Mammoth Apostate vs the World 1: "Lost in the Mist"

[Highwind]

My first impulse would be to use a much larger missile on them...but I doubt we'd be able to hit a moving target at those distances. So yeah, not really sure how to handle the fighters.

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We don't have many counters against aircraft available right now. I think the best we can do at this moment is further destroy their sensors and comms so the aircraft have a harder time finding our troops. We aren't in the position to hunt down enemy aircraft with BVR capabilities, at least not right now.

@BadKatt85 the only thing I can think of that's worth adding to your plan would be ordering the CAS aircraft to fly low and try to hide their radar signatures among the ground clutter. It might not be enough to hide them from the enemy, but it might still help.

 

[BadKatt85]

Aside from not appearing to have anything dealing with the incoming enemy fighters, armed with high accuracy missiles that just devastated the SEAD? Looks fine. Mind you, that's not exactly a minor flaw, now is it? Apologies if I missed that bit, I tend to get lost when there are too many acronyms.

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I will attempt to write out my acronyms in parentheses in the future at least the 1st time used per post; I tend to forget not everyone is a big a military geek as me and my dad.

As Nixeu said, it doesn't include anything to deal with the incoming fighters specifically, and they're armed with bleeding edge anti-air missiles. Unfortunately our best ground AA unit is helping the Rescue unit while our best units in a dogfight got shot down from BVR. Either way, it's not a bad plan as far as can tell.

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Point of information - 1 of 4 of "...our best ground AA unit is helping the Rescue unit..." the other 3 are with the ground units, which btw should already be flying Nap of the Earth (NOE) as part of the ground units doctrine. IE. to deliver the ground units as close as possible -undetected- so they may strike AA & sensor units.

4 palletized AN/TWQ-1 Avenger AA

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Your critiques however have bore some ripe fruit - Rescue Group CAS detachment x2 strike eagles each sport 4 AMRAAM (totalling 8 beyond visual range BVR missiles of our own) good out to 4.5 km, they are as yet undetected. And while I'd suggest the attached Apache steers clear of this particular engagement (hugging the ground) , its slaved drones are not w/o merit.

First Grey Eagle (4 Hardpoints)

1. ADM-160C MALD-J (1 shot)
2. Hellfire Missiles (4 shots)
3. Hellfire Missiles (4 shots)
4. ADM-160C MALD-J (1 shot)

Launch theses immediately!!! The more active jammers in the area of operations the better.

Second Grey Eagle (4 Hardpoints):

1. Hellfire Missiles (4 shots)
2. AIM-92 Stinger (4 shots)
3. AIM-92 Stinger (4 shots)
4. Hellfire Missiles (4 shots)

Launch theses immediately!!! (as soon as range permits)

While this does risk drawing the eye, strike eagles and the drones risk this just by virtue of remaining airborne... I say peel them away from Rescue as potential NEW SEAD group. Strip the ground unit of 2 killer shrikes to reinforce the rescue group and the shrikes can go to ground for zero radar profile engines on, ready to spring up and engage threats on an as needed basis.

Ground unit CAS were meant for destroying ground based threats so I'm betting their undocumented load out was ?probably?

x2 M134 Miniguns, x2 M261 FFAR 2.75" 7-Thermite rocket pods miniguns could provide limited point blank AA capability /shrug

 

[BadKatt85]

Inside the Elite 'Rattlebones' a detection warning flares brightly, the sensor chief calls out on the channels being held open by Liberty's Toll:

"SEAD Group be advised we have beyond visual range missile launches from the inbound fighter craft, identification pending. Oh Shit SEAD! inbound are AIM-260 (JATM) and are bleeding edge! Manned craft are to burn onboard countermeasures in one MIKE (minute), take the drones NOE and brush the foliage, this is going to be dicey!"

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I personally read this as the inbound fighters were heading for the now defunct SEAD group... With the destruction (or retreat of the drones) those targets are no longer valid. The only other confirmed pursuit was vs the MALD-J (Faux Spooky II). Ground unit and Rescue air elements remained undetected, thanks to the damage caused by the 3 MALD-J's to legible radar picture.

@Smithsguild can you confirm or deny my interpretation...?

 

[Smithsguild]

@Smithsguild can you confirm or deny my interpretation...?

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Confirmed.

 

[Nixeu]

I will attempt to write out my acronyms in parentheses in the future at least the 1st time used per post; I tend to forget not everyone is a big a military geek as me and my dad.



Point of information - 1 of 4 of "...our best ground AA unit is helping the Rescue unit..." the other 3 are with the ground units, which btw should already be flying Nap of the Earth (NOE) as part of the ground units doctrine. IE. to deliver the ground units as close as possible -undetected- so they may strike AA & sensor units.



Your critiques however have bore some ripe fruit - Rescue Group CAS detachment x2 strike eagles each sport 4 AMRAAM (totalling 8 beyond visual range BVR missiles of our own) good out to 4.5 km, they are as yet undetected. And while I'd suggest the attached Apache steers clear of this particular engagement (hugging the ground) , its slaved drones are not w/o merit.

First Grey Eagle (4 Hardpoints)

1. ADM-160C MALD-J (1 shot)
2. Hellfire Missiles (4 shots)
3. Hellfire Missiles (4 shots)
4. ADM-160C MALD-J (1 shot)

Launch theses immediately!!! The more active jammers in the area of operations the better.

Second Grey Eagle (4 Hardpoints):

1. Hellfire Missiles (4 shots)
2. AIM-92 Stinger (4 shots)
3. AIM-92 Stinger (4 shots)
4. Hellfire Missiles (4 shots)

Launch theses immediately!!! (as soon as range permits)

While this does risk drawing the eye, strike eagles and the drones risk this just by virtue of remaining airborne... I say peel them away from Rescue as potential NEW SEAD group. Strip the ground unit of 2 killer shrikes to reinforce the rescue group and the shrikes can go to ground for zero radar profile engines on, ready to spring up and engage threats on an as needed basis.

Ground unit CAS were meant for destroying ground based threats so I'm betting their undocumented load out was ?probably?

x2 M134 Miniguns, x2 M261 FFAR 2.75" 7-Thermite rocket pods miniguns could provide limited point blank AA capability /shrug

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Hitting them with our own long-distance missiles would probably be a good idea, yes.

I personally read this as the inbound fighters were heading for the now defunct SEAD group... With the destruction (or retreat of the drones) those targets are no longer valid. The only other confirmed pursuit was vs the MALD-J (Faux Spooky II). Ground unit and Rescue air elements remained undetected, thanks to the damage caused by the 3 MALD-J's to legible radar picture.

@Smithsguild can you confirm or deny my interpretation...?

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Confirmed.

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Hm. On the one hand, that means hitting them now will confirm that there are more units in the area, so going quiet until the ground units "go loud", preferably with their AA element in position to take down any of these newfangled modernized WWII planes that try to make a move might be a good idea. On the other hand, hitting them now with our long-ranged missiles could do some serious damage to their air element. Up to you as to which option you think is better. So long as we have some measures to handle the enemy planes, I think we'll be fine.

 

[BadKatt85]

Submitting for Consensus Vote

[X] Plan: Oh shit, that just happened. Ver. 2.0 (Now with more SEAD)

SNS Staurolite carries on with SEAD duties, targeting sensor and AA facilities via the GPS information retrieved by the deceased SEAD group with upto 3/4 of it's Tomahawks, hopefully with radar still glitchy from the MALD-J's Charleston cannot be sure 'exactly' what is going on, focus on clearing a channel to near the walls.

Ground element with CAS, continue to destroy targets by leapfrogging forward. All but MLRS, and the Oracle FCC these are held in reserve to fire on the wall of life to maximum effect once a channel is clear. Colt's will paint for the MLRS, oracle providing boost. MLRS fires one Salvo of 2 "Divine Thunderbolts" then GTFO.

To "Quote -safely- Unquote" extract the MLRS and Oracle as they launch they are immediately supported by suppressive fire of the Staurolites remaining 1/4 tomahawks, the cluster munitions set to widest dispersal pattern ... I want bomblets raining on every surface of the wall of life from summit to base on the side the MLRS strikes.

This is a possibility due to:

CBU-87 Combined Effects Munition - has 2 variable spreads Concentrated & Dispersed

Concentrated: Hit on 3+, does a minimum 1pt K scale Fire/Impact (check for clusters)

Dispersed: hit on 4+ central target unit, but threatens the 6 surrounding units (6+ hit)
Does K scale Scratch damage

Staggering Tomahawks so one begins splattering the wall as the previous plays itself out, a 3 unit by 3 unit should be a hell of a lot of suppressive fire, enough everyone facing the MLRS should be fetal praying for it to stop. Maybe allowing an extraction window for MLRS, Oracle, and the colt teams.

-----
Undetected Rescue Bracer Team continues very low key get Bracer and the other 2 pilots and GTFO
----

The SuperGalaxy is cruising at a ceiling of 34,000 feet (max ceiling) I think that converts to ?10? km up awaiting the deploy on Councillor @KnightDisciple and the Sentinels to do their Ultra high altitude, extremely low opening para-drop to arrest their fall before chute cutting and powered flight superhero landings at the Pilot school for the children. That high should be making the chance to pick up the C5's radar signature near impossible with the MALD-J's in play.

-----Below Reflects the change to the original plan.

The Rescue unit reassigns x2 Strike eagles & x2 Grey Eagle drones to form SEAD 2.0 , Ground Element reassigns 2 Killer shrike to Rescue to replace lost air support guards.

SEAD 2.0 launch the last 2 MALD-J's , then engage in punitive retribution Charleston air forces must die. Fire all AMRAAM's and Drones shall attempt to close to range for AIM-92 Stingers salvos following turn (Apache follows nap of earth to keep comms with drones but attempts to stay undiscovered). If in doubt however, it may go hot with it's M230 30mm chain gun to engage hostile craft.

 

[Highwind]

Reassigning the Strike Eagles from the Rescue Group seems like a hasty move to me.

For starters, the enemy doesn't know they're in the air. This will change if they're reassigned and may lead to the Rescue Group being discovered faster and would also leave them without effective air cover aside from the Grey Eagles.

Second, despite one of them having MALD-Js the Grey Eagles are using a CAS/AA loadout and don't have any Sidearms. This is a lesser problem because other missiles can still lock onto Radar and Sensor/Comm nodes, but the difference in their chances to-hit and thus their effectiveness is significant. I think the Tomahawks are a much more effective option in the short term.

@Smithsguild What's the status of the Rescue Group? Has the countdown to removing Bracer from the rubble already started or is it still going to start?

What about the enemy aircraft? Still chasing the decoys?

 

[BadKatt85]

For starters, the enemy doesn't know they're in the air. This will change if they're reassigned and may lead to the Rescue Group being discovered faster and would also leave them without effective air cover aside from the Grey Eagles.

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Unlike the Helos, there is small chance that they will -remain- undetected for long, they move too fast and are ill suited for nap of the earth flight because at those speeds would you attempt to evade trees skimming a forest? Strike Eagles running canyons out in Nevada sure; but Georgia has a decided lack of that style of terrain.

Second, despite one of them having MALD-Js the Grey Eagles are using a CAS/AA loadout and don't have any Sidearms. This is a lesser problem because other missiles can still lock onto Radar and Sensor/Comm nodes, but the difference in their chances to-hit and thus their effectiveness is significant. I think the Tomahawks are a much more effective option in the short term.

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If this were the opening salvo in the campaign I'd concede your point (sidearms are best for SEAD work) but with Charleston's air defenses as severely degraded as it must now be, it doesn't make sense to be moderate NOW.

If we were roofing a house and the hammer broke with the roof 95% done, I'd be willing to grab a pipe wrench and finish as best I could ESPECIALLY if a hurricane were about to make landfall.

Hellfires may not be the 'perfect tools' but this close to being finished let's dogpile what remains with Tomahawks, Ground Assault, and SEAD 2.0; it won't be pretty but however we can achieve air superiority ASAP then we can polish the turd later... when we rule the skies.

 

[Smithsguild]

@Smithsguild What's the status of the Rescue Group? Has the countdown to removing Bracer from the rubble already started or is it still going to start?

What about the enemy aircraft? Still chasing the decoys?

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Rescue Group is undetected, countdown starts THIS turn.

Nope, they ignored the 2 shamming the signature of Strike Eagles (after all jets are impossibru) but the one faking Spooky II has 3 'Chain Lightnings' closing... they would have fired with BVR missiles there as well but they couldn't lock it. ( I wonder why? )

 

[Smithsguild]

Charleston assets destroyed leap to 65% before they are aware they are at War!

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As Spooky II (Rattlebones ) correlates targeting data 6 of the AGM-122 Sidearms are sent downrange with a call of "Fox-2" to excellent effect, 5/6 destroy their targets, the other a SAM site is apparently on point and have engaged their Phalanx CIWS and took out the sidearm. It appears that word of the attack has spurred defensive measures to go live and retaliation is being prepared.

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Doh! keep updates in same format smith!

SEAD group increased the destroyed percentage to *80%* before their demise, and 3 MALD-J's are clouding the picture further.

 

[Smithsguild]

There is a Plan up for vote, I am allowing 48 hours for it to gain consensus or an alternate be presented that can beat it.

DEADLINE - 11:00 PM EST Sunday

 

[Nixeu]

[x] Badkatt

 

[HolyDragoon]

[x] Badkatt

fuck it, we do it live

 

[Smithsguild]

With @BadKatt85 , @Nixeu , @HolyDragoon places us at 3 of 4 consensus needed...

 

[KnightDisciple]

[x] Badkatt

 

[Highwind]

[X] Badkatt

 

[Smithsguild]

We'll consider this locked. It may be a day or so before I can do the turn justice, muse is tapped out atm.

 

[Smithsguild]

My apologies for the extended delay, I just -really- needed some decompression time sitting on the other side of the table as a player in a game where someone else had to worry about things like bookkeeping, continuity, & justifying poor decisions.

I needed a brief outlet for my creativity where my only responsibility was to ensure my shitposts were QUALITY shitposts.

If you haven't quite given up we'll resume and call it time well spent on my part.

 

[Smithsguild]

Spoiler: QM math rant :p

Damn your soul @BadKatt85 , My first act upon my return is having to figure out 3/4 of 14, (hint it does not divide evenly.)

The Captain of the SNS Staurolite chuckles mirthlessly, "Do the Council even Brain before issuing orders? Fine, we're going to divide our remaining Tomahawks into 4 flights of 3 missiles each, 3 for SEAD duty / 1 reserved for Blanketing the Wall of Life with hot death & I'll play Mister Scott from Star Trek with the last 2 missiles for when someone screams for me to shoot something NOT in their fucking plan."

He lapses into a credible imitation of James Doohan, The XO plays his foil Geordi Laforge, two fellow geeks who have apparently rehearsed this privately to calm nerves of the crew.

As Scotty:
Do you mind a little advice? Starfleet captains are like children. They want everything right now and they want it their way. But the secret is to give them only what they need, not what they want.

As Lt. Commander Geordi La Forge:
Yeah, well, I told the Captain I'd have this analysis done in an hour.

As Scotty:
How long will it really take?

As Lt. Commander Geordi La Forge:
An hour!

As Scotty:
Oh, you didn't tell him how long it would really take, did ya?

As Lt. Commander Geordi La Forge:
Well, of course I did.

As Scotty:
Oh, laddie. You've got a lot to learn if you want people to think of you as a miracle worker.

The Bridge crew chortle and applaud, the mood lightens but a razors edge of tension remains, just enough to keep everyone on task and sharp. The Captain winks at the XO who nods amazed.

--- more in a bit, I'm rusty and finding my pace...

 

[Dadarian]

I'll be honest, those losses I saw here are what I expected to occur nearer the start of the game.

That said, now that I'm settled in my new job, I'm hoping to read through a couple hundred pages and get back on track and active in the game. @Smithsguild maintaining an excellent quest as ever from what I can see.

 

[Smithsguild]

@Smithsguild maintaining an excellent quest as ever from what I can see.

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I confess to a certain lack of focus and my muse has been MIA the last month or three.

I'm not giving up on ANYTHING, just recharging the batteries. There are layers of layers yet to be revealed I have devoted hours & hours of thought and scheming as to when to break open the seals and interject "Project Genysis" , "The Sisterhood of the BuenKai" aka Kaiju Cultists, and a few other survivor factions.

Where Jet travel re-opens new vistas of possible exploration beyond safe lines of communication, (Think of Lewis & Clark, Dr. Livingston, and Oliver Hazard Perry/Daniel Boone, Explorers venturing out into the great unknown...)

 

[Smithsguild]

@Dadarian , Your kind words were the balm apparently my Muse needed to entice her to come wafting back from wherever she has been vacationing.

-----

Macon Comms buzz, Atlanta's inbound Air support is a single pair of F-15 Strike Eagles accompanying the 'Strange Duck' a heavily modified CC-150 Polaris that is against the odds easily keeping pace with the strike fighters.

The F-15's touch ground only long enough to top off their fuel tanks, they flew the entirety of the journey after burners wide ass open and ate through their fuel, a pair of drop tanks, and arrived on fumes. Clearly against any and all safety protocols and with maximum chance of catastrophic failure.

The 'Strange Duck' fares much better, its fuel reserves being quite large and its dual motors designed specifically for hard running and durability, it is an ugly plane, like a passenger plane with the engine nacelles grossly disproportionate (casual glance x2.5 standard size) that nearly drug the ground on landing.

Stranger yet, is the cargo it disgorges within heartbeats of coming to a complete stop on the Macon tarmac.

A young (almost too young) Rabbi, his Payot barely reaching his collar & a tracked Bathysphere; made of unknown materials

Spoiler: materials as later reported by Atlanta

A hybrid plate of many layers of composite armor, explosive reactive armor, and a titanium honeycomb underlay with its voids filled by ABS plastic and these plates are joined and reinforced with a stable Graphene lattice surrounding a Qmonos bio-silk core net in the shape of a geodesic globe.

It flexes and deforms mildly as it moves and is unnerving, it is almost an exact replica of a human eye, complete with Sclera, Iris and Pupil.

The young man introduces himself, "Mayor Adaire sends his best wishes and my humble assistance. Rabbi Lowenstein, salt of the earth that he remains was found to have a weak heart, and be unfit to command Davel in the field, I was judge worthy to act as his successor until someone better arrives. I am Yosef Feldman, I am here to Aid you."

Without another word, he walks away reaches down lays his palm flat against the orangish brown clay of the soil adjacent to the tarmac.

"Arise Davel, for that is the name given unto you, and serve us in good faith until you are needed no more..."

Clay, soil, and sand all flow like water upwards gaining man like form on an unprecedented scale, Bulkier even than Mammoth and more proportionate to a heavily muscled man, the yiddish letter's upon its chest glow with a wholesome golden brilliance you cannot look at directly.

Seeing the golem materialize and the shock and awe on the peoples faces, Yosef turns.

"Davel is not tied to his base matter, the spirit that forms him is a gift from God, he may move as fast as he wishes in the bowels of the earth, me being merely a man. I must rely upon a plane to get places quickly and my 'globe' to protect my life as I ride along and -advise- Davel".

Again he turns, climbs inside the Bathysphere... almost on cue Davel reaches down, gingerly picks up the orb and places it within his own face, an armored orb now his right eye.

Davel flexes and stretches, almost as if a fighting man were checking his range of motion in a new set of clothing. He heads toward the approaching threat.

​

One could almost pity them...

 

[Dadarian]

That's sick

 

[Smithsguild]

Your kind words were the balm apparently my Muse needed to entice her to come wafting back from wherever she has been vacationing.

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(OOC) I was curious as to 'Why?' a few kind words had such a profound effect on removing my writing block. After a few hours of contemplating my navel I came to set of rather non-complementary conclusions.

Spoiler: a brutally honest evaluation of what motivates me...

In the earliest days of my quest it was my humble homage to the QM's that came before me such as Open_sketchbook, Fyrstorm, and others who had entertained me for days and weeks and transported me to worlds I hadn't the originality to envision on my own. They added a layer of depth to a beloved franchise, letting me linger in a world of Giant Robots saving the world one giant monster at a time.

I was now the Storyteller weaving a narrative web in the marketplace, and my ego revelled that my story was found worthy of so many people stopping to listen, and devote their time and energies in reward to that service. (coins of value beyond silver or gold)

The fact I crafted something that caught the attention of multitudes of people, inspired tons of responses, and had inspired a small loyal core that rewarded me with THEIR additions to our shared multiverse, be it through Omakes, or developing their Councillors in game, offered up a favored NPC, or thoughtfully designed an Elite unit. Each addition fueled the fire in my belly to make our world grander and more robust.

Some people drifted away, but the loyalist of readers remained - They too had invested a piece of themselves and would not walk away easily... We were now a band sitting around the campfire sharing our story. Many of these however are finding real life intruding, or have found exciting new diversions (albeit unintentionally while awaiting the QM to progress the story). This is the way of life, no fault attached

Things slow and I feel my figurative pockets empty, have I let the story drag on too long? Self doubt creeps in...

The Loyal remain, I write for them (and more truthfully for myself). The World of Mammoth endures as long as a single loyal listener wishes to hear more of the Lazarus Jaeger, risen to save the world.

TLDR; I am a mercenary storyteller, flattery is merely one of many coins I will accept in exchange for my services. Your time, effort, and shared story elements are also acceptable payment.

In game story up shortly; RL commitments intrude.

 

[Smithsguild]

Yoseph Feldman lay upon a memory foam lounger bolted securely to the floor, the five point racing harness his best assurance that when things got rough (and things always got rough with Davel) he wouldn't ragdoll about the chamber like a stray piece of candy inside a pinata. Above an inverse of the couch waited to be lowered trapping him like the meat in a memory foam sandwich.

Anyone else would be effectively blind, restrained and ALMOST smothered. He fit snugly, his breathing was a little restricted once the top descended, but he saw everything as Davel itself would have... The view of a Titan from on high.

The sphere was a kabbalistic focus, the most intricate he had ever heard tell of; using the principles of Sympathy and Contagion, he was both figuratively and literally inside Davel's head. Designed by Rabbi Lowenstein in exacting detail, but wrought of Yoseph's own toil his literal sweat & blood were in nearly every aspect.

Everything else inside the bathysphere to be seen here was -his- eye. Copper traceries on the globes walls mirrored the patterning of his neurons, iron solder mimicked his ocular veins and capillaries. Chemically oxygenated to rust to represent fresh blood flow in some places, others were tainted with carbon to represent blood outbound to the lungs. Between the outer armored shell and the very snug single crew globe was a colloidal gel dome to represent his vitreous humors providing an additional protective layer from impact.

Rabbi Lowenstein was not only one of the most Holy men Yoseph had encountered, but when it came to framing Kabbalistic rituals into practical application he was a Sage whose hand was guided by the divine. And when a seeming conflict between need and dogma would rear its head, Lowenstein would merely shrug, smile a small self deprecating smile and say "God's will be done..." and it WAS!

The need for finer control of Davel became apparent after his first battle, the servant was a living creature of Bestial Aspect for although alive it was without a soul, it served to destroy the outsiders both Precursor and of the Mist and it did so with great zeal (and sadly little regard for collateral damage), it gladly did as directed for it was made to serve, but it needed constant supervision and such was not readily possible at range.

Lowenstein crafted at first a diadem whose centerpiece was little more than a reinforced shark cage to carry himself upon Davel's brow, and although the damage was lessened, it became apparent spoken direction was too slow and bore the possibility of misinterpretation. It was also a vulnerability, for although Davel proved nearly indestructible in the field a near miss almost ended Rabbi Lowenstein and did result in the permanent injury of his left arm from crush syndrome as the bars held his arm trapped and with little blood flow. This would be when the weakness in heart was also revealed from the shock of injury drew all weakness to the fore.

With the ocular focus a pilot was *IN* Davel's head, wearing the Golem like a trick-or-treater wore a costume. The pilot receives sensory feedback, sees and feels what Davel feels to an extent aware but safely distant. A man wearing a 350 foot Golem.

Yosef had been a fine choice to stand in Lowensteins stead, he was of true faith (essential for controlling Davel), measured response, and his Father (a former Israeli Defense Force & Aman self defense trainer) had trained him in Krav Maga since preschool knowing he was of small stature and slight build, a seeming easy target for bullies.

Yosef/Davel would never be anyone's easy target...