? Filthy cheating aliens.)
As for actually conquering a major planet... That's why you send multiple ACUs.
The main reason this isn't an option is because it's the act of building a base that changes the natives' reactions.
It's basically "do you build a base and prompt a response" or "do you not build a base" in terms of what result you get. You'll be attempting to talk soon either way unless you choose a [write in] or the possum option.
[x]Build a base first, talk later.
Fire up the proto-crafter and make a run for a shield and the strategic missile defence. Once we've got a solid defence against enemy nuclear strikes, we should be in a good position to actually talk to them, without the threat of impending nuclear annihilation hanging over us.
[x]William
[x]Protect Mankind.
(of course, that's by UEF standards, so a little different from what some people might just think.)
[x]Tired.
[x]Your will.
Fire up the proto-crafter and make a run for a shield and the strategic missile defence. Once we've got a solid defence against enemy nuclear strikes, we should be in a good position to actually talk to them, without the threat of impending nuclear annihilation hanging over us.
[x]William
[x]Protect Mankind.
(of course, that's by UEF standards, so a little different from what some people might just think.)
[x]Tired.
[x]Your will.
Cpl_Facehugger
^The reason I'm here.
Yes, but Steele knows none of that.EVA-Saiyajin said:
Of course he expects any group of people would be twitchy about an ACU showing up, which is why talking's an option at all even though his instincts are screaming at him to build a base so he can't be headcapped with an artillery piece or nuke.
SCUs are easy. They're just like any other unit, really. (Fluffing them as produced in the gate facility with the pilot being gated in since you can assist quantum gates to pump out SCUs faster ingame.) ACUs take about a week to make in a specialized facility that you can construct, but can't be made in the field for the same reason Black Sun parts had to be rescued from that lava planet instead of built on site. Both SCUs and ACUs require human pilots, which is the main limiting factor.
Also, I'll be calling things shortly, so get those votes in if you aren't satisfied with the current consensus.
Fortunately, Steele is a bit more tolerant now than he was when he fired Black Sun on account of having worked closely with the Aeon and Cybrans (and since you didn't choose Hate as his special trait).
staplesdex2
CLASSFIED
[x] Attempt communications first, build later.
[x] Roland
[x] Protect Mankind.
[x] All of the above
[x] Your will.
Edit: Vote Changed.
[x] Roland
[x] Protect Mankind.
[x] All of the above
[x] Your will.
Edit: Vote Changed.
[X] Attempt Communications first, build later
[X] Michael
[X] Protect Mankind.
[X] All of the above.
[X] Your will.
[X] Michael
[X] Protect Mankind.
[X] All of the above.
[X] Your will.
- Status